Matan Shelomi | National Taiwan University (original) (raw)

Papers by Matan Shelomi

Research paper thumbnail of Factors affecting willingness and future intention to eat insects in students of an edible insect course

Journal of insects as food and feed, Jun 29, 2023

Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willin... more Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willingness to eat insects in countries without traditions of edible insects have been studied predominantly in Europe, and with a predominant focus on consumer attributes such as levels of food neophobia or disgust. This study examined attitudes in Taiwan, where edible insects are not commonly consumed, and included attributes of edible insects as a food innovation, using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the framework to model explanatory variables affecting consumer choice. These choices not only included willingness to eat insect products in varying levels of disguise, but also the desire, intention, and probability of actually eating insects within the next month, in order to identify factors affecting passive rejection from lack of supply instead of active rejection. Taiwanese students of an edible insect course were surveyed on their willingness and intention to eat insects, and their views towards novel foods, insects in general, and insects as food. Food neophobia and levels of disgust or fear of insects had the strongest effects on respondent willingness and intent to eat insects. Processed insect products were seen as more acceptable, yet also riskier and less acceptable to less innovative consumers. Concern over the environmental footprint of one’s diet correlated with a willingness to replace traditional meat with insects, but otherwise was not a significant predictor of likelihood to eat insects. Variables related to insect product supply such as trialability and observability were not significant, but perceived approval or disapproval from peers and family strongly correlated with willingness to eat insects. Strongly neophobic and entomophobic consumers may remain unwilling to add insects to their diets even if they are educated on the rationale for doing so.

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of deformed wing virus (DWV) in the Vietnamese walking stick Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea)

Virus Research, Feb 1, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Identification of a Novel Picorna-like Virus in Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles (Oryctes rhinoceros)

Virus Research, Oct 1, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Syzygium samarangense Leaf Infusion as Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Ovitrap Bait

Journal of Medical Entomology, Oct 30, 2020

Adding lures can improve the efficiency of mosquito ovitraps used for monitoring or in attract-an... more Adding lures can improve the efficiency of mosquito ovitraps used for monitoring or in attract-and-kill pest management. Easily produced, low-to-no cost bait would be ideal for remote field sites and community-run vector management. Plant infusions are popular ovitrap baits for their low cost and potent attractiveness, attributed either to the plants or their microbiomes. We tested fermented leaf infusions of the wax apple tree, Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & Perry, as bait in lethal ovitraps in urban Taipei with Bti larvicide. All trapped insects were inferred to be Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse). The bait significantly increased the yield of the traps, with no negative interactions with the larvicide in either direction. Syzgium samarangense leaves are readily available across Taiwan, making their infusion an easy bait to greatly improve ovitrap efficiency.

Research paper thumbnail of Microbes Associated With Black Soldier Fly (Diptera: Stratiomiidae) Degradation of Food Waste

Environmental Entomology, Jan 6, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Chryseobacterium oryctis sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the beetle Oryctes rhinoceros, and Chryseobacterium kimseyorum sp. nov., isolated from a stick insect rearing cage

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, Apr 19, 2023

Two strains of Chryseobacterium identified from different experiments are proposed to represent n... more Two strains of Chryseobacterium identified from different experiments are proposed to represent new species. Strain WLa1L2M3T was isolated from the digestive tract of an Oryctes rhinoceros beetle larva. Strain 09-1422T was isolated from a cage housing the stick insect Eurycantha calcarata. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes found both strains to be similar but not identical to other Chryseobacterium species. Whole-genome sequencing suggested the isolates represent new species, with average nucleotide identity values ranging from 74.6 to 80.5 %. Genome-to-genome distance calculations produced values below 25.3 %, and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values were 13.7–29.9 %, all suggesting they are distinct species. The genomic DNA G+C content of WLa1L2M3T is approximately 32.53 %, and of 09-1422T is approximately 35.89 %. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain WLa1L2M3T are C15 : 0 iso, summed feature 9 (C16 : 0 10OH or C17 : 1 iso ω6c), C17 : 0 iso 3OH, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c), C15 : 0 iso 3OH, C15 : 0 anteiso and C13 : 0 iso, and those of strain 09-1422T are C15 : 0 iso, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c), C17 : 0 iso 3OH, C15 : 0 anteiso, C15 : 0 iso 3OH, C16 : 1 ω7c, C17 : 0 2OH and C18 : 0. In addition, physiological and biochemical tests revealed phenotypic differences from related Chryseobacterium type strains. These cumulative data indicate that the two strains represent novel species of the genus Chryseobacterium for which the names Chryseobacterium oryctis sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium kimseyorum sp. nov. are proposed with WLa1L2M3T (=BCRC 81350T=JCM 35215T=CIP 112035T) and 09-1422T (=UCDFST 09-1422T=BCRC 81359T=CIP 112165T), as type strains, respectively.

