Research Articles (Zoology and Entomology)
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Item Chemically mediated multitrophic interactions and their role in crop protection(Elsevier, 2026-02) Torto, Baldwyn; Kihika-Opanda, Ruth; Khamis, Fathiya MbarakAgricultural production is primarily constrained by biotic stresses, with insect pests being the most significant contributors. Effective pest management is essential for sustainable crop protection and relies on understanding how plants interact with pests (herbivores), their natural enemies (predators and parasitoids), other plants, and beneficial organisms such as pollinators. These interactions, which are also frequently influenced by microorganisms, collectively referred to as multitrophic interactions, play a crucial role in shaping agroecosystems. Recent research highlights that in agricultural systems, multitrophic interactions are primarily mediated by volatile organic compounds and other specialized metabolites through microbial activity. A deeper understanding of these chemically mediated mechanisms in pest, natural enemy, and pollinator attraction/repellence, and plant defense priming, offers new opportunities for developing ecologically sustainable pest management strategies. This review aims to synthesize emerging evidence on the role of plant- and microbial-derived specialized metabolites in mediating multitrophic interactions and potential applications for crop protection. It also identifies knowledge gaps and explores how recent advances are shaping the development of innovative crop protection technologies. HIGHLIGHTS • Multitrophic interactions play a key role in agricultural systems and food productivity. • Plant volatiles and secondary metabolites contribute to shaping multitrophic interactions. • Microbial-mediated specialized metabolites also contribute to shaping multitrophic interactions. • Diverse chemical classes influence multitrophic interactions. • Understanding multitrophic interactions facilitates development of innovative crop protection technologies.Item Managing African armyworm outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa : current strategies and future directions(MDPI, 2025-06) Kinyanjui, Grace; Mawcha, Kahsay Tadesse; Malinga, Lawrence Nkosikhona; Soobramoney, Kaitlyn; Nethononda, Phophi; Assefa, Yoseph; Okonkwo, Chibuzor Onyinye; Ndolo, Dennis; phophi.nethononda@fabi.up.ac.zaThe African armyworm Spodoptera exempta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a significant pest that affects cereal crops and pasture grasses in sub-Saharan Africa. This migratory pest causes extensive defoliation, which can result in significant yield losses, particularly in maize. This review focuses on the recent outbreaks of the African armyworm and identifies key factors contributing to its success across sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding these factors is essential for developing effective and sustainable pest management strategies. This review emphasizes the importance of innovative technologies and data-driven approaches in managing pest outbreaks and underscores the need to implement technology-enabled integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to control the African armyworm effectively. SIMPLE SUMMARY The African armyworm is a destructive, migratory pest that threatens cereal crops and pasture grasses in sub-Saharan Africa, with recent outbreaks resulting in significant agricultural and economic losses. This review addresses the urgent need for improved management strategies by examining the drivers of frequent outbreaks, including climate change, the pest’s biological traits, and gaps in current control practices. This paper aims to evaluate existing surveillance and control methods—such as chemical, biological, and cultural approaches—and to explore innovative technologies, including predictive modeling, artificial intelligence, Bt maize technology, molecular biology, and nanotechnology. This study finds that, while traditional methods offer some control, their limitations necessitate integrated, technology-enabled pest management solutions. It concludes that adopting holistic, regionally coordinated strategies that incorporate farmer education, advanced tools, and updated policy frameworks will significantly improve outbreak response and mitigation. These findings are valuable to society as they provide a roadmap for sustainable pest control, helping to safeguard food security, support farmer livelihoods, and enhance agricultural resilience in the face of escalating climate and pest pressures.Item Know where you go : infestation dynamics and potential distribution of two bed bug species (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) in Africa(MDPI, 2025-04) Mbuta, Dennis M.; Sokame, Bonoukpoe M.; Khamis, Fathiya Mbarak; Akutse, Komivi S.Bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) are blood-feeding insects closely linked with humans and animals, causing discomfort, and posing potential threats as disease vectors. This study focuses on Cimex lectularius (common bed bug) and Cimex hemipterus (tropical bed bug), the two key species identified in Africa. Cimex lectularius infests human habitats, while C. hemipterus, more common in Africa, infests diverse habitats, including bat colonies. In our study, we investigated the infestation dynamics and distribution of bed bugs in Africa, when considering climate, habitat, and host availability using system dynamics and ecological niche modelling techniques. System dynamics modelling analyses in Kenya revealed varied infestation dynamics, with Mombasa having high C. lectularius prevalence, Nairobi having lower coexistence, and Makueni/Bomet C. hemipterus showing dominance. Across Africa, C. hemipterus prevails, especially in central and coastal areas, while C. lectularius has lower suitability, with isolated high-suitability zones. Both species coexist in central/southern Africa, parts of the east, and coastal areas in septentrional/west Africa. The Sahara’s extreme conditions challenge both bed bug species’ survival, emphasizing climate’s role in their infestation and distribution dynamics. Insights into bed bug ecology in Africa underscore the need for comprehensive pest management and public health strategies in the continent. SIMPLE SUMMARY This study explores the dynamics of bed bug infestations in Africa, focusing on two species: the common (Cimex lectularius) and the tropical (Cimex hemipterus) bed bugs. These bugs, known for feeding on blood, are not only a nuisance but can potentially transmit diseases. The research utilized system dynamics modeling for infestation and ecological niche modeling to analyze their potential