X-ray Microanalysis of the Mineral Contents of Some Protozoa

With the aid of energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis, several protozoa were tested for content of cations within inorganic minerals. The skeleton of acantharia consists mainly of Sr with small quantities of Ca and Ba. Two Loxodes species contain nothing but Ba, while in some Remanella species Sr with small quantities of Ba were present. In one Geleia species, Ca with small quantities of Sr was found; in two Trachelocerca species from Sylt (Germany), Ba is there in addition. Another Trachelocerca species from northern Italy lacked Ba, but did possess Mn. In Prorodon only Ca was found.     

Gametogenesis and Sporogony of Hepatozoon Mocassini (Apicomplexa: Adeleina: Hepatozoidae) In an Experimental Mosquito Host, Aedes Aegypti

ABSTRACT. The sexual life cycle of the hemogregarine Hepatozoon mocassini was studied in Aedes aegypti , an experimental mosquito host, using transmission electron microscopy. Gamonts were observed leaving the host snake erythrocyte as early as 30 min after mosquitoes ingested infected blood, and some gamonts had penetrated the gut epithelial cells by this time. Six hours post-feeding, gamonts were identified within cells of the abdominal fat body. Twenty-four hours post-feeding, gamonts were often entrapped within the peritrophic membrane, but were no longer observed within the gut wall. Parasites pairing up in syzygy and undergoing sexual differentiatioe were observed within fat cells at this time, and by 48 hours post-feeding, well-developed macro- and microgametocytes as well as microgametes were discernible. Developing zygotes observed 3 days post-feeding were enclosed within a panoitophorous vacuole. By day 6, multinucleate oocysts with crystalloid bodies in the cytoplasm were seen. Sporazoites developing within sporocysts appeared by day 12. Seventeen days post-feeding, mature oocysts with sporocysts containing approximately 16 sporozoites were observed upon dissection of mosquitoes. Large crystalloid bodies no longer bound by rough endopbsmic reticulum were located anterior and posterior to the sporozoite nucleus. Free sporozoites were not observed.     

Comparative Fine Structural Investigations of Interphase and Mitotic Nuclei of Vampyrellid Filose Amoebae

The nuclei of trophozoites and digestive cysts as well as mitotic nuclei of several species of the vampyrellids Vampyrella, Gobiella, Hyalodiscus, Arachnula , and Leptophrys were investigated by electron microscopy. Except for some species of the genus Hyalodiscus , the vampyrellids are generally multinucleate. The nuclei of the trophozoite stage are in interphase. These nuclei are spherical, except for the genus Arachnula , which reveals elongated nuclei. In digestive cysts of all vampyrellids the nuclei enlarge and the pars granulosa of the nucleoli becomes prominent. Karyokineses take place synchronously in older digestive cysts, which transform into reproductive cysts. The nuclei divide by closed intranuclear orthomitosis. In telophase the old nuclear envelope disintegrates and a new one is rearranged. Only in the genus Leptophrys the nuclear envelope decomposes before telophase. Neither centrioles nor MTOC-plaques have been found in any stage of mitosis. After karyokinesis the cell divides inside the cyst or when leaving the cyst.     

Unexpected early extinction of the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) in Sweden and climatic impact on its Holocene range

Using ancient DNA sequences of subfossil European pond turtles ( Emys orbicularis ) from Britain, Central and North Europe and accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating for turtle remains from most Swedish sites, we provide evidence for a Holocene range expansion of the pond turtle from the southeastern Balkans into Britain, Central Europe and Scandinavia, according to the 'grasshopper pattern' of Hewitt. Northeastern Europe and adjacent Asia were colonized from another refuge located further east. With increasing annual mean temperatures, pond turtles reached southern Sweden approximately 9800 years ago. Until approximately 5500 years ago, rising temperatures facilitated a further range expansion up to Östergötland, Sweden (approximately 58°30'N). However, around 5500 years ago pond turtle records suddenly terminate in Sweden, some 1500 years before the Holocene thermal maximum ended in Scandinavia and distinctly earlier than previously thought. This extinction coincides with a temporary cooling oscillation during the Holocene thermal maximum and is likely related to lower summer temperatures deteriorating reproductive success. Although climatic conditions improved later again, recolonization of Sweden from southern source populations was prevented by the Holocene submergence of the previous land connection via the Danish Straits that occurred approximately 8500 years ago.     

