Family Nabidae Research Articles

A new species of Nabidae (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Cimicomorpha) from Dominican amber

ABSTRACT A new species Arachnocoris furtivinabis Ma, Du et Yao sp. nov. is described and illustrated, which represents the first fossil record of Arachnocoris, also the first record in the family Nabidae from Cenozoic Dominican amber. Based on the distinctive morphological characters in this new species, including antennomere II much shorter than twice of antennomere I, labial segment III slightly longer than segment II, and parameres round, it is differentiated from other species within Arachnocoris. Compared with the spider-webdwelling taxa of the extant and extinct species in Heteroptera, the evolution of predation strategies for this special group during the Miocene was discussed.

Integration of the Generalist Predator Nabis americoferus (Hemiptera: Nabidae) in a Greenhouse Strawberry Biocontrol Program with Phytoseiid Predatory Mites and the Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana.

In strawberry production, western flower thrips (WFT) and two-spotted spider mites (TSSM) inflict feeding damage and reduce the yield. Biological control for these pests often includes phytoseiid predatory mites and entomopathogenic fungi. The hemipteran family Nabidae have been reported as prominent predators in open-field strawberry. Nabis americoferus Carayon is a new biocontrol agent developed in Canada. This study examined if this species was a good candidate for integration with biological control for greenhouse strawberry production. The laboratory trials showed that Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot were compatible with N. americoferus, especially when alternative food was available. In contrast, the nabid was not compatible with the Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) GHA strain. A greenhouse cage study was conducted to determine if it was beneficial to add N. americoferus to the phytoseiid-mites-based biological control program for WFT and TSSM in greenhouse strawberry. The release of N. americoferus on a banker plant together with the placement of sachets of Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) and Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) was beneficial, not only potentially reducing the number of sachet applications, but also providing better pest control than phytoseiid mites alone. Neither the phytoseiids nor the N. americoferus numbers were significantly affected by the presence of each other.

Checklist of the Turkish Nabidae with a New Record

In this study, specimens belonging to the family Nabidae A. Costa, 1853 which were collected between 1961-2019 and preserved in the Nazife Tuatay Plant Protection Museum at the Directorate of Plant Protection Central Research Institute in the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, are examined. A total of twelve species are recorded. Among them Nabis (Nabis) ericetorum Scholtz, 1847 is a new record for the fauna of Türkiye. In addition, the known data on the distribution of all species in Turkey has been improved with new provincial and regional records. On the other side, while Nabis (Nabis) pseudoferus orientarius Remane, 1963 only distributes only Eastern and Southeastern Anatolian regions, Nabis (Nabis) pseudoferus pseudoferus Remane, 1949 is distributed in all regions of Türkiye (Fig. 46). Therefore, detailed studies are required at the meeting points of Nabis (Nabis) pseudoferus pseudoferus and N. (N.) pseudoferus orientarius. As a result of the study, a checklist and identification key all species of Nabidae in Turkey are given.

TAXONOMIC COMPOSITION OF USEFUL HEMIPTERA (HETEROPTERA) STATE NATIONAL NATURAL PARK "ALTYN-EMEL»

The article presents a faunistic and ecological review of useful hemipteran insects on the territory of the State National Natural Park "Altyn-Emel" in 2020-2021. The fauna of zoophages and zoophytophages, which is important in the natural regulation of the number of harmful insects and ticks, is presented. As a result of the study, 67 species from 4 families of terrestrial hemipteran insects were identified. According to the results of research, species from the family Nabidae are known: 3 genera - Prostemma (1 species), Nabis (12 species), Himacerus (1 species) and the family Anthocoridae: 3 genera - Anthocoris (6 species), Temnostethus (1 species), Orius (7 species) – 14 species each, from the family Reduviidae: 7 genera - Empicoris (1 species), Holotricius (1 species), Reduvius (1 species), Oncocephalus (1 species), Coranus (3 species), Rhynocoris (2 species), Vachiria (1 species) – 10 species, from the family Miridae: 11 genera - Deraeocoris (5 species), Malacocoris (1 species), Pilophorus (2 species), Atractotomus (1 species), Campylomma (2 species), Myrmecoris (1 species), Phytocoris (5 species), Globiceps (2 species), Psallus (7 species), Cyllecoridea (1 species), Blepharidopterus (2 species) – 29 species. Of these, 38 species are zoophages (species of the family Nabidae, Anthocoridae, Reduviidae), and 29 species are zoophytophages (species of the family Miridae). Predatory bedbugs are found everywhere throughout the summer, they feed on eggs, larvae and adults of various arthropods in nature. Therefore, feeding on harmful insects and ticks, they regulate their number biologically, thereby bringing great benefits to nature.

