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Construction And Sequence Sampling Of Deep-Coverage Large-Insect Bac Libraries For Three Model Lepidopteran Species, Chengcang Wu, Dina Proestou, Dorothy Carter, Erica Nicholson, Filippe Santos, Shaying Zhao, Hong-Bin Zhang, Marian R. Goldsmith Dec 2012

Construction And Sequence Sampling Of Deep-Coverage Large-Insect Bac Libraries For Three Model Lepidopteran Species, Chengcang Wu, Dina Proestou, Dorothy Carter, Erica Nicholson, Filippe Santos, Shaying Zhao, Hong-Bin Zhang, Marian R. Goldsmith

Marian R Goldsmith

Background: Manduca sexta, Heliothis virescens, and Heliconius erato represent three widely-used insect model species for genomic and fundamental studies in Lepidoptera. Large-insert BAC libraries of these insects are critical resources for many molecular studies, including physical mapping and genome sequencing, but not available to date. Results: We report the construction and characterization of six large-insert BAC libraries for the three species and sampling sequence analysis of the genomes. The six BAC libraries were constructed with two restriction enzymes, two libraries for each species, and each has an average clone insert size ranging from 152–175 kb. We estimated that the genome …


Extensive Conserved Synteny Of Genes Between The Karyotypes Of Manduca Sexta And Bombyx Mori Revealed By Bac-Fish Mapping, Yuji Yasukochi, Makiko Tanaka-Okuyama, Fukashi Shibata, Atsuo Yoshido, Frantisek Marec, Chengcang Wu, Hongbin Zhang, Marian R. Goldsmith, Ken Sahara Dec 2012

Extensive Conserved Synteny Of Genes Between The Karyotypes Of Manduca Sexta And Bombyx Mori Revealed By Bac-Fish Mapping, Yuji Yasukochi, Makiko Tanaka-Okuyama, Fukashi Shibata, Atsuo Yoshido, Frantisek Marec, Chengcang Wu, Hongbin Zhang, Marian R. Goldsmith, Ken Sahara

Marian R Goldsmith

Background: Genome sequencing projects have been completed for several species representing four highly diverged holometabolous insect orders, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera. The striking evolutionary diversity of insects argues a need for efficient methods to apply genome information from such models to genetically uncharacterized species. Constructing conserved synteny maps plays a crucial role in this task. Here, we demonstrate the use of fluorescence in situ hybridization with bacterial artificial chromosome probes as a powerful tool for physical mapping of genes and comparative genome analysis in Lepidoptera, which have numerous and morphologically uniform holokinetic chromosomes. Methodology/Principal Findings: We isolated 214 clones …


Kaikobase: An Integrated Silkworm Genome Database And Data Mining Tool, Michihiko Shimomura, Hiroshi Minami, Yoshitaka Suetsugu, Hajime Ohyanagi, Chikatada Satoh, Baltazar Antonio, Yoshiaki Nagamura, Keiko Kadono-Okuda, Hideyuki Kajiwara, Hideki Sezutsu, Javaregowda Nagaraju, Marian R. Goldsmith, Qingyou Xia, Kimiko Yamamoto, Kazuei Mita Dec 2012

Kaikobase: An Integrated Silkworm Genome Database And Data Mining Tool, Michihiko Shimomura, Hiroshi Minami, Yoshitaka Suetsugu, Hajime Ohyanagi, Chikatada Satoh, Baltazar Antonio, Yoshiaki Nagamura, Keiko Kadono-Okuda, Hideyuki Kajiwara, Hideki Sezutsu, Javaregowda Nagaraju, Marian R. Goldsmith, Qingyou Xia, Kimiko Yamamoto, Kazuei Mita

Marian R Goldsmith

Background: The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is one of the most economically important insects in many developing countries owing to its large-scale cultivation for silk production. With the development of genomic and biotechnological tools, B. mori has also become an important bioreactor for production of various recombinant proteins of biomedical interest. In 2004, two genome sequencing projects for B. mori were reported independently by Chinese and Japanese teams; however, the datasets were insufficient for building long genomic scaffolds which are essential for unambiguous annotation of the genome. Now, both the datasets have been merged and assembled through a joint collaboration between …


