Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Predation Of The Scorpion Hottentotta Saulcyi (Scorpiones: Buthidae) By The Long-Eared Hedgehog (Hemiechinus Auritus) (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae) In Şırnak Province, Türkiye, Rıdvan Kurt, Ersen A. Yağmur, Tarkan Yorulmaz

Euscorpius

In this study, we report the predation of Hottentotta saulcyi (Simon, 1880) by the insectivorous mammal Hemiechinus auritus (Gmelin, 1770) in Şırnak Province, southeastern Türkiye. During a nighttime field trip, we observed a long-eared hedgehog biting a H. saulcyi individual on its prosoma. This observation confirms that long-eared hedgehogs feed on and prey upon scorpions.

Current Challenges And Preliminary Morphological Reassessment Of The Genus Chaerilus Simon, 1877 In China (Scorpiones: Chaerilidae), Victoria Tang

Euscorpius

The genus Chaerilus Simon, 1877 in China is preliminarily revised on a morphological basis, derived from the available literature and newly examined specimens. The robustness of several commonly applied species-level diagnostic criteria are evaluated. Ten species are provisionally recognized for China, including one new morphospecies, Chaerilus herta sp. n., described from 9 females, 40 males, and 2 juvenile females collected in Mêdog County. The current study only reveals and resolves several most elementary issues in the taxonomy of Chinese Chaerilus. Further molecular investigations are warranted until topotypes of certain species become available.

Occurrence Of Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila Suzukii) In Wild Berries In Forested Areas Of Marquette And Keweenaw Counties, Upper Peninsula Of Michigan, Alexis M. Shatrau, Erika I. Hersch-Green

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Spotted-wing Drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an invasive fly that targets unripe soft-fruits causing premature ripening, dehiscence, and rotting. While the presence of SWD in agricultural systems is well-documented, much less is known about the host range of SWD in wild areas, especially in more northern latitudes where colder temperatures and short summers are thought to restrict their life-cycles and limit population growth. In 2019 and 2020, we collected wild berries from two counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, with long, cold winters, to determine the prevalence, host range, and seasonal/temporal variation of SWD. We found …

Бадхызские Архивы. Том 2, Р. И. Горелова, В. Я. Фет

Open Access Books

Gorelova, RI, Fet V, editors. The Badkhyz Archives, Vol. 2. Huntington, WV: Marshall University Libraries; 2025. 387 p.

This book represents the second volume of the series started in 2021. It compiles memoirs and research information about the unique Badkhyz Natural Reserve, now in Turkmenistan, formerly at the southernmost point of the USSR. Established in 1941, the Reserve—nicknamed a Serengeti of Central Asia— housed many unique and endangered species, with an iconic wild ass, or kulan, preserved only there. The second volume includes unique and otherwise unavailable information about the workers of the Reserve in 1940s-1980s. We continuento publish …

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xxxv. Parabuthus Starhai Sp. N. From Somalia (Puntland) (Buthidae), František Kovařík

Euscorpius

A new species Parabuthus starhai sp. n. from Somalia (Puntland) is described. Combination of two characters, pectine teeth number 56–59 in both sexes and pedipalp chela length/ width ratio 3.65 in male and 5.47 in female differ P. starhai sp. n. from all other species in the region. Included is also a map of distribution of Parabuthus species in the Horn of Africa.

My Art Is Garbage, Beth Shepherd

The Goose

In “My Art is Garbage,” I describe three recent art projects where garbage is both a theme and an artistic medium used to critique the overuse of and inability to reuse or safely dispose of plastics we use every day. The first work, Untitled (Plastic Film Balls), uses non-recyclable single-use household plastic made to form an installation of shimmering balls and alludes to the environmental footprint of the artworld. Plastic Shores, a series of monotype prints, reminds us that plastics in the environment are deleterious to species that we see every day. Finally Plastic Pests, a series …

Offal Wildlife Watching: Connecting Hunters, Wildlife Researchers, And The Public Through Participatory Science, Ellen M. Candler, Grace Milanowski, Amy Rager, Joseph K. Bump

Journal of Extension

Offal Wildlife Watching is a participatory science project that engages deer hunters in wildlife research. The goal of the project is to better understand the ecology of scavenger species that visit deer gut piles across Minnesota. We asked hunters to deploy remote cameras at white-tailed deer gut piles that resulted from their freshly killed deer. Thus far 117 hunters have contributed images and recorded at least 49 different scavenger species. This project is a natural fit in Extension programs and can easily be adapted to other hunted species, biomes, and locations.

