Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

A New Synonym Of Acmaeodera Opacula Leconte, 1858 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) And Lectotype Designations For Acmaeodera Amabilis Horn, 1878 And, Jason A. Hansen, Richard L. Westcott

Insecta Mundi

Lectotypes are designated for Acmaeodera amabilis Horn, 1878 and Acmaeodera disjuncta Fall, 1899 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). The defining characters of Acmaeodera opacula LeConte, 1858 are compared with those of A. disjuncta Fall, 1899, as well as habitat and host plant. Acmaeodera disjuncta is synonymized with A. opacula. The distinguishing characters of congeners whose general appearance at times can resemble A. opacula are discussed, and a new state record for Mexico is provided for A. opacula.

Acmaeodera Eschscholtz, 1829 is a large and taxonomically difficult genus. For example, there are over 300 spe­cies known from the United States …

Taxonomic Notes On The Ototretinae, Photurinae, And Psilocladinae (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), Oliver Keller, Kevin R. Hinson

Insecta Mundi

We propose several nomenclatural changes for taxa in the lampyrid subfamilies Ototretinae, Pho­turinae, and Psilocladinae (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Evidence for the correct year of description of Drilaster albicornis lateobscura (Pic, 1921) is presented. Spellings are corrected for Drilaster debilis holzi (Pic, 1914), Drilaster impustulata fukienensis (Pic, 1955), Drilaster moutoni (Pic, 1911), Drilaster pendleburyi (Pic, 1943) and Pyrogaster lunifera (Eschscholtz, 1822). We also explain the validity of the name Photuris flavicollis Fall, 1927. Fifty-eight taxa described as variations or aberrations in the subfamilies Ototretinae, Photurinae, and Psilocladinae by Delkeskamp (1977), McDermott (1966), Wittmer (1944), and Pic (1924c), are evaluated, with their availability …

A Preliminary Report On Non-Insect Arthropods (Arachnida, Diplopoda) At Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, G. B. Edwards, Karen Relish

Insecta Mundi

Use of a combination of a novel pitfall trap setup and Lindgren funnel traps at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park resulted in the collection of few specimens due to a higher than normal ground water level. Despite this, some unusual specimens of Arachnida and Diplopoda were found, including the second known record of Mysmena incredula Gertsch and Davis, 1936 (Araneae: Mysmenidae) in Florida.

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park (FSPSP) is an 80,000+ acre preserve approximately 20 miles long by 5 miles wide in Collier County, Florida, receiving on average about 60 inches (1524 mm) of rain per year during May …

A New State Record Of Eucera (Xenoglossa) Kansensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae) In South Dakota, Usa, Louis S. Hesler, Eric A. Beckendorf, Abigail P. Martens, Paul J. Johnson

Insecta Mundi

Eucera (Xenoglossa) kansensis (Cockerell, 1905) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is newly recorded for the state of South Dakota, USA. The bees were sampled predominantly with blue vane traps, and E. kansensis was associated with a wide range of habitats that did not include its primary floral resources of Cucurbita L. and Ipomoea L. Further study is warranted to determine the basis for the association of E. kansensis within the wide range of habitats in this study.

The longhorn bee tribe Eucerini (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is a widespread and diverse group of solitary bees that includes important pollinators of both wild and …

Cats Of Unl: An Investigation Into The Human-Feral Cat Relationships On A University Campus In Nebraska, Jacey Skoda

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), there exists a population of feral cats that is monitored and cared for by a group known as Husker Cats. As the cats wander the sidewalks and gardens of the university, they may appear non-threatening and pleasant to have around. However, a feral cat presence could have detrimental impacts on the surrounding ecosystem, property, and community. The first component of this project, a survey of individuals on UNL campus, ultimately seeks to understand what those in the UNL community know about the feral cats, how they feel about the feral cats, and how they …

Influence Of Ambient Water Coloration On Habitat And Conspecific Choice In The Female Lake Malawi Cichlid, Metriaclima Zebra, Noori Choi, Nicolas Mathevon, Eileen A. Hebets, Marilyn Beauchaud

Eileen Hebets Publications

Female cichlid fish living in African great lakes are known to have sensory systems that are adapted to ambient light environments. These sensory system adaptations are hypothesized to have influenced the evolution of the diverse male nuptial coloration. In rock-dwelling Lake Malawi mbuna cichlids, however, the extent to which ambient light environments influence female sensory systems and potentially associated male nuptial coloration remains unknown. Yet, the ubiquitous blue flank coloration and UV reflection of male mbuna cichlids suggest the potential impacts of the blue-shifted ambient light environment on these cichlid’s visual perception and male nuptial coloration in the shallow water …