TO THE FAUNA OF PREDATORY HEMIPTERA (HETEROPTERA) OF SOUTH-EASTERN KAZAKHSTAN

The Hemiptera, or bugs, are the largest order of insects with incomplete metamorphosis. The main part of hemiptera is terrestrial, they live in the soil, on various parts of plants, in the forest floor, etc. Among them there are many species of carnivorous or mixed food, but herbivorous forms predominate; periodically multiplying in large numbers, they cause significant damage to forest and agricultural crops. Some of the Hemiptera, being the predators that destroy the pests of agriculture and forestry. The research was conducted in 2019-2020 in various biotopes of South-Eastern Kazakhstan. Various methods were used to collect insects: catching insects was carried out with a standard entomological net, small insects with an exhauster, manual collection, catching in the light, etc. As a result of the conducted research, 32 species of predatory hemiptera from 5 families were identified in the study region. Among them, the species diversity is dominated by representatives of the family Nabidae – 11 species (34%), Anthocoridae – 7 species (23%), Pentatomidae – 6 species (22%), and from the families. Reduviidae and Miridae – 4 species each (12% each). According to ecological features, the following groups are distinguished: xerophiles (3 species, 9%), mesophiles (28 species, 87%) and hygrophiles (1 species, 4%). According to life cycles, all species of predatory hemiptera of South-Eastern Kazakhstan are divided into 3 groups: monovoltine species – 24 (76%), bivoltine – 4 (12%), polyvoltine – 2 (6%), the number of generations is unknown - 2 species (6%). They are dominated by species wintering in the imago stage (22 species, 69%), in the imago and larval stage (2 species, 6%), in the egg stage (8 species, 25%). Picromerus lewisi Scott, 1874 was recorded in Kazakhstan for the first time. Key words: fauna, predatory hemiptera, South-Eastern Kazakhstan.

Peaceful revolution in genome size: polyploidy in the Nabidae (Heteroptera); autosomes and nuclear DNA content doubling

Abstract Genome size and the position of 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) were analysed in two Himacerus, eight Nabis and two Prostemma species from the family Nabidae using flow cytometry and fluorescence in situ hybrization techniques. The karyotypes of Nabis biformis and Nabis maoricus, each with 2n = 16 + XY, and Prostemma aeneicolle, with 2n = 26 + XY, were recorded for the first time. All the species displayed one or two 18S rDNA signals on the X chromosome and up to two signals on the Y chromosome. Several females exhibited two different types of X chromosome breakage, namely within or outside of the 18S rDNA region. Measurements of nuclear DNA content revealed significant differences between all three genera under study. Most notably, the nuclear DNA content of Himacerus species, with 2n = 32/36 + XY (2C = 9–10 pg), was double that of Nabis species, with 2n = 16 + XY (2C = 4–6 pg). Therefore, the previously rejected theory of an autosomal polyploidy event in the evolution of the genus Himacerus is strongly supported by the results of the present study and is now being resurrected.

The functional response and prey preference of generalist Nabis (Hemiptera: Nabidae) predators to leafhopper prey (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

AbstractInsects of the family Nabidae (Hemiptera) are generalist predators commonly found in agroecosystems, but little is known about their predation rates on common pests of forage crops. We determined the functional response and prey preference of Nabis Latreille species to two common leafhopper pests of red clover (Trifolium pratense Linnaeus; Fabaceae): Agallia constricta Van Duzee (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and Ceratagallia agricola (Hamilton) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). We also determined the survivorship of A. constricta to predation by Nabis species over the course of five days. The Nabis species displayed a Type III functional response to both leafhopper species with a preference for A. constricta. The 10-A. constricta/cage treatments and 20-A. constricta/cage treatments had the highest survival probabilities after five days with survival probabilities of 0.19 and 0.23, respectively. These results indicate that Nabis species may help in controlling leafhopper populations in forage-crop systems.

The Nabidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Israel and the Sinai Peninsula.

A long-term taxonomic and faunistic survey of the family Nabidae from Israel and the Sinai (Egypt) was conducted based primarily on material housed in the National Collection of Insects at Tel Aviv University, Israel (TAUI). A key is provided to all species and information is given for each, species including its distribution, previous records from the study area and life history details if available. Eleven species are recorded; Nabis (Nabis) pseudoferus orientarius Remane and Nabis (Halonabis) sareptanus Dohrn are new records to the fauna of the study area. Phorticus velutinus velutinus Puton is expected to occur in Israel based on its current circummediterranean distribution.

The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of the Damsel Bug Alloeorhynchus bakeri (Hemiptera: Nabidae)

The complete sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of the damsel bug, Alloeorhynchus bakeri, has been completed and annotated in this study. It represents the first sequenced mitochondrial genome of heteropteran family Nabidae. The circular genome is 15, 851 bp in length with an A+T content of 73.5%, contains the typical 37 genes that are arranged in the same order as that of the putative ancestor of hexapods. Nucleotide composition and codon usage are similar to other known heteropteran mitochondrial genomes. All protein-coding genes (PCGs) use standard initiation codons (methionine and isoleucine), except COI, which started with TTG. Canonical TAA and TAG termination codons are found in eight protein-coding genes, the remaining five (COI, COII, COIII, ND5, ND1) have incomplete termination codons (T or TA). PCGs of two strands present opposite CG skew which is also reflected by the nucleotide composition and codon usage. All tRNAs have the typical clover-leaf structure, except the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm of tRNA(Ser (AGN))which forms a simple loop as known in many other metazoa. Secondary structure models of the ribosomal RNA genes of A. bakeri are presented, similar to those proposed for other insect orders. There are six domains and 45 helices and three domains and 27 helices in the secondary structures of rrnL and rrnS, respectively. The major non-coding region (also called control region) between the small ribosomal subunit and the tRNA(Ile )gene includes two special regions. The first region includes four 133 bp tandem repeat units plus a partial copy of the repeat (28 bp of the beginning), and the second region at the end of control region contains 4 potential stem-loop structures. Finally, PCGs sequences were used to perform a phylogenetic study. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses highly support Nabidae as the sister group to Anthocoridae and Miridae.

