高温条件下茶尺蠖核型多角体病毒对茶尺蠖繁殖的影响

本文报告了高温季节茶尺蠖核型多角体病毒对其宿主繁殖的影响。结果表明,免于病死的雌性蛹、成虫的卵巢发育进度与对照相比,无显著性差异;3龄末和4、5龄初饲毒后,化蛹率与羽化率极显著下降,交配率一股明显下降,而羽化成虫的产卵前期、寿命、产卵量、总怀卵量及卵孵化率与对照相比并无显著差异。成虫饲毒后,繁殖力不受影响。     

湿度对梨小食心虫存活和繁殖的影响

【目的】本研究旨在明确湿度变化对梨小食心虫Grapholitha molesta(Busck)在果实外各阶段存活率和蛀果率的影响及湿度对害虫最终存活率产生影响的关键阶段。【方法】在室内相对湿度25%,40%,55%,70%和85%条件下,记录和分析梨小食心虫的产卵量、卵孵化率、幼虫蛀果率、老熟幼虫化蛹率、蛹羽化率以及产卵、化蛹和羽化时间。【结果】湿度高低对化蛹率没有影响,供试的5种相对湿度下,化蛹率均为100%;但湿度对产卵量、卵孵化率、幼虫蛀果率、蛹羽化率和世代存活率均有显著影响,湿度越高,各阶段存活率、幼虫蛀果率和世代存活率也越高。不同虫态存活对湿度要求从高到低依次为:幼虫蛀果期成虫期卵期蛹期老熟幼虫期。湿度对害虫世代存活率产生显著影响主要发生在幼虫蛀果期、成虫期和卵孵化期。同时,湿度提高利于成虫产卵、化蛹和羽化,反之发育延缓。【结论】湿度会显著影响梨小食心虫各阶段的存活率、幼虫蛀果率和繁殖,成虫盛发期、卵期和蛀果期的湿度影响害虫种群数量和蛀果率的关键阶段。     

梨小食心虫蛹重对成虫繁殖力和寿命及下一代幼虫发育的影响

【目的】本文旨在明确营养状况不同造成的梨小食心虫Grapholitha molesta(Busck)雌、雄蛹重量差异对其羽化的成虫产卵量、产卵期、寿命及下一代(F1)幼虫发育的影响。【方法】室内条件下,通过不同的饲养方法,获得个体重量不同的梨小食心虫雌、雄蛹,待其羽化交配后,记录其产卵量、产卵时间和成虫寿命;卵孵化前后,分别测量卵和初孵幼虫大小,计算卵孵化率,统计幼虫发育历期。【结果】雌蛹重量对梨小食心虫的成虫产卵量影响显著,其重量与产卵量呈正相关(y=15.505x-59.292);同一条件下,雌蛹与雄蛹重量也呈正相关(y=0.823x-0.538)。同时,雌蛹重量对成虫产卵期影响也较大,蛹重大的个体羽化的雌虫比蛹重小的个体羽化的雌虫产卵高峰期提前1 d;较重、中等和较轻蛹羽化出的雌虫个体每天产卵量高于10粒/雌的时间分别为9~10,7和5~6 d;产卵量高于5粒/雌的时间分别为12~13,9和6~7 d。而雄蛹重量对产卵量、雄成虫寿命影响没有明显影响。较轻的蛹羽化的雌成虫寿命比较重蛹羽化的雌成虫短2~3 d;而雄蛹重量对其羽化的雄成虫寿命影响没有明显规律。雌、雄蛹重量对其羽化成虫的卵孵化率、卵和初孵幼虫的大小影响均不显著,对F_1幼虫发育历期影响也不显著。【结论】梨小食心虫雌蛹重对羽化成虫的产卵量和产卵期等影响显著,田间防治时应注意在不同条件下完成发育的个体,尤其是雌虫,由于营养差异引起的个体大小对随后种群增长的影响。     

