Entomology Commons^™

Challenging The Wallacean Shortfall: A Total Assessment Of Insect Diversity On Guadeloupe (French West Indies), A Checklist And Bibliography, François Meurgey, Thibault Ramage

Insecta Mundi

This work is the first attempt to integrate into one list and quantify all the known species of Guade­loupean insects. It includes all the species known to us to be reported for the island of Guadeloupe until the 31^st of December 2019. A total of 3097 valid species are listed, of which the largest component is the beetles (1447 species). Preliminarily, 632 species (20%) are considered to be strictly endemic to Guadeloupe, and 250 species are recognized as adventive or introduced. The bibliography complements the taxonomic information and includes over 350 titles. Brief annotations are also given on the …

The Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) Of Iowa: An Annotated Checklist, Edwin L. Freese, Doug A. Veal, Paul K. Lago

Insecta Mundi

An annotated checklist of 227 species of Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) known to occur in Iowa is presented, including seven families and 79 genera. This list was developed from information gleaned during literature review, from examination of specimens deposited in 22 regional and comprehensive collections, as well as from several years of active collecting conducted by the authors around the state. Thirty-six species included here represent new state records.

How Do Colombian Mountains Shape The Life History Of Treehoppers?, Camilo Flórez Valencia, Olivia Evangelista, Gustavo Londoño, Pablo Guzmán, Juliana Cardona-Duque

International Programs

Assessing the variation in species richness and life history of treehoppers in two mountains in Colombia.

Hind Wing Eyespots Of Brassolini Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae): Evolutionary Diversification And Functions In Anti-Predator Defense And Mating Behavior, Logan Crees

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Ventral hind wing eyespots are prominent pattern elements in Brassolini butterflies, likely functioning in predator-prey interactions and reproductive activities. Caligo and Opsiphanes differ in male mate-seeking behaviors and it has been suggested that Caligo females use the male cua1 eyespot as a mate-locating cue, but Opsiphanes females do not seem to do so. We predict Caligo males should have larger eyespots than congeneric females, but the sexes would not differ in eyespot size in Opsiphanes. Our analyses supported both these predictions. Displacing the eyespot to the center of the wing makes eyespots more conspicuous, we asked if eyespot position …

Documenting West And Central African Dung Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) Community Structures And Their Vulnerability To Climate Change, Christie A. Sukhdeo

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Guineo-Congolian (GC) region of West and Central Africa contains high levels of species richness (SR) and endemism. Within the GC region, the Cameroon Volcanic Line (CVL) is an important biodiversity hotspot in part due to montane habitats that constitute important ‘sky islands’ refugia during warm periods of the Pleistocene glacial cycles. However, little is known about the diversity of many taxa in the GC region, especially for insects. The main goals of this dissertation are to: 1) document dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) species diversity across the GC region and assess the potential impacts of future climate change on species …

Do Mosquito Pesticides Harm Their Natural Enemies? Ecological Impacts And Non-Target Effects Of Larvicides On Mosquito Predators, Joseph Nelsen

Master's Theses

Larvicides are chemicals used to kill juvenile mosquitoes. When applied to an area, other aquatic organisms are exposed to these chemicals. The removal or impairment of top insect predators could be beneficial to mosquito populations once harmful pesticide levels dissipate. Two common larvicides were examined: growth regulators (IGRs) and surface films (SFs). The goal of this project was to determine if larvicides harm mosquito predators common to southern Mississippi. I surveyed aquatic sites before and after IGR and SF treatments, and then compared changes in insect community structure. Community evenness was lower in SF treated habitats. When analyzing prey taxa …

Testing Flowering Perennial Plants In A Bermudagrass (Cynodon Spp.) Lawn, Paige Elizabeth Boyle, Michelle Wisdom

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Most pollinating insects require a season-long succession of floral resources to fulfill life-cycle requirements. Incorporating forbs into turfgrass sites may create a season-long sequence of flowers to support foraging pollinators. However, persistence of forbs in warm-season turfgrasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) may be affected by the competitive nature of the turfgrass and routine management practices such as mowing. A 2-year study was conducted to evaluate seven forbs (Bellis perennis L., Lotus corniculatus L., Prunella vulgaris L., Trifolium fragiferum L. ‘Fresa’, Trifolium repens L. ‘Durana’ and ‘Resolute’, Trifolium subterraneum L.) for persistence and ability to produce floral resources …

A New Species Of Buprestis (S. Str.) Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) From The Southwestern United States, Richard L. Westcott, Clint Burfitt

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Buprestis L., 1758, B. pinyoni Westcott and Burfitt (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is described from Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is compared to other species in the subgenus Buprestis.

