Refine
Year of publication
Document Type
- Article (98)
- Part of Periodical (73)
Language
- English (171) (remove)
Has Fulltext
- yes (171)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (171)
Keywords
- morphology (171) (remove)
Institute
- Biowissenschaften (2)
- Ernst Strüngmann Institut (2)
- Informatik (2)
- Neuere Philologien (2)
- Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft (2)
- Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum (BiK-F) (1)
- Center for Scientific Computing (CSC) (1)
- Extern (1)
- Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) (1)
- Gesellschaftswissenschaften (1)
Camel spiders (Arachnida: Solifugae) are one of the arachnid groups characterised by a prosomal dorsal shield composed of three distinct elements: the pro-, meso- and metapeltidium. These are associated respectively with prosomal appendages one to four, five, and six. What is less well known, although noted in the historical literature, is that the coxae of the 4th and 5th prosomal segments (i.e. walking legs 2 and 3) of camel spiders are also separated ventrally by a distinct membranous region, which is absent between the coxae of the other legs. We suggest that this essentially ventral division of the prosoma specifically between coxae 2 and 3 is homologous with the so-called sejugal furrow (the sejugal interval sensu van der Hammen). This division constitutes a fundamental part of the body plan in acariform mites (Arachnida: Acariformes). If homologous, this sejugal furrow could represent a further potential synapomorphy for (Solifugae + Acariformes); a relationship with increasing morphological and molecular support. Alternatively, outgroup comparison with sea spiders (Pycnogonida) and certain early Palaeozoic fossils could imply that the sejugal furrow defines an older tagma, derived from a more basal grade of organisation. In this scenario the (still) divided prosoma of acariform mites and camel spiders would be plesiomorphic. This interpretation challenges the textbook arachnid character of a peltidium (or ‘carapace’) covering an undivided prosoma.
An illustrated description of Withius hispanus (L. Koch, 1873) is provided based on its morphological and morphometric characters. This finding of W. hispanus is the first record of the family Withiidae in Slovakia. The present re-description of this species allows an assessment of the variability of its morphological and morphometric characters.
Six Odonata species were collected during night light trapping on the Mambilla Pla-teau, Taraba State Nigeria. Being predominantly diurnal insects, odonates captured in light traps have always been considered as an anomaly. The new data initiated an extensive interrogation of all records on Odonata collected near artificial light sources.A total of 415 records (402 published and 13 new) are presented here with a sum-mary of previous discussions and new discussion points. The general conclusion is that odonates are mainly confused by, rather than attracted to the light. New ave-nues for further research in this field are suggested based on previous important stu-dies undertaken on Odonata morphology and physiology.
Hortipes gigapophysalis (Araneae, Corinnidae) is a new species described from both sexes from montane forest on Mt Nimba, eastern Guinea. The species is remarkable for its long, whip-shaped retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) on the male palp. The structure apparently has an insertable function as the epigyne of the female contains a separate set of ducts starting from a central concavity that is unique in the genus. This duct system is apparently meant to receive the supple RTA. This type of structural arrangement has never previously been found in spiders.
The pseudoscorpions Chthonius (Chthonius) carinthiacus Beier, 1951 and Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) tuberculatus Hadži, 1937, are recorded for the first time from Slovakia. An illustrated description of these species is provided based on their morphological and morphometric characters. The descriptions of the species offer an update on the variability of their morphological and morphometric characters.
The taxonomy, diversity, and distribution of the aquatic insect order Trichoptera, caddisflies, are reviewed. The order is among the most important and diverse of all aquatic taxa. Larvae are vital participants in aquatic food webs and their presence and relative abundance are used in the biological assessment and monitoring of water quality. The species described by Linnaeus are listed. The morphology of all life history stages (adults, larvae, and pupae) is diagnosed and major features of the anatomy are illustrated. Major components of life history and biology are summarized. A discussion of phylogenetic studies within the order is presented, including higher classification of the suborders and superfamilies, based on recent literature. Synopses of each of 45 families are presented, including the taxonomic history of the family, a list of all known genera in each family, their general distribution and relative species diversity, and a short overview of family-level biological features. The order contains 600 genera, and approximately 13,000 species.
Organisms are complex entities whose study has necessitated an increasingly reductionistic stance in modern biology (CAPLAN 1987). As a consequence, biology as a science has been split up into numerous sub-disciplines. However, this extremely reductionistic philosophy must not be taken as marking the endpoint of biological research but should be reappraised as the beginning of a new integrative approach encompassing the entire organism (SAUER 1992). This view has been promoted since the second half of the 20th century with the rise of new disciplines such as ecophysiology and ethoecology. Moreover, in morphology, an integrative approach with regard to the form and function of organisms in their relationship to the external environment is becoming increasingly important (e.g. KARR & JAMES 1975, MOTTA & KOTRSCHAL 1992, REILLY & WAINWRIGHT 1994).
A cladistic analysis is presented of the hawkmoths of the tribe Acherontiini, Morgan´s Sphinx (Xanthopan morganii (Walker», and related genera. The study aims to test the monophyly of tribe Acherontiini; the hypothesis that all taxa with extremely long probosces (some Acherontiini, Meganoton rubescens, Neococytius, Xanthopan) form a monophyletic group, or at least fall within a single reasonably compact clade; and, within this group, to determine whether Xanthopan is more closely related to Acherontiini or to COCytillS and Neococytius. The data set comprises 109 characters derived from adult and immature stage morphology, biology and behaviour. These data were analysed using equal weighting, successive approximations character weighting (SACW) and implied weighting. All weighting schemes agreed on the monophyly of Acherontiini and of a group of genera comprising Amphimoea, Cocytius and Neococytius (the Cocytius group). Several other generic and suprageneric clades were also consistently recovered. However, those hawkmoths with extremely long probosces were never recovered as a monophyletic group. The relationships of Xanthopan were also ambiguous. Equal weighting and SACW placedXanthopan + Meganoton rztbescens (Butler) as sister to the COCytills group, while implied weighting placed Xanthopan as sister to Acherontiini. This latter relationship is based primarily on shared possession of a pilifer/palp hearing organ. Further analyses suggested the two components of this organ were not biologically independent. Downweighting this feature accordingly resulted in all weighting schemes converging on the topology found by equal weighting. Exclusion of the incomplete subset of immature stage data had no effect under implied weighting but equal weighting and SACW now recovered a Neotropical clade comprising Manduca. and the Cocytius group, while Xanthopan was placed with M. rubescens and Panogena. Downweighting the pilifer/palp hearing organ under implied weighting again caused convergence with the equal weighting/SACW results. Thus, the relationships of Xanthopan remain equivocal and further data, particularly from the immature stages, will be required to elucidate its phylogenetic position further.