Flying and walking of small insects (Musca domestica) recorded differentially with a standing-wave radar actograph

ABSTRACT. An actograph is described for recording the behaviour of small insects, by using a standing-wave radar system in an enclosed metal cabinet. Experiments show that the system produces an output frequency dependent only on the speed of movement of the subject. By filtering the signal electrically into components below and above 5 Hz, walking and flying of adult Musca domestica could be separately recorded. Each filter is followed by a level-comparator with hysteresis. Activity causing signal to cross the hysteresis-band is recorded as an event on a digital counter, and also integrated or summed to be displayed as a stepped-integral or bar-chart of total distance covered by the subject in each counting period. The energy-density of the radar can be kept very low, so that possible influence on the subject is minimal. The detector is remote from the box containing the subject, giving great flexibility in container design, so that the apparatus is ideally suited to the study of environmental factors.     

Incubation temperature in the Australasian Gannet Moms senator

Gannets (Sulidae) and some other pelecaniforms incubate their eggs under the webs of their totipalmate feet. These species have a wide latitudinal distribution from tropics to subarctic, but little is known of the incubation temperatures attained. I measured egg temperatures of the Australasian Gannet Morns serrator at Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand, employing a data logger to obtain records every 15 min for day-long sample periods at undisturbed nests. Egg surface temperatures were relatively stable and little affected by ambient temperature. Mean surface temperature of natural eggs was 34.9^oC for samples taken during the first 4 days of incubation, but this then increased and stabilized at 36.5^oC. Internal temperature of pipped eggs was about 1^oC higher, attributable to embryonic heat production. Upper surface temperature of eggs kept in a fixed position was about 2^oC below deep adult body temperature (40.3^oC), suggesting heat is transferred directly from the body through the feet. Clutch size does not appear to be limited by an inability to warm two eggs. These results are in general agreement with measurements from other web incubators and are well within the range for species with conventional brood patch incubation.     

Molecular Characterization of a Barley Gene Induced by Cold Treatment

A cDNA library was made from low positive temperature (6 ?C/2?C) grown barley shoot meristems. Several genes which are differentiallyexpressed, as measured by mRNA abundance, were selected fromthe library using a differential screen. This paper reportsan analysis of in vivo expression in several cultivars, theDNA sequence, copy number and chromosomal location of one gene(BLT14). In addition, genomic restriction fragment length polymorphismfor this gene in the 10 most widely UK-grown spring and 9 mostwidely UK-grown winter barley cultivars is analysed. Key words: Hordeum vulgare, low temperature, RFLP, differential expression, cDNA sequence     

Morphometric analysis of interspecific and microgeographic variation of crayfish from a Mexican cave

Two undescribed species of Procambarus crayfish (Crustacea, Decapoda) inhabit the subterranean stream running in the recently explored Cueva de Los Camarones, Chiapas, Mexico. Individuals ranging from dark, robust, large-eyed forms with an epigean mien to pale, comparatively slender, microphthalmic ones resembling related troglobites were found, but only the extremes could be distinguished visually. Evolutionary relationships among individuals were investigated morphometrically by means of multivariate analysis'on 14 body dimensions. These analyses revealed a significant discontinuity between the two species, mainly determined by the shape of the rostrum, chelae and telson. The occurrence of a few aberrant phenotypes may indicate the existence of some gene flow between the two species.
Microgeographic variation was demonstrated within the less cavernicolous species. The characters involved were the same as those that discriminate between the two species. These results are compared with allozymic data presented in a parallel paper and the role of genie introgression and environmental induction are discussed.     

Species number, species abundance and body length of arboreal arthropods associated with an Australian rainforest tree

Abstract.

• 1 The species number, the abundance per species and the body length of arthropods foraging within the crowns of an over-storey rainforest tree from Australia, Argyrodendron actinophyllum (Sterculiaceae), were investigated by interception trap sampling and restricted canopy fogging. Emphasis was placed upon the interpretation of trap data. Arthropods were trapped continuously day and night, over a 2-year period and the final analyses examined the attributes of 759 species which represented 20,500 individuals.
• 2 The proportion of‘rare’species (Le. collected once) intercepted was high (35.7%), although lower than in other similar rainforest surveys. Neither the α log-series nor the log-normal distribution could be fitted to the relationship between number of species and number of individuals, since the number of rare species was much higher than predicted and the mode of the distribution could not be identified. The proportion of rare species was higher in fogging collections (452%) than in trap collections.
• 3 The data are compared with a study of Bornean arboreal beetles, obtained by fogging trees during a single sampling event. Several patterns were common to both data sets. However, the three-dimensional plot of the variables describing the structure of the arthropod community showed a notably rougher surface than in the case of Bornean beetles.
• 4 Although several factors may complicate the interpretation of the three-dimensional plots, long-term and continuous sampling may alter our perception of complex arthropod communities. This methodology is imperative for a proper understanding of arthropod community structure in rain forests.

     

In Vitro Production of Metacyclic Forms of Trypanosoma musculi and Their Infectivity in CBA Mice1

ABSTRACT. Bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma musculi, cultured in Schneider's drosophila medium at room temperature, multiply and differentiate through a series of developmental stages into infective metacyclic trypomastigotes in 10 days. Oral inoculation with these culture forms into CBA mice produced a parasitemia similar to that produced by intraperitoneal infection with bloodstream forms except for a three-day longer prepatent period. Attempts to induce parasitemia with bloodstream forms given orally were unsuccessful.     

A Comparative Study of some Methods for Measuring Cell Growth Potentials in Vigna radiata Hypocotyl, in situ and after Excision

Prat, R. 1985. A comparative study of some methods for measuringcell growth potentials in Vigna radiata hypocotyl, in situ andafter excision.—J. exp. Bot. 36: 1150–1158. Accurate estimations of growth rates are required to understandthe development of physiological and biochemical parametersinvolved in growth processes. Growth measurements can be madeeither ‘in situ’ on whole seedlings by marking successivelevels or ‘in vitro’, after excision of successivehypocotyl segments. These different methods have been comparedin order to determine which measurements allow one to assessaccurately the normal growth characteristics. In vitro measurementsperformed with excised segments required a prolonged incubationperiod before stable growth rates were achieved. The growthpotentials of the successive hypocotyl levels remain unchangedafter excision. These in vitro measurements can therefore beused to assess the growth characteristics of cells in hypocotyls. Key words: Vigna radiata, hypocotyl, growth measurements     

Potential for host range expansion in Ceratitis capitata flies: impact of proximity of adult food to egg-laying sites

Abstract.

• 1 In field cage and field tests, female Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), in trees alighted in significantly greater numbers upon sticky-coated (non-odour-emitting) kumquats, Fortunella japonica, that were in the vicinity of odorous natural proteinaceous food (bird faeces) or synthetic food odour than on similar kumquats distant from bird faeces or synthetic food odour.
• 2 In field cage tests, oviposition in non-sticky kumquats nearby bird faeces was significantly greater than in non-sticky kumquats distant from bird faeces.
• 3 In field tests, medflies laid significantly more eggs in host kumquat and non-host hawthorn, Crataegus mollis, fruit adjacent to bird faeces and synthetic food odour than in fruit of these types distant from food-type stimuli.
• 4 These findings suggest that odour of natural food of medflies could lure flies to plants whose fruit emit little or no attractive odour and are not permanent hosts but which are nonetheless susceptible to egg-laying and larval development, resulting in temporary expansion of host range.