Zoology Commons^™

Accelerated Evolution Of Sars-Cov-2 In Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer, Dillon S. Mcbride, Sofya K. Garushyants, John Franks, Andrew F. Magee, Steven H. Overend, Devra Huey, Amanda M. Williams, Seth A. Faith, Ahmed Kandeil, Sanja Trifkovic, Lance Miller, Trushar Jeevan, Anami Patel, Jacqueline M. Nolting, Michael J. Tonkovich, J. Tyler Genders, Andrew J. Montoney, Kevin Kasnyik, Timothy J. Linder, Sarah N. Bevins, Julianna B. Lenoch, Jeffrey C. Chandler, Thomas J. Deliberto, Eugene V. Koonin, Marc A. Suchard, Philippe Lemey, Richard J. Webby, Martha I. Nelson, Andrew S. Bowman

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The zoonotic origin of the COVID-19 pandemic virus highlights the need to fill the vast gaps in our knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 ecology and evolution in non-human hosts. Here, we detected that SARS-CoV-2 was introduced from humans into white-tailed deer more than 30 times in Ohio, USA during November 2021-March 2022. Subsequently, deer-to-deer transmission persisted for 2–8 months, disseminating across hundreds of kilometers. Newly developed Bayesian phylogenetic methods quantified how SARS-CoV-2 evolution is not only three-times faster in white-tailed deer compared to the rate observed in humans but also driven by different mutational biases and selection pressures. The long-term effect of …

Rapid Evolution Of A(H5n1) Influenza Viruses After Intercontinental Spread To North America, Ahmed Kandeil, Christopher Patton, Jeremy C. Jones, Trushar Jeevan, Walter N. Harrington, Sanja Trifkovic, Jon P. Seiler, Thomas Fabrizio, Karlie Woodard, Jasmine C. Turner, Jeri Carol Crumpton, Lance Miller, Adam Rubrum, Jennifer Debeauchamp, Charles J. Russell, Elena A. Govorkova, Peter Vogel, Mia Kim-Torchetti, Yohannes Berhane, David Stallknecht, Rebecca Poulson, Lisa Kercher, Richard J. Webby

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b underwent an explosive geographic expansion in 2021 among wild birds and domestic poultry across Asia, Europe, and Africa. By the end of 2021, 2.3.4.4b viruses were detected in North America, signifying further intercontinental spread. Here we show that the western movement of clade 2.3.4.4b was quickly followed by reassortment with viruses circulating in wild birds in North America, resulting in the acquisition of different combinations of ribonucleoprotein genes. These reassortant A(H5N1) viruses are genotypically and phenotypically diverse, with many causing severe disease with dramatic neurologic involvement in mammals. The proclivity of …

Fusion Of Pectinal Teeth In Scorpio Kruglovi Birula, 1910 (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, Gülhanım Yağmur

Euscorpius

A rare teratological anomaly of pecten is described and illustrated: a case of fusion in pectinal teeth in the scorpion Scorpio kruglovi Birula, 1910). It was observed that 7th and 8th teeth are fused in the right pecten. The resulting fused tooth is larger than other teeth. A smaller fulcrum located inside of the large, fused tooth whereas other fulcra are located between normally developed teeth.

Health Risk Assessments Of Heavy Metal Concentrations Via Consumption Of An Invasive Species, Carassius Gibelio, From Two Large Freshwater Lakes Of Türkiye, Duygu Ceren Çağlan Kaya

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Heavy metal toxicity is a significant threat to human health and the environment. Contamination of the food chain with heavy metals in water sources may impact the health of consumers adversely. This study aimed to determine the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Zn in the invasive fish species Carassius gibelio inhabiting two important lakes in Türkiye: Lake Beyşehir and Lake Eğirdir, from the Lake District Region and assess any health risks posed by the consumption of these species. For this purpose, C. gibelio species were obtained from two lakes in dry and rainy seasons and heavy metal concentrations …

Structural And Biological Characterization Of Two Freshwater Mussel Shells (Bivalvia: Unionidae), Hülya Şerefli̇şan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The shell of a freshwater mussel (Mollusca: Bivalvia) is a composite biological material that plays an active role in maintaining ecosystem services. Mussel shells have variable structures both within and between species. In this study, the structural and biological characteristics of the shells of Potomida semirugata and Leguminaia wheatleyi were investigated in order to use freshwater mussel shells as a biological material. Close observation of the microstructure of the shells of the two common freshwater bivalves revealed a variation in construction from the outer periostracum to the inner nacreous layer. In P. semirugata, a polygonal arrangement with columnar prisms …

