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Biondi M, Iannella M, D'Alessandro P. Argopistes Motschulsky from Madagascar with descriptions of six new species (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). Zookeys 2024; 1202:303-327. [PMID: 38836191 PMCID: PMC11148505 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1202.122977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The revision of the flea beetle genus Argopistes Motschulsky, 1860 in Madagascar is provided. Six new species are described: Argopistesjanakmoravecorumsp. nov., A.laterosinuatussp. nov., and A.vadoni from the northern area; A.jenisisp. nov., A.keiserisp. nov., and A.seyrigisp. nov. from the central area. A new synonym of Argopistesbrunneus Weise, 1895 is established: A.sexguttatus Weise, 1895, syn. nov., since A.sexguttatus is shown to be a chromatic form of A.brunneus. A diagnostic key of the seven Malagasy Argopistes species is provided, with photographs of the habitus, median lobe of the aedeagus, and spermatheca. Finally, based on known occurrences, the current suitable areas for this flea beetle genus in Madagascar are estimated using Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Biondi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy University of L'Aquila L'Aquila Italy
| | - Mattia Iannella
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy University of L'Aquila L'Aquila Italy
| | - Paola D'Alessandro
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy University of L'Aquila L'Aquila Italy
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Biondi M, D’Alessandro P, Iannella M. Up and down from North to South: Latitudinal Distribution of Flea Beetle Genera in Continental Africa (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). INSECTS 2023; 14:394. [PMID: 37103209 PMCID: PMC10144621 DOI: 10.3390/insects14040394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The distribution of global biodiversity can be investigated based on comprehensive datasets and many methods to process them. The taxonomic diversity of phytophagous insects is typically linked to plant diversity, which increases from temperate to tropical latitudes. In this paper, we explored the latitudinal distribution of the flea beetle genera (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini) on the African continent. We divided the area into latitudinal belts and looked for possible correlations with the number and types of vegetational divisions, the area of each belt, and the bioclimatic variables. The number of flea beetle genera is related to the number and types of vegetation divisions rather than the area of each belt. Some bioclimatic variables are highly related to the number of genera, which is higher within those belts where climate factors limit the oscillation of temperature over the year and favor high precipitations, especially in the warmest months. These biotic and abiotic factors lead to a two-peak trend in the taxonomic richness of flea beetle genera from north to south. Genera endemic to restricted areas are linked to the presence of high mountain systems and increase the taxonomic richness of the belt they belong to.
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D'Alessandro P, Biondi M. Generic placement of the African flea beetle Polyclada maculipennis Bryant and the possible occurrence of the genus Procalus Clark in sub-Saharan Africa (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). Zookeys 2023; 1145:181-189. [DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1145.90667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyclada Chevrolat and Procalus Clark are flea beetle genera (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). Polyclada is endemic to the Afrotropical region, while Procalus has never been described outside of the Neotropical region. The new combination Procalus maculipennis (Bryant, 1942), comb. nov. is proposed for Polyclada maculipennis Bryant, 1942. Its plausible type locality is Venezuela, and not Cameroon, as recorded on the labels of the type material, and hence the occurrence of P. maculipennis in Africa is questionable.
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Biondi M, D’Alessandro P, Iannella M. Climatic Niche, Altitudinal Distribution, and Vegetation Type Preference of the Flea Beetle Genus Arsipoda in New Caledonia (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae). INSECTS 2022; 14:19. [PMID: 36661947 PMCID: PMC9866635 DOI: 10.3390/insects14010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
New Caledonia is one of the major biodiversity hotspots. The flea beetle genus Arsipoda (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae) is present with 21 species, all endemic. We investigated, using GIS analyses and ecological niche models, the habitat preferences of these species in terms of vegetation types, altitude, and climate, and assessed the adequacy of knowledge on the spatial parameters affecting the distribution of the genus in New Caledonia. Altitude and geology seem to play an important role in shaping species distribution. Volcanic substrate allows the growth of ultramafic vegetation, which includes most of their host plants. From a biogeographic and conservation perspective, our results report a deep link between Arsipoda species and their habitats, making them particularly sensitive to environmental modifications.
