Hybridization of Senecio squalidus and S. viscosus and Introgression of Genes from Diploid into Tetraploid Senecio Species

Natural triploid hybrids (Senecio x londinensis Lousley) betweenS. squalidus L. (2n = 20) and 5. viscosus L. (2n = 40) are fairlyfrequently found in Britain. Under glasshouse conditions bothnatural and artificial hybrids displayed very low levels ofseed fertility and gave rise to morphologically diverse F₂ plantsat about the triploid or pentaploid chromosome levels. By theF₄ generation, progeny of a F₂ pentaploid plant had somaticchromosome numbers near to the tetraploid level and considerablyincreased pollen and seed fertilities. Such fertile tetraploidsegregants of S. x londinensis permit the introgression of S.squalidus genes into S. viscosus, and may indicate the courseof introgression into other tetraploid species of Senecio. Senecio, hybridization, introgression     

Leaf Anatomy and Carbon Discrimination in NAD-malic Enzyme Panicum Species and their Hybrids Differing in Bundle Sheath Cell Ultrastructure

The relationship between leaf anatomy, ultrastructure and carbondiscrimination was investigated in leaves of two F₁hybrids (F₁-1and F₁-2) between two different types of the grassPanicum [anNAD-malic enzyme (ME) C₄species], which differ in bundle sheathultrastructure. The female parent was Kabulabula grass, whichhas centrifugal chloroplasts in bundle sheath cells and is designatedan NAD-ME(F) species, while the male parent was Makarikari grass,which has centripetal chloroplasts in the bundle sheath cellsand is designated an NAD-ME(P) species. Suberin lamellae arepresent in Kabulabula grass but are lacking in Makarikari grass.Both F₁hybrids had the same chromosome number (2n =36) as theparents but exhibited both univalent (about 45%) and bivalent(about 55%) chromosome pairing which was the major basis forthe identification of F₁hybrids. In F₁-1, elongated bundle sheathcell chloroplasts are arranged mainly in a centripetal position,similar to those in the male parent, Makarikari grass. In contrast,most of the bundle sheath cells in F₁-2 are packed with starch-containingchloroplasts, although in some cells chloroplasts tended tobe centripetally arranged. In both F₁hybrids, suberin lamellaewere found in the bundle sheath cell walls, similar to the femaleparent, Kabulabula grass. The ¹³C values of both F₁hybrids were-11.4 to -11.7, almost the same as those of Kabulabula grass(-11.4), but significantly higher than those of Makarikari grass(-12.7). These results indicate that the chloroplast orientationin the bundle sheath cells and the presence of suberin lamellaeare not obligatorily linked in their expression and suggestthat suberin lamellae may play an important role in discriminationagainst¹³C. Panicum ; NAD-malic enzyme species; hybrid; chloroplast position; ¹³C discrimination; suberin lamellae     

Al Binding in the Epidermis Cell Wall Inhibits Cell Elongation of Okra Hypocotyl

Al inhibits root elongation at micromolar concentrations, butthe mechanisms leading to this process are unknown. In thesestudies, Al-induced inhibition of cell elongation was examinedusing hypocotyl of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus Moench cv. ClemsonSpineless) as an experimental model. One-h exposure to Al (0.5mM A1Cl₃) in the presence of 10 µM auxin in 0.5 mM CaCl₂,pH 4.0 significantly inhibited auxin-induced cell elongationof okra hypocotyl segments. Elongation was further suppressedwith increasing Al concentrations up to 1 mM. Treatment of thehypocotyl with 1 mM citrate for 10 minutes after 2-h exposureto Al resulted in significant recovery of elongation. The amountof Al in the cell wall relative to the total in the tissue was96.0, 96.2, and 85.4%, respectively, following 1-, 2-, and 3-hexposure to the Al solution. The total and cell wall Al contentwas decreased by half after the citrate desorption treatment.Further-more, 95% of Al was found in the epidermis, and 95%of the Al in the epidermis was associated with the cell wall.Experiments using split hypocotyl segments showed that Al exposureincreased the outward bending of hypocotyl segments, suggestingthat the epidermis elongation was specifically inhibited byAl. Al inhibited the autolysis of epidermis by about 20%, buthad little effect on the autolysis of core tissue. Taken together,these results suggest that Al binding in the epidermal cellwall inhibits critical components in cell wall loosening mechanism,resulting in inhibition of cell elongation.     

