Search results for "INSECT"

Biochemical and molecular study of the Bacillus thuringiensis vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vip3A) mode of action in Spodoptera species

2015

Las proteínas insecticidas vegetativas (Vip) constituyen una nueva familia de toxinas producidas durante la fase de crecimiento vegetativo de diferentes cepas de Bacillus y principalmente por Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Esta familia de proteínas está representada por 4 miembros: Vip1, Vip2, Vip3 y la recientemente descrita Vip4. Las toxinas binarias Vip1 y Vip2 son activas contra coleópteros y homópteros; las proteínas Vip3 son activas contra lepidópteros, sin embargo, los insectos diana para la proteína Vip4 no se conocen todavía. La determinación del modo de acción de Vip1 y Vip2 fue fácil ya que mostraron una homología de secuencia significativa con las toxinas clostridiales C2 y C3, re…

Solving gap metabolites and blocked reactions in genome-scale models: application to the metabolic network of Blattabacterium cuenoti

2013

Abstract Background Metabolic reconstruction is the computational-based process that aims to elucidate the network of metabolites interconnected through reactions catalyzed by activities assigned to one or more genes. Reconstructed models may contain inconsistencies that appear as gap metabolites and blocked reactions. Although automatic methods for solving this problem have been previously developed, there are many situations where manual curation is still needed. Results We introduce a general definition of gap metabolite that allows its detection in a straightforward manner. Moreover, a method for the detection of Unconnected Modules, defined as isolated sets of blocked reactions connect…

Postembryonic development of the troglobitic planthopper species Valenciolenda fadaforesta Hoch & Sendra, 2021 (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Ki…

2022

All nymphal instars of the recently discovered troglobitic planthopper species Valenciolenda fadaforesta Hoch & Sendra, 2021 are described. This represents the first documentation of the complete postembryonic development of any species in the family Kinnaridae. Characters of the external morphology are described and illustrated, and a key to the instars are provided to facilitate discrimination among the different nymphal stages. While V. fadaforesta nymphs share certain synapomorphies with other Fulgoromorpha (except the Tettigometridae), e.g., the cog-wheel structures of the metatrochanters, other characters may be correlated with the subterranean way of life of the species, and thus…

Brachyptery analysis in Alloxysta (Hymenoptera: Figitidae): Synonymy of A. curta Ferrer-Suay and Pujade Villar as the brachypterou of A. ramulifera (…

2022

Eight brachypterous species have been described within the hymenopteran genus Alloxysta. Intraspecific wing polymorphism linked to sex has been previously hypothesized within this genus and the aim of this work was to confirm whether the phylogenetic relationships based on morphological characters between brachypterous and macropterous species are correct using molecular analyses. This study used material collected from Minnesota (USA), with 278 specimens identified as Alloxysta brachyptera (Hartig, 1840), A. curta Ferrer-Suay and Pujade-Villar, 2017 (Ferrer-suay et al. 2017), A. brevis (Thomson, 1862), or A. ramulifera (Thomson, 1862). Twenty-three of these specimens were subjected to sequ…

A review of the subfamily Charipinae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae), hyperparasitoids potentially affecting the biological control of aphids

2021

Charipinae is an important subfamily of aphid hyperparasitoids. As aphids are some of the most significant pests in the world, studying the insect community associated with them is of crucial importance. Here, we review the biological information available on Charipinae. The information has been grouped into different sections: (a) historical background; (b) morphological and ecological features; (c) phylogenetic relationships; (d) overview of aphid biology and biological control; (e) evolutionary history; and (f) future perspectives. After this review, it is evident that there are still some aspects of charipine taxonomy and biology that remain elusive: (a) reliability and improvement of h…

Wolbachia (alphaproteobacteria: rickettsiales) infections in isolated aphid populations from oceanic islands of the Azores archipelago: revisiting th…

2019

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) have provided a suitable model to study endosymbionts, their community, and dynamics since the discovery of the obligate endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola in these organisms. In previous studies, Wolbachia was found in some aphid species. In the present study, we report the prevalence of Wolbachia in aphids sampled from a geographically isolated region (Azores Islands), aiming at a better understanding and characterization of the two newly reported supergroups, M and N. The description of the supergroup M was based on 16S rRNA as well as some protein-coding genes. However, the assignment of the supergroup N was according to 16S rRNA gene sequences of a very few …

Plant effects on the soil community: A microcosm experiment

1999

Abstract An experiment was carried out in microcosms for testing the hypothesis that a higher level of primary production should maintain a decomposer community with higher biomass and activity. Microcosms with coniferous forest humus and a diverse microbial and faunal community were divided into three sets: (1) control without plants, (2) with birch seedlings in full illumination, and (3) with birch seedlings, shaded to reduce the net primary production. During 16 weeks of incubation at +16 °C, no treatment effects were found in numbers or biomass of taxonomic or functional groups of soil organisms, nor in the system respiration in darkness. The community structure of the shaded systems di…

2015

In order to minimize risks of pathogen transmission with the development of ecotourism in Gabon, a seasonal inventory has been performed in five contrasted biotopes in Ivindo (INP) and Moukalaba-Doudou (MDNP) National Parks. A total of 10,033 hematophagous flies were captured. The Glossinidae, with six different species identified, was the most abundant group and constitutes about 60% of the captured flies compared to the Stomoxys (6 species also identified) and Tabanidae with 28% and 12%, respectively. The Glossinidae showed a higher rate of capture in primary forest and in research camps. In INP, the Stomoxys showed a higher rate of capture in secondary forest and at village borders, wher…

CHIRONOMID (DIPTERA) BIOCOENOSES IN SCANDINAVIAN GLACIER BROOKS

1971

AbstractGlacier brooks in Northern Scandinavia have been investigated for the occurrence of chironomid larvae and pupae. In the uppermost zone of glacier brooks with a very narrow temperature amplitude, Diamesa lindrothi is the most abundant species. In a lower zone with a wide diurnal temperature amplitude during summer months, the simuliid Prosimulium macropyga is more abundant, along with other species of Diamesa. Lacking any primary organic production, the diptera larvae living here feed on particles drifted up on the glacier surface, conserved there and released into the glacier brook by the melting of the ice. The larvae of Diamesa lindrothi have developed adjustments to obviate the s…

Differences in mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) biodiversity across varying climates and land-use categories in Eastern Spain

2011

Intensive larval samplings of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) were carried out between 2005 and 2008 in several biotopes located in a varying climate region in Eastern Spain. The biodiversity was analyzed and divided into alpha, beta and gamma components with the aim of comparing the mosquito biodiversity according to the different structure of the landscape due to the incidence of climatic and anthropic patterns. Likewise the synanthropic index of Nuorteva was calculated for each species. A total of 11,279 mosquitoes belonging to 29 species was collected and identified. Mosquito biodiversity is higher in the wettest and nonanthropized areas. Using a cluster analysis, all this information w…