bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidental capture of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in shark nets: an assessment of some possible causes
Authors: Cockcroft V. G.
Published: March 2009

A minimum of 250 bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, was caught in anti‐shark nets off Natal, South Africa between January 1980 and December 1988. Males and females constituted 45.4% and 54.6% of the catch, respectively. Sexually mature males and females constituted 18.2% and 24% of the total catch, respectively. Of the latter, 65% were lactating and a further 10.3% were pregnant. Adolescents, three or more years old but not mature, contributed 12.4% of the catch. Calves, two growth layer groups (GLGs) or less in the dentine, constituted the greatest portion of the catch, almost 43%, and of these almost 70% were either weaned or weaning at capture. Analyses of biological, environmental and physiographic data for each capture suggest a number of reasons for the catch of bottlenose dolphins. The distribution of catches was random but catch rates were proportional to the number of nets. The stomachs of most dolphins were almost full at the time of capture, suggesting that enmeshing occurred either during or subsequent to feeding. Most captures were of single animals, but lactating females with calves constituted more than 25% of catches. The direction of the prevailing current was significantly related to captures. These data are examined in relation to existing knowledge of bottlenose dolphins in this area and suggest that capture may be a consequence of prey abundance at and around the nets, dolphin capture occurring either during or directly after feeding. Possible methods of reducing captures are proposed.
Morphometric variability on a microgeographical scale in two inshore seabirds
Authors: Bost C. A. , Jouventin P. , Sel N. Pincson du
Published: March 2009

The range of morphometric variation among two inshore seabirds, the Kerguelen cormorant Phalacrocorax atriceps verrucosus and the gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua was investigated on the Kerguelen and Crozet archipelagos. Four measurements (weight, culmen, flipper and body length for gentoos; weight, culmen, wing and tarsus length for cormorants) were compared in the same seven localities on Kerguelen. In addition, culmen and wing length were compared in four localities on Crozet for gentoo penguins. The two species exhibited similar trends in variation within Kerguelen although the range of variation was greater in cormorants. Compared to the largest cormorants and gentoo of Kerguelen, the smallest stocks were 60 and 36% of the weights, respectively. There is little evidence elsewhere of similar broad morphometric variability in seabirds on a microgeographical scale. The variation observed did not follow a regular cline and appeared to be less related to physical factors (sea temperatures) than to the local biological factors during the breeding season.
Distribution of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Svalbard area
Authors: Whg ø.
Published: March 2009

The distribution and movements of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Svalbard area were studied, using mark and recapture and satellite raido‐telemetry in the period 1988 to 1994. A Total of 172 bears has been captured, mostly in the southern and south‐eastern parts of Svalbard, and 36 females have been tracked by satellite for more than 330 days. Two bears out of 389 tagged in the period 1966 to 1993 have been reported from the Greenland catches, which have been about 100 per year in the same period. About 95% of tracking days and 89% distance covered were from the Norwegian part of the area, the rest were from Russian territory. Minimum polygon home‐range estimates for 36 females, each tracked for more than 330 days, were 69468±79136 Km2. Twenty‐five percent (9/36) of the females have moved eastwards into Russian territory. Only two of them (6%), one of them in two different years, have landed at Franz Josef Land and one at Novaja Zemlja Information on Seasonal fidelity based on the distance from first spring capture location to spring locations in consecutive years exists for 38 female and four male bears. For 30 females, the average distance after one year was 149.3±143.2 km from the first tagging site. After two years the average distance was 78.9±82.5 km for 15 females, after three years the distance was 51.1plusmn; 29.5 km for nine females and after four years 32.0±31.9 km for four. The regression slope between distances and time is negative. The denning locations of 25 of the females were recorded based on satellite data. Twenty‐four of these were at Svalbard and one (4%) at Franz Josef Land. Satellite data combined with mark recapture data show that the polar bears have a very high degree of seasonal fidelity to Svalbard. This suggests that the migration of polar bears between Svalbard and Greenland and between Svalbard and Russia is relatively low and that the Svalbard population of polar bears can be managed as a local population.
The genus Polycarpa (Ascidiacea, Styelidae) on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Vazquez E. , Ramos‐Espla A. A. , Turon X.
Published: March 2009

The present work is a review of the 13 species of tunicates belonging to the genus Polycarpa, Heller, 1877 which are present in the Iberian Peninsula. Taxonomic, ecological, and distributional references are given for each species and descriptions of Polycarpa kornogi, P. violacea, P. pomaria, P. mamillaris, P. scuba, P. gracilis, and P. tenera are provided. The main diagnostic character between species of the fibrosa group lies in the shape of the polycarps. The distinction between P. pomaria and P. mamillaris is based on the number of sinuses on and between the branchial folds and the shape of the gonads. The morphology of the digestive tract and polycarps allows an easy distinction between P. tenera and P. graciiis. A tabular key for the identification of the iberian species is presented.
Offspring number and quality in the blue tit: a quantitative genetic approach
Authors: Merilä J. , Wiggins D. A.
Published: March 2009

