A seasonal longitudinal survey of adult mosquitoes is underway at a newly renovated, residential park. The total area of the woodland park is 24 acres. The park is separated into two distinct sections: one is an open area with playground equipment, picnic tables, open shelters, a small conference center, exhibits, wetland ponds, and concrete walking paths with benches; the other is a preserved forest with nature and hiking trails. The mosquito survey was initiated in summer 2011. We use Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps baited with CO2 to collect mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are collected in the open area near the preserved forest in each of the four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. Meteorological data also are recorded during each trap night. The predominant species collected in a trap night (i.e. >50 mosquitoes) were Aedes taeniorhynchus, Ae. vexans, Coquillettidia perturbans, Culex nigripalpus, Cx. salinarius, and Psorophora columbiae. Mansonia titillans and Uranotaenia spp. were collected only in the fall. Culiseta inornata and Coquillettidia perturbans were collected in the winter and spring, respectively. Information obtained in this study can be used to determine potential health risks associated with nuisance and disease vector mosquito species. Data from this study also will broaden our understanding of mosquito population dynamics. Studies such as this are excellent for introducing undergraduate students to field research.
1 Dept. of Biology and Health Sciences, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA; 2 Calcasieu Parish Mosquito and Rodent Control Dept., Lake Charles, LA
P28 • Taylor E. Patzwahl1, Joshua W. Campbell1, James Martin 2
Pollinating and Beneficial Insects Within Four Treatments of Switchgrass and Pine
Currently, corn is the main source of ethanol in the United States and ethanol demand is expected to increase in the coming years. However, due to high environmental costs of corn, scientists are looking towards alternative biofuel crops that are more ecologically friendly. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda) are two potential surrogates for biofuel production. Switchgrass produces more energy than it requires, emits less greenhouse gases, and can be grown on marginal land, leading to less competition of crop land for food production. Corn has also been shown to be detrimental to pollinating communities. The emphasis of my research is determining how pollinating/beneficial insect communities are affected by various switchgrass/pine treatments. Treatments included: (1 & 2) switchgrass intercropped with treatments of two different ages of pine, (3) monocultures of pine, (4) pine intercropped with native vegetation. Colored bowl traps (blue, yellow, white) were used to collect potential pollinators for each trapping period. Overall, different treatments attracted different genera of beneficial insects. At least 46 beneficial insect species were captured within our treatments. Ceratina strenua was the most prevalent bee found throughout the study followed by Lasioglossum spp. Both Ceratina and Lasioglossum depend on suitable nesting structure and some of our treatments may be providing the necessary structure. Dolichopodidae were found in significantly higher abundances within the pine monocultures. This may reflect an increase of prey items (e.g. aphids and other soft-bodied insects) exacerbated by the monoculture.
1 High Point University; 2 Mississippi State University
P29 • Rachel Pollard1, Trip Lamb1, Jason E. Bond2
Genetic Variation Corroborates Subspecific Delimitation in the Namib Fog-Basking Beetle, Onymacris unguicularis (Tenebrionidae, Coleoptera)
The fog-basking beetle, Onymacris unguicularis, is currently listed as a polytypic form comprising two subspecies. A flightless substrate specialist, the beetle is endemic to vegetationless dunes in Africa’s Namib Desert, where southern populations constitute the nominate subspecies, O. u. unguicularis, and populations some 300 km to the north compose O. u. schulzeae. Their taxonomic descriptions are based on minor differences in pronotal and prosternal shape, and the phylogenetic validity of these subspecies has yet to be ascertained. Here we reassess the polytypic status of O. unguicularis by (1) examining diagnostic phenotypic characters in conjunction with a geometric morphometric analysis, and (2) conducting phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences. Our results confirm pronotal and prosternal differences, which are complemented by geometric morphometric resolution of the subspecies. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences recovered two reciprocally monophyletic lineages that exhibit perfect phylogeographic congruence with phenotypic variation. These genetic data identify southern and northern populations as distinct lineages, corroborate morphometric data regarding subspecific delimitation, and therefore support the recognition of O. u. unguicularis and O. u. schulzeae as valid taxa under the general lineage concept.
1 Dept of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC; 2 Dept of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
P30 • Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, Andrea L. Rodriguez
