Molecular and ecophysiological characterisation of the Tunisian bee: Apis mellifera intermissa

This study concerns the morphological identification, the molecular features and the eco-physiology of the Tunisian bee Apis mellifera intermissa, focused on 655 colonies from 7 populations: Kroumirie Moogod, North East Cap Bon, Ridge and Tell, high steppe, lower steppe, Atlas Chainon, Jeffara and Ouarra. The geometric morphometry of the interior wing of the bee shows polymorphism in size and shape. The size polymorphism is essentialy related to beekeeping practices. The characterization by means of a cytoplasmic molecular marker - mitochondrial DNA (DNA m t) - showed that the Tunisian bee originated from lineage A, which contradicts its membership to lineage M as demonstrated by a study based on biometric data only (Ruttner, 1988). There is a genetic polymorphism of the Tunisian bee in the presence of four haplotypes: A1, A8, A9 and A4. The distribution of the A4 and A9 haplotypes depends on ecological conditions. Foreign haplotypes are present in the region of Ghardimaou near the Algerian border (C7 haplotype). The study of some ecophysiological parameters in colonies of Apis mellifera intermissa from 5 sites showed that the Tunisian bee is endowed with a very marked disregard for all haplotypes (A1, A4, A8 and A9). However, we report the existence of a difference between these haplotypes in thermoregulation, oviposition and respiration of solitary bees. The temperature of the A1 and A8 haplotypes brood nest is around 36°C while the A9 and A4 haplotypes brood nest has a temperature of 34°C when weather conditions are extreme. The A4 and A9 haplotypes fall into hibernation, the temperature of the brood nest ranging between 22 and 28°C. The A1 and A8 haplotypes have a high tendency to lay A9 and A4 haplotypes, which however is variable, ranging from zero to average depending on climatic conditions. A study of respiration of isolated honeybees showed a difference in oxygen consumption between haplotypes A1/ A8 and A4/A9 at low temperatures

Study of the three-dimensional orientation of the labrum: its relations with the osseous acetabular rim

Abstract Understanding the three-dimensional orientation of the coxo-femoral joint remains a challenge as an accurate three-dimensional orientation ensure an efficient bipedal gait and posture. The quantification of the orientation of the acetabulum can be performed using the three-dimensional axis perpendicular to the plane that passes along the edge of the acetabular rim. However, the acetabular rim is not regular as an important indentation in the anterior rim was observed. An innovative cadaver study of the labrum was developed to shed light on the proper quantification of the three-dimensional orientation of the acetabulum. Dissections on 17 nonembalmed corpses were performed. Our results suggest that the acetabular rim is better represented by an anterior plane and a posterior plane rather than a single plane along the entire rim as it is currently assumed. The development of the socket from the Y-shaped cartilage was suggested to explain the different orientations in these anterior and posterior planes. The labrum forms a plane that takes an orientation in between the anterior and posterior parts of the acetabular rim, filling up inequalities of the bony rim. The vectors V L , V A2 and V P , representing the three-dimensional orientation of the labrum, the anterior rim and the posterior rim, are situated in a unique plane that appears biomechanically dependent. The three-dimensional orientation of the acetabulum is a fundamental parameter to understand the hip joint mechanism. Important applications for hip surgery and rehabilitation, as well as for physical anthropology, were discussed

Nasal Bone Shape Is under Complex Epistatic Genetic Control in Mouse Interspecific Recombinant Congenic Strains

Genetic determinism of cranial morphology in the mouse is still largely unknown, despite the localization of putative QTLs and the identification of genes associated with Mendelian skull malformations. To approach the dissection of this multigenic control, we have used a set of interspecific recombinant congenic strains (IRCS) produced between C57BL/6 and mice of the distant species Mus spretus (SEG/Pas). Each strain has inherited 1.3% of its genome from SEG/Pas under the form of few, small-sized, chromosomal segments.The shape of the nasal bone was studied using outline analysis combined with Fourier descriptors, and differential features were identified between IRCS BcG-66H and C57BL/6. An F2 cross between BcG-66H and C57BL/6 revealed that, out of the three SEG/Pas-derived chromosomal regions present in BcG-66H, two were involved. Segments on chromosomes 1 (∼32 Mb) and 18 (∼13 Mb) showed additive effect on nasal bone shape. The three chromosomal regions present in BcG-66H were isolated in congenic strains to study their individual effect. Epistatic interactions were assessed in bicongenic strains.Our results show that, besides a strong individual effect, the QTL on chromosome 1 interacts with genes on chromosomes 13 and 18. This study demonstrates that nasal bone shape is under complex genetic control but can be efficiently dissected in the mouse using appropriate genetic tools and shape descriptors

Description d'un Lestodiplosis nouveau, prédateur d'Elaeidobius subvittatus (Col. Curculionidae), pollinisateur du Palmier à huile Elaeis guineesis en Colombie [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]

Baylac Michel. Description d'un Lestodiplosis nouveau, prédateur d'Elaeidobius subvittatus (Col. Curculionidae), pollinisateur du Palmier à huile Elaeis guineesis en Colombie [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]. In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 92 (3-4), décembre 1987. pp. 125-132

Redescription de Monarthropalpus buxi (Laboulbène), désignation d'un lectotype [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]

Baylac Michel. Redescription de Monarthropalpus buxi (Laboulbène), désignation d'un lectotype [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]. In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 91 (7-8), Septembre-octobre 1986. pp. 259-269

Observations sur l'abondance et la spécificité prédatrice de quelques espèces du genre Lestodiplosis Kieffer (Diptera : Cecidomyiidae)

The density and the repartition of 17 species belonging to the genus Lestodiplosis have been observed in the Center, the East and the North of France. Densities are generally low or very low and the geographic repartitions are irregular. These low abundances cannot be explained, in the majority of the cases, by annual fluctuations. Furthermore, they are not compatible with the predatory specificity which was supposed by some authors.L'abondance et la répartition de 17 espèces du genre Lestodiplosis ont été relevées dans le Centre, l'Est et le Nord de la France. Les abondances sont en général faibles, voire très faibles, et les répartitions irrégulières. Ces faibles abondances ne peuvent pas toutes s'expliquer par des fluctuations annuelles et sont incompatibles dans la plupart des cas avec la spécificité prédatrice, postulée par certains auteurs.Baylac Michel. Observations sur l'abondance et la spécificité prédatrice de quelques espèces du genre Lestodiplosis Kieffer (Diptera : Cecidomyiidae). In: Bulletin mensuel de la Société linnéenne de Lyon, 57ᵉ année, n°5, mai 1988. pp. 159-168

Redescription de Monarthropalpus buxi (Laboulbène), désignation d'un lectotype [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]

Baylac Michel. Redescription de Monarthropalpus buxi (Laboulbène), désignation d'un lectotype [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]. In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 91 (7-8), Septembre-octobre 1986. pp. 259-269

Note sur le polymorphisme alaire dans le genre Lestodiplosis Kieffer [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]

Baylac Michel. Note sur le polymorphisme alaire dans le genre Lestodiplosis Kieffer [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]. In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 91 (1-2), Janvier-février 1986. pp. 41-45

Note sur le polymorphisme alaire dans le genre Lestodiplosis Kieffer [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]

Baylac Michel. Note sur le polymorphisme alaire dans le genre Lestodiplosis Kieffer [Dipt. Cecidomyiidae]. In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 91 (1-2), Janvier-février 1986. pp. 41-45