Transactional Skew And Assured Fitness Return Models Fail To Predict Patterns Of Cooperation In Wasps, Peter Nonacs, Aviva Liebert, Philip Starks Dec 2012

Transactional Skew And Assured Fitness Return Models Fail To Predict Patterns Of Cooperation In Wasps, Peter Nonacs, Aviva Liebert, Philip Starks

Aviva E Liebert

Cooperative breeders often exhibit reproductive skew, where dominant individuals reproduce more than subordinates. Two approaches derived from Hamilton’s inclusive fitness model predict when subordinate behavior is favored over living solitarily. The assured fitness return (AFR) model predicts that subordinates help when they are highly likely to gain immediate indirect fitness. Transactional skew models predict dominants and subordinates “agree” on a level of reproductive skew that induces subordinates to join groups. We show the AFR model to be a special case of transactional skew models that assumes no direct reproduction by subordinates. We use data from 11 populations of four wasp …


The Role Of Olfactory Cues In The Sequential Radiation Of A Gall-Boring Beetle, Mordellistena Convicta, Bradley Rhodes, Catherine Blair, Mizuki Takahashi, Warren Abrahamson Nov 2012

The Role Of Olfactory Cues In The Sequential Radiation Of A Gall-Boring Beetle, Mordellistena Convicta, Bradley Rhodes, Catherine Blair, Mizuki Takahashi, Warren Abrahamson

Warren G. Abrahamson, II

1. Herbivorous insects often have close associations with specific host plants, and their preferences for mating and ovipositing on a specific host-plant species can reproductively isolate populations, facilitating ecological speciation. Volatile emissions from host plants can play a major role in assisting herbivores to locate their natal host plants and thus facilitate assortative mating and host-specific oviposition. 2. The present study investigated the role of host-plant volatiles in host fidelity and oviposition preference of the gall-boring, inquiline beetle, Mordellistena convicta, using Y-tube olfactometers. Previous studies suggest that the gall-boring beetle is undergoing sequential host-associated divergence by utilizing the resources that …


Catalogue Of Type Material In The Entomological Collection Of The University Of La Laguna (Canary Islands). I – Arachnida, Ana Reboleira, Antonio Pérez, Nuria Macías-Hernandez, Heriberto López, S. De La Cruz, Pedro Oromí Oct 2012

Catalogue Of Type Material In The Entomological Collection Of The University Of La Laguna (Canary Islands). I – Arachnida, Ana Reboleira, Antonio Pérez, Nuria Macías-Hernandez, Heriberto López, S. De La Cruz, Pedro Oromí

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

A catalogue of arachnid type specimens of the collection kept at the Department of Animal Biology, University of La Laguna (Spain) is presented. It harbours type material of 104 species belonging to 23 families of arachnids, represented by 21 holotypes and 164 paratypes for 23 species of pseudoscorpions, and 49 holotypes, 218 paratypes and 3 syntypes for 81 species of spiders. This collection is using the criteria and standards of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) for cataloguing and computerization of the specimens. Type specimens were checked with the original descriptions, and relevant additional information from original labels not included …


Lusoblothrus, A New Syarinid Pseudoscorpion Genus (Arachnida) From Portugal, Occupying An Isolated Position Within The Holarctic Fauna, Ana Reboleira, Juan Zaragoza, Fernando Gonçalves, Pedro Oromí Oct 2012

Lusoblothrus, A New Syarinid Pseudoscorpion Genus (Arachnida) From Portugal, Occupying An Isolated Position Within The Holarctic Fauna, Ana Reboleira, Juan Zaragoza, Fernando Gonçalves, Pedro Oromí

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

The new pseudoscorpion genus Lusoblothrus of the family Syarinidae is described from a cave in the Algarve region, southern Portugal, to accommodate L. aenigmaticus sp. nov., whose morphological affinities within the Holarctic syarinid fauna are not clear and resembles the Gondwanan genera. This discovery emphasizes the relevance of the Algarve region as a hotspot for relictual hypogean fauna within the Iberian Peninsula.


