Influence of host age and sex on the helminth fauna of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) in Galicia (northwestern Spain)

We studied the influence of host age and sex on the helminth fauna of 324 Larus michahellis captured in different locations in the region of Galicia (northwestern Spain). Gulls were grouped into prefledglings, first-year immature birds, second- and third-year immature birds, and adults. Second-year, third-year, and adult birds were grouped by sex. Thirty-six helminth species were recorded. Total species richness and mean infracommunity species richness were both significantly lower for pre-fledglings than for the other age groups. Prevalence increased significantly with age for Brachylecithum microtesticulatum, probably reflecting changing feeding habits. Likewise, 8 species (Cardiocephaloides longicollis, Microphallus similis, Maritrema gratiosum, Gynaecotyla longiintestinata, Brachylecithum microtesticulatum, Himasthla elongata, Parorchis acanthus, and Renicola sp.) were absent or had very low prevalence in prefledglings. At least 5 of these 8 species are transmitted to gulls through ingestion of molluscs or crustaceans, which suggests that these types of prey are seldom fed to prefledglings. In Gymnophallus deliciosus, G. longiintestinata, and Cosmocephalus obvelatus, mean intensity, and in the latter case prevalence, declined with age, suggesting that protective immunity against these species increase with age. Only G. deliciosus, Microphallus similis, and G. longiintestinata presented significant differences between the sexes.     

Natural history of the lizard Enyalius brasiliensis (Lesson, 1828) (Leiosauridae) from an Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil.

Information on the ecology of lizard species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest is scarce and almost nothing is known about the ecology of lizards of the genus Enyalius. In this study, we provide information about some aspects of the natural history of E. brasiliensis from an area of Atlantic Forest in Ilha Grande, RJ. Enyalius brasiliensis (N = 15) feeds mainly on arthropods. The most frequent food items were insect larvae, orthopterans, and ants; in terms of volume, larvae and termites were the most important food items; ants and termites were the most numerous prey categories. Two females were reproductive (one had 10 and the other, five vitellogenic follicles); the smallest measured 92.4 mm in SVL. Seven lizards were found on forest leaf litter. The other microhabitats used were vines, fallen logs, branches, and a crevice on a slope.     

Wing wear of adult Choristoneura fumiferana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in relation to age, sex, sex ratio, and presence of host plant

Wing wear of adult butterflies has been used to record age-related demographic parameters in hundreds of studies, but this technique has surprisingly been rarely used in moths and never in the context of pest management. A method for scoring wing wear of eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), the most severe pest in eastern North American boreal forests, is proposed based on the proportion of forewings covered with scales. Studies conducted in the laboratory reveal a higher level of wing damage for males than females, for 4-day-old individuals than 2-day-old individuals, and for adults that are in contact with host plant material. Males provided with mating opportunities had a lower incidence of wing damage than males deprived of mating opportunity, whereas wing wear of females was independent of the presence or absence of males. In combination with other variables, wing wear of adult spruce budworms may help to identify and forecast migration events.     

Effect of suboptimal environment and host age on helminth community of black grouse (Tetrao tetrix)

Helminths have often been considered responsible in driving partially wildlife population density fluctuations; therefore more information have to be achieved when target hosts are endangered or threatened species, such as black grouse (Tetrao tetrix). During 8 years (2003–2010), we collected and analyzed 431 intestinal contents of hunted black grouse from Central Alps (Verbania), recording age, body weights, biometric measures, and the culling site to investigate (1) their helminth community structure, (2) how much infection varies in relation to age class and to prealpine and alpine origin area, and (3) if parasites may act as population destabilizing factors. The helminth community is composed by two nematodes Ascaridia compar and Aonchotheca caudinflata. A. compar is the predominant species, and a significant higher intensity of both helminths is recorded in juveniles. A. caudinflata has a negative effect on weights of all the population subjects (p?<?0.001), independently of age and origin area. Prealpine population, characterized by significantly lower weights than those of the alpine ones (p?<?0.05), is found more infected by both helminths, with also a negative impact (p?<?0.001) of A. compar recorded on prealpine adults’ weights. The negative effect noticed for A. caudinflata emphasizes its pathogenicity and shows that this infection can be considered a further stressor for the studied population. Moreover, A. compar affects essentially adults in prealpine area and this fact, together with the major infection of the entire prealpine population, supports the hypothesis that habitat characteristics play a role in the infectious process.     

