Density and habitat requirements of introduced Eastern cottontail <Emphasis Type=Italic>Sylvilagus floridanus</Emphasis> in northern Italy

Following the introductions carried out in late 1960s, Eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus Allen, 1890 rapidly colonized the Po Plain (northern Italy), following the Po River and its tributaries. We monitored a cottontail population using the line-transect method from autumn 2005 to spring 2009 in a 8.2-km2 study area located along the Po River, and we investigated species habitat requirements by assessing the presence/absence of faecal pellets in 200 randomly distributed plots from September 2006 to August 2007 and by Resource Selection Probability Function through logistic regression analyses and multi-model inference. The cottontail population varied dramatically over time in size, with a great drop at the end of the breeding period. Cottontails selected foraging habitats at the macro- and micro-scales, with some differences among seasons. Two macro-habitat variables differed significantly between used and unused plots through seasons: arboriculture stands were always greater in presence plots, whereas winter cereals were always greater in absence ones. On the macro-level, woody and herbaceous habitats, such as fallow fields, characterized presence plots. At the micro-habitat level, presence plots were associated with permanent dense cover except during summer. Several logistic regression models were built through seasons and ranked using the Akaike’s Information Criterion. Arboriculture stands enhanced cottontail presence mostly during the growing season contrary to crop fields. Hedgerows were used according to availability during feeding activity. Cottontail habitat selection varied according to seasonal changes in resource availability and suitability of the different habitat types.     

Dermatophytosis caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microsporum canis</Emphasis> in Eastern cottontail (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sylvilagus floridanus</Emphasis>)

Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus, fam. Leporidae) has previously been shown to be a potential healthy carrier of dermatophyte fungi both geophilic (Microsporum gypseum, M. cookei, Trichophyton ajelloi, T. terrestre) and zoophilic (M. canis, T. mentagrophytes). In this communication, the first case, to the best of our knowledge, of a symptomatic dermatophyte infection in S. floridanus is described.     

Eastern Cottontail (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sylvilagus Floridanus)</Emphasis> as Carrier of Dermatophyte Fungi

Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus, fam. Leporidae), introduced into Piedmont (Italy) in the 1960s, was studied as carrier of dermatophyte fungi. Of 216 hair samples collected from animals culled between September 1999 and July 2000 in the Province of Alessandria (Piedmont, Italy) during a pest control project, 57 (26.4%) yielded dermatophyte colonies. As two different species of dermatophytes grew from two samples, a total of 59 fungal isolates (26.5%) were obtained. Six dermatophyte species both geophilic (M. gypseum, M. cookei, Trichophyton ajelloi, T. terrestre) and zoophilic (M. canis, T. mentagrophytes) were identified. No sex-related differences were found but season-related differences were observed. The highest prevalence of dermatophyte-positive samples was recorded in May–September, due to the geophilic fungi whose prevalence decreased during colder and increased during warmer months ( p < 0.001). The presence of zoophilic dermatophytes, T. mentagrophytes, commonly associated with rodents, small mammals and lagomorphs and M. canis, usually correlated with domestic environment, did not change the whole year round. As Eastern cottontail has been showed to be a carrier of dermatophytes transmissible to man (M. canis, T. mentagrophytes and M. gypseum), it may represent a source of infection for gamekeepers, hunters and veterinarians.     

Habitat selection and segregation by two sympatric lagomorphs: the case of European hares (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepus europaeus</Emphasis>) and Eastern cottontails (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sylvilagus floridanus</Emphasis>) in northern Italy

