The Site Specificity of Two Species of Gregarina in Tenebrio molitor Larvae

The site specificity of the apicomplexans Gregarina cuneata and Gregarina sleini , in larval Tenebrio molitor was investigated. Gregarina cuneata was found to inhabit the anteriormost region of the larval midgut, while G. steini was restricted to the posterior portion of the intestine. The site specificity of the pair was conserved in single and concurrent infections. Interspecific interactions do not seem to be presently responsible for the resource partitioning by the 2 gregarine species. Key words. Gregarina, site specificity, Tenebrio molitor.     

Über die Bedeutung des Kaliums im Stoffwechsel von Aspergillus niger

Zusammenfassung Kalimangel führt bei Aspergillus niger zu folgenden Erscheinungen: Auftreten von Oxalsäure bereits im sauren Gebeit und von viel Ammoniak im Mycel; der ökonomische Koeffizient ist stark verringert. Alle Erscheinungen deuten auf ein frühes Eintreten des Altersstadiums.Es wird versucht zu zeigen, daß dem Kalium eine Rolle beim Umsatz der Kohlenhydrate zukommen könnte, die aber bei einem sehr frühen Stadium liegen müßte. Es ist nicht ausgeschlossen, daß dafür synthetische Vorgänge in Frage kommen, die auch der Verarbeitung der Hexosen vorangehen. Die Pilzstärke wird allerdings, genügend hohe Konzentration der Wasserstoffionen vorausgesetzt, bei Kalimangel ebenso kräftig gespeichert wie bei guter Kaliversorgung.Stämme von Aspergillus niger mit starker oxalsäurebildung hatten etwa doppelt so hohen Gehalt an Kalium wie Stämme mit geringer Oxalsäurebildung.     

The South American catfish genus Auchenipterus Valenciennes, 1840 (Ostariophysi: Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae): monophyly and relationships, with a revisionary study

The Neotropical catfishes of the genus Auchenipterus Valenciennes (1840) are reviewed. The genus is hypothesized to be a monophyletic assemblage on the basis of the shared presence of grooves in the ventral surface of the head that accommodate adducted mental barbels. A possible second synapomorphy, the presence of papillae on the dorsal and medial surface of the ossified maxillary barbel of mature males, is tentatively advanced pending discovery of adult males of three species. Contrary to previous hypotheses which considered Auchenipterus to consist of a maximum of five species, we recognize 11 species, including two previously undescribed forms, A. britskii and A. menezesi: Auchenipterus is broadly distributed through the Rio Orinoco, Rio Amazonas, and Rio de La Plata basins, and the coastal drainages of the Guianas, with one species in the Rio Pindare-Mirim and Rio Parnaiba basins of northeastern Brazil. Auchenipterus nuchalis, previously thought to be broadly distributed across the range of the genus, is found to rather have a restricted distribution in the eastern portions of the Amazon basin, the lower portions of the Rio Tocantins, and lower courses of some rivers in Suriname and French Guiana. Citations of A. nuchalis from elsewhere in the range of the genus are of other species. Euanemus Müller & Troschel (1842) and Ceratocheilus Miranda Ribeiro (1918) are considered synonyms of Auchenipterus. Euanemus colymbetes Müller & Troschel (1842) is considered a synonym of Auchenipterus (fen/ata Valenciennes (1840), and A. paysanduanus Devincenzi (1933) is placed into the synonymy of A. nigripinnis Boulenger (1895). A neotype is designated for Hypopthalmus nuchalis Spix & Agassiz (1829). Lectotypes are designated for Euanemus colymbetes and Auchenipterus nigripinnis.     

The RCE: a Riparian, Channel, and Environmental Inventory for small streams in the agricultural landscape

1. The Riparian, Channel and Environmental (RCE) Inventory has been developed to assess the physical and biological condition of small streams in the lowland, agricultural landscape. It consists of sixteen characteristics which define the structure of the riparian zone, stream channel morphology, and the biological condition in both habitats. 2. The inventory is based on the view that in landscapes where non-point source pollution and agriculture dominate, the environmental condition of small streams can be assessed by an appraisal of the physical condition of the riparian zone and stream channel. It is assumed that disturbance of this physical structure is a major cause for reduction of stream biological structure and function. This assumption is supported by a case study using fifteen Italian stream locations in which the RCE was found to be positively correlated to the benthic macroinvertebrate community as measured by the Extended Biotic Index (r = 0.80, P < 0.001) and the Shannon Diversity Index (r = 0.73; P < 0.001). 3. The inventory is designed for quick use to cover a large number of streams in a short period of time. When used it generates a numerical score which can be used to compare the physical and biological condition between different streams within a region. The numerical score is divided into five, colour-coded classes to facilitate use in streammonitoring programmes and to allow comparison with biological indices.     

A cell surface protein controls endocrine ring gland morphogenesis and steroid production

Identification of signals for systemic adaption of hormonal regulation would help to understand the crosstalk between cells and environmental cues contributing to growth, metabolic homeostasis and development. Physiological states are controlled by precise pulsatile hormonal release, including endocrine steroids in human and ecdysteroids in insects. We show in Drosophila that regulation of genes that control biosynthesis and signaling of the steroid hormone ecdysone, a central regulator of developmental progress, depends on the extracellular matrix protein Obstructor-A (Obst-A). Ecdysone is produced by the prothoracic gland (PG), where sensory neurons projecting axons from the brain integrate stimuli for endocrine control. By defining the extracellular surface, Obst-A promotes morphogenesis and axonal growth in the PG. This process requires Obst-A-matrix reorganization by Clathrin/Wurst-mediated endocytosis. Our data identifies the extracellular matrix as essential for endocrine ring gland function, which coordinates physiology, axon morphogenesis, and developmental programs. As Obst-A and Wurst homologs are found among all arthropods, we propose that this mechanism is evolutionary conserved.