Isozyme Evidence for Natural Hybridization in Phlomis (Lamiaceae): Hybrid Origin of the RareP.xmargaritae

Phlomisxmargaritae is a rare and sterile hybrid taxon foundin a single endangered population in southern Spain. It waspreviously described as a morphologically intermediate hybrid,putatively between Phlomis purpurea and P. composita. The presentstudy used allozymes as molecular markers to assess the hybrididentity ofP.xmargaritae . Ten putative loci from seven enzymesystems were resolved: five were monomorphic and fixed acrossall taxa studied and the rest (Aat-1, Aat-2, 6-Pgdh-2, Pgi andPgm) were polymorphic in at least one taxon. The two parentaltaxa are fixed for different alleles at 6-Pgdh-2 and show distinctallelic frequency differences for four other loci. Phlomisxmargaritaedisplays fixed heterozygous phenotypes for four of the fivepolymorphic loci, these being composed of combinations of thealleles found in the parental taxa. No unique alleles were detectedin P.xmargaritae. We conclude that this taxon is of hybrid originand confirm the identity of the parental taxa involved. It isfurther suggested that this population is composed of individualsthat are recent F₁hybrids that have not undergone backcrossingor introgression. Global conservation measures are necessaryfor the whole hybrid system in this location since further continuousassessment could reveal the evolutionary input of hybridizationin Phlomis.Copyright 2000 Annals of Botany Company Endangered species, genetic diversity, isozyme variation, hybrid species, Phlomisxmargaritae, plant conservation, population genetics, Lamiaceae, Spain.     

Genetically Fixed Characters and Evolutionary Divergence

Data from hybridization permit assessment of relationships ofthe toads (genus Bufo) which occur on all continents exceptAustralia and permit a crude estimate of the degree of geneticchange with time. The evidence indicates that toads have beenvery conservative with respect to change. A major dichotomyinto broad-skulled, warmth-adapted and narrow-skulled, cold-adaptedtypes occurred in the New World 15 million or more years ago.The narrow-skulled toads have reached Africa at least twice.Hybridization between Eurasian and New World species shows thatafter separation for an estimated 10 million years some speciesremain genetically similar enough to produce viable F₁ hybridsin both reciprocals of the cross. Broad-skulled toads appearto have been in Africa for at least 15 million years, as indicatedby the fossil record, and in their main radiation they havechanged their chromosomal number from 2n=22 to 2n=20. Nevertheless,their females form viable F₁ hybrids with New World broad-skulledmales after presumed isolation for more than 15 million years.Intermediate types live today in the New World connecting bothskull types, and some cross easily with both. Evolutionary conservatismof Bufo with respect to genetic compatibility contrasts withthe rapid change in Rana.     

Hybridization between Sideritis serrata Lag. and Sideritis bourgaeana Boiss. (Lamiaceae) in Their Hybrid Zone in Spain

Sideritis rodriguezii Borja is a natural hybrid between S.serrata Lag and S. bourgaeana Boiss. The hybrid index is usedto separate parentals, F₁ hybrids and the individuals producedby back-crossing. Hybridization takes place in a hybrid zone100 m long 200 m wide. Two groups of hybrids were recorded,the first resembling S. bourgaeana and the second being morphologicallyintermediate between the parents. Hybrids are abundant in clumps,with higher densities in which both parents grow close together. Sideritis serrata Lag, Sideritis bourgaeana Boiss, hybridization, hybrid zone, S.E. Spain, hybrid index     

Numerical Analysis of Variation Among Accessions of Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench], Malvaceae

Thirty quantitative and qualitative characters were observedon 20 accessions of okra which consisted of 19 accessions fromdifferent geographical areas of Nigeria and one accession fromIndia. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Single LinkageCluster Analysis (SLCA) were employed to analyse the variationpatterns in these accessions. The first three principal componentsaccounted for 49.94% of the total variation while the firstfive axes accounted for 65.7% SLCA summarized the relationshipsamong the accessions at various levels of similarity into adendrogram, while the accessions were sorted into six distinctgroups by the FASTCLUS technique and the mean percentage similaritybetween some groups suggested some degree of phenetic resemblance. Abelmoschus esculentus, okra, variation, principal component analysis, cluster analysis     

Immunological Studies on the Tuber-bearing Solanums III. Variability within S. bulbocastanum and its hybrids with species in series Pinnatisecta

