Oldest shrimp and associated phyllocarid from the Lower Devonian of northern Russia

A mass occurrence of schooling, weakly sclerotized eocaridid shrimps in the Early Devonian pelagic environment of northern Russia suggests that the body-plan of the Eumalacostraca originated as an adaptation to swimming in the open sea. They probably replaced their ecological analogues, the archaeostracan phyllocarids Caryocaris , as a consequence of the rebuilding of the global marine environment during the later Ordovician. This may explain the rarity of the eumalacostracans in the Devonian and the difficulty with documenting their links with the archaeostracans. The new eocaridid shows similarities to the Carboniferous Anthracophausia in the general appearance and weak sclerotization of the carapace and appendages, but lacks its derived characters. The morphology of the pleural lobes, which have minute spines, is the only identified distinguishing character of the proposed new genus and species Archangeliphausia spinosa gen. et sp. nov. Its carapace was probably firmly connected dorsally with the thoracic segments. The only associated fossils of the assemblage represent a bizarre archaeostracan Pechoracaris aculicauda gen. et sp. nov., with a weakly sclerotized carapace lacking any hinge or rostral plates but with reduced furca, an extremely long caudal spine and pleopods transformed into spines.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 142 , 83–90.     

Removal of Heavy Metals from Sewage Sludge Used as Soil Fertilizer

This work has examined sewage sludge of the following heavy metal concentrations (mg/kg): Cd-3.43; Co-5.25; Cu-131; Fe-51300; Mn-177; Ni-37.5; Pb-104; Zn-3300. Metals speciation by sequential extraction according to Tessier et al. (1979), and Rudd et al. (1988), and a procedure recommended by European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) (Ure et al., 1993; Quevauiller et al., 1996; Davidson et al., 1999), as well as analysis of chemical forms of metals, have been carried out. It has been found that only Zn concentration is higher than the value permissible for agricultural sewage sludge application (2500 mg/kg). The results obtained by Tessier et al. (1979) Tessier, A., Campbell, P. C. and Bisson, M. 1979. Sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of particulate trace metals.. Anal. Chem., 51: 844–851. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar], and BCR procedures (Ure et al., 1993; Quevauiller et al., 1996; Davidson et al., 1999) appeared to be consistent. A comparison of the sequential analysis and the analysis of chemical forms of metals indicates that the sum of metal concentrations for the exchangeable, carbonate and bound to Fe/Mn oxyhydroxides forms (found by Tessier et al., 1979, and BCR analyses (Ure et al., 1993; Quevauiller et al., 1996; Davidson, et al., 1999)) corresponds to the sum of sulfate, oxide, metallic and siliceous forms. The concentrations of the forms bound to organic matter or sulfides correspond to the sulfide form while the residue corresponds to the ferrate form. Preparative extraction of metals from the sewage sludge using sodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA-Na), sodium pyrophosphate (V) and ammonia water has also been investigated. As far as the examined leaching agents are concerned, EDTA-Na appeared to be the best. Single leaching with this agent results in the following metal concentrations remaining in the sludge (mg/kg): Cd-1.1; Co-2.1; Cu-105; Fe-17700; Mn-28.3; Ni-12.8; Pb-44; Zn-1200. They meet the requirements of Polish regulations concerning the use of sewage sludge as a soil fertilizer.     

Larval development of hyolithids

The larval development of hyolithids is inferred to have been closely similar to that of primitive gastropods. A trochophore-like larva produced a swollen initial conch and a convex operculum. The initial conch was either subsphaerical and smooth or fusiform with a pointed apex and growth lines. This is taken to indicate an initial development within egg covers or free-living, respectively. A pelagic veliger phase followed. preceded by hatching in the first case. Veliger shells are similar to adult ones. Metamorphosis (transformation of veliger into benthic adult animal) in both hyolithids and gastropods was accompanied by an increase in mortality.     

Unusual growth pattern in the Frasnian alveolitids (Tabulata) from the Holy Cross Mountains (Poland)

Abstract: Growth periodicity is a phenomenon occurring in fossil and modern corals. The most apparent feature is growth banding, and environmental changes are broadly accepted as controls on this phenomenon. If environment controls the growth, then all corallites within a colony should repeat the same growth pattern, as individuals are clones and must have shared the same environment. A study on several species of Alveolitidae (Anthozoa, Tabulata) from the Late Devonian (Early Frasnian) of the Holy Cross Mountains (Poland) shows that the growth pattern varies between neighbouring individuals within the same corallum. This contradicts observations of closely related Favositida as demonstrated on Pachyfavosites sp. from the Givetian of Avesnois, France, where neighbouring individuals repeat the same pattern. Therefore, environmental control on growth rhythm in Alveolitidae can be excluded; the causes of differences between individuals remain unknown.     

