Italian Journal of Zoology最新文献_第8页

Positive selection effects on the biochemical properties of fish pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide receptor (QRFPR) 鱼类焦氨酰化RFamide肽受体(QRFPR)生化特性的正选择效应

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-10-02 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1071437

R. Bakiu, A. Tolomeo, G. Santovito

{"title":"Positive selection effects on the biochemical properties of fish pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide receptor (QRFPR)","authors":"R. Bakiu, A. Tolomeo, G. Santovito","doi":"10.1080/11250003.2015.1071437","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2015.1071437","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Orphan receptor GPR103, a pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide receptor (QRFPR), is a class-A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and it is coupled to a Gi alpha subunit (Gi/0) and/or to a Gq protein. Synteny analysis revealed the existence of qrfpr paralogous genes in mouse, zebrafish and coelacanth. These paralogous genes emerged along with the species-specific gene or genome duplications that occurred during vertebrate evolution. Neuropeptide 26RFa (also termed QRFP) is the latest member of the RFamide peptide family to be discovered in the hypothalamus of vertebrates. 26RFa/QRFP is a 26-amino acid residue peptide that was originally identified from the frog brain. It has been shown to exert orexigenic activity in mammals and to be a ligand of the previously identified orphan G protein-coupled receptor, QRFPR. The structure, tissue-specific expression and biochemical activity of the 26RFa/QRFP–QRFPR system are conserved across the Chordata phylum, from fish to mammals. In order to study the molecular evolution of fish QRFPRs, we investigated the presence of natural selection on the QRFPR family using a bioinformatic approach. Overall, the obtained results clearly indicate that fish QRFPRs are under positive selection, but the positively selected amino acids did not significantly alter the biochemical properties of these proteins.","PeriodicalId":14615,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Zoology","volume":"78 1","pages":"460 - 472"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86146542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 5

Dispersal of reintroduced Chinese water deer after release in Nanhui East Shoal Wildlife Sanctuary of Shanghai, China 上海南汇东浅滩野生动物保护区放归后中华水鹿的扩散

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-09-24 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1051140

X. He, M. Chen, E. Zhang

{"title":"Dispersal of reintroduced Chinese water deer after release in Nanhui East Shoal Wildlife Sanctuary of Shanghai, China","authors":"X. He, M. Chen, E. Zhang","doi":"10.1080/11250003.2015.1051140","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2015.1051140","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract As a native species in history, Chinese water deer were reintroduced to Shanghai in 2006 and were released into the wild, at Nanhui East Shoal Wildlife Sanctuary, in 2010. In order to study the dispersal, we used radio telemetry to track 12 released deer’s movements. The research suggests that all the bucks showed clear dispersal behaviour in the initial period, and their dispersal occurred earlier and lasted longer than that of the does. Most bucks’ dispersing movement occurred from the third day to the fifth day after release, and the dispersing does’ movement occurred from the eighth to the ninth day. The first dispersal of the bucks lasted for 4–5 days, while this was only 1–2 days for the does. The mean dispersal distance for the bucks was 623 m in the initial period of relocation, and that of the does was significantly smaller. The dispersal distance for sub-adults was also considerably smaller than that of the adults. Reed wetland was the main habitat the deer liked to select. After the initial period, the mean dispersal distance was 857 m and bucks still dispersed significantly farther than does did. Most surviving individuals displayed a new dispersal during early December, but the adult does showed a tendency of retraction from the following January. Unfamiliarity with new environments might explain why the deer did not immediately disperse after release. After becoming familiar with food distribution and shelter conditions, they dispersed further in order to avoid predation risk. In order to improve the survival rate of reintroduced deer, we suggest releasing the adult individuals of robust physique into the wild in future programmes, and more attention should be paid to the initial 9 days after releasing the species. Increasing the local experience of the captive-born animals and helping them become familiar with the new wild habitat will improve the survival rate in future reintroductions.","PeriodicalId":14615,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Zoology","volume":"34 1","pages":"582 - 591"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87152129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 3

Behavioural processes, ephemeral resources and spring population dynamics of an insular lizard, Podarcis lilfordi (Squamata: Lacertidae) 岛蜥的行为过程、短暂资源和春季种群动态(鳞目:蜥科)

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-09-23 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1093035

