Negative covariance between larval Arrenurus sp. and Limnochares americana (Acari: Hydrachnidia) on male Leucorrhinia frigida (Odonata: Libellulidae) and its relationship to the host's age

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce P. Smith ◽  
Wanda J. Cook
Keyword(s):  
Mite Species ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Relative Age ◽  
Valuable Method ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Limnochares Americana ◽  
Leucorrhinia Frigida ◽  
Sexually Mature

Numbers of larval Arrenurus sp. and Limnochares americana Lundblad mites, parasitic on adult males in a population of Leucorrhinia frigida Hagen, were found to be negatively correlated. The two mite species did differ in their seasonality, but a strong negative covariance remained even when analyses were run separately on data grouped by day. When dragonflies were separated into tenerals and sexually mature males, almost all newly emerged males were heavily parasitized by Arrenurus sp. and rarely parasitized by L. americana, whereas males holding reproductive territories were almost always heavily parasitized by L. americana but carried reduced loads of Arrenurus sp. When territorial males were subdivided dependent on presence or absence of Arrenurus sp., the dragonflies with Arrenurus were significantly less heavily parasitized than those without Arrenurus sp. Through the above partitioning of data, plus recapture of previously marked dragonflies, it was established that the negative covariance between mite taxa reflects the differences in host discovery: Arrenurus sp. attaches to dragonflies during the host's emergence from the water, whereas L. americana attaches to males while they defend reproductive territories at the water's margin. We conclude that the age-correlated differences in infestation of dragonflies by mites could be a valuable method for determining relative age within odonate populations.

Population parameters of ringed seals (Phoca hispida Schreber, 1775) in the Svalbard area

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 1021-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Lydersen ◽  
Ian Gjertz
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Ringed Seal ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Population Parameters ◽  
Phoca Hispida ◽  
Age Class ◽  
Ringed Seals ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Sexually Mature

Samples were taken from 284 ringed seals (Phoca hispida) in the Svalbard area during April–July 1981 and March–April 1982. The age of 283 seals was determined by reading annuli in the cementum of the canine teeth. The mean age of the males was 11.3 years, and of the females, 14.9 years. Females were found to be significantly older than males. The mean length of sexually mature ringed seals was 128.9 cm for both sexes. The mean weight of adult males and females was 53.5 and 61.4 kg, respectively. Females were found to be significantly heavier than males. The sex ratio was 47.8% males and 52.2% females. Studies of microscopic sections of testis and epididymis from ringed seal males showed that 63, 75, and 80% of 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old animals, respectively, were sexually mature. The weights of testis and epididymis, diameters of tubuli, and the size of testis all showed a marked increase in the 5-year age-class. Macroscopic sections of ovaries from ringed seal females showed that 20, 60, and 80% of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old animals, respectively, were sexually mature. The size of the ovaries showed a marked increase in the 5-year age-class. The ovulation rate of ringed seals from Svalbard was calculated to be 0.91.

Thaumetopoea processionea (oak processionary moth).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Beverley
Keyword(s):  
Animal Health ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Thaumetopoea Pityocampa ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Processionary Moth ◽  
Thaumetopoea Processionea ◽  
Oak Trees ◽  
Oak Processionary Moth ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All

Abstract T. processionea, commonly known as the oak processionary moth, is a major pest in many European countries and threatens the health of oak trees. The common and scientific names of T. processionea refer to the behaviour of the larvae to form long processions. The larvae cause severe defoliation, reducing the viability of oak trees. They also pose a risk to both human and animal health because they shed poisonous hairs, which can result in severe allergic reactions, amongst other health problems. The moth is native to central and southern Europe but is now present in almost all European countries and also in parts of the Middle East. EPPO issued a Pest Risk Analysis in 2007 for the UK in response to infestations of the species in Europe from 2006. At this time, infestations of the moth were observed on a range of oak (Quercus) species in London. The adult males are strong fliers and can fly long distances, such as from France to the UK (Evans, 2007). Host plants of this pest include many species of deciduous Quercus, and to a much lesser degree, Betula, Carpinus, Castanea, Corylus, Crataegus, Robinia and Fagus; plants commonly found in forests, woods or ornamental plantations in the UK, for example (Evans, 2007). Therefore, areas where these plants are present and offer a suitable climate for pest development are likely to be under threat from T. processionea. Various pines have been reported as hosts, but such records are suspect and are probably the result of confusion with the pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa).

