The Experts below are selected from a list of 21 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Christiane Weirauch - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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crowdsourced online images provide insights into predator prey interactions of putative natural enemies
Food Webs, 2019Co-Authors: Madison Hernandez, Paul Masonick, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract Most megadiverse clades of insects are herbivores, but several large radiations consist almost entirely of predators. Their species numbers make comprehensive direct observations of predator-prey interactions difficult to obtain. Citizen science approaches are increasingly utilized to harvest ecological data for organisms including insects. We use crowdsourced images documenting predator-prey interactions of assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), a speciose clade of predatory insects, to (1) determine the breakdown of assembled online images by geographic region and reduviid subfamily; (2) evaluate if the accumulated images provide new insights into prey diversity; and (3) assess evidence for taxa that feed on pest species, pollinators, and engage in intraguild predation. Photographs were assembled (n = 832) and resulted in an image database that included representatives of 11 subfamilies; most records belonged to diurnal Harpactorinae and Phymatinae, but some subfamilies with poorly understood prey diversity were also documented. Taxa with substantial image representation of prey (21–242 predation events) showed significant overlap with prey reported in the literature. A high percentage of images for Apiomerus Hahn and Phymata Latreille documented predation events on native and non-native bees; percentages varied widely among species of Zelus Fabricius. Arilus cristatus (Linnaeus) was documented to prey on several pest species, with little evidence for pollinator predation. Potential effects of these natural enemies on pollinators and intraguild predators should be further investigated, providing important insights into mechanisms influencing community structure and ecosystems processes.
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molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the ambush bugs hemiptera reduviidae phymatinae
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2017Co-Authors: Paul Masonick, Amy Michael, Sarah Frankenberg, Wolfgang Rabitsch, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract The ambush bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Phymatinae) are a diverse clade of predators known for their cryptic hunting behavior and morphologically diverse raptorial forelegs. Despite their striking appearance, role as pollinator predators, and intriguing biogeographic distribution, phylogenetic relationships within Phymatinae are largely unknown and the evolutionary history of the subfamily has remained in the dark. We here utilize the most extensive molecular phylogeny of ambush bugs to date, generated from a 3328 base pair molecular dataset, to refine our understanding of phymatine relationships, estimate dates of divergence (BEAST 2), and uncover historical biogeographic patterns (S-DIVA and DEC). This taxon set (39 species of Phymatinae and six outgroups) allowed reevaluation of the proposed sister group of Phymatinae and tribal-level relationships within the group, and for the first time proposes species-level relationships within Phymata Latreille, the largest genus of ambush bugs (∼109 spp.). Available evidence suggests that Phymata originated in the Neotropical region, with subsequent dispersals to the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. This study provides a framework for future research investigating the evolutionary history of ambush bugs, as well as ecological and microevolutionary investigations.
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on the evolution of raptorial legs an insect example hemiptera reduviidae phymatinae
Cladistics, 2011Co-Authors: Christiane Weirauch, Dimitri Forero, Dawid H. JacobsAbstract:The presence of chelate and subchelate fore legs in Phymatinae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), or ambush bugs, provides a unique opportunity to study the evolution of different types of raptorial legs in a closely related group of arthropods. Themonocorini have simple, possibly raptorial legs, Phymatini and Macrocephalini distinct subchelate fore legs, and the charismatic Carcinocorini are the only insects with a chelate fore leg apart from female dryinid Chysidoidea (Hymenoptera). Relationships between the four phymatine tribes are here analyzed in a cladistic framework thus permitting testable hypotheses on the evolution of raptorial legs. The presented analysis of phymatine tribal level relationships is based on a dataset comprising 11 species of Phymatinae and 54 non-phymatine Reduviidae and Heteroptera. The molecular data set consists of ∼3500 MAFFT aligned bases of 16S, 28S D2–D3, and 18S ribosomal genes. Parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses resulted in identical topologies for the ingroup with the relationships Themonocorini + (Phymatini + (Carcinocorini + Macrocephalini)) receiving high support values. Eleven morphological characters, eight of them derived from fore leg morphology, were optimized on the parsimony analysis. These optimizations indicate that the ancestral ambush bug had a simple raptorial leg; that size reduction of the tarsus, enlargement of the femur, curvature of the fore tibia, armature of tibia and femur with rows of tiny tubercles that allow for gripping of a prey insect, and the large process on the ventral surface of the femur arose in the common ancestor of Carcinocorini + Macrocephalini + Phymatini. The chelate leg in Carcinocorini is likely derived from a subchelate precursor similar to the one seen in recent Macrocephalini and may have evolved through elongation of the ventral, proximal portion of the fore femur and modification of the median process to form part of the digitus fixus. © The Willi Hennig Society 2010.
