Gareth PowellNorth Carolina State University | NCSU · Department of Entomology
Gareth Powell
Doctor of Philosophy
About
51
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Introduction
Gareth Powell currently works at the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at North Carolina State University. Gareth does research in Entomology, specifically focusing on the systematics and evolution of Cucujoidea beetles.
Publications
Publications (51)
In 2000, Cleide Costa published a paper presenting the state of knowledge of the Neotropical Coleopte ra, with a focus on the Brazilian fauna. Twenty-four years later, thanks to the development of the Coleoptera section of the Taxonomic Catalog of the Brazilian Fauna (CTFB - Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil) through the collaboration of 100 c...
The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian mega...
The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian mega...
The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian mega...
The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classification. In this context, the B Brazilian meg...
Adaptive zones are defined as ecological opportunities for lineages to diversify. Cucujoid beetles provide a unique system to investigate adaptive zones, specifically the interplay between factors that may predict diversity and mechanisms such as competition that may limit diversification. Using a taxon-rich, time-calibrated phylogeny of cucujoid b...
Nitidulidae are a diverse family (ca. 4,500 species) with a wide range of feeding habits and occur in a multitude of habitats. This chapter focuses on anthophilous (flower-associated) nitidulid species of Guatemalan seasonally dry forests; we
present a species list of flower visitors and discuss the ecology of cactus flower inhabitants. Fourteen sp...
A new species of sap beetle, Urophorus (Anophorus) cordiformis Ito and Powell, new species, from Ishigaki-jima Is., the southern Ryukyu, southwestern Japan is described. A key to the Japanese species of Urophorus Murray, 1864 is also provided.
Conservation agriculture practices such as eliminating tillage and planting high residue cover crops are becoming increasingly important in field crop systems in the US Mid-Atlantic. However, these practices have sometimes been associated with an increase in moderate to severe damage to field crops by slugs. Conserving natural enemy populations is...
South Pacific islands provide an ideal study system to explore patterns of speciation, specifically examining the role of dispersal versus vicariance. Dispersal is often the suggested mechanism of diversification in the South Pacific, specifically among remote island chains. Here, we provide a phylogeny of several related genera of Coenagrionidae (...
We understand very little about the timing and origins of bioluminescence, particularly as a predator avoidance strategy. Understanding the timing of its origins, however, can help elucidate the evolution of this ecologically important signal. Using fireflies, a prevalent bioluminescent group where bioluminescence primarily functions as aposematic...
Patterns in morphological variation are a central theme of evolution. Uncovering links between morphological character evolution and natural history, specifically feeding behaviour, is important to understanding biological diversity. Species within the sap beetles (Nitidulidae) exhibit a tremendous diversity of feeding behaviours. This immense dive...
Bioluminescence is found across life and has many functions. Yet we understand very little about its timing and origins, particularly as a predator avoidance strategy. Understanding the timing between bioluminescence and predator origins has yet to be examined and can help elucidate the evolution of the ecologically important signal aposematism. Us...
The tribe Plesioclytini was recently erected for a single genus of cerambycine longhorn beetle. The group was diagnosed from a proposed sister lineage, the diverse Clytini; however, a formal phylogenetic analysis was not performed due to limitations in data availability. Here, we present a phylogenetic reconstruction from five loci, that Plesioclyt...
Seven species of Carpophilinae: Urophorus humeralis (Fabricius), Carpophilus (Carpophilus) jelineki Audisio & Kirejtshuk, Carpophilus (Carpophilus) obsoletus Erichson, Carpophilus (Carpophilus) flavipes Murray, Carpophilus (Myothorax) nepos Murray, Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) plagiatipennis Motschulsky, and Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) venkataramani Das...
The coastal areas of Vanuatu are under a multitude of threats stemming from commercialization, human development, and climate change. Atyphella Olliff is a genus of firefly that includes species endemic to these coastal areas and will need protection. The research that has already been conducted was affected by accessibility due to the remote natur...
