The Coccidian Genus Calyptospora n. g. and Family Calyptosporidae n. fam. (Apicomplexa), with Members Infecting Primarily Fishes1

Calyptospora n. g. was erected for Eimeria funduli because the sporocyst of that species lacks Stieda and sub-Stieda bodies, has a veil supported by sporopodia, and has an anterior apical opening. A suture may be present, but it does not completely divide the sporocyst into two valves. Because C. funduli has an obligatory invertebrate intermediate host, we established Calyptosporidae n. fam. to accommodate Calyptospora and tentatively to accept Goussia. A new subgenus, Plagula, is erected for species of Goussia with a sporocystic veil not supported by sporopodia. We consider the family more primitive than Eimeriidae, Sarcocystidae, and possibly Lankesterellidae.     

A COMPARISON OF FEEDING MECHANISMS IN MICROPHAGOUS, HERBIVOROUS, INTERTIDAL, PROSOBRANCHS IN RELATION TO RESOURCE PARTITIONING

Several microphagous grazers co-exist on British rocky shores.The nature of the microbial film which is their prime food sourceis outlined. The radula morphology, hardness, and feeding mechanismsof rhipidoglossan trochids (Gibbula, Monodonta) taenioglossanLittorina, and docoglossan Patella have been compared. Docoglossanscan penetrate hard substrates deeply, taenioglossans can onlypenetrate softer substrates, and rhipidoglossans appear to primarilybrush the surface. A preliminary study found some differencesin diet. Whether feeding mechanisms allow partitioning of themicrofloral film and whether this allows continuing co-existenceof intertidal grazers is discussed.     

MUCUS PRODUCTION AND PHYSIOLOGICAL ENERGETICS IN PATELLA VULGATA L.

Most energy budgets for marine gastropods lack a measured mucusterm. This is a major omission since mucus is widespread inmolluscan physiological processes. In this paper we outlinemethods for estimating mucus production in the intertidal gastropod,Patella vulgata L. This species uses mucus primarily for adhesionand locomotion. Pedal mucus production rates were measured inaerial environments of 70% relative humidity (RH) and 100% RHand in seawater. Animals in 70% RH did not move, while thosein 100% RH and seawater were mobile. Animals in 100% RH showedthe highest mucus production rate. Those in seawater secretedabout 75% of the mucus produced in 100% RH and those in 70%RH only about 40% of that produced in 100% RH. Significant logarithmicrelationships between mucus production rate and whole dry weightof animal, and mucus production rate and shell length were foundin all cases. The mucus term in the energy budget was calculated as 23% ofingestion both for individuals and for a specific population.This is much higher than the estimate of 4% of Wright &Hartnoll (1981). We have recalculated an energy budget for Patellavulgata to include the substantial mucus term. The recalculatedbudget is structurally different from the original budget. Thissuggests conclusions drawn from budgets not including a measuredmucus term should be regarded with caution. (Received 12 September 1989; accepted 13 December 1989)     

Isolation of highly polymorphic microsatellite markers from the intertidal barnacle Chthamalus montagui Southward

This study reports the isolation and characterization of seven highly polymorphic microsatellite loci in Chthamalus montagui (Crustacea, Cirripedia). The loci were isolated from a library constructed from genomic DNA enriched for CA repeats. The markers yielded three to 43 alleles per locus (mean 16.7) in samples averaging 49 individuals. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.08 to 0.58 (mean 0.39). These microsatellite loci will be valuable tools for population genetic studies of this species.     

Evolution of the limpet Patella candei d'Orbigny (Mollusca, Patellidae) in Atlantic archipelagos: human intervention and natural processes

The genetic and morphological structure of Patella candei in the Macaronesian Islands were studied by allozyme electrophoresis and multivariate analysis (canonical discriminant analysis), respectively. Sixteen enzymes, yielding 21 resolvable loci were analysed for all populations using the BIOSYS-1 program. A disjunct distribution of genetically similar populations from the Azores and Selvagens Islands ( P.c. gomesii – P.c. candei ) was found, which showed two diagnostic loci with P.c. ordinaria from Madeira. Patella c. crenata from the Canaries showed an intermediate composition of 92% P.c. ordinaria and 8% P.c. gomesii–P.c. candei . Hypotheses are presented to explain the evolution of the genetic and morphological structure of P.c. candei in the Macaronesian Islands, including the interaction of natural processes and human intervention. Patella c. candei is considered to represent the ancestral form. An extinction or near extinction event may have happened in Madeira after which P.c. ordinaria arose, carrying only a small part of the diversity of the original form, which evolved in isolation. The ancestral form, P.c. candei , was depleted by human extraction from high levels of the shore in the Azores and Canaries. Patella c. gomesii , from the Azores evolved by phyletic evolution, colonizing low levels of the shore, leaving only a relict population in the Selvagens Islands, that remained almost free of human exploitation. Patella c. crenata is a hybrid with a high degree of introgression to P.c. ordinaria , which is maintained by the forces of human extraction at high-tide levels and by intraspecific competition at low-tide levels.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 77 , 341−353.