New Distribution Records Of Asilidae (Insecta: Diptera) For Mexico, Alejandro Estrada, Jesús Romero Nápoles

Insecta Mundi

We provide new distribution records for 19 species of robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of Mexico based on the examination of 221 specimens from Mexican entomological collections.

Beetles (Coleoptera) In Cones Of Cycads (Cycadales) Of The Northern Hemisphere: Diversity And Evolution, William Tang, Guang Xu, Thomas Marler, Jibankumar Singh Khuraijam, Rita Singh, Anders J. Lindström, P. Radha, Stephen Rich, Khang Sinh Nguyen, Paul E. Skelley

Insecta Mundi

Three groups of beetles inhabit cones of cycads (Cycadales) in the northern hemisphere and are believed to be involved in their pollination. The primitive weevil subtribe Allocorynina (Coleoptera: Belidae) is restricted to the New World cycad genera Dioon Lindl. and Zamia L. One group of weevils (Curculionidae), found only in Cycas L., appears to be a relatively recent colonizer of northern hemisphere cycads. Members of the beetle subfamily Pharaxonothinae (Erotylidae) occur in all Asian and New World cycad genera. Phylogenetic trees of these beetles, based on DNA analysis and supported with morphological studies, are compared to patterns of continental drift …

First Record Of The Orchid Bee Euglossa Dilemma (Hymenoptera: Apidae) In Hispaniola, The Antilles, Julio A. Genaro, Ismael A. Hinojosa-Díaz, Lisa Mcdowell Johnson

Insecta Mundi

The occurrence of the orchid bee Euglossa dilemma Bembé and Eltz (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is recorded for the first time for the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles. Males were observed visiting varieties of sweet basil plants (Ocimum basilicum Linnaeus (Lamiaceae)) to obtain fragrances used during courtship and reproduction. Our observations showed that the species is established in Hispaniola and that it does not require the presence of orchids for reproductive success, being able to adapt to new plant resources it finds in the areas it colonizes. These observations correspond to what was found in Florida, United States, where …

Notes, New Records, New Combinations, A New Genus And Three New Species In Hemilophini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), Antonio Santos-Silva, Daniel Heffern, Juan Pablo Botero, Francisco E. De L. Nascimento

Insecta Mundi

The number of specimens in the type series of Hemilophus leuconotus Laporte, 1840 (= Cirrhicera leu­conota) is corrected. Cirrhicera leucronota Thomson, 1857 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Hemilophini), currently considered lapsus calami or an error to C. leuconotus, and the number of specimens in the type series is also corrected. Cirrhicera leuconota is recorded from Guatemala for the first time. The sex of the holotype of Lamacoscylus albatus Martins, Santos-Silva and Galileo, 2015, is corrected, and a new state record in Mexico is provided. The description of the antennae in females of Lamacoscylus Martins and Galileo, 1991 is discussed; Malacoscylus …

First Record Of Planchonia Stentae (Brain, 1920) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Asterolecaniidae) On Asclepias Curassavica Linnaeus, 1753 (Gentianales: Asclepiadaceae) In Mexico, With Observations On Parasitic Encyrtidae, Hipolito Cortez-Madrigal, Arturo Ramírez-Cruz, Christof F. Stumpf

Insecta Mundi

In April 2018, specimens of an asterolecaniid were collected on infested wild plants of Asclepias curas­savica Linnaeus, 1753 (Gentianales: Asclepiadaceae) in Jiquilpan, Michoacan, Mexico. The collected specimens were identified as Planchonia stentae (Brain, 1920) (Hemiptera: Asterolecaniidae). In this paper, we record for the first time the presence of P. stentae infesting A. curassavica in Mexico.

