DOCSLIB.ORG

Systemic Paralogy and Function of Retinal Determination Network Homologs in Arachnids Guilherme Gainett1*†, Jesús A

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Systemic Paralogy and Function of Retinal Determination Network Homologs in Arachnids Guilherme Gainett1*†, Jesús A Gainett et al. BMC Genomics (2020) 21:811 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-020-07149-x RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Systemic paralogy and function of retinal determination network homologs in arachnids Guilherme Gainett1*†, Jesús A. Ballesteros1*†, Charlotte R. Kanzler1, Jakob T. Zehms1, John M. Zern1, Shlomi Aharon2, Efrat Gavish-Regev2 and Prashant P. Sharma1 Abstract Background: Arachnids are important components of cave ecosystems and display many examples of troglomorphisms, such as blindness, depigmentation, and elongate appendages. Little is known about how the eyes of arachnids are specified genetically, let alone the mechanisms for eye reduction and loss in troglomorphic arachnids. Additionally, duplication of Retinal Determination Gene Network (RDGN) homologs in spiders has convoluted functional inferences extrapolated from single-copy homologs in pancrustacean models. Results: We investigated a sister species pair of Israeli cave whip spiders, Charinus ioanniticus and C. israelensis (Arachnopulmonata, Amblypygi), of which one species has reduced eyes. We generated embryonic transcriptomes for both Amblypygi species, and discovered that several RDGN homologs exhibit duplications. We show that duplication of RDGN homologs is systemic across arachnopulmonates (arachnid orders that bear book lungs), rather than being a spider-specific phenomenon. A differential gene expression (DGE) analysis comparing the expression of RDGN genes in field-collected embryos of both species identified candidate RDGN genes involved in the formation and reduction of eyes in whip spiders. To ground bioinformatic inference of expression patterns with functional experiments, we interrogated the function of three candidate RDGN genes identified from DGE using RNAi in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. We provide functional evidence that one of these paralogs, sine oculis/Six1 A (soA), is necessary for the development of all arachnid eye types. Conclusions: Our work establishes a foundation to investigate the genetics of troglomorphic adaptations in cave arachnids, and links differential gene expression to an arthropod eye phenotype for the first time outside of Pancrustacea. Our results support the conservation of at least one RDGN component across Arthropoda and provide a framework for identifying the role of gene duplications in generating arachnid eye diversity. Keywords: Cave blindness, sine oculis, Six1, Parasteatoda tepidariorum, Amblypygi, RNAi * Correspondence: [email protected]; [email protected] †Guilherme Gainett and Jesús A. Ballesteros contributed equally to this work. 1Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © The Author(s). 2020 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data. Gainett et al. BMC Genomics (2020) 21:811 Page 2 of 17 Background of arachnids are structurally and functionally different Cave habitats offer apt systems for investigating the gen- from those of pancrustaceans. Typically, the main eyes etic basis of morphological convergence because com- of adult Pancrustacea (e.g., A. aquaticus) are a pair of munities of these habitats are similarly shaped by faceted (or apposition) eyes, which are composed of environmental pressures, such as absence of light and many subunits of ommatidia. In addition, adult Pancrus- diminished primary productivity [1, 2]. Troglobites, spe- tacea have small median ocelli (typically three in holo- cies exclusive to cave environments and adapted to life metabolous insects), often located medially and at the in the dark, exhibit a suite of characteristics common to top of the head. cave systems around the world, such as reduction or By contrast, extant arachnids lack ommatidia and typ- complete loss of eyes, depigmentation, elongation of ically have multiple pairs of eyes arranged along the appendages and sensory structures, and decreased