A New Stem Placental Mammal from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia

A new taxon of stem placentals, Hovurlestes noyon gen. et sp. nov. from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia (Höovör locality) is described. The new taxon differs from members of the genus Prokennalestes from Höovör in the single-rooted canine and the presence of cusp e, which is an enhancing interlocking between anterior molars (m1 and m2). Hovurlestes noyon gen. et sp. nov. is one of the rarest mammal taxa from Höovör, which expands morphological diversity of the earliest Eutheria.     

Flower palate structure of the aquatic bladderworts <Emphasis Type="Italic">Utricularia bremii</Emphasis> Heer and <Emphasis Type="Italic">U. minor</Emphasis> L. from section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Utricularia</Emphasis> (Lentibulariaceae)

There is an enormous diversity in the structure of the flower palate of the carnivorous rootless genus Utricularia. This study aims to examine the structure of the palates in Utricularia bremii Heer and U. minor L of the Utricularia sect. Utricularia, which have a glandular palate type. In both species, the palate has only one type of glandular trichomes. Because of the occurrence of cell wall ingrowths in its glandular cells, any exudation may be transported via eccrinous secretion. It was proposed that the palate trichomes of the examined species act as scent glands and that the palate may play a role as an unguentarium. Both U. bremii and U. minor are of an open flower type. Thus, U. bremii and U. minor flowers can be penetrated by small, weak insects, which then easily have access to their generative structure. Small Hymenoptera (member of families Mymaridae and Braconidae) were observed as flower visitors of the male-sterile species Utricularia bremii.     

A New Species of the Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Placoblatta</Emphasis> Bey-Bienko (Dictyoptera,Blaberidae, Epilamprinae) from Southern Vietnam

A new species of the genus Placoblatta, P. minorsp. n., is described from Southern Vietnam. The similarity between representatives of the genus Placoblatta and larvae of the subfamily Epilamprinae is briefly discussed. It is suggested that the origin of the genus Placoblatta has a paedomorph nature.     

Influence of Invasive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plants Parthenocissus</Emphasis> vitacea and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vinca minor</Emphasis> on Biodiversity Indices of Forest Communities

The distribution and phytocenotic association of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor on the territory of the Bryansk oblast has been studied. An assessment of the distribution of invasive species is performed on a grid basis. Vinca minor is registered in 19 cells on the territory of the oblast, which is 4.9% of the total number of cells and 11.9% of the surveyed cells; Parthenocissus vitacea is registered in 50 cells, which is 12.8% of the total number of cells and 31.2% of the surveyed cells. The invasive status of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor is category 3: an adventive species whose invasions into natural and seminatural habitats in the region at the moment are rare and, as a rule, confined to the outskirts of populated areas, abandoned parks, and old plantings. The indices of successful invasion in forest communities is the formation of syntaxonomically valid variants of the communities of Corylo avellanae-Pinetum sylvestris Bulokhov et Solomeshch 2003 with depleted cenoflora. Invasive species change the phytosphere and reliably decrease the indices of α and β diversity, the structural indices of communities. The invasion of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor is successful due to active vegetative reproduction, allelopathic effects on native species, and decreasing illumination of the ground cover. The introduction of invasive species into complex pine forests blocks demutational changes of endogenous succession during the restoration of broad-leaved forests: they simplify the structure of communities and reduce the intensity of the mosaic. Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor can exhibit signs of an edificator, a community builder, and a violent and transformer type. There has been only one case of a radical transformation of the natural community, registered on the territory of the Lyubin Khutor nature monument (Novozybkovskii district, Bryansk oblast).     

