Cannibalism in Frontonia leucas Ehr.

SYNOPSIS. Starvation apparently does not induce cannibalism in F. leucas , but the occurrence of infirm, cytolized and helpless individuals in a dish of normal ones seems to afford an opportunity for it. Ingestion of the victim as well as the process of its digestion in the food vacuole of the cannibal is described. The highest number found ingested by a single cannibal is three. Cytoplasm and the micronuclei are digested before the macronucleus. Part of the macronucleus is present in the food vacuole of the cannibal even 16 hours after ingestion of the prey. By 24 hours, digestion is complete. The deoxyribonucleic acid of the macronucleus undergoes some specifiable change in its constitution towards the latter part of its digestion. Cannibalism does not lead to giant formation.     

Autogamy in Allogromia laticollaris (Foraminifera)

SYNOPSIS. The life cycles of 2 strains of Allogromia laticollaris (CSH and TPA) raised on experimentally restricted diets have been studied. Cloned cultures of the strains differed in nutritional requirements for continuous reproduction. The TPA strain was more fecund. Both strains have a basically apogamic (asexual) life cycle; only occasionally were gamonts (sexually reproducing individuals) produced. They were autogamous (self-fertilizing) and fusion of the gametes took place within the parental test.
We found in CSH clones a regular alternation of vesicularly nucleated and compactly multinucleated diploid generations. The details of the life cycle of either strain are not known well enough to be able to construct life cycle diagrams more meaningful than that of Arnold. The 2 strains studied differ in cytologic and nuclear detail from each other and from the strain studied by Arnold.     

Autogamy in Paramecium polycaryum

Mass cultures of a stock of Paramecium polycaryum maintained over a period of several years showed abundant and frequent nuclear reorganization stages resembling those of ex-conjugant and ex-autogamous animals of other species of Paramecium. Conjugation has never been reported for P. polycaryum, nor has it been found in these studies. Cytological examination of stained preparations revealed a process of autogamy in P. polycaryum, closely similar to that described previously for P. aurelia. As a rule, all four of the micronuclei, the typical vegetative number in P. polycaryum, engage in the first prezygotic division which is characterized by the formation of prophase crescents. Variable numbers of the eight nuclei continue with the second division. A maximum of sixteen nuclei may result. Apparently, only one of these normally completes the third prezygotic division to form the gametic nuclei, although more than one may initiate it. A fusion nucleus (synkaryon) arises in, or near, a paroral cone, thus paralleling autogamy in P. aurelia. A series of postzygotic divisions produces eight definitive nuclei, four of which become macronuclear anlagen and four remain micronuclei. The first division of the synkaryon results, possibly, in the formation of a viable nucleus and a non-viable one, as in ex-conjugants of P. caudatum. After the last micronuclear division, a skein evolves from the old macronucleus which has become flattened and leaf-like. The skein rapidly segments into "sausages" which transform into spherical fragments, about thirty in number. Two cell divisions restore the normal vegetative nuclear complex.     

Peculiarities of Philodina roseola (Ehrbg.) (Rotatoria,Bdelloida) – Growth and Reproduction under Various Temperature Conditions

Most investigations dealing with rotifer reproduction have been performed with populations and not with individuals. At the same time the variations in the growth and reproduction rates of rotifers are of considerable interest. This paper presents the results of investigations carried out by culturing individuals of Philodina roseola during the lifespan of an individual under different temperature conditions ranging from 9 to 35 °C. The paper presents curves showing the growth in length and weight, the periods of maximum growth rate and the maximum sizes of Philodina as affected by temperature conditions. The reproduction rate is investigated at the same time. The variation in egg evolution duration, in duration of the reproductive period and in the egg laying rate are shown under all the conditions investigated. The data serve as a basis for estimating the effect of temperature on the productivity of Philodina roseola.     

Autogamy in the American strain of witchweed,striga asiatica (scrophulariaceae)

American plants ofStriga asiatica (witchweed), a serious pathogen of corn and other grains that was accidentally introduced to the Carolinas in the 1950’s, exhibit a form of autogamy in which fertilization occurs before the corolla opens. Pollen is shed on the stigma while the flowers are still in bud. Pollen grains germinate immediately and by the time the corolla is open fertilization has occurred. Examination of a native population of the same species in Nigeria revealed no autogamy.     

Herpes-like viral dermatitis in a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)

Approximately 3.5 mo following its capture, a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) developed focal pale gray skin lesions. These lesions persisted for at least 8 mo. A biopsy from one of these sites revealed epithelial intranuclear inclusions. Herpes-like viral particles were seen by transmission electron microscopy. The eventual regression of skin lesions and lack of other clinical signs suggests the virus was only mildly pathogenic in this animal.     

