Histopathology of eighth cranial nerve of mass stranded dolphins at Goto Islands, Japan.

We examined four dolphins (Grampus griseus) of 582 mass-stranded. Almost no contents were found in the alimentary canal. Nasitrema gondo and Crassicauda grampicola were found in the tympanic cavity. Severe degeneration of the eighth cranial nerve was observed microscopically in all animals and an egg of Nasitrema was found in a tissue crevice of the nerve. We propose that the nerves were damaged directly by Nasitrema.     

Nasitrema attenuata (Trematoda) infection of Tursiops truncatus and its potentialities as an aetiological agent of chronic pulmonary lesions.

Two cases of Nasitrema sp (Trematoda) infection of the bottlenosed dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, are reported and N. attenuata is briefly redescribed. The adults of the trematode occurring in the nasal sinuses and posterior nasal passage of the dolphins are considered as practically harmless for the host but thier eggs, aspirated deep into the bronchial tree, may initiate a foreign-body of inflammatory reaction in the lungs and continuous aspiration of such eggs may provoke a chronic pneumonia condition.     

Mass stranding of Odontoceti caused by parasitogenic eighth cranial neuropathy

Hearing organs of the Odontoceti from two mass strandings in 1983 and 1986 were examined histopathologically. In the 1983 stranding, two of three pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) were necropsied and numerous Nasitrema sp. were found close to the eighth cranial nerve (nervus vistibulo cochlearis) in both animals. Patchy degeneration of the eighth cranial nerve in and out of the modiolus of the cochlea was observed. In the 1986 stranding, five of 125 false killer whales (Pseudorca crassiclens) were examined and numerous trematodes (Nasitrema gondo) were found in the tympanic cavities. Severe degeneration of the eighth cranial nerve was discovered and there were many trematode eggs in the nervous and surrounding tissues. Parasitogenic eighth neuropathy is proposed again as the cause of mass stranding of the Odontoceti.     

Kudoa cerebralis sp. n. (Myxosporidea,Chloromyxidae) from the Striped Bass,Morone saxatilis (Walbaum)*

Kudoa cerebralis sp. n. is described from connective tissue of the nervous system in the striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), from the southern Chesapeake Bay area. This is the first time the genus Kudoa has been found in association with the nervous system. The polar view mean diameter of the spores was 7.0 μm and the polar capsule mean length was 3.7 μm.     

On the Parasitic Protozoa of Liberia. I. Coccidia of Some Small Mammals.

SYNOPSIS. Four new species of Eimeria are described from small mammals in Liberia. These are: E. levinei , sp. nov. from a free-tailed bat, E. firestonei , sp. nov., and E. milleri , sp. nov., from a shrew, and E. putevelata , sp. nov., from a striped grass mouse.     

Immune and histopathologic responses of DNA-vaccinated hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis x M. chrysops after acute Mycobacterium marinum infection

The post-challenge immune and histopathologic responses of hybrid striped bass vaccinated with a DNA vaccine encoding the Mycobacterium marinum Ag85A gene and subsequently challenged with M. marinum were investigated. Juvenile hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis x M. chrysops were injected intramuscularly with 25 or 50 microg DNA plasmid and developed significant specific protective responses to live bacterial challenge 120 d post-vaccination. Both vaccine groups demonstrated increased survival, reduced splenic bacterial counts, and reduced granuloma formation compared to the control groups 14 d after challenge with approximately 8 x 10(5) cfu M. marinum g(-1) fish body wt. The vaccine groups also developed more rapidly and significantly increased antibody and lymphoproliferative responses post-challenge compared to control groups, and these post-challenge immune responses appear to be vital against M. marinum infection in vaccinated hybrid striped bass. No significant differences in immune responses were recognized between the 25 and 50 microg vaccination groups, and these groups eventually experienced mortalities, splenic bacterial counts, and granuloma formation 28 d post-challenge comparable to those of the control groups at 14 d post-challenge. Therefore, vaccination of hybrid striped bass with a DNA vaccine encoding the M. marinum Ag85A gene provided significant but limited duration of protection against an acute high-dose M. marinum challenge.     

