Skip navigation
Honeybee

Skip to page content

1 2 3 ... 9 Previous Next

Science News

130 Posts
John Jackson
0

Steve Brooks from the Museum and collaborators from UCL, the universities of Nottingham, Bergen and Liverpool, and the RSPB have been examining reasons for the breeding success of the Slavonian grebe Podiceps auritus. The Slavonian grebe has a UK breeding population of only 29 pairs, found in NE Scotland only since 1908.  Loch Ruthven holds the largest British population in an RSPB reserve and breeding success is known to have fluctuated annually since records began in 1970.

 

Slavonian grebe audubon (c) NHM small.jpgSlavonian grebe from Audubon's Birds of America    © Natural History Museum

 

 

The research looked at whether the fluctuations are linked to the numbers of chironomids, the group of flies on which Steve is an expert.  These midges are an important food-source for the grebe chicks.

 

The team analysed a sediment core from the lake by slicing it into 2.5-mm sections to separate sediment on a yearly basis.  In this sediment, they looked at the remains of chironomids, diatoms (planktonic algae which show strong seasonal trends in populations) and algal pigments.   These plant data were used to deduce changes in total phosphorus in the water and to see whether there was a link between algae and the abundance of chironomids. Trends in grebe breeding success, chironomid abundance and algal populations were analysed against climate data to clarify whether climate was the key factor behind all of these fluctuations.

 

The study shows that grebe breeding success is linked with chironomid abundance and chironomid abundance is linked with total phosphorus. Over the past 100 years, lake productivity and chironomid abundance have both risen, increasing more rapidly from the mid-twentieth century to the present. Fluctuations in grebe breeding success from 1970 followed the same pattern as chironomid variation, with a lag of one year. 

 

One of the questions of interest was whether grebe breeding success was influenced by climate variability year by year.  Because the Slavonian grebe is a relative newcomer to the UK, it is not clear how vulnerable this small population is to environmental change.  However. No correlation was found between grebe productivity or chironomid abundance and climate.  The team concludes that breeding success of the grebe depends on food availability in the form of chironomids at Loch Ruthven.

 

Brooks, SJ et al. Population trends in the Slavonian grebe Podiceps  auritus (L.) and Chironomidae (Diptera) at a Scottish loch  Journal of  Paleolimnology April 2012, Volume 47 (4) 631-644  doi: 10.1007/s10933-012-9587-4

38 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: climate_change, entomology, ecology, bird, limnology, chironomid
C Lowry
0

Recent Publications - May

Posted by C Lowry May 22, 2012

Publications for the previous 4 -5 weeks (Search done 17th May)

(Search on the basis of ‘Nat SAME Hist SAME Mus* SAME Lon* in Web of Science + NHM TRING publications)

EARTH SCIENCES

MINERALOGY

Burchell, M.J., Cole, M.J., Price, M.C. & KEARSLEY, A.T. 2012. Experimental investigation of impacts by solar cell secondary ejecta on silica aerogel and aluminum foil: Implications for the Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 47(4): 671-683.    

Cockell, C.S., Voytek, M.A., Gronstal, A.L., Finster, K., Kirshtein, J.D., HOWARD, K., Reitner, J., Gohn, G.S., Sanford, W.E., Horton, J.W., Kallmeyer, J., Kelly, L. & Powars, D.S. 2012. Impact Disruption and Recovery of the Deep Subsurface Biosphere. Astrobiology, 12(3): 231-246.

Ferrat, M., WEISS, D.J. & STREKOPYTOV, S. 2012. A single procedure for the accurate and precise quantification of the rare earth elements, Sc, Y, Th and Pb in dust and peat for provenance tracing in climate and environmental studies. Talanta, 93: 415-423.   

JOHANSON, Z., KEARSLEY, A., den Blaauwen, J., Newman, M. & Smith, M.M. 2012. Ontogenetic development of an exceptionally preserved Devonian cartilaginous skeleton. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution, 318 B(1): 50-58.   

KEARSLEY, A.T., Burchell, M.J., Price, M.C., Cole, M.J., Wozniakiewicz, P.J., Ishii, H.A., Bradley, J.P., Fries, M. & Foster, N.J. 2012. Experimental impact features in Stardust aerogel: How track morphology reflects particle structure, composition, and density. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 47(4): 737-762.    

Larner, F. & REHKAMPER, M. 2012. Evaluation of Stable Isotope Tracing for ZnO Nanomaterials-New Constraints from High Precision Isotope Analyses and Modeling. Environmental Science & Technology, 46(7): 4149-4158.    

Nixon, A., Burchell, M.J., Price, M.C., KEARSLEY, A.T. & Jones, S. 2012. Aerogel tracks made by impacts of glycine: Implications for formation of bulbous tracks in aerogel and the Stardust mission. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 47(4): 623-633.    

Ogliore, R.C., Floss, C., Stadermann, F.J., KEARSLEY, A.T., Leitner, J., Stroud, R.M. & Westphal, A.J. 2012. Automated searching of Stardust interstellar foils. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 47(4): 729-736.    

Price, M.C., KEARSLEY, A.T., Burchell, M.J., HOWARD, L.E., Hillier, J.K., Starkey, N.A., Wozniakiewicz, P.J. & Cole, M.J. 2012. Stardust interstellar dust calibration: Hydrocode modeling of impacts on Al-1100 foil at velocities up to 300kms-1 and validation with experimental data. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 47(4): 684-695.    

Reissis, D. & ABEL, R.L. 2012. Development of fetal trabecular micro-architecture in the humerus and femur. Journal of Anatomy, 220(5): 496-503.    

Robinson, K.L., Treiman, A.H. & JOY, K.H. 2012. Basaltic fragments in lunar feldspathic meteorites: Connecting sample analyses to orbital remote sensing. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 47(3): 387-399.    

THORNE, R.L., Roberts, S. & HERRINGTON, R.J. 2012. Climate change and the formation of nickel laterite deposits. Geology, 40(4): 331-334.    

VITA-FINZI, C. 2012. River history. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A - Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences, 370(1966): 2029-2039.    

VITA-FINZI, C. 2012. River history and tectonics. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A - Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences, 370(1966): 2173-2192

WOOLLEY, A.R. & Bailey, D.K. 2012. The crucial role of lithospheric structure in the generation and release of carbonatites: geological evidence. Mineralogical Magazine, 76(2): 259-270.    

Wozniakiewicz, P.J., Ishii, H.A., KEARSLEY, A.T., Burchell, M.J., Bradley, J.P., Price, M.C., Teslich, N., Lee, M.R. & Cole, M.J. 2012. Stardust impact analogs: Resolving pre- and postimpact mineralogy in Stardust Al foils. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 47(4): 708-728.    

Wozniakiewicz, P.J., KEARSLEY, A.T., Ishii, H.A., Burchell, M.J., Bradley, J.P., Teslich, N., Cole, M.J. & Price, M.C. 2012. The origin of crystalline residues in Stardust Al foils: Surviving cometary dust or crystallized impact melts? Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 47(4): 660-670.    

Xu, Y., Zhang, Y.L., Li, J., Gioia, R., Zhang, G., Li, X.D., SPIRO, B., Bhatia, R.S. & Jones, K.C. 2012. The spatial distribution and potential sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) over the Asian marginal seas and the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 117.    

Zema, M., WELCH, M.D. & Oberti, R. 2012. High-T behaviour of gedrite: thermoelasticity, cation ordering and dehydrogenation. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 163(5): 923-937.    

PALAEONTOLOGY

Bennett, C.E., Siveter, D.J., Davies, S.J., Williams, M., Wilkinson, I.P., Browne, M. & MILLER, C.G. 2011. Ostracods from freshwater and brackish environments of the Carboniferous of the Midland Valley of Scotland: the early colonization of terrestrial water bodies. Geological Magazine, 149(3): 366-396. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0016756811000719    

Coppard, S.E., Kroh, A. & SMITH, A.B. 2011. The evolution of pedicellariae in echinoids: an arms race against pests and parasites. Acta Zoologica, 93(2): 125-148. DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-6395.2010.00487.x.    

Gomez, B., EWIN, T.A.M. & Daviero-Gomez, V. 2012. The conifer Glenrosa falcata sp nov from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain and its palaeoecology. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 172: 21-32.

JOHANSON, Z., KEARSLEY, A., den Blaauwen, J., Newman, M. & Smith, M.M. 2012. Ontogenetic development of an exceptionally preserved Devonian cartilaginous skeleton. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution, 318 B(1): 50-58.    

Koch, M. & EDGECOMBE, G.D. 2012. The preoral chamber in geophilomorph centipedes: comparative morphology, phylogeny, and the evolution of centipede feeding structures. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 165(1): 1-62.    

PARR, W.C.H., Chatterjee, H.J. & Soligo, C. 2012. Calculating the axes of rotation for the subtalar and talocrural joints using 3D bone reconstructions. Journal of Biomechanics, 45(6): 1103-1107.    

SMITH, A.B. & Crame, J.A. 2012. Echinoderm faunas from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) of Alexander Island, Antarctica. Palaeontology, 55: 305-324.    

Smith, T.M., Olejniczak, A.J., Zermeno, J.P., Tafforeau, P., Skinner, M.M., Hoffmann, A., Radovčić, J., Toussaint, M., KRUSZYNSKI, R., Menter, M., Moggi-Cecchi, J., Glasmacher, U.A., Kullmer, O., Schrenk, F., STRINGER, C. & Hublin, J.J. 2012. Variation in enamel thickness within the genus Homo. Journal of Human Evolution, 62(3): 395-411.    

SOOKIAS, R.B., Butler, R.J. & Benson, R.B.J. 2012. Rise of dinosaurs reveals major body-size transitions are driven by passive processes of trait evolution. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 279(1736): 2180-2187.    

STRINGER, C. 2012. What makes a modern human. Nature, 485(7396): 33-35.

LIFE SCIENCES

BOTANY

Bebber, D.P., CARINE, M.A., Davidse, G., Harris, D.J., Haston, E.M., PENN, M.G., CAFFERTY, S., Wood, J.R.I. & Scotland, R.W. 2012. Big hitting collectors make massive and disproportionate contribution to the discovery of plant species. Proceedings of the Royal Society B - Biological Sciences, 279(1736): 2269-2274.

Jayalal, U., WOLSELEY, P., GUEIDAN, C., Aptroot, A., Wijesundara, S. & Karunaratne, V. 2012. Anzia mahaeliyensis and Anzia flavotenuis, two new lichen species from Sri Lanka. The Lichenologist, 44(3): 381-389.    

