|
Collaborations
between Research Training
Program participants and
their NMNH mentors have
resulted in over 142
authored or co-authored
publications, 60
presentations at scientific
meetings, and over 5
manuscripts in preparation.
|
PUBLICATIONS
with ABSTRACTS
Research
Training Program participant designated
by bold type.
Publications
|
Presentations
|
Acknowledgements
|
List
of Papers
Almany,
G.R. and C.C. Baldwin.
1996. A new Atlantic species of
Acanthemblemaria (Teleostei:
Blennioidei: Chaenopsidae): morphology
and relationships. Proceedings of
the Biological Society of Washington
109(3): 419-429.
ABSTRACT:
Acanthemblemaria johnsoni
is described from six specimens
collected from shallow coral reefs
at the north end of the Caribbean
island of Tobago. The new species
differs from all other Atlantic
species of Acanthemblemaria
by the combined spinous and soft
dorsal-fin ray count of XXIV, 12-13.
Evolutionary relationships of the
new species are discussed in relation
to the phylogeny of the genus proposed
by Hastings (1990).
Anderson,
R.P. and C.O. Handley,
Jr. 2001. A new species of three-toed
sloth (Mammalia: Xenarthra) from
Panama, with a review of the genus
Bradypus. Proceedings of
the Biological Society of Washington
114(1): 1-33.
ABSTRACT:
Morphological and morphometric analyses
of three-toed sloths (Bradypus)
from the islands of Bocas del Toro
reveal rapid differentiation of
several populations during the Holocene.
These islands, lying off the Caribbean
coast of western Panama, were separated
from the adjacent mainland by rising
sea levels during the past 10,000
years. The sequence of island formation
and the approximate ages of the
islands are known. In at least four
independent events, sloths of five
of the islands evolved smaller size
following insularization. Sloths
on the younger islands remain conspecific
with mainland populations of Bradypus
variegatus. On Isla Escudo de
Veraguas--the oldest and most remote
island of the archipelago--however,
the three-toed sloth has differentiated
to the species level, and we here
describe it as Bradypus pygmaeus.
We provide updated diagnoses
and distributions for the species
of Bradypus, include a key
to the genus.
Anderson,
R.P. and C.O. Handley,
Jr. 2002. Dwarfism in insular sloths:
Biogeography, selection, and evolutionary
rate. Evolution 56(5): 1045-1058.
ABSTRACT:
The islands of Bocas del Toro, Panama,
were sequentially separated from
the adjacent mainland by rising
sea levels during the past 10,000
years. Three-toed sloths (Bradypus)
from five islands are smaller than
their mainland counterparts, and
the insular populations themselves
vary in mean body size. We first
examine relationships between body
size and physical characteristics
of the islands, testing hypotheses
regarding optimal body size, evolutionary
equilibria, and the presence of
dispersal in this system. To do
so, we conduct linear regressions
of body size onto evolutionary rate
of change in body size (haldanes
and darwins) and the standardized
linear selection differential, or
selection intensity (i).
We also test the observed morphological
changes against models of evolution
by genetic drift. The results indicate
that mean body size decreases linearly
with island age, explaining up to
97% of the variation among population
means. Neither island area nor distance
from the mainland is significant
in multiple regressions that include
island age. Thus, we find no evidence
for differential optimal body size
among islands, or for dispersal
in the system. In contrast, the
dependence of body size on island
age suggests uniform directional
selection for small body size in
the insular populations. Although
genetic drift cannot be discounted
as the cause for this evolution
in body size, the probability is
small given the consistent direction
of evolution (repeated dwarfism).
The insular sloths show a sustained
rate of evolution similar to those
measured in haldanes over tens of
generations, appearing to unite
micro- and macroevolutionary time
scales. Furthermore, the magnitude
and rate of this example of rapid
differentiation fall within predictions
of theoretical models from population
genetics. However, the linearity
of the relationship between body
size and island age is not predicted,
suggesting that either more factors
are involved than those considered
here, or that theoretical advances
are necessary to explain constant
evolutionary rates over long time
spans in new selective environments.
Anderson,
R.P. and P.
Jarrin-V., Jr.
2002. A New Species of Spiny Pocket
Mouse (Heteromyidae: Heteromys)
Endemic to Western Ecuador. A. M.
Novitates: 3382, 26pp., 5 figures,
2 tables.
ABSTRACT:
Whereas previous treatments have
considered Heteromys australis
the only spiny pocket mouse present
in Ecuador, morphological and morphometric
analyses of specimens from Ecuador
and southwestern Colombia reveal
the presence of two species of genus.
Heteromys australis is distributed
in evergreen forests from eastern
Panama and western Venezuela through
Colombia to extreme northwestern
Ecuador, where it inhabits wet,
unseasonal areas of the Choco and
adjacent western slopes of the Andes.
We here describe a new species Heteromys
teleus, found only in evergreen
forests of central-western Ecuador,
in areas less mesic and more seasonal
than those characteristic of H.
australis. Both species possess
dark gray dorsal pelage, but H.
teleus differs by larger (nonoverlapping)
measurements of the hind foot and
distinctive cranial proportions.
Most notably, the rostrum of the
new species is strikingly wide and
massive, and the interparietal is
narrow and rounded (in contrast
to the wide, diamond-shaped interparietal
of H. australis). The ranges
of the two species together conform
to the previously recognized Chocoan
evergreen-forest fauna of western
Colombia and northwestern Ecuador.
However, the restriction of H.
teleus to evergreen but seasonal
forests of the southern Choco (transitional
between the relatively unseasonal
evergreen forests of the central
Choco (transitional between the
relatively unseasonal evergreen
forests of the central Choco to
the north and highly seasonal xeric
regions to the south) is unique
within currently recognized species
of mammals. Biogeographic overviews
hint at similar patterns in other
groups, but more alpha-taxonomic
research is necessary to evaluate
mammalian distributional patterns
in the region properly. Most suitable
habitat for H.teleus has
been converted to agricultural uses,
and its current distribution is
likely restricted to a handful of
small-to-medium-sized forest patches.
Anderson,
W.D., and B.B. Collette.
1991. Revision of the freshwater
viviparous halfbeaks of the genus
Hemirhamphodon (Teleostei:
Hemiramphidae). Ichthyol. Explor.
Freshwaters 2(2):151-176.
ABSTRACT:
Hemirhamphodon differs from
all other halfbeaks in having anteriorly
directed teeth along the entire
length of the lower jaw and in having
the first pleural rib on the second
instead of the third vertebra. It
shares low vertebral counts, a reduced
nasal fossa with an elongated nasal
barbel, and modifications of the
anal fin in males associated with
internal fertilization with three
other genera: Zenarchopterus,
Dermogenys, and Nomorhamphus.
Six species of Hemirhamphodon
are recognized herein. The six species
form two species groups based on
the absence or presence of an enlarged
fourth anal fin ray and posteriorly
directed projection on this fin
ray in males.
Armgardt,
E.
and E.E. Strong. 2007. Ontogenetic
changes in shell microstructure
of freshwater gastropods from Lake
Tanganyika (Cerithioidea, Paludomidae).
SICB Annual Meeting, January 3-7,
2007, Phoenix, AZ.
ABSTRACT:
Aschliman,
N.C.
I.R. Tibbetts, and B. B. Collette.
2005. Relationships of sauries and
needlefishes (Teleostei: Scomberesocoidea)
to the internally fertilizing halfbeaks
(Zenarchopteridae) based on the
pharyngeal jaw apparatus.Proceedings
of the Biological Society of Washington.
118(2):416-427.
ABSTRACT:
The
40 life history, myological, and
osteological characters that Tibbetts
(1992) used in his study of the
hemiramphids are evaluated for both
saury genera (Cololabis and
Scomberesox) to determine
if the Scomberesocidae are more
closely related to the Zenarchopteridae,
to the needlefishes (Belonidae),
or to the halfbeaks (Hemiramphidae)
and flyingfishes (Exocoetidae).
Data were analyzed using PAUP*,
and eight equally parsimonious trees
were found (70 steps, CI 0.814,
RI 0.938). This analysis indicates
that sauries are most closely related
to needlefishes, supporting the
historical concept of the superfamily
Scomberesocoidea as a monophyletic
assemblage. A caudal displacement
of the origin of the retractor dorsalis
muscle is a tentative additional
synapomorphy for all four saury
species. Zenarchopteridae is strongly
supported as a valid family sister
to the Scomberesocoidea (decay index
= 19, bootstrap = 100). Resolution
of the internal structure of the
Belonidae and the Hemiramphidae
requires the identification of additional
characters and examination of a
greater number of taxa.
Baker,
E.A. and B.B. Collette.
1998. Mackerel from the northern
Indian Ocean and the Red Sea are
Scomber australasicus, not
Scomber japonicus. Ichthyol.
Res. 45(1): 29-33.
ABSTRACT:
The population of Scomber
from the Red Sea and northern Indian
Ocean (gulfs of Aden and Oman) is
identified as S. australasicus
rather than S. japonicus
based on having 30-33 vs. 26-29
interneural bones under the first
and second dorsal fins and the combination
of interneural bone counts of 16-20
under the first dorsal fin (vs.
13-16) and first dorsal fin spine
counts of 10-13 (vs. 9-10). These
are the best morphological characters
to distinguish these two species.
This change in identification constitutes
a major range extension for S.
australasicus which was thought
to be restricted to the Pacific
Ocean and the southeastern Indian
Ocean around Western Australia.
Baker,
R. and W.A. DiMichele.
1997. Biomass allocation in Late
Pennsylvania coal-swamp plants.
Palaios 12: 127-132.
ABSTRACT:
Carbon allocation to different tissues
and organs of Late Pennsylvanian-aged
coal-swamp plants was determined
for the first time through study
of coal balls from the Calhoun coal
of central Illinois. Coal balls
are concretions that preserve the
original peat fabric of the coal
seam; they occur within the coal
matrix and generally are permineralized
with calcium carbonate. Coalified
plant cell walls are preserved within
the mineral matrix of the coal ball,
entombed within the calcium carbonate.
Relative carbon allocation was determined
by separation of the mineral matrix
and organic carbon. Carbon content
was determined for replicates of
tissues or organs of Psaronius
tree ferns, Medullosa pteridosperms,
the lycopsid Sigillaria approximata,
the small fern Botryopteris
forensis, and "whole peat".
Unit volume results for tissues
and organs were normalized for trunk
sections 45 cm in diameter and 1
m long. Psaronius tree ferns
were significantly "cheaper"
than all other plants due to the
large mantle of aerenchymatous roots
that made up the bulk of the trunk.
Medullosans and small ferns were
most 'expensive", with the
arborescent lycopsid in between.
Relative expense of construction
closely parallels the inferred ecological
role of each plant within ancient
coal swamps, deduced from distributional
patterns and indicators of habitat
conditions. Tree ferns and lycopsids
are colonists, medullosans are site
occupying forms.
Baldwin,
C.C. and W.L.
Smith. 1998. Belonoperca
pylei, a new species of seabass
(Teleostei: Serranidae: Epinephelina:
Diploprionini) from the Cook Islands
with comments on relationships among
diploprionins. Ichthyological Research
45(4): 325-339.
ABSTRACT:
Belonoperca pylei is described
from five specimens collected at
depths of 68-122m from Rarotonga,
Cook Islands. It differs from
all other known diploprionin seranids
in having IX, 10 dorsal-fin rays,
III, 7 anal-fin rays, and color
pattern composed primarily of yellow
and orange pigments. Cladistic
analysis of epinepheline morphology
supports monophyly of the diploprionin
genera Belonoperca and
Diploprion and suggests
that Belonoperca is the
sister group of Diploprion
plus the monotypic Aulacocephalus.
Beard,
K.H.
and P.T. DePriest. 1996. Genetic
Variation within and among mats
of the reindeer lichen, Cladina
subtenuis (des Abb.) Hale &
W. Culb. Lichenologist 28: 171-182.
ABSTRACT:
Cladina subtenuis (des Abb.)
Hale & W. Culb. is the most
commonly found "reindeer lichen"
in the southeastern United States.
In the present study C. subtenuis
was examined for polymorphism in
the small subunit (SSU) ribosomal
DNA (rDNA) within and among small
clumps of podetia, here referred
to as mats, from five geographical
locations. Polymorphism in the SSU
rDNA was not detected among podetia
within mats, but polymorphism was
detected among mats from a single
location. Therefore, mats of C.
subtenuis may represent a single
genetic individual, although genetically
distinct mats may occur in close
proximity. Their proximity could
encourage sexual reproduction between
genetically distinct individuals
that would maintain variation in
these populations. The SSU rDNA
types represented three different
lengths and restriction-site patterns,
reflecting the presence of sequence
insertions of at least 200 nucleotides
in the SSU rDNA coding region. The
insertions, differing in position,
number and sequence, are group I
introns similar to those previously
reported in the Cladonia chlorophaea
complex. The intron variation among
the SSU rDNA types indicates that
molecular evolution has occurred
within this species, perhaps since
its divergence from related taxa
and dispersal across the southeastern
United States.
Boulay,
M.C. and C.B. Robbins.
1989. Epomophorus gambianus.
Mammalian Species 344: 1-5.
ABSTRACT:
Taxonomic description of the species
Epomorphorus gambianus. Order
Chiroptera, Suborder Megachiroptera,
Family Pteropodidae, Subfamily Pteropodinae,
Genus Epomophorus. The genus
Epomorphorus contains six
species.
Brandley,
M.C. and K. de Queiroz.
2004. Phylogeny, ecomorphological
evolution, and historical biogeography
of the Anolis cristatellus series.
Herpetological Monographs 18: 90-126.
ABSTRACT:
To determine the evolutionary relationships
within the Anolis cristatellus
series, we employed phylogenetic
analyses of previously published
karyotype and allozyme data as well
as newly collected morphological
data and mitochondrial DNA sequences
(fragments of the 12S RNA and cytochrome
b genes). The relationships inferred
from continuous maximum likelihood
reanalyses of allozyme data were
largely poorly supported. A similar
analysis of the morphological data
gave strong to moderate support
for sister relationships of the
two included distichoid species,
the two trunk-crown species, the
grass-bush species A. poncensis
and A. pulchellus, and a
clade of trunk-ground and grass-bush
species. The results of maximum
likelihood and Bayesian analyses
of the 12S, cyt b, and combined
mtDNA data sets were largely congruent,
but nonetheless exhibit some differences
both with one another and with those
based on the morphological data.
We therefore took advantage of the
additive properties of likelihoods
to compare alternative phylogenetic
trees and determined that the tree
inferred from the combined 12S and
cyt b data is also the best
estimate of the phylogeny for the
morphological and mtDNA data sets
considered together. We also performed
mixed-model Bayesian analyses of
combined morphology and mtDNA data;
the resultant tree was topologically
identical to the combined mtDNA
tree with generally high nodal support.
This phylogenetic hypothesis has
a basal dichotomy between the Hispanolan
distichoids and the bimaculatus
series, on the one hand , and the
cristatellus series inhabiting
the Puerto Rican Island Bank, its
satellite islands, the Bahamas,
and St. Croix, on the other. The
trunk-crown species form a clade,
while the trunk-ground and grass-bust
species do not as A. gundlachi,
a trunk-ground and grass-bust species
suggest that one of these ecomorphs
may have been ancestral to the other
and that one of both evolved convergently.
In the context of our preferred
phylogeny and divergences dates
estimated by NPRS analyses, we propose
several biogeographical hypotheses
that explain the current distribution
of the cristatellus series.
The presence of endemic species
on the island of the Bahamas, Desecheo,
Mona, Monita, and St. Croix are
likely due to over-water dispersal.
Vicariance resulting from Pliocene
or Pleistocene changes in sea levels
likely explains the occurrence of
A. cristatellus (including
A. ernestwilliamsi), A.
pulchellus, and A. Stratulus
on different islands of the Puerto
Rican Bank.
Brandley,
M.C. and
K. de Queiroz. 2002. The phylogenetic
history of the Anolis cristatellus
group: a morphological and molecular
analysis using frequency parsimony
and maximum likelihood methods.
2002 meeting of the Society of Systematic
Biologists and the Society for the
Study of Evolution, Champaign-Urbana,
IL.
ABSTRACT:
Brown,
J.W. and K.
Bash. 2000. The Lepidoptera
of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar:
Calculating Faunal Similarity among
Sampling Sites and Estimating Total
Species Richness. Journal of Research
on the Lepidoptera 36: 45-78.
ABSTRACT:
An intensive 3-year survey of
the Lepidoptera of Marine Corps
Air Station Miramar in southwestern
San Diego County, California, was
conducted from October 1995 through
September 1998. Sampling methodology
included blacklight trapping (364
nights), diurnal collecting (148
days), and pheromone "baiting."
About 646 species of Lepidoptera
were documented from the Station,
including 20 (or more) undescribed
moth species and one "sensitive"
butterfly speies - Hermes copper,
Lycaena hermes (Edwards).
Two species were newly recorded
for the United States - Dryadaula
terpsichorella (Busck) (Tineidae)
and Metapluera potosi Busck
(Gelechiidae). While the species
accumulation curve reached a convincing
asymptote, it is highly unlikely
that all species of Lepidoptera
present on the Station were sampled.
Four methods extrapolated or estimated
the fauna to be between 706 and
922 species. Based on the family
Geometridae, faunal similarity among
a subset of 10 permanent blacklight
sites ranged from 0.29 to 0.69.
We briefly discuss how Lepidoptera
inventories may provide insight
into identification of areas of
high conservation value.
Brown,
J. and A.
Cramer. 1999. Five new
species of Argyrotaenia (Tortricidae:
Archipini) from Mexico and the Southwestern
United States. Journal of the Lepidopterists'
Society 53(3): 114-125.
ABSTRACT:
Based on an examination of 187 specimens,
five new species of Argyrotaenia
are recognized from Mexico and
the southwestern United States.
A hypothesis of the phylogenetic
relationships among the species
is derived using Hennig86 to find
the most parsimonious solution to
the distribution of 14 morphological
characters (5 characters of the
forewing, 7 of the male genitalia,
and 2 of the female genitalia).
Argyrotaenia spinacallis
Brown & Cramer, new species,
from the State of Veracruz, A.
unda Brown & Cramer, new
species from the states of Mexico
and Morelos, and A. octavana
Brown & Cramer, from the
states of Puebla and Veracruz, appear
to form a monophyletic group with
A. ponera (Walsingham), from
Puebla. The last is redescribed
and illustrated. Although superficially
similar, A. coconinana Brown
& Cramer, new species, from
Arizona and New Mexico, and A.
bialbistriata Brown & Cramer,
from Arizona (Cochise Co.) and Durango,
Mexico, may not be members of the
"ponera group"
owing to their considerable divergence
in male and female genitalia.
Brown,
J. W. and T.
McPherson. 2001. Review
of Rebinea Razowski and Eliachna
Razowski (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae:
Euliini) - sister groups endemic
to Chile and Argentina. Journal
of the Lepidopterists' Society 55(4):
129-139.
ABSTRACT.
Rebinea Razowski and Eliachna
Razowski, two formerly monotypic
genera known only from males, are
redescribed based on large series
of specimens (n=320), including
both sexes. As presently defined,
Rebinea is still considered
monotypic, with a single variable
species, R. erebina (Butler,
1883), and its synonym, Arotrophora
balsamodes Meyrick, 1931. It
is possible that two (or more) species
are concealed within the variation,
but we were unable to separate them
using traditional morphological
characters. Eliachna is represented
by three species: E. chileana
Razowski, 1999, E. digitana
Brown and McPherson, new species,
and E. hemicordata Brown
and McPherson, new species. Both
genera are restricted to south-central
Chile and southwestern Argentina,
ranging from coastal lowlands (5
m) to middle elevations (1200-1700
m) at the southern end of the Andes.
