Search

Abstract Background The morphological structures of organisms form tightly integrated but mutually independent character complexes (modules) linked through common development and function. Even though their abundance, diversity, and complex caste systems make camponotine ants ideal subjects to research developmental modularity and phenotypic integration, no studies investigating these phenomena have been conducted in this taxonomic group. This study attempts to identify and visualize integrated character complexes in 14 taxa from the genera Camponotus and Colobopsis using statistical analyses of morphometry. Results The identified modules differ between castes: Minor workers have small heads and long extremities, while major workers have enlarged heads modified for defence, and short, thick appendages; extremities (legs and antennae) are strongly correlated in both worker castes. Gynes show weaker integration of extremities, but a strong correlation of mesosoma and eyes, and highly variable median ocellus size. Gynes infested by mermithid nematodes exhibit reduction of gyne-specific characters and altered patterns of phenotypic integration. Conclusion The integrated character complexes described herein can largely be interpreted as functional, caste-specific modules related to behavioural ecology and task allocation within ant colonies. This modular nature of the body plan is hypothesized to facilitate the evolution of novel phenotypes and thus contributes to the tremendous evolutionary success of ants. The study of these modules can help to further elucidate the evolution and ontogeny of castes in camponotine ants, as well as the effects of parasite infestation on the phenotype.

Three new species of the Rhagovelia orientalis species group are described from the Philippines: R. sophiae sp.n. from Catanduanes, R. masbatensis sp.n. from Masbate and Ticao, and R. orientaliformis sp.n. from western Mindanao. The species group now contains 30 species; 24 are endemic to the Philippines.

Background: This survey aims to provide an updated species checklist of aquatic and semi-aquatic bugs in the intra-Philippine biogeographic Region of Mindoro. An assessment survey of water bugs (Hemiptera, Heteroptera) was conducted mostly by manual collection in selected areas of Oriental Mindoro from 2017 to 2018, in which some of the collecting activities were undertaken by graduate students of Ateneo de Manila University., New Information: Twenty-nine aquatic and semi-aquatic heteropteran species were documented and some are known island-endemic species or subspecies, including Enithares martini mindoroensis Nieser & Zettel, 1999, Hydrotrephes stereoides mindoroensis Zettel, 2003, Aphelocheirus freitagi Zettel & Pangantihon, 2010, Rhagovelia mindoroensis Zettel, 1994, Rhagovelia raddai Zettel, 1994, Rhagovelia potamophila Zettel, 1996 and Strongylovelia mindoroensis Lansbury & Zettel, 1997, which were found in new areas in the Region. In addition, there are also new records for the Island that have already been documented in other parts of the Philippines, such as the Philippine-endemic Ochterus magnus Gapud & San Valentin, 1977 and Hebrus philippinus Zettel, 2006 and the widely-distributed backswimmers Anisops nigrolineatus Lundblad, 1933 and Anisops rhomboides Nieser & Chen, 1999. Several undescribed specimens and potentially new species are also discussed in this paper. Further surveys in the other parts of Mindoro and in the other regions of the Philippines, are encouraged to produce a comprehensive baseline data of heteropteran species richness in the country., (Arthien Lovell Pelingen, Herbert Zettel, Clister V Pangantihon, Kyra Mari Dominique Aldaba, Earl Kevin Fatallo, Jemillie Madonna de Leon, Hendrik Freitag.)

Aphelocheirus (Micraphelocheirus) narumonae sp.n. from northeastern Thailand is described. Collections of the new species originate from Khao Yai National Park and its surroundings. The new species is similar and probably closely related to Aphelocheirus (Micraphelocheirus) brevirostris Polhemus Polhemus, 1989, an endemic species from northern Thailand. Differences are found mainly in the male genitalia and sculpture of the head and pronotum. A key to the species of Micraphelocheirus is provided.

Forty-five volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified or annotated in the mandibular gland reservoir content (MGRC) of the Southeast Asian ant Colobopsis explodens Laciny and Zettel, 2018 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled to gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid extraction combined with GC-MS. In extension of previous reports on VOCs of C. explodens , members of different compound classes, such as alkanes, aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids, and phenolics, were detected. The ketone 2-heptanone and the biochemically related phenolics benzene-1,3,5-triol (phloroglucinol, PG), 1-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)ethanone (monoacetylphloroglucinol, MAPG), 5,7-dihydroxy-2-methylchromen-4-one (noreugenin), and 1-(3-Acetyl-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)ethanone (2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol, DAPG) dominated the GC-MS chromatograms. The identities of the main phenolics MAPG and noreugenin were further verified by liquid chromatography-high resolution-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS). A comparative study of MGRC samples originating from three distinct field expeditions revealed differences in the VOC profiles, but the presence and relative abundances of the dominating constituents were largely consistent in all samples. Our study considerably extends the knowledge about the number and type of VOCs occurring in the MGRC of C. explodens . Based on the type of the detected compounds, we propose that the likely irritant and antibiotic phenolic constituents play a role in defense against arthropod opponents or in protection against microbial pathogens.

