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Morphological Descriptions (morphological + description)
Selected AbstractsMorphological Descriptions of New and Little-Known Benthic Ciliates from Ganghwa Tidal Flat, KoreaTHE JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2007JUN GONG ABSTRACT. Ciliates are highly diverse in the benthos where there are rare species to be unrevealed and described. By isolating species during successive and diversified cultivations, we discovered several new and interesting taxa from the top layer sediment of a muddy site in the Ganghwa tidal flat. These include three new species Spirodysteria ganghwaensis n. sp., Uronemella parafilificum n. sp., Zosterodasys minuta n. sp., and one poorly known form Loxophyllum chaetonotumBorror 1965. The morphology of live cells and infraciliature of these four species are described based on living observations, protargol impregnations, and morphometrics. Diagnoses and improved definitions are also provided. The newly established genus Spirodysteria n. g. differs from Dysteria mainly in its spirally twisted body shape. Spirodysteria kahli (Tucolesco 1962) n. comb. (formerly Dysteria kahliTucolesco 1962) has been included in this new genus. [source] Morphological description, biometry and phylogenetic position of the skull of Ngawi 1 (east Java, Indonesia)INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 6 2003H. Widianto Abstract The skull of Ngawi 1 was discovered fortuitously in August 1987 on the left bank of the river Solo near the village of Selopuro (east Java, Indonesia). It is a complete, well preserved and strongly mineralized calvaria. The present article provides a complete description of this specimen. Its general morphological pattern is first considered; then, each anatomical complex is considered individually, allowing us a comparison with other Asian Pleistocene fossils. A broad biometric framework and a morphological database are both used to perform a cladistic analysis aiming at a more accurate determination of the phylogenetic position of this skull among ,Homo erectus'. This work confirms that Ngawi 1 is closer to the Ngandong-Sambungmachan series than to the Trinil-Sangiran series. Following the hypothesis of a young age (40,000 years) for the former series, the question is whether this skull belongs to a subspecies of Homo sapiens, as suggested by early authors, or to a separate species, Homo soloensis. An evolutionary process is suggested here, where Ngawi 1 belongs to a particular human group that is geographically and chronologically restricted. This Indonesian human group may have evolved at the same time as the Neandertals in Europe, an area which represented the westernmost end of Eurasia when Indonesia was its easternmost end. The question is raised as to whether insularity, that isolated this taxon, is comparable to the cool climate which isolated the Neandertals for thousands of years. If so, the Ngawi-Ngandong-Sambungmachan series might have evolved from an older, local Homo erectus population. On the other hand, due to local, drastic volcano-tectonic events that occurred 71,000 years ago, and catastrophic events 780,000 years ago, the first inhabitants of Java may have disappeared. According to this alternative hypothesis, Ngawi 1 could be one of the new invaders from continental Asia. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Foregut ossicles morphology and feeding of the freshwater anomuran crab Aegla uruguayana (Decapoda, Aeglidae)ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 4 2010Veronica Williner Abstract Williner, V. 2009. Foregut ossicles morphology and feeding of the freshwater anomuran crab Aegla uruguayana (Decapoda, Aeglidae). ,Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 408,415. The acquisition and processing of food is critical to animal survival and reproductive success. This work describes the foregut ossicles of Aegla uruguayana, which have been proposed to impart trophic characteristics. In addition, stomach contents were analysed using Index of Relative Importance and Weighted Result Index to characterize the diet. The Pearre index was applied to analyse trophic selectivity. We found A. uruguayana has a morphological foregut typical of macrophage organisms. Stomach contents included items typical of omnivorous, generalist and opportunistic feeding modes. Vegetal remains included algae (filamentous, unicellular and colonial morphotypes), insect larvae, oligochaetes, microcrustaceans (copepods and cladocerans), mites, tardigrades, juveniles of A. uruguayana and rotifers. Morphological descriptions of the foregut can reveal feeding habits and provide data on the possible trophic profile of a species, while guiding the selection of appropriate methodology for subsequent analysis. Our stomach content data corroborated the foregut description, but the presence of small prey suggested A. uruguayana utilizes both predation and detritivory trophic strategies. [source] Formation of the chondrocranium of Trachemys scripta (Reptilia: Testudines: Emydidae) and a comparison with other described turtle taxaJOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Frank J. Tulenko Abstract Few descriptions of the formation of the chelonian chondrocranium exist. Herein, developmental stages critical to the formation of the chondrocranium of the Red-eared Slider, Trachemys scripta (Testudines: Emydidae), are described and illustrated, with particular attention given to ontogenetic