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Pajusalu M, Seager S, Huang J, Petkowski JJ. A qualitative assessment of limits of active flight in low density atmospheres. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13823. [PMID: 38879676 PMCID: PMC11180128 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64114-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Exoplanet atmospheres are expected to vary significantly in thickness and chemical composition, leading to a continuum of differences in surface pressure and atmospheric density. This variability is exemplified within our Solar System, where the four rocky planets exhibit surface pressures ranging from 1 nPa on Mercury to 9.2 MPa on Venus. The direct effects and potential challenges of atmospheric pressure and density on life have rarely been discussed. For instance, atmospheric density directly affects the possibility of active flight in organisms, a critical factor since without it, dispersing across extensive and inhospitable terrains becomes a major limitation for the expansion of complex life. In this paper, we propose the existence of a critical atmospheric density threshold below which active flight is unfeasible, significantly impacting biosphere development. To qualitatively assess this threshold and differentiate it from energy availability constraints, we analyze the limits of active flight on Earth, using the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model organism. We subjected Drosophila melanogaster to various atmospheric density scenarios and reviewed previous data on flight limitations. Our observations show that flies in an N2-enriched environment recover active flying abilities more efficiently than those in a helium-enriched environment, highlighting behavioral differences attributable to atmospheric density vs. oxygen deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihkel Pajusalu
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Tartu Observatory, University of Tartu, 61602, Tõravere, Estonia.
| | - Sara Seager
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Jingcheng Huang
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Janusz J Petkowski
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- JJ Scientific, 02-792, Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
- Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland
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Xiang D, Wang Z, Xu L, Wang Y, Zhang H, Yang K. Measurement of Fitness and Predatory Ability of Four Predatory Mite Species in Tibetan Plateau under Laboratory Conditions. INSECTS 2024; 15:119. [PMID: 38392538 PMCID: PMC10889832 DOI: 10.3390/insects15020119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Predatory mites are biological control agents used in many countries against various vegetable pests, particularly spider mites. Despite the significant presence of predatory mites in the Tibetan plateau, there is limited research on their potential against spider mites in the area. This study investigated the fitness parameters and performance against TSSM of four predatory, including Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) and three species from the genus Neoseiulus (Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), Neoseiulus barkeri (Hughes), and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans)), originally collected from fields in the Tibetan Plateau. Compared to the other three predatory species, A. swirskii exhibited the highest fecundity (11.60 ± 0.34) and the highest pre-adult survival rate (83.33 ± 3.33%). Since their juvenile survival rate (SR) was extremely low (13.33% ± 5.77%), most N. barkeri nymphs died before emergence. Compared to the other three predatory mites, A. swirskii showed the highest predation capacity against adult TSSMs at 15 d post-release (14.28 ± 2.24). Based on the results, A. swirskii was the most effective, and N. barkeri was the least effective in controlling two-spotted mites in the Tibetan Plateau among the four species tested in this study. Collectively, these findings imply notable advantages in employing A. swirskii for controlling two-spotted mites in the Tibetan Plateau. This study informs the development of a feasible biological control method based on suitable predatory mite species to manage TSSMs in the Tibetan Plateau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Xiang
- Institute of Vegetable, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Lhasa 850032, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Institute of Vegetable, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Lhasa 850032, China
| | - Long Xu
- Qingdao Agricultural Administrative Law Enforcement Detachment, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Yunchao Wang
- College of Biology and Agriculture, Zunyi Normal University, Zunyi 563006, China
| | - Huanhuan Zhang
- Institute of Vegetable, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Lhasa 850032, China
| | - Kun Yang
- Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
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Kang N, Hu H, Huang Z, Luo S, Guo S. Environmental Factors Drive Chalcid Body Size Increases with Altitudinal Gradients for Two Hyper-Diverse Taxa. INSECTS 2023; 14:67. [PMID: 36661995 PMCID: PMC9865982 DOI: 10.3390/insects14010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Body size is the most essential feature that significantly correlates with insects' longevity, fecundity, metabolic rate, and sex ratio. Numerous biogeographical rules have been proposed to illustrate the correlation between the body sizes of different taxa and corresponding geographical or environmental factors. Whether the minute and multifarious chalcids exhibit a similar geographical pattern is still little known. In this research, we analyzed morphological data from 2953 specimens worldwide, including the two most abundant and diverse taxa (Pteromalidae and Eulophidae), which are both composed of field-collected and BOLD system specimens. We examined forewing length as a surrogate of body size and analyzed the average size separately for males and females using two methods (species and assemblage-based method). To verify Bergmann's rule, we included temperature, precipitation, wind speed and solar radiation as explanatory variables in a generalized linear model to analyze the causes of the size variation. We