Entomology Commons^™

Water Immersion Tolerance By Larval Instars Of Stable Fly, Stomoxys Calcitrans, L1758 (Diptera: Muscidae) Impairs The Fitness Performance Of Their Subsequent Stages, Steve B.S. Baleba

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: In holometabolous insects, environmental factors experienced in pre-imaginal life stages affect the life-history traits within that stage and can also influence subsequent life stages. Here, I assessed tolerance to water immersion by the larval instars of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans L. (Diptera: Muscidae) and its impact on the life-history traits of their subsequent life stages. Results: After submerging the three larval instars of S. calcitrans in distilled water, I found that the first instar larvae remained active for longer as compared to the second and third instar larvae. Also, the first instar larvae took a longer period to …

Mitogenomic Analysis Of Diversity Of Key Whitefly Pests In Kenya And Its Implication To Their Sustainable Management, Fathiya M. Khamis, Fidelis L.O. Ombura, Inusa J. Ajene, Komivi S. Akutse, Sevgan Subramanian, Samira A. Mohamed, Thomas Dubois, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Sunday Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are devastating agricultural pests of economic importance vectoring pathogenic plant viruses. Knowledge on their diversity and distribution in Kenya is scanty, limiting development of effective sustainable management strategies. The present study is aimed at identifying whitefly pest species present in Kenya across different agroecological zones and establish predictive models for the most abundant species in Africa. Whiteflies were sampled in Kenya from key crops known to be severely infested and identified using 16S rRNA markers and complete mitochondrial genomes. Four whitefly species were identified: Aleyrodes proletella, Aleurodicus dispersus, Bemisia afer and Trialeurodesvaporariorum, the latter being the most …

Molecular Detection Of Leishmania Donovani, Leishmania Major, And Trypanosoma Species In Sergentomyia Squamipleuris Sand Flies From A Visceral Leishmaniasis Focus In Merti Sub-County, Eastern Kenya, Barrack O. Owino, Jackline Milkah Mwangi, Steve Kiplagat, Hannah Njiriku Mwangi, Johnstone M. Ingonga, Alphine Chebet, Philip M. Ngumbi, Jandouwe Villinger, Daniel K. Masiga, Damaris Matoke-Muhia

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) are of public health concern in Merti sub-County, Kenya, but epidemiological data on transmission, vector abundance, distribution, and reservoir hosts remain limited. To better understand the disease and inform control measures to reduce transmission, we investigated the abundance and distribution of sand fly species responsible for Leishmania transmission in the sub-County and their blood-meal hosts. Methods: We conducted an entomological survey in five villages with reported cases of VL in Merti sub-County, Kenya, using CDC miniature light traps and castor oil sticky papers. Sand flies were dissected and identified to the …

Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis Of Trypanosoma Brucei In Tsetse Fly Vector, Kennedy W. Mwangi, Rosaline W. Macharia, Joel L. Bargul

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Trypanosoma brucei species are motile protozoan parasites that are cyclically transmitted by tsetse fly (genus Glossina) causing human sleeping sickness and nagana in livestock in sub-Saharan Africa. African trypanosomes display digenetic life cycle stages in the tsetse fly vector and in their mammalian host. Experimental work on insect-stage trypanosomes is challenging because of the difficulty in setting up successful in vitro cultures. Therefore, there is limited knowledge on the trypanosome biology during its development in the tsetse fly. Consequently, this limits the development of new strategies for blocking parasite transmission in the tsetse fly. Methods: In this study, RNA-Seq …

Plant Nutrient Quality Impacts Survival And Reproductive Fitness Of The Dengue Vector Aedes Aegypti, Vincent Odhiambo Nyasembe, David Poumo Tchouassi, Martha Njeri Muturi, Christian W.W. Pirk, Catherine L. Sole, Baldwyn Torto

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Background: In a recent study using DNA barcoding, we identified the plants fed upon by four Afro-tropical mosquito species that vector dengue, malaria, and Rift Valley fever. Herein, we have expanded on this study by investigating the role of three of the plants, Pithecellobium dulce (Fabaceae), Leonotis nepetifolia (Lamiaceae), and Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae), on the survival, fecundity, and egg viability of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti. Methods: We tested these effects using females that received (i) an initial three rations of blood meals and (ii) no blood meal at all. Two controls were included: age-matched females fed on glucose solution …

Transcriptomic Response Of Anopheles Gambiae Sensu Stricto Mosquito Larvae To Curry Tree (Murraya Koenigii) Phytochemicals, Clarence M. Mang’Era, Fathiya M. Khamis, Erick O. Awuoche, Ahmed Hassanali, Fidelis Levi Odhiambo Ombura, Paul O. Mireji

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Background: Insect growth regulators (IGRs) can control insect vector populations by disrupting growth and development in juvenile stages of the vectors. We previously identified and described the curry tree (Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng) phytochemical leaf extract composition (neplanocin A, 3-(1-naphthyl)-l-alanine, lumiflavine, terezine C, agelaspongin and murrayazolinol), which disrupted growth and development in Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto mosquito larvae by inducing morphogenetic abnormalities, reducing locomotion and delaying pupation in the mosquito. Here, we attempted to establish the transcriptional process in the larvae that underpins these phenotypes in the mosquito. Methods: We first exposed third-fourth instar larvae of the mosquito to the …

