Redescription of Apomyelois cognata (Staudinger, 1871) (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae, Phycitinae) with first record from the South Urals

Until recently, Apomyelois cognata (Staudinger, 1871) was known only from the type series collected 150 years ago in the Lower Volga region, as well as old records from Iran and Cyprus (the latter unconfirmed). In 2011 and 2020, more specimens of this little-known species were collected in the South Urals (Russia), presenting a new record for the area. The species identity was confirmed via examination of syntypes preserved in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin. A lectotype designation for the species is made and a detailed redescription with illustrations of male and female genitalia is given.

“The Development of the Ideas of Scholars of Previous Generations Will Be the Best Monument for Them”: In Memory of Leonid Teodorovich Yablonsky (1950–2016)

Research objectives: To consider the creative path and main views of L.T. Yablonsky, as well as his influence on ideas about the ethnic history of the Golden Horde population and theoretical problems of ethnogenesis. Research materials: The authors of the article were based on numerous publications by L.T. Yablonsky, as well as personal impressions from meetings with the researcher on expeditions and at academic conferences. Results and novelty of the research: The authors consider the formation of L.T. Yablonsky as a unique specialist who combined archaeological training and professional study of physical anthropology. This allowed him to draw important conclusions about the formation of the Golden Horde population. Later, he resorted to this method to study the early nomads of the Aral Sea region and the South Urals. His works became an event in the research field, since they positively differed from others not only by an interdisciplinary approach to the problem under study – at the junction of archaeology and ethnogenetics – but also by the wide use of anthropological materials. Prior to these works, all information about the population of the Jochid ulus was fragmentary and unsystematic, and he was the very researcher who first connected the data of paleoanthropology and the analysis of the burial rite in medieval burial grounds. He proved the fact that the Golden Horde population consisted of mixed population groups, and identified those population groups that, in his opinion, came from Central Asia. L.T. Yablonsky attached great importance to the methodology of research on ethnogenesis and ethnic history. He advocated an integrated scientific approach to their study and emphasized the huge role of paleoanthropology and archaeology in solving ethnogenetic problems. In his opinion, the rapid divergence of various scientific disciplines – ethnology, archaeology, physical anthropology, and genetics – was the main problem that hindered the development of scientific ethnogenetic research. L.T. Yablonsky, therefore, believed that expanding comprehensive research would help solve this problem.

Stistaites of the South Urals

Research subject. Rare minerals of tin and antimony – stistaites from natural lead plates from the Severo-Svetlinskaya placer in the Chelyabinsk region and from microspherules of intermetallic compounds in the products of erosion of granites of the Kisegach complex in the Ilmeny Mountains.Materials and methods. Electron probe analysis and laser ablation with inductively coupled plasma were used to study the composition of the predominant minerals of intermetallic compounds in lead plates extracted during the washing of a gold-bearing placer, as well as from metal microspherules in the sandy fraction of eroded granites.Results. Two types of stistaite were identified: lead and arsenic-lead. Lead stistaites is sharply predominant, with its average composition (wt %) being Sb – 47.39, Sn – 38.75, Pb – 13.24, Cu – 0.06. The average composition of arsenic-lead stystaite (wt %) was found to be Sb – 43.89, Sn – 41.06, Pb – 11.02, As – 3.05, Cu – 0.47. Tin-lead microspherules from the destruction products of biotite granites of the Kisegach massif (Ilmeny Mountains) occasionally contain crystals and spotted precipitates of lead stistaite with the composition (wt %) of Sn 53.54, Sb 38.45, and Pb 7.42.Conclusions. It is assumed that, in both cases, the formation of alloys of intermetallic compounds of tin, lead and antimony with inclusions of native copper and iron was associated with granite magmatism.

New records of Mallomonas species (Chrysophyceae, Synurales) for the Orenburg Region (South Urals, Russia)

The data about new findings of species of the genus Mallomonas for the Orenburg Region are given. Among them, M. rasilis is reported for the first time for Russia. For each species, data on morphology, location, and distribution are represented. SEM microphotographs for these species are provided.

Assessment of economically valuable traits of apple varieties and features of the main elements of the technology for their cultivation in an arid climate

The purpose of the research is to create winter-hardy, large-fruited, high-yielding, high-quality varieties of apple trees of different ripening periods and their growing technology (use of a biological product) in the South Urals. The research was carried out on the basis of Orenburg Experimental Station of Horticulture and Viticulture - a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Selection and Technology Center for Horticulture and Nursery ” from 1999 to 2020. Research objects were summer apple varieties – “Orenburgskoe”, “Orenburgskoe krasnoe”, “Solntsedar” (K); winter – “Orenburgskoe pozdnee”, “Zimnee”, “Yuzhnouralskoe” (K). The counts and observations were carried out according to generally accepted methods. As a result of the studies, the data obtained showed that the property of short stature as a genetic trait of resistance is transmitted to the offspring during hybridization. The varieties “Orenburgskoe pozdnee”, “Zimnee” and “Yuzhnouralskoe” showed the greatest increase in productivity embodiment experience “Evrikor Forte + 7” 2.5 l / ha by 25.4%, 24.3% and 22.2% respectively. Thus, the application of “Eurikor-Forte + 7” increased both the number of fruits and their weight, and also increased the yield of the studied varieties.