Acanthaster coral predator density in the Pulau Dua area, Aceh Selatan

The crown of thorns starfish is one of the main threats to damage to coral reefs worldwide. Research on Acanthaster coral predator density in the Pulau Dua area, South Aceh district, has been carried out in March 2021, using the Line Intercept Transect (LIT) method. The results showed that the density Acanthaster planci obtained 42 individuals/12.000m2 with natural criteria. Corals fractures can support the life of Acanthaster planci substrate conditions dominated by coral fractures. It can also grow thread algae (Coraline) and encrusting algae, which will then be eaten by Acanthaster planci which are still in the larval stage. This research concludes that the density of Acanthaster planci obtained is still in the natural category with coral reef conditions including good criteria.

Effect of Some Drugs on the Viability of the Protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus (Batch, 1876) in Vitro

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of a number of drugs on the viability of primary protoscolices isolated from sheep infected with the larval stage of E. granulosus. These drugs included Oxfendazole (OFZ) at a concentration of 0.05 mg/ml, mixed with Praziquantel (PZQ) at a concentration of 4 mg/ml and Albendazole (ABZ) at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. The results showed that OFZ was the most effective in influencing the viability of the protoscolices. The percentage of killing after five minutes of treatment was 85.63% and it was 17.21%, 15.10% and 13.09% for OFZ+ABZ, OFZ+PZQ and ABZ+PZQ, respectively. After 30 minutes, the killing percentage was 99.04%, 71.63%, 40.19% and 31.09%, respectively. The percentage of killing reached 100% after 35 minutes, 40 minutes, 2 hours and 3 hours, respectively. The results confirm the use of OFZ as a lethal drug, or a viability-suppressant for protoscolices in the future, after conducting more researches to know the side effects of this drug in laboratory animals for access to the best treatment to those infected with hydatid cysts.

First record of Cyrnus crenaticornis (Kolenati, 1859) (Insecta, Trichoptera, Polycentropodidae) in Croatia: morphological determination and DNA barcoding

The caddisfly species Cyrnus crenaticornis (Kolenati, 1859) was recorded for the first time in Croatia in the Odra River during August 2015. The record refers to a larval stage which was determined according to morphological characteristics and supported by DNA barcoding.

­Redescription of Panonychus caglei Mellott, 1968, with ontogenetic development (Acari: Tetranychidae)

A redescription of the adult stages of Panonychus caglei Mellott, 1968 (Acari: Tetranychidae), is presented based on new material collected from Japan, and type specimens (holotype and paratypes). Morphological differences in the setation of legs have been reported and measurements of taxonomic characters are added. We also have described the ontogenetic development of the juvenile stages. The ventral idiosomal chaetotaxy in larval stage lacks pregenital and genital setae which are added consecutively through development. The pregenital pair of setae appears in the protonymphs while the first pair of genital setae is firstly observed in the deutonymphal stage.

ACCUMULATION OF SOME HEAVY METALS IN LARVAE OF CONTRACAECUM SP. AND THEIR HOST TIGRIS CATFISH SILURUS TRIOSTEGUS HECKEL, 1843 IN BAGHDAD, IRAQ

This study was achieved to investigate the accumulation of some heavy metals included: Cadmium, Lead and Nickel in the tissues (gill, intestine, liver, muscles and skin) of Silurus triostegus Heckel, 1843 (Siluriformes, Siluridae) and its larval stage of the nematode Contracaecum sp. (Rhabditida, Anisakidae). As well as to assess the infection patterns of Contracaecum among S. triostegus specimens which were purchased fresh from the local market in Baghdad. One hundred and nine nematodes specimens in larval stage were recovered from the fish host; the overall prevalence of Contracaecum sp. was 38.6%. The sex of the host was not significantly (P ˃ 0.05) associated with the infection of this nematode. Results showed that the overall mean intensity of Contracaecum sp. was 6.41; mean intensity did not differ significantly (P ˃ 0.05) between the fish sexes.The lead (Pb) was the only element detected in all fish tissues investigated as well as in the parasite, while the cadmium and nickel elements were not detected in all specimens. Skin and muscles of the fish, as well the parasite Contracaecum sp. contained the lowest lead levels compared to other fish tissues (gill, intestine and liver), although no significant differences were noticed among all investigated tissues and the parasite regarding the concentration of Pb.

MORPHOLOGY AND MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF THE LARVAL STAGE OF TWO SPECIES FROM THE GENUS CHRYSOBOTHRIS ESCHSCHOLTZ, 1829 (COLEOPTERA, BUPRESTIDAE)

The genus of Chrysobothris Eschscholtz, 1829 is one of the most diverse and widespread genera of the family Buprestidae of some 700 described species distributed throughout the world. In Iraq, particularly in the Kurdistan region, about 4 species had been recorded so far, many of these species are sympatric, share larval host plants, and are difficult to reliably separate morphologically. The current study investigates species limits and relationships among the recognized species occurring within the Erbil Province; mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase (COX I) molecular analysis confirmed the monophyly of two Chrysobothris species, Ch. affinis (Fabricius, 1794) and Ch. chrysostigma (Linnaeus, 1758). Implications of the resultant larval morphology and molecular techniques are discussed. Diagnostic characteristics that are depended to identifying the species within Chrysobothris in larval stage were illustrated and then compared with the molecular data.

