Orientation of male gypsy moths,Lymantria Dispar (L.), to pheromone sources: The role of olfactory and visual cues

The role of olfaction and vision in the close-ranging flying and walking orientation of male gypsy moths, Lymantria dispar(L.), to females was studied in the forest and in the laboratory. In the forest, feral males found an isolated pheromone source as readily as one supplemented with female visual cues; dead, acetonerinsed females deployed without pheromone received virtually no visitations. In flight tunnel choice experiments using cylinders as surrogate trees and pheromone in different spatial configurations, visual attributes of the female did not influence either the males' choice of landing site or the efficiency with which they located the female. Rather, the presence of pheromone on the cylinder was necessary to elicit orientation as well as landing and walking on the cylinder. When a female visual model was placed in various positions around a pheromone source, walking males oriented primarily to the chemical stimulus. There were, however, indications that males would alter their walking paths in response to female visual cues over short distances (<5 cm), but only if they continued to receive pheromone stimulation. When visual and chemical cues were abruptly uncoupled by altering the trajectory of the pheromone plume, most males responded to the loss of the odor cue rather than to visual cues from the female. Temporal pheromone stimulation patterns affected male walking orientation. When stimulated by pheromone, males oriented toward the source; loss of the odor cue prompted an arearestricted local search characterized by primarily vertical and oblique movements with frequent reversals in direction. Presumably these maneuvers enhance the likelihood of recontacting the plume or serendipitously encountering the female. The apparent lack of visual response to the female is discussed in light of morphological and behavioral evidence suggesting that gypsy moths were formerly nocturnal.     

Comparison of affiliative behaviors between old and recently established pairs of golden lion tamarin,Leontopithecus rosalia

To evaluate the changes in the relationship between male and femaleLeontopithecus rosalia over time, I compared the interactions in four well established pairs at the National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., to those in four newly established pairs at the Conservation and Research Center of the National Zoological Park, Front Royal, Virginia, U.S.A. I recorded the frequency of approaches, withdrawals, food offerings, food takings, and resisting food transfers. Male and female adults were the focal animals and the observations totaled 206.5 hr. Males of newly established pairs interacted more with females than males of old established pairs. While males generally began and maintained the interactions significantly more than females, females of recently formed pairs were initiators of affiliative behaviors significantly more than females of old pairs. These results demonstrate a qualitative difference in the relationship between males and females when old and new pairs are compared.     

HIV risk behaviors among outpatients with severe mental illness in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

We conducted the first study to examine rates of sexual activity, sexual risk behaviors, sexual protective behaviors, injection drug use (IDU), needle sharing, and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among outpatients with severe mental illness (SMI) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Using a measure with demonstrated reliability, we found that 42% of 98 patients engaged in vaginal or anal sex within the past three months. Comorbid substance use disorder was significantly associated with sexual activity. Only 22% of sexually active patients used condoms consistently, despite having better HIV knowledge than those who were sexually abstinent. Overall, 45% of patients reported not engaging in any HIV protective behaviors. There were no reports of drug injection. Adults with SMI in Brazil are in need of efficacious HIV prevention programs and policies that can sustain these programs within mental health treatment settings.     

高原鼠兔繁殖期攻击行为的动态格局

为探讨高原鼠兔繁殖期攻击行为强度的变化、检验进化博弈理论有关预测,本研究于2009 年5 ～8 月采用标志重捕和中立竞技场法测定了高原鼠兔自然种群斗殴及进攻等行为的发生频率及持续时间。结果表明:5 月下旬及6 月上旬高原鼠兔雄性斗殴行为发生频率及持续时间显著高于7 月下旬和8 月中旬;而雌性差异不显著。5月下旬和6 月上旬,高原鼠兔雄性个体间的斗殴行为发生频率及持续时间显著高于雌性,其余时期两性间无显著差异。进攻发起者通常是该次殴斗的获胜者;自繁殖高峰期至末期,种群中雄性高原鼠兔鹰对策者比例逐渐下降,与进化博弈论的预测一致。     

蝽科精巢细胞减数分裂染色体行为及其反映的属种间亲缘关系

为探讨蝽科精巢细胞减数分裂各时期染色体形态和行为差异, 以及据此反映的属种间亲缘关系, 采用常规染色体制片法对蝽科6属9种精巢细胞减数分裂各期染色体形态特征、 行为及精子的形成进行了观察和比较研究。结果表明： 蝽科精巢细胞为交叉型减数分裂, “O”型交叉为其典型交叉减数分裂形式。各属种减数分裂各期染色体行为相似, 但形态不同。减数分裂各期染色体形态、 排列方式, 中期染色体相对长度、 组成与核型以及精子形态等特征具有属种间差异性。蝽科精巢细胞中期Ⅰ染色体组平均相对长度都为12.5, 在进化过程中染色体组长度信息总量不变。基于染色体相对长度的聚类分析结果显示, 菜蝽属Eurydema、 麦蝽属Aelia、 珠蝽属Rubiconia和条蝽属Graphosoma亲缘关系密切, 而二星蝽属Stollia与果蝽属Carpocoris关系较近。     

