Focusing upon chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) parasitizing blackcaps ( Sylvia atricapilla ) in the Azores (Portugal), we found a lower number of louse species in the Azores compared to mainland Europe. Only chewing lice host specific to blackcaps were found in the Azores. Louse prevalences were much higher in blackcaps from the Azores compared to those of various mainland populations. Chewing lice are permanent parasites of birds, and for such parasites the parasite island syndrome could be characterized by higher parasite prevalence on the islands compared to the mainland.

• MeSH
• Amblycera * MeSH
• Ischnocera * MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• ostrovy epidemiologie   MeSH
• Passeriformes parazitologie   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• syndrom MeSH
• zavšivení epidemiologie   parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Azory MeSH
• Česká republika MeSH
• ostrovy epidemiologie   MeSH

A total of 266 wild passerine birds (Passeriformes) representing eight species and nine subspecies from three islands of the Archipelago of the Azores were examined for ectoparasites. Two species of louse-flies Ornithomya avicularia and Ornithoica turdi (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), three species of fleas Ceratophyllus gallinae, Ceratophyllus sp. and Dasypsyllus gallinulae (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae), and 11 species of chewing lice belonging to the genera Menacanthus, Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), Ricinus (Phthiraptera: Ricinidae), Brueelia, Guimaraesiella, Philopterus, Sturnidoecus and Turdinirmus (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) were recorded. At least one species of ectoparasite was found on 114 birds of six species. Guimaraesiella tovornikae and Myrsidea sylviae from Sylvia atricapilla are redescribed. Records of Ceratophyllus sp. and Sturnidoecus sp. from Turdus merula represent new parasite-host associations. Phoresy of Guimaraesiella amsel on Ornithoica turdi was also found. Parasitological parameters such as prevalence, intensity and abundance and geographic distribution of recorded ectoparasites are provided.

• MeSH
• Diptera fyziologie   MeSH
• hmyz * fyziologie   MeSH
• infestace ektoparazity * parazitologie   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků * epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• Passeriformes * parazitologie   MeSH
• Phthiraptera fyziologie   MeSH
• Siphonaptera fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Azory MeSH

BACKGROUND: Recent molecular studies have revealed high species diversity of Diplostomum in central and northern Europe. However, our knowledge of the distribution of Diplostomum spp. in the southern distributional range in Europe of the snail intermediate hosts (Lymnaea stagnalis and Radix spp.) is rather limited. This study aims to fill this gap in our knowledge using molecular and morphological evidence. METHODS: Nineteen fish species and six fish-eating bird species were sampled opportunistically in three regions (Catalonia, Extremadura and Aragon) in Spain. All isolates of Diplostomum spp. were characterised morphologically and molecularly. Partial sequences of the barcode region of the cox1 mitochondrial gene and complete sequences of the ribosomal ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 gene cluster were used for molecular identification of the isolates. RESULTS: Integrated morphological and molecular analyses demonstrated the presence of three species among the larval and adult isolates of Diplostomum spp. sampled in Spain: Diplostomum spathaceum (in fish and birds), D. pseudospathaceum (in birds) and Diplostomum sp. (in fish) referred to as Clade Q sensu Georgieva et al. (Int J Parasitol, 43:57-72, 2013). We detected ten cox1 haplotypes among the isolates of D. spathaceum with only one haplotype shared with adult isolates from central and northern Europe. No specific geographic pattern of the distribution of the novel haplotypes was found. CONCLUSION: This first molecular exploration of the diversity of Diplostomum spp. in southern Europe indicates much lower species richness compared with the northern regions of Europe.

