In this study, we report 8 new species of pyraloid moths for the fauna of Tajikistan, which have not previously been recorded in the region. They were collected in various habitats in the territory of Tajikistan and during different seasons. These findings significantly expand our knowledge of the species diversity of Pyraloidea in the region. Additionally, the study provides a preliminary list of the pyraloid moths known from Tajikistan, making it a valuable resource for further faunistic research of this group of Lepidoptera in Central Asia. Given the difficult topography and limited previous research, it is likely that there are additional, yet undiscovered species in the high-altitude and less studied regions of Tajikistan.
The Scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) fauna of Algeria in forest environment is little known, as few studies have been conducted in these areas. The various studies conducted on scale insects in Algeria have shown the presence of 207 species to date. Most of these species (106) belong to the family Diaspididae. Coccomorpha species on forest woody species (Cedrus atlantica, Ilex aquifolium, Juniperus oxycedrus, Juniperus phoenicea, Olea europaea, Pinus halepensis, Pistacia lentiscus, and Quercus ilex) were collected from various sites in the Belezma National Park (Algeria) during the period 2013−2017. A total of 24 species were identified from six scale insect families: Diaspididae (70.83%), Kermesidae (8.33%), Pseudococcidae (8.33%), Asterolecaniidae (4.17%), Coccidae (4.17%), and Putoidae (4.17%). The species Gomezmenoraspis pinicola (Diaspididae) is recorded for the first time in Africa, and three species, are recorded for the first time in Algeria: Quernaspis lepineyi (Diaspididae), G. pinicola and Planococcus vovae (Pseudococcidae). According to zoogeographical groups, 8 species are endemic, 13 are Mediterranean, and 3 are cosmopolitan.
We report the first record of Hydroptila ivisa Malicky, 1972 in Slovakia. The faunistic survey of caddisflies was conducted on the eastern slopes of the Vel'k & aacute; Fatra Mountains in the village of Blatnica (Turiec River Basin, central Slovakia) in 2024. One male and two females of Hydroptila ivisa were attracted by UV light traps at the Blatnick & yacute; potok stream. In 2025, the presence of the species was confirmed at the same locality with the capture of two additional females. Furthermore, one male and one female were recorded upstream in the Gadersk & yacute; potok stream, the main tributary of the Blatnick & yacute; potok stream, located within the Vel'k & aacute; Fatra National Park. This is only the third known location of the species in the Carpathians; consistent with its already known habitat preferences, it was found in the rhithral. We also present a list of caddisfly species recorded during the survey, which expands the known species diversity of the region.
Mealybugs (Maconellicoccus hirsutus, Phenacoccus solenopsis, Planococcus citri), are significant agricultural pests worldwide. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of three parasitoid species (Leptomastix dactylopii, Anagyrus kamali, Anagyrus pseudococci) in controlling these pests. It focused on parasitism rates, host preferences, offspring emergence from parasitized mummies, and parasitoid functional responses. Leptomastix dactylopii showed parasitism rates of 51.42% for P. solenopsis, 72.85% for M. hirsutus, and 77.14% for P. citri. In comparison, Anagyrus kamali had rates of 75.71%, 92.85%, and 54.28% for the same hosts, while A. pseudococci recorded 41.41%, 48.57%, and 78.57%. The highest emergence percentages were 72.57% for L. dactylopii from P. citri, 82.85% for A. kamali from M. hirsutus, and 68.57% for A. pseudococci from P. citri. Leptomastix dactylopii preferred P. solenopsis (39.68%) over M. hirsutus (36.50%) and P. citri (23.81%). Anagyrus kamali preferred M. hirsutus (41.29%) over P. solenopsis (34.09%) and P. citri (24.62%). Anagyrus pseudococci favored P. citri (46.76%) more than P. solenopsis (24.2%) and M. hirsutus (29.04%). Higher host-parasitoid densities and ratios increased parasitism rates across all three species. All three parasitoids exhibited a type III functional response to the three mealybug species. These findings highlight the potential for developing eco-friendly pest control strategies through mass rearing and release of these parasitoids to manage mealybug populations.
The shoot-mining fly Neosilba perezi (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) severely limits stem cutting production in cassava, yet its population ecology in tropical dry savannas is poorly documented. We monitored two contiguous 0.20 ha organic cassava fields in the Brazilian Cerrado monthly for 17 months (March 2017-July 2018), visually inspecting every plant at each visit (34 site-months; 85,000 shoots). Mean infestation was 13.3 %, but prevalence climbed to 45 % at the onset of the dry, cool season. A quasi-binomial generalised linear model revealed a strong quadratic response to 14-day mean temperature, with maximal infestation predicted at 28 degrees C, and a weaker negative association with cumulative rainfall. Field identity explained < 3 % of the deviance, indicating homogeneous pressure at the landscape scale. The resulting 28 degrees C / low-rainfall threshold delineates a June-August surveillance window in which early trap sampling can guide selective interventions in pesticide-restricted systems. These baseline parameters extend the biogeographical range of quantified N. perezi outbreaks and provide input for phenology models that anticipate pest pressure under future warming scenarios.
