A new phylogeny for basal Trechnotheria and Cladotheria and affinities of South American endemic Late Cretaceous mammals

The endemic South American mammals Meridiolestida, considered previously as dryolestoid cladotherians, are found to be non-cladotherian trechnotherians related to spalacotheriid symmetrodontans based on a parsimony analysis of 137 morphological characters among 44 taxa. Spalacotheriidae is the sister taxon to Meridiolestida, and the latter clade is derived from a primitive spalacolestine that migrated to South America from North America at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous. Meridiolestida survived until the early Paleocene (Peligrotherium) and early Miocene (Necrolestes) in South America, and their extinction is probably linked to the increasing competition with metatherian and eutherian tribosphenic mammals. The clade Meridiolestida plus Spalacotheriidae is the sister taxon to Cladotheria and forms a new clade Alethinotheria. Alethinotheria and its sister taxon Zhangheotheria, new clade (Zhangheotheriidae plus basal taxa), comprise Trechnotheria. Cladotheria is divided into Zatheria (plus stem taxa, including Amphitherium) and Dryolestida, including Dryolestidae and a paraphyletic array of basal dryolestidans (formerly classified as “Paurodontidae”). The South American Vincelestes and Groebertherium are basal dryolestidans.     

Enigmatic ungulate-like mammals from the Eocene of Central Asia

A new mammal family, Olseniidae, is proposed based on a complete foot skeleton of cf. Olsenia sp. from the Eocene Toru Ajgyr locality in Kyrgyzstan and an astragalus of Olsenia mira from the Eocene Shara Murun locality in northern China. The new form cf. Olsenia sp. is an early ungulate that combines characteristics of mesonychids, perissodactyls and artiodactyls: tetradactyl and paraxonic foot, terminal phalanges claw-like but not fissured, astragalus with shallow proximal caput and without distal trochlea. This unique character set fills a gap in the fossil record and gives insights into the ungulate phylogeny, which is still not completely understood.     

Tracing the diet of the monitor lizard Varanus mabitang by stable isotope analyses (delta(15)N,delta(13)C)

In this study, we used analyses of stable isotopes of nitrogen ('¹⁵N) and carbon ('¹³C) to determine the trophic ecology of the monitor lizard Varanus mabitang. Stable isotopes from claws, gut contents, and soft tissues were measured from the type specimen. Samples from Varanus olivaceus, Varanus prasinus, Varanus salvator, the herbivorous agamid lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus, and some plant matter were included for comparison. Our data show a rapid decrease in '¹³C (about10‰) from food plants towards gut contents and soft tissues of herbivorous species. For the varanids, we found a significant linear correlation of decreasing '¹³C and increasing '¹⁵N from herbivorous towards carnivorous species. In terms of trophic isotope ecology, the type specimen of V. mabitang is a strict herbivore. Thus it differs significantly in its isotopic composition from the morphologically next closest related species V. olivaceus. The most highly carnivorous species is V. salvator, while '¹⁵N values for V. prasinus and V. olivaceus are intermediate. Claws provide very valuable samples for such measurements, because they can be sampled from living animals without harm. Additionally, their range of variability is relatively small in comparison with measurements from soft tissues.     

Apportionment of nuptial alkaloidal gifts by a multiply-mated female moth (Utetheisa ornatrix): eggs individually receive alkaloid from more than one male source

Summary. In the moth Utetheisa ornatrix the female is promiscuous and receives a nuptial gift of pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) by seminal infusion from each mate. The alkaloidal gifts are transmitted by the female to the eggs, which are protected as a result. We here show that individual eggs may receive PAs from more than one male source and that individual males have no assurance that the PA they themselves contribute to the female will find its way exclusively to eggs of their siring. Received 28 June 2002; accepted 28 August 2002.     

