Recognised for their diversity in apical structure morphology, members of the cestode order Lecanicephalidea Wardle et McLeod, 1952 known to date exhibit relatively mundane and uniform acetabular morphology. A new lecanicephalidean genus, Zanobatocestus gen. n., is proposed for two new species found parasitising the spiral intestine of the striped panray, Zanobatus schoenleinii (Müller et Henle), off Senegal that are highly unusual in acetabular morphology. Unlike the members of the 21 recognised lecanicephalidean genera, which possess simple, uniloculate suckers or bothridia, Zanobatocestus minor sp. n. and Z. major sp. n. possess biloculate bothridia. The form of their apical structures and cocoons readily distinguish the two new species from one another. Zanobatocestus minor sp. n. exhibits an apical modification of the scolex proper that is narrow and elongated, an apical organ that is small and internal, and eggs in cocoons forming linear strands, whereas Z. major sp. n. exhibits an apical modification of the scolex proper that is wide and short, an apical organ that is extensive and primarily external, and eggs in cocoons primarily as doublets with bipolar filaments. Given the typically high host specificity of lecanicephalidean cestodes, as parasites of the only genus and species currently considered valid in the family Zanobatidae, Zanobatocestus gen. n. is likely to remain one of the less specious lecanicephalidean genera.
Blood films were examined from 154 wild and captive tortoises from four provinces of South Africa, including Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, North West and Western Cape. The five species of chelonians studied were Chersina angulata (Schweigger), Kinixys belliana belliana (Gray), K. lobatsiana Power, K. natalensis Hewitt, and Stigmochelys pardalis (Bell). Two species of haemogregarines, previously reported from Mozambique, were identified in blood films, namely Haemogregarina fitzsimonsi Dias, 1953 and Haemogregarina parvula Dias, 1953. Additional stages of development (trophozoites and probable meronts, merozoites and immature gamonts) in blood preparations from South Africa warranted the redescription of H. fitzsimonsi. A variety of hosts and broad host distribution range were observed for this haemogregarine, with all five species of tortoises parasitized, wild and captive, from all four provinces, in all seasons. In contrast, only two individuals of K. b. belliana and one S. pardalis, all three captive in Kwazulu-Natal, contained H. parvula with encapsulated stages resembling those of Hemolivia mauritanica (Sergent et Sergent, 1904). For H. fitzsimonsi, parasite prevalences, but not parasitaemias, were significantly higher in captive than wild S. pardalis; captive female S. pardalis also showed a significantly greater prevalence of infection than males, but younger, lighter hosts were not significantly more heavily parasitized than older, heavier individuals. The ticks, Amblyomma marmoreum Koch, 1844 and A. sylvaticum (De Geer, 1778), found attached to some tortoises, may prove to be definitive hosts for the two species of haemogregarines observed.
Paramoniezia suis Maplestone et Southwell, 1923 is redescribed from the type and only specimen, and is considered to be a genus inquirendum and species inquirenda, possibly based on a host misidentification. Paramoniezia phacochoeri Baylis, 1927 is redescribed from new material from Phacochoerus africanus (Gmelin) from South Africa and is transferred to Moniezia Blanchard, 1891 as M. phacochoeri (Baylis, 1927) comb. n. A redescription of M. mettami Baylis, 1934, also from Ph. africanus, establishes the independence of the two congeneric species parasitizing warthogs. A new genus, Phascolocestus, is erected for Paramoniezia johnstoni Beveridge, 1976 from vombatid marsupials as Phascolocestus johnstoni (Beveridge, 1976) comb. n., and additional host and distributional data are provided for this species.
Předmětem výzkumu je pár náramků z Nového Knína, okr. Příbram, z nichž první se objevil v roce 1965, druhý v roce 2014. První náramek byl v minulosti charakterizován jako stříbrný, s analogiemi v skandinávském kruhovém šperku 10.–11. století. V roce 2008 byl podroben prvkové analýze RFA. Ukázalo se, že je složen ze slitiny mosazi s příměsí stříbra. Po překvapivém objevu druhého náramku byla realizována série přírodovědných a archeologicko-kulturně antropologických analýz, které v souhrnu přinesly chronologické a materiálové přehodnocení dosud publikovaných údajů, včetně jejich „nálezových“ okolností. Z výsledků analýz plyne, že oba šperky jsou téměř identické. Analýzy dále přinesly zjištění, že je nelze považovat za raně středověké, nýbrž za novověké až recentní výrobky patrně mimoevropského původu (Afrika?), nejspíš turistické suvenýry. and The subject of the investigation is a pair of bracelets from Nový Knín in the Příbram district, the first of which appeared in 1965, the second in 2014. In the past, the first bracelet was characterised as silver, with analogies in Scandinavian ring ornaments of the 10th–11th century AD. But when this bracelet was subjected to an elemental analysis XRF in 2008, it was found to be composed of an alloy of brass with an admixture of silver. Following the surprising discovery of the second bracelet, a series of scientific and archaeological-culturally anthropological analyses were conducted, the results of which led to a chronological and material re-evaluation of previously published data, including their ‘find’ contexts. The analyses indicate that the two ornaments are virtually identical and also reveal that they cannot be regarded as early medieval artefacts but rather as Modern to recent products that were likely made outside of Europe (Africa?), probably of a tourist souvenir
A sample of over 6,000 specimens of frogs belonging to about 120 species of all families occurring in West Africa and Madagascar were screened for parasitic mites. Three species of Endotrombicula Ewing, 1931 were found in representatives of two African and two Madagascan frog families. All Trombiculidae found in African frogs belonged to Endotrombicula pillersi (Sambon, 1928), whereas in Madagascar E. madagascariensis (Sambon, 1928) and E. ptychadenae sp. n. were sampled. These three species are described, data about their parasitic associations are provided, and their zoogeographical distribution is discussed. Only those frog species that spend a considerable time in terrestrial ground habitats were parasitized; neither arboreal nor strictly aquatic frogs were infected. The geographic distribution of Endotrombicula, restricted to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Madagascar, suggests that these mites invaded Madagascar from the African continent. This is supported by the observation that the ancestors of Ptychadena mascareniensis (Duméril et Bibron) (Ptychadenidae), the host of E. ptychadenae, colonized Madagascar from the African continent quite recently, possibly accompanied by its Endotrombicula parasites.
