Genome-wide nuclear data confirm two species in the Alpine endemic land snail s.l. (Gastropoda, Hygromiidae).

The Austrian endemic land snail species (formerly ) occurs in the Northeastern Calcareous Alps at high elevations. Two morphologically highly similar subspecies   and have been described. First analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear marker sequences indicated a high genetic divergence between them.

First Record of (Talbot, 1936) in Europe, a Possible Causative Agent of Cercarial Dermatitis.

Several species of avian schistosomes are known to cause dermatitis in humans worldwide. In Europe, this applies above all to species of the genus . For Austria, a lot of data are available on cercarial dermatitis and on the occurrence of , yet species identification of trematodes in most cases is doubtful due to the challenging morphological determination of cercariae.

DNA barcoding for species delimitation of the freshwater leech genus from the Western Balkan (Hirudinea, Glossiphoniidae).

Glossiphoniid leeches are a diverse group and sometimes abundant elements of the aquatic fauna inhabiting various types of freshwater habitats. In this study, we sampled leeches of the genus from the Western Balkan in order to test the suitability of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) marker sequence for species delimitation. Morphological analysis revealed the presence of four taxa, with two subspecies, and , the latter an endemic of Ohrid Lake, and endemic .

Detection of spp., and in Gastropods in Eastern Austria.

Canine and feline cardiorespiratory parasites are of utmost relevance in veterinary medicine. Key epizootiological information on major pet metastrongyloids, i.e.

First confirmed record of Trichobilharzia franki Müller & Kimmig, 1994, from Radix auricularia (Linnaeus, 1758) for Austria.

Avian schistosomes are of medical and veterinary importance as they are responsible for the annually occurring cercarial dermatitis outbreaks. For Austria, so far, only Trichobilharzia szidati Neuhaus 1952 was confirmed on species level as causative agent of cercarial dermatitis. Here we present the first record of Trichobilharzia franki Müller & Kimmig 1994 in Austria.

Unravelling the hidden biodiversity - the establishment of DNA barcodes of fish-parasitizing Acanthocephala Koehlreuther, 1771 in view of taxonomic misidentifications, intraspecific variability and possible cryptic species.

Acanthocephalans are obligate parasites of vertebrates, mostly of fish. There is limited knowledge about the diversity of fish-parasitizing Acanthocephala in Austria. Seven determined species and an undetermined species are recorded for Austrian waters.

Diversity of digenean trematode larvae in snails from Lake Victoria, Kenya: First reports and bioindicative aspects.

This study investigated the occurrence of digenean trematode larvae in snails from the Kenyan part of Lake Victoria. The survey included caenogastropod snails that have received less focus in parasitological studies in Africa: their trematodes are largely unknown. Out of 1145 snail specimens, 149 (13.

Genetic diversity of Fasciola hepatica in Austria.

The worldwide occurring common liver fluke Fasciola hepatica can infect humans and animals and leads to considerable illness and economic loss annually. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of F. hepatica in Austria.

An integrative taxonomic approach to reveal the status of the genus Monticelli, 1905 (Acanthocephala: Pomphorhynchidae) in Austria.

Species of the genus Monticelli, 1905 (Acanthocephala: Pomphorhynchidae) are obligate endoparasites infesting mostly freshwater fish. Morphological identification is challenging due to high intraspecific variations. The use of molecular analyses enabled new insights into the diversity and revealed high cryptic presence and unknown distribution patterns for various European species.

Genetic homogeneity of Fascioloides magna in Austria.

The large American liver fluke, Fascioloides magna, is an economically relevant parasite of both domestic and wild ungulates. F. magna was repeatedly introduced into Europe, for the first time already in the 19th century.

Investigating gene flow between the blind cavefish Garra barreimiae and its conspecific surface populations.

Cave-dwelling taxa often share the same phenotypic modifications like absence of eyes and pigmentation. These "troglomorphic characters" are expressed in the populations of Garra barreimiae from the Al Hoota Cave and nearby Hoti Pit in Northern Oman. Surface morphotypes of this cyprinid species are common throughout the distribution area.

Indication for selfing in geographically separated populations and evidence for Pleistocene survival within the Alps: the case of Cylindrus obtusus (Pulmonata: Helicidae).

Background: Cylindrus obtusus is one of the most prominent endemic snail species of the Eastern Alps. It is restricted to alpine meadows and calcareous rocky habitats above 1500 m. Peculiar intraspecific differences have been observed in its genital tract in the eastern populations the two mucus glands associated with the love dart sac are highly variable, while almost no variation was observed in the western populations.

Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of Arion vulgaris--Proteins for Probably Successful Survival Strategies?

