Taste receptor activity and feeding behaviour reveal mechanisms of white spruce natural resistance to Eastern spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana

The pattern of feeding of Eastern spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) is compared on foliage from white spruce Picea glauca (Moench) Voss. (Pinaceae) trees previously determined to be susceptible and resistant to defoliation by budworm. No differences are observed in electrophysiological responses from taste sensilla to aqueous extracts of the two foliage types, nor is there a preference for either extract type in a choice test. Acetone extracts from the two foliage types are both preferred to a control sucrose solution, although neither elicits a preference relative to the other. These results suggest that there is no difference in phagostimulatory power of internal leaf contents of the two foliage types. Longer‐term observation of feeding behaviour in a no‐choice situation shows no difference in meal duration, confirming the lack of difference in phagostimulatory power. However, on average, intermeal intervals are twice as long on the resistant foliage, leading to an overall lower food consumption during the assay. This result suggests an anti‐digestive or toxic effect of the resistant foliage that slows behaviour and limits food intake. Previous research has shown that waxes of the resistant foliage deter initiation of feeding by the spruce budworm and that this foliage contains higher levels of tannins and monoterpenes. The data suggest that the resistant foliage contains a post‐ingestive second line of defence against the spruce budworm.     

Late Glacial and Holocene environmental and climatic changes from a limnological transect through Colombia, northern South America

We present a synthesis of the palaeolimnological and palaeoclimatic reconstructions of four sites in Colombia. The record from Lake El Caimito, the westernmost site on the Pacific Coast, dates from the Late Holocene and shows lacustrine sedimentation frequently interrupted by fluvial pulses. These pulses probably reflect periods of increased precipitation related to La Niña phases. East of El Caimito site is the Patía swamp, situated between the Western and Central Andean Cordilleras. The Patía records the dynamics of forest expansion/reduction and changes in water levels. Although the climatic signal of the Patia core is difficult to reconstruct, there is a clear increase in humidity in the Mid-Holocene. The Fúquene Lake record, on the Eastern Andean Cordillera, records dry and cold conditions during the Late Pleistocene, very humid conditions for the early Mid-Holocene, and dry conditions during the mid-Late Holocene. Las Margaritas site, on the eastern savannas, records dry conditions during the Early Holocene and overall humid conditions for the Mid- and Late Holocene. Climate conditions from the Fuquene and Las Margaritas sites seem to reflect the Holocene movements of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ); the latter site being more affected by humidity coming from the Amazon region.     

On species of genus Lepadella (Eurotatoria:Monogononta:Colurellidae) from North-Eastern India,with remarks on Indian taxa

Ten species of Lepadella Bory de St. Vincent, 1826, including one new species and one new form, are documented from North-Eastern India. Two of these species are new records from this country and six are new reports from N.E. region. Comments are also made on the status and distribution of various Indian taxa.     

The history and chronology of siwalik cercopithecids

Cercopithecid monkeys make a comparatively late appearance in the Miocene Siwalik formations of the Indian Subcontinent. The oldest well-dated specimen is a 6.3 MY old colobine, ?Presbytis sivalensis, and it is doubtful that any cercopithecids were present in the Siwalik faunas prior to 7.0 MY, a date that is considerably later than estimates for their appearance elsewhere in Eurasia. Cercopithecines appear later than colobines. Although their temporal ranges are uncertain, cercopithecines evidently were not present before 3.2 MY and possibly not until 2.5 MY. They are represented by three species,?Macaca palaeindica, Procynocephalus subhimalayanus, andTheropithecus delsoni. In the Siwaliks the appearances of colobines and cercopithecines coincide with or follow shortly after major faunal changes that also bring other northern Eurasian and African taxa into the region.     

New taxa ofCosmarium Corda (Desmidiaceae) from Karnataka State,India

Six new taxa including two new species (Cosmarium bourrellyi Bongale sp. nov. andC. desikacharyi Bongale sp. nov.) and four new varieties (C. auriculatum var.protrusum Bongale var. nov.,C. pachydermum var.inflatum Bongale var. nov.,C. pseudoconnatum var.tuberculans Bongale var. nov. andC. quadrum var.rotundatum Bongale var. nov.) are reported. Algae were collected from a paddy field at Belgaum.     

