Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ESTIMATION OF VARIANCES AND COVARIANCES FOR USE IN A MULTIPLE TRAIT BEEF SIRE EVALUATION MODEL

A modified maximum likelihood multiple trait procedure was used to estimate sire and error variances and covariances among calving ease, weaning weight, and yearling weight calf records. A description of the new method is presented. Data included 477 757 calves of 13 breeds of sire. Breeds of sire with over 9 000 calf records had genetic correlations between calving ease and growth traits that ranged from −. 02 to −. 43, and between weaning weight and yearling weight from.63 to.91. Heritability estimates for calving ease ranged from.07 to.30 for male calves and from.14 to.40 for female calves; for weaning weight from.12 to.31 for male calves and from.15 to.40 for female calves; and for yearling weight from.07 to.21 for male calves and from.17 to.52 for female calves. The residual error correlations between calving ease and the growth traits ranged from −. 09 to.13 for male calves and from −. 04 to.15 for female calves, and between weaning weight and yearling weight they varied around.7. The new estimates are .
Day vs. night predation on artificial caterpillars in primary rainforest habitats – an experimental approach

The influence of natural enemies has led to the evolution of various predator avoidance strategies in herbivorous insects. Many caterpillars are exclusively active at night and rest during the day. It is widely assumed that nocturnal activity in caterpillars reduces their risk of falling prey to their natural enemies. To test this hypothesis, we compared predation pressure between day and night in tree‐fall gaps and closed‐canopy forest sites in an Amazonian primary lowland rainforest. Artificial clay caterpillars, showing camouflaged colouration (green), were exposed as potential prey to a natural predator community. Attacks were significantly more frequent during daytime and were reduced by about a quarter at night in tree‐fall gaps, and by a third in closed‐canopy forest sites. This supports the idea of time‐dependent activity in caterpillars as an antipredatory adaptation. Further, independent of the time of day, predation pressure on caterpillars was significantly higher in tree‐fall gaps compared to closed‐canopy forest habitats. Nearly all predation events were caused by arthropods, whereas birds played a negligible role. Across both habitat types and time scales, ants acted as major predator group, emphasising their important role in population control of herbivorous insects in lowland rainforest ecosystems. This is the first experimental study using artificial caterpillars to examine whether time‐scheduling of exposition might influence predation risk amongst undefended, solitary, free‐living lepidopteran larvae.
Molecular evolutionary relationships of the octopodid genus Thaumeledone (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from the Southern Ocean

Abstract Recent trawling in the Southern Ocean has yielded individuals of a number of species of the deep sea octopod genus Thaumeledone. This paper provides the first molecular study of the genus, employing molecular sequences from five mitochondrial (12S rDNA, 16S rDNA, COI, COIII, cytochrome oxidase b) and a single nuclear gene (rhodopsin) and includes representatives of each of the known Southern Ocean species. Thaumeledone rotunda, believed to be circumpolar in distribution and found in relatively deep water is the sister taxa to T. gunteri, known only from South Georgia. A notable level of sequence variability was evident between a T. peninsulae individual recently captured from the Powell Basin, and two T. peninsulae individuals captured from the continental slope, north of the South Shetland Islands. This is likely to represent population level intraspecific variation within this species.
Phylogenetics of Teleogramma, a Riverine Clade of African Cichlid Fishes, with a Description of the Deepwater Molluskivore—Teleogramma obamaorum— from the Lower Reaches of the Middle Congo River

ABSTRACT The lower Congo River and nearby habitats harbor numerous endemic lineages of cichlid fishes, including some with highly specialized morphologies. Based on morphological and molecular data, we herein describe a new species of Teleogramma, a member of the chromidotilapiine clade found on rocky outcrops in the lower reaches of the middle Congo River. The new species, T. obamaorum, is distinguished from congeners by numerous morphological and ecological attributes, including the lack of dorsoventral head and body depression, absence of sexual dichromatism, and features of laterosensory anatomy, pharyngeal and gut morphology, and dietary preference. Phylogenetic analyses of two nuclear and two mitochondrial loci using Bayesian and maximum-likelihood inference lend strong support for the taxonomic validity of T. obamaorum and provide preliminary estimates of species relationships within the genus. The discovery of a new, ecomorphologically distinctive cichlid species in the Congo River suggests that additional research focus on riverine clades has the potential to greatly contribute to our understanding of evolutionary dynamics in this hyperdiverse group of teleost fishes.
Phytoplankton community assemblage in the English Channel: a comparison using chlorophyll a derived from HPLC-CHEMTAX and carbon derived from microscopy cell counts

