Potential distribution of the endemic Short-tailed ground agama Calotes minor (Hardwicke & Gray, 1827) in drylands of the Indian sub-continent

The Short-tailed ground agama or Hardwicke’s bloodsucker Calotes minor (Hardwicke & Gray, 1827) is known to occur in the Indian subcontinent and is largely confined to arid to semiarid environments, such as hard barren desert and abandoned fields. The precise distribution of this species is largely unknown to date, with few locality records spread biogeographically across Eastern Pakistan, Central and Western India. To improve on the existing spatial knowledge on this species and assess the ability to predict species distributions for taxa with few locality records, we studied the distribution of C. minor using a species distribution modelling framework. Our study allowed us to predict the distribution range of C. minor and help define a niche for this habitat-specific species. Highly probable habitats for C. minor were arid and semi-arid dryland habitats, characterised by plains or less rugged terrain with moderately narrow temperature range, lower aridity index, moderate to low vegetation index, and wide precipitation range. Furthermore, we report four additional occurrence records of C. minor from central Rajasthan.

Comparative Study of the Distribution and Localization of Neuroglobin Expression in the Mammalian Brain: A Literature Review

Neuroglobin (Ngb) was recently identified as a member of the vertebrate hemoglobin family. Several studies have been conducted on Ngb in mammals, but none have compared its expression and localization among different mammals. This review compared the distribution and localization of Ngb expression and explained the different functions of Ngb in the brains of mammals. Intel’s integrated performance primitive (IPP) analysis was employed to obtain the expression levels in each region of the mammalian brain. Ngb is widely expressed in the adult yak brain and distributed in different areas, similar to its expression in cattle. The relative expression of the Ngb gene in the cerebral cortex (262.69 ± 9.19) was significantly higher than that in the cerebellar cortex (137.00 ± 7.29), hippocampus (1.00 ± 0.22), medulla oblongata (3.43 ± 0.76), striatum (7.65 ± 0.61) and olfactory bulb (2.14 ± 1.22). Findings in the rat brain showed low Ngb protein expression. The mouse brain showed Ngb over expression in a transgenic variant (Ngb-Tg), while in the human brain, the level of Ngb was higher in the hypothalamus, amygdala and pontine tegmental nuclei than in other parts of the brain. The expression levels, distribution and localization of Ngb differ across the brains of different mammals, so it is appropriate to explore the precise distribution and localization of Ngb before comparison or analysis in these mammals.

Detailed imaging of mitochondrial transport and precise manipulation of mitochondrial function with genetically-encoded photosensitizers in adult Drosophila neurons

Precise distribution of mitochondria is essential for maintaining neuronal homeostasis. Although detailed mechanisms governing the transport of mitochondria have emerged, it is still poorly understood how the regulation of transport is coordinated in space and time within the physiological context of an organism. How alteration in mitochondrial functionality may trigger changes in organellar dynamics also remains unclear in this context. Therefore, the use of genetically-encoded tools to perturb mitochondrial functionality in real time would be desirable. Here we describe methods to interfere with mitochondrial function with high spatiotemporal precision with the use of photosensitisers in vivo in the intact wing nerve of adult Drosophila. We also provide details on how to visualise the transport of mitochondria and to improve the quality of the imaging to attain super-resolution in this tissue.

THREE NEW GENERA AND FOUR NEW SPECIES OF KATYDIDS (ORTHOPTERA: TETTIGONIIDAE) FROM CUBA AND HISPANIOLA, GREATER ANTILLES

Three new genera and four new species of katydids belonging to the subfamilies Conocephalinae (Copiphorini) and Pseudophyllinae (Cocconotini) are described from Cuba and Hispaniola. Fully illustrated descriptions and detailed comparisons are provided, as well as precise distribution maps and color photographs of habitus, main diagnostic structures and habitat.

