The geometrid genus Cleorodes is shown to belong in the tribe Gnophini (sensu lato) and not in Boarmiini as previously assumed. The conclusion is based on an analysis of morphological characters of a number of genera in these tribes. Moreover, the result is unambiguously supported by a phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequence variation in three nuclear gene regions (segments D1 and D2 of 28S rRNA, and elongation factor 1α) and a mitochondrial gene, cytochrome oxidase-1. The phylogenetic hypothesis is based on a combined sequence data set, which was analysed using direct optimisation.
We analyzed patterns of geometrid species richness in South Korea to assess the observed and estimated species richness gradient, to determine predictors for the distribution of moths and to investigate the effect of latitude on the species richness of moths in the Korean peninsula. The species richness was analyzed for 541 geometrid moths across 17 quadrates, with each quadrate defined by one degree of latitude and longitude. Two subgroups of geometrid moths were adopted according to their distributional ranges: Palearctic (435 species, 80.4%) and Oriental (106 species, 19.6%). To investigate the relationship between the distribution of geometrid moths and environment, eight variables were used. The estimated species richness of geometrids was calculated using the Chao 2 estimator because there was uneven sampling effort across the quadrates. Due to multicollinearity we used covariance values produced by principal component analysis and the first four axes adopted have eigenvalues >= 1.0. Two models of regression analyses were applied based on multiple linear regression using eight variables (model I) and principal components axes (model II). Of the two subgroups of geometrid moths the Palearctic species richness increased with latitude, but not that of Oriental species richness. A combined effect of abiotic (maximum altitude, temperature, rainfall, and latitude) and biotic (plant species richness and vegetation) variables was indicated by both models of regression analyses. The different effect of each spatial and environmental predictor on the distribution of geometrid moths on the Korean peninsula is discussed. The significant relationship between estimated species richness and latitude indicate a peninsular effect on geometrid moths in South Korea.
Although the effects of host plant quality on the performance of polyphagous herbivores are largely uniform across insect taxa, there are various exceptions to this rule. In particular, there are scattered reports of cases in which the relative quality of different hosts differs among larval instars of a single insect species. Such cases are explained either in terms of differences in the susceptibility of different aged larvae to plant defences or, alternatively, age-specific nutritional demands. Here we report the results of experiments that show that young larvae of the polyphagous common heath moth Ematurga atomaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) consistently attain higher weights on common heather Calluna vulgaris than bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, whereas the rank order of these host plants is reversed in the final larval instar. Phytochemical analyses showed that differences in nutrient content of these plants are not likely to explain the observed pattern. Instead, the results are more consistent with the idea that the greater chemical defence of bilberry has a relatively stronger influence on young than old larvae., Helen Vellau, Siiri-Lii Sandre, Toomas Tammaru., and Seznam literatury
The effect of larval body size of Epirrita autumnata (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) on the risk of parasitism was studied in a field experiment. The experiment involved three pairwise exposures of different larval instars to parasitoids. Three hymenopteran species were responsible for most of the parasitism. Parasitism risk was found to be host-instar independent. This result was consistent across parasitoid species and experiments. The results suggest that host use by larval parasitoids cannot constrain selection for larger body size in E. autumnata. However, high mortality due to parasitism may select for a short developmental period (the slow-growth/high-mortality hypothesis), and smaller body sizes as a by-product. A strong selective effect of parasitism on the timing of larval development in E. autumnata is also unlikely. The larger was the host, the larger was the adult size of the parasitoid and the shorter its development time (for one species). We suggest that the lack of a preference-performance linkage in the system studied may be related to the time stress associated with the short phenological window of host vulnerability.
The theory of life history evolution generally predicts a negative across-environment correlation between development time and size at maturity in response to variations in environmental quality. Deviations from this pattern occur under specific circumstances. In particular, organisms may mature both early and at a small size when (1) some ultimate change (e.g. time constraint, resource exhaustion) in the environment precludes further growth, or (2) when there are predictable among-environment differences in mortality rates. The first scenario is frequently documented in insects but evidence for the second possibility is scarce. Here we report a crowding-induced plastic response resulting in a clear positive across-environment correlation between final weight and development time in a geometrid moth. The response was apparent during the entire larval period and in the last larval instar. Crowding also led to increased growth rates. As outbreaks have not been reported for this species it is unlikely that early pupation is a response to anticipated food shortage. Instead, we suggest that crowded larvae may perceive a higher risk of predation, perhaps because they are unable to distinguish conspecifics from potential predators. A possibility for a plastic increase in growth rate implies that the uncrowded larvae grow at submaximal rates, which indicates a cost of high growth rate., Helen Vellau, Toomas Tammaru., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
We present a molecular phylogeny incorporating all five species of the Palaearctic geometrid genus Lythria, based on a 2810-bp combined data matrix comprising the full sequence of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit one (COI) and fragments of the nuclear genes elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1α) and wingless (wgl). L. venustata, which was recently rediscovered from Kazakhstan, is shown to be sister taxon to all other members of the genus. The remaining species within the genus form two pairs of sister species: L. purpuraria groups together with L. plumularia, and L. cruentaria with L. sanguinaria. The phylogeny is well supported by characters of the male genitalia of all Lythria species. In addition to the molecular phylogeny of the genus Lythria, we illustrate the external appearance of L. venustata for the first time and describe the anatomy of its male genitalia.