Vanuatubasis Ober and Staniczek is a genus of damselfly endemic to Vanuatu. Little is known about the distribution and general natural history of the genus. We present the results of 14 weeks of fieldwork in Vanuatu to provide a better understanding of the biology of this genus. Specifically, we tested ecological niche models to predict the presenc...
Flowers have evolved signals that exploit the sensory systems of insect visitors. In the case of visual cues, color signals are thought to have been shaped in large part by the spectral sensitivity of key pollinators, such as hymenopterans. Beetles were some of the first plant pollinators, pre-dating the angiosperm radiation but with the exception...
Carpophiline-ID is presented, a matrix-based Lucid TM key, for the adult stage of the known species of Carpophilinae (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) of North America, east of the Mississippi River. An overview of the features and technical specifications used to build the key is provided. The list of terminal taxa used in the key represents the most curr...
An overview of previously described fossil nitidulids is given with details on deposits with confirmed nitidulid representation. Notes on estimated ages and potential placement of fossils described to the species level is also given. A new genus and species of cillaeine sap beetle, Palaeopeplus cascus Powell & Cline is described from Dominican ambe...
Myceporthus Skelley & Powell, 2018 (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Tritomini) is revised. Species currently in the genus, M. pauperculus (Lacordaire, 1842) and M. vernix (Casey, 1916), are reviewed. Five new species are described: M . careorufus sp. nov. , M. melinatrum sp. nov. , M. rubeus sp. nov. , M. rubicundus sp. nov. , and M. rufus sp. nov. , with...
Two new species of Carpophilus Stephens, 1829 in the subgenus Ecnomorphus Motschulsky, 1858 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) were recovered in material from the Caribbean. Descriptions and detailed diagnoses are provided for Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) jamaicensis Powell and Schnepp, new species and Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) thomasi Powell and Schnepp, new...
The leg regeneration capabilities of damselflies are understudied. Here we present the first data of regenerated limbs across a genus of damselfly based on adult specimens collected in the field to illustrate the prevalence of limb loss among nymphs. We show that this phenomenon is much more prevalent than previously thought, as 42 percent of indiv...
The family Nitidulidae is known for its diverse life histories, with some species considered economically detrimental pests, while others perform critical ecosystem functions. Despite this, their evolutionary relationships still lack support and understanding. A robust phylogenetic hypothesis and revised taxonomic classification for this group, par...
The Biologia Centrali Americana (B.C.A.) is comprised of eight volumes that deal specifically with Coleoptera. These volumes were split into 18 parts and were published between 1879 and 1911. The family Lampyridae was treated in two parts, the main text (1881) with a supplement (1884). Within volume three, part 2, Gorham lists ~90 species in 14 gen...
Four new species of Carpophilus Stephens, 1829 in the subgenus Ecnomorphus Motschulsky, 1858 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) were discovered in material from the Nearctic and Neotropical Regions. Descriptions and detailed diagnoses are provided for Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) alexandrae Powell, new species, Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) mellarius Powell, new s...
A checklist to the Nitidulidae of Vanuatu is provided based on a combination of historical museum specimens and recent field expeditions. A dichotomous key to the described species recorded from the country is provided. Specific data per island is given where available; in addition, broader distributions are outlined for each described taxon. Sever...
Additional work on the islands of Vanuatu has improved our understanding of the actual diversity of South Pacific coastal fireflies. Prior to recent fieldwork in Vanuatu, the only known lampyrid from Vanuatu was Atyphella aphrogeneia (Ballantyne), a coastal species also found in Papua New Guinea. After further examination, we determined that specim...
The genus Atyphella Olliff includes several coastal species with larvae that were collected on coastal rock within the intertidal zone. Recent fieldwork in Vanuatu has expanded the distribution of these insects and begun to provide insight into how they are able to survive in such a unique environment. An ecological niche model is produced using Ma...
A new species of the genus Carpophilus Stephens is described from Australia. This species is currently placed in the subgenus Myothorax Murray, although the group is in need of formal revision. A diagnosis is given to distinguish the new species from all other species of Myothorax in Australia. Additionally, a discussion of type material from Carpo...
