bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observations of the organ of bellonci of the shrimp Paratya rasmaniensis Riek (Crustacea : Decapoda : Atyidae) with particular reference to the structure of the onion body cells
Authors: Lake PS , Ong JE
Published: June 2005

The organ of Bellonci of P. tasmaniensis is near the posterior ventral surface of
the eyestalk and adjacent to the medulla externa. It is surrounded by a connective
tissue sheath and contains lightly staining cells and onion bodies. There is a lumen
with colloidal material.
Histochemical observations reveal that the onion bodies are proteinaceous, with
some lipid and carbohydrate also present. Glycoprotein appears to exist in the cells,
while the colloidal material contains carbohydrates and acid mucopolysaccharides.
The onion body cells may each be divided into three regions, the basal region,
the terminal region, and the onion body. The basal region contains the nucleus, microbodies,
golgi complexes, phaosomes, and 4004 electron-dense granules. The terminal
region is notable for its high concentration of mitochondria and for its folded outer
plasma membrane. From the terminal region, a ciliary process with a poorly defined
9+2 fibril arrangement arises. This structure expands into a bulbous process which
then gives rise to lamellae. The lamellae are folded into an oval structure which constitute
the onion body. The lamellae may contain mitochondria, lipid droplets, and
lysosome-like bodies. The lamellate form of the onion bodies may be transformed into
a vesiculated form, cyclically.
It is suggested that the organ of Bellonci of P. tasmaniensis is a photoreceptor
organ. It also appears to be an active secretory organ.
Uterine glandular regeneration during the follicular phase in the marsupial Trichosurus vulpecula
Authors: Shorey CD , Hughes RL
Published: June 2005

The uterine luteal phase in T, vulpecula extends from day 8 to day 16 of the
26-day oestrous cycle. During this time both uteri are in an active secretory phase
which is particularly pronounced in the basal gland cells, where both apocrine and
holocrine-type release of a component of the uterine milk occurs.
During the follicular phase which follows the luteal phase, uterine glandular
regeneration takes place. Prior to mitotic activity in the uterine endometrium, a
regenerative process occurs whereby the basal parts of the glands are surrounded and
progressively enclosed by differentiating stromal cells, forming a double gland. The
mode of regeneration is completed by mitotic activity in the cells of the outer gland while
the inner or old gland cells progressively break up, leaving a lumen within the newly
formed uterine gland.
Characteristics of blood in the pouch young of a marsupial, Setonix brachyurus
Authors: Yadav M
Published: June 2005

Blood samples were collected from nine prenatal embryos, aged 16-23 days, and 89
pouch young, aged 1-200 days, of S. brachyurus. Where possible, the following determinations
were performed on each sample: total erythrocyte and leucocyte counts,
percentage haematocrit, differential counts, and haemoglobin concentration.
At birth nearly all cells in blood were nucleated eosinophil megaloblasts but
subsequently these were replaced by erythroblasts and erythrocytes, so that in pouch
young aged 25 days the majority of the red blood cells were erythrocytes. The site of
erythropoiesis changed during embryonic and pouch development of young; it occurred
in the yolk sac before birth, then in the liver from day 2 to day 100, in the spleen from
day 8 to day 200, and from day 10 in the bone marrow, which was the chief site in adults.
In the neonatal quokka the total erythrocyte count was 900,000 cells per 1 mm3, the
haematocrit was 20-30%, and the haemoglobin concentration was 5 g per 100 ml.
In adults the mean total erythrocyte count was 6-7 x 10*6 cells per 1 mm3, the haematocrit
was 42%, and the haemoglobin concentration was 13 g per 100 ml.
The liver was the first organ to form granulocytes in the newborn; the adult
total blood leucocyte count of 11,000 cells per 1 mm3 was reached at 45 days old.
The embryonic nature of the haematopoietic tissue in neonatal marsupials is
discussed in relation to the development of immunity.
The chromosomes of the Didelphids Caluromys Lanatus Illiger and Chironectes minimus Zimmerman (Marsupialia : Didelphidae)
Authors: Yunis E , Ramirez E , Cayon J , Hernandez J
Published: June 2005

A chromosome study of the didelphiids C. lanatus and Ch. minimus is presented. The karyotype of C. lanatus is very similar to that of Marmosa robinsoni but differs, in so . far as the X chromosome is concerned, from that of C. derbianus. As an explanation for the karyologic difference between the two Caluromys species we postulate a peri- centric inversion of the X chromosome passing from the acrocentric form of C. derbianus to the submetacentric of C. lanatus. The chromosomes of Ch. minimus (2n = 22) are all acrocentric and have a strong similarity to those described in the genera Didelphis and Philander, but the sexual chromosomes are larger and have an XY form of sexual complement.
The importance of shelter to the Quokka, Setonix brachyurus (Marsupialia), on Rottnest Island
Authors: Kitchener DJ
Published: June 2005