Patterns of host specificity among the helminth parasite fauna of freshwater siluriforms: testing the biogeographical core parasite fauna hypothesis

Host specificity plays an essential role in shaping the evolutionary history of host-parasite associations. In this study, an index of host specificity recently proposed was used to test, quantitatively, the hypothesis that some groups of parasites are characteristics of some host fish families along their distribution range. A database with all published records on the helminth parasites of freshwater siluriforms of Mexico was used. The host specificity index was used considering its advantage to measure the taxonomic heterogeneity of the host assemblages and its appropriateness for unequal sampling data. The helminth parasite fauna of freshwater siluriforms in Mexico seems to be specific for different host taxonomic categories. However, a relatively high number of species (47% of the total helminth fauna) is specific to their respective host family. This result provides further corroboration for the biogeographic hypothesis of the core helminth fauna proposed previously. The statistical values for host specificity obtained herein seem to be independent of host range. However, the accurate taxonomic identification of the parasites is fundamental for the evaluation of host specificity and the accurate evolutionary interpretation of this phenomenon.     

Gastrointestinal parasitism of Iowa coyotes in relation to age

Taenia sp., Physaloptera sp., Ancylostoma caninum, Toxascaris leonina, and/or Trichuris vulpis were recovered from gastrointestinal tracts of 141 and 144 (97.9%) coyotes ranging from 1/2 to 8 1/2 years of age. Ancylostoma caninum exhibited a significant decline in both prevalence and mean number per coyote with increasing age of the host. Taenia sp. appeared with consistently high prevalence in all age classes. Physaloptera sp. and T. leonina showed general reductions in prevalence in all age classes. Physaloptera sp. and T. leonina showed general reductions in prevalence and mean nubmer with increasing host age, although the data were not statistically significant. Coccidia were found in 15 of 58 (25.9%) fecal flotations.     

Thermoregulation during exercise in relation to sex and age

The thermoregulatory responses to 1 h exercise of 14 male (age range 18--65 year) and 7 female (age range 18--46 year) athletes and 4 (3 male and 1 female) non-athletic subjects have been investigated in a moderate environment (Tdb = 21 degrees C, Twb = 15 degrees C and rh less than 50%) and analysed in relation to age, sex, and maximum aerobic power output (VO2max). The maximal sweat loss (Msw max) under the given conditions was closely related (r = + 0.90) to VO2max and for a given relative work load (%VO2max), rectal (Tre) and mean skin (Tsk) temperatures was the same in all subjects. Sweat loss (Msw) was linearly related to total heat production (H) and to peripheral tissue heat conductance (K) and if expressed in relative terms (%Mswmax) was linearly related to Tre. For a given Tre relative sweat rate was identical in the groups studied. From these results it would seem that during exercise Tre rises to meet the requirements of heat dissipation by establishing a thermal gradient from core to skin and stimulating sweating in proportion to maximal capacity of the system. Thus provided the thermal responses to work were standardised using the appropriate physiological variables, there was no evidence to be found for differences in thermoregulatory function which could be ascribed to sex or age.     

Host location,survival and fecundity of the Oriental rat flea Xenopsylla cheopis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) in relation to black rat Rattus rattus (Rodentia: Muridae) host age and sex

Host choice and fecundity are two factors that may contribute to the variation in flea counts observed when assessing the potential risk of flea-borne transmission of pathogens from rodents to humans. Using the black rat, Rattus rattus Linnaeus, as host the effects of age and sex on host choice and fecundity of the Oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis Rothschild, were examined experimentally at 25 degrees C and 80% rh. During the first two days of emergence from cocoons, female fleas dominated the sex ratio by 4:1 but from the third day onwards this switched to a male-dominated sex ratio of 4:1. The sex of the flea did not influence their host-seeking behaviour. Newly emerged fleas of both sexes were not influenced by the rat's presence and at seven days old both sexes demonstrated similar levels of attraction toward the rat host. The sex of the rat did not affect flea host-seeking behaviour. There was a 50-70% decline in the initial number of adult fleas during the first week after their release onto a rat host, and this decline was greatest on juvenile rats. Flea fecundity was also significantly lower on juvenile rat hosts but no differences due to the sex of the rat were observed. This experimental study supports the hypothesis that differences in flea count due to host sex, reported in field surveys, result from sexual differences in host behaviour and not from discriminatory host-seeking behaviour by X. cheopis. Differences in flea count due to host age may be affected by differences in X. cheopis fecundity, which may itself be mediated by host behaviour such as grooming.     

