Families Of Coleoptera Research Articles

How Much of Biodiversity is Represented in Collections: A big data workflow of aggregated occurrence data

Natural history collections play a pivotal role in taxonomy, which in turn supports all of biology, but particularly conservation and biodiversity policy. However, to provide this role, it is necessary to know what specimens are stored where, and how complete the collection is. The biodiversity held within collections globally remains uncertain, with an estimated 1.2 to 2.1 billion (109) specimens (Ariño 2010), of which around 200 million are represented on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Here we estimate the total biodiversity in collections worldwide by extrapolating from those specimens we know about. Data aggregators such as GBIF provide an ever-changing window into the contents of collections. We use non-parametric estimators that allow for the approximation of the number of classes in an incomplete set, such as the number of species within a collection, but also the proportion of biodiversity preserved on a national or continental level (for example within a taxonomic group, compared to the world or to a continent). Because the contents of data aggregators such as GBIF, are in constant flux, our workflow is made to be repeatable on the monthly snapshots that GBIF provides. The results of the workflow expose data gaps in GBIF, namely that collections from some large geographical regions, such as Asia, are poorly represented, but also taxonomic gaps exist, such as several Coleoptera families where many more species are accepted in the backbone than are represented on GBIF. As more data are published to GBIF the estimates for these taxon groups and geographical regions will improve. The detection of data gaps within data aggregators such as GBIF, and the subsequent mobilisation of missing information remains a priority for both aggregators and researchers (GBIF Secretariat 2022, Collen et al. 2008, Hochkirch et al. 2020). Our workflow will allow for continuous monitoring of collections and groups of collections of their coverage of global biodiversity, and the results can inform their collection development strategy.

Vertical Stratification and Seasonal Dynamics of Coleoptera in Open Biotopes of Forest Ecosystems (Centre of European Russia)

There are few studies on the vertical distribution and seasonal activity of arthropods in open habitats (in glades) in temperate forests due to methodological problems associated with the arrangement of certain structures for trapping. However, glades in forests are places of significant biodiversity of native animals, which are attracted to such areas by the possibilities of nutrition, reproduction, and wintering. The research was carried out on the territory of the Republic of Mordovia (the center of the European part of Russia). Fermental traps (bait—fermenting beer with sugar) were used to collect Coleoptera. They were installed on a special structure at heights of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 m. The collections were carried out from May to October 2020 in a glade with an area of 0.93 hectares in a deciduous forest. At the end of the research, 745 specimens of 80 species were registered from 30 Coleoptera families. The greatest species diversity was recorded in Nitidulidae (11 species), Cerambycidae (10 species), Scarabaeidae (7 species), Elateridae, Coccinellidae, and Curculionidae (5 species each). The greatest species diversity (53 species) and numerical abundance were obtained at a height of 2 m, and the smallest one (16 species) at a height of 10 m. The largest differences in the Jaccard similarity index were obtained between samples from a height of 2 and 10 m. The maximum values of the Shannon index and the minimum values of the Simpson index were recorded at the height of 2 m. The most significant relative number of saproxylic species was obtained at a height of 4 m. The relative number of anthophilic species was minimal at a height of 10 m. The seasonal dynamics of Coleoptera abundance were the same at different heights and the highest abundance was observed in late May and early June. However, the seasonal dynamics were different for some Coleoptera species in the glade located and inside the forest. Our data confirm the relevance of sampling in open biotopes at different heights in the study of arthropod biodiversity.

Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit II: Potential Marker for the Identification of Forensically Significant Species of Coleoptera—A Preliminary Study

The foremost concern in forensic entomology is the explicit identification of the species recovered from the crime scene. From the different orders of insects, Diptera is the prime focus in this field, followed by Coleoptera, whose identification can be extremely helpful for corpses in later decomposition stages. In this study, cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) was used to check its adequacy as a genetic marker and to create a reference database for eleven species belonging to five families of Coleoptera, namely, Silphidae, Staphylinidae, Histeridae, Dermestidae and Scarabaeidae, from two different states in India to assist in the accurate identification of imperative beetle species in medico-legal entomology. To achieve this, standard protocols of DNA isolation, amplification and sequencing were followed. We concluded that the COII gene can be used as a molecular marker for the identification of forensically relevant species, as observed from the similarities between the phylogenetic relationship constructed by COII and morphological data.

