No abstract

Eupatorium adenophorum Sprengel is a forest killer widely spreading as weed in Nepal. A study on its ecology and utilization was carried out in central Nepal with reference to its gall formation. This banmara is attacked by Procecidochares utilis, a gall which causes metabolic and physical damage to the plant. The main field survey was done in Gorkha-Langtang area and compared with the phenomenon with that of Kathmandu Valley. It has been found that the index of exposure has no effect on the plant growth; pH also has no effect where as soil and gall formation has some effect on plant growth. Artemisia vulgaris and Urtica dioca were commonly found in association with Eupatorium adenophorum. Though the plant acts as forest killer, some beneficial phenomena were also recorded.Key words: Correlation coefficient; Gall formation; index of exposure; life cycle; quadratesJournal of Natural History Museum Vol. 23, 2008 Page 108-124

1. The foraging activities of the papilionid butterflies Ornithoptera priamus poseidon and Papilio ulysses, and the solitary bee Amegilla sapiens (Apoidea, Anthophoridae) on the shrub Stachytarpheta mutabilis were studied in highland Papua New Guinea. 2. The insects' activity patterns were analysed at three sites with differing diurnal microclimate variation. O. priamus and A. sapiens foraged in the morning (after a period of basking and wing-whirring) and late afternoon when temperatures were well below daily maxima, whereas P. ulysses showed foraging peaks during the hottest part of the day. 3. Site choice by all 3 species appeared to be determined primarily by temperature, but within the limits imposed by temperature, nectar supplies probably determined which site was visited. 4. P. ulysses showed interspersed foraging and courtship behaviour, and no behavioural switching was observed for this species. At high temperatures, both O. priamus and A. sapiens ceased foraging and showed territorial and courtship behaviour. This behavioural change allowed avoidance of heat stress, and occurred even when nectar supplies were maintained at high levels. 5. Thermal effects on behavioural switching in these insects are compared with related phenomena in other bees and butterflies.

GAY, H., 1993. Rhizome structure and evolution in the ant-associated epiphytic fern Lecanopteris Reinw. (Polypodiaceae). The Lecanopteris rhizome is expanded or hollow, and is used as a nest by ants of the genera Iridomyrmex and Crematogaster. The 13 species of Lecanopteris display six rhizome forms, unequally distributed between two subgenera. Subgenus Myrmecopterzs comprises four species, each possessing a characteristic rhizome: L . mirabilis has a solid, arched rhizome, with the domatium between the rhizome underside and host trunk; L. sarcopus displays dimorphism between solid frond-hearing axes and hollow, frondless side branches; the rhizome of L. crustacea is hollow hut phyllopodia are solid; L . sinuosa has hollow rhizomes and phyllopodia. The architecture of L . mirabilis, L . sarcopus and L. crustacea results in a compact, many-layered domatium, but L . sinuosa has a little-branched habit. Members ofsubg. Lecanopteris are completely hollow and have a compact architecture: six species typified by L . pumila have a central gallery and hollow phyllopodia, and three species typified by L . damaedii have two gallery and chamber systems. The genus Lecanopteris is unlikely to be monophyletic; its nearest relative is Phymatodes. Phylogeny in subg. Myrmecopterzs is unclear; no gradation of rhizome complexity exists. In subg. Lecanopteris, L . curtisii is considered most similar to the ancestral species, giving rise to the L. pumila group, which engendered the L. darnaedii group.