The aim of this manuscript is to present a protocol describing the metabolomic analysis of Bornean 'exploding ants' belonging to the Colobopsis cylindrica (COCY) group. For this purpose, the model species C. explodens is used. Ants belonging to the minor worker caste possess distinctive hypertrophied mandibular glands (MGs). In territorial combat, they use the viscous contents of their enlarged mandibular gland reservoirs (MGRs) to kill rival arthropods in characteristic suicidal 'explosions' by voluntary rupture of the gastral integument (autothysis). We show the dissection of worker ants of this species for the isolation of the gastral portion of the wax-like MGR contents as well as listing the necessary steps required for solvent-extraction of the therein contained volatile compounds with subsequent gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and putative identification of metabolites contained in the extract. The dissection procedure is performed under cooled conditions and without the use of any dissection buffer solution to minimize the changes in the chemical composition of the MGR contents. After solvent-based extraction of volatile metabolites contained therein, the necessary steps for analyzing the samples via liquid-injection-GC-MS are presented. Lastly, data processing and putative metabolite identification with the use of the open-source software MetaboliteDetector is shown. With this approach, the profiling and identification of volatile metabolites in MGRs of ants belonging to the COCY group via GC-MS and the MetaboliteDetector software become possible.

A taxonomic description of all castes of Colobopsis explodens Laciny & Zettel, sp. n. from Borneo, Thailand, and Malaysia is provided, which serves as a model species for biological studies on "exploding ants" in Southeast Asia. The new species is a member of the Colobopsis cylindrica (COCY) group and falls into a species complex that has been repeatedly summarized under the name Colobopsis saundersi (Emery, 1889) (formerly Camponotus saundersi ). The COCY species group is known under its vernacular name "exploding ants" for a unique behaviour: during territorial combat, workers of some species sacrifice themselves by rupturing their gaster and releasing sticky and irritant contents of their hypertrophied mandibular gland reservoirs to kill or repel rivals. This study includes first illustrations and morphometric characterizations of males of the COCY group: Colobopsis explodens Laciny & Zettel, sp. n. and Colobopsis badia (Smith, 1857). Characters of male genitalia and external morphology are compared with other selected taxa of Camponotini. Preliminary notes on the biology of C. explodens Laciny & Zettel, sp. n. are provided. To fix the species identity of the closely related C. badia , a lectotype from Singapore is designated. The following taxonomic changes within the C. saundersi complex are proposed: Colobopsis solenobia (Menozzi, 1926), syn. n. and Colobopsis trieterica (Menozzi, 1926), syn. n. are synonymized with Colobopsis corallina Roger, 1863, a common endemic species of the Philippines. Colobopsis saginata Stitz, 1925, stat. n ., hitherto a subspecies of C. badia , is raised to species level.

Hebrus franzi (Wagner, 1957) was described from the Apuan Alps (Tuscany, Italy) and not found again for several decades despite intensive search. We report on new collections that expand the known distribution area considerably, provide a redescription, and give first insights regarding the ecology of this remarkable flightless species.

A new species of open-air processional column termite is here described based on the soldier and worker castes from eight colonies in north Barito, central Kalimantan. Hospitalitermes nigriantennalis sp. n. is readily distinguished in the field from related Hospitalitermes spp. by the light brown to orangish coloration of the soldier head capsule that, further, is with vertex yellowish and nasus brownish. The soldier antenna and the maxillary and labial palps are blackish. By contrast, soldiers from other species of Hospitalitermes from this region have a uniformly black head capsule and antennae. Finally, Hospitalitermes nigriantennalis sp. n. has a minute indentation in the middle of the posterior part of head capsule, which further helps to differentiate this new species from other Hospitalitermes from the Indo-Malayan and Austro-Malayan regions.

