Nature's Swiss Army Knives: Ovipositor Structure Mirrors Ecology in a Multitrophic Fig Wasp Community

Background: Resource partitioning is facilitated by adaptations along niche dimensions that range from morphology to behaviour. The exploitation of hidden resources may require specially adapted morphological or sensory tools for resource location and utilisation. Differences in tool diversity and complexity can determine not only how many species can utilize these hidden resources but also how they do so. Methodology and Principal Findings: The sclerotisation, gross morphology and ultrastructure of the ovipositors of a seven-member community of parasitic wasps comprising of gallers and parasitoids developing within the globular syconia (closed inflorescences) of Ficus racemosa (Moraceae) was investigated. These wasps also differ in their parasitism mode (external versus internal oviposition) and their timing of oviposition into the expanding syconium during its development. The number and diversity of sensilla, as well as ovipositor teeth, increased from internally ovipositing to externally ovipositing species and from gallers to parasitoids. The extent of sclerotisation of the ovipositor tip matched the force required to penetrate the syconium at the time of oviposition of each species. The internally ovipositing pollinator had only one type of sensillum and a single notch on the ovipositor tip. Externally ovipositing species had multiple sensilla types and teeth on their ovipositors. Chemosensilla were most concentrated at ovipositor tips while mechanoreceptors were more widely distributed, facilitating the precise location of hidden hosts in these wasps which lack larval host-seeking behaviour. Ovipositor traits of one parasitoid differed from those of its syntopic galler congeners and clustered with those of parasitoids within a different wasp subfamily. Thus ovipositor tools can show lability based on adaptive necessity, and are not constrained by phylogeny. Conclusions/Significance: Ovipositor structure mirrored the increasingly complex trophic ecology and requirements for host accessibility in this parasite community. Ovipositor structure could be a useful surrogate for predicting the biology of parasites in other communities.

Sapientia, 1954, Vol. IX, nº 31 (número completo)

Contenido: Por la libertad a la esclavitud y por el sometimiento a la libertad / La Dirección – Reflexiones sobre el principio de causalidad / Fernand Van Steenberghen – Ubicación metafísica del ser del hombre / Octavio N. Derisi -- Concepción del hombre en la línea de la esencia /Ángel González Álvarez – Notas y comentarios -- Bibliografía

Sapientia, 1954, Vol. IX, nº 32 (número completo)

Contenido: Filosofía y vida / La Dirección – Donoso Cortés en la Argentina / Alberto Caturelli -- ¿Existencialismo en San Agustín? / José Rubén Sanabria – La imagen tradicional del hombre en el curso de la Historia de la filosofía / Walter Brüning – Notas y Comentarios -- Bibliografía

Sapientia, 1954, Vol. IX, nº 34 (número completo)

Contenido: Actualidad de San Agustín / La Dirección – Dialecticidad de la naturaleza humana y su problemática esencial en el pensamiento de San Agustín / Michele F. Sciacca – Los grados de perfección del alma según San Agustín / Alberto Caturelli – Determinación de la influencia neoplatónica en la formación del pensamiento de San Agustín / Octavio N. Derisi – Fundamentos de la realidad en S. Agustín / Manuel Gonzalo Casas – Notas y comentarios -- Bibliografía

Dados estatísticos : eleições federais, estaduais e municipais, realisadas no Brasil em 1952, 1954 e 1955, e em confronto com anteriores

Analisa o resultado das eleições federais, estaduais e municipais, realizadas no Brasil em 1952, 1954 e 1955, confrontando com dados estatísticos de eleições anteriores.

Dados estatísticos : eleições federais e estaduais realizadas em 1954 e 1955

Trata das eleições federais e estaduais, realizadas em 3 de outubro de 1954 e 1955 , com quadros sinópticos, relação nominal dos eleitos e suplentes e dados sobre o eleitorado por municípios.

Coleção das Leis da República dos Estados Unidos do Brasil de 1954

Parte 1 - Atos do Poder Legislativo

M/V Scofield. Cruise one of 1954

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Cruise 2 of the N. B. Scofield for 1954. Cruise Report 54-S-2

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Cruise 3 of the N. B. Scofield for 1954. Cruise Report 54-S-3

(PDF contains 1 page.)

Cruise 4 of the N. B. Scofield for 1954. Cruise Report 54-S-4

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Cruise 5 of the N. B. Scofield for 1954. Cruise Report 54-S-5

(PDF contains 4 pages.)

Size and year class composition of catch, age and growth of yellowfin tuna in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean for the years 1954-1958

ENGLISH: Data on the size composition of catch for the years 1954-1958 have been studied to determine year class composition, age and growth of yellowfin tuna in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean. Direct age determination of tropical tunas has not yet proven reliable; however, this analysis has shown that the length-frequency distributions themselves are adequate to determine year class structure and growth rates. Absolute age has been estimated by comparing the average time of spawning with the time at which age groups initially appear in the catch. SPANISH: Los datos sobre la composición del tamaño de la pesca durante los años 1954-1958 han sido estudiados con el objeto de determinar la composición de las clases anuales, la edad y el crecimiento del atún aleta amarilla en el Océano Pacífico Oriental Tropical. Las determinaciones directas de la edad de los atunes tropicales no han probado todavía ser de confianza; sin embargo, este análisis ha demostrado que las distribuciones de la frecuencia de las longitudes son adecuadas para determinar la estructura de las clases anuales y de las tasas de crecimiento. La edad absoluta ha sido estimada mediante la comparación de la época promedio de desove con la epoca en que los grupos de edades comienzan a aparecer en la pesca.

Year class mortality, abundance and yield-per-recruit of yellowfin tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean, 1954-1959

ENGLISH: One primary duty of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission is to estimate the maximum sustainable catches of yellowfin tuna (Neothunnus macropterus) and skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), and to investigate and recommend proposals to maintain the stocks at levels which will permit these catches to be obtained. To do this, there is required some means of predicting yields relative to fishing intensity. . . The age composition of catch, and growth rate of yellowfin tuna for recent years have now been estimated (Hennemuth, 1961). In this paper, relative abundance at age of yellowfin tuna shall be estimated -and used, in turn, to estimate total mortality rate. Yield-per-recruit calculations, based on Beverton and Holt's (1957) simple equation, will be presented to compare present utilization with theoretical maxima under varying levels of fishing mortality and different ages at first capture. SPANISH: Uno de los principales deberes de la Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical es estimar las pescas máximas sostenibles de los atunes aleta amarilla (Neothunnus macropterus) y barrilete (Katsuwonus pelamis) , así como estudiar y recomendar proposiciones para mantener los stocks a niveles que permitan obtener estas pescas. Para lograr este propósito se requieren algunos medios que permitan predecir el rendimiento en relación con la intensidad de la pesca. . La composición de edades de la pesca y la tasa de crecimiento del atún aleta amarilla en años recientes han sido estimadas ahora (Hennemuth, 1961). En este trabajo, la abundancia relativa a una edad dada de esta especie será estimada y usada, a su vez, para estimar la tasa de mortalidad total. Los cálculos del rendimiento por recluta, basados en la ecuación simple de Beverton y Holt (1957), serán presentados para comparar la utilización actual con los máximos teóricos bajo valores variables de mortalidad por la pesca y a diferentes edades a la primera captura.