A quantitatively new analog-to-digital converter (ADC) module has been developed during 2010, in co-operation with Tedia Ltd. The module has a 28-bit final resolution and uses 32-bit arithmetic. There are two versions, with four and twelve analog inputs. The 4-input module replaces the original 21-bit version, produced until 2009. The 12-input module is intended to be deployed in small-aperture seismic arrays. The whole set consists of four 3-channel detached modules that can be interconnected with the main module using a cable of up to 100 m in length. This design increases signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by placing the A/D part as close to the seismograph as possible in order to transmit digital data for storage. All channels are sampled coherently so that all four sensors are automatically synchronised. It allows the detection of local events even though the sync-signal is absent. In other words, the 12-input module is suitable for ad-hoc field measurements even in places where there is no GPS signal. All arrays operated by the Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics (IRSM) are going to be upgraded to use these modules and some new sites will also be set-up with this innovative equipment (e.g. Lazy in Western Bohemia and Dobrá Voda in Slovakia)., Milan Brož and Jaroslav Štrunc., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Alippistrongylus bicaudatus gen. et sp. n. (Nematoda: Heligmonellidae) is described from the striped Atlantic forest rat, Delomys dorsalis (Hensel) (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae), from the province of Misiones in Argentina. The new genus and species is characterised by a synlophe of 21 unequal ridges in both sexes without a gradient in size, with two ridges weakly sclerotised and oriented perpendicularly in the dorsal left quadrant; males with a highly dissymmetrical bursa with a hypertrophied right lobe, and females with a dorsal conical appendage just posterior to the vulva, conferring a two-tailed appearance to the female worms.
This paper describes Regoella brevis gen. n. et. sp. n. (Proteocephalidea: Monticelliinae), a parasite of the intestine of the barred sorubim Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum (Linnaeus) from the Paraná River basin. The new genus is placed in the Monticelliinae because of the cortical position of the genital organs. It differs from all known genera included in the Monticelliinae by the following combination of characters: 1) a quadrangular scolex with a truncated conical apex and formed by four lobes separated by grooves; 2) uniloculate suckers of inverted triangular shape possessing a small cone-shaped projection at each corner of the anterior margin; 3) strobila consisting of a low number of proglottides; 4) testes arranged in one dorsal field; 5) a cirrus-sac, which represents more than one half of the proglottis width, cirrus surrounded by conspicuous chromophilic gland cells; 6) a butterfly-shaped and strongly lobulate ovary; and 7) formation of uterus of type 2. The examination of the tegument surface with scanning electron microscopy revealed the occurrence of three types of microtriches: acicular and capilliform filitriches and gladiate spinitriches. The new species is the eighth proteocephalidean reported from P. fasciatum, six of which are commonly found in the Amazon and Paraná River basins.
The cestode fauna of the darkspotted numbfish, Narcine maculata (Shaw) (Torpediniformes: Narcinidae), from Malaysian Borneo was examined for the first time. This work resulted in the discovery of a new genus and two new species of Anteroporidae (Lecanicephalidea). Sesquipedalapex comicus gen. n., sp. n. was erected on the basis of the peculiarities of its scolex, in particular its possession of an extremely long apical modification of the scolex proper, which readily distinguishes it from the other genus in the family. The genus is also distinct in its possession of acetabula that are in the form of suckers, rather than bothridiate in form. This species was found to deeply embed its elongate apical structure for much of its length within the intestinal mucosa, provoking a papilliform expansion of the outer wall of the spiral intestine at the site of attachment. The second new species, Anteropora klosmamorphis sp. n., is readily distinguished from its congeners on the basis of testis number and bothridial shape. Both new species are hyperapolytic. The diagnosis of Anteroporidae is amended to accommodate both new taxa. This increases the total number of genera in the family to two, and the total number of species to five.
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.
