scholarly journals Parasitoid wasps indicate that the marsh fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia) has persisted on Tiree rather than re-colonised recently

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
N.O.M Ravenscroft
Keyword(s):  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
Euphydryas Aurinia ◽  
Cotesia Melitaearum ◽  
Continuous Presence ◽  
First Time ◽  
Colonisation Event ◽  
Marsh Fritillary

The population of the marsh fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia) in western Scotland fluctuates greatly and the species is difficult to locate during periods of scarcity. It was recorded on Tiree in 2014 for the first time in 64 years during a period of abundance. The nearest known populations occur 40 km to the east and its discovery represents either a recent colonisation event well beyond its known capability or it has escaped detection for a longer period. Surveys for the larval cocoons of two wasps that are parasitoids of E. aurinia and host-specific were undertaken on Tiree in spring and autumn 2017. The adult wasps are small with limited powers of dispersal and are unlikely to have followed E. aurinia to Tiree since 2014. Cocoons of one species - Cotesia melitaearum – were abundant in all concentrations of E. aurinia in spring 2017 but neither species was found in the autumn. The absence of the second species - C. bignellii - is inconclusive as it was also absent at known locations elsewhere in autumn 2017. The occurrence, distribution and abundance of C. melitaearum on Tiree indicate that E. aurinia had been present for some time before its discovery in 2014. Although continuous presence since 1950 cannot be extrapolated with certainty, the results highlight the propensity of E. aurinia to persist for long periods in numbers that fall below the observation threshold, even in areas of high wildlife awareness, and that it is not always an easy species to record.

scholarly journals Caterpillars of the marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia can extend their life-cycle in Scotland

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil O. M. Ravenscroft
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Northern Europe ◽  
First Year ◽  
Winter Mortality ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Euphydryas Aurinia ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Marsh Fritillary

AbstractThe marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia is declining across Europe and is of high conservation interest. Its ecology has been defined and its conservation status assessed primarily from the affinities and populations of young caterpillars in the autumn, before hibernation and high winter mortality. The possibility that caterpillars of E. aurinia can overwinter more than once was investigated on the Isle of Islay, Scotland after caterpillars were found to occur at some locations in the spring despite a pre-hibernation absence. Closely-related species in North America and Northern Europe can prolong larval development by diapausing for a year as does E. aurinia in Scandinavia. Measurements of development and manipulations of distribution confirmed that some caterpillars do extend the life-cycle in Scotland and may occur in areas devoid of larvae in their first year. Caterpillars attempting this life-cycle develop slowly in spring, attain the normal penultimate spring instar and then enter diapause while other caterpillars are pupating. They moult just before diapause, construct highly cryptic webs and on emergence the following spring are 5–6 times heavier than larvae emerging in their first spring, or the equivalent of a month or so ahead. They attain a final, extra instar as larvae in their first spring reach the penultimate instar. Knowledge of this life-cycle is confined in the UK to Islay but its occurrence in this mild climate implies that it is more widespread.Implications for insect conservation Conditions that permit long diapause are probably precise and may not be reflected in recognised qualities of habitat. The species may also be present despite a perceived absence in autumn, the standard period for monitoring. Assessments of the prevalence of the life-cycle and its contribution to the persistence of E. aurinia are required. Populations of E. aurinia are known to fluctuate greatly and do occur below the observation threshold for long periods.

scholarly journals Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4567 (1) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID MIFSUD ◽  
LUCIA FARRUGIA ◽  
MARK R. SHAW
Keyword(s):  
New Records ◽  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
Malaise Trap ◽  
Cotesia Vestalis ◽  
Maltese Islands ◽  
Meteorus Pulchricornis ◽  
First Time

Fourteen species of Ichneumonidae are here recorded from the Maltese Islands. Of these, all were reared from Lepidoptera hosts with the exception of Netelia (Paropheltes) inedita (Kokujev) which was collected from a malaise trap. Of these, the following species (or genera) are here reported for the first time from the Maltese Islands: Chirotica meridionalis Horstmann, Gelis carbonarius (de Stefani), G. exareolatus (Fӧrster), G. seyrigi Ceballos, Glypta sp., Meloboris sp., Netelia (Paropheltes) inedita (Kokujev), Ophion obscuratus Fabricius and Orthizema sp. Twenty-five species of Braconidae are also here reported from Lepidoptera hosts with the exception of Homolobus (Phylacter) meridionalis van Achterberg which was collected from a malaise trap. Of these, the following species (or genera) represent new records for the Maltese Islands: Apanteles metacarpalis (Thomson), Ascogaster sp., Clinocentrus excubitor (Haliday) [previously misidentified as C. exsertor (Nees) by Papp (2015)], Cotesia vestalis (Haliday) [previously misidentified as C. ruficrus (Haliday) by Papp (2015)], Dolichogenidea britannica (Wilkinson), Homolobus (Phylacter) meridionalis van Achterberg, Iconella ? meruloides (Nixon), Lysitermus tritoma (Bouček), Lysitermus suecius (Hedqvist), Microgaster messoria Haliday, Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael), Pholetesor circumscriptus (Nees) [previously misidentified as P. bicolor (Nees) by Papp (2015)] and Spathius pedestris Wesmael. Thus previous records of Clinocentrus exsertor and Pholetesor bicolor from Malta were found to be based on misidentifications and are here excluded from the braconid fauna of Malta. Maltese records of Cotesia abjecta (Marshall) and Cotesia jucunda (Marshall) by Papp (2015) were found to be misidentifications and should both refer to C. glomerata (Linnaeus). Thus, both Cotesia abjecta and Cotesia jucunda are also here removed from the braconid fauna of Malta. The record of Cotesia tibialis (Curtis) by Papp (2015) was also based on a misidentification and should be attributed to C. ruficrus (Haliday). Thus, C. tibialis is also removed from the braconid fauna of Malta.