It was shown in the previous paper of this series that the Mexicanspecies Solanum bulbocastanum, S. cardiophyllum subsp. cardiophyllumand subsp. ehrenbergii, S. michoacanum and S. pinnatisectummay be differentiated to some extent by the double diffusiontechnique, and more fully by immuno-electrophoretic analysis.Above all, the relative electrophoretic mobilities of certaincomponents, as expressed by the index have been found to be very constant for each species, with the apparent exception of S. bulbocastanum. A detailed investigation of S. bulbocastanum has now shown thatalthough the many clones of this species appeared similar whenexamined by double diffusion, differences were exposed by immuno-electrophoreticanalysis. In particular, the values fell into two discrete groups, 0.15 to 0.23 and 0.30 to 0.46. Theplants in these groups had been collected from Oaxaca and Guatemala,and from Central Mexico, respectively. Most of the former grouphad been identified as S. bulbocastanum subsp. partitum, andall the latter group as subsp. bulbocastanum and subsp. dolichophyllum.Not only was the wide variation in values of index resolved into two meaningful groups, but it was also found thatall lines within any one collection had almost identical values. The index value for S. cardiophyllum subsp.cardiophyllum is 1.0, and for subsp. ehrenbergii is 0.7. The F₁ hybrids between either ofthese subspecies and S. bulbocastanum had fairly uniform valuesclose to the calculated means of the parental values. The shapesof the leaves of these hybrids were also uniform and more orless intermediate between those of the parents in each case. The F₂ hybrids between S. bulbocastanum and S. pinnatisectum,and also the triple hybrids between these two species and eitherS. cardiophyllum or S. michoacanum, showed a wide range of valuesof index and of leaf shapes, with partial segregation towards the parental types. The serological andmorphological characters segregated independently. S. X sambucinum was found to have a wide variation in serologicaland morphological characters. This variation was consistentwith the theory that S. X sambucinum is a natural hybrid betweenS. pinnatisectum and S. cardiophyllum subsp. ehrenbergii. Within the groups of species investigated, the relative electrophoreticmobilities of certain antigens as displayed by immuno-electrophoreticanalysis were found to vary significantly in different species,in different subspecies of the same species, and in specieshybrids.     

Genetic Variation in Sorghum for the Inhibition of Maize Pollen Tube Growth

Aniline blue fluorescence was used to study the growth of maizepollen tubes in the stigmas of 13 diverse sorghum accessions.In 12, only short maize pollen tubes were formed, but in thesingle exception (Sorghum nervosum Nr481) maize pollen tubesgrew at least as far as the base of the style. The S. bicolorgenotypes S9B and CMS (a cytoplasmic male sterile line) werehybridized with Nr481, and analysis of maize pollen tube growthin F₁ plants, and BC₁ plants using Nr481 as the recurrent parent,suggested that differences in inhibition of pollen tube growthwere due to variation at a single locus, which we propose todesignate lap (Inhibition of alien pollen tubes). AccessionNr481 appears to be homozygous for a recessive allele permittingmaize pollen tube growth. Attempts were made to produce sorghumx maize hybrids using Nr481 and CMS derivatives which were knownto allow maize pollen tube growth to the base of the style.A putative hybrid endosperm was obtained in one Nr481 x Seneca60 maize cross, but this was not repeatable and no hybrid plantswere produced. A fundamental problem may be the large size ofthe maize pollen tube, which could have difficulty growing throughthe sorghum ovary and in entering the micropyle. Sorghum bicolor spp. bicolor (L.) Moench, Zea mays L, sorghum, maize, pollen tube growth, hybridization barriers     

