Cichlid familial intrarelationships and the placement of the neotropical genus Cichla (Perciformes,Labroidei)

The current status of our understanding of cichlid intrafamilial relationships is investigated and novel data are presented resolving a basal trichotomy of the African and Neotropical radiations (Oliver, 1985). The claim that the African Cichlidae is non-monophyletic is supported and the little known Zairean genus Heterochromis is identified as the sistergroup of all other African and Neotropical Cichlidae combined. Throughout the study emphasis has been placed upon the resolution of the precise phylogenetic relationships of the enigmatic Neotropical genus, Cichla; a taxon whose placement has been thought critical for successful intra-familial analyses. Analysis of the evidence currently available argues strongly in favour of a close phylogenetic relationship between Cichla and the sisterpair, Crenicichla and Teleocichla. Given this phylogenetic scheme one of the most interesting aspects to arise is the striking morphological parallels between Cichla and many of its distantly related percoid relatives.     

陆马蜂Polistes rothneyi grahmi Vecht 的筑巢行为与习性

首次报道了陆马蜂（Polistes rothneyi grahmi Vecht）的蜂巢选址、建造过程、生态学适应性等重要生物 学特性,并对其筑巢行为进行了初步揭示.陆马蜂对建巢位置具 有一定的选择性,一般在蔽风、蔽光的树木上或窗檐下营巢;蜂巢以最初建造的4个巢室作 为中心,分别沿其连接处添加巢室,逐圈累积而成;蜂巢的形态结构是马蜂在长期生存竞争 中,与环境相适应,与筑巢、产卵、幼虫成长、化蛹等生命活动相协调,全面、整体进化的 结果：1）马蜂营巢的目的在于繁育后代,所以营巢过程要受繁育后代需要的影响,即产 卵、孵化、幼虫成长、化蛹过程的各种条件所需是巢室数量、巢室大小等的决定因素;2） 蜂巢的圆形,钹状构造及卵在巢中的附着位置体现了马蜂为增加生存机会而形成的对环境 的适应性.     

亚非马蜂（Polistes olivaceus）粗毒的生物学活性

本文报道一种新的蜂毒采集方法，测定了亚非马蜂（Ｐｏｌｉｓｔｅｓ　ｏｌｉｖａｃｅｕｓ）粗毒的部分物理性状和生物学活性．该粗毒含有透明质酸酶、胆碱酯酶、蛋白水解酶、ＤＮＡ酶、酸性磷酸酶、碱性磷酸酶，并具有很强的溶血活性（其半溶血量ＨＵ_（５０）＝１７μｇ／ｍｌ），但肝素对其溶血作用有一定的抑制作用．其对小鼠ＬＤ_（５０）为５．５４ｍｇ／ｋｇ，对美洲蜚蠊ＬＤ_（５０）为７．４５μｇ／ｇ．药理学实验表明该粗毒对小鼠的膈神经－膈肌接头的神经冲动的传递以及膈肌的收缩都有不可逆的阻断作用．该粗毒能明显抑制蟾蜍离体心肌的收缩，但其抑制作用可被阿托品所解除。     

Soluble proteins of chemical communication in the social wasp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polistes dominulus</Emphasis>

Members of the odorant-binding protein (OBP) and chemosensory protein (CSP) families were identified and characterised in the sensory tissues of the social wasp Polistes dominulus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Unlike most insects so far investigated, OBPs were detected in antennae, legs and wings, while CSPs appeared to be preferentially expressed in the antennae. The OBP is very different from the homologous proteins of other Hymenopteran species, with around 20% of identical residues, while the CSP appears to be much better conserved. Both OBP and CSP, not showing other post-translational modifications apart from disulphide bridges, were expressed with high yields in a bacterial system. Cysteine pairing in the recombinant and native proteins follows the classical arrangements described for other members of these classes of proteins. OBPs isolated from the wings were found to be associated with a number of long-chain aliphatic amides and other small organic molecules. Binding of these ligands and other related compounds was measured for both recombinant OBP and CSP.Received 14 May 2003; received after revision 8 June 2003; accepted 12 June 2003