Endemic Insect Research Articles

Parasites in ancient Egypt and Nubia: Malaria, schistosomiasis and the pharaohs.

The civilizations of ancient Egypt and Nubia played a key role in the cultural development of Africa, the Near East, and the Mediterranean world. This study explores how their location along the River Nile, agricultural practices, the climate, endemic insects and aquatic snails impacted the type of parasites that were most successful in their populations. A meta-analysis approach finds that up to 65% of mummies were positive for schistosomiasis, 40% for headlice, 22% for falciparum malaria, and 10% for visceral leishmaniasis. Such a disease burden must have had major consequences upon the physical stamina and productivity of a large proportion of the workforce. In contrast, the virtual absence of evidence for whipworm and roundworm (so common in adjacent civilizations in the Near East and Europe) may have been a result of the yearly Nile floods fertilising the agricultural land, so that farmers did not have to fertilise their crops with human faeces.

The number of larval instars in the flax weevil (Anagotus fairburni) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

ABSTRACT The flax weevil Anagotus fairburni is a large flightless beetle, that is one of the members of the endemic insect ‘megafauna’ of New Zealand. It is a protected species that currently persists only on predator-free islands or in remote and difficult to access alpine areas. Little is documented about the ecology of the flax weevil. In this study we estimated the number of instars in the A. fairburni life cycle by measuring the head capsule widths of larvae collected in the field on Mana Island Scientific Reserve. We used kernel density function estimates to predict average head-capsule widths and the number of larval instars. We then used Brooks-Dyar’s law on the head capsule width data and analysed Brooks and Crosby indexes to refine the estimated number of instars based on imperfect data. Results from sampling of 86 larvae suggested four instar groupings, but further analysis based on Brooks-Dyar’s law found that A. fairburni likely passes through 6 or 7 larval stages prior to pupation, with some uncertainty for smaller instars. Our method provides new data on ecology of an endemic species and provides a framework for further work on similar endangered species where data is imperfect or difficult to gather.

Sequencing Analysis of COI Genes Isolated from Vietnam’s Endemic Insect Species (Insecta: Plecoptera) for DNA Barcoding Database

The Insecta are the most diverse group of animals on the planet. The diversity of Plecoptera aquatic insect order is used as an environmental and ecological indicator. The study of endemic species is important for confirming the national biodiversity and contributing to the determination of national sovereignty. Despite Vietnam being a biodiversity hotspot, the number of known insect species remains limited. As a result, DNA barcoding has been used as a cutting-edge technique to efficiently and rapidly classify biological species. The Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene is widely regarded as a standard barcode for animal classification. In this study, we amplified and sequenced a portion of the COI gene fragment with a molecular weight of 710 bp for eight insect species belonging to the order Plecoptera, endemic to Vietnam. When compared to the previously published sequences of other Plecoptera species, the results of COI gene sequence analysis showed a high divergence of at least 9.9%. Molecular analysis of the studied species accurately demonstrated their endemism and morphological similarities. This study contributes to the development of a DNA barcoding database for endemic insects in Vietnam.

PRIMER REGISTRO DE Tosale oviplagalis (Walker) (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE) COMO PLAGA PERFORADORA DEL FRUTO DE Passiflora ligularis (Juss, 1805), EN EL BOSQUE HÚMEDO MONTANO CARPISH, PERÚ

<p><strong>Background</strong>. No previous records of <em>Tosale oviplagalis</em> (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as an agricultural pest have been found. In Peru, the Chinchao area is part of the conservation area of the Carpish Montane Regional Forest, currently an expansion area for passion fruit (<em>Passiflora ligularis</em> Juss) cultivation and is home to endemic insect species that can access new food resources in the areas with crops. of cultivation. In 2019, the first reports of damage to granadilla fruits caused by these insects emerged. Objective<strong>.</strong> To register <em>T. oviplagalis</em> species for the first time as an agricultural pest in granadilla fruits and to showe its damage. <strong>Methodology</strong>. The larvae of the species were collected together with the immature damaged fruits of granadilla between the months of February and August of the year 2019, in the Chinchao-Huánuco-Peru area located between 2110 to 3690 masl; Subsequently, the breeding in the laboratory and the respective identification were carried out. Damage observations and descriptions were made in the field and in the laboratory. <strong>Results</strong>. In the larval state, the insect pierces the fruits, enters and feeds on the internal part of the epicarp, on its way it forms tunnels under the epidermis and usually takes refuge internally in the insertion of the peduncle, they complete their development and in the last stage occupying the same entrance orifice, they abandon the fruit, letting themselves fall to the ground to pupate. <strong>Implications</strong>. The study presents new information on the pest habits of the species <em>T. oviplagalis.</em> <strong>Conclusions</strong>. The species <em>T. oviplagalis</em> is recorded for the first time as a pest on the fruits of granadilla (<em>P. ligularis</em>). It was possible to show its damage, at the beginning with a small hole in the fruit through which the larval entered, completely deteriorated fruits and the complete development of the larva within the damaged fruit.</p>

The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of Alsophylax (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Uzbekistan.

