Sequence variation of mitochondrial DNA ND5 in captive South China tigers (Panthera tigris amoyensis)

This paper represents the first study of the genetic diversity of captive South China tigers Panthera tigris amoyensis by sequence variation in a fragment of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) gene. Two haplotypes (haplotype I and haplotype II) were identified and the captive population had a bias towards haplotype I. This subspecies as a whole demonstrated an extremely low level of genetic diversity with the nucleotide diversity of 0.057±0.021%. The mtDNA ND5 variations detected in the present study could provide significant information to the studbook data of the South China tiger.     

A new subgenus Parastegana (Allstegana) (Diptera,Drosophilidae), with descriptions of two new species from South China

A new subgenus Allstegana is established within the genus Parastegana, including two known and two new species from southern China: P. (A.) maculipennis (Okada, 1971), P. (A.) drosophiloides (Toda and Peng, 1992 Toda, M. J. and Peng, T. X. 1992. Some species of the subfamily Steganinae (Diptera: Drosophilidae) from Guangdong Province, southern China.. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (N.S.), 28: 201–213. [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), P. (A.) brevivena Chen and Zhang, sp. nov., and P. (A.) punctalata Chen and Watabe, sp. nov. A key to all known species of Parastegana is provided.     

Ecology and field biology of two dominant Camponotus ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Brazilian savannah

Camponotus renggeri and C. rufipes are very abundant in Brazilian cerrado savannah, where they feed extensively on liquid rewards and commonly associate with plants bearing extrafloral nectaries and honeydew-producing insects. Here, we provide a qualitative and quantitative field account on the natural history and ecology of these two ant species. The study was carried out in a cerrado reserve in south-eastern Brazil across a rainy/hot season (summer) and a dry/cold season (winter). The ants were found in two vegetation physiognomies: all nests of C. rufipes were located in the cerrado sensu stricto (scrub of shrubs and trees, 3–8 m tall), whereas C. renggeri occurred mostly in the cerradão (forest with more or less merging canopy, 10–12 m tall). Both species nested in fallen or erect dead trunks, as well as underground. In addition, C. rufipes built nests using dead plant material arranged or not around shrub bases. Colonies of C. rufipes were generally more populous than those of C. renggeri, and both species had colonies with more than one dealated queen. Both species were active mainly at night and foraged for resources near their nests, mainly extrafloral nectar and hemipteran honeydew (aphids and mealybugs). The average size of the home ranges of C. renggeri in cerrado sensu stricto and cerradão varied from ≈ 2.8 to 4.0 m² and apparently were not affected by season. In C. rufipes, however, foraging grounds in cerrado sensu stricto showed a twofold increase from dry/cold (≈ 4.5 m²) to rainy/hot season (≈ 9.8 m²). Our study highlights the importance of natural history data to understand the foraging ecology and role of these ants in cerrado savannah.     

Fluctuating asymmetry in populations of the South American frog Physalaemus cuvieri (Leptodactylidae) in areas with different degrees of disturbance

Methods to measure and monitor wild populations are important conservation tools in areas affected by anthropogenic disturbances. We compared three populations of the South American frog Physalaemus cuvieri Fitzinger, 1826 (Leptodactylidae) from areas with different degrees of anthropogenic disturbance in regard to their degrees of fluctuating asymmetry (FA). We selected four morphological characters (radio-ulna, femur, tibia-fibula and digit length) and compared two populations from relatively pristine areas with one population located in a highly urbanised and disturbed area. We found a significantly higher level of FA for the digit length, p < 0.05, in the population suffering the highest level of anthropogenic disturbance in relation to the two populations located in the pristine areas. There are no significant differences in the three populations in regard to FA for the radio-ulna, femur and tibia-fibula. The absence of FA in these three measurements might indicate a negative effect of limb asymmetry on this species survivorship. Our study provides a good example of the use of FA as indicator of environmental stress. However, this result must be viewed with some caution, since we observed FA in only one morphological character.     

Aspects of the biology of a population of the cosmopolitan brittlestar Amphipholis squamata (Echinodermata) from the Firth of Forth,Scotland

In the Firth of Forth, Amphipholis squamata has continuous brooding, and pulsed breeding and recruitment, with highest numbers of brooded embryos and newly released juveniles occurring in the summer months. The estimated size of maturity was 1·5 mm disc diameter although the majority of reproductive output came from individuals of between 2·00–2·99 mm disc diameter. Brittlestar size and season had significant effects on embryo production. Embryos of different developmental stages were present in the bursae of the same individual, and newly spawned embryos and those of a potentially releasable size were present each month. The majority of juveniles apparently emerge at a disc diameter of between 0·8–1·2 mm.