The phytoplankton community assemblage in surface water of the English Channel (Station L4) was measured and compared from March 1999 to October 2002 using two different methods. Pigment-CHEMTAX was used to derive class apportioned chlorophyll a (Chl a) and cell counts obtained using microscopy were used to derive phytoplankton carbon (phyto-C) estimations. Phyto-C (10-340 μg C L -1 ) showed a strong linear relationship with total Chl a (0.5-4.8 μg Chl a L -1 ) when the Chl a:phyto-C ratio was >0.04 (r2 = 0.80; average Chl a:phyto-C = 0.044) but the relationship was weaker when the Chl a:phyto-C ratio was <0.04 (r2 = 0.42; average Chl a:phyto-C = 0.013). Correlation between class biomass estimates for phyto-C and Chl a was strong for diatoms during winter (r2 = 0.80) but poor for other classes during both summer and winter. The Chl a:phyto-C ratio declined as irradiance increased with strongest correlation on clear sky days in 2001 when diatoms dominated (r 2 = 0.80). The Chl a:phyto-C versus irradiance relationship agrees with that produced from an empirically based dynamic model of phytoplankton acclimation to light. Results are discussed in relation to differences in the techniques used, the species present, cellular pigment concentrations and surface mixed layer irradiance.
COURTSHIP AND MALE-MALE AGONISTIC BEHAVIOUR OF COSMOPHASIS UMBRATICA SIMON, AN ORNATE JUMPING SPIDER (ARANEAE: SALTICIDAE) FROM SINGAPORE

The courtship and male-male agonistic behaviour of Cosmophasis umbratica Simon, an iridescent jumping spider from Singapore, was studied for the first time. Exhibiting sexual colour and size dimorphism, C. umbratica is frequently found on leaves and flowers of tropical plants in open areas. Males are generally larger than females and dominantly green and black with silvery white markings; females are generally a mixture of green, brown, white and black. Sixteen major displays are described for C. umbratica. Skittering, vibrating of palps, arching of legs and flexed up abdomens are dominant male behaviours during courtship. Females almost always decamp on first sight of males, although males are very persistent in their courtship. A large repertoire of male-male agonistic displays is observed, with males either decamping after a clash, being lifted up and thrown down, or while embracing are chased away after being pushed back. Drumming is also displayed in both male-female and male-male interactions. This vibratory communication channel during inter- (male-female) and intra-sexual (male-male) interactions away from nests is discussed in regards to the evolution of salticids.
Phylogenetic Evidence that Two Submerged-Habitat Fungal Species, Speiropsis pedatospora and Xylomyces chlamydosporus, Belong to the Order Jahnulales Insertae Sedis Dothideomycetes

The genera Speiropsis and Xylomyces are anomorph fungi. The taxonomic address for the fungi has been unclear. In this study, observation of morphological traits indicates that they have a unique pattern of mycelia with dark-brown to black colour and thick-walled hyphae. The same culture patterns of certain fungi isolated from freshwater habitats in Thailand were selected from BIOTEC Culture Collection (BCC, Thailand), while more species were added from Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS, Netherlands). These fungi were composed of Jahnula spp. (2-celled ascospores), Brachiosphaera tropicalis (hyaline and 4-5 armed conidia), S. pedatospora (hyaline and branches conidia) and Xylomyces sp. (dematiaceous and fusiform chlamydospores). This study was undertaken to confirm the taxonomic address for S. pedatospora and Xylomyces based on phylogenetics relationships as inferred from their ITS rDNA sequence data by using MP (unweighted and successive weighted MP), NJ, ML and Bayesian analysis. Phylogenic analysis revealed that isolates of S. pedatospora (2 strains) was a member of the Order Jahnulales and clustered with Jahnula spp. (5 strains) and B. tropicalis (4 strains) with >82% bootstrap support and 100% posterior probabilities. Four isolates of X. chlamydosporus, X. elegans and X. aquaticus were shown to be polyphyletic within the Jahnulales and Pleoporales. The MP and NJ showed the same topology as in the Jahnulales clade obtained by ML analysis.
Optimization of in vitro multiplication for exotic banana ( Musa spp.) in Pakistan

