Revision of the genus Spinosipella (Bivalvia : Verticordiidae), with descriptions of two new species from Brazil

A revision of the deep-water verticordiid genus Spinosipella is provided, based on conchological and anatomical characters. The genus is considered distinct from Verticordia (of which it was considered a subgenus) based on the strong ribs, prickly surface, reduction of lunula, relative large size, weakly spiral valve shape, and other characters. The following species are considered in the genus: (1) Spinosipella agnes new species, ranging from Florida, USA, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and also including the Porcupine Abyssal Plain in the North Atlantic; (2) S. tinga new species, occurring from Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; (3) S. acuticostata (Philippi, 1844), a Pliocene fossil from southern Italy; (4) S. deshayesiana (Fischer, 1862), from south and central Indo-Pacific (S. ericia Hedley, 1911, the type species of the genus, was revealed to be a new synonym of S. deshayesiana); and (5) S. costeminens (Poutiers, 1981), from the tropical west Pacific. The five species differ mainly in conchological details of the number and size of ribs, of the prickly sculpture, shape of the shell, of the hinge and the degree of convexity. Anatomical description is also provided for the two Pacific species, which differ among themselves mainly by the size of the pair of renal folds. From the standpoint of anatomical characters, the more significant are: the wide lithodesma; the elongation of the auricles, crossing the roof of pallial cavity; a tall digital fold in posterior region of supraseptal chamber; the low but wide palps; the muscular, gizzard-like stomach; the complete separation of both constituents of the hermaphroditic gonad (a ventro-posterior testicle and a centro-dorsal ovary), and a complete fusion of the visceral ganglia.

The first modern solitary Agariciidae (Anthozoa, Scleractinia) revealed by molecular and microstructural analysis

Dactylotrochus cervicornis (= Tridacophyllia cervicornis Moseley, 1881), which occurs in Indo-Pacific waters between 73 and 852 m, was originally described as an astraeid but was later transferred to the Caryophylliidae. Assumed to be solitary, this species has no stolons and only one elongated fossa, and is unique among azooxanthellate scleractinians in often displaying extremely long thecal extensions that are septate and digitiform. Based on both molecular phylogenetic analyses (partial mitochondrial CO1 and 16S rDNA, and partial nuclear 28S rDNA) and morphological characteristics, we propose the transfer of D. cervicornis from the Caryophylliidae to the Agariciidae, making it the first extant representative of the latter family that is solitary and from deep water (azooxanthellate). The basal position of D. cervicornis within the agariciids implied by our analyses strengthens the case for inclusion of fossil species that were solitary, such as Trochoseris, in this family and suggests that the ancestor of this scleractinian family, extant members of which are predominantly colonial and zooxanthellate, may have been solitary and azooxanthellate.

Early development, survival and growth rates of the giant clam Tridacna crocea (Bivalvia: Tridacnidae)

Tridacnid clams are conspicuous inhabitants of Indo-Pacific coral reefs and are traded and cultivated for the aquarium and food industries. In the present study, daily growth rates of larvae of the giant clam Tridacna crocea were determined in the laboratory during the first week of life. Adults were induced to spawn via intra-gonadal serotonin injection through the byssal orifice. After spawning oocytes were collected, fertilized and kept in 3 L glass beakers and raceways treated with antibiotics to avoid culture contamination. Larvae were fed twice with the microalga Isochrysis galbana and zooxanthellae were also offered twice during the veliger stage (days 4 and 6). Larval length was measured using a digitizing tablet coupled to a microcomputer. Larval mortality was exponential during the first 48 hours of life declining significantly afterwards. Mean growth rate was 11.3 mu m day-1, increasing after addition of symbionts to 18.0 mu m day-1. Survival increased to ca. 75% after the addition of zooxanthellae. The results describe the growth curve for T. crocea larvae and suggest that the acquisition of symbionts by larvae may be useful for larval growth and survival even before larvae have attained metamorphosis.

