Blood genetic marker studies of a sheep-goat hybrid and its back-cross offspring

Summary. Blood samples from a female sheep-goat hybrid and its back-cross male offspring were tested for electrophoretic variants of plasma albumin, transferrin and esterase, and of red cell carbonic anhydrase, nucleoside phosphorylase, NADH-diaphorase, 'X'-protein, superoxide dismutase, malic enzyme and haemoglobin. Red cells were also tested for blood group antigens. Both animals showed variants that could not be attributed to either sheep or goat alone, thus confirming previous chromosomal data that the female was a genuine sheep-goat hybrid.     

Inhibition of development of Meloidogyne incognita by root and foliar applications of oxamyl

Oxamyl (2.5 μg cm^-3sand) applied to the roots of cucumber seedlings significantly reduced the number of vermiform second stage juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita which developed into swollen forms for at least 30 days. However, when cucumber seedlings containing nematodes were removed from oxamyl-treated sand 10 days after the pesticide was applied and placed in clean sand a large proportion of the juveniles had become swollen after a further 18 days. This suggested the effect of oxamyl on nematode development was reversible. A single foliar application of oxamyl (25–100 μg) in distilled water was also found to significantly reduce development of second stage juveniles to saccate forms However, the use of various adjuvants with a threshold foliar treatment (25 μg oxamyl) failed to significantly improve its activity.     

Geometric morphometric analysis of a new Miocene bumble bee from the Randeck Maar of southwestern Germany (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The first fossil bumble bee (Apinae: Bombini) from the Miocene Randeck Maar of southwestern Germany is described and illustrated. The specimen is subjected to a geometric morphometric analysis along with a diversity of other bumble bee species representing most major extant lineages, and particularly the subgenus Bombus s.s. The morphometric analysis supports the placement of the Randeck Maar species within Bombus s.s., as a species distinct from all others in the subgenus. It shows that extant subgenera of bumblebees were already derived in the early/middle Miocene. The Randeck Maar fossil is formally described as Bombus (Bombus) randeckensis Wappler & Engel sp. n. .     

Ecologically heterogeneous populations of the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata within its native and introduced ranges

Abstract 1. The biology of most invasive species in their native geographical areas remains largely unknown. Such studies are, however, crucial in shedding light on the ecological and evolutionary processes underlying biological invasions. 2. The present study focuses on the little fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata, a species native to Central and South America that has been widely introduced and which has become invasive throughout the tropics. We characterise and compare several ecological traits of native populations in French Guiana with those in one of its introduced ranges, New Caledonia. 3. We found ecologically heterogeneous populations of W. auropunctata coexisting in the species’ native geographical area. First, we found populations restricted to naturally perturbed areas (particularly floodplains) within the primary forest, and absent from the surrounding forest areas. These populations were characterised by low nest and worker densities. Second, we found dominant populations in recent anthropogenic areas (e.g. secondary forest or forest edge along road) characterised by high nest and worker densities, and associated with low ant species richness. The local dominance of W. auropunctata in such areas can be due to the displacement of other species (cause) or the filling‐up of empty habitats unsuitable to other ants (effect). With respect to their demographic features and ant species richness, the populations of native anthropogenic habitats were to a large extent similar to the invasive populations introduced into remote areas. 4. The results point to the need for greater research efforts to better understand the ecological and demographic features of invasive species within their native ranges.     

Genetics, behaviour and chemical recognition of the invading ant Pheidole megacephala

Introduced species often become ecologically dominant, displacing native species and posing a serious threat to ecosystem function and global biodiversity. Ants are among the most widespread and damaging alien species; introductions are often accompanied by population-level behavioural and genetic changes contributing to their success. We investigated the genetic structure, chemical profile and nestmate recognition in introduced populations of the invasive big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala, in Australia. Behavioural analyses show that workers are not aggressive towards conspecifics from different nests, even at large geographical scales (up to 3000 km) and between populations encompassing a wide range of environmental conditions. By contrast, interactions with workers of other species invariably result in agonistic behaviours. Genetic analyses reveal that populations have low genetic diversity. No genetic differentiation occurs among nests of the same population; differentiation between populations, though significant, remains weak. Chemical analyses indicate that cuticular lipids are similar between colonies of a population, and that differentiation between populations is low. Altogether, these results indicate that the big-headed ant P. megacephala forms a large unicolonial population across northern/eastern Australia.     

Rapid Homogenization of Multiple Sources: Genetic Structure of a Recolonizing Population of Fishers

Abstract: Fishers (Martes pennanti) were extirpated from much of southern Ontario, Canada, prior to the 1950s. We hypothesised that the recent recolonization of this area originated from an expansion of the population in Algonquin Provincial Park, which historically served as a refuge for fishers. To test this hypothesis, we created a sampling lattice to encompass Algonquin and the surrounding area, and we collected contemporaneous DNA samples. We sampled fishers from each of 35 sites and genotyped them at 16 microsatellite loci. Using a Bayesian assignment approach, with no a priori geographic information, we inferred 5 discrete genetic populations and used genetic population assignment as a means to cluster sites together. We concluded that the Algonquin Park fisher population has not been a substantial source for recolonization and expansion, which has instead occurred from a number of remnant populations within Ontario, Quebec, and most recently from the Adirondacks in New York, USA. The genetic structure among sampling sites across the entire area revealed a pattern of isolation-by-distance (IBD). However, an examination of the distribution of genetic structure (F_ST/1^- F_ST) at different distances showed higher rates of gene flow than predicted under a strict IBD model at small distances (40 km) within clusters and at larger distances up to 100 km among clusters. This pattern of genetic structure suggests increased migration and gene flow among expanding reproductive fronts.     

Stockwellia quadrifida (Myrtaceae), a new Australian genus and species in the eucalypt group

A new genus and species in the eucalypt group of the Myrtaceae is described. Stockwellia quadrifida D.J. Carr, S.G.M. Carr & B.Hyland gen. et sp. nov. is a rainforest tree of restricted distribution on the Atherton Tableland, North Queensland, Australia. Molecular data suggest that it is the sister taxon to Eucalyptopsis and this is supported by morphological characters. The prolonged hypanthium and reduced perianth appear to be synapomorphies for these two genera and the circumscissile hypanthium a synapomorphy shared with Allosyncarpia . Stockwellia differs from Eucalyptopsis by the distinct, albeit reduced, perianth and the hypanthium splitting into four segments at anthesis. The relationship of these two genera indicates an historical biogeographical link between New Guinea and the Queensland wet tropics region.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 139 , 415–421.