Search Results (85)

Heptophylla gongshana Bezděk & Král, n. sp. from Yunnan, China, is described. The new species, conspicuous in the genus Heptophylla Motschulsky, 1858, by its black body and octomerous antennal club in males, is compared with similar congeners. An iconography including the male genitalia of the new species and the type material of the Heptophyllini taxa described by You-Wei Zhang and found in the Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, is provided. An updated checklist of Heptophyllini (Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) is presented, and the validity of the tribe is discussed. Full article

Turfgrass systems in European urban green spaces, including sports fields, golf courses, and residential lawns, must balance high performance with compliance with stricter pesticide regulations. This review examines Synergistic Pest Management (SPM), an advanced form of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that integrates monitoring, biological, cultural, and targeted chemical strategies for sustainable control of major turfgrass pests. Focus is placed on key insect pests such as Tipula spp. larvae and chafer beetle grubs (Scarabaeidae) and fungal pathogens, including Microdochium nivale, Clarireedia spp., Laetisaria fuciformis, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. avenae, and Colletotrichum spp., which cause significant losses in Central Europe and similar regions. Effective combinations include entomopathogenic nematodes with fungi, endophyte-infected cultivars with optimized mowing and irrigation, and low-dose insecticides paired with biological agents. The review considers how soil conditions, environmental timing, and maintenance practices influence success. Practical tools such as decision-support matrices and a seasonal calendar are provided for regional use. SPM can reduce chemical inputs, enhance biodiversity, and improve turf resilience, but adoption is limited by biological sensitivity, product availability, costs, and technical demands. SPM aligns with EU Directive 2009/128 and offers a pathway to sustainable turfgrass pest management. Future efforts should focus on regional validation, practitioner training, and precision technologies. Full article

Crops of cocoa, avocado, cassava, yam, and maize are of utmost importance to the economy of the Colombian Caribbean, as they serve as the primary source of income for many families. However, establishing these crops requires the replacement of natural ecosystems, with limited understanding of how these areas contribute to biodiversity conservation. This study analyzed the diversity of dung beetles in both transitory and permanent crops within a landscape in San Jacinto, Bolívar, to assess their contribution to the conservation of diversity within this insect group. Dung beetle communities were sampled in permanent crops of avocado and cocoa, transitory crops (cassava, yam, and maize), and a forest fragment. The forest fragment exhibited high levels of species richness, abundance, and diversity regardless of the sampling period; these values were only matched by those of the permanent cocoa crop, and only during the rainy season. Our findings highlight the necessity of preserving forest fragments for biodiversity conservation, while also indicating that certain permanent crops may contribute to this effort. Full article

Cyborg insects offer a biologically powered solution for locomotion control, but conventional methods typically rely on invasive electrical stimulation. Here, we introduce a noninvasive, phototaxis-based strategy to steer walking Endebius florensis beetles using light-emitting diode (LED) stimuli. Electroretinogram recordings revealed spectral sensitivity to blue, green, and yellow light, with reduced response to red. Behavioral assays demonstrated robust positive phototaxis to blue light and negative phototaxis to yellow. Using these findings, we built a wireless microcontroller-based backpack emitting directional blue light to induce steering. The beetles reliably turned toward the activated light, achieving angular deflections over 60° within seconds. This approach enables repeatable, trauma-free insect control and establishes a new paradigm for biohybrid locomotion systems. Full article

The number of fungal infections is steadily increasing, with considerable morbidity and mortality. Additionally, antifungal resistance is a growing concern, highlighting the need to develop new treatment options. One alternative is the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of designed short AMPs, Act-6 and Act 8-20, derived from cecropin transcripts of beetles from the family Scarabaeidae, against eight reference strains of the pathogenic yeasts Candida and Cryptococcus. We also evaluated the effect of these modified AMPs on the biofilm, morphogenesis, and cell morphology of Candida albicans, as well as the in vivo activity via a murine model of disseminated candidiasis. The AMPs herein analyzed exhibit differential antifungal activity against the yeasts assessed, and inhibit biofilm, hyphae, and pseudohyphae formation with morphological alterations in C. albicans. Moreover, the fungal load in mice treated with these AMPs significantly decreased. Altogether, our results suggest that Act-6 and Act 8-20 are promising antifungal molecules to control mycoses. Full article