The high level of endemism in Fergana Valley has been well documented in numerous studies for various groups of animals and plants. In a relatively small area, there are 45 endemic plant species, five endemic insect species, and five endemic reptile species. In surveying this area for data on distribution, abundance, acoustics, and genetic samples for species of reptiles, we discovered two new species of gecko from the genus Alsophylax. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences indicate the relatives of these new species are the even-fingered gecko, Alsophylax pipiens, and the southern even-fingered gecko, Alsophylax laevis, located hundreds of kilometers to the northwest and southwest of the Fergana Valley. The threats to these new endemic species are significant given the amount of continued agricultural development that involves new territories previously considered "unsuitable" for any species of significance that is leading to the further reduction in, fragmentation of, and degradation of the remaining natural ecosystems in the Fergana Valley. The conservation of these rare and locally endemic species depends directly on the readiness of the state to create areas with IUCN I and II protection. The many studies documenting levels of endemism, along with the data published in this study, are the basis for the justification for state-protected areas in the Fergana Valley.

Predictions based on phylogeography and climatic niche modelling depict an uncertain future scenario for giant blister beetles (Berberomeloe, Meloidae) facing intensive greenhouse expansion and global warming

Abstract Large‐scale agricultural and tourism development are the main threats to biodiversity in south‐eastern Spain. Species with low dispersal abilities, such as some endemic insects from this region, are particularly vulnerable to fragmentation and loss of genetic and morphological diversity. Here, we studied the current and future threat of climate and land‐use change on the intraspecific diversity of one such group of endemics, the giant blister beetles of the Berberomeloe insignis species group. Using a phylogeographic approach and morphometrics, we identified intraspecific variation within the B. insignis species group. These data were coupled with ecological niche modelling (ENM) to determine the effect of agricultural and climate change on the connectivity across phylogroups. We identified a marked geographic structure within B. insignis, with the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of the two main mtDNA clades dating back to 2.1 Ma. Cyto‐nuclear discordances found across parapatric populations suggest past events of genetic introgression. B. insignis presents a head pattern that is geographically structured and mostly congruent with the four mitochondrial lineages. In contrast, diversification within Berberomeloe tenebrosus is more recent, dating back to less than 1 Ma. Future ENMs highlight the role of mountains as potential refugia under a climate warming scenario but predict extinctions in the lowlands. Based on our analyses, two lineages of B. insignis are threatened and should be urgently considered as independent conservation units, and their current geographic distribution areas protected to conserve, at the very least, a portion of the species' evolutionary heritage.

Behavioural differences in predator aware and predator naïve Wellington tree wētā, Hemideina crassidens.

Insects have evolved a wide range of behavioural traits to avoid predation, with anti-predator behaviours emerging as important adaptive responses to the specific strategies employed by predators. These responses may become ineffective, however, when a species is introduced to a novel predator type. When individuals cannot recognise an introduced predator for instance, they may respond in ways that mean they fail to avoid, escape, or neutralize a predator encounter. New Zealand's endemic insect fauna evolved in the absence of terrestrial mammalian predators for millions of years, resulting in the evolution of unique fauna like the large, flightless Orthopteran, the wētā. Here we investigate how experience with introduced mammalian predators might influence anti-predator behaviours by comparing behaviours in a group of Wellington tree wētā (Hemideina crassidens) living in an ecosanctuary, Zealandia, protected from non-native mammalian predators, and a group living in adjacent sites without mammalian predator control. We used behavioural phenotyping assays with both groups to examine rates of activity and defensive aggression shortly after capture, and again after a period of acclimation. We found that wētā living in protected areas were more active shortly after capture than wētā in non-protected habitats where mammalian predators were present. Male wētā living in non-protected areas tended to be less aggressive than any other group. These results suggest that lifetime experience with differing predator arrays may influence the expression of antipredator behaviour in tree wētā. Disentangling innate and experiential drivers of these behavioural responses further will have important implications for insect populations in rapidly changing environments.

