Insects最新文献

{"title":"Chromosomal Inversions in Chromosome U of <i>Drosophila subobscura</i>: A Story from Population Studies to Molecular Level.","authors":"Mercè Merayo, Kenia M Delgado, David Salguero, Dorcas J Orengo","doi":"10.3390/insects16060586","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060586","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Drosophila subobscura</i> is a Palearctic species that colonized the west coast of South and North America in the last quarter of the 20th century. This species stands out for its large chromosomal inversion polymorphism that affects its five long chromosomes. Studies of natural populations revealed that the inversion polymorphism has an adaptive character and while the arrangement U_st was classified as adapted to cold, other arrangements, such as U₁₊₂₊₆ and U₁₊₈₊₂, were considered warm adapted. Characterization of the inversion breakpoints will allow a first approach to the genes included in the inversions and to find candidates to be affected by selection. In this work, we take advantage of the existence of a reference genomic sequence carrying the U₁₊₂ arrangement to locate the breakpoints of the U₆ and U₈ inversions, mapping paired-end Illumina reads from two homokaryotypic strains to U₁₊₂₊₆ and U₁₊₈₊₂, respectively. To date, most of the characterized inversion breakpoints in <i>D. subobscura</i> have been generated by non-homologous end-joining. In contrast, the U₆ and U₈ inversions seem to have originated by transposons, and, at the distal breakpoint of inversion U₈, we describe a new fold-back-like element characteristic of the suboscura species group that we have named <i>Ziga-Zaga</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12192754/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Periodic Short-Term Heat Stress on Biological Characteristics and Gut Bacteria of <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>.","authors":"Jingjing Jia, Min Liang, Zhitao Zhao, Weikang Huang, Qing Feng, Zhufeng Lin, Xuncong Ji","doi":"10.3390/insects16060584","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060584","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study, the migratory agricultural pest <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i> was exposed to three periodic short-term heat stress regimes at 37 °C, 40 °C, and 43 °C (2 h daily), with a constant 26 °C control. We systematically evaluated the effects of periodic thermal stress on developmental traits across all life stages. Combined with 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, we analyzed the structural and functional characteristics of the gut bacterial community in adults under heat stress. The results demonstrated that 37 °C exposure accelerated egg-to-adult development, whereas 43 °C markedly extended it. Additionally, 43 °C heat stress suppressed pupation and eclosion rates. Increasing stress temperatures were negatively correlated with pupal weight and body size in both sexes. Notably, 43 °C heat stress caused complete loss of hatching ability in offspring eggs, thereby rendering population reproduction unattainable. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that Proteobacteria (>90%) dominated the gut bacterial community at the phylum level across all treatments. Under 43 °C heat stress, although female and male adults exhibited an increase in specific bacterial species within their gut bacteria, Alpha diversity analysis revealed no significant differences in the diversity (Shannon index) and richness (Chao index) of gut bacterial communities between sexes under temperature treatments. PICRUSt2 functional prediction indicated that metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and microbial metabolism in diverse environments constituted the dominant functions of gut bacteria in both sexes, while heat stress exerted minimal effects on the functional profiles of gut bacteria in <i>S. frugiperda</i>. These findings not only provide a theoretical basis for predicting summer population dynamics and formulating ecological control strategies for <i>S. frugiperda</i> but also offer critical insights into the adaptive interactions between this pest and its gut bacterial community under heat stress. The results lay a foundation for further exploring the interactions between insect environmental adaptability and bacterial symbiosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12192703/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reactivity of Z-3-Hexenal with Amino Groups Provides a Potential Mechanism for Its Direct Effects on Insect Herbivores.","authors":"Jurgen Engelberth, Marie Engelberth","doi":"10.3390/insects16060582","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060582","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Green leaf volatiles (GLV) have been shown in the past to significantly affect herbivore performance in plants by activating direct and indirect defense measures. At the same time, insect herbivores have developed multiple mechanisms to reduce the quantities of Z-3-hexenal, the first product of the pathway. Among the various measures is the abundance of a molecule named hexenal trapping molecule (HALT), which appears to bind large quantities of freshly produced Z-3-hexenal (Z3al). Functional groups like -NH₂ within HALT may be responsible for the binding of Z3al. To test for this potential interaction, we tested different amino acids in various binding assays for their capacity to bind Z3al. We found a significant reduction in Z3al production in the presence of these amino acids, presumably through Schiff base formation. In a feeding assay with beet armyworm (<i>Spodoptera exigua</i>), we found a significant impact of a Z3al- or E2al-spiked artificial diet on growth and development. Together, these data indicate that the presence of Z3al in a diet can harm insect herbivores, which may help to further explain the efforts insect herbivores undertake to suppress the biosynthesis of this compound.