寄主植物親緣關係與生長形式對廣食性的黃鉤蛺蝶有基因表現上的影響

文獻來源：HM Heidel-Fischer, D Freitak, N Janz, L Söderlind, H Vogel, S Nylin. 2009. Phylogenetic relatedness and host plant growth form influence gene expression of the polyphagous comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album). BMC Genomics 10:506. doi:10.1186/1471-2164-10-506

關於限制植食性昆蟲食性範圍的機制目前尚未研究透徹，但是針對影響他們的機制與選汰力量之研究能使人們更了解較大尺度的生態交互作用。目前已知植物的化學防禦物質可影響植食性昆蟲的食性範圍，而植物的化學防禦物質則受植物親緣關係之影響、植物的生長形式亦會影響植物的防禦策略（首先是由Feeny, P.在1976年所提出的"plant apparency"假說）。在本研究中，作者希望藉由檢測取食三種不同寄主植物的幼蟲之基因表現，以分析出黃鉤蛺蝶(Polygonia c-album)能取食多樣化的植物之分子層次基礎，此三種植物為近緣關係(Urtica dioica and Ulmus glabra- 皆為蕁麻目)或有相同生長形式 (Salix caprea and Ulmus glabra -皆為樹木)。
作者在取食不同植物後的黃鉤蛺蝶身上總計找到120個具有差異表現的基因，其中55個位於中腸、65個位於幼蟲身體的其他部位。27個選取的測試基因中有14個 (10 in 中腸 and 4 in 身體其他部位)的表現樣式可以以獨立方法進行確認。對幼蟲中腸基因表現進行配對的相似性比較顯示，無論是在近緣的植物或具有相同生長形式的植物之間，均具有較高的相似性。相反地，幼蟲身體其他部位的基因與植物的類別間則無相對應的樣式。然而在取食不同寄主植物的幼蟲中腸中並未找到不同的解毒酵素以進行不同的調節。作者的研究資料顯示基因表現對取食不同寄主植物的反應是很複雜的，雖然每種植物需要幼蟲獨特的基因調節，但是寄主植物間親緣關係與寄主植物生長形式看來亦能影響廣食性的黃鉤蛺蝶之基因表現，此與蝶類寄主植物利用的親緣關係研究結果一致。

Background
The mechanisms that shape the host plant range of herbivorous insect are to date not well understood but knowledge of these mechanisms and the selective forces that influence them can expand our understanding of the larger ecological interaction. Nevertheless, it is well established that chemical defenses of plants influence the host range of herbivorous insects. While host plant chemistry is influenced by phylogeny, also the growth forms of plants appear to influence the plant defense strategies as first postulated by Feeny (the "plant apparency" hypothesis). In the present study we aim to investigate the molecular basis of the diverse host plant range of the comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album) by testing differential gene expression in the caterpillars on three host plants that are either closely related or share the same growth form.
Results
In total 120 genes were identified to be differentially expressed in P. c-album after feeding on different host plants, 55 of them in the midgut and 65 in the restbody of the caterpillars. Expression patterns could be confirmed with an independent method for 14 of 27 tested genes. Pairwise similarities in upregulation in the midgut of the caterpillars were higher between plants that shared either growth form or were phylogenetically related. No known detoxifying enzymes were found to be differently regulated in the midgut after feeding on different host plants.
Conclusion
Our data suggest a complex picture of gene expression in response to host plant feeding. While each plant requires a unique gene regulation in the caterpillar, both phylogenetic relatedness and host plant growth form appear to influence the expression profile of the polyphagous comma butterfly, in agreement with phylogenetic studies of host plant utilization in butterflies.

溫帶與亞熱帶亞洲產舞毒蛾之分類檢討, 以及中國, 台灣與日本產三個新種之描述

文獻來源: Pogue, MG, and Schaefer, PW. 2007. A review of selected species of Lymantria Hübner [1819] including three new species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Lymantriinae). United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Pub. No. FHTET-2006-07. 223 pp. [全文下載]

