Hind Body Research Articles

The tail segments are required by the performance but not the accomplishment of various modes of Drosophila larval locomotion

The tail plays important roles in locomotion control in many animals. But in animals with multiple body segments, the roles of the hind body segments and corresponding innervating neurons in locomotion control are not clear. Here, using the Drosophila larva as the model animal, we investigated the roles of the posterior terminal segments in various modes of locomotion and found that they participate in all of them. In forward crawling, paralysis of the larval tail by blocking the Abdb-Gal4 labeled neurons in the posterior segments of VNC led to a slower locomotion speed but did not prevent the initiation of forward peristalsis. In backward crawling, larvae with the Abdb-Gal4 neurons inhibited were unable to generate effective displacement although waves of backward peristalsis could be initiated and persist. In head swing where the movement of the tail is not obvious, disabling the larval tail by blocking Abdb-Gal4 neurons led to increased bending amplitude upon touching the head. In the case of larval lateral rolling, larval tail paralysis by inhibition of Abdb-Gal4 neurons did not prevent the accomplishment of rolling, but resulted in slower rolling speed. Our work reveals that the contribution of Drosophila larval posterior VNC segments and corresponding body segments in the tail to locomotion is comprehensive but could be compensated at least partially by other body segments. We suggest that the decentralization in locomotion control with respect to animal body parts helps to maintain the robustness of locomotion in multi-segment animals.

Ferramentas de identificação do Diplostomum spathaceum Rudolphi, 1819 (Diplostomida: Diplostomidae), um trematódeo parasita da gaivota de arenque (Larus argentatus)

ABSTRACT Specimens of the genus Diplostomum von Nordmann, 1832 (Trematoda, Diplostomidae) were collected from the intestine of the herring gull, Larus argentatus (Laridae), from El-Manzala Lake (Port Said City, Egypt). This parasite species was morphometrically, morphologically, and molecularly studied using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) gene region. The presence of a trematode species of Diplostomum spathaceum Rudolphi, 1819 (Diplostomidae) was observed in 70 % of the examined gull species. This species has generic features of the genus Diplostomum. Distinct criteria that discriminated this species from congeners were the division for body parts, the egg-shaped forebody with a smaller length than the hind body, the ventral sucker being smaller in size than the oral one, the position of the ventral sucker being near to the holdfast, vitellaria was compact and rarely extend anteriorly to the holdfast organ, and smaller egg size. Partial ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequences from diplosomite recovered in this study showed that they grouped with members of the genus Diplostomum and formed a monophyletic group supporting the morphological description. Findings obtained from molecular analysis are consistent with data from morphological classification where the parasite recorded was morphologically similar to Diplostomum spathaceum with a first record in Egyptian gulls.

Genetic characterization and phylogenetic relationships of Phyllodistomum parasites in Indian subcontinent: insights from freshwater fish and shrimp hosts

Phyllodistomum is the large digenean group of fish parasites, with 25 species described so far in the Indian subcontinent. Here, we redescribed two adult species of Phyllodistomum (P. srivastava Rai 1964 and P. parorchium Jaiswal 1957) collected from freshwater fish Heteropneustes fossilis Bloch, 1974 and Glossogobius giuris Ham, 1822, respectively, and an unknown Phyllodistomum metacercaria from shrimp (Macrobrachium dayanum Henderson, 1893). These parasites were genetically characterized using 28S and first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA and CoxI region of the mitochondrial (mt) DNA to establish the link between metacercaria and adult. Morphologically, both the unknown metacercaria in shrimp and adult Phyllodistomum srivastava in fish, resembled in terms of crenulated margin of hind body, arrangement of diagonal testes, bipartite seminal vesicle, and compact paired vitelline masses. The two adult parasite species, P. srivastava from P. parorchium, were different in terms of shape and size of the body, ratio of suckers, the absence of crenulated margin of hind body, a single chambered seminal vesicle, and deeply lobed paired vitelline masses, in the former species. Comparison of the 28S, ITS, and mtCoxI sequence data suggested P. srivastava and Phyllodistomum metacercaria belong to the same species, and supported the distinction between P. srivastava and P. parorchium. Exploring the potential impact of Phyllodistomum infection on host behaviour and health would be prospective areas for future research.

