Zoological Research Research Articles

Establishment of fishing cat cell biobanking for sustainable conservation

The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a vulnerable wild felid that is currently under threat from habitat destruction and other human activities. The zoo provides insurance to ensure the survival of the fishing cat population. Creating a biobank of fishing cats is a critical component of recent zoo strategies for securely stocking cell samples for long-term survival. Here, our goal was to compare cell biobanking techniques (tissue collection, primary culture, and reprogramming) and tissue sources (ear skin, abdominal skin, testis) from captive (n = 6)/natural (n = 6) vs. living (n = 8)/postmortem (n = 4) fishing cats. First, we show that dermal fibroblasts from the medial border of the helix of the ear pinna and abdominal tissues of living fishing cats can be obtained, whereas postmortem animals provided far fewer fibroblasts from the ears than from the testes. Furthermore, we can extract putative adult spermatogonial stem cells from the postmortem fishing cat's testes. The main barrier to expanding adult fibroblasts was early senescence, which can be overcome by overexpressing reprogramming factors through felid-specific transfection programs, though we demonstrated that reaching iPSC state from adult fibroblasts of fishing cats was ineffective with current virus-free mammal-based induction approaches. Taken together, the success of isolating and expanding primary cells is dependent on a number of factors, including tissue sources, tissue handling, and nature of limited replicative lifespan of the adult fibroblasts. This study provides recommendations for tissue collection and culture procedures for zoological research to facilitate the preservation of cells from both postmortem and living felids.

Aphidomorpha (Insecta: Hemiptera) in the entomological collection of the Zoology Research Group, University of Silesia in Katowice (DZUS), Poland.

The digitisation of the entomology resources of the Department of Zoology, University of Silesia DZUS (presently the Zoology Research Group, Katowice, Poland) allow presenting a substantial collection of aphids, adelgids and phylloxerids (Hemiptera: Aphidomorpha). The collection preserves more than 12 500 curated specimens stored as over 9 500 slides representing 683 taxa (645 identified to the species level and 38 identified only to the genus level), 160 genera, three families and 15 subfamilies. Thirty species represent type material. The geographical analysis of the Aphidomorpha collected shows mainly Eurasian areas, with particularly good representation from Central Europe (especially Poland). The highest diversity is represented by species of Aphididae (98.6%), with the richest in samples subfamily Aphidinae (65.2%). Four hundred twelve genera (972 taxa) of host plants from 99 families were identified among the slide-mounted specimens. A new nameAphis (Aphis) jaroslavholmani nom. nov. is proposed for Aphis (Aphis) holmani Kanturski Bezdk, 2019.

A global player from the South: the Jardín Zoológico de Buenos Aires and the transnational network of zoos in the early twentieth century.

Under the directorship of Clemente Onelli (1904-1924), the Jardín Zoológico de Buenos Aires became a major public attraction and gained an international reputation for its innovations in animal keeping and as a supplier of Latin American fauna. It was a hybrid institution that combined the tasks of public instruction, zoological research, and acclimatization of useful animals, and also served as a symbol of national pride. Despite its seemingly peripheral geographical location, the institution was firmly integrated in the global network of zoological gardens. This paper utilizes a transnational perspective to tease out the numerous, multidirectional exchanges of animals and knowledge between the Jardín Zoológico de Buenos Aires and Northern metropolises.

The laboratory of subterranean biology “Enrico Pezzoli”: a new underground facility for zoological research.

Since the beginning of subterranean biological research, the development of underground laboratories has provided scientists with protected places to perform long-term studies and to collaborate with others across subjects. However, aided by advances in technology for research centres and universities and by concerns for the conservation of natural subterranean environments, mots of past subterranean laboratories went under the radar of the institutions that owned them. Here we describe a new underground facility that was built in Italy by the Regional Park of “Monte Barro” (Lecco, Lombardy) and dedicated to the memory of Enrico Pezzoli who was strongly active in the study of spring and cave biodiversity. The laboratory has been established by repurposing an ancient draining gallery of the Park; it has been conceived to study local fauna, especially that of local aquifers. Removable equipment has been set stretching along the gallery, from the beginning to deep sections, creating distinct sectors with different conditions allowing to rear, study and compare both troglophile and troglobiont species. In every sector of the laboratory independent blocks with different controlled conditions of light and biotic features can be easily placed and used to rear individuals of both invertebrates and amphibians. Experimental activity does not prevent the exploitation of the gallery by local fauna, with spiders, crustaceans and amphibians usually occurring. The first experiences performed in the new resource suggest that subterranean laboratories, if appropriately conceived, may represent sustainable facilities thanks to their low energetic requirements and their strong potential in integrating research and education.