Dynamic distribution modelling of the swamp tigertail dragonflySynthemis eustalacta(Odonata: Anisoptera: Synthemistidae) over a 20‐year bushfire regime

AbstractIntensity and severity of bushfires in Australia have increased over the past few decades due to climate change, threatening habitat loss for numerous species. Although the impact of bushfires on vertebrates is well‐documented, the corresponding effects on insect taxa are rarely examined, although they are responsible for key ecosystem functions and services. Understanding the effects of bushfire seasons on insect distributions could elucidate long‐term impacts and patterns of ecosystem recovery.Here, the authors investigated the effects of recent bushfires, land‐cover change, and climatic variables on the distribution of a common and endemic dragonfly, the swamp tigertail (Synthemis eustalacta) (Burmeister, 1839), which inhabits forests that have recently undergone severe burning. The authors used a temporally dynamic species distribution modelling approach that incorporated 20 years of community‐science data on dragonfly occurrence and predictors based on fire, land cover, and climate to make yearly predictions of suitability. The authors also compared this to an approach that combines multiple temporally static models that use annual data.The authors found that for both approaches, fire‐specific variables had negligible importance for the models, while the percentage of tree and non‐vegetative cover were most important. The authors also found that the dynamic model outperformed the static ones, based on cross‐validation omission rate. Model predictions indicated temporal variation in area and spatial arrangement of suitable habitat, but no patterns of habitat expansion, contraction, or shifting.These results highlight not only the efficacy of dynamic modelling to capture spatiotemporal variables such as vegetation cover for an endemic insect species, but also provide a novel approach to mapping species distributions with sparse locality records.

Strong negative effects of recent wildfires on two endemic Macaronesian bush‐crickets

Abstract Wildfires increase globally in frequency and extent as a consequence of climate change. These wildfires may have negative effects on insect populations. Macaronesia is a global biodiversity hotspot with wildfires occurring annually, but the consequences of these wildfires on endemic insects are poorly understood. Using bioacoustics monitoring, we studied the consequences of recent wildfires on two endemic silvicolous Macaronesian Bush‐Cricket species, which are listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Our results show that wildfires had strong negative effects on populations of both species. However, when analysing the effects of fire history and size, we found that one of the species was found on older burnt sites, suggesting a capacity to recolonise smaller burnt areas from adjacent non‐burnt areas. Reducing wildfire frequency and size will be crucial to conserving the two species. Additionally, restoring native laurel forest vegetation will support the recovery of both species.

Simulated winter warming negatively impacts survival of Antarctica's only endemic insect

Abstract Antarctic winters are challenging for terrestrial invertebrates, and species that live there have specialised adaptations to conserve energy and protect against cold injury in the winter. However, rapidly occurring climate change in these regions will increase the unpredictability of winter conditions, and there is currently a dearth of knowledge on how the highly adapted invertebrates of Antarctica will respond to changes in winter temperatures. We evaluated the response of larvae of the Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica, to simulated winters at three ecologically relevant mean temperature scenarios: warm (−1°C), normal (−3°C) and cold (−5°C). Within each scenario, larvae were placed into three distinct habitat types in which they are commonly observed (decaying organic matter, living moss, and Prasiola crispa algae). Following the simulated overwintering period, a range of physiological outcomes were measured, namely survival, locomotor activity, tissue damage, energy store levels and molecular stress responses. Survival, energy stores and locomotor activity were significantly lower following the Warm overwintering environment than at lower temperatures, but tissue damage and heat shock protein expression (a proxy for protein damage) did not significantly differ between the three temperatures. Survival was also significantly lower in larvae overwintered in Prasiola crispa algae, although the underlying mechanism is unclear. Heat shock proteins were expressed least in larvae overwintering in living moss, suggesting it is less stressful to overwinter in this substrate, perhaps due to a more defined structure affording less direct contact with ice. Our results demonstrate that a realistic 2°C increase in winter microhabitat temperature reduces survival and causes energy deficits that have implications for subsequent development and reproduction. While our Warm winter scenario was close to the range of observed overwintering temperatures for this species, warmer winters are expected to become more common in response to climate change. Conversely, if climate change reduces the length of winter, some of the negative consequences of winter warming may be attenuated, so it will be important to consider this factor in future studies. Nonetheless, our results indicate that winter warming could negatively impact cold‐adapted insects such as the Antarctic midge. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Chironomus sancticaroli generation test applied to chemical contaminants and freshwater sediment samples.

