Construction and test of a dual patch multi- element radiant cooler Quarterly report, 17 Dec. 1970 - 17 Mar. 1971

Vibration tests on dual patch of radiant cooling apparatus, and emissivity and reflectance analysis of cones in radiative heat transfer determinatio

Design of a dual patch multielement radiant cooler, phase 1 Final report, 16 Feb. - 16 Jul. 1970

Dual patch multi-element radiant cooler for earth oriented spacecraf

The construction and test of a dual patch multi-element radiant cooler Quarterly report, 17 Sep. - 17 Dec. 1970

Design and performance testing of dual patch multi-element radiant cooler with cold tra

Construction and test of a dual patch multi-element radiant cooler

Design, construction, and test of dual patch multi-element radiant coole

Reading habits of adults: What drives the choice to read or not read?

Reading is an important skill that benefits every aspect of life. It is important for teachers to help children learn to read and learn to love reading forever. Using an interview, participants’ perspectives were examined in order to collect qualitative data on adult reading habit

A New Locality for the Eastern Underground Orchid, Rhizanthella slateri

The orchid genus Rhizanthella is endemic to Australia and comprises two species, R. gardneri, which is known from a number of sites in S. W. Western Australia and R. slateri, which is now known from six confirmed sites in eastern Australia. One of the most remarkable characteristics of the genus is that almost the entire life cycle is spent underground

Association of a White-banded Jumping Spider \u27Hypoblemum albovittatum\u27 (Salticidae: Araneomorphae: Aranaea) with an Anemone Stinkhorn Fungus \u27Aseroe rubra\u27 (Phallaceae: Basidiomycota)

Scientists have carried out research on the sensory biology of spiders for well over a century with some interesting results. Spiders in general are known now to have a good variety and number of sensory receptors. Most spiders have eight eyes, which in some species give nearly 360 degrees vision, although other species have poor vision (e.g. Barth 2002; Framenau et al. 2014); cave-dwelling spiders may have little or no vision (Doran et al. 2001; Egan 2013; Framenau, et al. 2014). Certain spiders once were thought to be deaf (e.g. Pritchett 1904); but, some salticid spiders have a good sense of hearing, demonstrating an acoustic-triggered startle response (Shamble et al. 2016). The fact that some male salticids, e.g. Maratus species (Otto and Hill 2015), give remarkably colourful courtship displays suggests they have at least some degree of colour vision. This has been confirmed by several recent studies (e.g. Taylor 2016; Zurek et al. 2015). Salticid spiders are well-known to have elaborate vision-based predatory strategies (Cross et al. 2009; Zurek et al. 2015; Whyte and Anderson 2017). The giant-eyed Deinopidae species are also heavily dependent on vision for their net-casting behaviour (Whyte and Anderson, 2017). Spiders can discriminate between arthropod prey species, refusing to attack certain toxic species such as some cockroaches, butterflies and millipedes (pers. obs.; Vasconcellos-Neto and Lewinsohn 1984) suggesting they may have a sense of taste, although experiments by Toft (1999) suggest aversion memory is short-lived

Reproductive Biology of Nephrurus and Underwoodisaurus Geckos (Reptilia: Gekkonidae: Carphodactylini)

