Black Stripes Research Articles

A new species of genus Phonarellus Gorochov, 1983 from Yunnan, China (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Gryllinae).

Phonarellus Gorochov, 1983 is comprised of 11 extant species. We describe a new species, Phonarellus (Phonarellus) zebripes He sp. nov. from Yunnan province, China. It is different from other Phonarellus species in possessing black and white stripes on the hind femora. The type specimens are deposited in Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

Two new species of Tanichthys (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) from China

Tanichthys albiventris, new species, from the River Jiangping in Dongxing City, Guangxi Province is distinguished from Tanichthys albonubes by the presence of a reddish-orange dorsal-fin margin (vs. white) and 9-10 (9 in mode) branched anal-fin rays (vs. 8 in mode). Tanichthys flavianalis, new species, from the River Jiuqu in Qionghai City, Hainan Province is distinguished from T. albiventris and T. albonubes by the presence of a golden anal-fin margin (vs. white) and 7 (rarely 6) branched dorsal-fin rays (vs. 6 in mode). In T. albiventris, T. albonubes, and T. flavianalis the black lateral stripe is located on the dorsal half of the flank, distinguishing them from Tanichthys kuehnei and Tanichthys micagemmae, in which it is mid-lateral. Tanichthys thabacensis is different from all other species of Tanichthys in the shape of the mouth and insertion of the anal fin; it is tentatively referred to as Aphyocypris.

Integrative Taxonomy, Distribution and Ontogenetic Colouration Change in Neotropical Mountain Catfishes of the Trichomycterus nigroauratus Group (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae).

Catfishes of the genus Trichomycterus comprise the most diverse fish group in mountain river basins crossing the Atlantic Forest of south-eastern Brazil, with a great concentration of species in the Rio Paraíba do Sul basin. The present study is directed to the T. nigroauratus group, endemic to the Rio Paraíba do Sul basin, comprising species commonly found associated with bottom leaf litter. Field studies revealed two sympatric, distinct colour morphs, one comprising small specimens with a black longitudinal stripe over a pale brown ground colour on the flank and another comprising a single larger specimen with small dark browns spots scattered over a pale-yellow ground colour. These specimens were found in the upper Rio Paraitinga drainage, an area disjunct from the area inhabited by the other species of the group. We performed coalescent single-locus analyses for species delimitation using a cytochrome b fragment (1088 bp) for specimens from eight localities, including sequences taken from specimens exhibiting different colouration morphs and topotypes of all the three nominal species of the T. nigroauratus group. The analyses supported the two colouration morphs as belonging to a single species that is herein described. It is distinguished from other congeners by its unique colour pattern, dorsal and anal fins fin more posteriorly placed, and by the morphology of the opercle, metapterygoid and pelvic bone. The Maximum Likelihood analysis indicated the new species as sister to a clade containing all other congeners of the group, which is corroborated by osteological data. The occurrence of different lineages in neighbouring areas of the upper Rio Paraíba do Sul basin is interpreted as a possible vestige of a past complex paleogeographical scenario during the Cenozoic. The present record of striking ontogenetic colouration change, revealed only after checking DNA sequences of individuals exhibiting different colouration phenotypes, again highlights the importance of combining morphological and molecular data in taxonomical studies.

Tyrosine promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis in pansy (<i>Viola × wittrockiana</i>) by inducing ABA synthesis

<italic>Viola × wittrockiana</italic> (pansy) is an important ornamental plant, particularly during winter and spring. In previous studies, we found that the tyrosine decarboxylase gene of pansy (<italic>VwTYDC</italic>) was expressed differently in blotched and non-blotched areas of pansy petals, suggesting that tyrosine may have a role in anthocyanin biosynthesis. In this study, we found that virus-induced gene silencing of <italic>VwTYDC</italic> caused an accumulation of pink pigmentation in pansy petals. Likewise, exogenous tyrosine treatment (TYRT) induced the formation of black stripes in non-blotched petal areas. Metabolome analysis indicated that the contents of two anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, increased significantly in the TYRT areas. RT-qPCR results revealed that the anthocyanin-related genes <italic>VwHCT</italic>, <italic>VwC3′H</italic>, <italic>VwCHS</italic>, and <italic>VwUGT</italic> were upregulated in the same areas. Transcriptome analysis revealed that four genes involved in the abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis pathway (<italic>VwNCED</italic>, <italic>VwABA2</italic>, <italic>VwAAO3</italic>, and <italic>VwCYP707A</italic>) were significantly upregulated in the same TYRT areas. ABA contents were measured by ESI-HPLC-MS/MS, and ABA content was significantly higher in TYRT areas than in control areas. In addition, when exogenous ABA was spread onto non-blotched petal areas, anthocyanin biosynthesis genes were upregulated just as with tyrosine. Thus, transcriptome and metabolite analyses revealed a possible novel regulatory network for anthocyanin biosynthesis in which tyrosine induces ABA synthesis and ABA then promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis in pansy petals.

