Synhimantus (Synhimantus) magnipapillatus n. sp. (Nematoda, Acuarioidea) from the yellow-crowned night-heron, Nyctanassa violacea cayennensis (Gmelin) (Aves, Ardeidae)

Synhimantus (Synhimantus) magnipapillatus n. sp., mainly considering the outstanding size of the cervical papillae and the delicate structure of the cephalic cordons, is not related to any other species of the genus, except for S. (S.) laticeps, concerning the similarities regarding the spicules, that justify their comparison.

The associated microflora to the larvae of human bot fly Dermatobia hominis L. Jr. (Diptera: Cuterebridae) and its furuncular lesions in cattle

The microflora associated to furuncular lesions, larvae and pupae of Dermatobia hominis, as well as the relationships between parasite, host and microflora associated, as a comprehensive microsystem, has been studied. One hundred and two furuncular myiasis due to D. hominis larvae in several breeds of cattle were studied and the following bacterial species were significant: Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, S. warneri, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Closely related, the microflora associated to 141 samples from first, second, third instar larva and both external surface and larval cavities has been studied. The representative associated microflora to the larvae were: S. aureus, B. subtilis, S. hycus and Moraxella phenylpiruvica, Moerella wisconsiensis, Proteus mirabilis and P. vulgaris, M. phenylpiruvica, M. wisconsiensis, P. mirabilis and P. rettgeri were the representative microflora associated to 64 pupae of D. hominis.

Four new species of Oswaldocruzia (Nematoda: Trichostrongylina, Molineoidea) Parasitizing amphibians and lizards from Ecuador

Description of four new species of Oswaldocruzia parasitizing Iguanidae and Leptodactylidae from Ecuador, demonstrate that they are morphologically close to each other. Like most of the other neotropical and holarctic Oswaldocruzia , they are characterized by spicules with three main branches: blade, shoe and fork; the division of the fork within the distal third of the spicule length appears to be characteristic of the neotropical species. - Oswaldocruzia bainae n. sp. parasitizing Anolis chrysolepis and Anolis fuscoauratus possesses a synlophe visible only on transversal sections of the body. It is composed of rounded and not pointed ridges. - Oswaldocruzia tcheprakovae n. sp. parasitizing Eleutherodactylus altamazonicus is closely related to O. bainae , but the synlophe is present only in the anterior and posterior extremities of the body. - Oswaldocruzia cassonei n. sp. parasitizing Eleutherodactylus lanthanites is closely related to O. taranchoni, Ben Slimane and Durette-Desset, 1995, a parasite of Bufo marinus from Brazil. It is differentiated by the synlophe and the measurements. - Oswaldocruzia petterae n. sp. parasitizing Leptodactylus pentadactylus is closely related to O. chambrieri, Ben Slimane and Durette-Desset, 1993, parasitizing Bufo and Eleutherodactylus in the same region. It is differentiated since, for an equivalent length of the body, the ridges are almost two times fewer and the spicules smaller.

Limnomermis subtropicalis n. sp. (Nematoda:Mermithidae) a Parasite of Larvae of Simulium orbitale Lutz (Diptera:Simuliidae) in Argentina

Limnomermis subtropicalis n. sp. (Nematoda: Mermithidae) a parasite of Simulium orbitale Lutz (Diptera: Simuliidae) found in Argentina is described and illustrated. This species is characterized by having medium sized amphids, pocket-shaped, medium sized vagina, sculptured spicule, and by having 9 preanal, 7 postanal papillae in the ventral row, and 12 papillae in the lateral rows

Aplectana artigasi n.sp. (Nematoda: Cosmocercidae) from the Frog Eupsophus calcaratus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) in Southern Chile

A new species of nematode found in the intestine of Eupsophus calcaratus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Yaldad, Chile (45° 5'S;73° 43'W) is described. This new nematode is compared with other South American species of the genus. Aplectana artigasi differs from the only known Chilean species, Aplectana chilensis, as the former has a greater number of postanal papillae and a double papilla in the ventral region of the tail