Early Paleogene insectivore mammals of Asia and establishment of the major groups of Insectivora

Early Paleogene insectivore mammal associations of Asia include true insectivores (superorder Insectivora: order Lipotyphla: suborders Erinaceomorpha and Soricomorpha; orders Didymoconida and Leptictida) and insectivore-like placentals (superorder Ferae: order Cimolesta: suborders Didelphodonta, Palaeoryctida, and Pantolesta). The associations from Mongolia are the most taxonomically diverse. The Late Paleocene association from the Zhigden Member of the Naran-Bulak Formation of the Tsagan-Khushu and Naran-Bulak localities includes the following soricomorph insectivores: the micropternodontid Sarcodon pygmaeus Matthew et Granger and Hyracolestes ermineus Matthew et Granger (Sarcodontinae), the geolabidid Gobigeolabis verigranum Lopatin, the nyctitheriid Praolestes nanus Matthew, Granger et Simpson, P. maximus Kondrashov, Lopatin et Lucas (Praolestinae subfam. nov.), Jarveia erronea Kondrashov, Lopatin et Lucas (Asionyctiinae). Moreover, the Zhigden association includes the didymoconid Archaeoryctes euryalis Lopatin (Ardynictinae), the palaeoryctid Pinoryctes collector gen. et sp. nov., and the pantolestid Zhigdenia nemegetica gen. et sp. nov. (Pantolestinae). The Early Eocene association from the Bumban Member of the Naran-Bulak Formation of the Tsagan-Khushu locality includes the micropternodontid Prosarcodon maturus Lopatin et Kondrashov (Sarcodontinae); the nyctitheriids Bumbanius rarus Russell et Dashzeveg (Praolestinae), Oedolius perexiguus Russell et Dashzeveg, Edzenius lus gen. et sp. nov. (Asionyctiinae), and Eosoricodon terrigena Lopatin (Eosoricodontinae); the plesiosoricid Ordolestes ordinatus gen. et sp. nov. (Butseliinae); and the cimolestids Naranius infrequens Russell et Dashzeveg, Tsaganius ambiguus Russell et Dashzeveg, and Bagalestes trofimovi gen. et sp. nov. (Cimolestidae). The Middle Eocene association from the Khaychin Formation of the Khaychin-Ula 2 and Khaychin-Ula 3 localities includes the erinaceomorphs Eogalericius butleri Lopatin and Microgalericulus esuriens gen. et sp. nov. (Erinaceidae, Galericinae), the soricomorphs Metasarcodon reshetovi Lopatin et Kondrashov (Micropternodontidae, Sarcodontinae), Soricolestes soricavus Lopatin (Soricidae, Soricolestinae), and Asiapternodus mackennai Lopatin (Apternodontidae, Asiapternodontinae subfam. nov.); the didymoconids Ardynictis captor Lopatin (Ardynictinae), Khaichinula lupula gen. et sp. nov. (Didymoconinae), Kennatherium shirense Mellett et Szalay, and Erlikotherium edentatum gen. et sp. nov. (Kennatheriinae subfam. nov.); and the palaeoryctid Nuryctes gobiensis Lopatin et Averianov (Palaeoryctidae). Late Paleocene insectivores from the Dzhilga 1a locality (Kazakhstan) comprise the nyctitheriids Voltaia minuta Nessov and Jarveia minuscula Nessov (Asionyctiinae). The faunal assemblage dated terminal Early Eocene from the Andarak 2 locality (Kyrgyzstan) includes the micropternodontid Metasarcodon udovichenkoi (Averianov), the erinaceid Protogalericius averianovi gen. et sp. nov. (Galericinae), and the palaeoryctids Nuryctes alayensis Lopatin et Averianov and Palaeoryctidae gen. et sp. indet. From the end of the Paleocene to the onset of the Middle Eocene, the taxonomic composition and ecological structure of insectivore communities of Central Asia gradually changed, insectivore-like placentals and primitive soricomorph groups were replaced by the Recent families of Lipotyphla. The morphological and evolutionary study of Early Paleogene Asian insectivores has provided important data on phylogenetic relationships of the Insectivora. The family Micropternodontidae is divided into the subfamilies Sarcodontinae and Micropternodontinae. The earliest insectivore family Geolabididae is recorded in the Paleogene of Asia. A new classification of the family Nyctitheriidae, dividing it into the subfamilies Nyctitheriinae, Amphidozotheriinae, Asionyctiinae, Eosoricodontinae, and Praolestinae subfam. nov., is proposed. Based on the morphological continuity between Eosoricodontinae (Nyctitheriidae) and Soricolestinae (Soricidae), the family Soricidae is proposed to originate from eosoricodontine nyctitheriids. The family Plesiosoricidae is divided into the subfamilies Butseliinae and Plesiosoricinae. A new subfamily, Asiapternodontinae subfam. nov., is established in the family Apternodontidae. The analysis of evolutionary transformations of the dental system suggests the continuity of molar types in the suborder Soricomorpha, which supports the validity of the infraorders Tenrecomorpha and Soricota (the latter includes the superfamilies Micropternodontoidea, Nesophontoidea, Soricoidea, Talpoidea, and Solenodontoidea). The subfamily Galericinae (Erinaceidae) is recorded in Asia at the Early-Middle Eocene boundary. The family Didymoconidae is divided into the subfamilies Ardynictinae, Didymoconinae, and Kennatheriinae subfam. nov. Some members of the subfamily Kennatheriinae display a clear edentate functional pattern, which is atypical for insectivores and is interpreted as an adaptation for feeding on colonial insects. The following scenario of insectivore evolution, describing the major stages of their history, is proposed: (1) in the first half of the Late Cretaceous, the first occurrence of Insectivora (probably in North America); (2) in the second half of the Late Cretaceous, the primary radiation of Insectivora, establishment of Leptictida, Didymoconida, and Lipotyphla; detachment of Erinaceomorpha and Soricomorpha; (3) at the Cretaceous-Paleocene boundary, the primary radiation of Soricomorpha and establishment of Tenrecomorpha (Africa) and Soricota (North America); (4) in the Paleocene, expansion of Soricota in the Northern Hemisphere, the primary radiation of Erinaceomorpha, and emergence of Erinaceidae (North America); (5) at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary, radiation of Soricota and Erinaceidae; (6) at the Early-Middle Eocene boundary, appearance of Soricidae, Talpidae, and Galericinae; (7) in the Middle Eocene-Oligocene, replacement of primitive groups by Recent families and related groups and the formation of the Recent subfamilial diversity of the families Soricidae, Talpidae, Erinaceidae, and Tenrecidae; (8) in the Miocene-Pliocene, disappearance of primitive groups of the Recent families, a decrease in the diversity of Erinaceomorpha, extensive radiation of Soricidae and the formation of the Recent generic diversity of insectivores.     

