bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of pharyngeal haemoglobin in the feeding of the marine nematode, Enoplus brevis
Authors: Atkinson H. J.
Published: August 2009

The rate of feeding of E. brevis, which contains haemoglobin in the pharynx, was measured over a wide range of oxygen concentrations, and compared with similar results for a second species, E. communis, which lacks haemoglobin in its pharynx. The nematodes were added to a mixture of mud and amaranth, in varying oxygen regimes, and the dye content of the disrupted individuals was measured two days later by a spectrophotometric technique. The feeding rate of E. brevis was less affected than that of E. communis by partial pressures of oxygen between 8 and 40 mmHg, but both species ingested some mud in almost anaerobic conditions. Comparison of the vertical distribution of E. brevis with the redox potential of its mud habitat showed that the animal is only occasionally found in anoxic mud. It is suggested from these results, and from previous work, that the facilitation of oxygen diffusion by the haemoglobin in the pharynx of E. brevis helps this nematode to feed in the low and fluctuating oxygen regime of its habitat.
Observations on the diet of the Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in South Devon
Authors: Richards D. F.
Published: August 2009

The results of an 18‐month survey of fox diet in the Stoke Gabriel area of South Devon are presented. Attention is drawn to the variety of prey consumed, and some features not previously recorded are noted. The probable factors influencing the diet are discussed and availability suggested to be the most important.
Comparative studies of morphology and reproduction in two subspecies of the Greater bushbaby, Galago crassicaudatus crassicaudatus and G. c. argentatus
Authors: Dixson A. F. , Horn R. N. Van
Published: August 2009

Two subspecies of the Greater bushbaby, Galago crassicaudatus argentatus and G. c. crassicaudatus, are known to differ morphologically, but quantitative studies of the differences, or of reproductive compatability between the subspecies, have not previously been attempted. Somatic measurements were made on living specimens of both subspecies and controlled experiments were conducted to determine whether fertile matings would occur between them.

G. c. argentatus is heavier than G. c. crassicaudatus and has longer ears, a longer ulna and fibula and a greater biorbital breadth. A significant degree of sexual dimorphism in body weight and length of the fibula and ulna occurs in G. c. argentatus, males being larger than females. In G. c. crassicaudatus however, there are no statistical differences between the sexes in these somatic measurements. The morphology of the male and female external genitalia differs between the two subspecies.

In six pairs of male argentatus and female crassicaudatus, only one pair mated and no offspring resulted. In seven pairs of female argentatus and male crassicaudatus, matings occurred in all pairs but only one female conceived and this pregnancy ended prematurely in a spontaneous abortion. In control experiments using six oppositely‐sexed pairs of G. c. crassicaudatus, however, all females became pregnant and produced live offspring.

The morphological and reproductive differences between G. c. argentatus and G. c. crassicaudatus are more pronounced than previously realized and it is possible that the two varieties may merit separation as distinct species of Galago.
A unity underlying the different zebra striping patterns
Authors: Jonathan B. L. Bard
Published: August 2009

To elucidate the relationship between the complex striping patterns of the different species of zebras, a simple conceptual experiment has been performed. Using data from horse embryos, the normal growth of the zebra from early foetus to adult has been reversed to see what happens both to the spacing and to the orientation of the stripes. It turns out that for each species, there is a point in time when all the body stripes would have been perpendicular to the dorsal line and equally spaced. Moreover the spacing is roughly the same (0·4 mm) for the three main species of zebra at this time. This point is during the third week of development for E. burchelli, fourth week for E. zebra and fifth week for E. grevyi. As striping only appears at about the eighth month of foetal development, it seems that the pattern is determined a long time before the cells actually lay down pigment. Further analysis of the pattern so laid down on a rapidly‐growing foetus shows how shadow and gridiron stripes can arise. The reason why leg stripes are orthogonal to body stripes cannot however be derived from this phenomenological approach. These results suggest that a single mechanism generating equi‐spaced stripes of separation 0·4 mm could lay down the body stripes of zebras and that species differences arise from pattern formation occurring at different times in embryogenesis.
The biology and functional morphology of Claudiconcha japonica (BivaMa: Veneracea)
Authors: Morton Brian
Published: August 2009

Claudiconcha japonica Dunker 1882 is a member of the Petricolidae in which family there is a clear trend towards a tunnelling mode of life culminating in the evolution of species such as Petricola pholadiformis–a borer of soft rocks and shales–with appropriate anatomical and morphological adaptations. Such convergent adaptations recall those seen in another unrelated group of rock‐borers–the Pholadidae.

The tunnelling habit in modern petricolids undoubtedly arose from a nestling mode of life which is commonly encountered in other members of the Veneracea. Some, possibly more primitive, petricolids only have the ability to enlarge the crevice they inhabit.

