Testing the ability of males and females to respond to altered songs in the dueting green lacewing, Chrysoperla plorabunda (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Green lacewings in the carnea group of Chrysoperla engage in species-specific heterosexual duets using low-frequency substrate-borne signals. Within each species, both sexes sing nearly identical songs. Songs are the principal barriers to hybridization between sympatric species in the complex. Here, we investigated the responsiveness of males and females of Chrysoperla plorabunda to synthesized, prerecorded songs that differed from the species mean in the period between repeated volleys of abdominal vibration. We tested 15–16 males and 15–16 females using playbacks of two signals that gradually increased or decreased in volley period, starting at the species mean. We found that (1) duets during courtship are accurate, interactive, and adjustable by each participant; (2) in staged duets, both sexes respond best to song tempos near the mean volley period of their population, but can nonetheless maintain duets with signals of nearly twice, or half, the normal volley period; (3) individuals fine-tune their adjustments to signals of different volley periods by changing their own volley duration and latent period, or less often by inserting extra volleys or skipping every other volley; (4) males are significantly better at matching signals of changing tempo than females; and (5) the range of song responsiveness of C. plorabunda does not overlap the natural range of volley periods found in Chrysoperla adamsi, an acoustically similar sibling species, thus reaffirming strong behavioral isolation. In sum, the precise, almost unbreakable heterosexual duets characteristic of song species of the carnea group result from tight mutual feedback between partners. Effective reproductive isolation between species can be based on song differences alone.     

Larval behavior of predacious sister-species: orientation,molting site,and survival in Chrysopa

Field and laboratory studies compared two features of larval behavior in a pair of predacious sisterspecies of green lacewings: one (Chrysopa slossonae) a specialist on a single species of colonial aphids (the woolly alder aphid) that occur on branches and trunks of alder trees, the other (C. quadripunctata) a general aphid feeder whose primary prey is dispersed on foliage of diverse types of trees. First, a few hours after hatching, larvae of the two species develop significantly different phototactic responses; the differences correspond well with the spatial distributions of their prey. Most C. slossonae exhibited negative phototaxis, a response that helps move hatchlings inward on alder trees toward the woolly alder aphid colonies, whereas most C. quadripunctata hatchlings showed positive orientation to light, a response that tends to keep them in tree canopies with their prey. Second, in greenhouse experiments, a significantly greater proportion of C. slossonae larvae (second instars) molted within woolly alder aphid colonies and remained with the aphids than did C. quadripunctata larvae. These differences indicate that the specialist larvae have evolved a high degree of behavioral fidelity to their prey. However, larvae (second instars) of the two species that were released near ant-tended woolly alder aphid colonies in the field had similar recovery (= survival) rates. Consequently, natural selection may not act on behavioral traits that influence larval fidelity to prey during the late second and early third instars.     

Diel vertical migration and feeding patterns of Mysis mixta (Crustacea,Mysidacea) in the Baltic Sea

The extent of the nocturnal vertical migration of Mysis mixta Lilljeborg varied between early July and late October (of 1985 and 1986) in a coastal area of the Baltic Sea. Migration was more restricted in early July and late October. Seasonal changes in surface light levels and transparency were sufficient to explain the observed differences. Mysids avoided light levels above 10^-4 lux throughout the study period. Smaller juveniles migrated higher up than larger juveniles and adults. A two-layered distribution with part of the population close to the bottom was observed at night. Zooplankton were more abundant in water layers above the main concentration of mysids. M. mixta fed on phytoplankton, detritus, copepods, cladocerans, rotifers and tintinnids. Diel changes in gut fluorescence indicated a higher intake of phytoplankton at night, but levels were low compared to primarily herbivorous zooplankton. Comparisons of stomach contents of mysids caught at the bottom in the evening and in the water column at night showed a higher ingestion of zooplankton at night and of detritus during the day. Mysids caught at the bottom at night had an intermediate diet. Copepods and cladocerans constituted between 90 and 100% of ingested material by weight in all mysid groups.     

Diurnal vertical migration of Solmissus albescens (Hydromedusae) in the Southern Adriatic

During a study on diurnal vertical migration in the hydromedusa Solmissus albescens (Gegenbaur, 1856), 112 net samples were taken from a depth of 1000 m to the surface. Sampling was performed in July, August, and September, 1969, at a station located 20 miles SSW of Dubrovnik (Yugoslavia). S. albescens migrates vertical distances of over 300 m. No significant influences on migration were noticed due to environmental factors (temperature, salinity, vertical water currents, etc.). The hydromedusa was able to approach surface layers. The recording obtained at various water-depth levels are considered in relation to illumination, mechanisms of evolution, and feeding of S. albescens.     

