Holarctic Research Articles

Restriction-site associated DNA markers provide new insights into the evolutionary history of the bark beetle genus Dendroctonus

The bark beetle genus Dendroctonus contains some of the most economically important pests of conifers worldwide. Despite many attempts, there is no agreement today on the phylogenetic relationships within the genus, which limits our understanding of its evolutionary history. Here, using restriction-site associated DNA (RAD) markers from 70 specimens representing 17 species (85% of the known diversity) we inferred the phylogeny of the genus, its time of origin and biogeographic history, as well as the evolution of key ecological traits (host plants, larval behavior and adults’ attack strategies). For all combinations of tested parameters (from 6444 to 23,570 RAD tags analyzed), the same, fully resolved topology was inferred. Our analyses suggest that the most recent common ancestor (mrca) of all extant Dendroctonus species was widely distributed across eastern Palearctic and western Nearctic during the early Miocene, from where species dispersed to other Holarctic regions. A first main inter-continental vicariance event occurred during early Miocene isolating the ancestors of D. armandi in the Palearctic, which was followed by the radiation of the main Dendroctonus lineages in North America. During the Late Miocene, the ancestor of the ‘rufipennis’ species group colonized north-east Palearctic regions from western North America, which was followed by a second main inter-continental vicariance event isolating Pleistocene populations in Asia (D. micans) and western North America (D. murrayanae and D. punctatus). The present study supports previous hypotheses explaining intercontinental range disjunctions across the Northern Hemisphere by the fragmentation of a continuous distribution due to climatic cooling, host range fragmentation and geological changes during the late Cenozoic. The reconstruction of ancestral ecological traits indicates that the mrca bored individual galleries and mass attacked the boles of pines. The gregarious feeding behavior of the larvae as well as the individual attack of the base of trees have apparently independently evolved twice in North America (in the ‘rufipennis’ and the ‘valens’ species groups), which suggests a higher adaptive potential than previously thought and may be of interest for plant protection and biodiversity conservation in a rapidly changing world.

Contrasting endemism in pond-dwelling cyclic parthenogens: the Daphnia curvirostris species group (Crustacea: Cladocera)

Pond-dwelling cyclic parthenogens are often proposed to be highly vagile. However, the Holarctic biogeography of parthenogens has been hampered by very limited sampling in the eastern Palearctic. Here we examine the geographic boundaries, diversity, and connectivity across the Palearctic for the Daphnia curvirostris complex (Cladocera: Daphniidae). Nuclear (HSP90) and mitochondrial (ND2) sequence data supported the existence of five main clades (most of which corresponded to presumptive species) with one eastern Palearctic clade being novel to this study (the average mitochondrial genetic divergence from known species was 19.2%). D. curvirostris s.s. was geographically widespread in the Palearctic, with a population genetic signature consistent with postglacial expansion. The Eastern Palearctic had local nine endemic species and/or subclades (other Holarctic regions lacked more than one endemic subclade). Even though several endemic species appeared to have survived Pleistocene glaciation in the eastern Palearctic, much of the Palearctic has been recolonized by D. curvirostris s.str. from a Western Palearctic refugium. A disjunct population in Mexico also shared its haplotypes with D. curvirostris s.str., consistent with a recent introduction. The only apparently endemic North American lineage was detected in a thermally disturbed pond system in northwestern Alaska. Our results for pond-dwelling cyclic parthenogens further support the hypothesis that the Eastern Palearctic is a diversity hotspot for freshwater invertebrates.

Monotypic no more – a new species of the unusual genus Schwarzia (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Biastini)

SchwarziaelizabethaeBossert,sp. n., a previously unknown species of the enigmatic cleptoparasitic genusSchwarziaEardley, 2009 is described. Both sexes are illustrated and compared to the type species of the genus,SchwarziaemmaeEardley, 2009. The male habitus ofS.emmaeis illustrated and potential hosts ofSchwarziaare discussed. Unusual morphological features ofSchwarziaare examined in light of the presumably close phylogenetic relationship to other Biastini. The new species represents the second species of Biastini outside the Holarctic region.