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phylogenetic relationships within the cimicomorpha hemiptera heteroptera a total evidence analysis
Systematic Entomology, 2009Co-Authors: Randall T Schuh, Christiane Weirauch, Ward C WheelerAbstract:Abstract A phylogenetic analysis for the Cimicomorpha was conducted using 92 taxa, including eight outgroups and six species of Thaumastocoridae. Density of taxon sampling allows for tests of relationships at the family level for most taxa, whereas in the Miridae denser sampling allows for doing so on the tribal level. This level of sampling also corresponds with the availability of testable published hypotheses of relationships. Morphological data for 73 characters are coded for all taxa. Approximately 3500 base pairs of DNA were sequenced for the following gene regions for 83 taxa: 16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA and COI. Results are presented for analysis of morphological data, individual molecular partitions, combined molecular data, combined morphological and molecular data for 83 taxa and combined morphological and molecular data for 92 taxa. Analyses of morphological data were performed using the parsimony programs nona and piwe: molecular and combined data were analysed using direct optimization with the program poy. Major conclusions of the present study include recognition of the following monophyletic groups: The Geocorisae is a monophyletic group. The monophyly of the Cimicomorpha – including Thaumastocoridae – is not supported in most analyses. The Reduviidae is monophyletic, with the Phymatinae Complex being the sister-group of the remaining subfamilies. The circumscription of the Cimiciformes is altered from the prior conception of Schuh and Stys to also include the Joppeicidae, Microphysidae and Velocipedidae, as well as the recently described family Curaliidae; the monophyly of the Cimiciformes is supported in most analyses; the Cimiciformes is treated as the sister-group of the Miroidea in most analyses. The monophyly of the Cimicoidea, including Curaliidae, is supported in all analyses including molecular data, whereas Curaliidae is treated as a more basal cimiciform in all other analyses. The monophyly and placement of the Thaumastocoridae is ambiguous across the range of analyses, and the monophyly of the Miroidea sensu Schuh and Stys receives limited support in the combined analyses of morphology + molecular data. The Tingidae and Miridae are each monophyletic and together almost invariably form a monophyletic group. Within the Miridae, several inclusive monophyletic groups at the subfamily/tribal level are more or less consistently recognized when molecular data are included; however, the interrelationships of the subfamilies vary substantially across the range of analyses. Of the individual molecular partitions, only 18S rDNA shows significant congruence with combined analyses of morphological, combined molecular or combined morphological and molecular data. Scenarios are discussed for the evolution of the metathoracic scent-efferent system and the origin of the fossula spongiosa.
Paul Masonick - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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crowdsourced online images provide insights into predator prey interactions of putative natural enemies
Food Webs, 2019Co-Authors: Madison Hernandez, Paul Masonick, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract Most megadiverse clades of insects are herbivores, but several large radiations consist almost entirely of predators. Their species numbers make comprehensive direct observations of predator-prey interactions difficult to obtain. Citizen science approaches are increasingly utilized to harvest ecological data for organisms including insects. We use crowdsourced images documenting predator-prey interactions of assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), a speciose clade of predatory insects, to (1) determine the breakdown of assembled online images by geographic region and reduviid subfamily; (2) evaluate if the accumulated images provide new insights into prey diversity; and (3) assess evidence for taxa that feed on pest species, pollinators, and engage in intraguild predation. Photographs were assembled (n = 832) and resulted in an image database that included representatives of 11 subfamilies; most records belonged to diurnal Harpactorinae and Phymatinae, but some subfamilies with poorly understood prey diversity were also documented. Taxa with substantial image representation of prey (21–242 predation events) showed significant overlap with prey reported in the literature. A high percentage of images for Apiomerus Hahn and Phymata Latreille documented predation events on native and non-native bees; percentages varied widely among species of Zelus Fabricius. Arilus cristatus (Linnaeus) was documented to prey on several pest species, with little evidence for pollinator predation. Potential effects of these natural enemies on pollinators and intraguild predators should be further investigated, providing important insights into mechanisms influencing community structure and ecosystems processes.
