Distribution, genesis and age of the Schlagwasser breccia (Warstein anticline, Rhenish massif)

The name "Schlagwasser breccia" is a synopsis of several debris flows in the Warstein area, which can be derived from the Warstein carbonate platform and the Scharfenberg reef. Though only locally developed, the breccia is important for the understanding of paleogeography and sedimentology in the Eastern Sauerland. Considering this breccia some gravitational-resedimentary slide movements between a high, consisting of reef carbonates, and a basin with flinz beds can be pointed out. From the uppermost Middle Devonian to the lowermost Lower Carboniferous several slides yielded the sedimentary components building up the 30 to 50 m thick polymict breccia. Some breccias were redeposited repeatedly as can be verified by different conodont maxima in single samples. Supplying area was the western part of the Warstein high, from which the slide masses glided off to the East and Southeast, more seldom to the West and Westsouthwest. All conodont zones from the upper Middle Devonian up to the lowermost Carboniferous could be identified in the Schlagwasser breccia. Therefore, an uninterrupted continuous sedimentation must have been prevalent in the supplying area; today this area nearly is denuded of flinz beds and cephalopod limestones. The slide masses spread transgressively to the East up to a substratum consisting of different units as massive limestone, flinz beds and cephalopod limestone; they are overlapped by Hangenberg beds, alum schists and siliceous rocks of the Lower Carboniferous. Parts of the substratum were transported during the progress of the slide masses. Proximal and distal parts of the flow masses can be distinguished by the diameter of the pebbles. Graded bedding and banking structures are marked only rarely. Way of transport was up to 3 km. Differently aged slide masses do not always overlap, but are placed side by side, too. Usually the slide masses do not spread out upon a greater area during sedimentation, but form closely limited debris flows. Synsedimentary fracturing and tilting of the reef platform, epirogenetic movements and seaquakes caused the slides. The entire formation period of the breccia includes about 20 millions of years. The longevity of the events points to solid paleomorphological situations around the eastern margin of the carbonate platform.

Neptunian dikes and their fillings in carbonates of the Warstein area (northeastern Rhenish massif)

Neptunian dikes and cavities as weil as their fillings are described from Middle to Upper Devonian carbonates of the Warstein area. The genesis of the pre-Upper Carboniferous dikes is due to pre-orogenic synsedimentary tensional movements. Lifting, subsidence and tilting caused joints and cracks, which are enlarged to dikes and cavities on submarine conditions. The post-Upper Carboniferous dikes are based on the orogenesis during Upper Carboniferous time, causing numerous tectonical divisional planes in the sediments. Along these planes a far-reaching karstification took place since mesozoic time. According to their size the cavities are subdivided into macro-, mega- and microdikes. With the exception of one macrodike all the others are limited to the massive limestone. Megadikes especially occur in Upper Devonian cephalopod limestone and in the Erdbach limestone, microdikes can be found in all carbonatic rocks. The dikes follow pre-orogenic, tectonical and sedimentary divisional planes and are orientated to ac-, bc- as well as bedding planes and diagonal directions. The fillings happened down from above either in a solitary event or repeatedly in long-lived dikes during a span of several ten millions of years. More seldom the fillings took place laterally or upside from beneath. The dikes contain - without regard to autochthonous conodont faunas - older and/or younger mixed faunas, too. Occasionally they were used as life district by a trilobite fauna adapted to the dikes. The dikes represent sedimentary pitfalls and conserve sediments eroded in other places. Therefore, by aid of the fillings, it can be demonstrated, that stratigraphic gaps are not absolutely due to primary interruptions of sedimentation, but were caused by reworking. Some dikes contain the distal offsets of slides and suspension streams. Relations between condensation and development of dikes could not be derived in the Warstein area. However, an increase of the frequency of dikes towards east to the eastern margin of the Warstein carbonate platform could be pointed out. This margin is a slope, persisting more than 10 millions of years, between a block and a basin. Evidently cracks and dikes, which were caused by settlements, slides and earth quakes, occured there frequently. The Warstein dikes and cavities, caused by karstification, are filled with terrestrial Lower Cretaceous, marine Upper Cretaceous and terrestrial Pleistocene to Holocene sediments. Tertiary sediments could not be detected.

