Estimating the spatial dispersion of pest arthropods is crucial for the development of reliable sampling programs and one of the main components of integrated pest management. The natural spatial distribution of a population of a species may be random, uniform, or aggregated and can be so classified based on calculation of variance to mean relations and related dispersion indices. In this work some classical density-invariant dispersion indices and related regression models are used for the first time to quantify the spatial dispersion of an important peach pest Anarsia lineatella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and construct fixed precision sequential sampling schemes. Taylor's power law, Iwao's patchiness regression and Nachman's model were used to analyse the damage to peaches caused by A. lineatella. All three regression models fit the data well, although the results indicate that Iwao's patchiness model provides a better description of the relationship between variance and mean density. Taylor's b and Iwao's b regression indices were both significantly smaller than 1, indicating that the distribution of individuals was uniform rather than random or aggregated. According to Green's and Kuno's models, the minimum sample size at the precision level of 0.2 varies from 3 samples, when total population density is more than 3 larvae/sample, to 10 samples, when population density is between 1 and 2 larvae/sample. Kuno's fixed sampling plan indicates that a small number of samples (i.e., 3-10 branches with fruit) is sufficient to estimate the mean population density of A. lineatella larvae with a precision of 0.2. The Resampling for validation of sampling plans (RVSP) method confirmed that the average level of precision of the fixed sequential plans matched the desired precision in most cases. The sampling plan presented here provides a level understanding of A. lineatella spatial ecology suitable for pest manage, Petros Damos., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The research was aimed at examining 230 skulls and mandibles (113 males and 117 females) of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. The object of the study was macroscopic evaluation of dental and periodontal pathologies, including changes in the structure of the skull and mandible. The most common teeth pathology was indicated to be hypodontia 13.27% in males and 5.98% in females (excluding M3 molar tooth). The hypodontia of the M3 was found to be common in males 6.19% and 7.69% in females. The findings of the research reveal that pathologies such as hyperdontia, dental fractures, enamel hypoplasia, abrasion, periodontitis stage 3 and stage 4 were less common: 1-4% in both males and females. In four skulls and mandibles of females a complex of severe pathologies of teeth and periodontium were found. There were no similar cases observed in males. This was the only significant difference between males and females. Other pathologies, including fractures of the skull or mandible, atypical form of foramen magnum, and changes in bone structure were rare overall, though slightly more common in males but not significantly.
Dental composite materials often contain monomers with bisphenol A (BPA) structure in their molecules, e.g. bisphenol-A glycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-GMA). In this study, it was examined whether dental restorative composites could be a low-dose source of BPA or alternative bisphenols, which are known to have endocrine-disrupting effects. Bis-GMA-containing composites Charisma Classic (CC) and Filtek Ultimate Universal Restorative (FU) and “BPA-free” Charisma Diamond (CD) and Admira Fusion (AF) were examined. Specimens (diameter 6 mm, height 2 mm, n=5) were light-cured from one side for 20 s and stored at 37 °C in methanol which was periodically changed over 130 days to determine the kinetics of BPA release. BPA concentrations were measured using a dansyl chloride derivatization method with liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry detection. The amounts of BPA were expressed in nanograms per gram of composite (ng/g). BPA release from Bis-GMA-containing CC and FU was significantly higher compared to “BPA-free” CD and AF. The highest 1-day release was detected with FU (15.4±0.8 ng/g), followed by CC (9.1±1.1 ng/g), AF (2.1±1.3 ng/g), and CD (1.6±0.8 ng/g), and the release gradually decreased over the examined period. Detected values were several orders of magnitude below the tolerable daily intake (4 µg/kg body weight/day). Alternative bisphenols were not detected. BPA was released even from “BPA-free” composites, although in significantly lower amounts than from Bis-GMA-containing composites. Despite incubation in methanol, detected amounts of BPA were substantially lower than current limits suggesting that dental composites should not pose a health risk if adequately polymerized., Markéta Šimková, Antonín Tichý, Michaela Dušková, Pavel Bradna., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In our earlier works, we have identified rate-limiting steps in the dark-to-light transition of PSII. By measuring chlorophyll a fluorescence transients elicited by single-turnover saturating flashes (STSFs) we have shown that in diuron-treated samples an STSF generates only F1 (< Fm) fluorescence level, and to produce the maximum (Fm) level, additional excitations are required, which, however, can only be effective if sufficiently long Δτ waiting times are allowed between the excitations. Biological variations in the half-rise time (Δτ1/2) of the fluorescence increment suggest that it may be sensitive to the physicochemical environment of PSII. Here, we investigated the influence of the lipidic environment on Δτ1/2 of PSII core complexes of Thermosynechococcus vulcanus. We found that while non-native lipids had no noticeable effects, thylakoid membrane lipids considerably shortened the Δτ1/2, from ~ 1 ms to ~ 0.2 ms. The importance of the presence of native lipids was confirmed by obtaining similarly short Δτ1/2 values in the whole T. vulcanus cells and isolated pea thylakoid membranes. Minor, lipid-dependent reorganizations were also observed by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements. These data show that the processes beyond the dark-to-light transition of PSII depend significantly on the lipid matrix of the reaction center.