The distribution of the critically endangered salamander Paradactylodon (Afghanodon) mustersi (Smith, 1940) in Afghanistan

The Afghanistan Mountain Salamander, Paradactylodon (Afghanodon) mustersi (Smith, 1940), is an evolutionary old species, listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN Red List. The species is endemic to the Hindu Kush mountain range with records from only a few localities from four central-eastern Afghan provinces (Kabul, Ghazni, Parwan, and Wardak). Due to the long-term complicated political situation in the country which makes zoological research almost impossible, the current distribution and the presence of P. mustersi at previously known localities has remained unassessed for 40 years. We carried out recent, sporadic surveys between 2017 and 2021 to detect P. mustersi in three tributaries of the Paghman stream on the southern slopes of the Hindu Kush Mountains and the two nearby provinces (Panjsheer and Parwan), where the presence of the species was expected. We confirmed the occurrence of P. mustersi at all survey sites, and present the first record of the species for Panjsheer Province. We also confirmed that the species is currently endangered by human-mediated factors like habitat disturbance (increased visitors attendance, water pollution, construction activities), especially in the Paghman area.

A bibliometric analysis of research on terrestrial isopods.

Terrestrial isopods (Oniscidea) are crustaceans that thrive in terrestrial environments. This study provides an overview of the major topics in terrestrial isopod research during the last 70 years in order to provide an example of publication practices in invertebrate zoology and to examine how basic research in this area is transferred to its applications. Co-citation analysis and bibliographic coupling based on citation data from the Web of Science Core Collection was used. Findings show that while research on terrestrial isopods expanded in applicative research prioritised by research policies, basic research continues to flourish. The most productive countries in the field include the major developed economies and several smaller nations. In the smaller countries, as well as in France and Italy, the bulk of woodlouse research is performed at a few institutions with traditions in this field. Some of the most influential works have been published in periodicals or monographs that are not indexed in Web of Science or Scopus and lack impact factors. Conference proceedings represent some of the most influential publications in the field. Our findings indicate that smaller and developing economies make significant contributions in invertebrate zoology if their research organisations can achieve continuity of research on a topic. Another conclusion is that journal metrics may be a misleading descriptor of the impact of studies and researchers in this field. Ultimately, these results identify several examples of how basic research in invertebrate zoology leads to applications with considerable socio-economic impact.

Creating a local protected area system in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District: the sacred site «Angalsky Cape» as a natural monument

The paper substantiates the role the key sacred sites of indigenous minorities of the North play in forming an integrated ecological network, expanding the nature conservation areas and preserving biological and landscape diversity of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District. It presents materials describing the nature conservation, scientific, historical and cultural significance of the heritage item - the sacred site Angalsky Cape in Salekhard. The reconnaissance and sociological studies (in 2019-2020) revealed the anthropogenic impact on the territory of the site which is the result of recreation, storage of solid household waste, location of technical facilities and disturbance. The studies have also shown that the protection regime adopted to preserve the sacred site and to keep the natural-territorial complex of the territory is not sufficient. As a result of field geobotanical, soil, zoological researches on the territory of the sacred site Angalsky Cape, conducted in June and August 2021, the composition and structure of vegetation, soil, small mammal communities consistent with zonal and local natural conditions were defined. A relatively high level of plants and animals species diversity, as well as a good life condition of lichens were revealed. At the same time, the low resilience of the small mammal community indicates the vulnerability of ecosystems in this area to external influences, including anthropogenic loads. The results of the research allow us to recommend the sacred site Angalsky Cape for inclusion in the local ecological framework as a natural monument of local significance.