Phylogenetic relationships and description of two new species of Diapoma (Characidae: Stevardiinae) from the La Plata River basin

Abstract Herein we describe two new species of Diapoma, one from the Negro River, a tributary of the Uruguay River in Brazil and Uruguay, and one from the Iguaçu River, in Brazil and Argentina. The new species from the Negro River basin is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: a black narrow and conspicuous line restricted to the body horizontal septum, incomplete lateral line, tricuspid teeth in the inner series of the premaxilla, and a lower body depth at vertical through the dorsal-fin origin (29.3–32.8% SL in males and 27.7–33.3% SL in females). The new species from the Iguaçu River basin is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: a discontinuous lateral line, adipose fin hyaline, longer anal-fin base (26.5–32.4% SL), and a longitudinal black stripe along the median region of caudal-fin rays. Additionally, we updated the molecular phylogeny of the genus, including new sequences from these two new species and Diapoma thauma. An identification key for species of Diapoma is presented, modified from previous study.

Astragalus nurhakdagensis (sect. Hololeuce Bunge / Fabaceae), a new species from Turkey

Astragalus nurhakdagensis, a new species from the south of Turkey was described, illustrated, and compared to the closest taxa Astragalus hirsutus, A. dumanii and A. cataonicus from which it is set apart by a longer calyx length (13-14 mm) and calyx teeth (7-9 mm, longer than tube), white corolla colour, longer bracts (13-15 mm) and black hairy stripes below the stem nodes. In A. hirsutus, the calyx length (6-10 mm) and calyx teeth are much smaller (2-3 mm long, shorter than tube), with yellow corolla colour and without black hairy stripes. It also differs from A. dumanii with its longer stipules 9-13 mm (not 5-8 mm), bracts 13-15 mm (not 4-6 mm), calyx length 13-14 mm (not 7-10 mm) and calyx teeth 7-9 mm (not 2-4 mm), and also with spreading hairs (not adpressed) on the calyx and 7-9 pairs of leaflets (not 3-7 pairs). It is also differentiated from A. cataonicus with a white corolla colour (not lilac to pink), longer stipule 9-13 mm (not 5-7 mm), bracts 13-15 mm (not 6-12 mm), and longer calyx teeth 7-9 mm (not 5-7 mm). Prolate (A. nurhakdagensis, A. hirsutus and A. cataonicus) and subprolate (A. dumanii) shapes were determined in the tricolporate pollen grains. Perforate, granulate, and reticulate ornamentation types were observed in the pollen grains in SEM. The seed shapes were reniform? globose in A. nurhakdagensis and A. dumanii, whereas they were reniform in A. hirsutus and A. cataonicus. Surface ornamentation of the seeds differed slightly: rugulate in A. nurhakdagensis and A. hirsutus, reticulate-rugulate in A. dumanii and reticulate-striate in A. cataonicus. Taxonomic description, micrographs of seeds and pollen surfaces and geographical distribution of the new species were provided. Conservation status was discussed.

Factors Affecting Adult Captures of the Cotton Bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Pheromone-Baited Traps

The effects of funnel-trap color, trap height and pheromone formulation on the adult captures of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were evaluated in traps that were suspended in cotton fields in central Greece. Briefly, in a first trial, the efficacy of funnel traps of three different colors, i.e., green, striped (with black and white stripes) and white, was comparatively evaluated, whereas in a second trial green funnel traps were placed at three heights, i.e., 30, 60 and 90 cm from the ground. Finally, in a third trial we tested the efficiency of green funnel traps with three commercially available pheromone lures. Considering the overall captures, trap color and pheromone formulation affected male captures, whereas trap height had no influence. Captures notably increased in all traps from late August to mid-September. In total, the white funnel trap captured more moths than the green or striped funnel traps. Placement of the traps at different heights did not significantly affect captures, but seasonal differences were observed at individual dates during the trapping period. Barrettine’s pheromone lure provided significantly more captures than the other two (Russell, Trécé) in some of the trap-check dates. The results can be further utilized in the monitoring protocols of H. armigera in cotton fields.

