椰心叶甲啮小蜂的繁殖生物学研究

对椰心叶甲啮小蜂羽化、求偶、交配、产卵、繁殖现象进行了观察研究。结果表明,补充营养对雌蜂的寿命和繁殖力均有影响。没有补充营养的情况下,雌蜂的平均寿命为2.48 d,一生可产21.43粒卵;每天补充10%蜜糖水,且雌蜂与寄主(椰心叶甲初蛹)比例为1:3时,雌蜂平均寿命为13.43 d,一生可产53.6粒卵;每天补充10%蜜糖水,且雌蜂与寄主(椰心叶甲初蛹)比例为1:1时,雌蜂平均寿命为14.78 d,一生可产42.5粒卵。椰心叶甲啮小蜂对水椰八角铁甲蛹的寄生率为82.25%,平均每寄主出蜂量为12.24头。     

椰扁甲啮小蜂寄生对椰心叶甲蛹免疫反应的影响

为了测明椰扁甲啮小蜂Tetrastichus brontispae寄生对寄主椰心叶甲Brontispa longissima蛹的血细胞和体液免疫反应的影响,开展了椰扁甲啮小蜂寄生对椰心叶甲蛹血细胞数量和延展性、血淋巴酚氧化酶活性、血淋巴黑化百分率和血细胞凝集素活性等影响的研究。结果表明：与同期未被寄生蛹相比,寄生蛹血细胞总量在寄生后2 d显著降低,但寄生后4 d显著升高; 寄生蛹的浆血细胞延展率在寄生后2 d显著降低,寄生后4 d显著升高;寄生蛹的血淋巴黑化百分率在寄生后0.5～2 d较高,寄生后3～4 d降低直至为0;寄生蛹的血淋巴酚氧化酶活性在寄生后0.5 d,1 d和4 d时显著升高;寄生蛹的血凝素活性在寄生后2 d较高,寄生后1 d和4 d较低。结果说明椰扁甲啮小蜂寄生使寄主椰心叶甲蛹血细胞和体液免疫反应呈现不规律的变化。     

水椰八角铁甲和椰心叶甲对椰子和银海枣的寄主选择性

【目的】水椰八角铁甲和椰心叶甲均为棕榈科植物的重要入侵害虫,两者的外部形态、取食部位和危害特征相似。研究它们的寄主选择性有助于了解这2种害虫的扩散和成灾机制。【方法】在室内用椰子和银海枣2种寄主植物分别饲养水椰八角铁甲和椰心叶甲,研究在不同寄主植物上水椰八角铁甲和椰心叶甲的存活率、产卵率、发育历期等以及这2种害虫对不同寄主植物的选择性。【结果】水椰八角铁甲在2种寄主上的存活率差异显著,除了卵期和蛹期之外,幼虫期各虫态在银海枣上的存活率明显比在椰子上的存活率高;椰心叶甲在椰子上的存活率高于银海枣,各虫态平均存活率分别为95%和86%。取食银海枣的水椰八角铁甲达标准卵量概率为0.23,取食椰子不产卵,无法完成整个世代;取食椰子的椰心叶甲达标准卵量概率为0.86,取食银海枣不产卵,也无法完成整个世代;水椰八角铁甲取食银海枣完成世代的实验种群趋势指数为12.55,椰心叶甲取食椰子完成世代的实验种群趋势指数为66.55。【结论】水椰八角铁甲和椰心叶甲分别对银海枣和椰子这2种寄主植物具有明显的选择性。在海南椰子树的数量远远超过银海枣,该实验结果在一定程度上解释了椰心叶甲在海南岛广泛分布而水椰八角铁甲只是零星发生的原因。     

椰扁甲啮小蜂寄生后椰心叶甲蛹血淋巴蛋白质双向电泳图谱分析

分析昆虫被寄生蜂寄生后血淋巴蛋白质组分及组分含量变化,从蛋白质水平分析寄生蜂寄生引起寄主昆虫的生理变化,有利于探索寄生蜂调控寄主的机理。以椰心叶甲Brontispa longissima和椰扁甲啮小蜂Tetrastichus brontispae为研究材料,采用蛋白质双向电泳技术及图像分析技术分析了椰心叶甲蛹被椰扁甲啮小蜂寄生后不同时期血淋巴蛋白质图谱及其变化情况。结果表明:寄生后0.5, 1, 2, 3和4 d,被寄生蛹血淋巴共检测到的蛋白斑点数分别为982, 926, 712, 636和680个,其中特异性蛋白斑点的数量分别为650, 400, 336, 229和150个;同期未被寄生蛹血淋巴共检测到的到的蛋白斑点数分别为645, 817, 640, 873和940个,其中特异性蛋白斑点的数量分别为313, 291, 264, 466和410个;被寄生蛹和同期未被寄生蛹能匹配的蛋白斑点分别为332, 526, 376, 407和530对。被寄生蛹血淋巴蛋白斑点数量的异常变化表明寄主的生理功能受到了严重的影响。     

