Journal Description
Arthropoda
Arthropoda
- formerly Entomology - is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on the study of arthropods published quarterly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- Rapid Publication: first decisions in 16 days; acceptance to publication in 5.8 days (median values for MDPI journals in the second half of 2023).
- Recognition of Reviewers: APC discount vouchers, optional signed peer review, and reviewer names published annually in the journal.
Latest Articles
The Dynamics of Soil Mesofauna Communities in a Tropical Urban Coastal Wetland: Responses to Spatiotemporal Fluctuations in Phreatic Level and Salinity
Arthropoda 2024, 2(1), 1-27; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda2010001 - 09 Jan 2024
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Coastal wetlands, vital for ecological diversity, have been significantly altered by anthropogenic activities, particularly in the Caribbean. These changes have created a complex mosaic of habitats and physicochemical conditions, further stressed by climate variability and sea-level rise. This study, conducted in Las Cucharillas
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Coastal wetlands, vital for ecological diversity, have been significantly altered by anthropogenic activities, particularly in the Caribbean. These changes have created a complex mosaic of habitats and physicochemical conditions, further stressed by climate variability and sea-level rise. This study, conducted in Las Cucharillas Natural Reserve, a tropical urban coastal wetland in Puerto Rico, aimed to determine the effects of spatiotemporal variations in phreatic levels and salinity on soil mesofauna assemblages, crucial bio-indicators of environmental change. In 2020 and 2021, soil samples were collected from five diverse habitat types during different hydroperiods. Each sample was taken under four randomly selected plant types and processed using lighted Tullgren–Berlese extractors. Phreatic level and salinity were also measured. A total of 43 families were quantified, underscoring distinct habitat differences, similarities, and overall ecosystem diversity. Moderate correlations between phreatic levels, salinity, and mesofauna richness and abundance were determined. Peak richness and abundance were quantified at shallow (−0.03 to −0.07 m) and slightly moderate (−0.12 to −0.17 m) phreatic levels where oligohaline salinity (>0.5 to 5.0 ppt) prevails. The study highlights the adaptability of mesofauna to environmental shifts and their potential as biosensors for effective coastal wetland management amid climatic and anthropogenic pressures.
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Open AccessArticle
A New Species of the Shrimp Genus Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955 (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Alpheidae) from the Exposed Shores of Eastern and Southern Oman
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Arthropoda 2023, 1(4), 473-487; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1040022 - 15 Dec 2023
Abstract
Salmoneus sultanus sp. nov. is described based on several specimens collected on the exposed shores of Masirah Island and Dhofar, Oman, a region characterised by seasonal upwellings cooling water temperature to less than 23 °C. The new species is compared with the morphologically
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Salmoneus sultanus sp. nov. is described based on several specimens collected on the exposed shores of Masirah Island and Dhofar, Oman, a region characterised by seasonal upwellings cooling water temperature to less than 23 °C. The new species is compared with the morphologically most similar congeners present in the north-western Indian Ocean, e.g., S. latirostris (Coutière, 1897), S. cristatus (Coutière, 1897), S. serratidigitus (Coutière, 1897), and S. chadwickae Ďuriš and Horká, 2016; the latter species is recorded for the first time from Oman. The conspicuous colour pattern of S. sultanus sp. nov. appears to be diagnostic, differing greatly from that of S. latirostris, S. cristatus, S. serratidigitus, and S. chadwickae.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alpha-Level Taxonomy of Decapod Crustaceans)
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Open AccessArticle
A Family Affair: Diagnosing and Delimiting Prostygnidae (Opiliones: Gonyleptoidea)
Arthropoda 2023, 1(4), 460-472; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1040021 - 01 Dec 2023
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The former subfamily Prostygninae was recently elevated to family rank, and its phylogenetic relationships were investigated based on molecular data. In this study, we provide a revised morphological diagnosis for the family, focusing on characters from the exomorphology and male genital morphology. Morphological