BEETLE ASSEMBLAGE COMPOSITION (COLEOPTERA) ACROSS THE BORBOREMA PLATEAU IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to compare soil beetle (Coleoptera) species composition between two sites on the Borborema Plateau in Northeastern Brazil. We collected 483 individuals belonging to 23 Coleoptera families and 75 species/morphospecies. On the east face of the Borborema Plateau (Areia-PB) we collected a total of 332 individuals representing 58 species/morphospecies and 21 families. On the west face (Cabaceiras-PB) we collected 151 individuals representing 24 species/morphospecies and eight families. Among the 75 total species/morphospecies collected, 51 occurred exclusively on the eastern face of the plateau and 17 occurred exclusively on the west face. Only seven morphospecies were sampled in both areas. The marked difference in beetle assemblage species composition between the west and east sides of the Borborema Plateau suggests that the positioning and climatic variations maintain and promote high levels of beetle diversity in northeastern Brazil.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Tenomerga trabecula (Coleoptera: Archostemata: Cupedidae) and phylogenetic analysis among Coleoptera

Tenomerga trabecula belongs to the Cupedidae family of Coleoptera. The first complete mitogenome of Cupedidae is reported in this paper. The genome is 16,741 bp in length and contains the typical 37 genes with 22 transfer RNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes, which are arranged in the same order as the putative ancestor of beetles. The average base composition of the mitogenome is 42.9% for A, 14.5% for C, 8.7% for G, and 33.9% for T. The percentage of A + T is 76.8%. The genome organization, nucleotide composition, and codon usage are similar to other beetles. Phylogenetic analysis shows that Archostemata is monophyletic. Myxophaga, Adephaga, and Polyphaga are also monophyletic.

Identification and Characterization of the Detoxification Genes Based on the Transcriptome of Tomicus yunnanensis

Bark beetle, as a trunk borer, has caused a large number of tree deaths and seriously damaged the mountain forest ecosystem. Bark beetles oxidize the secondary metabolites of plants, degrade them, and excrete them from the body or convert them into components needed by the body. This process is completed by the cooperation of CYPs, GSTs, and CCEs and occurs in different tissues of the insects, including the gut (i.e., the part where beetle pheromone is produced and accumulated) and antennae (i.e., the olfactory organ used to sense defensive monoterpenes and other plant-related compounds and pheromones in the air). In this study, we identified and characterized three gene superfamilies of CYPs, GSTs, and CCEs involved in the detoxification of endobiotics (e.g., hormones and steroids) and xenobiotics (e.g., insecticides, sex pheromones, and plant allelochemicals) through a combination approach of bioinformatics, phylogenetics, and expression profiles. Transcriptome analyses led to the identification of 113 transcripts encoding 51 P450s, 33 GSTs, and 29 CCEs from Tomicus yunnanensis Kirkendall and Faccoli, 2008 (Coleoptera, Scolytinae). The P450s of T. yunnanensis were phylogenetically classified into four clades, representing the majority of the genes in the CYP3 clan. The CCEs from T. yunnanensis were separately grouped into five clades, and the GST superfamily was assigned to five clades. Expression profiles revealed that the detoxification genes were broadly expressed in various tissues as an implication of functional diversities. Our current study has complemented the resources for the detoxification genes in the family Coleoptera and allows for functional experiments to identify candidate molecular targets involved in degrading plants’ secondary metabolites, providing a theoretical basis for insect resistance in mixed forests.