C. japonica is different, however, in that for the first part of its life it is a motile (though usually found byssally attached), equivaive bivalve. With site selection, however, the margin of the right valve undergoes considerable enlargement to curl around and partially enclose the unmodified left valve. This development, associated with the selection of a crevice for permanent habitation, has no effect upon the disposition of the organs of the mantle and body cavities as in other inequivalve bivalves and they remain typically bilaterally equal.

It is impossible for C. japonica to tunnel since the secondary development of the right valve fills the chosen site and in so doing comparatively immobilizes the left valve and closes the pedal gape. Thus C. japonica and its close relatives must be considered to be on a separate line of evolution from other petricolids and it is doubtful that the present sub‐generic status of Claudiconcha is sufficient to highlight this difference. It seems more appropriate to genericize this name thereby amplifying this trend.

In other morphological respects, which are described, C. japonica is clearly a member of the Petricolidae and functional aspects of these adaptations suit the animal to a life in relatively clear waters but where nevertheless the niche tends to accumulate detritus which must be kept out of or removed from the mantle cavity.

The secondary enlargement of the right valve, associated with the selection of a suitable site for permanent habitation also appears to be associated with the onset of sexual maturity –a feature again reminiscent of the tunnelling Pholadidae.
Population structure, growth and distribution of Lingula anatina (Brachiopoda) in Queensland, Australia
Authors: Kenchington R. A. , Hammond L. S.
Published: August 2009

Size‐frequency data collected in large samples from five populations of Lingula anatina from North Queensland intertidal sandflats conformed to previously known brachiopod size‐frequency distributions. Probability paper analysis of the samples and constituent sub‐samples confirmed that all the distributions had a hidden poly‐modality resulting from a long but defined breeding season. Two patterns of annual recruitment were revealed; the first is the periodic failure of the populations to gain recruits and the second is one of patchy distribution of settlement cohorts. These patterns introduce sampling bias into the derivation of lingulid size frequency curves unless compensated by more extensive sampling methods than have previously been considered adequate. The interpretation of year classes has enabled a growth curve to be derived. The populations inhabited predominantly sandy sub‐strates and displayed aggregated distributions. Littoral distribution of the species is regarded as optimal rather than marginal.
The salt gland of the incubating Eider duck Somateria mollissima: the effects of natural salt deprivation
Authors: McArthur Patrick D. , Gorman Martyn L.
Published: August 2009

Female Eider ducks, living under natural conditions, do not drink salt water during the 26 days for which they incubate their eggs. In the course of incubation the nasal salt glands decrease in size, show a marked reduction in Na+/K+‐ATPase activity and in the rate at which they clear a salt load. The time course of these events is similar to that seen in laboratory studies on other species where salt intake is manipulated.
Age determination in the Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)–an evaluation of technique efficiency as applied to a sample of suburban foxes
Authors: Harris Stephen
Published: August 2009

A review of age determination techniques that have been applied to the family Canidae is presented. It is shown that the pattern of growth and development of the various species is very similar, the rate of development being greater in the smaller, shorter‐lived species, and vice versa.

The occurrence of annuli in the hard tissues of London foxes is demonstrated; these annuli can be used reliably for age determination, despite suggestions that temperate zone animals from weakly continental climates have indistinct annuli. The objective ages determined by cementum annuli are then used to investigate the value of less time‐consuming age determination techniques, particularly in the separation of the young‐of‐the‐year from adults. The results obtained from different studies vary, and these differences are discussed. It is suggested that the speed of development varies slightly in different Red fox populations, and so caution must be exercised before data from one population areapplied to another population.
Sub‐antarctic House mice: colonization, survival and selection
Authors: Berry* R. J. , Peters* Josephine , Aarde** R. J. Van
Published: August 2009

House mice have colonized and survived successfully on a number of Sub‐Antarctic islands, where the mean annual temperature is only about 5°C, but where there is little seasonal fluctuation in climate. Surprisingly this allows almost continuous breeding. On at least two islands (Macquarie and Marion), there are significant changes in gene frequency in electro‐phoretically detected enzymes between young (less than three months of age) and old animals from the same population. This indicates natural selection acting in opposite directions at different stages of the life cycle. However the genetical compositions of the Macquarie and Marion populations are more distinct from each other than either is from most British samples. This means that detailed studies of the Sub‐Antarctic mouse populations are likely to reveal much about local adaptation, while comparison between the responses of different populations may lead to important generalisations about the possible reaction to evolutionary challenges of a species living close to its physiological limit.
The occurrence and life history of Asymphylodora kubanicum (Platyhelminthes: Digenea: Monorchidae) in the Worcester‐Birmingham canal, with special reference to the feeding habits of the definitive host, Rutilus rutilus
Authors: Evans N. A.
Published: August 2009

Two hundred roach and over 400 molluscs were examined over a one year period to investigate the occurrence and life history of Asymphylodora kubanicum in the Worcester‐Birmingham canal. Larval stages, infective to the fish definitive host, were present in molluscs throughout the year but did not show a seasonal fluctuation in numbers. Parasites in the intestine of the roach showed a marked annual cycle of occurrence and maturation: low winter infection levels preceded a dramatic increase in infection during the spring and summer. Maturation of the parasite population was rapid during the spring and summer and in late summer and early autumn the parasites laid their eggs and subsequently died. The death of parasites after egg‐laying resulted in the low winter infection level during which time little recruitment occurred.

