Source: LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to
SYSTEMATICS RESEARCH IN THE LOUISIANA STATE ARTHROPOD MUSEUM (LSAM)
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0216587
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
LAB93943
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2008
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2013
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Carlton, C.
Recipient Organization
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
202 HIMES HALL
BATON ROUGE,LA 70803-0100
Performing Department
Entomology
Non Technical Summary
Identification insect and related arthropod pests, including newly introduced species, is a critical first step in risk assessment and determining the need for quarantine procedures and new management strategies. The same technologies that serve the needs of collection based systematic research projects also serve the agricultural community by providing an information infrastructure for tracking and documenting pest species distributions, and predicting ecological associations in new areas of occurrence. Even in well studied areas such as eastern U.S., species that turn out to be new to science are discovered. In these cases the species' relationships, as determined through taxonomic study, are useful in predicting biological associations, including host plants and other aspects of natural history. This project will provide essential support roles to agricultural scientists by providing technical expertise for identifying species from difficult species complexes (e.g., Mexican rice borer) or novel technical descriptions of undescribed life history stages (e.g., first description of first instar larvae of the important biocontrol lady beetle, Diomus terminatus). All of these types of studies involve investigations of life histories that are key to understanding potential risks and benefits of new or inadequately studied species. Inventory research under this project will enhance understanding of ecological associations in forested and coastal ecosystems of the southeastern U.S. Specific area of investigation include beetles associated with dead wood substrates in Louisiana and the southern Appalacian Mountains, beetles of Great Smoky Mountians National Park, and insects associated with Spartina grass marshlands in coastal Louisiana. These studies will provide useful baseline data for understanding the value of dead wood in these forests and the potential impacts of insects on management of Spartina in coastal restoration initiatives. Specialized systematic research under this project will provide training to a new generation of insect systematists and document novel findings about the global diversity of inadequately studied insect taxa, their phylogenetic relationships, and historical biogeography.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1233110107010%
1233110113010%
1363110107020%
1363110113040%
2163110113010%
7213110113010%
Knowledge Area
123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources; 136 - Conservation of Biological Diversity; 721 - Insects and Other Pests Affecting Humans; 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
3110 - Insects;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology; 1130 - Entomology and acarology;
Goals / Objectives
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 1. Implement an entomological database and provide museum and web-based taxonomy services to the scientific community and citizens of Louisiana. Outputs under this objective. A. Identification services. B. Support for efforts to intercept and identify introduced insect pests. C. Increased value of the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM) as the repository for specimens of arthropods of agricultural significance in Louisiana. D. Searchable database of species occurring in Louisiana. 2. Conduct surveys focusing on beetle diversity in Louisiana and southeastern region. Outputs under this objective. A. Descriptive and entomological surveys of natural habitats in Louisiana. B. Species checklists for Louisiana and Southeastern U.S. C. Species descriptions, distributional records, and information about ecology within target taxa. 3. Conduct systematics studies within selected beetle families. Outputs under this objective. A. Revisionary and phylogenetic studies within the beetle families Staphylinidae and Phalacridae. B. Globally significant museum holdings of focal taxa.
Project Methods
Objective 1 methods. Identifications of insects and related arthropods will be accomplished using available identification keys, confirmed through direct comparison to specimens in the LSAM. When specimens are identified that are not represented, examples will be deposited for future reference and given priority for databasing. In the event that resources are not available to identify specimens, they will be sent to cooperating specialists elsewhere in the country or to the USDA's insect identification laboratory. In cases where potentially damaging newly recorded species are involved, LSAM staff will follow-up the identification with inquiries to determine the circumstances and obtain additional material for preservation. Databasing activities will be conducted using Specify, a natural history software system developed at the University of Kansas. Data posted to the system will be integrated into a global information storage and retrieval system of specimen level information. Pest species and other species of human concern will be photographed using a photomontage imaging microscope. Objective 2 methods. Insect inventories will include general collecting techniques including flight intercept traps, litter extraction, light traps, pitfall traps, and direct hand collecting. Specialized methods focused on particular taxa (e.g., beetles) and microhabitats (e.g., dead wood) will include rearing chambers and emergence traps. Detailed locality data, including GIS coordinates, host and microhabitat relationships will be recorded and included on specimen labels and the Specify database. Methods under objective 3. Standard sample processing techniques will be used to sort, identify, and archive specimens used in systematic research projects. Phylogenetic analysis will use morphological characters coded into an in-group and out-group taxa matrix. Trees will be generated using PAUP and similar computer programs. Molecular analysis will be conducted using enzyme extraction or maceration to obtain DNA, followed by PCR amplification, sequencing, alignment, and analysis using maximum likelihood and parsimony. Integration with morphological data using Bayesian analysis will be used to generate consensus total evidence trees that will be compared with individual molecular and morphology based trees to generate phylogenetic hypotheses of relationships. Research under this project will enhance public knowledge of entomological diversity in the southcentral U.S. through rapid access to museum based taxonomic and natural history information. Practitioners of applied entomology will receive critical information about the identities of potential pest and invasive species that will enhance their abilities to make rapid, appropriate decisions about management and quarantine. Evaluations will be based on the level of public use and outcomes of decisions based on the services provided by the LSAM. Direct feedback from the public and increased collaboration with partner organizations and scientists is highly valued in assessing success of our service efforts.

Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Scientists: taxonomists and systematists, especially beetle specialists; conservation biologists; biogeographers; ecologists; economic and/or commodity oriented entomologists; other AgCenter research and extension faculty. Private citizens: amateur insect collectors and natural history enthusiasts; curious and/or concerned citizens. Private service providers: pest control operators; horticulturists and landscapers. Government agencies: USDA quarantine and pest monitoring personnel; U.S. National Park Service; Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; Louisiana Department of Agriculture. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Mentoring of one undergraduate Howard Hughes Fellowship recipient (museum intern program at LSAM, plus summer program at Frost Entomological Museum, Penn State University). Training of three graduate students, two Masters, one Ph.D. Numerous citizen scientists trained during the Jean Lafitte Bioblitz. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Information about service and research conducted at the LSAM was disseminated to the general public via presentations during the AgCenter’s AgMagic Exhibition, through public presentations at “Insect Day at the Arboretum” at Chicot State Park, and the Bioblitz at Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve. Dissemination via the Internet was accomplished through articles and instructional webpages posted on the LSUAgCenter.com and LSUinsects.org websites. Identifications and diagnostic assessments were delivered directly to citizens or via county agents, faculty, and other intermediaries by email, phone, or face to face. Research results were published in refereed journals and via presentations at annual and branch meetings of the Entomological Society of America. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A. Identification and diagnostic service activities. 1. Number of public citizen diagnostic cases: approximately 150. 2. Species risk assessments for Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (i.e., background research to document bionomics, potential status as pests, and potential survival in southern U.S.): 120. 3. Research identifications (specimens/species, approximate): 210/15 for USDA Forest Service (primarily Buprestidae as part of the Cerceris wasp monitoring project) and 931/446 U. S. National Park Service (Jean Lafitte Bioblitz and T. Schowalter samples). The Louisiana State Arthropod Museum Staff provide basic taxonomic services to the citizens of Louisiana and provide risk assessment and invasive pest monitoring and inventory for professional entomologists, research and extension faculty, regulatory agents, and academic colleagues. We also conduct biodiversity inventories on various natural landscapes in the region. B. Publications and presentations. 1. Refereed journal articles: 4. 2. Other publications: 1. 3. Theses/dissertations completed: 1. 4. Presentations at professional meetings: 7. 5. Presentations at outreach activities: 3. 6. Formal descriptions of species new to science: 18. C. Online LSAM database specimen records (cumulative). 1. Online spider database : 1630 records. 2. Online insect database: 157,000 records. 3. Images: 6404 images (viahttp://www.flickr.com/photos/12666884@N00/collections/72157631890441830/). D. Systematic revisions. 1. Revision of the genus Stenosagola. 2. Revision of the supertribe Faronitae of New Zealand (completed dissertation research, refereed publications pending). E. Initiation of insect biodiversity survey of Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2013 Citation: Ferro, M. L., N. H. Nguyen, A. Tishechkin, J.-S. Park, V. L. Bayless, and C. E. Carlton. 2013. Coleoptera collected from rotting fishhook barrel cacti (Ferocactus wislizeni (Engelm.) Britton and Rose), with a review of Nearctic Coleoptera associated with succulent necrosis. Coleop. Bull.: in press.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2014 Citation: Lord, N. P., C. E. Carlton, and R. A. B. Leschen. 2014. A new species of Leptochromus Motschulsky from Costa Rica (Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae: Mastigitae: Clidicini), with notes on biology. Coleop. Bull: in press.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2014 Citation: Olatinwo, Rabiu, J. Allison, J. Meeker, W. Johnson, D. Streett, C. Aime, and C. Carlton. 2013. Detection and identification of Amylostereum areolatum (Russulales: Amylostereaceae) in the mycangia of Sirex nigricornis (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) in central Louisiana. Environ. Entomol. 42: in press.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Park, J.-S., and C. E. Carlton. 2013. Revision of the New Zealand genus Stenosagola (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Faronitae). Coleop. Bull. 67: 225-259.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Carlton, C. E., and B. Adams. 2013. The search for an alternative commercial cricket for the U. S. industry. Louisiana Agriculture 56: online at: http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/communications/publications/agmag/Archive/2013/Summer/The-Search-for-an-Alternative-Commercial-Cricket-for-the-US-Industry.htm
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Park, J.-S. 2013. Taxonomy and systematics of New Zealand Faronitae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). Doctoral Dissertation, Louisiana State University. 443 pp.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Carlton, C. E., and V. L. Bayless. 2013. Organization for Tropical Studies specialty course in Coleoptera in Costa Rica and resulting new discoveries. Poster presentation. Southeastern Branch Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Ferro, M. L., and C. E. Carlton. 2013. Several new species of Sonoma and a phylogenetic analysis of the genus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). Poster presentation. Southeastern Branch Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Park, J.-S., and C. E. Carlton. 2013. A new genus of pselaphine staphylinid beetles from New Zealand (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). Poster presentation. Southeastern Branch Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Reily, B. M. L. Ferro, P. Newell, and C. E. Carlton. 