Faunistic analysis of insects of Deva Vatala National Park and agroecosystem of Gujrat Pakistan

Insect biodiversity drives ecological functioning and provides ecosystem services in different landscapes. Protected areas with the least anthropogenic disturbances provide resources with the least disturbance in habitat favouring insect species belonging to different guilds to coexist and contribute to the ecosystem processes. Studies have highlighted the significance of anthropogenic landscapes including agricultural ecosystems for harboring rich native biodiversity. To understand the species composition and abundance agricultural landscape, we explored insect fauna in Deva Vatala National Park (DVNP), Bhimber (Azad Kashmir), and associated croplands of Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. We aimed to assess the abundance, richness and diversity of the insect orders, families and species found in the two habitats i.e. national park and croplands. Fortnightly surveys were conducted during 2017-2019. Sampling methodology consisted of handpicking, using sweep nets, light traps, pitfall traps and insect collection was identified by using taxonomic keys. A total of 239 insect species representing 10 orders and 69 families were collected and identified from both habitat types. For both diversity and abundance, we detected a significant difference in community composition at species, family and order levels. Several insect orders and families demonstrated significant differences (p< 0.05) in either abundance or richness or both between the two types of habitats. Several families of Coleoptera, which contains dung beetles, ground beetles, ladybird beetles showed greater richness in DVNP. However, we also detected that several insect orders showed greater richness in the croplands of Gujrat. But we observed the pattern of the greater abundance of insect orders in DVNP. Both types of habitat can have important consequences on insect fauna having great importance in the ecosystem services and functions. Protected areas nearby associated croplands have the potential to contribute immensely to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provision both at the local scale and the landscape scale.

Properties of Grain Corn During Short Term Storage in Tropical Ambient Temperature

Grain corn in nature possesses a tendency to absorb and release moisture even during storage. Grain respiration will lead to fungal growth, consequently mycotoxin development and decreased nutritional components. Storage in tropical weather like Malaysia, in which the temperature is constantly hot throughout the year (temperature 23–33°C, with relative humidity around 81%) will promote further spoilage to the stored grain corn. Therefore, this paper discussed the properties of grain corn during three months of storage in a Malaysian weather setting. Grain corn with the initial moisture content of 12.5± 0.02% MC bagged in the; a) woven polypropylene jumbo bags, b) woven propylene 40 kg bag and c) plastic sealed container was stored in two different storage facilities located in MARDI for three months. The grain corn after three months of storage showed a consistent water activity, a darkening value in Chroma index, within the permissible limit of fungal growth and exhibits insect pest development of two major species of Coleoptera family. Grain corn is considered safe after three months of storage because low aflatoxin levels have been found, but the physical structure has been compromised due to insect pest infestations.

Pygidial Glands in Carabidae, an Overview of Morphology and Chemical Secretion.

Predator community structure is an important selective element shaping the evolution of prey defence traits and strategies. Carabid beetles are one of the most diverse families of Coleoptera, and their success in terrestrial ecosystems is related to considerable morphological, physiological, and behavioural adaptations that provide protection against predators. Their most common form of defence is the chemical secretion from paired abdominal pygidial glands that produce a heterogeneous set of carboxylic acids, quinones, hydrocarbons, phenols, aldehydes, and esters. This review attempts to update and summarise what is known about the pygidial glands, with particular reference to the morphology of the glands and the biological function of the secretions.

Spatial variation in the amino acid profile of four macroinvertebrate taxa along a highly polluted river

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the major environmental problems impacting aquatic ecosystems globally. We studied changes in the community composition of macroinvertebrates and amino acid (AA) profiles of dominant taxa along an AMD contamination gradient within the Dee River, Queensland, Australia to understand how AMD can affect the biomolecular composition of macroinvertebrates. Taxa richness and community composition of macroinvertebrates changed widely along the AMD gradient with significantly lower taxa richness recorded at the polluted sites compared to upstream and downstream sites. The Dipteran families: Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae, the Odonata family Gomphidae, and the Coleoptera family Dytiscidae were the only families found at all sampling sites and were used here for AA analysis. There were significant variations in the AA profiles among the studied taxa. The AA profile of each taxon also varied among upstream, polluted and downstream sites suggesting that contamination of a river system with acid mine drainage not only alters the overall macroinvertebrate community composition but also significantly influences the AA profile of organisms that are tolerant to AMD. This study highlights the potential of using AA profiling to study the response of aquatic organisms to contamination gradients such as those associated with AMD.