Scent, rather than fur pattern, determines predation of mice: an in‐the‐wild experiment with plasticine mouse models

AbstractWood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus and striped field mouse A. agrarius are the most abundant mouse species in Central Europe coexisting in several habitats not only such as in forests but also in rural and urban areas. Their basic colours are similar, but the striped field mouse has a pronounced black stripe on its back. The biological function of this phenotypic difference is unexplored; therefore, our goal was to study the impact of fur pattern as well as the scent on the survival of these species. In our study, we used plasticine models mimicking wood mouse and striped field mouse. For imitating mouse scent, cotton pads saturated with mouse urine were placed under the models. In spring 2016, 200 plasticine mice divided into four types (non‐striped with scent, non‐striped without scent, striped with scent, striped without scent) were placed randomly in four sampling sites in the mid‐sized city, Pécs, Hungary. During 4 weeks of exposure, we recorded predation on 71 plasticine models. Birds (51%) and large mammals (25%) were the most common predators, and in 24% of the cases, the models disappeared. Considering predation only by large mammals, we found that the daily survival rate of both striped and non‐striped models with scent decreased in comparison to models without scent. Thus, large mammalian predators could discover plasticine models sooner than avian predators, which suggests a strong impact of scent. Despite the high rate of bird predation, we did not detect an effect of fur pattern suggesting that it may not be related to survival but might have other functional roles. With the dummy mouse experiment, we showed that fur pattern may play a minor role in mice detection by predators, thus further studies are needed to discover its ecological function.

Damsel in distress: is the nomenclature of Lachesis melanocephala Solórzano &amp;amp; Cerdas, 1986 (Serpentes, Viperidae) in need of rescue?

The neotropical viperid snake genus Lachesis Daudin, 1803 accomodates four venomous species that occur in forested areas from Central America, in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, to most of South America, southwards into southeastern Brazil and Bolivia (Campbell &amp; Lamar 2004). This genus is unique among neotropical crotalines in having a high number of ventrals, dorsal, and cephalic scales, while also being oviparous (Campbell &amp; Lamar 2004). Lachesis melanocephala Solórzano &amp; Cerdas, 1986 is a large-sized viper, distributed from the Pacific coast of southwestern Costa Rica to northwestern Panama (Campbell &amp; Lamar 2004). This species reaches up to 2.4 meters of total length, and can be diagnosed based on its uniformly black dorsal head pattern and inconspicuous postocular black stripe (Fig. 1; Campbell &amp; Lamar 2004).

How Often MRI Would Change the Fracture Classification or Decision-making in Thoracolumbar Fractures Compared to CT Alone?

Introduction: This study aimed at analyzing the frequency and predictor of the change in classification of TLFs after performing MRI compared with CT alone.&#x0D; Methodology: This retrospective review included 235 consecutive patients with acute TLFs (T1-L5) who presented at a single level-1 trauma center between 2014 and 2021 and underwent both CT and MRI. Patients with translation injury, neurologic deficit, or osteoporotic fracture were excluded. Three reviewers independently classified all fractures according to AOSpine and Thoracolumbar Injury classification (TLISS) by CT and then MRI. A fourth reviewer only looked at the MRI images. Posterior ligamentous complex Injury was diagnosed on CT and MRI by two positive CT findings and black stripe discontinuity. Mc-Nemar test was used to evaluate the difference in the proportions of AO type A and B.&#x0D; Result: The AO classification by CT was type A in 181 patients (77%) and type B in 54 patients (23%). The addition of MRI after CT changed AO classification in 25/235 patients (10.6%, P &lt; 0.0001) due to an 8.5% (20/235) upgrade from type A to type B and 2.1% (5/235) downgrade from type B to type A. When PLC injury in CT was defined by one positive CT finding and in MRI by high signal intensity, it significantly increased the rate of fracture reclassification by MRI compared to default analysis (22% and 33% vs 11%, respectively; P &lt; 0.0001). The best predictor of upgrade from type A to type B and downgrade from type B to type A was a single positive CT finding, and the presence of only two CT signs as opposed to three signs, respectively (reclassification rate 26% vs 4.6%, P &lt; 0.0001 and 17% vs 0%, P = 0.03, respectively). Thoracic and thoracolumbar fractures showed a significantly higher reclassification rate than low lumbar (20% and 10% vs 0%, respectively, P = 0.07).&#x0D; Conclusion: Using appropriate CT/MRI criteria of PLC injury, the rate of fracture reclassification by MRI can be as low as 10%. The use of alternative CT/MRI criteria or inaccurate image interpretation could significantly increase the rate of fracture reclassification up to 20–30%. The rate of change of fracture classification by MRI could be predicted by the number of positive CT findings on CT or fracture level.

