Evsyukov, Aleksandr P

Evsyukov A.P., Potapenko I.O.

Introduction. The thorny-headed worms (Acanthocephala) are a small group of helminths, currently classified as a phylum. Adult helminths live in the intestines of various vertebrates. Eggs are excreted into the environment with feces, and in this way infest the arthropods, who are the intermediate hosts. The life cycles of some acanthocephala species can get complicated due to inclusion of the facultative, transport, paratenic or postcyclic hosts. Сhiropterans can be the definitive, intermediate or paratenic hosts for the various groups of parasitic worms, therefore they are an important link in the epizootic chains of spreading the invasive diseases. The aim of the articles of this series is to study the species composition of helminths parasitizing in bats of the Rostov Region. In the fourth paper of this series, we present data on thorny-headed worms and sum-up the previously published information.Materials and Methods. The research materials were the articles from the open access databases: PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), CyberLeninka (cyberleninka.ru), Google Scholar (scholar.google.com), BHL (www.biodiversitylibrary.org), JSTOR (www.jstor.org), etc. Some data were provided by the colleagues. Results. The list comprising three species of thorny-headed worms that can parasitize in bats in Rostov region was compiled. While analysing the literature sources, one more Nematoda species, not mentioned by us previously, was added to the list of nematodes.Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the review revealed that 15 bat species living in the Rostov region can be parasitized by 3 or 4 Acanthocephala species of 3 genera, 2 families and 2 orders. In total, 104 helminth species of three phyla can parasitize in chiropterans in the Rostov region: Nematoda, Platyhelminthes and Acanthocephala. Whereas, the largest number of parasites falls on the class Trematoda – 42 species. The largest number of helminth species was recorded in the serotine bat (54 species) and the common noctule (50 species). The least amount (4 species) – in the soprano pipistrelle. Our data show that the helminth fauna of bats in the Rostov region, Russia and in the world as a whole is still poorly studied. At the same time, some of the parasitic worm species distinguished in our research have the veterinary and medical significance, moreover, bats participate in the epizootic chains as the facultative hosts.

Popov I.V., Donnik I.M., Lipilkina T.A., Berezinskaia I.S., Tkacheva E.V., Lukbanova E.A., Aleshukina A.V., Tikhmeneva I.A., Derezina T.N., Evsyukov A.P., Tverdokhlebova T.I., Ermakov A.M.

Bats (Chiroptera) are the second most diverse order of mammals after rodents, which ensures their key role in the functioning of ecosystems. The microbiota of bats, especially the bacterial one, is poorly studied, which does not allow an accurate assessment of the role of bats in global microbial ecology. In this study, we determined the composition and diversity of the intestinal microbiota of the common noctule (Nyctalus noctula) in Rostov-on-Don using bacteriological analysis and metagenomic sequencing of the V3-V4 16S rRNA gene. As a result, we found that microbial diversity determined using metagenomic sequencing was statistically significantly higher (p 0.001) compared to the bacteriological method. However, mass spectrometric identification of bacterial isolates made it possible to determine their species, while the sensitivity of the metagenomic sequencing protocol used is limited to reliable identification of bacteria to genus rank. Also, bacteria of the genera Enterococcus, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Lactococcus, and Latilactobacillus were the most prevalent in the intestinal microbiota of the common noctule. Our study provides the first data on the composition of the cultivated and uncultivated microbiota of the rufous noctule, which is a fundamental step in the study of the microbiota of synanthropic bats.

Golovatch S.I., Saparbayeva L.M., Evsyukov A.P., Zuev R.V., Turbanov I.S., Korobushkin D.I.

Evsyukov A.P., Potapenko I.O., Tsygankova M.G.

Introduction. The class Cestoda is divided into two subclasses: the Cestodaria — unsegmented tapeworms, and the Eucestoda — true cestodes. The representatives of the orders Pseudophyllidea and Cyclophyllidae, which are part of the subclass of true cestodes parasitize in carnivorous mammals. At the same time, only representatives of the latter order parasitize in chiropterans. Data on the species composition and distribution of cestodes in the Rostov region have not been published yet. The list of bat species living in the Rostov region have been compiled previously. In this article, the authors study the cestode fauna parasitizing in chiropterans in the region under study. This review aims to analyse the current state of knowledge about the species composition of helminths parasitizing in bats in the Rostov region.Materials and Methods. The research materials have been obtained from the libraries and open access resources: PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), CyberLeninka (cyberleninka.ru), Google Scholar (scholar.google.com), BHL (www.biodiversitylibrary.org ), JSTOR (www.jstor.org), etc. Some data has been provided by the colleagues. Results. 17 species of cestodes of 4 genera, 1 family and 1 order can be found in 15 species of bats living in the Rostov region. Among them dominate the species of the genus Vampirolepis (11 species).Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the review carried out showed that maximum diversity of cestodes was found in one species of bats — the serotine bat (10 species). The smallest number of cestode species (1 per each) was found in the giant and lesser noctules. None of the cestode species found in bats in the Rostov region were recorded in companion animals or humans. However, some cestode species of the Hymenolepididae family, common in rodents, can infect the humans.

Evsyukov A.P., Tsygankova M.G.

