Systematics of Anopheles barbirostris van der Wulp and a sibling species of the Barbirostris Complex (Diptera: Culicidae) in eastern Java,Indonesia

This study provides the first integrated morphological and molecular characterization of Anopheles barbirostris van der Wulp, the nominotypical member of the Barbirostris Complex of malaria vectors in the Oriental Region, and An. vanderwulpi sp.n. , a sibling species of the complex found in sympatry with An. barbirostris in the vicinity of its type locality in eastern Java, Indonesia. The adult, larval and pupal stages of An. barbirostris are described and compared with those of An. vanderwulpi. The two species, however, are essentially isomorphic. The genetic identity of An. barbirostris s.s. is based on a diagnostic cytochrome oxidase I gene sequence to ensure stable use of the specific name for the prevalent concept of the species. The genetic identity of the new species is also established. Diagnostic DNA sequences for these species serve as a foundation for further taxonomic studies, and for investigations into their roles in the transmission of malaria and filariasis. The discussion includes a brief review of Anopheles classification and species complexes.     

Lymphopoietic Tissue and Plasma Cells in Amphibians

SYNOPSIS. Lymphoid tissue and lymphopoiesis in the urodelesand anurans was reviewed. Current information suggests the spleenas the principal site of lymphopoiesis in urodeles. Anuranspresent a more complex situation and the principally spleenicreaction of Rana pipiens to "red-leg" organisms was contrastedwith the kidney intertubular lymphoid reaction of Bufo marinusto bovine serum albumin. Intracisternal accumulations of slightlyelectron dense material, probably immunoglobulins, were morefrequently found in Bufo marinus plasma cells than cells withundistended cisternae suggesting some specialization of thesecells in cold-bloodedvertebrates. The superficial nature ofour current knowledge of lymphoid tissue function and immunityin this groups was emphasized.     

Mortality and survival of African Penguins Spheniscus demersusinvolved in the Apollo Seaoil spill: an evaluation of rehabilitation efforts

The bulk ore carrier Apollo Sea sank near Dassen Island, South Africa, on 20 June 1994 during a period of winter storms. Approximately 10 000 African (Jackass) Penguins Spheniscus demersus were oiled, collected and transported to the SANCCOB rescue centre; 5213 were released after cleaning, 4076 with flipper bands. We believe that most of the penguins oiled during this incident reached an island or the mainland alive, and that there was no mass mortality in the wild at the time of the oil spill. Birds from all parts of the breeding range were oiled, but most were from Robben and Dassen Islands. The overwhelming majority of released birds made the transition from the rescue centre to the wild successfully; 2652 had been resighted at breeding colonies within two years of their release; the cumulative number of birds was increasing steadily and an asymptote had not been reached by August 1996. There was a wide dispersal of released penguins, with recoveries and resightings over 1800 km of coastline between Algoa Bay and Walvis Bay.     

gener: a server‐based analysis of pollen pool structure

The server‐based program gener performs the two‐generation analysis of pollen flow for data consisting of mother/offspring arrays using genetic markers. The gener program decomposes the genetic variance sampled by maternal individuals within and among pollen pool components of genetic variance and is accessible from http://dyerlab.bio.vcu.edu . These estimates are used to construct the test statistic, Φ_ft , whose significance is tested via permutation. The Φ_ft statistic can subsequently be used to quantify genetic effective pollen donor population size (N_ep), effective mating area and dispersal distance. Furthermore, the gener program can calculate Φ_ft values for all pairs of substrata within the data set.     

TETRASAT: a program for the population analysis of allotetraploid microsatellite data

Microsatellite markers are quite popular due to their degree of polymorphism and efficiency; however, the utility of such markers for analysing allotetraploid species is often hampered by an inability to determine allele copy number for partial heterozygotes. tetrasat is a program that uses an iterative substitution process to account for all probable combinations of allele copy numbers in populations with partial heterozygote samples. The program subsequently calculates allele frequencies, and mean Hardy–Weinberg expected heterozygosity (H_E), Shannon–Weiner Diversity Index (H′) and Nei's measure of population differentiation (G_ST) are reported for each locus and population. Of equal importance is the calculation of statistical variability generated by the missing data and allele substitution process, which allows for assessment of the strength of conclusions drawn from the statistics.     

Field and laboratory evidence for a volatile pheromone produced by parous females of the Scottish biting midge, Culicoides impunctatus

Abstract. Electrophysiological, behavioural and field evidence is presented for a volatile attractant produced by host-seeking, parous female Culicoides impunctatus Goetghebuer. Attraction of host-seeking females to other live parous females or to extracts of parous females was demonstrated in Y-tube bioassays, as well as in field trials using baited sticky traps. Threshold numbers were 100–200 females, both in the laboratory and field. Antennal receptors to this pheromone were revealed by recording electroantennograms (EAGs) in response to odour from live parous females and to the extracts of female midges. The female-produced attractant did not alter field catches of male C. impunctatus.     