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The former subfamily Prostygninae was recently elevated to family rank, and its phylogenetic relationships were investigated based on molecular data. In this study, we provide a revised morphological diagnosis for the family, focusing on characters from the exomorphology and male genital morphology. Morphological data supporting their inclusion in the MECO clade are provided. Additionally, a key to the genera is presented, and Prostygnus stellatussp. nov., a new Ecuadorian species, is described. The geographic distribution of prostygnid species is mapped. An overview of the inclusion and exclusion of genera formerly within Prostygninae, but currently in Gonyleptoidea incertae sedis, is presented, and the following new familial assignments are proposed: Binamballeus Roewer, 1952 and Puna metatarsalis (Kury, 1994) comb. nov. (transferred to Cranaidae), Sclerostygnellus Roewer, 1943 (transferred to Manaosbiidae) and Globitarsus Roewer, 1913, Lisarea Roewer, 1943, Meridanatus Roewer, 1943, Micropachylus Roewer, 1913, Prostygnidius Roewer, 1915, and Troya Roewer, 1914 (all transferred to Nomoclastidae). Three subjective synonyms of Troya are proposed: Peladoius Roewer, 1914 syn. nov., Prostygnellus Roewer, 1914 syn. nov., and Minyssus Roewer, 1943 syn. nov., combining their species with Troya and, finally, Prostygnellus riveti Roewer, 1914 is considered as a junior secondary homonym of Troya riveti Roewer, 1914 syn. nov.
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Open AccessCommunication
A New Shallow-Water Species of the Rare Shrimp Genus Bresilia from Cabo Verde (Crustacea, Decapoda, Bresiliidae)
Arthropoda 2023, 1(4), 451-459; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1040020 - 22 Nov 2023
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A new species of the rare shrimp genus Bresilia is described and illustrated from shallow-water lava tubes in Cabo Verde. Characteristics differentiating the new species from its three known Atlantic congeners are listed and discussed. Scanning electron images (SEM) are provided of the
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A new species of the rare shrimp genus Bresilia is described and illustrated from shallow-water lava tubes in Cabo Verde. Characteristics differentiating the new species from its three known Atlantic congeners are listed and discussed. Scanning electron images (SEM) are provided of the peculiar chela ornamentation of the first pereiopod in the genus.
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Open AccessArticle
Evidence and Modification of Non-Visual Eyestalk Organs in Troglobiont Mysida and Stygiomysida (Crustacea)
Arthropoda 2023, 1(4), 432-450; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1040019 - 14 Nov 2023
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Why do the eyes remain comparatively large, whereas the cornea is reduced in most troglobiont mysids? Are there any important organ size-dependent functions served by non-visual eye rudiments? This issue was approached by measuring eye structures in five troglobiont species of Mysida and
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Why do the eyes remain comparatively large, whereas the cornea is reduced in most troglobiont mysids? Are there any important organ size-dependent functions served by non-visual eye rudiments? This issue was approached by measuring eye structures in five troglobiont species of Mysida and two Stygiomysida compared with 14 troglophiles and 49 trogloxene Mysida species. The Organ of Bellonci (OB) was found in all Mysida and, as first records, also in Stygiomysida. The length of OBs increased with individual body length (BL) and eye length (EL) in four examined species: from postnauplioid larvae to adult stage in a troglophile and a trogloxene mysid species examined; and from juveniles to adults in a troglobiont mysid and a troglobiont stygiomysid. At the interspecific level, EL was, on average, 26% shorter at a given BL, while the OB was 40% longer at a given BL and 54% longer at a given EL, respectively, in adult troglobionts compared with trogloxene mysids. The OB is clearly proliferating, while the cornea is reduced in troglobionts. This points to sensory functions (possibly together with other functions). The sensory pore organ was found in all 15 Mysida species whose eyes were mounted on slides, and the first record of this organ was also found in Stygiomysida.
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Open AccessCommunication
A New Octocorallia-Associated Shrimp of the Genus Periclimenes (Crustacea, Caridea, Palaemonidae) from West Africa
Arthropoda 2023, 1(4), 420-431; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1040018 - 14 Nov 2023
Abstract
A new shrimp species of the genus Periclimenes is described based on specimens collected in the Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau. Specimens were collected from an unidentified octocoral. This is the ninth species in the genus known to be from the East Atlantic and Mediterranean.