Roach became infected mainly in their third year when molluscs become a dominant component of their diet. Thereafter the older fishes (<2+) are all equally susceptible to infection, but the larger (older) fishes become more heavily infected because of the greater consumption of molluscs per fish. The sex of the fish made no difference to infection with the parasite.
A morphometric study of the gills in some Pacific deep‐sea fishes
Authors: Hughes G. M. , Iwai T.
Published: August 2009

A general description is given of the respiratory system of six species of fish captured at depths about 1200 metres. Measurements made on the gill filaments are given and analysed in relation to body weight. It is concluded that the relatively small total filament length is probably correlated with an inactive mode of life and low levels of oxygen consumption.
Oxygen uptake through gills and skin in relation to body weight of an air‐breathing siluroid fish, Saccobranchus (=Heteropneustes) fossilis
Authors: Munshi J. S. Datta , Pandey B. N. , Pandey P. K. , Ojha J.
Published: August 2009

Oxygen uptake through gills and skin has been measured in juvenile and adult Saccobranchus fossilis and its relationship represented by the equation Vo2=aWb. When air‐breathing is allowed the O2 uptake via the gills and skin together increases by powers of 1 ‐084, 0–986 and 1–328 in juvenile, adult and juvenile+adult respectively. When air‐breathing is prevented the slope (b) for O2 uptake via the gills appear to be less in juveniles (0–765) than in adults (0–784) and juveniles+adults together (0–814). Under the same experimental condition, the slope for O2 uptake via the gills+skin is also less in juveniles (0–478) than in adults (0–799) and juveniles+adults (0–755). Further decrease in the exponent value is found for the oxygen uptake of skin in relation to body weight under surfacing‐prevented conditions (b= 0–542). Different exponent values for juvenile and adult fishes may be due to their different growth pattern and physiology.
Observations on the regulation of sexual quiescence in juvenile and adult male Mallard (Anas platyrhyncos)
Authors: Storey Colin R. , Nicholls Trevor J.
Published: August 2009

The testicular condition of adult and juvenile Mallard drakes has been studied by exploratory laparotomy after treatment with different daily photoperiods. Juveniles reared from hatching under “long” (20L: 4D) photoperiods slowly adopt adult male plumage and become sexually mature. However, treatment with “short” (8L: 16D) photoperiods from days 21–103 of age hastens the appearance of adult plumage and increases the reproductive response when subsequently returned to long photoperiods. Adult drakes will undergo a cycle of testicular maturation and regression on long photoperiods but, in contrast to other species, do not remain sexually quiescent indefinitely while treatment with long photoperiods is continued. Some degree of similarity between juvenile and adult sexual quiescence in Mallard drakes is suggested by the data.
A comparison of the origin and temporal arrangement of pulsed sounds in the songs of the Grasshopper and Sedge warblers, Locustella naevia and Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Authors: Brackenbury JohnH.
Published: August 2009

The songs of the two British warblers Locustella naevia and Acrocephalus schoenobaenus were examined by means of oscillographic recordings. Both songs are composed of pulsed elements arranged in rhythmical successions. The song of L. naevia is simple and stereotyped consisting of a succession of paired pulses with a repetition frequency of 26 Hz. The song of A. schoenobaenus contains many different phrases each consisting of a succession of identical chirps. Chirps consist of successions of pulses, the number and repetition rate of which vary from phrase to phrase.

The songs are discussed in relation to the physiology of sound production and to the way in which information is encoded into sound signals. It is proposed that pulses are produced by the syringeal muscles, whilst the rhythm, tempo and duration of chirps and phrases are controlled by the respiratory muscles. A distinction is drawn between the action of the extrinsic syringeal muscles, which may produce low frequency pulses, and the intrinsic syringeal muscles, which may produce high frequency pulses.

The codal format in both songs is shown to be highly redundant, being based on the repetition of identical units of information. This device reduces the possibility of distortion of meaning by interference from environmental noise but limits the information carrying capacity of the code. The method of pulse coding is shown to be particularly well suited to the avian auditory system which is adapted to receiving and processing rapid transient signals. This ability is in part attributable to the fine discrimination of time and amplitude changes in the cochlea.
Metabolite‐mediated density‐dependent sex determination in a free‐living nematode, Diplenteron potohikus
Authors: Clark W. C.
Published: August 2009

The nematode Diplenteron potohikus (Yeates) (Rabditida: Diplogasteridae) shows facultative parthenogenesis: males occur, but rarely exceed 20% of the population. When reared singly in monoxenic culture with Bacillus cereus the eggs always gave rise to females. When reared at 2–50 eggs per 5 cm Petri dish up to 16% developed as males. At higher densities the proportion of males declined. Male‐determining properties could be transferred from old culture media to new media in an aqueous cell‐free leachate of the old media. The effects of this leachate could be mimicked by several indole compounds though indoles could not be detected in the leachate by thin‐layer chromatography. The addition of either indoles or leachate extended development time at 20°C by about 25%. Further effects attributed to the accumulation of the metabolite in old cultures were the inhibition of hatching of embryonated eggs, and the inhibition of the development of the posterior branch of the female reproductive system and its ovary. Both of these phenomena were reversed by transfer of the eggs, or the mature females to fresh media.

