Food composition of Ocellated Skink, Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775) (Squamata: Scincidae), from the Cyprus Island

We examined the food composition of the museum specimens of Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775) collected from Morphou (= Güzelyurt) and Gönyeli (Nicosia District, Northern Cyprus). The stomach contents of 41 (23 males, 11 females, and 7 juveniles) individuals were analyzed, and totally 86 prey items were detected. The species was found to feed mainly on a variety of insects (94.3%) and particularly on coleopterans (62.1%). No statistically significant sex- or age-dependent difference was observed in the feeding regime. In conclusion, the diet of C.ocellatus was based mainly on insects and other arthropods

Food composition of Ocellated Skink, Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775) (Squamata: Scincidae), from the Cyprus Island

Abstract. We examined the food composition of the museum specimens of Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775) collected from Morphou (= Güzelyurt) and Gönyeli (Nicosia District, Northern Cyprus). The stomach contents of 41 (23 males, 11 females, and 7 juveniles) individuals were analyzed, and totally 86 prey items were detected. The species was found to feed mainly on a variety of insects (94.3%) and particularly on coleopterans (62.1%). No statistically significant sex-or age-dependent difference was observed in the feeding regime. In conclusion, the diet of C.ocellatus was based mainly on insects and other arthropods. Keywords. Chalcides ocellatus, Ocellated skink, food analysis, Cyprus The Ocellated Skink, Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775), is a medium-sized semi-fossorial lizard which is mainly distributed from North Africa, the Middle East, and the most part of the Mediterranean basin Chalcides ocellatus is a predominantly insectivorous lizard which feeds on various terrestrial insects. Data on the food composition of C. ocellatus were investigated in Turkey We examined 41 (23 males, 11 females, and 7 juveniles) preserved specimens of C. ocellatus deposited at the ZMHRU (The Zoology Museum of Harran University, Şanlıurfa, Turkey). They were used to determine the Northern Cypriot Herpetofauna as a continuation of the previous study The food contents were assessed in terms of the numeric proportion (the number of a particular prey item in all prey items, N%) and the frequency of occurrence (the frequency of lizard stomachs containing a particular prey type, F%). The trophic niche overlap was 168 Kerim Çiçek, Bayram Göçmen measured using Pianka's index (O, 1973). This index ranges from 0 (no similarity) to 1 (totally similar). The food-niche breadth was determined using Shannon's index (H, Shannon, 1948). The values of this index typically range from 1.5 (narrow niche breadth) to 3.5 (wide niche breadth) The average SVL of the 41 (23 males, 11 females, and 7 juveniles) individuals of C. ocellatus from Northern Cyprus under examination was 48.0 (SD = 3.75, range = 42.8-52.2) mm for juveniles, 71.9 (6.86, 55.0-83.2) mm for males, and 72.10 (5.46, 64.5-81.3) mm for females. There are no statistical differences in size between the sexes (t-test, t = 0.107, P = 0.916). In the stomach contents of 41 individuals, 86 prey items (9 in juveniles, 49 in males, and 28 in females) were detected, with their sizes varying between 3 and 20 mm, and the median number of prey items was 1 (range = 1-3) in juveniles, 2 (1-6) in males, and 1 (1-6) in females. A rather weak correlation was observed between the SVL and the number of prey items (Kendall τ = 0.31, P = 0.02). No statistical difference in the number of prey items in the stomach contents was present among males, females, and juveniles (Kruskal-Wallis test, χ 2 = 4.678, P = 0.096)

Anadolu'da yayılış gösteren Vipera ammodytes (Burunlu engerek) zehrinin sitotoksik, anti-anjiyogenik, anti-tümör ve antimikrobiyal aktivitelerinin taranması