Climate change may facilitate shifts in the ranges and the spread of insect pests, but a warming climate may also affect herbivorous insects adversely if it disrupts the locally adapted synchrony between the phenology of insects and that of their host plant. The ability of a pest species to colonize new areas depends on its ability to adjust the timing of phenological events in its life cycle, particularly at high latitudes where there is marked seasonality in temperature and day length. Here we incubated eggs of three species of geometrid moth, Epirrita autumnata, Operophtera brumata and Erannis defoliaria from different geographical populations (E. autumnata and O. brumata from Northern Finland, E. autumnata and E. defoliaria from Southern Finland and all three species from Germany) in a climate chamber at a constant temperature to determine the relative importance of geographic origin in the timing of egg hatch measured in terms of cumulative temperature sums (degree days above 5°C, DD5); i.e. the relative importance of local adaptation versus phenotypic plasticity in the timing of egg hatch. In all three species, eggs from northern populations required a significantly lower temperature sum for hatching than eggs from southern populations, but the differences between them in temperature sum requirements varied considerably among species, with the differences being largest for the earliest hatching and northernmost species, E. autumnata, and smallest for the southern, late-hatching E. defoliaria. In addition, the difference in hatch timing between the E. autumnata eggs from Southern Finland and Germany was many times greater than the difference between the two Finnish populations of E. autumnata, despite the fact that the geographical distances between these populations is similar. We discuss how these differences in hatching time may be explained by the differences in hatch-budburst synchrony and its importance for different moth species and populations. We also briefly reflect on the significance of photoperiod, which is not affected by climate change. It is a controller that works parallel or in addition to temperature sum both for egg hatch in moths and bud burst of their host plants., Julia Fält-Nardmann, Tero Klemola, Mechthild Roth, Kai Ruohomäki, Kari Saikkonen., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The sterrhine loopers Timandra griseata and T. comae have been treated as distinct species since 1994. However, morphological differences between the taxa are minor and therefore their status has often been disputed. Here, we present a molecular phylogenetic study, which separates T. griseata and T. comae into different clades. Altogether, 43 Timandra specimens from eight European countries were studied. The phylogeny is based on a comparative sequence analysis of mitochondrial genes coding for the cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1). Nevertheless, a single individual of both species was assigned to the "wrong" clade. The symplesiomorphy of T. griseata and T. comae is considered to be a result of introgressive hybridization. Conditions that could lead to the hybridization of T. griseata and T. comae are discussed, as well as the likely distribution history of these taxa in Northern Europe. Results of the current analysis are in favour of retaining the species status of T. griseata and T. comae.
This study reports the results of a molecular phylogenetic analysis of thirty three species of Ennominae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). The aim of this analysis was to determine the phylogenetic affinities of 13 European species not previously studied using these methods. Fragments of seven nuclear genes, elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1α), wingless (wgl), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), ribosomal protein S5 (RpS5) and expansion segments D1 and D2 of the 28S rRNA gene and fragment of one mitochondrial gene, cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), were used. In the analysis using Bayesian phylogenetic inference, original gene sequences of the target species were combined with a larger data matrix of 20 species of Ennominae, used in a previous study (Wahlberg et al., 2010, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 55: 929-938). Most notably, the results indicate that the representatives of the genera Cepphis, Plagodis, Pseudopanthera and Selenia form a well-supported monophyletic group which appeared as the sister clade to the rest of the "ennomine" group of tribes. On the other hand, Crocallis and Opisthograptis group together with Ennomos. These results conflict with previous tribal subdivisions of the subfamily pointing to the need to reconsider the concepts of Ennomini and Ourapterygini. Within the tribe Macariini, the genus Macaria appears to be more closely related to Itame (= Speranza) than to Chiasmia clathrata. The emerging phylogenetic tree of Ennominae suggests only a limited phylogenetic inertia in body size making this group a promising target for comparative studies on this central life history trait and its correlates. and Erki Õunap, Juhan Javoiš, Jaan Viidalepp, Toomas Tammaru.
A new genus and species of geometrid moths from Tadjikistan is described and its position in the taxonomic structure of the subfamily Larentiinae is analysed. The new genus is grouped, based on the parsimony analysis of 38 morphological characters, to coniferous-feeding genera of the tribe Cidariini as follows: (Thera (Pennithera (Protothera (Pljushtchia gen. n. Heterothera)))). Pljushtchia is characterised by the antennae, unipectinate in males and flat, serrate in females, by a reduced haustellum, the venation of wings and the structure of the genitalia. The Thera firmata species group is validated as a genus Protothera. The tribe Cidariini includes four groups of related genera and is most speciose in southeastern Asia.