Traumatic low lumbar fractures: How often MRI changes the fracture classification or clinical decision-making compared to CT alone?

To determine the impact of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on fracture classification for low lumbar fractures (LLFs) compared to CT alone. This study was a retrospective review of 41 consecutive patients with LLFs who underwent CT and MRI within 10 days of injury. Three reviewers classified all fractures according to AOSpine Classification and the Thoracolumbar Injury Classification (TLISS). Posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) injury in MRI was defined by black stripe discontinuity and in CT by the presence of: vertebral body translation, facet joint malalignment, horizontal laminar or spinous process fracture, and interspinous widening. The proportion of patients with AO type A/B/C and with TLISS < 5 and≥5 was compared between CT and MRI. We examined the overall accuracy and individual CT findings for PLC injury. AO classification using CT was: AO type A in 26 patients (61%), type B in 7 patients (17%), and type C in 8 patients (22%). Seventeen patients (41%) had a TLISS≥5 while 24 (59%) had TLISS < 5. The addition of MRI after CT changed the AO classification in only 2 patients (4.9%, 95% CI (0.6-16.5%) due to upgrade of type A to type B or vice versa, but did not change TLISS from < 5 to≥5 [p< 0.0001; 95% CI (0.59, 0.77)]. CT was highly accurate (95%) for diagnosis of PLC injury in LLFs. Addition of MRI after CT did not change the AO classification or TLISS, compared to CT alone, thus suggesting limited additional value of MRI for PLC assessment or fracture classification.

The formation of hybrid fish derived from hybridization of Megalobrama amblycephala (♀) × Siniperca chuatsi (♂)

Crossbreeding has been conducted in many fish species. However, crosses between distant relatives that may result in higher levels of heterosis are hard to conduct due to reproductive isolation. In this study, diploid hybrids (BM) of blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala, BSB, ♀, order Cypriniformes, 2n = 48) × mandarin fish (order Siniperca chuatsi, MD, ♂, Perciformes, 2n = 48) were successfully produced. BM possessed 48 chromosomes from BSB. The body colour of BM (silver grey with many black spots) was different from that of BSB (silvery white) and MD (yellow with black stripes). The body shape of BM (small head with a slender body) was different from that of BSB (small head with a high back) and MD (body larger and flatter). We confirmed successful hybridization with microsatellite DNA markers and analysed the 5S rDNA patterns among the parental and hybrid lines. BM inherited its 5S rDNA entirely from the female parent (BSB). This study will provide a foundation for fish crossbreeding, and the successful hybrids in this study will potentially be an excellent commercial variety.

Visual control of refuge recognition in the whip spider Phrynus marginemaculatus.

Amblypygids, or whip spiders, are nocturnally active arachnids which live in structurally complex environments. Whip spiders are excellent navigators thatcan re-locate a home refuge without relying on visual input. Therefore, an open question is whether visual input can control any aspect of whip spider spatial behavior. In the current study, Phrynus marginemaculatus were trained to locate an escape refuge by discriminating between differently oriented black and white stripes placed either on the walls of a testing arena (frontal discrimination) or on the ceiling of the same testing arena (overhead discrimination). Regardless of the placement of the visual stimuli, the whip spiders were successful in learning the location of the escape refuge. In a follow-up study of the overhead discrimination, occluding the median eyes was found to disrupt the ability of the whip spiders to locate the shelter. The data support the conclusion that whip spiders can rely on vision to learn and recognize an escape shelter. We suggest that visual inputs to the brain's mushroom bodies enable this ability.

