Landscape‐scale redistribution of a highly mobile threatened species,Pteropus conspicillatus (Chiroptera,Pteropodidae), in response to Tropical Cyclone Larry

Abstract Severe category 4 Tropical Cyclone Larry, which crossed north‐east Queensland on 20 March 2006, provided a unique opportunity to examine the short‐term impacts of a major disturbance event on the population of a highly mobile threatened species, Pteropus conspicillatus. As we had recorded, the species’ population distribution in colonial roosts (camps) across the region each month for almost 2 years prior to Cyclone Larry, we continued monthly surveying of P. conspicillatus camp‐sites for a year post‐cyclone. Here we report on how P. conspicillatus responded and redistributed immediately after the cyclone, and over the subsequent year. Post‐cyclone, P. conspicillatus typically roosted in smaller camps than pre‐cyclone, suggesting that these animals had largely dispersed to locate available blossoms and fruit. For 6 months after Cyclone Larry, up to 90% of the pre‐cyclone P. conspicillatus population (ca. 250 000) was unaccounted for across the region. Information provided by the general public assisted us in locating six small camps of P. conspicillatus at ‘new’ locations, but contributed little to increase our overall population estimate for the species at this time. After November 2006, the number of P. conspicillatus built up at located camp‐sites until a post‐cyclone peak of 209 000 at the end of the study in March 2007, comparable with the population estimates in March 2005 and 2006. There is no evidence that the cyclone caused significant direct mortality among P. conspicillatus, although there may yet be longer‐term and indirect effects on population size. We suggest that redistribution by P. conspicillatus makes sense ecologically in the face of major habitat disturbance and short‐ to long‐term food resource limitation, and is not unlike the response of other Australian mainland Pteropus species to seasonal changes in food availability.     

Control of apple canker using fungicidal paints and gels

Paints containing mercuric oxide or thiophanate-methyl were applied to either scraped or unscraped cankers caused by Nectria galligena on apple trees at two sites. Three gel formulations (carbendazim/triadimefon in alginate or xanthan and carbendazim/imazalil in xanthan) and a solvent-based PP969 formulation were applied to unscraped cankers only. Assessments were made 9 and 21 months after treatment. Mercuric oxide was more effective than thiophanate-methyl after 21 months on both scraped and unscraped cankers. All gel formulations reduced spore production and fungitoxicant could still be detected in bark and wood after 21 months. The solvent-based PP969 formulation did not perform as well as the gels.     

Revision of Comesomatidae (Nematoda)

The gross and fine morphology of the family Comesomatidae is reviewed and the systematic position of its members revised. Significant differentiating characters of the Comesomatidae within the Chromadorida are: a copulatory apparatus provided with apophyses, a female reproductive system with outstretched ovaries, the presence of marginal tubes within the oesophagus, and a non-sclerotized and enlarged tail tip. For classification within the family the following three main characters are used: the structure of the buccal cavity, the structure of the copulatory apparatus, and the arrangement of the cephalic sense organs. Structure of the Sabatieria type is considered basic. The genera are rearranged in three subfamilies as follows: Sabatieriinae ( Cervonema, Laimelia, Pierrickia, Sabatieria (syn. Actarjania), Scholpaniella ), Dorylaimopsinae (Dorylaimopsis (syn. Mesonchium), Hopperia, Metasabatieria, Paramesonchium, Vasostoma ), Comesomatinae ( Comesoma, Metacomesoma, Paracomesoma. ) Six species of Comesomatidae are described from the øresund, Denmark: Cervonema macramphis sp.n.; Laimelia filipjevi nom. nov. (syn. Sabatieria longicaudata Filipjev, 1922); Sabatieria hilarula De Man, 1922; S. ornata (Ditlevsen, 1918); S. punctata (Kreis, 1924); Dorylaimopsis punctata Ditlevsen, 1918. Representatives of these species constitute more than 40% of the total number of nematodes in the region.     

Variation in density of cattle-visiting muscid flies between Danish inland pastures

Abstract. The density of cattle-visiting flies (Muscidae) and the load of black-flies (Simulium spp.) were estimated in twelve and eighteen inland pastures in Denmark in 1984 and 1985 respectively. No differences in the geographical distribution pattern of the predominant cattle-visiting Muscidae were recorded, whilst the relative abundance and density of the species and the total fly-load varied considerably between pastures. In most cases the mean loads of Haema-tobia irritans (L.) and Hydrotaea irritans (Fall.) on heifers varied significantly in relation to site topography and shelter. These crude site variables explained 65–98% of the variation in densities of horn flies and sheep head flies observed between pastures. Highest densities of Hydrotaea irritans were primarily associated with permanent, low-lying, fairly sheltered grassland sites, whereas the density was low in temporary, dry, wind-exposed pastures. A comparable relationship was found for Haematobia irritans. With Haematobosca stimulans (Mg.) and Morellia spp. no relation between grassland environment and fly density was detected.