This note aims to put on record a hitherto unreported function of caterpillar setae supplementary to those already known. When woolly bear caterpillars of the moth Lemyra imparilis (Butler) have their body hairs removed and are dropped into a bucket of water from a height of 30 cm, they sink immediately. Caterpillars, however, with an intact coat of hairs usually float. This hitherto unreported role of caterpillar setae as life-rafts should depend on a high contact angle θe, and thus on the position, density and dimensions of the hairs. An SEM examination of the surface structure of the setae revealed a system of fine grooves and small distally pointing barbs on the hair shaft, which can trap air to support the weight of the insect. Insect setae generally and body hairs of caterpillars in particular are known to possess many functions, but a role as life-rafts for caterpillars in danger of drowning can now be added to the list of possible uses of body hairs., V. Benno Meyer-Rochow., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The lung-dwelling nematode Rhabdias engelbrechti sp. n. was found in five of eight examined banded rubber frogs in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The species is differentiated from species of Rhabdias Stiles et Hassall, 1905 occurring in the Afrotropical Realm based on the presence of a globular cuticular inflation at the anterior end, the buccal capsule walls being distinctly divided into anterior and posterior parts, the buccal capsule size (6-9 μm × 16-18 μm), and the body length (3.8-6.1 mm). Rhabdias engelbrechti is the tenth species of the genus found in Afrotropical anurans. Our molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the complete sequences of the ITS region and partial sequences of large subunit (28S) gene of the nuclear ribosomal RNA demonstrates that the new species is more closely related to the Eurasian species Rhabdias bufonis (Schrank, 1788) than to two other species from sub-Saharan Africa represented in the tree. In addition, partial sequences of the mitochondrial protein coding cox1 and ribosomal 12S genes of the new species have shown significant differences from all previously published sequences of these genes from African species of Rhabdias., Yuriy Kuzmin, Ali Halajian, Sareh Tavakol, Wilmien J. Luus-Powell, Vasyl V. Tkach., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Acanthocephalus balkanicus Batchvarov et Combes, 1974 was incompletely described from the northern crested newt, Triturus cristatus (Laurenti) (Amphibia: Salamandridae), a possible synonym of the Balkan crested newt, Triturus ivanbureschi Arntzen et Wielstra, from a pond in village of Pesnopoy, southern Bulgaria. We provide a full description of adult males and females of the same taxon from the olm, Proteus anguinus Laurenti (Amphibia: Proteidae), the only exclusively aquatic cave-dwelling vertebrate in Europe, captured in Postojna-Planina Cave System in Slovenia. Cystacanths were also collected from the cave ecomorph of Asellus aquaticus (Linnaeus) (Crustacea: Asellidae) in the same location. Molecular analysis of specimens from Slovenia revealed that they are genetically almost identical to those of Acanthocephalus anguillae (Müller, 1780), a common parasite of European freshwater fishes. We propose to recognise the morphological and host differences by describing A. balkanicus as a new subspecies of A. anguillae. Acanthocephalus anguillae balkanicus is rather small and cylindrical with cylindrical proboscis having 10 rows of 6 hooks with simple roots each, long neck, large balloon-shaped lemnisci, small spherical anterior testis, and 6 club-shaped cement glands in 3 pairs. SEM images reveal more morphological details and the X-ray scans of gallium cut hooks shows considerably higher levels of phosphorus and calcium in adult hooks than in cystacanth hooks, especially in basal areas. Sulfur levels were higher in the arch and basal area of cystacanth hooks than adult hooks. Considering that both definitive and intermediate hosts of the Slovenian population of this acanthocephalan are bound to cave life, it is possible that its entire life cycle is uniquely completed underground.
