Order Diptera Research Articles

Diversity and distribution of true flies (Diptera) of Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India: Functional roles based on ecological guilds

Proper understanding of ecological dynamics of faunal components, whether it is a large mammal or a tiny insect of any ecosystem including forests, plays an important role in the eco-management of any eco-zone. Dipteran insects constituting a major faunal group among the entomo-diversity of any forest ecosystem portray significant functional roles in determining the stability in the ecosystem functioning of the respective ecosystem. The present paper has attempted to document the diversity of dipteran insects inhabiting a tropical deciduous forest of the extended part of Deccan Biogeographic Zone in the eastern part of India, the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary alongside indicating its habitat preference and distribution patterns. A total of 34 species under 19 families of the order Diptera were recorded from different habitats of the studied forest areas, of which three species are considered new reports from the state of Odisha, India. Out of the three selected eco-zones, the deep forest area having a higher density of sal trees (Shorea robusta) revealed less species richness but high relative abundance, whereas the barren grazing land demonstrated higher species richness with low relative abundance. The eco-zone with wetlands and associated vegetation have shown moderate species richness and diversity of dipteran insects. Three contrasting seasons (pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon) of this region have also demonstrated different patterns of diversity and density of this group of insects which have been segregatedinto several feeding guilds in tune with the seasonal availability of food resources.

Dominant species of radish (Raphanus sativus (L.) convar. radicula (Pers) Sazon.) pests in the Right Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Based on the results of phytosanitary monitoring (2008–2022), the species composition of pests in agroecosystems of radish (Raphanus sativus (L.) convar. radicula (Pers) Sazon.) in the central part of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine has been specified. In radish crops, 59 species of phytophagous insects, two species of nematodes, and one species of slugs were identified. The harmful entomocomplex structure includes insects from 20 families of 8 orders. Representatives of the orders Coleoptera (17 species), Lepidoptera (16 species), and Homoptera (9 species) dominate the taxonomic structure, collectively occupying 71% in the structure of the harmful entomocomplex. Representatives of the orders Diptera and Orthoptera were presented by species from 6 and 5 families, respectively, and in the entomocomplex structure, they occupied 10% and 8%, respectively. The least species diversity was found for the order Thysanoptera, Hemiptera, and Hymenoptera, which collectively occupied 10% in the structure of the harmful entomocomplex. Sixteen constant species were identified (Plutella maculipennis Curt., Phyllotreta cruciferae Goeze, Phyllotreta undulata Kutsch., Pieris brassicae L., Agrotis segetum Denis&Schiff., Lacanobia oleracea L., Eurydema ventralis Kol., Brevicoryne brassicae L., Delia brassicae Bouche, Athalia rosae L., Delia platura Mg., Ceutorrhynchus quadridens Panz., Delia floralis Fallen, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Entomoscelis adonidis Pallas, Evergestis extimalis Scop.), which caused significant damage to radish plants throughout the vegetation period. These species were trophically specialized, with 75% being oligophagous and 81% being phytophagous. Flea beetles such as Phyllotreta cruciferae Goeze, Phyllotreta undulata Kutsch., diamondback moth (Plutella maculipennis Curt.), cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae L.), turnip moth (Agrotis segetum Denis&Schiff.), and armyworm (Lacanobia oleracea L.) were found with high and medium frequencies in the studied agroecosystems, with population densities reaching maximum levels of 60–100% in some years.

Openly living phytophages and entomophages of the agrocenosis of winter soft wheat in the forest-steppe of the Samara region

Studies were conducted to study the species composition of open-living insects of phytophages and entomophages in the agrocenosis of winter soft wheat on varieties Povolzhskaya 30 and Povolzhskayaniva. The studies were conducted in 2020-2022, which differed in meteorological conditions, in the forest-steppe zone of the Samara region. In the agrocenosis of winter wheat, 28 species of phytophagous insects were identified, which belonged to 16 families. The most numerous in terms of species composition were the families: Chloropidae, Chrysomelidae ,Aphididae, Scutelleridae. The families were small in species composition: Phlaeothripidae, Pentatomidae, Berytidae, Miridae, Acrididae, Elateridae, Cephidae, Carabidae and Scarabaeidae. All phytophagous insects were divided into 6 orders: Bubble-legged or Thrips (Thysanoptera), Hemiptera or bugs (Hemiptera), Diptera (Diptera), Coleoptera or Beetles (Coleoptera), Straight-winged (Ortoptera), Hymenoptera (Hymenoptera). Numerous species composition of phytophagous insects was observed in the orders of Hemiptera (39.0%), Diptera and Coleoptera (25.0% each). The majority of phytophagous insects fed only on vegetative parts of plants (64.0%) (roots, stems, and leaves), 7.0% of species fed on generative parts of plants (mainly grain feeding). 29.0% of the species had a mixed type of nutrition, on vegetative organs (mainly in the larval stage) and on generative organs (mainly imago). Among phytophagous insects, the proportion with a gnawing mouth was 54.0%, and the proportion with a sucking mouth was 46.0%. The species composition of openly living entomophages in the agrocenosis of winter wheat was diverse. It is represented by 6 detachments. The largest number of species was observed in the orders Coleoptera or Beetles (Coleoptera) and the order of Spiders (Araneae). Ladybugs (Coccinellids) dominated among entomophages, which were represented by 9 species.

