French Guinea Research Articles

Molecular Characterization of Complete Genome Sequence of an Avian Coronavirus Identified in a Backyard Chicken from Tanzania.

A complete genome sequence of an avian coronavirus (AvCoV; 27,663 bp excluding 3' poly(A) tail) was determined using nontargeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) of an oropharyngeal swab from a backyard chicken in a live bird market in Arusha, Tanzania. The open reading frames (ORFs) of the Tanzanian strain TZ/CA127/19 are organized as typical of gammaCoVs (Coronaviridae family): 5'UTR-[ORFs 1a/1b encoding replicase complex (Rep1ab) non-structural peptides nsp2-16]-[spike (S) protein]-[ORFs 3a/3b]-[small envelop (E) protein]-[membrane (M) protein]-[ORFs 4a/4c]-[ORFs 5a/5b]-[nucleocapsid (N) protein]-[ORF6b]-3'UTR. The structural (S, E, M and N) and Rep1ab proteins of TZ/CA127/19 contain features typically conserved in AvCoVs, including the cleavage sites and functional motifs in Rep1ab and S. Its genome backbone (non-spike region) is closest to Asian GI-7 and GI-19 infectious bronchitis viruses (IBVs) with 87.2-89.7% nucleotide (nt) identities, but it has a S gene closest (98.9% nt identity) to the recombinant strain ck/CN/ahysx-1/16. Its 3a, 3b E and 4c sequences are closest to the duck CoV strain DK/GD/27/14 at 99.43%, 100%, 99.65% and 99.38% nt identities, respectively. Whereas its S gene phylogenetically cluster with North American TCoVs and French guineafowl COVs, all other viral genes group monophyletically with Eurasian GI-7/GI-19 IBVs and Chinese recombinant AvCoVs. Detection of a 4445 nt-long recombinant fragment with breakpoints at positions 19,961 and 24,405 (C- and N-terminus of nsp16 and E, respectively) strongly suggested that TZ/CA127/19 acquired its genome backbone from an LX4-type (GI-19) field strain via recombination with an unknown AvCoV. This is the first report of AvCoV in Tanzania and leaves unanswered the questions of its emergence and the biological significance.

Recombinant turkey coronavirus: are some S gene structures of gammacoronaviruses especially prone to exchange?

The objective of the present study was to characterize the atypical turkey coronavirus strain detected in a commercial meat turkey farm in Poland. Using the viral metagenomics approach, we obtained a complete genome sequence of coronavirus, isolated from duodenum samples of animals suffering from acute enteritis. The nearly full-length genome consisted of 27,614 nucleotides and presented a typical genetic organization similar to that of Polish infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) or French turkey coronavirus/guinea fowl coronavirus strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on both the full-length genome and the whole S gene suggested that gCoV/Tk/Poland/G160/2016 is related to turkey and guinea fowl coronavirus and not IBV strains. Sequence analysis of the genome revealed unique genetic characteristics of the present strain, demonstrating that the virus emerged as a result of the exchange of the S gene of IBV GI-19 lineage with the S gene related to the North American turkey coronaviruses and French guinea fowl coronaviruses. Analysis of earlier, similar recombinations suggests that both the S gene structures may be particularly mobile, willingly switching between different gammacoronavirus genomic backbones. The identified recombinant caused a severe course of the disease, which may imply that it is in the first phase of breaking the barriers between different bird species.