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12193613/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tissue-Specific Fluorescent Protein Turnover in Free-Moving Flies.","authors":"Katherine S Bell, Sebastian Ko, Sam Ali, Brett Bognar, Michael Khmelkov, Nick Rau, Oscar K Peng, Mavi Eyuboglu, John Paine, Andy Tong, Anuj Saria, Siddharth Agrawal, Kelvin J A Davies, John Tower","doi":"10.3390/insects16060583","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060583","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Conditional transgenic systems and multi-copy target transgenes were used to produce transient fluorescent protein expression in adult <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>, with the goal of developing an in vivo assay of protein turnover. Free-moving flies were assayed at multiple time points using video, and decay in fluorescence was used to calculate protein half-life. Additional experiments involved image capture of anesthetized flies. The half-life of eGFP was increased by the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, both in vivo and in vitro, indicating proteasomal degradation of eGFP. The accumulation of eGFP in vivo was decreased by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, without affecting half-life. The half-lives of several fluorescent proteins were determined, using both tissue-general and tissue-specific expression, in flies of both sexes and varying ages. Typical half-life values varied by fluorescent protein. DsRED showed a greater half-life than eGFP, and little if any degradation was detected for mCherry. Half-life also varied by tissue, with greater eGFP half-life observed in muscle relative to other tissues. Increased half-life with age was detected for DsRED but not for eGFP. Limited effects were observed for sex and female mating status. Taken together, the data indicate the in vivo assays are promising tools for the study of protein degradation regulated by protein sequence, subcellular compartment, tissue and small molecules.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12193387/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Ant Genus <i>Oxyopomyrmex</i> Wheeler (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from the Peninsula Iberica: Two New Species and New Distributional Data.","authors":"Joaquín L Reyes-López","doi":"10.3390/insects16060581","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060581","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Two new species of the genus <i>Oxyopomyrmex</i> are described from Spain (Iberian Peninsula). The first belongs to the magnus group-characterized by a head more wide than long-and is distinguished by strongly developed cephalic striations, pale coloration (light brown) and a relatively small body size. To date, it has been recorded in the provinces of Jaén and Granada. The second species is even smaller in size, with very faint cephalic striations and short, triangular propodeal spines-morphological features that clearly set it apart from all previously known species. Its current distribution appears to be restricted to the province of Huelva, near the Atlantic coast, including the iconic Doñana National Park. With these additions, the number of <i>Oxyopomyrmex</i> species known from Spain increases from two to four. To date, sampling efforts have only focused on the southern part of the country, suggesting that additional, undiscovered species may still exist.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12193364/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acorn Weevil Species Diversity and Host Affinity in the Semi-Humid Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forests of Southwest China.","authors":"Shengquan Fang, Shaoji Hu, Biao Zhao, Dengpeng Chen, Chunyan Lan, Xinrong Li, Yongping Li, Mingchun Peng, Zihao Wang, Mingyu Ge, Chongyun Wang","doi":"10.3390/insects16060579","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060579","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acorn weevils critically impact forest regeneration in semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forests (SEBFs) by parasitizing and consuming acorns before dispersal. Despite their ecological significance, research on the species diversity of acorn weevils within SEBFs remains limited. To address this gap, we assessed the species diversity and host affinity of acorn weevils across six dominant oak species at 18 locations. We performed DNA extraction and mitochondrial <i>COI</i> gene sequencing on weevil larvae and analyzed acorn functional traits (AFTs) from host acorns. Six acorn weevil species across four genera and two families were identified within the dominant acorns of SEBFs. <i>Curculio dentipes</i> showed the lowest host specificity, while <i>Niphades castanea</i> and <i>Cyllorhynchites ursulus</i> were specialist species. Notably, the species diversity of acorn weevils was significantly lower in <i>Quercus franchetii</i> than in others. Acorn volume and three secondary metabolite contents, including total phenols, total flavonoids, and tannins, were the primary AFTs influencing weevil species diversity. This study not only advances our comprehension of acorn weevil species diversity and their ecological interactions with oak hosts, but also provides valuable insights for the ecological management of SEBFs in southwest China.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12193683/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbial Biopesticides to Control Whiteflies in Eggplant <i>Solanum melongena</i>, in Greenhouse.","authors":"Héctor Cabrera-Mireles, Magali Jiménez-Jiménez, Juan Ruiz-Ramírez, Félix David Murillo-Cuevas, Jacel Adame-García, Jorge Jiménez-Zilli, Andrés Vásquez Hernández, Rubén Uriel Herrera-Bonilla","doi":"10.3390/insects16060578","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060578","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The whitefly is among the main pests of crops, especially solanaceous and cucurbitaceous plants. The massive use of pesticides for its control has led to an increase in the pest's resistance to different groups of insecticides and to environmental contamination. The use of biopesticides for its control is a sustainable alternative for the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of two biopesticides based on entomopathogenic fungi against eggs, nymphs, and adults of whitefly in eggplant in a greenhouse. The treatments consisted of <i>Cordyceps javanica</i>, <i>Beauveria bassiana</i>, a commercial insecticide (i.e., Spirotetramat), and a control (no application). A completely randomized design was used with 16 repetitions per treatment, and the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was applied. Mortality was recorded on five dates after application (DAA). The sampling data were transformed to efficiency (%). The biopesticides were found to be effective in controlling whiteflies in all developmental stages during the evaluation days.