A redescription of Homalometron senegalense Fischthal & Thomas, 1972 (Digenea : Apocreadiidae) from Synaptura kleinii (Teleostei) of the western Mediterranean

The apocreadiid digenean Homalometron senegalense is redescribed from the soleid fish Synaptura kleinii from off Corsica in the western Mediterranean. For the first time, lymphatic vessels are described for this species, and the implications of this in the systematics of the Apocreadiidae discussed. This species is considered closest to H. galaicus and H. wrightae, both also reported from soleid hosts. The concept of Apocreadiidae espoused is that most recently developed by Cribb & Bray (1999).

Natural selection and quantitative genetics of life-history traits in Western women: A twin study

Whether contemporary human populations are still evolving as a result of natural selection has been hotly debated. For natural selection to cause evolutionary change in a trait, variation in the trait must be correlated with fitness and be genetically heritable and there must be no genetic constraints to evolution. These conditions have rarely been tested in human populations. In this study, data from a large twin cohort were used to assess whether selection Will cause a change among women in contemporary Western population for three life-history traits: age at menarche, age at first reproduction, and age at menopause. We control for temporal variation in fecundity (the baby boom phenomenon) and differences between women in educational background and religious affiliation. University-educated women have 35% lower fitness than those with less than seven years education, and Roman Catholic women have about 20% higher fitness than those of other religions. Although these differences were significant, education and religion only accounted for 2% and 1% of variance in fitness, respectively. Using structural equation modeling, we reveal significant genetic influences for all three life-history traits, with heritability estimates of 0.50, 0.23, and 0.45, respectively. However, strong genetic covariation with reproductive fitness could only be demonstrated for age at first reproduction, with much weaker covariation for age at menopause and no significant covariation for age at menarche. Selection may, therefore, lead to the evolution of earlier age at first reproduction in this population. We also estimate substantial heritable variation in fitness itself, with approximately 39% of the variance attributable to additive genetic effects, the remainder consisting of unique environmental effects and small effects from education and religion. We discuss mechanisms that could be maintaining such a high heritability for fitness. Most likely is that selection is now acting on different traits from which it did in pre-industrial human populations.

Tormopsolus attenuatus n. sp (Digenea : Acanthocolpidae) from Seriola hippos (Perciformes : Carangidae), Western Australia, with some observations on the relationships in the genus

A new acanthocolpid, Tormopsolus attenuatus n. sp., is described from the carangid Seriola hippos from waters off the coast of SW Australia. A cladistic analysis of the genus using 31 morphological and metrical characters indicates that the closest species is T. asiatica Parukhin, 1976 status amend. (previously T. orientalis asiatica). T. attenuatus differs from T. asiatica in its smaller overall dimensions, more attenuated outline, relatively shorter post-testicular region, vitelline interruption at the level of the ovary, papillae on the oral sucker and, possibly, much longer genital atrium. Other similar species, T. orientalis Yamaguti, 1934 and T. medius Reimer, 1983, differ in having interruptions of the vitelline fields at the level of both testes and at the level of the ovary.

Sedimentary cyclicity in CRP drillcore, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica

The upper 1200 m of pre-Pliocene sediment recovered by Cape Roberts Project (CRP) drilling off the Victoria Land coast of Antarctica between 1997-1999 has been subdivided into 54 unconformity-bound stratigraphic sequences, spanning the period c. 32 to 17 Ma. The sequences are recognised on the basis of the cyclical vertical stacking of their constituent lithofacies, which are enclosed by erosion surfaces produced during the grounding of the advancing ice margin onto the sea floor. Each sequence represents deposition in a range of offshore shelf to coastal glacimarine sedimentary environments during oscillations in the ice margin across the Western Ross Sea shelf, and coeval fluctuations in water depth. This paper applies spectral analysis techniques to depth- and time-series of sediment grain size (500 samples) for intervals of the core with adequate chronological data. Time series analysis of 0.5-1.0m-spaced grainsize data spanning sequences 9-11 (CRP-2/2A) and sequences 1-7 (CRP-3) suggests that the length of individual sequences correspond to Milankovitch frequencies, probably 41 k.y., but possibly as low as 100 k.y. Higher frequency periodic components at 23 k.y. (orbital precession) and 15-10 k.y. (sub-orbital) are recognised at the intrasequence-scale, and may represent climatic cycles akin to the ice rafting episodes described in the North Atlantic Ocean during the Quaternary. The cyclicity recorded by glacimarine sequences in CRP core provides direct evidence from the periphery of Antarctica for orbital oscillations in the size of the Oligocene-Early Miocene East Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Neoechinorhynchus ningalooensis sp nov (Acanthocephala : Neoechinorhynchidae) from Scarus ghobban and S. psittacus (Scaridae) from Western Australia

Neoechinorhynchus ningalooensis sp. nov, is described from Scarus ghobban Forsskal, 1775 and S. psittacus Forsskal, 1775 (Scaridae) from Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. The new species is distinguished by having a combination of the Following: three circles of six hooks on the proboscis; anterior hooks equal in size (66-68 (Im long), middle hooks (50-58 mum long), 79% smaller than anterior hooks, posterior hooks (40-44 mum long) smallest; lemnisci equal in length and extending beyond the proboscis receptacle but not to ovoid testes; terminal papilla absent. This report is the first published account of an acanthocephalan from parrotfish (Scaridae) and the first record of an eoacanthocephalan from the western coast of Australia.

Composition of pecan cultivars Wichita and Western Schley [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koh] grown in Australia

Pecans from the cultivars Wichita and Western Schley [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] collected over three years were analyzed for the following constituents: total lipid content; fatty acid profiles; sucrose content; protein; total dietary fiber; the minerals magnesium, calcium, potassium, sulfur, phosphorus, boron, copper, iron, manganese, sodium, zinc, and aluminum; vitamin C; and lipase; and lipoxygenase activities. Year of harvest and cultivar had little effect on the composition of the pecans. Overall, protein content was the only constituent that differed between pecans grown in Australia and those grown in the United States. This difference is probably related to differences in growing location and horticultural practices between the two countries.