meta- frontal carapace. All arachnid eyes are simple-lens eyes bolic activity [3–5]. Previous work has shown that tro- or ocelli; each eye has a single cuticular lens, below glomorphism can evolve over short time spans (< 50 kyr) which are a vitreous body and visual cells. The retina is despite gene flow [6–8] and that parallel evolution of composed of the visual cells and pigment cells. These troglomorphic traits (e.g., depigmentation; eye loss) in eyes are divided in two types, namely the principal eyes independent populations can involve the same genetic and the secondary eyes [31, 32]. Principal and secondary locus [9–11]. eyes differ in the orientation of their retina [33]: the Troglomorphism and troglobitic fauna have been ana- principal eyes are of the everted type, with the visual lyzed across numerous taxonomic groups with respect cells lying distally, and lack a reflective layer; the second- to systematics and population genetics. However, one ary eyes are inverted, with the light-sensitive rhabdo- component of the troglobitic fauna that remains poorly meres pointing away from incoming light (analogous to understood is cave arachnids. Most species of Arachnida vertebrate eyes). All secondary eyes possess a reflective are prone to nocturnal habits and some orders broadly layer of crystalline deposits called a tapetum, which is exhibit troglophily; in fact, troglobitic species are known responsible for the “eye shine” of spiders. The principal from all the extant terrestrial arachnid orders except eyes are the median eyes (ME, also known as anterior Solifugae and Thelyphonida [12–20]. In addition to eye median eyes). The secondary eyes comprise the anterior and pigment loss, troglomorphism in arachnids mani- lateral eyes (ALE), posterior lateral eyes (PLE), and me- fests in the form of compensatory elongation of walking dian lateral eyes (MLE; also known as posterior median legs and palps, appendages which harbor sensory struc- eyes) (Fig. 1a) [31, 32] (nomenclature used here follows tures in this group [21–24]. Schomburg et al. 2015). Certain orders and suborders of Thorough understanding of the developmental genetic arachnids have lost one type of eye altogether, with the basis for the evolution of troglomorphic traits has been homology of eyes clarified by the fossil record and em- largely spearheaded in two model systems: the Mexican bryology [31, 34, 35]. cave fish Astyanax mexicanus [5–8, 10, 25] and the cave The second concern in extrapolating developmental isopod Asellus aquaticus [4, 9, 26]. Both model systems processes derived from pancrustaceans is that a subset have more than one hypogean population, can be main- of Arachnida exhibits an ancient shared genome duplica- tained in the laboratory, and are amenable to approaches tion, resulting in numerous paralogs of developmental such as genetic crosses and quantitative trait locus map- patterning genes. Recent phylogenetic and comparative ping. The advent of short read sequencing technology in genomic works on Arachnida have shown that Arachno- tandem with experimental approaches has transformed pulmonata [36–38], the clade of arachnids that bear the potential to triangulate regulatory differences be- book lungs (e.g., spiders, scorpions, whip spiders), retain tween hypogean (subterranean) and epigean (surface- duplicates of many key transcription factors, such as dwelling) lineages [3, 9, 10, 26], and to study a broader homeobox genes, often in conserved syntenic blocks range of cave taxa. Among arthropods, work on the iso- [39–42]. Many of the ensuing paralogs exhibit non- pod A. aquaticus in particular has made significant overlapping expression patterns and a small number advances in the identification of loci regulating pigmen- have been shown to have subdivided the ancestral gene tation and size of arthropod eyes [9, 11], complementing function (subfunctionalization) or acquired new func- forward and reverse genetic screening approaches in tions (neofunctionalization) [42–44]. other pancrustacean models (e.g., Drosophila melanoga- While comparatively little is known about the genetics ster, Tribolium castaneum,andGryllus bimaculatus) of arachnid eye development, gene expression surveys of [27–30]. However, developmental and genetic insights insect retinal determination gene network (RDGN) ho- into the evolution of blindness illuminated by A. aquati- mologs of two spiders (Cupiennius salei and Parastea- cus and other pancrustacean models are not directly toda tepidariorum) have shown that this phenomenon transferable to Arachnida for two reasons. First, the
