Detection of Khapra Beetle Environmental DNA Using Portable Technologies in Australian Biosecurity.

Khapra beetle, Everts, 1898, is a serious pest of stored grain products globally. Environmental DNA (eDNA)-based methods offer sensitive detection tools used to inform biosecurity officers on the presence of high-risk pests. This study tested laboratory and portable molecular technologies to detect khapra beetle environmental DNA extracted from dust samples collected during biosecurity responses (Tuggeranong and Fyshwick) to khapra beetle incursions in Australia.

Parasite detection in the ornamental fish trade using environmental DNA.

Effective border control relies on stringent biosecurity protocols to detect and prevent introductions of exotic pests and diseases. Detection of pathogens and parasites in the live ornamental fish trade using environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques has the potential to improve current biosecurity practices. We examined water samples from 11 target consignments (cyprinids susceptible to Dactylogyrus spp.

Correction to: Monogenean parasites infect ornamental fish imported to Australia.

The phylogenetic tree (Figure 7) in the published document has incorrect Bayesian analysis posterior probabilities. This error prevents accurate analysis by future research in parasitology. The figure is therefore replaced by the corrected figure below.

Parasite Dispersal From the Ornamental Goldfish Trade.

Goldfish, Carassius auratus Linnaeus, 1758, are immensely popular ornamental cyprinid fish, traded in more than 100 countries. For more than 500 years, human translocation has facilitated the spread of goldfish globally, which has enabled numerous and repeated introductions of parasite taxa that infect them. The parasite fauna assemblage of goldfish is generally well documented, but few studies provide evidence of parasite coinvasion following the release of goldfish.

Monogenean Parasite Cultures: Current Techniques and Recent Advances.

Global expansion in fish production and trade of aquatic ornamental species requires advances in aquatic animal health management. Aquatic parasite cultures permit diverse research opportunities to understand parasite-host dynamics and are essential to validate the efficacy of treatments that could reduce infections in captive populations. Monogeneans are important pathogenic parasites of captured captive fishes and exhibit a single-host life cycle, which makes them amenable to in vivo culture.