Objective: In the present study, we aimed to screen the cytotoxic, antimicrobial, anti-angiogenic and anti-tumorogenic activities of Anatolian Vipera ammodytes (Nose-horned Viper) crude venom. Material and methods: The cytotoxicity was screened against PC3, HeLa, CaCo-2, U-87MG, MCF-7 and Vero cells by using MTT assay. The antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, E. coli 0157: H7, Enterococcus faecalis 29212, Enterococcus faecium DSM 13590, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Salmonella typhimirium CCM 5445, Proteus vulgaris ATCC 6957, Bacillus cereus ATCC 7064 and Candida albicans ATCC 10239 was assayed by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration using the broth dilution method. Anti-angiogenic and anti-tumorogenic activity was assessed by using chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Results: The IC50 value of V. ammodytes venom on cultured cells varied from 1.8 to 7.0 mu g/mL after 48 h treatment. Venom showed antimicrobial activity on P. vulgaris, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. faecium and C. albicans (the highest activity). The venom exhibited dose-dependent anti-angiogenic activity on CAM model at 2 and 10 mu g/mL doses with scores of 1.1 and 2.0, respectively. Conclusion: The results of the present study contributed to the knowledge of the biological activities of Anatolian V. ammodytes venom and showed its potential for further bioactivity guided characterization studies.Amaç: Bu çalışmada, Vipera ammodytes (Burunlu Engerek) ham zehrinin sitotoksik, antimikrobiyal, anti-anjiyojenik ve anti-tümör aktivitelerinin taranmasını amaçlanmıştır. Metod: PC3, HeLa, CaCo-2, U-87MG ve MCF-7 kanser hücre hatları ve bir normal hücre hattı (Vero) kullanılarak MTT testi ile sitotoksite taraması yapılmıştır. Antimikrobiyal aktivite broth seyreltme metodu kullanılarak hesaplanan minimum inhibitör konsantrasyon ile değerlendirilmiştir. Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, E. coli 0157:H7, Enterococcus faecalis 29212, Enterococcus faecium DSM 13590, Staphy- lococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Salmonella typhimirium CCM 5445, Proteus vulgaris ATCC 6957, Bacillus cereus ATCC 7064 ve Candida albicans ATCC 10239 türleri kullanılmıştır. Anti-anjiyoge- nik anti-tümör aktivite civciv koryoallantoik membran (CAM) modeli ile değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: V. ammodytes zehrinin 48 saat sonunda hüc- reler üzerindeki IC 50 değeri, 1.8 ve 7.0 μg/mL arasında değişmiştir. Zehir P. vulgaris, S. aureus, S. epidermidis ve C. albicans (en yüksek etki) üzerinde antimikrobiyal etki göstermiştir. CAM deney modelinde 2 ve 10 μg/mL zehir dozlarında (sırasıyla 1.1 ve 2.0 skorları ile) anjiyogenezde doza bağlı baskılanma görülmüştür. Sonuç: Bu çalışmanın sonuçları Anadolu'da bulunan V. ammodytes zehrinin sahip olduğu biyolojik aktiviteleri ortaya koymuş ve ileride yapılacak biyoaktivite rehberli karakterizasyon çalışmaları için sahip olduğu potansiyeli göstermiştir

Landscape connectivity limits the predicted impact of fungal pathogen invasion

Infectious diseases are major drivers of biodiversity loss. The risk of fungal diseases to the survival of threatened animals in nature is determined by a complex interplay between host, pathogen and environment. We here predict the risk of invasion of populations of threatened Mediterranean salamanders of the genus Lyciasalamandra by the pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans by combining field sampling and lab trials. In 494 samples across all seven species of Lyciasalamandra, B. salamandrivorans was found to be absent. Single exposure to a low (1000) number of fungal zoospores resulted in fast buildup of lethal infections in three L. helverseni. Thermal preference of the salamanders was well within the thermal envelope of the pathogen and body temperatures never exceeded the fungus' thermal critical maximum, limiting the salamanders' defense opportunities. The relatively low thermal host preference largely invalidates macroclimatic based habitat suitability predictions and, combined with current pathogen absence and high host densities, suggests a high probability of local salamander population declines upon invasion by B. salamandrivorans. However, the unfavorable landscape that shaped intraspecific host genetic diversity, lack of known alternative hosts and rapid host mortality after infection present barriers to further, natural pathogen dispersal between populations and thus species extinction. The risk of anthropogenic spread stresses the importance of biosecurity in amphibian habitats

Platyceps collaris (Müller 1878), P. najadum (Eichwald 1831), Zamenis hohenackeri

Abstract. The present study is on the morphologies and sizes of peripheral blood cells (erythrocytes, leucocytes and thrombocytes) of thirty two Turkish snake species from blood smears, stained with Wright's stain

Sığır işkembesindeki bazı simbiyont siliyatların (Isotricha spp. ) morfolojik ve sitolojik yapıları