A BARCODE-BASED PHYLOGENETIC SCAFFOLD FOR XYSTICUS AND ITS RELATIVES (ARANEAE: THOMISIDAE: CORIARACHNINI)

The phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of the crab spider genus Xysticus and its closest relatives (i.e., the tribe Coriarachnini, also including, e.g., Ozyptila, Coriarachne and Bassaniana) have long been controversial, with several alternative classifications being proposed, none of which has gained universal acceptance. As Coriarachnini is largely confined to the Holarctic region, the main target area of recent DNA barcoding projects for spiders, a large amount of genetic data for the group is now publicly available. The results of a phylogenetic analysis of this sequence dataset are largely congruent with earlier morphology-based results regarding the evolutionary structure of the group. In particular, they highlight the fact that Xysticus s. lat. is a paraphyletic assembly and that several species groups need to be placed in separate genera to achieve monophyly of Xysticus s. str. Similarly, Coriarachne and Bassaniana appear as independent clades rather than a joined monophyletic Coriarachne s. lat. In contrast, further subdivision of Ozyptila is not supported by the genetic data. Importantly, the analysis also shows that anapophysate members of Xysticus s. lat. form two widely separated groups: a primarily anapophysate division, also including Coriarachne and Bassaniana, at the base of Xysticus s. lat., and a secondarily anapophysate clade deeply nested within Xysticus s. str. This might explain some of the earlier difficulties when trying to define generally accepted subgroups within Xysticus s. lat. The phylogenetic scaffold based on barcode sequences is sufficiently dense and well resolved to attempt the tentative and provisional placement of the majority of species in Xysticus s. lat. in the independent genera Xysticus s. str., Bassaniodes, Psammitis and Spiracme as a starting point for a future more formal revision of the group.

One (more) step towards a dynamic view of the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient

Biodiversity currently peaks at the equator, decreasing toward the poles. Growing fossil evidence suggest that this hump-shaped latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) has not been persistent through time, with similar species diversity across latitudes flattening out the LDG during past greenhouse periods. This provides a new starting point for LDG research. Most studies assume the processes shaping the LDG have acted constantly through time and seek to understand why diversity accumulated in the Holarctic at lower levels than at the equator, e.g. as the result of limited dispersal, or higher turnover in Holarctic regions. However, fossil investigations suggest that we need to explain when and why diversity was lost at high latitudes to generate the LDG. Unfortunately, diversity lost scenarios in the Holarctic have been repeatedly proposed but not yet clearly demonstrated. Here, we use diversification approaches for both phylogenies and fossils to study the LDG of Testudines, Crocodilia and Lepidosauria. We show the LDG of these groups has varied over time, with high latitudes serving as a source of tropical diversity but suffering disproportionate extinction during transitional periods to cold climate. We outline the "asymmetric gradient of extinction and dispersal" (AGED) framework, which contextualizes previous ideas behind the LDG under a time-variable scenario. We suggest the current steep LDG may be explained by the extinction of clades adapted to warmer conditions from the new temperate regions formed in the Neogene, together with the equator-ward dispersal of organisms tracking their own climatic preferences, when tropical biomes became restricted to the equator. Conversely, high rates of speciation and pole-ward dispersals can account for the formation of an ancient flat LDG during the Cretaceous-Paleogene greenhouse period. Our results demonstrate that the inclusion of fossils in macroevolutionary studies allows detecting extinction events less detectable in analyses restricted to present-day data only.

Cross-continental phylogeography of two Holarctic Nymphalid butterflies, Boloria eunomia and Boloria selene.

Pleistocene glaciations had significant effects on the distribution and evolution of species inhabiting the Holarctic region. Phylogeographic studies concerning the entire region are still rare. Here, we compared global phylogeographic patterns of one boreo-montane and one boreo-temperate butterflies with largely overlapping distribution ranges across the Northern Hemisphere, but with different levels of range fragmentation and food specialization. We reconstructed the global phylogeographic history of the boreo-montane specialist Boloria eunomia (n = 223) and of the boreo-temperate generalist Boloria selene (n = 106) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers, and with species distribution modelling (SDM). According to the genetic structures obtained, both species show a Siberian origin and considerable split among populations from Nearctic and Palaearctic regions. According to SDMs and molecular data, both butterflies could inhabit vast areas during the moderate glacials. In the case of B. selene, high haplotype diversity and low geographic structure suggest long-lasting interconnected gene flow among populations. A stronger geographic structuring between populations was identified in the specialist B. eunomia, presumably due to the less widespread, heterogeneously distributed food resources, associated with cooler and more humid climatic conditions. Populations of both species show opposite patterns across major parts of North America and in the case of B. eunomia also across Asia. Our data underline the relevance to cover entire distribution ranges to reconstruct the correct phylogeographic history of species.