神农架川金丝猴投食群的攻击行为及等级序列

为探讨人工补食条件下川金丝猴的攻击行为在维持社会等级中的作用,2007 年1 ～ 6 月,采用行为取样法
和全事件记录法对神农架自然保护区投食群的攻击行为及等级序列进行研究。我们共记录到8 种攻击行为,按
频次多少依次为:咕叫、抓打、追赶、瞪眼、瞪咕、驱赶、抢食、打架。攻击行为的发起者在性别间和年龄间
均存在显著差异,雄性多于雌性,年龄间按次数多少依次为:成年猴、亚成年猴、青年猴、少年猴;承受者在
性别间和年龄间差异均不显著。社会单元内与单元间攻击行为差异显著,前者多于后者。一雄多雌单元间的等
级高低依次为:长毛单元、白头单元、红头单元。基于单元内攻击行为较多,建议适当扩大投食场,给每只个
体分别投食,以减少因争食发生的攻击行为。     

Host activity and the risk of nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds

Proportions of nests parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) vary greatly among host species, but factors underlyingthis variation remain poorly understood. Cowbirds are believedto find nests by watching host behavior. We tested the hypothesisthat the activity of hosts during nest building correlateswith the probability of parasitism among and within four sympatrichosts: dusky flycatchers (Empidonax oberholseri), warblingvireos (Vireo gilvus), yellow warblers (Dendroica petechia),and American redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla). Daily probabilityof parasitism varied substantially among these species, from3% for dusky flycatchers to more than four times that for warblingvireos. The four species did not differ in the proportion ofcowbirds fledged from their nests. Differences in nest placementdid not explain differences in probability of parasitism amongor within species. Parasitism frequencies increased among speciesthat made longer nest-building visits, had a greater propensityto perch during nest approach, spent more time near their nests,and had males that vocalized more often near nests. Within species, females that visited their nests less often, spent more timeon the nest per visit, and males that sang more and were activein a smaller area around their nests were more likely to beparasitized by cowbirds. These data support the hypothesisthat cowbirds use the activity of hosts during nest buildingto locate nests.     

Direct attachment of eggs to the body wall in the externally brooding sea anemone <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cnidopus japonicus</Emphasis> (Actiniaria; Actiniidae)

The externally brooding sea anemone Cnidopus japonicus (Verrill) inhabits boulder shores between the mid-intertidal and shallow subtidal zones of Mutsu Bay, northern Japan. The anemones usually adhere to the side and under-surfaces of boulders. These anemones keep offspring on the middle part of their body wall during the breeding season. Our observations of spawning behavior in an aquarium revealed that this anemone lays eggs through an elongated oral margin and directly attaches the eggs to its body wall, while making a circular groove on the column. The anemone rotates its elongated oral margin around its body trunk several times and arranges eggs in the circular brooding groove. This behavior suggests that mother anemones, regardless of their attachment position on substrata, are able to attach their offspring effectively to their body wall. Electronic Publication     

饲养条件下东北虎交配行为的观察

1999年和 2 0 0 0年的 1 1～ 1 2月期间共记录了黑龙江东北虎林园 1 6对东北虎的 1 693次交配事件 ,对其中 1 1 92次成功的交配事件进行了分析 ,建立了东北虎的交配行为谱 ,记录了 1 6种个体行为和 7种社会行为。东北虎的交配持续期为 (6 5 0± 2 5 0 )d ,不同繁殖对的交配次数差异很大 ,最少为 49次 ,最多可达 1 1 3次 ,交配成功率为 70 41 %。东北虎的交配高峰出现在 8∶0 0～ 1 0∶0 0时和 1 6∶0 0～ 1 8∶0 0时。交配成功的次数在第 3～ 5d达到高峰 ,失败的次数在开始交配时最高 ,以后则逐渐降低。在将雌、雄虎赶入小围栏内的首次爬跨前东北虎需花费 (2 0 2 4± 1 2 85 )min的时间做准备 ,其后的各次爬跨与首次相似 ,只是花费时间大大缩短 ,且持续的时间相差很大 ,最短仅为 4 70s,最长则达 6 3 1min。交配后的休息过程同时也是下一次交配前的准备阶段。每次将雌、雄虎赶入小围栏内东北虎要连续进行 (9 40± 4 60 )次爬跨 ,整个交配过程持续 (1 2 67± 3 0 5 )min ,每次爬跨历时 (1 0 0 9± 5 45 )s。     

瓜套棉田烟粉虱与棉蚜种群动态及竞争干扰行为研究

【目的】甜瓜和棉花均是棉蚜及烟粉虱的适宜寄主,瓜套棉种植模式为2种害虫混合危害提供了条件,该模式下哪种害虫具有竞争优势值得探讨。【方法】通过田间定点调查和室内行为学观察,研究了吐鲁番地区瓜套棉种植模式下棉蚜和烟粉虱的发生动态及竞争干扰。【结果】田间观察分别于2011和2012年进行,在瓜套棉种植模式棉花、甜瓜上,棉蚜的发生期较烟粉虱早,但随着烟粉虱田间种群数量增加,对棉蚜产生明显的干扰和竞争作用,8月下旬至9月上旬烟粉虱成为田间优势种群。室内行为观察表明,2种害虫共存状态下均表现出以烟粉虱为优势的竞争作用,主要行为表现为通过触角、足的驱赶行为和进入棉蚜活动区域干扰等。当虫量低于4头·皿~(-1)时,无论棉蚜和烟粉虱哪种昆虫先接入,相互间的影响和干扰都很少。当2种昆虫数量均增加到8头·皿~(-1)时,烟粉虱成虫以触角、足等干扰棉蚜的行为频次显著增多。不同的定殖时间下,无论棉蚜和烟粉虱哪种昆虫先接入,随着定殖时间的延长,烟粉虱通过触角、足以及进入棉蚜活动区域驱逐和干扰棉蚜的行为都呈递减的趋势。【结论】在瓜套棉种植模式下,烟粉虱较棉蚜具有显著的竞争优势。