Larva,pupa and adult male of Atopsyche (Atopsyche) maxi,a new species from northwestern Argentina and southern Bolivia (Trichoptera: Hydrobiosidae)

Rhagovelia pediformis sp. n. is described from western Colombia and placed in the R. elegans group.     

Blastocysts derivation from somatic cell fusion with premature oocytes (prematuration somatic cell fusion)

This study was undertaken to investigate the development of immature oocytes after their fusion with male somatic cells expressing red fluorescence protein (RFP). RFP‐expressing cells were fused with immature oocytes, matured in vitro and then parthenogenetically activated. Somatic nuclei showed spindle formation, 1st polar body extrusion after in vitro maturation and protruded the 2nd polar body after parthenogenetic activation. RFP was expressed in the resultant embryos; two‐cell stage and blastocysts. Chromosomal analysis showed aneuploidy in 81.82% of the resulting blastocysts while 18.18% of the resulting blastocysts were diploid. Among eight RFP‐expressing blastocysts, Xist mRNAs was detected in six while Sry mRNA was detected in only one blastocyst. We propose “prematuration somatic cell fusion” as an approach to generate embryos using somatic cells instead of spermatozoa. The current approach, if improved, would assist production of embryos for couples where the male partner is sterile, however, genetic and chromosomal analysis of the resultant embryos are required before transfer to the mothers.     

Relationships Between Adult Male and Maturing Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) Persist Across Developmental Stages and Social Upheaval

Across the animal kingdom, long‐term social relationships outside the context of reproductive pair bonds are rare. However, they have been demonstrated in some mammals including primates, cetaceans, and social carnivores. The ontogeny of such relationships is likely to depend on the benefits individuals can gain by cultivating them. Previous studies demonstrated that young mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) have strong relationships with adult males, but little is known about the longevity of these bonds. Here, we examine the temporal stability of proximity relationships between coresident adult male and maturing gorillas in the habituated population monitored by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International's Karisoke Research Center in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. We used spatial proximity data to assess the strength of relationships between adult males and juveniles, and tracked these relationships as the juveniles matured into subadults (3–4 yr later; n = 229 dyads) and then young adults (7 yr later; n = 42 dyads). The proximity relationships of juveniles of both sexes predicted their proximity relationships with adult males in both subadulthood and young adulthood. However some young adult males who had lost their top adult male proximity partner from juvenilehood developed new relationships with older males that had risen in the dominance hierarchy. These data suggest that (1) kin selection may play a more important role in social relationships between potential fathers and adult female offspring than previously suspected, and (2) when maturing males' foremost adult male social partners remain available to them, their relationships can be stable past the age at which younger males become reproductive competitors.     

Using behavior to determine immature life‐stages in captive western gorillas

Ontogenic development is divided into infant, juvenile, adolescent and adult life‐stages. Although the developmental trajectory of an individual is a flexible entity, which differs within species, environment and sex, life‐stage classifications are generally structured, age‐based systems. This invariably leads to rigidity within a dynamic system and consequently hampers our understanding of primate life history strategies. We propose that life‐stage classifications should be quantitative, flexible entities, which use a reliable measurement of development. Here, we provide a methodological example where placement into a life‐stage is based upon behavioral variance between other similar‐aged individuals. Behavioral data were collected from 12 male (3–11 years old) and 9 female (3–8 years old) captive immature western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) housed in five family groups, using continuous focal sampling; 900 hr of data were collected over 131 days. Data were applied to four published life‐stage classifications for mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), which showed variable ability to determine life‐stage in western gorillas. A new life‐stage classification (Hutchinson & Fletcher) was proposed specifically for western gorillas, whereby multiple co‐varying behavior provided a robust measure of linear development across immaturity. Each life‐stage was found to be a distinct ontogenic phase and the classification discriminated life‐stage with a high level of accuracy. Using the Hutchinson & Fletcher classification we provide evidence for disparity in developmental trajectories between the sexes from the juvenile period onwards. To expand the understanding of primate life histories, we propose that flexible classifications should be used to enable comparison of allometric life history traits within and between species, from birth onwards. Am. J. Primatol. 72:492–501, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Sexually dimorphic mandibular morphology in the first few years of life

