New host record of five Flavobacterium species associated with tropical fresh water farmed fishes from North India

Abstract Yellow pigmented, filamentous, Gram-negative bacteria belonging to genus Flavobacterium are commonly associated with infections in stressed fish. In this study, inter-species diversity of Flavobacterium was studied in apparently healthy freshwater farmed fishes. For this, ninety one yellow pigmented bacteria were isolated from skin and gill samples (n = 38) of three farmed fish species i.e. Labeo rohita, Catla catla and Cyprinus carpio. Among them, only twelve bacterial isolates (13.18%) were identified as Flavobacterium spp. on the basis of morphological, biochemical tests, partial 16S rDNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. On the basis of 16S rDNA gene sequencing, all the 12 isolates were 97.6-100% similar to six different formally described species of genus Flavobacterium. The 16S rDNA based phylogenetic analysis grouped these strains into six different clades. Of the 12 isolates, six strains (Fl9S1-6) grouped with F. suncheonense, two strains (Fl6I2, Fl6I3) with F. indicum and the rest four strains (Fl1A1, Fl2G1, Fl3H1 and Fl10T1) clustered with F. aquaticum, F. granuli, F. hercynium and F. terrae, respectively. None of these species except, F. hercynium were previously reported from fish. All the isolated Flavobacterium species possessed the ability of adhesion and biofilm formation to colonize the external surface of healthy fish. The present study is the first record of tropical freshwater farmed fishes as hosts to five environmentally associated species of the Flavobacterium.

Microbial control of the invasive spiraling whitefly on cassava with entomopathogenic fungi

Abstract The entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Lecanicillium lecanii and Isaria fumosorosea were tested for their efficacy in managing the exotic spiraling whitefly Aleurodicus dispersus (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) on cassava (Manihot esculenta) during 2 seasons (2011-2012 and 2012-2013). The fungi I. fumosorosea and L. lecanii exhibited promising levels of control (> 70% mortality of the A. dispersus population). The percent mortality increased over time in both seasons. Application of I. fumosorosea was highly pathogenic to A. dispersus in both seasons compared to the other entomopathogenic fungi. Analysis of the percent mortality in both seasons revealed differences in efficacy between 3 and 15 days after treatment. The season also influenced the effects of the fungi on the A. dispersus population. Thus, entomopathogenic fungi have the potential to manage A. dispersus infestation of cassava.

Dieta estacional del Tayassu pecari (Artiodactyla: Tyassuidae) en el Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica / Seasonal diet of Tayassu pecari (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

The diet of the white-lipped peccari Tayassu pecari was studied from July 1996 to April 1997 in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica, through fecal analysis and direct observations. The feces consisted of 61.6 porcent fruits, 37.5 porcent vegetative parts, 0.4 porcent invertebrates and 0.5 porcent unidentified material. These proportions are similar to those reported for white-lipped peccaries diet in South America, but the species consumed were different. In represented family. In contrast, the diet of the Peruvian Amazon peccary primarily consists of plant parts (Arecaceae). Costa Rican peccary diet consisted of vegetative parts from Araceae and Heliconaceae. Direct observation showed that peccaries spent 30 porcent of feeding time rooting. Samples take from rooting sites suggest that peccaries fed on earthworms. Diet differed between months, season and habitats. They are more fruitsin coastal and primary forest and more vegetative parts in secondary forest. In the months Octubrer and November the comsuption of vegetative parts exceeded fruit consumption. Key words: Seasonal diet, fecal analysis, direct observations, Tayassu pecari, white-lipped peccary, rain forest, Costa Rica

Cardiovascular measurements in animals in the milligram range

The study of microscopic animals should be intensified because: most of the world's animal biomass consists of very small animals; life as a small animal is both qualitatively and quantitatively very different from that of a large animal; and almost all animals are very small as they begin their development. Fortunately, developing technology now allows us to make quantitative measurements in microscopic animals. This paper describes new techniques for measuring cardiovascular variables such as blood pressure, stroke volume, heart rate and cardiac output in animals weighing as little as a few mg. Non-invasive techniques such as videomicroscopy can be used for determining heart stroke volume in small animals. Impedance measurement is another non-invasive or minor invasive technique for determining rates of heart beat, gill or lung ventilation and limb movement as well as giving qualitative information on changes in blood flow. Pulsed Doppler technology can be used to obtain blood flow velocity in small vessels. Invasive techniques depend on servo-null micropressure systems that record pressure through glass microelectrodes that are implanted into the vessel or heart lumen. This allows stable pressure recordings for up to 5-6 h in animals weighing as little as a few mg. Microinjectors can be used for intravascular injections of vasoactive drugs (or blood withdrawals). Newly emerging techniques for in vivo cardiovascular measurements allow us to understand the function of the cardiovascular system in a larger portion of the world's animal biomass, as well as in the immature and as yet poorly understood early developmental stages of animals.

Current research on physiology of endocrines in animals

A Systematic study on the pancreatic hormones of several animal species has been achieved in the laboratories of the Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Ain-Shams University. The research project has been initially founded by Dr. J.L Mansour-Beck in 1958 thence continued by a cooperative team of research workers. It started with an investigation which was intended initially to estimate the potency and durability of insulins from two coflimon Nile fishes, namely, Tilapia nilotica and Mugil cephalous [Said and AHIussaini, 1967]. An inspiration has been gained from the declaration of some previous authors [Zeile 1948, McCormick and Noble 1924, Tohyama et al., 1941 and Mestres 1955] that fish insulin would persist longer in human diabetic patients and might save the trouble of daily injection with the commonly used bovine insulin