scholarly journals Cuticular hydrocarbons for identifying Sarcophagidae (Diptera)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah E. Moore ◽  
Martin J. R. Hall ◽  
Falko P. Drijfhout ◽  
Robert B. Cody ◽  
Daniel Whitmore
Keyword(s):  
Cuticular Hydrocarbons ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
History Museum ◽  
Chemical Profiles ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Flesh Flies ◽  
Eleven Species

AbstractThe composition and quantity of insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) can be species-specific as well as sexually dimorphic within species. CHC analysis has been previously used for identification and ageing purposes for several insect orders including true flies (Diptera). Here, we analysed the CHC chemical profiles of adult males and females of eleven species of flesh flies belonging to the genus Sarcophaga Meigen (Sarcophagidae), namely Sarcophaga africa (Wiedemann), S. agnata Rondani, S. argyrostoma Robineau-Desvoidy, S. carnaria (Linnaeus), S. crassipalpis Macquart, S. melanura Meigen, S. pumila Meigen, S. teretirostris Pandellé, S. subvicina Rohdendorf, S. vagans Meigen and S. variegata (Scopoli). Cuticular hydrocarbons extracted from pinned specimens from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London using a customised extraction technique were analysed using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry. Time of preservation prior to extraction ranged between a few weeks to over one hundred years. CHC profiles (1) allowed reliable identification of a large majority of specimens, (2) differed between males and females of the same species, (3) reliably associated males and females of the same species, provided sufficient replicates (up to 10) of each sex were analysed, and (4) identified specimens preserved for up to over one hundred years prior to extraction.

scholarly journals Species-specific morphological characteristics of adult and embryonic Capillariа obsignata roundworms (Nematoda, Capillariidae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. A. Yevstafyeva ◽  
V. V. Stybel ◽  
T. A. Sharavara ◽  
V. V. Melnychuk ◽  
I. О. Yasnolob ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Meristic Characters ◽  
Morphometric Characters ◽  
Nematode Eggs ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Shape And Size

The abundance of Capillaria obsignata Madsen, 1945, the causative agent of chicken capillariasis, was studied in the central region of Ukraine. Differential morphometric characters are determined for adult males and females of C. obsignata. The species-specific variability of its morphological parameters is characterized. New data is received on the meristic characters of C. obsignata eggs extracted from different substrates. The stages of embryonic development are determined in laboratory cultures of these nematodes, taking into account their meristic and morphological changes. Capillaria obsignata parasites are very common at the poultry farms of Poltava and Kyiv regions of Ukraine. Their abundance index is 3.4, and the intensity of infection varies from 3 to 317 specimens. Differential morphometric species-specific characters of adult C. obsignata males are the shape and size of the pseudobursa, spicule, spicule sheath. Adult females of the species can be identified by the shape and size of the vulva, the distance from the esophagus end to the vulva, and the length of the vagina. The meristic characters of nematode eggs, though typical for the species, may change depending on the sampled substrate. The parasite’s embryonic development involves five morphologically and meristically different stages. The invasive larvae of this species developed in the eggs before the 12th day of culturing in laboratory conditions at 25 °С. The invasive larvae’s viability was 90.3 ± 1.5%.

scholarly journals High rates of evolution preceded shifts to sex-biased gene expression in Leucadendron, the most sexually dimorphic angiosperms

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias Scharmann ◽  
Anthony G Rebelo ◽  
John R Pannell
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Sex Bias ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Rates Of Evolution ◽  
Expression Evolution ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractThe males and females of many dioecious plants differ in morphological (Dawson and Geber 1999; Barrett and Hough 2013; Tonnabel et al. 2017), physiological (Juvany and Munné-Bosch 2015), life-history (Delph 1999), and defence traits (Cornelissen and Stiling 2005). Ultimately, such sexual dimorphism must largely be due to differential gene expression between the sexes (Ellegren and Parsch 2007), but little is known about how sex-biased genes are recruited and how their expression evolves over time. We measured gene expression in leaves of males and females of ten species sampled across the South African Cape genus Leucadendron, which shows repeated changes in sexual dimorphism and includes the most extreme differences between males and females in flowering plants (Midgley 2010; Barrett and Hough 2013; Tonnabel et al. 2014). Even in the most dimorphic species in our sample, fewer than 2% of genes showed sex-biased gene expression (SBGE) in vegetative tissue, with surprisingly little correspondence between SBGE and vegetative dimorphism across species. The identity of sex-biased genes in Leucadendron was highly species-specific, with a rapid turnover among species. In animals, sex-biased genes often evolve more quickly than unbiased genes in their sequences and expression levels (Ranz et al. 2003; Khaitovich et al. 2005; Ellegren and Parsch 2007; Voolstra et al. 2007; Harrison et al. 2015; Naqvi et al. 2019), consistent with hypotheses invoking rapid evolution due to sexual selection. Our phylogenetic analysis in Leucadendron, however, clearly indicates that sex-biased genes are recruited from a class of genes with ancestrally rapid rates of expression evolution, perhaps due to low evolutionary or pleiotropic constraints. Nevertheless, we also find evidence for adaptive evolution of expression levels once sex bias evolves. Thus, although the expression of sex-biased genes is ultimately responsive to selection, high rates of expression evolution might usually predate the evolution of sex bias.