Marine Protected Species Identification Guide 2025, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

The Western Australian aquatic environment is home to a number of species that are protected under international agreements and national or state legislation. Many of these species occur in areas where fishing takes place, sometimes resulting in interactions between fishers and protected species. An interaction is considered to be any physical contact between a person, fishing vessel or fishing gear and a protected species, including captures, entanglements and collisions.

This guide has been developed to help you identify some common marine protected species in Western Australia that you may encounter while fishing.

It has been divided into 5 sections:

• …

А Review Of Scorpiofauna Of China: Nomenclatural Notes And Updated Faunistic Catalogue (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Victoria Tang

Euscorpius

Two genera associated with the Chinese scorpiofauna are reviewed, Razianus Farzanpay, 1987 and Reddyanus Vachon, 1972. Holotype female of Razianus xinjianganus Lourenço et al., 2010 is presumed to be lost, as well as all type material of other Chinese scorpions described before 2020. Comments are given on the species composition of genus Reddyanus with a new synonym: Isometrus (Reddyanus) tibetanus Lourenço & Zhu, 2008 = Reddyanus assamensis (Oates, 1888) syn. n. Reddyanus kanak Lourenço, 2023 is tentatively considered as a nomen dubium. An updated catalogue of Chinese scorpiofauna is provided, including their type locality and type depository, protonym, synonym(s), …

Measuring Spatial And Temporal Variation In Species Composition Of Ephemeral Pond Amphibian Assemblages Using Metabarcoding, Elizabeth Strasko

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Amphibian populations worldwide face severe threats, heightening the need for reliable monitoring methods. In this thesis, I explored and tested environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding protocols to survey amphibian assemblages in ephemeral ponds of the the Green River Preserve in central Kentucky, USA. First, I evaluated whether the commonly used mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene could effectively capture species-level variation in local amphibians for eDNA metabarcoding. Extensive primer design and testing revealed significant challenges in amplifying fragmented eDNA from water samples. In a second study, I applied a metabarcoding approach using the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA (12S) gene …

A Systematic Study Of The Highly Endemic Spider Beetle Fauna (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Ptininae) Found In The Coastal Deserts Of Perú, Marlena Askren

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Spider beetles are small, often flightless insects that occur in hyperarid environments around the world. They exhibit interesting morphology and behavior that allows them to conserve water they obtain from plant material, dung, and other detritus. One hyperarid region in which they are found is the Pacific coast of Perú and northern Chile. The Sechura Desert, Peruvian Coastal Desert, and Atacama Desert make up the arid coast where spider beetles occur from north to south. Through multiple years of field work and museum collections, populations of spider beetles were found along the coast in isolated pockets of vegetation, separated by …

Diversity And Phylogeny Of Spider Beetles (Ptinidae: Ptininae) In Coastal Chile And Peru, Jacob Bowen

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Spider beetles of South America have historically received little systematic study, though now they are the subject of recent diversity surveys and documentation. This investigation contributes to the ongoing exploration of spider beetle diversity in South America by adding records for the recently described Cordielytrum and the yet to be described Furcillifer, as well as constructing phylogenies with new genetic material. MaxEnt was used to create an ecological niche model revealing habitat suitability in Chile and Peru for Cordielytrum, a genus of flightless spider beetles currently known only from Peru. Even with few occurrence records, a model with …

Microbial And Plant Biodiversity In Appalachian Agroecosystems And Their Implications For Soil Health, Kinsey Reed Close