In northern Italy, the native European hare (Lepus europaeus) and the introduced Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) can occur together at a local scale, as a result of cottontail introduction and expansion into the European hare range. Hare populations are limited in Italy by habitat loss, diseases, and most important by overhunting, and many areas within hare range in northern Italy are undergoing increasing anthropogenic impact. Therefore, quantitative studies on resource selection and exploitation by both species will be of great interest to evaluate the degree of habitat overlap and to search for exploitation competition evidences. We studied habitat selection during resting time by both species in two areas where they occur alone and in one area where they occur together. Habitat selection by the two species was examined at micro- and macro-habitat scales during autumn–winter and spring–summer. Both species selected ecotonal zones between arboriculture stands and crops and between arboriculture stands and spontaneous vegetation (i.e., herbaceous, bush, and woody permanent species), which were the less available in the area of sympatry. No habitat shifts were evident at macro-habitat level because the two species showed a differential micro-habitat use within patches. On the whole, it seems that habitat heterogeneity promoted daytime segregation between the two species. In particular, edges between crops and canopy habitats should be improved, thus reducing chance of intra- and inter-specific encounters.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Galleria</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">mellonella</Emphasis> are Resistant to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pneumocystis</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">murina</Emphasis> Infection

Studying Pneumocystis has proven to be a challenge from the perspective of propagating a significant amount of the pathogen in a facile manner. The study of several fungal pathogens has been aided by the use of invertebrate model hosts. Our efforts to infect the invertebrate larvae Galleria mellonella with Pneumocystis proved futile since P. murina neither caused disease nor was able to proliferate within G. mellonella. It did, however, show that the pathogen could be rapidly cleared from the host.     

Revision of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serrulati</Emphasis> species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penstemon</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccanthera</Emphasis> subsection <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serrulati</Emphasis>

A revision of Penstemon sect. Saccanthera subsect. Serrulati includes a new species (P. salmonensis), a new variety (P. triphyllus var. infernalis), and the elevation of a subspecies to species (P. curtiflorus), bringing the total number of species to eight, which are keyed and described, complete with nomenclature and type citations.     

New combinations and typifications in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bistorta</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Persicaria</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polygonum,</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rumex</Emphasis> (Polygonaceae)

New combinations are proposed in anticipation of the Polygonaceae treatment in the forthcoming volume of Intermountain Flora: Polygonum kelloggii var. esotericum, P. kelloggii var. watsonii , Rumex densiflorus var. pycnanthus , R. salicifolius var. utahensis, and R. occidentalis var. tomentellus. Typifications are proposed to facilitate ongoing studies in Polygonaceae and to maintain current usage.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>1<Emphasis Type="Italic">/copia</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>3<Emphasis Type="Italic">/gypsy</Emphasis>-like DNA sequences in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus </Emphasis>species

Two repeated DNA sequences isolated from a partial genomic DNA library of Helianthus annuus, p HaS13 and p HaS211, were shown to represent portions of the int gene of a Ty3 /gypsy retroelement and of the RNase-Hgene of a Ty1 /copia retroelement, respectively. Southern blotting patterns obtained by hybridizing the two probes to BglII- or DraI-digested genomic DNA from different Helianthus species showed p HaS13 and p HaS211 were parts of dispersed repeats at least 8 and 7 kb in length, respectively, that were conserved in all species studied. Comparable hybridization patterns were obtained in all species with p HaS13. By contrast, the patterns obtained by hybridizing p HaS211 clearly differentiated annual species from perennials. The frequencies of p HaS13- and p HaS211-related sequences in different species were 4.3x10(4)-1.3x10(5) copies and 9.9x10(2)-8.1x10(3) copies per picogram of DNA, respectively. The frequency of p HaS13-related sequences varied widely within annual species, while no significant difference was observed among perennial species. Conversely, the frequency variation of p HaS211-related sequences was as large within annual species as within perennials. Sequences of both families were found to be dispersed along the length of all chromosomes in all species studied. However, Ty3 /gypsy-like sequences were localized preferentially at the centromeric regions, whereas Ty1/ copia-like sequences were less represented or absent around the centromeres and plentiful at the chromosome ends. These findings suggest that the two sequence families played a role in Helianthusgenome evolution and species divergence, evolved independently in the same genomic backgrounds and in annual or perennial species, and acquired different possible functions in the host genomes.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In silico</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> characterization of the zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">gnrh3</Emphasis> (sGnRH) gene