Photosynthesis and photorespiration in the genus Oryza

Photosynthetic gas exchange has been surveyed in 22 of the 23species currently placed in the genus Oryza and constitutingthe wild relatives of cultivated rice. Unimproved, wild germplasmof a number of species showed light-saturated assimilation ratesin atmospheric air at least as great as cultivars and elitebreeding material of the cultigen O. satlva. One of these specieswas O. australiensis, different accessions of which were significantly(P=0.001) superior in assimilation rate to the 0. satlva genotypestested, including representatives of the Indica, Japonica andJavanica subgroups. Amongst species, assimilation rate was correlatedpositively with light saturation and with carboxylation efficiency.The wild species fell into two distinct groupings accordingto whether they originated from sun or shade habitats, withthe higher assimilation rates being associated with the sunspecies. Assimilation rates were also higher in diploids thanin tetraploids and this was associated with the fact that allsun species are diploids and all tetraploids are shade species.The carbon dioxide compensation concentrations ranged from 28to 43µmol mol^–1 with the two lowest values (28 and32µmol mol^–1) coming from accessions of O. rufipogon.The mean value for the absolute quantum yield of photosynthesismeas ured on attached leaves was 0.060. There was a large rangein the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase witha number of species having rates several times those of C₃ species.Some species with the highest assimilation rates were assessedfor photorespiratory losses and these were generally around30% and similar to O. satlva cultivars. However, a range ofO. rufipogon accessions had photorespiration rates significantly(P=0.01) lower than the O. sativa genotypes tested. No speciesin the genus possessed C₄ photosynthetic metabolism though somedid overlap with compensation concentrations and phosphoenolpyruvatecarboxylase activities reported for C₃–C₄ intermediatespecies. The potential value of wild relatives to the improvementof cultivated rice is discussed. Key words: Oiyza, photorespiration, photosynthesis, rice, wild rice     

Models of the Use of Root-zone CO2 by Selected North American Isoetids

Sediment CO₂, entering via the roots, contributes a significantportion of the total carbon uptake for isoetids (small, evergreen,submersed, vascular plants). Laboratory studies of inorganiccarbon uptake via the roots and shoots by five isoetids wereused to model the use of root-zone CO₂. Simple first-order linearmodels accounted for at least 75 per cent of the variation inthe data for Gratiola aurea, Isoetes macrospora, Littorellauniflora and Lobelia dortmanna. For Eriocaulon septangulare,which relies almost exclusively on root-zone CO₂, models couldaccount for only about 62 per cent of the variation in root-zoneCO₂ use. For each species, we present the best fitting regressionof root-zone CO₂ use as a function of root- and shoot-zone CO₂concentrations. For the species studied, carbon uptake was not saturated atfield concentrations of root and shoot-zone CO₂. Maximum ratesof carbon uptake were lower for species that naturally occurredat greater depths, compared with species more common in shallowwater. At equal external CO₂ concentrations carbon entry perunit root surface area was several times more rapid than entryper unit shoot surface area for L. dortmanna. The entry ratesper unit root and shoot surface area were about equal for G.aurea and E. septangulare. Shoots were equally or more permeablethan the roots of L. uniflora and I. macrospora, a fact thatmay be related to the functioning of crassulacean acid metabolismin these plants. Carbon, CO₂, photosynthesis, isoetid, Eriocaulon septangulare, Gratiola aurea, Isoetes macrospora, Littorella uniflora, Lobelia dortmanna     

The Genetic Control of Time to Germination in Tomato

The time to germination of seeds derived from crosses betweenLycopersicon pimpinellifolium and five varieties of L. esculentumwas analysed in the F₁ and F₂2 generations and in seeds derivedfrom inter-crossing the F₁ hybrids. Inheritance of time to germinationwas largely additive and closely related to seed size. Therewere marked maternal and paternal effects particularly whereL. pimpinellifolium was involved. Variation in time to germinationcould easily be modified by selection but probably at the expenseof seed size and embryo size at emergence. Seed characteristicsare a compromise between the contending advantages of size atemergence, rapidity of germination, and the number of seedsproduced.     

Potential Dry Matter and Water Import Rates in the Tomato Fruit in Relationship to Fruit Size

The tomato fruit was compared to a sphere with a radius R. Radialgrowth rates in the fruit (F_IW and F_ID) due to water importor to dry matter import, respectively, which are also the waterimport rate or dry matter import rate per unit surface areaof fruit, were calculated from two sets of published results.This data referred to fruits which swelled in such a way thatthe availability of assimilates had little effect on growth.Two varieties differentiated the two series of results and inone series, three trials were differentiated by the salinityof the nutrient solution. In all trials, it was found that F_IW and F_ID decreased whenR increased. Two phases were observed for F_IW: after a firstphase, F_IW decreased more quickly and almost linearly when Rincreased. F_ID was constant or decreased with respect to R.Except at the beginning of growth at the greatest salinity,there were clearly linear regressions between F_IW and F_ID suchas F_ID = aF_IW-b; where b was lower with higher salinity. Thechanges of the concentration of imported dry matter (F_ID/F_IWwere examined in terms of R and F_IW/R. The mechanisms controllingthe changes in F_IW and F_ID were discussed. The results suggestedfruit radius was an important parameter of these mechanisms.Thus, water import rate and dry matter import rate could eachbe considered to be the product of two factors: fruit surfacearea, which is directly dependent on fruit radius, and waterimport rate or dry matter import rate per unit of fruit surfacearea.Copyright 1993, 1999 Academic Press Dry matter, fruit growth, logistic model, sink size, tomato, water transfer     

