南疆束颈蝗属二新种：蝗总科：斑翅蝗科

本文记述采自新疆南部地区束颈蝗属二新种,叶城束颈蝗Ｓｐｈｉｎｇｏｎｏｔｕｓｙｅｃｈｅｎｇｅｎｓｉｓ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．及塔克拉玛束颈蝗Ｓｐｈｉｎｇｏｎｏｔｕｓ ｔａｋｒａｍａｅｎｓｉｓ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．模式标本保存于陕西范大学动物研究所标本室。     

青海省原金蝗属一新种（直翅目：蝗总科）

本文记述青海省蝗虫一新种－巴颜喀拉原金蝗Ｅｏｋｉｎｇｄｏｎｅｌｌａ ｂａｙａｎｈａｒｅｎｓｉｓ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,新种与西藏原金蝗Ｅｏｋｉｎｇｄｏｎｅｌｌａ ｔｉｂｅｔａｎａ（Ｍｉｓｔｓｈ．）及昌都原金蝗Ｅｏｋｉｎｇｄｏｎｅｌｌａ ｃｈａｎｇｔｕｎｉｃａ Ｙｉｎ近似。     

云南省云秃蝗属一新种：直翅目：斑腿蝗科

本文报道斑腿蝗科云秃蝗属１新种：文山云秃蝗Ｙｕｎｎａｎａｃｒｉｓ ｗｅｎｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓ,ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ。模式标本保存于山东大学生物系。     

金色蝗属一新种：（直翅目：蝗总科）

本文记述在吉林省长白山,黑龙江省镜泊湖地区采到蝗虫一新种－－长白山金色蝗Ｃｈｒｙｓａｃｒｉｓ ｃｈａｎｇｂａｉｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,并附有特征图。     

中国佯越蝗属一新种记述（直翅目：蝗总科：斑腿蝗科）

本文记述采自中国江西省的佯越蝗属１新种──井岗山佯越蝗Ｐａｒａｔｏｎｋｉｎａｃｒｉｓｊｉｎｇｇａｎｇｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓ,ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．模式标本保存于山东大学生物系。     

广西蝗虫新种记述：直翅目：斑腿蝗科

本文记述采自广西元宝山斑腿蝗科佯越蝗属、卵翅蝗属各１新种──尤氏佯越蝗Ｐａｒａｔｏｎｋｉｎａｃｒｉｓｙｏｕｉ,ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．及元宝山卵翅蝗Ｃａｒｙａｎｄａｙｕａｎｂａｏｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓ,ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．模式标本保存于广西科学院生物研究所标本室。     

横断山区斑腿蝗科二新种（直翅目：蝗总科）

１９９５年７—８月,在云南省西部横断山地区采到斑腿蝗科昆虫二新种,即高黎贡山凸额蝗,新种Ｔｒａｕｌｉａｇａｏｌｉｇｏｎｇｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓｓｐ．ｎ．及苍山拟裸蝗,新种Ｃｏｎｏｐｈｙｍａｃｒｉｓｃａｎｇｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓｓｐ．ｎ．     

四川及重庆地区蝗虫的新属和新种：（直翅目：蝗总科：斑腿蝗科）

本文记述采自四川青城山及重庆缙云山蝗虫１新属２新种,即斑腿蝗科的降背蝗属Ｇｉｂｂｉｔｅｒｇｕｍ,ｇｅｎ．ｎｏｖ;青城山隆背蝗Ｇｉｂｂｉｔｅｒｇｕｍ ｑｉｎｇｃｈｅｎｇｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓ,ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．及红角腹露蝗Ｆｒｕｈｓｔｏｒｆｅｒｉｏｌａ ｒｕｂｉｃｏｒｎｉｓ,ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．。模式标本保存于陕西师范大学动物研究所。     

金色蝗属一新种（直翅目：蝗总科）

本文记述在吉林省长白山,黑龙江省镜泊湖地区采到蝗虫－新种──长白山金色蝗Ｃｈｒｙｓａｃｒｉｓｃｈａｎｇｂａｉｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓｓｐ．ｎｏｖ,并附有特征图。     

青海省雏蝗属三新种（直翅目：网翅蝗科）

记述采自青海少网翅蝗科雏蝗属３新种,即祁连山雏蝗Ｃｈｏｒｔｈｉｐｐｕｓ ｑｉｌｉａｎｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓ,ｓｐ．ｎ．、积石山雏蝗Ｃｈｏｕｔｈｉｐｐｕｓ ｕｉｓｈｉｓｈａｎｅｎｓｉｓ,ｓｐ．ｎ．及循化雏蝗Ｃｈｏｒｔｈｉｐｐｕｓ ｘｕｎｈｕａｅｎｓｉｓ,ｓｐ．ｎ．。模式标本保存于陕西师范大学动物研究所。     

