Morphometric Characterization Research Articles

Hydrological and Morphometric Characterization of Anambra-Imo River Basin Using Remote Sensing

Hydrological and Morphometric Characterization of Anambra-Imo River Basin Using Remote Sensing

Phenotypic and morphometric characterization of Janwal Pashmi dog

Janwal Pashmi is the medium sized dog found in the villages of Chakur tehsil of Latur and adjoining districts of Marathwada region of Maharashtra. Present investigation was carried out by collecting morphometric data on 207 Janwal Pashmi dogs from its breeding tract. Data collected was classified into two age groups, i.e. below one year (puppies) and above one year (adult). Majority of the dogs were found to be black in colour (78.26%), however, fawn (8.69%), brown (4.34%), grey (5.79%) and white (2.89%) were also noticed. Most of the dogs were found to have medium hairs length (51.20%) followed by long hairs (43.47%) and rarely short hair length (5.31%). The head was straight and wedge shaped with 69.56% and 30.43%, respectively. The colour of nostrils in majority of dogs was black (95.16%) and very few dogs had brown (3.86%) and pinkish (0.96%) colour nostrils. Eyes were light brown (47.34%) to dark brown (52.65%). Majority of dogs had long ear (54.58%) while medium sized ears were observed in 42.02% of dogs. Morphometric characters studied were body weight (BW), height at wither (HW), body length (BL), chest girth (CG), paunch girth (PG), tail length (TL), head length (HL), height at base of tail (HBT), neck length (NL), neck girth (NG), ear length (EL), ear width (EW), eye width (EYW), hind foot length (HFL), upper hind leg length (UHLL), lower hind leg length (LHLL), fore foot length (FFL), upper fore leg length (UFLL) and lower fore leg length (LFLL). The effect of sex was found to be non-significant on all the traits in puppies except BW, HW, HBT, NL, UHLL and UFLL. However, BW, HW, BL, CG, TL, HL, HBT, NL, NG, HFL, UHLL, LHLL, FFL and UFLL were found significantly higher in males of adult age group. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food was given to dogs and majority of farmers used iron mesh cages for keeping dogs. The characterization of Janwal Pashmi dog done in this study may help in the registration of this dog as a breed status and further conservation.

Automated Landmark Annotation for Morphometric Analysis of Distal Femur and Proximal Tibia.

Manual anatomical landmarking for morphometric knee bone characterization in orthopedics is highly time-consuming and shows high operator variability. Therefore, automation could be a substantial improvement for diagnostics and personalized treatments relying on landmark-based methods. Applications include implant sizing and planning, meniscal allograft sizing, and morphological risk factor assessment. For twenty MRI-based 3D bone and cartilage models, anatomical landmarks were manually applied by three experts, and morphometric measurements for 3D characterization of the distal femur and proximal tibia were calculated from all observations. One expert performed the landmark annotations three times. Intra- and inter-observer variations were assessed for landmark position and measurements. The mean of the three expert annotations served as the ground truth. Next, automated landmark annotation was performed by elastic deformation of a template shape, followed by landmark optimization at extreme positions (highest/lowest/most medial/lateral point). The results of our automated annotation method were compared with ground truth, and percentages of landmarks and measurements adhering to different tolerances were calculated. Reliability was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). For the manual annotations, the inter-observer absolute difference was 1.53 ± 1.22 mm (mean ± SD) for the landmark positions and 0.56 ± 0.55 mm (mean ± SD) for the morphometric measurements. Automated versus manual landmark extraction differed by an average of 2.05 mm. The automated measurements demonstrated an absolute difference of 0.78 ± 0.60 mm (mean ± SD) from their manual counterparts. Overall, 92% of the automated landmarks were within 4 mm of the expert mean position, and 95% of all morphometric measurements were within 2 mm of the expert mean measurements. The ICC (manual versus automated) for automated morphometric measurements was between 0.926 and 1. Manual annotations required on average 18 min of operator interaction time, while automated annotations only needed 7 min of operator-independent computing time. Considering the time consumption and variability among observers, there is a clear need for a more efficient, standardized, and operator-independent algorithm. Our automated method demonstrated excellent accuracy and reliability for landmark positioning and morphometric measurements. Above all, this automated method will lead to a faster, scalable, and operator-independent morphometric analysis of the knee.

