Breeding biology of Orange‐breasted (Harpactes oreskios) and Red‐headed (H. erythrocephalus) trogons in Khao Yai National Park,Thailand

ABSTRACT As tropical habitats continue to be cleared or degraded, obtaining basic information about the ecology of birds in intact habitats is essential for understanding their life histories. We studied the breeding biology of Orange‐breasted Trogons (Harpactes oreskios) and Red‐headed Trogons (H. erythrocephalus) in Khao Yai National Park in Thailand from 2003 to 2009. Nests were in excavated cavities in well‐rotted stumps or other tree parts. Mean cavity heights were 2.1 m (N= 19) for Orange‐breasted Trogons and 2.0 m (N= 49) for Red‐headed Trogons. Eggs were laid every other day. For Orange‐breasted Trogons, the mean clutch size was 2.4 ± 0.1 (SE) eggs (N= 17); incubation periods for two nests were 17 and 18 d, respectively, and the nestling period ranged from 12 to at least 14 d (N= 4). For Red‐headed Trogons, the mean clutch size was 2.6 ± 0.1 eggs (N= 48), the mean incubation period was 18 d (N= 9), and the mean nestling period was 13.4 d (N= 5). In both species, both males and females excavated nest sites, incubated eggs, and brooded and provisioned nestlings. Only females incubated and brooded at night, and males provisioned nestlings more than females. Breeding seasons lasted from January to March for Orange‐breasted Trogons, and from late February to July for Red‐headed Trogons. Mayfield estimates of nest success were 8% and 9% for Orange‐breasted and Red‐headed trogons, respectively. Unusual for cavity nesters, nest failure due to predation was high and nestling periods short. The low nesting success is typical of many other tropical species, but considerably lower than reported for some Neotropical trogons, possibly due to the unenclosed structure of the nests of these Asian trogons.     

Evaluation of spatial and temporal patterns of insect damage and aflatoxin level in the pre‐harvest corn fields to improve management tactics

Spatial and temporal patterns of insect damage in relation to aflatoxin contamination in a corn field with plants of uniform genetic background are not well understood. After previous examination of spatial patterns of insect damage and aflatoxin in pre‐harvest corn fields, we further examined both spatial and temporal patterns of cob‐ and kernel‐feeding insect damage, and aflatoxin level with two samplings at pre‐harvest in 2008 and 2009. The feeding damage by each of the ear/kernel‐feeding insects (i.e., corn earworm/fall armyworm damage on the silk/cob, and discoloration of corn kernels by stink bugs) and maize weevil population were assessed at each grid point with five ears. Sampling data showed a field edge effect in both insect damage and aflatoxin contamination in both years. Maize weevils tended toward an aggregated distribution more frequently than either corn earworm or stink bug damage in both years. The frequency of detecting aggregated distribution for aflatoxin level was less than any of the insect damage assessments. Stink bug damage and maize weevil number were more closely associated with aflatoxin level than was corn earworm damage. In addition, the indices of spatial–temporal association (χ) demonstrated that the number of maize weevils was associated between the first (4 weeks pre‐harvest) and second (1 week pre‐harvest) samplings in both years on all fields. In contrast, corn earworm damage between the first and second samplings from the field on the Belflower Farm, and aflatoxin level and corn earworm damage from the field on the Lang Farm were dissociated in 2009.     

Multi‐methods approach to characterizing the magnitude,impact, and spatial risk of Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) bycatch in small‐scale fisheries in Malampaya Sound,Philippines

Addressing the urgent conservation threat of marine mammal bycatch in small‐scale fisheries requires information on bycatch magnitude, gear types, population impacts, and risk. However, data on these proximate attributes are widely lacking in developing countries. This study used a multi‐methods approach integrating boat surveys and interviews with fishermen (n = 526) to assess proximate attributes of bycatch for the Critically Endangered subpopulation of Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) in Malampaya Sound, Philippines. Given an updated population estimate of 35 individuals (CV = 22.9%), the estimated rate of bycatch fatalities exceeds the potential biological removal rate. Spatial overlap scores were calculated to characterize overlap between dolphins and fisheries as a proxy of bycatch risk. These scores identified particularly high risk areas that could be prioritized for gear bans. However, completely reducing bycatch risk would require more widespread bans beyond these high risk areas. Implementing gear restrictions will be immensely challenging, given serious obstacles to fisheries management at this site. The multi‐methods approach describes the urgency of the bycatch problem and the changes required for mitigation, setting the stage for identifying and evaluating potential solutions. It can be readily applied to developing country sites to guide more efficient and complete data collection and conservation efforts.     