Bartonella henselae in captive and hunter-harvested beluga (Delphinapterus leucas)

Previously, we reported the isolation of Bartonella henselae from the blood of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from the North Carolina coast. Hematologic, pathologic, and microbiologic findings surrounding the death of a juvenile captive beluga in Vancouver initiated an outbreak investigation designed to define the molecular prevalence of Bartonella infection in belugas. Using polymerase chain reaction analyses targeting the intergenic spacer region (ITS), two B. henselae ITS strains were identified in 78% of captive and free-ranging hunter-harvested belugas. These findings may have public health implications and may influence aquarium management procedures for captive marine mammals.     

Monitoring white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) with echolocation loggers

Monitoring programmes for white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) have been called for repeatedly in recent years because this species is likely to be negatively impacted by climate change, but also because such a broadly dispersed, high trophic feeder can serve as an effective ecosystem sentinel. Arctic ecosystems are difficult to monitor because of the extensive winter ice coverage and extreme environmental conditions in addition to low human population densities. However, passive acoustic monitoring has proved to be a reliable method to remotely survey the presence of some marine mammals in the Arctic. In this study, we evaluate the potential use of echolocation loggers (T-POD and C-POD, Chelonia Ltd.) for remote monitoring of white whales. Captive experiments and open water surveys in three arctic/subarctic habitats (ice-noise-dominated environment, ice-free environment and low-turbidity waters) were used to document detection performance and to explore the use of logger angle and inter-click interval data to look at activity patterns and tidal influences on space use. When acoustic results were compared to concurrent visual observations, echolocation detection was only attributed to periods of white whale presence near the recorder deployment sites. Both T-PODs and C-PODs effectively detected echolocation, even under noisy ice. Diel and tidal behavioural patterns were identified. Acoustically identified movement patterns between sites were visually confirmed. This study demonstrates the feasibility of monitoring white whales using echolocation loggers and describes some important features of their behaviour as examples of the potential application of this passive acoustic monitoring method in Arctic and subarctic regions.     

Chemical Induction of Autogamy in Paramecium multimicronucleatum,Syngen 21

The combination of KCl + acriflavine + Ca²⁺-poor condition, known as conjugation-inducing-chemicals, was found to be autogamy-inducing-chemicals as well. Suspension of a single cell of Paramecium multimicronucleatum, syngen 2 in this medium for three hours or more resulted in autogamy that was evidenced by cytological similarity to conjugation.     

Hematology and serum chemistry values in the beluga (Delphinapterus leucas)

Normal values and ranges for 31 clinical hematology and serum chemistry tests are reported for the beluga or white whale (Delphinapterus leucas). The values were collected over a 6-yr period from eight belugas maintained for display at Sea World (San Diego, California, USA) facilities and represent long-term evaluations for each animal in a controlled environment. They represent the first report for a number of serum chemistry values for the beluga. Normal values such as these provide an important data base from which to detect diagnostically important changes in health status for belugas in a zoological setting. They also establish a baseline from which to evaluate differences in normal values in free-ranging belugas and from which to diagnose disease problems in wild populations.     

Nursing behaviors of beluga calves (Delphinapterus leucas) born in captivity

The nursing behaviors of two beluga whale calves were observed for the first 55 days postpartum. For both calves, the total time spent nursing in a given period peaked around 7–10 days postpartum and then declined over time. One calf, however, was found to have an unusual decline in nursing at day 35 postpartum. Ten days later, this calf was diagnosed as having a bacterial infection and given antibiotics. This suggests that early detection of health problems may be possible by observing calves' nursing behavior. For both calves, their general nursing patterns were similar, although one calf consistently nursed more than the other. Both calves nursed roughly every half hour, neither showed any signs of a circadian pattern, and carryover effects for both calves were found, indicating that there was a relationship in the overall nursing pattern from one interval to the next. That is, if nursing dropped off during one interval, it was typically made up in the next interval. Zoo Biol 16:247–262, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The Excystment Process in the Ciliate Nassula ornata Ehrbg.

SYNOPSIS. The ciliate was cultured in natural lake water on Oscillatoria curviceps. Encystment was induced by lack of food. The resting cyst has 2 membranes—a faceted, lamellate ectocyst and a thin endocyst. The kinetosomal rows and the cytopharynx are retained in the cyst, and the position of the cytopharynx with respect to the rows remains unchanged. Thus, the usual polarity of the organism is preserved. Distilled water and plant infusions were relatively ineffective excystment-inducing agents, but a 0.1% (w/v) aqueous solution of peptone, pre-inoculated with wild bacteria, was highly effective. At 21 C it induced the excystment of 97% of the cysts within 2-3.5 hr. During excystment, the contractile vacuole enlarges, thereby producing pressure which ruptures the membranes. The ectocyst tears first—always at the posterior end of the cyst—the endocyst somewhat later. Emergence is largely by cytoplasmic streaming through a relatively small slit in the ectocyst, and the posterior end of the ciliate always emerges first.     