Background:Envenomation by poisonous creatures is a major global cause of mortality. Its concomitant impact on the postmortem corpse decomposition and associated insect succession pattern is still poorly understood. Purpose of the study: This study comparatively investigates the impact of envenomization with the venoms of the snake Walterinnesia aegyptia L. versus the scorpion, Androctonus crassicauda L., on rabbit corpse decomposition and beetle succession. Methods: Three groups of rabbits (five animals each) were injected with the snake venom, the scorpion venom, or 0.9% saline (control) prior to euthanasia with CO₂. The corpse decomposition stages and beetle succession were monitored over 11 days. Results: Four stages of decomposition with venom-dependent duration variation were observed. The scorpion-envenomized corpses showed a longer decay stage and a delayed dry stage. A total of 1094 beetles belonging to 27 species of 14 families were reported. Histeridae, Dermestidae, Scarabaeidae, and Tenebrionidae were the most diversified and prevalent families. Chrysomelidae, Elateridae, Hybosoridae, and Ptinidae were incidentally attracted to control corpses, while Nitidulidae and Zopheridae were only found on control and snake-envenomized ones. Four species belonging to the families Anthicidae, Histeridae, Scarabaeidae, and Tenebrionidae were predominant on all corpses. Four species belonging to the families Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae, Elateridae, and Hybosoridae were distinctively associated with the control corpses. Conclusions: These findings provided evidence that envenomation impacted the decomposition process and beetle succession in a venom-dependent manner, which could be significant for forensic investigations. Full article

Chemosensory systems play a pivotal role in insect survival and reproduction by mediating the detection of volatile organic compounds in the environment. Protaetia brevitarsis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), a phytophagous pest widely distributed across East Asia, poses a significant threat to agro-horticultural systems through crop damage. We conducted antennal transcriptome sequencing of adult beetles and identified 117 chemosensory-related genes, including 66 odorant receptors (ORs), 20 ionotropic receptors, 10 gustatory receptors, 13 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), four chemosensory proteins, and four sensory neuron membrane proteins. Tissue-specific expression profiling revealed the antennal enrichment of five PbreOBP genes and twenty-three ORs. Notably, sexual dimorphism was observed in OR expression patterns. PbreOR1/6/17/18/21/22/30/32 exhibited male-biased antennal expression, whereas PbreOR25/26/29/38/41/44/61 demonstrated female-biased antennal expression, indicating their potential involvement in sex-specific behaviors, such as pheromone detection and oviposition site selection. A comprehensive description of the antenna chemosensory-related genes of P. brevitarsis has deepened our understanding of the olfactory mechanisms in coleopteran insects. This study also provides a basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying olfaction in P. brevitarsis. Full article

Dung beetles are important ecosystem engineers, as they utilize the excrement produced by animals. For nearly 60 years, several species of dung beetle have been introduced to Australia to help mitigate the problems caused by the accumulation of livestock dung. The twenty-three successfully established species directly contribute to reducing the environmental impacts from dung accumulation, providing improvements to soil health, pasture productivity and pest fly reduction. Despite this success, there are still geographical and seasonal gaps in dung beetle activity, causing dung to remain on the soil surface. The continued importation of new dung beetle species is warranted to fill these gaps. One of the significant remaining gaps is during spring in southern Australia. Four spring-active dung species from Morocco were selected for a new importation program (2018–2022): Euonthophagus crocatus, Onthophagus vacca, Onthophagus marginalis subsp. andalusicus and Gymnopleurus sturmi. These species were surveyed at four sites in Morocco on an altitudinal gradient to assess their seasonal activity. The four species were found at all sites during spring, but in varying abundances, with different species dominating different sites. This is most likely due to differences in local conditions such as soil type. Seasonal activity varied depending on elevation. Gymnopleurus sturmi was found to be active later in the season and should be considered as a summer species. The four species selected will be, if they establish, a useful addition to the already introduced and established dung beetle fauna in Australia. Full article