Effect of Potato-2 Medium on Anther Culture of Interspecific Rice Hybrids

The effect of two culture media, potato-2 and N₆ supplementedwith kinetin and either 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)or -naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) on anther culture responseof two interspecific rice hybrids was studied. While calluscould be successfully induced and plants regenerated from theF₁ of O. saliva x O. rufipogon, the other hybrid, O. salivax O. longistaminala did not respond to the anther culture. Nevertheless,some success in callus induction was achieved when anthers froma few selected F₂ plants were cultured from the latter cross.No interaction effects between the media (potato-2, N₆ and growthhormones (2,4-D and NAA) for anther response to callusing wereobserved. Potato-2 medium proved to be superior to N₆ in termsof increased anther response, early callus induction, multiplecalli formation and also overall green plant regeneration Oryza saliva L., O. rufipogon Griff., O. longistaminata A. Chev. et Roehr, interspecific hybrid, anther culture, potato-2 medium, N₆ medium     

Transmission of herbicide resistance from a monoecious to a dioecious weedy Amaranthus species

The genus Amaranthus includes several important monoecious and dioecious weed species, and several populations of these species have developed resistance to herbicides. These species are closely related and two or more species often coexist in agricultural settings. Collectively, these attributes raise the concern that herbicide resistance might transfer from one weedy Amaranthus species to another. We performed research to determine if a dominant allele encoding a herbicide-insensitive form of acetolactate synthase (ALS) could be transferred from a monoecious species, A. hybridus, to a dioecious species, A. rudis. Numerous F₁ hybrids were obtained from controlled crosses in a greenhouse between A. rudis and herbicide-resistant A. hybridus, and most (85%) of these hybrids were herbicide-resistant. Molecular analysis of the ALS gene was used to verify that herbicide-resistant hybrids contained both an A. rudis and an A. hybridus ALS allele. Although hybrids had greatly reduced fertility, 42 BC₁ plants were obtained by backcrossing 33 hybrids with male A. rudis. Fertility was greatly restored in BC₁ progeny, and numerous BC₂ progeny were obtained from a second backcross to A. rudis. The herbicide-resistance allele from A. hybridus was transmitted to 50% of the BC₁ progeny. The resistance allele was subsequently transmitted to and conferred herbicide resistance in 39 of 110 plants analyzed from four BC₂ families. Parental species, hybrids, and BC₂ progeny were compared for 2C nuclear DNA contents. The mean hybrid 2C nuclear DNA content, 1.27 pg, was equal to the average between A. rudis and A. hybridus, which had 2C DNA contents of 1.42 and 1.12 pg, respectively. The mean 2C DNA content of BC₂ plants, 1.40 pg, was significantly (! < 0.01) less than that of the recurring A. rudis parent and indicated that BC₂ plants were not polyploid. This report demonstrates that herbicide resistance can be acquired by A. rudis through a hybridization event with A. hybridus.     

Heteroses in Net Photosynthetic Rate, Leaf Area, Tillering, and Some Physiological Characters of 35 F1 Rice Hybrids

Net photosynthetic rate, leaf area, tillering, shoot weight,and leaf area ratio for 35 F₁ rice (Oryza sativa L.) hybridsduring the vegetative stage were compared with correspondingvalues for parental varieties. Shoot weight and leaf area showedheterosis. However, hybrid vigour was not reflected in net photosyntheticrate. Leaf area was closely correlated with heteroses in shootdry weight and tillering. Thus F₁ rice hybrids grow vigorouslybecause of their high leaf area development, which is causedby high tillering. Key words: F₁ rice hybrid, Net photosynthetic rate, Leaf area     

Superfluous killing in spiders: a consequence of adaptation to food-limited environments?