Eutherian mammals from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia

A collection of eutherian mammals consisting of 39 specimens (teeth and jaw fragments) from the ?Aptian or Albian Khoboor Beds in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia, is described. It contains 3 taxa: Prokenna1estes gen.n., assigned to the Otlestidae Nessov, new rank, with 2 shrew size species; P. trofimovi sp.n. and P. minor sp.n.; a heavily worn larger lower molar which will be described elsewhere. It cannot be excluded that P. trofimovi and P. minor are only sexual morphs within the same species. Prokennalestes and Bobolestes Nessov are possibly the oldest known eutherian mammals, but Prokennalestes is morphologically more primitive than Bobolestes. It has a labial mandibular foramen, 5 premolars and 3 molars, 3 cusps in parastylur region, paracone larger than metacone, unwinged conules, no pre- and posteingula, and lower molars with a 3-cusped talonid, which is narrower than the trigonid, Otlestes and Kennalestes may be derived with little modification from Prokennalestes. Prokennalestes gen.n. is congeneric with Prokennalestes Trofimov and Prozalambdalestes Trofimov, which are both nomina nuda.     

Non-native fish species in Neotropical freshwaters: how did they arrive,and where did they come from?

The invasion of aquatic ecosystems by introduced invasive alien species (IAS) has become a worldwide phenomenon, and often leads to competitive interactions with native species. At high-nutrient levels, native species mostly are outcompeted by the introduced species. We performed an outdoor competition experiment between IAS free-floating Lemna minuta and native Lemna minor in a eutrophicated pond to examine whether the invasive species is the better competitor. We additionally performed an indoor experiment resembling mesotrophic phosphorus (P) conditions to investigate both species’ competitiveness in low P availability and compared with previous experiments at high-nutrient levels. Our results showed that in field conditions, the alien L. minuta was the better competitor. In the mesotrophic indoor condition, however, the native L. minor was the better competitor. Both species produced longer roots in the indoor experiment compared to field conditions. The species’ relative growth rates were also lower in the indoor experiment. A P reduction to mesotrophic condition in the water column thus might reduce invasive L. minuta growth and competitive performance. Additionally, introduction and recovery of L. minor could reduce L. minuta cover, but only following P reduction. Field experiments in mesotrophic ponds are needed to confirm these indoor findings.     