A phylogenetic analysis of the four
species (plus two out-group species)
provides support for the sister
relationship of Rebinea and
Eliachna based on the following
synapomorphies: (1) extremely elongate
labial palpi (length 3-4 times the
horizontal diameter of the compound
eye); (2) a pair of stout, digitate,
submedial processes from the dorsum
of the transtilla; (3) a deep, rounded
excavation near the mid-venter of
the valva; and (4) a pair of semicircular,
lateral flanges from the posterior
edge of the sterigma.
Carleton,
M.D., and C.
Martinez. 1991. Morphometric
differentiation among West African
populations of the rodent genus
Dasymys (Muroidea: Murinae),
and its taxonomic implications.
Proc. Bio. Soc. Wash. 104(3): 419-435.
ABSTRACT:
Craniodental variation among West
African samples of Dasymys
is reassessed based on the larger
museum series now available. Two
morphological kinds can be discerned
in this region and are referrable
to the locally available epithets
Dasymys rufulus Miller (1900),
described from Mount Coffee, Liberia,
and Dasymys foxi Thomas (1912),
named from Panyam, Nigeria. The
degree of craniodental differentiation
between these two phena matches
that documented for other congeneric
pairs of murid rodent species inhabiting
parts of West Africa. Dasymys
rufulus differs from D. foxi
by its overall smaller size, especially
as observed in its smaller, narrower
cranium and less robust molars.
In West Africa, samples of D.
rufulus are broadly distributed
from east of the Niger River, Nigeria,
west to northern Sierra Leone; whereas,
the known examples of D. foxi
are restricted to the Jos Plateau
in Nigeria. Dasymys rufulus
and D. foxi are provisionally
accorded specific status until taxonomic
studies of Dasymys populations
from other parts of Africa are undertaken
to determine their relationships
and distributional limits. It is
doubtful that either form, but especially
D. rufulus, is synonymous
with D. nudipes or D.
incomtus.
Carrel,
C. 1991. Tradescantia
Research Project. The Palmetto 11(4):
6.
ABSTRACT:
Despite the complications of Edgar
Anderson associated with studying
the tradescantias, the challenges
of deciphering its evolution and
its puzzling taxonomy have led to
a special study of the Tradescantia
native to Florida. These attractive,
brightly colored, three-petaled
flowers are commonly known as spiderwort,
or widow's tears, in reference to
the deliquescent nature of the blooms.
They were originally introduced
into English gardens by John Tradescant
in the 17th century.
Collette,
B.B. and G.B.
Gillis. 1992. Morphology
systematics, and biology of the
double-lined mackerels (Grammatorcynus,
Scombridae). Fishery Bulletin U.S.
90: 13-53.
ABSTRACT:
Osteological differences confirm
the validity of two species of Grammatorcynus,
G. bicarinatus (Quoy and Gaimard
1825) and the long-recognized G.
bilineatus (Rüppell 1836).
In addition to having fewer gill
rakers (12-14 vs. 18-24), a smaller
eye (3.1-4.6% vs 4.0 to 6.0% FL),
small black spots on the lower sides
of the body, and reaching a larger
size (110cm FL vs 60cm), G. bicarinatus
differs from G. bilineatus
in having a shorter neurocranium,
shorter parasphenoid flanges, lower
posterior edge of maxillary shank,
shorter quadrate process, narrower
first postcleithrum, wider ethmoid,
wider vomer, wider lachrymal, longer
teeth, wider palatine tooth patch,
wider opercle, and a thin posttemporal
shelf between the anterior processes.
All but one of the 16 osteological
differences previously found between
Grammatorcynus bilineatus and
Scomberomorus and Acanthocybium
are confirmed with the inclusion
of G. bicarinatus in the
genus. Grammatorcynus bilineatus
is widespread in tropical and subtropical
waters of the Indo-West Pacific
from the Red Sea to Tokelau Islands
in Oceania. The range of G. bicarinatus
is restricted to the western and
eastern coasts of Australia and
southern Papua New Guinea.
Collins,
E.P. and G.H. Rodda.
1994. Bone layers associated with
ecdysis in laboratory-reared Boiga
irregularis (Colubridae). Journal
of Herpetology 28(3): 378-381.
ABSTRACT:
Little work has been done on the
periodicity of growth marks in tropical
reptiles. Age determination in snakes,
which lack long bones, is a special
challenge. We found the lingual
lamina (often called the prearticular),
which forms the inner wall of the
mandibular fossa, is the most suitable
bone for counting growth marks in
Boiga irregularis. Brown
tree snakes, Boiga irregularis,
accidentally introduced to the tropical
island of Guam, have been deemed
responsible for the expiration or
endangerment of most of the island's
native vertebrates. Management actions
designed to encourage and augment
natural sources of snake mortality
have been frustrated by the inability
to age snakes and estimate survivorship.
We raised brown tree snakes under
controlled conditions to test the
relationship between age and growth
marks. The results revealed growth
marks do not express a direct annual
cycle of growth and cannot be used
in age estimates of captive-reared
Boiga irregularis. The primary
correlate of growth marks appeared
to be ecdysis. The correlation between
growth marks and sheds suggest that,
under constant environmental condidtions,
the bones are recording shed-induced
changes in growth. We do not know
whether growth marks and edysis
are similarly correlated in wild
snakes. This phenomenon may make
it possible to study frequency of
ecdysis in free-ranging snakes.
DeFilipps,
R.A., S.L. Maina, and L.A.
Pray. 1988. The Palauan
and Yap Medicinal Plant Studies
of Masayoshi Okabe, 1941-1943. Atoll
Research Bulletin 317:1-25.
ABSTRACT:
Masayoshi Okabe visited the Palau
and Yap Islands to study the local
medicinal plants and diseases treated
through their use. He made reports
of his findings (1941a, 1943a) in
Japanese. In this paper the authors
present for the first time in the
English language a published record
of Okabe's findings.
Dikow,
T. and W.N. Mathis. 2002.
A Revision and Phylogenetic Study
of Actocetor Becker (Diptera:
Ephydridae). Proceedings of the
Entomological Society of Washington
104(2): 249-290.
ABSTRACT:
The genus Actocetor Becker
is revised, including a phylogenetic
analysis of the seven recognized
species. Two new species, Actocetor
afrus (Liberia and senegal)
and A. yaromi (Ethiopia),
are described. Actocetor hendeli
de Meijere, A. margaritatus
(Wiedemann), and A. panelii
Frey are new junior synonyms of
A. indicus (Wiedemann), and
A. beckeri de Meijere and
A. elegans Hendel are new
junior synonyms of A. nigrifinis
(Walker). Lectotypes, all females,
are designated for the following
species: Notiphilia indica
Wiedemann, Ephydra margaritata
Wiedmann, Opomyza nigrifinis
Walker, and Actocetor beckeri
de Meijere. The cladistic analysis
is based on 29 morphological characters
and resulted in 10 equally most
parsimonious trees (length of 60
steps and consistency and retention
indices of 0.83 and 0.83 respectively).
Three trees then resulted from application
of successive weighting, and from
these a strict consensus tree was
derived that is typologically identical
to one of the original 10 trees.
From the consensus cladogram, the
following hypotheses can be made:
(1) Actocetor is monophyletic
and (2) the subgenera Actocetor
Becker (4 species) and Poecilostenia
Bezzi (3 species) are each monophyletic.
althought we suggest an Afrotropical
origin for Actocetor, the
genus could have resulted from speciation
events in the Oriental Region. Keys
for the identification of all genera
of Discomyzini and the species
of Actocetor are provided.
The distribution of all species
of Actocetor and the biology
of A. indicus from a coastal
site in Israel are discussed.
Dove,
C. J. and A.
Agreda. 2007. Differences
in plumulaceous feather characters
of dabbling and diving ducks. Condor
109: 192-199.
ABSTRACT:
Erbacher,
J., C. Hemleben, B.T. Huber, and
M. Markey.
1999. Correlating environmental
changes during early Albanian oceanic
anoxic event 1b using benthic foraminiferal
paleoecology. Marine Micropaleontology
38: 7-28.
ABSTRACT:
The nature and consequences of mid-Cretaceous
oceanic anoxic events (OAEs) are
the subject of ongoing debate, and
recent studies have shown that different
scenarios are needed to explain
each of these events. Nevertheless,
similarities between the different
OAEs can be observed. Here, we have
reconstructed paleoenviornmental
changes during the early Albian
OAE 1b using benthic foraminiferal
distributions and lithologies in
three sections from different basins
and paleowater depths. Eutrophic
conditions, as indicated by the
presence of infaunal as well as
opportunistic genera such as Gyroidinoides,
Pseudoboliviana, Pleurostomella,
and bolivinitids, prevailed
before and during the OAE and led
to dysoxic to anoxic conditions.
Dysoxia was most intense in the
bathyal sections but also occurred
in the outer shelf where more heterogeneous
patterns of foraminiferal distributions
are believed to reflect fluctuations
of the upper boundary of an oxygen-minimum
zone. A change from eutrophic to
mesotrophic conditions caused the
termination of OAE 1b and opportunistic
benthic foraminifera (e.g. Pseudobolivina,
Pleurostomella) were the first
to subsequently repopulate the bathyal
sea floor. Repopulation occurred
rapidly in the shallow settings
and gradually in the deeper sites,
where a normal, diverse pre-event
fauna was established a few tens
of thousands of years after OAE
1b.
Erbacher,
J., B.T. Huber, R.D. Norris, and
M. Markey.
2001. Increased thermohaline stratification
as a possible cause for an ocean
anoxic event in the Cretaceous period.
Nature 409: 325-327.
ABSTRACT:
Ocean anoxic events were periods
of high carbon burial that led to
drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide,
lowering of bottom-water oxygen
concentrations and, in many cases,
significant biological extinction.
Most ocean anoxic events are thought
to be caused by high productivity
and export of carbon from surface
waters which is then preserved in
organic-rich sediments, known as
black shales. But the factors that
triggered some of these events remain
uncertain. Here we present stable
isotope data from a mid-Cretaceous
ocean anoxic event that occurred
112 Myr ago, and that point to an
increased thermohaline stratification
as the probable cause. Ocean anoxic
event 1b is associated with an increase
in surface-water temperatures and
runoff that led to decreased bottom-water
formation and elevated carbon burial
in the restricted basins of the
western Tethys and North Atlantic.
This event is in many ways similar
to that which led to the more recent
Plio-Pleistocene Mediterranean sapropels,
but the greater geographical extent
and longer duration (~46kyr) of
ocean anoxic event 1b suggest that
processes leading to such ocean
anoxic events in the North Atlantic
and western Tethys were able to
act over a much larger region, and
sequester far more carbon, than
any of the Quaternary sapropels.
Faden,
R.B. and M.H.
Alford. 2001. A new species
of Commelina (Commelinaceae)
from Tanzania. Novon 11: 16-21.
ABSTRACT:
Commelina polhillii Faden
& Alford, a new annual species
of Commelina with buff-orange
flowers, is described from Tanzania.
It differs from the similar C.
subulata primarily in seed morphology.
However, staminode shape, the presence
of basal lobes on the medial anther
connective, and differences in spathe
pubescence also serve to varying
extent to distinguish the two taxa.
Leaf anatomy reveals one major difference
but primarily helps to unite the
two species with a group of approximately
seven other species. A preliminary
chromosome count, 2n = ca. 30, is
recorded.
Faden,
R.B. and K.E.
Inman. 1996. Leaf anatomy
of the African genera of Commelinaceae:
Anthericopsis and Murdannia.
The Biodiversity of African Plants
(Proc. XIVth AETFAT Cong.: 464-471.
ABSTRACT:
Leaf anatomy of Anthericopsis
sepalosa and nine species of
Murdannia was studied using
scanning electron microscopy, paraffin
embedded sections, whole leaf clearings,
and epidermal scrapes. Anthericopsis
was distinctive because of its attenuate
margin with basal tannin cells and
a broad, discontinuous, adaxial
hypodermis. Murdannia was
characterized by a thin epidermis,
patterned cuticle, usually continuous
hypodermis, and generally marginal
sclerenchyma. Both genera showed
several apparently synapomorphic
characters, such as lack of a thick
midrib, presence of a broad adaxial
hypodermis, and a tapered margin,
that separated them from other genera
of tribe Commelineae. The anatomical
support morphological data that
show a phylogenetic relationship
between the two genera.
Faden,
R.B. and D.M.
Cameron. 2005. Cyanotis
repens (Commelinaceae): A New
Species from Tropical Africa. NOVON
15: 110-116.
ABSTRACT:
Cyanotis
repens, a mat-forming perennial,
is described from Kenya in tropical
Africa. It differs from related
species by its prostrate habit,
indeterminate flowering shoots,
and fusiform swelling terminating
the style. Two subspecies are recognized,
diploid C. repens subsq.
repens from Kenya, Tanzania,
and Uganda, and polyploid C.
repens subsp. robusta
from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda,
Democratic Republic of Congo, and
Gabon. Cyanotis repens belongs
to the Cyanotis foecunda species
group, the species of which have
a basic chromosome number of x
= 13 and often distinctive karyotypes.
Falcon,
L.I., M. Vecchione, and
C.F.E. Roper. 2000. Paralarval gonatid
squids (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida)
from the mid-North Atlantic. Proc.
Biol. Soc. Wash. 113(2): 532-541.
ABSTRACT:
Ninety six gonatid cephalopod specimens
(Oegopsida: Gonatidae) from the
University of Amsterdam Mid-North
Atlantic Plankton Expeditions were
analyzed and two species were identified:
Gonatus steenstrupi (Kristensen
1981) and Gonatus fabricii
(Lichtenstein 1818). Gonatids were
collected only in spring and summer,
despite sampling in autumn and winter.
This paper describes aspects of
their development and reports their
geographical distribution in the
central North Atlantic Ocean. Chromatophore
patterns were the most consistently
useful characters for distinguishing
between the species. Among 34 measurements,
Tentacle Length (TtL) relative to
Dorsal Mantle Length (ML) and number
of suckers on Arms I-IV were useful
for distinguishing specimens >13
mm ML. Both species develop hooks
from suckers on the arms and tentacular
clubs at ML > 20 mm. Subtle differences
were noted in the morphology of
the funnel pads except in the smallest
specimens. Specimens of G. steenstrupi
>20 mm ML were collected at greater
depths (250 to 995 m) than the smaller
specimens (found at depths <200
m). Our data suggest that 20 mm
ML is the point of transition between
paralarvae and juveniles of G.
steenstrupi, because specimens
larger than 20 mm ML have well defined
hooks and a juvenile vertical distribution
is established.
Feinstein,
N. and S.D. Cairns. 1998.
Learning from the collector: a survey
of azooxanthellate corals affixed
by Xenophora (Gastropoda:
Xenophoridae), with an analysis
and discussion of attachment patterns.
The Nautilus 112(3): 73-83.
ABSTRACT:
All species of the gastropod family
Xenophoridae affix foreign objects
to the upper shell surface. Affixed
objects may include bivalve shells,
smaller gastropod shells, shell
fragments, and coral skeletons,
as well as a wide array of inorganic
material. In deep water, Xenophora
may serve as useful proxy collectors
of benthic organisms. Since 1842,
coral skeletons have been noted
among the attached objects, but
this association has never been
studied in detail. This paper
surveys 227 Xenophora
shells, comprising 8 species from
69 stations, for affixed azooxanthellate
corals. Five hundred and eighty-one
coralla were found, representing
74 coral species, 2 of which remain
undescribed. Twenty-four of the
affixed coralla were alive at
the time the Xenophora hosts
were collected; Xenophora not
only collect live corals, but
corals can remain alive long after
being affixed. Corals were found
at 6 sites where they had previously
been unknown, and the geographic
ranges of 29 species of coral
were expanded as a result of specimens
found on Xenophora.
Fernandez,
M.,
H. Hamilton, S. Reichle, D. Wilson,
R. Heyer, and R. McDiarmid. 2003.
Verificando un modelo predictivo
de distribucion para anfibios
en Bolivia. Décimo Encuentro
Latinoamericano de Usuarios de
Tecnologías de Información
Geográfica, Santa Cruz,
Bolivia, September 2003.
ABSTRACT:
Over the past hundred years, the
human population has increased
from one to six billion human
beings. As a result, the pressure
to squeeze this little planet
of ours for more food, water,
and fuel has increased. Therefore,
managing the limited natural resources
of the Earth has emerged as perhaps
the most crucial problem faced
by humanity. Fortunately, technologies
are now becoming widely available
that may allow us to feed and
power the growing population without
destroying the very environment
that sustains us in the process.
With this technology we have started
to measure virtually everything
on Earth and how these things
change over time. Analyzed with
special databases called Geographic
Information Systems (GIS), these
measurements help us to understand
what’s happening all around
us and even make predictions for
areas where there is a lack of
information. To provide politicians
and decision-makers in Bolivia
with useful and fast information
as to which places need protection
due to their high biodiversity,
it is necessary to understand
the patterns of distribution of
different taxa. This project focuses
on a predictive model developed
from a GIS database, using information
obtained about Bolivian amphibians
based on Bolivian collections.
This will assist in making a decision
on whether or not to protect a
specific area. However, testing
is required to know if the predictions
we developed about the environment
reflect reality. In order to test
this model, a group of frogs was
chosen as a focus group. Using
a source of information that was
not used to build the model (National
Museum of Natural History collection
and a revisionary study made by
Dr. Ron Heyer); the localities
for ten species were mapped and
overlaid on the model. The results
indicate that two levels of improvement
are needed to characterize biodiversity
distribution in Bolivia: 1) All
available museum data should be
used to develop predictive distributions
for each species; 2) The various
GIS layers now available for climate,
soils, and vegetation are inaccurate
and/or out of date and need to
be improved.
Ferrell,
C.S. and D.E. Wilson.
1991. Platyrrhinus helleri.
Mammalian Species 373: 1-5.
ABSTRACT:
Taxonomic description of the species
Platyrrhinus helleri. Order
Chiroptera, Suborder Microchiroptera,
Family Phyllostomidae, Subfamily
Stenodermatinae, Genus Platyrrhinus.
The genus Platyrrhinus contains
eight species.
Foley
C.N., Nittler L.R., McCoy T.J.,
Lim L., Brown
M.R.M., Starr R.D. and
Trombka J.I. 2006. Minor element
evidence that Asteroid 433 Eros
is a space-weathered ordinary chondrite
parent body. Icarus 184, 338-343.
ABSTRACT:
Fonseca,
R. M. and C.
M. Pinto. 2004. A New
Lophostoma (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae:
Phyllostominae) from the Amozonia
of Ecuadore Species. Occasional
Papers, Museum of Texas Tech Univ.
#242.
ABSTRACT:
We describe a new species of phyllostomid
bat, genus Lophostoma, from
eastern Ecuadore. Lophostoma
yasuni n. sp. resembles L.
carrikeri
for its white venter and L. shulzi
in size, but it is distinguishable
from both by external and cranial
characteristics. Lophostoma yansuni
has a shorter forearm than the average
expected for L. carrikeri;
however the skull is the largest
in relation to L. carrikeri
and L. shulzi. L. yasuni
does not present the wart-like granulations
on the forearms characteristic of
L. shulzi.
Funk,
V.A. and M.F.
Zermoglio. 1999. A revision
of Chrysactinium (Compositae:
Liabeae). Systematic Botany 24:
323-338.
ABSTRACT:
Chrysactinium (Compositae:
Liabeae) is composed of six species,
all restricted to the Páramo-type
regions of Ecuador and Peru. Chrysactinium
longiradiatum and C. rosulatum
are considered synonymous with C.
acaule because of the high levels
of variation exhibited in the characters
previously used to distinguish them.
Funk,
V.A., M.F.
Zermoglio, and N. Nasir.