Research paper thumbnail of Entomoludology: Usage of insects in video games

Research paper thumbnail of Using RNA-seq to help identify functions in unknown organs

CABI eBooks, Dec 30, 2019

Abstract This chapter focuses on discovering the function of midgut in Phasmatodea. The appendice... more Abstract This chapter focuses on discovering the function of midgut in Phasmatodea. The appendices of the Phasmatodea midgut are not simply extra excretory organs. They are involved in multiple drug resistance, eliminating foreign compounds from the hemolymph through an array of ABC transporters and cytochrome P450s. They express carbonic anhydrase that alkalinizes the midgut lumen, though which may have useful effects on the functioning of the appendices themselves as well. Lastly, they are important organs of fat metabolism and homeostasis.

Research paper thumbnail of Anatomical changes of the beetle digestive tract during metamorphosis correspond to dietary changes

Journal of Morphology, Mar 4, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Corrigendum: Chryseobacterium oryctis sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the beetle Oryctes rhinoceros, and Chryseobacterium kimseyorum sp. nov., isolated from a stick insect rearing cage

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

Research paper thumbnail of A practical guide to collections‐based research on ecogeographic rules

Ecology and Evolution

Ecogeographic research into how species' forms vary across space, time, and climate has taken... more Ecogeographic research into how species' forms vary across space, time, and climate has taken on new urgency due to contemporary global climate change. Research using museum specimens and other records to study biological rules like Bergmann's, Allen's, and Gloger's Rules has a long history and continues to generate publications and robust scientific debates. Despite the prevalence and history of the field, however, no simple guide on how to carry out such work has ever been published. To lower the barriers of entry for new researchers, this review was created as a practical guide on how to perform ecogeographic research. The guide consolidates disparately published methodologies into a single, convenient document that reviews the history and present of the field of ecogeographic rule research, and describes how to generate appropriate hypotheses, design experiments, gather, and analyze biotic and geographic data, and interpret the results in an ecologically meaningf...

Research paper thumbnail of Chryseobacterium oryctis sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the beetle Oryctes rhinoceros, and Chryseobacterium kimseyorum sp. nov., isolated from a stick insect rearing cage

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

Two strains of Chryseobacterium identified from different experiments are proposed to represent n... more Two strains of Chryseobacterium identified from different experiments are proposed to represent new species. Strain WLa1L2M3T was isolated from the digestive tract of an Oryctes rhinoceros beetle larva. Strain 09-1422T was isolated from a cage housing the stick insect Eurycantha calcarata. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes found both strains to be similar but not identical to other Chryseobacterium species. Whole-genome sequencing suggested the isolates represent new species, with average nucleotide identity values ranging from 74.6 to 80.5 %. Genome-to-genome distance calculations produced values below 25.3 %, and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values were 13.7–29.9 %, all suggesting they are distinct species. The genomic DNA G+C content of WLa1L2M3T is approximately 32.53 %, and of 09-1422T is approximately 35.89 %. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain WLa1L2M3T are C15 : 0 iso, summed feature 9 (C16 : 0 10OH or C17 : 1 iso ω6c), C17 : 0 iso 3OH, summed fea...

