A new, large-bodied omnivorous bat (Noctilionoidea: Mystacinidae) reveals lost morphological and ecological diversity since the Miocene in New Zealand

A new genus and species of fossil bat is described from New Zealand's only pre-Pleistocene Cenozoic terrestrial fauna, the early Miocene St Bathans Fauna of Central Otago, South Island. Bayesian total evidence phylogenetic analysis places this new Southern Hemisphere taxon among the burrowing bats (mystacinids) of New Zealand and Australia, although its lower dentition also resembles Africa's endemic sucker-footed bats (myzopodids). As the first new bat genus to be added to New Zealand's fauna in more than 150 years, it provides new insight into the original diversity of chiropterans in Australasia. It also underscores the significant decline in morphological diversity that has taken place in the highly distinctive, semi-terrestrial bat family Mystacinidae since the Miocene. This bat was relatively large, with an estimated body mass of ~40 g, and its dentition suggests it had an omnivorous diet. Its striking dental autapomorphies, including development of a large hypocone, signal a shift of diet compared with other mystacinids, and may provide evidence of an adaptive radiation in feeding strategy in this group of noctilionoid bats

Absence of Neurological and Behavioral Abnormalities after Anterior Transcallosal Operation for Third Ventricular Lesions

abstract Four children who had each undergone a transcallosal operation for a lesion in the anterior 3rd ventricle were studied extensively for behavioral abnormalities of the type that might follow a disruption of the corpus callosum. No such abnormalities were found. The operative technique used in these children is described.</jats:p

EFFECTS OF UTERINE INFUSION OF NONVIABLE SEMEN, SEMINAL PLASMA OR EGG ALBUMEN PRIOR TO BREEDING ON THE REPRODUCTIVE EFFICIENCY OF GILTS OR SOWS

In two different experiments crossbred gilts and(or) sows were used to investigate the effects of uterine exposure (prior to breeding) to nonviable semen (NS), seminal plasma (SP) or egg albumen (EA) on reproductive performance. Treatment solutions were infused via the cervix at estrus in gilts or within 2 d post-partum in sows. Females were artificially inseminated at the subsequent estrus. In the first experiment pregnancy rates for gilts infused with Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) as controls, NS or EA and subsequently inseminated, were 76, 85 and 54%, respectively, and were not significantly different among treatment groups. The number of total embryos (adjusted for number of corpora lutea) present at 38 d postinsemination was 9.6, 9.0 and 9.6, respectively, for BTS, ND and EA infused gilts and was not significantly different. Likewise, the number of live and dead embryos was not different among treatments. In the second experiment, the proportions of inseminated sows infused with BTS, NS or SP that subsequently farrowed were 87, 84 and 92%, respectively, and did not differ significantly among treatments. No significant differences were detected for the number of total, live or dead pigs born per litter among treatments. We conclude that uterine exposure to seminal proteins or egg albumen prior to breeding does not alter reproductive performance in gilts by 38 d of gestation. Also, the infusion of seminal proteins in sows shortly after parturition does not affect pregnancy rates or litter size at the subsequent farrowing. Key words: Reproductive efficiency, litter size, swine, artificial insemination </jats:p