Introduction. The class of Trematoda includes two subclasses — Aspidogastrea and Digenea. Representatives of the former do not parasitize in bats. The definitive hosts for digenetic trematodes (Digenea) are vertebrates, including bats, in which the sexual generation (maritae) parasitizes. Gastropods or bivalves are the intermediate hosts. Supplementary hosts for the trematodes of bats are larvae and imagos of flying insects. Since in most cases the development of parthenites and cercariae of trematodes is related to water environment, the supplementary hosts are the groups of insects whose larvae live in the water. The list of bat species living in the Rostov region has been compiled in the previous research. In the present article the authors investigate the trematode fauna parasitizing in bats of the region under study. The aim of this review is to analyse the current state of knowledge on the species composition of the helminth parasitizing in chiropterans of the Rostov region.Materials and Methods. The research materials have been obtained from the libraries and open access resources: PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), CyberLeninka (cyberleninka.ru), Google Scholar (scholar.google.com), BHL (www.biodiversitylibrary.org), JSTOR (www.jstor.org). Some data has been provided by the colleagues.Results. 42 trematode species from 10 genera, 5 families and 1 order can parasitize in 15 bat species living in the Rostov region. The Lecithodendriidae family (24 species) and the genus Paralecithodendrium (9 species) are represented by a large number of species. Of the listed trematodes, 33 species used to be recorded on the territory of Russia.Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the conducted systematic review have revealed that the largest number of trematode species parasitizes in two bat species living in the Rostov region: the common noctule (27 species) and the serotine bat (24 species). The smallest number of species (4 per each) is found in the giant noctule and the soprano pipistrelle bat. Two species (Plagiorchis elegans and Plagiorchis vespertilionis) have been found in the companion cats and dogs includingly, wheras a case of the latter parazitising in humans has also been recorded. The presence of bats in the urban environment enables the full life cycle of these trematodes. There exists possibility of the companion animals and people to get infected through incidental ingestion of the infested insects.

Evsyukov A.P., Tsygankova M.G.

Introduction. Bats (Chiroptera) are the least studied group of mammals in many regions of Russia. At the same time, the chiropterans are known to be one of the largest orders of Mammalia, which can act as hosts and carriers of various pathogenic fungi, bacteria and viruses. However, the parasitic fauna of this group of animals is poorly investigated. The study of bat-parasitizing worms has great practical importance, since bats, due to their ancient origin, are a very detached order. Endoparasites, including the chiropteran helminths, have not been previously studied in the Rostov region. According to the available data, the up-to-date research on the bat parasites in Russia has been carried out only in the Saratov region and in the Republic of Mordovia. The aim of this series of articles is to study the helminth species composition parasitizing in chiropterans in the Rostov region. In the first report we present the data on nematodes.Materials and Methods. The materials for the research were the articles from the open access literature databases: PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), Cyberleninka (cyberleninka.ru), GoogleScholar (https://scholar.google.com ), etc. The main method used was the analysis of the collected data.Results. The authors were the first to reveal that 27 nematode species from 14 genera, 8 families, 4 orders and 2 classes can be found in 15 bat species living in the Rostov region. The numerous Chromadorea class is represented by 21 species, 12 of which are found in Russia.Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the literature sources analysis showed that the largest number of nematode species parasitize in two chiropteran species living in the Rostov region: in the Daubenton's bat (15 species) and in the common noctule (14 species). Only one species has been recorded in the northern bat. Most nematode species parasitize specifically in bats and have a direct life cycle. (e.g., species of the genus Molinostrongylus). For some species, such as Pterygodermatites bovieri and Litomosa spp., the intermediate hosts are arthropods and the definitive hosts are various bat species. For three nematode species: Ascarops strongylina, Physocephalus sexalatus and Spirocerca lupi, bats are the paratenic hosts.

Zuev R.V., Proskura E.D., Evsyukov A.P.

VAGALINSKI B., EVSYUKOV A.P., CHUMACHENKO Y.A., ZABIYAKA I.Y.

The European millipede genus Micropachyiulus Verhoeff, 1899 is revised based on type and non-type material, and on the available literature. The genus Hylopachyiulus Attems, 1904 is established as a junior subjective synonym of Micropachyiulus, syn. nov. Micropachyiulus ocellatus (Antić & Akkari, 2018) is thus listed as a new combination, comb. nov. Two new species—Micropachyiulus caucasicus sp. nov. and M. filiformis sp. nov.—are described from Russia and Romania, respectively. In addition, a presumably closely related monospecific genus, Armeniopachyiulus gen. nov., and its sole species A. pokr gen. et sp. nov. are described from Armenia. A brief discussion on the systematics and distribution of the studied taxa is presented.

Evsyukov A.P., Golovatch S.I., Vagalinski B., Chumachenko Y.A., Turbanov I.S., Zabiyaka I.Y.

Evsyukov A.P., Vagalinski B., Zabiyaka I.Y., Sadyrin E.V.

A new genus and species of the millipede tribe Pachyiulini, Bellatoiulus golovatchigen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lesser Caucasus, Azerbaijan. Cybertypes of the new species are created from the physical holotype male and from a paratype female. The distribution and ecological features of the new species, and the position of the new genus within Pachyiulini are discussed.

Evsyukov A.P., Golovatch S.I., Antić D.Ž.

In the Caucasus, the genera Amblyiulus Silvestri, 1896 and Syrioiulus Verhoeff, 1914 are shown to include two and four species, respectively: Amblyiulus georgicus Lohmander, 1932, from Georgia and Armenia, A. hirtussp. nov., from Azerbaijan and Dagestan, Russia, Syrioiulus adsharicus (Lohmander, 1936), from Georgia, S. continentalis (Attems, 1903), from Azerbaijan and Iran, S. taliscius (Attems, 1927), from Azerbaijan, and S. armeniacussp. nov., from Armenia. All these six species are described, illustrated, and keyed, and their distributions are mapped and discussed, based on the literature data and abundant new samples.

EVSYUKOV A., GOLOVATCH S., REIP H., VANDENSPIEGEL D.

The generic classification of the Palaearctic tribe Leptoiulini is revised, with 11 genera being recognized. The main differences between the genera, all presented in a tabular form, lie in the structure of the 2nd and 7th leg-pairs of the male, coupled with gonopodal conformations: the presence/absence and the degree of development of flagella on the promeres, and of the phylacum and velum on the opisthomeres. Based on abundant new material, only three genera and seven species of Leptoiulini, all keyed, mapped and properly illustrated, are shown to occur in the Caucasus: Chatoleptophyllum flexum Golovatch, 1979, Kubaniulus gracilis Lohmander, 1936, K. lativelatus sp. nov., Leptoiulus hastatus Lohmander, 1932 (= L. disparatus Lohmander, 1936, syn. n.), L. tanymorphus (Attems, 1901), L. meskhii sp. nov., and L. gonopodialis sp. nov. All species are endemic or subendemic to the region, while Kubaniulus Lohmander, 1936 represents the only genus in the tribe which is restricted to the Caucasus, in particular, the western and central parts of the Caucasus Major. The distributions are mainly allopatric, but a few pairs of species are para- or even sympatric. 

