Comparative sperm ultrastructure of the Baikalian endemic prosobranch gastropods

Mature euspermatozoan ultrastructure is described for seven species of the rissooidean family Baicaliidae (endemic to Lake Baikal, Russia)-Liobaicalia stiedae, Teratobaikalia ciliata, T. macrostoma, Baicalia carinata, Pseudobaikalia pulla, Maackia bythiniopsis, M. variesculpta, and M. herderiana. For comparison with these species and previously investigated Rissooidea, two species of the Lake Baikal endemic genus Benedictia (B. cf. fragilis and B. baicalensis; Hydrobiidae: Benedictiinae of some authors, Benedictiidae of other authors) in addition to Lithoglyphus naticoides (Hydrobiidae: Lithoglyphinae) and Bythinella austriaca (Hydrobiidae: Bythinellinae) were also investigated. Paraspermatozoa were not observed in any of the species examined, supporting the view that these cells are probably absent in the Rissooidea. In general, the euspermatozoa of all species examined resemble those of many other caenogastropods (basally invaginated acrosomal vesicle, mid-piece with 7-13 helical mitochondria, an annulus, glycogen piece with nine peri-axonemal tracts of granules). However, the presence of a completely flattened acrosomal vesicle and a specialized peri-axonemal membranous sheath (a scroll-like arrangement of 4-6 double membranes) at the termination of the mid-piece, clearly indicates a close relationship between the Baicaliidae and other rissooidean families possessing these features (Bithyniidae, Hydrobiidae, Pyrgulidae, and Stenothyridae). Euspermatozoa of Benedictia, Lithoglyphus, Bythinella, and Pyrgula all have a solid nucleus, which exhibits a short, posterior invagination (housing the centriolar complex and proximal portion of the axoneme). Among the Rissooidea, this form of nucleus is known to occur in the Bithyniidae, Hydrobiidae, Truncatellidae, Pyrgulidae, Iravadiidae, Pomatiopsidae, and Stenothyridae. In contrast, the euspermatozoa of the Baicaliidae all have a long, tubular nucleus, housing not only the centriolar derivative, but also a substantial portion of the axoneme. Among the Rissooidea, a tubular nuclear morphology has previously been seen in the Rissoidae, which could support the view, based on anatomical grounds, that the Baicaliidae may have arisen from a different ancestral source than the Hydrobiidae. However, the two styles of nuclear morphology (short, solid versus long, tubular) occur widely within the Caenogastropoda, and sometimes both within a single family, thereby reducing the phylogenetic importance of nuclear differences within the Rissooidea. More significantly, the occurrence of the highly unusual membranous sheath within the mid-piece region in the Baicaliidae appears to tie this family firmly to the Bithyniidae + Hydrobiidae + Stenothyridae + Pyrgulidae assemblage. Eusperm features of Benedictia spp. strongly resemble those of hydrobiids and bithyniids, and neither support recognition of a distinct family Benedictiidae (at best this is a subfamily of Hydrobiidae) nor any close connection with the hydrobiid subfamily Lithoglyphinae.

Microampullary organs of a freshwater eel-tailed catfish, Plotosus (tandanus) tandanus

Whole body studies of Plotosus tandanus revealed that ampullary pores occur over the entire body of the fish, but are in higher concentrations in the head region. These pores give rise to a short canal (50-60 mum) produced by columnar epithelial cells bound together by tight junctions and desmosomes. At the junction. of the canal and the ampulla, cuboidal epithelial cells make up the wall. The ampulla consists of layers of collagen fibers that surround flattened epithelial cells in the lateral regions and give rise to supportive cells-that encase a small number of receptor cells (10-15). The ampullary wall comprises several types of cells that are adjoined via tight junctions and desmosomes between cell types. The ovoid receptor cells possess microvilli along the luminar apical area. Beneath this area, the cells are rich in mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum. An unmyelinated neuron adjoins with each receptor cell opposite multiple presynaptic bodies. This form of microampulla has not been previously described within the Family Plotosidae. (C) 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation by marine and freshwater planctomycete-like bacteria

