Lithology and disturbance drive cavefish and cave crayfish occurrence in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion.

Diverse communities of groundwater-dwelling organisms (i.e., stygobionts) are important for human wellbeing; however, we lack an understanding of the factors driving their distributions, making it difficult to protect many at-risk species.

Molecular systematics of the North American chub genus Macrhybopsis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae).

The North American fish genus Macrhybopsis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) as presently conceived comprises 12 species and occurs in much of interior eastern North America. Variation in the mitochondrial ND2 gene and the nuclear S7 intron 1 reveal conflicting gene-tree relationships for deeper nodes, which are assumed to represent past introgression and heterospecific mitochondrial fixation. The results support monophyly for the wide-ranging M.

Present and potential future distribution of common vampire bats in the Americas and the associated risk to cattle.

Success of the cattle industry in Latin America is impeded by the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, through decreases in milk production and mass gain and increased risk of secondary infection and rabies. We used ecological niche modeling to predict the current potential distribution of D. rotundus and the future distribution of the species for the years 2030, 2050, and 2080 based on the A2, A1B, and B1 climate scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Hepatitis E virus genotype 3 in wild rats, United States.

The role of rodents in the epidemiology of zoonotic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has been a subject of considerable debate. Seroprevalence studies suggest widespread HEV infection in commensal Rattus spp. rats, but experimental transmission has been largely unsuccessful and recovery of zoonotic genotype 3 HEV RNA from wild Rattus spp.

Invasion facilitates hybridization with introgression in the Rattus rattus species complex.

Biological invasions result in novel species interactions, which can have significant evolutionary impacts on both native and invading taxa. One evolutionary concern with invasions is hybridization among lineages that were previously isolated, but make secondary contact in their invaded range(s). Black rats, consisting of several morphologically very similar but genetically distinct taxa that collectively have invaded six continents, are arguably the most successful mammalian invaders on the planet.

Phylogeny and evolution of the Piroplasmida as inferred from 18S rRNA sequences.

The order Piroplasmida consists of several genera of tick-borne parasites that infect mammals, and to a lesser extent birds, and are therefore of medical and economic importance. Despite their importance, considerable confusion exists concerning the relationship among piroplasmid species, specifically concerning the number of genera and the intergeneric relationships. To examine evolutionary relationships among piroplasmids, we conducted phylogenetic analyses of 192 18S rDNA sequences from the genera Theileria, Babesia and Cytauxzoon.

Multiple geographic origins of commensalism and complex dispersal history of Black Rats.

The Black Rat (Rattus rattus) spread out of Asia to become one of the world's worst agricultural and urban pests, and a reservoir or vector of numerous zoonotic diseases, including the devastating plague. Despite the global scale and inestimable cost of their impacts on both human livelihoods and natural ecosystems, little is known of the global genetic diversity of Black Rats, the timing and directions of their historical dispersals, and the risks associated with contemporary movements. We surveyed mitochondrial DNA of Black Rats collected across their global range as a first step towards obtaining an historical genetic perspective on this socioeconomically important group of rodents.

Genetic signature of reproductive manipulation in the phylogeography of the bat fly, Trichobius major.

The bat fly (Trichobius major) is a blood-feeding ectoparasite of the cave myotis (Myotis velifer). A recent mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) study examining population structure of T. major in the South Central United States detected a single haplotype from all individuals examined (N = 48 from 12 different caves), representing one of only a few known examples of such widespread mtDNA uniformity.

Detection and experimental transmission of a novel Babesia isolate in captive olive baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis).

Babesia spp. are tick-transmitted apicomplexan hemoparasites that infect mammalian red blood cells. Our purpose was to determine the prevalence of Babesia infection in a colony of captive baboons and to evaluate potential experimental routes of the transmission of the hemoparasite.

Faster lizards sire more offspring: sexual selection on whole-animal performance.

Sexual selection operates by acting on variation in mating success. However, since selection acts on whole-organism manifestations (i.e.

Molecular systematics of Hispaniolan pupfishes (Cyprinodontidae: Cyprinodon): implications for the biogeography of insular Caribbean fishes.

We used sequence variation in the mtDNA control-region and ND2 and cyt b genes to assess the systematics and biogeography of the five species of pupfish (Cyprinodon) on Hispaniola. These include four endemics, the relatively large-bodied Cyprinodon bondi, Cyprinodon nichollsi, and Cyprinodon sp., each from a separate lake in southwestern Hispaniola, and Cyprinodon higuey from a coastal lake in eastern Hispaniola.

A new species of Cytauxzoon from Pallas' cats caught in Mongolia and comments on the systematics and taxonomy of piroplasmids.

DNA was extracted and the 18S ribosomal RNA gene was amplified and sequenced from the blood of 2 Pallas' cats (Otocolobus manul) infected with small intraerythrocytic piroplasms. Sequences of the parasite were found to be identical with that of a previously reported Cytauxzoon-like piroplasm from a Pallas' cat. Phylogenetic analyses of the parasite DNA sequences obtained from the 3 Pallas' cats to other piroplasms revealed a sister group relationship to C.

Characterization of genetic diversity in Dermacentor andersoni (Acari: Ixodidae) with body size and weight polymorphism.

Morphological and discrete genetic differences are found between geographically isolated, allopatric, tick populations. However, we have found differences in sympatric tick populations. Notable differences were found in the body size and weight of Dermacentor andersoni collected from a single location in Montana, USA.

Recent studies on the characterization of Anaplasma marginale isolated from North American bison.

