bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Koyukon Bear Party and the "Bare Facts" of Ritual
Authors: Ray Benjamin C.
Published: April 2008

Jonathan Smith's recent interpretation of the classic "bear festival" among northern hunters is examined, together with his more general theory of ritual. Smith's interpretation of the bear festival is shown to be unfounded. The paper also investigates the well-documented bear rituals of the Koyukon of Alaska in light of Smith's general theory of ritual. Viewed in the context of other theories of ritual as symbolic action (those of Geertz, Douglas, Valeri, Turner, Eliade), Smith's theory is found to be unsuited to the task of understanding the meaning and significance of Koyukon bear rituals. The paper argues that the interpretation of ritual requires the investigator to attend to the ritualist's notion of reality and to grasp how his beliefs and actions are fitted to it. The investigator should be concerned with questions of meaning not empirical validity, as the problem of understanding ritual is a semantic and semiotic one, analogous to understanding the cognitive and performative uses of a language. The magical or instrumental aspect of the Koyukon bear rituals is also dealt with as an instance of performative language.
"Zen Is Not Buddhism" Recent Japanese Critiques of Buddha-Nature
Authors: Swanson Paul L.
Published: April 2008

Hongaku shisō, the idea that all beings are "inherently" enlightened, is an almost universal assumption in the Japanese Buddhist tradition. This idea also played an important role in the indigenization of Buddhism in Japan and in the development of the syncretistic religious ethos that underlies Japanese society. Through most of Japanese history, the idea of the inherent enlightenment (including non-sentient beings suchs as plants and rocks-which expanded to include assumptions such as the non-differentiation between "indigenous" kami and the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and the transcendence of all dualities (including good and evil) as an ideal-was pervasive and unquestioned in much of Japanese religious activity and thought. Recently some Japanese Buddhist scholars, notably Hakamaya Noriaki and Matsumoto Shiro of the Sōtō Zen sect Komazawa University, have questioned the legitimacy of this ethos, claiming that it is antithetical to basic Buddhist ideas such as anātman ("no-self"), and that it is the source of many social problems in Japan. They call for a conscious recognition and rejection of this ethos, and a return to "true Buddhism." After presenting a brief outline of the history and significance of these ideas in Japan, Hakamaya and Matsumoto's critique is explained and examined. Some of the academic and social reactions to this critique are also explored.
Anthropological Approaches To the Study of African Religions
Authors: Bourdillon M.F.C.
Published: April 2008

This paper arose from a presentation to an I.H.A.R. conference on the study of religions in Africa. The paper looks at lessons that might be learned from social anthropologists for the study of African religions. I start by looking at problems in collecting data: there are the limitations of the observer's point of view, the pervasiveness of relations of power between observer and observed, and limitations even of the views of members of the society we might wish to study. Post-modernist anthropologists emphasise the need for sensitivity to the perspectives of their subjects, which requires long immersion in the culture concerned together with an awareness of the limitations of the anthropologist's own perspective. This in turn requires a style of presentation which gives space to informants' perspectives, and which clearly displays the anthropologist's role in the collection and interpretation of data. The paper points out that although this style of presentation has advantages for the interpretation of other religions, it does not pay attention to causal connections between religion and other social phenomena, which can have important consequences for the people concerned. Finally, the paper delves into problems of relativism in the study of religions, and questions both the possibility and the desirability of value-free academic discourse. The problem of avoiding ethnocentricism in the study of religions cannot be avoided simply by abstaining from judgement.
Religion: Shape and Shadow
Authors: Pye Michael
Published: April 2008

This paper gives the verbatim text of an inaugural lecture given at Lancaster University in May 1992. The first part distinguishes between the "shape" of religion as reflective observers seek to discern it and the shadow cast upon it by the assumptions of the various religions themselves. The second part offers a new view of the "shape" of contemporary Japanese religion, in order briefly to illustrate what is meant by discernment of the shape of religion. The third part sets out a view of Religious Studies for universities which takes account both of the plurality of religions and, without adopting any particular religious stance, of the complexity of questions which arise. A reliable characterization of the phenomena and a steady discernment of the shape of religion are seen as necessary prerequisites for the wider range of explanation, analysis and comment which also have their place. Any threat of control by religions themselves should however be averted.
On Dreams 2, 459b24-460a33, and Aristotle's
Authors: Preus Anthony
Published: April 2008

Block's hypothesis concerning the order of Aristotle's psychological writings can be defended against a criticism which arises from Lulofs' interpretation of Insomn. 2, 459b24-460a33. Such a defence results in the discovery of possible purely physiological senses of words heretofore thought essentially psychological.
Corpulent Cattle and Milk Machines: Nature, Art and the Ideal Type
Authors: Quinn Michael S.
Published: April 2008

The concept of a "breed" of domestic cattle is predominantly a social construct. The late eighteenth century development of intensive selective (in)breeding of livestock produced breeds that were visually distinguishable from each other. The adoption of breed standards was facilitated in part through paintings and drawings of idealized animals. These "ideal types" or "standards of perfection" further served as targets for breeders who attempted to achieve the artist's conception of the perfect animal. However, concepts of perfection change with fashion and thus ideal types constitute moving targets.
Biting the Hand that Heals You: Encounters with Problematic Patients in a General Veterinary Practice
Authors: Sanders Clinton R.
Published: April 2008

