Conservation of Natural and Cultural Heritage in the Huong Son Complex of Natural Beauty and Historical Monuments, Northern Vietnam

The Huong Son Complex has long been recognised as an important sacred landscape in Vietnam due to its spiritual and cultural values. The area also retains many aesthetic and biological values. Unfortunately, its cultural and natural treasures are currently at risk due to anthropogenic impacts, mainly associated with increased spiritual tourist activities. Some urgent solutions have been implemented, but they give priority to protecting cultural values and sometimes conflict with nature conservation efforts. This problem was encountered during our recent bat conservation research in Huong Son. Our preliminary findings revealed symbiotic relationships between natural and cultural heritage in Huong Son; thus, linking nature and culture in conservation planning and management is critical for the sustainable development of the site. However, the application of this approach in Huong Son, and other sacred places in Vietnam, is challenged by gaps in basic research and the inadequate attention of local stakeholders

Description of the male and the larva of Ixodes collaris Hornok, 2016 with drawings of all stages

BackgroundIxodes collaris Hornok, 2016 is a recently discovered tick species associated with bats in Asia. This study provides the description of the male and the larva, as well as high quality drawings of all stages.MethodsTicks were collected from cave walls and bats in Phia Oac (Vietnam). DNA was extracted from one individual of each stage/sex, while another was morphometrically analysed. Based on two genetic markers, all ticks were identified as I. collaris.ResultsThe male of I. collaris has long legs (i.e. the length of Haller's organ exceeds the maximum diameter of tarsus I), unlike the male of I. simplex Neumann, 1906, but similarly to males of I. vespertilionis Koch, 1844 and I. ariadnae Hornok, 2014. The lateral and medial edges of the palpi of male I. collaris are both convexly curved, unlike in I. ariadnae and I. simplex, but similarly to I. vespertilionis. The male of I. collaris has long palpal setae (up to 210 mu m), unlike the males of I. ariadnae (30-100 mu m) and I. simplex (20-80 mu m), but similarly to I. vespertilionis (100-200 mu m). Males of I. collaris have sparse distribution of long palpal setae (vs dense in I. vespertilionis) and posteriorly diverging, sclerotized trapezoid ridge dorsally on the basis capituli (posteriorly convergent, U-shaped and less evident in I. vespertilionis). The larva of I. collaris has long legs (unlike the larva of I. simplex, but similarly to I. vespertilionis and I. ariadnae), elongated club-shaped palpi (240 x 70 vs 200 x 90 mu m in I. ariadnae, 200 x 70 mu m in I. vespertilionis; and 140 x 60 mu m in I. simplex:), pentagonal scutum, which is longer than broad (different from I. ariadnae and I. simplex, but similar to that of I. vespertilionis). The larva of I. collaris has strongly concave caudolateral margin of ventral basis with perpendicular angle (vs slightly concave, with obtuse angle in I. vespertilionis) and a prominent, dark sclerotized edge, collar (absent in I. vespertilionis).ConclusionSeveral features allow to distinguish the male and the larva of I. collaris morphologically from those of other bat-associated ixodidtick species

Description of a new bat-associated bug species of the Cimex lectularius group from Vietnam

Cimex lectularius, the common bedbug is an important, emerging pest of both veterinary and medical importance. Here a recently discovered, genetically distinct new species of the C. lectularius group is described morphologically, as Cimex pulveratus Hornok sp. nov

Description of a new tick species, Ixodes collaris n. sp. (Acari: Ixodidae), from bats (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae, Rhinolophidae) in Vietnam