Such a pheromone‐like substance may be of value in preventing the production of males when populations are small and the probability of finding a mate is low. Thus the production of males at times when their value is low is avoided.
A preliminary study, using multivariate analysis, of a species complex of African house snakes (Boaedon fuliginosus)
Authors: Thorpe R. S. , McCarthy C. J.
Published: August 2009

systematics of Black and Lined house snakes from the Boaedon fuliginosus species complex were investigated using the limited amount of readily available material. These two forms have recently been regarded both as separate species, and as conspecific morphs. Multivariate and univariate biometrics indicate that in West Africa these two forms are separate species, B. fuliginosus (Black house snake) and B. lineatus (Lined house snake). However, in the rest of Africa these two forms appear to be the conspecific morphs of a single species which is provisionally and tentatively regarded as B. fuliginosus even though it is predominantly striped. There is evidence of “character shift” and this species complex may pose some interesting problems for the concepts of “gene pool cohesion” and “phenetic species”.
Integrated behaviour in the feeding phase of Caenorhabditis elegans (Nematoda)
Authors: Croll Neil A. , Smith James M.
Published: August 2009

Caenorhabditis elegans spends most of its life feeding. When feeding, it moves only short distances but intestinal contents are moved to and fro and thus mixed. The nematodes also defaecate and lay eggs during the feeding phase in bacterial culture. Defaecation is one of a series of events which causes the forward and backward movement of intestinal contents. These rhythmic movements, once initiated, appear to be controlled by a pacemaker and are unrelated to feeding rates. Oviposition is associated with movements of the genital tract and it can occur at any posture and does not influence the rate of other activities. After food‐deprivation, C. elegans shows no measureable hunger response on being returned to bacteria. Experiments with excised parts of worms showed that isolated anterior ends will feed both in and out of bacteria and move forward and backward. Isolated posterior halves without a pharynx or circumpharyngeal commissure will lay eggs and defaecate.
Morphometries of the respiratory organs of the Indian green snake‐headed fish, Channa punctata
Authors: Hakim A. , Munshi J. S. Datta , Hughes G. M.
Published: August 2009

Measurements of the dimensions of the different gills and the suprabranchial chambers have been made and the data analysed with respect to body weight using logarithmic transformations (Y = aWb). The slope (b) for area of the total gill surface is 0–592 and for the supra‐branchial chamber 0–696, and their combined respiratory surface: 0–623. The slope values for the surface areas of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and the 4th gill arches were 0–595,0–578,0–614 and 0–572 respectively.

The slope for secondary lamellae/mm is –0138 and that for the bilateral surface area of an average‐sized lamella 0–304.

These results indicate differences in growth patterns for the dimensions of the different gills. The growth‐related decrease in the number of secondary lamellae/mm and size of an average secondary lamella together with evidence from “drowning” experiments and diffusing capacity calculation, suggest that this fish is better adapted for aquatic respiration than Anabas or Saccobranchus. The slopes for the total respiratory surface area and gill area seem to be comparatively low in this species.
The distribution of organic cores, cones, cone junctions and pores in the egg shells of wild birds
Authors: Tyler C. , Fowler Sue
Published: August 2009

Egg shells from 14 widely different species of wild birds were examined, using collodion casts of the inside surface of the shell. Organic cores, cones, cone junctions and pores were counted and in each case measurements of nearest neighbour distances were taken. Shell thickness was also measured.

It was found that, using mean values for each egg shell, there were highly significant, and in some cases almost perfect linear relationships between core numbers, cone numbers, cone junction numbers and pore numbers on the one hand and their respective nearest neighbour distances expressed as the reciprocal of the mean of the squares of these distances on the other. The results also showed that the distribution of all four structures was not random, but had a degree of uniformity increasing up the series pores < cone junctions < cores < cones.

The following relationships were also highly significant: core and cone numbers, core and cone junction numbers, and cone and cone junction numbers. The relationship of pore numbers to any of the other three structures was of no great significance.

Shell thickness was related curvilinearly to core numbers and to cone numbers and linearly to nearest neighbour values for cones. It was also related to pore numbers.