Research paper thumbnail of Spatial repellency effects of Taiwanese plant oils on the biting midge, <i>Forcipomyia taiwana</i>

Research paper thumbnail of Critical commentary on “The potential of a site-specific delivery of thiamine hydrochloride as a novel insect repellent exerting long-term protection on human skin: In-vitro, ex-vivo study and clinical assessment”

Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Research paper thumbnail of Digestive and excretory system of the Phasmatodea

<p>A) Schematic and B) dissection of the alimentary canal from <i>Aretaon asperrimus&... more <p>A) Schematic and B) dissection of the alimentary canal from <i>Aretaon asperrimus</i>, (Heteropterygidae) typical of other Phasmatodea [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0174984#pone.0174984.ref032&quot; target="_blank">32</a>]. The insect was vitally stained with New Methylene Blue N and dissected 6 days later. The appendices [violet] appear on the posterior midgut. The Malpighian tubules [colorless] originate at the midgut/hindgut junction, trailing over the posterior midgut before going towards the posterior end of the insect. The gut section between the two, the “post-posterior midgut,” was used for our midgut wall (MGWall) samples, excluding any tubules. Key: AMG = anterior midgut. HG = hindgut, MMG = middle midgut. PMG = posterior midgut. PPMG = post-posterior midgut. The schematic is reused with permission from this author’s previously published work [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0174984#pone.0174984.ref032&quot; target="_blank">32</a>].</p

Research paper thumbnail of Microbes Associated With Black Soldier Fly (Diptera: Stratiomiidae) Degradation of Food Waste

Environmental Entomology, 2019

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae are capable of valorizing waste by converting it ... more Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae are capable of valorizing waste by converting it into insect biomass that can be used as animal feed, leaving undigested residue that can be used as soil enrichment. Evidence is conflicting over whether larvae fed substrate containing pathogenic microbes emerge uncontaminated. Studies also differ on which clades comprise the species’ gut microbiome, and on whether and how diet affects these microbes. Using culturing and metabarcoding, the bacterial microbiota of black soldier fly larvae reared on two different kinds of food waste (postproduction soy pulp and postconsumer cafeteria waste) were analyzed, along with the microbes of their substrates. Little to no overlap was found between the wastes, the larvae, and the residues, but the larvae fed different foods had a significant percentage of their microbes in common. The data, in line with other works on this species, suggest the larvae have a conserved microbiota whose components vary...

Research paper thumbnail of Necrophilous Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Diverse Habitats in Taiwan

Sociobiology, 2019

Ants are a highly diverse group that not only are often strongly associated with certain habitat ... more Ants are a highly diverse group that not only are often strongly associated with certain habitat types, but also can be found on carcasses and, therefore, in crime scenes. In the present study, a survey of the necrophilous ants in Taiwan was conducted and a preliminary species checklist was provided for the first time. The aim of this study was primarily to offer information on Taiwanese ant species of forensic significance. A total of 50 ant species/morphospecies from 26 genera were collected from large scale regions in Taiwan using combination pig liver bait and pitfall traps, bringing the Taiwanese necrophilous ants up to 55 species from 33 genera within the known Taiwanese ant fauna of 288 species from 71 genera. Seventeen species found in this study are tramp or potentially exotic species, which often dominated the baits. Use of pitfall traps increased the diversity of ants collected relative to hand-collecting from the carcass, adding useful data. These necrophilous ants may p...

Research paper thumbnail of Factors affecting willingness and future intention to eat insects in students of an edible insect course

Journal of Insects as Food and Feed

Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willin... more Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willingness to eat insects in countries without traditions of edible insects have been studied predominantly in Europe, and with a predominant focus on consumer attributes such as levels of food neophobia or disgust. This study examined attitudes in Taiwan, where edible insects are not commonly consumed, and included attributes of edible insects as a food innovation, using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the framework to model explanatory variables affecting consumer choice. These choices not only included willingness to eat insect products in varying levels of disguise, but also the desire, intention, and probability of actually eating insects within the next month, in order to identify factors affecting passive rejection from lack of supply instead of active rejection. Taiwanese students of an edible insect course were surveyed on their willingness and intention to eat insects, and their ...