• MeSH
• cestodózy parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• nemoci ptáků parazitologie   MeSH
• nemoci ryb parazitologie   MeSH
• ploštěnci anatomie a histologie   klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• ptáci klasifikace   parazitologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• ryby klasifikace   parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Španělsko MeSH

Few data are available about the regional or local extinction of tropical butterfly species. When confirmed, local extinction was often due to the loss of host-plant species. We used published lists and recent monitoring programs to evaluate changes in butterfly composition on Barro Colorado Island (BCI, Panama) between an old (1923-1943) and a recent (1993-2013) period. Although 601 butterfly species have been recorded from BCI during the 1923-2013 period, we estimate that 390 species are currently breeding on the island, including 34 cryptic species, currently only known by their DNA Barcode Index Number. Twenty-three butterfly species that were considered abundant during the old period could not be collected during the recent period, despite a much higher sampling effort in recent times. We consider these species locally extinct from BCI and they conservatively represent 6% of the estimated local pool of resident species. Extinct species represent distant phylogenetic branches and several families. The butterfly traits most likely to influence the probability of extinction were host growth form, wing size and host specificity, independently of the phylogenetic relationships among butterfly species. On BCI, most likely candidates for extinction were small hesperiids feeding on herbs (35% of extinct species). However, contrary to our working hypothesis, extinction of these species on BCI cannot be attributed to loss of host plants. In most cases these host plants remain extant, but they probably subsist at lower or more fragmented densities. Coupled with low dispersal power, this reduced availability of host plants has probably caused the local extinction of some butterfly species. Many more bird than butterfly species have been lost from BCI recently, confirming that small preserves may be far more effective at conserving invertebrates than vertebrates and, therefore, should not necessarily be neglected from a conservation viewpoint.

• MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• extinkce biologická * MeSH
• fylogeneze * MeSH
• motýli genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• ostrovy MeSH
• taxonomické DNA čárové kódování * MeSH
• tropické klima MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• ostrovy MeSH
• Panama MeSH

During the years 2002-2007, Icelandic freshwater snails and birds from different orders were examined for bird schistosomes. Only the snail Radix peregra and anatid birds proved to be infected. In total, 32 samples of bird schistosome cercariae from seven localities and four samples of adults of Anas platyrhynchos and Mergus serrator from two localities were used for sequencing of the internal transcibed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA. Based on the sequence and position in the phylogenetic tree, five species/genotypes of bird schistosomes were identified. Three of them correspond to the sequences in GenBank for Trichobilharzia franki, Trichobilharzia sp. JR-2007 from Anas penelope (isolates Pl7 and Pl10) and schistosomatid sp. JR-2004 from Physa fontinalis. The other two species/genotypes belong to the genus Trichobilharzia, but their further determination was not possible due to lack of data. All of these species/genotypes develop in R. peregra, probably the only suitable intermediate host species in Iceland. As T. franki and schistosomatid sp. JR-2004 were previously reported from other snail species, the findings from Iceland proved that, under some circumstances, bird schistosomes are able to adapt to a different snail species; some of them can even adapt to a snail belonging to a different gastropod family. High diversity of bird schistosomes in Iceland is probably linked with migratory flyways of birds, as several bird species from Iceland overwinter in western Europe as well as in North America.

• MeSH
• DNA helmintů genetika   MeSH
• hlemýždi parazitologie   MeSH
• mezerníky ribozomální DNA genetika   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• ptáci parazitologie   MeSH
• Schistosoma klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• schistosomóza epidemiologie   parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Island MeSH

• MeSH
• antigeny virové analýza   MeSH
• arboviry imunologie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• členovci - vektory MeSH
• klíšťata MeSH
• komplement fixační testy MeSH
• ptáci MeSH
• Reoviridae MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• testy inhibice hemaglutinace MeSH
• virus západního Nilu izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• zdroje nemoci MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Ázerbájdžán MeSH

We examined the presence of borreliae and rickettsiae bacteria in ticks from wild passerine birds on three islands of the Archipelago of the Azores, the westernmost region of Palearctic. A total of 266 birds belonging to eight species from seven families were examined on São Miguel, Santa Maria and Graciosa islands in 2013. Ticks collected from these birds consisted of 55 Ixodes frontalis (22 larvae, 32 nymphs, 1 adult female) and 16 Haemaphysalis punctata nymphs. Turdus merula and Erithacus rubecula were the birds most infested with both tick species. Three T. merula in Santa Maria were infested with 4 I. frontalis infected with Borrelia turdi. No rickettsiae were found in the ticks. We report for the first time the presence of I. frontalis and B. turdi on the Azores islands and we showed that the spatial distribution reaches further west than previously thought.

