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Scrapter Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau & Audinet-Serville, 1828 (Hymenoptera: Aculeatea: Anthophila: Colletidae) is a genus of solitary bees largely endemic to southern Africa. This dissertation investigated the phylogenetic systematics of the genus. Eleven new species of Scrapter are described, principally from the Succulent Karoo biome of South Africa, bringing the total number of species in the genus to 42. An updated dichotomous key to facilitate identification is provided. The previously unknown females of S. albifumus Eardley and S. amplispinatus Eardley are also described. The genus is recorded from outside southern Africa for the first time with the collection of S. nitidus (Friese) in Kenya. This constitutes a significant range extension of the genus. The taxonomic status of five species described by Cockerell in 1944, and subsequently overlooked, is addressed. They are all found to be synonyms of other Scrapter species, except one, which is found to be a Ctenoplectrina species (Apidae: Apinae: Ctenoplectrini). The new synonymies are: S. subincertus Cockerell = S. niger Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau & Audinet-Serville; S. brunneipennis Cockerell = S. niger Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau & Audinet-Serville; S. merescens Cockerell = S. leonis Cockerell; S. sinophilus Cockerell = S. algoensis (Friese). Scrapter ugandica Cockerell becomes Ctenoplectrina ugandica (Cockerell) as a new combination. Investigation of selected morphological features (e.g. postmentum, facial fovea, galea) revealed much diversity in Scrapter. The monophyly of Scrapter is not supported by unambiguous apomorphies, but is defensible by the congruence of various qualitative characters (e.g. premental fovea, T2 fovea, hindleg and sternal scopa in [females], two submarginal cells). A cladistic analysis using 25 morphological characters recovered numerous most parsimonious trees under both equal- and successive-weighting. To aid in resolution, several taxa known from only one sex or from very limited material, and with many unknown states, were deleted from the matrix. Analysis using this reduced matrix under equal- and successive-weighting resulted in better resolution, although with low consistency index values. Several subclades were common to both cladograms, and likely represent monophyla. The low consistency indices and general lack of unique synapomorphies upholding these subclades, however, dictated against making any classificatory re-arrangements. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

Bonatea Willd. (Orchidaceae: Habernariinae) is a small genus confined to the African continent and Arabia. Phylogenetic and morphometric analyses were undertaken in order to evaluate phylogenetic relationships and species delimitations within Bonatea. In the phylogenetic analyses, little congruence was found between ITS and matK molecular data, while morphological results were largely congruent with those of the ITS region. There is little sequence variation within and between Bonatea species, which could indicate a recent and rapid radiation. The generic characters for Bonatea were reevaluated. Bonatea is closely related to Habenaria but differs in having a galeate middle rostellum lobe that is clearly separated from the vertical anther thecae. By contrast, species of Habenaria have short anthers that are slightly arcuate and flank the rostellum. Morphometric analyses were used to determine taxon boundaries within the Bonatea speciosa and Bonatea cassidea complexes, respectively. Principle component and cluster analyses of morphological variation support the recognition of Bonatea antennifera Rolfe, Bonatea boltonii (Harv.) Bolus and Bonatea speciosa (L.f.) Willd. as distinct species. Morphological evidence supports the inclusion of Bonatea porrecta (Bolus) Summerh. and Bonatea volkensiana (Kraenzl.) Rolfe in the B. speciosa c1ade and this is corroborated by molecular data for the former. Clinal variation in petal lobe dimensions and colour across the distribution range of Bonatea cassidea Sond. encompasses the taxon Bonatea saundersiae (Harv.) T.Durand & Schinz, which is reduced to synonymy. Bonatea saundersioides (Kraenzl. & Schltr.) Cortesi, the sister species to B. cassidea, also exhibits colour variation in its petals. A revision of Bonatea is presented recognizing 14 species. Bonatea eminii (Kraenzl.) Rolfe was excluded due to insufficient information. Full descriptions are provided with diagnostic characters and distributional maps. Bonatea bracteata G.McDonald & McMurtry and Bonatea tentaculifera Summerh. are removed from Bonatea based on their rostellum structure which is inconsistent with the revised generic concept. Bonatea bracteata was transferred as Habenaria transvaalensis Schltr. and B. tentaculifera was renamed Habenaria bonateoides M.Ponsie, as the specific epithet is currently occupied within Habenaria. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

Text in English / Corridor disease is an economically important tick-borne disease of cattle in southern Africa. The disease is caused by Theileria parva and transmitted by the vectors, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis. There is currently no vaccine to protect cattle against T. parva that is permitted in South Africa. To develop recombinant anti-tick vaccines against Corridor disease, comprehensive databases of genes expressed in the tick’s salivary glands are required. Therefore, in Chapters 2 and 3, mRNA from the salivary glands of R. appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis was sequenced and assembled using next generation sequencing technologies. Respectively, 12 761 and 13 584 non-redundant protein sequences were predicted from the sialotranscriptomes of R. appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis and uploaded to public sequence domains. This greatly expanded the number of sequences available for the two vectors, which will be invaluable resources for the selection of vaccine candidates in future. Further, in Chapter 3, differential gene expression analysis in R. zambeziensis revealed dynamic expression of secretory protein transcripts during feeding, suggestive of stringent transcriptional regulation of these proteins. Knowledge of these intricate expression profiles will further assist vaccine development in future. In Chapter 4, comparative sialotranscriptomic analyses were performed between R. appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis. The ticks have previously shown varying vector competence for T. parva and this chapter presents the search for correlates of this variance. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using these and other publically available tick transcriptomes, which indicated that R. appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis are closely related but distinct species. However, significant expression differences were observed between the two ticks, specifically of genes involved in tick immunity or pathogen transmission, signifying potential bioinformatic signatures of vector competence. Furthermore, nearly four thousand putative long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were predicted in each of the two ticks. A large number of these showed differential expression and suggested a potential transcriptional regulatory function of lncRNA in tick blood feeding. LncRNAs are completely unexplored in ticks. Finally, in Chapter 5, concluding remarks are given on the potential impact the R. appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis sialotranscriptomes may have on future vaccine developments and some future research endeavours are discussed. / Life and Consumer Sciences / Ph. D. (Life Sciences)