Food choice and feeding on carrion in two African mongoose species in an urban environment

Urbanisation negatively affects many species, yet small carnivores may flourish in urban spaces because of accessible resources and a reduction of predators. Food choices of urban carnivores might be influenced by the availability and abundance of anthropogenic food resources and the co-existence of competing species. We studied the food selection and feeding on carrion of the yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) and slender mongoose (Galerella sanguinea) in a small urban reserve in South Africa. In cafeteria-style food choice tests, both species preferred meat and insects over bread, dog kibble, chicken eggs, and plants; however, yellow mongoose in a more urbanised area preferred bread to insects. Yellow mongoose had a shorter latency to approach and consume provided food compared to slender mongoose. At carrion-baited stations, slender mongoose were more prevalent at carcasses and displayed aggression and competitive exclusion of yellow mongoose. Slender mongoose fed more on carcasses during the colder months than warmer months when they fed on available insects around and on carcasses. The greater consumption of anthropogenic items by yellow mongoose and the preference by slender mongoose for feeding on carcasses provide evidence of possible resource partitioning, which may aid in the co-existence of these sympatric herpestids in urban areas.     

Phenotype ontologies: the bridge between genomics and evolution

Understanding the developmental and genetic underpinnings of particular evolutionary changes has been hindered by inadequate databases of evolutionary anatomy and by the lack of a computational approach to identify underlying candidate genes and regulators. By contrast, model organism studies have been enhanced by ontologies shared among genomic databases. Here, we suggest that evolutionary and genomics databases can be developed to exchange and use information through shared phenotype and anatomy ontologies. This would facilitate computing on evolutionary questions pertaining to the genetic basis of evolutionary change, the genetic and developmental bases of correlated characters and independent evolution, biomedical parallels to evolutionary change, and the ecological and paleontological correlates of particular types of change in genes, gene networks and developmental pathways.     

Phylogeny and disjunct distribution: evolution of Saintpaulia (Gesneriaceae).

The molecular phylogeny of African violets (Saintpaulia H. Wendl.), based on ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, follows the disjunct biogeography of the genus. Sequence analysis by parsimony of 19 accessions, representing 17 currently recognized Saintpaulia species, resulted in four trees of 182 steps. The first major division is between S. goetzeana, from the Uluguru Mts, Tanzania, and the rest of the genus. The basal position of S. goetzeana, and its putative primitive characters, may indicate an Uluguru origin for Saintpaulia and subsequent colonization of the more northerly mountains. Of the remainder, S. teitensis, from the Teita Hills of Kenya, is sister taxon to the other species (which occur mainly in the Usambara Mts of north-east Tanzania). A group of nine Usambaran species that we call the ''ionantha complex'' show minimal ITS genetic differentiation and are also taxonomically critical. Species diversity in the Usambara Mts appears to be the result of rapid, recent (possibly Pleistocene) radiation. This study reveals the limitations of ITS sequences for elucidating the radiation of poorly differentiated species (the ionantha complex). However, the molecular data strongly suggest that conservation of the Uluguru and Teita populations is essential for the protection of the full range of diversity within the genus.     

Diversity of cycloidea -like Genes in Gesneriaceae in Relation to Floral Symmetry

Homology assessment of cycloidea -like genes was carried outin Gesneriaceae, a predominantly zygomorphic family in whichseveral independent reversals to actinomorphy have occurred,as a basis for further investigation of the control and evolutionof floral symmetry. Phylogenetic analysis of Gesneriaceae cycloidea(Gcyc)suggests that independent duplication and gene loss events haveoccurred during the evolution of this family after the splitfrom Scrophulariaceae. Comparison of Gcyc sequences betweenzygomorphic and naturally occurring actinomorphic taxa doesnot suggest that reversals to actinomorphy were caused in thesecases by loss of function of cyc -like genes. Examination offloral development in the nearly actinomorphic Ramonda myconidid not reveal any evidence of residual unequal dorso-ventraldifferentiation indicative of expression of Gcyc. This suggeststhat Gcyc may be expressed before primordia initiation in R.myconi, or may have additional functions not directly relatedto floral symmetry. Copyright 2000 Annals of Botany Company cycloidea, developmental gene, floral symmetry, Florist’s Gloxinia, Gcyc, Gesneriaceae,Ramonda myconi , Sinningia speciosa     