柳毒蛾繁殖生物学的初步观察

【目的】为了明确柳毒蛾Leucoma salicis(Linnaeus)交配的日节律高峰,温度和不同交配持续时间处理对成虫寿命、产卵量和孵化率等繁殖生物学的影响。【方法】将新羽化的柳毒蛾成虫置于养虫笼中,观察交配的日节律高峰,并统计不同温度和不同交配持续时间处理下的成虫寿命、产卵量和孵化率。【结果】成虫在羽化当晚的后半夜凌晨开始交尾,次日晚上开始产卵。成虫交配集中在羽化翌日凌晨3:00—5:00之间,高峰为4:00。产卵高峰都出现在2日龄成虫,但是,25℃下成虫交配持续时间(9.2 h)显著短于28℃(11.8 h)。交配持续时间为30、60和300 min的处理,雌成虫平均寿命显著长于对照(对照9.2 h),雄虫仅60 min的处理显著长于对照。同时,极短的交配持续时间(30 min)显著降低雌虫的产卵量和孵化率。【结论】试验明确了成虫交配的日节律高峰,在适宜的温度范围内(25~28℃),雌雄成虫的寿命、单雌总产卵量无显著差异,交配持续时间明显影响成虫寿命、产卵量和卵孵化率。     

短时高温对金银花贮藏期害虫锯谷盗存活及繁殖的影响

【目的】了解短时高温对金银花Lonicera japonica Thunb.贮藏期害虫锯谷盗Oryzaephilus surinamensis(Linnaeus)存活及繁殖的影响。【方法】在室内测定了锯谷盗成虫经36、39、42、45、48℃高温处1、3、5、7 h后成虫存活率、产卵前期、产卵期、产卵量及F_1代孵化率和羽化率的差异。【结果】短时高温对锯谷盗成虫存活率、产卵前期、产卵期、产卵量及F_1代孵化率和羽化率均有显著影响,在36~48℃范围内,随着温度升高和时间的延长,成虫存活率不断下降、产卵前期不断延长、产卵期不断缩短、产卵量不断下降、F_1代孵化率和羽化率不断下降。经36、39、42、45、48℃高温处理7 h后,成虫存活率分别比对照下降了29.19%、34.47%、39.84%、55.64%和66.68%,产卵前期分别比对照延长了2.06、3.48、4.88、6.51、8.31 d,产卵期分别比对照缩短了4.99、7.89、12.07、16.89、23.14 d,产卵量分别比对照降低了52.26、61.06、70.82、82.87、92.97粒,F_1代孵化率分别比对照下降了21.52%、44.27%、73.44%、97.16%、100%,羽化率分别比对照下降了20.61%、32.85%、57.59%、95.15%、100%。方差分析显示,温度和时间的交互作用对成虫的存活率、F_1代的孵化率和羽化率均有显著影响(P<0.05),而对成虫产卵前期、产卵期和产卵量的影响不显著(P>0.05)。【结论】短时高温对金银花贮藏期害虫锯谷盗存活及繁殖有显著的影响,引起存活率及繁殖力显著下降。     