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A new shrimp species of the genus Periclimenes is described based on specimens collected in the Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau. Specimens were collected from an unidentified octocoral. This is the ninth species in the genus known to be from the East Atlantic and Mediterranean.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alpha-Level Taxonomy of Decapod Crustaceans)
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Open AccessCommunication
Long-Jawed Spider Moves across Water with and without the Use of Silk
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Arthropoda 2023, 1(4), 415-419; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1040017 - 19 Oct 2023
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Among spiders, movement in aquatic environments, including below the water’s surface or on the surface film, is completed using a variety of techniques that do not involve the use of silk, including swimming, walking, and rowing. The use of silk to assist with
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Among spiders, movement in aquatic environments, including below the water’s surface or on the surface film, is completed using a variety of techniques that do not involve the use of silk, including swimming, walking, and rowing. The use of silk to assist with aquatic locomotion has been explored only to a limited extent. In this study, we report on observations of a long-jawed spider (Family: Tetragnathidae) from Australia, Tetragnatha nitens, moving across the surface film in two different manners, one of which involves the use of silk. The first observation was of a female T. nitens walking across the water’s surface when prompted by a predation attempt: the spider used its front three pairs of legs for propulsion while the back pair remained motionless on the water, likely for stabilization. The second observation featured a male T. nitens utilizing a silk line to reel itself towards emergent vegetation while gliding across the water. Our findings support work on other long-jawed spiders, revealing that individual species can exploit several strategies for moving across water, including those that involve the use of silk. This study sheds light on the remarkable adaptability of spider silk and its potential use in aquatic systems.
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Open AccessArticle
On a Remarkable New Genus and Species of Alpheid Shrimps (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Caridea) from the Tropical Western Atlantic
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Arthropoda 2023, 1(4), 398-414; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1040016 - 18 Oct 2023
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Synalpheopsis gen. nov. is established for a remarkable new alpheid species, Synalpheopsis laureae sp. nov., presently known only from the male holotype collected at 111–162 m east of La Désirade, Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles. Synalpheopsis gen. nov. peculiarly combines features of two genera, Alpheopsis
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Synalpheopsis gen. nov. is established for a remarkable new alpheid species, Synalpheopsis laureae sp. nov., presently known only from the male holotype collected at 111–162 m east of La Désirade, Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles. Synalpheopsis gen. nov. peculiarly combines features of two genera, Alpheopsis Coutière, 1897 and Synalpheus Spence Bate, 1888; however, it is presumably closer to the former genus. The new genus is characterised by the moderately developed orbital hoods, well-developed rostrum and orbital teeth, sixth pleonite without articulated flap, tip of the third maxilliped with crown of spiniform setae, chelipeds with two strong teeth on distolateral margin and lacking snapping mechanism on finger cutting edges, and gill formula without mastigobranchs and setobranchs.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alpha-Level Taxonomy of Decapod Crustaceans)
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Updated Checklist of the Freshwater Shrimps (Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae) of Mindoro Island, the Philippines, with a Description of a New Species of Caridina
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, , , and
Arthropoda 2023, 1(4), 374-397; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1040015 - 12 Oct 2023
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Following recent expeditions to Mindoro Island, the Philippines, numerous samples of atyid shrimps were collected and then studied in an integrative taxonomy framework. A total of 16 species belonging to 4 genera are hereby reported, including 8 new records for the island and/or
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Following recent expeditions to Mindoro Island, the Philippines, numerous samples of atyid shrimps were collected and then studied in an integrative taxonomy framework. A total of 16 species belonging to 4 genera are hereby reported, including 8 new records for the island and/or the Philippines: Atydina atyoides, Caridina bruneiana, C. celebensis, C. elongapoda, C. papuana, C. parvirostris, C. typus, C. zhujiangensis, and one new species, Caridina leptopoda sp. nov. Sequences of 16S rRNA have been produced for all of the species and taxonomical notes are provided. To account for the morphological variability across its range, C. bruneiana Choy, 1992 is herein re-described based on specimens from Mindoro. All of the species reported here from Mindoro have small eggs and are considered amphidromous, which suggests that they all potentially occur in other localities. This contrasts with other islands of the Philippines such as Bohol or Luzon where endemic species with large eggs can be found.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alpha-Level Taxonomy of Decapod Crustaceans)
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Salmoneus chelocrassus sp. nov., a New Morphologically Distinctive Species of the Genus Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955 (Decapoda: Caridea: Alpheidae) from Taiwan
Arthropoda 2023, 1(4), 365-373; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1040014 - 30 Sep 2023
Cited by 1
Abstract
During a faunal investigation using SCUBA in Taiwan in 2014, a single ovigerous specimen of an alpheid shrimp belonging to the genus Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955, was collected. Notably, the specimen stood out due to its extremely robust major cheliped compared to other species
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During a faunal investigation using SCUBA in Taiwan in 2014, a single ovigerous specimen of an alpheid shrimp belonging to the genus Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955, was collected. Notably, the specimen stood out due to its extremely robust major cheliped compared to other species within the genus. Detailed examination of the specimen unveiled its morphological distinctiveness from all known Salmoneus species, confirming its novelty to science. Apart from the remarkably inflated major cheliped devoid of depressions along the ventral margin, the characteristics of S. chelocrassus sp. nov., include the markedly reduced arthrobranch on the third maxilliped and the absence of microserrulate setae on the propodus of the fifth pereiopod.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alpha-Level Taxonomy of Decapod Crustaceans)
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Open AccessCommunication
Taxonomic Notes and Nomenclatural Corrections on Four Sphaeromatid Isopod Generic Names (Crustacea: Isopoda: Sphaeromatidae)
Arthropoda 2023, 1(3), 359-364; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1030013 - 30 Aug 2023
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Details regarding the synonymy of Nesaea Leach, 1814 and Dynamene Leach, 1814 are given and a type species is selected for Dynamene. The genus Heteruropus Verhoeff, 1942 is shown to be the senior objective synonym of Harrieta Kensley, 1987 and an expanded
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Details regarding the synonymy of Nesaea Leach, 1814 and Dynamene Leach, 1814 are given and a type species is selected for Dynamene. The genus Heteruropus Verhoeff, 1942 is shown to be the senior objective synonym of Harrieta Kensley, 1987 and an expanded synonymy list for the type species, Heteruropus faxoni (Richardson, 1905) is provided.
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Lithoscaptus aquarius sp. nov. (Decapoda: Cryptochiridae) Described from a Catalaphyllia jardinei (Scleractinia) out of the Aquarium Trade
Arthropoda 2023, 1(3), 350-358; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1030012 - 31 Jul 2023
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A new species of gall crab collected from elegance coral, Catalaphyllia jardinei, is described in this paper. The male holotype was collected from a reef tank in Germany in 2016, and it is described here using integrative taxonomy. This species, named Lithoscaptus aquarius
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A new species of gall crab collected from elegance coral, Catalaphyllia jardinei, is described in this paper. The male holotype was collected from a reef tank in Germany in 2016, and it is described here using integrative taxonomy. This species, named Lithoscaptus aquarius sp. nov., is the thirteenth assigned to the genus. It is morphologically and phylogenetically closest to Lithoscaptus semperi, a cryptochirid associated with Trachyphyllia geoffroyi. Like L. semperi, it has a large, broad W-shaped depression on the anterior half of the carapace, but the carapace surface of L. aquarius sp. nov. is smooth overall, lacking spines or tubercles. This new species is so named because it was found in a reef tank after searching in vain for material during fieldwork campaigns over the course of several years.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alpha-Level Taxonomy of Decapod Crustaceans)
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Open AccessBrief Report
Age-Resilient Stickiness of Capture Threads
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Arthropoda 2023, 1(3), 342-349; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1030011 - 06 Jul 2023
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Typical orb webs with glue droplets are renewed regularly, sometimes multiple times per night. Such behaviour, however, is rarely found with cribellate spiders. The adhesive portion of their capture threads consist of nanofibres instead of glue, and the fibres interact with the cuticular
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Typical orb webs with glue droplets are renewed regularly, sometimes multiple times per night. Such behaviour, however, is rarely found with cribellate spiders. The adhesive portion of their capture threads consist of nanofibres instead of glue, and the fibres interact with the cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) of their insect prey for adhesion. Many of these spiders often only add new threads to their existing webs instead of completely reconstructing them. In testing the adhesion force of aged capture threads of three different cribellate species, we indeed did not observe an overall decline in adhesion force, even after a period of over a year. This is in line with the (formulated but so far never tested) hypothesis that when comparing gluey capture threads to nanofibrous ones, one of the benefits of cribellate capture threads could be their notable resistance to drying out or other ageing processes.
