RESUMO
A checklist is presented comprising 42 species in 21 genera and 10 families of the arachnid order Pseudoscorpiones from Albania. Two taxa are identified only to the genus level -Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930 and Roncus L. Koch, 1873. The checklist was constructed according to available published data, material deposited in the Natural History Museum in Vienna and newly collected material. Individual families contained the following numbers of species: Chthoniidae (8), Neobisiidae (13), Garypinidae (1), Geogarypidae (2), Olpiidae (1), Cheiridiidae (1), Atemnidae (1), Cheliferidae (7), Chernetidae (7) and Withiidae (1). Sixteen species and four families (Garypinidae, Cheiridiidae, Atemnidae, Withiidae) are recorded for the first time in Albania -Chthonius jonicus Beier, 1931, C. rhodochelatus Hadzi, 1933,C. tenuis L. Koch, 1873, Ephippiochthonius serbicus (Hadzi, 1937), E. tuberculatus (Hadzi, 1937), Amblyolpium dollfusi Simon, 1898, Geogarypus italicus Gardini, Galli and Zinni, 2017, Apocheiridium ferum (Simon, 1879), Atemnus syriacus (Beier, 1955), Beierochelifer peloponnesiacus (Beier, 1929), Hysterochelifer cyprius (Beier, 1929), H. meridianus (L. Koch, 1873), Rhacochelifer peculiaris (L. Koch, 1873), Dinocheirus panzeri (C.L. Koch, 1837), Lamprochernes chyzeri (Tömösváry, 1883) and Withius piger (Simon, 1878). Moreover, A. dollfusi and G. italicus are newly recorded from the Balkans. Data on European distribution, habitat preferences and taxonomic considerations are reported. The Albanian pseudoscorpion fauna is compared with that of other Balkan countries.
RESUMO
Vertical distribution of collembolan communities along a depth gradient was studied at three forested karst scree slopes in the Western Carpathians, differing in topography, microclimate, soil-chemical parameters, and forest associations. Two different fixative solutions were used in subterranean pitfall traps. The activity and species richness of Collembola in the vertical scree profiles were significantly higher in traps filled with ethylene glycol than in those filled with formaldehyde at all three sites. Using traps filled with formaldehyde, both Collembola species numbers and activity positively correlated with the soil moisture and carbon content, while for ethylene glycol traps this relation was the same only for species numbers and carbon content. Ecological groups of Collembola showed a different response, distinguished by the level of association to subterranean habitats, to environmental factors and to the fixation liquid used in the subterranean traps. Eutroglophiles, the forms relatively well-adapted to subterranean habitats, were associated with depth exclusively when using ethylene glycol traps. This implies that ethylene glycol is a more suitable preservative in terms of species richness and activity of Collembola in deeper scree layers compared to traditionally used formaldehyde. Thus, the effect of environmental factors on diversity and vertical distribution of Collembola in scree habitats may be substantially superimposed by the type of fixation used in subterranean traps.
Assuntos
Artrópodes , Ecossistema , Entomologia/métodos , Animais , DemografiaRESUMO
A redescription is provided of the adult, tritonymph and deutonymph life stages of the troglobitic Neobisium (Blothrus) slovacum Gulicka, 1977, which is known from Slovakia and Hungary. Material examined included 35 previously deposited museum specimens and 15 newly collected specimens. In addition, the karyotype and distribution of 18S rDNA clusters are described, using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The male karyotype of N.slovacum comprises 69 chromosomes, with a predominance of biarmed chromosomes, and an X0 sex chromosome system. Two pairs of signals for 18S rDNA on biarmed chromosomes (submetacentric and metacentric) of different sizes were identified. The present study provides the first information about the distribution of these clusters in the arachnid order Pseudoscorpiones. The geographic distribution of the species is summarized and mapped. Neobisiumslovacum is endemic to the Slovak and Aggtelek Karst area in southern Slovakia and north-western Hungary, where it has been recorded from 16 caves. One of these, Hacavská cave (in Slovakia), is the northernmost locality known for any species of the subgenus Blothrus.
RESUMO
Cholesterol (Chol) is one of the major skin barrier lipids. The physiological level of Chol in the stratum corneum (SC) appears to exceed its miscibility with other barrier lipids, as some Chol is phase separated. Chol synthesis is essential for epidermal homeostasis, yet the role of these Chol domains in SC permeability is unknown. We investigated the impact of Chol depletion on the permeability properties and microstructure of model membranes and human SC. X-ray powder diffraction of membranes constructed from isolated human skin ceramides or synthetic ceramides confirmed that only approximately half of the normal Chol amount can be incorporated in either long or short periodicity lamellar phases. The long periodicity lipid arrangement persisted even in the absence of Chol. Infrared spectroscopy suggested that Chol had negligible effects on the lipid chain order and packing at physiological skin temperature. Chol depletion of the model membranes or isolated human SC did not compromise the barrier function to water and two model permeants. On the contrary, the membrane with the Chol content reduced to 40% of the normal value, where no separated Chol was observed, was significantly less permeable than the control. Thus, a 0.4:1:1â¯M ratio of Chol/ceramides/fatty acids appears sufficient for skin lipids to limit water loss and prevent the entry of environmental substances. We speculate that the SC Chol domains may have roles in the skin other than barrier function.
