The comparative anatomy and systematics of Jamaican Urocoptidae (Mollusca: Pulmonata)

Jamaican Urocoptidae can be assigned to three subfamilies, the Urocoptinae Pilsbry 1902, Apominae Paul 1982 and Microceraminae Pilsbry 1902, on shell and anatomical characters. Urocoptinae are characterized by a cylindrical or conical decollate shell; genitalia with an elongate spermatheca and no penial retractor muscle; the left ocular retractor arising from the pharyngeal retractor and both oculars divided anteriorly; a short or long radula (L/W ≏ 5 or ≏ 10) with V-shaped rows of teeth, no marginals and the mesocones and ectocones of laterals widely separated in alternating rows; and include the genera Urocoptis Beck, Anoma Albers and Spirostemma Pilsbry & Vanatta. The Apominae are characterized by elongate-cylindrical decollate shells; genitalia with a globular spermatheca and a penial retractor muscle; both ocular retractors arising from the pharyngeal and both divided anteriorly; an extremely long radula (L/W= 25–45) with narrow, weakly-lobed centrals flanked by two enormous laterals with ectocones reduced or absent, and 4–9 marginals; and include the genera Apoma Beck, Mychostoma Albers, Geoscala Pilsbry & Vanatta and Simplicervix Pilsbry. The type species of the type genera of both subfamilies occur in Jamaica and their anatomy is described. Jamaican Microceraminae include one species, Microceramus gossei (Pfeiffer) which has a conical, entire shell; genitalia with an oval spermatheca and no penial retractor muscle; neither ocular retractor arising from the pharyngeal and neither branched anteriorly; a short radula (L/W ≏ 5) with straight rows of lateral teeth and no marginals. Cladistic analysis suggests that Microceramus is the most primitive genus; that within the Urocoptinae Anoma and Spirostemma are more closely related to each other than either is to Urocoptis ; and that within the Apominae, Apoma is less closely related to Mychostoma, Geoscala and Simplicervix than they are to each other.     

Systematic and comparative anatomy of Cymbidieae (Orchidaceae)

Cymbideae comprise an assemblage of 28 genera nearly all of which are represented in this study. Their anatomy is relatively homogenous with the exception of Govenia , in which roots lack velamen and pseudobulb vascular bundles lack sclerenchyma, conditions that do not obtain in other genera. Marginal fibre bundles in leaves of Grammatophyllum and Porphyroglottis consist of clusters of thicker-walled, narrower, epidermis-facing fibres as well as thinner-walled, wider, mesophyll-facing fibres. This feature also occurs in some species of Maxillaria . Baculate tilosomes appear in the roots of a majority of genera in Cymbidieae, as they do in species of Maxillaria , confirming DNA analyses showing a close relationship between tribes Cymbidieae and Maxillarieae. Govenia is singled out both on anatomical and molecular grounds as being ill-placed in Cymbidieae. Cladistic analysis produces only a few tentative hypotheses of phylogenetic relationships among the 28 genera, showing that anatomical characters are of limited value in assessing affinities within this tribe. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 139 , 1–27.     

Asteropeia and Physena (Caryophyllales): A case study in comparative wood anatomy

Previous analyses ofAsteropeia andPhysena have not compared the wood anatomy of these genera to those of Caryophyllales s.l. Molecular evidence shows that the two genera from a clade that is a sister group of the core Caryophyllales. Synapomorphies of theAsteropeia-Physena clade include small circular alternate pits on vessels, presence of vasicentric tracheids plus fiber-tracheids, presence of abaxial-confluent plus diffuse axial parenchyma, and presence of predominantly uniseriate rays. These features are analyzed with respect to habit and ecology of the two genera. Solitary vessels, present in both genera, are related to the presence of vasicentric tracheids. Autapomorphies in the two genera seem related to adaptations byPhysena as a shrub of moderately dry habitats (e.g., narrower vessel elements, abundant vasicentric tracheids, square to erect cells in rays) as compared to alternate character expressions that seem related to the arboreal habit and humid forest ecology ofAsteropeia. The functional significance of vasicentric tracheids and fiber-tracheids in dicotyledons is briefly reviewed in the light of wood anatomy of the two genera.     

The comparative leaf anatomy of Agave, Beschorneria, Doryanthes and Furcraea species (Agavaceae: Agaveae)

The leaf anatomy is compared of 35 ppecies and one variety of Agave , three species of Furcraea , one species of Beschorneria and one species of Doryanrhes , four genera assigned to the tribe Agaveae by Hutchinson in his classification of the family Agavaceae. The genera can be readily differentiated by leaf anatomy. There are close similarities between Agave, Beschorneria and Furcraea , but Doryanthes differs widely from these genera. Sufficient anatomical differences exist to differentiate the Agave species examined.     

