Falcaustra washingtonensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) from Ambystoma tigrinum melanostictum (Caudata: Ambystomatidae) from Washington State, USA.

Falcaustra washingtonensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) from the intestine of the salamander Ambystoma tigrinum melanostictum is described and illustrated. Falcaustra washingtonensis n. sp. represents the 14th nearctic species assigned to this genus and is distinguished from other nearctic species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae and number of posterior muscle groups of the male: 10 pairs of sessile caudal papillae--3 pairs precloacal, 1 pair adcloacal, 6 pairs postcloacal--and 5 posterior muscle groups.     

New species of Falcaustra (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) in Platysternon megacephalum (Testudines: Platysternidae) from China

Falcaustra taimoshanensis n. sp. (Ascaridida, Kathlaniidae) from the feces of Platysternon megacephalum (Testudines; Platysternidae) is described and illustrated. Falcaustra taimoshanensis n. sp. represents the 32nd Oriental species assigned to the genus and is distinguished from other species by the distribution pattern of the caudal papillae (6 precloacal, 2 adcloacal, 12 postcloacal, and 1 median), length of spicules (765-791 μm), and presence of 1 pseudosucker.     

New species of Falcaustra (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) from Heosemys grandis (Testudines: Emydidae)

Falcaustra kinsellai n. sp. from the intestines of the turtle Heosemys grandis is described and illustrated. Falcaustra kinsellai represents the 30th Oriental species assigned to the genus and is distinguished from other species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae (6 precloacal, 6 adcloacal, 10 postcloacal, and 1 median), length of spicules (427-451 microm), presence of a pseudosucker, and presence of a toothed chamber between vestibule and pharynx.     

Falcaustra greineri n. sp. (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) from Orlitia borneensis (Testudines: Emydidae)

Falcaustra greineri n. sp. from the large intestine of the turtle Orlitia borneensis is described and illustrated. Falcaustra greineri represents the 23rd Oriental species assigned to this genus and is distinguished from other Oriental species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae (6 preanal, 0 adanal, 14 postanal, and 1 median), length of spicules (1.07-1.33 mm), and absence of pseudosucker.     

Falcaustra kutcheri n. sP. (nematoda: kathlaniidae) from Geoemyda yuwonoi (testudines: emydidae) from Sulawesi, Indonesia

Falcaustra kutcheri n. sp. (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) from feces of the turtle Geoemyda yuwonoi is described and illustrated. Falcaustra kutcheri n. sp. represents the 68th species to be assigned to this genus and is distinguished from other oriental species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae of the male: 10 pairs of sessile caudal papillae, 4 pairs precloacal, 1 pair adcloacal, 5 pairs postcloacal.     

Two new species of Falcaustra and comments on helminths of Norops tropidolepis (Sauria: Polychrotidae) from Costa Rica

Falcaustra costaricae n. sp. from the intestines of the lizard Norops tropidolepis and F. heosemydis n. sp. from the large intestine of the turtle Heosemys depressa are described and illustrated. Falcaustra costaricae represents the 10th Neotropical species assigned to this genus and is distinguished from other Neotropical species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae (10 preanal, 0 adanal, 12 postanal, and 1 median), length and width of spicules (510-561 microm long, 18-24 microm wide), and absence of pseudosucker. Falcaustra heosemydis represents the 29th Oriental species and is distinguished from other Oriental species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae (10 preanal, 0 adanal, 12 postanal, and 1 median), length of spicules (790-890 microm), and absence of pseudosucker. Norops tropidolepis was found to harbor 3 species of Nematoda, F. costaricae, Rhabdias anolis, and acuariid larvae, and 2 species of Acanthocephala (centrorhynchid cystacanths and oligacanthorhynchid cystacanths).     

New species of Falcaustra (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) in Nyctimystes cheesmani (Anura: Hylidae) from Papua New Guinea

Falcaustra batrachiensis n. sp. (Ascaridida, Kathlaniidae) from the large intestine of Nyctimystes cheesmani (Anura, Hylidae) is described and illustrated. Falcaustra batrachiensis represents the fifth Australo-Papuan species assigned to the genus and is distinguished from other Australo-Papuan species by the distribution pattern of the caudal papillae (8 precloacal, 2 adcloacal, 6 postcloacal, and 1 median), length of spicules (1.4-1.6 mm) and presence of pseudosuckers (5 or 6). Nyctimystes cheesmani was found to harbor 7 additional species of Nematoda, adults of Cosmocerca novaeguineae, Maxvachonia ewersi, Meteterakis crombiei, Physalopteroides milnensis, Pseudorictularia dipsarilis, Seuratascaris numidica, larvae in cysts of Abbreviata sp., and 1 species of Acanthocephala, Acanthocephalus bufonis. Nyctimystes cheesmani represents a new host record for each of these helminth species.     

