Electron Microscopic and Histochemical Studies of Sporozoite Formation in Plasmodium berghei*

SYNOPSIS. Observations were made on the differentiation of fine structure during sporogonic development of Plasmodium berghei. The oocyst in the process of sporozoite formation is an encapsulated structure 30-40 μ in diameter. It typically develops while in an extracellular position, attached to the basement membrane of the mosquito midgut and projecting into the mosquito hemocoel. Occasionally, however, ookinetes passing thru the midgut epithelial cells may become impacted within a cell so that the resulting oocyst develops intracellularly. Each oocyst has a large differentiating region, the sporoblastoid body. This body contains large dividing nuclei which are Feulgenpositive, and a cytoplasm which includes mitochondria, dense rodlike structures, cytoplasmic membranes, cisternae and vacuolar structures, Golgi material, and ribosomes which are both free and membrane-associated. Sporozoite budding takes place along the surface of the sporoblastoid body. Bits of a new membrane condense under the plasma membrane which bounds the sporoblastoid body. These 2-membraned sites then bulge out, continue to elongate, and eventually become sporozoites. The various nuclear and cytoplasmic components of the sporoblastoid body are passed into the sporozoites during their elongation. In addition, the sporozoite develops a system of elogate, subpellicular microtubules, possibly contractile in function. The pellicle of the sporozoite is broken by an opening, the cytostome (micropyle). The anterior end is truncate.     

Availability of and access to critical habitats in regulated rivers: effects of low-head barriers on threatened lampreys

1.  Conservation of freshwater animal populations requires their access to, as well as sufficient availability of, critical habitats, such as those for reproduction. Abundant small-scale barriers may cause extensive fragmentation of freshwater habitat but, by comparison to larger structures their effects are rarely considered by catchment managers. The relationship between the distribution of, and access to, spawning habitat in a regulated river, characterized by abundant small barriers, was examined for river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis , a threatened migratory fish.
2.  Telemetry of adult lamprey in the River Derwent, North East England was used to quantify upriver migration and access to spawning habitat, together with surveys of spawning habitat availability and spawning activity between 2002 and 2007.
3.  Access in to the Derwent appeared severely restricted by a tidal barrage, beyond which lamprey migrated rapidly in unobstructed reaches. Of all lamprey tagged in the lower 4 km of river, or ascending the barrage, 64% and 17% passed the first and second weirs respectively, with high flows crucial for this. Although over 98% of lamprey spawning habitat occurred more than 51 km upstream, on average just 1.8% of river lamprey spawners were recorded there.
4.  In order to protect or rehabilitate species or species assemblages, greater attention needs to be paid to the relative spatial distribution of low-head barriers and the resultant availability of key habitats within individual catchments. This is particularly important given the renewed emphasis internationally on low-head hydropower solutions as a source of renewable energy, and the rapid growth in numbers of low-head barriers in many catchments.     

Molecular Phylogeny of Arthropods and the Significance of the Cambrian "Explosion" for Molecular Systematics

SYNOPSIS. Accurate phylogenetic reconstruction requires charactersystems that have evolved fast enough to have kept pace withcladogenesis but slowly enough to have conveyed the resultingphylogenetic signal to the present. Because stratigraphic evidencesuggests that basal arthropod lineages arose rapidly duringan ancient (Cambrian) phylogenetic radiation, the discoveryof molecular sequences capable of resolving arthropod phylogenymay be a significant challenge for molecular systematists. Thischallenge is exemplified by our attempt to resolve arthropodphylogeny using the amino acid sequence of elongation factor-1(EF-1). Our fossil-based assessment of evolutionary rates indicatesthat EF-la should be capable of resolving Cambrian-age divergences.However, phylogenetic analysis using EF-1 fails to establishrelationships among most higher-level groups, although it doesrecover more recently derived clades. Here we propose two modelsto explain this incongruity. The Rapid Radiation Model maintainsthat fossil-based estimates of arthropod diversification areessentially accurate and that diversification occurred so rapidlyduring the Cambrian that few phylogenetically significant changesoccurred in the slowly evolving EF-1 sequence. The EnhancedPreservation Model maintains that fossil-based estimates ofCambrian-age divergences reflect enhanced preservation of pre-existinglineages and that arthropod diversification occurred beforethe Cambrian. This model attributes lack of resolution to degradationof phylogenetic signal within EF-1 by subsequent evolution.Current evidence is more consistent with the Enhanced PreservationModel, which implies that fossil-based methods can be very misleadingwhen attempting to gauge the phylogenetic information contentof molecular sequences for Cambrian- and Precambrian-age divergences.     

