Article
Genetics & Heredity
Daniel J. Jackson
Summary: Molluscs have evolved the ability to produce a wide variety of shells over their evolutionary history, but a complete functional understanding of how they construct their shells remains a challenging goal. Comparing and contrasting the expression patterns between different species reveals a modularity in molluscan mantle tissue that may explain how evolution has efficiently generated diverse molluscan shells.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Zoology
M. Dahirel, M. Proux, C. Gerard, A. Ansart
Summary: Host behaviour can be influenced by parasitic risk and infection through direct and indirect mechanisms. This study investigates the link between parasite response and individual behaviour variation using the land snail Cepaea nemoralis as a model species. The study finds that infection levels vary between different shell morphs and that behaviour, such as movement and food intake, is linked to nematode infection. The study also suggests that parasites may cancel out previously observed behavioural differences between morphs.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zofia Ksiazkiewicz, Milena Roszkowska
Summary: This study experimentally examined the role of snails in facilitating short-distance transmission of active tardigrades and explored the impact of snail mucus on tardigrade recovery. The results supported the hypothesis that snails can transfer active tardigrades over short distances, but the presence of snail mucus had a negative effect on the recovery of tardigrades from anhydrobiosis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Daniel Ramos-Gonzalez, Angus Davison
Summary: The study of animal color plays a crucial role in the establishment of basic principles in biology, with the analysis of land snail genus Cepaea showing promising results in comparing historical and modern samples. Quantitative methods in scoring shell color have been found to reduce errors while maintaining consistent trends. Future research may involve utilizing genomic methods and deep learning techniques for enhanced understanding of color patterns.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Daniel Ramos-Gonzalez, Suzanne Saenko, Angus Davison
Summary: This study investigates the post-glacial history of Cepaea nemoralis using phylogenomic methods and reveals multiple deeply diverged populations of snails. Additionally, the snails in Ireland are likely descendants of admixture between snails from the Pyrenees and the Central European group.
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Maxime Dahirel, Valentin Gaudu, Armelle Ansart
Summary: The study examines the association between individual behavior and shell morph in the model snail Cepaea nemoralis. Results show a consistent correlation between behavior and shell morph, with darker morphs being shyer and slower to explore. The findings suggest a potential genetic origin underlying the morph-behavior associations across different environments.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jet Rijnders, Lieven Bervoets, Els Prinsen, Marcel Eens, Gerrit T. S. Beemster, Hamada AbdElgawad, Thimo Groffen
Summary: PFAAs are synthetic persistent chemicals with high thermal and chemical stability, known to accumulate in organisms and biomagnify in the food chain. Studies show a positive correlation between PFAAs levels and antioxidant enzymes in snails exposed to contaminated nettles.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Tsukasa Waki, Minoru Nakao, Mizuki Sasaki, Hiromi Ikezawa, Ken Inoue, Yuma Ohari, Yuichi Kameda, Masahito Asada, Haruki Furusawa, Shinsuke Miyazaki
Summary: The metacercarial infections of door snails with unknown species of the genus Brachylaima have been recently reported in eastern Honshu and Kyushu, Japan. A large-scale snail survey was conducted to clarify their taxonomic status, identifying these trematodes mainly in Clausiliidae and other families. Door snails appear to be important intermediate hosts for the broad range of metacercariae, potentially linking them to ground-foraging birds as definitive hosts.
PARASITOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Mycology
Ying Gao, Tingfang Zhong, Jayarama D. Bhat, Antonio Roberto Gomes de Farias, Turki M. Dawoud, Kevin D. Hyde, Weiqiang Xiong, Yunju Li, Heng Gui, Xuefei Yang, Shixi Wu, Dhanushka N. Wanasinghe
Summary: In this study, various ascomycetous and coelomycetous fungi were isolated from grasslands and related vegetation types in Yunnan Province, China. The discovery of a new monophyletic lineage in Melanommataceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes) was reported, named as Dematiomelanomma yunnanense gen. et sp. nov., which consists of both sexual and asexual morphs.
