Does Avian Coronavirus Co-Circulate with Avian Paramyxovirus and Avian Influenza Virus in Wild Ducks in Siberia?

Avian coronaviruses (ACoV) have been shown to be highly prevalent in wild bird populations. More work on avian coronavirus detection and diversity estimation is needed for the breeding territories of migrating birds, where the high diversity and high prevalence of and have already been shown in wild birds. In order to detect ACoV RNA, we conducted PCR diagnostics of cloacal swab samples from birds, which we monitored during avian influenza A virus surveillance activities.

Phenological Features of the Spongy Moth, (L.) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), in the Northernmost Portions of Its Eurasian Range.

The spongy moth, , is a classic example of an invasive pest accidentally introduced from Europe to North America, where it has become one of the most serious forest defoliators, as in its native range. The present study was aimed at (i) identifying the current northern limit of 's Eurasian range and exploring its northward expansion in Canada using pheromone trap data, and (ii) comparing northern Eurasian populations with those from central and southern regions with respect to male flight phenology, the sums of effective temperatures (SETs) above the 7 °C threshold necessary for development to the adult stage, and heat availability. We show that the range of in Eurasia now reaches the 61st parallel, and comparisons with historical data identify the average speed of spread as 50 km/year.

Dilatapalochrus gen. nov.-a new species and a new genus of soft-winged flower beetle of the tribe Apalochrini (Coleoptera: Malachiidae) from East Africa.

A new genus, Dilatapalochrus Tshernyshev gen. nov., from East Africa is described in the tribe Apalochrini with Dilatapalochrus vikhrevi Tshernyshev, sp.

Characterization and Phylodynamics of Reassortant H12Nx Viruses in Northern Eurasia.

Wild waterfowl birds are known to be the main reservoir for a variety of avian influenza viruses of different subtypes. Some subtypes, such as H2Nx, H8Nx, H12Nx, and H14Nx, occur relatively rarely in nature. During 10-year long-term surveillance, we isolated five rare H12N5 and one H12N2 viruses in three different distinct geographic regions of Northern Eurasia and studied their characteristics.

Mobile genetic elements explain size variation in the mitochondrial genomes of four closely-related Armillaria species.

Background: Species in the genus Armillaria (fungi, basidiomycota) are well-known as saprophytes and pathogens on plants. Many of them cause white-rot root disease in diverse woody plants worldwide. Mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are widely used in evolutionary and population studies, but despite the importance and wide distribution of Armillaria, the complete mitogenomes have not previously been reported for this genus.

Using the Data-Compression Method for Studying Hunting Behavior in Small Mammals.

Using the data-compression method we revealed a similarity between hunting behaviors of the common shrew, which is insectivorous, and several rodent species with different types of diet. Seven rodent species studied displayed succinct, highly predictable hunting stereotypes, in which it was easy for the data compressor to find regularities. The generalist Norway rat, with its changeable manipulation of prey and less predictable transitions between stereotype elements, significantly differs from other species.

Fathers and sons: Physiological stress in male Zaisan mole voles, Ellobius tancrei.

The social environment can be stressful for at least some group members, resulting in elevated levels of glucocorticoid stress hormones (GC). Patterns of the relationships between social rank and GC levels vary between species. In carnivores, primates and birds that live in permanent cooperative groups, helpers do not usually display physiological indicators of stress.

Hexokinase as a versatile molecular genetic marker for Microsporidia.

Hexokinase (HK) is a core glycolytic enzyme of Microsporidia which regulates host cell metabolic processes. The goal of the present study was to test for the utility of HK for molecular phylogenetics, species identification and molecular detection of microsporidia in infected insects. HK sequence-based reconstructions were essentially similar to those based upon largest subunit RNA polymerase (RPB1) gene sequences, as well as previously published rRNA gene and genome-based trees.

Two new tiger-moth species from Afrotropics with reviews of genera and (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea: Erebidae, Arctiinae).