Concentration of 17 trace elements in serum and whole blood of plains viscachas (Lagostomus maximus) by ICP-MS, their reference ranges, and their relation to cataract

The reference ranges of the trace elements Al, As, Be, B, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Li, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in sera of a group of free-ranging plains viscachas of the pampa grasslands of Argentina. The values were compared with those of a small group of captive plains viscachas of the Zurich Zoo with diabetes and bilateral cataracts. In addition, a method for digestion of whole-blood samples is described for the trace element determination. Significant differences in the concentration of trace elements in the two groups of animals are discussed. No correlation was found between the levels of selenium and of other trace elements compared to the formation of cataracts.     

Simultaneous measurement of the trace elements Al, As, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn in human serum and their reference ranges by ICP-MS

The goal of this article was to establish reference ranges of the concentration of trace elements in human serum and to compare these results with those reported by other authors. We describe the sample preparation and measurement conditions that allow the rapid, precise, and accurate determination of Al, As, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn in human serum samples (n=110) by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Accuracy and precision were determined by analyzing three reconstituted reference serum samples by comparison with other methods and by the standard addition procedure. The advantages of the ICP-MS method include short time of analysis of the elements mentioned, low detection limit, high precision, and high accuracy. Disadventages include a high risk of contamination due to the presence of some of the elements of interest in the environment, the relatively delicate sample handling, and the high cost of the equipment.     

A review of studies on Pichavaram mangrove, southeast India

We studied a tropical mangrove ecosystem, situated at Pichavaram, southeast India. We found 13 species of mangrove trees, with Avicennia marinaand Rhizophora species predominant, besides 73 spp. of other plants, 52 spp. of bacteria, 23 spp. of fungi, 82 spp. of phytoplankton, 22 spp. of seaweeds, 3 spp. of seagrass, 95 spp. of zooplankton, 40 spp. of meiobenthos, 52 spp. of macrobenthos, 177 spp. of fish and 200 spp. of birds. The bacteria performed activities like photosynthesis, methanogenesis, magnetic behaviour, human pathogens and production of antibiotics and enzymes (arysulphatase, L-glutaminase, chitinase, L-asparaginase, cellulase, protease, phosphatase). The microzooplankton included tintinnids, rotifers, nauplius stages of copepods and veliger larvae of molluscs, with a predominance of tintinnids. Tintinopsis spp. alone accounted for 90% of abundance. The macrozooplankton consisted of 95% of copepods and coelenterates. The meiofauna was rich with nematodes (50–70% of the component), followed by foramifera. The macrofauna included polychaetes, bivalves, gastropods, tanaids, isopods, amphipods, cirripedes, crabs, hermit crabs and shrimps. The mangrove harboured a large number of juvenile fishes, especially during summer and post-monsoon. The water was fertile and productive in having several fold-higher levels of nutrients, microbes, plankton and other biological resources, than the adjoining estuarine, backwater and neritic environments. The gross primary production was 8 g cm^-3 d^-1; about 21% of which was contributed by phytoplankton of 5–10 m size. Unfortunately, 90% of the mangrove cover in the study area was degraded. Possible factors that cause degradation of the ecosystem are detailed and remedial measures suggested. Techniques for regeneration of the degraded areas are proposed.     

From the creation of the Veterinary Schools to the evolution of the notion of contagion in the 19th and 20th centuries

The creation of the Veterinary Schools in the 18th century would reveal a plethora of scientists, some of whom would be the precursors of Pasteur, some rivals, others followers collaborators or friends of the Master. Among the precursors let us name Chabbert, Huzard, Girard, Delafond, Renault, Toussaint, Galtier ; among the rivals: Chauveau, Arloing, Cornevin and Thomas; among the followers, collaborators or friends of Pasteur: Bouley, at first a resolute spontaneist, then the most fervent in defense of Pasteur (President of the Academy of Medicine and of the Academy of Sciences) and Nocard, Director of the School in Alfort, an important collaborator of Pasteur. Later, there was Leclainche, who created the International Office of Epizootics, and who was President of the Academy of Sciences; Guérin, who with Calmette developed the BCG vaccination; Ramon, the father of anatoxins (vaccines against diphtheria, and tetanus, combined vaccines, adjuvants to immunity). Thus, the creation of the Veterinary Schools contributed not only to the evolution of the notion of contagion, to the amelioration of animal health and the economics of agricultural production, but also to serious advances in human care, and to the protection of public health.     