The collapse of marsh fritillary ( Euphydryas aurinia ) populations associated with declining host plant abundance

2017 ◽  
Vol 211 ◽  
pp. 117-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ane Kirstine Brunbjerg ◽  
Toke Thomas Høye ◽  
Anne Eskildsen ◽  
Bettina Nygaard ◽  
Christian Frølund Damgaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Host Plant ◽  
Plant Abundance ◽  
Euphydryas Aurinia ◽  
Marsh Fritillary

scholarly journals Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) in the Czech Republic: monitoring, metapopulation structure, and conservation of an endangered butterfly

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Hula ◽  
Martin Konvička ◽  
Alois Pavlicko ◽  
Zdenek Fric
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Euphydryas Aurinia ◽  
Local Dynamics ◽  
Metapopulation Structure ◽  
Western Bohemia ◽  
Structure Patterns ◽  
Marsh Fritillary

Thirty colonies of the Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) have recently been recorded in Western Bohemia, Czech Republic. The majority of colonies are small, their total area are 1.5 km2. Small size and intensive grazing/mowing were positively associated with observed declines/extinctions, while abandonment threatens the colonies in the longer term. Short distances to nearest colonies buffered against declines. High colony turnover, asynchronous local dynamics pointed and the species’ biotope requirements all point to a dynamic metapopulation structure; patterns of connectivity revealed that there are several metapopulations within the region. Because conserving the species within its extant sites seems unsustainable in the long term, restoration of its habitats is proposed.

scholarly journals Chromosomal resolution reveals symbiotic virus colonization of parasitic wasp genomes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérémy Gauthier ◽  
Hélène Boulain ◽  
Joke J.F.A. van Vugt ◽  
Lyam Baudry ◽  
Emma Persyn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Production ◽  
Parasitic Wasp ◽  
Viral Gene Expression ◽  
Parasitoid Wasp ◽  
Viral Gene ◽  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
Genomic Comparison ◽  
Immune Genes ◽  
Endogenous Viruses ◽  
First Time

AbstractMost endogenous viruses, an important proportion of eukaryote genomes, are doomed to slowly decay. Little is known, however, on how they evolve when they confer a benefit to their host. Bracoviruses are essential for the parasitism success of parasitoid wasps, whose genomes they integrated ~103 million years ago. Here we show, from the assembly of a parasitoid wasp genome, for the first time at a chromosomal scale, that symbiotic bracovirus genes spread to and colonized all the chromosomes. Moreover, large viral clusters are stably maintained suggesting strong evolutionary constraints. Genomic comparison with another wasps revealed that this organization was already established ~53 mya. Transcriptomic analyses highlight temporal synchronization of viral gene expression, leading to particle production. Immune genes are not induced, however, indicating the virus is not perceived as foreign by the wasp. This recognition suggests that no conflicts remain between symbiotic partners when benefits to them converge.

scholarly journals Review of Afrotropical sceliotracheline parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 87 ◽  
pp. 115-222
Author(s):  
Simon van Noort ◽  
Zachary Lahey ◽  
Elijah J. Talamas ◽  
Andrew D. Austin ◽  
Lubomir Masner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
South African ◽  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Identification Keys ◽  
Economic Significance ◽  
Afrotropical Region ◽  
High Resolution Images ◽  
First Time

