Population genetic structure of the parasitic nematode Camallanus cotti inferred from DNA sequences of ITS1 rDNA and the mitochondrial COI gene

The population genetic structure of fish parasitic nematode, Camallanus cotti, collected from the Yangtze River, Pearl River and Minjiang River in China was investigated. From these parasites, the similar to 730 bp of the first internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA (ITS1 rDNA) and the 428 bp of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene were sequenced. For the ITS1 rDNA data set, highly significant Fst values and low rates of migration were detected between the Pearl River group and both the Yangtze River (Fst = 0.70, P < 0.00001; Nm = 0.21) and Minjiang River (Fst = 0.73, P < 0.00001; Nm = 0.18) groups, while low Fst value (Fst = 0.018, P > 0.05) and high rate of migration (Nm = 28.42) were found between the Minjiang and the Yangtze rivers. When different host/locality populations (subpopulations) within each river were considered, subpopulations between the Yangtze River and Minjiang River had low Fst values (<= 0.12) and high Nm values (>3.72), while Pearl River subpopulations were significantly different from the Yangtze River and Minjiang River subpopulations (Fst >= 0.59; Nm < 1). The COI gene data set revealed a similar genetic structure. Both phylogenetic analyses and a statistical parsimony network grouped the Pearl River haplotypes into one phylogroup, while the Yangtze River and Minjiang River haplotypes formed a second group. These results suggested that the Yangtze River and Minjiang River subpopulations constituted a single reproductive pool that was distinct from the Pearl River subpopulations. In addition, the present study did not find host-related genetic differentiation occurring in the same drainage. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Genetic variation of fish parasite populations in historically connected habitats: undetected habitat fragmentation effect on populations of the nematode Procamallanus fulvidraconis in the catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco

Habitat fragmentation may have some significant effects on population genetic structure because geographic distance and physical barriers may impede gene flow between populations. In this study, we investigated whether recent habitat fragmentation affected genetic structure and diversity of populations of the nematode Procamallanus fulvidraconis in the yellowhead catfish, Pelteobagrus fin't4draco. The nematode was collected from 12 localities in 7 floodplain lakes of the Yangtze River. Using I I intersirnple sequence repeat markers, analysis of molecular variance showed that genetic diversity occurred mainly within populations (70.26%). Expected heterozygosity (He) of P. fulvidraconis was barely different between connected (0.2105) and unconnected lakes (0.2083). Population subdivision (Fst) between connected lakes (0.2177) was higher than in unconnected lakes (0. 1676). However, the connected and unconnected lakes did not Cluster into 2 clades. A Mantel test revealed significant positive correlation between genetic and geographic distances (R = 0.5335, P < 0.01). These results suggest that habitat fragmentation did not cause genetic differentiation among populations or a reduction of diversity in isolated populations of P. fulvidraconis. At least 2 factors may increase the dispersal range of the nematode, i.e., flash flooding in summer and other species of fish that may serve as the definitive hosts. Moreover, lake fragmentation is probably a recent process; population size of the nematode in these lakes is large enough to maintain Population structure.

The freeliving nematode genus Parodontophora Timm 1963 (Nematoda : Axonolaimidae) is not exclusively marine: Parodontophora limnophila sp nov from freshwater in China

Parodontophora limnophila sp. nov. is described from Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake of China. It is characterized by having an amphid with its posterior end close to the base of the stoma, relatively short cephalic setae, opisthocephalic setae arranged as two subdorsal groups of three longitudinally arranged setae and two single subventral setae, excretory pore at the level of the anterior part of the stoma and renette gland 34-47% of the oesophageal length. To date, the new species is the only Parodontophora species found in freshwater habitats.