A new species of lentic breeding Korean salamander of the genus Hynobius (Amphibia, Urodela)

A new species of salamander, Hynobius yangi, is described from Kori (=Hyoam-ri), Busan-shi, southeastern Korea. It is a lentic breeder belonging to the H. nebulosus species group, and has long been confused with another Korean species H. leechii. The new species, however, is genetically substantially differentiated from Korean and Japanese relatives. Hynobius yangi is morphologically very similar to H. leechii, but could be differentiated from it by the tail shape, degree of limb separation, shape of vomerine teeth series, shape of egg sac, and dorsal coloration.     

New genus of Pharyngodonidae (Nematoda: Oxyuridea) and other helminths in Platymantis nexipus (Anura: Ranidae) from Papua New Guinea

Rokroknema novaebritanniae n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) from the large intestine of Platymantis nexipus (Anura: Ranidae) is described and illustrated. Rokroknema represents the second Australo-Papuan genus assigned to the family Pharyngodonidae known to infect frogs. It is similar to Parathelandros (the other genus), but it is readily distinguished because the posterior pair of caudal papillae is not in the form of a rosette. Platymantis nexipus also was found to harbor 1 species of Digenea, Opisthioglyphe cophixali, and 5 additional species of Nematoda, adults of Aplectana krausi, Cosmocerca novaeguineae, Falcaustra batrachiensis, Icosiella papuensis, and larvae in cysts of Abbreviata sp., plus unidentified cystacanths of 1 species of acanthocephalan.     

Food habit of the juvenile of the Japanese newt Cynops pyrrhogaster

The previous study showed that the red coloration of the ventral skin of the Japanese newt Cynops pyrrhogaster was associated with the number of carotenoid vesicles and the content of carotenoid in the pigment cell of the skin. To elucidate the mechanism for the red coloration of the skin of the newt, we studied the food habit of the juvenile from the Japanese newt Cynops pyrrhogaster. Sixty-two juveniles were collected in Fukue Island in Nagasaki Prefecture from November 2000 to May 2002 and divided into 2 groups according to the snout-vent length (SVL). Over 400 prey animals were obtained from the juveniles by stomach flushing. In the larger group (SVL>30.0mm), Collembola (45.4%) and Acari (12.6%), which are very common species of soil animals, were the prey animals dominant in number. In the group with the smaller SVL (<29.9mm), Collembola (30.4%) and Acari (25.4%) were in number as well. We also studied the food habit of the Japanese clouded salamander, Hynobius nebulosus. In the salamander, Doratodesmidae (56.5%) and Amphipoda (13%) were the prey animals dominant in number. Our results, taken together, suggest that the Japanese juvenile C. pyrrhogaster does not change its food habit as it grows, and that it eats soil animals common in its habitat. Moreover, the food habit of juvenile C. pyrrhogaster differs from that of H. nebulosus, although the juveniles of both species live in the same area.     

Zur Evolution der Embryonal- bzw. Larvalentwicklung bei Salamandra1

In the genus Salamandra occur mainly two kinds of propagation. The european spotted salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is ovoviviparous and lays a great number of larvas into the water, whereas the alpine salamander (Salamandra atra) gives birth to completely transformed gilless young ones. There are, however, several races of spotted salamander which are also viviparous. The development of such a variety, Salamandra salamandra bernardezi, is described and compared with the generation of the alpine salamander. The emancipation of the development of the larvas from their life in the water has certainly happened in several cases independent of each other under various oecological circumstances. Besides a race of spotted salamander was said to exist in a mountain lake in central Spain at about 6000 ft. This assertion proved to be wrong. The development of the embryo and the larva takes place in exactly the same way as with our native species. The results of the experiments of Mr. Kammerer are dicussed on the basis of the facts at our disposal.     

Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Endemic Salamander Species from Central Texas

A nested PCR protocol was used to analyze five endemic salamander species from Central Texas for the presence of the emerging pathogen, chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). Chytrid fungus was detected from samples of each of the five species sampled: with low abundance, in the Texas salamander (Eurycea neotenes) (1 positive out of 16 individuals tested; 1/16), the Blanco River Springs salamander (E. pterophila) (1/20), the threatened San Marcos salamander (E. nana) (1/17), and the endangered Barton Springs salamander (E. sosorum) (1/7); much higher abundance was obtained for the Jollyville Plateau salamander (E. tonkawae) (6/14), which has recently been petitioned for addition to the USA endangered species list. With one exception, sequences of PCR products were identical to the 5.8S rRNA gene, and nearly so for the flanking internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of B. dendrobatidis which confirmed the detection of chytrid fungus, and thus demonstrated the presence of this pathogen in populations of endangered species in Central Texas. These confirmations were obtained from nonconsumptive tail clippings which confirms the applicability of historically collected samples from other studies in the examination of the fungus across time.     