This discussion focuses on veterinary practice as a form of service delivery. Based on data collected during a year of participant observation in a major veterinary hospital in the northeast, the paper examines the criteria veterinarians routinely used to define nonhuman patients as problematic and the means they employed to deal with troublesome animals. The conclusion frames veterinarians' tactics for evaluating and controlling patients within the larger context of how rule-breakers are identified in everyday interactional settings and the routine approaches used in the exercise of social control.
Reflections on Rocky
Authors: Holbrook Morris B.
Published: April 2008

This paper applies an approach that the author calls Subjective Personal Introspection (SPI) to the self-reflective examination, inward-looking understanding, and impressionistic evocation of his own consumption experiences as the keeper of a kitten named Rocky Raccoon. Three-dimensional photographs in the form of stereo pairs provide corroborative evidence for the interpretations suggested. In this reflexive, anecdotal, narrative account, Rocky the Cat emerges as a focal point in the author's experiential consumption.
Lloyd Morgan, and the Rise and Fall of "Animal Psychology"
Authors: Costall Alan
Published: April 2008

Whereas Darwin insisted upon the continuity of human and nonhuman animals, more recent students of animal behavior have largely assumed discontinuity. Lloyd Morgan was a pivotal figure in this transformation. His "canon, " although intended to underpin a psychological approach to animals, has been persistently misunderstood to be a stark prohibition of anthropomorphic description. His extension to animals of the terms "behavior" and "trial-and-error, " previously restricted to human psychology, again largely unwittingly devalued their original meaning and widened the gulf between animals and humans. His insistence that knowledge of animal psychology could be trusted solely to "qualified" observers initiated the exclusion from science of the informal and intimate knowledge of animals gained by pet owners, animal trainers, and other scientific outsiders. The presumption, however, that animals, in contrast to people. are to be understood solely as "strangers, " begs, rather than addresses, the question of animal-human continuity.
Herpetofauna Pet-Keeping by Secondary School Students: Causes for Concern
Authors: Bride Ian
Published: April 2008

This study of the patterns of the keeping of herpetofauna animals and associated animal welfare issues among secondary school pupils in the United Kingdom suggests that a large proportion of the animals kept as companion animals by this group are indigenous species. In comparison with purchased species, these captured animals, even those normally long-lived, appear to suffer a high rate of mortality. Relatively large numbers of escape- and food-related deaths among these animals imply that many are not furnished with suitable vivaria or adequate care. Traded reptile and amphibian species were reported to have been kept by nearly 40% of the students who said they had kept herpetofauna, and the proportions of most taxa reflected their availability in shops. Data concerning students' opinions about their own care-knowledge appeared to support the general conclusion that students have much to learn about keeping reptiles and amphibians. These findings are considered in relation to issues of animnl welfare and herpetofauna conservation. Their ramifications for school-based education about reptiles and amphibians are also discussed.
No Animal Food: The Road to Veganism in Britain, 1909-1944
Authors: Leneman Leah
Published: April 2008

There were individuals in the vegetarian movement in Britain who believed that to refrain from eating flesh, fowl, and fish while continuing to partake of dairy products and eggs was not going far enough. Between 1909 and 1912, The Vegetarian Society's journal published a vigorous correspondence on this subject. In 1910, a publisher brought out a cookery book entitled, No Animal Food. After World War I, the debate continued within the Vegetarian Society about the acceptability of animal by-products. It centered on issues of cruelty and health as well as on consistency versus expediency. The Society saw its function as one of persuading as many people as possible to give up slaughterhouse products and also refused journal space to those who abjured dairy products. The year 1944 saw the word "vergan" coined and the breakaway Vegan Society formed.
Functions of Repetitive Talk to Dogs during Play: Control, Conversation, or Planning?
Authors: Mitchell Robert W. , Edmonson Elizabeth
Published: April 2008

This study describes people's repetitive talk when playing with dogs and explores three hypotheses about that talk. Each of 23 people played with two dogs (one familiar, one unfamiliar). Videorecorded participants spoke about 208 words per interaction. Of all words used, eight accounted for more than 50%. Phrases most frequently used and repeated were "come on" and "come here. " In decreasing order of frequency, sentences ranged from imperatives to attention-getting devices, declaratives about the dogs, and questions. Additional declaratives and talk for the dog rarely occurred. Data support the conclusion that repetitive talk to dogs during play has some conversational aspects, but mostly attempts to control the dog. Little evidence exists for "on-line" planning in talk to dogs.
The Negeb Script
Authors: Birnbaum S.A.
Published: April 2008

To sum up: From some time in the second half of the 1st cBCE to the Bar Kokhba War (132-135) there existed a Jewish script which contained Hebrew and Nabataean elements. The Murabba'at finds show that there was close contact between Jews and Nabataeans in, presumably, the north-eastern corner of the Negeb. Palaeographically, the documents in this alphabet appear to indicate that the new script came into being in the second half of the 1st cBCE, through the influence of the Nabataean on Hebrew script. The period of amalgamation seems to have been of short duration. As to the further fate of Neg, it seems reasonable to assume that the upheaval caused by the Bar Kokhba War resulted in the dispersal of those who used this writing, and that after the loss of its territorial base the Negeb script would have had no possibility of remaining alive.
The Use of Statistical Methods in Old Testament Studies
Authors: Bee Ronald E.
Published: April 2008

