The degradation of soil quality due to anthropogenic causes is globally important, both in terms of ecosystem services and ecological biodiversity. Soil quality reduction is stated to be detrimental for population densities and species diversity of soil invertebrates, including the mesofauna (Acari and Collembola). Within the soil food web, mesofauna occupy several trophic levels and as such facilitate nutrient turnover, fulfilling vital ecosystem functions and services. Understanding soil invertebrate population dynamics not only during degradation, but equally upon ecosystem restoration, is vital to identify possible losses or benefits to healthy ecosystem functioning. Prior to this investigation the Highfield site, Rothamsted Research, had been divided and maintained as grassland, arable cropping or bare fallow for 50 years. The latter resulted in a soil that had low soil organic matter levels, poor structure, low bacterial biomass and virtually no invertebrate population. Investigations into the invertebrate population changes, within both the experimental plots and surrounding land, upon alteration of the existing management strategies was completed over a two year period. Changes to mesofaunal populations were detected across all treatments following conversion. Generally, new fallow and arable management strategies produced low density fluctuating populations affected by the physical disturbance of ploughing and lack of soil organic matter as a basal food resource. Grassland management produced increased species diversity and abundance within a more stable soil food web. Each of the new management strategies developed towards its equivalent management strategy within the control treatments. Although it was apparent that the mesofaunal populations were re-establishing under more favourable environmental conditions, there was no definitive conclusion as to the source of the population increases. An attempt to identify the physical mode of invertebrate movement was completed, utilising a prototype mesocosm to act as a physical barrier, this showed promise for future use in such studies.

Submitted by Dominick Jesus (dominickdejesus@hotmail.com) on 2016-01-27T19:41:51Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese_Fábio Tonissi Moroni.pdf: 16369197 bytes, checksum: d0293b3cc2eee251ef244d282739b307 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-27T19:41:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese_Fábio Tonissi Moroni.pdf: 16369197 bytes, checksum: d0293b3cc2eee251ef244d282739b307 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-01-27 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / Acari-bodó, Liposarcus pardalis (Castelnau, 1855), is amazonian armoured catfish, that is commercialized alive among native people because of the fast degradation. This fish possess an enormous potential for the technological development in its processing and use. Has a excellent acceptance in the local fish market, the meat is considered one of most flavourful, being very appreciated by the native people. The present Thesis had as the main objective to identify the causes of the postmortem alterations in the muscle of L. pardalis and the respective implications of these in the process of technological innovation for the ice stored fish and the freezing meat. The Thesis was divided in four chapters approaching the following subjects: The first chapter describes the anatomical and histological aspects of the digestive tract of the L. pardalis, characterizing the presence of hepatopancreas in acari-bodó and suggesting that the transitions zone between the stomach and the intestine is the place where initiates the proteolytic digestion. The second chapter got the necessary technological information for the muscle stored in ice, with and without viscera, from the open market of the CEASA-Manaus/AM. The gotten information had been to the centesimal composition of the components of the muscle, the edible parts and the shelf life. Was used for this end the sensorial, physical, chemical and microbiological methods for the evaluation of the loss of the quality. The results had suggested the need of the evisceration for the storage in ice of the L. pardalis . The third chapter on the changes in the activity of the components of the calpain system in the common muscle of. L. pardalis in different