异色瓢虫非同胞间食卵自相残杀对成虫生殖力的影响

【目的】食卵自相残杀现象常见于瓢虫中,业已明确取食同胞卵对于初孵瓢虫至关重要,但取食非同胞卵的营养价值是否高于蚜虫仍存争议。本研究旨在明确异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis在幼虫期除取食蚜虫外兼捕食非同胞卵是否影响其雌成虫的生殖表现。【方法】在异色瓢虫幼虫期设置3个饲喂处理,即仅饲喂禾谷缢管蚜Rhopalosiphum padi(对照)、除饲喂蚜虫外还分别给各龄幼虫饲喂少量非同胞卵(分散食卵)以及除饲喂蚜虫外仅给高龄幼虫饲喂较多非同胞卵(集中食卵)等,观察雌成虫体型大小、产卵前期、连续10 d的逐日产卵量和卵孵化率等形态和生殖特性。【结果】饲喂处理对瓢虫雌成虫体型大小无显著影响,对照、分散食卵和集中食卵3种饲喂处理下的雌成虫身体体积分别为92.30,89.73和93.98 mm~3;饲喂处理对雌成虫产卵前期也无显著影响,3种饲喂处理下雌成虫产卵前期分别为7.50,7.74和7.70 d;但饲喂处理对雌虫生殖力具有显著影响,分散食卵处理与对照无显著差异,羽化后10 d分散食卵和对照下累计产卵量分别为185和205粒,但集中食卵(88粒)比对照或分散食卵的产卵量显著降低;饲喂处理对卵孵化率无显著影响,对照、分散食卵和集中食卵3种饲喂处理下的卵孵化率分别为63.10%,72.58%和66.61%。【结论】结果说明,异色瓢虫各龄幼虫偶尔取食非同胞卵不影响其成虫的生长发育和生殖,但高龄幼虫捕食较多非同胞卵可降低其雌成虫的生殖力。     

短时高温对绿豆象各虫态生长发育的影响

【目的】为明确短时高温对绿豆象Callosobruchus chinensis (L.)各虫态及其后虫态生长发育与繁殖能力的影响。【方法】以27℃饲养的绿豆象为对照,在30、33、36、39、42和45℃条件下分别对绿豆象卵、幼虫、蛹和成虫进行3 h的短时高温处理。【结果】短时高温对绿豆象卵的孵化率、幼虫的化蛹率和蛹的羽化率均有显著影响,但对卵和幼虫的后续发育影响不显著;幼虫耐高温的能力最强,经短时高温处理后化蛹率均在90%以上;蛹经45℃短时高温处理后虽表现出较高的羽化率,但羽化后成虫的寿命和产卵量均显著降低。卵期、幼虫期和成虫期绿豆象对短时高温的耐受性均有性别差异,其中,卵期和蛹期雄虫耐热性强于雌虫,成虫期雌虫强于雄虫。短时高温处理对绿豆象成虫的繁殖能力影响显著,经45℃处理后成虫的产卵量为32.30粒/头,显著低于对照。【结论】39℃以上的短时高温对绿豆象处理虫态及雌雄性别比有明显的影响,对其后虫态发育的影响仅见高温处理蛹后导致成虫繁殖能力下降。     

幼虫期短时高温暴露对二点委夜蛾存活和繁殖的影响

【目的】随着全球气候变暖,夏季短时极端高温发生的频率逐渐增加。本研究旨在探明二点委夜蛾Athetis lepigone幼虫期对高温的适应性。【方法】将二点委夜蛾不同日龄(1,6,12和18日龄)幼虫在不同高温(35,38和41℃)条件下暴露不同时间(0.5,1,2,4和6 h)后转移至适温(26℃)继续饲养,观察短时高温对其存活率、发育历期、化蛹率、羽化率、雌虫寿命、单雌产卵量及次代卵孵化率的影响。【结果】幼虫期短时高温暴露的温度和时间对二点委夜蛾幼虫的存活率和发育历期有显著影响,而对化蛹率、成虫羽化率、雌虫寿命、单雌产卵量以及次代卵孵化率影响不显著。随着温度的升高和处理时间的延长,幼虫存活率逐渐降低,发育历期逐渐延长。其中,18日龄的幼虫最为敏感,38℃和41℃暴露6 h后存活率分别为58.3%和17.7%,显著低于对照,发育历期分别为25.5 d和29.2 d,较对照显著延长。【结论】幼虫期经历短时高温暴露仅对幼虫的存活和发育历期有影响,而对后续蛹和成虫的生长发育及成虫繁殖力没有影响。     

温度对家蝇广州种群成虫繁殖力及卵黄蛋白发生的影响

研究了不同温度对家蝇(Musca domestica L.)广州种群繁殖力及卵黄蛋白发生的影响,旨在为利用家蝇广州种群大规模高效养殖提供技术支持。选同一天刚羽化的健康雌、雄蝇,分别置于20、24、28、32和36℃环境下单对饲养,重复6次。每天测定成虫日产卵量、卵孵化率及死亡数等,统计家蝇单雌产卵量、卵孵化率、成虫寿命、产卵前期和产卵期;同时自雌蝇羽化第一日起,连续15 d,每天每个温度处理下取雌蝇3头,采用间接酶联免疫(indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay,ID-ELISA)法测定5种温度下雌蝇每日卵黄蛋白合成量及羽化后前15 d卵黄蛋白合成总量。结果表明,温度对家蝇成虫繁殖力影响显著。产卵量以24℃环境下最高(1 921.17粒/雌),24～28℃时产卵量显著下降。28℃时卵孵化率最高(93.48%),高或低于此温度,卵孵化率显著下降,当温度达36℃时,孵化率仅为60.78%。雌蝇在20～28℃范围内产卵期差异不显著,32℃及以上温度下,雌蝇产卵期显著缩短。产卵前期以20℃最长(9.83 d),28℃最短(3.00 d),高于28℃产卵前期又显著延长。雌、雄蝇寿命均随着温度升高而显著缩短。温度对广州种群雌蝇羽化后前15 d的卵黄蛋白合成影响显著,24℃下前15 d合成的总卵黄蛋白最高(1 683.15μg/雌),其次为28℃(1 591.95μg/雌),20℃最低(232.81μg/雌)。家蝇广州种群在24～28℃繁殖效率最高。     

Bt玉米(MG95)对粘虫的抗性和拒食作用

在室内以我国自主培育的转Bt基因玉米 (简称 :Bt玉米 )为材料 ,测定了Bt玉米对不同龄期 ( 1～ 4龄 )粘虫PseudaletiaseparataWalker的影响。测定指标包括 :幼虫体重、幼虫发育历期、幼虫死亡率、化蛹率、蛹重、蛹历期、羽化率、产卵量、成虫历期、卵孵化率。结果显示 :用Bt玉米喂养的 1～ 4龄幼虫在处理 6d及 1～ 3龄幼虫在处理 9d时的体重与对照相比均差异显著 ;除 1龄幼虫外 ,2～ 4龄幼虫处理 6d及 2～ 3龄幼虫处理 9d后的死亡率差异不显著 ;用Bt玉米喂养的各龄幼虫发育历期延长 ,与对照相比差异显著 ;1、2龄幼虫的化蛹率与对照相比有显著差异 ,3、4龄则差异不显著 ;1～ 4龄幼虫的蛹重、蛹历期及羽化率均差异显著 ;成虫历期仅 1龄幼虫差异显著 ;与对照相比 ,各龄粘虫的产卵数、卵孵化率均无显著差异。结果表明 ,1龄幼虫对Bt玉米最为敏感。另外 ,拒食实验结果显示 ,在实验开始后的 8,1 6,2 4,3 2及 48h ,非选择性测定的拒食率为 63 2 0 ,64 60 ,48 99,2 3 3 5和 0 5 4% ,选择性测定的拒食率为98 3 3 ,82 43 ,71 5 4,40 1 6和 0 2 7% ,总体趋势是拒食率随时间延长而降低 ,48h后Bt玉米对粘虫幼虫无拒食活性。     

Conservation of nutrients in larval tissue by cannibalizing honey bees

ABSTRACT. ¹⁴C-phenylalanine appeared in royal jelly secreted by worker honey bees ( Apis mellifera , L.) directly after eating ¹⁴-phenyl-alanine labelled larvae. The amount of labelled phenylalanine in royal jelly was associated directly with the volume of jelly produced. Loss of radio-label from the workers, in the form of O₂¹⁴C, increased when royal jelly secretion ended. These patterns show that conservation of nutrients in cannibalized tissue is enhanced when the cannibal bees are producing royal jelly. Specific activity of radiolabel in worker bee hypopharyngeal glands was higher than in thoracic muscle, showing selective movement within the bees of a nutrient acquired by cannibalism.     