The author has devised or selected statistical methods which are well adapted for the purpose of analysing the Masoretic Text of the Old Testament into units and classifying those units. These methods are intended for use in conjunction with the classical methods of investigation of the text rather than in isolation and differ radically from the methods which have hitherto been applied in authorship studies. The present paper offers a non-technical (and to that extent incomplete) exposition of these statistical methods and of the ideas on which they are based, together with a summary of the results so far obtained by their application.
Buridan, Albert of Saxony and Oresme, and a Fourteenth-century Collection of Quaestiones on the Physics and on De Generatione et Corruptione. 1
Authors: Thijssen J.M.M.H.
Published: April 2008

By way of conclusion we may add the following three items to A. Maier's and G. Federici-Vescovini's investigations: 1. The Questiones super libris Physicorum in the ms. Cesena, B. Malatestiana S.VIII.5 have been incorrectly attributed to John Buridan. Their real author is Albert of Saxony. 2. The ms. Cesena, B. Malatestiana S.VIII.5 ff. 4ra-4vb contains the Prologue and the tabula questionum of the Questions on De gen. et corr., whereas the ms. Vat. lat. 3097 ff. 103ra-146rb has the complete text. This Prologue and the questions 1 and 3 can also be found in Vat. lat. 2185 ff. 50ra-50vb. This text certainly cannot be considered as another copy of Buridan's well known Questions on De gen. et corr. Neither is it certain that Nicole Oresme is their author, as A. Maier seems to believe. There are indications pointing in the direction of a redaction other than the one known, of Buridan's Questions. In any case this possibility cannot be ruled out by the material that has been presented here. 3. The ms. Cesena, B. Malatestiana S.VIII.5 has at one time had the same owner as the codices Vat. lat. 2159, 2160, 2185 and 3066, and the codices Cesena, B. Malatestiana S.VII.5 and S.VIII.2. This owner was in all probability Bernardus a Campanea of Verona, a physician.
Earth's Insights ... and Inadequacies
Authors: Eaton Heather
Published: April 2008

The ecological wisdom from cross-cultural and religious insights provides needed historical references, guidance and ethical ideals for the ecological crisis. However, while supporting the project undertaken in Earth's Insights, this article challenges the tools used to develop a postmodern worldview. The lack of adequate discussions about the postmodern discourses, the new science, a universal¸ postmodern worldview, and the infusing of cross-cultural ecological ethics into such a worldview, leave the project vulnerable and utopian.
Loving the World as Our Own Body: The Nondualist Ethics of Taoism, Buddhism and Deep Ecology
Authors: Loy David R.
Published: April 2008

The ecological problem seems to be the perennial personal problem writ large: a consequence of the alienation between myself and the world I find myself 'in'. If so, the solutions we seek require a more nondual relationship with the objectified other. Asian philosophical and religious traditions have much to say about the nonduality of subject and object. This paper discusses and compares the relevant insights of Taoism, Buddhism and deep ecology.
Bioregionalism- a Misplaced Project?
Authors: Brennan Andrew
Published: April 2008

In response to what postmodern thinkers have called 'homelessness' and to the increasing destruction of the natural environment, some thinkers have suggested that humans should organise themselves into bioregional communities. These communities will be self-governing, relatively autonomous, small groups based on watersheds, river drainages, lakeshores, or other bioregional features. Their core values will be identification with, and care for, the land. I explore a form of this viewpoint, called 'homely bioregionalism'. I argue that this position has little real connection with postmodern thoughts on place and home, it has totalitarian overtones and, even when interpreted as an empirical recommendation, incorporates an optimistic and romanticised conception of 'home'. The phenomenon of ignoring or denying our environmental surroundings is, I argue, a real one, and can be called 'bioregional denial'. Homely bioregionalism, however, does not constitute a workable alternative to bioregional denial.
Wildflowers, Nationalism and the Swedish Law of Commons
Authors: Dahl Gudrun
Published: April 2008

In post-war Sweden, overt demonstrations of political nationalism have been considered bad taste. In middle-class culture, the construction and emotional charging of Swedishness have instead taken place in terms of an idiom of love for nature. Conceptions of freedom and equality are by this idiom tied up with symbolic references to childhood and to the flora of forests and meadows. The Swedish 'Every Man's Law' regulating access to flowers and berries and mobility in the natural landscape in this context comes to stand as a central national symbol.
Letting the World Grow Old: An Ethos of Countermodernity1
Authors: Mathews Freya
Published: April 2008

'Nature' may be understood, for environmental purposes, as whatever happens when we, or other agents under the direction of abstract thought, let things be. From this point of view it is accordingly never too late to 'return to nature'. To do so is not to restore a lost set of things or attributes, but rather to allow a certain process to begin anew. This process recommences whenever that which already exists - whether it be of nonhuman or human provenance - is permitted to endure. 'Environmentalism' is thus conceived in broadly Taoist rather than ecological terms, as involving the affirmation of the given.
Sur l'existence de soins parentaux chez Euproctus montanus (Urodela, Salamandridae)
Authors: Alcher Marc
Published: April 2008