Examinations of nematodes collected from some marine fishes off the southwestern coast of Java, Indonesia in 2000 and 2001 revealed the presence of the following six species: ascaridoids Ichthyascaris grandis sp. n. from the intestine of Lophiomus setigerus (Vahl), I. cf. longispicula Li, Liu, Liu et Zhang, 2012 from the intestine of Conger cinereus Rüppel, Ichthyascaris sp. from the body cavity of Lobotes surinamensis (Bloch), and Raphidascaroides halieutaeae Yin, 1983 from the intestine of Halieutaea stellata (Vahl), and philometrids Philometra ivaschkini Parukhin, 1976 from the stomach wall of Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus and P. psettoditis Moravec, Walter et Yuniar, 2012 from the body cavity (liver) of Psettodes erumei (Bloch et Schneider). Descriptions of these nematodes based on light and scanning electron microscopical studies are provided. The new species I. grandis sp. n. is mainly characterised by large body measurements (males and females up to 41.8 mm and 73.6 mm long, respectively), the length of spicules (0.99-1.05 mm), the tail tip usually without rudimentary spines and by the presence of 44-53 pairs of caudal papillae, eight to twelve of which being postanals. In addition to new data on the morphology of R. halieutaeae and other nematodes recorded, the 11 species of Raphidascaroides Yamaguti, 1941 poorly described from marine fishes in South Asia and reviewed in the monograph of Sood (2017) are considered species inquirendae and incertae sedis.
The African continent has a rich diversity of fish and amphibians in its inland water systems that serve as hosts for monogeneans of seven genera of the Gyrodactylidae van Beneden et Hesse, 1832. In August 2011, eight gyrodactylid parasites were collected from the gills of two specimens of bulldog, Marcusenius macrolepidotus (Peters), from Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. Morphometric evaluation and sequencing of 18S rDNA confirmed that the specimens represented a species of a new viviparous genus, Tresuncinidactylus wilmienae gen. et sp. n. The attachment apparatus consists of a single pair of large slender hamuli with prominently flattened roots that are connected by a simple, narrow dorsal bar. The ventral bar is small and possesses a thin lingulate membrane but no evident anterolateral processes. There are 16 marginal hooks of one morphological type, but of three different sizes, with large falculate sickles that are proportionaly equal in length to the length of their handles. The two largest pairs of marginal hooks are positioned closest to the opisthaptoral peduncle, the neighbouring two pairs of medium-sized marginal hook sickles are situated along the lateral margins of the opisthaptor. Four pairs of smallest marginal hooks are positioned along the posterior margin of the opisthaptor. The male copulatory organ consists of a muscular pouch armed with approximately 30 gracile spines. Phylogenetic analyses of partial sequences of the 18S rDNA using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference placed the new genus within the lineage of solely African genera and suggests Afrogyrodactylus Paperna, 1968, Citharodactylus Přikrylová, Shinn et Paladini, 2017 and Mormyrogyrodactylus Luus-Powell, Mashego et Khalil, 2003 as genera most closely related to the new genus., Iva Přikrylová, Maxwell Barson, Andrew P. Shinn., and Obsahuje bibliografii
During the years 2019 and 2020, I conducted a bird survey transect in the Bohemian Forest. I did not record any changes in habitat structure or weather conditions between the two years. The two surveys differed in sampling effort, which was significantly lower in 2020 (n = 5 visits) than 2019 (n = 14 visits). I found that sampling effort affected the assessment of avian community diversity but did not affect the total number of individuals recorded. I also recorded a similar pattern in the cumulative number of species between the two breeding seasons, but 80% of species were recorded ten days earlier with the higher sampling effort. In the year with the lower sampling effort, I recorded fewer species than in the year with higher sampling effort. In both study periods, avian community diversity peaked during May and June. These results suggest that even a sampling effort three times lower is still sufficient to detect most species if the minimal number of visits are conducted. The pattern of detectability during the breeding season differed significantly among species. Most species (n = 24) showed a decreasing linear detectability throughout the summer months (e.g. Turdidae or Muscicapidae), most probably due to their breeding activities. In two species (willow tit Poecile montanus and European goldfinch Carduelis carduelis), this linear relationship was reversed, probably due to singing of young birds from the previous breeding season and the effect of the autumn equinox on birdsong activity. Many species (n = 21) did not show any trend and the rest, mainly migratory species, showed non-linear relationships with the peak in the middle of the breeding season. The differences in trends of detectability (i.e. song activity) among bird species are therefore directly linked with their life history.