Australotaenia de Chambrier et de Chambrier, 2010 has been proposed to accommodate two species of proteocephalidean cestodes from hylid frogs (Litoria spp.) in Australia. Recently, apparently congeneric cestode, for which the name A. bunthangi sp. n. is proposed, was found in the homalopsid snake Enhydris enhydris (Schneider) (Serpentes: Homalopsidae) from South-East Asia (Cambodia). This finding indicates a much wider range of definitive hosts of species of this genus, i.e. amphibians and reptiles, which is exceptional among proteocephalideans. Postcyclic parasitism, i.e. predation of the definitive host infected with sexually mature parasites, cannot be excluded but does not seem to be probable. In addition, the occurrence of A. bunthangi in the former Indochina extends the range of the geographical distribution of the genus to another zoogeographical region. The new species differs from both species of Australotaenia in the relative size of an apical organ, the diameter of which equals to that of suckers (versus much smaller in the remaining species, in which the width of the apical organ represents less than 2/3 of the diameter of the suckers), much smaller scolex and suckers (width 150 μm and diameter of suckers 50-55 μm versus 245-420 μm and 100-140 μm, respectively), and longer body (224 mm versus 57-121 mm). In addition, A. bunthangi differs from A. hylae (Johnston, 1912) (type-species of the genus) by the number of testes (46-64 versus 74-106 in A. hylae) and by the ovary width/proglottis width ratio (55-65% versus 68-71% in A. hylae). Australotaenia bunthangi differs from A. grobeli de Chambrier et de Chambrier, 2010 by relative size of the cirrus-sac (its length represents 18-24% of the width of the proglottis versus 27-33% in A. grobeli) and by the diameter of the embryophore (25-27 µm versus 18-23 µm in A. grobeli).
In the culminating and late middle ages funny scenes, the so called drôleries, appear in the borders of illuminated manuscripts. Th eir problems are not explained completely; they seem to contain hidden spiritual meanings. Besides singing birds, which are symbols of the unearthly sphere, fi gures appear most oft en who were taken as negative in middle-ages – owls, apes, beasts of prey, dragons, and clowns. Th e fi gures of antique mythology were perceived as negative too; the cults connected with them were perceived as demoniacism by the Christian society. Drôleries are usually placed in borders which are decorated with an acanth. Th e acanth in time became a symbol of victory over death. It can be also interpreted as Christ´s crown of thorns. In this way the spirit of medieval symbolism indicated that negative forces are driven to the margin and defeated by Christ´s victim.
Effects of electrical conductivity (EC) and substrate water content on photosynthetic response to irradiance were examined to understand the constraints in photosynthesis caused by these stresses. Tomato plants were grown under high (4.5 mS cm'1) or low (2.3 mS cm'1) EC and high (95 %) or low (55 % of capillary capacity) soil water content. Photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) was changed (I) from low to high and then in reverse from high to low, and (2) starting from high to low and then reversing from low to high. In both cases, photosynthetic rates (PN) at most levels of PPF were higher during the 2nd cycle than during the first one. The extent of this hysteresis was larger for high EC-treated and/or water-stressed plants. In addition, /’N was inhibited under veiy high PPF (1800 pmol nr2 s'1) in high EC and/or water-stressed plants (stress-induced photosynthetic depression under high PPF). After gradual declining for about 40 min under high PPF, /'N started to recover. When recovered to some extent, it went down again, showing oscillation cycles. Oscillation was clearly observed for the treatment of high EC combined with high soil water content, but not for the control. Thus the abnormal photosynthetic responses to irradiance, such as hysteresis, photosynthetic depression under high PPF and oscillations may be induced or promoted by some constraints in substrate water availability, which cause abnormal stomatal response and inactivity of mesophyll photosynthesis.