Eggs of the Urodele Euproctus montanus were discovered in a torrent in the forest of Zonza (Corsica). Our observations lead to the conclusion that egg-laying in this species takes place in agrouped manner both in space in time, and that the females stay close to their eggs during the embryonic development. Both these characters distinguish this species within its genus and suggest the possible existence of parental care.
The Balearic toad (Bufo viridis balearicus (BOETTGER, 1881)), human bronze age culture, and Mediterranean biogeography
Authors: Hemmer Helmut , Kadel Beate , Kadel Karl
Published: April 2008

Microcomplement fixation analysis of albumin relationship shows that the Balearic green toad (Bufo viridis balearicus) is not an original, autochthonous member of the basically Miocene fauna of these western Mediterranean islands, but a quite recent newcomer. The plasma protein pattern clearly points to its close populational relationship to the Tyrrhenian islands' conspecifics. The male and female release vocalization shows the same, and this is in accordance with the external morphology too. There has been no possibility for toads to reach the Balearic Islands in Pleistocene or Holocene via land bridges, nor are they candidates for any sea drifting. Anthropogenic introduction must be assumed. This corresponds to its clear subfossil documentation beginning in the bronze age Talayot culture that shows connexions to the Sardinian one. Deliberate introduction for mythological reasons is discussed. The Balearic amphibian fauna has been greatly changed by human activities, to which can be attributed the existence ofthree of the four species actually living there. Studies on the origin of members of the herpetofauna in any Mediterranean island system or coastal region must pay more attention to this possibility in future.
Mosaic pigment cells in the dermis of the toad, Bufo bufo (L.) (Amphibia, Anura)
Authors: Greven Hartmut , Verhaagh Manfred
Published: April 2008

The dermis of the common toad (Bufo bufo) contains three types of chromatophores (xanthophores, iridophores, melanophores) characterized by their own specific pigmented granules. Beyond that, chromatophores with mixed populations of granules, i. e. xanthophores and iridophores containing few melanosomes and a type of cromatophore, which has large amounts of melanosomes plus pterinosomes, have been found. Granules occur regularly in xanthophores consisting of a melanosom, which is surrounded by concentric lamellae typical for pterinosomes.
Hyla elkejungingerae, ein neuer Hylide aus dem peruanischen Regenwald (Amphibia: Salientia: Hylidae)
Authors: Henle Klaus
Published: April 2008

Hyla elkejungingerae, a new species ofhylid frogs from El Boqueron/Peru, is highly adapted to an arboreal life. As H. elkejungingerae has tadpoles of a moderately adapted stream-type - a feature which is very rare among South American hylids-and does not resemble morphologically any of them, it is placed in a species group of its own. Tadpoles in the last developmental stages are able to climb on upright plantstems out of the water.
The call of the Aldabra tortoise (Geochelone gigantea) (Reptilia, Testudinidae)
Authors: Frazier J. , Peters G.
Published: April 2008

Mating male Aldabra tortoises (Geochelone gigantea) emit loud, deep-pitched calls or "groans" while mounted. A bout of 34 groans was recorded and analyzed oscillographically and spectrographically. The sound energy occurs in periodic waves and there is no evidence of regularly pulsed energy. Calls are relatively stereotyped, with at least seven partial tones that range from 0.26 to 0.80 kHz. Only three tones occur throughout each call and in all calls, and these three have a harmonic relationship. More than half of the duration of the call, averaging 64 %, consists of a steady decrease in frequency, which occurs at the end. The beginnings of calls have the most energy, especially in the deepest tone, but there is considerable variation in the pattern of amplitude modulation. Call length and duration of the pauses between calls are relatively stereotyped, averaging 0.47 and 3.86 seconds, respectively. Movements made during "groan-thrusting" may be related to sound production, but the structures involved in the production, modulation, and resonance of the call are unknown. As the majority of the groan is apparently within the frequency range of highest auditory sensitivity for tortoises, there is an excellent chance that the sounds are perceived by the female, possibly intimidating her and facilitating mounting. Sounds are made by mating tortoises of a variety of species, and it would be interesting to know how these behaviors evolved.
The Present Status of Mertensiella caucasica (WAGA, 1876) (Urodela: Salamandridae) in Northeastern Anatolia
Authors: Atatür Mehmet K. , Budak Abidin
Published: April 2008

Mertensiella caucasica specimens, collected from various parts of northeastern Anatolia, are compared statistically and from the point of view of their pattern and coloration. While no significant taxonomic differences were detected between the samples of different populations, the range diagrams, constructed from several body ratios, show a marked difference between the adult males, adult females, sub-adults, juveniles and larvae of the same population.
Cyrtodactylus kotschyi (STEINDACHNER 1870) in the Santorin archipelago
Authors: Tiedemann Franz , Häupl Michael
Published: April 2008

For the first time proof is given of the existence of the Aegean Bogenfingergecko (Cyrtodactylus kotschyi) on the islands of Thirasia and Thira in the Santorin archipelago. A brief survey of the herpetological research work concerning this archipelago is provided. The collected material was biometrically analysed. As a result of this investigation the specimens of both islands are to be allocated taxonomically to the transition form saronicus x solerii.
Primeros datos sobre la duración del periodo de incubacion de los huevos de Tarentola mauritanica en Cordoba (sur de España)
Authors: Lopez-Jurado L.F. , Ruiz M. , Gallego J.
Published: April 2008