Sex differences in the youngest skeletons are very subtle, and any method that can separate males and females significantly better than chance will be of value. Compounding the problem is a paucity of immature skeletons of documented age and sex. In 1992, S.R.L. examined 62 juvenile mandibles of white and black South Africans of known age and sex (from birth to 19 years) from the Dart Collection to determine if the sexes could be differentiated by morphologic traits. By age 6 years, adult chin shapes were already recognizable. Prior to that age, differences were observed in the shape of the inferior border of the symphysis and outline of the body. The male chin base extends steeply downward relative to the adjacent body, coming to a point or squaring off at the symphysis. In females, the symphysis descends gradually to a more rounded base, and even when pointed, the transition is not abrupt. On the outer border of the corpus, the sides diverge sharply to form a \_/ shape from a roughly horizontal anterior region in males, while the female contour is rounded, reflecting the smoothly curved transition from front to sides. These traits were manifest from the eruption of the central incisors until about 4 years of age. The features were tested on all 19 Dart Collection mandibles in that age range. Average accuracy for three different testers was 81%, and males were consistently identified more accurately than females. This new method was then tested on a known sex sample of 11 individuals from 0 to 7 years of age. These included CT scans of 9 French children and the remains of 2 South African black forensic cases. Sexing accuracy was 82% (9/11). The only two missexed cases were both female and over age 6 years. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that it is possible to determine the sex of very young mandibles. The new sexually dimorphic morphologic configurations introduced here have demonstrated repeatable discrimination with the highest level of accuracy (81%) reported and tested for this age group. Preliminary research indicates that both the male and female shapes are clearly recognizable in archaeologic and premodern hominids as well as chimpanzees.     

Identification of an elite sorghum genotype with high <Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> performance capacity

Summary The use of plant genetic engineering to augment plant breeding programs is significantly strengthened if novel trait(s) can be introduced directly into elite germplasm. Implementing this technology to sorghum breeding programs has been hampered by the lack of an efficient and transferable protocol that is suitable with elite genotypes. This study was conducted to identify parameters that maximize in vitro culture performance in sorghum targeting a specific elite genotype, C2-97, which possesses enhanced agronomic characteristics. Three different tissue culture media formulations, MS, N6, and M11 were evaluated. M11 medium contains approximately 16% and 85% more total nitrogen and sevenfold and threefold higher levels of potassium phosphate than MS and N6 formulations, respectively. Culture performance of C2-97 across the three media formulations was compared to sorghum genotypes that were previously reported to be amenable to genetic engineering, namely Tx430, P898012. Bwheatland, and C401. Maximum embryogenesis induction was observed on M11 medium for all genotypes tested, with greater than 70% embryogenic calluses occurring on immature embryos derived from the C2-97 genotype cultured on M11 medium.     

Plantlet regeneration from subculturable nodular callus of Pinus radiata

An efficient planlet regeneration system via nodular callus formation is described for Pinus radiata. Subculturable nodular callus was induced at its highest frequency (93%) on embryonic explants excised from seeds at an early stage of germination (radicle length 2–5 mm). The optimal medium for nodular callus tissue proliferation was LP basal medium that was modified by reducing the concentration of potassium nitrate to 500 mg l^–1 and supplemented with 22.2 M 6-benzyladenine (BAP) and 2.85 M indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Bud differentiation from the nodules was achieved by reducing BAP and sucrose concentrations in the culture medium. The maximum frequency of adventitious bud formation occurred on LP basal medium containing 2% sucrose and 0.44 M BAP on which about 61% of the transferred nodules formed buds. During the next 6 weeks of culture on the same cytokinin-free medium multiple shoots elongated from the buds. These shoots were excised and transferred to root initiation medium (RIM2.1), consisting of full-stregth SH macro- and micro-salts, 1000 mg l^–1 myo-inositol, 0.4 mg l^–1 thiamine-HCl, 2% sucrose and a combination of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), IBA and BAP at concentrations of 2.69, 4.93 and 0.11 M, respectively. After 5–15 days, root meristems were initiated on the stem bases. The highest rooting frequency was achieved when shoots were treated for 10 days on RIM2.1 medium, before being transferred to half-strength Schenk and Hildebrandt medium with 1% sucrose and without growth regulators for root growth.