American Burying Beetle, Plant Richness, And Soil Property Responses To Collapse Of Juniperus Virginiana Woodlands With Fire, Alison K. Ludwig

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Grasslands are declining in the Great Plains due to land use changes, woody plant encroachment, and loss of historic fire cycles. Prescribed burn associations have utilized prescribed fire to collapse invading woodlands and allow the restoration of grasslands. This fire is considered “extreme” because it is capable of changing the structure and function of an ecosystem. Our study site is the Loess Canyons Experimental Landscape, a long-term, ecoregion-scale experiment to apply prescribed fire across the region to restore grasslands. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project established the Loess Canyons ecoregion as a Biologically-Unique Landscape in 2005 with the state’s wildlife action …

Morphological Characterization And Functional Assessment Of Trichomes In Solanaceae, Sakshi Watts

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1: This chapter provides an overview of various trichome types in plants, and also empirically examines their variation on abaxial and adaxial leaf surface of 14 Solanum species. Detailed nomenclature, density, and dimension measurements of each trichome type has been provided using scanning electron-microscopy.

Chapter 2: Scanning electron microscopy was major component of methodology used in my thesis for scanning leaf samples to estimate trichome traits. In this chapter, a more efficient and cost-effective methodology for scanning electron microscopy has been explored.

Chapter 3: This chapter examines the relationship of trichome density and herbivore feeding behavior using abaxial and …

Revealing The Native Status Of Conyza Bonariensis: Specialization Of Insect Herbivores Associated With Conyza And Erigeron Spp. (Asteraceae) In Louisiana, Texas, And Mississippi, Carlos Wiggins

LSU Master's Theses

Flaxleaf fleabane [Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronquist] (Asterales: Asteraceae) is an annual herb which grows up to 1.0 m in height and is native to South America. Due to introduction and subsequent development of herbicide resistance, C. bonariensis has become a major agricultural weed in Australia. The purpose of this study was to catalog herbivorous insects associated with local populations of C. bonariensis in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi in order to establish comparisons with the Australian fauna and identify potential biological control agents. Leaves, roots, stems, and flowers of C. bonariensis were inspected for signs of insects and pathogens. Results …

Cognitive Ecology Of Color Vision In Orchid Bees, Andreia Queiroz Santos A Figueiredo

Dissertations

Animals interact with their environment and acquire information from it. Information can be processed by their sensory systems and influence behavior, often mediated through mechanisms of decision-making and learning. Animal pollinators acquire information from flowers and use this information to make decisions about the flowers they visit. My research aimed to understand the role of color vision in a tropical pollinator, the orchid bee Euglossa dilemma. Chapter 1 is a review exploring pollination through the lens of prepared learning. Prepared learning proposes that animals learn some associations better than others due to an evolved match with the environment. I …

The First Record Of The Jumping Bristletail Pedetontus Gershneri Allen, 1995 (Microcoryphia: Machilidae) From Alabama, Usa Significantly Extends Its Known Range, Alexander B. Orfinger, Grant D. De Jong

Insecta Mundi

The jumping bristletail Pedetontus gershneri Allen, 1995 (Microcoryphia: Machilidae) is reported from the state of Alabama, USA, for the first time, extending its known range east-southeast by roughly 588 km. The first partial mtDNA barcode was generated for the species. Notes on color variation and sampling needs of Microcoryphia are briefly discussed.

The Microcoryphia (=Archaeognatha, or jumping bristletails) are a small order of insects with about 500 nominal species worldwide (Mendes 1990). The North American fauna includes 30 named species (De Jong 2020), with additional species expected to be discovered and described (Bowser 2019). Numerous records of species in the …

Survey Of The Attelabidae Of Wisconsin (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea), Julia Janicki, Daniel K. Young

Insecta Mundi

A statewide survey of Wisconsin’s Attelabidae (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) was conducted over one full (2012) and two partial (2011, 2013) field seasons. Specimens were collected using a variety of techniques. Fourteen species of Attelabidae in nine genera placed in two subfamilies are now recorded from Wisconsin, with five new state species records and 117 new Wisconsin county records. Generic and species-level keys for Wisconsin attelabid species are provided along with generic and species diagnoses. Species treatments also include a synonymy, a description, and information on natural history, phenology, distribution and collecting methods. Dorsal and lateral habitus images are also provided for …

A New Neotropical Predaceous Midge In The Genus Parabezzia Malloch From Guerrero, Mexico, And A Second Mexican Record Of P. Alexanderi Wirth (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Ceratopogoninae: Ceratopogonini), Herón Huerta, Gustavo R. Spinelli, William L. Grogan Jr.

Insecta Mundi

We describe and illustrate a new Neotropical predaceous midge, Parabezzia carlae Huerta, Spinelli and Grogan, new species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from males collected by Malaise trap in La Union, Ayutla de los Libres, state of Guerrero, Mexico. We also report a second record of P. alexanderi Wirth from Veracruz, Mexico. A key to the known species in Mexico is included.