Kokhia M.S., Evsyukov A.P., Golovatch S.I.

EVSYUKOV A., GOLOVATCH S., REIP H.S.

The genus Julus includes seven species already described from the Caucasus region: J. alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016; J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936; J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981; J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921; J. lignaui Verhoeff, 1910; J. lindholmi Lohmander, 1936; and J. subalpinus Lohmander, 1936, as well as two new species: J. khostensis sp. n., from the Krasnodar Province, and, J. dagestanus sp. n., from the Republic of Dagestan, both in Russia. All nine species are described, illustrated and keyed, their morphological variations outlined, and distributions mapped, based on the literature data and abundant new samples. Altitudinal distribution patterns are also discussed. 

Evsyukov A.P.

Evsyukov A.P., Potapenko I.O.

Introduction. The thorny-headed worms (Acanthocephala) are a small group of helminths, currently classified as a phylum. Adult helminths live in the intestines of various vertebrates. Eggs are excreted into the environment with feces, and in this way infest the arthropods, who are the intermediate hosts. The life cycles of some acanthocephala species can get complicated due to inclusion of the facultative, transport, paratenic or postcyclic hosts. Сhiropterans can be the definitive, intermediate or paratenic hosts for the various groups of parasitic worms, therefore they are an important link in the epizootic chains of spreading the invasive diseases. The aim of the articles of this series is to study the species composition of helminths parasitizing in bats of the Rostov Region. In the fourth paper of this series, we present data on thorny-headed worms and sum-up the previously published information.Materials and Methods. The research materials were the articles from the open access databases: PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), CyberLeninka (cyberleninka.ru), Google Scholar (scholar.google.com), BHL (www.biodiversitylibrary.org), JSTOR (www.jstor.org), etc. Some data were provided by the colleagues. Results. The list comprising three species of thorny-headed worms that can parasitize in bats in Rostov region was compiled. While analysing the literature sources, one more Nematoda species, not mentioned by us previously, was added to the list of nematodes.Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the review revealed that 15 bat species living in the Rostov region can be parasitized by 3 or 4 Acanthocephala species of 3 genera, 2 families and 2 orders. In total, 104 helminth species of three phyla can parasitize in chiropterans in the Rostov region: Nematoda, Platyhelminthes and Acanthocephala. Whereas, the largest number of parasites falls on the class Trematoda – 42 species. The largest number of helminth species was recorded in the serotine bat (54 species) and the common noctule (50 species). The least amount (4 species) – in the soprano pipistrelle. Our data show that the helminth fauna of bats in the Rostov region, Russia and in the world as a whole is still poorly studied. At the same time, some of the parasitic worm species distinguished in our research have the veterinary and medical significance, moreover, bats participate in the epizootic chains as the facultative hosts.

ANTIĆ D., STOJANOVIĆ D., ŠEVIĆ M., AKKARI N.

Based on old type material and freshly collected specimens, we evaluate and clarify the taxonomic status of two poorly known Balkan species, Allopodoiulus schioedtei (Verhoeff, 1898) and Xestoiulus luteus (Attems, 1951), and propose their synonymy with X. luteus syn. nov. as a junior subjective synonym. A lectotype is designated for A. schioedtei. In addition, the genus Allopodoiulus Verhoeff, 1898 and the species A. schioedtei are diagnosed and redescribed. The validity of the genus Allopodoiulus and the relationships of its two known species, A. schioedtei and Allopodoiulus verhoeffi (Jawłowski, 1931), are briefly discussed. A distribution map of A. schioedtei is presented.  

Evsyukov A.P., Potapenko I.O., Tsygankova M.G.

Introduction. The class Cestoda is divided into two subclasses: the Cestodaria — unsegmented tapeworms, and the Eucestoda — true cestodes. The representatives of the orders Pseudophyllidea and Cyclophyllidae, which are part of the subclass of true cestodes parasitize in carnivorous mammals. At the same time, only representatives of the latter order parasitize in chiropterans. Data on the species composition and distribution of cestodes in the Rostov region have not been published yet. The list of bat species living in the Rostov region have been compiled previously. In this article, the authors study the cestode fauna parasitizing in chiropterans in the region under study. This review aims to analyse the current state of knowledge about the species composition of helminths parasitizing in bats in the Rostov region.Materials and Methods. The research materials have been obtained from the libraries and open access resources: PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), CyberLeninka (cyberleninka.ru), Google Scholar (scholar.google.com), BHL (www.biodiversitylibrary.org ), JSTOR (www.jstor.org), etc. Some data has been provided by the colleagues. Results. 17 species of cestodes of 4 genera, 1 family and 1 order can be found in 15 species of bats living in the Rostov region. Among them dominate the species of the genus Vampirolepis (11 species).Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the review carried out showed that maximum diversity of cestodes was found in one species of bats — the serotine bat (10 species). The smallest number of cestode species (1 per each) was found in the giant and lesser noctules. None of the cestode species found in bats in the Rostov region were recorded in companion animals or humans. However, some cestode species of the Hymenolepididae family, common in rodents, can infect the humans.

Golovatch S.I., Kurochkin A.S.

Dyachkov Y.V.

Dyachkov Y.V., Bonato L.

