A5014774408- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
- Plant and animal studies
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Fossil Insects in Amber
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Nitrogen and Sulfur Effects on Brassica
- Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies
- Anomaly Detection Techniques and Applications
- Scientific Computing and Data Management
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Image Processing and 3D Reconstruction
- Research on scale insects
University of Central Florida
2017-2024
University of Manitoba
2010-2016
North Carolina State University
2010-2012
University of Kentucky
2006-2010
The hypothesis that eusociality originated once in Vespidae has shaped interpretation of social evolution for decades and driven the supposition preimaginal morphophysiological differences between castes were absent at outset eusociality. Many researchers also consider casteless nest-sharing an antecedent to Together, these ideas endorse a stepwise progression wasps (solitary → with rudimentary behavioral caste-biasing (PCB) morphologically differentiated castes). Here, we infer phylogeny...
This study examined subfamilial relationships within Braconidae, using 4 kb of sequence data for 139 taxa. Genetic sampling included previously used markers phylogenetic studies Braconidae ( 28S and 18S rDNA) as well new nuclear protein‐coding genes CAD ACC ). Maximum likelihood Bayesian inference the concatenated dataset recovered a robust phylogeny, particularly early divergences family. focused primarily on non‐cyclostome subfamilies, but monophyly cyclostome complex was strongly...
Vanhornia eucnemidarum Crawford is the only species of Vanhorniidae that occurs in North America. This rarely collected and thus distribution not well documented. Intending to uncover a more accurate range this species, we assembled collection records from museums, personal collections citizen science projects. Many these were non-digitised had be personally requested.Here expand known V. include nine new provinces states: Manitoba, Connecticut, Oregon, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire,...
Parasitoids — insects that parasitize other have fascinating biologies made them darlings of the science fiction genre, owing to their wide array innovative and often gruesome strategies for living off organisms. These do not sting, but rather lay eggs on or inside hosts, typically another insect spider. Unlike parasites, which feed a host without killing it, parasitoids kill hosts they it slowly. carefully keep alive extended periods while hemolymph and/or tissues until are close completing...
Viral genome integration provides a complex route to biological innovation that has rarely but repeatedly occurred in one of the most diverse lineages organisms on planet, parasitoid wasps. We describe novel endogenous virus braconid wasps derived from pathogenic alphanudiviruses. Limited subset genus Fopius, this recent acquisition allows an unprecedented opportunity examine early endogenization events. Massive amounts virus-like particles (VLPs) are produced wasp ovaries. Unlike viruses...
Ichneumonoidea is one of the most diverse lineages animals on planet with >48,000 described species and many more undescribed. Parasitoid wasps this superfamily are mostly beneficial insects that attack kill other arthropods important for understanding diversification evolution life history strategies related to parasitoidism. Further, some parasitoids within have acquired endogenous virus elements (EVEs) permanently a part wasp's genome benefit wasp through host immune disruption behavioral...
Abstract The enormous cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence database being assembled from the various DNA barcoding projects as well independent phylogenetic studies constitutes an almost unprecedented amount of data for molecular systematics, in addition to its role species identification and discovery. As part a study potential this gene fragment improve accuracy reconstructions, particular, exploring effects dense taxon sampling, we have set hyperdiverse, cosmopolitan parasitic wasp...
Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused principally by the species belonging to graminearum complex (FGSC), is an important disease in wheat, barley, and other small grain crops worldwide. Grain infected with FGSC may be contaminated trichothecene mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON) nivalenol (NIV). In this study, we characterized phylogenetic relationships, chemotype diversity, phenotypic characters, aggressiveness of 150 strains collected from eight different countries. Phylogenetic...
Abstract The Ichneumonoidea (Ichneumonidae and Braconidae) is an incredibly diverse superfamily of parasitoid wasps that includes species produce virus-like entities in their reproductive tracts to promote successful parasitism host insects. Research on these has traditionally focused upon two viral genera Bracovirus (in Ichnovirus Ichneumonidae). These viruses are produced using genes known collectively as endogenous elements (EVEs) represent historical, now heritable integration events...
