Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) chimalapasensis n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) from the freshwater fish Awaous banana (Valenciennes) (Gobiidae) in Mexico

Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) chimalapasensis n. sp. (Eoacanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) is described from the intestine of Awaous banana (Valenciennes) (Pisces: Gobiidae) collected in the Río Negro, a tributary in the upper Río Coatzacoalcos basin, Santa María Chimalapa, Oaxaca State, Mexico. It is the third species of Neoechinorhynchus Stiles & Hassall, 1905 described from Mexican freshwater fishes, although 36 other species are known from freshwater fishes in the Americas. Like four other species of Neoechinorhynchus from freshwater fishes in North America and Mexico, N. (N.) limi Muzzall & Buckner, 1982, (N.) rutili (Müller, 1780) Stiles & Hassall, 1905, N. (N.) salmonis Ching, 1984 and N. (N.) roseus Salgado-Maldonado, 1978, males and females of the new species are less than 20 mm in length, lack conspicuous sexual dimorphism in size, have a small proboscis of about 0.1 mm in length with the largest hooks being the anteriormost, about 30–90 μm in length and of equal size, and have subequal lemnisci, larger than the proboscis receptacle but still relatively short and, in males, generally restricted to a position considerably anterior to the testes. The new species is closest to N. (N.) roseus, but it is distinguished from it by having: (1) a slightly larger cylindrical proboscis with almost parallel sides versus a globular proboscis with a rounded tip which is shorter and somewhat wider in N. (N.) roseus; (2) smaller but robust anterior proboscis hooks that do not reach the equatorial level or extend beyond the hooks of the middle circle as in N. (N.) roseus; and (3) the female gonopore situated ventrally subterminal, as opposed to being a significant distance anteriorly to the posterior extremity in N. (N.) roseus.     

雷公青冈和滇南青冈学名订正

分布于华南的雷公青冈Quercus hui Chun和分布于云南及广西的滇南青冈Q.austroglauca(Y.T.Chang)Y.T.Chang长期被认为是我国特有植物,实则分别为越南北部分布的Q.auricoma A.Camus和云南东南部分布的龙迈青冈Q.lungmaiensis(Hu)C.C.Huang & ...     

The multidrug/oligosaccharidyl-lipid/polysaccharide (MOP) exporter superfamily.

The multidrug/oligosaccharidyl-lipid/polysaccharide (MOP) exporter superfamily (TC #2.A.66) consists of four previously recognized families: (a) the ubiquitous multi-drug and toxin extrusion (MATE) family; (b) the prokaryotic polysaccharide transporter (PST) family; (c) the eukaryotic oligosaccharidyl-lipid flippase (OLF) family and (d) the bacterial mouse virulence factor family (MVF). Of these four families, only members of the MATE family have been shown to function mechanistically as secondary carriers, and no member of the MVF family has been shown to function as a transporter. Establishment of a common origin for the MATE, PST, OLF and MVF families suggests a common mechanism of action as secondary carriers catalyzing substrate/cation antiport. Most protein members of these four families exhibit 12 putative transmembrane alpha-helical segments (TMSs), and several have been shown to have arisen by an internal gene duplication event; topological variation is observed for some members of the superfamily. The PST family is more closely related to the MATE, OLF and MVF families than any of these latter three families are related to each other. This fact leads to the suggestion that primordial proteins most closely related to the PST family were the evolutionary precursors of all members of the MOP superfamily. Here, phylogenetic trees and average hydropathy, similarity and amphipathicity plots for members of the four families are derived and provide detailed evolutionary and structural information about these proteins. We show that each family exhibits unique characteristics. For example, the MATE and PST families are characterized by numerous paralogues within a single organism (58 paralogues of the MATE family are present in Arabidopsis thaliana), while the OLF family consists exclusively of orthologues, and the MVF family consists primarily of orthologues. Only in the PST family has extensive lateral transfer of the encoding genes occurred, and in this family as well as the MVF family, topological variation is a characteristic feature. The results serve to define a large superfamily of transporters that we predict function to export substrates using a monovalent cation antiport mechanism.     

