Field Surveys, Natural History Observations, and Comments on the Exploitation and Conservation of Indotestudo forstenii, Leucocephalon yuwonoi, and Cuora amboinensis in Sulawesi, Indonesia

2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 240-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian E. Ives ◽  
Steven G. Platt ◽  
Johny S. Tasirin ◽  
Iwan Hunowu ◽  
Stephan Siwu ◽  
...  
2017 ◽  
Vol 149 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
T’ai H. Roulston ◽  
Stephanie Cruz-Maysonet ◽  
Amy L. Moorhouse ◽  
Sangmi Lee ◽  
Amber N. Emerson

AbstractThe mothSymmetrischema lavernella(Chambers) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) has two feeding strategies on its host plantPhysalisLinnaeus (Solanaceae): a fruitworm that feeds on developing ovules in a fruit and a budworm that consumes a floral bud. The fruitworm strategy occurs when a neonate caterpillar enters the ovary of a flower bud above a size threshold (~4 mm inPhysalis heterophyllaNees), consumes the developing ovules, and pupates in the fruit. InP.heterophylla, occupancy of the ovary byS. lavernellacauses fruit development to occur in the absence of pollination, indicating that the caterpillar initiates developmental pathways associated with pollination. The budworm strategy occurs in buds below ~4 mm, involves consumption of the ovary and immature anthers, and results in pupation inside the uninflated calyx. The two strategies co-occur on plants, determined by the sizes of the available buds at the time of oviposition. The most prominent natural enemy ofS. lavernellausing the fruitworm strategy was the frugivorous caterpillarHeliothis subflexa(Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), also a specialist ofPhysalis. The largerHeliothis subflexafeeds on the fruit externally, consumesS. lavernella, and caused 31.3% of fruitworm mortality in field surveys. Parasitoids included wasps (Hymenoptera) of the families Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, and Chalcididae.


The Auk ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 415-421
Author(s):  
Sebastian K. Herzog ◽  
Juan Mazar Barnett

Abstract Berlioz (1959) described Serpophaga griseiceps on the basis of four specimens from Cochabamba, Bolivia, housed at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle (Paris, France). Traylor (1979) subsumed the taxon, without justification, in S. munda after examining other specimens from Cochabamba at the Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH; Chicago, Illinois). Remsen and Traylor (1989) added that S. griseiceps represents the juvenal plumage of S. munda. Straneck (1993) presented new data from central Argentina to revalidate S. griseiceps, and although that account has methodological problems, numerous authors have endorsed its taxonomic conclusions. We re-evaluated the validity of S. griseiceps by examining the type series and specimens deposited at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and our own field data from Cochabamba, and by critiquing Straneck's taxonomic conclusions. The type specimens of S. griseiceps clearly resemble juvenile S. munda. Photographs of those specimens were compared by T. S. Schulenberg with the FMNH specimens examined by Traylor, confirming that the former are referable to S. munda. Both “forms” differ consistently in plumage coloration from Argentine specimens considered by Straneck to be referable to S. griseiceps. The type series of S. griseiceps coincides with S. munda in wing chord, tail, and tarsus length, and both “forms” have significantly longer wings and tails than Straneck's birds from Argentina. Intensive field surveys in the Cochabamba basin documented the occurrence of only one species of Serpophaga tyrannulet, S. munda. Serpophaga griseiceps should therefore be considered a junior synonym of S. munda, whereas Straneck's S. griseiceps is apparently referable to an undescribed cryptic species of Serpophaga tyrannulet.


Conservation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Luca Luiselli ◽  
Raffaele Luiselli ◽  
Marina Giustini ◽  
Lorenzo Rugiero ◽  
Daniele Dendi

Natural history observations were made, during August–September 2021, on a population of the ecologically poorly known Vesperus luridus (Cerambycidae) at a hilly locality of Latium, Central Italy. These beetles were searched for by night along a 170 m long transect, with the help of hand torches. During the field surveys, we recorded a total of 130 individuals, of which 128 were males and 2 females. All individuals were observed between 21 h 45 and 01 h 15, with above-ground activity peaking from 22 h 45 to 23 h 45. The minimum observed density per day showed a rapid increase to a peak at the end of August, followed by a slower decrease in the following two weeks. Mean male density was 0.32 individuals per transect m2, whereas only two females were observed (mean density = 0.006 individuals per transect m2). Most individuals were found on trees, and they appeared to be highly attracted to artificial lights. One female, situated on a tree at a height of 170 cm, was surrounded by five courting males.


Oryx ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Géraldine Veron ◽  
Philippe Gaubert ◽  
Neil Franklin ◽  
Andrew P. Jennings ◽  
Lon I. Grassman Jr

The otter civet Cynogale bennettii is a specialized, semi-aquatic viverrid found throughout the forests of South-east Asia. Although described over 160 years ago, little is known of the species' natural history, and questions remain regarding its taxonomy and distribution. We compiled an exhaustive list of museum specimens and observations to reassess the conservation status, taxonomy and distribution of this species. Data were collected from museums, literature, field surveys, and from other field scientists. Although two species of otter civet have been described, C. bennettii and C. lowei, our morphological examinations do not support specific differentiation. The presence of the otter civet was confirmed for peninsular Thailand, Malaysia and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. However, more northerly distributions were not confirmed, including the supposed origin of C. lowei from northern Vietnam. Based on the scarcity of recent observations or carcasses, otter civet populations are probably in decline. Recent increases in the number of wildlife surveys throughout the putative range of the otter civet have rarely documented the species. The reduction in primary forest habitat has probably reduced otter civet populations and threatens the persistence of this unique species.


2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-47
Author(s):  
S.R. Chandramouli ◽  
Baiju Baiju ◽  
J.J. Sebastien ◽  
S.R. Ganesh

Description of a poorly-known endemic Indian homalopsid water snake Enhydris dussumierii is expanded based on character state data obtained anew from newly examined live and preserved specimens in captive facilities. Knowledge on the natural history of this uncommon, endemic species is supplemented by our observations. Further field surveys in southwestern Indian coastal plains are recommended for fully documenting the geographic range of this species.


2020 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannes Rakoczy

Abstract The natural history of our moral stance told here in this commentary reveals the close nexus of morality and basic social-cognitive capacities. Big mysteries about morality thus transform into smaller and more manageable ones. Here, I raise questions regarding the conceptual, ontogenetic, and evolutionary relations of the moral stance to the intentional and group stances and to shared intentionality.


Author(s):  
E.L. Benedetti ◽  
I. Dunia ◽  
Do Ngoc Lien ◽  
O. Vallon ◽  
D. Louvard ◽  
...  

In the eye lens emerging molecular and structural patterns apparently cohabit with the remnants of the past. The lens in a rather puzzling fashion sums up its own natural history and even transient steps of the differentiation are memorized. A prototype of this situation is well outlined by the study of the lenticular intercellular junctions. These membrane domains exhibit structural, biochemical and perhaps functional polymorphism reflecting throughout life the multiple steps of the differentiation of the epithelium into fibers and of the ageing process of the lenticular cells.The most striking biochemical difference between the membrane derived from the epithelium and from the fibers respectively, concerns the presence of the 26,000 molecular weight polypeptide (MP26) in the latter membranes.


2001 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. A128-A128 ◽  
Author(s):  
H MALATY ◽  
D GRAHAM ◽  
A ELKASABANY ◽  
S REDDY ◽  
S SRINIVASAN ◽  
...  

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