V. Pérez‐Mellado, T. García-Díez, J. A. Hernández-Estévez, G. Tavecchia

{"title":"Behavioural processes, ephemeral resources and spring population dynamics of an insular lizard, Podarcis lilfordi (Squamata: Lacertidae)","authors":"V. Pérez‐Mellado, T. García-Díez, J. A. Hernández-Estévez, G. Tavecchia","doi":"10.1080/11250003.2015.1093035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2015.1093035","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Temporal changes in adult sex ratio of animal populations might be due to differences in movements, survival or detection probabilities. We used data from an intensive capture–mark–recapture study of 720 lizards at the islet of Aire (Balearic Islands, Spain) to investigate the demographic mechanisms underlying the spring uneven sex ratio. We simultaneously estimated survival (f), the proportion of transient animals (p) and the probability of recapture (p) of lizards at the study plot. We then estimated population size using open population models for individually based data and compared these with the observed values. Results indicated that males had a higher probability of recapture than females, but this was not sufficient to generate the observed male-biased sex ratio. The proportion of transient males decreased at the end of spring in parallel with the end of the blooming period of the dead horse arum, Helicodiceros muscivorus, a short-lasting food and thermoregulation resource for lizards during spring. Changes in the proportion of transients suggested that sex-dependent movements, most likely linked to a monopolising behaviour of this plant resource, were responsible for the observed difference in the number of males and females. Our results reveal how the interplay of behavioural and ecological factors explains short-term changes in population dynamics and shapes the movement patterns within the island.","PeriodicalId":14615,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Zoology","volume":"82 1","pages":"556 - 564"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84804874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 4

Expression and localization of the copper-ATPase ATP7A in mice neural cells 铜- atp酶ATP7A在小鼠神经细胞中的表达和定位

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-09-23 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1091514

J. Cheng, P. Guo, Z. Wang, L. Sun

引用次数: 0

The ultrastructural characteristics of spermatogenesis in Onchidium struma (Pulmonata: Onchidiidae) and its functional adaptation 荷兰花精子发生的超微结构特征及其功能适应

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-09-07 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1062149

S.-H. Chen, Liping Xia, H. Dahms, X. Peng, X. Ying

{"title":"The ultrastructural characteristics of spermatogenesis in Onchidium struma (Pulmonata: Onchidiidae) and its functional adaptation","authors":"S.-H. Chen, Liping Xia, H. Dahms, X. Peng, X. Ying","doi":"10.1080/11250003.2015.1062149","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2015.1062149","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The ultrastructural characteristics of spermatogenesis of the mollusc Onchidium struma (Pulmonata: Onchidiidae) were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The spermatogenesis of O. struma is divided into five stages based on morphological changes of the nucleus, mitochondria and other organelles that include the spermatogonium, primary spermatocyte, secondary spermatocyte, spermatid and sperm. During sperm cell differentiation, the nucleus content is condensed from asymmetrical granules to flocculent-shape, filament-shape, long-filament-shape, uniform and finally dense granules. The shape of the nucleus is transformed from round to olive shaped, wing shaped and finally long cone shaped. There is a posterior nuclear fossa in the nucleus of the mature spermatozoon. During spermatogenesis, there are rich Golgi vesicles, endoplasmic reticula, endoplasmic reticulum vesicles and a great deal of mitochondria. The number of mitochondria increases at first and then decreases while the volume of mitochondria increases. The mitochondria crista increase in number and are fused. The distribution of mitochondria develops from random to polar, and the mitochondrial complex encloses around the axoneme at the final stage. The changes of nucleus and organelles during spermatogenesis are compared between O. struma and other gastropods, and its peculiarities for gastropod reproduction as well as physiological adaptations are discussed.","PeriodicalId":14615,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Zoology","volume":"24 1","pages":"489 - 498"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79201950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 6

Nematodes and rotifers on two Alpine debris-covered glaciers 阿尔卑斯冰川上的线虫和轮虫

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-08-26 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1080312

R. Azzoni, A. Franzetti, Diego Fontaneto, Aldo Zullini, R. Ambrosini

{"title":"Nematodes and rotifers on two Alpine debris-covered glaciers","authors":"R. Azzoni, A. Franzetti, Diego Fontaneto, Aldo Zullini, R. Ambrosini","doi":"10.1080/11250003.2015.1080312","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2015.1080312","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Debris-covered glaciers (DCGs) are glaciers whose ablation area is mostly covered by a continuous layer of debris, and are considered to be among the continental glacierized environments richest in life. DCG colonization by microorganisms, plants and animals, has been investigated in a few studies, while the meiofauna (metazoans smaller than 2 mm) of these environments has been neglected so far. In this study, we analyzed nematode and rotifer fauna on the two largest debris-covered glaciers of the Italian Alps: the Miage Glacier and the Belvedere Glacier. In total, we collected 38 debris samples on the glaciers in July and September 2009. All the rotifers we found belonged to the bdelloid Adineta vaga (Davis, 1873). Nematodes belonged to 19 species. Miage Glacier hosted a richer and more diverse nematode fauna than the Belvedere. The dominant genus was Plectus Bastian, 1865, a common genus in habitats at high latitude and altitude. Analysis of the feeding type of nematodes highlighted that bacterivores were dominant on Miage Glacier, while bacterivores and herbivores were more widespread on Belvedere Glacier. Predator nematodes were absent. Analysis of the food-web structure indicated that nematode assemblages on both glaciers were typical of environments with depleted food availability, probably resulting from instability of the glacier surface and the short exposure of sediments, preventing the evolution of true soil and enrichment in organic matter of the debris. The scarcity of bacterial primary producers suggests that deposition of allochthonous organic matter is the principal organic carbon source in this environment.","PeriodicalId":14615,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Zoology","volume":"51 1","pages":"616 - 623"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85715717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 21