Interspecific hybrids between kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus ) and roselle ( H. sabdariffa )

The successful interspecific cross is reported for the first time between kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.), a diploid species (2n=36) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), a tetraploid species (2n=72). Kenaf, grown for its bast fiber and also under investigation as a source of paper pulp, is fast-growing and well adapted to mechanical harvesting, but susceptible to root-knot nematodes. Roselle, also grown for its bast fiber, is slower growing, not well adapted to mechanical harvesting, but certain varieties are resistant to root-knot nematodes. Five hybrid plants were produced from the pollination of 4,445 flowers of kenaf with pollen from roselle; no hybrid plants were produced from 2,655 pollinations made in the reciprocal direction. One line of roselle was the parent of 3 of the 5 hybrids; one line of kenaf was the parent of 2 of these 3. The F₁ hybrids were triploid, and varied in vigor, growth habit and vegetative morphology, but had similar flowers. Two of the F₁ hybrids showed high pollen fertility, apparently as a result of restitution at first meiotic division leading to unreduced spores. These two hybrids each produced a small amount of seed, which gave rise to an F₂ population of 22 plants. The F₂ plants vary in vigor but are morphologically uniform, have thick leaves with mosaic sectors, and are presumably spontaneous allohexaploids. The theoretical possibilities of increasing the percentage of recovery of the F₁ interspecific hybrids and of developing a synthesized hybrid variety useful for bast fiber and paper pulp are discussed. Research done cooperatively by Crops Research Division and Agricultural Engineering Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the University of Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. Cytological investigations were carried out at the Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University. Thanks are extended to the many individuals and organizations who supplied material for this study, and to M. Griffin Bell and E. Otho Richey, Agricultural Research Technicians, for their enthusiastic assistance.     

Chthamalus stellatus (Poli) und C. depressus (Poli) in der adria

A study has been made of the ecology of Chthamalus stellatus (Poli) and C. depressus (Poli) in the region of Rovinj (Yugoslavia). The distribution has been examined at several localities of different habitat conditions particularly with respect to wave action.     

Selektive Partnerwahl der Aaskr?he (Corvus corone) in der Hybridisierungszone von Rabenkr?he (C. c. corone) und Nebelkr?he (C. c. cornix)

Zusammenfassung Die als Unterarten klassifizierten europäischen Formen der Aaskrähe, Rabenkrähe und Nebelkrähe, besiedeln verschiedene, aneinandergrenzende Verbreitungsgebiete und hybridisieren in der Kontaktzone. Die Nachkommen von Mischpaaren sind fruchtbar und können sowohl mit anderen Hybriden als auch mit Raben- und Nebelkrähen erfolgreich brüten. Trotzdem kommt es zu keiner völligen Vermischung der Formen und/oder Verlagerung der Verbreitungsgebiete. Vor diesem Hintergrund untersuchten wir die Partnerwahl von Aaskrähen in der Hybridisierungszone auf der nordfriesischen Insel Amrum und stellten fest, daß Partner gleichen Phänotyps häufiger miteinander verpaart waren, als stochastisch zu erwarten gewesen wäre. Unsere Daten bestätigen vergleichbare Studien aus Hybridisierungszonen in Italien und Sibirien. Wir schließen daraus, daß phänotypisch selektive Partnerwahl bei der Aaskrähe ein allgemeines Phänomen sein könnte und diskutieren, warum dieses Verhalten anfitness-relevante Parameter gekoppelt sein sollte. Um welche es sich dabei handeln könnte, wurde bisher nicht hinreichend untersucht und muß deshalb offen bleiben.

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Non-random mating of Crows (Corvus corone) in a hybrid zone of Carrion Crow (C. c. corone) and Hooded Crow (C. c. cornix)

Summary Carrion Crow and Hooded Crow are regarded as subspecies of the Crow. They show frequent hybridisation along the adjacent borders of their distribution. Mixed pairs produce fertile offspring which are able to breed successfully with both hybrids and mates of either phenotype. However, hybridisation does not lead to phenotypic changes of Carrion and Hooded Crows in general nor in their distinct distribution. We studied the mating behaviour of Crows in the hybrid zone on the Island of Amrum (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) and found evidence that Crows may prefer mates of the same phenotype. Our data confirm previous studies which reported assortative mating with respect to plumage coloration from hybrid zones in Italy and Siberia. We discuss why this behaviour should be related tofitness traits which in our opinion have not yet been studied adequately nor identified.