The use of ecotoxicological bioassays has been increasing due to the importance of understanding the effects of substances on biota and to help environmental agencies determine water and sediment qualities. The use of Chironomus sp. in laboratory bioassays is extensive, but there is still a lack of studies regarding the application of extended ecotoxicological tests, which evaluate different population generation responses and show a detailed impact on their development. The present study investigated the response of Chironomus sancticaroli, a Brazilian endemic insect, to 17α-ethinylestradiol hormone, caffeine anhydrous, LAS (linear alkylbenzene sulfonate), and environmental samples (sediments) in relation to wing length, fecundity, and larval length over three generations. Statistically, differences for all contaminants between P (parental), F1, and F2 generations (p ≤ 0.05) were observed, indicating that in the environment, the organism may be negatively affected when exposed to contaminants in successive generations. Different ecological responses were also noted in comparison to classic acute (96h) and chronic (10 days) ecotoxicological tests using Chironomus sancticaroli. Our results highlight that the generation test can present more detailed results regarding the effects of stressors on the organism's life cycle than do the classic bioassays.

Lost in Time: Re-description and Ecological Re-assessment of two Indian Endemic Elattoneura Cowley, 1935 (Playcnemidiae) Damselflies

The Indian Elattoneura are a difficult group to identify due to their extreme morphological similarity and sparse information in identification keys and on geographical distribution. The ambiguity is prominent among two Peninsular Indian Elattoneura species, E. nigerrima (Laidlaw, 1917) and E. tetrica (Laidlaw, 1917), described a hundred years ago. Both species were described based on male specimens with scant information on their females. The species are IUCN Red-listed, E. nigerrima (Data Deficient) and E. tetrica (Least Concern). Hitherto it was thought that E. nigerrima was smaller than E. tetrica and both have non-overlapping geographical distribution. Here, we re-described both sexes of E. nigerrima; E. tetrica along with morphometric data and geospatial analysis. We found that E. nigerrima is significantly larger than E. tetrica. The species are largely allopatric in distribution, with the former having a much wider spatial distribution than previously thought. Based on our geospatial analysis, we provide occurrence data useful for the future IUCN assessments of E. nigerrima and E. tetrica. We highlight the importance of updating taxonomic status information and data on spatiotemporal distribution to proceed with the conservation of endemic insects such as Elattoneura damselflies. Our study indicates reassessments of Indian Odonata species are urgently needed.

Insect Diversity of Sg. Kangkawat Research Station in Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA), Sabah

The nocturnal insect diversity was very high, with more than 100 insect species in a square metre in all light-trapping sites. The mean Shannon Index was 4.60 while Simpson Index was 176.72. It is interesting to note that Sg. Kangkawat insect richness appears to be the second highest after Crocker Range, when compared with 25 other forest reserves in Sabah. There were more than 13 endemic species and a subspecies recorded during the survey, including an undescribed species of moth (Geometridae, Plutodes sp.). In view of the high diversity and intriguing insect fauna, Sg Kangkawat Research Station has potential in promoting nature tourism for special interest tourists. Encroachment is among the threats within this forest reserve. For the general public, the boundary of some parts of the forest reserve is still not clear. Hence, it is important to have more signages to denote the forest reserve boundary. Public awareness and environmental education have to be enhanced among the local communities so that they are aware of the significance of biodiversity conservation of forest resources. The threats and issues have indirectly affected the insect fauna. As such, the forest quality would have to be enhanced in order to maintain the interesting and endemic insect fauna for biodiversity conservation. On-going cooperation with the relevant authorities, such as Sabah Forestry Department and Sabah Wildlife Department, will enhance conservation efforts and curb future encroachment. Further biodiversity research with relevant agencies should be encouraged.