Quokkas aggregate about the patches of vegetation providing them with shelter.
As days become hotter some quokkas cool themselves by moving from bushes that
have a high heat load to those with a lesser one. Of the bushes with lower heat
loads, the quokkas prefer those that are slightly hotter but which have drier atmospheres.
Juveniles move to bushes with lower heat loads on more hot days than
adults, and adult males move on more hot days than adult females.
In the field, quokkas have a well-developed social organization in which
adult males are dominant and adult females and juveniles have no social rank.
Males form a linear hierarchy in which the older adults rank higher than the younger.
Male quokkas defend a personal space and this defence is most marked in the
vicinity of their rest sites. The social status of individual quokkas does not appear
to determine the type of shelter they use on hot days.
Numbers of quokkas in the study area increased when shelter was added
experimentally during later summer, which shows that shelter is a limiting resource.
Taxonomy and distribution of the grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus Shaw and Macropus Fuliginosus (Desmarest), and their subspecies (Marsupialia : Macropodidae)
Authors: Kirsch JAW , Poole WE
Published: June 2005

Of all the Macropodidae, grey kangaroos cover the widest range in Australia. There is considerable geographical variation in morphology and opinions have differed as to the taxonomic status of the various kinds. This investigation supports a primary division of grey kangaroos into two species-eastern and western on the basis of serological, reproductive, and morphological distinctions. The eastern species, M. giganteus, is found in all eastern states, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, plus south-east South Australia, while the western species, M. fuliginosus, occurs in south-western Western Australia and southern South Australia including Kangaroo I., extending into western Victoria and south-western New South Wales, where the ranges of the two species overlap. Transferrin polymorphism was detected by starch-gel electrophoresis, revealing three phenotypes, A, AB, and B. Western populations possess all three phenotypes, but eastern populations have type A only. Western and eastern grey kangaroos also have characteristic antigens. Eastern animals when immunized with sera from western kangaroos produced antibodies which during double-diffusion analysis reacted with sera from western individuals. Likewise the reverse immunization acted as expected. Thus the origin of individuals, from western or eastern populations, could be determined. Hybrids were not found in the field, but matings between captive western males and eastern females the reverse mating never occurred produced hybrids whose antigens were characteristic of both parental types. In eastern grey kangaroos the mean length of oestrous'cycle, 45.6 days, and gestation period, 36.4 days, is longer than in western kangaroos, with mean lengths 34.9 and 30.6 days. Oestrous cycles of hybrid females and gestation periods of all hybrids are of intermediate length, 37.6 and 34.1 days respectively. The colour of eastern grey kangaroos ranges from light to dark grey while western kangaroos are brown. The history of the previously described taxa and the effect of the current findings on the nomenclature relating to grey kangaroos are discussed.
Cyclical changes in the uterine endometrium and peripheral plasma concentrations of progesterone in the marsupial Trichosurus vulepcula
Authors: Shorey CD , Hughes RL
Published: June 2005

The proliferation and secretory activity of the uterine endometrium in the
marsupial T. vulpecula is examined at the cellular and subcellular levels throughout
the 26-day oestrous cycle. The observations described are correlated with measured
concentrations of progesterone in the peripheral blood plasma. Evidence cited
indicates that there are no significant functional differences in the uterine endometrial
secretory activity during the 17.5-day gestation period in pregnant females, compared
with those in a normal oestrous cycle. Progesterone assays carried out on blood plasma
taken from 20 staged animals throughout the oestrous cycle, five of which were at
known stages of gestation, also supports the view that pregnancy does not significantly
alter the physiological pattern of the reproductive cycle in this marsupial.
Embryology of Schoinobates volans (Kerr) (Marsupialia : Petauridae)
Authors: Bancroft BJ
Published: June 2005

The embryology of S. volans was studied from 17 embryos ranging from a
two-celled ovum to a near-term foetus. The placenta is of the yolk-sac type (choriovitelline)
in which the allantois does not reach the chorion. Intrauterine development
was similar to that of Didelphis marsupialis virginiana and Trichosurus vulpecula.
Forty-nine pouch young were examined, but they did not include any true
neonates. The smaller ones showed the precocious development of a number of
anatomical features commonly found in other neonatal marsupials. The pronephric
and mesonephric tubules were well developed in an embryo of greatest length
3.4 mm. The stage at which the pronephros was completely involuted was not
determined. In pouch young of head length 9.5-11.1 mm involution of the mesonephros
and proliferation of the metanephros were pronounced. The mesonephros
was completely involuted in a pouch young of 18.1 mm head length. The sizes
of the mesonephros and metanephros suggested that they function together for some
time after birth. It was not possible to sex the young at birth. The gonad was first
recognizable as a testis in a pouch young of head length 8.5 mm, and as an ovary at
head length 9.3 mm.
The reproductive cycle of the firetail gudgeon, Hypseleotris galii II. Seasonal histological changes in the testes
Authors: Mackay NJ
Published: June 2005

Seasonal histological changes in the testis of H.galii are described. Spermatogenesis
follows the cystic pattern common in anamniotes. Mitotic increase in spermatogonia
occurs in late autumn, when photoperiod and water temperature are falling.
The meiotic division of spermatocytes and subsequent changes of spermatogenesis
are initiated when photoperiod and water temperature are rising and continue through
the breeding season (November-January) until March, when water temperature begins
to fall rapidly. The possible role of cholesterol-positive lobule boundary cells in
steroid biosynthesis is discussed.
Some Consequences of the Shape and Orientation of 'magnetic' Termite Mounds.
Authors: Grigg GC
Published: June 2005

