PATHWAYS OF INCORPORATION OF FATTY ACID INTO GLYCEROLIPIDS OF THE MURINE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IN VIVO: ALTERATIONS IN THE DYSMYELINATING MUTANT TREMBLER MOUSE

In vivo glycerolipid metabolism was studied in sciatic nerves of normal and Trembler mice. The results showed that two kinetically independent pathways were implicated in the labeling of diacylglycerophospholipids from [³H]palmitate: the Kennedy pathway and a ‘direct acylation’ pathway. In normal nerves, 45% of the glycerophospholipids were labeled, with a rate constant k₃ = 3.9 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹, from phosphatidic acid and diacylglycerol intermediates, themselves formed with a rate constant of k₁ = 0.24 min⁻¹ from a free ³H-fatty acid pool, FFA₁, that represents 45% of the total injected label. The remaining 55% of the glycerophospholipids were labeled from a kinetically distinct free ³H-fatty acid pool, FFA₂, with a rate constant of k₄ = 9.8 × 10⁻², via a process that does not implicate a detectably labeled metabolic intermediate (‘direct acylation’). Glycerophospholipid labeling via the Kennedy pathway in the Trembler mouse sciatic nerves was reduced to 75% of the normal level, while labeling via the ‘direct acylation’ pathway was increased 1.4-fold. The values of the rate constants for free ³H-fatty acid utilisation (k₁ and k₄) were both increased about 2.5-fold, while that of glycerophospholipid formation from diacylglycerol (k₃) was close to normal. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd     

Dental anomalies in Upper Eocene Anthracotheriidae: a possible case of inbreeding

Three fragmentary maxillae and an isolated upper molar from the Upper Eocene locality of Wai Lek (Krabi Basin, South Thailand) belonging to the small anthracotheriid Siamotherium krabiense display strongly abnormal morphologies that are particularly unusual among the dental anomalies recorded in both extant and fossil mammals. Variation and atavism can be ruled out, and the other hypothetical origins of these anomalies, particularly the occurrence of odontomes and inbreeding, are discussed. Dental anomalies, Anthracotheriidae, Asia, atavism, variation, inbreeding.
Stéphane Ducrocq and Jean-Jacques Jaeger, Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Case Courrier 064, Université Montpellier II, Place Eugéne Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cédex 5, France (SD's current address: Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Rosenstein 1, D-70191 Stuttgart, Germany); Yaowalak Chaimanee and Varavudh Suteethorn, Department of Mineral Resources, Geological Survey, Rama VI Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; 14th November, 1994; revised 27th July. 1995.     

Long pollinia on eyes: hawk-moth pollination of Cynorkis uniflora Lindley (Orchidaceae) in Madagascar

NILSSON, L. A., RABAKONANDRIANINA, E., RAZANANAIVO, R. & RANDRIAMANINDRY, J.J., 1992. Long pollinia on eyes: hawk-moth pollination of Cynorkis uniflora Lindley (Orchidaceae) in Madagascar. The pollination biology of Cynorkis uniflora Lindley (Orchidaceae) was studied on a rocky outcrop in a fragment of montane rain forest in central Madagascar. The plant was obligately pollinated by hawk-moths. Nectar was produced in a floral spur and was accessible to hawk-moths with medium-long and long tongues. All observed visits took place during the 80 min following dusk. Floral traits and visits indicated pollination association with endemic hawk-moths of the genera Nephete and Hippotion with medium tongue length and early-evening habits. The orchid pollinia had extraordinarily long caudicles (c. 16 mm) and were carried attached to the hawk-moths' eyes, thus protruding far in front of the face of the pollinator. The ratio between components of floral female and male functions within the orchid population suggested that the much elongated operative male floral parts result from strong and progressively extreme sex-specific selection for acquiring mates via hawk-moths. By far the most frequent flower-visitors of C. uniflora at the study site were long-tongued nectar thieving hawk-moths whose relative abundance probably reflected faunal imbalance caused by the destruction of nearby moth foraging habitats through deforestation.     

Taxonomy, distribution and nomenclature of three confused broad-leaved Potamogeton species occurring in Africa and on surrounding islands

A taxonomic revision of broad-leaved Potamogeton species ascribed to the ' P. schweinfurthii–thunbergii complex' occurring in Africa and on surrounding islands is presented. Three species, P. nodosus , P. richardii and P. schweinfurthii , are recognized in the African mainland. The widespread species P. nodosus has been widely overlooked in sub-Saharan Africa. It is recorded here for the first time from eight countries of tropical and southern Africa and from six surrounding islands. The distribution of P. richardii is critically revised and the species is recorded for the first time from Cameroon, Swaziland and Madagascar. P. schweinfurthii is recorded for the first time from Algeria, Tunisia, Burkina Faso and Niger. The nomenclature of all three species is revised. Lectotypes are designated for six names. All original material of the name P. thunbergii Cham. et Schltdl. actually belongs to P. nodosus Poir. The correct name for the East and southern African species called ' P. thunbergii ' is P. richardii Solms. The lectotype of P. schweinfurthii designated by Dandy proved to be P. nodosus . A new type is therefore proposed for the species generally named P. schweinfurthii and the name itself is proposed for conservation. The morphology and stem anatomy of P. nodosus , P. richardii and P. schweinfurthii are described. In spite of some overlaps in the morphological variation in their vegetative characters, a detailed analysis of the variation patterns and instructions for reliable identification are given. The distributions of all three species are described, based solely on reliably identified specimens, many of which were also examined anatomically. Distribution maps are provided.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 148 , 329–357.     