Tilapia cabrae Boulenger, 1899, a cichlid fish from coastal lowlands of the Republic of Congo (Africa), was examined for gill parasites. Four new species of the Monogenea were found, all belonging to Cichlidogyrus (Ancyrocephalidae): C. berradae sp. n., C. revesati sp. n., C. legendrei sp. n., and C. lemoallei sp. n. A possible relationship between the relative size of haptoral sclerites (i.e., uncinuli compared to gripi) and microhabitat selection in the studied host-parasite model is discussed.
Nejvyšší africké hřebenové pohoří Rwenzori (též Ruwenzori) leží na pomezí Ugandy a Demokratické republiky Kongo. Po období nepokojů a příhraničních bojů se v posledních letech území stalo poměrně bezpečnou částí Afriky pro místní obyvatele i zahraniční návštěvníky. Mezi jeho vrcholy patří třetí nejvyšší hora v Africe a nejvyšší africký vrchol nesopečného původu (Mt. Margherita, 5 109 m n. m.). Nejvyšší vrcholy pohoří pokrývají ledovce, které však ustupují vlivem klimatické změny - za posledních 100 let se ledovce zmenšily asi o 80 %. Na svazích pohoří najdeme rostlinná společenstva, která vytvářejí různé vegetační stupně (vysokohorské deštné lesy, vysokohorské bambusové a vřesovcové lesy, subalpínská a alpínská travinná a dřevinná společenstva, subnivální a nivální pustiny). Pohoří na ugandské straně chrání národní park Rwenzori rozkládající se na rozloze bezmála 1 000 kilometrů čtverečních, pro svou výjimečnost se stal součástí světového přírodního dědictví UNESCO. NP Rwenzori představuje ostrov málo narušeného přírodního prostředí v kulturní krajině, které lze poznávat na dvou základních turistických trekových okruzích., The highest peaks of the Rwenzori mountains (including Mt. Margherita, 5 109 m a. s. l.) are covered by glacier. Over the last 100 years 80 % of the glacier has disappeared due to climate change. The slopes are covered by plant communities forming distinct vegetation zones (montane rainforest, bamboo and ericaceous forest, subalpine and alpine grassland and woodland, subnival desert, nival zone). The national park (1 000 km2) can only be explored using two major walking trails, and is surrounded by a cultural landscape., and František Pelc, Libor Ambrozek.
The following four species (only females available) of the Philometridae (Nematoda: Dracunculoidea) were recorded from freshwater fishes of Lake Turkana, northwestern Kenya in 2007-2008: Philometra bagri (Khalil, 1965) from the subcutaneous tissue around the mouth, on gill covers and the fin base of the bayad Bagrus bajad (Forsskål) (Bagridae: Siluriformes), Philometra lati sp. n. from the abdominal cavity of the Nile perch Lates niloticus (Linnaeus) (Latidae: Perciformes), Philometra spiriformis sp. n. from capsules on the inner surface of gill covers of L. niloticus and Afrophilometra hydrocyoni (Fahmy, Mandour et El-Nafar, 1976) comb. n. from the fins of Hydrocynus forskahlii (Cuvier) (Alestidae: Characiformes). The new species P. lati is characterized mainly by the presence of distinct oesophageal teeth, absence of large cephalic lobes and caudal projections, and by a combination of other features. Philometra spiriformis differs from all congeners principally in the spirally coiled body and from individual species by a combination of other morphological features. The already known species P. bagri and A. hydrocyoni are redescribed based on light and scanning electron microscopy; findings of both these species in Kenya represent new geographical records.
A new species of philometrid nematode, Philometroides africanus sp. n., is described from female specimens found encapsulated in gill arches and inner surface of gill covers of the African pike, Hepsetus odoe (Bloch), an endemic freshwater fish in Africa, from the Okavango River and Delta in Botswana. This new nematode is characterised mainly by a markedly small and plump body of gravid females (body length 6-9 mm), a separate anterior oesophageal bulb, a conspicuously small oesophageal gland, presence of four pairs of very small submedian cephalic papillae, and absence of any caudal processes. The prevalence of P. africanus in African pike of the Okavango Delta was 29%, with the intensity 1-8 (mean 3) encapsulated nematodes per fish. The genus Margolisianum Blaylock et Overstreet, 1999 is considered a junior synonym of Philometroides Yamaguti, 1935 and, consequently, its type species is transferred to the latter as Philometroides bulbosus (Blaylock et Overstreet, 1999) comb. n.