The possible thermoregulatory significance of north-south orientation of
"magnetic" termite nests was investigated. Measurements in the nest during three days
in early winter showed that a temperature plateau developed between approximately
1000 and 1730 hr each day, at 33-35C. This contrasted with night time temperatures
as low as 13-15�C. The nest was then sawn off at the base and rotated into an experimental
east-west orientation. In this situation no plateau was detected and temperatures
rose to daily maxima of 40-42�C. Apparently north-south orientation of the
wedge-shaped mound affords rapid warming in the morning, avoids excessive heating
by presenting a low profile to the midday sun, and maintains the warmth of the nest late
into the day. This finding confirms and amplifies earlier hypotheses. Thermal gradients
within the nest support the idea that convection currents may aid air circulation.
An hypothesis is advanced to account for the evolution of the unusual wedgelike
shape of magnetic nests. This shape has a larger surface area-mass ratio
than a spheroidal one and may be an adaptation to facilitate gas exchange.
Mating-call variation across a narrow hybrid zone between Crinia laevis and C. victoriana (Anura : Leptodactylidae)
Authors: Littlejohn MJ , Watson GF
Published: June 2005

A transect was established across the eastern extreme of the zone of interaction between the two closely related, parapatric taxa, Crinia laevis and C, victoriana. In this area the range of C. laevis extends as a narrow salient surrounded by the range of C. victoviana. Analyses of mating-call recordings obtained at six localities along the transect suggest that the interaction may be described as a hybrid zone in which the recombination products are fitter than individuals of either parental taxon. In spite of the possibility of reduced conspecific gene flow to individuals of C. laevis at the interface, no indications of reduction of hybridization through reinforcing selection were detected. Because the hybrid zone now separates individuals of each taxon, the two taxa are prevented from directly interacting.
spematogenesis in some of Australian marsupials
Authors: Setchell BP , Carrick FN
Published: June 2005

Eight stages of spermatogenesis, based on cellular association, have been found
in four species of Australian marsupials: Macvopus eugenii, M. rufogriseus, Trichosurus
vulpecula, and Perameles nasuta. The cellular association are similar to those in eutherian
mammals, and the frequency with which these stages occur in these marsupials are
also similar. Following [3H]thymidine injections directly into the testis or into a
testicular artery, the length of one cycle of the spermatogenic epithelium was estimated
by autoradiography to be 17, 16, and 15 days for M. rufogriseus, M. eugenii, and
T, vulpecula respectively; labelled spermatozoa first appeared in the urine 61 and
56 days after injection in M. eugenii and T. vulpecula respectively. From these data the
minimum transit time through the epididymis can be calculated to be 13 and 11 days
respectively. From the number of cells labelled in tubular cross-sections at different
stages of spermatogenesis 1 hr after an intra-arterial injection of [3H]thymidine, it was
concluded that at least four synchronized peaks of mitosis occurred in the spermatogonia
of M. rufogriseus.
Nitrogen and Sulphur Retention and Fibre Digestion by Euros, Red Kangaroos and Sheep.
Authors: Hume ID
Published: June 2005

Retention of nitrogen and sulphur, and digestion of various carbohydrate fractions, were measured in euros, red kangaroos and sheep, fed three different quality roughages in an experiment of three 3 by 3 latin squares. Sheep ate more dry matter (DM) and digestible energy (DE) per unit metabolic body weight than the euros or red kangaroos, but there were no significant differences in DM intakes between euros and red kangaroos. Despite lower DE intakes, euros lost less weight on the poor-quality diet than sheep. The euros digested more DM and consumed more DE than the red kangaroos, which lost more weight than either the euros or the sheep on the poor-quality diet. Maintenance energy requirements were calculated to be 136, 109 and 99 kcal DE per kg W0*76 per day for the sheep, red kangaroos and euros, respectively. Digestibility of structural carbohydrates was not significantly different between sheep and euros, but both species were more efficient than the red kangaroos. Also, there were no significant differ- ences in nitrogen or sulphur balance between sheep and euros, but both retained more nitrogen and sulphur per unit metabolic body weight than red kangaroos. Faecal nitrogen and sulphur losses were similar in euros and red kangaroos, but red kangaroos excreted more nitrogen and sulphur in their urine than euros. It is concluded that the red kangaroo is less efficient than the euro or sheep in retaining nitrogen and sulphur, and in digesting fibre, when fed poor-quality roughage diets.
Morphometric differentiation in chromosomally characterized parapatric races of morabine grasshoppers (Orthoptera : Eumastacidae)
Authors: Atchley WR
Published: June 2005

