Perca fluviatilis in Australia: Zoogeographic Expression of a Life Cycle in Relation to an Environment

1977 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 1464-1466 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. H. Weatherley

Perca fluviatilis was introduced into Australia during the nineteenth century. Its extensive distribution in Australia and the range of climatic and topographic conditions over which it occurs make it possible to distinguish the roles of high temperature, breeding conditions, and flow characteristics in rivers in limiting the spread of the species. By extrapolation the distributional limits of the species throughout the world can be largely explained and, by analogy, those of the closely related species P. flavescens in North America. A model of a fish life cycle arising out of knowledge of Perca life cycles is presented as a possible tool for clarifying and predicting the success or failure of species introduced into new environments. Key words: Percidae, Perca, zoogeography, life history, introduction in Australia, predictive model, management, Eurasian perch

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rimantas Rakauskas

AbstractInformation on the Aphis species that feed on evening primroses (Oenothera spp.) has been summarized in the catalogue of the aphid species inhabiting herbaceous plants of the world (Blackman & Eastop, 2006). Recent descriptions of the European species, A. holoenotherae (Rakauskas, 2007), that appeared to be a sibling of the American A. oenotherae, demonstrated the need of reexamining the current state of knowledge of the Aphis species inhabiting evening primroses in Europe. The present study, based on published original data, revealed nine aphid species of the genus Aphis which are capable of living on Oenothera plants in Europe. Only two of them are really dependent on Oenothera species during their life cycle: A. oenotherae Oestlund and A. holoenotherae Rakauskas. They have different life cycles and host plant spectrum, although they are very close in their morphology. Processus terminalis length appeared to be the most reliable morphological character in distinguishing between apterous and alate viviparous females, and males of A. oenotherae and A. holoenotherae at the present time. A. grossulariae is not a typical Oenothera-feeder in Europe, occurring on evening primroses only by chance. Other Aphis species (epilobiaria, fabae, sambuci, praeterita, frangulae, nasturtii), are opportunistic inhabitants of Oenothera plants. Information about host specificity and morphology of the Oenothera-inhabiting European Aphis species is summarized, and a key for the entire range of species found living on European Oenothera is provided.


The Condor ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 102 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry D. Jacobs ◽  
John C. Wingfield

Abstract Most organisms live in seasonal environments that fluctuate on a predictable schedule and sometimes unpredictably. Individuals must, therefore, adjust so as to maximize their survival and reproductive success over a wide range of environmental conditions. In birds, as in other vertebrates, endocrine secretions regulate morphological, physiological, and behavioral changes in anticipation of future events. The individual thus prepares for predictable fluctuations in its environment by changing life-cycle stages. We have applied finite-state machine theory to define and compare different life-history cycles. The ability of birds to respond to predictable and unpredictable regimes of environmental variation may be constrained by the adaptability of their endocrine control systems. We have applied several theoretical approaches to natural history data of birds to compare the complexity of life cycles, the degree of plasticity of timing of stages within the cycle, and to determine whether endocrine control mechanisms influence the way birds respond to their environments. The interactions of environmental cues on the timing of life-history stages are not uniform in all populations. Taking the reproductive life-history stage as an example, arctic birds that have short breeding seasons in severe environments appear to use one reliable environmental cue to time reproduction and they ignore other factors. Birds having longer breeding seasons exhibit greater plasticity of onset and termination and appear to integrate several environmental cues. Theoretical approaches may allow us to predict how individuals respond to their environment at the proximate level and, conversely, predict how constraints imposed by endocrine control systems may limit the complexity of life cycles.