Social behavior in a non-pupping colony of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubata)

1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 1596-1613 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Harestad ◽  
H. D. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Relative Proportion ◽  
Behavior Patterns ◽  
Social Stability ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Steller Sea Lions ◽  
Female Behavior ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Energy Conserving ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Sexually Mature

An ethogram of 22 behavior patterns is described. Larger and older sea lions (Eumetopias jubata) are dominant to smaller and younger ones. Males are more socially involved, and their behavior becomes more complex than that of females.Adult male and female behavior is less vigorous than that of subadult males. Territories where adult males and females are concentrated are more tranquil than areas where subadult males aggregate. Since females avoid areas of activity and harassment by sexually mature subadult males, they group in territories which act as refuges. This contributes to the spacial organization of the colony.The behavior of subadult males results in social disruption, whereas social stability is accommodated by adult males and females who are more stationary and so maintain prolonged social relationships.Non-pupping colonies are spacially organized similar to pupping colonies except for the relative proportion of age–sex classes. Socially, non-pupping colonies are less organized than pupping colonies. Social organization in E. jubata is promoted by the tranquil or energy-conserving behavior and ability of adults and inhibited by the behavior of subadult males.

Female Caregivers' Perceptions of Fathers' and Significant Adult Males' Involvement with Their Head Start Children

2000 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay Fagan ◽  
Nidhal Newash ◽  
Annemarie Schloesser
Keyword(s):  
Head Start ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Level Of Involvement ◽  
Head Start Children ◽  
Preschool Age Children ◽  
Head Start Programs ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Physical Care

This study of 59 randomly selected female caregivers explored the level of involvement of Head Start fathers and other significant males with their preschool-age children. The findings revealed that the majority of households had a significant male living in them. Almost all of the female caregivers reported a significant male's involvement, and almost one-half reported a second significant male's involvement, in their Head Start child's life. Significant males' involvement was concentrated in the areas of physical care and socialization, and the men were perceived to have little involvement in Head Start activities. Implications for Head Start programs are discussed.

Ecological observations on the gecko

1988 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 405-413
Author(s):  
George R. Zug ◽  
Joseph C. Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Activity Period ◽  
Head Width ◽  
Reproductive Pattern ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Central Nepal ◽  
Population Turnover ◽  
Annual Population ◽  
Chitwan National Park ◽  
Sexually Mature

AbstractHemidactylus brookii was the most common gecko in the Terai of central Nepal, occurring both in the forest and on buildings. In the Royal Chitwan National Park, samples of adult males (46.4 ± 0.04 mm SVL) were not significantly different from adult females (45.3 + 0.04 mm SVL) in body size and head measurements, except head width (males 9.1 ± 0.2 mm, females 8.7 ± 0.1 mm). All measures of head size were significantly different between sexes when the effect of body size was removed. Males were sexually mature at 42 mm SVL and females at 43 mm SVL. The reproductive pattern of both species is vernal; activities are concentrated in spring (premonsoon). Growth averaged 0.8 mm/month between premonsoon and postmonsoon sampling periods. Adult survivorship was estimated at 14.3% for this six month period. Population size was estimated at 105 lizards on six small buildings in a < 1 ha area. Peak activity period was 1900-2300 h. Hemidactylus brookii in Nepal appears to possess life history characteristics associated with annual population turnover.