Maintaining morphological specificity and genetic introgression in populations of the great tit <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parus major</Emphasis> and the Japanese tit <Emphasis Type="Italic">P. minor</Emphasis> in the middle Amur region

The ranges of the great tit Parus major and the Japanese tit P. minor overlap in the middle Amur region, where hybridization of these two species occur. These species have contacted for nearly a century on the western slope of the Malyi Khingan Ridge (the central part of the sympatry zone), but the great tit has colonized territories to the east of the ridge only in the last two decades. The percentage of the P. minor’s allele of intron 2 of the mioglobin gene has significantly increased from 8.9% in the west to 27.8% in the east in phenotypically major’s populations. Thus, the percentage of foreign mtDNA in P. major populations did not change significantly from west (6.2%, n = 120) to east (3.2%, n = 61). Simultaneous use of two genetic markers (one nuclear and the other mitochondrial) supports our conclusion on strong introgression in the populations of both species, which nevertheless maintain their morphological specificity in the contact zone.     

Effects of co-inoculation of two different plant growth-promoting bacteria on duckweed

Aseptic Lemna minor was soaked for 4 h in pond water where wild L. minor was naturally flourishing. Seven of the eight surface-colonizing bacterial strains were found capable of promoting the growth of L. minor. This high appearance of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) suggests that association of environmental bacteria is generally beneficial rather than harmful for host plants. One of the PGPB, Pseudomonas sp. Ps6, enhanced the growth of L. minor by 2–2.5-fold in 10 days. This activity was higher than that previously reported for Acinetobacter calcoaceticus P23, which enhanced growth of L. minor by 1.5–2-fold. Ps6 mostly adhered to and colonized the root rather than the frond, a leaf-like structure of duckweed where P23 preferentially adheres. It was expected that these two strains can share niches, coexist, and enhance the growth of duckweed additively upon co-inoculation. However, contrary to expectation, the growth of L. minor was enhanced by only 2.3-fold by co-inoculation of these two bacteria. P23 lowered the initial adhesion of Ps6 cells by 98.2% on the fronds and by 79.5% on the roots. However, initial adhesion of P23 cells to the roots increased dramatically, by 47.2-fold, following co-inoculation with Ps6. However, the number of P23 cells decreased dramatically to 0.7% on the root and to 3.6% on the frond after 10 days, whereas Ps6 cells increased by 12.5-fold on the frond and kept 69% on the root, thereby eventually restoring the population on the plant surfaces. Because duckweed is the fastest growing vascular plant and it is easy to grow an aseptic and axenic plant, the duckweed/bacteria co-culture system will be a model platform for studying multiple interactions among host plants and the associated bacteria.     

New and little-known crickets of the subfamily Phalangopsinae (Orthoptera,Gryllidae). 10. The genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parendacustes</Emphasis> (Part 1)

The composition of the genus Parendacustes Chop. and of its two subgenera is briefly discussed. Nine new taxa of the nominotypical subgenus are described: P. berezini sp. n., P. arachne sp. n., P. pahangi borealis subsp. n., P. sylvestris sp. n., P. tkatshevae sp. n., P. tawau sp. n., P. tiomani sp. n., P. ectoparameralis sp. n., and P. magnispeculum sp. n. New data on the distribution of P. p. pahangi Gor. and considerations on the generic position of P. latifrons Chop. and P. lifouensis Desutter-Grandcolas are also provided.     

