Multiple cenozoic invasions of Africa by penguins (Aves, Sphenisciformes)

Africa hosts a single breeding species of penguin today, yet the fossil record indicates that a diverse array of now-extinct taxa once inhabited southern African coastlines. Here, we show that the African penguin fauna had a complex history involving multiple dispersals and extinctions. Phylogenetic analyses and biogeographic reconstructions incorporating new fossil material indicate that, contrary to previous hypotheses, the four Early Pliocene African penguin species do not represent an endemic radiation or direct ancestors of the living Spheniscus demersus (blackfooted penguin). A minimum of three dispersals to Africa, probably assisted by the eastward-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar and South Atlantic currents, occurred during the Late Cenozoic. As regional sea-level fall eliminated islands and reduced offshore breeding areas during the Pliocene, all but one penguin lineage ended in extinction, resulting in today's depleted fauna.     

思茅新木蛾幼虫取食行为的研究

本文对思茅新木蛾Neospastis simaona Wang幼虫的取食行为、取食偏好性以及明暗条件对其取食量的影响进行了观察研究,为该昆虫的防治提供了理论依据。研究结果表明:思茅新木蛾幼虫随着龄期的增加,取食次数增多,取食总时间增加,但一次取食时间无明显变化;思茅新木蛾幼虫对木荷(Schima superba)有强烈嗜食性,4龄幼虫喜食木荷幼叶,5、6龄幼虫对木荷幼叶、成熟叶无明显偏好性;明暗条件对思茅新木蛾4至6龄幼虫的取食量没有显著影响(P>0.05)。     

水生昆虫幼虫取食行为研究进展

作为生存的重要行为,水生昆虫幼虫的取食是水生昆虫行为学研究的重点.本文综述了水生昆虫幼虫的取食习性、取食机理、取食行为、消化过程和取食影响因素等方面的研究进展,指出了今后应深入研究水生昆虫取食机理,以促进水生昆虫行为学研究,进一步为人工繁育水生资源昆虫提供理论支持.     

The anatomy of Odobenocetops (Delphinoidea, Mammalia), the walrus-like dolphin from the Pliocene of Peru and its palaeobiological implications

The Pliocene Beds of the Pisco Formation on the southern coast of Peru have yielded three new skulls of the walrus-like odontocete, Odobenocetops (Delphinoidea, Cetacea). Two of the skulls are from a slightly younger horizon than the holotype of O. peruvianus and belong to a different species, O. leptodon . The holotype of O. leptodon bears a 135 cm long needle-like right tusk and a small 25 cm long left tusk, the apex of which was erupted. The third skull, referred to a female of O. peruvianus , bears two small tusks similar in size to the small left tusk of the holotype. The new specimens include periotic, tympanic and ear ossicles, which confirm referral to the Order Cetacea and the morphology of the humerus reinforces affinities of odobenocetopsids to monodontids. Because the anterodorsal edge of its orbit is slightly concave O. leptodon had reduced anterodorsal binocular vision, a condition compensated for by the probable presence of a small melon (and inferred echolocation). The head was bent ventrally when swimming in such a way that the long tusk was approximately parallel to the axis of the body. The extremely salient occipital condyles of Odobenocetops are indicative of great mobility of the neck, probably related to bottom-feeding. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 134 , 423–452.     

Allometry and ecology of feeding behavior and digestive capacity in herbivores: A review

The purpose of this review is to give some perspective of the factors that influence feeding behaviors and the ability of herbivores to adapt to diets. The most important of these are digestibility, ability to select feed, and achievement of a nutritionally adequate intake. Plant morphology, observed feeding behavior, body size, and gut architecture and size impinge upon these factors. Feeding behavior and dietary specializations are associated with adaptations of gut and mouth parts as well as body size. Parallel and overlapping behaviors occur among herbivores and particularly between ruminants and nonruminants. The conventional classifications of grazers, browsers, and selective feeders are blurred by these evolutionary developments. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

褐边绿刺蛾的取食行为和取食量

观察褐边绿刺蛾Parasa consocia Walker2个世代幼虫取食杨树叶片的习性。结果表明,第1代幼虫7龄,幼虫期平均取食量167.7cm2/头,取食持续时间26d;第2代幼虫8龄,幼虫期平均取食量170.5cm2/头,取食持续时间27d。2个世代末龄幼虫取食量最大,占整个取食量的80%左右,4~5龄幼虫是防治的关键龄期。     