It is suggested that, apart from pores the other three structures and their distribution all depend upon the number of cores which are the original centres of crystallization from which the shell grows. To a lesser extent shell thickness also depends upon these structures. Tentative suggestions are also made concerning the origin of the pores.
Ecological studies on Indonesian lakes. The montane lakes of Bali
Authors: Green J. , Corbet Sarah A. , Watts E. , Lan Oey Biauw
Published: August 2009

Of the two Balinese lakes revisited in 1974, 45 years after an earlier survey, the unproductive Danau Bratan, with a very low conductivity, showed changes in water chemistry and plankton composition that may reflect slight cultural eutrophication. Danau Batur, a larger lake with a very high conductivity, showed little change since 1929.

Danau Bratan is also compared with the two previously uninvestigated lakes that lie in the same caldera: Danau Buyan and Danau Tamblingan. Differences between the three lakes in this series in the stability of stratification, the composition of the plankton, the vegetation, the marginal fauna, the diets of guppies and the fisheries are discussed in relation to differences in exposure to wind and in the effects of human settlement on the shores.
Optimum walking techniques for idealized animals
Authors: Alexander R. McN. , Jayes A. S.
Published: August 2009

The vertical component of the force exerted by a foot on the ground, in the course of a step, may rise to a single maximum and decline again (as in human running) or may show two distinct maxima (as in human walking). A foot may remain on the ground for a large or small fraction of the duration of a stride. Mathematical models are used to investigate the effects of these differences of technique on the energy cost of locomotion. The optimum technique for a biped at a given speed is different from the optimum for a hypothetical many‐legged animal. The optima for quadrupedal walking are likely to lie between these extremes.

The walking techniques adopted by men at different speeds are close to the optima indicated by the bipedal model. The two maxima of the force exerted by a foot are higher, and have a lower minimum between them, at higher speeds of walking. The techniques adopted by a sheep are close to the optima indicated by the many‐legged model but dogs use techniques rather closer to the optima for bipeds.

The limitations of the models are discussed.
Studies on the biology of the Pygmy shrew Sorex minutus in the West of Ireland
Authors: Grainger Janet P. , Fairley J. S.
Published: August 2009

Pygmy shrews were snap‐trapped over one year in grassland and occasionally in other habitats. The bodies yielded data on tooth‐wear, body and skull dimensions, moulting, reproduction, food and parasites. The shrews appeared equally abundant in grassland and woodland and were more active in the day. The breeding season, population turnover, and winter body and skull regression were similar to those of other Sorex species. However, cranial regression was more marked: this may be associated with the animal's exceptionally small size. Moulting extended in autumn from August to November, and in spring from March to May, the latter in males starting earlier and perhaps lasting longer. Simultaneous and patch moults were also recorded. The litter size dropped as the breeding season progressed. The main foods were beetles, woodlice, Diptera and insect larvae; all except Diptera were eaten consistently over the year. There was a wide variety of other foods, many showing seasonal fluctuations. The commonest flea was Doratopsylla dasycnema. Palaeopsylla soricis, a common shrew‐flea, widespread in the British Isles, is at least locally absent. Pygmy shrews may be the principal host of Hystrichopsylla talpae in Ireland. Rates of infestation by the trematodes and one cestode appeared to increase as the hosts aged. The tapeworm Hymenolepis scutigera, however, was commonest in juveniles. It is postulated that Doratopsylla dasycnema is its intermediate host, allowing infection of young before they leave the nest. Sorex araneus is sympatric with Sorex minutus over most of its range, but not in Ireland. In its absence, S. minutus may have been able to exploit its niche, the apparent abundance of the latter in woodland and wider variety of food consumed providing grounds for such a hypothesis.
On leucophores and the chromatic unit of Octopus vulgaris
Authors: Froesch D. , Messenger J. B.
Published: August 2009

The leucophores of Octopus vulgaris are much branched cells bearing, all over the surface, small clubs that contain electron‐dense material of an unknown nature. Some tens of leucophores are organized to form a “sponge” in the centre of the chromatic unit, which can be elevated above the peripheral region. This central region reflects light over a broad band and may be important in camouflage.

The chromatic unit also contains iridophores and chromatophores. The latter may be yellow, orange, red or black, and the different types are interspersed among one another in a regular manner. The chromatophores are disposed in a precise way with respect to the leucophores, the black ones lying above holes in the sponge. The possible significance of this arrangement for camouflage is discussed.
A functional and phylogenetic interpretation of the skull of the Erycinae (Reptilia, Serpentes)
Authors: Rieppel Olivier
Published: August 2009

Based on skull structure, the genus Gongylophis Wagler is again placed in synonomy with the genus Eryx Daudin. Lichanura is considered to be structurally close to the early erycine stock from which Charina evolved as an early, separate off‐shoot.