Factors influencing the diving behaviour of fish-eating killer whales: sex differences and diel and interannual variation in diving rates

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin W Baird ◽  
M Bradley Hanson ◽  
Lawrence M Dill
Keyword(s):  
Diving Behaviour ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Killer Whales ◽  
Suction Cup ◽  
Term Change ◽  
Inshore Waters ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Long Timescales

Diving behaviour of air-breathing vertebrates may be influenced by a variety of factors including age, body size, and changes in prey behaviour and (or) abundance over both short and long timescales. We studied the diving behaviour of a highly sexually dimorphic odontocete cetacean, the killer whale, Orcinus orca (L., 1758), using suction-cup-attached time-depth recorders (TDRs). We tested the hypotheses that dive rates (no. of dives/h greater than or equal to specific depths) of fish-eating killer whales varied between males and females, with age, between day and night, and among pods and years. Data were used from 34 TDR deployments between 1993 and 2002 in the inshore waters of southern British Columbia, Canada, and Washington, USA. Dive rates did not change with age or differ among pods or between males and females, although analyses restricted to adults showed that adult males dove deep significantly more frequently than adult females during the day. For all whales, dive rates and swim speeds were greater during the day than at night, suggesting decreased activity levels at night. Dive rates to deeper depths during the day decreased over the study, suggesting a long-term change in prey behaviour or abundance, though uncertainty regarding the diet of this population precludes determination of the cause of such changes.

scholarly journals Key to adult flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) of the British Isles

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Whitmore ◽  
Steen Dupont ◽  
Steven Falk
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Natural History Museum ◽  
External Morphology ◽  
Identification Accuracy ◽  
British Isles ◽  
Ecological Studies ◽  
History Museum ◽  
Diagnostic Characters ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Flesh Flies

We present a key for the identification of males and females of 62 species of flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) occurring in the British Isles, following the addition of several species to the British and Irish checklists in the last few years. Footnotes with characters for identification are given for an additional two (2) recently discovered species still awaiting publication, whereas a third species, Sarcophaga (Liosarcophaga) tibialis Macquart, 1851, known only from a single record from the 1970s, is not included. The key is based on the study of approximately 10,000 specimens held in the research collections of the Natural History Museum, London and is supplemented by colour photographs of diagnostic characters. The key allows for the identification of all males and 88% of females, the latter without the need for any special preparation or dissection of specimens. Emphasis is placed on characters of the external morphology not requiring a full dissection of the specimens, with the objective of maximising identification accuracy and reaching a wider user base for application in ecological studies, biological recording and forensic investigations.

scholarly journals Prenatal testosterone exposure is related to sexually dimorphic facial morphology in adulthood

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1816) ◽  
pp. 20151351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. O. Whitehouse ◽  
Syed Zulqarnain Gilani ◽  
Faisal Shafait ◽  
Ajmal Mian ◽  
Diana Weiting Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Facial Morphology ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Prenatal Testosterone ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Facial Images

Prenatal testosterone may have a powerful masculinizing effect on postnatal physical characteristics. However, no study has directly tested this hypothesis. Here, we report a 20-year follow-up study that measured testosterone concentrations from the umbilical cord blood of 97 male and 86 female newborns, and procured three-dimensional facial images on these participants in adulthood (range: 21–24 years). Twenty-three Euclidean and geodesic distances were measured from the facial images and an algorithm identified a set of six distances that most effectively distinguished adult males from females. From these distances, a ‘gender score’ was calculated for each face, indicating the degree of masculinity or femininity. Higher cord testosterone levels were associated with masculinized facial features when males and females were analysed together ( n = 183; r = −0.59), as well as when males ( n = 86; r = −0.55) and females ( n = 97; r = −0.48) were examined separately ( p -values < 0.001). The relationships remained significant and substantial after adjusting for potentially confounding variables. Adult circulating testosterone concentrations were available for males but showed no statistically significant relationship with gendered facial morphology ( n = 85, r = 0.01, p = 0.93). This study provides the first direct evidence of a link between prenatal testosterone exposure and human facial structure.

scholarly journals Electrophysiological Responses of Bactrocera kraussi (Hardy) (Tephritidae) to Rectal Gland Secretions and Headspace Volatiles Emitted by Conspecific Males and Females

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (16) ◽  
pp. 5024
Author(s):  
Sally Noushini ◽  
Soo Jean Park ◽  
Jeanneth Perez ◽  
Danielle Holgate ◽  
Vivian Mendez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Chromatography ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Rectal Gland ◽  
Headspace Volatiles ◽  
Electrophysiological Responses ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Chemical Profiles ◽  
Rectal Glands ◽  
Males And Females