Succession and Abundance of Staphylinidae in Cattle Dung in Uberlândia, Brazil

Fimicolous Staphylinidae prey on rearing dipterous in cattle dung, acting as their natural controllers, including pests such as horn fly. To survey the abundance and succession of these coleopterans in cattle dung deposited in pasture, six experiments were conducted from March to October 1995 in Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Cattle dung pats were exposed at a pasture for 1 hr, 8 hr, 24 hr, 2, 3, 7 and 10 days and were than taken to laboratory separate from each other, for Staphylinidae extraction. A total of 156 dung pats were exposed at pasture, from which 6225 Staphylinidae were recovered. Representing at least 30 species. Staphylinidae sp.1 (29.6%), Philonthus flavolimbatus (22.2%), Heterothops sp.1 (16.6%), Oxytelus sp.2 (7.6%), Aleochara sp.2 (7.6%) and Criptobium sp.1 (4.4%) were the most abundant, representing 87.8% from the total. The increased frequency of the majority of these species along the dung exposition time at pasture, indicated tha, they would be preying on at all the immature stages of the dipterous, or eggs and first instar larvae of species that lay eggs on the dung after its second exposition day at the pasture

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909 (Nematoda: Ascarididae)

Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909 is a parasitic nematode with its biological cycle still unknown, even though it was found in humans, domestic and silvatic animals. Adult worms, collected by surgical drainage from a human patient from the State of Pará, Brazil, were micrographed using a scanning electron microscope. Morphological aspects of males and females such as cephalic structures, caudal papillae and cuticular patterns were analyzed and compared with the previous descriptions adding new data for the identification of this species.

On a New Species of Hysterothylacium (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from Cauque mauleanum (Pisces: Atherinidae) by Brightfield and Scanning Electron Microscopy

Hysterothylacium geschei n. sp. (Nematoda, Anisakidae) is described from the intestine of Cauque mauleanum (Steindachner) (Pisces: Atherinidae) from Lake Panguipulli (39º43'S; 72º13'W), Chile. Eleven (78.6%) out of 14 fish were infected, with a mean intensity (range) of 14.4 (1-55) worms. The new species can be differentiated from the two previously described species of freshwater fishes from South America by the presence of lateral alae, the number of caudal papillae, and the length of the spicules, oesophagus, intestinal caecum, distance vulva-anterior extremity and the length ratio intestinal caecum: ventricular appendix. From the fishes examined in Lake Panguipulli, including the introduced salmonid species Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) and the authochthonous species Basilichthys australis Eigenmann (Atherinidae) and Percichthys trucha (Valenciennes) (Percichthyidae), only one specimen of P. trucha was found parasitized by a third-stage larva of this species.

Immune Response of Cattle Infected with African Trypanosomes

Trypanosomosis is the most economically important disease constraint to livestock productivity in sub-Saharan Africa and has significant negative impact in other parts of the world. Livestock are an integral component of farming systems and thus contribute significantly to food and economic security in developing countries. Current methods of control for trypanosomosis are inadequate to prevent the enormous socioeconomic losses resulting from this disease. A vaccine has been viewed as the most desirable control option. However, the complexity of the parasite's antigenic repertoire made development of a vaccine based on the variable surface glycoprotein coat unlikely. As a result, research is now focused on identifying invariant trypanosome components as potential targets for interrupting infection or infection-mediated disease. Immunosuppression appears to be a nearly universal feature of infection with African trypanosomes and thus may represent an essential element of the host-parasite relationship, possibly by reducing the host's ability to mount a protective immune response. Antibody, T cell and macrophage/monocyte responses of infected cattle are depressed in both trypanosusceptible and trypanotolerant breeds of cattle. This review describes the specific T cell and monocyte/macrophage functions that are altered in trypanosome-infected cattle and compares these disorders with those that have been described in the murine model of trypanosomosis. The identification of parasite factors that induce immunosuppression and the mechanisms that mediate depressed immune responses might suggest novel disease intervention strategies.

Studies on Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) pereirai Annereaux, 1946 (Nematoda: Camallanidae), with new host records and new morphological data on the larval stages

Larval stages and adults of Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) pereirai Annereaux, 1946 are described from naturally infected Paralonchurus brasiliensis (Steindachner) (Sciaenidae) from the coast of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The translucent first-stage larvae have a denticulate process at the anterior end, no buccal capsule or esophagus undifferentiated into anterior muscular and posterior glandular parts and an elongate tail; third-stage larvae have a tail with three terminal projections, a buccal capsule divided into an anterior portion with 12-20 ridges running to the left and a posterior smooth portion, and an esophagus with muscular and glandular regions. Fourth-stage larvae exhibit a buccal capsule lacking a distinct basal ring with ridges running to the right and a tail with two terminal processes, as in adults. New host records are reported and their role in its life-cycle are discussed.