Abstract
The genus Lymantria Hübner [1819] contains some of the most destructive forest pests in the world. Potential invasive species of Lymantria from temperate and subtropical Asia are a threat to the forests of North America. Treated here are 31 species and three subspecies of Lymantria that, if accidentally introduced into North America, could result in severe damage to native forests and economic losses. Three species are described as new: Lymantria (Porthetria) brunneoloma, n. sp. from China, Lymantria (Lymantria) pulverea, n. sp. from Taiwan, and Lymantria (Nyctria) flavida, n. sp. from Okinawa, Japan. Lymantria (Porthetria) dispar asiatica Vnukovskij, revised status, is considered a valid subspecies. Lymantria (Porthetria) umbrosa (Butler), revised status, is considered a valid species and a lectotype was designated to establish nomenclatural stability. Lymantria (Porthetria) albescens Hori and Umeno and Lymantria (Porthetria) postalba Inoue, revised status, are considered valid species. Lymantria (Porthetria) xylina nobunaga Nagano, revised synonymy, is considered a synonym of L. (Porthetria) xylina Swinhoe. Lymantria (Porthetria) lunata curvifera (Walker) is a new synonym of Lymantria (Porthetria) lunata (Stoll). The following are treated as new synonymies of Lymantria (Porthetria) brotea (Stoll): Lymantria (Porthetria) brotea lepcha (Moore) and Lymantria (Porthetria) brotea rudloffii Schintlmeister. Lymantria minomonis okinawaensis Kishida is a revised synonym of Lymantria (Lymantria) minomonis Matsumura. Lymantria (Lymantria) concolor septentrionalis Schintlmeister is a new synonym of Lymantria (Lymantria) concolor Walker. Lymantria (Lymantria) sinica albida Schintlmeister is a new synonym of Lymantria (Lymantria) sinica Moore. Lymantria aurora Butler is a revised synonym of Lymantria (Nyctria) mathura Moore. The following are considered new synonymies of Lymantria (Collentria) grisea Moore: Lymantria servula Collenette, Lymantria grisea servula Collenette. Lymantria (Spinotria) bantaizana Matsumura, revised status, is considered a valid species. Descriptions, distributions, and illustrations of adults are included. Larvae of 13 species and two subspecies are described and illustrated. Sections provide information on oviposition, biology and behavior, food plants, pheromonal communication, flight and pheromone periodicity, and seasonality.

中國廣東產蕈蛾科隱斑穀蛾屬之新種

文獻來源: Huang GH, Hirowatari T, Wang M. 2009. The genus Crypsithyris Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) in Guangdong Province, China, with comments on the biology and the description of a new species. Zootaxa 2310: 51-58.

Abstract
Species of the genus Crypsithyris Meyrick, 1907 in Guangdong Province, South China are reviewed. Crypsithyris nanlingensis Huang, Hirowatari & Wang, sp. nov., is described and illustrated, and C. sp. and C. japonica Petersen & Gaedike, 1993, which are new records for China, also are described and illustrated. Biological notes for C. japonica and C. sp. are provided, and a key to the Crypsithyris of South China is presented.

延伸閱讀:
Diakonoff A. 1951. Notes on cave-dwelling Microlepidoptera with description of a new genus and species from east Java (Family Oinophilidae). Zoologische Mededelingen 11(13): 129-137. [全文下載]
Gaedike R. 2009. Some new and interesting "Microlepidoptera" from the collection of the Zoologiches Forschungmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Bonn (Lepidoptera: Tineidae, Epermeniidae, Acrolepiidae, Douglasiidae). Bonner zoologische Betraege 56(2007)(1/2): 101-106. [全文下載]
Meyrick E. 1912-1937. Exotic Microlepidoptera v.1-5. [全文下載]
Petersen G, Gaedike R. 1993. Tineiden aus China und Japan aus der Hoene-Sammlung des Museum Koenig (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Bonner zoologische Betraege 44(3/4): 241-250. [全文下載]
Xiao YK, Li HH 2005. A systematic study on the genus Crypsithyris Meyrick, 1907 from China (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterologia 33(129): 17-23. [全文下載]

全球木蛾科Epichostis屬之名錄與中國產11個新種的記述

文獻來源: Yuan GX, Wang SX. 2009. Checklist of the genus Epichostis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae) of the world, with descriptions of 11 new species from China. Journal of Natural History 2009(35&36): 2141-2165.

Abstract
A worldwide checklist of 23 Epichostis species is given. Twelve species are described from China, 11 of which are new to science: E. wufengensis sp. nov., E. magnimacularis sp. nov., E. proximitympanias sp. nov., E. termitruncatula sp. nov., E. termiprotrusa sp. nov., E. wenxianica sp. nov., E. hamatilis sp. nov., E. jiangkouensis sp. nov., E. setilata sp. nov., E. deltata sp. nov. and E. subrotunda sp. nov. Based on the fore wing pattern and shape, and on the male genitalia, these species are divided into three species groups: tympanias group, leptorthra group and antigama group. The generic characters are emended by giving descriptions of the male and female genitalia for the first time. Images of the adults and the genital structures are provided, along with a key to the known Chinese species.