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Araneae, Linyphiidae
    1 Advances in the systematics of the spider genus Troglohyphantes (Araneae, 2 Linyphiidae) 3 4 Marco Isaia1 *, Stefano Mammola1, Paola Mazzuca2, Miquel A. Arnedo2 & Paolo Pantini3 5 6 1) Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Università di Torino. Via Accademia 7 Albertina, 13. I-10123 Torino, Italy. 8 2) Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Biodiversity 9 Research Institute, Universitat de Barcelona. Av. Diagonal 643, Barcelona 08028, Catalonia, Spain. 10 3) Museo civico di Scienze Naturali “E. Caffi”. Piazza Cittadella, 10. I-24129 Bergamo, Italy. 11 * Corresponding author: [email protected] 12 13 Running title: Advances in Troglohyphantes systematics 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 ABSTRACT 23 With 128 described species and 5 subspecies, the spider genus Troglohyphantes (Araneae, 24 Linyphiidae) is a remarkable example of species diversification in the subterranean environment. In 25 this paper, we conducted a systematic revision of the Troglohyphantes species of the Italian Alps, 26 with a special focus on the Lucifuga complex, including the description of two new species (T. 27 lucifer n. sp. and T. apenninicus n. sp). In addition, we provided new diagnostic drawings of the 28 holotype of T. henroti (Henroti complex) and established three new synonymies within the genus. 29 The molecular analysis of the animal DNA barcode confirms the validity of this method of 30 identification of the Alpine Troglohyphantes and provides additional support for the morphology- 31 based species complexes. Finally, we revised the known distribution range of additional 32 Troglohyphantes species, as well as other poorly known alpine cave-dwelling spiders.
    [Show full text]
  • The Coume Ouarnède System, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in Pyrenees (France)
    diversity Article The Coume Ouarnède System, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in Pyrenees (France) Arnaud Faille 1,* and Louis Deharveng 2 1 Department of Entomology, State Museum of Natural History, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany 2 Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), UMR7205, CNRS, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, 75005 Paris, France; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Located in Northern Pyrenees, in the Arbas massif, France, the system of the Coume Ouarnède, also known as Réseau Félix Trombe—Henne Morte, is the longest and the most complex cave system of France. The system, developed in massive Mesozoic limestone, has two distinct resur- gences. Despite relatively limited sampling, its subterranean fauna is rich, composed of a number of local endemics, terrestrial as well as aquatic, including two remarkable relictual species, Arbasus cae- cus (Simon, 1911) and Tritomurus falcifer Cassagnau, 1958. With 38 stygobiotic and troglobiotic species recorded so far, the Coume Ouarnède system is the second richest subterranean hotspot in France and the first one in Pyrenees. This species richness is, however, expected to increase because several taxonomic groups, like Ostracoda, as well as important subterranean habitats, like MSS (“Milieu Souterrain Superficiel”), have not been considered so far in inventories. Similar levels of subterranean biodiversity are expected to occur in less-sampled karsts of central and western Pyrenees. Keywords: troglobionts; stygobionts; cave fauna Citation: Faille, A.; Deharveng, L. The Coume Ouarnède System, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in Pyrenees (France). Diversity 2021, 1. Introduction 13 , 419. https://doi.org/10.3390/ Stretching at the border between France and Spain, the Pyrenees are known as one d13090419 of the subterranean hotspots of the world [1].