A computed tomography (CT)-based morphometric study of various skull base parameters and their anatomical relationships relevant to endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery.

Endoscopic skull base surgery requires a thorough understanding of skull base anatomy. Orientation to regional anatomy to avoid complications like internal carotid artery injury can be assisted by knowledge of certain bony landmarks. These landmarks are themselves highly variable structures. This study focuses on the radiological morphometric characterization of these landmarks, which can be of great assistance to surgeons for better planning of endoscopic skull base approaches. Computed tomography scans of patients without skull base pathologies were analyzed retrospectively for the following parameters - Vidian canal (VC) length, VC and foramen rotundum (FR) distance from midline, the angle between the axis of VC and petrous internal carotid artery (pICA) and between VC and palatovaginal canal, the horizontal, vertical and direct distances between VC and FR and the patterns of sphenoid sinus (SS) pneumatization. The VC-pICA angle was more obtuse and VC and FR were placed farther off the midline on the left as compared to the right side. Similarly, the distances between VC and FR were more on the left side. The VC length and distance of VC and FR from the midline were longer in males than in females. The VC-pICA angle was more obtuse in females. The post-sellar variant was the predominant pneumatization pattern seen (57.9%), and the incidence of lateral recess pneumatization was 15%. The results of our study can be utilized for a better understanding of the anatomy of the skull base. In skull base pathologies with distorted anatomical landmarks, a basic understanding of their interrelations can be used to have a better anatomical orientation. All these measures can help in avoiding complications and make extended endoscopic approaches safe.

Phenotypic and morphometric characterization of domestic geese raised in northern Benin

Documentation on the domestic geese (Anser anser) in Benin is scarce, making it objectively difficult to exploit. Its production depends on small flocks raised by livestock farmers in different areas. The aim of the study was to describe the phenotypic and morphometric characteristics of geese encountered in northern Benin. To this end, a total of 576 adult geese (353 males and 223 females) from 102 farms in 4 agro-ecological zones of northern Benin were evaluated for 11 quantitative and 5 qualitative body traits. There are 6 plumage colors with white (42.01%), white-brown magpie (24.65%) and white-grey magpie (17.19%) as dominant colors. The proportions of white-grey (75%) and multicolored (51.85%) in Far northern zone of Benin (FNZB) were higher (p<0.05) than those in the cotton zone of northern Benin (CZNB), Food-producing zone of southern Borgou (FZSB) and West-Atacora Zone (WAZ). The red coloring of the tarsi was more dominant in the FZSB (63.09%) and the FZSB (61.79%) (p<0.05). Orange (57.47%) and yellow (28.82%) colored beaks were dominant but did not vary (p>0.05) from one agro-ecological zone to another. Quantitative traits such as body length, tarsus length, wing span and thoracic circumference of geese varied (p<0.05) between 71.34 to73.22 cm, 10.08 to 10.6 cm, 131.95 to 135.42 cm and between 42.07 to 43.86 cm respectively. Males differed significantly from females (p<0.05) for all morphometric traits. The live weight of geese in the FNZB showed higher values than those of other agro-ecological zones (p˂0.05). In addition, white phenotype geese (3.76 kg) were heavier (p˂0.05) than other phenotypes. All correlations between weight and body measurements of domestic geese were positive, but the correlations between live weight and wing span (r = 0.68) were the strongest. These correlations could be used to assess the live weight of the geese population studied and for selection based on live weight. This study provides a reference for morpho-biometric traits and will be complemented by molecular characterization.