1963 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-21
Author(s):  
Merrill H. Sweet

In the course of current work upon the biology and ecology of the Rhyparochrominae of New England, a new species of Ligyrocoris was discovered. The species runs in Barber's (1921) key to the couplet separating diffusus (Uhler) from sylvestris (L.), but is distinct from either species. While the new species is closely related to these species, it is also quite close to L. depictus which is separated out in a different part of Barber's key.These four closely related species are sympatric in New England, although they are markedly different in their overall distribution. The habitat preferences and life cycles of the species are quite different (Sweet, unpublished). The habitat of the new species described below is most unusual for the genus. The greater part of the type series was collected along the margin of a small pond where sedge clumps were standing in the water among occasional exposed rocks rather than in relatively dry fields or slope habitats where the other species occur. The species feeds upon the seeds of the sedge, Carex stricta Lam, and its life cycle is apparently adapted to that of the sedge, which fruits in late May and June. The insect becomes adult in mid-June and lays eggs until mid-July. The eggs remain in diapause over the summer and winter and hatch in May.


Parasitology ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 116 (S1) ◽  
pp. S47-S55 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Koella ◽  
P. Agnew ◽  
Y. Michalakis

SummarySeveral recent studies have discussed the interaction of host life-history traits and parasite life cycles. It has been observed that the life-history of a host often changes after infection by a parasite. In some cases, changes of host life-history traits reduce the costs of parasitism and can be interpreted as a form of resistance against the parasite. In other cases, changes of host life-history traits increase the parasite's transmission and can be interpreted as manipulation by the parasite. Alternatively, changes of host's life-history traits can also induce responses in the parasite's life cycle traits. After a brief review of recent studies, we treat in more detail the interaction between the microsporidian parasite Edhazardia aedis and its host, the mosquito Aedes aegypti. We consider the interactions between the host's life-history and parasite's life cycle that help shape the evolutionary ecology of their relationship. In particular, these interactions determine whether the parasite is benign and transmits vertically or is virulent and transmits horizontally.Key words: host-parasite interaction, life-history, life cycle, coevolution.


Author(s):  
Sudipta Kiran Sarkar ◽  
Babu P. George

Product Life Cycle (PLC) has always been a hot topic in the tourism literature. Butler's Tourism Area Lifecycle model and Plog's destination life cycle model have both been applied and analysed extensively in tourism destination development and lifecycle studies. This study attempts to offer a critical conversation on the similarities and differences as well as the strengths and weaknesses of these two widely referred generic models of destination life cycle. It also identifies some recent socio-political, economic, and technological developments that have changed the nature of tourism destination development in many parts of the world and in particular to Asia and the implications of these developments upon life cycles. Based on more recent research, the present authors suggest that the reality of destination development lies somewhere in between, as a resultant of interaction with the processes laid out by Plog and Butler.


1930 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-142
Author(s):  
HUGH H. DARBY

Constant division rate in ciliates can be maintained by keeping the culture medium at constant optimum H-ion concentration. The variations in division rate found in the typical protozoan life history, including gradual decline and death, can be reproduced experimentally by altering the pH of the medium. When cultures are maintained under optimum conditions, encystment and conjugation can take place at any age; the life cycle disappears. An explanation based on experiment is given for the apparently contradictory findings of Maupas. Neither conjugation nor endomixis has any effect on the division rate under constant conditions. The length of the endomictic period is affected by the H-ion concentration of the medium.


Parasitology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 144 (4) ◽  
pp. 464-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. LAGRUE ◽  
R. RINNEVALLI ◽  
R. POULIN

SUMMARYA number of parasites with complex life cycles can abbreviate their life cycles to increase the likelihood of reproducing. For example, some trematodes can facultatively skip the definitive host and produce viable eggs while still inside their intermediate host. The resulting shorter life cycle is clearly advantageous when transmission probabilities to the definitive hosts are low. Coitocaecum parvum can mature precociously (progenesis), and produce eggs by selfing inside its amphipod second intermediate host. Environmental factors such as definitive host density and water temperature influence the life-history strategy adopted by C. parvum in their crustacean host. However, it is also possible that information about transmission opportunities gathered earlier in the life cycle (i.e. by cercariae-producing sporocysts in the first intermediate host) could have priming effects on the adoption of one or the other life strategy. Here we document the effects of environmental parameters (host chemical cues and temperature) on cercarial production within snail hosts and parasite life-history strategy in the amphipod host. We found that environmental cues perceived early in life have limited priming effects on life-history strategies later in life and probably account for only a small part of the variation among conspecific parasites. External cues gathered at the metacercarial stage seem to largely override potential effects of the environmental conditions experienced by early stages of the parasite.


