Sleep in the lesser mouse-deer (Tragulus kanchil)

The mouse-deer or chevrotains are the smallest of the ungulates and ruminants. They are characterized by a number of traits which are considered plesiomorphic for the Artiodactyla order. The objective of this study was to examine sleep in the lesser mouse-deer (Tragulus kanchil), which is the smallest in this group (body mass <2.2 kg). Electroencephalogram, nuchal electromyogram, electrooculogram and body acceleration were recorded in 4 adult mouse-deer females using a telemetry system in Bu Gia Map National Park in Vietnam. The mouse-deer spent on average 49.7±3.0% of 24-h in NREM sleep. REM sleep occupied 1.7±0.3% of 24-h or 3.2±0.5% of total sleep time. The average duration of REM sleep episodes was 2.0±0.2 min, the average maximum was 5.1±1.1 min, and the longest episodes lasted 8 min. NREM sleep occurred in sternal recumbency with the head heals above the ground while 64.7+6.4% of REM sleep occurred with the head resting on the ground. The eyes were open throughout most of the NREM sleep period. The mouse-deer displayed polyphasic sleep and crepuscular peaks in activity (04:00-06:00 and 18:00-19:00). The largest amounts of NREM occurred in the morning (06:00-09:00) and the smallest before dusk (at 04:00-06:00). REM sleep occurred throughout most of the daylight hours (08:00-16:00) and in the first half of the night (19:00-02:00). We suggest that the pattern and timing of sleep in the lesser mouse-deer is adapted to the survival of a small herbivorous animal, subject to predation, living in high environmental temperatures in tropical forest undergrowth.

Species Diversity in Penicillium and Acaulium From Herbivore Dung in China, and Description of Acaulium stericum Sp. Nov.

Penicillium and Acaulium species are common in the fresh of herbivore dung and can produce abundant secondary metabolism, which play important roles as decomposers of organic materials, food industry, and enzyme factories. Besides, the well-characterized diversity of dung fungi offers accessible systems for dissecting the function of fungi in gut and for exploring potential to produce high cellulases in herbivorous animal. During a survey of intestinal fungi from herbivorous animal in China, more than 400 were isolated, 38 belonging to Penicillium and 4 belonging to Acaulium were obtained from 12 healthy animals including marmot and chinchilla and selected for detailed study. Putative taxa were characterized by a multi-gene sequencing analysis testing the partial β-tubulin (TUB), the internal transcribed spacer rDNA (ITS), calmodulin (CAM), and RPB2, and a detailed phenotypic study. Penicillium strains were identified as six sections, 12 known species. In addition, four Acaulium isolates were identified as Acaulium album and Acaulium stericum sp. nov. based on morphology and phylogeny of multi-gene sequences. This study shows that the species diversity of Penicillium on herbivore dung has not been widely studied and that seems to be a good source of offers opportunities for discovery of new cellulases from microbial communities.

Molecular identification of coprophilous microfungi from Banyumas District, Central Java, Indonesia

Mumpuni A, Amurwanto A, Wahyono DJ. 2021. Molecular identification of coprophilous microfungi from Banyumas District, Central Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 1550-1557. Coprophilous microfungi are a group of fungi that are ecologically interesting in relation to herbivores. These fungi play a predominant role in the decomposition of organic matter, in which the organic matter passes through a series of events involving mechanical degradation, as well as physical and biological processes. The role of coprophilous fungi as the main decomposers of the lignocellulosic material of herbivorous animal waste, which is widespread in nature, is very important. Previous research on the inventory and identification of coprophilous fungi in the Banyumas district has been limited to macroscopic genera, so the results have not been able to provide a comprehensive picture of the presence of coprophilous fungi in the region. Identification of the types of microscopic coprophilous fungi that live in herbivorous animal waste, such as lignocellulosic material, is necessary to understand the taxonomy of these fungi. This study aimed to investigate and identify microscopic coprophilous fungi obtained in the Banyumas district of Central Java, Indonesia. Based on the purposive random sampling method, the obtained fungi were analyzed using the molecular methods of DNA isolation, gene amplification, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of fungal cultures. The following species and genera were identified: Ceriporia lacerata, Trichosporon insectorum, Lentinus squarrosulus, Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Trichosporon sp.

Partially Purified 3-Mercaptopyruvate Sulphurtransferase Obtained from the Intestine of Cane Rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) as a Detoxifier of Cyanide

Cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) is an herbivorous animal which feeds on plant materials, including cassavas that are known to contain cyanogenic glycosides. Cyanide or cyanogenic glycosides are known to be toxic for animal consumption. Therefore, Cane rat must have an inherent mechanism for detoxifying cyanide to be able to survive on its food. Previous works on 3MST have been done on several tissues of cane rats other than the intestine. In this work, we characterized and explored a partially purified 3MST (cyanide detoxifying enzyme) from the intestine of a cane rat for a possible therapeutic source against cyanide poisoning in other mammals that are susceptible to the toxin. 3MST from the intestine of T. swinderianus had a yield of 10.3% with specific activity of 0.21Umg-. The Km and Vmax values of the 3-MST were determined to be 40 mm and 0.20µmol/ml/min respectively for KCN (Potassium Cyanide); also 33.3 mm and 0.15 µmol/ml/min for mercaptoethanol. 3-MST presents in the intestine of T. swinderianus plays a significant role in detoxification of cyanogenic compounds, which makes it an effective target for cyanide poisoning therapy.

