Abstract: In recent years, there has been a lot of talk of the need to reduce the use of traditional sources of protein (from ruminants, pigs, chickens) due to adverse effects on the environment. Alternative sources of protein are encouraged, for example, people should consume different insects and larvae. Crickets, grasshoppers, locusts and mealworms have attracted attention among the many species of edible insects, that's why they are likely to be the first to be legal in Europe. In Latvia, earthworms are common in nature and are grown on farms. They could be a potentially edible. However, they have not been adequately studied for human consumption. It is necessary to evaluate the safety aspects during the processing of earthworms. The studied earthworm species Eisenia fetida and Eisenia veneta react differently during the pre-processing stage, and the quality of the obtained product differs significantly in several aspects. The evaluation of the quality of earthworm powder obtained from earthworms shows their high nutritional value, as well as the significant effect of the drying method on the physical and sensory properties of the product, as well as microbiological parameters. In general, sublimated earthworm powder has a wider range of applications in new products; however, it is important to remember that additional heat treatment is provided to ensure safety.Abstract: In recent years, there has been a lot of talk of the need to reduce the use of traditional sources of protein (from ruminants, pigs, chickens) due to adverse effects on the environment. Alternative sources of protein are encouraged, for example, people should consume different insects and larvae. Crickets, grasshoppers, locusts and mealworms have a...Show More
Abstract: New taxonomic and faunistic results on the Scopariinae Guinée, 1854 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) are presented on the basis of a sample of four specimens collected by the author in three research expeditions to the south-western province Dhofar of Oman in the years 2018 and 2019. The attribution of the material to the subfamily Scopariinae Guinée, 1854 was done on the basis of characteristic elements in the forewing pattern known as the scopariine wing pattern. Examination of the male and female genitalia revealed significant morphological differences between the specimens of the sample and the type species of all the other genera of the subfamily Scopariinae Guinée, 1854. These differential features are regarded as autapomorphies and result in the description of the new genus Arabarpia Seizmair, gen. nov. The genus is at present monotypical, with Arabarpia albilinealis Seizmair, sp.nov. being its type-species and its only known species. The genus shares synapomorphic features with two main clades of the Scopariinae Guinée, 1854, namely the structure of the corpus bursae in the female genitalia with the clade represented by the genus Anarpia Chapman, 1912 and shape and structure of the bulbus ejaculatorius with the genus Hellenoscoparia Nuss, 1999. The latter genus belongs to another main lineage characterized by a membranous corpus bursae. The phylogenetic placement of the new genus is thus valued as ambivalent. It is not possible to resolve the ambivalent placement on the basis of the feature spaces presently known. Furthermore, the presence of the subfamily Scopariinae Guinée, 1854 is reported as new to the entomofauna of the Arabian Peninsula.Abstract: New taxonomic and faunistic results on the Scopariinae Guinée, 1854 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) are presented on the basis of a sample of four specimens collected by the author in three research expeditions to the south-western province Dhofar of Oman in the years 2018 and 2019. The attribution of the material to the subfamily Scopariinae Guinée, 1854...Show More