Tishechkin D. Yu.
The illustrated descriptions and data on biology and distribution of nine Scleroracus species from the territory of Russia are given. A key to identifying the species is provided. Oscillograms of male calling signals for six species are presented. S. atronitidus Emelyanov 1972 syn. n. is synonymized with S. carbonarius Mityaev 1968. The new species S. identicus sp. n. is described. In external appeareance morphology of male genitalia it is similar to S. decumanus but differs from it in the structure of calling signals and host specialization. The new species feeds on wormwood {Artemisia spp.) and is common in steppes of European Russia, Kazakhstan, and Western Siberia. Out side of the steppe zone, it dwells in dry meadows, steppe slopes, and other similar biotopes. Sometimes, this species is abundant in agricultural landscapes on roadsides and in weed-grown fields, especially on alfalfa. S. decumanus feeds on Ericaceae {Vaccinium myrtillus, Calluna vulgaris) and inhabits woodlands where its host plants grow.
Lopatin A.V.
Building of cells in Seladonia subaurata nests passes through four basic stages: cavity excavation; cavity deepening and building of soil walls in the cell neck area; building of inner soil walls near the bottom of cells; cell neck narrowing. A secretory lining covers the internal surface of the developed cell. The direction of soil transportation varies depending on the stage of construction. A bee gets into cells with either its head or abdomen forward, since soil mass prevents the bee to turn within the cell.
Lantsov V.I.
Tipula (Vestiplex) semivittata semivittata Savchenko 1960 is one of the dominant crane fly species in the Caucasus. It inhabits the altitudes of 1000 to 2700 m and is common in coniferous and mixed forests at an altitude of 2000 to 2500 m. Imago occurs in subalpine meadows adjacent to the forest belt. Larvae of stage IV and I, male and female pupae are described. The Tipula semivittata larvae of stage IV differ from those of other species by the size of sclerites on lateral lobes and by the form of tips of stigma field dorsal lobes. The form and size of spines on the anal segment is the distinguishing feature of the crane fly pupae. Larvae are saprophagous and dwell the litter. The alimentary canal is with a pair of mid-gut caeca and elongate fermentative chamber of high-gut. The mean and maximal values of population and biomass of larvae at the stage IV (before and after the first flying) and of pupae are given for the Teberdinskii Reserve and the El'brus slopes. The crane fly pupae develop during 7-8 days at a temperature of 18-20°C. Larvae hibernate. The life cycle in high mountain populations seems to proceed about two years.
Triseleva T.A., Safonkin A.F., Kryuchkova E.E.
The morphology of the antenna flagellum in Archips podana was studied. Chaetoid, trichoid (long and short), basiconic, styloconic, and two types of auricilate sensillae were identified. The number of sensillae on the right and left flagella in males and females were determined. The number of long trichoid sensillae distinguishes sex in Archips. The number of Bohm setae located on the antenna and grouped in three sensory fields was ascertained. The type of sensilla as styloconic one with 2-4 sensory hairs was identified in the apple surface eating tortricid and other six species of leaf rollers and seedworms. A pyramidal sensilla similar to basiconic or coeloconic one was discovered on an A. podana flagellum. It has a small conic sensitive hair and is located at the joint of two flagellum segments. This sensilla is also present on antenna of males and females. The morphological structure of the antenna flagellum in A. podana and seven other species of tortricids (Tortricinae and Olethreutinae subfamilies) is analyzed. The number of long trichoid and basiconic sensillae is the most variable. The number of sensillae of different types differs to a greater degree between the above subfamilies than that within one subfamily.
Chernetsov N.S., Titov N.B.
Diet of migrating robins was studied on the Courish Spit of the Baltic Sea region by stomach flushing in the spring of 1997. In spring, the diet of robins mainly consists of invertebrates. The main prey objects (occurrence >25%) were coleopterans (firstly, Carabidae, Curculionidae, and Staphylinidae), ants, myriapods, and spiders. Birds collected them in the litter and on the soil surface. In autumn, dipterans and hymenopterans were consumed more rarely. No differences in the diet of fat and lean birds, as well in their mass were found. A strategy of spring migration of robins is discussed related to their foraging..
Matalin A.V., Budilov P.V.
Seasonal dynamics of the activity, life cycle, and sexual and age structure of Broscus cephalotes populations was studied in southwestern Moldova (1990) and northwestern Mordovia (1999-2000). The dynamics of seasonal activity in this species is characterized by two peaks - in early July and early or mid-August. In Moldova, the B. cephalotes abundance maximums are equal, but in Mordovia, the first peak is twice higher that the second. In both regions, B. cephalotes larva and adult hibernate. The hibernated individuals start breeding earlier than nonhibernated beetles do. However, the maximal and mean number of eggs per female in hibernated and nonhibernated individuals were almost equal. Two seasonal rhythms were observed in B. cephalotes reproduction. The rhythm characteristic of the individuals hibernating at the larva stage provides a one-year life cycle. The other rhythm observed in hibernating imago results in the two-year development of the species. Thus, the B. cephalotes life cycle is polyvariant with summer-autumn breeding period, multiseasonal activity of imago and spring-autumn activity of larvae. Geographical variability of the seasonal activity of B. cephalotes, its similarity and differences from that in other related species is discussed.
Krivosheina N.P.
Morphological characteristics of Temnostoma apiforme and other species and subspecies, previously considered as their synonyms (Peck 1988), were studied. Female genitalia were investigated for the first time. The validity of T. carens and T. pallidum is proved. The morphological analysis attests to the high variation of many characteristics and their parallel variability within the species groups considered.