distribution across different climates and habitats and their host availabilities in Africa. The findings revealed varied infestation patterns in Kenya, with a high prevalence of C. lectularius in Mombasa and dominance of C. hemipterus in regions like Makueni and Bomet. This study maps the potential spread of these species across Africa, highlighting areas with high coexistence risks. This research is crucial as a prerequisite for developing effective pest management strategies and public health measures to combat bed bug infestations, thus safeguarding local and regional food supplies and overall human health.Item Understanding the genetics of sex determination in insects and its relevance to genetic pest management(Wiley, 2025-06) Ashmore, Jade Sabrina; Slippers, Bernard; Duong, Tuan A.; Dittrich-Schroder, Gudrun; gudrun.dittrich@fabi.up.ac.zaSex determination pathways regulate male and female-specific development and differentiation and offer potential targets for genetic pest management methods. Insect sex determination pathways are comprised of primary signals, relay genes and terminal genes. Primary signals of coleopteran, dipteran, hymenopteran and lepidopteran species are highly diverse and regulate the sex-specific splicing of relay genes based on the primary signal dosage, amino acid composition or the interaction with paternally inherited genes. In coleopterans, hymenopterans and some dipterans, relay genes are Transformer orthologs from the serine-arginine protein family that regulate sex-specific splicing of the terminal genes. Alternative genes regulate the splicing of the terminal genes in dipterans that lack Transformer orthologs and lepidopterans. Doublesex and Fruitless orthologs are the terminal genes. Doublesex and Fruitless orthologs are highly conserved zinc-finger proteins that regulate the expression of downstream proteins influencing physical traits and courtship behaviours in a sex-specific manner. Genetic pest management methods can use different mechanisms to exploit or disrupt female-specific regions of different sex determination genes. Female-specific regions of sex determination genes can be exploited to produce a lethal gene only in females or disrupted to impede female development or fertility. Reducing the number of fertile females in pest populations creates a male-biased sex ratio and eventually leads to the local elimination of the pest population. Knowledge on the genetic basis of sex determination is important to enable these sex determination pathways to be exploited for genetic pest management.Item A checklist of South African bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae, Platypodinae)(Magnolia Press, 2025-06) Nel, Wilma Janine; Duong, Tuan A.; Fell, Shaw; Herron, Darryl A.; Paap, Trudy; Wingfield, Michael J; De Beer, Z. Wilhelm; Hulcr, Jiri; Johnson, Andrew J.; janine.nel@fabi.up.ac.zaNo abstract available.Item Replacement names for the dung beetle genus Byrrhidium Harold, 1869 and the tribe Byrrhidiini Davis, Deschodt & Scholtz, 2019 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)(Magnolia Press, 2025-03-12) Davis, Adrian L.V.; Deschodt, Christian M.; Scholtz, Clarke H.; adrian.davis@up.ac.zaBouchard et al. (2024: 93) have pointed out that the dung beetle genus name Byrrhidium Harold, 1869 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) is a junior homonym of the pill beetle genus name Byrrhidium Heer, 1864: 64, 65 (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae). This statement is a consequence of the action by Neave (1939), who, as First Reviser (ICZN 1999: art. 24.2; hereafter cited as “the Code”), selected the spelling Byrrhidium as the valid name for the pill beetle genus out of two spellings used by Heer (1864: 64, 65, 89—Byrrhidium or Byrrhydium). As regards the name Byrrhidium for the scarabaeine dung beetle genus, it must be ascribed to Harold (1869: 96) and not to Harold in Gemminger and Harold (1869: 997) as explained by Bouchard et al. (2024: 93). They state that “this name was first used by Harold in Gemminger and von Harold (1869a: 997) but it is not available from that publication since there is no description or indication, the sole species associated with the name being a nomen nudum”. Regardless of whether the dung beetle genus name Byrrhidium is attributed to Harold in Gemminger and Harold (1869: 997) or to Harold (1869: 96), the name is a junior homonym of Byrrhidium Heer, 1864. As a junior homonym, it cannot be used as the valid name for the scarabaeine dung beetle genus. Therefore, under Article 60.2 of the Code, its junior synonym Elassocanthon Kolbe, 1908 must become the valid generic name.Item Phoberus sulcatus (Thunberg, 1787) sensu lato : in-depth morphological analysis of male genitalia reveals three cryptic species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Trogidae)(Magnolia Press, 2025-07) Strumpher, Werner P.; Huchet, Jean-Bernard; Da Costa-Silva, ViniciusIn this study, we conducted a comprehensive review of the widely distributed keratin-beetle species Phoberus sulcatus(Thunberg, 1787) (Trogidae). Based on the examination of over 1,200 specimens across its entire known distribution range, we identified three distinct species within Phoberus sulcatus sensu lato. Consequently, Trox instabilis Haaf, 1953 is removed from synonymy with Phoberus sulcatus and formally transferred to the genus Phoberus MacLeay, 1819. Both species are redescribed and diagnosed. In addition, we describe a new species, Phoberus erwinhaafi Strümpher, sp. nov. The three species are allopatric and presently have non-overlapping distributions. Specifically, Phoberus sulcatusis confined to the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the southeastern part of the Northern Cape and the eastern part of the Western Cape provinces. The revalidated and recombined Phoberus instabilis (Haaf, 1953) is widespread, occurring in Botswana, Lesotho, throughout the central and eastern interior of South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Phoberus erwinhaafi Strümpher, sp. nov., represents geographically distinct populations in Namibia and South Africa’s Northern Cape province. The distributions of all three species are mapped, and a neotype is designated for the missing type specimens of Trox sulcatus (originally described as Throx sulcatus). We also include an erratum correcting an error in Strümpher & Stals (2021).Item Succinate-driven cardiac mitochondrial respiration aligns with whole-animal hypoxia-tolerance in African mole-rats(Springer, 2025) Munro, Daniel; Hart, Daniel William; Bennett, Nigel Charles; Van Jaarvsveld, Barry; Devereaux, Maiah E.M.; Campbell, Kevin L.; Sebaa, Rajaa; Van Dermeeren, Emmanuel; Harper, Mary-Ellen; Blier, Pierre U.; Pamenter, Matthew E.Variations in environmental oxygen availability can induce oxidative stress in mammalian cells; episodes of hypoxia/re-oxygenation can be deleterious to cardiac function. Subterranean-living African naked mole-rats putatively experience repeated bouts of hypoxia/re-oxygenation in their natural habitat and are among the most hypoxia-tolerant mammals. To mitigate the potentially deleterious effects of frequent hypoxia/re-oxygenation exposure, naked mole-rats possess cardiac mitochondrial adaptations that may limit oxidative damage caused by fluctuating environmental oxygen levels. These include low respiratory flux through complex II (succinate dehydrogenase) of the mitochondrial electron transport system and robust cardiac reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacities. We hypothesized that these specializations are common traits in all hypoxia-tolerant African mole-rats. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated mitochondrial respiration and both ROS efflux and scavenging capabilities from naked mole-rats, six additional hypoxia-tolerant African mole-rat species, and hypoxia-intolerant mice (Mus musculus), rats (Rattus norvegicus; non-subterranean), and star-nosed moles (Condylura cristata; subterranean). We found a clear and inverse relationship between complex II-fuelled respiration of isolated mitochondria and hypoxia-tolerance across all species tested. Conversely, we found no relationship between hypoxia-tolerance and rates of complex I-fuelled respiration, H2O2 efflux (with any substrate), or mitochondrial H2O2 scavenging capacity. Our results suggest that downregulating the catalytic capacity of cardiac mitochondrial complex II may be an adaptation that supports systemic hypoxia-tolerance in African mole-rats.Item Combination of citrus peel-derived essential oils with acarbose to inhibit amylolytic enzymes – a potential type II diabetes treatment approach(Elsevier, 2025-05) Tshiyoyo, Kadima Samuel; Rabbad, Ali; Yusuf, Abdullahi Ahmed; Malgas, Samkelo; samkelo.malgas@up.ac.zaType 2 diabetes (T2D) can be managed by inhibiting amylolytic enzymes, α-amylase and α-glucosidase, reducing the impact of dietary carbohydrates on blood glucose elevation. Acarbose, a current α-glucose inhibitor (AGI), has excessive α-amylase inhibition, resulting in side effects associated with large amounts of undigested starch being fermented in the colon. This study evaluated the AGI efficacy of citrus peel-derived essential oils, where they were first tested in silico against the target amylolytic enzymes, and then their AGI activity was tested in vitro. The synergistic effects of the essential oils with acarbose against amylolytic enzymes were also determined. In silico and in vitro data of the efficacy of the essential oils as AGIs correlated positively; lower Ki values correlated with more negative binding affinity. Furthermore, molecular dynamic simulations of the most potent compounds were evaluated and indicated relative flexibility and stability induced upon ligand interactions with the protein. The standard AGI drug, acarbose, had the lowest Ki (0.10 ± 0.01 mg/mL) and more negative binding affinity (−7.5 kcal/mol) than the essential oils for α-glucosidase; however, the essential oils only showed potent inhibition against α-glucosidase, with the most potent essential oils being valencene (Ki = 0.33 ± 0.04 mg/mL), carveol (Ki = 0.53 ± 0.02 mg/mL) and geraniol (Ki = 0.56 ± 0.02 mg/mL). The essential oils and acarbose displayed competitive inhibition of α-glucosidase. Furthermore, a combination of acarbose with carveol or geraniol at a ratio of 12.5 μg/mL: 2 mg/mL exhibited antagonistic (CI > 10) and synergistic (CI < 0.7) effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition, respectively. Carveol or geraniol can be considered as potentially therapeutic in managing T2D, as it may display lowered AGI-associated side effects. HIGHLIGHTS • Terpenes were identified from Citrus peel-derived essential oils. • Some individual essential oils tolerably inhibited amylolytic enzymes. • Synergism of essential oils with acarbose against amylolytic enzymes was established. • Essential oils inhibited glucose release with reduced starch residues.Item Superstable lipid vacuoles endow cartilage with its shape and biomechanics(American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2025-01) Ramos, Raul; Pham, Kim T.; Prince, Richard C.; Leiser-Miller, Leith B.; Prasad, Maneeshi S.; Wang, Xiaojie; Nordberg, Rachel C.; Bielajew, Benjamin J.; Hu, Jerry C.; Yamaga, Kosuke; Oh, Ji Won; Peng, Tao; Datta, Rupsa; Astrowskaja, Aksana; Almet, Axel A.; Burns, John T.; Liu, Yuchen; Guerrero-Juarez, Christian Fernando; Tran, Bryant Q.; Chu, Yi-Lin; Nguyen, Anh M.; Hsi, Tsai-Ching; Lim, Norman T. -L.; Schoeniger, Sandra; Liu, Ruiqi; Pai, Yun-Ling; Vadivel, Chella K.; Ingleby, Sandy; McKechnie, Andrew E.; Van Breukelen, Frank; Hoehn, Kyle L.; Rasweiler, John J.; Kohara, Michinori; Loughry, William J.; Weldy, Scott H.; Cosper, Raymond; Yang, Chao-Chun; Lin, Sung-Jan; Cooper, Kimberly L.; Santana, Sharlene E.; Bradley, Jeffrey E.; Kiebish, Michael A.; Digman, Michelle; James, David E.; Merrill, Amy E.; Nie, Qing; Schilling, Thomas F.; Astrowski, Aliaksandr A.; Potma, Eric O.; Garcia-Castro, Martin I.; Athanasiou, Kyriacos A.; Behringer, Richard R.; Plikus, Maksim V.ABSTRACT Conventionally, the size, shape, and biomechanics of cartilages are determined by their voluminous extracellular matrix. By contrast, we found that multiple murine cartilages consist of lipid-filled cells called lipochondrocytes. Despite resembling adipocytes, lipochondrocytes were molecularly distinct and produced lipids exclusively through de novo lipogenesis. Consequently, lipochondrocytes grew uniform lipid droplets that resisted systemic lipid surges and did not enlarge upon obesity. Lipochondrocytes also lacked lipid mobilization factors, which enabled exceptional vacuole stability and protected cartilage from shrinking upon starvation. Lipid droplets modulated lipocartilage biomechanics by decreasing the tissue’s stiffness, strength, and resilience. Lipochondrocytes were found in multiple mammals, including humans, but not in nonmammalian tetrapods. Thus, analogous to bubble wrap, superstable lipid vacuoles confer skeletal tissue with cartilage-like properties without “packing foam–like” extracellular matrix. STRUCTURED ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION : Vertebrates have a complex endoskeleton that consists of cartilage and ossifying bones. The biomechanics of the collagen-rich extracellular matrix in cartilage underlie its physical integrity. Additionally, during embryonic