Crustacean and protozoan parasites of some cyprinid fish living in the Murat River (Bingöl-Türkiye), with new host records

Some Cyprinid fish species: Cyprinion macrostomum (Heckel, 1843), Capoeta umbla (Heckel, 1843), Chondrostoma regium (Heckel, 1843), and Squalius cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) living naturally in the Murat River, were investigated for Protozoan and Crustacean parasite fauna and their distribution. Fish samples were collected from different stations between July 2017 - June 2019, examined in the Bingöl University Zoology Research Laboratory, and the data were explained with various variables. The normality test revealed that the data were not normally distributed (p< 0.05), as with large samples, so non-parametric tests explained the data. A total of 365 fish were examined, and 100 fish (27.4%) were infected with at least one Protozoan or Crustacean parasite. Four different parasite species were recorded on the examined fish, namely Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and Trichodina sp. belonging to the phylum Ciliophora (Protozoan), Ergasilus sieboldi, and Lamproglena pulchella belonging to the phylum Arthropoda (Crustacean). As a result of this study, for the first time, Protozoan and Crustacean parasites of different cyprinid fish were examined according to the host species, seasonal distribution, host size, and new host records were reported for three parasites.

Ground squirrels of the war: a history of zoological research and Spermophilus collections in the Reichskommissariat Ukraine

The history of research on ground squirrels as pests is described in detail in the light of reconstruction of the history and specifics of zoological institutions of Kyiv in 1941-1944, including the Institute of Plant Protection and its Zoological Museum. Data from five different groups of sources were analyzed such as publications, collections, personal files (including KGB) and interviews of participants in those events. It is shown that ground squirrels were one of the main research objects at the Institute of Plant Protection, which was established by the occupation regime in 1942-1943 on the basis of the Institute of Zoology and the Zoological Museum of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR. Based on studies of the distribution and variability of ground squirrels of the group Spermophilus "suslicus", two articles were published after the war describing new forms, including the Volyn subspecies, published by E. Reshetnyk in the USSR (1946) and by E. Scharlemann in Germany (1952). The history of (probable) transfers of the ground squirrel collection is analyzed and the measures that had been taken to prevent their export to Poznan and further to Germany in the autumn of 1943 are clarified. It is shown that part of the ground squirrel type series described in various publications is identical, but it was most likely either not exported or returned quickly. Various facts about the movements of collections based on memories of the participants of those events are analyzed.

Semi-quantitative risk assessment of peste des petits ruminants introduction with wild animals into Russian Federation

The Russian Federation was officially recognized free from peste des petitts ruminants (PPR). As far as the disease infects both domestic and wild small ruminants, it is important to identify the level of the threat associated with the wild fauna diversity in the neighboring countries, where PPR outbreaks were reported. For that reason, habitats of various disease susceptible animal species were examined. Habitats of the wild susceptible animals were mapped for further examination of the interactions between different animal species using zoological research data; PPR outbreaks in wild animals were also designated in the map thus allowing for the detection of the potential routes of the infection spread in the population and introduction to the country. Analysis of the PPR epidemic situation in the country demonstrated that the disease cases were reported in wild mountain animals (ibices and moufflons) and migratory steppe animals (gazelles and saigas). Risk of this highly contagious viral disease spread in wild small ruminants in Mongolia was reported (probability 0.77). Expert survey was carried out for the determination of possible trends and factors of the infection introduction with the wild susceptible animals, through which small ruminant epizootologists assessed the risk probability. During the survey it was determined that PPR was expected to be introduced from Mongolia (probability 0.81), and of major significance were seasonal migrations of wild animal populations. The resulted semi-quantitative parameters of the potential risk can be recommended for the arrangement and implementation of measures aimed at prevention of PPR introduction and spread in the intact domestic and wild small ruminant populations inhabiting the territory of the Russian Federation.