A Collaborative Filming Method with Characters and Crew

This article aims to reflect on the challenges of participatory film projects. The text analyses the method applied in the making of the short film Ghetto PSA. The main character is Jacob, a young man who arrived alone in Italy from French Guinea when he was 11 years old. He had lost his parents in Guinea. Today he is 27, hip hop music is his world, his personal outlet for expressing dreams, hopes and frustrations, and to no longer feel part of the 'ghetto'. The collaborative practice with the main character of the film is analysed focusing on the different stages of production, from fieldwork, to writing and shooting. The text also analyses the influence and relation of the different figures connected to a film production, such as the producer, the characters and the crew. The article will discuss how a process of negotiation was inevitable, embracing a participative approach that brought the project into the territories of ethnofiction. This process is especially evident in the creation of an agreed scenario, which refers to the improvised and open outline of main scenes and actions (canovaccio) used in the Italian Commedia dell’Arte. This kind of ‘open’ scenario contributed, in my opinion, to achieve a ‘transcultural’ dialogue, fundamental for anthropological film-works, and also to help foster an epistemological disobedience.

Comparative analysis of haematological parameters of guinea fowl of different breeds and populations

Comparative analysis of haematological parameters of some breeds and populations of Guinea fowl grown in the Russian Federation was carried out. The following breeds were studied: Volga white breed, the French breed BroilerGuineaFowl ESSOR MI. LF, the Zagorsk white-breasted breed. The following coloured populations were examined: gray-mottled, blue from the CJSC “Mariyskoye” of the Mari El Republic and gray-mottled from Sergiev Posad. Contents of haemoglobin g/l, erythrocytes 1012 l, leukocytes 109 and thrombocytes thousand/mcl, as well as the nuclear Arneth’s count (percentage ratio of different types of leukocytes) were determined in blood of Guinea fowls The pseudoeosinophil / lymphocyte ratio was calculated. Standard hematological methods were used. Statistical processing of the results was carried out with the help of a single-factor analysis of variance. It was established that the clinical picture of blood of the examined Guinea fowls is characterized by uniformity of type. An exception is toms and hens of the Essor breed that had higher and lower hemoglobin level correspondingly in relation to the same haematological parameter of other groups of the examined birds. The average values of the hemoglobin level in the studied breeds and the populations of Guinea fowl ranged from 85.0 ± 4.4 g / l to 128.0 ± 6.98 g / l. Blood of the studied groups of Guinea fowls did not differ significantly in relation to all other clinical haematological parameters. The nuclear Arneth’s count of blood of Guinea fowls of all studied groups corresponds to the normal amount of mature birds of most species. First of all, it is characterized by the lymphocytic profile. The second position in the quantitative content of cells in the nuclear Arneth’s count is taken by pseudoeosinophils. The structure of the nuclear Arneth’s count of blood depends on the breed or population. The white blood cell count of the French Guinea fowls has some peculiarities. The obtained values of the clinical haematological parameters of the examined Guinea fowls make it possible to conclude that the studied groups of birds are relatively healthy.

Evaluation of Loss in Vigour of the Dual Purpose French Guinea Fowl and Their Mixed Genetic Grade in Katsina, Nigeria

The effect of genetic grade (strain) on body weight and body linear measurements of the pure grade dual purpose French guinea fowl strain (116 birds) and their mixed genetic grade (32 birds) was determined using a linear mathematical model. Birds were raised under intensive system in Katsina state. Loss in vigour of the pure grade dual purpose French guinea fowl was calculated by difference. There was a significant (P < 0.05) effect of strain (genetic grade) on body weight and body linear measurements. The pure grade dual purpose French guinea fowl cocks and hens had significantly higher body weight and most body linear measurements than counterpart dual purpose mixed genetic grade guinea fowl cocks and hens. The pure grade dual purpose French guinea fowl cocks and hens had lower coefficients of variation (7.76 and 9.60 %) than the dual purpose guinea fowl cocks and hen mixed genetic grades (13.11 and 13.54 %). The dual purpose mixed genetic grade guinea fowl cocks and hens had longer helmet length than counterpart pure grade dual purpose French guinea cocks and hens. Strain (genetic grade) had no effect on tail length of guinea hens. There were high loss of vigour (56.25 and 57.69 %) of helmet thickness followed by (28.82 and 37.38 %) for body weight of the dual purpose French guinea fowl cocks and hens. Body length (3.76 and 0.56 %) and thigh length (4.22 and 1.85 %) respectively for guinea fowl cocks and hens, were the morphometric traits that had the lowest reduction in vigour among all quantitative traits evaluated. The dual purpose French guinea fowl and their mixed genetic grade had higher body weight than counterpart local guinea fowl strains. Introduction of the dual purpose French guinea fowl into the tropics can aid the diversification of rural poultry production.

