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Aim: Obstetrical guidelines were established in Japan in 2008, and obstetrical diagnoses and treatments were subsequently standardized nationally. We examined changes in the preterm birth rate (PTBR) and extremely preterm birth rate (EPTBR) following the introduction of such guidelines. Methods: Information on 50 706 432 live births in Japan between 1979 and 2021, including Japanese reproductive medicine, the childbearing age of pregnant women, and the employment status of reproductive‐age women between 2007 and 2020, were obtained from the Japanese government and academic societies. Regression analysis was used to compare chronological changes nationally and those of eight Japanese regions. Regional and national average PTBRs and EPTBRs from 2007 to 2020 were compared by using a repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: From 1979 to 2007, PTBRs and EPTBRs in Japan increased significantly. However, from 2008, the national PTBR and EPTBR decreased until 2020 (p < 0.001) and 2019 (p = 0.02), respectively. From 2007 to 2020, overall PTBR and EPTBR were 5.68% and 0.255%, respectively. A significant difference in the PTBR and EPTBR existed between the eight Japanese regions. During this period, the number of pregnancies using assisted reproductive technology increased from 19 595 to 60 381, pregnant women became older, the employment rate of those of reproductive age increased, and nonregular employment was 54%, which was 2.5 times higher than for men. Conclusions: In Japan, after obstetrical guidelines were enacted in 2008, PTRBs decreased significantly even under the pressure of increasing preterm births. Countermeasures may be necessary for regions showing high PTBRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activities of social insect colonies are supported by exocrine glands and the tremendous functional diversity of the compounds that they secrete. Many social wasps in the subfamilies Vespinae and Polistinae have two sternal glands—the van der Vecht and Richards' glands—that vary in their features and function across the species in which they are found. Field observations suggest that giant hornets use secretions from the van der Vecht gland to chemically mark targeted nests when workers initiate group attacks on social insect prey. However, descriptions of giant hornets' sternal glands and details about their recruitment behavior are lacking. We describe the morphology of the sternal glands of the giant hornet Vespa soror du Buysson and consider their potential to contribute to a marking pheromone. We also assess the gastral rubbing behavior of workers as they attacked Apis cerana F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies. V. soror workers have well-developed van der Vecht and Richards' glands on their terminal gastral sternites, with morphologies that robustly support the synthesis, storage, and dissemination of their secretory products. Observations confirm that the van der Vecht gland is exposed during gastral rubbing, but that the Richards' gland and glands associated with the sting apparatus may also contribute to a marking pheromone. Workers briefly but repeatedly rubbed their gasters around hive entrances and on overhead vegetation. Colonies were heavily marked over consecutive attacks. Our findings provide insight into the use of exocrine secretions by giant hornets as they recruit nestmates to prey colonies for group attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 2000 to 2019, Japan's reproductive-age population gradually declined by 24%. In comparison, the Chlamydia trachomatis infection rate increased from 2016, with the syphilis infection rate increasing more sharply from 2014. Since 2013, the numbers of foreign tourists to Japan have also increased. From 2011 to 2018, the rate of increase in tourists was 5.02 times, while the rate of increase in syphilis patients was higher at 22.4 times. The lack of a one-to-one relationship between foreign tourists and syphilis cases suggests that cases of syphilis were transmitted to others. Although the prevalence of syphilis in the tourists' home countries (Korea in 2014 and China in 2013) was 20–30 times higher than that in Japan, the Japanese sex industry did not discriminate against foreign tourists, leading to increased STI infections in Japanese female sex workers. Indeed, from 2017 to 2018, a history of working in the sex industry for six months was identified as a risk factor for syphilis. The rise in Chlamydia trachomatis infections has lagged behind that of syphilis by two years, with the rate of increase lower. We suspect the difference in increasing rates of syphilis and chlamydial infections is due to the different methods of infection: syphilis can be transmitted by light physical contact, such as a kiss, whereas chlamydia requires close sexual contact, such as oral sex or sexual intercourse. Regardless, examinations and infection control are necessary to prevent the spread of STIs in Japan due to inbound tourists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oribatid mites are an ancient group that already roamed terrestrial ecosystems in the early and middle Devonian. The superfamily of Ameronothroidea, a supposedly monophyletic lineage, represents the only group of oribatid mites that has successfully invaded the marine coastal environment. By using mitogenome data and nucleic ribosomal RNA genes (18S, 5.8S, 28S), we show that Ameronothroidea are a paraphyletic assemblage and that the land-to-sea transition happened three times independently. Common ancestors of the tropical Fortuyniidae and Selenoribatidae were the first to colonize the coasts and molecular calibration of our phylogeny dates this event to a period in the Triassic and Jurassic era (225–146 mya), whereas present-day distribution indicates that this event might have happened early in this period during the Triassic, when the supercontinent Pangaea still existed. The cold temperate northern hemispheric Ameronothridae colonized the marine littoral later in the late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous and had an ancient distribution on Laurasian coasts. The third and final land-to-sea transition happened in the same geological period, but approx. 