Biology subjects

Krogmann, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Krogmann, L..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Next-generation insect digitization: combining phenomics and genomics by subsequent synchrotron X-ray imaging and DNA sequencing

Recent technological advances allow for the large-scale acquisition of genetic and morphological data: high-throughput sequencing has transformed the field of genomics while synchrotron X-ray microtomography enables rapid, noninvasive 3D imaging. However, integrating these approaches for the same specimens is challenging because X-rays can fragment DNA, and DNA extraction damages internal morphology, particularly relevant for small bodied organisms, such as insects. We systematically tested multiple extraction protocols and irradiation conditions across three model insect species. We irradiated more than 1,000 specimens under varying conditions and tested DNA quality through DNA barcoding and UCE sequencing. Our results demonstrate that high-quality DNA and high-resolution tomograms can be obtained from the same individuals, provided that the parameters are carefully optimized and rapid SR-CT scanning precedes DNA extraction. In this respect, our findings establish practical guidelines for combining genomics and phenomics, paving the way for comprehensive integrative digitization of biodiversity.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2025

Level of host concealment shape parasitoid community of microlepidopteran species living on hops

1. BackgroundParasitoid-host interactions are key drivers of insect community structure, with host concealment influencing parasitoid diversity and parasitism rates. However, the effectiveness of different host defense strategies against parasitoids remains insufficiently understood. 2. ObjectiveThis study examines how host concealment level affects parasitoid communities and parasitism rates in two microlepidopteran species developing on hops (Humulus lupulus L.), Caloptilia fidella and Cosmopterix zieglerella, which employ leaf-rolling and leaf-mining strategies, respectively. 3. MethodsWe combined morphological identification with molecular species delimitation using ITS2 and CO1 markers and applied ASAP and bPTP methods to refine parasitoid taxonomy and detect cryptic species. 4. ResultsSemi-concealed C. fidella larvae in leaf rolls experienced significantly higher parasitism than their mining stages, whereas fully concealed C. zieglerella had lower parasitism rates. Molecular analyses confirmed the idiobiont strategy in Sympiesis acalle, S. sericeicornis, and Elachertus fenestratus, and bPTP proved more sensitive in detecting cryptic species than ASAP. 5. SignificanceThese findings demonstrate that semi-concealed hosts face a higher risk of parasitism than fully concealed hosts, suggesting that leaf-mining provides better protection than leaf-rolling in studied hosts. The study also highlights the power of molecular tools in species delimitation, emphasizing their importance for refining parasitoid taxonomy and advancing our understanding of host-parasitoid interactions.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2022

The Chalcidoidea bush of life - a massive radiation blurred by mutational saturation

Capturing phylogenetic signal from a massive radiation can be daunting. The superfamily Chalcidoidea is an excellent example of a hyperdiverse group that has remained recalcitrant to phylogenetic resolution. Chalcidoidea are mostly parasitoid wasps that until now included 27 families, 87 subfamilies and as many as 500,000 estimated species. We combined 1007 exons obtained with Anchored Hybrid Enrichment with 1048 Ultra-Conserved Elements (UCEs) for 433 taxa including all extant families, over 95% of all subfamilies and 356 genera chosen to represent the vast diversity of the superfamily. Going back and forth between molecular results and our collective morphological and biological knowledge, we detected insidious bias driven by the saturation of nucleotide data and highlighted morphological convergences. Our final results are based on a concatenated analysis of the least saturated exons and UCE data sets (2054 loci, 284,106 sites). Our analyses support a sister relationship with Mymarommatoidea. Seven of the previously recognized families were not monophyletic, so foundations for a new classification are discussed. Biology appears potentially more informative than morphology, as illustrated by the elucidation of a clade of plant gall associates and a clade of taxa with planidial first-instar larvae. The phylogeny suggests a shift from smaller soft-bodied wasps to larger and more heavily sclerotized wasps. Deep divergences in Chalcidoidea coincide with an increase in insect families in the fossil record, and an early shift to phytophagy corresponds with the beginning of the "Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution". Our dating analyses suggest a Middle Jurassic origin of 174 Ma (167.3-180.5 Ma) and a crown age of 162.2 Ma (153.9-169.8 Ma) for Chalcidoidea. During the Cretaceous, Chalcidoidea underwent a rapid radiation in southern Gondwana with subsequent dispersals to the Northern Hemisphere. This scenario is discussed with regard to knowledge about host taxa of chalcid wasps, their fossil record, and Earths paleogeographic history.

evolutionary biology↗