Statistical Modeling of Body Weight and Body Linear Measurements of the French Broiler Guinea Fowl in the Humid Tropics of Nigeria

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between body weight and body linear parameters of the French broiler guinea fowl (FBGF) raised in the humid tropics of Nigeria, and to establish an equation for predicting body weight of the FBGF using body linear parameters. A total of 86 FBGFs were used for the study. The birds were managed intensively for 38 weeks before measurements were taken on the birds. Body weight was taken using a sensitive digital weighing scale. Body biometrics-shank length, thigh length, keel length, chest circumference, body length and wing length were measured using a flexible measuring tape. Data were subjected to statistical package for analysis. The correlations between body weight and body linear measurements were determined using Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient (r). Data were also subjected to simple and multiple regression analysis. Correlations between body weight and body linear measurements were positive and significant (P<0.01). The values for coefficient of determination (R2) ranged from 0.2% to 19.5% with shank length showing the highest R2 value. This implies that shank length could be the best predictor of body weight of the French broiler guinea fowl. The predictive equations showed that there was a significant (P<0.01) relationship between body weight and body linear measurements. R2 values observed in this study shows that the predictive equations could be used to predict body weight accurately using the simple regression model.

Egg Weight, Fertility, Embryonic Mortality, Hatchability and Keets Survival Rate after Brooding of the French Broiler Guinea fowl Raised in the Humid Tropics of Nigeria

This study was carried out to evaluate fertility, embryonic mortality, hatchability and early survival rate the French broiler guinea fowl (FBGF) raised under the Nigerian humid tropics. About 116 hatching eggs of the FBGF were sourced from Songhai Agricultural Research Center in Funtua, Katsina State, Nigeria. The eggs were incubated using an automated incubator. Fertility, Embryonic mortalities, Hatchability and keet survival rate were investigated. The result indicated that fertility was 94.5%, early embryonic mortality, late embryonic mortality and hatchability were 12.2%, 8.6% and 91.4% respectively. Average keet hatch weight was 22 g and keet survival at brooding was 72.1%.

Lysine mediation of neuroendocrine food regulation in guinea fowl

In poultry, obesity is partly influenced by food intake, and is increasingly becoming a nationwide problem. Hypothalamic food intake mechanisms are involved metabolically and neurologically via two peptide hormones, leptin and ghrelin, and the amino acid glutamate, which is enzymatically derived from lysine metabolism. We hypothesize that lysine homeostasis mediates regulation of feed intake and performance characteristics via the brain-liver axis through glutamate sensing. The objective was to examine the effects of lysine homeostasis in avian food regulation and performance through neuroendocrine signaling. One-day-old male French Guinea fowl (GF) keets (n = 270) were weighed and randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments (0.80%, 0.86%, 0.92%, 1.10% control, and 1.22% lysine) in 3 replicates. At 4 and 8 wk of age 20% of experimental birds were randomly selected, weighed and euthanatized. The liver, pancreas, and hypothalamus were excised, snap frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80°C until use. Tissue mRNA was extracted and cDNA synthesized for qPCR assays. Lysine at 0.80 and 0.86% hindered growth, development of digestive organs, expression of brain and liver glutamate and leptin receptors, and caused high mortality in GF. The fold change for metabotropic glutamate receptor I was lower (P < 0.05) in liver and higher in brain at 0.86 and 0.92% than the control (1.10%) and 1.22% lysine. The 1.22% lysine exhibited highest expression of ionotropic glutamate receptor, while brain ghrelin receptor expression was highest at 0.86 and 0.92% lysine. Therefore, dietary lysine concentration may influence signaling pathways regulating food intake in brain-liver axis via glutamate synthesis.

