Bostrichidae Research Articles

The first record of subfamily Polycaoninae (Coleoptera; Bostrichidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

A new auger beetle, Cretolgus minimus gen. et sp. nov., of the subfamily Polycaoninae (Bostrichidae) is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new genus differs from the genera Melalgus Dejean, 1833 and Polycaon Castelnau, 1836 in the subcylindrical body, striate elytra, contiguous procoxal cavities, four-segmented tarsi, and small body size. This is the first fossil record of the subfamily Polycaoninae and the second record of Bostrichidae in Burmese amber.

ACCIDENTAL INTRODUCTION IN ITALY OF THE PARASITOID SPATHIUS VULNIFICUS WILKINSON (HYMENOPTERA BRACONIDAE DORYCTINAE)

This paper reports the finding of the Hymenoptera Doryctinae Spathius vulnificusWilkinson for the first time inEurope. This is an idiobiont ectoparasitoid attacking woodborer larvae of some Bostrichidae (Coleoptera) species. Suchexotic parasitoid, mainly spread in the Oriental and southeastern part of the Palaeartic Region, has been intercepted inassociation with the lesser auger beetle Heterobostrychusaequalis (Waterhouse)(Coleoptera, Bostrichidae), importedfrom the Asian Far East in wood packaging material. This report represents an updating on the worldwide distribution ofthe parasitoid.

Evaluation of tolerance/resistance to phosphine of stored product beetle populations from Europe, by using different diagnostic methods: Presentation

We evaluated the susceptibility to phosphine in different populations originated from 14 European countries, by following different diagnostic protocols. In total, more than 200 populations were screened during these tests, classified to 9 beetle species: Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae), Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae), Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) and Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoprtera: Anobiidae). The different bioassay-related diagnostic protocols that were followed were based on different exposure intervals and phosphine concentrations, ranging between 90 min and 4 d, and between 30 and 3000 ppm, respectively. Our results indicated that one of the populations that had been sampled from Europe was strongly resistant to phosphine. Moreover, the different protocols provide comparable results, which means that a standardized diagnostic can be further designed and adopted. Moreover, molecular assays indicated that the mutations P49S in R. dominica and P45S in T. castaneum are common among different populations, regardless of the degree of resistance to phosphine. Our results suggest that there are reliable quick tools for the evaluation of resistance to phosphine and that insect sampling in target areas should be conducted on a regular basis.

High quality genomic resources for stored product insects

The expansion of genomic resources for stored product insects has largely been hampered by cost, time required for inbreeding, and technical issues that can arise during genome assembly from pooling multiple individuals together for DNA isolation and library preparation. However, newer library methods, such as 10X Chromium libraries, largely overcome these issues in that sufficient DNA can be recovered from a single individual for library prep and allelic variants are assembled as separate phase blocks, eliminating the need for inbreeding. Using 10X Chromium libraries coupled with 150 x 150 bp HiSeqX sequencing to a depth of at least 60X coverage, we are developing high quality draft genome assemblies for eight different stored product insect species, including Dermestidae (Trogoderma variabile, Trogoderma granarium, and Dermestes maculatus), Tenebrionidae (Tribolium confusum), Anobiidae (Lasioderma serricorne and Stegobium paniceum), Bostrichidae (Prostephanus truncatus), and Pyralidae (Plodia interpunctella). Overall, BUSCO (Benchmarking Using Single Copy Orthologs) scores exceeded 95% in all assemblies with few fragmented or duplicated genes, suggesting a high quality assembly of the gene space. Further, scaffold N50s exceeded 1 Mb in many cases and further improvements to these scaffolding metrics will be made using linkage maps and Hi-C libraries. Overall, this approach will yield high quality assemblies for eight different insects and could be used to quickly and efficiently generate draft assemblies of invasive or emerging stored product pests.

New auger beetle (Coleoptera; Bostrichidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

An auger beetle, Poinarinius burmaensis gen. et sp. nov. of the subfamily Dinoderinae (Bostrichidae) is described from Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new genus differs from other genera of this subfamily by the concave anterior margin of the pronotum, head visible from above and wider than the anterior margin of the pronotum, elongate and widely separated procoxae, antennae with 9 antennomeres, and body covered with long erect setae. It is distinguished from the genus Stephanopachys Waterhouse, 1888 by the transverse antennal club, protibiae with teeth, long tarsomeres 1–3, and elytra with a lobate convexity behind the middle. This is first record of the subfamily Dinoderinae (Bostrichidae) in Burmese amber.