Wood anatomy of Penaeaceae (Myrtales): comparative, phylogenetic, and ecological implications

Wood samples of stems, lignotubers, and roots of the majority of species of Penaeaceae were analyzed with respect to qualitative and quantitative features. Virtually no data have hitherto been presented on xylem features of this family, restricted to Cape Province, South Africa. Presence of vestured pits in vessels, septate crystalliferous parenchyma in wood, intraxylary phloem, predominantly erect ray cells in the typically narrow, multiseriate rays and in the uniseriate rays, and amorphous deposits in ray cells place Penaeaceae securely in Myrtales and help to define that order. By comparison of ecological preferences of the species, as observed during field work, with quantitative analysis of conductive tissue, close correspondence of the wood structure to habit and habitat is demonstrated.     

The impacts of comparative anatomy of electric rays (Batoidea: Torpediniformes) on their systematic hypotheses

The Comparative anatomy of the 11 recognized genera within Torpediniformes is described, systematically categorized, and illustrated in a comprehensive photo‐atlas. Data are compiled into a character matrix and cladistically analyzed using parsimony to test hypotheses about the previously recognized subfamilies, while reconstructing the possible evolutionary history of Torpediniformes. Results are consistent with the previous rank‐based classifications, regardless of the parsimony criteria used to generate the phylogenetic hypothesis, with one notable exception: a monophyletic Narcininae was never recovered. Torpedinoidea (=Hypnos + Torpedo) is supported by the presence of long, slender, flexible jaw cartilages, absence of a large rostral fontanelle, presence of suprascapular antimeres that are each shorter than the scapular process of the scapulocoracoid, antorbital cartilages that articulate on the anterior aspect of the nasal capsules and absence of a frontoparietal fontanelle. Subfamilial names Hypninae and Torpedininae are redundant with the genus names Hypnos and Torpedo and are not adopted here. Narcinoidea (=nontorpedinoid torpediniforms) is supported by unambiguous character transformations to the presence of a divided lower lip, labial cartilages, laterolingually compressed palatoquadrates, bifurcated antorbital cartilages, a rostral fontanelle, ventrally projecting nasal capsules, a dorsal rim of the synarcual mouth posterior to occipital condyle, posteriorly positioned lateral stays, and obtuse anterior margins of lateral stays. Narkidae is supported by unambiguous character transformations to the presence of an uncovered eye that protrudes above dorsal surface, a shared rim between the spiracle and the eye, an anterior nasal turret that projects ventrally, a nasal curtain that covers the upper lip and dentition when the mouth is closed, tab‐like prepelvic processes, a mesopterygium that is shorter than propterygium but longer than metapterygium, a slender median rostral cartilage, and a basibranchial cartilage with an anterior margin that is depressed medially and a posterior margin that tapers. J. Morphol. 275:597–612, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The recent development and evaluation of a medical expert system (ABVAB)

A medical expert system for the diagnosis of abnormal vaginal bleeding named as ABVAB had been reported. This paper will describe the recent development of ABVAB and its clinical evaluation. The overall testing results are quite satisfactory in spite of the limitations of time and small domain. This expert system, by using the fuzzy and certainty factor concepts, is able to handle imprecise and incomplete medical knowledge which has become informative. The paper also analyses the relative degrees of importance of the history and physical examination data in making a medical diagnosis.     

The primate cortico-cerebellar system: anatomy and function

Evidence has been accumulating that the primate cerebellum contributes not only to motor control, but also to higher 'cognitive' function. However, there is no consensus about how the cerebellum processes such information. The answer to this puzzle can be found in the nature of cerebellar connections to areas of the cerebral cortex (particularly the prefrontal cortex) and in the uniformity of its intrinsic cellular organization, which implies uniformity in information processing regardless of the area of origin in the cerebral cortex. With this in mind, the relatively well-developed models of how the cerebellum processes information from the motor cortex might be extended to explain how it could also process information from the prefrontal cortex.     

Venomous auger snail Hastula (Impages) hectica (Linnaeus, 1758): molecular phylogeny, foregut anatomy and comparative toxinology

The >10,000 living venomous marine snail species [superfamily Conoidea (Fleming, 1822)] include cone snails (Conus), the overwhelming focus of research. Hastula hectica (Linnaeus, 1758), a venomous snail in the family Terebridae (M?rch, 1852) was comprehensively investigated. The Terebridae comprise a major monophyletic group within Conoidea. H. hectica has a striking radular tooth to inject venom that looks like a perforated spear; in Conus, the tooth looks like a hypodermic needle. H. hectica venom contains a large complement of small disulfide-rich peptides, but with no apparent overlap with Conus in gene superfamilies expressed. Although Conus peptide toxins are densely post-translationally modified, no post-translationally modified amino acids were found in any Hastula venom peptide. The results suggest that different major lineages of venomous molluscs have strikingly divergent toxinological and venom-delivery strategies.     

