A novel dicistrovirus in a captive red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

2021 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akbar Dastjerdi ◽  
David J. Everest ◽  
Hannah Davies ◽  
Daniela Denk ◽  
Roland Zell
Keyword(s):  
Genome Organization ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Particle Morphology ◽  
Intestinal Content ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Sciurus Vulgaris ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
The Family ◽  
Generation Sequencing

Dicistroviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses in the family Dicistroviridae. The viruses have mainly been detected in arthropods and are the cause of several devastating diseases in many of these species such as honeybees. Increasingly, dicistroviruses have also been detected in both mammalian and avian species in faeces, blood and liver, but with unconfirmed pathology. Here, we report a novel dicistrovirus detected in the intestinal content of a captive red squirrel with enteritis along with the disease history, pathology and genomic characterisation of the virus. Virus particle morphology resembled those of picornaviruses with a diameter of 28–32 nm but failed to be detected using a mammalian/avian pan viral microarray. Next-generation sequencing confirmed a dicistrovirus having a typical dicistrovirus genome organization, but with the polyprotein 1 being shorter by about 100 amino acids, compared to that of other dicistroviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of ORF1 and ORF2 sequences clustered the virus with two yet unassigned dicistroviruses detected in Gorilla gorilla and a freshwater arthropod and likely to be designated to a new genus. Our data further highlights the ever-growing diversity of dicistroviruses, but the clinical significance of the virus in mammalian species and particularly red squirrels has yet to be established.

scholarly journals The spinal nerves that constitute the brachial plexus in the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

2011 ◽  
Vol 56 (No. 8) ◽  
pp. 405-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Brachial Plexus ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Sciurus Vulgaris ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
Spinal Nerves

The brachial plexus in adult red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) was found to be formed by the rami ventralis of C5, C6, C7, C8. A thin branch of C5 and C6 constituted the cranial trunk, and the caudal trunk was formed completely by the rami ventralis of C7 and C8. Thus, in squirrels, the spinal nerves which form the brachial plexus and the joining of these spinal nerves to each other differ from other rodents and mammals.

scholarly journals Arenavirus Coinfections Are Common in Snakes with Boid Inclusion Body Disease

2015 ◽  
Vol 89 (16) ◽  
pp. 8657-8660 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Hepojoki ◽  
P. Salmenperä ◽  
T. Sironen ◽  
U. Hetzel ◽  
Y. Korzyukov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Next Generation Sequencing ◽  
Inclusion Body ◽  
New Genus ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Sequence Assembly ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Family ◽  
Inclusion Body Disease ◽  
Generation Sequencing

Recently, novel arenaviruses were found in snakes with boid inclusion body disease (BIBD); these form the new genusReptarenaviruswithin the familyArenaviridae. We used next-generation sequencing andde novosequence assembly to investigate reptarenavirus isolates from our previous study. Four of the six isolates and all of the samples from snakes with BIBD contained at least two reptarenavirus species. The viruses sequenced comprise four novel reptarenavirus species and a representative of a new arenavirus genus.

scholarly journals Population fragmentation leads to morpho-functional variation in British red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip G. Cox ◽  
Philip J.R. Morris ◽  
Andrew C. Kitchener
Keyword(s):  
Functional Divergence ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Population Fragmentation ◽  
Sciurus Vulgaris ◽  
Functional Variation ◽  
Linear Measurements ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
The Uk

AbstractIt is well-known that population fragmentation and isolation can lead to rapid morphological and functional divergence, with the effect being particularly well-documented in rodents. Here, we investigated whether such a phenomenon could be identified in the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), which was once widespread across the majority of Great Britain, but suffered a severe population decline across the 20th century, leaving a highly fragmented distribution. The aim was to test for morphological and biomechanical variation of the mandible between the remaining British red squirrel populations. Linear and geometric morphometric methods were used to analyse shape in a sample of over 250 squirrel mandibles from across the UK and Germany. Canonical variates analysis identified significant shape differences between most British red squirrel populations, but particularly between squirrels from Formby and those from other populations. Linear measurements showed that Formby red squirrels have a significantly lower mechanical advantage of the temporalis muscle, indicating that they are less efficient at gnawing. We suggest that this difference may be related to past supplemental feeding of Formby squirrels with peanuts, which are less mechanically resistant than food items that occur naturally in the diet of British red squirrels.

