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The aggressive behaviour of Anochetus ghilianii (Spinola, 1851) was estimated in the laboratory by observing the outcome of individual confrontations between workers belonging to 17 colonies according to the geographical distance between these colonies. This study aimed to better understand the social organization of this species and its mode of reproduction and colony foundation. Three categories of behaviours were exhibited by the opponent ants: aggressive, low-aggressive and non-aggressive. The latter category was the most prevalent with an average percentage of 82.56%, and prevailed in eight colonies. Conversely, aggressive behaviours represented only 9.61% of the records on average and appeared only when distance between colonies exceeded 1500 m. In addition, the percentage of aggressive behaviours considerably increased in relation to the geographical distance between the colonies. There was a significant positive correlation for aggressive behaviours, and negative for non-aggressive behaviours. This low level of aggressive behaviour suggests a short genetic distance between colonies which could have arisen through colony fission reproduction (dependent colony foundation).

Le comportement agressif d'Anochetus ghilianii (Spinola, 1851) a été évalué au laboratoire par la méthode de confrontations individuelles entre des ouvrières appartenant à 17 colonies prélevées dans 11 sites du Rif occidental marocain, en fonction de la distance géographique qui les sépare. Cette étude visait à mieux comprendre l'organisation sociale de cette espèce, ainsi que son mode de reproduction et de fondation de nouvelles colonies. Trois types de comportements ont été manifestés par les fourmis adversaires: agressif, faiblement agressif et non-agressif. Le dernier type de comportement a été le plus noté avec un pourcentage moyen de 82,56%, et prédominait dans huit colonies. En revanche, le comportement agressif ne représentait que 9,61% en moyenne et n'apparaissait que quand la distance approximative entre les colonies dépassait 1500 m. En outre, le pourcentage de comportements agressifs augmentait considérablement avec la distance géographique entre les colonies. La corrélation était significativement positive pour les comportements agressifs et négative pour les comportements non-agressifs. Ce résultat suggère une faible distance génétique entre les colonies suite à une éventuelle reproduction coloniale par fission (fondation dépendante de colonie).

This thought-provoking new collection - the fourth volume in the Forensic Psychotherapy Monograph Series - investigates the inherent difficulties in risk assessment. We have all read the lurid headlines when things go wrong but what is it like for the professional who has to make such vital decisions? Ronald Doctor has assembled an impressive group of clinicians who specialise in various aspects of forensic psychiatry and psychotherapy to present their experiences and theories on this formidable subject. The book begins with a general overview of current psychodynamic approaches and covers various mental health settings, including medium- and high-security units, general medical hospitals and psychiatric wards. This collection will prove to be an indispensable guide to any healthcare professional and a fascinating insight for all into this highly-pressured environment.

Although emperors (Lethrinidae) are commercially important fisheries resources in tropical and subtropical waters, their home range size and its spatial arrangement have not been sufficiently clarified. In the present study, the size and spatial arrangement of the daytime home range of the thumbprint emperor Lethrinus harak were investigated by using a portable GPS receiver. In a 150 m x 200 m quadrat, 21 individuals of the species were identified by their color pattern, and individuals were divided into four arbitrary size classes (class 1 20 cm TL = class 2 25 cm TL = class 3 30 cm TL = class 4). Fish tracking by snorkeling was conducted with the portable GPS receiver. Daytime site fidelity of this species was high and there was a significant positive correlation between the home range size and fish total length. Home ranges of same-sized individuals abutted each other (20.3% area overlap), whereas those of different-sized individuals overlapped (48.3% area overlap). Agonistic behavior (attacking) occurred significantly more frequently between same-sized individuals than between different-sized individuals. These results suggest that daytime home ranges of Lethrinus harak can be regarded as territories against same-sized individuals, but not different-sized individuals.

The objectives of this study were to assess the adaptive significance of various reproductive strategies in American bison bulls and cows. The study was conducted with a herd of 260 to 360 animals at the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge near Valentine, Nebraska, USA. Dominance (or fighting ability) was not correlated with age for 7- to 13-yr-old bulls or with body mass for animals > 750 kg. Reproductive success among 6 + yr-old bulls ranged from 0 to 16 young sired per bull in 3 yr and was positively correlated with dominance rank. Dominant bulls bred during the first 2-3 weeks of rut and lower ranking bulls conserved energy and achieved a significant number of matings during the late rut. Challenging bulls engaged tending bulls in bellowing contests, probably to assess their stamina and elicit the attention of cows. Tending bulls bellowed defensively and bellowed at the same time and attempted to \"outbellow\" challengers. Cows apparently assessed variance in male \"quality\" and approached high-ranking bulls and ran away from low-ranking bulls. Bulls did not discriminate between cows based on their age or prior breeding performance, but tended and mated with any cows that were in estrus. Cows exhibited flehmen behavior toward each other, probably to stimulate the onset of estrus and synchronize time of copulation. All cows were equally likely to have a son or a daughter and did not exhibit a facultative adjustment in sex ratio based on prior breeding performance. The results are discussed relative to other studies on bison and other ungulates.