椰心叶甲蛹寄生蜂——椰心叶甲啮小蜂的生物学特性

椰心叶甲啮小蜂Tetrastichus brontispae Ferrière是椰心叶甲Brontispa longissima（Gestro）蛹的重要内寄生蜂,2004年从台湾引入到海南。在实验室条件下,对椰心叶甲啮小蜂的形态、行为、发育、存活、繁殖等生物学特性进行了观察研究。结果表明,雌蜂个体比雄蜂大,腹部明显可见产卵器。每头寄主蛹出蜂量平均为21.5头,其中雌蜂约占77.4%。椰心叶甲啮小蜂羽化不久即能交配,交配时间约为1～2 min。椰心叶甲啮小蜂的产卵高峰期在交配后的24 h内,且产卵量受温度的影响较大; 蜂蜜、蔗糖、葡萄糖均能有效地延长其成虫的寿命,并能提高其怀卵量和寄生率,其中以取食蜂蜜的效果最好。该蜂发育、存活和繁殖的适宜温度为20℃～28℃,低于16℃或高于30℃对其存活不利。利用16℃、20℃、24℃、28℃、30℃下的发育历期和有效积温公式计算出椰心叶甲啮小蜂的发育起点温度（C）为9.6℃,有效积温（K）为324.9日·度。     

入侵害虫椰心叶甲的研究进展

近30年来,椰心叶甲Brontispa longissima(Gestro)在亚太椰子产区扩散蔓延,成为棕榈植物上主要害虫。2002年,该害虫入侵我国海南并暴发成灾。化学防除是控制椰心叶甲危害的首要措施,其中包括挂药包等农药缓释技术,而生物防治是控制该虫扩散蔓延的经济有效措施。从感病椰心叶甲虫体上分离的微生物杀虫剂绿僵菌Metarhizium anisopliae被我国和其他多个国家应用。椰心叶甲天敌寄生蜂的引进利用是可持续控制该害虫发生的重要措施。幼虫寄生蜂椰甲截脉姬小蜂Asecodes hispinarum和蛹寄生蜂椰心叶甲啮小蜂Tetrastichus brontispae是椰心叶甲的两种重要天敌。2004年,椰甲截脉姬小蜂和椰心叶甲啮小蜂被引入到我国,经扩繁释放后,取得了良好的控害效果,其中有些地区的椰甲截脉姬小蜂寄生率可达90%,椰心叶甲啮小蜂寄生率可达100%。连续放蜂,且椰心叶甲种群有合适虫龄被寄生蜂寄生是控害效果的关键。气候等生态因子也可能是影响寄生蜂控制靶标害虫效果的因素,应进一步加强研究。论文最后提出了未来椰心叶甲防控的研究的方向。     

低温贮存对椰心叶甲啮小蜂品质的影响

研究低温贮存椰心叶甲蛹Brontispa longissima(Gestro)和椰心叶甲僵蛹对椰心叶甲啮小蜂Tetrastichus brontispae Ferriere种群品质的影响。寄生10℃低温贮存1~4日龄椰心叶甲蛹结果表明,1日龄椰心叶甲蛹的寄生率、羽化率、出蜂率、单蛹出蜂数、后代寄生能力均优于其他日龄,其次为2、3日龄的椰心叶甲蛹,最差为4日龄的椰心叶甲蛹。1日龄椰心叶甲蛹在10℃下贮存5,10,15,20d后,上述生物学指标和种群参数均随贮存天数增加而降低,其中以5d和10d的净生殖率、内禀增长率和周限增长率较未经低温贮存的差异小。1~11日龄椰心叶甲僵蛹于10℃贮存10d的结果表明,8日龄椰心叶甲僵蛹的雌蜂寿命、羽化率、单蛹出蜂数、寄生能力均优于其他日龄僵蛹。8日龄椰心叶甲僵蛹在10℃下贮存5,10,15,20d后,上述生物学指标和种群参数均随贮存天数增加而显著低于对照。     