A comprehensive overview of the state of knowledge on the ChilopodaGeophilomorpha of the Asian part of Russia is presented, based on the critical revision of all published morphological descriptions and all geographical records. Revised diagnoses for all the 38 nominal species so far reported from Asian Russia are given, with comments on their validity. Among them a total of 18 species are recorded only from this region and many of them from a single locality only. The species belong to Geophilidae s. l., (in the genera Arctogeophilus, Geophilus, Pachymerium, and Strigamia), Schendylidae (Escaryus), and Mecistocephalidae (Agnostrup, Arrup, and Tygarrup). At least two species have been introduced, namely Geophilus flavus and Tygarrup javanicus. The history of studies on the Geophilomorpha in the Asian part of Russia are also summarized.

VAGALINSKI B.

A new species of Catamicrophyllum Verhoeff, 1901, Catamicrophyllum beroni sp. nov., is described from Rila Mts, southwest Bulgaria. The new species is compared to its most similar congener, Catamicrophyllum caucasicum (Attems, 1901) known from the Caucasus and Eastern Anatolia, including descriptive notes and scanning electron micrographs of the latter. The remarkably disjunct distribution areas of the two species are briefly discussed in the context of similar distribution patterns in other members of Julidae. In addition, some ecological notes and conservation issues in connection with the climatic changes occurring in the area of the type locality of C. beroni sp. nov. are presented.  

Bonato L., Bortolin F., De Zen G., Decker P., Lindner E.N., Orlando M., Spelda J., Voigtländer K., Wesener T.

Abstract Strigamia centipedes are widespread in European forest soils. However, a complex and inconsistent taxonomy has developed over time. Based on a modern species concept, we evaluated multiple lines of evidence for speciation among inland populations of Strigamia from the Italian region to the Baltic region, across central Europe. Hypotheses of species delimitation were drawn independently from: (1) morphological differentiation, by means of model-based cluster analyses of 52 specimens, after controlling for allometry and sexual dimorphism; (2) syntopy of morphologically distinct individuals, assumed to be representatives of coexistent species, from > 700 sites; and (3) molecular differentiation, by various methods applied to cytochrome c subunit I sequences of the same 52 specimens. Diagnoses and geographical distributions were revised by re-examining > 2000 specimens and the entire literature. We found preliminary evidence for: a Strigamia acuminata species complex, widespread, including a candidate species from the Eastern Alps differing in the forcipules; a Strigamia carniolensis species complex, hitherto often called Strigamia crassipes, widespread south of the Alps but absent from Sicily; a Strigamia crassipes species complex, hitherto often called Strigamia transsilvanica, more widespread than previously known, including three candidate species co-occurring in the Western Alps and differing in body size and the number of legs despite little genetic divergence; and Strigamia engadina, exclusive to a narrow part of the Central Alps.

WESENER T., MORITZ L., AKKARI N.

The type species of the monotypic Polyzoniida genus Dawydoffia Attems, 1953, D. kalonota Attems, 1953 from Vietnam, is redescribed based on type material. A second species of the genus, D. siphonocryptida n. sp., is described from Laos based on scanning electron microscopy, micro-computed tomography and molecular barcoding. The species of Dawydoffia are among the shortest and widest of the Polyzoniida, and resemble in habitus those of the Siphonocryptida genus Siphonocryptus Pocock, 1894, both having pleurites that are completely fused to the tergites. Dawydoffia was previously placed in the family Siphonotidae Cook, 1895, but can be identified as a member of the Holarctic Hirudisomatidae Silvestri, 1896 based on the following morphological characters: the uplifted posterior margins of the tergites, the collum covering part of the head, the position of the male gonapophysis or pseudopenis, the retracted telson, and the ozopores situated close to the tergal margin. However, both Dawydoffia species have a slender paronychium, a character previously known only from the Siphonotidae, but also documented here for Hirudisoma roseum (Victor, 1839). A slight redefinition of the Polyzoniida families is provided. The two Dawydoffia species differ in their coloration, as well as in their somatic and gonopodal characters.  

VAGALINSKI B., EVSYUKOV A.P., CHUMACHENKO Y.A., ZABIYAKA I.Y.

The European millipede genus Micropachyiulus Verhoeff, 1899 is revised based on type and non-type material, and on the available literature. The genus Hylopachyiulus Attems, 1904 is established as a junior subjective synonym of Micropachyiulus, syn. nov. Micropachyiulus ocellatus (Antić & Akkari, 2018) is thus listed as a new combination, comb. nov. Two new species—Micropachyiulus caucasicus sp. nov. and M. filiformis sp. nov.—are described from Russia and Romania, respectively. In addition, a presumably closely related monospecific genus, Armeniopachyiulus gen. nov., and its sole species A. pokr gen. et sp. nov. are described from Armenia. A brief discussion on the systematics and distribution of the studied taxa is presented.

ZAREI R., BONATO L.

A new species of Clinopodes C. L. Koch, 1847, Clinopodes azadi n. sp., is described and illustrated, based on two specimens from Alborz Mountains, Iran. The new species lives in the easternmost part of the Western Palearctic range of the genus and is outstanding in comparison to all other known Clinopodes species, being the largest (surpassing 11 cm in length) and with the highest number of body segments (89–91 leg-bearing segments). C. azadi n. sp. differs from the other Clinopodes species also in the coxosternite of first maxillae (with a distinct mid-longitudinal sutural sulcus) and in the coxal pores (numerous, and sparse on the entire surface of the coxopleura).  

Evsyukov A.P., Vagalinski B., Zabiyaka I.Y., Sadyrin E.V.

A new genus and species of the millipede tribe Pachyiulini, Bellatoiulus golovatchigen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lesser Caucasus, Azerbaijan. Cybertypes of the new species are created from the physical holotype male and from a paratype female. The distribution and ecological features of the new species, and the position of the new genus within Pachyiulini are discussed.

Marin I.N., Krylenko S.V., Palatov D.M.

Vagalinski B., Golovatch S.I.

