Breeding biology of the Pale-bellied Tyrant-manakin Neopelma pallescens (Aves: Pipridae) in south-eastern Brazil

The Pale-bellied Tyrant-manakin (Neopelma pallescens) inhabits semi-deciduous and riparian forests in central-north South America. Contrary to most manakins, there is no evident sexual dichromatism in the species and little is known about its breeding biology. We studied the breeding biology of a colour-banded population of the species from August to December 2016 and from August to October 2017 in the Campus Florestal of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa, south-eastern Brazil. The breeding season extended from early September to late November. The species is promiscuous, with males exhibiting simple courtship displays (exploded leks) in individual arenas. The nest (n = 13) is a cup attached by its top lip between forked branches and is very simple, with a structural layer made with dry grass stems and heads, attached to the branch with spider silk. The outer and lining layers are absent. The mean clutch size was 1.8 eggs (n = 11), which are oval and pale coloured, covered with spots of different shades of brown, often concentrated in the larger pole. Mean egg length and width (± SD) were 21.0 ± 0.9 × 15.8 ± 0.7 mm (n = 14) and the mean weight was 2.8 ± 0.4 g (n = 10). The incubation period could not be estimated, but the nestling period was 15 days (n = 2). The simple percentage of successful nests was 15.4%, with 76.9% of the nests depredated and 7.7% abandoned. This is the first detailed study about the breeding biology of any Neopelma species, providing relevant data for the study of the evolution of life history strategies not only for the genus, but for the whole family Pipridae.     

The semenogelins: proteins with functions beyond reproduction?

The coagulum proteins of human semen, semenogelins I and II, are secreted in abundance by the seminal vesicles. Their function in reproduction is poorly understood as they are rapidly degraded in ejaculated semen. However, more recent results indicate that it is time to put the semenogelins in a broader physiological perspective that goes beyond reproduction and fertility. Received 21 June 2006; received after revision 16 August 2006; accepted 28 September 2006     

Interactions between the sexually deceptive orchid Spiculaea ciliata and its wasp pollinator Thynnoturneria sp. (Hymenoptera: Thynninae)

Males of the thynnine wasp Thynnoturneria sp. attempt to mate with female decoys in the flowers of the elbow orchid Spiculaea ciliata. Experimentally shifted orchids usually attract male wasps quickly, often within 2 minutes of presentation of the ‘bait’ orchids in appropriate habitat. Although the orchid effectively exploits the scramble competition mating system of the wasp, the insect is not totally at the mercy of the deceptive orchid. Fewer than half of all arriving males contact the column of the orchid flower, as required for orchid pollination. Moreover, the number of deceived visitors falls sharply over a short period and the number of wasp visitors does not rebound with the replacement of one bait orchid by another at that location. These observations suggest that patrolling wasp pollinators can discriminate to some extent between orchid decoys and female wasps, especially by learning to avoid particular locations that are associated with unrewarding flower decoys.     

Morphology and biology of a new Rhynchospio species (Annelida: Spionidae) from the South China Sea,Vietnam, with the review of Rhynchospio taxa

Adults of a new spionid polychaete, Rhynchospio nhatrangi, inhabit sandy tubes on muddy sand intertidal flats in an estuary of Nha Trang Bay, southern Vietnam. The worms are up to 8 mm long and 0.5 mm wide for 55 chaetigers. They are unique among spionids in the changes in the arrangement of hooks during ontogenesis: first development of tridentate hooks in neuropodia from chaetiger 10, later loss of hooks in chaetiger 10, and replacement of tridentate hooks by heavy unidentate hooks in neuropodia of chaetigers 11–14. Adults are simultaneous hermaphrodites having sperm in chaetigers 11–14 and oocytes from chaetiger 15 to 23–33. Spermatozoa are introsperm, about 300 µm long. Oocytes are about 120 µm in diameter, with a thin and smooth envelope. Fertilization and early larval development occur in a hatchery formed by elongated dorsal capillaries on the posterior chaetigers. Larvae escape from the hatchery probably when they have developed four chaetigers and then continue development in seawater, feeding on the plankton. When larvae have grown to 14–15 chaetigers, they likely undergo gradual metamorphosis and settle on the bottom. Metameric nuchal organs, glandular pouches in neuropodia, metanephridial segmental organs, hermaphroditism, sperm, and early larval morphology are described here for the first time for Rhynchospio species. An identification key is provided to eight currently recognized Rhynchospio species.     