The Spanish slug, Arion vulgaris, is considered one of the hundred most invasive species in Central Europe. The immense and very successful adaptation and spreading of A. vulgaris suggest that it developed highly effective mechanisms to deal with infections and natural predators.

Differentiation in the complex and related taxa (Pulmonata: Hygromiidae): morphology, ecology and their relation to phylogeography.

In this study we investigated the morphology and ecology of representatives of the taxonomically ambiguous genus . The main focus was on the complex, which comprises several genetically highly divergent mitochondrial clades, as determined in a parallel molecular genetic study. We analysed shell morphology and anatomical traits and asked whether the clades are differentiated in these characters.

Phylogeography of the land snail genus Orcula (Orculidae, Stylommatophora) with emphasis on the Eastern Alpine taxa: speciation, hybridization and morphological variation.

Background: The Central and Southern European mountain ranges represent important biodiversity hotspots and show high levels of endemism. In the land snail genus Orcula Held, 1837 nine species are distributed in the Alps and a few taxa inhabit the Carpathians, the Dinarids and the Western Black Sea region. In order to elucidate the general patterns of temporal and geographic diversification, mitochondrial and nuclear markers were analyzed in all 13 Orcula species.

Paraphyly and budding speciation in the hairy snail (Pulmonata, Hygromiidae).

Delimitation of species is often complicated by discordance of morphological and genetic data. This may be caused by the existence of cryptic or polymorphic species. The latter case is particularly true for certain snail species showing an exceptionally high intraspecific genetic diversity.

Characterization of 19 new microsatellite loci for the Omani barb Garra barreimiae from 454 sequences.

Background: Garra barreimiae is a cyprinid fish from the southeastern Arabian Peninsula, which inhabits regularly desiccating wadis and survives in isolated ponds or underground. In 1984 a cave-dwelling population was found in the Al Hoota cave system and previous genetic analyses revealed some differentiation with limited gene flow between the surface populations and the cave population. Since no suitable markers are available for evaluation of gene flow between the cave population and the adjacent surface populations, we focused on designing and establishing novel microsatellite markers from next generation sequencing data.

In search of glacial refuges of the land snail Orcula dolium (Pulmonata, Orculidae)--an integrative approach using DNA sequence and fossil data.

Harboring a large number of endemic species, the Alps and the Western Carpathians are considered as major centers of biodiversity. Nonetheless, the general opinion until the turn of the millennium was that both Central European mountain regions did not provide suitable habitat during the Last Glacial Maximum, but were colonized later from southern refuges. However, recent molecular genetic studies provide new evidence for peripheral Alpine refuges.

Wherefrom and whereabouts of an alien: the American liver fluke Fascioloides magna in Austria: an overview.

The giant liver fluke Fascioloides magna, an invasive species originating from North America, was recorded in Austria in the wild for the first time in 2000. Since then, various data concerning the epidemiology in snail intermediate hosts and cervid final hosts have been reported. Galba truncatula acts as snail intermediate host, and red deer, roe deer and fallow deer act as final hosts.

[Johann Gottfried Bremser (1767-1827) as a protagonist of the cowpox vaccine].

Vienna was the first city on the European continent where the cowpox vaccination was applied in 1799, shortly after Jenner's (1798) publication of his encouraging results in England. Nevertheless, substantial denial and distrust was evident among doctors and patients in Europe as well, particularly in Austria. The medical doctor Johann Gottfried Bremser remains well known even today among parasitologists as a pioneer of helminthological research in Austria.

Recovery of Fascioloides magna (Digenea) population in spite of treatment programme? Screening of Galba truncatula (Gastropoda, Lymnaeidae) from Lower Austria.

During the past decade, Fascioloides magna, the large American liver fluke, has spread within free-living deer in wetlands of the Danube in Lower Austria. The aim of this study was to determine the current infection rates with F. magna and other digenean parasites in the intermediate host snail Galba truncatula from risk areas in Lower Austria.

Genetic differentiation between cave and surface-dwelling populations of Garra barreimiae (Cyprinidae) in Oman.

Background: Phenotypic similarities among cave-dwelling animals displaying troglomorphic characters (e.g. reduced eyes and lack of pigmentation) have induced a long-term discussion about the forces driving convergent evolution.

GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION AND SHELL MORPHOLOGY OF (WAGNER, 1915) AND (LINNAEUS, 1758) (PULMONATA: HYGROMIIDAE) IN THE NORTHEASTERN ALPS.

and are two land snail taxa endemic to the Northeastern Austrian Alps, which have been regarded as subspecies of the highly variable, widespread land snail . We analysed these three taxa morphologically and genetically to evaluate whether a delimitation between them is possible and, if so, to resolve their phylogenetic relationships. Shell morphological results revealed high similarity between the two taxa, and that they are clearly separated from .