First complete genome sequence of European turkey coronavirus suggests complex recombination history related with US turkey and guinea fowl coronaviruses.

A full-length genome sequence of 27 739 nt was determined for the only known European turkey coronavirus (TCoV) isolate. In general, the order, number and size of ORFs were consistent with other gammacoronaviruses. Three points of recombination were predicted, one towards the end of 1a, a second in 1b just upstream of S and a third in 3b. Phylogenetic analysis of the four regions defined by these three points supported the previous notion that European and American viruses do indeed have different evolutionary pathways. Very close relationships were revealed between the European TCoV and the European guinea fowl coronavirus in all regions except one, and both were shown to be closely related to the European infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) Italy 2005. None of these regions of sequence grouped European and American TCoVs. The region of sequence containing the S gene was unique in grouping all turkey and guinea fowl coronaviruses together, separating them from IBVs. Interestingly the French guinea fowl virus was more closely related to the North American viruses. These data demonstrate that European turkey and guinea fowl coronaviruses share a common genetic backbone (most likely an ancestor of IBV Italy 2005) and suggest that this recombined in two separate events with different, yet related, unknown avian coronaviruses, acquiring their S-3a genes. The data also showed that the North American viruses do not share a common backbone with European turkey and guinea fowl viruses; however, they do share similar S-3a genes with guinea fowl virus.

Between biomedical and psychological experiments: The unexpected connections between the Pasteur Institutes and the study of animal mind in the second quarter of twentieth-century France

This article explores the unexpected connections between the Pasteur Institute in French Guinea and the study of animal mind in early twentieth century France. At a time when the study of animal intelligence was thriving in France and elsewhere, apes were appealing research subjects both in psychological and biomedical studies. Drawing on two case studies (Guillaume/Meyerson and Urbain), and then, on someone responding negatively to those connections, Thétard, this article shows how the long reach of biomedicine (linked to the prestige of Bernard and Pasteur) impinged on French biology and played a role in the tortuous, if not unsuccessful fate of animal psychology in France in the second quarter of the twentieth century. It shows how attempts to use apes (and other zoo animals) to yield new insights on animal psychology faced heavy restrictions or experienced false starts, and examines the reasons why animal psychology could not properly thrive at that time in France. Beyond the supremacy of biomedical interests over psychological ones, this article additionally explains that some individuals used animal behaviour studies as steppingstones in careers in which they proceeded on to other topics. Finally, it illustrates the tension between non-academic and academic people at a time when animal psychology was trying to acquire scientific legitimacy, and also highlights the difficulties attached to the scientific study of animals in a multipurpose and hybrid environment such as the early twentieth century Parisian zoo and also the Pasteur Institute of French Guinea.

Novel Avian Coronavirus and Fulminating Disease in Guinea Fowl, France

For decades, French guinea fowl have been affected by fulminating enteritis of unclear origin. By using metagenomics, we identified a novel avian gammacoronavirus associated with this disease that is distantly related to turkey coronaviruses. Fatal respiratory diseases in humans have recently been caused by coronaviruses of animal origin.

