A revision of Eurysphindus LeConte (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea: Sphindidae) and a review of sphindid classification and phytogeny

Abstract. Eurysphindus LeConte is revised and redescribed, Genisphindus gen.n. is described and a key to the species is given for each. Four new species of Eurysphindus are described: E.comatulus sp.n., E.grandiclaviger sp.n., E.halli sp.n. and E.infuscus sp.n. Eurysphindus brasiliensis Sen Gupta & Crowson, Eurysphindus plaumanni Sen Gupta & Crowson and Eurysphindus hirtus LeConte are redescribed. Four species of Genisphindus are described: G.latisternus sp.n., G.minor sp.n., G.rotundus sp.n. and G.roxanneae sp.n. Eurysphindus laevicollis Sen Gupta & Crowson is reassigned to Genisphindus. A tentative hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of sphindid genera is presented based on a cladistic analysis. A classification derived from the phylogenetic hypothesis is proposed and compared with that of Sen Gupta & Crowson (1977). A generic key to adult Sphindidae is provided. Known distributions for the genera of sphindids are considered in light of the phylogenetic hypothesis and various interpretations are proposed.     

Dove Habitat Association Based on Remotely Sensed Land Cover Types in South Texas

Abstract: We tested whether presence of white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica) and mourning doves (Z. macroura) in South Texas, USA, was associated with any of the land cover types recorded in the 2001 National Land Classification Database. We used the point-transect method to conduct presence—absence surveys for both species at 236 points encompassing 744 observations. Within predefined land cover types surrounding each survey point, we used Geographic Information Systems to determine the proportions of each land cover type present. We used randomization tests to compare proportions of land cover types present at points with and without doves. We used Program DISTANCE to estimate dove densities at survey points and to test whether certain land cover types were associated with greater dove densities. Our results indicated white-winged dove occurrence in South Texas was positively associated with urban land and cropland, whereas mourning dove occurrence was positively associated with cropland. For land cover types found to be associated with dove presence, estimated density for each dove species increased as the proportion of associated land cover type increased. These results can assist wildlife biologists in the development of a more efficient and targeted protocol for censusing doves. In addition, our methods can be applied to other species across several geographic areas and landscape scales.     

The Brunetti types of Tipulidae (Diptera) in the collection of the Zoological Survey of India: Part II,Nephrotoma Meigen and Ctenophora Meigen

An account is given of eight species of Pachyrhina Macquart and four species of Pselliophora Osten-Sacken, described by Brunetti, that fall under Nephrotoma Meigen and Ctenophora Meigen respectively.     

Steroid-Cell Surface Interactions in the Induction of Meiotic Maturation in Amphibian Oocytes

The involvement of steroid-cell surface interactions, in the induction of oocyte maturation, was investigated. A simple in vitro method was developed for the application of steroids or other substances to isolated portions of the surface of individual amphibian ovarian follicles or oocytes. The technique involved placing follicles in conical tubes between two reservoirs containing culture media. With the use of dye or radioactive tracer studies, the extent of exchange between reservoirs could be monitored and the proportion of the surface treated could be calculated.
Follicular oocytes remained viable and underwent nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation while maintained in conical tubes after a short exposure to progesterone over their total surface. Restriction of the percentage of the oocyte surface exposed to progesterone markedly reduced the incidence of meiotic maturation. Reduced responsiveness to locally applied progesterone occurred even in the presence of elevated steroid concentrations. The results suggest that the amount of follicle surface exposed to steroid is an important determinant in initiation of nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions associated with the meiotic maturation process. The procedures and results described should provide a new approach to investigating regional differences in oocyte and follicle surfaces and to studying their differentiation.     

CHEMICAL STIMULUS DETERMINANTS OF CAT GENICULATE GANGLION CHEMORESPONSIVE GROUP II UNIT DISCHARGE

Geniculate ganglion chemoresponsive group II units were studiedin anesthetized cats. A wide variety of chemical substanceswere applied to the surface of the tongue to test for theirstimulating effectiveness. Distilled water extracts of animaltissues (beef, cod, eggs, etc.) proved to be strong stimuli.A survey of a variety of chemical subtances disclosed that themost effective excitatory stimuli were certain amino acids (L-proline,L-cysteine, L-lysine, L-histidine, etc.), di- and triphosphatenucleosides and certain other substances (usually containingnitrogen). In testing compounds related to proline and histidineit was discovered that the heterocyclic ring components pyrrolidineand imidazole were as stimulatory as the parent amino acids.To further specify the properties of excitatory stimuli manysimple heterocyclic compounds were tested. Optimum heterocyclicstimuli were four to six member nonaromatic (except for imidazole),nitrogen compounds. Neural discharge to nitrogen heterocycleswas related to two structural and chemical factors: (1) a stericfactor (in particular, ring size); and (2) the relative basicityof the compounds as indicated by pKa values. ^* This research was financed in part by USPHS Research GrantNINDS-11220 and NSF Research Grants GB-4l446X, GB-39868.     

Effect of Gibberellic Acid and Ethylene on Peroxidase in Pea Internodes

Ethylene at 5–80 µl l^–1 inhibited elongationand induced swelling in internodes of light-grown normal anddwarf pea plants; GA₃ did not prevent swelling in response toethylene. GA₃ neither inhibited nor enhanced the activity of isoperoxidasesin the internodes, regardless of its effect on their elongation.Ethylene at 80 µl l^–1 enhanced peroxidase in GA₃-untreatedand treated normal and dwarf plants. At 5 µl l^–1,ethylene had only a weak effect on peroxidase activity or none.The enzyme enhancement by ethylene was not related to its effecton cell expansion and seems do be due, at least in part, tochemical injury. Electron microscopy revealed peroxidase activity in the roughER and cell walls, including intercellular spaces. Stainingof walls in ethylene-treated tissues was more pronounced thanin untreated ones. Golgi vesicles did not seem to be involvedin the assembly of the enzyme carbohydrate moiety in ethylene-treatedcells. The peroxidase fraction extracted with 20 mM phosphate buffer,pH 6, and that extracted from wall debris with 1 M NaCl accountedfor 98% of total enzyme activity. Both fractions contained thesame six cathodic isoforms which comprised 85–90% of theiractivity. Electrophoresis did not reveal differences in thequalitative isoenzyme patterns in relation to variety, age,GA₃, or ethylene. The only observed quantitative differenceswere age-dependent. Procedural artefacts during separation of protoplast and wallionically bound peroxidase fractions are discussed.     

EVOLUTIONARY TRENDS IN FROGS

Fossil evidence concerning the Anura adds guide-lines to phylogeneticinterpretations, but in large part evolutionary informationhas come from comparative studies of moderns. Trends withinthe Anura, established in different lines, provide an importantsource of clues for major phylogenetic interpretations. A numberof such trends, both osteological and non-skeletal, are analyzedand their phylogenetic implications assessed. Two major lines of development are postulated. One branch includesthe notobatrachid-ascaphid and the pipid-rhinophynid sublines.The other major branch includes the advanced frogs with procoelouscentra. The advanced frogs were derived from a primitive stockprior to the development of anything that would be recognizedas a notobatrachid-ascaphid-opisthocoelan line, rather thanfrom such a line.