The effect of natural brood size variation on offspring quality was studied in a blue tit (Parus caeruleus) population on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. Offspring quality, measured as nestling body mass at day 13 post‐hatch, declined significantly with increasing brood size, as did offspring structural body size (tarsus length). A quantitative genetic analysis revealed a high heritability of tarsus length, but also that the shorter tarsi of young from larger broods represented a negative environmental deviation from the genotypic values of their parents. Similarly, positive environmental deviations in tarsus length were found in small broods. Nestling mortality increased with increasing brood size, and smaller and lighter nestlings suffered higher mortality between day 13 and 20 post‐hatch. These findings, together with those of previous studies showing that the survival prospects of malnutritioned passerine young are greatly reduced, provide evidence for a trade‐off between the quantity and quality of young under non‐manipulative conditions.
Spermatozoa of murid rodents from Africa: morphological diversity and evolutionary trends
Authors: Breed W. G.
Published: March 2009

The diversity of the structural organization of the spermatozoa of African murid rodents is described at the light and transmission electron microscopical level of resolution. In most species the sperm head is falciform in shape but it varies somewhat in overall breadth, width, and length. A typical perforatorium is present and the acrosome splits into a large head cap over the convex surface and a smaller ventral segment similar to the sperm head of most Asian and Australasian murids. In a few species, however, the morphology is very different. In Acomys and Uranomys spermatozoa, the apical hook is more bilaterally flattened, has a large apical acrosomal region, and no separate ventral segment. Two species of Aethomys have, in addition to an apical hook, a 4μ long extension of the cytoskeletal material that projects from the concave surface of the sperm head, whereas in Dasymys two large ventral processes extend from the upper concave region which contain nuclear material basally and a huge extension of cytoskeleton apically. In Aethomys chrysophilus type B, the sperm nucleus is unique in form and often has a central region in which threads of chromatin can be seen; it is capped by a massive acrosome whose apical segment is complex and convoluted in structure. Stochomys longicaudatus appears to have a conical sperm head, and in all three Lophuromys species the sperm head is spatulate in shape with the flat, plate‐like nucleus capped by a thin acrosome. The evolutionary trends in changes of sperm head shape and design of these rodents are discussed. It is suggested that some of the differences in morphology may relate to the variation in structural organization of the coats around the egg through which the spermatozoon has to pass in order for fertilization to occur.
Malocclusion in an African rodent. Is it necessarily fatal?
Authors: Merwe M. van der
Published: March 2009

The greater cane rat, Thryonomys swinderianus, is the second largest rodent in the southern African subregion; only the porcupine is larger. The incisors are very large and curved and their gnawing action against each other gives them chisel edges. The common belief that a broken incisor may lead to severe stress or even death because growth of the corresponding incisor, in the opposing jaw, cannot be controlled by wearing away, is not necessarily true for all rodents. At least in the greater cane rat malocclusion does not necessarily lead to the incisors entering the skull or any obvious signs of stress or suffering.
Sperm production, storage, and the synchronization of male and female reproductive cycles in the iteroparous, stripe‐faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura; Marsupialia): relationship to reproductive strategies within the Dasyuridae
Authors: Taggart D. A. , Selwood L. , Temple‐Smith P. D.
Published: March 2009

Seasonal changes in the number and distribution of spermatozoa in males, and annual changes in the distribution of litters and embryos in females were examined in the iteroparous dasyurid marsupial, Sminthopsis macroura, in captivity. Total number of sperm in the testis (0.53 × 106 sperm/testis) and epididymidis (0.54 × 106 sperm/epididymidis) were extremely low when compared with those in other marsupials and eutherian mammals. Testicular sperm production and epididymal sperm reserves were high between May and October and declined to a minimum in March. These changes reflected monthly changes in testicular and epididymal weight and testis morphology. Data on changing epididymal sperm distribution suggest that sperm storage in the cauda epididymidis is limited and that few sperm are required for successful insemination. Litters were born between June and January, with most litters occurring between July and October. Second pregnancies occurred between October and January, with a peak in December. The data indicate that the timing of mating activity and litter production by S. macroura correspond very closely with the period of maximum sperm production by males. The synchrony of these events contrasts dramatically with that of similar‐sized semelparous dasyurid species. It is hypothesized that testicular failure prior to the mating season, copulatory behaviour, and possibly male die‐off in dasyurid marsupials are related to the degree of competition between males for mates and, hence, population density and environmental predictability. These data suggest that intermale sperm competition is affected by the periods of female receptivity and the length of sperm storage in the female reproductive tract. Fundamental differences in the reproductive strategies of iteroparous and semelparous dasyurid marsupials are discussed.
Observations on the distribution, ecology, and behaviour of bats on the Galapagos Islands
Authors: McCracken G. F. , Hayes J. P. , Cevallos J. , Guffey S. Z. , Romero F. Carlos
Published: March 2009

