Inaugural-Dissertation, Universität zu Kiel, 1913. / Bibliography: p. [111]-114.

2 v. : ill. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geology and Minerology, 1973

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geology and Minerology, 1973.

Thesis (M.S. in zoology)--Washington State University, December 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on June 30, 2009). "School of Biological Sciences." Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-60).

Tesis (Biólogo marino)--Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, 1980. / Bibliography: leaves 86-95.

Tésis (Biólogo)--Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, 1979. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-43).

Estuarine ecology in South Africa has progressed in two distinct stages. The first of these was a necessary descriptive phase which documented the general distribution of estuarine animals and recorded the physical conditions within estuaries . This phase has been carried out by the Zoology Department of the University of Cape Town which has made a series of ecological surveys of southern African estuaries. These surveys have provided a vast amount of valuable information which was utilised by Day (1964.) to state some general conclusions about estuarine faunas. The most important of these conclusions is that most of the estuarine fauna is really a quiet water fauna which also occurs in sheltered non-estuarine water. The information gained in this first stage is necessarily general and it can only indicate overall trends or reveal major features of distribution. Further estuary surveys are not justified unless they deal with unique conditions. It is at this point that the second phase of estuarine ecology becomes necessary. This phase involves a detailed investigation of individual species or particular problems. The present investigation falls into this second stage of estuarine ecology and was designed to extend our knowledge of the anomuran mud prawn Upogebia africana (Ortmann). The general estuarine surveys have shown that U. africana is a common inhabitant of many estuaries and sheltered bays along the southern African coast from Langebaan on the West coast to Inhambane on the East coast. However these surveys only revealed and could not explain anomalies in its distribution such as its apparent absence from closed estuaries and from estuaries in the tropics. In addition it was not even certain whether this abundant and widespread animal should really be considered a valid species distinct from a common West Coast prawn Upogebia capensis (Krauss). It was felt that a study of an estuarine species should be based upon a sound knowledge of its distribution, population structure and habitat. Knowledge of the habitat must be gained by studies in the field to establish which facets of the environment are of importance to the species. It was decided on the basis of field observations that temperature and salinity are of prime importance: in limiting the distribution of U. africana and a detailed laboratory study was therefore made of the tolerance of U. africana to these two physical factors. The results of laboratory experiments together with field observations were finally used to interpret the ecology of the species. Most of present day knowledge of crustacean ecology has been gained from a study of European and North American animals and information about southern hemisphere species has lagged behind. It is hoped that the present study will contribute to a wider understanding of Crustacea and that it will lead to further more advanced research on South African marine and estuarine animals

The only recorded experimental attempt to determine the functional, biological significance of peripheral inhibition in the Crustacea is that of Hoffmann (1914). From a series of experiments on Astacus fluviatilis L. involving transsection of the opener inhibitor and motor axons of the cheliped, he concluded that the opener inhibitor axon of the claw responded to prolonged or repeated sensory stimulation by transmitting inhibitory impulses to the opener muscle, the peripheral inhibition thus evoked causing adaptation of the reflex opening responses of the claw to the sensory stimulation. This suggests that there may be (1) a very high degree of peripheral control of (a) the reactions of the animal to external stimuli, and perhaps also to proprioceptive stimuli, and therefore (b) of the behaviour of the animal; and (2) a correspondingly high degree of independence of this behaviour from central nervous control. It is therefore of importance to discover whether, in fact, this conclusion is valid for Astacus and other Decapod Crustacea, and if so, then to what extent the adaptation is peripherally controlled. A preliminary attempt haa been made to repeat these experiments of Hoffmann, using Potamon perlatus (M.Edw.). Experiments in which mechanical sensory stimulation was used to evoke reflex claw opening indicated that this conclusion is not applicable to P.perlatus. The adaptation of the mechanical claw openining responses which occurred with repeated sensory stimulation was not affected by transsection of either the specific opener inhibitor axon or the common inhibitor axon of the claw. It was evidently mainly due to sensory adaptation when the sensory stimuli were heavy, and to centrally controlled adaptation when the sensory stimuli were light. The significance of these results is discussed. Other effects observed during the course of the work, of electrical "sensory" stimulation, and of cerebral ganglion elimination, are also described and discussed in relation to the present problem.

The serological relationships of Pacific coast decapod Crustacea were investigated by use of blood sera and protein extracts. Blood sera were obtained from eight species representing six families; the protein extracts were produced from fifteen species as representatives of ten families. Protein extracts gave negative results. Testing with blood sera demonstrated no relationship between anomuran and brachyuran crustaceans. Within the Anomura a close relationship was found between the Lithodidae and Paguridae. In the Brachyura the relationships among the families Cancridae, Atelecyclidae, Grapsidae and Maiidae were found to be generally in accord with those established by morphological studies. Testing of three species of Cancer demonstrated that they are closely related, yet distinct species. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-69). Description: viii, 68 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.