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Food plant spectrum of Oedemeridae species (Insecta, Coleoptera) based on pollen analysis (a preliminary study).

Authors:
Ognyan Sivilov at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
Ognyan Sivilov
Juliana Atanassova at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
Juliana Atanassova
Boyan Zlatkov at Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Boyan Zlatkov
  • Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
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Abstract and Figures

Pollen is considered to be an important dietary component of the adults of Oedemeridae species. We investigated microscopically the contents of the crops (ingluvies) of adults of Ischnomera cyanea Fabricius, 1792), Oedemera vavipes (Fabricius, 1792), O. penicillata W. Schmidt, 1846, O. lurida lurida (Marsham, 1802), and O. femorata (Scopoli, 1763) collected in the spring of 2008 and 2010 from di�erent locations in SW Bulgaria. The aim of the study was to establish which plant species were used as pollen sources. Pollen analysis showed that the Matricaria/Achillea pollen type and the Crepis/Taraxacum pollen type (Asteraceae family) predominate in Oedemera crop samples. Oedemera probably prefer pollen of Asteraceae, but they are not highly specialized because pollen of the Thymus type, the Potentilla type, Heracleum, Knautia, Poaceae, etc. were also present in considerable amount. This study obtained for the �rst time data on food plants of O. penicillata. The other studied genus, Ischnomera, and in particular I. cyanea, is polyphagous and uses a wide variety of pollen of herbaceous plants and di�erent arboreal species for food. Feeding on Pinus is found in this species, which is the �rst report for oedemerids using gymnosperms.
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Доклади на Българската академия на науките
Comptes rendus de l’Acad´emie bulgare des Sciences
Tome 64, No 2, 2011
BIOLOGIE
Zoologie
FOOD PLANT SPECTRUM OF OEDEMERIDAE SPECIES
(INSECTA, COLEOPTERA) BASED ON POLLEN ANALYSIS
(A PRELIMINARY STUDY)
Ognyan Sivilov, Juliana Atanassova∗, Boyan Zlatkov
(Submitted by Academician V. Golemansky on September 23, 2010)
Abstract
Pollen is considered to be an important dietary component of the adults
of Oedemeridae species. We investigated microscopically the contents of the
crops (ingluvies) of adults of Ischnomera cyanea (Fabricius, 1792), Oedemera
flavipes (Fabricius, 1792), O. penicillata W. Schmidt, 1846, O. lurida lurida
(Marsham, 1802), and O. femorata (Scopoli, 1763) collected in the spring of
2008 and 2010 from different locations in SW Bulgaria. The aim of the study
was to establish which plant species were used as pollen sources. Pollen analy-
sis showed that the Matricaria/Achillea pollen type and the Crepis/Taraxacum
pollen type (Asteraceae family) predominate in Oedemera crop samples. Oede-
mera probably prefer pollen of Asteraceae, but they are not highly specialized
because pollen of the Thymus type, the Potentilla type, Heracleum,Knautia,
Poaceae, etc. were also present in considerable amount. This study obtained
for the first time data on food plants of O. penicillata. The other studied genus,
Ischnomera, and in particular I. cyanea, is polyphagous and uses a wide variety
of pollen of herbaceous plants and different arboreal species for food. Feeding
on Pinus is found in this species, which is the first report for oedemerids using
gymnosperms.
Key words: Oedemeridae, food plant spectrum, pollen analysis, SW
Bulgaria
This study was supported by St. Kl. Ohridski University of Sofia, Grant No. 006/30.03.2010.
5225
Introduction. Oedemeridae is a small family of the superfamily Tenebri-
onoidea, which is taxonomically quite well studied in Europe. The adults feed
mainly on pollen and nectar from many plant species. Data on biology, respec-
tively on the food plant spectrum of the adults, in many cases are scanty or miss-
ing, e.g. Oedemera penicillata (W. Schmidt, 1846), Chitona macedonica (ˇ
Svihla,
2006), etc. All information about food plants comes from direct observation on
feeding individuals [1, 2]. Our study is based on pollen analysis of the content
of the crop (ingluvies) and gives information not only on the food source at the
moment of feeding but also on the plants formerly visited. It presents objective
information on the food plant spectrum of the oedemerid beetles and this is the
first time such data are presented for Bulgaria.