• MeSH
• Borrelia izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• infestace klíšťaty epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• klíšťata mikrobiologie   MeSH
• larva MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• nymfa MeSH
• Passeriformes MeSH
• Rickettsia izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Azory MeSH

BACKGROUND: DNA methylation is likely a key mechanism regulating changes in gene transcription in traits that show temporal fluctuations in response to environmental conditions. To understand the transcriptional role of DNA methylation we need simultaneous within-individual assessment of methylation changes and gene expression changes over time. Within-individual repeated sampling of tissues, which are essential for trait expression is, however, unfeasible (e.g. specific brain regions, liver and ovary for reproductive timing). Here, we explore to what extend between-individual changes in DNA methylation in a tissue accessible for repeated sampling (red blood cells (RBCs)) reflect such patterns in a tissue unavailable for repeated sampling (liver) and how these DNA methylation patterns are associated with gene expression in such inaccessible tissues (hypothalamus, ovary and liver). For this, 18 great tit (Parus major) females were sacrificed at three time points (n = 6 per time point) throughout the pre-laying and egg-laying period and their blood, hypothalamus, ovary and liver were sampled. RESULTS: We simultaneously assessed DNA methylation changes (via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing) and changes in gene expression (via RNA-seq and qPCR) over time. In general, we found a positive correlation between changes in CpG site methylation in RBCs and liver across timepoints. For CpG sites in close proximity to the transcription start site, an increase in RBC methylation over time was associated with a decrease in the expression of the associated gene in the ovary. In contrast, no such association with gene expression was found for CpG site methylation within the gene body or the 10 kb up- and downstream regions adjacent to the gene body. CONCLUSION: Temporal changes in DNA methylation are largely tissue-general, indicating that changes in RBC methylation can reflect changes in DNA methylation in other, often less accessible, tissues such as the liver in our case. However, associations between temporal changes in DNA methylation with changes in gene expression are mostly tissue- and genomic location-dependent. The observation that temporal changes in DNA methylation within RBCs can relate to changes in gene expression in less accessible tissues is important for a better understanding of how environmental conditions shape traits that temporally change in expression in wild populations.

• MeSH
• CpG ostrůvky MeSH
• metylace DNA MeSH
• Passeriformes * genetika   MeSH
• RNA MeSH
• rozmnožování MeSH
• zpěvní ptáci * genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Avian blowflies are obligatory blood-sucking parasite larvae that typically pupariate in bird nests. The empty puparia are diagnostically important, as they are usually the only evidence for the presence of these parasites in nests. Compared to the Nearctic region, very little is known about puparia of Palearctic species. Here, we provide the first description of puparia of Protocalliphora nourtevai from nests of 2 bird species, namely, Phoenicurus phoenicurus and Phoenicurus ochruros from Finland. Puparia possessed irregular pronounced folds in the hyper-, meso-, and hypostigmatal region, and no spines were present in the entire stigmatal area. There are just 2 distinct spine bands on the ventral surface of the puparia. The medial band is absent. There are no plaques or spines in the medial region.

• MeSH
• bydlení zvířat MeSH
• Diptera anatomie a histologie   růst a vývoj   MeSH
• kukla anatomie a histologie   MeSH
• myiáza parazitologie   přenos   veterinární   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků parazitologie   přenos   MeSH
• Passeriformes parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Finsko MeSH

One of the best-known general patterns in island biogeography is the species-isolation relationship (SIR), a decrease in the number of native species with increasing island isolation that is linked to lower rates of natural dispersal and colonization on remote oceanic islands. However, during recent centuries, the anthropogenic introduction of alien species has increasingly gained importance and altered the composition and richness of island species pools. We analyzed a large dataset for alien and native plants, ants, reptiles, mammals, and birds on 257 (sub) tropical islands, and showed that, except for birds, the number of naturalized alien species increases with isolation for all taxa, a pattern that is opposite to the negative SIR of native species. We argue that the reversal of the SIR for alien species is driven by an increase in island invasibility due to reduced diversity and increased ecological naiveté of native biota on the more remote islands.

• MeSH
• biologické modely * MeSH
• ostrovy * MeSH
• tropické klima * MeSH
• zavlečené druhy * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• ostrovy * MeSH