First report of the cyanotoxins cylindrospermopsin and deoxycylindrospermopsin from Raphidiopsis curvata (Cyantobacteria)

A strain of Raphidiopsis (Cyanobacteria) isolated from a fish pond in Wuhan, P. R. China was examined for its taxonomy and production of the alkaloidal hepatotoxins cylindrospermopsin (CYN) and deoxy-cylindrospermopsin (deoxy-CYN). Strain HB1 was identified as R. curvata Fritsch et Rich based on morphological examination of the laboratory culture. HB1 produced mainly deoxy-CYN at a concentration of 1.3 mg(.)g(-1) (dry ut cells) by HPLC and HPLC-MS/MS. CYN was also detected in trace amounts (0.56 mug(.)g(-1)). A mouse bioassay did not show lethal toxicity when tested at doses up to 1500 mg dry weight cells(.)kg(-1) body weight within 96 h, demonstrating that production of primarily deoxy CYN does not lead to significant mouse toxicity by strain BB I. The presence of deoxy-CYN and CYN in R curvata suggests that Raphidiopsis belongs to the Nostocaceae, but this requires confirmation by molecular systematic studies. Production of these cyanotoxins by Raphidiopsis adds another genus, in addition to Cylindrospemopsis, Aphanizomenon, and Umezakia, now known to produce this group of hepatotoxic cyanotoxins. This is also the first report from China of a CYN and deoxy-CYN producing cyanobacterium.

Agglutinins from marine macroalgae of the southeastern United States

Protein extracts from 22 species of marine macroalgae from Florida and North Carolina were compared for their abilities to agglutinate sheep and rabbit erythrocytes. Protein extracts from 21 algal species agglutinated rabbit erythrocytes compared to 19 for sheep erythrocytes. However, agglutination by brown algal extracts was variable. The agglutination produced by protein extracts from Dictyota dichotoma could be blocked by addition of polyvinylpyrrolidone. Protein extracts from North Carolina macroalgae were also tested against five bacterial species. Three of these agglutinated bacterial cells. Ulva curvata and Bryopsis plumosa agglutinated all five species. Protein extracts from five species of Florida algae were tested for their effects on mitogenesis in mouse splenocytes and human lymphocytes. Gracilaria tikvahiae HBOI Strain G-5, Ulva rigida and Gracilaria verrucosa HBOI Strain G-16S stimulated mitogenesis in mouse splenocytes, while Gracilaria tikvahiae HBOI Strain G-16stimulated mitogenesis in human lymphocytes.

