GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA VARIANTS AND THE HISTORICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY OF THE SPOTTED SALAMANDER,AMBYSTOMA MACULATUM

I analyzed geographic partitioning of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction-site variants in the spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum. Two highly divergent and geographically separate genetic lineages were identified that differed by a minimum of 19 restriction sites (6% sequence divergence). One of the lineages has a disjunct distribution with very closely related haplotypes occurring in Missouri, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Virginia. The other lineage is found in Michigan, Illinois, and Alabama. The geographic separation of highly divergent mtDNA haplotypes, a pattern that was predicted based on the sedentary nature of these salamanders, is evidence for long-term barriers to gene flow. In contrast, the large-scale disjunction of very similar haplotypes suggests recent, long-distance gene flow and does not match the phylogeographic expectation for a small terrestrial vertebrate. I explain this potential contradiction in the level of importance assigned to gene flow by a scenario in which historical barriers to gene flow account for the two divergent mtDNA assemblages, but stochastic sorting of ancestral polymorphism is responsible for the large-scale geographic disjunction. Ten of 16 populations collected in the Ozark Highlands were fixed for the same haplotype. I attribute this lack of detectable variation to recent colonization of this area, a hypothesis that is supported by paleoecological data and demonstrates the potential benefits of combining data from paleobotany, geology, and other disciplines to reconstruct the historical biogeography of a species.     

卧龙自然保护区野生大熊猫繁殖研究

本文分析了１９７８－１９９２年在卧龙自然保护区五一棚研究区内的野生大熊猫繁殖情况,结果表明：野生大熊猫雌体６．５岁初发情,７．５岁交配产仔,２０岁繁殖基本停止;雄体７．５岁初发情,８．５岁能获交配权,２０岁繁殖基本停止。年繁殖率为６２．５％,其中单胞胎为５８．３３％,双胞胎为４．１７％。此外,１９８３年冷箭竹开花枯死,延迟了大熊猫的发情期,这可能与竹了开后大熊猫觅食行为改变及摄入影响繁殖的微量元素     

大熊猫消化道消化吸收区段游离面的扫描电镜观察

对大熊猫消化道的消化、吸收区段作扫描电镜观察后表明：（１）胃粘膜上皮细胞排列疏松,细胞表面具微绒毛,（２）十二指肠绒毛呈指状,表面凸凹不乎;绒毛表面具丰富的微绒毛,微绒毛表面粗糙,末端膨大。（３）直肠段具丰富的绒毛结构,表面不平滑,具颗粒状物质,但无微绒毛存在：直肠腺丰富。     

Kin recognition and cannibalism in polyphenic salamanders

We investigated kin discrimination among larvae of Arizona tigersalamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum) which occur as "typical"morphs that feed mostly on invertebrate prey and occasionallyon conspecifics, and as "cannibal" morphs that feed primarilyon conspecifics. When housed with smaller larvae that differedin relatedness, both cannibals and typicals preferentially consumedless-related individuals. Cannibals ate typicals much quickerwhen the choice was between nonkin and siblings than when thechoice was between nonkin and cousins, indicating that cannibalscould distinguish different categories of relatives. Cannibalswere less likely to eat a larval sibling that was a cannibalmorph than a sibling that was a typical morph. Occluding animals'nares temporarily eliminated kin discrimination, implying thatolfaction is important in recognition. Larvae from differentsibships varied considerably in their ability to discriminatekin, and the greater the probability that a larva from a givensibship would develop into a cannibal morph, the more likelythe members of that sibship were to discriminate kin. Our resultsenable us to infer the functional significance of kin recognitionin this species and to develop an evolutionary model of themechanisms underlying the joint control of kin recognition andcannibalistic polyphenism.     

