Multiple orthonairoviruses including Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Tamdy virus and the novel Meram virus in Anatolia.

We conducted orthonairovirus RNA screening of 7043 tick specimens-representing 16 species-collected from various regions of Anatolia. In 602 pools, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) Europe 1 and 2 lineages were detected in seven pools (1.1 %) comprising Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma scupense, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and Rhipicephalus turanicus ticks.

The evolutionary history of extinct and living lions.

Lions are one of the world's most iconic megafauna, yet little is known about their temporal and spatial demographic history and population differentiation. We analyzed a genomic dataset of 20 specimens: two 30,000-y-old cave lions (), 12 historic lions () that lived between the 15th and 20th centuries outside the current geographic distribution of lions, and 6 present-day lions from Africa and India. We found that cave and modern lions shared an ancestor 500,000 y ago and that the 2 lineages likely did not hybridize following their divergence.

Review of the moray eels (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of the Red Sea, with description of a new species.

Thirty-eight species of moray eels (Muraenidae) from the Red Sea are reported in an updated review. A species account is provided for each species, along with a full synonymy of all nominal species described from the Red Sea. One species is new to science, G.

The last stage in the life history of the European conger eel Conger conger: a transformation before death.

The taxonomic, morphological and meristic features of a dark eel caught by commercial trawling off the Gulf of Patti, southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean Sea, February 17, 2017, showed it to be a female Conger conger. Histological analysis of gonads demonstrated that the individual was in a post-spawning phase. X-ray radiographs showed widespread decalcification of skeleton and teeth loss, confirming a strong mobilisation of somatic energy reserves needed for reproductive development.

Survey and Characterization of Jingmen Tick Virus Variants.

We obtained a Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) isolate, following inoculation of a tick pool with detectable Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) RNA. We subsequently screened 7223 ticks, representing 15 species in five genera, collected from various regions in Anatolia and eastern Thrace, Turkey. Moreover, we tested specimens from various patient cohorts ( = 103), and canine ( = 60), bovine ( = 20) and avian specimens ( = 65).

Population genetics of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in its native range in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Background: The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) is an important worldwide invasive species and can be a locally important vector of chikungunya, dengue and, potentially, Zika. This species is native to Southeast Asia where populations thrive in both temperate and tropical climates. A better understanding of the population structure of Ae.

Windborne long-distance migration of malaria mosquitoes in the Sahel.

Over the past two decades efforts to control malaria have halved the number of cases globally, yet burdens remain high in much of Africa and the elimination of malaria has not been achieved even in areas where extreme reductions have been sustained, such as South Africa. Studies seeking to understand the paradoxical persistence of malaria in areas in which surface water is absent for 3-8 months of the year have suggested that some species of Anopheles mosquito use long-distance migration. Here we confirm this hypothesis through aerial sampling of mosquitoes at 40-290 m above ground level and provide-to our knowledge-the first evidence of windborne migration of African malaria vectors, and consequently of the pathogens that they transmit.

Revision of the species composition and distribution of Turkish sand flies using DNA barcodes.

Background: Currently, knowledge regarding the phlebotomine sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) fauna of Turkey is restricted to regions with endemic leishmaniasis. However, rapidly changing environmental and social conditions highlight concerns on the possible future expansion of sand fly-borne diseases in Turkey, promoting risk assessment through biosurveillance activities in non-endemic regions. Traditional morphological approaches are complicated by extensive cryptic speciation in sand flies, thus integrated studies utilizing DNA markers are becoming increasingly important for correct sand fly identification.

Novel Tick Genotypes Lacking Evidence for Vertebrate Infections in Anatolia and Thrace, Turkey.

We screened ticks and human clinical specimens to detect and characterize tick phleboviruses and pathogenicity in vertebrates. Ticks were collected at locations in Istanbul (Northwest Anatolia, Thrace), Edirne, Kırklareli, and Tekirdağ (Thrace), Mersin (Mediterranean Anatolia), Adiyaman and Şanlıurfa (Southeastern Anatolia) provinces from 2013-2018 and were analyzed following morphological identification and pooling. Specimens from individuals with febrile disease or meningoencephalitic symptoms of an unknown etiology were also evaluated.

Forest disturbance and vector transmitted diseases in the lowland tropical rainforest of central Panama.

Objective: To explore possible changes in the community attributes of haematophagous insects as a function of forest disturbance. We compare the patterns of diversity and abundance, plus the behavioural responses of three epidemiologically distinct vector assemblages across sites depicting various levels of forest cover.

Methods: Over a 3-year period, we sampled mosquitoes, sandflies and biting-midges in forested habitats of central Panama.

Arboviral screening of invasive Aedes species in northeastern Turkey: West Nile virus circulation and detection of insect-only viruses.

Background: The recent reports of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus populations in Turkey, in parallel with the territorial expansion identified in several surrounding countries, have raised concerns about the establishment and re-establishment of these invasive Aedes mosquitoes in Turkey. This cross-sectional study was performed to detect Aedes aegypti and Ae.

