FOOD-INDUCED BODY PIGMENTATION QUESTIONS THE TAXONOMIC VALUE OF COLOUR IN THE SELF-FERTILIZING SLUG CARINARION SPP

Body pigmentation is a popular taxonomic marker in slugs to discriminateclosely related species. However, the genetic background ofbody pigmentation is known only for a few species, while inmany others body pigmentation is influenced by age, food and/orclimate. In this study, we investigated the effects of differentfood items on body pigmentation expression in two selfing pulmonategastropods, Arion (Carinarion) silvaticus and Arion (Carinarion) fasciatus.Both species mainly differ in the distribution of yellow-orangegranules on the body, which in A. fasciatus are concentratedin lateral bands, and in A. silvaticus are evenly scattered.Animals were raised individually under the same conditions, whilethey laid eggs as a consequence of selfing. This F₁ generation wasafterwards divided into two groups, which were fed with different fooditems. A diet of carrot, lettuce or paper had no effect on the distributionof the yellow-orange granules in A. silvaticus, but provokeda loss of the yellow-orange lateral bands in A. fasciatusso that externally these F₁ specimens became similar to A. silvaticus.In both species, a diet of nettle resulted in a strong yellow-orangepigmentation, which often formed yellow-orange lateral bands.These results indicate that food can probably influence the'species-specific' body pigmentation in Carinarion, and thusquestion the reliability of colour traits to distinguish A.silvaticus and A. fasciatus. (Received 5 May 2000; accepted 29 September 2000)     

VARIABILITY OF THE GENITAL SYSTEM OF HELIX POMATIA L., 1758 AND H. LUCORUM L., 1758 (GASTROPODA: STYLOMMATOPHORA)

This paper examines the variability of the genital characters ofHelix pomatia and H. lucorum. Some of these characters are commonlyused to distinguish the two closely related species. Variationswithin and between populations are also investigated. The highvariability of these characters can frequently lead to identificationerrors, especially in eastern Europe. Correct identificationof these edible snails is also of commercial importance, differentspecies having a different price. The reciprocal nature of themale parts of the genitalia and the bursa stalk and diverticulumcomplex is pointed out. A possible function of the diverticulumis suggested on the basis of size relations between genitalsystem features. (Received 12 August 1999; accepted 11 April 2000)     

Shell shape and mating behaviour in pulmonate gastropods (Mollusca)

Previous work suggests that low-spired hermaphroditic snails mate face-to-face and have reciprocal sperm exchange, whereas high-spired snails mate by shell mounting and have unilateral sperm exchange. This dichotomy lead others to speculate on the evolution of enigmatic mating behaviours and whole-body enantiomorphy. In the present study, we review the current literature on mating behaviour in pulmonate snails and show that: (1) several pulmonate species show considerable intraspecific variation in mating behaviour; (2) mating position does not predict reciprocity of penis intromission and sperm exchange; (3) dart-shooting may be correlated with reciprocity of sperm exchange but other factors must explain the gain or loss of darts; (4) it is unlikely that the degree of reciprocity is the most important factor in explaining the relationship of whole-body enantiomorphy and shell shape; and (5) the reciprocal intromission of penises does not necessarily involve the reciprocal transfer of sperm. Hence, our survey shows that current ideas on the evolutionary relationship between shell shape and reciprocity with sexual selection (including dart-use) and whole-body enantiomorphy in hermaphroditic snails should be refined. The results obtained demonstrate that our current knowledge on gastropod mating behaviour is too limited to detect general evolutionary trajectories in gastropod mating behaviour and genital anatomy.  © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2009, 96 , 306–321.     

Testing Reliability of Body Size Measurements Using Hind Foot Length in Roe Deer

Abstract: We quantified the repeatability of >900 individual measures of hind foot length from 2 French populations of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) monitored by capture-recapture. We found a high repeatability (i.e., high intra-class correlation, 0.76, 95% CI = 0.72–0.83 and 0.92, 95% CI = 0.91–0.95) in both populations. We also found that inexperienced observers reached a high level of intra- (1.00, 95% CI = 0.96–1.00) and inter-observer repeatability (0.99, 95% CI = 0.98–1.00) when measuring hind foot length of harvested animals with a tool specifically designed for this task. Managers should pay particular attention to limit measurement errors because unreliable measurements require an increased sample size to assess individual variation and can mask biological patterns.     

