Weiria australis gen. n., sp. n., the first fully myrmecoid aleocharine staphylinid from Australia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Aenictoteratini)

Abstract Weiria australis gen. n and sp. n. (type locality Western Australia, Kimberley Region, CALM Site 25/1, Synnot Ck.), a myrmecoid (ant-like body form) aleocharine staphylinid, is described, and habitus and line illustrations are provided for its recognition. The species is tentatively placed in the tribe Aenictoteratini; similarities and differences to tribal characters shared by other members of the Aenictoteratini, and similarities and differences to other aenictoteratine genera are discussed. This is the first fully myrmecoid aleocharine, and the first member of the tribe Aenictoteratini, known from Australia. Association of Weiria gen. n. with the ant genus Aenictus Shuckard is postulated.     

Autalia rivularis (Gravenhorst) and Brachida clara (Weise) new to Korea (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae)

Two aleocharine species, Autalia rivularis (Gravenhorst) and Brachida clara (Weise), are identified for the first time in Korea. Diagnoses, habitus illustrations, and line drawings of diagnostic characters are provided.     

Discovery of three new species of the genus Gyrophaena Mannerheim (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) in Korea

Three new species of the mycophagous aleocharine genus Gyrophaena Mannerheim are described in Korea. The types and paratypes of the new species are designated. Illustrations of the diagnostic characters and habitus photographs of new species are provided with a key to Korean species of Gyrophaena.     

Comparative morphology of the head of selected sporophagous and non‐sporophagous aleocharinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae): Musculature and hypopharynx‐prementum complex

To investigate whether specialization to spore‐ (or pollen‐) feeding in advanced Aleocharinae is mirrored by their head anatomy, we compiled and compared synchrotron X‐ray micro‐tomography datasets for 11 Aleocharinae in conjunction with previous data for two aleocharine and six outgroup species (two nonstaphylinids, four staphylinids). We describe the presence/absence of head muscles and investigate the variability of points of origin by character mapping analyses. Monophyly of Aleocharinae is supported by the absence of M. 48 (M. tentoriobuccalis anterior), and by changes in the origins of Mm. 1, 2, 17, 18, 28, 29, 30. Within Aleocharinae the origins of the labial muscles (Mm. 28–30) have shifted posteriorly to the gula, which might enhance the movement posterad of the hypopharynx and partly compensate for the loss of M. 48. We also analyzed the general organization of the hypopharynx‐prementum complex and the fine structure of the mandibles through SEM studies. In the absence of grinding mandibular molae like those of most mycophagous Coleoptera, seven aleocharine species studied have evolved “pseudomolae” at the ventral side of the mandibles that replace true molae as secondary grinding surfaces. In these species, the hypopharynx is elevated and displaced anteriorly, bearing a bowl‐like depression on its surface that functions as a mortar where spores are ground between the hypopharynx and the mandibles. Two of these species are not yet known to feed on spores or pollen. Another species (Oxypoda alternans) is thought to feed on fungus material but bears no pseudomolae on its mandibles. J. Morphol. 271:910–931, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The distribution of the recessus orbitalis across flatfishes (order: Pleuronectiformes)

The recessus orbitalis is an accessory organ of flatfishes functioning in the protrusion of the eyes. This character, along with cranial asymmetry and a forward insertion of the dorsal fin, have been considered synapomorphies for the Pleuronectiformes. New dissections and examination of images taken in the wild show that the recessus orbitalis is present in all representatives of Pleuronectoidei examined but is absent in the single species of Psettoidei dissected. Psettoidei, the most primitive pleuronectiform lineage, contains three recognized species; thus, the absence of the recessus orbitalis in this whole lineage is unclear without further dissections. Ancestral character estimation at the family level for the recessus orbitalis indicates that the recessus orbitalis was likely absent in the common ancestor of Pleuronectiformes but was most likely present in the common ancestor of the Pleuronectoidei. Given that so few species of flatfishes have been assessed for the recessus orbitalis to date, additional characterization of the distribution of the recessus orbitalis across flatfishes will further inform what states this character may have and if it is a synapomorphy of Pleuronectiformes or simply a derived character state of Pleuronectoidei.     

Anisakiasis in the Caspian seal

On the basis of 548 helminthological dissections the main foci of Anisakis infection of Caspian seal and the character of pathomorphological process in the stomach infected with the nematode Anisakis schupakovi have been established.     

