Effective mitigation of the risks posed by environmental contaminants for ecosystem integrity and human health requires knowing their sources and spatio-temporal distribution. We analysed the exposure to lead (Pb) in griffon vulture Gyps fulvus-an apex species valuable as biomonitoring sentinel. We determined vultures' lead exposure and its main sources by combining isotope signatures and model...

This study reports on the molecular phylogenetics of ground squirrels, genus Spermophilus, in Turkey using cytochrome b (1140bp), part of the D-loop and flanking tRNAs (572bp), X chromosome (867-1051bp) and Y chromosome (983-989bp) DNA sequences. Individuals also were characterized by karyotype and with geometric morphometric analyses of mandibles and skulls. Two hundred fourteen individuals fr...

Between 1990 and 1995, the USDA/APHIS National Biological Control Laboratory in Niles, MI, Texas A&M University, and the University of Massachusetts conducted a biological control introduction program against the Asian diaspidid scale insect Unaspis euonymi (Comstock), a pest of woody landscape plants. Two species of predators ( Chilocorus kuwanae Silvestri, Coleop.: Coccinellidae and Cybocepha...

Grossly visible sarcocysts were seen in the skeletal muscles of 1 of 12 13-lined ground squirrels, Spermophilus tridecemlineatus tridecemlineatus, collected in Nebraska. The tissue cyst wall was up to 5.0 microm thick and contained spikelike projections. Transmission electron microscopy of tissue cysts revealed they were similar to Sarcocystis campestris Cawthorn, Wobeser, and Gajadhar, 1983, p...

The following two new species of Culicoides from the Argentinean Yungas are described, illustrated and placed to subgenus or species group and compared with related congeners: Culicoides calchaqui Spinelli & Veggiani Aybar and Culicoides willinki Spinelli & Veggiani Aybar. Culicoides daedaloides Wirth & Blanton is recorded for the first time for Argentina and Culicoides pseudoheliconiae Felippe...

Three new species of Coccobius Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) are described from China, Coccobius bimaculatus Wang, Huang & Polaszek sp. nov., Coccobius jinshanensis Wang, Huang & Polaszek sp. nov. and Coccobius leptocerus Wang, Huang & Polaszek sp. nov. Coccobius abdominis Huang 1994 and Coccobius furviflagellatus Huang 1994, originally described in Chinese, are redescribed in English an...

The following five new species of Culicoides from Colombia are described, illustrated and placed to subgenus or species group: Culicoides antioquiensis, Culicoides gabrieli, Culicoides inermis, Culicoides micayensis and Culicoides nigrifemur. C. gabrieli is also known from Peru. When possible, their position in previously published keys is indicated and their features discussed in light of the ...