Robusta-Natalensis Pair. Sp. 30. C. Robusta. Sp.31. C. Natalensis.

T he two giants of the genus-that is so far as the cock birds are concerned, but, as with chiniana and a few others, their hens are so much smaller that even when in the field the two sexes are seen in company one may often doubt their being a pair of the same species.     

Comparative studies on the reproductive systems ofCardamine flexuosa,C. impatients,C. scutata,andC. lyrata,cruciferae

The reproductive systems of fourCardamine species were compared.C. flexuosa ssp.flexuosa, a self-pollinated winter annual in fallow paddy fields, produces numerous small seeds.C. flexuosa ssp.fallax, a self-pollinated year-long annual in gardens and roadsides, also produces many small seeds.C. impatiens, a self-pollinated annual in forest margins, similarly produces numerous small seeds.C. scutata is a self-pollinated perennial in ill-drained paddy fields and creeks; its vegetative reproduction is not predominant, and it produces relatively many seeds.C. lyrata, a cross-pollinated perennial with self-incompatibility in ill-drained paddy fields and creeks, produces fewer and heavier seeds, but it does produce many ramets. Moreover, in seed-dispersal mechanisms and germination behavior of fourCardamine species several adaptive characteristics to their habitats are found. These observations on the reproductive systems of fourCardamine species apparently present different characteristics of life-history strategy for each of them.     

Species 32. Cisticola Brachyptera. Pl. XVI.

What has been said about it in the introduction to the group leaves little necessary to say here of brachyptera s systematic position, but the following historical note relating to the bird's confusion with rufa will probably be useful.     

Mediterranean v. continental small mammal communities and the environmental degradation of the Dinaric Alps

In order to test for the existence of distinct, regionally-based small mammal faunas, distributional patterns were examined in thirty one species of small mammals (insectivores and rodents) inhabiting the Dinaric Alps (western Balkans). The small mammal fauna was found to consist of three groups: a group of ‘generalist’ species that occurred throughout the study area, plus distinct coastal and continental small mammal assemblages. The continental small mammal assemblage is considerably more species-rich, whilst that of the coastal zone is largely restricted to generalists and species with geophilic or fossorial life-styles (many of which are also commensal with humans). The two assemblages appear to be associated with different vegetation types, and the transition between them lies on the coastal slopes of the Dinaric Alps at c. 700–900 m of altitude. We discuss possible determinants of assemblage composition and species richness, and particularly the possible role of prehistoric environmental degradation in the context of the reduced species-richness of the coastal zone.     

Tyrannobdella rex N. Gen. N. Sp. and the Evolutionary Origins of Mucosal Leech Infestations

Background

Leeches have gained a fearsome reputation by feeding externally on blood, often from human hosts. Orificial hirudiniasis is a condition in which a leech enters a body orifice, most often the nasopharyngeal region, but there are many cases of leeches infesting the eyes, urethra, vagina, or rectum. Several leech species particularly in Africa and Asia are well-known for their propensity to afflict humans. Because there has not previously been any data suggesting a close relationship for such geographically disparate species, this unnerving tendency to be invasive has been regarded only as a loathsome oddity and not a unifying character for a group of related organisms.

Principal Findings

A new genus and species of leech from Perú was found feeding from the nasopharynx of humans. Unlike any other leech previously described, this new taxon has but a single jaw with very large teeth. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial genes using parsimony and Bayesian inference demonstrate that the new species belongs among a larger, global clade of leeches, all of which feed from the mucosal surfaces of mammals.

Conclusions

This new species, found feeding from the upper respiratory tract of humans in Perú, clarifies an expansion of the family Praobdellidae to include the new species Tyrannobdella rex n. gen. n.sp., along with others in the genera Dinobdella, Myxobdella, Praobdella and Pintobdella. Moreover, the results clarify a single evolutionary origin of a group of leeches that specializes on mucous membranes, thus, posing a distinct threat to human health.     

The constitutive heterochromatin in chromosomes of Fritillaria Sp., as revealed by Giemsa banding.

The incidence of C-bands (constitutive heterochromatin), as determined by differential Giemsa staining, was studied in the chromosomes of 56 species, varietal forms and subgenera of Fritillaria and 30 of them are illustrated. With the exception of the subgenera Korolkowi, a supposed link between lilies and fritillaries, and chromsome complements of all plants contained bands. There were wide differences in the size and number of these bands among species both within and between groups. In those with the largest and most abundant bands, there was a pronounced tendency for centromeric localization, both in Old and New World species. The Giemsa positive centromeres were masked when this occurred. Heteromorphy in respect of banding occurred in most species. The relation of repetitive DNA sequences with heterochromatin is discussed, as is also the problem of evolution in Fritillaria.     