The incidence of Livoneca sp. (Isopoda) on Helotes sexlineatus (Pisces) in Kuwait waters

Infestations of Livoneca sp. occur on the striped therapon, Helotes sexlineatus, in Kuwait waters. Infestation rate decreases as depth increases, and some infested fish were found in all samples examined; the occurrence of infested fish could not be used as a biological tag. One year and four year old fish were uninfested. Two and three year old fish showed different infestation rates (4.1% and 0.9 % respectively). No striped therapon carried more than one parasite.     

Apolipoprotein A-I from striped bass (Morone saxatilis) demonstrates antibacterial activity in vitro

HDL and apolipoprotein A-I from teleostean fishes demonstrate in vitro activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we purified ApoA-1 from striped bass (Morone saxatilis) plasma and examined its in vitro antibacterial activity against Streptococcus sp., Escherichia coli, and Mycobacterium marinum. In addition, we obtained sequence for a putative striped bass ApoA-1 gene, which when translated contained the identical sequence generated from N-terminal sequencing of the purified ApoA-1. The predicted secondary and tertiary structures contained the characteristic proline residues and high alpha-helical content conserved between mammals and fishes. Purified ApoA-1 exhibited antibacterial activity against the bacteria assayed. Concentrations of 125 microg/mL for E. coli, 250 microg/mL for Streptococcus sp., and 250 microg/mL for M. marinum, inhibited bacterial growth by 50% compared to control. ApoA-1 plasma concentrations in experimental and wild fish ranged from undetectable levels to greater than 5 mg/mL, indicating that striped bass ApoA-1 is an effective antibacterial agent at concentrations below the range of physiological concentrations in striped bass plasma. We therefore conclude that ApoA-1 could play a role in innate defense against bacterial pathogens in striped bass.     

Brain lesions in a Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens)

A young, male, free-ranging Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) was found disoriented and died after being held in captivity for several months. Malacic lesions in several areas of the brain were associated with helminth eggs. The appearance and location of these eggs suggested they were of the genus Nasitrema.     

A new species of the genus Zalophotrema (Digenea: Campulidae), Zalophotrema atlanticum n. sp., from the liver of the striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) (Cetacea: Delphinidae) in Atlantic waters

Zalophotrema atlanticum n. sp. from the liver of a striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833), stranded in the Canary Islands is described. This new species differs from the other Zalophotrema species in body dimensions and relative size and position of the suckers and cirrus-sac. This is the first record of a species of the genus Zalophotrema in the striped dolphin, and the Atlantic Ocean constitutes a new locality record for this genus.     

Ackertia globulosa sp. n. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from rodents in Kenya.

Ackertia globulosa sp. n. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) is described from the pulmonary arteries of the striped mouse, Lemniscomys striatus striatus (L.), in Kenya. Distinguishing features are the small size of the adults; the short left spicule and arrangement of the caudal papillae (3 pairs preanal, 4 pairs postanal) of the male; small projecting lobes on the tail of the females; and 10 to 12 refractile globules in the microfilarial sheath. The microfilariae are found in the skin, mostly of the ear. The probable intermediate host is a hard tick, Haemaphysalis leachi.     

Maturation and fecundity of a stock-enhanced population of striped bass in the Savannah River Estuary, U.S.A

The striped bass Morone saxatilis population in the Savannah River (south-eastern U.S.A.) collapsed in the 1980s, and recent eorts to restore the population have resulted in increased catch-per-unit-eort (CPUE) of striped bass in the Savannah River Estuary (SRE). The abundance of eggs and larvae, however, remain well below historic levels. The primary cause of the population decline was remedied, and environmental conditions seem suitable for striped bass spawning. Regression analysis of data derived from ultrasonic imaging of 31 striped bass resulted in a statistical model that predicted ovary volume well (r²=0.95). The enumeration of oocytes from ovarian tissue samples and the prediction of ovary volume allowed fecundity to be estimated without sacrificing the fish. Oocyte maturation in Savannah River striped bass seemed to progress normally, with oocytes developing to final stages of maturity in larger fish (>750 mm L _T). Additionally, fecundity estimates were comparable to a neighbouring striped bass population. The environmental cues needed to trigger development and release of striped bass oocytes into the SRE appeared to be present. If most of the striped bass females in the SRE are still young (<7 years), the ability to produce large numbers of eggs will be limited. As these young fish mature, egg production probably will increase and the density of striped bass eggs eventually will approach historic levels, provided suitable habitat and water quality are maintained.     