Article
Parasitology
Faezeh Najafi, Gholamreza Mowlavi, Sina Mohtasebi, Santiago Mas-Coma, Domenico Otranto
Summary: A study found that the Etruscan shrew in Iran was infected with a trematode parasite, marking the first report of trematodiasis in this host species.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Margrethe Johansen, Suzanne Saenko, Menno Schilthuizen, Mark Blaxter, Angus Davison
Summary: This study successfully identified the genetic loci controlling shell color and banding polymorphism in the land snail Cepaea nemoralis using whole-genome resequencing and trait mapping. The researchers constructed a high-density linkage map and mapped the color locus to a specific region on linkage group 11 and the mid-banded locus to a specific region on linkage group 15. This linkage map will be valuable for future evolutionary and population genomic studies of C. nemoralis and related species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Si-Ping Huang, Dan-Feng Bao, Hong-Wei Shen, Hong-Yan Su, Zong-Long Luo
Summary: A new aquatic fungal species, Neomonodictys aquatica, was discovered from submerged decaying wood in Erhai Lake, Yunnan Province, China. It is characterized by acrogenous, solitary, oval dictyospores with smooth walls. Phylogenetic analysis based on genetic sequence data showed that this new species is distinct from other Neomonodictys species.
BIODIVERSITY DATA JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Antonio Roberto Gomes De Farias, Johnny Louangphan, Naghmeh Afshari
Summary: This study describes a new species of Dothiorella, Dothiorella saprophytica sp. nov., and provides detailed morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Introducing new fungal species contributes to our understanding of fungal biodiversity and ecology.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Jerzy Zietek, Monika Ziomek, Monika Mackowiak-Dryka, Anna Wilczynska, Sylwia Sajdak, Lukasz Adaszek
Summary: The study aimed to determine reference values of selected biochemical parameters in the haemolymph of wild-caught Cepaea nemoralis snails. The study found the activity levels of aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, and lipase, as well as the concentrations of urea, creatinine, uric acid, calcium, and total protein. The results can serve as a guideline for scientists studying the physiology of land molluscs.
MEDYCYNA WETERYNARYJNA-VETERINARY MEDICINE-SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)
Article
Mycology
Thaisa F. Nobrega, Bruno W. Ferreira, Robert W. Barreto
Summary: Digitodesmium is a genus of saprobic fungi associated with decaying wood, and a new species Digitodesmium polybrachiatum was discovered in this study, exhibiting distinct morphological characteristics from other species in the genus.
MYCOLOGICAL PROGRESS
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Janusz Zbikowski, Elzbieta Zbikowska, Jaroslaw Kobak
Summary: The study investigated the impact of sand on the growth of freshwater oligochaetes, finding that sand had positive effects on their habitat preferences and growth rate. Oligochaetes used sand grains to grind ingested food, accelerating digestion and nutrient assimilation to stimulate their growth rate.
Article
Zoology
Katarzyna Szopieray, Elzbieta Zbikowska
Summary: This article explores the positive effects of parasites in the environment, including their role in regulating community balance, controlling invasive species, and assisting in the accumulation of heavy metals. Parasites play a significant role as ecosystem engineers, challenging traditional perceptions of their negative impact.
ACTA ZOOLOGICA ACADEMIAE SCIENTIARUM HUNGARICAE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Teresa Napiorkowska, Julita Templin, Pawel Napiorkowski
Summary: Spider embryonic development is influenced by factors such as temperature, with dramatic temperature shifts potentially causing developmental defects, including abnormalities in the central nervous system. Laboratory experiments have shown that exposure to temperatures of 14 degrees C and 32 degrees C can result in body deformities in spider embryos. In one case study, a spider with supernumerary appendages and fused walking legs demonstrated a complex anomaly in the central nervous system.
Article
Microbiology
Anna Stanicka, Lukasz Migdalski, Katarzyna Szopieray, Anna Cichy, Lukasz Jermacz, Paola Lombardo, Elzbieta Zbikowska
Summary: The research explores the potential of alien species as diluents for bird schistosome cercariae, highlighting the positive impact of increased biodiversity in reducing parasitic infections in aquatic environments. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of determining the most effective diluent to enhance protection measures against swimmer's itch in bathing areas.
Article
Parasitology
Aleksandra Figura, Tomasz Cencek, Elzbieta Zbikowska
Summary: The study aimed to determine the presence of parasite eggs in commercial organic fertilizers, revealing that a large percentage of samples contained live eggs of parasites like Trichuris sp. and Ascaris sp. The results indicate that the hygiene process of sewage sludge before fertilizer production was not effective enough, highlighting the need to standardize preventive measures against the spread of parasitic nematodes in commercially available products.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Zoology
A. Stanicka, R. Maciaszek, A. Cichy, J. Templin, W. Swiderek, E. Zbikowska, A. M. Labecka
Summary: This study investigates whether molluscs from the pet trade could be a source of parasites. By examining and dissecting golden apple snail specimens imported from Thailand, the study reveals the presence of digenean larvae in one specimen, implying a potential threat to the environment and public health.
EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ewa Pyrka, Gerard Kanarek, Julia Gabrysiak, Witold Jezewski, Anna Cichy, Anna Stanicka, Elzbieta Zbikowska, Grzegorz Zalesny, Joanna Hildebrand
Summary: This study examined the parasitology and taxonomy of freshwater snails from Poland to investigate the species richness, molecular diversity, and phylogeny of Cotylurus. The results revealed high molecular diversity within Cotylurus occurring in snails, with evidence of cryptic diversity and the presence of several novel-species lineages. Additionally, two divergent phylogenetical and ecological lineages were found within Cotylurus, differing significantly in their life history strategies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anna Stanicka, Anna Cichy, Jana Bulantova, Anna Maria Labecka, Adam Marcin Cmiel, Julita Templin, Petr Horak, Elzbieta Zbikowska
Summary: This study revealed the dilution effect of nonnative species on parasite infection through field and experimental methods. It found that a higher density of invaders leads to a lower prevalence of avian schistosomes, and a high density of Potamopyrgus antipodarum reduces the probability of target host infection.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biology
Anna Stanicka, Kamila Stefania Zajac, Dorota Lachowska-cierlik, Kinga Lesiak, Monika Lewalska, Anna Cichy, Janusz Zbikowski, Elzbieta Zbikowska
Summary: Potamopyrgus antipodarum is considered one of the worst invasive species, and its tolerance to various environmental conditions has contributed to its successful colonization. This study investigated the relationship between a morphological change in the shell (carinatus morphotype) and population crashes in P. antipodarum. The results showed that the population collapsed after the emergence of the carinatus morphotype and did not recover for the following two years, suggesting it is a defensive reaction to extremely unfavorable environmental conditions.
FOLIA BIOLOGICA-KRAKOW
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Anna Stanicka, Katarzyna Szopieray, Lukasz Migdalski, Jaroslaw Kobak
Summary: This study investigated the multiway relationships between an invasive filter-feeding macrofouler (the zebra mussel), endoparasites, and their gastropod host. The results showed that mussel fouling led to reduced fertility and size of the gastropod host but did not negatively affect parasite infection. Furthermore, the level of mussel attachment was related to the size of the gastropod host. It was also found that mussel attachment had cascading effects on the prevalence of parasites in the final hosts.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Tomasz Strzala, Artur Kowalczyk, Joanna Rosenberger, Magdalena Fraszczak, Ewa Lukaszewicz
Summary: Sperm quality is crucial for population survival and can be influenced by genetic diversity and reproductive effectiveness. This study investigated the impact of heterozygosity and age on sperm quality in the endangered European capercaillie population. The results showed that while there was no relationship between normal sperm morphology and heterozygosity or age, both high and low levels of heterozygosity significantly affected the percentage of abnormal sperm. These findings highlight the potential of heterozygosity as a predictive tool for population reproduction, but further research is needed on the effects of these abnormalities on fertilization.
REPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Anna Stanicka, Miroslava Soldanova, Lukasz Migdalski, Katarzyna Szopieray, Kinga Lesiak, Anna Cichy, Elzbieta Zbikowska, Lukasz Jermacz
Summary: Predation is an important factor for shaping animal relationships. Non-host aquatic organisms, including motile cercariae of digenean trematodes, are increasingly recognized as prey. However, the predator differences in cercarial consumption, particularly with invasive consumers, are not well understood. This study investigated the predator-induced reduction in trematode-host encounters. The results showed that all gammarid species preyed on cercariae, but the invasive species were more voracious. The dilution effect caused by the gammarids varied depending on the species and experimental conditions.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Elzbieta Zbikowska, Anna Stanicka, Anna Cichy, Janusz Zbikowski
Summary: The study suggests that lakes with populations of the non-native snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum may have a lower risk of swimmer's itch due to the dilution effect created by the higher diversity of non-host targets for parasites.
KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Anna Stanicka, Lukasz Migdalski, Kamila Stefania Zajac, Anna Cichy, Dorota Lachowska-Cierlik, Elzbieta Zbikowska
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of bird schistosome species, particularly genus Bilharziella, in Lake Drawsko in Poland. The findings show that Bilharziella sp., Trichobilharzia szidati, and Trichobilharzia sp. are the main bird schistosomes present in the lake, with Bilharziella potentially being a new species. This research highlights the importance of monitoring the occurrence of bird schistosomes in intermediate hosts for public health protection.
KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