Fetal growth as measured by ultrasound

Until the last decade, investigation of fetal growth has been based on data from premature births and abortuses. Advances in ultrasound scanning have expanded the precision and uses of this technology in studies of fetal growth. Most ultrasound studies of fetal growth are based on clinical populations and are reported in clinical journals. The present paper reviews features of ultrasound technology relating to fetal measurement. The most commonly measured dimensions and their associated measurement errors, distributions and uses are detailed. Ultrasound studies of intrauterine growth retardation and in utero fetal weight estimation are critically reviewed. Finally, a comparison between the fetal growth curve based on ultrasound measurement and on data from preterm or aborted fetuses is compared. Critical comments on sample design and statistical treatment of the data from ultrasound studies is included in each of the areas discussed.     

Indonesian tapé ketan fermentation

Indonesian tapé ketan is a fermentation in which a mold, Amylomyces rouxii Calmette (Chlamydomucor oryzae Went and Prinsen Geerligs), in combination with one or more yeasts such as Endomycopsis burtonii converts steamed rice to a sweet-sour, slightly alcoholic paste. A study was made to determine the biochemical changes that occur in the substrate during fermentation. It was found that the product was ready for consumption after fermentation at 30 degrees C for 36 to 48 h. A. rouxii used about 30% of the total rice solids, resulting in a crude protein of 12% in 96 h, whereas the combination of the mold with E. burtonii reduced total solids by 50% in 192 h, causing crude protein to increase to 16.5%. Soluble solids increased from 5 to about 67% in 36 h and decreased to 12% at 192 h with A. rouxii alone, whereas soluble solids fell to about 8% at 192 h in the fermentation with both the mold and the yeast. The mold, by itself, reduced the starch content of the rice from 78 to 10% in 48 h and to less than 2% in 144 h. The mold plus yeast reduced the starch content to about 18% in 48 h; however the "starch" content did not fall below 6% even at 192 h, presumably because the yeast was producing glycogen, which was determined along with the residual starch. With both the mold and the mold plus yeast fermentations, reducing sugars increased from less than 1% to approximately 5% in 24 h and reached maximum concentration, 16 to 17%, between 36 and 48 h. A. rouxii by itself produced a maximum of about 5.6% (vol/vol) ethanol at 96 h. The highest concentration of ethanol (8%, vol/vol) was produced by the mold plus E. burtonii at 144 h. The mold by itself reduced the starting pH from 6.3 to about 4.0 in 48 h. The combination of the mold and yeast reduced the pH to 4.1 in 144 h. The mold increased total acidity to approximately 6.2 meq of H per 100 ml, and the combination of the mold and yeast increased the total acidity to 7.8 meq of H per 100 ml in 192 h. At 48 h there was practically no difference in the volatile acidity (0.20) for the combined fermentation compared with 0.26 meq of H per 100 ml for the mold fermentation. The mold and at least one species of yeast were required to develop the rich aroma and flavor of typical Indonesian tapé.     

The genetic architecture of fitness in a seed beetle: assessing the potential for indirect genetic benefits of female choice

Background  

Quantifying the amount of standing genetic variation in fitness represents an empirical challenge. Unfortunately, the shortage of detailed studies of the genetic architecture of fitness has hampered progress in several domains of evolutionary biology. One such area is the study of sexual selection. In particular, the evolution of adaptive female choice by indirect genetic benefits relies on the presence of genetic variation for fitness. Female choice by genetic benefits fall broadly into good genes (additive) models and compatibility (non-additive) models where the strength of selection is dictated by the genetic architecture of fitness. To characterize the genetic architecture of fitness, we employed a quantitative genetic design (the diallel cross) in a population of the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, which is known to exhibit post-copulatory female choice. From reciprocal crosses of inbred lines, we assayed egg production, egg-to-adult survival, and lifetime offspring production of the outbred F1 daughters (F1 productivity).