[NatureNS] New Nova Scotia beetle honors legacy of Mi'kmaq people

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:00:36 -0400
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Hi folks,

I thought you might be interested in a new species of rove beetle  
(Staphylinidae) that we have discovered that has been named in honour  
of the Mi'kmaq people. The first specimens of the beetle were  
discovered along the shores of Little Ponhook Lake adjacent to the  
Wildcat Reserve of the Acadia First Nation (in Queens County). Jan  
Klimaszewski and I decided to name it in honour of the native people  
of Nova Scotia whose culture has had a profound relationship with the  
natural world for millennia.

It is called Euvira micmac and it is associated with a very  
interesting microhabitat. To date, they have only been found  
inhabiting oak-apple galls. These grape-sized swellings on leaves are  
formed by so-called "gall-inducer wasps," small insects that inject  
the leaves of red oaks with a chemical compound that causes the galls  
to form. The wasps lay their eggs in the galls and the larvae feed on  
the plant tissue.

The galls, however, become a unique miniature ecosystem inhabited by  
other wasp and moth larvae (called "inquilines"), parasites of these  
wasps, fungi which grow in the galls as they become hollow, insects  
that feed on the fungi, and predators of all of the above. Some galls  
can host up to 16 species of insects. Euvira micmac may be a predator,  
or feed on fungi, or a combination of both.

Other species of Euvira are found mainly in the tropics, from Mexico  
south to Argentina. One, Euvira quadriceps, is found in Mississippi  
and some Mexican species are associated with the nests of communal  
butterflies. Hence the presence of this Euvira micmac in Nova Scotia,  
a beetle associated with oak-apple galls, is particularly unique and  
noteworthy.

In any event, if you are interested in further information on the  
species NovaNewsNow.com has an article on it:

http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-275948-New-Nova-Scotia-beetle-honours-Mikmaq.html

The species description was published in the Canadian Entomologist and  
for those who would like to read the original paper, a PDF version is  
available at:

http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/PDF/Euvira_micmac.pdf

Maritime Noon will broadcast a story on the beetle tomorrow between  
12:00 & 1:00 and for those of you who get APTN (Aboriginal Peoples  
Television Network), a story will be broadcast tonight, November 26,  
between 6:00 & 7:00 pm.

Euvira micmac, like its namesake the Mi'kmaq people, has inhabited  
Nova Scotia since time immemorial. Part of our present responsibility  
is to ensure the continued well being of both the Mi'kmaq and their  
culture, and the wealth of plants and animals that existed together  
with them.

All the best!

Chris

Christopher Majka - Atlantic Canada Coleoptera
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/atlantic_coleoptera.html
c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca




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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; "><div><div style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; =
"><div><div style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; ">Hi folks,<div><br></div><div>I thought you might be =
interested in a new species of rove beetle (Staphylinidae) that we have =
discovered that has been named in honour of the&nbsp;Mi'kmaq people. The =
first specimens of the beetle were discovered&nbsp;along the shores of =
Little Ponhook Lake&nbsp;adjacent to the Wildcat Reserve of the Acadia =
First Nation (in Queens County). Jan Klimaszewski&nbsp;and =
I&nbsp;decided to name it in honour of the native people of Nova Scotia =
whose culture has had a profound relationship with the natural world for =
millennia.</div><div><br></div><div>It is called <i>Euvira micmac</i> =
and it is associated with a very interesting microhabitat.&nbsp;To date, =
they have only been found inhabiting oak-apple galls. These grape-sized =
swellings on leaves are formed by so-called "gall-inducer wasps," small =
insects that inject the leaves of red oaks with a chemical compound that =
causes the galls to form. The wasps lay their eggs in the galls and the =
larvae feed on the plant tissue.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The =
galls, however, become a unique miniature ecosystem inhabited by other =
wasp and moth larvae (called "inquilines"), parasites of these wasps, =
fungi which grow in the galls as they become hollow, insects that feed =
on the fungi, and predators of all of the above. Some galls can host up =
to 16 species of insects. <i>Euvira micmac</i>&nbsp;may be a predator, =
or feed on fungi, or a combination of =
both.</div><div><br></div><div><span style=3D"font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'; ">Other species of&nbsp;<i>Euvira</i></span><span =
style=3D"font-family: 'Times New Roman'; ">&nbsp;are found mainly in the =
tropics, from Mexico south to Argentina. One,&nbsp;<i>Euvira =
quadriceps</i></span><span style=3D"font-family: 'Times New Roman'; ">, =
is found in Mississippi and some Mexican species are associated with the =
nests of communal butterflies. Hence the presence of this&nbsp;<i>Euvira =
micmac</i></span><span style=3D"font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
">&nbsp;in Nova Scotia, a beetle associated with oak-apple galls, is =
particularly unique and noteworthy.</span></div><div><br></div><div>In =
any event, if you are interested in further information on the species =
NovaNewsNow.com has an article on it:</div><div><br></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-275948-New-Nova-Scotia-beetle-h=
onours-Mikmaq.html">http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-275948-New-Nova-Sco=
tia-beetle-honours-Mikmaq.html</a></div><div><br></div><div>The species =
description was published in the Canadian Entomologist and for those who =
would like to read the original paper, a PDF version is available =
at:</div><div><br></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/PDF/Euvira_micmac.pdf">h=
ttp://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/PDF/Euvira_micmac.pdf</a></div><d=
iv><br></div><div>Maritime Noon will broadcast a story on the beetle =
tomorrow between 12:00 &amp; 1:00 and for those of you who get APTN =
(Aboriginal Peoples Television Network), a story will be broadcast =
tonight, November 26, between 6:00 &amp; 7:00 =
pm.</div><div><br></div><div><span style=3D"font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'; "><i>Euvira micmac,</i></span><span style=3D"font-family: 'Times =
New Roman'; ">&nbsp;like its namesake the Mi'kmaq people, has inhabited =
Nova Scotia since time immemorial. Part of our present responsibility is =
to ensure the continued well being of both the Mi'kmaq and their =
culture, and the wealth of plants and animals that existed together with =
them.</span></div><div><br></div><div>All the =
best!</div><div><br></div><div>Chris</div></div></div></div></div></div></=
div></div></div><br><div apple-content-edited=3D"true"> <span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; =
font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; =
letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: =
auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; "><div>Christopher Majka - Atlantic Canada =
Coleoptera</div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/atlantic_coleoptera.html=
">http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/atlantic_coleoptera.html</a></=
div><div><a =
href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</a></div><=
div><br class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></div></div></span><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"> </div><br></body></html>=

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