Bu tezin, veri tabanı üzerinden yayınlanma izni bulunmamaktadır. Yayınlanma izni olmayan tezlerin basılı kopyalarına Üniversite kütüphaneniz aracılığıyla (TÜBESS üzerinden) erişebilirsiniz.ÖZET Sığırların rumino reticulum unda endosimbiyont olarak yaşayan Isotricha intestinalis ve Isotricha prostoma'nın morfolojik ve sitolojik özellikleri İle bazı fizyolojik davranışları incelenerek daha önce yapılmış olan çalışmalarla karşılaştırılmıştır. Araştırma için, İzmir Salhanesi'nde kesilen 21 yerli sığırdan ve işkembesi fistüllü holştayn tip bir inekten elde edilen işkembe içerikleri kullanılmıştır. Isotricha spp. önce in vivo, daha sonra da postfiksasyon durumda çeşitli teknikler kullanılarak incelenmiştir. Vücut yüzeyleri tamamen sillerle örtülü olan bu protozoonlardan 1. prostoma, I. intestinalis' e oranla daha yassılaşmış olup şekli, az çok torsiyonlu bir Paramecium 'u andırır. I. intestinalis ise bir boks eldivenine benzer. İki tür arasında hücre uzunluğu ve hücre eni açısından bir fark yoktur. Ves- tibül iki türde de makronukleusa yakın sonlanıp, bir borazana benzer; L intestinalis 'de 2, I. prostoma 'da ise sadece 1 dudak ile çevrelenmiştir. I. in testinalis ve I. prostoma' da vücudun posterior yarısında konumlanan bu organel, sırasıyla lateralde ve subterminalde yerleşir. Hücrelerin sağ ön dorsilateral yüzeylerinde 2-5 um genişlik ve 30-50 um uzunlukta longitudinal bir yapışma organeli bulunur. Sil hareketi bu bölgede başlar ve vücudun posterior kısmına doğru yayılır. Periferal endoplazmada, solunum ve detoksifikasyon organelleri olan hidrogenozomların oluşturduğu bir zon bulunur. Hem I. intestinalis hem de I. prostoma iyi gelişmiş fibriler sistemlere sahip olmakla birlikte, bu sistem I. prostoma 'da bilhassa ventral tarafta daha az gelişmiştir. I. prostoma, I. in testinalis 'e oranla daha fazla polimorfizm gösterir. Bu durum ekto-endoplaz- mik fibril sisteminin ve karyoforun destek işlevine sahip olduklarını ve şekil - koruyucu elemanlar olarak hizmet gördüklerini işaret eder. Ayrıca, yapışma organeli altında ve vestibül bölgesinde yapışma ve beslenme ile ilgili olabilecek bazı kinetozomal fibril demetleri de belirlenmiştir. I. prostoma' da vücudun posteriorunda yerleşen makronukleus bir muz biçiminde iken, I. intestinalis 'de küremsi ve nadiren köşeli olup vücudun ortasında yer alır. Oval biçimli mikronukleus, makronuklear bir çöküntü içinde konumlanır; yerleşimi az çok değişebilir.Enine kesitlerde, mikronukleusun uç kısımlarında Feulgen-negatif reak siyon sergileyen intramikronuklear fibriller gözlenmiş ve endoplazma ile makro- nukleusda bakteriler belirlenmiştir. Terminal konumlu sitopig, I. intestinalis'de vücudun sol, I. prostoma'da ise vücudun sağ tarafına kaymıştır; I. prostoma'da vestibülü çevreleyen sütur çizgisi üzerinde konumlanır. I. intestinalis'de dorsal ve ventral sil sıraları, I. prostoma'nınkine oranla daha fazla sayıdadır. Ventral yüzde S. ve S- sütur çizgileri mevcuttur. Bunlardan S^, I. intestinalis'de sol dudak üzerinde bulunur ve kısadır, I. pros toma'da ise vestibül etrafında bir halka biçiminde olup uzundur. Amilopektin ve nişasta rezervleri beslenmeden 2-3 saat sonra maksimum düzeye ulaşırlar ve daha sonra derece derece azalmaya başlarlar. İncelenen sığırlarda I. intestinalis ve I. prostoma'nın görülme sıklıkları, sırasıyla %81.82 ve %100 bulunmuştur. Elde edilen bulgulardan, ülkemizdeki ve Batı Avrupa'daki Isotricha spp. populasy onları arasında sil sırası sayısı ve fibriler sistemlerin gelişmişliği ile I. prostoma'da S" çizgisinin uzunluğu, vestibül siliyatürü ve vestibülü çevrele yen dudak sayısı bakımından evolutif bir farkın bulunduğu ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Dudak sayısı ve vestibül siliyatürü dikkate alındığında, bu farklılığın I. prosto ma'da daha fazla olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır. Belirlenen farklılıklara rağmen, temel organizasyonlarının Batı Avrupa' daki Isotricha spp. populasy onla rina benzer olması nedeniyle yeni tür yapımına gidilmemiştir. Diğer taraftan, bu farklılıkların tür tarifinde önemli oldukları dikkate alınırsa, yeni tür yapılabilmesi için ileride daha ayrıntılı ve destekleyici araştırmaların yürütülmesi gerekmektedir71 SUMMARY The morphological