Adaptation of an introduced host to an indigenous parasite

Introduction of striped bass to the west coast from the east coast of the U.S.A. provided the opportunity to study a recent host-parasite association in a marine system. An indigenous species of parasite was known to induce pathological changes in the introduced population. Because the west coast population has been in association with this pathogenic parasite more than 20 generations, we predicted that the host reaction of the west coast population would be less severe compared to that of the naive east coast stock of striped bass. This prediction was tested by conducting reciprocal infection experiments with east and west coast hosts and parasites. The group of west coast striped bass had a lower intensity of infection and exhibited less tissue damage compared to the group of east coast striped bass. We suggest that selection has acted only on the host and is driven by parasite-induced host mortality. This type of 1-sided selection is in contrast to present models of the evolution of host-parasite associations.     

Polystomatidae (Monogenea) of Anura in southern Africa: Polystoma testimagna n. sp. parasitic in Strongylopus f. fasciatus (Smith, 1849)

Polystoma testimagna n. sp. is described as a new species of the Polystomatidae, parasitic in the urinary bladder of the striped stream frog Strongylopus f. fasciatus collected in the Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, Natal, South Africa. Parasite prevalence was found to be 50.0% and 27.7% in two successive years, and the mean intensity was 1.5 and 1.6, respectively. The species occurs together with another Polystoma species in the same water body and within one kilometre from a third species. Aspects of host specificity are discussed and data on the ecology and distribution of the host presented.     

Environmental factors affecting population level genetic divergence of the striped field mouse (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Apodemus agrarius</Emphasis>) in South Korea

The cognizing of connectivity among small mammal populations across heterogeneous landscapes is complicated due to complex influences of landscape and anthropogenic factors on gene flow. A landscape genetics approach offers inferences on how landscape features drive population structure. Through a landscape genetics approach, we investigated influences of geographical, environmental, and anthropogenic features on populations of Apodemus agrarius, the striped field mouse, the prime vector of hemorrhagic fever by a landscape genetic approach. We identified landscape features that might affect the population structure of striped field mice by analyzing microsatellite markers of 197 striped field mice from 21 populations throughout South Korea. We developed Maximum-likelihood population effects models based on landscape distances and resistance matrices and pairwise F_ST values for meta-populations of striped field mouse. We also conducted Mantel and partial Mantel tests to investigate geographic patterns of genetic similarities. In Mantel and partial Mantel tests, the F_ST was significantly correlated with all three models of movement; movement cost, Euclidian distance and least-cost distance, although the magnitudes of correlations varied. The 4 top-ranked models included three variables; temperature, precipitation and one human disturbance factor (population). We did not attain a significant effect for anthropogenic factors on genetic similarities among populations in the Korean striped field mouse, but we confirmed a significant association for genetic similarity with climatic features (temperature and precipitation).     

Helminths of sympatric striped, hog-nosed, and spotted skunks in west-central Texas

Twenty-eight hog-nosed skunks (Conepatus leuconotus), 23 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and nine spotted skunks (Spilogale gracilis) from an area of sympatry in west-central Texas were examined for helminth parasites. Shared helminth species among all three host species were one nematode (Physaloptera maxillaris), two acanthocephalans (Pachysentis canicola, Macracanthorhynchus ingens), and one cestode (Mathevotaenia mephitis). Two nematodes (Gongylonema sp. and Filaria taxidaea) occurred in both the striped and hog-nosed skunks. One nematode (Filaroides milksi) and one acanthocephalan (Oncicola canis) were collected only from C. leuconotus. The most common helminth infections for striped and hog-nosed skunks were P. maxillaris and P. canicola. Helminth species richness was highest in hog-nosed skunks, but striped skunks had the highest prevalences and intensities of all the common helminth species. The helminth fauna of spotted skunks was markedly depauperate in terms of species richness and helminth abundance compared to the other two host species. Differences in helminth communities across these three sympatric skunks may be related to differences in their relative abundance, behavior, food habits, and geographic range.     