Aggregation dynamics in juvenile queen conch (Strombus gigas): population structure,mortality, growth,and migration

Juvenile queen conch (Strombus gigas L.) occur in discrete aggregations within seemingly uniform seagrass beds throughout the Exuma Cays, Bahamas, suggesting that the aggregations occupy ecologically unique sectors of the habitat or that conch gain fitness by aggregated distribution. To examine the structure of a juvenile aggregation and to determine the underlying mechanisms which affect juvenile conch distribution, we axamined density, size composition, growth, survivorship, and movement patterns within a typical tidal-flow field nursery over a 14 mo period (August 1989 to September 1990). At the beginning of the study in August 1989, the conch population occupied 16.7 ha, with densities>0.2 juvenile conch m^-2. The aggregation formed an ellipse, with longitudinal axis parallel to the main axis of the tidal current. Surveys conducted every 2 mo showed that conch density in the aggregation center remained constant while all other zones had lower densities which varied with time. In areas of high population density within the aggregation, several mass migrations of juveniles (20 to 99 conch m^-2) occurred in early 1990. Tagged juveniles transplanted to zones outside the aggregation had high growth rates but suffered higher losses than individuals transplanted to the aggregation center. A tethering experiment confirmed the hypothesis that predator-induced mortality is significantly higher outside than inside the conch aggregation. Our results suggest that the queen conch aggregation occupied only a portion of the habitat that is optimal for feeding and growth. Aggregations could be maintained by differential mortality over a site; however, predation rates are probably density-dependent. Gregariousness, observed in translocation experiments, may provide an active mechanism for maintaining aggregated distribution and reducing mortality in conch nurseries. The ecological significance of aggregations should be considered in fisheries management and stock enhancement programs with queen conch.     

Post-nesting migrations of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at Wan-An Island, Penghu Archipelago, Taiwan

 During the summers of 1994 to 1997, eight green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting at Wan-An Island, PengHu Archipelago, Taiwan, were equipped with satellite-telemetry transmitters. Using the Argos-linked satellite system, the turtles' migration routes were tracked until the transmissions stopped. The turtles migrated widely on the continental shelf to the east of Mainland China. The migration distances ranged from 193 to 1909 km, and the migration speeds from 1.2 to 2.8 km h⁻¹. The turtles apparently utilize several coastal areas as temporal residential foraging sites, and their migrations consist of both trans-oceanic and coastal legs. The wide distribution of the foraging sites of the turtles comprising this rookery reflects the extent to which the green turtle migrates in northeast Asia; regional and international cooperation will therefore be needed to conserve this declining population. Received: 14 December 1998 / Accepted: 8 May 2000     

A straightforward green synthesis of N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)imines

A straightforward and environment-friendly protocol for the synthesis of valuable chiral N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)imines has been developed. Different from traditional process with benzaldehydes as substrates, arylmethyl alcohols, benzylthiol, dibenzyl ether, thioether, and disulfide are used as alternative substrates to react with tert-butanesulfinamide in the presence of KO^tBu under air for the synthesis of chiral N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)imines. This is a transition metal-free, mild, cost-effective, and simple process.     

Dietary accumulation of UV-absorbing mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) by the green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis)

The bioaccumulation of ultraviolet radiation-absorbing mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) by Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (Müller) was determined in specimens maintained on MAA-rich and MAA-deficient diets. Individuals were fed either the red alga Mastocarpus stellatus (Stackhouse), which has a high concentration of the MAA shinorine (6.98 nmolmg^–1 dry wt), and trace amounts of the MAAs porphyra-334, asterina-330 and palythine, or the brown alga Laminaria saccharina (Lamouroux), which contains no detectable MAAs. Reproductively spent urchins were fed ad libitum during a 9 mo period in 1992 to 1993 until they were once again gravid. To monitor accumulation, samples of urchin tissues and ingested food were taken throughout the 9 mo period from males and females maintained on each diet, and the concentrations of MAAs determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Urchins maintained on a diet of M. stellatus showed an ovarian shinorine concentration (8.33 nmol mg^–1 dry wt) 25 times higher than those fed L. saccharina. There was no change in MAA content of testes or somatic tissues in either feeding group. More than 99% of the MAAs present in an experimental meal of M. stellatus were removed during passage through the gut. Previous studies have inferred dietary accumulation of MAAs by comparing MAAs present in animal tissues with the consumer's potential diet in the field. This is the first study to have monitored MAA accumulation in animal tissues in conjunction with a controlled diet having a known MAA composition. Concentrating MAAs in the ovaries may provide eggs released into the water column with protection from damaging solar ultraviolet radiation.     