1999. Testing the use of specimen
collection data and GIS in biodiversity
exploration and conservation decision
making in Guyana. Biodiversity and
Conservation 8: 727-751.
ABSTRACT:
This paper presents the results
of a study conducted at the request
of the Government of Guyana by the
Centre for the Study of Biological
Diversity at the University of Guyana,
and the Smithsonian Institution.
The purpose of the study was to
evaluate the utility of using systematic
collections in identifying areas
with a high priority for conservation.
A biodiversity database and a gazetteer
were assembled and interpreted primarily
through the use of maps generated
in ARC/INFO and ArcView. The data
were examined to determine coverage
and completeness, and while in general
the results support a continued
use of the methodology for making
informed decisions in conservation
related issues, several recommendations
are offered in order to enhance
the data. The primary use of the
results of this study is in the
identification of areas of interest
for conservation and in the location
of eleven areas covering most ecoregions
in Guyana that are in need of additional
study. The eleven areas have been
chosen to avoid areas that are already
allocated to logging and mining
concessions or Amerindian lands.
While it is true that this study
would benefit from additional data
and further analysis of those data,
it is also true that decisions concerning
areas for conservation in Guyana
are being made in the near future,
and if any data are to be used in
this process, it will be those data
presented in this paper.
Garcia
Perez, L. and W.R. Heyer.
1993. Description of the advertisement
call and resolution of the systematic
status of Leptodactylus gracilis
delattini Müller, 1968
(Amphibia: Leptodactylidae). Proc.
Bio. Soc. of Wash. 106(1): 51-56.
ABSTRACT:
The advertisement call of Leptodactylus
gracilis delattini Muller is
described from Campeche, Santa Catarina,
Brazil and compared with calls from
five populations of L. gracilis
from mainland Brazil and calls of
the closely related L. furnarius
and L. plaumanni. Based on
comparison of call data and re-examination
of the holotype, Leptodactylus
gracilis delattini Muller, 1968
is considered to be a strict junior
synonym of Leptodactylus gracilis
(Dumeril and Bibron, 1841).
Gardner,
A.L. and C.S.
Ferrell. 1990. Comments
on the nomenclature of two genera
and two species of Neotropical bats.
Bat Research News 30(4): 65-66.
ABSTRACT:
We clarify the status of the names
of Platyrrhinus, Vampyrops,
and Anthorhina; comment on
the names Molossus burnesi
and M. Barnesi; and identify
the authorship of Diclidurus
albus.
Gardner,
A.L. and C.S.
Ferrell. 1990. Comments
on the nomenclature of some Neotropical
bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera). Proceedings
of the Biological Society of Washington
103(3): 501-508.
ABSTRACT:
We examine four nomenclature problems
concerning Neotropical bats and
conclude that Platyrrhinus
has priority over Vampyrops;
Anthorhina is a junior objective
synonym of Tonatia; and Cabrera,
as first reviser, selected the spelling
Molossus barnesi over M.
burnesi. We recommended that
Wied-Neuwied, not Oken, be considered
the author of Diclidurus albus,
although the code of zoological
nomenclature does not directly address
this particular situation.
Gargas,
A., P.T. DePriest, and N.
Ivanova. 1994. Glacier-
covered lichens: Sources of ancient
DNA. American Journal of Botany
Abstract 81: 92.
ABSTRACT:
Glenn,
T.C., R.S.
Ojerio, W. Stephan, and
M.J. Braun. 1997. Microsatellite
DNA loci for Genetic Studies of
Cranes. Proceedings of the 7th North
American Crane Workshop 7: 36-45.
ABSTRACT:
Microsatellites are short tandem
arrays of simple DNA sequences (e.g.,
[AC]n, where n > 10), which are
often highly polymorphic among individuals.
These repetitive elements are rapidly
becoming the molecular genetic marker
of choice for genetic mapping, parentage
analyses, and fundamental population
genetics. We have isolated more
than 50 microsatellite loci from
the whooping crane (Grus americana).
The microsatellites cloned from
whooping cranes are unusually short
and infrequent in comparison to
other birds and especially so in
comparison to mammals or reptiles.
However, at least 13 of the 20 primer
pairs developed amplify polymorphic
loci. Paternity for 2 individuals
sharing the same mother and 5 potential
fathers was established by investigating
6 polymorphic loci. Additionally,
the primers developed yield amplicons
of the expected size from other
crane species with greater than
90% success. Therefore, the markers
we have developed will be useful
for addressing questions about the
captive management, population structure,
and phylogeography of all cranes.
Hardy,
C.R. and R.B. Faden.
2004. Plowmanianthus, a new
genus of Commelinaceae with five
new species from tropical America.
Systematic Botany 29: 316-333.
ABSTRACT:
Helgen,
K.M. 2001. First record
of Rattus rattus in Botswana.
Mammalian Biology 66: 60-62.
ABSTRACT:
Helgen,
K.M. and D.E. Wilson.
2001. Additional material of the
enigmatic golden mole Cryptochloris
zyli, with notes on the genus
Cryptochloris (Mammalia:
Chrysochloridae). African Zoology
36(1): 110-112.
ABSTRACT:
Van Zyl's golden mole (Cryptochloris
zyli) is a distinctive but little-known
species from the northwestern Cape
Province of South Africa. Many authors
have mentioned that it is known
only by the holotype. Two other
specimens are now known to exist;
one was discovered in the Museum
of Comparative Zoology at Harvard
University, and the other, which
has been mentioned in publication
but overlooked, is in the Natural
History Museum in London. Differentiation
of C. zyli from sympatric
chrysochlorids, and from its congener
C. wintoni, are discussed.
Helgen,
K.M. and D.E. Wilson.
2002. The bats of Flores, Indonesia,
with remarks on Asian Tadarida.
Breviora 511: 1-12.
ABSTRACT:
Helgen,
K.M. and D.E. Wilson.
2002. The history of the raccoons
of the West Indies. The Journal
of the Barbados Museum & Historical
Society XLVIII: 1-11.
ABSTRACT:
Helgen,
K.M. and D.E. Wilson.
2003. Taxonomic status and conservation
relevance of the raccoons (Procyon
spp.) of the West Indies. The
Zoological Society of London 259:
69-76.
ABSTRACT:
Raccoons Procyon spp. from
New Providence Island in the Bahamas
and from Barbados and Guadeloupe
in the Lesser Antilles, have traditionally
been recognized as distinctive species
endemic to their respective islands,
All three of these "species"
currently possess official conservation
status of high concern. Bahamian
and Guadeloupean raccoons are recognized
as endangered species by the World
Conservation Union (IUCN), which
also considers the Barbados raccoon
to be a recently extinct West Indian
mammal. However, historical, biogeographic,
genetic and morphological evidence
demonstrate that all three West
Indian raccoon populations are the
result of human-sponsored introductions
from the eastern U.S.A. that have
occurred in the past few centuries.
Accordingly, these animals should
not be considered either conservation
priorities or recent losses of biodiversity
in the Caribbean. Instead, they
may actually represent ecological
threats to the insular ecosystems
on their respective islands. Procyonid
conservation goals must be re-examined
and updated accordingly.
Helgen,
K. M.,
and D. E. Wilson. 2005. A systematic
and zoogeographic overview of the
raccoons of Mexico and Central America.
Pp. 219-234, in Sanchez-Cordero,
V., and R. Medellin, eds. Contribuciones
Mastozoologicas en homenaje a Bernardo
Villa. Instituto de Biologia e Instituto
de Ecologia, UNAM., Mexico city.
500 pp.
ABSTRACT:
Heyer,
W.R.,
J.M. Garcia-Lopez, and
A.J. Cardoso. 1996. Advertisement
call variation in the Leptodactylus
mystaceus species complex (Amphibia:
Leptodactylidae) with a description
of a new sibling species. Amphibia-Reptilia
17: 7-31.
ABSTRACT:
Whereas morphological analysis of
populations recognized as Leptodactylus
mystaceus indicates there is
one species with modest geographic
variation, analysis of advertisement
calls indicates there are at least
two or perhaps three species involved.
The differences found in advertisement
calls are sufficient to act as species
isolating barriers to recognize
at least two species, which action
is taken. A consequent result is
the description of a new sibling
species. The significance of sibling
species in the genus Leptodactylus
is discussed briefly.
Heyer,
W.R. and L.M.
Hardy. 1991. A new species
of frog of the Eleutherodactylus
lacrimosus assembly from Amazonia,
South America (Amphibia: Anura:
Leptodactylidae). Proc. Bio. Soc.
Wash. 104(3): 436-447.
ABSTRACT:
Eleutherodactylus zimmermanae,
new species, is described from the
Amazon Basin of South America. Because
of the biological and nomenclatural
complexity of frogs of the Eleutherodactylus
lacrimosus assembly, a neotype
is designated for Cyclocephalus
lacrimosus Jimenez de la Espada,
1875.
Heyer,
W.R. and A.M.
Munoz. 1999. Validation
of Eleutherodactylus crepitans
Bokermann, 1965, Notes on the Types
and Type Locality of Telatrema
heterodactylum Miranda-Ribeiro,
1937, and Description of a New Species
of Eleutherodactylus from
Mato Grosso, Brazil (Amphibia: Anura:
Leptodactylidae). Proc. Biol. Soc.
Wash. 112(1): 1-18.
ABSTRACT:
Examination of the types of Eleutherodactylus
crepitans Bokermann, 1965, indicates
that they represent a valid species,
which should be removed from the
synonymy of Eleutherodactylus
fenestratus (Steindachner 1864).
Eleutherodactylus crepitans
is only known from the type material.
Certain features of the types of
Telatrema heterodactylum
Miranda-Ribeiro, 1937, are described
and the type locality clarified.
Analysis of the advertisement call
and morphology of a series of specimens
represent a species distinct from
E. fenestratus (Steindachner
1864), for which no name is available.
We describe this new species as
Eleutherodactylus dundeei.
The frog fauna of Chapada dos Guimarães
contains four distinct historical
units: cerrado, chaco, Amazonian
hylaea, and endemic.
Heyer,
W.R., and Y.R.
Reid. 2003. Does advertisement
call variation coincide with genetic
variation in the genetically diverse
frog taxon currently known as Leptodactylus
fuscus (Amphibia: Leptodactylidae)?.
Ann. Brazilian Acad. Sci. 75(1):
39-54.
ABSTRACT:
The frog Leptodactylus fuscus
is found throughout much of South
America in open and disturbed habitats.
Previous study of genetic differentiation
in L. fuscus demonstrated
that there was lack of genetic exchange
among population units consistent
with multiple species, rather than
a single species. We examine advertisement
vocalizations of L. fuscus
to determine whether call variation
coincides with genetic differentiation.
Calls were analyzed for 32 individual
frogs from 25 localities throughout
the distributional range of L.
fuscus. Although there is variation
in calls among geographic samples,
call variation is not concordant
with genetic variation or geographic
distance and the call variation
observed is less than that typically
found among other closely related
species of Leptodactylus.
This study is an example of the
rare pattern of strong genetic differentiation
unaccompanied by salient differences
in advertisement calls. The relative
infrequency of this pattern as currently
understood may only reflect the
lack of detailed analyses of genetic
and acoustic differentiation within
population systems currently understood
as single species with substantial
geographic distributions.
Heyer,
W.R., and A.S.
Thompson. 2000. Leptodactylus
rugosus Noble. Catalogue of
American Amphibians and Reptiles
708: 1-5.
ABSTRACT:
Taxonomic description of Leptodactylus
rugosus Noble. No subspecies
are currently recognized.
Heyer,
W.R. and A.J.
Wolf. 1989. Physalaemus
crombiei (Amphibia: Leptodactylidae),
a new frog species from Espirito
Santo, Brazil with comments on the
P. signifer group. Proceedings
of the Biological Society of Washington
102(2): 500-506.
ABSTRACT:
Physalaemus crombiei, a new
species of the P. signifer group,
is described from the State of Espirito
Santo, Brazil. Members of this group
are most easily distinguished from
each other by advertisement call,
although morphological differences
also exists. The relationships and
other distributions of members of
this species group are not well
understood at the present.
Hoffman,
B. 1989. Latin America
and the Caribbean Botanical Workshop.
Biological Conservation Newsletter
77: 1.
ABSTRACT:
During July 1981, the Smithsonian
Institution's Biodiversity of the
Guianas Program and the Department
of Botany hosted a Latin American
and Caribbean botanical workshop
at the U.S. National Herbarium.
Twenty-two participants from 15
different countries gathered to
discuss and learn about museum research,
collections management, systematics
and conservation. The workshop was
judged to be a great success by
those involved. The participants
returned to their institutions with
a great wealth of literature and
new ideas. The interaction is expected
to have a lasting effect, thus increasing
the professionalism and cooperation
among Latin American, Caribbean
and U.S. insititutions and facilitating
research efforts.
Holcomb,
M.,
Pandolfi, J.M., Macintyre, I.G.,
and Budd, A.F. 2004 Use of X-radiographs
to distinguish members of the Montastraea
annularis reef-coral species complex.
Hydrobiologia, vol 530/531 p 211-222.
ABSTRACT:
Houston,
R.M. and B.T. Huber.
1998. Evidence of photosymbiosis
in fossil taxa? Ontogenetic stable
isotope trends in some Late Cretaceous
planktonic foraminifera. Marine
Micropaleontology 34: 29-46.
ABSTRACT:
Stable isotope analyses were performed
on ontogenetic dissections of four
taxa of low latitude Late Cretaceous
planktonic foraminifera from DSDP
Hole 390A. The species studied include
Planoglobulina acervulinoides,
Planoglobulina multicamerata,
Pseudoguembelina palpebra,
and Racemiguembelina fructicosa.
18O and 13C data indicate a deeper
surface water paleohabitat for P.
multicamerata than the other
three taxa, and ontogenetic increases
in 18O values suggest all these
taxa underwent vertical migrations
from shallow to deeper surface waters.
Changes in 13C values through ontogeny
include sharp increases in 13C composition
in the juvenile size intervals,
a decrease in the rate of 13C change
through intermediate size intervals,
and reversals to a negative trend
in 13C values in terminal size intervals.
The intermediate and terminal growth
changes in 13C signals are similar
to ontogenetic trends observed in
some extant and Paleogene planktonic
foraminifera and may result from
decreasing metabolic rates through
ontogeny or endosymbiont digestion
prior to gametogenesis. The ontogenetic
13C increases of 1.04%, 0.76%, 0.83%,
and 0.77% in R. fructicosa,
P. palpebra, P. acervulinoides,
and P. multicamerata, respectively,
may indicate the presence of photosymbionts.
However, our review and critique
of the current literature discussing
photosymbiont effects on stable
isotope values in living and fossil
planktonic foraminifera suggest
that conclusions regarding the presence
of photosymbionts in fossil taxa
may be more equivocal than previously
thought.
Houston,
R.M., B.T. Huber, and
H.J. Spero. 1999. Size-related isotopic
trends in some Maastrichtian planktic
foraminifera: methodological comparisons,
intraspecific variability, and evidence
for photosymbiosis. Marine Micropaleontology
36: 169-188.
ABSTRACT:
The serial test dissection and sieve
fraction methods for determining
the pattern of size-related change
in oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios
are compared using four Late Cretaceous
planktic foraminifer species (Racemiguembelina
fructicosa, Planoglobulina acervulinoides,
Planoglobulina multicamerata,
and Pseudoguembelina palpebra)
from a subtropical site in the North
Atlantic (DSDP Hole 390A). Despite
the extra labor required, we identify
several clear advantages of the
dissection method, including: (1)
it provides a means of obtaining
size-dependent changes in isotopic
signatures that are unequivocally
ontogenetic, whereas isotopic variation
observed from sieve-separated size
fractions could be ontogenetic or
ecotpic; (2) the taxonomic identity
of smaller sized specimens using
the dissection method is unequivocal,
whereas species identification is
increasingly ambiguous in smaller
size fractions using the sieve method;
(3) it reveals a greater total range
and a greater complexity in the
pattern of ontogenetic change in
stable isotopic values, whereas
the sieve method averages the isotopic
signal across the entire ontogenetic
range preserved within the whole
tests that are used. Our results
from serial dissections demonstrate
that among the species analyzed,
R. fructicosa and P. acervulinoides
yield relatively negative adult
180 values, a large size-related
change in 13C values (1.32 and 2.05%,
respectively), and virtually no
correlation between size-related
13C and 18O values. On this basis
we suggest that these were photosymbiotic
species that inhabited relatively
shallow surface waters. Evidence
for photosymbiosis is not as compelling
for P. palpebra, as this
species yields a 1.06% shift in
13C and relatively negative 18O
values in adult chambers, but much
stronger correlation between size-related
13C and 18O values (r^2 = 0.40)
than in R. fructicosa and
P. acervulinoides. Planoglobulina
multicamerata yields the
most positive adulat 18 O values
of the species studied, a strong
covariance between size-related
13C and 18O values (r^2 = 0.77),
and a 0.97% shift in 13C composition
during ontogeny. We conclude that
this species lacked photosymbionts
and migrated to a deeper surface
water paleohabitat as it increased
in size. Single specimen analyses
of tightly constrained size fractions
reveal a high degree of intraspecific
variation. 13C and 18O values vary
by up to 0.70 and 0.28% in R.
fructicosa, 1.41 and 0.80% in
P. acervulinoides, 0.66 and
0.82% in P. palpebra, and
0.18 and 0.33% in P. multicamerata,
respectively. Such a range of isotopic
variation has been observed in modern
day planktic foraminifer assemblages,
and likely results from growth of
individuals during different phases
of the seasonal cycle and / or the
kinetic effect of intraspecific
variation in shell calcification
rates. As suggested by other investigators,
large sample sizes should be analyzed
to provide the most reliable correlation
of stable isotopic stratigraphic
records.
Ivanova,
N., P.T. DePriest, V.K.
Bobrova, and A.V. Troitsky . 1999.
Phylogenetic analysis of the lichen
family Umbilicariaceae on the basis
of nuclear SSU, ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2
rDNA sequences. Lichenologist 31:
477-489.
ABSTRACT:
The lichen family Umbilicariaceae
is accepted by most lichenologists
as consisting of two genera, Lasallia
and Umbilicaria. The monophyly
of these two genera was examined
by phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide
sequences of ITS1 and ITS2 rDNA.
Sequences of these regions from
three Lasallia and 17 Umbilicaria
species were aligned to those of
seven representatives of the outgroup
taxa including Eurotiales, Onygenales
and Caliciales (Mycocaliciaceae)
and subjected to maximum parsimony,
maximum likelihood and neighbour-joining
analyses. The resulting phylogenetic
hypotheses supported the monophyly
of the representative species of
Lasallia. However, the species
of Umbilicaria did not form
a monophyletic sister-group to Lasallia
due to the basal placement of other
Umbilicaria species in some analyses.
Based on these analyses, if Lasallia
is recognized as a separate genus
then Umbilicaria appears
to be paraphyletic. Although further
taxon sampling is required ro resolve
the monophyly of Umbilicaria,
for the present we recommend retaining
the current treatment of Lasallia
as separate from Umbilicaria.
Jackson,
K. and T. Fritts. 1995.
Evidence from tooth surface morphology
for a posterior maxillary origin
of the proteroglyph fang. Amphibia-Reptilia
16: 273-288.
ABSTRACT:
Although the front-fanged venom
delivery system of the Elapidae
is believed to be derived from an
aglyphous or opisthoglyphous colubroid
ancestor, opinion is divided as
to the end of the maxilla on which
the proteroglyph fang (a) a grooved
posterior fang which migrated anteriorly,
or (b) an enlarged anterior tooth
which secondarily developed a groove
for the conduction of venom. The
surface morphology of the maxillary
teeth of colubrid genera was examined
using scanning electron microscopy.