    [Show full text]
  • Trichonephila Clavipes, Yerba Buena, Tucumán
    Universo Tucumano Nº 64 – Octubre 2020 Universo Tucumano N° 64 Octubre / 2020 ISSN 2618-3161 Los estudios de la naturaleza tucumana, desde las características geológicas del territorio, los atributos de los diferentes ambien- tes hasta las historias de vida de las criaturas que la habitan, son parte cotidiana del trabajo de los investigadores de nuestras Instituciones. Los datos sobre estos temas están disponibles en textos técnicos, específicos, pero las personas no especializadas no pueden acceder fácilmente a los mismos, ya que se encuentran dispersos en muchas publicaciones y allí se utiliza un lenguaje muy técnico. Por ello, esta serie pretende hacer disponible la información sobre diferentes aspectos de la naturaleza de la provincia de Tucumán, en forma científicamente correcta y al mismo tiempo amena y adecuada para el público en general y particularmente para los maestros, profesores y alumnos de todo nivel educativo. La información se presenta en forma de fichas dedicadas a espe- cies particulares o a grupos de ellas y también a temas teóricos generales o áreas y ambientes de la Provincia. Los usuarios pue- den obtener la ficha del tema que les interese o formar con todas ellas una carpeta para consulta. Fundación Miguel Lillo CONICET – Unidad Ejecutora Lillo Miguel Lillo 251, (4000) San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina www.lillo.org.ar Dirección editorial: Gustavo J. Scrocchi – Fundación Miguel Lillo y Unidad Ejecutora Lillo Claudia Szumik – Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (CONICET – Fundación Miguel Lillo) Editoras Asociadas: Patricia N. Asesor – Fundación Miguel Lillo María Laura Juárez – Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (CONICET – Fundación Miguel Lillo) Diseño y edición gráfica: Gustavo Sanchez – Fundación Miguel Lillo Editor web: Andrés Ortiz – Fundación Miguel Lillo Imagen de tapa: Ejemplar de Trichonephila clavipes, Yerba Buena, Tucumán.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    Behavioral Ecology Symposium ’96: Cushing 165 MYRMECOMORPHY AND MYRMECOPHILY IN SPIDERS: A REVIEW PAULA E. CUSHING The College of Wooster Biology Department 931 College Street Wooster, Ohio 44691 ABSTRACT Myrmecomorphs are arthropods that have evolved a morphological resemblance to ants. Myrmecophiles are arthropods that live in or near ant nests and are considered true symbionts. The literature and natural history information about spider myrme- comorphs and myrmecophiles are reviewed. Myrmecomorphy in spiders is generally considered a type of Batesian mimicry in which spiders are gaining protection from predators through their resemblance to aggressive or unpalatable ants. Selection pressure from spider predators and eggsac parasites may trigger greater integration into ant colonies among myrmecophilic spiders. Key Words: Araneae, symbiont, ant-mimicry, ant-associates RESUMEN Los mirmecomorfos son artrópodos que han evolucionado desarrollando una seme- janza morfológica a las hormigas. Los Myrmecófilos son artrópodos que viven dentro o cerca de nidos de hormigas y se consideran verdaderos simbiontes. Ha sido evaluado la literatura e información de historia natural acerca de las arañas mirmecomorfas y mirmecófilas . El myrmecomorfismo en las arañas es generalmente considerado un tipo de mimetismo Batesiano en el cual las arañas están protegiéndose de sus depre- dadores a través de su semejanza con hormigas agresivas o no apetecibles. La presión de selección de los depredadores de arañas y de parásitos de su saco ovopositor pueden inducir una mayor integración de las arañas mirmecófílas hacia las colonias de hor- migas. Myrmecomorphs and myrmecophiles are arthropods that have evolved some level of association with ants. Myrmecomorphs were originally referred to as myrmecoids by Donisthorpe (1927) and are defined as arthropods that mimic ants morphologically and/or behaviorally.
