Karyological studies of some species of the Mongolian flora

The paper gives the chromosome numbers for 38 species of the Mongolian Flora. Some of the counts appear to be the first findings for the species. They are:Allium anisopodium 2n = 16, Caltha membranacea 2n = 32, Carex macroura 2n = 50, Carex redowskiana 2n = 26, Gastrolychnis brachypetala 2n = 72, Iris biglumis 2n = 40, Iris flavissima 2n = 28 andVicia multicaulis 2n = 24.     

Effectiveness of supervised control practices in lowering population densities of synanthropic flies on poultry ranches

Significant reductions of the average densities of 7 Diptera:Musca domestica L.,Muscina stabulans (Fallen),Fannia canicularis (L.),F. femoralis (Stein),Ophyra leucostoma (Wiedemann),Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), andPhaenicia spp. were attained over a 20-month period on poultry ranches that were under supervision in southern California by favoring the natural increase of predatory and scavenger arthropods and by periodic inoculative releases of 4 parasitic Hymenoptera. The importance of a long range management plan is emphasized. Releases of parasitic Hymenoptera during spring months had an apparent greater direct effect on fly population reduction than did similar releases in the summer. Autumn releases were not evaluated through a temporary ban on sampling breeding habitats in the wake of a Newcastle Disease outbreak. The importance of habitat stability and exotic importations of beneficial species are discussed.     

TheAzotobacter flora of some Czechoslovakian watercourses

The occurrence of Azotobacter in some Szechoslovakian watercourses has been investigated. Several strains belonging to A. chroococcum and A. beijerinckii were isolated from 7 out of 18 samples. A. insignis has been isolated from the flowing water of Lake Machovo at Doksy. This is first report of this strictly aquatic Azotobacter species in Czechoslovakian watercourses. The taxonomy of the genus Azotobacter was discussed against the background of the existing knowledge resulting mainly from other taxonomic techniques than those based on the phenotypically expressed characters.     

Fractional makeup of the lipids of some yeast species]

The fractional composition of lipids was studied in 32 yeast strains belonging to the genera of Rhodotorula Harrison, Lipomyces Lodder et Kreger van Rij and Cryptococcus Kutz. The effect of C/N ratio in the growth medium on the content of various lipid fractions was studied. Lipids of the most studied cultures were found to contain di- and triglycerides, waxes, free fatty acids, sterines, their esters, and phospholipids. The fraction of monoglycerides was also detected in Rhodotorula and three species of Cryptococcus, but not in Lipomyces and Cr. laurentii. If C/N ratio equals 10, the predominant lipid component in Lipomyces is triglycerides, and in Rhodoturula and Cryptococcus phospholipids. The fraction of triglycerides prevailed in all cultures at C/N ratio of 100. The content of phospholipids decreased with an increase of C/N ratio in the medium from 10 to 100.     

Cuticular hydrocarbons from six species of tephritid fruit flies

Cuticular alkanes obtained from larvae and adults of six species of tephritid fruit flies, Anastrepha ludens, A. suspensa, Ceratitis capitata, C. rosa, Dacus cucurbitae, and D. dorsalis were analyzed by gas chromatography. The same four major alkanes were shown to be present by capillary GC-mass spectra in all Anastrepha and Ceratitis larvae. Profiles were obtained from individual larvae and adult specimens that showed statistical differences between species, whereas profiles of conspecific life forms including pupae of A. suspensa from different locations showed some similarities. Sexual dimorphism was not observed in alkanes extracted from adults. A novel series of alkadienes was found in all Anastrepha and Ceratitis but not in Dacus.     

Two new species for the flora of Panama

Two new species from upland Panama,Licania chiriquiensis Prance (Chrysobalanaceae), andDichapetalum gentryi Prance. (Dichapetalaceae), are described and illustrated, and their relationships within their respective genera are discussed.     

Size specific demography of three species of Anastrepha fruit flies

Individuals of three Anastrepha species: A. obliqua, A. ludens, and A. serpentina (Diptera: Tephritidae), were sorted according to pupal weight in cohorts of large and small flies. Demographic parameters and reproductive patterns and heterogeneity were determined for each cohort. Large flies of the three species presented greater expectation of life and gross fecundity rates. A. ludens was the species with the longest life span (expectation of life of large adults was 110 days) and the greatest gross fecundity rates (1597 eggs/female for the large flies). While, A. obliqua had the shortest mean age of reproduction (33 days), and the greatest daily egg production (14 eggs/female/day). Net fecundity was similar in these two. A. serpentina had lower fecundity rates.Reproductive information for each size and each species include: age-by-parity relations, fraction of sexually mature life in which females lay eggs, and frequency distribution of individual egg production. Results demonstrate that even under constant laboratory conditions and using standard artificial hosts, there is a great deal of life history variation among these Anastrepha species and among other tephritid fruit flies.     

Enterococcal and streptococcal species isolated from faeces of calves, young cattle and dairy cows

Faeces from non-ruminating calves were found to contain several species of enterococci: Enterococcus avium, Ent. cecorum, Ent. durans, Ent. faecalis, Ent. faecium and Ent. hirae. Enterococcus faecalis was the most frequent. Few of these animals carried streptococci.
Streptococcus bovis largely predominated in ruminating calves, young cattle and dairy cows. Other streptococci as well as enterococci were infrequent in dairy cows, but a variety of other streptococci and enterococci were found in the faeces of young ruminating animals.     

Parasitoid hymenopterans of Costa Rica: Geographical distribution of the species associated with fruit flies [Diptera: Tephritidae]

The geographical distribution of the parasitoid species associated with fruit flies in Costa Rica is presented. In a study of 319 fruit samples infested with larvae of fruit flies, collected from 135 localities, 8 parasitoid species were recovered from 11.0% of the fruit samples. Two species are considered to be indigenous, two were introduced for the biological control ofCeratitis capitata (Wiedemann) in this country, at least 3 unidentified species of eucoiline cynipoids and one species of uncertain origin was found for the first time. The identified parasitoids were:Doryctobracon crawfordi (Viereck) (indigenous),D. areolatus (Szépligeti) (indigenous),Biosteres longicaudatus Ashmead (introduced),Aceratoneuromyia indica (Silvestri) (introduced) andTrichopria sp. (indigenous?). The introduced species were more frequently associated withAnastrepha spp. than withC. capitata. The need for systematic monitoring of populations of released parasitoid species is suggested.     

Enterococcal and streptococcal species isolated from faeces of calves, young cattle and dairy cows.

Faeces from non-ruminating calves were found to contain several species of enterococci: Enterococcus avium, Ent. cecorum, Ent. durans, Ent. faecalis, Ent. faecium and Ent. hirae. Enterococcus faecalis was the most frequent. Few of these animals carried streptococci. Streptococcus bovis largely predominated in ruminating calves, young cattle and dairy cows. Other streptococci as well as enterococci were infrequent in dairy cows, but a variety of other streptococci and enterococci were found in the faeces of young ruminating animals.     

Staphylococcus muscae, a new species isolated from flies.

A new coagulase-negative species of the genus Staphylococcus, Staphylococcus muscae, is described on the basis of the results of a study of four strains that were isolated from flies. 16S rRNA sequences of the type strains of S. muscae, Staphylococcus schleiferi, and Staphylococcus sciuri were determined and used, together with the corresponding sequences of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, for a comparative analysis. The new species is characterized taxonomically; this species is differentiated from the other novobiocin-susceptible staphylococci by its physiological and biochemical activities, cell wall composition, and levels of genetic relatedness. The type strain of this species is strain MB4 (= CCM 4175).