Buprestidae Research Articles

Notes on some Buprestidae of Northern California (Col.)

Notes on some Buprestidae of Northern California (Col.)

Notes on the genus Stigmodera, with descriptions of eleven new species, and of other Buprestidae

Notes on the genus Stigmodera, with descriptions of eleven new species, and of other Buprestidae

THE SPERMATOGENESIS OF EUCHROMA GIGANTEA

Previous articleNext article FreeJournal ArticlesTHE SPERMATOGENESIS OF EUCHROMA GIGANTEAM. LOUISE NICHOLSM. LOUISE NICHOLS Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Biological Bulletin Volume 19, Number 3August 1910 Published in association with the Marine Biological Laboratory Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2307/1535962 Views: 177Total views on this site © 1910 Marine Biological LaboratoryPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Studies in the American Buprestidae

Studies in the American Buprestidae

On the focal length of microscopic objectives

It has recently been found that iridescence, a taxonomically widespread form of animal coloration defined by a change in hue with viewing angle, can act as a highly effective form of camouflage. However, little is known about whether iridescence can confer a survival benefit to prey postdetection and, if so, which optical properties of iridescent prey are important for this putative protective function. Here, we tested the effects of both iridescence and surface gloss (i.e. specular reflection) on the attack behaviour of prey-naïve avian predators. Using real and artificial jewel beetle, Sternocera aequisignata, wing cases, we found that iridescence provides initial protection against avian predation by significantly reducing the willingness to attack. Importantly, we found that the main factor explaining this aversion is iridescence, not multiple colours per se, with surface gloss also having an independent effect. Our results are important because they demonstrate that even when prey are presented up close and against a mismatching background, iridescence may confer a survival benefit by inducing hesitation or even, as sometimes observed, an aversion response in attacking birds. Furthermore, this means that even postdetection, prey do not necessarily need to have secondary defences such as sharp spines or toxins for iridescence to have a protective effect. Taken together, our results suggest that reduced avian predation could facilitate the initial evolution of iridescence in many species of insects and that it is the defining feature of iridescence, its colour changeability, that is important for this effect.

Prevention of decay in timber for shipbuilding and other purposes

Windstorm created small gaps with large amounts of sun-exposed dead wood in managed oak–hornbeam forest in France in 1999. The short-term effect of these gaps for saproxylic beetle abundance, species richness and assemblage composition were compared with closed-forest stands and seedling–sapling stands.We observed a strong differentiation of saproxylic assemblage in gaps compared with undisturbed stands but richness was only slightly higher in gaps. Contrary to expectations, the abundance of primary wood consumers on the whole, highly dominated by bark beetles, was as high in undisturbed plots as in gaps. However, longhorn and buprestid beetles responded positively in gaps. The later-successional xylophagous beetles on the whole were not significantly less abundant in gaps, in spite of the lower abundance of some shade-preferring species (Anobiidae, Eucnemidae, Melandryidae). Gap changes had a positive impact on the floricolous and xylomycetophagous insects, even if the species response was contrasted.Saproxylic communities were also distinct in gaps and in seedling–sapling stands. Both species richness and number of characteristic species were higher in gaps than in seedling–sapling stands. The abundance of later-successional xylophagous and xylomycetophagous insects was equal in gaps and in seedling–sapling stands. The abundance of saproxylic predators seemed to follow the population levels of all xylophagous insects.Because of their richness and faunistic dissimilarity with other open stands and closed-canopy controls, uncleared gaps may enhance the gamma diversity at the forest scale. In response to management issues underlying this research project, saproxylic diversity would benefit from the maintenance of some uncleared gaps. Moreover, in managed temperate, deciduous forests, my results suggest to retain more sun-exposed harvesting residue in fellings in order to enhance biodiversity.