Mimetic accuracy and co-evolution of mimetic traits in ant-mimicking species.

Myrmecomorphy is the most frequent type of Batesian mimicry. Myrmecomorphic species differ in the accuracy with which they resemble ants; however, the hypothesis of the co-evolution of mimetic traits has been rarely tested. Here, we measured dozens of traits of color, shape, size, and behavior, and quantified objectively the resemblance between dozens of arthropod mimics and ants. In all traits, the mimics were more similar to ants than to closely related non-myrmecomorphic species. We found that mimics resemble ants mainly in color and behavior, and less in size and body shape. We found that the mimetic accuracy in four trait categories demonstrate divergent co-evolutionary patterns. Mimetic accuracy in color was positively correlated with shape and size in insects but negatively in spiders, presumably reflecting developmental constraints. Accuracy in shape tend to be negatively related to movement in both insects and spiders supporting the motion-limited discrimination hypothesis.

Myxobdella socotrensis sp. nov., a new parasitic leech from Socotra Island, with comments on the phylogeny of Praobdellidae (Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida).

The Socotra Archipelago (Yemen) is remarkable for unique ecosystems and high endemism, for which it is often referred to as the "Galápagos of the Indian Ocean". Here we describe a new parasitic leech Myxobdella socotrensis sp. nov. from Socotra, the largest island of the archipelago. The new species was found in a freshwater spring attached to the endemic crab Socotrapotamon socotrensis (Hilgendorf, 1883) (Crustacea: Potamidae). Based on its morphology, ecology and a phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequence data (12S, 18S, 28S and COI gene markers), the new leech species is classified into the highly diversified family Praobdellidae (Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida), distributed in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Central and South America. The praobdellid leeches are known to infest mammalian mucous membranes, however, some taxa are associated with other hosts, namely crabs, amphibians and birds. By its morphology, the new species fits quite well in the current concept of the genus Myxobdella Oka, 1917. However, the monophyly of Myxobdella was not supported here by molecular data, pointing at the need of a more comprehensive systematic revision of the genus and family. As far as known, Myxobdella socotrensis sp. nov. is endemic to the Socotra Island, but more data are needed to understand its evolutionary origin, biology and distribution.

Late-Onset Wilson's Disease.

Wilson's disease is a rare autosomal recessive disease, caused by impaired secretion of copper into bile due to a defective function of the ATPase 7B enzyme. Clinical manifestation is predominantly hepatic and neurological. Wilson's disease is traditionally considered a disease of children and young adults. It rarely manifests after 40 years of age. In our case report, we present a 67-year-old female in whom Wilson's disease manifested as tremors of the upper extremities and chin that were originally assessed as part of cerebral atherosclerosis and Parkinson's disease. Only the histological finding of liver steatofibrosis, performed due to suspected metastatic changes of the liver, led in the context of neurological symptoms to correct diagnosis and successful treatment.

Molecular phylogeny of the megadiverse insect infraorder Bibionomorpha sensu lato (Diptera).

The phylogeny of the insect infraorder Bibionomorpha (Diptera) is reconstructed based on the combined analysis of three nuclear (18S, 28S, CAD) and three mitochondrial (12S, 16S, COI) gene markers. All the analyses strongly support the monophyly of Bibionomorpha in both the narrow (sensu stricto) and the broader (sensu lato) concepts. The major lineages of Bibionomorpha sensu lato (Sciaroidea, Bibionoidea, Anisopodoidea, and Scatopsoidea) and most of the included families are supported as monophyletic groups. Axymyiidae was not found to be part of Bibionomorpha nor was it found to be its sister group. Bibionidae was paraphyletic with respect to Hesperinidae and Keroplatidae was paraphyletic with respect to Lygistorrhinidae. The included Sciaroidea incertae sedis (except Ohakunea Edwards) were found to belong to one clade, but the relationships within this group and its position within Sciaroidea require further study.

Description of larva and puparium of Oplodontha rubrithorax (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from the Oriental Region.

This is the first description of larva and puparium of Oplodontha rubrithorax (Macquart, 1838) from the Oriental Region. Larvae were found at a hot spring in North Thailand. The morphological features and cuticular structures of the larva are documented by drawings and SEM micrographs and the main characters are compared with the European O. viridula (Fabricius, 1775), the only described larva of this genus. Differences between larvae of both species were only found in pubescence. The characteristic, somewhat dilated and slightly clavate hairs on the dorsal surface of the body segments of O. viridula larva are apparently lacking in the larva of O. rubrithorax.

A phylogenetic analysis of Sciomyzidae (Diptera) and some related genera.

Sciomyzidae is a family of acalyptrate flies with 546 species in 61 genera that is among the most extensively studied groups of higher Diptera. Most of the known larvae are obligate enemies of Gastropoda. Hundreds of studies published over the past 50 years have resulted in detailed information concerning morphology of adults and immature stages, biology, development, behaviour, phenology and distribution. However, studies of phylogenetic relationships are based almost exclusively on morphological characters of adults, and no comprehensive molecular analysis across the family has been published. Here we fill this void by generating and analysing molecular data for 54 species of Sciomyzidae (22 genera), including Phaeomyiidae (one genus), and seven representative species of five other families of Sciomyzoidea (Coelopidae, Dryomyzidae, Helcomyzidae, Heteromyzidae and Huttoninidae) as outgroups. The reconstruction is based on morphological characters as well as nucleotide sequences for genes from the mitochondrial (12S, 16S, COI, COII, Cytb) and nuclear genome (28S, EF1α). The results are compared with recent morphological analyses. Our analyses support the monophyly of Sciomyzidae + Phaeomyiidae, and place Phaeomyiinae as a unique lineage within Sciomyzidae. A modified classification comprising three subfamilies is proposed. The major subfamily, Sciomyzinae, consists of two monophyletic and well separated groups, the tribes Sciomyzini and Tetanocerini.

Taxonomic approach to the tachinid flies Dinera carinifrons (Fallén) (Diptera: Tachinidae) and Dinera fuscata Zhang and Shima using molecular and morphometric data.

Molecular phylogenetic and traditional morphometric methods were applied to examine six Palaearctic taxa of the taxonomically difficult tachinid fly genus Dinera Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Tachinidae), with particular reference to D. carinifrons (Fallén) and D. fuscata Zhang and Shima. Results of a phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial markers 12S and 16S rDNA and multivariate statistical analyses of 19 morphometric characters were used to delimit both species. A lectotype was designated for D. carinifrons to stabilize the nomenclature in the group. Dinera carinifrons has a transpalaearctic distribution and is present in Central Europe, especially in high altitudes of the Alps. It differs from the similar and closely related D. fuscata in that it has a slightly larger body size, a dense greyish microtrichosity on the body, and different head proportions. Dinera fuscata, as delimited here, is widespread in the Palaearctic region, including Europe. Slight differences in both molecular and morphometric characters were found between western (Europe and Iran) and eastern (China and Japan) populations of D. fuscata, which are interpreted as an intraspecific variation. Differential diagnosis between D. carinifrons and D. fuscata is provided in the form of a revised portion of the determination key to the Palaearctic Dinera by Zhang and Shima (2006).