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Argopistes sexvittatus and Argopistes capensis (Chrysomelidae: Alticini): Mitogenomics and Phylogeny of Two Flea Beetles Affecting Olive Trees. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13122195. [PMID: 36553462 PMCID: PMC9777630 DOI: 10.3390/genes13122195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Argopistes (Chrysomelidae: Alticini) is the only group of flea beetles specialized in plant hosts in the family Oleaceae. In southern Africa, Argopistes are often found feeding on African Wild Olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata) and European cultivated olive (O. e. subsp. europaea), and heavy infestations can be devastating to mature trees and compromise the development of young trees. Despite their negative agricultural impact, African Argopistes are an understudied group for which no genetic data were available. We assessed the species diversity of olive flea beetles in the Western Cape province of South Africa, the largest olive-producing region in sub-Saharan Africa, by collecting adult specimens on wild and cultivated olive trees between 2015 and 2017. Argopistes sexvittatus Bryant, 1922 (n = 289) dominated at all sampling sites, and Argopistes capensis Bryant, 1944 (n = 2) was found only once. Argopistes oleae Bryant, 1922, a third species previously reported in the region, was not found. The complete mitogenomes of one A. capensis and two A. sexvittatus (striped and black morphotypes) individuals were sequenced for phylogenetic reconstruction in the context of other 64 species. The two olive flea beetle species form a monophyletic clade with other Argopistes, supporting the hypothesis that the exclusive feeding habit on Oleaceae is an evolutionary adaptation in this genus.
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Taxonomy, Habitat Preference, and Niche Overlap of Two Arrow-Poison Flea Beetle Species of the Genus Polyclada in Sub-Saharan Africa (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13080668. [PMID: 35893023 PMCID: PMC9332018 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary The taxonomy of many African Coleoptera species is remains poorly known, and the knowledge of their ecological requirements is worse still. Starting with original data, we describe morphological differences and ecological data for two flea beetle species, Polyclada bohemani and P. pectinicornis, which traditionally have been used by the Bushmen people in sub-Saharan Africa to poison their arrows. Moreover, we evidence differences in the formations of vegetation used by these two species, which are known to occur mainly in savannah and open forest habitats. Also, we identify differently suitable areas in terms of climatic preferences, in addition to a common territory in East Africa. We also supply, for the first time, the description of the shape of the aedeagus and the spermatheca of both species, supplying important new diagnostic characters for their identification. Abstract Coupling the geographic distribution and the ecological requirements of species often supports taxonomy and biogeography. In this contribution, we update the distribution of two flea beetle species of ethno-entomological interest, Polyclada bohemani and P. pectinicornis, by analyzing original data. In addition, we supply their main morphological diagnostic characters, describing their aedeagal and spermathecal shapes for the first time. We also assess their niche differences in terms of climatic and vegetation needs, by means of ecological niche modelling and remote sensing techniques. Several new localities were identified to improve knowledge of the geographical distribution of both species. Moreover, we located a wide climatic suitability overlap in East Africa for these two flea beetle species, while in other areas they show a clear separation. Our analysis also reports that P. bohemani is associated with areas of denser tree cover than P. pectinicornis. Finally, the lectotypes of Diamphidia bohemani Baly, 1861, Clytra pectinicornis Olivier, 1791, and Diamphidia compacta Fairmaire, 1887 are here designated and the new synonymy Clytra pectinicornis Olivier = Diamphidia compacta Fairmaire syn.nov. is proposed.
