As apex predators with a regulating effect on interspecific competitors and prey demographics, monitoring of spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) population trends can provide a reliable indicator of ecosystem health. However, the ability of current survey techniques to monitor carnivore densities effectively are increasingly questioned. This has led recent studies to advocate increased application of spatial capture-recapture (SCR) methods to estimate population density for large carnivores. We reviewed the literature regarding methods used to estimate population density for spotted hyaena since 2000. Our review found that SCR methods are underutilised for estimating spotted hyaena density, with only eight published studies (13% of articles assessed) using an SCR approach. Call-in surveys were the most frequently used method, featuring in 47% of studies. However, 63% of studies that used call-in surveys could not estimate a site-specific calibration index. The calibration index estimates the distance and rate at which the focal species responds to audio lures and, as response rates are impacted by site-specific ecological and environmental factors, studies that could not calibrate this index are likely inaccurate. Further application of SCR techniques will allow more robust estimation of spotted hyaena density, reducing uncertainty and potential overestimation that limit inference from existing survey methods.
Flies of the Colocasiomyia toshiokai species group depend exclusively on inflorescences/infructescences of the aroid tribe Homalomeneae. The taxonomy and reproductive biology of this group is reviewed on the basis of data and samples collected from Southeast Asia. The species boundaries are determined by combining morphological analyses and molecular species delimitation based on sequences of the mitochondrial COI (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) gene. For the phylogenetic classification within this species group, a cladistic analysis of all the member species is conducted based on 29 parsimony-informative, morphological characters. As a result, six species are recognised within the toshiokai group, including one new species, viz. C. toshiokai, C. xanthogaster, C. nigricauda, C. erythrocephala, C. heterodonta and C. rostrata sp. n. Various host plants are utilised by these species in different combinations at different localities: Some host plants are monopolized by a single species, while others are shared by two or three species. C. xanthogaster and C. heterodonta cohabit on the same host plant in West Java, breeding on spatially different parts of the spadix. There is a close synchrony between flower-visiting behaviour of flies and flowering events of host plants, which indicate an intimate pollination mutualism.
In the present study, we review the known zoogonid cercariae, summarise their life-cycles and first intermediate host distributions, and present a new cercaria, Cercaria capricornia XI (Digenea: Zoogonidae), which was found in one of three nassariid gastropods, Nassarius olivaceus (Bruguière), surveyed in the intertidal zone in the Capricornia region of Central Queensland, Australia. Morphological data and molecular analysis of the ITS2 rDNA region support placement of this cercaria in the family Zoogonidae but do not allow any further resolution of its identity. There are now fifteen cercariae described as belonging to the Zoogonidae; thirteen of these, including the present species, infect neogastropods as first intermediate hosts and two use vetigastropods. This study reinforces the pattern that the Nassariidae is by far the most commonly reported family for the Zoogonidae. Given its richness we predict that the Nassariidae will prove to harbour many more zoogonid species.
Traditionally, the Microsporidia were primarily studied in insects and fish. There were only a few human cases of microsporidiosis reported until the advent of AIDS, when the number of human microsporidian infections dramatically increased and the importance of these new pathogens to medicine became evident. Over a dozen different kinds of microsporidia infecting humans have been reported. While some of these infections were identified in new genera (Enterocytozoon, Vittaforma), there were also infections identified from established genera such as Pleistophora and Encephalitozoon. The genus Pleistophora, originally erected for a species described from fish muscle, and the genus Encephalitozoon, originally described from disseminated infection in rabbits, suggested a link between human infections and animals. In the 1980's, three Pleistophora sp. infections were described from human skeletal muscle without life cycles presented. Subsequently, the genus Trachipleistophora was established for a human-infecting microsporidium with developmental differences from species of the genus Pleistophora. Thus, the existence of a true Pleistophora sp. or spp. in humans was put into question. We have demonstrated the life-cycle stages of the original Pleistophora sp. (Ledford et al. 1985) infection from human muscle, confirming the existence of a true Pleistophora species in humans, P. ronneafiei Cali et Takvorian, 2003, the first demonstrated in a mammalian host. Another human infection, caused by a parasite from invertebrates, was Brachiola algerae (Vavra et Undeen, 1970) Lowman, Takvorian et Cali, 2000. The developmental stages of this human muscle-infecting microsporidium demonstrate morphologically what we have also confirmed by molecular means, that B. algerae, the mosquito parasite, is the causative agent of this human skeletal muscle infection. B. algerae had previously been demonstrated in humans but only in surface infections, skin and eye. The diagnostic features of B. algerae and P. ronneafiei infections in human skeletal muscle are presented. While Encephalitozoon cuniculi has been known as both an animal (mammal) and human parasite, the idea of human microsporidial infections derived from cold-blooded vertebrates and invertebrates has only been suggested by microsporidian phylogeny based on small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences but has not been appreciated. The morphological data presented here demonstrate these relationships. Additionally, water, as a link that connects microsporidial spores in the environment to potential host organisms, is diagrammatically presented.
