Canan Hazir

Diversity and distribution of nematodes associated with wild bees in Turkey.

The diversity and distribution of nematodes associated with soil-dwelling bees in Turkey were examined. A total of 9456 wild bees were collected and dissected to detect nematodes and 173 female and 22 male bees were positive for an overall association level of 2.1%. Halictus resurgens was the most commonly collected bee found with nematodes with 82 and 19 nematode-infested female and male bees, respectively. Sixty-four of the nematode isolates were recovered from the Black Sea region (32.8%), 59 from Central Anatolia (30.3%), 35 from the Mediterranean (17.9%), 24 from the Aegean (12.3%), six from Eastern Anatolia (3.1%) and seven from Southeast Anatolia (3.6%). In 3.9% of all bees of the family Halictidae (173/4417), nematodes were observed in the Dufours gland, poison sac, oviduct, bursa copulatrix and abdominal cavity of dissected female bees and from the genital capsule of male bees. Only abdominal glands of 0.6% (21/3279) of female bees from the family Andrenidae were observed with nematodes. Nematodes were isolated from the genital capsule of one male bee from the family Melittidae. The poison sac was the organ where nematodes were most often observed but the highest number of nematodes occurred in the abdominal cavity. Most nematodes were in the dauer juvenile stage making identification difficult. Sequence analysis using LSU D2/D3 domains and a fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) allowed for putative identification of nematode isolates. Two or three species of Bursaphelenchus ( B. anatolius , B. debrae , and potentially one or more cryptic species closest in morphology to B. anatolius ) were isolated from six different halictid species (two genera; Halictus and Lasioglossum ) from different geographical regions in Turkey. An additional four species of diplogastrid were recovered from the abdominal glands of andrenids; a new species of Koerneria from Andrena limata and a separate sister clade to Mononchoides composed of three other possible species from four Andrena species. An additional unknown species in the order Tylenchida (near Allantonematinae) was recovered from three species of Lasioglossum . No molecular data were obtained from three mermithid juveniles from two Andrena and one Halictus species because samples were lost in transit. The associations of most nematode isolates with bees of the families Halictidae and Andrenidae were hypothesised to be phoretic, whereas the tylenchid and mermithids were parasites.

Bursaphelenchus debrae n. sp. (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae), an associate of the bee Halictus brunnescens in Turkey

Bursaphelenchus species are mostly known as phoretic associates of bark beetles (Scolytidae), weevils (Curculionidae) and longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), but a few other insects are known as vectors and there are several species that have not yet been linked to a host. During a 2-year field survey of soil-dwelling bees from several geographical regions in Turkey, a mycophagous species of Bursaphelenchus was recovered and cultured from an adult female of Halictus brunnescens Eversmann from Ankara, Turkey. Sixty entomophilic dauer juveniles were observed in the poison sac of this bee. Halictus brunnescens is a member of the subgenus Halictus Latreille which is widely distributed in the Palaearctic region and

Biological control potential of native entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) against Spodoptera cilium (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in turfgrass

In laboratory studies, we demonstrated that five native entomopathogenic nematode species/isolates caused 100% mortality of Spodoptera cilium larvae, a soil surface-feeding pest of turfgrass. At 25 infective juveniles/cm2 applied to sod, two selected Turkish species, Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Sarigerme isolate), averaged 77% and 29% larval mortality, respectively.

Differential susceptibility of Hyalomma excavatum adults and nymphs to the entomopathogens Metarhizium anisopliae ARSEF 4556 and Steinernema carpocapsae

ABSTRACT This study investigated the virulence of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae strain ARSEF 4556, and the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae against adult and nymphal stages of the tick Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum. The fungus was tested at three different concentrations, 106, 107, and 108 conidia ml−1. Ticks were exposed to 4000 IJs of S. carpocapsae in 0.5 ml distilled water in Petri dishes lined with 2 layers of moist filter paper. Adult ticks were not susceptible to M. anisopliae, whereas the nymphs were highly susceptible. Nymph mortality was dose dependent with all ticks being killed at the highest dose 96 hours post-inoculation. In contrast, S. carpocapsae was much more effective against engorged adults than unfed adults or nymphs. Tick susceptibility was not influenced by gender. The mean mortalities of the unfed adult males, females, and nymphs were 30% ± 9.2%, 40% ± 7.5%, and 36% ± 4.7%, respectively. Nymphal mortality was 36% and there was a significant difference between nematode treatment and control group (P < 0.05).

Reverse Taxonomy Reveals Pristionchus maupasi (Diplogasterida: Diplogastridae) Association with the Soil-Dwelling Bee Andrena optata (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) in Turkey

Summary Previous molecular operational taxonomic unit (MOTU) survey work with diplogastrid dauers from the abdominal glands of adult female soil-dwelling andrenid bees in Turkey had suggested commensal relationships between species of the genus Andrena and a new species of Koerneria and several species from an unidentified nematode clade near “Mononchoides” (based upon comparisons with GenBank at the time). We used reverse taxonomy on dauer nematodes from Andrena optata from Turkey to successfully culture, morphotype, and sequence adult nematodes that fully matched Pristionchus maupasi and one of the MOTUs previously isolated as dauers from the abdominal glands of A. limata and A. flavipes, and previously designated as belonging to the clade near “Mononchoides.” This study demonstrates the value of reverse taxonomy for resolving MOTU identification issues as the depth of the reference sequence database increases and successful cultures or environmental samples of adults are made available for morphotypic and genotypic comparisons. In addition, it has helped expand our knowledge of the potential host range and biogeographical distribution of P. maupasi which was originally thought to be relatively host specific on scarab beetles, and has raised questions about the chemical ecology of dauers for this species in the wild.

Description of Three New Andrena Species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae) from Turkey

ABSTRACT Three new bee species, Andrena (Melandrena) nitidemula sp. nov., Andrena (Truncandrena) urfanella sp. nov. and Andrena (Poecilandrena) efeana sp. nov. from Turkey are described. Important diagnostic characters are illustrated.