First records of bat-associated Cimex lectularius (Cimicidae, Heteroptera) for Armenia and Georgia

Besides humans, the common bed bug Cimex lectularius uses bats as hosts, but no such records were available from the Southern Caucasus. Here, we record the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) and the lesser mouse-eared bat (Myotis blythii) as hosts of C. lectularius from two Georgian and one Armenian sites. A summary of all known published records of bat-associated populations of C. lectularius shows they are both scattered and restricted to the Palearctic only. Observations of C. lectularius from bat colonies in Georgia and Armenia were made in old buildings or ruins, like churches or monasteries, but not in caves, despite a specific search. This supports previous studies suggesting that 1) bat-associations of common bed bugs are very rare outside Central Europe and 2) almost never occur in caves. We discuss climatic conditions and host preferences as possible factors for these findings and the implications for the origin of the human bed bug interaction

Nitric Oxide Dioxygenation Reaction by Oxy-Coboglobin Models: In-situ Low-Temperature FTIR Characterization of Coordinated Peroxynitrite

The oxy-cobolglobin models of the general formula (NH₃)­Co­(Por)­(O₂) (Por = <i>meso</i>-tetra-phenyl and <i>meso</i>-tetra-<i>p</i>-tolylporphyrinato dianions) were constructed by sequential low temperature interaction of NH₃ and dioxygen with microporous layers of Co–porphyrins. At cryogenic temperatures small increments of NO were introduced into the cryostat and the following reactions were monitored by the FTIR and UV–visible spectroscopy during slow warming. Upon warming the layers from 80 to 120 K a set of new IR bands grows with correlating intensities along with the consumption of the ν­(O₂) band. Isotope labeling experiments with ¹⁸O₂, ¹⁵NO and N¹⁸O along with DFT calculations provides a basis for assigning them to the six-coordinate peroxynitrite complexes (NH₃)­Co­(Por)­(OONO). Over the course of warming the layers from 140 to 170 K these complexes decompose and there are spectral features suggesting the formation of nitrogen dioxide NO₂. Upon keeping the layers at 180–210 K the bands of NO₂ gradually decrease in intensity and the set of new bands grows in the range of 1480, 1270, and 980 cm^–1. These bands have their isotopic counterparts when ¹⁵NO, ¹⁸O₂ and N¹⁸O are used in the experiments and certainly belong to the 6-coordinate nitrato complexes (NH₃)­Co­(Por)­(η¹–ONO₂) demonstrating the ability of oxy coboglobin models to promote the nitric oxide dioxygenation (NOD) reaction similar to oxy-hemes. As in the case of Hb, Mb and model iron-porphyrins, the six-coordinate nitrato complexes are not stable at room temperature and dissociate to give nitrate anion and oxidized cationic complex Co­(III)­(Por)­(NH₃)_1,2

The role of the Caucasus, Carpathian, and Dinaric–Balkan regions in preserving wolf genetic diversity

Mountain regions have long been important for maintaining populations and genetic diversity of wild species, especially those species that require large areas to sustain viable populations. We examined wolves (Canis lupus) in the Caucasus, Carpathian, and Dinaric–Balkan regions, expecting these persistent populations to contain high genetic diversity and an overlap of the major haplogroups detected in earlier broad-scale investigations. We analyzed 926 mitochondrial DNA control region sequences, including 533 new samples whose geographic distribution allowed us to reduce sampling gaps observed in previous broad-scale studies. We estimated genetic variability, population structure, and phylogeographic relationships to evaluate the diversity and connectivity of populations throughout the study regions. We detected haplogroups H1 and H2 that overlapped across the study regions. Haplogroup H1 can be divided into three subgroups: H1A and H1B that partially overlap throughout the study regions, and H1C that was found only in wolves from Armenia. Haplogroup H2 was largely confined to the Carpathian and Dinaric–Balkan regions. Our analyses of population structure partly concurred with the haplogroup distribution and produced four major genetic clusters. Our results demonstrated high genetic diversity within the study regions, supporting their role in maintaining intraspecific variability in wolves and other species that require large areas to sustain viable populations. The unique diversity and north–south structure observed within the Caucasus emphasize the need for further research and conservation efforts in this highly biodiverse region. Our findings highlight the role of broad-scale planning in conserving evolutionary processes in this and other transboundary areas.</p