Ten species of Cixiidae, formerly placed in Trirhacus Fieber, 1875, are redescribed and one additional species is described. They belong to seven genera: Trirhacus s. str. with T. setulosus Fieber, 1876 (type species), T. dubiosus Wagner, 1959, T. biokovensis Dlabola, 1971 and T. peloponnesiacus sp. n., Apartus gen. n. with A. michalki (Wagner, 1948) comb. n. (type species) and A. wagnerianus (Nast, 1965) comb. n., Nanocixius Wagner, 1939 stat. n. with N. discrepans (Fieber, 1876) comb. n., Neocixius Wagner, 1939 stat. n. with N. limbatus (Signoret, 1862) comb. n., Sardocixius gen. n. with S. formosissimus (Costa, 1883) comb. n., Simplicixius gen. n. with S. trichophorus (Melichar, 1914) comb. n. and Sphaerocixius Wagner, 1939 stat. n. with S. globuliferus (Wagner, 1939) comb. n. The phylogenetic relationships of these genera to other Cixiidae are briefly discussed and a key to the genera of European Cixiidae is provided.
European species of the genus Phradis Förster, 1869 are reviewed. A new species from Spain, Phradis mediterraneus sp. n., is described and illustrated. A key to all 24 European species and data on distribution and biology of these species are provided.
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.
In this paper we review the taxonomy of the genus Zavrelia Kieffer, Thienemann & Bause and present emended generic diagnoses of all major life stages. Illustrated keys to larvae, pupae, adult males and females are presented as well as descriptions of four species new to science. Zavrelia species are only recorded from the northern hemisphere and comprise in total ten small to minute species. The following life stages and species are described: Larva, pupa, adult male and adult female of Zavrelia aristata sp. n., Zavrelia hudsoni sp. n., Zavrelia pentatoma Kieffer & Bause and Zavrelia sinica sp. n.; pupa and adult male of Zavrelia casasi sp. n.; and adult males of Zavrelia clinovolsella Guo & Wang and Zavrelia tusimatijea (Sasa & Suzuki). Zavrelia atrofasciata Kieffer and Stempellina paludosa Goetghebuer are proposed as new junior synonyms of Zavrelia pentatoma and lectotypes of Zavrelia nigritula, Zavrelia pentatoma and Stempellina paludosa are designated.
Analyzing the earthquake catalogue of the Upper Egypt area since 1982 revealed some char acteristics of the seismic activity in the area. Construction of a seismicity map according to the seismicity level in the Upper Egypt showed 14 seismic zones and that the seismic activity is intense around the stra it of the Gulf of Suez, along the Red Sea axis, Abu Dabbab and Aswan area. While the detailed study of Aswan zone showed 8 distinct sub-seismic zones and that the activity is concentrated in and around Gable Marawa area. The b-value was calculated for each seismic zone; it is found that the highest value is in Abu Dabbab area followed by Aswan area. A seismic energy rele ased map of the Upper Egypt was constructed for the period from 1982 to 2006; the map reveals the main active zones with high energy values. The study gives new insight for a better understanding of the seismic activity in the Upper Egypt and helps in the seismic hazard assessment., Haggag Hamed Mohamed, Gaber Hassan Hassib, Sayed Abdalah Dahy and Ezzat Mohamed El-Amin., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
The species of the genus Tiarodes Burmeister from China are reviewed. Three species are recognized, described or redescribed, illustrated and keyed. T. venenatus Cai et Sun and T. pictus Cai et Tomokuni are described as new species. The T. versicolor (Laporte) previously reported from China by Hua is in fact T. salvazai Miller.