Karyo-taxonomic study of the genus<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudolysimachion</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Scrophulariaceae</Emphasis>) in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Flow cytometry was used to determine ploidy levels in the Czech and Slovak taxa of the genusPseudolysimachion (W.D.J. Koch)Opiz (=Veronica auct. p.p.,Scrophulariaceae). In total, 123 populations from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine (one locality), Austria (one locality) and Hungary (one locality) were analyzed. InP. maritimum (L.)Á. Löve etD. Löve andP. spicatum (L.)Opiz, two cytotypes were found: diploid (2n=2x=34) and tetraploid (2n=4x=68). In both species the tetraploid cytotype predominated (P. maritimum: 41 tetraploid populations out of 45;P. spicatum: 57 tetraploid populations out of 58). The two cytotypes ofP. maritimum have no taxonomic significance because ploidy level is not obviously correlated with morphology, distribution pattern or ecology. Tetraploid populations ofP. spicatum belong to two morphologically different subspecies, subsp.spicatum and subsp.fischeri Trávní?ek. The diploid cytotype (one population only) should be provisionally classified as a third subspecies ofP. spicatum, which is morphologically similar to the Asian subsp.porphyrianum (Pavlov)Trávní?ek. Only diploid plants (2n=2x=34) ofP. orchideum (Crantz)Wraber were found; all 13 populations that were analyzed belong toP. orchideum s.str. One diploid population sample ofP. spurium subsp.foliosum (Waldst. etKit.)Holub (2n=2x=34) and one tetraploid sample ofP. incanum subsp.pallens (Host)Trávní?ek (2n=4x=68) were also analyzed. In addition, three tetraploid populations of hybrid origin were investigated:P. maritimum ×P. spicatum subsp.spicatum (one population) andP. maritimum ×P. spurium subsp.foliosum (two populations). While hybrid plants ofP. maritimum ×P. spicatum arose from tetraploid parental species, plants ofP. maritimum ×P. spurium probably resulted from a cross between tetraploidP. maritimum and diploidP. spurium. The putative origin and evolutionary importance of polyploids in thePseudolysimachion are discussed.     

Two members of unassigned type of short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily (SDR) isolated from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Persicaria minor</Emphasis> show response towards ABA and drought stress

Alcohol dehydrogenases exist as a multigene family. Two isogenes, PmADHa and PmADHb were obtained from Persicaria minor via RACE-PCR were highly identical at the 5′-UTR and ORF region and highly divergent at the 3′-UTR. With the length of 1077 and 1163 bp respectively, PmADHa and PmADHb have 801 bp ORF length, encodes 266 amino acid residues. Four nucleotides are different between the two sequences in the ORF and caused only difference one of amino acid residue at the 107th position. PmADHa and PmADHb are categorized in short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily of Unassigned type, specifically in AT3G01980.1 family. Investigations of expression profile for both genes were conducted under the treatment of 100 μM exogenous ABA and drought stress using 20% PEG-8000 in leaves, stems and roots. Exogenous ABA treatment showed that the expression of PmADHa and PmADHb were highly up-regulated only in roots. Whereas, PmADHa and PmADHb showed up-regulation in response to drought stress in all organ tested. These indicate that PmADHa and PmADHb are involved in the ABA and drought signalling pathways. Peroxisome was predicted for the subcellular localization of PmADHa and PmADHb. The promoter analysis revealed that several stress-related elements were found in the promoter of PmADHa and PmADHb and these further strengthen its relation in the stress responses.     

A functional response evaluation of pre-infestation with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bemisia tabaci</Emphasis> cryptic species MEAM1 on predation by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Propylea japonica</Emphasis> of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Myzus persicae</Emphasis> on host plant tomatoes

Herbivore feeding on host plants may induce defense responses of the plant which influence other herbivores and interacting species in the vicinity, such as natural enemies. The present work evaluated the impact of pre-infestation with the tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci cryptic species MEAM 1, on the predation ability of the ladybird Propylea japonica, to the green peach aphid Myzus persicae, on tomato plants. The results show that B. tabaci pre-infestation density, duration, and leaf position, can impact prey consumed by P. japonica under various aphid densities. The aphids consumed by P. japonica in each treatment were fit using the Holling type II functional response equation. The predatory efficiency (a/T _h) of P. japonica was the highest in the treatment with 60 aphids and 48-h infestation directly on damaged leaves. The predatory efficiencies of P. japonica decreased with a reduction of pre-infestation density and duration. We also observed that pre-infestation on young and undamaged leaves increased predation by P. japonica.     

