Members of the family Buprestidae were collected in the survey conducted during 2005 to 2013 in various provinces of Pakistan including Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwah has well as Azad Kashmir and Tribal areas (Kurram Agency). The... more
Members of the family Buprestidae were collected in the survey conducted during 2005 to 2013 in various provinces of Pakistan including Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwah has well as Azad Kashmir and Tribal areas (Kurram Agency). The specimens were collected by beating branches of trees and bushes, by using sweep net and hand picking methods. Thirty nine species and 6 sub species, 14 genera, 10 tribes and 5 sub families are reported based.
Background: Arthropods have received much attention as a model for studying opsin evolution in invertebrates. Yet, relatively few studies have investigated the diversity of opsin proteins that underlie spectral sensitivity of the visual... more
Background: Arthropods have received much attention as a model for studying opsin evolution in invertebrates. Yet, relatively few studies have investigated the diversity of opsin proteins that underlie spectral sensitivity of the visual pigments within the diverse beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera). Previous work has demonstrated that beetles appear to lack the short-wavelength-sensitive (SWS) opsin class that typically confers sensitivity to the " blue " region of the light spectrum. However, this is contrary to established physiological data in a number of Coleoptera. To explore potential adaptations at the molecular level that may compensate for the loss of the SWS opsin, we carried out an exploration of the opsin proteins within a group of beetles (Buprestidae) where shortwave sensitivity has been demonstrated. RNA-seq data were generated to identify opsin proteins from nine taxa comprising six buprestid species (including three male/female pairs) across four subfamilies. Structural analyses of recovered opsins were conducted and compared to opsin sequences in other insects across the main opsin classes—ultraviolet, short-wavelength, and long-wavelength. Results: All nine buprestids were found to express two opsin copies in each of the ultraviolet and long-wavelength classes, contrary to the single copies recovered in all other molecular studies of adult beetle opsin expression. No SWS opsin class was recovered. Furthermore, the male Agrilus planipennis (emerald ash borer—EAB) expressed a third LWS opsin at low levels that is presumed to be a larval copy. Subsequent homology and structural analyses identified multiple amino acid substitutions in the UVS and LWS copies that could confer short-wavelength sensitivity.
Resumen. Se describe una nueva especie de Ectinogonia Spinola, Ectinogonia vidali nov. sp., a partir de ejemplares recolectados en la cordillera andina de la Región del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins. Se presentan caracteres de... more
Resumen. Se describe una nueva especie de Ectinogonia Spinola, Ectinogonia vidali nov. sp., a partir de ejemplares recolectados en la cordillera andina de la Región del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins. Se presentan caracteres de diagnóstico para la especie, fotografías del adulto y la genitalia masculina. Adicionalmente se comentan las diferencias que esta tiene con algunos de sus congéneres, y se describe brevemente la variabilidad cromática del nuevo taxón. Abstract. A new species of Ectinogonia Spinola, Ectinogonia vidali sp. nov., is described from specimens collected in the Andean mountains of the Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Region. Diagnostic characters for the species, photographs of adults and male genitalia are presented. The differences of this species with some of their congeners are discussed, and the chromatic variability of the new taxon is briefly described.
In this work, all known data about history of the publications in Romanian Buprestidae, faun-sitic, ecological, biological and bionomical, as well as some conclusions and recommendations are briefly given. Brief History of publications... more
In this work, all known data about history of the publications in Romanian Buprestidae, faun-sitic, ecological, biological and bionomical, as well as some conclusions and recommendations are briefly given. Brief History of publications Before 1940, all these studies was non spe-cific, only inventoried species in Coleopteran checklists. seidlitz (1891) in "Fauna Transsylvanica" -84 Buprestid species from the Central Europe, in-cluding Transylvania. HuRmuzacHi (1901) -relationship of Acmae-odera degener and Perotis lugubris with xeric Med-iterran habitats. Fleck (1905) "Die Coleopteren Catalogus" lists 45 Buprestid species from the Southern and Eastern regions. kutHy (1918) publishes the Buprestid Cata-logue of Hungary -included Transylvania and Ba-nat. PetRi (1912, 1920) -publishes a synthesis of all coleopteran species from Transylvania from all prior authors -included 66 Buprestid species. maRcu (1928, 1930, 1931) publishes check-lists of coleopteran species fro...
The flat-headed borer, Capnodis tenebrionis (Linnaeus, 1760) , dispersed extensively in various geographical regions; it is extremely harmful and a dire threat to most stone fruit cultivars, and once the larva enters under the host tree... more
The flat-headed borer, Capnodis tenebrionis (Linnaeus, 1760) , dispersed extensively in various geographical regions; it is extremely harmful and a dire threat to most stone fruit cultivars, and once the larva enters under the host tree crown, the infested host tree will gradually dry and eventually die. In this study, specimens were collected from several sites in Erbil province, Kurdistan Region-Iraq; then the fully grown larvae were selected for morphological study. In addition, clarification of morphological consequential and implication for most diagnostic characters were studied in all dissected parts. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to further analyze the hidden features of the selected characteristics; those were not shown in the primary mounting. The results impressively presented new conclusive evidence for the descriptive illustration of C. tenebrionis, and it confirmed a precise identification of this species in the larval stage.