Sindiplozoon coreius n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplozoidae) from the gills of Coreius guichenoti (Cyprinidae) in China

Sindiplozoon coreius n. sp. is described from the gills of Coreius guichenoti in Sichuan province, China. There is a smooth tegument and a cup-like widened area in the posterior part of the worm body, which are particular features of the genus Sindiplozoon. There are no branched intestinal caeca before the widened area, but some branches reach the fourth clamp in the hind body; there was no cross striation on the anterior arch of the anterior clamp jaw and medial part of the posterior jaw, which are distinguished from the other species in Sindiplozoon. In addition, S. coreius n. sp. shared the highest ITS2 sequence identity (96.0%) with S. ctenopharyngodoni. The established phylogenetic tree showed that the two species of Sindiplozoon formed a sister group. The k2p genetic distance between the new species and other diplozoids was higher than 3.4%, which suggested interspecific differentiation.

A new digenetic nematode Epinephalus marini n. g., n. sp. from marine water fish Epinephalus malabaricus (Reef cord) from Bay of Bengal, Puri Coast Orissa, India

In fishes, parasitic diseases are very common and worldwide. The fish -parasite specificity depends on several internal and external factors including the environmental ones. The fish -parasite study is thus an important tool for assessing both the fish and environmental health. Bay of Bengal, Puri Coast Orissa, India is one of the important hotspots for pollution studies as it receives major rivers like the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, the Mahanadi, the Godavari and Krishna and the Kaveri. At site, various fish were analysed for the parasites using standard protocols.In presentresearch paper, Epinephalus marini n. g., n. sp is described from the intestine of a marine fish Epinephalus malabaricus.Thenew form belongs to the family Allocreadiidae (Looss, 1903) and differs from nearest genus Orientocreadium (Tubangui, 1931) in having aspinose body, terminal oral sucker, pre-pharynx absent, ceca simple terminating in the hind body, acetabulum sub-median extracecal situated in left part of the body al the level of cecal bifurcation and bilobed ovary and absence of laurer’s canal. The infection to marine fish Epinephalus malabaricus (reef cord) with parasite Epinephalus marini n. g. n. sp may be due to pollution especially due to hydrocarbon pollution in Bay of Bengal, Puri Coast Orissa, India.

Albumin covering maintains endothelial function upon magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles intravenous injection in rats.

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP) present the promising instrument for broad-spectrum of clinical applications, for example, targeted drug delivery. Reactivity of nanoparticles depends on their surface area and material. In the blood plasma IONP are getting covered with an albumin crown, so it was decided to test this shell for biocompatibility. Male Wistar rats were anesthetized and underwent laparotomy. Abdominal aorta was connected to external hemodynamic loop with regulated blood flow. Hind body quarter got step-like blood flow changing from 30 to 150 mmHg and back. This was followed with i.v. injection of IONP, albumin solution or albumin-covered IONP and consequent similar flow changes. Central hemodynamics-heart rate and mean arterial pressure were registered throughout the experiment and no significant changes in these parameters were observed. Hind paw microcirculation level had the same dynamic in all groups under changing blood flow conditions. At the end, venous blood was collected for endothelin-1 and NO evaluation that showed similar changes and no endothelial damage. Mesenteric arteries and femoral artery reactivity were evaluated with wire myography. Mesenteric arteries had the most relaxing function preservation after albumin-covered IONP injection. Given data reveal advantage of albumin-coated IONP so this can be used for further investigations as a vascular-safe vehicle.

