Convergent evolution in feeding types: salivary gland mass differences in wild ruminant species

In the ongoing debate about divergent evolutionary morphophysiological adaptations of grazing and browsing ruminants, the size of the salivary glands has received special attention. Here, we report the most comprehensive dataset on ruminant salivary glands so far, with data on the Glandula parotis (n=62 species), Gl. mandibularis (n=61), Gl. buccalis ventralis (n=44), and Gl. sublingualis (n=30). All four salivary gland complexes showed allometric scaling with body mass (BM); in all cases, the 95% confidence interval for the allometric exponent included 0.75 but did not include 1.0 (linearity); therefore, like other parameters linked to the process of food intake, salivary gland mass appears to be correlated to metabolic body weight (BM0.75), and comparisons of relative salivary gland mass between species should rather be made on the basis of BM0.75 than as a percentage of BM. In the subsequent analyses, the percentage of grass (%grass) in the natural diet was used to characterize the feeding type; the phylogenetic tree used for a controlled statistical evaluation was entirely based on mitochondrial DNA information. Regardless of phylogenetic control in the statistical treatment, there was, for all four gland complexes, a significant positive correlation of BM and gland mass, and a significant negative correlation between %grass in the natural diet and gland mass. If the Gl. parotis was analyzed either for cervid or for bovid species only, the negative correlation of gland mass and %grass was still significant in either case; an inspection of certain ruminant subfamilies, however, suggested that a convergent evolutionary adaptation can only be demonstrated if a sufficient variety of ruminant subfamilies are included in a dataset. The results support the concept that ruminant species that ingest more grass have smaller salivary glands, possibly indicating a reduced requirement for the production of salivary tannin-binding proteins.     

色变银环蛇与正常银环蛇的形态学及毒性比较研究

目的研究色变银环蛇与正常银环蛇的形态学差异。方法比较蛇外形、鳞片、毒腺、排毒量、毒性等情况。结果色变银环蛇与正常银环蛇的鳞片数目无异,但其毒腺大小、排毒量、毒性均有明显差异。结论可能由于蛇的生存环境发生了改变,故而出现了银环蛇的形态改变。     

鹅掌楸属种间杂种与亲本花粉壁的超微结构的比较观察

以杂种鹅掌楸及其亲本中国鹅掌楸(Liriodendron chinense)和北美鹅掌楸(L.tulipifera)为材料,研究花粉形状及花粉壁的超微结构.结果表明,杂种与亲本间花粉壁超微结构具有明显的差异,它们可作为种间及杂种与亲本的识别与区分的依据.从杂种鹅掌楸与双亲的花粉壁的纹饰的遗传关系来看,前者花粉壁表面皱疣状隆起的纹饰表明,北美鹅掌楸花粉壁纹饰特征在杂种鹅掌楸中得到充分表现.     

太湖不同污染区域荇菜叶的比较解剖研究

观察了太湖3个不同污染区域内荇菜[Nymphoides peltatum (Gmel.) O.Kuntze]叶的形态和结构.结果表明:污染重的贡湖地区荇菜叶片的栅栏组织和海绵组织基本不分化,薄壁细胞发达,细胞间隙小;苏州东太湖和西太湖2个污染较轻的采集点,荇菜叶片的叶肉栅栏组织和海绵组织明显分化,细胞间隙组织发达;3个地点叶片的维管组织逐渐退化.测量数据的统计分析表明:贡湖地区荇菜叶的叶片厚度、栅栏组织厚度和海绵组织厚度等解剖参数与其他2个样点差异显著.而苏州东太湖与西太湖两个区域叶片解剖参数之间,除海绵组织厚度和下表皮厚度有差异外,其他参数无明显差异.     

Intraspecific groups of Umbelopsis ramanniana inferred from nucleotide sequences of nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer regions and sporangiospore morphology

Umbelopsis ramanniana is a well-known species in this genus. A characteristic morphological feature of this fungus is the remarkable variation in the sporangiospore shape, which implies the genetic variations occur in the nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) in the U. ramanniana isolates. The relationship between the variations of the sequences of the nrDNA ITS regions and those of the sporangiospore morphology was investigated for 12 isolates of U. ramanniana collected in Europe. Neighbor-joining and parsimony analyses on the sequences suggested that these isolates split into three groups. Precise examination of the morphology showed that the isolates of those respective groups were different from each other in their sporangiospore shape. The present study implies at least three intraspecific groups exist in U. ramanniana and that the variations in the nucleotide sequences of the nrDNA ITS regions correlate well with those in the sporangiospore shape in these intraspecific groups.     