Karl, R., Kiefer, C., ANSELL, S.W. & Koch, M.A. 2012. Systematics and evolution of arctic-alpine Arabis alpina (Brassicaceae) and its closest relatives in the eastern Mediterranean. American Journal of Botany, 99(4): 778-794.    

SÄRKINEN, T., Pennington, R.T., Lavin, M., Simon, M.F. & Hughes, C.E. 2012. Evolutionary islands in the Andes: Persistence and isolation explain high endemism in Andean dry tropical forests. Journal of Biogeography, 39(5): 884-900. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02644.x     

Wetzel, C.E., Van de Vijver, B., COX, E.J., Bicudo D de C. & Ector, L. 2012. Tursiocola podocnemicola sp. nov., a new epizoic freshwater diatom species from the Amazon basin (Rio Negro, Brazil). Diatom Research, 27(1): 1-8. DOI:10.1080/0269249X.2011.642498.    

ENTOMOLOGY

Barthélémy, C. & BROAD, G.R. 2012. A new species of Hadrocryptus (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), with the first account of the biology for the genus. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 24: 47-57.    

Bazsalovicsová, E., Králová-Hromadová, I., ŠTEKKA, J. & Scholz, T. 2011. Molecular characterization of Atractolytocestus sagittatus (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), monozoic parasite of common carp, and its differentiation from the invasive species Atractolytocestus huronensis. Parasitology Research, 110(5): 1621-1629.    

Bone, J., Archer, M., Barraclough, D., EGGLETON, P., Flight, D., Head, M., JONES, D.T., Scheib, C. & Voulvoulis, N. 2012. Public Participation in Soil Surveys: Lessons from a Pilot Study in England. Environmental Science & Technology, 46(7): 3687-3696.    

BROOKS, S.J., Jones, V.J., Telford, R.J., Appleby, P.G., Watson, E., McGowan, S. & Benn, S. 2012. Population trends in the Slavonian grebe Podiceps auritus (L.) and Chironomidae (Diptera) at a Scottish loch. Journal of Paleolimnology, 47(4): 631-644.    

Davies, A.B., EGGLETON, P., van Rensburg, B.J. & Parr, C.L. 2012. The pyrodiversity-biodiversity hypothesis: a test with savanna termite assemblages. Journal of Applied Ecology, 49(2): 422-430.    

Frutos, P., Hoste, H., Sotiraki, S., HALL, M. & Jackson, F. 2012. Specificities of parasitism in goats and sheep: Interactions with nutrition and control strategies. Small Ruminant Research, 103(1): 1-2.    

HANSSON, C. 2012. Achrysocharoides Girault (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) new to tropical America, with eight new species. Zookeys(173): 79-108.    

Hernandez-Lopez, A., Rougerie, R., Augustin, S., LEES, D.C., Tomov, R., Kenis, M., Cota, E., Kullaj, E., HANSSON, C., Grabenweger, G., Roques, A. & Lopez-Vaamonde, C. 2012. Host tracking or cryptic adaptation? Phylogeography of Pediobius saulius (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), a parasitoid of the highly invasive horse-chestnut leafminer. Evolutionary Applications, 5(3): 256-269.    

Larsen, T.B. & VANE-WRIGHT, R.I. 2012. The name Bicyclus safitza (Westwood, 1850) should continue to be used (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae). Shilap-Revista De Lepidopterologia, 40(157): 85-86.    

MAHAMDALLIE, S.S. & READY, P.D. 2012. No recent adaptive selection on the apyrase of Mediterranean Phlebotomus: implications for using salivary peptides to vaccinate against canine leishmaniasis. Evolutionary Applications, 5(3): 293-305. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-4571.2011.00226.x.    

PONT, A.C. 2012. Muscoidea (Fanniidae, Anthomyiidae, Muscidae) described by P. J. M. Macquart (Insecta, Diptera). Zoosystema, 34(1): 39-111.    

QUICKE, D.L.J. 2012. We Know Too Little about Parasitoid Wasp Distributions to Draw Any Conclusions about Latitudinal Trends in Species Richness, Body Size and Biology. PLoS ONE, 7(2).    

Rodriguez-Roche, R., Villegas, E., COOK, S., Poh Kim, P.A.W., Hinojosa, Y., Rosario, D., Villalobos, I., Bendezu, H., Hibberd, M.L. & Guzman, M.G. 2012. Population structure of the dengue viruses, Aragua, Venezuela, 2006-2007. Insights into dengue evolution under hyperendemic transmission. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 12(2): 332-344.    

Samartin, S., Heiri, O., Vescovi, E., BROOKS, S.J. & Tinner, W. 2012. Late glacial and early Holocene summer temperatures in the southern Swiss Alps reconstructed using fossil chironomids. Journal of Quaternary Science, 27(3): 279-289.    

Sotiraki, S. & HALL, M.J.R. 2012. A review of comparative aspects of myiasis in goats and sheep in Europe. Small Ruminant Research, 103(1): 75-83.    

TIMMERMANS, M. & VOGLER, A.P. 2012. Phylogenetically informative rearrangements in mitochondrial genomes of Coleoptera, and monophyly of aquatic elateriform beetles (Dryopoidea). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 63(2): 299-304.    

WILLIAMS, P.H., An, J.D., Brown, M.J.F., Carolan, J.C., Goulson, D., Huang, J.X. & Ito, M. 2012. Cryptic Bumblebee Species: Consequences for Conservation and the Trade in Greenhouse Pollinators. PLoS ONE, 7(3).    

ZOOLOGY

Brabec, J., Scholz, T., Kralova-Hromadova, I., Bazsalovicsova, E. & OLSON, P.D. 2012. Substitution saturation and nuclear paralogs of commonly employed phylogenetic markers in the Caryophyllidea, an unusual group of non-segmented tapeworms (Platyhelminthes). International Journal for Parasitology, 42(3): 259-267.    

BRITZ, R. & Johnson, G.D. 2012. The caudal skeleton of a 20 mm Triodon and homology of its components. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 125(1): 66-73.

Budha, P.B., MORDAN, P.B., NAGGS, F. & Backeljau, T. 2012. Darwininitium - a new fully pseudosigmurethrous orthurethran genus from Nepal (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Cerastidae). Zookeys(175): 19-26.    

CAMERON, R.A.D. & Cook, L.M. 2012. Habitat and the shell polymorphism of Cepaea nemoralis (L.): interrogating the Evolution Megalab database. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 78: 179-184.    

Chen, H.C., Kuo, R.J., Chang, T.C., Hus, C.K., BRAY, R.A. & Cheng, I.J. 2012. Fluke (Spirorchiidae) Infections in Sea Turtles Stranded on Taiwan: Prevalence and Pathology. Journal of Parasitology, 98(2): 437-439.    

Chen, X.R., Gao, S., Liu, W.W., Song, W.B., Al-Rasheid, K.A.S. & WARREN, A. 2012. Taxonomic descriptions of three marine colepid ciliates, Nolandia sinica spec. nov., Apocoleps caoi spec. nov and Tiarina fusa (Claparede & Lachmann, 1858) Bergh, 1881 (Ciliophora, Prorodontida). International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 62: 735-744.    

Dmitrieva, E.V., Gerasev, P.I., GIBSON, D.I., Pronkina, N.V. & Galli, P. 2012. Descriptions of eight new species of Ligophorus Euzet & Suriano, 1977 (Monogenea: Ancyrocephalidae) from Red Sea mullets. Systematic Parasitology, 81(3): 203-237.    

Marzoug, D., Boutiba, Z., GIBSON, D.I., Pérez-del-Olmo, A. & Kostadinova, A. 2012. Descriptions of digeneans from Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum) (Clupeidae) off the Algerian coast of the western Mediterranean, with a complete list of its helminth parasites. Systematic Parasitology, 81(3): 169-186.    

Mouahid, G., Faliex, E., Allienne, J.F., Cribb, T.H. & BRAY, R.A. 2012. Proctophantastes nettastomatis (Digenea: Zoogonidae) from Vanuatu deep-sea fish: new morphological features, allometric growth, and phenotypic plasticity aspects. Parasitology Research, 110(5): 1631-1638.    

OKAMURA, B., Humphries, S. & GRUHL, A. 2012. Buddenbrockia plumatellae: a novel solution to being a worm. Abstract. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 52: E131-E131.    

SHERRATT, E., WILKINSON, M., GOWER, D.J. & Klingenberg, C.P. 2012. Evolution of Cranial Modularity in Caecilians. Abstract. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 52: E159-E159.    

Toksen, E., BOXSHALL, G.A. & Altinozek, S. 2012. Sagum posteli Delamare-Deboutteville & Nunes-Ruivo, 1954 (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Lernanthropidae) parasitic on Epinephelus aeneus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire) in Turkish waters, with a key to the species of Sagum Wilson, 1913. Systematic Parasitology, 82(1): 71-80.    

WARREN, B.H., Bermingham, E., Bourgeois, Y., Estep, L.K., PRYS-JONES, R.P., Strasberg, D. & Thebaud, C. 2012. Hybridization and barriers to gene flow in an island bird radiation. Evolution, 66(5): 1490-1505.    

WEBSTER, B.L. & LITTLEWOOD, D.T.J. 2012. Mitochondrial gene order change in Schistosoma (Platyhelminthes: Digenea: Schistosomatidae). International Journal for Parasitology, 42(3): 313-321.    

PEG

Sutherland, W.J., Bellingan, L., Bellingham, J.R., Blackstock, J.J., BLOOMFIELD, R.M., Bravo, M., Cadman, V.M., Cleevely, D.D., Clements, A., Cohen, A.S., Cope, D.R., Daemmrich, A.A., Devecchi, C., Anadon, L.D., Denegri, S., Doubleday, R., Dusic, N.R., Evans, R.J., Feng, W.Y., Godfray, H.C.J., Harris, P., Hartley, S.E., Hester, A.J., Holmes, J., Hughes, A., Hulme, M., Irwin, C., Jennings, R.C., Kass, G.S., Littlejohns, P., Marteau, T.M., McKee, G., Millstone, E.P., Nuttall, W.J., Owens, S., Parker, M.M., Pearson, S., Petts, J., Ploszek, R., Pullin, A.S., Reid, G., Richards, K.S., Robinson, J.G., Shaxson, L., Sierra, L., Smith, B.G., Spiegelhalter, D.J., Stilgoe, J., Stirling, A., Tyler, C.P., Winickoff, D.E. & Zimmern, R.L. 2012. A Collaboratively-Derived Science-Policy Research Agenda. PLoS ONE, 7(3).    

