In the present study, the length-weight relationships (LWRs) of 148 specimens representing four species, including 20 specimens of Pseudorhombus javanicus, 70 Plicofollis dussumieri, 28 Scarus persicus and 30 S. fuscopurpureus collected from the Persian Gulf were estimated. The LWRs equations were found as W= 0.67×L2.23 for P. javanicus, W= 0.05×L2.38 for P. dussumieri, W= 0.62×L2.15 for S. persicus and W= 0.27×L2.41 for S. fuscopurpureus. The values of b ranged from 2.15 (S. persicus) to 2.41 (S. fuscopurpureus), with the coefficient of determination (r2) greater than 0.85. The present study presents the LWRs parameters for P. javanicus from the Persian Gulf, Iran for the first time and provides useful information for marine ecologists, fishery managers, the conservation of marine fishes, and the online database of FishBase.

Four specimens of the Large-toothed Ferret Badger Melogale personata I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire were found at separate sites in Marshyangdi Rural Municipality, Ward No 4, Srichaur, Tangring, Lamjung district, Nepal. The first individual was captured alive by local people on 4th January 2017 and the second was found dead on 17th January 2017. The third alive and fourth road-killed specimens of M. personata were photographed from Marshyangdi Rural Municipality, on 9th July 2020, 26th November 2021, respectively.
The species was recorded at the border region of the Annapurna Conservation Area, approximately 203 km from Kathmandu in a tropical forest alongside the Marshyangdi River. The specimens were examined carefully and identified on a morphological basis. The present account represents the first authentic record of M. personata in the Annapurna Conservation Area, moreover also for Nepal.
 

The Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala Scopoli is a scarce winter visitor and passage migrant bird in Nepal being recorded mainly in the eastern part of the country. Similarly, the Blue-winged Laughingthrush Trochalopteron squamatum (Gould) is an uncommon resident of Nepal with rare observations reported from central-west to eastern Nepal. Also, the Tricolored Munia Lonchura malacca (Linnaeus) is considered as a local resident in Nepal especially in the Chitwan National Park, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Kathmandu Valley. None of these species have been photographed in the Pokhara Valley previously. This study presents the first photographic record of E. melanocephala and T. squamatum, and the first ever record of L. malacca from the Pokhara Valley, Nepal. Emberiza melanocephala was observed during the winter season in bushes of Ipomoea carnea while T. squamatum and L. malacca were recorded during the autumn and monsoon season in evergreen Schima-Castanopsis forest, and clumps of the reed Phragmites karka respectively.
 

The Great slaty woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus (Temminck) is a globally threatened bird species and has been categorized as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. We report the first photographic evidence of M. pulverulentus from Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary (PWS), Sarpang district, in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. A group, comprising five individuals, of M. pulverulentus was sighted opportunistically at the study location on 19 April 2022. We recorded the nesting cavities actively used by M. pulverulentus in the forest habitat dominated by Sal trees (Shorea robusta). This study highlights the significance of protecting lowland forests, and mature Sal stands in particular, for conservation of this globally threatened species of bird.
 

The world's second-largest dugong, Dugong dugon (Müller), population after that of Australia forages among rich seagrass meadows along the Arabian coast of the Persian Gulf; however, the relatively seagrass-poor Iranian coast is considered an exceptional habitat for the species. The last modern dugong records along the Iranian Persian Gulf occurred two decades ago, which, however, are unsupported. Here we present two new documented records of D. dugon from an area in the Iranian coastal waters of Bushehr Province, near the Mond River estuary (Mond Protected Area), northeastern Persian Gulf. These include one individual, probably female, of ca. 2.5–3 m body length found floating, in moderate decomposition, in offshore waters of the Motaf fishing ground on 30 April 2021, and one ca. 3 m female encountered entangled in a set gillnet in inshore waters of the same area on 29 December 2022, and which was successfully released alive. The potential of the area as a possible historical habitat for dugongs, and further implications, are discussed.

 

One juvenile specimen of the desert Cobra (Walterinnesia morgani) was obtained from Kerman Province, southeastern Iran. Three further localities of the species were recorded during 2010–2020. The farthest locality is situated about 270 km northeast of easternmost limit of the range. These records indicate a wider distribution of Walterinnesia morgani on the Iranian Plateau than previously thought. Results indicated that Walterinnesia morgani has a compatible distribution pattern with the zoogeographical region of Khuzestan Plain and the Persian Gulf Costs. In addition, information of pholidosis and habitat is presented.

We report the first record of the White-bellied flying squirrel Petaurista albiventer (Gray, 1834), within the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, which is part of the Terai Arc Landscape in India. This marks a new geographical distribution for P. albiventer within the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This study contributes to the understanding of the geographical distribution, habitat ecology and taxonomy of the genus Petaurista (Link, 1795), shedding light on its presence in various ecologically significant regions and emphasizing the importance of preserving its habitat and promoting further research.

Blood parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa, order Adeleiorina are a diverse group of haemoparasites reported from almost all vertebrate classes. The most commonly recorded haemoparasites to parasitize anurans are species of Dactylosoma. To date, six Dactylosoma species have been described from anurans and fishes. In the present study, we used molecular characterization for identifying haemoparasites detected by microscopy in blood smears of Pelophylax ridibundus, a frog in the north of Iran. Blood samples were examined from four adult individuals. The smears were prepared and stained by Gimsa. By microscopic investigation, one individual was found positive for blood parasites. According to morphological characteristics, it was identified belongs to the genus Dactylosoma. In genetic analysis, the blast of obtained sequences from part of 18S rRNA gene sequences showed 100% identity with Dactylosoma sp. and D. ranarum. Phylogenetic analysis showed the Dactylosoma sp. of the present study as a monophyletic group in Dactylosoma species, clustered with Dactylosoma sp. and D. ranarum (support > 80%). This study is the first report of a dactylosomatid parasite from Pelophylax ridibundus.