Sister-chromatid exchange in childhood in relation to age and sex

Small children have been found to have a lower SCE/cell than adults and in recent reports females have had higher SCEs/cell than males. We here describe the relationship between SCE/cell and age and sex in 46 girls and 39 boys with an age range of 1.4-19.2 years and 2.6-18.7 years, respectively. For the calculation a transformation y = (sum SCE)1/2 + (sum SCE + 1)1/2 was used. The best fit to our material was represented by the equation y = b0 + b1 X log age. A common slope (b1) could be used for the boys and girls. This slope was significantly different from zero (P less than 0.0005). The levels of the regression lines for the two sexes were different (P = 0.0006). The girls had a 0.55-0.7 higher SCE/cell than the boys, depending on age. The following equations were found: Girls: y = 22.49 + 6.53 X log age. Boys: y = 21.11 + 6.53 X log age. By this model 43% of the variation in y could be explained. As a consequence of the result it is absolutely essential, when planning studies of children, to use age-matched groups to decrease the variability of the test system.     

The structure of anoline (Reptilia: Dactyloidae: Anolis) toe pads in relation to substratum conformity

Adhesive toe pads of geckos house modified components of vascular and/or connective tissues that promote conformity of the setal fields with the locomotor substratum. Similar modifications have been claimed for the digits of Anolis, but evidence for them is not compelling. Angiographic and histological investigations of Anolis failed to identify any evidence of either an intralamellar vascular reticular network or a central sinus. Instead, their vascularity more closely resembles that of lizards in general than that of pad‐bearing geckos. The loose connective tissue of the toe pads likely contributes to their general pliability and flexibility, promoting localized compliance with the substratum. Through the shedding cycle, the lamellae change shape as the replacing setae elongate. The outer epidermal generation lacunar cells on the inner lamellar faces simultaneously hypertrophy, providing for compatibility between overlapping lamellae, enabling reciprocity between them. This contributes to continuing compliance of the setal fields with the substratum. Overall, digital structure and attachment and release kinematics of the toe pads of Anolis are very similar to those of geckos exhibiting an incipient adhesive mechanism. Both lack major anatomical specializations for promoting conformity of the setae with the locomotor substratum beyond those of the seta‐bearing portions of the epidermis.     

斑痣悬茧蜂寄生、发育和生殖特征与寄主幼虫日龄的关系

【目的】“圆屋顶形”假说认为,对单寄生性姬蜂和茧蜂适合度而言,中间龄期幼虫寄主的品质高于更早和更晚龄期幼虫。该假说得到许多研究支持,但这些研究常以寄主幼虫脱皮划分虫龄,很少观测生殖特征,从而难以确切和全面描述适合度随寄主生长发育变化而变化的关系。本研究旨在检验“圆屋顶形”假说。【方法】本研究以斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura不同日龄幼虫为寄主,观测斑痣悬茧蜂Meteorus pulchricornis寄生和发育特征,并测定成蜂生殖力。【结果】线性回归分析表明,雌蜂对中间日龄寄主幼虫的寄生率大于对两端日龄寄主幼虫的寄生率;蜂卵至成虫的存活、成虫体型大小及其生殖力（产卵量）等适合度相关特征均表现出中间日龄寄主幼虫处理大于两端日龄幼虫处理。【结论】研究结果支持“圆屋顶形”假说。     

Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus L.) (Perciformes, Percidae) helminth fauna in Rybinsk Reservoir: Recovery following a depression in abundance of the host population

This paper deals with the recovery process of ruffe helminth fauna following a catastrophic decrease in the fish population of Rybinsk Reservoir. Mass mortality was observed in ruffe from 1997 to 1999. It led to a decrease in parasite species diversity. However, two to three years later about 60% of the former parasitic species had recovered. The reasons for ruffe mass mortality in a range of waterbodies are analyzed based upon literature data. Some regularities of such epizooties in ruffe are revealed. It is suggested that epizooties are due to some unknown viral or bacterial infection, which may be facilitated by a specific combination of several factors.     

Histological study and immunohistochemical location of cytoskeletal proteins in the testis and epididymis of the three species of lizards of the family Leiosauridae (Reptilia: Squamata)

The objective of the study was to histologically describe the structure of the testis and epididymis, identifying the GAGs in them. Furthermore, the distribution of smooth muscle alpha-actin, desmin, and vimentin is described of E. bilineatus, E. perditus, and U. vautieri, through immunohistochemical method. Two adult males of each species of the lizards were collected in southeastern Brazil. In the testicular albuginea, the presence of neutral glycoproteins was detected. In E. bilineatus, the epididymal duct epithelium is simple, composed of secretory cells, cylindrical in shape and acidophilic cytoplasm. In the testis of the three lizards there was a positive immunolocation accentuated for α-SMA in the dense connective tissue of the tunica albuginea. A moderate reaction was observed in the connective tissue albuginous and in the layer of smooth muscle fibers in a circumferential arrangement of the epididymal duct. The immunolocation for desmin was accentuated in the fibers of the testicular albuginea of E. bilineatus, while in U. vautier and E. perditus was moderate. In the epididymis, only in E. perditus and E. bilineatus positive immunoreaction was verified. In the three lizards there were no observations of immunostaining for vimentin with the antibody utilized.     