85 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink
C Lowry
0

Collection Management Seminar


CoRR - Developing Disaster Recovery: Front to Back - A museum wide project 

 

Chris Collins and Clare Valentine, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 5BD.

 

Wednesday 23rd May 2012,

2.30pm-4.00pm

Flett Lecture Theatre, NHM, South Kensington

 

 

Do you know what would happen if there was a major emergency affecting the collections in the museum? How would you react and what would you do? Over the last 4 years Collections Management Staff in Science and members of Design and Conservation have been developing a disaster plan – the CoRR Plan – that coordinates the museums response in an emergency situation when collections are at risk. The CoRR team has already held a number of training exercises across the museum and teams from CoRR have already been involved in real-life responses to a number of smaller building based problems.

 

A major cross museum emergency that causes serious museum wide damage to the collections will require response from all areas of the museum. The Group is focusing on training and developing a coordinated group of individuals who can undertake collection recovery using techniques appropriate to the natural history museums collections.  The CoRR project involves everybody in the museum in some way, from Science to House-Keeping to Estates. 

 

The talk will look at the work we have already done, the current CoRR plan, training initiatives and exercises that are planned, the teams involved in recovery and importantly how you can get involved .

Who should come?

 

 

The seminar is open to all members of the museum who are interested in getting involved or learning more about recovery of the collections in a disaster situation. We also welcome colleagues from other institutions who would find the seminar of interest. There is no booking fee and only large parties need to notify the organiser for catering purposes.

 

Science Group: All senior departmental managers & collection management staff.

Public Engagement Group:  Any staff who work with and use collections or manage staff who work with collections.

 

Tea and coffee will be available in the seminar room lobby area after the talk.


Suggestions for seminar speakers are always most welcome. Please contact the organiser Clare Valentine.

 

 

 

For additional details on attending this or other seminars see http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/seminars-events/index.html

10 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink
C Lowry
0

Palaeontology Seminar

 

Tracking nautiloid migrational seaways: using pelagic faunas as a complementary tool for palaeogeographic reconstruction

 

Dr. Kathleen Histon, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

 

Thursday 24th May
Neil Chalmers Seminar Room, DC2, 16:00

 

  

Documentation of the distribution and biodiversity of environmentally sensitive groups is an important element in palaeogeographical reconstruction. Establishment of the precise position, width and timing of open seaways is a pivotal factor in unravelling complex regional geodynamic histories. As nautiloid cephalopods are particularly sensitive to distance and water depth separating landmasses and to fluctuations in sea level they can be considered reliable tools for tracing migrational pathways of pelagic faunas during certain intervals. This complementary dataset can be utilized to confirm models regarding palaeocontinent/microterrane position based on the traditional use of distribution of benthonic faunas.

 

Detailed field studies on the cephalopod limestone biofacies from the almost complete biostratigraphically well constrained Silurian successions in the Carnic Alps (Austria) over the past decade have provided significant data regarding the relationship between sea-level change and faunal events for this middle palaeolatitude North Gondwanan microterrane during the Silurian. The response of various faunal groups to the eustatic changes identified on a local scale has been  compared and related to similar studies in progress from other North Gondwana terranes such as Sardinia and Bohemia and on a global scale with some sectors of Avalonia (the British Isles) and Laurentia (North America). The findings may also have critical relevance within the context of identification of nautiloid cephalopod bioevents and their relation to the dynamics of the global carbon cycle. Detailed studies in this respect for major groups such as nautiloids are lacking to date for the Silurian.

 

 

 

For additional details on attending this or other seminars see http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/seminars-events/index.html

13 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: palaeontology
C Lowry
0

Zoology Seminar


Aplacophoran molluscs—Diversity, Relationships and Hidden Beauty

 

Christiane TODT
University Museum of Bergen, Norway

 

TUESDAY 22nd May, 12pm

Neil Chalmers Science Seminar Room (DC.LG16)

 


When residing last summer among the islands and fjords of the western coast of Sweden, I met with an animal the mere external appearance of which immediately attracted my particular attention.
With these words a new species of worm-like marine invertebrate, Neomenia carinata, was introduced to science - communicated by Tycho Tullberg in 1875, finally published in 1886. He could observe a specimen alive and obviously was fascinated by this unknown “worm” covered in calcareous sclerites and creeping on a ciliated ventral gliding sole. Since then, 268 additional species of Solenogastres have been described, and about 130 species of the closely related Caudofoveata. Most of our knowledge on the diversity of the so-called aplacophoran molluscs is based on museum material, predominantly from deep-sea cruises. A wealth of unknown diversity is still resting in museum collections, awaiting attention of one of the very few taxonomic experts. I met my first living solenogaster in 1999 during a field trip to Bermuda. In contrast to Tullberg I knew what I was seeing – educated by my previous thesis work focusing on more or less well-fixed African solenogaster material. Still, I was as fascinated with the strange beauty of these animals. Since 2006, I work in Bergen, Norway, with excellent collecting and culturing facilities and a rich aplacophoran fauna in the fjords just outside the city. In addition, I have access to a large material from Norwegian waters, from recent collection efforts and dating back to the early days of aplacophoran taxonomy. In my seminar talk I will summarize the status quo of knowledge on aplacophoran biodiversity and phylogenetic relationships and outline the planned work for my SYNTHESYS stay at the Natural History Museum (21.5 - 8.6.2012). This work will include testing the suitability of micro-computer-tomography for non-invasive identification of solenogaster museum material.

 

 

 

For additional details on attending this or other seminars see http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/seminars-events/index.html

55 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: science_news, zoology
C Lowry
0

Palaeontology Seminar

 

Trilobitomorph trunk segmentation: a tale of trilobites, myriapods and their genes

 

Javier Ortega-Hernández,

Department of Earth Sciences,

University of Cambridge

 

Thursday 10th May, 16:00
Neil Chalmers Seminar Room, DC2,

 

+

Trilobites are some of the most common and abundant metazoans preserved in the fossil record, but little is known about the intrinsic mechanisms that orchestrate their body organization. The phylogenetic position of trilobites within total-group Euarthropoda, however, allows making inferences about the processes of segment formation in these extinct taxa, as some of the fundamental genetic processes for constructing the body segments are remarkably conserved among extant arthropods. In this talk I will tackle the problem of trilobite trunk segmentation by drawing comparisons with conserved mechanisms for tergite formation, and its associated gene expression, in extant representatives. The results obtained from studying the tergite development in the centipede Strigamia maritima revives old trilobite segmentation models, and suggest that these extinct arthropods had a considerable, and largely unsuspected, degree of developmental complexity.

 

 

For additional details on attending this or other seminars see http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/seminars-events/index.html

38 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink
C Lowry
0

Zoology Seminars


Evolutionary Aspects of Reproductive Biology and Morphology of Caecilian Amphibians (Gymnophiona)

 

Susanne Kühnel
Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, Universität Jena

 

TUESDAY 15th May, 12pm

Neil Chalmers Science Seminar Room (DC.LG16)

 

 

Among extant vertebrates, caecilians are still considered one of the least-explored groups. This small clade of modern limbless amphibians has striking anatomical novelties and exhibits variable life histories including diverse modes of parity and parental care. All caecilian amphibians practice internal fertilization with the aid of a unique copulatory organ: the everted male cloaca. Since the caecilian cloaca is ontogenetically a part of the digestive system it is not a separate structure exclusively dedicated for reproduction, like e.g. the squamate hemipenis. Nevertheless, the male cloaca reveals a complex morphology being equipped with longitudinal ridges, tuberosities or crests and displays a high diversity among species. Here I present my work on general and functional morphology aspects of the male and female caecilian cloaca based on specimens housed in natural history museum collections. The recent comparative evolutionary study includes species representing the major clades and reproductive modes. It aims to reveal the evolution of specific genital morphologies and if morphological patterns are linked to reproductive modes or other life history and morphological aspects in this fascinating group of tetrapods.

 

For additional details on attending this or other seminars see http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/seminars-events/index.html

 

45 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink
John Jackson
0

David Gower, Mark  Wilkinson, Diego San Mauro (Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow),  Emma Sherratt (NERC-funded PhD student) and NHM Scientific Associate S. D. Biju (University of Delhi) collaborated in the discovery and description of a new family of amphibians. 

 

Chiklidae is a small radiation of caecilian amphibians endemic to northeast India, previously known only from a single poorly preserved specimen collected in 1904. More than a century later this species was rediscoved (and some closely related undescribed species discovered) by the team as a result of the most extensive dedicated field surveys of caecilians that have ever been attempted.

 

The animals were scanned using Micro CT, and phylogenetic analysis of the relationships of the family within the wider group of caeclians was based on a combination of nuclear genes and complete mitochondrial genomes.  The CT  scanning revealed a distinctive cranial morphology which with the phylogenetic analysis showed the closest relatives to be an endemic African family.

 

The discovery reveals an ancient Gondwanan biogeographical link between Africa and northeast India.   Gondwana was a landmass that combined South America, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Antarctica and Australia - the separation of India from Africa began around 120 million years ago during the Jurassic. The breakup of the supercontinent separated populations that diverged in evolutionary terms over time, resulting in new groups of species. (As a parallel example: Humans and the great apes are in the family Hominidae; gibbons are in the closely related family Hylobatidae, although the split between these families is thought to have occurred only 18 million years ago)

 

This work identifies the first family of vertebrates that are endemic to northeast India and highlights the possibility that northeast India could be a Biodiversity Hotspot - an area of particularly high diversity for many groups of organisms. 

 

The work was part funded as an International Joint Project (Gower & Biju) of the Royal Society and Indian Department of Science and Technology and has attracted substantial worldwide news media attention.  A video on the discovery posted on YouTube has attracted more than 100,000 hits.

 

A good slideshow on the Huffington Post

See also: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2012/march/scientists-dig-up-new-branch-of-amphibian-family-tree108532.html

RG Kamei, D San Mauro, DJ Gower, I Van Bocxlaer, E Sherratt, A Thomas, S Babu, F Bossuyt, M Wilkinson and S. D. Biju. Discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast India with ancient links to Africa Proc. R. Soc. B doi: 10.1098/rspb.2012.0150

63 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: zoology, india, amphibia, caecilian
John Jackson
0

Anne Jungblut, a botany research scientist at the NHM, has been awarded the US Antarctica Service Medal. The medal was established by US Congress in 1960 to honour service personnel and civilians who contribute to US Antarctic expeditions.