periods of conservation in ice and the effect of the sazonality in the development of the rigor mortis in L. pardalis muscle from the lake of the Catalão-Manaus/AM. The fourth chapter shows three technological innovations for the industrial approch of de L. pardalis muscle: fillets frozen, the composting of the fish waste and the protein hydrolysates. / O Liposarcus pardalis (Castelneau, 1855), popularmente denominado acari-bodó, é um peixe amazônico comercializado vivo porque após a morte desse animal há um rápido processo de deterioração muscular. Isso o torna um pescado de baixo valor comercial, quando comparado às demais espécies de peixes amazônicos. O objetivo do presente trabalho é identificar as causas das alterações postmortem do L.pardalis e propor novas formas de comercialização para esse pescado. Para tanto, o estudo foi iniciado pela descrição dos principais aspectos anatômicos e histológicos do trato digestivo do L. pardalis, por meio de técnicas de microscopia ótica, onde foi caracterizada a existência de hepatopâncreas no acari-bodó, e sugerido que a zona de transição entre o estômago e o intestino é o local onde se inicia a digestão proteolítica. Em seguida foram obtidas informações necessárias para o aproveitamento tecnológico do músculo do L. pardalis resfriado, sendo realizada a composição centesimal dos componentes do músculo, o rendimento da carcaça, a obtenção de cortes, o tempo-de-prateleira, em animais com e sem vísceras, proveniente da feira do CEASA-Manaus-AM, em duas épocas do ano distintas, de altos e baixos níveis dos rios amazônicos. Foram utilizados para esse fim métodos sensoriais, físicos, químicos e microbiológicos para a avaliação da perda da qualidade. Os resultados indicam que esse animal é um pescado com baixo teor de extrato etéreo, entre 0.29 % (altos níveis) e 0.19 % (baixos níveis) e elevados teores de proteína, respectivamente, 18,54% e 14.52 %, apresenta 42.06 % de partes comestíveis totais, pode-se obter dois tipos de cortes, denominados “charuto” e “tronco”, e apresentam o tempo de vida útil, quando conservados em gelo, de seis dias para animais com vísceras e doze dias para animais eviscerados, caracterizando a evisceração como uma etapa obrigatória para o armazenamento em gelo. Com o intuito de compreender as alterações proteolíticas e no metabolismo energético post mortem nesse pescado, correlacionado-as com o efeito da sazonalidade, foram estudadas as mudanças na atividade dos componentes do sistema calpaína, da degradação de nucleotídios, da geração de lactato e degradação de glicogênio no músculo em diferentes períodos de conservação em gelo e no desenvolvimento do rigor mortis no músculo de L. pardalis proveniente do lago do Catalão-Manaus-AM. Para esse fim foram realizados os seguintes procedimentos analíticos: determinação da atividade caseinolítica da m- 8calpaína, μ-calpaína e da calpastatina em diferentes períodos post mortem, determinação do índice K, determinação do índice de fragmentação miofibrilar, determinação de pH, determinação da quantidade de lactato através da redução do NAD + pela lactato desidrogenase, determinação da quantidade de glicogênio pela hidrólise com amiloglicosidase, e análise da degradação das miofibrilas por microscopia eletrônica de transmissão. As análises dos resultados indicaram que o L. pardalis apresentaram diferenças sazonais no período de duração do pré-rigor e rigor, e no período de resolução do rigor houve rompimento do disco Z e atividade máxima da m-calpaína. Logo, subsidiados pelos estudos supracitados, foram propostas três inovações tecnológicas para o processamento do músculo e resíduos do L. pardalis: os filés congelados, a compostagem e o hidrolisado protéico. Os filés congelados foram analisados por um período de estocagem de seis meses. As determinações de pH, NBV- T, solubilidade protéica, capacidade de retenção de água e análises sensoriais e microbiológicas resultaram que os filés congelados permaneceram em condições de consumo durante todo período analisado. Os resíduos compostados apresentaram relação C/N após 6 semanas de 43.90/1, podendo ser utilizado com adubo orgânico. Houve 78,17% e 135,35 % de hidrólise relativa a pancreatina, respectivamente dos músculos e resíduos incubados com o extrato bruto do hepatopâncreas de acari-bodó. Isso torna os hidrolisados úteis para alimentação humana e animal.

