. It is shown that Catochrysops trifracta Butler, 1884, currently a synonym of the widespread old world Euchrysops cnejus (Fabricius, 1798) is a junior subjective synonym of the neotropical ...species Hemiargus hanno (Stoll 1790). To fix the taxonomic identity of the name Catochrysops trifracta Butler, 1884, I designate a lectotype.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
. The Spinose Skipper, Favria cribrellum (Eversmann, 1841) formerly in Muschampia is considered to be a very localised species in Eastern Europe occurring in only a small number of isolated ...colonies. Its ecology, especially relating to its host plant, has long remained unknown. Only in the last decade of research has more light been shed on the distribution and habitat requirements of this species in its western range. The host plant of the Spinose Skipper in the Republic of North Macedonia is revealed for the first time. Three eggs and three larvae were discovered in 2017 on a species of Potentilla, tentatively identified as P. detommasii, from a site near Govrlevo, SW of Skopje. The choice of a cinquefoil as a hostplant provides new evidence to support the species recent separation from the genus Muschampia.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
. The Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae L.) is one of the least observed butterflies of the Palaearctic region, even though its distribution spans from Portugal in the west, to Russia and Korea in ...the far east. Adults are arboreal and seldom descend to ground level. As a result, this species is mostly monitored via the detection of eggs on the food plant during wintertime. In the Iberian Peninsula, this species was largely unknown until very recently, but a recent burst of regional studies in Spain has begun bridging this gap. However, their focused nature and a still incomplete knowledge on T. betulae in Portugal promoted the need for an integrative study at the Iberian scale. Here, we carried out a full literature review on the distribution, ecology and behaviour of T. betulae in Portugal and Spain. Complemented with field work in Portugal, we revealed an almost continuous distribution in the northern third of Iberia, whilst populations further south are mostly mountain-bound. In order to help with future discovery of new populations, we built a species-distribution model relating its occurrence with bioclimatic variables. This model accurately explains the current known occupation of the territory and highlights other areas where the species may potentially be found. Finally, we found evidence of a broadening of the species' niche through the local use of an hitherto unknown food plant. This study sets a new knowledge baseline for future works and conservation of T. betulae through southern Europe.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Chlosyne lacinia saundersii (Doubleday) es un lepidóptero polífago que produce una gran defoliación en sus plantas hospederas. El objetivo fue determinar el tiempo de desarrollo y superviviencia de ...C. lacinia saundersii y referir aspectos de su historia natural sobre "pasto cubano" Tithonia tubaeformis (Jacq.) Cass. (Asteraceae). Las larvas procedentes del campo fueron mantenidas en jaulas en una cámara de cría bajo condiciones controladas y alimentadas con hojas de T. tubaeformis hasta la emergencia de los adultos. A estos últimos se les proporcionó una solución de miel y flores de T. tubaeformis. La duración del ciclo de vida fue de 48 días (huevo: 8,0 días; larva: 24,9; pupa: 6,9 días; adulto: 8,3 días) con seis estadios larvales. La supervivencia de cada estado fue elevada (>70%) pero considerando el periodo comprendido de huevo a pupa, sólo el 52% de los individuos alcanzó la adultez. Se observó gregarismo larval. En relación al sexo hubo predominio de hembras (1,1:1). Las pupas hembras fueron más pesadas que los machos. Este trabajo representa el primer aporte al conocimiento de la biología de C. lacinia saundersii en condiciones de laboratorio sobre la maleza T. tubaeformis. Se confirma al pasto cubano como nueva planta hospedera para C. lacinia saundersii. PALABRAS CLAVE. Cría. Gusano peludo del girasol. Maleza. Jujuy. Chlosyne lacinia saundersii (Doubleday) is a polyphagous lepidopteran that produces a great defoliation in its host plants. The objective of this work was to determine the development and survival time of C. lacinia saundersii and to report aspects of its natural history on "Cuban grass" Tithonia tubaeformis (Jacq.) Cass. (Asteraceae). Caterpillars from the field were kept in cages in a rearing chamber under controlled conditions and fed with leaves of T. tubaeformis until adults' emergence. To the latter, a honey solution and T. tubaeformis flowers was given. The life cycle duration was 48 days (egg: 8.0 days; larva: 24.9; pupa: 6.9 days; adult: 8.3 days) with six larval stages. The survival of each stage of development was high (> 70%) but considering the period from egg to pupa, only 52% of the individuals reached adulthood. Larval gregariousness was observed. In relation to the sexes there is a predominance of females (1.1:1). Female pupae were heavier than males. This work represents the first contribution to the knowledge of the biology of C. lacinia saundersii under laboratory conditions on T. tubaeformis. Cuban grass is confirmed as a new alternative host plant for C. lacinia saundersii. KEYWORDS. Breeding. Hairy sunflower worm. Jujuy. Weed.
