Antimicrobial peptides are major components of host innate immunity, a well-conserved, evolutionarily ancient defensive mechanism. Infectious disease-bearing vector ticks are thought to possess specific defense molecules against the transmitted pathogens that have been acquired during their evolution. We found in the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis a novel parasiticidal peptide named longicin th...

Talitrid amphipods employ vision for zonal recovery behaviors on sand beaches and for entraining circadian activity rhythms. Using a hierarchy of methods, we examined visual spectral and response-intensity functions in Talorchestia longicornis, a species in which orientation and rhythm entrainment are wavelength-specific behaviors. Microspectrophotometry, electroretinogram recording and behavio...

Using laser optics to illuminate high-resolution video-recordings, we revealed behavioural mechanisms through which males of the calanoid copepod speciesTemora longicornis locate females. Males ofT. longicornis swam at signi¢cantly faster speeds than females along more sinuous routes, possibly re£ecting adaptations to increase encounter with females. Upon approaching within 2mm (i.e. two body l...

A cDNA expression library from the salivary glands of hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, was constructed. Immunoscreening was performed using sera of the rabbit repeatedly infested with ticks and seventeen positive clones were obtained. A BLASTP search suggested that 8 sequences matched with that of hypothetical H. longicornis sequence and one clone encoded HL35 antigen U from the same tick ...

The genus Taiwanolepta Kimoto, 1989 (type species Taiwanolepta babai Kimoto, 1989) is proposed as a junior synonym of Sikkimia Duvivier, 1891. Sikkimia species from Taiwan form a group characterized by the reduction of their hind wings. Most of them cannot be distinguished using external morphology, except by the structure of last two antennomeres in males. Diagnoses are made by using distribut...

The genus Dacus is one of the most economically important tephritid fruit flies. The first complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Dacus species - D. longicornis was sequenced by next-generation sequencing in order to develop the mitogenome data for this genus. The circular 16,253 bp mitogenome is the typical set and arrangement of 37 genes present in the ancestral insect. The mitogenome ...

Drosophila longicornis, D. propachuca and D. pachuca comprise a triad of sibling species. They are morphologically indistinguishable, sympatric forms that, under laboratory conditions, are capable of exchanging genes through the production of fertile F(1) females. However, we have no evidence for introgressive hybridization in nature. The chromosomal constitution of our strains indicates that t...

A tick survey was conducted to determine the relative abundance and distribution of ticks associated with selected mammals in the Republic of Korea (ROK) during 2008-2009. A total of 918 ticks were collected from 76 mammals (6 families, 9 species) captured at 6 provinces and 3 Metropolitan Cities in ROK. Haemaphysalis longicornis (54.4%) was the most frequently collected tick, followed by Haema...

Larvae, nymphs, and adult stages of 3 species of ixodid ticks were collected by tick drag methods in Seoul during June-October 2013, and their infection status with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus was examined using RT-PCR. During the period, 732 Haemaphysalis longicornis, 62 Haemaphysalis flava, and 2 Ixodes nipponensis specimens were collected. Among the specimens of ...

The ant genus Paratrechina is reexamined based on the discovery of two new species from Madagascar (P. ankarana sp. n. and P. antsingy sp. n.). Paratrechina kohli, a species known from central Africa, is transferred to Paratrechina from Prenolepis based on a new morphological interpretation of the genus and an updated morphological diagnosis of the genus is provided. This means that other than ...