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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Early Embryology In Collembola With An Emphasis On Wing Development, Samantha A. Gonzalez
Early Embryology In Collembola With An Emphasis On Wing Development, Samantha A. Gonzalez
Theses and Dissertations
The primary objective of this study was to further the understanding of the wing origin in insects. Currently there are several theories which are popular such as the tergum theory, the pleural plate theory, and the dual theory of wing origin. Studies for these theories have been done on crustaceans, the ancestors to modern day insects. By utilizing a pre insect hexapod, it may be possible to better understand the transition to insect wings. Members of the Collembola species Hypogastrurid are one of these pre-insect hexapods which may provide a clue into origins of wing development. During this study, the …
Examining The Efficacy Of Cover Crops As An Integrated Pest Management Tool In Organic Farms In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Lili M. Martinez
Examining The Efficacy Of Cover Crops As An Integrated Pest Management Tool In Organic Farms In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Lili M. Martinez
Theses and Dissertations
The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) consists of a mix in subtropical and costal habitats, a combination that provides a favorable environment for the animals and plants that inhabit it. This is a problem for organic farmers as they refrain from using synthetic chemicals and therefore led them to seek other methods of dealing with insect herbivory. Of the many alternative methods available, we looked specifically at integrated pest management methods (IPM) to determine their efficacy in reducing insect herbivory among cash crops. Chapter II discusses an experiment performed in an organic farm in Edinburg, Texas consisting of a two-year …
Molecular Evolution Of Odonata Opsins, Odonata Phylogenomics And Detection Of False Positive Sequence Homology Using Machine Learning, Anton Suvorov
Molecular Evolution Of Odonata Opsins, Odonata Phylogenomics And Detection Of False Positive Sequence Homology Using Machine Learning, Anton Suvorov
Theses and Dissertations
My dissertation comprises three related topics of evolutionary and computational biology, which correspond to the three Chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on tempo and mode of evolution in visual genes, namely opsins, via duplication events and subsequent molecular adaptation in Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). Gene duplication plays a central role in adaptation to novel environments by providing new genetic material for functional divergence and evolution of biological complexity. Odonata have the largest opsin repertoire of any insect currently known. In particular our results suggest that both the blue sensitive (BS) and long-wave sensitive (LWS) opsin classes were subjected to strong positive …
Differential Expression Of Snmps And Their Underlying Transcriptional Regulation In Chemosensory Pathways Of Drosophila, Richard A. Fandino
Differential Expression Of Snmps And Their Underlying Transcriptional Regulation In Chemosensory Pathways Of Drosophila, Richard A. Fandino
Theses and Dissertations
Insects possess complex and diverse chemosensory pathways which have specific phenotypes determined by the regulated expression of specific combinations of genes. While many of these genes (e.g. ORs and GRs) have very narrow expression patterns, associating with only a limited number of chemosensory sensilla, SNMPs show a very broad expression pattern. In Drosophila, SNMP1 and SNMP2 associate with the majority of olfactory and gustatory sensilla, but express in different cell types. In olfactory sensilla, SNMP1 and SNMP2 associate with trichoid or coeloconic neurons respectively, and both additionally express in a variety of sensilla support cells; in gustatory sensilla, SNMP2 expresses …
Application Of Next-Generation Transcriptomic Tools For Non-Model Organisms: Gene Discovery And Marker Developmentwithin Plecoptera (Insecta), Nicholas Gregory Davis
Application Of Next-Generation Transcriptomic Tools For Non-Model Organisms: Gene Discovery And Marker Developmentwithin Plecoptera (Insecta), Nicholas Gregory Davis
Theses and Dissertations
Phylogenetic research on non-model organisms has been hindered by limited marker availability. Next generation sequencing techniques are eliminating that barrier. Using Illumina sequencing technology, Trinity assembly software, custom Perl reciprocal BLAST scripts, and Primer3 primer prediction software, we produced and analyzed 7 Plecopteran transcriptomes, representing 7 of the 16 total families, in an attempt to identify and develop conserved orthologous genetic markers. The transcriptomes were used to reconstruct a gene content phylogeny using a simple distance matrix generated from reciprocal blastn data. By producing and filtering a reciprocal blast network we identified and aligned over 450 putative orthologs. Out of …
Investigation Of Potential Trapping Bias In Malaise Traps Due To Mesh Gauge, In Two Habitats, David Jensen Betts
Investigation Of Potential Trapping Bias In Malaise Traps Due To Mesh Gauge, In Two Habitats, David Jensen Betts
Theses and Dissertations
Malaise traps are a common tool for collecting insects used by many researchers. Although there have been variations in the models and materials used for Malaise traps, the potential for sampling bias due to mesh gague has been explored inadequately. This study compared coarse and fine mesh Townes model Malaise traps in two habitats on the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The two habitats next to the Lick Wash trailhead were defined by dominant vegetation type – sagebrush and grasses or Piñon-Juniper. We collected from three sites per habitat type, over three consecutive days in June in both 2006 and 2007. …
Acquisition And Retention Of Bacterial Spores (Bacillus Atrophaeus) By Eight Insect Species, Kieron Marie Torres
Acquisition And Retention Of Bacterial Spores (Bacillus Atrophaeus) By Eight Insect Species, Kieron Marie Torres
Theses and Dissertations
Acquisition and retention of spores of an anthrax surrogate, Bacillus atrophaeus Nakamura ("BG") were evaluated in eight insect species. Species included: house cricket (Acheta domesticus L.), German cockroach (Blatella germanica L.), common house fly (Musca domestics L.), blue bottle fly (Calliphora vomitoria L.), hairy rove beetle Creophilus maxillosus L.), yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.), common paper wasps (Polistes exclamans exclamans Viereck), red paper wasps (Polistes Carolina L.), red harvester ant (Pogonymyrmex barbatus Smith). Individual insects were offered BG-treated food and sacrificed at specified time intervals following one, two or three meals. Resulting samples were surface-washed five consecutive times then homogenized …
Phylogeny And Biogeography Of Ice Crawlers (Insecta: Grylloblattodea): Evidence From Six Molecular Loci, Karl J. Jarvis
Phylogeny And Biogeography Of Ice Crawlers (Insecta: Grylloblattodea): Evidence From Six Molecular Loci, Karl J. Jarvis
Theses and Dissertations
Ice crawlers (Insecta: Grylloblattodea) are rarely encountered insects that consist of five genera representing 26 species from North America and Asia. Asian grylloblattids are the most diverse, but North American ice crawlers (genus Grylloblatta) are known for their adaptation to cold conditions. Phylogenetic relationships among grylloblattid species and genera are not known. Late Pleistocene glaciations had a major effect on the current Grylloblatta distribution, because their specific habitat requirements restrict them to small geographical areas. Six genes were sampled in 37 individuals for 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, histone 3, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and cytochrome oxidase II (COII) from 27 …