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5n1) Virus Outbreak In New England Seals, United States, Wendy Puryear, Kaitlin Sawatzki, Nichola Hill, Alexa Foss, Jonathon J. Stone, Lynda Doughty, Dominique Walk, Katie Gilbert, Maureen Murray, Elena Cox, Priya Patel, Zak Mertz, Stephanie Ellis, Jennifer Taylor, Deborah Fauquier, Ainsley Smith, Robert A. Digiovanni, Adriana Van De Guchte, Ana Silvia Gonzalez-Reiche, Zain Khalil, Harm Van Bakel, Mia K. Torchetti, Kristina Lantz, Julianna B. Lenoch, Jonathan Runstadler

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We report the spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) into marine mammals in the northeastern United States, coincident with H5N1 in sympatric wild birds. Our data indicate monitoring both wild coastal birds and marine mammals will be critical to determine pandemic potential of influenza A viruses.

An Annotated Checklist Of The Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae And Scarabaeidae, Subfamilies Aphodiinae And Scarabaeinae) Of Oaxaca, Mexico, Burt Kohlmann, Alfonsina Arriaga-Jiménez, Eder F. Mora-Aguilar

Insecta Mundi

Abstract. A checklist of the dung beetles (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae; Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae and Scara­baeinae) of Oaxaca, Mexico, is presented for the first time. The checklist contains 252 taxa, 15 Geotrupidae, 77 Aphodiinae, and 160 Scarabaeinae. The state includes 58 genera and 15 tribes, where Onthophagus is the most species-rich genus with 49 taxa, followed by Ataenius with 22, Canthon with 17 and Phanaeus with 15 taxa. Valid names, as well as synonyms, are provided. First records, notes on presently recognized spe­cies, nomenclatural problems, and biodiversity comparisons are included. Phanaeus dionysius Kohlmann, Arriaga-Jiménez and Rös, 2018 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) is re-established as …

Taxonomic Placement And Nomenclatural Revisions For Five Species Of Neotropical Buprestidae (Coleoptera), Norman E. Woodley

Insecta Mundi

Autarcontes lopezi Fisher, 1925 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is transferred to the genus Agrilus Curtis, 1825 (new combination). Colobogaster bella Kirsch, 1873, is transferred to the genus Chrysobothris Eschscholtz, 1829 (new combination). Ectinogonia isamarae Moore, 1994, is resurrected as the valid name for the species previously called E. obscuripennis Cobos, 1954, as the latter is unavailable as infrasubspecific. Conognatha jakobsoni Obenberger, 1928, is resurrected over C. germaini Théry in Hoscheck, 1934, as the for­mer name has priority. Callimicra lucida Waterhouse, 1889, is resurrected as the valid name over C. hoscheki Obenberger, 1922, which has been used due to …

Nesting Behavior Of The Spider Wasp Calopompilus Pyrrhomelas (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae), Frank E. Kurczewski, Marshal Hedin, Rick C. West

Insecta Mundi

The nesting behavior of the spider wasp Calopompilus pyrrhomelas (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae: Pepsini) is described for the first time based on independent observations and photographic series from Oak­land, Alameda County, CA; Denio, Humboldt County, NV; and Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, Marin County, CA, respectively. The three wasps captured, immobilized, and provisioned the spider’s own burrows with Cal­isoga longitarsis (Simon) (Nemesiidae) and Antrodiaetus montanus (Chamberlin and Ivie) (Antrodiaetidae).

The genus Calopompilus Ashmead is one of the “most primitive” genera in the family Pompilidae as evidenced by its broad hind wings and anal lobe, lack of specialization in wing venation, stout “scolioid” body structure, and …

Stictoleptura Cordigera (Füssli, 1775) (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae: Lepturini), A New Alien Longhorn Beetle Introduced In Chile, José Mondaca, Guido Rebolledo, Francesco Vitali

Insecta Mundi

The Palaearctic longhorn beetle Stictoleptura cordigera (Füssli, 1775) (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae: Lepturini) is recorded for the first time in Chile, based on specimens collected in a rural locality of the Maule Region. This new record is the first in the New World and increases to eleven the number of exotic cerambycids introduced and established in the Chilean territory. A brief diagnosis for recognition of the species and data about its distribution and natural history are provided. The possible route of entry of this cerambycid into Chile is discussed.