Inheritance of Autogamy and the Killer Trait in Euplotes minuta

SYNOPSIS. Eight interfertile strains of Euplotes minuta collected from two localities in the Mediterranean Sea are shown to comprise a single breeding system of multiple mating types. One strain regularly passes through autogamy and, in crosses to non-autogamous strains, preliminary evidence for the genic control of autogamy was obtained. The cytogenetic events of conjugation and autogamy are briefly described. Three strains are killers. Killer cells liberate a substance into the surrounding medium which has a lethal effect on cells of other strains called sensitives. This substance, euplotein, is not produced by sensitives. The inheritance of the killer trait is apparently under the control of a cytoplasmic factor but present attempts to identify the factor microscopically were without success. The discussion stresses the potential usefulness of this species for studies of protozoan genetics and development.     

Autogamy in Paramecium cell cycle stage-specific commitment to meiosis

Autogamy is a process of meiosis and fertilization which takes place in unpaired Paramecium cells, and which is triggered by starvation. This study examines the consequences of nutritional down-shift at various points within the cell cycle on the occurrence of autogamy. It shows that cells become committed to autogamy in a two-step process. An initial point of commitment to autogamy occurs about 100 min prior to the median time of cell division (cell cycle duration, 330 min). Cells which have become committed to autogamy initiate meiosis following the next fission, others complete another vegetative cell cycle before undergoing meiosis. Treatments that perturb the cell cycle and displace the point of commitment to division also displace the point of initial commitment to autogamy to the same extent.The initial commitment to autogamy can be reversed by refeeding. The second, final, point of commitment to autogamy occurs about 30 min after the fission, immediately prior to initiation of meiosis, and coincides with the beginning of meiosis. If cells are refed at this point, or at later stages, autogamy continues.Autogamy is not well synchronized either in naturally starved cultures or in those subjected to abrupt nutritional down-shift. This is a consequence of the cell cycle stage dependence of entry into autogamy. Autogamy occurs synchronously in samples of dividers selected from asynchronous cultures 2 or more hours after nutritional down-shift. The timing of the events of conjugation and autogamy coincide when the pre-autogamous fission is aligned temporally with the initial contact of mating cells.     

Parental behavior of the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) in natural environment

The parental behavior of beluga whales observed in a summer reproductive gathering (near Solovetsky Island, Onega Bay, White Sea) is described, including the parturition process. A tight association between the female and its newborn infant has been traced by the case study of a stillborn calf. Individual behavioral patterns of a mother and calves observable only in natural habitats are detailed.     

Fatty acid composition of the blubber in white whales (Delphinapterus leucas)

Fatty acid (FA) composition of the blubber in free-ranging white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard's waters was determined and compared with the fatty acid composition of potential prey species in an attempt to assess diet. This methodology is based on the common assumption that unique arrays of FAs found within groups of organisms are transferred, largely unaltered, up marine food chains and thus may be useful for assessment of diet composition. Complete-column blubber biopsies were sampled from white whales (n=7) during the summers of 1996 and 1997. All captured animals were adult males. FAs were extracted from 2–4 replicates taken from an area about 10 cm in front of the mid-dorsal ridge. FA data from a total of 12 potential prey species from the Svalbard area were compared to the white-whale blubber samples. Twenty-two FAs were consistently found in relative amounts >0.5% of the total FA composition in white whales. These FAs accounted for 94–96% of the total FAs present. The blubber was composed almost entirely of triacylglycerols. The major saturated FAs were 14:0 and 16:0; 16:1(n-7), 18:1(n-9) and 20:1(n-9) were the major monounsaturated FAs and 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3) were the major polyunsaturated FAs. Sixteen of the 22 FAs consistently found in the white-whale blubber were also found in considerable amounts (>0.5% of total FAs) in most of the potential species. Principal Component Analysis run on these 16 FAs suggests that polar cod (Boreogadus saida) had the most similar FA composition to the white-whale blubber, followed by capelin (Mallotus villosus), the copepod Calanus hyperboreus and the shrimp Pandalus borealis. Accepted: 27 November 1999     

Autogamy is induced in Paramecium bursaria by methyl cellulose

When isolated single cells of Paramecium bursaria were treated with 1.25% methyl cellulose, most of the single cells showed nuclear changes which were substantially similar to those seen in conjugation, suggesting that the cells undergo autogamy. Additional cytological observations indicated that the cells underwent normal nuclear processes during autogamy. The ability to induce autogamy will facilitate genetic studies in P. bursaria.     

Anatomy of the heart of the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)

The heart of the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) is described from the dissection of seven specimens. As in most whales the heart is characterized by a transverse broadness and a flatness of the ventricles from one surface to the other and by an apex formed by both ventricles. Heart size parameters are used for comparison with parameters of other marine and land mammals. The heart width index (heart height/heart circumference) averages 31.3 in comparison to 28.7 for the Weddell seal and 39.0 for the felids. The right ventricle is relatively long and narrow with a mean length index (TS/heart height) of 64.7 and a mean breadth index (TP/heart height) of 38.7. These heart parameters are discussed in functional terms.