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Prathapan K, Konstantinov A. Revision of Oriental flea beetle genera with subparallel intercoxal ridges on the first abdominal ventrite (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). J NAT HIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2021.1933229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K.D. Prathapan
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, Kerala Agricultural University, Trivandrum, India
| | - A.S. Konstantinov
- Systematic Entomology Laboratory, ARS, USDA C/o National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
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Fine-Tuned Ecological Niche Models Unveil Climatic Suitability and Association with Vegetation Groups for Selected Chaetocnema Species in South Africa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14020100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Despite beetles (Coleoptera) representing most existing animal species, the ecological and biogeographical factors shaping their distribution are still unclear in many regions. We implemented state-of-the-art ecological niche models (ENMs) and niche overlap analysis to investigate climate–occurrence patterns for five flea beetle species of the genus Chaetocnema in South Africa (C. brincki, C. danielssoni, C. darwini, C. gahani, and C. natalensis). ENMs were fitted through Maxent and Random Forests, testing various parameterizations. For each species, tuned ENMs attaining good discrimination on spatially independent test data were selected to predict suitability across the study region and individuate its main climatic drivers. Percentage coverage of climatically suitable areas by seventeen Afrotropical vegetation formations was also computed. Predicted suitable areas do not extend far away from known presence localities, except for C. brincki and C. gahani in north-eastern South Africa. Temperate grasslands and shrublands cover most of suitable areas for C. brincki and C. gahani, along with warm temperate forests, as well as for C. danielssoni, in this case being followed by tropical flooded and swamp forests. Climatic suitability for C. darwini mainly relates to the Mediterranean grasslands and scrublands of the southern coastal region, while suitable areas for C. natalensis encompass various vegetation formations, coherently with its wide distribution. The environmental niche of C. danielssoni significantly overlaps with those of the wide-ranging C. darwini and C. natalensis, suggesting that historical factors, rather than low climatic tolerance, has determined its restricted distribution in the Western Cape Province. Maxent and Random Forests were confirmed to be of great help in disentangling the environment–occurrence relationships and in predicting suitability for the target species outside their known range, but they need to be properly tuned to perform at their best.
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D'Alessandro P, Iannella M, Grobbelaar E, Biondi M. Calotheca nigromaculata species-group from sub-Saharan Africa with descriptions of two new species from KwaZulu-Natal (Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). Zookeys 2022; 1084:119-137. [PMID: 35177948 PMCID: PMC8816829 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1084.73175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Calotheca Heyden is a flea beetle genus with a largely sub-Saharan distribution and currently comprising 34 species. The examination of new material is revealing an increase in species richness and intraspecific variability. Calotheca carolineaesp. nov. and C. wanatisp. nov., both from KwaZulu-Natal in the Republic of South Africa, are here described and attributed to the C. nigromaculata (Jacoby) species group, mainly based on genitalic characters. Photographs of the main diagnostic characters are provided, including the habitus, median lobe of the aedeagus, and spermatheca. Information on the geographic distribution and host plants of these species is also provided.
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Biondi M, D’Alessandro P, De Simone W, Iannella M. DBSCAN and GIE, Two Density-Based "Grid-Free" Methods for Finding Areas of Endemism: A Case Study of Flea Beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) in the Afrotropical Region. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12121115. [PMID: 34940202 PMCID: PMC8708620 DOI: 10.3390/insects12121115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Areas of endemism (AoEs) are a central area of research in biogeography. Different methods have been proposed for their identification in the literature. In this paper, a "grid-free" method based on the "Density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise" (DBSCAN) is here used for the first time to locate areas of endemism for species belonging to the beetle tribe Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini in the Afrotropical Region. The DBSCAN is compared with the "Geographic Interpolation of Endemism" (GIE), another "grid-free" method based on a kernel density approach. DBSCAN and GIE both return largely overlapping results, detecting the same geographical locations for the AoEs, but with different delimitations, surfaces, and number of detected sinendemisms. The consensus maps obtained by GIE are in general less clearly delimited than the maps obtained by DBSCAN, but nevertheless allow us to evaluate the core of the AoEs more precisely, representing of the percentage levels of the overlap of the centroids. DBSCAN, on the other hand, appears to be faster and more sensitive in identifying the AoEs. To facilitate implementing the delimitation of the AoEs through the procedure proposed by us, a new tool named "CLUENDA" (specifically developed is in GIS environment) is also made available.