The present attempt aimed to optimize micropropagation protocols supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0, 2, 4, 6 mg L -1 ) and indole acetic acid (IAA) (0.5 and 1.0 mg L -1 ). Exotic banana ( Musa spp) genotypes GCTCV-215 (AAA), ‘Yangambi’ Yangambi Km-5 (AAA) and FHIA-23 (AAAA) were used in research work. Experiments were conducted at Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory of Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA), Tando Jam. Data collected for in vitro shoot consists of the following parameters: days for bud initiation, rate of shoot proliferation (%), number of multiple shoots, shoot length (cm) and fresh mass of shoot (g). Significant (p≤ 0.05) variations were observed for varieties, treatments and varieties x treatment for all the parameters. Synergistic effects of BAP and IAA were observed in GCTCV-215 and Yangambi Km-5. Out of various treatments, best concentration for multiple shoot in short period of time for GCTCV-215 and Yangambi Km-5 was found in 4.0 mg /l BAP + 0.5 mg L -1 IAA. Maximum fresh mass of shoot observed at same concentration and combination of BAP and IAA and for shoot length combination of 4.0 mg L -1 BAP with 1.0 mg L -1 IAA was found to be most suitable for GCTCV-215 and Yangambi Km-5. FHIA-23, show better performance in MS medium supplemented with only BAP at concentration 4.0 mg/L -1 . After development of root, in vitro plantlets were shifted from growth room to green house in polythene bags containing garden soil and humus mixture in ratio (1:1). Keywords: Micropropagation efficiency, exotic musa genotype, growth regulators.
Influence of dam operation on mayfly assemblage structure and life histories in two south‐eastern Australian streams

The mayfly fauna, and in particular the life histories of two mayflies, Coloburiscoides sp. and Baetis sp. 3, was studied in two nearby streams located in the headwaters of the River Murray, SE Australia. The Mitta Mitta River is regulated by the Dartmouth Dam which releases cold water in summer for irrigation. Snowy Creek is a tributary of the Mitta Mitta River with natural flow and temperature regimes. The structure of the mayfly assemblage differs in the two streams. In the regulated Mitta Mitta there are 11 species, of which, caenids (Tasmanocaenis tonnoiri and River Murray sp. C), Coloburiscoides sp. and Baetis sp. 3 dominate. Snowy Creek, with a richer assemblage of 17 species, was dominated by Coloburiscoides sp. , Baetis sp. 3 and two Austrophlebioides species. Monthly collections of mayfly nymphs and adults between September 1987 and August 1988, in both streams, allowed evaluation of possible life history changes in relation to dam operation. Coloburiscoides sp. and Baetis sp. 3 had synchronous life histories at both regulated and unregulated sites. Coloburiscoides appeared to be univoltine, and Baetis polyvoltine. At the regulated site, nymphal abundance in both Coloburiscoides and Baetis declined during the summer release, which coincided with the beginning of nymphal recruitment and appeared to delay nymphal hatching in Coloburiscoides. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predator–prey population models of migrant insects with phase change

Locusts and some noctuidmoths exhibit polyphenism whereby they can change their “phase” froma solitary(“solitarious”) condition to a gregarious one.Gregarious phase insects are oftenmigratory travelling fromrecession areas into larger invasion zones and, among locusts, occur in swarms. Difference equation models of the population dynamics of insects that take account of such changes between solitarious or gregarious phases in relation to predation, both with and without time delays, are described. Solutions of the models are non-linear. Chaotic solutions are obtainable under some circumstances even with very low values for the intrinsic rate of increase in the prey population, in contrast to previous conclusions from models without predation. Comparisons with the results obtained for single species with those obtained in this paper show that predation can reduce (i) the average density of the prey, (ii) durations of periods when the populations stay in the gregarious phase, and (iii) the frequency of their shifts from the solitarious state to the gregarious form. Similar results are obtained if a time delay is introduced to mimic a transient phase. With a wide range of parameter values, models including predation with or without random perturbation reveal several stable attractors for phase diagrams of the populations, which are biologically meaningful compared with empirical datasets and which were unobtainable without predation, suggesting that inclusion of predation and time delays improved the realism of the models. However,comparisons between autocorrelation analyses of locust time-series, but of swarms only, with those of model outputs suggest that inclusion of the time delay leads to less, not more, realism. The prediction of non-linearity in the dynamics of migrant insects with phase changes and its significance for forecasting to aid control is briefly discussed in relation to published data on the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria.
Effect of a Nonhost Plant on the Location Behavior of Two Parasitoids: The Tritrophic System of Cotesia spp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), and Brassica oleraceae

