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Soil represents a fundamental yet delicate ecosystem susceptible to threats and alterations that can significantly impact its biota, especially in urban areas. Soil microarthropods may serve as bioindicators of soil quality. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive investigation of the response of soil microarthropod communities to anthropogenic pressures and to assess the biological quality of the soil in urban Rome (Italy). Microarthropods were extracted from soil samples collected at 16 sites, representing four distinct land-use types (disturbed unmanaged green spaces, disturbed managed green spaces, urban forests, and natural forests as reference) along a disturbance gradient. The basic soil properties and landscape characteristics were measured at each sampling site. Values of community diversity (calculated as Hill’s numbers based on biological forms reflecting specialization to the edaphic life), total microarthropod density, and soil biological quality indices based on microarthropod biological forms (QBS-ar and its variation QBS-ab, which also considers group abundances), were calculated for each sampling site and compared among land-use types. Land-use types varied in soil chemo-physical characteristics, with soils of managed and unmanaged green spaces being more alkaline, sodic, and compacted, and with lower organic matter, carbon, and nitrogen levels compared to urban and natural forests. Microarthropod diversity decreased from semi-natural or natural forests to highly disturbed urban sites. QBS-ar and QBS-ab values significantly differed among almost all land-use types, with managed urban green spaces exhibiting lower values than the unmanaged ones. No significant differences were observed between urban and natural forests. Soil pH, soil compaction, cation exchange capacity, C/N ratio, and vegetation cover appeared to be the most significant factors influencing the diversity and composition of microarthropod biological forms, as well as the QBS-ar and QBS-ab indices. Although with the limit of using biological forms instead of species, our investigation reaffirmed the valuable role of large, forested patches within cities for soil conservation and the preservation of their microarthropod communities. The potential of green spaces as suitable habitats for soil microarthropods should be carefully considered in urban management plans.

In 2019, in southern Italy (Campania) there was an outbreak of a sap beetle infesting stored walnut fruits. A monitoring activity started to assess the spread and impact of the pest in walnut orchards and in warehouses, and an integrative characterization led to identify the beetle as Carpophilus truncatus . This species has been in Europe for a long time, rare and harmless until recently. We show also that this species is the same recently recorded in other two continents, Latin America and Australia, where it is causing massive damage on walnut and almond fruits. The sharing of a mitochondrial haplotype among populations recorded on three continents suggests that a worldwide invasion might be ongoing. A Geographic Profiling approach has determined that the more virulent population was first introduced in Italy, and the climate conditions of areas where C. truncatus is currently widespread and harmful indicate that the entire walnuts world production is in jeopardy as this species could adapt to any of the main walnut and almond production areas.

Arecaceae (palms) constitute a highly diversified family of monocots, distributed especially in tropical and subtropical areas, including approximately 2600 species and 180 genera. Palms originated by the end of the Early Cretaceous, with most genus-level cladogenetic events occurring from the Eocene and Oligocene onward. Meligethinae (pollen beetles) are a large subfamily of Nitidulidae (Coleoptera), including just under 700 described species, and some 50 genera. Meligethinae are widespread in the Palearctic, Afrotropical, and Oriental Regions. All meligethine species are associated with flowers or inflorescences of several plant families, both dicots (the great majority) and monocots (around 7%); approximately 80% of known species are thought to be monophagous or strictly oligophagous at the larval stage. The origin of Meligethinae is debated, although combined paleontological, paleogeographical, and molecular evidence suggests placing it somewhere in the Paleotropics around the Eocene–Oligocene boundary, ca. 35–40 Mya. This article reviews the insect–host plant relationships of all known genera and species of Meligethinae associated with Arecaceae, currently including some 40 species and just under ten genera (including a possibly new African one). The role of adults as effective and important pollinators of their host palms (also in terms of provided ecosystem services) has been demonstrated in some common palm species. All Meligethinae living on palms show rather close phylogenetic relationships with one another and with the mainly Eastern Palearctic genus Meligethes Stephens, 1830 and related genera (associated with dicots of the families Rosaceae, Brassicaceae, or Cleomaceae). Molecular data suggests that the palm-associated Paleotropical genus Meligethinus Grouvelle, 1906 constitutes the sister-group of Meligethes and allied genera. Some hypotheses are presented on the evolution of Meligethinae associated with palms and their probably rather recent (early Miocene–Pleistocene) radiation on their host plants. Meligethinae likely radiated on palms long after the diversification of their hosts, and their recent evolution was driven by repeated radiation on pre-existing and diverse palm taxa, rather than ancient host associations and coevolution. Finally, this article also briefly summarized the relationships that other unrelated groups of Nitidulidae have established with palms around the world.

