GENETIC ENGINEERING TO AVOID GENETIC NEGLECT: FROM CHANCE TO RESPONSIBILITY

Currently our assessment of whether someone is a good parent depends on the environmental inputs (or lack of such inputs) they give their children. But new genetic intervention technologies, to which we may soon have access, mean that how good a parent is will depend also on the genetic inputs they give their children. Each new piece of available technology threatens to open up another way that we can neglect our children. Our obligations to our children and our susceptibilities to corresponding legal and moral sanctions may be about to explosively increase. In this paper I argue that we should treat conventional neglect and ‘genetic neglect’– failing to use genetic intervention technologies to prevent serious diseases and disabilities – morally consistently. I conclude that in a range of cases parents will have a moral obligation to use genetic treatments to prevent serious disabilities in their children. My particular focus is on prenatal interventions and their impact of the bodily integrity of expectant mothers. I conclude that although bodily integrity constrains moral obligations, it is outweighed in a range of cases.     

Effects of phenotypic variation onto body temperature and flight activity in a polymorphic insect

Abstract.  According to biophysical principles, colour and size are important phenotypic factors that may influence body temperature and activity in ectothermic insects. In taxa showing female-limited polymorphism, males and female morphs differ in body colour, size and activity pattern. However, no previous study has evaluated whether such phenotypic and behavioural variation relates to differences between males and female morphs in thermal properties. In the present study, the relationships between body colour, size, activity and body temperature are examined under laboratory and field conditions, for the polymorphic damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum (Charpentier, 1840) (Odonata: Zygoptera). Contrary to expectation, males and female colour morphs of this species do not differ in thermal properties (i.e. heating characteristics or field body temperatures). When questioning phenotype and activity, temperature does not appear to be relevant for understanding the maintenance of female-limited polymorphism.     

Changes in the Growth of Roots and Shoots when Perilla frutescens L. Britt. is Induced to Flower

The pattern of root and shoot growth of Perilla frutescens L.Britt. was studied in plants growing either in norally inductivephotoperiods or in non-inductive photoperiods. By the 20th dayof inductive treatment, that is at least 5 d before the firstflowers were pollinated, the rate of dry matter accumulationin the roots was slower in induced than in non-induced plants.The roots of induced plants had both a smaller fresh weightand dry weight per unit length. The rate of root elongationalso became slower in induced plants than in non-induced plants.The frequency of branching was greater in roots of induced plants.Plants exposed to inductive photoperiods showed precocious developmentof axillary buds on the shoot, and a reduction in the rate ofstem elongation. It is suggested that these changes in the shootreflect a decrease in the auxin status of the shoot, which mayin turn be responsible for the decreased rate of root growthin the induced plants.     

Comparative morphology of the dermal palate in squamate reptiles, with comments on phylogenetic implications

The differentiation of the dermal palate and of the septomaxilla in extant squamate reptiles is reviewed in terms of Lakjer's distinctions of a palaeochoanate, incomplete neochoanate, and neochoanate condition. The differentiation of the bones surrounding the mushroom body, Jacobson's organ, and the internal naris (choana) supports a number of clades including Squamata, Scleroglossa, and Autarchoglossa, with Serpentes nested within Autarchoglossa. Dermal palate morphology and the differentiation of the septomaxilla in squamates reflect the evolution of the chemosensory system in general, and the vomeronasal system in particular, and strongly contradict a recent hypothesis of squamate phylogeny based on molecular data.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 152 , 131–152.     

New occurrences of Ichniotherium and Striatichnium from the Lower Permian Kildare Capes Formation,Prince Edward Island,Canada: palaeoenvironmental and biostratigraphic implications

Abstract: Tracks and trackways of the vertebrate ichnotaxon Ichniotherium sphaerodactylum and a trace of the invertebrate ichnotaxon Striatichnium bromackerense are described for the first time in association outside of Europe. The tracks are identified as I. sphaerodactylum based on their characteristic rounded digit ends, the ovoid sole‐pad of the pedal imprint and the increase in digit lengths from digits I–IV, and the invertebrate trace is identifiable as S. bromackerense based on the band‐like systems of distally bifurcated striae. The tracks of I. sphaerodactylum are the largest known to date and represent rare evidence of large‐bodied terrestrial vertebrates in the Kildare Capes Formation of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Morphometric differences between ichnospecies of Ichniotherium and other ichnospecies previously collected from Prince Edward Island are examined in a multivariate analysis, and results suggest that the distance between the manus and pes of the same imprint pair, the width of pace and the length of certain digits is useful for species identification. The association between I. sphaerodactylum and S. bromackerense was previously known only from the Bromacker quarry, Tambach Formation, Germany, which is interpreted as a seasonally dry, semi‐arid upland environment. The co‐occurrence of these traces suggests that the Eldon locality of Prince Edward Island is similar in depositional environment to the Bromacker quarry in Germany, and allows for comparison of these two localities for the first time. As diadectids are thought to be the trackmakers of Ichniotherium, the Eldon locality of the Kildare Capes Formation may, with further work, be considered as another example of the rare, herbivore‐dominated palaeoenvironment, which is generally uncharacteristic of the Early Permian of North America.     

Counting the spots: a molecular and morphological phylogeny of the spotted darner Boyeria (Odonata: Anisoptera: Aeshnidae) with an emphasis on European taxa

Boyeria irene and Boyeria cretensis are species of spotted dragonflies belonging to the ‘darner’ family, Aeshnidae. In 1991, Peters classified Boyeria from Crete as B. cretensis, based on adult morphological characters. In this study, we used molecular evidence to determine if indeed B. irene and B. cretensis are different species. DNA was sequenced from samples of B. irene (from France, Switzerland, Tunisia, Spain and Italy) and B. cretensis (from Crete). These species were recovered as two different clades with strong support. We conclude that B. irene and B. cretensis are different species, with evidence based on molecular and morphological differences. In addition, we present the first phylogenetic hypothesis for Boyeria for which we have sequenced all but three species. Lastly, we discuss different scenarios that may have led to the present‐day distribution and speciation patterns of Mediterranean Boyeria.     