以形態資訊重建巢蛾科親緣關係顯示巢蛾起源於澳洲並經由東方區與非洲進入西歐

文獻來源: Ulenberg SA. 2009. Phylogeny of the Yponomeuta species (Lepidoptera, Yponomeutidae) and the history of their host plant associations. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 152(2): 187-207.

Abstract
This study presents the results of cladistic analyses of the morphology of 1) the subfamilies of the Yponomeutidae, 2) the genera of the Yponomeutinae, and 3) the species of Yponomeuta Latreille, 1796. The sequential steps in the evolution of the host plant associations, the presumed key factor in the processes of speciation within Yponomeuta, as extrapolated from the cladograms are discussed. The hypothesis that the present-day host plant associations evolved from an ancestral relation with Celastraceae through speciation in allopatry mostly on Euonymus is supported by the underlying study. The biogeographical patterns suggest speciation through dispersion from Australia, the Oriental region, Africa to western Europe.

圖片連結: Wikipedia (photo credit: NP Holmes)

[新書]河南昆蟲誌 鱗翅目 螟蛾總科

[書名] 河南昆蟲誌 鱗翅目 螟蛾總科
[作者] 李後魂 任應黨
[年代] 2009
[出版] 科學出版社, 北京
[規格] 440 頁 (含19彩色圖版+77黑白圖版)
[內容簡介] 介紹了國際螟蛾總科最新分類系統，根據實際標本記述河南螟蛾總科昆蟲2科12亞科146屬277種。首次報導了黑基櫛角斑螟Ceroprepesa tribasilaris和雙斑暗斑螟Euzophera albipunctella的雄性個體，建立1個新異名（雙突槌須斑螟Trisides bisignata Walker，1863 = Apomyelois fasciatella Inoue，1982nov.syn.）和2個新組合黃斑鐮翅野螟Circobotys butleri（South，1901）comb.nov.，黃絨野螟Crocidophora auratalis (Warren, 1895) comb. nov.

專食性幼蟲無法在3cm距離外分辨前方植物能否下嚥

圖片來源：Paul J. Thompson

文獻來源：P Bierzychudek, KA Warner, A Mchugh, L Thomas. 2009. Testing the host-finding ability of a monophagous caterpillar in the field. Ecological Entomology 34:632–637. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2311.2009.01112.x

1.目前關於直接觀察專一植食性昆蟲在未受損的寄主植物與非寄主植物間移動之能力的研究相對較少，然而相關的資訊可提供作為制定保育政策時的重要參考。
2.作者選用瀕危的奧勒岡銀點蝴蝶Speyeria zerene hippolyta (Edwards)置於直徑10cm的透明容器中研究，將幼蟲置於容器中央，周圍擺放三株該幼蟲的寄主植物-鉤距堇菜(Viola adunca)與三株均為不同種類的非寄主植物，中間以裸露地區隔。在第二個試驗中，作者將二齡幼蟲放在間隔3–6 cm的寄主植物與非寄主植物之間，藉此觀察幼蟲選擇走向寄主植物的頻率是否比較高。
3.實驗結果發現幼蟲走向植物的傾向確實顯著高於隨機移動，然而，走向其寄主植物的頻率並沒有顯著高於非寄主植物，而是純粹基於植物的接近程度。
4.綜合以上實驗結果，奧勒岡銀點蝴蝶幼蟲可以在10cm遠處分辨植被與裸露地，但目前沒有證據顯示他們可以在3cm的距離辨認前方植物是否為其寄主植物。

Abstract.
1. Relatively few studies of the host-finding ability of specialised, phytophagous insects involve direct observations of individual insects moving among intact hosts and non-hosts. Information from such studies can inform the design of restoration programmes for species of conservation concern.
2. The movement of caterpillars of the threatened Oregon silverspot butterfly, Speyeria zerene hippolyta (Edwards) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) was studied in the field in cleared arenas with 10 cm radii. Caterpillars were placed in the centre,
surrounded by three individuals of their host, Viola adunca, and three different nonhost individuals, separated by bare ground. In a second experiment, second instars were placed between a host and a non-host, 3–6 cm away. Caterpillars were observed to determine if they walked to their host more often than expected by chance.
3. Caterpillars walked to vegetation significantly more often than expected by chance. They did not, however, reach their hosts more often than expected, based on plant availability.
4. It is concluded that S. z. hippolyta caterpillars can distinguish vegetation from bare ground from 10 cm away. There is no evidence that they can distinguish their host plant from other herbaceous species at distances of 3 cm.