Skull characters which adapt erycines to burrowing habits show clinal variation: they involve shortening of the skull and streamlining of its contours through snout depression, the development of a spatulate transverse process of the pre‐maxilla reinforced by the nasals and a specialization of the naso‐frontal joint which supports the snout. The jaws retain their mobility. Burrowing habits are a specialized feature of the Erycinae.
The natural regulation of Giant tortoise populations on Aldabra Atoll. Reproduction
Authors: Swingland Ian R. , Coe Malcolm
Published: August 2009

A two‐year reproduction study of three isolated populations of different densities of the Aldabra Giant tortoise (Geochelone giganteaSchweigger) showed dissimilarity in gonadal parameters; (i) as population density increased age at sexual maturity was delayed in males and females; (ii) although the mean number of mature follicles was similar in all populations, preovulatory follicular atresia was only found in the high density population; (iii) annual variation in preovulatory follicular atresia was dependent on rainfall and food availability; (iv) the number of clutches laid/♀/year decreased with increasing population density as did clutch size; in the high density population (and depending on rainfall) only 30–80% of the mature females bred. The discussion considered the importance of movement in determining survival/reproduction.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Senecio vulgaris sequestered and stored by Danaus plexippus
Authors: Rothschild Miriam , Edgar J. A.
Published: August 2009

Danaus plexippus reared on Asclepias curassavica, sprayed with homogenized leaves of Senecio vulgaris, were found to contain mean pyrrolizidine alkaloid concentrations of 38.8±6.08 μg/male butterfly and 16.5 ± 3–63 μg/female butterfly.
The role of carotenoids in the “golden glance” of danaid pupae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)
Authors: Rothschild Miriam , Gardiner Brian , Mummery Rosemary
Published: August 2009

Silver replaces the golden areas of danaid pupae if the larvae are reared on a carotenoid‐free diet. These pigments are therefore responsible for the yellow colouring of the “golden glance”. Lutein is the dominant carotenoid present in pupal exuviae. In response to light cues, these pigments can be re‐routed into deeper tissues, thus pupae of Euploea core become silver instead of gold if reared against a dull white background.
Weights and measurements of the Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus
Authors: Brooke M. de L.
Published: August 2009

Large numbers of Manx shearwaters were caught at night at the breeding colony on Skokholm Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Most of the birds caught were of known age. In 1973 and 1974 the weight of all age groups was highest in March and then declined to a minimum in June and July. Weight increased slightly in August. It was generally true that the older a bird was, the heavier it was in any particular month, and this effect appeared to hold good until the birds were eight to ten years old. Unlike weight, bill and wing length did not alter with age. It is suggested that, up until an age of about five or six years old, the greater weight of older birds may be due to higher feeding efficiency. This result is therefore related to hypotheses concerning the delayed onset of breeding shown by many seabirds. The seasonal pattern of weight change may reflect the severity of the prevailing feeding conditions.
Feeding mechanisms in black corals (Antipatharia)
Authors: Lewis John B.
Published: August 2009

Feeding in the Antipatharia is very similar to that of reef corals. Food capture is accomplished by the tentacles with their nematocysts, by mucus nets and strands, by directional ciliary currents, and by mesenterial filaments.
Distribution of sibling species of the Praomys (Mastomys) natalensis group in Rhodesia (Mammalia: Rodentia)
Authors: Gordon D. H.
Published: August 2009

The taxon Praomys (Mastomys) natalensis, the multimammate mouse, comprises at least two biological species in Rhodesia. Species‐specific haemoglobin phenotypes which were previously documented for sympatric populations near Salisbury are shown to apply throughout Rhodesia. Several areas of sympatry were revealed which encompassed various habitats. No hybrids for diploid number or haemoglobin phenotype were found.
Notes on the dry season roosting and foraging behaviour of Epomophorus gambianus and Rousettus aegyptiacus (Chiroptera :Pteropodidae)
Authors: Thomas Donald W. , Fenton M. Brock
Published: August 2009

We studied the movements and foraging behaviour of Epomophorus gambianus and Rousettus aegyptiacus during the dry season in Rhodesia. The nightly activity of both species was concentrated in the riparian forest where they fed on the fruits of Diospyros senensis. Epomophorus gambianus roosted during the day high in the thick canopy of Trichelia emetica or Kigelia africana along the river banks and began foraging, each one in a preferred D. senensis shrub, before 1845 hrs. Rousettus aegyptiacus arrived in the study area approximately one hour later and appeared to forage in groups. The temporal separation of the feeding times of the two species of bats may provide a basis for the partitioning of a single species food resource.
Observations on the locomotion of two British terrestrial planarians (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida)
Authors: Jones H. D.
Published: August 2009

The locomotion of Microplana terrestris and of M. britannicus is described. Forward locomotion is normally by means of cilia which are confined to the ventral surface of the animals. M. terrestris may however involve stationary peristaltic waves in locomotion. In this case neither muscular nor ciliary forces can alone account for the locomotion and it is necessary that the two mechanisms are combined. Such stationary waves should be distinguished from retrograde and direct locomotory waves. Reversal in both species is by retrograde muscular waves.
Cupular sense organs in Ciona (Tunicata: Ascidiacea)
Authors: Bone Q. , Ryan K. P.
Published: August 2009

