Diseases of the central nervous system in swine in Southern Brazil

ABSTRACT: Brazil is the fourth largest exporter of pork worldwide, with its production concentrated in the Southern region of the country. To reduce the economic impacts and increase herd health, an efficient diagnosis of diseases is necessary. The frequency, seasonal, and annual distribution of diseases that affecting the swine nervous system in Southern Brazil were determined through a retrospective study conducted from 2008 to 2018. A total of 231 pigs were evaluated, and distributed in the following phases: suckling piglets, nursery, growing, finishing, and adults. Piglets in the nursery phase were the most affected with 58.01%. Infectious diseases accounted for 87.01% (201/231) of lesions in the nervous system. Bacterial meningitis was observed in 58.87% of cases, presenting an endemic distribution, and a propensity to occur in the months of autumn/winter. The highest number of cases of porcine circovirus-2 were observed in 2008 and 2009, with a subsequent decline. Porcine circovirus, salt poisoning, and brain abscesses exhibited no association between the seasonal occurrence and annual distribution. Salt poisoning was observed more frequently in the last years of this study. Both, non-suppurative encephalomyelitis and selenium toxicosis exhibited an association between their occurrence and seasonal distribution in, the months of winter, and summer, respectively.

Konsep Rencana Pengelolaan Berkelanjutan Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)

This paper (in Indonesian) was presented at the Simposium Nasional Pengelolaan Perikanan Ikan Karang Berkelanjutan Indonesia, Bali 25-26 Novermber 2015, a national conference on sustainaable reef fisheries. The paper is published in the Proceedings (pp. 317-334), the full version (> 100 MB) is available at http://bit.ly/ProsidingSimnasIkanKarang. The paper discusses the potential and suggests options for sustainable management of the Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni). This small shallow-water fish, popular in the marine aquarium trade, has an extremely restrictied native (endemic) distribution and is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List. The Banggai cardinalfish is a national priority species for marine and fisheries conservation, a CTI fisheries management target (sustainable ornamental fishery), and (now twice, at the time once) proposed for listing under CITES Appendix II. The paper includes key results from an EAFM (Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries Management) evaluation in 2014 (supported by WWF Indonesia), reviews several initiatives from 2004-2015. The conclusions stress the importance of a holistic approach, in particular attention to habitat and microhabitat conservation and stakeholder engagement.

Türkiye Otbiçen (Opiliones) Faunasının Endemizm Durumu

In this study, the Turkish opilionid fauna is evaluated in terms of endemism and it is aimed that this group reveals the present situation and the importance in the biological richness of Turkey. For this purpose, studies on the harvestmen in our country were examined and 35 species and 2 subspecies belonging to 6 families were identified as endemic. Distribution of these species by families and genera is determined and shown graphically.

Shrinking fish: comparisons of prehistoric and contemporary salmonids indicate decreasing size at age across millennia

A comparison of Upper Palaeolithic and contemporary salmonid vertebrae from the Iberian Peninsula indicates that there has been a significant decrease in the mean body size for a given age among Atlantic salmon and brown trout inhabiting the southernmost range of their endemic distribution. Mean size at age was greater in prehistoric specimens for all age classes during the freshwater phase of their life histories. Fisheries-induced evolution (selection for smaller sizes) is an obvious explanation for the observed reduction in fish body size, but recent changes in the aquatic habitat affecting density-dependent growth cannot be ruled out.

Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) populations (stocks) around Banggai Island, a geometric and classical morphometric approach