changes that take place in the orbitotemporal region of the skull. Morphological descriptions are based on cleared and double-stained and serially-sectioned embryos. These specimens allowed for a detailed evaluation of the developmental morphology of the trabeculae, interorbital septum, pilae metoptica, taeniae marginalis, acrochordal cartilage, pilae antotica, parachordal cartilages, and crista sellaris. Additionally, the formation of the chondrocranium of T. scripta is compared to those of Chrysemys picta (Emydidae) and Caretta caretta (Chelonidae). Overall, the patterns of formation and remodeling of the chondrocranium are quite similar among these species, with the most conspicuous differences observed in remodeling of the posterior orbital cartilages (specifically, the pila metoptica). Reorganization of these cartilages is discussed briefly in the context of associated extraocular muscles for T. scripta and C. caretta. A prominent intertrabecula is reported in T. scripta, supporting previous observations of this structure in emydid turtles. J. Morphol., 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A strategy for correlative microscopy of large skin samples: towards a holistic view of axillary skin complexityEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Katrin Wilke Abstract:, Knowledge about the structural elements of skin and its appendices is an essential prerequisite for understanding their complex functions and interactions. The hence necessary morphological description across several orders of scale not only requires the investigation at the light microscopic level but also ultrastructural investigation, ideally on the identical sample. For a correlative and multimodal observation one unique preparation protocol is mandatory. As a compromise between sample sizes of >500 ,m in diameter on the one hand and optimal preservation of antigenicity and morphology on the other, we developed a new preparation protocol that allows (i) 3D reconstruction of the resin-embedded sample by confocal light microscopy prior to (ii) direct immunolocalization of target proteins within selected sample planes by light and fluorescence microscopy or transmission electron microscopy. Alternatively, (iii) serial cryosections of the frozen sample can be taken for characterizing the sample in toto. With this unique approach we were able to fully demonstrate the structural complexity of axillary skin samples, increasing the structural resolution from 3D reconstruction of the whole gland up to ultrastructural investigations at the subcellular level. We could demonstrate that axillary sweat glands are not separately distributed, as has been assumed to date; instead, they seem to be intricately twisted into one another. This promotes the concept of a complex axillary sweat gland organ instead of single sweat gland entities. [source] Protein fraction isolated from epididymal fluid re-associates sperm in vitro: Possible role of serpins in rat rosettes assemblyMOLECULAR REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2010María A. Monclus Abstract In many mammalian species, sperm associate as a consequence of the epididymal transit. From the classic Rouleaux in guinea pig to the most recent work in mouse and echidna, authors have focused mainly on a detailed morphological description of this phenomenon. Some of these articles have also begun to describe the nature of the material present between sperm heads. Here, we try to better understand the factor/s involved in rat sperm association (Rosette). Based on previous work describing the appearance of Rosettes in the distal segments of the rat epididymis, we consider that sperm during their transit must be in contact with factor/s present in the caudal lumen in order to associate with each other. By an in vitro sperm re-associating assay, we try to determine the in vivo phenomenon observed in the lumen. The assay consists of co-incubating non-associated sperm with several protein fractions obtained from epididymal caudal fluid. After establishing the most active fraction, the proteins were characterized by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Among the proteins we found two members of the serine protease inhibitors family; an ,-1 antitrypsin and a new protein with an ,-1 antitrypsin like domain which includes a sequence compatible with the serpins' reactive center loop. These serpins may play a role in the assembly/disassembly process of Rosettes by modulating lumenal protease activity. Finally, a biochemical-morphological model which explains the sperm,proteases interaction was proposed. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 77: 410,419, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Desmostachya pingalaiae sp. nov. from Gujarat, IndiaNORDIC JOURNAL OF BOTANY, Issue 3-4 2008Vinay M. Raole Desmostachya pingalaiae Raole & R. J. Desai sp. nov. is described from the Navasari district of Gujarat, India. A detailed morphological description and line drawings of the new species are provided. In addition, the new species is compared with D. bipinnata (L.) Stapf. [source] Comparative Cellular Morphology Suggesting the Existence of Resident Dendritic Cells Within Immune Organs of SalmonidsTHE ANATOMICAL RECORD : ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Jan Lovy Abstract This report is the first morphological description of cells that resemble dendritic cells, which appear to form resident populations within the spleen and anterior