Morphology and Morphogenesis of Fuscheria terricola n. sp. and Spathidium muscorum (Ciliophora: Kinetofragminophora)1

The morphology and morphogenesis of the kinetofragminophoran soil ciliates, Fuscheria terricola n. sp. and Spathidium muscorum Dragesco & Dragesco-Kerneis, 1979, are described. Stained specimens (protargol) are characterized biometrically. The new species differs from the other species of the genus in its body size, body shape, number of kineties, length of extrusomes, and habitat. Both species have telokinetal stomatogenesis, which commences with a proliferation of kinetosomes at those kineties which bear the brosse. Fuscheria terricola does not have a complex perioral ciliature; indeed, it might be that this species has only monokinetids. Thus only a proliferation of kinetosomes and the separation of the kineties takes place in the prospective division furrow. In contrast, S. muscorum differentiates short dikinetid kinetofragments in the region of the division furrow, which are arranged to form the perioral kinety of the opisthe in the intermediate and late stages of the stomatogenesis. The right part of the perioral kinety develops first. This and other studies show that telokinetal stomatogenesis proceeds very differently depending on the differentiation of the oral ciliature; however, detailed studies on the morphogenesis of kinetofragminophoran ciliates are still too few in number for subtypes to be defined.     

Combined phylogenetic analysis of a new North American fossil species confirms widespread Eocene distribution for stem rollers (Aves,Coracii)

We report a nearly complete skeleton of a new species of stem roller (Aves, Coracii) from the early Eocene Green River Formation of North America. The new species is most closely related to two species‐depauperate lineages, Coraciidae (rollers) and Brachypteraciidae (ground rollers), that form a monophyletic crown clade (Coracioidea) with an exclusively Old World extant distribution. Phylogenetic analysis utilizing a matrix of 133 morphological characters and sequence data from three genes (RAG‐1, c‐myc, and ND2) identifies the new species as a stem member of the Coracii more closely related to the crown clade than the only previously identified New World taxon, Primobucco mcgrewi. The phylogenetic placement of the new species and Primobucco mcgrewiindicates a widespread northern hemisphere distribution in the Eocene with subsequent restriction to Africa, Madagascar, Australia, and temperate to tropical parts of Europe and Asia. It provides evidence of further ecological diversity in early stem Coracii and convergence on crown morphologies. The new species contributes to mounting evidence that extant distributions for major avian subclades may be of comparatively recent origin. Further late Palaeogene sampling is needed to elucidate potential drivers for shifting avian distributions and disappearance of Coracii from North America. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 157 , 586–611.     

The vegetation of seacliffs and headlands in New South Wales,Australia

A phytosociological survey of seacliff and headland vegetation on the central and south coast of New South Wales was carried out. Analysis of the quadrat data led to the recognition of 15 communities; the occurrence of a number of other vegetation types is briefly discussed. The vegetation types fall into three major groupings: grasslands, scrub and heathland, although the coincidence between structural and floristic boundaries is poor. Ordination of the communities indicates that the major factors varying between communities are exposure and soil fertility, the grasslands and scrubs occurring on more fertile soils than the heathlands. Amongst the woody communities it is suggested that the two major groups recognized fall into different phytosociological alliances, although lack of studies of Australian vegetation limits the applicability of a conventional hierarchical classification. The true heathlands correspond closely with the alliance Leptospermion, previously recognized in Victoria. The scrub communities are assigned to a new alliance, the Westringio-Banksion integrifoliae.     

Ectopic Darier's Disease of the Cervix: an Extraordinary Cause of an Abnormal Smear

A small number of skin diseases may involve either extremity of the alimentary tract or the vulva. Fortunately for patients and cytoscreeners, they rarely involve the cervix or vagina. When they do, difficulty in diagnosis may arise if a full history is not provided. A case is described of cervicovaginal Darier's disease, which presented with an abnormal cervical smear and led to a dermatological referral.
Un petit nombre de pathologies cutanées peuvent concerner une extrémité du tractus digestif ou la vulve. Heureusement pour les maladies et pour les cytotechniciens, ces affections touchent rarement le col ou le vagin. Lorsqu'elles le font, des difficultés diagnostiques peuvent exister si l'histoire clinique compléte n'est pas transmise. Ce travail décruit un cas de localisation cervico-vaginale de maladie de Darier, qui s'est présenté avec un frottis cervical anormal et qui à conduit a une consultation dermatologique.
Eine kleine Zahl von Hauterkrankungen befällt gelegentlich auch die Analregion und die Vulva. 1st dies der Fall kann bei Fehlen der Anamnese eine zytologische Beurteilung schwierig sein. Ein derartiger Fall, der ein dermatologisches Konzil crforderlich machte, wird vorgestellt.     

Use of Forest Edges by Bats in a Managed Pine Forest Landscape

ABSTRACT Forest edges often have increased species richness and abundance (edge effect) and affect spatial behaviors of species and dynamics of species interactions. Landscapes of intensively managed pine (Pinus spp.) stands are characterized by a mosaic of patches and linear forest edges. Managed pine forests are a primary landscape feature of the southeastern United States, but the effects of intensive management on bat communities are poorly understood. Insectivorous bats are important top predators in nocturnal forest food webs. We examined bat foraging behavior along forest edges and in 4 structurally distinct stand types (open-canopy pine, prethinned pine, thinned pine, and unmanaged forest) within a managed pine forest in the coastal plain of North Carolina, USA. During May-August, 2006 and 2007, we recorded echolocation calls using Pettersson D240X bat detectors linked to digital recorders at 156 sites. We also sampled nocturnal flying insects at each site using Malaise insect traps. We used negative binomial count regression models to describe bat foraging behavior relative to forest edges, stand types, and prey availability. Although some species showed affinities for certain stand types and prey items, bat activity patterns were most strongly related to forest edges. Edges were used extensively by 6 aerial-hunting bat species, but avoided by Myotis species. Forest edges function similarly to natural forest gaps, by providing foraging opportunities for aerial-hunting bat species. Therefore, the maintenance of forest edges in managed pine landscapes may enhance foraging habitat for aerial-hunting bat species.     

Contribution of cyclic parthenogenesis and colonization history to population structure in Daphnia

Cyclic parthenogenesis, the alternation of parthenogenetic and sexual reproduction, can lead to a wide scope of population structures, ranging from almost monoclonal to genetically highly diverse populations. In addition, sexual reproduction in aquatic cyclic parthenogens is associated with the production of dormant stages, which both enhance potential gene flow among populations as well as impact local evolutionary rates through the formation of dormant egg banks. Members of the cladoceran genus Daphnia are widely distributed key organisms in freshwater habitats, which mostly exhibit this reproduction mode. We assessed patterns of genetic variation within and among populations in the eurytopic and morphologically variable species Daphnia longispina , using data from both nuclear (13 microsatellite loci) and mitochondrial (partial sequencing of the 12S rRNA gene) markers from a set of populations sampled across Europe. Most populations were characterized by very high clonal diversity, reflecting an important impact of sexual reproduction and low levels of clonal selection. Among-population genetic differentiation was very high for both nuclear and mitochondrial markers, and no strong pattern of isolation by distance was observed. We also did not observe any substantial genetic differentiation among traditionally recognized morphotypes of D. longispina . Our findings of high levels of within-population genetic variation combined with high among-population genetic differentiation are in line with predictions of the monopolization hypothesis, which suggests that in species with rapid population growth and potential for local adaptation, strong priority effects due to monopolization of resources lead to reduced levels of gene flow.