found that there was an increasing trend in the body size of Pteromalidae and Eulophidae with altitude. The optimal Akaike information criterion (AIC) models showed that larger sizes are significantly negatively correlated with temperature and positively correlated with precipitation, and the possible reasons for this variation are discussed and analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Kang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830049, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Hongying Hu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830049, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Zengqian Huang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830049, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Shungang Luo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830049, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Shuhan Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830049, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, Urumqi 830046, China
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Buckley TR, Hoare RJB, Leschen RAB. Key questions on the evolution and biogeography of New Zealand alpine insects. J R Soc N Z 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2022.2130367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R. Buckley
- Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, Auckland, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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McCulloch GA, Guhlin J, Dutoit L, Harrop TWR, Dearden PK, Waters JM. Genomic signatures of parallel alpine adaptation in recently evolved flightless insects. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:6677-6686. [PMID: 34592029 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Natural selection along elevational gradients has potential to drive predictable adaptations across distinct lineages, but the extent of such repeated evolution remains poorly studied for many widespread alpine taxa. We present parallel genomic analyses of two recently evolved flightless alpine insect lineages to test for molecular signatures of repeated alpine adaptation. Specifically, we compare low-elevation vs. alpine stonefly ecotypes from parallel stream populations in which flightless upland ecotypes have been independently derived. We map 67,922 polymorphic genetic markers, generated across 176 Zelandoperla fenestrata specimens from two independent alpine stream populations in New Zealand's Rock and Pillar Range, to a newly developed plecopteran reference genome. Genome-wide scans revealed 31 regions with outlier single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) differentiating lowland vs. alpine ecotypes in Lug Creek, and 37 regions with outliers differentiating ecotypes in Six Mile Creek. Of these regions, 13% (8/60) yielded outlier SNPs across both within-stream ecotype comparisons, implying comparable genomic shifts contribute to this repeated alpine adaptation. Candidate genes closely linked to repeated outlier regions include several with documented roles in insect wing-development (e.g., dishevelled), suggesting that they may contribute to repeated alpine wing reduction. Additional candidate genes have been shown to influence insect fecundity (e.g., ovo) and lifespan (e.g., Mrp4), implying that they might contribute to life history differentiation between upland and lowland ecotypes. Additional outlier genes have potential roles in the evolution of reproductive isolation among ecotypes (hedgehog and Desaturase 1). These results demonstrate how replicated outlier tests across independent lineages can potentially contribute to the discovery of genes underpinning repeated adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph Guhlin
- Genomics Aotearoa and Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Ludovic Dutoit
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Thomas W R Harrop
- Genomics Aotearoa and Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Peter K Dearden
- Genomics Aotearoa and Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Stanbrook RA, Harris WE, Wheater CP, Jones M. Evidence of phenotypic plasticity along an altitudinal gradient in the dung beetle Onthophagus proteus. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10798. [PMID: 33665014 PMCID: PMC7912602 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background High altitude insects are an ecologically specialized group and possess a suite of adaptions which allow persistence in the inhospitable conditions often associated with mountain tops. Changes in body coloration and reductions or increases in body size are thought to be examples of such adaptions. Melanic individuals, or individuals containing high levels of eumelanin, possess several traits which increase resistance to ultraviolet radiation and desiccation, while aiding thermoregulation. Trait variation is often observed in dung beetles and is associated with dimorphism and sexual selection. In this study, we identified trait changes which occur across an altitudinal gradient by measuring morphological color and body size traits in a montane insect. Methods Using standard digital photography and Image J, we examined individuals of Afromontane dung beetle Onthophagus proteus. Individuals were classified according to sex and color morph to identify intrasexual variance. Nine morphometric traits were measured per beetle to identify patterns of morphology across discrete 500 m altitude segments. Results The results of this study provide one of the first descriptions of trait changes associated with elevation in an African dung beetle. We suggest that color polymorphism in Onthophagus proteus might be at least partly driven by environmental factors as there is significantly increased melanism with increasing elevation and significant differences in color hues between altitude bands. We also suggest changes in horn length are density dependent, as we observed an increase in cephalic horn length at high elevations where O. proteus is the most abundant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roisin A Stanbrook
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - W Edwin Harris
- Crop and Environment Sciences, Harper Adams University, Newport, United Kingdom
| | - Charles P Wheater
- Department of Conservation and Ecology, The Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Jones
