ZOOPLANKTON OF LAKES MUTANDA, BUNYONYI AND MULEHE

Quantitative samples of zooplankton from three lakes in the Kigezi District of Uganda have been studied. The systematics of the zooplankton are considered, and some of the identifications given by Worthington & Ricardo (1936) in a previous study of one of these lakes are revised.
Lake Mulehe is the shallowest of the three lakes and contains the largost standing crop of zooplankton. This is in agreement with chemical data which indicato that the supply of nutrient salts in Lake Mulehe is higher than in the other two lakes.
In October 1962 the zooplankton of Lake Mutanda was characterized by the relative abundance of three species of Daphnia which were not found in the samples from the other lakes, although two of these species were present in Lake Bunyonyi in 1931. Rotifers were sparse in Lako Mutands, but here dominant by Tetramastix opoliensis. Lake Bunyonyi was richer in rotifers, but here the dominant species was Keratella tropica , whilo in Lake Mulehe the dominant rotifer was Synchaeta pectinata.
The zooplankton of Lake Mutanda in October 1962 was similar in composition to that of Lake Bunyonyi in 1931, but in 1962 the zooplankton of Lake Bunyonyi was more like that of Lake Mulehe. The possible causos of this change are discussed.     

OBSERVATIONS ON NOCTULE BATS (NYCTALUS NOCTULA) CAPTURED WHILE FEEDING

In the summer and early autumn of 1960, 1961 and 1962, noctule bats flying low, taking house crickets as these flew from a municipal rubbish tip, were captured in mist nets, ringed, released and in many cases recaptured a number of times. The flying bats showed no fear of human beings or predatory birds and did not learn to avoid the net. In June and July of each year the majority of bats caught were adult females, the flying young of the year first appearing in August though some did not fly until September and October. Young males did not reach sexual maturity in the year of their birth, though five out of fourteen females recaptured at a year old did. There was a considerable movement of adult males in the late summer, adult bats being captured in approximately equal numbers of both sexes during August and September. In October the females seemed to disappear, the majority of the bats caught during that month being males: by November the crickets had ceased to fly and no more bats could be captured though a few wero still flying on warm nights. There was a marked difference in feeding behaviour over these three years, the bats concentrating more on crickets in 1960 than in 1961 and 1962. Though the differences are not statistically significant there were indications of an increase in body weight between July and October in the years when less cricket feeding was occurring. About 50 per cent of the females captured in each of the years 1960 and 1961 were recaptured feeding on the same site in the following year: the recovery rate of males was about 30 per cent in 1961, 60 per cent in 1962.     

The susceptibility of Myzus persicae and Brevicoryne brassicae to 14C-phorate in artificial diets

Colonies of Myzus persicae and Brevicoryne brassicae were established on artificial diets and the honeydew produced by them collected on aluminium foils. The diets were later exchanged for others containing a range of ¹⁴C-phorate concentrations. The honey-dew produced while feeding on the treated diets was collected separately and mortalities were recorded. The diets, aphids and their honeydew were subsequently analysed. About 1.6% of the doses applied initially were found in the diets at the end of the bio-assay period. Thin-layer chromatography of diets containing LC₅₀ concentrations of insecticides showed that phorate and its metabolites were present in similar proportions. The LC₅₀ values were 15.5 nM and 277 nM phorate equivalents for B. brassicae and M. persicae respectively.     

The effect of barley yellow dwarf virus on field populations of the cereal aphids, Sitobion avenae and Metopolophium dirhodum

The numbers of cereal aphids, especially Metopolophium dirhodum in 1979, and Sitobion avenae in 1980, were significantly increased on BYDV infected wheat and oats in 1979, and wheat, barley and oats in 1980. The differences were probably caused by attraction of alates of each species to virus infected plants which had changed colour as a result of their infection. Significantly more alates of M. dirhodum were found on virus infected oats in 1979, and of S. avenae on oats and barley in 1980, although not on wheat in either year. probably because the colour contrast in wheat was less intense than in the other crops. Flight chamber experiments with alates of both species confirmed their visual attraction to virus-infected leaves. The interaction between virus, vector and host plants is discussed with reference to the ecology of virus spread.     

THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM OF THE ALDER FLY SIALIS LUTARIA

This is a comprehensive account of the circulatory system of all stages of Sialis lutaria L. The circulatory organs and pathways are described. In the larva an organ for circulating blood within the terminal segment is described. In the adult, blood vessels are described in the appendages and over the surface of the brain. Associated with these vessels are two types of accessory circulatory organs, pulsatile and valvular. The rates of heart beat, of circulation and pulsation of the scutellar organs are recorded.     

BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF A HEATED EFFLUENT IN DOCKS AT SWANSEA, S. WALES

Observations on the fauna of a heated, fully saline dock have been made by diving and by using suspended test panels. The seasonal abundance and breeding of native and immigrant species are described. The effects of subsequent cooling of the dock and the appearance of additional native species in the fauna are described and discussed.     

THE HISTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF PHOSPHATASES AND ESTERASES IN AUST RALORBIS GLABRATUS

The presence and distribution of two groups of enzymes has been determined histochemically on sections of the schistosome-bearing snail Australorbis glabratus. By the use of specific inhibitors, attempts have been made to characterize further the enzymes occurring in the various organs and tissues.
As a result of this study it has been found that alkaline and acid phosphatase are widely distributed but have identical localizations only in the kidney and albumen gland. Both enzymes react typically to the action of the usual inhibitors.
Among the non-specific esterases. an enzyme corresponding to the mammalian A-type esterase (aromesterase) is present in the brain; while a B-type esterase (aliesterase) is located in the digestive gland, intestine, and on the glandular region of the foot surface.
A "true" lipase (an esterase acting on an undissolved substrate) is found principally in the albumen gland, with an indication of its presence in the digestive gland and in portions of the digestive tract.
An enzyme with the properties of an acetylcholinesterase occurs in the radula sac, oesophagus, preputium, junction of carrefour and oviduct, and amoebocytes. A positive reaction for cholinesterase is also obtained with frozen sections of brain but, although this enzyme has been shown biochemically to hydrolyse acetylcholine and is inhibited by low concentrations of eserine. it is remarkably resistant to the action of organophosphorous compounds, and its true nature cannot he stated with certainty.