Ridges present on the lingual and
labial surfaces of anterior maxillary
teeth and on the anterior and posterior
surfaces of posterior maxillary
teeth were identified as morphological
markers of potential value in distinguishing
the anterior and posterior maxillary
teeth of of colubroid snakes, and
in determining the origin of the
proteroglyph fang. Patterns of ridges
on the surfaces of elapid fangs
examined were found to be consistent
with the hypothesis that the evolutionary
precursor of the proteroglyph fang
was an opisthoglyph fang which migrated
anteriorly.
Jackson,
K. and T.H. Fritts. 1996.
Observations of a grooved anterior
fang in Psammodynastes pulverulentus:
does the mock viper resemble a protoelapid?
Journal of Herpetology 30(1): 128-131.
ABSTRACT:
Greene (1989) presented an analysis
of the defensive behavior and feeding
habits of the Asian mock viper,
Psammodynastes pulverulentus,
and reviewed evidence that having
enlarged teeth were morphological
adaptations that facilitated the
handling of hard-bodied prey. Greene
noted that studies of the mock viper
could be important to synthetic
considerations of snake evolution,
especially in evaluating the hypothesis
that proteroglyphous snakes developed
venom-conducting fangs from anterior
maxillary teeth, rather than from
enlarged grooved teeth of the posterior
maxilla so widespread in colubrid
taxa. Greene concluded that in the
mock viper, venom was conducted
by the enlarged and grooved teeth
located at the posterior end of
the maxilla. While examining the
teeth of a dried skull of Psammodynastes
pulverulentus, we detected what
appeared to be grooves on the enlarged
teeth of the maxilla, and subsequently
used scanning electron microscopy
to determine details of the tooth
morphology. The association of grooves,
capable of conducting venom into
the tissue of prey, with the enlarged
anterior teeth of this species could
shed new light on the morphological
complex presumed to be adaptive
for consuming hard-bodied prey.
Janovec,
J. and H. Robinson. 1997.
Charadranaetes, a new genus
of the Senecioneae (Asteraceae)
from Costa Rica. Novon 7: 162-168.
ABSTRACT:
A new genus of the Senecioneae,
Asteraceae, from Costa Rica, Charadranaetes,
is described based on Senecio
durandii Klatt, characterized
by an obnoxious odor emitted by
crushed parts, elongate linear corolla
lobes that are not recurved, and
a prominently rounded style apex
that bears little or no apical coma.
A key to the genera of Senecioneae
in Costa Rica is furnished.
Jaramillo,
M.A. and W.J. Kress.
1997. Phylogenetic relationships
of the genera of the family Costaceae.
Bulletin of the Heliconia Society
9(1/2): 5-8.
ABSTRACT:
Costacea is a pantropical family
with four genera: Costus, Dimerocostus,
Monocostus and Tapeinochilos.
No previous attempts have been made
to reconstruct the phylogenetic
relationships of the genera in the
family. A cladistic analysis of
the genera using morphological data
and DNA sequences from rbcL
cpDNA and 18S rDNA genes were performed.
Different analyses were executed
with morphological data only as
well as combining morphological
and molecular data. A combined phylogeny
is proposed that places Tapeinochilos
as the basal genus with a terminal
clade formed by Dimerocostus
and Monocostus.
Jarrin,
P. 2001. Mamiferos en
La Niebla. Otonga, un Bobque Nublado
del Ecuador. Museo de Zoologia.
Centro de Biodiversidad y Ambiente.
Pontificia Universidad Catolica
del Ecuador. 244pp.
ABSTRACT:
Jarrin-V,
P. 2003. An unusual record
of Peropteryx macrotis (Chiroptera:
Emballonuridae) in the Andean highlands
of Ecuador. Mammalia: 67(4): 613-615.
ABSTRACT:
Jordan,
M.A. and G.H. Rodda.
1994. Identification of sex in Boiga
irregularis; implications for
population dynamics in Guam. Journal
of Herpetology 28(3): 381-384.
ABSTRACT:
The brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis),
an introduced species on the island
of Guam, has been implicated in
the expiration of most of that island's
native bird fauna and contributing
to the decline of lizard and small
mammal populations. Extensive efforts
are underway to develop a method
of eliminating the snake from Guam
and stopping its spread to equally
susceptible Pacific islands. Differential
survival among sexes or age groups
may indicate ecological stresses.
Male-skewed sex ratios and sexual
dimorphism has been proposed for
B. irregularis on Guam. In
this study we extend those observations
and test the validity of field sexing
of snakes. The study found the probing
techinique may not be a reliable
method for assigning sex in B.
irregularis; great care must
be taken if probing is to be used.
The results showed male-skewed sex
ratios are not present in B.
irregularis populations on Guam.
Our study shows that B. irregularis
populations on Guam are experiencing
demographic and morphometric changes.
Adult females have become rarer
in northern sites and less robust
across the island. One factor responsible
for this situation appears to be
the decline of endothermic prey
subsequent to the eruption of the
introduced snake on Guam. These
changes suggest a tactic for reducing
the population density of the snake.
Kalb,
H.J. and G.R. Zug. 1989.
Skeletochronological age estimates
for juvenile Lepidochelys kempii
from Atlantic coast of North America.
NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFC-232:
271-273.
ABSTRACT:
Kemp's ridleys are the smallest
living sea turtles; adults average
646 mm in carapace length (range
595-750 mm). This small adult size
suggests that these turtles attain
sexual maturity at a younger age
than any of the other living sea
turtles. Data on growth rates of
recaptured nesting females and of
captive-raised hatchlings provide
variable estimates of age at sexual
maturity: 5.5 years (Marquez 1973),
~6 years (Pritchard and Marquez
1973), and 8-9 years (Marquez et
al. 1981). The salvage of juvenile
ridleys from the eastern seaboard
of the United States (Long Island,
Chesapeake Bay, Cuberland Island)
provided an opportunity to use the
skeletochronological technique to
estimate the ages and to develop
growth curves for free-living Lepidochelys
kempii.
Kalb,
H.J. and G.R. Zug. 1990.
Age estimates for a population of
American Toads, Bufo americanus
(Salientia: Bufonidae), in Northern
Virginia. Brimleyana 16:79-86.
ABSTRACT:
Age estimation by skeletochronology
was made on adult female and male
Bufo americanus from a small
population in northern Virginia.
This breeding population consisted
predominantly of males 3-4 years
old and females 4-5 years old. Size
and age were not closely correlated,
i.e., the larger toads were not
necessarily older. Large males did
not appear to have an advantage
over the small in mating; average
SVL of amplectic males (64.5 mm)
was similar to that of calling males
(64.8 mm). First breeding occurred
in late March or early April and
appeared dependent upon water temperatures
greater than 11 C in breeding ponds.
Kosnik,
M. 1997. Byzantia:
A new genus (Gastropoda: Neritopsidae)
from the Permian of West Texas.
Journal of Paleontology 71(1): 53-56.
ABSTRACT:
This paper describes Byzantia
obliqua, new genus and species.
Byzantia ia a small, distinctively
ornamented, gastropod genus from
the middle Permian (Leonardian-Guadalupian)
of west Texas. This provides further
evidence of the diversity of the
Neritacea in the middle Permian
and of the diverse endemic fauna
of west Texas.
Krabbenhoft,
T.
and T.A. Munroe. 2003. Symphurus
bathyspilus: A cynoglossid flatfish
(Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae)
from deep-waters of the Indo-West
Pacific. Copeia (4): 810-817.
ABSTRACT:
Symphurus bathyspilus, which
attains standard lengths up to 121
mm, is described on the basis of
84 specimens collected in deep waters
(248-500 m) in the Philippine Archipelago
and off Indonesia. This species
is characterized by the combination
of a predominant 1-2-2 pattern of
interdigitation of dorsal pterygiophores
and neural spines; 14 caudal-fin
rays; 91-100 dorsal-fin rays; 78-87
anal-fin rays; 50-54 total vertebrae;
five hypurals; black peritoneum;
uniformly bright reddish-brown (freshly
captured) to darker reddish-brown
ocular side sometimes with faint
incomplete cross-bands; uniformly
yellowish to straw-colored blind
side with numerous small reddish-brown
speckles overlying regions of proximal
pterygiophores of the blind sides
of the dorsal and anal fins; with
dorsal and anal fins darker reddish-brown
anteriorly, gradually fading to
a pale reddish color in their posterior
regions; and with the outer surface
of the ocular-side opercle yellowish
with reddish-brown speckles. Among
congeners, the new species is most
similar in some meristic features
to those of Symphurus woodmasoni
but differs markedly in its ocular-
and blind-side coloration, in the
pigmentation of its dorsal, anal,
pelvic, and caudal fins and its
yellowish and speckles ocular-side
outer opercular surface.
Krupnick,
G.A. and J.
Rubis. 2002. Plant richness
and endemism in the Indo-Pacific:
Dipterocarpaceae. Pp. 92-98. In:
Wikramanayake, E., E. Dinerstein,
C. J. Loucks, et al. Terrestrial
Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific.
Island Press, Washington.
ABSTRACT:
Determining plant richness and endemism
to the 866 terrestrial ecoregions
is a challenging task, considering
that approximately 300,000 flowering
plant species exist in the world
today. Range maps typically are
unavailable for the majority of
plant species, so data must be extracted
from published literature and herbaria
collections. Records normally provide
information about the collection
sites and where the plant was observed
or collected; therefore, we must
estimate the entire range of each
species. The laborious endeavor
of categorizing plants by ecoregion
is essential because the distributions
of invertebrates, by far the most
abundant terrestrial species, often
are tied to the range occupied by
their host plants. For botanists
to make a major contribution to
setting global and regional priorities
for conservation, we must make the
effort to map plant richness and
endemism to complement similar efforts
completed for vertebrates.
Lassieur,
S. and D.E. Wilson. 1989.
Lonchorhina aurita. Mammalian
Species 347: 1-4.
ABSTRACT:
Taxonomic description of the species
Lonchorhina aurita. Order
Chiroptera, Suborder Microchiroptera,
Family Phyllostomidae, Subfamily
Phyllostominae, Genus Lonchorhina.
The genus Lonchorhina contains
four species.
Maina,
S.L., L.A.
Pray and R.A. DeFilipps.
1988. A Historical Note on the Endangered
Santalum boninensis (Santalaceae)
of the Ogasawara Islands: Early
Reports by Takasi Tuyama. Atoll
Research Bulletin 319: 19-24.
ABSTRACT:
Santalum boninensis (Nakai)
Tuyama is an endangered plant species
of the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands
of Japan. The early reports of this
species made by the Japanese botanist
Takasi Tuyama (1939, 1940) are presented
for the first time in the English
language, including his comments
on the urgent need for conservation
of the species.
McCleary,
R.J.R. and R.W. McDiarmid.
1993. Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
(Cope): Spotted Leaf-nosed snake.
Catalogue of American Amphibians
and Reptiles 580: 1-7.
ABSTRACT:
Taxonomic description of the species
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
or spotted leaf-nosed snake. Five
subspecies are currently recognized:
decurtatus, arenicola, norrisi,
nubilus, and perkinsi.
McDiarmid,
R.W. and S.H.
Folke. 1991. Tantilla
bocourti. Catalogue of American
Amphibians and Reptiles 526: 1-3.
ABSTRACT:
Taxonomic description of the Tantilla
bocourti or more commonly known
as Gunther Bocourt's black-headed
snake. No subspecies are currently
recognized.
McDiarmid,
R.W. and R.J.R.
McCleary. 1993. Phyllorhynchus
Stejneger: Leaf-nosed snakes.
Catalogue of American Amphibians
and Reptiles 579: 1-5.
ABSTRACT:
Taxonomic description of the genus
Phyllorhynchus. Two species
are recognized: browni (four
subspecies: browni, fortitus,
klauberi, and lucidus)
and decurtatus (five subspecies:
decurtatus, arenicola, norrisi,
nubilus, and perkinsi).
Meisner
(Downing), A. 2001. Phylogenetic
systematics of the viviparous halfbeak
genera Dermogenys and Nomorhamphus
(Teleostei: Hemiramphidae: Zenarchopterinae).
Zool. J. Linnean Soc. 133:199-283.
ABSTRACT:
Among the 13 genera and over 100
species of halfbeaks, three genera
- Dermogenys, Nomorhamphus
and Hemirhamphodon - are
internally fertilized and viviparous.
These genera belong to a more inclusive
clade, the Zenarchopterinae, that
also includes Zenarchopterus,
inferred to be internally fertilized
and to lay fertilized eggs, and
the monotypic Tondanichthys,
also inferred to be internally fertilized.
Whereas the Hemiramphidae are distributed
worldwide, internally fertilized
halfbeaks are restricted to Southeast
Asia. Recent data from histological
surveys of the gonads of both males
and females as well as embryonic
modifications associated with viviparity
have been combined here with osteological
characters in a phylogenetic analysis.
Results indicate overwhelming support
for a sister-group relationship
between Hemirhamphodon and
(Dermogenys+Nomorhamphus).
Monophyly of the Dermogenys+Nomorhamphus
clade is also well supported. These
results confirm earlier suggestions
that Dermogenys, as previously
defined, is paraphyletic. Within
the Dermogenys+Nomorhampus
clade, two monophyletic clades are
supported: one comprises ten species
including four new species (Dermogenys
bruneiensis, Dermogenys robertsi,
Dermogenys palawanensis and
Dermogenys collettei) and
the other comprises 13 species including
three undescribed species (Nomorhamphus
rossi, Nomorhamphus pinnimaculata
and Nomorhamphus manifesta).
Diagnoses for the species of Dermogenys
and Nomorhamphus, as well
as a natural classification for
the included species, are presented.
Meisner
(Downing), A. and B.B.
Collette. 1998. A new species of
viviparous halfbeak, Dermogenys
bispina (Teleostei: Hemiramphidae)
from Sabah (North Borneo). Raffles
Bull. Zool. 46(2): 373-380.
ABSTRACT:
The genus Dermogenys Kuhl
& van Hasselt in van
Hasselt, 1823, is a group of small
viviparous, atherinomorph fishes
distributed throughout fresh and
brackish waters of southeast Asia.
Dermogenys bispina is distinguished
from all other species of Dermogenys
by: mature males with thick, unsegmented,
dorsally curved spiculus; presence
of second set of smaller spines
on distal tip of spiculus; and females
with melanophores directly anterior
to anal fin arranged into wide U
extending anteriorly, on either
side of the genital papilla, to
level of the anus. As part of an
ongoing revision of Dermogenys
and the closely related nominal
genus Nomorhamphus, undescribed
species in both genera have been
discovered. This paper describes
a new species of Dermogenys,
D. bispina, from Sabah (North
Borneo). Results from previous histological
surveys of the gonads of both males
and females suggest that this new
species may have a close phylogenetic
relationship to populations from
southern Kalimantan, Sumatra, Palawan,
Culion, and the southwestern arm
of Sulawesi [Sulawesi Selatan].
Meisner
(Downing), A. and B.B.
Collette. 1999. Generic relationships
of the internally-fertilized southeast
Asian halfbeaks (Hemiramphidae:
Zenarchopterinae). Proc. 5th Indo-Pac.
Fish Conf., Nouméa, 1997,
Soc. Fr. Ichtyol.: 69-76.
ABSTRACT:
There is strong support for a monophyletic
group, here recognized as the subfamily
Zenarchopterinae Fowler, 1934, containing
all five genera of internally-fertilized
halfbeaks. Three genera, Hemirhamphodon,
Nomorhamphus, and Dermogenys,
are known to be internally fertilized
and viviparous. Zenarchopterus
(with about 20 species) and the
monotypic genus Tondanichthys
also appear to be internally fertilized
but are apparently oviparous. A
sister-group relationship between
Dermogenys and Nomorhamphus
is supported by modifications of
the anal fin in males. Support is
also strong for a sister-group relationship
between Hemirhamphodon and
(Dermogenys + Nomorhamphus).
Monophyly of (Dermogenys
+ Nomorhamphus) is also well
supported. Dermogenys, as
currently constituted, appears to
be paraphyletic. Within the group
comprised of (Dermogenys
+ Nomorhamphus), two monophyletic
groups are supported by new characters
of sperm bundle morphology and modifications
associated with viviparity. One
clade comprises nine species of
Dermogenys, including the
type species, D. pusilla, and
five undescribed species, and the
other clade seven species of Dermogenys
and four species of Nomorhamphus,
including the type species,
N. celebensis, and four undescribed
species.
Meisner
(Downing), A. and K.D.
Louie. 2000. Nomorhamphus
kolonodalensis, a new species
of viviparous halfbeak from Sulawesi
(Teleostei: Hemiramphidae). Ichthyol.
Explor. Freshwaters 11: 361-368.
ABSTRACT:
Melson,
W.G., J.T. Haynes,
T. O'Hearn, R. Hubbell, K.E. Goggin,
D.R.
Locke, and D. Ross.
1998. K-Shales of the Central Appalachian
Paleozoic: Properties and Origin.
Shales and Mudstones II: 143-159.
ABSTRACT:
Mississippian to Ordovician mudrocks
of the Central Appalachia are potassium
rich (termed here K-shale: K2O
greater than about 5%weight present
and K2O >> Na2O)
as revealed by electron-microprobe
scan analysis of 101 samples. The
shales (fissile) and mudstones (non-fissile)
have a decreasing maximum K2O
content with decreasing age. Cambrian
shales and phyllites have the highest
K2O content reflecting
the presence of phegite to mixed-layer,
illite-smectide (I/S). The Ordovician
through Mississippian samples can
can be closely approximated as a
three-component mixture of quartz,
calcite, and an I/S. In this time
series of shales, the decreasing
K-content is to a large extent controlled
by a decreasing amount of I/S. The
shales of the Permo-Carboniferous
molasse are not K-shales, and their
K-content reflects mainly unmodified
detrital K-minerals, including biotite
and muscovite sources.
Mikhailova,
T.B. 2001. Cartographic
analysis of the red fox distribution
in European Russia. Vestnik, Moscow
Inst. Geography 5(6): 26-33.
ABSTRACT:
The aim of this research is to evaluate
the comparability of data derived
from different methods: the winter
transect count (WTC) of the red
fox's tracks, summer count of fox
litters in dens and fur catch data.
All of these methods contain errors
but specific in every particular
case. Despite these errors we have
found the general regularities of
the red fox's population distribution
in European Russia proved by all
methods. The general trend of population
growth is from the north southward
with maximum values in the northern
deserts of the Lower Volga River
and in Pre-Caucasian steppes. The
agricultural development has resulted
in the northward shift of the distributional
optimum as far as the southern taiga
subzone.
Uneven distribution of the red fox
population from the west eastward
is also observed. Everywhere the
indexes are higher in the west.
Only in caucauses the indexes are
maximal in eastern part of the mountains.
Urbanisation does not give negative
influence on the red fox population
density. On the contrary the Moscow
region as well as Rostov and Krasnodar
krai are characterized by highest
density of population.
Moran,
E.
and V.A. Funk. 2006. A revision
of Erato (Compositae: Liabeae).
SYstematic Botany 31(3) 597-609.
ABSTRACT:
Muchhala,
N.
and P.
Jarrin-V. 2002. Flower
Visitation by Bats in Cloud Forests
of Western Ecuador. Biotropica 34(3):
387-395.
ABSTRACT:
The importance of bat pollination
has been demonstrated for many plant
species. Yet this mutualism has
rarely been studied on a community-wide
level. In this paper we present
results of a yearlong study of a
bat-flower community in cloud forests
on the western slopes of the Ecuadoran
Andes. Of eight plant-visiting bat
species caught, only Anoura caudifera
and A. geoffroyi were carrying
pollen. These species of Anoura
supplement their diets with insects.
