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Paulauskas Algimantas - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Helminths of mustelids with overlapping ecological niches: Eurasian otter Lutra lutra (Linnaeus, 1758), American mink Neovison vison Schreber, 1777, and European Polecat Mustela putorius Linnaeus, 1758
'Walter de Gruyter GmbH', 2020Co-Authors: Nugaraitė Dovilė, Mažeika Vytautas, Paulauskas AlgimantasAbstract:eISSN: 1336-9083. This research was financed by the Research Council of Lithuania (grant No. LEK-14/2012)This study presents the helminthological data on three mustelid species with overlapping ecological niches in Lithuania. In general, 14 helminth species or higher taxa were reported from all mustelids: Isthmiophora melis, Strigea strigis metacercariae, Pseudamphistomum truncatum, Alaria alata mesocercariae, Phyllodistomum folium, Opisthorchis felineus, Metametorchis skrjabini, Mesocestoides sp., Taenia martis, Aonchotheca putorii, Crenosoma schachmatovae, Eucoleus aerophilus, Molineus patens, and Nematoda g. sp. The largest number of helminths was detected in M. putorius (11) and N. vison (10) from wetlands; 7 helminths were detected in M. putorius from forests, and 8 in N. vison and 4 in L. lutra from water bodies. Habitat-related differences were found in the abundance and prevalence of E. aerophilus in M. putorius. M. putorius has higher indices of infection by I. melis, S. strigis metacercariae, and E. aerophilus compared to N. vison in wetlands. Differences in the abundance and prevalence of P. truncatum among N. vison and L. lutra in water bodies have been observed. Helminths detected in N. vison in the present study are native European parasitesBiologijos katedraGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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Molecular and morphological characterization of Isthmiophora melis (Schrank, 1788) Luhe, 1909 (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) from American mink (Neovison vison) and European Polecat (Mustela putorius) in Lithuania
'Walter de Gruyter GmbH', 2020Co-Authors: Nugaraitė Dovilė, Mažeika Vytautas, Paulauskas AlgimantasAbstract:eISSN: 1336-9083. Funding Agency: Research Council of Lithuania ; Grant Number LEK-14/2012The specimens collected from American mink (Neovison vison) and European Polecat (Mustela putorius) in Lithuania were morphologically identified as Isthmiophora melis (Schrank, 1788) Like, 1909 and were molecularly characterized through sequencing of partial 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region, and ND1. Relations of I. melis to other species of the genus Isthmiophora Luhe 1909 were discussed. According to ITS1 and ND1 sequences the closest species to I. melis is Isthmiophora hortensis (Asada, 1926)Biologijos katedraGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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Helminth parasites of wild Mustelids (family: Mustelidae) in Lithuania
2019Co-Authors: Paulauskas Algimantas, Nugaraitė Dovilė, Mažeika VytautasAbstract:The present study analyses the helminth fauna found in members of family Mustelidae. A total of 132 mustelids: 26 stone martens (Martes foina), 20 pine martens (Martes martes), 53 American minks (Neovison vison), 26 European Polecat (Mustela putorius), 5 European otters (Lutra lutra) and 2 Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) were examined using a total helmintological examination of individual organs. Morhological and molecular analysis have been used for identification of helminth species. More than 12 taxa of parasitic worms belonging to phyla Nematoda and Platyhelmithes (classes Trematoda and Cestoda) were found. A checklist of helminth species detected in mustelids worlwide, routes of infection, pathogenicity, geographic distribution, and distribution in host species of helminths is discusedBiologijos katedraGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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Molecular and morphological identification of Isthmiophora melis (Schrank, 1788) Luhe, 1909 (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) from American mink and European Polecat in Lithuania
2019Co-Authors: Nugaraitė Dovilė, Mažeika Vytautas, Paulauskas AlgimantasAbstract:eISSN 2300-6706. Abstracts of the XXIV Congress of the Polish Parasitological Society Krakow, 5-8th September 2016, KrakowThe Echinostomatidae Looss, 1899 is a large digenean family known to occur in adult stage in the small intestine of more than thirty vertebrate species, including humans. Morphological identification of individual species of the genus Isthmiophora is difficult, due to high morphological similarities. In this case, identification based on molecular techniques is currently one of the most commonly used molecular methods in parasitology. The aim of our study was to identify the flukes of the genus Isthmiophora from American mink (Neovison vison) and European Polecat (Mustela putorius), collected at the same time in Lithuania, using morphological and molecular data. Forty American mink and 22 European Polecat were collected/hunted in different parts of Lithuania between 2013 and 2015. Adult I. melis individuals were found in small intestine of 30 American mink and 21 European Polecat using a total helminthological examination of individual organs. Fluke specimens were processed for morphological studies following standard procedure of temporary and permanent preparations. The partial 18S rDNA, 28S rRNA, and ITS-1, 5.8S rRNA, and ITS-2 regions were used for molecular identification. According to morphological features, the flukes from both species of mustelids have short forebody (16.6% of body length), head collar reniform, small; collar spines 27 dorsal, four angle spines on each ventral lappet, longer than marginal spines; aboral collar spines (61 × 13 µm) are slightly shorter than dorsal oral ones (67 × 14 µm); post-testicular region is very long (38.8%), long armed cirrus, short uterus, large eggs (134 × 85 µm). Molecular analysis revealed what most informative for species identification was ITS-1 region, which shared 100% homology with GenBank deposited I. melis isolates. [...]Biologijos katedraGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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Detection of rickettsia species in ectoparasites of wild mammals
2019Co-Authors: Stankutė Agnė, Lipatova Indrė, Radzijevskaja Jana, Paulauskas AlgimantasAbstract:Rickettsia are small, intercellular, gram-negative bacteria, which cause infectious diseases – rickettsioses in many countries around the world. These patogens are transmitted to vertebrates, including humans by a variety of arthropod vectors such as ticks, fleas and mites. The aim of this study was to identify Rickettsia spp. infection in ectoparasites of wild mammals. In total 118 ectoparasites were collected (110 ticks and 8 fleas) from wild mammals (European hare, raccoon dog, European Polecat, European badger and red fox). Rickettsia DNA was found in 14.4% (17/118) of ectoparasites. Ectoparasites collected from European Polecat were not infected with Rickettsia spp. Rickettsia DNA were found in 23.1% (3/13) Dermocentor reticulatus ticks and 13.4% (13/97) Ixodes ricinus ticks, as well in 12.5% (1/8) fleas of Chaetopsylla globiceps species. Sequence analysis of the 17 kDa protein coding gene fragment sequences showed that sequences are similar to R. helvetica and R. raoultii speciesBiologijos katedraGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
Nugaraitė Dovilė - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Molecular and morphological characterization of Isthmiophora melis (Schrank, 1788) Luhe, 1909 (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) from American mink (Neovison vison) and European Polecat (Mustela putorius) in Lithuania
'Walter de Gruyter GmbH', 2020Co-Authors: Nugaraitė Dovilė, Mažeika Vytautas, Paulauskas AlgimantasAbstract:eISSN: 1336-9083. Funding Agency: Research Council of Lithuania ; Grant Number LEK-14/2012The specimens collected from American mink (Neovison vison) and European Polecat (Mustela putorius) in Lithuania were morphologically identified as Isthmiophora melis (Schrank, 1788) Like, 1909 and were molecularly characterized through sequencing of partial 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region, and ND1. Relations of I. melis to other species of the genus Isthmiophora Luhe 1909 were discussed. According to ITS1 and ND1 sequences the closest species to I. melis is Isthmiophora hortensis (Asada, 1926)Biologijos katedraGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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Helminths of mustelids with overlapping ecological niches: Eurasian otter Lutra lutra (Linnaeus, 1758), American mink Neovison vison Schreber, 1777, and European Polecat Mustela putorius Linnaeus, 1758
'Walter de Gruyter GmbH', 2020Co-Authors: Nugaraitė Dovilė, Mažeika Vytautas, Paulauskas AlgimantasAbstract:eISSN: 1336-9083. This research was financed by the Research Council of Lithuania (grant No. LEK-14/2012)This study presents the helminthological data on three mustelid species with overlapping ecological niches in Lithuania. In general, 14 helminth species or higher taxa were reported from all mustelids: Isthmiophora melis, Strigea strigis metacercariae, Pseudamphistomum truncatum, Alaria alata mesocercariae, Phyllodistomum folium, Opisthorchis felineus, Metametorchis skrjabini, Mesocestoides sp., Taenia martis, Aonchotheca putorii, Crenosoma schachmatovae, Eucoleus aerophilus, Molineus patens, and Nematoda g. sp. The largest number of helminths was detected in M. putorius (11) and N. vison (10) from wetlands; 7 helminths were detected in M. putorius from forests, and 8 in N. vison and 4 in L. lutra from water bodies. Habitat-related differences were found in the abundance and prevalence of E. aerophilus in M. putorius. M. putorius has higher indices of infection by I. melis, S. strigis metacercariae, and E. aerophilus compared to N. vison in wetlands. Differences in the abundance and prevalence of P. truncatum among N. vison and L. lutra in water bodies have been observed. Helminths detected in N. vison in the present study are native European parasitesBiologijos katedraGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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Helminth parasites of wild Mustelids (family: Mustelidae) in Lithuania