A novel record species of the genus &amp;lt;italic&amp;gt;Lefua &amp;lt;/italic&amp;gt;from China and phylogenetic relationships of the genus &amp;lt;italic&amp;gt;Lefua&amp;lt;/italic&amp;gt;

<p indent=0mm><italic>Lefua pleskei </italic>(Herzenstein, 1888), a novel record species of the genus <italic>Lefua</italic>, collected from the Tumen River, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, China, was described based on morphology and mitochondrial d-loop sequence analyses. Meanwhile, phylogenetic relationships of <italic>Lefua </italic>species were researched. <italic>Lefua pleskei</italic> is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: slender body shape, presence of a black longitudinal stripe on both body sides in mature males; the presence of circular-dark blotches on the middle of the caudal fin base in mature females; dorsal fin located much farther posteriad (the anterior length of the dorsal fin was 64.33% of the body length); narrow interorbital (interorbital width was 32.06% of the head length); eyes located dorsolaterally on the head; thin and smooth upper lip; thin lower lip, inconspicuous mastoid in the middle of the lower lip. The phylogenetic relationship constructed based on the maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods showed that <italic>L</italic>.<italic> pleskei</italic> (Kessler, 1876) and <italic>L</italic>.<italic> nikkonis</italic> (Jordan & Fowler, 1903) formed a sister group and a relationship with<italic> L</italic>.<italic> costata</italic>, indicating that the phylogenetic relationship is partially congruent with geographical patterns.

Information out of the blue: phenotypic correlates of abdominal color patches in Sceloporus lizards

Colorful ornaments are important visual signals for animal communication that can provide critical information about the quality of the signaler. In this study, we focused on different color characteristics of the abdominal patches of males of six lizard species from the genus Sceloporus. We addressed three main objectives. First, we examined if size, brightness, saturation, and conspicuousness of these ornaments are indicative of body size, condition, immune function, or levels of testosterone and corticosterone. Second, we evaluated if the distinct components of these abdominal patches (blue or green patches and black stripes) transmit similar information about the signaler, which would support the redundant signal hypothesis, or if these components are related to different phenotypic traits, which would support the multiple message hypothesis. Third, we compared the phenotypic correlates of these ornaments among our six species to understand the degree of conservatism in the signaling patterns or to find species-specific signals. Using data collected from males in natural conditions and a multi-model inference framework, we found that in most species the area of the patches and the brightness of the blue component are positively related to body size. Thus, these color characteristics are presumably indicative of the physical strength and competitive ability of males and these shared signals were likely inherited from a common ancestor. In half of the species, males in good body condition also exhibit relatively larger blue and black areas, suggesting that the expression of these ornaments is condition-dependent. Abdominal patches also provide information about immunocompetence of the males as indicated by different correlations between certain color characteristics and ectoparasite load, counts of heterophils, and the heterophil:lymphocyte ratio. Our findings reveal that area and brightness of the abdominal patches signal the size and body condition of males, whereas blue saturation and conspicuousness with respect to the surrounding substrate are indicative of immune condition, thus supporting the multiple message hypothesis. However, some of these correlations were not shared by all species and, hence, point to intriguing species-specific signals.

The response of common minnows, Phoxinus phoxinus, to visual cues under flowing and static water conditions

While fixed visual cues provide reliable reference points for navigation in static water, it remains unclear whether fish energetically benefit from their presence in flowing water. Furthermore, benefits of visual feedback from fixed sources may be less for group members that can gain additional information from others. Using an open-channel flume, this study investigated how the response of fish to stationary visual stimuli is influenced by flow and group membership under two treatments: vertical black and white stripes placed on (1) both side walls of the channel or (2) one side wall only compared to a control where both walls were uniform white. The responses were compared in flowing and static water, and between individuals and groups of five. Fish exhibited a positive affiliation for the visual cues, travelling more slowly and spending more time closer to the striped walls. Fish were more edge oriented under flowing conditions, presumably utilizing the lower velocities at the wall boundary to reduce energy expenditure. When only one wall presented visual cues, individual fish spent more time associated with it in flowing water, suggesting some energetic benefit in lotic conditions. This may result from a greater ability to maintain station or control position relative to a reference point and/or the use of visual stimuli as a proxy indicator of physical structure which may provide drag-reducing refuge. A lesser association with the striped wall in static water suggests that visual cues provide other nonhydrodynamic benefits, such as physical refuge from predators or opportunities for crypsis. Conversely, less association of shoals with the striped walls may reflect a greater dependence on information provided by conspecifics or increased security associated with being part of a group. This study indicates that fixed visual cues likely provide several benefits that vary depending on flow and group membership.