2013. Canopy Coleoptera of two Louisiana ecoregions. Undergraduate poster presentation. Southeastern Branch Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Owens, B. E., C. E. Carlton, and M. L. Ferro. 2013. Berlese vs Winkler: assessing the relative effectiveness of two methods used to extract arthropods from organic litter samples. Poster presentation. Southeastern Branch Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Ferro, M. L., N. H. Nguyen, A. Tishechkin, J.-S. Park, V. L. Bayless, and C. E. Carlton. 2013. Coleoptera collected from rotting fishhook barrel cacti (Ferocactus wislizeni (Engelm.) Britton and Rose), with a review of Nearctic Coleoptera associated with succulent necrosis. Oral presentation. Annual Meeting, Entomological Society of America, Austin, TX.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Bayless, V. L. 2013. Annual Meeting of the Coleopterists Society. Annual Meeting, Entomological Society of America, Austin, TX.


Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: A. Number of public citizen diagnostic cases: 102. Number of previously unrecorded species documented for Louisiana: 4. Research identifications (specimens/species, approximate): 7500/108 total; 800/28 for USDA Forest Service (primarily Buprestidae as part of the Cerceris wasp monitoring project) and 6700/80 Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality baseline waterways inventory. B. Publications and presentations. Refereed journal articles: 8. Other publications (trade article): 1. Presentations at professional meetings: 3. Presentations at outreach activities: 3. Formal descriptions of species new to science: 2. C. Online LSAM database. Spider database : 1630 records. Insect database: 137,000 records. Image database: 400 images. Information about service and research conducted at the LSAM was disseminated to the general public via presentations during the AgCenter's AgMagic annual event and through public presentations at "Insect Day at the Arboretum" at Chicot State Park, LSU Hilltop Arboretum, and Great Smoky Mountains Tremont Institute. Dissemination via the Internet was accomplished through articles and instructional webpages posted on the LSUAgCenter.com and LSUinsects.org websites. PARTICIPANTS: Christopher E. Carlton (PI), Victoria Bayless, Michael Ferro, Jong-Seok Park, Brittany Owens, LSU Agcenter. Research Assistant Organizations: Tremont Institute, private foundation run educational institute at Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Discover Life in America, Inc, non-profit organization; U.S. National Park Service; Louisiana State Parks; U.S. National Science Foundation. Collaborators and Contacts: Matthew Gimmel, Richard Leschen, Julia Sokolova, William White, USDA; and Igor Sokolov. TARGET AUDIENCES: Scientists: taxonomists and systematists, especially beetle specialists; conservation biologists; biogeographers; ecologists; economic and/or commodity oriented entomologists; other AgCenter research and extension faculty. Private citizens: amateur insect collectors and natural history enthusiasts; curious and/or concerned citizens. Private service providers: pest control operators; horticulturists and landscapers. Government agencies: USDA quarantine and pest monitoring personnel; U.S. National Park Service; Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; Louisiana Department of Agriculture. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Insect identification and diagnostic services provided by the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM) fill the gap between the specialized field of entomological systematics and stakeholders' needs for practical information about insect diversity, life history, and potential impacts on human affairs. For the second year in a row, there was a case where red flour beetles had been misidentified as powderpost beetles, nearly resulting in unnecessary fumigation of a house. An increased number of inquiries about possible bedbug infestations mirrors the increased media attention to this problem nationwide. To date, all cases in which specimens were submitted from single family dwellings have been negative. One case was documented of a minute fungus feeding latridiid beetle, (Eufallia seminevus), biting an individual in their home. It has a documented history of biting humans and causing distress despite being only one millimeter long and feeding on fungal spores and hyphae. Research on the use of Cerceris fumipennis wasps, which specialize on buprestid beetles, to monitor for possible infestations of the emerald ash borer in Louisiana resulted in a second year of survey results. These included approximately 800 specimens representing 28 species of buprestids, including three additional new state records. Anecdotal mark and recapture data on individual wasps suggests at least short term fidelity to individual buprestid species, and this will be investigated more thoroughly. Research in the ecology of dead wood as a resource for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem health has resulted in one of the largest dead wood succession studies ever conducted in North America. An emergence study was conducted in Great Smoky Mountains National Park spanning two years duration and examining a wide range of size and decay classes of course woody debris. Results supported a hypothesis that late stage rotted wood harbors a distinct, unique fauna of beetles that are not simply a limited subset of species occurring in adjacent leaf litter in forests or earlier decay classes of woody debris. Optimizing overall beetle diversity in managed forests requires conserving large volumes of late stage rotted wood as part of the ground cover management plan. Methodological comparisons conducted as part of this research program suggested that indirect sampling techniques are not adequate surrogates for direct sampling of dead wood habitats utilizing long term rearing studies. Specialized taxonomic work on the staphylinid subfamily Pselaphinae resulted in the first documentation of true beetle troglobites specialized to life in deep subterranean habitats in caves of northern Arkansas. This region has a well document cave invertebrate fauna, but until now, no beetles were known from these cave systems.

