Hair Coat of the Water Deer Hydropotes inermis (Cervidae, Artiodactyla), a New Species in the Russian Fauna.

The hair coat and hair microstructure of an adult male Hydropotes inermis from the Primorsky Krai of Russia were studied for the first time by light and scanning electron microscopy. Lack of abundant underfur, sparse hair, and a weak layering are characteristic of the species, which inhabits the temperate monsoon and tropical zones and does not need an efficient thermal protection. An alveolar and lattice medulla of the hair is similar to that of other deer, is well developed, and increases the heat-protective properties of the hair because seasonal and daily fluctuations in temperature and humidity can be significant. The cuticle pattern is similar to that of the deer tribes Alceini and Capreolini. The hair thickness and length are substantial on the back, sides, and thighs, and the coat thus provides reliable protection from mechanical damage when the water deer moves through thickets of bushes and grasses along riverbanks and swamps in its habitats. A knotty nature of hairs protects the skin from sharp outgrowths of aquatic and marsh plants.

Endoparasites of Wild Boars (Sus Scrofa) in Primorsky Krai, Russia.

This study identified helminthic species among wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Primorsky Krai, Russia. In total, 66 fecal samples were taken from wild boars and examined using the floatation-sedimentation method to identify helminths eggs and protozoan cysts. Age and sex were estimated for each host animal investigated. The helminthic fauna of the wild boars examined involved six parasite genera, but 4 are helminths and 2 are protozoans: the nematodes Metastrongylus spp., Trichuris suis, Capillaria sp. and Ascaris suum; and the protozoan parasites Eimeria sp. and Cystoisospora suis. The most prevalent parasite was Metastrongylus spp. (13.6 %) followed by Trichuris suis (7.6 %). The other parasites found were Eimeria sp. (3 %), Ascaris suum (3 %), Capillaria sp. (1.5 %) and Cystoisospora suis (1.5 %). Not found positive correlation between the host's age and sex and the parasite prevalence. This was the first detailed study on helminths infections among wild boars in Primorsky Krai.