Fog- and cloud-induced aerosol modification observed by the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET)

Large fine mode-dominated aerosols (submicron radius) in size distributions retrieved from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) have been observed after fog or low-altitude cloud dissipation events. These column-integrated size distributions have been obtained at several sites in many regions of the world, typically after evaporation of low-altitude cloud such as stratocumulus or fog. Retrievals with cloud-processed aerosol are sometimes bimodal in the accumulation mode with the larger-size mode often similar to 0.4-0.5 mu m radius (volume distribution); the smaller mode, typically similar to 0.12 to similar to 0.20 mu m, may be interstitial aerosol that were not modified by incorporation in droplets and/or aerosol that are less hygroscopic in nature. Bimodal accumulation mode size distributions have often been observed from in situ measurements of aerosols that have interacted with clouds, and AERONET size distribution retrievals made after dissipation of cloud or fog are in good agreement with particle sizes measured by in situ techniques for cloud-processed aerosols. Aerosols of this type and large size range (in lower concentrations) may also be formed by cloud processing in partly cloudy conditions and may contribute to the "shoulder" of larger-size particles in the accumulation mode retrievals, especially in regions where sulfate and other soluble aerosol are a significant component of the total aerosol composition. Observed trends of increasing aerosol optical depth (AOD) as fine mode radius increased suggests higher AOD in the near-cloud environment and higher overall AOD than typically obtained from remote sensing owing to bias toward sampling at low cloud fraction.

Alien shrimps in evidence: new records of the genus Athanas Leach, 1814 on the coast of So Paulo, southern Brazil (Caridea: Alpheidae)

The occurrence of two alien alpheid shrimps of the genus Athanas Leach, 1814 [in Leach 1813-1814], the Indo-West Pacific A. dimorphus Ortmann, 1894 and the Eastern Atlantic A. nitescens (Leach, 1813 [in Leach 1813-1814]), on the coast of the state of So Paulo, Brazil, is reported. The presence of A. dimorphus extends the range of this species in the western Atlantic farther to the south in Brazil, whereas A. nitescens is reported for the first time in the western Atlantic, representing the second alien alpheid species on this side of the Atlantic and the twenty-first decapod crustacean introduced in Brazil. We provide morphological accounts of the material examined and illustrate the most important diagnostic characters of both species. An overview of the possible mechanisms of their introduction on the coast of So Paulo is also provided.

A new species of Catapagurus A. Milne-Edwards (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Paguridae) from Brazil, with a key to the western Atlantic species

We describe herein a new species of Catapagurus, the twenty-second species of the genus. This is the third species of Catapagurus recorded from the western Atlantic and the second from Brazil; the remaining 19 species occur in the Indo-Pacific region.

Fitas adesivas, “Vanish” e técnica clareadora caseira: aspectos importantes a serem considerados

Em trabalhos experimentais, o peróxido de hidrogênio revelou-se um promotor da carcinogênese química bucal e em outras mucosas gastrintestinais. O peróxido de hidrogênio representa um cocarcinógeno, pois não inicia sozinho uma neoplasia maligna epitelial, mas pode potencializar outros agentes iniciadores. Na boca, onde atuam vários carcinógenos, a mucosa está, em sua maior parte, desprotegida, pois não tem em sua superfície uma espessa e contínua camada de queratina, como a pele. Em qualquer forma de ação, o peróxido de hidrogênio - o único clareador de dentes - requer técnica que proteja a mucosa e a região cervical do esmalte na junção com o cemento, e dificulte que seja engolido, indo para as partes mais inferiores do trato gastrintestinal. Este trabalho centra-se principalmente na necessidade de convencer pacientes, profissionais e agentes do mercado de que a forma mais correta e segura de clarear dentes está no consultório dos profissionais treinados e conscientes.

Early development, survival and growth rates of the giant clam Tridacna crocea (Bivalvia: Tridacnidae)

Tridacnid clams are conspicuous inhabitants of Indo-Pacific coral reefs and are traded and cultivated for the aquarium and food industries. In the present study, daily growth rates of larvae of the giant clam Tridacna crocea were determined in the laboratory during the first week of life. Adults were induced to spawn via intra-gonadal serotonin injection through the byssal orifice. After spawning oocytes were collected, fertilized and kept in 3 L glass beakers and raceways treated with antibiotics to avoid culture contamination. Larvae were fed twice with the microalga Isochrysis galbana and zooxanthellae were also offered twice during the veliger stage (days 4 and 6). Larval length was measured using a digitizing tablet coupled to a microcomputer. Larval mortality was exponential during the first 48 hours of life declining significantly afterwards. Mean growth rate was 11.3 μm day-1, increasing after addition of symbionts to 18.0 μm day-1. Survival increased to ca. 75% after the addition of zooxanthellae. The results describe the growth curve for T. crocea larvae and suggest that the acquisition of symbionts by larvae may be useful for larval growth and survival even before larvae have attained metamorphosis.