Morphometric Characterization of The Catu River Hydrographic Sub-Basin in The Municipality of Alagoinhas-BA

Purpose: The aim of this work is to carry out the morphometric characterization of the Catu River Sub-Basin, located in the municipality of Alagoinhas-BA, with the Catu River being one of the tributaries that make up the Recôncavo Norte and Inhambupe Basin - BHRN/I .&#x0D;  &#x0D; Methods: Data from the ALOS Palsar radar were used to obtain the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The processing of spatial data occurs through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), with the morphometric characteristics of the sub-basin being determined with the aid of the QuantumGIS Palmas 2.18 software.&#x0D;  &#x0D; Results and discussion: The morphometric parameters were calculated, obtaining that the sub-basin has an elongated shape, relief considered wavy, little prone to flooding and 4th order classification.&#x0D;  &#x0D; Research implications: The research highlights the characteristics of the sub-basin regarding the drainage network, relief and susceptibility to flooding, these factors being associated with the occupation of the region's land and the release of effluents into water bodies.&#x0D;  &#x0D; Originality/value: Enables the understanding of hydrological vulnerabilities and can become support material for municipal management, as well as promoting reflection on compliance with legislation and implementation of public policies in environmental management.

Morphometric and Phenotypic Characterization of Pote Goats in Soket Laok Village, Tragah District, Bangkalan Regency, Madura

The purpose of this study was to analyze the morphometric characteristics of Pote goats in Soket Laok Village, Madura Island. The material used was 200 Pote goats with an age range from over 1 year (PI0&gt;6) to more than 3.5 years (PI8). The sample included 90 goats aged over 1 year (PI0&gt;6), 36 goats aged between 1 and 1.5 years (PI2), 54 goats aged between 1.5 and 2.5 years (PI4), 16 goats aged between 2.5 and 3.5 years (PI6), and 4 goats aged over 3.5 years (PI8). The method used is a survey method which includes conducting surveys and interviews. Data were obtained using a purposive sampling technique. The results showed that morphometric measurements on the head and body of Pote goats had the highest average at PI 8, which means that along with the increasing age of Pote goats, it will affect the body size of goats. The results of the dominant phenotypic characteristics of Pote goats are the shape of a pitcher udder, the shape of long drooping ears, the shape of flat horns, rectangular pupils, convex facial profiles, there is rewos hair both in males and females and there is no beard, and phenotypic Pote goats with different ages do not have significant differences.

Morpometric and molecular characterization of Surguli goat through CO1 gene in district Kohat

The present study was designed with the aim to study morphometric characterization as well as phylogeny and diversity of the local Surguli goat at their breeding tract district Kohat through mitochondrial DNA region, i.e., Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit One (CO1) gene. Morphometric data and blood samples were collected from thirty (30) pure goats. Morphometric analysis showed that sex had significant effect (p < 0.05) on body weight, body length, hearth girth and horn length while no significant effect (p > 0.05) was observed for other characteristics. The results also indicated that age had significant effect (p < 0.05) on height at rump, ear length, horn length and tail length while no significant effect (p > 0.05) was observed for other characteristics. The phylogenetic analysis through CO1 nucleotide sequences within nucleotide range 1–767 showed nine polymorphic sites segregating into eight haplotypes. The mean intraspecific diversity and mean interspecific diversity were calculated as 0.23 and 2.36%, respectively. Phylogenetic tree revealed that Capra Ibex and native Surguli goat have common ancestors. The morphometric and molecular results obtained from the present study can be exploited as a selection tool for breeding and overall improvement.

Morphometric and genetic characterization of cultured and wild populations of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus in India.

To study genetic variation in Indian populations of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, both truss morphometrics and genetic characterization have been performed. In the present study, 88 individuals from two farm populations (GIFT and West Bengal) and one reservoir population (Gujarat) were selected to analyse variations at ten morphometric landmarks and eight microsatellite loci. Truss morphometric analysis showed PCI, PCII, and PCIII expressing 29.1%, 21.36%, and 15.48% of the variance, respectively. Results showed no clear shift in shape between the studied populations of O. niloticus, indicating low morphological variability among them. The number of microsatellite alleles ranged from 3to 9, while expected heterozygosity (HE) and observed heterozygosity (HO) values ranged from 0.56 (WB) to 0.68 (Guj) and 0.59 (GIFT) to 0.72 (Guj), respectively. The Gujarat and West Bengal populations had the smallest pairwise distance (0.0123) between them, indicating that they were genetically closer. Individuals from GIFT, however, showed the largest distance from the other populations. DNA marker variations revealed the highest genetic variability in the Gujarat population and the lowest variability in the GIFT population. The results of this study will help establish a base population for genetic improvement program and conservation of wild populations.