The distribution of bats on five Galapagos islands was assessed using ultrasonic detectors that can identify the feeding calls of different bat species. Red bats (Lasiurus brachyotis) were present on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. Hoary bats (L. cinereus) were present on Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, Floreana and Santiago. Species identifications were confirmed by recordings of bat calls, observations of flying bats, and the capture of 21 red bats and three hoary bats. There was no evidence of other species of bats on the Galapagos. Body size measurements were similar to those of South American red (L. borealis) and hoary (L. c. villosissimus) bats. Species status ofL. brachyotisis not supported by morphological data. Both species were active in lowland and highland habitats, and foraging activity was high around street lights. Radio telemetry was used to locate day roosts and the nightly activity areas of four red bats in lowland areas of Santa Cruz. During the day, these bats roosted singly in the foliage of nine species of plant. Nightly activity areas were 10 to 20 ha in size. The activity areas of individuals overlapped, and included their known day roost sites. Both bat species were apparently more active in lowland habitats during the cool garua season, and less active in lowland habitats during the hot season. Female red bats were more abundant in lowland habitats during the cool season than were male red bats. Mesic, upland habitat may be critical to the survival of bats in the Galapagos.
Reproductive biology and population dynamics of an ovoviviparous land snail, Lauria cylindracea (Pupillidae)
Authors: Heller J. , Sivan N. , Hodgson A. N.
Published: March 2009

The orthurethran land snail Lauria cylindracea is ovoviviparous. We examined its life history in Israel, where it lives in litter of the riparian forest floor, in a cool, humid habitat, that has a very stable and predictable temperature. Activity of snails started in winter and continued well into summer with gametogenesis commencing in early winter, after the beginning of the rainy season. In mid winter, all animals showed advanced spermatogenesis, early oogenesis, vitellogenic eggs and a few of the adults contained embryos. By spring and early summer, the gonads were larger, with both mature sperm and up to seven vitellogenic eggs; and up to 100% of the adults contained embryos, usually four per individual. A reproductive adult weighed about 4.5 mg, of which 17–25% was embryo weight. In later summer and autumn, we observed no feeding or reproductive activity, no gametogenesis, and very few embryos.

We distinguished three age groups: juveniles, subadults and adults. Juveniles were born in summer by adults having enough moisture to be active, whereas adults on dry leaves appeared to retain their embryos. The number of juveniles was therefore never as high as could be expected from the number of embryos inside the animals, and never exceeded 26% of the population. The juveniles grew until spring and then, as subadults, stopped growth until the following winter. It took a snail two winters to reach reproductive maturity, and the lifespan was about five years. About 30% of the adult snails died in late summer. All individuals throughout the year were euphallic, which is in contrast to the high frequency of aphally in other pupilloideans.

In discussing the adaptive significance of ovoviviparity in Lauria, we note that it is a minute snail, and therefore constrained to low fecundity—it can produce only few ova per unit time. Under such conditions, ovoviviparity may be advantageous in that the (few) hatchlings can immediately feed and grow, fight off fungi, cope with brief periods of desiccation and avoid drowning or flooding. In environments subject to frequent flooding, eggs may be retained within the adult until full embryonic development of the kidney. In such an environment of excess water, ovoviviparity may be advantageous.
Comparative ontogenesis and cytomorphology of the nasal organs in some species of cichlid fish (Cichlidae, Teleostei)
Authors: Fishelson Lev
Published: March 2009

This study compares the ontogenesis, morphology and cytology of olfactory organs of several species of Cichlidae (Pisces, Teleostei), from Asia, Africa and America, belonging to the subfamilies Tilapinae and Haplochrominae. Cichlids, in contrast to most other fish families, possess only one naris on each side of the nose that serves as both inlet and outlet opening. The olfactory rosettes are round, 1.8–4.2 mm diameter, and situated directly below the nares. Each rosette consists of a central raphe with attached lamellae whose number increases with age, remains constant in adults and differs in the various species. Onset of organization of the nasal organs from the neuroectoderm begins 14–16 hours after fertilization in bottomspawner cichlids, and 30–53 hours after fertilization in mouthbrooder embryos. A comparative ontogenetic study of embryos and larvae of both ethological types has shown that this difference in timing of morphogenesis also continues in the formation of the nasal pits, the development of the nasal epithelium, and the olfactory nerves. Comparative data are provided for these processes, including LM, TEM and SEM of the stereocilia and kinocilia‐bearing cells, as well as of the microvillar cells. The distribution of these cell‐types on the olfactory lamellae differs in the various species. The faster development of the nasal organs observed in larvae of bottomspawners as compared to mouthbrooders also matches the development of other vital organs in these two etho‐types and seems to be of high adaptive value, providing the bottomspawners at an earlier stage with sensitive organs in the surrounding hostile habitats.
Sprawling locomotion in the lizard Sceloporus clarkii: the effects of speed on gait, hindlimb kinematics, and axial bending during walking
Authors: Reilly S. M. , Delancey M. J.
Published: March 2009