The time it takes the Tarentola mauritanica eggs to hatch in a locality in the South of Spain, counted from the moment of laying, has been much less than quoted in this respect so far for this species. The following results have been obtained: 4, 5, 8, 10 and 12 days (maximum). The possible generalization of this reproductive strategy is being discussed, as well as the possible advantages that it presents over the classical oviparity model.
Ovarian cycle of the lizard Agama stellio stellio
Authors: Loumbourdis N.S. , Kattoulas M.E.
Published: April 2008

The ovarian cycle of Agama stellio stellio was investigated. Oocytes present in the ovary are largest in May. Yolk deposition is completed in 5-6 weeks. Oviducal females were present over a 40 days period. The mean clutch size is 8.1 eggs. The number of clutces produced per year is 1 and rarely 2. There is no interuterine migration of eggs.
Relations between temperature and incubation time for eggs of the Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis L.)
Authors: Kjaergaard Jensen Jan
Published: April 2008

In connection with descriptions of incubation of reptile eggs it is often stated that the time of incubation depends on the temperature (ex. PORTER 1972). BLANCHARD and BLANCHARD (1941) inform about the connection between temperature and time of birth for garter snake (Thamnopsis sirtalis), but most other information is of more general character. In this experiment it is tried to determine the connections between temperature and time of hatching for an egg-laying species: Lacerta agilis L.
Chromosome Uniformity in Lacertidae: New Data on four Italian Species
Authors: Capula Massimo , Nascetti Giuseppe , Capanna Ernesto
Published: April 2008

The chromosome complements of Podarcis filfolensis, P. tiliguerta, P. wagleriana and Archaeolacerta bedriagae were analyzed in bone marrow somatic mitoses as well as in meiotic diakinesis. All four species are characterized by the typical lacertid karyotype consisting of 38 chromosomes (36 acrocentric macrochromosomes plus 2 microchromosomes). Adaptive stability of karyotypes, as a result ofa canalization process of chromosomal evolution, and absence of complex social behaviour promoting population subdivision and inbreeding, are the evolutionary factors presumably correlated with the remarkable conservativeness of karyotype observed within the family Lacertidae.
Food and feeding habits of Triturus vulgaris (L.) and T. cristatus (LAURENTI) (Amphibia) in two bog tarns in central Norway
Authors: Dolmen Dag , Koksvik Jan Ivar
Published: April 2008

The diets oftwo sympatric species of newts, Triturus vulgaris(L.) and T. cristatus(LAURENTI), from two localities in central Norway, have been compared. Adult T. vulgaris ate mainly those Cladocera which can be classified as planktonic, and to a lesser degree those which are predominantly benthic. The food of T. cristatus was predominantly benthic invertebrates and Cladocera associated with the bottom. T. vulgaris larvae ate planktonic - and predominantly benthic Cladocera, and to a certain degree also larger benthic invertebrates, while T. cristatus larvae (July-August) had taken almost exclusively Cladocera, 75% of which can be classified as planktonic. Large T. cristatus larvae (in September) had eaten relatively more benthic prey. These data would fit the hypothesis that the modes of feeding of the species are different: Adult T. vulgaris swim about in the water much of the time, while T. cristatus stay on the bottom. Among the young, T. vulgaris larvae are mainly associated with the bottom, while T. cristatus larvae are definitely more nektonic during most of the summer; large T. cristatus larvae, however, when nearing the time for metamorphosis, become benthic.
On the Sexual Behaviour of Paramesotriton caudopunctatus (LIU & Hu) (Amphibia: Caudata: Salamandridae)
Authors: Sparreboom Max
Published: April 2008

In its general pattern, courtship of Paramesotriton caudopunctatus is similar to that of Triturus species. The male courts a female by making fanning movements with his tail. When the female's response is positive, she follows the male. The male deposits a spermmass, which remains sticking to the cloaca of the female, when she creeps over it. P. caudopunctatus displays only one type of tailmovement: the'fanning'. The tip of the male's tail, which is marked with a bright spot, probably plays a role in courtship as a visual stimulator. At the time of oviposition the female's cloaca is swollen. The eggs are mounted in clefts and hollows in or between stones.
Threats to Mediterranean (West Palaearctic) tortoises and their effects on wild populations: an overview
Authors: Lambert M.R.K.
Published: April 2008