30 my later when ancestors of Podacaridae invaded coastal marine environments of the Gondwanan landmasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We found four species of oribatid mites belonging to family Oppiidae from Babeldaob Island of Palau Republic, which is an island country located in the western Pacific Ocean. Two new species, Anomaloppia babeldaobensissp. nov. and Oxyoppia palauensissp. nov. are described from litter and soil in a secondary forest of Palau, and supplementary descriptions of two hitherto known species, Arcoppia corniculifera (Mahunka 1978) and Arcoppia hammeraeRodríguez & Subías, 1984 are provided, which are reported for the first time from the Oceania region. Following the descriptions and comparisons, aspects of the taxonomy, distribution and habitat ecology of studied species are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We found four species of oribatid mites belonging to the genus Protoribates from Babeldaob Island of Palau Republic, which is an island country located in the western Pacific Ocean. A new species, Protoribates lutosisetosussp. nov. is described from litter and soil of the primary and secondary forests in Palau, and supplementary descriptions of three hitherto known species, Protoribates acutus, Protoribates paracapucinus, and Protoribates seminudus are provided. Following the descriptions and comparisons, aspects of the taxonomy, distribution, and habitat ecology of all studied species are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We found two species of oribatid mites from Babeldaob Island of Palau Republic, which is an island country located in the western Pacific Ocean. Eurhynchoribates brevisensillatus sp. nov. is proposed from mosses growing in the forest, and a diagnostic key to adults of all known species of Eurhynchoribates is provided. Another species, Basilobelba foliata Hammer, 1982 is reported for the first time from Palau, which was known previously from island of Bali, Indonesia. Following the descriptions and comparisons, we discuss aspects of the diversity, distribution and habitat ecology of species belonging to each genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the supplementary description of adults ofEremaeozetes octomaculatualong with illustrations is provided, which is recorded for the first time from Indonesia.Eremaeozetes octomaculatusis an Oriental and Oceanian species, currently known from the Western Samoa Island of Polynesia, Luzon and Mindanao Islands of the Philippines, Okinawa Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago of Japan, and recently we found it in the Java Island of Indonesia. This species appears to be primarily an inhabitant of tropical forests, and it prefers mosses and fungi growing on stones, tree trunks, as well as forest floors and decomposed plant debris. Data of analysis on 28S D3 gene sequence of this species is provided. Comparison of theE. octomaculatussequence with other oribatid mites 28S D3 sequences identifies thatScapheremaeusis the closest relative toE. octomaculatuswith regard to the species included in this analysis, but the relationship was supported by week bootstrap value. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We present a short note on the species composition of testate amoebae in a poor fen on mineral soil near the Pacific Coast in the hilly area of Central Honshu, Japan. In total 45 species and subspecific taxa belonged to 21 genera and 14 families of testate amoebae were recorded. Eight species and nine subspecies are newly recorded from Japan. However, most species from the list can be considered as distributed worldwide and associated mostly to oligotrophic/acid Sphagnum conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal conductivity above room temperature is investigated for LaCoO3-based materials showing spin-state and insulator-metal crossovers. A positive temperature coefficient (PTC) of the thermal conductivity is observed during the insulator-metal crossover around 500 K. Our analysis indicates that the phononic thermal transport is also enhanced in addition to the electronic contribution as the insulator-metal crossover takes place. The enhancement of the phononic component is ascribed to the reduction of the incoherent local lattice distortion coupled with the spin/orbital state of each Co3+ ion, which is induced by the enhanced spin-state fluctuation between low and higher spin-states. Moreover, fine tunability for the PTC of the thermal conductivity is demonstrated via doping hole-type carriers into LaCoO3. The observed enhancement ratio of the thermal conductivity κ T (773 K) / κ T (323 K) = 2.6 in La0.95Sr0.05CoO3 is the largest value among oxide materials which exhibit a PTC of their thermal conductivity above room temperature. The thermal rectification ratio is estimated to reach 61% for a hypothetical thermal diode consisting of La0.95Sr0.05CoO3 and LaGaO3, the latter of which is a typical band insulator. These results indicate that utilizing spin-state and orbital degrees of freedom in strongly correlated materials is a useful strategy for tuning thermal transport properties, especially for designing thermal diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An obituary for college teacher Soichi Imai is presented.

The Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis (Rothschild, 1893) is a seabird species included in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature as Near Threatened (NT). We sampled two feather mite species, Diomedacarus gigas (Dubinin, 1949) and Echinacarus petaliferus (Trouessart, 1898), from the three albatross, and provided their redescriptions. This is the first record of D. gigas from the past half-century in Japan and the first report of E. petaliferus in this country. The haplotype network of partial sequences of cytochrome oxidase subunit for D. gigas showed that six of the seven haplotypes were unique to the mites sampled from each host individual. This mite species may have a very little opportunity for horizontal transmission between host individuals since albatrosses live alone over sea areas, except the breeding period on land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flight ability allows insects to search for food and locate oviposition sites across a wide range of environments and, thus, allows insects to locate scarce and patchy resources such as carcasses. We examined differentiation in searching for carcasses, based on capture height differences in carrion beetles, and found that capture height differed among species. For Nicrophorus quadripunctatus and Oiceoptoma nigropunctatum, the height of abundance peaks differed among sites and was related to species composition at each site, indicating that shifts in flight height can occur plastically, whereas those for Nicrophorus maculifrons and Nicrophorus investigator did not differ among sites, indicating that the flight heights of these species are largely genetically determined. Thus, the present differentiation in capture height is primarily determined by current plastic shifts and on some genetic basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To study the screening frequency for cervical cancer, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection, and bacterial vaginosis (BV) among pregnant women, and to study the association between administration