嵩草属植物的系统学研究

嵩草属隶属于莎草科苔草亚科苔草族，主要分布于北半球温带地区，少数种类为环北极分布，有一种产于泰国清迈，一种产于苏门达腊岛北部高山。本‘文在形态学、微形态学、解剖学和胚胎学研究的基础上，对嵩草属植物进行了全面的分类学修订，根据属内各类群之间的系统演化关系建立了一个新的属下分类系统，确认了世界范围内53种3亚种嵩草属植物，并做出5个种上等级的新组合，描述了一个新亚组。 作者研究了国内外14家标本馆（室）的3000多份腊叶标本并进行多次野外的实地观察，对嵩草属植物的形态学性状进行了详细的比较和分析，评价了它们的系统学价值及其演化趋势。在嵩草属中，花序是由小穗排列成的圆锥花序或穗状花序，花序各部分的形态性状是种及种上等级分类的基础;花序的演化趋势是由圆锥花序到穗状花序，小穗是从由数朵雄花与1朵雌花组成简化到由1朵雌花组成。但是，花序和小穗由复杂到简单的进化在嵩草属中平行地发生于不同的类群中。先出叶的性状状态是分种的主要特征之一，通常认为边缘开裂的先出叶是原始的，边缘合生而为囊状的先出叶是进化的。同样，先出叶由开裂到合生的进化也是多次发生的。此外，根状茎、秆、叶鞘、叶片、柱头及小坚果等的性状状态对于种及种上等级的分类都具有重要的意义。 应用扫描电子显微镜对38种（或亚种）嵩草属植物的小坚果表面进行了观察，证明小坚果纹饰在种及种上等级的分类中具有重要的参考价值，并能揭示种及种下等级的亲缘关系。例如，分布于喜马拉雅东部至横断山地区的3种植物，K．clarkeana、K．curvata和K．fragilis外部形态非常相似，难于区分，而其小坚果的微形态特征却可以提供3种之间关系的证据。K．clarkeana与K．fragilis果实表面的特征完全一致，且与其它植物有显著区别，应为同种植物;K．curvata与它们明显不同，也与其它种有较大差异，应为独立的种。K．gramini folia，K．cercostach ys和K. nepalensis果实表面纹饰具有一些共同的特征，说明它们之间的亲缘关系较近。K．filicina和K．duthiei也存在同样的情形。 通过对秆和叶片的横切面和表皮的解剖学观察比较，发现嵩草属植物秆的横切面表现出由三角形到圆形的一系列变化。秆的横切面明显地分两个区域，中部的髓由较大而无色的细胞组成，其中心常碎裂形成大的气腔;外围的绿色部分，由绿色组织及分布其中的气腔和外韧维管束及与其相伴的厚壁组织组成。秆的表皮与叶片下表皮非常相象。叶片横切面的外形为V形、新月形或半圆形。V形的叶片具有明显发育的中脉并且在远轴面凸起，形成脊;新月形和半圆形的叶片中脉发育不明显，也无脊。叶片的表皮细胞均为长方形，垂周壁波纹状;平列型的气孔器纵向成行排列，多局限于下表皮;上表皮近边缘及脉附近的细胞常常在细胞的一端形成乳突。秆和叶片横切面的形态对于分种及种上等级的划分具有参考价值。 胚胎学研究表明小孢子、胚囊和胚的发育与莎草科其它类群一致。花粉为假单体花粉( pseudomonad)，成熟花粉三核。胚珠倒生，厚珠心，双层珠被，珠孑L由内珠被形成。胚囊的发育为蓼型，原胚的发育为柳叶菜型灯芯草变型。首次观察到，在大孢子四分体时期，合点端和珠孔端两个大孢子细胞开始时体积都增大，而中部两个很快退化，稍后珠孔端一个也退化，合点端一个为功能大孢子，发育成为胚囊。根据胚胎学证据，不支持将嵩草属与苔草族一起另立为嵩草科。 嵩草属中较原始的一个亚属subg. Compositae主要分布于西喜马拉雅至横断山地区，还有一种见于泰国，一种产于苏门达腊，而后2种植物还具有一些最原始的形态性状。结合地史的变化推测，嵩草属可能在第三纪早期起源于古地中海的东部和北部。 根据形态学和解剖学性状的分析表明，许多性状在嵩草属中是平行演化的，如花序和小穗由复杂到简单、秆由圆柱形到三棱形、叶片横切面由V形到半圆形等。该属的属下分类应该追溯这些平行的演化线，而不能像以前的分类那样，将它们横向地划分为几个组或亚属。作者认为嵩草属有3个大的进化分支，据此将其划分为3个亚属。Subg. Compositae，12种，是较原始的一个分支。叶近基生，叶片扁平;花序多疏松圆锥状，少穗状，苞片多为叶状;小穗两性到单性，先出叶多为囊状，少边缘分离，退化小穗轴明显、扁平、较长。Subg. Blysmocarex，仅2种，是较早分化而相对隔离的一个分支。根状茎匍匐状;花序由圆锥状到穗状，小穗两性或单性;柱头2。Subg. Kobresia，种类最多。叶片扁平或内卷;秆三棱形到圆柱形;花序紧密，复杂到简单，苞片不为叶状;小穗两性或单性，先出叶由开裂到合生，退化小穗轴较小而不显著。根据该亚属呈现出的不同的性状演化系列，可以分为3个组。Sect. Kobresia花序圆锥状至穗状，小穗多为两性，少为单性，先出叶边缘分离。含3个亚组：subsect. Kobresia，8种2亚种．植株纤细，秆与叶均为丝状;subsect. Royleanae，8种l亚种，植株较粗壮，叶片扁平或对折;subsect. Sibiri-cae，4种，秆较粗，叶片内卷。Sect. Psmmostachys，仅2种，小穗两性，先出叶完全合生为囊状。Sect．Hemicarex花序一般为穗状，稀圆锥状，小穗多为单性，少两性。分为四个亚组：subsect. Forexeta，6种，叶片内卷或对折，先出叶线形，边缘分离或合生;subsect. Chlorostachys，3种，叶片扁平，小穗两性;subsect. Holmia，4种，叶片扁平，小穗单性;subsect．Utriculatae，5种，叶片丝状，先出叶完全合生为囊状，不为线形。嵩草属的属下分类纲要如下： Subgenus 1. Compositae (Clarke) Kukkonen Type: K. laxa Nees. Subgenus 2. Blysmocarex (Ivanova) S. R. Zhang Type: K. macrantha Boeck. Subgenus 3. Kobresia Section 1. Kobresia Subsection 1. Kobresia Type: K. simpliciuscula (Wahl. ) Mack. Subsection 2. Royleanae (Ivanova) S. R. Zhang Type: K. royleana (Nees) Boeck. Subsection 3. Sibiricae (Ivanova) Egorova Type: K. sibirica (Turcz. ex Ledeb. ) Boeck. Section 2. Psmmostachys Ivanova Type: K. robusta Maxim. Section 3. Hemicarex (Bentham) Clarke Subsection 4. Forexeta (Raffin. ) S. R. Zhang Type: K. cercostachys (Franch. ) C. B. Clarke. Subsection 5. Chlorostachys (Ivanova) S. R. Zhang Type: K. duthiei C B. Clarke. Subsection 6. Holmia (Boern. ) S. R. Zhang Type: K. esenbeckii (Kunth) Noltie. Subsection 7. Utriculatae S. R. Zhang Type: K. prainii Kukenthal.