Submitted by Dominick Jesus (dominickdejesus@hotmail.com) on 2016-01-28T17:34:14Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese_Maria da Glória Almeida Bandeira Ferreira.pdf: 1891007 bytes, checksum: 93959cade5345fbd9f5d38440ef77e1e (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-28T17:34:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese_Maria da Glória Almeida Bandeira Ferreira.pdf: 1891007 bytes, checksum: 93959cade5345fbd9f5d38440ef77e1e (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-08-11 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / Three biological hidrolisados of branquinha was elaborated (Potamorhina latior) and acari-bodo (Liposarcus pardalis) being used stumps of Lactobacillus plantarum (CCT 2568) and Lactococcus lactis (CCT 2739). Analyses microbiological was made (total and fecal coliforms, mould and yeasts, bacteria mesophilas, lactobacilli) in the filet and in the hidrolysates of the branquinha. In the filet and the acari-bodó hidrolysates it took place analyses physical- chemistries (pH, acidity, humidity, proteins, lipids, RMF, carbohydrate), microbiological (total and fecal coliforms, mould and yeasts, bacteria mesophylas, lactobacilli), total and free amino acids. It occurred sensorial analyses in sweet cookies obtained with addition of biological hidrolysates of acari-bodo. It was also made the characterization microbiological of the acari- bodo (filet, skin, viscers, gills). The hidrolysates were obtained starting from the fish filet being added commercial sucrose (sugar) as source of carbohydrate and bacteria lactic acid. The mixture was incubated in bacteriological greenhouse to 36°C ± 1°C /5 days. After the incubation period it froze the hidrolysates for -20°C for subsequent liofilizate. The analyses microbiological, pH and acidity were accomplished daily in the hidrolysates. It also took place the centesimal composition and determinations of amino acids. The sweet cookies were elaborated with the addition of the hidrolysates liofilizates. The filet of the branquinha presented high count for total coliforms (2400NMP/g) and fecal (460NMP/g). Consequently your hidrolisados also presented high values for the total coliforms (2400NMP/g) and fecal (2400NMP/g), as well as for the bacterias mesophylas (10 5 UFC/g), mould and yeasts (10 5 UFC/g). The acari- bodo filet presented for the total coliforms (28NMP/g) and fecal (< 3NMP/g), bacterias mesophylas (10 3 UFC/g), mould and yeasts (< 10UFC/g) and lactobacilli (10 4 UFC/g). Your hidrolysates presented results similar with relationship to the lactobacilli (10 7 -10 9 UFC/g), mesophylas bacterias (10 4 - 106UFC/g), mould and yeasts (10 3 -10 4 UFC/g) and absence of total coliforms and fecal for the three hidrolysates starting from the third day. The pH of the acari-bodo filet varied from 6,62 to 7,02 and the acidity around 0,28% of lactic acid. In the hidrolysates the pH was between 3,93 to 4,09 and the acidity among 3,86 to 4,34. All the total and free amino acids were certain in the filet and in the hidrolysates of the acari-bodo. The hidrolysate obtained with the Lactobacillus plantarum it presented the largest values for the analyzed amino acids. In the acari-bodo filet it was humidity values (84,10%), proteins (13,14%), lipids (1,65%) and RMF (1,10%). For the hidrolysates humidity (2,30-3,39%), proteins (44,86-46,21%), lipids (2,86-3,51%), RMF (2,31-3,18%) and carbohydrate (43,20-46,57%). There was not significant difference among the analyzed parameters of the chemical composition of the sweet cookies obtained with the three hidrolysates. The sensorial evaluation of the cookies showed that the hidrolysate LL+LP was the favorite for the appraisers. / Elaboraram-se três hidrolisados biológicos de branquinha (Potamorhina latior) e acari-bodó (Liposarcus pardalis) utilizando-se cepas de Lactobacillus plantarum (CCT 2568) e Lactococcus lactis (CCT 2739). Fizeram-se análises microbiológicas (coliformes total e termotolerante, bolores e leveduras, bactérias mesófilas, lactobacilos) no filé e no hidrolisado da branquinha. No filé e nos hidrolisados de acari-bodó realizaram-se análises físico-quimicas (pH, acidez, umidade, proteínas, lipídios, RMF, carboidratos), microbiológicas (coliformes total e termotolerante, bolores e leveduras, bactérias mesófilas, lactobacilos), aminoácidos totais e livre. Efetuaram-se análises sensoriais em biscoitos doces obtidos com adição de hidrolisados biológicos de acari-bodó. Fez-se também a caracterização microbiológica do acari-bodó (filé, pele, vísceras, brânquias). Os hidrolisados foram obtidos a partir do filé de pescado adicionando-se sacarose comercial (açúcar) como fonte de carboidrato e bactérias ácido láctico. A mistura foi incubada em estufa bacteriológica a 36 ̊C ± 1 ̊C /5 dias. Após o período de incubação congelou-se os hidrolisados a -20 ̊C para posterior liofilização. As análises microbiológicas, pH e acidez foram realizadas diariamente nos hidrolisados. Realizou-se também a composição centesimal e determinações de aminoácidos. Os biscoitos doces foram elaborados com a adição dos hidrolisados liofilizados. O filé da branquinha apresentou contagem elevada para coliformes total (2400NMP/g) e termotolerante (460NMP/g). Conseqüentemente seus hidrolisados também apresentaram valores elevados para os coliformes total (2400NMP/g) e termotolerante (2400NMP/g), assim como para as bactérias mesófilas(10 5 UFC/g), bolores e leveduras (10 5 UFC/g). O filé de acari-bodó apresentou para os coliformes total (28NMP/g) e termotolerante (<3NMP/g), bactérias mesófilas (10 3 UFC/g), bolores e leveduras (<10UFC/g) e lactobacilos (10 4 UFC/g). Seus hidrolisados apresentaram resultados semelhantes quanto aos lactobacilos (10 7 -10 9 UFC/g), bactérias mesófilas (10 4 -10 6 UFC/g), bolores e leveduras (10 3 -10 4 UFC/g) e ausência de coliformes total e termotolerante para os três hidrolisados a partir do terceiro dia. O pH do filé de acari-bodó variou de 6,62 a 7,02 e a acidez em torno de 0,28% de ácido láctico. Nos hidrolisados o pH ficou entre 3,93 a 4,09 e a acidez entre 3,86 a 4,34. Todos os aminoácidos totais e livres foram determinados no filé e nos hidrolisados de acari-bodó. O hidrolisado obtido com o Lactobacillus plantarum apresentou os maiores valores para os aminoácidos analisados. No filé de acari-bodó encontraram-se valores de umidade (84,10%), proteínas (13,14%), lipídios (1,65%) e RMF (1,10%). Para os hidrolisados umidade (2,30-3,39%), proteínas (44,86-46,21%), lipídios (2,86- 3,51%), RMF (2,31-3,18%) e carboidratos (43,20-46,57%). Não houve diferença significativa entre os parâmetros analisados da composição química dos biscoitos doces obtidos com os três hidrolisados. A avaliação sensorial dos biscoitos mostrou que o hidrolisado LL+LP foi o preferido pelos avaliadores.