Epigenetic and endocrine determinants of lifespan differences between the castes of social insects

Social insects are promising model organisms in the study of longevity mechanisms. They have a caste system, in which the same genomes may produce phenotypes significantly distinguished by longevity. The ontogenetic trajectories of bees depend on the duration of supply by a specific nutrient mixture (royal jelly) at the larval stage. Longer feeding by the royal jelly leads to the formation of the queen epigenome, which is different from the epigenome of a working bee. Such epigenetic differences, in turn, induce endocrine changes manifested in increased synthesis of juvenile hormone and activation of TOR (target of rapamycin) signaling pathway, as well as in the modulation of insulin/IGF-1 pathway in queen-destined larvae. In adults, these processes influence the synthesis of vitellogenin (egg yolk precursor determining many aspects of insect ontogenesis). Epigenetic and andocrine mechanisms that underlie differences in longevity among the castes of social insects are discussed.     

怀头鲇胚胎发育过程卵膜形态结构变化及对孵化影响

采用扫描电镜和光学解剖镜,对黑龙江水域怀头鲇(Silirus soldatovi)成熟卵膜层次构造和受精卵胚胎发育过程中卵膜形态结构变化进行观察,并比较未脱黏和人工脱黏卵受精卵膜的表面超微结构变化.结果显示,受精卵膜的胶膜表面由一层薄而致密的物质组成,上有微孔构造.未脱黏受精卵膜表面胶膜光滑致密,多孔隙,内有小梁相连,随胚胎发育逐渐膨胀、展开、变薄,破膜期自然脱落.人工脱黏几乎全部脱去鱼卵的胶膜层,从而使卵失去黏性.脱去胶膜层的受精卵膜表面由不规则的颗粒状结构紧密嵌合而成,表面粗糙,胚胎发育过程中颗粒形状变化不大,但颗粒层逐渐变薄而且疏松,直至胚胎破膜而出:胚胎发育后期颗粒层有过早脱落和破洞出现.同时对活体鱼卵进行连续比较观察,讨论了卵膜结构及动态变化与孵化效果的关系.     

南方小花蝽对寄主植物的产卵选择性及其卵的保存条件

室内研究南方小花蝽Orius similis Zheng在9种产卵寄主植物(辣椒,豇豆,长寿花,迎春花,黄荆,绿豆芽,棉花,石莲花,太阳花)的嫩茎上的产卵量、孵化率及繁殖系数。结果表明,南方小花蝽对不同产卵植物具有显著的选择差异性。从产卵量看,对辣椒嫩枝选择性最强,其产卵量占总产卵量的23.4%;从孵化率看,产在迎春花嫩茎上的卵的孵化率最高;从繁殖系数看,辣椒嫩枝和迎春花嫩茎作为产卵植物的繁殖系数较高,分别为7.6和12.8;从辣椒嫩枝和迎春嫩茎上的繁殖系数的构成看,两者明显属于2种不同的类型,前者属于高着卵量、低存活率类型,后者属于低着卵量、高存活率类型。对南方小花蝽不同虫态进行了抗寒能力的测定,结果表明南方小花蝽卵的抗寒能力最强,成虫次之,1~2龄若虫最弱。在此基础上做了卵的低温保藏实验,结果表明要保证80%以上的孵化率,最佳保藏条件为8℃下保藏9天。     