First report of Aphrialatifrons (Diptera, Tachinidae, Leskiini) in the Canary Islands.

The Canary Islands are an archipelago of volcanic origin, located off north-west Africa comprising eight islands. Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are the oldest (20 and 15 millon years old, respectively) and the easternmost islands. The order Diptera is one of the most relevant taxa in the Canary Islands as they constitute the second highest species richness. Within this order, the family Tachinidae is especially interesting as all species are endoparasitoids of arthropods and most species play a key role as pollinators. In the Canary Islands, the family comprises 52 species, with Fuerteventura and Lanzarote harbouring up to 20 species each. Aphrialatifrons, a Palaearctic tachinid fly, is reported for the first time from the Canary Islands, where it was found on Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. Morphological examination was carried out and the first known barcode of the species is presented. Its potential distribution and source of origin are discussed.

Insects pollinating parsnip Pastinaca sativa l. (Apiaceae) in Moscow province

The purpose of the study was to test the ability of Pastinaca sativa , as one of the plants whose sap contains furanocoumarins, to attract the same types of insects as the most dangerous weed - Sosnowsky’s hogweed, which is widely spread in Russia. As a result, 46 species of pollinating insects from the orders Hymenoptera (3 species), Hemiptera (2 species), Coleoptera (10 species) and Diptera (31 species) have been recorded on P. sativa . Among the latter, representatives of Tachinidae (6 species), Anthomyiidae (6 species), Calliphoridae (4 species), and Syrphidae (4 species) predominated. About 50% of insects pollinating P. sativa are found on other species of umbrella plants, including native species Anthriscus sylvestris , Aegopodium podagraria , Angelica sylvestris ; on horticultural crops: Anethum graveolens , Petroselinum crispum , Carum carvi , Coriandrum sativum , Levisticum o cinale , and on the invasive hogweed Heracleum sosnowskyi . It was not possible to detect any preference of insects for yellow (parsnip, lovage, dill) or white (kupyr, goutweed, angelica, hogweed, parsley, cumin, coriander) corolla color, plant height (from 30 cm to 2 m) or umbrella diameter (from 8 to 30 cm). Among all the captured insects, the following groups can be distinguished: those found on P. sativa and on wild-growing species of Apiaceae - 6 species; on P. sativa and garden crops - 4 species; on P. sativa and Heracleum sosnowskyi - 4 species; found on many species of Apiaceae - 10 species; found only on P. sativa - 24 species.

Diversity and spatial distribution of Order Diptera from Kuala Keniam National Park, Pahang, Malaysia

Diversity and spatial distribution of Order Diptera from Kuala Keniam National Park, Pahang, Malaysia

Diversity and Abundance of Insect Pollinators of Cucurbits at Mid-Hills of Meghalaya, India

The current research was carried out at the ICAR-Research Complex for the North Eastern Hill Region (NEH) in Umiam, Meghalaya to investigate the diversity and abundance of insect pollinators of cucurbits at mid-hills of Meghalaya. Ridge gourd, sponge guard, pumpkin, teasel gourd, chow-chow, bottle guard and cucumber were taken as a target crop to observe the data on diversity and abundance. Total twenty-five (25) pollinators were observed in different cucurbits belongs to order Hymenoptera, Diptera and Lepidoptera which represents that mid-hills of Meghalaya have rich pollinator fauna. Out of 25 insect pollinators 3 pollinators identified from ridge gourd, 6 from sponge gourd, 4 from pumpkin, 3 from bottle gourd, 4 from cucumber, 3 from chow-chow and 2 from teasel gourd. Efficient pollinator was nominated on the basis of their abundance. During investigation it was found that bumble bee emerged as the most abundant pollinator in ridge gourd, pumpkin and sponge gourd. In sponge gourd carpenter bee also showed almost equal abundance. Indian honey bee abundance was high in cucumber and in chow-chow. Among collected pollinators, hymenopterans were the abundant with 80% relative abundance. It is clear from the recorded observation that native bees are equally contributing in pollination service so conservation of these bees is also a demand of nature. Activity time period of pollinators on flowers guided the farmers to avoid pesticide spray during particular time period.

