North American Forms Research Articles

A new immigrant mustelid (Carnivora, Mammalia) from the middle Miocene Temblor Formation of central California

A new mustelid genus from the Barstovian (middle Miocene) marine Temblor Formation in California is described. The material of Legionarictis fortidens includes an incomplete cranium with partial upper dentition. The straight lingual border and slightly expanded posterointernal cingulum of M1 are plesiomorphic traits, as in the European Dehmictis. However, the M1 is not as posteriorly expanded, and the P4 does not have a lingual hypoconal crest, differentiating L. fortidens from younger North American forms. Furthermore, the P4 protocone is posteriorly placed from the parastyle crest, as in the extant South American Eira. An autapomorphic feature of L. fortidens is its highly hypertrophied P4 paracone with a bulbous crown. The robust upper carnassial, very strong development of the sagittal crest, and derived enamel microstructure all suggest a hard food component in its diet. The coastal depositional environment indicated by the presence of marine taxa in the Temblor Formation suggests that hard shelled invertebrates might have been a food source of L. fortidens. A combination of plesiomorphic and derived dental characteristics puts the new form at an evolutionary stage basal to otters and closer to the living Eira. Cladistic analysis of craniodental characters suggests that L. fortidens is more derived than generalized basal mustelines of the Old World, and may have diverged from the lutrine lineage in a separate immigration event to the New World.

Mesozoic vertebrate footprints of Thailand and Laos

Abstract Vertebrate footprints have been discovered in recent years from seven Mesozoic formations of Thailand and Laos dating from the Late Triassic (Kuchinari Group) and the Early Cretaceous (Khorat Group). The sites are reviewed here in chronological order. The ichnological record reflects fairly well the broad picture of the evolution of continental vertebrates in Asia known from the skeletal record. Norian basal archosaurs are replaced by Rhaetian dinosaurs although both footprint morphotypes look different from the contemporaneous European and North American forms. Two successive ornithopod radiations can be observed in the Early Cretaceous, with primitive small tetradactyl Hypsilophodon -like dinosaurs in the Earliest Cretaceous followed by advanced iguanodontoids with tridactyl fleshy footprints in the Aptian. Late Early Cretaceous dinosaur footprints from NE Thailand, however, do not validate previous hypotheses on the geographical distribution of Cretaceous ornithopod tracks in Asia. The ichnological record also reveals a hitherto unsuspected high diversity of theropods in the early Cretaceous with many different morphotypes.

Cascadia in Comparative Perspectives: Canada-U.S. Relations and the Emergence of Cross-Border Regions

This paper draws on findings from research on the Canadian-American border led by the Policy Research Initiative (PRI) since 2004 and on the recent PRI survey of Canadian-American leaders, as well as on the author’s fieldwork on multilevel governance issues arising from the emerging cross-border regions in Europe and North America. Relying on four analytical lenses—the economy, local and central politics and policies, and local cultures—this paper examines how emerging cross-border regions, and particularly the Cascadia region, are changing Canadian-American relations. Specific attention is given to the varied forms of co-operation across policy fields in order to detail (1) the general and specialized and (2) the formal and informal relations and (3) the emerging border regions. This paper underlines the importance of understanding cross-border relations at the sub-national level in order to understand Canada-U.S. relations. The overall argument is that the appearance of cross-border regions indicates a progressive emergence of policy parallelism in a multitude of policy arenas, particularly, a specifically North American form of integration.

Cryptic speciation in a Holarctic passerine revealed by genetic and bioacoustic analyses

There has been much controversy regarding the timing of speciation events in birds, and regarding the relative roles of natural and sexual selection in promoting speciation. Here, we investigate these issues using winter wrens (Troglodytes troglodytes), an unusual example of a passerine with a Holarctic distribution. Geographical variation has led to speculation that the western North American form Troglodytes troglodytes pacificus might be a distinct biological species compared to those in eastern North America (e.g. Troglodytes troglodytes hiemalis) and Eurasia. We located the first known area in which both forms can be found, often inhabiting neighbouring territories. Each male wren in this area sings either western or eastern song, and the differences in song are as distinct in the contact zone as they are in allopatry. The two singing types differ distinctly in mitochondrial DNA sequences and amplified fragment length polymorphism profiles. These results indicate that the two forms are reproductively isolated to a high degree where they co-occur and are therefore separate species. DNA variation suggests that the initial split between the two species occurred before the Pleistocene, quite long ago for sister species in the boreal forest. Surprisingly, the two forms are similar in morphometric traits and habitat characteristics of territories. These findings suggest that sexual selection played a larger role than habitat divergence in generating reproductive isolation, and raise the possibility that there are other such morphologically cryptic species pairs in North America.