Abstract The effect of mixing Brussels sprouts with potato plants on the foraging behavior of two parasitoid species was examined within the tritrophic system of Brassica oleraceae, the herbivore Pieris rapae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), and two parasitoids, Cotesia glomerata L. (Hymenoptera: Braconiadae) and Cotesia rubecula Marshall (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The two parasitoids differ in the spectrum of host used: C. glomerata has a wider host range, and C. rubecula has narrower host range, with P. rapae being its preferred host. The experimental design consisted of a completely crossed multifactorial design with the following factors: (1) plant diversity (monoculture and diculture), (2) species of parasitoid (C. glomerata and C. rubecula), and (3) level of experience (naive and experienced individuals). Results indicated that the effect of plant diversity was different for the two parasitoids. Naive C. glomerata, the parasitoid with the wider host range, were less efficient in the diculture than in the monoculture, but this difference disappeared after experience. In contrast, naive C. rubecula were more efficient in the diculture than in the monoculture with experience having no effect. Response level increased for both species after oviposition experience, with C. glomerata exhibiting a high degree of behavioral plasticity. Data indicates that the negative effect of polyculture on the foraging efficiency of C. glomerata is a result of an attraction to the nonhost plant (potatoes).
Stability and immunoreactivity of glycinin and β-conglycinin to hydrolysis in vitro

Abstract The present study was to compare the stability and immunoreactivity of glycinin and β-conglycinin to hydrolysis with pepsin, trypsin or cooperation of the two enzymes for different time intervals (0.5, 1, 15, 30, 60 and 120 min) at different ratios of enzyme/substrate (1:100, 1:10, 1:1 and 10:1) in vitro. The results showed that the immunoreactivity was positively related with stability of glycinin (r=0.776, P<0.05) and β-conglycinin (r=0.851, P<0.05). B polypeptide chain of glycinin was resistant to hydrolysis with trypsin, and β subunit of β-conlycinin was not liable to hydrolysis with pepsin. The two above proteins were little or not affected by incubation time and the enzyme/substrate ratio, while others' hydrolysed degree got higher with prolonging incubation time, and the hydrolysis accelerated with increasing enzyme/substrate ratio. Our results indicated digestive enzyme, incubation time and enzyme/substrate ratio had effects on stability and immunoreactivity of allergenic proteins. The most effective hydrolysis was cooperation of the two enzymes for glycinin and trypsin for β-conglycinin.
A NEW GENUS FOR CAVE-DWELLING CRABS PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED TO SESARMOIDES (CRUSTACEA: DECAPODA: BRACHYURA: SESARMIDAE)

The semi-terrestrial crab genus Sesarmoides is restricted to three species of Indo-West Pacific intertidal mangrove and estuarine crabs, S. kraussi, S. longipes and S. borneensis. Twelve other species previously placed in Sesarmoides are here transferred to a new genus, Karstarma. The species of Sesarmoides are distinguished from those of Karstama by the presence of a stridulatory structure consisting of a longitudinal crest on the cheliped merus that is used to rub against a ridge of suborbital granules. This form of stridulation is apparently unique within the Sesarmidae, although common in the Varunidae. Other features distinguishing species of Sesarmoides sensu stricto from those of Karstama are their relatively smaller adult carapace size, a relatively shallower median epigastric groove, the presence of a longitudinal row of small granules or ridge on the outer surface of the cheliped pollex, and a relatively more slender male first gonopod.
Estructura molecular y poblacional del ganado criollo Colombiano (GCC)

