Monocotyledon fruits and seeds, and an associated palynoflora from Eocene-Oligocene sediments of coastal central Queensland, Australia

Fruits of Restionaceae and seeds of Typhaceae are described from a latest Eocene–Oligocene mudstone underlying oil shales in a subsurface sequence near Rockhampton, coastal central Queensland. The Restionaceae fruits are unilocular and encase a single pendulous orthotropous seed with a structured micropylar cap, which may be tannin filled. These are allocated to Restiocarpum gen. nov., which has as its type Restiocarpum latericum sp. nov., and four other taxa described herein; Restiocarpum tesselatum sp. nov., Restiocarpum verrucatum sp. nov., Restiocarpum laeve sp. nov., and Restiocarpum fusiforme sp. nov. Typhaspermum cooksoniae gen. et sp. nov., which accommodates asymmetric claviform seeds, is interpreted as a member of the Typhaceae based on the presence of a lid-like operculum, bitegmic wall, and chalazal cavity.

Reconstruction of the source plant community emphasizes similarities to restiad swamps of present day Wallum (swamp heathland) vegetation which is extensively developed along the Queensland coast. Biogeographic implications for the Restionaceae and Typhaceae are discussed.     

Tetrablemmidae (Arachnida, Araneae), a spider family newly recorded from China

The family Tetrablemmidae is reported for the first time from China, with five new species and one new genus. Lehtinenia gen. n., which is erected to accommodate Lehtinenia bicornis sp. n., is characterized by the modified embolus, special modifications on chelicerae, and a Tetrablemma-type vulva. The other four new species are: Ablemma prominens sp. n., Brignoliella caligiformis sp. n., Brignoliella maoganensis sp. n., and Tetrablemma brevidens sp. n., all collected from caves. A phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily Tetrablemminae based on 41 morphological characters shows that the tribe Brignoliellini is the most basal group in the subfamily, rather than the sister group to the tribe Fallablemmini. Lehtinenia gen. n. and the genera Ablemma, Sulaimania, and Maijana together form a monophyletic group.     

Helminth infracommunities in Litoria genimaculata (Amphibia: Anura) from Birthday Creek, and upland rainforest stream in Northern Queensland, Australia

The helminth fauna of Litoria genimaculata, a rainforest frog from northern Queensland, was quantified from 53 adult male frogs collected at monthly intervals between April 1990 and March 1991. The helminth fauna of this species was depauperate (6 species: Mesocoelium sp., Parapolystoma bulliense, Austraplectana sp., Onchocercidae gen. sp., Cosmocerca sp. and an unidentified nematode larva). The most commonly encountered species was P. bulliense, but the intestinal infracommanity was dominated by the digenean Mesocoelium sp. Fifty-five per cent of frogs were infected with only 1 helminth species and only 1 frog had more than 2 species, resulting in low diversity values. These results support previous studies which indicate that amphibians have depauperate helminth communities.     

Allozyme differentiation and relationships within Hypostomus Lacépède, 1803 (Osteichthyes: Loricariidae) from the upper Paraguay River basin, Brazil

Nine hypostomine populations from Manso Reservoir (Rio Manso and Rio Cuiabá, upper Paraguay River basin, Brazil) were surveyed using allozyme electrophoresis. Three, sampled at the same sites, were not identified to the species level and were designated as Hypostomus sp. 1, Hypostomus sp. 2 and Hypostomus sp. 3. The survey resulted in 25 loci from 14 scored enzyme systems. Allozyme data allowed diagnostic marker recording for all species analyzed, including the undescribed taxa. Mean expected heterozygosity values were quite variable, ranging from 0.029 to 0.079. Hypotheses to explain this variation are discussed. The allelic frequencies and Nei's genetic identity values showed that Hypostomus sp. 1, Hypostomus sp. 2 and Hypostomus sp. 3 should be considered true biological species, and distinct from the other five Hypostomus species and Pterygoplichthys anisitsi.     