Genetic differentiation and admixture amongFestuca idahoensis,F. roemeri, andF. ovinadetected in AFLP, ITS, and chloroplast DNA

North American forms of the Festuca ovina L. complex, Festuca idahoensis Elmer and Festuca roemeri (Pavlick) E.B. Alexeev, are distributed broadly east and narrowly west of the Cascade Mountains, respectively. The psbA-trnH and rps16-trnK chloroplast DNA intergenic sequences, 18S-5.8S-26S nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, and six AFLP primer combinations were used to investigate genetic relatedness and differences among 327 plant samples from 24 F. idahoensis and 33 F. roemeri natural-source germplasm accessions, two multiple-origin F. idahoensis × F. roemeri cultivars, one apparently admixed F. ovina × F. idahoensis accession, four naturalized populations or cultivars of Eurasian-source F. ovina s. l., and several Festuca arizonica Vasey, Festuca occidentalis Hooker, and Festuca rubra L. reference accessions. The AFLP profiles of individual plants were unique, but distance-based and Bayesian model-based clustering separated AFLP genotypes into groups corresponding to taxa. Approximately 15.9% of the AFLP variation was apportioned between F. idahoensis and F. roemeri, with the remaining 61.2% and 22.9% variation maintained within and among natural-source accessions, respectively. Genetic admixture between F. idahoensis, F. roemeri, and F. ovina was detectable and DNA sequence divergence was very low in the chloroplast and ITS regions. These three taxa are genetically differentiated, but capable of hybridization.

Seasonal Variation of North American Form ofGigantolaelaps mattogrossensis(Acari: Laelapidae) on Marsh Rice Rat in Southern Coastal Texas

Seasonal Variation of North American Form of<i>Gigantolaelaps mattogrossensis</i>(Acari: Laelapidae) on Marsh Rice Rat in Southern Coastal Texas

Seasonal Variation of North American Form of &lt;I&gt;Gigantolaelaps mattogrossensis&lt;/I&gt; (Acari: Laelapidae) on Marsh Rice Rat in Southern Coastal Texas

The ectoparasites of a small mammal community within an intertidal zone in the upper Gulf coast region of Texas were studied to assess the seasonal variation in abundances of the mite Gigantolaelaps mattogrossensis (Fonseca) (Acari: Laelapidae) on the marsh rice rat, Oryzomys palustris (Harlan). Further study into the ecology and dynamics of this parasite-host relationship was deemed to be necessary to expand the understanding of these potential participants in the ecology of Bayou Hantavirus, an important causative agent of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of five predictor variables on mite abundance: prevalences of hosts, relative humidity, precipitation, temperature, and length of daylight. Mite abundance was modeled as a function of the five variables with analyses of variance and multiple regressions; however, because the predictor variables pertain to the sampling period rather than to the individual rodent host, the effective sample size was small and thus the sums of squares and cross products matrix was singular. We therefore developed and used a new method for estimating regression coefficients based on the "noise-addition method" (random residual variation) combined with a bootstrap step converting the reduced rank data to full rank, providing realistic estimates of confidence intervals for the regression statistics. The population abundances of mites fluctuated significantly across collecting periods. Humidity and precipitation were the most influential variables in explaining the variation in abundances of mites. Model interpretation suggests that G. mattogrossensis is a nidicolous parasite. These results provide a baseline understanding of the seasonal interactions between parasite and host.

COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF YELLOWS-INFECTED `CHARDONNAY' GRAPEVINES IN NEW YORK STATE, VIRGINIA, AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Grapevine yellows is a destructive, worldwide disease of grapevines that is caused by a phytoplasma, a bacterium-like organism that infects and disrupts the vascular system of shoots. The North American form of grapevine yellows (NAGY) has been observed in New York State since the mid-1970s and in Virginia since the mid-1990s. Symptoms duplicate those of vines suffering from an Australian disease complex known as Australian grapevine yellows (AGY). We sought to determine if infected `Chardonnay' vines have common anatomical characteristics across the three regions. At each geographic site in late summer, 2003–04, leaf and internode samples were taken from younger green regions of shoots and from mature basal regions in the fruiting zone. These were processed for histology. The anatomy of each organ type was compared between locations on the shoot, between geographic locations, and between affected and normal shoots. The phloem was the only tissue universally affected in vines with NAGY or AGY symptoms. In stem internodes, both primary phloem and secondary phloem showed many senescent cells, abnormally proliferated giant cells, and hyperplasia. In affected secondary phloem there was disruption of the radial files of cells that normally differentiate from the cambium into mature phloem cell types. Normal bands of secondary phloem fibers (“hard phloem”) in internodes were weak or absent in affected vines. Leaves also had disrupted phloem organization but near-normal xylem organization in vines with symptoms. Leaves of infected vines frequently showed a disruption of sugar transport out of the leaf blades, manifested by a heavy buildup of starch in chloroplasts of mesophyll cells and bundle-sheath cells.

Morphological stasis in an old and widespread group of species: Contribution to the taxonomy and biogeography of the genus Girardia (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola)

Material is described that contributes to our understanding of the anatomy of 11 species of the genus GirardiaBall, 1974 and the taxonomy of one species of RomankenkiusBall, 1974. Apart from recently collected specimens, the study for the first time details old syntype material that was recovered for the species G. anceps and G. andina, resulting in the first modern description of the last-mentioned species. Relatively recently collected specimens from new sampling sites are described for G. chilla, G. dorotocephala, G. festae, G. paramensis, and G. tigrina. The new records for G. festae considerably enlarge the known geographic range of this species in South America, particularly east of the Andes. It is shown that contrary to the opinion of earlier workers there is some slight, but invariable, anatomical difference between North and South American specimens of G. tigrina, with the Neotropical animals having a much more muscled bursal canal. This slight anatomical difference suggests that the North and South American forms are actually sibling species. Four new Girardia species are described, three for the South American continent (G. avertiginis, G. capacivasa, G. jugosa) and one from Jamaica (G. bursalacertosa). The study confirms earlier conclusions that generally species of Girardia are anatomically very similar and that therefore species recognition can be difficult. It is striking that taxonomic diversity in the Neotropical Region is low, in that the majority of the freshwater planarians belongs to a single genus, viz. Girardia. It is concluded that Romankenkius michaelseni (Böhmig, 1902) is a junior synonym of R. patagonicus (Borelli, 1901).

Fossil Sirenia of the West Atlantic and Caribbean region. VII. Pleistocene Trichechus manatus linnaeus, 1758

ABSTRACT All known Pleistocene fossils of manatees from North America are conspecific with the living West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus. However, those of late Pleistocene (late Rancholabrean) age differ from all modern manatees, and are here assigned to a new subspecies, T. m. bakerorum. In contrast, early Pleistocene manatees from the late early Irvingtonian Leisey Shell Pit Local Fauna, Florida, do not clearly differ from modern West Indian manatees and are here referred to T. manatus, subspecies indeterminate. I hypothesize that warm intervals during the Quaternary allowed manatees from the Caribbean (represented today by the Antillean subspecies, T. m. manatus) to disperse northward into the United States. Ecological barriers (cool winters on the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, deep water and strong currents in the Straits of Florida) then impeded genetic contact with Caribbean populations and permitted evolution of endemic North American forms (T. m. bakerorum and the living Florida manatee, T. m. latirostris). Conditions much warmer than today might have eliminated the northern Gulf Coast barrier and allowed gene flow from the Caribbean to swamp such endemic gene pools. Return of glacial conditions reversed these northward range extensions and brought about periodic extinction of manatees in North America. This mechanism might explain the morphological uniqueness of the late Rancholabrean manatees, as well as the fact that early Pleistocene manatees from Florida are more similar to modern T. m. manatus than the late Pleistocene ones are. This model also helps explain phylogeographic patterns detected in mitochondrial DNA data from living manatees.