Although the hindlimb is widely considered to provide the propulsive force in lizard locomotion, no study to date has analysed kinematic patterns of hindlimb movements for more than one stride for a single individual and no study has considered limb and axial kinematics together. In this study, kinematic data from several individuals of the Sceloporus clarkii are used to describe the movement patterns of the axial skeleton and hindlimb at different speeds, to analyse how kinematics change with speed, and to compare and contrast these findings with the inferred effects of speed cited in the literature. Angular limb movements and axial bending patterns (standing wave with nodes on the girdles) did not change with speed. Only the relative speed of retracting the femur and flexing the knee during limb retraction changes with speed. Based on these data and similar results from a recent study of salamanders, it appears that, over a range of speeds involving a walking trot, sprawling vertebrates increase speed by simply retracting the femur relatively faster, thus this simple functional adjustment may be a general mechanism to increase speed in tetrapods. The demonstration that femoral retraction alone is the major speed effector in Sceloporus clarkii lends strong functional support to ecomorphological implications of limb length (and especially femur length and caudifemoralis size) in locomotory ecology and performance in phrynosomatid lizards. It also lends support to inferences about the caudifemoralis muscle as a preadaptation to terrestrial locomotion and as a key innovation in the evolution of bipedalism.
Hatching success, delay of emergence and hatchling biometry of the spur‐thighed tortoise,Testudo graeca, in south‐western Spain
Authors: Díaz‐Paniagua Carmen , Keller Claudia , Andreu Ana C.
Published: March 2009

Hatching success, egg incubation, emergence and hatchling characteristics were assessed for 44 naturally incubating nests ofTestudo graecain south‐western Spain. Nest predation rate was 4.5% and overall hatching success was 82.4%. Incubation periods ranged from 78 to 114 days, and hatchlings delayed emergence from the nest from one to 23 days. Emergences occurred from mid August to late September, and were not correlated with nesting dates, but earlier laid nests had longer incubation times, which was probably owing to lower temperatures experienced by clutches laid at the beginning of the nesting season. Variance of hatchling body size and mass was high and was mainly influenced by the gravid female. Mean straight carapace length was 34.14mm, and mean body mass 10.8g. Hatchlings from clutches laid last in the nesting season had significantly better physical condition. Hatchling mass was positively correlated with egg mass, and both variables were positively correlated with emergence date. Both better physical condition and relatively late emergence may confer advantages to hatchlings in the face of unfavourable environmental conditions in autumn.
Ultrastructural evidence for apoptosis of pavement cells, chloride cells, and hatching gland cells in the developing branchial area of the trout Salmo trutta
Authors: Rojo M. C. , B?nquez M. J. , Gonźlez M. E.
Published: March 2009

Death by apoptosis of branchial epithelial cells was studied in brown trout embryos by means of transmission electron microscopy. Superficial pavement cells are sloughed off for the renewal of the epithelium after an apoptotic degeneration with shrinkage of the cytoplasm and loss of desmosomal contacts. Chloride cells appear as immature, mature and degenerating cells. Degenerating chloride cells, which are separated from the ambient water by pavement cells, show condensation of the cytoplasm and structural alterations in the tubular system and the mitochondria. Hatching gland cells degenerate either into apoptotic bodies or into cellular debris, depending on the functional stage of the cell. There was no phagocytosis by macrophages or adjacent cells of the degenerating chloride and hatching gland cells, but an infiltration of leucocytes was always observed in the epithelium undergoing cellular degeneration. In some instances, secondary necrosis of apoptotic hatching gland cells was observed. Apoptosis occurs in the three types of cells since early stages of development. However, a massive wave of cellular death occurred in pavement and hatching gland cells during the hatching stage and in the chloride cells during post‐hatching stages.
Pregnancy of adult caribou (Rangifer tarandus): evidence for lactational infertility
Authors: Gerhart K. L. , Ruussell D. E. , Wetering D. Van De , White R. G. , Cameron R. D.
Published: March 2009

To examine the relations between pregnancy, body condition, and lactation, 106 adult female caribou Rangifer tarandus granti) of the Porcupine Herd were captured, weighed, measured, and scored for body condition in November 1990–1992. Blood samples were drawn for determination of pregnancy, and body fat content (kg) was estimated from the product of body weight and the body‐condition score. Pregnant females were significantly fatter and heavier than non‐pregnant females, and non‐ lactating females were significantly fatter, but no heavier, than lactating caribou. Probability of pregnancy was positively correlated with body weight and fat content, but prediction of pregnancy was improved when multiple independent variables, including skeletal dimensions and lactation status, were included in logistic models. Non‐lactating females were more fertile than lactating females at a particular body weight and metatarsus length; but, at the same fatness, they were not more fertile than females that had lactated through the summer and were ceasing lactation in November. However, females that were extending lactation in November were least fertile, and this reduction of fertility was not explained by differences in body condition or skeletal dimensions. We suggest that the extended lactation group is exhibiting lactational infertility. Finally, unexplained differences in the relation between pregnancy rate and body condition exist among years, suggesting that interannual patterns in the nutrition and ecology of caribou affect the physiological relation between pregnancy and body condition.
Craniometric variation in the Eurasian badger, Meles meles
Authors: Lynch J. M. , Whelan R. , Fituri A. I. Il , Hayden T. J.
Published: March 2009