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12193380/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plant Signaling Mediates Interactions Between Fall and Southern Armyworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Their Shared Parasitoid <i>Cotesia icipe</i> (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).","authors":"Ghislain T Tepa-Yotto, Hilaire Kpongbe, Jeannette K Winsou, Anette H Agossadou, Manuele Tamò","doi":"10.3390/insects16060580","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060580","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In Africa, the current harmful maize pest is <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>. Its attack can be severe and cause total economic losses. <i>Spodoptera eridania</i> is another species of the same genus, detected a few months after <i>S. frugiperda</i>'s outbreaks in West and Central Africa. Though both species share a range of host plants, socioeconomic studies are yet to provide specific figures on the potential impacts of <i>S. eridania</i>. The high and inappropriate application of insecticides to control <i>Spodoptera</i> species has negative effects on the environmental elements' health. Semiochemical tools are increasingly exploited to design alternative pest management strategies. We hypothesize that host plants release components used by the pests and a shared parasitoid to locate the host. To verify that hypothesis, we conducted behavioral assays and GC-MS analyses to identify the potential chemical signals involved in the communications of the moths and their shared parasitoid <i>C. icipe</i>. The results showed that healthy and herbivory-induced maize and amaranth produced some chemical compounds including α-pinene, limonene, isopentyl acetate, (Z)-beta-farnesene, and methyl dodecanoate, which prospects their potential use in alternative pest management strategies for recruiting <i>C. icipe</i> to control these pests. Further work will focus on field validation to develop an alternative control strategy for the moths.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12192746/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Sensory Equipment of Diving Lice, a Host Ecology-Based Comparative Study.","authors":"Paula Olivera, Claudio R Lazzari, María Soledad Leonardi","doi":"10.3390/insects16060574","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060574","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Seal lice (Anoplura) parasitize amphibious hosts, such as pinnipeds, and are uniquely adapted to an oceanic environment. As obligate, permanent ectoparasites feed on the blood of their hosts and are completely dependent on them. While studies have begun to explore general diving adaptations, research into seal lice's sensory biology remains limited. In contrast to the vast majority of insects, including human lice, seal lice are devoid of eyes and depend on antennal sensory reception. This study aims to describe the morphology and putative function of antennal sensilla in five seal lice species: <i>Antarctophthirus microchir</i>, <i>A. carlinii</i>, <i>A. lobodontis</i>, <i>A. ogmorhini</i>, and <i>Lepidophthirus macrorhini</i>, which parasitize the South American sea lion, Weddell seal, crabeater seal, leopard seal, and southern elephant seal, respectively. The antennal structures of each species were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, and eight morphotypes were identified: spine, cuticular lobe, sensilla squamiformia, sensilla chaetica, sensilla basiconica I and II, tuft organs, and pore organs. The morphology of sensilla and their distribution on the antennal flagellum exhibited variability among genera and species. For instance, the southern elephant louse (<i>Lepidophthirus macrorhini</i>) is characterized by the presence of sensilla squamiformia, while <i>Antarctophthirus</i> spp. are distinguished by sensilla chaetica.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12193432/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Ultrastructure of Olfactory Sensilla Across the Antenna of <i>Monolepta signata</i> (Oliver).","authors":"Jiyu Cao, Wanjie He, Huiqin Li, Jiangyan Zhu, Xiaoge Li, Jiahui Tian, Mengdie Luo, Jing Chen","doi":"10.3390/insects16060573","DOIUrl":"10.3390/insects16060573","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The antennal sensilla serve as a crucial olfactory organ, enabling insects to detect semiochemicals and adjust their host-seeking and oviposition behaviors accordingly. <i>Monolepta signata</i> (Oliver) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), has emerged as a significant agricultural pest that affects key economic crops such as maize and cotton. Despite the development of various control methods based on volatile stimulation, there is still limited documentation on the sensilla involved in olfaction. In this study, the ultrastructure of the sensilla, especially the olfactory sensilla on the antennae of both males and females, was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three types of olfactory sensillum types, including trichodea, basiconica, and coeloconica, and four non-olfactory sensilla including chaetica, campaniformia, auricillica, and Böhm bristle were observed. Sensilla trichodea and basiconica on the antennae of <i>M. signata</i> were further classified into two subtypes according to their morphology. For the first time, the pores on the sensilla trichodea, basiconica, and coeloconica cuticular walls were observed in this species, suggesting that they are involved in semiochemical perception. This study contributes new insights into the olfactory system of <i>M. signata</i>, which can be integrated with other molecular, genetic, and behavioral research to establish a comprehensive understanding of its physiological functions.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"16 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12193098/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144484267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}