Comprehensive Morphometric and Biochemical Characterization of Seven Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Genotypes: Focus on Light Use Efficiency

The choice of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) genotypes determines key attributes such as yield, flavor, and adaptability, contributing significantly to the overall success and sustainability of basil cultivation practices. As the primary aim of this study, seven basil accessions were characterized for both their growth performance and biochemical profile of volatile compounds, enabling the differentiation among distinct chemotypes. As secondary objectives, growth performance and production were evaluated under natural solar radiation conditions (SR100) and with a 30% reduction in solar radiation using a net (SR70). Light use efficiency (LUE) determination revealed the plants’ biomass production capability under different solar radiation (SR) conditions. Genotypes A, B, C, and G were characterized by a high levels of linalool, which is typically associated with the “pesto” sauce smell. Lemon basil D exhibited a different chemotype due to the presence of neral and geranial. E and F displayed a different chemotype due to the higher concentration of α-bergamotene. The total fresh harvested biomass was significantly higher in SR70 than SR100 conditions. The second harvest in both SR conditions was the most productive one, while genotype E under SR70 displayed the highest yield. The landraces D and E showed the highest LUE values, indicating their capability in converting the solar radiation into fresh biomass. Plants grown in SR70 conditions registered significantly higher values of plant height, number of branches, and leaf weight. This work aimed to provide valuable insights into the selection of basil genotypes suitable for sustainable agriculture. Conversely, it lays the basis for cultivation aspects pertaining to the crop’s adaptability in peri-urban, marginal lands, which are characterized by limited solar radiation.

Empirical Estimation of Landslide Runout Distance Using Geometrical Approximations in the Colombian North–East Andean Region

Landslides represent geological hazards wherein a part of a slope loses its static equilibrium and initiates movement. Once this movement begins, it becomes crucial to evaluate the land-slide runout distance (LRD). Currently, there exist numerous tools for estimating LRD, among which geometrical approximations stand as one of the most popular. These empirical models are particularly useful for wide-scale studies, aiding in the scale-down of the problem by identifying the critical areas. This study examines the application of geometrical approximations in the Colombian north–east Andean region. Within this area, a sampling of 49 was conducted using photogrammetric techniques, enabling the morphometrical characterization of each study unit. The results showcase the relationship between geometrical characteristics and LRD in the studied area, considering both land use and geomorphological settings. By exploiting these relationships, the study compares the estimation of LRD using various empirical models, many of which are already employed by practitioners within the studied region. For instance, the relationships in literature display a relative error in the estimation ranging around −50% and 100%. Furthermore, this research proposes new relationships for estimating LRD, enhancing the error estimations in a range between 0% and 50%, highlighting both the advantages and limitations of such empirical estimations. Consequently, it contributes new data to enrich the field of LRD studies.

Morpho-Hydrological Analysis and Preliminary Flash Flood Hazard Mapping of Neom City, Northwestern Saudi Arabia, Using Geospatial Techniques

Neom city is a unique cross-border city connecting Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. Although Neom city is of great and critical importance for Saudi Arabia, few hydrological, natural hazard, and geomorphological studies have been undertaken on this region. This work aims to investigate the hydro-geomorphological characteristics and assess the flash flood hazards in Neom city by investigating several valuable morphometric parameters. The Shutter Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model and hydrological and geological data were analyzed in this study using ArcGIS software. Based on the morphometric parameter results, total stream lengths and stream orders were relatively high (17,956.03 km and 5, respectively), whereas the average bifurcation ratio was recorded to be low at 3.54. Basins 10, 12, 17, 30, 31, 32, and 34 were described as large basins, coarse-textured, elongated, with a medium drainage density, low infiltration values, long overland flows, and high values of constant maintenance. Additionally, the El-Shamy approach for flood hazard assessment was applied side by side with the morphometric analysis, which indicated that the possibility of an intense flood hazard is very low. In general, this study suggests that most of the studied basins cover similar and resistant rocks and soils. They have minimal conditions for flooding events and suitable conditions for underground and surface water resources. Therefore, they display high signals of susceptibility to erosion. The morphometric analysis and flash flood assessment techniques applied in this study were time- and cost-effective for the morphometric characterization of landforms. This text deals with the analysis of several environmental characteristics including hydro-morphological characteristics, drainage topography and lithology, soil erosion, groundwater recharge impact, and flash flood signals. Excellent sustainability plans should be reliant on extensive and varied information about the environment. Thus, integrated analyses incorporating environmental characteristics and flood hazard assessment play an important role in adjusting and adapting the suitable socioeconomic and scientific sustainability of the development of the study city. They build up the basic and essential information required to help decision-makers and sustainability managers design and adjust the most suitable sustainability plans for the study city over the long term.