The platygastrid subfamily Sceliotrachelinae, while represented globally by numerous biologically important taxa, is generally poorly known for the Afrotropical region. It contains a number of species of economic significance, including some that attack hemipteran pests of citrus. Here we review the taxonomy of the subfamily for the region. We revise two enigmatic, endemic South African genera, Afrisolia Masner and Huggert and Sceliotrachelus Brues, providing illustrated identification keys to the species. Afrisolia anyskop van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov., Afrisolia quagga van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov. and Afrisolia robertsoni van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov. are described for this previously monotypic genus. Sceliotrachelus was previously known only from the two male type specimens of Sceliotrachelus braunsi Brues. Two new species, Sceliotrachelus midgleyi van Noort, sp. nov. and Sceliotrachelus karooensis van Noort, sp. nov., are described from the Eastern and Western Cape, respectively. The female of S. braunsi is described for the first time and additional distribution records for the species are documented. The putatively basal species, S. karooensis, exhibits less derived morphology than the highly apomorphic S. braunsi, necessitating reassessment of the limits of the genus. The exceptional morphology exhibited by species of Sceliotrachelus is hypothesized to be an adaptation to living in leaf-litter. We also revise the Old World species of Parabaeus Kieffer, describing a remarkable new species, Parabaeus nasutus van Noort, sp. nov., and provide an illustrated and updated key to the species. Fidiobia Ashmead is currently represented in Africa by seven described species to which we add Fidiobia celeritas van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov., a charismatic new species from South Africa. The distribution of the genus Isolia is expanded to include new country records for I. hispanica Buhl (Kenya) and an undescribed species from Madagascar. To facilitate the ongoing exploration and documentation of the African platygastrid fauna, an identification key to Afrotropical sceliotracheline genera and high resolution images of exemplar species for the remaining genera are provided. An overview of known species richness and biology is also included. All images presented here as well as additional images and interactive online Lucid identification keys are available on WaspWeb at http://www.waspweb.org.

scholarly journals Bionomy of spruce bud scale, Physokermes piceae (schrank) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in the Belgrade area, Serbia

2012 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 337-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Draga Graora ◽  
Radoslava Spasic ◽  
L. Mihajlovic
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Picea Abies ◽  
Natural Enemy ◽  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
Pest Population ◽  
Green Areas ◽  
Whole Plants ◽  
Exochomus Quadripustulatus ◽  
First Time ◽  
A New Species

Spruce bud scale, Physokermes piceae, develops on the genus Picea. Large colonies of this species are constantly present on Picea abies in green areas in the Belgrade territory, causing the drying of needles, branches and whole plants. Therefore, Ph. piceae is a significant spruce pest. Spruce scales attract many entomophagous insects able to reduce pest population. Parasitoid wasps Coccophagus lycimnia (Walk) (Aphelinidae) and Microterys lunatus (Dalm.) (Encyrtidae) were reared. Predators Exochomus quadripustulatus L., Scymnus abietis Paykull (Coccinellidae) and Anthribus nebulosus Forster (Anthribidae) were determined. Both species of ladybird were confirmed as predators of Ph. piceae for the first time in Serbia, while S. abietis is a new species for the fauna of Serbia. The most effective natural enemy of Ph. piceae was A. nebulosus, reducing populations by 68-80%.

Review of the New World genus Acrotaphus Townes, 1960 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae), with descriptions of fifteen new species

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4719 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
DIEGO G. PÁDUA ◽  
ILARI E. SÄÄKSJÄRVI ◽  
RICARDO F. MONTEIRO ◽  
MARCIO L. OLIVEIRA
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Male Genitalia ◽  
New World ◽  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
First Time

Acrotaphus Townes, 1960 is a moderately large New World genus of spider attacking parasitoid wasps. Previously, it comprised 11 species. The present study aims to review the genus, and includes descriptions of 15 new species: A. amajari sp. n., A. amazonicus sp. n., A. bodoquenaensis sp. n., A. cuzconus sp. n., A. dolichopus sp. n., A. homeofranklini sp. n., A. jackiechani sp. n., A. kourou sp. n., A. micrus sp. n., A. monotaenius sp. n., A. nambilloensis sp. n., A. pseudoamazonicus sp. n., A. pseudomexicanus sp. n., A. venezuelanus sp. n. and A. zampieronae sp. n.. In addition, we present new characters for the study of the genus and describe the male genitalia for the first time. An illustrated key and maps to the species of the genus are provided. Acrotaphus franklini Gauld, 1991 and A. pseudoamazonicus sp. n. were recorded from the nests of Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) lactitarse Saussure, 1867 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae). 

scholarly journals Deraeocoris schach, a new predator of Euphydryas aurinia and other heteropteran feeding habits on caterpillar web (Heteroptera: Miridae; Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuela Pinzari
Keyword(s):  
Field Study ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Euphydryas Aurinia ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Marsh Fritillary

In this paper, preliminary results on a field study aiming to identify predators of the Marsh Fritillary<em> Euphydryas aurinia</em> (Rottemburg, 1775) in Central Italy are presented. Several heteropterans were found on the larval nests of <em>E. aurinia</em> for dietary reasons: <em>Deraeocoris schach</em> (Fabricius, 1781) that is a predator of Marsh Fritillary larvae, <em>Palomena prasina</em> (Linnaeus, 1761) and <em>Spilostethus saxatilis</em> (Scopoli, 1763) that feed on the droppings of larvae; <em>Graphosoma lineatum</em> <em>italicum</em> (Müller, 1766) that visits the larval web during winter diapause.

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