To investigate the response characteristics of the carboxylesterase gene GmCarE4a in Galleria mellonella to insecticide stress, we used a previously generated transcriptome dataset of G. mellonella from our research group. The complete coding sequence (CDS) of the GmCarE4a in G. mellonella was cloned by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by bioinformatics analysis and phylogenetic tree construction. Additionally, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to analyse the expression patterns of this gene across different developmental stages, tissue locations, and under varying concentrations of chlorantraniliprole stress. The results showed that the acids. The CDS possesses the typical conserved domains of carboxylesterases, belongs to the beta family, and exhibits the closest phylogenetic relationship to GmCarE4a of Achroia grisella. GmCarE4a exhibits differential spatial and temporal expression in G. mellonella, with the highest expression levels observed in late-instar larvae and epidermal tissues. Under chlorantraniliprole stress, its expression levels in the treated groups were significantly higher than in the control group. These findings suggest that GmCarE4a may play a key role in the detoxification and metabolism of G. mellonella.
An updated checklist and illustrated taxonomic identification key are presented for the known genera and species of the family Sepsidae from Azad Kashmir. Based on the present findings and published records, 14 species belonging to six genera within the subfamily Sepsinae are documented. Their regional distribution data, taxonomic identification key, and diagnostic characters are provided.
The genus Miscophus Jurine, 1807 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) was studied in two discrete fragments of the Northern (Alborz, Qazvin, Guilan, Mazandaran and Tehran provinces), and southern (Khuzestan and Hormozgan provinces) inlands of Iran. The specimens were collected using Malaise traps in the years 2010, 2011 and 2017. Twelve species were identified, of which five species are new records for the fauna of Iran: Miscophus ctenopus Kohl, 1885; M. niger Dahlbom, 1844; M. aenigma Honore, 1944; M. irwini Schmid-Egger, 2022 and M. caninus Andrade, 1953. An identification key for all Iranian species of the genus Miscophus and brief diagnoses for the new records are provided.
The agricultural landscape, which includes viticulture and grape growing, significantly affects the spatial distribution and the development of biodiversity in the landscape. Therefore, in our study, we focused on the development of epigeic arthropods under the conditions of the vineyard landscape. We conducted the research over the three years 2021-2023 in 8 study areas representing 4 types of vineyard vineyard)). We collected epigeic arthropods using the pitfall traps method at monthly intervals. During the research, we recorded 56,403 individuals belonging to 22 taxa, eudominant representation was confirmed in the taxa Hymenoptera (40.59%), Coleoptera (18.67%), and Araneida (11.65%). Statistical analysis confirmed the highest number of species and individuals in the intensive vineyard and meadow (original vineyard). Using machine learning, we confirmed the same evolution of epigeic arthropods over time for all types of vineyard land use except semiintensive vineyard. We also predicted an increase in epigeic arthropods for the month of July 2025 for all types of land use. The results of our research provide new information on the development of epigeic arthropods in vineyard ecosystems, which is important for the maintenance of sustainable agriculture that supports the preservation of biodiversity.
The mound-building termite, Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) (Blattodea: Termitidae), is recognized as a major agricultural pest, attacking a wide range of cash crops and capable of causing yield losses from 10% to complete crop failure. This study represents the first attempt to model the potential distribution of O. obesus in India using the MaxEnt algorithm with bioclimatic predictors, while also assessing future distributional shifts under climate change. Projections were derived from the Beijing Climate SSP5-8.5) for 2050 and 2070. Precipitation-related variables, particularly of the wettest month, warmest quarter, coldest quarter, and driest month, were identified as the most influential drivers of habitat suitability. All models yielded area under curve (AUC) values greater than 0.9, confirming their high discriminatory power and predictive reliability. At present, 48.0% of India's geographic area is predicted to provide climatically suitable habitat for O. obesus. Future scenarios indicate significant range expansion under high-emission pathways, with intensification in present hotspots and colonization of new regions. Conversely, a substantial contraction in habitat suitability under the low-emission scenario indicates that mitigation of global warming may limit the future expansion of this pest. These findings provide a critical foundation for anticipating climate-driven shifts in O. obesus distribution and underscore the broader implications for pest management, ecosystem functioning, biodiversity, and environmental change.
