Archive

Summary is absent.

Recent areas of species of the southern branch of Ixodes persulcatus group (I. kazakstani distributed in mountain hydrophytic forests of Tien-Shan, I. kashmiricus known from mountain forests of Tien-Shan and West Himalayas, I. nipponensis from primary leaf-bearing forests of South Primorje and Japan Islands) are relict in their nature. Peculiarities of the areas as well as biotopic relations with vegetation formations rich in floristic pliocene relicts indicate the Pliocene age of these species. Taxonomic data based on comparative ontogenetic analysis show that I. ricinus has very close relationships with species of the southern branch of I. persulcatus group and through them with I. persulcatus and I. pavlovskyi proper. The history of the area of I. ricinus is closely associated with that of mesophilic broadleaved and mixed European forests. Thus, both main vectors of viruses of tick-borne encephalitis have common phylogenetic roots in the limits of the subgenus Ixodes (s. str.).

Experiments with the tick Dermacentor silvarum Ol. (Khabarovsk population) have demonstrated that the competency of adult females to engorge depends on temperature and photoperiods at the prefeeding stage. Ticks from long-day photoperiods show the feeding delay while ticks after prolonged short-day or cold treatment become competent for rapid engorgement. The delay of feeding and growth processes in attached ticks is a special type of diapause characteristic of parasitic stage. This enables tick females to hibernate on host-animals and substitutes another morphogenetic diapause (the delay of oogenesis in engorged females) which is absent in this tick.

Reproduction of Rickettsia prowazekii in argasid ticks after their infection on bird's membrane is characterized by slow changes in reproduction phases and low intensity. Following the primary accumulation of R. prowazekii in ticks rickettsiae gradually decreased in number up to complete liberation of ticks from them. Maintenance at a raised temperature (30°) and repeated feeding of infected ticks on animals prolonged the survival period of viable rickettsiae in ticks.

Under experimental conditions Pulex irritans undergoes complete metamorphosis at a temperature of 5 to 33° and relative air humidity from 65 to 100%. Maximum emergence of adults (16 to 74% of all eggs) was observed at 25—26° and humidity of 85 to 100%, minimal emergence occurred at 5 to 7°, 32 to 33° and humidity of 65 to 70%. The latter did not exceed 20%. Embryonal development, depending on environmental conditions, proceeds from one to 40 days, development of larvae — from three to 52 days and that of cocoon — from four to 63 days. The whole life cycle lasts from 11 to 147 days.

Six species of fleas are reported for Microtus arvalis, Apodemus flavicollis and A. sylvaticus. Seven species of fleas and larvae of five genera were collected from nests of the above rodents. Periods of occurrence of each larval stage are given. Infection rate of rodents in various vertical zones, composition, numerical ratio of species of fleas, infection degree of animals of different age and sex are analysed.

The paper presents results of studies of seasonal variations in the number, gonotrophic cycle and fecundity of Hybomitra stigmoptera under conditions of humid monsoon climate prevailing in the south of Primorye Territory. The whole life cycle from egg to imago is first described.

Six species of cestodes of the family Progynotaeniidae Burt, 1939 were recorded from waders in various regions of the USSR. Progynotaenia odhneri Nibelin, 1914, was discovered in Charadrius hiaticula on the coast of the Baltic Sea and in lower reaches of the Lena. Two new species are described: P. branchiuterina sp. n. from Squatarola squatarola from the coast of the Black Sea and P. polytestis sp. n. from S. squatarola caught in the lower reaches of the Lena. S. squatarola from the Baltic Sea coast was found to possess scolexes of Proterogynotaenia variabilis Belop., 1953, and Pluvialis apricaria — those of Proterogynotaenia daugi Sandeman, 1959. In S. squatarola from various regions of the USSR there were found four species of Proterogynotaenia as follows: P. variabilis Belop., 1953, P. branchiuterina sp. n., P. polytestis sp. n. and Proterogynotaenia sp. in which hooks of proboscis are similar in shape and equal in size. The above species differ in the structure of the genital system, i. e. in the number of testes, shape and location of bursa of cirrus and uterus configuration.

