Raising the bar: genus-specific nested PCR improves detection and lineage identification of avian haemosporidian parasites.

Avian haemosporidian parasites are useful model organisms to study the ecology and evolution of parasite-host interactions due to their global distribution and extensive biodiversity. Detection of these parasites has evolved from microscopic examination to PCR-based methods, with the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene serving as barcoding region. However, standard PCR protocols used for screening and identification purposes have limitations in detecting mixed infections and generating phylogenetically informative data due to short amplicon lengths.

Detection of Three Species (Apicomplexa) in Blood Samples of the Bank Vole and Yellow-Necked Mouse from Lithuania.

The genus is an abundant group of Apicomplexa parasites found in mammals, birds, and reptiles. These parasites are characterised by the formation of sarcocysts in the muscles of intermediate hosts and the development of sporocysts in the intestines of definitive hosts. The identification of spp.

The extinct Sicilian wolf shows a complex history of isolation and admixture with ancient dogs.

The Sicilian wolf remained isolated in Sicily from the end of the Pleistocene until its extermination in the 1930s-1960s. Given its long-term isolation on the island and distinctive morphology, the genetic origin of the Sicilian wolf remains debated. We sequenced four nuclear genomes and five mitogenomes from the seven existing museum specimens to investigate the Sicilian wolf ancestry, relationships with extant and extinct wolves and dogs, and diversity.

Ecological indices and factors influencing communities of ectoparasitic laelapid mites (Acari, Mesostigmata, Laelapidae) of small mammals in Lithuania.

Family Laelapidae is an ecologically diverse group that includes free-living species and parasites of vertebrates and invertebrates. At least seven genera in this family are associated with small mammals. In this study, ectoparasitic laelapid mites of rodents and shrews were investigated in Lithuania.

Bifidobacterium castoris strains isolated from wild mice show evidence of frequent host switching and diverse carbohydrate metabolism potential.

Members of the gut microbiota genus Bifidobacterium are widely distributed human and animal symbionts believed to exert beneficial effects on their hosts. However, in-depth genomic analyses of animal-associated species and strains are somewhat lacking, particularly in wild animal populations. Here, to examine patterns of host specificity and carbohydrate metabolism capacity, we sequenced whole genomes of Bifidobacterium isolated from wild-caught small mammals from two European countries (UK and Lithuania).

Effects of laboratory domestication on the rodent gut microbiome.

The domestication of the laboratory mouse has influenced the composition of its native gut microbiome, which is now known to differ from that of its wild ancestor. However, limited exploration of the rodent gut microbiome beyond the model species Mus musculus has made it difficult to interpret microbiome variation in a broader phylogenetic context. Here, we analyse 120 de novo and 469 public metagenomically-sequenced faecal and caecal samples from 16 rodent hosts representing wild, laboratory and captive lifestyles.

Blood parasites (Babesia, Hepatozoon and Trypanosoma) of rodents, Lithuania: part I. Molecular and traditional microscopy approach.

Wild rodents, as natural reservoir hosts carrying various species of pathogens, play an important role in the evolution and emergence of zoonotic diseases. In this study, protist parasites, namely Babesia sp., Trypanosoma sp.

The evolution of ecological facilitation within mixed-species biofilms in the mouse gastrointestinal tract.

The eco-evolutionary interactions among members of the vertebrate gut microbiota that ultimately result in host-specific communities are poorly understood. Here we show that Lactobacillus reuteri coexists with  species that belong to the Lactobacillus johnsonii cluster (L. johnsonii, L.

and : Key Players in the Life Cycle.

A broad range of rodent species are described as potential intermediate hosts for , a wide-spread zoonotic cestode causing alveolar echinococcosis. However, little is known about the relative contribution of these species for parasite reproduction and the maintenance of its life cycle. In a comparative study in a high endemic region in Zurich, Switzerland, we investigated prevalence rates and fertility of in the most abundant vole species as well as the predation rate of foxes on these species.

Wolf population genetics in Europe: a systematic review, meta-analysis and suggestions for conservation and management.

The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic large carnivore that has increasingly been recognized as an apex predator with intrinsic value and a keystone species. However, wolves have also long represented a primary source of human-carnivore conflict, which has led to long-term persecution of wolves, resulting in a significant decrease in their numbers, genetic diversity and gene flow between populations. For more effective protection and management of wolf populations in Europe, robust scientific evidence is crucial.

Homogenous Population Genetic Structure of the Non-Native Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Europe as a Result of Rapid Population Expansion.

The extent of gene flow during the range expansion of non-native species influences the amount of genetic diversity retained in expanding populations. Here, we analyse the population genetic structure of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in north-eastern and central Europe. This invasive species is of management concern because it is highly susceptible to fox rabies and an important secondary host of the virus.

Migration and isolation during the turbulent Ponto-Caspian Pleistocene create high diversity in the crustacean Paramysis lacustris.

The Ponto-Caspian brackish-water fauna inhabits estuaries and rivers of the Black, Azov and Caspian seas and is fragmented by higher salinity waters and a major interbasin watershed. The fauna is known for the high levels of endemism, complex zoogeographic histories, and as a recent source of successful invasive species. It remains debated whether the Black and Azov Sea brackish-water populations survived unfavourable Pleistocene conditions in multiple separate refugia or whether the two seas were (repeatedly) recolonized from the Caspian.