Dear fellow acarologists:

Welcome to ACAROLOGY!

Thank you very much for joining the ACAROLOGY discussion list and for
passing the information to others.  Some of you have sent messages to me
with words of encouragement on my establishing this list and with offers
for help, and to you I am grateful.

The ACAROLOGY list was created last Friday (24 March 1995).  Over the
weekend, many people from around the world (+14 countries in Africa, Asia,
Australia, Europe,  North and South America) have joined the list.  The
list is still at its infancy and is growing rapidly as more people learn
about it.

I have long felt the need for an international forum or channel on which
acarologists can easily and freely exchange information and ideas.  The
International Congress of Acarology convenes only every four years, so does
the meeting of the European Association of Acarologists (EURAAC) .  The
Acarological Society of America (ASA) has an annual meeting, but attendents
are limited in number and are usually from North America.  The newsletters
of EURAAC and ASA are not very active (although that of the latter is
becoming a little more active than before).  As most of us use e-mail on a
daily basis, an internet discussion list seems the idea channel for
promoting the exchange of infromation/ideas among us and the advancement of
our science.

You may send a message to ACAROLOGY, when you need a copy of a paper in an
obscure journal that your library does not have, when you need to establish
a mite culture and need to find out who has it, when you need to have a
mite identified and need to find out who can do it for you, when you need
advice on how to control a mite pest on your plants/animals or in stored
products,  when you need to find out the location of (type) specimens for a
systematic revision,  when you have an announcement for a meeting or
symposium, when you have some facinating discoveries about mites that you
want to share with us, or when....., many of us will be glad to hear from
you and some of us may provide useful feedback.

The ACAROLOGY list is now at our service and it is up to everyone of us to
make the best use of it.

Thank you and best wishes!

Zhi-Qiang Zhang
List owner
 
 

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Dr. Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Acarologist
International Institute of Entomology      E-mail  z.zhang@nhm.ac.uk
56 Queen's Gate                            Phone   44-71-938-9535
London SW7 5JR, UK                         Fax     44-71-938-9309
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Dear all:

Due to essential electrical work in our computer room, the server will be
down from 18:30 tonight, Monday 27 March until approx 11:00am Tuesday 28
March (London time).  Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Zhi-Qiang Zhang
List owner
 
 

********************************************************************
Dr. Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Acarologist
International Institute of Entomology      E-mail  z.zhang@nhm.ac.uk
56 Queen's Gate                            Phone   44-171-938-9535
London SW7 5JR, UK                         Fax     44-171-938-9309
********************************************************************
 
 
 

I am glad to see this discussion group set up.  I am interested in on-going
or recent work on biological control of cyclamin mite (Stenotarsonemus
pallidus) by predaceous phytoseiid mites. The recent literature is pretty
limited on this topic.  Is there anybody out there yet?
=====================================================================
Brian A. Croft            (503)737-5498   FAX: (503)737-3643
Dept. of Entomology
Cordley Hall, Rm 2046      Internet:  croftb@bcc.orst.edu
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon     97331-2907
 

I would like to join others in stating my appreciation for this new
communication among acarologists.  Dr. Zhang was correct in stating that
the ASA Newsletter has been "inactive".  That has been corrected and the
second one for which I am responsible is in the mail.  The next one will
come out in June.  If participants in this network communication would
like me to include particular information in that newsletter, they are
welcome to type a rider at that bottom of the message stating "for
circulation in the ASA Newsletter"  and I will see that it is included.
Some acarologists will be slow to learn about the network, some will not
be able to join.  The information in the newsletter is not obsolete, as
hard copy is all that some people will be able to read.
I encourage any additional communication for the newsletter, whether or
not you are a member.  I also reserve the right to download information
that is freely distributed on the network.  I will indicate where I have
received that information and indicate on the network that it will appear
in the newsletter.  If you object to the recover of something you have
written, please let me know and I will honor your request.
If you would like to join the Acarological Association of America please
contact Dr. Richard Funk
        Department of Zoology
        Eastern Illinois University
        Charleston, IL 61920  USA

Cost of membership is $10 (US) for active members
                        $3 (US for students
                        $25 (US) for sustaining members
                        $100 (US) for life members
Anyone  interested in any aspect of mite or tick biology is encourage to
apply.
A membership application is appended to all copies of the ASA newsletter.

Also, is everyone aware of the web address for the entomology (Biosciences)
web site that has has links to many other sites such as the Ohio State
home page.  To access the entomology library:

http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Entomology/WWWVL-Entomology.html

Preserve all caps and small letters as written.

M. A. Houck
Texas Tech University
 

Does anyone out there know the location of trombiculid specialist
Vercammen-Grandjean's collection?  He once decided to destroy his
collection but later deposited types and other materials in a natural
history museum in Europe.  I once had a leaflet with the address of the
museum, but have lost it. The museum is in a country where French is used,
possibly Switzerland?  Does anyone know more about it?  I will appreciate
any infromation.

Cheers

Zhi-Qiang Zhang
 

********************************************************************
Dr. Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Acarologist
International Institute of Entomology      E-mail  z.zhang@nhm.ac.uk
56 Queen's Gate                            Phone   44-171-938-9535
London SW7 5JR, UK                         Fax     44-171-938-9309
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Date: 30 Mar 1995 10:29:34 U
From: "Reuben Kaufman"
Subject: None
To: "acarology board"
X-Mailer: Mail*Link SMTP-QM 3.0.1
Sender: owner-acarology
Precedence: bulk

                      Subject:                              Time:  10:22 AM
  OFFICE MEMO         None                                  Date:  3/30/95

Greetings everybody,

I hope nobody minds that my first contribution to this information board will
be a commercial!

