Ticks (Ixodida) on humans from central Panama, Panama (2010–2011)

From January 2010 to December 2011, a total of 138 cases of ticks feeding on humans were reported from 11 locations in central Panama. Five of these locations were situated in forest environments, three in rural landscapes and three in urban areas. The ticks were submitted to the Gorgas Memorial Institute, where nine species were identified among 65 specimens: Amblyomma cajennense s.l., A. dissimile, A. naponense, A. oblongoguttatum, A. ovale, A. sabanerae, A. tapirellum, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi and Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. The remaining 73 specimens consisted of unidentified immature ticks, all belonging to the genus of Amblyomma. Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. was the species most frequently associated with humans, particularly in urban environments. In rural landscapes, tick bites were most often caused by A. cajennense s.l., whereas A. tapirellum was the species most often found parasitizing humans in forest environments. These data provide information on the tick species most commonly associated with humans in forested environments, rural areas and cities around the Panama Canal.     

Systematic Studies on Chinese Stachyuraceae (1)—Phytogeographical,Cytological, Palynological

The present paper, mainly dealing with phytogeographical, Cytological and Palynolo gical studies on Chinese Stachyuraceae, is the first part of a series of contributions to systematics of this family. As we know, Stachyuraceae, a monogeneric family, is endemic to East Asia, with a strong differentiation in China. Systematic position of the family is still uncertain. Undoubtedly, multidisciplinary studies on it wisl give a better understanding of plant differentiation in East-Asiatic floristic region and systematic position of the family. The distribution of all the 9 Chinese species of Stachyurus have been studied on the basis of morphogeographical method. The status of some taxa has been changed as follows: Stachyurus chinensis Franch. ssp. latus (Li) Y. C. Tang et Y. L. Cao, stat. nov. S. chinen-sis Franch. Ssp. cuspidatus (Li) Y. C. Tang et Y. L. Cao, stat. nov. S. chinensis Franch. ssp. brachystachyus (C. Y. Wu et S. K. Chen) Y. C. Tang et Y. L. Cao, stat. nov. S. salicifolius Franch. ssp. lancifolius (C. Y. Wu) Y. C. Tang et Y. L. Cao, stat. nov., S. yunnanensis Franch. var. pedicellatus Rehd. and S. oblongifolius Wang et Tang being reduced as synonyms of S. yunnanensis Franch. From morphological point of view, we would consider that sect. Callosurus is more primitive and its present area might be the preservation center of the family. In this paper the chromosome numbers of 5 taxa, i.e. Stachyurus yunnanensis, S. chinensis ssp. chinensis, S. chinensis ssp. cuspidatus, S. salicifolius ssp. salicifolius, S. retusus, are reported for the first time. Along with the chromosome countings of S. himalaicus and S. sigeyosii by S. kurosawa, we come to the conclusion that all the species so far studied have 24 small somatic chromosomes (2n=24). The pollen grains of 6 taxa, i.e. Stachyurus yunnanensis, S. obovatus, S. himalaicus, S. chinensis ssp. chinensis, S. salicifolius ssp. salicifolius, S. retusus were also examined. Together with the observations of G. Erdman and Huang Tsengchien on S. himalaicus, it seems that the pollen grains of the genus Stachyurus are rather uniform in morphology. The pollen grains of sect. Callosurus are tricolporoidate, while those of sect. Stachyurusare tricolporate. Two pollen types, representeb by the two sections, though not strongly distinct, may be considered as further evidence of the validity of the two taxa as section. Sexuality of flowers is also disscussed in the paper. According to our observationon six species, i.e. Stachyurus yunnanensis, S. obovatus, S. himalaicus, S. chinensis, S. salicifolius, S. retusus, the plants are dioecious, which supports T. Makino's observation on S. praecox and H. Hara's on S. himalaicus. Female flowers have relatively large pistils and short stamens with empty anthers, while male flowers have smaller sterile pistils and longer stamens with well developed anthers. Decontaminated thianthrene disproportion. 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Two new species of Brueelia Kéler, 1936 (Ischnocera, Philopteridae) parasitic on Neotropical trogons (Aves, Trogoniformes)