This thesis describes the reproductive biology of the endemic Australian gekkonid genera Nephrurus and Underwoodisaurus. These genera form an important group for investigation because they have both arid and mesic species and occupy both tropical and temperate climates, enabling a comparison of features related to their habitats. Analysis of museum records shows that Nephrurus species largely occupy central and northern Australia while Underwoodisaurus species largely occupy southern Australia. A morphometric and meristic analysis was carried out on over 1000 alcoholic specimens and over 200 live specimens using up to approximately 50 characters (depending on species, gender and status) of all eleven species (N. amyae, N. asper, N. deleani, N. laevissimus, N. levis, N. sheai, N. stellatus, N. vertebralis, N. wheeleri, U. milii and U. sphyrurus). The distinctiveness of the genera Nephrurus and Underwoodisaurus is confirmed. The distinctiveness of a primitive and a derived group within Nephrurus is also confirmed based on radiographic and morphometric data. Nephrurus deleani is allocated to the primitive group (includes N. laevissimus, N. levis, N. stellatus and N. vertebralis). Also, N. amyae and N. sheai are allocated to the derived group (includes N. asper and N. wheeleri) based on phalangeal formula and lack of autotomy plane in the tail. Numerous sexual dimorphisms were demonstrated, including smaller males than females in all species (except u. milii), relatively longer limbs in males in most species, relatively longer tails in males and more subdigitallamellae in male U. milii and U. sphyrurus compared to females. A distinctive ventral escutcheon of enlarged scales occurs in adult Underwoodisaurus males. Scattered and distinctive preano-inguinofemoral tubercles are found only in the adult males of N. deleani, N. laevissimus, N. levis and N. stellatus. Mating (involving a primitive grip by the male) and egg-laying (involving nesting burrow excavation) behaviours are described in detail and are typical of lizards in general. Much of the egg data support the hypothesis that Nephrurus eggs are better adapted to aridity than are Underwoodisaurus eggs. Egg size relative to maternal size is significantly greater among diplodactyline and eublepharine geckos compared to gekkonine and sphaerodactyline geckos. Relative egg size is also greater among arid Nephrurus and Diplodactylus species compared to mesic Underwoodisaurus and Diplodactylus species. Arid Nephrurus species have a significantly greater relative clutch mass compared to mesic diplodactyline species and compared to Underwoodisaurus species. Bicone values were determined for N. deleani. N. levis and U. milii and U. sphyrurus egg shape, but values were variable and therefore not as significant in gecko compared to avian eggs. The mean increase in mass during incubation of Nephrurus eggs is 24.7 ± 26.4 % of initial mass, which is significantly less than the mean increase for U. milii of 42.1 ± 27.1 %. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry of Nephrurus and of Underwoodisaurus eggshells showed that calcium bicarbonate was distributed largely in the outer region of the shell. Extraembryonic egg contents and egg residues after hatching contain none or insignificant amounts of reducing sugars. Fresh laid Nephrurus levis eggs contain approximately 80 % water. After desiccation they contain approximately 53 % protein, 33 % lipid and 7 % ash, with an energy density of approximately 22.2 kJ/g. The eggs of U. milii were not significantly different from those of N. levis in composition. Nephrurus levis and U. milii embryos both have an exponential pattern of oxygen consumption during development. The mean energetic cost of embryonic development is 5.82 ± 0.83 kJ/g dry mass for U. milii at 2SOC and 5.49 ± 0.79 kJ/g at 30°C. This compares with 8.64 ± 2.2 kJ/g dry mass for N. levis at 25°C and 8.57 ± 3.4 kJ/g at 30°C. There was no significant difference in the effects of two substrate water potentials (-100 and -450 kPa) on incubation duration at both 25°C and at 30°C. The Q,o for duration of incubation of U. milii eggs at 25°C and 30°C was 2.3. Limited egg retention was found in N. levis. Measurements of adult testes and ovarian follicles of all Nephrurus and Underwoodisaurus species indicated large variation in size, even within the breeding season, indicating apparent low synchrony of male and female reproductive systems. Mean testis size increases with snout-vent length throughout life. Histology of testes showed spermatogenesis in all seasons of the year, but probably not mid-winter in southerly distributed species. Sperm storage occurs in Nephrurus females, and possibly in Underwoodisaurus species. Tails of Nephrurus species are multi-functional, being used in alarm responses, feeding, courtship and mating. No territoriality was demonstrated by Nephrurus species or by U. sphyrurus but adult male U. milii (probably the most abundant of all eleven study species) demonstrated strong territorial behaviour particularly in the breeding season