Acta Zoologica最新文献

Studying sexual dimorphism facilitates better understanding of the general intersexual divergence of the same species and gives insights into the impact of selective forces on each sex. The sexual dimorphism in anuran external morphology or limb muscles has been well studied in reproductive context, but less so outside the breeding season. Herein, the intersexual differences in 12 external morphological characteristics, 11 forelimb and 12 hindlimb muscles of Hylarana guentheri during non-breeding season were investigated. We found that the males possessed significantly greater head width and tympanum diameter, while the females had significantly larger body size and head length; there was no sexual differences in the examined limb muscles, except for the mass of flexor carpi radialis. The larger body size means greater fertility for the females, and the longer head may be related to the allometry and reduce resource competition. For the males, the wider head is likely correlated with prey size and male–male competition, and also, the larger tympanum and heavier flexor carpi radialis probably aid the productive success. This study provides the comprehensive morphological accounts about the sexual differences of H. guentheri during non-breeding season, which will contribute to clarify the sex-specific resource allocation and reproductive strategies of anurans.

Myzostomida are putatively nested within the errant Annelida and exhibit a unique morphology. The latter fact might possibly be related to their long host-dependent radiation. Hence, an incomplete segmentation, lack of prominent sensory structures in adults and a dorso-ventrally flattened body are just some examples. Although numerous investigations of the nervous system exist for myzostomids, detailed ultrastructural as well as histological examinations of neuronal structures are lacking so far. Therefore, we investigate the nervous system of Myzostoma cirriferum Leuckart, 1836 using a comparative approach including paraffin histology, serial semi-thin sections, immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural investigations. Our analyses reveal a lack of complexity within the anterior-most neuronal condensation (herein called brain) of adult specimens. Hence, prominent tracts or glomeruli are absent, and a glial layer surrounding the brain or radial-like glial cells are lacking. Nevertheless, the ultrastructure of the ventral nervous system is comparable to other Errantia. Therefore, our investigations hint towards a reduction of neuronal complexity in Myzostomida. Additionally, an ontogenetic simplification seems plausible, although further investigations are necessary to verify such a hypothesis. A simplification of neuronal structures due to a drastic change in lifestyle was so far mainly observed for basally branching annelid clades.

Review. The regenerating tail of lizard transits through a tumour-like stage represented by the regenerative blastema. Acta Zoologica (Stockolm). Molecular studies on lizard tail regeneration indicate that the blastema stage is a tumour-like outgrowth capable of self-regulate to produce a new tail. Various oncogenes and tumour suppressors are expressed, and their proteins are localized in specific regions of the growing blastema. SnoRNAs are exclusively overexpressed in the tail blastema suggesting changes in ribosome translation efficiency in blastema cells, like in cancer. Blastema cells secrete high levels of hyaluronate and adopt an anaerobic metabolism (Warburg effect). These studies indicate that the lizard blastema represents a unique case among terrestrial vertebrates of physiological tumour remission. Mesenchymal cells and fibroblasts forming the blastema are turned within 1–2 months into a functional organ, the tail. In vitro studies on isolated mesenchymal cells from the regenerative blastema shows that these cells do not undergo contact inhibition but continue proliferation after confluence, and contain nestin, vimentin and K17. After 2–3 weeks they stratify into 5–7 layers forming a pellicle of loose connective tissue. Future molecular studies on genes and proteins that allow the control of growth in the lizard blastema may help to determine how lizards turn a tumour into a new organ with numerous differentiated and functional tissues, providing clues on cancer growth regulation.

Reproductive traits are critically important for understanding how organisms adapt to their respective environments. In this study, we provide information on relative litter mass (RLM) and other litter and neonate related characters of nine female Plestiodon lynxe captured in the field. We also recorded seven body dimensions in 16 neonates and 15 two-month juveniles, and on the basis of these dimensions we compared the body shape of these two age classes to detect changes in the proportions of body parts. The average litter size (4.55) is larger than that found in other viviparous species of Plestiodon, but smaller than those of congeneric oviparous species of similar size. However, the average body size of newborns (25.49 mm) is similar to that of other oviparous and viviparous species of Plestiodon. The average RLM was relatively high (0.36). The relative size of the head and limbs becomes proportionally smaller, whereas the axilla-groin length becomes proportionally larger in the first 2 months of life. We suggest that these changes are related to changes in locomotion and microhabitat use.

The abdominal and pregenital segments and genitalia were studied in males of Zaphne barbiventris (Zetterstedt, 1845) and Delia fabricii (Holmgren, 1872) (Anthomyiidae). The examined species are very similar in the structure of the sclerites and muscles of their terminal segments. Differences between Delia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 and Zaphne Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 were found only in the structure of the pregenital segments and their muscles. Delia has well-developed and well-identified tergite VI, while tergite VI of Zaphne is fused in syntergosternite VI + VII + VIII as indicated by the insertion of muscles of ITM 5 running from tergite V. Within members of the muscoid grade, the skeleton and musculature of male terminalia of the Anthomyiidae were similar to that in the subfamily Azeliinae of the Muscidae and the Scathophagidae. The complete set of phallapodeme muscles, as well as the complete set of muscles of the pregenital sclerites and the position of cercal muscles M 26, has shown that the Anthomyiidae have more plesiomorphic character states than other members of the muscoid grade. Descriptions and figures of the terminal sclerites and muscles of Zaphne barbiventris are provided.