Research paper thumbnail of Cytochrome P450 Genes Expressed in Phasmatodea Midguts

Insects

Cytochrome P450s (CYPs) are xenobiotic detoxification genes found in most eukaryotes, and linked ... more Cytochrome P450s (CYPs) are xenobiotic detoxification genes found in most eukaryotes, and linked in insects to the tolerance of plant secondary chemicals and insecticide resistance. The number and diversity of CYP clans, families, and subfamilies that an organism produces could correlate with its dietary breadth or specialization. This study examined the CYP diversity expressed in the midguts of six species of folivorous stick insects (Phasmatodea), to identify their CYP complement and see if any CYPs correlate with diet toxicity or specialization, and see what factors influenced their evolution in this insect order. CYP genes were mined from six published Phasmatodea transcriptomes and analyzed phylogenetically. The Phasmatodea CYP complement resembles that of other insects, though with relatively low numbers, and with significant expansions in the CYP clades 6J1, 6A13/14, 4C1, and 15A1. The CYP6 group is known to be the dominant CYP family in insects, but most insects have no more...

Research paper thumbnail of Nexus and data files for Pokemon Evolutionary Phylogeny

Data files associated with the following publication: Matan Shelomi, Andrew Richards, Ivana Li, Y... more Data files associated with the following publication: Matan Shelomi, Andrew Richards, Ivana Li, Yukinari Okido. (2012) "A Phylogeny and Evolutionary History of the Pokémon." Annals of Improbable Research, 18(4): 15-17. Free to use for educators and researchers hoping to use the Pokémon to teach evolution, phylogenetics, etc. Cite in publications as you see fit.<br> These datasets contain Pokémon up to the 5th generation. Researchers are welcome to produce new, updated datasets so long as they cite our original work, either this dataset and/or the Annals of Improbable Research paper.

Research paper thumbnail of Factors affecting willingness and future intention to eat insects in students of an edible insect course

Journal of insects as food and feed, Jun 29, 2023

Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willin... more Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willingness to eat insects in countries without traditions of edible insects have been studied predominantly in Europe, and with a predominant focus on consumer attributes such as levels of food neophobia or disgust. This study examined attitudes in Taiwan, where edible insects are not commonly consumed, and included attributes of edible insects as a food innovation, using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the framework to model explanatory variables affecting consumer choice. These choices not only included willingness to eat insect products in varying levels of disguise, but also the desire, intention, and probability of actually eating insects within the next month, in order to identify factors affecting passive rejection from lack of supply instead of active rejection. Taiwanese students of an edible insect course were surveyed on their willingness and intention to eat insects, and their views towards novel foods, insects in general, and insects as food. Food neophobia and levels of disgust or fear of insects had the strongest effects on respondent willingness and intent to eat insects. Processed insect products were seen as more acceptable, yet also riskier and less acceptable to less innovative consumers. Concern over the environmental footprint of one’s diet correlated with a willingness to replace traditional meat with insects, but otherwise was not a significant predictor of likelihood to eat insects. Variables related to insect product supply such as trialability and observability were not significant, but perceived approval or disapproval from peers and family strongly correlated with willingness to eat insects. Strongly neophobic and entomophobic consumers may remain unwilling to add insects to their diets even if they are educated on the rationale for doing so.