Galantamine transdermal patch shows higher tolerability over oral galantamine in rheumatoid arthritis rat model

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease of idiopathic etiology that triggers inflammatory cytokines compromising the joint mobility. Epidemiological evidences recommend the utilization of galantamine (GH) to reverse the anti-inflammatory reactions induced RA. Oral administration of GH is non-selectivity due to its association with serious gastrointestinal symptoms which, could hinder its therapeutic success. Therefore, the present study aimed to validate the therapeutic potential of GH transdermal patches as a novel application to constitute an effective and tolerable delivery system for managing RA in adjuvant arthritis model. RA was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats intradermally by Heat-killed M (0.12 ml/day). Oral GH (1.25 mg/kg/day) and GH transdermal patch (2.5 mg/kg/2 days) were administrated for 14 days, during which the hind paw and body weight (BW) were assessed. Effects of C-reactive protein (CRP), inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-1β) and Janus kinase (JAK-2) were evaluated. Oral- and transdermal GH significantly improved the hind paw edema in arthritis animal model and offered a protective impact against RA. Oral GH group showed marked decrease in BW than that of transdermal patches group. Transdermal patch group showed a significant decrease in the level of IL-1β more than the oral group. However, no significant difference was detected in the levels of TNF-α and IL-10 between the two groups. It is concluded that GH transdermal patch can be a promising drug delivery system that copes with side effects better than oral GH consequently represents novel strategy in management of RA.

Reproductive Biology and Sexual Dimorphism of Gymnophthalmus vanzoi (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae) in a Population South of the Amazon River, Brazil

Here, we present data on reproductive biology and sexual dimorphism of a species of Gymnophthalmus (G. vanzoi). We conducted the study in an urban area in the municipality of Santarem, on the campus of the Universidade Federal do Oeste do Para, Para state, Brazil. We collected data from 61 males, 79 females, and 9 individuals of unknown sex. Adults were sampled throughout the year, and juveniles were sampled for nine months. Adult females were larger and heavier than males. We observed sexual dimorphism in snout–vent length, length between limbs, head length, head width, head height, hind limb length, tail width, body mass, and coloration. We recorded reproductive females during 6 months, with the largest secondary follicles observed in June and August, the period of lowest precipitation. Reproductive males were recorded throughout the year, occurring at higher frequencies in December, January, and June–November. Testicular volume did not differ significantly among months (P = 0.0884). We collected the smallest individuals in January, March, July, August, November, and December, which suggests that recruitment occurs throughout the year. Despite the evidence of seasonality in the reproductive cycle with larger follicles and larger volume of testes in the drier season, we suggest that reproduction in G. vanzoi is continuous throughout the year, as we did not find statistical differences in the size of testicles (adjusted for subject body size) among months, and because recruitment occurs across various months of the year.

Comparison of cranial and body morphology of tree squirrels (<i>Helioscurius rufobranchium</i>) in selected locations of rainforest in Nigeria

This study examined the differences in cranial morphology of tree squirrel species (Heliosciuru srufobranchium) from four different locations in rainforest part of Nigeria. Locally fabricated live traps made of wire-mesh and steel were used to capture the squirrels. Trapped tree squirrels were immediately transferred to the laboratory in cages, where they were euthanized by placement in a bell-jar containing chloroform-soaked cotton wool. Individuals from two locations (33 from Ile Ife and 49 from Emure Ekiti) were then preliminarily identified to the generic level, using an identification key. Eighty-two (82) skulls were prepared from them, using Long Island Natural History Museum Guide. The sexes of the specimens were determined by visual inspection of the external genitalia. Twenty-seven (27) cranial and six (6) external body parameters were measured using digital Vernier caliper. One-way analysis of variance at p<0.05 was used to determine the difference in measured body parameters and Principal Component Analysis was used to differentiate the measured skull parameters. The results showed that the body parameters; head body length, tail length, tail body length, ear length, hind foot length and body weight measured were slightly different from one location to another. Also, the cranial measurements showed some similarities and differences between the two locations (Ile Ife and Emure Ekiti). In conclusion, the cranial measurements of the tree squirrels from the two locations (Ile Ife and Emure Ekiti) showed slight differences despite the fact that the tree squirrels are from the same genus (H. rufobranchium).
 Keywords: Heliosciurus rufobranchium; rainforest; tree squirrel; cranial; morphometric