Corematal function in Utetheisa ornatrix: interpretation in the light of data from field-collected males

Summary. Males of the moth Utetheisa ornatrix produce a pheromone, hydroxydanaidal, contained in two brush-like organs, the coremata, which they evert during courtship. Hydroxydanaidal is derived chemically by the males from pyrrolizidine alkaloids that they sequester from their larval food plants. It had been shown previously that the amount of hydroxydanaidal in the coremata correlates positively with a number of male parameters that are a measure of the male’s “worth.” Hydroxydanaidal could thus be used by the female as a basis for discrimination in courtship. Experiments carried out with virgin Utetheisa had shown that females do indeed mate selectively with males of high corematal hydroxydanaidal content, thereby accruing the multiple benefits that are the consequence of such selectivity. Unresolved was the question whether corematal hydroxydanaidal could still provide a basis for female appraisal of suitors when these had previously mated. Given the proven promiscuity of the female, male Utetheisa could be expected to be promiscuous as well. Evidence we present here shows that field-collected males, which could be expected to be mostly non-virginal, are of reduced acceptability to females. They are also, on average, in possession of lower quantities of hydroxydanaidal, explaining possibly why they should be held in lesser regard. At low levels, however, hydroxydanaidal does not lend itself for precise assessment of male worth, because as we show herein, at such levels, the compound does not correlate with any of the criteria of male quality (male size, spermatophore mass, male pyrrolizidine alkaloid content, amount of pyrrolizidine alkaloid transmitted to the female). Males that have mated beforehand are therefore likely not to be classed into subcategories by the females, but simply as belonging to one category of “less desirables”. The significance of these findings to our understanding of the mating strategy of Utetheisa is discussed.     

Landesweite immissionsbezogene Flechtenkartierung in Bayern

In 1996 within a country-wide research project, the epiphytic lichen vegetation throughout Bavaria was mapped according to Guideline VDI 3799, Part I (1995). The data providing information about air quality was collected in 190 sites. Most of the sites demonstrated little to moderate pollution, while both very high and very low levels of air pollution could be found locally. The methods outlined in Guideline VDI 3799 were slightly modified and adapted to the situation in Bavaria. Comparison of the lichen vegetation on different species of trees showed that a rigid classification of tree species as proposed in the guideline is not necessary in Bavaria. The use of several species of trees per site has proven to be favourable. The influence of the natural heterogeneity of the air-quality index in the investigated area was examined. Here, the geology turned out not to be a crucial factor. With respect to climate, it is especially the alpine region with its high levels of precipitation that stands out against the other parts of Bavaria. The results from that area may not be freely compared to those from the remaining sites. It could be shown that the Guideline VDI 3799 is applicable for large-area lichen mapping in Bavaria.     

Fine structure of the optic cusion in the asteroid Nepanthia belcheri

The optic cushion of Nepanthia belcheri (Perrier) is a prominent pigmented sense organ situated on the oral surface below the terminal tentacle. The distal region contains up to 170 optic cups, whilst proximally are numerous pyriform glandular cells traversed by supporting fibres. The outer margin of the optic cup is formed by alternating pigmented and photoreceptor cells. The pigmented cells contain numerous densely staining granules of scarlet pigment. The distal ends of the photoreceptors are elaborated into many long microvilli regularly arranged about a modified cilium. There is a clear circumciliary space delimiting the cilium from the microvilli.     

Prenatal diagnosis of a double bisatellited marker with an unusual copy number ratio

Prenatal diagnosis, by amniocentesis, revealed mosaicism with respect to a bisatellited, apparently dicentric, DA/DAPI positive, de novo marker. The following cell lines were observed in decreasing order of frequency: 46,XX > 48.XX, + mar, + mar » 47,XX, + mar. The pregnancy was terminated and post-mortem examination revealed an apparently normal fetus. Cytogenetic studies of fetal and placental tissues revealed approximately the same level of mosaicism together with the unusual copy number ratio seen in the amniotic fluid cultures. Non-disjunction at the first post-zygotic mitotic division giving rise to a mosaic: 46,XX/ 48,XX, + mar, + mar followed by subsequent mitotic instability of the marker could account for the unusual copy number ratio.