Stictoleptura cordigera (Füssli, 1775) is a polyphagous, saproxylic, anthophilous cerambycid widely distributed in …

Ciclo De Vida Hamadryas Chloe Chloe (Stoll 1787) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Biblidinae) En Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia, Estefany M. Figueroa, Ximena A. León, Fredy Montero Abril

Insecta Mundi

Resumen. Se describe el Ciclo de Vida de Hamadryas chloe chloe (Stoll, 1787) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Biblidinae). Se desarrolla en sus etapas inmaduras usando como planta hospedante a Dalechampia scandens Linnaeus 1753 (Euphorbiaceae). El tiempo para la determinación del ciclo en condiciones de laboratorio desde la postura de los huevos hasta la emergencia de los adultos fue de 30–32 días en promedio. Se encontró asociado a los huevos de la especie un parasitoide de la familia Encyrtidae. La especie mantiene características morfológicas similares al género como setas prominentes en la cabeza y cuerpo de las larvas, especialmente en instares superiores. Se …

Cell Volume As A Determinant Of Virus-Mediated Population Growth In Ciliates, Jace Miller, John Paul Delong Phd

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Many protists and other small aquatic organisms consume virus particles, a behavior known as virovory. Some species of protists, such as the ciliate Halteria grandinella, can grow and divide using viruses as their sole food source. Other ciliate species have previously been shown to consume large quantities of viral particles, but it is unclear if they are able to support population growth with viruses alone. Because large ciliates have a higher energy demand, we hypothesize that they will be unable to support population growth on a virus-only diet. We fed nine ciliate species a diet of chloroviruses and found …

Myzus Fataunae Shinji (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Pilea Aphid, New To North America, Susan E. Halbert, Jade S. Allen, Matthew R. Moore, Katherine E.O. Fairbanks, Masakazu Sano, Gary L. Miller

Insecta Mundi

Minute aphids belonging to the species Myzus fataunae Shinji (Hemiptera: Aphididae) were found at a nursery in Seminole County, Florida. Morphological and molecular data support this determination. The Florida population only colonized species of Pilea Lindl. in our host range experiments. It did not colonize Fatoua villosa. Nakai. Likewise, it did not colonize tested common Florida species of Urticaceae other than Pilea spp. Myzus fataunae is adventive, and it appears to be established in the United States.

Description Of A New Species Of Crossidius Leconte (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Trachyderini) From Texas, Frederick W. Skillman Jr.

Insecta Mundi

Crossidius wappesi Skillman, new species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is described from Presidio County, Texas, USA.

I discovered a new species of Crossidius LeConte (Cerambycinae) in the fall of 2018 while collecting with Jim Wappes in Presidio County, Texas. Additional specimens were collected at the same location in 2019 by Jim Wappes and Kenneth Kuckartz.

This large, predominately western trachyderine genus presently contains 17 species and 37 subspecies (Bezark 2022). It should be noted that in the study of the genus by Linsley and Chemsak (1961), numerous popu­lations, known from short series, were mentioned, given short descriptions and left nameless. It is …

A New Species Of Cymatodera Gray (Coleoptera: Cleridae) From Honduras, Jacques Rifkind

Insecta Mundi

Cymatodera batleth new species (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is described from Honduras. It appears to belong to a group of Central American congeners that share similar facies and coloration, deeply emarginate elytral apices and elaborately modified male pygidia.

Heretofore ten species of Cymatodera Gray have been recorded from Honduras: C. conflagrata (Klug), C. depau­perata Gorham, C. guatemalensis Schenkling, C. prolixa (Klug), C. sallei Thomson, C. sinuosa Burke, C. rileyi Rifkind, C. crassa Burke and Sole, C. nigrofasciata Burke and Sole, and C. parva Burke which have distributions extending into neighboring Central American countries (Burke 2013; Burke et al. 2017). The known Honduran …

Center For Grassland Studies, March 2023

Center for Grassland Studies: Newsletters

Contents

New Assistant Director for The Center for Grassland Studies, David Wedin

Center for Grassland Studies Policy Advisory Committee

Director's Column by Jerry Volesky (Interim Director)