Background: In a recent study on ixodid bat ticks from Eurasia, a high genetic difference was found between Ixodes vespertilionis from Europe and Vietnam. Accordingly, it was proposed that I. vespertilionis is a species complex, with at least one additional, hitherto undescribed spe cies. The aim of the present study was to investigate the morphology of bat ticks from Vietnam and to asses s their taxonomic status in comparison with those collected in Europe. Findings: Ixodid bat ticks (two females and two nymphs) collected from the pomona leaf-nosed bat ( Hipposideros pomona ) (Hipposideridae) and intermediate horseshoe bat ( Rhinolophus affinis ) (Rhinolophidae) in Vietnam showed major morphological differences from European isolates of I. vespertilionis , including the shape of the scutum, the enclosure and shape of porose areas, the presence of a caudo-lateral collar-like ridge ventrally on the basis capituli, polytrich coxae with short setae, and grouped (non-linear) arrangement of anterior pit sensillae in Haller ’ sorgan. Conclusions: In this study the female and the nymph of an ixodid bat tick species from Vietnam are described for the first time. The genetic and morphological differences between I. vespertilionis Koch,1844andthesebatticks from Vietnam justify the status of t he latter as a distinct species, Ixodes collaris Hornok n. sp. Keywords: Ixodes vespertilionis , Bat tick, Rhinolophus affinis , New species, Ixodes collaris Hornok n. sp, Vietna

Recent remarkable records reveal that Phia Oac-Phia Den Nature Reserve is a priority area for bat conservation in Northern Vietnam

AbstractThree short field surveys were conducted in the Phia Oac-Phia Den Nature Reserve to assess the species diversity and endemism of local bat fauna. In combination with data from a previous study, 24 bat species of 5 families, representing > 20% of the national bat diversity, were recorded in the study area. The occurrence of several bat species restricted to montane forests, that is, Murina chrysochaetes, Pipistrellus coromandra, and a potentially new species Rhinolophus cf. macrotis, suggests that Phia Oac is an important area for bat conservation in Vietnam and thus more comprehensive studies need to be performed

Phylogenetic analyses of bat-associated bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae: Cimicinae and Cacodminae) indicate two new species close to Cimex lectularius

Abstract Background Bats are regarded as the primary (ancestral) hosts of bugs of the family Cimicidae. The historically and economically most important species in the family is the common bedbug (Cimex lectularius), because of its worldwide occurrence and association with humans. This molecular-phylogenetic study was initiated in order to expand the knowledge on the phylogeny of cimicid bugs of bats, by investigating samples from Hungary, Romania (representing central-eastern Europe) and two further countries (South Africa and Vietnam). Results Altogether 216 cimicid bugs were collected (73 Ci. lectularius, 133 Ci. pipistrelli, nine Cacodmus ignotus and one Ca. sparsilis). Members of the Cimex lectularius species group were found both in the environment of bats (only Myotis emarginatus, which is a cave/attic-dwelling species) and on three crevice-dwelling bat species (two pipistrelloid bats and M. bechsteinii). On the other hand, Ci. pipistrelli always occurred off-host (near M. myotis/blythii, which are cave/attic-dwelling species). In addition, two Cacodmus spp. were collected from Pipistrellus hesperidus. The morphological characters of these specimens are illustrated with high resolution pictures. Analysis of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) sequences generated from 38 samples indicated relative genetic homogeneity of Ci. pipistrelli, while the Ci. lectularius group had two haplotypes (collected from pipistrelloid bats in Hungary and Vietnam) highly divergent from other members of this species group. These results were confirmed with molecular and phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2). Bat-associated bugs morphologically identified as Ca. ignotus and Ca. sparsilis were different in their cox1, but identical in their ITS2 sequences. Conclusions Molecular evidence is provided here on the existence of two new genotypes, most likely new species, within the Ci. lectularius species group. The relevant specimens (unlike the others) were collected from pipistrelloid bats, therefore the association of Ci. lectularius with different bat host species (pipistrelloid vs myotine bats) should be evaluated further as a possible background factor of this genetic divergence. In addition, Ca. ignotus is reported for the first time in South Africa

A taxonomic reassessment of Rhinolophus rex Allen, 1923 and its allies (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae)

This study integrates analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences and morphological and acoustic data to re-evaluate the taxonomic status of Rhinolophus rex rex, R. r. paradoxolophus and R. schnitzleri throughout their distribution ranges. Based on a dense geographic sampling of specimens hitherto referred to these taxa and contrary to the current taxonomic view, our results indicate that all examined specimens of these taxa are representatives of a single, widely distributed and morphologically variable species, R. rex. The recognition of its geographic populations as different subspecies (R. r. rex and R. r. paradoxolophus) or distinct species (R. schnitzleri) based on morphological and acoustic data should be regarded as invalid. In the light of this revision, we also reassess the conservation status of R. rex against IUCN Red List criteria as Near Threatened