Sporothrix schenckii isolated fromdomestic cats with and without sporotrichosis in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

A total of 148 cats with a clinical and mycologic diagnosis of sporotrichosis and 84 apparently healthy cats with domiciliary contact with the affected animals were studied. Sporothrix schenckii was isolated from 148 (n = 148; 100%) clinical samples of cutaneous lesion (biopsy, swab or aspiration of purulent secretion), 47(n = 71; 66.2%) nasal cavities, 33 (n = 79; 41.8%) oral cavities, and 15 (n = 38; 39.5%) nails of cats with sporotrichosis. Histopathological examination revealed yeast-like structures in 50 (n = 70; 71.4%) of the biopsies studied. S. schenckii was isolated from the blood culture of one cat (n = 5, 20%) with the disseminated cutaneous form of the disease. On another occasion, the fungus was isolated from the testis of one (n = 7; 14.3%) of the animals submitted to sterilization. In the group of cats with domiciliary contacts, 3(n = 84; 3.57%) oral swabs showed positive cultures. Isolation of S. schenckii from different clinical specimens during both the clinical and preclinical phase reinforces the zoonotic potential of feline sporotrichosis. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ultrastructure of oocyte maturation,fertilization, and early embryo development in vitro in the Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)

The application of assisted reproduction techniques to wild cats has been stalled by a lack of basic knowledge of the reproductive biology in these species. In this study, the ultrastructure of Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs), as well as in vitro produced (IVP) zygotes and embryos were investigated, to estimate the normality of the manipulated reproduction processes. Adult female tigers were subjected to a purified porcine pFSH/pLH stimulation treatment followed by oocyte aspiration. According to morphological appearance at the stereomicroscopical level, COCs were classified as mature, immature, or degenerated, and then allocated into the following groups: presumptively immature COCs, which were in vitro matured (IVM-group) before fixation; presumptively mature COCs, which were either fixed after retrieval (pre-IVF-group), following in vitro insemination (IVF-group) or following in vitro insemination and subsequent in vitro culture (IVC-group). All specimens were processed for light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both the IVM- and pre-IVF-group included oocytes in meiotic stages ranging from prophase I to metaphase II, and some prophase I oocytes in the IVM-group were apparently in their growth phase. The IVF-group presented features of presumptive normal fertilization, but aberrations such as polynucleation were also noted. The IVC-group included cleavage stage embryos of which, however, many were polynucleated. In conclusion, the procedures used for stimulation, aspiration, and classification of COCs resulted in retrieval of a heterogeneous population of oocytes which, following IVF and IVC, displayed a high rate of developmental deviations.     

Reproductive success of a colony of the introduced bumblebee Bombus terrestris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a Tasmanian National Park

Abstract  Ever since a feral population of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris was found in suburban Hobart, on the Australian island of Tasmania, there has been ongoing debate surrounding the capacity of this species to utilise Australian native vegetation. Although several studies have reported B. terrestris foraging on Tasmanian native vegetation, doubts have been raised as to whether this reflects successful breeding in native vegetation. This study documents the success of a colony of B. terrestris in a Tasmanian National Park, isolated from urban and agricultural areas by 10 km of sea. Examination of the larval cocoons revealed that this colony had produced at least 304 new queens and 939 workers and drones. Pollen stores found in the colony were mostly from native plants, particularly Eucalyptus. These results strongly suggest that B. terrestris is able to reproduce successfully in parts of Australia that still support almost exclusively native vegetation.     

