Food and feeding habits of Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters) in hypertrophic Hartbeespoort Dam,South Africa

The diet of 745 Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters) of less than 0,5 up to 2000 g wet mass, in Hartbeespoort Dam, was determined from stomach content analysis. Samples of fish were selected to cover a whole annual cycle. Small fish fed initially on zoobenthos and zooplankton, but fish with a mass of over 4 g fed increasingly on Microcystis aeruginosa Kutzing and detritus until these food items formed the dominant food source in O. mossambicus over 8 g. Some cannibalism was encountered in fish up to 64 g in the summer months. The ratio of intestinal length to total length of fish ranged from 0,58 in the smaller fish to 11,02 in larger fish and this indicated that there was an ontogenetic adaptation from a carnivorous to a phytoplanktivorous/detritivorous diet. Feeding in juvenile fish studied over 24 h was found to be most intense in the early morning and late afternoon but remained high throughout daylight hours decreasing considerably at night. The daily ingestion rate of food in O. mossambicus in Hartbeespoort Dam was estimated at 453 mg/g of fish. This comprised 45% M. aeruginosa and 55% detritus. It was apparent that of this matter ingested only a small percentage would be assimilated. Oreochromis mossambicus shows feeding and breeding preadaptations which enable it to successfully exploit a lacustrine environment. These adaptations enable it to maintain a large population in Hartbeespoort Dam despite frequent winter mortalities caused by water temperatures below their tolerance limits.     

Ontogenetic variation and craniometric sexual dimorphism in the social giant mole-rat,Fukomys mechowii (Rodentia: Bathyergidae), from Zambia

The degree of maxillary molar tooth-row eruption and wear were used to assign samples of the social giant mole-rat, Fukomys mechowii, from Zambia, into nine relative age classes in order to assess ontogenetic (age) variation and craniometric sexual dimorphism, with reference to body mass. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses showed craniometric differences between age classes 1–3 and age classes 5–9, with age class 4 being intermediate between these two age class groupings. This suggests that age class 4 lies at a point on a hypothetical growth curve where growth begins to stabilize. The intermediate placement of age class 4 in multivariate space broadly coincided with body mass categorizations into juveniles (age classes 1–3; <100 g), subadults (age class 4; c. 100–150 g), and adults (age classes 5–9; >150 g). The analyses also revealed the absence of sexual dimorphism in the relatively younger age classes 1–4 but its presence in the relatively older age classes 5–9, and these results are supported by data on body mass. These results may have implications in our understanding of the population and social structures, and reproductive strategies in this little-studied giant mole-rat.     

Effects of Estradiol and Testosterone on the Expression of Growth‐related Genes in Female and Male Nile Tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus

Nile tilapia exhibits strong sexual growth dimorphism. The potential role of sex steroid hormones in sexual growth dimorphism is not fully understood. We investigated the effects of estradiol (E₂) and testosterone (T) on growth rate, plasma sex hormones, and expression of growth hormone (GH)‐insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) axis genes and muscle regulatory factor (MRF) genes in female and male Nile tilapia. The results revealed that serum concentrations of E₂ and T were significantly higher after correlative injection (P < 0.05). Compared to male fish, female fish had lower growth rates. E₂ increased growth performance in females with no significant effects on males, whereas T significantly increased growth performance in males, with no significant effects on females. In females, E₂ significantly increased expression of ghr1, ghr2, igf1, and igf2, while T decreased igf2 and increased ghr1 and ghr2 expression. In males, T increased expression of igf1, igf2, ghr1, and ghr2, and E₂ decreased expression of igf1, ghr1, and ghr2. Additionally, E₂ and T enhanced the expression of MRF genes (myod1, myod2, myog, and myf5) in female and male fish, respectively. The results suggest that sex steroid hormones play a role in sexual growth dimorphism by regulating the expression of GH‐IGF axis and MRF genes.     

雌雄半滑舌鳎脑垂体基因表达差异研究

为研究半滑舌鳎雌雄个体大小和生长速度差异悬殊的分子机理,采集来自同一亲本、同一发育阶段的半滑舌鳎雄鱼和雌鱼脑垂体,分别与Affymetrix的斑马鱼基因芯片杂交,筛选差异表达基因。芯片杂交结果显示二者共有1 051个基因检测到明显的杂交信号,其中上调基因486个,下调基因561个。进一步比较雄鱼和雌鱼杂交信号的比值(Ratio值),有39个基因的Ratio值小于0.6或大于1.5,其中sh3gl1b、meis2.1、acta1、Noxa、slc25a5这5种上调基因和col1a2、klf7、acta2这3种下调基因可能与半滑舌鳎雌雄生长差异相关。这一结果为深入研究半滑舌鳎雌雄性别分化与生长调控机制提供了新思路。     

