Helminthofauna of the common shrew Sorex araneus L. (Soricidae) from Samarskaya Luka

Ecological analysis of the helminthofauna of common shrew Sorex araneus L. from Samarskaya Luka (Samara Region) has been carried out. Twenty-three helminth species are found including 3 species of trematodes, 8 cestodes, 10 nematodes, and 2 acanthocephales. Dependence of the structure of helminthofauna on the host age is revealed.     

Host-parasite relationships of the genus Hyalomma Koch, 1844 (Acari, Ixodidae) and their connection with microevolutionary process

Host-parasite relationships of Hyalomma species of the world fauna are analyzed. The majority of species infests predominately various mammals. Birds and reptiles are used as preferred hosts by several Hyalomma species, and only on certain stage: adults of H. aegyptium parasitize tortoises; immature stages of H. marginatum parasitize birds. It is hypothesized that relationships of H. aegyptium adults (subgenus Hyalomma s. str.) with reptiles are secondarily in origin. Immature stages of H. aegyptium retain the primary wide diapason of hosts, which are various small mammals, birds and reptiles. The life cycle of this species is the three-host type that is considered as a primary type in ixodid ticks. A typical scheme of relationships with their hosts in all well-examined Hyalommina species has following features: the adult stage parasitize large and medium sized mammals, immature stages parasitize small mammals, three-host life cycle. A variety of preferred hosts and types of life cycle is observed in the subgenus Euhyalomma. All species of this subgenus can be arranged into two groups. In the first group, the immature stages infest only small mammals and birds, and the adults parasitize large mammals; this type of host preferences is probably primary host-parasite relationships of Hyalomma. This group includes: H. albiparmatum, H. asiaticum, H. excavatum, H. franchinii, H. impeltatum, H. impressum, H. lusitanicum, H. marginatum, H. nitidum, H. schulzei, and H. truncatum. Hyalomma marginatum and H. schulzei are two-host species; H. excavatum is two- or three-host tick. All the remaining species (except H. albiparmatum, which life cycle is unknown) are three-host ticks. In the second group, the immature stages as well as the adult stage parasitize large mammals. This group includes: H. dromedarii, H. anatolicum, and H. scupense. These species are two- or one-host ticks.     

Gastrointestinal helminth fauna of Enyalius perditus (Reptilia: Leiosauridae): relation to host age and sex

The purpose of this study was to determine how the gastrointestinal helminthofauna varies according to the age and sex of the lizard, Enyalius perditus, captured in Ibitipoca State Park in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to discuss the ecological and behavioral significance of these relationships. Fifty-five specimens of E. perditus were captured in drop traps, then killed, necropsied, and examined for the presence of helminths in the gastrointestinal tract. Nematodes, including Strongyluris oscari, Oswaldocruzia subauricularis, and Aplectana vellardi, were found. This was the first record of the last-named species in reptiles, and the first record of the first 2 species in E. perditus. The number of helminths increased with snout-vent length and, therefore, age of the lizards. Male E. perditus lizards were more heavily infected by nematodes than females; the largest numbers of nematodes occurred in the caecum and large intestine.     

The distribution of mosquitoes (Diptera,Culicidae) in the Republic of Azerbaijan

The mosquito fauna in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan comprises 24 species from 7 genera. The dominant species are Anopheles sacharovi, Culex pipiens, Aedes caspius, and Ae. geniculatus in the forest area, and Coquillettidia richiardii in the lowlands, where there are swamps overgrown with reeds.     

A new species of Rhabdias (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) from agamid lizards on Luzon Island, Philippines

Rhabdias odilebaini n. sp. is described on the basis of specimens found in the lungs of 2 species of agamid lizards: the Philippine flying lizard Draco spilopterus and the marbled bloodsucker Bronchocela marmorata . Specimens were collected in Aurora Province, Luzon Island, Philippines. The new species of Rhabdias is characterized by presence of 4 submedian lips, inconspicuous lateral lips, rounded cross-shaped oral opening, and tail end bent dorsally. This species is morphologically distinct from other Rhabdias spp. that parasitize reptilian and amphibian hosts, including 3 other species known to parasitize lizards of the Agamidae.     

