Parasitoid Mark-Release-Recapture Techniques-- II. Development and Application of a Protein Marking Technique for Eretmocerus spp., Parasitoids of Bemisia argentifolii

In this study, we validate and apply techniques for marking and capturing small parasitoids of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring [ = B. tabaci (Gennadius), strain B] for mark-release-recapture (MRR) studies. The marker is the purified protein, rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG), which was applied externally by topical spray or internally by feeding. Marked parasitoids were then assayed using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of the protein marker using an antibody specific to rabbit IgG. Virtually all of the externally marked Eretmocerus sp. (Ethiopia, M96076) (98.0%) contained enough rabbit IgG to be easily distinguished from unmarked parasitoids, regardless of the amount of protein applied or the post-marking interval. A field MRR study was then conducted to examine the dispersal characteristics of E. emiratus Zolnerowich & Rose. Parasitoids marked externally and internally with protein were released on three separate trial dates into the center of a cotton field bordered by cantaloupe and okra. Overall, a total of 1388, 637, and 397 marked and unmarked wasps were captured in suction traps during each trial, respectively with the majority of parasitoids captured between 0600 and 0800 h. Furthermore, even though we released an equal proportion of males to females, our traps consistently contained more males. Our results suggest that there are gender-specific differences in the dispersal behavior of E. emiratus . Almost 40% of the captured parasitoids collected during the three release trials were positively identified for the presence of the protein marker. The distribution of the marked parasitoids revealed two distinct patterns. First, almost all of the marked parasitoids recaptured in the cotton plot were in suction traps at or adjacent to the     

用荧光物质浸泡标记胭脂鱼仔、稚鱼耳石

用茜素络合物和盐酸四环素溶液分别对胭脂鱼（Myxocyprinus asiaticus）仔、稚鱼浸泡标记,结果表明,100～200mg／L的茜素络合物溶液浸泡24h对胭脂鱼仔、稚鱼耳石有很好的标记效果。相同浸泡浓度下,随着日龄的增长,耳石上的荧光反应强度降低。三对耳石中,微耳石和矢耳石对茜素络合物较敏感,星耳石敏感性则较低。盐酸四环素溶液对仔、稚鱼耳石的标记效果很差,浸泡液浓度为100mg／L和120mg/L时,仅能在微耳石上检测到较弱的荧光标记,而150mg／L及以上浓度的浸泡液对稚鱼有较高的致死作用。因此,茜素络合物是对胭脂鱼早期鱼苗进行化学标记比较合适的荧光物质,而盐酸四环素不适于标记该鱼的耳石。在对标记鱼进行荧光检测时,矢耳石和微耳石是适合的材料。     

激光诱导家蚕孤雌生殖的研究 Ⅳ.Lamp 1的遗传学研究

通过杂交和解剖试验,我们发现Ｌａｍｐ１为一常染色体（Ⅱ）和Ｗ易位片段同时缺失或突变的斑纹限性孤雌生殖突变体。与亲本回交后代分离比,１浓普♀：３正常普♀或：３淡普♀或：１素蚕♀或１＋ｐ＋ｐ／：２Ｗ＋ｐ／：１＋ｐ＋ｐ／ＺＺ：１ＰＰ／：ＺＷ＋ｐ／ＺＺ：１ＰＰ／ＺＺ。联会复合体分析仅浓普斑雌蚕表型个体中发现染色体易位片段。     

Host selection behavior of a thistle-feeding fly: choices and consequences

Summary Female Canada thistle seed flies (Orellia ruficauda) preferentially oviposit into seed heads which are a single day from opening. When flies are forced to oviposit into flower heads at other stages of development, offspring typically do slightly poorer: they attain a mature mass of about 15% less than do larvae derived from preferred hosts. Larval mass correlates strongly with reproductive success: heavy larvae develop into adults that produce eggs at a faster rate than do those developing from small larvae. After laying a clutch of eggs, flies circumscribe the rim of the flowerhead with their extended ovipositor and deposit a clear fluid. Flies reject previously-attacked hosts, bearing this apparent marking pheromone, significantly more often than they reject unattacked hosts. Costs of superparasitism in this system are relatively small, inasmuch as there is only a weak relationship between clutch size and larval success at the densities measured in this study. We speculate that flies are highly selective, when the apparent costs of making a mistake are rather low, because the information provided by phenological cues and by the putative marking pheromone is highly reliable, and low fecundity and time costs allow sufficient time to express a high level of discrimination.     

Social stress decreases marking behavior independently of testosterone in Mongolian gerbils

This study examined the endogenous androgen regulation of the marking behavior in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). In the first experiment, developmental changes of fecal testosterone levels, ventral gland growth, and the marking frequency of male gerbils were investigated. From 9 weeks of age, marking frequency increased with increases in fecal testosterone levels and ventral gland size. The ventral gland size and marking frequency were significantly correlated to the fecal testosterone level. In the second experiment, we hypothesized that reduction in the marking frequency of subordinate males after social confrontations was controlled by a decrease in the circulating testosterone level, and we followed changes in marking frequency, endocrine status, and ventral gland size after social confrontations in which two adult male gerbils established their social ranks by fighting. As expected, marking frequency and ventral gland size were significantly related to social rank, that is, marking frequency was higher among dominant gerbils and lower among subordinates. In addition, fecal corticosterone levels among subordinates were higher than those of dominant animals. However, neither the fecal and plasma testosterone levels, nor testis size, differed between dominant and subordinate gerbils. These results revealed that endogenous androgen played a role in regulating marking behavior and ventral gland size during the developmental stage and that the reductions in marking frequency and ventral gland size occurring in subordinate males after social confrontations were not directly regulated by androgen changes.     