English

Damage by the tropical warehouse moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker) to stored plant products especially dried cocoa beans is enormous. This is expressed in holing with frass and webbing of the beans leading to nutritional loss; turning the valuable commodity into powder and reducing the value in the export-import market. Effective management of the pest is contingent upon correct identification and bioecological expressions in relation with the host(s) and other environmental influences. Therefore, the morphological traits (phenotypic) variability between sexes and populations of E. cautella across different locations in Southwestern Nigeria were investigated with a view to identifying the population structure of E. cautella in the region. Thirty-two ecotypes of E. cautella (16 male; 16 female) populations (n = 10/ecotype) were evaluated for eight morphometric traits including forewings (length and width), hind-wings (length and width), body length, antenna length and abdominal dimension (length and width). Significant variations (P ≤ 0.05) occurred among the 32 E. cautella ecotypes for the eight measured traits with respect to sexes, locations and the interactions of the two sources of variation (sex by location). By magnitude, the females had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher mean for the fore and hind wings (length and width), body length and abdominal dimension; however, the antenna length was longer in males than in females’ samples. The overall mean Gower genetic distance for the 32 E. cautella ecotypes was 0.656, with the range of 0.273 to 0.968. At 0.1 level of similarity index, four clusters (I, II, III, IV) emerged; with the membership of 7, 8, 12, and 5 respectively. This study showed that four ecotypes of E. cautella exist in south-western Nigeria with sex by location assessment and this can be useful in control programmes of the pest. Key words: morphological traits, population structure, variability, ecotypes, similarity index.

Heterochronic Shifts Mediate Ecomorphological Convergence in Skull Shape of Microcephalic Sea Snakes.

Morphological variation among the viviparous sea snakes (Hydrophiinae), a clade of fully aquatic elapid snakes, includes an extreme "microcephalic" ecomorph that has a very small head atop a narrow forebody, while the hind body is much thicker (up to three times the forebody girth). Previous research has demonstrated that this morphology has evolved at least nine times as a consequence of dietary specialization on burrowing eels, and has also examined morphological changes to the vertebral column underlying this body shape. The question addressed in this study is what happens to the skull during this extreme evolutionary change? Here we use X-ray micro-computed tomography and geometric morphometric methods to characterize cranial shape variation in 30 species of sea snakes. We investigate ontogenetic and evolutionary patterns of cranial shape diversity to understand whether cranial shape is predicted by dietary specialization, and examine whether cranial shape of microcephalic species may be a result of heterochronic processes. We show that the diminutive cranial size of microcephalic species has a convergent shape that is correlated with trophic specialization to burrowing prey. Furthermore, their cranial shape is predictable for their size and very similar to that of juvenile individuals of closely related but non-microcephalic sea snakes. Our findings suggest that heterochronic changes (resulting in pedomorphosis) have driven cranial shape convergence in response to dietary specializations in sea snakes.

Description of Tylodelphys darbyi n. sp. (Trematoda: Diplostomidae) from the threatened Australasian crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus australis, Gould 1844) and linking of its life-cycle stages.