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-08-18 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1078418

D. Araujo, E. Paula-Neto, A. Brescovit, D. Cella, M. C. Schneider

{"title":"Chromosomal similarities between Nephilidae and Tetragnathidae indicate unique evolutionary traits among Araneoidea","authors":"D. Araujo, E. Paula-Neto, A. Brescovit, D. Cella, M. C. Schneider","doi":"10.1080/11250003.2015.1078418","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2015.1078418","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Nephilid systematics has been subject to several changes in the last years, and the use of non-classical characters could be useful for evolutionary considerations. In this study, we analyzed the mitotic chromosomes of two nephilid spiders, Nephila clavipes and Nephila sexpunctata, using standard staining, silver nitrate impregnation and C-banding techniques, aiming to discuss the chromosomal similarities of Nephilidae and Tetragnathidae, and chromosome evolution within Nephila and Nephilingis. The basic karyotype characteristics observed in these two species (2n♂ = 22 + X1X20 and monoarmed chromosomes) were similar to those registered for most araneoid families, i.e., Araneidae, Linyphiidae, Nephilidae, Nesticidae and Tetragnathidae. However, the occurrence of both prominent secondary constrictions and nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) is a shared characteristic between Nephilidae and Tetragnathidae, considering that these regions were not observed in any other Araneoidea species cytogenetically examined. Furthermore, in the present study we showed that within Nephila and Nephilingis species, change in the number and location of NORs as well as in the quantity and distribution of constitutive heterochromatin were the main events responsible for chromosome evolution, and that these differences can be useful in the cytotaxonomy of this group.","PeriodicalId":14615,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Zoology","volume":"72 1","pages":"513 - 520"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86300814","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 4

A new Mediterranean species of Tethya (Porifera: Tethyida: Demospongiae) 海蛾属地中海一新种(porfiera:海蛾目:Demospongiae)

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-08-17 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1077278

G. Corriero, F. Gadaleta, G. Bavestrello

引用次数: 5

Railway tracks can have great value for butterflies as a new alternative habitat 铁路轨道可以作为蝴蝶新的栖息地，具有很大的价值

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-08-14 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1078417

K. Kalarus, M. Bąkowski

{"title":"Railway tracks can have great value for butterflies as a new alternative habitat","authors":"K. Kalarus, M. Bąkowski","doi":"10.1080/11250003.2015.1078417","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2015.1078417","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Natural and semi-natural habitats are declining. However, little is known of the value of artificial and human-altered habitats for biodiversity maintenance in fragmented landscapes. We hypothesized that railway tracks can have great value for butterflies as an alternative habitat. Using 200-m-long transects, we investigated species richness and two main types of β-diversity, i.e. nestedness and community dispersion, for both butterflies and their nectar plants in eight sites under an expected gradient of habitat quality – meadows, railway tracks, forest clearings and degraded meadows. Railway tracks and meadows had higher butterfly species richness than forest clearings and degraded meadow. Butterfly species distribution among sites was strongly related to the gradient of habitat quality that was measured as nectar plant composition. Railway tracks contained the widest pool of butterflies with species of various biotopes as well as a wide pool of nectar plants at a nested subset pattern of β-diversity. However, the pattern of community dispersion was opposite to what had been expected. Meadows and railway tracks, being more heterogeneous sites in terms of composition of nectar plants, supported slightly more homogeneous butterfly communities. This suggests that habitats of low quality, i.e. forest clearings and degraded meadows, have less-stable butterfly communities. We concluded that railway tracks located on sun-warmed embankments containing a reach pool of nectar plants could enable multi-species communities to persist in an environment of good suitability. Conservation managers should therefore focus on enhancing the quality of railway tracks and their vicinity through the preservation of a high abundance of various flowering plants.","PeriodicalId":14615,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Zoology","volume":"43 1","pages":"565 - 572"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91334392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 14

The genus Megalomma (Annelida: Sabellidae) in the Mediterraenan Sea, with description of two new species from Italian and Croatian coasts 标题地中海的巨齿蜥属(环节动物:巨齿蜥科)，并附意大利和克罗地亚海岸的两个新种的描述

Italian Journal of Zoology Pub Date : 2015-08-04 DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2015.1072251

A. Giangrande, L. Caruso, B. Mikac, M. Licciano

引用次数: 6