Effects Of Shelterbelts On The Aerial Distribution Of Insect Pests In Muskmelon, Mary Ellen Dix, Laurie Hodges, James R. Brandle, Robert J. Wright, Mark O. Harrell Sep 2012

Effects Of Shelterbelts On The Aerial Distribution Of Insect Pests In Muskmelon, Mary Ellen Dix, Laurie Hodges, James R. Brandle, Robert J. Wright, Mark O. Harrell

Laurie Hodges

Sticky traps were used to measure how tree shelterbelts influence the abundance of crop insect pests and beneficial arthropods in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) plots in eastern Nebraska. Abundance of striped cucumber beetles {Acalymma vittatum Fabricius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)} , southern corn rootworms {Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)}, and northern corn rootworms {D. barberi Smith & Lawrence (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)} was similar in exposed and sheltered plots. Western corn rootworms {D. virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)} were significantly more abundant in exposed plots. More lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were caught on traps in sheltered plots than exposed …


Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Simulium Jenningsi Species-Group (Diptera: Simuliidae), Elizabeth Ann Alexander Sep 2012

Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Simulium Jenningsi Species-Group (Diptera: Simuliidae), Elizabeth Ann Alexander

Elizabeth Alexander

A molecular phylogenetic investigation was undertaken to identify species within the morphologically homogeneous Simulium jenningsi species group, a pestiferous group of 22 species of black flies restricted to the Nearctic region. Several species in this group have well documented medical and veterinary importance, most notably S. luggeri and S. jenningsi. Unfortunately, females are monomorphic, a conundrum given their pest status. The objective of this study was to examine the utility of molecular data in species identification, with obvious application to identification of pest females. Towards this end, we sequenced approximately 2 kilobases of sequence data from the mitochondrial (Cox I …


Distribution Of Cotesia Rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) And Its Displacement Of Cotesia Glomerata In Eastern North America, Megan V. Herlihy May 2012

Distribution Of Cotesia Rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) And Its Displacement Of Cotesia Glomerata In Eastern North America, Megan V. Herlihy

Megan V Herlihy

A survey was conducted from May to Oct of 2011 of the parasitoid community of the imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), in cole crops in part of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. The findings of our survey indicate that Cotesia rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) now occurs as far west as North Dakota and has become the dominant parasitoid of P. rapae in the northeastern and north central United States and adjacent parts of southeastern Canada, where it has displaced the previously common parasitoid Cotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Cotesia glomerata remains the dominant parasitoid in the mid-Atlantic states, from …


Disease Resistance In The Drywood Termite, Incisitermes Schwarzi: Does Nesting Ecology Affect Immunocompetence?, Daniel Calleri, Rebeca Rosengaus, James Traniello May 2012

Disease Resistance In The Drywood Termite, Incisitermes Schwarzi: Does Nesting Ecology Affect Immunocompetence?, Daniel Calleri, Rebeca Rosengaus, James Traniello

Rebeca Rosengaus

Termites live in nests that can differ in microbial load and thus vary in degree of disease risk. It was hypothesized that termite investment in immune response would differ in species living in nest environments that vary in the richness and abundance of microbes. Using the drywood termite, Incisitermes schwarzi Banks (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae), as a model for species having low nest and cuticular microbial loads, the susceptibility of individuals and groups to conidia of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), was examined. The survivorship of I. schwarzi was compared to that of the dampwood termite, Zootermopsis angusticollis Hagen …


Nesting Ecology And Cuticular Microbial Loads In Dampwood (Zootermopsis Angusticollis) And Drywood Termites (Incisitermes Minor, I. Schwarzi, Cryptotermes Cavifrons), Rebeca B. Rosengaus, Jacqueline E. Moustakas, Daniel V. Calleri Ii, James F. A. Traniello May 2012

Nesting Ecology And Cuticular Microbial Loads In Dampwood (Zootermopsis Angusticollis) And Drywood Termites (Incisitermes Minor, I. Schwarzi, Cryptotermes Cavifrons), Rebeca B. Rosengaus, Jacqueline E. Moustakas, Daniel V. Calleri Ii, James F. A. Traniello

Rebeca Rosengaus

Termites form one-piece nests in wood that can vary in their moisture content and degree of decomposition, and thus microbial richness. To estimate the microbial load of nests and the potential risk they pose for colony members, we quantified the number of microbes in the nest and on the cuticle of the dampwood termite, Zootermopsis angusticollis, and three drywood termites, Incisitermes minor, I. schwarzi, and Cryptotermes cavifrons. The number of colony forming units (CFUs) cultured from nest material samples and washes of the cuticle of larvae and nymphs were determined. CFUs recorded from nest material was low (fewer than 60 …


Tolerance Of Tipworm Injury In Cranberry: Mechanisms And Tradeoffs, Sunil Tewari Apr 2012

Tolerance Of Tipworm Injury In Cranberry: Mechanisms And Tradeoffs, Sunil Tewari

Sunil Tewari

No abstract provided.