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The sustainability of agricultural landscapes depends on understanding the complex interactions between plants, soil, and microbes. In Appalachia, a region shaped by complex terrain and long histories of human and ecological interaction, small family farms produce hay, livestock, and row crops. These agroecosystems, though often treated as “artificial” by many ecologists, have the potential to support both food production and biodiversity conservation if managed with an understanding of ecological complexity. This dissertation examines how plant and microbial diversity interact with soil and management to influence nutrient cycling, soil health, and long-term resilience in Appalachian agricultural systems. A literature review revealed …

The Effect Of Zebra Mussels On Minnesota Fish Communities, Benjamin D. Strei

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha are an aquatic invasive species that has been spreading quickly throughout Minnesota water bodies since 1989. Zebra mussels are known to change certain morphological conditions in lakes such as turbidity, phytoplankton abundance, and aquatic invertebrate populations. However, studies showing impacts of the infestation of zebra mussels on the health of a fish community have been hard to prove due to a lack of repeated surveys and a suite of other confounding variables such as natural and seasonal variability, plant community, and lake morphometry. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine whether zebra mussels have …

How Individual Traits Predict Distribution Patterns And Community Convergence, Zachary K. Lange

Biology Dissertations - Archive

One of the fundamental questions in biology is whether natural conditions lead species and communities toward predictable outcomes. Answering this question requires understanding how traits of individual organisms are connected to species- and community-level patterns. In Chapter 2, I examined how thermal physiology and environmental temperatures interact to determine the distribution patterns of Anolis lizards on the Greater Antilles. I combined lab-measured thermal traits (critical thermal minimum: CT_min, critical thermal maximum: CT_max, thermal preference: T_pref) with occurrence and abundance data from 21 species of Anolis lizards collected from extensive mark-resight surveys of communities across …

Microsatellites Reveal The Population Genetic Structure Of Yellow Perch In Minnesota, Megan Boche

Journal of Earth and Life Science

When analyzing a population’s genetic makeup, looking at variation of individuals and populations is a crucial factor. The management of yellow perch will be aided by this information particularly in regard to stocking or relocation. Microsatellite loci were used to analyze the genetic population structure of yellow perch Perca flavescens within and among 29 sampling areas throughout Minnesota’s basins. Seven microsatellite DNA loci were evaluated, with heterozygosities ranging from 0.41 to 0.78. The Lower Mississippi basin samples showed higher numbers of alleles per locus and greater expected heterozygosities compared to other basins, with Lake Pepin (PEP) exhibiting the highest average …

Correction On The Status Of Nematodes Pavidus Horn, 1886 (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Dromaeolinae: Dromaeolini), With Redescriptions Of Two Species From The Southeastern United States And The Caribbean, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

The status of Nematodes pavidus Horn (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae), in relation to Nematodes punctatus LeConte and Nematodes teres Horn is being questioned after Muona (2000) revised the family in the Nearctic region. Investigations into the status of N. pavidus included explorations of the histories among these three species and examining images of the types through the Museum of Comparative Zoology’s website. It has been confirmed that Muona erred by synonymizing N. pavidus with N. teres before transferring both N. punctatus and N. teres to Dromaeolus Kiesenwetter. A correction has been made by transferring N. pavidus …

Blue Exoskeleton, Aridity, And Thermoregulation In Some Western Nearctic Spider Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae), Frank E. Kurczewski

Insecta Mundi

Several Nearctic spider wasp genera and subgenera in the subfamily Pompilinae (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) in the arid western United States and northern Mexico are characteristically blue, violet, or purple in color: Aporus Spinola; Plectraporus Bradley; Chelaporus Bradley; Psorthaspis Banks; Chalcochares Banks; Evagetes Lepeletier; and Allochares Banks. Other genera and subgenera of Pompilinae in western United States and northern Mexico have one or more bluish or violaceous species: Episyron Schiødte; Notiochares Banks; Pompilinus Ashmead; Anoplius Dufour; Hesperopompilus Evans; Ammosphex Wilcke; and Arachnospila Kincaid. In California, 27/79 (34.2%) species of Pompilinae are blue, violet, or purple. The number of blue, violet, or purple …

New State And Adult Host Records For Species Of Anthaxia Degeer And Melanophila Eschscholtz (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) In The Western United States, Richard L. Westcott, Luc Leblanc

Insecta Mundi

New state records are provided for one species of Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) Reitter, six species of Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) Richter, and one species of Melanophila Eschscholtz (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in the Western United States. One new adult host record is provided for Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) aeneogaster Gory and Laporte, two are provided for Melanophila atropurpurea (Say), and one for Phaenops intrusa (Horn).