Species of the genus Tylodelphys (Diplostomidae) have a cosmopolitan distribution. Metacercariae of these species infect the eye, brain, pericardial sac or body cavity of fish second intermediate hosts, and the adults are found in piscivorous birds of many orders. An unnamed species of Tylodelphys from the eyes of bullies (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) was characterized molecularly and morphologically as a metacercaria in a previous study, in which it was predicted that the adult of this species would be found in the Australasian crested grebe. Two specimens of this bird became available and specimens of the unnamed Tylodelphys species were, indeed, found in them, confirmed by identity of genetic sequence data. Found to differ morphologically from its congeners, the new species is here described as Tylodelphys darbyi n. sp. Three species are closest to the new species in morphology: Tylodelphys glossoides, T. immer and T. podicipina robrauschi. Compared with T. darbyi n. sp. these three species are slightly larger and possess longer eggs. Tylodelphys glossoides also differs in having a wider oral sucker and T. podicipina robrauschi in having comma- or kidney-shaped pseudosuckers and an ovary that reaches a larger size, along with higher upper limits for body width, hind body and sucker width, holdfast and oesophagus length, and pharynx, pseudosucker and testes length and width. Tylodelphys immer also differs from T. darbyi n. sp. in having a shorter ventral sucker and the largest pseudosuckers of any Tylodelphys species.

Morphological and molecular characterization of six Indian Tetracotyle type metacercariae (Digenea: Strigeidae Railliet, 1919), using ribosomal and mitochondrial DNA

Strigeids have a cup-shaped fore body, containing a holdfast organ with two lobes and hind body. The species diversity of strigeids remains incomplete, especially in the Indian sub-continent. Here, we described six Tetracotyle type metacercariae (T. muscularis, T. fausti, T. lucknowensis, T. xenentodoni, T. mathuraensis and T. glossogobii) from five fresh water fish, collected at Lucknow (India). Next, we characterized these metacercariae using ribosomal (18S, 28S, ITS2) and mitochondrial DNA (COI) to determine their systematic and phylogenetic position. Molecular identification using inter-specific variation range for all four molecular markers revealed 1.9–4.9% (18S); 3.3–8.8% (28S); 6.8–12.9% (ITS2), and 3.5–9.4% (COI) among six Tetracotyle type metacercariae. In phylogenetic analysis, constructed by neighbour-joining (NJ) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods, T. fausti, T. glossogobii, T. xenentodoni, T. lucknowensis and T. mathuraenis nested as sister groups with the member of strigeids for all four markers used; T. muscularis, however, formed a basal clade. Furthermore, phylogenetic placement states the monophyly of the Tetracotyle type of metacercariae in all the markers (18S, 28S, COI), except ITS2.

Segmental innervation of the Göttingen minipig hind body. An electrophysiological study

The Göttingen minipig is being used increasingly in biomedical research. The anatomical structure of the porcine peripheral nervous system has been extensively characterized, but no equivalent to the dermatome map, which is so valuable in human neurophysiological research, has been created. We characterized the medullar segmental skin and muscle innervations of the minipig hind body, using neurophysiological methodology. Six adult minipigs underwent unilateral laminectomy from L2 to S3, exposing the nerve roots. The skin of the hind part of the body was divided into 36 predefined fields, based on anatomical landmarks for consistent reproducibility. We recorded the evoked potential in each exposed nerve root L2-S3 for cutaneous stimulation of each skin field, mapping the sensory innervation of the entire hind body. We subsequently recorded the motor response in seven predefined muscles during sequential stimulation of the L2-S3 nerve roots. We obtained a clear sensory evoked potential in the nerve roots during stimulation of the skin fields, allowing us to map the sensory innervation of the minipig hind body. Neurophysiological data from skin stimulation and muscle recordings enabled us to map the sensory innervation of the Göttingen minipig hind body and provide information about muscular innervation. The skin fields were sensory innervated by more than one root. The muscles each had one dominant root with minor contribution from neighboring roots. This is consistent with experimental data from human studies.

Different maternal investment strategies for male and female calves in a polygynous mammal.