Die Infraciliatur von Marituja pelagica Gajewskaja, 1928*

The ciliate Marituja pelagica Gajewskaja, 1928 was described originally from Lake Baikal. Recently this organism was found in the plankton of a eutrophic pond in the area of Bonn. Studies of structure of living ciliates and of silver-stained preparations aided in the solution of hitherto existing taxonomic problems with regard to M. pelagica and led to its placement in the suborder Peniculina.     

Thermoregulation in crocodilians - III. Thermal preferenda, voluntary maxima, and heating and cooling rates in the American alligator, Alligator mississipiensis

Grouped data for head and body mean-preferred temperature were 31.° C (range 28.9° -35.9° C) and 32.0° C (range 29.9° -35.6° C) respectively, and the differences were not significant. Grouped data for measn-voluntary maxima for the head and body were 34.4° C (range 31.4° -38.1° C) and 33.7° C (range 31.5° -38.5° C) respectively. A comparison of thermal preferenda and varying sized individuals of Alligator mississipiensis showed a direct relationship between size and preferred temperature. The most effective method of reducing head and body temperature was that of seeking shade; water would be effective, but in this study enough water for complete submersion was not available in the experimental enclosures. Gaping was observed several times during the study but had little effect on head temperature. Heating and cooling experiments conducted in constant temperatute water-baths demonstrated that a 49.9 kg alligator heated in 36.5% of the time it required to cool. The alligator shows a greater alteration in heating and cooling time than any other reptile studied.     

Mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellites reveal high diversity and genetic structure in an avian top predator,the white‐tailed sea eagle,in central Europe

We analysed 123 white‐tailed sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) from (primarily central) Europe with respect to variability and differentiation based on 499 bp of the mitochondrial control region and genotypes at seven unlinked nuclear microsatellites. Variability was high (overall expected heterozygosity, haplotype and nucleotide diversity being 0.70, 0.764 and 0.00698, respectively) and both marker systems showed a subdivision into two main genetic clusters (microsatellites) or haplogroups (mtDNA). In line with earlier analyses focusing on populations from northern and eastern Europe, as well as from Asia, we found a high level of admixture in Europe and no signs of a bottleneck – despite a severe decline of white‐tailed sea eagle populations during the 20^th century. Europe is thus a global stronghold for this species not only with respect to the number of breeding pairs but also regarding the proportion of species‐wide genetic diversity. Our dense sampling revealed a possibly clinal variation within central Europe from north‐west to south‐east that was reflected by the distribution of mtDNA haplotypes as well as the two microsatellite‐based clusters. This population differentiation in central Europe probably originated from a geographically structured postglacial colonization and was later enhanced by recent demographic fluctuations. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 99 , 727–737.     

Lateromyxa gallica N. G., N. Sp. (Vampyrellidae): A Filopodial Amoeboid Protist With A Novel Life Cycle and Conspicuous Ultrastructural Characters

ABSTRACT. A large, uni- or multinucleate vampyrellid rhizopod, Lateromyxa gallica n. g., n. sp., has been isolated several times from two lakes in central France between September 1973 and August 1989 and cultivated for several months or years under laboratory conditions. No essential variations of feeding behaviour were found over the time; all isolated strains invade the trichomes of the green alga Oedogonium and move, divide and encyst inside the vanished plant cells. Penetration is performed by attacking the cross walls and only primary attacks are directed against the lateral cell walls of the algae. These findings contrast with the behaviour, life cycles and fine structure of all known species of the genera Vampyrella, Hyalodiscus, Arachnula and Gobiella. The establishment of a new genus, Lateromyxa , with the type species Lateromyxa gallica is therefore proposed.