Brittlestars were found with full stomachs throughout the year but a peak of feeding was recorded during summer when growth and seawater temperatures were highest. Stomach analyses indicated that almost all animals (99·4%) ingest fine particulate matter but a relatively wide range of plant and animal food items was also identified. Approximately 3% of this Scottish population of A. squamata was infested by the ectoparasitic copepod Cancerilla tubulata.     

Range and natural history of point-tailed palmcreepers (Aves: Furnariidae)

The point-tailed palmcreeper Berlepschia rikeri is a distinctive Furnariidae species, very shy and poorly known. In this paper we present natural history notes on this species as well as a detailed review of its range. This paper summarizes anecdotal observations gathered during 10 years of ornithological investigation of the central Brazilian Cerrado, as well as data obtained in 13 Brazilian and overseas collections and from online databases. We found that B. rikeri is widely distributed across north and central South America, where it is strictly associated with palm groves, especially those of Mauritia spp. and Orbignya phalerata. Despite being a habitat specialist, this species can be found in a wide spectrum of vegetation formations, from lowland rainforests to high plateau grasslands. This is an insectivorous species, which constructs a stick nest concealed within the fronds of Mauritia palms. Its juvenile plumage is similar to that of the adult.     

Ecology and behaviour of the weaver ant Camponotus (Myrmobrachys) senex

Abstract

Weaver ants use silk produced by their larvae to build their nests. This behaviour is one of the more notable instances of social cooperation in animals; however, there are few studies of Brazilian species. This study investigated the ecology, natural history and behaviour of the weaver ant Camponotus (Myrmobrachys) senex in Brazil and showed that the weaver larvae have a fundamental function in nest building. The nests were always arboreal (one nest/plant), with a round form, beige in colour, and with leaves and shoots adhered to the silk nest. The average size was 34.24 cm and the average weight was 163.87 g; nests contained up to 50,000 individuals and several queens. Fusion and fission of colony parts were observed for C. senex. Worker ants were frequently observed feeding on honeydew, fruits and insects; and defended their territory. We suggest that C. senex larvae could be considered an effective caste, valuable in nest construction.     

The Sex Ratio of Orange-flanked Bush-robins (Aves: Passeriformes: Muscicapidae) from a Winter Population in Central China

The sex ratio of a population is an important demographic parameter, but compared with breeding populations, the sex ratios of avian winter populations have received relatively little attention. The orange-flanked bush-robin (Tarsiger cyanurus) is a migratory species whose plumage is sexually dimorphic with delayed plumage maturation wherein first-year males show female-like plumage. We investigated the sex ratio of an orange-flanked bush-robin population wintering in Dongzhai National Nature Reserve located in central China. The results show that most (> 85%) orange-flanked bush-robins of this population have female-like plumage, implying that the population sex ratio might be female-biased. However, genetic analysis revealed that most (c. 70%) individuals with female-like plumage were males, resulting in a significantly male-biased population sex ratio. Among the individuals with female-like plumage, the males were found to have significantly longer wings and tails than females, but the accuracy of a discriminant analysis employing the two morphological traits to sex them was low. The results suggest that a genetic method is a more appropriate way to sex those orange-flanked bush-robins with female-like plumage and more importantly, one needs to be cautious when using the morphology of individuals to infer the sex ratio of a population for species like orange-flanked bush-robins.     

Behaviour and habitat of Neohela monstrosa (Boeck, 1861) (Amphipoda: Corophiida) in Norwegian Sea deep water

There are few in situ observations of deep-sea macrofauna, due to the remoteness of this ecosystem. Visual surveys conducted for marine management by MAREANO, (marine area database for Norwegian waters) and the petroleum industry (by SERPENTS, scientific and environmental remotely operated vehicle partnership using existing industrial technology) have provided unique material of visual information from large areas in the Norwegian Sea. The distribution, density and behaviour of the deep-sea amphipod Neohela monstrosa (Boeck, 1861) is described based on videos and samples from the Norwegian Sea. This amphipod is common on mud bottoms at 200–2181 m depth in the area. Dense communities were found in stands of the arctic sea pen Umbellula encrinus at more than 1000 m depth where temperatures were below 0° C. The mean density of N. monstrosa observed for larger areas was 4/100 m² but densities of 15–36 individuals per m² were found in local patches. It is domicolous which is characteristic of the superfamily Corophiida and digs burrows in soft muddy bottoms primarily by using large shovel-like gnathopods to scoop the sediment out. The amphipod was observed pushing and rolling sediment balls out of its burrow, which were probably held together with amphipod silk. It digs out an upper 3 to 4 cm wide burrow with a horizontal side burrow a couple of centimetres down. Neohela monstrosa appears to feeds on newly settled detritus that it collects from the surface sediment through the use of its long antennae while the burrow is mainly used for protection against predators such as demersal fish. Newly released juveniles are probably kept in the burrow for protection. Based on the local high density of N. monstrosa together with its habit of making long burrows, we suggest that there is significant bioturbation associated with the presence of N. monstrosa in deep sedimentary habitats of the Norwegian Sea, which likely provides an important ecosystem function.     