2019Co-Authors: Paulauskas Algimantas, Nugaraitė Dovilė, Mažeika VytautasAbstract:The present study analyses the helminth fauna found in members of family Mustelidae. A total of 132 mustelids: 26 stone martens (Martes foina), 20 pine martens (Martes martes), 53 American minks (Neovison vison), 26 European Polecat (Mustela putorius), 5 European otters (Lutra lutra) and 2 Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) were examined using a total helmintological examination of individual organs. Morhological and molecular analysis have been used for identification of helminth species. More than 12 taxa of parasitic worms belonging to phyla Nematoda and Platyhelmithes (classes Trematoda and Cestoda) were found. A checklist of helminth species detected in mustelids worlwide, routes of infection, pathogenicity, geographic distribution, and distribution in host species of helminths is discusedBiologijos katedraGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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Molecular and morphological identification of Isthmiophora melis (Schrank, 1788) Luhe, 1909 (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) from American mink and European Polecat in Lithuania
2019Co-Authors: Nugaraitė Dovilė, Mažeika Vytautas, Paulauskas AlgimantasAbstract:eISSN 2300-6706. Abstracts of the XXIV Congress of the Polish Parasitological Society Krakow, 5-8th September 2016, KrakowThe Echinostomatidae Looss, 1899 is a large digenean family known to occur in adult stage in the small intestine of more than thirty vertebrate species, including humans. Morphological identification of individual species of the genus Isthmiophora is difficult, due to high morphological similarities. In this case, identification based on molecular techniques is currently one of the most commonly used molecular methods in parasitology. The aim of our study was to identify the flukes of the genus Isthmiophora from American mink (Neovison vison) and European Polecat (Mustela putorius), collected at the same time in Lithuania, using morphological and molecular data. Forty American mink and 22 European Polecat were collected/hunted in different parts of Lithuania between 2013 and 2015. Adult I. melis individuals were found in small intestine of 30 American mink and 21 European Polecat using a total helminthological examination of individual organs. Fluke specimens were processed for morphological studies following standard procedure of temporary and permanent preparations. The partial 18S rDNA, 28S rRNA, and ITS-1, 5.8S rRNA, and ITS-2 regions were used for molecular identification. According to morphological features, the flukes from both species of mustelids have short forebody (16.6% of body length), head collar reniform, small; collar spines 27 dorsal, four angle spines on each ventral lappet, longer than marginal spines; aboral collar spines (61 × 13 µm) are slightly shorter than dorsal oral ones (67 × 14 µm); post-testicular region is very long (38.8%), long armed cirrus, short uterus, large eggs (134 × 85 µm). Molecular analysis revealed what most informative for species identification was ITS-1 region, which shared 100% homology with GenBank deposited I. melis isolates. [...]Biologijos katedraGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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Kiauninių (Mustelidae) helmintų faunos ypatumai Lietuvoje
Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, 2019Co-Authors: Nugaraitė DovilėAbstract:The Mustelidae are a the largest and most diverse family in the order Carnivora. No detailed studies of stone marten (Martes foina), invasive American mink (Neovison vison), and the protected species of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) helminths from Lithuania have been reported to date. There is also poor documentation of pine marten (Martes martes) and European Polecat (Mustela putorius) parasites in this country. The aim of the dissertation was to determine helminth infection in the mustelids. In total 140 mustelids were collected in 22 different localities of Lithuania. Fifteen helminth species and higher taxa were detected in mustelids. The largest number of helminths was found in M. putorius (12) and N. vison (10); 8 helminths were detected in M. martes, 7 in M. foina, and 4 in L. lutra. All helminths detected in N. vison are native European parasites, which are also common parasites of a wide range of European mustelids and other mammals. The results of the present study show that the epidemiological role of invasive N. vison is in the maintenance of the life cycles of native parasites. Helminth infection in the mustelids depends on the year of study, habitat, season, and host sex. Morphological identification of Isthmiophora melis (Schrank, 1788) Lühe, 1909 was confirmed by molecular data. Isthmiophora hortensis (Asada, 1926) is the closest species to I. melis.Kiauniniai (Mustelidae) didžiausia ir įvairiausia plėšriųjų žinduolių būrio (Carnivora) šeima. Lietuvoje akmeninės kiaunės (Martes foina), invazinės rūšies – kanadinės audinės (Neovison vison) ir saugomos rūšies – ūdros (Lutra lutra) helmintų fauna nebuvo tirta, o miškinės kiaunės (Martes martes) ir juodojo šeško (Mustela putorius) helmintologiniai tyrimai atlikti daugiau nei prieš 50 metų. Darbo tikslas buvo įvertinti kiauninių gyvūnų užsikrėtimą helmintais. Helmintologiškai ištyrus 140 kiauninių gyvūnų surinktų 22 skirtingose Lietuvos vietovėse rasti 15 taksonų helmintai. Didžiausia helmintų įvairovė rasta juodajame šeške (M. putorius) (12) ir kanadinėje audinėje (N. vison) (10). Miškinėje kiaunėje (M. martes) rasti 8, akmeninėje kiaunėje (M. foina) 7 ir ūdroje (L. lutra) 4 taksonų helmintai. Visi kanadinėje audinėje (N. vison) rasti helmintai yra vietinės Europinės parazitų rūšys, kurios taip pat dažnai yra randamos kitų rūšių kiauniniuose ir kituose gyvūnuose Europoje. Šio darbo rezultatai rodo, kad invazinės kanadinės audinės (N. vison) epidemiologinis vaidmuo yra palaikyti vietinių parazitų rūšių gyvenimo ciklus. Nustatyta, kad kiauninių gyvūnų užsikrėtimas helmintais priklauso nuo tyrimo metų, buveinės, sezono ir šeimininko lyties. Siurbikių Isthmiophora melis (Schrank, 1788) Lühe, 1909 morfologinis identifikavimas patvirtintas molekuliniais metodais. Nustatyta, kad Isthmiophora hortensis (Asada, 1926) yra artimiausia I. melis rūšiai
Rafael Barrientos - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Adult sex-ratio distortion in the native European Polecat is related to the expansion of the invasive American mink
Biological Conservation, 2015Co-Authors: Rafael BarrientosAbstract:Biological invasions represent a threat to worldwide diversity, but large scale patterns of their impacts are rarely reported. The population sex-ratio influences many other population parameters such as the effective population size, the mating system or the population persistence in the long run. At a local scale, the presence of American mink (Neovison vison), a successful invader, has been shown to distort the adult sex-ratio (ASR) in the native European Polecat (Mustela putorius). The aim of the current work is to determine whether this process is generalized across the entire native species range, by studying 71 datasets and 10,847 Polecats with a meta-analytic approach. Datasets were male-biased when these included adult individuals. The different sampling methods (trapping/hunting, live trapping or road-kills) did not affect the sample sex-ratio (SSR). The Polecat ASR is more skewed toward males in the presence of American mink, representing a conservation concern due to the reduction of reproductive females. The potential repercussions of ASR distortion on the effective population size, the mating system or the population persistence are discussed. This is the first time that ASR distortion across the entire range of a native species is linked to competition with an invasive species.
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can we explain regional abundance and road kill patterns with variables derived from local scale road kill models evaluating transferability with the European Polecat
Diversity and Distributions, 2012Co-Authors: Rafael Barrientos, Juan De Dios MirandaAbstract:Aim We evaluated the transferability of variables previously found to have a significant effect on European Polecat Mustela putorius road-kills at a local scale (i.e. 50 m around location points) when we extrapolate them to a large scale [Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) 100 km2] in a neighbouring area. Location Andalusia, south Spain. We carried out our study in 821 of the 985 UTM 100 km2 cells included in this region. Methods The units of the different variables were adapted to the new scale. We used data from the Spanish Atlas survey to obtain the abundance of the different species and GIS data for the rest of the variables. We controlled the spatial autocorrelation by incorporating spatial filters obtained with Spatial Eigenvector Mapping into multiple regression analyses. We used AIC criteria and the best subset procedure to investigate the relationship between the selected variables and species abundance, and road-kill occurrence. Results The best subset procedure provided two models that explained 40% of variation in Polecat abundance and eleven models that explained around 25% of variation in road-kills. The main explanatory factor for Polecat abundance was the abundance of other carnivores, whereas Polecat abundance was the main factor for road-kills. In both cases, rabbit abundance was the second most important explanatory variable. Main Conclusions Our findings highlight the possibility of partially explaining the abundance and road-kill patterns at a large scale based on significant variables from local-scale models. Mitigation measures to reduce Polecat fatalities should combine actions at different scales. Routes that cross carnivore hotspots, including those of Polecats, and areas with important populations of rabbits, should be avoided during road planning. When these routes are unavoidable, local-scale mitigation measures must be implemented.