Large-scale sequencing and the new animal phylogeny

Although comparisons of gene sequences have revolutionised our understanding of the animal phylogenetic tree, it has become clear that, to avoid errors in tree reconstruction, a large number of genes from many species must be considered: too few genes and stochastic errors predominate, too few taxa and systematic errors appear. We argue here that, to gather many sequences from many taxa, the best use of resources is to sequence a small number of expressed sequence tags (1000-5000 per species) from as many taxa as possible. This approach counters both sources of error, gives the best hope of a well-resolved phylogeny of the animals and will act as a central resource for a carefully targeted genome sequencing programme.     

Degrade to create: developmental requirements for ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis during early C. elegans embryogenesis

The ubiquitin protein conjugation system tags proteins with the small polypeptide ubiquitin. Most poly-ubiquitinated proteins are recognized and degraded by the proteasome, a large multi-subunit protease. Ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation is used as a regulatory tool for many essential processes, the best studied of which is eukaryotic cell cycle progression. More recently, genetic studies in C. elegans have identified multiple roles for the ubiquitin system in early development, where ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation governs such diverse events as passage through meiosis, cytoskeletal regulation and cell fate determination.     

Seasonal Variation in Seed Dispersal by Tamarins Alters Seed Rain in a Secondary Rain Forest

Reduced dispersal of large seeds into degraded areas is one of the major factors limiting rain forest regeneration, as many seed dispersers capable of transporting large seeds avoid these sites with a limited forest cover. However, the small size of tamarins allows them to use small trees, and hence to disperse seeds into young secondary forests. Seasonal variations in diet and home range use might modify their contribution to forest regeneration through an impact on the seed rain. For a 2-yr period, we followed a mixed-species group of tamarins in Peru to determine how their role as seed dispersers in a 9-yr-old secondary-growth forest varied across seasons. These tamarins dispersed small to large seeds of 166 tree species, 63 of which were into a degraded area. Tamarins’ efficiency in dispersing seeds from primary to secondary forest varied across seasons. During the late wet season, high dietary diversity and long forays in secondary forest allowed them to disperse large seeds involved in later stages of regeneration. This occurred precisely when tamarins spent a more equal amount of time eating a high diversity of fruit species in primary forest and pioneer species in secondary forest. We hypothesized that well-balanced fruit availability induced the movement of seed dispersers between these 2 habitats. The noteworthy number of large-seeded plant species dispersed by such small primates suggests that tamarins play an important, but previously neglected, role in the regeneration and maintenance of forest structure.     

Spiracanthus bovichthys n. gen. n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Arhythmacanthidae), a parasite of littoral fishes of the central south coast of Chile

A new acanthocephalan species, Spiracanthus bovichthys n. gen. n. sp., is described. Samples were taken from 26 marine fish species between 23 and 53 degrees S of Chile. The parasite was found in the intestine of 6 species and only between 36 and 40 degrees S, especially in those fish that prey on small crustaceans in the upper and sublittoral zone. The parasite was found in Bovichthys chilensis (Reagan). Auchenionchus variolosus (Valenciennes), Calliclinus genigutattus (Valenciennes), Sindoscopus australis (Fowler and Bean), Myxodes cristatus Valenciennes, and Gobiesox marmoratus (Jenyns). However, only the first species is a suitable host for the parasite as evidenced by the presence of mature females. This acanthocephalan belongs to Arhythmacanthidae, but it does not correspond to any genus described. Spiracanthus bovichthys is different in the number and spiralled distribution of its hooks in the proboscis. In the short proboscis, 3 groups of hooks are distinguished according to size, summing up to 150-190 hooks. The group of largest hooks are found in the apical part of the proboscis, and there are 10 diagonal rows of small hooks from the prebasal to basal proboscis. Its trunk is covered partially by small spines. Amphipod and isopods were the prey items shared among the host fish species and are the best candidates to be the intermediate hosts of S. bovichthys.     