Species diversity of Tetrigidae (Orthoptera) in Guizhou,China with description of two new species

Guizhou Province, located in southwest China, is famous for its wholly karst landforms, in which many pygmy locusts with poor dispersal ability have been isolated and preserved. Species diversity of Tetrigidae from Guizhou is introduced, which deals with six sub-families, 28 genera and 69 species, among them, 33 species are endemic to Guizhou. Two new species, Paragavialidum prominemarginatus Zha & Ding sp. nov. and Teredorus jinshaensis Zha & Ding sp. nov. are described and illustrated with photographs. Flatocerus chishuiensis, Flatocerus nigritibialis and Flatocerus nigrifemura are considered as synonyms of Flatocerus wuyishanensis. Flatocerus wuyishanensis is redescribed and photographed based on our collections.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:334D6268-E3C1-450E-A3A2-31F9839B4EE6     

Larval development of the coronuloid barnacles Austrobalanus imperator (Darwin), Tetraclitella purpurascens (Wood) and Tesseropora rosea (Krauss) (Cirripedia,Tetraclitidae)

The presence of embryos in the mantle cavity of A. imperator, T. purpurascens and T. rosea was monitored over two years. Tesseropora rosea showed a clearly defined breeding season in summer and early autumn. Seasonal breeding in A. imperator and T. purpurascens was less well defined, a small number of gravid individuals being present during most of the year. Breeding increased during the late autumn and early winter in A. imperator and during winter, spring and early summer in T. purpurascens. The larval stages of A. imperator, T. purpurascens and T. rosea are described from larvae reared in the laboratory. Separation of the larval stages between these species depends on fine morphological detail. Distinctive larval features permit the separation of coronuloid larvae from those of the other balanomorph superfamilies, but coronuloid nauplii resemble balanoid nauplii more than chthamaloid nauplii.     

Life cycle and population structure of the terrestrial isopod Hemilepistus klugii (Brandt, 1833) (Isopoda: Oniscidea) in Iran

The life cycle and population structure of Hemilepistus klugii were studied in a population in Varamin, Iran. The population was sampled monthly (or fortnightly during the breeding season) from February 2008 to June 2009 and a total of 7015 individuals, comprising 1069 males, 1079 females and 4867 juveniles, were collected. As in other Hemilepistus species, five distinct phenophases, namely pair formation, gestation, hatching, growth and stationary, were recorded during the life cycle of H. klugii. The overall sex ratio was 1 : 1 but varied over time. Ovigerous females were observed only in April, indicating a seasonal and very short breeding period. With a short lifespan after breeding, females demonstrated true semelparity. The mean cephalothorax width for ovigerous/post-ovigerous females was higher in 2008 than in 2009. These females attained the largest size in the population throughout the year. The number of eggs per female ranged from 28 to 147 (mean ± SE, 78 ± 1.8). There was a positive correlation between female size and fecundity. Recruitment occurred in late April and resulted in the highest population density in this month, whereas the lowest densities were observed during November to January. Despite a high percentage of ovigerous females carrying undeveloped eggs (72.3%), intramarsupial mortality was low (3.5%).     

Reproductive behaviour and development dynamics of Odontophrynus cordobae (Anura,Cycloramphidae)

We provide detailed information on breeding sites, release call, satellite behaviour, courtship, and embryonic and larval development of Odontophrynus cordobae. Field observations were carried out during two breeding seasons (2004–2005 and 2008–2009). Clutches were raised in captivity (artificial ponds) to analyse the development of embryos and tadpoles. Breeding sites were represented by streams and their backwaters, as well as temporary and permanent ponds of varying sizes. Operational sex ratio was male-biased varying between 0.154 and 0.25. Acoustic activity started about 8–10 pm and ended between 2 and 4 am the next day. Distance among calling males was approximately three metres. Male satellite behaviour was observed. Amplexus attempts among males were common. Release calls were structurally similar although shorter than advertisement calls. Courtship and formation of amplexus were documented.     

Larval stages of 17 rare and poorly known British hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae)

Third stage larvae of three species of phytophagous (Portevina maculata, Cheilosia albitarsis and C. antiqua), thirteen species of saprophagous (Callicera aurata, Brachyopa bicolor, B. insensilis, B. pilosa, Hammerschmidtia ferruginea, Myolepta potens, Brachypalpus laphriformis, Caliprobola speciosa, Criorhina berberina, C. floccosa, C. ranunculi, Pocota personata and Xylota tarda) and one possibly predatory species (Microdon devius) of Syrphidae are described. Most of the saprophagous species breed in dead wood and many are European rarities. Nine of the 17 species described are included in the British Red Data Books: 2. Insects (Shirt, 1987). For the larva of each species, recognition features and breeding sites are described.