Two new species of Brueelia are described and illustrated. These new species and their type hosts are: Brueelia sueta ex Pharomachrus pavoninus (Spix, 1824), the Pavonine Quetzal and Brueelia cicchinoi ex Trogon viridis Linnaeus, the White-tailed Trogon. Both new species differ from the only Brueelia described on Trogon mexicanus by many morphological features, including those present in the male genitalia and female vulvar margin. Partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene for these two new species differ from one another by 13.6% uncorrected p-distance. Whereas Brueelia cicchinoi is only 0.3% divergent from previously published COI sequences identified as Brueelia sp. from the Mexican Trogon melanocephalus Gould, 1936 and Trogon massena Gould, 1938. We also found Brueelia cicchinoi on Trogon melanurus, Trogon collaris and Pharomachrus pavoninus. Thus Brueelia cicchinoi is found on multiple trogoniform hosts across an extremely large geographic distribution and has one of the largest number of host associations among Brueelia species.     

Redescription ofApogon (Ostorhinchus) fleurieu (Lacepède, 1802) with notes on its synonymy

The speciesOstorhinchus fleurieu Lacepède, 1802 is recognized as a senior synonym ofApogon aureus (Lacepède, 1802) on the basis of diagnostic colour features of Lacepède’s illustration of the species (after Commerson). The species is redescribed and a neotype designated. The synonymy of the species is discussed in the light of the history of Commerson’s and Lacepède’s work.Nectamia is replaced byOstorhinchus as a subgenus ofApogon.     

Notes on the genus Clematis (Ranunculaceae) (Ⅱ)

(1) The systematic positions of Clematis potaninii Maxim., C . heynei Rau, C. trichotoma Nakai, C. apiculata Hook. f. & Thoms, C. theobromina Dunn, C. sigensis Engler,C. hedysarifolia DC., and C. dissecta Baker, and the specific status of C. trifida Hook, C.pimpinellifolia Hook., C. oligophylla Hook., and Clematopsis lineariloba Hutch. are discussed; (2) New classifications for Clematis parviloba Gardn. & Champ., C. puberula Hook. f. & Thoms., and sect. Naraveliopsis Hand.-Mazz. are provided; (3) Clematis subsect. Potaninianae M. Johnson, C. heynei M. Johnson, C. petelotii Gagnep. and some other names are reduced to synonymy; (4) Two subsections, 4 series, 4 species, and 4 varieties are described as new; (5)Four new ranks and 4 new combinations are made.     

Notes on the genus Clematis (Ranunculaceae) (Ⅳ)

(1) Clematis taiwaniana Hayata, C. grata Wall. var. ryukiuensis Tamura, C . sikkimensis (Hook. f. & Thoms. ) Drumm. ex Burkill, C. connata DC. var. bipinnata M. Y. Fang, C. kilungensis W. T. Wang & M. Y. Fang etc. are reduced to synonymy. (2) New classifications for sect. Tubulosae Decne., C. siamensis Drumm. & Craib and C. connata DC. are proposed. (3) 3 series, 3 species and 4 varieties are described as new. (4) 6 new combinations and 3 newranks are made.     

Notes on the genus Clematis (Ranunculaceae) (Ⅰ)

( 1 ) Some taxonomical problems of the genus Clematis mainly about misidentifications are discussed, and some treatments including the reinstatement of Clematis montana var. brevifoliola Kuntze, C. apiifolia var. biternata Makino, C. subumbellata Kurz, C. goudotiana Planch. & Triana, C. insidiosa Baill., C. kockiana Schneid. and C. longicauda A. Rich., and the reduction of subsect. Africanae M. Johnson, C. umbellifera Gagnep., C. pubescens Benth., C. rhodocarpa Rose, C. edentata Baker, C. stoltzi Engler, C. tibetana ssp. vernayi var. dentata Grey-Wilson, C. clarkeana var. stenophylla Hand.-Mazz., C. subfalcata Pei ex M.Y. Fang, C. angustifoliola W. T. Wang, C. dasyandra var. polyantha Finet & Gagnep. etc are given. (2) The new diagnoses for the two subsections of the sect. Meclatis are provided; C. sericea H.B. K. ex DC. and C. grossa Benth. are treated as two varieties of one species; and a new classification of the infraspecific taxa of C. hirsuta Perr & Guill. is made. (3) one subsection, one series, eight species and one variety are described as new. (4) The new occurrences of C. montana var. brevifoliola Kuntze in southern Xizang, China, Nepal, Bhutan and northern Myanmar, C. burmanica Lace in southwestern Yunnan, C. armandii Franch. in Assam, India and northern Myanmar,and C. yui W. T. Wang in northern Myanmar are reported.     