Pelage color variation in pocket gophers (Rodentia: Geomyidae) in relation to sex,age and differences in habitat

Pelage coloration is a phenotypic characteristic in mammals that could be associated with an individual's survival and fitness; thus coloration gains adaptive importance. In geomyids, pelage coloration shows a relationship with the color of soils on which they live, mainly freshly dug soil of their burrows. This characteristic could be due to a camouflage adaptation to avoid predators. Pocket gophers disperse aboveground to establish a territory before they reach reproductive condition, and males disperse longer distances than females. The aim of this study was to evaluate pelage color variation in pocket gophers (Thomomys anitae) in relation to habitat differences, sex, and age, and determine its association to the color of the soil on which they live. Brightness of T. anitae's dorsal pelage coloration and that of soil samples from five different habitats in the Baja California peninsula, Mexico were measured to test four hypotheses: (1) Subadults show a wide coloration range, but extreme colors are lost in adulthood due to natural selection. (2) Males are more vulnerable to depredation than females; therefore, males’ coloration is more homogenous as a protective camouflage. (3) In open habitats pocket gophers are more exposed to being detected by predators, therefore their pelage coloration pattern is less variable than that of individuals from habitats with more vegetation cover. (4) Pelage coloration better matches soil coloration in moist conditions similar to that of freshly dug soil of their burrows. The results confirmed our predictions; however, selection does not impose an equal pressure on pelage coloration on the five habitats evaluated; other factors such as population density and predator presence need to be assessed. The strongest effects are found in the most open habitat, and there is less strong support for predictions in habitats where predator assemblage is diminished.     

Flight activity ofProstephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) in relation to population density,resource quality,age, and sex

Higher flight activity has been observed in aged, high-density cultures ofProstephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), but adults in new, lowdensity culture jars showed less flight activity. In order to understand this change in behavior, the effects of population density, age, resource quality, and sex on the flight ofP. truncatus were studied in a wind tunnel. While an immediate density on the release platform had no significant effect on flight, beetles from high-density cultures were more inclined to fly than those from low-density cultures. Resource quality exerted a major influence on flight; insects in food suitable for boring and oviposition seldomly exhibited flight, however, when food was absent or of inferior quality for boring and oviposition, the dominant behavior was flight. Also, insects maintained for a week in food suitable for boring and oviposition were less ready to fly than those maintained in food unsuitable for boring and oviposition. The optimum age range for flight activity was before the peak of reproduction and insects rarely flew before 4 days or after 32 days of emergence. There were no significant differences between the flight activity of males and that of females. Based on these results, we conclude that age and resource quality are major influences on the flight activity ofP. truncatus and a hypothesis is proposed in which reproductively active male and female beetles disperse from habitats of low resource quality to those that support their reproductive behavior. The practical implications of these results and the possible role of the male-produced aggregation pheromone are discussed.     

Structural characteristics of the patagium of Ptychozoon kuhli (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in relation to parachuting locomotion

Ptychozoon kuhli is known for its parachuting/gliding capabilities. In this contribution, we document the allometric scaling properties of its patagium, accessory flaps and folds, and its total body surface area and compare them to similar attributes of the agamine lizard Draco volans. Ptychozoon kuhli has passive patagia that lack skeletal support and muscular control. Patagial area in P. kuhli is smaller than that in D. volans for individuals of identical snout-vent length, but the accessory folds and flaps compensate for this shortfall and overall P. kuhli has equivalent total body surface area to D. volans for equally sized individuals. The structure of the patagium of Ptychozoon kuhli was investigated in terms of its scalation patterns and structural integrity, its relationship to the body wall and its mechanism of erection, and the distribution of mechanoreceptive sensilla across its surface. Scalation patterns and the internal architecture of the patagium indicate how its shape and form are maintained as it erects and becomes exposed to air flow. Its cross-sectional shape, together with that of the entire body indicates how it is able to behave as an airfoil. The distribution of sensilla across the patagial surface reflect positioning indicative of the monitoring of scale-to-scale contact on the dorsal surface, and possibly air pressure and flow on the ventral surface.