Establishment of a new microsporidian genus and species, Pseudoberwaldia daphniae (Microsporidia, Opisthosporidia), a common parasite of the Daphnia longispina complex in Europe.

Microsporidia are among the most common microparasites of cladocerans and have potentially significant impact on host populations. However, many of these pathogens are known only from molecular-based studies. We provide ultrastructural data supported by molecular phylogeny for a common microsporidium infecting the Daphnia longispina complex, important planktonic filter-feeders in reservoirs and ponds in the temperate Holarctic region. This parasite, previously characterized only by molecular means, infects adipose cells around the Daphnia midgut and eventually fills the centre of the host body with ovoid-shaped spores. A new microsporidian genus and species belonging to the Agglomeratidae superclade is described as Pseudoberwaldia daphniae gen. et sp. nov. Molecular data indicate its widespread presence in Central European reservoirs (reported as isolate "MIC1") but also in Swedish coastal rockpools ("Ängskärs-klubben"). The most closely related lineage was reported from a caddisfly larva; we thus speculate that this taxon may have an insect secondary host in its life cycle. Morphological characterization and differential diagnosis of most commonly encountered microsporidian taxa infecting hosts in the D. longispina complex in Europe opens new possibilities for studies of their ecological and evolutionary interactions.

The flora of Dereiçi village (Yusufeli, Artvin, Turkey) and its surroundings

The vascular flora of the Dereiçi Village and its environs (Yusufeli, Artvin, Turkey) was assessed between March and September 2017. It is located in the north-east of the Eastern Black Sea Region and is taken place in Colchic province of Euro-Siberian floristic area of Holarctic Region and lies between 650 and 2900 m. In this study, 312 genera and 552 plant taxa were found in 87 families. Of these, 11 taxa belong to Pteridophyta, the remaining 541 taxa belong to Magnoliophyta. Magnoliophyta includes Pinidae with 6 taxa and Magnoliidae with 535 taxa. The biggest families identified were as follows: Asteraceae 58 taxa, Poaceae 49 taxa, Rosaceae 37 taxa, Lamiaceae 30 taxa, Fabaceae 25 taxa, Brassicaceae 24 taxa, Apiaceae 18 taxa, Boraginaceae 16 taxa, Caryophyllaceae 15 taxa and Ranunculaceae 14 taxa. The ratio of the phytogeographical regions of 266 taxa was determined as follows: Euro-Siberian with 216 taxa (%39.1), Irano-Turanian with 42 taxa (%7.6), Mediterranean with 8 taxa (%1.5) and unidentified phytogeographic region with 286 taxa (%51.8). The ratio of endemism is % 5.4 with endemic taxa. Threat categories were proposed for 83 taxa (endemic and non-endemic rare plants) according to International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List Categories.

Alanbaşı ve Bakırtepe (Yusufeli, Artvin, Turkey) ve çevresinin florası

This study has been carried out between 2017 and 2018 in order to determine the flora of Alanbası and Bakırtepe (Yusufeli, Artvin, Turkey). The research area under review takes place in Colchic province of Euro-Siberian floristic area of Holarctic region and is found in the A8 square according to grid system of Davis. The study area lies between 780 and 2150 m elevation above the sea level. In this study, total 448 taxa belong to 75 families and 302 genera were determined. 16 of them belong to Pteridophyta, the remaining 432 taxa were Magnoliophyta, which included 5 taxa from the Pinidae and 427 taxa from the Magnoliidae. The largest families recorded were as follows: Poaceae (62 taxa), Asteraceae (57 taxa), Rosaceae (30 taxa), Fabaceae (28 taxa), Lamiaceae (26 taxa), Brassicaceae (20 taxa), Apiaceae (20 taxa), Boraginaceae (17 taxa), Plantaginaceae (11 taxa), Caprifoliaceae (9 taxa) and Orobanchaceae (9 taxa). The percentage of phytogeographical origins of 259 taxa was determined. The distribution of the taxa according to the phytogeographical regions was as follows: Avrupa-Sibirya with 161 taxa (31,5%), Iran-Turan with 81 taxa (15,9%), Mediterranean with 17 taxa (3,3%) and multiregional or of unknown phytogeographic origin with 193 taxa (49,3%). The life form spectrum of 391 taxon was as follows: Hemicryptophytes 127 taxa (24,9%), Cryptophytes 95 taxa (18,6%), Phanerophytes 62 taxa (12,1%), Chamaephytes 54 taxa (10,6%) and Therophytes 53 taxa (10,4%). The taxa that unknown the life form spectrum is 61. Endemism is 6,8% and included 35 endemic taxa and 63 non-endemic rare plants.

