A review of the genus Platydialepis Haupt (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae) of China, with description of four new species and key to the species

  A review of the genus Platydialepis Haupt (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae) of China, with description of four new species and key to the species Abstract The genus Platydialepis Haupt is a small genus of Pompilidae . Its members hunt spiders for larval provisioning. Studying this genus helps further enhance the understanding of biodiversity within this genus. The genus Platydialepis Haupt from China is reviewed. Four new species, Platydialepis bidentata Cui, Li & Ma, sp. nov ., P. flavipectoralis Cui, Li & Ma, sp. nov ., P. frontimaculata Cui, Li & Ma, sp. nov ., and P. prominula Cui, Li & Ma, sp. nov . are described. Additionally, P. ryoheii (Ishikawa, 1957) is reported as a first record from China. A key to Chinese species of the genus Platydialepis is provided. Cui J, Li Q, Ma L (2026) A review of the genus Platydialepis Haupt (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae) of China, with description of four new species and key to the species. Journal of Hymenoptera Research ...

Seasonal variation of arthropod diversity in agroforestry systems in the humid tropics of Mexico

 


Seasonal variation of arthropod diversity in agroforestry systems in the humid tropics of Mexico

Abstract

Agroforestry systems in the tropics exhibit high heterogeneity in plant species composition and structural configuration. However, few studies evaluated the seasonal shift in arthropod alpha diversity and abundance in agroforestry systems in the tropics. This study was designed to analyze the composition, abundance, and alpha diversity of arthropod orders in five agroforestry systems in the humid tropic of Tabasco, Mexico. The agroforestry systems compared were shade trees in plantations (ShTP), living fences (LF), alley farming (AF), slash-and-burn agriculture (SBA), and grazing plantations (GP) during dry and rainy seasons. Arthropods were collected using pitfall traps, classified at the order level, and counted to estimate the abundance. A total of 10,271 arthropod individuals were collected that belong to seven orders. Hymenoptera was the most abundant group, accounting for 64.7% of the total count, followed by Coleoptera, Collembola, Araneae, Hemiptera, Diptera, and Orthoptera. Arthropod alpha diversity and abundance varied significantly among the agroforestry systems and between the rainy and dry seasons. The agroforestry systems AF, GP, and ShTP showed a higher diversity (Shannon index) and dominant orders (Simpson index) in the rainy season compared to the dry season. The seasonal shift of the different arthropod orders varied among agroforestry systems, while the Orthoptera did seasonally vary across the agroforestry systems. This study suggests the interactive effects of seasons and agroforestry systems on arthropod abundance and diversity.

Lara-Pérez, L.A., Villanueva-López, G., Oros-Ortega, I. et al. Seasonal variation of arthropod diversity in agroforestry systems in the humid tropics of Mexico. Arthropod-Plant Interactions (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-023-10001-0