The diplopod tribe Brachyiulini is represented in the fauna of the Caucasus by eight genera and 32 species, of which one genus and 14 species are described as new: Colchiobrachyiulus montanus Vagalinski, sp. nov., Iraniulus tricornis Vagalinski, sp. nov., Omobrachyiulus armatus Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. fasciatus Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. faxifer Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. kvavadzei Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. lazanyiae Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. ponticus Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. pristis Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. trochiloides Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. unugulis Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. zuevi Vagalinski, sp. nov., Svaniulus ryvkini Vagalinski, gen. nov., sp. nov., and S. waltheri Vagalinski, gen. nov., sp. nov.Colchiobrachyiulus Lohmander, 1936, a former subgenus of Megaphyllum, is here elevated to a full genus, and the genus Grusiniulus Lohmander, 1936 is downgraded to a subgenus of the genus Cyphobrachyiulus Verhoeff, 1900, both stat. nov., with their previously described species, Colchiobrachyiulus dioscoriadis (Lignau, 1915) and Cyphobrachyiulus redikorzevi (Lohmander, 1936), respectively, listed as comb. nov.Omobrachyiulus brachyurus (Attems, 1899) is formally established as a junior subjective synonym of O. caucasicus (Karsch, 1881), syn. nov., and Omobrachyiulus implicitus ritsensis (Golovatch, 1981) is formally synonymised with the typical Omobrachyiulus implicitus (Lohmander, 1936), syn. nov.Omobrachyiulus sevangensis (Lohmander, 1932), originally described in the genus Megaphyllum, is here transferred to the former genus, comb. nov. The diagnoses and descriptions of some genera and subgenera are refined and complemented. A key is given to all genera and species of Brachyiulini that occur in the Caucasus, and their distributions are mapped. Several species are recorded as new to the faunas of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, or Russia. The distribution patterns of the Caucasian Brachyiulini and their biogeographic implications are discussed.

Evsyukov A.P., Golovatch S.I., Antić D.Ž.

In the Caucasus, the genera Amblyiulus Silvestri, 1896 and Syrioiulus Verhoeff, 1914 are shown to include two and four species, respectively: Amblyiulus georgicus Lohmander, 1932, from Georgia and Armenia, A. hirtussp. nov., from Azerbaijan and Dagestan, Russia, Syrioiulus adsharicus (Lohmander, 1936), from Georgia, S. continentalis (Attems, 1903), from Azerbaijan and Iran, S. taliscius (Attems, 1927), from Azerbaijan, and S. armeniacussp. nov., from Armenia. All these six species are described, illustrated, and keyed, and their distributions are mapped and discussed, based on the literature data and abundant new samples.

Evsyukov A.P., Tsygankova M.G.

Introduction. The class of Trematoda includes two subclasses — Aspidogastrea and Digenea. Representatives of the former do not parasitize in bats. The definitive hosts for digenetic trematodes (Digenea) are vertebrates, including bats, in which the sexual generation (maritae) parasitizes. Gastropods or bivalves are the intermediate hosts. Supplementary hosts for the trematodes of bats are larvae and imagos of flying insects. Since in most cases the development of parthenites and cercariae of trematodes is related to water environment, the supplementary hosts are the groups of insects whose larvae live in the water. The list of bat species living in the Rostov region has been compiled in the previous research. In the present article the authors investigate the trematode fauna parasitizing in bats of the region under study. The aim of this review is to analyse the current state of knowledge on the species composition of the helminth parasitizing in chiropterans of the Rostov region.Materials and Methods. The research materials have been obtained from the libraries and open access resources: PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), CyberLeninka (cyberleninka.ru), Google Scholar (scholar.google.com), BHL (www.biodiversitylibrary.org), JSTOR (www.jstor.org). Some data has been provided by the colleagues.Results. 42 trematode species from 10 genera, 5 families and 1 order can parasitize in 15 bat species living in the Rostov region. The Lecithodendriidae family (24 species) and the genus Paralecithodendrium (9 species) are represented by a large number of species. Of the listed trematodes, 33 species used to be recorded on the territory of Russia.Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the conducted systematic review have revealed that the largest number of trematode species parasitizes in two bat species living in the Rostov region: the common noctule (27 species) and the serotine bat (24 species). The smallest number of species (4 per each) is found in the giant noctule and the soprano pipistrelle bat. Two species (Plagiorchis elegans and Plagiorchis vespertilionis) have been found in the companion cats and dogs includingly, wheras a case of the latter parazitising in humans has also been recorded. The presence of bats in the urban environment enables the full life cycle of these trematodes. There exists possibility of the companion animals and people to get infected through incidental ingestion of the infested insects.

Arabuli L., Murvanidze L., Faltynkova A., Mumladze L.

In the present study, we aim to provide an inventory of digenetic trematodes (Platyhelminthes, Trematoda, Digenea) from Georgia including records from the freshwater, marine and terrestrial realms. The checklist is based on a critical review of data from 109 papers, 11 monographs and four Ph.D. theses published between 1935 and 2019 and our new records. The checklist includes information on synonymy, the host species, site of infection, geographical distribution and bibliographical references. The present data will serve as a baseline for further studies on trematodes from Georgia focused on integrative taxonomy, life-cycle elucidation, parasite ecology and epidemiology. We compiled data on the digenean trematode fauna of Georgia, which is represented by 186 species (of these 173 identified to species level) belonging to 108 genera, 47 families and 17 superfamilies. This is the first checklist of the digeneans of Georgia. The majority of digenean species were recorded as adults (160 species), only a small fraction being found as cercariae (33 species) or metacercariae (24 species), in their first or second intermediate hosts, respectively. Predominantly, records of trematodes (62 species) from birds were found, followed by those parasitising fish (50 species, i.e. 32 species as adults and 18 as metacercariae), mammals (33 species) and amphibians (25 species, i.e. 23 species as adults and 2 as metacercariae), with the least number of species reported from reptiles (12 species, i.e. 9 species as adults and 3 as metacercariae). Adult digeneans recorded together with another life-cycle stage (metacercariae and/or cercariae) comprised 28 species, i.e. for 15% of the total trematode species number, a part of their life-cycle is known.