A new genus and species, Avitocaligus assurgericola gen. et sp. n., of the family Caligidae is established based on an ovigerous female collected from a razorback scabbardfish, Assurger anzac (Alexander), caught off New Caledonia. This is the first record of any parasitic copepod from this fish. The new genus is placed in the Caligidae since it possesses the caligid cephalothorax incorporating the first to third pedigerous somites. It also exhibits biramous first and fourth swimming legs but lacks dorsal plates on the fourth pedigerous somite. This combination of characters serves to differentiate the new genus from existing genera. In addition, it possesses loosely coiled, uniseriate egg sacs, concealed between the middle lamellar plates on the genital complex and the ventral plates on the abdomen. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis with a restricted matrix suggests that the new genus represents the earliest offshoot from the main caligid lineage since it does not exhibit the dominant exopod on the fourth swimming leg found in all other members of the Caligidae, including the genus Euryphorus. It strongly supports the newly recognized monophyletic status of the Caligidae, incorporating the genera formerly placed in the Euryphoridae.
A new genus, Alanlewisia, of the family Caligidae is established to accommodate a sea louse species originally, but tentatively, placed in the genus Lepeophtheirus by Lewis (1967). The type species is Alanlewisia fallolunulus (Lewis, 1967) comb. n., which is redescribed in detail based on new material collected from bluespine unicornfish, Naso unicornis (Forsskål), caught off New Caledonia in the South Pacific. This species was originally described by Lewis (1967) under the binomen Lepeophtheirus? fallolunulus from the same host species collected in Hawaii. This species was subsequently transferred to the genus Anuretes by Ho and Lin (2000). Lewis was uncertain of the generic placement primarily because of the possession, in the females only, of paired lunule-like structures on the ventral surface of the modified frontal plates. In both sexes the first swimming leg is biramous, with a well-developed endopod bearing 2 long, sparsely-plumose setae, and the third leg has a 2-segmented exopod. This combination of characters serves to differentiate the new genus from existing genera. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis suggests that the new genus represents an early offshoot from the main caligid lineage, basal to the Paralebion-Tuxophorus-Caligus clade identified by Boxshall and Justine (2005).
Cuculisyringophilus crotophaginus gen. n. et sp. n. is described from the guira cuckoo Guira guira (Gmelin) from Paraguay and also was collected from the groove-billed ani Crotophaga sulcirostris Swainson from Colombia and Mexico. This new genus is closely related to Neoaulobia Fain, Bochkov et Mironov, 2000 but is distinguished by the following characters: propodosomal setae sce are situated distinctly anterior to level of setae d1, leg setae vs'II are absent, apodemes I are divergent.
A new species of tetraphyllidean cestode in the genus Trilocularia is described from an undescribed shark species, Squalus cf. mitsukurii, off the coast of South Africa. Trilocularia eberti sp. n. is the second known member of its genus, and like its congener, T. gracilis (Olsson, 1866-1867) Olsson, 1869, is extremely hyperapolytic, dropping proglottids from its strobila while they are still very immature. Characteristic of the genus, it possesses a distinctive scolex with triloculated bothridia, but differs conspicuously from its congener in its possession of an anterior loculus that is much larger in width relative to the paired posterior loculi, and also in its possession of an anterior, enlarged region of its free proglottids that is triangular with a slit-like ventral aperture, rather than rounded and cup-like. This anterior region of the free proglottid is used in attachment, and its development is described. For assessment of fecundity, an attempt was made to record all free proglottids of all ages found in both host individuals, and yielded an average estimate of 362 free proglottids being produced per individual worm of T. eberti sp. n. Both Trilocularia species parasitize sharks of the genus Squalus, and given the host specificity typically exhibited by tetraphyllideans and preliminary examinations of other members of this shark genus, it is likely that other Squalus species will be found to host additional new Trilocularia species.
A design of a newly developed metal pipe-type trap for catching live mole rats is presented. In all field trials the trap was efficient and thus meaningful alternative to other types of live traps. This trap may prove to be useful also to catching the other subterranean mammal species.