of these three screening tests and performance of cervical cerclage (CC) in Hokkaido during 2004. Methods: Questionnaires were mailed to 70 clinics providing prenatal care only and to 113 hospitals providing prenatal care and performing deliveries. Responses were obtained anonymously. Results: A total of 6744 pregnant women received prenatal care at the 36 responding clinics and 24 050 deliveries were performed at the 56 hospitals. The percentage of clinics that screened all pregnant women for cervical cancer, CT infection or BV was 66.7%, 69.4% and 33.3%, respectively, and the corresponding percentages among the hospitals were 87.5%, 87.5% and 57.1%, respectively. Pregnant women found to have CT infection or BV, were all treated. Screening for cervical cancer or CT infection was not associated with the frequency of CC. On the other hand, screening for BV was significantly associated with the frequency of CC (P = 0.0006). The frequency of emergency CC was 0.8% among women who received prenatal care at hospitals that did not perform BV screening, while it was only 0.2 or 0.3% among women who received prenatal care at hospitals that performed BV screening on all pregnant women or on those women who were suspected of having BV, respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the frequency of emergency CC may be reduced in women who receive BV screening and subsequent treatment of positive cases during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Large-scale combustion systems, such as thermal power plants, emit large amounts of carbon dioxide, which can increase global warming. A molten salt redox combustion system was proposed to recover pure carbon dioxide exhausted from the combustion of fossil fuels. This system is composed of two successive processes by using reactions occurring in a molten salt. The molten salt is the mixture of the molten alkali metal sulfates and carbonates. The sulfate ions oxidize the fuels in first processes, being changed to reductive species such as sulfide ions. In this process, carbon dioxide and water are exclusively exhausted. The reductive species of sulfur compounds are oxidized to regenerate the sulfate ions by air in the second process. In this study, these above two processes were tried by using molten alternatively. The oxidation of carbon monoxide as fuel by sulfate ions and the regeneration of sulfate ions by air were investigated in the temperature range of 700–950°C, respectively. These reactions were exothermic. The rate of the regeneration of the sulfate ions was extremely high. During the oxidation of carbon monoxide, the reaction was first order in carbon monoxide with an activation energy of 101kJmol−1. The optimum condition to recover pure carbon dioxide on practical operation was discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Our aims were to evaluate the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV), Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infection and Mobiluncus spp. infection among pregnant women in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan according to the month and year of the first prenatal visit, and to evaluate their risk factors. The annual rate of BV increased from 13.6% in 1993 to 21.4% in 2000. The annual rate of C. trachomatis infection was relatively constant. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, C. trachomatis infection and Mobiluncus spp. infection over the 8-year period was 18.2%, 4.2%, and 4.1%, respectively. The prevalence of the three infections was significantly higher among teenagers and among women with a history of D & C. The prevalence of C. trachomatis and Mobiluncus spp. infections was significantly higher among women with no history of delivery. BV was not associated with parity on multivariate analysis. The monthly prevalence of BV was significantly higher in May than in December, and the monthly prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was high in August. The differences in the annual and monthly infection patterns between BV and C. trachomatis infection suggest that the etiologies of the two infections differ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Difflugia biwae Kawamura, 1918 has been redescribed. Here, the neotype of D. biwae, which was newly collected from its type locality, Lake Biwa, is designated to the species to clarify its taxonomic status. Morphometric characterization of D. biwae was performed. A statistically significant correlation between body length and shell collar diameter was identified in the population of the Lake Biwa, but this correlation was not significant in the population from the Mulan Lake. The PCA scatterplot indicates that the Mulan Lake population could be a separate taxon identified by shorter protuberance length and body length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates for the first time the presence of marine‐associated mites in the Andaman Sea and Strait of Malacca and reveals a relatively high diversity of these taxa with six species from two different families: Selenoribatidae and Fortuyniidae. Indopacifica, a new genus of Selenoribatidae, is described from Thailand and Malaysia, with two new species, Indopacifica pantai n. sp. and Indopacifica parva n. sp. The genus is characterized by the unique combination of following characters: lacking lamellar ridges, incomplete dorsosejugal suture, fourteen pairs of notogastral setae, and presence of epimeral foveae. A phylogenetic reconstruction based on 18S ribosomal RNA sequences clearly confirms the distinctness of the new genus Indopacifica and places it close to the genus Rhizophobates. The lack of molecular genetic data of possible relatives impedes a clear assessment, and hence, we emphasize the need for further combined approaches using morphological and molecular genetic sequence data. All species show wide distribution areas within this geographic region suggesting that these taxa are good dispersers despite their minute size and wingless body. Molecular genetic data demonstrate recent gene flow between far distant populations of I. pantai n. sp. from the coasts of Thailand and two islands of Malaysia and hence confirm this assumption. The seasonally changing surface currents within this geographic area may favor hydrochorous dispersal and hence genetic exchange. Nevertheless, morphometric data show a slight trend to morphological divergence among the studied populations, whereas this variation is suggested to be a result of genetic drift but also of habitat differences in one population of Alismobates pseudoreticulatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Species diversity is generally higher in the tropics compared to the temperate zones. The phenomenon that one species of an almost exclusively tropical living genus was able to adapt