Kirillova N.Y., Kirillov A.A., Vekhnik V.A.

Various bat species often occupy the same habitats. Cohabitation should induce different preferences in spatial or trophic components of the bat ecological niche to reduce their competition. This determines the differences in the trematode fauna of Myotis spp. The purpose of our research was to study the biodiversity of trematodes in syntopic populations of five Myotis species in the Samarskaya Luka National Park. In the 2005–2007 period, we studied 867 bat specimens via the methods of complete helminthological dissection. In total, 11 trematode species from the families Plagiorchiidae (Plagiorchis koreanus, P. mordovii, P. muelleri, and P. vespertilionis), Pleurogenidae (Parabascus duboisi), and Lecithodendriidae (Prosthodendrium ascidia, Pr. chilostomum, Pr. cryptolecithum, Pr. hurkovaae, Pr. longiforme, and Lecithodendrium linstowi) were found in five Myotis species. Only three trematode species, P. koreanus, Pr. chilostomum, and P. duboisi, are common to all studied Myotis spp. Prosthodendrium cryptolecithum was recorded for the first time in Russia. Trematode species diversity is higher in Myotis daubentonii and M. dasycneme. The trematode fauna of M. brandtii, M. nattereri, and M. mystacinus is less diverse. The determining factor in the infection of bats with trematodes is feeding on semi-aquatic insects, possible second intermediate hosts of the parasites. The infection of bats with flukes occurs at different levels of host (Myotis spp.) abundance as a result of the realization of the main bat trophic relationships. Our results confirm the data that the ecological niches of the five Myotis species partially overlap. Analysis of the trematode fauna in Myotis spp. showed that, in the Samarskaya Luka, there may be weak competition for food items among bats.

Li K.S., Lau S.K., Woo P.C.

Irrespective of whether COVID-19 originated from a natural or a genetically engineered virus, the ultimate source of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is bats [...]

Zhang T., Li H., Ma S., Cao J., Liao H., Huang Q., Chen W.

ABSTRACT The long-read amplicon provides a species-level solution for the community. With the improvement of nanopore flowcells, the accuracy of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) R10.4.1 has been substantially enhanced, with an average of approximately 99%. To evaluate its effectiveness on amplicons, three types of microbiomes were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA (hereinafter referred to as “16S”) amplicon sequencing using Novaseq, Pacbio sequel II, and Nanopore PromethION platforms (R9.4.1 and R10.4.1) in the current study. We showed the error rate, recall, precision, and bias index in the mock sample. The error rate of ONT R10.4.1 was greatly reduced, with a better recall in the case of the synthetic community. Meanwhile, in different types of environmental samples, ONT R10.4.1 analysis resulted in a composition similar to Pacbio data. We found that classification tools and databases influence ONT data. Based on these results, we conclude that the ONT R10.4.1 16S amplicon can also be used for application in environmental samples. IMPORTANCE The long-read amplicon supplies the community with a species-level solution. Due to the high error rate of nanopore sequencing early on, it has not been frequently used in 16S studies. Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) introduced the R10.4.1 flowcell with Q20+ reagent to achieve more than 99% accuracy as sequencing technology advanced. However, there has been no published study on the performance of commercial PromethION sequencers with R10.4.1 flowcells on 16S sequencing or on the impact of accuracy improvement on taxonomy (R9.4.1 to R10.4.1) using 16S ONT data. In this study, three types of microbiomes were investigated by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) amplicon sequencing using Novaseq, Pacbio sequel II, and Nanopore PromethION platforms (R9.4.1 and R10.4.1). In the mock sample, we displayed the error rate, recall, precision, and bias index. We observed that the error rate in ONT R10.4.1 is significantly lower, especially when deletions are involved. First and foremost, R10.4.1 and Pacific Bioscience platforms reveal a similar microbiome in environmental samples. This study shows that the R10.4.1 full-length 16S rRNA sequences allow for species identification of environmental microbiota.

Evsyukov A.P., Tsygankova M.G.

Introduction. Bats (Chiroptera) are the least studied group of mammals in many regions of Russia. At the same time, the chiropterans are known to be one of the largest orders of Mammalia, which can act as hosts and carriers of various pathogenic fungi, bacteria and viruses. However, the parasitic fauna of this group of animals is poorly investigated. The study of bat-parasitizing worms has great practical importance, since bats, due to their ancient origin, are a very detached order. Endoparasites, including the chiropteran helminths, have not been previously studied in the Rostov region. According to the available data, the up-to-date research on the bat parasites in Russia has been carried out only in the Saratov region and in the Republic of Mordovia. The aim of this series of articles is to study the helminth species composition parasitizing in chiropterans in the Rostov region. In the first report we present the data on nematodes.Materials and Methods. The materials for the research were the articles from the open access literature databases: PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), Cyberleninka (cyberleninka.ru), GoogleScholar (https://scholar.google.com ), etc. The main method used was the analysis of the collected data.Results. The authors were the first to reveal that 27 nematode species from 14 genera, 8 families, 4 orders and 2 classes can be found in 15 bat species living in the Rostov region. The numerous Chromadorea class is represented by 21 species, 12 of which are found in Russia.Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the literature sources analysis showed that the largest number of nematode species parasitize in two chiropteran species living in the Rostov region: in the Daubenton's bat (15 species) and in the common noctule (14 species). Only one species has been recorded in the northern bat. Most nematode species parasitize specifically in bats and have a direct life cycle. (e.g., species of the genus Molinostrongylus). For some species, such as Pterygodermatites bovieri and Litomosa spp., the intermediate hosts are arthropods and the definitive hosts are various bat species. For three nematode species: Ascarops strongylina, Physocephalus sexalatus and Spirocerca lupi, bats are the paratenic hosts.

Kirillova N.Y., Kirillov A.A., Vekhnik V.A., Shchenkov S.V., Fayzulin A.I., Ruchin A.B.