Colony-Site Selection Drives Management Priorities for Yelkouan Shearwater Populations

Abstract: We tested whether colony-site availability could allow for an increase in the unusually small breeding populations of yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) on the islands of the Port-Cros National Park (France) if feral cat eradication were undertaken. Comparisons between colony and noncolony sites indicated yelkouan shearwaters preferred deep-soiled and low-outcrop-covered coastal sites. A substrate cover, light avoidance, and sea proximity model suggested that 17.5% of unoccupied sites are suitable for colony establishment. The low proportion of suitable sites currently used by yelkouan shearwaters suggests that these colonies could be refuges and that feral cat eradication will probably lead to a breeding population increase.     

A phylogenetic analysis of Myriapoda (Arthropoda) using two nuclear protein-encoding genes

Nucleotide and inferred amino acid sequences from two nuclear protein-encoding genes, elongation factor-aα and RNA polymerase II, were obtained from 34 myriapods and 14 other arthropods to determine phylogenetic relationships among and within the myriapod classes. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods recovered all three represented myriapod classes (Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Symphyla) and all multiply sampled chilopod and diplopod orders, often with high node support. In contrast, relationships between classes and between orders were recovered less consistently and node support was typically lower. The temporal structure of phylogenetic diversification in Myriapoda may explain this apparent pattern of the phylogenetic recovery.     

Movement patterns and ecology of Pteronarcys nymphs (Plecoptera)

SUMMARY. 1. Individually tagged Pteronarcys californica (Newport) nymphs were caught and recaptured over a 3-month period to determine their movement patterns and home range size. Sex/age structure, population density, and food habits (from gut contents) were also recorded. More than 1000 nymphs were tagged of which 256 (25%) were recaptured at least once. Tagged insects were confined to contiguous fast water, cobble riffles. Low velocity, silt-bottomed pools acted as barriers.
2. This stonefly has a 3-year life cycle although only the two oldest nymphet size-classes were tagged. Females were larger than males at all ages. The population sex ratio was skewed 60:40 towards females. Densities averaged 1.7 m⁻²±0.17 SE (range 0–19 m⁻²).
3. Most movements were short, indicating that a majority of the stoneflies stayed within a few meters of their first capture point (mean 1.8 m downstream ±0.51 SE, range 44 m downstream to 40 m upstream). Significant patch size is a stream reach 24 m long that would contain 85% of the average individual's movements. Time between captures averaged 16 d ±0.734 SE (maximum 81 d). Eight individuals were notable for extremely rapid upstream movements ranging from 6 to 22 m d⁻¹.
4. Frequency of movements up and downstream differed significantly between the sexes. Pteronarcys distribution was clumped with certain quadrate representing'zones of attraction.'The stoneflies moved rapidly between zones, then stayed many days in those areas. Movements differed significantly from random walk models.
5. Guts contained 75% diatoms, 15% vascular plant material, and 8% animal remains. Females ate significantly more diatoms than males on a volumetric basis.     

In Vitro Propagation of the Protozoan Perkinsus Marinus, A Pathogen of the Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica

ABSTRACT. Perkinsus marinus , a pathogen of eastern oysters ( Crassostrea virginica ), has been successfully propagated in vitro. Cultures of the parasite were initiated from heart fragments of an infected oyster. the cultured protozoan (designated Parkinsus -1) was similar in morphology at both the light and transmission electron microscopy levels to histozoic stages of P. marinus in naturally infected oysters. In addition, cultured cells incubated in fluid thioglycollate medium produced enlarged cells (prezoosporangia) that stained blue-black in Lugol's solution, a response characteristic to Perkinsus spp. and used in routine diagnosis. Polyclonal antibodies raised against P. marinus prezoosporangia reacted positively to Perkinsus -1. Finally, the cultured cells infected susceptible oysters and reisolation of Perkinsus -1 cells was possible from the hearts of experimentally infected oysters. the culture medium contained most of the known constituents of cell-free hemolymph of oysters. the success achieved in culturing P. marinus will allow further investigations aimed at reducing mortalities caused by this important oyster pathogen and at addressing many unanswered questions about its biology and pathobiology.     

Description of Sarcocystis falcatula Stiles, 1893, a Parasite of Birds and Opossums1

ABSTRACT. Sarcocystis falcatula Stiles, 1893 is re-described. Intermediate hosts of the parasite which was earlier described as Sarcocystis debonei Vogelsang, 1929 are species of passeriform, psittaciform, and columbiform birds. In these birds, muscle zoites are 6.88 × 2.19 (4.8-8.4 × 1.2-3.6) μm and are enclosed in a cyst wall with regular protrusions, 1-5 μm long. The convoluted primary wall has multiple thin areas in the osmiophilic layer. Microtubules originate in the ground substance and extend to the tips of the protrusions. The only known definitive host is the opossum, Didelphis virginiana; rats, cats, a dog, and a ferret could not be infected from muscle cysts. Sporocysts from opossums infected from five different infected avian sources measure 11.2 × 7.4 (9.6?12.0 × 6.0-8.4)μm.