Leaf cuticle-assisted phototransformation of isoproturon

Isoproturon is a pre- and post-emergence herbicide used generally to manage Phalaris minor and Avena ludoviciana in wheat. The importance of post-emergence and foliarly applied pesticides has been increasing. The first reaction environment of these herbicides is the leaf surface made up of polymerised esters of higher fatty acids. In the presence of sunlight, the fatty substances on leaf surfaces generate reactive radicals, or ions which may interact with herbicide molecules leading towards degradation resulting in the loss of bioefficacy of herbicides and the formation of metabolites of unknown toxicity. The present experiment was conducted with the objective to know the photochemical behaviour of isoproturon on different leaf-extracted epicuticular cutin surfaces. Epicuticular waxes, i.e. cutins were extracted from P. minor and A. ludoviciana leaf surfaces using dichloromethane as a solvent and further purified with activated charcoal. On the cutin surface under UV-light (365 nm), the transformation of the herbicide is very slow as it is evident from its higher half-life values, 75 min on P. minor cutin surface and 115 min on A. ludoviciana cutin, as compared to that on the glass surface (half-life 53 min). A similar pattern was also observed under the sunlight condition. It may be due to the quenching effect imparted by the cutin material or simply screening effect of it on the herbicide. The sunlight-irradiated extracts of isoproturon and its degradation products were analysed by LC–MS/MS using electrospray interfacing technique and the structures of six different photoproducts were characterised by their respective spectra. The degradation pathways involved mainly demethylation and ring oxidation processes forming hydroxylated compounds. The mixture of these photoproducts were found to be non-toxic to A. ludoviciana and P. minor.     

Adaptations to the hyporheic in Aloninae (Crustacea: Cladocera): allocation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alona protzi</Emphasis> Hartwig, 1900 and related species to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phreatalona</Emphasis> gen. nov.

Morphological study of Alona protzi Hartwig, 1900, Alona phreatica Dumont, 1983 and Alona smirnovi Petkovski &; Flößner, 1972 reveals close affinities with Alona labrosa Vasiljeva &; Smirnov, 1969. We separate these four species from the polyphyletic Alona Baird, 1843 (Anomopoda: Chydoridae). United under Phreatalona gen. nov., these taxa share primitive features on the limbs, together with specializations to a rheic life mode. Phreatalona contains some of the only true hyporheic taxa within the Cladocera. Endemism in two ancient lakes (P. smirnovi and P. labrosa) and a preference for river sediments in Europe (P. phreatica and P. protzi) suggest a long isolation from typical littoral/benthic biotopes. We discuss close links with southern vicariant Nicsmirnovius, the position of these (hypo)rheic chydorids within the subfamily and their affinities with Acroperus. We remark an independent evolution of external (habitus, postabdomen) vs. internal (limb) morphology in the protzi-complex. Phreatalona is likely tertiary in origin, evolving from a littoral alonine adapting to rheic and finally hyporheic environments. Baikal endemic P. labrosa is likely the most primitive species of the genus. We discuss adaptations and evolution in the hyporheic and the effect on dispersal and biogeography of Phreatalona.     

Culture medium influence on growth,fatty acid,and pigment composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Choricystis minor</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">minor</Emphasis>: a suitable microalga for biodiesel production

The purposes of this study were to assess the influence of culture medium on biomass production, fatty acid, and pigment composition of Choricystis minor var. minor and to evaluate the use of this microalga as a source of fatty raw material for biodiesel production. Cultures of C. minor var. minor were grown using WC (Wright’s cryptophyte) and BBM (Bold’s Basal medium) media. BBM medium produced more biomass (984.3 mg L^?1) compared to the WC medium (525.7 mg L^?1). Despite this result, WC medium produced a higher methyl ester yield for biodiesel production than the BBM medium (170.0 and 90.2 mg g^?1 of biomass, respectively). The average percentage of fatty acids obtained using the WC medium (17.0 %) was similar to soybean (18.0 %) and with similar biomass fatty acid profile. However, for pigment production, carotenoids and chlorophyll concentrations were twice as high when using the BBM medium.     