L. Bolonio - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The presence of rabbits adjacent to roads increases Polecat road mortality
Biodiversity and Conservation, 2009Co-Authors: Ronald Barrientos, L. BolonioAbstract:Road mortality is an increasing problem for terrestrial vertebrate conservation due to the increase of both road numbers and vehicle Xow. We hypothesize that the proba- bility of a predator being killed on the road is related to the presence of its prey adjacent to the road, which is likely to be related to the use that these predators make of road verges. We aim to identify the features of speciWc stretches of road where road-kills of a predator (European Polecat) occur in Mediterranean landscapes, including the presence of its main prey (European rabbit) and landscape and road features. We compared 85 100 m long stretches of road where at least one road-kill was recorded with 104 stretches without any road-kill in a dry agricultural landscape in central Spain. We used regression analysis to investigate the relationship between road-kill occurrence and the features in the 67% of the cases. Road-kill stretches were characterised by greater numbers of rabbit burrows in the road verges and by higher traYc Xow and speed (i.e. higher speed limit, lower proportion of heavy vehicles, wider road and lower proportion of unbroken central lines). Road-kill stretches also had more metres built over bridges and lower densities of people. We validated our best model with a dataset (the 33% of the cases) not included in its develop- ment, which correctly classiWed 82% of road-kill stretches and 89% of non-road kill stretches. Our results highlight the need for taking into account food resource distribution when studying causes of animal road-kills.
Ronald Barrientos - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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2009. The presence of rabbits adjacent to roads increases Polecat road mortality. Biodiveristy Conservation
2020Co-Authors: Ronald Barrientos, · L Bolonio, Bolonio L Grupo, Ornitológico AlcedoAbstract:Abstract Road mortality is an increasing problem for terrestrial vertebrate conservation due to the increase of both road numbers and vehicle Xow. We hypothesize that the probability of a predator being killed on the road is related to the presence of its prey adjacent to the road, which is likely to be related to the use that these predators make of road verges. We aim to identify the features of speciWc stretches of road where road-kills of a predator (European Polecat) occur in Mediterranean landscapes, including the presence of its main prey (European rabbit) and landscape and road features. We compared 85 100 m long stretches of road where at least one road-kill was recorded with 104 stretches without any road-kill in a dry agricultural landscape in central Spain. We used regression analysis to investigate the relationship between road-kill occurrence and the features in the 67% of the cases. Road-kill stretches were characterised by greater numbers of rabbit burrows in the road verges and by higher traYc Xow and speed (i.e. higher speed limit, lower proportion of heavy vehicles, wider road and lower proportion of unbroken central lines). Road-kill stretches also had more metres built over bridges and lower densities of people. We validated our best model with a dataset (the 33% of the cases) not included in its development, which correctly classiWed 82% of road-kill stretches and 89% of non-road kill stretches. Our results highlight the need for taking into account food resource distribution when studying causes of animal road-kills
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The presence of rabbits adjacent to roads increases Polecat road mortality
Biodiversity and Conservation, 2009Co-Authors: Ronald Barrientos, L. BolonioAbstract:Road mortality is an increasing problem for terrestrial vertebrate conservation due to the increase of both road numbers and vehicle Xow. We hypothesize that the proba- bility of a predator being killed on the road is related to the presence of its prey adjacent to the road, which is likely to be related to the use that these predators make of road verges. We aim to identify the features of speciWc stretches of road where road-kills of a predator (European Polecat) occur in Mediterranean landscapes, including the presence of its main prey (European rabbit) and landscape and road features. We compared 85 100 m long stretches of road where at least one road-kill was recorded with 104 stretches without any road-kill in a dry agricultural landscape in central Spain. We used regression analysis to investigate the relationship between road-kill occurrence and the features in the 67% of the cases. Road-kill stretches were characterised by greater numbers of rabbit burrows in the road verges and by higher traYc Xow and speed (i.e. higher speed limit, lower proportion of heavy vehicles, wider road and lower proportion of unbroken central lines). Road-kill stretches also had more metres built over bridges and lower densities of people. We validated our best model with a dataset (the 33% of the cases) not included in its develop- ment, which correctly classiWed 82% of road-kill stretches and 89% of non-road kill stretches. Our results highlight the need for taking into account food resource distribution when studying causes of animal road-kills.