Mouthpart structure of Stylogymnusa subantarctica Hammond, 1975 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) with a reanalysis of the phylogenetic position of the genus

Structure, particularly of the mouthparts, of the unusual aleocharine staphylinid Stylogymnusa subantarctica Hammond was reevaluated. The mouthparts are described in detail, and drawings of their structure are provided. Several features were found to be misinterpreted in previous accounts of the structure of this aleocharine. In particular, the stylate structures found on the prementum are not a highly modified, hollow, stylate glossa, as had been previously suggested. Instead, these structures represent highly modified labial palpi; the segments are completely fused, all signs of typical setae of the labial palpi are missing, and the palpi are very long and slender. In addition, there is no sign that they are hollow. Small, slender, membranous lobes at the base of, and between, the palpi are interpreted as the true glossae (=ligula). Reinterpretation of these characters, and greatly improved phylogenetic techniques in the 20 years since previous phylogenies had been proposed, allowed testing of previous hypotheses of the phylogenetic position of Stylogymnusa and the relationships of the tribes Gymnusini and Deinopsini within the Aleocharinae. Phylogenetic analysis of 7 out‐group and 12 in‐group taxa, based on 84 characters and 231 character states, produced 3 equally most‐parsimonious trees (tree length = 253, C.I. = 0.557, R.I. =0.674, rescaled C.I. = 0.376). These trees provide strong support for a monophyletic lineage consbting of Stylogymnusa, Gymnusa and the Deinopsini but only weak support for a monophyletic Gymnusini (Gymnusa + Stylogymnusa). Bootstrap analysis based on 1000 resampling repetitions showed the following monophyletic clades to be well supported by the dataset: Aleocharinae (79%), Stylogymnusa+Gymnusa+ Deinopsini (99%), Deinopsis+Adinopsis (100%), and representatives of Myllaenini + Athetini + Aleocharini + Homalotini + Oxypodini (the “higher Aleocharinae”) (88%). Weakly supported clades in the bootstrap analysis were: Paraconosoma+ Gymnusini + Deinopsini (56%), Anacyptus+‘higher Aleocharinae’ (54%), and Athetini + Oxypodini + Homalotini + Aleocharini (52%).     

Traditional versus computer-based dissections inenhancing learning in a tertiary setting: a student perspective

This paper describes a study investigating both the use and usefulness of laboratory dissections and computer-based dissections, in a tertiary, first-year human biology course. In addition student attitudes to dissection were investigated. Data were collected from enrolled students using quantitative and qualitative survey instruments. Students were questioned about their usage and perceptions of the usefulness of there sources provided, and their attitudes towards the use of dissections for learning in human biology.

The real dissection was used as a learning resource by 80% of the student cohort while only 15% used the computer-based dissection material. In addition 5% of students reported that they did not use either the realdissection material or the computer-based dissection. Of those students who did use the computer-based dissection, two thirds of them found it useful for learning both structure and function of body systems. Of those students who used the real dissection, 72% found it useful for learning structure but only 62% found that it helped in learning function. Of the entire cohort surveyed, 90% agreed that biology students should dissect ananimal to help learn about anatomy. These outcomes reinforce the need to offer a variety of learning experiences that target different styles of learning.     

Descriptions of three new species of the Termitophilous tribe Termitopaediini in China (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae)

Three new species belonging to two genera of the aleocharine tribe Termitopaediini Seevers, viz., Dioxeuta rara Song & Li, sp. n., D. yunnanensis Song & Li, sp. n., and Termitopulex sinensis Song & Li, sp. n. from Baihualing Natural Reserve (Southwest China: Yunnan) are described and illustrated. This is the first record of Termitopulex Fauvel, 1899 from China.     

The phylogenetic relevance of thoracic musculature: a case study including a description of the thorax anatomy of Zygoptera (Insecta: Odonata) larvae