Material and methods. Collecting area and period.The beetles were
collected from one mountain massif (Pirin Mts.) and the southern part of Struma
River Valley in Southwestern Bulgaria. Detailed information about all localities
is presented on Table 1.
The collecting localities were visited several times in 2008 during the period
April-August. A few specimens collected in 2010 were also analysed.
T a b l e 1
Some data for the localities
Region Localities Altitude GPS coordinates
Struma River Valley Katuntsi Vill. 150 m N41◦26007” E23◦2504200
Struma River Valley Kresna Gorge ∗205–340 m ∗N41◦47060” E23◦0903500
Struma River Valley Gradeshnishki bani 265 m N41◦42026” E23◦1200500
W Pirin Mts. below Lilyanovo Vill. 460 m N41◦36041” E23◦1804400
W Pirin Mts. above Ilindentsi Vill. 465 m N41◦39005” E23◦1500000
∗Due to the relatively large difference in the altitude of the samples collected in this locality it
is presented as interval, and the coordinates are averaged.
Collecting methods.The following collecting methods were applied: sweep-
ing of the herbaceous vegetation and shrubs (main method), direct collecting with
hands and forceps, beating and brushing, light trapping for nocturnal species.
Plant specimens for correct identification of the pollen were also collected.
Sample treatment.Oedemerid beetles swallow intact pollen which is ini-
tially preserved into the crop (ingluvies). This enables the procedure of dissect-
226 O. Sivilov, J. Atanassova, B. Zlatkov
ing the crop of adult specimens and analysing its contents. The beetles were
dissected; the pollen from the crop was preserved in glycerol without chemical
treatment and was observed on microscope slide for identification. Before micro-
scope observation mixed samples were prepared. Each mixed sample consisted of
all specimens of one species collected from one locality and date. Males and fe-
males were separated into different samples. Dissected specimens were preserved
in two ways; trivial species were embedded in cotton wool in cardboard boxes
and more interesting specimens were restored and glued to boards.
Pollen analyses. Identification of the pollen taxa was made using light
microscopy compared with the reference collections of the Botany Department at
St. Kl. Ohridski University of Sofia and with [3]. The frequency of each pollen
type in the pollen sample was expressed as percentage of the total pollen sum
(P). The pollen types in each sample were classified into two groups: dominant
pollen (pollen taxa with highest percentage) and secondary pollen. The results of
the microscopic investigations are presented on Table 2. Sporadically presented
pollen taxa (less than 1%) are not included in the Table. Except pollen grains
some part of the crop samples also contain elements of sooty moulds – dark-
pigmented fungi which are non-parasitic, saprophytic and superficial on plants.
These fungi tend to assume various shapes and frequently grow on honeydew (a
sweet, clear and sticky substance) that is excreted from sap-sucking insects like
aphids mainly on trees and shrubs. The fungal elements were also counted, but
they are not included in the pollen sum.
Results and discussion. In this study, data on food plant spectrum of
5 Oedemeridae species and subspecies are given: Ischnomera cyanea (Fabricius,
1792), Oedemera flavipes (Fabricius, 1792), O. penicillata (W. Schmidt, 1846),
O. lurida lurida (Marsham, 1802) and O. femorata (Scopoli, 1763).
Four species of genus Ischnomera occur in Bulgaria, but only I. cyanea is
included in this study (Fig. 1A). In literature, this species was reported to feed
only on a few trees genera (Acer,Crataegus,Salix,Sorbus), and the Apiaceae,
only, on herbaceous plants [1, 2].
