Holarctic Research Articles

New species and records of Lycoriella Frey (Diptera, Sciaridae) from the Holarctic region.

The following species of the genus Lycoriella Frey sensu Vilkamaa Menzel from the Holarctic region are newly described and illustrated: Lycoriella ampla sp. n. (Canada: Ontario), L. barkalovi sp. n. (Russia: Krasnoyarsk region), L. canningsi sp. n. (Canada: British Columbia), L. eurystylata sp. n. (Canada: Quebec), L. excavata sp. n. (USA: Colorado), L. jakovlevi sp. n. (Russia: Karelia), L. kinbasketi sp. n. (Canada: British Columbia), L. longa sp. n. (USA: Colorado), L. nivicola sp. n. (Canada: Nunavut, NWT; Greenland), L. pearyi sp. n. (Greenland), L. taimyrensis sp. n. (Russia: Krasnoyarsk region) and L. tundrae sp. n. (Russia: Krasnoyarsk region). Lycoriella parva (Holmgren, 1869) is redescribed and illustrated and new faunistic records are given for some previously described species of Lycoriella. The newly described species raise the number of known species of Lycoriella from 38 to 50.

New Record of Protophormia sp. (Calliphoridae: Diptera) from Cold Arid Desert Kargil Ladakh

Protophormia is a genus of Calliphoridae well known species in the cold climatic areas of the Holarctic region. In the present study, Protophormia terraenovae (Robineau-Desvoidy) has been documented as new record from the trans-Himalayan region of cold arid desert Kargil Ladakh (UT), India. It has been found that this species is fairly distributed throughout Kargil, Ladakh.

The First Two Complete Mitochondrial Genomes of Neoephemeridae (Ephemeroptera): Comparative Analysis and Phylogenetic Implication for Furcatergalia.

Mayflies of the family Neoephemeridae are widespread in the Holarctic and Oriental regions, and its phylogenetic position is still unstable in the group Furcatergalia (mayflies with fringed gills). In the present study, we determined the complete mitogenomes of two species, namely Potamanthellus edmundsi and Pulchephemera projecta, of this family. The lengths of two mitogenomes were 15,274 bp and 16,031 bp with an A + T content of 73.38% and 73.07%, respectively. Two neoephemerid mitogenomes had a similar gene size, base composition, and codon usage of protein-coding genes (PCGs), and the sequenced gene arrangements were consistent with the putative ancestral insect mitogenomes as understood today. The most variable gene of Furcatergalia mitogenomes was ND2, while the most conserved gene was COI. Meanwhile, the analysis of selection pressures showed that ND6 and ATP8 exhibited a relaxed purifying selection, and COI was under the strongest purifying selection. Phylogenetic trees reconstructed based on two concatenated nucleotide datasets using both maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) estimations yielded robust identical topologies. These results corroborated the monophyly of seven studied families and supported the family Leptophlebiidae as being of the basal lineage of Furcatergalia. Additionally, the sister-group relationship of Caenidae and Neoephemeridae was well supported. Methodologically, our present study provides a general reference for future phylogenetic studies of Ephemeroptera at the mitogenome level.

One new species of Fannia (Diptera, Fanniidae) from Yunnan, China with a key to the Fanniafuscinata-group in China.

BackgroundThe Fannidae includes over 400 described species, mainly known from the Holarctic Region. The number of species in the Oriental Region are underestimated. The Fanniafuscinata-group was established by Wang et al. in 2011, consisting of nine species at present.New informationA new species of the genus Fannia (Diptera, Fanniidae) is described from Yunnan, part of the Oriental Region in China, namely Fanniamenglaensis sp. nov. The detailed description, photographs and drawings of adults and male terminalia of F.menglaensis sp. nov. are provided. All specimens are preserved in the Museum of Beijing Forestry University.