The Rhetoric of the Other: Lesbian and Gay Strategies of Resistance in French and Francophone Contexts (review)

In The Rhetoric of the Other: Lesbian and Gay Strategies of Resistance in French and Francophone Contexts, Martine Antle and Dominique Fisher assemble twelve essays selected from a conference they organized under the same title. By reinserting the implications of contemporary sexual politics into discussions of French and Francophone cultures, the editors make an important contribution to the growing [End Page 124] field of French lesbian and gay studies. They single out republican universalism as a unique obstacle to the recognition of sexual difference in the public sphere, distinct from North American forms of homophobia including its construction of the closet. In addition to building on a tradition of queering the French canon, Rhetoric of the Other carries out nothing less than a queering of the French Republic itself.

A Genetic Wallace's Line Across Wyoming- Genetic Structure of North American Rosy-Finches

North American rosy-finches (genus Leucosticte) are currently classified by the American Ornithologists' Union (1998) as three species - the Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, L. australis, with a breeding range largely restricted to the Colorado Rockies, but extending barely into southeast Wyoming and northern New Mexico, the Black Rosy-Finch, L. atrata, breeding from Utah north through western Wyoming (including GTNP) and west to Idaho and Nevada, and the Gray-crowned Rosy­Finch, L. tephrocotis, breeding from the Sierra Nevada through the Cascades and from northern Montana through the Rockies to Alaska. Based on previous results for a surprising genetic break for black bears (Ursus americanus) across Wyoming, I was interested in the degree of genetic differentiation among populations of rosy-finches, particularly between Brown-capped Rosy-Finches in Colorado and Black Rosy-Finches in Wyoming. Because the mating system is largely unknown, and because of reports in the literature of highly male-biased sex ratios (e.g., 6 males per female; French, 1959), I was also interested in using genetic markers to assess patterns of parentage in rosy-finches. Because of its striking plumage (often indicative of strong sexual selection) I was particularly interested in the Black Rosy-Finch. Using polymorphic microsatellites (nuclear DNA) we have now analyzed an initial sample of individuals from the three North American forms, including three sets of nestling Black Rosy­Finches and the behavioral father at one of the nests.

A Genetic Wallace's Line Across Wyoming - Genetic Structure of North American Rosy Finches

North American rosy-finches (genus Leucosticte ) are cunently classified by the American Ornithologists' Union (1998) as three species - the Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, L. australis, with a breeding range largely restricted to the Colorado Rockies, but extending barely into southeast Wyoming and northern New Mexico, the Black Rosy-Finch, L. atrata, breeding from Utah north through western Wyoming (including GTNP) and west to Idaho and Nevada, and the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, L. tephrocotis, breeding from the Sierra Nevada through the Cascades and from northern Montana through the Rockies to Alaska. Based on previous results for a surprising genetic break for black bears (Ursus americanus) across Wyoming, I was interested in the degree of genetic differentiation among populations of rosy-finches, particularly between Brown-capped Rosy-Finches in Colorado and Black Rosy-Finches in Wyoming. Because the mating system is largely unknown, and because of reports in the literature of highly male-biased sex ratios (e.g., 6 males per female; French, 1959), I was also interested in using genetic markers to assess patterns of parentage in rosy-finches. Because of its striking plumage (often indicative of strong sexual selection) I was particularly interested in the Black Rosy-Finch. Using polymorphic microsatellites (nuclear DNA) we have now analyzed an initial sample of individuals from the three North American forms, including three sets of nestling Black Rosy­ Finches and the behavioral father at one of the nests.

Interactions between Panax quinquefolium saponins and vitamin C are observed in vitro.

Inasmuch as the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) may play a key role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, it has become increasingly important to identify potential antioxidants. Panax quinquefolium saponins (PQS) are extracted from the stems and leaves of the North American form of ginseng, Panax quinquefolium. Our previous studies have indicated that PQS (0.25-1 mg/ml) can protect against oxidation of LDL in vitro. The purpose of the current work was to investigate the potential interaction of lower concentrations of PQS (1-100 microg/ml) with vitamin C on the reduction of LDL oxidation. LDL was isolated from the plasma of healthy human donors by sequential ultracentrifugation. Native LDL (0.05 or 0.2 mg/ml) was incubated with PQS and/or vitamin C for 30 min at 20 degrees C. Oxidative modification was initiated with 2 microM or 5 microM CuSO4 at 37 degrees C for (0-24 h. Pretreatment with PQS (100 microg/ml) reduced alterations in phospholipids, lipid peroxide levels and relative electrophoretic mobility of Ox-LDL. The presence of vitamin C (1-10 microM) significantly enhanced the protective effects of PQS. Pretreatment with PQS (1-100 microg/ml) resulted in concentration-dependent inhibition of LDL oxidation and prolongation of lag time as determined from measurements of conjugated lipid hydroperoxide content in Ox-LDL samples. Interestingly, the inhibitory actions of lower amounts of PQS (1 and 10 microg/ml) on the formation of conjugated dienes were significantly increased when vitamin C (0.1 or 1 microM) was present. In conclusion, our results suggest that PQS not only have direct antioxidant property but at low concentrations, their actions can be enhanced by vitamin C.