Comparative Ecology and Behavior of Domestic, Hybrid, and Wild Strains of Brook Trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, after Stocking

1990 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 2285-2292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Lachance ◽  
Pierre Magnan
Keyword(s):  
Brook Trout ◽  
Salvelinus Fontinalis ◽  
Niche Shift ◽  
Feeding Niche ◽  
Spatially Distributed ◽  
Wild Strains ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Almost All ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Sexually Mature

Two years after planting in six small oligotrophic lakes, domestic, hybrid and wild strains of brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, used space and food resources in the same way as native trout. Although trout living with or without white sucker, Catostomus commersoni, were similarly spatially distributed, they had different diets, suggesting a feeding niche shift of trout in the presence of sucker; we concluded that this shift is under phenotypic control because each planted strain came from similar genetic backgrounds. Sexual maturity was related to the size of individuals, regardless of the strain, and males matured before females. Almost all males and females were sexually mature in the first fall after stocking except wild females (3.0 and 75% matured during the first and second fall, respectively). Gonadosomatic indices (GSI) of domestic and hybrid females were similar during the first fall, but the GSI of domestic females was significantly higher than that of hybrid and wild strains in the second fail. Mean egg diameters were similar among the three strains during the two falls, but fecundity of domestic females, after correction for size differences, was significantly higher than that of hybrid females which, in turn, was significantly higher than that of wild ones.

scholarly journals Geographical and seasonal distribution of the coconut mite, Aceria guerreonis (Acari: Eriophyidae), in Puerto Rico and Florida, USA

1969 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-251
Author(s):  
Forrest W. Howard ◽  
Edwin Abreu-Rodríguez ◽  
Harold A. Denmark
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Planting Density ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
Aceria Guerreronis ◽  
Coconut Mite ◽  
Amblyseius Largoensis ◽  
Almost All ◽  
First Time

The coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer, was collected for the first time in Puerto Rico in 1977. It was reported for the first time in Florida in 1984, although it may have been present in the state since the 1950s. On the basis of damage symptoms observed during 1986-87, the coconut mite was distributed in almost all plantings of coconut in Puerto Rico. The percentage of trees with symptoms was highest on the west coast, where planting density is highest. During the same period, the percentage of coconut palms infested with coconut mites varied from 66 to 98% at different sites on the Florida Keys. On the Florida mainland, the percentage of trees with coconut mite damage was usually less than 7%. At several sites on the Florida mainland revisited in 1988, coconut mites had spread locally. At Playa Tres Hermanos in Añasco, Puerto Rico, and Bahía Honda Key, Florida, where monthly sampling was conducted, coconut mite population fluctuations did not appear to be strongly associated with dry and wet periods or mean daily temperatures. A list of mite species associated with the coconut mite was reported. It included four species reported for the first time in Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, Bdella distincta preyed on both coconut mite and Steneotarsonemus furcatus. In Florida, Amblyseius largoensis, Neoseiulos mumai, and N. paspalivorus were observed preying on coconut mites. However, these predators apparently do not significantly affect coconut mite populations. Tarsonemus sp. inflicted damage on the coconut similar to that caused by the coconut mite. Coconut mites beneath tepals of coconuts exposed to —1.5° C for 5.5 hours were not affected adversely by this treatment. Some eggs remained viable after exposure to —3° C up to 5 hours. Coconut mites survived at 5° C for 10 days. Thus, coconut mites are capable of surviving most winters on the Florida mainland.

scholarly journals Octopamine Signaling Via Oamb is Essential for A Well-Orchestrated Climbing Performance of Adult Drosophila Melanogaster

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samar Ezzat El-Kholy ◽  
Basma Afifi ◽  
Iman El-Husseiny ◽  
Amal Seif
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Ultrastructural Changes ◽  
System Control ◽  
Muscular Tissue ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Severe Impairment ◽  
Climbing Ability ◽  
Almost All