A multivariate examination of cranial variation within and between European populations of Meles meles (L.) revealed that populations from Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, and the Slovak Republic could be differentiated both by cranial form and by the degree of sexual dimorphism exhibited. Irish material was characterized by low sexual dimorphism, particularly when compared to Slovak specimens. Badgers from the British Isles had larger skulls than other samples and were more similar to each other than they were to badgers from mainland Europe. Size played a greater role in differentiating samples of female badgers than it did in males. Significant variation occurred within the British Isles, with individual samples being highly differentiable. There was, however, little relationship between morphological similarity and geographic proximity. We contend that macrogeographical (between‐country) variation in the species is primarily determined by historical factors and adaptation to current conditions, while microgeographic (within‐country) variation is a result of selectively neutral processes.
Experimental evidence that the mite Poecilochirus davydovae (Mesostigmata: Parasitidae) eats the eggs of its beetle host
Authors: Blackman Stuart W.
Published: March 2009

The relationship between the mite Poecilochirus davydovae Hyatt and its burying beetle carrier (Nicrophorus vespilloides) was investigated. Beetles experimentally stripped of deuteronymphs of Poecilochirus had larger apparent clutch sizes than beetles carrying mites. Furthermore, apparent clutch sizes were not affected by the presence or absence of carrion flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae). These results support the hypothesis that P. davydovae is a specialist predator feeding on the eggs of N. vespiloides.
The population dynamics of Metapenueus ensis (Crustacea: Decapoda: Penaeidae) in a traditional tidal shrimp pond at the Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve, Hong Kong
Authors: Leung Siu‐Fai
Published: March 2009

The population dynamics of Metapenaeus ensis in a traditional tidal shrimp pond (locally known as gei wai) at the Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve, Hang Kong, were studied over a 29‐month period. The population of M. ensis was dominated by either one or two age groups throughout the year. Life span was < 16 months. M. ensis is sexually dimorphic in terms of size, with females growing faster and attaining a larger maximum size than males. The sex ratio did not differ significantly from 1:1. The prawns do not mature and reproduce in the gei wai so that the population is sustained by postlarval immigration which begins in June and ends in December, with peaks in August and November. The gei wai population of M. ensis is characterized by slower growth, lower maximum attainable size, shorter life span, reproductive sterility and an incomplete life cycle, as compared with ‘natural’ population in the coastal waters of Hong Kong.
What is a cursorial mammal?
Authors: Stein B. R. , Casinos A.
Published: March 2009

This paper focuses on the concept of cursoriality in mammals and aims to point out the confusion that can arise when a classical term is not explicitly redefined or expanded to incorporate the results of biomechanical techniques. Historically, the definition of ‘cursorial’ was based qualitatively on an animal's morphology and behaviour, generally referring to large, terrestrial mammals that ran fast or far across open spaces. However, in recent years, as biomechanicists have learned how to quantify aspects of limb movement and bone orientation, a more specific meaning of this term has come into use. Results from these new techniques have highlighted the lack of specificity in the historical definition and have led us to propose a clarified, quantitative definition of ‘cursorial’. The exceptional nature of bovids and primates with respect to this new definition is also addressed in our analysis. We recognize that the definition we propose is, itself, not sufficient because it cannot be applied to fossil taxa and because kinematic data are still lacking for many taxa. Hence, we look forward to the eventual adoption of an even more expanded definition or suite of terms that will further distinguish between all attributes of cursorial mammals and that will reflect an increased understanding of their evolutionary origins.
Biomass, growth, and secondary production of Arcitalitrus dorrieni (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Talitridae) at two sites in Co. Galway, IrelandS
Authors: O'Hanlon R. P. , Bolger T.
Published: March 2009

Growth rates, podomere addition, and secondary production of Arcilalitrus dorrieni (Hunt, 1925) populations inhabiting two neighbouring woodland sites at Kylemore, Co. Galway, Ireland, were investigated. One site was a mixed deciduous woodland infested with Rhododendron ponticum. The other a pure coniferous stand of Pinus contorta var. latifolia S. Wats. Seasonal changes in biomass were recorded at the two sites. In both years of the study, maximum biomass was recorded in September. Females had a higher growth rate than males, but growth rates of both males and females were higher at the mixed deciduous site. The number of podomeres on the second antenna was correlated with the size of the animal. The average length of A. dorrieni at each podomere number appeared to change seasonally. Comparisons of mean spring values with mean summer values showed a statistically significant decrease in mean amphipod length for a given podomere number, though this was more marked at the mixed deciduous site. Annual secondary production rates ranged from 5.06 g dry wt m‐2 year‐1at the coniferous site to 14.55 g dry wt m‐2 year‐1 at the mixed deciduous site. P:B values ranged from 2.41 at the coniferous site to 3.01 at the mixed deciduous site. Results are compared between sites and with data from other relevant crustacean species.
Population ecology of the white‐nosed coati (Nasua narica) on Barro Colorado Island, Panama
Authors: E.Gompper Matthew
Published: March 2009