Background. The identification and characterisation of appropriate management units (stocks) is important as a basis for responsible fisheries management as well as conservation of within species biodiversity. The Banggai cardinalfish Pterapogon kauderni (F.P. Koumans,1933), a mouthbrooding apogonid with Endangered status (IUCN Red List) has been shown to have a high level of genetic population structure across the endemic distribution in the Banggai Archipelago. With a life-cycle making recovery frrm extirpation extremely unlikely, this indicates a need to conserve each reproductively isolated population (stock), in particular to support zonation of Banggai Island in the context of the proposed district marine protected area. Genetic and morphological variations are often but not always related, and ideally both should be used in stock identification. However there were no data on classical or geometric morphometric characteristics of P. kauderni populations. Methods. Adult P. kauderni for classical and geometric morphometric analyses were collected randomly at six sites on Banggai Island (31-34 adult fish/site, total 193). Eleven morphometric parameters were measured and 10 dimensionless ratios were compared using the ANOVA function in Microsoft Excel 2007. A landmark set for P. kauderni was developed. Each specimen was photographed, digitised (tps.dig and tps.util). Characteristics of the six populations were analysed using Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) and Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) in MorphoJ geometric morphometric software to identify significant between-site variation. The results were compared with genetic, geophysical, bio-ecological and socio-economic data to determine meaningful stocks or management units. Results. Except for one site pair (Monsongan and Tinakin Laut) we found significant or highly significant differences between sites (sub-populations) in morphometric characteristics, as well as from the CVA and DFA results. The greatest morphometric difference was between sub-populations at the north (Popisi) and southeast (Matanga) extremities of the Banggai Island P. kauderni distribution. The Popisi population was characterised by short/high head shape, Matanga by a more hydrodynamic shape (elongated with a more pointed head). The findings were consonant with genetic study results. We propose a population model with four closed populations and one metapopulation resulting in five P. kauderni stocks around Banggai Island. Discussion. Observed patterns of morphometric variation could be related to geographical spread (radiation or North-South gradient), habitat-driven selection or growth patterns, stochastic events, or a combination. Such fine-scale characterisation calls for intra-species conservation, with implications for the management of this restricted range ornamental fish around Banggai Island and throughout the P. kauderni endemic distribution.

Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) populations (stocks) around Banggai Island, a geometric and classical morphometric approach

Background. The identification and characterisation of appropriate management units (stocks) is important as a basis for responsible fisheries management as well as conservation of within species biodiversity. The Banggai cardinalfish Pterapogon kauderni (F.P. Koumans,1933), a mouthbrooding apogonid with Endangered status (IUCN Red List) has been shown to have a high level of genetic population structure across the endemic distribution in the Banggai Archipelago. With a life-cycle making recovery frrm extirpation extremely unlikely, this indicates a need to conserve each reproductively isolated population (stock), in particular to support zonation of Banggai Island in the context of the proposed district marine protected area. Genetic and morphological variations are often but not always related, and ideally both should be used in stock identification. However there were no data on classical or geometric morphometric characteristics of P. kauderni populations. Methods. Adult P. kauderni for classical and geometric morphometric analyses were collected randomly at six sites on Banggai Island (31-34 adult fish/site, total 193). Eleven morphometric parameters were measured and 10 dimensionless ratios were compared using the ANOVA function in Microsoft Excel 2007. A landmark set for P. kauderni was developed. Each specimen was photographed, digitised (tps.dig and tps.util). Characteristics of the six populations were analysed using Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) and Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) in MorphoJ geometric morphometric software to identify significant between-site variation. The results were compared with genetic, geophysical, bio-ecological and socio-economic data to determine meaningful stocks or management units. Results. Except for one site pair (Monsongan and Tinakin Laut) we found significant or highly significant differences between sites (sub-populations) in morphometric characteristics, as well as from the CVA and DFA results. The greatest morphometric difference was between sub-populations at the north (Popisi) and southeast (Matanga) extremities of the Banggai Island P. kauderni distribution. The Popisi population was characterised by short/high head shape, Matanga by a more hydrodynamic shape (elongated with a more pointed head). The findings were consonant with genetic study results. We propose a population model with four closed populations and one metapopulation resulting in five P. kauderni stocks around Banggai Island. Discussion. Observed patterns of morphometric variation could be related to geographical spread (radiation or North-South gradient), habitat-driven selection or growth patterns, stochastic events, or a combination. Such fine-scale characterisation calls for intra-species conservation, with implications for the management of this restricted range ornamental fish around Banggai Island and throughout the P. kauderni endemic distribution.

Redescription of two troglobiotic species of the genus Pseudosinella Schäffer, 1897 (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from the Western Carpathians

Two troglobiotic species of the genus Pseudosinella Schäffer, 1897 from the Western Carpathians are redescribed, P. ag-gtelekiensis (Stach, 1929) and P. paclti Rusek, 1961. P. aggtelekiensis has endemic distribution restricted to the Slovak-Aggtelek Karst region in Slovakia and Hungary. It shows higher level of troglomorphy (elongation of antennae, basal dis-placement of ungual teeth concurrent with their reduction) probably representing a descendant of the older phyletic Lep-idocyrtus-Pseudosinella lineage. P. paclti, distributed in caves of several karstic regions in central Slovakia, is characteristic with medium level of troglomorphy.