Abstract The biogenic amine octopamine (OA) orchestrates many behavioural processes in insects. OA mediates its function by binding to OA receptors belonging to the G protein-coupled receptors superfamily. Despite the potential relevance of OA for controlling locomotion, our knowledge about the role of each octopaminergic receptor still limited. In this study, RNA interference (RNAi) was used to knockdown each OA receptor type in almost all Drosophila melanogaster tissues using a tubP-GAL4 driver to investigate the loss of which receptor affects the climbing ability of adult flies. The results demonstrated that oamb-deficient flies had impaired climbing ability more than those deficient in other receptors receptive for OA. Targeted RNAi-mediated kockdown of oamb in the nervous system or muscular system decreased the climbing ability, indicating that within Drosophila legs, OA through oamb orchestrated the nervous system control and muscular tissue responses. Oamb-deficient adult males showed morphometric changes in the length and width of leg parts. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the leg muscles oamb-deficient flies have severe ultrastructural changes compared to those of control flies. The severe impairment in the climbing performance of oamb-deficient flies correlates well with the completely distorted leg muscle ultrastructure in these flies. Taken together, we could conclude that OA via oamb plays an important role in the locomotor activity of Drosophila.

scholarly journals Reproductive Behaviors of Wild Chinese Pangolin (Manis Pentadactyla): A Case Study Based on Long-Term Monitoring

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Ching-Min Sun ◽  
Kurtis Jai-Chyi Pei ◽  
Li-Yue Wu
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Separation ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Reproductive Behaviors ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Manis Pentadactyla ◽  
History Of ◽  
Almost All

Abstract Observations of Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) in the wild are extremely rare and challenging because of their nocturnal and cryptic activity patterns and low population density. The present article reported the first field observation in eastern Taiwan, from October 4, 2012 to June 16, 2016, on the reproductive behavior of the Chinese pangolin based on the monitoring of a female (LF28) using radiotelemetry and camera traps. During this period, LF28 aged from 1 to 4.5-years old and gave two single-births, both took place in early December, at 3 and 4 years old, respectively. We recorded the entire 157 days of the first nursing period from parturition to maternal separation. For the second infant, the gestation period was estimated to be around 150 days based on the evidence that the pregnancy started in early Jul. 2015 and the offspring was born on Dec. 9, 2015. During the entire nursing period, LF28 frequently moved the offspring from one nursing burrow to another staying various durations ranging from 1 day to more than 35 days, and almost all (= 15/16) of these burrows were located in the core (MCP75) of LF28’s home range. Started from the month of parturition and lasting throughout the whole nursing period, different adult males constantly visiting the nursing burrows were recorded. Mating behavior was recorded once outside the burrow in March, which provided evidence of the occurrence of post-partum estrus in this species. Delay implantation was proposed based on the observation of a several months lag between copulation and the estimated pregnancy initiation date. The present study demonstrated the advantage of using remote technologies to learn the life history of resting fossorial species.

scholarly journals Reproduction and feeding ecology of Amphisbaena munoai and Anops kingi (Amphisbaenia, Amphisbaenidae) in the Escudo Sul-Rio-Grandense, southern Brazil

2011 ◽  
Vol 101 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 93-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael L Balestrin ◽  
Lize H Cappellari
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Ecology ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Gut Content ◽  
Insect Larvae ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Sexually Mature ◽  
Unimodal Pattern

This study presents original data on the reproduction and feeding ecology of two syntopic amphisbaenians, Amphisbaena munoai Klappenbach, 1969 and Anops kingi Bell, 1833, from southern Brazil. Sampling was carried out from April 2004 to April 2006 at a highland area located in São Jerônimo and Barão do Triunfo municipalities, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A total of 647 amphisbaenians were collected, 510 specimens of A. munoai and 137 specimens of A. kingi, of which 130 and 93, respectively, had their gonads and gut content analyzed. Both species presented a unimodal pattern of seasonal distribution, sexually mature females with significantly larger snout vent length (SVL) than sexually mature males, and seasonal reproductive cycle. Adults of A. kingi had significantly larger (SVL) than those of Amphisbaena munoai. Both species had generalist diets, but termites (Isoptera) was a staple item in their diet. Greater predominance of insect larvae was observed in the diet of A. kingi, which may be due to its larger body in comparison to A. munoai. Insect larvae ingested by A. kingi were significantly larger than those ingested by A. munoai. Diets of adult males and females of both species were not significantly different. The ontogenetic diet comparison in both species revealed significant numerical differences, with adults consuming higher numbers of prey.

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