Heterotrophic soil protists encompass lineages that are both evolutionarily ancient and highly diverse, providing an untapped wealth of scientific insight. Yet the diversity of free-living heterotrophic terrestrial protists is still largely unknown. To contribute to our understanding of this diversity, we present a checklist of heterotrophic protis...
Six families of beetles; Corylophidae, Curculionidae, Monotomidae, Mycetophagidae, Nitidulidae, and Zopheridae, were found in association with bracts of Sabal mexicana Mart., the Texas sabal palm (Arecaceae). For two of the species, Brachypeplus habecki Cline and Skelley (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea: Nitidulidae: Cillinae) and Hesperobaenus constrictico...
The subfamily Carpophilinae, in particular the genus Carpophilus Stephens, represents one of the most speciose lineages within Nitidulidae. The subfamily was first recognized by Erichson (1843) in a much broader sense, including what is now the Cillaeinae. According to Kirejtshuk (2008), there are seven genera and 13 subgenera within Carpophilinae....
We report three species of Nitops Murray (Nitidulidae: Carpophilinae) sampled from fallen and freshly withered flowers of the columnar cactus Stenocereus pruinosus (Otto) Buxb. (Cactaceae) in a subtropical dry forest in Guatemala. Our observations suggest that adults of these species oviposit inside the flowers during or prior to the blooming perio...
Study of type specimens for the two species originally described in the presumed New World genus Mycophtorus Lacordaire, 1842 (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae: Tritomini) revealed they belong to different genera from different continents. Mycopthorus melanocerus Lacordaire, 1842, the type species of Mycophtorus, is conspecific with Neomycotretus...
A new species of Sandalus Knoch from Florida and Alabama is described and illustrated. A key to the described species of the eastern USA is provided.
Eleven species of billbugs (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae: Sphenophorus spp. Schönherr) infest managed turfgrass in North America. However, the regional variation in species composition remains unresolved and the seasonal phenology of several species has not been well documented. The latter gap is largely due to the inability to identify the larval st...
A new species of Ctilodes Murray, 1864 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) was recovered in material from Vietnam during a large study of Carpophilinae. A description and detailed diagnosis of Ctilodes clinei Powell and Duffy new species is presented here along with a key to identify all currently known species of Ctilodes.
The subfamily Carpophilinae, in particular the genus Carpophilus Stephens, represents one of the most speciose lineages within Nitidulidae. The subfamily is comprised of more than 250 described species that are found worldwide in every habitable region, and have been transported by man in stored products to remote islands and archipelagos (Ewing &...
The beetle (Insecta: Coleoptera) fauna associated with the underground burrow systems of the plains pocket gopher, Geomys bursarius (Shaw) (Mammalia: Rodentia: Geomyidae), is reported from one of Indiana’s primary conservation zones, Kankakee Sands, for the first time. Pitfall traps baited with pig dung were placed into active burrow systems and ro...
The genus Calyptra Ochsenheimer is known for its atypical behavior of exhibiting both obligate fruit piercing and facultative blood feeding as adults. The genus has been reported piercing a vast array of fruits including citrus, figs, grapes, and raspberries. One species, Calyptra canadensis (Bethune), more commonly known as the Meadow Rue Owlet mo...
Saproxylic beetles are a diverse group of insects that use deadwood as food or habitat at some stage of their life. While a few species of saproxylic beetles are considered to be pests, the majority of species perform important ecological roles such as decomposition, nutrient recycling, pollination in the mobile adult form, or act as food sources f...
Five new state and province records for species of the genus Pytho Latreille in the USA and Canada are reported. Specimens for the new Indiana record were collected live under pine bark. The remaining four new state or province records were the result of gathering museum specimen or personal collection data to supplement knowledge of the known dist...
A total of 70 species of Nitidulidae are recorded from the state of Indiana. Nine of these species are recorded as new state records. The myrmecophile Amphotis ulkei LeConte, and the adventive Carpophilus marginellus Motschulsky, originally from Southeast Asia are added to the state fauna. The methods with which these new taxa were found are given,...