No description available.

The objectives of this study were 1) to further clarify the status of the genera Polydrusus and Scythropus and 2) to redescribe and elucidate the morphology and distribution of the species of Scythropus in order to better facilitate their identification. Some 1650 specimens were used in the study and about 300 of these were critically examined for morphological variations of the head, beak, antennae, thorax, elytra, abdomen, integument, legs, genitalia, and eighth tergite and ninth segment of the male. Over one hundred genitalia were dissected and critically examined for good characters. The male genitalia were the most reliable single characters used in separating the species, however, other characters such as variations in antennae, color, vestiture, elytral patterns, integument color, and features of the head and legs were used to describe and further isolate them. A key has been constructed to facilitate more accurate identification of the species of Scythropus, and the distribution is given as well as the host plants when known. Seventy illustrations were made of the male genitalia, abdomen, pronotum, antenna, elytral vestiture, and the eighth tergite and the ninth segment of the males.

Ferrissia rivularis was selected for research because of its local accessibility and because essentially nothing was known of its reproduction and development. Reproductive and developmental biology is first described herein from the natural environment. This is then compared with the effects created by experimental exposure to a selected herbicide, maleic hydrazide, which might be a potential threat to certain invertebrates in the natural environment.

The 16 species and subspecies of the Ambystomidae of the United States are placed into six groups according to their throat morphology as follows: The Dicamptodon group, the Rhyacotriton group, the A. annulatum-A. cingulatum group, the A. gracile-A. jeffersonianum-A. mabeei-A. macrodactylum-A. maculatum group, the A. talpoideum group, the A. opacum-A. texanum group, and the A. rosaceum-A. t. tigrinum-A. t. melanostictum-A. t. nebulosum group. Dicamptodon appears to be the most primitive group and Rhyacotriton the most specialized. Based on the morphology of the throat region it is suggested that A. rosaceum be placed in the tiger salamander group as a subspecies of A. tigrinum. The results of this investigation support the hypothesis that Ambystomidae is primitive to Salamandridae and to Plethodontidae. The findings which have led to this conclusion are based upon the protrusibility of the tongue, and upon the structure and presence of the epibranchial, otoglossal, second radial, and second basibranchial cartilages of the three families.

During the period from October 1950 to March 1951 a study of the taxonomy of the Catostomidae of Utah Lake was undertaken. Throughout this study information was collected on the numbers of suckers taken by some of the fisherman. From the data gathered it appears that the three species of Catostomidae cringinally named from Utah Lake are still there. The external morphological features of these fish are not recognizable unless they are observed very carefully. The most outstanding external characteristics used to differentiate the species are the mouth, lips, papillae on the lips and the general shape of the head. The three species that occur in the lake are Chasmistes liorus, Catostomus fecundus and catostomus ardens. The population counts on these fish showed that the suckers have increased in numbers since the drought of 1934-5 but by no means have reached the point that they held previous to that time. Utah Lake was known during pioneer days as a great sucker pond. The carp, Cyprinus carpio, is the dominant fish in Utah Lake today. This thesis was written in an effort to stabalize the classification of the Catostomidae in Utah Lake, and also to provide data as to the population of the suckers at the present time.

Serotonin is a normal constituent of the brain and has been claimed to act as a neurohormonal or regulatory agent in nerve transmission. Previous workers have only studied its whole brain or subcellular particulate distribution. Because the brain itself is divided into many distinct ganglia and nuclei, the distribution of serotonin in these sites is considered to be of greater importance than either the whole brain or subcellular distribution. This paper is a study of the distribution of serotonin in particular brain sites in rats with normal and elevated levels of the amine, with and without electroshock treatment. The results indicate: (1) a heterogenous distribution of serotonin and 5-hydroxytryptophan in the rat brain; (2) serotonin and 5-hydroxytryptophan are transported down the neuron axon; (3) serotonin and 5-hydroxytryptophan are not utilized by all neurons; (4) iproniazid and/or electroshock can alter the uptake, distribution and transportation of serotonin and 5-hydroxytryptophan in the different areas and fibers of the central nervous system.

Analysis of hemogobins were conducted on animals of the species Ambystoma tigrinum. Separation of hemoglobin types was performed with a Carboxy-methyl-cellulose column (6 X 50 mm.) and pH gradient (pH 6 thru 8) of .01 M phosphate buffer. The hemoglobins in the effluent were detected and analysed with a micro-flow cell in a Beck-man DB-G spectrophotometer attached to a Photovolt Varicord 43 recorder. Two major components of hemoglobin were observed: larval and adult. These two components varied in concentration with the stage of development of the individual. In addition, it was noted that minor peaks ansd shoulders appeared on each peak wich were consistant and characteristic for each major hemoglobin type.

Scorpions from Utah were collected and studied to determine species present, geographic distribution, seasonal occurrence, sex ratio, and some morphological variations associated with distribution. Nine species were identified--Anuroctonus phaeodactylus, Centruroides sculpturatus, Hadrurus arizonensis, H. spadix, Vejovis becki, V. boreus, V. confusus, V. wupatkiensis, and an undescribed species of Vejovis, subgenus Paruroctonus. Five species--C. sculpturatus, H. arizonensis, V. becki, V. confusus, and V. wupatkiensis--are reported from Utah for the first time. Most specimens were collected from May through October, with greatest numbers taken in May, June, and July. Sex ratios differed with the species. Two species--A. phaeodactylus and V. boreus--showed statistically significant morphological variations in the lengths of the preabdomens.

Pteraster tesselatus is noted for its external secretion of massive amounts of mucus. The mucus repels most animals, and fouls their respiratory physiology, if contact is maintained for any length of time. It provides protection essentially 100% of the time from Solaster dawsoni and Pycnopodia helianthoides, the only local stars that attempt to feed on Pteraster. The mucus, which is a simple mucopolysaccride, is produced in three different types of unicellular glands located in the epidermal tissues along the supradorsal membrane. Pores along the lateral walls of the ambulacral grooves provide fresh sea water for the dermal branchiae contained in the nidamental cavity located between the supradorsal membrane and the body wall. P. tesselatus has a very strong chemoreceptive ability to locate prey. It prefers sponges, but feeds on a great variety of sessile organisms, as well as detritus. It also feeds on Chlamys hastata and C. rubida, which have their valves epizoically overgrown with either Myxilla incrustans or Mycalft adhaerens.

From January to July, 1967, a study of dispersion and distribution characteristics of Typhlodromus mcgregori Chant, Bryobia praetiosa Koch, and Bryobia rubrioculus (Scheuten) was made in an abandoned apple orchard in Highland, American Fork, Utah and in the laboratory at Provo, Utah. Bryobia praetiosa overwintered on the spurs and the other protected sites and with the advent of spring migrated out of the tree and back onto the cover crop. Coinciding with the movement of B. praetiosa out of the tree was the hatching of winter eggs and maturation of B. rubrioculus primarily on the spurs but as far down the trunk as ground level. By the middle of June, B. rubrioculus completely replaced B. praetiosa on the spurs and leaves. The effectiveness of T. mcgregori as a control agent upon B. praetiosa and B. rubrioculus is limited because of the differences in their distribution during their active stages.