First report of Miocene Bryozoan fauna of the Mishan Formation from the Qeshm Island and Minab Province, southern Iran

This study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) on Qeshm Island, southern Iran. Sixty-five faecal samples were obtained from camels (age range 2–12 years) housed in ten privately owned herds from three equal-length areas (west, east and central) on Qeshm Island, southern Iran. All samples were analysed for Cryptosporidium oocysts by microscopic examination of smears stained by modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. The parasite was detected in 11 camels (16.9%). The genus identity of the oocysts was confirmed by morphology and was similar to Cryptosporidium parvum. The mean (±SD) size of 225 oocysts was 5.1 (0.42) × 4.38 (0.27) µm (range 4.2–5.3 × 3.8–4.5 µm) with a shape index (length/width) of 1.17 (0.03; range 1.11–1.18). Data analyses indicated significant difference in prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in western and central areas compared with the eastern area. Numerous reports indicate that water is a major vehicle for transmission of cryptosporidiosis. Geographical studies in western and eastern areas show that areas of vegetation, lagoons and seasonal rivers in these two regions are more frequent than the eastern part. Possible source of contamination of these waters by Cryptosporidium may be related to sewage from human and faeces of domesticated and wild animals. Therefore, it is possible that water may be a predisposing factor for transmission of cryptosporidiosis in these areas.

The present study investigates the pectinid bivalve record characterizing the Mio-Pliocene of Mishan and Aghjari formations in Qeshm Island of the Persian Gulf and Minab region of Makran Basin (Hormozgan Province). Thick-bedded deposits of highly accumulated levels of epifaunal free-lying pectinids were investigated in terms of paleoecology and taphonomy. Eight species of the family Pectinidae (Bivalvia) and nine species of Ostracoda are reported from the Direstan rural area, Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf, Southern Iran. Most bivalve shells display extreme taphonomic features such as breakage, bioerosion, encrustation, disarticulation, and abrasion. Encrusting Cheilostomata bryozoans, as well as polycheata worms, encrust pectinid valves; Langian (Middle Miocene) Cheilostomata are identified as Microporella berningi. The studied pectinids are represented by the following species: Pecten aff. rotundatus, Pecten cf. subarcuatus, Flabellipecten piramidesensis, Argopecten gratus, Chlamys varia, Chlamys multistriata, C. actinodes, and Talochlamys articulata. Ostracoda were also collected from two more outcrops in Qeshm Island (Kendaloo and Star Valley) and one outcrop of Minab region (Bemani section). The studied ostracods are: Alocopocythere kendengensis, Actinocythereis iraqensis, Loxoconcha hamrinensis, Neomonoceratina iniqua, Bairdoppilata triangulata, Bairdia rafidainensis, Hermanites transversicoststs, Costa tricostata, and Cytherelloidea hamrinensis

After sea level rises during the Early Cretaceous, upper parts of the Khami Group sediments (Fahliyan, Gadvan, and Dariyan Formations) deposited over Jurassic sediments. The Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Dariyan Formation (equivalent to the Shu’aiba Formation and Hawar Member of the Arabian Plate) carbonates, which have hydrocarbon reservoir potential, form the uppermost portion of the Khami Group that unconformably overlays the Gadvan Formation and was unconformably covered by the Kazhdumi Formation and Burgan sandstones. Detailed paleontological, sedimentological, and well log analysis were performed on seven wells from Qeshm Island and offshore in order to analyze the sequence stratigraphy of this interval and correlate with other studies of the Dariyan Formation in this region. According to this study, the Dariyan Formation contains 14 carbonate lithofacies, which deposited on a ramp system that deepened in both directions (NE—wells 5, 6 and SW—wells 1, 2). Sequence stratigraphy led to recognition of 5 Aptian third-order sequences toward the Bab Basin (SW—well 1) and 4 Aptian third-order sequences toward Qeshm Island (NE—wells 5 and 6) so these areas show higher gamma on the gamma ray logs and probably have higher source rock potential. Other wells (wells 2–4 and 7) mainly deposited in shallower ramp systems and contain 3 Aptian third-order sequences. On the other hand, rudstone and boundstone lithofacies of studied wells have higher reservoir potential and were deposited during Apt 3 and Apt 4 sequences of the Arabian Plate. The Dariyan Formation in Qeshm Island (well 6) and adjacent well (well 5) was deposited in an intrashelf basin that should be classified as a new intrashelf basin in future Aptian paleogeographic maps. We interpret that salt-related differential subsidence, crustal warping, and reactivation of basement faults of the Arabian Plate boundary were responsible for the creation of the intrashelf basin in the Qeshm area.