Shifts In The Microbiota Associated With Male Mosquitoes (Aedes Aegypti) Exposed To An Obligate Gut Fungal Symbiont (Zancudomyces Culisetae), Jonas Frankel-Bricker

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2020

Research characterizing arthropod-associated microbiota has revealed that microbial dynamics can have an important impact on host phenotypic traits. The influence of fungi on these interactions are emerging as targets for research, especially in organisms associated with global human health. A recent study demonstrated colonization of a widespread gut fungus (Zancudomyces culisetae) in a larval mosquito (Aedes aegypti) digestive tract affected microbiomes in larvae and newly emerged adult females (Frankel-Bricker et al. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02334-19) but did not investigate these processes in males. The objective of the study presented here was to assess fungal influences …

Reinstatement Of Carposina Ottawana Kearfott, 1907 (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae) As A Valid Species, James D. Young, James A. Robertson

Insecta Mundi

Carposina ottawana Kearfott, 1907 (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae), revised status, formerly considered a synonym of C. sasakii Matsumura, 1900, is returned to species status. Morphological features that separate the Asian species C. sasakii and C. niponensis Walsingham, 1900 from the North American C. ottawana are described and illustrated. A heuristic maximum likelihood (ML) analysis based on the mitochondrial gene cyto­chrome oxidase I (DNA barcode) further supports C. ottawana and C. sasakii as distinct taxa.

First Records Of Ancognatha Aymara Mondaca, 2016 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) In Argentina, José Mondaca

Insecta Mundi

Ancognatha aymara Mondaca, 2016 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini), a species previously known only from Chile, is recorded for the first time in northern Argentina. The new records are based on male specimens collected in the provinces of Jujuy and Salta. Illustrations of the habitus and male genitalia of the species are presented in color photographs. A map with its current distribution in Chile and Argentina is included.

The genus Ancognatha Erichson, 1847 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) includes 23 valid species (Moore et al. 2018a, b; Paucar-Cabrera and Ratcliffe 2018) distributed from Arizona and New Mexico in the United States to …

First Association Of Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) With Salacia Crassifolia (Mart. Ex Schult.) G. Don. (Celastraceae), Marcelo Tavares De Castro, Sandro Coelho Linhares Montalvão, Vera R. S. Wolff, Rose Gomes Monnerat

Insecta Mundi

Salacia crassifolia (Mart. ex Schult.) G.Don., (Celastraceae) is a native species of shrub/tree highly ap­preciated in Brazil for its fruits and medicinal properties. Scale insects have never been reported associated with S. crassifolia; nevertheless, this paper describes the occurrence of two diaspidids on S. crassifolia leaves in Brazil. Three mature trees were inspected in February and March 2018 and scale insect samples were collected and pre­served in 70% alcohol, then mounted and identified under an optical microscope. Two species of scale insects were found associated with this plant, Pseudoparlatoria argentata Hempel and Melanaspis aristotelesi Lepage and Gi­annotti, both from …

Two New Species Of Nothochodaeus Nikolajev, 2005 From The Himalayan Region (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae), Jean-Bernard Huchet

Insecta Mundi

Nothochodaeus yeti Huchet, new species, from Nepal and Sikkim (north India) and N. martensi Huchet, new species, from Nepal, are described and illustrated (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae). A distribution map and an updated catalogue of the Ochodaeidae occurring on the Indian subcontinent are provided.

Over the last two decades, oriental beetles belonging to the Ochodaeidae, particularly those occupying East and Southeast Asia, have been the topic of extensive taxonomic studies including the description of many new species (Nikolajev 2005, 2009; Ochi et al. 2011, 2013; Masumoto et al. 2013, 2018; Huchet 2014a, b, 2017, 2018, 2019; Paulsen 2014; Huchet …

Subsequent Spelling Cavolinii For Scarabaeus Cavolini Petagna, 1792 (Currently Copris Hispanus Cavolinii) To Be Maintained As Prevailing Usage (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae: Coprini), Stefano Ziani

Insecta Mundi

The specific name in Scarabaeus cavolinii Petagna, 1792 (currently Copris hispanus ssp. cavolinii) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Coprini) is an incorrect subsequent spelling—the original spelling is cavolini—but, because of its prevailing usage here documented, is to be preserved.

In 1792, Petagna described Scarabaeus cavolini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) as a tribute to the famous Italian biologist Filippo Cavolini (1756–1810), whose Latinized name was Philippus Cavolinus (Petagna 1785; Smith 1804). To dedicate the new species to him, Petagna (1792) declined the name to the genitive singular case of the second Latin declension, which is Cavolini.