Exploring The Efficacy Of Rnai-Mediated Gene Knock-Down Via Oral Delivery Of Dsrna In The Colorado Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa Decemlineata Say), Haneef Tari̇q, Ayhan Gökçe, Emre Aksoy, Emi̇nur Elçi̇, Allah Bakhsh

Turkish Journal of Zoology

RNA interference (RNAi) is a versatile genetic tool capable of selectively inhibiting the expression of any gene in a targeted organism. Its implementation holds great promise for safeguarding crops against insect pests and diseases. Vacuolar-ATPase represents an ideal target for RNAi-based pest management strategies since it is an enzyme essential for various physiological processes in insects. In this study, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) was synthesized using an L4440 vector in Escherichia coli HT115 strain to silence the Vacuolar-ATPase proteolipid subunit mRNA in the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say). To assess the effectiveness of RNAi, L. decemlineata larvae at different …

Population Genetic Structure Of Testudo Hermanni Boettgeri (Hermann's Tortoise) In Türkiye, Can Yilmaz, Oğuz Türkozan, Sezgi̇n Karaman, Celal Ülger

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Multidisciplinary approaches for the conservation of endangered species have great importance in preparing management plans. In addition to ecological and population demographic parameters, genetic data provide vital information for conservation management plans for a species. The Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) suffers from illegal trade, fires, habitat fragmentation and destruction, and therefore, the genetic diversity of the regional populations has been affected. It was aimed herein to impart knowledge on the population genetic structure of T. hermanni boettgeri, listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List as a subspecies and has limited …

Freshwater Lampreys And Fishes Of Türkiye; An Annotated Checklist, 2023, Erdoğan Çi̇çek, Sevi̇l Sungur, Ronald Fricke, Burak Seçer

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Herewith, the current status of the inland waters ichthyofauna of Türkiye is revised, and an updated checklist of the freshwater lampreys and fishes is presented. As of November 2023, the freshwater ichthyofauna of Türkiye is known to consist of 427 species belonging to 20 orders, 37 families, and 97 genera. Among these, 21 species (4.9%) are alien, and 215 species (50.4%) are considered endemic to Türkiye. The orders with the largest numbers of species in the ichthyofauna of Türkiye are the Cypriniformes (297 species, 69.6%), followed by the Cyprinodontiformes (26 species, 6.1%), the Salmoniformes (25 species, 5.9%), the Gobiiformes (20 …

Comparison Of The Movement Speed Of Three Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Species Along Trails, Stanislav Stukalyuk, Mykola Kozyr, Ascar Akhmedov

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The aim of this study was to compare the speed of movement of 3 species of ants (Formica rufa, F. polyctena, and Lasius fuliginosus) along trails with different types of substrates. The study took place from June to August 2022 within the Holosiyivo Forest, located in Kyiv, Ukraine. For L. fuliginosus, the study was conducted in August and September 2022. For the experiment, 3 colonies of each species were selected in June, with only 3 trails passing on substrate (a total of 9 trails). One of the trails was left unchanged (ground surface), smooth logs were …

Life Table Of Pseudaulacaspis Pentagona Targioni-Tozzetti (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) At Different Temperatures On White And Black Mulberries, Özden Dokuyucu, Selma Ülgentürk, Mehmet Sali̇h Özgökçe

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Some biological characteristics and life table of Mulberry scale [Pseudaulacaspis pentagona Targioni-Tozzetti (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)], which is an important thermophilic, invasive, and polyphagous pest of fruit trees, was investigated. The research has been conducted at 7 different temperatures (20.6, 23.2, 27.1, 29.0, 30.6, 31.3, 33.8 °C) on two different mulberry species (Morus alba and M. nigra) in the climate chambers with fixed illumination regime (16 : 8 h) and relative humidity (60% ± 5%) conditions. The total longevity of female individuals on M. alba were 120.54, 86.79, 63.54, 57.51, 41.35, and 26.27 days, while 110.61, 99.62, 63.84, 70.92, …

It’S All About Fishing: Robert Ellis Jenkins (1940-2023) And His Life Among Freshwater Fishes Of Virginia And The Redhorse Suckers, Eric J. Hilton

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

Robert (Bob) Ellis Jenkins passed away in Salem, Virginia, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Bob was born February 9, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York. As a child, Bob took an early interest in natural history, and was a particularly avid fisherman. He attended Roanoke College (Salem, VA) as an undergraduate and entered into a Masters degree program at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA), only to leave before finishing for a position at the NOAA Systematics Lab based at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. He eventually became faculty at his alma mater, Roanoke College, where he would spend virtually …

Burrowing Owl Skull, Nicolas M. Caracuel, Hannah Lesko, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

D-Shaped Nematode Eggs In The Feces Of Rangifer Tarandus: A Story In Pictures, Olga A. Loginova