The phylogenetic status of the family Nitidulidae and its sister group relationship remain controversial. Also, the status of the subfamily Meligethinae is not fully understood, and previous studies have been mainly based on morphology, molecular fragments, and biological habits, rather than the analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome. Up to now, there has been no complete mitochondrial genome report of Meligethinae. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genomes of Meligethinus tschungseni and Brassicogethes affinis (both from China) were provided, and they were compared with the existing complete mitochondrial genomes of Nitidulidae. The phylogenetic analysis among 20 species of Coleoptera was reconstructed via PhyloBayes analysis and Maximum likelihood (ML) analysis, respectively. The results showed that the full lengths of Meligethinus tschungseni and Brassicogethes affinis were 15,783 bp and 16,622 bp, and the AT contents were 77% and 76.7%, respectively. Each complete mitochondrial genome contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), and a control region (A + T-rich region). All the PCGs begin with the standard start codon ATN (ATA, ATT, ATG, ATC). All the PCGs terminate with a complete terminal codon, TAA or TAG, except cox1, cox2, nad4, and nad5, which terminate with a single T. Furthermore, all the tRNAs have a typical clover-leaf secondary structure except trnS1, whose DHU arm is missing in both species. The two newly sequenced species have different numbers and lengths of tandem repeat regions in their control regions. Based on the genetic distance and Ka/Ks analysis, nad6 showed a higher variability and faster evolutionary rate. Based on the available complete mitochondrial genomes, the results showed that the four subfamilies (Nitidulinae, Meligethinae, Carpophilinae, Epuraeinae) of Nitidulidae formed a monophyletic group and further supported the sister group relationship of Nitidulidae + Kateretidae. In addition, the taxonomic status of Meligethinae and the sister group relationship between Meligethinae and Nitidulinae (the latter as currently circumscribed) were also preliminarily explored.

Background Meligethes are pollen-beetles associated with flowers of Rosaceae as larvae. This genus currently consists of 63 known species in two subgenera, Meligethes and Odonthogethes, predominantly occurring in the eastern Palaearctic. We analyzed 74 morphological and ecological characters (169 states) of all species, as well as of 11 outgroup species from 7 Meligethinae genera (including Brassicogethes ), to investigate their phylogeny. We also conducted a parallel molecular analysis on 9 Meligethes , 9 Odonthogethes , 3 Brassicogethes and 2 Meligethinus species based on DNA sequence data from mitochondrial (COI, 16S) and nuclear (CAD) genes. Results Morphological phylogenetic reconstructions supported the monophyly of the whole genus and clades corresponding to purported subgenera Meligethes s.str. and Odonthogethes. Main species-groups were mostly confirmed, however some unresolved polytomies remained. Molecular data placed members of Brassicogethes (including 42 mostly W Palearctic species associated with Brassicaceae) as sister to Odonthogethes, with this clade being sister to Meligethes s.str. This phylogenetic scenario suggests that monophyletic Meligethes s.str., Odonthogethes and Brassicogethes should be regarded alternatively as three subgenera of a monophyletic Meligethes , or three genera in a monophyletic genus-complex, with mutually monophyletic Brassicogethes and Odonthogethes . Molecular analyses estimated the origin of this lineage at ca. 14–15 Mya from a common stem including Meligethinus . Conclusions We hypothesize that the ancestor of Meligethes specialized on Rosaceae in the Middle Miocene (likely in Langhian Age) and subsequently radiated during Late Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene maintaining a trophic niche on this plant family. This radiation was primarily due to geographic isolation in E Asiatic mountain systems. Combined evidence from morphology, ancestral state parsimony reconstruction of host-plant associations and molecular evidence suggested that Rosoideae ( Rosa spp.) represented the ancestral hosts of Meligethes s.str., followed by an independent shift of ancestral Odonthogethes (ca. 9–15 Mya) on Rubus (Rosoideae) and members of Rosaceae Spiraeoideae. Other ancestral Odonthogethes probably shifted again on the unrelated plant family Brassicaceae (maybe 8–14 Mya in S China), allowing a rapid westward radiation of the Brassicogethes clade.

Meligethes (Odonthogethes) chinensis is a highly specialized species of Nitidulidae in China that takes pollen as its main food source, and its main host plant is Rubus idaeus L. (Rosaceae). In this study, the structural morphology of the alimentary canal and Malpighian tubules of adult M. (O.) chinensis was observed under light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. The alimentary canal of adult M. (O.) chinensis is divided into foregut, midgut, and hindgut. The foregut is the shortest and consists of the pharynx, esophagus, proventriculus, and cardiac valve. The midgut is a straight, distended, cylindrical, thin-walled tube. Numerous blunt-fingered gastric ceca are distributed irregularly throughout the midgut. The hindgut is subdivided into the ileum, colon, and rectum. The ileum is coiled. The colon gradually enlarges posteriorly. The rectum is thickly muscled and followed by a membranous structure. The openings of proximal Malpighian tubules are evenly inserted into the junction of the midgut and hindgut, and distal Malpighian tubules are evenly attached to the colon to form a cryptonephridial system. In this study, we also compare the structure and infer the function of the alimentary canal and Malpighian tubules among beetles, as well as discuss the evolutionary and taxonomical implications.