Habituation in the green frog, Rana clamitans

Habituation and its role in the dear enemy effect was investigated in a population of green frogs, Rana clamitans. Green frogs have a prolonged breeding season, and males defend territories centered around suitable oviposition sites. We tested the prediction that male green frogs will habituate to broadcasts of synthetic conspecific stimuli. Our results indicate that male green frogs can discriminate familiar from unfamiliar stimuli. We suggest that habituation helps to mediate the territorial interactions between male green frogs. Strangers present a greater threat than familiar neighbors. By habituating to the advertisement vocalizations of their near neighbors, males avoid costly interactions with individuals that are not a major threat to their territories. Received: 20 July 1998 / Accepted after revision: 6 September 1998     

Group size and growth rate in hatchling green iguanas (Iguana iguana)

Summary The post-hatching growth and sleeping group sizes of green iguanas (Iguana iguana) were followed on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, for 3 successive years. The laboratory clearing was subdivided and surveyed routinely for iguanas, most intensively the six weeks following onset of hatching. A similar pattern of influx of iguanas into the clearing took place each May. Over the early weeks the size of groups generally increased. Animals sleeping in larger groups had significantly faster growth rates. Animals that disappeared from the clearing prior to July had larger group sizes prior to disappearance than those that remained. Growth rates measured in animals that remained declined markedly after June. Possible reasons for the social grouping of young iguanas are discussed.     

Sun-compass migration by Aurelia aurita (Scyphozoa): population retention and reproduction in Saanich Inlet,British Columbia

The scyphomedusa Aurelia aurita in Saanich Inlet, a north-south oriented fjord in British Columbia, uses a sun compass to migrate in a southeasterly direction during the day. When the sky is overcast and at night, A. aurita orients randomly and is dispersed passively by gentle tidal currents. The net result is daily reaggregation of medusae into enormous swarms along the southeastern shore of the fjord. Observations of spawning A. aurita in these swarms suggest that sun-compass migration and aggregative behavior may have evolved to facilitate reproduction and to maintain the population within this fjord throughout the year.     

Winter migration of magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) from the southernmost distributional range

A total of 22 magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) from Isla Martillo in the Beagle Channel, Argentina, were successfully satellite tracked in 2004 (n = 7), 2005 (n = 7) and 2006 (n = 8) to monitor their winter migration after moult. Only one magellanic penguin migrated northwards into the Pacific Ocean, whereas all others remained in the Atlantic Ocean. In general, these birds left the island in an easterly direction, rounded Cabo San Diego, the southeasterly tip of South America, and continued northwards occupying inshore waters mostly less than 50 km from the coast, only occasionally venturing further offshore. By the end of the transmission period, birds were still travelling northwards and the most northerly positions were obtained from birds located in the area of Peninsula Valdés, Argentina, at a latitude of around 42°S, some 1,500 km from their breeding site on Isla Martillo. The mean maximum distance to the breeding site was, however, only 624 ± 460 km. The mean minimum distance covered during the study period was 1,440 ± 685 km, which corresponded to a mean distance of 23.2 ± 6.6 km covered per day. The northbound migration of the penguins could be separated into periods of rapid movement, interspersed with periods during which the birds remained for some time in particular coastal regions. Areas with a high density of daily penguin positions were observed in three distinct areas: at the northeastern coast of Tierra del Fuego, at the southern entrance of Golfo San Jorge and to the northeast of the Peninsula Valdez. The observed migration pattern is presumably driven by the formation and subsequent dispersal of areas of enhanced productivity as the season progressed. Our findings also suggest that magellanic penguins are increasingly threatened by human activities in coastal areas as penguins migrate northwards.     