A New Species Of Allotriopsis Champion From Guatemala (Coleoptera: Elateridae), E. R. Fuller

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

Allotriopsis schusteri Fuller (Coleoptera: Elateridae), new species, is described from cloud forest habitat in Zacapa Department, Guatemala, and compared with Allotriopsis nasalis Champion from Quezaltenango Department, Guatemala.

Resumen

Se describe Allotriopsis schusteri Fuller (Coleoptera: Elateridae), nueva especie, del hábitat del bosque nuboso en el departamento de Zacapa, Guatemala, y se compara con Allotriopsis nasalis Champion del departamento de Quezaltenango, Guatemala.

Checklist Of The Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) Of Panama, Alfredo Lanuza-Garay, Miguel A. Monné

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

A checklist of the Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) of Panama is provided, including 1,031 species and subspecies distributed in 433 genera, 63 tribes and subtribes, and five subfamilies. In addition, provincial distribution data are provided for each species. The following new country records for Panama are reported: Ischioloncha lineata Bates, 1885 (Panama and Colon Province) (Lamiinae: Apomecynini), Oncideres macra Thomson, 1868 (Panama and Panama Oeste Province), Oncideres minuta Thomson, 1868 (Panama province, San Blas Comarca), Oncideres ochreostillata Dillon and Dillon, 1952 (Barro Colorado Island) (Lamiinae: Onciderini). A new province record is presented for Rileyellus panamensis Wappes and Santo-Silva, 2020 (Darien Province) …

Three New Species Of Lepidocyrtus Bourlet (Collembola: Entomobryidae) From Florida, Usa, And Descriptive Notes On Lepidocyrtus Floridensis Snider, Felipe N. Soto-Adames, Emily Jenks, Kathryn M. Daly

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

In North America, the genus Lepidocyrtus Bourlet (Collembola: Entomobryidae) is represented by 18 species, but only three (L. floridensis Snider, L. millsi Snider, and L. pallidus Reuter) have been reported from Florida. We investigated species diversity in leaf litter samples from counties in the north-central and southern part of the state, as the reportedly low species diversity in Florida may be due to under-sampling. As a result, in this contribution we describe three species of Lepidocyrtus new to science: L. bobwoodruffi Soto-Adames, Jenks and Daly, new species, L. brambilae Soto-Adames, Jenks and …

Habitat Definition For Pepsis Elegans Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae: Pepsinae), Frank E. Kurczewski

Insecta Mundi

Recent (2024) photographs of Pepsis elegans Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae: Pepsinae) females searching through plant litter disclosed no clues about its nesting behavior or host spider. However, coupled with geographic site locations, they reveal important habitat information. The various site locations are specifically defined as part of the Eastern Temperate Forests Level I Ecoregion of North America, numerous Level III Ecoregions of the Continental United States, several United States Forest Type Groups, and natural habitat designation of mesic open woodland.

A Taxonomic Note On Lecanium Vaccinii Macrocarpum Nomen Dubium Status, Rhys J. L. Campo, Barbara D. Denno, Douglass R. Miller

Insecta Mundi

Lecanium vaccinii macrocarpum Goethe, 1884 (Hemiptera: Coccidae) is a subspecies of which the original description is inconsistent with its current taxonomic placement, and its recorded synonymy with other species is questionable. The original type material is likely lost or destroyed. For these reasons, L. vaccinii macrocarpum is proposed to be treated as nomen dubium.