Squamatinia Algharbica Gen. N. Sp. N., A Remarkable New Coletiniinae Silverfish (Zygentoma: Nicoletiidae) From Caves In Southern Portugal, Ana Reboleira, Fernando Gonçalves, Pedro Oromí, Luís Mendes Mar 2012

Squamatinia Algharbica Gen. N. Sp. N., A Remarkable New Coletiniinae Silverfish (Zygentoma: Nicoletiidae) From Caves In Southern Portugal, Ana Reboleira, Fernando Gonçalves, Pedro Oromí, Luís Mendes

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

A new genus of Coletiniinae silverfish (Nicoletiidae) similar to Coletinia Wygodzinsky and Lepidospora Escherich is described to accommodate the new species Squamatinia algharbica gen. n. sp. n. Many individuals were collected over all seasons of the year in four caves of the Algarve karst massif in the south of Portugal. An identification key for the known genera of Coletiniinae is provided, as well as some biogeographical and ecological comments.


Genetic Variation And Inheritance Of Diapause Induction In Two Distinct Voltine Ecotypes Of Ostrinia Nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Cengis Ikten, Steven R. Skoda, Thomas E. Hunt, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Genetic Variation And Inheritance Of Diapause Induction In Two Distinct Voltine Ecotypes Of Ostrinia Nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Cengis Ikten, Steven R. Skoda, Thomas E. Hunt, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), displays a larval diapause in response to short photoperiods and is adapted to a variety of local conditions throughout North America. Hence, the effective photoperiod inducing larval diapause will differ among geographic ecotypes. This study considers the inheritance of photoperiodic larval diapause induction by hybridization and backcrossing two latitudinally distinct ecotypes of the European corn borer collected between 41° N, 96° W and 48° N, 96° W and under a range of photoperiods representative of their respective locations: from 14:10 to 16:8 (L:D) h. The ecotype adapted to a bivoltine habitat (southeastern …


Cross-Resistance And Resistance Longevity As Induced By Bean Leaf Beetle, Cerotoma Trifurcata And Soybean Looper, Pseudoplusia Includens Herbivory On Soybean, P. Srinivas, Stephen D. Danielson, C. Michael Smith, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Cross-Resistance And Resistance Longevity As Induced By Bean Leaf Beetle, Cerotoma Trifurcata And Soybean Looper, Pseudoplusia Includens Herbivory On Soybean, P. Srinivas, Stephen D. Danielson, C. Michael Smith, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

Cross-resistance, and longevity of resistance, induced by the bean leaf beetle, Cerotoma trifurcata, was studied IN the soybean PI 227687 that exhibited induced response in earlier studies. Bean leaf beetle adults and soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens, larvae were used to induce resistance and to determine beetle feeding preference. Beetles were collected from soybean fields 2 to 5 days prior to the feeding preference test. The level of cross-resistance induced by soybean looper herbivory to subsequent bean leaf beetle feeding was higher when compared to cross-resistance induced by bean leaf beetle herbivory against subsequent feeding by soybean looper. Further, herbivory by …


Genetic Variability Of The European Corn Borer, Ostrinia Nubilalis, Suggests Gene Flow Between Populations In The Midwestern United States, Jeffrey T. Krumm, Thomas E. Hunt, Steven R. Skoda, Gary L. Hein, Donald J. Lee, Pete L. Clark, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Genetic Variability Of The European Corn Borer, Ostrinia Nubilalis, Suggests Gene Flow Between Populations In The Midwestern United States, Jeffrey T. Krumm, Thomas E. Hunt, Steven R. Skoda, Gary L. Hein, Donald J. Lee, Pete L. Clark, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

The European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is a widely distributed and serious economic pest to corn production in the U.S. Genetic variability of O. nubilalis was studied in 18 sub-populations in the upper Midwestern United States using amplified fragment length polymorphism. The relatively low GST values indicate that more variation exists within populations than between populations. High gene flow (Nm) values were indicated across the entire O. nubilalis population; the lowest degree of gene flow was in the northern samples (Nm = 1.96) and the highest degree of gene flow was in the southern samples (Nm = …


