Zoología y Biología Celular Animal

The effect of incubation temperature (8Á6, 11Á1, 13Á2, 15Á1 and 16Á8°C) on north-east Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus development, growth and age at starvation during the yolk-sac larval period was investigated. Standard length at hatch was found to be inversely proportional to incubation temperatures within the natural thermal ranges of this species; it ranged from 3Á76 mm at 11Á1°C to 3Á30 mm at 17Á8°C. Following hatch, however, larval growth rate was positively related to temperature. Individual logistic models, as a function of temperature and age, were fitted to the development processes of gape, eye pigmentation, jaw mobility and yolk exhaustion. Thereafter, development was classified into different ordered stages and an extended continuation model was fitted to the multinomial ordered stage classification. In all cases, there was a difference of >23 h between the first and the last individual developing in certain stage. The probability of survival decreased with age and was inversely related to temperature. Yolk utilization varied from 4Á5 to 8Á6 days and individuals died between 7Á9 and 12Á2 days from 17Á8 to 11Á1°C. The study demonstrated the significant impact that temperature has on development, growth and survival rates, during the early life history. # 2007 The Authors Journal compilation # 2007 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

The state of Santa Catarina (Brazil) is known to have represented a cultural crossroads in South America due to several historic migrations mainly from Europe and Africa. We set out to scrutinize whether the genetic imprint of these migrations could be traced through analysis of the matrilineal gene pool of the Catarinenses. The entire control region of the mitochondrial DNA was studied in 80 healthy and maternally unrelated individuals. The analysis of haplogroup distribution revealed that this population is extremely heterogeneous, showing the coexistence of matrilineal lineages with three different phylogeographic origins. European lineages are the most frequent due mainly to the impact of relatively recent migratory waves from Europe. In spite of this, Native American lineages and African lineages incorporated with the slave trade are also present in noticeable proportions. The strikingly high variability generated by intense gene flow is mirrored in a high sequence diversity (0.9930) and power of discrimination (0.9806). Thus, analysis of the entire mitochondrial DNA control region emerges as a valuable tool for forensic genetic purposes in this highly admixed population, an attribute common to several present-day Latin American populations.

The study of the hypervariable segments HVS-I and HVS-II of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 80 healthy and maternally unrelated individuals revealed that the population from Santa Catarina is extremely heterogeneous, mainly due to the impact of relatively recent migratory waves from Europe. In spite of this, Native American lineages as well as African lineages incorporated much earlier are also present at noticeable proportions. This strikingly high variability generated by the intense gene flow is mirrored in a high power of discrimination (97.69%), which makes the analysis of mitochondrial HVS-I and HVS-II segments very useful for forensic genetic purposes in this Brazilian population.

Mitochondrial control region (16024-576) sequences were generated from 180 individuals of four population nuclei from the province of Jujuy (NW Argentina), located at different altitudes above sea level. The frequency at which a randomly selected mtDNA profile would be expected to occur in the general population (random match probability) was estimated at 0.011, indicating a relatively high diversity. Analysis of the haplogroup distribution revealed that Native American lineages A2 (13.9%), B (56.7%), C1 (17.8%), D1 (8.9%) and D4h3a (1.1%) accounted for more than 98% of the total mtDNA haplogroup diversity in the sample examined. We detected a certain degree of genetic heterogeneity between two subpopulations located at different points along the altitudinal gradient (Valles and Puna), suggesting that altitude above sea level cannot be ruled out as a factor promoting divergences in mtDNA haplogroup frequencies, since altitude is closely associated with human living conditions, and consequently, with low demographic sizes and the occurrence of genetic drift processes in human communities. In all, mitochondrial DNA database obtained for Jujuy province strongly points to the need for creating local mtDNA databases, to avoid bias in forensic estimations caused by genetic substructuring of the populations.