New Host Record Of Dahlibruchus Bridwell, 1931 On Cultivated Dahlia Cav. In Mexico And Description Of Two New Species (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), Jesús Romero Nápoles

Insecta Mundi

Dahlibruchus Bridwell is a genus in the family Bruchidae (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea) and all species have as host plants species in the genus Dahlia Cav. (Asteraceae). Usually they arrive on hosts when flowers appear and start feeding on nectar and pollen; later females lay eggs on bracts, and a few weeks later the adults emerge. Presently, the genus Dahlibruchus contains three species. The description of two new ones (Dahlibruchus castroi, new species and Dahlibruchus ruizi, new species) brings this number to five. A key to all species is presented. Dahlibruchus conradti Bridwell is recorded for the first …

A Review Of The Genus Necydalis Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) From North America With Proposed Subgeneric Reclassification, Daniel Heffern, Tatsuya Niisato, Ronald Alten

Insecta Mundi

All North American species of Necydalis Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are removed from the nominotypical subgenus with species allocated into four subgenera: Neodalis Niisato new subgenus, Heterodalis Niisato new subgenus, Mesodalis Niisato new subgenus and Necydalisca Plavilstshikov, 1936. Neodalis and Heterodalis are endemic to the Nearctic, whereas Mesodalis and Necydalisca also occur in the Palearctic. Necydalis (Neodalis) copei Niisato, Heffern and Alten new species is described from Nevada, USA. Necydalis californica Linsley, 1940 new status is elevated from a subspecies of N. diversicollis Schaeffer, 1932 to full species status. Male terminalia of all species are …

Living A Lie: The Truth Behind Isohydnocera Curtipennis (Newman) And Other Historically Confused Species Of Phyllobaenus Dejean, With The Description Of The New Genus Neohydnocera (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae: Hydnocerini: Hydnocerina), John M. Leavengood Jr.

Insecta Mundi

Taxonomic changes in the New World Hydnocerina (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae: Hydnocer­ini) at the species and genus level are presented. Phyllobaenus suturalis (Klug, 1842) and Hydnocera limbata Spinola, 1844 are designated junior synonyms of P. pallipennis (Say, 1825), new synonymy. Phyllobaenus nigrescens (Schaeffer, 1909) is designated a junior synonym of P. verticalis (Say, 1835), new synonymy. Iso­hydnocera curtipennis (Newman, 1840), P. lineaticollis Spinola, 1844, and Clerus brachypterus Klug, 1842, are re-established as junior synonyms of P. verticalis (Say, 1835), status reinstated, and I. curtipennis is accordingly reassigned to Phyllobaenus Dejean as P. curtipennis …

The First Species Of Prococcophagus Silvestri (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) From America North Of Mexico, Zachary Lahey, Alvin M. Simmons, Sharon A. Andreason

Insecta Mundi

Prococcophagus tobiasi (Myartseva) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is newly recorded from the state of Florida. This represents the first record of the genus Prococcophagus Silvestri in the United States. Amendments are made to the original description based on the newly collected specimens, and the species is placed in the context of the genus based on a phylogenetic analysis of 28S rDNA. The status of the specimens comprising the type series is discussed and notes are made on the unusual coloration exhibited by living specimens.

Tetraleurodes Gilli (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae), A New Whitefly Species On Quercus L. From California, Natalia Von Ellenrieder

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

A new species of Tetraleurodes Cockerell (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae), T. gilli, occurring on Quercus L. (Fagaceae) in California is described and illustrated based on its puparium, adults, and nymphs. The puparium of the new species can be recognized from that of other black whiteflies devoid of dorsal wax that occur on oaks by the combination of a filamentous marginal wax fringe as wide as a third to full width of puparium, cephalothoracic setal formula 1 0 1 1, longitudinal suture margined by tubercles, presence of eyespots, a concentric dorsal submarginal fold, ventral spinules medially to legs decreasing …

Unveiling The Bacterial Communities Of Aphaenogaster: Taxonomic Composition, Developmental And Species Influences, And The Impact Of Climate Change, Lily Kelleher

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Ants are vital keystone species in many ecosystems because they provide ecosystem services such as: seed dispersal, soil bioturbation, and pest control. However, ant bacterial symbioses remain largely unstudied, but these interactions are crucial because microbes play a vital role in the ants’ overall health. Today, global climate change is impacting our biodiversity, and we can use information about how changing temperatures impact the symbiotic bacterial communities associated with ants to predict future impact. Aphaenogaster rudis and A. fulva remain understudied in terms of their bacterial community and are important North American species. For this study, ants from several colonies …