Key words. Conservation, experiment, host plant, Lepidoptera, movement behaviour, reactive distance, Speyeria zerene hippolyta.

旭日穀蛾幼生期之首次報導以及在中國華南的首次記錄

superlink: http://x4.net.vnu.edu.tw/~tbgweb/cgi-bin/attachment.cgi?forum=25&topic=1424&postno=2&type=.jpg

文獻來源: Huang GJ, Hirowatari T, Wang M. 2009. Morphological Characters of Coryptilum rutilellum (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), with Reference to Its Affinity of the Genus Coryptilum Zeller. Entomological News 120(3): 253-259.

Abstract
Morphological characters of the conspicuous tineid species Coryptilum retilellum (Walker, 1869) are described. The wing venation and male and female genitalia of the species are illustrated and described for the first time. Although the phylogenetic position of the genus Coryptilum Zeller, 1839 has not been established, it is inferred to be monophyletic with Tineovertex Moriuti, 1982 and Ischnuridia Sauber, 1902 based on male and female genital morphology. Distributional data of the species are also presented. The genus Coryptilum (C. retilellum) is recorded from South China for the first time.

圖片連結: 塔內植物園 (photo credit: gray)

廣食性幼蟲若把老葉新葉混著吃比較頭好壯壯

圖片來源：SwampThings文獻來源：R Johns, DT Quiring, R Lapointe, CJ Lucatotti. 2009. Foliage-age mixing within balsam fir increases the fitness of a generalist caterpillar. Ecological Entomology 34(5): 624-631. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2311.2009.01110.x

1. 作者利用野外操作實驗評估一種極度廣食性的植食性幼蟲-白斑毒蛾(Orygia leucostigma Smith)對植物-膠樅(Abies balsamea (L.) Mill)枝葉年齡的偏好表現情形。
2. 田野調查指出早齡幼蟲幾乎只取食年輕的枝葉（近一年生長者），而熟齡幼蟲則同時取食年輕和成熟的枝葉（如一年、兩年）。
3. 實驗中發現早齡幼蟲中取食幼嫩（近期或一年）枝葉者具有最高的存活率，但在取時老熟枝葉的組別中存活率則顯下降。相反地，熟齡幼蟲具有最高存活率的組別出現在能夠取食到所有年紀的枝葉者，而在熟齡幼蟲時期取食年輕枝葉者卻具有最高的生殖潛力。
4. 整體而言，能夠取食到所有年紀階層植物的幼蟲，其適應度比僅能取得一個年齡層枝葉的幼蟲高出 32–65% 。
5. 以上結果同時支持“互補飲食假說”和“個體發生學假說”。前者說明混合不同年齡層枝葉的食物能增加養分的攝取且/或稀釋掉有害的植物次級代謝物，而後者則歸因於昆蟲幼期在成長發育過程中隊營養需求之改變與/或對植物防禦的容忍度。

Abstract.

1. Manipulative field studies were carried out to evaluate the foliage age preference–performance relationship for an extreme generalist herbivore, the whitemarked tussock moth (Orygia leucostigma Smith) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), within balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill].
2. Field surveys indicated that early instar caterpillars fed almost exclusively on young (i.e. current-year) foliage, whereas late instars caterpillars fed on both young and mature (i.e. 1- and 2-year-old) foliage.
3. Survival of early instar caterpillars was highest in treatments where current-year and/or 1-year old foliage were available, but decreased significantly on older foliage. In contrast, late instar caterpillars had the highest survival when allowed to feed on all age classes of foliage, whereas potential fecundity was highest for late instars that fed on young foliage.
4. Overall, caterpillars had 32–65% higher fitness when able to feed on all rather than just one age class of foliage.
5. These results support both the ‘complementary diet’ hypothesis, which states that dietary mixing of different-aged foliage can increase nutrient uptake and/or dilute harmful secondary plant chemicals, and the ‘ontogeny’ hypothesis, which attributes changes in diet to changes in the nutritional needs and/or tolerance to plant defences of juvenile insects as they develop.

Key words. Foliage quality, foraging behaviour, intra-tree heterogeneity, polyphagy, whitemarked tussock moth.