First record of Brachytemnus porcatus (Germar, 1823) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from South-eastern Anatolia (Turkey) and its host Pinus parviflora

This study was conducted in 2019 on pine trees in Province of Diyarbakır (Sur District) in South-eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. Shot samples were taken from the dried pine trees and brought to the laboratory. Samples were cultured in plastic containers at the temperature of 26±1°C, relative humidity of 65±5, and illumination of 3500 lux for 16 hours per day. As a result of this study, Brachytemnus porcatus (Germar, 1823) species belonging to Curculionidae family of Coleoptera was determined. This is the first record for pine trees in Diyarbakir. In addition, this species is the first record for the insect fauna of Diyarbakır. This harmful species, which is one of the rare insect species in the world, is thought to have entered the province of Diyarbakır, possibly through production materials brought to the region without supervision. Key for the species of the subtribe Stenoscelidina from Turkey is given.

Beetles Collected in Light-Traps During the North American Total Solar Eclipse of 21 August 2017 with a Review of Arthropod Behavior During Solar Eclipses

Insect behavior during solar eclipses has been the subject of numerous observations and studies. A total solar eclipse that passed through Clemson, South Carolina, USA, during 21 August 2017 offered a rare opportunity to test for beetle flight activity during the short-lived daytime-darkness. Ultraviolet light traps were run during three periods: 1) during the eclipse; 2) again the next day (22 August) at the same time; and 3) later in the evening the day after the eclipse. Forty-nine specimens within 16 species and eight families of Coleoptera were collected. The number of specimens collected was not significantly different between the eclipse and the next day, indicating the eclipse had no effect on beetle flight activity. A list is provided of all published studies and notes that could be found on insect behavior during solar eclipses.

Seasonality and distribution of Coleoptera families (Arthropoda, Insecta) in the Cerrado of Central Brazil

Coleoptera order in Brazil presents 105 families with approximately 28,000 species. The life cycle and diversity of Coleoptera are strongly influenced by climate and vegetation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the seasonality and distribution of Coleoptera families in an area of the Cerrado in the Federal District (DF) of Brazil. The insects were collected monthly, between June 2015 and May 2016, using a light trap activated only in nights with a new moon, in an area of cerrado sensu stricto in Planaltina/DF, Brazil. The data were correlated with climatic variables. A total of 21,100 Coleoptera specimens belonging to 34 families were collected, with Melolonthidae (n = 11,075), Carabidae (n = 2,522), Scarabaeidae (n = 2,506), Bostrichidae (n = 1,196), and Chrysomelidae (n = 1,086) being the most abundant. Coleoptera were significantly more abundant in the first half of the rainy season. There was a significant and positive correlation between the abundance of Coleoptera and the climatic variables temperature and precipitation. The data presented in this study are related to an atypical year under the strong influence of the El Niño phenomenon, which may influence the abundance of Coleoptera. Circular analysis revealed that Coleoptera, and the most abundant families, presented seasonality throughout the year with a grouped distribution at the beginning of the rainy season (October to December). This study demonstrates that the richness and abundance of the Coleoptera order, in the Cerrado, is strongly influenced by the characteristic climatic seasons of the biome.

A new pine pest for Diyarbakır: Observations on Buprestis (Ancylocheira) dalmatina Mannerheim, 1837 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

This study was conducted in 2019 on pine trees in Dicle University Campus. Bark samples were taken from the dried pine trees and brought to the laboratory. Samples were cultured in plastic containers in 26 ± 1OC, 65 ± 5% humidity and climatic chambers set to 16: 8 period. As a result of this study, Buprestis (Ancylocheira) dalmatina Mannerheim, 1837 species belonging to Buprestidae family of Coleoptera was determined. This is the first record for pine trees in Diyarbakir. In addition, this species is the first record for the insect fauna of Diyarbakır. This harmful species, which is one of the rare insect species in the world, is thought to have entered the province of Diyarbakır, possibly through production materials brought to the region without supervision.

Factors Affecting the Composition and Succession of Beetles in Exposed Pig Carcasses in Southern Brazil.