Unlike glossophagines in other environments,
however, which switch completely
to frugivorous or insectivorous
diet during certain seasons, they
are nectarivorous year-round and
were never found with seeds or fruit
pulp in their feces. Of the 13 morphotypes
of pollen carried by the bats, 11
were identifed to genus and 7 to
species. Floral characteristics
of all these plants fit the traditional
chiropterophilous syndrom well.
Our study represents the first direct
evidence of bat pollination for
those plants identifed to species,
including four species of Burmeistera
(Campanulaceae), as well as the
first record of bat pollination
for a plant of genus Mariania
(Melastomataceae). While overlap
in the diets to two Anoura
was high, significant differences
in visitation frequencies to particular
plant species were detected. The
larger bat species(A. geoffroyi)
preferred large flowers, whereas
the smaller species (a. caudifera)
preffered small flowers.
Muchhala,
N. and T.A. Munroe.
2004. A new species of Soleichthys
(Soleidae: Pleuronectiformes) from
tropical seas off northern Australia.
Ichthyol. Res. 51: 57-62.
ABSTRACT:
Soleichthys maculosus, described
from six specimens collected in
shallow waters (37-63 m) off northern
Australia, is readily distinguished
from congeners by its unique ocular-side
pigmentation featuring numerous,
conspicuous white spots and blotches
nearly as large as the eye diameter
on a uniformly dark brown background
without any crossbands, and in having
two elongated, ocular-side pectoral-fin
rays, with the second dorsalmost
ray longer than the first, and without
scales on the pectoral-fin rays.
Soleichthys maculosus is
most similar to S. siammakuti,
a poorly-known species collected
in the Gulf of Thailand, but differs
from S. siammakuti in having
the second dorsalmost ocular-side
pectoral-fin ray longer than the
first (vs. first ocular-side pectoral-fin
ray longer in S. siammakuti),
and in having different ocular-side
pigmentation than that of S.
siammakuti, which features yellow
spots on dorsal and anal fins, two
conspicuous white spots arranged
in longitudinal series on the lateral
line, and also a series of nine,
light brown crossbands on a dark
brown body.
Munroe,
T.A., and B.S.
Marsh. 1997. Taxonomic
status of three nominal species
of Indo-Pacific symphurine tonguefishes
(Symphurus: Cynoglossidae: Pleuronectiformes).
Ichthyol. Res. 44(2): 189-200.
ABSTRACT:
The taxonomic status of three rarely
captured, nominal species of Indo-Pacific
symphurine tonguefishes , Symphurus
trifasciatus (Alcock, 1894),
S. microrhynchus (Weber,
1913), and S. holothuriae
Chabanaud, 1948, is resolved. Symphurus
microrhynchus, previously known
only from three specimens, is redescribed
based on 12 specimens. Symphurus
holothuriae, previously reported
only from the holotype, is a junior
subjective synonym of S. microrhynchus.
Symphurus trifasciatus is
redescribed based on six specimens,
including the lectotype designated
in this study. Symphurus microrhynchus
is distinguished from congeners
by a combination of meristic features,
head and opercle shape, dorsal-fin
position, and features of its pigmentation.
The species occurs in relatively
shallow tropical waters from Zanzibar
through French Polynesia (the only
reported occurrence of a shallow-water
Symphurus from a locality
on the Pacific Plate), including
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam,
and northwestern Australia. Symphurus
trifasciatus, known from deep
waters along both coasts of the
Indian subcontinent and adjacent
waters, has an overall similarity
in body shape and meristic features
reminiscent of those in S. microrhynchus,
but differs notably in having a
longer and wider head, a distinctive
opercle shape, number of scale rows
on the head, and pigmentation pattern.
Munroe,
T.A. and
S.B. Menke.
2004. Two
new soleid flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes:
Soleidae: Soleichthys) from
Australian waters, with a re-description
of Soleichthys microcephalus
(Gunther). Records of the Australian
Museum 56(2): 247-258.
Nemeth
(Henriques), D. 1994.
Systematics and distribution of
the fishes of the family Champsodontidae
(Teleostei: Perciformes), with descriptions
of three new species. Copeia 1994:
347-371.
ABSTRACT:
This revision of the family Champsodontidae
recognizes a single genus, Champsodon
Gunther, and 13 species. Of 13 previously
described forms, ten are considered
valid: C. nudivittis (Ogilby)
from the Philippines to Australia,
and Madagascar; C. atridorsalis
Ochiai and Nakamura from Tonking
Bay, Vietnam, to Australia; C.
vorax Gunther from the Maldives,
China Seas, and Philippines to Australia;
C. snyderi Franz, Japan to
southeastern Australia; C. capensis
Regan, western Indian Ocean, from
Kenya and the Seychelles to South
Africa; C. fimbriatus Gilbert,
Hawaiian Islands; C. guentheri
Regan and C. longipinnis
Masubara and Amaoka, Japan to Australia;
C. omanensis Regan, Arabian
Sea; and C. sechellensis
Regan, Seychelles and south along
the Mascarene Ridge. In addition,
three new species are described:
C. sagittus n. sp. from Australia,
New Guinea, and the Philippines;
C. pantolepis n. sp. from
Japan and western Australia; and
C. machaeratus n. sp. from
eastern Australia. Synonymies, diagnoses,
and descriptions are given for all
taxa; known geographic distribution
of each species plotted; and a key
to species of the family is provided.
Obee,
E.M. and V.A. Funk. 1993.
Population variation in the high
elevation Andean species, Werneria
nubigena (Compositae; Senecioneae).
Bull. Ecol. Soc. Amer. 74: 337.
ABSTRACT:
Ober,
H. and C.B. Robbins.
1995. Daubentonia madagascariensis.
Mammalian Species.
ABSTRACT:
Olson,
S.L. and K.G.
Eller. 1989. A new species
of painted snipe (Charadriiformes:
Rostratulidae) from the Early Pliocene
at Langebaanweg, southwestern Cape
Province, South Africa. Ostrich
60: 118-121.
ABSTRACT:
A new species of Rostratula,
intermediate in size between the
two living species, is described
from deposits of the early Pliocene
Varswater Formation at Langebaanweg,
Cape Province, South Africa. This
constitutes the first valid fossil
record for the family Rostratulidae.
The fossil species may represent
an extinct endemic African lineage.
Its presence at Langebaanweg indicates
at least temporary presence of freshwater
marshes or swamp.
Owsley,
D., K. Bruwelheide, L.W. Cartmell,
L.E. Burgess, S.
Chang, S.J. Foote, and
N. Fielder. 2004. The Man in the
iron coffin: an interdisciplinary
effort to name the past. Journal
of Historical Archaeology.
ABSTRACT: The examination
of a cast iron coffin from the Mason
family cemetery at Pulaski, Tennessee,
offered an exceptional opportunity
to study relatively well-preserved
human remains, associated artifacts,
and the coffin itself. Only a few
studies of cast iron coffins and
their contents have incorporated
the results of interdisciplinary
research in the interpretation of
the burial and the remains. The
investigation is based on the use
of a developing protocol that promotes
the collection of relevant information
from several disciplines when evaluating
cast iron coffins and their contents.
Multiple lines of evidence identified
the remains as those of Isaac Newton
Mason, a private in the 1st Tennessee
Confederate Cavalry Regiment, and
provided a detailed and intimate
glimpse into the past.
Parenti,
L.R. and A.L.
Downing Meisner.
2003. Fishes of the Belait River,
Brunei Darussalam, Borneo. Brunei
Museum Journal 10: 3-40.
ABSTRACT:
Parenti,
L.R. and K.D.
Louie. 1998. Neostethus
djajaorum, new species from
Sulawesi, Indonesia, the first Phallostethid
fish (Teleostei: Antherinomorpha)
known from East of Wallace's Line.
The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology
46(1): 139-150.
ABSTRACT:
Neostethus djajaorum, new
species, is decribed from specimens
from the Gowa District near Ujung
Pandang, Sulawesi. It is hypothesized
to be most closely related to Neostethus
robertsi from Luzon I, and
Neostethus palawanenis from
Palawan and Cayo Is., the Philippines,
with which it shares a distinctive,
bifid or claw-shaped second ctenactinial
bone in the intromittent organ of
males. Neostethus djajaorum
is distinguished from its closest
relatives by the shape of the claws
and the extent of a bony projection
and fleshy profile on the ventral
margin of the first ctenactinium
that abuts the claw. It is the first
species in the distinctive atherinomorph
fish family Phallostethidae known
from east of Wallace's Line and
from Sulawesi. The inferred ancestral
distribution of the new species
and its close relatives is coincidental,
in part, with limits of a a now
geographically dispersed ancient
island-arc system, the Sumba block
or terrane, that comprises west
Mindanao, northern Borneo (plus
Palawan), east Kalimantan, the southwestern
arm of Sulawesi, and part of Java
and the lesser Sunda Islands. The
coastal and freshwater Phallostethidae
and its sister taxon, the marine
shorefish Dentathirinidae, have
largely complementary (allopatric)
distribution patterns that overlap
(are sympatric) in northeastern
Borneo and the Philippines, including
portions of the Sumba terrane.
Parenti,
L.R. and K.R.
Thomas. 1998. Pharyngeal
Jaw Morphology and Homology in Sicydiine
Gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae) and
Allies. Journal of Morphology 237:
257-274.
ABSTRACT:
An extremely large number of fifth
ceratobranchial teeth, with highly
modified, striated, and hooked tips
were observed in the central and
western Pacific sicydiine goby genus
Stiphodon. A scanning electron
microscopic study of the form and
arrangement of fifth ceratobranchial
teeth was conducted to assess the
distribution of these modifications
in sicydiine gobies and their putative
close relatives. Our goals were
to explore a new set of characters
in goboid systematics, to test sicydiine
monophyly, and to test hypothesis
of relationships of sicydiine gobies.
Sicydiines are hypothesized herein
to be most closely related to the
western Pacific Tukugobius
and Rhinogobius, freshwater
genera with which they share thickened
pelvic-fin rays, no teeth on the
anterior portion of the fifth ceratobranchial
bones, fifth ceratobranchial teeth
with differentiated and striated
tips, and overlapping anterior rami
of the fifth ceratobranchial bones.
The latter two characters occur
in some, but not all, sicydiines.
The pantropical freshwater goby
Awaous, often classified
with sicydiines, is not considered
the closest relative of the subfamily.
The highly modified fifth ceratobranchials
of Stiphodon are similar
to, and concluded here to be homoplasious
with, those of the mudflat-dwelling
New World goby Evorthodus
and the Indo-west Pacific oxudercine
gobies, represented in this study
by Pseudapocryptes.
Parham,
J.F., C.K. Dodd, and
G.R. Zug. 1996. Skeletochronological
age estimates for the Red Hills
salamander, Phaeognathus hubrichti.
J. Herpetol. 30(3): 401-404.
ABSTRACT:
Phaeognathus hubrichti is
a cryptic desmognathine salamander
confined to moist, hardwood forested
ravines of the Red Hills of south-central
Alabama. Studying the LAG of the
humerus revealed a significant correlation
between size and age. Because size
and age are correlated, and because
our oldest individual is among the
largest Phaeognathus known,
it is unlikely that individuals
live much longer than eleven years.
Use of a regression model predicts
that females mature at 6+ years.
Based on the sample, we estimate
sexual maturity probably occurs
at 5 to 6 years of age. Like most
salamanders, Phaeognathus
males mature at a smaller size than
the females. Direct extrapolation
from the regression model predicts
that males may mature as early as
one year of age. This prediction
is certainly incorrect and emphasizes
the necessity for age-estimates
for younger individuals and the
use of a nonlinear growth model.
Parham,
J.F. and G.R. Zug. 1996.
Chelonia agassizii - valid
or not? Marine Turtle Newsletter
72: 2-5.
ABSTRACT:
Our title asks two questions. First,
a biological question: do the eastern
Pacific populations of the green
sea turtle (colloquially known as
the black turtle, tortuga negra,
or tortuga prieta) represent
a different species from the western
Pacific and other populations of
Chelonia? Second, a nomenclatural
question: if the eastern Pacific
populations are a distinct species,
is Chelonia agassizii the
correct name? We cannot fully answer
the biological question in this
forum. Although recent studies provide
strong hints to the resolution of
specific status of the eastern Pacific
Chelonia, the data do not
provide an unequivocal solution.
A complete answer to the nomenclatural
question requires a full resolution
of the biological one, i.e., the
phylogenetic affinities of the various
Pacific populations. Nevertheless,
owing to the increase of the use
of the specific name Chelonia
agassizii, a review of the problem
seems essential at this time.
Parham,
J.F. and G.R. Zug. 1996.
Skeletochronology of loggerhead
sea turtles -- a reassessment. NOAA
Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFSC-387: 236.
ABSTRACT:
Zug et al. (1986) examined the skeletal
elements of loggerhead sea turtles
from Cumberland Island, Georgia
in an attempt to estimate ages using
skeletochronology. This study reexamines
and expands that data set with the
intent to develop a more robust
estimate for average age at sexual
maturity. In addition to the Average
Width protocol used in Zug et al.
(1986), this study introduces two
new techniques, the Regression and
Correction protocol to estimate
the number of growth layers lost
to reorption. The Correction protocol
is determined to generate the most
accurate age estimates. Using the
average age of nesting females as
an approximation of the average
size at sexual maturity, this study
estimates the average age at sexual
maturity to be between 20 and 24
years. This estimate is comparable
to those of other studies that use
a size of maturity that is based
on the average adult.
Parham,
J.F. and G.R. Zug. 1997.
Age and growth of Loggerhead Sea
Turtles (Caretta caretta)
of coastal Georgia: an assessment
of skeletochronological age-estimates.
Bulletin of Marine Science 61(2):
287-304.
ABSTRACT:
Loggerhead sea turtles stranded
on Cumberland Island (CI), Georgia
provide skeletal samples to estimate
the ages of individual turtles by
skeletochronology. An initial study
in 1996 used an average-thickness
of humeral crossection protocol
to estimate individual ages and
the minimum carapace length (CL)
of nesting females to predict the
average age at sexual maturity for
the CI sample. The original data
and two new CI samples are analyzed
by average-thickness, correction-factor,
and regression-growth protocols
to reassess the original age estimates,
to test the reliability of the three
protocols, and to predict growth
rate and age of sexual maturity.
All protocols show moderate to high
variation in one or more steps of
calculations of the age-estimates.
The lowest variation occurs in the
correction-factor protocol, and
this protocol's assumption for the
estimation of the number of resorbed
growth layers matches best the observed
pattern of bone growth in Caretta.
The skeletochronological results
show growth patterns (von Bertalanffy
model) with asymptotes of 96-117
cm curved carapace length (CCL)
and growth coefficients of 0.040
- 0.106 for the CI samples. These
patterns predict sexual maturity
occurring from 20-63 yr, assuming
92 cm (SCL) as the mean size at
sexual maturity. Growth rate estimates
range from 30-40 mm yr^-1 for 40-49
cm SCL turtles to 10-35 mm yr^-1for
80-89 cm straight carapace length
(SCL) turtles.
Pogue,
M.G. and A.C.
Laughlin. 2002. A revision
of the Genus Bulia Walker
(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Journal
of the Lepidopterists' Society 56(3):
129-150.
ABSTRACT:
A phylogenetic revision of the genus
Bulia Walker is provided
and includes a key to species, descriptions,
illustrations of adults, both male
and female genitalia, and distribution
maps. The relationships among the
five species of Bulia are
based on an analysis of 16 characters.
The monophyly of Bulia is
supported by 7 nonhomoplasious synapomorphies.
Arsisca bolinalis Walker
1866 is proposed as a new synonym
of Bulia confirmans (Walker)
1958 and Bulia morelosa Richards
1941 as a new synonym of Bulia
similaris Richards 1936. Larval
host plants are recorded for the
first time for Bulia confirmans,
on Jatropha gossypiifolia
(L.) (Euphorbiaceae), and for Bulia
mexicana (Behr), on Prosopis
juliflora (Sw.) DC. (Fabaceae).
Presswell,
B., S.H. Weitzman, and
T. Bergquist. 2000. Skiotocharax
meizon, A new genus and species
of fish from Guyana with a discussion
of its relationships (Characiformes:
Crenuchidae). Ichthyological Exploration
of Freshwaters 11(2): 175-192.
ABSTRACT:
Skiotocharax meizon, new
genus and species, is described
from four localities in Guyana,
South America. The new species has
several of the features that diagnose
the Characidiinae, although in some
respects it appears less derived
than other genera in the subfamily.
While not a miniature fish (it reaches
at least 32.1 mmSL), S. meizon
has a highly reduced dorsal portion
of the pectoral girdle comparable
only to that of the miniature Odontocharacidium
aphanes among the Characidiinae.
Skiotocharax meizon also
has a reduced laterosensory canal
system of the head, lateral line,
and head bones. These are consistent
with reductive features common in
paedomorphic fishes. Entering the
characters of this new genus and
species into a matrix, including
the taxa and characters used by
Buckup to produce a strict consensus
cladogram of characidiine relationships
resulted in placement of Skiotocharax
as a sister group to Odontocharacidium.
The relationships of the relatively
newly described genus and species
Geryichthys sterbai among
the species and genera of the Characidiinae
need phylogenetic analysis. However,
no attempt was made to include this
taxon in our analysis because no
specimens were available for study
at this time and the original description
lacked some of the critical osteological
information needed for such a study.
Price,
N.A. , B.T. Huber, and
K.G. MacLeod. 2004. Planktonic foraminiferal
turnover and paleoceanographic change
across the Aptian-Albian Boundary
in the subtropical North Atlantic.
Journal of Paleooceanography.
ABSTRACT:
Puente,
R. 1994. Map: Gomez Far¡as
Region and El Cielo Biosphere Reserve,
In Davis, S., Heywood, V., and Herrera-MacBryde,
O. Centres of Plant Diversity: A
guide and strategy for their conservation
Volume 3.
ABSTRACT:
Puente,
R. and R.B. Faden. 2001.
Commelinaceae Spiderwort Family.
Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy
of Science 33(1): 19-26.
ABSTRACT:
Annual or perennial herbs, glabrous
to sparsely pubescent. LEAVES alternate,
distichous or spirally arranged,
the sheaths closed, the blade simple,
the margins entire. INFLORESCENCES
terminal or terminal and axillary
cymes subtended by bracts or enclosed
in spathes. FLOWERS perfect and
staminate, actinomorphic or zygomorphic;
sepals 3, usually subequal, distinct
or connate; petals 3, deliquescent,
distinct, equal or unequal; stamens
6, all fertile or some staminodial,
the filaments glabrous or bearded,
the anthers with longitudinal dehiscence;
ovary superior, 2-3 locular, 1-several
ovulate, the ovules 1-seriate, the
style simple, usually slender, the
stigma simple or rarely slightly
3-lobed. FRUITS capsules, loculicidal.
SEEDS 1-several, the hilum dot-like
or linear. -- 41 genera, ca. 650
spp., mostly tropical and subtropical.
Quinn,
T. 1988. Binational conservation
project. Biological Conservation
Newsletter 65:1.
ABSTRACT:
The FLORUTIL Conservation Project
involves the study and conservation
of useful threatened flora occurring
in the states of Mexico and the
United States. Initiated by the
Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix,
Arizona, it represents an effort
to combine botanical data with cultural
information for the conservation
of endemic plants and indigenous
peoples' knowledge of those plants.
Some results of the FLORUTIL program
include detailed analyses of the
necessary procedure for their in
situ preservation. It is hoped that
an expansive and detailed information
base of plant habitats and native
knowledge will provide further impetus
for conservation efforts by the
native borderland tribes and by
U.S. and Mexican governmental agencies.
Rao,
N. and W.N. Mathis. 1995.
A revision of the shore-fly genus
Rhysophora Cresson (Diptera:
Ephydridae). Proceedings of the
Entomological Society of Washington
97: 666-688.
