用笛卡儿座标对菲氏叶猴和黑叶猴颅骨的比较形态研究

本文利用三维笛卡儿空间座标对菲氏叶猴(Presbytis phayrei)和黑叶猴(P.francoisi)颅骨的形态结构作了比较研究,描绘了它们的侧视和俯视投影图形。结果表明,两种投影图形均显示黑叶猴的颅骨大于菲氏叶猴,且显著性增大的区域出现在眉点、囟门、枕骨大孔附近和下颌骨体的高度。但菲氏叶猴较黑叶猴具有更凸的面颅。据枕骨隆突至眉点的侧视投影弧长,两种叶猴的数学模式均为:Y=a+bX-cX~2(R=0.92)。从侧视投影看,两种叶猴自枕骨隆突至眉点主要表出大小的不同。若据俯视投影图,两种颅骨的差异主要出现在外耳道以前的部分。黑叶猴较菲氏叶猴具有十分显著性增高的下颌骨体以及相对应更发达的咬肌和咀嚼器官,这很可能与它取食更多的果类食物有关。     

The ethmoid and presphenoid of cetaceans

A cribriform plate, a perpendicular plate, and two lateral masses are major components of the ethmoid bone of mammals. Notwithstanding the noticeable bone, virtually sitting in the center of the skull, extensive modifications of the skull of modern cetaceans, especially odontocetes (toothed whales), and the lack of clarity as to what characteristics delimit each element of the ethmoid has made the problem of the nature of the cetacean ethmoid more complicated and elusive than in other, less modified mammals. Furthermore, contention as to whether a perpendicular plate of the ethmoid, or the mesethmoid, exists in all mammals including cetaceans has remained unsettled. In odontocetes, the mesethmoid has been variably identified not only as the osseous nasal septum but also as the mediodorsal region of the posterior wall of the nasal passage below the nasals, as a mass of bone encased by the vomer in front of the osseous nasal cavity at the base of the rostrum, and as a combination of some portions mentioned above. The presence or absence of the mesethmoid in various groups of mammals has attracted the attention of some biologists, and here, I demonstrate that cetaceans have no mesethmoid. The close inspection of the ontogenetic changes of the basicranial elements in cetaceans reveals that a mass of bone ensheathed by the vomer in front, or at the level of the osseous nasal cavity is actually the presphenoid. It is highly likely that in odontocetes the posterior wall of the nasal passages below the nasals consists of the combination of the frontal, the imperforated cribriform plate, the paired ectethmoids, and the vomer, the latter three of which partially concealing the presphenoid dorsally and laterally as the ontogeny proceeds. In contrast, mysticetes clearly display ethmoturbinates and a cribriform plate, which are morphologically similar to those in terrestrial mammals. J. Morphol. 277:1661–1674, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Carayonovus n. gen. from Reunion Island – aberrant new genus of Anthocoridae or representative of a new family (Heteroptera: Cimicoidea)?

Carayonovus insignis n. gen., n. sp., a remarkable new genus and species of Heteroptera, is described from Reunion Island. It is tentatively placed in the family Anthocoridae (Cimicoidea), but because of its remarkable sexual dimorphism and possession of characters not normally associated with this family or even with Cimicoidea, the genus is discussed in terms of the validity or otherwise of including it in these taxa. Its habitat preference is also examined.     

Septins regulate border cell surface geometry,shape, and motility downstream of Rho in Drosophila

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Morphological patterns of the intraparietal sulcus and the anterior intermediate parietal sulcus of Jensen in the human brain

Distinct parts of the intraparietal sulcal cortex contribute to sensorimotor integration and visual spatial attentional processing. A detailed examination of the morphological relations of the different segments of the complex intraparietal sulcal region in the human brain in standard stereotaxic space, which is a prerequisite for detailed structure-to-function studies, is not available. This study examined the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the related sulcus of Jensen in magnetic resonance imaging brain volumes registered in the Montreal Neurological Institute stereotaxic space. It was demonstrated that the IPS is divided into two branches: the anterior ramus and the posterior ramus of the IPS, often separated by a submerged gyral passage. The sulcus of Jensen emerges between the anterior and posterior rami of the IPS, and its ventral end is positioned between the first and second caudal branches of the superior temporal sulcus. In a small number of brains, the sulcus of Jensen may merge superficially with the first caudal branch of the superior temporal sulcus. The above morphological findings are discussed in relation to previously reported functional neuroimaging findings and provide the basis for future exploration of structure-to-function relations in the posterior parietal region of individual subjects.     