The species and subspecies of W Palaearctic tortoises include six, which are widespread in southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, and four with restricted ranges in the Mediterranean region. The Central Asian Testudo (Agrionemys) horsfieldii GRAY overlaps with Testudo graeca zarudnyiNIKOLSKY in Iran and Afghanistan. The distributions of the remainder border the Mediterranean Sea. Their survival is threatened directly or indirectly by human activity over many years and include habitat destruction (urbanization, touristic development, road-building, scrubland fires and agriculture), bulk pet and food trade collection for export to NW Europe (Testudo graeca graeca L., Testudo graeca ibera PAL-LAS, Testudo hermanni hermanni GMELIN, T. (A.) horsfieldii and sometimes Testudo marginata SCHOEPFF), isolation of populations with restricted ranges (Testudo hermanni robertmertensiWERMUTH, Testudo (Pseudotestudo) kleinmanni LORTET, T. marginata and Testudo graeca floweri BODENHEIMER), and desertification, especially in the Saharan encroachment zone of northern Africa from wood burning, animal grazing and rainfall decrease (T. g. graeca and T. (P.) kleinmanni). A circum-Mediterranean investigation would establish the population status of all species and their habitats. Countries of the Council of Europe and European Economic Community by ratifying C.I.T.E.S. (Washington Convention 1973) have established the extent of the bulk trade. This should only be allowed in captive-bred animals which, like other domestic pets, could be commercially farmed, probably by necessity in the Mediterranean bioclimatic zone.
Silane treatment of silicate fillers-II
Authors: Strle M. , Kurbus B. , Pejovnik S. , Kadivec I.
Published: April 2008

The second part of the paper describes the preparation and testing of an organophilized filler and its function in a styrene butadiene elastomer. The effect of incorporation of organofunctional silane-based coupling agents into caoutchouc has been investigated. We have compared the properties of the styrene-butadiene caoutchouc mixture containing surface pretreated synthetic calcium silicate and those of the mixture containing untreated calcium silicate to which the required amounts of silane Si-69 were added immediately before the blending procedure.
Numerical modeling of convective motion in granular materials
Authors: Y.-H. Taguchi
Published: April 2008

Numerical modeling of convection of powder was performed. Convection of powder occurs when a strong vertical vibration is applied. When the control parameter, the acceleration amplitude r, exceeds some critical value Γc, convection and heaping start. In our simulation, the powder is modeled with a discrete elementary method but without rotation and with isotropic linear visco-elastic interaction. The convection is reproduced and Γc turns out to be about the gravity acceleration g, which agrees with experimental findings. Another remarkable phenomena, surface fluidization, is also reproduced and the critical value Γc'again agrees with experimental findings. It is suggested that this convection is caused by the instability of powder induced by the elastic interaction.
Vivipare Apoda (Amphibia: Gymnophiona), Typhlonectes compressicaudus (Duméril & Bibron, 1841): Kopulation, Tragzeit und Geburt
Authors: Billo R.R. , Straub J.O. , Senn D.G.
Published: April 2008

Six Typhlonectes compressicaudus were kept in aquariums for a year at constant water temperature of 25°C. One copulation was partially observed. The female's increase in weight and the duration of gestation were determined. This female gave birth to seven young, and a second to four young. In all, four births could be observed, described and photographed.
Bearing of Chromosome C-banding patterns on the Classification of Eurasian Toads of the Bufo bufo Complex
Authors: Matsui Masafumi , Seto Takeshi , Kohsaka Yoshiko , Borkin Leo J.
Published: April 2008

Distribution of NORs and C-spots in the karyotypes was compared among six forms of the Bufo bufo complex, i.e. B. j. japonicus, B. j. formosus, B. torrenticola and B. gargarizans miyakonis from Japan, and B. b. bufo and B. b. verrucosissimus from USSR. All forms invariably possessed NORs on 6q. All the 11 pairs of homologous chromosomes had constitutive heterochromatin on the centromere region in every form of toad examined. Further, each form had pericentric heterochromatin on 1p and telomeric one on 6q. Pairs 8 and 9 lacked C-bands except the centromeric spot in every form. Other chromosomes revealed unique C-spots specific to each form, and each form could be characterized from others by the banding pattern. Comparisons of the C-banding patterns of the three forms obtained with those of the published data revealed several discrepancies, but most of them were attributed to the unlike standard in recognizing spots by the different authors. Although the C-banding pattern is suggested to have some taxonomic value, systematic relationships among the six forms cannot be directly estimated by the analyses of banding patterns.
Etudes sur les Acanthodactyles de Tunisie: VII - Les Acanthodactyles de l'Extrême-Sud tunisien
Authors: Blanc Charles P. , Ineich Ivan
Published: April 2008

A multidimensional analysis of 34 characters of the colouring and scale pattern, providing 101 mathematical variables, applied to 77 Acanthodactylus collected in ten field stations in the Saharien Far-South of Tunisia, reveals a gradual and continuous morphological variation from populations of Acanthodactylus inornatus (with the back and sides of their body blackly reticulated and short legs) to populations with a A. longipes habitus (orange light body with small dorsal white spots, faint or nul black marks on their flanks and longer legs). Variation axis, approximately directed from North to South, also express an habitat difference between the populations dwelling on the reg nebkhas and sandy knolls in the beds and edges of the rivers (oueds) and those restricted to the high sand dunes of the Great Eastern Erg. The taxonomic status of the Acanthodactylus populations living in the Southern Tunisia should obviously be revised in relation with a high and mostly uncorrelated variability of the morphological characters of diagnostic use.
Albumin Evolution and its Phylogenetic and Taxonomic Implications in several Lacertid Lizards
Authors: Lutz Daniela , Mayer Werner
Published: April 2008