New morphological techniques allow for the evaluation of novel character systems that are potentially important for phylogenetic analysis. Only a few studies so far have used character systems from the insect thorax for phylogenetics; the reasons for this might include a lack of common terminology or established homology for pterygote insect thorax musculature. Still, recent studies have proposed common terminology and hypotheses of homology, now allowing for an evaluation of thoracic morphological character systems among the groups of winged insects. Using X ‐ray microtomography (μCT) we present a detailed study of the thorax musculature of O donata as an important phylogenetic character system, with a matrix of 298 characters with 697 character states, including novel data from the thoracic anatomy of eight damselfly larvae. We also included additional O donata, E phemeroptera and N eoptera taxa from the literature and demonstrate the phylogenetic relevance of this character system by reproducing phylogenetic topologies of established relationships. We also compared high‐resolution data from O donata larvae from our study and from recent literature with data from older literature in the adult O donata. All major clades were successfully recovered, (e.g. O donata, E piprocta, A nisoptera and Z ygoptera) with high node support, but obtained higher phylogenetic resolution with the larval data. The best phylogenetic resolution was achieved by combining the adult and larval characters. The taxon sampling and character matrix is the largest to date and underlines the potential relevance of the thorax musculature as an important phylogenetic character system.     

10种刚竹属植物花部形态的补充描述

首次补充和描述了黄古竹Phyllostachys angusta,乌芽竹P.atrovaginata,角竹P.fimbriligula,美竹P.mannii,早园竹P.propinqua,芽竹P.robustirames,水胖竹P.rubicunda,衢县红壳竹P.rutila,天目早竹P.tianmuensis,9种竹子的花部形态特征,并根据采得了可靠花枝标本对台湾桂 竹P.makinoi的花部形态特征作了增补和修订。     

592. TETRACENTRON SINENSE

Summary.  The fossil history, cultivation and ecology of Tetracentron sinense Oliver (Tetracentraceae) are discussed. An illustration of leaves and fruits, a typical habitat, and dissections of the fruit are provided.     

10种刚竹属植物花部形态的补充描述(英文)

首次补充和描述了黄古竹Phyllostachysangusta、乌芽竹P.atrovaginata、角竹P.fimbriligula、美竹P.mannii、早园竹P.propinqua、芽竹P.robustiramea、水胖竹P.rubi-cunda、衢县红壳竹P.rutila、天目早竹P.tianmuensis 9种竹子的花部形态特征,并根据采得的可靠花枝标本对台湾桂竹P.makinoi的花部形态特征作了增补和修订。     

Phylogeny of the rove beetle tribe Gymnusini sensu n. (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae): implications for the early branching events of the subfamily

The rove beetle subfamily Aleocharinae is the largest subfamily of animals known in terms of species richness. Two small aleocharine tribes, Gymnusini and Deinopsini, are believed to be a monophyletic clade, sister to the rest of the Aleocharinae. Although the phylogenetic relationships of the extant lineages have been well investigated, the monophyly of Gymnusini has been questioned due to a series of previous studies and the recent discovery of the aleocharine †Cretodeinopsis Cai & Huang (Deinopsini) from mid‐Cretaceous Burmese amber. Using an additional specimen of †Cretodeinopsis and well‐preserved specimens of †Electrogymnusa Wolf‐Schwenninger from Eocene Baltic amber, we present here two types of morphology‐based phylogenetic analyses, employing all extant/extinct genera of Gymnusini and Deinopsini for the first time. The maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses recovered a monophyletic clade of the two tribes combined, but each analysis suggested nonmonophyly of Gymnusini. In agreement with the results of the present study, we synonymize Deinopsini syn.n. under Gymnusini sensu n. , by priority. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F09EB444‐C6CA‐4525‐A986‐3CFC826F5877 .     

Principles of self-generation and self-maintenance

Living systems are characterized as self-generating and self-maintaining systems. This type of characterization allows integration of a wide variety of detailed knowledge in biology.The paper clarifies general notions such as processes, systems, and interactions. Basic properties of self-generating systems, i.e. systems which produce their own parts and hence themselves, are discussed and exemplified. This makes possible a clear distinction between living beings and ordinary machines. Stronger conditions are summarized under the concept of self-maintenance as an almost unique character of living systems. Finally, we discuss the far-reaching consequences that the principles of self-generation and self-maintenance have for the organization, structure, function, and evolution of single- and multi-cellular organisms.     

Method of dissecting peripheral nerve sheaths with an ultrasonic microscalpel that does not disturb neural conduction

A new method for dissection of the nerve sheaths by an ultrasonic microscalpel was tested in in-vivo experiments with the cat saphenus nerve. The compound nerve action potential consisting of A beta, A delta and C waves did not change after successive one-cm long dissections of the major nerve sheaths, epineurium and perineurium, demonstrating innocuous character of the method. Not deep plunging of the ultrasonic scalpel into the nerve, hemocoagulation when dissecting as well as drastically reduced mechanical efforts are the principal advantages of new method.