Syphacia (Syphacia) maxomyos sp. n. (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) from Maxomys spp. (Rodentia: Muridae) from Sulawesi and Sumatra,Indonesia

The present report describes Syphacia (Syphacia) maxomyos sp. n. (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) from two species of spiny rats, Maxomys musschenbroekii from Sulawesi and M. whiteheadi from Sumatra. It is characterized by a cephalic plate extending laterally with dorsoventral constriction and stumpy eggs with an operculum rim reaching pole. It is readily distinguishable by the former feature from all of hitherto known representatives of this genus in Indonesia, but it resembles parasites in Murini and Hydromyni rodents in continental Asia and Sahul. This is the first Syphacia species distributed in both the Sunda Shelf and Sulawesi with the exception of Syphacia muris, a cosmopolitan pinworm found in rodents of the of genus Rattus. It is surmised that S. maxomyos is specific to Maxomys and that it was introduced to Sulawesi by dispersal of some Maxomys from the Sunda Shelf.     

Helminth parasites of freshwater fishes from Cuatro Ciénegas,Coahuila, in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico: inventory and biogeographical implications

As part of an ongoing inventory of the helminth parasites of freshwater fishes in Mexico, 570 individual fish were collected between Apr 2008 and Oct 2011 in 26 localities along the Cuatro Ciénegas region in Coahuila State, northern Mexico. Seventeen species of hosts, mostly corresponding to Nearctic freshwater elements, were studied. A total of 8324 individual worms were collected during this survey, representing 25 species of helminths, of which 9 were digeneans, 3 monogeneans, 3 acanthocephalans, 9 nematodes and 1 cestode. Most of the records in this checklist represent new host or locality records. The information provided in this checklist may be helpful for our understanding of the biodiversity and historical biogeography of this host–parasite system, because in the Cuatro Ciénegas region occur a Nearctic freshwater fish fauna, along with Neotropical and endemic elements, and from a biogeographical point of view, this may represent a transitional area.     

Soil fauna in sheep-grazed hill pastures under organic and conventional livestock management and in an adjacent ungrazed pasture

Organic pasture management includes a focus on mixed livestock grazing, restrictions on nutrient inputs and livestock pest control. These are all factors which influence the environment of soil invertebrates. In this study, soil macrofauna, mesofauna and microfauna were collected from duplicate 11 and 20 year old organic and conventional legume-based sheep-grazed pasture systems. Pastures in both systems had received the same annual input of reactive phosphate rock and elemental sulphur and were stocked with the same numbers of sheep. The major difference between the two systems was absence of the chemical control of livestock pests on the organic system, resulting in lower sheep liveweights. Two ungrazed pastures which had not received any nutrient inputs for 20+ years were also sampled as part of the study to provide an additional contrast.No significant differences in either the diversity or abundance of the soil invertebrate community were found between the organic and conventional systems, despite the use of chemicals in the conventional system. The lack of difference suggests that many of the observed and reported responses to organic management reflect altered nutrient inputs and grazing management (which were the same in the current study), rather than the cessation of chemical controls in the organic system. In contrast, the invertebrate community in the unfertilised, ungrazed pasture was distinctly different from both the grazed systems. The ungrazed pasture had a higher diversity with more New Zealand endemic species than the grazed pasture. This included twice as many large Oribatida as soil pore size increased. The lower litter quality from the lack of nutrient inputs in the ungrazed pasture was reflected in both lower earthworm abundance and the Nematode Channel Ratio (indicative of a higher proportion of fungal- than bacterial-feeding nematodes), than the grazed pasture.We conclude that organic management when limited to a comparison of livestock pest control is not beneficial to soil invertebrates. Management practices such as stocking rates and fertiliser regime, by altering the soil physical environment and food resources, are more important in influencing invertebrate populations in this soil. Some would argue these altered management practices are an integral part of an organic production system.     

A Checklist of Metazoan Parasites from Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

An extensive literature survey on metazoan parasites from rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss has been conducted. The taxa Monogenea, Cestoda, Digenea, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, Crustacea and Hirudinea are covered. A total of 169 taxonomic entities are recorded in rainbow trout worldwide although few of these may prove synonyms in future analyses of the parasite specimens. These records include Monogenea (15), Cestoda (27), Digenea (37), Nematoda (39), Acanthocephala (23), Crustacea (17), Mollusca (6) and Hirudinea (5). The large number of parasites in this salmonid reflects its cosmopolitan distribution.     

