Fig 4 - available via license: Creative Commons Zero 1.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
Step-by-step of construction of the LED ring light, part 2. A, connector R soldered to the positive and negative leads that go to the ring lights; note the yoke that encompasses the soldered connector must be threaded onto the leads prior to soldering connector R; B, after soldering, connector R should reside within the yoke; C, the complete connector R and positive/negative leads, ready for soldering to the LED ring lights; D, converter that powers the LED ring light; note the inset describes the specifications of the adaptor as well as the polarity of connector F; this is critical for the correct wiring of connector R; E, close-up of the two connectors F and R; F, detail of the connection of the positive/negative leads to their respective poles on the LED ring light; G, correctly soldered leads to the LED ring light; H, the completed LED ring light should resemble the ring light figured here.
Source publication
A scalable and modular LED illumination dome for microscopic scientific photography is described and illustrated, and methods for constructing such a dome are detailed. Dome illumination for insect specimens has become standard practice across the field of insect systematics, but many dome designs remain expensive and inflexible with respect to new...
Citations
... Morphological terminology follows van Achterberg (1988). The photos of the voucher specimen were taken with a Keyence VHX-7000 camera, paired with an illumination dome as described in Kawada & Buffington (2016); post-image works were done with Adobe Photoshop. The voucher specimen is deposited in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest (HNHM). ...
Ecclitura primoris Kokujev, 1902, the sole European species of the genus Ecclitura
Kokujev, 1902 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae) is reported for the first time from Hungary, representing its northernmost record and first occurrence outside the Mediterranean
area in Europe.
... Drawings were made with a camera lucida adapted to a stereomicroscope Zeiss Discovery V8 or after photographs taken through the eyepiece of a microscope Zeiss Primo Star. Photographs were taken with a Canon EOS Rebel T6 camera with a Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 lens and Leica M165C, extension tubes, and a LED illumination system (Kawada and Buffington 2016). Images were processed using Helicon Taxonomy and terminology. ...
The predatory firefly Photuris elliptica is common throughout the Atlantic Forest and has been proposed as a biomonitor due to the species’ narrow niche and elevational range. However, the species is only known from adults, and a more effective monitoring of its populations hinges on the lack of knowledge on their immature stages. Recent sampling in ferruginous caves and inserted in other lithologies, on sites in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, have led to the capture of firefly larvae later reared to adults in the lab. Firefly larvae have been reported in South American caves before; however, they have only been identified to family due to the adult-biased taxonomy of Lampyridae. Here, we provide an updated diagnosis of Photuris elliptica, describe its immature stages for the first time, and update the distribution of the species. The larvae of Photuris elliptica were observed to interact with guano of several bat species, including that of vampire bats. These observations are consistent with the less specialized feeding preferences of photurine larvae, unlike most other firefly taxa, which specialize in gastropods and earthworms. It is yet unclear whether P. elliptica are cave specialists. However, since its occurrence outside caves remains unknown, protecting cave environments must be considered in conservation strategies for this important biomonitor species.
... Photographs were obtained using a Leica M165C stereomicroscope with a Leica Flexacam C3 camera attached. For image acquisition, a LED lighting dome was used to ensure a uniform reflection of light on the specimens (Kawada and Buffington 2016). External morphology was analyzed under a TESCAN VEGA3 scanning electron microscope at the Thematic Laboratory of Electron Microscopy and Nanotechnolog (LTMN) of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA) (using uncoated specimens). ...
The Neotropical genus Ephydrolithus Girón & Short, 2019 was recently established based on five species. In 2022 five additional species were described, all of them from the Espinhaço Mountain Range, in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia, Brazil. During an aquatic insect survey in three states in the Northeast region of Brazil, we collected two new species of Ephydrolithus in the states of Bahia, Ceará and Pernambuco, one of the new species collected in the two latter states, represent the first record of this genus outside the Espinhaço Mountain Range, expanding its distribution to other Brazilian states. The objective of this study is to describe two new species of Ephydrolithus based on both male and female specimens. We also provide an updated identification key and distributional maps for the genus.
... Digital images were taken using a Leica MC170 HD digital camera attached to a Leica S8AP0 stereomicroscope with an LED illumination dome (Kawada and Buffington 2016). Multiple layers were stacked using the software Helicon Focus A8.1.0.0. ...
Flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) exhibit a wide range of feeding habits including necrophagy, coprophagy, kleptoparasitism, parasitism, and predation. Among them are species of Sarcophaga Meigen belonging to the subgenera Baranovisca Lopes and Mehria Enderlein that are specialized predators of spider eggs. These flies hover around spider webs and lay their larvae on the spider egg sac. While progress has been made on the taxonomy of Baranovisca and Mehria in recent decades, our knowledge about their biology, prey selection, and distribution remains limited, restricting our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of Sarcophagidae-Araneae interactions. Here, we describe and illustrate the first record of S. (M.) lorosa Hall preying on egg sacs of Metepeira galatheae (Thorell) (Araneae: Araneidae) in Chile. The taxonomy of S. (M.) lorosa is revised, with two new junior synonyms proposed: Weyrauchimyia ruficauda Lopes and Tibana, syn. nov., and Arachnidomyia travassosi Tibana and Mello, syn. nov. Furthermore, we present an annotated catalog that comprehensively reviews the existing records of spider egg-predating Sarcophagidae, and provide an overview of the evolution of Sarcophagidae-Araneae interactions. Our catalog includes information on at least four species of Baranovisca and 10 species of Mehria that have been documented as preying on eggs from species of various spider families, such as Araneidae, Cheiracanthiidae, Clubionidae, Philodromidae, Salticidae, and Tetragnathidae. These records cover all biogeographical regions except the Afrotropical. Our results enhance our understanding of the evolution of Sarcophagidae-Araneae interactions.
... The photographs were processed in the LAS Version 4.2 and Helicon Focus (Helicon Soft) programs. Light source for illumination was LED, and the illumination system follows Kawada and Buffington (2016). ...
The leaf chafer tribe Alvarengiini Frey, a long-neglected taxon that has been overlooked in the biodiversity literature from its inception, is revised for the first time. As a result of this research, the tribe is composed of two species in two genera distributed from Bahia, Brazil (in the north), to Parana, Brazil (in the south), and Paraguay. Two synonyms are proposed: Alvarengius silphoides Frey, syn. nov. for Ottokelleria dispar (Burmeister) and Alvarengius Frey, syn. nov. for Ottokelleria
D’Andretta & Martínez. A new genus is described, Carinochilus, gen. nov., and
includes one species: Carinochilus marginatus (Burmeister), comb. nov. The lectotype for O. dispar and a neotype for C. marginatus are designated. We provide an identification key to the tribes of Rutelinae (in English and Portuguese) and incorporate classification changes in the subfamily. A key for the identification of Alvarengiini genera and species is also provided. All taxa are circumscribed and
illustrated, and distributional data are synthesised in maps.
... Multi-layer photographs of the specimen were obtained using a Leica M165C stereomicroscope in conjunction with Leica DFC 420 image-capturing equipment and LED dome lighting for uniform and constant reflection of light on the specimens (Kawada & Buffington 2016) and an Olympus BX51 compound microscope in conjunction with an Olympus digital image-acquisition system (model DP 72 using the Cell D program). The final images were generated using Digital Leica Application Suite® v.3.7 and Helicon Focus® (6.7.1 Pro) software. ...
Pilielmis is a small genus of Neotropical Elmidae found in the Amazon basin and French Guiana, with distribution in five
countries: Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Peru, and Venezuela. Currently, seven species of Pilielmis are known, six of
which were described in the original description of the genus by Hinton (1971), and the most recent one was described
by Polizei & Barclay (2019). In this paper, we review the genus Pilielmis based on the analysis of type-specimens and
material collected in different regions of northern South America. A phylogenetic study was performed to hypothesize the
relationship between all species of Pilielmis and to test the monophyly of this genus. For this purpose, 42 morphological
characters of adults were investigated, among them some structures that were not illustrated and described in the original
descriptions. As result, all seven previously known species were redescribed with standardized morphological information.
Three new species were discovered in the examined material: Pilielmis baniwa sp. nov., Pilielmis muricula sp. nov.,
Pilielmis nheengatu sp. nov. A key for identification of the adults of Pilielmis is proposed and new records for Suriname,
Peru, and some Brazilian states are presented. The phylogenetic analysis corroborated the monophyly of Pilielmis and
presented phylogenetic information from characteristics not used before in the taxonomy of the genus, such as mouth
parts and female ovipositor.
... Photographs of adults were obtained using a Leica DMC4500 digital video camera attached to a Leica M205A stereomicroscope using a LED illumination dome similar that of Kawada & Buffington (2016). The male genitalia were photographed using Leica DFC295 digital video camera attached to a Leica DM5500B compound microscope. ...