The white‐nosed coati, Nasua narica, is a common Neotropical carnivore with a social structure of band‐living adult females and solitary adult males. A coati population on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, was studied over a four‐year period by mark‐recapture, radiotelemetry. and direct observation of habituated individuals. The population density was approximately 51.5 individuals/km2 and the sex ratio was 1:1. Band size varied from six to 26 individuals (mean = 15.3) with extensive fluctuation within and between years. Mean foraging group size was smaller (7.2 individuals) than population group size, and fluctuated with food availability, synchronous parturition, and the emigration of mature males. Mean home‐range size of six bands was 0.33 km2, and ranges of adjacent bands overlapped from 0–66%. One band fissioned during the study; however, the resulting bands did not disperse from the original home range. Seven adult males had a mean home‐range size of 0.37 km2, each extensively overlapping the home ranges of several other males. Observations of 10 adult males whose natal bands were known indicate that when males disperse they do not simultaneously leave the band's home range. Rather, their home ranges remain within or broadly overlapping those of their natal bands. This dispersal pattern is unusual within the order Carnivora.
Morphology and microstructure of the gladius and statolith from the boreal Pacific giant squid Moroteuthis robusta (Oegopsida; Onychoteuthidae)
Authors: Bizikov V. A. , Arkhipkin A. I.
Published: March 2009

Morphology and microstructure of the gladius and statolith were studied from 11 specimens of the boreal Pacific giant squid Moroteuthis robusta (mantle length (ML) ranging from 97.5 to 141.5cm) captured on the slope of the north‐west Bering Sea in summer and autumn 1993. The most specific feature of the M. robusta gladius is a large and, in cross‐section, round rostrum which has been found to be homologous to that of extinct Belemnitida. The functional morphology of the different gladius elements is discussed. Distinct growth increments have been revealed in all three gladius layers in M. robusta. Comparison of peculiarities of microstructure of growth increments, their ways of deposition and their numbers in different gladius layers has shown that all three layers in the M. robusta gladius grow synchronously. M. robusta statoliths are tiny (0.07‐0.1% ML) and resemble in shape those of the ommastrephid Illex argentinus. It was impossible to count the total number of growth increments within the statoliths, owing to their complete disappearance in the outer portion of the peripheral zone, and therefore impossible to estimate the age of the M. robusta by using the statolith ageing technique. However, assuming the deposition of growth increments within the gladius as daily, the age of the specimens analysed may vary from 413 to 520 days.
Timed running speed of a cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
Authors: Sharp N. C. C.
Published: March 2009

The speed of an adult cheetah was timed at 29ms‐1 (mean of three trials over a 201.2 m course, with a running start). This is the highest running speed that has been recorded reliably for any animal.
The life cycle of the tick Amblyomma loculosum in a sooty tern Sterna fuscata colony in the Seychelles
Authors: Feare Chris J. , Gill Elaine L.
Published: March 2009

An infestation of a sooty tern colony on Bird Island, Seychelles, with the ixodid tick Amblovomma loculosum was studied during visits to the colony in 1993 to 1995. During the infestation, adult ticks were numerous during the birds' incubation, larvae were abundant when young chicks were present, and there was some evidence that nymphs were found when older chicks were present. The life cycle of the tick appeared closely synchronized with that of its host. Following a breeding failure of the sooty terns, caused by adverse weather in August‐September 1994, few adult ticks were found during the birds' breeding season of 1995, suggesting that the absence of chicks late in the 1994 breeding season led to starvation of the ticks and their failure to survive their diapause until the onset of the birds' next breeding season.
Morphogenesis of the digital pad lamellae in the embryo of the lizard Anolis lineatopus
Authors: Alibardi Lorenzo
Published: March 2009

The present study in the embryo of the lizard Anolis lineatopus describes the modality of cell proliferation responsible for the morphogenesis of the digital pad lamellae and of the epidermal stratification. After tritiated thymidine and 5‐bromodeoxy‐uridine administration, autoradiographic and immunocytochemical methods have been used. The lamellae originate as long, slightly slanted, undulations of the epidermis of fingers and toes. At an early stage, the epidermis consists of an outer periderm and a basal layer. Cell hypertrophy, and the prevalent cell proliferation in the longer side of the undulation with respect to the shorter side, generate the surface of the outer lamella. Under the peridermis, a shedding complex, composed by clear and oberhautchen layers, is formed and later determines the first intraepidermal shed. The first subperidermal layer derived from the basal layer is a clear layer and the first shed epidermis in the embryo is represented by periderm and clear layer. The heavily granulated clear layer in Anolis lineatopus represents the first epidermal layer produced in the embryonic epidermis, and is connected with the process of shedding. The spinulae of the underlying oberhautchen in the outer scale surface become long setae which grow toward the upper clear layer. Under the shedding complex a β‐layer is produced. Autoradiographical study shows that the radioactivity stays in the basal layer for about 4 days before cells move to upper layers. At 6–8 days post‐injection labelled cells are visible in the differentiated clear, oberhautchen and β‐layers. Under the β‐layer differentiating mesos cells are visible before the embryo hatches.
Effects of vegetative variation on weaning success, overwinter survival, and social group density in golden marmots (Marmota caudata aurea)
Authors: Blumstein D. T. , Foggin J. M.
Published: March 2009