successfully to the cold northern regions is rather rare. However, the oribatid mite Dolicheremaeus dorni represents such a species and is in the focus of this study. While 180 Dolicheremaeus species are confined to the tropics and subtropics, only five species are known to occur in temperate climates and D. dorni represents the only species with a wider distribution in this climatic region. This species is distributed in Central and Southern Europe and was now recorded for the first time in Austria. A morphological and molecular genetic investigation of specimens from Austria, Poland and Croatia confirmed this distribution pattern and revealed specific geographic clades and haplotypes for each population and hence indicate low gene flow between populations. A further molecular genetic analysis of the 18S rRNA gene sequence of D. dorni confirmed its phylogenetic position within Carabodoidea. Based on record information, this species is associated with trees or tree habitats and seems to be rather a generalist than a specialist for a specific substrate (e.g., tree species) or food source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two of the main goals of forensic science are (1) to estimate the time since death, or post mortem interval (PMI) and (2) to find the site where a dead body was buried. Soil testate amoebae and diatoms may be useful indicators for these goals. However, the structure and patchiness of the habitat appears to be a main driver for the amoeba and diatom soil communities (e.g., individual density). In case the soil substrate is very dry and nutrient-poor (as in our study), the influence of a dead body on the soil microfaunal community may be superimposed by natural environmental heterogeneity, especially soil moisture content. Further studies are necessary to clarify if protist abundance data are helpful for forensic investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure the safety of hydrogen energy system, a robust and reliable hydrogen sensor device with an optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) has been developed. The sensing mechanism is based on temperature changes in the device induced by the heat of the catalytic reaction of hydrogen on platinum-loaded fumed silica catalyst powder. Through optimization of the preparation conditions for the catalyst, which is a hydrogen-sensitive substance, a large degree of heat generation in the presence of hydrogen could be obtained, and good stability was also achieved. A sensor device in which a column filled with the obtained catalyst powder was attached to a commercially available robust FBG for temperature measurement, and integrated with another FBG as a temperature reference via a heat shielding plate, was fabricated and evaluated. A stable baseline was demonstrated even in an environment where the ambient temperature severely fluctuated, and a sensor output proportional to the hydrogen concentration could be obtained. The detection limit was about 0.2 vol%, and the long-term stability of the device was good. • Platinum-loaded fumed silica catalyst was prepared as hydrogen sensing materials. • Large amount of catalytic combustion heat of hydrogen on the catalyst was obtained. • The catalyst was immobilized on robust fiber Bragg grating temperature sensor device. • The sensor integrated with temperature compensation device showed good responses. • The detection limit was about 0.2 vol% and the long-term stability was good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new feather mite Pelargolichus orientalissp. nov. is described from the Oriental White Stork, Ciconia boyciana Swinhoe, 1873, one of the world's most endangered bird species. This mite species was collected from feathers of the Oriental White Storks bred in the Tama Zoological Park in Japan. The native population of the Oriental White Stork and feather mites associated with this bird had been extinct in Japan since 1986. Wild individuals of this bird species were transported from the Eurasian Continent to Japanese breeding facilities, and in the 2000s, a small wild population was restored. The new mite species is presently distributed in natural fields in Japan along with its introduced host population. This study presents the first record of the feather mite genus Pelargolichus in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first detailed description of adults of Achipteria setulosa Golosova, 1981 with illustrations are provided, based on materials from central Japan. This species is placed in the subgenus Achipteria (Izuachipteria) Balogh & Mahunka, 1979. In addition, the species grouping of the known species in the genus Achipteria is briefly discussed, and three species-groups are proposed based on the structure of the lamellar complex. Furthermore, data on distribution, diversity and habitat ecology of all known species of Achipteriidae in Japan are presented, and a key is provided for the identification of recorded species in this country. The majority of achipteriid species found in Japan are known to be widely distributed in the vast areas of the northern hemisphere; only two species have restricted distributions in Japan. Most species of Achipteriidae in Japan are inhabitants of the litter of various forests, such as natural broad-leaved forests in high mountainous areas, soils of grasslands, wetlands and mosses growing on rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent discovery of the oribatid mite Ameronothrus twitter via a social media platform resulted in a considerable media response and raised the awareness of the public for these tiny organisms. As a direct consequence, another new marine associated ameronothroid species was now discovered via the same social media service. Moreover, the record of this new species, Ameronothrus retweet sp. n., represents the first report of an ameronothroid taxon from the Sea of Japan coast, indicating that this coastline was successfully colonized by these organisms and that further species could be present there. Ameronothrus retweet sp. n. shows an extraordinary sexual dimorphism with females having relatively shorter legs and a strongly folded notogastral integument. Based on morphological characteristics, it is suggested that the new species is closest related to Ameronothrus lineatus and Ameronothrus nigrofemoratus. A molecular genetic investigation of selected ameronothroid taxa, using the 18S rRNA gene, shows that all Ameronothrus species are closely related and represent a distinct monophyletic genus. In a larger phylogenetic context, the Fortuyniidae and Selenoribatidae are given as sister taxa with a monophyletic origin, whereas certain members of Ameronothridae are placed in paraphyletic positions, supporting theories of an independent origin of the marine associated lifestyle in ameronothroid