2023, Articolo in rivista, ENG
Cruaud A., Rasplus J.-Y., Zhang J., Burks R., Delvare G., Fusu L., Gumovsky A., Huber J.T., Jan?ta P., Mitroiu M.D., Noyes J.S., Van Noort S., Baker A., Böhmová J., Baur H., Blaimer B.B., Brady S.G., Bubeníková K., Chartois R.S., Copeland M., Dale-Skey Papilloud N., Dal Molin A., Dominguez C., Gebiola M., Guerrieri E., Kresslein R.l., Krogmann L., Moriarty Lemmon E., Murray E.A., Nidelet S., Nieves-Aldrey J.L., Perry R.K., Peters R.S., Polaszek A., Sauné L., Torréns J., Triapitsyn S., Tselikh E.V., Yoder M., Lemmon A.R., Woolley J.B., Heraty J.M.
Capturing phylogenetic signal from a massive radiation can be daunting. The superfamily Chalcidoidea is an excellent example of a hyperdiverse group that has remained recalcitrant to phylogenetic resolution. Chalcidoidea are mostly parasitoid wasps that until now included 27 families, 87 subfamilies and as many as 500,000 estimated species. We combined 1007 exons obtained with Anchored Hybrid Enrichment with 1048 Ultra-Conserved Elements (UCEs) for 433 taxa including all extant families, over 95% of all subfamilies and 356 genera chosen to represent the vast diversity of the superfamily. Going back and forth between molecular results and our collective morphological and biological knowledge, we detected insidious bias driven by the saturation of nucleotide data and highlighted morphological convergences. Our final results are based on a concatenated analysis of the least saturated exons and UCE data sets (2054 loci, 284,106 sites). Our analyses support a sister relationship with Mymarommatoidea. Seven of the previously recognized families were not monophyletic, so foundations for a new classification are discussed. Biology appears potentially more informative than morphology, as illustrated by the elucidation of a clade of plant gall associates and a clade of taxa with planidial first-instar larvae. The phylogeny suggests a shift from smaller soft-bodied wasps to larger and more heavily sclerotized wasps. Deep divergences in Chalcidoidea coincide with an increase in insect families in the fossil record, and an early shift to phytophagy corresponds with the beginning of the "Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution". Our dating analyses suggest a Middle Jurassic origin of 174 Ma (167.3-180.5 Ma) and a crown age of 162.2 Ma (153.9-169.8 Ma) for Chalcidoidea. During the Cretaceous, Chalcidoidea underwent a rapid radiation in southern Gondwana with subsequent dispersals to the Northern Hemisphere. This scenario is discussed with regard to knowledge about host taxa of chalcid wasps, their fossil record, and Earth's paleogeographic history.
2022, Articolo in rivista, ENG
Gorgadze O., Troccoli A., Fanelli E., Tarasco E., De Luca F.
Phasmarhabditis thesamica n. sp., belonging to the family Rhabditidae, was isolated from the bodies of the invasive slug, Deroceras reticulatum in Georgia. Nematodes of this genus have never been recorded previously in Georgia. Phasmarhabditis thesamica n. sp. was characterised at morphological, morphometrical and molecular level. Females are 2052 (1863-2241) ?m long, lateral fields consisting of three protruding central ridges and four incisions. The vulval opening is in the middle of the body. The tail is conical, long, tapering to a filiform tip, with prominent rod-shaped phasmids. The reproductive system is didelphic-amphidelphic. Males are 1301 (1123-1456) ?m long, with an open peloderal bursa, which is supported by nine pairs of genital papillae 1 + 1 + 1/2 + 1 + 3, and two phasmids located close to tail tip. The molecular phylogeny of P. thesamica n. sp. inferred by using ITS, D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene and the 18S rRNA gene revealed close relationships with P. clausiliiae, with high support. Keywords
2022, Articolo in rivista, ENG
Bergenti, Ilaria
Due to their structural flexibility, tunability and easy processing, molecular ferroelectric materials have emerged to complement the well-known ferroelectric perovskite oxides. A number of compounds have been investigated but, with the exception of polymeric polyvinylidene fluoride, most have not succeeded in achieving their potential, mainly because of their poor ambient stability. It is only recently, with the surge of electronic type ferroelectricity, that molecular ferroelectrics with superior properties have been synthesized, making them competitive with respect to oxides. Nevertheless, the uniaxial nature of most of the compounds still represents the main bottleneck because it limits the transposition of the bulk properties into films. A possible solution is represented by the use of multiaxial molecular compounds or of low-dimensional systems. In this review, we highlight the main achievements in this field and summarize the open questions to be addressed if molecular ferroelectrics are to be exploited in devices.