We describe three new species: Canthon mezcalis Moctezuma, Sánchez-Huerta, and Halffter sp. nov. from the Valles Centrales region in Oaxaca, Mexico; Canthon hondurensis Moctezuma and Sánchez-Huerta sp. nov. from Honduras; and Canthon woodruffi Moctezuma and Sánchez-Huerta sp. nov. from Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Through the examination of external and genital morphology, Bayesian inference, and genetic distances based on the Kimura two-parameter model of nucleotide substitution, we confidently determined that the C. indigaceus species group is a monophyletic unit, which is integrated by a set of cryptic species. Full article

Four new dung beetle species of the genus Onthophagus Latreille from Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Bénin, and Cameroon are described, and a fragment of their COI gene is sequenced. The coprophagous Onthophagus (Trichonthophagus) sylviae sp. nov. from Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso is most similar to Onthophagus pallidus d’Orbigny from Cameroon, but it is more elongated, more silky than shiny, and has no dark spot on the third elytral interstria. Onthophagus odikpatra sp. nov. (18th group of d’Orbigny) from Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon feeds on carrion, including dead millipedes and fish, and dung. It is most similar to Onthophagus baloghi Balthasar from Central Africa but has simple punctures on the sides of the pronotum. Onthophagus chinonophilus sp. nov. from Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, which feeds on freshly dead millipedes and is attracted by their quinonous defensive secretions; it also belongs to the 18th group in d’Orbigny’s classification. Small and medium individuals resemble small Onthophagus latigibber d’Orbigny but differ in shape and sculpture of the pronotum. Small individuals are also similar to Onthophagus tschadensis Balthasar (19th group) but differ in the shape of the aedeagus. The generalist feeder Onthophagus (Tiaronthophagus) necneavius sp. nov. (24th group) from Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Bénin is most similar to Onthophagus naevius from Zambia, DR Congo, and Tanzania, but it is smaller, shiny all over; the sides of pronotum behind anterior angles are almost straight, not distinctly emarginate, and the frons is densely covered with fine punctures. COI barcode sequences were provided for all four new species, but the poor sampling of Onthophagus in GenBank prevents meaningful analysis of species relationships on the basis of COI barcodes at this point. Full article

The Canthon indigaceus species group represents a Typical Neotropical distributional pattern with wide penetration into the Mexican Transition Zone. This group consists of three species: C. (C.) indigaceus LeConte; C. (C.) chiapas Robinson; and C. (C.) chevrolati Harold. In this study, a new species for the group is described, C. (C.) cuixmala, collected along the tropical region of the Pacific coast and the Balsas River basin. The taxonomic status of members of the group were evaluated by comparing morphological characteristics and their biogeographic distributions. An updated dichotomous key is provided to separate members of this species group. Full article

Oryctes monoceros (Olivier, 1789) (Scarabaeidae) and Rhynchophorus phoenicis (Fabricius, 1801) (Curculionidae) are two insects generally known as formidable pests of oil palms and coconuts trees. Although little known, different developmental stages of these insects are consumed. The aim of this study is to determine the composition of these adult Coleopteran species in order to promote their consumption as a strategy for enhancing food security. Chemical analyses were carried out on adults of both species. Samples of O. monoceros and R. phoenicis were collected in three localities in Togo. The ash, protein, vitamin, and lipid contents were determined according to the AOAC reference methods. The fiber contents were obtained by the method of Weende. The minerals and heavy metals were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and colorimetry. Fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography. The results showed the average protein content ranges from 44.32 ± 0.83 to 45.89 ± 0.83%. The lipid level is between 15.06 ± 0.28% and 14.64 ± 0.54. Their lipids contain unsaturated fatty acids, notably oleic (40.84 ± 0.112 vs. 40.84 ± 0.11%), linoleic (4.49 ± 0.00 vs. 5.07 ± 0.02%), and α-linolenic (5.07 ± 0.02 vs. 6.35 ± 0.01%) acid. They are excellent sources of minerals and vitamins. They are also free of heavy metals. These species could, therefore, contribute to the nutritional balance of consumers. They deserve to be better promoted for human consumption, as they could make a significant contribution to the fight against malnutrition and constitute a novel food source. Full article