mites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis) is listed as a critically endangered bird species by BirdLife International due to the rapid population decline. Before this study, nothing was known about the night roosting behaviour of this imperiled species. Here, we report on the night roosting behaviour of the White-bellied Herons in Punatsangchhu and Mangdechhu river basins of Bhutan. There was a significant difference in landing and takeoff flights between the short- and long-day periods (P <0.05). Overall, the night roosting behaviour was dominated by sleeping (65 ± 11 min). We also documented two prominent behaviours that were thermoregulatory in function. The White-bellied Herons roosts solitarily on the tree branches in the night and makes extensive use of the night roosting trees. Therefore, night roosting trees are essential for consideration while assessing the home range size of the White-bellied Herons for their better conservation and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riccardoella (Proriccardoella) reaumuriFain & van Goethem, 1986 has been reported in terrestrial mollusks in France and the Japanese Archipelago. The purpose of this study was to describe two new subspecies of this mite species from Japan based on their morphological characters. Mites were sampled from terrestrial mollusks at 13 locations in Japan from Oct. 16, 2016 to Nov. 13, 2020. The sampled mites and specimens deposited in museum were also used for morphological observations. As a result of principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis based on morphology of dorsal setae on idiosoma and solenidia on palptarsus and tarsus I and II, mite specimens from France and Japan were divided into three groups: Group 1 (mites sampled in France), Group 2 (Okinawajima Is.) and Group 3 (the area from Kyushu Is. to Hokkaido Is.). The solenidia shapes also differed between the groups. We propose that the mites of each of the three groups should be defined as subspecies based on these morphological differences. Our phylogenetic tree of the two subspecies based on amino acid sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) confirmed that these Japanese mites are members of the genus, family Ereynetidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levicoleps biwae n. gen., n. sp. was discovered in organic mud on the shore of Lake Biwa, Japan. Its morphology and small subunit rRNA gene sequence were studied with standard methods. Further, we established a terminology for the colepid armour and selected four features for genus recognition: the number of armour tiers, the structure of the tier plates, the presence/absence of armour spines, and the number of adoral organelles (three or five). The Japanese colepid, a barrel-shaped ciliate with an average size of 75 × 45 μm, has six armour tiers and hirtus-type tier plates, but lacks armour spines, both in the environment and in laboratory culture. Thus, it is considered to represent a new genus. This rank is supported by the considerable genetic distance (7%) from the common Coleps hirtus. Although L. biwae looks quite similar to C. hirtus in vivo, it is very likely most closely related to Coleps amphacanthus, a species with conspicuous armour spines, as indicated by body size, the number of ciliary rows and, especially, the multiple caudal cilia. Lake Biwa is about four million years old and inhabited by many endemic organisms, ranging from algae to large fish. Thus, we suspect that L. biwae is restricted to Lake Biwa or, at least, to Asia. Based on literature data and the generic features established, we also propose the new genus Reticoleps for Coleps remanei Kahl, 1933, and resurrect the genus Pinacocoleps Diesing, 1865 to include Coleps incurvus Ehrenberg, 1833, Coleps pulcher Spiegel, 1926, Coleps tessalatus Kahl, 1930 and, probably, Baikalocoleps quadratus Obolkina, 1995a. Nine colepid genera are diagnosed and dichotomously keyed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Performance of MEMS-based DMFC is low, because graphite-based porous electrodes show poor compatibility with MEMS technology. Nanoimprint technology was adopted in this paper to prepare fine pattern on proton exchange membrane (PEM) in MEMS-based DMFC as a promising alternative to the graphite-based porous electrodes. Micro-convex with the diameter of about 600nm and the height of 50–70nm was prepared on Nafion® 117 membrane by the nanoimprint at 130°C using silicon mold. Thick Pt film (20nm) was deposited as catalyst directly on the nanoimprinted Nafion® 117 membrane. Then the Pt-coated PEM was sandwiched with micro-channeled silicon plates to form a micro-DMFC. With passively feeding of 1M methanol solution and air at room temperature, the as-prepared cell had the open circuit voltage (OCV) of 0.74V and the maximum power density of 0.20mW/cm2. The measured OCV was higher than those (0.1–0.3V) of the state-of-the-art MEMS-based DMFC with planar electrode and pure Pt catalyst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present paper provides information on juvenile stages of seven intertidal oribatid mite species from the East Asian region. Larva and nymphs of the fortuyniid species Fortuynia churaumi, F. shibai, F. rotunda and Alismobates reticulatus are described and details about juvenile morphology of the selenoribatid species, Arotrobates granulatus, Indopacifica taiyo and I. tyida are given. Juveniles of the genus Arotrobates are reported for the first time and strong ventral femoral carinae are supposed to be diagnostic characters. Basically, the conservative morphology of immature stages could be confirmed in every studied taxon and its importance for phylogenetic considerations is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive study of the intertidal oribatid mite fauna of southern Japanese islands revealed the presence of the selenoribatid Arotrobates granulatus Luxton, 1992 and two yet undescribed species. The latter are herein described as Indopacifica taiyo n. sp., occurring from the Southern to the Central Ryukyus, and Indopacifica tyida n. sp., which was only found on the most western island of the Ryukyus, namely Yonaguni. A concomitant molecular genetic study using mitochondrial COI and 18S rRNA gene sequences, demonstrated that the phylogeographic pattern of I. taiyo n. sp. reflects recent expansion on the Southern and Central Ryukyus, probably due to existing land bridges during the late Pleistocene. Arotrobates granulatus, on the other hand, shows three distinct lineages, one on Japanese mainland, another on the island of Amami, and the third on part of the Central and Southern Ryukyus. These lineages are most likely the result of the break‐up of a large peninsula reaching from China to the Northern Ryukyus about 1.2–1.7 million years ago. Despite emerging