The microcaddisfly Neotropical genus Metrichia Ross, is recorded for the first time from the state of Tocantins, northern Brazil, through the discovery of two species: Metrichia elongata sp. nov. and Metrichia vulgaris Santos, Takiya & Nessimian 2016. Herein, the new species is described and illustrated based on males collected in a protected and preserved area in Cerrado biome of Tocantins. Metrichia elongata sp. nov. can be recognized mainly by the type and position of setae on the inferior appendages and morphology of the dorsolateral hook. The discovery of these species increases the number of Metrichia species in the Brazilian Cerrado from seven to eight and are only the eleventh and twelfth caddisfly species reported for Tocantins State.
... The holotype of Ilyobius brasiliensis is deposited at the MZUSP and it is represented only by the head, forewing and pronotum. Multi-layer photographs were obtained using a Leica M165C stereomicroscope with Leica DFC420 imagecapturing equipment and LED dome lighting for optimize light reflection on the specimens (Kawada & Buffington 2016). The final images were obtained using Digital Leica Application Suite ® v.3.7 and Helicon Focus ® (6.7.1 Pro) software. ...
Species of the Neotropical genus Ilyobius Enderlein, 1910 (Megaloptera: Sialidae) are rare and poorly known because adults are infrequently collected in the field and the larvae have restricted habitat in the stream, facts that make obtaining specimens difficult to access for study. Herein we redescribe the female, describe the male and the larva of Ilyobius nubilus (Navás, 1933) based on specimens collected on the coast of São Paulo State. Adults were obtained mainly by rearing larvae in laboratory condition until adult emergence. The holotype for Ilyobius brasiliensis (Navás, 1936) was examined, and we contand that it is a valid species. Therefore, we do not corroborate its synonymy with I. nubilus. Ilyobius nubilus is a member of the I. chilensis group, and the male genitalia structure, described in this work, also supports its inclusion in this species group.
... Photographs of adults were obtained using a Leica DFC420 digital video camera attached to a Leica M165C stereo microscope using a LED illumination dome (Kawada and Buffington 2016). Stacks of images of each structure were combined automatically into a single image using Helicon Focus® (version 6.8.0 Pro). ...
Macrostemum Kolenati is the largest genus of Macronematinae, with about 106 described species, being 10 described females and only three had their female genitalia illustrated and described: Macrostemum araca Pes, Desidério, Barcelos-Silva & Hamada, 2019, M. brasiliense (Fisher, 1970) and M. scharfi Pereira & Calor, 2020. For the other seven species with described females, only the wings are illustrated. Herein, a new species of Macrostemum is discovered from the Serra da Mocidade, an isolated mountain range located in Roraima State, in the northern Brazilian Amazon. Macrostemum mocidade sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on males and females. It can be recognized as the adult male mainly by the morphology of the tergum X and phallic
apparatus. Interestingly, the female of the new species have a very unusual genitalia compared to the other species in the genus, being very tapered, with a pair of cerci and two pairs of papillae very long and slender.
... Para la iluminación, se usó un anillo de luces LED (AM Scope 144 LED Four-Zone Microscope Ring Light), cubierto con un domo de papel construido a partir de la plantilla de Kawada y Buffington (2016). Asimismo, se utilizó un sistema compuesto por cinta SMD LED 2835 (Demasled: www.demasled.us ...
... ) y un domo obtenido en impresión 3D con base en la plantilla de Bäumler et al. (2020). Además, se elaboró un anillo deflector mediante papel bond de 90 g, papel pergamino o papel mantequilla (Kawada y Buffington, 2016), con el fin de reducir los brillos y permitir una iluminación más uniforme del ejemplar. ...
... A continuación, se presenta un protocolo general y recomendaciones para realizar apilamiento de enfoque usando como iluminación la luz de un anillo LED difuminada por un domo geodésico (Bäumler et al., 2020;Kawada y Buffington, 2016) y dos sistemas de movimiento de la cámara, por medio de rieles motorizados (automatizado) o manualmente, con ayuda de un soporte de estereomicroscopio. ...
Las colecciones biológicas son importantes reservorios del patrimonio biológico. Estas instituciones desarrollan esfuerzos constantes para preservar y estudiar los especímenes que custodian, así como para hacer disponible la información que acompaña a dichos ejemplares. Los avances tecnológicos recientes les han brindado a las colecciones científicas una enorme capacidad para producir imágenes que facilitan alcanzar los objetivos de preservación y divulgación. Sin embargo, la generación de imágenes de alta resolución es vista como un proceso con alta demanda de equipos y elevada inversión presupuestal, lo que dificulta su implementación. Por ello, en este trabajo se sintetizan los requerimientos y los pasos necesarios para obtener, procesar y almacenar imágenes de artrópodos, proponiendo soluciones de diferentes costos que pueden ajustarse a las necesidades y realidades de las colecciones entomológicas latinoamericanas y de sus potenciales usuarios.