Boxwood Borer Heterobostrychus brunneus (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) Infesting Dried Cassava: A Current Record from Southern Ethiopia.

Insect specimens of adult beetles and larvae of 7–9 and 9–10 mm length, respectively were collected from infested dry cassava at two locations from multiple stores in southern Ethiopia. The specimens were identified as Heterobostrychus brunneus (Murray, 1867) commonly known as boxwood borer and auger beetle. The study presents a current record of H. brunneus in Ethiopia, particularly in the context of infesting food products. Additionally, a wide geographical distribution of the pest was reviewed and presented in this article. Current evidence suggests that H. brunneus is a serious pest of forest wood, structural timbers, and dried food products and that it carries a risk to be introduced into various other parts of the world via global trade.

Characterization and virulence of Beauveria bassiana associated with auger beetle (Sinoxylon anale) infesting allspice (Pimenta dioica)

The incidence of auger beetle, Sinoxylon anale Lesne (Bostrichidae: Coleoptera), a destructive pest of cosmopolitan occurrence is reported for the first time on allspice trees, Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. in Kerala, India. The insects bored through the basal region of fresh twigs resulting in dieback symptoms. Morphological characterization and sequencing of a partially amplified fragment of the mitochondrial CO1 gene (696bp) revealed the insect to be Sinoxylon anale. An entomopathogenic fungus was isolated from infected cadavers of S. anale that was identified as Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill., sensu stricto (s.s.) (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) based on morphological and molecular studies. The partial sequences of the ITS, TUB, TEF and Bloc gene regions were sequenced. The fungus grew well in ambient room temperature conditions (28–32±2°C; 60–70% relative humidity) and the infection process on the insect was documented by scanning electron microscopy. Bioassay studies with the isolate indicated that the fungus was virulent against adult beetles as evidenced by the LC50 (3.6×106conidia/ml) and ST50 values (6.8days at a dose of 1×107conidia/ml and 5.8days at a dose of 1×108conidia/ml, respectively). This is the first record of B. bassiana naturally infecting S. anale and the fungus holds promise to be developed as a mycoinsecticide.

Lesser auger beetle Heterobostrychus aequalis (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) in Australia: absent or elusive?

AbstractThe lesser auger beetle, Heterobostrychus aequalis (Waterhouse), is a serious pest of seasoned hardwood timber throughout the Oriental region and several areas beyond. Some early collection records of H. aequalis from Australia in the 1950s and 1960s indicated that the insect was present in northern Queensland, but no confirmed breeding population has been found in the past few decades suggesting either that it may have not established permanently or it is difficult to detect. The ambiguity about the breeding status of the pest in Australia has caused confusion for regulating authorities needing to respond to each new post‐border detection. We examined records of H. aequalis in Australian insect collections and from intensive plant pest surveillance activities in Queensland and northern Australia over the past 48 years to resolve this confusion. Until very recently, available evidence suggested that H. aequalis was not established in Australia, despite multiple introductions and apparently suitable climate and hosts. Collection records of the pest are predominantly linked to intercepted items or are recorded as of unknown origin, and no established populations have been found during many years of targeted surveillance. However, a detection of H. aequalis in suburban Cairns, north Queensland, in late 2013 and two more in mid‐2015 in the same general locality do not appear to be linked to any imported material, indicating that there is at least a tenuously established local population. Investigations are underway to confirm this, but the insect is not widely established in Australia and, if present, remains elusive. Our recommended response to any future detection of H. aequalis is to fumigate or destroy the infested material, conduct tracing enquiries and limit surveys to the immediate vicinity of the detection.

The Bostrichidae (Coleoptera) of Taiwan: a key to species, new records, and a lectotype designation for Sinoxylon mangiferae Chujo

A key to the species of Bostrichidae from Taiwan is provided. Twelve species are recorded from Taiwan for the first time. Twenty-one species are believed to be established in Taiwan. A further seven species are recorded, but are not definitely known to be established. A lectotype is designated for Sinoxylon mangiferae Chujo.

COLÉOPTÈRES BOSTRICHIDAE D'AFRIQUE ORIENTALE

SUMMARY The author has studied a collection including 19 species of East African Coleoptera Bostrychidae, i.e., nearly all the non-cosmopolitan species known from that region.

Studies on the morphology and taxonomy of Indian Bostrychidae

Studies on the morphology and taxonomy of Indian Bostrychidae