椰心叶甲啮小蜂(Tetrastichus brontispae)实验种群生命表的编制

通过解剖椰心叶甲被寄生僵虫统计椰心叶甲啮小蜂未成熟期的发育历期、存活率与生殖力数据,编制了椰心叶甲啮小蜂的实验种群生命表.常温下椰心叶甲啮小蜂卵、幼虫和蛹的历期分别为3.1、5.0 d和9.3 d,啮出前期为2.1 d.卵、幼虫和蛹的存活率分别为0.9184、0.9521和0.9818,椰心叶甲啮小蜂的成虫羽化率为0.9,单雌产卵量为23.78粒,种群趋势指数为12 45.通过此生命表的组建,讨论了生命表中种群趋势指数(I)与生殖力表中净增殖力(R0)的关系,认为这两个概念本为同一含义,应该合并.此外,在成虫寿命大于等于2d的情况下,成虫逐日存活率与逐日产卵概率乘积的和小于1,且成虫寿命越长其值越小,结果导致在不考察成虫逐日存活率与逐日产卵概率的情况下种群趋势指数被严重高估,因此组建任何形式的生命表都应考察并计入成虫逐日存活率与逐日产卵概率.     

低温胁迫下椰心叶甲啮小蜂正反向消减cDNA文库的构建及其序列分析

【背景】椰心叶甲啮小蜂在防治椰心叶甲危害上取得了重要成果,其耐低温胁迫能力将决定该寄生蜂是否能在低温环境下建立种群并发挥控害效能。筛选椰心叶甲啮小蜂低温胁迫下相关响应基因,可为揭示其耐寒性机理提供重要线索。【方法】采用抑制消减杂交技术,分别以经0℃处理24 h后的试虫与未经低温处理的试虫c DNA互为tester与driver,正反向构建椰心叶甲啮小蜂c DNA消减文库,经蓝、白斑筛选,鉴定阳性差异片段,并分别随机挑选正反向文库224和119个阳性克隆进行序列比对分析。【结果】本试验所构建的c DNA消减文库为椰心叶甲啮小蜂低温胁迫下特异表达的c DNA消减文库;经蓝、白斑筛选,分别得到了40和4个高质量ESTs,经PCR鉴定插入片段长度主要分布于200~700 bp之间;序列分析结果表明,差异表达基因的功能主要涉及新陈代谢、细胞结构、信号传导、氨基酸和蛋白质合成的生理过程,并筛选出5类与啮小蜂耐寒性相关的基因,包括Hsp家族蛋白、海藻糖磷酸合酶、谷氨酰胺合成酶、ATP合成酶β亚基和NADH脱氢酶。【结论与意义】该研究对进一步研究椰心叶甲啮小蜂抗寒性状的表达具有一定的参考价值,为揭示啮小蜂抗低温耐寒机制打下一定的理论基础。     

椰心叶甲寄生蜂——椰甲截脉姬小蜂的生物学特性

椰甲截脉姬小蜂Asecodes hispinarum Boucek是椰心叶甲Brontispa longissima（Gestro）幼虫的重要内寄生蜂,2004年3月从越南引进到海南省。在实验室条件下,对椰甲截脉姬小蜂的形态、发育、繁殖、寄生潜能等生物学特性进行了初步研究。结果表明,椰甲截脉姬小蜂在24℃±2℃,RH 75%±10%条件下,卵期平均为2.8天,幼虫期6.7天,蛹期(含预蛹期)7.5天;成蜂在没有营养补充的情况下,平均存活2.5天。椰甲截脉姬小蜂的寿命受温度和补充营养的影响,雌蜂寿命长于雄蜂寿命。雌蜂平均怀卵量为43粒,产卵高峰期在交配后的12 h内。椰甲截脉姬小蜂对椰心叶甲4龄幼虫的功能反应属 HollingⅡ型,随自身密度的增加其寄生效果呈下降的趋势。     

Phylogeny of cardinalfishes (Teleostei: Gobiiformes: Apogonidae) and the evolution of visceral bioluminescence

The cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) are a diverse clade of small, mostly reef-dwelling fishes, for which a variety of morphological data have not yielded a consistent phylogeny. We use DNA sequence to hypothesize phylogenetic relationships within Apogonidae and among apogonids and other acanthomorph families, to examine patterns of evolution including the distribution of a visceral bioluminescence system. In conformance with previous studies, Apogonidae is placed in a clade with Pempheridae, Kurtidae, Leiognathidae, and Gobioidei. The apogonid genus Pseudamia is recovered outside the remainder of the family, not as sister to the superficially similar genus Gymnapogon. Species sampled from the Caribbean and Western Atlantic (Phaeoptyx, Astrapogon, and some Apogon species) form a clade, as do the larger-bodied Glossamia and Cheilodipterus. Incidence of visceral bioluminescence is found scattered throughout the phylogeny, independently for each group in which it is present. Examination of the fine structure of the visceral bioluminescence system through histology shows that light organs exhibit a range of morphologies, with some composed of complex masses of tubules (Siphamia, Pempheris, Parapriacanthus) and others lacking tubules but containing chambers formed by folds of the visceral epithelium (Acropoma, Archamia, Jaydia, and Rhabdamia). Light organs in Siphamia, Acropoma, Pempheris and Parapriacanthus are distinct from but connected to the gut; those in Archamia, Jaydia, and Rhabdamia are simply portions of the intestinal tract, and are little differentiated from the surrounding tissues. The presence or absence of symbiotic luminescent bacteria does not correlate with light organ structure; the tubular light organs of Siphamia and chambered tubes of Acropoma house bacteria, those in Pempheridae and the other Apogonidae do not.     

Foreign exploration for Scirtothrips perseae Nakahara (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and associated natural enemies on avocado (Persea americana Miller)

Scirtothrips perseae Nakahara was discovered attacking avocados in California, USA, in 1996. Host plant surveys in California indicated that S. perseae has a highly restricted host range with larvae being found only on avocados, while adults were collected from 11 different plant species. As part of a management program for this pest, a “classical” biological control program was initiated and foreign exploration was conducted to delineate the home range of S. perseae, to survey for associated natural enemies and inventory other species of phytophagous thrips on avocados grown in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, and Brazil. Foreign exploration efforts indicate that S. perseae occurs on avocados grown at high altitudes (>1500 m) from Uruapan in Mexico south to areas around Guatemala City in Guatemala. In Costa Rica, S. perseae is replaced by an undescribed congener as the dominant phytophagous thrips on avocados grown at high altitudes (>1300 m). No species of Scirtothrips were found on avocados in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, or Brazil. In total, 2136 phytophagous thrips were collected and identified, representing over 47 identified species from at least 19 genera. The significance of these species records is discussed. Of collected material 4% were potential thrips biological control agents. Natural enemies were dominated by six genera of predatory thrips (Aeolothrips, Aleurodothrips, Franklinothrips, Leptothrips, Scolothrips, and Karnyothrips). One genus each of parasitoid (Ceranisus) and predatory mite (Balaustium) were found. Based on the results of our sampling techniques, prospects for the importation of thrips natural enemies for use in a “classical” biological control program in California against S. perseae are not promising.     

Molecular phylogeny of Phebalium (Rutaceae: Boronieae) and related genera based on the nrDNA regions ITS 1+2

Parsimony analyses of the internal transcribed spacer regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS 1 & ITS 2) for 38 taxa sampled from the Phebalium group (Rutaceae: Boronieae) and two outgroups confirm that, with the exception of Phebalium sensu stricto and Rhadinothamnus, six of the currently recognised genera within the group are monophyletic. The data indicate that Phebaliums. str. is paraphyletic with respect to Microcybe, and Rhadinothamnus is paraphyletic with respect to Chorilaena. Rhadinothamnus and Chorilaena together are the sister group to Nematolepis. Drummondita, included as an outgroup taxon, clustered within the ingroup as sister to Muiriantha and related to Asterolasia.The phylogeny suggests that the evolution of major clades within a number of these genera (e.g. Phebalium) relates to vicariance events between eastern and south-western Australia. Leionema is an eastern genus, with the most basal taxon being the morphologically distinct Leionema ellipticum from northern Queensland. Leionema also includes one species from New Zealand, but this species (as with some others) proved difficult to sequence and its phylogenetic position remains unknown. Taxonomic changes at the generic level are recommended.The authors wish to thank Paul G.Wilson, PERTH, for advice and discussion, and Paul Forster, BRI, for collecting and providing material of Leionema ellipticum. The project was supported by a Melbourne University Postgraduate Award (to BM), the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS), Australian Systematic Botany Society and Wolf Den (Australia) Investments.     

