Genetic polymorphism in sympatric species of the genus Phlebotomus, with special reference to Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus longicuspis (Diptera, Phlebotomidae)

The Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA assay was used to study genetic variation within and between five Phlebotomus species belonging to three subgenera: P. (Larroussius) ariasi, P. (L.) longicuspis, P. (L.) perniciosus, P.(Paraphlebotomus) sergenti and P. (Phlebotomus) papatasi sympatric in southern Spain and proven vector of leishmaniasis. Two cluster analysis were proposed: one according to sandfly species and populations, the second according individual specimens of Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus longicuspis s.l. and intermediate morphological specimens between these species. The results obtained are closely correlated with the taxonomy classically accepted for the subgenera and with the automatic classifications made by other authors which use morphological and isoenzymatic data. The validity of the species Phlebotomus longicuspis is also discussed.     

Bloodmeal digestion in the midgut of Phlebotomus papatasi and Phlebotomus langeroni

Abstract. Bloodmeal digestion in midguts of the sandflies Phlebotomus papatasi and Phlebotomus langeroni (Diptera: Psychodidae) was investigated in optimized assays to detect general protease, trypsin and aminopeptidase activities using synthetic substrates. Optimal activity occurred at pH 8-9 for all enzymes examined in both species. Protease activity peaked at 24-34h post human bloodmeal in midguts of P.papatasi and 34-48h in P'.langeroni; all endo- and exoprotease activities were completed by 50 h in P.papatasi compared to 72 h in P. langeroni. Hydrolysis of two chymotrypsin substrates was <2% of trypsin activity in both species. Aminopeptidase activity was associated mainly with the midgut wall, whereas trypsin activity was confined to the midgut lumen. A feature of digestion in P.langeroni was the high level of aminopeptidase recorded within 10h of the bloodmeal.     

中国扁桃亚属四种野生扁桃的系统发育与物种分化

基于核基因ITS序列研究中国4种野生扁桃: 新疆野扁桃(Amygdalus ledebouriana)、蒙古扁桃(A. mongolica)、长柄扁桃(A. pedunculata)和西康扁桃(A. tangutica)的系统发育关系和物种分化, 为4种植物的遗传与演化研究提供数据支撑。利用单倍型网络和主坐标分析揭示单倍型的聚类关系; 利用最大似然树和贝叶斯系统树分析单倍型的系统发育关系; 利用R语言“ecospat”包分析4种扁桃的生态位分化及其环境驱动因子。4种扁桃ITS1-ITS4片段总长为634 bp, 鉴别出27个核苷酸变异位点, 共定义了28个单倍型。4种扁桃种间最小遗传距离均大于种内最大遗传距离, 种间存在显著的遗传分化。4种扁桃的单倍型聚为两支: 新疆野扁桃、蒙古扁桃和西康扁桃聚为一支, 长柄扁桃为另一支; 单倍型网络和主坐标分析揭示的单倍型聚类关系与系统树一致。西康扁桃与蒙古扁桃、与长柄扁桃之间均表现出了显著的生态位分化, 最暖月最高气温、年平均气温、最冷月最低气温和最暖季降水量是驱动物种生态位分化的关键因子。     

煤炭开采对野生植物物种丰富度和物种组成的影响

煤炭开采引发的生态环境破坏早已引起关注,对其破坏机理和修复方法进行研究显得非常重要。本文探讨了煤炭开采对野生植物物种丰富度和物种组成成分的影响。从分布在晋西北地区的338个煤矿中,随机选择16个煤矿作为研究对象,调查了煤炭采空区和非采空区地面的野生植物物种,用Gleason丰富度指数分析了煤矿采空区和非采空区的野生植物物种丰富度差异,同时用Srensen指数分析了煤炭采空区野生植物物种组成成分和非采空区植物物种组成成分的相似性。结果表明:煤炭开采造成了野生植物物种数的减少,采空区的野生物种丰富度明显少于非采空区;煤炭开采也造成了野生植物物种组成成分的变化,采空区和非采空区的野生植物物种组成成分出现明显差异。     

Genome size in wild Pisum species

Genome size was measured in 75 samples of the wild pea species Pisum abyssinicum, P. elatius, P. fulvum and P. humile by ethidium-bromide (EB) flow cytometry (internal standard: Triticum monococcum) and Feulgen densitometry (internal standard: Pisum sativum Kleine Rheinländerin). Total variation of EB-DNA between samples covered 97.7% to 114.9% of the P. sativum value, and Feulgen DNA values were strongly correlated with EB-DNA values (r=0.9317, P < 0.001). Only P. fulvum was homogeneous in genome size (108.9% of P. sativum). Wide variation was observed between samples in P. abyssinicum (100.9–109.7%), P. elatius (97.7–114.9%) and P. humile (98.3–111.1% of P. sativum). In view of the world-wide genome size constancy in P. sativum, the present data are interpreted to show that the pea taxa with variable genome size are genetically inhomogeneous and that the current classification is not sufficient to describe the biological species groups adequately.     

A new species of Phlebotomus subgenus Euphlebotomus (Psychodidae) from Afghanistan

Abstract. A new species of sandfly Phlebotomus (Euphlebotomus) caudatus sp. n. is described from three males captured at two points in mountains near Farah-Rud, Western Afghanistan.