ABSTRACT:
The new world genus Rhysophora
Cresson, now placed in the tribe
Discomyzini (subfamily Discomyzinae),
is revised. Four species, including
R. griseola (type locality:
Costa Rica. Guanacaste: Colorado),
which is newly described, are included.
The phylogenetic relationships of
the species of Rhysophora
are reanalyzed, and brief comments
are provided on the relationships
of the genus within the tribe. A
key to the genera of the tribe is
included.
Roalson,
E.H., A.E.
Senters, L.E. Skog, and
E.A. Zimmer. 2002. A morphological
cladistic analysis of the neotropical
flowering plant genus Gasteranthus
(Gesneriaceae). Systematic Botany
27(3): 573-591.
ABSTRACT:
Gasteranthus (Gesneraceae;
Beslereae) includes 38 species restricted
to the New World tropics. The genus
has a limited distribution in Central
and South America, with a center
of diversity in western Ecuador.
This study investigates cladistic
relationships among species of Gasteranthus
using floral and vegetative morphological
data. Corolla shape in Gasteranthus
ranges from funnelform to urceolate
and ventricose, with additional
variation in corolla spur and corolla
ventral pouch morphology. Our analysis
revealed that there were likely
single primary innovations of the
three major corolla types although
only one of the three types forms
a monophyletic group. Apparently,
ventricose corollas were derived
from funnelform corollas and urceolate
corollas were derived from ventricose
corollas, making the funnelform
and ventricose corolla groups both
paraphyletic. Spurs have been lost
twice in Gasteranthus. Conspicuousness
of stomatal clusters is quite homoplastic
given the phylogenetic hypothesis.
Robbins,
R.K. and M.
Duarte. 2005. Phylogenetic
analysis of Cyanophrys Clench,
a Synopsis of its species, and the
potentially threatened C. Bertha
(Jones) (Lycaenidae: Theclinae:
Eumaeini) . Proc. Entomol.
Soc. Wash. 107(2): 398-416.
ABSTRACT:
A species level phylogenetic analysis
of Cyanophrys Clench was
performed using 14 characters of
the frons, wing venation, wing shape,
androconia, and genitalia. There
were 15 most parsimonious cladograms,
and a successive weighting iteration
resulted in three of these 15. Cyanophrys
is characterized in this paper by
two hypothesized synapomorphies
(an expanded hindwing anal lobe
that is tan-brown and a pair of
dorsal brush organs), and adults
can be readily identified in the
field. Cyanophrys has been
divided into Plesiocyanophrys
K. Johnson, Eisele and MacPherson,
Apophrys K. Johnson and Le
Crom, Antephrys K. Johnson,
Eisele and MacPherson, Mesocyanophrys
K. Johnson and Cyanophrys
(as delimited in Johnson and Le
Crom 1997a), but only the monotypic
Antephrys is monophyletic
on the most parsimonious cladograms.
A synopis of Cyanophrys species
includes notes on their distribution,
habitat, identification, nomenclature,
larval food plants, and male behavior.Cyanophrys
bertha, which occurs in moist
evergreen and seasonally deciduous
forests in mountains of southern
Brazil from 800 to 1,400m elevation,
has been proposed for threatened
status. It is "cladistically
distinct" (sensu Vane-Wright
et al. 1991) in that its sister
is a lineage of five montane species
or seven primarily lowland species.
Robinson,
H. and A.J.
Moore. In press. New
species and new combinations in
Rhysolepis (Heliantheae:
Asteraceae). Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash.
117.
ABSTRACT:
Robinson,
H. and D.C.
Taylor. 1999. The Status
of the Pitcairnioid Genera of the
Bromeliaceae. Harvard Papers in
Botany 4(1):195-202.
ABSTRACT:
Recent history of studies in the
Bromeliaceae, Pitcairnioideae is
reviewed with emphasis on the changes
since the 1974 monograph by L.B.
Smith. A basic subdivision in the
Pitcairnioideae, based on leaf cross-section,
first proposed in 1969, is reintroduced.
The tribal divisions of Varadarajan
and Gilmartin are discussed and
rejected. Only two tribes are recognized,
the Pitcairnieae (including the
Brocchinieae and Puyeae) and a new
tribe, Dyckieae. The latter is proposed
for the series of genera lacking
a sharp line of demarcation in leaf
cross-section between the chlorenchyma
and adaxial water storage tissue,
Deuterocohnia, Dyckia,
Encholirium and Hechtia.
Two keys are provided, one based
primarily on traditional characters
used by Lyman B. Smith, the other
initially using the leaf cross-section
to divide the subfamily into the
Pitcairnieae and Dyckieae. Navia
plowmanii is transferred to
Steyerbromelia.
Rosenshein
E.B.,
M.A. Ivanova, T.L. Dickinson, T.J.
McCoy, D.S. Lauretta, Y. Guan, L.A.
Leshin and G.K. Benedix. 2006. Oxide-bearing
and FeO-rich clasts in aubrites.
Meteoritics and Planetary Science
41, 495-503.
ABSTRACT:
Runestad,
J.A., C.B. Ruff, J.C.
Nieh, R.W. Thorington
and M. Teaford. 1993. Radiographic
Estimation of Long Bone Cross-Sectional
Geometric Properties. American Journal
of Physical Anthropology 90: 207-213.
ABSTRACT:
Because of their biomechanical significance,
cross-sectional geometric properties
of long bone diaphyses (areas, second
moments of area) have been increasingly
used in a number of form/function
studies, e.g., to reconstruct body
mass or locomotor mode in fossil
primates or to elucidate allometric
scaling relationships among extant
taxa. In the present study, we test
whether these biomechanical section
properties can be adequately estimated
using biplanar radiographs, as compared
to calculations of the same properties
from computer digitization of cross-sectional
images. We are particularly interested
in smaller animals, since the limb
bone cortices of these animals may
not be resolvable using other alternative
noninvasive techniques (computed
tomography). The test sample includes
limb bones of small (25-5,000 g)
relatively generalized quadrupedal
mammals - mice, six species of squirrels,
and Macaca fascicularis.
Results indicate that biplanar radiographs
are reasonable substitues for digitized
cross-sectional images for deriving
areas and second moments of area
of midshaft femora and humeri of
mammels in this size range. Potential
application to a variety of questions
relating to mechanical loading patterns
in such animals is diverse.
Runyan,
A.M. and D.R. Hunt.
In press. Dental disease: the root
of all evil? Skeletal analysis of
the relationship between periodontal
and systemic disease. International
Journal of Dental Anthropology.
ABSTRACT:
Saarela,
J.M., P.M. Peterson,
R.J. Soreng, and R.E. Chapman. 2003.
A taxonomic revision of the eastern
North American and eastern Asian
disjunct genus Brachyelytrum
(Poaceae): evidence from morphology,
phytogeography and AFLPs. Systematic
Biology 28(4): 674-692.
ABSTRACT:
A combination of morphological,
phytogeographical, and molecular
AFLP data support the recognition
of three distinct species in the
eastern North American and eastern
Asian disjunct genus Brachyelytrum:
B. japonicum, B. erectum,
and B. aristosum. Brachyelytrum
japonicum is confined to eastern
Asia and is characterized by narrow
leaf blades (0.5--0.8 cm wide),
long lower glumes (0.2--2.0 mm long),
and long rachillas (6.8--8.8 mm
long). Brachyelytrum erectum
is distributed throughout much of
the eastern United States from northwestern
Minnesota south to central Louisiana,
east to northern Florida and north
to northeastern New York. Brachyelytrum
erectum is characterized by
long hispid hairs (0.2--0.9 mm long)
on the veins of the lemma, wide
lemmas (0.8--1.8 mm wide), and a
highly conspicuous lemma mid-vein.
Brachyelytrum aristosum has
a more northern distribution occurring
in southern Canada from southern
Ontario east to Newfoundland, the
northern adjacent United States
and south through the Appalachian
mountains to northwestern North
Carolina. Brachyelytrum aristosum
is characterized by short scaberulous
hairs (0.06--0.2 mm long) on the
lemma and narrow lemmas (0.7--1.4
mm wide) that are weakly veined.
We include a key to the taxa, synonymies,
descriptions, and representative
specimens. This study represents
a recent monographic study of an
eastern North American and eastern
Asian genus.
Saluke,
S.V. and M.G. Pogue.
2000. Resolution of the Elaphria
festivoides (Guenée) species
complex (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).
Proceedings of the Entomological
Society of Washington 102(2): 233-270.
ABSTRACT:
A new species, Elaphria cornutinis,
of the Elaphria festivoides
Guenee species complex is described
and illustrated. E. festivoides
is redescribed and variation within
the species discussed. Elaphria
cornutinis can be distinguished
from E. festivoides by the
darker ground color of the forewing
and more distinct orbicular and
claviform spots. The male has an
abdominal hair pencil, a gradually
narrowing valve, and a narrower
uncus than in that of E. festivoides.
Elaphria festivoides is widely
distributed from southern Canada
to southern Texas and Florida, west
to eastern British Columbia, Colorado,
and New Mexico. Elaphria cornutinis
overlaps the distribution of E.
festivoides from Maryland south
to Alabama and west to Oklahoma
and Missouri. A total of 796 specimens
were studied, with 41 specimens
of E. festivoides and 15
specimens of E. cornutinis
dissected for genitalic examination.
Schlamp,
J. 1991. Review: Canadian
Biodiversity Journal. Biological
Conservation Newsletter 98: 2.
ABSTRACT:
The Canadian Museum of Nature recently
released the first issue of its
new quarterly bulletin, Canadian
Biodiversity. The stated goals
of the bulletin are to publish articles
on biodiversity, bridge the gap
between professional disciplines
and the public, circulate news on
Canadian and world biodiversity,
express views on the needs and values
of biodiversity research, discuss
methods, principles, and ethics
of biodiversity conservation, and
review books and major articles
on biodiversity and indeed the first
issue goes far towards meeting all
these goals. I found this to be
a refreshing new publication with
articles and news not repeated in
other popular journals.
Schultz,
T.R., S.A.
Solomon, U.G. Mueller,
P. Villesen, J.J. Boomsma, R.M.M.
Adams, and B. Norden. 2002. Cryptic
speciation in the fungus-growing
ants Cyphomyrmex longiscapus
Weber and Cyphomyrmex muelleri
Schultz and Solomon, new species
(Formicidae: Attini). Insectes Sociaux
49: 331-343.
ABSTRACT:Nesting
in abundance on stream embankments
in the wet forests of Panama, the
fungus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex
longiscapus sensu lato has become
a model organism for the study of
behavior, ecology, mating frequency,
cultivar specificity, pathogenesis,
and social parasitism in the attine
agricultural symbiosis. Allozyme
markers, morphology, and other evidence
indicate that C. longiscapus
s.l. is in fact a complex of two
species, one of which is new to
science and described here as Cyphomyrmex
muelleri Schultz and Solomon,
new species. Although both species
occur sympatrically in the same
microhabitats and are ecologically,
behaviorally, and morphologically
quite similar, they consistently
cultivate two distantly related
fungal symbionts. Thus, each of
the two sibling ant species is specialized
on a distinct cultivar species,
contradicting the conclusions of
a previous study. Information is
provided for reliably separating
the two ant species; morphometrics,
ecology, behavior, biogeography,
and natural history are summarized.
Possible evolutionary mechanisms
underlying cryptic speciation in
C. longiscapus s.l. are discussed.
Seago,
A. and S.W. Lingafelter.
2003. Discovery of Crepidodera
bella Parry (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae:
Alticini) in Maryland and redescription.
Journal of the New York Entomological
Society. 111(1): 51-56.
ABSTRACT:
Crepidodera bella Parry (Coleoptera:
Chrysomelidae: Alticini), previously
known only from Florida, South Carolina,
Alabama, and Louisiana, is discovered
in central Maryland. This species
is sympatric with C. browni
Parry on Salix nigra growing
along swamps in the McKee-Besher
Wildlife Management Area (39E04'30"N,
77E23'00"W). Morphological
features of the integument and genitalia
are described and compared to C.
browni.
Siaca,
R.A., T.H. Fritts, and
C. Marquez. 1996. Patrones de crecimiento
de las tortugas gigantes de la Isla
de Pinzon, Galapagos. Actas II Congreso
Latinoamericano de Herpetologia,
Merida, Venezuela, October 1990.
pp. 121-130. In: Pefaur, J.E. (editor)
Herpetologia Neotropical. Universidad
de Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela.
ABSTRACT:
Geochelone ephippium es una
de las especies de tortugas gigantes
descritas en el archipielago de
Galapagos y la unica que habita
en la isla de Pinzon. Esta isla
se caracteriza por su pequena extension
territorial, baja elevacion y flora
xerofitica. Sur poblacion de tortugas
gigantes se ha visto amenazada por
la introduccion accidental de ratas
por lo cual el Servicio del Parque
Nacional Galapagos ha desarrollado
un programa de manejo en cautividad
de tortugas jovenes con el fin de
estabilizar la poblacion. El programa
consiste en la proteccion de jovenes
retenidos en cautividad hasta cumplidos
los cuatro o cinco anos de edad,
momento en el cual se incorporan
a la poblacion en libertad. Mediante
el seguimiento de ejemplares puestos
en libertad, de edades conocidas
durante un periodo de viente anos,
se ha podido determinar que esta
especie alcanza la madurez sexual
entre los doce y quince anos. Se
ha establecido tambien que el crecimiento
despues de la madurez en los machos
es la causa de la diferencia de
tamano entre sexos.
Siaca,
R.A. and T.H. Fritts.
1995. Patrones de crecimiento de
las tortugas gigantes (Geochelone
ephippium) de la Isla de Pinzon,
Galapagos. Rev. Acad. Colomb. Cienc.
19(75): 741-744.
ABSTRACT:
Geochelone ephippium is one
of fourteen giant tortoise species
described from the Galapagos Archipelago,
and the only one that inhabits Pinzon
island. This island is characterized
by its low extension, low elevation,
and xeric climate. The population
of Pinzon giant tortoises has been
menaced by the introduction of rats.
For this reason, the National Park
Service of Galapagos has developed
a captive rearing program in order
to stabalize the population. The
Conservation program consists of
retaining juvenile tortoises in
captivity until five years of age,
time in which predation by rats
and starvation are minimized. For
twenty years, results from growth
collection data in known age tortoises
shows that this species reaches
sexual maturity between twelve and
fifteen years of age. Also, it has
been established that the continuous
growth in males after reaching sexual
maturity is the cause of the difference
in size between sexes.
Skog,
L.E. and F.F.
de Jesus. 1997. A Review
of Resia (Gesneriaceae).
Biollania 6: 515-525.
ABSTRACT:
The poorly-known and rarely-collected
genus Resia, is reviewed
in light of recent collections,
and a new subspecies, Resia ichthyoides
subsp. bracteata, is
described and illustrated from Colombia.
Spencer,
M.A. and L.B. Smith.
1991. Pitcairnia funkiae,
a new species from Costa Rica. Journal
of the Bromeliad Society 41(5):
214-215.
ABSTRACT:
Volcán Arenál is one
of seven active volcanoes in central
Costa Rica. In 1983, the Smithsonian
Institution, in collaboration with
the Instituto Nacionál de
Biodiversidád of Costa Rica,
initiated a project to study the
volcanology and biology of that
volcano. One aspect of the project
was to study the flora. While examining
Bromeliaceae specimens that she
had collected, Dr. Vicki Funk, a
curator at the Smithsonian, discovered
a new species of Pitcairnia.
Taylor,
D.C., and H. Robinson.
1999. A rejection of Pepinia
(Bromeliaceae: Pitcairnioideae)
and taxonomic revisions. Harvard
Papers in Botany 4(1): 203-217.
ABSTRACT:
The recent generic subdivision of
Pitcairnia L'Her., and recognition
of an expanded segregate genus Pepinia
Brong. in André by Varadarajan
and Gilmartin is rejected. The stated
difference between the genera was
seed structure, alate or naked in
Pepinia and bicaudate in
typical Pitcairnia. Analysis
of the seeds shows a more complex
seed variation, varying from the
amphigenus cortication of Pitcairnia
aphelandriflora Lem. (subg.
Pepinia) to the narrowly
winged and bicaudate form of typical
Pitcairnia and the broadly
alate form of many South American
species. Scanning Electron Microscopy
(SEM) is employed to illustrate
the gradation. Seed variation, by
itself, proves unreliable for the
proposed generic delimitation. Other
characters against which the seed
character is tested include the
arrangements of chlorenchyma, and
adaxial or abaxial water storage
tissue adjacent to vascular bundles
as seen in cross sections of Pitcairnia
leaves. The latter anatomical structures
are considered significant and unlikely
to have evolved more than once in
the broad concept of Pitcairnia.
The different foliar modifications
occur in both proposed subgenera
based on seed type with little correlation
to seed variation. As a result,
the genus Pepinia is returned
to the synonomy of Pitcairnia
without distinction at the subgeneric
level. Forty-two species that have
been transferred to Pepinia
are listed with their proper names
in Pitcairnia with six new
combinations and two required new
names.
Thorington,
R. W., Jr., K. Darrow, and A.D.K.
Betts. 1997. Comparative
myology of the forelimb of squirrels
(Sciuridae). Journal of Morphology
234: 155-182.
ABSTRACT:
The musculature of the shoulder,
arm, and forearm was studied in
19 genera of squirrels, representing
the Pteromyinae (flying squirrels)
and all 7 tribes of the Sciurinae
(tree and ground squirrels ). The
objective was to locate derived
anatomical features of functional
or phylogenetic significance and
to determine how much morphological
variation underlies the diverse
locomotor behavior of squirrels,
which includes terrestrial and arboreal
bounding, climbing, digging, and
gliding. The fossil evidence suggests
that arboreality is primitive for
squirrels, and in fact tree squirrels
appear to represent the primitive
sciurid morphology. Ground squirrels
are less uniform and exhibit a few
derived features, including a clavobrachialis
muscle not seen in other squirrels.
Pygmy tree squirrels, which have
evolved independently in three tribes,
exhibit convergence of forelimb
anatomy, including the loss or reduction
of several muscles in the shoulder
and forearm. The forelimb anatomy
of flying squirrels is the most
derived and differs from that of
tree squirrels in details of shoulder,
arm, and forearm musculature. Some
of these muscular differences among
squirrels have phylogenetic significance,
being shared by closely related
genera, but none has significance
above the tribal level. Many of
the differences suggest a variety
of changes in function that are
amenable to further study.
Torres-Meija,
M.
and R.P. Vari. 2005. New species
of Creagrutus (Teleostei:
Characiformes: Characidae) from
the Río Magdalena basin,
Colombia. Copeia 2005 :812-817.
ABSTRACT:
A new species of Creagrutus
from the Rý´o Magdalena
basin, Colombia, is described. This
species is distinguished from all
congeners by a combination of morphometric,
meristic, and morphological features.
The species is the first member
of the genus known to have breeding
tubercles with keratinized caps.
The phylogenetic position of the
new species and various aspects
of its ecology and behavior are
discussed.
Vari,
R.P. and T.A.
Blackledge. 1996. New
Curimatid, Cyphocharax laticlavius
(Ostariophysi, Characiformes),
from Amazonian Ecuador, with a Major
Range Extension for C. gouldingi.
Copeia 1: 109-113.
ABSTRACT:
Cyphocharax laticlavius,
new species, is described from Amazonian
Ecuador. It is distinguished from
congeners by the combination of
a dark midlateral stripe originating
at the hypural joint and extending
to at least the vertical line through
the midbase of the dorsal fin, possession
of 31 or 32 pored lateral-line scales,
and by the extreme reduction of
the sixth infraorbital. The distribution
of Cyphocharax gouldingi,
previously known only from the eastern
portions of the Amazon basin and
adjoining drainages of Brazil, is
extended to Ecuador.
