Fruit infesting tephritids [Dipt.: Tephritidae] and associated parasitoids in Chiapas,Mexico

A total of 1,302 parasitoids representing 8 species and 4 families were recovered from 9,818 fruit fly host fruits sampled. The most common parasitoid species wasDiachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead). Average percent parasitism ranged between 0.44 and 29.23%. Parasitoid emergence data indicate thatAnastrepha ludens (Loew),A. obliqua (Sein),A. serpentina (Wiedeman),A. striata (Schiner) andToxotrypana curvicauda (Gerstaecker) were subject to parasitism. We provide information on the population fluctuation ofAnastrepha ludens, A. obliqua, A. serpentina, A. distincta (Greene),A. striata, A. fraterculus (Wiedeman),A. chiclayae (Greene),A. montei (Costa Lima),A. leptozona (Hendel) andA. tripunctata (Wulp).Anastrepha ludens andA. obliqua were the most common species, representing 95.3% of all fruit fly species caught in McPhail traps.      

Phylogeny of chromosome races ofFestuca arundinacea andF. mairei (Poaceae) as indicated by seed protein electrophoresis

Seed protein electrophoresis of four chromosomes races ofFestuca arundinacea, F. mairei and their progenitors showed variation in banding patterns. High protein similarities betweenF. arundinacea, F. mairei, F. scariosa, andF. pratensis indicate close phylogenetic relationships of these species. The ancestry ofF. arundinacea cytotypes could be narrowed to three diploid species:F. scariosa, F. pratensis, andF. rubra or to their close relatives.     

Allozyme investigations on the genetic differentiation between closely related pines —Pinus sylvestris, P. mugo, P. uncinata, andP. uliginosa (Pinaceae)

In eight natural European populations of four closely related taxa of pines (Pinus sylvestris, P. mugo, P. uncinata, andP. uliginosa) starch-gel electrophoreses revealed altogether 58 alleles at 15 loci from nine enzyme systems. With Nei's genetic distance (D) the largest mean genetic distance (D = 0.171) was found betweenP. sylvestris andP. mugo, a distance corresponding to that between other closely related pine species. Mean genetic distances between the other taxa were less than half that value and characteristic for subspecies or varieties rather than for species. On the basis of our results we suggest that both,P. uliginosa andP. uncinata, could be the result of the ancient hybridization betweenP. sylvestris andP. mugo.     

A new Monstera (Araceae: Monsteroideae) from Brazil

A new species ofMonstera (Araceae),M. praetermissa, is described, illustrated, and compared to its most similar relatives,M. xanthospatha andM. obliqua. The new species is so far only known from Brazil, but has a broad distribution there, ranging from the south to the northeast of the country.     

Genetic variation, real-time PCR, metabolites and mycotoxins ofFusarium avenaceum and related species

In this paper the latest studies dealing with genetic variation and mycotoxins ofF. avenaceum and related species are reviewed and compared to the data from chromatographic image analyses. Forty-three European strains ofFusarium avenaceum and related species were classified by chromatographic image analysis on full chromatographic matrices. The results were in most cases in agreement with those from morphological and molecular analyses and supported the separation betweenF. avenaceum, F. arthrosporioides andF. tricinctum and betweenF. avenaceum groups I and II. The mycotoxin profiles of the FinnishF. avenaceum, F. arthrosporioides andF tricinctum strains were very similar to each other. Moniliformin and enniatins were the main mycotoxins produced. A fluorogenic TaqMan PCR assay (qPCR) was used for the detection ofF. avenaceum/ F. arthrosporioides DNA in Finnish barley and wheat. The qPCR results obtained from grain samples were compared to mycotoxin levels. A correlation was found betweenF. avenaceum/F. arthrosporioides DNA and moniliformin (MON) and enniatin (ENNs) levels in barley. A correlation was also found between the combinedF. avenaceum/F. arthrosporioides/F. tricinctum contamination and MON and ENNs levels in barley in 2002, but not in 2003. This was probably due to the higher MON and ENNs levels in 2002 than in 2003. It was possible to use the DNA levels ofF. avenaceum/F. arthrosporioides to distinguish between most barley samples containing high amounts of MON and ENNs from those containing low levels of the mycotoxins. Presented at the EU-USA Bilateral Workshop on Toxigenic Fungi & Mycotoxins, New Orleans, USA, July 5–7, 2005 Financial support: Grants from the National Technology Agency of Finland (No. 40168/03) and the Academy of Finland (No. 52104); travel grants from NorFA and the European Commission to the Laboratory of Dr. Ulf Thrane     

Intergenic spacers of rRNA genes in three species of theCynareae (Asteraceae)

Intergenic spacers of the rRNA genes of three species of theCynareae tribe:Cynara cardunculus subsp.scolymus (artichoke),Onopordum acanthium, andO. illyricum were cloned in the plasmid pGEM-7zf(+). Detailed restriction mapping and partial sequencing of the IGSs were carried out. The structural analysis showed a clear diversity betweenCynara andOnopordum, while a high degree of homology was found between the twoOnopordum spp. In all three species a fragment of about 450 bp from the 5 end of 18S to the Acc I site with a high sequence homology was present. Nucleotide sequences upstream from the above mentioned Acc I site show a gradual decrease of homology betweenCynara andOnopordum.     