Infection status with helminthes in feral cats purchased from a market in Busan, Republic of Korea

The present study was performed to investigate the infection status with helminth in a group of feral cats in Korea. More than 29 helminth species including adults or eggs were detected in visceral and fecal samples of the examined cats. Among these were a host of nematodes, including toxocarids, Ancylostoma sp. and the larva of Anisakis simplex; trematodes, including Clonorchis sinensis, Paragonimus westermani, Eurytrema pancreaticum, Pharyngostomum cordatum, Metagonimus spp., Heterophyes nocens, Pygidiopsis summa, Heterophyopsis continua, Stictodora fuscata, Stictodora lari, Acanthotrema felis, Stellantchasmus falcatus, Centrocestus armatus, Procerovum varium, Cryptocotyle sp., Echinostoma revolutum, Echinostoma hortense, Echinochasmus japonicus, Stephanoprora sp., Plagiorchis muris, Neodiplostomum sp. and diplostomulum. We also detected a variety of cestodes, including Spirometra erinacei, Taenia taeniaeformis and unidentified species of tapeworm. We also found examples of the acanthocephalan, Bolbosoma sp. In our assessment of the stools, we detected at least 12 species of helminth eggs. These findings confirmed that feral cats in Korea are infected with a variety of helminth parasite species. Furthermore, among the helminths detected, E. pancreaticum, S. fuscata, S. lari, A. felis, S. falcatus, C. armatus, P. varium, Cryptocotyle sp., E. revolutum, E. japonicus, Stephanoprora sp., P. muris, Neodiplostomum sp. and Bolbosoma sp. represent helminth fauna which have not been reported previously in feral cats in the Republic of Korea.     

Population genetic analysis of cat populations from Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia, and the Dominican Republic: Identification of different gene pools in Latin America

In this paper we identify new genetic profiles of eight Latin American cat populations. In addition, we combine data from the present study and previously published data on 70 other American and European populations to discuss (1) the points of introduction of mutant alleles for cat coat phenotypes from Europe into Latin America, (2) the heterozygosity levels at these loci in the current Latin American cat populations, (3) the level of genetic heterogeneity among Latin American cat populations, and how this compares with levels found in North American and European cat populations, and (4) how many different cat gene pools are currently present in Latin America. We also include in our purview historical records of human migrations from Europe to and within the Americas. Our analyses clearly support the view that the current genetic profiles and structuring of cat populations in Latin America can be largely explained by the historical migration patterns of humans. This work is dedicated to the memory of Dr Roy Robinson. May he rest in peace.     

Eradication of Feral Cats (Felis catus) from Gabo Island, south-east Victoria

Summary Concerns about the effects of predation by Feral Cats ( Felis catus ) on native fauna, particularly breeding seabirds, precipitated a decision in 1987 to control and eventually eradicate cats from Gabo Island. The size of the population prior to control was at least 30 animals. A control programme, undertaken between 1987 and 1991, centred on shooting, trapping and an extensive 1080 poison-baiting programme. Trapping and shooting were ineffectual. Poisoning was the most successful and effective technique for the rapid and widespread reduction in the Feral Cat population on Gabo Island. The effectiveness of dead 1-day-old chickens as a poison carrier was demonstrated. Effective poison baiting was attributed to bait selection and strategic timing of baiting to periods when prey was at low levels. Outcomes from the trapping programme and post-control monitoring strongly suggested that the cat population had been reduced to only two or three animals, possibly of the same sex. Monitoring between 1992 and 1998 failed to record any evidence of cats, indicating that the cats remaining after poison baiting had been unable to sustain a viable population. On the basis of the available evidence, Feral Cats appear to have been successfully eradicated from Gabo Island.     

Temporal and spatial expansion of the Egyptian goose Alopochen aegyptiacus in The Netherlands, 1967–94

In this paper, the temporal and spatial expansion of the Egyptian goose in the Netherlands are described and analysed. The species bred near The Hague for the first time in 1967. In 1983 a second settlement developed in Drenthe. Both settlements expanded. Together, they contained about 1340 breeding pairs in 1994. For both settlements a linear relationship exists between the square root of the area occupied and time. In both cases, population growth is exponential. The bird behaves as a resident species. Thus, in winter numbers in The Netherlands also increase exponentially. The Egyptian goose seems to be sensitive to severe winters, which cause a high mortality. The observed velocity of range expansion is compared with the velocity as calculated with the expansion model of Van den Bosch et al . (1990). The observed velocity was about 3.0 km per year, which is about 20% lower than expected, but not significantly different. Population growth was estimated using a projection matrix. In the first 10 years after its settlement near The Hague, the actual population growth was larger than the calculated growth. There is evidence for good breeding success during the first years due to mild winters between 1972 and 1978. In the second settlement, Drenthe, the same rapid population growth occurred. Here, a low but regular influx of birds from a nearby city park was probably the main factor. In the near future, further temporal and spatial expansion can be expected, in the direction of Germany and Denmark in the east and Belgium and France in the south. Towards the east the severity of the winters might limit further range expansion, possibly coinciding with the 0^o isotherm in January.     