Endangered monoxenous trypanosomatid parasites: a lesson from island biogeography

Most remote and oceanic islands are important, yet highly vulnerable biodiversity hotspots, which host a significant proportion of endemic species. Along with iconic endangered or extinct animals and plants, the disappearance of their co-inhabitants, including protist parasites, gets usually unnoticed from the conservation perspective. Here, we examined insects from Madagascar, Reunion, and Mauritius for the presence of trypanosomatid parasites (Kinetoplastea). Out of 660 specimens of the true bugs (Heteroptera) belonging to 87 species and 18 families, 95 individuals of 30 species were found to be infected (14% prevalence) by at least one trypanosomatid species, here referred to as typing units (TUs). Out of 141 flies (Diptera), 19 (13%) were infected. High diversity of the host species correlated with a high diversity of detected TUs belonging to 11 trypanosomatid genera, and representatives of 7 genera (Angomonas, Blastocrithidia, Herpetomonas, ‘jaculum’, Leptomonas, Wallacemonas, and Zelonia) yielded axenic cultures. Of 39 detected TUs, more than half have not been encountered in other geographical regions and appear to be endemic. Altogether, 27 TUs, including 15 newly detected ones, were found exclusively in bugs, while flies hosted 11 TUs, out of which five were found exclusively on the studied islands. Only a single species, Leptomonas moramango, was found in both insect groups. Several new isolates have significantly extended the diversity of the plant-pathogenic Phytomonas. Geographically widespread as well as endemic TUs were detected in both widely distributed and (sub)endemic insects. The high proportion of endemic TUs suggests that the prominent role of islands in the global diversity of macroscopic organisms likely extends also to their protistan parasites and that the protection of macro-organisms in biodiversity hot spots can also protect the vast, yet mainly invisible, diversity of their parasitic companions.

Environmental factors influencing fine-scale distribution of Antarctica\u2019s only endemic insect

Species distributions are dependent on interactions with abiotic and biotic factors in the environment. Abiotic factors like temperature, moisture, and soil nutrients, along with biotic interactions within and between species, can all have strong influences on spatial distributions of plants and animals. Terrestrial Antarctic habitats are relatively simple and thus good systems to study ecological factors that drive species distributions and abundance. However, these environments are also sensitive to perturbation, and thus understanding the ecological drivers of species distribution is critical for predicting responses to environmental change. The Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica, is the only endemic insect on the continent and has a patchy distribution along the Antarctic Peninsula. While its life history and physiology are well studied, factors that underlie variation in population density within its range are unknown. Previous work on Antarctic microfauna indicates that distribution over broad scales is primarily regulated by soil moisture, nitrogen content, and the presence of suitable plant life, but whether these patterns are true over smaller spatial scales has not been investigated. Here we sampled midges across five islands on the Antarctic Peninsula and tested a series of hypotheses to determine the relative influences of abiotic and biotic factors on midge abundance. While historical literature suggests that Antarctic organisms are limited by the abiotic environment, our best-supported hypothesis indicated that abundance is predicted by a combination of abiotic and biotic conditions. Our results are consistent with a growing body of literature that biotic interactions are more important in Antarctic ecosystems than historically appreciated.

Host Range Expansion of an Endemic Insect Herbivore is Associated With High Nitrogen and Low Fibre Content in Exotic Pasture Plants.

Endemic moth species of the genus Wiseana spp. (Hepialidae) have become serious pests of introduced pasture plants in New Zealand. The original native host plants of these moths have not been confirmed. This study investigated the performance (survival, development time, weight gain) of three Wiseana species on seven putative host plants: five native and two exotic species. The aim was to identify native hosts for the three Wiseana species and to compare their performance on native plants and exotic pasture plants. The chemical composition of the seven putative host plants was investigated to compare native and exotic plant chemistries, and to test for associations between plant characteristics and performance of selected Wiseana species. Carbon, nitrogen, silica and fibre contents were measured for each plant species; primary metabolite composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For the three moth species, increased survival and weight gain were significantly associated with high nitrogen and low fibre contents in one exotic host plant, white clover (Trifolium repens), although one species, W. umbraculata, did not complete development to adult on any of the plants tested, including clover. Two exotic plants (T. repens, Lolium perenne × Lolium multiflorum), and two native plants (Aciphylla squarrosa and Festuca actae) supported W. copularis development to the adult stage, but only one exotic (T. repens) and one native (F. actae) species supported complete development of W. cervinata. Exotic and native plant species had distinct metabolite profiles, but there was no significant association between metabolite composition and Wiseana performance. We conclude that W. copularis and W. cervinata, but not W. umbraculata, have expanded their host range, because of their ability to use both native and new hosts. No evidence was found for a host shift, i.e., a loss of performance on the ancestral host compared with the new host.

On the complementarity of DNA barcoding and morphology to distinguish benign endemic insects from possible pests: the case of Dirioxa pornia and the tribe Acanthonevrini (Diptera: Tephritidae: Phytalmiinae) in Australia.