The giant panda is closer to a bear,judged by α- and β-hemoglobin sequences

Summary Using - and -hemoglobin sequences, we made a maximum likelihood inference as to the phylogenetic relationship among carnivores, including the two pandas, giant and lesser. Molecular phylogenetic studies up to 1985 had consistently indicated that the giant panda is more closely related to the bear than to the lesser panda. In 1986, however, a contradictory tree was constructed, using hemoglobins and so on, in which the two pandas link together (Tagle et al. 1986). In contrast to that tree, our conclusion supports the close relationship between bear and giant panda. The surface impression of a close relationship between the two pandas drawn from pairwise amino acid differences is explained by a rapid rate of hemoglobin evolution in the bear compared to that in the two pandas.Offprint requests to: T. Hashimoto     

大熊猫颅骨、下颌骨及牙齿特征在进化上的意义

本文对大熊猫颅骨形态及牙齿结构进行了研究,认为大熊猫与始熊猫的裔征不同于熊科成员,应单列一大熊猫科(Ailuropodidae)。在大熊猫种系进化中,它们的形态与机能是统一的。不同种类的形态特征,又是在适应环境中逐渐产生的。根据这个认识,我们把大熊猫的进化历程可划分为始发期、成长期、鼎盛期和衰败期。     

应用RAPD技术对大熊猫分类地位的探讨

采用ＰＣＲ和Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交等方法对大熊猫与小熊猫、马来熊、浣熊等共有的一条１．３ｋｂ的ＲＡＰＤ产物片段进行了初步分析。研究结果显示,来自于大熊猫的此共有片段可能为一重复序列,并且其内部含有多个随机引物ＡＢ１－０８的结合位点。以此来自于大熊猫的１．３ｋｂ片段为探针进行杂交,发现马来熊ＲＡＰＤ产物中的对应片段显示了很高的同源性,而小熊猫和浣熊ＲＡＰＤ产物则无相应的杂交带。这暗示,从分类地位上来看,大熊猫与熊科马来熊的亲缘关系应更近于与小熊猫和浣熊的亲缘关系,应与马来熊一样划分为熊科。本研究为大熊猫分类地位的确定提供了又一分子生物学证据     

Cartesian representation of stimulus direction: Parallel processing by two sets of giant interneurons in the cockroach

The cockroachPeriplaneta americana responds to wind puffs by turning away, both on the ground and when flying. While on the ground, the ventral giant interneurons (ventrals) encode the wind direction and specify turn direction, whereas while flying the dorsal giant interneurons (dorsals) appear to do so. We report here on responses of these cells to controlled wind stimuli of different directions. Using improved methods of wind stimulation and of positioning the animal revealed important principles of organization not previously observed.All six cells of largest axonal diameter on each side respond preferentially to ipsilateral winds. One of these cells, previously thought to respond non-directionally (giant interneuron 2), was found to have a restricted directional response (Fig. 3). The organization of directional coding among the ventral giant interneurons is nearly identical to that among the dorsals (Fig. 2). Each group contains, on each side, one cell that responds primarily to wind from the ipsilateral front, another primarily in the ipsilateral rear, and a third responding more broadly to ipsilateral front and rear.These results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms of directional localization by the assembly of giant interneurons.Abbreviations GI giant interneuron - vGI ventral giant interneuron - dGI dorsal giant interneuron - CF 5-carboxyfluorescein - A6 6th abdominal ganglion - TI thoracic interneuron - BED best excitatory direction     

Locomotion and neuromuscular system of Aglantha digitale

Aglantha digitale swims in two ways: a slow rhythmical swim typical of hydromedusae in general and a sudden rapid movement that appears to be an escape response. The swimming musculature is an extremely well developed striated circular muscle layer that possesses a sarcoplasmic reticulum. The nervous system of this species can be divided into three units: an inner nerve ring and an outer nerve ring, which are joined by unusually large transmesogleal pathways, a group of giant axons that extends over the surface of the swimming muscle, and the radial canal. Well developed ciliated sensory cells are located on the exumbrellar surface of the margin. Consideration of these properties of the organisation of this species suggests that normal slow swimming is controlled by a mechanism similar to that found in other medusae, while the escape response is the result of the action of the giant axons.