Morphometric and Genetic Characterization of Dominant Fish Species in Progo River, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A study on the morphology and genetics of the three species of dominant wader that live in the Progo River has been conducted. This study aimed to identify the three kinds of dominant waders in the Progo River, their morphology, and their genetics to ensure their right identity. Fish characterization was done by morphological analysis using the truss-morphometric method and genetic analysis using molecular markers. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) based on PCR was used for diversity identification for interspecies and between species. Several analyses of water quality parameters (temperature, nitrate, phosphate, and ammonia) were also carried out to determine the habitat’s suitability for the fish’s survival. Based on the results of discriminant function analysis, all wader fish from the Progo River used in this study were classified into three species with the highest differentiation character D4 (distance between the starting point of upper tail fin and the starting point of lower tail fin). Results also show that wader abang fish have similar morphometric characteristics and DNA closer to wader kepe compared to wader pari. The length-weight relationship of wader fish from the Progo River shows that the growth pattern of wader abang and wader kepe is allometric positive, while that of wader pari is allometric negative. The value of the condition factor for wader fish from the Progo River indicates that the environmental habitat of wader fish is good and stable so that it can support the fish growth.

Upper Limb Osteometry of the Colombian Population: A Comparative Characterization of Scapula, Clavicle, Humerus, Radius and Ulna

Background: In response to the lack of osteometry research in Colombia, this paper applies a pioneering methodology to the osteometry of the upper limbs and carries out a comparative evaluation of the results obtained with those from several studies conducted worldwide. Morphometric characterization is crucial to inform clinical interventions in areas ranging from orthopedic surgery to forensic anthropological research. Methods: Fifteen samples of dry scapula, clavicle, humerus, radius and ulna were measured. Original parameters were used for this morphometry. Values of p≤0.05 were considered significant. Results: Morphometry of the upper limb bones in the Colombian population is described. The mean weight of dry bones were: scapula 53.322 ± 16.717 grams; clavicle 21.545 ± 4.127 grams; humerus 104.913 ± 36.617 grams; radius 42.187 ± 9.785 grams; and ulna 46.159 ± 11.639 grams. Radius length was statistically significant: p=0.0259. Conclusions: This is the first published paper reporting the osteometry and comparative analysis of the upper limb bones in Colombia. The morphometric data presented in this study contribute to the field of Colombian osteometrics and provide a reference for future interdisciplinary research. KEY WORDS: Anatomy, Anthropometry, Arm Bones, Bones of Upper Extremity, Clavicle, Humerus, Osteology, Radius, Scapula, Ulna.

Morphometric, histopathological and molecular findings of Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus infection in wild boar (Sus scrofa) from continental Italy

Although Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus is a neglected acanthocephalan of suids occasionally responsible for severe infections in humans, the spread of wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations in Europe could promote the circulation. Herein, we report the first morphometric, histological and molecular characterization of a severe M. hirudinaceus infection in a boar from continental Italy. The boar’s intestine displayed granulomatous enteritis due to 24 helminths (14 females, 10 males), identified as adults of M. hirudinaceus by a combined morphometric/molecular approach. The phylogenetic analysis of the cox1 gene revealed a close relationship of the M. hirudinaceus sequence type found herein with those from Hungary and insular Italy. The high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity of M. hirudinaceus specimens would suggest its rapid demographic expansion in the Mediterranean basin. More research is needed to assess the presence of M. hirudinaceus in susceptible beetle species and the role of boars in the epidemiology of infection.

