A Brief Report on the Chromosome Number of Neodiplogaster pinicola and Panagrellus redivivoides (Nematoda: Rhabditida)

Both Neodiplogaster pinicola and Panagrellus redivivoides reproduce amphimictically, with XO type of sex determination. In N. pinicola, primary spermatocytes have six bivalent chromosomes and one univalent; after two meiotic divisions, sperm are produced with either six or seven chromosomes. In primary oocytes, with seven bivalents, meiosis is initiated by entrance of a sperm. After two meiotic divisions, three polar nuclei are produced, and egg and sperm pronuclei fuse. Cleavage begins after the egg is laid. Males have a 2n number of 13 chromosomes; females, 14. In P. redivivoides, primary spermatocytes have four bivalents and one univalent. After two meiotic divisions, spermatids are produced with either four or five well separated chromosomes. In primary oocytes, the first maturation division is initiated after penetration of a sperm; after two meiotic divisions, each egg has five chromosomes. Cleavage begins immediately after fusion of egg and sperm pronuclei, and embryonic development and hatching occur within the uterus. Males have a 2n chromosome number of 9; females, 10.     

A comparative ultrastructural analysis of spermatogenesis in nemertean worms

Spermatogenesis has been analyzed by electronmicroscopy in eleven species of nemertean worms.Nemertean testes are serially repeated sacs thatcontain germ cells as well as somatic cells ofenigmatic function. In members of the class Enopla,intragonadal muscle cells and distinct clones ofdeveloping sperm are typically present in the testes,whereas such muscles and clones tend to be absent or lessconspicuous in species belonging to the class Anopla.During spermiogenesis, either a compact (5 µm long)or an elongate (6–40 µm long) sperm head develops, andan acrosome forms at the anterior end of the head. Themature spermatozoon of all benthic species examinedalso possesses a mitochondrial component and a tailconsisting of a single flagellum with a 9+2arrangement of microtubules. In the pelagic enoplanNectonemertes, however, numerous flagella occurin the testes but are rarely observed attached tosperm heads, owing either to poor preservation or thepossible sloughing of tails during spermatogenesis.The morphologies of the sperm produced by variousspecies seem to be related to the modes offertilization, as compact-headed sperm are associatedwith external fertilization, and elongate-headed spermare often found in species that utilize internalfertilization or pseudocopulation. However, somenemerteans utilize an external mode of fertilizationand yet produce elongate-headed sperm. The possiblesignificance of such sperm is discussed.     

Oogenesis and the Chromosomes of the Parthenogenic Root-knot Nematode Meloidogyne incognita

220 populations of Meloidogyne incognita and related forms from 46 countries reproduced by mitotic parthenogenesis (apomixis). Determination of somatic chromosome numbers from oogonia and oocytes revealed the existence of a predominant, possibly triploid race A with 3n = 40 to 46 and a rare, diploid race B with 2n = 32 to 36 chromosomes. There is no correlation between cytological races and the four recognized host races of this species. The characteristic behavior of prophase I chromosomes of maturing oocytes, which results in a prolonged prophase stage, is a unifying feature of all forms of M. incognita and supports monophyletic evolution, distinct from that of other Meloidogyne species. Extensive chromosomal polymorphism detected among populations can be helpful in elucidating the cytological pathway of evolution of the species.     

中国部分杨属植物的染色体数目

对中国杨属Populus L. 5组14种(银白杨P. alba L.、河北杨P. hopeiensis Hu & Chow、毛白杨P. tomentosa Carr.、欧洲山杨P. tremula L.、小叶杨P. simonii Carr.、辽杨P. maximowiczii Henry、大青杨 P. ussuriensis Kom. 、青杨P. cathayana Rehd.、小青杨P. pseudo-simonii Kitag.、香杨P. koreana Rehd.、毛果杨P. trichocarpa Torr. & Grog.、大叶杨P. lasiocarpa Oliv.、欧洲黑杨P. nigra L.、胡杨P. euphratica Oliv.),3变种(新疆杨P. alba L. var. pyramidalis Bge.、箭秆杨P. nigra L. var. thevestina Bean.、钻天杨P. nigra L. var. italica (moench.) Koehne),3杂交种(小钻杨P.×xiaozhuanica W. Y. Hsu & Liang、北京杨P.×beijingensis W. Y. Hsu、加杨P.×canadensis Moench、晚花杨P.×canadensis Moench cv. “serotina” 、沙兰杨P.×canadensis Moench cv. “Sacrau 79”和意大利214杨P.×canadensis Moench cv. “I-214”)进行了染色体计数。发现白杨组的毛白杨P. tomentosa Carr. 、 黑杨组的沙兰杨P. ×canadensis Moench cv. “Sacrau 79”和意大利214杨P. × canadensis Moench cv. “I-214”为三倍体(2n=3x=57),其余均为二倍体(2n=2x=38)。     