Numerical morphological analysis of Lettuce cultivars and species (Lactuca sect.Lactuca,Asteraceae)

L. sativa L. cultivars were compared morphologically with accessions ofL. saligna L.,L. serriola L., andL. virosa L. in order to define the infra- and interspecific variation. Multivariate analysis (principal component analysis) distinguished four groups corresponding with the four species. Infraspecific variation (e.g., colour, leaf shape) withinL. sativa is the largest, because breeding has caused a large variation in vegetative features; infraspecific variation withinL. serriola is also large. Three plants of one accession were placed betweenL. sativa andL. serriola because they showed morphological characteristics of both species. They are still classified asL. sativa. The morphological differences betweenL. sativa andL. serriola are too large to consider these two as one species. The descent of the cultivar groups and the four species is described.     

Generic delimitation of Aralia (Araliaceae)

Aralia, described by Linnaeus, remains a poorly defined genus. Many satellite genera ofAralia have been proposed, and some have been accepted without critical evaluation. These genera includeCoudenbergia, Megalopanax, Parapentapanax, andPentapanax. This study examined the historical background of the establishment of these genera and their diagnostic characters. It was found that (1)Aralia s. str. is a relatively diverse genus; (2) the separation ofPentapanax andParapentapanax fromAralia is unsubstantiated; (3)Megalopanax is synonymous withCoudenbergia; and (4) the boundaries betweenAralia and bothCoudenbergia andPentapanax intergrade. It is proposed, therefore, to mergeCoudenbergia, Parapentapanax, andPentapanax withAralia, which has nomenclatural priority.Aralia is herein defined as consisting of those species in Araliaceae with pinnate leaves, articulated rachises, five to eight-merous flowers, petals imbricate in buds, and articulated pedicels. The revised generic concept requires the following new combinations or new names:Aralia castanopsisicola, A. franchetti, A. gigantea, A. laevis, A. leschenaultii, A. parasitica, A. rex, A. subcordata, A. verticillata, andA. warmingiana.     

Seed protein electrophoresis in sectionFoenum-graecum ofTrigonella (Fabaceae)

The seed proteins ofTrigonella foenum-graecum, T. berythaea, T. macrorrhyncha andT. gladiata were fractionated on polyacrylamide gels in anodic and cathodic systems. Similarity indices between the profiles of any two species indicated close affinity betweenT. gladiata andT. macrorrhyncha and betweenT. foenum-graecum andT. berythaea. It has been pointed out that according to morphological resemblance and similarity index of the seed protein profileT. berythaea is closer to the cultigen than any other species of sectionFoenum-graecum, but these two species are strongly isolated from one another by the albino seedlings of their F₁ hybrids.     

An analysis of interspecific relationships ofSaguinus based on cranial measurements

The interspecific relationships of the following nine forms ofSaguinus were analyzed applying the multivariate analysis to the cranial measurements;S. oedipus, S. geoffroyi, S. leucopus, S. nigricollis, S. fuscicollis, S. labiatus, S. mystax, S. midas midas, andS. midas niger. Penrose's size distance was used to express the size factor among the nine forms; and for the shape factor, Q-mode correlation coefficients were utilized. The shape distance betweenS. oedipus andS. geoffroyi was almost equal to that betweenS. nigricollis andS. fuscicollis which are recognized as different species based on biogeographical evidence. Furthermore, the Penrose's size distance betweenS. oedipus andS. geoffroyi was quite large. Therefore, the results of this study support the hypothesis thatS. oedipus andS. geoffroyi are valid species. The analysis of the phylogenetic relationships among the nine forms was based on the shape factor only. The forms were divided into two main clusters: (1)S. oedipus, S. geoffroyi, andS. leucopus; (2)S. nigricollis, S. fuscicollis, S. labiatus, S. mystax, S. midas midas, andS. midas niger. In the former cluster,S. oedipus was more closely related toS. geoffroyi than either was toS. leucopus. The latter cluster was subdivided in two subclusters based on the degree of their affinity: (2a)S. nigricollis, S. fuscicollis, S. labiatus, andS. mystax; and (2b)S. midas midas andS. midas niger. In the former subcluster, [S. nigricollis, S. fuscicollis] and [S. labiatus, S. mystax] were classified into clusters, respectively. The ancestor of theS. nigricollis group differentiated intoS. oedipus, S. geoffroyi, andS. leucopus with the narrowing of the maxilla in the facial region, andS. midas midas andS. midas niger with the downward movement of rhinion.     