Pollen Morphology of Eight Genera of the Subtribe Mutisiinae Less. sensu Bremer （Compositae） from Asia

The pollen morphology of 28 species and one variety representing eight genera of the subtribe Mutisiinae Less. sensu Bremer （Compositae） was investigated by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and light microscopy. The pollen grains are usually radically symmetrical, isopolar, and tricolporate. The shape varies from spheroidal to subprolate in equatorial view and is three-lobed circular in polar view. Based on exine sculpturing observed under SEM, the pollen grains can be divided into three types： （i） type Ⅰ, with macrogranulate sculpture; （ii） type Ⅱ, with a finely granulate sculpture; and （iii） type Ⅲ with spiny sculpture. The palynological data showed that the Macroclinidium Maxim. was remarkably distinguished from those of the other seven genera. The variation of pollen characteristics within the Mutisiinae in Asia is little at species level, but it proves some useful information for studying the relationships among genera and it has an important significance in further understanding the evolutionary history of Mutisiinae.     

Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping of Leaf Morphological Traits and Chlorophyll Content in Cultivated Tetraploid Cotton

Genetic mapping provides a powerful tool for quantitative trait loci （QTL） analysis at the molecular level. A simple sequence repeat （SSR） genetic map containing 590 markers and a BCI population from two cultivated tetraploid cotton （Gossypium hirsutum L.） cultivars, namely TM-1 and Hai 7124 （G. barbadense L.）, were used to map and analyze QTL using the composite interval mapping （CIM） method. Thirty one QTLs, 10 for lobe length, 13 for lobe width, six for lobe angle, and two for leaf chlorophyll content, were detected on 15 chromosomes or linkage groups at logarithm of odds （LOD）≥2.0, of which 15 were found for leaf morphology at LOD≥3.0. The genetic effects of the QTL were estimated. These results are fundamental for marker-assisted selection （MAS） of these traits in tetraploid cotton breeding.     

Pollen Morphology of Parnassia L. （Parnassiaceae） and Its Systematic Implications

The pollen morphology of 28 species of Parnassia L. was investigated with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The shape of pollen grains in this genus varies from subspheroidal to prolate in equatorial view and is three-lobed circular in the polar view. Pollen grains are usually radially symmetrical, isopolar, tricolporate or syntricolporate, with reticulate sculpture. The pollen characteristics among species are fairly similar to each other. Morphological information regarding the pollen grains shows that Parnassia is a natural genus. Based on exine ornamentation observed under SEM, three types of pollen grains were recognized: (i) type I, with foveolate-reticulate sculpture; (ii) type II, with a finely reticulate sculpture; and (iii) type III, with a coarsely reticulate sculpture. Most sections of this genus have one type of sculpture of pollen morphology, but Sect. Nectarotrilobos has three types of sculpture and Sect.Saxifragastrum has two types of sculpture. All three types of sculpture can be found in Southwest China,with species with the longest (Parnassia delavayi Franch.) and shortest (Parnassiafaberi Oliv.) colpi,implying that Southwest China is the center of diversification of the genus.     

外来植物紫茎泽兰18个种群的茎叶形态结构比较研究

利用石蜡切片法结合光学显微镜观察了紫茎泽兰18个种群的茎叶形态结构。结果表明：各种群间茎和叶的形态结构均表现出一定的变化,其中茎的维管束束数、叶表皮的部分特征变化较明显。应用SPSS统计软件对叶表皮的特征分析后,发现种群间的气孔器密度、气孔器指数、气孔器长度、气孔器宽度、上下表皮细胞数目均随地理条件的变化而表现出明显差异。相关分析表明气孔器密度、气孔器指数与海拔高度呈正相关。但紫茎泽兰各种群间的叶表皮细胞形状无明显变化,均为无规则型,垂周壁式样均为浅波状深波状;气孔器类型均为无规则型。