In the Akasaka Limestone, the following 9 fusuline zones are proposed in ascending order: (1) Parafusulina granum-avenae Zone, (2) Neoschwagerina (Cancellina) nipponica Zone, (3) N. simplex Zone, (4) Pseudodoliolina ozawai Zone, (5) N. craticulifera Zone, (6) N. margaritae Zone, (7) Yabeina igoi Zone, (8) Y. globosa Zone and (9) Codonofusiella cf. kueichowensis Zone.

New findings and ideas resulted from the present investigation are the following: (1) Yabeina multiseptata is discovered for the first time in the limestone beds of the Yabeina igoi Zone in association with Y. igoi. (2) Reichelina changhsingensis is found from the upper part of the Neoschwagerina margaritae Zone indicating its first appearance as upper Murgabian. According to this finding, Reiclielina changhsingensis may no longer be an index species of the Dzhulfian.

In the fusuline paleontology, "septal pocket", an important but virtually unknown biocharacter attaching on the antethecal portion of the septa of some neoschwagerinids, is introduced and discussed in detail. Stratigraphic, taxonomic and phylogenetic significance of this biocharacter may stimulate new areas of research interest.

Totally 39 species of 10 fusuline genera are discriminated from the limestone. Among the species identified, 20 species assignable to the genus Neoschwagerina and 6 to Yabeina are systematically described.

Permian bryozoan samples from 5 localities in the Khao Hin Kling area add to previous faunal studies. About 30 species in 18 genera include the new species, Fistulipora siamensis, Fistulipora sawatai and Rhombocladia nakornsri. Sixteen previously described and other indeterminable species complete the listing. The species are Early Permian (Artinskian) to Late Permian (late Guadalupian to early Dzhulflan) and are typical of the Southern and Central Tethys realms.

This paper deals with Permian brachiopods collected from 7 localities in the Tak Fa Formation of the Rat Buri Group, developed in the Khao Hin Kling area, about 50 km southwest of Phetchabun. Twenty one species within seventeen genera are described and discussed. Of them four species, Acosarina kanmerai, Orthotetina ruchae, Haydenella granti and Nolothyris sakagami, are newly established ones. The Khao Hin Kling brachiopod fauna ranges from the Middle to early Late Permian. The faunal elements contain close affinities to those of the central and southern Tethyan realms.

A new genus and species of Hepialidae (Parathitarodes changi) is named and described from Taiwan. The holotype specimen of Hepialus arizanus Matsumura, 1931 is also figured and redescribed.

Eggs of Caretta caretta collected from Miyazaki, Japan, were incubated at constant temperatures and a fluctuating temperature. A temperature shift experiment was also conducted. Three clutches, comprising 332 eggs in total, were used for the experiments. The mean hatching success was 0.73. The incubation period was fitted to the equation, D = 1265.56164–78.04757 T+1.25232 T² (r² = 0.951), where D is incubation duration (days) and T is the incubation temperature (°C). In all experiments, all hatchlings were clearly one sex or the other. At constant temperatures, the sex ratio (proportion of males) was 1.0 at 27.7°C, 0.52 at 28.7°C, 0.51 at 29.7°C and 0.00 at 30.7°C. By the probit regression, the estimated critical temperature, the incubation temperature giving 50% males, was 29.4°C and the estimated critical duration, the incubation duration giving 50% males, was 54.7 days. At the fluctuating temperature, 27.7 (12h) and 30.7°C (12h), the sex ratio was 0.53. In the temperature shift experiment, the incubation temperature was 27.7°C for 19 days and then was shifted to 30.7°C. The obtained sex ratio,0.11, was close to the sex ratio expected at the mean temperature weighted by the developmental speed.

The Aya Research Site (ARS), a long-term ecological research site, was established in 1989 in a warm temperate evergreen broad-leaved forest, southwestern Japan. Distylium racemosum, Persea thunbergii and Quercus spp. predominate in the ARS, together with a few deciduous broad-leaved species. To quantify ecological parameters of tree population and forest dynamics, tree censuses (dbh ≥5 cm) and sapling censuses (dbh <5 cm) were conducted in a 4-ha plot in the ARS. Seedling censuses have also been conducted monthly since 1991. In September 1993, a strong typhoon caused uprootings and stem breakages within the ARS. After the typhoon disturbance, tree densities and basal area decreased and the emergence of pioneer species (e.g., Mallotus japonica, Idesia polycarpa and Zanthoxylum alianthoides) were stimulated beneath canopy gaps. This typhoon is considered to have had a major impact on the forest dynamics in the ARS, and long-term observation is needed to evaluate many basic ecological parameters.