Structural and numerical chromosomal polymorphism in natural populations ofAlopecurus (Poaceae)

Considerable structural and numerical chromosomal variation has been found in natural populations ofAlopecurus. Interchange heterozygotes, identified by multivalent formation during meiosis, have been recovered in four out of six species studied and are reported for the first time in the diploidsA. bulbosus, andA. myosuroides, and the tetraploidA. pratensis. B chromosomes have been found in two species,A. pratensis andA. myosuroides and also in inter-specific hybrids betweenA. pratensis andA. arundinaceus. The characteristics, distribution and meiotic behaviour of both interchange heterozygotes and B chromosomes are described.     

Hybridization studies in the genusSilene sectt.Siphonomorpha andAuriculatae (Caryophyllaceae)

Ten species in the genusSilene sectt.Siphonomorpha andAuriculatae were crossed artificially involving 612 crosses to test inter- and infraspecific, intervarietal and intersectional crossability. In sect.Siphonomorpha all interspecific crosses (between diploids) failed due to cross- or seed-incompatibility; however, intervarietal crosses betweenS. gigantea var.gigantea andS. gigantea var.incana produced hybrids. In sect.Auriculatae hybrids were produced betweenS. vallesia andS. boryi, both tetraploids, but crosses between these and the diploid species were unsuccessful. The delimitation and status of the species in both sections was supported by the crossing results.     

A genetic contribution to the taxonomy ofOenothera sect.Oenothera (including subsectionsEuoenothera,Emersonia, Raimannia andMunzia)

Based on an analysis of results from experimental hybridization, the plants assigned byMunz toOenothera subg.Oenothera and subg.Raimannia, now divided into approximately 76 species, are referred to a single section,Oenothera. This section is in turn divided into five subsections:Euoenothera, Munzia, Raimannia, Emersonia, and an undescribed group of three species related toOenothera pubescens. Euoenothera is maintained in the traditional sense, and includes about 14 species of North America, widely naturalized elsewhere.Munzia consists of 45 species, comprising three series, and native to South America.Raimannia is restricted to a group of approximately 11 North American species.Emersonia comprises four rather heterogenous species of northern Mexico and southern New Mexico, of whichOenothera macrosceles, O. maysillesii, andO. organensis have been described. Within these four subsections, interspecific hybrids can be made in general, although plastid differentiation often leads to incompatibilities. With varying degrees of difficulty, hybrids were produced in all intersectional combinations involvingEuoenothera, Emersonia, Munzia, andRaimannia, the most difficult being those betweenEmersonia andRaimannia. Based on their habit and distribution,Emersonia species, and especiallyOenothera maysillesii, appear to resemble most closely the common ancestor of the section,Euoenothera andMunzia to have been derived from it or its common ancestor, andRaimannia perhaps to be more closely related to the phylogenetic branch that leads toEuoenothera.     

Further flavonoid studies onAttalea species and some related cocosoid palms

In a flavonoid survey of direct and hydrolysed leaf extracts of sixteenAttalea, sevenScheelea and fourOrbignya species free tricin, tricin 7-glycosides, tricin 5-glucoside and flavone C-glycosides were the most frequent constituents; present in 100, 89, 70, and 81% of species, respectively. Luteolin, quercetin and isorhamnetin were each found in only 15% of the sample. The present results confirm the findings of a previous survey thatAttalea, Scheelea andOrbignya are chemically heterogeneous with as much variation between species as between genera. Furthermore, threeAttalea species,A. allenii, A. guaranitica andA. victoriana showed some infraspecific variation. On the other hand all three accessions ofA. ferruginea and six ofA. geraensis examined gave identical flavonoid profiles. The results support the view thatA. geraensis andA. guaranitica are closely related but do not support the suggested close relationship based on morphology betweenA. oleifera, A. burretiana andA. piassabossu.     

The 18S rRNA gene sequences of four commercially important seaweeds

18S rRNA gene sequences are presented forAhnfeltia plicata, Chondrus crispus, Furcellaria lumbricalis andPalmaria palmata, commercially important marine algae of the North Atlantic. The sequences range from 1765 to 1777 nucleotides in length, with guanine + cytosine content of 50.1% to 52.4%. Sequence divergence between species in different orders was 11.3–12.3%, whereas the variation betweenC. crispus andF. lumbricalis, both from the Gigartinales, was only 3.6%. Based on limited experience with other groups of Rhodophyta, these sequences obtained from single populations are likely to be representative of the species as a whole, with little variation expected among conspecifics regardless of morphological aberration or apparent genetic isolation.NRCC 34824.     

Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Frage der verwandtschaftlichen Beziehungen zwischenTheligonum undRubiaceae: Feinbau der Siebelement-Plastiden und Anmerkungen zur Struktur der Pollenexine

Theligonum cynocrambe and 13 species ofRubiaceae contain S-type sieve-element plastids, wide-spread in Dicotyledons. Alignment ofTheligonum toCaryophyllales (Centrospermae), especiallyPhytolaccaceae, is unlikely, because this order is characterized by specific P-type plastids. SEM investigations show the pollen exine ofTheligonum to be microreticulate, with additional supratectate spinules.Asperula and other genera of the tribeRubieae have a tectum perforatum (punctitegillate sexine), also with supratectate verrucae or spinulae.—Thus ultrastructure suggests (but not definitely proves) relationships betweenTheligonum andRubiaceae, while affinities betweenTheligonum andCaryophyllales are excluded.

     

CHy-banding patterns and chromatin organization inAegilops andTriticum species (Poaceae)

The distribution of CHy-banded heterochromatin was studied in the chromosomes ofAegilops longissima, Ae. speltoides, Triticum monococcum, andT. turgidum. Interphase nuclei were measured after Feulgen staining at different thresholds of optical density; the curves so obtained indicated the relationship among the species with respect to the different fractions of the genomic DNA. The karyological and cytophotometric analyses indicate differences betweenAe. speltoides andAe. longissima, the latter species being enriched in heterochromatin. Similar results were demonstrated for the genusTriticum, in whichT. turgidum showed more heterochromatin when compared withT. monococcum. The results suggest that the B genome of the cultivated wheats possesses a type of heterochromatin that resembles the type present inAe. longissima.     

Molecular phylogeny ofForsythia (Oleaceae) based on chloroplast DNA variation

Phylogenetic relationships of ten wild species and several cultivars ofForsythia were reconstructed based on the chloroplast (cp) DNA variation. A total of 216 cpDNA variants, 44 of which were potentially phylogenetically informative, was detected using 24 restriction endonucleases. Phylogenetic analysis usingFontanesia andAbeliophyllum as outgroups revealed four well defined species groups in the genus: 1)F. suspensa, 2)F. europaea — F. giraldiana, 3)F. ovata — F. japonica — F. viridissima, and 4)F. koreana — F. manshurica — F. saxatilis. The amount of support for each monophyletic group was evaluated by various methods including character number, decay analysis, parsimony bootstrapping, Neighbour-Joining (NJ) — bootstrapping, NJ-jackknifing, and the topology-dependent permutation tail probability (T-PTP) test. The data do not support the hybrid origin ofF. intermedia fromF. suspensa andF. viridissima. The disjunctly distributed European species,F. europaea, was identified as a sister species of the ChineseF. giraldiana and it was probably derived through recent long distance dispersal.     

Coexistence of predatoryMuscina stabulans andophyra aenescens [Dipt.: Muscidae] with dipterous prey in poultry manure

Significant relationships between the emergence of adult predatory species,Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann) andMuscina stabulans (Fallen) and prey,Musca domestica L.,Fannia femoralis (Stein) andF. canicularis (L.) existed on 10 poultry ranches in southern California. Predatory species may function in natural control at intervals throughout the year, especially on predominant prey,F. femoralis andF. canicularis. Dipterous species, especiallyO. aenescens andF. femoralis, were only moderately influenced by the surface area of breeding habitat available. Accuracy in the measurement of population trends in Diptere may be enhanced by increasing the number of samples at any given ranch rather than the addition of study ranches. Parasitism, ranging from 22.6–37.8% of collected puparia, involved principally 3 species,Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan & Legner,M. raptor Girault & Sanders andSpalangia cameroni Perkins.      

Tamarin polyspecific associations: Forest utilization and stability of mixed-species groups

Niche separation is likely to play a key role in the formation of mixed-species groups. Saddle-backed tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis) were studied at three sites with different primate communities in northern Bolivia: (1) with red-bellied tamarins,S. labiatus; (2) with emperor tamarins,S. imperator; and (3) without a congeneric species. The degree of association is higher betweenS. labiatus andS. fuscicollis than betweenS. imperator andS. fuscicollis and is related to differences in forest utilization between associating pairs. Niche separation is found to be greater betweenS. labiatus andS. fuscicollis than betweenS. fuscicollis andS. imperator. The mean height and habitat utilization ofS. fuscicollis does not differ greatly across the three sites, nor does the height of tamarins in and out of association. It is concluded that combined with differences in body size and dietary overlap, vertical segregation plays an important role in tamarin polyspecific associations (increasing the potential of both foraging and anti-predatory benefits) and that this is not a consequence of vertical displacement ofS. fuscicollis by its dominant congeners.