Albumins from several species assigned to Lacerta s. 1. and Gallotia were investigated by means of the Micro-Complement fixation technique. The phylogenetic trees evaluated according to Fitch & Margoliash (1967) and Beverley & Wilson (1982) led us to infer a division, which is in accordance with protein electrophoretic results (Mayer & Tiedemann, 1982) as well as with the subgeneric division used before the studies of Böhme (1971) and Arnold (1973).
Le métabolisme aéroble de Vipera aspis et de Vipera berus (Reptilia: Viperidae) acclimatées à des conditions naturelles. Influence de la température et comparaison des deux espèces
Authors: Saint Girons Hubert , Naulleau Guy , Célérier Marie-Louise
Published: April 2008

A study of the acute oxygen consumption of 16 young vipers (8 Vipera aspis and 8 V. berus) at temperatures of 10-15-20-25-30°C shows a number of distinctive features common to both species, and also specific differences. The oxygen consumption obviously increases with temperature, more or less irregularly for the average consumption which partly depends on the activities of each animal, while it follows an exponential progression for the minimum consumption and a linear progression for the maximum consumption. In the total consumption the part caused by the rather limited exploratory activities of our animals (routine aerobic scope) decreases as the temperature rises and it even decreases in absolute value between 25 and 30°C. At all temperatures, the oxygen consumption of V. berus is greater than that of V. aspis, the difference being globally significant. However, these differences are important only for the minimum consumption at low temperatures. These specific differences are discussed according to the ecology and the geographical distribution of the two species.
Le cycle sexuel des mâles chez Lacerta laevis (Reptilia, Lacertidae) dans les montagnes du Liban
Authors: Hraoui-Bloquet S.
Published: April 2008

L'étude histologique du tractus urogénital des mâles de Lacerta laevis à haute altitude nous a permis de mettre en évidence les caractères suivants: - Les animaux sont adultes après leur première hibernation, soit à l'âge de 8-10 mois. - L'hibernation dure environ 4 à 5 mois. - Tous les mâles sont au repos sexuel pour une courte durée durant les mois les plus chauds de l'année, à partir de la deuxième quinzaine de juillet jusqu'à la fin du mois d'août. - La spermiogenèse est très active en automne, depuis le début d'octobre jusqu'à l'entrée en hibernation, et au printemps après la sortie de l'hibernation. Elle se ralentit en juin et s'arrête à la fin de la première quinzaine de juillet. - Les caractères sexuels secondaires (épididyme et segment, sexuel du rein) sont développés en automne et au printemps, et présentent une activité secrétoire. Ils sont en régression en été pour une courte durée.
Further Observations on the Relationships between the SCO and the Adrenal Gland of Lacerta s. sicula Raf.: Effects of Oestrogen Administration during Summer1
Authors: D'Uva V. , Ciarletta A. , Varano L. , Laforgia V.
Published: April 2008

In order to verify the relationships between the SCO and the adrenal, specimens of Lacerta s. sicula were treated with oestrogens during summer, when the adrenal is very active and the SCO cells are filled with secretory material. After oestrogen treatment the interrenal cells appear reduced in size and large blood vessels appear between the interrenal cords. The SCO cells during the first period of treatment show a clear decrease in the amount of secretory material; subsequent treatment restores the levels of secretory material in the SCO cells cytoplasm, which shows an appearance identical to that exhibited by the control specimens of the same period. The results of these experiments point out that adrenal steroidogenic tissue is affected by the action of oestrogen, whose administration causes inactivation of the interrenal tissue with consequences on the SCO activity confirming the existence of a relationship between adrenal gland, interstitial tissue of the testis and SCO, already pointed out by preceding studies carried out in our laboratory.
Description of a new Subspecies of the Turtle Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin) (Testudines: Emydidae) from Southern Venezuela
Authors: Paolillo O. Alfredo
Published: April 2008

Rhinoclemmys punctularia flammigera subsp. nov. is described from the region of confluence of the Ventuari and Orinoco rivers in southern Venezuela. The controversy on the systematic position of Rhinoclemmys punctularia diademata (Mertens) is discussed, and conservatively it is considered that Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin) has three subspecies: the nominal form from eastern Venezuela, Trinidad, the three Guianas and northern Brasil; R. p. diademata (Mertens) from the Maracaibo Basin in Venezuela and Colombia ; and the new subspecies here described. Rhinoclemmys punctularia flammigera subsp. nov. seems to be more closely related to R. p. punctularia (Daudin), the other Guianan representative of the genus. Available biological information on the new subspecies is presented.
New knowledge of the genus Indobatrachus (Anura) from the Lower Eocene of India
Authors: Špinar Zdeněk V. , Hodrová Marcela
Published: April 2008

New finds of Indobatrachus pusillus (Owen, 1847) from the Bombay (India) region are described. Some hitherto unknown skeletal elements have been revealed which render more precise the systematic position of this species. Other recently described Indobatrachus species are shown to be synonyms of I. pusillus. The opinion of Noble (1930) and Lynch (1971) on the systematic position of Indobatrachus in the subfamily Myobatrachinae of the family Leptodactylidae is confirmed. New ideas on the paleogeography of the genus Indobatrachus and its probable spread from the supposed centre of origin during the Mesozoic are presented.
Investigations of the breeding biology of the West-african slender-snouted crocodile Crocodylus cataphractus Cuvier, 1824
Authors: Waitkuwait W.E.
Published: April 2008