离体培养中两种脱鞘方法和几种不同营养成份对蒙古马歇尔线虫L_3发育为L_4的影响

本文研究了六个不同pH梯度;四种人工综合培养基(M_(199),EMEM,F_(10),F_(12));YE_(25)(酵母提取物),CLB_(33)(牛肝汤),RLE_(50)(兔肝提取物);Filde's试剂对离体培养中蒙古马歇尔线虫L_3发育为L_4的影响;比较了次氯酸钠脱鞘和MRF(改良法配制的RFN)85分钟脱鞘效果及对L_3发育为L_4的影响。 较早出现脱皮的培养基为:M_(1(?)) CEE_(50) CBS,pH5.2(脱皮出现于培养后第8天)。L_4出现率较高的培养为:(1)MRF85分钟脱鞘后移入MRF内培养2天;(2)以M_(199)为主配制而成的M_9加谷胱苷肽、Filde's试剂,pH4.5～5,培养8天;(3)M_9加Filde's试剂,pH6,培养40天。L_4的出现率达46.7％。     

Species diversity and acquisition of gastrointestinal parasites in calves aged 0-13 months in periurban livestock production in Mali

Post-mortem inspections on 51 calves were conducted to investigate acquisition and spectrum of gastrointestinal parasites in young calves in periurban livestock production in Mali. Generalized linear models with herd as a repeated effect were used to test the influence of management, age and season of birth on parasite numbers and diversity. Parasite number and burden increased with age. In the age class 4-13 months animals carried already up to eight different gastrointestinal parasite species. Parasite spectrum found included 11 nematodes, 3 cestodes and 1 protozoan parasite. The most frequent parasite species found were Haemonchus placei (age class 0-1 month: 7%, 1-4 months: 38%, 4-13 months: 69%), Cooperia pectinata (0%, 33% and 44%) and C. punctata (0%, 33% and 38%). Calves born during the rainy season had higher parasite burden and species diversity than calves born during the dry season. Calves kept under modernised management excreted more Strongyloides papillosus eggs than calves kept under traditional management. Calves acquired most of the parasites occurring in adult bovines in West Africa within their first year of life.     

Effects of acidification and liming on feeding groups of nematodes in coniferous forest soils

Summary Nematodes were sampled in untreated, acidified, and limed plots in a Norway spruce (Fexboda) and a Scots pine (Norrliden) stand. At Fexboda, the total number of nematodes was significantly reduced after the acidification. This reduction was probably due to a shock effect, because the samples were taken only 5 months after an application of 200 kg H₂SO₄ ha^-1 to the forest floor. However, the root/fungal-feeding Aphelenchoides was not reduced, probably because it is more tolerant of high acid concentrations than most other nematodes. At Norrliden, where the samples were taken 7 years after the last application of H₂SO₄, no significant differences were found between the acidified and untreated plots. If the treatment with H₂SO₄ caused similar effects as at Fexboda, the results indicate a recovery of the nematode populations. Decreased predation from lumbricids rather than a recovery of microfloral populations probably allowed this recovery. No marked effect of lime, spread 2 (Fexboda) and 12 years (Norrliden) before the sampling on the numbers of any of the nematode feeding groups was found. This correlated with almost no change in bacterial biomass after liming, while the active fraction of fungal hyphae was unaffected by liming at Fexboda and reduced by liming at Norrliden. A tendency for decreasing numbers of all nematode feeding groups in the limed plots at Norrliden coincided with increasing numbers of lumbricids.     

Colonization of chemical factory wastes by soil nematodes

Soil nematodes were studied in 39- and 49-year-old “red” dumps mainly composed of Fe₂O₃ waste pyrite remnants from production of sulphuric and other acids, and in a 84-year-old “white” dump mainly composed of CaCO₃ material from soda production. The youngest stage of spontaneous biological succession contained moss–lichen patches which were mainly inhabited by bacterivorous nematodes (Acrobeloides nanus, Panagrolaimus rigidus, Rhabditis terricola, Bursilla monhystera) in very low abundance (about 50×10³ ind m⁻²). Invasion of grass resulted in increase of bacterivorous nematodes up to several millions  ind m⁻² but with considerable seasonal fluctuations. Nematode assemblages diversified in sites colonized by various deciduous trees and Paratylenchus straeleni was the dominant plant parasitic nematode. In site with stabilized grass carpet on the “white” dump dominant nematodes were Geocenamus quadrifer and Pungentus engadinensis. Eudorylaimus spp. first appeared in 49-year-old dump but their populations remained very low (1–9×10³ ind m⁻²). Some species found in control deciduous forests on natural soils (e.g. Xenocriconemella macrodora, Cephalenchus hexalineatus, Tylolaimophorus minor, Ogma menzeli, Hoplotylus femina) did not colonize deposits. Natural succession of nematodes on chemical waste materials was very slow and even after about 80 years their communities under deciduous trees showed many differences from those in nearby semi-natural mixed forests.     