Data triangulation confirms learning in the zoo environment

Although zoos have an increasingly important role to play in educating the public about conservation and inspiring pro-conservation behaviour, they are not firmly established as leaders of conservation education. A multitude of logistical challenges and methodological limitations in zoological education research are contributory factors to this. However, certain research weaknesses can be minimized by collecting data from more than one source. The current research evaluated children’s learning in a zoo and an aquarium using three different methodologies in one study: match pairs surveys, behavioural observation and conversational content analysis. The findings indicate that learning occurred in both the zoo and aquarium for most participants but was more profound for children who participated in an educational intervention. Importantly, the results of each methodology substantiate each other to definitively validate results and demonstrate the positive impact of a zoo or aquarium visit on children’s learning. To produce more meaningful, reliable and valid research, zoological education studies should integrate mixed-methods and data triangulation into future research.

"Characteristics of Sesame (Sesamum Indicum l.) Seed Meal Grown in the Northern Region of Bangladesh"

Sarmina Yeasmin1*, Tahmina Akter Chowdhury1, GM Masud Rana1, Md Mahmudur Rahman1 and Lailatul Ferdousi2 Author Affiliations 1Oils, Fats and Waxes Research Division, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Bangladesh 2Applied Zoology Research Division, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Bangladesh Received: July 19, 2021 | Published: August 09, 2021 Corresponding author: Sarmina Yeasmin, Oils, Fats and Waxes Research Division, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Bangladesh DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2021.38.006083

A Century of Peer-reviewed Australian Zoological Research: Prominent Authors, Themes and Usage of Papers from Australian Zoologist

ABSTRACT The peer-reviewed Australian Zoologist, first published in 1914, is Australia’s longest-lived zoological journal. Its publication history shows changes in the zoological topics covered over the last 100 years, including the animals studied, characteristics of the authors and readership, and the influence of the databases used to study the journal on information retrieval. Searches in different databases retrieved different numbers of papers; Scopus (including secondary documents not in the database but cited by documents that are in the database) was the most comprehensive. Although authors from 22 countries contributed papers over the history of the Australian Zoologist, over 90% of authors were Australian. Most international authors came from the USA, the UK, Canada and New Zealand. Approximately two-thirds of authors citing Australian Zoologist were Australian-based, but there were still 10 or more authors from each of thirty-four other countries citing Australian Zoologist: while regional, the journal has an international profile. Highly cited papers in Australian Zoologist had high mean Scopus percentile ranks (20th century 83.9, 21st century 73.7), indicating that in comparison to their fields globally, these papers are used well above average. Considering all papers published in Australian Zoologist, over time the proportion of papers in the categories ‘Biodiversity & Conservation’ and ‘Environmental Sciences & Ecology’ rose significantly, reflecting the increased research in these areas. Between 2013 and 2019, when relevant metrics are available in Scopus, Australian Zoologist declined in no metric measured while improving significantly in CiteScore, Highest Percentile, and % Cited, indicating increasing references to Australian Zoologist papers by other peer-reviewed publications. Between 2010 and 2019, 2.1% of Australian Zoologist papers were ranked within the top 10% in their fields globally, based on citation impact. Authors considering publishing in Australian Zoologist should note that longer papers are acceptable, colour imagery (including photographs) is encouraged, the journal is visible in major databases, it is cited internationally and there are no page charges.

A case study in canine detection of giant bullfrog scent

Accurate survey methods are required for any wildlife research to yield reliable population data. This constraint finds significance in amphibian research that involves a highly threatened group of animals with a large proportion of cryptic species not easily detected by conventional survey methods. Across a growing spectrum of zoology research, survey outcomes are benefitting from the efficacy of scent detection dogs in assisting with species detection. We investigated the ability of a scent detection dog to locate and identify traces of giant bullfrog, Pyxicephalus adspersus scent and investigate methods of preserving frog scent for use in subsequent conditioning training of dogs. The scent detection dog was able to detect 100,000 times diluted scent with 87% sensitivity and 84% efficacy. High specificity (98,6%) was also achieved while presented with the challenge of detecting P. adspersus scent amid that of other frog species. Detection sensitivity was negatively correlated with scent preservation time but yielded the highest sensitivity for samples that were preserved as skin swabs stored at 4 °C and diluted shortly before use. Conservationists, scientists, and customs officials alike can benefit from scent detection dog detection of amphibians through enhanced sample acquisition rates with reduced collection biases.