Se describe e ilustra una especie nueva de mosquita predadora de la región Neotropical, Parabezzia carlae Huerta, Spinelli y Grogan, nueva especie (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) sobre la base de machos colectados con trampa Malaise procedentes de La Unión, Ayutla de Los Libres, …

A New Species Of Leptorhyparus Howden, 2003 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini) In Amber From The Dominican Republic, With Comments On Extant Species, Paul E. Skelley

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Leptorhyparus Howden, 2003 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini) is described, Leptorhyparus quadricornis Skelley, in amber from the Dominican Republic. Extant species of Leptorhyparus are reviewed, with additional collection data and diagnostic characters presented.

Se describe una nueva especie en el género Leptorhyparus Howden, 2003 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini), Leptorhyparus quadricornis Skelley, en ámbar de la República Dominicana. Se revisan las especies vivientes del género Leptorhyparus, agregándose datos de colección y caracteres diagnósticos.

Endophytic Colonisation Of Solanum Lycopersicum And Phaseolus Vulgaris By Fungal Endophytes Promotes Seedlings Growth And Hampers The Reproductive Traits, Development, And Survival Of The Greenhouse Whitefly, Trialeurodes Vaporariorum, Vongai M. Paradza, Fathiya M. Khamis, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Sevgan Subramanian, Sunday Ekesi, Komivi S. Akutse

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

In the scope of mitigating the negative impacts of pesticide use and managing greenhouse whiteflies, Trialeurodes vaporariorum sustainably, 16 endophytic fungal isolates from five different genera (Beauveria, Trichoderma, Hypocrea, Bionectria, and Fusarium) were screened for their ability to colonise two preferred host plant species, namely, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), through seed inoculation. Seven and nine isolates were endophytic to P. vulgaris and S. lycopersicum, respectively, where significant differences in the endophytic colonisation rates were observed among the fungal isolates in P. vulgaris and its plant parts, with a significant interaction between the isolates and …

Two New Species Of Nothochodaeus Nikolajev, 2005 From Palawan Island, Philippines (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae), Jean-Bernard Huchet

Insecta Mundi

Nothochodaeus minotaurus Huchet, new species, and N. huxleyi Huchet, new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae), from Palawan Island, Philippines, are described and illustrated.

Following my study of the Ochodaeidae of the Philippine archipelago (Huchet 2014a, 2014b, 2017, 2018, 2019), I describe here two new species of the genus Nothochodaeus Nikolajev, respectively N. minotaurus Huchet, new species, and N. huxleyi Huchet, new species, bringing to four species, all endemic, the representatives of this genus in the archipelago. Both species described here are illustrated and compared with their closest relatives. These new species originate from the island of Palawan. This discovery …

New Genus Of Rhyparini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) In Amber From The Dominican Republic, Paul E. Skelley

Insecta Mundi

Priscyparus quisqueyensis Skelley, new genus and new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini), is described in amber from the Dominican Republic. An updated key to New World genera of Rhyparini is presented.

Priscyparus quisqueyensis Skelley, género nuevo y especie nueva (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini), se describe de ámbar de la República Dominicana. La clave a los Rhyparini del Nuevo Mundo es enmendada para incluir el nuevo género.

There are only three fossil taxa of Rhyparini (Coleoptera: Scrabaeidae: Aphodiinae) preserved in copal or amber from the New World. There have been brief listings of a Termitodius Wasmann in Colombian copal (Penney and …

Response Of Roseau Cane (Phragmites Australis) To Two Biotic Stresses: Hyalopterus Pruni And Bipolaris Yamadae, Heather E. Cizek

LSU Master's Theses

Roseau cane (Phragmites australis) is considered an invasive plant because of its ability to replace native plant species. However, in Louisiana it plays an important role protecting coastal infrastructure and being part of the marsh ecosystem in the lower Mississippi River Delta. In recent years, Roseau cane has been affected by a die-off, a problem that has also been reported in some European countries. Possible biotic and abiotic factors that have been associated with the die-off include scale insects, climate change, pollution, salinity levels, and pathogens.

In this research, the individual and combined effect of a foliar disease …

Improving The Deployment Of Insecticidal Seed Treatments In Louisiana Rice In Accordance With Integrated Pest Management, Megan Marie Mulcahy

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is the most destructive insect pest of rice in the United States. Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus larvae feed on rice roots, reducing yields by up to 25 %. Lepidopteran stem borers, in the family Crambidae, are also economically important pests of rice in Louisiana.

Currently, insecticidal seed treatments are used throughout the U.S. Mid-south rice industry to prophylactically control L. oryzophilus. Chlorantraniliprole seed treatments are also effective against stem borers. Thus, insecticidal seed treatments are used on >80 % of Louisiana rice acreage. Although seed treatments reduce damage inflicted by these pests, they are applied preventatively …

Biocontrol Of The Emerald Ash Borer: An Adapted Nicholson-Bailey Model, Michael Kerckhove, Shuheng Chen

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.