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

D-shaped nematode eggs in the feces of Rangifer tarandus are expected to be oxyurid nematodes (Nemata: Oxyurida) of the genus Skrjabinema. The species S. tarandi is considered species-specific for this host. There is no consensus regarding the cross-infection of reindeer and sheep with S. ovis and S. tarandi. The drawings proposed by descriptors complicate differential diagnostics. Micrographs of S. tarandi eggs obtained via light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy as well as photographs of S. ovis eggs and drawings made on their basis are proposed to confidently distinguish between representatives of these two species, taking into account morphometric data. Thus, …

H5n1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Clade 2.3.4.4b In Wild And Domestic Birds: Introductions Into The United States And Reassortments, December 2021–April 2022, Sungsu Youk, Mia Kim Torchetti, Kristina Lantz, Julianna B. Lenoch, Mary Lea Killian, Christina Leyson, Sarah N. Bevins, Krista Dilione, Hon S. Ip, David E. Stallknecht, Rebecca L. Poulson, David L. Suarez, David E. Swayne, Mary J. Pantin-Jackwood

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage H5 clade 2.3.4.4b continue to have a devastating effect on domestic and wild birds. Full genome sequence analyses using 1369 H5N1 HPAIVs detected in the United States (U.S.) in wild birds, commercial poultry, and backyard flocks from December 2021 to April 2022, showed three phylogenetically distinct H5N1 virus introductions in the U.S. by wild birds. Unreassorted Eurasian genotypes A1 and A2 entered the Northeast Atlantic states, whereas a genetically distinct A3 genotype was detected in Alaska. The A1 genotype spread westward via wild bird migration and reassorted with North American …

The First Record Of Orthochirus Glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From The United Arab Emirates, František Kovařík, Ersen A. Yağmur, Alexander Ullrich, Balázs Buzás

Euscorpius

Orthochirus glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) was described from Oman (Muscat). Here, we summarize known localities from Oman as well as records from the United Arab Emirates, which is the new country record for this species. Illustrations of morphology of both sexes are given together with a map of distribution. A lectotype of Orthochirus glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903) is designated. Paraorthochirus kaspareki Lourenço & Huber, 2000 and Paraorthochirus kinzelbachi Lourenço & Huber, 2000 are synonymized with Orthochirus glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903), syn. n.

The Green Sea Turtle, Sierra Rhiannon Brown

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Artist Statement

The Green Sea Turtle is a piece I produced as a part of my final portfolio for the Scientific Illustration course I participated in during the summer semester of 2022. The Green Sea Turtle is a watercolor and gauche painting on Bristol paper that was created as part of a collection representing each of the five sea turtle species native to the Florida coasts. Green sea turtles (Chelonia Mydas) are the largest species of hard-shelled turtle in the world, they are also unique because of their specialized diet which consists primarily of sea grass and algae. …

In Memoriam Rolando Teruel Ochoa (1974 – 2023), Luis F. De Armas, Sheyla Yong

Euscorpius

This is an obituary of Rolando Teruel Ochoa (1974–2023), a great Cuban arachnologist. A full list of his works is appended, as well as a list of scorpions and other arachnids described by Rolando.

The Influence Of Hiking Trails On Salamanders, Emily M. Macdonald

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Over half of the World’s salamanders are facing extinction. It is important to understand the impact Humans have on them in all parts of their ranges so we can better understand what they need and how we can prevent further extinctions. I conducted this study to try to determine if the human activity on the official hiking trails in the Arcata Community Forest in Arcata California; as designated by the official map of the Forest; is negatively impacting the salamanders that live in the Forest. I thought there would be an increase in the number of species and the overall …

Estimation Of Individual Growth Of The Violet Oyster Chama Coralloides (Bivalvia: Chamidae) Using Schnute Model Cases., Alma Rubí Castrejón Ríos, Carmina Torreblanca Ramirez, Rafael Flores-Garza, Pedro Flores Rodríguez, Juan Carlos Cerros Cornelio, Jesús Guadalupe Padilla Serrato

Turkish Journal of Zoology

No abstract provided.

Tolerance Limit Of Physicochemical Water Parameters In Giant Freshwater Prawn (Macrobrachium Rosenbergii) In A Captive Condition, Rasina Rasid, Amira Liyana Tajuddin, Mohamad Abu Ubaidah Amir Abu Zarim, Suresh Thanakodi, Syarifah Bahiyah Rahayu, Nur Diyana Kamarudin, Amy Aineda Omar, Mohd Fazrul Hisam Abdul Aziz, Ahasan Habib

Turkish Journal of Zoology

No abstract provided.