The Influence of Ultra-Violet Light upon the Growth of Animals

A diketopiperazine derivative isolated from the soy-bean meal hydrolysates, AMINOSAN-EKI, has been proved as l-isoleucyl-l-valine anhydride by elemental analysis, melting point, and by paper chromatography. l-Isoleucyl-l-valine anhydride must be derived from the dipeptide produced by hydrolysis of the proteins.     

鼹科长吻鼩鼹和库氏长吻鼹的首次转录组分析

现生的鼹科动物分布于欧亚大陆和北美大陆,包括54种已知物种。鼹科动物有丰富的生态类型,是研究适应性进化的较好模型。本研究通过二代测序的方法分别获得了长吻鼩鼹和库氏长吻鼹两个物种心脏和肺脏以及脾脏和肺脏的转录组数据。这两个物种分别代表了分布于中国西南部、缅甸北部的没有特化的原始类群鼩鼹亚科以及高度适应地下生活的鼹亚科鼹族。我们首次报道了库氏长吻鼹在中国的分布。通过从头拼接,分别获得长吻鼩鼹和库氏长吻鼹197 092个和225 956个转录本,以及125 427个和94 023个unigene。通过与GenBank中的基因组注释文件比对,得到鼹科物种同源基因家族8 376个,及鼹科鼩鼱科同源基因家族8 114个。差异表达基因中各组织的高表达基因中均找到10个以上组织特异性基因。然而BUSCO分析确定完整单拷贝基因在两个物种中分别为43.0%和56.6%,提示死后mRNA迅速降解并影响转录组拼接。比较两个物种肺部基因的表达差异发现库氏长吻鼹335个相对高表达的基因,其中包括HMGB1、HSPD1、SF3B1、COL3A1、SUMO1和JUNB等,有报道上述基因可能与低氧或高海拔适应有关。     

Abundance and diversity of ground-dwelling arthropods of pest management importance in commercial Bt and non-Bt cotton fields

The modified population dynamics of pests targeted by the Cry1Ac toxin in Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) transgenic cotton (Bt cotton) and possible reduced insecticide use in these transgenic varieties may exert a variety of effects on ground‐dwelling predator communities. A survey of ground‐dwelling arthropods was carried out weekly each of 3 years (during the cropping season) in commercial Bt and non‐Bt cotton fields. Sixty‐five taxa of ground‐dwelling arthropods (carabids, cicindelines, staphylinids, dermapterans, heteropterans and araneids) of importance for cotton pest management were recorded in the survey. Species abundance and dynamics across seasons were evaluated with univariate analysis of variance for higher taxa or multivariate principal response curve analysis for the whole community of 65 taxa. Diversity and richness indices and cumulative species curves also were calculated. The analyses demonstrated no differences in the ground‐dwelling arthropod communities between cotton types. One araneid species, Pardosa pauxilla, comprised ～80% of all araneids, Labidura riparia comprised ～96% of all dermapterans, Megacephala carolina comprised ～97% of cicindelines and four carabid species (Selenophorus palliatus, Apristus latens, Harpalus gravis and Anisodactylus merula) comprised ～80% of carabid species. M. carolina outnumbered all other collected species in each of the 3 years. When only predatory carabid species were considered, A. merula, Calosoma sayi, Harpalus pennsylvanicus and Stenolophus ochropezus were predominant and numbers trapped were similar between cotton types. The abundance of dermapterans, staphylinids, araneids and heteropterans varied among sample dates and across seasons but did not differ between cotton types. The frequent capture of M. carolina, S. palliatus and P. pauxilla in all fields and seasons in both cottons suggests that these species may be important for monitoring further changes in local communities as result of agricultural practices.     

Growth and development of the Mahogany Glider (Petaurus gracilis)

The growth and development of the endangered Mahogany Glider (Petaurus gracilis) was monitored in a captive population at Burleigh Heads, Queensland, Australia. Video surveillance confirmed that the gestation period for this species was 16 days. Morphometric data and developmental milestones were recorded from 10 Mahogany Gliders from birth to weaning. Growth curves were developed for head length, ulna length, tail length, and body weight. Weekly inspections of female pouches revealed the young's eyelid margins were visible by Day 21, the first hair erupted on the bridge of the nose at Day 30, pigmentation of the body developed at Day 63, and they started detaching from the teat intermittently, and the body was covered in short fur by Day 70. The young were left in the nest alone from Days 84 to 87, their eyes opened between Days 84 and 94, and there was a rapid increase in length and density of fur from Day 98 onwards. At Days 101 to 105 of age the young left the nest box with its mother as back young. Weaning occurred from 184 to 187 days. Typically, the reproductive rate was two young per annum per pair, but one pair produced five young in 19 months. Females produced young from 12 months to 7 years of age, males up to 9.4 years of age. The average longevity of Mahogany Gliders in the studbook in 2018 was 11.6 years. This study provides data on the reproductive biology of the Mahogany Glider that will assist in its captive breeding, management, and conservation.