Multiple factors including natural and human-induced ones lead to land cover change in the landscape. Therefore, identifying the pattern of land cover change can help inform land-use management and prevent associated issues which can affect the natural resources of the landscape. The aim of this study is to assess land cover change in the Qeshm Island in southern Iran by combining the resulting outputs of multiple modeling methods, cellular automata (CA), Markov chains, and artificial neural networks (ANN) based on land cover maps for the years 1996, 2006, and 2016 that have been extracted from satellite imagery (Landsat 5, 7, and 8). In order to evaluate the accuracy of modeling, the Kappa coefficient was calculated to be 0.8. Then, land cover changes for 2025 were predicted by a hybrid model (CA-Markov-ANN). The results indicate that the classes of built-up areas, vegetation, and mangrove forests have changed more significantly from 1996 to 2016 compared with other classes. Land cover maps generated in this study showed that built-up areas have grown significantly in recent decades due to the region's growing population and development of ports, commercial, and industrial areas. Due to the climate change, the land area covering vegetation has decreased dramatically. The size of the mangrove forests has increased over the time period of the study (1996-2025). The findings of this study can inform land-use planning decisions by providing them with a comprehensive overview of land cover conditions in the future.

Immunocompromised patients are frequently more susceptible to pathogens such as protozoa. For the first time, we report a case of pulmonary lophomoniasis in a known case of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML‐2) from Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf, southern Iran. Diagnosis of lophomoniasis was confirmed using microscopy and molecular examinations of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. She was completely treated with metronidazole (500 mg three times a day for 3 weeks). We conclude that immunocompromised patients with unjustified respiratory disorders should be screened for Lophomonas infection.

Coseismic static Coulomb stress changes may either advance or retard the timing of subsequent earthquakes on nearby faults in a manner that depends both on the relative orientations of faults within the vicinity of the primary rupture, as well as on the postseismic redistribution of stress. Here we examine interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data spanning two earthquakes that occurred in close temporal and spatial proximity on Qeshm Island in southern Iran. Remote observations of earthquakes such as ground deformation or seismic waves allow us to infer earthquake source parameters, but in general, a nonunique family of solutions is consistent with the data, given our understanding of data noise and the limitations of our ability to model the real Earth. Here, we explore methods for assessing and propagating InSAR noise through our entire analysis of the stress triggering potential between these two earthquakes. We generate a range of source models for each earthquake based both on InSAR and seismic observations and assess whether the expected static Coulomb stress change during the first earthquake is likely to have brought the second event closer to or further from failure. Some combinations support the hypothesis that the first earthquake brought the second fault closer to failure, whereas some do not. Fault plane geometries that agree with InSAR constraints are more likely to suggest that the first earthquake increased the likelihood of the second earthquake, those based on the Harvard and global centroid moment tensor tend to not support triggering between the two events.

Symptoms of vegetative malformation were observed on coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.) in the Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas and Minab, in Hormozgan province, southern Iran. The symptoms included misshapen and dwarfed leaves with shortened, thickened and tightened leaflets in wavy and zigzag form. The aim of this study was to identify the causal pathogen of coconut palm malformation and complete Koch's postulates for putative pathogen. Small pieces of surface‐disinfested malformed vegetative tissues of coconut palms were cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. Fusarium isolates were permanently obtained from the symptomatic tissues. Sequence data from the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1–5.8S‐ITS2) and translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF‐1α) gene were used for molecular identification of the isolates. BLAST search of the sequences showed 99%–100% identity to several Fusarium proliferatum strains in the GenBank, FUSARIUM‐ID and Fusarium MLST databases. A phylogeny inferred using individual sequence data from ITS region and TEF‐1α gene placed our isolates together with the other F. proliferatum sequences retrieved from the GenBank. Pathogenicity tests were carried out using one‐year‐old healthy coconut palm seedlings and conidial suspensions (106 conidia/ml) of the F. proliferatum isolates. The first visible symptoms appeared on newly produced leaves of the inoculated seedlings during the 16th week after inoculation, wherease no disease symptoms were observed on the control plants until the end of the experiment. Reisolation from symptomatic tissues of the inoculated seedlings yielded isolates of F. proliferatum with morphological and molecular characteristics identical to those of the isolates used for inoculations. This is the first report of coconut palm malformation caused by F. proliferatum worldwide.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus Asia 2 genotype in Qeshm Island, southern Iran: A case report.

Teneriffia hajiqanbari n. sp. is described based on female, male, and deutonymph specimens collected in mangrove forests in Qeshm Island, in the eastern part of the Persian Gulf, southern Iran. This new species can be distinguished by following characters: gnathosoma without “clasps” ventrally; palpal oncophysis absent; venter with 17–20 pairs of setae; genital plates with seven pairs of setae (female); dorsal body setae minutely barbed; opisthosomal setae d1, e1 and f1 long and reaching or surpassing the base of next seta; solenidotaxy of tarsi I–IV: 3-3-0-1. Additionally, an identification key to known species of Teneriffia is updated.

The Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca complex has a wide distribution in the east and west Palaearctic and comprises phenotypically very similar, but genetically distinct forms. In order to determine the origin of the birds wintering on Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf, we studied the nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of 23 individuals and compared them with sequences publicly available on Gen-Bank. The birds from Qeshm were attributed to the subspecies S. c. halimodendri, probably breeding in areas of Kazakhstan and China, and formed two distinct clades. As the genetic distance between these groups is very low, it is likely that they represent different populations of the same taxon.