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of deformed wing virus (DWV) in the Vietnamese walking stick Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea)

Virus Research, Feb 1, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Identification of a Novel Picorna-like Virus in Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles (Oryctes rhinoceros)

Virus Research, Oct 1, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Syzygium samarangense Leaf Infusion as Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Ovitrap Bait

Journal of Medical Entomology, Oct 30, 2020

Adding lures can improve the efficiency of mosquito ovitraps used for monitoring or in attract-an... more Adding lures can improve the efficiency of mosquito ovitraps used for monitoring or in attract-and-kill pest management. Easily produced, low-to-no cost bait would be ideal for remote field sites and community-run vector management. Plant infusions are popular ovitrap baits for their low cost and potent attractiveness, attributed either to the plants or their microbiomes. We tested fermented leaf infusions of the wax apple tree, Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. &amp;amp; Perry, as bait in lethal ovitraps in urban Taipei with Bti larvicide. All trapped insects were inferred to be Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse). The bait significantly increased the yield of the traps, with no negative interactions with the larvicide in either direction. Syzgium samarangense leaves are readily available across Taiwan, making their infusion an easy bait to greatly improve ovitrap efficiency.

Research paper thumbnail of Microbes Associated With Black Soldier Fly (Diptera: Stratiomiidae) Degradation of Food Waste

Environmental Entomology, Jan 6, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Chryseobacterium oryctis sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the beetle Oryctes rhinoceros, and Chryseobacterium kimseyorum sp. nov., isolated from a stick insect rearing cage

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, Apr 19, 2023

Two strains of Chryseobacterium identified from different experiments are proposed to represent n... more Two strains of Chryseobacterium identified from different experiments are proposed to represent new species. Strain WLa1L2M3T was isolated from the digestive tract of an Oryctes rhinoceros beetle larva. Strain 09-1422T was isolated from a cage housing the stick insect Eurycantha calcarata. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes found both strains to be similar but not identical to other Chryseobacterium species. Whole-genome sequencing suggested the isolates represent new species, with average nucleotide identity values ranging from 74.6 to 80.5 %. Genome-to-genome distance calculations produced values below 25.3 %, and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values were 13.7–29.9 %, all suggesting they are distinct species. The genomic DNA G+C content of WLa1L2M3T is approximately 32.53 %, and of 09-1422T is approximately 35.89 %. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain WLa1L2M3T are C15 : 0 iso, summed feature 9 (C16 : 0 10OH or C17 : 1 iso ω6c), C17 : 0 iso 3OH, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c), C15 : 0 iso 3OH, C15 : 0 anteiso and C13 : 0 iso, and those of strain 09-1422T are C15 : 0 iso, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c), C17 : 0 iso 3OH, C15 : 0 anteiso, C15 : 0 iso 3OH, C16 : 1 ω7c, C17 : 0 2OH and C18 : 0. In addition, physiological and biochemical tests revealed phenotypic differences from related Chryseobacterium type strains. These cumulative data indicate that the two strains represent novel species of the genus Chryseobacterium for which the names Chryseobacterium oryctis sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium kimseyorum sp. nov. are proposed with WLa1L2M3T (=BCRC 81350T=JCM 35215T=CIP 112035T) and 09-1422T (=UCDFST 09-1422T=BCRC 81359T=CIP 112165T), as type strains, respectively.

Research paper thumbnail of Entomoludology: Usage of insects in video games

Research paper thumbnail of Using RNA-seq to help identify functions in unknown organs

CABI eBooks, Dec 30, 2019

Abstract This chapter focuses on discovering the function of midgut in Phasmatodea. The appendice... more Abstract This chapter focuses on discovering the function of midgut in Phasmatodea. The appendices of the Phasmatodea midgut are not simply extra excretory organs. They are involved in multiple drug resistance, eliminating foreign compounds from the hemolymph through an array of ABC transporters and cytochrome P450s. They express carbonic anhydrase that alkalinizes the midgut lumen, though which may have useful effects on the functioning of the appendices themselves as well. Lastly, they are important organs of fat metabolism and homeostasis.

