Paleodictyoconus actinostoma N. SP.orbitolinide nouveau des “couches a orbitolines” intra-urgoniennes du Vercors (France)

Paleodictyoconus actinostoma, a new species ofprimitive orbitolinid foraminifera from the neritic Lower Aptian of Vercors (Isère Dep., SE France) is described and figured. This new form derives probably from P. barremianus (Moullade); the differences between the two species are described. P. cuvillieri (Foury) is regarded as a synonym of P. barremianus.     

Variation of apomorphic characters in stream-dwelling tadpoles of the bufonid genus Ansonia (Amphibia: Anura)

Six larval forms of the bufonid genus Ansonia from Borneo share the following synapomorphies: cup-like, ventral oral disc; an expanded post-dental portion of the lower lip, which has a papillate margin; upper keratinized jaw sheath divided; body markedly flattened ventrally; eyes set relatively far back on the body. All of these tadpoles live on the bottom in strong currents, except for larval Ansonia leptopus , which lives in drifts of dead leaves that accumulate in eddies within streams. These larval forms differ among themselves in body shape, development of inframarginal papillae on the lower lip, size of the gap between the keratinized parts of the upper jaw sheath, width of the post-dental portion of the lower lip, relative lengths of upper and lower rows of labial teeth, and arrangement of the gut coils. One form has an abdominal sucker. Changes in these characters are not correlated; the derived condition in one character is not always associated with the derived state in another. Consequently, these tadpoles cannot be arranged in a simple morphocline from least to most derived, again with the exception of A. leptopus , which is the least modified in all respects. Although tadpoles of Ansonia resemble those of the neotropical bufonid genus Atelopus in general specialization for benthic life in flowing water, they differ from that group in body form and details of the oral disc.     

Spatio-temporal dynamics and biotic substrate preferences of benthic dinoflagellates in the Lesser Antilles,Caribbean sea

Epibenthic dinoflagellates were monitored monthly over an 18 month period in Guadeloupe and Martinique (Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea). These islands are located in the second most affected ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) region of the world. Guadeloupe presented five times more total epibenthic dinoflagellates and two times less abundant Gambierdiscus spp. compared to Martinique, although the area of frequent CFP outbreaks covers Guadeloupe and not Martinique. Results did not show any clear seasonal variations of benthic dinoflagellates abundances. Temperature and salinity were not driving parameters in the evolution of total benthic dinoflagellate abundances. Preferential associations were found between macrophyte species and epibenthic dinoflagellates. The Phaeophyceae Dictyota spp. hosted the highest abundances of total epibenthic dinoflagellates, composed mainly of Ostrepsis and Prorocentrum genera. The seagrass Halophila stipulacea hosted the highest abundances of Gambierdiscus spp. and Sinophysis spp. whilst the highest abundance of Coolia was determined on Galaxaura spp. The pelagic Sargassum spp. hosted the lowest abundances of benthic dinoflagellates including the genus Gambierdiscus.     

Psammodinium inclinatum gen. nov. et comb. nov. (=Thecadinium inclinatum Balech) is the closest relative to the toxic dinoflagellate genera Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa

The heterotrophic sand-dwelling dinoflagellate Thecadinium inclinatum has been re-examined by light and scanning electron microscopy in order to resolve the discrepancies on its plate pattern from the literature, and to obtain its phylogenetic information single-cell PCR technique has been used. The comparison of morphological and molecular information available for other Thecadinium species confirms the genus is polyphyletic and T. inclinatum seems not related to other representatives of the genus sensu lato. Thus, a new genus and combination for the species, Psammodinium inclinatum gen. nov., comb. nov. is proposed. Cells are heterotrophic and strongly laterally flattened, with sulcal pocket. The revised tabulation is: APC 3' 7” 7c 7s? 5”' 1p 2”” with a long-shank fishhook-shaped apical pore and descending cingulum. The cingulum inclines ventrally and declines on the right lateral side producing an asymmetrical epitheca. The epitheca is much smaller than the hypotheca. The phylogenetic results showed a strong relationship with the autotrophic epiphytic genera Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa, being closely related with the latter. The Gambierdiscus species typically have a tropical and sub-tropical distribution and produce ciguatoxins, causing thousands of intoxications every year by consumption of contaminated fish. Fukuyoa representatives have a wider distribution including warm and temperate waters, and it has been demonstrated that they are also able to produce ciguatoxins, even though at lower amounts. P. inclinatum, which potential toxicity remains to be determined, represents an interesting independent evolutionary branch that resulted in the loss of chloroplasts, the strong lateral compression and the adaptation to sandy habitats in temperate and cold waters.     