Differing morphology and ultrastructure of the male copulatory apparatus in species-groups of Anagrus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae)

Male genitalia of 13 members of the mymarid wasp genus Anagrus have been studied: Anagrus (Anagrella) mymaricornis (Bakkendorf), Anagrus (Paranagrus) unilinearis Soyka, A. (Anagrus) ustulatus Haliday, A. (A.) erythroneurae Trjapitzin and Chiappini, A. (A.) atomus (Linnaeus), A. (A.) aegyptiacus Soyka, A. (A.) vilis Donev, A. (A.) sensillatus Viggiani and Jesu, A. (A.) breviphragma Soyka, A. (A.) incarnatus Haliday, A. (A.) obscurus Förster sensu Soyka, A. (A.) fennicus Soyka and A. (A.) avalae Soyka. Taxonomically significant differences between subgenera and the atomus and incarnatus species-groups are described. The functional significance of various features, and in particular, the arrangment of sensilla are discussed.     

Breeding biology of the rapids frog Limnomedusa macroglossa (Anura: Cycloramphidae) in southern Brazil

Limnomedusa is a monotypic genus that occurs in association with rocky outcrops and stream beds. Based on observational and mark–recapture fieldwork from 2005 to 2008, we report the breeding biology of Limnomedusa macroglossa in southern Brazil. The reproductive season lasted from late August to early February. Tadpoles were recorded from early September to late February. A clear pattern of emergence/recruitment was observed in juveniles. The occurrence of reproductive activities was clearly related to the longest photoperiods, when the highest temperatures occur. Males called from rocky or concrete substrates, mostly under rocks. Amplexus was axillary and the operational sex ratio was nearly even. Spawn occurred in lentic water bodies but tadpoles also completed their development in slow‐flowing water. Although using similar habitats for reproduction, L. macroglossa reached lower levels of specialization toward terrestriality than did the cycloramphids Cycloramphus and Thoropa. We classify L. macroglossa as a breeding habitat specialist that would be threatened by river damming.     

白冠长尾雉繁殖习性的观察

白冠长尾雉是我国特产珍贵野生鸟类之一,属国家一类保护动物。通过实地观察,本文对白冠长尾雄的求偶、产卵、鸟巢、孵卵、育雏等习性作了记录和分析,取得了真实数据。这对拯救和研究白冠长尾雉这个濒危物种具有重要意义,同时也为人工饲养和繁殖白冠长尾雉的科研工作提供了第一手资料。     

中华鳖组织学研究V．雄性生殖系统

取中华鳖精巢、附睾、输精管和阴茎等组织数块，Ｂｏｕｉｎ＇ｓ液固定，石蜡包埋，ＨＥ染色。部分组织块经１０％神福尔马林固定，ＶｅｒｈＯｅｆｆ弹性纤维染色和伊红染。观察结果表明，中华鳖精巢中的曲细精管内衬复定活层的生精上皮，外有固有膜包绕，固有膜外还有一层类肌细胞。附睾中的附睾管和输精管结构相似，均由粘膜、肌层和外膜三，层构成，阴茎主要由位于腹侧的类似于骨的组织和位于背外侧的一对海绵体构成。     

中间锦鸡儿(Caraganaintermedia)的大小孢子和雌雄配子体发育

(1)孢原为单细胞,发生于表皮之下,大孢子排列为直线型·合点端大孢子为功能大孢子;(2)珠柄、珠被、合点和珠孔端的珠心细胞中具多糖.孢原、造孢、母细胞和四分大孢子阶段近珠孔的珠心细胞中具少量淀粉粒.一旦功能大孢子分化,合点和珠孔端细胞中多糖增加.从单棱胚囊分化至二核胚囊时,珠孔端细胞中多糖增加;(3)受精前,极核融合为次生核,周围富含淀粉粒,助细胞解体一个成熟卵中极性明显;(4)小孢子孢原为多细胞,药壁为基本型,具腺质绒毡层;(5)减数分裂Ⅰ开始,在花粉母细胞之间出现肼胝质壁.一直到四分孢子时全部形成肼胝质壁使与二倍体的药壁隔离.胞质分裂属同时型,四分小孢子为四面体型;(6)小孢子第一次有丝分裂为不等分裂,形成一个较小的半球形的生殖细胞和一个较大的营养细胞.生殖细胞发育中存在暂短的细胞壁,其成分未定.成熟花粉粒为二细胞型,园形、具三孔沟;(7)孢原和造孢细胞以及相应阶段的药壁细胞中均具可溶性蛋白质,从单棱花粉粒开始,绒毡层细胞中多糖和蛋白质并存.早期小孢子和发育中的小孢子中均具多糖.成熟花粉粒中多糖和蛋白质并存.     

天女木兰研究现状及保育对策

概述了天女木兰的地理分布、生物学和生态学特性、繁殖技术、经济价值及开发利用等方面的研究现状,指出了天女木兰应用和研究中存在的问题,提出了对天女木兰保育和开发利用的策略.