Jan Batelka

Early nest emergence of females parasitised by Strepsiptera in protandrous bees (Hymenoptera Andrenidae)

Stylopised (= parasitised by Strepsiptera Stylopidae) imagoes of Andrena (Hymenoptera Andrenidae) bees are known to exhibit intersexual morphology. Until now, their abnormal morphology has been thought to result from undernourishment of parasitised larvae during development. This hypothesis, however, dos not fit to mass provisioning Hymenoptera. We hypothesised that induced changes in the suite of morphological characters might be a consequence of manipulation of sex-specific behavioural traits by a strepsipteran parasite. Thus, the masculinised morphology of stylopised females might be connected with shifts in their sexual behaviour. Here, we tested the effect of Stylops (Strepsiptera Stylopidae) infection on the timing of spring nest emergence in Andrena bees, where males generally emerged conspicuously earlier than conspecific females. We used two independent data samplings – pan trapping and direct observation – to avoid possible bias caused by one of the methods. In accordance with our hypothesis, we documented that the time of emergence/activity in stylopised females follows the temporal trend of uninfected, protandrous males. We ascribe this observation to host manipulation and briefly discuss the potential adaptive value of the altered host behaviour for the parasite. We discuss our results across three species: Andrena strohmella, A. minutula and A. vaga.

A new genus of Strepsiptera, Rozenia gen. n. (Stylopidae), a parasite of bee genera Acamptopoeum and Calliopsis (Andrenidae, Panurginae, Calliopsini)

Abstract A new Strepsiptera genus from South America is described, Rozenia gen. n., with three new species: Rozenia calliopsidis sp. n. (type species), Rozenia peruana sp. n. and Rozenia platicephala sp. n. These three new species are parasites of bees belonging to the tribe Calliopsini (Andrenidae, Panurginae). Rozenia calliopsidis sp. n. is a parasite of the bee genus Calliopsis Smith, 1853 and Rozenia peruana sp. n. and Rozenia platicephala sp. n. are parasites of the bee genus Acamptopoeum Cockerell, 1905. Diagnoses and descriptions of female puparia are presented for all three species. Diagnoses and descriptions of first instars (triungulinids) are presented for Rozenia calliopsidis sp. n. and Rozenia platicephala sp. n. The first case of increased number of setae on the body of the first instars and augmentation of chaetotaxy of Strepsiptera are discussed.

New synonyms, combinations and faunistic records in the genus Denierella Kaszab (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

Taxonomy of the genus Denierella Kaszab, 1952 (Coleoptera: Meloidae: Epicautini) is evaluated. The following new synonyms and combinations (all from the genus Epicauta Dejean, 1834) are established: Denierella thailandica (Dvořák, 1996) comb. nov. = D. striolata Yang & Ren, 2007 syn. nov.; Denierella emmerichi (Pic, 1934) comb. nov. = D. serrata Kaszab, 1952 syn. nov.; Denierella promerotricha (Dvořák, 1996) comb. nov. A lectotype is designated for Epicauta emmerichi. Epicauta emmerichi yunnanensis Kaszab, 1960 is provisionally raised to E. yunnanensis stat. nov., until its status can be confirmed by the study of the holotype specimen. Five new country records, one new Chinese province record and two new Indian state records of six Denierella species are provided, and the distribution of all species included in this study is outlined. A checklist of the genus Denierella is provided and general problems in the taxonomy of Asiatic Epicautini are discussed.