kidney of fish. Based on examination of three salmonid species, including, rainbow trout, brook trout, and Atlantic salmon, the cells were most abundant in the spleen, although they were always present in the anterior kidney. The cells appeared diffusely distributed, often near blood vessels of the spleen and kidney of healthy fish and within the epithelium, connective tissue, and blood vessels of rainbow trout gills with experimentally induced microsoporidial gill disease. The dendritic-like cells in this study contained granules that resemble Birbeck granules, which are considered to be morphological markers of Langerhans cells in mammals. The cells were approximately 6 ,m in diameter and contained Birbeck-like (BL) granules localized near centrioles. Although the dendritic-like cells in the three salmonid species shared many similarities, morphological differences were found in the fine structure of the rod portion of the BL granules. Rainbow trout BL granules contained amorphous material, while the other salmonid species contained particulate material arranged in a square-lattice arrangement. The BL granules in the cells of Atlantic salmon had a narrow diameter and contained four layers of particulate material when sectioned longitudinally; two layers enveloped by the granule membrane and two central layers making up a central lamella, which is common in mammalian Birbeck granules. Anat Rec, 291:456,462, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Deep, hierarchical divergence of mitochondrial DNA in Amplirhagada land snails (Gastropoda: Camaenidae) from the Bonaparte Archipelago, Western AustraliaBIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 1 2010MICHAEL S. JOHNSON Continental islands have experienced cycles of isolation and connection. Although complex genetic patterns have been described for mainland species affected by glacial cycles of isolation, island biotas have received little attention. We examined mitochondrial DNA in Amplirhagada land snails from 16 islands and two adjacent mainland areas of the Bonaparte Archipelago, in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia. Four major clades, with sequence divergence of 16,27% in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene, correspond to the major geographic groupings, separated by 10,160 km. Distinct lineages also characterize islands that are only a few kilometres apart. The large differences indicate that the lineages are much older than the islands themselves, and show no evidence of geologically recent connection. Three of the major clades match the morphological description of Amplirhagada alta. Either this named species comprises several morphologically cryptic species, or it is a single, genetically very diverse species, distributed over much of the Bonaparte Archipelago. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100, 141,153. [source] Abandoned anthills of Formica polyctena and soil heterogeneity in a temperate deciduous forest: morphology and organic matter compositionEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2001S. M. Kristiansen Summary Ants can modify the properties of soil when they build their nests. We have investigated the degree and persistency of changes of soil morphology and chemistry in abandoned anthills in a temperate, deciduous wood in Jutland, Denmark. For this purpose, we sampled surface soils (0,10 cm) from each of five abandoned anthills (Formica polyctena Förster) and adjacent undisturbed sites, where anthills covered about 0.5% of the surface area. In addition, one soil profile in an abandoned anthill was sampled for morphological descriptions. All samples were analysed for pH, C, N, lignin-derived phenol, and cellulosic and non-cellulosic carbohydrate concentrations. The results showed that soils under the anthills were enriched in organic matter, were yellower and showed features of Podzol degradation. Former Podzols had to be reclassified to Umbrisols or Arenosols, whereas anthills on Luvisols affected soil classification only at the subdivision level. The C/N ratio and soil pH were not significantly affected by the ants' activity. However, lignin-derived phenols and cellulosic polysaccharides were enriched inside the mounds by a factor of 6 and 7, respectively. This probably reflected collection of woody debris for nest construction while the nest was occupied, and large input of C from an increased root density. The degree of changes in the quality of the organic matter decreased with time since abandonment, but changes were still detectable within anthills left 20 years ago. As ant colonies are concentrated, and move regularly on a decadal timescale, formation of Formica anthills has an intrinsic influence on the heterogeneity of the soil within this forest ecosystem. [source] The lissamphibian humerus and elbow joint, and the origins of modern amphibiansJOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 12 2009Trond Sigurdsen Abstract The origins and evolution of the three major clades of modern amphibians are still a source of controversy, and no general consensus exists as to their relationship to the various known Paleozoic taxa. This may indicate that additional character complexes should be studied to resolve their phylogenetic relationship. The salamander elbow joint has been fundamentally misinterpreted in previous morphological descriptions. In caudates and anurans, both the radius and ulna (fused in anurans) articulate with the characteristically large