A full repertoire of Hemiptera genomes reveals a multi-step evolutionary trajectory of auto-RNA editing site in insect Adar gene

ABSTRACT Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing, mediated by metazoan ADAR enzymes, is a prevalent post-transcriptional modification that diversifies the proteome and promotes adaptive evolution of organisms. The Drosophila Adar gene has an auto-recoding site (termed S>G site) that forms a negative-feedback loop and stabilizes the global editing activity. However, the evolutionary trajectory of Adar S>G site in many other insects remains largely unknown, preventing us from a deeper understanding on the significance of this auto-editing mechanism. In this study, we retrieved the well-annotated genomes of 375 arthropod species including the five major insect orders (Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera) and several outgroup species. We performed comparative genomic analysis on the Adar auto-recoding S>G site. We found that the ancestral state of insect S>G site was an uneditable serine codon (unSer) and that this state was largely maintained in Hymenoptera. The editable serine codon (edSer) appeared in the common ancestor of Lepidoptera, Diptera and Coleoptera and was almost fixed in the three orders. Interestingly, Hemiptera species possessed comparable numbers of unSer and edSer codons, and a few ‘intermediate codons’, demonstrating a multi-step evolutionary trace from unSer-to-edSer with non-synchronized mutations at three codon positions. We argue that the evolution of Adar S>G site is the best genomic evidence supporting the ‘proteomic diversifying hypothesis’ of RNA editing. Our work deepens our understanding on the evolutionary significance of Adar auto-recoding site which stabilizes the global editing activity and controls transcriptomic diversity.

Characterization of bird, reptile, and insect community diversity in constructed wetlands and waste stabilization ponds across Tanzania

Wastewater treatment systems, such as Constructed Wetlands (CWs) and Waste Stabilization Ponds (WSPs), have untapped biodiversity enhancement and development potential. Birds, insects, and reptiles, which are displaced by human development, might find refuge in these ecosystems. However, the lack of a detailed characterization of the biodiversity status of these wastewater treatment systems hinders their widespread adoption. Point counts, direct observations, and camera traps were used to assess bird diversity across five CWs and three WSPs in Tanzania in 2021. For insects and reptiles, pitfall and pan traps were laid along established transects, in addition, direct observations and fishnets were also used to assess the reptiles dwelling within the WSPs. Abundance, Shannon index, Simpson index, Margalef index, and evenness index were the diversity parameters used to analyze the diversity of birds, insects, and reptiles. Our results show that among the studied groups and between WSPs and CWs, birds had high species abundance (n = 1132), richness, Margalef index (D = 4.266), evenness (E = 0.815), Shannon diversity (H = 2.881) and Simpson index (λ =0.903). The abundance and diversity of studied groups differed significantly (P < 0.05) between WSPs and CWs. Our study also recorded four reptile species belonging to three orders. Molecular analyses confirmed that insect species belong to nine orders and 13 families, with the order Diptera dominating both CWs and WSPs, followed by Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, and Araneae. We conclude that CW and WSP wastewater treatment systems are important for hosting various populations of birds, reptiles, and insect species.

Molecular Characterization of Pollinators in Cotton Ecosystem

DNA barcoding using cytochrome c oxidase I (mtCO1) for molecular characterization is a taxonomic method that uses a short genetic marker in an insect DNA to identify a species, including an unknown species. The coming-to-light of this identification tool is timely when we are facing perhaps the greatest rate of species loss in recent millennia. This study contributes to increasing the number of published accounts of DNA barcoding and accurately distinguishing the pollinator fauna of cotton in Punjab, India. The mtCOI region of all the samples was amplified, cloned and the nucleotide sequences were determined and analyzed. This study reveals that specimens collected in cotton belong to order Hymenoptera and Diptera. Hymenopterans include Apis dorsata, Apis florea, Xylocopa fenestrata, Sceliphron madraspatanum and Polistes wattii. Dipterns include Eristalinus quinquelineatus and Musca convexifrons.