大功率微波与臭氧等复合因子对大棚蔬菜根结线虫及土壤的作

虫（nematodes）是世界农业生产的一大障碍，每年给世界农业生产造成约1000亿美元的巨额损失，是世界各国一直关注的重点病害之一。线虫可以危害各种大田作物和各种温室植物，几乎所有的栽培植物都有线虫危害发生。随着人们环保意识的增强以及健康意识的觉醒，传统防治根结线虫的药物如溴甲烷等因对环境的破坏作用，或者由于高毒、使用不便、抗药性等原因而迅速退出历史舞台，研究环保高效防治线虫成为世界各国竞相发展的技术之一。本研究尝试通过物理方式防治蔬菜根结线虫，并调查了对土壤质量的影响，主要内容包括： 1. 设计制造了功率20 Kw，频率为915 MHz的大功率土壤微波处理机，并通过了田间试验; 2. 设计制造了每小时120 g臭氧产量的便携式臭氧土壤处理机，并通过了田间试验; 3. 采用4因素3水平正交法L9(34)在山东寿光蔬菜大棚进行了蔬菜根结线虫的防治试验，综合考察微波、臭氧、微波吸收剂、EM菌等不同处理水平对根结线虫和对土壤质量的影响，结果表明： 1) 大棚土壤经微波60 s照射能够显著降低甜瓜根结线虫数和根结指数（p < 0.05），盆栽试验只需处理10 s即可显著防治甜瓜根结线虫（p < 0.01）;以120 g/h臭氧浓度处理5 s也能显著降低甜瓜根结线虫的数量（p < 0.05）;田间施入5 g/m2的EM菌，能够显著降低甜瓜根结线虫的数量（p < 0.05）;盆栽试验中微波吸收剂具有降低根结线虫数量的趋势，但是不同处理水平之间差异不显著，田间试验则具有增加根结线虫的趋势，不同处理水平之间也没有显著差异。 2) 微波不同处理水平之间对甜瓜单瓜重的影响没有显著差异;以120 g/h臭氧浓度处理甜瓜能够显著增加甜瓜单瓜重（p < 0.05）;200 g/m2微波吸收剂能够显著提高甜瓜单瓜重（p < 0.05）;以5 g/m2EM菌处理土壤则显著降低甜瓜单瓜重（p < 0.05）。 3) 微波、臭氧、微波吸收剂不同处理水平对甜瓜糖度的影响没有显著差异;以3 g/m2的EM菌处理甜瓜能够显著降低甜瓜的糖度。 4) 不同因素对甜瓜硬度的影响没有显著差异。 5) 微波处理60 s能够显著提高甜瓜的果型指数（p < 0.1），臭氧、微波吸收剂、EM菌等因素不同处理水平之间对果型指数影响差异不显著。 6) EM菌5 g/m2处理浓度能够显著降低甜瓜株高（p < 0.1），微波、臭氧、微波吸收剂不同处理水平之间对株高的影响没有显著差异。 7) EM菌5 g/m2处理浓度能够显著降低甜瓜根径（p < 0.1），微波、臭氧、微波吸收剂不同处理水平之间对根径的影响没有显著差异。 8) 微波处理60 s能够显著降低表层土壤（0-5 cm）的有机质含量（p < 0.01）;以120 g/h的臭氧浓度处理，则可以显著提高10-15 cm土壤的有机质含量（p < 0.05），其它处理因素的不同水平对有机质的影响差异不显著。 9) 微波不同处理水平对土壤全氮的影响没有显著差异（p < 0.05）;120 g/h臭氧处理浓度能够显著降低表层土壤（0-5 cm）的土壤全氮量（p < 0.1）;100 g/m2微波吸收剂处理水平能够显著提高10-15 cm土壤全氮量（p < 0.05）;EM菌3 g/m2的处理水平则显著降低5-10 cm土壤全氮量（p < 0.05）。 10) 微波、微波吸收剂、EM菌不同处理水平之间对土壤全磷没有显著影响;240 g/h臭氧浓度处理5 s能够显著降低10-15 cm土层的土壤全磷含量(p < 0.05)。 11) 微波、微波吸收剂对土壤全磷没有显著影响;臭氧处理具有降低土壤有效磷的趋势，EM菌处理则有提高土壤有效磷的趋势，但是 不同处理水平之间差异不显著（p > 0.05）。 12) 微波处理对土壤EC值没有显著影响;臭氧、微波吸收剂、EM菌处理具有降低土壤EC值的趋势，但是不同处理水平之间差异不显著（p > 0.05）。 13) 微波处理30 s能够显著降低表层土壤的pH值（p < 0.05），臭氧、微波吸收剂、EM菌处理具有提高土壤pH值的趋势，但是不同处理水平之间差异不显著。

Heterorhabditidoides chongmingensis gen. nov., sp nov (Rhabditida : Rhabditidae), a novel member of the entomopathogenic nematodes

