Light trapping is the most widely used tool for determining the diversity of nocturnal Lepidoptera, but UV LEDs have yet to be used as light sources for the large-scale monitoring of Lepidoptera. We assessed the efficiency of this novel light source for sampling moths using a Heath type moth equipped with a strip of 150 high brightness UV LEDs (emission peak 398 nm, ~ 15 W) powered by a 12 V battery. We compared the number of individuals, the number of species and the Geometridae / Noctuidae ratio recorded for the samples collected using UV LED traps with those collected in two monitoring programs carried out in the same geographic region using two different light sources: a 200 W incandescent lamp (Rothamsted trap) and a 160 W mercury vapour lamp (manual catch). The total catch consisted of 61,120 individuals belonging to 699 species. The species richness rarefaction curves revealed that the Rothamsted trap collected fewer species and individuals than UV LED traps. Furthermore, the median numbers of species and individuals caught by UV LED traps fell within the range of those caught by mercury vapour lamp traps. In addition, the community composition recorded using incandescent lamps and UV LEDs was similar. The data obtained using UV LED traps, in absolute terms and in comparison with the other light sources and different sampling methods, clearly reveal that this light source is suitable for sampling macro-moth communities. For field work UV LEDs have many advantages, as they are resistant to mechanical damage, easily protected from heavy rain and energy efficient., Marco Infusino, Gunnar Brehm, Carlo Di Marco, Stefano Scalercio., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The majority of the conservation strategies for threatened dragonflies are designed to protect only their aquatic habitats. Sympetrum depressiusculum is a species threatened not only by the destruction of its aquatic habitats but also by its association with a specific terrestrial environment. In this study, we aimed to identify the key elements of the terrestrial environment of adult S. depressiusculum. We used generalized linear mixed models to determine habitat preferences of adults and the particular features of habitat patches, such as vegetation cover, vegetation structure and the availability of potential prey. Our results indicate that S. depressiusculum adults preferred mainly riparian vegetation but beyond ponds they utilized only certain terrestrial habitats (abandoned fields, meadows, forest clearings). Adults responded positively to habitat patches with a high cover of vegetation and suitable vegetation structure. Adult abundance was affected also by the distance of patches from the natal site. In an agricultural landscape, the availability of such habitat patches may be limited and could influence the abundance and distribution of this species. We suggest that conservation efforts for this species should not only focus on the larval environment but also include suitable surrounding terrestrial habitats. Effective management around natal sites should concentrate on maintaining a heterogeneous landscape, which is extensively managed (e.g. leaving several fields fallow, maintaining managed hay meadows)., Michal Hykel, Filip Harabiš, Aleš Dolný., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is an attenuated Mycobacterium tuberculosis vaccine. We performed a series of co-infection experiments with BCG-Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi Landau, 1965 AS using C57BL/6 mice to analyse whether BCG can affect the development of protective immunity to infection with Plasmodium spp. and the mechanism of this protection. We divided mice into four groups: BCG-inoculation 4 weeks prior to P. c. chabaudi AS infection (B-4w-Pc); simultaneous BCG-inoculation and P. c. chabaudi AS infection (Pc+B); BCG-inoculation 3 days post P. c. chabaudi AS (Pc-3-B) infection; and mono-P. c. chabaudi AS infection as control (Pc). The parasitemia level in the B-4w-Pc group was noticeably higher than control group at 6-19 days post infection (dpi). Compared with the control group, the proportion of CD4+CD69+ T cells was significantly reduced 5, 8 and 12 dpi, but the proportion of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs was significantly increased in the B-4w-Pc group on 5 and 8 dpi. The B-4w-Pc group also demonstrated reduced levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α on 5 and 8 dpi and significantly elevated level of IL-10 on 12 dpi. There were significantly fewer mDCs (CD11c+CD11b+) and pDCs (CD11c+B220+) in the B-4w-Pc group than the control group at all the time points post infection and the expression of MHC II was noticeably reduced on day 8 pi. Our findings confirmed that BCG inoculation prior to Plasmodium infection resulted in excessive activation and proliferation of Tregs and upregulation of anti-inflammatory mediators, which inhibited establishment of a Th1-dominant immune response during the early stages of Plasmodium infection by inhibiting dendritive cells response. BCG inoculation prior to P. c. chabaudi AS infection may contribute to overgrowth of parasites as well as