Population genetics of Great Basin feral horses

The genetic make-up of Great Basin wild (feral) horses was investigated by blood typing studies. Blood samples of 975 feral horses from seven trap sites in Nevada and Oregon were tested by serological and electrophoretic techniques for genetic markers at 19 polymorphic loci. The average number of variants for the seven feral populations [72·1 ± 3·2 (SEM), range 62–85] was not significantly different from that of 16 domestic breeds (75·0 ± 11·5, range 58–105). The expected average frequency of heterozygotes per locus (average heterozygosity) for the feral populations (0·402 ± 0·009, range 0·368–0·442) was not significantly different from the domestic breeds (0·389 ± 0·045, range 0·295–0·443). Dendrograms constructed using pairwise comparisons of Nei's distance measurements substantiated anecdotal accounts of the origins of Great Basin horses from Iberian, American saddle horse and draft horse breeds.     

Carnivore Trackways from the Miocene Site of Salinas de Añana (Alava,Spain)

A fossil tracksite of Lower Miocene age discovered near Salinas de Añana, Alava (Spain), has rendered an exceptionally well-preserved assemblage of vertebrate ichnites. The site shows a high proportion of carnivore tracks (3 out of 5 mammal ichnospecies) and a high number of individual trackways (15), some including over 50 consecutive footprints. The carnivore ichnites are classified as Felipeda lynxi Panin & Avram, 1962 Panin, M. and Avram, B. 1962. Noi urme de vertebrate in Miocenul Subcarpatilor Rominesti. Studii Cercet Geologia, 13: 521–525.  [Google Scholar], Felipeda parvula ichnosp. nov. and Canipeda longigriffa Panin & Avram, 1962 Panin, M. and Avram, B. 1962. Noi urme de vertebrate in Miocenul Subcarpatilor Rominesti. Studii Cercet Geologia, 13: 521–525.  [Google Scholar], and they are attributed to a felid, an undetermined small aeluroid, and a herpestid, respectively. The long trackways allow determination of gaits, which include lateral sequence walks and diagonal sequence trots, and of speed, which ranges from 0.4 to 1.4 m/s. Froude numbers range between 0.1 and 0.8, agreeing with gait interpretations and speed calculations. The felid trackways provide the first known evidence of group traveling in fossil cats. The herpestid footprints show modern-grade adaptations for terrestrial locomotion and digging.     

Ixodid ticks associated with feral swine in Texas

Ixodid ticks were collected from feral swine in eight Texas ecoregions from 2008–2011. Sixty‐two percent of 806 feral swine were infested with one or more of the following species: Amblyomma americanum, A. cajennense, A. maculatum, Dermacentor albipictus, D. halli, D. variabilis, and Ixodes scapularis. Juvenile and adult feral swine of both sexes were found to serve as host to ixodid ticks. Longitudinal surveys of feral swine at four geographic locations show persistent year‐round tick infestations of all gender‐age classes for tick species common to their respective geographic locations and ecoregions. Amblyomma americanum, A. cajennense, A. maculatum and D. variabilis were collected from 66% of feral swine harvested through an abatement program in seven ecoregions from March to October in 2009. These results indicate westward geographic expansion of D. variabilis. Summary results show feral swine are competent hosts for ixodid species responsible for the transmission of pathogens and diminished well‐being in livestock, wildlife, and humans.