By fine-layer chromotography method lipids of eight species of freshwater helminths, which represent four classes of worms, are arranged into the following groups: cardiolipids, cholesterol, free fatty acids, triglycerides, ethers of cholesterol. Most lipids of all investigated helminths are represented by phosphatides and glycerides. Contents of general lipids reach on the average 10 to 40% of dry weight. Lipids that are components of helminth body are characterized by a wide variability depending on the maturity of worm, species of host, habitat and season.

On the basis of studies of trematodes from Podiceps cristatus and P. griseigena from the bassin of the Turgai river (Kazakh SSR) and the Volga delta the species Cyathocotyle teganuma Ishii, 1935 is transferred to the genus Duboisia Szidat, 1936. The description of this species is given. Since its first description it is the second finding of this species. D. teganuma is a new element in the fauna of the USSR and is recorded from new hosts.

Metacercariae Parvatrema timondavidi (fam. Gymnophallidae) were found in Mytilus galloprovincialis from the Black Sea (the region of Sebastopol), where they infect 55% of these mollusks. Gymnophalloides macroporus (List. a. all., 1913) Dolgikh, 1965 and Adolescaria perla Sinitzin, 1911 are reduced to synonyms of Parvatrema timondavidi. Mature form was obtained by experimental infection of chickens. The dependence of infection rate on the age, size and sex of mollusks was established. Seasonal variations in the infection of Mytilus galloprovincialis with these metacercariae were studied.

Reciprocal crossing of stem eelworms of parsley and parsnip between each other and with those of onion and strawberry yielded fertile progeny. The number, age and sex composition of hybrid populations did not differ from control ones within 10 generations but among hybrids there were many abnormal individuals, mainly larvae at early developmental stages. Morphological anomalies are more common for the first generations.

A new species, Gorgorhynchus nemipteri Paruchin sp. n. (Rhadinorhynchidae), was found in marine fishes Nemipterus smithi, Trichiurus lepturus and Epinephelus ascolatus collected in the Indian Ocean. Mostly often this species is encountered in Nemipterus smithi that is reflected in its specific name.

114 strains of leptomonads of different origin were studied under conditions of spasmodic increase in temperature of cultivation medium from 22 to 37°. Of them 76 strains of Leishmania tropica major were pathogenic and 38 non-pathogenic. It was established that after 42—48 hours, at the temperature of 37° lysis of pathogenic strains took place. At 37° non-pathogenic strains stayed alive for 7 and sometimes for 10 days. Resistance of non-pathogenic and unresistance of pathogenic strains of leptomonads to a raised temperature is not associated with the origin of Flagellata from same host species or with the degree of their pathogenicity.

The author describes the fauna of Coccidia of rodents from Uzbekistan. Ten species of Coccidia are separated of which Eimeria jersenica sp. n., E. abidzhanovi sp. n., E. sultanovi sp. n., E. uzbekistanica sp. n., E. karchinica sp. n., E. kostencovi sp. n., and E. deserticola sp. n. are first described by the author. E. schamchorica, E. conevi and E. badchisica have been reported earlier.

Clutches of T. maculata, S. morsitans and Sch. pusilla are described. In the Irtish and Obj rivers clutches of T. muculata and Sch. pusilla occur in steep coastal areas while in taiga rivers clutches of S. morsitans and Sch. pusilla are confined to quite definite sites and form large aggregations in biotopes. Control of black flies can be performed by extermination of clutches.

On the basis of morphological analysis Aspidogaster amurensis is reduced to synonyms of A. conchicola.

A new species of myxosporidians, Auerbachia sphaerica sp. n. is described from the gall bladder of Austroatherina incisa (Jenyns) from the coast of Argentina. The taxonomic status of Auerbachia Meglitsch, 1968 is specified. A new family, Auerbachiidae Evdokimova, is erected and substantiated.

Summary is absent.

Summary is absent.