The cupular organs of the atrial (exhalent) siphon of Ciona have been studied with scanning and transmission microscopy and are shown to resemble those of the vertebrate acoustico‐lateralis system in several respects. The sensory cells are ciliated, and their cilia are apparently non‐motile, having a modified inner tubular array. These cells lie amongst supporting cells that probably secrete the cupula, which is composed of polysaccharide and proteins as is the test. Ciona is sensitive to near‐field vibrations, even after the brain has been removed; the significance of this observation and of the arrangement of the cupular organs is discussed. It is concluded that the tunicates show a suitable morphological starting point for the vertebrate acoustico‐lateralis system.
Spirorbidae (Polychaeta Sedentaria) from Alaska to Panama
Authors: Knight‐Jones Phyllis , Knight‐Jones E. W. , Dales R. Phillips
Published: August 2009

About 30 species are described, with keys for identification and notes on distribution. The chief genera are Pileolaria and Spirorbis with 12 and 5 species respectively, of which nearly half appear to be endemic. Endemic species are mostly centred in California, where seasonal changes in sea temperature are minimal. The remainder fall into two groups each of nine species, a northern group of Circeinae, Pileolaria (Jugaria) and Sinistrella species and a southern group comprising other Pileolaria subgenera, Spirorbis, Protolaeospira and Janua. The two groups overlap to some extent and all their species extend to the W. Pacific or other oceans, the northern forms via the Arctic, the others apparently through transport by shipping.
Biological observations on the crater lakes of Jebel Marra, Sudan
Authors: Green J. , Moghraby A. I. el , Ali O. M. M.
Published: August 2009

Two lakes lie in a caldera at the top of Jebel Marra. One is shallow and highly saline, with a dense bloom of planktonic blue‐green algae and a zooplankton consisting entirely of rotifers. The other is over 100 metres deep, is less saline, with a sparse phytoplankton of diatoms, and the dominant zooplankter is Eucyclops gibsoni. The marginal fauna of the deep lake includes a number of widespread insects, but is unusual in that it includes an aquatic glowworm (Family Lampyridae).

In the shallow lake there is a superabundance of oxygen in the upper two metres, but no oxygen below six metres, except when strong winds mix the lake so that there is then about 40% saturation throughout the water column. In the deep lake it was found that after strong winds there was only about 12% saturation in the top 30 metres of water. The restricted fauna of these lakes appears to be a result of the combined effects of isolation, salinity and a variable oxygen regime.
Prey selection by young trout fry (Salmo trutta)
Authors: Fahy Edward
Published: August 2009

Factors influencing the choice of invertebrate food by early feeding trout are sought, special attention being given to the dimensions of the prey. The stomach contents of fish of similar age feeding on lake plankton and drifting stream fauna are compared. Little consistent preference was displayed for the smaller planktonic organisms but prey size was of importance in the distribution of stream benthos among predators of different lengths. The width of the prey was of greater significance to selection than the mean volume or the area of the largest surface of the food items. When the fish were in obvious competition for food the correlation between predator length and all prey dimensions improved.
The salivary papilla of Octopus as an accessory radula for drilling shells
Authors: Nixon Marion
Published: August 2009

Removal of much of the functional region of the radula of Octopus vulgaris does not prevent the animal from drilling holes in mollusc shells. These drilling activities are carried out by a salivary papilla that lies just below the radula. The papilla is muscular and its anterior face is covered with very small teeth. It is now possible to say that the salivary papilla can function as an accessory radula.
Sexual maturity and breeding season of the badger, Meles meles in Sweden
Authors: Ahnlund Hans
Published: August 2009

The paper describes the seasonal sexual activity of badgers collected in central Sweden. Ovulation‐ and pregnancy rates were determined for females in different age classes and males were examined for testis weight and occurrence of spermatozoa.
Early post‐natal growth and behavioural development in the Burmese house rat, Rattus exulans
Authors: Brooks Joe E. , Htun Pe Than
Published: August 2009

Post‐natal growth of Rattus exulans was observed in 30 litters born from wild‐caught females. Detailed observations of behavioural development were made on 10 litters. The physical development of the young is described and weight and length increases analyzed. Litter size varied from two to six with a mean of 3.6 ± 0.21. Major behavioural changes correlated closely with patterns of physical development. These changes occurred at 5, 15 and 22 days, and divide the post‐natal development into the neonatal (0–4 days), transitional 5–14 days), socialization (15–22 days) and juvenile periods (23 days to sexual maturity). The patterns of development in Rattus exulans were considered conservative, not specialized, which is of obvious advantage to a commensal rodent and account, in part, for the success of the species as a colonizer of islands over a vast area of the Pacific.
Activity patterns of Pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in north‐east Scotland
Authors: Swift Susan M.
Published: August 2009

Pipistrellus pipistrellus emerge from their nursery roosts in north‐east Scotland about 35 minutes after sunset, at light intensities of between 15 and 35 lux. Cloud cover, windspeed, ambient temperature, rain, light mist and moonlight have no apparent effect on the time or pattern of emergence. Throughout pregnancy and lactation, emergence lasts for about an hour. After weaning, when the adult females have left the roost, their young take about 40 minutes to emerge. The average rate of initial emergence is proportional to colony size, and the maximum rate of emergence occurs half way through the exodus.