development, vertebrates also form the notochord, an endoskeletal tissue that affords animal bodies with mechanical support through hydrostatics. The notochord maintains its shape and stiffness owing to its large cells, whose aqueous vacuoles resist compression. Remnants of the notochord in most vertebrates became the nucleus pulposus, a ball-like structure at the center of intervertebral disks. RATIONALE : In this study, we noticed adipocyte-like cells featuring a giant lipid vacuole present throughout mouse ear cartilage. Yet, unlike adipocytes, these cells did not label with adipose-specific genetic markers. We chose to characterize this form of cartilage, called lipocartilage, which we found in vital anatomical structures of the nose, ear, larynx, and chest, and to establish whether its biomechanical properties depend on intracellular vacuoles. RESULTS : We found that precursor cells for lipocartilage expressed transcriptional factors and extracellular matrix genes shared with the progenitors of “conventional” cartilage. During terminal differentiation, lipocartilage precursor cells activated lipid metabolism genes, including de novo lipogenesis enzymes that convert glucose to fatty acids. Lipocartilage formation depended on de novo lipogenesis to synthesize lipid vacuoles, and unlike adipocytes, its cells could not take up additional fatty acids from the circulation. Furthermore, compared with adipocytes, mature lipocartilage cells lacked enzymes needed to breakdown stored lipids, resulting in metabolically “locked” vacuoles. In fact, when adult mice were challenged with either caloric restriction or a high-fat diet, their external ears and the lipid vacuoles contained within them did not change in size. This was in contrast to adipose tissues, which readily emptied or filled their lipid vacuoles, respectively. Beyond rodents, we identified lipocartilage in phylogenetically diverse mammals, including in the ears of echolocating bats, where it becomes particularly intricate. Abundant lipid droplets also form in human cartilage cells grown in vitro from embryonic stem cells. CONCLUSION : We postulate that lipocartilage is a distinct type of vacuolated skeletal tissue that has evolved in mammals and is similar in form and function to vacuolated notochord. Lipocartilage attains and maintains its size and shape by adapting a distinct lipid metabolism program that enables the formation of superstable lipid vacuoles. Skeletal elements made of lipocartilage commonly acquire complex, micropatterned shapes, such as in elaborately shaped bat ears. Our lipid washout assays further suggest that vacuoles are critically required for lipocartilage biomechanics, calling for in-depth studies on the structure-function relationship between intracellular vacuoles versus extracellular matrix in skeletal tissues. Regenerative medicine strategies for embryonic stem cell–derived human cartilage can use lipid vacuoles as a natural biomarker that distinguishes differentiated cells from pluripotent progenitors. EDITOR'S SUMMARY Cartilage is considered to be a mostly cell-free tissue made of copious extracellular matrix. Ramos et al. describe the embryonic development, gene expression, biochemistry, physiology, and biomechanics of lipid-filled cartilage in mice (see the Perspective by Hermosilla Aguayo and Selleri). This “fatty cartilage” forms from lipochondrocytes found in the face, neck, and chest of phylogenetically diverse mammals. It can adopt intricately patterned shapes and has life-long stability and elastic properties because of its large lipid vacuoles within numerous long-lived cells having little extracellular matrix. These findings hold promise for advancing our understanding of form-to-function relationships in skeletal tissues. —Stella M. HurtleyItem Potential of entomopathogenic fungi for Glossina austeni control : insights into microbiome alterations and implications on sustainable management of the pest(Wiley, 2025) Ombura, Fidelis Levi Odhiambo; Malele, Imna; Abd-Alla, Adly M.M.; Akutse, Komivi Senyo; Ajene, Inusa Jacob; Khamis, Fathiya MbarakGlossina austeni Newstead (Diptera: Glossinidae) is a competent vector of the trypanosomes causing human African trypanosomiasis and the African animal trypanosomosis. Management of this pest has primarily involved trapping methods, Sterile Insect Technique, and research into vector competence–symbiotic interactions. Nevertheless, the use of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) in integrated pest management programs for G. austeni control remains limited. Moreover, different tsetse fly species exhibit varying susceptibility to different EPF strains, indicating that no single strain is universally effective. Therefore, our study aimed to identify candidate EPF isolates for G. austeni management, evaluate the effects of temperature on the radial growth of these potent isolates, and assess the impact of the candidate EPF on the gut microbiome of G. austeni. Consequently, 16 Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorokin isolates were screened against G. austeni using dry conidia in an infection chamber, with the most virulent isolates having LT50 values of 3.95−9.37 d. Temperature significantly influenced the radial growth, conidia germination, and yield of these strains. There were also significant differences in conidia acquisition, retention and transmission between male and female G. austeni flies. Furthermore, all conidia receivers carried sufficient conidia, 5 d post-interaction with EPF-challenged conidia donors. Microbiome analysis revealed Wigglesworthia, Serratia, Klebsiella, and Escherichia as the most abundant taxa. Among the M. anisopliae isolates, ICIPE 82 exhibited the fastest radial growth and highest thermostability, hence selected as a potential biopesticide candidate for managing G. austeni. This study demonstrates the efficacy and potential of M. anisopliae ICIPE 82 as a biopesticide for controlling G. austeni.Item Fungal Planet description sheets : 1697–1780(Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, 2024-12-06) Crous, Pedro W.; Wingfield, Michael J.; Jurjević, Ž.; Balashov, S.; Osieck, E.R.; Marin-Felix, Y.; Luangsa-ard, J.J.; Mejía, L.C.; Cappelli, A.; Parra, L.A.; Lucchini, G.; Chen, J.; Moreno, G.; Faraoni, M.; Zhao, R.L.; Weholt, Ø.; Borovička, J.; Jansen, G.M.; Shivas, R.G.; Tan, Y.P.; Akulov, A.; Alfenas, A.C.; Alfenas, R.F.; Altés, A.; Avchar, R.; Barreto, R.W.; Catcheside, D.E.A.; Chi, T.Y.; Esteve-Raventós, F.; Fryar, S.C.; Hanh, L.T.M.; Larsbrink, J.; Oberlies, N.H.; Olsson, L.; Pancorbo, F.; Raja, H.A.; Thanh, V.N.; Thuy, N.T.; Ajithkumar, K.; Akram, W.; Alvarado, P.; Angeletti, B.; Arumugam, E.; Atashi