Morphological changes during fiber type transitions in low-frequency-stimulated rat fast-twitch muscle

This study investigates morphological adaptations of rat extensor digitorum longus muscle to chronic low-frequency stimulation (10 Hz, 10 h/d, up to 61±7d). During the early stimulation period (2–4 d), increased basophilia and accumulation of RNA were seen predominantly in type-IIB fibers. Putative satellite cell activation, as indicated by ³H-thymidine incorporation, was also evident during this phase. By 12 d, fiber composition remained unaltered, but there was a decrease in the cross-sectional area of the type-IIB fibers. Following 28 d of low-frequency stimulation, the percentage of type-IIB fibers decreased from 43±3% to 0%, while type-IID fibers increased from 30±3% to 60±6%. The fraction of type-IIA fibers tended to increase (controls 19±3%; stimulated 29±4%), whereas that of the type-I fibers was unaltered (4±1%). At this time, the cross-sectional area of type-IID fibers was unaltered, but that of type-IIA and type-I fibers increased. Further stimulation resulted in a return of type-IID fibers to control levels (23±5%), and a marked increase in type-IIA fibers (45±8%). The percentage of type-I fibers increased from 4±1% to 8±1%. Throughout each stage of chronic stimulation, there was no histological evidence of fiber degeneration and regeneration. These results indicate that, in contrast to the rabbit, chronic low-frequency stimulation-induced fiber conversion in the rat extensor digitorum longus muscle is entirely due to fiber transformation.     

The development of the critical theory of evolution: The scientific career of Wolfgang F. Gutmann

Summary The critical theory of evolution was developed by a group of scientists working together with Wolfgang F. Gutmann at the Senckenberg-Research-Institute in Frankfurt am Main. Gutmann worked at Senckenberg for 37 years. In this time he presented 247 contributions which are distributed over 47 periodicals and books. The ideas that were developed by Gutmann and his colleagues were innovative and pathbreaking for morphology and evolutionary biology. The large number of his morphological publications is indicative of the wide field that was opened up by the concepts of constructional morphology. As some of his colleagues have suggested, constructional morphology as an engineering approach to the study of organisms (i. e., engineering morphology) may replace the traditional concepts of morphology and anatomy and provides the observational base for the historical reconstruction of evolutionary pathways. Constructional morphology as a quasi-engineering approach can be the morphological pendant to the contemporary molecular approaches to biology, as it can provide the necessary morphological basis for the interpretation of the results of molecular studies in the light of evolution.     

Two new species ofPhyllagathis related toP. tuberculata (Melastomataceae) from Peninsular Malaysia

Phyllagathis tuberculata King and two closely allied new species,P. magnifica A. Weber andP. stonei A. Weber, are described and illustrated. Within the genus, these species form a distinct and isolated group which is restricted to Peninsular Malaysia.P. tuberculata occurs in Perak (probably confined to G. Bujang Melaka),P. magnifica andP. stonei are found in the mountains on the Pahang/Selangor border (Genting Highlands, Gombak valley). The distinctive characters of the three species are listed and some general information relating to inflorescence morphology, tubercle anatomy, fruit structure and seed dispersal is provided.     

Intraspecific Variation in Cryptocaryon irritans

ABSTRACT. Intraspecific variation in the ciliate Cryptocaryon irritans was examined using sequences of the first internal transcribed spacer region (ITS-1) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) combined with developmental and morphological characters. Amplified rDNA sequences consisting of 151 bases of the flanking 18 S and 5.8 S regions, and the entire ITS-1 region (169 or 170 bases), were determined and compared for 16 isolates of C. irritans from Australia, Israela and the USA. There was one variable base between isolates in the 18 S region nd 11 variables indicate that Australian C. irritans isolates from estuarine (Moreton Bay) and coral reef (Heron Island) environments are distinct. The Heron Island isolate was genetically closer to morphologically dissimilar isolates from Israel (1.8% divergence) and USA (2.3 % divergence) than it was to the Moreton Bay isolates. Three isolates maintained in our laboratory since February 1994 originated from the same source. During this time the sequence of the isolates from wild fish in Moreton Bay remained unchanged. These genetic differences indicate the existence of a founder effects in laboratorty populations of C. irritans . The genetic variation found here, combined with known morphological and developmental differences, is used to characterise four strains of C. irritans .