Temperature adaptation in strains of the amphi-equatorial green alga Urospora penicilliformis (Acrosiphoniales): biogeographical implications

The temperature requirements for growth and the upper survival temperatures (UST's) of the amiphi-equatorial green alga Urospora penicilliformis collected from several localities within its distribution area between 1986 and 1991 were determined. Ecotypic variation, both with regard to growth ranges and optima and to survival temperatures, was demonstrated. In the polar strains of U. penicilliformis, temperature growth ranges were narrower and the growth optima and UST's were at lower temperatures compared to cold-temperate strains. In particular, the polar strains grew between 0 and 15°C with optimal growth at 0 or 5°C, whereas the cold-temperate isolates grew between 0 and (15) 20°C with almost equal growth rates or a growth optimum between 5 and 15°C. The Arctic strains survived 23 to 24°C, and the Antarctic isolate only 19°C, while the UST's of the cold-temperate isolates were between (24) 25 to 26°C. The data strongly indicate that a cold water history of ca. 3 million yr in the Arctic can be sufficient for changes in the temperature growth ranges and optima as well as for small changes of UST as shown in the Arctic populations of U. penicilliformis. For stronger reduction of upper survival temperatures, longer time periods are necessary as exemplified in the isolate from Antarctica, where low temperatures have existed for at least 14 million yr. The significantly lower UST of the Antarctic strain, points to an early contact of the alga with the cold water of the Antarctic region and may indicate an origin of U. penicilliformis in the Southern Hemisphere. The UST's of the cold-temperate isolates (24 to 26°C) would have allowed a migration across the equator during Pleistocene lowerings of the seawater temperatures in the tropics. Growth, however, would not have been possible during the passage across the equator due to the narrow temperature-growth window. The nature of the geographical boundaries and the control of seasonal development of U. penicilliformis by the temperature conditions in the various geographical regions are discussed in relation to the present local temperature regime.     

Size assessment in simulated territorial encounters between male green frogs (Rana clamitans)

We examined the ability of male green frogs to assess the size of an opponent based on the dominant frequency of their advertisement call, which is negatively correlated with size, using synthetic stimuli to simulate intruders of different sizes. In one field playback experiment, we broadcast a pair of stimuli representing a small and a large male; in a second experiment, we broadcast calls of a medium and a large male. In both experiments, males produced calls with significantly lower dominant frequencies in response to each stimulus. Contrast analyses revealed that males lowered the dominant frequency of their calls more in response to the large-male stimulus than in responses to the small- and medium-male stimuli. In the second experiment, males also responded to the large-male stimulus by calling at higher rates. There were no differences in mean note duration or the number of moves made toward or around the playback speaker in response to any stimulus. Thus, the frequency of an opponent's calls elicits a differential modification of calling behavior, primarily in the form of differential dominant frequency alteration, suggesting that males use dominant frequency to assess the size of opponents during aggressive encounters. Received: 17 April 1998 / Accepted after revision: 7 October 1998     

Feeding ecology of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) at rocky reefs in western South Atlantic

Feeding ecology of green turtles was investigated between January 2005 and April 2008 at Arvoredo Reserve, Brazil (27°17′S, 48°18′W). Data were obtained through the performance of observational sessions, geo-referenced counts, benthic surveys, capture and recapture of individuals, and oesophageal lavages. This protected area was identified as an important green turtle feeding ground, used year-round by juveniles (curved carapace length = 32–83 cm). Turtles fed close to the rocky shores of the area and selected grazing sites commonly at hard-to-reach, near-vertical portions of the rocks. They were less active in cold months, and more abundant at shallow areas of the reef (0–5 m), where their preferred food items occurred. Their diet was dominated by macroalgae species but invertebrates were also present. Their main food item was the red algae Pterocladiella capillacea, which seems to be eaten through periodical cropping of its tips. Observational methods such as the ones applied here could be incorporated to other research programs aiming to understand the relationships between Chelonia mydas feeding populations and their environment.     

The role of helpers in feeding chicks in cooperatively breeding green (red-billed) woodhoopoes

Summary Observations were made of ten green (red-billed) woodhoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus flocks during the breeding season in order to quantify the relationship between flock size and the amount of food delivered to chicks. The study period was kept short specifically to minimize the effects of environmental stochasticity. Neither woodhoopoe feeding visit rates nor the total amount of food brought to chicks increased with flock size. Although nonbreeders did not increase the net rate of food provisioning to chicks, they reduced parental input in chick rearing, and hence energy expenditure by the breeding pair. However, over an 8-year study period, which includes data for 144 flock years, this did not result in increased breeding frequency or enhanced survival of breeders. There is thus no evidence that helpers' feeding contributions to young per se influence the indirect fitness of helpers.