Background

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is responsible for stimulation of gonadotropic hormone (GtH) in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG). The regulatory mechanisms responsible for brain specificity make the promoter attractive for in silico analysis and reporter gene studies in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Results

We have characterized a zebrafish [Trp⁷, Leu⁸] or salmon (s) GnRH variant, gnrh 3. The gene includes a 1.6 Kb upstream regulatory region and displays the conserved structure of 4 exons and 3 introns, as seen in other species. An in silico defined enhancer at -976 in the zebrafish promoter, containing adjacent binding sites for Oct-1, CREB and Sp1, was predicted in 2 mammalian and 5 teleost GnRH promoters. Reporter gene studies confirmed the importance of this enhancer for cell specific expression in zebrafish. Interestingly the promoter of human GnRH-I, known as mammalian GnRH (mGnRH), was shown capable of driving cell specific reporter gene expression in transgenic zebrafish.

Conclusions

The characterized zebrafish Gnrh3 decapeptide exhibits complete homology to the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) GnRH-III variant. In silico analysis of mammalian and teleost GnRH promoters revealed a conserved enhancer possessing binding sites for Oct-1, CREB and Sp1. Transgenic and transient reporter gene expression in zebrafish larvae, confirmed the importance of the in silico defined zebrafish enhancer at -976. The capability of the human GnRH-I promoter of directing cell specific reporter gene expression in zebrafish supports orthology between GnRH-I and GnRH-III.

     

Floral development and systematic position of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arillastrum</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allosyncarpia</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stockwellia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eucalyptopsis</Emphasis> (Myrtaceae)

We have investigated the floral ontogeny of Arillastrum, Allosyncarpia, Stockwellia and Eucalyptopsis (of the eucalypt group, Myrtaceae) using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Several critical characters for establishing relationships between these genera and to the eucalypts have been determined. The absence of compound petaline primordia in Arillastrum, Allosyncarpia, Stockwellia and Eucalyptopsis excludes these taxa from the eucalypt clade. Post-anthesis circumscissile abscission of the hypanthium above the ovary in Stockwellia, Eucalyptopsis and Allosyncarpia is evidence that these three taxa form a monophyletic group; undifferentiated perianth parts and elongated fusiform buds are characters that unite Stockwellia and Eucalyptopsis as sister taxa. No floral characters clearly associate Arillastrum with either the eucalypt clade or the clade of Stockwellia, Eucalyptopsis and Allosyncarpia.We gratefully acknowledge Clyde Dunlop and Bob Harwood (Northern Territory Herbarium) for collecting specimens of Allosyncarpia, and Bruce Gray (Atherton) for collecting specimens of Stockwellia. The Australian National Herbarium (CANB) kindly lent herbarium specimens of Eucalyptopsis for examination. This research was supported by a University of Melbourne Research Development Grant to Andrew Drinnan.     

A noteworthy record of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ornithodoros</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alectorobius</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">coniceps</Emphasis> (Ixodida: Argasidae) from Central Italy

The first record of Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) coniceps (Canestrini) was reported for Italy in 1877, inside the interstices of the ancient mosaics at S. Marco Basilica in Venice. Afterwards only few discoveries of the species are reported for Italy; the last record is dated back to 1984, in L’Aquila town (Abruzzo Region). The present study shows the data of a survey carried out as a result of a massive infestation by O. coniceps in an ancient villa in Anzio town (Latium region) recently restored. In the past decades the villa has been fallen into disrepair, becoming an occasional shelter for wild animals mainly pigeons, that colonized the whole building for generations. This case appears worthy of note because it is the first record of this species after more than 25 years in Italy. A total of 136 specimens were collected by three methods: manual, mechanical aspirators and Wilson traps. Wilson trapping indicates positive O. coniceps tropism for CO₂.     