切鳍标记对唐鱼游泳能力的影响

本研究通过测定完全切除背鳍、臀鳍、尾鳍或双侧胸鳍后唐鱼（Tanichthys albonubes）临界游泳速度来评价切鳍标记对游泳能力的影响。研究结果表明,在速度增量（ΔU）为36 mm/s,持续时间（Δt）分别为5 min、10 min、15 min、20 min、25 min、30 min的条件下,唐鱼临界游泳速度会随着持续时间的延长而降低。鳍组织完整的唐鱼〔体长（24 ± 1）mm〕,在不同持续时间（Δt）条件下,其绝对临界游泳速度（Uacrit）为（251.98 ± 11.04）mm/s ~（333.78±12.44）mm/s;同等条件下,切除唐鱼的背鳍或臀鳍均不会对唐鱼的绝对临界游泳速度造成显著影响（P＞0.05）,但切除唐鱼的尾鳍或胸鳍后其临界游泳速度与对照组相比极显著降低（P＜0.01）,其中切除尾鳍后绝对临界游泳速度平均下降47.20%,切除胸鳍后平均下降22.98%,两者间存在极显著的差异（P＜0.01）(图2)。研究表明背鳍切除可作为野外唐鱼短期标记-重捕的手段之一。     

群居性啮齿动物重捕取样布笼方式的比较

采用两种布笼方法即传统的方格布笼法和同心圆布笼法对典型草原区布氏田鼠野外种群进行了重捕效果的比较。结果表明,方格布笼法的重捕效果要大大低于同心,圆布笼法。对此类群居性啮齿动物进行重捕取样的实验设计时,建议采用同心圆布笼法取代传统的方格布笼法。     

传统圈养和半自然散放环境亚成年大熊猫的行为差异

2001年7月20日至8月20日,在四川卧龙自然保护区中国保护大熊猫研究中心,采用连续观察法记录和分析了传统圈养和半自然散放环境下亚成年大熊猫(分别为3和9只)的几种行为的持续时间和发生次数。传统圈养环境亚成年大熊猫探究行为的持续时间、标记行为的频次显著多于半自然散放环境下的个体;刻板行为的持续时间有增加的趋势,但无显著差异。刻板行为的持续时间与标记行为的频次和探究行为的持续时间均呈显著正相关。表明圈养环境的改善有助于亚成年大熊猫探究和标记行为的明显减少。     

Productivity estimation of Zostera marina on the southern coast of Korea: Effects of leaf marking height and duration

The effects of marking height and duration were examined to determine optimal marking height and duration for accurate productivity estimation of eelgrass, Zostera marina, on the southern coast of Korea. Shoots were pierced through the sheath at 2, 5, and 8 cm above the meristem and through the leaf blade at 1 cm above the blade/sheath junction (+ 1 cm blade). The marked shoots were collected weekly during periods of 4-week duration; the experiments were conducted seasonally. Leaf productivities were estimated using three measurement methods, the conventional leaf marking method (CLM), Short '87 method (Short, 1987; Gaeckle and Short, 2002), and plastochrone method. The optimal marking height and duration for leaf productivity estimation varied with the measurement method. CLM and the Short '87 method, but not the plastochrone method, were affected by marking height. The productivity estimates were lowest with a 2-cm marking height treatment due to injury of immature leaf blade tissues. The highest marking height on the sheath gives a more reliable productivity estimate with CLM, whereas any location on the sheath other than the base was appropriate as a marking point for the Short '87 method. CLM and the plastochrone method, but not the Short '87 method, were significantly affected by marking duration. CLM underestimated leaf productivity with less than a 1- or 2-week marking duration because more immature leaf tissues were counted with shorter marking durations. The marking duration should be longer than the plastochrone interval (about 2 weeks in this study) to prevent under- or overestimation of leaf productivity, but the duration should not be longer than the triple-plastochrone interval (about 6 weeks in this study) to prevent underestimation due to the sloughing off of the marked leaves.     

Host-marking behaviour as a quantitative signal of competition in the walnut fly Rhagoletis juglandis

Abstract.  1. Walnut-infesting flies in the Rhagoletis suavis species group actively re-use hosts for oviposition despite engaging in a genus-typical host-marking behaviour which, in other Rhagoletis groups, deters oviposition. In a study of the walnut fly, R. juglandis (Cresson), alternative hypotheses for the putative marking behaviour were evaluated.
2. The oviposition site attraction hypothesis proposes that the host mark guides females to oviposition sites on occupied fruit. The competition intensity signal hypothesis proposes that the host mark is an indicator of the level of competition to be incurred if fruit are re-used.
3. In a field cage, females were presented simultaneously with fruit previously exposed to 25 females that were also allowed to oviposit and engage in the putative marking behaviour, and control fruit on which females were allowed only to oviposit. The occurrence of host marking reduced a female's propensity to oviposit from 46% to just over 10%, consistent with the competition intensity signal hypothesis only.
4. In a laboratory assay, the duration of host marking was correlated positively with the size of a female's clutch. This result, also consistent with the competition intensity signal hypothesis, suggests that the amount of marking pheromone on a fruit is a reliable indicator of the number of eggs already deposited within.
5. In a second field-cage experiment, females were allowed to mark on fruit for 0, 10, 20, or 30 min and fruit were presented to test females. Whether or not females alighted on a particular host was not affected by the duration of marking; however, the frequency of both ovipositor probing and egg deposition decreased with increasing duration of marking. Consistent with the competition intensity signal hypothesis, this result suggests that the host mark permits females to assess the level of competition that a clutch will incur within re-used fruit.