中国莎草科植物柄锈菌属的种

本文报告了中国莎草科植物的柄锈菌计33种.其中有2个新种,它们是双孔柄锈Puccinia biporosa sp. nov,和林氏苔草柄锈Puccinia caricis-lingii sp. nov.,均寄生于苔草属Carex.中国新记录种有13个.它们是大披针苔草柄锈Puccinia caricis-lanceolatae Y.Morimoto,云雾苔草柄锈Puccinia caricis-nubigenae Padwick ex AZmatullah Khan,疏毛苔草柄锈Puccinia caricis pilasae Miura ex Ito &Homma,假毒麦苔草柄锈Puccinia caricis-pseudololiaceae Homma,根状柄苔草柄锈Puecinia caricis rhizopodae Miura ex Ito &Homma,桑伯格苔草柄锈Puccinia caricis-thunbergii Homma,矮丛苔草生柄锈Puccinia humilicola Haslar,矮丛苔草柄锈Puccinia humilis Haslar,线形柄锈Puccinia lineariformis Syd,藻岩山柄锈Puccinia moiwensis Miura,奥皮茨柄锈Puccinia opiZii Bubak,林比苔草柄锈Puccinia yaramesuge Homma和珍珠茅生柄锈Puccinia scleriicola Arth..每个种均有形态描述并附图,有些种作了简要讨论,对过去的错误鉴定也作了订正.对苔草上的种还附有检索表.由于缺乏标本未能研究的种仅列出文献,寄主及产地.个别仅知春孢阶段的种作为暂定种列在附录中.本文所引证的标本均保藏在中国科学院微生物研究所真菌标本室.     

Host body size as a factor determining the egg complement of Strepsiptera,an insect parasite

The egg complement (total number of eggs produced by a single female) differs greatly among the species of Strepsiptera. The maximum is found in Stichotrema dallatorreanum (750,000 eggs), and the minimum in Triozocera minor (984 eggs). Based on the egg complement of 31 species in 11 genera, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) The egg complement is generally smaller in those species whose hosts gregariously cohabit in a very limited area, or are distinct flower-visitors, compared with those whose hosts display the above two traits weakly; (2) The egg complement is determined by the size of the maternal body. The size of female strepsipterans is reduced when they parasitize smaller host such as males and workers, as compared with those that parasitize larger host such as females and queens; likewise, the size of the strepsipterans becomes larger on increase in size of hosts, showing that their egg complements are principally determined by the size of host species; (3) The increase in the egg complement is compensated for by the reduction in egg size. The relative egg size (length of the firstinstar larva/length of maternal body) is conspicuously reduced according to an increase in the size of the female strepsipterans.     

Host associations and origin in the formation of the Caucasian fauna of fleas (Siphonaptera)

Results of analysis of the Caucasian fauna of fleas and their association with mammal and avian hosts are reported. The Caucasian fauna of potential flea hosts comprises about 130 species of mammals and about 470 species of birds. Most of the flea species in the Caucasian fauna (88 out of 155) parasitize rodents, 51 species of which are permanent hosts of different flea species; 13 flea species occur on 11 species of insectivores; 13 flea species, on 13 species of chiropterans; 14 flea species, on 20 species of carnivores. Only 2 flea species parasitize artiodactyles. 54 species of birds are permanent hosts of 23 species of fleas from 4 genera in the Caucasus. Ten types of ranges of flea species are distinguished; host associations of the Caucasian flea species from these groups are discussed. The greatest numbers of hosts from the families Cricetidae, Muridae, and Sciuridae are associated with fleas with Euro-Asian (extra-Siberian), European, Turanian, and Iranian ranges. Soricidae are known as hosts of flea species with European and Euro-Turanian ranges. Four major groups of flea taxa are represented in the Caucasian fauna. The distribution of the first group is determined by the influence of the palaeofauna of the ancient European continent in the early Cenozoic; that of the second group, by the influence of the fauna of the ancient Asian continent during the Paleogene and part of the Neogene; the third, by the influence of the fauna of southern Europe starting with the Miocene. The fourth group comprises the species which immigrated from northern Europe and Asia in the Late Neogene (2–3 mln years ago).     

812. IRIS SCHELKOWNIKOWII

Iris schelkownikowii (Fomin) Fomin, a little‐known species from Azerbaijan in section Oncocyclus, is described and illustrated. Suggestions for its cultivation are given.     

Rodent louse diversity,phylogeny, and cospeciation in the Manu Biosphere Reserve,Peru

We investigated the diversity, cophylogenetic relationships, and biogeography of hoplopleurid sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) parasitizing rodents (Muridae: Sigmodontinae) in the Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve. Our morphological and molecular studies reveal that 15 distinct louse species parasitize 19 rodent species. Three of these louse species are new to science, and all but two of the host associations were previously unknown. We find that hoplopleurid lice in South America parasitize multiple host species across a large geographic area, and that Peru represents a new geographic locality for almost all the louse species collected in the present study. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear data reveal that the louse family Hoplopleuridae and the genera Hoplopleura and Pterophthirus are not monophyletic, and lice do not appear to group by host tribe, collecting locality, or collection elevation. The lack of monophyly for these apparently natural groups (taxonomic, locality, and elevation) indicates that host switching with or without parasite speciation may be prevalent among hoplopleurid lice. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 95 , 598–610.     