I question the widely accepted view that female small mammals are territorial to defend food, and suggest that theoretical and empirical evidence are more compatible with a pup-defense hypothesis to protect young from infanticide. The fact that females are territorial during the time of greatest food abundance and not during food limitation (such as winter) contradicts a food-defense hypothesis. Energy conservation through huddling does not appear sufficient to explain shared use of space during nonbreeding seasons. Aggression and territorial defense are most intense during lactation and are directed toward other females, those most likely to commit infanticide, and not toward males and other food competitors. Plasticity in territoriality and shared use of space are more closely associated with lactation, density dependent factors, and overlap of kin groups than to species-specific food habits. Thus, distribution, abundance, and type of food resource do not in themselves explain female territoriality. As female spacing patterns play an important role in behavioral and population ecology, an understanding of the proximate causation and ultimate benefits of territoriality is essential to comprehending small mammal population dynamics. I recommend that future studies on female spacing patterns take into consideration population density and kin groups, and use an experimental design that tests the predictions of alternative hypotheses.

Fusarium verticillioides (teleomorph: Gibberella moniliformis = G. fujikuroi mating population A) is one of the most important fungal pathogens of corn worldwide. The pathogen produces fumonisins, mycotoxins that are potentially harmful to humans and animals. Thirty-five Fusarium isolates from Laguna and Isabela, Philippines were identified morphologically and molecularly as F. verticillioides and characterized by PCR for mating type (MAT). Twenty-six isolates were MAT1-2, while nine isolates were MAT1-1. The isolates from Isabela were tested for aggressiveness, rated according to a disease index (%) on 'Super Sweet' corn IPB variety 1 under field conditions across two trials using the toothpick inoculation method. Other aggressiveness traits such as inhibition of seedling emergence, decrease of seedling height, fresh and dry mass were also determined in two greenhouse trials. All isolates were pathogenic to corn seedlings and mature plants compared to the noninoculated control. Significant genotypic variation was observed (P = 0.01) in trial, isolate, and isolate x trial interaction for all traits across two greenhouse trials and that aggressiveness was highly influenced by the trial conditions. Similarly, significant genotypic variation was observed in trial, replication within trial and isolate x trial interaction. Heritability was high for the five traits in the greenhouse (h**2 = 0.80-0.90) but moderate for disease index in the field (h**2 = 0.49). In an analysis of fumonisin production in corn culture by high performance liquid chromatography, 30 of 35 strains produced a detectable level of fumonisins, varying from 0.44 to 742 micro g FBsub(1)/g corn, 0.51-222 micro g FBsub(2)/g and 0.12-37 micro g FBsub(3)/g. Isabela isolates produced more fumonisins than the Laguna isolates did. In vitro fumonisin production had little correlation with the field disease index (r = 0.32) or with greenhouse seedling germination (0.25).

AbstractThe aim of this study was to test whether domestic goats (Capra hircus) reconciled after experimentally induced conflicts. After conflicts, goats showed a higher frequency of affiliative contacts (muzzle-muzzle and muzzle-body contacts, allogrooming) and of lying in proximity than in control observations. Besides, renewed aggression was more frequent after conflicts, and both the victim and the aggressor showed a higher frequency of displacement activities (scratching and selfgrooming), possibly indicating an anxious emotional state. Post-conflict friendly reunions reduced the frequency of displacement activities in the victim, but not in the aggressor. These results provide evidence of post-conflict reconciliation in domestic goats and suggest that one of the functions of reconciliation is to reduce the victim's arousal or anxiety.

Many aggressive animals form territory mosaics marked by distinct boundaries. This paper describes an approach to modeling territory size and shape within mosaics based on boundary disputes among neighboring animals. The model assumes that each resident applies pressure against its neighbors, as a result of aggression and display, and that boundaries form curves along which the pressure exerted by adjacent residents is equal. To illustrate, I predicted territory boundaries for populations of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta using several alternative mathematical descriptions of territorial fighting. According to the most successful formula, the aggressive pressure applied at any point on the territory perimeter increases linearly with the biomass of the defending colony but decreases with territory area and with the square of the distance to the colony's nest. An iterative algorithm predicts the size and location of boundary segments given the positions and sizes of colonies. By all measured criteria, this model produced more accurate predictions of territory areas and shapes than alternative models that omit the effects of resident size or the dependence of aggressive pressure on territory area. Modifications can incorporate nest relocations, strategic variation in the degree of aggressive pressure applied, habitat heterogeneity, and other biological details. However, even with simple assumptions, the model predicts much of the variation in the sizes and shapes of fire ant territories in natural conditions. This implies that territories are molded by a balance of aggression between neighbors and that each territory is affected by the actions of numerous residents.

:  The domestication of ayu Plecoglossus altivelis, in which breeding has been carried out for multiple generations without the introduction of exotic broodstock (purebred‐styled cultivation), causes rapid loss of genetic variability, and is problematic for resource management programs. The introduction of wild paternity to enhance genetic variability was examined for its effects on the performance of the newly hybridized stock using the Gunma population (hatchery strain), which has been inbred for 29 generations since its origin. Principal component analysis showed that hybridization could modify the stock performance, moderately affecting behavior and morphometrics. Reinforcement of aggressiveness as well as transformation to a long‐nosed shape in the hybrid population contributed revised performance that was acceptable to sports fishers as an artificial stock. To reduce genetic stress for native ayu populations, the introduction of wild paternity is proposed through sperm from wild caught specimens to hybridize with eggs from the pure‐bred hatchery population.