 

jungblut-pix-63732-1.jpg

 

Anne has been taking part in Antarctic expeditions since 2005 with the New Zealand and US Antarctic Program, and has represented The Natural History Museum on these expeditions since 2009.  Her blog gives details of expeditions to look  at cyanobacteria in Antarctica, which form thick mats in meltwater pools.  We are always intrigued by the sampling equipment that appears in some of the photographs!

160 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: botany, antarctica, cyanobacteria, antarctica_service_medal, anne_jungblut
C Lowry
0

Recent Publications- April

Posted by C Lowry Apr 24, 2012

Publications for last 4 Weeks (Search done on 19th April.)

 

(Search on the basis of ‘Nat SAME Hist SAME Mus* SAME Lon* in Web of Science + TRING)

 

EARTH SCIENCES

MINERALOGY

 

Faithfull, J.W., Timmerman, M.J., Upton, B.G.J. & RUMSEY, M.S. 2012. Mid-Eocene renewal of magmatism in NW Scotland: the Loch Roag Dyke, Outer Hebrides. Journal of the Geological Society, 169(2): 115-118.   

 

Ferrat, M., WEISS, D.J., Dong, S.F., Large, D.J., SPIRO, B., Sun, Y.B. & Gallagher, K. 2012. Lead atmospheric deposition rates and isotopic trends in Asian dust during the last 9.5 kyr recorded in an ombrotrophic peat bog on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 82: 4-22.

 

Gibbard, P. & VITA-FINZI, C. 2012. Richard William Hey, 1917-2011 A tribute. Proceedings of the Geologists Association, 123(1): 228-229.   

 

Jouvin, D., WEISS, D.J., Mason, T.F.M., Bravin, M.N., Louvat, P., Zhao, F., Ferec, F., Hinsinger, P. & Benedetti, M.F. 2012. Stable Isotopes of Cu and Zn in Higher Plants: Evidence for Cu Reduction at the Root Surface and Two Conceptual Models for Isotopic Fractionation Processes. Environmental Science & Technology, 46(5): 2652-2660.   

 

Kojonen, K.K., McDonald, A.M., STANLEY, C.J. & Johanson, B. 2011. Tornroosite, Pd11As2Te2, a new mineral species related to Isomertieite from Miessijoki, Finnish Lapland, Finland. Canadian Mineralogist, 49(6): 1643-1651.   

 

PALAEONTOLOGY

ANQUETIN, J. 2012. Reassessment of the phylogenetic interrelationships of basal turtles (Testudinata). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 10(1): 3-45.   

 

Aston, J.A.D., Buck, D., Coleman, J., Cotter, C.J., Jones, N.S., Macaulay, V., MACLEOD, N., Moriarty, J.M., Nevins, A. & Functional Phylogenies, G. 2012. Phylogenetic inference for function-valued traits: speech sound evolution. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 27(3): 160-166.   

 

BAKER, E., JOHNSON, K.G. & Young, J.R. 2011. The future of the past in the present: biodiversity informatics and geological time. Zookeys(150): 397-405.     

 

BUCK, L.T., STRINGER, C.B., Maclarnon, A.M. & Rae, T.C. 2012. Paranasal sinus shape in Pleistocene hominins. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 147: 108-108.   

 

Gutierrez, B.L., MACLEOD, N. & EDGECOMBE, G.D. 2011. Detecting taxonomic signal in an under-utilised character system: geometric morphometrics of the forcipular coxae of Scutigeromorpha (Chilopoda). Zookeys(156): 49-66.   

 

HOOKER, J.J. & Russell, D.E. 2012. Early Palaeogene Louisinidae (Macroscelidea, Mammalia), their relationships and north European diversity. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 164(4): 856-936.   

 

MAIDMENT, S.C.R. & BARRETT, P.M. 2011. The locomotor musculature of basal ornithischian dinosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 31(6): 1265-1291.   

 

Paterson, J.R., Garcia-Bellido, D.C. & EDGECOMBE, G.D. 2012. New Artiopodan Arthropods from the Early Cambrian Emu Bay Shale Konservat-Lagerstatte of South Australia. Journal of Paleontology, 86(2): 340-357.   

 

Stewart, J.R. & STRINGER, C.B. 2012. Human Evolution Out of Africa: The Role of Refugia and Climate Change. Science, 335(6074): 1317-1321.   

 

TAYLOR, P.D. 2012. Untitled (Editorial). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 10(1): 1-1.   

 

LIFE SCIENCES

BOTANY

BRODIE, J. 2011. Developing a global seaweed network. European Journal of Phycology, 46: 173-174

 

BRODIE, J., Ramirez, M.E., Shaw, R., Wyatt, C., Mansilla, A. & Broom, J. 2011. Sorting out the locals: biodiversity of porphyra sensu lato (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) in Magellanes region, Chile. European Journal of Phycology, 46: 93-93.   

 

COX, E.J. 2011. Evolution and development in microalgae - have gene sequences led us down a blind alley? European Journal of Phycology, 46: 20-20.   

 

De Groot, G.A., During, H.J., ANSELL, S.W., SCHNEIDER, H., Bremer, P., Wubs, E.R.J., Maas, J.W., Korpelainen, H. & Erkens, R.H.J. 2012. Diverse spore rains and limited local exchange shape fern genetic diversity in a recently created habitat colonized by long-distance dispersal. Annals of Botany, 109(5): 965-978.   

 

Ebach, M.C. & WILLIAMS, D.M. 2011. A Devil's Glossary for Biological Systematics. History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, 33(2): 249-257.   

 

ELLIS, L.T. 2012. Typification of Braithwaitea sulcata (Hook.) A.Jaeger & Sauerb. (Musci, Braithwaiteaceae). Journal of Bryology, 34: 61-63.   

 

ELLIS, L.T., Bednarek-Ochyra, H., Cykowska, B., Ochyra, R., Garcia, C., Sergio, C., Lebouvier, M., Manolaki, P., Giannouris, E., Kadis, C., Markova, I., Papp, B., Szurdoki, E., Peralta, D.F., Plasek, V., Ristow, R., Sabovljevic, M., Sim-Sim, M., Smith, V.R., Tsakiri, E., Vana, J., Virchenko, V.M. & Barsukov, O.O. 2012. New national and regional bryophyte records, 30. Journal of Bryology, 34: 45-51.   

 

ELLIS, L.T. & Price, M.J. 2012. Typification of Schistostega pennata (Hedw.) F.Weber & D.Mohr (Schistostegaceae). Journal of Bryology, 34: 17-21.   

 

Karthick, B. & WILLIAMS, D.M. 2012. The International Code for Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants - a significant rewrite of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. Current Science, 102(4): 551-552.   

 

Ligrone, R., DUCKETT, J.G. & Renzaglia, K.S. 2012. Major transitions in the evolution of early land plants: a bryological perspective. Annals of Botany, 109(5): 851-871.   

 

Sanchez, N., Verges, A., Peteiro, C., Polo, L. & BRODIE, J. 2011. A new cryptic species in the mediterranean sea: molecular and morphological insights into bladed species of the Bangiales. European Journal of Phycology, 46: 67-68

 

THUS, H., Muggia, L., Perez-Ortega, S., Favero-Longo, S.E., Joneson, S., O'Brien, H., Nelsen, M.P., DUQUE-THUS, R., Grube, M., Friedl, T., BRODIE, J., Andrew, C.J., Lucking, R., Lutzoni, F. & GUEIDAN, C. 2011. Revisiting photobiont diversity in the lichen family Verrucariaceae (Ascomycota). European Journal of Phycology, 46(4): 399-415.   

 

Verges, A., Sanchez, N., Peteiro, C., Huete-Stauffer, T., Polo, L. & BRODIE, J. 2011. Porphyra suborbiculata (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) in Northern Spain, an asiatic species new to European Atlantic. European Journal of Phycology, 46: 190-191

 

WILLIS, L. & COX, E.J. 2011. Developing nano-scale physical models to identify mechanisms of pore occlusion formation in diatoms. European Journal of Phycology, 46: 175-175.   

 

Witkowski, J., SIMS, P.A. & Harwood, D.M. 2011. Rutilariaceae redefined: a review of fossil bipolar diatom genera with centrally positioned linking structures, with implications for the origin of pennate diatoms. European Journal of Phycology, 46(4): 378-398.   

 

ENTOMOLOGY

Bachman, S., Moat, J., Hill, A.W., de la Torre, J. & SCOTT, B. 2011. Supporting Red List threat assessments with GeoCAT: geospatial conservation assessment tool. Zookeys(150): 117-126.   

 

BAKER, E. & Michel, E. 2011. Data standards, sense and stability: Scratchpads, the ICZN and ZooBank. Zookeys(150): 167-176.   

 

BRAKE, I., Duin, D., Van de Velde, I., SMITH, V.S. & RYCROFT, S.D. 2011. Who learns from whom? Supporting users and developers of a major biodiversity e-infrastructure. Zookeys(150): 177-192.   

 

Fikacek, M., BARCLAY, M.V.L. & Perkins, P.D. 2011. Two new species of the Epimetopus mendeli species group and notes on its adult and larval morphology (Coleoptera: Hydrophiloidea: Epimetopidae). Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae, 51(2): 477-504.   

 

Henry, C.S., BROOKS, S.J., Duelli, P., Johnson, J.B., Wells, M.M. & Mochizuki, A. 2012. Parallel evolution in courtship songs of North American and European green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 105(4): 776-796

 

Hernandez-Suarez, E., MARTIN, J.H., Gill, R.J., Bedford, I.D., Malumphy, C.P., Betancort, J.A.R. & Carnero, A. 2012. The Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha) of the Canary Islands with special reference to Aleyrodes, Siphoninus, and the challenges of puparial morphology in Bemisia. Zootaxa(3212): 1-76

 

Lopez-Vaamonde, C., Breman, F.C., LEES, D.C., Van Houdt, J. & De Prins, J. 2012. Analysis of tissue dependent DNA yield for optimal sampling of micro-moths in large-scale biodiversity surveys. European Journal of Entomology, 109(1): 1-6.   

 

Lotter, A.F., Heiri, O., BROOKS, S., van Leeuwen, J.F.N., Eicher, U. & Ammann, B. 2012. Rapid summer temperature changes during Termination 1a: high-resolution multi-proxy climate reconstructions from Gerzensee (Switzerland). Quaternary Science Reviews, 36: 103-113.   