First Report of Bacterial Wilt Caused by Ralstonia solanacearum on Plectranthus amboinicus in Martinique.

Plectranthus amboinicus, commonly known as Gwo ten in the French West Indies (Martinique), is a semi-succulent perennial plant of the Lamiaceae family. This aromatic plant wich is widespread naturally throughout the tropics is of economic importance because of the therapeutic and nutritional properties attributed to its natural phytochemical compounds wich are highly valued in the pharmaceutical industry. In March 2019, wilted P. amboinicus plants intercropped with tomato plants (cv. Heatmaster) in order to reduce the insect-pest damages on tomato, were observed in a field located at the CIRAD experimental station in Lamentin, Martinique (14.663194 N, -60.999167 W). Average disease incidence of 65.74% was recorded on P. amboinicus, in 3 plots with an area of 22.04 m2. The initial symptoms observed were irregular, black, necrotic lesions on leaves. After 10 days, plants wilted and black stripes were observed on stems. Within 4 weeks, more than 50% of plants were fully wilted. Longitudinal stem sections of the wilted plants showed brown vascular discoloration. The cut stems of the wilted plants released a whitish bacterial ooze in water. In all, 108 stem sections were collected, surface disinfected with 70% ethanol and each was crushed in 2 mL of Tris-buffer, then processed for bacterial isolation by plating on modified Semi-Selective Medium from South Africa SMSA (Engelbrecht 1994). Typical Ralstonia solanacearum colonies grew on SMSA medium for 100 of the 108 samples after incubation for 48h at 28°C and were identified as Ralstonia solanacearum using diagnostic PCR with 759/760 primers (Opina et al. 1997). A phylotype-specific multiplex PCR (Fegan and Prior 2005) classified all the strains in R. solanacearum Phylotype IIA. A subset of 11 strains was selected for sequevar identification. All the strains were identified as sequevar I-39 (100% nucleotide identity with strain ANT92 - Genbank accession EF371828), by partial egl sequencing (Fegan and Prior 2005) (GenBank Accession Nos. MT314067 to MT314077). This sequevar has been reported to be widespread in the Caribbean and tropical America on vegetable crops (particularly on tomato), but not on P. amboinicus (Deberdt et al. 2014; Ramsubhag et al. 2012; Wicker et al. 2007). To fulfil Koch's postulates, a reference strain, isolated from diseased P. amboinicus (CFBP 8733, Phylotype IIA/sequevar 39), was inoculated on 30 healthy P. amboinicus plants. A common tomato cultivar grown in Martinique (cv. Heatmaster) was also inoculated on 30 plants with the same bacterial suspension. Three-weeks-old plants of both crops grown in sterilized field soil were inoculated by soil drenching with 20 ml of a calibrated suspension (108 CFU/mL). P. amboinicus and tomato plants drenched with sterile water served as a negative controls. Plants were grown in a fully controlled environment at day/night temperatures of 30-26°C ± 2°C under high relative humidity (80%). The P. amboinicus plants started wilting 9 days after inoculation, and within four weeks 60% of the P. amboinicus plants had wilted. The tomato plants started wilting 5 days after inoculation with 62% of wilted plants within four weeks. R. solanacearum was recovered from all symptomatic plants on modified SMSA medium. No symptoms were observed and no R. solanacearum strains were isolated from negative controls plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of R. solanacearum causing bacterial wilt on Gwo ten (P. amboinicus) in Martinique. The importance of this discovery lies in the reporting of an additional host for R. solanacearum, which can be associated with other crops as tomato crop in order to reduce the abundance of insect-pests. Further studies need to be conducted to assess the precise distribution of bacterial wilt disease on P. amboinicus in Martinique and to develop a plan of action avoiding its association with R. solanacearum host crops as tomato for reducing epidemic risk.

