European Populations Carry Different Strains of .

The mosquito occurs in two ecotypes differing in their mating and overwintering behavior: pipiens mate in open environments and diapause, and molestus also mate in small spaces and is active throughout the year. carry endosymbionts of the Pip strain, but the frequency of infection differs between studied populations. infection affects the host reproductive success through cytoplasmic incompatibility.

Transcriptome sequencing data provide a solid base to understand the phylogenetic relationships, biogeography and reticulated evolution of the genus Zamia L. (Cycadales: Zamiaceae).

Background And Aims: Cycads are a key lineage to understand the early evolution of seed plants and their response to past environmental changes. However, tracing the evolutionary trajectory of cycad species is challenging when the robust relationships at inter- or infrageneric level are not well resolved.

Methods: Here, using 2901 single-copy nuclear genes, we explored the species relationships and gene flow within the second largest genus of cycads, i.

 and (Zingiberaceae, Zingiberoideae), two new species from Thailand.

and (Zingiberaceae, Zingiberoideae, Zingibereae), two new red-orange-flowered species from Thailand, are described. They are compared to the morphologically closest species from the Curcumasubgen.Ecomatae and detailed descriptions, colour plates and information on their distribution, ecology, phenology and uses are provided.

Phylotranscriptomics Shed Light on Intrageneric Relationships and Historical Biogeography of (Cycadales).

Brongn. is one of the species-rich genera of Cycadales comprising 38 species that are mainly distributed in Mexico, with a few species reported from neighboring regions. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus need detailed investigation based on extensive datasets and reliable systematic approaches.

Phylotranscriptomics reveal the spatio-temporal distribution and morphological evolution of Macrozamia, an Australian endemic genus of Cycadales.

Background And Aims: Cycads are regarded as an ancient lineage of living seed plants, and hold important clues to understand the early evolutionary trends of seed plants. The molecular phylogeny and spatio-temporal diversification of one of the species-rich genera of cycads, Macrozamia, have not been well reconstructed.

Methods: We analysed a transcriptome dataset of 4740 single-copy nuclear genes (SCGs) of 39 Macrozamia species and two outgroup taxa.

The Cycas genome and the early evolution of seed plants.

Cycads represent one of the most ancient lineages of living seed plants. Identifying genomic features uniquely shared by cycads and other extant seed plants, but not non-seed-producing plants, may shed light on the origin of key innovations, as well as the early diversification of seed plants. Here, we report the 10.

Towards the plastome evolution and phylogeny of Cycas L. (Cycadaceae): molecular-morphology discordance and gene tree space analysis.

Background: Plastid genomes (plastomes) present great potential in resolving multiscale phylogenetic relationship but few studies have focused on the influence of genetic characteristics of plastid genes, such as genetic variation and phylogenetic discordance, in resolving the phylogeny within a lineage. Here we examine plastome characteristics of Cycas L., the most diverse genus among extant cycads, and investigate the deep phylogenetic relationships within Cycas by sampling 47 plastomes representing all major clades from six sections.

The Original Scientific Description of the Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum, Acari: Ixodidae) and Implications for the Species' Past and Future Geographic Distributions.

Amblyomma americanum L. is an important vector in North America originally described by Linnaeus based on Pehr Kalm's 1754 report. While Kalm's 'Travels into North America' is well known, his 1754 report remains obscure.

Not that young: combining plastid phylogenomic, plate tectonic and fossil evidence indicates a Palaeogene diversification of Cycadaceae.

Background And Aims: Previous molecular dating studies revealed historical mass extinctions and recent radiations of extant cycads, but debates still exist between palaeobotanists and evolutionary biologists regarding the origin and evolution of Cycadaceae.

Methods: Using whole plastomic data, we revisited the phylogeny of this family and found the Palawan endemic Cycas clade was strongly related to all lineages from Southeast Eurasia, coinciding with a plate drift event occurring in the Early Oligocene. By integrating fossil and biogeographical calibrations as well as molecular data from protein-coding genes, we established different calibration schemes and tested competing evolutionary timelines of Cycadaceae.

Congruence between ocean-dispersal modelling and phylogeography explains recent evolutionary history of Cycas species with buoyant seeds.

Ocean currents play a significant role in driving the long-distance dispersal (LDD), spatial distribution and phylogeographic patterns of many organisms. Integrating phylogeographic analyses and mechanistic ocean current modelling can provide novel insights into the evolutionary history of terrestrial littoral species but has been rarely applied in this context. We focused on a group of Cycas that have buoyant seeds and occupy coastal habitats.

Different Hatching Rates of Floodwater Mosquitoes , and from Different Flooded Environments.

In the lower Dalälven region, floodwater mosquitoes cause recurring problems. The main nuisance species is , but large numbers of and also hatch during flooding events. To increase understanding of which environments in the area give rise to mosquito nuisance, soil samples were taken from 20 locations from four environmental categories: grazed meadows, mowed meadows, unkept open grassland areas and forest areas.

The Human Biting Bioform Detected in Several Areas in Southern Sweden.