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Open AccessReview
Review of the Spider Genus Linothele (Mygalomorphae, Dipluridae) from Ecuador—An Exceptional Case of Speciation in the Andes
Arthropoda 2023, 1(3), 68-341; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1030010 - 30 Jun 2023
Cited by 1
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The genus Linothele (Araneae: Dipluridae) from Ecuador is reviewed. A total of 38 new species are described; from the Andes: L. alausi n. sp. (♀), L. anabellecitae n. sp. (♀♂), L. angamarca n. sp. (♀♂), L. banos n. sp. (♀♂), L. canirasi n. sp.
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The genus Linothele (Araneae: Dipluridae) from Ecuador is reviewed. A total of 38 new species are described; from the Andes: L. alausi n. sp. (♀), L. anabellecitae n. sp. (♀♂), L. angamarca n. sp. (♀♂), L. banos n. sp. (♀♂), L. canirasi n. sp. (♀), L. carchi n. sp. (♀), L. cayambe n. sp. (♀♂), L. cuencana n. sp. (♀♂), L. guacamayos n. sp. (♀), L. gualaquiza n. sp. (♀), L. guallupe n. sp. (♀), L. ilinizas n. sp. (♀♂), L. ireneae n. sp. (♀), L. jarrini n. sp. (♀), L. javieri n. sp. (♀), L. kaysi n. sp. (♀), L. lacocha n. sp. (♀), L. lloa n. sp. (♀♂), L. milleri n. sp. (♀♂), L. molleturo n. sp. (♀), L. otokiki n. sp. (♀), L. peguche n. sp. (♀♂), L. podocarpus n. sp. (♀), L. pomona n. sp. (♀), L. pristirana n. sp. (♀♂), L. pseudoquori n. sp. (♀♂), L. rionegro n. sp. (♀♂), L. sigchila n. sp. (♀♂), L. uvalino n. sp. (♀), L. victoria n. sp. (♀), L. yunguilla n. sp. (♀♂); from the Pacific region: L. costenita n. sp. (♀♂), L. troncal n. sp. (♀); and, from the Amazonian region: L. amazonica n. sp. (♀), L. archidona n. sp. (♀), L. condor n. sp. (♀♂), L. jatunsacha n. sp. (♀), L. otoyacu n. sp. (♀♂). All previously known Ecuadorian species are re-illustrated, and the males of L. cavicola, L. pukachumpi, and L. tsachilas are described for the first time. The geographical distribution of the genus Linothele through mainland Ecuador is discussed, and short-range endemic species are proposed. Distribution maps are provided for all species found in Ecuador. Finally, the synonymy of L. megatheloides under L. sericata is rejected.