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Iannella M, D’Alessandro P, De Simone W, Biondi M. Habitat Specificity, Host Plants and Areas of Endemism for the Genera-Group Blepharida s.l. in the Afrotropical Region (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12040299. [PMID: 33805394 PMCID: PMC8065822 DOI: 10.3390/insects12040299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Knowledge of the processes that generate biodiversity is a core-issue of any conservation strategy because it allows predicting the effects of environmental changes in the number and distribution of target taxa. Some phytophagous insects can be good potential indicators of such processes, thanks to their wide distribution and their sensitivity to climate change, due to the association with specific environments and host plants. Unfortunately, this ecological information is often lacking. However, statistical tools allow reconstructing the ecological features of interest, based on the presence–absence data of the taxa, the climatic and vegetational features of their distributional areas, and the available data about their host plants. In this paper, we apply some geostatistical methods to identify processes and patterns of biodiversity at a continental scale, focusing on a group of phytophagous insects widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Abstract The genus Calotheca Heyden (Chrysomelidae) is mainly distributed in the eastern and southern parts of sub-Saharan Africa, with some extensions northward, while Blepharidina Bechyné occurs in the intertropical zone of Africa, with two subgenera, Blepharidina s. str. and Blepharidina(Afroblepharida) Biondi and D’Alessandro. These genera show different ecological preferences. Through an up-to-date presence–absence dataset, in the light of the terrestrial ecoregions of sub-Saharan Africa and the distribution of their possible host plants, we interpreted the pattern of occurrence of these three supraspecific taxa, by geostatistical analyses in GIS and R environments. The separation of Blepharidina from Calotheca was probably driven by changes in climate as adaptation to more xeric and warm environments with a major occupancy of semidesert and savannah habitats, especially in the Afroblepharida species. Based on our data and analyses, Calotheca is mainly associated with Searsia (Anacardiaceae), and Blepharidina is likely associated with Commiphora (Burseraceae). This hypothesis is also corroborated by the widespread and even dominance of the Commiphora plants in the ecoregions where both Blepharidina s.str. and, above all, Afroblepharida, are more common. The main areas of endemism of the two genera are also differently located: Calotheca in the temperate zone; Blepharidina within the intertropical belt.
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Salvi D, D’Alessandro P, Biondi M. Host plant associations in Western Palaearctic Longitarsus flea beetles (Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini): a preliminary phylogenetic assessment. Zookeys 2019; 856:101-114. [PMID: 31258369 PMCID: PMC6591207 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.856.32430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Longitarsus Latreille (Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini) is a very large genus of phytophagous insects, with more than 700 species distributed in all zoogeographical regions. Patterns of host use have been a central topic in phytophagous insect research. In this study a first assessment is provided to test the hypothesis that host-plant association is phylogenetically conserved in Western Palaearctic Longitarsus species. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference methods were used to infer a phylogeny based on DNA sequence data from two mitochondrial genes from 52 Longitarsus species from the Western Palaearctic. In agreement with the host phylogenetic conservatism hypothesis, a strict association between most of the recovered clades and specific plant families was found, except for species associated with Boraginaceae. Low phylogenetic resolution at deep nodes limited the evaluation of whether closely related Longitarsus clades are associated with the same plant family or to closely related plant families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Salvi
- Department of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 Coppito, L’Aquila, ItalyUniversity of L’AquilaL’AquilaItaly
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, PortugalUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
| | - Paola D’Alessandro
- Department of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 Coppito, L’Aquila, ItalyUniversity of L’AquilaL’AquilaItaly
| | - Maurizio Biondi
- Department of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 Coppito, L’Aquila, ItalyUniversity of L’AquilaL’AquilaItaly
