We initially investigated whether females of the cabbage butterfly, Pieris rapae crucivora, exhibit a seasonal change in ultraviolet wing color, which is a key stimulus for mate recognition by conspecific males, and whether and how a seasonal change affects the mating behavior of the males. We found that female UV wing color changes seasonally, the color being more pronounced in summer than in spring or autumn. We also demonstrated that male mate preference changes seasonally, concomitantly with the change in female UV color. Specifically, males appearing in summer exhibit a mating preference for summer-form females over spring- or autumn-form females, while those appearing in spring or autumn exhibit no seasonal preference, thereby facilitating more effective mate location. Our results suggest that this field of study will require more strictly controlled experimental investigation in which the seasonal change in UV color is considered when UV-influenced mating behaviors such as mate choice are investigated.

Eumops glaucinus and Nyctinomops macrotis, the largest molossid bats in Cuba, were investigated. Both species of bats share the same guild in the island and are similar in size, which allow the prediction of overlapping echolocation inventories following both the “vocal plasticity hypothesis” and the “scaling hypothesis.” In addition, large body size predicts the emission of low frequency calls in the human audible range. Calls recorded during hunting show that the bats' echolocation repertoires are very similar and of low frequency, with most differences in search calls. Matches were found in the calls' design, duration, slope, bandwidth, and spectral parameters. Statistical differences between search calls are consistent with the predictions from the “scaling hypothesis,” considering that E. glaucinus is only slightly larger than N. macrotis. The echolocation calls emitted by both species are in the frequency range below 20–25 kHz, which identifies both species as the only ones with echolocation in the human audible range in Cuba.

Astacin-like squid metalloprotease (ALSM) is a member of the astacin family of metalloproteases. In the present study, we investigated the expression and tissue distribution of ALSM in bigfin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) and golden cuttlefish (Sepia esculenta). Myosin heavy chain hydrolysis tests showed ALSM-I-like activity in both species. We isolated partial cDNA clones showing high sequence similarity to ALSM-I and -III, suggesting that ALSM is common to squid and cuttlefish. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ALSMs are classified into two clades: ALSM-I forms one clade, and ALSM-II and -III form the other. ALSM was expressed in several tissues in bigfin reef squid, though expression was confined to the liver in cuttlefish. ALSMs are distributed in digestive organs but not in mantle muscle of squid and cuttlefish. Immunofluorescence analysis further showed that cellular localization of ALSM is evident not only in hepatic cells but also in pancreatic cells of bigfin reef squid. Thus, ALSM is commonly expressed in squid and cuttlefish, but its expression levels and distribution are distinct.

The conventional role of eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) is to transport aminoacyl tRNA to the A site of ribosomes during the peptide elongation phase of protein synthesis. eEF1A also is involved in regulating the dynamics of microtubules and actin filaments in cytoplasm. In Tetrahymena, eEF1A forms homodimers and bundles F-actin. Ca² /calmodulin (CaM) causes reversion of the eEF1A dimer to the monomer, which loosens F-actin bundling, and then Ca² /CaM/eEF1A monomer complexes dissociate from F-actin. eEF1A consists of three domains in all eukaryotic species, but the individual roles of the Tetrahymena eEF1A domains in bundling F-actin are unknown. In this study, we investigated the interaction of each domain with F-actin, recombinant Tetrahymena CaM, and eEF1A itself in vitro, using three glutathione-S-transferase-domain fusion proteins (GST-dm1, -2, and -3). We found that only GST-dm3 bound to F-actin and influences dimer formation, but that all three domains bound to Tetrahymena CaM in a Ca² -dependent manner. The critical Ca² concentration for binding among three domains of eEF1A and CaM were ≤100 nM for domain 1, 100 nM to 1 μM for domain 3, and >1 μM for domain 2, whereas stimulation of and subsequent Ca² influx through Ca² channels raise the cellular Ca² concentration from the basal level of ~100 nM to ~10 μM, suggesting that domain 3 has a pivotal role in Ca² /CaM regulation of eEF1A.