    [Show full text]
  • Putting Bugs in Your Data Center Might Actually Be a Good Idea Alon Rashelbach and Mark Silberstein {Alonrs@Campus,Mark@Ee}.Technion.Ac.Il
    Putting Bugs in Your Data Center Might Actually be a Good Idea Alon Rashelbach and Mark Silberstein {alonrs@campus,mark@ee}.technion.ac.il Abstract Data centers of cloud providers hold millions of processor cores, exabytes of storage, and petabytes of network band- width. Research shows that in 2019, data centers consumed more than 2% of global electricity production, where 50% of consumption targeted for cooling infrastructures. While the most effective solution for thermal distribution is liquid cool- ing, technical challenges and complexities make it expensive. Figure 1: Illustration of on-board liquid cooling infrastruc- We suggest using living spiders as cooling devices for data ture (in red). Leakage and moisture may lead to permanent centers. A prior work shows that spider silk has high thermal hardware damage. conductivity, close to that of copper: the second-best metallic conductor. Spiders not only generate spider silk but maintain Table 1: Thermal conductivity of several materials [2, 10]. it. Recruiting spiders for the job requires no more than in- Material Thermal Conductivity (W ·m−1 ·K−1) serting bugs to the data center for the spiders to catch. This solution is effective, self-sustaining, and environment-friendly, Air 0.01 - 0.09 but requires solving a number of non-trivial technical and Water 0.52 - 0.68 Copper 390 - 401 zoological challenges on the way to make it practical. NC Silk 349 - 416 1. Introduction hazards. Any leakage can create circuit shortage and perma- nently damage the hardware. As a consequence, dedicated Data centers of cloud providers hold millions of processor moist sensors must be employed and monitored by data center cores, exabytes of storage, and petabytes of network band- operators, which in turn induce additional costs.
    [Show full text]
  • Xanthurenic Acid Is the Main Pigment of Trichonephila Clavata Gold Dragline Silk
    biomolecules Article Xanthurenic Acid Is the Main Pigment of Trichonephila clavata Gold Dragline Silk Masayuki Fujiwara 1,2, Nobuaki Kono 1,2 , Akiyoshi Hirayama 1,2 , Ali D. Malay 3, Hiroyuki Nakamura 4, Rintaro Ohtoshi 4, Keiji Numata 3 , Masaru Tomita 1,2,5 and Kazuharu Arakawa 1,2,5,* 1 Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Nihonkoku 403-1, Daihoji, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0013, Japan; [email protected] (M.F.); [email protected] (N.K.); [email protected] (A.H.); [email protected] (M.T.) 2 Systems Biology Program, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Endo 5322, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-0882, Japan 3 Biomacromolecules Research Team: RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; [email protected] (A.D.M.); [email protected] (K.N.) 4 Spiber Inc.: Mizukami 234-1, Kakuganji, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0052, Japan; [email protected] (H.N.); [email protected] (R.O.) 5 Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, Endo 5322, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-0882, Japan * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +81-235-29-0571 Abstract: Spider silk is a natural fiber with remarkable strength, toughness, and elasticity that is attracting attention as a biomaterial of the future. Golden orb-weaving spiders (Trichonephila clavata) construct large, strong webs using golden threads. To characterize the pigment of golden T. clavata Citation: Fujiwara, M.; Kono, N.; dragline silk, we used liquid chromatography and mass spectrometric analysis. We found that Hirayama, A.; Malay, A.D.; the major pigment in the golden dragline silk of T.
    [Show full text]
  • A New Species of Troglohyphantes (Araneae: Linyphiidae) from a Turkish Cave*
    Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 2014, 4, 85-91 Published Online April 2014 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojas http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojas.2014.42012 A New Species of Troglohyphantes (Araneae: Linyphiidae) from a Turkish Cave* Aydın Topçu#, Tuncay Türkeş, Osman Seyyar, Nurcan Demircan, Hayriye Karabulut Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Niğde University, Niğde, Turkey Email: #[email protected] Received 27 February 2014; revised 31 March 2014; accepted 8 April 2014 Copyright © 2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Abstract The spider family Linyphiidae comprises 104 species in Turkey that of them eight species are known from the caves, we recently started to conduct intensive taxonomic and faunistic studies on this family. The genus Troglohyphantes was described in 1882 by Joseph as a cave spider from Carniola in western Slovenia. Members of this genus inhabited cave environment, neighbouring habitat and some species of them are true troglobites. A new species of Troglohyphantes Joseph 1881 is described from Turkey. Differences between the new species and related species are dis- cussed. Troglohyphantes turcicus sp. n. (Araneae: Linyphiidae) is described from Buzluk cave in Turkey. Drawing of characteristic features, the male palpal organs and the female genitalia are presented. Key to the species of polyophthalmus group is given including in T. turcicus sp. n. Keywords Linyphiidae; Troglohyphantes; New Species; Cave Spider; Turkey 1. Introduction Cave dwelling spiders, as zoogeographic agents, are important for biospeleology [1].