Congratulations December 2022 Graduates

New Grazing Lands Ecologist for Grassland Studies, Nic McMillan

New Administrative Associate for Grassland Studies, Ashley Branting

Apply Now for CGS Scholarships and Assistantship, https://grassland.unl.edu/grassland-systems/grazing-livestock-scholarships

New Guidelines for Reducing Eastern Redcedar in Grasslands by Dillon Fogarty

Year One Barta Brothers Ranch Collaborative Adaptive Management Update by Craig Allen

Nebraska Grazing Conference, August 8-9, 2023 by Daren Redfearn

Forty Years Reflection on Grassland Fire Weather by David Wedin

Nebraska Youth Range …

The Nebraska Bird Review: A Magazine Of Ornithology Of The Nebraska Region. Volume 91, Number 1. March 2023, Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union

Nebraska Bird Review

Winter Field Report, Dec. 2022 - Feb. 2023 by W. Ross Silcock

Annual Color Photo Section

Annual Treasurer's Report for 2022 by Jan Johnson

Subscription and Organization Information

2022-2023 Christmas Bird Counts, Don Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

Sixteen counts were run in the 2022-2023 CBC season. Because of weather and rescheduling issues, the Crawford, Harrison, and Harlan County counts were cancelled. Eight of the counts were completed during the first week of the count period and the other eight were scattered throughout the remainder of the count period. An early December cold snap seemed to drive many of the birds south, but the weather on actual count days was fairly benign: mostly dry with an average high of 34˚F and an average low of 19˚F and with three circles reporting light snow. The total number of species …

The Nebraska Bird Review Annual Color Photo Section

Nebraska Bird Review

Virginia Rail and chick, Washboard Road, North Platte, Lincoln Co., 28 June 2023. Photo by Boni Edwards.

American Coot, Eagle Scout Lake, Hall Co., April 2020. Photo by Colleen Childers.

Hudsonian Godwit, Marsh Wren Community Wetlands, Lancaster Co., 21 May 2022. Photo by Kirill Belashchenko.

American Avocet, N.P. Dodge Park, Omaha, Douglas Co., 2 May 2023. Photo by Thane Dinsdale

Female Cape May Warbler, photographer's backyard, Bellevue, Sarpy Co., 10 May 2022. Photo by Loren Padelford.

Male Cape May Warbler, Ft. Niobrara NWR, Cherry Co., 13 May 2022. Photo by Gordon Warrick.

Tennessee Warbler, Fontenelle Forest Wetlands, Sarpy Co., 24 …

Remembering Paul Johnsgard, Linda R, Brown, Josef Kren

Zea E-Books Collection

Paul A. Johnsgard (1931–2021) was a friend of many, an artist, prolific author, teacher, and humble admirer of all living creatures. It was impossible to find someone at Nebraska Audubon Society or Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union meetings who did not know Paul Johnsgard. His more than 100 published books made him known not just in a community of ornithologists, birdwatchers, and bird lovers in the United States but also abroad. He was a world-renowned ornithologist and naturalist who remained deeply embedded in his local culture and its prairie environment.

We invited about 75 people to write a short memory of Paul. …

Prairie Dogs, Gary Witmer, Jon Grant, Kendra Cross

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) occur throughout the prairie states of middle North America from Mexico northward into Canada. They occupy a variety of habitats from prairies to high mountain valleys and sage brush-dominated deserts. The most common species is the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus; Figure 1). Prairie dogs are considered a “keystone species.” They provide habitat for many other native, grassland species. Prairie dogs live in colonies or “towns” that can span hundreds to thousands of acres. Depending on the species, their presence is evident by their burrow system. Despite the many ecosystem benefits prairie dogs provide by modifying …

Annual Treasurer's Report For 2022, Jan Johnson

Nebraska Bird Review

No abstract provided.

Winter Field Report, Dec. 2022 - Feb. 2023, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Since this is a Winter Seasonal Report, it seems appropriate to lead off with notable reports of occurrences that might be considered unexpected for midwinter, of which there were several. A range of species was involved, suggesting an encompassing cause such as climate change. Of interest were northerly wintering groups of waterfowl including Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Ringnecked Duck, and Hooded Merganser. Reports of wintering Tundra Swans, Whitewinged Doves, and Lesser Goldfinches continue to increase, and numerous Redwinged Blackbirds in the northeast in midwinter were unexpected. Also quite unexpected were two Sandhill Cranes wintering in the east, the state’s first …

Updated List Of Intercepted Coccidae (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) At South Korean Ports Of Entry And Potential Invasive Species To South Korea, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

An updated list is given of 25 species of soft scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccidae) which have been intercepted on plants imported into South Korea during the period of 1996 to 2021. Information on the num­ber of interceptions, host plants, distribution and origin of species intercepted at South Korean ports of entry is provided. In addition, data on intercepted species was analyzed to determine potential invasive species of soft scales that could threaten South Korean plants.