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molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the ambush bugs hemiptera reduviidae phymatinae
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2017Co-Authors: Paul Masonick, Amy Michael, Sarah Frankenberg, Wolfgang Rabitsch, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract The ambush bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Phymatinae) are a diverse clade of predators known for their cryptic hunting behavior and morphologically diverse raptorial forelegs. Despite their striking appearance, role as pollinator predators, and intriguing biogeographic distribution, phylogenetic relationships within Phymatinae are largely unknown and the evolutionary history of the subfamily has remained in the dark. We here utilize the most extensive molecular phylogeny of ambush bugs to date, generated from a 3328 base pair molecular dataset, to refine our understanding of phymatine relationships, estimate dates of divergence (BEAST 2), and uncover historical biogeographic patterns (S-DIVA and DEC). This taxon set (39 species of Phymatinae and six outgroups) allowed reevaluation of the proposed sister group of Phymatinae and tribal-level relationships within the group, and for the first time proposes species-level relationships within Phymata Latreille, the largest genus of ambush bugs (∼109 spp.). Available evidence suggests that Phymata originated in the Neotropical region, with subsequent dispersals to the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. This study provides a framework for future research investigating the evolutionary history of ambush bugs, as well as ecological and microevolutionary investigations.
Amy Michael - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the ambush bugs hemiptera reduviidae phymatinae
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2017Co-Authors: Paul Masonick, Amy Michael, Sarah Frankenberg, Wolfgang Rabitsch, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract The ambush bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Phymatinae) are a diverse clade of predators known for their cryptic hunting behavior and morphologically diverse raptorial forelegs. Despite their striking appearance, role as pollinator predators, and intriguing biogeographic distribution, phylogenetic relationships within Phymatinae are largely unknown and the evolutionary history of the subfamily has remained in the dark. We here utilize the most extensive molecular phylogeny of ambush bugs to date, generated from a 3328 base pair molecular dataset, to refine our understanding of phymatine relationships, estimate dates of divergence (BEAST 2), and uncover historical biogeographic patterns (S-DIVA and DEC). This taxon set (39 species of Phymatinae and six outgroups) allowed reevaluation of the proposed sister group of Phymatinae and tribal-level relationships within the group, and for the first time proposes species-level relationships within Phymata Latreille, the largest genus of ambush bugs (∼109 spp.). Available evidence suggests that Phymata originated in the Neotropical region, with subsequent dispersals to the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. This study provides a framework for future research investigating the evolutionary history of ambush bugs, as well as ecological and microevolutionary investigations.
Sarah Frankenberg - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the ambush bugs hemiptera reduviidae phymatinae
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2017Co-Authors: Paul Masonick, Amy Michael, Sarah Frankenberg, Wolfgang Rabitsch, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract The ambush bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Phymatinae) are a diverse clade of predators known for their cryptic hunting behavior and morphologically diverse raptorial forelegs. Despite their striking appearance, role as pollinator predators, and intriguing biogeographic distribution, phylogenetic relationships within Phymatinae are largely unknown and the evolutionary history of the subfamily has remained in the dark. We here utilize the most extensive molecular phylogeny of ambush bugs to date, generated from a 3328 base pair molecular dataset, to refine our understanding of phymatine relationships, estimate dates of divergence (BEAST 2), and uncover historical biogeographic patterns (S-DIVA and DEC). This taxon set (39 species of Phymatinae and six outgroups) allowed reevaluation of the proposed sister group of Phymatinae and tribal-level relationships within the group, and for the first time proposes species-level relationships within Phymata Latreille, the largest genus of ambush bugs (∼109 spp.). Available evidence suggests that Phymata originated in the Neotropical region, with subsequent dispersals to the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. This study provides a framework for future research investigating the evolutionary history of ambush bugs, as well as ecological and microevolutionary investigations.
Wolfgang Rabitsch - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the ambush bugs hemiptera reduviidae phymatinae
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2017Co-Authors: Paul Masonick, Amy Michael, Sarah Frankenberg, Wolfgang Rabitsch, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract The ambush bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Phymatinae) are a diverse clade of predators known for their cryptic hunting behavior and morphologically diverse raptorial forelegs. Despite their striking appearance, role as pollinator predators, and intriguing biogeographic distribution, phylogenetic relationships within Phymatinae are largely unknown and the evolutionary history of the subfamily has remained in the dark. We here utilize the most extensive molecular phylogeny of ambush bugs to date, generated from a 3328 base pair molecular dataset, to refine our understanding of phymatine relationships, estimate dates of divergence (BEAST 2), and uncover historical biogeographic patterns (S-DIVA and DEC). This taxon set (39 species of Phymatinae and six outgroups) allowed reevaluation of the proposed sister group of Phymatinae and tribal-level relationships within the group, and for the first time proposes species-level relationships within Phymata Latreille, the largest genus of ambush bugs (∼109 spp.). Available evidence suggests that Phymata originated in the Neotropical region, with subsequent dispersals to the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. This study provides a framework for future research investigating the evolutionary history of ambush bugs, as well as ecological and microevolutionary investigations.