Meso- and macrozooplankton communities in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica

The present paper describes composition and abundance of meso- and macrozooplankton in the epipelagic zone of the Weddell Sea and gives a systematic review of encountered species regarding results of earlier expeditions. Material was sampled from 6 February to 10 March 1983 from RV Polarstern with a RMT 1+8 m (320 and 4500 μm mesh size). In agreement with topography and water mass distribution three distinct communities were defined, clearly separated by cluster analysis: The Southern Shelf Community has lowest abundances (approx. 9000 ind./1000 m3). Euphausia crystallorophias and Metridia gerlachei are predominating. Compared with the low overall abundance the number of regularly occurring species is high (55) due to many neritic forms. Herbivores and omnivores are dominating (58% and 35%). The North-eastern Shelf Community has highest abundances (about 31 000 ind./1000 m3). It is predominated by copepodites I–III of Calanus propinquus and Calanoides acutus (61%). The faunal composition is characterized by both oceanic and neritic species (64). Fine-filter feeders are prevailing (65%). The Oceanic Community has a mean abundance of approximately 23 000 ind./1000 m3, consisting of 61 species. Dominances are not as pronounced as in the shelf communities. Apart from abundant species like Calanus propinquus, Calanoides acutus, Metridia gerlachei, Oithona spp. and Oncaea spp. many typical inhabitants of the Eastwind Drift are encountered. All feeding types have about the same importance in the Oceanic Community

Effect of SX-3228, a selective ligand for the BZ1 receptor, on sleep and waking during the light-dark cycle in the rat

The effects of the benzodiazepine1 (BZ1) receptor agonist SX-3228 were studied in rats (N = 12) implanted for chronic sleep procedures. Administration of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg SX-3228, sc, to rats 1 h after the beginning of the light phase of the light-dark cycle induced a significant reduction of rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) during the third recording hour. Moreover, slow wave sleep (SWS) was increased during the fourth recording hour after the two largest doses of the compound. Administration of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg SX-3228 one hour after the beginning of the dark period of the light-dark cycle caused a significant and maintained (6-h recording period) reduction of waking (W), whereas SWS and light sleep (LS) were increased. REMS values tended to increase during the entire recording period; however, the increase was statistically significant only for the 1.0 mg/kg dose during the first recording hour. In addition, a significant and dose-related increase of power density in the delta and the theta regions was found during nonREM sleep (LS and SWS) in the dark period. Our results indicate that SX-3228 is a potent hypnotic when given to the rat during the dark period of the light-dark cycle. Moreover, the sleep induced by SX-3228 during the dark phase closely resembles the physiological sleep of the rat

Radiolaria and Phaeodaria

Polycystina (~400–800 living species and several thousand extinct forms) and Phaeodaria (~400–500 living species) are exclusively marine, open-ocean planktonic protists, most of which possess elaborate siliceous skeletons. The cytoplasm is divided into an internal part (endoplasm) separated from the external, more vacuolated one (ectoplasm) by a perforated membrane – the central capsule. The Polycystina protrude long and slender cytoplasmic projections (axopodia) supported internally by a rigid central rod (axoneme); while the Phaeodria have anetwork ofperipheral finely interconnectedpseudopodia.Afew Polycystina are colonial, but most, as well as all Phaeodaria, are solitary, around 40 μm to almost 2 mm in size. Most polycystine species peak in abundance between 0 and 100 m, whereasphaeodarianstendtolivedeeper,oftenbelow300m.Polycystineshavea rich fossil record dating from the Cambrian and are important for stratigraphic, paleoecologic, and evolutionary studies. The world-wide biogeography and diversity of radiolarians is chiefly governed by water temperature. Radiolarian prey includes bacteria, algae, protozoa, and microinvertebrates. Many surfacedwelling species of Polycystina possess symbiotic algae and photosynthetic cyanobacteria that provide nourishment to the host. Some colonial radiolaria reproduce by binary fission of the central capsules. Sexual reproduction of polycystines or Phaeodaria has not been confirmed, but the release of motile swarmers, likely gametes, has been widely documented. In species with a radial symmetry (Spumellaria) shell-growth is centrifugal, whereas in the Nassellaria the internal cephalic elements and the cephalis appear first. Individual longevity is estimated to range between 2 and 3 weeks and 1–2 months