A taxonomic revision of the genus Pseudostegana Okada, 1978 (Diptera, Drosophilidae)

The genus Pseudostegana is revised, with descriptions of 20 new species from Southeast Asia: P. angustifasciata Chen and Wang, sp. n., P. atrofrons Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. bifasciata Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. bisetosa Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. curvata Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. dactylis Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. dolichopoda Chen and Wang, sp. n., P. hamata Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. latifasciata Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. leptoptera Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. melanogaster Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. melanopogonias Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. myrmecoformis Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. nitidifrons Chen and Wang, sp. n., P. nitidiventris Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. orbicapitata Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. oxycephala Chen and Toda, sp. n., P. pallidimaculata Chen and Wang, sp. n., P. philoga Chen and Wang, sp. n. and P xanthoptera Chen and Wang, sp. n. On the basis of the wing patterns, six species-groups are established: the atrofrons, grandipalpis, fleximediata, javana, latiparma and zonaria groups. A key to the all species of this genus is provided.

武汉东湖周丛原生动物六新种

本文报道武汉东湖周丛原生动物的6种纤毛虫新种:绿累枝虫Epistylis chlorelligerumsp.nov.、斗鞘居虫Vaginicola cupulata sp.nov.、弯鞘居虫Vaginicola curvata sp.nov.、褶鞘居虫Vaginicola plicata sp.nov.、大靴纤虫Cothurnia magna sp.nov.、多纹平鞘虫Platy-cola multistriata sp.nov.。