Bibliographical research on the muscoid dipterans of the family Fanniidae

Fanniidae are a small family of Diptera Calyptratae found in all zoogeographic regions, although more diverse in the Holarctic Region. The objective of the mini review consists of bibliographical research on the muscoid dipterans of the Family Fanniidae. The research was carried out in studies related to quantitative aspects of the Family and Species (taxonomic groups) and in conceptual. A literature search was carried out containing articles published from 1971 to 2021. The mini review was prepared in Goiânia, Goiás, from August to September 2021, through the Online Scientific Library (Scielo), internet, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, Frontiers, Publons, Qeios Portal of Scientific Journals in Health Sciences, https://goo.gl/gLTTTs and https://www.growkudos.com/register.

Revision of the Exechiaparva group (Diptera: Mycetophilidae).

BackgroundExechia is a diverse genus of small fungus gnats, widespread in the Holarctic Region, while the fauna is largely unknown elsewhere, such as in the Afrotropical and Oriental Region. Members of Exechia can be arranged into several species groups, based on homologies in the male and female terminalia. The Exechiaparva group is delimited, based on male terminalia possessing a pair of gonocoxal lobes on the apicoventral gonocoxal margin. Eight previously-described species can be placed in this group, of which six are from the Holarctic Region, while one is recorded each from the Oriental and the Afrotropical Regions.New informationThe Exechiaparva group was reviewed and found to include 33 species, of which 24 were described as new to science and six were re-described. Identification keys to 32 species for males and nine species for females are provided together with illustrations and photos of male and female terminalia. Species delimitations were based on morphological examination of 94 male and female specimens, as well as DNA barcodes obtained from 124 specimens. Molecular and morphological species delimitations were mostly congruent, except in two cases where two species were delimited within a single Barcode Index Number (BIN). We found that each species is only known from a single zoogeographical region and that several species complexes are largely congruent with zoogeographical divisions, indicating that intercontinental barriers may have a strong impact on the species diversity of the group.

Maternal Serotonin: Shaping Developmental Patterns and Behavioral Strategy on Progeny in Molluscs

Serotonin is a well-known neurotransmitter and neurohormone regulating mood, sleep, feeding, and learning in high organisms. Serotonin also affects the embryonic events related to neurogenesis and maturation of hormonal systems, the underlying organism adaptation to a changing environment. Such serotonin-based mother-to-embryo signaling is realized via direct interactions in case of internal fertilization and embryonic development inside the mother body. However, the possibility of such signaling is less obvious in organisms with the ancestral type of embryogenesis and embryo development within the egg, outside the mother body. Our data, based on the investigation of freshwater gastropod molluscs (LymnaeaandHelisoma), demonstrated a correlation between seasonal variations of serotonin content within the female reproductive system, and developmental patterns and the behavioral characteristics of progeny. The direct action of serotonin via posttranslational protein modification—serotonylation—during early development, as well as classical receptor-mediated effects, underlies such serotonin-modulated developmental changes. In the present paper, I will shortly overview our results on freshwater molluscs and parallel the experimental data with the living strategy of these species occupying almost all Holarctic regions.

Ancient divergence of Indian and Tibetan wolves revealed by recombination-aware phylogenomics.

The grey wolf (Canis lupus) expanded its range across Holarctic regions during the late Pleistocene. Consequently, most grey wolves share recent (<100,000years ago) maternal origins corresponding to a widespread Holarctic clade. However, two deeply divergent (200,000-700,000years ago) mitochondrial clades are restricted, respectively, to the Indian subcontinent and the Tibetan Plateau, where remaining wolves are endangered. No genome-wide analysis had previously included wolves corresponding to the mitochondrial Indian clade or attempted to parse gene flow and phylogeny. We sequenced four Indian and two Tibetan wolves and included 31 additional canid genomes to resolve the phylogenomic history of grey wolves. Genomic analyses revealedIndian and Tibetan wolves to be distinct from each other and from broadly distributed wolf populations corresponding to the mitochondrial Holarctic clade. Despite gene flow, which was reflected disproportionately in high-recombination regions of the genome, analyses revealed Indian and Tibetan wolves to be basal to Holarctic grey wolves, in agreement with the mitochondrial phylogeny. In contrast to mitochondrial DNA, however, genomic findings suggest the possibility that the Indian wolf could be basal to the Tibetan wolf, a discordance potentially reflecting selection on the mitochondrial genome. Together, these findings imply that southern regions of Asia have been important centers for grey wolf evolution and that Indian and Tibetan wolves represent evolutionary significant units (ESUs). Further study is needed to assess whether these ESUs warrant recognition as distinct species. This question is especially urgent regarding the Indian wolf, which represents one of the world's most endangered wolf populations.