Enantiospecific synthesis and insect feeding activity of sulfur-containing cyclitols

The first syntheses of two deoxythiocyanocyclitols (4-deoxy-4-thiocyano-l-chiro-inositol and deoxythiocyanoconduritol F) and two deoxysulfonylcyclitol acetals are reported by a chemoenzymatic enantioselective route. The compounds were prepared by a sequence of enzymatic and ruthenium-catalyzed dihydroxylations, and the results were studied regarding reaction conditions and co-catalyst for different derivatives. The new compounds were included in a minilibrary of deoxygenated cyclitols and evaluated for their capacity to influence the feeding behavior of Epilachna paenulata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), a common pest of the Curcubitaceae crops.     

棉铃虫4龄幼虫的摄食行为和中肠蛋白酶活性的变化

通过测定棉铃虫4龄幼虫,每隔12 h的摄食量、体重净增量以及丝氨酸蛋白酶活性的变化,揭示了它的取食行为及中肠蛋白酶活性的变化规律。结果表明:棉铃虫4龄幼虫取食及消化呈有规律的变化,蜕皮后4龄初,摄食量、体重净增量、类胰蛋白酶、类胰凝乳蛋白酶和总蛋白酶活性均逐渐增加;进入中期(36～48 h),各项指标达到最高值;其后,随着摄食量的下降,各项指标逐渐下降。同时, 连续观察幼虫取食高峰期的取食行为6 h,结果表明: 其间一次连续取食的平均时间为(3.6±0.4) min/次, 总平均取食时间为(62.4±8.9) min,约占整个时间的1/6。该文还对棉铃虫4龄幼虫不同时段取食行为与蛋白酶活性变化之间的相关性及调控机制作了初步讨论。     

Subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): Exploitation of equivalent food resources with different forms of placement

Abstract Coptotermes gestroi and Heterotermes tenuis have been described as important urban pests in Brazil. The establishment of control technologies using baits that consider the social behavior of termites requires a better knowledge of their foraging behavior. Thus, this study analyzed the feeding behavior of these species with three different forms of food placement: food on the surface of a substrate and food either partially or completely buried in the substrate. Experimental arenas were composed of a central chamber connected to three food chambers. Each central chamber contained 550 foragers of C. gestroi or 517 foragers of H. tenuis. Blocks of Pinus elliottii were placed in the different food chambers. After 28 days, the consumption of each wood block and the percentage of foraging individuals recruited for food chambers were verified in relation to the total survival rate obtained for each one of the 20 replicates. Results showed that completely buried food was most consumed for H. tenuis and presented a higher recruitment rate of workers and soldiers for both species. Although the consumption had non‐significant differences for C. gestroi, these termites exhibited a tendency to prefer completely buried food. In these conditions, it can be concluded that the forms of food placement used in the present research influenced the recruitment of individuals for both species. Data also suggests that when the foraging subterranean termites find food resources in the tunneling substrate, they tend to concentrate their efforts on it, a behavior regime that reduces exposure to external environment.     

大沙鼠行为生态学研究现状

大沙鼠(Rhombomys opimus),属啮齿目(Rodentia)仓鼠科(Cricetidae)沙鼠亚科(Gerbillinae),广泛分布于中亚的哈萨克斯坦、伊朗、阿富汗、蒙古和中国等国,是沙鼠亚科中体型最大的鼠种,是中亚荒漠区的重要建群鼠种。大沙鼠为建立定居点而挖掘复杂的洞穴系统,生活在此洞穴系统内的一个家族通常由2~3代大沙鼠组成。大沙鼠采食梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)、柽柳(Tamarix chinensis)等植物,强烈影响荒漠植物的发育和外貌,以及荒漠生态系统的结构和功能。本文对大沙鼠栖息地、采食、储食、警戒、领域、社群、扩散以及昼间活动节律等行为的研究作以综述,分析了亟待深入研究的内容,以加深对该物种生物学特性的认识,并为有效控制该物种、维护荒漠生态系统稳定健康发展以及荒漠化防治提供基础数据。