land bridges in the late Pleistocene, this species was not able to expand its range again which indicates very low dispersal abilities. Morphometric data of I. taiyo n. sp. show considerable intraspecific variation between island populations correlating with geography. This found variation is suggested to be a result of phenotypic plasticity caused by diverging local environmental factors. From an ecological perspective, all three found species are classified as intertidal rock‐dwellers feeding on diverse algae, whereas I. taiyo n. sp. and Arotrobates granulatus occasionally occur in mangrove habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forest canopies are home to an extremely high diversity of arthropods, but their diversity, abundance, and community structures remain incomplete. Three species of oribatid mites from the crown leaves petioles of Light Red Meranti (Shorea quadrinervis Sloot), a tree species that is endemic to Borneo Island, are reported in the present study. A new species of Birobates (Oripodidae) is proposed, with a diagnostic key to adults of all known species of the genus worldwide. Dometorina plantivaga (Berlese, 1895) (Scheloribatidae) and Paralamellobates misella (Berlese, 1910) (Punctoribatidae) are reported for the first time from Borneo, and supplementary descriptions of those species are provided. Aspects of the distribution and habitat ecology of each species reported are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil protists are rarely included in ecotoxicological investigations, despite their fundamental role in ecological processes. Moreover, testate amoebae and diatoms contribute considerably to silicon fluxes in soils. We investigated the effects of heavy metals on testate amoebae (species and individual densities) and diatoms (individual densities) in aged soils of a floodplain (Watarase retarding basin, Japan) taking soil samples from two unpolluted reference sites and two polluted sites. The total concentrations of Cu, Pb, and Zn in soil were higher at the polluted sites as compared with the reference sites. The available concentrations of Co, Cu, and Zn in CaCl2 extracts were higher at the polluted sites but available Pb was not detectable. Testate amoeba taxonomic richness was higher in the reference sites (45/38 taxa) than in the polluted sites (36/27 taxa). The reference sites had higher diatom and amoeba densities than the polluted sites. There was a significant negative correlation between total testate amoeba density and heavy metal concentration (available Co), while significant negative correlations were found between diatom density and Co, Cu, and Zn (available and total concentration). Densities of Cyclopyxis kahli cyclostoma, Centropyxis spp., and Trinema complanatum were negatively correlated to concentrations of available heavy metals. The observed decrease in individual numbers due to heavy metal pollution resulted in a considerable decline in protozoic (testate amoebae) and protophytic (pennate diatoms) silicon pools. Our data suggest that heavy metal pollution affects biogeochemical cycling in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese islands represent one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Their geological history and present geography resulted in a high number of endemic species in nearly all major metazoan clades. We investigated the phylogeography of three different intertidal mite species from the Ryukyu islands and southern mainland by means of morphometry and molecular genetics. None of the species represents an endemic, nearly all show distributions ranging over at least the southern and central Ryukyus. Two species, Fortuynia shibai and F. churaumi sp. n. clearly represent sister species that are derived from a common Eastern ancestor. Molecular genetic results indicate that these species separated approx. 3 Ma before the opening of the Okinawa trough, whereas F. shibai most likely showed an ancestral distribution stretching from the central Ryukyus across the Tokara strait to Japanese mainland, whereas F. churaumi probably evolved somewhere south of the Tokara strait. Phylogenetic data further indicates that long periods of isolation resulted in heterogeneous genetic structure but subsequent low sea level stands during Pleistocene allowed recent expansion and gene flow between island populations. Comparing these patterns with those of other animals, these tiny wingless mites apparently show better dispersal abilities than partially volant terrestrial organism groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphagnum-dominated ecosystem plays major roles as carbon sinks at the global level. Associated microbial communities, in particular, eukaryotes, play significant roles in nutrient fixation and turnover. In order to understand better the ecological processes driven by these organisms, the first step is to characterise these associated organisms. We characterised the taxonomic diversity, and from this, inferred the functional diversity of microeukaryotes in Sphagnum mosses in tropical, subtropical and temperate climatic zones through an environmental DNA diversity metabarcoding survey of the V9 region of the gene coding for the RNA of the small subunit of the ribosomes (SSU rRNA). As microbial processes are strongly driven by temperatures, we hypothesised that saprotrophy would be highest in warm regions, whereas mixotrophy, an optimal strategy in oligotrophic environments, would peak under colder climates. Phylotype richness was higher in tropical and subtropical climatic zones than in the temperate region, mostly due to a higher diversity of animal parasites (i.e. Apicomplexa). Decomposers, and especially opportunistic yeasts and moulds, were more abundant under warmer climates, while mixotrophic organisms were more abundant under temperate climates. The dominance of decomposers, suggesting a higher heterotrophic activity under warmer climates, is coherent with the generally observed faster nutrient cycling at lower latitudes; this phenomenon is likely enhanced by higher inputs of nutrients most probably brought in the system by Metazoa, such as arthropods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ameronothridae are recorded for the first time from Japanese coasts with the new species Ameronothrus yoichi sp. n. from Hokkaido. The report of this species represents the most southern occurrence of an Ameronothrus species in the Asian Pacific region. Ameronothrus yoichi sp. n. can be easily distinguished from its congeners by the conspicuously pusticulate body surface and the loss of dorsal companion setae d on all genua in the adult stage. Based on adult and juvenile morphology, a close relation to Ameronothrus maculatus and A. schneideri is suggested. Ameronothrus yoichi sp. n. is classified as a lichenivorous inhabitant of sediment-free rocky coastal substrates. Due to a lack of genetic sequence data of nearly all ameronothrid species a molecular genetic comparison is yet unfeasible, but a Bayesian inference tree based on the 18S rRNA gene shows a paraphyletic clustering of the ameronothrid A. yoichi sp. n. and Paraquanothrus grahami. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oribatid mite family Arborichthoniidae (infraorder Enarthronota) has been represented by a single species,Arborichthonius styosetosusNorton, 1982, known from a few, isolated collections in forested regions of North America, China and Japan. Herein, we describe a second species,Arborichthonius azarbaijaniensisLotfollahi & Movahedzadesp. nov., on the basis of a single adult collected from agricultural soil, below the disturbed layer of a wheat field in the Marand region, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. It is easily distinguishable from the type species by several characters relating to setal form, and represents the first record of Arborichthoniidae from the Middle East. The first distribution record ofA. styosetosusfrom New Hampshire (USA), as well as notes on morphological variation, is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examined the effect of conversion from a conventional tillage (CT) to a no-tillage (NT) practice and of bagasse mulching (M) on soil microbial community composition and potential functions, using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and shotgun metagenome sequencing. Our results showed that both the NT and the M treatment increased microbial PLFAs. The shotgun sequencing results suggested that the functional profiles are more resistant to agricultural managements than to community compositions, which supports the hypothesis of the functional redundancy of soil microbial communities. However, some metabolism-related sequences were significantly affected by different treatments. The percentage of sequences related to metabolism of carbohydrates, especially saccharide groups, was significantly higher in the CT soils than in NT and M soils, which may be linked to lower carbon (C) availability in CT soils. Compared with CT, the NT had higher alpha diversity and more sequences related to DNA metabolism, which may be associated with higher nutrient availability. On the other hand, the M treatment decreased the percentages of sequences related to the metabolism of amino acids and derivatives, which may be due to the limited nitrogen (N) because of the high C/N ratio of bagasse. We also observed interaction effects of the NT and M treatments; although both the NT and M treatments increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, this variable in NT + M soils was not higher than in each single treatment. Overall, our findings suggest that the microbial communities change their composition and functionality in response to the NT and M treatments, and these shifts have the potential to affect important soil processes that sustain crop productivity, such as C sequestration and major nutrient cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To minimize the degradation of soil organic matter (SOM) content in conventional sugarcane cropping, it is important to understand how the fungal community contributes to SOM dynamics during the decomposition of sugarcane leaf litter. However, our knowledge of fungal diversity in tropical agroecosystems is currently limited. Thus, we determined the fungal community structure on decomposing sugarcane leaf litter and their response to different soil management systems using the internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS1) amplicon sequencing method afforded by Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (PGM). The results indicate that no-tillage had positive effects on the relative abundance of Zygomycota and of some taxa that may prefer a moist environment over conventional tillage, whereas bagasse mulching decreased the richness of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and had positive effect on the relative abundance of slow-growing taxa, which may prefer poor nutrient substrates. Furthermore, a combination of no-tillage and bagasse mulching increased the abundance of unique OTUs. We suggest that the alteration of fungal communities through the changes in soil management practices produces an effect on litter decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Hornets are a group of 22 species of highly social wasps in the genus Vespa. These conspicuous insects construct large nests that are maintained by one or more queens and their offspring. Unlike other insects, many species of social wasps have glands on the underside of their abdomen called the van der Vecht and Richards glands. Documented uses for these glands by workers of some hornet species include producing pheromones for nestmate recruitment during group attacks on prey and chemical defense of nests against ants. We confirmed that these glands were present in nine hornet species. To examine differences among species in gland morphology, we used scanning electron microscopy to image the external surface of worker bodies around the glands. Accounting for differences in body size, we found that giant hornets and their close relatives had comparatively larger glands than the other species, some of which had glands that were approximately half as large. Differences among species are best explained by how hornets hunt and not by the likelihood that their nesting habitat increases exposure to ant predation. However, more information about how hornet workers use their sternal glands is necessary to permit further interpretation of their comparative gland morphology. Many social wasps in the speciose subfamilies Polistinae and Vespinae have two sternal glands—the van der Vecht gland and the Richards gland—that are not found in other insects. The presence of these glands has been confirmed in only 6 of 22 hornet species (genus Vespa) and images of their fine structure have not been produced. Here; we characterize the external morphology associated with both glands for workers of nine Vespa species using scanning electron microscopy. All hornets had similar gland configurations; although gland-associated external features differed among species. Scaled for size, glands were equivalently sized for the giant hornets (V. mandarinia and V. soror) and their closest phylogenetic relatives (V. tropica and V. ducalis). Relative size of gland-associated structures was reduced by half for V. simillima; V. velutina; and V. affinis workers. The remaining species (V. crabro and V. analis) had intermediately sized features. Differences among species in external gland structure were best explained by selective pressures related to predatory behavior, rather than defense of nests against