Growth and Differentiation of Plant Tissue Cultures: I. Changes Accompanying the Growth of Explants from Helianthus tuberosus tubers

Explants derived from artichoke tubers proliferate rapidly whencultured aseptically on a nutrient medium containing sugar,mineral salts, coconut milk, and 2, 4 dichlorophenoxyaceticacid. This rapid growth, which occurs in three distinct stages,is accompanied by massive changes in numbers of cells, freshand dry weight, and pronounced changes in the rates of gaseousexchange. The very short lag phase is followed by a period ofexponential cell division during which the original cellularpattern is partially obliterated. At the end of this growthphase redifferentiation occurs, tracheidea are formed in largenumbers, and distinctive nodular bodies appear which resemblemeristems. Under the conditions of these experiments they donot develop further.     

Phylogenetic relationships among atheriniform fishes (Teleostei: Atherinomorpha)

We present evidence from adult and larval morphology for the monophyly and relationships of Atheriniformes, using other atherinomorphs, mugilids and acanthomorph fishes as outgroups. Atheriniformes is diagnosed by ten characters (larval: short preanal length, single mid-dorsal row of melanophores; adult: vomerine ventral face concave, long Al muscle tendon to lacrimal, two anterior infraorbital bones, pelvic-rib ligament, pelvic medial plate not extended to anterior end, and second dorsal-fin spine flexible). We recognize six families within the order, the hierarchical relationships among which are: (Atherinopsidae (Notocheiridae (Melanotaeniidae (Atherionidae (Phallostethidae, Atherinidae))))). Other major conclusions include: (1) Atherinopsidae (Menidiinae, Atherinopsinae) is diagnosed by 20 characters (e.g. ethmomaxillary ligament attached to palatine dorsal process, ventral postcleithrum with two dorsal rami); (2) Melanotaeniidae (Bedotiinae (Melanotaeniinae (Telmatherinini, Pseudomugilini))) is diagnosed by six characters (e.g. absence of second dorsal-fin spine, sexual dimorphism in body colour and median-fin development, greater body depth); (3) Dentatherina is in Phallostethidae; (4) Atherinidae (Atherinomorinae (Craterocephalinae, Atherininae)) is diagnosed by three characters (lacrimal notch, ventral postcleithrum between first and second pleural ribs, pelvic ventral spine); (5) Atherinidae and Phallostethidae form the Atherinoidea clade diagnosed by seven characters (e.g. interopercle dorsal process absent, dorsal wings of urohyal absent, ventral postcleithrum laminar, pelvic medial plate extended to anterior end, presence of anal plate). Bedotia, Rhodes , and melanotaeniines are shown to be derived within atheriniforms rather than the plesiomorphic sister groups to a paraphyletic 'atherinoid' group. We also demonstrate that groups traditionally placed in Atherinidae (Menidiinae, Atherininae, Atherioninae, etc.) comprise a paraphyletic assemblage.     

The Existence of Transcellular Strands in Mature Sieve Elements

Light microscope observations provide further evidence of transcellularstrands in sieve elements. Specimens were prepared by a newmethod for stripping sieve tubes from phloem tissue after fixationin aldehyde solutions. Straight-sided membranous structuresappear in sieve elements and are interpreted as the boundarymembranes of transcellular strands. Occasionally it is possibleto follow these structures through a sieve plate. The proposal that transcellular strands are artefacts due todiffraction lines is discussed and, in relation to present results,is proved incorrect. In the interference microscope, colourcontrast is demonstrated between a surrounding matrix and thestrands at a sieve plate; since this colour is a function ofdensity and thickness in the specimen, structures which displaya particular colour must be real. Spherical granules, some of which are more refractive than others,and fibrils, which may occur in parallel groups to form fibrillarstrands, are sometimes seen within straight-sided boundaries,but more often these constituents occur in the lumina of sieveelements. Fibrils may spread out to fill the whole of the sieveelement and fan-like arrays of fibrils are seen issuing fromstrands in sieve elements and phloem exudate. Membranous and fibrillar strands are orientated parallel tothe long axis in fixed, unstained sieve elements. Subsequentstaining reveals an additional constituent in the same sieveelements which is like a typical slime plug and is distinguishablefrom strands by a lack of structure and heavier staining. Autoradiographs of phloem exudate show an association betweenthe distribution of mobile carbon-14 and parts of transcellularstrands. Mobile carbon-14 within strands appears to be orientatedin parallel lines but there is no evidence of a particulatedistribution of the isotope. This result suggests the mobilecarbon-14 followed the distribution of the parallel fibrilsand is not associated with plastids or granules. A pattern of displaced contents in sieve elements, which isrepeated in superposed cells, indicates the presence of resistanceto pressure change along intact sieve tubes. Such resistancewould prevent movement of solution in response to a pressuregradient and is consequently incompatible with the mass-flowtheory. This result can be explained if the movement of vacuolarfluid through sieve pores is blocked by cytoplasm which introducesa resistance to pressure change between cells along a sievetube.