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The bumble bee (Bombus spp.) fauna of Texas has been infrequently studied and few modern surveys have been conducted to assess the current status of the state's species. A significant body of research has documented declines for bumble bee species across several continents including North America. Historically, six bumble bee species have been recorded from northeastern Texas: B. griseocollis (De Geer 1773), B. bimaculatus Cresson 1863, B. impatiens Cresson 1863, B. variabilis (Cresson 1872), B. fraternus (Smith 1854), and B. pensylvanicus (De Geer 1773). Three of those (B. fraternus, B. pensylvanicus, and B. variablis) are considered potentially threatened given evidence of range-wide declines. However, the current status of these species in northeast Texas has not been addressed. In this study we perform field surveys of bumble bees in northeastern Texas and compare those data to historical specimen records to evaluate the current status of historically present species. We confirm that B. fraternus, B. griseocollis, and B. pensylvanicus persist across the study region. The remaining species, B. bimaculatus, B. impatiens, and B. variabilis, were historically rare in the study region and were not detected in the present study; the two former are on the western edge of their ranges in Texas and the latter is a cleptoparasitic species that is inherently difficult to detect. The results of this study establish current bumble bee persistence in northeast Texas and can serve as a departure point for future assessments of bumble bee species dynamics.
Several members of the Psylloidea vector pathogens of agricultural crops in the Pacific Northwest (“PNW”) U.S. states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. These crop-production concerns have renewed interest in the biodiversity of this superfamily in the region. We compiled a checklist of this group by examining published records and collections. This revealed 118 species of psyllids from 23 genera; 29 of these species had not been previously reported in the PNW. Our species list provides a useful starting point for entomologists investigating the ecology of emerging insect-transmitted plant pathogens in the region.
The North American leafminers recorded from hosts in Onagraceae are summarized. The immature stages of Aristotelia isopelta Meyrick (Gelechiidae) are reported for the first time; larvae feed on Oenothera biennis L. and Epilobium sp. and are parasitized by Chelonus (Microchelonus) Szépligeti (Braconidae). Mompha argentimaculella (Murtfeldt) (Momphidae) is newly recorded from O. pilosella Raf. and is parasitized by Pnigalio flavipes (Ashmead) (Eulophidae). Mompha locupletella (Denis and Schiffermüller) is newly recorded from North America, mining leaves of E. ciliatum Raf. and parasitized by Sympiesis argenticoxae Girault (Eulophidae). New observations of the larval habits of the Circaea L. miner M. terminella (Westwood) are reported, along with the rearing of a parasitoid, Microgaster n. sp. (Braconidae). Distribution data are summarized for the Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub miner Mompha raschkiella (Zeller), whose presence in North America was only recently discovered. Numerous other Onagraceae-feeding Mompha species from the western U.S.A. have yet to be documented.
The known insect associates of Caltha palustris L. (Ranunculaceae) in North America are reviewed. Zygoneura calthellanew species (Sciaridae) is described from western Massachusetts, USA. Larvae bore in petioles and stems of C. palustris and mine into the basal portions of the leaves. DNA barcodes of the new and other Zygoneura species are presented. Inquilines and parasitoids in the larval galleries of Z. calthella include an undescribed species of Elachiptera Macquart (Chloropidae); Megaselia limburgensis (Schmitz) (Phoridae); Scaptomyza pallida (Zetterstedt) (Drosophilidae); and a species of Neurateles Ratzeburg (Ichneumonidae). Larvae of Prasocuris boreella (Schaeffer) (Chrysomelidae) feed externally on foliage of the same plants.
The eccritotarsine plant bug genus Sinervus Stål is revised and the species S. apicalis, n. sp. from Honduras and S. cunealis, n. sp. and S. egeri, n. sp. from Brazil are described, bringing the total species in the genus to 11. Sinervus and the nine previously known species are diagnosed and the three new species are described. The genus Sinervaspartus, n. gen. is described to accommodate Spartacus discovittatus Carvalho, new combination (as the type species), Sinervus espartacoides Carvalho and Gomes, new combination, Spartacus venezuelanus Carvalho, new combination, and Sinervaspartus marginalis, n. sp. from Peru. Color dorsal images for all species, male genitalia for the new species, selected SEM micrographs, and keys to help distinguish Sinervus and Sinervaspartus and all included species are provided. Relationships with the New World genus Spartacus Distant and certain Old World genera are discussed.
