Background: Relatively little is known about the genomic basis and evolution of wood- feeding in beetles. We undertook genome sequencing and annotation, gene expression assays, studies of plant cell wall degrading enzymes, and other functional and comparative studies of the Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis, a globally significant invasive species capable of inflicting severe feeding damage on many important tree species. Complementary studies of genes encoding enzymes involved in digestion of woody plant tissues or detoxification of plant allelochemicals were undertaken with the genomes of 14 additional insects, including the newly sequenced emerald ash borer and bull-headed dung beetle. Results: The Asian longhorned beetle genome encodes a uniquely diverse arsenal of enzymes that can degrade the main polysaccharide networks in plant cell walls, detoxify plant allelochemicals, and otherwise facilitate feeding on woody plants. It has the metabolic plasticity needed to feed on diverse plant species, contributing to its highly invasive nature. Large expansions of chemosensory genes involved in the reception of pheromones and plant kairomones are consistent with the complexity of chemical cues it uses to find host plants and mates. Conclusions: Amplification and functional divergence of genes associated with specialized feeding on plants, including genes originally obtained via horizontal gene transfer from fungi and bacteria, contributed to the addition, expansion, and enhancement of the metabolic repertoire of the Asian longhorned beetle, certain other phytophagous beetles, and to a lesser degree, other phytophagous insects. Our results thus begin to establish a genomic basis for the evolutionary success of beetles on plants.

Phytophagy (i.e., feeding on plant-derived materials) is an essential component of mosquito biology. Yet, it has been historically neglected as most research effort has been concentrated on host-seeking behavior and pathogen transmission. As mosquitoes are the deadliest animals on earth and because challenges, such as the rise of insecticide resistance, arise, there is an urgent need for developing effective and ecologically friendly disease vector control strategies. It is therefore important to deepen our understanding of mosquito phytophagy and, consequently, its potential to develop novel vector control methods. Particular major disease vectors are Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, which are spreading rapidly through the US, in part due to climate change. Herein, we first examine the effect of temperature on Ae. aegypti sugar-feeding behavior as well as overall locomotive activity and survival, using total carbohydrate assays and actometer experiments. An optimum temperature range for mosquito activity is proposed and discussed in the context of global warming. We then observe the tentative benefit provided by city-planted ornamental flowers to Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus living in heavily-populated, urban areas. Mosquito sugar-feeding activity and, subsequently, sugar consumption were tested for eleven commonly-planted ornamentals. Additionally, scents were collected from the headspace of each ornamental, and volatile composition was analyzed and discussed as potential cues that could mediate mosquito-plant interactions. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Sugar-feeding is an important, but generally neglected, aspect of mosquito biology, affecting, for example, their survival, metabolism, and ability to lay eggs. While females need blood to mature their eggs, males feed exclusively on sugar, further highlighting the importance of this food source. Mosquitoes use several cues to locate flowers to feed on, including the plant scent. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are two urban species that are invasive to the US and are the vectors of several deadly pathogens including dengue, Zika and chikungunya. It is thus to study any aspect of their biology that could lead to the development of new tools to limit their propagation. Because of the nutrients provided to mosquitoes by flowering plant species, considering the dynamic ecological relationship between human, plant, and mosquito in urban, heavily populated areas is critical. Additionally, how temperature is mediating each of these interactions is important to understand and keep in consideration. Here, we first examine the effect of temperature on sugar-feeding, activity and survival in Ae. aegypti, and discuss our results in the context of potential changes in temperature caused by climate change. We also provide some insights on the role that ornamental flower species play in urban areas in the ability of these mosquito species to thrive, by attracting mosquitoes to areas where they will have access to a high number of human blood meals.

The family Megastigmidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), one of the hymenopteran parasitoid families, is unique in containing many species with phytophagous larval feeding strategy. A number of species of different genera are seed-feeders and the genus Bortesia is even capable of inducing galls. The family Megastigmidae is found mainly in the Australian region but a few genera/species groups are widespread throughout different areas, mainly in the Oriental and the Holarctic region. The main goal of this study was to map phylogenetic relationships among genera and clarify the following: the overall number of transitions between a parasitoid and a phytophagous way of life, the ancestral feeding strategy of the family, the evolution of feeding strategies in the genus Megastigmus, and the geographical area of origin of the family. The questions were tested based on a phylogeny reconstructed by a state-of-the-art method - sequencing of "Ultra-Conserved Elements (UCEs)" - using 100 specimens of Megastigmidae from 11 out of 12 currently valid genera selected taking into consideration their feeding strategy and biogeographical origin. The final dataset contains 1210 loci (570,000 base pairs in length) and most nodes are supported by bootstrap value 100. The results show that the family can be divided into 3...

