Microbiological quality and proximate analysis of locally produced soymilk drinks sold in Calabar Metropolis; a public health assessment.

Background: This study was aimed at evaluating the microbial quality and proximate analysis of soymilk produced and sold within Calabar Metropolis. Methodology: Soymilk samples were purchased in pairs from five locations in Calabar Metropolis. The samples collected were subjected to microbiological and proximate analysis to ascertain the hygienic standards of the products and nutrient contents. Results: The result showed that the highest heterotrophic bacterial count of 5.3 × 105 cfu/ml was recorded in soymilk sample sold in Goldie market while the least (2.7 × 104 cfu/ml) was recorded at Watt market. The mean fungal count was highest in Akim market samples (5.8 x 104 cfu/ml) and lowest in Atimbo market samples (2.4 x 103 cfu/ml). The probable bacterial and fungal isolates were identified as: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp, Salmonella sp, Streptococcus sp, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus sp, Rhizopus sp, Penicillium sp and Mucor sp. All the isolated bacteria species were found to be resistant to more than 50% of the antibiotics used. Proximate composition analysis of the soymilk samples revealed high moisture, carbohydrate and protein contents. Conclusion: The microbial population detected in terms of number and types reflected poor hygienic standard of production.

On the Cryptops subgenus Trichocryptops Verhoeff, 1937, with a discussion of the problems of differentiating Cryptops species (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Cryptopidae).

Three putative species comprising Verhoeff's Cryptops subgenus Trichocryptops are here reviewed. There is little justification for the retention of the subgenus and the three species previously assigned to it are here placed in synonymy with the subgenus Cryptops. Cryptops (T.) malaccanus Verhoeff, 1937, closely resembles Nepalese C. doriae Pocock, 1891, and it is proposed that it be regarded as its junior subjective synonym. Cryptops doriae, as presently understood, is widely distributed and quite variable. Cryptops (T.) brachyraphe Attems, 1934, and C. (T.) iucundus Würmli, 1972, are very similar but bearing in mind the present paucity of material, they are here retained as separate species. The possible characters distinguishing populations of C. doriae, C. nepalensis Lewis, 1999 and the three "Trichocryptops" species and C. niuensis Chamberlin, 1920, are reviewed. The current situation is far from satisfactory. Individual variation, possible ontogenetic changes, a relative paucity of morphological characters and small numbers of individuals render decisions as to the status of some Cryptops specimens problematical and subjective.

On Verhoeff's Otostigmus subgenus Malaccopleurus, the nudus group of Otostigmus subgenus Otostigmus Porat, 1876, and Digitipes Attems, 1930, with a description of the foetus stadium larva in O. sulcipes Verhoeff, 1937, (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Scolopendridae).

The species of Verhoeff's Southeast Asian subgenus Malaccopleurus (an unavailable name) are here assigned to subgenus Otostigmus. His Otostigmus (M.) trisulcatus Verhoeff, 1937 is a junior subjective synonym of O. (M.) sulcipes Verhoeff, 1937. The foetus stadium of O. sulcipes is described. Otostigmus (M.) sutteri Würmli, 1972, is also assigned to the subgenus Otostigmus and may be conspecific with O. geophilinus Haase, 1887, the specimens of which show some variation. The specimen from Teinzo, Myanmar with labels O. politus Karsch, 1881, and O. geophilinus is of uncertain identity. Otostigmus sulcipes closely resembles O. nudus Pocock, 1890, and O. taeniatus Pocock, 1896, of Lewis's (2010) nudus group. Otostigmus lawrencei Dobroruka, 1968, resembles a Cormocephalus species and is of uncertain identity. The genus Digitipes is characterised by the process on the femur of the ultimate legs in males. Three African species have been recognised. The males of Digitipes verdascens Attems, 1930, D. reichardti (Kraepelin, 1903) are known but D. krausi Dobroruka, 1968, lacks the femoral process and was described as a female. In these three species, only the tergite of the ultimate leg-bearing segment is marginate but in other characters D. krausi resembles Otostigmus species and is assigned to Otostigmus as O. krausi (Dobroruka, 1968) comb. nov. The Indian Digitipes periyarensis Joshi & Edgecombe, 2013, which differs markedly from other Digitipes species is a junior subjective synonym of Otostigmus nudus. It is possible that future molecular studies may show that some species currently assigned to Otostigmus are, in fact, Digitipes.

On the function of the ultimate legs of some Scolopendridae (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha).

The function of the variously shaped ultimate legs of Scolopendridae is briefly reviewed. Their function in Scolopendraheros Girard, 1853, Scolopendrasubspinipes Leach, 1815, Scolopendramorsitans (Linnaeus, 1758), Scolopendragalapagoensis Bollman, 1889, Scolopendrahainanum Kronmüller, 2012, Scolopendraspinosissima Kraepelin, 1903 Cormocephalusaurantiipes (Newport, 1844) and Ethmostigmustrigonopodus (Leach, 1817), in which they are least specialised has been investigated. Specimens were tapped with forceps on different parts of the trunk to simulate the attack of a predator. When tapped on the first third of the trunk (near the head), the centipedes attacked the forceps with their forcipules. When tapped on the last third or the ultimate legs, they adopted a warning position, raising the ultimate legs to display the ventral and medial prefemoral spines as well as the spined coxopleural processes. In some cases the centipedes attacked the forceps with the claws of the ultimate legs by chopping down on them after lifting the legs high into the warning position. When tapped in the mid part of the trunk, the centipedes curled sideways to reach the forceps with their forcipules and ultimate legs simultaneously. Scolopendragalapagoensis not only lifted the ultimate legs into the warning position but also the last 3-4 pairs of locomotory legs, presenting their distodorsal prefemoral spines. This resembles the warning posture of some spiders. In addition to their function in warning behaviour, defensive stabbing, ritualised meeting reactions and during courtship behaviour, the ultimate legs may in addition act as hooks and perhaps be involved in species recognition. No evidence was found that the ultimate legs are used to catch prey, nor of prey or predators being held between the prefemora.