Skeletons and the Genera of Sparrows (Emberizinae)

Based on comparisons of skeletons from 228 species of sparrows (Emberizi- nae), we detected 24 characters that were useful for generic separations. Of these, 19 quan- titative characters were used in a detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) ordination. Presence or absence of a lacrimal bone, degree of inflation of the squamosal area, length of the lateral process of the laterosphenoid, ratio of ulna length to femur length, length of the skull, and premaxilla length-to-width ratio were the most informative characters. The first two axes of the DCA clearly grouped most genera. Based on our analysis of these skeletal characters, we recommend the following changes to the classification of Paynter (1970): Spo- rophila obscura belongs in Tiaris; Emberizoides ypiranganus is a valid species; Pselliophorus and Pezopetes should be lumped with Atlapetes; and Torreornis and Oriturus should be lumped with Aimophila. In addition, a different sequence of genera should be adopted. Two groups of genera are distinct: seedeaters and North American sparrows. A third group, South Amer- ican grassland finches, overlaps with the first two groups. Received 17 February 1998, accepted 15 March 1999. THE SUBFAMILY EMBERIZINAE constitutes a large (279 species in 65 genera) group of song- birds adapted for eating seeds during at least part of the year. Most spedes occur only in the Western Hemisphere, but two are Holarctic, and four genera are confined to the Eastern Hemisphere. The last comprehensive classifi- cation of the Emberizidae was by Sharpe (1888), although Ridgway (1901) characterized the North and Middle American forms and some of the South American genera. Hellmayr (1938) listed all of the Western Hemisphere forms, noting the characters of some genera. Vaurie (1959) and Cramp and Perrins (1994) re- viewed the Eurasian species, and Meyer de Schauensee (1970a) and Ridgely and Tudor (1989) listed the South American species and provided characterizations. Hall and Moreau (1970) reviewed the African species. Paynter (1970) listed all of the forms and their geo- graphic ranges in the most recent complete classification based on spedmens, but he did not include characterizations; we follow his classification in this paper except where noted otherwise. Sibley and Monroe (1990) listed the genera and species with their ranges; they did not include characterizations, and their classi- fication was based on DNA-DNA hybridization studies (Sibley and Ahlquist 1990) of 22 (34%) genera and 24 (9%) species. Sibley and Mon-

Taxonomy of Venezuelan white-tailed deer (Odocoileus, Cervidae, Mammalia), based on cranial and mandibular traits

North and South American white-tailed deer are deemed to be a single species, Odocoileus virginianus. We used principal components and cluster analyses to compare crania and mandibles of Venezuelan and North American forms. We found that (1) Venezuelan and North American Odocoileus differ greatly from each other; (2) differentiation of groups within Venezuela exceeds that within North America; (3) the most divergent Venezuelan Odocoileus are those from Margarita Island and the Mérida Andean highlands; (4) the Margaritan Odocoileus does not differ in mandibular shape from its lowland congeners, but differs appreciably from other Venezuelan Odocoileus in having smaller mandibles and in cranial-mandibular characters; (5) the Mérida Andean Odocoileus contrasts markedly with other Venezuelan congeners in mandibular shape and cranial characters; (6) the remaining Venezuelan Odocoileus constitute a single group; (7) within this group, individuals from the Caribbean coast have larger mandibles and differ in some cranial characters. Thus, we propose that (a) Venezuelan and other Neotropical Odocoileus are not conspecific with O. virginianus; (b) Margaritan and Andean forms are distinct species: Odocoileus margaritae and Odocoileus lasiotis, respectively; (c) the remaining Venezuelan forms must be included within one species, Odocoileus cariacou; (d) Caribbean coast Odocoileus may represent an undescribed subspecies of O. cariacou.