Anaplasma marginale (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), a tick-borne pathogen of cattle, is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Many geographic isolates of A. marginale occur worldwide that have been identified by major surface protein (MSP) 1a, which varies in sequence and molecular weight owing to different numbers of tandem 28-29 amino acid repeats.

Anaplasma infection in free-ranging Iberian red deer in the region of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain.

Organisms in the genus Anaplasma are obligate intracellular pathogens that multiply in both vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. The type species, Anaplasma marginale, causes bovine anaplasmosis and infects erythrocytes of the vertebrate host and undergoes a complex developmental cycle in ticks which serve as biological vectors. Infected cattle, wild ruminants and ticks can all serve as reservoirs of A.

Genetic diversity and molecular phylogeny of Anaplasma marginale isolates from Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Anaplasma marginale (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), a tick-borne pathogen of cattle, is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and many isolates of A. marginale may occur in a given geographic area. Phylogenetic relationships have been reported for A.

An intraerythrocytic small piroplasm in wild-caught Pallas's cats (Otocolobus manul) from Mongolia.

During the quarantine examination of four Pallas's cats (Otocolobus manul) imported from Mongolia in October and December 2000, intraerythrocytic piroplasms were detected on Wright-Giemsa stained blood films that were morphologically indistinguishable from other small piroplasms of felids. Further characterization of this unknown organism via polymerase chain reaction amplification, sequencing of a portion of the 18S nuclear small subunit rRNA gene, and comparisons with orthologous sequences from other piroplasms, revealed similarity to Cytauxzoon felis. This is the first report of naturally occurring erythroparasitemia in Pallas's cats and the first documented case of naturally occurring piroplasm infections in a free-ranging felid from Mongolia.

Characterization of Anaplasma marginale isolated from North American bison.

Anaplasma marginale (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), a tick-borne pathogen of cattle, is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Although serologic tests have identified American bison, Bison bison, as being infected with A. marginale, the present study was undertaken to confirm A.

Anaplasma marginale msp1alpha genotypes evolved under positive selection pressure but are not markers for geographic isolates.

Anaplasma marginale (order Rickettsiales, family Anaplasmataceae), a tick-borne pathogen of cattle, is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Many geographic isolates of A. marginale occur in the United States and have been identified by major surface protein 1a (MSP1a), which varies in sequence and molecular weight due to different numbers of tandem 28- to 29-amino-acid repeats.

Genetic variation within and among fragmented populations of lesser prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus).

As a result of recurrent droughts and anthropogenic factors, the range of the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) has contracted by 92% and the population has been reduced by approximately 97% in the past century, resulting in the smallest population size and most restricted geographical distribution of any North American grouse. We examined genetic variation through DNA sequence analysis of 478 base pairs of the mitochondrial genome and by assaying allelic variation at five microsatellite loci from lesser prairie-chickens collected on 20 leks in western Oklahoma and east-central New Mexico. Traditional population genetic analyses indicate that lesser prairie-chickens maintain high levels of genetic variation at both nuclear and mitochondrial loci.

Utility of the dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) gene for resolving mammalian intraordinal phylogenetic relationships.

We sequenced exon 6 of the nuclear dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) gene from 19 species of bats (order Chiroptera) to assess the utility of this gene for higher-level phylogenetic studies. Bayesian analysis revealed high support (posterior probabilities >/=0.95) for monophyly of Noctilionoidea (Phyllostomidae, Noctilionidae, and Mormoopidae), all genera and most families examined.

Phylogeography of New World isolates of Anaplasma marginale based on major surface protein sequences.

Gene and protein sequences of major surface proteins (MSP) 1a and 4 of Anaplasma marginale (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) were used to infer phylogenetic relationships between New World isolates from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the United States. Seventeen isolates of A. marginale plus two outgroup taxa (A.

Utility of chromosomal position of heterochromatin as a biomarker of radiation-induced genetic damage: a study of Chornobyl voles (Microtus sp.).

Biomarkers that effectively document effects of chronic multi-generational exposure to contaminated environments on chromosomes would be valuable in risk assessment, remediation, and environmental decisions. Native, free-ranging populations of voles inhabiting the highly radioactive regions surrounding Reactor 4 of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Station provide a model system to evaluate biological and chromosomal effects of chronic multi-generational exposure to radioactivity and other reactor meltdown-related pollutants. Here, we explore the utility of heterochromatic elements as potentially informative biomarkers for genetic damage in voles from the radioactive environments surrounding Chornobyl.

Characterization and phylogenetic utility of the mammalian protamine p1 gene.

We sequenced the protamine P1 gene (ca. 450 bp) from 20 bats (order Chiroptera) and the flying lemur (order Dermoptera). We compared these sequences with published sequences from 19 other mammals representing seven orders (Artiodactyla, Carnivora, Cetacea, Perissodactyla, Primates, Proboscidea, and Rodentia) to assess structure, base compositional bias, and phylogenetic utility.

Microbat paraphyly and the convergent evolution of a key innovation in Old World rhinolophoid microbats.

Molecular phylogenies challenge the view that bats belong to the superordinal group Archonta, which also includes primates, tree shrews, and flying lemurs. Some molecular studies also challenge microbat monophyly and instead support an alliance between megabats and representative rhinolophoid microbats from the families Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats, Old World leaf-nosed bats) and Megadermatidae (false vampire bats). Another molecular study ostensibly contradicts these results and supports traditional microbat monophyly, inclusive of representative rhinolophoids from the family Nycteridae (slit-faced bats).