2020, Articolo in rivista, ENG
Radivojevic M., Barsi L., Fanelli E., De Luca F.
Longidorus barsii sp. n., from Mt Tara in the Balkan Peninsula, is described and characterised by using a polyphasic approach. The species has numerous males. The female body is 5-7 mm long, rather stout and resembles a large Xiphinema. The lip region is wide, with rounded sides continuous with the neck, frontally flattened and depressed around the oral aperture, amphids are pouch-like and distinctly bi-lobed and the odontostyle is moderately long. The nuclei of the pharyngeal glands are in the normal position, the dorsal nucleus located somewhat posterior to anterior third of bulb. The uteri are long, the distal inner epithelium densely covered with papilla-like outgrowths. The tail is rounded, bluntly conoid and very short. Alpha-numerical identification codes: A4/5, B45, C3, D3, E2, F3, G 1(2), H1, I2, J1, K67. The morphologically most similar species are L. kheirii, L. polyae and L. profundorum. Additional observations are provided on the anterior body region and genital organs in L. barsii sp. n., L. piceicola, L. silvae, andL. uroshis. Selected features are discussed from the taxonomic and functional points of view. The D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene and the ITS region of L. barsii sp. n. were amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis using the D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene revealed close evolutionary relationships with L. polyae, L. athesinus and three unidentified Longidorus spp.
2018, Articolo in rivista, ENG
Gorgadze O., Fanelli E., Lortkhipanidze M., Troccoli A., Burjanadze M., Tarasco E., De Luca F.
A new species of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema borjomiense n. sp., was isolated from the body of the host insect, Oryctes nasicornis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), in Georgia, in the territory of Borjomi-Kharagauli. Morphological characters indicate that the new species is closely related to species of the feltiae-group. The infective juveniles are characterised by the following morphological characters: body length of 879 (777-989) mu m, distance between the head and excretory pore = 72 (62-80) mu m, pharynx length = 132 (122-142) mu m, tail length = 70 (60-80) mu m, ratio a = 26.3 (23.0-29.3), H% = 45 (40-51), D% = 54 (47-59), E% = 102 (95-115), and lateral fields consisting of seven ridges (eight incisures) at mid-body. Steinernema borjomiense n. sp. was molecularly characterised by sequencing three ribosomal regions (the ITS, the D2-D3 expansion domains and the 18S rRNA gene) and the mitochondrial COI gene. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that S. borjomiense n. sp. differs from all other known species of Steinernema and is a member of the monticolum-group.
2017, Articolo in rivista, ENG
Barsi L., Fanelli E., De Luca F.
A population of Xiphinema dentatum, found in a new locality in Serbia, is briefly described and illustrated. Xiphinema paradentatum sp. n. is described and illustrated. It is a parthenogenetic species characterised by its medium to moderately long body (3.71-5.02 mm), open C-shaped when heat-relaxed, lip region frontally almost flattened, laterally rounded and separated from the rest of the body by a weak depression; a moderately long odontostyle (147-166 mu m), guide ring located at 137-153 mu m from anterior end; two equally developed genital tracts having a pseudo-Z-organ in uterus in the form of several irregular angular sclerotised bodies apophyses located in the vicinity of the pars dilatata uteri and devoid of spines; tail broadly and symmetrically rounded, and four juvenile developmental stages. Molecular characterisation using the ribosomal ITS and the D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene was done and maximum likelihood analysis was used to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of X. dentatum and X. paradentatum sp. n. from Serbia with other longidorids.