Combined phylogenetic analysis of ribosomal ITS1 sequences and new chromosome data supports three subgroups of Dolly Varden char (Salvelinus malma)

A phylogenetic analysis of the subspecies of Salvelinus malma (Dolly Varden char) was done using DNA sequences from the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Sequences were obtained from the northern S. malma malma from the Noatak River, Alaska, and the Kamchatka River, Russia; from the southern North American form S. malma lordi from the Fox River, Kenai peninsula, and Auke Bay near Juneau, Alaska; and from the southern Asian form S. malma krascheninnikovi from Belaya River in Sakhalin Island, Russia. These sequences were combined with others from Salvelinus alpinus (Arctic char) from several locations in the North Pacific and Europe and analyzed using maximum parsimony and neighbor joining algorithms with Salvelinus namaycush (lake trout) as an outgroup. The resulting trees had two well-supported groups: S. m. malma and S. m. krascheninnikovi in one group and S. m. lordi and various populations of S. alpinus in the other. Salvelinus m. malma and S. m. krascheninnikovi were sister taxa, and S. m. lordi was most closely related to S. alpinus from Northwest Territories (S. a. erythrinus). New chromosome data from S. m. malma from northwestern Alaska supported the three named subspecies because S. m. malma from both Alaska and Russia have 2n = 78 compared with 2n = 82 for the two southern forms and the location of the nuclear organizer regions (NORs) was different in each of the three subspecies.

Panax quinquefolium saponins protects low density lipoproteins from oxidation

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) is believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Panax quinquefolium saponins (PQS) are extracted from the stems and leaves of the North American form of ginseng, Panax quinquefolium. Earlier studies have suggested that this extract improves the lipid profile of hyperlipidemic rats and has antioxidant properties in cultured rat cardiac myocytes. The aims of the present study were to investigate the potential of PQS in reducing LDL oxidation as well as limiting the ability of Ox-LDL to impair endothelium-dependent relaxation in rat aortic rings. LDL was isolated from the plasma of healthy human donors by sequential ultracentrifugation. Native LDL (0.2 or 0.3 mg ml ) was incubated with PQS (0.25–1 mg ml ) for 30 min at 20 °C. For comparison, vitamin C (50 μM) was added in place of PQS. Oxidative modification was initiated with 5 μM CuSO 4 at 37 °C for 0–24 h. In our hands, PQS concentration-dependently reduced lipid peroxide levels as measured by the amount of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances formed. This range of PQS also retarded the alterations in relative electrophoretic mobility of Ox-LDL in a similar manner. Furthermore, measurement of phospholipid fractions content indicated that PQS could reduce the conversion of phosphatidylcholine to lysophosphatidylcholine in Ox-LDL. Functional studies demonstrated that PQS-pretreated Ox-LDL was less potent than untreated Ox-LDL at impairing endothelium-dependent relaxation in rat aortic rings. In conclusion, our results suggest that PQS has antioxidant properties and that reduction of LDL oxidation by PQS may provide a protective effect against the detrimental actions of Ox-LDL.

A new ptyctodont (Placodermi) from the Upper Devonian Martin Formation of Northern Arizona, and an analysis of ptyctodont phylogeny

Ptyctodonts from the Upper Devonian Martin Formation on Mt. Elden, northern Arizona, were hitherto known only from tooth plates ascribed toPtyctodus bradyi.Recent collections include dental elements ofP. bradyias well as body and skull plates and dental elements of a previously unknown ptyctodont, described here asDenisonodus plutonensisnew genus and species. Comparison with other ptyctodonts suggests that the new genus has close affinities to other North American forms. As the holotype ofPtyctodus bradyihas been lost a neotype is designated here.

Identification and characterization of a RAPD-PCR marker for distinguishing Asian and North American gypsy moths.

The recent introduction of the Asian gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) into North America has necessitated the development of genetic markers to distinguish Asian moths from the established North American population, which originated in Europe. We used RAPD-PCR to identify a DNA length polymorphism that is diagnostic for the two moth strains. The polymorphism maps to an autosomal locus with codominant Mendelian inheritance. DNA sequence analyses of the Asian and North American forms enabled development of locus-specific primers so that this marker, designated FS-1, will be useful for strain identification under varying conditions in different laboratories.