scholarly journals Common Occurrence of Belerina Virus, a Novel Paramyxovirus Found in Belgian Hedgehogs

Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Bert Vanmechelen ◽  
Valentijn Vergote ◽  
Michelle Merino ◽  
Piet Maes
Keyword(s):  
Genome Organization ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Zoonotic Potential ◽  
Wide Spread ◽  
Common Occurrence ◽  
The North ◽  
The Family ◽  
A New Species

European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), also known as common hedgehogs, can be found all throughout Western Europe, including the Iberian Peninsula and Italy on the south side and Scandinavia in the north. Hedgehogs are known to carry a variety of bacterial and fungal pathogens, as well as viruses, the pathological and zoonotic potential of which is not yet fully elucidated. Here, we report the discovery of a novel paramyxovirus, named Belerina virus, in Belgian hedgehogs. Based on its divergence from other known paramyxovirus species, Belerina virus is thought to represent a new species in the family Paramyxoviridae. Phylogenetic analysis groups Belerina virus together with members of the genus Jeilongvirus, although its genome organization is most similar to that of several as yet unclassified bat viruses. Because of several dissimilarities with other Jeilongviruses, these bat viruses have been proposed to represent a new genus, tentatively called “Shaanvirus”. Out of 147 animals screened in this study, 57 tested positive for Belerina virus (39%), indicating the wide spread of this virus throughout the Belgian hedgehog population, although the virus’ pathogenic and zoonotic potential remains to be elucidated. In summary, we present here the complete genome sequence of Belerina virus, a putative new paramyxovirus species commonly found in Belgian hedgehogs.

scholarly journals Consumption of Truffles and other Fungi by the American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) and the Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) (Sciuridae) in Northwestern Ontario

2013 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelin N. Teron ◽  
Leonard J. Hutchison
Keyword(s):  
Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
Tamias Striatus ◽  
Eastern Chipmunk ◽  
Northwestern Ontario ◽  
Thunder Bay ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
The Family ◽  
Fungal Tissue

Faecal matter collected from the American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) and the Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) on the campus of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, was examined for the presence of consumed fungal tissue. A total of 14 faecal samples were collected from live-trapped animals over six trapping periods (19 June to 25 September 2010). Eight samples contained intact remains of spores representative of hypogeous truffle fungi found in the genera Elaphomyces, Gautieria, Hymenogaster, Hysterangium, and Leucangium, as well as spores of epigeous mushrooms found in the orders Boletales and Pezizales and possibly in the family Tricholomataceae of the Agaricales. The results of this brief survey suggest not only the importance of mycophagy in the diet of American Red Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunks in the boreal mixed wood forests of northwestern Ontario but also the important role played by sciurids in vectoring spores of truffle fungi in this region.

scholarly journals Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis with Bartonella washoensis in a Human European Patient and Its Detection in Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris)