Embraced by swirls of ether. Atmospheric imagination and the representation of assimilation and effect

Atmospheres have a diffuse, ungraspable nature that make them problematic to represent. Diverse artistic manifestations have relentlessly tried to grasp air infused with properties. Ether is the concept chosen to test the way the history of atmospheric representation was initiated; a cultural artefact whose representation permeates our present imaginary. Such substance has been the image of sensual assimilation, of psychological life and complex ambient effects. Before ambient was subject to technical representation, images of air within can be called ‘a state of animation’ opened up the ways of seeing and producing ambients. Several case studies are analysed as a useful vehicle for atmospheric representation. Two main strategies have been identified. The first one is the representation of chance, ambiguity and openness, the creation of conditions to let atmospheres leave its accidental traces. The second consists in the precise distribution in space of particles or discrete elements whose initial position is irritated by diverse agents. Both are still recognisable in our days.

RARE OR POORLY KNOWN CARIBBEAN ORTHOPTERANS. PART 1. THE TRUE GENERIC IDENTITY OF HYGRONEMOBIUS HISTRIONICUS ZAYAS, 1976 (ORTHOPTERA: TRIGONIDIIDAE: NEMOBIINAE)

The Cuban endemic Hygronemobius histrionicus Zayas, 1976 is revised. As a result, a new genus is described to accommodate this species, which is redescribed and further data are given on its morphology, morphometry and ecology. Moreover, the type locality is clarified from the original labels of the syntypes. The paper includes a thorough illustrative complement, with color photographs of habitus, taxonomically diagnostic characters and habitat, as well as a precise distribution map.

Frequent Non-random Shifts in the Temporal Sequence of Developmental Landmark Events during Teleost Evolutionary Diversification

Morphological transformations can be generated by evolutionary changes in the sequence of developmental events. In this study, we examined the evolutionary dynamics of the developmental sequence on a macroevolutionary scale using the teleost. Using the information from previous reports describing the development of 31 species, we extracted the developmental sequences of 19 landmark events involving the formation of phylogenetically conserved body parts; we then inferred ancestral developmental sequences by two different parsimony-based methods—event-pairing (Jeffery, Bininda-Emonds, Coates & Richardson, 2002a) and continuous analysis (Germain & Laurin, 2009). The phylogenetic comparisons of these sequences revealed event-dependent heterogeneity in the frequency of sequence changes. Most of the sequence changes occurred as exchanges of temporally neighboring events. The phylogenetic analyses suggested that the ancestral species had experienced frequent changes in developmental sequences. Although the analyses showed that these heterochronic changes accumulated along phylogenic time, the precise distribution of the changes over the teleost phylogeny remains unclear due to technical limitations. Finally, this first comprehensive analysis of teleost developmental sequences will provide solid ground on which to elucidate the significance of developmental timing in animal morphological diversification.

Annotated checklist of aquatic beetles (Coleoptera) and true bugs (Heteroptera) in the Azores Islands: new records and corrections of colonization status

In comparison with other Macaronesian archipelagos, Azorean freshwater macroinvertebrates are characterized by a smaller list of species at the archipelago regional scale. Although knowledge of the freshwater fauna of the Azores has improved in recent years through the implementation of the "Water Framework Directive", we are still far from having a complete inventory and even further from knowing the precise distribution and biology of each species. The lack of knowledge about Azorean freshwater species is coupled with the vulnerability of their habitats to anthropogenic disturbances and the introduction of non-native species. In contributing to overcome Wallacean and Hutchinsonian biodiversity shortfalls, we here provide expanded knowledge on the distribution and biology of the freshwater species of Coleoptera and Heteroptera in the Azores. We compile data from various fieldwork performed between 2006 and 2014, encompassing four islands in the archipelago. We detected new records of two aquatic Heteroptera species (belonging to the families Corixidae and Notonectidae) and six of aquatic Coleoptera (belonging to the families Dytiscidae, Gyrinidae, Hydrophilidae and Hydraenidae) in these islands, and also a new record (Enochrus fuscipennis) for the Azorean archipelago. We also suggest that the introduced colonization status of three Coleoptera species of the family Hydrophilidae should be reformulated as possibly native, with implications for conservation.