Notes on the genus Clematis (Ranunculaceae) (Ⅲ)

(1) The evolutionary trends of sepals and stamens of the genus Clematis are discussed; (2) New classifications for sect. Cheiropsis DC. and sect. Aspidanthera Spach are proposed; (3) One subsection, 13 series, 5 species and 4 varieties are described as new; (4) Six new ranks and2 new combinations are made.     

New data on aphid fauna (Hemiptera,Aphididae) in?Algeria

A survey of aphids was carried out during the period 2008-2011 in different regions of Algeria by collecting and identifying aphids and their host plants. Aphids were collected from 46 host plants. Forty-six species were reported including thirty-six species which were recorded for the first time in this country and thirty species which were recorded for the first time in the Maghreb (North Africa). This study extends the number of known Algerian aphid to 156 species.     

Notes on Chinese Brachytheciaceae (Ⅰ)

In 1929, V. F. Brotherus published eight species and one form of Chinese Brachytheciaceae based on Handel-Mazzetti's collections from Hunan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces of China during 1914～1918. The holotypes of all the taxa mentioned above were studied by the present authors. Three names are newly reduced to synonyms: Brachythecium subcurvatulum≡ Brachythecium velutinum ; Rhynchostegium gracilescens≡ Eu-rhynchium savatieri and Rhynchostegium obsoletinerve≡Herzogiella turfacea.     

Effects of a Four-Year Ecological Cultivation on Spider Coenoses (Arachnida,Araneae) on the "Ökohof Seeben" In Halle (Saale)

From 1994 to 1997 investigations have been carried out on fields of the "Ökohof Seeben" in Halle (Saale), refering to long-term effects of ecological agriculture on fauna, flora and soil. For the sampling of the epigeic fauna, pitfall traps were used. The purpose was to examine the effect of the changes in management on spiders for example. The influence of field size, edge-structures and different crops on species- and individual-numbers was studied. The question was, whether ecological agriculture results in an increasing biodiversity overviewed over years. In 4 years, on 6 fields, 190 species of spiders (82,202 adults spiders) could be proved, among them 32 species endangered in Sachsen-Anhalt and 28 species endangered according to the Red-Data-Books of Germany. The species numbers in the edge-biotops were nearly twice the numbers in the fields. The activity density of pioneer species (for example Oedothorax apicatus ) decreased rapidly on all fields. As a whole species numbers, and also the number of seldom species, were higher on the small fields than on the large fields lying in a poor structured environment. On the large fields some species, especially some Gnaphosidae and Lycosidae were missing in the first two years, but could be proved in the later years. Increasing numbers of species bigger in size and also more balanced dominance structures could be observed in the later years of investigation. In the fields the Linyphiidae species O. apicatus, E. atra, E. dentipalpis, M. rurestris, L. tenuis, P. microphthalmum, A. humilis and the Lycosidae P. agrestis and P. prativaga were dominant. Other species, like D. concolor, B. gracilis, H. signifer, P. juncea, T. ruricola, D. pusillus, X. kochi, O. claveata, P. degeeri, P. palustris, R. lividus prefered the adjacent boundaries, but were represented in the field as well. Several species, such as A. cuneata, A. pulverulenta, T. terricola, X. miniata, X. nemoralis, A. albimana, P. mirabilis, Ch. campestre, X. acerbus, Z. spinimana, P. festivus, D. praeficus and D. lutetianus could be proved only in the adjacent boundaries. Altogether positive effects on the dominance structure of spiders could be shown. An increasing biodiversity may be expected.     