Meiotic Chromosome Pairing, Isozyme Analyses and Ferritin Expression in a Red Clover Mutant Capable of Somatic Embryogenesis

Red clover genotypes capable of regenerating plantletsin vitrofromnon-meristem-derived callus are rare. A previous study identifieda pair of near isogenic lines which were derived from a singleseed but differed in regenerative ability. The callus-derivedplants of this clone were highly regenerative when reintroducedto culture whereas the epicotyl-derived plants produced non-regenerativecallus cultures. The objective of the present study was to observemeiotic chromosome pairing and to compare isozyme profiles andferritin gene expression in regenerative and non-regenerativeplants and cultures from the clone. Meiotic cells exhibitednormal homologous chromosome pairing. Starch gel zymograms fromglasshouse-grown regenerative (F49R) and non-regenerative (F49M)plants failed to show somaclonal variation for alcohol dehydrogenase,glutamate dehydrogenase, esterase or peroxidase. Isoelectricfocusing of callus cultures from regenerative and non-regenerativeplants revealed that regeneration was accompanied by a reductionin staining intensity and numbers of peroxidase bands comparedto non-regenerative cultures. A unique cathodic peroxidase band(pI 7.6) was associated with non-regenerative cultures. Ferritinexpression was greater in callus than in fresh petiole tissue.Ferritin expression remained high in non-regenerative calluscultures but declined in regenerative cultures as regenerationprogressed.Copyright 1999 Annals of Botany Company Trifolium pratenseL., red clover, ferritin, isozymes, meiosis, peroxidase, somatic embryogenesis.     

Selective predation of the pike Esox lucius: comparison of lateral plates and some metric features of the three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus

Selective predation of Esox lucius on Gasterosteus aculeatus in a natural assemblage of fish of a stream in Central Poland is described and analysed. The number of lateral plates, the standard length and four size-dependent traits were significantly smaller for sticklebacks from stomach samples than for those from population samples. Thc remaining three metric traits were not significantly different among the samples. The regressions of five metric features (out of seven) on the standard length were significantly different between the sample of caten sticklebacks and that from the free-living population. This supports the supposition that the selectivity of pikc predation with respect to metric traits is not attributable to selection on body size of the prey. Thus, it is reasonable to claim that the sample of caten sticklebacks is selectively taken from the natural population. It justifies the selective predation assumption of some hypotheses of the causes of the pattern of geographic variation in the three-spined stickleback.     

Haemoglobin concentration and body condition of nestling Great Tits Parus major : a comparison of first and second broods in two contrasting seasons

The physiological condition of nestling altricial birds depends on the quantity and quality of food delivered to them by parents. One indicator of the condition of Great Tit Parus major nestlings is the haemoglobin concentration in their blood. The present study demonstrates the influence of weather conditions (temperature and rainfall) on nestling haemoglobin concentrations during two consecutive breeding seasons in two different habitat types (parkland vs. woodland) in the city of Łódź in Central Poland. This influence probably results from the effects of weather on the trophic base of the Tits. Dry, hot weather strongly affected bush and herbal foliage later in the breeding season (mid-June to mid-July) in 2006, presumably by interfering with the development of herbivorous arthropod populations. This in turn caused food shortages for second broods of Great Tits, which resulted in nestlings having low haemoglobin levels. In the following year, temperature was on average lower, and rainfall was regular but not very heavy. These conditions enabled the development of arthropod assemblages, and the trophic base for birds was much richer. Haemoglobin concentrations in the blood of nestlings from second broods were significantly higher than those of first broods and, unexpectedly, second-brood nestlings in 2007 were on average in better physiological state than first-brood nestlings in 2006 in both habitats. The relationship between haemoglobin concentration, brood category and year was very similar to that for nestling body mass. However, it was independent of both body mass and brood size. In some years and under certain conditions, second broods can be more successful than first broods.     

Umbonal musculature and relationships of the Late Triassic filibranch unionoid bivalves

Exceptionally well‐preserved Late Triassic unionoids from Silesia, Poland, show prominently ornamented juvenile shells and umbonal muscle attachments that are similar to Margaritifera, which are anatomically the least derived among extant unionoids. Their phosphatized (originally chitinous and impregnated with calcium phosphate) gill supports lacked transverse connections, and occasionally some of them were separated from others, being thus at the filibranch grade, like their trigonioid ancestors. Several separate small foot elevator attachments in these unionoids indicate Trigonodidae adaptation to marine or brackish water, in which the original trigonioid strong single attachment was already split into two in the Early Triassic. The ribbing of juvenile shells suggests a change to deeper infaunal life for juvenile stages, and generally less efficient near‐surface locomotion, with a wedge‐like foot, in adults. Much later the unionoids became eulamellibranchial, which promoted the brooding of the fish that their larvae parasitize. To accomodate the classification of the order under this scenario of evolutionary changes, a new suborder Silesunionina is proposed for its filibranch members. It includes the Silesunionidae fam. nov. , with the location of umbonal muscles similar to that in the extant underived unionoids, and the Unionellidae fam. nov. , with umbonal muscles attached to the external wall of the umbonal cavity. The early Late Triassic (Carnian) Silesunio parvus gen. et sp. nov. and latest Triassic (Rhaetian) Tihkia(?) silesiaca sp. nov. are proposed. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163 , 863–883.     

Morphogenesis and taxonomic value of the circumaxial skeleton in Rugosa (Anthozoa)

An elevated skeletal structure surrounding an empty axial area occurs in many unrelated taxa within the Rugosa. This structure, commonly termed the aulos, was first differentiated and described by Grabau in 1922. Most terms introduced by that author for individual morphotypes have not been accepted because the taxa he chose to illustrate the typical development do not correspond to his diagnoses. The morphogenetic study on some circumaxial structures in this paper points out differences in their origin, their predicted role in the physiology of the coral polyps. The study shows both the advantages and disadvantages of the use of these circumaxial structures in taxonomy. In addition to the term aulos, which was introduced by Smith in 1928, new terms i.e. circulotheca and columnotheca are here introduced for the circumaxial structures that also are newly proposed names, to allow distinguishing them from true axial structures.