Changes in northern Tanzania coral reefs during a period of increased fisheries management and climatic disturbance

• 1. Surveys of coral reefs in northern Tanzania were conducted in 2004/5 with the aim of comparing them over an～8‐year period during a time of increased efforts at fisheries management and the 1998 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) coral mortality event that caused 45% mortality in northern Tanzania and much of the Indian Ocean.
• 2. Changes associated with both management, its absence, and the ENSO were found but changes were generally small and ecological measures indicated stability or improvements over this period, particularly when compared with reports from much of the northern Indian Ocean.
• 3. Fisheries management in two areas increased the biomass of fish and benthic communities. A small fisheries closure (0.3 km²) displayed little change in the coral community but ecological conditions declined as measured by sea urchins and fish abundances. This change may be associated with its small size because similar changes were not measured in the large closure (28 km²).
• 4. The few sites without any increased management were still degraded and one site had experienced a population explosion of a pest sea urchin, Echinometra mathaei.
• 5. The lack of significant changes across this disturbance indicates that these reefs are moderately resilient to climate change and, therefore, a high priority for future conservation actions.

Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Life history of Proprioseiopsis badri feeding on four eriophyid mite species (Acari: Phytoseiidae and Eriophyidae)

The influence of four eriophyid mite species as prey, Aceria dioscoridis, Aceria olivi, Aculops lycopersici and Cisaberoptus kenyae, on the biology and demographic parameters of the predatory mite Proprioseiopsis badri, was studied under laboratory conditions. Feeding on A. dioscoridis and A. olivi enhanced the development of P. badri, resulted in the longest mean generation time and were the most suitable foods for the oviposition of the predator, as exhibited by the highest fecundity, net reproductive rate and gross reproductive rate. Preying on A. lycopersici gave the lowest fecundity, net and gross reproductive rates and finite rate of increase; therefore, this prey was the least suitable for the oviposition of P. badri. Preying on A. dioscoridis and A. olivi produced higher intrinsic rates of increase, reproduction rates and finite rates of increase for the predator in comparison with A. lycopersici and C. kenyae, which had the lowest value. These differences in response to various eriophyid pests should be considered for the production of healthy cultures of P. badri.     

Primary and secondary Hymenopteran parasitoids of scale insects (Homoptera: Coccoidea) in fruit orchards in Syria

A survey for primary and secondary Hymenopteran parasitoids of scale insects (Homoptera: Coccoidea) in fruit orchards (apple, plum, date, olive, fig, citrus), was conducted in Syria during 2009–2012. Thirty three species of parasitoids belonging to the families Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae, Eulophidae and Pteromalidae were recorded as parasitoids on scale insects. Thirty two of these were primary parasitoids and one was a hyperparasitoid. The family with the greatest number of genera and species is Encyrtidae with 8 genera (48% of the total) and 12 species (35% of the total). The genus with the greatest number of Encyrtid species was Metaphycus. Parasitoids of scale insects identified included several species already included on the List of biological control agents widely used in the EPPO region ‘EPPO Positive list' and suggestions for additions to this list were made.     

Fish oil replacement by different microalgal products in microdiets for early weaning of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata,L.)

The aim of this study was to determine if algal products rich in DHA or ARA are able to completely replace fish oil in microdiets for marine fish larvae, gilthead seabream and if extra supplementation with EPA may further enhance larval performance. For that purpose, 20 day‐old gilthead seabream larvae of 5.97 ± 0.4 mm mean total length and 0.12 ± 0.001 mg mean dry body weight were fed with five microdiets tested by triplicate: a control diet based on sardine oil; a diet containing AquaGrow^® DHA (diet DHA) to completely substitute the sardine oil; a diet containing AquaGrow^® ARA (diet ARA); a diet containing both products, AquaGrow^® DHA and AquaGrow^® ARA to completely substitute the fish oil; and, a diet containing both products, AquaGrow^® DHA and AquaGrow^® ARA, together with an EPA source. Temperature, air and salinity activity tests were also performed to detect larval resistance to stress. At the end of the experiment, final survivals did not differ among groups. The microorganism produced DHA was able to completely replace fish oil in weaning diets for gilthead seabream without affecting survival, growth or stress resistance, whereas the inclusion of microorganism produced ARA did not improve larval performance. Moreover, addition of EPA to diets with total replacement of fish oil by microorganism produced DHA and ARA, significantly improved growth in terms of body weight and total length. The results of this study denoted the good nutritional value of microorganisms produced DHA as a replacement of fish oil in weaning diets for gilthead seabream, without a complementary addition of ARA. However, dietary supplementation of EPA seems to be necessary to further promote larval performance.     

Scale insect species (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in Syria

Scale insects in Syria were surveyed between 2009 and 2015. This study showed that Diaspididae and Coccidae were the most common families, comprising 5 and 8 species, respectively. The remaining families found comprised 1 species each. New records of Coccoidea fauna from Syria were Parlatoria blanchardi, Phoenicococcus marlatti, Coccus hesperidum, Coccus pseudomagnoliarum and Chionaspis etrusca.     