Vohringer,
C. 1987. Book review:
Audubon Wildlife Report 1987. Biological
Conservation Newsletter 58: 2-3.
ABSTRACT:
The Audubon Wildlife Report 1987
proves to be a useful repository
of the wildlife conservation events
of the preceding year. The Report
1987 follows tradition of the past
reports in its goal, design, and
future outlook. The goal is to combine
a diversity of data concerning the
federal wildlife-policy administration
and to make this data easily accessible
to anyone interested in wildlife
conservation. This book provides
the reader with a wealth of descriptions,
places, and persons to contact for
more information or for action on
the problems of wildlife conservation.
Vohringer,
C. 1988. Book review:
Conservation and management of rare
and endangered plants. Biological
Conservation Newsletter 59/60: 2-3.
ABSTRACT:
Conservation and Management of
Rare and Endangered Plants,
edited by Thomas S. Elias, is a
compilation of the orations given
at the 1986 conference in Sacramento
of the California Native Plant Society
(CNPS). This book is a result of
CNPS' attempt to provide an information
exchange for all involved in rare
plant conservation. The papers are
grouped under four general topics:
background; legal aspects of plant
conservation; the plants, habitats
and related studies; and management,
conservation and education. The
book is informative and easy to
read.
Wilf,
P., C.C. Labandeira, K.R. Johnson,
P.D. Coley, and
A.D.
Cutter.2001. Insect herbivory,
plant defense, and early Cenozoic
climate change. PNAS 98(11): 6221-6226.
ABSTRACT:
Insect damage on fossil leaves from
the Central Rocky Mountains, United
States, documents the response of
herbivores to changing regional
climates and vegetation during the
late Paleocene (humid, warm temperate
to subtropical, predominantly deciduous),
and middle Eocene (seasonally dry,
subtropical, mixed deciduous and
thick-leaved evergreen). During
all three time periods, greater
herbivory occurred on taxa considered
to have short rather than long leaf
life spans, consistent with studies
in living forests that demonstrate
the insect resistance of long-lived,
thick leaves. Variance in herbivory
frequency and diversity was highest
during the middle Eocene, indicating
the increased representation of
two distinct herbivory syndromes:
one for taxa with deciduous, palatable
foliage, and the other for hosts
with evergreen, thick-textured,
small leaves characterized by elevated
insect resistance. Leaf galling,
which is negatively correlated with
moisture today, apparently increased
during the middle Eocene, whereas
leaf mining decreased.
Woodman,
N., and J.P.Morgan.
2005. Skeletal morphology of the
forefoot in shrews (Mammalia: Soricidae)
of the genus Cryptotis, as
revealed by digital x-rays. Journal
of Morphology 266:60–73.
ABSTRACT:Variation
in the forefoot skeleton of smalleared
shrews (family Soricidae, genus
Cryptotis) has been previously
documented, but the paucity of available
skeletons for most taxa makes assessment
of the degrees of intraspecific
and interspecific variation difficult.
We used a digital X-ray system to
extract images of the forefoot skeleton
from 101 dried skins of eight taxa
(seven species, including two subspecies
of one species) of these shrews.
Lengths and widths of each of the
four bones of digit III were measured
directly from the digital images,
and we used these data to quantify
variation within and among taxa.
Analysis of the images and measurements
showed that interspecific variation
exceeds intraspecific variation.
In fact, most taxa could be distinguished
in multivariate and some bivariate
plots. Our quantitative data helped
us define a number of specific forefoot
characters that we subsequently
used to hypothesize evolutionary
relationships among the taxa using
the exhaustive search option in
PAUP, a computer program for phylogenetic
analysis. The resulting trees generally
concur with previously published
evolutionary hypotheses for small-eared
shrews. Cryptotis meridensis,
a taxon not previously examined
in recent phylogenies, is rooted
at the base of the branch leading
to the C. mexicana group
of species. The position of this
species suggests that the mostly
South American C. thomasi
group shares an early ancestor with
the C. mexicana group.
Yoder,
C., D. Ubelaker, and
J.F. Powell. 2001. Examination of
variation in sternal rib end morphology
relevant to age assessment. Journal
of Forensic Science 46(2): 223-227.
ABSTRACT:
The morphology of the sternal end
of the right fourth rib has been
proffered as an accurate age assessor
in skeletonized individuals of both
sexes. This technique was tested
for its applicability on left and
right II, III, V-IX. Tests were
performed between phase scores obtained
from right and left ribs; right
rib IV phase scores and scores obtained
from the others in the right rib
series; and between right rib IV
scores and a composite score composed
of the average of an individual's
phase scores (omitting rib IV).
Left ribs IV-IX were found not to
vary significantly from their right
counterparts. Although only right
rib II was found to vary significantly
from rib IV, use of the other ribs
in the series should be undertaken
with caution due to the questions
concerning their statistical significance.
A composite score is therefore recommended
for use instead.
Zermoglio,
M.F. and V.A. Funk. 1997.
A new species of Chrisactinium
(Asteraceae, Liabeae) from Chichapoyas,
Peru. BioLlania, Edicion Especial
6: 565-571.
ABSTRACT:
A new species of Chrysactinium
(Asteraceae: Liabeae) is described
from the department of Amazonas
in northern Peru. This new species
is named after it's collector, John
J. Wurdack. Also provided is an
illustration of the new species
and keys (in English and Spanish)
to all the species of the genus.
Zug,
G.R., and R.F.
Glor. 1998. Skeletochronological
age estimates of Green seaturtles
living in a Florida developmental
habitat. Mem. Resum. 18th Int. Seaturtle
Symp.: 97.
ABSTRACT:
Juvenile Caretta caretta (44-92
cm SCL) and Chelonia mydas
(30-75 cm SCL) occur year around
in the Indian River Lagoon system
of eastern Florida. An extraordinary
cold snap in December 1989 caused
a major cold-stunning event in the
lagoon. Over 150 seaturtles were
rescued and their rehabilitation
attempted. About one third of the
C. mydas did not survive
the cold-shock; these turtles offered
an opportunity to use skeletochronology
to estimate their ages and examine
the age structure of C. mydas
in this developmental habitat.
The sample contains individuals
ranging from 28-74 cm SCL with estimated
ages of 3-14 yr. The age estimates
suggest the following hypothetical
life cycle for Florida-Atlantic
Chelonia mydas. The pelagic
phase lasts a minimum of 3 years,
although 5 to 7 years is the most
likeley common duration. The juveniles
then return to coastal water (nearshore
and estuarine habitats) and join
foraging assemblages in developmental
habitats. Individuals remain in
these developmental habitats for
6-10 years, although likely not
at the same locality, and depart
these habitats for subadult-adult
feeding grounds somewhere in the
Caribbean at ages of 12-14 yr and
at 60-75 cm SCL.
Zug,
G.R. and R.
Glor. 1999. Estimates
of age and growth in a population
of green seaturtles (Chelonia
mydas) from the Indian River
lagoon system, Florida: a skeletochronological
analysis. Canad. J. Zoology. [1998]
76: 1497-1506.
ABSTRACT:
The Indian River lagoon system harbors
a dynamic population of juvenile
green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas).
This foraging or developmental population
occupies the lagoon year-round and
periodically experiences cold-stunning
events that kill a portion of the
population. A sample of 59 C.
mydas (28-74 cm straight carapace
length) from the December 1989 cold-stunning
event was aged by skeletochronology,
yielding age estimates of 3-14 years.
Mean growth-rate estimates range
from 30 to 52 mm/year for most age
and size classes, with means for
the 6- to 11-year age classes (44-49
mm/year) not significantly different
but greater than those of the youngest
and oldest classes (3-5 and 12 years
old, respectively) (32-38 mm/year).
Because of the lack of adults and
near-adults in the sample, growth
models (e.g., Gompertz) do not yield
biologically realistic asymptotes,
hence they do not provide accurate
estimates of age at sexual maturity.
The age estimates suggest that the
western Atlantic C. mydas
change from a pelagic to a neritic
life predominantly as 5- to 6-year-olds
and, in central Florida, juveniles
may live in a developmental habitat
for 6 or more years.
Zug,
G.R. and H.J.
Kalb. 1989. Skeletochronological
age estimates for juvenile Lepidochelys
kempii from Atlantic coast of
North America. Proc. 9th Ann. Workshop
Sea Turtle Conserv., NOAA Technical
Memorandum NMFS-SEFC-232: 271-273.
ABSTRACT:
Kemp's ridleys are the smallest
living sea turtles; adults average
646mm in carapace length (range
595-750mm). This small adult size
suggests that these turtles attain
sexual maturity at a younger age
than any of the other living sea
turtles. Data on the growth rates
of recaptured nesting females and
captive-raised hatchlings provide
variable estimates of age at sexual
maturity. The salvage of juvenile
ridleys from the eastern seaboard
of the United States provide an
opportunity to use the skeletochronological
technique to estimate the ages and
to develop growth curves for free-living
Lepidochelys kempii.
Zug,
G.R. and H.J.
Kalb. 1991. Estimates
of age and growth in Lepidochelys
kempii from skeletochronological
data. Proc. 10th Ann. Workshop Sea
Turtle Conserv., NOAA Technical
Memorandum NMFS-SEFC-278: 285-286.
ABSTRACT:
Kemp's ridleys are the smallest
living sea turtles; adults average
646mm in carapace length. This small
adult size suggests that these turtles
attain sexual maturity at a younger
age than any of the other living
sea turtles. Data on growth rates
of recaptured nesting females and
of captive-raised hatchlings provide
variable estimates of age at sexual
maturity. The salvage of juvenile
ridleys from the eastern seaboard
of the United States provided an
opportunity to use skeletochronological
technique to estimate the ages and
to develop growth curves for free
living Lepidochelys kempii.
Zug,
G.R., H.J.
Kalb, and S.
Luzar. 1997. Age and
growth in wild Kemp's Ridley seaturtles
Lepidochelys kempii from
skeletochronological data. Biol.
Conserv. 80: 261-268.
ABSTRACT:
Skeletochronological analysis provides
age estimates, not actual ages,
for seaturtles. Unlike age and growth
data from captive and headstart
turtles, these estimates predict
the actual patterns of age and growth
in free-living turtles. A moderate-sized
sample of 69 Lepidochelys kempii,
salvaged from the Atlantic and Gulf
coasts of the USA, had straight-line
carapace lengths (SCL) of 188-720mm
and age estimates of 2-15 years.
The von Bertalanffy growth model
provides the best fit for age-estimate
and size data and predicts maturity
between 11 and 16 years, depending
on the body size of selected to
represent sexual maturity. The logistic
growth model suggests later maturity
of 13-19 years. Comparison of the
Atlantic and Gulf components of
the sample suggests a faster growth
rate for Ridleys in the Gulf of
Mexico, although the size of the
subsamples are too small for this
interpretation to be reliable without
additional data. Our age and growth
estimates indicate that some members
of the early cohorts of headstart
Ridleys are mature and may have
nested already.
Zug,
G.R. and J.F.
Parham. 1996. Age and
growth in leatherback turtles, Dermochelys
coriacea (Testudines: Dermochelyidae):
a skeletochronological analysis.
Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 2(2): 231-236.
ABSTRACT:
Leatherbacks are the largest living
turtles and grow faster than the
smaller, hard-shelled sea turtles
(Cheloniidae). Age estimates derived
from a skeletochronological analysis
of sclerotic ossicles from 15 adult
leatherbacks and two juveniles ranged
between 8.8 and 22.9 years for the
adults, and less than a year and
slightly over a year old for the
juveniles. These age estimates analyzed
by the von Bertalanffy growth model
predict maturity on the average
at 13-14 years for females, a minimum
age at maturity of 5-6 years, and
juvenile growth rates ranging between
8.6 to 39.4 cm per year. For conservation
management purposes, 9 years is
a likely minimum age for maturity
based on the youngest adult in the
sample.
Zug,
G.R. and J.F.
Parham. 1997. Age and
growth of the leatherback Dermochelys
coriacea Proc. 16th Ann. Sea
Turtle Symposium. NOAA Tech. Memo.
NMFS-SEFSC 412:158.
ABSTRACT:
Leatherbacks are the largest turtles
and grow faster than the smaller,
hard-shelled sea turtles (Cheloniidae).
Age estimates derived from a skeletochronological
analysis of sclerotic ossicles from
15 adult leatherbacks and two juveniles
ranged between 8.8 and 22.9 years
for the adults, and less than a
year and slightly over a year old
for the juveniles. These age estimates
analyzed by the von Bertalanffy
growth model predict maturity on
the average at 13-14 years for females,
a minimum age at maturity of 5-6
years, and juvenile growth rates
ranging between 8.6 to 39.4cm per
year. For conservation management
purposes, 9 years is a likely minimum
age for maturity based on the youngest
adults in the sample.
PRESENTATIONS
with ABSTRACTS
Albright,
A.L. and M.A. Wise. 2000.
Epidote in granitic pegmatites of
the Rincon pegmatite district, southern
California. Geological Society of
America, Abstracts with Program.
ABSTRACT:
Angarita,
H.E. 2001. Diferenciacion
de los murciélagos Platyrrhinus
de Colombia (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae).
II Congreso Colombiano de Zoologia.
ABSTRACT:
Baldwin,
C.C., A.
Hankins and A. Mauke.
2004. Morphological investigations
of Atlantic Ophioblennius (Teleostei:
Blenniidae). Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists
and Herpetologists, Norman, OK.
26 - 31 May.
ABSTRACT:
Brandley,
M. 2002. The phylogenetic
history of the Anolis cristatellus
group: a morphological and molecular
analysis using frequency parsimony
and maximum likelihood methods.
2002 meeting of the Society of Systematic
Biologists and the Society for the
Study of Evolution, Champaign-Urbana,
IL.
ABSTRACT:
Campos,
N.D. and P. Molloy. 2000.
Identifying Etowah site funerary
objects based on material criteria.
American Archaeology Meetings.
ABSTRACT:
Cisneros-Heredia,
D.F.
and R.W. McDiarmid. 2004. Observations
on the taxonomy, distribution, and
conservation status of the centrolenids
from Ecuador (Anura: Centrolenidae).
Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists
and Herpetologists, Norman, OK,
26-31 May.
ABSTRACT:
Cowan,
K.A., and T.J. McCoy.
1998. Mass equivalence and brecciation
in the Mt. Padbury mesosiderite.
In Lunar and Planetary Science XXIX,
Abstract #1194, Lunar and Planetary
Institute, Houston, Texas, March
1998. (CD-ROM).
ABSTRACT:
Dodd [1,2] first suggested that
an apparent sorting of chondrules
by size may have resulted from aerodynamic
drag during parent body accretion.
Since that time, researchers have
argued that aerodynamic size sorting
may have played a role in determining
chondrule distributions among chondrite
types [3,4]. More recently, mass
equivalence of chondrules and metal-sulfide
grains in the L4 chondrite Bjurböle
has been invoked as evidence for
sorting by mass during accretion
in the nebula [5]. To date, the
question of whether similar sorting
can be achieved during parent body
processes (e.g. impact brecciation
or melting) has not been critically
assessed. Mesosiderites, with their
complex history of igneous processing
and impact events on a parent asteroid,
provide such a test. Metal and silicate
clasts within the subgroup 1A mesosiderite
Mt. Padbury were studied to test
for metal-silicate mass equivalence,
as well as to further constrain
the brecciation history of this
meteorite.
Dehn,
G.A. and T.J. McCoy.
1998. The formation history of the
Bencubbin meteorite: A macroscopic
analyses. In Lunar and Planetary
Science XXIX, Abstract #1193, Lunar
and Planetary Institute, Houston,
Texas, March 1998.(CD-ROM).
ABSTRACT:
Bencubbin is an enigmatic stony-iron
meteorite composed of subequal proportions
of Fe, Ni metal clasts and ferromagnesian
silicates. Originally classified
as a mesosiderite [1], a variety
of studies over the last 30 years
have revealed that Bencubbin has
had a complex history. Evidence
for a history related to nebular
processing includes the similarity
between the dominant silicate particles
and barred olivine chondrules [2,3],
chemical trends within the metal
suggestive of nebular condensation
[4] and a bulk composition similar
to chondrites [5]. It is clear,
however, that Bencubbin also has
experienced a prolonged parent body
history, as evidenced by the deformation
(both elongation and alignment)
of the metal clasts [e.g., 4]. Further,
Bencubbin contains foreign clasts
indicative of brecciation and mixing
[5]. This conflicting evidence has
lead to two schools of thought about
the origin of Bencubbin. Bencubbin's
components may have formed in the
solar nebula with later brecciation
and minor melting, or Bencubbin
may have formed via impact melting
on a chondritic parent body [3].
A review of these two models by
[3] clearly favors the former. Since
the 1970's, several authors have
suggested that nebular components
may have experienced size or mass
sorting due to aerodynamic drag
during accretion of chondritic parent
bodies [6-10]. Size or mass sorting
has been documented in several CR
and ordinary chondrites, although
it is unclear whether this mechanism
acted in the formation of all chondrites
[8] or is a property unique to meteorites
formed through nebular processes
[11]. We have undertaken a macroscopic
study of metal and silicate particles
in the Bencubbin meteorite to further
elucidate the role of mass or size
sorting in the formation of this
enigmatic meteorite, as well as
to document the deformation which
this meteorite has experienced.
Diaz,
R. and K. de Queiroz.
2003. Phylogenetic relationships
among corytophanine iguanid lizards
inferred from morphological characters.
SACNAS national conference, Albuquerque,
NM. October 2003.
ABSTRACT:
Corytophanine lizards are unique
within the Iguanidae in having head
crests and casques supported by
the posterior extension of the parietal
bone as well as having lateral fringes
of skin along their hind digits
which allots them added surface
area aiding them in their bipedal
locomotion across the surface of
water. Their neotropical distribution
extends from Mexico to Colombia,
with its main concentration in Central
America. Three genera of corytophanines
have traditionally been recognized,
Basiliscus (four species),
Corytophanes (three species),
and Laemanctus (two species).
The crests also appear to develop
after birth and are more pronounced
in male than in female Basiliscus;
in contrast, they develop in the
embryos and are of comparable size
in males and females of Corytophanes
and Laemanctus. The function
of the head crests is not yet well
understood. The phylogenetic relationships
among the species of corytophanine
lizards will be estimated using
morphological characters. Characters
will be obtained from the literature
and verified and supplemented using
museum specimens. Phylogenetic relationships
will be estimated from those data
using parsimony and likelihood methods
and compared with estimates based
on molecular data. Combined analyses
of morphological and molecular data
will also be performed. Constrained
phylogenetic analyses will be used
to test various hypotheses about
the systematics and evolution of
corytophanine lizards, including
hypotheses about the monophyly of
various groups, the evolution of
head ornamentation, and historical
biogeography.
Faden,
R.B. and K.
Inman. 1996. Leaf anatomy
of the African genera of Commelinaceae:
Anthericopsis and Murdannia.
Proceedings of the XIVth AETFAT
Congress, 22 - 27 August 1994, Wageningen,
The Netherlands. p. 467-471.
ABSTRACT:
Leaf anatomy of Anthericopsis
sepalosa and nine species of
Murdannia was studied using
scanning electron microscopy, paraffin
embedded sections, whole leaf clearings,
and epidermal scrapes. Anthericopsis
was distinctive because of its attenuate
margin with basal tannin cells and
a broad, discontinuous, adaxial
hypodermis, and generally marginal
sclerenchyma. Both genera showed
several apparently synapomorphic
characters, such as lack of a thick
midrib, presence of a broad adaxial
hypodermis, and a tappered margin,
that separated them from other genera
of the tribe Commelineae. The anatomical
support morphological data that
show a phylogenetic relationship
between the two genera.
Fuentes
S. and D.H. Erwin. 2000.
Biogeography and Stratigraphy of
the Neoproterozoic Ediacaran Fauna.