 

Penev, L., LYAL, C.H.C., Weitzman, A., Morse, D.R., King, D., Sautter, G., Georgiev, T., Morris, R.A., Catapano, T. & Agosti, D. 2011. XML schemas and mark-up practices of taxonomic literature. Zookeys(150): 89-116.   

 

Sheng, M.L., BROAD, G.R. & Sun, S.P. 2011. Two new species of genus Ateleute Forster (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae) with a key to the Oriental species. Zookeys(141): 53-64.   

 

Shevtsova, E. & HANSSON, C. 2011. Species recognition through wing interference patterns (WIPs) in Achrysocharoides Girault (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) including two new species. Zookeys(154): 9-30.   

 

SHUBERT, E. 2011. Does phenotypic plasticity amplify the biodiversity signal? European Journal of Phycology, 46: 42-43.   

 

SHUBERT, E. 2011. Systematics and biodiversity: a journal devoted to whole-organism biology. European Journal of Phycology, 46: 187-187.   

 

SMITH, V.S. & Penev, L. 2011. Collaborative electronic infrastructures to accelerate taxonomic research. Zookeys(150): 1-3.   

 

SMITH, V.S., RYCROFT, S.D., BRAKE, I., SCOTT, B., BAKER, E., LIVERMORE, L., BLAGODEROV, V. & ROBERTS, D. 2011. Scratchpads 2.0: a Virtual Research Environment supporting scholarly collaboration, communication and data publication in biodiversity science. Zookeys(150): 53-70.   

 

VANE-WRIGHT, R.I. & TENNENT, W.J. 2011. Colour and size variation in Junonia villida (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae): subspecies or phenotypic plasticity? Systematics and Biodiversity, 9(4): 289-305.   

 

ZOOLOGY

CLAREMONT, M., REID, D.G. & WILLIAMS, S.T. 2012. Speciation and dietary specialization in Drupa, a genus of predatory marine snails (Gastropoda: Muricidae). Zoologica Scripta, 41(2): 137-149.   

 

Dang, F., Wang, W.X. & RAINBOW, P.S. 2012. Unifying Prolonged Copper Exposure, Accumulation, and Toxicity from Food and Water in a Marine Fish. Environmental Science & Technology, 46(6): 3465-3471.   

 

Davies, A.J., Hosein, S. & MERRETT, N.R. 2012. Haematozoans from deep water fishes trawled off the Cape Verde Islands and over the Porcupine Seabight, with a revision of species within the genus Desseria (Adeleorina: Haemogregarinidae). Folia Parasitologica, 59(1): 1-11.   

 

Fitze, P.S., Gonzalez-Jimena, V., San-Jose, L.M., MAURO, D.S., Aragon, P., Suarez, T. & Zardoya, R. 2011. Integrative analyses of speciation and divergence in Psammodromus hispanicus (Squamata: Lacertidae). BMC Evolutionary Biology, 11.   

 

HARTIKAINEN, H. & OKAMURA, B. 2012. Castrating parasites and colonial hosts. Parasitology, 139(4): 547-556.   

 

Kundu, S., Jones, C.G., PRYS-JONES, R.P. & Groombridge, J.J. 2012. The evolution of the Indian Ocean parrots (Psittaciformes): Extinction, adaptive radiation and eustacy. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62(1): 296-305.   

 

OLSON, P.D., ZAROWIECKI, M., Kiss, F. & Brehm, K. 2012. Cestode genomics - progress and prospects for advancing basic and applied aspects of flatworm biology. Parasite Immunology, 34(2-3): 130-150.   

 

REID, D.G., DYAL, P. & WILLIAMS, S.T. 2012. A global molecular phylogeny of 147 periwinkle species (Gastropoda, Littorininae). Zoologica Scripta, 41(2): 125-136.   

 

von Reumont, B.M., JENNER, R.A., Wills, M.A., Dell'Ampio, E., Pass, G., Ebersberger, I., Meyer, B., Koenemann, S., Iliffe, T.M., Stamatakis, A., Niehuis, O., Meusemann, K. & Misof, B. 2012. Pancrustacean Phylogeny in the Light of New Phylogenomic Data: Support for Remipedia as the Possible Sister Group of Hexapoda. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 29(3): 1031-1045.   

 

WILLIAMS, S.T., HALL, A. & KUKLINSKI, P. 2012. Unraveling cryptic diversity in the Indo-West Pacific gastropod genus Lunella (Turbinidae) using elliptic Fourier analysis. American Malacological Bulletin, 30(1): 189-206.   

139 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink
C Lowry
0

Palaeontology Seminar

Posted by C Lowry Apr 24, 2012

Palaeontology Seminar

 

Floral palaeoecology of the Middle Jurassic of Argentina using palynological analysis and its potential application to hydrocarbon exploration

 

 

Thursday 26th April
Neil Chalmers Seminar Room, DC2, 16:00

 

 

Dr. Stephen Stukins, Department of Palaeontology, NHM

 

 

Palaeoenvironmental reconstructions using palynology are often based upon allochthonous sporomorphs but often fail to take into account how transportation and depositional processes alter the assemblages, leading to misinterpretations. To resolve this, a methodology has been developed that aims to eliminate the bias of the sedimentation process and gives a new interpretation on palaeoenvironmental analysis. This talk reviews the approach using a case study from the Middle Jurassic of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina.

 

The findings show a dynamic ecosystem with broad ecological trends, one opposing the static models of vegetation ecology often presented from palaeo scenarios. In addition, the palaeoenvironmental analysis is combined with sedimentological and geochemical parameters to give an insight into future predictive models for the exploration of complex, marginal marine deposits such as those witnessed in the stunning outcrops of the Lajas Formation.

 

For additional details on attending this or other seminars see http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/seminars-events/index.html

96 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink
C Lowry
0

As part of the Annual NHM Integrated Pest Management Awareness

   

Thursday 26th April 2012

2.30pm - 4.00pm

Flett Lecture Theatre, NHM, South Kensington London, SW7 5BD

 

Armando Mendez, Suzanne Ryder and David A. Smith from the Natural History Museum


Regular trapping and periodical inspections alerted Natural History Museum’s IPM Group to a rise in the number of webbing clothes moths, Tineola bisselliella, in the Museum’s Mammal corridor in late 2010.  This awareness led to the combined use of pheromone lure traps and a new visual display of trapping data.  This was used with the collections management system KE-EMu  to closely follow the evolution of the infestation.

 

At the time, a rodent infestation was discovered in a Museum themed gallery, quite distant from the original moth infestation. However, in this rodent location, Tineola moths were also discovered in textile materials contaminated by rodents. The use of pheromone traps and digital cameras proved that both infestations were linked and that there was a strong possibility that the moths were thriving in the welcoming environment created by the rodents. The pests were using under-floor ventilation ducts to move around the Museum’s public galleries, posing a threat to the Mammal specimens on display in those galleries.

 

To deal with the problems, the Museum’s IPM group coordinated the efforts of several teams to apply remedies based on IPM principles and best practice.Housekeeping, Design & Installation and Estates maintenance teams are working together, coordinated by the IPM group, to control this infestation. A trial of a new pheromone distraction product is also underway.

 

  • The seminar is open to all museum professionals. We welcome colleagues from other institutions who would find the seminar of interest. There is no booking fee and only large parties need to notify the organiser for catering purposes.
  • NHM staff from Science Group and Public Engagement Group are encouraged to attend, whether managers, collections management staff or those who work with and use collections or manage staff who work with collections.

 

Tea and coffee will be available in the seminar room lobby area after the talk.

 

Suggestions for seminar speakers are always most welcome. Please contact the organiser Clare Valentine (c.valentine@nhm.ac.uk


NHM, Collection Management Seminar (see NHM Website for further details on how to attend http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/seminars-events/index.html).

108 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: conservation, collections_management, integrated_pest_management
John Jackson
0

Publications for the previous 4 -5 weeks (Search done 21st February.)

 

BOTANY

 

ELLIS, L.T. 2011. Type specimens of taxa described by C. F. Schwägrichen in the moss genera Calymperes and Syrrhopodon (Musci: Calymperaceae). Candollea, 66(2): 317-329.      

ELLIS, L.T., Darzikolaei, S.A., Shirzadian, S., Bakalin, V.A., Bednarek-Ochyra, H., Ochyra, R., Claro, D., Dulin, M.V., Eckel, P.M., Erzberger, P., Eziz, R., Sulayman, M., Garcia, C., Sergio, C., Stow, S., Hedderson, T., Hedenas, L., Kurschner, H., Li, W., Nebel, M., Nieuwkoop, J., Philippov, D.A., Plasek, V., Sawicki, J., Schafer-Verwimp, A., Stefanut, S. & Vana, J. 2011. New national and regional bryophyte records, 29. Journal of Bryology, 33: 316-323.  

Jüttner, I. & COX, E.J. 2011. Achnanthidium pseudoconspicuum comb. nov.: morphology and ecology of the species and a comparison with related taxa. Diatom Research, 26(1-2): 21-28.  

KENRICK, P., Wellman, C.H., SCHNEIDER, H. & EDGECOMBE, G.D. 2012. A timeline for terrestrialization: consequences for the carbon cycle in the Palaeozoic. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 367(1588): 519-536.  

KNAPP, S., McNeill, J.  & Turland,  N.J. 2011. Changes to publication requirements made at the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne - what does e-publication mean for you? Brittonia, 63(4): 505-509.  

KNAPP, S., McNeill, J.  & Turland,  N.J. 2011. Changes to Publication Requirements Made at the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne-What Does e-Publication Mean for You? Novon, 21(4): 440-443.  

KNAPP, S., McNeill, J.  & Turland,  N.J. 2011. Fungal nomenclature. Changes to publication requirements made at the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne - what does e-publication mean for you? Mycotaxon, 117: 509-515.  

MARTIN-CERECEDA, M. & COX, E.J. 2011. Morphological variation in a small Thalassiosira species (Bacillariophyta) under different culture regimes. Botanica Marina, 54(6): 563-574.  

Metcalf, J.S., Beattie, K.A., Purdie, E.L., BRYANT, J.A., IRVINE, L.M. & Codd, G.A. 2011. Analysis of microcystins and microcystin genes in 60-170-year-old dried herbarium specimens of cyanobacteria. Harmful Algae: (Article in Press).   

Price, M.J. & ELLIS, L.T. 2011. A lectotype for Breutelia chrysocoma (Hedw.) Lindb., (Bryophyta; Bartramiaceae). Journal of Bryology, 33: 308-315.  