Molecular phylogeny of Elmidae (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea) with a focus on Japanese species: implications for intrafamilial classification

AbstractElmidae (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea) comprises diverse groups of specialized aquatic beetles, but the phylogenetic positions of the intrafamilial taxonomic groups remain unclear. We performed phylogenetic analyses of 26 genera and 73 elmid species and subspecies representing four of the five currently recognized tribes from Holarctic region (Japan, Europe and North America) using sequence data from up to 585 ultraconserved elements (UCEs). The UCE‐based phylogenetic trees inferred by both maximum‐likelihood and Bayesian inference methods resolved most of the phylogenetic relationships with high support. Our results indicate that a revised classification for the intrafamilial taxonomic groups in Elmidae is necessary. We also examined the correspondence of the character states of ten adult and larval morphological traits to the phylogeny and identified several traits that are potentially useful for defining intrafamilial taxonomic groups in Elmidae. Based on the molecular phylogeny and morphology of adults and larvae, Gonielmis Sanderson syn. n. and Optioservus Sanderson syn. n. are synonymized with Heterlimnius Hinton. Nomuraelmis Satô syn. n. was also synonymized with Stenelmis Dufour. A revised checklist and an identification key to the species groups are provided for Heterlimnius.

First Record of Psorospermium sp. (Class: Mesomycetozoea) in Northern Clearwater crayfish Faxonius propinquus Girard 1852 (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from Michigan, U.S.A.

Psorospermium cf. haeckeli Hilgendorf 1883 is a unicellular, eukaryotic protozoan within the class Mesomycetozoea, phylogenetically situated near the animal-fungal divergence(Cavalier-Smith 1998; Ragan et al. 1998). Although only one species has been identified, there have been four morphotypes described in 17 species of crayfish from the Holarctic, Neotropical, and Australasian regions (Herbert 1987; Henttonen et al. 1992, 1994; Rug Vogt 1994). However, molecular analyses of the internal transcribed spacer DNA suggest morphotypes may represent distinct species (Bangyeekhun et al. 2001).

Red-headed ash borer Neoclytus acuminatus acuminatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae): the global distribution, current spreading and the seasonal activity depending on its different habitats

Holarctic expansion of Neoclytus acumiantus acuminatus due to its polyphagous character has been a major concern for plant health, which raises several questions about its spreading directions. I have examined all bibliographical references, phytosanitary reports and authentic photographs from the online sources in the quest of the determination of the worldwide distribution and flight phenology of N. a. acuminatus. The expansion, including the western Palearctic regions as well as several Neotropical habitats, is proven and has become more intense in the last decades. It can be found mostly on the Holarctic region including 21 countries, which is supported by 51 publications. Its spreading mostly northward and eastward in the Palearctic is continuous due to anthropogenic effects, climate change as well as movement of infested materials. Flight phenology and population densities as a function of habitats were mapped. The detection in novel habitats of this pest due to imported wood materials and products is envisaged in the foreseeable future. The primary criterion for controlling the species adapted to the commercial trade and climatic change would be the elaboration of a monitoring system in affected and exposed areas.

