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Reproduction and longevity of the anthocorid predators Orius laevigatus (Fieber) and Orius albidipennis (Reuter) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) were studied under controlled conditions in the laboratory. Three different diets were tested: eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, E. kuehniella eggs plus pollen, and pollen only. Small rooted plants of Spanish pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. 'Creta', long red) served as oviposition substrate and moisture source. In all treatments, total fecundity, oviposition period and female longevity of O. laevigatus were greater than that of O. albidipennis. When a diet of E. kuehniella eggs was supplemented with pollen, total fecundity of O. albidipennis was increased by about 40%. Female O. albidipennis fed only pollen laid five times less eggs than those fed flour moth eggs and pollen; also, longevity of females was shorter when only pollen was offered as food. Fecundity and longevity of O. laevigatus were not influenced when supplementing a diet of E. kuehniella eggs with pollen. Females of O. laevigatus receiving only pollen reduced egg production by about 60% but had a similar longevity as those receiving a diet including flour moth eggs. In either species, preoviposition period and egg hatch were not affected by diet. The ability of both anthocorids to use pollen as an alternative or additional food is discussed in relation to their practical use in integrated control programmes.

Effects of three constant temperatures (15, 25, and 35 °C) on development and reproduction of Orius laevigatus (Fieber) and O. albidipennis (Reuter) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) and on their predation activity against the western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) were investigated in the laboratory. Small rooted plants of Spanish pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. ‘Creta’, long red) served as oviposition substrate and moisture source. Survival of eggs and nymphs of both species was high at 25 and 35 °C. At 15 °C, none of the eggs of O. albidipennis hatched and the number of nymphs completing the immature stage was extremely low. Developmental time of nymphs was not significantly different between species at 15 °C, but at 25 and 35 °C nymphs of O. laevigatus took significantly longer to develop than those of O. albidipennis. Females of O. albidipennis lived longer than those of O. laevigatus at 15 and 35 °C, but no differences were observed at 25 °C. Fecundity of O. albidipennis was greatly reduced at 15 °C, whereas a temperature of 35 °C was close to the upper reproduction threshold of O. laevigatus. Fecundity was highest at 25 °C for both species. At 15 °C, the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) reached a minimum for both species. For O. albidipennis, the rm‐value increased with temperature (0.121 at 25 °C and 0.202 at 35 °C), whereas for O. laevigatus it peaked at 25 °C (0.105) but decreased at 35 °C (0.051). At 15 and 25 °C, adults of O. laevigatus consumed more F. occidentalis adults during their total lifespan than those of O. albidipennis, but the latter showed a better predation activity at 35 °C; in all treatments, however, adults of O. laevigatus consumed more prey per day than did those of O. albidipennis. The performance of both anthocorids at the different temperatures is discussed in relation to their practical use in integrated pest control programmes.

Molecular phylogeny and systematic in the genus Brachycaudus (Homoptera: Aphididae): insights from a combined analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial genes. 37 ,[175][176][177][178][179][180][181][182][183][184][185][186][187][188][189][190][191][192][193] Phylogenetic relationships among members of the Aphid genus Brachycaudus (Homoptera: Aphididae) were inferred from partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome B oxidase (CytB), two partial fragments of mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) and the internal transcribed spacer II (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA. Twenty-nine species, with several specimens per species, were included, representing all the historically recognized species-groups and subgenera used in the genus except the monospecific subgenus Mordvilkomemor. Results indicate that the genus Brachycaudus is a well-supported monophyletic group. While our results validate the monophyly of subgenera Thuleaphis , Appelia and Brachycaudus s. str. , they reveal two discrepancies in the classical taxonomy. First, the monotypic subgenus Nevskyaphis does not appear valid. Second, the traditionally defined Acaudus subgenus is not monophyletic. On the other hand, our phylogenetic trees corroborate Andreev's recent definition of Acaudus and Brachycaudina. However, they clearly show that the subgenera Prunaphis , Nevskyaphis and Scrophulaphis as defined by this author do not form monophyletic groups. Our results also highlight a highly supported clade that has not been discussed by previous authors; this clade could form a new subgenus, the subgenus Nevskyaphis . Finally, our study shows that molecular data and morphology meet the same limits in delimiting species groups and species themselves. Species groups in which taxonomic treatment is difficult are polytomous. Furthermore, except for one node clustering Brachycaudus s. str . and Appelia, intersubgeneric relationships remain poorly resolved even when several genes are added to the phylogenetic analysis. These results, together with previous studies in other aphid groups suggest that diversification might have been a rapid process in aphids.

Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for severe, invasive infections in neutropenic hosts. Lung clearance of A. fumigatus conidia seems to be mediated by phagocytic cells and oxygen radicals. It is not known if cytokines or nitrogen radicals are also involved. We tested for the production of TNFa, IL-1 and nitric oxide (NO) after stimulation of mouse macrophages with the fungus. We found that both cytokines, but not NO, were produced in a dose-dependent manner during the first 24 h of culture. Except for a faster kinetic, no appreciable differences were seen between alveolar and peritoneal macrophages. Furthermore, both hyphae and conidia, either alive or killed, were capable of inducing cytokines production.However, among different Aspergillus spp. only A. fumigatus and A. flavus seemed to induce significant amount of TNFa and IL-1, whereas A. terreus and A. niger were less effective. In no case could we detect production of NO. Finally, macrophages from dexamethasone-treated mice failed to produce cytokines in response to A. fumigatus conidia. These results indicate that in normal hosts inflammatory cytokines contribute to the natural response against Aspergillus infections and suggest that the impairment of cytokine production, in immunodepressed patients, may favour the growth and spread of the fungus.