It is interesting that pollen from Pinus (Fig. 1B) in considerable amount was
found in one of the samples from Ischnomera cyanea (sample No 1) and occurs
as secondary pollen in the other one (sample No 2) (Table 2). We did not find
any report for European oedemerids feeding on gymnosperms. The other domi-
nant pollen types established in Ischnomera crop samples were Carpinus/Ostrya
(which included pollen grains of Carpinus betulus,Carpinus orientalis and Ostrya
carpinifolia) (Fig. 1C), Crepis/Taraxacum-type (Fig. 1D) and Reseda. Poaceae,
Matricaria/Achillea type, Plantago,Helianthemum (Fig. 2A,B,Cand D), Be-
tula,Quercus,Populus,Sambucus, etc. occurred as secondary pollen taxa.
Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci., 64, No 2, 2011 227
T a b l e 2
Results of the pollen analysis
Species/Sample
No/Sex
Site/collection
data
Dominant pollen
type, % Secondary pollen types, %
Ischnomera
cyanea
1.
|
Gradeshnishki
bani
03.05.2008
Pinus 24
Crepis/Taraxacum
type 24
Poaceae 15.5, Betula 11.8,
Matricaria/Achillea type 10.2,
Quercus 6.5, Carpinus/Ostrya
type 6, Brassicaceae 1.5
2.
|
Lilyanovo
23.05.2010
Carpinus/Ostrya
type 66.9
Helianthemum 9.3, Pinus 8.4,
Poaceae 7.6, Plantago 6.4,
Rumex 2.1
3.
|
Katuntsi
08.05.2010 Reseda 55.8
Carpinus/Ostrya type 13.7,
Plantago 5.3, Poaceae 4.7,
Populus 3.3, Potentilla type
3.2, Pinus 2.7, Sambucus 2.5,
Rumex 1.5, Quercus 1.4
Oedemera
flavipes
4.
|
Peyu Yavorov
station (Kresna
Gorge)
04.05.2008
Crepis/Taraxacum
type 85.8
Matricaria/Achillea type 1.9,
Dianthus type 12.2
5.
|
Gradeshnishki
bani
03.05.2008
Matricaria/Achillea
type 83.1
Crepis/Taraxacum type 15.1,
Galium 1.7
6.
~
Kresna Gorge
11.06.2008 Thymus type 59.3
Matricaria/Achillea type 28.4,
Crepis/Taraxacum type 6.4,
Potentilla type 3.8, Salvia 1.7
7.
|
Ilindentsi village
15.06.2008
Matricaria/Achillea
type 78.2
Crepis/Taraxacum type13.8,
Potentilla type 6.1, Poaceae 1.4
8.
~
Ilindentsi village
15.06.2008
Matricaria/Achillea
type 60.6
Poaceae 16.3,
Crepis/Taraxacum type 12.6,
Knautia 9.6
Oedemera
penicillata
9.
|
Kresna Gorge
11.06.2008
Matricaria/Achillea
type 68.2
Heracleum type 27.3,
Potentilla type 4.5
10.
~
Kresna Gorge
11.06.2008
Matricaria/Achillea
type 71.0 Heracleum type 28.9
11.
~
Ilindentsi village
15.06.2008
Matricaria/Achillea
type 73.0
Trifolium type 15.0, Potentilla
type 9.8, Poaceae 1.3
Oedemera
lurida
12.
~
Gradeshnishki bani
03.05.2008
Crepis/Taraxacum
type 97 Geranium 2.8
13.
~
Ilindentsi village
15.06.2008
Crepis/Taraxacum
type 94.6 Poaceae 4.3, Knautia 1.1
Oedemera
femorata
14.
~
Ilindentsi village
15.06.2008 Poaceae 57.1
Matricaria/Achillea type 16.4,
Knautia 12.3, Cyperaceae 8.3,
Crepis/Taraxacum type 4.7,
Cerastium type 1.1
228 O. Sivilov, J. Atanassova, B. Zlatkov
Fig. 1. Ischnomera cyanea and microscopical photos of the dominant pollen taxa in crop samples
N1 and N2. A.I. cyanea;B.Pinus;C.Carpinus/Ostrya type; D.Crepis/Taraxacum type
Fig. 2. Secondary pollen in crop samples N1, N2 and N3 of I.cyanea and fungal elements.