The first species of Eutheia (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae) in Pakistan.

Eutheia Stephens, 1830 is distributed in Holarctic and Neotropical regions, with a majority of species known to occur in the Palaearctic. Recent studies focused on the Russian Far East, China, Taiwan and Japan yielded many new species (Hoshina 2007; Jałoszyński 2004, 2008a, 2008b, 2010a, 2010b, 2013; Kurbatov 1990, 1991). Central and South Asia are very poorly studied, as these areas include several countries whose geopolitical situation makes field studies difficult. Besides two Himalayan species of Eutheia discovered in Nepal (Franz 1974, 1985), the scydmaenine fauna of the vast area comprising Afghanistan, Pakistan and some of the former Soviet republics is very poorly known. Southern areas of this region (mostly India) are better studied, but as Eutheia prefers temperate climate and even in the Neotropics and in Taiwan can be found only in high mountains (Jałoszyński 2008b, 2011), it is not very likely to find this genus far south of the mountain arc formed by the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush. Pakistan, with its potentially species-rich, forested sub-Himalayan region with a subtropical highland climate, is exceptionally poorly studied, with only four species of Scydmaeninae recorded: Scydmoraphes gartneri (Franz, 1979), Scydmoraphes hastipes Vít, 1999, Stenichnus fallax Vít, 1999 (all Glandulariini), Scydmaenus minangkabauensis C. Blattný, 1926 and Scydmaenus ravalpindii Franz, 1970 (Scydmaenini). However, some of these species remain problematic. The identity of Pakistani material of Sc. minangkabauensis remains unclear, as this species was described from Sumatra, and recorded from Vietnam, southern China, Java, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan (e.g., Franz 1982). Such a broad distribution seems unlikely, especially that many species of Scydmaenus share very uniform appearance and their aedeagi were often studied and illustrated by Franz just in any possible view, depending on how they solidified in euparal, without making any attempt to obtain repeatable preparations. Stenichnus fallax, in turn, is very likely a junior synonym of Stenichnus rothangensis (Franz, 1981), a species redescribed by Jałoszyński (2015) and known to occur in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, not far from the type locality of St. fallax.

Environmental and taxonomic controls of carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition in <i>Sphagnum</i> across broad climatic and geographic ranges

Abstract. Rain-fed peatlands are dominated by peat mosses (Sphagnum sp.), which for their growth depend on nutrients, water and CO2 uptake from the atmosphere. As the isotopic composition of carbon (12,13C) and oxygen (16,18O) of these Sphagnum mosses are affected by environmental conditions, Sphagnum tissue accumulated in peat constitutes a potential long-term archive that can be used for climate reconstruction. However, there is inadequate understanding of how isotope values are influenced by environmental conditions, which restricts their current use as environmental and palaeoenvironmental indicators. Here we tested (i) to what extent C and O isotopic variation in living tissue of Sphagnum is species-specific and associated with local hydrological gradients, climatic gradients (evapotranspiration, temperature, precipitation) and elevation; (ii) whether the C isotopic signature can be a proxy for net primary productivity (NPP) of Sphagnum; and (iii) to what extent Sphagnum tissue δ18O tracks the δ18O isotope signature of precipitation. In total, we analysed 337 samples from 93 sites across North America and Eurasia using two important peat-forming Sphagnum species (S. magellanicum, S. fuscum) common to the Holarctic realm. There were differences in δ13C values between species. For S. magellanicum δ13C decreased with increasing height above the water table (HWT, R2=17 %) and was positively correlated to productivity (R2=7 %). Together these two variables explained 46 % of the between-site variation in δ13C values. For S. fuscum, productivity was the only significant predictor of δ13C but had low explanatory power (total R2=6 %). For δ18O values, approximately 90 % of the variation was found between sites. Globally modelled annual δ18O values in precipitation explained 69 % of the between-site variation in tissue δ18O. S. magellanicum showed lower δ18O enrichment than S. fuscum (−0.83 ‰ lower). Elevation and climatic variables were weak predictors of tissue δ18O values after controlling for δ18O values of the precipitation. To summarize, our study provides evidence for (a) good predictability of tissue δ18O values from modelled annual δ18O values in precipitation, and (b) the possibility of relating tissue δ13C values to HWT and NPP, but this appears to be species-dependent. These results suggest that isotope composition can be used on a large scale for climatic reconstructions but that such models should be species-specific.