A genetic analysis of meat compositions in Japanese Black cattle: Genetic parameters and sex influence

Meat composition in beef is related to eating quality and food functionality. Genetic parameters for several meat compositions including free amino acid, peptide and sugar, however, remain poorly described. In this study, we estimated genetic parameters for 51 meat components, including free amino acids, peptides, sugars and fatty acid compositions, and two carcase traits in 1,354 heifers and 1,797 steers of Japanese Black cattle. Heritability estimates were generally equivalent to or moderately greater than those in previous studies of this breed. Genetic correlations between free amino acids, peptides and sugars and carcase traits were often negative, suggesting a trade‐off between traits. Using two‐trait animal models that treat records from the two sexes as different traits, we estimated sex‐specific heritabilities and cross‐sex genetic correlations which indicate the sex differences in genetic architecture. In these analyses, 12 traits showed significant heritability differences between sexes and cross‐sex genetic correlations occasionally deviated from unity. These results could be used to inform future breeding schemes and investigations of the genetic architecture of meat compositions in beef.     

白带锯蛱蝶雌蝶利用视觉和嗅觉信息识别两性

[目的]探究视觉和嗅觉信息在白带锯蛱蝶雌蝶识别异性中扮演的作用,从而加深对性二型蝶类两性交流机制的认识。[方法]在网室内分别悬挂白带锯蛱蝶雄蝶和雌蝶的真实翅模型、打印的翅模型和活蝴蝶模型,记录雌蝶对以上模型的访问次数。[结果]表明:仅有视觉或嗅觉信号存在时,雌蝶对雄蝶模型访问次数均大于雌模型。雌蝶对雌雄翅和纸模型访问平均次数均有显著差异,说明雌蝶仅靠视觉信息能够辨别雌雄。雌蝶对雌雄嗅觉模型访问平均次数有显著差异,说明雌蝶仅靠嗅觉信息能够辨别雌雄。视觉和嗅觉信息均存在时,雌蝶对正常雄蝶访问平均次数多于雄蝶视觉和嗅觉模型,且对3种雄蝶的平均访问次数有显著差异,说明雌蝶识别雄蝶时偏好2种信息的综合作用。[结论]白带锯蛱蝶雌蝶利用视觉或嗅觉信息均能识别雌雄两性,雌蝶在识别两性时较偏爱同时有视觉和嗅觉信息的雄蝶。     

影响白背飞虱翅型分化的相关因子

为探讨水稻白背飞虱Sogatella furcifera Horvth翅型分化机制,以其长翅型、短翅型的遗传纯系为材料,在不同梯度的温度、光周期、若虫密度、不同寄主植物、水稻生育期、双亲翅型和植株营养条件下比较白背飞虱的翅型分化状况。结果显示,短日照有利于白背飞虱短翅型雄虫的发生;白背飞虱若虫密度≥15头/管时,短翅型分化率仅在16.9%以下;寄主营养决定了翅型分化的方向,寄主植物的总蛋白质含量与白背飞虱短翅型的分化率呈正相关;水稻拔节期最有利于白背飞虱短翅型的发生,分化率为45.2%,而灌浆期有利于其长翅型的发生;该虫F1代的翅型表型与亲本的遗传密切相关,父本和母本均为短翅型时,F1代短翅型分化率可达47.7%。无论在什么情况下白背飞虱长翅型的分化率始终高于短翅型,尤其是短翅型雄虫的分化率非常低。因此,白背飞虱长、短翅型的分化既由基因控制,又受外界环境因子的影响。     

两性异型红隼的子代性比研究

Fisher经典的性比分配理论预测:如果双亲繁殖雄性和雌性子代的代价相同,那么子代的性比应趋于平衡.然而,性比组成是长期进化的结果,常因不同因素的影响而出现偏离.文献报道猛禽由于存在不同形式的两性异型现象而导致子代性比常出现偏离,但子代性比偏离方向因种而异.本研究中我们对红隼(Falco tinnunculus)子代的性比组成进行了调查,目的是检验红隼子代性比是否受产卵日期、产卵顺序、卵重、出雏顺序或窝卵数影响.在窝水平上,红隼(雄性)的初级性比为47.0%,没有偏离0.5,但次级性比为40.8%,显著偏离0.5(p=0.029).在种群水平上,初级性比和次级性比都没有出现偏离.窝卵数和卵重影响红隼的次级性比组成,窝卵数越大,雄性后代数量越多,且发育为雄性后代的卵重较发育为雌性后代的重.初级性比和次级性比都受到产卵日期的影响,产卵越早,雄性后代比例越高.