Whole Genome Sequencing and Re-sequencing of the Sable Antelope (): A Resource for Monitoring Diversity in and Populations.

Genome-wide assessment of genetic diversity has the potential to increase the ability to understand admixture, inbreeding, kinship and erosion of genetic diversity affecting both captive () and wild () populations of threatened species. The sable antelope (), native to the savannah woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa, is a species that is being managed in both public (zoo) and private (ranch) collections in the United States. Our objective was to develop whole genome sequence resources that will serve as a foundation for characterizing the genetic status of populations of sable antelope relative to populations in the wild.

Improving Illumina assemblies with Hi-C and long reads: An example with the North African dromedary.

Researchers have assembled thousands of eukaryotic genomes using Illumina reads, but traditional mate-pair libraries cannot span all repetitive elements, resulting in highly fragmented assemblies. However, both chromosome conformation capture techniques, such as Hi-C and Dovetail Genomics Chicago libraries and long-read sequencing, such as Pacific Biosciences and Oxford Nanopore, help span and resolve repetitive regions and therefore improve genome assemblies. One important livestock species of arid regions that does not have a high-quality contiguous reference genome is the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius).

High throughput DNA extraction of legume root nodules for rhizobial metagenomics.

A novel combination of tissue homogenization, cell lysis, and DNA purification techniques was developed for isolating total DNA from whole legume root nodules on an automated robotic system. Silica dehydrated root nodules from soy bean, Glycine max cv. Tara, and mung bean, Vigna radiata cv.

Three new species and a new genus of majoid crabs from the eastern Pacific (Decapoda, Brachyura).

Three new species and a new genus of majoid crabs from deep waters in the eastern Pacific are described and illustrated using morphological and molecular data. A new species of inachoidid, is described from Peru, which resembles Rathbun, 1893, in the general appearance of the carapace, but is distinguished by the details of tubercles on the carapace and thoracic sternum, proportions of the pereopod articles, and bathymetric distribution. A new epialtid, , is described from Ecuador; A Milne-Edwards, 1878 has, until now, been considered to be monotypic, occurring only in the western Atlantic.

Evolution of gene regulation in ruminants differs between evolutionary breakpoint regions and homologous synteny blocks.

The role of chromosome rearrangements in driving evolution has been a long-standing question of evolutionary biology. Here we focused on ruminants as a model to assess how rearrangements may have contributed to the evolution of gene regulation. Using reconstructed ancestral karyotypes of Cetartiodactyls, Ruminants, Pecorans, and Bovids, we traced patterns of gross chromosome changes.

Description of sp. n., a potential Chagas disease vector (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae).

A new species of the genus Laporte, 1832 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) is described based on specimens collected in the department of Huehuetenango, Guatemala. is closely related to (Latreille, 1811), with the following main morphological differences: lighter color; smaller overall size, including head length; and width and length of the pronotum. Natural (Chagas, 1909) infection, coupled with its presence in domestic habitats, makes this species a potentially important vector of in Guatemala.

An Emerging Biothreat: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Southern and Western Asia.

Tick-borne Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is endemic in numerous countries, but the epidemiology and epizoology of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) remain to be defined for most regions of the world. Using a broad database search approach, we reviewed the literature on CCHF and CCHFV in Southern and Western Asia to better define the disease burden in these areas. We used a One Health approach, moving beyond a focus solely on human disease burden to more comprehensively define this burden by reviewing CCHF case reports, human and animal CCHFV seroprevalence studies, and human and animal CCHFV isolations.

Review of the congrid eel genus Conger (Anguilliformes: Congridae) in Taiwan.

The congrid eel genus Conger in Taiwan is reviewed. Five species are recognized, including C. jordani, C.

Eels of the genus Bathyuroconger in the northwestern Pacific, with descriptions of four new species (Anguilliformes: Congridae).

Examination of the congrid genus Bathyuroconger in the northwestern Pacific reveals six species are present. Bathyuroconger albus sp. nov.

The congrid eel genus Bathycongrus of Taiwan, with descriptions of three new species (Anguilliformes: Congridae).

Ten species of the congrid eel genus Bathycongrus are recognized from Taiwanese waters. Diagnoses and full descriptions of eight species are provided in present work. Three species are described as new.

The congrid eel genus Ariosoma in Taiwan (Anguilliformes: Congridae), with description of a new species.

A review of the congrid eel genus Ariosoma in Taiwan is provided. Eight species are recognized, including A. anago (Temminck Schlegel, 1846), A.

A new genus and species of congrid eel from the Philippines (Anguillliformes: Congridae: Bathymyrinae).

Rostroconger macrouriceps sp. nov. is described from a single specimen collected off the east coast of Luzon, Philippines.

Two new elongate unpatterned moray eels from Taiwan and Vietnam, with notes on two congeners (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae).

Two new species of elongate unpatterned moray eels related to Gymnothorax prolatus are described. Gymnothorax pseudoprolatus sp. nov.