Feasibility of implementing RPA coupled with CRISPR-Cas12a (RPA-Cas12a) for Hepatozoon canis detection in dogs.

Hepatozoonosis, caused by the protozoan Hepatozoon canis, is a prevalent blood disease affecting owned and stray dogs and cats. The prevalence of these parasites among companion animals in Thailand remains poorly understood. Diagnosing the old-world form of the disease is challenging due to the wide range of nonspecific clinical signs and the reliance on finding low levels of Hepatozoon gamonts in blood smears for conventional diagnosis.

The first study of genetic diversity and population structure of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin () and pantropical spotted dolphin () in the Thai Andaman Sea based on ISSR.

Background And Aim: The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, , and the pantropical spotted dolphin, , are protected marine mammals in Thailand; however, knowledge regarding the populations of both species in Thai seas is minimal. We aimed to reveal the genetic diversity and population structure of two species, , and , based on inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs).

Materials And Methods: Samples of stranded (n = 30) and (n = 23) found along Thai Andaman Sea coasts from 1998 to 2018 were used in this study.

Relationship of stranded cetaceans in Thai territorial waters to global populations: Mitochondrial DNA diversity of Cuvier's beaked whale, Indo Pacific finless porpoise, pygmy sperm whale, and dwarf sperm whale.

Cetaceans inhabit oceans throughout the world. Four specific odontocetes, namely Cuvier's beaked whale (), Indo Pacific finless porpoise (), pygmy sperm whale (), and dwarf sperm whale (), have occasionally been found stranded along Thailand's coastal waters (the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand). Although shared haplotypes of each species for many locations have been found, and some species have revealed genetic structure through haplotype networks, cetaceans in Thai waters have never been investigated in terms of comparing haplotypes to those that have existed before.

Microsatellite Polymorphism and the Population Structure of Dugongs () in Thailand.

The dugong () is an endangered species of marine mammals, so knowledge of genetic diversity of these populations is important for conservation planning within different habitats. In this study, six microsatellite markers were used to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of 77 dugongs from skin samples of stranded animals collected from 1994-2019 (69 from Andaman Sea and 8 from the Gulf of Thailand). Our results found that dugongs in the Andaman Sea had higher genetic variation than those in the Gulf of Thailand.

Life Expectancy in Marine Mammals Is Unrelated to Telomere Length but Is Associated With Body Size.

Marine mammals vary greatly in size and lifespan across species. This study determined whether measures of adult body weight, length and relative telomere length were related to lifespan. Skin tissue samples ( = 338) were obtained from 23 marine mammal species, including four Mysticeti, 19 Odontoceti and one dugong species, and the DNA extracted to measure relative telomere length using real-time PCR.

Feasibility of melting fingerprint obtained from ISSR-HRM curves for marine mammal species identification.

Currently, species identification of stranded marine mammals mostly relies on morphological features, which has inherent challenges. The use of genetic information for marine mammal species identification remains limited, therefore, new approaches that can contribute to a better monitoring of stranded species are needed. In that context, the ISSR-HRM method we have proposed offers a new approach for marine mammal species identification.

Age relationships with telomere length, body weight and body length in wild dugong ().

The ability to estimate age and determine the growth status of free-ranging dugongs () is vital to providing insight into the basic biology of this endangered species. Currently, age estimation in dugong carcasses relies on counting dentin growth layer groups (GLGs) in tusks, but a disadvantage is they need to be intact. We explored whether measures of telomere length could be used as an alternative approach to age estimation in dugongs given that in other species, telomere length and age are inversely related.