A. Poaceae; B.Matricaria/Achillea type; C.Plantago;D.Helianthemum;E. Fungal
elements
Another interesting fact was the considerably high amount of fungal elements
in sample No 1 (Fig. 2E) which were more than the total pollen amount. Spo-
radically fungal elements were established also in the other crop samples from
Ischnomera.
The pollen analysis showed that the adults of O. flavipes are polyphagous,
but prefer pollen of Asteraceae species (Matricaria/Achillea pollen type and
Crepis/Taraxacum pollen type). Pollen of Thymus,Dianthus, Poaceae, Poten-
tilla,Knautia were also observed. The food spectrum of O. penicillata was com-
pletely unknown. We found that Matricaria/Achillea type was dominant for this
species with over 65% in all samples examined. Pollen from Heracleum type,
Trifolium type, Potentilla type and Poaceae was also present.
The Thymus-type was rare among the examined samples, dominant only in
sample No 6 (Table 2) of O. flavipes. Similarly, Poaceae dominated in sample
No 14 (Table 2) of O. femorata. These data are based on a single sample only
and additional investigations are required to complete the list of plant sources for
this species.
Conclusion. Pollen analysis showed that the species from genus Oedemera
prefer as pollen sources different species of Asteraceae family (Matricaria/Achillea
pollen type and Crepis/Taraxacum pollen type predominate) but they are not
highly specialised because pollen of Poaceae, Thymus,Potentilla,Heracleum,
Knautia, etc. were also established in considerable amount.
I. cyanea uses as pollen source a high variety of arboreal and herbaceous plant
species. We suppose that honeydew could be also a food source of Ischnomera.
More investigation is necessary to complete the list of plants used as food
source from the oedemerid beetles in Bulgaria.
Acknowledgements. We express our gratitude to Colin W. Plant (Bishops
Stortford, UK) for the linguistic corrections.
REFERENCES
[1]Kubisz D. Oedemeridae i Scraptiidae Polski (Coleoptera, Tenebrionoidea), Kra-
k´ow, Wydawnictwa Instytutu Systematyki i Ewolucji Zwierz¸at Polskiej Akademii
Nauk, 2006, 165 pp.
[2]V´
azquez X. A. European Fauna of Oedemeridae, Barcelona, Argania editio, S. C.
P., 2002, 176 pp.
[3]Beug H.-J. Leitfaden der Pollenbestimmung f¨ur Mitteleuropa und angrenzende
Gebiete, M¨unchen, Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, 2004, 542 pp.
Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci., 64, No 2, 2011 229
Department of Zoology and Anthropology
Faculty of Biology
St. Kl. Ohridski University of Sofia
8, Dragan Tsankov Str.
1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
e-mail:osivilov@gmail.com
bzlatkov@gmail.com
∗Department of Botany
Faculty of Biology
St. Kl. Ohridski University of Sofia
8, Dragan Tsankov Str.
1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
e-mail:atanassova juliana@abv.bg
230 O. Sivilov, J. Atanassova, B. Zlatkov
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... For example, although Oedemera lurida beetles are generalists, they choose a single type of pollen, at least in a particular locality (e.g. Crepis/Taraxacum type) (Sivilov et al. 2011), and this fact indicates a certain trend towards specialization. It is still unknown whether Oedemerids are capable of distinguishing between flowers of closely related species. ...