Direction of karyotype evolution in the bug family Nabidae (Heteroptera): New evidence from 18S rDNA analysis

The bug family Nabidae (Heteroptera) includes taxa showing either a low chromosome number 2n = 16 + XY or high chromosome numbers 2n = 26 or 32 + XY. In order to reveal the direction of karyotype evolution in the family, a molecular phy- logeny of the family was created to reveal the taxon closest to the ancestral type and hence the ancestral karyotype. The phylogeny was based on a partial sequence of the 18S rDNA gene of both high and low chromosome number species belonging to the subfami- lies Prostemmatinae and Nabinae. Phylogeny created by the Neighbour Joining method separated the subfamilies, Prostemmatinae and Nabinae, which form sister groups at the base of this phylogenetic tree, as well as within the Nabinae, tribes Nabini and Arach- nocorini. Combining karyosystematic data with the phylogeny of the family indicated that the ancestral karyotype was a high chro- mosome number, consisting of 2n = 32 + XY. During the course of evolution changes have occurred both in meiotic behaviour of the sex chromosomes and in the number of autosomes. The direction of karyotype evolution was from a high to low autosome number. Abrupt decreases in the number of autosomes have occurred twice; firstly when the tribe Arachnocorini differentiated from the main stem in the subfamily Nabinae and secondly within the tribe Nabini, when within the genus Nabis 2n = 16 + XY species diverged from the 2n = 32 + XY species. A scheme of the sequence of events in karyotype evolution during the evolution of the Nabidae is presented.

New cytogenetic data on Nabidae (Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha), with a discussion of karyotype variation and meiotic patterns, and their taxonomic significance

As a part of ongoing cytogenetic studies on the bug family Nabidae (Heteroptera), the karyotypes and meiotic patterns of male Nabis (Aspilaspis) viridulus Spinola, 1837, N. (A.) indicus (Stal, 1873) (subfamily Nabinae) and Prostemma guttula (Fabricius, 1787) (subfamily Prostemmatinae) are described. N. viridulus and N. indicus differ from P. guttula in their chromosome numbers, which are 2n = 32 + XY and 2n = 26 + XY, respectively, and behaviour of the sex chromosomes in male meiosis, which, respectively, show distance pairing and touch- and-go pairing in spermatocyte metaphase II. The karyotype of 2n = 34 and touch-and-go pairing are considered to be plesiomor- phic characters in Nabidae. The evolutionary mechanisms that might underlie different chromosome numbers, the taxonomic significance of karyotype variation and the distribution of meiotic patterns in the family, are discussed.

Autosomal polyploidy and male meiotic pattern in the bug family Nabidae (Heteroptera)

Karyotypes of 18 species of Nabidae (Heteroptera), belonging to the genera Nabis (11), Himacerus (3), Hoplistoscelis (1), and Pagasa (1) were studied. The data on Nabis meridionalis Kerzhner 1963, N. tesquorum (Kerzhner 1968), N. ussuriensis (Kerzhner 1962), N. pallidus Fieber 1861, N. sareptanus Dohrn 1862, Hoplistoscelis sordidus (Reuter 1872), and Pagasa fusca (Stein 1857) were obtained for the first time in this study. Karyotypes of Nabis punctatus A. Costa 1847, N. ferus (Linnaeus 1758), N. pseudoferus Remane 1949, N. rugosus (Linnaeus 1758), N. stenoferus Hsiao 1964, N. limbatus Dahlbom 1851, N. reuteri Jakovlev 1876, N. flavomarginatus Scholtz 1847, Himacerus apterus (Fabricius 1798), H. mirmicoides (O. Costa 1834), and H. maracandicus (Reuter 1890) were re-examined. A karyotype of 2n = 18 (16 + XY), which seems to be the most characteristic of Nabidae as a whole, was found in 12 species. Nabis pallidus and N. sareptanus showed a precise numerical doubling of the autosomal complement compared with the modal karyotype, 2n = 34 (32 + XY). Autosomal polyploidy is discussed as a possible evolutionary mechanism for these species. Meiosis in males of the above species was studied in detail. Male meiosis in Nabidae was shown to follow a highly peculiar scenario differing in many aspects from that known in the majority of the Heteroptera taxa.

Distributional notes on some Neotropical bugs of the family Nabidae, with description of a new species

Distributional notes on some Neotropical bugs of the family Nabidae, with description of a new species