The European genetic landscape has been shaped by several human migrations occurred since Paleolithic times. The accumulation of archaeological records and the concordance of different lines of genetic evidence during the last two decades have triggered an interesting debate concerning the role of ancient settlers from the Franco-Cantabrian region in the postglacial resettlement of Europe. Among the Franco-Cantabrian populations, Basques are regarded as one of the oldest and more intriguing human groups of Europe. Recent data on complete mitochondrial DNA genomes focused on macrohaplogroup R0 revealed that Basques harbor some autochthonous lineages, suggesting a genetic continuity since pre-Neolithic times. However, excluding haplogroup H, the most representative lineage of macrohaplogroup R0, the majority of maternal lineages of this area remains virtually unexplored, so that further refinement of the mtDNA phylogeny based on analyses at the highest level of resolution is crucial for a better understanding of the European prehistory. We thus explored the maternal ancestry of 548 autochthonous individuals from various Franco-Cantabrian populations and sequenced 76 mitogenomes of the most representative lineages. Interestingly, we identified three mtDNA haplogroups, U5b1f, J1c5c1 and V22, that proved to be representative of Franco-Cantabria, notably of the Basque population. The seclusion and diversity of these female genetic lineages support a local origin in the Franco-Cantabrian area during the Mesolithic of southwestern Europe, ∼10,000 years before present (YBP), with signals of expansions at ∼3,500 YBP. These findings provide robust evidence of a partial genetic continuity between contemporary autochthonous populations from the Franco-Cantabrian region, specifically the Basques, and Paleolithic/Mesolithic hunter-gatherer groups. Furthermore, our results raise the current proportion (≈15%) of the Franco-Cantabrian maternal gene pool with a putative pre-Neolithic origin to ≈35%, further supporting the notion of a predominant Paleolithic genetic substrate in extant European populations.

The results of the investigation carried out into a mass grave in the town of Aibar, Navarre, the burial site of four people murdered in 1936, are presented. Based on existing documents and anthropological and genetic analysis, the report establishes the identity of the victims and the cause of death related to injuries inflicted by gunshot. LABURPENA Oibarko (Nafarroa) hobi komunean egindako ikerketaren emaitzak aurkeztu dira. 1936an hildako lau pertsona atera zituzten hobitik, eta, orain, dauden dokumentazio-iturriak eta azterlan antropologikoa eta genetikoa aintzat hartuta, gorpuak norenak diren identifikatu da eta suzko armekin tiro eginda hil zituztela argitu da. PALABRAS CLAVES: Exhumación, Antropología forense, ADN, Fosa común.

The Basque population inhabits the Franco-Cantabrian region in southwest Europe where Palaeolithic human groups took refuge during the Last Glacial Maximum. Basques have been an isolated population, largely considered as one of the most ancient European populations and it is possible that they maintained some pre-Neolithic genetic characteristics. This work shows the results of mitochondrial DNA analysis of seven ancient human remains from the Cave of Santimamiñe in the Basque Country dated from Mesolithic to the Late Roman period. In addition, we compared these data with those obtained from a modern sample of Basque population, 158 individuals that nowadays inhabits next to the cave. The results support the hypothesis that Iberians might have been less affected by the Neolithic mitochondrial lineages carried from the Near East than populations of Central Europe and revealed the unexpected presence of prehistoric maternal lineages such as U5a2a and U3a in the Basque region. Comparis...

The European genetic landscape has been shaped by several human migrations occurred since Paleolithic times. The accumulation of archaeological records and the concordance of different lines of genetic evidence during the last two decades have triggered an interesting debate concerning the role of ancient settlers from the Franco-Cantabrian region in the postglacial resettlement of Europe. Among the Franco-Cantabrian populations, Basques are regarded as one of the oldest and more intriguing human groups of Europe. Recent data on complete mitochondrial DNA genomes focused on macrohaplogroup R0 revealed that Basques harbor some autochthonous lineages, suggesting a genetic continuity since pre-Neolithic times. However, excluding haplogroup H, the most representative lineage of macrohaplogroup R0, the majority of maternal lineages of this area remains virtually unexplored, so that further refinement of the mtDNA phylogeny based on analyses at the highest level of resolution is crucial for a better understanding of the European prehistory. We thus explored the maternal ancestry of 548 autochthonous individuals from various Franco-Cantabrian populations and sequenced 76 mitogenomes of the most representative lineages. Interestingly, we identified three mtDNA haplogroups, U5b1f, J1c5c1 and V22, that proved to be representative of Franco-Cantabria, notably of the Basque population. The seclusion and diversity of these female genetic lineages support a local origin in the Franco-Cantabrian area during the Mesolithic of southwestern Europe, ,10,000 years before present (YBP), with signals of expansions at ,3,500 YBP. These findings provide robust evidence of a partial genetic continuity between contemporary autochthonous populations from the Franco-Cantabrian region, specifically the Basques, and Paleolithic/Mesolithic hunter-gatherer groups. Furthermore, our results raise the current proportion (<15%) of the Franco-Cantabrian maternal gene pool with a putative pre-Neolithic origin to <35%, further supporting the notion of a predominant Paleolithic genetic substrate in extant European populations.