Publications

  • Ferro, M. L., M. L. Gimmel, K. E. Harms, and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Comparison of Coleoptera emergent from various decay classes of downed coarse woody debris in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Insecta Mundi 260: 1-80.
  • Ferro, M. L., M. L. Gimmel, K. E. Harms, and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Comparison of three collection techniques for capture of Coleoptera, with an emphasis on saproxylic species, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Insecta Mundi 261: 1-31.
  • Klepzig, K. D., M. L. Ferro, M. D. Ulyshen, M. L. Gimmel, J. B. Mahfouz, A. E. Tiarks, and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Effects of Small-Scale Dead Wood Additions on Beetles in Southeastern U.S. Pine Forests. Forests 3: 632-652.
  • Gimmel, M. L., C. E. Carlton, and W. H. White. 2012. Polymorphism in Languria taedata LeConte, its occurrence in coastal Louisiana Spartina marshes, and clarification of some Motschulsky languriine types (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Languriinae). Zootaxa 3237: 24-34.
  • Sokolov, I. M., and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Brazilian species of Anillinus and their relation to North American representatives of the genus (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 66: 245-249.
  • White, W. B., and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Rootstock weevils: out of sight, out of mind, or emerging pests Sugar Journal, June, 2012: 28-29.
  • Carlton, C. E. 2012. First Records of Troglobitic Beetles from Arkansas: Two New Species of Speleochus Park, and Synonymy of Subterrochus Park with Speleochus (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Bythinini). The Coleopterists Bulletin 66: 166-176.
  • Ferro, M. L., M. L. Gimmel, K. E. Harms, and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Comparison of the Coleoptera communities in leaf litter and rotten wood in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Insecta Mundi 259: 1-58.


Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: A. Identification and diagnostic service activities for the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM): 75 cases handled (approximate), 11 previously unrecorded species documented for Louisiana, 1 new family documented for Louisiana, identifications (specimens/species, approximate): 4000/600, mainly for USDA Forest Service. B. Publications and presentations: 6 refereed journal articles, 6 presentations at professional meetings, 4 presentations at outreach activities, 3 formal descriptions of species new to science. C. Online LSAM database 1617 online spider database records, 122,000 online insect database records, 373 images in database. Information about service and research conducted at the LSAM was disseminated to the general public via presentations during the AgCenter's AgMagic annual event and through public presentations at "Insect Day at the Arboretum" at Chicot State Park, LA and evening events at Baton Rouge's Bluebonnet Nature Park. Dissemination via the Internet was accomplished through articles and instructional webpages posted on the LSUAgCenter.com and LSUinsects.org websites. Information about the LSAM was widely distributed via print and online media through articles and video documentation. PARTICIPANTS: Christopher E. Carlton, (PI), Victoria Bayless, Stephanie Gil, Igor Sokolov, Michael Ferro, Matthew Gimmel, Jong-Seok Park, Eugene Reagan and Natalie Hummel, LSU AgCenter; Organizations: Discover Life in America, Inc, non-profit organization; U.S. National Park Service. U.S. National Science Foundation. Richard Leschen. Publication and grant proposal collaborator. William White, USDA-ARS. TARGET AUDIENCES: Scientists: taxonomists and systematists, especially beetle specialists; conservation biologists; biogeographers; ecologists; economic and/or commodity oriented entomologists; other AgCenter research and extension faculty. Private citizens: amateur insect collectors and natural history enthusiasts; curious and/or concerned citizens. Private service providers: pest control operators; horticulturists and landscapers. Government agencies: USDA quarantine and pest monitoring personnel; U.S. National Park Service; Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; Louisiana Department of Agriculture. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Insect identification and diagnostic services provided by the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM) fill the gap between the specialized field of entomological systematics and stakeholders' needs for practical information about insect diversity, life history, and potential impacts on human affairs. Identification of red flour beetles that had been misidentified as powderpost beetles by a pest control operator prevented expensive and unnecessary fumigation. Identification of sap beetles inside a home was associated with the presence of a honey bee hive. The constant flow of agricultural and industrial products from exotic ports and large-scale production of subtropical crops insures that Louisiana will continue to be challenged by new and taxonomically difficult potential pests. The potential for intentional and malicious importation of exotic and highly destructive pests or vectors of animal or plant diseases adds an additional level of threat that could easily be implemented by bioterrorists. The rational first step in identifying and dealing with these threats is to have an effective early warning system in place, and the LSAM fills this role. Contributions to the morphology of previously unknown species and life stages (e.g., larval descriptions) provided novel data for studies of phylogenetic relationships among related taxa. This research allows more rigorous hypotheses of species relationships and improves predictions about how related pests or biological control prospects will perform under a given set of environmental circumstances. Specimens deposited in the LSAM constitute the library, and taxonomy experts are the gatekeepers for information and diagnostic assessment of potential pests and beneficial insects. Continued discoveries of new taxa are the result of the LSAM's involvement in research initiatives for Louisiana and elsewhere, including global studies of selected beetle families (Staphylinidae, Histeridae, Nitidulidae, and Phalacridae).