Submitted by (lucia.rodrigues@ufrpe.br) on 2016-12-19T13:20:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Felipe Fernando da Silva Siqueira.pdf: 863995 bytes, checksum: a843c343f3538b34cd66af25e993bcef (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-19T13:20:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Felipe Fernando da Silva Siqueira.pdf: 863995 bytes, checksum: a843c343f3538b34cd66af25e993bcef (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The green mite, Mononychellus tanajoa Bondar (Acari: Tetranychidae), is a pest of considerable economic importance for cassava in Brazil, with a wide distribution in South America and in some African countries, due to abiotic conditions (high temperature, relative humidity low), which favor their infestation. The acaricides have been used in its control due to the low technological level of culture that does not compensate for the use of these inputs, as well as the possible side effects caused to applicators, wildlife and the environment. For these reasons, efforts are being made in the search for natural compounds with insecticidal properties and/or miticides. Thus, the present work aimed evaluates the acaricidal activity and repellency of aqueous extracts isolated from plants of the Caatinga Serra Talhada, Pernambuco, to M. tanajoa. The aqueous extracts Croton blanchetianus, Myracrodruon urundeuva, Ziziphus joazeiro were investigated using the immersion technique of cassava leaf disks (3.5 cm diameter) in the tails of the products at the concentrations of 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%. One evaluated the effects of sublethal extracts using the instantaneous rate of increase (ri) of the population of M. tanajoa, mortality and repellency of adult females. The population growth of M. tanajoa in cassava leaf disks was affected by the aqueous extracts of C. blanchetianus, M. urundeuva and Z. joazeiro at all concentrations tested (1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%), which showed population decline. Just control showed population growth in the ascendancy. Concentrations of 20 and 25% of the extracts showed higher mortality, the most promising for pest control. Furthermore, all concentrations of the extracts showed repellent effect. According to the literature, this is the first recorded use of the extracts of these plants for the control of M. tanajoa. / O ácaro verde, Mononychellus tanajoa Bondar (Acari: Tetranychidae), é praga de considerável importância econômica para a mandioca no Brasil, tendo uma ampla distribuição na América do Sul e em alguns países da África, devido às condições abióticas (temperatura elevada, umidade relativa baixa), que favorecerem a sua infestação. Os acaricidas não têm sido utilizados no seu controle, devido ao baixo nível tecnológico da cultura, que não compensa à utilização destes insumos, bem como, aos possíveis efeitos colaterais causados aos aplicadores, animais silvestres e ao meio ambiente. Por esses motivos, esforços estão sendo empreendidos na procura de compostos de origem natural com propriedades inseticidas e/ou acaricidas. Diante disso, o presente trabalho teve como objetivos avaliar a atividade acaricida e repelência de extratos aquosos isolados de plantas de caatinga de Serra Talhada, Pernambuco, à M. tanajoa. Os extratos aquosos de Croton blanchetianus, Myracrodruon urundeuva, Ziziphus joazeiro foram investigados utilizando-se a técnica de imersão de discos de folha de mandioca (3,5 cm de diâmetro) nas caldas dos produtos, nas concentrações de 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 e 25%. Foram avaliados os efeitos subletais dos extratos, através da taxa instantânea de crescimento (ri) da população de M. tanajoa, a mortalidade de fêmeas adultas e a repelência. O crescimento populacional de M. tanajoa em discos de folhas de mandioca foi afetado pelos extratos aquosos de C. blanchetianus, M. urundeuva e Z. joazeiro em todas as concentrações testadas (1, 5, 10, 15, 20 e 25%), que proporcionaram declínio populacional. Apenas a testemunha apresentou crescimento populacional em ascendência. As concentrações de 20 e 25% dos extratos proporcionaram maior mortalidade, sendo as mais promissoras para o controle da praga. Por outro lado, todas as concentrações dos extratos apresentaram efeito repelente. De acordo com a literatura consultada, este é o primeiro registro do uso dos extratos dessas plantas para o controle de M. tanajoa.

Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2017-08-23T18:37:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Juliana Cardoso de Almeida.pdf: 1788977 bytes, checksum: 32bed37dce6adc8c6b81527f64e5c72a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-23T18:37:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Juliana Cardoso de Almeida.pdf: 1788977 bytes, checksum: 32bed37dce6adc8c6b81527f64e5c72a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-01 / FAPERJ / CNPq / CAPES / This study refer to the interaction of ectoparasites mites (Macronyssidae and Spinturnicidae) and their hosts bats in Brazil. These mites have a cosmopolitan distribution and are hematophagous. Also they show high degree of specificity with their hosts, suggesting cospeciation and cophylogeny. The first chapter of this research is a taxonomic catalog of macronyssids and spinturnicids species with their respective hosts in Brazilian collection site. Through literature review was presented a current overview about the distribution of these mites in Brazil. Chapter II reports for the first time, spinturrnicids mites in the states of Cear? and Mato Grosso. Specimens of bats and their ectoparasites were collected in areas of Caatinga and Pantanal biomes, the Private Reserve of the Natural Patrimony Serra das Almas and RPPN SESC Pantanal, respectively. In both areas was captured a total of 588 espinturnic?deos. The occurrence of Cameronieta Machado-Allison, 1965 genus and the species Mesoperiglischrus natali (Furman, 1966) as well as four new associations (Periglischrus iheringi Oudemans, 1902 - Chiroderma vizottoi Taddei & Lim, 2010; Periglischrus micronycteridis Furman, 1966 - Micronycteris sanborni Simmons, 1996; P. paracutisternus Machado-Allison & Antequera, 1971 ? Trachops cirrhosus Spix 1823; Spinturnix americanus (Banks, 1902) - Myotis riparius Handley, 1960) are registered for the first time in Brazil. In chapter III is present a brief review of the taxonomic history of Cameronieta (Acari: Spinturnicidae), redefining the genus, and clarifying some questions that remain concerning the biology and systematic of the group. Were examined over 300 comparative specimens of Cameronieta Machado-Allison, 1965 in slides collections from Cear? (Brasil), Michoacan (M?xico) and Falcon (Venezuela). Additionally, Cameronieta almaensis n.sp. is described on pteronotus parnelli (Gray, 1843) from the in Reserva Serra das Almas, northeastern Brazil, Cear?, Brazil. / Este trabalho apresenta a intera??o de ?caros ectoparasitos (Macronyssidae e Spinturnicidae) e seus hospedeiros morcegos no Brasil. Os membros dessas fam?lias s?o hemat?fagos e possuem distribui??o cosmopolita. Al?m disso, mostram um alto grau de especificidade com seus hospedeiros, sugerindo coespecia??o e cofilogenia. O primeiro cap?tulo deste trabalho ? um cat?logo taxon?mico das esp?cies de ?caros macronyss?deos e espinturnic?deos com seus respectivos hospedeiros e as localidades de coleta no Brasil. Atrav?s de revis?o bibliogr?fica foi constru?do um panorama atual da distribui??o desses ?caros no territ?rio brasileiro. O cap?tulo II reporta pela primeira vez, ?caros espinturnic?deos nos estados do Cear? e Mato Grosso. Os esp?cimes de morcegos com seus ectoparasitos foram coletados em ?reas dos biomas Caatinga e Pantanal, na Reserva Particular do Patrim?nio Natural Serra das Almas e RPPN Sesc Pantanal respectivamente. Em ambas as ?reas foram coletados o total de 588 espinturnic?deos. A ocorr?ncia do g?nero Cameronieta Machado-Allison, 1965 e da esp?cie Mesoperiglischrus natali (Furman, 1966), al?m de quatro novas associa??es (Periglischrus iheringi Oudemans, 1902 - Chiroderma vizottoi Taddei & Lim, 2010; Periglischrus micronycteridis Furman, 1966 - Micronycteris sanborni Simmons, 1996; P. paracutisternus Machado-Allison & Antequera, 1971 ? Trachops cirrhosus Spix 1823; Spinturnix americanus (Banks, 1902) - Myotis riparius Handley, 1960) s?o registradas pela primeira vez no Brasil. No cap?tulo III ? apresentado uma revis?o hist?rica da taxonomia de Cameronieta Machado-Allison, 1965 (Acari: Spinturnicidae), redefinindo o g?nero e considerando quest?es que envolvem a sistem?tica e biologia deste grupo. Foram examinadas mais de 300 amostras comparativas de Cameronieta coletadas no Cear? (Brasil), Michoacan (M?xico) e Falcon (Venezuela). Adicionalmente, Cameronieta almaensis n.sp. ? descrita em Pteronotus parnelli (Gray, 1843) e coletada da Reseva Serra das Almas, nordeste brasileiro, estado do Cear?, Brasil.