Recently, two fresh water species, 'Candidatus Brocadia anammoxidans' and 'Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis', and one marine species, 'Candidatus Scalindua sorokinii', of planctomycete anammox bacteria have been identified. 'Candidatus Scalindua sorokinii' was discovered in the Black Sea, and contributed substantially to the loss of fixed nitrogen. All three species contain a unique organelle-the anammoxosome-in their cytoplasm. The anammoxosome contains the hydrazine/hydroxylamine oxidoreductase enzyme, and is thus the site of anammox catabolism. The anammoxosome is surrounded by a very dense membrane composed almost exclusively of linearly concatenated cyclobutane-containing lipids. These so-called 'ladderanes' are connected to the glycerol moiety via both ester and ether bonds. In natural and man-made ecosystems, anammox bacteria can cooperate with aerobic ammonium-oxidising bacteria, which protect them from harmful oxygen, and provide the necessary nitrite. The cooperation of these two groups of ammonium-oxidising bacteria is the microbial basis for a sustainable one reactor system, CANON (completely autotrophic nitrogen-removal over nitrite) to remove ammonia from high strength wastewater.

Stock discrimination and movements of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel across northern Australia as indicated by parasites

The parasite fauna of Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus commerson from 10 sites across northern Australia and one site in Indonesia, was examined to evaluate the degree of movement and subsequent stock structure of the fish. Kupang fish (Indonesia) had very few Terranova spp.. Grillotia branchi, Otobothrium cysticum or Pterobothrium sp. compared to Australian fish, indicating that no Australian fish enter the Kupang fishery. Univariate and discriminant function analysis of four 'temporary' parasite species, the copepod Pseudocyenoides armatus and the monogeneans Gotocotyla bivaginalis, Pricea multae and Pseudothoracocotyla ovalis, demonstrated little similarity between areas of northern Australia, indicating minimal short-term exchange between neighbouring groups of S. commerson. Analyses of five 'permanent' parasite species, the larval helminths G. branchi, O. cysticum, Pterobothrium sp., Callitetrarhynchus gracilis and Paranybelinia balli, also revealed large differences between areas thus indicating long-term separation. There are at least six parasitological stocks across northern Australia: Fog Bay/Bathurst Island, Cape Wessel. Groote/Sir Edward Pellew. Mornington Island, Weipa. and the Torres Strait. The occurrence of a few irregular fish in the samples suggested that LIP to 5% of fish moved between stocks during their lifetime. The similarity of within-school variability to that between schools showed that the fish do not form long-term school associations. (C) 2003 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Trichostome ciliates from Australian marsupials. IV. Distribution of the ciliate fauna

Trichostome ciliates are associated with many different lineages of herbivorous mammals but there are few comparative studies of these associations in each lineage of herbivores. Here the occurrence of the ciliate fauna in a range of herbivorous marsupials (diprotodonts) is investigated and compared with that of ruminants. A total of 371 potential host animals, representing 33 species and 7 families, were examined for the presence of ciliates. The prevalence of endocommensal ciliates within individual host species varied between 0 and 100%. Of the different dietary groups of marsupials examined, only foregut (macropodids) and hindgut (vombatids) fermentative herbivores were found to harbour ciliates; carnivorous (dasyurids), omnivorous (peramelids) and midgut fermenting herbivores (phalangeroids) all lacked ciliates. The majority of ciliate species were oioxenic, several occurred in closely related hosts and some were able to colonise unnatural hosts in captive populations. Ciliate prevalences were found to vary at all levels: between hosts of different species, between conspecific hosts collected at different localities or seasons and between conspecific hosts at one collecting locality. The faunal composition of the 2 marsupial families which harboured ciliates differed greatly: the vombatid fauna was composed exclusively of amylovoracids whereas the macropodids harboured amylovoracids, polycostids and macropodiniids. In comparison to the ciliate fauna of ruminants, the fauna of macropodids is both depauperate and much more host specific. Low species richness in each host may be due to the large numbers of stomach nematodes in macropodids which compete with and may prey upon the ciliates within the stomach. The high levels of host specificity are probably due to different patterns of ciliate transmission in macropodids as they do not ruminate, eructate or feed indiscriminantly on pasture contaminated with saliva containing ciliates.