Current science evaluation still relies on citation performance, despite criticisms of purely bibliometric research assessments. Biological taxonomy suffers from a drain of knowledge and manpower, with poor citation performance commonly held as one reason for this impediment. But is there really such a citation impediment in taxonomy? We compared the citation numbers of 306 taxonomic and 2291 non-taxonomic research articles (2009-2012) on mosses, orchids, ciliates, ants, and snakes, using Web of Science (WoS) and correcting for journal visibility. For three of the five taxa, significant differences were absent in citation numbers between taxonomic and non-taxonomic papers. This was also true for all taxa combined, although taxonomic papers received more citations than non-taxonomic ones. Our results show that, contrary to common belief, taxonomic contributions do not generally reduce a journal's citation performance and might even increase it. The scope of many journals rarely featuring taxonomy would allow editors to encourage a larger number of taxonomic submissions. Moreover, between 1993 and 2012, taxonomic publications accumulated faster than those from all biological fields. However, less than half of the taxonomic studies were published in journals in WoS. Thus, editors of highly visible journals inviting taxonomic contributions could benefit from taxonomy's strong momentum. The taxonomic output could increase even more than at its current growth rate if: (i) taxonomists currently publishing on other topics returned to taxonomy and (ii) non-taxonomists identifying the need for taxonomic acts started publishing these, possibly in collaboration with taxonomists. Finally, considering the high number of taxonomic papers attracted by the journal Zootaxa, we expect that the taxonomic community would indeed use increased chances of publishing in WoS indexed journals. We conclude that taxonomy's standing in the present citation-focused scientific landscape could easily improve-if the community becomes aware that there is no citation impediment in taxonomy., (© The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists.)

In the course of preparing a key to the Philippine tiger beetle genera (Pangantihon & Zettel, in prep.) it became necessary to examine the holotype of Cicindela philippinensis Mandl, 1956, the only specimen from the Philippines that has been tentatively assigned to the genus Myriochila Motschulsky, 1857.

Two new species of water striders in the genus Pleciobates are described from India and compared with allied species. Pleciobates bengalensis Jehamalar, Basu & Zettel sp. nov. is described from the Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal and Pleciobates expositus Jehamalar, Chandra & Zettel sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Gerridae) is described from the Dhubri District, Assam. A key to the species of Pleciobates and a distribution map of the species of Pleciobates from India are provided. For the first time the genitalia of Pleciobates females are described in detail.

We investigated phylogenetic relationships among pond skaters (Heteroptera: Gerridae) of the genus Limnogonus Stål 1868 by performing separate and combined parsimony analyses of DNA sequences from three mitochondrial (COI+II, 16SrRNA) and one nuclear (28SrRNA) gene(s). The taxon sample represented almost two thirds of the known diversity, and with most taxa represented by two or more individuals. A simultaneous analysis of all data showed that L. luctuosus Montrousier 1865 was paraphyletic and suggests that "L. luctuosus" from Australia and possibly also a population from the Society Islands (Moorea) each represents unrecognized species. L. fossarum F. 1775 was strongly supported, but the two subspecies L. f. fossarum F. 1775 and L. f. gilguy Andersen and Weir 1997 were paraphyletic. The two currently recognized subgenera Limnogonus (s. str.) Stål 1868 and L. (Limnogonoides)Andersen 1975 were paraphyletic, and were accordingly broken up in several monophyletic groups, each containing one or more species. From Limnogonus (s. str.) we delimited five clades: I (comprising L. aduncus Drake & Harris 1933, L. recens Drake and Harris 1934, L. profugus Drake & Harris 1930 and L. ignotus Drake and Harris 1934, all from the Neotropical Region), II (comprising L. nitidus Mayr 1865 from the Oriental Region), III (comprising L. franciscanus (Stål 1859) from the New World and L. cereiventris (Signoret 1862) from the Afrotropical Region), IV (comprising L. hungerfordi Andersen 1975 and L. luctuosus Montrousier 1865 from the Oriental and Australasian Regions) and V (comprising L. fossarum F. 1775 from the Oriental and Australasian Regions). From L. (Limnogonoides) we delimited two clades: VI (comprising L. intermedius Poisson 1941 from the Afrotropical Region and L. pectoralis (Mayr 1865) from the Oriental Region) and VII (comprising L. hypoleucus (Gerstaecker 1873), L. nigrescens Poisson 1941, L. poissoni Andersen 1975, and L. capensis China 1925 from the Afrotropical Region). Finally, L. (s. str.) windi Hungerford & Matsuda 1961 from Australia was placed as sister to clades I-VI. A manual optimization of geographical distribution onto the strict consensus tree suggests that Limnogonus is primarily an Old World group with independent transitions to the New World in L. franciscanus and in the common ancestor of Clade I., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)