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Friederike D. von Loewenich ◽  
Christof Seckert ◽  
Elke Dauber ◽  
Marja J. L. Kik ◽  
Ankje de Vries ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prosthetic Valve ◽  
Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis ◽  
Housekeeping Genes ◽  
Housekeeping Gene ◽  
Reservoir Host ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Sciurus Vulgaris ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Members of the genus Bartonella are fastidious Gram-negative facultative intracellular bacteria that are typically transmitted by arthropod vectors. Several Bartonella spp. have been found to cause culture-negative endocarditis in humans. Here, we report the case of a 75-year-old German woman with prosthetic valve endocarditis due to Bartonella washoensis. The infecting agent was characterized by sequencing of six housekeeping genes (16S rRNA, ftsZ, gltA, groEL, ribC, and rpoB), applying a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) approach. The 5,097 bp of the concatenated housekeeping gene sequence from the patient were 99.0% identical to a sequence from a B. washoensis strain isolated from a red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris orientis) from China. A total of 39% (24/62) of red squirrel (S. vulgaris) samples from the Netherlands were positive for the B. washoensis gltA gene variant detected in the patient. This suggests that the red squirrel is the reservoir host for human infection in Europe.

scholarly journals Discovery of Negative-Sense RNA Viruses in Trees Infected with Apple Rubbery Wood Disease by Next-Generation Sequencing

Plant Disease ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 102 (7) ◽  
pp. 1254-1263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Rott ◽  
Prasad Kesanakurti ◽  
Constanze Berwarth ◽  
Heidi Rast ◽  
Ian Boyes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Next Generation Sequencing ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Fruit Trees ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
The Family ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Next Generation Sequencing Ngs ◽  
Negative Sense ◽  
Generation Sequencing

Apple rubbery wood is a disease of apple found around the world, often associated with Apple flat limb disease, and regulated in many countries. Despite its long history in apple cultivation, the disease’s causal agent has remained elusive. In this study, next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to identify and characterize several related novel viral agents from apple rubbery wood-infected plants, which have been named Apple rubbery wood virus (ARWV) 1 and 2. Additional specimens with apple rubbery wood disease tested positive by polymerase chain reaction with primers designed to ARWV 1 and 2 genomic RNA segments. In an NGS-based screening of over 100 Malus and 100 Prunus specimens from a collection of virus-infected trees, only one Malus specimen was found to be infected with ARWV not known to be infected with the disease, which strongly suggests that ARWV is not commonly found in Malus spp. or other fruit trees. The two viruses are most closely related to members of the order Bunyavirales. Three RNA segments (large, medium, and small) were characterized and the viruses likely represent a new genus under the family Phenuiviridae, with a suggested name of Rubodvirus (Rubbery wood virus).

Is coat-colour polymorphism in Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris L.) adaptive?

Mammalia ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luc A. Wauters ◽  
Massimiliano Zaninetti ◽  
Guido Tosi ◽  
Sandro Bertolino
Keyword(s):  
Coat Colour ◽  
Colour Polymorphism ◽  
Red Squirrel ◽  
Sciurus Vulgaris ◽  
Red Squirrels

Coat-colour polymorphism, the relative frequencies of red, brown and black fur-morphs, was examined in nine populations of the Eurasian red squirrel (

Paralypusa, a new genus of the family Lypusidae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) from China

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-172
Author(s):  
A.L. Lvovsky
Keyword(s):  
New Genus ◽  
Monotypic Genus ◽  
Transitional State ◽  
The Family

A new eastern-palaearctic monotypic genus of the gelechioid moths, Paralypusa gen. nov., is established for the Chinese species Paralypusa chinensis (Lvovsky, 2010), comb. nov. This genus is considered closely related to Lypusa Zeller, 1852 on the base of several synapomorphies. However Paralypusa also shares some features with the genera Pseudatemelia Rebel, 1910 and Amphisbatis Zeller, 1870. Its transitional state confirms the belonging of all the aforementioned genera to one family and synonymy of the Lypusidae Herrich-Schäffer, 1857 and Amphisbatidae Spuler, 1910 (Nieukerken et al., 2011).

Hepatozoon in Eurasian red squirrels Sciurus vulgaris, its taxonomic identity, and phylogenetic placement

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Modrý ◽  
Lada Hofmannová ◽  
Petr Papežík ◽  
Karolina Majerová ◽  
Jan Votýpka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sciurus Vulgaris ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
Phylogenetic Placement
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