Phylogenetic Re-Evaluation of the Laurencia Complex (Rhodophyta) with a Description of L. Succulenta Sp. Nov. from Korea

Laurencia succulenta sp. nov. (Rhodophyta) is described from Korea. This species exhibits vegetative and reproductive structures typical of the genus, but is distinct from similar species in its epiphytic habitat and the fleshy, robust, thick and subcompressed thalli with basically distichous branching. In addition, it is readily distinguished from the most similar species, such as L. nipponica Yamada and L. okamurae Yamada, by the cystocarps with a somewhat protuberant ostiole. In a phylogenetic analysis of 47 species of the Laurencia Lamouroux complex from various localities around the world based on 49 morphological characters, four major clades (Laurencia, Chondrophycus palisadus (Yamada) Nam group, C. cartilagineus (Yamada) Garbary et Harper group and Osmundea Stackhouse assemblage), each of which forms a monophyletic group, were recognized. Among these, the Laurencia clade is basal to the overall assemblage, and is defined by the vegetative axis with four rather than two pericentral cells. The Osmundea clade is supported by autapomorphic characters for the genus, features associated with spermatangial formation of the filament type and tetrasporangial production from epidermal cells. By contrast, Chondrophycus, a genus characterized by a combination of features (vegetative axis with two pericentral cells, trichoblast-type spermatangial development and tetrasporangial production from pericentral cells), is paraphyletic, and the species were separated into two well-supported clades, the C. palisadus group and C. cartilagineus group. These clades are distinguished from each other by the position of the first pericentral cell relative to the trichoblast, the presence or absence of fertility at the second pericentral cells and number of sterile pericentral cells in the tetrasporangial axis, the pattern of formation of spermatangial branches on trichoblasts, post-fertilization feature associated with the formation time of the auxiliary cell, and, probably, the number of pericentral cells in the procarp-bearing segment. Of these features, the side position of the first pericentral cell in the latter group (a synapomorphy for the C. cartilagineus group plus Osmundea) suggests that the C. cartilagineus group is more closely related to Osmundea than to the C. palisadus group. This cladistic analysis indicates that Chondrophycus is not monophyletic, suggesting that the C. palisadus group should be separated from Chondrophycus at the genus level. Based on this result, Palisada (Yamada) stat. nov. is proposed for the group, together with an emendation of the generic delineation of Chondrophycus, and relevant nomenclatural changes for several Chondrophycus species are also included. In addition, Corynecladia J. Agardh is reinstated for the type species L. clavata Sonder.     

中国豹蛛属枯藤豹蛛种组(蜘蛛目,狼蛛科)分类研究

记述了我国3种豹蛛,根据其外雌器和触肢器结构特点,应归入枯藤豹蛛Pardosa xerampelina种组.其中新种1种为蝶形豹蛛Parodsa papilionacasp.nov;另两种为我国新纪录种:草豹蛛P.herbosa Jo et Paik,1984及淡豹蛛P.indecora L.Koch,1879.编制了该种组我国分布种的检索表.模式标本及其他检视标本均保存在中国科学院动物研究所.     

DNA BARCODING OF CHLORARACHNIOPHYTES USING NUCLEOMORPH ITS SEQUENCES1

Chlorarachniophytes are a small group of marine photosynthetic protists. They are best known as examples of an intermediate stage of secondary endosymbiosis: their plastids are derived from green algae and retain a highly reduced nucleus, called a nucleomorph, between the inner and outer pairs of membranes. Chlorarachniophytes can be challenging to identify to the species level, due to their small size, complex life cycles, and the fact that even genus‐level diagnostic morphological characters are observable only by EM. Few species have been formally described, and many available culture collection strains remain unnamed. To alleviate this difficulty, we have developed a barcoding system for rapid and accurate identification of chlorarachniophyte species in culture, based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nucleomorph rRNA cistron. Although this is a multicopy locus, encoded in both subtelomeric regions of each chromosome, interlocus variability is low due to gene conversion by homologous recombination in this region. Here, we present barcode sequences for 39 cultured strains of chlorarachniophytes (>80% of currently available strains). Based on barcode data, other published molecular data, and information from culture records, we were able to recommend names for 21 out of the 24 unidentified, partially identified, or misidentified chlorarachniophyte strains in culture. Most strains could be assigned to previously described species, but at least two to as many as five new species may be present among cultured strains.     

The ecology and biology of Southeast Asian false spider crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Hymenosomatidae)

The false spider crabs of the family Hymenosomatidae are one of the most poorly known group of brachyuran crabs in Southeast Asia. This is largely attributed to their small size and cryptic behaviour. Despite the many studies of decapods in Southeast Asia, only eleven species of hymenosomatids are known. Of these, two genera and six species were only described in the last two years. From Singapore the largest number of species (five) has been reported probably because it has been the best explored, while from Thailand three species and Peninsular Malaysia two species are known. There are no published records of hymenosomatids from Borneo or Java. The hymenosomatid fauna is perhaps best known in Australia and New Zealand. It is anticipated that when proper collections are made and studies implemented, the Southeast Asian hymenosomatid fauna will prove to be more diverse than what has been reported. The ecology of the Southeast Asian species is reviewed, especially in the view that two species are completely freshwater, one of which is a troglobite. Most species are littoral or sublittoral in habit and very sensitive to human activities (e.g. pollution).     