Transuterine infection by Baylisascaris transfuga: Neurological migration and fatal debilitation in sibling moose calves (Alces alces gigas) from Alaska.

Larval Baylisascaris nematodes (L3), resulting from transuterine infection and neural migration, were discovered in the cerebrum of sibling moose calves (Alces alces gigas) near 1–3 days in age from Alaska. We provide the first definitive identification, linking morphology, biogeography, and molecular phylogenetics, of Baylisascaris transfuga in naturally infected ungulates. Life history and involvement of paratenic hosts across a broader assemblage of mammals, from rodents to ungulates, in the transmission of B. transfuga remains undefined. Neural infections, debilitating young moose, may seasonally predispose calves to predation by brown bears, facilitating transmission to definitive hosts. Discovery of fatal neurological infections by L3 of B. transfuga in mammalian hosts serves to demonstrate the potential for zoonotic infection, as widely established for B. procyonis, in other regions and where raccoon definitive hosts are abundant. In zones of sympatry for multi-species assemblages of Baylisascaris across the Holarctic region presumptive identification of B. procyonis in cases of neurological larval migrans must be considered with caution. Diagnostics in neural and somatic larval migrans involving species of Baylisascaris in mammalian and other vertebrate hosts should include molecular-based and authoritative identification established in a phylogenetic context.

Three new species of the fairy shrimp Eubranchipus Verill, 1870 (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) from northern Japan and far Eastern Russia

BackgroundSmall crustaceans in the order Anostraca that lack a carapace are commonly referred to as fairy shrimps. Eubranchipus is an Anostracan genus distributed across the Holarctic region. E. uchidai has been recorded only in Japan and has been considered the only species of Eubranchipus in the region.ResultsWe obtained fairy shrimps from three previously unsampled locations (Shiretoko and Chokai in Japan, and Khanka in Russia). Each specimen shares morphological similarities with E. uchidai, but can be discriminated by the second antenna of males and the genital morphology of females. Based on these specimens, we describe three new species of fairy shrimp: Eubranchipus asanumai n. sp. from the banks of the Shiretoko Five Lakes (Japan: Hokkaido), Eubranchipus hatanakai n. sp. from the base of Mt. Chokai (Japan: Yamagata) and Eubranchipus khankanus n. sp. from the banks of Lake Khanka (Russia: Primorsky). Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA reveals significant differences from other known Eubranchipus species, including E. uchidai.ConclusionBoth morphological and molecular analyses show that the three new species are similar to E. uchidai but constitute distinct species. Pronounced differences in female morphological features correspond to variability of the amplexus structure previously reported in the genus.

Do Holarctic ant species exist? Trans‐Beringian dispersal and homoplasy in the Formicidae

AbstractAimContinents harbour unique faunas, and only a small percentage of species naturally inhabit more than a single continent. This pattern is most evident in the insects, a morphologically small and extremely diverse group. Nevertheless, 12 species of ants have traditionally been recognized as native to both North America and Eurasia, the Holarctic region. Since intercontinental dispersal is presumably rare in ants, allopatric speciation in the absence of gene flow can be expected over evolutionary time. Here, we reassess the existence of Holarctic ant species and reconstruct their biogeographical history.LocationThe Holarctic.TaxonAll known ant species with purportedly Holarctic distributions.MethodsWe reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships, biogeographical history and reassessed the taxonomic status of all known ants with Holarctic distributions using genetic data based on one mitochondrial and three nuclear genes and an ancestral area reconstruction of 310 specimens and 73 species (the 12 Holarctic species plus outgroup taxa).ResultsContrary to the currently accepted hypothesis, only three ant species have Holarctic native ranges, while six taxa separate into distinct Palearctic and Nearctic species. Four species are shown to be recent introductions from Europe to North America by human activity, one of which was thought to be native. Genetic diversity is considerably higher within the North American than within European species as currently defined.Main conclusionsThe Formicidae have repeatedly dispersed through Beringia, during and after land bridge formation, and in both directions between the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. However, only three cold‐tolerant species crossed the Bering Strait in relatively recent time. Our results highlight the potential existence of many unknown Nearctic ant taxa. Reliance on an evolutionarily labile morphological character, erect hairs, seems to have obscured species delimitation in these ant taxa. Based on our investigation, the typical time for speciation in allopatry for ants is 2–5 Ma.