Distribution and population variation of total number of palmar triradii among 20 Dhangar castes of Maharashtra,India

The paper deals with the bilateral palmar prints of 3000 males belonging to 20 Dhangar castes of Maharashtra which were analysed (1) to compare the pattern of variation of palmar triradii with respect to other traits, (2) to examine the degree of similarity between clusters based on dermatoglyphics anthropometry and genetic markers and (3) relating these similarities with their ethnographic and geographic proximities. The results of this study confirm the general presumptions, (a) that dermal traits, in general, and palmar characters, in particular, do help in understanding the biologic/ethnic affinities among different groups both at macro and micro levels and (b) the different types of traits, which are likely to be influenced by different genetic and/or environmental factors give rise to different clustering patterns.     

In vitro culture of the strobilar stage of Echinococcus granulosus from protoscoleces of human, camel, cattle, sheep and goat origin from Kenya and buffalo origin from India

Protoscoleces from human, camel, cattle, sheep, goat (all from Kenya) and buffalo (from India) hydatid cysts were cultured under identical conditions in vitro using the diphasic culture system of Smyth (1979b). Organisms from all sources grew and segmented in culture. Genital anlagen developed in all cultured worms but further genital differentiation occurred only in cultures of cattle (testes) and camel (testes and genital pore) material. The possible significance of these results is discussed in relation to the general epidemiology of hydatid disease and the potential infectivity of the different strains to man.     

Plant growth in relation to a rain incident in Wadi Agag,South Egypt

Plant growth in the extremely arid southern part of the Eastern Desert of Egypt is supported by the torrential moisture stored in the subsurface layers of wadi-fill deposits. The space-time stratification of the soil moisture and corresponding adaptive stratification of root systems lead to the niche separation of the species. The survivorship of all studied plants except Zilla spinosa, has a low mortality at early and middle life, but a rapid change to high mortality at a later stage. Zilla spinosa shows the high juvenile and low adult mortality which related significantly to the population density.     

A classification of subtropical riverine grassland and forest in Chitwan National Park,Nepal

Eight grassland associations with ten phases and two riverine forest associations were identified on the floodplains of Chitwan National Park in lowland Nepal. TwoThemeda arundinacea associations were primarily stable edaphic associations on mollic soils, often with aquic moisture regimes.Themeda associations were floristically similar to adjacent sal forest. Four mixed tall-grass associations primarily ofNarenga porphyrocoma, Saccharum bengalense, andSaccharum spontaneum were identified. These andThemeda arundinacea types were characterized by a very weak component of woody species. Two grass-shrub associations ofSaccharum bengalense andNarenga porphyrocoma with a strong woody species component typical of riverine forest were described.Trewia nudiflora-Bombax ceiba riverine forest and mixed riverine forest types also were identified on the basis of understory composition. Mixed tall-grass and grass-shrub associations appeared to represent early and late phases of grassland succession to riverine forest. Trajectories of succession are controlled primarily by fire and wildlife grazing. The classification refines the general classifications applied to the central Terai of Nepal and India, and should provide insight for classification of other Terai riverine grasslands.Abbreviations DS Dabadghao and Shankarnarayan's 1973 grassland classification for India - IMCY Imperata cylindrica - NAFA Narenga fallax - NAPO Narenga porphyrocoma - PHKA Phragmites karka - SABE Saccharum bengalense - SASP Saccharum spontaneum - THAR Themeda arundinacea     

First fossil evidence of samaras of Ventilago Gaertn. (Rhamnaceae) from India and its implications

The Ventilago Gaertn. (Rhamnaceae) is widely distributed in pantropical areas of Africa, Asia, and Australia. However, fossil records of this taxon are sparse, which limits understanding of the evolution and biogeographic history of the genus. In the present study, we report and describe two new fossil species of Ventilago, V. siwalika sp. nov. from the Miocene sediments of Himachal Pradesh, western Himalaya, and V. pliocenica sp. nov. from the Pliocene sediments of Jharkhand, eastern India based on single-winged samaras. Ventilago pliocenica is characterized by a prominent midvein, obtuse to sub-round apex with mucronate tip, longitudinal secondary veins extending the full length of the fruit, and reticulate nature of higher-order veins, the presence of equatorial rim, the hypanthium, and short pedicel. On the other hand, V. siwalika is characterized by a prominent midvein, obtuse to sub-round apex with mucronate tip, longitudinal secondary veins extending the full length of the fruit, and reticulate nature of higher-order veins. Our discovery represents the first unambiguous fossil record of single-winged samara of Ventilago from India and provides valuable insights into the evolution of this genus. In this paper, we also review its biogeographic history and add new information to understand its hypothetical migration route. Present and earlier records of Ventilago also suggest that this genus was a common forest element during Neogene (Miocene time) in Asia.