Morphometric analyses were carried out on five chromosomal races from the viatica group of
morabine grasshoppers (Eumastacidae : Morabinae). The extent of intra- and interracial divergence
was assessed and the population phenetics of a natural zone of hybridization between the 17 and 19-
chromosome races of viatica was examined. Considerable evidence of intertaxon differentiation was
noted. Conflicting evidence for introgression was found in the vicinity of the hybrid zone.
Behaviuoral changes associated with the population cycle of Antechinus stuartii (Marsupialia)
Authors: Braithwaite RW
Published: June 2005

The behaviour of field populations of A. stuartii was monitored in relation to their demography by
diad testing. Marked and unmarked pairs were tested in a field observation cage. Two measures of
activity and the frequency of 10 behaviour categories were recorded for each test. Stepwise multiple
regression analysis showed the sex of the animal and time of year to be the best predictors of aggression
parameters. The frequencies of behaviour categories suggest that males and females behave quite
differently. Males show a trend of increasing aggressiveness over the annual cycle whereas females
do not. Repeated laboratory testing of males in 'mating condition' exacerbates aggression as their
weight and general appearance deteriorate.
It is suggested that the externally synchronized life cycle programs the aggression increase, and
this causes physical deterioration, rather than the reverse.
Double-brooding in a Western Australian population of the Silver Gull, Larvus novaehollandiae Stephens
Authors: Nicholls CA
Published: June 2005

The Australian silver gull is one of a number of marine bird species which show a bimodal nesting
regime along the Western Australian coast. The author had previously established that in captivity
the same individuals bred in the autumn and in the spring of the same year (i.e. were double-brooded).
Il he present paper, confirms that, at a nesting island off Fremantle in 1972, a similar nesting regime
operated under natural conditions. No other species of gull is known to be double-brooded, and
among silver gulls in the wild the phenomenon is known only in Western Australia. It may occur
in South Africa, but apparently not in eastern Australian or New Zealand populations.
Growth of vibrissae in the marsupial Trichosurus vulpecula
Authors: Lyne AG , Downes AM , Chase HB
Published: June 2005

The autoradiographic technique was used to study the growth of the vibrissae in the mystacial, genal, and supraorbital regions of three brush-tailed possums. During the first cycle there were well-marked gradients in length within and between the rows of mystacial vibrissae. The length growth rates of the corresponding vibrissae on the left and right sides of the body were almost identical at any particular time, although the growth rates varied throughout the cycle. The variations in the final lengths of the vibrissae were due to variations in both the growth rate and the length of the cycle. The diameters increased continuously throughout the cycle. The rate of regrowth after plucking vibrissae from active and resting follicles was also studied. The new vibrissa in a particular follicle initially grew at a much faster rate than either the corres- ponding undisturbed vibrissa on the other side of the head or the vibrissa which had just been plucked. The subsequent rate of growth decreased progressively throughout the cycle. In spite of differences in growth rates during the first and later cycles, the overall dimensions of the successive vibrissae from a particular follicle were very similar. The normal retention of vibrissae was studied in one animal. At least some vibrissae were retained for more than a year after they had stopped growing. The results demonstrate that the vibrissae of T. vulgecula provide an excellent model for studies of the factors controlling follicle activity.
Social behaviuor between adult male and female New Zealand fur seals, Arctocephalus forsteri (Lesson) during the breeding season
Authors: Miller EH
Published: June 2005

Observations on social relations between territorial adult male and adult female A. forsteri were made on the Open Bay Islands, Westland, New Zealand, during the breeding season 1970-71. Threats comprised about 80% of all social encounters between males and females. Attempted and successful olfactory investigations of females by males, herding of females by males, and 'peace-keeping' by males accounted for about 18% of all encounters, and such interactions usually had agonistic overtones. Less than 2% of all encounters were not agonistic from their inception. Herding responses of males were vigorous and frequent, and are interpreted as serving two functions: containment of females and communication of certain of the herding males' characteristics to the females. Because herding occurs throughout the Otariidae, and is rarely effective in containing females, the second function is probably more important. Males showed much individual variation in their herding tendencies. The frequency of herding behaviour was depressed at warm temperatures. Olfactory investigations of facial and perineal regions of females were common and were not restricted to peri-oestrous females. Only oestrous females were sexually receptive to and showed little aggression toward territorial males, and males detected their physiological state mainly through olfaction. A few oestrous females solicited males with mock threats or by rubbing against them. Precopulatory and early copulatory behaviour was characterized by a moderate amount of mutual contact-seeking behaviour, multiple mounts by the male, and 'activation' of the female by the male biting her. Copulations appeared to be terminated through physical resistance by the female, which resulted in ejaculation and subsequent dismounting by the male. At the time of female resistance, the male commonly had to physically control her. The sudden return to aggressive behaviour typical of non-oestrous females may be mediated through a neural inhibitory process resulting from cervico-vaginal stimulation, as has been proposed for the guinea pig.
The Ecology of a Natural Population of the Queensland Fruit Fly, Dacus Tryoni. V. The Dispersal of Adults.
Authors: Fletcher BS
Published: June 2005