The hypothesis that superfluous killing, partial consumption,and abandonment of prey is a consequence of adaptation to food-limited environments was tested in two feeding trials on a desert spider, Agelenopsis aperta. First, we made comparisons among populations inhabiting sites of high prey (HP) or low prey (LP) availabilitythat differed in their degree of genetic isolation. Typically,A. aperta entirely consumed one or two of the prey items itcaptured in a feeding bout. Additional prey were partiallyconsumed or abandoned without eating. Spiders from the geneticallyisolated HP population, however, captured fewer prey and showeda higher incidence of full feeding on prey than did individualsfrom the other populations. Only one spider from this populationcaptured a prey item that it failed to feed on, whereas spidersfrom LP populations failed to feed on high numbers of capturedprey. The greatest variability in feeding behavior was exhibitedin the HP population that experienced gene flow. The secondtest was based on the finding that aggressiveness is largelya sex-linked trait in A. aperta: the aggressiveness of thefemale parent only is inherited by male offspring, whereasboth parents contribute to this trait in female offspring.All female F₁ hybrids between LP and HP parental types exhibitedhigh levels of superfluous killing, as did male F₁ hybridsderived from LP females. F₁ hybrid males derived from HP femalesexhibited extremely low levels of superfluous killing. Superfluouskilling thus has its basis in the genetic control of levelsof aggression.     

褐飞虱对噻嗪酮抗性的遗传分析

害虫的抗性遗传特性是影响其抗性发展的一个重要因子,也是制订抗性治理对策的重要依据。我们采用稻茎浸渍法测定了褐飞虱Nilaparvatalugens (Stal)抗性和敏感亲本、正反交（F₁、F₁₂、F'₂）及回交（BC）后代3龄若虫对噻嗪酮的剂量反应数据,研究了褐飞虱对噻嗪酮的抗性遗传特性。结果表明: 正反交后代的显性度分别为-0.3153（F₁）和-0.376 3（F'₁）,表明抗性遗传为常染色体的不完全隐性;将自交及回交后代的剂量反应数据进行单个主基因假设的卡方(χ²)检验,其卡方值分别为42.11（F₂）、5.44 （F'₂）及93.57（BC）,均大于χ^２0.05= 15.51(df=8),表明其抗性是多基因控制的。还讨论了褐飞虱对噻嗪酮的抗性治理策略。     

Nitrate Reductase Activity: A Biochemical Criterion of Hybrid Vigour in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

F₁ hybrids of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench and their inbred parentswere analysed for NADH-nitrate reductase activity during theearly stages of seedling growth. In all the hybrids both mid-parentaland better parental heterosis were discernible in shoots whereasin roots two hybrids out of the three tested, showed heteroticlevels. It is suggested that in sorghum nitrate reductase activityduring seedling stages can be used as a biochemical criterionfor evaluating hybrid vigour. Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, sorghum, hybrid vigour, nitrate reductase     

FOOD-INDUCED BODY PIGMENTATION QUESTIONS THE TAXONOMIC VALUE OF COLOUR IN THE SELF-FERTILIZING SLUG CARINARION SPP

Body pigmentation is a popular taxonomic marker in slugs to discriminateclosely related species. However, the genetic background ofbody pigmentation is known only for a few species, while inmany others body pigmentation is influenced by age, food and/orclimate. In this study, we investigated the effects of differentfood items on body pigmentation expression in two selfing pulmonategastropods, Arion (Carinarion) silvaticus and Arion (Carinarion) fasciatus.Both species mainly differ in the distribution of yellow-orangegranules on the body, which in A. fasciatus are concentratedin lateral bands, and in A. silvaticus are evenly scattered.Animals were raised individually under the same conditions, whilethey laid eggs as a consequence of selfing. This F₁ generation wasafterwards divided into two groups, which were fed with different fooditems. A diet of carrot, lettuce or paper had no effect on the distributionof the yellow-orange granules in A. silvaticus, but provokeda loss of the yellow-orange lateral bands in A. fasciatusso that externally these F₁ specimens became similar to A. silvaticus.In both species, a diet of nettle resulted in a strong yellow-orangepigmentation, which often formed yellow-orange lateral bands.These results indicate that food can probably influence the'species-specific' body pigmentation in Carinarion, and thusquestion the reliability of colour traits to distinguish A.silvaticus and A. fasciatus. (Received 5 May 2000; accepted 29 September 2000)