The Hainan peacock pheasant is an endangered taxon found only on Hainan Island of China. Due to lack of detailed taxonomic studies, whether it is a subspecies of the grey peacock pheasant (Polyplectron bicalcaratum katsumatae) or a full species (Polyplectron katsumatae) remained unclear. We used molecular markers, including the complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and intron G of the nuclear ovomucoid gene, to reevaluate the taxonomy of the Hainan peacock pheasant. The results showed phylogeographic monophyly and large genetic distance between the Hainan peacock pheasant and the grey peacock pheasant. Sequence differences corroborated the species-level distinction between these two peacock pheasants, which were inferred to have diverged about 1.4±0.3 million years ago, near the time Hainan Island became separated from mainland China. Because the population density of the Hainan peacock pheasant is very low in its tropical forest on the island and the wild population is declining, it is now becoming severely endangered and should be ranked as the rarest species in the Order Galliformes in China. Our results increase the urgency of getting more morphological data to support the classification of the Hainan peacock pheasant as a distinct species and taking more conservation action immediately to protect this endangered island species.

The cheilostome bryozoan genus Monoporella is poorly resolved taxonomically; only four Recent species have been formally described, though several undescribed species have been reported in the literature. The literature indicates no more than five species in the genus occurring in any local region of the world, with one to three species in most regions where the genus has been reported. I examined bryozoans from 52 trawl catches in the western and western-central Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and found specimens of Monoporella in 12 of these samples. Study of these specimens by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed six new species that are described herein: M. flexibila, M. elongata, M. gigantea, M. ellefsoni, M. seastormi, and M. aleutica. Two of the species have erect colony morphologies, a condition not previously reported in Monoporella. The species diversity of Monoporella appears to be greater in the Aleutians than in any other part of the world adequately surveyed. I discuss whether this apparent high diversity is an artifact due to insufficient sampling in the deep shelf zone, and present two hypotheses to explain this high diversity should it prove not to be an artifact: 1) the present high local diversity represents a relict of past high diversity occurring broadly around the North Pacific rim; and 2) a local radiation of Monoporella occurred in the Aleutian archipelago.

Three-year (2004–2006) monitoring results of macrolepidoptera using light traps in a temperate deciduous mixed forest were analyzed to investigate the relationship between moth diversity and nine weather variables. Results of stepwise regression analyses showed that mean daily temperature was the main predictor for moth diversity. The present study also revealed that each moth family was affected by a set of different weather factors (rainfall, relative humidity, or duration of sunshine) probably due to different life-history strategies. The impacts of recent climate change on insect populations may be evidenced in the close relationship between moth abundance and mean temperature.

The aim of this study was to perform a biogeographical and conservation analysis of avian distribution on Hainan Island, China using quantitative approaches. I employed cluster analysis with a statistical test to examine the biogeographical zonation of birds on Hainan Island, and then employed an optimization criterion approach to detect candidate areas of endemism. Three biogeographical regions were diagnosed based on the statistical tests. One area of endemism was identified in the southwestern part of the island, principally in the western limestone areas and the central mountainous areas. Canonical variate analysis showed significant separation among the three biogeographic regions correlated with climatic variables. Nested subset analysis using two null models indicated that there was a good nested pattern in the avian assemblage on Hainan Island. In addition, complementarity analysis identified six top species-rich provinces for conservation. The present study is one of the first attempts to use integrative quantitative approaches to analyze bird diversity patterns on this island, and the effectiveness of the methodologies employed is discussed.

Biogeographic studies are important for understanding the natural history of faunas. To comprehend the geographical patterns of genetic variation in anurans in Taiwan, we investigated the genetic structure of Sylvirana latouchii (Anura, Ranidae) from 31 populations by using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b sequences. A neighbor-joining tree of 38 haplotypes revealed three major divergences in Taiwanese S. latouchii: the northern, western, and eastern-and-southern clades. Each clade was restricted to a single geographical district and showed obvious differentiation. The patterns of geographical divergence in this species reflect common historical events experienced by other native animals distributed in Taiwan. The order of divergence times between clades was inferred using a molecular clock test. The population relationship of S. latouchii between Taiwan and mainland China is discussed. Further study employing more populations of S. latouchii from mainland China is necessary to clarify the original geographical patterns and migratory history of this species.

