Host selection of hematophagous leeches (Haemadipsa japonica): Implications for iDNA studies

The development of an efficient and cost‐effective method for monitoring animal populations or biodiversity is urgently needed, and invertebrate‐derived DNA (iDNA) may offer a promising tool for assessing the diversity and other ecological information of vertebrates. We studied the host species of a hematophagous leech (Haemadipsa japonica) in Yakushima by genetic barcoding and compared the results with those for mammal composition revealed by camera trapping. We analyzed 119 samples using two sets of primers by Sanger sequencing and one set of primer by next generation sequencing. The proportion of the samples that were successfully sequenced and identified to at least one species was 11.8–24.3%, depending on the three different methods. In all of these three methods, most of the samples were identified as sika deer (18/20, 6/15 and 16/29) or human (2/20, 7/15 and 21/29). The nonhuman mammal host species composition was significantly different from that estimated by camera trapping. Sika deer was the main host, which may be related with their high abundance, large body size and terrestriality. Ten samples included DNA derived from multiple species of vertebrates. This may be due to the contamination of human DNA, but we also found DNA from deer, Japanese macaque and a frog in the same samples, suggesting the mixture of the two meals in the gut of the leech. Using H. japonica‐derived iDNA would not be suitable to make an inventory of species, but it may be useful to collect genetic information on the targeted species, due to their high host selectivity

土佐湾及び四国沖黒潮流域で採集されたウナギ目魚類レプトケファルス幼生の分布

土佐湾及び四隅沖黒潮流域で、1990年1月にウナギ目魚類レプトケファルス幼生の採集を行った。採集は丸稚ネット(口径1.3m、網口面積1.33㎡、目合O.33mm)による傾斜曳あるいはステップ曳と高速稚魚ネット(網口面積2.03㎡、目合2.0mm)による表層曳で行われた。計41尾のレプトケファルス幼生が黒潮流域で採れた。その内訳はギンアナゴGnathophis nystromi nystromi(JORDAN et SNYDER)(33尾)、ニラミアナゴ属sp. 5 Ariesoma sp. 5(1尾)、ニラミアナゴ属sp. 7 Ariosoma sp. 7(2尾)、クロアナゴConger japonicus BLEEKER(1尾)、クロアナゴ亜科sp. 1 Congrinae sp. 1(2尾)、メクラアナゴDysomma anguillare BARNARD(2尾)であった。全個体の82.9%(34尾)が黒潮南外側域に分布していた。またギンアナゴは全個体が表層曳で、それ以外は全でステップ曳(ワイヤー長;500, 400, 300, 200, 100m)で採集された。A total of 41 leptocephali was collected in the Kuroshio waters off Shikoku Island. They included 33 Gnathophis nystromi nystromi (JORDAN et SNYDER), one Ariosoma sp. 5, two Ariosoma sp. 7, one Conger japonicus BLEEKER, two Congrinae sp. 1, and two Dysomma anguillare BARNARD. Most of leptocephali collected (82.9% of a total catch) were occurred in the southern boundary of the Kuroshio Current. All the Gnathophis leptocephali were collected with the surface horizontal tow of High Speed Larva Net, and the other leptocephali were with step tow of Larva Net

Estimating the radiative activation characteristics of a Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce scintillator in low earth orbit

Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce (GAGG:Ce) is a recently developed inorganic scintillator. With excellent characteristics of high density and high light yield, GAGG:Ce could be potentially applied as a gamma-ray detector for astrophysical experiments on satellite missions. We report the characteristics of GAGG:Ce for radiation dose by irradiating 150 MeV protons up to 100 Gy, as compared with GSO:Ce, CsI:Tl and GYSO:Ce scintillators. We investigated the radio-activated intrinsic background count rates due to spallation within an energy range of 30–400 keV for each scintillator, and then estimated the background count rates for a satellite experiment conducted in low earth orbit. The results showed that the background count rate of GAGG:Ce was the lowest per day or in a longer timescale than the other scintillators