Embryology of the Theaceae - anther and ovule development of Camellia, Franklinia, and Schima

The anther and ovule development of Camellia, Franklinia, and Schima (Theaceae, Camellioideae) were observed. The three genera share the following embryological traits: anther wall formation of basic type, tapetum of glandular type, walls of endothecial cells with secondary thickening, and production of pseudopollen grains in connective, which are dispersed into pollen sacs at anthesis, ovule bitegmic-tenuinucellate, micropyle formed by inner integument alone, hypostase present, and both integuments generally five-to-seven cell layered. One autapomorphy of the Camellioideae found in the present study is the production of pseudopollen. The three genera surveyed differ with respect to the number of middle layers in the anther, the presence or absence of stomata on connective epidermis, morphology of pseudopollen, type of embryo sac formation, form of ovule, ovular vasculature, and the proliferation of ovular epidermis, etc. Among the three genera, Franklinia and Schima are presumed to be closer embryologically, and Schima possesses more numerous specialized features.     

Molecular phylogeny of the gobioid fishes (Teleostei: Perciformes: Gobioidei)

The phylogeny of groups within Gobioidei is examined with molecular sequence data. Gobioidei is a speciose, morphologically diverse group of teleost fishes, most of which are small, benthic, and marine. Efforts to hypothesize relationships among the gobioid groups have been hampered by the prevalence of reductive evolution among goby species; such reduction can make identification of informative morphological characters particularly difficult. Gobies have been variously grouped into two to nine families, several with included subfamilies, but most existing taxonomies are not phylogenetic and few cladistic hypotheses of relationships among goby groups have been advanced. In this study, representatives of eight of the nine gobioid familes (Eleotridae, Odontobutidae, Xenisthmidae, Gobiidae, Kraemeriidae, Schindleriidae, Microdesmidae, and Ptereleotridae), selected to sample broadly from the range of goby diversity, were examined. Complete sequence from the mitochondrial ND1, ND2, and COI genes (3573 bp) was used in a cladistic parsimony analysis to hypothesize relationships among the gobioid groups. A single most parsimonious topology was obtained, with decay indices indicating strong support for most nodes. Major phylogenetic conclusions include that Xenisthmidae is part of Eleotridae, and Eleotridae is paraphyletic with respect to a clade composed of Gobiidae, Microdesmidae, Ptereleotridae, Kraemeriidae, and Schindleriidae. Within this five-family clade, two clades are recovered. One includes Gobionellinae, which is paraphyletic with respect to Kraemeriidae, Sicydiinae, Oxudercinae, and Amblyopinae. The other contains Gobiinae, also paraphyletic, and including Microdesmidae, Ptereleotridae, and Schindleriidae. Previous morphological evidence for goby groupings is discussed; the phylogenetic hypothesis indicates that the morphological reduction observed in many goby species has been derived several times independently.     

Comparative morphology and evolutionary pathways of the mouthparts in spore-feeding Staphylinoidea (Coleoptera)

This study surveys the external morphology of the mouthparts in the guild of spore‐feeders among the coleopterous superfamily Staphylinoidea, evaluating the influence of different phylogenetic and ecological starting points on the formation of their mouthparts. Our emphasis is on a scanning electron microscope analysis (SEM) of the involved trophic structures in spore‐feeding larvae and adults of the Ptiliidae, Leiodidae and Staphylinidae, describing the fine structure of their main functional elements. Functionally, mouthpart structures resemble brushes, brooms, combs, rakes, rasps, excavators, knives, thorns, cram‐brushes, bristle troughs, blocks and differently structured grinding surfaces. Their different involvement in the various aspects of the feeding process (i.e. food gathering, transporting, channelling and grinding) is deduced from our SEM analyses plus direct video observations. We infer five different patterns of food transport and processing, discriminating adults of ptiliids, leiodids plus staphylinids (excluding some aleocharines), several aleocharine staphylinids, and the larvae of leiodids and staphylinids. The structural diversity of the mouthparts increases in the order from (1) Ptiliidae, (2) Leiodidae towards (3) Staphylinidae, reflecting the increasing systematic and ecological diversity of these groups. Comparisons with non‐spore‐feeders show that among major lineages of staphylinoids, shifts from general microphagy to sporophagy are not necessarily constrained by, nor strongly reflected in, mouthpart morphology. Nevertheless, in several of these lineages the organs of food intake and grinding have experienced particular fine‐structural modifications, which have undergone convergent evolution, probably in response to specialized mycophagy such as spore‐feeding. These modifications involve advanced galeal rakes, galeal or lacinial ‘spore brushes’ with arrays of stout bristles, reinforced obliquely ventrad orientated prosthecal lobes and the differentiations of the molar grinding surfaces into stout teeth or tubercles. In addition, several staphylinids of the tachyporine and oxyteline groups with reduced mandibular molae have evolved secondary trituration surfaces, which in some aleocharines are paralleled by considerable re‐constructions of the labium–hypopharynx.     

