scholarly journals Intra- and interspecific morphological variation in the field mouse species Apodemus argenteus and A. speciosus in the Japanese archipelago: the role of insular isolation and biogeographic gradients

2001 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 557-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
SABRINA RENAUD ◽  
VIRGINIE MILLIEN
2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judita Lihová ◽  
Hiroshi Kudoh ◽  
Karol Marhold

Polyploidy is an important evolutionary mechanism and speciation mode in plants; however, delimitation of species boundaries in polyploid complexes is often a difficult task. In the present paper, we explore morphological variation in a group of East Asian Cardamine polyploids that have long been shrouded in taxonomic and nomenclatural confusion. We relate the present morphometric data of 41 sampled populations with recently published ploidy-level data, and propose a revised taxonomic treatment, including the designation of several lectotypes. The following species are recognised in Japan: C. schinziana O.E.Schulz (2n = 6x, 8x), C. torrentis Nakai (2n = 8x), C. valida (Takeda) Nakai (2n = 4x) and C. yezoensis Maxim. (2n = 6x−12x). C. amariformis Nakai (2n = 4x) from Korea is also discussed, although it may be conspecific with C. valida, pending further studies. Distribution of these taxa in the Japanese Archipelago is characterised, including comments on their occurrence outside of Japan.


Author(s):  
Koji Mizoguchi

This chapter charts the trajectory of change of Jomon period clay anthropomorphic figurines in the Japanese archipelago. The earliest specimens embodied the perception of the body and female bodily experiences rather than accurately representing the body itself. Emphasis gradually shifted from the material embodiment of unmediated bodily perception and experiences to the visual representation of the body. Through this process, the subject of the representation expanded from the female body to the bodies of various categories of being, including animals and fantastic/supernatural beings, and the figurines came to embody the mutual transformability. These beings were networked to form an ‘animistic’ cosmology whose successful reproduction was metaphorically linked to that of human life and community. The decline of the symbolic role of the female reproductive faculty as the universal referent in the prayer for communal well-being led to the end of the Jomon clay anthropomorphic figurines.


Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 644
Author(s):  
Inkyeong Moon ◽  
Hyunwoo Lee ◽  
Jonguk Kim ◽  
Jihye Oh ◽  
Donghoon Seoung ◽  
...  

The Dokdo and Ulleung islands (Korea) are volcanic islands in the East Sea (Sea of Japan), formed in the late Cenozoic. These volcanic islands, in the back-arc basin of the Japanese archipelago, provide important information about magma characteristics in the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate. The origin of the Dokdo and Ulleung intraplate volcanism is still controversial, and the role of fluids, especially water, in the magmatism is poorly understood. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the melt inclusions (10–100 m in diameter) hosted in clinopyroxene phenocrysts of trachyte, trachyandesite, and trachybasalt. In particular, we observed Ti-magnetite and amphibole which were crystallized as daughter mineral phases within melt inclusions, suggesting that Ti-magnetite was formed in an oxidized condition due to H2O dissociation and H2 diffusion. The Ti-magnetite exhibited compositional heterogeneities of MgO (average of 8.28 wt %), Al2O3 (average of 8.68 wt %), and TiO2 (average of 8.04 wt %). The positive correlation of TiO2 with Cr2O3 is probably attributed to evolutionary Fe–Ti-rich parent magma. Correspondingly, our results suggested hydrous and oxidized magmatism for the Dokdo and Ulleung volcanic islands.


Impact ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (7) ◽  
pp. 56-58
Author(s):  
Naruya Saitou

The ebb and flow of human migration across the planet can nowadays be probed with advanced archaeology, linguistics, anthropology and genomics. Together, these can provide a convincing picture of the various divergences and convergences of different human populations across vast areas. It is now possible to better understand how, why and where a particular group or society arose. Professor Naruya Saitou of the Population Genetics Laboratory at the National Institute of Genetics in Mishima has dedicated his career to the synthesis of these disciplines. The current focus of his research is on understanding the origins and formation of the Yaponesian people. This broad term was coined by writer Toshio Shimao in 1960s to encompass the diverse peoples of the Japanese Archipelago over its many thousands of years of inhabitation. Saitou's research is helping to uncover Japan's ancient past.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 428
Author(s):  
Pavel Kvapil ◽  
Joško Račnik ◽  
Marjan Kastelic ◽  
Jiřina Marková ◽  
Jean-Benjamin Murat ◽  
...  

Monitoring of infectious diseases is one of the most important pillars of preventive medicine in zoos. Screening for parasitic and bacterial infections is important to keep animals and equipment safe from pathogens that may pose a risk to animal and human health. Zoos usually contain many different animal species living in proximity with people and wild animals. As an epidemiological probe, 188 animals (122 mammals, 65 birds, and one reptile) from a zoo in Slovenia were examined for selected pathogens. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum were detected by ELISA in 38% (46/122) and 3% (4/122) of mammals, and in 0% (0/64) and 2% (1/57) of birds, respectively; the reptile (0/1) was negative. A statistically significant difference in T. gondii prevalence was found in Carnivora compared to Cetartiodactyla and primate antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi were detected by IFAT in 44% (52/118) of mammals and 20% (11/56) of birds, respectively; the reptile (0/1) was negative. Herbivores had a higher chance of being infected with E. cuniculi compared to omnivores. Antibodies to Chlamydia abortus and Coxiella burnetii were not detected in any of the 74 tested zoo animals. The sera of 39 wild rodents found in the zoo were also examined; they were negative for all three parasites. The parasite T. gondii was detected by PCR in the tissue of two mute swans (Cygnus olor), three eastern house mice (Mus musculus), one yellow-necked field mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), and one striped field mouse (A. agrarius). Positive samples were genotyped by a single multiplex PCR assay using 15 microsatellite markers; one sample from a mute swan was characterized as type II. This micro-epidemiological study offers a better understanding of pathogens in zoo animals and an understanding of the role of zoos in biosurveillance.


2005 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dai Fukui ◽  
Kishio Maeda ◽  
David A. Hill ◽  
Sumiko Matsumura ◽  
Naoki Agetsuma

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document