Modelling potential habitat of the invasive ctenophore <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mnemiopsis leidyi</Emphasis> in Aegean Sea

The invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi was accidentally introduced into the Black Sea in the early 1980s and it was first sighted in the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean) in the early 1990s. This article presents a first attempt to develop a predictive spatial model based on M. leidyi presence data and satellite environmental data from the Aegean Sea during early summer, in order to identify those areas in the Greek Seas and the entire Mediterranean basin that could serve as potential habitat for the species. Generalized additive models (GAM) were applied. The final GAM model indicated higher probability of finding M. leidyi present in depths of 65–135 m and sea surface temperature values of 21–25°C. Furthermore, the significant interaction between photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and sea level anomaly (SLA) indicated a higher probability of M. leidyi presence in low values of PAR and SLA. In the next step, the final GAM was applied in a prediction grid of mean monthly satellite values for June 2004–2006 in order to estimate probability of M. leidyi presence in the Hellenic Seas and the whole Mediterranean basin at a GIS resolution of 4 km. In the Aegean Sea, species potential habitat included areas influenced by the Black Sea Water (e.g. Thracian Sea, Limnos-Imvros plateau), gulfs that are affected by river runoffs, such as the Thermaikos, Strymonikos and Patraikos gulfs, or areas with strong anthropogenic influence such as the Saronikos gulf. Areas with the same environmental conditions as those in Aegean Sea have been indicated in certain spots of the Levantine Sea as well as in coastal waters of Egypt and Libya, although their spatial extent varied largely among years examined. However, the occurrence of conditions that are linked to high probability of M. leidyi presence does not necessarily mean that these areas can support successful reproduction, high population or bloom levels, since these depend on a combination of temperature, salinity, food availability and the abundance of predators. Guest editor: V. D. Valavanis Essential Fish Habitat Mapping in the Mediterranean     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">tumefaciens</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of callus cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crataegus</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">aronia</Emphasis>

A genetic transformation system has been developed for callus cells of Crataegus aronia using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Callus culture was established from internodal stem segments incubated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 5 mg l⁻¹ Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.5 mg l⁻¹ 6-benzyladenine (BA). In order to optimize the callus culture system with respect to callus growth and coloration, different types and concentrations of plant growth regulators were tested. Results indicated that the best average fresh weight of red colored callus was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 1.5 mg l⁻¹ kinetin (Kin) (callus maintenance medium). Callus cells were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium harboring the binary plasmid pCAMBIA1302 carrying the mgfp5 and hygromycin phosphotransferase (hptII) genes conferring green fluorescent protein (GFP) activity and hygromycin resistance, respectively. Putative transgenic calli were obtained 4 weeks after incubation of the co-cultivated explants onto maintenance medium supplemented with 50 mg l⁻¹ hygromycin. Molecular analysis confirmed the integration of the transgenes in transformed callus. To our knowledge, this is the first time to report an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system in Crataegus aronia.     

Pedogamy in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neidium</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillariophyceae</Emphasis>)

Single (unpaired) vegetative cells of freshwater pennate diatom Neidium cf. ampliatum differentiated into gametangia and produced a single zygote (auxospore) via a pedogamic process. The gametic nuclei fused after auxospore expansion had begun. The auxospore expanded in parallel to the apical axis of the gametangium.     