Resurrection of the genus Licornia for Scrupocellaria jolloisii (Bryozoa) and related species, with documentation of L. jolloisii as a non-indigenous species in the western Atlantic

Recent studies of the large cheilostome bryozoan genus Scrupocellaria have shown a greater degree of taxonomically informative morphological variation in zooids, opesia, and polymorphic structures than previously recognized. Only one subgenus has been named within the genus, Retiscrupocellaria d'Hondt, 1988, erected for Scrupocellaria jolloisii. In this work we further analyse S. jolloisii and its related species, resurrecting an earlier genus name, Licornia van Beneden, 1850 for Licornia jolloisii, and nine relatives, L. annectens, L. cervicornis, L. cyclostoma, L. diadema, L. ferox, L. gaspari, L. longispinosa, L. macropora, and L. prolata. Licornia jolloisii was originally described from the Red Sea, and most species of the genus occur in the Indo-Pacific region. The species, however, has now been found in the Western Atlantic, in the Florida Keys, US, and in Bahia de Todos Santos, Brazil.

A importância da observação do céu no cotidiano escolar: o ponto de vista do professor.

A observação do céu pode promover diversos desenvolvimentos em um sujeito, ligados a aspectos culturais, tecnológicos e/ou pessoais, e por isso, pode ter um forte potencial motivador. Está proposto nos documentos oficiais, que regem os currículos da educação básica brasileira, que o professor realize atividades de observação e reconhecimento do céu, visando a trabalhar com a capacidade de analisar e interpretar fenômenos naturais do ponto de vista da ciência. Visando, então, a formar um professor que possa levar essa parte da astronomia para sala de aula, indo além do encantamento, o Grupo de Astronomia Sputnik promoveu um curso de curta duração, que dentre diversas atividades, visitou um observatório astronômico, com a intenção de fazer uma observação do céu e capacitar o professor para tal. Esta pesquisa apresenta algumas das concepções desses professores sobre qual a importância da observação do céu tanto para o ensino de astronomia quanto para sua própria formação profissional. Os resultados apontam que, pelo fato dos próprios professores se sentirem bastante motivados com a atividade, eles reconhecem esse potencial para a sala de aula. Do ponto de vista de conteúdos que podem ser veiculados, aparecem alguns em algumas falas, mas ainda é forte a ideia de que para ocorrência desse tipo de atividade prática é preciso que ela esteja vinculada e complementando alguma teoria.

La inundación del Mar Negro. ¿Pudo haber sido ésta la inundación de Noé?

[ES] Entre 15 y 6 mil años atrás, durante la era del Neolítico, el nivel del Mar Mediterráneo subió entre 100 y 10 m. por debajo de su nivel actual. En esta época el Mar Negro era un lago de agua dulce (Lago Nuevo Euxino) que desembocaba en el Mar Egeo. Sin embargo, durante este periodo se fue secando poco a poco y el nivel de su superficie descendió a 150 mmetros por debajo de su nivel actual. Hace 7.150 años, tal vez gracias a la ayuda de un terremoto, el mar rompió el dique del Bósforo que separaba el Lago Nuevo Euxino del Mar Egeo. En un principio fue una pequeña corriente de agua salada que fluía a través del valle del Bósforo hacia el lago, pero en poco tiempo ésta se convirtió en un torrente y luego en un diluvio. Fue tanta la cantidad de agua salada que fluía a través del Bósforo que el nivel del lago subía ventricuatro centrímetros por día y se llenó en tan sólo dos años. Debido a esta inundación, los valles se convirtieron en trampas mortales y las personas que vivían en la periferia del lago se vieron obligados a evacuar sus hogares y ciudades y trasladarse a terrenos más altos, escapando hacia Europa, India, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Anatolia y Grecia. Algunos historiadores sostienen que los refugiados que llegaron a Egipto comenzaron la leyenda de la Atlántida. Según los profesores Ryan y Pitman, descubridores de la inundación del Mar Negro, todos los habitantes de esta diáspora hablaban un lenguaje similar, Indo-Europeo, y por ello explican las similitudes existentes entre el sánscrito, el alemán y el latín. Los profesores Ryan y Pitman proponen además en su libro que la inundación del Mar Negro, la devastación y la posterior diáspora es la base para el relato bíblico del Diluvio Univeral de Noé.

Unidades organizativas indígenas del área indoeuropea de Hispania III: Addenda

[EN] This article analyses the new names, repeated and non-repeated names being both included in similar fashion, of indigenous units of organization (cognationes, gentes and gentilitates), discovered back in the 90’s (20th C.). These names are mentioned in the Latin and Celtiberian inscriptions from Indo-European Hispania.