The phylogeny of the Agathidinae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is investigated based on morphological and sequence data from D2-3 regions 28S rDNA. Morphology molecular were run simultaneously separately combined sets analyzed using both static, Clustal W, dynamic, POY, alignments. Both alignments conducted under a variety gap costs results are compared. Sixty-two ingroup exemplars representing 22 genera six outgroup taxa two subfamilies five included. Numerous at generic tribal levels...
The longitudinal spread of temperate organisms into refugial populations in Southern Europe is generally assumed to predate the last interglacial. However, few studies have attempted quantify this process nonmodel using explicit models and multilocus data. We used sequence data for 20 intron-spanning loci (12 kb per individual) resolve history a widespread western Palaearctic oak gall parasitoid Cecidostiba fungosa (Pteromalidae). Using maximum likelihood Bayesian methods we assess...
The invasive eucalyptus tortoise beetle, Paropsis charybdis, defoliates plantations of Eucalyptus nitens in New Zealand. Recent efforts to identify host specific biological control agents (parasitoids) from Tasmania, Australia, have focused on the larval parasitoid wasp, Eadya paropsidis (Braconidae), first described 1978. In has been reared Paropsisterna agricola (genus abbreviated Pst.), a smaller paropsine that feeds as larva juvenile rather than adult foliage nitens. To determine which...
Abstract The cereal leaf beetle (CLB), Oulema melanopus L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is a major pest of crops that has recently been reported in western Canada. We developed set primers to detect CLB DNA the gut six common predator taxa wheat fields: lady beetles (20 positives 143 individuals), nabid bugs (73 206 and wolf spiders (2 25 individuals). Nabis americoferus Carayon (Hemiptera: Nabidae) Coccinella septempunctata Coccinellidae) were most abundant predators fields, with 0.35 0.05...
Abstract Increasing numbers of phylogeographic studies make comparative inferences about the histories co‐distributed species. Although aims such are best achieved by jointly analysing sequences from multiple loci in a model‐based framework, data currently exist for few nonmodel systems. We used existing genomic and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) Hymenoptera other insects to design intron‐crossing primers 40 loci, mainly ribosomal proteins, chalcidoid parasitoids. Amplification success was...
Abstract Anatoecus Cummings (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) is a genus of chewing lice with four species infesting Anseriformes in North America: cygni (Denny), dentatus (Scopoli), icterodes (Nitzsch), and penicillatus Kéler. Males A. are distinguishable by their genitalia; however, there no known anatomical characteristics to distinguish females. recorded from at least 55 the same host worldwide. The mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I was examined species, specifically examine...
The tribe Maxfischeriini, previously placed in Helconinae, is emended to subfamily status based on morphological and biological evidence. Proposed autapomorphies for Maxfischeriinae include: the presence of a pronotal shelf, forewing vein 1a 2a present, although nebulous, ventral valve ovipositor with serrations from tip base specialized egg morphology. novel, pedunculate morphology described Maxfischeria , representing new life‐history strategy among Braconidae. Based morphology, we suggest...
Abstract Ecological speciation is often observed in phytophagous insects and their parasitoids due to divergent selection caused by host‐associated or temporal differences. Most previous studies have utilized limited genetic markers distantly related species look for reproductive barriers of speciation. In our study, we focus on closely Lygus bugs two sister Peristenus parasitoid wasps. Using mitochondrial DNA COI genomewide SNPs generated using ddRADseq, tested potential effects...
Eucalyptus L’Héritier, 1789 (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) plantations are a global economic resource with wide array of uses. As this forestry crop grows in popularity around the world, exotic introduction pests such as leaf beetles belonging to genera Paropsis Oliver, 1807 and Paropsisterna Motschulsky, 1860 increases frequency. These pest introductions have spurred need understand natural enemies these for use classical biological control programs. One enemy, Eadyaparopsidis Huddleston &...