Parasitology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (10) ◽  
pp. 1243-1251 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. LAGRUE ◽  
R. POULIN

SUMMARYParasites with complex life cycles have developed numerous and very diverse adaptations to increase the likelihood of completing this cycle. For example, some parasites can abbreviate their life cycles by skipping the definitive host and reproducing inside their intermediate host. The resulting shorter life cycle is clearly advantageous when definitive hosts are absent or rare. In species where life-cycle abbreviation is facultative, this strategy should be adopted in response to seasonally variable environmental conditions. The hermaphroditic trematode Coitocaecum parvum is able to mature precociously (progenesis), and produce eggs by selfing while still inside its amphipod second intermediate host. Several environmental factors such as fish definitive host density and water temperature are known to influence the life-history strategy adopted by laboratory raised C. parvum. Here we document the seasonal variation of environmental parameters and its association with the proportion of progenetic individuals in a parasite population in its natural environment. We found obvious seasonal patterns in both water temperature and C. parvum host densities. However, despite being temporally variable, the proportion of progenetic C. parvum individuals was not correlated with any single parameter. The results show that C. parvum life-history strategy is not as flexible as previously thought. It is possible that the parasite's natural environment contains so many layers of heterogeneity that C. parvum does not possess the ability to adjust its life-history strategy to accurately match the current conditions.


Parasitology ◽  
1933 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 518-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Benton Talbot

1. The life histories of Lechriorchis primus Stafford, L. tygarti n.sp. and Caudorchis eurinus n.gen. et sp. have been experimentally completed in three hosts, the first complete life histories to be worked out for species of the subfamily Reniferinae.2. The definitive hosts of the three forms were found to be two species of garter snakes, Thamnophis sauritus and T. sirtalis.3. Three species of snails, Physella gyrina, P. parkeri, and P. ancillaria, have been found to serve as the first intermediate host in the life cycles of Lechriorchis primus and Caudorchis eurinus n.gen. et sp., and two species of snails, Physella gyrina and P. heterostropha, in the life cycle of Lechriorchis tygarti n.sp.4. The tadpoles of two species of frogs, Rana clamitans and R. pipiens, were found to serve as the second intermediate hosts in the life cycles of all three trematodes. The cercariae penetrate larvae of Triturus and small fish, but live only a short time in these animals.5. Every stage in the life history of Lechriorchis primus, including egg, miracidium, mother sporocyst, daughter sporocyst, cercaria, metacercaria, and developmental stages in the definitive host, has been described in detail.6. The mother sporocyst of forms having a stylet cercaria is described for the first time.7. The flame cell pattern of the cercariae of L. primus, L. tygarti n.sp., and Caudorchis eurinus n.gen. et sp. has been determined to be of the “2 × 6 × 3’ type. Also the adult stage of C. eurinus was determined to have the same type.8. It has been pointed out that the life histories of the members of the subfamily are uniform in that their life history stages display a remarkable similarity.9. It has been suggested that this uniform type of life cycle and remarkable similarity of larval stages offer the most logical basis for establishing the subfamily Reniferinae as a natural group.


1978 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Madhavi

ABSTRACTThe life history of Allocreadium fasciatusi which occurs in the intestine of a freshwater fish Aplocheilus melastigma has been worked out in detail. The snail Amnicola travancorica acts as the first intermediate host. The miracidium hatching out from the eggs attacks the snail and passes through two generations of rediae. Cercariae are of ophthalmoxiphidiocercous type with very long tail and are identical to Cercariae Indicae XLIX Sewell, 1922. The cercariae penetrate and develop into metacercariae in the haemecoel of the copepods Mesocyclops leuckarti, Microcyclops varicans and Marcocyclops distructus. Upon ingestion by the definitive host, the metacercariae excyst and develop into adults. All the stages in the life cycle are described and the life cycle is compared with other allocreadiid life cycles. The original description of A. fasciatusi is revised and Psilostomum chilkai Chatterji, 1956 from Lates calcalifer is synonymized with it.


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