Morphology and phylogeny of Prorocentrum caipirignum sp. nov. (Dinophyceae), a new tropical toxic benthic dinoflagellate

A new species of toxic benthic dinoflagellate is described based on laboratory cultures isolated from two locations from Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. The morphology was studied with SEM and LM. Cells are elliptical in right thecal view and flat. They are 37–44 μm long and 29–36 μm wide. The right thecal plate has a V shaped indentation where six platelets can be identified. The thecal surface of both thecal plates is smooth and has round or kidney shaped and uniformly distributed pores except in the central area of the cell, and a line of marginal pores. Some cells present an elongated depression on the central area of the apical part of the right thecal plate. Prorocentrum caipirignum is similar to Prorocentrum lima in its morphology, but can be differentiated by the general cell shape, being elliptical while P. lima is ovoid. In the phylogenetic trees based on ITS and LSU rDNA sequences, the P. caipirignum clade appears close to the clades of P. lima and Prorocentrum hoffmannianum. The Brazilian strains of P. caipirignum formed a clade with strains from Cuba, Hainan Island and Malaysia and it is therefore likely that this new species has a broad tropical distribution. Prorocentrum caipirignum is a toxic species that produces okadaic acid and the fast acting toxin prorocentrolide.     

Rise and fall of toxic benthic freshwater cyanobacteria (Anabaena spp.) in the Eel river: Buoyancy and dispersal

Benthic cyanobacteria in rivers produce cyanotoxins and affect aquatic food webs, but knowledge of their ecology lags behind planktonic cyanobacteria. The buoyancy of benthic Anabaena spp. mats was studied to understand implications for Anabaena dispersal in the Eel River, California. Field experiments were used to investigate the effects of oxygen bubble production and dissolution on the buoyancy of Anabaena dominated benthic mats in response to light exposure. Samples of Anabaena dominated mats were harvested from the South Fork Eel River and placed in settling columns to measure floating and sinking velocities, or deployed into in situ ambient and low light treatments to measure the effect of light on flotation. Floating and sinking occurred within minutes and were driven by oxygen bubbles produced during photosynthesis, rather than intracellular changes in carbohydrates or gas vesicles. Light experiment results showed that in a natural ambient light regime, mats remained floating for at least 4 days, while in low light mats begin to sink in <24 h. Floating Anabaena samples were collected from five sites in the watershed and found to contain the cyanotoxins anatoxin-a and microcystin, with higher concentrations of anatoxin-a (median 560, max 30,693 ng/g DW) than microcystin (median 30, max 37 ng/g DW). The ability of Anabaena mats to maintain their buoyancy will markedly increase their downstream dispersal distances. Increased buoyancy also allows toxin-containing mats to collect along shorelines, increasing threats to human and animal public health.     

Palaeoenvironmental conditions preceding the Messinian Salinity Crisis: A case study from Gavdos Island

The Messinian pre-evaporitic sedimentary succession of Gavdos Island (Metochia section) is a nearly uninterrupted succession of marine sediments, dominated by finely laminated diatomaceous marls, which are cyclically alternating with clayey diatomites and white diatomites. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the planktonic foraminiferal fauna allowed the recognition of nine bioevents, which have been astronomically dated for the Mediterranean. The base of the diatomitic succession in Gavdos Island is dated at 6.722 Ma and the top at 6.015 Ma. The studied section contains benthic foraminiferal genera characteristic of an outer shelf to slope environment. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of this microfauna revealed three benthic foraminiferal fossil assemblages and the occurrence of allochthonous species transported into the bathyal environment by current activity. The cyclical pattern of the benthic foraminifera assemblages indicates that the studied sediments have been affected by repeated episodes of basin restriction characterized by low diversity benthic foraminifera populations, and a limited planktonic foraminifer association typified by shallow, surface-dwelling forms. This restriction was partly due to Antarctic cooling, which produced palaeo-Mediterranean sea-level oscillations during the Early Messinian, as a prelude to closure of the Atlantic connections. The relative impact of climatic versus tectonic control on sedimentation patterns within this basin is discussed.     