Berberis aristata DC: An Important Winter Foraging Source for Anthophilous Insects in Western Himalaya

The article presents a first-hand study that provides information about the anthophilous insects of Berberis aristata in Nainital Western Himalaya. By using the direct sampling method, a total of 11 species of anthophilous insects were recorded on the medicinally important plant B. aristata. The recorded anthophilous insects were belonging to the order Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera. The IVR index value of Apis cerana was recorded as maximum showing that it is a potential pollinator of B. aristata. The study reported a good abundance of anthophilous insects on B. aristata, which revealed that it is a good food source for insects during winter. The study concluded that more efforts should be made to investigate resources that could support and provide switching platforms for pollinators during the winter.

New fly records of potential biological control importance in Saudi Arabia (order Diptera)

BackgroundThe Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Saudi Arabia has begun funding some projects to set up some agricultural pest control programs. Therefore, it is very important to enumerate all the predacious or parasitic insects that live on or in other agricultural insect pests and have the potential to become biological control agents against these pests.ResultsIn the present study, nine fly species of potential importance in biological pest control are recorded for the first time from Saudi Arabia, namely, Spogostylum ventrale Bezzi, 1924, Prothaplocnemis anthracina (Becker, 1902) [family Bombyliidae], Alloxytropus anomalus Bezzi, 1925, Scenopinus minusculus (Séguy, 1934) [family Scenopinidae], Actorthia frontata Kröber, 1912, Hoplosathe brevistyla Lyneborg & Zaitzev, 1980 [family Therevidae], Hilara sp. [family Empididae], Tomosvaryella demeyeri Kuznetzov, 1993 [family Pipunculidae] and Orchisia costata (Meigen, 1826) [family Muscidae]. In addition, this is the first time to record the four genera Prothaplocnemis Bezzi, Alloxytropus Bezzi, Hilara Meigen and Orchisia Rondani from Saudi Arabia. World and local distributions, diagnoses, feeding behaviors and some colored photographs of recorded species are provided.ConclusionIn the present study, nine species of predacious and parasitic flies belonging to nine genera and six families are recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia.

A review of the entomofauna associated with decaying cacti in New World deserts

Abstract Cactus species are well represented in arid and semiarid environments, where they sometimes even dominate the landscape, forming true cactus forests. In this review, we summarize for the first time the importance of cactus species as a wood resource for a neglected saproxylic (dead wood-dependent) entomofauna associated with decomposing and decomposed tissues in arid and semiarid environments. The complex decomposition process of cactus species is discussed in depth. We provide a checklist of the entomofauna living in decaying and decayed cacti, in which insects represented 93% of the species recorded. In particular, Coleoptera (41.5%) and Diptera (43.8%) orders together represented 85% of the insect species recorded. The family Drosophilidae made up 50% of studied Diptera species because the drosophilid–cactus–yeast complex has been widely studied during recent decades. However, we found that during the last 2 decades, there has been increasing interest in investigating the diversity of arthropods in this saproxylic habitat in Mexico, with a special focus on Syrphidae (Diptera) and Coleoptera, the former for their role in the decomposition process. Disentangling the role of the insects associated with decaying cactus is a challenge when it comes to understanding the function of xeric saprophagous insects in this environment. One frontier in this research area is to find whether decomposed stems in xeric soils would act as “islands” of fertility due to the amount of nitrogen which could be recuperated from these microecosystems. Further research is needed to understand the ecological succession of the entomofauna playing a role in the decomposition process of cactus species in semiarid environments.

Apple flower-visiting insects’ diversity and abundance in selected central Kenya orchards

Flower-visiting insects are essential in maintaining a healthy and productive agricultural landscape through ecosystem services such as pollination. Fruits are important sources of vitamins and micronutrients, and several fruit crops depend on animal pollination, which enhances their nutritional content. Besides honey bees, apple orchards can sustain a large number of arthropod species that also aid in pollination. In this present study, we assessed the diversity and abundance of insect flower visitors in six apple orchards in Nyeri and Laikipia East. Six plots, each with more than 20 apple trees, were purposefully selected. Data were collected through timed visual searches and sweep netting. Sampling was done from 0900 hours to 1700 hours, six days a week, for five months consecutively in 2019. Diversity indices were computed using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, while abundance patterns were displayed using species abundance curves. Differences in species diversity and abundance between sites were compared using a one-way analysis of variance. A total of 1,221 insects belonging to 23 families, 82 species, and 4 orders (Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera) were recorded. The order Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants) was the most abundant, with 1,176 individuals, and had the most species-rich taxa, with 56 species in 9 families. The order Coleoptera (beetles) was second, with 26 individuals and 12 species in 6 families. Lepidoptera were the least abundant with 10 individuals and the least species-rich taxa with 7 species in 5 families, followed closely by Diptera with 7 individuals and 7 species in 3 families. There were significant differences in flower visitors’ composition among the six sites. The study provides important information on the status of key apple flower visitors, which can guide orchard management practises to increase apple yield through pollinator conservation. Conserving apple pollinators will enhance fruit production, promote the livelihoods of farmers, and contribute to the national economy.