By comparing the neurocranium of the "butterfly ray" Gymnura micrura with representative species of five families of Batoidea, it is recognized that it corresponds to the anatomical pattern of the ...order Myliobatiformes, because of the absence of the rostrum, the presence of a single fontanelle and the development of the postorbital processes. The species under study differs from the Urotrygonidae and Dasyatidae by having subdivided postorbital processes. The organization of the encephalon of G. micrura corresponds to the anatomical pattern of the Batoidea. However, unlike the Rhinobatidae, Urotrygonidae, and Dasyatidae, the cerebellum is symmetrical; in contrast with the Myliobatidae, the cerebral hemispheres are reduced; and, the main difference in relation to the Narcinidae, is the absence of electrical lobes. KEY WORDS: Elasmobranchii; Cranium; Brain; Cranial nerves; Sensory organs. Mediante la comparacion del neurocraneo de la "raya mariposa" Gymnura micrura con especies representantes de cinco familias de Batoidea, se reconoce que corresponde al patron anatomico del orden Myliobatiformes, por la ausencia del rostro, la presencia de una sola fontanela y el mayor desarrollo de los procesos postorbitarios. La especie en estudio difiere de los Urotrygonidae y Dasyatidae por tener los procesos postorbitarios subdivididos. La organizacion del encefalo de G. micrura corresponde al patron anatomico de los Batoidea, sin embargo, a diferencia de los Rhinobatidae, Urotrygonidae y Dasyatidae, el cerebelo es simetrico; en contraste con los Myliobatidae los hemisferios cerebrales son reducidos; y la principal diferencia con relacion a los Narcinidae es la ausencia de los lobulos electricos. PALABRAS CLAVE: Elasmobranchii; Craneo; Cerebro; Nervios craneales; Organos sensoriales.
The wing patterns of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) are diverse and striking examples of evolutionary diversification by natural selection. Lepidopteran wing colour patterns are a key ...innovation, consisting of arrays of coloured scales. We still lack a general understanding of how these patterns are controlled and whether this control shows any commonality across the 160,000 moth and 17,000 butterfly species. Here, we use fine-scale mapping with population genomics and gene expression analyses to identify a gene, cortex, that regulates pattern switches in multiple species across the mimetic radiation in Heliconius butterflies. cortex belongs to a fast-evolving subfamily of the otherwise highly conserved fizzy family of cell-cycle regulators, suggesting that it probably regulates pigmentation patterning by regulating scale cell development. In parallel with findings in the peppered moth (Biston betularia), our results suggest that this mechanism is common within Lepidoptera and that cortex has become a major target for natural selection acting on colour and pattern variation in this group of insects.
Coevolutionary interactions are thought to have spurred the evolution of key innovations and driven the diversification of much of life on Earth. However, the genetic and evolutionary basis of the ...innovations that facilitate such interactions remains poorly understood. We examined the coevolutionary interactions between plants (Brassicales) and butterflies (Pieridae), and uncovered evidence for an escalating evolutionary arms-race. Although gradual changes in trait complexity appear to have been facilitated by allelic turnover, key innovations are associated with gene and genome duplications. Furthermore, we show that the origins of both chemical defenses and of molecular counter adaptations were associated with shifts in diversification rates during the arms-race. These findings provide an important connection between the origins of biodiversity, coevolution, and the role of gene and genome duplications as a substrate for novel traits.
The palamedes swallowtail is a large, dark swallowtail butterfly marked with yellow spots and bands. It is particularly common in and near swampy woods.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in217
Also available ...at: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/palamedes_swallowtail.htm
doublesex is a mimicry supergene Kunte, K; Zhang, W; Tenger-Trolander, A ...
Nature (London),
03/2014, Letnik:
507, Številka:
7491
Journal Article
Recenzirano
One of the most striking examples of sexual dimorphism is sex-limited mimicry in butterflies, a phenomenon in which one sex--usually the female--mimics a toxic model species, whereas the other sex ...displays a different wing pattern. Sex-limited mimicry is phylogenetically widespread in the swallowtail butterfly genus Papilio, in which it is often associated with female mimetic polymorphism. In multiple polymorphic species, the entire wing pattern phenotype is controlled by a single Mendelian 'supergene'. Although theoretical work has explored the evolutionary dynamics of supergene mimicry, there are almost no empirical data that address the critical issue of what a mimicry supergene actually is at a functional level. Using an integrative approach combining genetic and association mapping, transcriptome and genome sequencing, and gene expression analyses, we show that a single gene, doublesex, controls supergene mimicry in Papilio polytes. This is in contrast to the long-held view that supergenes are likely to be controlled by a tightly linked cluster of loci. Analysis of gene expression and DNA sequence variation indicates that isoform expression differences contribute to the functional differences between dsx mimicry alleles, and protein sequence evolution may also have a role. Our results combine elements from different hypotheses for the identity of supergenes, showing that a single gene can switch the entire wing pattern among mimicry phenotypes but may require multiple, tightly linked mutations to do so.
Identifying the genetic mechanisms of adaptation requires the elucidation of links between the evolution of DNA sequence, phenotype, and fitness
. Convergent evolution can be used as a guide to ...identify candidate mutations that underlie adaptive traits
, and new genome editing technology is facilitating functional validation of these mutations in whole organisms
. We combined these approaches to study a classic case of convergence in insects from six orders, including the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), that have independently evolved to colonize plants that produce cardiac glycoside toxins
. Many of these insects evolved parallel amino acid substitutions in the α-subunit (ATPα) of the sodium pump (Na
/K
-ATPase)
, the physiological target of cardiac glycosides
. Here we describe mutational paths involving three repeatedly changing amino acid sites (111, 119 and 122) in ATPα that are associated with cardiac glycoside specialization
. We then performed CRISPR-Cas9 base editing on the native Atpα gene in Drosophila melanogaster flies and retraced the mutational path taken across the monarch lineage
. We show in vivo, in vitro and in silico that the path conferred resistance and target-site insensitivity to cardiac glycosides
, culminating in triple mutant 'monarch flies' that were as insensitive to cardiac glycosides as monarch butterflies. 'Monarch flies' retained small amounts of cardiac glycosides through metamorphosis, a trait that has been optimized in monarch butterflies to deter predators
. The order in which the substitutions evolved was explained by amelioration of antagonistic pleiotropy through epistasis
. Our study illuminates how the monarch butterfly evolved resistance to a class of plant toxins, eventually becoming unpalatable, and changing the nature of species interactions within ecological communities
.
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