Coleoptera is one of the largest taxon among animals and exhibits diverse eating habits. When associated with decaying corpses, beetles can be of great value in estimating the postmortem interval. In order to consolidate a useful database for the forensic field, it is necessary to study the entomological fauna associated with the carcasses in different geographical regions since the diversity of insects varies according to the biogeoclimate zone. Thus, this study aimed to assess the influence of environmental and ecological factors on the composition and succession of beetles associated with pig carcasses exposed in southern Brazil. Collections were carried out during the hot/dry and cold/wet seasons. A total of 415 specimens belonging to 18 Coleoptera families were sampled. The highest total abundance (n = 329) and diversity (n = 44 taxa) were recorded in the cold/wet season, corresponding to approximately 80% of the total sampled from the two seasons. Dermestidae (26.7%) was the family most abundantly sampled. Regarding eating habits, in an increasing order of importance were necrophagous (43.3%), predator (31.6%), and omnivorous (0.05%). In the hot/dry season, there was no faunal succession. In the cold/wet season, the succession was more associated with differences in abundance than to the presence or absence of a specific taxon by decomposition stage. Considering all the factors analyzed in the current study, three species of beetles, Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Dermestidae), Euspilotus azureus (Sahlberg, 1823) (Histeridae), and Oxelytrum discicolle Brullé, 1840 (Silphidae), could be identified as being of the greatest forensic relevance in this biogeoclimatic zone.

The ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) of the Karatepa and Chakilkalyan mountains (west part of Zarafshan Mountains Range, Uzbekistan)

Ground beetles (Carabidae) are one the most numerous and well-studied families of Coleoptera. However, the study of the biodiversity of these beetles in Uzbekistan lags far behind other Central Asian countries. This research was carried out during 2018–2019 in two areas in the west part of the Zarafshan Mountain Range – in the Chakilkalyan and Karatepa mountains. In total, 49 species of ground beetles belonging to 31 genera, 16 tribes and 8 subfamilies were recorded. The most representative was the subfamily Harpalinae (32 species from 20 genera, 65.3%). By the number of individuals, representatives of Harpalinae made up 85.6% of all collected ground beetles. The Trechinae subfamily included five species from three genera (10.2%), the Scaritinae subfamily – four species from two genera (8.2%), the Carabinae subfamily – three species from two genera (6.1%), the Broscinae subfamily – two species from the same genus (4.1%). The subfamilies Brachininae, Cicindelinae and Nebriinae are represented by one species (2.0% each). In the Karatepa Mountains, 34 species from 23 genera were identified, and in the Chakilkalyan Mountains, 34 species from 21 genera. 19 species of ground beetles were common to the two mountains. The fauna of ground beetles in these mountains differed significantly in the composition of the dominant species. In the Karatepa Mountains, the dominant species were Zabrus morio, Eocarterus chodshenticus, Amara aenea, and Acinopus laevigatus, and the subdominant ones were Brachinus explodens, Calathus ambiguus, and Poecilus longiventris. In the Chakilkalyan Mountains, Anchomenus dorsalis, Harpalus rufipes, and Chlaenius extensus are dominant, while Amara aenea, Harpalus distinguendus, Dolichus halensis turned out to be subdominant. However, the composition of dominant species varied at different sites. The rarest species were Anisodactylus binotatus, Cymindis andreae, Taphoxenus goliath, Calosoma sycophanta, Scarites subcylindricus, Chilotomusus gentensis, Calathus peltatus and Broscus punctatus. Different areas of both mountains differed significantly in the diversity of ground beetle fauna. In both mountains, the lowest diversity was noted at the highest altitude areas. In four areas of the Karatepa Mountains, the average value of the Zhakar and Chekanovsky-Sørensen indices was 0.27 and 0.11, and in five areas of the Chakilkalyan Mountains – 0.24 and 0.25. And the similarities between the communities of the two mountains were also insignificant (0.39 and 0.11).