Diversity and dynamics of eco-units in the biological reserves of the Fontainebleau Forest (France): Contribution of soil biology to a functional approach

Beech integral biological reserves of the Fontainebleau forest (France) display varied site conditions due to geomorphological heterogeneity and to interactions between biological components of the ecosystem. Taking examples in shifts observed in plant communities following gap opening, the authors show that, as Oldeman viewed it, tree-fall gaps seem to be the driving force in sylvigenesis as well as a source of spatial biodiversity. Studies carried out on macromorphological features of humus profiles and on the behaviour of soil invertebrate communities (Lumbricidae and Nematoda) pointed out two key aspects of forest functioning. First, the renewal of the forest ecosystem is linked to the dynamics of humus forms and of soil animal functional groups, featuring the regeneration of trees. Second, tree-fall gaps are places where the forest ecosystem is destabilized and thereafter may renew itself or on the contrary may evolve towards another ecosystem, showing either a co-adaptation between the sylvigenetic and the edaphic cycle, or a discordance between these two cycles. These two aspects (co-adaptation and discordance), important from the point of view of fundamental ecology and forest management, suggest a need for further field research.

Résumé

La hêtraie des réserves biologiques intégrales de la forêt de Fontainebleau offre des situations naturelles variées en fonction de l'hétérogénéité géomorphologique et des interactions entre les composantes biologiques de l'écosystème. Prenant comme exemple l'évolution des associations végétales au sein des clairières, les auteurs montrent que, selon la conception d'Oldeman, le chablis apparaît comme l'élément moteur de la sylvigénèse et un facteur important de biodiversit é spatiale. Des études portant sur la caractérisation macromorphologique des profils d'humus et le comportement des peuplements d 'invertébrés du sol (Lumbricidae, Nematoda) mettent en avant deux points importants pour le fonctionnement de l'écosysteme forestier. Premièrement, le renouvellement de l'écosystème est associé à la dynamique des humus et des groupes fonctionnels de la pédofaune, façonnant ainsi la niche de régénération. Deuxièmement, les clairières apparaissent comme une zone de rupture de l'écosystème forestier pouvant lui permettre, soit de se renouveler, soit d'évoluer vers un autre écosystème, montrant ainsi soit une co-adaptation entre le cycle sylvigénétique et le cycle édaphique, soit une discordance entre ces deux cycles. Cette approche fonctionnelle par le biais de la biologie des sols suggère une réflexion touchant autant l'écologie fondamentale que la gestion forestière.     

Serum pepsinogen levels to monitor gastrointestinal nematode infections in cattle revisited

The serum pepsinogen level is widely accepted as a useful parameter for monitoring gastrointestinal nematode infections in first-season grazing calves. However, several aspects, with possible implications for its practicality and the way to use the pepsinogen test, have received little attention to date. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) the reproducibility of a pepsinogen assay; (2) the required sample size for a reliable diagnosis and (3) the compliance to and effect of advice based on pepsinogen levels determined in year one on the nematode infection levels in the next generation of calves. Despite a high repeatability of the pepsinogen assay within the reference lab, the reproducibility between different labs was poor. There was more variation in pepsinogen levels between herds than between animals within a herd, suggesting that it is most useful to make a herd level diagnosis. Sample size calculation indicated that sampling seven animals sufficed to obtain a reliable indication of calf groups of up to 40 animals. Eighty-two herds were followed-up over two consecutive years and 39 (48%) had followed the advice that was formulated based on pepsinogen levels. Thirty-nine percent of the herds were advised to reduce the intensity of chemoprophylaxis. Samples from animals of those herds showed a higher pepsinogen level in the second year, but none of them had a mean pepsinogen level that is considered excessive. It is concluded that pepsinogen determination at housing from a limited number of animals can contribute to the design of the anthelmintic control strategy in the next year and a more targeted use of anthelmintics. However, more efforts are needed to harmonize the assay between veterinary diagnostic labs.