The mosquito species is a known vector of several pathogens and occurs in two distinct bioforms, and . The bioform thrives in urban environments where there are below-ground habitats; it can mate in confined spaces and feed on mammals as well as birds. In contrast, the bioform is found above ground, is thought to require more space for mating, and mainly feeds on birds.

Mites (Acari) as a Relevant Tool in Trace Evidence and Postmortem Analyses of Buried Corpses.

This report interprets the presence of mite species in three clandestine graves in Europe, evaluating their potential use as trace evidence or markers. Grave 1 (Sweden): Two mite species Rhizoglyphus robini Claparède, 1869 and Parasitus loricatus (Wankel, 1861) were recovered from the surface of a body buried in a shallow grave in an area surrounded by trees, in close vicinity to house gardens. Grave 2 (Germany): Phoretic deutonymphs of Gamasodes spiniger (Trägårdh, 1910) were attached to an adult fly (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) found within a shallow grave containing two human bodies covered in soil and dung.

Modelling the monthly abundance of Culicoides biting midges in nine European countries using Random Forests machine learning.

Background: Culicoides biting midges transmit viruses resulting in disease in ruminants and equids such as bluetongue, Schmallenberg disease and African horse sickness. In the past decades, these diseases have led to important economic losses for farmers in Europe. Vector abundance is a key factor in determining the risk of vector-borne disease spread and it is, therefore, important to predict the abundance of Culicoides species involved in the transmission of these pathogens.

Diel patterns of stem CO efflux vary among cycads, arborescent monocots, and woody eudicots and gymnosperms.

The diel patterns of stem carbon dioxide efflux () were determined for cycads, monocots, and woody eudicot and gymnosperm tree species. Stem at a height of 30-40 cm was measured every 2 h throughout 31-h campaigns. Our range of was 1.

Large outbreak of tularaemia, central Sweden, July to September 2019.

On 31 of July 2019, the Public Health Agency of Sweden was alerted about an increasing number of tularaemia cases in Gävleborg, a county in central Sweden. The number of cases increased thereafter peaking at about 150 reports of illnesses every week. As at 6 October, a total of 979 cases (734 laboratory-confirmed) have been reported, mainly from counties in central Sweden.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of (Zamiaceae), an Endangered monotypic cycad species from Cuba.

is the monotypic species from the critical endangered and endemic cycad genus in Cuba, an important taxon to study the evolution of extant gymnosperms. Here we report the complete chloroplast sequences of and characterize the genome structure of this species. The genome size of is 165,667 bp in length which contains 135 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes, eight ribosomal RNA genes and 39 transfer RNA genes.

Globe-Trotting and : Risk Factors for Arbovirus Pandemics.

Two species of mosquitoes ( and ) are primary vectors for emerging arboviruses that are a significant threat to public health and economic burden worldwide. Distribution of these vectors and the associated arboviruses, such as dengue virus, chikungunya virus, yellow fever virus, and Zika virus, was for a long time restricted by geographical, ecological, and biological factors. Presently, arbovirus emergence and dispersion are more rapid and geographically widespread, largely due to expansion of the range for these two mosquitoes that have exploited the global transportation network, land perturbation, and failure to contain the mosquito population coupled with enhanced vector competence.

Monthly variation in the probability of presence of adult Culicoides populations in nine European countries and the implications for targeted surveillance.

Background: Biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are small hematophagous insects responsible for the transmission of bluetongue virus, Schmallenberg virus and African horse sickness virus to wild and domestic ruminants and equids. Outbreaks of these viruses have caused economic damage within the European Union. The spatio-temporal distribution of biting midges is a key factor in identifying areas with the potential for disease spread.

Inserting cycads into global nutrient relations data sets.

Global research agendas on plant nutrient relations attempt to illuminate biotic and abiotic factors that mediate nutrient relations. We contend that cycad species are not adequately represented in these global agendas. Little is known about how various cycad traits such as phylogenetics, growth form, latitudinal range, or ecological niche influence concentration, stoichiometry, and resorption dynamics of leaf nutrients.

Macrocheles species (Acari: Macrochelidae) associated with human corpses in Europe.

The biology of macrochelid mites might offer new venues for the interpretation of the environmental conditions surrounding human death and decomposition. Three human corpses, one from Sweden and two from Spain, have been analysed for the occurrence of Macrochelidae species. Macrocheles muscaedomesticae (Scopoli) females were associated with a corpse that was found in a popular beach area of southeast Spain.

Phylogeny of the gymnosperm genus Cycas L. (Cycadaceae) as inferred from plastid and nuclear loci based on a large-scale sampling: Evolutionary relationships and taxonomical implications.

The gymnosperm genus Cycas is the sole member of Cycadaceae, and is the largest genus of extant cycads. There are about 115 accepted Cycas species mainly distributed in the paleotropics. Based on morphology, the genus has been divided into six sections and eight subsections, but this taxonomy has not yet been tested in a molecular phylogenetic framework.

Spatial and temporal variation in the abundance of Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in nine European countries.

Background: Biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are vectors of bluetongue virus (BTV), African horse sickness virus and Schmallenberg virus (SBV). Outbreaks of both BTV and SBV have affected large parts of Europe. The spread of these diseases depends largely on vector distribution and abundance.