During pregnancy in May and June most bats leave the roost once each night soon after dusk and return between midnight and dawn. After parturition in late June the activity pattern becomes bimodal and the numbers of bats outside the roost show peaks after dusk and immediately before dawn. There is intermittent activity in the vicinity of the roost all night and bats make two or three flights each night. After weaning in August the activity pattern gradually ceases to be bimodal, and the number of flights per bat falls to between one and two. The average time spent outside the roost varies between 2–5 and 5 hours during the summer. The recorded activity patterns of night‐flying insects are all bimodal, with peaks after dusk and before dawn, corresponding with the maximum number of bats outside the roost during lactation.
Rhythmic egg‐release in Littorina littorea (Mollusca: Gastropoda)
Authors: Alifierakis N. S. , Berry . J.
Published: August 2009

Batches of female Littorina littorea from four estuarine sites were kept in aquaria throughout their breeding season (December to July), some permanently submerged in circulating sea‐water and others in a regime of simulated semi‐diurnal tides of constant small amplitude. Females without the tidal experience released few eggs with little relation to the lunar month. Those in the tidal regime released more than four times the total number of eggs and released far more in periods of new and full moon than in periods of half‐moon. Over the whole season, release was 1–5–3–25 times faster (at different sites) during full and new moon but the difference was more accentuated at the height of the season in February to early March and in early May. While individual females differed considerably and there were minor variations between the four sites, it is concluded that a two‐weekly rhythm relates egg release to the spring‐neap tide cycle and that this rhythm requires a tidal cycle of immersion and emersion for its maintenance. The special significance of such a rhythm for a species with pelagic eggs and larvae in an estuary is discussed.
Primates, brains and ecology
Authors: Clutton‐Brock T. H. , Harvey Paul H.
Published: August 2009

The paper examines systematic relationships among primates between brain size (relative to body size) and differences in ecology and social system. Marked differences in relative brain size exist between families. These are correlated with inter‐family differences in body size and home range size. Variation in comparative brain size within families is related to diet (folivores have comparatively smaller brains than frugivores), home range size and possibly also to breeding system. The adaptive significance of these relationships is discussed.
Population ecology of Tatera leucogaster (Rodentia) in southern Zambia
Authors: Chidumayo E. N.
Published: August 2009

A population of bush gerbils, Tatera leucogaster Peters, near Livingstone in southern Zambia was studied from January 1974 to December 1976. The population went through a peak, decline and was in a low phase at the end of the study.

Prior to and during the peak phase in 1974 the breeding season lasted for nine months but during the year of decline breeding occurred for only four months. There was also a decline in the reproductive effort of subadults and adults during the year of decreasing numbers. The sex ratio was significantly biased for females prior to realization of peak numbers.

Post‐weaning mortality had the strongest impact on changes in numbers. Post‐weaning and later survival was very good (over 60 %) during the population peak but was poor (under 40%) during the decline phase.
Observations and speculations on the alate processes of the ascidicolous copepod Notopterophoms papilio (Cyclopoida: Notodelphyidae)
Authors: Gotto R. V. , Threadgold L. T.
Published: August 2009

The alate processes (“wings”) of the notodelphyid copepod Notopterophoms papilio Hesse have been studied at light microscope and electron microscope (scanning and transmission) level. General cuticular structure and three integumental organs occurring on the wings are described. These latter comprise a glandular pore, a bulb‐like protrusion and a long, hair‐like seta. It is suggested that all three may be concerned with maximising naupliar release and safe extrusion of young from the potentially hazardous confines of the ascidian host's pharynx. The proposed mechanism involves rheoreception and the detection of small changes in hydrostatic pressure through the medium of electrode action in the cuticle.
Comparative growth of wild male and female lions (Panthera leo)
Authors: Smuts G. L. , Robinson G. A. , Whyte I. J.
Published: August 2009

Lion growth was studied by fitting sex specific Von Bertalanffy curves and linear regressions to data on body mass, heart girth, shoulder height and vertebral column length. Measurements were recorded for 344 lions (Panthera leo) (158 ♂♂ and 186 ♀♀), from Kruger National Park, South Africa. Growth in mass for males and females was linear up to about 36 months of age 0 = 0–98 and 0–99 respectively). The other age‐specific measurements were clearly curvilinear. Mean weights for adult lions (excluding stomach contents) were 187–5 kg (♂♂) and 124–2 kg (♀♀) respectively. Lions tended to continue growing up to about seven years in males and nine to 10 years in females after which they usually started to lose condition. Body mass and heart girth measurements of Kruger Park lions were compared with samples from three other populations. These showed that lions from East Africa were smaller than those from more southern populations in Rhodesia, Kalahari and Kruger Park.