    [Show full text]
  • Caribbean Golden Orbweaving Spiders Maintain Gene Flow with North America Abstract the Caribbean Archipelago Offers One of the B
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/454181; this version posted October 26, 2018. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. Caribbean golden orbweaving spiders maintain gene flow with North America *Klemen Čandek1,6, Ingi Agnarsson2,4, Greta J. Binford3, Matjaž Kuntner1,4,5,6 1 Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory, Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia 2 Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA 3 Department of Biology, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR, USA 4 Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., USA 5 College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, China 6 Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory, Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of the Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia *Correspondence to [email protected] Abstract The Caribbean archipelago offers one of the best natural arenas for testing biogeographic hypotheses. The intermediate dispersal model of biogeography (IDM) predicts variation in species richness among lineages on islands to relate to their dispersal potential. To test this model, one would need background knowledge of dispersal potential of lineages, which has been problematic as evidenced by our prior biogeographic work on the Caribbean tetragnathid spiders. In order to investigate the biogeographic imprint of an excellent disperser, we study the American Trichonephila, a nephilid genus that contains globally distributed species known to overcome long, overwater distances.
    [Show full text]
  • Isolation and Characterisation of a Pax Group III Gene from the Freshwater Crayfish Cherax Destructor: Implications for the Evolution of Muscle Regeneration
    Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses : Honours Theses 2003 Isolation and characterisation of a pax group III gene from the freshwater crayfish cherax destructor: Implications for the evolution of muscle regeneration Robert B. White Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons Part of the Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons Recommended Citation White, R. B. (2003). Isolation and characterisation of a pax group III gene from the freshwater crayfish cherax destructor: Implications for the evolution of muscle regeneration. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ theses_hons/139 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons/139 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. A court may impose penalties and award damages in relation to offences and infringements relating to copyright material. Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. ISOLATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF A PAX GROUP III GENE FROM THE FRESHWATER CRAYFISH CHERAX DESTRUCTOR: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EVOLUTION OF MUSCLE REGENERATION Robert Bruce White 0961371 This thesis is submitted as partial fulfilment for the award of Bachelor of Science (Biological Science) Honours School of Natural Science~ Edith Cowan University 19 December 2003 USE OF THESIS The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • Araneomorphae: Araneae: Arachnida) in India
    Asian Journal of Conservation Biology, December 2020. Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 304-314 AJCB: RA0002 ISSN 2278-7666 ©TCRP Foundation 2020 Review Article Faunal Diversity of Linyphiidae (Araneomorphae: Araneae: Arachnida) in India Akhilesh Sharma1, Garima Singh2 and Rajendra Singh3* 1Department of Zoology, S.P.P.G. College, Shoharatgarh, Siddharthnagar-272205, U.P., India 2Department of Zoology, Rajasthan University, Jaipur-302004, Rajasthan, India 3Department of Zoology, Deendayal Upadhyay University of Gorakhpur-273009, U.P., India (Received: June 30, 2020; Revised: August 25 & September 15, 2020; Accepted: October 16, 2020) ABSTRACT The present article deals with the faunal diversity of the spiders belonging to the family Linyphiidae. In India, the Linyphiidae is represented by 94 species in 39 genera in 19 states and 3 union territories and 48 species are endemic. In India, Oedothorax Bertkau, 1883 is the largest genus consisting 17 species. Maximum 32 species of these spiders were recorded in Jammu & Kashmir followed by 18 species each in Kerala, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. In northeast part of India, 12 linyphiid species are recorded in Meghalaya while no species is reported yet from Arunchal Pradesh, Nagaland and Tripura. Interestingly, larger states in central India like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Telangana are very poorly represented by these spiders and need extensive survey for these spiders. None of the linyphiid spiders of India are recorded as endangered or vulnerable species in IUCN Red List of threatened Taxa. Therefore, conservation efforts are immediately needed for their conservation practices. Key words: Faunal distribution, India, Sheet Weaver, Money spider, Linyphiidae INTRODUCTION (Molur et al., 2008) and Siliwal et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution and Ecology of Spider Coloration
    P1: SKH/ary P2: MBL/vks QC: MBL/agr T1: MBL October 27, 1997 17:44 Annual Reviews AR048-27 Annu. Rev. Entomol. 1998. 43:619–43 Copyright c 1998 by Annual Reviews Inc. All rights reserved EVOLUTION AND ECOLOGY OF SPIDER COLORATION G. S. Oxford Department of Biology, University of York, P.O. Box 373, York YO1 5YW, United Kingdom; e-mail: [email protected] R. G. Gillespie Center for Conservation Research and Training, University of Hawaii, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 409, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822; e-mail: [email protected] KEY WORDS: color, crypsis, genetics, guanine, melanism, mimicry, natural selection, pigments, polymorphism, sexual dimorphism ABSTRACT Genetic color variation provides a tangible link between the external phenotype of an organism and its underlying genetic determination and thus furnishes a tractable system with which to explore fundamental evolutionary phenomena. Here we examine the basis of color variation in spiders and its evolutionary and ecological implications. Reversible color changes, resulting from several mechanisms, are surprisingly widespread in the group and must be distinguished from true genetic variation for color to be used as an evolutionary tool. Genetic polymorphism occurs in a large number of families and is frequently sex limited: Sex linkage has not yet been demonstrated, nor have the forces promoting sex limitation been elucidated. It is argued that the production of color is metabolically costly and is principally maintained by the action of sight-hunting predators. Key avenues for future research are suggested. INTRODUCTION Differences in color and pattern among individuals have long been recognized as providing a tractable system with which to address fundamental evolutionary questions (57).
    [Show full text]
  • Metabolic Rates in Spiders
    METABOLIC RATES IN SPIDERS By JOHN FRANCIS ANDERSON A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE COX.TNCIL OF THE UNrVTO^SITY OF FLORIDA IX PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPIIY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 1968 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am deeply indebted to Dr, James L. Nation, under whose direction the present research was conducted. Dr. Robert M. DeWitt must be thanked for his liberal support in providing the necessary supplies and equipment. Grateful acknowledgement is given to Dr. Frank G. Nordlie, Dr. Brian K. McNab, Dr. John D. McCrone, Dr. James L. Nation, and Mr. Thomas Krakauer who gave most generously of their time in evaluating some of my ideas. My thanks go to Dr. Martin H. Muma, Dr. John D. McCrone, and Mr. Cole Benton for supplying certain animals which otherwise would not have been available. For aid in solving various statistical problems, 1 am indebted to Miss Mary E. Glenn, Dr, Rodger Mitchell must be thanked for his assistance in conducting the histological studies. Financial support through appointment to research and teaching positions was provided by Dr. Frank G. Nordlie and Dr. Lewis Berner to whom 1 am grateful. Dr. Nation, Dr. Nordlie, and Dr. McCrone must again be thanked along with other members of my graduate supervisory committee, Dr. Thomas J, Walker and Dr. Howard K. Wallace, who not only critically reviewed the dissertation, but also provided support in solving the many small but important problems that occurred during my tenure as a graduate student. Finally thanks are also due to Mrs. Lillian ingenlath for typing the manuscr i pt.
    [Show full text]