Khalilabad, A.; Bandini, D.; Baroni, T.J.; Barreto, G.G.; Boertmann, D.; Akram, W.; Alvarado, P.; Angeletti, B.; Arumugam, E.; Atashi Khalilabad, A.; Bandini, D.; Baroni, T.J.; Barreto, G.G.; Boertmann, D.; Bose, Tanay; Castañeda Ruiz, R.F.; Couceiro, A.; Cykowska-Marzencka, B.; Dai, Y.C.; Darmostuk, V.; Da Silva, S.B.G.; Dearnaley, J.D.W.; De Azevedo Santiago, A.L.C.M.; Declercq, B.; De Freitas G. , L.W.S.; De la Peña-Lastra, S.; Delgado, G.; De Lima, C.L.F.; Dhotre, D.; Dirks, A.C.; Eisvand, P.; Erhard, A.; Ferro, L.O.; García, D.; García-Martín, A.; Garrido-Benavent, I.; Gené, J.; Ghobad-Nejhad, M.; Gore, G.; Gunaseelan, S.; Gusmão, L.F.P.; Hammerbacher, Almuth; Hernández-Perez, A.T.; Hernández-Restrepo, M.; Hofmann, T.A.; Hubka, V.; Jiya, N.; Kaliyaperumal, M.; Keerthana, K.S.; Ketabchi, M.; Kezo , K.; Knoppersen, Rosa; Kolarczyková, D.; Kumar, T.K.A.; Læssøe, T.; Langer, E.; Larsson, E.; Lodge, D.J.; Lynch, M.J.; Maciá-Vicente, J.G.; Mahadevakumar, S.; Mateos, A.; Mehrabi-Koushki, M.; Miglio, B.V.; Noor, A.; Oliveira, J.A.; Pereira, O.L.; Piątek, M.; Pinto, A.; Ramírez, G.H.; Raphael, B.; Rawat, G.; Renuka, M.; Reschke, K.; Ruiz Mateo, A.; Saar, I.; Saba, M.; Safi, A.; Sánchez, R.M.; Sandoval-Denis, M.; Savitha, A.S.; Sharma, A.; Shelke, D.; Sonawane, H.; Souza, M.G.A.P.; Stryjak-Bogacka, M.; Thines, M.; Thomas, A.; Torres-Garcia, D.; Traba, J.M.; Vauras, J.; Vermaas, M.; Villarreal, M.; Vu, D.; Whiteside, E.J.; Zafari, D.; Starink-Willemse, M.; Groenewald, J.Z.; AkramNovel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Antarctica, Leuconeurospora bharatiensis from accumulated snow sediment sample. Argentina, Pseudocercospora quetri on leaf spots of Luma apiculata. Australia, Polychaetomyces verrucosus on submerged decaying wood in sea water, Ustilaginoidea cookiorum on Scleria levis, Xylaria guardiae as endophyte from healthy leaves of Macaranga tanarius. Belgium, Iodophanus taxi on leaf of Taxus baccata. Belize, Hygrocybe mirabilis on soil. Brazil, Gongronella irregularis from soil, Linodochium splendidum on decaying sheath of Euterpe oleracea, Nothophysalospora agapanthi (incl. Nothophysalospora gen. nov.) on flower stalks of Agapanthus praecox, Phaeosphaeria tabebuiae on leaf of Tabebuia sp., Verrucohypha endophytica (incl. Verrucohypha gen. nov.) from healthy roots of Acrocomia aculeata. Estonia, Inosperma apricum on soil under Quercus robur. Greece, Monosporascus solitarius isolated from surface-sterilised, asymptomatic roots of Microthlaspi perfoliatum. India, Diaporthe neocapsici on young seedling stems of Capsicum annuum, Fuscoporia naditirana on dead wood, Sebacina spongicarpa on soil, Torula kanvae from the gut of a Copris signatus beetle. Iran, Sarcinomyces pruni from twig and petiole tissues of Prunus persica and Prunus armeniaca, Xenodidymella quercicola from leaf spots of Quercus brantii. Italy, Agaricus aereiceps on grass, Agaricus bellui in meadows, Agaricus fabrianensis in urban grasslands, Beaucarneamyces muscorum on moss growing in forest, Xenoanthostomella quercus on leaf litter of Quercus ilex. Netherlands, Alfaria neerlandica on stem lesions of Cortaderia selloana, Neodictyosporium juncicola on culms of Juncus maritimus, Penicillium geertdesnooi from soil under Papaver rhoeas, Russula abscondita on rich calcareous soil with Quercus, Russula multiseptata on rich clay soil with Quercus, Russula purpureopallescens on soil with Populus, Sarocladium caricicola on leaves of Carex riparia. Pakistan, Circinaria shimlaensis on limestone rocks. Panama, Acrocalymma philodendri on leaf spots of Philodendron sp., Caligospora panamaensis on leaf litter, Chlamydocillium simulans associated with a Xylaria sp., Corynesporina panamaensis on leaf litter, Cylindromonium panamaense on twig litter of angiosperm, Cyphellophora panamaensis on twig litter of angiosperm, Microcera panamensis on leaf litter of fern, Pseudotricholoma pusillum in tropical montane forest dominated by Quercus spp., Striaticonidium panamaense on leaf litter, Yunnanomyces panamaensis on leaf litter. Poland, Albocremella abscondita (incl. Albocremella gen. nov.) from rhizoids of liverwort Conocephalum salebrosum. Portugal, Agaricus occidualis in meadows. South Africa, Alternaria elsarustiae on culms of unidentified Poaceae, Capronia capensis on dead twig of unidentified angiosperm, Codinaeella bulbinicola on dead leaves of Bulbine frutescens, Cytospora carpobroticola on leaf of Carpobrotus quadrifidus, Neophaeomoniella watsoniae on leaf of Watsonia sp., Neoplatysporoides aloigena on leaf of Aloe khamiesensis, Nothodactylaria comitabilis on living leaf of Itea rhamnoides, Nothopenidiella beaucarneae (incl. Nothopenidiella gen. nov.) on dead leaves of Beaucarnea stricta, Orbilia kirstenboschensis on dead flower stalks of Agapanthus praecox, Phragmocephala agapanthi on dead flower stalks of Agapanthus praecox, Podocarpigena hagahagaensis (incl. Podocarpigena gen. nov.) on leaf spots of Podocarpus falcatus, Sporisorium enterogonipteri from the gut of Gonipterus sp., Synnemapestaloides searsiae on leaf of Searsia populifolia, Xenophragmocapnias diospyri (incl. Xenophragmocapnias gen. nov.) on leaf spots of Diospyros sp., Yunnanomyces hagahagaensis on leaf spots of Sideroxylon inerme. Spain, Agaricus basicinctus in meadows, Agaricus quercetorum among leaf litter in oak forests, Coprinopsis palaciosii on degraded woody debris, Inocybe complutensis in calcareous loamy soil, Inocybe tanitiae in calcareous sandy soil, Mycena subfragosa on dead leaves of Salix atrocinerea, Pseudobaeospora cortegadensis in laurel forests, Trichoderma sedimenticola from fluvial sediments. Sweden, Inocybe badjelanndana on calcareous soil. Ukraine, Beaucarneamyces lupini on overwintered stems of Lupinus polyphyllus, Protocreopsis globulosa on thallus and apothecia of Lecania cyrtella on bark of Populus sp., Thyridium tiliae on dead twigs of Tilia sp. USA, Cladosporium louisianense, Cyphellophora americana from a bedroom vent, Extremus massachusettsianus from lyse buffer, Myxotrichum tapetae on carpet in basement, Neospissiomyces floridanus (incl. Neospissiomyces gen. nov.) on swab from hospital, Polychaetomyces marinus (incl. Polychaetomyces gen. nov.) on submerged driftwood in sea water, Steccherinum fragrans on hardwood fallen on the beach, Steinbeckomyces carnegieae (incl. Steinbeckomyces gen. nov.) on Carnegiea gigantea, Tolypocladium pennsylvanicum from air sampled in basement. Vietnam, Acidomyces ducanhii from Aglaia flowers, Acidomyces paludis from dead bark of Acacia sp., Phakopsora sageretiae on Sageretia theezans, Puccinia stixis on Stixis scandens. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodesItem Thresholds for adding degraded tropical forest to the conservation estate(Nature Research, 2024-07-17) Ewers, Robert M.; Orme, C. David L.; Pearse, William D.; Zulkifli, Nursyamin; Yvon-Durocher, Genevieve; Yusah, Kalsum M.; Yoh, Natalie; Yeo, Darren C.J.; Wong, Anna; Williamson, Joseph; Wilkinson, Clare L.; Wiederkehr, Fabienne; Webber, Bruce L.; Wearn, Oliver R.; Wai, Leona; Vollans, Maisie; Twining, Joshua P.; Turner, Edgar C.; Tobias, Joseph A.; Thorley, Jack; Telford, Elizabeth M.; Teh, Yit Arn; Tan; Swinfield, Tom; Svátek, Martin; Struebig, Matthew; Stork, Nigel; Sleutel, Jani; Slade, Eleanor M.; Sharp, Adam; Shabrani, Adi; Sethi, Sarab S.; Seaman, Dave J.I.; Sawang, Anati; Roxby , Gabrielle Briana; Rowcliffe, J. Marcus; Rossiter, Stephen J.; Riutta, Terhi; Rahman, Homathevi; Qie, Lan; Psomas, Elizabeth; Prairie, Aaron; Poznansky, Frederica; Pillay, Rajeev; Picinali, Lorenzo; Pianzin, Annabel; Pfeifer, Marion; Parrett, Jonathan M.; Noble, Ciar D.; Nilus, Reuben; Mustaffa, Nazirah; Mullin, Katherine E.; Mitchell, Simon; Mckinlay, Amelia R.; Maunsell, Sarah; Matula, Radim; Massam, Michael; Martin, Stephanie; Malhi, Yadvinder; Majalap, Noreen; Maclean, Catherine S.; Mackintosh, Emma; Luke, Sarah H.; Lewis, Owen T.; Layfield, Harry J.; Lane-Shaw, Isolde; Kueh, Boon Hee; Kratina, Pavel; Konopik, Oliver; Kitching, Roger; Kinneen, Lois; Kemp, Victoria A.; Jotan, Palasiah; Jones, Nick; Jebrail, Evyen W.; Hroneš, Michal; Heon, Sui Peng; Hemprich-Bennett, David R.; Haysom, Jessica K.; Harianja, Martina F.; Hardwick, Jane; Gregory, Nichar; Gray, Ryan; Gray, Ross E.J.; Granville, Natasha; Gill, Richard; Fraser, Adam; Foster, William A.; Folkard-Tapp, Hollie; Fletcher, Robert J.; Fikri, Arman Hadi; Fayle, Tom M.; Faruk, Aisyah; Eggleton, Paul; Edwards, David P.; Drinkwater, Rosie; Dow, Rory A.; Döbert, Timm F.; Didham, Raphael K.; Dickinson, Katharine J.M.; Deere, Nicolas J.; De Lorm, Tijmen; Dawood, Mahadimenakbar M.; Davison, Charles W.; Davies, Zoe G.; Davies, Richard G.; Dančák, Martin; Cusack, Jeremy; Clare, Elizabeth L.; Chung, Arthur; Chey, Vun Khen; Chapman, Philip M.; Cator, Lauren; Carpenter, Daniel; Carbone, Chris; Calloway, Kerry; Bush, Emma R.; Burslem, David F.R.P.; Brown, Keiron D.; Brooks, Stephen J.; Brasington, Ella; Brant, Hayley; Boyle, Michael J.W.; Both, Sabine; Blackman, Joshua; Bishop, Tom R.; Bicknell, Jake E.; Bernard, Henry; Basrur, Saloni; Barclay, Maxwell V.L.; Barclay, Holly; Atton, Georgina; Ancrenaz, Marc; Aldridge, David C.; Daniel, Olivia Z.; Reynolds, Glen; Banks-Leite, CristinaLogged and disturbed forests are often viewed as degraded and depauperate environments compared with primary forest. However, they are dynamic ecosystems1 that provide refugia for large amounts of biodiversity2,3, so we cannot afford to underestimate their conservation value4. Here we present empirically defined thresholds for categorizing the conservation value of logged forests, using one of the most comprehensive assessments of taxon responses to habitat degradation in any tropical forest environment. We analysed the impact of logging intensity on the individual occurrence patterns of 1,681 taxa belonging to 86 taxonomic orders and 126 functional groups in Sabah, Malaysia. Our results demonstrate the existence of two conservation-relevant thresholds. First, lightly logged forests (<29% biomass removal) retain high conservation value and a largely intact functional composition, and are therefore likely to recover their pre-logging values if allowed to undergo natural regeneration. Second, the most extreme impacts occur in heavily degraded forests with more than two-thirds (>68%) of their biomass removed, and these are likely to require more expensive measures to recover their biodiversity value. Overall, our data confirm that primary forests are irreplaceable5, but they also reinforce the message that logged forests retain considerable conservation value that should not be overlooked.Item The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses(Nature Research, 2024-02-12) Clements , Hayley S.; San, Emmanuel Do Linh; Hempson, Gareth; Linden , Birthe; Maritz, Bryan; Monadjem, Ara; Reynolds , Chevonne; Siebert, Frances; Stevens, Nicola; Biggs , Reinette; De Vos, Alta; Blanchard , Ryan; Child , Matthew; Esler , Karen J.; Hamann, Maike; Loft, Ty; Reyers, Belinda; Selomane, Odirilwe; Skowno, Andrew L.; Tshoke, Tshegofatso; Abdoulaye, Diarrassouba; Aebischer, Thierry; Aguirre-Gutiérrez, Jesús; Alexander, Graham J.; Ali, Abdullahi H.; Allan, David G.; Amoako , Esther E.; Angedakin, Samuel; Aruna, Edward; Avenant , Nico L.; Badjedjea, Gabriel; Bakayoko, Adama; Bamba-kaya, Abraham; Bates, Michael F.; Bates, Paul J.J.; Belmain , Steven R.; Bennitt , Emily; Bradley, James; Brewster, Chris A.; Brown, Michael B.; Brown , Michelle; Bryja, Josef; Butynski, Thomas M.; Carvalho, Filipe; Channing, Alan; Chapman, Colin A.; Cohen, Callan; Cords , Marina; Cramer, Jennifer D.; Cronk , Nadine; Cunneyworth, Pamela M.K.; Dalerum, Fredrik; Danquah, Emmanuel; Davies-Mostert, Harriet T.; De Blocq , Andrew D.; De Jong , Yvonne A.; Demos , Terrence C.; Denys , Christiane; Djagoun, Chabi A.M.S.; Doherty-Bone , Thomas M.; Drouilly, Marine; Du Toit, Johan T.; Ehlers Smith, David A.; Ehlers Smith, Yvette C.; Eiseb , Seth J.; Fashing, Peter J.; Ferguson, Adam W.; Fernández-García, José M.; Finckh, Manfred; Fischer, Claude; Gandiwa, Edson; Gaubert, Philippe; Gaugris , Jerome Y.; Gibbs, Dalton J.; Gilchrist , Jason S.; Gil- Sánchez , Jose M.; Githitho, Anthony N.; Goodman, Peter S.; Granjon , Laurent; Grobler, J. Paul; Gumbi, Bonginkosi C.; Gvozdik, Vaclav; Harvey, James; Hauptfleisch, Morgan; Hayder, Firas; Hema, Emmanuel M.; Herbst, Marna; Houngbédji, Mariano; Huntley, Brian J.; Hutterer, Rainer; Ivande, Samuel T.; Jackson, Kate; Jongsma, Gregory F.M.; Juste , Javier; Kadjo, Blaise; Kaleme, Prince K.; Kamugisha, Edwin; Kaplin, Beth A.; Kato, Humphrey N.; Kiffner , Christian; Kimuyu , Duncan M.; Kityo, Robert M.; Kouamé, N’goran G.; Kouete T, Marcel; Le Roux, Aliza; Lee, Alan T.K.; Lötter, Mervyn C.; Lykke , Anne Mette; MacFadyen, Duncan N.; Macharia, Gacheru P.; Madikiza , Zimkitha J.K.; Mahlaba, Themb'alilahlwa A.M.; Mallon, David; Mamba, Mnqobi L.; Mande, Claude; Marchant, Rob A.; Maritz, Robin A.; Markotter, Wanda; McIntyre , Trevor; Measey , John; Mekonnen , Addisu; Meller, Paulina; Melville, Haemish I.; Mganga, Kevin Z.; Mills, Michael G.L.; Minnie , Liaan; Missoup, Alain Didier; Mohammad, Abubakr; Moinde, Nancy N.; Moise , Bakwo Fils E.; Monterroso , Pedro; Moore , Jennifer F.; Musila, Simon; Nago , Sedjro Gilles A.; Namoto, Maganizo W.; Niang, Fatimata; Nicolas , Violaine; Nkenku, Jerry B.; Nkrumah, Evans E.; Nono, Gonwouo L.; Norbert, Mulavwa M.; Nowak , Katarzyna; Obitte , Benneth C.; Okoni-Williams, Arnold D.; Onongo, Jonathan; O ’Riain , M. Justin; Osinubi , Samuel T.; Parker, Daniel M.; Parrini , Francesca; Peel, Mike J.S.; Penner, Johannes P; Pietersen, Darren William; Plumptre , Andrew J.; Ponsonby, Damian W.; Porembski, Stefan; Power, R. John; Radloff , Frans G.T.; Rambau, Ramugondo V.; Ramesh, Tharmalingam; Richards , Leigh R.; Rödel, Mark-Oliver; Rollinson, Dominic P.; Rovero, Francesco; Saleh, Mostafa A.; Schmiedel, Ute; Schoeman , M. Corrie; Scholte, Paul; Serfass, Thomas L.; Shapiro, Julie Teresa; Shema , Sidney; Siebert, Stefan J.; Slingsby, Jasper A.; Sliwa, Alexander; Smit-Robinson , Hanneline A.; Sogbohossou, Etotepe A.; Somers, Michael J.; Spawls, Stephen; Streicher, Jarryd P.; Swanepoel, Lourens; Tanshi, Iroro; Taylor, Peter J.; Taylor, William A.; Te Beest, Mariska; Telfer, Paul T.; Thompson , Dave I.; Tobi , Elie; Tolley, Krystal A.; Turner, Andrew A.; Twine, Wayne; Van Cakenberghe , Victor; Van de Perre, Frederik; Van der Merwe , Helga; Van Niekerk, Chris J.G.; Van Wyk, Pieter C.V.; Venter, Jan A.; Verburgt, Luke; Veron , Geraldine; Vetter , Susanne; Vorontsova , Maria S.; Wagner , Thomas C.; Webala, Paul W.; Weber, Natalie; Weier, Sina M.; White , Paula A.; Whitecross, Melissa A.; Wigley, Benjamin J.; Willems, Frank J.; Winterbach, Christiaan W.; Woodhouse, Galena M.Sub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species’ population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate ‘intactness scores’: the remaining proportion of an ‘intact’ reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region’s major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems.Item Coleoptera of Brazil : what we knew then and what we know now : insights from the Catalogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil(Curitiba PR: Sociedade Brasileira de Zoologia, 2024-09) Caron, Edilson; Monne, Marcela L.; Ferreira, Vinicius S.; Costa, Cleide; Cupello, Mario; Aloquio, Sergio; Linzmeier, Adelita M.; Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z.; Leivas, Fernando W.T.; Souza-Gonçalves, Igor; Mermudes, José R.M.; Almeida, Lúcia M.; Moura, Luciano de A.; Júnior, Nelson Ferreira; Grossi, Paschoal C.; Vanin, Sergio A.; Ślipiński, Adam; Anichtchenko, Alexander; Newton, Alfred F.; Sampaio, Aline; Carelli, Allan; Puker, Anderson; Ferreira, André da S.; Fernandes, André S.; Roza, André S.; Cline, Andrew; Sampaio, Brunno H.L.; Clarkson, Bruno; De Castro, Camila F.; Bicho, Carla de L.; Benetti, César J.; Ribeiro-Costa, Cibele S.; Lopes-Andrade, Cristiano; Manfio, Daiara; Colpani, Daniara; Basílio, Daniel S.; Bená, Daniela de C.; Pollock, Darren A.; Souza, Diego de S.; Rodrigues, Diego F.; Chandler, Donald S.; Do Nascimento, Elynton A.; Spiessberger, Erich L.; Agrain, Federico A.; Barbosa, Felipe F.; Shockley, Floyd; Nascimento, Francisco E. de L.; Biffi, Gabriel; Powell, Gareth S.; Morse, Geoffrey E.; Flores, Gustavo E.; Escalona, Hermes; Quintino, Hingrid Y.S.; Rainho, Hugo L.; Maddalena, Italo S.C.P.; Hájek, Jiří; McHugh, Joseph V.; Botero, Juan P.; Fuhrmann, Juares; Churata-Salcedo, Julissa M.; Vieira, Letícia M.; Da Silveira, Luiz F.L.; Da Cruz, Luiza S.; Sekerka, Lukás; Bologna, Marco A.; Bevilaqua, Marcus V.O.; Passos, Maria I.; Chamorro, Maria L.; Cherman, Mariana A.; Bento, Matheus; Gimmel, Matthew; Segura, Melissa O.; Ivie, Michael A.; Thomas, Michael C.; Monné, Miguel A.; Lord, Nathan; Hamada, Neusa; Degallier, Nicolas; Dos Santos, Paula B.; Duarte, Paulo R.M.; Gnaspini, Pedro; Bulirsch, Petr; Regalin, Renato; Leschen, Richard A.B.; Constantin, Robert; Corrêa, Rodrigo C.; Gerstmeier, Roland; Rosa, Simone P.; Campos, Stéphanie V.N.; Peck, Stewart B.; Pacheco, Thaynara L.; Polizei, Thiago T.S.; McElrath, Thomas C.; Grzymala, Traci L.; Smith, Trevor R.; Da Costa-Silva, Vinicius; Sandoval-Gómez, Vivian E.; De Sousa, Wesley O.; Tomaszewska, WiolettaIn 2000, Cleide Costa published a paper presenting the state of knowledge of the Neotropical Coleoptera, with a focus on the Brazilian fauna. Twenty-four years later, thanks to the development of the Coleoptera section of the Taxonomic Catalog of the Brazilian Fauna (CTFB – Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil) through the collaboration of 100 coleopterists from all over the globe, we can build on Costa’s work and present an updated overview of the state of knowledge of the beetles from Brazil. There are currently 35,699 species in 4,958 genera and 116 families known to occur in the country, including representatives of all extant suborders and superfamilies. Our data show that the Brazilian beetle fauna is the richest on the planet, concentrating 9% of the world species diversity, with some estimates accounting to up to 15% of the global total. The most diverse family in numbers of genera is Cerambycidae (1,056 genera), while in number of species it is Chrysomelidae (6,079 species). Conotrachelus Dejean, 1835 (Curculionidae) is the most species-rich genus, with 570 species. The French entomologist Maurice Pic is the author who has contributed the most to the naming of species recorded from Brazil, with 1,794 valid names in 36 families, whereas the Brazilians Ubirajara R. Martins and Maria Helena M. Galileo are the only ones among the top-ten authors to have named species in the 21st century. Currently, approximately 144 new species of Brazilian beetles are described each year, and this average is projected to increase in the next decade to 180 species per year, or about one new Brazilian beetle every two days. KEY WORDS. Beetles, biodiversity, list, Neotropical, South America, CTFB.Item Taxonomic revision of Mozambique dung beetle species in the genus Diastellopalpus van Lansberge, 1886 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)(Magnolia Press, 2024-05-03) Daniel, Gimo M.; Strumpher, Werner P.; Josso, Jean-Francois; Davis, Adrian L.V.Recently, there has been growing attention paid to the Mozambican dung beetle fauna, including the description of several new species. In this paper, we revise the taxonomy of species recorded from Mozambique in the genus Diastellopalpus van Lansberge, 1886, including the description of Diastellopalpus scholtzi Daniel, Strümpher, Josso & Davis, new species. We also report a new country record for Diastellopalpus neavei (d’Orbigny, 1914). Moreover, Diastellopalpus orbignyi Péringuey, 1904 is removed from subjective synonymy with Diastellopalpus infernalis van Lansberge, 1887 and proposed as a valid species. Currently, Mozambique encompasses five valid species of the genus Diastellopalpus, namely: Diastellopalpus infernalis van Lansberge, 1887, D. quinquedens Bates, 1888, D. neavei, D. orbignyi and D. scholtzi, new species. We redescribe the former four species and include an examination of the types of their junior