Isolation and identification of 21 microsatellite loci in the Copper redhorse (Moxostoma hubbsi; Catostomidae) and their variability in other catostomids

Catostomidae represent an important family of freshwater fishes mainly distributed in North America, but also found in Eurasia. This paper describes the development of microsatellite DNA markers for a highly threatened member of this family, the Copper redhorse (Moxostoma hubbsi), as well as cross‐catostomids amplifications. 168 tetra‐nucleotide loci were screened to develop 21 polymorphic markers, with an average number of 8.5 alleles per locus and observed heterozygosity ranging between 0.52 and 1.00. Successful amplification was obtained for 12 other members of the family at between seven to 19 loci, with between two to 18 loci being polymorphic per species.     

The functional significance of aperture form in gastropods

Aperture form of marine prosobranch gastropods has evolved under the influence of a number of different selective forces, including: generation of shell form; protection from predation; accommodation of the foot during clamping behavior: and accommodation of water currents in and out of the mantle cavity. Aperture form correlates positively with foot shape in most gastropods and foot shape, in turn, correlates moderately well with substrate preference. Almost all gastropods that have non-round apertures elongate the aperture parallel to the foot so that water currenth tend to flow anteriorly to posteriorly. Fresh-water pulmonates have responded to somewhat different stresses. They exhibit clamping behavior and thus show correspondence between foot shape and aperture shape. They show less apertural strengthening as crab (or crayfish) predation is less of a factor and presumably because calcium carbonate is less available. They also lack anterior-posterior apertural elongation due to the absence of water currents through their mantle cavity. Due to the absence of mantle cavity water currents and clamping behavior, terrestrial gastropods do not show the apertural modifications associated with these two factors. In addition. few adaptations of apertural form are present to resist predation. Instead, many of the apertural modifications of terrestrial pulmonates seem to be concer-ned with the problems of water loss during estivation.     

Gametogenesis in the Genus Hydra

This paper comments on the induction of gametogenesis, on microscopicaland electronmicroscopical aspects of spermatogenesis and oogenesisand on fertilization in the genus Hydra. Spermiogenesis doesnot present any peculiarities. The ripe sperm contains no detectableacrosoinc. Egg-formation involves phagocytosis of entire oogoniaby growing oocytes. Several oocytes merge to a single oocyte,in which one nucleus becomes the germinal vesicle. The egg shellis formed only when the egg is fertilized. Various factors suchas the synchronization of gametogenesis, the length of sexualperiods, continuous release of sperm and the long life spanof sperm are considered to guarantee the fertilization of theeggs.     

Ultrastructure of the Contractile Vacuole and Its Periphery in Amoeba proteus: Evolution of Vesicles During the Cycle1

ABSTRACT. The population of organelles in the periphery of the contractile vacuole of Amoeba proteus has been studied throughout the cycle using proper fixation and dehydration procedures on serial semithin and thin sections. Three distinct types of perivacuolar vesicles which arise successively from one another in the course of the cycle have been described. Size relationships have been determined by stereology.     

Allosteric Properties of Chorismate Mutase from Quercus pedunculata

Chorismate mutase from Quercus pedunculata Ehrh. leaves has been purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, molecular sieving and hydroxyapatite chromatography. Some results obtained during the purification suggest the presence, in oak, of two isofunctional forms of the enzyme, the one sensitive, the other insensitive to the action of aromatic amino acids. The regulable form exhibits a molecular weight of about 45,000. It is inhibited by tyrosine and by phenylalanine and is activated by tryptophan. In addition to its activating properties, this latter compound, endowed with a great affinity for the enzyme, reverses the inhibition due to the two other amino acids. The H⁺ concentration of the medium plays an important role in the sensitivity of the enzyme with regard to its effectors. Inhibition by tyrosine and by phenylalanine is maximal at pH 6.5, at which value the two ligands present an identical effect. At alkaline pH values, the rate of inhibition decreases regularly, tyrosine becoming the most effective inhibitor. Activation by tryptophan is particularly acute in a mildly acid medium; at pH 6.5, this effector increases the enzymatic activity threefold. Its action is weak (20% activation) in the optimum pH zone (pH 7.8) and increases towards the more basic pH values. As a result, tryptophan maintains a constant level of enzymatic activity throughout a large pH zone (between 6.5 and pH 9.0). The physiological significance of these results is discussed.     

Taxonomy of Fasciosminthurus (Collembola, Symphypleona, Bourletiellidae), with descriptions of two new European species

The taxonomy of Fasciosminthurus (Collembola, Symphypleona, Bourletiellidae) is reviewed. Two Fasciosminthurus species are redescribed, F. sauteri (Nayrolles & Lienhard, 1990) and F. virgulatus (Skorikow, 1899), and two new species, F. saportae sp. n. and F. pseudovirgulatus sp. n., are described. Fasciosminthurus virgulatus and F. pseudovirgulatus display similar colour patterns. They can be distinguished by presence vs absence of a pair of flecks on the head and chaetotaxy of the third antennal segment. A key to species and comments on taxonomic characters and biogeography are provided. It is proposed that F. virgulatus and F. pseudovirgulatus sp. n. are allopatric sister species.