Urban emergence of Dermanyssus gallinae lineage L1 and Ornithonyssus sylviarum in Hungary: phylogenetic differentiation between the roles of migrating vs transported synanthropic birds

BackgroundAmong Dermanyssoidea, the chicken red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) and the northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) are considered to be the cause of high economic losses endured by the poultry industry in the Holarctic region, with O. sylviarum predominating in North America and D. gallinae in Europe. Both species have a short life-cycle (thereby allowing a rapid build-up of massive infestations), a wide range of hosts, synanthropic presence and the ability to bite humans. The aim of this study was to analyze dermanyssoid mite specimens, collected in two human dwellings and two racing pigeon premises in different urban areas in Hungary, with molecular–phylogenetic methods.MethodsMite species were identified morphologically. This was followed by DNA extraction and molecular–phylogenetic analyses of selected mites, based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) and 28S rRNA (28S) genes.ResultsMites that had invaded a home from a pigeon nest and were linked to human dermatitis were morphologically and molecularly identified as D. gallinae special lineage L1. Specimens collected at all other sampling sites were identified as O. sylviarum, including mites that had invaded a home from a house martin (Delichon urbicum) nest, as well as those which were collected from racing pigeons. House martin- or pigeon-associated O. sylviarum specimens showed the highest sequence identity and closest phylogenetic relationship with conspecific mites reported in GenBank from Israel or Canada, respectively.ConclusionsDetailed morphological and molecular–phylogenetic analyses of D. gallinae lineage L1 confirmed its status as a cryptic species within D. gallinae (s.l.). Taking into account the well-documented latitudinal migratory routes of house martins between Hungary and Africa, O. sylviarum associated with this bird species most likely arrived on its host from the eastern Mediterranean region. On the other hand, mites collected from pigeons in Hungary showed cox1 genetic homogeneity with North American O. sylviarum, which can only be explained by a long-distance (west-to-east intercontinental) connection of birds and their mites as part of human activity (e.g. transportation to exhibitions or trading). In summary, this is the first molecularly confirmed and phylogenetically analyzed case of O. sylviarum infestation of birds in Hungary, implicating urban environment and involving distant parts of the country. This is also the first report of D. gallinae lineage L1 in central Europe.Graphical

The complete mitochondrial genome of Amphinemura bulla Shimizu, 1997 (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from Japan

The genus Amphinemura belongs to the family Nemouridae (Plecoptera) and has 205 species in the Holarctic and Oriental Regions. We sequenced the fourth complete mitochondrial genome of A. bulla Shimizu, 1997. The mitogenome is 15,827 bp long with 37 genes plus a control region with an A + T content of 68.9%. There are 10 intergenic spacers (75 bp total) and 13 gene overlaps (43 bp total). All protein-coding genes (PCGs) use normal initiation codons, except ND1 and ND5 which begin with TTG and GTG. Two PCGs (COII and ND5) use a single T as a partial termination codon. Phylogenetic analyses showed that Nemoura and Amphinemura were sister group resulting in a paraphyletic Amphinemurinae different from the morphological classification.

Эколого-ценотическая характеристика сообществ с Globularia bisnagarica L. в Среднем и Нижнем Поволжье

The present article investigates the plant communities of the Middle and Lower Volga region that contain Globularia bisnagarica L. (G. punctate Lapeyr., G. willkommii Nylan) – the species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Republic of Tatarstan, the Stavropol Krai, the Orenburg, Samara, Saratov and Ulyanovsk Province, and Kazakhstan. The paper provides the geo-botanical description as well as the ecological and coenotic properties of 13 plant communities located in the Middle and Lower Volga region (the Ulyanovsk, Saratov and Samara Provinces). It is shown that the studied communities are confined to the elevated elements of relief where soil erosion usually takes place and bedrock gets exposed. Most communities grow on proto-soils – namely, carbonated. In general, the communities under study include 141 vascular species. In individual communities, the total projective cover fluctuates from 25 to 90%; the number of species varies from 29 to 43. Furthermore, the study subdivides the communities containing G. bisnagarica into 10 types. The level of set similarity is rather low (IBD is mere 19.5%). Finally, based on the bio-morphological content, most species in the studied communities are classified as hemicryptophytes, which is typical for the moderately cold zones of the Holarctic realm. Among trophomorphs, mesotrophs are predominant (62%); while oligotrophs are a third as many.