Replication timing of large <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sorex granarius</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Soricidae</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eulipotyphla</Emphasis>) telomeres

Previously, we described the unique feature of telomeric regions in Iberian shrew Sorex granarius: its telomeres have two ranges of size, very small (3.8 kb of telomeric repeats on average) and very large discontinuous telomeres (213 kb) interrupted with 18S rDNA. In this study, we have demonstrated extraordinary replication pattern of S. granarius large telomeres that have not been shown before in other studied mammal. Using the ReD-FISH procedure, we observed prolonged, through S period, large telomere replication. Furthermore, revealed ReD-FISH asymmetric signals were probably caused by partial replication of telomeres within an hour of 5-bromodeoxyuridine treatment due to the large size and special organization. We also found that in contrast to the telomeric halo from primary fibroblasts of bovine, mink, and common shrew, telomere halo of S. granarius consists of multiple loops bundled together, some of which contain rDNA. Here, we suggested several replicons firing possibly stochastic in each large telomere. Finally, we performed the TIF assay to reveal DNA damage responses at the telomeres, and along with TIF in nuclei, we found large bodies of telomeric DNA and ?-H2AX in the cytoplasm and on the surface of fibroblasts. We discuss the possibility of additional origin activation together with recombination-dependent replication pathways, mainly homologous recombination including BIR for replication fork stagnation overcoming and further S. granarius large telomere replication.     

Linkage of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Patr-AL</Emphasis> to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Patr-A</Emphasis> and-<Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis> in the major histocompatibility complex of the common chimpanzee (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pan troglodytes</Emphasis>)

Patr-AL is a recently described gene found only in the common chimpanzee, but closely related in structure to the highly polymorphic Patr-A and HLA-A genes of the chimpanzee and human MHCs, respectively. Unlike Patr-A and HLA-A, the Patr-AL gene has little polymorphism and is not fixed in the chimpanzee genome. To determine whether Patr-AL is located in the MHC or elsewhere, we compared segregation of the Patr-AL gene with segregation of Patr-A and - B alleles in chimpanzee families. The results demonstrate that Patr-AL is an MHC class I gene present on different MHC haplotypes as defined by their combination of Patr-A and B alleles.     

The Madagascan genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vaughania</Emphasis> is reduced to synonymy under <Emphasis Type="Italic">Indigofera</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leguminosae-Papilionoideae-Indigofereae</Emphasis>)

Summary  Eleven species comprising the Madagascan genus Vaughania are subsumed within the large pantropical genus Indigofera. Six new combinations are made; the remaining species were originally described in Indigofera.     

A record of the Far Eastern crane fly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tipula</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Platytipula</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">moiwana</Emphasis> (Diptera,Tipulidae) in Moscow

The crane fly Tipula (Platytipula) moiwana (Matsumura, 1916) occurs in the southern Russian Far East, including Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands, in Japan (Hokkaido), and in northeastern China. Recently this species was found in Moscow. The reason for the appearance of this species in Moscow is unknown.     

Comparative Ecology of the Gobies <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nes longus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ctenogobius saepepallens</Emphasis>, Both Symbiotic with the Snapping Shrimp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alpheus floridanus</Emphasis>

Synopsis We re-examined the symbiotic association of the western Atlantic gobiid fishes Nes longus and Ctenogobius saepepallens with the snapping shrimp Alpheus floridanus on the basis of a critical literature review and new data. Our research confirms that N. longus interacts closely with the shrimp and is dependent on it for the cover provided by the burrow that the shrimp constructs; the goby serves as the sentinel at the burrow entrance. Ctenogobius saepepallens is often seen occupying a burrow of the alpheid, and the shrimp will leave the burrow to deposit sediment with the goby at the entrance, even pushing the goby aside at times. However, the shrimp does not make contact with the goby with its antennae, nor does the goby communicate with caudal fin fluttering at the approach of danger. We suggest that their relationship is a first step in an evolutionary process that may lead to the very close mutualistic association exhibited by N. longus and the alpheid, as well as Indo-Pacific shrimp gobies of 13 different genera and their alpheid partners. Nes longus remains close to the burrow entrance; it feeds mainly on small gastropods, decapod crustaceans, ostracods, and isopods. By contrast, C. saepepallens makes longer excusions from the shelter of the burrow; its diet is dominated by benthic copepods, followed by ostracods and lesser amounts of foraminiferans, isopods, and decapod crustaceans. By virture of its greater mobility, it can be more selective in its prey.