Santos-Guerra, A., JARVIS, C.E., CARINE, M.A., Maunder, M. & Francisco-Ortega, J. 2011. Late 17th century herbarium collections from the Canary Islands: The plants collected by James Cuninghame in La Palma. Taxon, 60(6): 1734-1753.  

SÄRKINEN, T., Iganci, J.R.V., Linares-Palomino, R., Simon, M.F. & Prado, D.E. 2011. Forgotten forests - issues and prospects in biome mapping using Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests as a case study. BMC Ecology, 11(27): doi:10.1186/1472-6785-11-27.  

Varin, T., Lovejoy, C., JUNGBLUT, A.D., Vincent, W.F. & Corbeil, J. 2012. Metagenomic Analysis of Stress Genes in Microbial Mat Communities from Antarctica and the High Arctic. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 78(2): 549-559.  

Veillette, J., Lovejoy, C., Potvin, M., Harding, T., JUNGBLUT, A.D., Antoniades, D., Chénard, C., Suttle, C.A. & Vincent, W.F. 2011. Milne fiord epishelf lake: A coastal arctic ecosystem vulnerable to climate change. Ecoscience, 18(3): 304-316.    

WILLIAMS, D.M. 2011. Additions to and comments on the bibliography of Robert Ross. Diatom Research, 26(3-4): 317-318.  

WILLIAMS, D.M. 2011. Synedra, Ulnaria: definitions and descriptions - a partial resolution. Diatom Research, 26(1-2): 149-153.  

WILLIAMS, D.M. & Ebach, M.C. 2012. Confusing homologs as homologies: A reply to "On homology". Cladistics: (Article in Press).  

 

ENTOMOLOGY

 

Carolan, J.C., Murray, T.E., Fitzpatrick, U., Crossley, J., Schmidt, H., Cederberg, B., McNally, L., Paxton, R.J., WILLIAMS, P.H. & Brown, M.J.F. 2012. Colour patterns do not diagnose species: Quantitative evaluation of a DNA barcoded cryptic bumblebee complex. PLoS ONE, 7(1).      

COOK, S., Moureau, G., Kitchen, A., Gould, E.A., De Lamballerie, X., Holmes, E.C. & HARBACH, R. 2012. Molecular evolution of the insect-specific flaviviruses. Journal of General Virology, 93(2): 223-234.     

Dai, W., Viraktamath,  C.A., WEBB, M.D. & Zhang, Y. 2012. Revision of the oriental leafhopper genus parallygus Melichar (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with description of new species. Zootaxa(3157): 41-53.    

Fayle, T.M., Edwards, D.P., Turner, E.C., Dumbrell, A.J., EGGLETON, P. & Foster, W.A. 2012. Public goods, public services and by-product mutualism in an ant-fern symbiosis. Oikos: (Article in Press).      

Finn, D.S., Bonada, N., MURRIA, C. & Hughes, J.M. 2011. Small but mighty: headwaters are vital to stream network biodiversity at two levels of organization. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 30(4): 963-980.  

Franco, A.O., Davies, C.R., Mylne, A., Dedet, J.P., Gallego, M., Ballart, C., Gramiccia, M., Gradoni, L., Molina, R., Galvez, R., Morillas-Marquez, F., Baron-Lopez, S., Pires, C.A., Afonso, M.O., READY, P.D. & Cox, J. 2011. Predicting the distribution of canine leishmaniasis in western Europe based on environmental variables. Parasitology, 138(14): 1878-1891.  

Frutos, P., Hoste, H., Sotiraki, S., HALL, M. & Jackson, F. 2011. Specificities of parasitism in goats and sheep: Interactions with nutrition and control strategies. Small Ruminant Research: (Article in Press).      

GE, D., Gómez-Zurita, J., CHESTERS, D., Yang, X. & VOGLER, A.P. 2012. Suprageneric systematics of flea beetles (Chrysomelidae: Alticinae) inferred from multilocus sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62(3): 793-805. (Article in Press)    

KUHLMANN, M., Guo, D., Veldtman, R. & Donaldson, J. 2012. Consequences of warming up a hotspot:species range shifts within a centre of bee diversity. Diversity and Distributions, ??: 1-13 (Article in Press).      

Millet, L., Rius, D., Galop, D., Heiri, O. & BROOKS, S.J. 2012. Chironomid-based reconstruction of Lateglacial summer temperatures from the Ech palaeolake record (French western Pyrenees). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 315-316: 86-99.      

POLASZEK, A., Rugman-Jones, P.F., Stouthamer, R., Hernandez-Suarez, E., Cabello, T. & Perez, M.D. 2012. Molecular and morphological diagnoses of five species of Trichogramma: biological control agents of Chrysodeixis chalcites (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in the Canary Islands. Biocontrol, 57(1): 21-35.  

QUICKE, D.L.J. & Butcher, B.A. 2011. Corrigendum to revision of the genus ischnobracon Baltazar (hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae) by Areekul Butcher and Quicke (2010). Journal of Natural History, 45(39-40): 2525-2526.      

Rodriguez-Roche, R., Villegas, E., COOK, S., Poh Kim, P.A.W., Hinojosa, Y., Rosario, D., Villalobos, I., Bendezu, H., Hibberd, M.L. & Guzman, M.G. 2012. Population structure of the dengue viruses, Aragua, Venezuela, 2006-2007. Insights into dengue evolution under hyperendemic transmission. Infection, Genetics and Evolution: (Article in Press).      

ROSSER, N. & EGGLETON, P. 2012. Can higher taxa be used as a surrogate for species-level data in biodiversity surveys of litter/soil insects? Journal of Insect Conservation, 16(1): 87-92.  

Sotiraki, S. & HALL, M.J.R. 2011. A review of comparative aspects of myiasis in goats and sheep in Europe. Small Ruminant Research: (Article in Press).      

Stewart, J.R., Aspinall, S., Beech, M., FENBERG, P., Hellyer, P., Larkin, N., Lokier, S.W., Marx, F.G., Meyer, M., Miller, R., RAINBOW, P.S., TAYLOR, J.D., WHITTAKER, J.E., Al-Mehsin, K. & Strohmenger, C.J. 2011. Biotically constrained palaeoenvironmental conditions of a mid-Holocene intertidal lagoon on the southern shore of the Arabian Gulf: evidence associated with a whale skeleton at Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30(25-26): 3675-3690.  

Toth, M., Magyari, E.K., BROOKS, S.J., Braun, M., Buczko, K., Balint, M. & Heiri, O. 2012. A chironomid-based reconstruction of late glacial summer temperatures in the southern Carpathians (Romania). Quaternary Research, 77(1): 122-131.  

Van Asch, N., Lutz, A.F., Duijkers, M.C.H., Heiri, O., BROOKS, S.J. & Hoek, W.Z. 2012. Rapid climate change during the Weichselian Lateglacial in Ireland: Chironomid-inferred summer temperatures from Fiddaun, Co. Galway. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 315-316: 1-11.      

Williams, J.J., Gosling, W.D., BROOKS, S.J., Coe, A.L. & Xu, S. 2011. Vegetation, climate and fire in the eastern Andes (Bolivia) during the last 18,000 years. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 312(1-2): 115-126.  

Yusah, K.M., FAYLE, T.M., Harris, G. & Foster, W.A. 2012. Optimizing Diversity Assessment Protocols for High Canopy Ants in Tropical Rain Forest. Biotropica, 44(1): 73-81.  

Zahiri, R., HOLLOWAY, J., KITCHING, I.J., Lafontaine, J.D., Mutanen, M. & Wahlberg, N. 2012. Molecular phylogenetics of Erebidae (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea). Systematic Entomology, 37(1): 102-124.      

 

MINERALOGY

 

Anders, C., Bringa, E.M., Ziegenhain, G., GRAHAM, G.A., Hansen, J.F., Park, N., Teslich, N.E. & Urbassek, H.M. 2012. Why Nanoprojectiles Work Differently than Macroimpactors: The Role of Plastic Flow. Physical Review Letters, 108(2).  

Cong, Y., Banta, G.T., Selck, H., BERHANU, D., VALSAMI-JONES, E. & Forbes, V.E. 2011. Toxic effects and bioaccumulation of nano-, micron- and ionic-Ag in the polychaete, Nereis diversicolor. Aquatic Toxicology, 105(3-4): 403-411.  

Cuif, J.P., Dauphin, Y., HOWARD, L., Nouet, J., Rouziere, S. & Salome, M. 2011. Is the pearl layer a reversed shell? A re-examination of the theory of pearl formation through physical characterizations of pearl and shell developmental stages in Pinctada margaritifera. Aquatic Living Resources, 24(4): 411-424.  

Emmerton, S., Muxworthy, A.R., HEZEL, D.C. & BLAND, P.A. 2011. Magnetic characteristics of CV chondrules with paleointensity implications. Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, 116(12).  

Griffin, L.D., ELANGOVAN, P., Mundell, A. & HEZEL, D.C. 2012. Improved segmentation of meteorite micro-CT images using local histograms. Computers and Geosciences, 39: 129-134.      

Hopkinson, L., Kristova, P., Rutt, K. & CRESSEY, G. 2012. Phase transitions in the system MgO-CO(2)-H(2)O during CO(2) degassing of Mg-bearing solutions. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 76: 1-13.  

Kampf, A.R., Mlls, S.J., Housley, R.M., RUMSEY, M.S. & SPRATT, J. 2012. Lead-tellurium oxysalts from Otto Mountain near Baker, California: VII. Chromschieffelinite, Pb(10)Te(6)O(20)(OH)(14)(CrO(4))(1120)5, the chromate analog of schieffelinite. American Mineralogist, 97(1): 212-219.  

Konopelko, D.L., Biske, Y.S., Kullerud, K., SELTMANN, R. & Divaev, F.K. 2011. The Koshrabad granite massif in Uzbekistan: petrogenesis, metallogeny, and geodynamic setting. Russian Geology and Geophysics, 52(12): 1563-1573.  

Kuznetsova, L.G., Zolotarev, A.A., Frank-Kamenetskaya, O.V., Rozhdestvenskaya, I.V., Bronzova, Y.M., SPRATTE, J. & Ertl, A. 2011. Chemical composition and species attribution of tourmalines from a rare-metal pegmatite vein with scapolite, Sangilen Upland, Tuva. Geology of Ore Deposits, 53(8): 806-817. 

