Organisms have evolved different defense mechanisms, such as crypsis and mimicry, to avoid detection and recognition by predators. A prominent example is Batesian mimicry, where palatable species mimic unpalatable or toxic ones, such as Clytini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) that mimic wasps. However, scientific evidence for the effectiveness of Batesian mimicry in Cerambycids in natural habitats is scarce.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent progress in the taxonomy of flat bark beetles (Cucujidae), specifically, in the genus Cucujus, has revealed great diversity in subtropical Asia, but the seemingly well-known temperate and boreal taxa need further attention because of their conservation status. Here, we used an integrative approach using morphology, DNA, and species distribution modelling to disentangle phylogenetic relations, verify the number of species, and understand the historical biogeography of Palearctic and Nearctic Cucujus beetles, particularly the C. haematodes species group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTelomeres are protective structures at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, and disruption of their nucleoprotein composition usually results in genome instability and cell death. Telomeric DNA sequences have generally been found to be exceptionally conserved in evolution, and the most common pattern of telomeric sequences across eukaryotes is (TAG) maintained by telomerase. However, telomerase-added DNA repeats in some insect taxa frequently vary, show unusual features, and can even be absent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOpen interior sands represent a highly threatened habitat in Europe. In recent times, their associated organisms have often found secondary refuges outside their natural habitats, mainly in sand pits. We investigated the effects of different restoration approaches, i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The finer scale patterns of arthropod vertical stratification in forests are rarely studied and poorly understood. Further, there are no studies investigating whether and how altitude affects arthropod vertical stratification in temperate forests. We therefore investigated the fine-scale vertical stratification of diversity and guild structure of saproxylic beetles in temperate lowland and montane forests and compared the resulting patterns between the two habitats.
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