During a recent soil sample survey in Eastern China, a new entomopathogenic nematode species, collected from the Chongming Islands in the southern-eastern area of Shanghai, was discovered. Morphological characteristics of different developmental stages of the nematode combined with molecular data showed that this nematode is a new genus of Rhabditidae, and described as Heterorhabditidoides chongmingensis gen. nov., sp. nov., for that it shares more morphological characteristics with heterorhabditids than with ste-inernematids. For males, the papillae formula of bursa is 1, 2, 3, 3, with constant papillae number in the terminal group, stoma tubular-shaped and about 1.5 head width; cheilorhabdions cuticularized, esophageal collar present and long, median bulb present. For infective juveniles, EP = 90 (80-105) mu m, ES = 104 (92-120) mu m, tail length = 111 (89-159) mu m, and a = 19.1 (15-21). The percentages of the nucleotides A, T, C and G in the ITS1 regions of the new species are significantly different from those of heterorhabditids and other rhabditids. Molecular phylogenetic trees based on 18S rDNA and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences data revealed that the new entomopathogenic nematode species forms a monophyletic group, which is a sister group of the clade comprised of some genera of Rhabditidae. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF LESIONS OF AREA-7 OF THE PARIETAL CORTEX ON THE SHORT-TERM VISUAL SPATIAL MEMORY OF RHESUS-MONKEYS (MACACA-MULATTA)

This research is focused on the contribution of area 7 to the short-term visual spatial memory. Three rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained in the direct delayed response task in which 5 delay intervals were used in each session. When each monkey reached the criterion of 90% correct responses in 5 successive sessions, two monkeys underwent a surgery while the other one received a sham operation as a control. In the first stage of the surgery, bilateral areas 7a, 7b and 7ip of the parietal cortex of two monkeys were precisely lesioned. After 7 days of recuperation, the monkeys were required to do the same task. The average percentage of correct responses in the lesioned animals decreased from 94.7% to 89.3% and 93.3% to 82.0% respectively (no significance, P > 0.05, n = 2). In addition, the monkeys' complex movements were mildly impaired. The lesioned monkeys were found to have difficulty picking up food from the wells. In the second stage, bilateral area 7m was lesioned. In the 5 postoperative sessions, the average percentage of correct responses in one monkey, with a relatively precise 7m lesion, decreased from 94.7% to 92.2% (no significance, P > 0.05), while the other monkey, with widely spread necrosis of lateral parietal cortex, showed an. obvious decline in performance, but still over the chance level. After 240 trials this monkey reattained the normal criterion. The results of this research suggest that the lesions of area 7 of the parietal cortex did not significantly affect the short-term visual spatial memory, which has been shown to be sensitive to lesions of the prefrontal cortex; they also support the notion of dissociation of spatial functions in the prefrontal and parietal cortices.

DEVELOPMENT OF EUSTRONGYLIDES IGNOTUS (NEMATODA: DIOCTOPHMIDA) IN DOMESTIC DUCKS (ANAS PLATYRHYNCHOS DOMESTICA (L.))

Investigating the development of Eustrongylides ignotus in its definitive host would enable us to trace the complete life cycle of this nematode. Fourth-stage larvae isolated from naturally infected swamp eels (Monopterus albus) were used to infect domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domestica [L.]). We observed that male and female worms exhibited different developmental patterns in host ducks. In males, the fourth molt occurred at day 1-2 post-infection (PI), after which they attained maturity on day 4 PI and died between day 7 and 9 PI. However, females underwent the fourth molt at day 2-4 PI, produced eggs from day 9 to 17 PI, and then degenerated and died. When compared 10 fourth-stage Female larvae, adult females demonstrated a considerable increase in total body size with a 151% increase in average body width and a 17% increase in average body length. However. the increase in size of the male larvae was not its significant as that in females. The average body width in adult males exhibited only a 45% increase over that in the larval stage.

Communities of gastrointestinal helminths of fish in historically connected habitats: habitat fragmentation effect in a carnivorous catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco from seven lakes in flood plain of the Yangtze River, China

Background: Habitat fragmentation may result in the reduction of diversity of parasite communities by affecting population size and dispersal pattern of species. In the flood plain of the Yangtze River in China, many lakes, which were once connected with the river, have become isolated since the 1950s from the river by the construction of dams and sluices, with many larger lakes subdivided into smaller ones by road embankments. These artificial barriers have inevitably obstructed the migration of fish between the river and lakes and also among lakes. In this study, the gastrointestinal helminth communities were investigated in a carnivorous fish, the yellowhead catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, from two connected and five isolated lakes in the flood plain in order to detect the effect of lake fragmentation on the parasite communities. Results: A total of 11 species of helminths were recorded in the stomach and intestine of P. fulvidraco from seven lakes, including two lakes connected with the Yangtze River, i.e. Poyang and Dongting lakes, and five isolated lakes, i.e. Honghu, Liangzi, Tangxun, Niushan and Baoan lakes. Mean helminth individuals and diversity of helminth communities in Honghu and Dongting lakes was lower than in the other five lakes. The nematode Procamallanus fulvidraconis was the dominant species of communities in all the seven lakes. No significant difference in the Shannon-Wiener index was detected between connected lakes (0.48) and isolated lakes (0.50). The similarity of helminth communities between Niushan and Baoan lakes was the highest (0.6708), and the lowest was between Tangxun and Dongting lakes (0.1807). The similarity was low between Dongting and the other lakes, and the similarity decreased with the geographic distance among these lakes. The helminth community in one connected lake, Poyang Lake was clustered with isolated lakes, but the community in Dongting Lake was separated in the tree. Conclusion: The similarity in the helminth communities of this fish in the flood-plain lakes may be attributed to the historical connection of these habitats and to the completion of the life-cycles of this fish as well as the helminth species within the investigated habitats. The diversity and the digenean majority in the helminth communities can be related to the diet of this fish, and to the lacustrine and macrophytic characters of the habitats. The lake isolation from the river had little detectable effect on the helminth communities of the catfish in flood-plain lakes of the Yangtze River. The low similarities in helminth communities between the Dongting Lake and others may just be a reflection of its unique water environment and anthropogenic alterations or fragmentation in this lake.

