TAXONOMIC COMPOSITION AND QUANTATIVE INDICATORS OF MACROZOOBENTHOS IN WATER BODIES OF WEST KAZAKHSTAN REGION

The article presents the results of the study of macrozoobenthos communities of six lakes in the West Kazakhstan region in the summer-autumn period: Shalkar, Balykty Sarkyl, Edilsor, Glubinnoye, Prorva and Sulukol. Lakes Prorva and Sulukol are located within the steppe, the lakes Shalkar, Balykty Sarkyl, Glubinnoye - in the semi-desert, Lake Edilsor - in the desert zone. In total, 197 samples of zoobenthos were taken according to generally accepted hydrobiological methods. There are analized the indices of the number and biomass of aquatic organisms in the studied reservoirs. According to the results of the studies carried out, the organisms of 66 taxa from the groups Oligochaeta, Hirudinea, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Crustacea, and Insecta were found in benthic samples. Of thesethere were found oligochaetes - 2 species, leeches - 1 species, bivalves and gastropods - 3 species each, crustaceans - 4 species and insects - 53 taxa. Among insects, dip-terans (23 taxa, of which chironomids - 18), mayflies, caddis flies, dragonflies, bugs and beetles were distinguished by the greatest species diversity. It was noted that in the composition of benthic communities, diptera larvae dominated in abundance, the main contribution to the biomass was made by bivalve molluscs. Calculations of the Shannon – Weaver index demonstrate a low species diversity of communities for all water bodies. The highest indices of species diversity were noted in Lake Edilsor - 1.64 bit / specimen, the lowest - in lakes Sulukol and Shalkar - 0.6 bit / specimen. and 0.7 bit / copy. respectively. According to the calculations of the saprobity index, lakes Glubinnoye, Prorva and Balykty Sarkyl belong to the ß-mesosaprobic zone, Lake Edilsor (S = 2.72) to the ɑ-mesosaprobic zone, and the indicators of Lake Sulukol (S = 3.8) correspond to the polysaprobic zone. The values of the saprobity indices of the studied lakes lie within the beta-mesosaprobic – polysaprobic zones. By water quality the studied lakes are assessed as moderately polluted and polluted. According to the classification of S.P. Kitaev (2007) the investigated water bodies are assessed as water bodies of medium feeding. The conducted studies have significantly expanded the taxonomic lists of benthic organisms in this region

Key to Ptychopteridae (Diptera) larvae of Northern Europe, with notes on distribution and biology

A key to larvae of Ptychopteridae (phantom crane flies) is provided for species inhabiting Northern Europe. The key encompasses seven species, including the previously undescribed larvae of Ptychoptera longicauda (Tonnoir 1919). Larval specimens examined were primarily sampled from sites in Denmark. Larvae were associated with correctly identified adults based on DNA barcode (COI) sequence. In the development of the key, a wide suite of morphological characteristics were examined and evaluated for their utility to separate species. Current distribution maps are provided for all species occurring within Northern Europe. Based on records of larvae from Denmark and Finland, notes on larval habitats are given. We also present flight periods for all species examined during this study. Finally, the status of the enigmatic species Ptychoptera obscura (Peus 1958) is briefly discussed.

Influence of environmental and morphological parameters on the microfauna community present in phytotelmata of a bromeliad in a fragment of Atlantic Forest, southern Brazil

Bromeliads are important epiphytes due to their abundance in the Neotropical region and morphological complexity. Their compact and imbricated leaf bases form water storage cisterns that promote important resources for colonization by several prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Due to the lack of knowledge about these environments, the objective of the study was to investigate which physical-chemical and ecological parameters exert effects on the biological richness present in the cisterns of Vriesea platynema. The study was carried out in the Center for Research and Nature Conservation (CPCN – Pró-Mata), in the Serra Geral plateau, northeastern Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Active searches were performed for 10 trees with bromeliads fixed at two heights (< 1.5 m and > 2.5 m). For each bromeliad individual, the height in relation to the ground, the diameter and depth of the central cistern, water temperature, number of lateral cisterns and number of adjacent bromeliads, were measured. A total of 23 taxa were identified in the phytotelmata of V. platynema, with Philodina, Lambornella, Paramecium, Tetrahymena and Diptera larvae being the most representative groups. The richness of organisms in the phytotelmata presented a positive correlation with water temperature (p = 0.01), and the number of adjacent bromeliads (p = 0.05), indicating that physicochemical and ecological factors could influence the richness of bromeliad biota.