This thesis investigates species diversity and patterns of molecular evolution in Arachnida through DNA barcoding. The first chapter assesses mite species richness through comprehensive sampling at a subarctic location in Canada. Barcode analysis of 6279 specimens revealed nearly 900 presumptive species with high rates of turnover between major habitat types, demonstrating the utility of DNA barcoding for biodiversity surveys of understudied taxa. The second chapter explores nucleotide composition, indel occurrence, and rates of amino acid evolution in Arachnida. The results suggest a significant shift in nucleotide composition in the arachnid subclasses of Pulmonata (GC = 37.0%) and Apulmonata (GC = 34.2%). Indels were detected in five apulmonate orders, with deletions being much more common than insertions. Finally, rates of amino acid evolution were detected among the orders, and were negatively correlated with generation length, suggesting that generation time is a significant contributor to variation in molecular rates of evolution in arachnids.

No description available.

The Republic of South Africa is rich in the species of large and small wild herbivores and ixodid ticks that infest them and the domestic livestock within its borders. The primary objective of this study was to determine the species composition and actual size of the tick burdens of a variety of small and large herbivorous animals in several localities in South Africa. To this end a total of 95 wild herbivores ranging in size from hares to giraffes and belonging to 25 species were examined at 20 various localities in South Africa. The survey localities in alphabetical sequence were the Addo Elephant National Park, “Bucklands” farm, the Eastern Shores Nature Reserve, the Hluhluwe Nature Reserve, the Karoo National Park, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a farm at Kirkwood, eight localities within the Kruger National Park, the Mountain Zebra National Park, the Tembe Elephant Reserve, the Thomas Baines Nature Reserve, the Umfolozi Nature Reserve, and the West Coast National Park. Sampling took place between 1982 and 1996. The animal species surveyed were giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis; African buffalo, Syncerus caffer; eland Taurotragus oryx; Burchell’s zebra, Equus burchelli; black wildbeest, Connochaetes gnou; blue wildbeest, Connochaetes taurinus; tsessebe, Damaliscus lunatus; Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, Sigmoceros lichtensteinii; bontebok, Damalisus pygargus dorcas; red hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus; nyala, Tragelaphus angasii; bushbuck, Tragelaphus scriptus; greater kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros; gemsbok, Oryx gazella; springbok, Antidorcas marsupialis; grey rhebok, Pelea capreolus; mountain reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula; boer goats, Capra hircus; a domestic calf, Bos sp.; suni, Neotragus moschatus; steenbok, Raphicerus campestris; rock hyrax, Procavia capensis; cape ground squirrels, Xerus inauris; scrub hares, Lepus saxatilis; and Smith’s red rock rabbits, Pronolagus rupestris. Ticks were collected from the survey animals after they had been killed by a process of soaking in a tick-detaching agent followed by scrubbing and sieving, or by careful scrutiny after the animals had been chemically immobilized. Thirty ixodid tick species, namely Amblyomma hebraeum, Amblyomma marmoreum, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Haemaphysalis parmata, Haemaphysalis silacea, Hyalomma glabrum, Hyalomma marginatum rufipes, Hyalomma truncatum, Ixodes rubicundus, Ixodes pilosus group, Margaropus winthemi, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus arnoldi, Rhipicephalus capensis, Rhipicephalus distinctus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus exophthalmos, Rhipicephalus follis, Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum, Rhipicephalus gertrudae, Rhipicephalus kochi, Rhipicephalus maculatus, Rhipicephalus muehlensi, Rhipicephalus neumanni, Rhipicephalus sp. near pravus, Rhipicephalus theileri, Rhipicephalus simus, Rhipicephalus zambeziensis, and an unidentified Ixodes and Rhipicephalus species were recovered from the animals. All the tick species recovered in this study have been tabulated according to their distributions within the climatic zone of the Republic of South Africa. A total of 64 of the abovementioned herbivores ranging in size from medium to very