The population density effects on the reproductive biology of the snail Bradybaena similaris (Férussac, 1821) (Mollusca, Gastropoda)

The influence of population density on some aspects of the reproductive biology of the snail Bradybaena similaris was studied. Molluscs were maintained under 0.2 (isolated), 0.3, 0.6, 1.0, 1.3 and 1.7 snail/m(2) densities. The animals maintained under 0.3 and 0.6 snail/m(2) showed the lowest numbers of eggs laid/snail, being the highest value observed to the 1.7 snail/m(2). The hatching of the snails maintained under 0.3 snail/m(2) density, begun at the 21st day after laying, and the maximum time required to the hatching was 36 days was observed to the eggs came from snails maintained under the densities 0.6, 1.0, 1.3 snail/m(2), respectively. The highest percentage hatchability (55.56%) was observed to isolated snails. The galactogen content in the albumen gland did not seem to accompany the alterations occurred in the reproduction of B. similaris in response to the different population densities.     

Genetics of colonization in Hypochaeris tenuifolia (Asteraceae,Lactuceae) on Volcán Lonquimay,Chile

Understanding the genetics of colonizing populations has been, and continues to remain, an important focus in evolutionary biology. Different theoretical models predict varying levels of genetic variation in colonizing populations depending upon strength of founder effect, gene flow and rate of population growth and immigration following colonization. We analyse overall genetic variation using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers in colonizing populations of Hypochaeris tenuifolia (Asteraceae) in the southern Andes. Volcán Lonquimay newly erupted on 25 December 1988, producing a side cone, La Navidad, and sent lava and ash into surrounding areas. Many domesticated animals (estimated at 10 000) and many natural plant populations were destroyed. Into this new open habitat have come immigrant populations of several angiosperm species, most conspicuously H. tenuifolia that forms leaf rosettes with flowering scapes to 15 cm and orange-yellow heads 1-2 cm in diameter. Genetic diversity in five founder populations in the eruption zone is compared with that from five nearby survivor populations, as well as with eight isolated northern and four southern populations from throughout the entire range of the species in Chile. Results from 477 individuals representing 447 different multilocus phenotypes, yielded 170 DNA fragments of which 144 (85%) were polymorphic. Genetic diversity within founder populations is neither lower than in survivor populations nor in isolated populations throughout the range of the species, but it is lower among founder populations than among other populations immediately and distantly outside the zone of disturbance. Closest genetic similarity occurs between founders and nearby survivor populations as well as those in adjacent southern regions.     

Water quality studies on Buckingham Canal (Madras,India) — A discriminant analysis

Stepwise multiple discriminant analysis was applied to a two year water quality monitoring study of the Buckingham Canal at Madras, India. The variables were divided into

1. physical and chemical
2. pollutants; and
3. biological

to test which group is efficient in discriminating stations which differ in water quality. Biological variables obtained higher loadings on the discriminant functions than the other two groups. The derived discriminant functions were tested for their discriminating power through the classification phase with the same raw data. The \lsHit and Misses\rs tables of classification indicate that 81.660% of the samples were correctly classified by the biological variables, against only 46.660% of the samples in the case of physical and chemical variables and 48.33% in the case of pollutants.     

Microhabitat use of Pseudocharopinus markewitschi (Gusev, 1951) (Copepoda: Lernaeopodidae) on the mottled skate,Beringraja pulchra (Liu, 1932): Does biased occurrence on the dorsal side of the pelvic fin imply a safety zone?

The mottled skate Beringraja pulchra is a coastal fish caught by gillnet and bottom trawl fisheries in Hokkaido, Japan. We recently found a parasitic copepod identical to Pseudocharopinus markewitschi (Gusev, 1951) on this commercially important fish. A total of 109 host individuals caught off the coast of northern Hokkaido, Japan, were examined for adult females of this copepod, and 67 cases (61.5%) of infection comprised with 31 cases (67.4%) of 46 males and 36 cases (57.1%) of 63 females were found. The parasite specimens (n = 229) were recovered mainly from the dorsal side of the pelvic fin (n = 168, 73.4%), followed by the claspers (n = 32, 14.0%). The mottled skate is thought to spend most of its lifetime lying in sand or crawling on the seafloor. Therefore, the biased infection to the dorsal side of the pelvic fin may imply that site selection favors less susceptible for disturbances resulting from such host-specific behavior.     