As part of a project on the movements of D. tryoni at an orchard near Wilton, N.S.W., llnes of cuelure traps were placed out in the shape of a cross with the orchard In the centre. The nearest traps were situated 0.5 mile (0.8 km) and the most distant traps 15 miles (24 km) from this orchard. Both newly emerged and mature flies were marked and released into the orchard; the rates at which they dispersed and the distance and direction they travelled were estimated from the recapture of marked males in the traps. Both newly emerged and mature adults dispersed over an area of several hundred square miles within a few weeks of being released in the orchard. Emigrants were caught in the outer ring of traps, 14-15 miles (22.4-24 km) from the orchard, within 3 weeks of being released. Overall, the mean distances flown by emigrants, for flies released when immature and when mature, were approximately the same. It is suggested that this was because of the absence of host trees in the area surrounding the orchard. Whereas the immature flies have a post-teneral dispersive phase during which movements are largely independent of host trees, the movements of mature flies are more directly related to the availability of fruiting hosts. The absence of host trees near the orchard therefore encouraged the long-distance dispersal of the mature flies. In urban areas where fruitlng hosts are plentiful, the dispersive movements of mature flies are likely to be less than those of immature flies.
The Ecology of a Natural Population of the Queensland Fruit Fly, Dacus Tryoni. Vi. Seasonal Changes in Fruit Fly Numbers in the Areas Surrounding the Orchard.
Authors: Fletcher BS
Published: June 2005

Cuelure traps were set out over a wide area surrounding the Wilton orchard and checked regularly between February 1968 and January 1971. The trap catches indicated that fluctuations in fruit fly numbers in the different habitats followed similar trends from year to year with peaks in September, December and late February. Mark-recapture studies carried out in 1969 (a typical year) indicated that the density of mature adults in the dry sclerophyll bushland to the east of the orchard during the largest of these peaks in late February was around 6256 per km2 (16,000 per square mile). Estimates based on these data indicated that pairs of cuelure traps spaced 0.4 km (0.25 miles) apart along a trap line in sclerophyll bushland caught approximately 8 % of the males per week in the surrounding area of 0.16 kmz (0.0625 square miles). Other data indicated that in the spring of 1969 the weekly mortality rate of adults was around 0.194. It is suggested that the majority of D, tryoni which migrate into the orchard and the surrounding areas come from Wollongong and Sydney and that the presence of these two large urban areas has a marked effect on the abundance of D. tryoni in the general area.
The Influence of Rainfall on the Densities of Adult Chlortoicetes Terminifera (Walker) in Central Western New South Wales, 1965-73.
Authors: Clark DP
Published: June 2005

The densities of adults of the Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera (Wlk.) were estimated in a network of permanent plots in part of the Bogan-Macquarie outbreak area from 1965 until early 1973. In that area, 2-3 generations are produced between September and April-May, depending on rainfall. C. terminifera is able to maintain a high rate of reproduction in this area. The numbers of adults produced in one generation are directly related to the total rainfall during a period of three weeks at the time of hatching and can be predicted by a linear regression of adult numbers on rainfall. The evidence suggests that rain favours the survival of nymphs immediately after hatching by influencing the growth of food-plants. The ecological factors that cause discrepanices between the observed numbers and those predicted by regression are discussed. Among these are immigration, qualitative changes such as the development of hopper bands and the build-up of natural enemies, combined with errors in the selection of suitable oviposition sites by the locusts themselves. Despite intermittent droughts, the range of fluctuation of numbers of C. terminifera is limited in this region, and in the long term average numbers are high.
Distribution of Two Forms of the Meat Ant, Iridomyrmex Purpureus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Parts of South Australia.
Authors: Greenslade PJM
Published: June 2005

The distribution of two forms of the meat ant, the typical Iridomyrmex detectus (F. Sm.) (purpureus (F. Sm.)) and an undescribed blue form, was studied within 260 km of Adelaide, South Australia. In this area, rainfall varies from more than 1000 mm per annum in the Mt. Lofty Ranges to less than 200 mm in the Murray Basin. The factors that limit the occurrence of both forms are detailed and their distributions are described. The blue form occupies the lower- and typical I. detectus the higher-rainfall parts of the area, and they meet along a boundary in the mallee close to the 300-mm isohyet. In the Murray valley, where moisture is available, typical I. detectus penetrates into areas of lower rainfall. It appears to be dominant to and able to displace the blue form but its distribution is governed, directly or indirectly, by rainfall and the availability of water. The high rainfall limit of the arid-tolerant blue form seems to be determined primarily by competition from typical I. detectus. Closer analysis of the boundary zone reveals other factors that may influence the distributions of the two forms. These are their relative population densities, soil type, the productivity of different habitats and local distribution of rainfall.
Horizontal and Vertical Dispersal of California Red Scale, Aonidiella Aurantii (Mask.), (Homoptera: Diaspididae) in the Field.
Authors: Willard JR
Published: June 2005