Research paper thumbnail of Anatomical changes of the beetle digestive tract during metamorphosis correspond to dietary changes

Journal of Morphology, Mar 4, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Corrigendum: Chryseobacterium oryctis sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the beetle Oryctes rhinoceros, and Chryseobacterium kimseyorum sp. nov., isolated from a stick insect rearing cage

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

Research paper thumbnail of A practical guide to collections‐based research on ecogeographic rules

Ecology and Evolution

Ecogeographic research into how species' forms vary across space, time, and climate has taken... more Ecogeographic research into how species' forms vary across space, time, and climate has taken on new urgency due to contemporary global climate change. Research using museum specimens and other records to study biological rules like Bergmann's, Allen's, and Gloger's Rules has a long history and continues to generate publications and robust scientific debates. Despite the prevalence and history of the field, however, no simple guide on how to carry out such work has ever been published. To lower the barriers of entry for new researchers, this review was created as a practical guide on how to perform ecogeographic research. The guide consolidates disparately published methodologies into a single, convenient document that reviews the history and present of the field of ecogeographic rule research, and describes how to generate appropriate hypotheses, design experiments, gather, and analyze biotic and geographic data, and interpret the results in an ecologically meaningf...

Research paper thumbnail of Chryseobacterium oryctis sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the beetle Oryctes rhinoceros, and Chryseobacterium kimseyorum sp. nov., isolated from a stick insect rearing cage

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

Two strains of Chryseobacterium identified from different experiments are proposed to represent n... more Two strains of Chryseobacterium identified from different experiments are proposed to represent new species. Strain WLa1L2M3T was isolated from the digestive tract of an Oryctes rhinoceros beetle larva. Strain 09-1422T was isolated from a cage housing the stick insect Eurycantha calcarata. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes found both strains to be similar but not identical to other Chryseobacterium species. Whole-genome sequencing suggested the isolates represent new species, with average nucleotide identity values ranging from 74.6 to 80.5 %. Genome-to-genome distance calculations produced values below 25.3 %, and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values were 13.7–29.9 %, all suggesting they are distinct species. The genomic DNA G+C content of WLa1L2M3T is approximately 32.53 %, and of 09-1422T is approximately 35.89 %. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain WLa1L2M3T are C15 : 0 iso, summed feature 9 (C16 : 0 10OH or C17 : 1 iso ω6c), C17 : 0 iso 3OH, summed fea...

Research paper thumbnail of Spatial repellency effects of Taiwanese plant oils on the biting midge, <i>Forcipomyia taiwana</i>

Research paper thumbnail of Critical commentary on “The potential of a site-specific delivery of thiamine hydrochloride as a novel insect repellent exerting long-term protection on human skin: In-vitro, ex-vivo study and clinical assessment”

Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Research paper thumbnail of Digestive and excretory system of the Phasmatodea

<p>A) Schematic and B) dissection of the alimentary canal from <i>Aretaon asperrimus&... more <p>A) Schematic and B) dissection of the alimentary canal from <i>Aretaon asperrimus</i>, (Heteropterygidae) typical of other Phasmatodea [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0174984#pone.0174984.ref032&quot; target="_blank">32</a>]. The insect was vitally stained with New Methylene Blue N and dissected 6 days later. The appendices [violet] appear on the posterior midgut. The Malpighian tubules [colorless] originate at the midgut/hindgut junction, trailing over the posterior midgut before going towards the posterior end of the insect. The gut section between the two, the “post-posterior midgut,” was used for our midgut wall (MGWall) samples, excluding any tubules. Key: AMG = anterior midgut. HG = hindgut, MMG = middle midgut. PMG = posterior midgut. PPMG = post-posterior midgut. The schematic is reused with permission from this author’s previously published work [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0174984#pone.0174984.ref032&quot; target="_blank">32</a>].</p

Research paper thumbnail of Microbes Associated With Black Soldier Fly (Diptera: Stratiomiidae) Degradation of Food Waste

Environmental Entomology, 2019

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae are capable of valorizing waste by converting it ... more Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae are capable of valorizing waste by converting it into insect biomass that can be used as animal feed, leaving undigested residue that can be used as soil enrichment. Evidence is conflicting over whether larvae fed substrate containing pathogenic microbes emerge uncontaminated. Studies also differ on which clades comprise the species’ gut microbiome, and on whether and how diet affects these microbes. Using culturing and metabarcoding, the bacterial microbiota of black soldier fly larvae reared on two different kinds of food waste (postproduction soy pulp and postconsumer cafeteria waste) were analyzed, along with the microbes of their substrates. Little to no overlap was found between the wastes, the larvae, and the residues, but the larvae fed different foods had a significant percentage of their microbes in common. The data, in line with other works on this species, suggest the larvae have a conserved microbiota whose components vary...