Hyalomma dromedarii (Acari: Ixodoidea: Ixodidae): Central and peripheral nervous system anatomy

TheHyalommadromedarii central nervous system, the synganglion, is an integrated nerve mass concentrated around the esophagus and formed by fusion of a small anterodorsal supraesophageal part an a large posteroventral subesophageal part. The supraesophageal part consists of the protocerebrum including a pair of optic ganglia, a pair of cheliceral ganglia, a pair of pedipalpal ganglia, and the stomodeal pons. The subesophageal part includes four paired pedal ganglia and the complex opisthosomatic ganglion. The peripheral nervous system includes the following pairs of nerves: optic, cheliceral, pedipalpal, primary and accessory (histologically traced); also unpaired pharyngeal and recurrent nerves, four pairs of pedal nerve trunks, each with a hemal branch, and two pairs of opisthosomatic nerves. Each peripheral nerve is traced distally to the innervation site. The salivary glands are innervated anteriorly by branches of the pedipalpal nerve and medially by branches of the hemal nerves associated with the third pedal nerves.Reprint request should be sent to: Medical Zoology Department, NAMRU-3, Fleet Post Office, New York 09527, U.S.A.     

The functional, comparative and evolutionary anatomy of myosins

Actins and myosins are generally present in all animal, plant and fungal cells, and in some, if not all, prokaryotes as well. It is proposed that, in general, myosins can carry specific loads as they move along actin filaments, thus mediating a form of active transport. Myosins exert their mechanical forces by a lever action (moklokinesis) of a part of the molecule: the S-1 "head" in the case of muscle myosins. Various portions of myosin molecules can be assigned specialized functions. Each such part can be designated by an appropriate functional name. Examples are: the enzyme portion (zymomere), the motor portion (dynamere), the lever portion (moklomere), a connecting portion (desmomere), a coupling or binding portion (haptomere), and one or more flexible portions (kamptomeres). These parts can be recognized in highly evolved and specialized muscle myosins and can be postulated in simpler, single headed myosins. A primitive myosin, represented principally by a moklomere equipped with a zymomere and a dynamere, is envisioned as an evolutionary ancestor of all myosins. This primitive myosin resembles the S-1 head of muscle myosin. I suggest that from such a primitive myosin, more elaborate single-headed myosins have evolved, equipped with specific haptomeres coupled to the moklomere by desmomeres and kamptomeres. From such general single-headed myosins have arisen the highly specialized two-headed myosins represented in muscle. It is suggested that the two-headed feature is favored in myosins capable of forming bipolar filaments.     

The adductor mandibulae muscle complex in lower teleostean fishes (Osteichthyes: Actinopterygii): comparative anatomy,synonymy, and phylogenetic implications

Bony fishes of the morphologically diverse infraclass Teleostei include more than 31 000 species, encompassing almost one‐half of all extant vertebrates. A remarkable anatomical complex in teleosts is the adductor mandibulae, the primary muscle in mouth closure and whose subdivisions vary in number and complexity. Difficulties in recognizing homologies amongst adductor mandibulae subdivisions across the Teleostei have hampered the understanding of the evolution of this system and consequently its application in phylogenetic analyses. The adductor mandibulae in representatives of all lower teleost orders is described, illustrated, and compared based on broad taxonomic sampling complemented by extensive literature information. Muscle division homologies are clarified via the application of a standardized homology‐driven anatomical terminology with synonymies provided to the myological terminologies of previous studies. Phylogenetic implications of the observed variations in the adductor mandibulae are discussed and new possible synapomorphies are proposed for the Notacanthiformes, Ostariophysi, Cypriniformes, Siluriphysi, Gymnotiformes, and Alepocephaloidei. New characters corroborate the putative monophyly of the clades Albuliformes plus Notacanthiformes (Elopomorpha), Argentinoidei plus Esocoidei plus Salmonoidei (Protacanthopterygii) and Hemiodontidae plus Parodontidae (Characiformes). We further confirm the validity of characters from the adductor mandibulae previously proposed to support the monophyly of the Esocoidei and the gonorynchiform clade Gonorynchoidei plus Knerioidei. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London     

Diversity of brood chambers in calloporid bryozoans (Gymnolaemata,Cheilostomata): comparative anatomy and evolutionary trends