Soft scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) occur in all zoogeographical regions of the world. The Coccidae is the third largest family of scale insects (Hemiptera: …

New Synonyms And Records Of Costa Rican And Panamanian Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Ángel Solis, Bert Kohlmann

Insecta Mundi

To better understand the dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) biodiversity of Costa Rica and Panama, new synonyms, records, distributions, and updates are presented. This paper analyzes the distribution and taxonomy of Phanaeus olsoufieffi Balthasar, 1939 in Panama and establishes the following new subjective synonym: Phanaeus panamensis Moctezuma and Halffter, 2021 = Phanaeus olsoufieffi Balthasar, 1939. Color morphs of Phanaeus pyrois Bates, 1887 in Costa Rica are analyzed. The Costa Rican distribution of Onthophagus bidentatus Drapiez, 1819 and O. marginicollis Harold, 1880 is stud­ied. Onthophagus bidentatus is recorded for Costa Rica for the first time. A population analysis of barcode mtDNA, …

Una Nueva Especie De Alurnus Fabricius De La Costa Pacífica De Colombia Y Apuntes Sobre Su Biología (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Luis Carlos Pardo-Locarno, Luis Miguel Constantino

Insecta Mundi

Resumen. En este trabajo se describe una nueva especie de Alurnus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), A. chocoensis Pardo y Constantino, con notable coloración rojo sangre en todo el cuerpo, excepto las hembras que presentan el pronoto de color negro. La nueva especie es una plaga importante del follaje en palma de chontaduro (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) en la costa pacífica de Colombia y es un endemismo propio de las selvas lluviosas de la región biogeografica del Chocó, en el occidente de Colombia. Se presentan apuntes sobre su biología y ecología.

Abstract. In this work, a new species of Alurnus Fabricius (Coleoptera: …

Third Contribution To The Knowledge Of Arabian Onthophagini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Onthophagus Aeneopiceus D’Orbigny, 1902, A New Record For Yemen And For The Palaearctic Ecozone, Stefano Ziani, Denis Keith

Insecta Mundi

Onthophagus aeneopiceus d’Orbigny, 1902 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Onthophag­ini) is recorded for the first time for Yemen and for the Palaearctic region. An integration into the key to the Onthophagini from the Arabian Peninsula (Ziani et al. 2019), is provided.

After Ziani et al. (2019) and Montanaro and Ziani (2022), 30 Onthophagini species were known from the Arabian Peninsula. In this paper a 31st species is recorded: Onthophagus aeneopiceus d’Orbigny, 1902. The species, belong­ing to the 23rd group of d’Orbigny (1913) and until now known from Eastern Africa and, dubitatively, Ivory Coast (Schoolmeesters 2022), has been collected in Yemen. This is …

The False Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Elateroidea: Eucnemidae) Of The Dominican Republic. Part I: A Look Into The Past, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

Thirteen new fossil eucnemid taxa (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) are described from amber deposits excavated from the vicinity of Santiago, Dominican Republic. Two new genera, Mioxylobius and Paleo­quirsfeldia are described. The following 13 new species are described from Dominican amber: Mioxylobius bicolor, Balistica serrulata, Paleoquirsfeldia epicrana, Dyscharachthis dominicana, Idiotarsus poinari, Eurypty­chus antilliensis, Euryptychus hispaniolus, Plesiofornax caribica, Fornax dominicensis, Fornax serropalpoides, Dromaeolus argenteus, Nematodes miocenensis and Nematodes thoracicus. Each new species are both diag­nosed and illustrated. Calyptocerus Guérin-Méneville and Lissantauga Poinar are shown to be congeneic, resulting in a new …

Blanding’S Turtle (Emydoidea Blandingii): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella, Colleen Rothe-Groleau

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) as a Tier 1 at-risk species. Some general management recommendations are made here regarding Blanding’s turtles; however, conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of this at-risk turtle that will aid in the decision-making …