Research paper thumbnail of Necrophilous Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Diverse Habitats in Taiwan

Sociobiology, 2019

Ants are a highly diverse group that not only are often strongly associated with certain habitat ... more Ants are a highly diverse group that not only are often strongly associated with certain habitat types, but also can be found on carcasses and, therefore, in crime scenes. In the present study, a survey of the necrophilous ants in Taiwan was conducted and a preliminary species checklist was provided for the first time. The aim of this study was primarily to offer information on Taiwanese ant species of forensic significance. A total of 50 ant species/morphospecies from 26 genera were collected from large scale regions in Taiwan using combination pig liver bait and pitfall traps, bringing the Taiwanese necrophilous ants up to 55 species from 33 genera within the known Taiwanese ant fauna of 288 species from 71 genera. Seventeen species found in this study are tramp or potentially exotic species, which often dominated the baits. Use of pitfall traps increased the diversity of ants collected relative to hand-collecting from the carcass, adding useful data. These necrophilous ants may p...

Research paper thumbnail of Factors affecting willingness and future intention to eat insects in students of an edible insect course

Journal of Insects as Food and Feed

Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willin... more Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willingness to eat insects in countries without traditions of edible insects have been studied predominantly in Europe, and with a predominant focus on consumer attributes such as levels of food neophobia or disgust. This study examined attitudes in Taiwan, where edible insects are not commonly consumed, and included attributes of edible insects as a food innovation, using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the framework to model explanatory variables affecting consumer choice. These choices not only included willingness to eat insect products in varying levels of disguise, but also the desire, intention, and probability of actually eating insects within the next month, in order to identify factors affecting passive rejection from lack of supply instead of active rejection. Taiwanese students of an edible insect course were surveyed on their willingness and intention to eat insects, and their ...

Research paper thumbnail of Cytochrome P450 Genes Expressed in Phasmatodea Midguts

Insects

Cytochrome P450s (CYPs) are xenobiotic detoxification genes found in most eukaryotes, and linked ... more Cytochrome P450s (CYPs) are xenobiotic detoxification genes found in most eukaryotes, and linked in insects to the tolerance of plant secondary chemicals and insecticide resistance. The number and diversity of CYP clans, families, and subfamilies that an organism produces could correlate with its dietary breadth or specialization. This study examined the CYP diversity expressed in the midguts of six species of folivorous stick insects (Phasmatodea), to identify their CYP complement and see if any CYPs correlate with diet toxicity or specialization, and see what factors influenced their evolution in this insect order. CYP genes were mined from six published Phasmatodea transcriptomes and analyzed phylogenetically. The Phasmatodea CYP complement resembles that of other insects, though with relatively low numbers, and with significant expansions in the CYP clades 6J1, 6A13/14, 4C1, and 15A1. The CYP6 group is known to be the dominant CYP family in insects, but most insects have no more...

Research paper thumbnail of Nexus and data files for Pokemon Evolutionary Phylogeny

Data files associated with the following publication: Matan Shelomi, Andrew Richards, Ivana Li, Y... more Data files associated with the following publication: Matan Shelomi, Andrew Richards, Ivana Li, Yukinari Okido. (2012) "A Phylogeny and Evolutionary History of the Pokémon." Annals of Improbable Research, 18(4): 15-17. Free to use for educators and researchers hoping to use the Pokémon to teach evolution, phylogenetics, etc. Cite in publications as you see fit.<br> These datasets contain Pokémon up to the 5th generation. Researchers are welcome to produce new, updated datasets so long as they cite our original work, either this dataset and/or the Annals of Improbable Research paper.