The rove beetle genus Andrikothelyna Pace, 2000 is reviewed. Speiraphallusa Pace, 2013 is synonymized with Andrikothelyna due to the morphological similarities. A revised diagnosis and redescription of the genus are presented, and three new species are described. As a result of this study, this genus consists of the following two known species and three new species: Andrikothelyna papuana Pace, 2000, from Papua New Guinea; Andrikothelyna orientis (Pace, 2013) comb. nov. from Malaysia; Andrikothelyna rubiginosa sp. nov. from Taiwan (Nantou); Andrikothelyna limbata sp. nov. from Japan (Honshu, Kyushu and Ryukyu); and Andrikothelyna naomichii sp. nov. from Japan (Ryukyu). This study reports the newly recorded presence of the genus Andrikothelyna in Taiwan and Japan. In addition, the key to the species is given and the taxonomic position of the genus is discussed. Observation of the living individuals reveals part of the biology of the new species.
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has a nonphotosynthetic plastid called the apicoplast, which contains its own genome. Regulatory mechanisms for apicoplast gene expression remain poorly understood, despite this organelle being crucial for the parasite life cycle. Here, we identify a nuclear-encoded apicoplast RNA polymerase σ subunit (sigma factor) which, along with the α subunit, appears to mediate apicoplast transcript accumulation. This has a periodicity reminiscent of parasite circadian or developmental control. Expression of the apicoplast subunit gene, apSig, together with apicoplast transcripts, increased in the presence of the blood circadian signaling hormone melatonin. Our data suggest that the host circadian rhythm is integrated with intrinsic parasite cues to coordinate apicoplast genome transcription. This evolutionarily conserved regulatory system might be a future target for malaria treatment.