Modeling the cuckoo’s brood parasitic behavior in the presence of egg polymorphism

The common cuckoo Cuculus canorus is a brood parasite that utilizes many host species. These have evolved defense against parasitism to reject cuckoo eggs that look unlike their own and some cuckoos have evolved egg mimicry to counter this defense. Egg phenotype indeed plays a key role for both the cuckoo and its hosts to successfully reproduce. It has been argued that cuckoos should parasitize host nests where egg phenotype matches because this makes parasitism more successful. Details of the cuckoo’s parasitic behavior, however, largely remains unknown if they really parasitize hosts depending on “egg matching”. In this paper, we model a time sequence of parasitic events in which a cuckoo finds host nests and decides to parasitize them or not in the presence of egg polymorphism. We evaluate which strategy is optimal: (1) opportunistic parasitism where cuckoos parasitize hosts irrespective of the phenotype, or (2) non-opportunistic parasitism where cuckoos parasitize hosts where egg phenotype matches. The analysis showed that either of the two strategies can be optimal. Factors not considered in the model, e.g., ecological and evolutionary changes both in the cuckoo and the host side, are discussed to explain apparent contrasts observed in some cuckoo–host interactions.     

Genetic diversity and relations of the Goitered gazelle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gazella subgutturosa</Emphasis>) groups from Uzbekistan,Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan: Analysis of the D-loop of mitochondrial DNA

Polymorphism of the nucleotide sequence of a hypervariable fragment of the D-loop (985 bp) of mtDNA in 76 Goitered gazelles of subspecies Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan was studied. The genetic similarity of gazelles from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan has been identified. The population of gazelles from Shirvanskaya steppe reserve (Azerbaijan) is unique and strictly isolated from other groups studied. A high haplotypic (H = 0.9649 ± 0.0091) and relatively low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.0212 ± 0.0105) were noted for all investigated groups of gazelle based on this mtDNA fragment, which is probably related to ecological peculiarities of the species and the history of formation of regional populations.     

Host switching in cowbird brood parasites: how often does it occur?

Avian obligate brood parasites lay their eggs in nests of host species, which provide all parental care. Brood parasites may be host specialists, if they use one or a few host species, or host generalists, if they parasitize many hosts. Within the latter, strains of host‐specific females might coexist. Although females preferentially parasitize one host, they may occasionally successfully parasitize the nest of another species. These host switching events allow the colonization of new hosts and the expansion of brood parasites into new areas. In this study, we analyse host switching in two parasitic cowbirds, the specialist screaming cowbird (Molothrus rufoaxillaris) and the generalist shiny cowbird (M. bonariensis), and compare the frequency of host switches between these species with different parasitism strategies. Contrary to expected, host switches did not occur more frequently in the generalist than in the specialist brood parasite. We also found that migration between hosts was asymmetrical in most cases and host switches towards one host were more recurrent than backwards, thus differing among hosts within the same species. This might depend on a combination of factors including the rate at which females lay eggs in nests of alternative hosts, fledging success of the chicks in this new host and their subsequent success in parasitizing it.     

Mammals as hosts of Ixodid ticks (Acarina,Ixodidae)

Trophic association between adult ticks of the world fauna with their mammal hosts (511 tick species out of 650 species of Ixodidae of the world fauna) are reviewed. Specific tick species parasitize on representatives of 22 (out of 27) mammal orders, but species of Paucituberculata, Notoryctemorphia, Peramelemorphia, Scandentia, and Dermoptera have no specific parasites. The highest number of tick species was recorded from Artiodactyla and rodents. Mammals, on which representatives of all the 14 genera of the family parasitize, provide the diversity of the ixodid tick fauna. The conclusion on the priority of ecological factors in comparison with phylogenetic status of hosts in the formation of specific characteristics of ticks confirms Balashov’s (1982) concept on the character of host-parasite association between ticks and mammals.     