large, belonging to 15 various species were examined in 11 national parks, or nature reserves or farms during 1982 - 1996. The tick species infesting the medium and small-sized animals were to some extent similar to those of very large animals. The medium-sized survey animals mostly harboured A. hebraeum, R. (B.) decoloratus, R. appendiculatus, R. evertsi evertsi and R. glabroscutatum whereas the tick burdens of the very large antelopes consisted mostly of A. hebraeum, R. (B.) decoloratus, R. appendiculatus, R. maculatus and R. muehlensi. The very large hosts harboured proportionately more adult ticks than the smaller animals which harboured proportionately more immature ticks. An interesting finding was the recovery of Rhipicephalus sp. near R. pravus from giraffes in the north-eastern Mpumalanga province and these very closely resembled the true R. pravus which occurs in East Africa. A further objective of this study was to make an inventory of the ixodid tick species infesting wild animals in three of the western, semi-arid nature reserves in South Africa. To this end the tick burdens of a total of 45 animals in the Karoo National Park, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the West Coast National Park were determined. Fourteen ixodid tick species were recovered, of which H. truncatum, R. exophthalmos and R. glabroscutatum were commonly present in two reserves and the remaining species each only in one reserve. H. truncatum, R. capensis and R. glabroscutatum were the most numerous of the ticks recovered, and eland were the most heavily infested with the former two species and gemsbok and mountain reedbuck with R. glabroscutatum. Nine very small antelopes, six of which were steenbok and three were sunis and to my knowledge whose total tick burdens had never before been determined were also examined. The steenbok were examined in three nature reserves and harboured nine tick species and the sunis were examined in a fourth reserve and were infested with eight tick species. The steenbok and sunis were generally infested with the immature stages of the same tick species that infest larger animals in the same geographic regions. In addition the sunis harboured H. parmata, which in South Africa is present only in the eastern and north-eastern coastal and adjacent areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province. They were also infested with R. kochi, which in South Africa occurs only in the far north-east of the KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo Provinces. A further objective of the study was to assess the host status of African buffaloes for the one-host tick R. (B.) decoloratus. To this end the R. (B.) decoloratus burdens of ten buffaloes examined in three north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal Province (KZN) nature reserves were compared with those of medium-sized to large antelope species in these reserves and in the southern Kruger National Park (KNP), Mpumalanga Province. The R. (B.) decoloratus burdens of the buffaloes were considerably smaller than those of the antelopes in the KNP, but not those in the KZN reserves. The life-stage structure of the R. (B.) decoloratus populations on the buffaloes, in which larvae predominated, was closer to that of this tick on blue wildebeest, a tick-resistant animal, than to that on other antelopes. A single buffalo examined in the KNP was not infested with R. (B.) decoloratus, whereas a giraffe, examined at the same locality and time, harboured a small number of ticks. In a nature reserve in Mpumalanga Province adjacent to the KNP, two immobilized buffaloes, from which only adult ticks were collected, were not infested with R. (B.) decoloratus, whereas greater kudus, examined during the same time of year in the KNP harboured large numbers of adult ticks of this species. African buffaloes would thus appear to be resistant to infestation with R. (B.) decoloratus, and this resistance is expressed as the prevention of the majority of tick larvae from developing to nymphs. / Dissertation (MSc (Veterinary Science))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / unrestricted

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第20422号 / 農博第2207号 / 新制||農||1047(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H29||N5043(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科地域環境科学専攻 / (主査)教授 天野 洋, 教授 田中 千尋, 准教授 刑部 正博 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

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