Recasting the New World: Britain and the Treaties of 1713 and 1763

Recasting the New World:Britain and the Treaties of 1713 and 1763 Jeremy Black (bio) In the press of forthcoming anniversaries, notably of the beginning of the First World War, Magna Carta, and Waterloo, those of the Peace of Utrecht (1713) and the Peace of Paris (1763) might seem of limited consequence. Compared to the immediacy of the photography and newsreels of 1914, these 18th-century treaties are apparently resonant of a dead age. Yet both the treaties and the wars they concluded were important in helping make the world we live in now. This is particularly so because the wars and treaties ensured that British political culture, rather than its French counterpart, would become the dominant model in North America. Of the two, the Peace of Paris was the most significant, although that of Utrecht was an important anticipation. Utrecht, which brought to an end Britain's participation in the War of the Spanish Succession, secured Britain wide-ranging gains, including Gibraltar and Minorca, captured from Spain in 1704 and 1708, respectively. Utrecht also left Britain with the asiento, the right to supply slaves to the Spanish Empire, and with a limited, although potentially profitable, right to trade there. This right was exercised by the South Sea Company, and the extravagant hopes it gave rise to helped launch the vast speculative bubble in shares in the company that famously burst in 1720. Philip V of Spain, the grandson of Louis XIV of France and the French candidate for the Spanish succession, had earlier granted the asiento to the French Guinea Company in 1701. Its acquisition by Britain was significant in Britain's competition with France for the leading position in the trans-Atlantic slave trade and for the ability to profit from the economic opportunities of Latin America. Utrecht also increased the British stake in North America with the gain of Nova Scotia and the acceptance of the British position on Newfoundland and around Hudson's Bay. The peace settlement registered the fate of the war. In 1710 a force of New England militia supported by British units had captured Port Royal, the main French position in Nova Scotia, and had left a garrison in what was renamed Annapolis Royal in honor of Queen Anne. In contrast, the major amphibious expedition sent to capture Québec in 1711 failed as a result of a nighttime error in navigation that caused the loss of eight ships and nearly 900 men on rocks in the St. Lawrence estuary. France's defenses in North America were weakened as a result of the loss of Nova Scotia. There was still, however, a French presence that provided opportunities to challenge the British. The French settlers in Click for larger view View full resolution Prime Minister George Grenville holds "debt" and "savings" in the balance. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division [reproduction number, LC-USZ62-45399]. Nova Scotia, the Acadians, maintained a French interest in the colony. Furthermore, in Newfoundland the French retained seasonal shore rights that supported their continued presence in the valuable Newfoundland cod fishery, a presence that provided an important source of sailors for the French navy. The Utrecht settlement scarcely made Britain's victory over France in North America during the Seven Years' War (1756-63) inevitable, but it strengthened the process by which British and French imperialism there were diverging. Louis XIV's willingness to cede colonial claims to Britain in 1713 was an aspect of his focus on dynastic and European interests that contrasted markedly with the oceanic and economic commitment of Britain's Tory ministry. With limited population growth and little state support, France's colonies were heavily dependent on trade relations with Native Americans, linking France's transoceanic networks to the river systems that channelled exchange in the interior of the continent. As a result, French imperialism was very much inserted into the dynamics of Native American development. The same was also true of the British colonies, but their rapid demographic growth and the related development of an agrarian society created a different pattern from one that depended on links with Native Americans. This contrast was to be important in the development of an independent America...

Community, Enquiry and Auto-Immunity in Graham Greene's A Burnt-Out Case

A Burnt-Out Case (1960) is part of Graham Greene's “African writings,” together with the novel The Heart of the Matter (1948), and the travelogues Journey without Maps (1935) and In Search of a Cha...

First Records of the EchiuransAnelassorhynchus inanensis(Ikeda, 1904) andOchetostoma pellucidum(Fischer, 1895) from the East Coast of Southern Africa (Echiuroinea: Echiuridae)

Two species of echiurans (Echiura), Anelassorhynchus inanensis (Ikeda, 1904) and Ochetostoma pellucidum (Fischer, 1895), were collected from intertidal rocky shores at Perriers Rock on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast. This is the first known record of these two species from South African waters and considerably extends their geographical ranges. A. inanensis, originally described by Ikeda (1904) from Naha, Japan, was later recorded and redescribed by Wesenberg-Lund (1939) from a single specimen from South Annam while Haldar & DattaGupta (1991) assigned two specimens from Kavaratti Island, on the southwest coast of India, to the species. O. pellucidum is based on several specimens collected from Whydah, West Africa. According to Stephen & Edmonds (1972) no illustrations of this species have been given while the description given by Wesenberg-Lund (1954) is based on a single badly-preserved specimen from French Guinea. Both species are redescribed and compared with other closely related forms.