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Open AccessCommunication
Startle Responses of Jorō Spiders (Trichonephila clavata) to Artificial Disturbance
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Arthropoda 2023, 1(2), 60-67; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1020009 - 15 May 2023
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The jorō spider (Trichonephila clavata, originally from east Asia) has been introduced in the southeastern United States, and is rapidly expanding this range, leading to questions about what facilitates this spread. Meanwhile, its cousin, the golden silk spider (T. clavipes
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The jorō spider (Trichonephila clavata, originally from east Asia) has been introduced in the southeastern United States, and is rapidly expanding this range, leading to questions about what facilitates this spread. Meanwhile, its cousin, the golden silk spider (T. clavipes), already has a range that covers most of the southeast. In an ongoing effort to understand the behavior of jorō spiders in their introduced range, we undertook the current project to evaluate how they react to perceived threats, which can inform us on how a species interacts with conspecifics, or how well it can tolerate anthropogenic disturbances. We collected mature females of both Trichonephila species, plus three locally common orb-weaving species in Georgia, and we evaluated the time spent immobile after experiencing a mild disturbance (a brief puff of air). We also collected similar “air puff response” data for five other North American species from the published literature. Collectively, the dataset totaled 453 observations of freezing behavior across 10 spider species. Comparing these data across species revealed that most spiders remained immobile for under a minute after the stimulus. Meanwhile, both Trichonephila spiders remained immobile for over an hour, which appears to be unprecedented, and suggests that spiders in this genus are the “shyest” ever documented. This reaction could also allow Trichonephila spiders to tolerate urban environments by remaining motionless throughout each disturbance instead of fleeing.
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Open AccessArticle
Investigating Path Integration Cues in Sand Scorpion Homing Behavior
Arthropoda 2023, 1(2), 49-59; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1020008 - 01 Apr 2023
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Many sand scorpions are faithful to the burrows they dig; however, it is unknown how these animals get back home after hunting excursions. Of the many mechanisms of homing that exist, path integration (PI) is one of the more common tools used by
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Many sand scorpions are faithful to the burrows they dig; however, it is unknown how these animals get back home after hunting excursions. Of the many mechanisms of homing that exist, path integration (PI) is one of the more common tools used by arachnids. In PI, an animal integrates its distance and direction while leaving its home, enabling it to compute an approximate homebound vector for the return trip. The objective of our study was to test whether scorpions use PI to return home under absolute darkness in the lab. We first allowed the animals to establish burrows in homing arenas. Then, after they left their burrow, we recorded the scorpion’s location in the homing arena before we transferred it to the center of the testing arena. We used overhead IR cameras to record its movements in the testing arena. If scorpions exhibited PI, we predicted they would follow a vector in the test arena that approximated the same angle and distance from the capture point to their burrow in their home arena. However, under the conditions of this experiment, we found no evidence that scorpions moved along such homebound vectors. We speculated that scorpions may need a reliable reference cue to accommodate path integration.
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Open AccessEditorial
Welcome to the New Journal: Arthropoda
Arthropoda 2023, 1(1), 47-48; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1010007 - 19 Jan 2023
Abstract
As Editor-in-Chief, I am delighted to announce the launch of Arthropoda [...]
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Open AccessArticle
Using Spectral Indices Derived from Remote Sensing Imagery to Represent Arthropod Biodiversity Gradients in a European Sphagnum Peat Bog
Arthropoda 2023, 1(1), 35-46; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1010006 - 31 Dec 2022
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Monitoring of peatlands is an important conservation issue. We investigated communities of soil mites (Acari: Oribatida, Mesostigmata) inhabiting a relatively undisturbed European boreal mire characterized by a mosaic of oligotrophic and meso-eutrophic areas. We assess the potential of using remote sensing approach as
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Monitoring of peatlands is an important conservation issue. We investigated communities of soil mites (Acari: Oribatida, Mesostigmata) inhabiting a relatively undisturbed European boreal mire characterized by a mosaic of oligotrophic and meso-eutrophic areas. We assess the potential of using remote sensing approach as a mapping and predictive tool for monitoring productivity and arthropod biodiversity in a peat bog. In georeferenced plots, Acari biodiversity, water table level, water pH and plot productivity class on the oligotrophic-eutrophic gradient were recorded. Data from the Landsat 8 OLI sensor were used to calculate several spectral indices known to represent productivity and surface moisture gradients in terrestrial ecosystems. We then explored the relationship between spectral indices, environmental gradients and biodiversity of mites. We found that several spectral indices were significantly and consistently correlated with local environmental variables and biodiversity of soil mites. The Excess Green Index performed best as a predictor of plot trophic class on the oligotrophic-eutrophic gradient and showed significant relationship with Oribatida diversity in 2016. However, following hot summer in 2019, there was no significant relationship between abundance and species richness of Oribatida and remotely sensed data; there was a weak correlation between abundance of Mesostigmata and spectral indices which represent surface moisture gradient (e.g., Normalised Difference Moisture Index). We discuss advantages and challenges of using spectral indices derived from remote sensing imagery to map biodiversity gradients in a peatland.