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D'Alessandro P, Biondi M. Ugandaltica gen. n., a tiny flea beetle from the forest canopy in Central Africa (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). Zookeys 2018:123-136. [PMID: 29674899 PMCID: PMC5904385 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.746.23637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In this contribution, Ugandaltica wagnerigen. n. and sp. n., collected from the canopies in the Budongo Forest, Uganda, is described. Similarities and affinities with other small-sized and convex-shaped flea beetle genera, occurring in the Afrotropical region, are discussed. Micrographs of diagnostic characters, including male and female genitalia, are supplied. Finally, some considerations on the ecology of canopy flea beetles are also reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola D'Alessandro
- University of L'Aquila, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, Section of Environmental Sciences, Via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Maurizio Biondi
- University of L'Aquila, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, Section of Environmental Sciences, Via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
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Nie RE, Bezděk J, Yang XK. How many genera and species of Galerucinae s. str. do we know? Updated statistics (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). Zookeys 2017; 720:91-102. [PMID: 29290727 PMCID: PMC5740445 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.720.13517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Galerucinae s. str. is a rich group of leaf beetles. A new, up-to date checklist of Galerucinae genera in the world is provided, including the number of valid species of each genus. Genera and species were counted in literature published before the end of 2016. In summary, 7145 species (7132 recent, 13 fossils) and 192 subspecies from 543 genera (542 recent, 1 fossil) were quantified in Galerucinae s. str. In comparison with the previous catalogue of worldwide Galerucinae (Wilcox 1971-1973), an additional 91 valid genera, 1341 valid species (1337 recent, 4 fossils) and 38 subspecies have been published; 43 genera were synonymized, four genera were transferred into Alticini, two subgenera were elevated to genus rank, and one genus was downgraded to subgenus rank. The updated list of references to taxonomic publications on Galerucinae s. str. from the period 1971-2016 is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-E Nie
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jan Bezděk
- Mendel University, Department of Zoology, Zemědělská, 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Xing-Ke Yang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
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Chaboo CS, Biesele M, Hitchcock RK, Weeks A. Beetle and plant arrow poisons of the Ju|'hoan and Hai||om San peoples of Namibia (Insecta, Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae; Plantae, Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Burseraceae). Zookeys 2016; 558:9-54. [PMID: 27006594 PMCID: PMC4768279 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.558.5957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of archery to hunt appears relatively late in human history. It is poorly understood but the application of poisons to arrows to increase lethality must have occurred shortly after developing bow hunting methods; these early multi-stage transitions represent cognitive shifts in human evolution. This paper is a synthesis of widely-scattered literature in anthropology, entomology, and chemistry, dealing with San ("Bushmen") arrow poisons. The term San (or Khoisan) covers many indigenous groups using so-called 'click languages' in southern Africa. Beetles are used for arrow poison by at least eight San groups and one non-San group. Fieldwork and interviews with Ju|'hoan and Hai||om hunters in Namibia revealed major differences in the nature and preparation of arrow poisons, bow and arrow construction, and poison antidote. Ju|'hoan hunters use leaf-beetle larvae of Diamphidia Gerstaecker and Polyclada Chevrolat (Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) collected from soil around the host plants Commiphora africana (A. Rich.) Engl. and Commiphora angolensis Engl. (Burseracaeae). In the Nyae Nyae area of Namibia, Ju|'hoan hunters use larvae of Diamphidia nigroornata Ståhl. Larvae and adults live above-ground on the plants and eat leaves, but the San collect the underground cocoons to extract the mature larvae. Larval hemolymph is mixed with saliva and applied to arrows. Hai||om hunters boil the milky plant sap of Adenium bohemianum Schinz (Apocynaceae) to reduce it to a thick paste that is applied to their arrows. The socio-cultural, historical, and ecological contexts of the various San groups may determine differences in the sources and preparation of poisons, bow and arrow technology, hunting behaviors, poison potency, and perhaps antidotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S. Chaboo
- Division of Entomology, Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 1501 Crestline Drive, Suite 140, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, U.S.A.
| | - Megan Biesele
- Kalahari Peoples Fund, 4811-B Shoalwood, Austin, TX, 78756, U.S.A.
| | - Robert K. Hitchcock
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, U.S.A.
| | - Andrea Weeks
- Ted R. Bradley Herbarium and Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, U.S.A.