鹤地水库浮游生物与富营养化特征分析*

于2000年丰水期和枯水期调查分析了鹤地水库的营养状态及浮游生物特征。结果表明:鹤地水库营养盐含量很高,综合营养状态指数评价为中一富营养化水平。浮游植物丰水期和枯水期的细胞密度分别为1950.5～3509.7×10⁴cells·L^-1和130.5～231.3×10⁴cells·L^-1,蓝藻中的微囊藻和席藻数量占细胞总数的83%以上。在丰水期和枯水期,浮游植物的群落结构均为蓝藻-绿藻-硅藻型,优势种为微囊藻和席藻。次优势种由丰水期蓝藻中的粘球藻,颤藻,绿藻中的衣藻,和硅藻中的颗粒直链藻等转变为枯水期的蓝藻门的水华束丝藻和硅藻门的颗粒直链藻等富营养化指示种。鹤地水库的浮游动物种类不多,但数量很高。丰水期的无节幼体和桡足幼体数量很多,但从优势种类来说,轮虫以曲腿龟甲轮虫,纵长异尾轮虫,剪形臂尾轮虫为主,枝角类的优势种为长额象鼻蚤;枯水期时无节幼体的数量最多,桡足幼体数量急剧下降,优势种类则转变为枝角类的长额象鼻蚤和桡足类的广布中剑水蚤。两个水期浮游动物的优势种类均是以耐污种和广布性种类为主。     

中国江西爱氏霉属三个新种

对江西省植物凋落物上的暗色丝孢真菌进行了调查研究,自植物枯枝上发现爱氏霉属3个新种——江西爱氏霉、井冈山爱氏霉和庐山爱氏霉,根据采集材料对其进行了详细的形态描述和显微拍照。爱氏霉属迄今已报道69个种。该属广布全球,多数种腐生于植物凋落物或沉水腐木上,未见作为植物病原菌引起植物病害的报道。     

Relationships between four novel ceratomyxid parasites from the gall bladders of labrid fishes from Heron Island, Queensland, Australia

Ceratomyxid parasites from the gall bladder of fishes from the family Labridae were examined for their taxonomic identity and their relatedness to other species of myxozoans. This paper describes four novel species Ceratomyxa choerodonae n. sp. from Choerodon cyanodus; Ceratomyxa cheilinae n. sp. from Cheilinus chlorourus; Ceratomyxa oxycheilinae n. sp. from Oxycheilinus digramma; and Ceratomyxa thalassomae n. sp. from Thalassoma lunare. Each species is characterised morphologically and small subunit (18 S) rDNA sequences were used in molecular phylogenetic analyses. Comparison of the small subunit rDNA sequences revealed four distinct species even though morphological differences indicated the presence of only two morphologically distinctive spore types. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the ceratomyxids from labrid fishes did not form a clade to the exclusion of all other myxosporeans and provides evidence that host relatedness is not a good character to discriminate between species within the genus Ceratomyxa.     

Four new species of Desmosomatidae Sars, 1897 (Crustacea: Isopoda) from the deep sea of the Angola Basin

From a total of 104 species and 1741 individuals of Isopoda, the material from DIVA-1 (DIVersity of the Atlantic benthos) contained 364 specimens belonging to Desmosomatidae Sars, 1897. They are represented by 10 genera and 27 species. Most species (93%) are new to science. Four species are described in this study (Eugerdella theodori sp. nov., Desmosoma renatae sp. nov., Torwolia tinbiene sp. nov. and Momedossa longipedis sp. nov.). A discussion of the genera Desmosoma Sars, 1864, Momedossa Hessler, 1970 and Torwolia Hessler, 1970 is presented.     

Questa (Annelida, Polychaeta, Orbiniidae) from Pacific regions — new species and reassessment of the genus Periquesta

On the basis of new material from various Pacific regions we critically evaluate the characters for the taxonomy of the genus Questa and the former Questidae, a taxon now concluded to be a lineage within the family Orbiniidae. Two new species, Questa retrospermatica sp. n. from Hawaii (with similar forms also from New Caledonia and China), and Questa fijiensis sp. n. from Fiji, are described, and the morphological character patterns and phylogeny of the genus are revisited on the basis of a cladistic analysis. The finding of Hawaiian material of a new species, Levinsenia hawaiiensis sp. n., similar to Periquesta canariensis Brito & Nunez, 2002 (=Levinsenia canariensis comb. n.), challenges the view that Periquesta Brito & Nunez, 2002 is closely related to Questa; rather, it belongs to Paraonidae as a junior synonym of Levinsenia Mesnil, 1897.     

Revision of the genus Noculacia Mayer, 1903 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidea) with the description of two new species

The genus Noculacia Mayer, 1903 is reviewed. Two new species, N. africana n. sp. and N. australiensis n. sp., are described based on material collected from southeast Africa and western-southern Australia, respectively. Noculacia bullata Mayer, 1903, the type species of the genus, is redescribed. Noculacia bogisa Mayer, 1903 is transferred to the genus Pseudoprotella Mayer, 1890 mainly on the basis of the presence of a well developed molar, the structure of pereopods 3 and 4, and the setal formula of the mandibular palp being 2-x-1. The genus Noculacia is presently composed of three species: N. africana n. sp., N. australiensis n. sp, and N. bullata Mayer, 1903. The genus Pseudoprotella is composed of P. bogisa (Mayer, 1903), P. inermis Chevreux, 1927, and P. phasma (Montagu, 1804).     