Publications

  • Ferro, M. L., and C. E. Carlton. 2011. A practical emergence chamber for collecting Coleoptera from rotting wood, with a review of emergence chamber designs to collect saproxylic insects. The Coleopterists Bulletin 65: 115-124.
  • Gimmel, M.L. 2011. World catalogue of Propalticidae, with a replacement name for Discogenia Kolbe (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea). Insecta Mundi 0155: 112.
  • Gimmel, M.L. 2011. Review of the species described in Leptostilbus Casey in North America (Coleoptera: Phalacridae: Xanthocomus Guillebeau). Insecta Mundi 188: 1-8.
  • Park, J.-S., and C. E. Carlton. 2011. Revision of the New Zealand Genus Exeirarthra (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Faronitae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 104: 1170-1182.
  • Park, J.-S., Y.-H. Kim, and K.-J. Ahn. 2011. Three staphylinid species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in South Korea. Entomological Research 41: 75-80.
  • Carlton, C. and V. Bayless. 2011. A case of Xylosandrus mutilatus (Blandford) females damaging plastic fuel storage containers in Louisiana (Curculionidae: Scolytinae: Xyleborini). The Coleopterists Bulletin 65: 290-291.


Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Insect diagnostic contributions included the first confirmation of the small hive beetle (Nitidulidae: Aethina tumida), a pest of honeybees, in Cuba as a results of information submitted by Dr. Horacio Grillo. The turkey gnat (Simulium meridionale) was identified as the species involved in an outbreak of blackflies that caused exsanguination deaths of wild and domestic birds in Louisiana. Approximately 20 specimens suspected to be bedbugs (Cimex lecticularis) were submitted for diagnosis. A single case was confirmed from an apartment complex, and none from single family residences. An unusual outbreak of insects was associated with the drawdown of Lake Bistineau (Boosier Parish). The insects, which were causing nuisance problems for homeowners, were identified as Ischnodemus praecultus (Hemiptera: Blissidae), an insect similar to chinch bug associated with semiaquatic vegetation. An infestation of unknown insects in a local hospital was identified as a mating flight of male ants of the genus Brachymyrmex sp. Voucher specimens of these species have been deposited in the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM) collection and will be included in the LSAM database internet portal currently under development with funding from a major biological infrastructure grant from the National Science Foundation. Also under this project approximately 10,000 alcohol preserved insect samples were recurated into archival quality storage facilities. Taxonomic support services were provided to other researchers for pest monitoring and identification, particularly for projects related to Colaspis beetles in rice and soybeans and Mexican rice borer in rice and sugarcane. A pilot project to assist cricket growers threated by cricket paralysis virus was initiated. Activities included identification and experimental rearing of locally occurring crickets, the tropical house cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) and southeastern field cricket (Gryllus rubens) as possible alternatives for commercial marketing. Twenty-three species of beetles new to science were described from Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and adjacent areas in southeastern United States, including 20 from the family Staphylinidae and three from Carabidae. Information about our research on beetle diversity was disseminated during presentations at Tremont Institute's annual high school science teacher workshop at GSMNP, through our contributions to the AgCenter's AgMagic exhibits, and through the second of our in-house bioblitz style insect collecting event, the Mad Dog Marathon. Results and significance of the later were presented to a national audience via an article for American Entomologist magazine. Ongoing LSAM projects were presented to the professional community via seven presentations (five posters and two talks) at the Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. The posters dealt with a checklist of elmid beetles of Missouri, scirtid beetles of Louisiana, systematics of the staphylinid beetle genus Exeirathra, a beetle emergence chamber design, and outreach activities. Oral presentations covered systematics of phalacrid beetle genera of the world and outreach activities. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals: Christopher E. Carlton, Project Director, NSF P.I. Victoria Bayless, Research Associate, Curator, NSF Co-P.I. Igor Sokolov, Collaborator. Julia Sokolova, Collaborator. Michael Ferro, Ph.D. Candidate. Matthew Gimmel, Ph.D. Candidate. Jong-Seok Park, Ph.D. Candidate. Organizations: Tremont Institute, private foundation run educational institute at Great Smoky Mountains National Park that hosts annual teacher workshops. Discover Life in America, Inc, non-profit organization. Serves as liaison with National Park Service, provides logistical and personnel support for events in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. U.S. National Park Service. Provides personnel support, specimen vouchering services, assists with field work, and provides permits for scientists working in national Parks. U.S. National Science Foundation. Provides funding. TARGET AUDIENCES: Scientists: taxonomists and systematists, especially beetle specialists; conservation biologists; biogeographers; ecologists; economic and/or commodity oriented entomologists; other AgCenter research and extension faculty. Private citizens: amateur insect collectors and natural history enthusiasts; curious and/or concerned citizens. Private service providers: pest control operators; horticulturists and landscapers. Government agencies: USDA quarantine and pest monitoring personnel; U.S. National Park Service; Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; Louisiana Department of Agriculture. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Insect taxonomic and diagnostic services provided by the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM) fill the gap between the specialized field of entomological systematics and stakeholders' needs for practical information about insect diversity, life history, and potential impacts on human affairs. The constant flow of agricultural and industrial products from exotic ports and large-scale production of subtropical crops ensures that Louisiana will continue to be challenged by new and taxonomically difficult potential pests. Global climate change virtually guarantees that some of these will emerge as serious, persistent pests. The potential for intentional and malicious importation of exotic and highly destructive pests or vectors of animal or plant diseases adds an additional level of threat that could easily be implemented by bioterrorists. The rational first step in identifying and dealing with these threats is to have an effective early warning system in place, and the LSAM fills this role insofar as non-marine arthropods are concerned. Examples of economic and human impacts of this year's contributions include preventing a hospital from embarking on an expensive and disruptive treatment campaign through identification of a relatively innocuous mating flight of ants, reassurances to numerous homeowners that they DO NOT have bedbugs, and correct identification of a nuisance, but not agricultural pest, insect species at Lake Bistineau that had been previously misidentified as chinch bugs, an agricultural pest. Our work with commercial cricket growers has the potential to contribute to the survival of a small but important niche industry that is current under acute threat from a rapidly spreading insect virus. The specimens deposited in the LSAM constitute the library, and the taxonomy experts are the gatekeepers for information and diagnostic assessment of potential pests and beneficial insects. Continued discoveries of new taxa are expected as a result of the LSAM's involvement in research initiatives in Louisiana and elsewhere, including global studies of selected beetle families (Staphylinidae, Nitidulidae, and Phalacridae).

Publications

  • Ferro, M. L., and C. E. Carlton. 2010. Fifteen new species of Sonoma Casey from the eastern United States and a description of the male of Sonoma tolulae (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). Insecta Mundi 137: 1-44.
  • Gimmel, M. L. 2010. Acanthinus argentinus (Pic) newly established in the southeastern United States (Coleoptera: Anthicidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 64: 94-95.
  • Gimmel, M. L. and P. Aston. 2010. New records of the family Phalacridae from Hong Kong (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea). Hong Kong Entomological Bulletin 2: 11-12.
  • Gimmel, M. L., and M . L. Ferro. 2010. To finish is to win: The first annual Louisiana State Arthropod Museum Mad Dog Marathon. American Entomologist 56: 74-77.
  • Hummel, N. A., T. Hardy, T. E. Reagan, D. Pollet, C. Carlton, M. J. Stout, J. M. Beuzelin, W. Akbar, and W. White. 2010. Monitoring and first discovery of the Mexican rice borer Eoreuma loftini (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Louisiana. Florida Entomologist 93: 123-124.
  • Jelinek, J., C. E. Carlton, A. R. Cline, and R. A. B. Leschen. 2010. Nitidulidae Latrielle. Pp 390-407 in: Handbook of Zoology, Volume IV, Arthropoda, Insecta, part 38 (R. A. B. Leschen and R. Beutel, eds.).
  • Leschen, R. A. B., M. L. Gimmel, and S. A. Slipinski. 2010. Cyclaxyridae. Pp 383-386 in: Handbook of Zoology, Volume IV, Arthropoda, Insecta, part 38 (R. A. B. Leschen and R. Beutel, eds.).
  • Lawrence, J. F., M. L. Gimmel, and W. E. Steiner. 2010. Phalacridae. Pp 368-374 in: Handbook of Zoology, Volume IV, Arthropoda, Insecta, part 38 (R. A. B. Leschen and R. Beutel, eds.).
  • Park, J.-S., and K.-J. Ahn. 2010. Taxonomic Notes on Aleochara (Aleochara) claviger (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae). Zookeys 60: 21-36.