The original spelling “cavolini” was …

Identification Of Planthoppers (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) Intercepted On Aquarium Plants In Florida And Elucidation Of A Potential Pathway For Exotic Aquatic And Semiaquatic Pests, Susan E. Halbert, Matthew R. Moore, Charles R. Bartlett, Jade S. Allen

Insecta Mundi

Recent shipments of aquarium plants to pet stores in five Florida counties were found to be infested with an exotic delphacid planthopper. Rearing adult males allowed identification by morphological analysis. Molecular analysis confirmed that it was the same as authoritatively identified reference specimens of the planthopper, Opiconsiva anacharsis (Fennah) (new combination) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), first reported from Florida in 1989 and known to be established only in Broward County. The host plants, Echinodorus spp. Rich. ex Engelm. (Alismatales: Alismataceae), originally from Thailand, were sold in enclosed plastic cylinders that provided a suitable environment for maintaining the planthoppers. Attempts to trace the …

A New Species Of Pteroplatus Buquet, 1840 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) And Taxonomical Notes In Neotropical Cerambycidae, Antonio Santos-Silva, Juan Pablo Botero

Insecta Mundi

Pteroplatus antonkozlovi Santos-Silva and Botero, sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is described from Panama. Neocompsa thelgema Martins, 1971 is recorded from Panama, and chromatic variation is discussed. The female of Icimauna aysa Martins and Galileo, 1991 is described. Some corrections in a recently published work on Acanthoderini are provided, and the combination Scythropopsis pupillata (Bates, 1880) is established as having precedence over the simultaneously published combination Aegomorphus pupillatus (Bates, 1880).

Recently, we received a relatively large number of specimens of Cerambycidae from Panama, collected by Anton O. Kozlov and Yuliya Kovaleva (Russia) in 2018 and 2019. Among these specimens we found …

Moss-Inhabiting Flea Beetles Of The West Indies I: New Species Of Borinken Konstantinov And Konstantinova And Kiskeya Konstantinov And Chamorro-Lacayo (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) From Puerto Rico, Alexander S. Konstantinov, Adelita Maria Linzmeier, Sonja J. Scheffer, Matthew L. Lewis

Insecta Mundi

Three new species of flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) from moss cushions from Puerto Rico are described: Borinken toronegro Konstantinov and Linzmeier and Kiskeya segar­rai Konstantinov and Linzmeier from the Toro Negro mountain region and Kiskeya micheliorum Konstantinov and Linzmeier from the Maricao mountains. New species are compared morphologically with already known species from the same genera. In addition, to determine the similarities between moss inhabiting flea beetles, we sequenced the Cytochrome oxidase I barcode region of larval and adult specimens. In all cases, the distances between species are well outside the 2% species-limit cutoff typically used as an …

Description Of A New Species Of Xalitla Lane, 1959 (Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Neoibidionini) From Western Mexico, Antonio Santos-Silva, Frederick W. Skillman Jr.

Insecta Mundi

The tribal allocation of Xalitla Lane, 1959 (Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) is discussed. Xalitla limoni Santos-Silva and Skillman, new species, is described from Mexico (Jalisco). Xalitla lezamai Galileo and Mar­tins, 2008 is determined to be synonymous with X. genuina Martins, 1970 and formally placed in synonymy. A key to the species of Xalitla, which includes the new species and synonymy, is provided.

South American Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Part Xx: Systematic Revision Of South American Calloeneis Grote (Cryptognathini), Robert D. Gordon, Guillermo González F., Guy A. Hanley

Insecta Mundi

Species of Calloeneis Grote (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are discussed, and a key to all recognized species is provided. New species described are C. alexandra, C. angelica, C. blanca, C. bennetti, C. bethany, C. brooke, C. francis, C. jacquelin, C. johnnie, C. kara, C. krista, C. leticia, C. lynne, C. robyn, C. marianne, C. myra, C. rosalie, C. roxanne and C. sheri, all authored by Gordon and Hanley.