Jenis - Jenis Serangga Yang Tertarik Dengan Warna Di Kebun Melon (Cucumis melo L.)

Research on the Order of Diptera on Melon Plant (Cucumis melo L.) was conducted in April - May 2022.”The purpose of the study was to examine the interest of insects in melon plants to various colors in the agrotorism of the Kenten Laut melon garden. This study uses a purposive sampling method, namely by color traps using 4 colors, namely, yellow, green,blue, and red. Observation parameters include the number of insects contained in each trap, color and type of head, mouth apparatus, limbs, antennae, and wings. The results obtained 70 insects fromthe order Diptera. The types of insects found were, Bactrocera dorsalis., Lucilia sp.,”Hermetia illucens, Musca domestica., the insects collected had different morphological types.

Autorecoding A-to-I RNA editing sites in the Adar gene underwent compensatory gains and losses in major insect clades.

As one of the most prevalent RNA modifications in animals, adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing facilitates the environmental adaptation of organisms by diversifying the proteome in a temporal-spatial manner. In flies and bees, the editing enzyme Adar has independently gained two different autorecoding sites that form an autofeedback loop, stabilizing the overall editing efficiency. This ensures cellular homeostasis by keeping the normal function of target genes. However, in a broader range of insects, the evolutionary dynamics and significance of this Adar autoregulatory mechanism are unclear. We retrieved the genomes of 377 arthropod species covering the five major insect orders (Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera) and aligned the Adar autorecoding sites across all genomes. We found that the two autorecoding sites underwent compensatory gains and losses during the evolution of two orders with the most sequenced species (Diptera and Hymenoptera), and that the two editing sites were mutually exclusive among them: One editable site is significantly linked to another uneditable site. This autorecoding mechanism of Adar could flexibly diversify the proteome and stabilize global editing activity. Many insects independently selected different autorecoding sites to achieve a feedback loop and regulate the global RNA editome, revealing an interesting phenomenon during evolution. Our study reveals the evolutionary force acting on accurate regulation of RNA editing activity in insects and thus deepens our understanding of the functional importance of RNA editing in environmental adaptation and evolution.

Prey Selection by Pitcher Plant, Nepenthes khasiana in Meghalaya, India

Nepenthes khasiana, an endangered pitcher plant endemic to Meghalaya and southern Assam, India seems to develop a pitcher for trapping small animals as their prey to supplement the nutrient deficiency which occurs in the soil. A study on the enigmatic meat-eating choice of N. khasiana is scarce. Hence, this study was conducted to find out their prey species covering all three hills of Meghalaya, India. A total of 90 pitcher samples (30 from each hill) were collected randomly and preserved in 70% alcohol which was further identified at the lower taxa level. A total of 71 species were identified up to the species level while another five were identified up to their genus level. Among this, 90.8% of species were insects (69 species) while the remaining 9.2% (7 species) were non-insect species. All these seven non-insect species belonged to single order Arachnida. The majority of them (71.1%, 54 species) were capable of flying while the remaining 28.9% (22 species) were incompetent to fly. Those species which were incompetent to fly belonged to orders Araneae, Dermaptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and Odonata. The prey constituted the highest 23 species belonging to the order Hymenoptera followed by 11 species under Coleoptera, 9 species under Diptera, 7 species under Araneae, 6 species each under Hemiptera and Blattodea, 5 species each under Orthoptera and Lepidoptera, 2 species under Odontata and 1 species each under Mantodea and Dermaptera. The orders Hymenoptera and Diptera together contributed 83.3% of the total feeding spectrum. This further indicates the sustainable management of biodiversity securing the abundance of animal prey species for the conservation of pitcher plants in this landscape.