In this study, we present our dataset containing up-to-date information about occurrences of trematodes in small mammals in the Middle Volga region (European Russia). The dataset summarizes micromammals’ trematode occurrences obtained by long-term field helminthological studies of soricomorphs, erinaceomorphs, bats and rodents during a period of more than 20 years (1999–2022). Our studies of trematodes in micromammals were conducted using the method of complete helminthological necropsy. The dataset includes 7470 records of trematode occurrences in micromammals with 4483 digenean records in Samara Oblast, 2986 records in Republic of Mordovia and one trematode record in Ulyanovsk Oblast. Our dataset presents the data on 43 trematode species from 21 genera and 9 families found in the region studied. The data on trematodes from 28 species of micromammals belonging to 14 genera are presented. In total, the number of collected trematode specimens in our dataset is 153,050. Each occurrence record contains the trematode species name, basis of record, locality of finding, host species, site in host, date and authors of the record and species identification. All occurrence records are georeferenced. The dataset is based on the research of the staff of the Institute of Ecology of the Volga River basin of RAS and the Joint Directorate of the Mordovia Nature Reserve and National Park “Smolny”. The distribution and diversity of trematodes of small mammals in the Middle Volga region has not been completely studied, and further investigation may reveal both new occurrences of trematodes and new host records.

Werber Y., Sextin H., Yovel Y., Sapir N.

Abstract Bat movement and behaviour are still mostly understudied over large scales. High‐altitude, nocturnal activity makes visual identification of bats from the ground virtually impossible, dramatically hindering our ability to study their movement ecology. Despite the wide use of radar in aeroecology, its application to study specific taxa is limited due to incomplete target classification abilities. BATScan is a bat classifier for vertical‐looking radar data, which enables identifying bats and characterizing their unique aeroecology. We constructed the classifier using data from 10 radar deployments, covering a wide range of habitats on a central bird migration flyway over a 7‐year period, comprising ~18 million observations. We analysed animal migration above the Hula Valley, home to over 30 species of bats spanning a range of 5–150 g in size and exhibiting a variety of ecological characteristics. We distinguished bat‐labelled radar echoes for training according to phenology, morphology and movement ecology of bats, birds and insects. Several non‐bat datasets were constructed and joined to train classifiers under increasing levels of difficulty. Class imbalance in the resulting training data was handled using a generative adversarial network for up‐sampling the much smaller bat dataset. The resulting classification tool reached a high level of accuracy and precision, and was further scrutinized with an extensive set of ecological validations. Bats perform seasonal migrations over long distances, but little is known about the spatial and temporal characteristics of this movement, and the ability to study it at a large scale has so far been limited. We present the Israeli BATScan dataset, containing over 60,000 bat observations spanning the entire country and representing multiple habitats. Using this data, we produce an unprecedented large scale, highly detailed documentation of the yearly movements of bats on a major migration flyway, and distinguish this pattern from bird migration over space and time. So far, radar aeroecology dealt primarily with birds, increasingly with insects, and only rarely with bats. We present BATScan, a classification tool that can incorporate bats into the framework of radar aeroecology to finally enable a comprehensive description of animal aeroecology.

Froidevaux J.S., Toshkova N., Barbaro L., Benítez-López A., Kerbiriou C., Le Viol I., Pacifici M., Santini L., Stawski C., Russo D., Dekker J., Alberdi A., Amorim F., Ancillotto L., Barré K., et. al.

AbstractKnowledge of species’ functional traits is essential for understanding biodiversity patterns, predicting the impacts of global environmental changes, and assessing the efficiency of conservation measures. Bats are major components of mammalian diversity and occupy a variety of ecological niches and geographic distributions. However, an extensive compilation of their functional traits and ecological attributes is still missing. Here we present EuroBaTrait 1.0, the most comprehensive and up-to-date trait dataset covering 47 European bat species. The dataset includes data on 118 traits including genetic composition, physiology, morphology, acoustic signature, climatic associations, foraging habitat, roost type, diet, spatial behaviour, life history, pathogens, phenology, and distribution. We compiled the bat trait data obtained from three main sources: (i) a systematic literature and dataset search, (ii) unpublished data from European bat experts, and (iii) observations from large-scale monitoring programs. EuroBaTrait is designed to provide an important data source for comparative and trait-based analyses at the species or community level. The dataset also exposes knowledge gaps in species, geographic and trait coverage, highlighting priorities for future data collection.

Athanasopoulou K., Adamopoulos P.G., Scorilas A.

Over 1014 symbiotic microorganisms are present in a healthy human body and are responsible for the synthesis of vital vitamins and amino acids, mediating cellular pathways and supporting immunity. However, the deregulation of microbial dynamics can provoke diverse human diseases such as diabetes, human cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. The human gastrointestinal tract constitutes a hospitable environment in which a plethora of microbes, including diverse species of archaea, bacteria, fungi, and microeukaryotes as well as viruses, inhabit. In particular, the gut microbiome is the largest microbiome community in the human body and has drawn for decades the attention of scientists for its significance in medical microbiology. Revolutions in sequencing techniques, including 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing and whole genome sequencing, facilitate the detection of microbiomes and have opened new vistas in the study of human microbiota. Especially, the flourishing fields of metagenomics and metatranscriptomics aim to detect all genomes and transcriptomes that are retrieved from environmental and human samples. The present review highlights the complexity of the gastrointestinal tract microbiome and deciphers its implication not only in cellular homeostasis but also in human diseases. Finally, a thorough description of the widely used microbiome detection methods is discussed.

Foti M., Grasso R., Fisichella V., Mascetti A., Colnaghi M., Grasso M., Spena M.T.