Geological Society of America, Abstracts
with Program.
ABSTRACT:
Gargas,
A., P.T. DePriest, and N.
Ivanova. 1993. Extracting
DNA and amplifying rDNA from glacier-covered
lichens. Paper presented, Ancient
DNA, 2nd International Conference,
Washington, DC, October 1993.
ABSTRACT:
Gargas,
A., P.T. DePriest, and N.
Ivanova. 1994. Glacier-
covered lichens: Sources of ancient
DNA. Paper presented, Fifth International
Mycological Congress, Vancouver,
BC, August 1994.
ABSTRACT:
Gargas,
A., P.T. DePriest, and N.
Ivanova. 1994. Glacier-
covered lichens: Sources of ancient
DNA. Paper presented, Annual AIBS
Meeting, Knoxville, TN, August 1994.
ABSTRACT:
Greenfest,
E.F. and C.C. Labandeira.
1997. Insect folivory on a Lower
Permian (Sakmarian) riparian flora
from north-central Texas. Geological
Society of America, Abstract with
Program 29(6): 262.
ABSTRACT:
The Coprolite Bone Bed flora from
Archer County in north-central Texas
is of Early Permian (Sakmarian)
age and occurs in a mottled silty
claystone, interpreted as a perennial
pond deposit within a river floodplain
facies. Preservation is variable
but sufficiently informative to
reveal details of foliar response
to trauma, including insect consumption,
abiotic damage, and fungal attack.
The level of insect folivory represented
in the study are exceptionally low
by modern standards. These data
are also approximately tenfold less
than a somewhat younger (Artinakian),
gigantopterid-dominated locality
in nearby Baylor County. Both studies
provide evidence that pteridosperms
and closely related taxa with broad,
planated leaves were preferentially
targeted by insects.
Hensley
T., and J. Luhr. 2000.
Regional Geochemical Variation of
the Central American Volcanic Arc:
Tectonic Parameters Affecting Magma
Chemistry. Geological Society of
America, Abstracts with Program.
ABSTRACT:
Hissong,
E.N. and M.A. Wise. 1994.
Alteration of amphibole and plagioclase
and associated pegmatites from the
Virginia Piedmont. Geological Society
of America, Abstract with Program
26(4): 20.
ABSTRACT:
Holladay,
L. and B. Huber. 2001.
Ontogenetic morphometric comparison
of middle-late Eocene pseudohastigerinid
planktonic foraminifera using X-radiograph
image analysis. Geological Society
of America, Abstracts with Programs.
November 2001.
ABSTRACT:
Ivanova,
N., A. Gargas, and P.T.
DePriest. 1995. Glacier-covered
lichens: Sources of ancient DNA.
Poster presented, American Bryological
and Lichenological Society Meeting,
Jasper, Alberta, August 1995, Abstract,
MSA Newsletter.
ABSTRACT:
Johnson,
J.J., E.P. Vicenzi, and
S.D. Whittaker. 2003. A microchemical
investigation of fossilized wood:
Biological preservation and the
influence of mineralization. Western
Inter-University Geological Conference,
Vancouver, BC.
ABSTRACT:
The degree of structural change
in fossilized wood may be directly
linked to the minerals that replace
the cellular structure. Improved
knowledge of the amount of biological
structure that can be preserved
in the process of petrifaction of
easily recognized organisms increases
the chances of identifying microorganisms
in other geological samples. As
the project deals with both biological
organisms and minerals, four things
were taken into consideration: species
of plant, amount of decay, and minerals
present, and the most suitable imaging
technique(s) for each specimen.
Of the six fossil wood specimens
that were analyzed in this study,
two were identified to the genus
level, Callixylon sp., an
extinct conifer, and Salix sp.
the common willow, both were remarkably
well preserved. The remaining four
specimens were unidentifiable as
decay was too far progressed prior
to mineralization. The ages of the
specimens ranged from Miocene-Pliocene
to Devonian. Nine minerals were
identified in the six samples. The
specimens have one dominant mineral,
and may have up to four additional
accessory minerals. The dominant
minerals were chalcedony (SiO2),
opal (SiO2onH2O), hematite (FeO2),
dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2), limonite
(FeOHo nH2O), and apatite (Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F,Cl),
and may also occur as accessory
minerals. The remaining three minerals
occurring only as accessory minerals
were pyrite (FeS2), calcite (CaCO3),
and barite (BaSO4). Generally, specimens
mineralized with common mineralizing
agents such as chalcedony, apatite,
or calcite more faithfully retain
the original cellular structure
than specimens that were mineralized
with more rare minerals such as
hematite or limonite. Determination
of the amount of structure preserved
and by which minerals, was accomplished
through the use of seven imaging
techniques. A structure that may
be clearly visible in one technique,
may be completely obscured in another,
this validates the need for complimentary
techniques. Light-based methods
included: transmitted, reflected
and polarized light microscopy.
Electron-based methods included:
back scattered electron imaging
and x-ray mapping using the scanning
electron microscope, charge-contrast
imaging using the environmental
scanning electron microscope, and
cathodoluminescence imaging using
a cathodoluminoscope.
Kirkpatrick,
T.S. and M.A. Wise. 1995.
Chemistry, texture and mineralogy
of fine-grained lepidolite bodies
from zoned rare-element granitic
pegmatites. Geological Society of
America, Abstract with Program 27:
469.
ABSTRACT:
The mineral modes and bulk chemistry
of lepidolite-rich units residing
within zoned, Li-rich rare-element
granitic pegmatites have rarely
been studied in detail. Textures,
modal compositions and bulk chemistries
of lepidolite-bearing assemblages
from the following pegmatite localities
were examined: Mt. Mica and Black
Mountain, Maine; Swanson Lithia
Mine and Strickland Quarry, Connecticut;
Tin Mountain, South Dakota; Brown
Derby, Colorado; Douglas Mine, Stewart
Lithia Mine and Tourmaline King
Mine, California; Tanco and Silver
Leaf, Manitoba; and McAvoy Lake,
Northwest Territories. Fine grained
ledipolite masses contain diverse
textural relationships among their
basic mineral assemblages which
include lepidolite, quartz and albite.
Tourmaline and Nb-Ta oxide minerals
may be present in minor amounts.
Average grain size for the lepidolite
varies from 1mm-3mm. The contacts
between the albite, quartz and generally
anhedral to subhedral lepidolite
intergrowths vary from sharp to
gradational. The modal abundances
of these minerals determined by
300-4200 point counts per sample
are highly variable. Lepidolite
content ranges from 41.45-100%;
quartz 0-58.93%; albite 0-41.99%;
tourmaline 0-5.41%; and opagues
1%. Bulk trace element chemistry
indicates that the lepidolite-bearing
assemblages are highly fractionated.
Langer,
K.E. and M.A. Wise. 1995.
The development of amazonite in
the Morefield pegmatite, Amelia,
Virginia. Geological Society of
America, Abstract with Program 27:
470.
ABSTRACT:
Amazonite is a prominent constituent
of the Morefield pegmatite located
in the Amelia pegmatite district,
central Virginia. This mineralogically
complex pegmatite belongs to the
muscovite class of granitic pegamtites
and host mineral assemblages which
suggest a comibined LCT (Li-Cs-Ta)
and NYF (Nb-Y-F) geochemical
signature. Petrographic and chemical
studies of K-feldspar were used
to examine the process by which
amazonite originates. It is believed
that amazonite develops as the result
of the alteration of orignially
white or tan perhitic microcline.
The amazonitization process involves
the flow of residual aqueous fluids
along fractures and cleavage planes
within already formed Pb-enriched
microcline crystals. Restricted
penetration of fluids into the crystal
may have been responsible for the
patchy color of some of the amazonite.
Characteristics which correspond
to increasing color intensity are
1) the decrease in size and texture
of albite lamellae within perhitic
amazonite, and 2) an overall decrease
in Pb content. The trace element
chemistry of amazonite reveals increases
in Rb, Cs, Ga and Tl with increasing
pegmatite fractionation. Lead content
varies from 245 to 437 oom and show
no correlation with the Rb, Ga and
Tl trends with increasing fractionation.
Even though Pb shows an overall
decrease with increasing color intensity,
it behaves rather erratically within
individual crystals. Single crystals
which display both tan and green
colors typically show a strong correlation
of decreasing Pb with increasing
Cs, while in crystals of a single
green color, the Pb content increases
with increasing Cs.
Locke,
D.R., W.G. Melson,
J.T. Haynes, K.E. Goggin, and T.
O'Hearn. 1997. Air-fall Tephra incorporated
in Shale of the Middle Ordovician
Edinburg Formation at the Classic
Tumbling Run Section: The Mineralogical
Record of Early Taconian Volcanism
in the Central Appalachians. Geological
Society of America, Abstract with
Program 40: A-114
ABSTRACT:
Potassic shale (up to 7.5wt.%) in
the Edinburg Formation, near Strasburg,
Virginia, is petrogenetically related
to illitic clay-rich K-bentonites.
Eleven (ordovician) K-bentonite
beds are chemically distinct limestone,
but shales bear a signature of altered
volcanic ash. Heavy liquid separations
of K-bentonite yield volcanogenic
and authigenic minerals that reveal
volcanism and diagenetic/low grade
metamorphic alteration of vitric
ash layers. Separation of of bentonitic
shale yielded pristine euhedral
volcanogenic heavy minerals. These
include zircon, apatite, and rutile
that is pseudomorphic after limenite.
These minerals characterize the
volcanic contribution from airborne
ash which mixed with terrigenous
and limy muds of the Ordovician
sea. This suggests that much more
volcanic material is preserved in
bentonitic shale than in distinct
K-bentinites. The fine-grain size
(0.07 - 0.10 mm) of the phenocrysts
in K-bentonites and bentonitic shale
indicate a distant source, perhaps
hundreds of kilometers away. Inherited
cores in zircon from K-bentonites
suggest that the source volcanoes
lay to the east on an island arc
that developed on continental crust
near the eastern margin of Laurentia.
Maloney,
J. and M. Wise. 2005.
Cathodoluminescence study of feldspars
from the Black Mountain pegmatite,
Maine.
ABSTRACT:
The
Black Mountain pegmatite, located
in Oxford county, Maine, is an internally
zoned granitic pegmatite that contains
many replacement features that are
caused by late-stage fluids. The
reaction of the residual fluids
with other minerals can be observed
using the cathodoluminescence (CL).
Albite commonly replaces pre-existing
minerals, and occurs in three varieties
in the pegmatite: saccharoidal albite,
cleavelandite, and blocky albite.
With the exception of blocky albite,
each variety replaces other minerals
(potassium feldspar, quartz, muscovite,
lepidolite, and spodumene) in all
zones of the pegmatite. The principal
feature that is observed in the
albite is the reduction of luminescence
wherever replacement occurs. The
exact reason for this is still not
known, but there are several possibilities
that can be considered: 1) the incorporation
of a quenching agent in the albite
during the replacement process,
2) the reduction of activators (Ti4+,
Mn2+. Fe2+, Fe3+) in albite during
the breakdown of replaced minerals,
and 3) an increase in the amount
of activating elements leading to
concentration quenching in the albite.
McCoy
T.J., E.B.
Rosenshein and T.L. Dickinson.
1999. A unique oxide-bearing clast
in the aubrite Allan Hills 84008:
Evidence for oxidation during magmatic
processes. In Lunar and Planetary
Science XXX. (CD-ROM).
ABSTRACT:
Aubrites contain an array of minerals
in which normally lithophile elements
(e.g., Si, Ca, Mn) occur as siderophile
and chalcophile elements. Most notably,
a range of sulfides including oldhamite
(CaS), daubreelite (FeCr2S4), alabandite
(MnS), djerfisherite (K3CuFe12S14)
and titanoan troilite (FeS) occur.
Also present are Si-bearing Fe,
Ni metal, silicides, phosphides,
and nitrides. This mineral assemblage
points to formation of aubrites
in an extremely reducing enviornment,
perhaps as much as five log units
below iron-wüstite in oxygen
fugacity [1]. We have initiated
a study of sulfide-bearing clasts
in aubrites [2] in an attempt to
further clarify their igneous histories.
During the course of this work,
we have discovered an unusual, oxide-bearing
clast that may suggest local oxidation
occured on the aubrite parent body
during magmatism.
McPherson,
T. 2001. Phylogenetic
analysis of Rebinea Razowski
and Eliachna Razowski (Lepidoptera:
Tortricidae: Euliini). The Biodiversity
of Guyana: a global perspective
for the future. Georgetown, Guyana.
7 - 10 October 2001. Poster. Abstract
with program.
ABSTRACT:
The
two genera Rebinea Razowski
and Eliachna Razowski are
redescribed with supplemental information.
As presently defined, Rebinea
is represented by a single species,
R. erebina (Butler 1883),
with the synonym Arotrophora
balsamoides (Meyrick 1931).
Rebinea is known from south
central Chile and south eastern
Argentina, in areas ranging in elevation
from 50m to 1300m, in coastal and
mountainous areas. As presently
defined, Eliachna is represented
by three species: E. chileana
Razowski 1999; Eliachna attenuana
Brown and McPherson, new species,
Eliachna ovata Brown and
McPherson, new species. Eliachna
is known from south central Chile
and southern Argentina, in areas
ranging in elevation from 50m to
1700m, in coastal and mountainous
areas. Rebinea and Eliachna
appear to be sister groups based
primarily on similarities between
male genitalia.
Meagher,
B. 2003. Looking south
of Iceland through volcanic glasses.
SACNAS national conference, Albuquerque,
NM, October, 2003.
ABSTRACT:
Iceland has been hypothesized to
not only be a hot spot but also
a wet spot. This would mean that
water contents of Mid Ocean Ridge
Basalts (MORBs) would increase as
Iceland is approached along the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge from the south.
To test this hypothesis twenty-eight
samples were obtained from the Smithsonian
Sea-Floor Glass Collection. The
majority of these samples run along
the Reykjanes Ridge just south of
Iceland. These samples were analyzed
for H2O using Fourier Transform
Infrared Spectroscopy. Upon analyzing
the results of this method, it was
found that H2O increases as Iceland
is approached from the South along
the Reykjanes Ridge. Similar increases
can also be seen in the abundances
of K2O and P2O5. This is what was
expected since K (potassium), H
(hydrogen), and P (phosphorus) are
all incompatible elements in basaltic
systems. One way to explain this
increase in incompatible elements
is to argue that there is a lower
percent of melting happening beneath
Iceland compared to the southern
Reykjanes Ridge. However, since
Iceland is known to be a very active
hot spot, where anomalously large
volumes of magma have erupted, the
idea of lowering the percent melting
to provide an explanation for the
abundance of incompatible elements
does not make sense. The logical
alternative explanation is that
the Icelandic hot spot must come
from an enriched mantle source,
in turn showing that Iceland is
indeed not only a hot spot but also
a wet spot.
Menefee,
M. 1993. Phylogenetic
implications of the facial morphology
of the sperm whales (Cetaceae: Odontocedi:
Physeteridae). Proceedings from
the 10th Biannual Conference on
the Biology of Marine Mammals, Galveston,
TX, November 1993. Abstract: p.
76.
ABSTRACT:
The sperm whales are the oldest
family of Odontoceti with extant
representatives. Numerous taxa have
been described but little has been
done in resolving the relationships
between them. All sperm whales (fossil
and Recent) have the basining of
the skull associated with the spermaceti
organ. Considerable variation occurs
within the facial basin and adjacent
areas. Two subfamilies are recognized:
the Physeterinae (true sperm whales)
and the Kogiinae (pigmy sperm whales).
The Kogiinae are highly derived
and diverged from the Physeterine
line in the mid-Miocene. The lineage
giving rise to the Recent Physeter
includes Aulophyseter. The
widening of the facial basin, small
temporal fossae, and marked reduction
of maxillary dentition characterize
this lineage. On the basis of facial
characters, a phylogeny of the physeterids
will be proposed.
Norenburg,
J.L., F. Crandall, and A.
White. 1992. New supra-littoral
hoplonemertines from Florida. American
Zoologist 32(5): 136A.
ABSTRACT:
A few nemertine species are supra-littoral
or terrestrial, at least for their
adult phase. These occur in tropical,
subtropical, and mild temperate
regions. They have been thought
to be an "island phenomenon"
(which embraces Australian species),
but a species native to several
sites along the U.S. Pacific Coast
is a clear exception. We present
evidence here for another continental
species, a new species from Florida's
Indian River. Moore & Gibson
(1981. J. Zool., Lond. 194:175-201)
divided known "terrestrial"
nemertines into two clades, Groups
1 & 2. The new species belongs
to the Group-1 genus Pantinonemertes,
with which it shares: "binucleate
flame cells" with circumferential
"support bars," bilayered
rhynchocoel musculature, a single
vascular plug, and a frontal furrow
that extends horizontally along
the anterior cephalic margin and
leads into a frontal organ -- the
latter, in this species, apparently
the most elaborate known for the
genus. The new species resembles
P. agricola from Bermuda
but differs in being gonochoric
and oviparous. It co-occurs with
a Group-2 "island" species,
Leptonemertes cf chalicophora.
not recorded previously from Florida.
The known distribution of Group-1
species suggests an ancient origin
for the group, with islands appearing
to be only incidental to its evolution.
Norenburg,
J.L., A.D. Rogers, C.
Bustamante, and J.D.
Ferraris. 1996. Molecular phylogeny
in species of the nemertean genus
Lineus. American Zoologist
34(5): 98A.
ABSTRACT:
The genus Lineus, at about
100 species, is one of the largest
in the phylum Nemertea. It is a
recognized artificial assemblage,
but difficulty in identifying phylogenetically
informative morphological characters
clouds systematic work. We used
nucleotide sequence data of two
fragments of ribosomal DNA, nuclear
28s (300bp) and mitochondrial 16s
(500bp), to begin examining intra-
and interspecific genetic relationships
in the genus. The study included
intertidal populations of L.
ruber and L. viridis,
widely distributed and abundant
species, both from the NE and NE
Atlantic, L. socialis (NW
Atlantic), L. sanguineus
and L. nigricans (both NE
Atlantic): Cerebratulus lacteus
was used as an outgroup. The latter
three Lineus were recently
synonymized and transferred to another
genus (Riser, in press, Proc. Biol.
Soc. Wash.). Our results bolster
Riser's assertion that they are
a monophyletic unity, although this
may be as three species in a different
genus. Lineus ruber and
L. viridis comprise a monophyletic
unit that includes some strongly
variant individuals: the latter
may represent a cryptic species
previously recognized with allozyme
criteria by Rogers et. al. (in press).
The five Lineus species remain
a monophyletic unit when the outgroup
is included but not designated.
Obordo,
C.,
L. Burrows, and C.
Labandeira. 1994. Insect-mediated
herbivory from the Late Pennsylvanian
and Early Permian red-bed floras
of north-central Texas. Geological
Society of America, Abstracts with
Programs 26(7): A-59.
ABSTRACT:
Recent attention has focused on
the diversity of insects in the
fossil record and their role in
generating biodiversity in terrestrial
ecosystems. The evolution of this
biodiversity has been traditionally
contextualized by the Expanding
Resources Hypothesis, which holds
that ecologic units (such as functional-feeding-groups
or dietary guilds) incrementally
accumulate during geological time
as ecosystems evolve. In contrast
to this received view, the Ecological
Saturation Hypothesis posits a geochronologically
early and rapid rise of ecological
units in ecosystem development,
followed by maintenance of these
units through time without substantive
additions or subtractions. To test
these competing hypotheses, qualitative
assignments and quantitative measures
of plant-insect interactions are
being determined for selected well-preserved
floras from four time periods. For
each flora we ascertained (1) the
variety of insect function-feeding-groups
present, such as external foliage
feeders, leaf miners, gallers and
wood-borers, (2) the frequency of
herbivore atta
