Iguana delicatissima

Number of Pages: 14Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Taxonomic studies of the genus Phymaturus (IGUANIA: LIOLAEMIDAE): Description of four new species.

After the study of a diverse collection of Phymaturus from three Argentinian institutions and additional samples collected in the last two years we discovered several populations of uncertain taxonomic status. Based on 93 morphological characters of squamation, color pattern, gular and nuchal folds, precloacal pores, and morphometric data, we conclude that at least four of those are independent lineages which require formal description. Characters related to sexual dimorphism and dichromatism as well as the ontogenetic change of several others, from juvenile to adult specimens, are described. According to the most recent revision of the genus (Lobo and Quinteros, 2005a) and considering the descriptions made in the last four years, the taxonomic composition of the genus was raised to 23 species. In this study we provide the formal description of four additional new taxa, including their diagnosis and detailed comparisons with other members of their species groups. Two new species belong to the patagonicus group (provinces of Chubut and Rio Negro, in Patagonia between 46° and 41° of latitude) while the other two belong to the palluma group (Neuquén and Catamarca provinces, western Argentina, 39° and 27‑26°30’of latitude respectively). With the exception of one case for which four localities are reported, all new species are restricted to their type localities. This fact confirms a common historical distributional pattern for most species of the genusPhymaturus from three Argentinian institutions and additional samples collected in the last two years we discovered several populations of uncertain taxonomic status. Based on 93 morphological characters of squamation, color pattern, gular and nuchal folds, precloacal pores, and morphometric data, we conclude that at least four of those are independent lineages which require formal description. Characters related to sexual dimorphism and dichromatism as well as the ontogenetic change of several others, from juvenile to adult specimens, are described. According to the most recent revision of the genus (Lobo and Quinteros, 2005a) and considering the descriptions made in the last four years, the taxonomic composition of the genus was raised to 23 species. In this study we provide the formal description of four additional new taxa, including their diagnosis and detailed comparisons with other members of their species groups. Two new species belong to the patagonicus group (provinces of Chubut and Rio Negro, in Patagonia between 46° and 41° of latitude) while the other two belong to the palluma group (Neuquén and Catamarca provinces, western Argentina, 39° and 27‑26°30’of latitude respectively). With the exception of one case for which four localities are reported, all new species are restricted to their type localities. This fact confirms a common historical distributional pattern for most species of the genuspatagonicus group (provinces of Chubut and Rio Negro, in Patagonia between 46° and 41° of latitude) while the other two belong to the palluma group (Neuquén and Catamarca provinces, western Argentina, 39° and 27‑26°30’of latitude respectively). With the exception of one case for which four localities are reported, all new species are restricted to their type localities. This fact confirms a common historical distributional pattern for most species of the genuspalluma group (Neuquén and Catamarca provinces, western Argentina, 39° and 27‑26°30’of latitude respectively). With the exception of one case for which four localities are reported, all new species are restricted to their type localities. This fact confirms a common historical distributional pattern for most species of the genus.Fil: Lobo Gaviola, Fernando Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Abdala, Cristian Simón. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Valdecantos, Maria Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentin

Abundant prey or optimal microhabitat? Natrix tessellata stays hidden in safe areas in a diverse floodplain along the Danube at Göd, Hungary

Natrix tessellata (Laurenti, 1768) is a diurnal piscivorous Eurasian snake species with a large distribution area. Along the River Danube it is present in the floodplain and along the lower stretch of tributaries. The distribution of N. tessellata among the different microhabitats along the River Danube at Göd (1669-1671 rkm) and its relationship with environmental parameters and fish presence/absence, species composition, size distribution and abundance was studied at eight selected sections. Samples were collected twice a month from March to October in 2008-2009; N. tessellata was found between May and early October. Altogether 26 N. tessellata sightings were recorded together with 497 individuals of 21 fish species along the same sections, while another 5,547 individuals belonging to 28 fish species were caught in snake-free areas. Microhabitat characteristics were more important than the presence of fish in determining along which section N. tessellata stays. It favoured slow-flowing sections with aquatic macrophytes and a sandy or muddy bottom. In spite of their suitability, artificial habitats were not much used maybe due to increased risk of disturbance and predation/persecution. The habitat preference of N. tessellata changed less between the two studied years with different water level fluctuations than those of fishes and it was not identical with that of any of the fish species caught. However, fish 15-30 mm and longer may influence the distribution of N. tessellata