and cytological characteristics, and some phsiologi- cal behaviors of Isotricha intestinalis and Isotricha prostoma which live as endosymbionts in the rum ino reticulum of cattle are examined and compared with previous investigations. For this investigation, the rumen contents obtained from 21 native cattle which were slaughtered at the Slaughterhouse of Izmir and a holstein- type cow with a fistulated rumen are used. Isotricha spp. are investigated in vivo and then in postfixation by using various techniques. I. prostoma of these protozoans, which have a cover of cilia over their whole body surface, was more flattened than I. intestinalis and its shape looks like a slightly torsioned Paramecium, and the latter resembles in appearence a box-glove. There are no differences on the cell length and width between the two species. The vestibulum is terminated close to the macronucleus and resembles a trumpet in both species; it is surrounded by two lips in I. intestinalis and only one in I. prostoma. The vestibulum which was situated at the posterior half of the body in I. intestinalis and I. prosto ma, is located laterally and subterminally, respectively. There are longitudinal attachment organelles with a 2-5 um width and a 30-50 um length on the anterior right dorsolateral surfaces of the cells. The movement of cilia start in this region and is propagated towards the posterior part of the body. In peripheral endoplasm, a zone is present which is made of the respiratory and detoxification organelles, hydrogenosomes. Both I. intestinalis and I. prostoma possess well-developed fibrillar systems, but this system is less developed, particulary at the ventral side in the latter. I. prostoma is more polymorphic than I. intestinalis. This suggests that the ecto-endoplasmic fibrillar system and caryophore have a supporting role and that they serve as form-maintaining elements. It was also determined that some kinetosomal fibrillar bundles beneath the attachment organelle and vestibular region may be concerned with 'attachment and feeding. Macronucleus* located in the posterior part of the body in I. prostoma, is banana-shaped, whUe it is spherical or cornered and is located at the r..72 middle of the body in I. intestinalis. The oval shaped micronucleus is situated within a macronuclear depression. Its location may differ more or less. In cross sections, at the ends of micronucleus, intramicronuclear fibrillar regions exhibiting Feulgen-negative reaction are observed, and the presence of bacteria in both endoplasm and macronucleus is determined. Terminally located cytopyge is shifted to the left in I. intestinalis and to the right in I. prostoma, and it is situated on the suture line sur rounding the vestibulum in the latter. In I. intestinalis, dorsal and ventral kineties are more numerous than that of I. prostoma. There are two suture line called S.. and S" on the ventral face. Of these, S_ is present on the left lip and is short in I. intes tinalis, while it is circle-shaped around the vestibulum and is long in I. pros toma. Amylopectin and starch reserves reach maximal levels 2-3 h after feeding and then they gradually start to decline. The frequency of appea rence of I. intestinalis and I. prostoma in the cattle investigated are found to be 81.82% and 100%, respectively. From the findings obtained, it is revealed that there are evolutionary differences on the number of kineties and the development of fibrillar systems between ours and Western Europe populations of Isotricha spp., and also on the length of S" line, the vestibular ciliature and the number of lips surrounding the vestibulum in I. prostoma. When the number of lips and vestibular ciliature are taken into consideration, we conclude that these differences are prominent in L prostoma. In spite of the differences determined, since their fundamental organiza tion is analogous to Isotricha spp. population present in Western Europe, we didn't tried to form new species. On the other hand, if it is taken into consideration that these differences are important for the description of a species, to indicate a new species, it is required to conduct further detailed and supportive works in the future