桃小食心虫卵收集方法的改进

本文介绍了一种用绒面壁纸作为卵卡收集桃小食心虫Carposina sasakii Matsumura卵的方法。利用显微镜测试了绒面的绒毛高度和密度,并从落卵量和卵的孵化率两方面对这种卵卡和传统的滤纸卵卡进行了比较。结果表明,滤纸卵卡和绒面卵卡上的总落卵量无显著差异,平均为(303.77±51.03)粒和(330.23±44.85)粒,其中成虫交尾后48 h内的落卵量平均为(303.77±51.03)粒和(330.23±44.85)粒,其中成虫交尾后48 h内的落卵量为(176.31±38.96)粒和(223.92±30.69)粒(P<0.001)。成虫交尾后48 h内产下的卵平均孵化率为93.97%和94.56%,48 h后产下的卵平均孵化率为83.87%和83.58%,即成虫交尾后48 h后产下的卵的孵化率显著低于交尾后48 h内产下的卵(P<0.001),但同期落于两种卵卡上的卵孵化率差异不大。因此,使用绒面卵卡能显著提高初孵幼虫的数量,在得到相同虫量的情况下,显著降低成本。且相对于人工刮制的传统卵卡,使用绒面卵卡,很好的避免了因手工制作导致的一致性差、耗时长、人工费昂贵的问题,为收集桃小食心虫卵提供了一种较为理想的方法。     

短时高温对加州新小绥螨发育的影响

为了探究高温逆境条件下加州新小绥螨的生存特性对其种群发育的影响,利用短时高温刺激试验,研究加州新小绥螨卵、幼螨、雌成螨在35、38、42、45 ℃等4个温度下、处理1～8 h后的孵化率、存活率、后期发育历期及繁殖的影响.结果表明: 处理温度越高,时间越长,卵和幼螨的存活率越低,其后续发育历期随处理温度升高和时间增加先缩短后延长.当温度为38 ℃,处理8 h后,卵的后续发育历期最短,为4.1 d.卵在45 ℃下处理2 h以上将不能正常孵化,而幼螨在45 ℃下处理8 h后不能存活;雌成螨产卵期和产卵量基本随温度升高先增加后降低,35 ℃处理8 h后,单雌产卵量最高,为38.9粒;38 ℃处理8 h后,单雌产卵量为36.7粒;45 ℃处理8 h后,单雌产卵量仅为14.5粒.短时高温主要影响加州新小绥螨的孵化率、存活率和后续发育历期,对雌成螨的产卵前期和存活率影响较小.     

Structural features of N-glycans linked to royal jelly glycoproteins: structures of high-mannose type, hybrid type, and biantennary type glycans

The structures of N-glycans of total glycoproteins in royal jelly have been explored to clarify whether antigenic N-glycans occur in the famous health food. The structural feature of N-glycans linked to glycoproteins in royal jelly was first characterized by immunoblotting with an antiserum against plant complex type N-glycan and lectin-blotting with Con A and WGA. For the detail structural analysis of such N-glycans, the pyridylaminated (PA-) N-glycans were prepared from hydrazinolysates of total glycoproteins in royal jelly and each PA-sugar chain was purified by reverse-phase HPLC and size-fractionation HPLC. Each structure of the PA-sugar chains purified was identified by the combination of two-dimensional PA-sugar chain mapping, ESI-MS and MS/MS analyses, sequential exoglycosidase digestions, and 500 MHz 1H-NMR spectrometry. The immunoblotting and lectinblotting analyses preliminarily suggested the absence of antigenic N-glycan bearing beta1-2 xylosyl and/or alpha1-3 fucosyl residue(s) and occurrence of beta1-4GlcNAc residue in the insect glycoproteins. The detailed structural analysis of N-glycans of total royal jelly glycoproteins revealed that the antigenic N-glycans do not occur but the typical high mannose-type structure (Man(9 to approximately 4)GlcNAc2) occupies 71.6% of total N-glycan, biantennary-type structures (GlcNAc2Man3 GlcNAc2) 8.4%, and hybrid type structure (GlcNAc1 Man4GlcNAc2) 3.0%. Although the complete structures of the remaining 17% N-glycans; C4, (HexNAc3 Hex3HexNAc2: 3.0%), D2 (HexNAc2Hex5HexNAc2: 4.5%), and D3 (HexNAc3Hex4HexNAc2: 9.5%) are still obscure so far, ESI-MS analysis, exoglycosidase digestions by two kinds of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and WGA blotting suggested that these N-glycans might bear a beta1-4 linkage N-acetylglucosaminyl residue.     

