Foaming in Pachycondyla: A new defense mechanism in ants

Summary When disturbed, two species of Malayan Pachycondyla release foam threads more than 10 cm in length or foam piles. The source of the proteinaceous foam is the enlarged venom gland, which is probably frothed up by air from the spiracles of the spiracular plates. The Dufour's gland normally producing hydrocarbons in stinging ants is atrophied. Therefore, absence of the Dufour's gland could be essential to the foaming ability, since the lipophilic hydrocarbons inhibit froth production in protein solutions. The release of foam is a mechanically acting defense mechanism, which is very effective against small mass-attacking ants. Pachycondyla species are also able to sting effectively.     

Geschlechtsbestimmung und Geschlechtsdifferenzierung

Sex determination in mammals proceeds like a cascade from the level of the sex chromosomes to the gonads, to the genital ducts, and finally to the expression of the male or female phenotype. At the level of the genital ducts male sex organs are induced by testosterone. Its action depends on an intact cytoplasmic androgen receptor protein. The testicular feminization mutation (Tfm) leads to loss of hormone binding capacity. Individuals with testes but female external phenotype develop. In the mouse the interaction of androgen insensitiveTfm cells with normal cells can be studied in mosaic individuals composed of both cell types, and in organ culture by recombination ofTfm and normal tissues. The experiments show that under the action of testosterone the normal cells express male differentiated cellular functions, whereas theTfm cells differentiate in female direction. In respect to proliferation and expression of male or female organ structures, however, both cell types communicate via local factors. Thus, instead of irregular malformations intersex organs develop.     

Snake fangs from the Lower Miocene of Germany: evolutionary stability of perfect weapons

There is a general consensus that most of today’s nonvenomous snakes are descendants of venomous snakes that lost their venomous capabilities secondarily. This implies that the evolutionary history of venomous snakes and their venom apparatus should be older than the current evidence from the fossil record. We compared some of the oldest-known fossil snake fangs from the Lower Miocene of Germany with those of modern viperids and elapids and found their morphology to be indistinguishable from the modern forms. The primary function of recent elapid and viperid snake fangs is to facilitate the extremely rapid, stab-like application of highly toxic venoms. Our findings therefore indicate that the other components of the venom-delivery system of Early Miocene vipers and elapids were also highly developed, and that these snakes used their venom in the same way as their modern relatives. Thus, the fossil record supports the view that snakes used their venoms to rapidly subdue prey long before the mid-Tertiary onset of the global environmental changes that seem to have supported the successful radiation of venomous snakes.     

Sedimenttoxizit?t — ein inhaltlicher Schwerpunkt beim SETAC Europe 16th Annual Meeting World Forum Convention Center in Den Haag, Niederlangden, 7–11 Mai 2006

Tagungsankündigungen

Sedimenttoxizit?t — ein inhaltlicher Schwerpunkt beim SETAC Europe 16th Annual Meeting World Forum Convention Center in Den Haag, Niederlangden, 7–11 Mai 2006     

Echolocation behavior of the bat <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vespertilio murinus</Emphasis> reveals the border between the habitat types “edge” and “open space”

We test the hypothesis that echolocation behavior can be used to find the border between bat habitats. Assuming that bats react to background targets in “edge space” but not in “open space”, we determined the border between these two habitat types for commuting individuals of the parti-colored bat Vespertilio murinus. We recorded sequences of bats’ echolocation signals while they flew parallel to the walls of large buildings and to the ground and determined the signals’ average bandwidth, duration, and pulse interval. These parameters varied systematically with the estimated horizontal and vertical distances between the bats and the background. A distinct effect of horizontal distance to the background on echolocation behavior was found for horizontal distances of less than 6 m, thus indicating the border between edge and open space. Only a few bats flew at vertical distances below 5 m. However, enough passages at vertical distances of 5 m and above indicated that the vertical border is somewhere below a distance of 5 m. Within edge space, V. murinus reacted to the background by reducing signal duration, increasing bandwidth at closer distances, and often emitting one signal per wing beat. In open space, signal parameters did not vary as a function of distance to the background. There, V. murinus emitted the longest signals with the narrowest bandwidth and often made one or two wing beats without emitting a pulse. With our data we support with statistical methods the hypothesis that echolocation behavior reveals the border between the habitat types “edge” and “open space”.     

Prenatal detection of X-linked ichthyosis by maternal serum screening for down syndrome

Maternal serum unconjugated oestriol (uE3) was measured in 15 375 pregnancies during 2 years of second-trimester risk assessment for Down syndrome using biochemical markers. Very low levels of uE3 (<0·1 MOM) were detected in 22 serum samples (0·14 per cent). Very low uE3 was associated with an adverse outcome in 13 pregnancies including fetal death and miscarriage (N=11), anencephaly (N=1), and Meckel—Gruber syndrome (N=1). Dry scales on the skin appeared in the first year of life in four boys. From dermatological diagnosis, prenatal uE3 levels, and pedigree analysis, it is concluded that at least 5 in approximately 7500 male births in the study population are affected by steroid sulphatase deficiency, which is the biochemical defect in X-linked ichthyosis. Very low uE3 levels in the second trimester are indicative of this disease in pregnancies with normal ultrasound findings.     

Trace gas emissions from German agriculture as obtained from the application of simpler or default methodologies

For the assessment of emission inventories matching pairs of activities (emission explaining variables) and emission factors are used. Simpler and detailed methodologies are proposed within the emission inventory handbooks. The data sets needed to serve the detailed methodologies have not been at public disposal so far. Therefore, this paper investigates the applicability of simpler methodologies to the statistical data sets of activities officially available in Germany. The statistical data base for the assessment of emissions from fertilised soils is adequate if one assumes that fertilisers sold in one financial year are applied in the same year. For grassland, statistical data describing the actual management do not exist. Lack of nitrogen inputs with crop residues and due to nitrogen fixation make it impossible to deduce the respective emissions. The assessment of indirect emissions due to reactions of leached nitrogen is also impossible. For extensively managed grasslands, data concerning fertiliser application or grazing are missing when calculating emissions. The determination of emissions from organic soils presupposes the knowledge of both the area concerned and the degree of mineralisation which has been attained at the time of the inventory. The results of the biennial animal census meet the requirements of the simpler methodologies. However, the assumptions made to evaluate the mean emission factors are not correct in many cases, as far as animal performance, housing, storage and application of animal excreta are concerned. The simpler methodologies are biassed, as the emission factors are (Northwest) European means. Changes in the raising of statistical data make the construction of meaningful time-series difficult.