The morphology and evolution of chondrichthyan cranial muscles: A digital dissection of the elephantfish Callorhinchus milii and the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula.

The anatomy of sharks, rays, and chimaeras (chondrichthyans) is crucial to understanding the evolution of the cranial system in vertebrates due to their position as the sister group to bony fishes (osteichthyans). Strikingly different arrangements of the head in the two constituent chondrichthyan groups-holocephalans and elasmobranchs-have played a pivotal role in the formation of evolutionary hypotheses targeting major cranial structures such as the jaws and pharynx. However, despite the advent of digital dissections as a means of easily visualizing and sharing the results of anatomical studies in three dimensions, information on the musculoskeletal systems of the chondrichthyan head remains largely limited to traditional accounts, many of which are at least a century old. Here, we use synchrotron tomographic data to carry out a digital dissection of a holocephalan and an elasmobranch widely used as model species: the elephantfish, Callorhinchus milii, and the small-spotted catshark, Scyliorhinus canicula. We describe and figure the skeletal anatomy of the head, labial, mandibular, hyoid, and branchial cartilages in both taxa as well as the muscles of the head and pharynx. In Callorhinchus, we make several new observations regarding the branchial musculature, revealing several previously unreported or ambiguously characterized muscles, likely homologous to their counterparts in the elasmobranch pharynx. We also identify a previously unreported structure linking the pharyngohyal of Callorhinchus to the neurocranium. Finally, we review what is known about the evolution of chondrichthyan cranial muscles from their fossil record and discuss the implications for muscle homology and evolution, broadly concluding that the holocephalan pharynx is likely derived from a more elasmobranch-like form which is plesiomorphic for the chondrichthyan crown group. This dataset has great potential as a resource, particularly for researchers using these model species for zoological research, functional morphologists requiring models of musculature and skeletons, as well as for palaeontologists seeking comparative models for extinct taxa.

Comparative analysis of Avian Conservation and Ecology (ACE) and Zoological Research (ZR) journals based on citation using Scimago journal rank

Researching in Sophisticated laboratories, must be back by the publishing of rigorous experiments results ensuring the quality standards. This research paper uses various tools and criteria to determine the scope and impact of a scientific journal which are based on citation data from journal articles. When selecting targets for publication and evaluation of research results, the use of journal ranking tables based on cited measures reduces uncertainty. Researchers, scholars, and information scientists are encouraged to use journal quality indicators to evaluate journals in their areas of interest. Using Scopus, the world's largest index database, the SCImago Journal and Country Rank (https://www.scim agojr.com) website rank journals based on a variety of measures, including the SJR H-index on International collaboration and various citation indicators. Using data from the SCImago Journal and Country Rank databases, the current study examines the citation-based scientometric indicators of two important journals, Avian Conservation and Ecology (ACE) and Zoological Research (ZR), between 2011 and 2020.

Reflections from Indian Scientist Dr. Nepal Chandra Nandi

Dr. Nepal Chandra Nandi served as the Additional Director (Retd.) of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata, one of the premier Indian organizations under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in zoological research and studies to promote the survey, exploration, and research of fauna in the country. Dr, Nandi earned his M.Sc. (1971) and Ph.D. (1978) under the Supervision of Prof. Amalesh Choudhury (Retd.) from Calcutta University, India.

Герпетологические исследования в Средней Азии и Казахстане: краткая история изучения рептилий, основные достижения и перспективы в XXI веке