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Biondi M, D'Alessandro P. Revision of the Afrotropical genus Notomela Jacoby, 1899 with description of N. joliveti sp. n. from Principe Island (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). Zookeys 2016:63-74. [PMID: 26798314 PMCID: PMC4714333 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.547.9375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Afrotropical flea beetle genus Notomela Jacoby, 1899 is reviewed. Notomelajolivetisp.n. from Principe Island is described. The following new synonymies are established: Notomelacyanipennis Jacoby, 1899 = Notomelaviridipennis Bryant, 1941, syn. n. = Notomelacyanipennismacrosoma Bechyné, 1959, syn. n. In addition, the new combination is established: Notomelafulvofasciata Jacoby, 1903 is transfered to Amphimela [Amphimelafulvofasciata (Jacoby, 1903), comb. n.]. Micrographs of male and female genitalia, scanning electron micrographs of some diagnostic morphological characters, a key to identification, and distributional data for all species of Notomela, are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Biondi
- Department of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 Coppito-L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Paola D'Alessandro
- Department of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 Coppito-L'Aquila, Italy
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Jolivet P. Together with 30 years of Symposia on Chrysomelidae! Memories and personal reflections on what we know more about leaf beetles. Zookeys 2015:35-61. [PMID: 26798313 PMCID: PMC4714332 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.547.7181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Pourhossein B, Esmaeili S, Gyuranecz M, Mostafavi E. Tularemia and plague survey in rodents in an earthquake zone in southeastern Iran. Epidemiol Health 2015; 37:e2015050. [PMID: 26602769 PMCID: PMC4722225 DOI: 10.4178/epih/e2015050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Earthquakes are one the most common natural disasters that lead to increased mortality and morbidity from transmissible diseases, partially because the rodents displaced by an earthquake can lead to an increased rate of disease transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of plague and tularemia in rodents in the earthquake zones in southeastern Iran. METHODS In April 2013, a research team was dispatched to explore the possible presence of diseases in rodents displaced by a recent earthquake magnitude 7.7 around the cities of Khash and Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Rodents were trapped near and in the earthquake zone, in a location where an outbreak of tularemia was reported in 2007. Rodent serums were tested for a serological survey using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS In the 13 areas that were studied, nine rodents were caught over a total of 200 trap-days. Forty-eight fleas and 10 ticks were obtained from the rodents. The ticks were from the Hyalomma genus and the fleas were from the Xenopsylla genus. All the trapped rodents were Tatera indica. Serological results were negative for plague, but the serum agglutination test was positive for tularemia in one of the rodents. Tatera indica has never been previously documented to be involved in the transmission of tularemia. CONCLUSIONS No evidence of the plague cycle was found in the rodents of the area, but evidence was found of tularemia infection in rodents, as demonstrated by a positive serological test for tularemia in one rodent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behzad Pourhossein
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Miklós Gyuranecz
- Institute for Veterinary Medical Research, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ehsan Mostafavi
- Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.,National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran
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Haelewaters D, Rossi W. Three new species of Laboulbenia from Roland Thaxter's backlog of slides and a brief review of Laboulbeniales associated with Chrysomelidae. Mycologia 2014; 107:142-8. [PMID: 25232072 DOI: 10.3852/14-022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Three new species of Laboulbenia parasitic on Chrysomelidae are described from material mounted by Roland Thaxter (1858-1932). These are L. bilobata on Lema spp. from Brazil and Trinidad; L. longipilis from Cameroon; and L. pfisteri on Ivongius sp. from Madagascar. The following species of Laboulbenia on Chrysomelidae are illustrated for the first time: L. macarthurii, L. minuscula, L. nodostomatis, L. obesa, and L. philippina, all of which were described by Thaxter in 1914. A list of all 69 described Laboulbeniales associated with Chrysomelidae is presented in tabulated form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Haelewaters
- Farlow Reference Library and Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany, Harvard University, 22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Walter Rossi
- Sect. Environmental Sciences, Dept. MeSVA, University of L'Aquila, 67100 Coppito (AQ), Italy
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Biondi M, Urbani F, D'Alessandro P. Endemism patterns in the Italian leaf beetle fauna (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). Zookeys 2013:177-205. [PMID: 24163584 PMCID: PMC3805321 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.332.5339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2013] [Accepted: 08/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In this contribution the results of a zoogeographical analysis, carried out on the 123 endemic leaf beetle species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) occurring in Italy and its immediately adjacent regions, are reported. To assess the level of faunistic similarity among the different geographic regions studied, a cluster analysis was performed, based on the endemic component. This was done by calculating the Baroni Urbani & Buser’s similarity index (BUB). Finally, a parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE) was used to identify the most important areas of endemism in Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Biondi
- Department of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 Coppito-L'Aquila, Italy
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