Chemical composition of essential oils of seven species of Eugenia from Monteverde, Costa Rica

The leaf essential oils of seven species of Eugenia from Monteverde, Costa Rica (Eugenia austin-smithii, Eugenia cartagensis, Eugenia haberi, Eugenia monteverdensis, Eugenia zuchowskiae, Eugenia sp. A aff. haberi, and Eugenia sp. B aff. oerstediana) have been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC–MS. The seven species were compared to determine the similarities and differences among their volatile chemical compositions. The major component in each of the seven species was as follows: E. austin-smithii and E. cartagensis was trans-2-hexenal, E. haberi and E. zuchowskiae was -pinene, E. monteverdensis was linalool, Eugenia sp. A was zingiberene, and Eugenia sp. B was 1,8-cineole. The following six components were present in all seven species: -copaene, β-caryophyllene, -humulene, δ-cadinene, trans-nerolidol, and torreyol. The complex array and differing abundances of these compounds among the Eugenia species studied suggest that they may provide useful characters in understanding the phylogenetic relationships among closely related species.     

宁波港压载水的细菌多样性研究

为揭示宁波港压载水的微生物群落结构在人类活动影响下的分布差异及对环境因子变化的响应趋势。该课题从压载水中分离细菌,通过微生物自动鉴定系统(Sherlock MIS)、分子生物学16S rRNA基因的PCR扩增及RFLP技术,对宁波港压载水的细菌结构特征进行比对和分析,并通过16S rRNA基因文库解析研究压载水中微生物群落多样性。结果表明印度洋水样中存在假交替单胞菌属(Pseudoalteromonas sp.)、交替单胞菌属(Alteromonas sp.)、海杆菌属(Marinobacter sp.)和玫瑰杆菌属(Roseobacter sp.)、肠杆菌属(Enterobacter sp.);新加坡水样中存在人苍白杆菌属(Ochrobactrum sp.)、甲基杆菌属(Methylobacterium sp.)、鞘鞍醇单胞菌(Sphingomonas sp.)、嗜冷杆菌属(Psychrobacter sp.)、假单胞菌(Pseudomonas sp.)、伯克霍尔德氏菌(Burkholderia sp.)和葡萄球菌属(Staphylococcus sp.)假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas sp.);而美洲水样中存在弧菌属(Vibrio sp.)、军团菌属(Legionella sp.)、莫拉氏菌属(Moraxella sp.)和不动杆菌属(Acinetobacter sp.)。压载水中含有大量的潜在致病菌。     

枸杞红瘿蚊对寄主植物挥发物的电生理和行为反应

植物挥发物是植食性昆虫定位寄主的重要信息物质。枸杞红瘿蚊是宁夏枸杞的主要成灾害虫,野外发现其雌虫对枸杞幼嫩花蕾具有更强的产卵趋性。为明确枸杞红瘿蚊对枸杞不同阶段花蕾挥发物的选择差异性,解析吸引其选择产卵的关键信息化学物质,采用顶空固相微萃取法和气相色谱-质谱联用技术(GC-MS),系统研究枸杞幼嫩花蕾和成熟花蕾挥发物的成分差异,选择幼嫩花蕾挥发物中的特有成分及其与成熟花蕾挥发物共有成分共8种作为候选挥发物;通过气相色谱-触角电位联用仪(GC-EAD)和Y型嗅觉仪,测定枸杞红瘿蚊对上述挥发物的电生理和行为反应,筛选关键活性挥发物。结果显示: 枸杞幼嫩花蕾和成熟花蕾挥发物的种类和释放量存在明显差异;8种化合物能激发枸杞红瘿蚊产生持续触角电生理反应,其中,有5种[3-蒈烯、莰烯、萜品油烯、d-柠檬烯和(+)-α-蒎烯]能刺激枸杞红瘿蚊产生显著趋向或躲避行为。利用枸杞挥发物设计枸杞红瘿蚊引诱剂或忌避剂,可为田间安全防控红瘿蚊提供新的途径。     

A retrospective study of the microbiological and parasitological status of laboratory rodents in France