Field experiments with sticky traps in South Australia demonstrated that crawlers and males of Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.) were carried up to 312 m by the wind from a scale-infested lemon orchard. Generally, the numbers of scales trapped decreased with increasing height from ground level to 2.7 m, but the distribution of trap numbers at ground level or close to the vegetation was not consistent. Trap numbers decreased rapidly with increasing distance from the source to 19.5 m, then more slowly from 19.5 to 312 m. A linear regression of the logarithms of the trap catches against the square root of distance was shown to describe satisfactorily the density-distance relation for crawlers, males and mature females for distances up to 19.5 m. The use of potted lemon trees as traps demonstrated that crawlers carried by the wind are able to establish themselves on a suitable food-plant following dispersal.
Paralysis and skeletal abnormalities in chick embyos treated with Physostigmine
Authors: Sullivan GE
Published: June 2005

In the chick embryo, physostigmine causes micromelia, wry neck and parrot beak. It has been known for some years that nicotinamide prevents the beak and limb defects, but not the neck anomaly. Since the latter also occurs in embryos paralysed with decamethonium, the present study investigates the role of paralysis of muscle in the development of this anomaly in physostigmine-treated embryos. When sufficient nicotinamide to prevent micromelia and parrot beak is supplied, a syndrome of bony anomalies indistinguishable from that in decamethonium-paralysed embryos is observed. Direct observations of treated embryos in ovo show that physostigmine causes prolonged muscle paralysis. It is concluded that physostigmine exerts teratogenic effects in the chick embryo by two separate mechanisms of action: parrot beak and micromelia are presumably due to interference with the metabolism of nicotinamide; wry neck and certain other malformations are consequences of paralysis resulting from cholinesterase inhibition at motor end plates in skeletal muscle.
Observations on the structure of vibrissa follicles in the marsupial Trichosurus vulpecula, with special reference to Keratinization
Authors: Hollis DE , Lyne AG
Published: June 2005

The structure of active and resting vibrissa follicles from adult brush-tailed possums, T. vulpecula, has been examined with the light and the electron microscope. Particular attention is given to the structural changes which occur during keratinization of the vibrissa and hardening of the inner root sheath, and these changes are compared with those of pelage follicles in eutherian mammals. Keratinization in the various follicle layers is similar in these two follicle types. However, the stages of keratinization in vibrissa follicles are better defined than they are in the smaller pelage follicles of other species. A transition phase of hardening has been observed in the inner root sheath cells of vibrissa follicles. This phase appears to be very short-lived and has not been previously described in other follicles.
Size and weight allometry in a north Queensland population of Dugong dugon (Muller) (Mammalia : Sirenia)
Authors: Spain AV , Heinsohn GE
Published: June 2005

Size allometry of the dugong body and intestinal tract is examined on the basis of a sample of 53 animals. Weight-length relationships are established.
Reproduction, growth and size allometry of Mugil cephalus Linnaeus (Pisces : Mugilidae) from north Queensland inshore waters
Authors: Grant CJ , Spain AV
Published: June 2005

Aspects of growth and breeding biology of Mugil cephalus were studied in the tropical waters of North Queensland. A detailed study of size allometry was also included.
Oogenesis in Culicoides Brevitarsis Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and the Development of a Plastron-Like Layer on the Egg.
Authors: Campbell MM , Kettle DS
Published: June 2005

In C. brevitarsis the mature egg was 290 �m long, average fecundity was 31.3, and duration of oogenesis 30-50 h at 24-26�C. When the first blood meal was consumed oocytes ranged from stage No to I, and 95.8% of females were mated; after a partial blood meal fewer oocytes were initiated and even fewer matured. It is highly likely that C. brevitarsis is anautogenous. Oocytes develop through the same stages as other Culicoides. Chorion developed well below the sheath in late stage IV, causing a reduction in width of oocytes at maturation. Ansulae develop in the space between the sheath and chorion by outward sclerotization, possibly along pore canals; they vary from tall (8-9 �m) and broad on the concave surface to short (5-6 �m) and narrow on the convex surface; those on the concave surface probably act as a plastron. The sheath surrounding the stage IV oocyte is destroyed during maturation. The secondary oocyte commences development when the primary is at stage III, and its development is arrested at either stage N or I almost simultaneously with the primary oocyte completing development. Development of the secondary oocyte is initiated but not controlled by development of the primary in the same ovariole.
The Influence of Low Temperature on Survival and Reproduction in Populations of Drosophila Melanogaster.
Authors: Mckenzie JA
Published: June 2005

Observations in the cellar at the 'Chateau Tahbilk' vineyard in Victoria demonstrate that while adults of D. melanogaster can be collected throughout the year, larvae and pupae are not found when the temperature is less than 13�C. Laboratory studies confirm that the amount of mating and oviposition of this species is restricted in the vicinity of this temperature.
Field experiments indicate that during winter the survival probability of adults is greater than the developmental probability of larvae and pupae, and that the population may be reconstituted during spring by overwintering adults, most probably inseminated females.
These results show how adaptive modification in the pattern of a life cycle may be evolved by selection under conditions of extreme environment.
Electrophoretic Variation of Amylase in Meat Ants, Iridomyrmex Purpureus, and Its Taxonomic Significance.
Authors: Halliday RB
Published: June 2005