Functional morphology of the palato‐maxillary apparatus in “Palatine dragging” snakes (Serpentes: Elapidae: Acanthophis,Oxyuranus)

Elapid snakes have previously been divided into two groups (palatine erectors and palatine draggers) based on the morphology and inferred movements of their palatine bone during prey transport (swallowing). We investigated the morphology and the functioning of the feeding apparatus of several palatine draggers (Acanthophis antarcticus, Oxyuranus scutellatus, Pseudechis australis) and compared them to published records of palatine erectors. We found that the palatine in draggers does not move as a straight extension of the pterygoid as originally proposed. The dragger palato‐pterygoid joint flexes laterally with maxillary rotation when the mouth opens and the jaw apparatus is protracted and slightly ventrally during mouth closing. In contrast, in palatine erectors, the palato‐pterygoid joint flexes ventrally during upper jaw protraction. In draggers, the anterior end of the palatine also projects rostrally during protraction, unlike the stability of the anterior end seen in erectors. Palatine draggers differ from palatine erectors in four structural features of the palatine and its relationships to surrounding elements. The function of the palato‐pterygoid bar in both draggers and erectors can be explained by a typical colubroid muscle contraction pattern, which acts on a set of core characters shared among all derived snakes. Although palatine dragging elapids share a fundamental design of the palato‐maxillary apparatus with all higher snakes, they provide yet another demonstration of minor structural modifications producing functional variants. J. Morphol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Spatial and Temporal Diversity Patterns of Planktonic Rotifer Assemblages in Water Bodies of the Floodplain Gemenc (Duna‐Dráva National Park,Hungary)

The Gemenc floodplain of the Danube possesses numerous side arms and backwaters. The aim of my study was to explore connections between hydrological events and diversity patterns of the planktonic rotifer assemblages of these water bodies. During the study period (2002–2008) 75 taxa of rotifers were found. Generally, the water bodies of the floodplain had more diverse rotifer assemblages than the main arm. At low and medium water levels diversity was highest in the parapotamal water bodies. This result may be explained by the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. At high water levels the highest biodiversities shifted to the plesiopotamal. Biodiversity, dominance, and evenness correlated with water flow and temperature. Patterns of biodiversity seem to be determined by the water level of the main arm; therefore the water regime appears to provide pronounced temporal variability in the hydro‐ecology of the floodplain. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Characterization of glutathione S‐transferase in the saturniid moth,Samia Cynthia pryeri (Lep.: Saturniidae)

An enzyme, which possesses glutathione S‐transferase (GST) activity, has been found in the midgut of the saturniid moth, Samia cynthia pryeri. The enzyme was initially purified into homogeneity by ammonium sulphate fractionation, affinity chromatography, and ion‐exchange chromatography. The resulting enzyme revealed a single band with a molecular mass of 23 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide electrophoresis under reduced conditions. When tested with 1‐chloro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene, a universal substrate of GST, the purified remnants had an optimum pH of 8.0 for enzymatic activity, and was fairly stable at pH 5–9 and at temperatures below 40°C. The enzyme was also responsive to 4‐hydroxynonenal, a cytotoxic lipid‐peroxidation product. The present GST was inhibited by organophosphorus and pyrethroid insecticides including fenitrothion, permethrin and deltamethrin.     

Inside Cover: Noninvasive,high‐speed,near‐infrared imaging of the biomolecular distribution and molecular mechanism of embryonic development in fertilized fish eggs (J. Biophotonics 4/2018)

The biomaterial distribution and its molecular mechanism of embryonic development in Japanese medaka fish were visualized without staining using high‐speed near‐infrared imaging. It was a remarkable achievement to visualize the structures of eyes, lipid bilayer membranes, micelles, and water structural variations at the interface of different substances. Furthermore, insights on lipid metabolism and membrane functions were obtained from the biased distribution of lipoproteins and the presence of unsaturated fatty acids in the egg membrane. Further details can be found in the article by Mika Ishigaki ( e201700115 )