mortality in mice., Dong-Hua Cao, Ji-Chun Wang, Jun Liu, Yun-Ting Du, Li-Wang Cui, Ya-Ming Cao., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Insights can be gained by analysing the feeding decisions of animals in terms of nutrient demands at a species or community level. Using carbohydrate and protein food baits, resource use and food preferences of Formica (Serviformica) lemani were determined at nine locations situated at different altitudes (1875 to 2400 m a.s.l.) in the alpine grassland belt above the tree line in Austria and northern Italy. F. lemani is the most common species of ant in this habitat. Sucrose baits placed around ant colonies were visited by significantly (3.9 times) more workers than protein baits. This indicates that sources of sugar (carbohydrate) are in short supply in the alpine zone, whereas availability of prey items appears to be less constraining. Overall, we recorded a decrease in the incidence of visits to baits from low (31.9% baits attracting ants at least once) to high altitudes (16.7%). Foraging ants never visited 51.5% of the baits exposed for periods of 75 min. This indicates that with increasing altitude competition for food among ant colonies becomes less intense in alpine grassland ant communities., Elia Guariento, Jan Martini, Konrad Fiedler., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In Italy, food-borne outbreaks of opisthorchiasis have occurred since 2003, all of them originating from some lakes in Central Italy where the only European liver fluke, Opisthorchis felineus (Rivolta, 1884) is endemic. The aim of the present study is to investigate the factors that may facilitate the life cycle of O. felineus in the area of Bolsena Lake, the knowledge of the local population about opisthorchiasis, and preventative healthcare measures. We performed a descriptive observational study through the submission of questionnaires to three target populations: fishermen who fish exclusively in Bolsena Lake, restaurateurs whose businesses are close to the lake and general population living in the province of Viterbo. Results showed hazardous behaviours and eating habits in the three target populations, as well as a poor knowledge of opisthorchiasis and preventative healthcare measures., Paola Scaramozzino, Roberto Condoleo, Enrica Martini, Teresa Bossù, Silvia Aquilani, Valentina Spallucci, Elisabetta Aquilini, Selene Marozzi., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The macrozoobenthos in saline pools at dumps in a former coal mining area was studied over a period of two years. Due to specific environmental conditions these pools are unique in the Czech Republic. Extremely high values of salinity (up to 11‰) along with a low concentration of dissolved phosphorus (0.01-0.1 mg.l-1) are typical of some of the water in this area. The pools were grouped into three categories based on their conductivity values and treated using cow dung, municipal wastewater treatment sludge and inorganic NPK (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) fertilizer at doses recommended for carp ponds. The application of fertilizer had a positive effect on the density and biomass of all the groups in the macrozoobenthos. The highest and the lowest increases in macrozoobenthos biomass were recorded after the application of NPK and cow dung, respectively. However, the application of fertilizer had no effect on the diversity of macrozoobenthos. Chironomus aprilinus, recorded in the Czech Republic for the first time, inhabited all pools with conductivity ranges of between 5,000-16,000 µS.cm-1. The density of C. aprilinus larvae increased with increasing salinity reaching a maximum of about 17,083 ind.m-2 (biomass - 82 g.m-2). Analysis of C. aprilinus phenology revealed a bivoltine pattern with the summer generation of larvae reaching a maximum in June-July and the overwintering generation in October to November., Josef Matěna, Iva Šínová, Jakub Brom, Kateřina Novotná., and Obsahuje bibliografii
This paper examines the changes in the species composition of aphids living in dry calcareous grasslands in Central Europe over a 25-year period. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first analysis of this type in the world that takes into account both previous and current data on species richness as well as groups of aphids that are distinguishable on the basis of biological and ecological criteria such as host-alternation and feeding types, life cycle, ecological niche, symbiosis with ants and their ecological functional groups. Over the period of more than 25 years, there has been a significant decrease in aphid α-diversity, from 171 to 105 species. The gain, which is in species not previously recorded, was 17 taxa. The loss of biodiversity occurred despite the fact that these habitats are protected and are valuable regional biodiversity hotspots. The losses are mostly related to intensive human activity in adjacent areas, which, unfortunately, has resulted in the isolation of these small, protected environmental islands by the removal of ecological corridors. Since, as is shown in this study, the frequencies between individual biological and ecological