synonyms. Furthermore, we diagnose, illustrate, and provide a distribution map for all five species and compare them to the morphologically most similar species in the genus. We designate lectotypes for the following species-group taxa: Diastellopalpus nyassicus Kolbe, 1901, D. orbignyi, D. quinquedens Bates, 1888, Onthophagus ponderosus Péringuey, 1896, and O. tridepressus d’Orbigny, 1902. Finally, we provide an updated identification key for the species of Diastellopalpus recorded from Mozambique.Item Road-associated variation in insect abundance differs between three common orders(Springer, 2025-04) Sempe, Nhlanhla Pheletso Suzan; Sole, Catherine L.; Haussmann, Natalie S.; natalie.haussmann@up.ac.zaThe ecological impacts of roads are well-researched for many vertebrates, but studies are relatively lacking with regards to invertebrates. Here, changes in the abundance of ground-dwelling species of the three most common insect orders, Hymenoptera (specifically ants), Hemiptera (true bugs) and Coleoptera (beetles), with distance from a gravel road in a grassland system in South Africa, are documented. Insects were collected by means of pitfall traps (n = 164) installed at 2, 5, 10 and 20 m perpendicular to a gravel road, and abundances of these three orders were compared statistically between the four distances. Whereas no significant differences in the numbers of Hymenoptera and Coleoptera were observed with distance from road, the abundance of Hemiptera was greater closer to the road. Our results show that quieter, low-traffic roads can affect the distribution of insect species at finer spatial scales.Item Mitochondrial DNA diversity and phylogeographic patterns among South African Cape fur seals, Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus(Wiley, 2025-08) Robbertse, M.; Hofmeyr, G.J.G.; De Bruyn, P.J. Nico; Dalton, Desire; Mwale, M.Cape fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) are important apex predators and indicators of ecological health. Historically, their populations were severely reduced by the activities of sealers and guano collectors but has since increased due to legislation controlling, then banning these activities. This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of Cape fur seals in Southern Africa's cool (Benguela) and warm (Agulhas) temperate regions. Cape fur seal genetic material (n = 263) was collected along the Agulhas Bank and analysed using mitochondrial cytochrome b and D-loop gene markers. Estimates of genetic parameters showed that the south and west populations of Cape fur seals had high levels of haplotype diversity and low levels of nucleotide diversity. Assessment of genetic structure indicated that there was no obvious phylogenetic pattern between haplotypes. Both markers denoted the absence of population differentiation (FST < 0) and the presence of high genetic flow with multiple migrants between colonies. Lack of genetic distinction between localities and high genetic diversity identified here may be attributed to a recent population expansion after the last glacial maximum. Although populations are currently stable, future monitoring of populations is advocated.Item Factors influencing the capture of Japanese beetles : wind speed and direction, trap deployment protocol, lure type, and trap efficiency(Oxford University Press, 2025-07) Guignard, Quentin; Goodwin, Joel; Kimoto, Troy; Haynes, Kenneth F.; Allison, Jeremy D.In this study, factors affecting Japanese beetle (JB) trap captures (eg wind direction and speed, lure type, trap deployment and efficiency) were investigated in the field using semiochemical baited traps. Fifty-two percent of 667 JB observed flew directly upwind toward a trap with a dual lure (sex pheromone + floral kairomone), especially when wind speed exceeded 1.5 m/s. Within thirty seconds after approaching 2 m of a trap baited with a dual lure, 43%, 35%, and 22% of 138 observed beetles were captured, flew away, or landed on the trap, respectively. Of 265,884 beetles captured, 48% were captured by a cluster of 3 traps each with a single dual lure, 30% by a single trap baited with 3 dual lures, and 22% by a single trap baited with one dual lure. Traps baited with the floral lure (ie kairomone) and the floral lure and the sex pheromone (ie dual lure) captured similar numbers (39% and 41%, respectively) of JB and both captured more beetles than traps baited with the pheromone alone (12% and 8% for the sex-pheromone from the dual lure and sex-pheromone standard, respectively). Traps baited with the floral kairomone alone or with sex pheromone captured a 1:1 sex ratio (M:F) while pheromone-only traps captured a 3:1 (M:F) ratio of JB. No additive or synergistic effects of the pheromone and floral kairomone were observed. To our knowledge, this study is the first to quantify in real time the flight behavior of a beetle toward traps in the field.Item Machine learning predicts non-preferred and preferred vertebrate hosts of Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) based on skin volatile emission profiles(Springer, 2025-04) Orubuloye, Olabimpe Y.; Tchouassi, David P.; Yusuf, Abdullahi Ahmed; Pirk, Christian Walter Werner; Masiga, Daniel K.; Kariuki, Edward; Torto, Baldwyn; orubuloye.olabimpe@tuks.co.zaTsetse fly vectors of African trypanosomosis preferentially feed on certain vertebrates largely determined by olfactory cues they emit. Previously, we established that three skin-derived ketones including 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, acetophenone and geranyl acetone accounted for avoidance of zebra by tsetse flies. Here, we tested the hypothesis that these three ketones serve as biomarkers for tsetse flies to distinguish between non-preferred- and preferred-vertebrate hosts. We used coupled gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to analyze and compare the skin volatile emissions of two non-preferred- (waterbuck and zebra) and four preferred- (buffalo, donkey, horse, warthog) vertebrate hosts in two wildlife parks in Kenya. We detected a total of 96 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the skin emissions composed mainly of aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, phenols and alkanes, which varied with the vertebrate host. Using random forest analysis, we found a weak correlation between the three skin-odor repellent ketones and non-preferred and preferred vertebrate hosts. However, we found that the three repellent ketones plus skin background odors may be more sensitive chemical signals for tsetse flies to discriminate vertebrate hosts. These results contribute to understanding tsetse fly vertebrate host preferences in their natural habitat across geographic scales.