Towards reliable identification of male Dicerura: descriptions of three new and seven poorly known species in the Palearctic region (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae, Porricondylinae).

The taxonomy of Dicerura Kieffer, 1898, a genus of Porricondylinae now comprising 32 species in the Holarctic region, is revised. Three new species are described based on morphological characters of male adults: D. jakovlevi Jaschhof Spungis sp. nov. (from Finland), D. penttineni Jaschhof Spungis sp. nov. (Finland), and D. yezoensis Jaschhof Spungis sp. nov. (Japan). Dicerura padi Mamaev, 1975 syn. nov. is revealed to be a junior synonym of D. furculata Mamaev, 1968. Seven species, whose original descriptions are from a present-day perspective inadequate for the purpose of identification, are redescribed: D. barbata Mamaev, 1966; D. formosa Mamaev, 1998; D. foliicola Mamaev, 1968; D. furculata; D. iridis (Kaltenbach, 1873); D. stipator Mamaev, 1972; and D. unidentata Spungis, 1987. A key to males of Palearctic Dicerura is provided. New faunistic records are presented for D. barbata; D. complicata Spungis, 1987; D. dentata Spungis, 1979; D. formosa; D. fungicola (Mamaev, 1964); D. mixta Spungis, 1987; and D. unidentata. Male genitalic characters are shown to be useful to a certain extent for structuring the species diversity found within the genus Dicerura. The following groups of species are defined: iridis group (with nine species), dentata group (six species), fungicola group (four species), and formosa group (four species). Six of the species whose morphology is adequately known cannot be grouped within the proposed scheme, indicating the need for further character analysis and continuing search for yet undiscovered species that are assumed to exist in large numbers.

Parasitoids and Predators of Physokermes hellenicus (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) in Greece

The genus Physokermes Targioni Tozzetti includes species that are distributed in the Holarctic region and feed on conifers. The recently described scale Physokermes hellenicus (Kozár and Gounari) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) is an endemic species of Greece whose host plants are fir trees of the genus Abies (Pinales: Pinaceae). It is considered as beneficial scale insect species since its honeydew secretions are exploited by honeybees leading to the production of a special honey with important physicochemical characteristics. Since there are no previous data on the natural enemies of P. hellenicus, an investigation was carried out during 2013 in forested areas of eight mountains in south and central Greece aiming to correlate the presence of P. hellenicus with certain parasitoids and predators. Seven species of Encyrtidae, Eulophidae, Pteromalidae, and Eurytomidae (Hymenoptera); five species of Anthribidae and Coccinellidae (Coleoptera); and four species of Dictinidae, Linyphiidae, and Theridiidae (Araneae) were identified. Twelve of them were identified at the species level while four at the genus level. Among them Microterys lunatus (Dalman) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Pseudorhopus testaceus (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), and Anthribus fasciatus Forster (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) were the most abundant natural enemies of P. hellenicus adult female while Metaphycus unicolor Hoffer (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Trichomasthus sp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) were found to parasitize P. hellenicus male nymph. Cinetata gradata (Simon) (Araneae: Linyphiidae) is reported for first time in the Greek arachnofauna. Our results suggest that the abundance of the fir scale P. hellenicus could be affected by a complex of parasitoid and predator species of different taxa. Future long-term research on these species in relation with abiotic factors would help to understand possible fluctuation of the scale's population.

