Ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Madagascar and neighbouring islands

Niedbała, W. (2017): Ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Madagascar and neighbouring islands. Acarologia 57 (1): 3-205, DOI: 10.1051/acarologia/20164149, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/acarologia/2016414

An up-dated study of ptyctimous mite fauna (Acari: Oribatida) of the australasian region with description of thirteen new species

International audienceThis paper presents a review of 91 ptyctimous oribatid mite species including three Mesoplophoridae, 25 Euphthiracaroidea and 63 of Phthiracaroidea of the Australasian Region. Thirteen species are new for science: Mesoplophora (Mesoplophora) parapulchra n. sp., Apoplophora paraserrata n. sp., Acrotritia paraspiculifera n. sp., Microtritia cristata n. sp., Plonaphacarus vicinus n. sp., Steganacarus (Rhacaplacarus) cucullus n. sp., Austrophthiracarus konwerskii n. sp., Arphthicarus trivestigius n. sp., Notophthiracarus angustus n. sp., Notophthiracarus bloszyki n. sp., Notophthiracarus hallidayi n. sp., Notophthiracarus lewisensis n. sp., Notophthiracarus parausitatus n. sp.. Descriptions of eight known species are also provided with some morphological remarks. New localities have been discovered for 46 species extending their hitherto geographical ranges. Twenty-four species, considered until now as endemics to one locality, are reported from new localities. The greatest number of endemic mites has been found in southern Australia, in particular in the State of Victoria. The present ptyctimous fauna of the Australasian Region comprises now 240 species, including one Protoplophoridae, eight Mesoplophoridae, 49 Euphthiracaroidea and 182 Phthiracaroidea. Almost all genera of the group are reported from this region. The largest number of ptyctimous mite species has been found in Queensland and New South Wales. The highest number of species is found in two Phthiracaroidea genera: Notophthiracarus and Austrophthiracarus. Within the Euphthiracaroidea, the highest number of species has been observed in the genera Oribotritia and Acrotritia

ORIBATID MITES OF DONG NAI BIOSPHERE RESERVE (= CAT TIEN NATIONAL PARK) OF SOUTHERN VIETNAM, WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF PERGALUMNA (ACARI, ORIBATIDA, GALUMNIDAE)

An annotated checklist of oribatid mite taxa in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve (= Cat Tien National Park) with distributions is provided. We have registered 121 species, 84 genera and 45 families, of which 40 species, 27 genera, 12 families were found for the first time in Vietnam, and of which 30 species and one genus were described as are new. A new species of the genus Pergalumna, Pergalumna paraelongata sp. n., is described

Changes in domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) thermographic image, depending on its age and physiological condition

Celem badań była ocena różnic w emisji ciepła spowodowanych wiekiem i stanem fizjologicznym królików, przy pomocy metody termowizyjnej. Na podstawie wykonanych pomiarów stwierdzono, iż właściwości ciepłochronne futra królików ulegają zmianie zależnie od wieku i stanu fizjologicznego. Obszarem najsilniej emitującym ciepło są okolice płciowe, których temperatura jest najwyższa u samic mających objawy rui a najniższa u samców i samic ciężarnych. Uszy królików pełnią funkcję termoregulacyjną, a ich temperatura wykazuje znaczną zmienność osobniczą.The aim of the study was to evaluate the differences in heat emission due to age and physiological state of rabbits. The study was conducted in the spring-summer season for 36 adults and 30 young New Zealand White rabbits. Distribution of the surface temperature of animals was recorded using a Flir System Thermovision A20 camera. The study indicates that the thermographic camera is a useful tool in assessing the rabbit fur quality. At a constant external temperature (19 °C) the genital area is about 1.5 °C cooler than the rabbit body temperature (38,5-40,5 °C), while the surface temperature of the body varies depending on a gender and technological group (p ≤ 0.05) (Tab. 1, Figs. 2 and 3). During pregnancy and lactation the female body is exposed to a greater burden than the male body, which affects directly the density and quality of the fur coat [1]. The genital area was characterized by the highest temperature from among all studied areas. Depending on the physiological state of rabbits it had a different temperature (p ≤ 0.05). This is a consequence of the fact that rabbits are polioestrus animals, ready to get pregnant almost throughout the year. One of the signs that does are sexually receptive is better blood circulation and redness of the vulva [2]. This explains the vulva lower temperature of the pregnant does and higher of lactating does, ready to mating almost immediately after birth. In young animals it was found that the surface temperature of ears was increased in subsequent weeks of life (p ≤ 0.001, Fig. 4, Tab. 2), while the surface temperature of the body decreased (p ≤ 0.001, Figs. 4, 5 and 6, Tab. 2)