Amylase isozymes in natural populations of Iridomyrmex purpureus (F. Sm.) in South Australia were found to be controlled by a polymorphic gene locus with four alleles. Two of the commonest forms of this species (I. p. purpureus and an unnamed blue form) were found to have considerable differences in allele frequency at the locus. This was taken as evidence that these forms do not interbreed in nature and so are separate species. It was not possible to make a distinction on this basis between I. p. purpureus and a third form, I. p. viridiaeneus Viehmeyer [cf. RAE/A 63, 1611], and the relation between these two remains uncertain.
Revision of the Genus Hyphesma Michener (Apoidea: Colletidae).
Authors: Exley EM
Published: June 2005

The genus Hyphesma Michener, 1965, is revised. Seven species are recognized including five which
are described as new: H, cardaleae, H. cooba, H. barvowensis, H. federalis and H. nukarnensis.
The following are considered to be synonyms of H. atromicans (Cockerell): H. barbata (Cockerell),
H. oleaviae (Rayment), H. elthamensis (Rayment) and Pachyprosopis celmisiae Rayment. Keys and
line drawings that enable the separation of all known species are presented. Information on nest
structure of H. atromicans is given.
Karyotypic data and the specific status and taxonomic affinites of Rattus villosissimus and R. sordidus
Authors: Baverstock PR , Watts CHS , Hogarth JT
Published: June 2005

Although R. villosissimus and R. sordidus have been considered to be conspecific, they differ
karyotypically in at least 11 chromosomal rearrangements. It seems likely that they diverged early in the evolution of Rattus, and they should be regarded as separate species.
Studies on the epidermis of Temnocephala I. Ultrastructure of teh epidermis of Temnocephala novae-zealandiae
Authors: Williams JB
Published: June 2005

The epidermis of T. novae-zealandiae is syncytial, unciliated and fringed with microvillus-like projections. It does not secrete an inert cuticle. The clear border ('cuticle') observed by light microscopy is revealed at ultrastructural resolution to be a surface layer of accumulated secretion bodies, which originate in golgi systems at deeper levels within the epidermis. The epidermis displays a high degree of regional differentiation. The peripheral layer of secretion bodies is lacking at the ventral surface of the attachment disc. The dorsal epidermis is deeply pitted by closely spaced, cylindrical depressions, and appears to be especially active in the synthesis of secretion. The minute terminal branches of the ducts of mesenchyme glands show a clear-cut regional distribution. The clear border of the temnocephalid epidermis is not comparable with the cuticle of trematodes.
Reproduction in the Two Species of Grey Kangaroos, Macropus Giganteus Shaw and M. Fuliginosus (Desmarest). Ii. Gestation, Parturition and Pouch Life.
Authors: Poole WE
Published: June 2005

Over a 10-y period, eastern and western grey kangaroos were bred in enclosures. All western subspecies interbred, and western males bred with eastern females to give hybrid young, but never the reverse cross. Hybrid males were sterile but females readily backcrossed with western males. Mean gestation lengths were: eastern greys, 36.41 � 1.63 days; western greys, 30.56 � 2.55 days; hybrids, 34.09 � 0.81 days; backcrosses, 31.58 � 0.93 days.
Births occurred throughout the year in both species, but those of western greys were more concentrated in the summer months. Gestation length did not vary with month of year. Parturition in one backcross female is described.
Young weighed just over 800 mg at birth and could reach 1000 mg within 24 h. With a free
choice, they preferred an anterior to a posterior teat, but when one teat was already being suckled, they chose either the anterior or the posterior teat on the opposite side. The sex ratio was close to unity in all groups, the overall value being 102B : 100@.
If dropped from the pouch, young of all groups over 200 days old (mean minimum age 243.86 � 19.74 days) were usually capable of standing and regaining the pouch. Eastern and western young left the pouch for the first time at mean ages of 283.86 � 24.70 and 298.40 � 34.29 days respectively,and left it finally at about 320 days old in both species. Within the western species, pouch life was significantly longer in the subspecies ocydromus than in either fuliginosus or melanops.
The intervals between parturitions in lactating females was close to 1 year (variation between species was probably significant). The mean interval in eastern females undergoing embryonic diapause did not differ significantly from that in western females not doing so; in western females it did not differ significantly between fuliginosus and ocydromus, but did so between melanops and both the other subspecies. Lactation usually exceeded 18 months.
Mortality of pouch young accounted for 17% of known births, mostly within the first few days after birth. Accidental injury and coccidiosis were the major causes of death in the first months after leaving the pouch.
A Study of Population Genetics in the Domestic Cats of Hobart.
Authors: Dartnall JA , Todd NB
Published: June 2005

Several mutant phenotypes were scored in 922 cats in Hobart. The allele frequencies determined suggest that this population has the closest genetic affinities to those of southern England and, perhaps, to New Zealand, rather than to those of mainland Australia. These findings may be inter- preted to reflect degrees of historical relatedness. The role of biological determinants of present differences between English, Australian and New Zealand cat populations is not apparent from any data collected to date.
Factors Determining Variation in Fecundity of the Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas Postvittana (Walker) (Tortricidae).
Authors: Danthanarayana W
Published: June 2005