Negrobov O.P., Maslova О.О.
Two new species are described from Russia (the Urals) and Kazakhstan (the Zailiiskii Alatau).
Brandler O.V.
Karyotypes of the subspecies Marmota baibacina baibacina from Kosh-Agach (the Altai Mountains) and M. b. kastschenkoi from Novosibirsk oblast and Altai Krai were studied. The M. b. kastschenkoi karyotype has In = 36 and NF = 68. It differs from M. b. baibacina (In = 38, NF = 70) as a result of the translocation rearrangement (fusion) of submetacentric and acrocentric of the 38 chromosome karyotype with an elimination of small arm of the submetacentric. The taxonomic status of the forest-steppe gray marmot should be elevated up to the species level of M. kastschenkoi on the basis of karyotypic differences. Marmots with In = 37 and NF = 68 were found in the Kosh-Agach population. They had a metacentric created by the fusion of homologues of the chromosomes similar to those of M. kastschenkoi. A suggestion about repeated mutagenesis of such mutations under the influence of environmental factors (higher seismic activity, mercury and uranium ore deposits, etc.) is given.
Tyurin S.A., Drozdov A.L.
The sperm ultrastructure in four species of scallops from the Sea of Japan is described. The sperm morphology of all described species is typical for the family Pactenidae. The species have conic or bottle-shaped head, their acrosome is divided into acrosome granule and periacrosomal material. There are four mitochondria in the middle section, cenrioles are located at right angles. Specific features of the sperm ultrastructure in the scallop family and subfamilies are discussed.
Fet V., Fet E.V., Karatag Ay., Karatag A.
The first data on molecular phylogeny (DNA sequences for 16S rRNA) of Anatolian scorpion populations tentatively identified as Euscorpius ciliciensis Birula 1898 are presented. The phylogenetic analysis performed showed their affinities to the European species E. gamma and E. germanus, but not to the "E. carpathicus" complex.
Kuznetsova M.V., Vasil'eva N. Yu.
Juvenile Campbell's hamsters {Phodopus campbelli Thomas 1905) were kept without parents in unisexual groups from the age of 11 to 30 days. Test individuals were treated with secretions from additional sacculi at the opening of check pouches in adult males-donors; control specimens were treated with water. The mass of body and reproductive organs (testis and epididymis in males and horn of uterus and ovary in females) were weighed in 30-year-old juveniles. The body masses in test and control females were similar, whereas the mass of reproductive organs was higher in individuals treated with secretions from additional sacculi. In test males, masses of body and reproductive organs were significantly lower than these characteristics in control animals. In individuals of both groups, coefficient of variation for the mass of reproductive organs exceeded that of the body mass. In addition, coefficients of variation (V) for the mass of reproductive organs both in males and females of the test group were higher than in individuals of the control group. There were no differences in V values characterizing the body mass in individuals of test and control groups. The data obtained indicated that the saccular secretions of adult Campbell's hamster males (1) accelerated the development of the reproductive system in juvenile females and suppressed sexual maturation of males and (2) increased individual variability in the rate of sexual maturation of juveniles of both sexes.
Myl'nikov A.P., Myl'nikov A.A.
The new amoeboid flagellate Thaumatomonas zhukovi sp. n. from a freshwater pond is described. The size of its cell is 6.6-11.6 x 4.5-5.5 цт, that of spherical cysts, 8.3-10.0 цт in diameter. The oval cells are dorsoventrally flattened and have two heterodynamic flagella of 1.0-1.5 and 15-18 цт long. Thin branched pseudopodia are arisen from the ventral furrow in trophonts. Two anterior contractile vacuoles function alternately. The Thaumatomonas zhukovi sp. n. cell is covered with a layer of somatic scales of two types: oval ones of 0.60-0.75 цт long and triangular ones with edges of 0.46-0.55 цт. There were found some scales of intermediate type. The scales are perforated by 3-6 pores. The life cycle of the flagellate includes the stage of multinuclear plasmodia, which are formed as a result of cell fusion. T. zhukovi differs from other species of the genus Thaumatomonas by the presence of two types of scales and the number of pores in the upper scale plate.
Gagarin V.G., Nguyen Vu Thahn
Two new species of free-living nematodes (Desmodora aquaedulcis and Aphanonchus obesus) found in the Cau River (Vietnam) are described and illustrated. Desmodora aquaedulcis sp. n. is close to D. sanguinea Soutern 1914andD. hirsuta (Chitwood 1936), but differs from it in the absence of subcephalic setae in females and the presence of sexual diffrentiation of the simphidal opening. Aphanonchus obesus sp. n. differs from A. multipapillatus (Daday 1905) in the smaller number of hypodermal glands, thicker body, loger tail, shorter rectum, and shorter spiocules. This species differs from A. intermedius Coomans et Rasi 1991 in the narrower labial area, shorter spicules, the smaller number of venromedial alveola in males and the absence of them in females.
Tuzovskii P.V.
An illustrated description of two new water mite species (males and females of L. (Lebertia) oxoideus and L. (Libertia) japonensis) of the genus Lebertia from BiwaLake (Japan) is given. The unusually long body, long suture line between coxae II and large genital flaps, outstanding behind back edges of coxae IV, characterize the first species. The second species is distinguished by the longitudinal coxal shield, rather short genital flaps, outstanding behind back edges of coxae IV by one-forth, and rather large posterior genital acetabulae.
Il'yashenko V.B., Onishchenko S.S.
The data on morphological characteristics, exterior, and the pattern of distribution of the least shrew