Search Results (8)

The taiga tick Ixodes persulcatus (Schulze, 1930) (Acari, Ixodidae) is the main vector of the tick-borne encephalitis virus and one of the most widespread species of ixodid ticks in the Palaearctic. In this paper, we present long-term data on the seasonal activity of adult ticks in the north-west of their distribution. The seasonal activity of Ixodes persulcatus was studied from 1982 to 1990 and from 2012 to 2023 in the middle taiga subzone of Karelia (N62.0697, E33.961). In the study area, adult ticks I. persulcatus demonstrate a pronounced spring–summer activity with a unimodal curve of abundance change. A comparison of the monitoring data from the 1980s and the 2010s showed a significant increase in the abundance of I. persulcatus in the study area. A tendency towards an earlier start of the tick activity, as compared to the 1980s, is now being observed. Full article

Aeshnidae Rambur, 1842 are impressive large insects distributed worldwide. Currently, over 500 species are recognized. Nevertheless, the phylogeny of this family is not completely understood. We applied molecular phylogenetic analysis using two popular phylogenetic markers, the mitochondrial COI gene fragment (barcoding sequence) and the nucleic ITS region, containing the ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, and ITS2 sequences. We used available and credible published sequences and 96 newly sequenced specimens. Our analysis involved all West Palaearctic species, all but one genera of the Holarctic Aeshnidae, and most genera worldwide, and is by far the largest molecular study of this family. The topology of all trees created with different algorithms and genes is in favour of the current taxonomic concept, with some remarkable outcomes. Aeshna Fabricius, 1775, was found to be diverged into several branches, especially with respect to the COI gene. Although it appeared not monophyletic in phylogenetic reconstructions based on the ITS region, the analysis of COI and joint analysis suggest its monophyly in the current taxonomical sense, with one notable exception. Aeshna isoceles (Müller, 1767) has fallen out of Aeshna in all analyses, so a new monophyletic genus, Isoaeschna gen. nov. is introduced for it. The genus Brachytron Evans, 1845 tightly clustered with Aeschnophlebia Selys, 1883, Epiaeschna Hagen in Selys, 1883, and Nasiaeschna Selys in Förster, 1900. Thus, we suggest subsuming these four genera under the priority name Brachytron. Tetracanthagyna Selys, 1883 clusters as expected with Brachytron in the ITS tree, but is an independent ancient clade of its own in all COI trees. The genus Polycanthagyna Fraser, 1933 syn. nov. is synonymised to Indaeschna Fraser, 1926. On the species level, we suggest that the American Aeshna septentrionalis Burmeister, 1839 be treated as a subspecies of A. caerulea (Ström, 1783), Aeshna caerulea septentrionalis. We synonymize Gynacantha hyalina Selys, 1882 with Gynacantha subinterrupta Rambur, 1842. Our analysis provides new insights on the tight relationships of the circumboreal species Aeshna juncea and A. subarctica and the intraspecies phylogeny of Aeshna juncea. Full article

In 2006 and 2011, two biting-midge-borne arboviruses of high veterinary importance emerged for the first time in Central Europe: bluetongue virus (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV). Members of the native Obsoletus and Pulicaris Groups were soon identified as the potential vectors. However, despite several years of extensive taxonomic research on these groups, correct species identification and differentiation from closely related species are still challenging due to isomorphic features, the existence of cryptic species and obsolete PCR identification assays. At present, 17 valid West Palaearctic biting midge species of the Culicoides subgenus Culicoides, including the Pulicaris Group, are known, and additional genetic variants have been described. For many of them, no identification tests are available, and their roles in disease transmission have remained unknown. In this study, 465 GenBank DNA sequence entries of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene were used to design PCR primers as specific genetic markers for 21 West Palaearctic biting midge taxa of the Culicoides subgenus Culicoides. During their validation with DNA from field-collected biting midges and synthetic DNA from biting midge genotypes not available from the field, all primers detected their target taxa, while few showed cross-reactions. Our results indicate the great potential of the new primers in PCR assays and clearly demonstrate the suitability of the COI gene as an excellent marker for the identification of different biting midge species and genetic variants of the Culicoides subgenus Culicoides. Full article

The genus Myzocallis Passerini (Hemiptera, Aphididae, Calaphidinae, Myzocallidini) is a rather primitive group of aphids currently comprising 45 species and 3 subspecies, subdivided into ten subgenera, three of them having a West Palaearctic distribution. The majority of the species inhabit Fagales plants and some of them are considered pests. Despite their ecological interest and the presence of some taxonomic controversies, there are only a few molecular studies on the group. Here, the main aims were to develop a DNA barcodes library for the molecular identification of West Palaearctic Myzocallis species, to evaluate the congruence among their morphological, ecological and DNA-based delimitation, and verify the congruence of the subgeneric subdivision presently adopted by comparing the results with those obtained for other Panaphidini species. These study findings indicate that Myzocallis (Agrioaphis) leclanti, originally described as a subspecies of M. (A.) castanicola and M. (M.) schreiberi, considered as a subspecies of M. (M.) boerneri, should be regarded at a rank of full species, and the subgenera Agrioaphis, Lineomyzocallis, Neomyzocallis, Pasekia were elevated to the rank of genus, while Myzocallis remain as such. Full article