Scanning electron microscopy and molecular characterization of a new Haplosporidium species (Haplosporidia), a parasite of the marine gastropod Siphonaria pectinata (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Siphonariidae) in the Gulf of Mexico

Based on scanning electron microscopy and the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA), Haplosporidium tuxtlensis n. sp. (Haplosporidia), a parasite found in the visceral tissues of the false limpet Siphonaria pectinata (Linnaeus, 1758), is described. The spores are ellipsoidal (3.61 ± 0.15 μm × 2.69 ± 0.19 μm), with a circular lid (2.94 ± 0.5 μm) representing the operculum. The spore wall bears filaments occurring singly, or in clusters, of 2 to 8, fusing distally. Phylogenetic relationships of H. tuxtlensis n. sp. were assessed with other described species using the SSU rRNA sequence. Haplosporidium tuxtlensis n. sp. is sister taxon to Haplosporidium pickfordi Barrow, 1961. The morphological characteristics (spore wall structure, shape, size, and filament structure) and the unique host identity corroborate it as a new species. Additionally, this is the first record of Haplosporidia infecting striped false limpets in the Gulf of Mexico.     

The first chondracanthid (Copepoda: Cyclopoida) reported from cultured finfish, with a revised key to the species of Chondracanthus

A new species of the Chondracanthidae (Copepoda: Cyclopoida), Chondracanthus goldsmidi, is described based on material collected from the nasobranchial region of striped trumpeter (Latris lineata [Forster]) cultured at the Tasmanian Aqua-culture and Fisheries Institute, Marine Research Laboratories, Australia. This represents the first report of a chondracanthid copepod infecting cultured finfish and the first metazoan parasite from cultured striped trumpeter. Chondracanthus goldsmidi n. sp. can be distinguished from its female congeners by the absence of lateral processes on the head and the presence of 3 pairs of lateral trunk outgrowths, 3 middorsal body outgrowths (of which the first 2 are rounded), a small and subcylindrical antennule, and unornamented legs 1 and 2. A revised key to the 39 valid species of Chondracanthus is provided.     

Population density of striped hyenas in relation to habitat in a semi-arid landscape,western India

We used camera trapping in conjunction with a spatial explicit capture–recapture model to estimate striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) density and occupancy models to investigate factors affecting striped hyena detection probabilities in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR), Rajasthan, India. A sampling effort of 4,450 trap days/nights over 75 days yield 68 photo captures of 21 unique striped hyenas (based on individual markings and visual identification); the estimated striped hyena density was 5.49?±?1.27 individuals/100 km². Results of our occupancy model suggested that a rugged terrain is an important factor that influences striped hyena detection probability. Correlation with striped hyena detection with human settlement provides evidence of social tolerance of striped hyena towards humans, and more occurrence of resources allowed coexistence of hyena in a human-dominated landscape. This elasticity (inhabited areas close to humans) demonstrated by striped hyenas is an exception among carnivore communities living in this semi-arid habitat.     

Involvement of the hap gene (mucinase) in the survival of Vibrio cholerae O1 in association with the blue-green alga,Anabaena sp

Mucinase is a soluble haemagglutinin protease, which may be important for the survival of Vibrio cholerae in association with mucilaginous blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). A comparative survival study was carried out with an Anabaena sp. and a wild-type V. cholerae O1 strain hap+ gene (haemagglutinin-protease), together with its isogenic mutant hap (hap-deleted gene). A simple spread plate technique was followed to count culturable V. cholerae O1 on taurocholate tellurite gelatin agar plate. The fluorescent antibody technique of Kogure et al. (1979) was used for the microscopical viable count of V. cholerae O1. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blot hybridization were carried out to detect a lower number of viable but nonculturable (VBNC) V. cholerae O1 from the laboratory-based experiments. The wild and mutant V. cholerae O1 strains survived in culturable form for 22 and 10 days. respectively, in association with the Anabaena sp., with the difference being statistically significant (P < 0.01). The fluorescent antibody technique, PCR, and hybridization results also showed that the wild strain survived better in the VBNC state than did the mutant VBNC strain in association with an Anabaena sp. These results indicate that the enzyme mucinase may play an important role in the association and long-term survival of V. cholerae O1 with a mucilaginous blue-green alga, Anabaena sp.