Background/Objectives: In order to determine the basic structural characteristics of the mitochondrial genome of Cyphochilus crataceus and explore its phylogenetic status, as well as to understand the codon usage bias of Melolonthinae species, the next-generation sequencing was used to obtain the mitochondrial genome sequence of C. crataceus. Methods: Combined with 121 sequences of Scarabaeidae downloaded from GeneBank, a phylogenetic tree of the family was constructed using PhyloSuite v 1.2.3 software. Additionally, the codon composition and codon usage bias of the mitochondrial protein-coding genes of C. crataceus and 16 other Melolonthinae species were analyzed. Results: The results showed that the mitochondrial genome sequence of C. crataceus was 17,946 bp in length, with an A + T content of 71.82%, exhibiting a significant AT bias and a preference for ending with the base A/U, showed typical features of Scarabaeidae mitogenomes. The analysis of RSCU, ENC-plot, and neutrality plot revealed that factors such as nucleotide composition, gene mutations, and natural selection can have an impact on codon usage bias, but the intensity varies. For C. crataceus, codon usage preference is primarily influenced by gene mutations. The phylogenetic tree results indicated that, apart from Melolonthinae, all other subfamilies within Scarabaeidae were monophyletic. Conclusions: This study not only enriches the mitochondrial genome information of scarab beetles in the subfamily Melolonthinae but also provides important foundational information for molecular systematics, population genetics, and molecular ecology research in the family Scarabaeidae. Full article

Thermal polymorphism, usually represented by thermal melanism (darker coloration in cooler habitats), is a well-known phenomenon in animals. In Cetoniinae, several species in captivity tend to become darker after several generations of breeding, which is probably caused by a lower temperature than is typical for their native habitats. Pachnoda iskuulka is a beetle species occurring in Somaliland. This species is easy to breed in captivity, and it is colorful and variable in the proportions of yellow, red, and black coloration. We kept this species from the first instar larva to the adult stage at three different temperatures. Elytra and pronotum of the adults were photographed, and proportions of the three main colors were measured. The proportion of black coloration significantly increased with size and decreased with temperature, while the proportion of yellow color increased. This species is certainly thermally polymorphic, which can be an adaptation for activation even at lower temperatures. The possible mimicry with beetles of the genus Hycleus is discussed. It is the first confirmation of thermal polymorphism in Cetoniinae and one of a few in Coleoptera. Full article

Cheirotonus jansoni (Jordan, 1898), a beetle species of ecological and ornamental significance, is predominantly found in southern China. With limited dispersal ability, it is classified as a Class 2 protected species in China. In this study, the widely employed maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model and the ensemble Biomod2 model were applied to simulate C. jansoni habitat suitability in China under current environmental conditions based on available distribution data and multiple environmental variables. The optimized MaxEnt model demonstrated improved accuracy and robust predictive capabilities, making it the preferred choice for simulating dynamic changes in potentially suitable habitats for C. jansoni under future climate scenarios. Protection gaps were further identified through analyses of the overlap between nature reserves and highly suitable areas for C. jansoni. The established models indicated that this species primarily resides in southeastern mountainous regions of China below 2000 m, with a preferred altitude of 1000–2000 m. Future climate scenarios suggest a reduction in the overall suitable habitat for C. jansoni with an increase in temperature, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced conservation efforts for this beetle species. Full article