Diagnostic Value of Various Morphological Features of Horizontal and Vertical Laminar Fractures for Posterior Ligamentous Complex Injury of the Thoracolumbar Spine as Defined by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

To determine diagnostic value of morphological features of horizontal laminar fracture (HLF) and vertical laminar fracture (VLF) for diagnosis of posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) injury. This retrospective review comprised 271 consecutive patients with acute thoracolumbar fractures presenting to a Level 1 trauma center between January 2014 and January 2021. Two reviewers evaluated computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. VLFs were subclassified based on length and depth of lamina involved, as follows: type 1, full-length complete; type 2, full-length incomplete; type 3, partial-length complete or incomplete. HLFs were subclassified as follows: bilateral versus unilateral, displaced >2 mm versus nondisplaced, and lamina-only versus laminar and pedicle. We examined the diagnostic accuracy and the univariate and multivariate associations of laminar fracture subtypes with PLC injury as defined by black stripe discontinuity. Bilateral HLFs, laminar and pedicle fractures, displaced HLFs, and type 1 VLFs yielded a high positive predictive value for PLC injury (95%, 91%, 100%, and 86%, respectively). Type 2 and 3 VLFs did not show significant univariate associations with PLC injury. Bilateral HLFs, laminar and pedicle fractures, and displaced HLFs showed independent associations with PLC injury (adjusted odds ratio= 13.6, 8.4, 6, and 10.3, respectively; P < 0.002). Type 1 VLFs did not show a significant association with PLC (adjusted odds ratio= 10.3; P= 0.06). Bilateral HLFs, laminar and pedicle fractures, and displaced HLFs, but not any VLF subtypes, were independently associated with PLC injury. These findings may improve the reliability of PLC assessment by computed tomography.

Classification of biscuit tiles for defect detection using Fourier transform features

Automated defect detection is difficult to achieve in ceramic tile manufacturing today. Computer vision and machine learning based approaches are commonly utilised for this purpose. This paper considers the problem of defect detection in the textured ceramic tiles quality analysis. Instead of detecting defects on the finished tile, the biscuit tile is considered, a pressed, dried, decorated tile before its firing in the kiln. As it is an intermediary product during tile production, classifying them as defected or not before the firing can significantly reduce energy and material costs. To this end, in this paper we propose a new Fourier spectrum annuli feature extraction method. It is based on Fourier spectrum of the surface biscuit tile image and tested on real tile examples from the ceramic tile industry. According to the observed results, it outperforms several well-known methods for feature extraction on real-world tile datasets reaching an F1 score of 0.9236 and 0.8866 on the Black Random Stripes and Stripes Brown Light tile designs respectively.

Mystery Cats of the World Revisited: Blue Tigers, King Cheetahs, Black Cougars, Spotted Lions, and More by Karl P. N. Shuker

At long last, after 31 years, the first book by noted British zoologist and cryptozoologist Karl Shuker has been expanded and updated. Mystery Cats of the World first appeared in 1989 and was the only book to review feline cryptids worldwide. In this 2020 edition, Shuker repeats this admirable achievement and, in the process, gives us a solid overview of current knowledge of felid evolution, taxonomy, and genetic variation. In fact, the only feline mystery cat he does not describe is Hello Kitty. Shuker has more than kept up with cryptozoology over the years, keeping the public informed with numerous popular books on dragons, new and rediscovered animals, the Loch Ness monster, and many other lesser-known cryptids. His ShukerNature blog and his regular “Alien Zoo” column in Fortean Times provide an always-fascinating glimpse into ongoing cryptozoological controversies. Scientific names and genetic relationships are updated throughout the text in this new edition. He notes that since 1989, our understanding of genes that cause variations in felid coat color has become more complicated. For example, the chinchilla mutation in tyrosinase was then considered responsible for “partial albino” tigers (white tigers with black stripes). In 2020, a point mutation in a transporter protein that prevents the manufacture of pheomelanin (red and yellow pigments) is seen as a more likely cause. Rather than go into great detail about these ongoing discoveries, Shuker sensibly opts to include the bare minimum of updated felid genetics in his discussions of specific cryptids. However, for clarity and comparison he provides a table from the first edition that describes the six major genes and their mutant alleles that in the 1970s were thought by UK geneticist Roy Robinson to be responsible for major cat color morphs. (Believe me, this chart comes in handy throughout the book.)