The scale morphology of pleuronectiforms in the Gulf of Oman remains insufficiently known. This study used light microscopy and morphological analysis to examine scale variation across the flank of four Tonguefishes species; Cynoglossus arel, C. bilineatus, C. lingua, and C. puncticeps. Scales were extracted from six flank regions, three on the eyed and blind sides, respectively. The most differentiated species was C. arel, which showed significant differences in four size variables in five regions. In Cynoglossus arel and C. lingua, the scales of the eyed side were ctenoid, and those scales from the blind side were cycloid; C. puncticeps have ctenoid scales on both flank sides and C. bilineatus has cycloid scales on both sides. All species' scales on the blind side have fewer ctenial spines (except in C. bilineatus). This study indicated that scale morphology demonstrated considerable variation among the flank regions of the examined species. As a result, the scales from the head and the trunk regions of the eyed side and the scales from the head region of the blind side have a good power of species separation in this family.

The distribution of orexin-A and orexin-B immunoreactivity was examined in the pituitaries of the white-spotted conger (Conger myriaster) and the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) using immunohistochemical techniques. Orexin-A-immunoreactive puncta were dispersed in the pars nervosa of the neurointermediate lobe, and a part of these puncta were immuno-positive for galanin. In contrast, orexin-B immunoreactive cells were observed in the proximal part of the pars distalis, and these cells were immuno-positive for luteinizing hormone. Considering the present results and previous findings, orexin-A and orexin-B may modulate the secretion of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and growth hormone, respectively, and participate in the regulation of energy homeostasis.

The Japanese flathead, Inegocia japonica Cuvier, 1829 is a commercially important fish in small-scale coastal fisheries in Thailand; however, an explanation of its digestive biology is missing. This study describes the digestive tract and accessory organs of I. japonica, using morphological and histological methods. The fish (10 individual fish, 24.5 ± 0.98 cm in total length) were obtained from Libong Island, Thailand. Integrated morphological and histological data showed that the digestive tract was composed of oesophagus, stomach, pyloric caeca and intestine, with accessory organs. All digestive tracts consisted of four layers, including mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa. Two stomach regions were identified (cardiac and pyloric stomachs). Several clusters of gastric glands were identified in the cardiac stomach. Each gland was a unicellular structure. The apical surface of this gland contained the vacuolar cell. The intestine was lined with a simple columnar structure with goblet cells that was similar to pyloric caecum. Goblet cells were rare in the anterior intestine, in contrast to the posterior intestine where goblet cells were abundant. The numerous of hepatocyte was mostly observed in the liver, whereas an exocrine acinar cell of pancreas was also identified. The results of our observations provided the first information of the digestive tract of I. japonica and can be applied to advanced study, such as physiology and histopathology.

Ectotherms thermoregulate to maintain their body temperature within the optimal range needed for performing vital functions. The effect of climate change on lizards has been studied as regards the sensitivity of locomotor performance to environmental temperatures. We studied thermoregulatory efficiency and locomotor performance for Liolaemus fitzgeraldi in the Central Andes of Argentina. We determined body temperature, micro-environmental temperatures and operative temperatures in the field. In the laboratory, we measured preferred temperatures and calculated the index of thermoregulatory efficiency. We estimated the thermal sensitivity of locomotion by measuring sprint speed (initial velocity and long sprint) and endurance at five different body temperatures. Body temperature was not associated with either micro-environmental temperature, nor did it show differences with preferred temperatures. Thermoregulatory efficiency was moderate (0.61). Initial velocity and long sprint trials showed differences at different temperatures; however, endurance did not. Moreover, the optimal temperatures for the performance trials showed no significant differences among themselves. We conclude that Liolaemus fitzgeraldi has thermal sensitivity in locomotor performance with respect to body temperature and that it is an eurythermic lizard that experiences a large variation in body temperature and that has thermal flexibility in the cold.

The order Gonorynchiformes was repeatedly studied to gain new insights into the evolution of its sister-taxon, the Otophysi, the most successful freshwater fish taxon worldwide. Previous ontogenetic studies of gonorynchiforms mainly focused on the anterior vertebral column to investigate the evolutionary origin of the Weberian apparatus. Herein, we highlight the ontogeny of a different skeletal complex, the dorsal and anal fins. We studied the development of the skeletal elements of both fins in the gonorynchiform Kneria stappersii. We gained new insights into the developmental and formation patterns of K. stappersii. We discuss these patterns as well as the development of certain elements like the fin stay in comparison to other gonorynchiforms and available otomorph data. In general, the fin development in K. stappersii is very similar to that of other gonorynchiforms and even otomorphs. Specific differences, however, reveal that much remains unknown about the evolution of median fin elements such as the fin stay.