Revisionary taxonomic studies of bees from the Old World Mediterranean basin are hindered both by the apparent absence of type material for many taxa and a lack of genetic resources. The discovery of important type materials in combination with the generation of novel DNA barcodes (Cytochrome Oxidase I) has allowed cryptic diversity within the widespread taxa Nomiapis bispinosa (Brullé, 1832) and Systropha planidens Giraud, 1861 to be clarified. Nomiapis bispinosa actually consists of three distinct taxa: Nomiapis bispinosa s. str. from Morocco and Iberia to Central Asia, Nomiapis rufiventris (Spinola, 1838) spec. resurr. from Morocco to Egypt, including Sicily and Nomiapis paulyispec. nov. from Portugal and Spain. A lectotype is designated for Nomia rufiventris Spinola, 1838. Lectotypes are designated for Nomia bispinosa Brullé, 1832 and Nomia albocincta Lucas, 1849, and type material for Nomia perforata Lucas, 1849 is clarified; both Nomiapis albocincta and Nomiapis perforata are synonymised syn. nov. with Nomiapis rufiventris. A lectotype is designated for Nomia ruficornis Spinola, 1838, and this taxon is confirmed as a synonym of Nomiapis bispinosa. Systropha planidens also consists of three distinct taxa: S. planidens from Central Europe to Iran and the European part of Russia, S. grandimargo Pérez, 1905 spec. resurr. from Portugal, Spain, and France, and S. anatolica Warncke, 1977 stat. nov. from Turkey, Syria, and northern Israel. A lectotype is designated for Systropha planidens Giraud, 1861. Systropha chrysura Pérez, 1905 is synonymised syn. nov. with S. grandimargo. These findings illustrate the extent to which our understanding of the taxonomy of Mediterranean bees remains incomplete. Full article

Microphor baechlii sp. nov. (Switzerland, Turkey), M. chvalai sp. nov. (France), M. nevadensis sp. nov. (Spain), M. pallipes sp. nov. (Italy), and M. turcicus sp. nov. (Turkey) are described and illustrated. The neotype of M. anomalus (Meigen, 1824) is designated. Males of all known Palaearctic species of Microphor are keyed, genitalia are illustrated for new species and species previously inadequately illustrated, and main diagnostic characters are discussed. Microphorstrobli Chvála, 1986 is newly recorded from Bulgaria, M. anomalus (Meigen, 1824) is newly recorded from Turkey, and M. holosericeus (Meigen, 1804) is newly recorded from Turkey and Portugal. Full article

Although the Mediterranean area is a well-known hotspot of biological diversity, the crustacean assemblages inhabiting inland waters of the Mediterranean islands are to date unevenly known, and detailed information is missing for most taxa and areas. In the frame of this paper, we provide a checklist and a characterization of the copepod fauna of the lentic water bodies occurring in a traditional rural landscape of Sicily, where the co-existence of agriculture, woodlands, and pastoral activities lead to the presence of a wide range of different aquatic habitats. Overall, 22 copepod species belonging to the orders Calanoida, Cyclopoida, and Harpacticoida have been found in the 92 surveyed sites, stressing the conservation value of the area. In the study area, species widespread in the west Palaearctic region co-exist with strictly Mediterranean elements and a small but biogeographically significant group of species with northern or Balkan affinities, which support the role of the investigated area as a refugium for species that colonised Sicily during Pleistocene climate fluctuations and are now restricted to the more wet parts of the island. A single non-native species has been found, and its distribution is currently limited to permanent, man-made reservoirs. Full article

Taxonomy of the genus Cordulegaster Leach in Brewster, 1815 in the Eastern part of the Western Palaearctic is poorly resolved. A two-step approach was applied: sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA fragments were used to sort specimens; poorly known or new taxa with their phenotypic variation were described. The existence of two traditional groups (boltonii- and bidentata-group) was confirmed. Cordulegaster coronata Morton, 1916, however, belongs to a different group. Molecular-analysis supported three known and one new species (C. heros Theischinger, 1979, C. picta Selys, 1854, C. vanbrinkae Lohmann, 1993, and C. kalkmani sp. nov.) in the boltonii-group. In the bidentata-group, all specimens from West-Turkey belonged to C. insignis Schneider, 1845, all specimens further east to a complex of four closely related species, which we name charpentieri-complex (C. amasina Morton, 1916, stat. rev., C. mzymtae Bartenev, 1929 C. charpentieri (Kolenati, 1846), stat. rev. and C. cilicia sp. nov.). The following taxa: C. insignis nobilis Morton, 1916, syn. nov., C. nachitschevanica Skvortsov and Snegovaya, 2015, syn. nov. C. plagionyx Skvortsov and Snegovaya, 2015, syn. nov. and the Caucasian subspecies C. insignis lagodechica Bartenev, 1930, syn. nov., were synonymized with C. charpentieri. Finally, we provide a key for all Western Palaearctic Cordulegaster. Full article