In this study we report the first systematic investigation of the caddisfly fauna from the Bajgor & euml; area in northern part of Kosovo. Specimens were collected from four stations during July 2024 using ultraviolet light traps. A total of 316 adult specimens were identified belonging to 19 species and 8 families. The most species-rich family was Rhyacophilidae, while Philopotamus montanus (Donovan, 1813) and Psychomyia pusilla (Fabricius, 1781) were the most abundant species. The presence of Hydroptila occulta (Eaton, 1873) is here reported for the first time from Kosovo. This species was found at all three studied sites which represent upstream areas of relatively undisturbed freshwater habitats located between 566m and 677 m asl altitudes. This represents a significant contribution for the knowledge of distribution of this species, representing one of the few records for the Balkan Peninsula and Ecoregion 5, Dinaric Western Balkans. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the insufficiently known caddisfly species of the region in function of the conservation of freshwater habitats in the Balkans.
In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Saga hakkarica ,Sirin & Taylan, 2019, an Anatolian endemic species belonging to the order Orthoptera, family Tettigoniidae, subfamily Saginae, was characterized and genetically analysed. Next-generation sequencing technologies were employed to obtain the mitogenome sequences of S. hakkarica. With a total of 14,508,962 reads were generated, with an overall sequence length of approximately 2.19 Gbp. The mitogenome exhibited a GC content of 46.8% and an AT content of 53.2%. The analyses showed that the mitogenome of S. hakkarica is 15,755 bp in length and comprises 37 genes. These include 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), along with a control region. Furthermore, it was determined that 23 of the 37 genes are located on the forward strand, while the remaining 14 genes are situated on the reverse strand. The mitogenome of S. hakkarica shows a high degree of similarity to Orthoptera mitogenomes reported in the literature with respect to the number of PCG, tRNA, and rRNA genes. Although the start and stop codons exhibit overall similarity, specific at the sequence-level differences were identified. In conclusion, this study presents, for the first time, the structural and functional characteristics of the complete mitogenome of S. hakkarica. As the second mitogenome dataset obtained from the subfamily Saginae, it provides an intrageneric evaluation and an important resource for future genetic and phylogenetic studies.
The fragmentation of urban green spaces in megacities such as Istanbul has raised concerns about the biodiversity of insects, particularly solitary hymenopterans. This study reports the first occurrence of Psenulus fuscipennis (Dahlbom, 1843) in Istanbul, T & uuml;rkiye, and evaluates its nesting behaviour across an urbanisation gradient using artificial nest blocks. Twenty-five nest blocks, with entrance cavity diameters of 1.0, 0.7, and 0.4 cm, were monitored from March to September 2020. Nesting occurred exclusively in 0.4 cm cavities (n = 325 emergence events). The adults were identified morphologically, while the immature stages were confirmed by COI DNA barcoding. Importantly, the relationship between abundance and urbanisation depended on the analytical framework used. A non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test comparing and controlled for habitat type (garden, park or rural), revealed a significant positive association between higher urbanisation intensity and abundance. This model also indicated higher abundance in rural locations than in gardens and lower abundance in parks. Thus, while categorical comparisons alone did not detect differences, model-based inference revealed a positive relationship between urbanisation and abundance once habitat variation was accounted for. Our results demonstrate that P. fuscipennis can utilise fragmented green spaces under urban pressure, with microhabitat (cavity size) remaining the primary constraint and the urbanisation signal likely reflecting unmeasured covariates rather than a general increase.
Mitochondrial genomes are powerful molecular markers for investigating phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary dynamics among closely related taxa. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of Coptotettix longtanensis for the first time. The circular mitogenome is 16,861 bp in length and encodes the typical set of 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), as well as a non-coding A+T-rich control region. The overall A+T content is 74.82%, exhibiting a strong bias consistent with other members of Tetriginae. The gene arrangement is identical to the ancestral insect pattern, except for a trnK-trnD translocation. Codon usage analysis revealed a clear preference forA-and T-ending codons, and the Ka/ Ks ratios of all 13 PCGs were below 1, indicating strong purifying selection. Phylogenetic relationships among 17 Tetriginae species and two outgroups were reconstructed using Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods based on concatenated PCGs. Our results showed that the two Coptotettix species, C. longtanensis and C. longjiangensis, formed a distinct and well-supported clade, thus clarifying the phylogenetic position of C. longtanensis within Tetriginae. This analysis enhances our understanding of the mitogenome characteristics of Tetriginae grasshoppers and provides a foundation for future phylogenetic research on the family Tetrigidae.
Characters of external genitalia are considered as one of the important criteria to understand the taxonomy of insects. In the present study, various taxonomic characters of the external genitalia of seven species under the genus Neptis Fabricius viz., sappho (Pallas, 1771), mahendra Moore, 1872, soma Moore, 1858, clinia Moore, 1872, sankara (Kollar,[1844]), narayana Moore 1858 and nata Moore, [1858] have been described and illustrated in detail. Besides, brief diagnoses and identification keys based on external genitalia, morphological variations and taxonomic remarks have been given for all taxa.