Conularia sp. from the Pyrénées: further support for scyphozoan affinities of the Conularida

McKinney, F.K, Delvolve, 7.-J. & Sobieraj, J. 1995 11 30: Conularia sp. from the Pyrénées: further support for scyphozoan affinities of the Conularida.
Several specimens of Conularia from the mid-Carboniferous Culm Formation of the Pyrénées occur as clusters with a large central specimen and several smaller divergent individuals that may be buds from the larger central specimen. Other individual and clustered specimens exhibit complex polygonal cross-sections that are inferred to have resulted from longitudinal fission of a precursor pyramid into two or more descendant individuals. Apparent budding and transverse fission (strobilation) of conulariids have been reported previously, but we have found no earlier record of longitudinal fission. The existence of this additional mode of asexual increase in conulariids further supports their affinities with the scyphozoan Cnidaria. Conularida, Scypho-zoa, fission, Carboniferous, Pyrénées .     

Etude des interactions sociales entre male et femelle chez la Genette (Genetta genetta L.): Relations entre marquage olfactif et agression

Study on Social Interactions between Male and Female Genets (Genetta genetta L.): Relations between Scent Marking and Aggression The aim of this work was to study the relations between marking behaviour and aggression in genets (Genetta genetta L.). Observations on social interactions were made on a socially stable pair and during encounters between unfamiliar pairs. In the first case, there appeared to be a relationship between marking activity in the male and aggression. During aggression periods, marking with the ano-urogenital region increased in the male and decreased in the female. Another striking variation concerned flank rubbing and hindleg rubbing. In both male and female these marking frequencies increased significantly during aggression periods and flank rubbing was modified by visual cues. Data recorded during encounters between unfamiliar pairs (one male being introduced in a female's cage) showed that agonistic behaviours were released through visual cues in females and olfactory cues in males. The same changes in marking frequencies were observed. These results also showed that ano-urogenital marking was inhibited in females during aggression periods. The adaptative significance of these phenomena is discussed.     

Memorisation des marques olfactives chez la Genette (Genetta genetta L.): durée de reconnaissance par les femelles de marques olfactives de males

Memorization of Scent Marks in Genets (Genetta genetta L.): Duration of Female Memory of Male Scent Marks The aim of this work was to study the memorization of scent marks of known males by females in genets (Genetta genetta L.). An attempt was made to determine how long, after separation from a given male, females could discriminate between his scent marks and those of strange males. Significant differences in sniffing duration at the scent marks were observed nine weeks after separation. These results showed that olfactory cues could permit individual recognition in genets, and that memorizing the scent marks could also act in the regulation of aggressive behaviour in free-living animals.     

Size-dependent changes in phytoplankton C and N uptake in the dynamic mixed layer of Lake Biwa

1. Short-term (days) hydrodynamic effects of wind-induced mixing on phytoplankton size structure, and C and N uptake characteristics, were studied in the surface mixed layer (epilimnion) of Lake Biwa (North Basin), before and during a period of high winds (typhoons). 2. The latter period was characterized by two major typhoon events associated with deepening of the seasonal thermocline, reduced water column stability, decreased underwater irradiance and increased dissolved reactive N and particulate P. 3. Nutrient concentrations, seston C/N ratios, and uptake rates indicated that phytoplankton biomass and production were limited by P and not N throughout the study. Higher C- and N-based productivity during the typhoon period than before reflected the increased phytoplankton biomass and higher specific uptake rates due to increased nutrient supply. 4. Changes in the size-structure of phytoplankton (< 2 and > 2 μm) were associated with variations in the stratification and mixing regime. When vertical stability was high (before the typhoons) concentrations of > 2 μm biomass (chlorophyll a, particulate organic C and N) were higher at the bottom of the mixed layer than at the surface whereas, when stability of the mixed layer was low (the typhoon period), the contribution of picoplankton (< 2 μm) to total Chl a increased at the surface and decreased at the bottom following the first high winds. 5. Photoadaptive adjustments of the phytoplankton provided further evidence of hydrodynamic control. The lower intracellular Chl a concentrations and C and N uptake efficiencies in the < 2 μm fraction suggest that they experienced, on average, higher irradiance than the larger cells because of their lower sinking rates. During the stability period, picoplankton exhibited higher photosynthetic efficiencies at the bottom of the mixed layer than at the surface. Such differences disappeared during the typhoon period indicating that the mixing rate was then probably higher than the photoacclimation rate in the small size fraction. 6. The present results stress the highly transient nature of biological homogeneity in the surface mixed layer of the lake.