The spread of antimicrobial resistance is one of the major health emergencies of recent decades. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria threaten not only humans but also populations of domestic and wild animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution of antibiotic resistance (AMR) and multidrug resistance (MDR) in bacterial strains isolated from six Southern-Italian bat populations. Using the disk diffusion method, we evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility of 413 strains of Gram-negative bacteria and 183 strains of Gram-positive bacteria isolated from rectal (R), oral (O) and conjunctival (C) swabs of 189 bats belonging to 4 insectivorous species (Myotis capaccinii, Myotis myotis, Miniopterus schreibersii and Rhinolophus hipposideros). In all bat species and locations, numerous bacterial strains showed high AMR levels for some of the molecules tested. In both Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains, the resistance patterns ranged from one to thirteen. MDR patterns varied significantly across sites, with Grotta dei Pipistrelli in Pantalica displaying the highest levels of MDR (77.2% of isolates). No significant differences were found across different bat species. Monitoring antibiotic resistance in wildlife is a useful method of evaluating the impact of anthropic pressure and environmental pollution. Our analysis reveals that anthropic contamination may have contributed to the spread of the antibiotic resistance phenomenon among the subjects we examined.

Popov I.V., Ohlopkova O.V., Donnik I.M., Zolotukhin P.V., Umanets A., Golovin S.N., Malinovkin A.V., Belanova A.A., Lipilkin P.V., Lipilkina T.A., Popov I.V., Logvinov A.K., Dubovitsky N.A., Stolbunova K.A., Sobolev I.A., et. al.

AbstractCoronaviruses (CoVs) pose a huge threat to public health as emerging viruses. Bat-borne CoVs are especially unpredictable in their evolution due to some unique features of bat physiology boosting the rate of mutations in CoVs, which is already high by itself compared to other viruses. Among bats, a meta-analysis of overall CoVs epizootiology identified a nucleic acid observed prevalence of 9.8% (95% CI 8.7–10.9%). The main objectives of our study were to conduct a qPCR screening of CoVs’ prevalence in the insectivorous bat population of Fore-Caucasus and perform their characterization based on the metagenomic NGS of samples with detected CoV RNA. According to the qPCR screening, CoV RNA was detected in 5 samples, resulting in a 3.33% (95% CI 1.1–7.6%) prevalence of CoVs in bats from these studied locations. BetaCoVs reads were identified in raw metagenomic NGS data, however, detailed characterization was not possible due to relatively low RNA concentration in samples. Our results correspond to other studies, although a lower prevalence in qPCR studies was observed compared to other regions and countries. Further studies should require deeper metagenomic NGS investigation, as a supplementary method, which will allow detailed CoV characterization.

Ludwig L., Muraoka J.Y., Bonacorsi C., Donofrio F.C.

Abstract Bats are important for the homeostasis of ecosystems and serve as hosts of various microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, and fungi with pathogenic potential. This study aimed to isolate fungi from biological samples obtained from bats captured in the city of Sinop (state of Mato Grosso, Brazil), where large areas of deforestation exist due to urbanization and agriculture. On the basis of the flow of people and domestic animals, 48 bats were captured in eleven urban forest fragments. The samples were processed and submitted to microbiological cultures, to isolate and to identify the fungal genera. Thirty-four (70.83%) of the captured bats were positive for fungi; 18 (37.5%) and 16 (33.33%) of these bats were female and male, respectively. Penicillium sp., Scopulariopsis sp., Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp., Alternaria sp., Cryptococcus sp., Trichosporon sp., and Candida sp., which may cause opportunistic infections, were isolated. The bat species with the highest number of fungal isolates was Molossus molossus: 21 isolates (43.8%). According to our results, bats captured in urban forest fragments in Sinop harbor pathogenic fungi, increasing the risk of opportunistic fungal infections in humans and domestic animals.

Devnath P., Karah N., Graham J.P., Rose E.S., Asaduzzaman M.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other outbreaks, such as SARS and Ebola, bats are recognized as a critical species for mediating zoonotic infectious disease spillover events. While there is a growing concern of increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally during this pandemic, knowledge of AMR circulating between bats and humans is limited. In this paper, we have reviewed the evidence of AMR in bats and discussed the planetary health aspect of AMR to elucidate how this is associated with the emergence, spread, and persistence of AMR at the human–animal interface. The presence of clinically significant resistant bacteria in bats and wildlife has important implications for zoonotic pandemic surveillance, disease transmission, and treatment modalities. We searched MEDLINE through PubMed and Google Scholar to retrieve relevant studies (n = 38) that provided data on resistant bacteria in bats prior to 30 September 2022. There is substantial variability in the results from studies measuring the prevalence of AMR based on geographic location, bat types, and time. We found all major groups of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in bats, which are resistant to commonly used antibiotics. The most alarming issue is that recent studies have increasingly identified clinically significant multi-drug resistant bacteria such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), ESBL producing, and Colistin resistant Enterobacterales in samples from bats. This evidence of superbugs abundant in both humans and wild mammals, such as bats, could facilitate a greater understanding of which specific pathways of exposure should be targeted. We believe that these data will also facilitate future pandemic preparedness as well as global AMR containment during pandemic events and beyond.

Gazal S., Sharma N., Gazal S., Tikoo M., Shikha D., Badroo G.A., Rashid M., Lee S.

Nipah and Hendra viruses are deadly zoonotic paramyxoviruses with a case fatality rate of upto 75%. The viruses belong to the genus henipavirus in the family Paramyxoviridae, a family of negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses. The natural reservoirs of NiV and HeV are bats (flying foxes) in which the virus infection is asymptomatic. The intermediate hosts for NiV and HeV are swine and equine, respectively. In humans, NiV infections result in severe and often fatal respiratory and neurological manifestations. The Nipah virus was first identified in Malaysia and Singapore following an outbreak of encephalitis in pig farmers and subsequent outbreaks have been reported in Bangladesh and India almost every year. Due to its extreme pathogenicity, pandemic potential, and lack of established antiviral therapeutics and vaccines, research on henipaviruses is highly warranted so as to develop antivirals or vaccines that could aid in the prevention and control of future outbreaks.