Tracking down the "head blob": comparative analysis of wingless expression in the developing insect procephalon reveals progressive reduction of embryonic visual system patterning in higher insects

The evolution of larval head morphology in holometabolous insects is characterized by reduction of antennal appendages and the visual system components. Little insight has been gained into molecular developmental changes underlying this morphological diversification. Here we compare the expression of the segment polarity gene wingless (wg) in the pregnathal head of fruit fly, flour beetle and grasshopper embryos. We provide evidence that wg activity contributes to segment border formation, and, subsequently, the separation of the visual system and protocerebrum anlagen in the anterior procephalon. In directly developing insects like grasshopper, seven expression domains are formed during this process. The activation of four of these, which correspond to polar expression pairs in the optic lobe anlagen and the protocerebral ectoderm, has shifted to postembryonic stages in flour beetle and Drosophila. The remaining three domains map to the protocerebral neuroectoderm, and form by disintegration of a large precursor domain in flour beetle and grasshopper. In Drosophila, the precursor domain remains intact, constituting the previously described “head blob”. These data document major changes in the expression of an early patterning gene correlated with the dramatic evolution of embryonic visual system development in the Holometabola.     

Phylogeny and Megasystematics of Phagotrophic Heterokonts (Kingdom Chromista)

Heterokonts are evolutionarily important as the most nutritionally diverse eukaryote supergroup and the most species-rich branch of the eukaryotic kingdom Chromista. Ancestrally photosynthetic/phagotrophic algae (mixotrophs), they include several ecologically important purely heterotrophic lineages, all grossly understudied phylogenetically and of uncertain relationships. We sequenced 18S rRNA genes from 14 phagotrophic non-photosynthetic heterokonts and a probable Ochromonas, performed phylogenetic analysis of 210–430 Heterokonta, and revised higher classification of Heterokonta and its three phyla: the predominantly photosynthetic Ochrophyta; the non-photosynthetic Pseudofungi; and Bigyra (now comprising subphyla Opalozoa, Bicoecia, Sagenista). The deepest heterokont divergence is apparently between Bigyra, as revised here, and Ochrophyta/Pseudofungi. We found a third universal heterokont signature sequence, and deduce three independent losses of ciliary hairs, several of 1-2 cilia, 10 of photosynthesis, but perhaps only two plastid losses. In Ochrophyta, heterotrophic Oikomonas is sister to the photosynthetic Chrysamoeba, whilst the abundant freshwater predator Spumella is biphyletic; neither clade is specifically related to Paraphysomonas, indicating four losses of photosynthesis by chrysomonads. Sister to Chrysomonadea (Chrysophyceae) is Picophagea cl. nov. (Picophagus, Chlamydomyxa). The diatom-parasite Pirsonia belongs in Pseudofungi. Heliozoan-like actinophryids (e.g. Actinosphaerium) are Opalozoa, not related to pedinellids within Hypogyristea cl. nov. of Ochrophyta as once thought. The zooflagellate class Bicoecea (perhaps the ancestral phenotype of Bigyra) is unexpectedly diverse and a major focus of our study. We describe four new biciliate bicoecean genera and five new species: Nerada mexicana, Labromonas fenchelii (=Pseudobodo tremulans sensu Fenchel), Boroka karpovii (=P. tremulans sensu Karpov), Anoeca atlantica and Cafeteria mylnikovii; several cultures were previously misidentified as Pseudobodo tremulans. Nerada and the uniciliate Paramonas are related to Siluania and Adriamonas; this clade (Pseudodendromonadales emend.) is probably sister to Bicosoeca. Genetically diverse Caecitellus is probably related to Anoeca, Symbiomonas and Cafeteria (collectively Anoecales emend.). Boroka is sister to Pseudodendromonadales/Bicoecales/Anoecales. Placidiales are probably divergent bicoeceans (the GenBank Placidia sequence is a basidiomycete/heterokont chimaera). Two GenBank ‘opalinid’ sequences are fungal; Pseudopirsonia is cercozoan; two previous GenBank ‘Caecitellus’ sequences are Adriamonas. Electronic Supplementary Material Electronic Supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users. [Reviewing Editior: Patnck J. Keeling]     

Removal of wastewater pathogen indicators in a constructed wetland in Leon, Spain

This paper studies the seasonal presence and removal of the pathogenous micro-organisms Escherichia coli, total coliforms (TC), Clostridium perfringens (Cp), faecal streptococci (FS), Giardia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts and helminth eggs, in a constructed wetland treatment system. The removal efficiency of this system with respect to the indicator micro-organisms achieved maximum values in spring and autumn at 99.9% for E. coli and TC, respectively, in winter at 97.0% for FS, in summer at 100% for Clostridium and throughout the year, also at 100%, in the case of Giardia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts and helminth eggs. In general, very low protozoan and helminth egg counts were found, and the system demonstrated efficient reduction of the wastewater indicator pathogens.     