Spatial variation of intertidal macroinvertebrates and environmental variables in Robbins Passage wetlands,NW Tasmania

Macroinvertebrate composition, abundance and biomass were investigated at four intertidal sites throughout the Robbins Passage wetlands, Tasmania, over a 12-month period, in order to identify differences among and within sites, and to determine whether environmental variables could explain these differences. As this region is the most important shorebird area in Tasmania, we wanted to quantify the potential food source for shorebirds within the wetlands. Thirty-five taxa from 28,928 individuals were identified, with a mean abundance of 6026.6 ind m⁻² and biomass of 27.1 gDW m⁻². Bivalves and gastropods dominated the assemblage in terms of abundance and biomass (79% and 60%, respectively). There was a significant interaction among tidal level, site and season for invertebrate abundance and diversity, while biomass differed significantly among sites. In general, the mid-intertidal stratum had the greatest invertebrate density and diversity, while the low intertidal stratum had the greatest biomass. Community composition varied among the four sites, with the bivalve Paphies elongata dominating at two of the sites, while gastropods and polychaetes were more abundant at the other sites. Differences in invertebrate composition and abundance could partly be explained by seagrass biomass, i.e., dry mass of seagrass leaves and roots. Areas with seagrass had increased invertebrate abundance and diversity, but mean sediment particle size, % organic carbon and % seagrass cover had no significant effect. These results will assist in the investigation of habitat use by shorebirds and the identification of important shorebird feeding areas within the wetlands. Handling editor: P. Viaroli     

Ancestral Plasticity and Allometry in Threespine Stickleback Fish Reveal Phenotypes Associated with Derived, Freshwater Ecotypes

For over a century, evolutionary biologists have debated whether and how phenotypic plasticity impacts the processes of adaptation and diversification. The empirical tests required to resolve these issues have proven elusive, mainly because it requires documentation of ancestral reaction norms, a difficult prospect where many ancestors are either extinct or have evolved. The threespine stickleback radiation is not limited in this regard, making it an ideal system in which to address general questions regarding the role of plasticity in adaptive evolution. As retreating ice sheets have exposed new habitats, oceanic stickleback founded innumerable freshwater populations, many of which have evolved parallel adaptations to their new environments. Because the founding oceanic population is extant, we can directly evaluate whether specific patterns of ancestral phenotypic expression in the context of novel environments (plasticity), or over ontogeny, predisposed the repeated evolution of "benthic" and "limnetic" ecotypes in shallow and deep lakes, respectively. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that oceanic stickleback raised in a complex habitat and fed a macroinvertebrate diet expressed traits resembling derived, benthic fish. Alternatively, when reared in a simple environment on a diet of zooplankton, oceanic stickleback developed phenotypes resembling derived, limnetic fish. As fish in both treatments grew, their body depths increased allometrically, as did the size of their mouths, while their eyes became relatively smaller. Allometric trajectories were subtly but significantly impacted by rearing environment. Thus, both environmental and allometric influences on development, along with their interactive effects, produced variation in phenotypes consistent with derived benthic and limnetic fish, which may have predisposed the repeated genetic accommodation of this specific suite of traits. We also found significant shape differences between marine and anadromous stickleback, which has implications for evaluating the ancestral state of stickleback traits.     

Benthic oxygen flux in the highly productive subarctic Lake Myvatn, Iceland: In situ benthic flux chamber study

In situ paired light and dark-stirred benthic flux chambers were used to estimate dissolved oxygen flux across the sediment–water interface in Lake Mývatn, Iceland. Three sampling stations were selected, each station reflecting a specific sedimentary environment, benthic communities, and water depth. During this study the phytoplankton density was low. Spatial and seasonal variations of bottom DO concentration and DO flux have been observed during this study. The oxygen consumption rate at all study sites had a mean of –89 (±44) mmol m^–2 d^–1 while the oxygen production rate due to benthic algae had a mean of 131 (±103) mmol m^–2 d^–1. There was a strong correlation (r=0.91) between oxygen consumption rate and temperature. This was presumably because of the temperature influence on rates of microbial and macrobenthic processes. The mean benthic primary production rate at all study sites was 1216 (±957) mg C m^–2 d^–1 between June 2000 and February 2001. Annual gross benthic primary production was estimated from the gross mean daily benthic DO production (P) and Redfield's C:O₂ ratio of 106:138 to be 420 g C m^–2 y^–1 at station HO, 250 g C m^–2 y^–1 at B2 and 340 g C m^–2 y^–1 at station 95. Thus, the mean gross benthic primary production was estimated as 1151 mg C m^–2 d^–1 at station HO, 685 mg C m^–2 d^–1 at station B2, and 932 mg C m^–2 d^–1 at station 95.