groups of aphids have been retained, it would be possible to restrict this loss of biodiversity if appropriate actions are taken., Barbara Osiadacz, Roman Hałaj, Damian Chmura., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Duponchelia fovealis Zeller is a polyphagous insect that has been recently reported attacking strawberry plants (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne). Despite its economic importance there are few studies on this pest because it is difficult to rear it in the laboratory. With a constant supply of insects, studies on alternative methods of pest control can be conducted. This study aimed at developing an artificial diet for rearing D. fovealis with biological characteristics similar to those reared on their natural diet. This study was carried out in a climate-controlled room (25°C ± 2°C, RH 70% ± 10%, and 14L : 10D). The natural diet consisted of 'San Andreas' strawberry leaves (D1), while the artificial diet (D2) was developed in which beans, casein, soy protein, yeast and wheat germ are used as sources of protein. Five instars were identified. D. fovealis completed its life cycle in 38 and 40 days when fed D1 and D2, respectively. Survival was highest for the larvae fed the artificial diet. Females fed D1 lay a mean of 300.2 ± 62.3 eggs, while those fed D2, 220.3 ± 41.8 eggs. The artificial diet is suitable for the continuous rearing of D. fovealis in the laboratory., Maria A. C. Zawadneak, Rodrimar B. Gonçalves, Alex S. Poltronieri, Bráulio Santos, Adélia M. Bischoff, Aline M. Borba, Ida C. Pimentel., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Severoameričtí raci (např. rak pruhovaný a rak signální vyskytující se i v ČR) jsou příkladem invazních živočichů, jejichž invazní potenciál je zesílen přenosem onemocnění nebezpečného pro příbuzné druhy z jiných geografických oblastí. Původcem nemoci, tzv. račího moru, je Aphanomyces astaci ze skupiny Oomycetes způsobující úhyny celých populací evropských raků. Račí mor se v Evropě vyskytuje už od 19. století a i v současnosti zůstává přes intenzívní výzkum jedním z nejvýznamnějších faktorů ohrožujících původní raky (u nás jde o raka říčního a raka kamenáče, u nichž bylo jen od roku 2004 zaznamenáno deset případů zdecimování populací touto nemocí)., North American crayfish species such as the Spiny-cheek Crayfish and the Signal Crayfish are examples of invasive animals with an ability to carry and transmit a disease lethal to their relatives from other parts of the world. The disease called the crayfish plague and caused by Aphanomyces astaci (Oomycetes) may eradicate whole populations of the indigenous European crayfish. The disease is known in Europe from the 19th century and despite intensive research it is still one of the main factors endangering indigenous crayfish., and Eva Kozubíková-Balcarová.
a1_Coeuritrema Mehra, 1933, previously regarded as a junior subjective synonym of Hapalorhynchus Stunkard, 1922, herein is revised to include Coeuritrema lyssimus Mehra, 1933 (type species), Coeuritrema rugatus (Brooks et Sullivan, 1981) comb. n., and Coeuritrema platti Roberts et Bullard sp. n. These genera are morphologically similar by having a ventral sucker, non-fused caeca, two testes, a pre-testicular cirrus sac, an intertesticular ovary, and a common genital pore that opens dorsally and in the sinistral half of the body. Phylogenetic analysis of the D1-D3 domains of the nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (28S) suggested that Coeuritrema and Hapalorhynchus share a recent common ancestor. Coeuritrema is morphologically most easily differentiated from Hapalorhynchus by having ventrolateral tegumental papillae and a definitive metraterm that is approximately 3-7× longer than the uterus. Coeuritrema comprises species that reportedly infect Asiatic softshell turtles (Testudines: Trionychidae) only, whereas Hapalorhynchus (as currently defined) comprises blood flukes that reportedly infect those hosts plus North American musk turtles (Sternotherus Bell in Gray) and mud turtles (Kinosternon Spix), both Kinosternidae, North American snapping turtles (Chelydridae), Asiatic hard-shelled turtles (Geoemydidae) and African pleurodirans (Pelomedusidae). Coeuritrema platti sp. n. infects the blood of Chinese softshell turtles, Pelodiscus sinensis (Wiegmann), cultured in the Da Rang River Basin (Phu Yen Province, Vietnam). It differs from C. lyssimus by having a narrow hindbody (< 1.6× forebody width), ventrolateral tegumental papillae restricted to the hindbody, a short cirrus sac (< 10% of corresponding body length), a transverse ovary buttressing the caeca, a short, wholly pre-ovarian metraterm (~ 10% of corresponding body length), and a submarginal genital pore., a2_It differs from C. rugatus by having small ventrolateral tegumental papillae, testes without deep lobes, and a Laurer's canal pore that opens posterior to the vitelline reservoir and dorsal to the oviducal seminal receptacle. The new species is only the second turtle blood fluke reported from Vietnam., Jackson R. Roberts, Raphael Orélis-Ribeiro, Binh T. Dang, Kenneth M. Halanych, Stephen A. Bullard., and Obsahuje bibliografii