Growth and biochemical analysis of evergreen haloxeric tree species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvadora oleoides</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvadora persica</Emphasis> under NaCl stress

In vitro growth, development, total soluble proteins and peroxidase profiles of Salvadora oleoides and Salvadora persica under NaCl stress were analysed in the present investigation. The plants are evergreen haloxeric tree species of family Salvadoraceae. Shoot apex from natural plants were initially used for screening of NaCl tolerance on MS culture medium. Shoot apex of S. oleoides and S. persica could survive optimally up to 200 and 100 mM NaCl. Axillary buds from nodal shoot segments of S. oleoides and S. persica were activated on 6 and 4 μM BAP, and were used further for extraction of total soluble proteins and peroxidases. Total soluble proteins were increased up to 150 mM NaCl in S. oleoides, but decline above 50 mM NaCl in S. persica. Peroxidase activity remained almost constant in S. oleoides at all the concentrations and duration of NaCl, but increased at 100 mM NaCl during fourth week of treatment in S. persica. Eleven peroxidase isozymes were observed in zymogram of S. oleoides. Isozymes P1, P2, P3, and P4 were slightly appeared, but P6 isozyme was lacking in S. persica. The P5 isozyme was more prominent in S. persica than S. oleoides. Isozyme P9 of S. persica was visible during the first week of NaCl treatment, but disappeared in the fourth week. Molecular biology of these plants can be useful further for the understanding of stress tolerance mechanisms for prospects.     

Comparison of trophic function between the globally invasive crayfishes <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pacifastacus leniusculus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Procambarus clarkii</Emphasis>

Impacts of invasive species may manifest most strongly if these organisms are highly distinct functionally from the native species they often replace. Yet, should we expect functional differences between native and invasive species of generalist organisms like freshwater crayfish? Some existing evidence has pointed to native and invasive crayfish species as ecologically equivalent. We contribute to this literature by comparing the trophic niches of the globally invasive crayfishes Pacifastacus leniusculus and Procambarus clarkii, by applying carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses to replicated allopatric (alone) and sympatric (together) lake populations in western Washington State, USA, where P. clarkii has been recently introduced and P. leniusculus is presumed native. Our study corrected for potential inherent differences in lake food webs as a consequence of lake abiotic or biotic characteristics using random effects in linear mixed effects models. We found that although overall trophic niche size or area of these species was not significantly different, P. leniusculus was significantly higher in trophic position than P. clarkii when also accounting for the effects of body size, sex, and lakes as random effects. This pattern of increased trophic position of P. leniusculus over P. clarkii was conserved over time in one sympatric lake for which we had data over multiple years. Cumulatively, our findings point to trophic differences between the globally cosmopolitan crayfishes P. leniusculus and P. clarkii, particularly when accounting for the ways that ecosystem context can affect food web structure of communities and the trophic resources available to these consumers.     

Isolation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Campylobacter</Emphasis> spp. from Three Species of Antarctic Penguins in Different Geographic Locations

The presence of Campylobacter species was studied in three Antarctic penguin species, Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae), chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica) and gentoo (Pygoscelis papua). A total of 390 penguins were captured in 12 different rookeries along the Antarctic Peninsula with differences in the amount of human visitation: six colonies were highly visited [Stranger Point, King George Island (P. papua and P. adeliae); Hannah Point, Livingston Island (P. papua and P. antarctica); Deception Island (P. antarctica); and Paradise Bay, Antarctic Peninsula (P. papua)], and six colonies were rarely visited [Devil’s Point, Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island (P. papua); Cierva Cove, Antarctic Peninsula (P. papua); Rongé Island (P. papua and P. antarctica); Yalour Island (P. adeliae); and Avian Island (P. adeliae)]. A total of 23 strains were isolated from penguins from nine different rookeries. Campylobacter lari subsp. lari was isolated from eight samples (seven from P. papua and one from P. adeliae); C. lari subsp. concheus from 13 (ten from P. adeliae and three from P. antarctica) and C. volucris from two samples (both from P. papua). We did not find any significant differences in the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. between the populations in highly and rarely visited areas. This is the first report of C. lari subsp. concheus and C. volucris isolation from penguins in the Antarctic region.