capitulum (radial condyle), although part of the ulnar articulating surface fits into to the smooth trochlear region. The salamander "ulnar condyle" of previous descriptions is in fact the entepicondyle. The condition seen in batrachians (i.e., salamanders and frogs) may be a lissamphibian synapomorphy because the elbow region of the primitive fossil caecilian Eocaecilia resembles those of frogs and salamanders. In addition to the large and bulbous capitulum, all lissamphibian humeri lack an entepicondylar foramen, and possess a distally pointing entepicondyle, a low and rounded ectepicondyle, and an elongated shaft. These characters are identified in key fossil forms to assess the support for the different hypotheses proposed for the evolutionary origins of lissamphibians. Temnospondyli is the only group of early tetrapods that shows a progressive evolution of lissamphibian traits in the humerus and elbow joint. Furthermore, among Paleozoic taxa, the dissorophoid temnospondyl Doleserpeton annectens is the only taxon that has the full set of humeral features shared by all lissamphibians. These results add support for the theory of a monophyletic origin of lissamphibians from dissorophoidtemnospondyls. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Morphology of the prometamorphic larva of the spadefoot toad, Scaphiopus intermontanus (Anura: Pelobatidae), with an emphasis on the lateral line system and mouthpartsJOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 2 2002John A. Hall Abstract We provide a detailed description of the larval morphology of the Great Basin spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus intermontanus), a species with documented morphological variability in larval structures associated with feeding. We based our findings on laboratory-raised individuals fed a herbivorous diet. We characterized the morphology of the prometamorphic larva (limited to developmental stages 37 and 38) and then related our findings to the larval ecology of the species. Based on its morphology, such as slightly depressed body, dorsally positioned eyes, anteroventrally oriented oral disc, intermediate tail fin height and slightly attenuated tail tip, relative lack of ventral neuromasts (compared to Xenopus laevis), and pigmentation banding patterns, and habits, such as selection of breeding sites by adults and larval foraging behavior, S. intermontanus can be characterized best as belonging to a (lentic-) benthic guild of anuran larvae. Nevertheless, the larvae are capable of occupying a broader array of ecological niches. Because we characterized individuals raised on a herbivorous diet, our morphological descriptions apply only to the herbivorous S. intermontanus larva (and perhaps to those larvae that are dietary generalists and may feed carnivorously only infrequently). Our findings can serve as a baseline for future morphological and developmental comparisons with the carnivorous morphological variant of this species. J. Morphol. 252:114,130, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Notes on the family Brassicaceae in ChinaJOURNAL OF SYSTEMATICS EVOLUTION, Issue 3 2009Dmitry A GERMAN Abstract A critical revision of the collections of Brassicaceae in some Chinese (PE, XJA, XJBI, XJFA, XJNM, XJU) and foreign (LE, P) herbaria is made. One genus, Neurotropis (DC.) F. K. Mey., and 11 species, Alyssum szarabiacum Nyár., Barbarea stricta Andrz., Erysimum czernjajevii N. Busch, Erysimum kotuchovii D. German, Erysimum mongolicum D. German, Lepidium karelinianum Al-Shehbaz, Matthiola superba Conti, Neurotropis platycarpa (Fisch. & Mey.) F. K. Mey., Ptilotrichum dahuricum Peschkova, Sisymbrium subspinescens Bunge, and Smelowskia micrantha (Botsch. & Vved.) Al-Shehbaz & S. I. Warwick, are reported from China for the first time. Six species, Aphragmus involucratus (Bunge) O. E. Schulz, Dontostemon perennis C. A. Mey., Goldbachia torulosa DC., Lepidium amplexicaule Willd., Neotorularia brevipes (Kar. & Kir.) Hedge & J. Léonard, and Parrya stenocarpa Kar. & Kir., are confirmed to occurr in China. Five species, Dontostemon integrifolius (L.) C. A. Mey., Draba zangbeiensis L. L. Lou, Lepidium alashanicum H. L. Yang, Sinapis arvensis L., and Strigosella brevipes (Bunge) Botsch., are reported as novelties for some provinces in China, and Strigosella hispida (Litv.) Botsch. occurs in Xinjiang, China. However, the occurrence of one genus, Pseudoarabidopsis Al-Shehbaz, O'Kane & Price, and four species, Draba huetii Boiss., Eutrema halophilum (C. A. Mey.) Al-Shehbaz & S. I. Warwick, Galitzkya spathulata (Steph. ex Willd.) V. Bocz., and Pseudoarabidopsis toxophylla (Bieb.) Al-Shehbaz, O'Kane & Price, could not be confirmed in China. The occurrence of six species, Aphragmus bouffordii Al-Shehbaz, Barbarea orthoceras Ledeb., Lepidium latifolium L., Ptilotrichum canescens (DC.) C. A. Mey., Strigosella hispida (Litv.) Botsch., and Strigosella scorpioides (Bunge) Botsch., is not confirmed in certain provinces of China. All names follow the latest taxonomic treatment for relevant groups; detailed morphological descriptions of the newly recorded taxa are provided; and distinguishing characters from related species already known in China are discussed. Other comments are provided where needed. [source] Ultrastructural characterization of the new NG97ht human-derived glioma cell line using two different electron microscopy technical proceduresMICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE, Issue 4 2009Camila