  • Park, J.-S., C. E. Carlton, and M. L. Ferro. 2010. Review of Leptusa Kraatz (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A., with description of four new species. Zootaxa 2662: 1-27.
  • Sokolov, I. M., and C. E. Carlton. 2010. New species of Anillinus Casey (Carabidae: Trechinae: Bembidiini) from the Southern Appalachians and phylogeography of the A. loweae species group. Zootaxa 2502: 1-23.
  • Sokolova, Y. Y., I. M. Sokolov, and C. E. Carlton. 2010. New Microsporidia Parasitizing Bark Lice (Insecta: Psocoptera). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 104: 186-194.
  • Sokolova, J. Y., I. M. Sokolov, and C. E. Carlton. 2010. Identification of Nosema bombi Fantham and Porter 1914 (Microsporidia) in Bombus impatiens and B. sandersoni from Great Smoky Mountains National Park (USA). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 103: 71-73.
  • Carlton, C. E. 2010. A new species of Reichenbachia from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A. Coleopterists Bulletin 64: 39-41.


Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Weevil specimens collected in soybeans were confirmed as a new crop pest for Louisiana, the pea leaf weevil, Sitona lineatus. Research on two similar leaf beetles, Colaspis brunnea and C. louisianae, has revealed a previous undocumented dominance of C. louisianae in Louisiana rice and soybeans that contrasts with the apparent dominance of C. brunnea in other states. A webpage was developed to allow recognition of the two species. Sap beetle (Nitidulidae) identifications provided for the USDA contributed to a survey of the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida). The morphology of the larva of a ladybeetle predator, Diomus terminatus of sugarcane aphids was described. Voucher specimens of these species, including newly documented pests, have been deposited in the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM) collection for future identification and monitoring and have been included in the LSAM database for public dissemination via a searchable internet portal. In total, 206 cases of arthropod identifications and consultations were provided by LSAM staff, distributed among stakeholders as follows: researchers, extension staff, and graduate students, (n=94, 46%); private citizens and businesses, (n=65, 31%); federal and state government (USDA, National Park Service, etc.), (n=19, 9%); and other categories (teachers, medical practitioners, and outside the U.S.), (31, n=15%). Geographic origins of requests for these services included: Louisiana, (n=147, 71%); elsewhere in the U.S. (20 states), (n=53, 26%); and five other countries, (n=6, 3%). Two species new to science from Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) were described from the families Staphylinidae and Mycetophagidae. A value added outcome of the GSMNP project was the discovery of two new microsporidian parasites in members of the order Psocoptera (bark lice). This also represented a new host order for microsporidians. Related research confirmed the presence of the bumble bee microsporidian parasite, Nosema bombi, for the first time in wild bumblebee populations in North America. Information about our study of beetle diversity in GSMNP was disseminated during presentations at Tremont Institute's annual high school science teacher workshop, through our contributions to the AgCenter's AgMagic exhibits, and through reporting channels to the National Park Service. Results of our work in the GSMNP, including a continually updated species diversity list, are posted on the LSAM website. A new family of beetles, the Cyclaxyridae (shining sooty mold beetles), was described with collaborators in Australia and New Zealand. It includes two species that occur in New Zealand, one of which was also documented as new to science. The previously unknown larval and pupal stages of the Staphylinid beetle tribe Mayetini were described based on specimens of Mayetia pearsei. Contributions to insect ecology included an analysis of beetles associated with freshly detached twigs in Louisiana and a review of research on the topic. An analysis of beetle diversity in the GSMNP along an altitudinal gradient was included in a multi authored treatment of altitudinal gradients in other insect groups in the region. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals: Christopher E. Carlton, Project Director, P.I. Victoria Bayless, Research Associate, Curator Igor Sokolov, Postdoctoral Researcher Michael Ferro, Ph.D. Candidate, Research Assistant Mathew Gimmel, Ph.D. Candidate, Research Assistant Jong-Seok Park, Ph.D. Candidate, Research Assistant Organizations: Tremont Institute, private foundation run educational institute at Great Smoky Mountains National Park that hosts annual teacher workshops. Discover Life in America, Inc, non-profit organization. Serves as liaison with National Park Service, provides logistical and personnel support for events in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. U.S. National Park Service. Provides personnel support, specimen vouchering services, assists with field work, and provides permits for scientists working in national Parks. U.S. National Science Foundation. Provided funding. Collaborators and Contacts: Richard Leschen. Publication and grant proposal collaborator. Julia Sokolova. Molecular sequencing and analysis and publication collaborator. Eugene Reagan. Project Leader for Mexican rice borer work. Natalie Hummel. Extension faculty collaborator for rice and orchard crops. William White. USDA collaborator on lizard beetle work. TARGET AUDIENCES: Scientists: taxonomists and systematists, especially beetle specialists; conservation biologists; biogeographers; ecologists; economic