Fruit flies are considered economically important insects due to some species being agricultural pests. However, morphological identification of fruit fly adults and larvae can be difficult requiring a high level of taxonomic expertise, with misidentifications causing problematic false‐positive/negative results. While destructive molecular techniques can assist with the identification process, these often cannot be applied where it is mandatory to retain a voucher reference specimen. In this work, we non‐destructively (and partial‐destructively) processed larvae and adults mostly belonging to the species Dirioxa pornia (Walker, 1849), of the poorly studied nonpest fruit fly tribe Acanthonevrini (Tephritidae) from Australia, to enable molecular identifications whilst retaining morphological vouchers. By retaining the morphological features of specimens, we confirmed useful characters for genus/species‐level identification, contributing to improved accuracy for future diagnostics using both molecular and morphological approaches. We provide DNA barcode information for three species of Acanthonevrini known from Australia, which prior to our study was only available for a single species, D. pornia. Our specimen examinations provide new distribution records for three nonpest species: Acanthonevroides variegatus Permkam and Hancock, 1995 in South Australia, Acanthonevroides basalis (Walker, 1853) and D. pornia in Victoria, Australia; as well as new host plant records for D. pornia, from kangaroo apple, apricot and loquat.

The insect fauna of Tenompok Forest Reserve in Sabah, Malaysia

The insect fauna in Tenompok Forest Reserve, adjacent to Mount Kinabalu in Sabah was surveyed. Nocturnal insect diversity was moderately high, compared to other forest reserves surveyed earlier. Species richness, however, was moderate, with an average of 73 species from 84 individuals recorded from a 1m2 area of the light-trapping cloth. At least 20 Bornean endemic insect species were recorded from this rapid biodiversity assessment, which include 19 moth species and one beetle species. The endemics and other insects of conservation interest recorded during the survey provide salient information to enhance the conservation effort of this forest which connects Kinabalu Park and the Crocker Range Park. Such information provides inputs towards recommendations on high conservation value (HCV) of the area that would be incorporated in the formulation of the forest management plan. Issues affecting the insect fauna and recommendations on insect diversity enhancement and conservation are highlighted in this paper.

Assessing the effectiveness of protected areas for conserving range‐restricted rain forest butterflies in Sabah, Borneo

AbstractRain forests on Borneo support exceptional concentrations of endemic insect biodiversity, but many of these forest‐dependent species are threatened by land‐use change. Totally protected areas (TPAs) of forest are key for conserving biodiversity, and we examined the effectiveness of the current TPA network for conserving range‐restricted butterflies in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo). We found that mean diurnal temperature range and precipitation of the wettest quarter of the year were the most important predictors of butterfly distributions (N = 77 range‐restricted species), and that species richness increased with elevation and aboveground forest carbon. On average across all species, TPAs were effective at conserving ~43% of species’ ranges, but encompassed only ~40% of areas with high species richness (i.e., containing at least 50% of our study species). The TPA network also included only 33%–40% of areas identified as high priority for conserving range‐restricted species, as determined by a systematic conservation prioritization analysis. Hence, the current TPA network is reasonably effective at conserving range‐restricted butterflies, although considerable areas of high species richness (6,565 km2) and high conservation priority (11,152–12,531 km2) are not currently protected. Sabah's remaining forests, and the range‐restricted species they support, are under continued threat from agricultural expansion and urban development, and our study highlights important areas of rain forest that require enhanced protection.Abstract in Malay is available with online material.

Susceptibility of kale cultivars to the wheat bug, Nysius huttoni (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) in New Zealand

ABSTRACT Seedlings of kale cultivars in New Zealand are highly susceptible to direct feeding by the wheat bug Nysius huttoni (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), an endemic insect pest. Two assays (choice and no-choice) were conducted to compare the relative susceptibility of seedlings of the six most popular kale cultivars in New Zealand (Kestrel, Gruner, Sovereign, Regal, Corka and Coleor). The earliest occurrence of feeding damage in the choice assay was on cv. Kestrel, significantly earlier than on Corka and Gruner. In the no-choice assay, significantly more wheat bugs were found on Kestrel than on Corka. Damage to Kestrel occurred significantly earlier than on all the other cultivars except Corka. Reduction in plant dry weight was significantly higher on Coleor and Kestrel. These results are important for developing integrated pest management protocols for kale pests.