Resumen El ganado criollo colombiano comprende un grupo de razas que se han adaptado por mas de 400 anos a las condiciones ecoclimaticas de nuestro pais, razon por la cual poseen caracteristicas adaptativas de suma importancia que podrian ser utilizadas de una manera racional en programas de conservacion y mejoramiento animal. Lo anterior se podria realizar de manera eficiente si se tuviese un adecuado conocimiento del grado de variabilidad genetica de cada una de estas razas, pues este es el parametro que en ultima instancia determina el exito o fracaso de cualquier programa genetico. A pesar de la necesidad de este conocimiento, hasta el momento no se ha realizado un estudio coherente y sistematico de este recurso genetico. Este trabajo aborda el estudio de la variabilidad genetica intrapoblacional e interpoblacional de cada una de las razas criollas colombianas y de la raza Brahman. Para esto, se genotipificaron marcadores microsatelites en estas poblaciones y se estimaron tres indices de variabilidad intrapoblacional (Endogamia (Fis), Heterocigocidad (Ho) y Numero promedio de alelos (NPA), y se construyo un arbol de distancias geneticas entre las diferentes razas. Los indices de variabilidad genetica encontrados hasta el momento en la poblacion (Fis=0.13, Ho=0.67, NPA=8.8), se pueden calificar entre medios y altos comparado con otras poblaciones en el mundo. Actualmente estamos aumentando el numero de loci y de individuos por raza para tener mejores estimados de diversidad genetica, relaciones filogeneticas y de posible mestizaje con razas extranjeras. Palabras clave: adaptabilidad, microsatelites, relaciones filogeneticas, variabilidad genetica. Summary Molecular and population structure of colombian criollo cattle Colombian criollo cattle includes a group of breeds that have adapted to the environmental conditions of our country for more than 400 years. Therefore, they must have important adaptive characteristics that could be used rationally for animal production programs. Its then necessary to characterize these criollo breeds to determine the degree of genetic variability since it is this parameter which ultimately determines the success or failure of any genetic program directed to preservation and improvement. This paper explores intra and inter genetic variability of each colombian criollo breed and compare it with Brahman. Microsatellite markers were used and three indexes of intrabreed variability were estimate: Endogamy (Fis), Heterocigocity (Ho) and Average number of alleles (NPA). Additionally a tree of genetic distance was created. The indexes of genetic variability found for the 7 breeds were as intermediate, similar to other bovine populations in the world. We will continue increasing the number of loci and individuals per breed, in order to have better estimates of genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and eventual introgression with foreign breeds. Key words: adaptability, genetic variability, microsatellites, phylogenetic relationships.
Abundance and Effects of Predators and Parasitoids on the Russian Wheat Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) Under Organic Farming Conditions in Colorado

Abstract Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) is an exotic, economically important pest in North American cereal crops. A survey of insect natural enemies of D. noxia was made from 1991 to 1994 on a farm using organic farming methods. Crested wheatgrass, Agropyron cristatum L. , had fewer D. noxia and natural enemies than barley, Hordeum vulgare L. , or wheat, Triticum aestivum L. , but on all plants D. noxia was the most abundant aphid. We observed 41 species of natural enemies: 15 carabids, 12 coccinellids, six spiders, five syrphids, two nabids, and two chrysopids. The most consistently abundant were the coccinellids and nabids. Hippodamia convergens (Guerin) and Nabis alternatus Parsh were the most common species in each family, respectively. Diaeretiella rapae M’Intosh was the only primary parasitoid found in the 4-yr study, and D. noxia parasitism rates were generally <5%. Four hyperparasitoids, found in association with D. rapae, combined to make a 29% average hyperparasitism rate. Predator and parasitoid exclusion studies using cages showed aphid populations to be between 2.6 and 11.2 times higher in cages compared with wheat plants exposed to natural enemies. Four predatory species were released—Eupeodes nuda (F.), Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), Leucopis ninae Tanasijtshuk, and Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.). Of these, only a small colony of eight L. ninae and only one P. quatuordecimpunctata were later observed. Four parasitoids species were released—Aphelinus asychis Walker, Aphelinus varipes Forester, Aphelinus matricariae Haliday, and Diaerietilla rapae. Only A. asychis and D. rapae were observed after the release date, although D. rapae were already present.
New Species of Gambusia (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae) from Del Rio, Texas

Abstract Gambusia clarkhubbsi (San Felipe Gambusia) is described from San Felipe Creek, a spring-fed Rio Grande tributary in Del Rio, Texas. The new species is distinguished from other members of the Gambusia nobilis species group by a combination of morphometric and pigmentation characters. It appears to prefer thermally consistent spring flows and is apparently most common in edge habitats adjacent to flowing waters.