A faunistic survey of Euphorinae (Hym., Braconidae) in southern Iran, as well as an updated checklist of the genera and species in Iran, are presented. Sampling was performed using Malaise traps at different locations of Hormozgan province and Qeshm Island in Persian Gulf during 2011-2013. In total, 38 species belonging to 10 genera are listed from Iran. The recorded species belong to the following genera: Allurus Forster, 1862 (two species), Chrysopophthorus Goidanich 1948 (one species), Dinocampus Forster, 1862 (one species), Ecclitura Kokujev, 1902 (one species), Leiophron Nees von Esenbeck, 1819 (10 species), Meteorus Haliday, 1835 (12 species), Perilitus Nees von Esenbeck, 1819 (five species), Syntretus Forster 1862 (three species), Wesmaelia Foerster, 1862 (one species) and Zele Curtis, 1832 (two species). Allurus lituratus (Haliday 1835), Dinocampus coccinellae (Schrank, 1802), Leiophron (Peristenus) grandiceps (Thomson 1892), Meteorus rubens (Nees, 1811) and Wesmaelia petiolata (Wollaston, 1858) are new records for Hormozgan province and Leiophron (Peristenus) grandiceps (Thomson 1892) is recorded for the first time from Iran. In addition, Meteorus breviterebratus Ameri, Talebi & Beyarslan sp. n. is newly described and illustrated.

The energy insecurity, environmental pollution, climate change and even reduced rainfall in some countries are prime examples of consequences of the world’s excessive reliance on fossil fuels. This study suggests that in some southern islands and coastal areas of Iran, two such problems, namely the growing shortage of potable water and air pollution can be addressed by building a wind-powered seawater desalination plant at the locations. To evaluate such project, first the sites that may provide the highest efficiency need to be identified. In this study, 10 ports and 5 islands in southern Iran, which suffer from water shortage but have access to seawater, are identified as preliminary candidate sites for such project. The criteria influencing the suitability of a location are considered to be wind power density, economic feasibility, topographic condition, frequency of natural disasters, population, and the wind farm’s distance from desalination facility. After analyzing and weighting the criteria, the locations are ranked using the ELECTRE III method, and the results are validated using the PROMETHEE method. In conclusion, the results of ranking techniques show that Qeshm Island is the best location for construction of a wind-powered seawater desalination plant.

A new species of terrestrial isopod, Desertoniscus iranensis n. sp., is described from Qeshm Island, southern Iran, representing the first record of the genus Desertoniscus for Iran. A description of the new species is provided and its diagnostic characters are illustrated. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2DDFE22F-6BFF-4221-A520-58CD5AF19A79

در این پژوهش اثر حلال های آب، اتانول، متانول و گلیسیرین هر کدام در پنج سطح (صفر، 25/31، 33/83، 125 و250 میلی لیتر) با استفاده از‌ هندسه مخلوط برای استخراج عصاره برگ گیاه حرا استفاده شد. از مدل چند جمله ای شف و بهینه‌ سازی عددی به منظور مدل سازی و بهینه سازی عصاره استفاده گردید. مدل چند جمله ای شف به طور معنی‌داری قادر به پیش بینی بازده حاصل از استخراج عصاره برگ حرا می باشد (میزان ضریب تبین و ضریب تبین اصلاح شده به ترتیب 94/0 و84/0 وغیر معنی دار بودن آزمون ضعف برازش و مقدار اندیس F ( 62/14) نشان دهنده صحت مدل برای پیش بینی بازدهی عصاره می باشد). به علاوه میزان ضریب تغییرات 6/14% محاسبه شد که نشان دهنده تکرار پذیری قابل قبول برای داده های آزمایشی است. میزان تابع مطلوبیت بهینه سازی 94/0 محاسبه شد که نشانگر صحت عملیات بهینه سازی می باشد. بر این اساس، فرمولاسیون بهینه حاوی گلیسیرین (صفر میلی لیتر)، آب (22/28 میلی لیتر)، متانول ( 83/59 میلی لیتر) و اتانول (95/161 میلی لیتر) بود. اثر ضد میکروبی عصاره های برگ گیاه حرا بر سه باکتری 33090 Listeria innocua ATTC، Enterococcus faecium ATTC 51559 وEscherichia coli ATTC 25992 به سه روش (انتشار در آگار به کمک دیسک، حداقل غلظت ممانعت کننده رشد و حداقل غلظت کشندگی) در هشت غلظت مختلف بررسی شد. نتایج نشان داد بیشترین اثر بازدارندگی بر Listeria innocua و بالاترین میزان مقاومت در برابر عصاره، مربوط به Escherichia coli بود، همچنین با افزایش غلظت عصاره ها قطر هاله باز دارندگی به طور معنی داری (05/0p

Adamystis persiangulfensis sp. nov. is described based on female, male, tritonymph, deutonymph and larva stages collected in the littoral zone of mangrove forests in Qeshm Island, in the eastern part of the Persian Gulf, southern Iran. This new species is distinguished by having two pairs of adoral setae; chelicera with one seta; palpal tarsus with 14 setae; idiosoma with one poorly defined (weakly sclerotized) shield; dorsum laterally at least with 19 pairs of lens-like structures and five pairs of aggenital setae (ag1–5). Additionally, an identification key to known species of Adamystis is updated.