Caddisflies (Trichoptera) Of The Buffalo National River, Arkansas, David E. Bowles, Cameron Cheri, Faron D. Usrey, Jeffrey M. Williams

Insecta Mundi

We report 106 species of caddisflies (Trichoptera) representing 44 genera and 16 families that were collected across 50 sampling sites in the Buffalo River watershed. The species collected represent about 45% of the known Interior Highlands caddisfly fauna. The most speciose families collected were the Hydroptilidae (30), Leptoceridae (21), and Hydropsychidae (17). Two species found during this study, Paduniella nearctica and Ochrotrichia contorta, are listed as species of special concern in the state of Arkansas due to their relative rarity. Similarity analysis values among collection sites ranged from 9% to 77%. Seriation analysis of caddisfly genera and species showed …

Arcola Malloi (Pastrana), The Alligatorweed Stemborer, A New Synonym Of Macrorrhinia Endonephele (Hampson) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae), James E. Hayden, Jean-François Landry

Insecta Mundi

Arcola malloi (Pastrana, 1961) is a junior subjective synonym of Macrorrhinia endonephele (Hampson, 1918) syn. nov. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The species is a biological control agent introduced in United States and Australia to control alligatorweed, Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. (Amaranthaceae). The synonymy is recognized by comparison of type specimens, genitalic dissections, and DNA COI barcoding. Vogtia Pastrana, 1961 syn. nov. and Arcola Shaffer, 1995 syn. nov. are synonymized with Macrorrhinia Ragonot, 1887. Macror­rhinia megajuxta (Neunzig and Goodson, 1992) comb. nov. is transferred from Ocala Hulst, 1892. Lectotypes are designated for Divitiaca ochrella Barnes and McDunnough, 1913, and Divitiaca simulella Barnes and …

Additional Observations On The Nesting Behavior Of Miscophus (Nitelopterus) Californicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Frank E. Kurczewski, Alice J. Abela, Darrell Ubick

Insecta Mundi

Close-up photographs of nest entry, nest closure and prey transport taken on sandy coastal back dunes in Santa Barbara County, CA by Alice J. Abela substantiate and enhance written descriptions of these nesting be­havior components in Miscophus californicus (Ashmead) [=M. laticeps (Ashmead)] (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae). Dictynidae (Dictyna Sundevall or Emblyna Chamberlin) is introduced as a new host family and host spider leg amputation is revealed for the first time for this small miscophine wasp.

Miscophus (Nitelopterus) californicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) is a small (4.5–7.0 mm) Nearctic miscophine wasp that ranges from California and Arizona north to southern …

Erratum To Armitage And Harris (2020): The Trichoptera Of Panama Xiv. New Species Of Microcaddisflies (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) From Omar Torrijos Herrera National Park, Brian J. Armitage, Steven C. Harris

Insecta Mundi

After publication of Armitage and Harris (2020), it was noticed that the wrong illustrations were used for the species Neotrichia espinosa Armitage and Harris (Fig. 9) and Neotrichia michaeli Armitage and Harris (Fig. 10), resulting in images that did not correspond to the captions. The authors and the Insecta Mundi editorial staff apologize for this error. The intended versions of Figures 9 and 10 are reproduced here. Insecta Mundi has also released a revised version of the Armitage and Harris (2020) manuscript, with this error corrected. However, the revised version is not an official peer-reviewed article, and anyone wishing to …

Role Of Plant Volatile Organic Compounds (Vocs) In Seed Priming And Plant-Herbivore Interactions., Abhinav Kumar Maurya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores and expands the existing knowledge on the role of plant volatiles in facilitating seed priming and providing direct defense against herbivore. Although the roles of plant volatiles in priming a plant’s defenses and providing direct defense against pests is well known, information regarding their effects on seed and the fitness of future plants and direct toxicity to herbivores is understudied. This dissertation does a thorough examination of these two understudied aspects of plant volatiles and provides novel insight into the role of plant volatiles in seed priming and direct defense (Chapter I). Seeds in the soil can …

Dragonflies And Damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) As Indicators For Riparian Condition In Ozark Spring Streams, Cameron Riley Cheri

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are often ineffectively sampled during standard stream bioassessments in North America. Subsequently, odonates are not frequently regarded as informative taxa for stream assessment, particularly when monitoring the ecological impacts of organic pollution. I hypothesized that stream-dwelling odonates should be more useful bioindicators for the assessment of riparian conditions surrounding streams because vegetation associated with streams is used for oviposition, roosting and to establish breeding territories. I selected twelve Ozark spring streams that satisfied a broad array of riparian conditions for study. I sampled each stream’s odonate and total benthic community along with both instream and …