The existence of coprophilous macrofungi in Banyumas, Central Java, Indonesia

Mumpuni A, Ekowati N, Wahyono DJ. 2020. The existence of coprophilous macrofungi in Banyumas, Central Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 282-289. Coprophilous fungi are cosmopolitan that inhabiting herbivorous animal feces. Some of them are edible mushrooms, as well as hallucinogenic psychotropic fungi that can be used in the pharmaceutical industry. Studies on coprophilous fungi in Indonesia have not been widely carried out. Tropical climate conditions in Indonesia including in the Ex- Residence of Banyumas, Central Java Province, Indonesia support the growth and spread of coprophilous fungi and are promoted by the spread of herbivorous livestock evenly in almost all regions that always provide suitable dung substrates for the fungal habitat. Based on this background, the purpose of this preliminary study was to obtain coprophilous fungi genera and find out their dominance in the area. This research used survey method with purposive random sampling and focused on macroscopic fungi. The obtained fungi were identified as macro and micro morphologically. From this study, there were 12 genera which were Panaeolus, Coprinopsis, Stropharia, Tricholoma, Lycoperdon, Ascobolus, Rhodocybe, Conocybe, Bolbitius, Leucocoprinus, Mycena, and Hypoloma. The dominance index of the coprophil fungal genera in the ex-residency Banyumas was 0.329; and the coprophil fungi obtained with the highest frequency of occurrence were Coprinopsis (34.4%) and Panaeolus (30.1%).

DETERMINATION OF COPROPHILOUS FUNGAL SPECIES AND THEIR DIVERSITY ON THE DUNG SUBSTRATES

Coprophils represent a diverse community of morphologically and physiologically specialised mycota which provides a biological force for the decomposition and recycling of animal faeces. Hence in the present investigation 12 fungal species were isolated from 3 herbivorous animal dung samples (Cow, Horse and Goat) collected from 3 areas (Rahuri, Sangamner and Shrirampur Tahsils). In that 6 microfungi and 4 macrofungi were observed. In the present study, 12 species of coprophilous fungi belonged to 3 classes. The majority of isolated species were belonging to Ascomycetes (05) followed by Basidiomycetes (04) and Zygomycetes (03) species. The highest number of isolated species were found associated with domestic Cow dung samples while minimal number with goat dung samples.

PEMATANGAN GONAD INDUK ABALON Haliotis squamata MELALUI PENGELOLAAN PAKAN

Abalon merupakan hewan yang bersifat herbivora di alam memakan berbagai jenis makroalga. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh berbagai makroalga sebagai pakan terhadap perkembangan gonad abalon Haliotis squamata. Dalam penelitian ini diterapkan 4 perlakuan pemberian pakan yaitu: (A) Gracilaria sp., (B) Ulva sp., (C) Sargassum sp., (D) Kombinasi Gracilaria sp. + Ulva sp. + Sargassum sp. (rasio 1:1:1). Rancangan yang digunakan adalah rancangan acak lengkap masing-masing dengan 3 ulangan. Induk-induk abalon dipelihara dalam 12 buah kontainer plastik berlubang ukuran 0,58 m x 0,39 m x 0,31 m dan ditempatkan dalam sebuah bak semen ukuran 3 m x 2 m x 1 m. Setiap kontainer berisi abalon sebanyak 10 ekor dengan ukuran awal rata-rata panjang cangkang dan bobot masing-masing 58,9±1,37 mm dan 36,1±4,06 g. Pakan diberikan dengan dosis 15%-20% dari bobot biomassa setiap 2 hari sekali. Pergantian air menggunakan sistem sirkulasi dengan debit 5-6 L/menit. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa rata-rata pertumbuhan bobot mutlak dan laju pertumbuhan bobot harian berbeda nyata (P<0,05) antar perlakuan. Tingkat kematangan gonad (TKG) induk abalon pada hari ke-70 diperoleh TKG-III tertinggi dihasilkan pada perlakuan kombinasi Gracilaria + Ulva sp. + Sargassum sp. (P<0,05). Perlakuan pakan kombinasi Gracilaria sp. + Ulva sp. dan Sargassum sp. terlihat lebih sesuai dalam memacu pematangan gonad induk abalon H. squamata. Abalone is a herbivorous animal which consumes various kinds of macroalgae in the wild. The aim of the study was to study the effects of various kinds of macroalgae on gonadal maturation of abalone, Haliotis squamata. The experiment applied four kinds of macroalgae i.e.: (A) Gracilaria sp.; (B) Ulva sp.; (C) Sargassum sp.; and (D) Combination of Gracilaria sp. + Ulva sp. + Sargassum sp. (ratio 1:1:1) as food for abalone broodstock. The experiment was arranged in complete random design with three replications. One cemented tank of 3 m x 2 m x 1 m in size was used for the observation. Twelve plastic containers of 0,58 m x 0,39 m x 0,31 m in size were placed in the tank and stocked with 10 abalones per container with the average size of shell length and body weight were 58.9±1.37 mm and 36.1±4.06 g, respectively. For each treatment, macroalgae was given daily with the dosage between 15% and 20% from the total of body weight. Water exchange was done using flow-through system with rate of exchange of 5-6 L/minute. The result of the study showed that the average of absolute growth and daily growth rate of abalones were significantly different (P<0.05) among treatments. The observation of gonadal development of abalone broodstocks on day-70 revealed that the latest stage III of gonadal maturation was achieved by the broodstock fed with combination treatment of Gracilaria sp. + Ulva sp. + Sargassum sp. (P<0.05). Combination of macroalgae from this treatment was clearly able to stimulate gonadal maturation of H. squamata broodstock.