I have openings in my laboratory for graduate students interested in doing
research on the physiology of ticks. The Department of Biological Sciences is
one of the largest on campus (70 academic staff) with all major facilities
for modern biological research. The University of Alberta is one of the
largest research universities in Canada and enjoys a superb reputation for
academic excellence. Teaching assistantships and other scholarships are
available for applicants with an excellent academic record.

There are several major areas of research that we're involved in:

(1) Hormonal Control of Salivary Gland Degeneration

        During the 7-10 day feeding period, there are extraordinary
functional and
ultrastructural changes that occur in the salivary gland. A humoral factor
triggers this development, although its identity is still unknown. Within 3-4
days following engorgement, the salivary glands degenerate under the
influence of an ecdysteroid hormone. Furthermore, a protein in the testicular
fluid ('Male Factor') that is transferred to the female during copulation
stimulates release of the ecdysteroid hormone. Our major efforts on this
project are (a) to determine the biochemical and pharmacological properties
of the tick ecdysteroid receptor and (b) to determine the mechanism whereby
Male Factor stimulates release of ecdysone in the female.

(2) Hormonal Control of Egg Development

         We are currently attempting to determine (a) neurosecretory
involvement in
egg development, (b) the effect of juvenile hormone and ecdysone on yolk
synthesis by the fat body and gut, (c) whether uptake of yolk by the oocyte
is controlled independently of yolk synthesis and (d) the mechanism whereby
ivermectin inhibits ecdysteroid release, egg development, oviposition and egg
wax deposition.

(3) Pharmacological Control of Salivary Fluid Secretion

        Three receptors control salivary fluid secretion: catecholamines
act via a
dopamine receptor, ergot alkaloids act at a receptor distinct from the latter
(the natural neurotransmitter substance or hormone for the 'ergot receptor'
is unknown) and a GABA-receptor modulates the activity of the first two.
Although GABA has little intrinsic activity of its own, in the presence of
dopamine, GABA increases fluid secretory rate by up to 100%. Our major
pre-occupation with this project is (a) to determine the cellular mechanism
whereby GABA potentiates fluid secretion, (b) to study the control of GABA
synthesis and turnover in a number of tick tissues, (c) to characterize the
pharmacological properties of the ergot receptor and (d) to discover the
natural messenger that acts via the ergot receptor.

Selected Publications of W.R. Kaufman

Kaufman, W.R. & Wong, D.L.-P. (1983)  Evidence for multiple receptors
mediating fluid secretion in salivary glands of ticks.  Eur. J. Pharmacology
87:43-52.

Harris, R.A. & Kaufman, W.R. (1985) Ecdysteroids:  possible candidates for
the hormone which triggers salivary gland degeneration in the ixodid tick,
Amblyomma hebraeum.  Experientia 41:740-742.

Lindsay, P.J. & Kaufman, W.R. (1986) Potentiation of salivary fluid secretion
in ixodid ticks:  a new receptor system for g-aminobutyric acid.  Can. J.
Physiol. Pharmacol. 64:1119-1126.

Kaufman, W.R. (1989) Tick-host interaction:  A synthesis of current concepts.
 Parasitology Today 5:47-56.

Kaufman, W.R. (1991) Correlation between haemolymph ecdysteroid titre,
salivary gland degeneration and ovarian development in the ixodid tick,
Amblyomma hebraeum Koch.  J. Insect Physiol. 37:95-99.

Lunke, M.D. & Kaufman., W.R. (1992) Effects of the avermectin analogue MK-243
on vitellogenesis and reproduction in the ixodid tick, Amblyomma hebraeum.
Exptl. Appl. Acarol. 13: 249-259.

Lomas, L.O., & Kaufman, W.R. (1992) The influence of a factor from the male
genital tract on salivary gland degeneration in the female ixodid tick,
Amblyomma hebraeum.  J. Insect Physiol. 38: 595-601.

Lomas, L.O. & Kaufman W.R. (1993) An indirect mechanism by which a protein
from the male gonad hastens salivary gland degeneration in the female ixodid
tick, Amblyomma hebraeum. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, 21:
169-178.

Lunke, M.D. & Kaufman, W.R. (1993) Hormonal control of ovarian development in
the tick Amblyomma hebraeum Koch (Acari: Ixodidae). Invertebrate Reproduction
and Development 23: 25-38.
 

        For further information on any of these projects, please contact me
by one
of the methods listed below:

_______________________________________________
Reuben Kaufman
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada T6G 2E9.
E-mail: Reuben_Kaufman@biology.ualberta.ca
Fax: + (403) 492-9234
Phone: (403) 492-1279
 

Date: Fri, 31 Mar 1995 16:34:56 +0100
From: "Zhi-Qiang Zhang"
Subject: update
Sender: owner-acarology
Precedence: bulk
Apparently-To: acarology-outgoing

Dear fellow acarologists:

The ACAROLOGY list has been up and running for one week.  Thank you all
very much for your help and support.  Over 70 acarologists from 18
countries have joined the list since last Friday. The list is expected to
grow as more acarologists learn about it.

For those who are new to the list, here are some useful commands.  To post
a message to everyone on the list, send your message to
"acarology@nhm.ac.uk". To leave the list, send a command "unsubscribe
acarology" to "listserver@nhm.ac.uk".  To get further instructions, send a
"help" command to "listserver@nhm.ac.uk".

Good luck and best wishes.

Zhi-Qiang Zhang
List-owner
 

********************************************************************
Dr. Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Acarologist
International Institute of Entomology      E-mail  z.zhang@nhm.ac.uk
56 Queen's Gate                            Phone   44-171-938-9535
London SW7 5JR, UK                         Fax     44-171-938-9309
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