Bees of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rophites</Emphasis> Spinola (Hymenoptera,Halictidae, Rophitinae) of Russia and adjacent territories

An illustrated key to Rophites species and an annotated list of 9 species from Russia and adjacent territories are given. Rophites clypealis stepposus subsp. n. and the female of R. schoenitzeri Dubitzky, 2004 are described. Lectotypes of Rhophites caucasicus Morawitz, 1876 and Rh. mandibularis Morawitz, 1891 are designated. Rophites algirus is recorded for the first time from Armenia; R. caucasicus, from Azerbaijan; R. clypealis, from Bulgaria, Russia, and Kazakhstan; R. foveolatus, from Georgia; R. quinquespinosus, from Armenia and Uzbekistan; R. schoenitzeri, from Azerbaijan and Iran.     

Capacity of Japanese Asobara species (Hymenoptera; Braconidae) to parasitize a fruit pest Drosophila suzukii (Diptera; Drosophilidae)

Drosophila suzukii is a pest of soft fruit such as cherry, strawberry or blueberry and recently colonized North America and Europe from Asia. In this study, we assessed the utility of Japanese Asobara species as agents for the biological control of this pest species by examining their host use in nature and their capacity to parasitize this pest species. From Japan, eight Asobara species including putative three undescribed species were found; Asobara japonica was recorded from all over Japan, Asobara tabida from high altitude areas in central and northern Japan, Asobara rossica and Asobara rufescens from central to northern Japan, three undescribed species from central to western or southern Japan and Asobara pleuralis from a subtropical island of Japan. Among them, an undescribed species Asobara sp. TK1 may be useful as an agent for the biological control because it was recorded only from D. suzukii. All of the remaining seven species were generalists mainly using drosophilid species associated with fermenting fruits, and four of them had no or very low abilities to parasitize D. suzukii, indicating that these seven species are not or less appropriate as agents for biological control.     

Checklist of the freshwater fishes of Armenia,Azerbaijan and Georgia

We present a critical checklist of freshwater fish species found so far in the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In total 119 freshwater fishes are recorded. There are 40, 86 and 96 species currently known for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia respectively. From these 119 species, seven are endemic and seven species are alien. From the alien species, only three (Carassius gibelio, Gambusia holbrooki and Pseudorasbora parva) can be considered as widespread and invasive. There are four species (Gasterosteus aculeatus, Gobio artvinicus, Perca fluviatilis and Salmo gegarkuni) that are translocated within the region. Seven species are confirmed or recorded for the first time including G. artvinicus and Oxynoemacheilus veyselorum for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Capoeta kaput and Rhinogobius lindbergi for Azerbaijan and Georgia, Capoeta razii for Azebaijan, Oxynoemacheilus cemali and Squalius agdamicus for Georgia. In this checklist, Acipenser colchicus is treated as a synonym of Acipenser persicus. Sand smelts of the Black and Caspian Sea basin are identified as Atherina caspia and Clupeonella caspia is treated as a synonym of Clupeonella cultriventris. Coregonus sevanicus is listed as Coregonus sp. until the situation of Sevan whitefish is better understood. Capoeta sevangi and Capoeta ekmekciae are synonyms of Capoeta capoeta. The fish often identified as Capoeta capoeta gracilis from rivers south of the Kura most likely belong to C. razii. The Black and Caspian Sea Rutilus populations are treated as conspecific, therefore R. kutum is a junior synonym of R. frisii. Oxynoemacheilus veyseli is valid as O. veyselorum. We list the alien Rhinogobius species as R. lindbergi, however the name is provisional and needs further confirmation. All Squalius species from the Kura River drainage are identified as S. agdamicus, however in the Aras, it is replaced by S. turcicus. Squalius orientalis is treated as a valid species restricted to the eastern Black Sea basin. The four forms of Lake Sevan trout (Salmo ischchan, S. gegarkuni, S. danilewskii and S. aestivalis) are treated as valid species, two of them (S. ischchan and S. danilewskii) are extinct. Rutilus sojuchbulagi from Azerbaijan is also extinct.     

Bethylids attacking stored‐product pests: an overview

Bethylidae is a family belonging to the insect order Hymenoptera and contains about 2 200 described species. Bethylids typically parasitize larvae of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, including species that are serious pests of stored products. Here, we review the main characteristics of each of the bethylids reported as biological control agent of these pests. The biological characteristics and peculiarities are reported for each species, and the potential for their practical application is discussed.     

中国伞形科植物柄锈菌的分类研究

本文报告了中国寄生于伞形科植物上的柄锈菌19种,其中4种为中国新记录。它们是托马斯柄锈(Puccinia thomasii),贝加尔柄锈(Puccinia baikalensis),阿丽索娃柄锈(Puccinia alisovae)和山芹柄锈(Puccinia oreoselini),每个种均有形态描述并附图,有些种并附加简要讨论。由于缺少标本而未能研究的种仅在附录中列出文献、寄主和产地。