Special research on the breeding biology of Crocodylus cataphractus has been done in the Tai National Park, one of the last primary rain forest of West Africa. The seasons for nest construction, incubation period and hatching time were determined. Kind, size and dispersion of nests are described. Information on egg size, clutch size, nest temperature and humidity during incubation is given. Some additional data has been obtained from a breeding-stock of Crocodylus cataphractus in the Abidjan National Zoo.
The Temperature Dependence of CO2 Production of the North American Lizards Cnemidophorus velox and Sceloporus undulatus
Authors: Bowker Richard G. , Anderson Deborah K. , Sweet Ann M.
Published: April 2008

The relationship of body temperature and resting CO2 production was examined for the lizards Cnemidophorus velox and Sceloporus undulatus. The CO2 production of both species was characterized by broad temperature ranges (30-38°C) in which no temperature dependence of CO2 production was observed. Also, both species showed considerable betwee individual variability. The metabolic rate of the widely foraging species, C. velox, is significantly higher than that of the wait-and-ambush species S. undulatus. However, this difference is eliminated when the size of the animals and activity times are considered; both species then have similar estimated average daily energy costs.
A Comparison of the Amphibian Fauna of Turkish Thrace with that of Anatolia and Balkan States
Authors: Atatür Mehmet K. , Yilmaz Īrfan
Published: April 2008

The amphibian species of Turkish Thrace, compiled from material collected during several excursions undertaken between 1977 and 1980, are compared with those of other Balkan States and Anatolia.
Ultrastrukturen an Gecko-Zehen (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae)
Authors: Hermann Schleich Hans , Kästle Werner
Published: April 2008

The investigation of Gekkonid toe-pads by scanning electron microscope revealed a wide diversity of "setae" formed by the "Oberhäutchen". These structures differ in many respects: size, shape, density and degree of branching. Several types can be combined. A totally aberrant form is present in Teratoscincus : "rosettes" ofjagged horny sheets. The small, tapering slightly curved and equally spaced "spines" are supposed to be the most primitive ones. They occur in many genera with narrow digits but can also be associated with long and branched setae on broad adhesive pads. The relations of the investigated structures to digit gross morphology and function are discussed. They are most evident in genera with highly differentiated broad adhesive pads.
On the Role of Colour Display in the Social and Spatial
Authors: Loman Jon , Madsen Thomas
Published: April 2008

A population of rainbow lizards (Agama agama) was studied in central Kenya. Rainbow lizards are able to rapidly change their colours. Dominant territorial males usually exhibited intensive bright colours. Dominant males were less intensively coloured when close to their territory border than in its center. Dominant males tolerated subordinate adult males in their territories. The colours of subordinate adult males were less intensive when these males were close to dominant males than when far from them. We interpret our findings in light of theories of sexual selection.
Captive Breeding and Oviparity in Pseudechis butleri (Serpentes: Elapidae)
Authors: Mengden G.A. , Fitzgerald M.
Published: April 2008

The recently described Australian elapid snake Pseudechis butleri is the least well known representative of the genus in terms of basic biology and reproductive mode. This report describes the reproductive behavior, oviparity and female defence of the egg clutch. Ontogenetic colour change and sexual size dimorphism from birth are demonstrated in the offspring. A review of the literature suggests that these conditions are relatively rare amongst elapids.
Karyotype of the sea-turtle Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761)
Authors: Medrano Leandro , Dorizzi Mireille , Rimblot Frédérique , Pieau Claude
Published: April 2008

Chromosomes of Dermochelys coriacea were prepared from kidney, spleen and lung cells of three neonates hatched from eggs incubated at 26.5 ± 0.5° C (a temperature yielding 100% phenotypic males). A study of the karyotype shows a diploid number of 56 chromosomes consisting of 14 meta- and submetacentrics, 10 telo- and subtelocentrics, and 32 microchromosomes. This karyotype, which is similar to those previously described for Chelonia mydas, Caretta caretta, and Eretmochelys imbricata, has been considered to be primitive for cryptodiran turtles. The implication of our results for the phylogenetic classification of Dermochelys coriacea is discussed.
The central and south american blindsnakes of the genus Anomalepis
Authors: Kofron Christopher P.
Published: April 2008

The Neotropical blindsnakes of the genus Anomalepis are reviewed. Four species are recognized: A. mexicanus in Costa Rica, Panama and Peru; A. colombia in Colombia; A. flavapices in Ecuador; and A. aspinosus in Peru. Numbers of dorsal scales and scale rows around the body are the only characteristics by which the species can be diagnosed. Anomalepis colombia, A. flavapices and A. aspinosus comprise a species group (the aspinosus group) with a combined geographic distribution somewhat similar to that of A. mexicanus, but more restricted. The aspinosus group is characterized by higher numbers of dorsal scales and scale rows: 308-363 dorsals, and a scale-row formula of (26-27-28-30)-(24-26-30)-(24-27). Anomalepis mexicanus is characterized by fewer numbers of dorsal scales and scale rows: 259-299 dorsals, and a scale-row formula of (24-25-26)-(20-22-23-24)-(20-21-22). Anomalepis flavapices and A. aspinosus may be synonymous.