Field observations suggested that subterranean termites might follow a concentration gradient of attractive material to find decaying wood. Laboratory cultures of the brown rot fungus, Lenzites trabea Pers. ex. Fr., on pine blocks formed a material attractive to the eastern subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kol.) and R. virginicus Banks, and a Costa Rican termite, Nasutitermes col...

The transport of lipids constitutes a vital function in insects and requires the plasma lipoprotein lipophorin. In all insects examined to date, cuticular hydrocarbons are also transported through the hemolymph by lipophorin, and in social insects they play important roles not only in water proofing the cuticle but also in nestmate recognition. High-density lipophorin (HDLp), isolated from Reti...

SSU rRNA genes of oxymonad protists from the hindgut of the wood-feeding termite Reticulitermes flavipes were PCR-amplified using a newly designed oxymonad-specific forward primer and a newly designed reverse primer specific for termite gut flagellates. After cloning, the clone library was sorted into four groups by RFLP analysis, and nearly full-length SSU rRNA gene sequences were obtained for...

We report the discovery of a new species of Coendou (Rodentia, Erethizontidae), here designated Coendou speratus sp. nov. This small porcupine, locally known as coandumirim, is found in the Pernambuco Endemism Centre in the Atlantic coast of northeastern Brazil north of the São Francisco river, one of the most important known biodiversity hotspots. The geographic range of C. speratus overlaps w...

Tryptanthrin (1), indole-3-acetonitrile (2) and p-coumaric acid methylester (3) were isolated from the aerial parts of Isatis tinctoria L. The compounds show insecticidal and anti-feedant activity against termites (Reticulitermis santonensis), insect preventive and control activity against larvae of the house longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus) and fungicidal activity against the brown-rot fun...

Through bomb calorimetry of known-age young bats, we have determined the energy cost of pregnancy and lactation in Myotis thysanodes and M. lucifugus finding that: 1. Energy demand during pregnancy is hyperbolic. 2. A very rapid increase in energy involved in embryo growth occurs during late pregnancy when the mothers are no longer homeothermic. 3. This increased energy demand occurs earlier pr...

a Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 178, Anyang-ro, Manan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 430-016, Republic of Korea b Conservation Science Division, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Daejeon 305-380, Republic of Korea c Wood Processing Division, Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul 130-712, Republic of Korea d Household and Structural Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomol...