Showing 29 results for Type of Study: Short Communication
Mohammad Amin Tollab, Mohsen Rezaie-Atagholipour, Haleh Ali Abedi, Majid Askari Hesni, . Ehsan Abedi, Farideh Ahmadi, Koen van Waerebeek,
Volume 5, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
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.
Seyed Mahmood Ghaffari, Musa Mahmoudi, Hasan Salehi, Alireza Sari,
Volume 5, Issue 2 (6-2023)
Abstract
Karyological studies were conducted using bone marrow cell preparations from four species of Lacertidae and Scincidae from Iran: Eremias persica Blanford, Eremias kopetdaghica Szczerbak, Ophisops elegans Ménétries (Lacertidae), and Eumeces schneiderii princeps (Eichwald) (Scincidae). Eremias persica was diploid with 2n = 38 chromosomes. The karyotype consisted of eighteen pairs of acrocentric macrochromosomes and two microchromosomes. Eremias kopetdaghica was also diploid with 2n = 38 comprising one pair of metacentric macrochromosomes, seventeen pairs of acrocentric macrochromosomes, and one pair of microchromosomes. The chromosome count for these two species is reported for the first time herein. The chromosome count for Ophisops elegans (2n = 38) was in agreement with a previous report and was the first for the herpetofauna of Iran. Eumeces schneiderii princeps showed 32 macro- and microchromosomes, representing the first report for this subspecies.
Raju Vyas, Kartik Upadhyay,
Volume 5, Issue 2 (6-2023)
Abstract
The blackbuck Antilope cervicapra (Linnaeus) is a grassland antelope widely distributed in Pakistan, Nepal, and India. Here we present a review of the known horn anomaly in the species followed by two new examples: a male with an abnormal right 'curled' horn and a female with a horn at the Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar, Bhavnagar District, Gujarat State, India. We also provide a photographic record of a female with horns in captivity.
Soheila Shafiei Bafti, Mohammad Ebrahim Sehhatisabet, Naeim Moradi,
Volume 5, Issue 3 (10-2023)
Abstract
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.
Shahbaz Ahmed Khan, Anil Kumar Nair, Sujnan Mohan Kumar, Ali Jabran, Shubham Prakash Bhise, Ekta Shekhawat,
Volume 5, Issue 3 (10-2023)
Abstract
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.
Zahra Rahimi, Reyhaneh Hajian, Hossein Javanbakht,
Volume 5, Issue 4 (10-2023)
Abstract
Blood parasites of the order Adeleiorina (protozoan phylum Apicomplexa) are a diverse group of haemoparasites reported from almost all vertebrate classes. The most commonly recorded haemoparasites of anurans are species of Dactylosoma Labbé, 1894. To date, six Dactylosoma species have been described from anurans and fishes. In the present study, we used molecular characterization to identify 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. Smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa. Microscopy investigation revealed that one individual was positive for blood parasites. According to morphological characteristics, it was identified as belonging to genus Dactylosoma. In genetic analyses, the blast of obtained partial 18S rRNA gene sequences showed 100% identity with Dactylosoma sp. and D. ranarum (Kruse, 1890). 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 in Pelophylax ridibundus.
Cyrell Ann Ruales, Christian Tripole, Joshua Donato, Marian Dara Tagoon, Elsa May Delima-Baron,
Volume 5, Issue 4 (10-2023)
Abstract
Published data on bats in green spaces in Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines, remains scarce. This study provides an additional account of fruit bats of the family Pteropodidae occurring in green spaces both in the center of Davao City and its fringe communities. Our survey ran from January to April 2019. Mist nets were installed in possible flyways within select green spaces of bats and were checked from 6:30 pm to 4:30 am. Eight fruit bat species were documented, four of which are endemic to the Philippines. Two species, Megaerops wetmorei Taylor, 1934 and Eonycteris robusta Miller, 1913, are currently listed as vulnerable (VU), while the rest are considered non-threatened in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The site in the Carmen Baguio district (Site 5) had the highest number of captures (n= 31), while the Mt. Talomo-Lipadas site (Site 6) had the highest species richness among surveyed green spaces. The inventory suggests that fruit bats occur in urban green spaces and could be supported by these urban green fragments. More studies are needed to determine how fruit bats utilize and benefit from urban green space fragments of the city.
Ajaz Ansari, Neeraj Sharma,
Volume 6, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
This communication reports the evidence of Himalayan Brown bear in the twin mountainous protected areas of Bani Wildlife Sanctuary and Sudhmahadev Conservation Reserve in Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir. With the established presence of Himalayan brown bear in the region, systematic surveys are necessitated to gain a better understanding about its behaviour and population dynamics, as well as to make management decisions linked to its conservation in the region.
Devvratsinh Mori, Raju Vyas, Gourav Dadhich,
Volume 6, Issue 2 (6-2024)
Abstract
The Merlin Falco columbarius, is a small falcon widely distributed across Europe, Asia, and North America. Merlin falcons are winter visitors to north India. They occur from an arid area in Gujarat to far northeast Arunachal Pradesh. Here, we present details of the Merlin's diet on winter foraging grounds in Gujarat and Rajasthan, Western India, based on a combination of direct observations from 2009 to 2023 and secondary data extracted from various social media platforms. A total of 99 hunting events of Merlin with their prey bird were collected from the study areas, including 39 generated from direct observation of falcon hunting and 60 images of falcons with prey items acquired from various electronic media. The higher number (72) of falcon hunting events were noted from Gujarat, while a lower number (28) of observations were noted from Rajasthan. Of the total of 99 hunting events, 83 were carried out by males, 11 by females, and 5 juvenile falcons observed hunting. The hunting times of the falcons were noted in the morning (67%), in the evening (28%), and the least (5%) were recorded in midday periods. Merlins hunted and consumed 17 different types of smaller birds belonging to seven families; the highest number (45.45%) of prey items were the Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla, from Family Alaudidae and the second highest prey species (7%) was the Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, family Hirundinidae. Most of the prey birds were larks of different species (70.70%), with the remaining prey birds in very low numbers. However, the present study supports an earlier study stating that a higher portion of smaller migratory birds are in the diets of Merlin falcons.
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