REDESCRIPTION AND SYSTEMATIC STATUS OF NEOCAPILLARIA PHOXINI YU ET WANG, 1994 (NEMATODA: CAPILLARIIDAE)

Re-examination of the syntypes of the capillariid nematode Neocapillaria phoxini Yu et Wang, 1994, the type species of Neocapillaria Yu et Wang, 1994, described from the intestine of the freshwater fish Phoxinus lagowskii variegatus Gunther (Cyprinidae) from China, confirmed its morphological similarity with species of Freitascapillaria Moravec, 1987, to which it is transferred as Freitascapillaria phoxini (Yu et Wang, 1994) comb. n. Consequently, Neocapillaria Yu et Wang, 1994 (a homonym to Neocapillaria Moravec, 1987) and Sinocapillaria Moravec et Spratt, 1998 become junior synonyms of Freitascapillaria. Skrjabinocapillaria gigantea is transferred to Freitascapillaria as F. gigantea (Wang, 1984) comb. n.

Population dynamics and maturation cycle of Camallanus cotti (Nematoda : Camallanidae) in the Chinese hooksnout carp Opsariichthys bidens (Osteichthyes : Cyprinidae) from a reservoir in China

The seasonal population dynamics and maturation cycle of the nematode Camallanus cotti in the posterior intestine of Chinese hooksnout carp Opsariichthys bidens have been studied in the Danjiangkou Reservoir of the Hubei Province in central China from September 2004 to November, 2005. The overall prevalence, mean abundance and intensity of C cotti among fish sampled (n = 700 fish) were 47%, 2.29 +/- 12.38 ( +/- S.D.) and 1-307 (average 4.89 +/- 17.74), respectively. The overall sexual ratio of female to male nematodes (excluding L3 and L4 juveniles) was 1.17:1. Statistical results showed weakly positive correlations betweerl fish length and the number of nematodes per host. The dynamics of infection of the nematode exhibited significant seasonal pattern in changes in mean abundance. A similar pattern was found for changes in nematode prevalence, although this was not statistically significant. Higher levels of infection were observed among fish sampled in summer months and the lower in the winter. Neither the prevalence nor the abundance of the parasite was significantly different between male and female hosts. The pattern of frequency distribution of the parasite in the host was found to be over-dispersed throughout the sampling period. In addition, studies on the development and maturation of the parasite in O. bidens revealed that development (maturation), recruitment of the next generation, and reproduction may be continuous year-round, although reproduction may peak during the winter. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of Camallanus cotti in greatly diverse fish species from Danjiangkou Reservoir in central China

Two thousand four hundred fifty-eight fish comprised of 53 species were captured in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, in the northwestern part of Hubei Province, central China during 2004, to examine Camallanus cotti infections. We found that 19 cypriniform, 3 siluriforme, and 4 perciforme fishes were infected by the nematode. Our study revealed the species, Hemiculter bleekeri bleekeri, Culter oxycephaloide, Pseudolaubuca sinensis, Acanthobrama simony, Mylopharyngodon piceus, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Gnathopogon imberbis, G. argentatus, Saurogobio dabryi, S. dumerili, Gobiobotia ichangensis, Liobagrus marginatoides, and Ctenogobius shennongensis as new hosts of the worm. The number and range of fish host species found in this survey were much greater than any of the previous investigations. The mean prevalence, prevalence, mean abundance, and intensity of infection varied in different fish species, indicating a possible host preference. Moreover, we suggest that this nematode is a native parasite of cypriniform fishes in China, perhaps initially in the reaches of the Yangtze River.