Identification and analysis of olfactory genes in Dioryctria abietella based on the antennal transcriptome

The coneworm Dioryctria abietella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is an economy devastating pest that infests many valuable conifer species in the Holarctic regions, such as Pinus koraiensis Siebold and Zucc. The chemosensory system plays a crucial role in the mating, foraging, and ovipositing of this pest, and therefore it is desirable to identify chemosensory molecules for pest control. However, little is known at molecular level about the olfactory mechanisms in D. abietella. In the present study, we first established antennal transcriptomes of D. abietella and identified 132 putative chemosensory genes, including 15 odorant-binding proteins, 18 chemosensory proteins, 65 odorant receptors, 5 sensory neuron membrane proteins, 24 ionotropic receptors, and 5 gustatory receptors. In addition, phylogenetic trees were constructed for chemosensory genes to investigate the orthologs between D. abietella and other species of insects. Furthermore, we also compared the patterns of motifs between OBPs and CSPs using MEME. Additionally, we observed that most of DabiOBPs and DabiCSPs had the antenna-biased expression by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), and there was a higher expression of DabiPBP1 and DabiPBP2 in male antennae than in female antennae. The binding sites of DabiPBPs (DabiPBP1, DabiPBP2) and DabiPRs (DabiOR19, DabiOR31) to the sex pheromone were predicted well by three-dimensional docking structure modelling and molecular docking. Our finding supplied a foundation for further research on the binding process of OBPs or CSPs and sensing process of ORs, SNMPs, IRs or GRs in D. abietella.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the jet ant Lasius spathepus Wheeler, W.M., 1910 (Formicidae; Hymenoptera)

The genus Lasius is a conspicuous and popular genus of ants found in the Holarctic regions. We have completed the mitochondrial genome of Lasius spathepus as the first mitochondrial genome of Lasius. The mitochondrial genome is 18,951 bp long, which is the sixth longest ant mitochondrial genome known to science. It contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and a control region in a gene order shared with other species of subfamily Formicinae. The control region is 2,147 bp long, longest of all ants. Phylogenetic analysis shows L. spathepus groups with Nylanderia flavipes of the same tribe Lasiini.

Unexpected larger distribution of paleogene stem-rollers (AVES, CORACII): new evidence from the Eocene of Patagonia, Argentina

Here we present the first record of a stem-Coracii outside the Holarctic region, found in the early Eocene of Patagonia at the Laguna del Hunco locality. Ueekenkcoracias tambussiae gen. et sp. nov. consists of an incomplete right hind limb that presents the following combination of characters, characteristic of Coracii: relatively short and stout tibiotarsus, poorly developed crista cnemialis cranialis, short and wide tarsometatarsus, with the tuberositas m. tibialis cranialis located medially on the shaft, and curved and stout ungual phalanges. Although the presence of a rounded and conspicuous foramen vasculare distale and the trochlea metatarsi II strongly deflected medially resemble Primobucconidae, a fossil group only found in the Eocene of Europe and North America, our phylogenetic analysis indicates the new taxon is the basalmost known Coracii. The unexpected presence of a stem-Coracii in the Eocene of South America indicates that this clade had a more widespread distribution than previously hypothesized, already extending into the Southern Hemisphere by the early Eocene. Ueekenkcoracias tambussiae represents new evidence of the increasing diversity of stem lineages of birds in the Eocene. The new material provides novel morphological data for understanding the evolutionary origin and radiation of rollers and important data for estimates of the divergence time of the group.