Who gets the gametes? An argument for a points system for fertility patients

This paper argues that the convention of allocating donated gametes on a ‘first come, first served’ basis should be replaced with an allocation system that takes into account more morally relevant criteria than waiting time. This conclusion was developed using an empirical bioethics methodology, which involved a study of the views of 18 staff members from seven U.K. fertility clinics, and 20 academics, policy‐makers, representatives of patient groups, and other relevant professionals, on the allocation of donated sperm and eggs. Against these views, we consider some nuanced ways of including criteria in a points allocation system. We argue that such a system is more ethically robust than ‘first come, first served’, but we acknowledge that our results suggest that a points system will meet with resistance from those working in the field. We conclude that criteria such as a patient's age, potentially damaging substance use, and parental status should be used to allocate points and determine which patients receive treatment and in what order. These and other factors should be applied according to how they bear on considerations like child welfare, patient welfare, and the effectiveness of the proposed treatment.     

The effect of ploidy level on fitness in parthenogenetic flatworms

Although polyploidy plays an important role in speciation, its impact on fitness is still debated. One problem is that its adaptive significance can only be inferred by comparing forms with different ploidy that are identical in all other traits. This situation is uncommon, presumably because ploidy types often differ in reproduction mode, genetic background or habitat. Here we compare fitness in a system of triploid and tetraploid karyotypes of the planarian flatworm Schmidtea polychroa . Both types have the same type of sperm-dependent parthenogenesis and share the same genetic background and habitat. Hence, fitness differences, if any, can be attributed to different ploidy levels only. Contrary to the general assumption of a positive correlation between fitness and ploidy level, we showed that triploids produced 58% more offspring than tetraploids. Within each ploidy type, we identified groups of highly related clones using microsatellites. Significant variation among clonal groups in body size, offspring and cocoon number and hatching time indicated a genetic basis for variance in these traits. A small model shows that despite low fitness of tetraploids, stable coexistence of triploids and tetraploids can be explained by the recurrent origin of triploids from tetraploids and vice versa.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 85 , 191–198.     

Reproductive cycle of the Azorean endemic land snail Oxychilus (Drouetia) brincki Riedel, 1964 (Gastropoda: Pulmonata)

The life history of Oxychilus (Drouetia) brincki (Riedel, 1964), an endemic species from Santa Maria island (Azores), is addressed here for the first time. One population was analyzed for 1 year, to study the reproductive cycle and to assess the validity of three morphometric parameters as maturation diagnostic characters. The positive correlation between morphometric parameters (maximum diameter and number of whorls) can be useful to define the reproductive maturation status particularly during the active reproductive season. Oxychilus brincki is reproductively active between May and October/November; the residual values of mature oocytes between February and April allow reproduction to occur throughout the year. Our observations on gonadal maturation show that there is a functional protandric tendency and that photoperiod probably triggers the maturation process, whereas temperature acts mainly as a regulatory factor. Contrary to other terrestrial pulmonate snails that have a well demarcated reproductive cycle, Azorean species are gametogenically active throughout almost all the year.     

High‐density aggregations of rodlet cells in the gonads of Greenland halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides,a deep‐water marine flatfish

Large aggregations of rodlet cells in the gonads of male and female Greenland halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides are reported for the first time. These rodlet cells were not arranged epithelially but rather were found throughout the connective tissue between oocytes (females) or within lymphatic spaces between testicular lobules (males). The reason for large aggregations of rodlet cells in the gonads and not other tissues of this species is uncertain.     

植物雌配子体发育研究进展

高等植物雌配子体的形成涉及孢原细胞和大孢子母细胞的确立与分化、大孢子发生、功能大孢子以及胚囊的形成和发育等多种复杂调控过程。随着当代生物技术及功能基因组学的发展,近年对雌配子体发育的研究已从细胞学描述逐渐过渡到对基因和发育调控分子机理的探索。以拟南芥、水稻和玉米等模式植物为材料进行的相关研究,丰富了人们对于植物雌配子体和其它有性生殖过程遗传调控机理的认识。本文着重阐述了植物雌配子体发生和发育过程,并综述了这一领域最新研究进展。     

Social mechanisms of population regulation in a captive group of bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata)

The purpose of the present paper is to evaluate the factors that contributed to annual variation in fertility and infant survival in a relatively undisturbed captive group of bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) over a 16-year period. The size and composition of this population fluctuated over time, and these changes were consistently associated with changes in female fertility and infant survival. Female fertility was highest when there were relatively few adult females in the group and when there were relatively few adult females per adult male. Similarly, infant survival was highest in years when there were relatively few adult females present and when cohorts of infants were small. Since environmental factors, such as availability of food and vulnerability to predation, were unlikely to constrain population growth in captivity, the data suggest that other mechanisms may have affected demographic processes in this captive group.     

蝴蝶兰19个品种染色体数目分析

采用常规压片法对19个蝴蝶兰品种的染色体数目进行了分析,结果表明四倍体品种居多,占57.9%,三倍体占10.5%,非整倍体占31.6%。两个三倍体品种‘幻想’和‘满天红’自交和杂交均不结实,表现出三倍体的一般特征。