Video capture and editing as a tool for the storage, distribution, and illustration of morphological characters of nematodes.

Morphological identification and detailed observation of nematodes usually requires permanent slides, but these are never truly permanent and often prevent the same specimens to be used for other purposes. To efficiently record the morphology of nematodes in a format that allows easy archiving, editing, and distribution, we have assembled two micrographic video capture and editing (VCE) configurations. These assemblies allow production of short video clips that mimic multifocal observation of nematode specimens through a light microscope. Images so obtained can be used for training, management, and online access of “virtual voucher specimens” in taxonomic collections, routine screening of fixed or unfixed specimens, recording of ephemeral staining patterns, or recording of freshly dissected internal organs prior to their decomposition. We provide an overview of the components and operation of both of our systems and evaluate their efficiency and image quality. We conclude that VCE is a highly versatile approach that is likely to become widely used in nematology research and teachin

Mortality of the invasive white garden snail Theba pisana exposed to three US isolates of Phasmarhabditis spp (P. hermaphrodita, P. californica, and P. papillosa).

Theba pisana is a serious snail pest in many parts of the world and affects diverse crops including grain, vegetables, grapevines, and ornamental plants and shrubs. Due to its gregarious nature, ability to reproduce rapidly, and the difficulty of controlling it by conventional methods, it has the potential to become a significant pest where introduced. Mitigating this pest is an important challenge that must be addressed. Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, is a gastropod-killing nematode that is commercially available only in Europe (Nemaslug ®) and Sub-Saharan Africa (Slugtech ® SP). The use of effective gastropod-killing nematodes in the genus Phasmarhabditis (P. hermaphrodita, P. californica and P. papillosa) in California may provide one strategy for alleviating the potential damage and further spread of these snails, which are currently limited to San Diego and Los Angeles counties. Laboratory assays demonstrated for the first time that US isolates of P. hermaphrodita, P. californica and P. papillosa at 150 DJs/cm2 caused significant mortality and are equally lethal to T. pisana. Molluscicidal efficacy of these nematodes are comparable with those of iron phosphate, at the recommended high dose of 4.88 kg/m2. Additional trials are needed to determine their effects at lower dose and whether they are dependent on the size or age of the snails

Engineering chemistry: integrating batch and flow reactions on a single, automated reactor platform

Synthesis chemistry need not be limited to either only batch or only flow; rather, in the future we expect that it will consist of an amalgamation of the best and most appropriate methods. We have therefore devised a single reactor platform to conduct both batch and flow reactions, either singly or in concert, using open source technologies to automate, control and monitor individual processes. We illustrate this concept with the multistep synthesis of 5-methyl-4-propylthiophene-2-carboxylic acid to showcase the utility of this approach in a telescoped manner. Automated downstream processing techniques, consisting of continuous extraction and solvent switching steps, were also included, further freeing the chemist from routine laboratory tasks.Woolf Fisher Trust, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant IDs: EP/K009494/1, EP/M004120/1 and EP/K039520/1

Two new species of Cephalobidae from Valle de la Luna, Argentina, and observations on the genera Acrobeles and Nothacrobeles (Nematoda : Rhabditida)

Description est donnée d'#Acrobeles emmatus sp. n. et de #Nothacrobeles lunensis sp. n. provenant d'une vallée désertique d'Argentine. #A. emmatus sp. n. se distingue de toutes les autres espèces connues du genre par la présence d'une "couche interne" de la cuticule montrant deux ondulations par anneau. #N. lunensis sp. n. se différencie de toutes les autres espèces du genre par sa "double cuticule", semblable à celle observée chez #Seleborca et #Triligulla. Il est avancé que ce type de structure cuticulaire peut être apparu indépendamment dans au moins trois lignées et qu'il est donc insuffisant pour représenter un caractère générique. En conséquence, #Seleborca et #Triligulla sont proposés comme des synonymes mineurs d'#Acrobeles et #Cervidellus, respectivement. Un unique mâle de #Nothacrobeles cf. #subtilis est également décrit. Ses proboles sont pourvues de minuscules excroissances et le champ latéral est composé de quatre lignes antérieurement et de trois postérieurement. Ce caractère est considéré comme invalidant le genre #Namibinema qui est donc proposé comme synonyme mineur de #Nothacrobeles. Les diagnoses des genres #Acrobeles et #Nothacrobeles sont amendées et un tableau des caractères spécifiques différentiels est donné pour chacun des deux genres. (Résumé d'auteur

Terrestrial nematodes from the Galapagos Archipelago : 7. Description of Tylocephalus nimius sp. n. and new data on the morphology, development and behaviour of T. auriculatus (Bütschli, 1873) Anderson, 1966 (Leptolaimina : Plectidae)

Description est donnée de #Tylocephalus nimius sp. n., provenant des îles de Santa Cruz et Floreana, caractérisé par des "cornes" mesurant 12-14 micromètres et des expansions céphaliques dépassant considérablement les soies somatiques les plus antérieures. #T. auriculatus est redécrit sur des spécimens provenant d'échantillons de sol et d'un élevage dérivé sur plaque d'agar. Pendant la prise de nourriture de #T. auriculatus, la région labiale se balance dans le plan dorso-ventral dans un mouvement oscillant, continu et indépendant de la locomotion du corps. L'hypothèse est formulée que cette espèce et les autres #Wilsonematinae se sont spécialisés à balayer les bactéries collées aux surfaces planes des éléments microscopiques du sol. De plus, les observations morphologiques et ontogéniques suggèrent que cette espèce ne passe que par trois stades juvéniles, avec une métamorphose marquée de la région labiale pendant les première et deuxième mues. (Résumé d'auteur

A new nematode genus (Rhabditida: Panagrolaimidae) from pitcher plants

During a visit to Tung-Kai Botanical Garden in Trang Province, near the Isthmus of Kra, Southern Thailand, one of us (HS) sampled the liquid contained within the pitchers of the carnvivorous plant Nepenthes cf. mirabilis (Lour.) Druce, in order to obtain some of the peculiar rotifers recorded from such habitats. No rotifers but some unidentifiable bdelloids were found, but the samples contained abundant material of a large nematode together with some diplogasterids. Some of the unique morphological characters of this nematode make its placement difficult. In order to obtain additional information about the nematode’s identity and position in relation to the other known morphologically related taxa, we reconstructed a molecular phylogenetic history of selected taxa, including this nematode, based on the small subunit (ssu) ribosomal DNA. In this paper, we describe this new genus and species from Nepenthes, and present an emended diagnosis of the family Panagrolaimida