Speciation and phylogeography in Caridina indistincta, a complex of freshwater shrimps from Australian heathland streams

The Caridina indistincta complex is a group of closely related atyid shrimps that inhabit coastal freshwater streams throughout north-eastern Australia. Using mitochondrial DNA sequence data (cytochrome oxidase 1, CO1), we (1) inferred the timing of speciation in the C. indistincta group and (2) examined the intraspecific phylogeographic patterns within the group. Assuming a shrimp-specific rate of CO1 evolution, the level of sequence divergence among species suggests that speciation took place during the Miocene epoch. Within one widespread mainland species, phylogeographic patterns suggest strong geographic 'regionalisation' of mtDNA lineages that are most likely of Pleistocene origin. By contrast, another species comprises two highly divergent mtDNA lineages that occur in sympatry. We suggest that although Pleistocene sea-level regressions appear important in generating population-level phylogeographic patterns, these events were largely unimportant in the formation of species in this group.

Epizootic activity of Murray Valley encephalitis and Kunjin viruses in an aboriginal community in the Southeast Kimberley region of Western Australia: Results of mosquito fauna and virus isolation studies

We undertook annual surveys of flavivirus virus activity in the community of Billiluna of Western Australia in the southeast Kimberley region between 1989 and 2001. Culex annulirostris was the dominant mosquito species, particularly in years of above average rains and flooding. Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) virus was isolated in 8 of the 13 years of the study from seven mosquito species, but more than 90% of the isolates were from Cx. annulirostris. The results suggest that MVE virus is epizootic in the region, with activity only apparent in years with average or above average rainfall and increased numbers of Cx. annulirostris. High levels of MVE virus activity and associated human cases were detected only once (in 1993) during the survey period. Activity of MVE virus could only be partially correlated with wet season rainfall and flooding, suggesting that a number of other factors must also be considered to accurately predict MVE virus activity at such communities.

Additions to the systematic of the bethylid fauna (Hymenoptera, Chrysidoidea) from Chile

Bethylopsis carinatus sp.n., and Epyris chilensis sp.n., from Chile are described and illustrated. Taxonomic data on Chilepyris herbsti Evans, Lytopsenella herbsti (Kieffer), Lytopsenella testaceicornis (Kieffer) and Pseudisobrachium erythrocephalum Evans are included. Male of Lytopsenella herbsti is recorded for the first time to genus and species.

Perfil da fauna de himenópteros parasitóides (Insecta, Hymenoptera) em uma área de Mata Atlântica do Parque Estadual da Fonte Grande, Vitória, ES, Brasil

Survey of the hymenopterous parasitoids (Insecta, Hymenoptera) from the Parque Estadual da Fonte Grande, Vitória, ES, Brazil. Parasitoids Hymenoptera were collected in a trail inside the Parque Estadual da Fonte Grande (20º17'51.7''S; 40º20'13.1''W), located in an area of the Atlantic Forest, during the period of June 2000 to July 2001. A total of 4,595 specimens, belonging to 28 families, have been collected. Braconidae, Eulophidae, and Scelionidae, were the most common families, with relative abundance of 22.5%, 14.32%, and 13.12%, respectively. Sixteen families showed the relative frequency lower than 1%. A preliminary list with 47 genera of some of the families is included.

Fauna de Dissomphalus Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) da Mata Atlântica Brasileira, com descrição de 23 espécies novas