Blowflies are insects of forensic interest as they may indicate characteristics of the environment where a body has been laying prior to the discovery. In order to estimate changes in community related to landscape and to assess if blowfly species can be used as indicators of the landscape where a corpse has been decaying, we studied the blowfly community and how it is affected by landscape in a 7,000 km 2 region during a whole year. Using baited traps deployed monthly we collected 28,507 individuals of 10 calliphorid species, 7 of them well represented and distributed in the study area. Multiple Analysis of Variance found changes in abundance between seasons in the 7 analyzed species, and changes related to land use in 4 of them (Calliphora vomitoria, Lucilia ampullacea, L. caesar and L. illustris). Generalised Linear Model analyses of abundance of these species compared with landscape descriptors at different scales found only a clear significant relationship between summer abundance of C. vomitoria and distance to urban areas and degree of urbanisation. This relationship explained more deviance when considering the landscape composition at larger geographical scales (up to 2,500 m around sampling site). For the other species, no clear relationship between land uses and abundance was found, and therefore observed changes in their abundance patterns could be the result of other variables, probably small changes in temperature. Our results suggest that blowfly community composition cannot be used to infer in what kind of landscape a corpse has decayed, at least in highly fragmented habitats, the only exception being the summer abundance of C. vomitoria.

This work has been developed to improve the analysis of cadaveric entomofauna. Taking into account that the cytochrome b is widely use to identify vertebrates, we have used it for the identification of some necrophagous species involved in the postmortem process. D 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

A critical reflection focused on our limited moral values and on our attitude toward human and non-human organisms is proposed. I fear that most of the problems of our traditional confrontation about our moral capability must be referred both to human and to non-human organisms. Is not really Who has to be included in our moral community neither if rights must be extended to other organisms rather than a serious and critical reflection of our moral attitudes toward humans and non human beings. The basis of the problem is not a potential animal rights but real human responsibilities that we are not assuming; Responsibilities as consumers of an organic good with suffering capability. Bioethics and specialists related to have to assume an urgent compromise to develop a new moral conscience giving an adequate and impartial information to the society, education to professionals (farmers, researchers, lawyers, reporters, etc.) and legislation according to new times. At least if we want to go into the new century with raising morale. We may never arrive to an agreement about the concept of moral community and about the fact that other organisms than persons have or not similar rights than persons, because they are not subjects of duty. But we may arrive to an agreement; we may accept a fact, that human being is really different to other organisms; just different. If we are really "The Chosen Species", we have been elected for the supervision of our environment, not just for its predation. Perhaps nobody will be there in the future with an invoice claiming for compensation to our acts. But this is our real difference; we are here to claim for it.

In Forensics, the study of entomological evidence is focused on the accurate calculation of the variables bmanner and place of deathQ and bpostmortem interval (PMI)Q. Carrion-feeding fly species morphological differentiation is often a difficult task. DNA-related methodologies, those based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in particular, are a powerful alternative to achieve species identification. For this reason, we have used the Cytochrome b (Cyt-b) gene to identify the necrophagous fly species Stearibia nigriceps (Meigen, 1826) (Diptera; Piophilidae) involved in the postmortem process. D