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Open AccessBrief Report
Seasonal Population of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) and Pesticide Use Pattern after Its Invasion in Caneberry Crops in Pennsylvania (USA)
Arthropoda 2023, 1(1), 25-34; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1010005 - 17 Nov 2022
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Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a major invasive pest of caneberries (e.g., blackberries and raspberries) and other thin-skinned fruit crops. In recent years, it has been reported as an economically important fruit pest in many countries. In caneberries, the timely detection and management
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Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a major invasive pest of caneberries (e.g., blackberries and raspberries) and other thin-skinned fruit crops. In recent years, it has been reported as an economically important fruit pest in many countries. In caneberries, the timely detection and management of invasive insect pests such as D. suzukii is important to maintain profitability and avoid fruit export restriction. Invasions by such new pest species in commercial crop production often changes pesticide use patterns and frequency as growers try to control pest populations on their farms. In this study, we examined the seasonal population of D. suzukii and pesticide use patterns before and after D. suzukii invasion in primocane-fruiting raspberry and floricane-fruiting blackberry crop production in Pennsylvania. The results of seasonal monitoring conducted over two years showed higher populations of D. suzukii fruit flies during the settle period. The evaluation of crop-specific pesticide programs showed an increase in pesticide use frequency compared to the crop season before D. suzukii invasion in the blackberry planting. Similarly, over a five-fold increase in pesticide application was recorded in the raspberry planting in the year following invasion. The implications of increased pesticide use patterns in blackberry and raspberry production are discussed.
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Open AccessArticle
Aquatic and Semiaquatic Heteroptera (Hemiptera: Insecta) Distribution in Streams on the Cerrado–Amazon Ecotone in Headwaters of Xingu River
by
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Arthropoda 2023, 1(1), 13-24; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1010004 - 13 Sep 2022
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The modification of landscapes surrounding water bodies leads to changes in limnological characteristics and decreased aquatic biodiversity, such as fish and macroinvertebrates. Aquatic insects are sensitive to changes in aquatic ecosystems and quickly respond to those changes. The aim of this paper was
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The modification of landscapes surrounding water bodies leads to changes in limnological characteristics and decreased aquatic biodiversity, such as fish and macroinvertebrates. Aquatic insects are sensitive to changes in aquatic ecosystems and quickly respond to those changes. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the relationship between the compositions of aquatic and semi-aquatic Heteroptera with environmental variables along an environmental gradient in streams at the headwaters of the Xingu River, Brazil. We collected samples from 12 streams belonging to the Suiá-Miçú river basin and tributaries of the Xingu River, in September (dry season), 2008. The Suiá-Miçú river is one of the tributaries on the right bank of the Xingu River, and it is located in the ecotone between the Cerrado and the Amazon rainforest in the area characterized as the “arc of deforestation’’. Insects were sampled in fixed 100 m transections and divided into 20 segments of 5 meters each. To assess the habitat integrity in each stream, the habitat integrity index (HII) was applied. The following environmental variables were measured: electrical conductivity, turbidity, depth, and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The ordering of species composition was performed with the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), and the relationship between environmental variables and composition was performed using a Mantel test. Of the 263 individuals collected, distributed in 8 families, there were 20 genera, of these, 12 were from Nepomorpha and 8 from Gerromorpha. The most abundant genera were Limnocoris (n = 121) and Rhagovelia (n = 32). Naucoridae was the most diverse family. Together, the environmental variables explained ~50% of the species distribution (r = 0.49; p = 0.001). These results reinforce the efficacy of aquatic Heteroptera to monitor environmental conditions. Here, in particular, the responses of this group to variations in landscape metrics, environmental integrity, and water variables together demonstrate that it can be useful to indicate the quality of habitat in streams.
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