The large variation in fecundity in E. postvittana was associated with temperature, larval food plant, time of year each food plant occurs, and low-density larval crowding through mutual interference. Under field conditions, moths from larvae fed on curled dock, apple, plantain, white clover and capeweed laid > 50% of their eggs by 5-7 days old and > 80% by 8-12 days old. Cool conditions produced heavier individuals which lived longer and laid more eggs over an extended laying period. The fecundity and size (pupal weight) were probably influenced by the larval food plant and the time of year of feeding, presumably through seasonal variations in nutritive quality. Low-density larval crowding, despite excess food, significantly reduced fecundity and pupal weight; it occurs under natural conditions of high population density. The combined effect of these factors was cyclic variations in fecundity and size; more fecund, heavier individuals occurred during the cool wet months (winter generation adults) and less fecund, lighter individuals during the warm dry months (summer generation adults); spring generation adults were generally intermediate. The fecundity of E. postvittana can be adequately predicted from the number of egg-laying days.
Role of the sweating from the tail in the thermal balance of the rat-kangaroo Potorous tridactylus
Authors: Hudson JW , Dawson TJ
Published: June 2005

Among the marsupials the thermoregulatory response of sweating is uncommon and has only been described in the larger macropodids. Sweating in kangaroos is very unusual in that it only occurs in response to an exercise heat load. The thermoregulatory responses of a smaller, more generalized rat-kangaroo Potorous tridactylus were therefore examined to obtain a more general appreciation of sweating in macropodids. The pattern of heat balance at low and neutral temperatures was characteristic of that previously found for macropodids; body temperature was 35.9 � 0.52 (mean � se). Standard metabolism was only slightly higher than the predicted level for marsupials and minimal conductance was low, c. 1.3 W m-2 per degree Celsius. At moderate air temperatures heat was primarily lost by vasodilation and panting. The thermoregulatory responses at high air temperatures (near or above body temperature) also included copious sweating from the tail, but not from the body generally. Sweating rates of 600-650 g water per m2 per hour were obtained; these are about twice the generally reported rates for eutherians such as cows and horses.
Reproduction, growth and size allometry of Liza vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard) (Pisces : Mugilidae) from north Queensland inshore waters
Authors: Grant CJ , Spain AV
Published: June 2005

Aspects of growth and breeding biology of L. vaigiensis were studied in the tropical waters of north Queensland. A detailed study of size allometry was also included.
Offshore Migration and the Collapse of Outbreaks of the Australian Plague Locust (Chortoicetes Terminifera Walk.) In South-East Australia.
Authors: Farrow RA
Published: June 2005

High levels of night-flight activity of the Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera Walker, occurred on at least five separate occasions during the 1973-74 plague in south-east Australia and resulted in episodic, large-scale invasions at night of parts of southern New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia from more northerly breeding areas. The plague did not, however, reach the severe and damaging levels expected in the areas invaded, since on at least three out of five occasions nocturnal migration continued offshore and resulted in extensive mortality. The relationship between migration patterns and synoptic circulation is shown for each of the five situations, with special reference to the use and limitations of wind trajectories for estimating high-altitude displacement of locusts at night.
A Comparative Study of the Carcass Composition of Kangaroos and Sheep.
Authors: Hopwood PR , Hilmi M , Butterfield RM
Published: June 2005

Carcass composition was determined in 44 grey kangaroos, 17 red kangaroos and 34 sheep.
Growth and development of the Murid Pseudomys novaehollandiae
Authors: Kemper CM
Published: June 2005

Growth of the hind foot, head and weight were studied from birth to 150 days of age in a captive colony of P. novaaehollandiae, and development of external body features was recorded from birth to weaning. The altricial young were sparsely haired and blind at birth and a juvenile pelage was present by about 10 days. The eyes opened at 15 (13-19) days and the young were weaned during the fourth week. Instantaneous relative growth rates showed that growth (weight) during the first 40 days was multiphasic and that the growth rate changed considerably at both the opening of the eyes and weaning.
The relationships of seven body measurements (head and body, head, ear, foreleg, hind leg, hind foot and tail) were compared to a linear equivalence of weight; all showed a sigmoidal relationship except that of head and body, which was a straight line. Hind foot and head length measurements of growing animals reached 90% of adult size at about 26 days, and weight at about 85 days. In Australian murids, one group grows relatively quickly and another grows slowly.
Vocalizations of the plains rat Pseudomys australis Gray (Rodentia : Muridae)
Authors: Watts CHS
Published: June 2005

The sounds produced in the laboratory by P. australis were investigated using a tape recorder and Kay Sound Spectrograph. Eleven basic calls were recognized and described: pain squeal, nest squeal, ultrasonic pip, defensive screech, tooth chatter, silent screech, blub, short whistle, long whistle, chirp and sniffle. An attempt was made to define the conditions under which these calls were made and possible functions are suggested for some of the calls.
Trigonocypris, a new ostracod genus from Queensland
Authors: De Deckker P
Published: June 2005

A new cypridid ostracod genus and species, Trigonocypris timmsi (subfamily Eucypridinae), with one fossil Trigonocypris sp., are described from Queensland.