Sperm binding to the vitelline envelope in dejellied Xenopus laevis eggs was effectively inhibited by inhibitors for trypsin (soybean trypsin inhibitor and p-toluenesulfonyl-L-lysine chloroethyl ketone) and aminopeptidase B (o-phenanthroline, bestatin, and arphamenine B). Likewise, synthetic 4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (MCA) substrates (t-butoxycarbonyl-GlyArgArg-MCA, benzyloxycarbonyl-ArgArg-MCA, and Arg-MCA) inhibited binding. Consistently, when jellied eggs were inseminated in the presence of these substrates or inhibitors for proteases, fertilization was effectively blocked. The medium in which live sperm or the sperm membrane fraction were suspended exhibited hydrolyzing activities against the synthetic substrates mentioned above, and these activities were effectively inhibited by the protease inhibitors. Ultracentrifugal fractionation of the sperm suspension following induction of the acrosome reaction by a calcium ionophore, A23187, indicated that a considerable amount of the total tryptic and aminopeptidase B activity was released into the medium. On this occasion, part of the tryptic and aminopeptidase B activity was definitely estimated to be discharged in association with a vesiculated membrane, supporting the notion that the proteases involved in binding to the vitelline envelope are present on the sperm plasma membrane.

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) has been shown to be involved in pubertal activation of gonadot-ropin (GTH) secretion. The aim of this study was to determine if IGF-I directly stimulates synthesis and release of GTH at an early stage of gametogenesis. The effects of IGF-I on expression of genes encoding glycoprotein α (GPα), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) β, and luteinizing hormone (LH) β subunits and release of FSH and LH were examined using primary pituitary cells of masu salmon at three reproductive stages: early gametogenesis, maturing stage, and spawning. IGF-I alone or IGF-I salmon GnRH (sGnRH) were added to the primary pituitary cell cultures. Amounts of GPα, FSHβ, and LHβ mRNAs were determined by real-time PCR. Plasma and medium levels of FSH and LH were determined by RIA. In males, IGF-I increased the amounts of all three subunit mRNAs early in gametogenesis in a dose-dependent manner, but not in the later stages. In females, IGF-I stimulated release of FSH and LH early in gametogenesis, whereas no stimulatory effects on the subunit mRNA levels were observed at any stage. IGF-I sGnRH stimulated release of FSH and LH at all stages in both sexes, but had different effects on the subunit mRNA levels depending on subunit and stage. The present results suggest that IGF-I itself directly stimulates synthesis and release of GTH early in gametogenesis in masu salmon, possibly acting as a metabolic signal that triggers the onset of puberty.

Two new species are described from the tropical forest of Belize: Coptotriche singularis (host-plant unknown) and C. forsteroniae (leaf-miner on Forsteronia myriantha, Apocynaceae). The external features and male genitalia are figured and described for both species. A checklist of Coptotriche species comprising 31 species currently known from the Americas is given. Most of the species are known from mainland USA and Canada, and only a few from the Neotropics (the Caribbean and Belize).

A Japanese small salamander, Hynobius naevius (Temminck and Schlegel, 1838), has recently proven to include two species (larger [A] and smaller [B]) that are reproductively isolated and are genetically and morphologically distinct from each other. Of these two species, Species A is considered to correspond to true H. naevius. To determine the name of Species B, we investigated five specimens stored at Kyushu University and concluded from the locality and date of collection that they represent syntypes of H. n. yatsui Oyama, 1947. Results of morphological comparisons indicated that the syntypes are identical with Species B. Because this species is distinct from Hynobius naevius at the species level, subspecies H. n. yatsui is elevated to full species rank as H. yatsui. To avoid taxonomic confusion, we designated one male among the syntypes as the lectotype and redescribed the species.

A recent submersible dive on the southern slope of Aguni Knoll, central Okinawa Trough has led to a discovery of two rare species of stalked crinoids, Proisocrinus ruberrimus and Naumachocrinus hawaiiensis, both of uncertain taxonomic affinity. The specimens of Proisocrinus ruberrimus, here termed “Moulin rouge” as a pseudonym due to its conspicuous red color, were collected from depths of approximately 1,800 m and are characterized by a long, slender stalk. The proximal columnals are pentalobate in cross section, with isocrinid-like articular facets; several bear rudimentary cirri. The following columnals lose the cirri and rapidly become almost circular; their facets bear radiating crenulations similar to those of Millericrinida. The characters observed in the proximal stalk indicate that the ‘Moulin Rouge’ (P. ruberrimus) belongs to the order Isocrinida rather than to the order Millericrinida. Naumachocrinus hawaiiensis was collected at a depth of 1,440 m. The long, cylindrical crown and number of arms indicate that Naumachocrinus should be classified in the Bathycrinidae.