Malaria is considered as the single most prevalent life-threatening infectious disease in the world which spreads to human populations by Anopheles mosquito. Malaria infection poses serious risks to adults, children and pregnant women. The adverse effects in pregnant women include anaemia, fetal demise and premature delivery. The incidence of malaria is higher in children younger than five years in endemic areas like tropical Africa. The vector potential of female species Anopheles varies due to different meteorological conditions. Climate based models have also shown an enhancement of disease following extreme weather changes. This review gleans an insight into the association of malaria with different climatic variables. It covers etiology, symptoms’ manifestation, life cycle of the parasite, transmission, epidemiology, drug resistance, impact of El Niño cycle, malarial association with climatic change and conclusions and technological innovations.
This is the first report of web or foot spinners (order Embioptera), particularly the Haploembia tarsalis (Ross, 1940), in Iran. This possible non-indigenous species was found in an urban area from the yard of a private property in Urmia, West Azarbaijan and in a suburban area near the Agark-Nordoz border crossing, East Azarbaijan Province, Iran. The genus Haploembia Verhoeff, 1904, seems apparently native to the Mediterranean. It is a unique and unusual insect order in cold and mountainous regions, perhaps related to the changing climate which facilitated a possible introduction. From the reared live culture of the webspinner, dipteran parasitoids pupae belonging to the family Tachinidae were obtained. Newly recorded species for Iran’s fauna, Rossimyiops longicornis (Kugler, 1972). This study documents presence of the webspinners in Iran, complemented by detailed photographic evidence of the species’ habitus. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive description of its associated parasitoid and offers insights into the biological characteristics and ecological behavior of the parasitoid fly.
The study was carried out at ANDUA&T’s Department of Entomology during 2022–2023. The study used a completely randomized design (CRD), had eight treatments, and was replicated three times. The most effective seed protectants were found to be 10 g Kg-1 of silica nanoparticles, 2 ppm Kg-1 of emamectin benzoate, 5 g Kg-1 of silica nanoparticles, and 3 ppm Kg-1 of spinetoram. These treatments also had the lowest seed damage and weight loss, the highest germination percentage and seed vigor index, and the highest protein and carbohydrate content of chickpea seeds for up to 90 days of storage while maintaining the IMSCS level. Longer storage times resulted in more seed damage, seed weight loss, and qualitative loss (germination, vigor, carbohydrate, and protein) of chickpea seeds. Thus, the results all of the treatments showed that spinetoram 3 ppm Kg-1 seed, Emamectin benzoate 2 ppm Kg-1 seed, Silica nanoparticles 5g Kg-1 seed, and Silica nanoparticles 10 g Kg-1 seed might be utilized to protect chickpea seeds from Callosobruchus chinensis for a long time.
The genus Phlaeothrips Haliday, 1836 (Phlaeothripidae: Phlaeothripinae) is reported from Türkiye for the first time, based on specimens of Phlaeothrips coriaceus (Haliday, 1836) collected in Balıkesir Province. This record confirms the presence of the genus and the species in the country and provides additional faunistic data on Thysanoptera from Türkiye. Specimens were collected using window traps placed on Quercus and Fagus trees in deciduous forest habitats. A detailed redescription of P. coriaceus is presented, supported by morphometric data and photomicrographs. These findings add complementary faunistic and morphological information on Thysanoptera in Türkiye.
Epicauta impressicornis Pic. (Coleoptera: Meloidae), an insect of profound medicinal significance, synthesizes cantharidin, a compound known for its anticancer effects. To investigate the expression characteristics of the EiSD gene in E. impressicornis and its temperature adaptability. In this study, we cloned E. impressicornis’ sorbitol dehydrogenase gene (EiSD) (GenBank accession number: PV394100), and analyzed its bioinformatic characterization, and profiled its expression across developmental stages, tissues, and under various temperatures stress conditions. EiSD has a 1,071 bp ORF that encodes 356 amino acids, with a molecular weight of 38.90 kDa, an isoelectric point of 6.42, and a half-life of 30 h. Phylogenetic analysis showed that it is highly conserved and closely related to the SD of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed that EiSD expression peaks in the thorax, and is lowest in the 5th instar larvae and at 12, 18, and 36 °C. The results suggest that EiSD is essential for withstanding low and extreme temperatures. Its low expression under extreme temperature stress likely modulates the sorbitol metabolic pathway, leading to cryoprotectant sorbitol accumulation that supports larval diapaused and stress resistance.