Morphological And Genetic Analyses In The Melanoplus Packardii Group (Orthoptera: Acrididae), Mathew L. Brust, Erica J. Lindroth, Wyatt Hoback, Robert Wright, Kathryn J. Hanford, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Morphological And Genetic Analyses In The Melanoplus Packardii Group (Orthoptera: Acrididae), Mathew L. Brust, Erica J. Lindroth, Wyatt Hoback, Robert Wright, Kathryn J. Hanford, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

Melanoplus packardii Scudder was described in 1897. Three additional closely-related species were later described and their status as species has been questioned on numerous occasions. We examined morphology from specimens collected in Nebraska which fit descriptions of three of the four forms and specimens that appeared to be hybrids. We found distinct morphological characters suggesting species status for M. foedus and M. packardii, but not for M. foedus fluviatilis. Examination of aedeagi of these three forms suggests that M. foedus and M. packardii are each distinct, but that the aedeagi of M. f. fluviatilis and M. f. foedus cannot be …


Evaluation Of Buffalograss Germplasm For Resistance To Blissus Occiduus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), Tiffany Heng-Moss, Frederick P. Baxendale, Terrance P. Riordan, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Evaluation Of Buffalograss Germplasm For Resistance To Blissus Occiduus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), Tiffany Heng-Moss, Frederick P. Baxendale, Terrance P. Riordan, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

Blissus occiduus Barber has emerged as an important insect pest of buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides (Nuttall) Engelmann, in Nebraska. This research evaluated selected buffalograss germplasm for resistance to B. occiduus. Eleven buffalograss selections were screened for chinch bug resistance in three greenhouse studies and two field evaluations. Based on chinch bug damage, NE91-118, ‘Tatanka’, ‘Bonnie Brae’, and ‘Cody’ were rated highly to moderately resistant. These four buffalograsses exhibited minimal damage, even though all were heavily infested with chinch bugs. NE84-45-3 and ‘378’ were highly susceptible to B. occiduus. Field evaluations confirmed chinch bug resistance ratings under field conditions. NE91-118 displayed high …


Lyophilization Of Spodoptera Frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae Yields High-Quality Dna For Use In Aflp Genetic Studies, Pete L. Clark, David J. Isenhour, Steven R. Skoda, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, Claudia Gianni, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Lyophilization Of Spodoptera Frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae Yields High-Quality Dna For Use In Aflp Genetic Studies, Pete L. Clark, David J. Isenhour, Steven R. Skoda, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, Claudia Gianni, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

Agricultural research in the 21st century has become a collaborative effort. Research on crop pests like Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), commonly known as the fall armyworm (FAW), can involve international collaboration because it is a pest not only in the southern United States, but also in Latin and South America. Our interest to study the genetic variation of 24 subpopulations of FAW from the southern United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Argentina required insect collection procedures that preserve the integrity of DNA for molecular genetic analysis. The samples were collected primarily from maize (Zea mays L.), but also included …


Identification Of Screwworms, Cochliomyia Hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), With A Monoclonal Antibody-Based Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (Mab-Elisa), J. L. Figarola, Steven R. Skoda, Dennis R. Berkebile, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Identification Of Screwworms, Cochliomyia Hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), With A Monoclonal Antibody-Based Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (Mab-Elisa), J. L. Figarola, Steven R. Skoda, Dennis R. Berkebile, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

Myiasis caused by screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), is devastating to warmblooded animals and economically important to livestock producers. It is difficult to distinguish these pests, immature screwworms, from immatures of other non-pest fly species that often occur in animal wounds; it would be helpful to have tools available that do not rely on morphological characteristics. We developed twomonoclonal antibodies (MAbs), highly specific for the screwworm, and used them in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MAb-ELISA), that differentiated screwworm eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults from those of the closely related secondary screwworm, C. macellaria (Fabricius) as well as Phormia regina (Meigen), Phaenicia …


