Identification and expression profiles of candidate chemosensory receptors in Histia rhodope (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae)

Insect olfaction and vision play important roles in survival and reproduction. Diurnal butterflies mainly rely on visual cues whereas nocturnal moths rely on olfactory signals to locate external resources. Histia rhodope Cramer (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae) is an important pest of the landscape tree Bischofia polycarpa in China and other Southeast Asian regions. As a diurnal moth, H. rhodope represents a suitable model for studying the evolutionary shift from olfactory to visual communication. However, only a few chemosensory soluble proteins have been characterized and information on H. rhodope chemoreceptor genes is currently lacking. In this study, we identified 45 odorant receptors (ORs), nine ionotropic receptors (IRs), eight gustatory receptors (GRs) and two sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) from our previously acquired H. rhodope antennal transcriptomic data. The number of chemoreceptors of H. rhodope was less compared with that found in many nocturnal moths. Some specific chemoreceptors such as OR co-receptor (ORco), ionotropic receptors co-receptor, CO2 receptors, sugar receptors and bitter receptors were predicted by phylogenetic analysis. Notably, two candidate pheromone receptors (PRs) were identified within a novel PR lineage. qRT-PCR results showed that almost all tested genes (22/24) were predominantly expressed in antennae, indicating that they may be important in olfactory function. Among these antennae-enriched genes, six ORs, five IRs and two GRs displayed female-biased expression, while two ORs displayed male-biased expression. Additionally, HrhoIR75q.2 and HrhoGR67 were more highly expressed in heads and legs. This study enriches the olfactory gene inventory of H. rhodope and provides the foundation for further research of the chemoreception mechanism in diurnal moths.

Redescription and DNA barcoding of diurnal moth Athroolopha latimargoRothschild, 1914 bona sp., stat. rev. from the southern Iberian Peninsula (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae)

The rare and diurnal geometrid moth Athroolopha latimargo Rothschild, 1914 bona sp., stat. rev. is re-discovered and redescribed from the furthest point of the south of the Iberian Peninsula, for the first time since its original description as a subspecies of Athroolopha chrysitaria (Hübner, 1813) from North Africa. The range of this taxon is questioned. A mitochondrial COI barcode sequence was generated for the specimens and compared with Iberian and Sicilian Athroolopha species.

Kunanyia stephaniae gen. nov. & sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae): an unusual and rare diurnal moth from the mountains of Tasmania

We describe the adult, egg, and all larval stages of a new geometrid moth, Kunanyia stephaniae gen. nov. and sp. nov. Although the genus can be placed in the tribe Nacophorini on key morphological features, it possesses a unique suite of characters that distinguish it from other described nacophorines. Larvae reared from eggs obtained from field-collected females, survived to maturity feeding on the dead leaves of Eucalyptus coccifera and other Eucalyptus spp, an unusual foodplant for Geometridae. To date, adults have only been collected in montane habitats on Mt Wellington near Hobart and Mt Bishop and Clerk, Maria Island, Tasmania.