Relationships between Land Use Changes and Benthic Macroinvertebrates’ Community Structure in an East African Riverine Environment

Anthropogenic land use activities affects the health status of river ecosystems in supporting aquatic biodiversity. Undisturbed wetlands ensure water bodies are ecologically healthy for community livelihoods. Recent years have witnessed degradation of aquatic ecosystems and this has devastating effects on the environment and community livelihoods. One of such wetlands is river Isiukhu of western Kenya. This study analysed water physico-chemical parameters and benthic macroinvertebrates’ assemblages of River Isiukhu between August to November, 2022. Four sampling stations were selected along the longitudinal river gradient based on anthropogenic impact and dominance of land use activities. Sampling stations were classified as ‘very high’, ‘high’, ‘moderate’ and ‘low’ and rated 4,3,2 and 1 respectively, depending on the anthropogenic impact. Macroinvertebrates were sampled using D-frame net and classified using appropriate keys. Anthropogenic activities and habitat characteristics were noted and recorded. Water quality parameters were determined in situ. Macroinvertebrates’ population indices were calculated to determine community structure. Sorenson’s Coefficient quantified similarities of species in different stations. Pearson correlation and ANOVA tested the study hypothesis. About 1,391 invertebrates were collected belonging to 12 orders, 32 families and 30 genera. Orders Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, Diptera and Coleoptera recorded highest percentage taxonomical composition. Upper pristine stations (F and G) supported more species richness and diversity than lower stations (L and T). Macroinvertebrates’ communities in terms of diversity, abundance, richness, evenness, and functional feeding groups responded differently to impacts of anthropogenic activities, due to their varied adaptation traits. Water quality varied significantly between sampling stations (ρ &lt;0.05). Close relationship existed between land use activities and species diversity (r=0.8; ρ &lt; 0.05); richness (r=0.8779; ρ &lt; 0.05); evenness (r=0.1067; ρ &lt; 0.05); and abundance (r=0.962; ρ &lt; 0.05). The study recommends the need to conserve riparian vegetation as a way of mitigating and adapting to the impact climate change on stream ecosystem.

Mycotoxins on edible insects: Should we be worried?

Edible insects are a solid alternative to meet the growing demand for animal protein. However, there are doubts regarding the safety of insect consumption. Mycotoxins are substances of concern for food safety, as they may cause harmful effects on the human organism and accumulate in the tissues of some animals. This study focuses on the characteristics of the main mycotoxins, the mitigation of human consumption of contaminated insects, and the effects of mycotoxins on insect metabolism. To date, studies reported the interaction of the mycotoxins aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, fumonisin B1, and T-2, isolated or combined, in three insect species from Coleoptera and one from Diptera order. The use of rearing substrates with low mycotoxin contamination did not reduce the survival and development of insects. Fasting practices and replacing contaminated substrate with a decontaminated one decreased the concentration of mycotoxins in insects. There is no evidence that mycotoxins accumulate in the tissues of the insects' larvae. Coleoptera species showed high excretion capacity, while Hermetia illucens had a lower excretion capacity of ochratoxin A, zearalenone, and deoxynivalenol. Thus, a substrate with low mycotoxin contamination could be used for raising edible insects, particularly from the Coleoptera order.

Diversity of anamorphic Cordyceps (formerly Isaria) isolated from Brazilian agricultural sites

A total of 53 anamorphic strains of Brazilian Cordyceps species currently maintained in a government-owned culture collection, were reassessed for diversity and species identity using multi-loci-based phylogenetic methods. The strains used in this study were originally obtained from soil samples or were isolated from insects of the orders Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera, mostly from agricultural sites. A Bayesian phylogenetic tree was constructed based on a concatenation of five loci (ITS, LSU, RPB1, RPB2 and TEF). In a few cases of ambiguity, morphological traits were also considered for species delimitations. Considerable variability within the set of strains was detected and six Cordyceps species were identified: C. amoenerosea, C. fumosorosea, C. javanica, C. tenuipes and, for the first time, C. brevistroma and C. spegazzinii are reported in Brazil. Four other taxonomically equivocal groups, closely related to other known taxa (C. amoenerosea, C. cateniannulata, C. polyarthra and C. spegazzinii), were also recognized, although further studies will be required to confirm their identifications or their descriptions as new species. Cordyceps javanica was the most common species in our dataset, originally isolated from soil and several different insect orders, and includes 17 strains from the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. Interestingly, strains previously identified as C. fumosorosea based on morphology and growth characteristics, were shown to be C. javanica, including the active ingredients of some commercial mycoinsecticides. Cordyceps farinosa, usually mentioned in the literature as occurring in Brazil, was not found in our study. Since most strains were from insect crop pests, further studies with hosts from non-agricultural settings or from environmental samples would be advisable for a deeper understanding of the occurrence of anamorphic Cordyceps in Brazil.