Susceptibility Of Biological Stages Of The Horn Fly, Haematobia Irritans, To Entomopathogenic Fungi (Hyphomycetes), C. A. Angel-Sahagún, R. Lezama-Gutiérrez, J. Molina-Ochoa, E. Galindo-Velasco, M. López-Edwards, O. Rebolledo-Domínguez, C. Cruz-Vázquez, W. P. Reyes-Velázquez, S. R. Skoda, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Susceptibility Of Biological Stages Of The Horn Fly, Haematobia Irritans, To Entomopathogenic Fungi (Hyphomycetes), C. A. Angel-Sahagún, R. Lezama-Gutiérrez, J. Molina-Ochoa, E. Galindo-Velasco, M. López-Edwards, O. Rebolledo-Domínguez, C. Cruz-Vázquez, W. P. Reyes-Velázquez, S. R. Skoda, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

The susceptibility of the egg, pupa, and adult of Haematobia irritans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) to isolates of the fungi Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sor., Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill., and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Wize) Brown and Smith, was evaluated under laboratory conditions. Groups of 20 eggs than 4 h old, pupae less than 48h old and adults were sprayed with a conidial suspension of each isolate. Eggs, pupae and adults of horn fly were susceptible to these entomopathogenic fungi. For treated eggs, the isolates Ma3, Ma 15, Ma25, Pfr1, and Pfr8 reduced adult emergence to 3.8% to 6.3% in comparison with the control …


Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Larval Feeding Behavior On Transgenic Maize (Mon 863) And Its Isoline, Pete L. Clark, Ty T. Vaughn, Lance J. Meinke, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Larval Feeding Behavior On Transgenic Maize (Mon 863) And Its Isoline, Pete L. Clark, Ty T. Vaughn, Lance J. Meinke, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

Diabrotica species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) larval behavior studies have posed a challenge to researchers because of the subterranean life cycle of this pest. To fully understand how the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, injures the maize, Zea mays L., root system, its behavior must be studied. For example, larvae that can detect an area of the root that has a lower amount of toxin, whether from an insecticide or a transgenic maize plant, have an increased chance of survival. This study assessed D. v. virgifera larval feeding behavior on rootworm-susceptible maize and maize containing a biotechnology-derived trait (MON863) with …


Genetic Structure And Molecular Variability Of Spodoptera Frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Collected In Maize And Cotton Fields In Brazil, S. Martinelli, P. L. Clark, M. I. Zucchi, M. C. Silva-Filho, John E. Foster, C. Omoto Mar 2012

Genetic Structure And Molecular Variability Of Spodoptera Frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Collected In Maize And Cotton Fields In Brazil, S. Martinelli, P. L. Clark, M. I. Zucchi, M. C. Silva-Filho, John E. Foster, C. Omoto

John E. Foster

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the genetic similarity and structure of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), populations associated with maize and cotton crops in Brazil using amplified fragment length polymorphisms. Mean genetic similarity among populations was 0.45. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean analysis dendrograms did not separate populations of S. frugiperda into clusters related to the host plant in which the insects were collected. No genetic variation was observed among maize and cotton populations of S. frugiperda, suggesting that the same populations are injuring both crops in Brazil. This research validates the …


Hydrolase And Oxido-Reductase Activities In Diuraphis Noxia And Rhopalosiphum Padi (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Xinzhi Ni, Sharron S. Quisenberry, Saowaluck Pornkulwat, James Lester Figarola, Steven R. Skoda, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Hydrolase And Oxido-Reductase Activities In Diuraphis Noxia And Rhopalosiphum Padi (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Xinzhi Ni, Sharron S. Quisenberry, Saowaluck Pornkulwat, James Lester Figarola, Steven R. Skoda, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

Four hydrolases and five oxido-reductases were examined using native stacking polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Homogenate of Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.), "Arapahoe" (aphid-susceptible) and "Halt" (aphid-resistant) wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and powdery mildew-infected Erysiphe graminis DC. ex Merat f. sp. tritici Em. Marchal, Arapahoe wheat leaves were assayed for enzyme activities. Pectinesterase, polygalacturonase (or pectinase), cellulase, and amylase activities were examined in the hydrolase group. Catalase, peroxidase, catechol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbate oxidase activities were examined in the group of oxido-reductases. The two aphid species had the same hydrolases but different oxido-reductases. Although …