Variability of the behavioral laterality in Teleostei (Pisces)

Factors causing variability of behavioral laterality in Teleostei are reviewed. The laterality has been revealed in many fish species belonging to various families. The best ever demonstrated example of the laterality is the different use of the right and left eyes when a fish responds to different visual objects. Magnitude and sign of the laterality differ in fishes of different species, gender, and age. Also, an observed laterality depends on how familiar a stimulus is to fishes and what it means to them, as well as their motivational level and various behavioral traits. Therefore, comparisons of the laterality among different fish species should be based on experimental methods that also take into account those behavioral differences among them that are not directly linked to the laterality.     

A reexamination of North American Satureja s.l. (Lamiaceae) in light of molecular evidence

Satureja s.l. (Lamiaceae) is a large complex (ca. 225 spp.) that is variably treated as comprising from one to as many as 17 genera. The North American representatives are usually assigned toCalamintha, Clinopodium, Micromeria, Piloblephis, orSatureja. A recent chloroplast DNA restriction site analysis indicates that inclusion ofSatureja s.str.,Micromeria, andPiloblephis in the group renders it non-monophyletic. After exclusion of these three genera, a study of morphological variation in the remainder of the complex suggests that it is best treated as three genera, two of which do not occur in North America (Cyclotrichium and “Obtegomeria” [Doroszenko, ined., to be validated else-where]). The third comprises ca. 100 species, 11 of them native to North America north of Mexico. WithSatureja s.str. excluded, the name with priority for the latter genus isClinopodium. The indigenous North American species and their more frequently used synonyms are tabulated. A new combination,Clinopodium chandleri, is made.     

The evolution of Spartina anglica C.E. Hubbard (Gramineae): origin and genetic variability

An extensive survey of isozyme phenotypes in British populations of the amphidiploid salt marsh grass Spartina anglica and its putative parents has confirmed that the species arose by chromosome doubling in S. × townsendii , a sterile hybrid between S. maritima and S. alterniflora. Isozyme phenotypes and seed protein profiles indicate that S. anglica is almost totally lacking in genetic variation. Isozyme evidence also indicates that the parental species are characterized by low levels of genetic variation. The lack of variation in S. anglica is proposed as being due to a narrow genetic base resulting from a single origin, or a multiple origin from uniform parents; the fact that many populations are derived from very small founder populations; and because preferential pairing between identical homologous chromosomes prevents recombination between the divergent component genomes of the species. The low levels of isozyme variation that occur appear to be due to chromosome loss.
The consequences for the future evolution of S. anglica , given its lack of genetic variation, are discussed.     

Morphological Studies on Holotrichous Ciliates of the Family Hysterocinetidae. II. Craticuloscuta escobari Gen. Nov., Sp. Nov., and Epicharocotyle kyburzi Gen. Nov., Sp. Nov.

SYNOPSIS. Two species of hysterocinetids occur in the alimentary tract of Drilocrius breymanni , an aquatic oligochaete collected in Departamento del Valle, Colombia. The suckers of both species are unusual for their complexity. In Craticuloscuta escobari gen. nov., sp. nov., the sucker is a shallow oval concavity with longitudinal and transverse supporting elements. About one-fifth of the area of the sucker, in its posterior portion, is ciliated, but argyrophilic punctations, which probably represent kinetosomes, are distributed in a regular pattern over most of its surface. In Epicharocotyle kyburzi gen. nov., sp. nov., the oval major portion of the sucker is deep, and continuous with a short trough which extends posteriorly and bends toward the left. Veil-like flanges, bordered by a fringe of thick, inactive cilia, arise from the margins of the sucker on either side. In the region of the trough, the flanges may overlap in such a way that the trough is almost completely covered. The trough and a small area of the major portion of the sucker anterior to it are ciliated. However, argyrophilic punctations which probably represent kinetosomes are distributed over most of the surface of the sucker. The pattern of longitudinal and transverse supporting elements found in the sucker itself extends into the flanges. In both Craticuloscuta and Epicharocotyle , the arrangement of the adoral and buccal ciliary organelles is essentially like that in Hysterocineta, Ptychostomum , and other ciliates of the family Hysterocinetidae.