02187nas a2200301   4500008004100000020001400041245022800055210006900283260004900352300000900401490000800410520119900418653001201617653002001629653001601649653001701665653001401682653001101696653001601707653001601723653001501739653002001754653001401774653001101788100002101799700002101820856004401841       2011                        eng d  a0013-874600aEcologically and morphologically remarkable new cosmet moth species of the genus <i>Hyposmocoma </i>(Lepidoptera: Cosmopterigidae) endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, with reference to the spectacular diversity of larval cases0 aEcologically and morphologically remarkable new cosmet moth spec  bEntomological Society of Americac2011/01/01  a1-150 v1043 aHyposmocoma is an endemic Hawaiian moth genus with >330 recognized species occupying a remarkable range of ecological habits and exhibiting a high degree of variation typical of adaptive radiations. Within this diverse genus, some species have evolved intriguing and globally rare lifestyles, such as predatory or aquatic caterpillars. There are still many undescribed species in the genus, and no current work succinctly covers the range of their diversity. We describe nine new species in an attempt to demonstrate some of the remarkable ecological and phenotypic diversity displayed by species in the genus in a concise format: Hyposmocoma carnivora sp. nov. from the island of Hawaii; Hyposmocoma eliai sp. nov. Hyposmocoma nohomaalewa sp. nov., and Hyposmocoma waikamoi sp. nov. from the island of Kauai; and Hyposmocoma papaiili sp. nov., Hyposmocoma pukoa sp. nov., Hyposmocoma pupumoehewa sp. nov., Hyposmocoma opuulaau sp. nov., and Hyposmocoma waikamoi sp. nov. from the island of Maui. Although the taxa presented here do not represent a monophyletic group with respect to the rest of Hyposmocoma, they represent some of the most striking aspects of Hyposmocoma diversity as a whole.10abiology10aCosmopterigidae10adescription10aGelechioidea10agenitalia10aHAWAII10aHyposmocoma10aLEPIDOPTERA10amorphology10aPacific Insects10aPREDATION10asnails1 aSchmitz, Patrick1 aRubinoff, Daniel  uhttps://pacleps.myspecies.info/node/21102610nas a2200277   4500008004100000245009600041210006900137300001400206490000700220520182800227653001502055653001802070653001502088653001602103653001102119653001602130653001402146653002002160653001402180653001602194100001902210700002102229700001602250700002202266856004402288       2004                        eng d00aInfiltration by alien predators into invertebrate food webs in Hawaii: a molecular approach0 aInfiltration by alien predators into invertebrate food webs in H  a2077-20880 v133 aAlien invertebrate predators have been introduced to Hawaii to control pests, particularly in lowland areas where most crops are grown. We developed techniques for assessing the impact of these predators on native food webs in relatively pristine upland areas where, it was hypothesized, few lowland predators might be found. Predator densities were assessed along transects within the Alakaii Swamp on Kaua’i. The most numerous alien biocontrol agents found were Halmus chalybeus (Coccinellidae), a species known to feed on Lepidoptera eggs. Laboratory experiments were conducted using two genera of endemic Lepidoptera, Scotorythra and Eupithecia (Geometridae), that are of considerable conservation value, the former because of its recent speciation across Hawaii, the latter for its unique predatory larvae. Techniques were developed for detecting Lepidoptera DNA within the guts of alien predators using prey-specific PCR primers. General primers amplified fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene from beetles and Lepidoptera. The sequences were aligned and used successfully to design target-specific primers for general detection of the remains of Geometridae and for particular species, including Scotorythra rara and Eupithecia monticolans. DNA fragments amplified were short [140–170 base pairs (bp)], optimizing detection periods following prey ingestion. Trials using the introduced biocontrol agent Curinus coeruleus (Coccinellidae) demonstrated detection of Lepidoptera DNA fragments = 151 bp in 85–100% of beetles after 24 h digestion of an early instar larva. This study provides a framework for future use of molecular gut analysis in arthropod conservation ecology and food web research with considerable potential for quantifying threats to endemic species in Hawaii and elsewhere.10abiocontrol10aCOCCINELLIDAE10aEUPITHECIA10aGeometridae10aHAWAII10aLEPIDOPTERA10aNONTARGET10aPacific Insects10aPREDATION10aScotorythra1 aSheppard, S.K.1 aHenneman, M., L.1 aMemmott, J.1 aSymondson, W.O.C.  uhttps://pacleps.myspecies.info/node/21302049nas a2200277   4500008004100000245008700041210006900128300001200197490001000209520129200219653000901511653001401520653002101534653001601555653001101571653001401582653002001596653001401616653002001630653001101650653001201661100001801673700002001691700001701711856004301728       2004                        eng d00aExtinction of the acoustic startle response in moths endemic to a bat-free habitat0 aExtinction of the acoustic startle response in moths endemic to   a856-8610 v17(4)3 aMost moths use ears solely to detect the echolocation calls of hunting, insectivorous bats and evoke evasive flight manoeuvres. This singularity of purpose predicts that this sensoribehavioural network will regress if the selective force that originally maintained it is removed. We tested this with noctuid moths from the islands of Tahiti and Moorea, sites where bats have never existed and where an earlier study demonstrated that the ears of endemic species resemble those of adventives although partially reduced in sensitivity. To determine if these moths still express the anti-bat defensive behaviour of acoustic startle response (ASR) we compared the nocturnal flight times of six endemic to six adventive species in the presence and absence of artificial bat echolocation sounds. Whereas all of the adventive species reduced their flight times when exposed to ultrasound, only one of the six endemic species did so. These differences were significant when tested using a phylogenetically based pairwise comparison and when comparing effect sizes. We conclude that the absence of bats in this habitat has caused the neural circuitry that normally controls the ASR behaviour in bat-exposed moths to become decoupled from the functionally vestigial ears of endemic Tahitian moths.10abats10aEVOLUTION10aFrench Polynesia10aLEPIDOPTERA10aMoorea10aNoctuidae10aPacific Insects10aPREDATION10aSociety Islands10aTahiti10atympana1 aFullard, J.H.1 aRatcliffe, J.M.1 aSoutar, A.R.  uhttps://pacleps.myspecies.info/node/57