We studied the effects of food resources on weaning success, overwinter survival, and social group density in golden marmots (Marmota caudata aurea), an Old World sciurid rodent. End‐of‐season standing crop, a measure of seasonal productivity, varied between marmot groups but seemed repeatable between years. We adjusted some of our measurements of potential food availability by marmot preferences because faecal analysis suggested that marmots foraged selectively. Some, but not all, measured fitness parameters were associated with variation in food availability. The probability of weaning young was associated with overall food availability the previous year, and there was a significant positive relationship between the early‐season food resources and the proportion of years in which a group reproduced. Weaning date, a correlate of subsequent juvenile overwinter survival, was associated with overall food availability in the same year. Non‐juvenile overwinter survival was weakly associated with food availability. Finally, marmot density was not associated with the availability of food resources. We suggest that obligate social behaviour may limit the degree to which demographic factors can track environmental variation.
Spatial organization and land tenure system of the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus)
Authors: Ferreras P. , Beltrán J. F. , Aldama J. J. , Delibes M.
Published: March 2009

The spatial organization of the endangered Iberian lynx, Lynx pardinus (Temminck, 1827), was studied in Doñana National Park, south‐western Spain, between 1983 and 1992. Thirty‐six individuals (19 males and 17 females), including 24 adults (13 males and 11 females) were radio‐tracked, providing 13,950 locations during 17,111 radio‐tracking days. Iberian lynxes were essentially solitary (95.9% of simultaneous locations apart) and interactions were restricted to rearing activities by females. Adult associations were uncommon. Seasonal (four months) home ranges were larger for adult resident males (10.3 ± 1.9 km2; n= 5) than for females (8.7 ± 2.4 km2; n= 5). Lynxes used a central portion of the home range intensively (‘core area’, 50% Harmonic Mean) with similar size for males (3.7 ± 0.7 km2) and females (3.2 ± 0.8 km2), representing, on average, a 37.6 ± 1.5% and 36.6 ± 4.5% of male and female home ranges, respectively. Intrasexual home‐range overlap was usually low between same‐sex neighbours (15.1 ± 6.6% males and 22.1 ± 3.3% for females), but some instances of high overlap (>25%), both among males and females, were recorded, corresponding to spatial interactions between neighbours which usually ended with the displacement of one of the contenders. Core areas were mainly exclusive except during these spatial interactions. Actual fights resulting from these interactions seem more frequent than previously reported for other medium‐sized solitary felids, likely promoted by high competition for optimum territories due to saturation of the population. The Iberian lynx spatial organization in Doñana works as a land tenure system, as described for other solitary felids. Although the mating system tends to monogamy, with male home range overlapping mainly that of one female, individual variations to polygyny were also found.
Biology and behaviour of the neotropical ant‐mimicking spider Aphantochilus rogersi (Araneae: Aphantochilidae): nesting, maternal care and ontogeny of ant‐hunting techniques
Authors: Castanho L. M. , Oliveira P. S.
Published: March 2009

Aphantochilus rogersi is an ant‐mimicking spider that preys exclusively on cephalotine ants. The spiders oviposit in close proximity to nests of the model ant Zacryptocerus pusillus, and emergent spiderlings tend to remain in the vicinity of natal egg sacs. Females of A. rogersi actively defend their egg sacs against approaching workers of Z. pusillus, but the latter may sometimes destroy the eggs. Feeding specialization on these ants is confirmed by more than 300 observation of young and adult A. rogersi carrying ant corpses in the field. Although A. rogersi possesses several behavioural traits which may reduce the risk of being injured by ants during subjugation, field and laboratory observations showed that social defence by Z. pusillus may cause mutilation to the spiders. Tests in captivity revealed an ontogenetic change in the prey‐capture techniques employed by A. rogersi. Early‐instar spiderlings can apparently only seize the ant's petiole tightly if they are able to approach the ant from the front. As the ant is paralysed, the spiderling positions itself vertically in relation to the substratum. Larger spiders, on the other hand, attack ants most frequently from behind, and seem better equipped to seize the ant's petiole firmly with their larger chelicerae. Owing to their greater strength, late‐instar spiders are able to lift the struggling ant aloft. The selection of a suitable oviposition site, the mother's ability to defend herself and the eggs from nearby ants, and the capacity to capture and subdue ants safely from emergence to maturity, are regarded as crucial traits inherent in the mimetic and feeding specialization by A. rogersi.
Father and son sugar gliders: more than a genetic coalition?
Authors: Klettenheimer B. S. , Temple‐Smith P. D. , Sofronidis G.
Published: March 2009

Co‐operation between two or more individuals has been shown to yield benefits in some vertebrate species (Bygott, Bertram & Hanby, 1979; Packer & Pusey, 1982; Grinnell, Packer & Pusey, 1995), however, until now such behaviour has not been described for marsupials. In this two‐and‐a‐half‐year study co‐operative behaviour among male sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) was revealed. A dominant relationship to females was not observed.