2016, Articolo in rivista, ENG
Troccoli A., Subbotin S.A., Chitambar J.J., Janssen T., Waeyenberge L., Stanley J.D., Duncan L.W., Agudelo P., Munera Uribe G.E., Franco J., Inserra R.N.
Amphimictic populations of root-lesion nematodes with numerous males and females having three lip annuli, a functional spermatheca and non-areolated lateral field occur on sword fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) in Florida. Identified for decades as Pratylenchus penetrans, they appeared to be a morphologically separated species on the basis of a longer stylet (17.8-18.3 ?m) than P. penetrans (15-17 ?m) and different lip pattern in en face view (rectangular vs dumb-bell in P. penetrans). Morphologically similar amphimictic root-lesion nematodes have also been detected on flax lily in Costa Rica. Subsequent morphological observations indicated that these amphimictic root-lesion nematodes from fern and flax lily are closely related to the parthenogenetic species P. bolivianus, which has areolated lateral fields. In spite of the reproductive and morphological dissimilarities between these populations, their separation into different species was not supported by the results of molecular analyses of their DNA sequences. The populations used in these analyses included those that are amphimictic from Florida and Costa Rica and others that are parthenogenetic from the type locality in Bolivia, and geographically distant localities in Chile, China, Colombia and Europe. Phylogenetic analyses of the ITS and D2-D3 expansion segments of the 28S rRNA gene indicated that they belong to the same species, P. bolivianus, which consists of two morphotypes, P. bolivianus (am) amphimictic and P. bolivianus (pm) parthenogenetic, herein described and illustrated. Contradictory results were obtained by the analyses using a portion of the hsp90 gene. The phylogenetic study, which included sequences of other root-lesion nematodes, a topotype and geographical distant populations of P. zeae, revealed that P. bolivianus and P. zeae formed highly supported clades in the majority consensus trees. PCR with species-specific primers for rapid diagnostics of P. bolivianus and P. zeae were developed and tested.
2014, Articolo in rivista
De Luca F., Archidona-Yuste A.,Troccoli A.,Fanelli E., Vovlas N., Trisciuzzi N., Castillo P.
A population of Xiphinema barense from wild olive trees in Torre Pozzella, Brindisi province, southern Italy, is described using both morphological and molecular studies and compared with the description of the type specimens. The wild olive nematode population agrees very well with all morphometrics provided in the original description. However, detailed observations of the lumen of the tubular portion of the uterus in paratypes and specimens of the new population revealed a clear pseudo-Z-organ with small granules mixed with crystalloid bodies which were previously undetected. Photomicrographs of adult paratypes, which were lacking in the original description, and of specimens of the new population from wild olive trees are provided. The results of the phylogenetic analyses based on the sequences of the D2-D3 expansion regions of the 28S rRNA gene and ITS rRNA genes confirm the species differentiation and indicate the phylogenetic position of X. barense and its relationship with closely related species.
2013, Articolo in rivista, ENG
W. Decraemer, J.E. Palomares-Ruis, C. Cantalapiedra-Navarrete, B.B. Landa, I. Duarte, T. Almeida, N. Vovlas, P. Castillo
During a survey for Trichodoridae in cultivated and natural environments, mainly from southern Spain, 7 new Trichodorus species were found. Four of them, T. andalusicus n. sp., T. asturanus n. sp., T. silvestris n. sp. and T. parasilvestris n. sp. belong to the T. lusitanicus morpho-species group characterised in the male by the slightly ventrally curved spicules with a mid-blade constriction with bristles, and in the female by well developed, rounded triangular to quadrangular, vaginal sclerotised pieces. They were mainly differentiated based upon differences in body length, onchiostyle length, spicule shape and number of ventromedian cervical papillae in the male, and size and shape of the vaginal sclerotised pieces in the female. The presence of the T. lusitanicus morpho-species group with 8 species, apparently endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, could point to a recent speciation event. Additionally, 3 new species, T. onubensis n. sp., T. iliplaensis n. sp. and T. paragiennensis n. sp., more closely resembling the morpho-species group of T. sparsus, to which the Spanish species T. giennensis also belongs, were identified. They were differentiated based on body length, length of onchiostyle and position of the secretory-excretory pore and, in the male, by length and shape of the spicules and number of ventromedian cervical papillae and in the female by the vaginal sclerotised pieces. Molecular support to differentiate the new species using the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rDNA is also provided. In addition, a new population of T. variabilis from Greece was studied as well as T. lusitanicus type specimens, and a population of T. giennensis and T. lusitanicus were also sequenced.