Effects of climate, distance, and a geographic barrier on ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in Japan: A comparison across Blakiston's Line

Abstract Numerous studies have recognized a biogeographic boundary (i.e., Blakiston's Line) between Hokkaido and Honshu, Japan, where the Tsugaru Strait probably functions as a geographic barrier to the movement of terrestrial species. To clarify if this biogeographic boundary applies to soil microbes, we examined community structures of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi across the Tsugaru Strait. We sampled 266 soil cores from six conifer-dominated forests, and collected EM roots for fungal species identification based on internal transcribed spacer sequences. We found that EM fungal communities were primarily influenced by contemporary climate, but not significantly by the geographic barrier or spatial distance. Fungal OTUs appeared to be widespread in the Holarctic regions, suggesting long-distance dispersal capabilities or ancient migrations before the separation of Japanese islands from the continent. The significant effects of climate in this and previous studies imply that EM fungal communities may be sensitive to future climate change.

A review of Neotropical Axarus, with the description of five new species (Diptera: Chironomidae)

ABSTRACTThe genus Axarus Roback, 1980 is known from the Australasian, Holarctic, and Neotropical regions. Five species are so far recognized from the Neotropical Region: A. corycus Mendes & Andersen, 2010, A. froehlichi Andersen & Mendes, 2002 and A. villosus Mendes & Andersen, 2010 from Brazil; A. ochros (Walley in Curran, 1934) from Guyana; and A. rogersi (Beck & Beck, 1958) from Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua and Southeastern USA. Below we describe and figure an additional five new Axarus species from Argentina and Brazil based on male imagines. Of the five new species, the following three belong to the A. festivus species group: A. diabolicus Andersen, Mendes & Hagenlund sp. nov., A. globosus Donato, Mauad & Andersen sp. nov., and A. intervales Andersen, Mendes & Hagenlund sp. nov., while the two others, A. corgao Andersen, Mendes & Hagenlund sp. nov. and A. meloi Andersen, Mendes & Hagenlund sp. nov., belong to the A. rogersi species group. The generic description is emended to accommodate the new species and a key to the males of the Neotropical species is provided.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:46B8DABB-D68A-4C6A-8D6F-D04DCA670A54

The identity of figitid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae) of anthomyiid flies in conifer cones

Larvae of Strobilomyia flies (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) are serious pests in conifer-seed orchards because they feed on the seed inside the cones. Figitid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea) of Strobilomyia larvae in conifer cones are commonly reported but under various generic names. It is argued here that, across the entire Holarctic region, these figitids belong to Amphithectus and perhaps also to Sarothrus (Figitinae), but not to Melanips (Aspicerinae), contrary to some reports. We conclude that the identity of the commonly found figitid associated with conifer cones (Larix and Picea) in Europe and Asia is Amphithectus austriacus (Tavares, 1928) comb. n. This is most likely considering the original description and the host association, although the type specimen of Seitneria austriaca Tavares, 1928 is lost. This species name takes priority over the recently described Amphithectus coriaceus Paretas-Martinez & Pujade-Villar, 2013. Seitneria Tavares, 1928 becomes a new junior synonym of Amphithectus Hartig, 1840, and Amphithectus coriaceus Paretas-Martinez & Pujade-Villar, 2013 becomes a new synonym of Amphithectus austriacus (Tavares, 1928) comb. n.

Genetic variations and phylogeography of the swallowtail butterfly Papilio machaon on the Japanese Islands

AbstractThe swallowtail butterfly Papilio machaon Linnaeus, 1758 is widely distributed in the Holarctic region, including all of the main islands of Japan, as well as Sakhalin, and on other smaller islands south to Yakushima Island. The Japanese population is situated at the margin of the Eurasian distribution range of this species. It is morphologically different from other populations and has been classified as the subspecies hippocrates C. & R. Felder, 1864. The population of the Japanese Islands is considered to be genetically distinct from the continental populations in relation to the geographical history of the Japanese Islands. Therefore, we examined a part of the ND5 gene sequence of the mitochondrial DNA for P. machaon individuals of various localities in Japan and some nearby countries, and found 68 haplotypes in 400 individuals from the Japanese Islands and Sakhalin. A DNA polymorphism analysis revealed that the genetic structure of the Hokkaido population was significantly different from that of the southern populations on the main Japanese islands. These results imply that P. machaon expanded its range from the Amur region of Russia southward through Sakhalin to the Japanese Islands, and that the Tsugaru Strait between Hokkaido and Honshu may have subsequently limited their gene flow as a geographical barrier.