Levels Of Tolerance, Antibiosis, And Antixenosis Among Resistant Buffalograsses And Zoysiagrasses, Thomas E. Eickhoff, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Frederick P. Baxendale, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Levels Of Tolerance, Antibiosis, And Antixenosis Among Resistant Buffalograsses And Zoysiagrasses, Thomas E. Eickhoff, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Frederick P. Baxendale, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

The western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber, has been documented as one of the most serious pests of buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides (Nuttall) Engelmann, and zoysiagrass, Zoysia japonica Steudel, grown for turf in midwestern states. Resistance to the western chinch bug has been identified in both buffalograsses and zoysiagrasses. Choice and no-choice studies were conducted to determine the categories (antibiosis, antixenosis, and tolerance) of three resistant buffalograsses (PX3-5-1’, 196’, and 184’) and three resistant zoysiagrasses (El Toro, Emerald, and Zorro). Antibiosis studies found no significant differences in survival, nymphal development, or fecundity among the resistant and susceptible buffalograsses or zoysiagrasses, indicating …


Differentiation Of Three Phenotypically Similar Blattella Spp.: Analysis With Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Of Mitochondrial Dna, Pari Pachamuthu, Shripat T. Kamble, Thomas L. Clark, John E. Foster Mar 2012

Differentiation Of Three Phenotypically Similar Blattella Spp.: Analysis With Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Of Mitochondrial Dna, Pari Pachamuthu, Shripat T. Kamble, Thomas L. Clark, John E. Foster

John E. Foster

Differentiation of Blattella asahinai Mizukubo, Blattella vaga Hebard, and Blattella germanica (L.) was investigated using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). DNA fragments corresponding to mitochondrial CO1,CO1/TL2(small and large fragments), and ITS2 regions were amplified using PCR. The universal primers used for amplifying mitochondrial CO1 and CO1/TL2 (small and large fragments) were CO1-J-1718/CO1- N-2191, CO1-J-2441/TL2-N-3014, and CO1-J-1751/TL2-N-3014. Amplification was observed with all primer combinations, but diagnostic patterns were found only with AluI digested amplicons of CO1 and CO1/TL2 (large fragments) regions. Both inter/intraspecific polymorphism was observed for the 517 bp CO1 region between German (A, B) and Asian …


New Species And Distribution Records Of Surutu From Amazonian Brazil (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae), Brett C. Ratcliffe Mar 2012

New Species And Distribution Records Of Surutu From Amazonian Brazil (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae), Brett C. Ratcliffe

Brett C. Ratcliffe

Surutu fenni n. sp. and Surutu hesperius n. sp. are described from the Amazon Basin of Brazil. Surutu seabrai D'Andretta and Martinez is recorded from the Brazilian state of Amazonas for the first time. A key to the species is presented.


New Species Of Hemiphileurus Kolbe (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) From The Dominican Republic With A Key To The West Indian Species Of Hemiphileurus, Brett C. Ratcliffe, Michael A. Ivie Mar 2012

New Species Of Hemiphileurus Kolbe (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) From The Dominican Republic With A Key To The West Indian Species Of Hemiphileurus, Brett C. Ratcliffe, Michael A. Ivie

Brett C. Ratcliffe

Hemiphileurus ryani and H. phratrius, new species of dynastine scarabs, are described from the Dominican Republic. They are compared to their closest congeners. A new key to the nine species of Hemiphileurus Kolbe that occur in the West Indies is provided along with diagnostic illustrations of the male parameres.


New Species Of Hemiphileurus Kolbe (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) From Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, And Brazil, Brett C. Ratcliffe Mar 2012

New Species Of Hemiphileurus Kolbe (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) From Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, And Brazil, Brett C. Ratcliffe

Brett C. Ratcliffe

The following new species of Hemiphileurus are described: H. bispinosus Ratcliffe from Brazil, H. deslislesi Ratcliffe from Colombia, H. quadridentatus Ratcliffe from Guatemala, and H. warneri Ratcliffe from Mexico. The parameres of H. rugulosus Endrödi (Venezuela and Colombia) are illustrated to enable easier identification of this species, and H. kahni Dupuis and Dechambre is redescribed and recorded from Brazil for the first time. Diagnostic illustrations of the male parameres are provided for the above taxa. A checklist for all the species in the genus is given.

Se describen las siguientes nuevas especies de Hemiphileurus: H. bispinosus Ratcliffe de Brasil, …