Comparative anatomical studies of 12 species from 10 genera (Callopora, Tegella, Amphiblestrum, Parellisina, Corbulella, Crassimarginatella, Valdemunitella, Bryocalyx, Concertina, Cauloramphus) belonging to one of the largest and most diverse bryozoan taxa, the Calloporidae, and one species from the genus Akatopora belonging to the related taxon Antroporidae, were undertaken to elucidate the morphological diversity of brooding structures and to recognize main trends in their evolution. Most of the species studied possess ovicells (specialized brooding receptacles) formed by the distal and maternal (egg-producing) autozooids. The distal zooid can be an autozooid, a vicarious avicularium or a kenozooid. The calcified protective hood (ooecium) is an outgrowth from the distal zooid. Hyperstomial or prominent ovicells are most common. They were found in species of the genera Callopora, Tegella, Amphiblestrum, Parellisina, Corbulella, Bryocalyx and Concertina. Subimmersed ovicells were found in Valdemunitella, and immersed ovicells in Crassimarginatella and Akatopora. Cauloramphus has an internal brooding sac and a vestigial kenozooidal ooecium, budded by the maternal zooid. Based on the structure of the brooding organs, the following evolutionary trends can be recognized within the group: (1) reduction of the distal (ooecium-producing) zooid, (2) immersion of the brooding cavity correlated with a reduction of the ooecium and ooecial vesicle and with changes in the ovicell closure and the structure of the brood chamber floor, (3) reduction of the calcification of the ectooecium, and (4) transition from bilobate to entire ooecium. The trend towards immersion of the brooding cavity could have evolved repeatedly within the Calloporidae. Transition from bilobate to entire ooecium is characteristic of the related taxon Cribrilinidae, showing a good example of parallel evolution of the ooecium in two closely related clades. Possible causes for the transformations described are discussed.     

The subgenus Persicargas (Ixodoidea: Argasidae: Argas): A. (P.) arboreus central nervous system anatomy and histology

The anatomy and histology of the adult Argas (Persicargas) arboreus central nervous system are described and compared with these properties in other ticks. The single, integrated, central nerve mass (CNM) is formed by a fused supra-esophageal part (protocerebrum, cheliceral ganglia, palpal ganglia, and stomodeal pons) and a subesophageal part (4 pairs of pedal ganglia and the complex opisthosomatic ganglion). Single peripheral nerves (pharyngeal and recurrent) and paired peripheral nerves (compound protocerebral, cheliceral, palpal, pedal and opisthosomatic) extend from the CNM to body organs and appendages. Optic nerves, described in other Argas species, are not found in A. (P.) arboreus. Histologically, the CNM is enclosed by a thin-walled periganglionic blood sinus and invested by a collagenous neural lamella followed by a perineurial layer composed of glial cells and containing fine reticular spaces, a cortical layer of association, motor and neurosecretory cell bodies and glial cells, and inner neuropile regions of fiber tracts forming 5 horizontal levels of connectives and commissures.     

The mating system ofElatostema (Urticaceae) in relation to morphology: A comparative study

To investigate why some species are dioecious and others monoecious, a data set of 14 morphological characters in 106 species ofElatostema was regressed onto mating system using partial multiple regression (controlling for subgeneric classification to avoid spurious associations). Morphology and mating system are significantly related (p = 0.05), and dioecious species tend to have large stipules, woody habit, and large leaves. The correlation of dioecy with large stipules is reported for the first time, but this character, like woodiness, is an indicator of plant size, suggesting a functional relationship of large plants (of the under-canopy) with dioecy.     

Cranial anatomy and systematics of Hypacrosaurus altispinus,and a comparative analysis of skull growth in lambeosaurine hadrosaurids (Dinosauria: Ornithischia)

The cranial anatomy of the helmet‐crested lambeosaurine Hypacrosaurus altispinus (Ornithischia: Hadrosauridae) is described, with a focus on ontogenetic and individual variation in phylogenetically significant characters of the cranial crest, braincase, and facial skeleton. Cranial material of H. altispinus represents a relatively complete growth series that includes crestless juveniles of less than half the size of large individuals with fully developed crests. Cranial ontogeny is compared with other lambeosaurines using bivariate morphometrics and through qualitative comparison of a size‐standardized cranial growth series. Bivariate analyses reveal that the relative growth of the skull and cranial crest of H. altispinus and H. stebingeri are similar, and that Hypacrosaurus more closely resembles Corythosaurus than Lambeosaurus. Hypacrosaurus altispinus is systematically revised. The taxon is characterized by five autapomorphies, most of which are concentrated in the skull, as well as an enlarged terminal ischial foot. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian likelihood (Mk+gamma) phylogenetic analyses were conducted to test the monophyly of the genus. Hypacrosaurus monophyly is corroborated in light of new anatomical data. Although H. stebingeri and H. altispinus share few derived characters of the skull, the hypothesis that H. stebingeri is a metaspecies that represents the ancestor of H. altispinus cannot be rejected. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 159 , 398–434.