Rhinomyiasis: clinical and surgical management

Myiasis by Oestrus ovis, the zoonotic infestation with Diptera larvae, primarily diagnosed in goats and rams in tropical and Mediterranean countries, is an uncommon disease in humans; indeed, literature data are still lacking. Nevertheless, few cases of human myiasis have been reported, leading to benign or severe complications. Here, we report a rare case of human rhinomyiasis detected in Northern Italy. A 39-year-old Italian woman, returning from vacation in Corsica, showed several sinusal symptoms and progressive asthenia and was therefore admitted at the Otorhinolaryngology Unit of Biella Hospital, Italy. Endoscopic examination of the nasal cavity revealed some formations, morphologically identified as O. ovis larvae. The patient then underwent endoscopic sinus surgery, followed by complete resolution of symptoms. Clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up and therapeutic procedures have been compared with few other cases found in the literature.

Natural Surface Hydrocarbons and Soil Faunal Biodiversity: A Bioremediation Perspective

Hydrocarbon pollution threatens aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems globally, but soil fauna in oil-polluted soils has been insufficiently studied. In this research, soil hydrocarbon toxicity was investigated in two natural oil seepage soils in Val D’Agri (Italy) using two different approaches: (i) toxicological tests with Folsomia candida (Collembola) and Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta) and (ii) analysis of abundance and composition of micro- and meso-fauna. Soil sampling was done along 20 m-transepts starting from the natural oil seepages. Toxicological testing revealed that no exemplars of F. candida survived, whereas specimens of E. fetida not only survived but also increased in weight in soils with higher PAH concentrations, although no reproduction was observed. Analysis on microfauna showed that Nematoda was the most abundant group, with distance from seepages not affecting its abundance. Arthropoda results showed that Acarina, Collembola and Diptera larvae represented the most abundant taxa. The highest divergence in community composition was found between soils situated near seepages and at 5 m and 10 m distance. Arthropoda taxa numbers, total abundance and Acarina were lower in soils with high PAH concentration, while Diptera larvae were not significantly affected. Earthworms, together with Nematoda and Diptera larvae, could therefore represent ideal candidates in PAH degradation studies.

Forest fragmentation influences the diet of cichlids Apistogramma agassizii (Steindachner, 1875) and Aequidens tetramerus (Heckel, 1840) (Actinopterygii: Cichliformes) in streams of the Western Amazon

Aims To evaluate the effects of replacing riparian vegetation with pasture in the diet of Apistogramma agassizii and Aequidens tetramerus. Methods The study was carried out in the municipality of Senador Guiomar, Acre. We sampled three streams divided into three stretches each (100 m), bordered by forest, pasture, and both forest and pasture (edge). Quarterly collections using fishnets were performed between January and October 2008. Results The species A. agassizii had a diet based on the consumption of adult insects in stretches of forest, different from the pasture environment, in which the consumption of insect larvae was higher. In the diet of A. tetramerus, the most important item was insect larvae in all environments, mainly in the pasture. We found low amplitude of trophic niche for A. agassizii in the forest environment, due to the consumption of adult insects, and for A. tetramerus in the pasture, due to the consumption of insect larvae. In the pasture areas, we found no difference between the items consumed by the species, which showed a high trophic niche overlap, influenced by the consumption of Diptera larvae. Conclusion Thus, we show that allochthonous items, such as adult insects, are food resources indicative of riparian vegetation conservation and are important for both species, mainly A. agassizii. However, this item has been replaced by autochthonous items, such as Diptera larvae, in the A. agassizii diet and become predominant in the A. tetramerus diet as the riparian vegetation deteriorates.