A molecular phylogeny of Hebeloma species from Europe

In order to widen the scope of existing phylogenies of the ectomycorrhizal agaric genus Hebeloma a total of 53 new rDNA ITS sequences from that genus was generated, augmented by sequences retrieved from GenBank, and analysed using Bayesian, strict consensus and neighbour joining methods. The lignicolous Hebelomina neerlandica, Gymnopilus penetrans, and two species of Galerina served as outgroup taxa. Anamika indica, as well as representatives of the genera Hymenogaster and Naucoria, were included to test the monophyly of Hebeloma, which is confirmed by the results. Hebeloma, Naucoria, Hymenogaster and Anamika indica cluster in a strongly supported monophyletic hebelomatoid clade. All trees largely reflect the current infrageneric classification within Hebeloma, and divide the genus into mostly well-supported monophyletic groups surrounding H. crustuliniforme, H. velutipes, H. sacchariolens, H. sinapizans, and H. radicosum, with H. sarcophyllum being shown at an independent position; however this is not well supported. The section Indusiata divides with strong support into three groups, the position of the pleurocystidiate Hebeloma cistophilum suggests the possible existence of a third subsection within sect. Indusiata. Subsection Sacchariolentia is raised to the rank of section.     

Changes of dung beetle communities from rainforests towards agroforestry systems and annual cultures in Sulawesi (Indonesia)

Little is known about how tropical land-use systems contribute to the conservation of functionally important insect groups, including dung beetles. In a study at the margin of Lore Lindu National Park (a biodiversity hotspot in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia) dung-beetle communities were sampled in natural forest, young secondary forest, agroforestry systems (cacao plantations with shade trees) and annual cultures (maize fields), each with four replicates (n = 16 sites). At each site we used 10 pitfall traps, baited with cattle dung, along a 100 m transect for six 3-day periods. The number of trapped specimens and species richness at the natural forest sites was higher than in all land-use systems, which did not significantly differ. Each land-use system contained, on average, 75% of the species richness of the natural forest, thereby indicating their importance for conservation. However, a two-dimensional scaling plot based on NESS indices (m = 6) indicated distinct dung beetle communities for both forest types, while agroforestry systems and annual cultures exhibited a pronounced overlap. Mean body size of dung beetles was not significantly influenced by land-use intensity. Five of the six most abundant dung beetle species were recorded in all habitats, whereas the abundance of five other species was significantly related to habitat type. Mean local abundance and number of occupied sites were closely correlated, further indicating little habitat specialisation. The low dung beetle diversity (total of 18 recorded species) may be due to the absence of larger mammals in Sulawesi during historical times, even though Sulawesi is the largest island of Wallacea. In conclusion, the dung beetle fauna of the lower montane forest zone in Central Sulawesi appears to be relatively robust to man-made habitat changes and the majority of species did not exhibit strong habitat preferences.     

Molecular identification of Taenia spp. in wolves (Canis lupus), brown bears (Ursus arctos) and cervids from North Europe and Alaska

Taenia tapeworms of Finnish and Swedish wolves (Canis lupus) and Finnish brown bears (Ursus arctos), and muscle cysticerci of Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), Alaskan Grant's caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) and Alaskan moose (Alces americanus) were identified on the basis of the nucleotide sequence of a 396 bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. Two species were found from wolves: Taenia hydatigena and Taenia krabbei. The cysticerci of reindeer, caribou and one moose also represented T. krabbei. Most of the cysticercal specimens from Alaskan moose, however, belonged to an unknown T. krabbei-like species, which had been reported previously from Eurasian elks (Alces alces) from Finland. Strobilate stages from two bears belonged to this species as well. The present results suggest that this novel Taenia sp. has a Holarctic distribution and uses Alces spp. as intermediate and ursids as final hosts.