- Department of Conservation and Ecology, The Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom
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Möst MH, Donabauer M, Arthofer W, Schlick-Steiner BC, Steiner FM. Towards an evolutionary history of European-Alpine Trechus ground beetles: Species groups and wing reduction. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2020; 149:106822. [PMID: 32294546 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of flight triggered the rise of pterygote insects, but secondary flightlessness has evolved numerous times and is often associated with reduced gene flow among populations and patterns of diversification. With 85 species most of which are wing reduced, the ground beetle genus Trechus in the European Alps may be one such example. Here, we reconstructed a molecular phylogeny using 72 of these species based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences as a basis for reconstructing their evolutionary history. We rearranged the species into 20 monophyletic species groups, of which five are novel and 15 were already established but with different species allocated. Wing measurements revealed a strong tendency for wing reduction but also variation within and among species, with the few fully-winged species distributed across multiple species groups containing also wing-reduced species. Using character mapping and phylogenetic independent contrasts, we found that neither distribution area, body size, pigmentation, elevational zone, nor hygrophily explained wing status in our sample. Assessing five completely sampled clades, we inferred that each of their ancestors had most likely already been wing reduced. We discuss putative scenarios explaining this pattern and the presence of wing polymorphism across the phylogeny. One plausible scenario would be an already wing-reduced last common ancestor of all Trechus species and multiple regains of full wing length via back mutation and/or hybridisation. Alternatively and possibly more likely, the ancestors were either fully winged, with subsequent rapid and repeated wing reduction explaining the current wing-status pattern, or polymorphic, with long-term polymorphism or reselection acting on standing genetic variation explaining the recent fully-winged species. Either way, Trechus ground beetles are a promising, taxonomically and ecologically diverse system for studying the evolution of flightlessness. Areas for future research include morphological assessment of flight muscles, functional analysis of flight capability, and exploration of the mechanistic and genetic bases of wing and flight evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus H Möst
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Wolfgang Arthofer
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Florian M Steiner
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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Weng YM, Veire BM, Dudko RY, Medeiros MJ, Kavanaugh DH, Schoville SD. Rapid speciation and ecological divergence into North American alpine habitats: the Nippononebria (Coleoptera: Carabidae) species complex. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The climate-driven species pump hypothesis has been supported in a number of phylogeographic studies of alpine species. Climate-driven shifts in distribution, coupled with rapid demographic change, have led to strong genetic drift and lineage diversification. Although the species pump has been linked to rapid speciation in a number of studies, few studies have demonstrated that ecological divergence accompanies rapid speciation. Here we examine genetic, morphological and physiological variation in members of the ground beetle taxon Nippononebria, to test three competing hypotheses of evolutionary diversification: isolation and incomplete lineage sorting (no speciation), recent speciation without ecological divergence, or recent speciation with ecological divergence into alpine habitats. Genetic data are consistent with recent divergence, with major lineages forming in the last million years. A species tree analysis, in conjunction with morphological divergence in male reproductive traits, support the formation of three recognized Nippononebria taxa. Furthermore, both morphological and physiological traits demonstrate ecological divergence in alpine lineages, with convergent shifts in body shape and thermal tolerance breadth. This provides strong evidence that the climate-driven species pump can generate ecological novelty, though it is argued that spatial scale may be a key determinant of broader patterns of macroevolution in alpine communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ming Weng
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Benton M Veire
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Roman Yu Dudko
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Matthew J Medeiros
- Urban School of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - David H Kavanaugh
- Department of Entomology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sean D Schoville
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Slatyer RA, Schoville SD, Nufio CR, Buckley LB. Do different rates of gene flow underlie variation in phenotypic and phenological clines in a montane grasshopper community? Ecol Evol 2020; 10:980-997. [PMID: 32015859 PMCID: PMC6988534 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Species responses to environmental change are likely to depend on existing genetic and phenotypic variation, as well as evolutionary potential. A key challenge is to determine whether gene flow might facilitate or impede genomic divergence among populations responding to environmental change, and if emergent phenotypic variation is dependent on gene flow rates. A general expectation is that patterns of genetic differentiation in a set of codistributed species reflect differences in dispersal ability. In less dispersive species, we predict greater genetic divergence and reduced gene flow. This could lead to covariation in life-history traits due to local adaptation, although plasticity or drift could mirror these patterns. We compare genome-wide patterns of genetic structure in four phenotypically variable grasshopper species along a steep elevation gradient near Boulder, Colorado, and test the hypothesis that genomic differentiation is