Male sugar gliders not only showed extensive co‐operative behaviour in suppressing subordinate males, but in sharing food and nesting boxes as well as taking care of the offspring. DNA fingerprinting has been used to describe the genetic variability in relatedness of the coalition partners.

Co‐operative behaviour in male sugar gliders was exclusively observed among closely related individuals, therefore supporting the kin‐selection theory in this small marsupial.

We describe the genetic variability in relatedness, the behaviour and some physiological parameters of male sugar gliders in four captive groups to test the hypothesis that the sugar glider is an example of co‐operative behaviour involving kin selection in marsupials
The mating behaviour of the earthwormLumbricus terrestris(Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae)
Authors: Nuutinen Visa , Butt Kevin R.
Published: March 2009

A field observation suggested that the mating of the earthwormLumbricus terrestrisL. might involve a pre‐copulation behaviour sequence during which prospective partners visit each other's burrows. This was studied in laboratory investigations, where pairs of Finnish, field collectedL. terrestriswere observed directly and behaviour of groups of four or nine previously unmatedL. terrestrisof English origin was studied by video‐recording. In total, 15 full mating sequences were recorded. Mate searching involved trail‐following on the soil surface. This was followed by a series of, usually reciprocated, burrow visits. The number of visits by an individual worm showed a high degree of variability (n= 1–17). A burrow visit typically consisted of anterior segments insertion, for a period of 30 to 50 seconds, but also deeper burrow‐penetrations, which sometimes lasted several minutes, were recorded. Resident worms, when visited, either withdrew below ground completely or remained at the surface, with the first few anterior segments in view. Visiting worms normally retained their posterior segments in their own burrows. Visits were fewer when burrow openings were more widely separated. Partners often maintained close contact while moving back and forth between the burrow openings and the pre‐copulation phase appeared as specific courtship behaviour. Uninterrupted, the precopulation behaviour sequences lasted from 11 to 22 minutes in video‐taped matings and approximately 90 minutes in the single directly‐observed mating. After a pre‐copulation sequence, pairs adopted a static ‘s’‐shaped copulation position of close ventral contact, during which both individuals bent their anterior segments away from the partner's body. Copulations lasted from 69 to 200 minutes (median length for video‐taped matings 135 minutes). Other individuals often touched the copulating pair. Where this occurred, matings were shorter compared to those with no interference. We present a scheme for the mating ofL. terrestris, discuss its different phases and propose a few lines for further studies.
Crustacean symbionts of the sea anemone Telmatactis cricoides at Madeira and the Canary Islands*
Authors: Wirtz Peter
Published: March 2009

The crustacean symbionts of the club‐tipped sea anemone Telmatactis cricoides (Duchassaing, 1850) were studied at Madeira (n= 81 anemones) and the Canary Islands (n= 124 anemones).

Of all anemones, 86% had crustacean symbionts. Nineteen species of crustaceans were encountered in association with Telmatactis cricoides. There were up to 18 individuals of up to four crustacean species associated with the same anemone. Anemone size and number of crustacean symbionts were positively correlated (P < 0.001) but only weakly so (r=+0.27). The most common crustacean symbiont was the shrimp Thor amboinensis, encountered with 65% of all anemones.

Frequency and type of association with Telmatactis cricoides is described for each of the crustacean symbionts, Thor amboinensis, Lysmata grabhami, Lysmata seticaudata, Eualus occultus, Brachycarpus biunguiculatus, Stenorhynchus lanceolatus, Homola barbata, Pilumnus villosissimus, Gnathophyllum elegans, Inachus phalangium, Heteromysis sp. nuv., Palaemonella atlantica, Herbstia condyliata, Stenopus spinosus, Athanas nitescens, Dromia personata Xantho incisus, Galathea sp., Liocarcinus sp.

The shrimp Lysmata grabhami appears to live in stable pairs of two simultaneous hermaphrodites, a social structure not previously described for any crustacean species.
Neuromuscular hip dysplasia in Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A
Authors: BAMFORD NIGEL S , WHITE KLANE K , ROBINETT STEPHANIE A , OTTO RANDOLPH K , GOSPE JR SIDNEY M
Published: March 2009

Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT) is one of the most common inherited neurological disorders, affecting 36 in 100 000 people. CMT type 1A (hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy) is the most frequent form of this disease, affecting 60 to 80% of the CMT population, but its diagnosis may be delayed because of inconsistent clinical signs and symptoms and a considerable variability in age at onset. Here, we report on four children (aged 10–17y) who presented with neuromuscular hip dysplasia and other orthopedic abnormalities but were only later diagnosed with CMT 1A. Hip dysplasia may be the initial clinical sign in CMT, so children with late‐manifesting hip disease (i.e. age >8y) should be examined for signs of peripheral neuropathy, particularly when presenting with a ‘waddling’ or broad‐based gait.