2011, Articolo in rivista, ENG
Clausi M., Longo A., Rappazzo G., Tarasco E., Vinciguerra M.T.
A new species of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema vulcanicum n. sp., is described from the slopes of Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy). It was recovered from soil in a chestnut wood. Molecular and morphological data indicate that the new species belongs to the glaseri group of Steinernema spp. The new species can be distinguished from the other described species of the group by morphological characteristics, crossbreeding tests and by the DNA sequences of ITS1 rDNA, 12S and cox1 mitochondrial loci. Steinernema vulcanicum n. sp. is characterised by the long and slender male spicules, with manubrium wider than long, velum prominent, rounded tip with ventral concavity and tail without mucro. The female has double epiptygmata in both generations. The third-stage infective juveniles have an average body length of 1200 ?m, excretory pore generally located level with posterior part of the pharyngeal corpus (D% = 47-68), lateral field pattern of variable formula and hyaline part of tail forming ca 50% of its length. The DNA sequences, life cycle and the endosymbiotic bacterium of S. vulcanicum n. sp., Xenorhabdus kozodoii, indicate the similarity of the new species with S. arenarium, S. apuliae and S. boemarei, from which it can be distinguished by both morphological and molecular characters. © 2011 BRILL.
2010, Articolo in rivista
Palomares-Rius J.E., Castillo P., Liébanas G., Vovlas N., Landa B.B, Navas-Cortés J.A, Subbotin S.A.
2009, Articolo in rivista, ENG
De Luca F., Landa B.B., Midsuf D., Troccoli A., Vovlas N., Castillo P.
2008, Articolo in rivista
Barsi L., De Luca F.
Topotypes of Longidorus pius from the Republic of Macedonia are briefly described and illustrated. PCR-RFLP and sequencing analyses of the ITS region were carried out to molecularly characterise L. pius. The sequence of the analysed ITS region is the shortest ITS region described so far for Longidorus species. Pairwise comparisons of the ITS sequence of L. pius along with those of L. arthensis, L. raskii, L. elongatus, L. macrosoma, L. helveticus and L. profundorum from the GenBank database displayed a high nucleotide dissimilarity ranging from 17.8 to 33.8%.
2003, Articolo in rivista
Cavallini M 1, Biscarini F. 2, Gomez-Segura J. 3, Ruiz D. 4, and Veciana J. 5
Controlling materials on multiple length scales is one of the most compelling issues in nanotechnology research today. Here we demonstrate that arrays of nanometer-sized aggregates, each made of a few hundred single-molecule magnets derived from Mn12 complexes, can be patterned on large areas by self-organization assisted by stamps on a surface in a dewetting regime. The large length scale is imposed by the motif of the stamp protrusions, and the smaller length scales, viz., the size and distance of the molecular aggregates, are controlled by deposition and growth phenomena occurring in a volume confined beneath the protrusions by capillary forces. The method is general to a variety of molecular materials and substrates because repulsive, as opposed to specific, interactions are required. Our result hints at the possibility of sustainable patterning of single-molecule magnets for ultra-high-density magnetic storage and quantum computing.
1981, Articolo in rivista, ENG
T. H. Ellis, S. Iannotta, G. Scoles, and U. Valbusa