Initial Complete Chloroplast Genomes of Alchemilla (Rosaceae): Comparative Analysis and Phylogenetic Relationships.

The genus Alchemilla L., known for its medicinal and ornamental value, is widely distributed in the Holarctic regions with a few species found in Asia and Africa. Delimitation of species within Alchemilla is difficult due to hybridization, autonomous apomixes, and polyploidy, necessitating efficient molecular-based characterization. Herein, we report the initial complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of Alchemilla. The cp genomes of two African (Afromilla) species Alchemilla pedata and Alchemilla argyrophylla were sequenced, and phylogenetic and comparative analyses were conducted in the family Rosaceae. The cp genomes mapped a typical circular quadripartite structure of lengths 152,438 and 152,427 base pairs (bp) in A. pedata and A. argyrophylla, respectively. Alchemilla cp genomes were composed of a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa/IRb) of length 25,923 and 25,915 bp, separating the small single copy (SSC) region of 17,980 and 17,981 bp and a large single copy (LSC) region of 82,612 and 82,616 bp in A. pedata and A. argyrophylla, respectively. The cp genomes encoded 114 unique genes including 88 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and 4 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Additionally, 88 and 95 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 37 and 40 tandem repeats were identified in A. pedata and A. argyrophylla, respectively. Significantly, the loss of group II intron in atpF gene in Alchemilla species was detected. Phylogenetic analysis based on 26 whole cp genome sequences and 78 protein-coding gene sequences of 27 Rosaceae species revealed a monophyletic clustering of Alchemilla nested within subfamily Rosoideae. Based on a protein-coding region, negative selective pressure (Ka/Ks < 1) was detected with an average Ka/Ks value of 0.1322 in A. argyrophylla and 0.1418 in A. pedata. The availability of complete cp genome in the genus Alchemilla will contribute to species delineation and further phylogenetic and evolutionary studies in the family Rosaceae.

Moose genomes reveal past glacial demography and the origin of modern lineages

BackgroundNumerous megafauna species from northern latitudes went extinct during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition as a result of climate-induced habitat changes. However, several ungulate species managed to successfully track their habitats during this period to eventually flourish and recolonise the holarctic regions. So far, the genomic impacts of these climate fluctuations on ungulates from high latitudes have been little explored. Here, we assemble a de-novo genome for the European moose (Alces alces) and analyse it together with re-sequenced nuclear genomes and ancient and modern mitogenomes from across the moose range in Eurasia and North America.ResultsWe found that moose demographic history was greatly influenced by glacial cycles, with demographic responses to the Pleistocene/Holocene transition similar to other temperate ungulates. Our results further support that modern moose lineages trace their origin back to populations that inhabited distinct glacial refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Finally, we found that present day moose in Europe and North America show low to moderate inbreeding levels resulting from post-glacial bottlenecks and founder effects, but no evidence for recent inbreeding resulting from human-induced population declines.ConclusionsTaken together, our results highlight the dynamic recent evolutionary history of the moose and provide an important resource for further genomic studies.

Occurrence of the mollusc species Euglesa globularis (Clessin, 1873) in North-East Asia (Magadan, Russia) with data on dispersal mechanism and vectors

The information concerning the origin, biogeography and dispersal mechanisms of sphaeriid species in the Holarctic region is very limited. In this study, we report on the first occurrence of Euglesa globularis in the Magadan Oblast. According to our molecular data, 16S RNA sequences of E. globularis are represented by two haplotypes, one of which is identical with the samples that were collected in North America. Our findings highlight the possible exchange between the freshwater biotas of North-West Asia and the West of North America in Beringia during the Pleistocene. Furthermore, we describe the first case of bivalve mollusk E. globularis attached to toes of the amphibian species Salamandrella keyserlingii. According to our data, S. keyserlingii could play a minor role in the dispersal of bivalves at the local scale.