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:30:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 660507 bytes, checksum: 9c4db4cb69f6e313fdccdea02225ee44 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-07-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The asynchrony between population dynamics of pests and their natural enemies may lead to population outbreaks of pests. This is due, among other factors to the absence of predators for the colonization of crops and, subsequently, the lack of food to sustain these natural enemies. The establishment of natural enemies is usually slower and reaches significant populations after peak of pests. Understanding the role of plants in population dynamics may allow for the manipulation of omnivorous predators in agricultural systems and improve the efficiency of natural enemies. Supputius cincticeps (Stal) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) has potential for biological pest controls. The objective of this research was to study the morphology of salivary glands, reproductive characteristics and parameters of fertility and life expectancy tables of the predator S. cincticeps with different plants and Tenebrio molitor (L.) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) pupae in the laboratory. The treatments were: T1- eucalyptus leaves + T. molitor pupae + water, T2- soybean leaves + T. molitor pupae + water, T3- bean leaves + T. molitor pupae + water, T4- cotton leaves + T. molitor pupae + water, T5- tomato leaves + T. molitor pupae + water and T6- T molitor pupae + water (control). The pairs of S. cincticeps received water daily, and two pupae of T. molitor three to four times a week. The salivary system of S. cincticeps is formed by a pair of principal glands and another pair of accessory glands in the prothorax. The principal glands are bilobed with a spherical anterior lobe, which is smaller than the posterior lobe that presents a prolonged sack form. The accessory glands present a long and tubular form that arises from the terminal portion of the accessory duct that suffers a camber. The number of eggs per female of S. cincticeps was lowest without plants. The number of nymphs per female was higher in eucalyptus, soybean, bean and cotton leaves than in tomato leaves and without plants. The net reproductive rates (Ro) of females S. cincticeps were highest on eucalyptus (68.39), soybean (57.28) and bean (58.69) leaves, and lowest without plants with 15.06 females added per female of this predator. The intrinsic rates of increase (rm) were highest with eucalyptus (0.10) and soybean (0.10) leaves, and lowest without plants with 0.07 females/female of S. cincticeps added to the population per day. The finite rate of increase (λ) was highest with soybean (1.11), eucalyptus (1.11) and bean (1.10) leaves, and lowest without plants with 1.07 females/female of S. cincticeps added to the population per day. Eucalyptus, soybean and bean plants improved the biological characteristics of S. cincticeps which is important for this predator in the biological control of pests in these crops. However, the negative impact of tomato plants indicates that the biological control of pests in this culture with S. cincticeps may have low efficiency. / A assincronia entre a dinâmica populacional de pragas e de seus inimigos naturais pode resultar em surtos populacionais de pragas. Isto se deve, dentre outros fatores, à ausência de predadores para a colonização das lavouras e, posteriormente, à falta de alimento para a sustentação desses insetos. O estabelecimento de inimigos naturais é, normalmente, mais lento e, atingem populações expressivas após os picos populacionais das pragas. A compreensão do papel das plantas na dinâmica populacional pode permitir a manipulação de predadores onívoros em sistemas agrícolas e melhorar a eficiência desses inimigos naturais. Supputius cincticeps (Stal) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) apresenta potencial para o controle biológico de pragas e, por isto, a morfologia das glândulas salivares, as características reprodutivas e os parâmetros das tabelas de fertilidade e esperança de vida desse predador foram estudadas com diferentes plantas e pupas de Tenebrio molitor (L.) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) em laboratório. Os tratamentos foram: T1- folhas de eucalipto + pupas de T. molitor + água, T2- folhas de soja + T. molitor + água, T3- folhas de feijão + T. molitor + água, T4- folhas de algodoeiro + T. molitor + água, T5- folhas de tomateiro + T. molitor + água e T6- T. molitor + água (testemunha). Os casais de S. cincticeps receberam água, diariamente, e duas pupas de T. molitor três a quatro vezes por semana. Morfologicamente, o sistema salivar de S. cincticeps é constituído por um par de glândulas salivares principais e outro de glândulas acessórias, no protórax. As principais são bilobadas com lóbulo anterior esférico, menor que o posterior que apresenta forma de saco alongado e as acessórias, longas e tubulares originando-se na porção terminal do ducto acessório, que sofre um abaulamento. Quanto aos parâmetros reprodutivos, o número de ovos por fêmea de S. cincticeps foi menor sem planta que nos demais tratamentos e o de ninfas por fêmea, maior em folhas de eucalipto, soja, feijão ou algodoeiro que com tomateiro ou sem planta. As taxas líquidas de reprodução (Ro) de fêmeas de S. cincticeps foram maiores com folhas de eucalipto (68,39), soja (57,28) ou feijão (58,69) e menor sem planta com 15,06 fêmeas produzidas por fêmea. As taxas intrínsecas de crescimento (rm) foram maiores com folhas de eucalipto (0,10) ou de soja (0,10) e menor sem planta com 0,07 fêmeas/fêmea de S. cincticeps acrescentadas à população por dia. A razão finita de aumento populacional (λ) foi maior com folhas de soja (1,11), eucalipto (1,11) ou feijão (1,10) e menor sem planta com 1,07 fêmeas/fêmea de S. cincticeps acrescentadas à população por dia. Plantas de eucalipto, soja ou feijão melhoraram as características biológicas de S. cincticeps, o que é importante para esse predador no controle biológico de pragas nessas culturas. No entanto, o impacto negativo de plantas de tomateiro indica que o controle biológico de pragas nessa cultura com S. cincticeps pode ter baixa eficiência.