Two new species, Pericaliella popoudinae Dubatolov, sp. nov. from Rwanda, and Monstruncusarctia anikini Dubatolov, sp.

Intra- and trans-generational effects of larval diet on susceptibility to an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, in the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella.

In addition to nutritional conditions experienced by individuals themselves, those experienced by their parents can affect their immune function. Here, we studied the intra- and trans-generational effects of larval diet on susceptibility to an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, in the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella. In the first part of the study, a split-brood design was used to compare the susceptibility of full sibs raised either on low- or on high-nutrition larval diet.

Isotopic evidence for the spatial heterogeneity of the planktonic food webs in the transition zone between river and lake ecosystems.

Resources and organisms in food webs are distributed patchily. The spatial structure of food webs is important and critical to understanding their overall structure. However, there is little available information about the small-scale spatial structure of food webs.

Activity of spores and extracellular proteins from six Cry+ strains and a Cry- strain of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki against the western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).

We characterized insecticidal activity of previously untested strains of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki belonging to two crystal serovars (K-1 and K-73) against the western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman 1967). By testing various components, we demonstrated that spores play a critical role in the pathogenesis of each strain. Spore-free crystals caused low mortality and purified spores were generally not toxic.

Temporal variation in prevalence and abundance of metacercariae in the pulmonate snail Lymnaea stagnalis in Chany Lake, West Siberia, Russia: long-term patterns and environmental covariates.

Infrapopulations of trematode metacercariae were monitored in the snail Lymnaea stagnalis over 17 yr (1982-1999) at Chany Lake, Novosibirskaya Oblast', Russia. Eighteen trematode species were recorded. Patterns of occurrence varied from 4 species (Echinoparyphium aconiatum, Echinoparyphium recurvatum, Moliniella anceps, and Cotylurus cornutus) that persisted at relatively high prevalence (> 60% of samples) across sites, seasons, and years, to species that were very rare and sporadic in occurrence.

[On the role of morphological and biochemical criteria in species identification: an example of larval dragonflies of the genus Aeshna].

Dragonflies belong to the group of organisms with numerous well-differentiated species-specific characters at the adult stage, on the one hand, and a significantly smaller number or even the absence of such characters at the early ontogenetic stages. An example of the genus Aeshna is used to show difficulties in revealing morphological and biochemical characters allowing identification of larval dragonflies belonging to closely related species of the family. Distinct morphometric characters can be found only in late-instar larvae.

Seasonal changes of thermoregulation in the mole vole Ellobius talpinus.

Seasonal changes of thermoregulation were studied in mole voles (Ellobius talpinus Pall.) from southern Siberia. Spontaneous fluctuations of body temperature were significantly higher in summer than in autumn.

Application of the nitroblue tetrazolium-reduction method for studies on the production of reactive oxygen species in insect haemocytes.

The in vitro generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in haemocytes of Galleria mellonella, Aporia crataegi, Dendrolimus sibiricus, Aglais urticae (Lepidoptera) and Gryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera), was studied by the method of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction. Formazan formation (product of NBT reduction) was observed in haemocytes of all the insects examined, except A. urticae.

[Effect of population density on ecological characteristics of the grass moth Loxostege sticticalis L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in the gradation cycle].

We continued to study the diversity of responses of the grass moth Loxostege sticticalis L. to variations of density. We estimated the dynamics of the internal state of individuals and considered the influence of the population prehistory on ecological characteristics of the phytophage.

Experimental studies of the ability of ants to add and subtract small numbers.

Ants had to communicate information to each other in an apparatus consisting of a horizontal "trunk" with "branches" in order to obtain food, the information being used to identify which of 40 branches had a feeder. The feeder was placed on two preselected branches significantly more frequently than on the other branches. The ants were able to tune their communication system such that the duration of communications was related to the frequency with which feeders were located on branches, and the ants could add and subtract small numbers during communication of information on the feeder identification number.