This review is devoted to the history and progress in herpetological research in Central Asia and Kazakhstan, a region that is positioned within Central Asia. Studies of the herpetological diversity of Central Asia have a long history and are a special field of research. Research in this area has passed through several developmental stages, the first of which was associated with early expeditions which penetrated into Asia including those of P.S. Pallas and I.I. Lepekhin. The interest of naturalists was focused on this vast unexplored territory. The list of prominent researchers-encyclopedists and great travelers to work in Central Asia included E.I. Eichwald, A.A. Kaiserling, V.A. Perovsky, A.I. Schrenk, G.S. Karelin, G.I. Radde, G.I. Sievers, E. A. Eversmann, O. A. Grim, A.I. Lehman, O. Bettger, V.D. Alenitsyn, N.A. Severtsov, M.N. Bogdanov, A.P. Fedchenko, S.N. Alferaki, P. Y. Schmidt, N.A. Zarudny, L.S. Berg, and many others. At this historical stage, herpetological studies were often not separated into a special scientific branch and were carried out as part of complex zoological works. Later, in the twentieth century, large-scale herpetological studies were launched; a preliminary inventory of the fauna was carried out, many species were described, a synopsis of the species composition was created, and a zoogeographic analysis of the arid territories of Central Asia was performed. For the first time, the outstanding herpetologist A.M. Nikolsky, whose name our Herpetological Society bears, undertook this task. The history of research in the twentieth century and the current trends of the herpetological branch of zoology, which require an analytical understanding of descriptive and comparative data accumulated over previous periods, are considered in detail in this article. The use of an integrative approach in zoological research is becoming increasingly relevant, including the results of studying diversity structures, modes of speciation, and ecogeographic trends in a phylogenetic context. An integrative approach with the use of molecular genetic methods has allowed us to approach the solution of issues that have confounded many generations of herpetologists. The horizons of comparative analyses have also been expanded due to the increased availability of new, previously unexplored territories for researchers. Data obtained are of practical importance in the preparation of proposals for the allocation of protected areas and the assessment of the conservation status of particular species of model groups, including reptiles. Examples of integrative studies in model groups of reptiles (in various groups of turtles and lizards) are therefore also presented in this article.

Fauna Pests Infesting Pepper (<i>Piper nigrum</i> L.) in Penja-Cameroon

Pepper is one of the spices used in the fight against covid-19 in Cameroon. But its production faces many constraints, including arthropods and Molluscs. The purpose of this study in the Penja production basin was to invent the fauna associated with pepper and support trees, as well as pest damage for the development of an appropriate control program. To achieve this, a weekly fauna collection was conducted in 2020 on Lonpomg and Muntok pepper varieties and pest damage was identified. The individuals were captured using an entomological net and a mouth aspirator or with the hand and identified at the Phytopathology and Agricultural Zoology Research Unit, University of Dschang. The identification of this fauna was done under a binocular magnifying glass using the available identification keys. A total of 278 Insecta and Gastropoda were captured. The Insecta class consists of 9 orders (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Isoptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, Orthoptera and Phasmatodea), and the order of Stylommatophora. Orthoptera was more representative in terms of individuals (85) and Isoptera and Odonata, the least representative (01 individual). Lonpomg variety was found to be the most attractive to pests. Fauna of useful insects is counted in Hymenoptera, others being pests. The presence of these useful insects shows that biological control is possible. The data collected provide a basis for preliminary knowledge of Piper nigrum's fauna and should be taken into consideration in the design of integrated control strategies for pepper pests in Cameroon.

History of zoological research in the Crimean Nature Reserve: vertebrates

The present work is a historical and biographical sketch of the formation and development of research in one of the first nature reserves in Russia. The article describes the main milestones in the study of vertebrates in the past and the stages of scientific research in the Crimean Nature Reserve in the XX-XXI centuries. It is shown that by 1925 the vertebrate fauna of the mountain Crimea was poorly studied, and the formation and operation of the biological station in the Crimean Reserve marked the beginning of comprehensive research not only in the mountains, but also in the steppe. The reorganization of the Reserve into a hunting Reserve in 1957 did not affect the level and scale of scientific research. In 1964-1968, a comprehensive theme on beechwood forests was completed, and in 1970-1974, a theme on birds and mammals of the Crimea was conducted as well. In 1974-1976 the work of the zoological group went to the international level in connection with the inclusion of Swan Islands in the number of the Ramsar Sites of the USSR. Since 1983, scientific research has been conducted under the program "Nature Records" within the boundaries of the reserve. In 1991, the institution was returned to the status of a nature reserve. Zoological research is carried out by full-time employees with the participation of scientists from various research centers working on international projects. After the reunification of the Crimea with Russia in 2014, the Crimean Reserve is undergoing a period of reorganization. And in September 2018 its mountain and forest part gets the status of a National Park. The “Swan Islands” ornithological branch becomes an independent nature reserve.