Dipteran predators of Simuliid blackflies: a worldwide review

Haematophagous female blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are serious biting pests and obligate vectors of vertebrate pathogens, namely filarial Dirofilaria, Mansonella, Onchocerca and protozoal Leucocytozoon. Immature stages of Simuliidae inhabit lotic waterways, the sessile larvae filter-feeding and often forming a large proportion of the benthic biomass, usually aggregated in well-oxygenated sections of streams, rivers, waterfalls and spillways. Simuliid control practices depend on larvicidal chemicals, biological products (bacteria, nematodes) and environmental modification. The potential use of predators for biological control of Simuliidae has not been exploited. Predators of Simuliidae include examples of at least 12 families of Diptera and other predaceous arthropods (Crustacea and insects: Coleoptera, Odonata, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), invertebrates (notably Turbellaria), as well as browsing fish. Diptera impacting upon simuliid populations comprise mainly Chironomidae, Empididae and Muscidae, although several other families (Asilidae, Dolichopodidae, Phoridae, Drosophilidae, Scathophagidae) play a significant role as predators. Details of predator and prey species and life stages are presented, by zoogeographical region, including the prevalence of cannibalism among Simuliidae.     

On molecular taxonomy: what is in a name?

Gene sequences of small portions of the genome are often used for premature detailed taxonomic changes, neglecting polyphasic taxonomy, which should also consider phenotypical characteristics. Three examples are given: (i) Recently, members of the genera Eperythrozoon and Haemobartonella have been moved, correctly so, from the Rickettsiales to the Mycoplasmatales, but were assigned to the genus Mycoplasma, mostly on the basis of 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Not only is the 16S rRNA sequence similarity between 'classical' Mycoplasma and these species of Eperythrozoon and Haemobartonella less than that between some other well-recognised bacterial genera, but their biological differences amply justify their classification in different genera of the Mycoplasmatales. Furthermore, the move creates considerable confusion, as it necessitates new names for some species, with more confusion likely to come when the 16S rRNA sequences of the type species of Eperythrozoon, a name which has priority over Mycoplasma, will be analysed. (ii) In the Rickettsiales, members of the genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Cowdria, Neorickettsia and Wolhbachia are so closely related phylogenetically on the basis of 16S rRNA sequences, and for some also of groESL operon sequences, that they have recently been fused, correctly so, into one family, the Anaplasmataceae, while the tribes Ehrlichieae and Wolbachieae have been abolished. Sequence diversity within the 'classical' genus Ehrlichia has led to classifying E. phagocytophila (including E. equi and the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis), E. platys and E. bovis in the genus Anaplasma, while others have been retained in Ehrlichia, which also includes Cowdria ruminantium. E. sennetsu and E. risticii have been transferred to the genus Neorickettsia. 16S rRNA and GroEL sequences of 'classical' Anaplasma and some members of 'classical' Ehrlichia do show a close relationship, but differences in citrate synthase gene sequences, the GC content of this gene, and sequences of the gene encoding the beta-subunit of RNA polymerase, not to speak of the phenotypical differences, do not justify the fusion into one genus. Because of the phylogenetical diversity in Ehrlichia it is recommended that a new genus name be created for the E. phagocytophila genogroup (and E. platys and E. bovis). (iii) One of the conclusions of studies on the phylogeny of ticks of the subfamilies Rhipicephalinae and Hyalomminae, based on nucleotide sequences from 12S rRNA, cytochrome c oxidase I, the internal transcribed spacer 2, 18S rRNA, as well as morphological characters, is that Boophilus should be considered as a subgenus of Rhipicephalus. While Boophilus and Rhipicephalus are undoubtedly close, the obviously important morphological and biological differences between the genera Rhipicephalus and Boophilus are thus overruled by similarities in the sequences of a number of genes and this leads to considerable confusion. Polyphasic taxonomy amply justifies maintaining Boophilus as a separate genus, phylogenetically near to Rhipicephalus. This note is a plea for a cautious and balanced approach to taxonomy, taking into account molecular genotypical information, as far as is possible from different genes, as well as phenotypical characteristics.