-
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Apr 2024Sympatric closely related species may experience interspecific trophic competition due to ecological similarity; they may isolate in terms of diet or habitat use as a...
Sympatric closely related species may experience interspecific trophic competition due to ecological similarity; they may isolate in terms of diet or habitat use as a strategy to avoid competition. The body tissues of consumers contain stable isotope signatures information that can be applied to infer their dietary information. In this study, δC and δN stable isotopes were analyzed to determine the dietary information and trophic niches of sympatric coexisting and . The results showed that the food sources of and were from six orders, including Orthoptera, and the cumulative contribution rate was 99.97%, with the two species eating similar diets but at different rates. The larger δC of indicates that it had a wider range of habitats for feeding, while the difference in δN values was not significant ( > 0.05), indicating that both species feed on similar nutrient levels. As determined by Bayesian ellipses, the isotopic niches of and were differentiated; the isotopic niche width of is 2.69‱, which was larger than that of (0.73‱), indicates that differentiation between the two species in diet or habitat use reduced competition. Trophic niche differentiation and differences in foraging proportions may be the principal resource allocation mechanisms behind and coexistence.
PubMed: 38672294
DOI: 10.3390/ani14081146 -
Scientific Data Apr 2024The pygmy grasshoppers, which belong to the superfamily Tetrigoidea, exhibit remarkable environmental adaptability. However, no study has yet reported a reference genome...
The pygmy grasshoppers, which belong to the superfamily Tetrigoidea, exhibit remarkable environmental adaptability. However, no study has yet reported a reference genome for this group. In this study, we assembled a high-quality chromosome-scale genome of Eucriotettix oculatus, which survive in the environment heavily polluted by heavy metals, achieved through Illumina and PacBio sequencing, alongside chromosome conformation capture techniques. The resulting genome spans 985.45 Mb across seven chromosomes (range: 71.55 to 266.65 Mb) and features an N50 length of 123.82 Mb. Chr5 is considered to be the single sex chromosome (X). This genome is composed of 46.42% repetitive elements and contains 14,906 predicted protein-coding genes, 91.63% of which are functionally annotated. Decoding the E. oculatus genome not only promotes future studies on environmental adaptation for the pygmy grasshopper, but also provides valuable resources for in-depth investigation on phylogeny, evolution, and behavior of Orthoptera.
Topics: Animals; Grasshoppers; Genome, Insect; Chromosomes, Insect; Phylogeny
PubMed: 38670991
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03276-2 -
Toxics Mar 2024The present study applied a non-invasive method to analyse anthropogenic particles and prey items in white stork () pellets. Pellets ( = 20) were obtained from white...
The present study applied a non-invasive method to analyse anthropogenic particles and prey items in white stork () pellets. Pellets ( = 20) were obtained from white stork nests during the 2020 breeding season from two sites in Croatia. In total, 7869 anthropogenic particles were isolated. The majority of particles were fragments, while previous studies on other birds often reported fibres. An ATR-FTIR polymer analysis detected glass and construction and building materials, as well as several compounds associated with plastic masses. Polymer investigation revealed the presence of dotriacontane and octacosane, which are by-products of polyethylene (PE) degradation and transformation. Additionally, the detection of vinylidene chloride (VDC) highlights the historical contribution of polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) to plastic pollution. Significant variation in particle quantity and size between the sampling sites was detected, with larger particles found at sites associated with the metal mechanical engineering industry and agriculture. Prey assessment revealed chitin remains of large insects such as Orthoptera and Coleoptera. This research confirms the potential of pellet analysis as a valuable tool for assessing the presence of anthropogenic particles in the environment. However, further research is needed to fully understand the extent of particle ingestion, particle sources and potential impact.
PubMed: 38668458
DOI: 10.3390/toxics12040236 -
Insects Mar 2024The pygmy grasshopper, , is a Chinese endemic species with an exceedingly limited distribution and fragile population structure, rendering it vulnerable to extinction....
The pygmy grasshopper, , is a Chinese endemic species with an exceedingly limited distribution and fragile population structure, rendering it vulnerable to extinction. We present a high-continuity, chromosome-scale reference genome assembly to elucidate this species' distinctive biology and inform conservation. Employing an integrated sequencing approach, we achieved a 970.40 Mb assembly with 96.32% coverage across seven pseudo-chromosomes and impressive continuity (N50 > 220 Mb). Genome annotation achieves identification with 99.2% BUSCO completeness, supporting quality. Comparative analyses with 14 genomes from Orthoptera-facilitated phylogenomics and revealed 549 significantly expanded gene families in associated with metabolism, stress response, and development. However, genomic analysis exposed remarkably low heterozygosity (0.02%), implying a severe genetic bottleneck from small, fragmented populations, characteristic of species vulnerable to extinction from environmental disruptions. Elucidating the genetic basis of population dynamics and specialization provides an imperative guideline for habitat conservation and restoration of this rare organism. Moreover, divergent evolution analysis of the CYP305m2 gene regulating locust aggregation highlighted potential structural and hence functional variations between Acrididae and Tetrigidae. Our chromosomal genomic characterization of advances Orthopteran resources, establishing a framework for evolutionary developmental explorations and applied conservation genomics, reversing the trajectory of this unique grasshopper lineage towards oblivion.