Aphids on ornamental plants from Córdoba, Argentina (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The quality of the ornamental plants is closely related to their phytosanitary state, that, in turn, is affected by the activity of some insect groups. Aphids are common pests of nearly all kinds of plants, ornamental plants among them. The fauna associated with aphids that colonize ornamental plants includes honey ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) that establish mutualistic relations, and some parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae) that contribute to the control of the aphid population. Very little is known about the aphids and their associated fauna living on ornamental plants of Cordoba, Argentina. The goal of this work was to identify the aphids that colonize ornamental plants, as well as their associated honey ants and parasitoids. Samples of sprouts, leaves and/or flowers of aphid-colonized ornamental plants of the Jardín Botánico Municipal of Cordoba city were collected weekly, from October 2003 to November 2004. Whenever found, the associated honey ants and "mummies" of aphids attacked by parasitoids were also collected. One hundred and thirty two aphid-plant associations were registered, 64.4% of which were unknown in the country. In 33.3% of these associations, the aphids were tended by honey ants whereas the presence of aphid parasitoids was registered in 16.7%. Ninety five species of ornamental plants were colonized by 41 aphid species, whereas six ant species tended 10 aphid species. Aphid parasitoids were represented by four species related to 11 aphid species.     

Effects of drought, temperature, herbivory, and genotype on plant–insect interactions in soybean (Glycine max)

Climate change is predicted to cause continued increases in global temperatures, greater variability in precipitation and in some cases, more frequent insect pest outbreaks. Here we seek to understand how abiotic and biotic stresses associated with climate change can affect plant-herbivore interactions in a model crop species (soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.) by answering three questions: (1) Do the combined effects of abiotic and biotic stresses associated with climate change cause synergistic negative effects on plant biomass? (2) Can abiotic stress affect resistance of plants to insect herbivores? (3) Does genetic variation in plant traits modify a plant’s response to stress? We performed three experiments in controlled growth environments using up to 51 soybean genotypes selected to vary in numerous traits associated with drought and resistance against pests (e.g., insect herbivores, nematodes, and pathogenic fungi), and up to 3 generalist-feeding herbivorous noctuid moth species (Helicoverpa zea, Heliothis virescens, and Spodoptera exigua) that commonly feed on soybean in North America. Drought and herbivory had the largest and the most consistent negative effects on plant performance, reducing the above- and below-ground biomass by 10-45 %, whereas increased temperature had little to no effect on plants. Drought also increased susceptibility to generalist noctuid herbivores, but these results varied dramatically in magnitude and direction among plant genotypes. Our experiments show that the effects of abiotic and biotic stress on soybean biomass were largely due to the additive effects of these stresses, and there exists substantial genetic variation in the soybean germplasm pool we studied that could be used as a source of parental stock in breeding new crops that can more effectively tolerate and resist the combined negative effects of insect herbivory and drought.     

Ecology of mites (Acarina) on small mammals (Eulipotyphla, Rodentia) in Podunajská nížina plain

This study deals with the species distribution and structure of mite communities living in the fur of small mammals. Mesostigmatic mites (Acarina: Mesostigmata) of several small mammal species were studied at several sites of Slovakia situated in the Podunajská ní?na lowland. The aims deal with ecological evaluation of mesostigmatic mites and their small mammal hosts. The research was done from 2005 to 2007. Several small mammal species were caught at 16 sites in the research area. These represent 13 types of biotopes. On the captured small mammals we recorded 3,141 individuals of mesostigmatic mites (7 families and 22 species). The dominance and the diversity of the recorded mites were analysed. Mites being interpreted as the variable one were evaluated by cluster analysis and multifactor analysis (detrended correspondence analysis, principal components analysis, redundancy analysis). Small terrestrial mammals as hosts of mites represent “holders” of environmental factors, in the analysis they are being evaluated as explanatory variable mainly. They transform direct impact of the environment and for that reason the ecological evaluation of mites is specific comparing to other taxonomical and ecological groups of animals.