Lambeck, K., Purcell, A., Flemming, N.C., VITA-FINZI, C., Alsharekh, A.M. & Bailey, G.N. 2011. Sea level and shoreline reconstructions for the Red Sea: isostatic and tectonic considerations and implications for hominin migration out of Africa. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30(25-26): 3542-3574.  

Lappe, S., Church, N.S., Kasama, T., Fanta, A.B.D., Bromiley, G., Dunin-Borkowski, R.E., Feinberg, J.M., RUSSELL, S. & Harrison, R.J. 2011. Mineral magnetism of dusty olivine: A credible recorder of pre-accretionary remanence. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 12.  

MISRA, S.K., DYBOESKA, A., BERHANU, D., Croteau, M.N., Luoma, S.N., Boccaccini, A.R. & VALSAMI-JONES, E. 2012. Isotopically modified nanoparticles for enhanced detection in bioaccumulation studies. Environmental Science and Technology, 46(2): 1216-1222.      

Nouet, J., Baronnet, A. & HOWARD, L. 2012. Crystallization in organo-mineral micro-domains in the crossed-lamellar layer of Nerita undata (Gastropoda, Neritopsina). Micron, 43(2-3): 456-462.      

Patzer, A., HEZEL, D.C., Bendel, V. & Pack, A. 2012. Chondritic ingredients: I. Usual suspects and some oddballs in the Leoville CV3 meteorite. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 47(1): 142-157.  

Ruenraroengsak, P., Novak, P., BERHANU, D., Thorley, A.J., Valsami-Jones, E., Gorelik, J., Korchev, Y.E. & Tetley, T.D. 2012. Respiratory epithelial cytotoxicity and membrane damage (holes) caused by amine-modified nanoparticles. Nanotoxicology, 6(1): 94-108.  

Safonova, I.Y., Simonov, V.A., Kurganskaya, E.V., Obut, O.T., Romer, R.L. & SELTMANN, R. 2012. Late Paleozoic oceanic basalts hosted by the Char suture-shear zone, East Kazakhstan: Geological position, geochemistry, petrogenesis and tectonic setting. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences: (Article in Press).      

SKARTSILA, K. & Spanos, N. 2012. Adsorption monitoring of phospho-l-serine on hydroxyapatite. Colloid and Polymer Science: 1-9 (Article in Press).      

Spurný, P., BLAND, P.A., Shrbený, L., Borovička, J., Ceplecha, Z., Singelton, A., Bevan, A.W.R., Vaughan, D., Towner, M.C., McClafferty, T.P., Toumi, R. & DEACON, G. 2012. The Bunburra Rockhole Meteorite fall in SW Australia: Fireball trajectory, luminosity, dynamics, orbit, and impact position from photographic and photoelectric records. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 47(2): 163-185. (Article in Press)     

Veksler, I.V., Dorfman, A.M., Dulski, P., Kamenetsky, V.S., Danyushevsky, L.V., JEFFRIES, T. & Dingwell, D.B. 2012. Partitioning of elements between silicate melt and immiscible fluoride, chloride, carbonate, phosphate and sulfate melts, with implications to the origin of natrocarbonatite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 79: 20-40.  

VITA-FINZI, C. 2012. Misattributed tsunami 2: The Tōhoku Japan (M w 9.0) 2011.3.11 earthquake. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 123(1): 19-21.      

Weider, S.Z., Kellett, B.J., Swinyard, B.M., Crawford, I.A., Joy, K.H., Grande, M., Howe, C.J., Huovelin, J., Narendranath, S., Alha, L., ANAND, M., Athiray, P.S., Bhandari, N., Carter, J.A., Cook, A.C., Duston, L.C., Fernandes, V.A., Gasnault, O., Goswami, J.N., Gow, J.P.D., Holland, A.D., Koschny, D., Lawrence, D.J., Maddison, B.J., Maurice, S., McKay, D.J., Okada, T., Pieters, C., Rothery, D.A., RUSSELL, S.S., Shrivastava, A., Smith, D.R. & Wieczorek, M. 2012. The Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer: First results. Planetary and Space Science, 60(1): 217-228.      

ZAITSEV, A.N., Chakhmouradian, A.R., Siidra, O.I., SPRATT, J., WILLIAMS, C.T., STANLEY, C.J., Petrov, S.V., Britvin, S.N. & Polyakova, E.A. 2011. Fluorine-, yttrium- and lanthanide-rich cerianite-(Ce) from carbonatitic rocks of the Kerimasi volcano and surrounding explosion craters, Gregory Rift, northern Tanzania. Mineralogical Magazine, 75(6): 2813-2822.  

 

PALAEONTOLOGY

 

Bastir, M., Rosas, A., Gunz, P., Pena-Melian, A., Manzi, G., Harvati, K., KRUSZYNSKI, R., STRINGER, C. & Hublin, J.J. 2011. Evolution of the base of the brain in highly encephalized human species. Nature Communications, 2(1).  

Bates, K.T., MAIDMENT, S.C.R., Allen, V. & BARRETT, P.M. 2012. Computational modelling of locomotor muscle moment arms in the basal dinosaur Lesothosaurus diagnosticus: Assessing convergence between birds and basal ornithischians. Journal of Anatomy, 220(3): 212-232. (Article in Press)     

BENNETT, S.P., BARRETT, P.M., COLLINSON, M.E., MOORE-FAY, S., Davis, P.G. & PALMER, C.P. 2012. A new specimen of Ichthyosaurus communis from Dorset, UK, and its bearing on the stratigraphical range of the species. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 123(1): 146-154.      

Briant, R.M., Kilfeather, A.A., PARFITT, S., Penkman, K.E.H., Preece, R.C., Roe, H.M., Schwenninger, J.L., Wenban-Smith, F.F. & WHITTAKER, J.E. 2012. Integrated chronological control on an archaeologically significant Pleistocene river terrace sequence: The Thames-Medway, eastern Essex, England. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 123(1): 87-108.      

Cooper, M.R. & OWEN, H.G. 2011. Evolutionary relationships among Schloenbachiidae (Cretaceous Ammonoidea: Hoplitoidea), with a revised classification of the family. Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palaontologie-Abhandlungen, 262(3): 289-307.  

DI MARTINO, E. & TAYLOR, P.D. 2012. Morphology and palaeobiogeography of Retelepralia, a distinctive cheilostome bryozoan new to the fossil record. Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palaontologie-Abhandlungen, 263(1): 67-74.  

Donovan, S.K., Jagt, J.W.M. & LEWIS, D.N. 2011. Notes on some trace fossils and other parataxa from the Maastrichtian type area, southeast Netherlands and northeast Belgium. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences-Geologie En Mijnbouw, 90(2-3): 99-109.  

Evans, D.C., BARRETT, P.M. & Seymour, K.L. 2012. Revised identification of a reported Iguanodon-grade ornithopod tooth from the Scollard Formation, Alberta, Canada. Cretaceous Research, 33(1): 11-14.  

Farke, A.A., Ryan, M.J., BARRETT, P.M., Tanke, D.H., Braman, D.R., Loewen, M.A. & GRAHAM, M.R. 2011. A new centrosaurine from the Late Cretaceous of Alberta, Canada, and the evolution of parietal ornamentation in horned dinosaurs. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 56(4): 691-702.  

FORTEY, R.A. 2011. A critical graptolite correlation into the Lower Ordovician of Gondwana. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society, 58(4): 223-226.      

Giribet, G. & EDGECOMBE, G.D. 2012. Reevaluating the arthropod tree of life. Annual Review of Entomology, 57: 167-186.      

Huang, B., Rong, J. & COCKS, L.R.M. 2012. Global palaeobiogeographical patterns in brachiopods from survival to recovery after the end-Ordovician mass extinction. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology: (Article in Press).      

HUMPHREY, L., BELLO, S. & Rousham, E. 2012. Sex differences in infant mortality in Spitalfields, London, 1750-1839. Journal of Biosocial Science, 44(1): 95-119.  

KENRICK, P., Wellman, C.H., SCHNEIDER, H. & EDGECOMBE, G.D. 2012. A timeline for terrestrialization: consequences for the carbon cycle in the Palaeozoic. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 367(1588): 519-536.  

LLOYD, G.T. 2012. A refined modelling approach to assess the influence of sampling on palaeobiodiversity curves: new support for declining Cretaceous dinosaur richness. Biology Letters, 8(1): 123-126.  

LLOYD, G.T., YOUNG, J.R. & SMITH, A.B. 2012. Taxonomic Structure of the Fossil Record is Shaped by Sampling Bias. Systematic Biology, 61(1): 80-89.  

Milian, M.I., Weissert, H.J., OWEN, H., Fernandez-Mendiola, P.A. & Garcia-Mondejar, J. 2011. The Madotz Urgonian platform (Aralar, northern Spain): Paleoecological changes in response to Early Aptian global environmental events. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 312(1-2): 167-180.  

Perry, C.T., Smithers, S.G., ROCHE, R.C. & Wassenburg, J. 2011. Recurrent patterns of coral community and sediment facies development through successive phases of Holocene inner-shelf reef growth and decline. Marine Geology, 289(1-4): 60-71.  

Royse, K.R., De Freitas, M., Burgess, W.G., Cosgrove, J., Ghail, R.C., Gibbard, P., King, C., Lawrence, U., Mortimore, R.N., OWEN, H. & Skipper, J. 2012. Geology of London, UK. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 123(1): 22-45.      

SELDEN, P.A., Nam, K.S., Kim, S.H. & Kim, H.J. 2012. A fossil spider from the cretaceous of Korea. Journal of Paleontology, 86(1): 1-6.  

SMITH, A.B. & BARRETT, P.M. 2012. Modelling the past: new generation approaches to understanding biological patterns in the fossil record Introduction. Biology Letters, 8(1): 112-114.  

Stewart, J.R., Aspinall, S., Beech, M., FENBERG, P., Hellyer, P., Larkin, N., Lokier, S.W., Marx, F.G., Meyer, M., Miller, R., RAINBOW, P.S., TAYLOR, J.D., WHITTAKER, J.E., Al-Mehsin, K. & Strohmenger, C.J. 2011. Biotically constrained palaeoenvironmental conditions of a mid-Holocene intertidal lagoon on the southern shore of the Arabian Gulf: evidence associated with a whale skeleton at Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30(25-26): 3675-3690.  

Vahtera, V., EDGECOMBE, G.D. & Giribet, G. 2012. Evolution of blindness in scolopendromorph centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha): insight from an expanded sampling of molecular data. Cladistics, 28(1): 4-20.  