greater in short-winged grasshopper species, and statistically associated with variation in growth, reproductive, and physiological traits along this gradient. In addition, we estimate rates of gene flow under competing demographic models, as well as potential gene flow through surveys of phenological overlap among populations within a species. All species exhibit genetic structure along the elevation gradient and limited gene flow. The most pronounced genetic divergence appears in short-winged (less dispersive) species, which also exhibit less phenological overlap among populations. A high-elevation population of the most widespread species, Melanoplus sanguinipes, appears to be a sink population derived from low elevation populations. While dispersal ability has a clear connection to the genetic structure in different species, genetic distance does not predict growth, reproductive, or physiological trait variation in any species, requiring further investigation to clearly link phenotypic divergence to local adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - César R. Nufio
- University of Colorado Natural History MuseumUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCOUSA
- National Science FoundationAlexandriaVAUSA
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McCulloch GA, Oliphant A, Dearden PK, Veale AJ, Ellen CW, Waters JM. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of a wing-dimorphic stonefly reveals candidate wing loss genes. EvoDevo 2019; 10:21. [PMID: 31516688 PMCID: PMC6728979 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-019-0135-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The genetic basis of wing development has been well characterised for model insect species, but remains poorly understood in phylogenetically divergent, non-model taxa. Wing-polymorphic insect species potentially provide ideal systems for unravelling the genetic basis of secondary wing reduction. Stoneflies (Plecoptera) represent an anciently derived insect assemblage for which the genetic basis of wing polymorphism remains unclear. We undertake quantitative RNA-seq of sympatric full-winged versus vestigial-winged nymphs of a widespread wing-dimorphic New Zealand stonefly, Zelandoperla fenestrata, to identify genes potentially involved in wing development and secondary wing loss. Results Our analysis reveals substantial differential expression of wing-development genes between full-winged versus vestigial-winged stonefly ecotypes. Specifically, of 23 clusters showing significant similarity to Drosophila wing development-related genes and their pea aphid orthologues, nine were significantly upregulated in full-winged stonefly ecotypes, whereas only one cluster (teashirt) was substantially upregulated in the vestigial-winged ecotype. Conclusions These findings suggest remarkable conservation of key wing-development pathways throughout 400 Ma of insect evolution. The finding that two Juvenile Hormone pathway clusters were significantly upregulated in vestigial-winged Zelandoperla supports the hypothesis that Juvenile Hormone may play a key role in modulating insect wing polymorphism, as has previously been suggested for other insect lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham A McCulloch
- 1Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054 New Zealand
| | - Andrew Oliphant
- 2Genomics Aotearoa and Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054 New Zealand
| | - Peter K Dearden
- 2Genomics Aotearoa and Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054 New Zealand
| | - Andrew J Veale
- 1Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054 New Zealand.,3Landcare Research, Private Bag 92170, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142 New Zealand
| | - Charles W Ellen
- 1Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054 New Zealand
| | - Jonathan M Waters
- 1Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054 New Zealand
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Foster BJ, McCulloch GA, Waters JM. Zelandoperla maungatuaensis sp. n. (Plecoptera: Gripopterygidae), a new flightless stonefly species from Otago, New Zealand. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2019.1624266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brodie J. Foster
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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McCulloch GA, Foster BJ, Waters JM. Phylogeography reveals a North Island range extension for New Zealand's only sexually wing-dimorphic stonefly (Stenoperla helsoni). NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2018.1527775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Brodie J. Foster
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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McCulloch GA, Waters JM. Does wing reduction influence the relationship between altitude and insect body size? A case study using New Zealand's diverse stonefly fauna. Ecol Evol 2017; 8:953-960. [PMID: 29375769 PMCID: PMC5773309 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Researchers have long been intrigued by evolutionary processes that explain biological diversity. Numerous studies have reported strong associations between animal body size and altitude, but insect analyses have often yielded equivocal results. Here, we analyze a collection database of New Zealand's diverse endemic stonefly fauna (106 species across 21 genera) to test for relationships between altitude and plecopteran body size. This insect assemblage includes a variety of wing-reduced (26 spp) and fully winged (80 spp) taxa and covers a broad range of altitudes (0-2,000 m). We detected significant relationships between altitude and body size for wing-reduced, but not fully winged, stonefly taxa. These results suggest that, while the maintenance of flight apparatus might place a constraint on body size in some fully winged species, the loss of flight may free insects from this evolutionary constraint. We suggest that rapid switches in insect dispersal ability may facilitate rapid evolutionary shifts across a number of biological attributes and may explain the inconsistent results from previous macroecological analyses of insect assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham A McCulloch
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
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