Chorion patterns on eggs of Lutzomyia sandflies from the Peruvian Andes

Abstract. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to depict and describe the eggs of five species of phlebotomine sandfly from the Andean region of Peru: Lutzomyia caballeroi, Lu.noguchii, Lu.peruensis, Lu.tejadai and Lu.verrucarum. Two new types of chorionic sculpturing of sandfly eggs are reported: these were named disperse (Lu.tejadai) and verrucose (Lu.noguchii). The aeropylar area of the eggs is also described for the first time for neotropical sandflies. These character states appear to vary for ecological rather than phylogenetic reasons and could be used for species identification.     

Immature stages of Hipparchia Fabricius and the systematics of the 'Satyrus series>> (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae)

Abstract. Characters of potential use from the eggs and larvae of four species of Hipparchia (subgenera Hipparchia, Parahipparchia, Neohipparchia and Pseudotergumia ) are described. These characters, together with previously published information on larval, pupal and adult morphology, are used to construct a seventy-one character matrix for Hipparchia and four other genera of the 'Satyrus series' (Miller, 1968): Arethusana, Kanetisa, Chazara and Satyrus . The cladistic relationships among these genera and the relative contribution of adult and immature data sets are discussed. A list of possible synapomorphies of the immature stages of the 'Satyrus series' is proposed.     

Male reproductive tactics in the threespine stickleback– an evaluation by DNA fingerprinting

A random sample of 17 threespine stickleback nests was analysed using DNA fingerprinting. DNA from the guardian male and a random subsample of 10 fry per nest was probed with pYNZ132, a human single–locus VNTR probe which detects a multilocus fingerprint pattern in sticklebacks. Band–sharing indices (BSIs, the proportion of bands shared by two individuals) between the guardian male and its fry were calculated. In 147 of a total of 170 pair–wise comparisons the BSIs varied between 0.40 and 0.77. The guardian male was thought to be the true father of all these fry (p < 0.10). For the remaining 23 fry the BSIs varied between 0.09 and 0.34, suggesting that these fry were fathered by a different male (P<0.06). Once the paternal bands in each legitimate fry were determined, the remaining (i.e. maternal) bands among these fry were compared. Based on the BSIs obtained, the minimum number of females that spawned per nest was determined, and the maternal DNA fingerprints of the legitimate fry were traced back. In one nest five eggs of the sample had been fertilized by a sneaker, in two nests the guardian male had stolen eggs from a rival male, and in another nest one of the eggs was fertilized by a sneaker and three were stolen eggs.     

ACROSOME BREAKDOWN IN LEPTODACTYLUS CHAQUENSIS (AMPHIBIA ANURA) SPERMATOZOA*

Acrosome breakdown in Leptodactylus chaquensis is described: during this process acrosome enlarges, becomes round-shaped and finally disrupts. Low tonicity media (0.025 M sucrose and 1/10 Holtfreter's solutions) favor acrosome breakdown and sperm fertility loosing. High tonicity media (0.250 M sucrose and Holtfreter's solutions) maintain acrosomes in an unreacted stage and sperm fertilizing capacity is preserved. Sperm motility does not seem to be a sufficient condition for the sperm to fertilize and also does not seem to be related with acrosome breakdown. The presence of lectins in the incubation media does not modify the time-course of acrosome breakdown.