Pheromones are biologically important in fruit fly mating systems, and also have potential applications as attractants or mating disrupters for pest management. Bactrocera kraussi (Hardy) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a polyphagous pest fruit fly for which the chemical profile of rectal glands is available for males but not for females. There have been no studies of the volatile emissions of either sex or of electrophysiological responses to these compounds. The present study (i) establishes the chemical profiles of rectal gland contents and volatiles emitted by both sexes of B. kraussi by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and (ii) evaluates the detection of the identified compounds by gas chromatography–electroantennogram detection (GC–EAD) and –electropalpogram detection (GC–EPD). Sixteen compounds are identified in the rectal glands of male B. kraussi and 29 compounds are identified in the rectal glands of females. Of these compounds, 5 were detected in the headspace of males and 13 were detected in the headspace of females. GC–EPD assays recorded strong signals in both sexes against (E,E)-2,8-dimethyl-1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane, 2-ethyl-7-mehtyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane isomer 2, (E,Z)/(Z,E)-2,8-dimethyl-1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane, and (Z,Z)-2,8-dimethyl-1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane. Male antennae responded to (E,E)-2,8-dimethyl-1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane, 2-methyl-6-pentyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran, 6-hexyl-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran, 6-oxononan-1-ol, ethyl dodecanoate, ethyl tetradecanoate and ethyl (Z)-hexadec-9-enoate, whereas female antennae responded to (E,E)-2,8-dimethyl-1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane and 2-methyl-6-pentyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran only. These compounds are candidates as pheromones mediating sexual interactions in B. kraussi.

Size-At-Age Variability and Sexual Dimorphism of Morphometric Characteristics in the Late Ontogenesis of the Marsh Frog, Pelophylax Ridibundus (Anura, Ranidae), from Terrytory of Crimea

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-334
Author(s):  
V. N. Peskov ◽  
N. A. Petrenko ◽  
V. Yu. Reminnyi
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
The Body ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Morphometric Characteristics ◽  
Morphometric Characters ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Marsh Frog ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Size At Age ◽  
Linear Body

Abstract We study size-at-age and sexual variability of morphometric characteristics of the marsh frog. According to the size of the body, males were divided into three size-age groups (juvenis, subadultus, adultus), females — into four groups (juvenis, subadultus, adultus, adultus-I). We found that the chronological age of frogs (skeletochronology) does not always correspond to their biological age (size and proportions of the body). We noted that the semi-adult males are reliably larger than females by mean values of 26 studied morphometric characters. Males and females of “adultus” group do not differ by linear body size, significant differences were found in body proportions (7 characters). For the females of “adultus-I” group, the mean values of 26 characters are significantly larger than for “adultus” males. The results of our study showed that with the age of the marsh frog, the level of exhibition, directionality and structure of morphometric sex differences changes.

scholarly journals Sex Difference in Self-Reported Sexual Functioning Among Frail Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 313-313
Author(s):  
Brianne Olivieri-Mui ◽  
Sandra Shi ◽  
Ellen McCarthy ◽  
Dae Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Sexual Function ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Sexual Functioning ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Males And Females

Abstract Frailty may differentially impact how older adult males and females perceive sexual functioning, an important part of well-being. We assessed the level of frailty (robust, pre-frail, frail) for anyone with data on 11 sexual functioning questions asked in wave 2 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, 2010-2011 (n=2060). Questions covered five domains: overall sexual function (OSF), sexual function anxiety (SFA), changes in sexual function (CSF), erectile/vaginal dysfunction (EVD), and masturbation. Logistic regression identified sex differences in frailty and reporting worse sexual functioning. Linear regression predicted the number of domains reported as worse. Among males (n=1057), pre-frailty meant higher odds of reporting SFA (OR 1.8 95%CI 1.2-6.6), CSF (OR 1.7 95%CI 1.1-2.7), and EVD (OR 1.5 95%CI 1.0-2.2). Among females (n=1003), there was no difference in reporting by frailty. Females were more likely to report worse OSF (Robust: OR 7.4, 95%CI 4.8-11.4; Pre-frail: OR 6.2, 95%CI 3.9-9.9; Frail: OR 3.4 95%CI 1.7-6.6), but less likely to report SFA (Robust OR .3, 95%CI .2-.5; Pre-frail OR .2, 95%CI .1-.3; Frail OR .2 95%CI .1-.3). Pre-frail and frail females reported fewer domains as worse (Pre-frail coefficient -0.21 SE 0.09, Frail -0.43 SE 0.14). As frailty worsened, males reported more domains as worse (Pre-frail 0.24 SE 0.07, Frail 0.29 SE 0.08). Self-reported sexual functioning differs by sex at all levels of frailty, and reporting by males, but not females, changes with frailty. Providers should be aware that sexual functioning is of importance to both sexes despite varying degrees of frailty.

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