Distribution of amphibians and reptiles in central Poland: 1980-2000

Based on 3047 records from 97 recorders distribution maps were drawn for the amphibians and reptiles of central Poland (lirom 51°00’N to 52°15’N and from 18°20’E to 20°20’E). The study area was divided into 180 atlas fields based on the geographic grid. All data were gathered in 1980-2000, most of them (67%) however, in 1995-2000. 13 taxa of amphibians were found in 143 atlas fields and 6 species of reptiles were found in 121 atlas fields. The amphibians were (given with the number of atlas fields with the species found): 119 - Common frog Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1758; 114 - Common toad Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758); 97 - Moor frog Rana arvalis Nilsson, 1842; 94 - Fire-bellied toad Bomhina bombina (Linnaeus, 1761); 93 - Pool frog Rana lessonae Camerano, 1882; 87 - Tree frog Hyla arhorea (Linnaeus, 1758); 85 - Green toad Bufo viriiüs Laurenti, 1768; 72 - Smooth newt Triturus vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758); 70 - Spadefoot Pelobales fuscus (Laurenti, 1768); 69 - Edible frog Rana kl. esculenia Linnaeus, 1758; 39 - Great crested newt Triturus cristatus (Laurenti, 1768); 30 - Marsh frog Rana ridibunda Pallas, 1771 and 28 - the Natterjack Bufo calamita Laurenti, 1768. The reptile species (given with the number o f atlas fields) were: 94 - Sand lizard Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758; 72 - Slow-worm Anguis fragilis Linnaeus, 1758; 67 - Common lizard Lacerta vivipara Jacquin, 1787; 60 - Grass snake Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758), 57 - Adder Vipera berus (Linnaeus, 1758) and 4 - the Smooth snake Coronella austriaca Laurenti, 1768. Six adult specimens of the European pond terrapin Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus) were also found, but breeding of this species in the area studied was not confirmed.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

The Spectroscopic Orbits of Three Double-lined Eclipsing Binaries: I. BG Ind, IM Mon, RS Sgr

We present the spectroscopic orbit solutions of three double-lines eclipsing binaries, BG Ind, IM Mon and RS Sgr. The first precise radial velocities (RVs) of the components were determined using high resolution echelle spectra obtained at Mt. John University Observatory in New Zealand. The RVs of the components of BG Ind and RS Sgr were measured using Gaussian fittings to the selected spectral lines, whereas two-dimensional cross-correlation technique was preferred to determine the RVs of IM Mon since it has relatively short orbital period among the other targets and so blending of the lines is more effective. For all systems, the Keplerian orbital solution was used during the analysis and also circular orbit was adopted because the eccentricities for all targets were found to be negligible. The first precise orbit analysis of these systems gives the mass ratios of the systems as 0.894, 0.606 and 0.325, respectively for BG Ind, IM Mon and RS Sgr. Comparison of the mass ratio values, orbital sizes and minimum masses of the components of the systems indicates that all systems should have different physical, dynamical and probable evolutionary status.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures and 4 tables, accepted for publication in New Astronom

Experimental Biological Protocols with Formal Semantics

Both experimental and computational biology is becoming increasingly automated. Laboratory experiments are now performed automatically on high-throughput machinery, while computational models are synthesized or inferred automatically from data. However, integration between automated tasks in the process of biological discovery is still lacking, largely due to incompatible or missing formal representations. While theories are expressed formally as computational models, existing languages for encoding and automating experimental protocols often lack formal semantics. This makes it challenging to extract novel understanding by identifying when theory and experimental evidence disagree due to errors in the models or the protocols used to validate them. To address this, we formalize the syntax of a core protocol language, which provides a unified description for the models of biochemical systems being experimented on, together with the discrete events representing the liquid-handling steps of biological protocols. We present both a deterministic and a stochastic semantics to this language, both defined in terms of hybrid processes. In particular, the stochastic semantics captures uncertainties in equipment tolerances, making it a suitable tool for both experimental and computational biologists. We illustrate how the proposed protocol language can be used for automated verification and synthesis of laboratory experiments on case studies from the fields of chemistry and molecular programming

Paleosuchus

Number of Pages: 4Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Corallus caninus

Number of Pages: 4Integrative BiologyGeological Science