Die Spermiohistogenese des Süßwasser-Ostracoden Notodromas monacha O. F. Müller

Zusammenfassung Bei Notodromas monacha (Ostracoda) wird die Entwicklung der Spermatiden von der Spindelbis zur Schlauchform mit Phasenkontrast und elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Am Kern der spindelförmigen Spermatiden sind an zwei gegenüberliegenden Seiten jeweils zwei Ausstülpungen der Membran zu beobachten. Aus ihnen werden offenbar unter Beteiligung von Vesikeln des endoplasmatischen Reticulum zwei Flügelstrukturen aufgebaut. Jede Flügelstruktur besteht aus zwei Lamellen, die mit tubulären Elementen besetzt sind. An den schlauchförmigen Spermatiden läßt sich ein dicker Körper und ein dünner Faden unterscheiden. Kern, Nebenkern-Derivate und Flügelstrukturen durchziehen den Körper der Länge nach. Der Faden enthält nur noch den Kern und die Ausläufer der Flügelstrukturen. Im Bereich des freien Körperendes liegt im Kern ein als Chromatin gedeuteter Kolben. Diesem folgt in Richtung zum Fadenende ein dichter Achsenstab, der von einer Doppelmembran umhüllt ist. Im dorso-lateralen Kernraum finden sich elektronendichte Brocken unbekannter Bedeutung. Nach Beendigung des Aufbaues der Flügelstrukturen wird das endoplasmatische Reticulum samt Mikrotubuli weitgehend abgebaut. Gleichzeitig verschwindet die den Achsenstab umhüllende Doppelmembran. Die Flügelstrukturen werden als das für die Motilität der Spermien verantwortliche Organell gedeutet.

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The spermiogenesis of the fresh-water ostracod Notodromas monacha O. F. Müller

Summary The transformation of spindle-like spermatids into tubular forms in Notodromas monacha (Ostracoda) has been studied by means of phase contrast and electron microscopy. At each of two opposite sides of the nucleus of spindle-like spermatids, two extensions of the nuclear membrane arise. These extensions form two Flügelstrukturen (wing-like structures) obviously by participation of vesicles of the endoplasmic reticulum. Each Flügelstruktur consists of two lamellae, each bearing numerous tubules. The tube-like spermatids consist of a large body and a small thread. The nucleus, the Nebenkern-derivatives and the Flügelstrukturen extend through the whole body. Within the thread only the nucleus and the outermost parts of the Flügelstrukturen are found. A columnar body, supposed to be chromatin, is located within that part of the nucleus which is situated in the free end of the body. A dense axial rod extends between the columnar body and the free end of the thread. The dorso-lateral sphere of the nucleus contains electron dense particles of unknown function. As soon as the construction of the Flügelstrukturen is finished, the endoplasmic reticulum and the microtubules are reduced. Simultaneously the double-membrane surrounding the axial rod disappears. The Flügelstrukturen are interpreted as organelles responsible for the motility of the sperm.

     

Bellevalia ciliata (Cyr.) Nees (Hyacinthaceae) neu für Bulgarien

(Bellevalia ciliata was recorded in north-east Bulgaria south of the Dobrudsha, within field and steppe vegetation. Vegetation records and a distribution map are presented. Based on taxonomic studies it is proposed to combineB. ciliata, B. sarmatica (Pall.) Wor. andB. speciosa Wor. under the oldest nameB. ciliata (Cyr.) Nees.     

Prey selection of the shallow water fishPomatoschistus minutus (Gobiidae,Teleostei) in the SW Baltic

The aim of this investigation is to demonstrate the reasons of an opportunist feeder to select some components of the available food supply and to avoid others. Object of this test is the eurytopic and euryhaline sand goby,Pomatoschistus minutus (Pallas), from the Luebeck Bight. It inhabits both sand habitats as well as bottoms mixed with pebbles or continuous hard substrates. Therefore, it is often in close contact withMytilus-belts which present a very rich food supply of small crustaceans. The selectivity behaviour of sand gobies from a sand/clay ecotone was compared with that of populations from a stony pier and a sand bottom during the reproduction period. Regarding the numbers of prey organisms, crustaceans of the periphyton were generally preferred at the pier but avoided in the ecotone. The same is valid for prey organisms of the psammal which were preferred by gobies of the sand bottom but mostly avoided by populations of mixed bottoms. Analyses of size selections revealed that the preferred gammarids orJaera isopods were between 2 and 5 mm length. A balanced relation of goby biomass and utilizable food supply (predatory impact index) seems to effect positive selectivity of gammarids in theMytilus-belts or of harpacticoids in the sand bottom.     

Approximate digestibility of fibre for a graminivorous caterpillar

Final instar Persectania ewingii (Westwood) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were fed seedling Triticum aestivum L. for 2 days to determine the approximate digestibility of the cell wall and cell content fractions. Cell wall content was estimated using a micro-analytical neutral detergent fibre technique. Approximate digestibilites of neutral detergent fibre, neutral detergent solubles and dry matter were calculated for individuals and pooled samples. P. ewingii larvae digested a small but significant proportion of the fibre ingested (13–21%), higher than that previously reported for herbivorous insects. The micro-analytical and previously used macro-analytical techniques produced similar estimates of digestibility although both techniques have inherent shortcomings, the latter requiring the pooling of samplex and the former limiting the number of replicates during chemical analysis. Differences in the amount of larval frass collected during the feeding trial (corrected for consumption) explained much of the variation in digestibility values, while there were no effects of larval mass, overall consumption and total frass produced on digestibility estimates. These results confirm that plant cell contents are the major source of nutrients to larval Lepidoptera although there is some chemical disruption of the plant cell wall.     

Taxonomic value of a betaine lipid in Ectocarpus (Phaeophyceae) and the first record of a sexual population of E. fasciculatus for the Pacific Ocean

The betaine lipid DGTA differentiates between two species of Ectocarpus: it is present in E. fasciculatus Harvey, and lacking in E. siliculosus (Dillwyn) Lyngbye, Two ectocarpoid isolates from the coast of Chile, which could not be identified to species level, were found to belong to opposite DGTA types. Culture experiments showed that these plants were sporophytes. Their meiospores produced gametophytes of the species predicted by the lipid analysis. Promoted by this new approach, a sexual population of Ectocarpus fasciculatus has been detected for the first time in the Pacific Ocean.