RECIPROCAL BEHAVIOR OF THE RACHIS AND PEDUNCLE IN COLONIES OF Veretillum cynomorium PALL.

Some integrated patterns of behavior have been studied in coloniesof Veretillum cynomorium, whose various parts often act as ifthey were those of an individual consisting of the whole colony.The entire colony is involved in slow rhythmical movements,in which phases of contraction alternate with expansion. Thisbehavior corresponds to a permanent reciprocity (or duality)between the zooid-bearing rachis and the peduncle; overall behavioris determined by the number of "functionally active units" whicheither contains at any given time. This number is influencedby the excitatory or restraining effects of external factorssuch as light intensity or the entry of water. In this way,when contraction proceeds, activity of the rachis predominates,whereas during swelling of the colony, activity of the peduncleprevails. Observations on intact colonies and on specimens without peduncles,experiments using light and electrical stimuli, and the studyof peristalsis, all suggest that the mutually reciprocal natureof activity in the rachis and peduncle may be attributed tothe differential influence of external factors on the functionalstate of centers of spontaneous activity or of conduction pathwaysin the colony. Zooids present on the rachis are responsibleboth for the reciprocal activity of the colony and for its morphologicalpolarity.     

A molecular phylogeny for the pyraloid moths (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea) and its implications for higher‐level classification

Pyraloidea, one of the largest superfamilies of Lepidoptera, comprise more than 15 684 described species worldwide, including important pests, biological control agents and experimental models. Understanding of pyraloid phylogeny, the basis for a predictive classification, is currently provisional. We present the most detailed molecular estimate of relationships to date across the subfamilies of Pyraloidea, and assess its concordance with previous morphology‐based hypotheses. We sequenced up to five nuclear genes, totalling 6633 bp, in each of 42 pyraloids spanning both families and 18 of the 21 subfamilies, plus up to 14 additional genes, for a total of 14 826 bp, in 21 of those pyraloids plus all 24 outgroups. Maximum likelihood analyses yield trees that, within Pyraloidea, differ little among datasets and character treatments and are strongly supported at all levels of divergence (83% of nodes with bootstrap ≥80%). Subfamily relationships within Pyralidae, all very strongly supported (>90% bootstrap), differ only slightly from a previous morphological analysis, and can be summarized as Galleriinae + Chrysauginae (Phycitinae (Pyralinae + Epipaschiinae)). The main remaining uncertainty involves Chrysauginae, of which the poorly studied Australian genera may constitute the basal elements of Galleriinae + Chrysauginae or even of Pyralidae. In Crambidae the molecular phylogeny is also strongly supported, but conflicts with most previous hypotheses. Among the newly proposed groupings are a ‘wet‐habitat clade’ comprising Acentropinae + Schoenobiinae + Midilinae, and a provisional ‘mustard oil clade’ containing Glaphyriinae, Evergestinae and Noordinae, in which the majority of described larvae feed on Brassicales. Within this clade a previous synonymy of Dichogaminae with the Glaphyriinae is supported. Evergestinae syn. n. and Noordinae syn. n. are here newly synonymized with Glaphyriinae, which appear to be paraphyletic with respect to both. Pyraustinae and Spilomelinae as sampled here are each monophyletic but form a sister group pair. Wurthiinae n. syn. , comprising the single genus Niphopyralis Hampson, which lives in ant nests, are closely related to, apparently subordinate within, and here newly synonymized with, Spilomelinae syn. n.     

Shoot and compound leaf comparisons in eudicots: dynamic morphology as an alternative approach

Recent developmental studies suggest that the compound leaf is a more or less incompletely developed shoot. Instead of treating compound leaves and shoots as non-homologous, this interpretation draws a continuum between them. The present work considers the plant as a hierarchical series of units on which similar developmental processes are at work, and where each level (shoot, compound leaf, leaflet) is 'repeated' by the next higher level. Measurements related to the expression of developmental processes operating on leaves at the shoot level and on leaflets at the compound leaf level were used to determine if similar processes are at work at these different levels during early stages of organogenesis. Plants with compound leaves showing acropetal leaflet inception, representing a total of 16 species from ten eudicot families, were studied. Based on several types of quantitative analyses, there appears to be a continuum between so-called shoots, compound leaves and leaflets in the species studied. This perspective, qualified as dynamic morphology, both parallels and complements the classical interpretation.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 143, 219−230.