Between 1988 and 1997, 72 mouse colonies and 38 rat colonies were examined for the presence of bacteria parasite infections. Among mouse and rat bacteria, high positive rates were observed with Proteus species (sp.), Pasteurella pneumotropica, Mycoplasma sp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Concerning murine colonies, parasites frequently detected were Tritrichomonas sp., Syphacia sp., Aspiculuris tetraptera, Entamoeba muris, Spironucleus muris, Myobia musculi, Chilomastix sp. and Myocoptes musculinus. In rats, high rates were obtained with Syphacia sp., Tritrichomonas sp., Spironucleus muris, Entamoeba muris and Chilomastix sp. During the first part of the last decade, some agents such as Clostridium piliforme, Citrobacter sp., Mycoplasma sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Myobia musculi, Radfordia ensifera, Spironucleus muris and Giardia muris were often found among rodents, and most of them were still present in 1997. At the time of our study, results point out that some agents are still persistent, even increasing during the same period. It is particularly the case for parasites such as Entamoeba muris and the oxyurids, but also for bacteria like Proteus sp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae. We can thus conclude that only very limited success has been achieved in preventing microbial and parasitic infections in mice and rats colonies.     

Loss of Symbiodinium from bleached soft corals Sarcophyton ehrenbergi, Sinularia sp. and Xenia sp.

The deleterious effects of temperature-induced coral bleaching, a process by which corals lose their endosymbiotic algae (zooxanthellae; genus Symbiodinium) primarily at temperatures above mean yearly maximums, has not been well described for alcyonacean soft corals (Coelenterata, Octocorallia). The study of Symbiodinium cells lost from Sarcophyton ehrenbergi, Sinularia sp., and Xenia sp., which have not been compared in bleaching studies, indicate that the soft coral S. ehrenbergi released the greatest number of symbiont cells, however, it was less susceptible to heat stress surviving temperatures of 34 °C for >39 h. Sinularia sp. showed intermediate levels of bleaching tolerance to elevated temperatures, surviving prolonged exposures at 32 °C, but dying within 24 h at 34 °C. Xenia sp., however, was the most vulnerable to high heat stress maximally releasing Symbiodinium at temperatures ≤30 °C. This evidence indicates that Xenia sp. is even more susceptible to elevated temperatures than Acropora spp., previously reported to be the most vulnerable coral species to elevated temperature-induced bleaching.

Molecular analysis showed that the more resistant soft coral species (S. ehrenbergi) had the same type of Symbiodinium (clade C) as less resistant soft corals (Xenia sp.). In comparison to scleractinian corals collected from the same region that show similar bleaching resistance to high temperatures (e.g. Porities solida—more robust; Favites complanata—moderate resistance; Acropora hyacinthus—less robust), all scleractinian corals were symbiotic with Symbiodinium from clade C. A. hyacinthus, however, was found to possess multiple symbionts (clades B and C), and this represents a first report of Clade B in any Acropora species.     

Analysis of population dynamics of diamondback moth, (Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)) at two sites in central Ethiopia, with particular reference to parasitism

Change in diamondback moth (DBM) (Plutella xylostella L.) numbers and level of parasitism on head cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) was monitored for two seasons in two different agroecological zones representing the highland and lowland brassica-producing areas of central Ethiopia in 2001 and 2002. Two to three generations in the highland site and three to five generations in the lowland site per cabbage growing season were observed. Three parasitoids were recorded at both locations. These were Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Diadegma sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), and Apanteles sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Diadegma sp. was the dominant parasitoid at the highland site and O. sokolowskii was dominant at the lowland site. Rainfall and maximum temperature significantly influenced DBM numbers and parasitoid activity at the highland experimental site.     

苹果树腐烂病菌拮抗放线菌的筛选、鉴定及防效

以苹果树腐烂病菌为靶标菌,通过对峙法和生长速率法对分离自苹果树根际土壤的放线菌进行筛选,对筛选出的拮抗菌株通过形态学和分子生物学特征进行鉴定,并测定了拮抗菌ZZ-9发酵滤液对苹果树腐烂病菌孢子萌发和菌丝生长的影响及离体枝条防效.结果表明: 经对峙初筛,15株放线菌对苹果树腐烂病菌具有抑菌作用,占所分离株数的18.8%,其中抑制率>50%的有8株.复筛结果表明,ZZ-9对腐烂病菌抑制率最高,达96.4%,显著高于其他菌株;通过培养特征、生理生化特性及16S rDNA序列分析将菌株ZZ-9初步鉴定为娄彻氏链霉菌,其在GenBank上的序列登录号为KT986228;不同稀释倍数的ZZ-9发酵滤液对腐烂病孢子萌发及菌丝生长均有明显的抑制作用,其中50倍发酵滤液对孢子萌发抑制率和菌丝生长抑制率均达80%以上,且受抑制菌丝颜色加深,分支增多,末端膨大、畸形,出现原生质浓缩与释放现象;离体枝条防效试验表明,菌株ZZ-9发酵原液对苹果树腐烂病防效可达75%以上,表明该菌株可作为防治苹果树腐烂病的生防菌株.