Maria Longo Machado Abstract On the basis of transmission electron microscopy observations in tumor cell lines, oncologists have made innumerous diagnostic and therapeutical progresses. Following this path, the UNICAMP immunopathologies laboratory established the NG97 cell line derived from a human astrocytoma grade III, which when injected to the athymic nude mouse flank developed a grade IV astrocytoma. In this study, we focused on ultrastructural characterization of the NG97 cells after being recovered from xenotransplant (NG97ht). These cells in culture were assayed by two different electron microscopy procedures to characterize ultrastructures related to grade IV astrocytomas and to observe their structures through cell subcultivation. Additionally, comparative morphological descriptions of different cell passages in these technical procedures could be a useful tool for improving electron microscopy cell lineage protocols. Results from many cell passage observations showed ultrastructural similarities, which suggest malignant and glioblastoma phenotypes. In the first procedure, NG97ht cells were harvested and then incorporated into agarose before subjecting them to electron microscopy protocols, whereas in the second one, monolayer cells grew first on cover slides. Comparison among protocols revealed that organelles, cytoplasmatic extensions, spatial conformation of filopodia, and cell attachment to substrate were more preserved in the second procedure. Furthermore, in this latter procedure, a unique ellipsoidal structure was observed, which was already described when dealing with gliosarcoma cell line elsewhere. Therefore, these analyses demonstrated a morphological characterization of a new NG97ht cell line using electron transmission microscopy. Moreover, it has been shown that the second procedure provides more detailed information compared with the first. Microsc. Res. Tech, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A new taxon of phytosaur (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) from the Late Triassic (Norian) Sonsela Member (Chinle Formation) in Arizona, and a critical reevaluation of Leptosuchus Case, 1922PALAEONTOLOGY, Issue 5 2010MICHELLE R. STOCKER Abstract:,Leptosuchus Case, 1922 (Reptilia: Phytosauria) from the Late Triassic of the American West is represented by many specimens. Here, I present complete morphological descriptions of the skull material of a new taxon from the Sonsela Member (Chinle Formation) of Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, with the first rigorous phylogenetic analysis focused on the interrelationships of Leptosuchus. The new taxon is recovered as the sister taxon to Pseudopalatinae. It possesses one unambiguous synapomorphy (the ,septomaxillae' form part of the lateral borders of the nares) and shares the presence of a subsidiary opisthotic process with Pseudopalatinae. The new taxon does not fall within the restricted clade Leptosuchus. In my analysis, the previously proposed, but undemonstrated, sister taxon relationship between Angistorhinus and Rutiodon is not supported, Paleorhinus is recovered as paraphyletic, and a subset of taxa traditionally included within Leptosuchus are found to be more closely related to Pseudopalatinae, rendering Leptosuchus paraphyletic. ,Leptosuchus'adamanensis emerges as sister taxon to Smilosuchus gregorii and is here referred to as Smilosuchus adamanensis nov. comb., and ,Machaeroprosopus'lithodendrorum is also transferred to Smilosuchus lithodendrorum nov. comb. Documentation of the variation present within Phytosauria, and specifically within Leptosuchus sensu lato, demonstrates higher diversity within Phytosauria than previously appreciated and places the character states previously proposed for Pseudopalatinae into a broader context of shared characters. [source] Scanning Electron Microscopical Study of the Lingual Epithelium of Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)ANATOMIA, HISTOLOGIA, EMBRYOLOGIA, Issue 4 2008F. Abbate Summary During the last few years, green iguanas (Iguana iguana) have turned out to be one of the most popular pets. They are omnivorous. In their way of feeding, this crucial function is performed by capturing of the preys and mostly, this is carried out by the tongue. The role of the tongue is also fundamental during the intra-oral transport and during the swallowing of food. This has been reported in several studies about chameleons, agamids and iguanids, nevertheless published data about the mechanisms of capturing and swallowing the prey, and the morphological descriptions about the tongue epithelium, are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this present study was to analyse the morphology of the lingual epithelium in green iguanas by scanning electron microscopy. Three different areas were demonstrated on the tongue surface: the tongue tip, characterized by a smooth epithelium without papillae, a foretongue, completely covered by numerous closely packed cylindriform papillae, and a hindtongue with conical-like papillae. Some taste buds were recognized on the middle and the posterior parts of the tongue. Different functional roles could be hypothesized for the three tongue areas: the tongue tip could have a role related to the movements of the prey immediately after the capturing, while the middle papillae and the hindtongue could have an important role concerning the swallowing phase. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||