Cercarial Dermatitis in Schleswig-Holstein Distribution of Cercariae in Public Swimming Lakes

Cercarial dermatitis is a neglected zoonotic disease with distribution all over the world’s temperate zones. It is caused by cercariae, a larval stage of parasitic blood flukes of the genus Trichobilharzia that is a parasite of waterfowl. When cercariae burry into human skin, they trigger an allergic reaction that leads to severely itching papules. Goal of this research was to get an overview over the distribution of cercariae in the bathing places of Schleswig-Holstein, the most northern state of Germany. Therefore, all public bathing places were visited and searched for fresh water snails that are the potential intermediate hosts of cercariae. Water snails of different families and genera were collected and examined for the presence of cercariae. Water samples were taken and examined for cercariae via a microscope. Additionally slime samples of the water snails were taken to test a new, time saving method of detection. In total 8 different kinds of water snails were collected and examined, of which the families of Lymnaeidae and Planorbidae proved to be the most common hosts of cercariae. In total, the results indicate a spatial distribution of cercariae shedding snails all over Schleswig-Holstein.

Description of the final instar larva of Anisocentropus diana Malicky & Chantaramongkol 1994 (Trichoptera: Calamoceratidae) in Thailand

The last instar larval stage of a Southeast Asian species Anisocentropus diana Malicky & Chantaramongkol 1994 (Trichoptera: Calamoceratidae) is described and illustrated based on Thai specimens. The larva of A. diana is different from known larvae of the other East Asian species A. kawamurai (Iwata) and A. magnificus (Ulmer) in its reddish-brown head without any patterns, the head’s large ventral apotome, and the abdominal gill arrangement.

Studies on the Frequency of Attack Produced by Obolodiplosis robiniae Haldeman in Black Locust Trees from Landscaped Spaces of Cluj-Napoca

Obolodiplosis robiniae Haldeman (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is a monophagous species, the host plants being species of the genus Robinia. The species is native to the U.S.A., and in Europe, it was first reported in Italy, in 2003, from where it spread to all European countries. In Romania, it was reported in 2007. The attack of this species is produced by the larval stage and manifests leaves. After hatching, the endophytic and gregarious larvae cause changes in the parenchyma structure that lead to the appearance of characteristic galls located at the edge of the leaflet and rolled towards its lower part. In 2021, we monitored the frequency of attacked acacia leaves, the number of galls reported on a leaflet and the number of larvae in a gala in two locations in Cluj-Napoca: on the acacias in the Central Park of the city and on the acacias in some street alignments. In the case of acacias in Central Park, the frequency of attacked fruits was 15%, and in the case of acacias in the alignment, 7%. On the 50 attacked leaves taken from Central Park, there were 932 leaflets, of which 40% are with galls, and the leaves on the alignment had 1010 leaflets, of which 19.2% are with galls. The number of galas/leaflets was between 1 and 5 galas in Central Park, and on alignments between 1 and 4 galas. In both locations, most of the leaflets were with a single gala. The maximum larvae/gala was five specimens in Central Park and three larvae on the leaflets on the alignment.

Die Stammgruppe der Fächerflügler (Insecta, Strepsiptera)

Die Fächerflügler (Strepsiptera) sind mit nur ca. 600 beschriebenen rezenten Arten eine kleine, parasitische Gruppe der holometabolen Insekten. Fossilfunde sind selten, aber in den letzten Jahren hat sich die Kenntnis der Stammgruppe der Strepsiptera durch die Entdeckung gut erhaltener Arten aus kreidezeitlichem burmesischem Bernstein und eozänem baltischen Bernstein stark vermehrt. Bis auf ganz wenige Ausnahmen, wie eine fossile Primärlarve aus burmesischem Bernstein und ein spätes weibliches Larvenstadium der †Mengeidae aus baltischem Bernstein, sind nur Männchen bekannt. Diese Bernsteinfossilien haben wesentlich zum Verständnis der Evolution der Strepsiptera im späten Mesozoikum und Känozoikum beigetragen. Die Stammgruppenvertreter der Fächerflügler werden vorgestellt und in einen evolutiven Kontext eingeordnet. The stem-group of the twisted-winged parasites (Insecta, Strepsiptera) Abstract: With only about 600 described extant species, the twisted-winged parasites (Strepsiptera) are a small, parasitic group of holometabolous insects. Fossil records of Strepsiptera are rare, but in the last years the knowledge of the stem group has greatly increased with the discovery of well-preserved species from Cretaceous Burmese amber and Eocene Baltic amber. With very few exceptions, such as a fossil primary larva from Burmese amber and a late female larval stage of the †Mengeidae from Baltic amber, only males are known. These amber fossils have greatly contributed to the understanding of the evolution of Strepsiptera in the late Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The stem group representatives of the twisted-winged parasites are described and placed in an evolutionary context.