First records of the echiurans Anelassorhynchus inanensis (Ikeda, 1904) and Ochetostoma pellucidum (Fischer, 1895) from the east coast of southern Africa (Echiuroinea: Echiuridae)

Two species of echiurans (Echiura), Anelassorhynchus inanensis (Ikeda, 1904) and Ochetostoma pellucidum (Fischer, 1895), were collected from intertidal rocky shores at Perriers Rock on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast. This is the first known record of these two species from South African waters and considerably extends their geographical ranges. A. inanensis, originally described by Ikeda (1904) from Naha, Japan, was later recorded and redescribed by Wesenberg- Lund (1939) from a single specimen from South Annam while Haldar & DattaGupta (1991) assigned two specimens from Kavaratti Island, on the southwest coast of India, to the species. O. pellucidum is based on several specimens collected from Whydah, West Africa. According to Stephen & Edmonds (1972) no illustrations of this species have been given while the description given by Wesenberg-Lund (1954) is based on a single badly-preserved specimen from French Guinea. Both species are redescribed and compared with other closely related forms.

The Magic Flute: How modern dances were introduced among Baga Sitem in Guinea in 1956

In 1956, le bal, i.e. new forms of French-inspired music and dance were introduced among the Baga Sitem of French Guinea at a time of global youth consciousness. At the time, the youths fell fascinated by the new instruments and bodily languages of le bal, but their elders, much more attached to local forms of music and ritual dance, did not want to accept the new one in the public sphere. Based on oral history, this article discusses the tension between youths and elders and proposes a generational and structural approach to the study of youth and modernity, suggesting that the tensions between youths and elders, and between new and old forms of popular culture may be much more ancient than normally assumed.

Gompertz-Laird model prediction of optimum utilization of crude protein and metabolizable energy by French guinea fowl broilers

This study was conducted to assess the influence of dietary CP and ME on growth parameters of the French guinea fowl, a meat-type variety. In a 2 x 3 x 3 factorial arrangement, 297 one-day-old French guinea keets (162 females and 135 males) were randomly assigned to experimental diets comprising 3,050, 3,100, and 3,150 kcal of ME/kg, each containing 21, 23, and 25% CP from hatch to 4 wk of age (WOA), and 3,100, 3150, and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg, each containing 19, 21, and 23% CP at 5 to 8 WOA. Using BW and G:F data from hatch to 8 WOA, the Gompertz-Laird growth model was employed to estimate growth patterns of the French guinea fowl. Mean differences in exponential growth rate, age of maximum growth, and asymptotic BW among dietary CP and ME levels were not significant. However, instantaneous growth rate and weight at inflection point were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in birds on the 25% CP diet than those on the 21% CP diet at hatch to 4 WOA (1.12 kg/wk and 0.79 kg vs. 1.04 kg/wk and 0.74 kg, respectively). The exponential growth rate was also higher (P < 0.05) in birds fed the 3,050 kcal of ME/kg diet with either 23 or 25% CP than those fed diets containing 3,050 kcal of ME/kg and 21% CP. Mean G:F was higher (P < 0.05) in birds fed diets containing 3,050 kcal of ME/kg and either 21 or 23% CP than those in other dietary treatments. Therefore, based on the Gompertz-Laird growth model estimates, feeding 21 and 23% CP and 3,100 kcal of ME/kg at hatch to 4 WOA and 19 and 21% CP with 3,150 kcal of ME/kg at 5 to 8 WOA can be recommended as adequate for growth for the French guinea fowl broilers.