Mechanism of colonization in the Mediterranean-sea. Asperarca nodulosa: morphological and genetic analysis

Il mar Mediterraneo è un bacino acquifero peculiare per la recente colonizzazione di specie aliene, per l’evento geologico legato alla Crisi di salinità del Messiniano e per l’ampio range di salinità. L’individuazione dei meccanismi di colonizzazione si è incentrata sullo studio morfologico, istologico e molecolare delle specie Asperarca nodulosa ed Anadara demiri (Arcidae-Bivalvia-Mollusca). La ricerca si è basata sulla caratterizzazione morfologica, con utilizzo del microscopio elettronico a scansione, al fine di individuare il tipo di sviluppo larvale. Successivamente i dati rilevati al S.E.M. sono stati supportati dall’indagine istologica che ha evidenziato la presenza di gonadi a sessi distinti e la non incubazione larvale. L’ulteriore analisi filogenetica ha permesso di evidenziare la netta suddivisione tra le tre popolazioni studiate, indagine effettuata tramite marcatori arbitrari (RAPDs) e nucleari specifici (ITS). I risultati ottenuti trovano supporto da quanto noto su base morfologica. I dati, nel complesso, mostrano una perdita delle capacità di diffusione della specie tramite sviluppo larvale plantotrofico a favore di quello lecitotrofico o diretto; tale tesi è ulteriormente supportata dai dati molecolari che mostrano una netta separazione delle popolazioni prese in esame ed un conseguente isolamento tra individui appartenenti a zone di profondità del Mediterraneo (sub-bacini abissali). La ricerca ha, inoltre,esaminato i meccanismi di introduzione attuali nel bacino acquifero che è soggetto ad una nuova invasione da parte specie aliene dovuta all’apertura del canale di Suez. L’analisi si è focalizzata sullo studio per l’ individuazione dell’origine della specie aliena A. demiri , di presunta derivazione Indo-Pacifica, ma rivelatasi, nei dati preliminari, di origine Atlantica.

La competencia pragmática en el aprendizaje del inglés: importancia, desarrollo y propuestas de mejora en la Facultad de Filología (ULPGC)

[EN]In this paper we revise the concept of pragmatic competence and underline the recognized importance that it has in the process of teaching and learning a foreign language. The need to include explicit pedagogical instruction in the classroom is also approached. A revision of the syllabi used for the teaching of English in the Degree in Hispanic Studies at the Faculty of Philology (ULPGC) reveals some minor failure in the way the functional content is specified regarding pragmatic abilities. Some examples of how to deal with the development of pragmatic competence in the classroom, including ICT, are also presented, together with some suggestions to improve it.

Donor-Akzeptor-substituierte Oligo(phenylenethinylen)e und Oligo(thienylenethinylen)e

Die Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit der Synthese und den Eigenschaftsuntersuchungen von Oligo(phenylenethinylen)en (OPEs) und Oligo(thienylenethinylen)en (OTEs) mit terminaler Donor-Akzeptor-Substitution. Die Darstellung der Oligomerenreihen erfolgt über ein „Baukastensystem“ bestehend aus Start,- Synthese, - und dem jeweiligen Endbaustein. Die zentrale Synthesereaktion zum Aufbau der Push-Pull-Systeme ist eine moderne und effektive Pd-katalysierte Reaktion, die Sonogashira-Hagihara-Kupplung. Für die dialkylaminosubstituierten OPE-Systeme konnten die Cyano,- Formyl,- Nitro –und Dicyanovinylgruppe als Akzeptoren eingeführt werden. In der dodecylsulfanylsubstituierten OTE-Serie wurde als Akzeptor die Nitrogruppe verwendet, während in der methoxysubstituierten OTE-Reihe die Formyl,- Nitro –und Dicyanovinylgruppe als Akzeptoren eingeführt wurde. Alle Reihen konnten mittels 1H-, 13C-, IR-, MS- und UV/Vis-Spektroskopie vollständig charakterisiert werden. Die Lage des langwelligen Absorptionsmaximums zeigt eine starke Abhängigkeit von der Donor- und Akzeptorstärke der Substituenten sowie von der Länge des konjugierten Pie-Systems. Für beide Pie-Systeme ergibt sich bei hinreichend starker Donor- und Akzeptorsubstitution eine ungewöhnliche hypsochrome Verschiebung der langwelligen Absorptionsmaxima. Mit Hilfe der semiempirischen Quantenmechanik wird ein Modell vorgestellt, das die ungewöhnlichen spektroskopischen Eigenschaften der OPEs und OTEs erklären und vorhersagen kann. Mittels elektrooptischer Absorptionsmessungen ( EOAM ), EFISHG-Messungen sowie der Frequenzverdreifachungsspektroskopie ( THG ) werden die NLO-Eigenschaften in Abhängigkeit von der Konjugationslänge der nitrosubstituierten OPE-Serie bestimmt.