Geographical clines in the size of the herb field mouse (Apodemus uralensis).

Patterns of body size variation along geographical gradients have long been searched for and generalized into eco-geographical rules. However, no rodent species has yet been analyzed in relation to the 3 dimensions of latitude, longitude and altitude. We analyzed geographical clines and dimorphism of body and skull size in the herb field mouse (Apodemus uralensis) across the species range, based on field data and on data from the literature. Sexual dimorphism in adult A. uralensis was not expressed at a large scale, while local patterns were inconsistent. Age-dependent size changes were most expressed in adult individuals: most characters of adults exceeded in size those of subadults, while subadult-juvenile size differences were only significant in body weight and length, zygomatic skull width, length of cranial diastema and breadth of braincase. Despite central morphological niches along the clines being separated, A. uralensis populations showed a high degree of size overlap in morphological space. We found the species to be characterized by high size variability, with the largest individuals inhabiting the eastern and southern edges of the distribution range. Tail, hind foot and ear lengths were largest in the southern part of the range, in agreement with Allen's rule. The main measurements that we analyzed, namely body mass, zygomatic skull width and condylobasal skull length, show the presence of 3 clines in the size of adult A. uralensis: (i) a decreasing south-north cline, opposing Bergmann's rule; (ii) an increasing west-east cline, in accordance with Murphy's rule; and (iii) an increasing altitudinal cline.

Cross-Genera PCR Amplification of DNA from Apicomplexan Parasites.

BACKGROUND: The discovery of an unexpected genetic sequence raised doubts about the specificity of a primer pair targeting Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. This study aimed to check the specificity of this primer pair. METHODS: Conventional end-point PCR and real-time PCR protocols using primers targeting the 18S rRNA gene V4 hypervariable region of Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. were tested for potential cross-genera amplification using DNA from a palette of parasitic protists and pathogenic bacteria as a template. These investigations took place at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Germany) in 2010 as part of the EDEN project. RESULTS: Successful amplification was obtained with DNA from five apicomplexan genera: Babesia, Theileria, Hepatozoon, Toxoplasma, and Hammondia. No amplicons were obtained when DNA from Leishmania infantum or bacteria within the genera Borrelia, Leptospira or Anaplasma was used as a template. CONCLUSION: This cross-genera amplification ability is useful for the quick exclusion of many parasite species from PCR negative diagnostic samples. Accurate species identification from PCR positive samples requires genetic sequencing of the amplicon.

Impact of Flag Texture on Tick Sampling Efficiency.

BACKGROUND: There is a strong interest in tick-borne diseases worldwide due to their negative impact on both human and animal health. Epidemiological studies of tick-borne diseases depend on reliable data on tick population dynamics and activity patterns. Such data are essentially based on tick sampling in the field. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of cloth type on the efficiency of field sampling by the flagging technique. METHODS: The impact of cloth type on the efficiency of field sampling by the flagging technique was investigated by comparing tick sampling yields of two different fabrics, the Munich type (MUC) vs. the Oxford type (OX), based on 30 pairs of transect lines. Data analysis included classical statistics and computer modelling. RESULTS: The MUC flag yielded nearly five times more larval ticks than the OX flag, whereas the differences in yields for nymphs and adult ticks were not statistically significant based on classical statistics. CONCLUSION: The flag made of MUC type fabric, thanks to its tight and relatively flat texture, facilitates detection and collection of ticks from its surface. The OX flag, due to its loose texture, is unsuitable for the quantitative sampling of larval Ixodes ricinus.