Publications by authors named "Rafal Ruta"

Microorganisms are integral to ecosystem functioning and host adaptation, yet the understanding of microbiomes in diverse beetle taxa remains limited. We conducted a comprehensive study to investigate the microbial composition of two red flat bark beetle species, Cucujus haematodes and C. cinnaberinus, and assessed the influence of host taxonomic relatedness and host tree species on their microbiomes.

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Article Synopsis
  • Marsh beetles (Scirtidae) are key to understanding the evolutionary history and success of beetles in the suborder Polyphaga, but studying their lineage has been difficult due to limited fossil evidence.
  • A new genus and species, Varcalium lawrencei, has been discovered in 99 million-year-old Kachin amber, offering new insights into their evolutionary path.
  • Phylogenetic analysis shows that Varcalium is part of the Scirtinae crown-group, indicating that this group had begun to diversify as early as the mid-Cretaceous period.
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Recent 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.

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In insects, a long ductus ejaculatorius surrounded by a muscular sheath transfers seminal fluids and sperms from the testes into the male copulatory organ, the aedeagus. In several unrelated coleopteran families, a section of the ductus has evolved to form a specialized pumping organ. The most complex forms of this "sperm pump" was known in Lepiceridae and two subfamilies of evolutionary distant Staphylinidae; in these groups two sclerotized funnels situated on ends of the sperm pump provide attachment sites for a remarkably robust compressor muscle.

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Scirtes Illiger is the only genus of Scirtidae known to inhabit Fiji. In the present revision, 10 species of Scirtes are recorded from Fiji, including seven newly described. Scirtes humeralis Pic, S.

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In 1849 a French entomologist, Antoine Solier, described 11 species of Scirtidae collected in Chile by Claude Gay. Based on examination of type specimens deposited in the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN) in Paris, 9 species: Contacyphon luteolineatus, C. parvus, C.

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Daploeuros reichertae sp. nov. is described from New South Wales, Australia.

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A new genus of Scirtidae, Calvariopsis gen. nov., is described to accommodate two species described by Maurice Pic (Prionocyphon brasiliensis Pic, 1916 and Cyphon sculptipenne Pic, 1931) and 14 newly described species: Calvariopsis bituberculata sp.

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Existing data on the phylogeography of European taxa of steppic provenance suggests that species were widely distributed during glacial periods but underwent range contraction and fragmentation during interglacials into "warm-stage refugia." Among the steppe-related invertebrates that have been examined, the majority has been insects, but data on the phylogeography of snails is wholly missing. To begin to fill this gap, phylogeographic and niche modeling studies on the presumed steppic snail were conducted.

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Chilarboreus is a small genus comprising three species occurring in Nothofagus forests of Chile. The female of a single species, Chilarboreus fossulatus, was described in the original description. In the present paper we provide descriptions of females of the remaining two species for the first time.

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The New Zealand species of marsh beetles Atopida dorsale Broun, 1893 and Atopida testacea Broun, 1880 share several features that differentiate them from other members of Atopida White. Analysis of morphological characters and the structural anatomy of the genitalia justified the description of a new genus to accommodate these two species. Sensory structures of the apical maxillary palpomere are described for the first time in Scirtidae.

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In this study we summarise the knowledge of the history and current state of research on the New Zealand Scirtidae to provide a base for further research on the family. Data on Tord Nyholm's research and collections are presented, based on a study of the archives and collection of Swedish Museum of Natural History. The main part of the paper is a catalogue of all described species of Scirtidae known to occur in New Zealand.

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A new genus of Scirtidae is described to accommodate six newly described species distributed in the northern part of the Andes. Three species are described from Ecuador (Anticyphon davidsoni sp. nov.

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Boheman described four species of Scirtidae: one from Sweden (Cyphon pallidulus Boheman, 1850), two from South Africa (Elodes caffer Boheman, 1851 & Elodes marginipennis Boheman, 1851), and one from Argentina (Scirtes adustus Boheman, 1858). Cyphon pallidulus Boheman is a junior synonym of Contacyphon ochraceus (Stephens, 1830). Types of the remaining species were never re-examined, and none of them were redescribed.

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New species of the Scirtes flavoguttatus species-group are described from SE Asia. Altogether 34 species are newly described, including Scirtes beccus sp. nov.

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The Pseudomicrocara Armstrong from Argentina are reviewed. In total, seven species are present: Pseudomicrocara angusta sp. nov.

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New data concerning the occurrence of pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) in Poland are given, with a focus on rare and difficult to identify Central European taxa. Cryptophilus cf. integer (Heer) (Cryptophilinae) is reported from the Polish territory for the first time based on adult and larval specimens collected in the Wielkopolska-Kujawy Lowland.

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