ants. However, a lack of information about how Vespa workers use their van der Vecht and Richards glands limits a comparative interpretation of the function of their external gland morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absolute configuration of the iridoid monoterpene chrysomelidial from the oribatid mite, Austrotritia dentate Aoki, was elucidated by the GC-MS and GC comparisons with four synthetic stereoisomers of this well-known natural product. This identification was made possible by asymmetric synthesis of the known alcohol, (5 S,8 S)-chrysomelidiol. The GC retention time of diol derived from the natural oribatid dial agreed with that of the synthetic (5 S,8 S)-chrysomelidiol, confirming that the absolute configurations at C5 and C8 positions of the natural chrysomelidial are both S. Chrysomelidial was detected as a single or a major component in nine oribatid mites examined; thus, this compound is considered to be commonly distributed in Oribotririidae where it serves a defensive role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ophiocordyceps pulvinata, a pathogen of ants, is formally described as a new species. Genus level designation of this species is difficult due to several apparently conflicting morphological and ecological characters. Affinity with Ophiocordyceps is suggested by the dark color stroma and ascospore morphology. However, the species was included in a book of entomopathogenic fungi of Japan as Torrubiella sp. due to the production of perithecia on an astipitate stroma. Phylogenetic analyses of molecular data support a close relationship with O. unilateralis, a finding consistent with morphological characteristics of the color, asci and ascospores and ecological traits of host affiliation. Thus, O. pulvinata represents another example of the loss of stipe for the hypocrealean arthropod pathogenic fungi and highlights the utility of asci and ascospore morphology as taxonomically informative characters of closely related taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spider mites are a group of arachnids belonging to Acari (mites and ticks), family Tetranychidae, known to produce nanoscale silk fibers characterized by a high Young's modulus. The silk fibroin gene of spider mites has been computationally predicted through genomic analysis of Tetranychus urticae Koch, but it has yet to be confirmed by proteomic evidence. In this work, we sequenced and assembled the transcriptome from two genera of spider mites, Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida and Panonychus citri (McGregor), and combined it with silk proteomics of T. urticae and P. citri to characterize the fibroin genes through comparative genomics and multiomics analysis. As a result, two fibroins were identified, which were different genes than those previously predicted by computational methods. The amino acid composition and secondary structure suggest similarity to aciniform or cylindrical spidroins of spider silk, which partly mirrors their mechanical properties, exhibiting a high Young's modulus. The availability of full-length fibroin sequences of spider mites facilitates the study of the evolution of silk genes that sometimes emerge in multiple lineages in a convergent manner and in the industrial application of artificial protein fibers through the study of the amino acid sequence and the resulting mechanical properties of these silks. Here we sequenced and assembled the transcriptome from two genera of spider mites, T. kanzawai and P. citri , and combined it with silk proteomics of T. urticae and P. citri to characterize the fibroin genes through comparative genomics and multiomics analysis. Spider mite silk is especially characterized by its extremely fine nano-scale diameter and high Young's modulus, even exceeding those of spider silks. The availability of full-length fibroin sequences of spider mites facilitates the study of the evolution of silk genes, which independently evolved in mites, insects, and spiders but yet show sequence convergence, and in the industrial application of artificial protein fibers through the study of the amino acid sequence and the resulting mechanical properties of these silks. [Display omitted] • Transcriptome sequencing of two spider mites Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida and Panonychus citri • Proteomics of the silk of T. urticae and P. citri revealed the silk gene of spider mites • Sequence structure of the spider mite silk supports the observed high Young's modulus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Testate amoebae (protists) as indicators in a combined field and laboratory study. • Different testate amoeba species react differently to salinity pulses. • Encystment of testate amoebae as a strategy to endure salinity stress. • Soil functioning may persist under temporal salinization pressure. Testate amoebae are ubiquitous unicellular eukaryotic micro-organisms. They occur in high abundances in terrestrial habitats and contribute to important ecological and biogeochemical processes like silicon cycling. Little is known about the growth of testate amoeba populations under hyperosmotic stress, as caused by salinity pulses due to coastal flooding. Given the increasing sea-levels in response to climate change we address this knowledge gap by jointly considering results from a laboratory experiment and a field study in Tuvalu (South Pacific). In the laboratory experiment, Trinema galeata cultures tolerated up to 1 g NaCl L−1 but showed a pronounced decrease in growth rate probably due to interactions with other micro-organisms. Tracheleuglypha dentata cultures had the highest growth rate at 0.5 g NaCl L−1. At higher salt concentrations (5–10 g NaCl L−1), a strongly reduced growth and rapid closing of the shell aperture with a plug occurred, which can be considered as rapid pre-encystment. Euglypha rotunda cultures had the highest growth rates at 1 g NaCl L−1. At higher salt concentrations (5–10 g NaCl L−1), a strongly reduced growth and spherical shrinking of cell plasma occurred, which is again considered as rapid pre-encystment. After seven weeks of exposure, a replacement of the 5 and 10 g NaCl L−1 culture medium by NaCl-free medium resulted in a quick recovery of T. dentata and E. rotunda cultures, but not of T. galeata cultures. Generally, cultures of T. dentata showed the highest growth rates and shortest generation times (up to 0.37/1.91 day−1, respectively). In the field study, different flooding regimes resulted in fundamental changes of the composition of soil amoeba communities. In conclusion, terrestrial testate amoebae can tolerate at least short periods of exposure to moderate salinity caused by flooding stress due to their ability to form cysts and fast growth rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]