and/or commodity oriented entomologists; other AgCenter research and extension faculty. Private citizens: amateur insect collectors and natural history enthusiasts; curious and/or concerned citizens. Private service providers: pest control operators; horticulturists and landscapers. Government agencies: USDA quarantine and pest monitoring personnel; U.S. National Park Service; Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; Louisiana Department of Agriculture. Services provided by LSAM staff provide fast, accurate identification and assessment of unknown organisms submitted as specimens or electronically as digital photographs and emails. New species descriptions or descriptions of new life stages expand the body of data available for ecological and/or biogeographic studies. Biodiversity data compiled for special use natural areas (e.g., national parks) provide data that resource management can use in designing plans to protect sensitive habitats and contribute to improved stewardship of endangered species and habitats in the U.S. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Insect diagnostic and consultative services provided by the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM) fill the gap between the specialized field of entomological systematics and stakeholders' needs for practical information about insect diversity, life history, and potential impacts on human affairs. The constant flow of agricultural and industrial products from exotic ports and large-scale production of subtropical crops ensures that Louisiana will continue to be challenged by new and taxonomically difficult potential pests. Global climate change virtually guarantees that some of these will emerge as serious, persistent pests. The potential for intentional and malicious importation of exotic and highly destructive pests or vectors of animal or plant diseases adds an additional level of threat that could easily be implemented by bioterrorists. The rational first step in identifying and dealing with these threats is to have an effective early warning system in place, and the LSAM fills this role insofar as non-marine arthropods are concerned. Contributions to the morphology of previously unknown species and life stages (e.g., larval descriptions) provides novel data for studies of phylogenetic relationships among related taxa by providing new character systems for analysis. This research allows more rigorous hypotheses of species relationships and improves predictions about how related pests or biological control prospects will perform under a given set of environmental circumstances. The specimens deposited in the LSAM constitute the library, and the taxonomy experts are the gatekeepers for information and diagnostic assessment of potential pests and beneficial insects. Continued discoveries of new taxa are expected as a result of the LSAM's involvement in research initiatives in Louisiana and elsewhere, including global studies of selected beetle families (Staphylinidae, Histeridae, Nitidulidae, and Phalacridae). Work in Louisiana is providing novel ways of examining successional ecology of forest-inhabiting Coleoptera and necrophilous insects.

Publications

  • Akbar, W., C. E. Carlton, and T. E. Reagan. 2009. Diomus terminatus (Say) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) life cycle, larval morphology, and potential as a biological control agent of the sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 102: 96-103.
  • Carlton, C. E., and L. E. Watrous. 2009. First description of larvae in the tribe Mayetini: the larva of Mayetia pearsei (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 102: 406-412.
  • Carlton, C. E., and R. A. B. Leschen. 2009. A new species and new North American record of Pseudotriphyllus (Coleoptera: Mycetophagidae). Coleopterists Bulletin 63: 24-30.
  • Ferro, M. L., Gimmel, M. L., and C. E. Carlton. 2009. The beetle community of small oak twigs in Louisiana with a review of literature featuring Coleoptera from fine woody debris. Coleopterists Bulletin 63: 239-263.
  • Gimmel, M. L. Family Phalacridae. 2009. The shining mold beetles. Pp. 106-108. In: J. Gerlach (ed.). The Coleoptera of the Seychelles Islands. Sofia-Moscow: Pensoft.
  • Gimmel, M. L., R. A. B. Leschen, and S. A. Ślipiński. 2009. Review of the New Zealand endemic family Cyclaxyridae, new family (Coleoptera: Polyphaga). Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 49: 511-528.
  • Price, P. P., C. E. Carlton, and B. R. Leonard. 2009. Note: A New Pest of Louisiana Soybean, the Pea Leaf Weevil. Louisiana Agriculture: Summer, 2009. https://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/communications/publications/agmag/Arch ive/2009/summer/Pea+Leaf+Weevil+A+New+Pest+of+Louisiana+Soybean.htm
  • Robison, H. W., C. T. McAllister, C. E. Carlton, and G. Tucker. 2009. The Arkansas endemic biota: an update with additions and exclusions. Proceedings of the Arkansas Academy of Sciences 62: 85-94.
  • Sanders, N. J.,, R. R. Dunn, M. C. Fitzpatrick, C. E. Carlton, M. R. Pogue, C. R. Parker, and T. R. Simons. 2009. Diverse elevational diversity gradients in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Pp. 75-88 in: Data Mining for Global Trends in Mountain Biodiversity (E. M Spehn and C. Korner ,eds). CRC Press/Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton. Sokolov, I. M., and L. E. Watrous. A new species and the first record of the genus Anillinus (Carabidae: Trechinae: Bembidiini) from the Ozark Mountains. Coleopterists Bulletin 62: 537-543.
  • Taylor, S. J., and S. A. Gil. 2009. State records, confirmations, and habitats of Aradidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)from Lousiana, U.S.A. Florida Entomologist 92: 199-207.