Back to the Middle Ages: Entomological and Botanical Elements Reveal New Aspects of the Burial of Saint Davino of Armenia

The natural mummy of Saint Davino Armeno (11th century) is preserved in the church of Saint Michele in Foro in the city of Lucca (Tuscany, Central Italy). The body of Davino is one of the oldest Italian mummies of a Saint, and his paleopathological study was performed in 2018. In the present research, we investigated the arthropod fragments and botanical remains collected from the body, coffin, and fabrics of Saint Davino. Entomological analyses outlined the presence of 192 arthropod fragments. Among these, Diptera, Muscidae (Hydrotaea capensis and Muscina sp.), and Phoridae (Conicera sp.) puparia were the most abundant. Regarding Coleoptera, Ptinidae (Anobium punctatum) were the most frequent, followed by Cleridae (Necrobia sp.), Trogidae (Trox scaber), Curculionidae (Sitophilus granarius), and Histeridae (Gnathoncus). Cocoons of Tineidae and Pyralidae moths were found, along with a propodeum joined to the petiole and a mesopleuron of an Ichneumoninae parasitoid. Numerous metamera of Julida and three scorpion fragments were also found. Botanical samples indicated the presence of a quite broad botanical community, including gramineous species, olives, evergreen oaks, and grapevine. Overall, entomological data allow us to argue that Saint Davino was first buried into the soil, probably in a wooden coffin, thus supporting the historical-hagiographic tradition according to which he was buried sub divo in the cemetery of Saint Michele. The preservation of the body as a natural mummy may have been facilitated by burial in a coffin that prevented direct contact of the corpse with the earth. Botanical remains offer confirmation of a late medieval urban environment rich in horticultural areas and trees, giving us a landscape that is very different from the current Tuscan city.

Diversity of Lepidoptera (Insecta) recorded in a forest nursery of Nordeste County on São Miguel Island (Azores)

Background

The diversity of moth species (Insecta, Lepidoptera) recorded in the forest nursery of Nordeste County on São Miguel Island (Azores) is given. Adults were sampled between March and December 2019 using three methods: (i) light trap to catch Noctuidae species, (ii) open-sided delta trap baited with a synthetic female sex pheromone lure to attract Epiphyaspostvittana (Walker) males and (iii) entomological net to collect microlepidopteran moths. This contribution focuses mainly on the diversity of moths present in one forest nursery of Nordeste County of São Miguel Island (Azores), especially on the species associated with endemic and native plant species. It also contributes to better plan strategies for integrated protection and conservation measures, since nurseries host a great diversity of plants from the Laurel Forest, which may attract many lepidopteran species.

New information

A total of 10160 adults belonging to 33 lepidopteran species were recorded and listed by families, including: Argyresthiidae, one species (3%), Crambidae, four species (12%), Erebidae, one species (3%), Geometridae, five species (15%), Noctuidae, 18 species (55%), Sphingidae, one species (3%), Tineidae, one species (3%) and Tortricidae, two species (6%). The families Noctuidae, Geometridae and Crambidae were the most diverse. Those with the highest abundance of adults were the Noctuidae family, followed by the Geometridae, Crambidae, Tortricidae and Tineidae. The number of caught adults was consistently higher during spring and summer, decreasing sharply in late autumn. For 13 species caught in the light trap, the adult sex ratio was favourable to females. An analysis of the colonisation status, feeding and primary hosts of these endemic, native or exotic moth species contributes to our understanding of the factors that may lead to their establishment in Laurel Forest environments and to what extent there is a need to monitor and control them mainly with biological control agents.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Monopis longella Walker, 1863 (Lepidoptera: Tineidae)

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Monopis longella Walker, 1863 (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) comprises 15,541 bp and contains a typical set of genes and one non-coding region. The gene arrangement of M. longella is unique for Lepidoptera in that it has a trnI-trnM-trnQ sequence in the A + T-rich region and ND2 junction. Unlike most other lepidopteran insects, in which the COI gene has CGA as the start codon, M. longella COI has an ATT codon. Phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated sequences of 13 protein-coding genes and two rRNA genes, using the Bayesian inference (BI) method, placed M. longella in the Tineidae, sister in position to the cofamilial species, Tineola bisselliella, with the highest nodal support. Tineidae, represented by three species including M. longella, formed a monophyletic group with high support (Bayesian posterior probability = 0.99). Within Tineoidea the sister relationship between Tineidae and Meessiidae was obtained with the highest support, leaving Psychidae occupying the basal lineage of the two families.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Amorophaga japonica Robinson, 1986 (Lepidoptera: Tineidae)

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Amorophaga japonica Robinson, 1986 (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), comprises 15,027 base pairs (bp) and contains a typical set of genes (13 protein-coding genes [PCGs], 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes), and 1 non-coding region. The genome has an arrangement, trnW-trnY-trnC, instead of typical trnW- trnC-trnY at the ND2 and COI junction. This arrangement is unique in lepidopteran mitogenomes. Unlike most lepidopteran insects, which have CGA as the start codon for the COI gene sequence, A. japonica COI had a typical ATT codon. The A + T-rich region was unusually short, with only 199 bp. Phylogenetic analyses with concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs and two rRNA genes using the Bayesian inference method placed A. japonica in Tineidae as a sister to the cofamilial species, Tineola bisselliella, with high nodal support (Bayesian posterior probability [BPP] = 0.99), presenting the superfamily Tineoidea in a monophyletic group with a BPP of 0.99. Gracillarioidea, represented by three species of Gracillariidae, formed a monophyletic group with the highest BPP, but the Leucoptera malifoliella in Yponomeutoidea was unusually grouped together with the Gracillarioidea with the highest nodal support. As more mitogenome sequences are available, further analysis to infer the relationships among superfamilies of Lepidoptera might be possible.

Susceptibility of Environmentally Friendly Sheep Wool Insulation Panels to the Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella in Laboratory Assays

In this study the resistance opposed to Tineola bisselliella larvae by a commercial sheep-wool panel incorporating borate salts was determined under laboratory conditions. The susceptibility of clothes moth larvae to different concentrations of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) incorporated in pure wool was also determined. The commercial wool panel showed a remarkable resistance to moth attack compared with pure untreated wool, and the damage to panel samples was limited to their surface. As a result of bioassays exposing larvae to pure wool treated with DOT, a concentration dependent effect was observed, achieving a good efficacy at an application rate between 40-100 mg/mL. This study highlights the need to protect wool-based construction material with appropriate insecticidal (antifeedant or repellent) substances and supports the development of eco-sustainable solutions.

Taxonomic study of the genus Thisizima Walker, 1864 in China, with descriptions of two new species (Lepidoptera, Tineidae)

The taxonomic study of the genus Thisizima Walker, 1864 is carried out in China. Thisizima subceratellasp. n. and Thisizima fasciariasp. n. are described as new based on the specimens collected in Fujian, Hainan and Hong Kong. Detailed male and female genitalia are described for the first time for the genus. Photographs of adults and genital structures are provided. A checklist of all the described species is included.