Pollinators are key ecosystem components and their conservation represents a critical target for both nature and human health. In a world of increasing urbanisation, cities and peri-urban areas have to be active players in addressing this target, and in-depth knowledge of the effects of the urbanisation gradient and related landscape features on pollinators has to be acquired. Accordingly, an experimental study on the relationships between bee communities and natural vs. human-induced environmental heterogeneity has been carried out in a transitional peri-urban landscape of the Metropolitan area of Rome (Italy). A multi-step procedure was adopted, arranged into plant and bee communities field sampling, detailed mapping of actual and potential ecosystems, and combined processing and modelling of the respective results. The potential contribution of experimental findings to the deployment of a pollinator-friendly Green Infrastructure (GI) has been then explored, with statistical correlations between bee diversity and landscape metrics adopted for defining conservation and restoration actions and a multi-criteria analysis adopted for site prioritisation in the study area. Such a planned GI could represent an effective solution for enhancing resilience and resistance of peri-urban landscapes against land take and agricultural intensification, as local expressions of global biodiversity loss drivers.

The European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus , is a flagship species for biodiversity conservation of old-growth forests and is protected under the Habitats Directive. Although it has been the focus of active research in the last two decades, many aspects of its ecology and habitat requirements for the larvae remain poorly known, particularly to what extent certain factors limit larval development. The objectives of this preliminary work were: (1) to explore the feasibility of a non-invasive method for detecting oviposition sites; (2) to attempt the characterisation of above-ground ecological factors recorded in the oviposition sites and (3) to quantify the number of traps and operators needed for obtaining a number of beetles suitable for statistical analysis. In 2014, twelve females were followed by means of radio-telemetry to detect potential oviposition sites in a relict broadleaf forest of northern Italy. In 2015, emergence traps were set in nine sites selected from the 21 sites where females were recorded digging deeply in the soil near to dead wood during the previous year. Traps were checked during the 2015 and 2016 flight seasons. Overall, 15 stag beetles were detected (8 males and 7 females) from five emergence trap sites which were therefore regarded as real oviposition sites. All oviposition sites were characterised in terms of typology of dead wood, tree species, canopy openness, trunk diameter, dead wood volume, decomposition stage (five classes) and wood hardness (four classes). All the detected emergence sites belonged to the genus Quercus , two being from the allochthonous Q. rubra , but no preferences for a dead wood species nor for a typology were shown and a broad variation was apparent for all the considered variables. The mean values of canopy openness, diameter, dead wood volume, decay status and wood hardness were 2.54%, 51cm, 4.92m[sup.3], 3 and 3.4 respectively. These data suggested an important heterogeneity in the oviposition sites selection. Although this method (telemetry + emergence traps) provided substantial aid to finding newly emerged beetles, it required a large amount of fieldwork effort, both in terms of time and man-hours. The advantage of the method is its low degree of invasion while its drawback is the amount of effort needed. Calculations were made to assess the minimum number of operators and traps needed to gather a number of data suitable for statistical analysis. It was found that two full time operators should be able to detect about 50 potential oviposition sites in one flight season, 28 of which were expected to be real oviposition sites. Keywords: emergence traps, radio-telemetry, saproxylic insects, dead wood, oviposition sites

Meligethes (Odonthogethes) chinensis is a common Chinese phytophagous species in the family Nitidulidae. Its main larval host plant is Rubus idaeus L. (Rosaceae), and adults feed on pollen and other floral parts. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe and study the fine morphology of sensilla on the antennae and mouthparts of M. chinensis. The results show that there are six types and twelve subtypes of sensilla on male antennae; seven types and fourteen subtypes on female antennae; seven types and seventeen subtypes on male mouthparts; seven types and sixteen subtypes on female mouthparts. Sensilla coeloconica (SCo) are found on the female antennae of M. chinensis only, and they are also reported on the antennae of Nitidulidae for the first time. SCo2 on the labrum present sexual dimorphism, and one subtype of sensilla basiconica (SB6) is presented on the tip of maxillary and labial palps of the male only, while other types of sensilla are very similar on the mouthparts of male and female. Finally, by comparing similar sensilla in other insects, we also attempted to discuss the functions of all sensilla on the antennae and mouthparts of M. chinensis.

The subfamily Lamiinae is the most taxonomically diverse subfamily of Cerambycidae, but relationships between tribes of Lamiinae are still unresolved. In order to study the characteristics of the mitogenomes of Lamiinae and the tribal-level phylogenetic relationships, we sequenced the mitogenomes of two species representing two tribes, Agapanthia amurensis (Agapanthiini) and Moechotypa diphysis (Ceroplesini), with a total length of 15,512 bp and 15,493 bp, respectively. The gene arrangements of these two new mitogenomes were consistent with the inferred ancestral insect mitogenomes. Each species contained 37 typical mitochondrial genes and a control region (A + T-rich region), including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). All PCGs initiated with the standard start codon ATN, and terminated with the complete stop codons of TAA and TAG, or incomplete stop codon T. All tRNAs could be folded into a clover-leaf secondary structure except for trnS1, in which the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm was reduced. Moreover, we studied the phylogenetic relationships between some tribes of Lamiinae based in mitochondrial PCGs in nucleotides; our results show that the relationships were as follows: (Onciderini + ((Apomecynini + Acanthocinini) + ((Ceroplesini + Agapanthiini) + ((Mesosini + Pteropliini) + ((Dorcaschematini + (Saperdini 1 + (Phytoeciini + Saperdini 2))) + (Batocerini + Lamiini))).