Effects of Mesopredators on Nest Survival of Shrub-Nesting Songbirds

ABSTRACT Although nest predation is often the single largest source of mortality in avian populations, manipulative studies to determine predator impacts on nest survival are rare, particularly studies that examine impacts of mid-size mammalian predators (hereafter, mesopredators) on nest survival of shrub-nesting birds. We quantified nest survival and identified nest predators of shrub-nesting songbirds within 4 large (approx. 40-ha) exclosures and 4 control sites within a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem. During 2003–2006, we located and monitored 535 shrub nests (222 with videography) for 4,804 nest-days to quantify daily nest survival and document predation events. We found no support for a treatment effect, suggesting mesopredators had little impact on daily nest survival (0.9303 in controls and 0.9260 in exclosures) of shrub-nesting songbirds. For the 5 most commonly monitored species, daily nest survival within species was constant. Our analysis suggested that shrub nests were most vulnerable during the nestling stage and presence of cameras on nests increased survival with the increase in survival being more pronounced during the incubation stage. We filmed 107 nest predation events, identifying predators at 88 nests. Of these 88 nests, snakes caused 33%, red imported fire ants (hereafter fire ants, Solenopsis invicta) 28%, raptors 17%, corvids 8%, mesopredators 6%, and small mammals 8% of nest predations. Cause-specific nest predation in controls and exclosures did not differ from expectation, providing evidence that compensatory predation did not occur. Nest predators differed from expectation with regard to nest stage; fire ants and raptors only depredated nests during the nestling stage. Presence of cameras had no effect on nest abandonment. Fire ants were the most prevalent nest predator, and nest predation by fire ants was only observed on nestlings, potentially reducing likelihood of renesting. Magnitude and timing of fire ant predation suggests that fire ants may be the most influential nest predator of shrub-nesting birds within the longleaf pine ecosystem. Our data suggest that controlling mesopredators will have no effect on nest success of shrub-nesting birds within longleaf pine forests.     

Relationships among the major lineages of Dictyoptera: the effect of outgroup selection on dictyopteran tree topology

Abstract Dictyoptera, comprising Blattaria, Isoptera, and Mantodea, are diverse in appearance and life history, and are strongly supported as monophyletic. We downloaded COII, 16S, 18S, and 28S sequences of 39 dictyopteran species from GenBank. Ribosomal RNA sequences were aligned manually with reference to secondary structure. We included morphological data (maximum of 175 characters) for 12 of these taxa and for an additional 15 dictyopteran taxa (for which we had only morphological data). We had two datasets, a 59‐taxon dataset with five outgroup taxa, from Phasmatodea (2 taxa), Mantophasmatodea (1 taxon), Embioptera (1 taxon), and Grylloblattodea (1 taxon), and a 62‐taxon dataset with three additional outgroup taxa from Plecoptera (1 taxon), Dermaptera (1 taxon) and Orthoptera (1 taxon). We analysed the combined molecular?morphological dataset using the doublet and MK models in Mr Bayes , and using a parsimony heuristic search in paup . Within the monophyletic Mantodea, Mantoida is recovered as sister to the rest of Mantodea, followed by Chaeteessa; the monophyly of most of the more derived families as defined currently is not supported. We recovered novel phylogenetic hypotheses about the taxa within Blattodea (following Hennig, containing Isoptera). Unique to our study, one Bayesian analysis places Polyphagoidea as sister to all other Dictyoptera; other analyses and/or the addition of certain orthopteran sequences, however, place Polyphagoidea more deeply within Dictyoptera. Isoptera falls within the cockroaches, sister to the genus Cryptocercus. Separate parsimony analyses of independent gene fragments suggest that gene selection is an important factor in tree reconstruction. When we varied the ingroup taxa and/or outgroup taxa, the internal dictyopteran relationships differed in the position of several taxa of interest, including Cryptocercus, Polyphaga, Periplaneta and Supella. This provides further evidence that the choice of both outgroup and ingroup taxa greatly affects tree topology.     

Diurnal Variation in Nutrients and Chimpanzee Foraging Behavior

Primate feeding behavior varies over long (e.g., weekly, seasonally, yearly) and short (e.g., hourly) scales of time due to changes in resource availability and the nutritional composition of foods. While the factors that affect long‐term changes in feeding behavior have received considerable attention, few data exist regarding what drives variability in feeding behavior over the course of a single day. To address this problem, we investigated diurnal variation in chimpanzee feeding on the leaves of two species of saplings, Pterygota mildbraedii and Celtis africana, at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda. Specifically, we related short‐term changes in chimpanzee feeding behavior on these leaves to diurnal variation in their nutritional composition. Results showed that chimpanzees fed on the leaves of both saplings more in the evening than they did in the morning. The nutritional quality of leaves also improved over the course of the day. Concentrations of cellulose and lignin were lower and total nonstructural carbohydrates (including sugars and starch) were higher in the evening for P. mildbraedii, and sugars were higher in the evening for C. africana. These data suggest that chimpanzees consume these resources when their quality is highest, and consequently, may track the nutrient composition of their foods over very short periods that span only a few hours. In the future, foods collected for analyses must control for time of sampling to ensure biologically meaningful assays of nutrient composition. Am. J. Primatol. 75:342‐349, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.