PubMed: 38667352
DOI: 10.3390/insects15040223 -
Biology Letters Apr 2024Heatwaves are increasingly prevalent and can constrain investment into important life-history traits. In addition to heatwaves, animals regularly encounter threats from...
Heatwaves are increasingly prevalent and can constrain investment into important life-history traits. In addition to heatwaves, animals regularly encounter threats from other organisms in their environments, such as predators. The combination of these two environmental factors introduces a decision-making conflict-heat exposure requires more food intake to fuel investment into fitness-related traits, but foraging in the presence of predators increases the threat of mortality. Thus, we used female variable field crickets () to investigate the effects of heatwaves in conjunction with predation risk (exposed food and water sources, and exposure to scent from black widow spiders, ) on resource acquisition (food intake) and allocation (investment into ovarian and somatic tissues). A simulated heatwave increased food intake and the allocation of resources to reproductive investment. Crickets exposed to high predation risk reduced food intake, but they were able to maintain reproductive investment at an expense to investment into somatic tissue. Thus, heatwaves and predation risk deprioritized investment into self-maintenance, which may impair key physiological processes. This study is an important step towards understanding the ecology of fear in a warming world.
Topics: Animals; Gryllidae; Predatory Behavior; Female; Spiders; Hot Temperature; Reproduction; Eating
PubMed: 38653332
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0009 -
Genetics and Molecular Biology 2024Mitochondrial genomes have provided significant insights into the evolution of several insects. A typical mitogenome contains 37 genes, and variations in gene order can...
Mitochondrial genomes have provided significant insights into the evolution of several insects. A typical mitogenome contains 37 genes, and variations in gene order can indicate evolutionary relationships between species. In this study, we have assembled the first complete mitogenomes of Endecous chape and E. onthophagus and analyzed the phylogenetic implications for the Gryllidea infraorder. We performed DNA extractions and genome sequencing for both Endecous species. Subsequently, we searched for raw data in the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) in NCBI. Using the SRA data, we assembled the partial mitogenome of Dianemobius nigrofasciatus and annotated the protein-coding genes (PCGs) for nine species. Phylogenomic relationships were reconstructed using Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI), utilizing the PCGs from 49 Gryllidea species. The mitogenome lengths of E. chape and E. onthophagus are 16,266 bp and 16,023 bp, respectively, while D. nigrofasciatus has a length of 15,359 bp. Our results indicate that species within the infraorder exhibit four types of gene order arrangements that align with their phylogenetic relationships. Both phylogenomic trees displayed strong support, and the ML corroborated with the literature. Gryllidea species have significantly contributed to various fields, and studying their mitogenomes can provide valuable insights into this infraorder evolution.
PubMed: 38648091
DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-GMB-2023-0144 -
PloS One 2024Extreme global warming and environmental changes associated with the Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE, ~183 Mya) profoundly impacted marine...
Extreme global warming and environmental changes associated with the Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE, ~183 Mya) profoundly impacted marine organisms and terrestrial plants. Despite the exceptionally elevated abundances of fossil insects from strata of this age, only assemblages from Germany and Luxembourg have been studied in detail. Here, we focus on the insect assemblage found in strata recording the T-OAE at Alderton Hill, Gloucestershire, UK, where <15% of specimens have previously been described. We located all known fossil insects (n = 370) from Alderton Hill, and used these to create the first comprehensive taxonomic and taphonomic analysis of the entire assemblage. We show that a diverse palaeoentomofaunal assemblage is preserved, comprising 12 orders, 21 families, 23 genera and 21 species. Fossil disarticulation is consistent with insect decay studies. The number of orders is comparable with present-day assemblages from similar latitudes (30°-40°N), including the Azores, and suggests that the palaeoentomofauna reflects a life assemblage. At Alderton, Hemiptera, Coleoptera and Orthoptera are the commonest (56.1%) orders. The high abundance of Hemiptera (22.1%) and Orthoptera (13.4%) indicates well-vegetated islands, while floral changes related to the T-OAE may be responsible for hemipteran diversification. Predatory insects are relatively abundant (~10% of the total assemblage) and we hypothesise that the co-occurrence of fish and insects within the T-OAE represents a jubilee-like event. The marginally higher proportion of sclerotised taxa compared to present-day insect assemblages possibly indicates adaptation to environmental conditions or taphonomic bias. The coeval palaeoentomofauna from Strawberry Bank, Somerset is less diverse (9 orders, 12 families, 6 genera, 3 species) and is taphonomically biased. The Alderton Hill palaeoentomofauna is interpreted to be the best-preserved and most representative insect assemblage from Toarcian strata in the UK. This study provides an essential first step towards understanding the likely influence of the T-OAE on insects.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Fossils; Oceans and Seas; Hypoxia; Insecta; United Kingdom
PubMed: 38630753
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299551 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2024The purpose of this study was to compare the retention rate of Adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) gene therapy agents within different subretinal injection systems. The...