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Full-text available
  • Feb 2016
Flowers of dicotyledonous plants host communities of arthropod species. We studied the community associated with dandelion (Taraxacum section Ruderalia), a complex of apomictic micro-species abundant in central Europe. Identification of microspecies in the field was impracticable. These plants produce an abundance of flowers that host arthropod communities that are not yet fully documented. We investigated species occurrence, its diurnal and seasonal variation and some of the factors that determine the abundance of the dominant species. Insect and spiders were collected from 2010 to 2012 at a locality in Prague. Whole capitula were harvested at weekly intervals and resident arthropods were identified. Diurnal variation in insect presence and the effect of pollen and microclimate on some of the species were also examined. The insect community (> 200 species) consisted mainly of species of Hymenoptera (86 spp.), Coleoptera (56 spp.), Diptera (46 spp.) and Heteroptera (23 spp.). The most abundant were Thysanoptera (2 spp.). Pollen eaters/collectors and nectar feeders dominated over predators and occasional visitors. From April to mid-August, the insect community was dominated by Coleoptera, and later by Diptera and Hymenoptera. Except for Meligethes spp. and species breeding in the capitula, the insects occupied flowers during the daytime when the flowers were open (10–12 h in spring and only 2–4 h in late summer). The presence of Meligethes spp. in particular flowers was associated with the presence of pollen; the occurrence of Byturus ochraceus with pollen and flower temperature. Although pollination is not necessary, dandelion plants produce both nectar and pollen. The community of arthropods that visit dandelion flowers is rich despite their being ephemeral. The composition of local faunas of flower visitors, presence of floral rewards and flower microclimate are important factors determining the composition of the flower community.
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Reproductive modification in forest plantations: impacts on biodiversity and society
Article
Genetic engineering (GE) can be used to improve forest plantation productivity and tolerance of biotic and abiotic stresses. However, gene flow from GE forest plantations is a large source of ecological, social and legal controversy. The use of genetic technologies to mitigate or prevent gene flow has been discussed widely and should be technically feasible in a variety of plantation taxa. However, potential ecological effects of such modifications, and their social acceptability, are not well understood. Focusing on Eucalyptus, Pinus, Populus and Pseudotsuga – genera that represent diverse modes of pollination and seed dispersal – we conducted in-depth reviews of ecological processes associated with reproductive tissues.Wealso explored potential impacts of various forms of reproductive modification at stand and landscape levels, and means for mitigating impacts. We found little research on potential reactions by the public and other stakeholders to reproductive modification in forest plantations. However, there is considerable research on related areas that suggest key dimensions of concern and support. We provide detailed suggestions for research to understand the biological and social dimensions of containment technologies, and consider the role of regulatory and market restrictions that obstruct necessary ecological and genetic research.
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Role of host plant in determining the insect community associated with the flowers of dicotyledoneous herbaceous plants.
Article
Full-text available
  • Aug 2015
Flowers of dicotyledoneous plants usually host a rich community of insects consisting of herbivores, nectar and pollen feeders, carnivores seeking prey and occasional visitors. Taxonomic affiliation of the plants is an important factor determining the composition of this community but its effect is confounded by seasonality and geographic variation in the fauna of insect visitors. To exclude these effects, we studied communities of flowers of 12 herbaceous plants at a single site over a period of 5 days during the flowering period. Whole flowers were harvested, the resident insects collected and identified to species. Insect communities consisted of >50 insect species, mainly Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Heteroptera. The most abundant species were Meligethes aeneus (Fabricius, 1775) and Byturus ochraceus (Scriba, 1790). The most diverse communities were associated with flowers of Taraxacum agg., Geranium pratense and Crepis biennis. The similarity between the communities associated with particular species of flowers was low at the level of taxa (mean Sørensen index S=0.243) and individual frequency (mean Renkonen index Re=0.232). The composition and diversity of the communities were not related to flower colour, size, duration of flowering or plant height. Taxonomic affiliation of plants is an important factor in determining the composition of the associated insect communities, which acts through different effective causes.
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European Fauna of Oedemeridae
  • Jan 2002
  • 176
  • X A Vázquez
Vázquez X. A. European Fauna of Oedemeridae, Barcelona, Argania editio, S. C. P., 2002, 176 pp.
Bulgaria e-mail: osivilov@gmail.com bzlatkov@gmail.com * Department of Botany Faculty of
  • Sofia
Sofia, Bulgaria e-mail: osivilov@gmail.com bzlatkov@gmail.com * Department of Botany Faculty of Biology St. Kl. Ohridski University of Sofia 8, Dragan Tsankov Str.
Bulgaria e-mail: atanassova juliana@abv.bg
  • Sofia
Sofia, Bulgaria e-mail: atanassova juliana@abv.bg