A review of the orientalis group of the Otostigmus subgenus Otostigmus Porat, 1876 (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Scolopendridae).

The Otostigmus subgenus Otostigmus, which currently comprises 58 species, was subdivided by Lewis (2010a) into nine species groups based on Attems' (1930a) monograph. The orientalis group comprising 19 species and two subspecies is the subject of this paper. In most cases, the type material is redescribed and variation discussed. The following species are valid: O. ateles Chamberlin, 1920, O. australianus Attems, 1930, O. brevidentatus Verhoeff, 1937, O. foveolatus Verhoeff, 1937, O. kashmiranus Lewis, 1992, O. metallicus Haase, 1887, O. multidens multidens Haase, 1887, O. oatesi Kraepelin, 1903, O. orientalis Porat, 1876, O. ruficeps Pocock, 1890, and O. striolatus Verhoeff, 1937. O. seychellarum Attems, 1900, is reinstated as a valid species and O. niasensis Silvestri, 1895, and O. sucki Krae-pelin, 1903 which may be O. metallicus are regarded as valid pro tem. O. greggi Chamberlin, 1944, is a junior subjective synonym of O. astenus (Kohlrausch, 1881), and O. loriae Silvestri, 1895, and O. multidens carens Attems, 1938, junior subjective synonyms of O. multidens. O. loriae nordicus Schileyko, 1995, becomes O. multidens nordicus comb. nov. O. nemorensis Silvestri, 1895, O. poonamae Khanna & Tripathi, 1986, and O. telus Chamberlin, 1939, are nomina dubia. A key to the species is provided.

Paedomorphosis in the scolopendrid centipede genus Asanada (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) explains incongruence between morphological and molecular data sets.

The morphological characters of members of the scolopendrid genus Asanada Meinert, 1886 are reviewed. A number of these characters are only seen in embryonic or early adolescent stadia in other scolopendrids. This suggests that the centipedes of this genus are paedomorphic. Support for this thesis is provided by the very rare appearance (in only three specimens) of some otherwise "adult" characters. This paedomorphosis, in all probability neoteny, may account for the recently described incongruence between morphological and molecular data with respect to the position of the genus seen in cladistic analyses.

A review of the species in the genus Cryptops Leach, 1815 from the Old World and the Australasian region related to Cryptops (Cryptops) doriae Pocock, 1891 (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Cryptopidae).

The 25 putative species and two subspecies of the doriae group of the genus Cryptops (subgenus Cryptops) from the Old World and the Australasian region are here reviewed. The following are regarded as valid: C. audax Attems, 1928, C. australis Newport, 1845, C. dentipes Lawrence, 1960, C. dilagus Archey, 1921, C. doriae Pocock, 1891, C. japonicus Takakuwa, 1934, C. lamprethus Chamberlin, 1920, C. milloti Lawrence, 1960, C. modiglianii Silvestri, 1895, C. nanus Attems, 1938, C. navis Chamberlin, 1930, C. nepalensis Lewis, 1999, C. niuensis Chamberlin, 1920, C. pauliani Law- rence, 1960, C. philammus Attems, 1928, C. polyodontus Attems, 1903, C. setosior Chamberlin, 1959, C. stupendus Attems, 1928, C. tahitianus Chamberlin, 1920, C. typhloporus Lawrence, 1955. South African material assigned to C. australis by Attems (1928) is described as a new species C. capensis, and C. (C.) australis africanus Lawrence, 1955 is raised to full specific status as C. africanus. C. sinesicus Chamberlin, 1940 is a new junior subjective synonym of C. navis. C. afghanus Loksa, 1971, C. gracilimus Machado, 1951 and C. pauperatus Attems, 1937 are nomina dubia. Of the species here regarded as valid, further material from Australia and New Zealand is required to clarify the characteristics of C. australis. There has been confusion over the identities of the New Zealand species C. dilagus, C. lamprethus and C. polyodontus; their relationship should be further examined. The South African C. philammus and C. stupendus are also very similar and it is possible that further work may show them to be conspecific. The widely distributed C. doriae populations would, likewise, merit further investigation as would the relationship of the species to C. nepalensis and C. niuensis. It is possible that the inadequately described C. afghanus is identical to C. doriae. A provisional key to these species is provided.

A common terminology for the external anatomy of centipedes (Chilopoda).

A common terminology for the external morphological characters of centipedes (Chilopoda) is proposed. Terms are selected from the alternatives used in the English literature, preferring those most frequently used or those that have been introduced explicitly. A total of 330 terms are defined and illustrated, and another ca. 500 alternatives are listed.

The macrolide resistance genes erm(B) and mef(E) are carried by Tn2010 in dual-gene Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates belonging to clonal complex CC271.

The genetic elements carrying macrolide resistance genes in Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates belonging to CC271 were investigated. The international clone Taiwan(19F)-14 was found to carry Tn2009, a Tn916-like transposon containing tet(M) and mef(E). The dual erm(B) mef(E) isolates carried Tn2010, which is similar to Tn2009 with the addition of a putative new transposon, the erm(B) genetic element.