Symbioses between salamander embryos and green algae

The symbiosis between Ambystoma maculatum (spotted salamander) embryos and green algae was initially described over 120 years ago. Algae populate the egg capsules that surround individual A. maculatum embryos, giving the intracapsular fluid a characteristic green hue. Early work established this symbiosis to be a mutualism, while subsequent studies sought to identify the material benefits of this association to both symbiont and host. These studies have shown that salamander embryos benefit from increased oxygen concentrations provided by their symbiotic algae. The algae, in turn, may benefit from ammonia excreted by the embryos. All of these early studies considered the association to be an ectosymbiotic mutualism. However our recent work has shown that algae invade both embryonic salamander cells and tissues during development. The unexpected invasion of algal cells into a salamander host changes our understanding of this symbiosis. This review will summarize the earlier research on this association in the context of these recent findings. It will also emphasize gaps in our understanding of this and other amphibian embryo-algal interactions and suggest various research avenues to address these unanswered questions.     

Interspecific interactions between coexisting Siberian and Ezo salamander larvae examined by stable isotope analyses

Limnology - Hokkaido Island is inhabited by two salamander species, Siberian salamander (Salamandrella keyserlingii) and Ezo salamander (Hynobius retardatus), which were previously considered...     

Kamegainema cingulum (Linstow, 1902) n. gen., n. comb. (Nematoda: Dracunculidae), a subcutaneous parasite of cryptobranchids (Amphibia: Caudata)

The monotypic Kamegainema n. gen. is proposed for Filaria cingula, a subcutaneous parasite of cryptobranchids. Examination of female specimens recently collected from the Japanese giant salamander, Andrias japonicus, revealed that it belongs to Dracunculidae. Kamegainema is closest to Protenema Petter and Planelles, 1986, the only other dracunculid genus known from Amphibia, but is readily distinguished by having prominent cuticular bosses. Kamegainema cingulum is redescribed.     

甘草对大鲵抗嗜水气单胞菌感染的作用

通过投喂甘草提取物, 研究了甘草对大鲵(Andrias davidianus)抗嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila)感染的作用。连续投喂56d, 从28d开始, 药物组血清溶菌酶活性先升后降, 呈抛物线趋势, 低剂量组在42d出现最大值(158.4±34.7) U/mL, 高剂量组在35d出现最大值(178.3±28.8) U/mL, 两者都显著高于同期对照组(P<0.05)。药物组在最后两次采样期, 即42d和56d时, 肾脏巨噬细胞吞噬活性显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。低剂量组和高剂量组最大值均出现在42d, 分别为(59.4±8.5)%和(58.4±5.2)%。同期相比, 药物组白细胞比容值均高于对照组。其中, 高剂量组在28d时白细胞比容值为(5.8±1.7)%, 低剂量组在56d时为(5.5±0.8)%, 高剂量组在56d时为(5.9±1.7)%, 三者都显著高于同期对照组(P<0.05)。药物组和对照组的脾脏脏器系数之间没有显示出显著差异。最后一次采样(56d)后人工感染嗜水气单胞菌, 对照组死亡率为90%, 低剂量组和高剂量组都为60%, 均低于对照组, 而药物组免疫保护率为33.3%, 也都高于对照组。结果表明, 投喂甘草提取物可在一定程度上提高大鲵对嗜水气单胞菌的抗性。     

Geographic allozyme variation in the Japanese clouded salamander, Hynobius nebulosus (Amphibia: Urodela)

Using starch gel electrophoresis, geographical enzyme variation was surveyed in 46 populations of the Japanese salamander Hynobius nebulosus , which occurs widely in western Japan. This species exhibits substantial local genetic differentiation and is more diverse in inland regions than on small islands. In several different analyses, two groups of populations, one from Kyushu Island to the westernmost part of Chugoku district, Honshu (western group), and another from Shikoku through Kinki to Chubu district, Honshu (eastern group), were consistently recognized. Most of the remaining populations were placed in two less clearly-defined groups: the montane group from the Chugoku Mountains and the Chugoku group from the coastal regions of Chugoku district. The divergence patterns of H. nebulosus are thought to be related to the geological history of its range. The populations near the boundary of the western group were found to share several alleles that were predominant on both sides of the boundary, indicating past secondary contact. Differentiation in the montane group did not follow the isolation by distance model, probably because several populations included were genetically mixed with lowland populations of the Chugoku group.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 89 , 311–330.     

Eradication of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in the Japanese giant salamander Andrias japonicus

The purpose of this study was to establish a method for eradicating a chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis; Bd) from the Japanese giant salamander Andrias japonicus. The emerging agent (Bd) has a high rate of detection in this endangered amphibian species, which is designated as a special natural monument in Japan. Four Japanese giant salamanders with Bd confirmed by PCR assay were bathed in 0.01% itraconazole for 5 min d-1 over 10 successive days. PCR assays were conducted prior to treatment, on Days 5 and 10 of treatment, and on Days 7 and 14 post-treatment. By treatment Day 5, all individuals tested negative for Bd and remained negative until the end of the experiment. No side effects associated with itraconazole were observed. The present method appears to be a safe and effective approach for Bd eradication and may contribute to reducing the threat and spread of Bd among endangered amphibians. Notably, this study represents the first reported Bd eradication experiment involving Japanese giant salamanders.