Foram realizadas coletas padronizadas em 18 pontos ao longo da Mata Atlântica Brasileira no escopo do Programa BIOTA/FAPESP usando-se varredura de vegetação, e armadilhas Malaise e Möricke. Foi coletado um total de 2.811 exemplares de Dissomphalus. Foram reconhecidas 30 espécies descritas, a saber: Dissomphalus conicus Azevedo, 2003, D. h-ramus Redighieri & Azevedo, 2004, D. laminaris Redighieri & Azevedo, 2004, D. manus Azevedo, 2003, D. umbilicus Azevedo, 2003, D. verrucosus Redighieri & Azevedo, 2004, D. alticlypeatus Azevedo, 2003, D. bicerutus Azevedo, 2003, D. gilvipes Evans, 1979, D. krombeini Azevedo, 1999, D. gordus Azevedo, 2003, D. undatus Azevedo, 2003, D. cristatus Redighieri & Azevedo, 2004, D. laticephalus Azevedo, 2003, D. lobicephalus Azevedo, 2003, D. completus Azevedo, 1999, D. gigantus Azevedo, 1999, D. scamatus Azevedo, 1999, D. napo Evans, 1979, D. punctatus (Kieffer, 1910), D. infissus Evans, 1969, D. plaumanni Evans, 1964, D. concavatus Azevedo, 1999, D. rectilineus Azevedo, 1999, D. bifurcatus Azevedo, 1999, D. extrarramis Azevedo, 1999, D. strictus Azevedo, 1999, D. connubialis Evans, 1966, D. microstictus Evans, 1969, D. scopatus Redighieri & Azevedo, 2004. Além disso, foram descritas e ilustradas 23 espécies novas: Dissomphalus inclinatus sp. nov., D. divisus sp. nov., D. distans sp. nov., D. crassus sp. nov., D. filiformis sp. nov., D. inflexus sp. nov., D. spissus sp. nov., D. firmus sp. nov., D. setosus sp. nov., D. tubulatus sp. nov., D. differens sp. nov., D. lamellatus sp. nov., D. fimbriatus sp. nov., D. magnus sp. nov., D. trilobatus sp. nov., D. amplifoveatus sp. nov., D. personatus sp. nov., D. excellens sp. nov., D. peculiaris sp. nov., D. bahiensis sp. nov., D. amplexus sp. nov., D. elegans sp. nov. e D. amplus sp. nov.. Foram propostos 2 grupos novos de espécies, brasiliensis com duas espécies e setosus com oito espécies. Dissomphalus connubialis Evans, 1966 foi revalidado a partir de D. brasiliensis Kieffer, 1910. Dissomphalus bispinulatus Evans, 1969 foi considerado sinônimo junior de D. brasiliensis. Foi proposto para o gênero uma chave de espécies Neotropicais baseada em machos. Algumas espécies como Dissomphalus rectilineus, D. plaumanni, D. connubialis e D. gigantus são amplamente distribuídos ao longo deste bioma. Por outro lado, espécies como Dissomphalus completus, D. bifurcatus, D. napo, D. gilvipes, D. microstictus, D. brasiliensis, D. scamatus, D. strictus, D. undatus, D. alticlypeatus, D. laticephalus, D. verrucosus, D. extrarramis, D. concavatus, D. krombeini, D. gordus, D. lobicephalus e 13 espécies novas são restritas a regiões específicas, apresentando congruência com os subcentros deste bioma.

Fauna de flebotomíneos do município de Bandeirantes, no Estado do Paraná

OBJETIVO: Identificar a fauna flebotomínea e alguns aspectos do seu comportamento em ambientes florestal e antrópico. MÉTODOS: As coletas de flebotomíneos foram feitas na Fazenda Peroba, no município de Bandeirantes (23º 6' Latitude Sul; 50º 22' Longitude Oeste), na mesorregião do norte pioneiro paranaense. Para as coletas, foram instaladas armadilhas luminosas de Falcão, na mata, no domicílio, em abrigos de animais domésticos, com periodicidade mensal, das 17h às 7h, de março de 1997 a fevereiro de 1998. RESULTADOS: Coletaram-se 3.655 flebotomíneos de 13 espécies. Predominaram Nyssomyia whitmani e Nyssomyia neivai, representando 81,0% (2.977 exemplares) do total de flebotomíneos coletados. Do total dessas duas espécies, 2.552 (85,7%) foram coletados no ambiente antrópico, dos quais 2.332 (91,3%) na pocilga. N. whitmani e N. neivai foram mais freqüentes de fevereiro a maio entre 20h e 21h, quando foram coletados 90,4% dos exemplares. CONCLUSÕES: As cinco espécies capturadas, N. whitmani, N. neivai, Migonemyia migonei, Pintomyia pessoai e Pintomyia fischeri, têm potencial para transmitir a leishmaniose tegumentar. Ressalta-se a importância das duas primeiras, cujo comportamento é semelhante em relação à sazonalidade, ritmo horário e dominância no ambiente antrópico. Além disso, N. whitmani, apresentou as freqüências mais elevadas.