Maternal effects occur when the phenotype of the mother influences that of the young to the detriment of her survival, growth or fitness. The investment of the mother can be affected by maternal body condition and/or experience. Trivers–Willard Hypothesis (TWH) and Local Resource Competition Hypothesis (LRCH) are the main hypotheses used to explain bias in birth sex-ratios in mammals, as well as for sex-biased maternal investment. Both hypotheses suggest that a different amount of investment must be expected according to the sex of the young. However, recent studies suggest that these differences are not in quantity but in the strategies: mechanisms and objectives may differ for each sex. We studied how maternal characteristics (age, body mass, body condition, and dominance status) influence relevant aspects of the birth and early growth of the calf (birth date, birth body mass, body mass at weaning, and body condition at weaning) separately for each sex; and how that investment is mediated by milk production and composition (lactose, fat, and protein). One hundred eighty-eight newborns from 75 captive red deer hinds aged from 2 to 19 years were analyzed. The main differential investment observed was related to birth date: when producing a female, hinds give birth earlier in the season only if they have a good body condition; however, when gestating a male it is the older hinds those which deliver earlier. Subsequently, milk production and composition are correlated with birth body mass in female calves, but to weaning body mass in males. Thus, only hind body mass affects the weaning body mass of female calves, compared with age and hind body mass in males. These results suggest that while TWH fits the maternal investment strategy found for male calves, it is LRCH which correlates with the maternal investment patterns observed for females.

Onset of reproductive activity of white and natural colored corriedale ewe lambs

The objective of this study was to estimate differences in growth, plasma progesterone (P4) and age at puberty between white and natural colored Corriedale ewe lambs. Thirty ewe lambs with average age of 12 months were randomly allocated to genetic groups: white (WC, n = 15) and natural colored (NC, n = 15). Ewes were maintained under extensive grazing conditions on natural pasture, and herbage mass was estimated over a 28-day experimental period. Morphometric measurements (front and hind height, body length, thoracic perimeter, rump length and width, wool fiber length), body condition score (CC) and weight were taken at 28-day intervals. There was no effect of genetic group on body weight, average daily gain and morphometric measurements (P > 0.05). The WC ewe lambs had longer fiber length (P 0.05); however, it increased above 1ng ml-1 in NC from January onward and in WC from March onwards. Estrus was detected at the same time in both groups. The results of this study indicate that both genetic groups have similar growth patterns and ovarian activities.

Exploration Feeding and Higher Space Allocation Improve Welfare of Growing-Finishing Pigs.

Simple SummaryA lack of exploration materials in pig pens can result in damaging behavior towards pen mates. The objective of our study was to reduce skin and tail lesions by frequently providing small amounts of feed on the floor and by providing more space per pig. Both the so-called “exploration feeding” and the additional space resulted in fewer skin lesions. Finally, this can lead to a more welfare-friendly pig husbandry.Lack of environmental enrichment and high stocking densities in growing-finishing pigs can lead to adverse social behaviors directed to pen mates, resulting in skin lesions, lameness, and tail biting. The objective of the study was to improve animal welfare and prevent biting behavior in an experiment with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design on exploration feeding, stocking density, and sex. We kept 550 pigs in 69 pens from 63 days to 171 days of life. Pigs were supplemented with or without exploration feeding, kept in groups of seven (1.0 m2/pig) or nine animals (0.8 m2/pig) and separated per sex. Exploration feeding provided small amounts of feed periodically on the solid floor. Skin lesion scores were significantly lower in pens with exploration feeding (p = 0.028, p < 0.001, p < 0.001 for front, middle, and hind body), in pens with high compared to low space allowance (p = 0.005, p = 0.006, p < 0.001 for front, middle and hind body), and in pens with females compared to males (p < 0.001, p = 0.005, p < 0.001 for front, middle and hind body). Males with exploration feeding had fewer front skin lesions than females with exploration feeding (p = 0.022). Pigs with 1.0 m2 compared to 0.8 m2 per pig had a higher daily gain of 27 g per pig per day (p = 0.04) and males compared to females had a higher daily gain of 39 g per pig per day (p = 0.01). These results indicate that exploration feeding might contribute to the development of a more welfare-friendly pig husbandry with intact tails in the near future.