WAESCHENBACH, A., TAYLOR, P.D. & LITTLEWOOD, D.T.J. 2012. A molecular phylogeny of bryozoans. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62(2): 718-735.  

YOUNG, M.T., Bell, M.A., De Andrade, M.B. & Brusatte, S.L. 2011. Body size estimation and evolution in metriorhynchid crocodylomorphs: implications for species diversification and niche partitioning. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 163(4): 1199-1216.  

ZAMORA, S. & SMITH, A.B. 2012. Cambrian stalked echinoderms show unexpected plasticity of arm construction. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 279(1727): 293-298.  

 

ZOOLOGY

 

Betson, M., Nejsum, P., LLEWELLYN-HUGHES, J., GRIFFIN, C., Atuhaire, A., Arinaitwe, M., Adriko, M., Ruggiana, A., Turyakira, G., Kabatereine, N.B. & Stothard, J.R. 2012. Genetic diversity of Ascaris in southwestern Uganda. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 106(2): 75-83.      

El-Rashidy, H.H. & BOXSHALL, G.A. 2012. A new copepod (Siphonostomatoida: Lernanthropidae) parasitic on a Red Sea immigrant dragonet (Actinopterygii: Callionymidae), with a review of records of parasitic copepods from dragonets. Systematic Parasitology, 81(2): 87-96.  

Foata, J., Quilichini, Y., Justine, J.L., BRAY, R.A. & Marchand, B. 2012. Ultrastructural study of spermiogenesis and the spermatozoon of Cavisoma magnum (Southwell, 1927) (Acanthocephala, Palaeacanthocephala, Cavisomidae), from Siganus lineatus (Pisces, Teleostei, Siganidae) (Valenciennes, 1835) in New Caledonia. Micron, 43(2-3): 141-149.      

Horne, E.C., BRAY, R.A. & Bousfield, B. 2011. The presence of the trematodes Cardiocephaloides physalis and Renicola sloanei in the African Penguin Spheniscus demersus on the east coast of South Africa. Ostrich, 82(2): 157-160.  

HUME, J.P. 2011. Systematics, morphology, and ecology of pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbidae) of the Mascarene Islands, with three new species. Zootaxa(3124): 1-+.  

HUYS, R., Fatih, F., Ohtsuka, S. & LLEWELLYN-HUGHES, J. 2012. Evolution of the bomolochiform superfamily complex (Copepoda: Cyclopoida): New insights from ssrDNA and morphology, and origin of umazuracolids from polychaete-infesting ancestors rejected. International Journal for Parasitology, 42(1): 71-92.      

Li, L., GIBSON, D.I., Liu, Y.Y. & Zhang, L.P. 2012. Morphological and molecular study of the poorly known species Pseudanisakis rajae (Yamaguti, 1941) (Nematoda: Acanthocheilidae) from elasmobranchs in the Yellow Sea and Taiwan Strait off the coast of China. Systematic Parasitology, 81(2): 115-123.  

MARTIN-CERECEDA, M. & COX, E.J. 2011. Morphological variation in a small Thalassiosira species (Bacillariophyta) under different culture regimes. Botanica Marina, 54(6): 563-574.  

MORTON, B. & Lee, C.N.W. 2012. The composition and spatial distribution of scavenging hyperbenthos in the Cape d'Aguilar Marine Reserve, Hong Kong. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 92(1): 39-47.

Ohtsuka, S., BOXSHALL, G.A. & Srinui, K. 2012. A New Species of Paramacrochiron (Copepoda: Cyclopoida: Macrochironidae) Associated with the Rhizostome Medusa Rhopilema hispidum Collected from the Gulf of Thailand, with a Phylogenetic Analysis of the Family Macrochironidae. Zoological Science, 29(2): 127-133.  

Olempska, E., HORNE, D.J. & Szaniawski, H. 2012. First record of preserved soft parts in a Palaeozoic podocopid (Metacopina) ostracod, Cytherellina submagna: phylogenetic implications. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 279(1728): 564-570.

RAINBOW, P.S. & LUOMA, S.N. 2011. Metal toxicity, uptake and bioaccumulation in aquatic invertebrates-Modelling zinc in crustaceans. Aquatic Toxicology, 105(3-4): 455-465.  

Rasmussen, A.R., Ineich, I., Elmberg, J. & McCARTHY, C. 2011. Status of the Asiatic Sea Snakes of the Hydrophis nigrocinctus group (H. nigrocinctus, H. hendersoni, and H. walli; Elapidae, Hydrophiinae). Amphibia-Reptilia, 32(4): 459-464

RICHARD, J., De Grave, S. & CLARK, P.F. 2012. A new atyid genus and species from Madagascar (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea). Zootaxa(3162): 31-38.      

Stach, T., GRUHL, A. & Kaul-Strehlow, S. 2012. The central and peripheral nervous system of Cephalodiscus gracilis (Pterobranchia, Deuterostomia). Zoomorphology, 131(1): 11-24. (Article in Press)     

STANDLEY, C.J., Vounatsou, P., Gosoniu, L., Jørgensen, A., Adriko, M., Lwambo, N.J.S., Lange, C.N., Kabatereine, N.B. & STOTHARD, J.R. 2012. The distribution of Biomphalaria (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in Lake Victoria with ecological and spatial predictions using Bayesian modelling. Hydrobiologia, 683(1): 249-264. (Article in Press)

Stewart, J.R., Aspinall, S., Beech, M., FENBERG, P., Hellyer, P., Larkin, N., Lokier, S.W., Marx, F.G., Meyer, M., Miller, R., RAINBOW, P.S., TAYLOR, J.D., WHITTAKER, J.E., Al-Mehsin, K. & Strohmenger, C.J. 2011. Biotically constrained palaeoenvironmental conditions of a mid-Holocene intertidal lagoon on the southern shore of the Arabian Gulf: evidence associated with a whale skeleton at Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30(25-26): 3675-3690.  

Swiderski, Z., Poddubnaya, L.G., GIBSON, D.I., Levron, C. & Mlocicki, D. 2011. Egg formation and the early embryonic development of Aspidogaster limacoides Diesing, 1835 (Aspidogastrea: Aspidogastridae), with comments on their phylogenetic significance. Parasitology International, 60(4): 371-380.  

WAESCHENBACH, A., TAYLOR, P.D. & LITTLEWOOD, D.T.J. 2012. A molecular phylogeny of bryozoans. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62(2): 718-735.  

Young, N.D., Jex, A.R., Li, B., Liu, S., Yang, L., Xiong, Z., Li, Y., Cantacessi, C., Hall, R.S., Xu, X., Chen, F., Wu, X., Zerlotini, A., Oliveira, G., Hofmann, A., Zhang, G., Fang, X., Kang, Y., Campbell, B.E., Loukas, A., Ranganathan, S., ROLLINSON, D., Rinaldi, G., Brindley, P.J., Yang, H., Wang, J. & Gasser, R.B. 2012. Whole-genome sequence of Schistosoma haematobium. Nature Genetics, 44(2): 221-225. (Article in Press)     

Zuccon, D., PRYS-JONES, R., Rasmussen, P.C. & Ericson, P.G.P. 2012. The phylogenetic relationships and generic limits of finches (Fringillidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62(2): 581-596.  

1563 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: research_publications, publications
C Lowry
0

Zoology Seminar

Posted by C Lowry Apr 11, 2012

Zoology Seminar


Integrating Molecules and Morphology: Consensus or Conflict in the Symbiotic Copepods?

 

Rony HUYS
Department of Zoology, NHM

 

TUESDAY 17th April, 12pm

Neil Chalmers Science Seminar Room (DC.LG16)

 


No group of plants or animals on Earth exhibits the range of morphological diversity as seen among the extant Crustacea. This structural disparity is best demonstrated by the symbiotic Copepoda. Given their moderately high host specificity in conjunction with the incredible spectrum of potential marine hosts, it is highly conceivable that parasitic copepods significantly outnumber their free-living counterparts in species diversity. Their successful colonization or utilization of virtually every metazoan phylum has generated a great diversity in copepod body morphology, which is arguably unparalleled among the Crustacea. For example, some highly modified copepods such as the polychaete-associated Herpyllobiidae and Melinnacheridae lack any external trace that could positively identify their crustacean affinity and their divergent body plans defy any attempts to place them in a higher level classification on morphological grounds alone. Other families such as the Monstrillidae and Thaumatopsyllidae demonstrate how extremely powerful natural selection can be in shaping morphology to meet functional needs so that distantly related taxa may appear uncannily similar. Small subunit ribosomal sequence data (18S rDNA) can help resolving some of the controversial issues that had reached a temporary impasse in the phylogeny and classification of the symbiotic copepods, such as the placement of the Monstrillidae and Thaumatopsyllidae, the paraphyly of the Cyclopoida and the origin of parasitism in the freshwater environment. Examples will be given that demonstrate the usefulness of such data in the classification of highly transformed and morphologically reduced taxa, the inference of colonization events and the placement of incertae sedis known exclusively from juvenile stages. I will present evidence that illustrates how the use of 18S sequence data can lead to the discovery of previously overlooked morphological characters and how they can potentially impact on the ordinal level classification of the Copepoda.

 

 

For additional details on attending this or other seminars see http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/seminars-events/index.html

75 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink
C Lowry
0

Palaeontology Department Seminar

 

Taking a deep breath: bones, air sacs and the evolution of archosaur respiratory systems

 

Dr. Paul Barrett, Department of Palaeontology, NHM

 

Thursday 12th April
Neil Chalmers Seminar Room, DC2,

16:00

 

 

Birds have highly specialised respiratory systems that involve unidirectional movement of air through stiff, small lungs and a complex system of associated air sacs. These air sacs invade many postcranial skeletal elements during development, leaving characteristic traces. Similar features are present in many saurischian dinosaurs, and it seems likely that the accompanying soft-tissue features were present in these animals too. More vexed is the question of how ancient these features are and whether they had a wider distribution among archosaurs. A survey of numerous extinct and extant archosaurs shows unambiguous evidence for an ancient origin of these bird-like features, with their presence in many bird-line archosaurs. The possession of air sacs in crocodile-line archosaurs is more difficult to determine, but some features of the bony anatomy, and recently published work on the physiology of living crocodiles, suggests that many features formerly considered to be unique to birds actually had a much wider distribution. This has several interesting implications for the evolution of activity levels and locomotion in both bird- and croc-line archosaurs.

 

 

 

For additional details on attending this or other seminars see http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/seminars-events/index.html

91 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink
1 2 3 ... 9 Previous Next

Popular blog posts