Mass rearing of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neochrysocharis formosa</Emphasis> (Westwood) (Eulophidae: Hymenoptera), a parasitoid of leafminers (Agromyzidae: Diptera)

A method for mass rearing the parasitoid Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood) was developed, using the leafminer Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) as insect host, and the Phaseolus vulgaris L. bean as host plant. About 1,500 parasitoids per tray of 84 plants emerged from about 2,000 leafminer larvae; 70% of these were females. The most suitable release density of host was two pairs of leafminer adults per bean plant, and that of parasitoid was three pairs per 24 leafminer larvae. Adult parasitoids were harvested based on positive photo-tactic response with 94.5% efficiency. Plants were improved by trimming their tips to increase the leaf area. The trimming process increased the number of leafminer larvae by about 32%. Furthermore, nitrogen fertilization of plants overcame the size reduction of the insects due to continuous rearing. Rearing of leafminer under light—dark (16:8 h) cycle decreased the development period of larvae and pupae. In addition, it restricted the time and duration of larval emergence and adult eclosion. Storage of parasitoid males and females at 7 and 10°C ± 0.5, respectively, proved to be optimal. The fertility of the mass-produced parasitoids after 1 year of rearing reduced by about 23%, and the sex ratio shifted toward males. In conclusion, successful mass production of N. formosa was achieved through designing suitable rearing cage and an efficient harvesting device, improving the host plant, and determining the age and the conditions for cold storage of the parasitoid and its host. Next, we checked the characteristics of the mass-produced wasps to ensure the efficacy when used in the field.     

New flavane gallates isolated from the leaves of Plicosepalus curviflorus and their hypoglycemic activity

Two new flavane gallates were isolated from the leaves of Plicosepalus curviflorus. The structure of the new compounds was established as 2S,3R-3,3′,4′,5,7-pentahydroxyflavane-5-O-gallate (1) and 2S,3R-3,3′,4′,5,5′,7-hexahydroxyflavane-4′,5-di-O-gallate (2), respectively. In addition, seven known compounds (−)-catechin (3), quercetin (4), lupeol (5), β-sitosterol (6), pomolic acid (7), β-sitosterol 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (8) and 4-methoxycinnamic acid (9) were reported for the first time from the genus Plicosepalus. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 were investigated for their hypoglycemic activity and showed significant hypoglycemic activity in Swiss Albino mice.     

Ultrastructural characteristics of Nematopsis sp. oocysts (Apicomplexa: Porosporidae), a parasite of the clam Meretrix meretrix (Veneridae) from the Arabian Gulf, Saudi Arabia

This paper describes the fine structure of oocysts of Nematopsis sp. (Apicomplexa, Porosporidae) found in the abductor muscles of seawater clams, Meretrix meretrix (Linnaeus, 1758) (Veneridae), collected near the city of Dammam (6 degrees 17'0"N, 50 degrees 12'0"E) in the Arabian Gulf off the coast of Saudi Arabia. Oocysts of an ellipsoidal shape were found among myofibrils of the abductor muscles of infected clams. Each oocyst is composed of an oocyst wall surrounding a single uninucleate vermiform sporozoite located in the lumen of the oocyst wall. The thin oocyst wall (0.70-0.85 microm thick) is composed of homogenous electron-lucent material formed by three layers of equal-thickness. The oocyst wall contains a plano-convex opercular-like structure about 2.5 microm in diameter and 0.75-0.90 microm thick, composed of a homogenous material with moderate electron density. The oocyst is of an ellipsoidal shape and is 15.6 +/- 0.6 microm long and 11.1 +/- 0.7 microm wide. Externally, the oocyst wall is surrounded by a complex dense network of numerous anastomosed microfibrils, which are attached to the oocyst wall, forming 2-3 layers and extending towards the periphery, at some points penetrating amongst the host cells. The myofibrils in some cases show evident aspects of lysis as a consequence of the appearance of lysosome-like vesicles. Lacking knowledge of a complete life cycle and/or molecular data precluded the conclusive identification of this species.     

Flavone C-glycosides from leaves of Oxalis triangularis

The flavone C-glycosides luteolin 6-C-(2'-O-beta-xylopyranosyl-beta-glucopyranoside) (1), apigenin 6-C-(2'-O-alpha-rhamnopyranosyl-beta-glucopyranoside) (2), apigenin 6-C-(2'-O-beta-xylopyranosyl-beta-glucopyranoside) (3), apigenin 6-C-(2'-O-(6'-(E)-caffeoylglucoside)-beta-glucopyranoside) (4), and apigenin 6-C-(2'-O-(6'-(E)-p-coumaroylglucoside)-beta-glucopyranoside) (5) have been isolated from the purple leaves of Oxalis triangularis. Compound 4 is new, while 5 has previously been isolated from Cucumis sativus after treatment with silicon and infection with Sphaerotheca fuliginea. Signal duplication in the NMR spectra of 2, 4, and 5 revealed the presence of rotameric conformers, created by rotational hindrance at the C(sp3) -C(sp2) glucosyl-flavone linkage in these flavone C-glycosides.