The effect of floor density on growth performance and carcass characteristics of French guinea broilers

The floor density required for optimal growth performance of different avian species and varieties is highly variable. Little is known of the required floor density for optimum performance of the French guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) broiler. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of varying floor densities on growth performance and carcass characteristics of the French guinea broiler. In 3 replicates, 687 one-day-old French guinea keets were weighed individually and randomly assigned to floor pens covered with pine wood shavings at 69, 60, 53, and 47 birds/pen, equivalent to densities of 15.6, 13.6, 12, and 10.7 birds/m(2), respectively. Birds in these floor densities were allowed feeder space of 2.7, 3.1, 3.5, and 4 cm/bird, respectively, and water space of 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, and 2.0 cm/bird, respectively. All birds received a 23-h lighting regimen and were fed the same diet comprising 3,100 kcal of ME/kg of diet and 23% CP from 1 d old to 4 wk of age (WOA) and 3,150 kcal of ME/kg of diet and 21% CP at 5 to 8 WOA. Feed and water were provided for ad libitum consumption. Body weight and feed consumption were measured weekly, whereas carcass characteristics were evaluated at 8 WOA. Overall, feed consumption was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in birds raised in 10.7 birds/m(2) than other treatment groups. Birds in floor densities of 12 and 15.6 birds/m(2) also consumed 6% more feed than those raised at 13.6 birds/m(2). Mean BW gain of birds in floor density of 15.6 birds/m(2) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that of birds in other floor densities. In general, significantly lower feed conversion ratios and higher carcass yields were observed in birds raised in floor densities of 13.6 and 12 birds/m(2) than those raised in floor densities of 15.6 and 10.7 birds/m(2). Therefore, French guinea broilers exhibited superior performance when raised at floor densities of 13.6 and 12 birds/m(2) than those reared at floor densities of 15.6 and 10.7 birds/m(2).

Hydropower – A Green Energy? Tropical Reservoirs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

AbstractReservoirs are man‐made lakes that severely impact on river ecosystems, and in addition, the new lake ecosystem can be damaged by several processes. Thus, the benefits of a reservoir, including energy production and flood control, must be measured against their impact on nature. New investigations point out that shallow and tropical reservoirs have high emission rates of the greenhouse gases CO2 and CH4. The methane emissions contribute strongly to climate change because CH4 has a 25 times higher global warming potential than CO2. The pathways for its production include ebullition, diffuse emission via the water‐air interface, and degassing in turbines and downstream of the reservoir in the spillway and the initial river stretch. Greenhouse gas emissions are promoted by a eutrophic state of the reservoir, and, with higher trophic levels, anaerobic conditions occur with the emission of CH4. This means that a qualitative and quantitative jump in greenhouse gas emissions takes place. Available data from Petit Saut, French Guinea, provides a first quantification of these pathways. A simple evaluation of the global warming potential of a reservoir can be undertaken using the energy density, the ratio of the reservoir surface and the hydropower capacity; this parameter is mainly determined by the reservoir's morphometry but not by the hydropower capacity. Energy densities of some reservoirs are given and it is clearly seen that some reservoirs have a global warming potential higher than that of coal use for energy production.

THE FIRST RECORD OF PERICLIMENES PLATALEA HOLTHUIS, 1951 (DECAPODA, PONTONIINAE) IN THE WESTERN ATLANTIC

Holthuis (1951) described Periclimenes platalea on the basis of specimens from Sao Vicente (Cape Verde Islands) and off French Guinea (present day Guinea). Since then the species has only been recorded from Sao Tiago (Cape Verde Islands) by Wirtz & d’Udekem d’Acoz (2001) and from Sao Tome Island in the Gulf of Guinea (Wirtz, 2003). Although no host association was recorded in the original description (Holthuis, 1951), Wirtz & d’Udekem d’Acoz (2001) record P. platalea from Antipathes spp. (Cnidaria, Antipatharia) and Leptogorgia gaini Stiasny, 1940 (Cnidaria, Gorgonacea), whilst Wirtz (2003) records the species from Leptogorgia sp.