Intact Short, Intermediate, and Long Skeletal Muscle Fibers Obtained by Enzymatic Dissociation of Six Hindlimb Muscles of Mice: Beyond Flexor Digitorum Brevis.

Skeletal muscle fibers obtained by enzymatic dissociation of mouse muscles are a useful model for physiological experiments. However, most papers deal with the short fibers of the flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), which restrains the scope of results dealing with fiber types, limits the amount of biological material available, and impedes a clear connection between cellular physiological phenomena and previous biochemical and dynamical knowledge obtained in other muscles. This paper describes how to obtain intact fibers from six muscles with different fiber type profiles and lengths. Using C57BL/6 adult mice, we show the muscle dissection and fiber isolation protocol and demonstrate the suitability of the fibers for Ca2+ transient studies and their morphometric characterization. The fiber type composition of the muscles is also presented. When dissociated, all muscles rendered intact, living fibers that contract briskly for more than 24 h. FDB gave short (<1 mm), peroneus digiti quarti (PDQA) and peroneus longus (PL) gave intermediate (1-3 mm), while extensor digitorum longus (EDL), extensor hallucis longus (EHL), and soleus muscles released long (3-6 mm) fibers. When recorded with the fast dye Mag-Fluo-4, Ca2+ transients of PDQA, PL, and EHL fibers showed the fast, narrow kinetics reminiscent of the morphology type II (MT-II), known to correspond to type IIX and IIB fibers. This is consistent with the fact that these muscles have over 90% of type II fibers compared with FDB (~80%) and soleus (~65%). Moving beyond FDB, we demonstrate for the first time the dissociation of several muscles, which render fibers spanning a range of lengths between 1 and 6 mm. These fibers are viable and give fast Ca2+ transients, indicating that the MT-II can be generalized to IIX and IIB fast fibers, regardless of their muscle source. These results increase the availability of models for mature skeletal muscle studies.

Morphologic, Morphometric, and Molecular Characterization of Vietnamese Populations of Meloidogyne incognita.

Meloidogyne incognita is considered the most damaging and common root-knot nematode to numerous host plants worldwide. During a survey of nematodes in Vietnam, 1,106 samples from 22 different plant species were collected. M. incognita was recorded on 13 of the 22 host plants. Four populations of M. incognita from four host plants were chosen for comparison and confirmation of their morphologic, morphometric, and molecular characteristics. Genetically based phylogenetic trees were constructed to show relationships among root-knot nematodes. Molecular barcodes of four gene regions, ITS, D2-D3 of 28S rRNA, COI, and Nad5 mtDNA, integrated with morphologic and morphometric data were used as reliable references for molecular identification of M. incognita. Our analyses indicated that tropical root-knot nematodes are very similar in characterization of ITS, D2-D3 of 28S rRNA, and COI regions. However, these gene regions can be used to separate the tropical root-knot nematode group from other groups. On the other hand, the analysis of Nad5 mtDNA and multiplex-PCR with specific primers can be used to distinguish tropical species.

Morphometry of the Samalayuca dunes, northern Chihuahua, Mexico

The Samalayuca Dunes (SMD) (Médanos de Samalayuca), Chihuahua, México, are one of México’s largest and least studied dune fields, now managed as a Protected Area for their ecological characteristics. We present a morphometric characterization of the dune field based on remote sensing and field studies, to advance understanding of its physical environment. SMD’s generally-fine sands originate from shoreline deposits of Paleolake Palomas, transported eastward (downwind) along an aeolian corridor, accumulating primarily as echo dunes upwind of the sierras of Samalayuca and Presidio. A complex wind regime, with northerly and southerly winds complementing regionally-prevailing southwesterlies, modified by topographic effects, shapes the SMD’s morphology. The sand sea covers ~139.7 km2, with ~113.8 km2 in the main eastern body and ~25.9 km2 in a northwestern subfield. We describe six major dune forms: north to south straight-crested dunes, east to west straight-crested dunes, star dunes, vegetated parabolic dunes, relict transverse dunes, and “megastar” (draa) dunes. Mean interdune centroid spacing is 76.5 m. The active dunes, previously described as an “aklé” pattern, are predominantly straight-crested dune sets oriented near-perpendicular to each other with general north-south and east-west crest orientations, 4-5 m high, spaced ~67 m apart for north-south trending crests and ~53 m for east-west trending crests, representing a nearly perpendicular interference pattern in some locations. The active dunes are superimposed in a compound and complex arrangement on relict remnants of much larger north-northwest trending transverse dune ridges fanning out from south to north-northwest, spaced approximately ~1 km apart and ~50 m high. The easternmost dune ridge contains an active set of at least 15 active megastar and reversing dunes up to 120 m tall, increasing in size and complexity from south to north. As a protected area with historical and ecological value, additional geologic investigations should be performed at the SMD, to help conserve this remarkable geologic feature.

