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.     

Cladistic analysis of Charterginus Fox, 1898 (Hymenoptera,Vespidae, Epiponini). A neotropical genus of social wasps

A cladistic analysis of the swarm‐founding neotropical social wasp genus Charterginus is presented. A single cladogram resulted from the analysis of 31 morphological characters and six nest characters, with relationships among the species as follows: ((C. fulvus + C. xanthura) + (C. weyrauchi + (C. nevermanni + (C. carinatus + C. zavattarii)))). The monophyly of the genus is confirmed and a new identification key is presented. Notes on the nest are given and the misidentification of C. carinatus is explained.     

Worker lipid stores decrease with outside-nest task performance in wasps: Implications for the evolution of age polyethism

Recent models of energetically efficient division of labor in eusocial insects predict that risky tasks will be performed by workers with low nutrient content. We measured changes in workers' nutrient stores (chloroform: methanol extractable lipids) in relation to age-based division of labor in the eusocial waspPolybia occidentalis to test this prediction. Distributions of age of first performance differed among task sets; tasks at increasing distance from the nest interior were performed later in life. However, individuals varied in the rate of passage through the task sequence. Weight of extractable lipids, corrected for differences in body weight, decreased with time elapsed since first performance of tasks outside the nest. Lipid content had a weaker negative relationship with adult age. Therefore, patterns of lipid decrease reflected individual differences in age polyethism. Age-based division of labor, with performance of risky tasks delayed until late in life by workers with depleted nutrient stores, may have evolved as an energy saving mechanism for insect colonies.     

XVI.—Descriptions of new South-American reptiles

Summary

A new ostracod, Bairdia wagneri, is described from the basal Namurian Griotte Limestone (E₁ Zone) of Entrago (León), Spain.     

螺赢亚科(膜翅目:胡蜂科)分类研究进展 (动物科学)

为便于对中国蜾蠃亚科种类进行系统研究,本文参考《The Zoological Record》以及相关的种类记述文献,对蜾蠃亚科的系统地位、分类研究历史、生物学习性及经济意义等进行简述;同时记述各属的种类数量及各种类在世界六大动物地理区系中的分布情况。从资料整理结果可知,目前,蜾蠃亚科包括205属,共计3 638种、823亚种。该亚科种类世界性分布,其中古北区70属965种283亚种,分别占世界种、亚种数量的26.53%、34.39%;东洋区67属487种146亚种,分别占世界种、亚种数量的13.39%、17.74%;澳洲区45属462种72亚种,分别占世界种、亚种数量的12.70%8、.75%;非洲区79属716种167亚种,分别占世界种、亚种数量的19.68%2、0.29%;新北区29属299种75亚种,分别占世界种、亚种数量的8.23%、9.11%;新热带区58属943种100亚种,分别占世界种、亚种数量的25.92%、12.15%;中国已知45属,共计172种5、0亚种,分别仅占世界已知种、亚种数量的4.73%、6.08%。根据现有种类情况,中国还有大量的蜾蠃种类有待发现。