Fauna de Culicidae da Serra da Cantareira, São Paulo, Brasil

OBJETIVO: Comparar a fauna de culicídeos nos ambientes de mata, ecótono e peridomicílio quanto ao número de espécies e de indivíduos, estimativas de diversidade, riqueza, heterogeneidade e similaridade. Determinou-se ainda as espécies dominantes e as relações entre dominância específica e fatores climáticos. MÉTODOS: Foram conduzidas no Parque Ecológico da Cantareira coletas quinzenais com armadilhas luminosas tipo CDC-CO2, dispostas em cinco ambientes ecologicamente diferentes, de fevereiro de 2001 a janeiro de 2002. As análises foram feitas utilizando o índice de Diversidade de Margalef e o de Menhinick. Para similaridade, foi utilizado o índice de Sorensen e, para dominância de espécies, o índice de Berger-Parker. A heterogeneidade foi estimada pelos índices de Simpson e de Shannon. A relação entre dominância específica e fatores climáticos foi estimada por correlação de Spearman. RESULTADOS: Foram coletados 2.219 culicídeos, distribuídos em 11 gêneros e 21 espécies. O ambiente mata apresentou maior riqueza (Mg=3,64) de espécies e o peridomicílio maior dominância (d=0,85). A temperatura mostrou a correlação mais elevada (Rs=0,747; p<0,0001) na relação entre dados climáticos e número de indivíduos capturados no Núcleo Pedra Grande. CONCLUSÕES: O fato do Parque Ecológico da Cantareira ser fragmento urbano de mata o diferencia de outros fragmentos inseridos em ambiente rural, o que pode alterar as relações ecológicas nos criadouros utilizados pelos mosquitos. A ausência de anofelinos do subgênero Kerteszia e também da espécie Culex quinquefasciatus, somado à presença de espécimes da Tribo Sabethini e da espécie Cx. (Mel.) vaxus, indica que o Parque Ecológico da Cantareira é fragmento de mata com características silvestres com interferência antrópica.

Phlebotomine fauna in a rural area of the Brazilian Pantanal

The aim of the study was to identify among the phlebotomine fauna potential leishmaniasis vectors. The study was carried out in Corumbá county, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Mid-West Brazil (18º59'S, 56º39'W). Sand fly captures were undertaken fortnightly with automatic light traps at 11 sites in forested environments and anthropic areas from April 2001 to July 2003. A total of only 41 specimens were captured. Thirty-one percent of the specimens were captured in forests and 68.3% in anthropic areas. The predominance of non-anthropophilic groups and the low density of N. whitmani, a known cutaneous leishmaniasis vector, does not seem to indicate any actual risk of the transmission of this disease in the study area.

Seven invertebrates new for the marine fauna of Madeira Archipelago

Ocaña and den Hartog (2002) recorded 18 species of sea anemones from Madeira archipelago. During SCUBA dives along the coasts of Madeira and Porto Santo, the present author encountered a further three sea anemone species and several other marine invertebrates not yet recorded for the marine fauna of Madeira Island. Similar to previous publications (e.g. Wirtz 1998, Wirtz 2007, Ocaña & Wirtz 2009), these findings are reported here.

Culicídeos em bromélias: diversidade de fauna segundo influência antrópica, litoral de São Paulo

OBJETIVO: Comparar a diversidade da fauna de culicídeos em bromélias de solo segundo ambientes urbano, periurbano e mata primitiva. MÉTODOS: O estudo foi realizado no município de Ilhabela, litoral norte do estado de São Paulo, em tanques de bromélias de ambientes urbano, periurbano e mata. Realizaram-se coletas de imaturos quinzenalmente, de março de 1998 a julho de 1999. A presença e freqüência de espécies nos diferentes ambientes foram comparadas com base em estimativas da diversidade para medir a riqueza, dominância e análise de variância (ANOVA). RESULTADOS: Coletaram-se 31.134 formas imaturas de mosquitos nas bromélias, distribuídas em sete gêneros e 37 espécies. O ambiente urbano registrou maior abundância, 14.575 indivíduos, seguido do periurbano com 10.987, e a mata, com o menor número de exemplares, 5.572. Foram coletadas 30 espécies no habitat urbano, 32 no periurbano e 33 na mata. As espécies dominantes foram Culex (Microculex) pleuristriatus nos ambientes urbano e periurbano, e Culex ocellatus na mata. De acordo com teste ANOVA a freqüência de mosquitos em bromélias não foi diferente entre os ambientes pesquisados (F=0,5564; p=0,5769). A diversidade de espécies na mata foi maior, e semelhante entre periurbano e urbano. CONCLUSÕES: A composição específica de culicídeos em bromélias de solo mostrou-se diversificada, sendo maior naquelas de ambiente de mata. As espécies dominantes foram Cx. (Mcx.) pleuristriatus e Cx. ocellatus.