Materials for the study of entomofauna of protected areas of Altai Krai: Ikonnikov Island

Altai Krai is characterized by a low degree of knowledge of entomofauna of the protected areas (specially protected natural areas). The article presents, for the first time, the results of a study of necrophilous beetles on the territory of the natural monument “The confluence of the Biya and Katun rivers (Ikonnikov Island)”. The collection of the material was carried out using soil baited pitfall traps. There were discovered 64 species from 7 families of Coleoptera. The most abundant in species was Staphylinidae (43.77% of the total number of species). Families Silphidae and Histeridae have significantly less number of species (20.31% and 12.5% respectively), as well as other families (Scarabaeidae, Leiodidae, Dermestidae, Hydrophilidae), which were represented by 3-5 species each. The most abundant in the number of specimens was Silphidae (Nicrophorus vespillo, N. vespilloides, Oiceoptoma thoracicum). Common and numerous were Anoplotrupes stercorosus, Aphodius rectus (Scarabaeidae), Sciodrepoides watsoni (Leiodidae), Hister unicolor, Saprinus semistriatus (Histeridae), Creophylus maxilosus (Staphylinidae). The estimation of the species richness, degree of dominance and evenness of species in the community of necrophilous Coleoptera showed medium values of Shannon index (H=2.6), Berger-Parker index (D=0.26) and Pielou’s evenness index (E=0.44).

Comparison of microsatellite distribution patterns in twenty-nine beetle genomes.

Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) represent an important source of genetic variation that provides a basis for adaptation to different environments in organisms. In this study, we examined the distribution patterns of SSRs in twenty-nine beetle genomes and carried out Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of CDSs embedded with perfect SSRs (P-SSRs). The results demonstrated that imperfect SSRs (I-SSRs) represented the most abundant SSR category in beetle genomes and in different genomic regions (CDS, exon, and intron regions). The numbers of P-SSRs, I-SSRs, compound SSRs, and variable number tandem repeats were positively correlated with beetle genome size, whereas neither the frequency nor the density of the SSRs was correlated with genome size. Moreover, our results demonstrated that common genomic features of P-SSRs within the same suborder or family of Coleoptera were rare. Mono-, di-, tri-, or tetranucleotide SSRs were the most abundant P-SSR categories in beetle genomes. The preferred predominant repeat motif among the mononucleotide P-SSRs was (A)n, but the most frequent repeat motifs for other length classes varied differentially among these genomes. Furthermore, the P-SSR type with the highest GC content differed in the beetle genomes and in different genomic regions. CV (coefficient of variability) analysis demonstrated that the repeat copy numbers of P-SSRs presented relatively higher variation in introns than in CDSs and exons. The GO terms of CDSs containing P-SSRs for molecular functions were mainly enriched in "binding" and "transcription". Our findings will be useful for studying the functional roles of microsatellite heterogeneity in beetle adaptation.

Influence of plants on soil mites (Acari, Oribatida) in gardens

Influence of plants on soil mites (Acari, Oribatida) in gardens

Molecular systematics reveals the origins of subsociality in tortoise beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae)

ABSTRACTSubsocial behaviour is known to occur in at least 19 insect orders and 17 families of Coleoptera. Within the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae, extended maternal care is reported in only 2 of 15 subfamilies: Cassidinae and Chrysomelinae. Although the emergence of subsociality in insects has received much attention, extensive analyses on the evolution of this behaviour based on phylogenetic approaches are missing. Subsociality is recorded in 33 species of tortoise beetles belonging to the tribes Mesomphaliini and Eugenysini. A molecular phylogenetic reconstruction of these tribes and the remaining five Neotropical tribes of cassidine tortoise beetles was used to investigate the evolution of maternal care and to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among Neotropical cassidine tribes. A phylogeny was constructed using 90 species and three loci from both mitochondrial and nuclear genes (COI, CAD and 28S). Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses based on a concatenated dataset recovered two independent origins, with no evidence of reversal to solitary behaviour. One origin comprises three Mesomphaliini genera tightly associated with Convolvulaceae, and the other consists of the genus Eugenysa Chevrolat (Eugenysini), a small clade embedded within a group feeding exclusively on Asteraceae. A previous hypothesis suggesting dual origins on different host plants was confirmed, whereas other hypotheses based on a phylogenetic reconstruction of Cassidinae could not be sustained. Our analysis also revealed that the tribe Mesomphaliini is a monophyletic taxon if Eugenysini is included, and for this reason, we re‐establish synonymy of both tribes. We also provide nine new records of subsociality for tortoise beetles species.