The purpose of this study was to compare the retention rate of Adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) gene therapy agents within different subretinal injection systems. The retention of AAV serotype 2-based voretigene neparvovec (VN) and a clinical-grade AAV serotype 8 vector within four different subretinal cannulas from two different manufacturers was quantified. A standardized qPCR using the universal inverted terminal repeats as a target sequence was developed. The instruments compared were the PolyTip cannula 25 g/38 g by MedOne Surgical, Inc., Sarasota, FL, USA, and three different subretinal injection needles by DORC, Zuidland, The Netherlands (1270.EXT Extendible 41G subretinal injection needle (23G), DORC 1270.06 23G Dual bore injection cannula, DORC 27G Subretinal injection cannula). The retention rate of VN and within the DORC products (10-28%) was comparable to the retention rate (32%) found for the PolyTip cannula that is mentioned in the FDA-approved prescribing information for VN. For the AAV8 vector, the PolyTip cannula showed a retention rate of 14%, and a similar retention rate of 3-16% was found for the DORC products (test-retest variability: mean 4.5%, range 2.5-20.2%). As all the instruments tested showed comparable retention rates, they seem to be equally compatible with AAV2- and AAV8-based gene therapy agents.
Topics: Animals; Serogroup; Drug Delivery Systems; Genetic Therapy; Dependovirus; Grasshoppers; Parvovirinae
PubMed: 38612516
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073705 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Apr 2024The study aimed to determine the influence of grassland management on the potential food base of the red-backed shrike and the condition of chicks in the population...
The study aimed to determine the influence of grassland management on the potential food base of the red-backed shrike and the condition of chicks in the population inhabiting semi-natural grasslands in the Narew floodplain. The grassland area was divided into three groups: extensively used meadows, intensively used meadows fertilised with mineral fertilisers, and intensively used meadows fertilised with liquid manure, and selected environmental factors that may influence food availability were determined. Using Barber traps, 1825 samples containing 53,739 arthropods were collected, and the diversity, abundance, and proportion of large arthropods in the samples were analysed depending on the grassland use type. In the bird population, the condition of the chicks was characterised by the BCI (Body Condition Index) and haematological parameters (glucose level, haemoglobin level, haematocrit, and H:L ratio). The diversity of arthropods was highest in extensively used meadows. Still, the mean abundance and proportion of arthropods over 1 cm in length differed significantly for Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Arachne, and Carabidae between grassland use types, with the highest proportion of large arthropods and the highest abundance recorded in manure-fertilised meadows. The highest Body Condition Indexes and blood glucose levels of nestlings indicating good nestling nutrition were recorded in nests of birds associated with extensive land use. The H:L ratio as an indicator of the physiological condition of nestlings was high on manure-fertilised and extensively managed meadows, indicating stress factors associated with these environments. This suggests that consideration should be given to the effects of chemicals, such as pesticides or drug residues, that may come from slurry poured onto fields on the fitness of red-backed shrike chicks.
PubMed: 38612334
DOI: 10.3390/ani14071093 -
Scientific Reports Apr 2024Rapid and reliable detection of pathogens is crucial to complement the growing industry of mass-reared insects, in order to safeguard the insect colonies from outbreak...
Rapid and reliable detection of pathogens is crucial to complement the growing industry of mass-reared insects, in order to safeguard the insect colonies from outbreak of diseases, which may cause significant economic loss. Current diagnostic methods are mainly based on conventional PCR and microscopic examination, requiring prior knowledge of disease symptoms and are limited to identifying known pathogens. Here, we present a rapid nanopore-based metagenomics approach for detecting entomopathogens from the European house cricket (Acheta domesticus). In this study, the Acheta domesticus densovirus (AdDV) was detected from diseased individuals using solely Nanopore sequencing. Virus reads and genome assemblies were obtained within twenty-four hours after sequencing. Subsequently, due to the length of the Nanopore reads, it was possible to reconstruct significantly large parts or even the entire AdDV genome to conduct studies for genotype identification. Variant analysis indicated the presence of three AdDV genotypes within the same house cricket population, with association to the vital status of the diseased crickets. This contrast provided compelling evidence for the existence of non-lethal AdDV genotypes. These findings demonstrated nanopore-based metagenomics sequencing as a powerful addition to the diagnostic tool kit for routine pathogen surveillance and diagnosis in the insect rearing industry.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Nanopore Sequencing; Gryllidae; Densovirus; Genotype; Disease Outbreaks
PubMed: 38609404
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58768-3