Geospatial Analysis for Tectonic Assessment and Soil Erosion Prioritization: A Case Study of Wadi Al-Lith, Red Sea Coast, Saudi Arabia

An investigation into tectonics and erosion reveals that they play an important role in causing uplifting, valley incision, and soil erosion. The analysis of drainage basins at different scales is irreplaceable in the development of sustainable plans, particularly in arid regions. Morphotectonics and morphometric characterization analyses are very effective methods for defining the evolution of different landforms, current-day tectonic activity, and hydrological and morphological signatures of basins under investigation. The reorganization of critical drainage basins and sub-basin risk priority ranking are essential for effective and accurate sustainable plans for drainage basin management and water resources. In this study, the coupling of geospatial techniques and statistical strategies was used to examine the tectonic activity and priorities in terms of soil erosion for 15 sub-basins of Wadi Al-Lith along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Two effective models, namely, the relative tectonic activity model and the weighted sum analysis model, were applied for examining each geomorphological and hydrological characteristic based on an analysis of the morphotectonics and morphometric parameters. Regarding the relative tectonic activity model, the 15 sub-basins were classified into three classes of tectonic activity: low, moderate, and high. Sub-basins 5, 6, 13, and 15 were considered to be in class 1 (high relative tectonic activity). On the other hand, the weighted sum analysis model assigned the sub-basins into three different ranks: low-, moderate-, and high-soil-erosion priorities. The current study’s results suggest that sub-basins 5, 6, 10, 13, and 15 were recorded within the high-soil-erosion zone and highly relative tectonic activity, covering approximately 53.52% of the total sub-basin areas. The relative tectonic activity and weighted sum analysis models proved their validity in the risk studies, which will be very useful for decision makers in various fields, including natural resources and agriculture.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Geraldius galapagoensis (Nematoda: Chambersiellidae) associated with lichens in Argentina

Lichens are symbiotic organisms, usually composed of a fungal partner, the mycobiont, and one or more photosynthetic partners, the photobiont, which is most often either a green alga or a cyanobacterium, that harbor a diverse community of invertebrates such as rotifers, tardigrades, mites, springtails, crustaceans, and nematodes. In this work, we isolated the nematode Geraldius galapagoensis (Chambersiellidae) associated with the lichen Hyperphyscia syncolla (Physciaceae) in a region of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. This species was discovered in a tropical forest of Ecuador and is characterized mainly by a head offset by a constriction from the rest of the body, a esophagus with a cylindrical pharyngeal corpus without a median bulb, a narrow isthmus and an oval basal pharyngeal bulb with strong transverse/butterfly valve apparatus, a tail curved ventrally, ending in dorsally hooked end; the male with seven pairs of latero-ventral pre-anal papillae and three pairs of post-anal in the following positions: one pair latero-ventral and two pairs dorso-lateral and two slightly curved spicules with asymmetric manubrium with an anterior extension. The comparison of the morphometrics of our G. galapagoensis male with that of the original description shows that the body length is shorter, as are the distance of the excretory pore to the anterior end and the tail. On the other hand, the distance from the anterior end to the nerve ring and the esophagus length are greater. The head width, body diameter and spicule length are quite similar. We provide a morphological and morphometrical characterization of a G. galapagoensis second isolate and the first world report of molecular sequences belonging to this species.