Energy metabolism in eggs and larvae of the Senegal sole

Oxygen consumption in Solea senegalensis increased during the egg stage reaching values close to 4 nmol O₂ ind⁻¹ at hatching. After hatching, larval oxygen consumption continued to increase, reaching a maximum rate of 9.97⁻¹±87 nmol O₂ ind⁻¹ h⁻¹ 2 days after the opening of the mouth. Body nitrogen content decreased mainly after exhaustion of yolk reserves. Carbon content decreased during the whole endogenous feeding phase, although it decreased twice as quickly after yolk-sac absorption. The free amino acid (FAA) depletion rate was higher during egg development and the yolk-sac period. Complete yolk absorption coincided with the consumption of the 90% of initial FAA content in the eggs and the remaining FAA were consumed at a lower rate. Based on stoichiometrical calculations, FAA appears to be the most important energy substrate during the egg stage (86%) in the Senegal sole. During the period from hatching to the mouth opening, contributions of FAA and lipids as metabolic fuels were similar (41 and 47%, respectively). The decrease in larval protein content during starvation indicates that amino acids from body protein are used as energy substrates under food deprivation.     

Swimming of Xenopus laevis sperm exhibits multiple gears and its duration is extended by egg jelly constituents

The motility of Xenopus sperm is initiated by the osmotic shock experienced when these cells are ejaculated into low-salinity pond water. Motility is brief and is required for the sperm to penetrate the jelly layers and fertilize the egg. In this study we demonstrate that extracts of egg jelly contain factors that extend the period of sperm motility as well as providing a chemoattractant activity as previously reported. Both activities are partially dependent on extracellular calcium. Time-lapse and video microscopy show that after activation of motility the number of motile sperm decreases rapidly, with a half-time of about 2 min. Addition of 10% v/v egg jelly extract ("egg water") increased the number of motile sperm 2-fold over controls at 20 s and about 4- to 10-fold over controls at 10 min after initiation of motility. Extension of motility lifetime was not mediated by a nonspecific protein or by allurin, the egg-water protein that has chemoattractant activity. The helical path of Xenopus sperm exhibited tight coupling between rotational and forward velocities in egg jelly, but coupling changed rapidly from moment to moment in low-salinity buffer. Our observations suggest that jelly-derived factors regulate both the longevity and directionality of sperm propulsion.     

Embryo developmental events and the egg case of the Aleutian skate Bathyraja aleutica (Gilbert) and the Alaska skate Bathyraja parmifera (Bean)

Embryo development events were correlated with egg-case changes for the Aleutian skate Bathyraja aleutica and the Alaska skate Bathyraja parmifera . Yolk absorption underwent two phases: that of steady absorption during early development and that of rapid yolk absorption during the final development stages. Total length ( L _T) for 50% of the pre-hatching embryos egg-case jelly disappearance was 92·04 mm (range 81–102 mm) and 99·36 mm (range 81–100 mm) for B. aleutica and B. parmifera , respectively, allowing the inner chamber to open to seawater flow. The tail filament underwent three phases of growth: rapid elongation during early development (<100 mm embryo L _T), stasis of tail filament length during the remainder of embryo development and rapid absorption soon after hatching. Complete tail filament development coincided with the disappearance of egg-case jelly. Clasper buds first developed at embryos >70 mm L _T for both species and the sex ratio was 1:1 well before hatching. Egg cases that were devoid of an ova or developing embryo were c. 5·0 and 6·5% of the egg cases examined for B. aleutica and B. parmifera , respectively. Measurements showed that egg cases containing only egg jelly were smaller in both width and length than those possessing an ova. Embryo stages were punctuated with distinct events that correlated with egg case changes controlling the internal environment of the developing embryo.