We assess variation of male secondary sexual structures, genitalia, and wing patterns in Theritas lisus (Stoll) and relatives to clarify the species level taxonomy, which is needed for a phylogenetic analysis. Variation in the male ventral hindwing scent pouch was especially useful taxonomically. This pouch may be absent, present without androconia, or present with androconia in T. lisus. Despite this variation, pouch size (when present) distinguishes T. lisus from its closest relatives. As an overview, we propose distinguishing traits for a phenetic T. lisus species group, re-examine and confirm the proposed synonymies of T. hisbon and T. orsina with T. lisus and of T. photeinos with T. viresco, confirm the association of the sexes of T. lisus and T. viresco, and describe Theritas silma Martins, Faynel, & Robbins, new species, from French Guiana. CO1 mitochondrial sequences are consistent with these taxonomic results, but the recently introduced barcode index numbers (BINs) recognized too many species. A nomenclatural list summarizes the taxonomic actions in the T. lisus species group.
We evaluated the utility of DNA barcodes for identifying Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) infesting sweet oranges in Nigeria. Approximately 658 bp of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) was amplified, sequenced, and analyzed for 32 adult samples, eight from each of the four geopolitical zones of Nigeria. All of the samples had identical sequences except for two, both of which showed a transition from “G” to “A” at position 433 bp. DNA barcodes of specimens from Nigeria showed 100% similarity with sequences of T. leucotreta in the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) from Kenya and South Africa; all the Nigerian samples cluster with T. leucotreta from BOLD with a bootstrap support of 90. DNA barcoding is consistent with identifications of the samples based on morphology.
A lectotype is officially selected for Crophius impressus Van Duzee, and the species is redescribed. A new species, Crophius tumidus is described from California. This latter species was previously confused with Crophius impressus, so a couplet is provided to distinguish C. impressus from C. tumidus.
The aenictopecheine bug Boreostolus americanus is reported from British Columbia. This represents the first record of the family Aenictopecheidae in Canada. The family Aenictopecheidae, subfamily Aenictopecheinae, tribe Gamostolini, the genus Boreostolus, and the species B. americanus are diagnosed. Photographs of B. americanus are provided.
Pristiphora fructicola Smith and Dolan, n. sp., is described from Montana. It would belong to the former genus Melastola Wong of the former tribe Pristolini, recently synonymized with Pristiphora Latreille. Adults were numerous around Vaccinium globulare Rydberg (Ericaceae), the presumed host, where larvae feed in the fruits. The species is distinguished from the other two species previously placed in Melastola, P. resinicolor (Marlatt) and P. ferruginosa (Wong) (n. comb.). Several new distribution records and host plant associations are given for the species of “Pristolini.”
Records for 281 species of sawflies in 11 families are listed for West Virginia. Results are based on extensiveMalaise trap collections at several sites in Hardy, Tucker, and Pocohantas counties and data from museum specimens. County records and recorded host plants are given for each species.
The chinch bug Wheelerodemus muhlenbergiae Henry and Sweet was described as a new species in 2015 based on collections from disjunct regions of Oklahoma (Arbuckle Mountains and nearby areas) and Texas (eastern Edwards Plateau). Adults are short winged (micropterous) and flightless. The known host plants are two species of the grass genus Muhlenbergia: M. lindheimeri in Texas and M. reverchonii in Oklahoma and Texas. The present paper provides additional information on the study sites and host plants, adds collection sites not included in the original description, and gives notes on seasonality. Adults overwintered and first instars were observed as early as late April. Second instars were present in late May, third instars in early to mid-June, and fourth and fifth instars in early July. The bug might be univoltine, but the adults observed in late October probably represented those of a second generation. Vascular plants and other insect groups with similar Arbuckle Mountains-Edwards Plateau range disjunctions are noted. As a hostrestricted, dispersal-limited, and habitat-specialized species, W. muhlenbergiae is a potential indicator of the ecological integrity of grasslands on limestone and sandstone substrates.
Nothodelphax occlusa is a little-known delphacid planthopper of the subfamily Delphacinae, tribe Delphacini. All records are from western North America: British Columbia in Canada; Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, andWashington in the United States; and Baja California in Mexico. Its host plants have remained unknown. Based on fieldwork in Oregon and Washington (2007–2009), N. occlusa is reported to develop on common rush, Juncus effusus (Juncaceae), in natural stands and ornamental plantings. The presence of N. occlusa in waterside gardens and other landscape plantings suggests that it can be transported with Juncus nursery stock. It was not found on grasses (Poaceae) or sedges (Cyperaceae). All adult males collected (n 5 170) were brachypterous; females were mainly brachypterous (n 5 47), with the remainder macropterous (n 5 19). The adult male and female are described, and color photographs of the male and female (dorsal habitus) and hindleg (showing calcar and teeth) are included.
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