Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of Aplectana Duttaphryni Sou, Sow and Nandi, 2014 from A New Frog Host, Fejervarya limnocharis in West Bengal

Aplectana duttaphryni Sou, Sow and Nandi, 2014 was first reported in Kulti, Asansol coal-mine region, West Bengal from a toad, Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1899) only using light microscope. Present article describes, A. duttaphryni in details collected from the rectum of an anuran frog, Fejervarya limnocharis (Gravenhorst, 1829) in Birbhum district, West Bengal. Aplectana duttaphryni is reported for the first time from Birbhum district, West Bengal. The parasites identified by its lanceolate shaped gubernaculum, presence of 1 pair of similar and equal spicules and also with the presence of 3 pairs of preanal papillae, 2 pairs of adanal papillae, 13 pairs of postanal papillae and single papillae on the upper lip of anus. In the present study, Birbhum district recorded as new geographical locality and F. limnocharis recorded as a new host.

Morphology and molecular analysis ofOncicola venezuelensis(Acanthocephala: Oligacanthorhynchidae) from the ocelotLeopardus pardalisin Brazil

Oncicola venezuelensisMarteau, 1977 was found parasitizing adults ofLeopardus pardalis(Linnaeus) found dead in Serra da Capivara National Park, Piauí state, Brazil, a new geographical locality reported for the species. The diversity ofOncicolaTravassos, 1916 species is large, but genetic data are scarce. This article presents the results of genetic, morphological and ultrastructural studies carried out for taxonomic purposes. The first ultrastructural view showed a globular, short proboscis with 36 hooks, divided into six longitudinal rows of six hooks each. Hooks differ in size and shape: hooks I, II and III have a ‘chisel-shaped’ tip. The genetic profile included new sequences of ribosomal DNA ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2, and partial 28S rRNA regions. The results of maximum-likelihood tree analyses for each region showed Oligacanthorhynchidae Southwell et Macfie, 1925 close to Gigantorhynchidae Hamann, 1892 (supported >91%). Both use mammals and birds as definitive hosts. Morphological and ultrastructural studies combined with genetic analysis shed more light on the diversity ofOncicolaspecies.

A serological survey of antibodies to Leptospira species in dogs in South Africa

Leptospirosis, a disease more common in the tropics, can cause a life-threatening multisystemic syndrome in humans and animals. Immunity, whether natural or vaccine-induced, is serogroup-specific with the infecting serovars varying according to geographical locality. In South Africa, in spite of the fact that the bacterin vaccine for some Leptospira serovars is often used, there is no recent information on the incidence of canine leptospirosis as well as the infecting serovar/s. The aim of this study, which was undertaken on sera collected in 2008 and 2009 from both strays and owned dogs predominantly in the coastal regions of South Africa, was to determine the presence of leptospiral antibodies to 15 serovars known to infect dogs. Of the 530 samples tested, 25 tested positive to 7 different serovars with the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Nine of the 25 samples tested positive to more than one serovar. The 2 serovars most frequently represented were Canicola, which reacted to 17 sera, and Pyrogenes, which reacted to 10 sera. Currently the only vaccines available in South Africa in different combinations contain serovars Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona and Grippotyphosa. The results showed that the use of vaccines containing serovar Canicola is still justifiable in certain regions of the country. However, the presence of antibodies to serovar Pyrogenes in several dogs, pending a broader investigation, indicates that this serovar should also be included in the range of Leptospira vaccines for use in South Africa.

Types of agricultural enterprises in the high production region in Slovakia (sample area of the Nitra district)

: First part of the paper assesses the physical-geographical locality factors of the agricultural production in the district of Nitra. Agricultural production in a typical high production region has been analysed (structure of the enterprises legal forms, focus of production, number of employees). The second part examines the types of the most important agricultural enterprises according to the selected economic indicators such as economic efficiency, labour productivity and relative employment. These indicators are the best ones to express the economic power of agricultural entities and farming efficiency.

Syngraph: An application for graphic display and interactive use of synonym lists

Multiple names that refer to a single species (synonyms) and more than one species being referred to by the same name (homonyms) bedevil taxonomy. They produce ambiguity about the entity under discussion. Syngraph is a computer application that organizes information about synonyms and homonyms. It can track different names that potentially have been applied to the same species, or identical names that have been applied to different species. It can create a list of synonyms in conventional format for use in publication, as for a taxonomic monograph. It can also display and print names so they are linked, thereby providing information on the conceptual basis of a name and the action taken in a publication. In the display, each name is imposed on a color-coded rectangle; all names on rectangles of the same color refer to records that stem from a single description. This allows quick visualization of the taxonomic history. When linked to a geographical information system application, the color can be used for points plotted on a map that displays the geographical locality of specimens referred to in each record. This visualization of the geographic distribution of the nominal species can provide tests of the hypothesis that the names are, indeed, synonyms. Syngraph is available for download; help files accompany the executable files.

New species of Bairdioidea (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from the Southern Ocean anddiscussions on Bairdoppilata simplex (Brady, 1880), ?Bairdoppilata labiata(Müller, 1908) and Bythopussella aculeata (Müller, 1908)

Only a few bairdioid species were reported from the high Antarctic region of the Southern Ocean. One of these species is the supposedly widely distributed Bairdoppilata simplex (Brady, 1880). The re-study of material previously identified as Bairdoppilata simplex (Brady, 1880) indicates that these specimens should be assigned to several different species. On the basis of the specimens studied herein and of published illustrations it is possible to conclude that more than ten species are represented in the material that has been misidentified under this name, seven of these species were re-studied and are illustrated herein. One of them, Bairdoppilata labiata (Müller, 1908), previously considered a junior synonym of B. simplex, is herein considered a valid taxon and its lectotype is designated. Additionally, in the present publication 82 bairdioid live specimens and 585 valves collected from depths of 1123 to 4932m during the ANDEEP Project in the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean were studied. Seven new species are described—?Neonesidea keyseri sp. nov., Bythocypris praerenis sp. nov., Bythocypris malyutinae sp. nov., Bythocypris polarsterni sp. nov., Bythocypris richarddinglei sp. nov., Bythocypris weddellensis sp. nov., Bythopussella brandtae sp. nov. A new combination is suggested to the bathyal species Bythopussella microguttata (Whatley et al., 1998b) n. comb. (previously described in the genus Bairdoppilata). Statistical analyses (MDS, ANOSIM, BEST_BIOENV, and Cluster) show clear relationships among the bairdioid assemblages and the depth and geographical locality where samples were collected.