Strain characterization of West African Dwarf goats of Ogun State II

The West African Dwarf (WAD) goat presents variable coat colours, ranging from black, brown, gray, red and white and sometimes combinations of these variety of patterns. In this study, strains of West African Dwarf (WAD) goat were characterized using linear body measurement. The WAD goat included the chocolate, white, Swiss marking and Dalmatian of ages, 1, 2, 3 and 4 years. Most of the animals attained the highest live weight at age 4 years. The white WAD goat was found to be superior in live weight (21.25 ± 2.36kg) than the chocholate (18.67 ± 7.75kg). The Dalmatian was superior in live weight (17.08 ± 8.22kg) to the Swiss markings (14.6 ± 11.03kg). At age 3years, Face Length (Fal), Hip Width (HW), Fore Length (FL), Hind Limb Length (H) and Body Length (BL) is 5.72 ± 1.50in, 16.28 ± 4.32in, 9.82 ± 2.57in, 10.85 ± 2.86in, 16.38 ± 4.36in respectively in Dalmatian WAD goat. At age 4years, Height at Wither (HW), Heart Girth (HG), Fore Limb Length (FL), Hind Limb Length (HL) and Body Length (BL) is 17.05 ± 0.1in, 23.18 ± 1.02in, 10.38 ± 0.4in, 11.45 ± 0.53in, 18.3 ± 1.99in respectively in the white WAD goat. Live weight was positive and highly significantly correlated (p&lt;0.05) with all body parameters in the male and female goats measured. Highest correlation (p&lt;0.05) between live weight and body parameters corresponded to El (r=0.97), and HG (r = 0.95) in the male white WAD, BL (r = 0.85) and HG (r = 0.82) in the female white WAD, HL (r = 0.86) and HG (r = 0.82) in the male Dalmatian, Fal (r = 0.89) and EW (r = 0.88) in the female Dalmatian. The white WAD and Dalmatian WAD could be selected for an improvement programme because they exhibited superiority in most traits.Keywords: West African Dwarf, Strain, Body Parameters, Male, Female

Examining the impacts of red deer hind body condition score and pasture forage mass on calf weaning weight

The effect of pre-calving hind body condition and the interaction with pasture forage mass during lactation on calf growth and intake to weaning were investigated. Two-hundred and forty red deer hinds (Cervus elaphus scoticus × hippelaphus) of average body condition score (BCS) 3.5 were subjected to either ad libitum or restricted feeding for the 4 weeks before the expected start of calving (31 October) to create hinds of low (2.5) or high (3.5) BCS. The hinds were then grazed continuously on pasture of either low (&lt;1200 kg DM/ha) or high (&gt;2400 kg DM/ha) forage mass during lactation (29 October–25 March). In a 2 × 2 crossover design liveweight, liveweight gain and pasture intake were measured in both hinds and calves. Low hind body condition score (BCS 2.5) at the onset of lactation resulted in low calf weaning weight (46.9 kg) when forage mass was low, but not when forage mass was high (57.3 kg). High BCS (3.5) in hinds resulted in intermediate calf weaning weight when on low forage mass (51.2 kg) and high calf weaning weight when forage mass was high (56.6 kg). Both BCS and forage mass influenced calculated total milk production.

Paradiplozoon iraqensis n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplozoinae) from Cyprinion macrostomum (Cyprinidae) in the Tigris River, Iraq.

A new species of monogenean diplozoid, Paradiplozoon iraqensis n. sp., from the gills of Cyprinion macrostomum Heckel from the Tigris River in Tikrit, Iraq is described. P. iraqensis n. sp. is distinguished from other species of the genus by the size of plicae on the fore- and hind body, the number of the branches of the intestinal caecum in fore body, intestinal caecum not extending to haptor, the size of the clamps and the morphology of the clamp sclerites, and by the length of the central hooks. Details of the shape and size of eggs, and of the reproductive system and prohaptoral region are provided. The present study raises the number of species of Paradiplozoon recorded in Iraq to 15.