Three new species of the spider genus Mimetus (Mimetidae) are described from Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Mimetus falcifer sp. n. (♂♀), M. nataliae sp. n. (♀), and M. telum sp. n. (♂♀). This represents the first record of the family Mimetidae Simon, 1881 from Sumatra. Detailed descriptions, digital photographs and distributional map are provided.
The Altai Mountains in Western Siberia constitute a center of endemism for earthworms in Russia, comparable to the Ural and Caucasus Mountains. The aim of our study was to determine the ecological characteristics of habitats of endemic earthworms in southeastern Western Siberia. During the research, two species Eisenia salairica and Eisenia altaica were found outside their previously known ranges. Since the description of these species in the 1960s, their ecology and distribution have not been studied. Our field studies on the collection of endemic earthworms have been conducted since 2014. We surveyed various locations within the Altai Krai and Kuzbass regions. In the habitats of the earthworms, soil and vegetation cover were examined. This is the first report providing updated information on current distribution and habitat ecological characteristics of these endemics. The results facilitate the development of targeted conservation measures for these Altai endemics, which are listed in the Red Data Books of the Russian Federation and regional Red Data Books. All of these factors significantly contribute to the preservation of biodiversity in Western Siberia.
Taenia pisiformis is a cosmopolitan cestode of considerable veterinary importance, circulating between carnivorous definitive hosts and lagomorph intermediate hosts. The present study investigated the occurrence, host range, and seasonal patterns of T. pisiformis infection among domestic and wild mammals in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. Mammals representing different host groups were examined using complete and incomplete helminthological necropsy, and cestodes were identified on the basis of morphological characters using standard parasitological methods. The infection was recorded in both definitive and intermediate hosts, indicating the active circulation of T. pisiformis in the studied ecosystems. Among intermediate hosts, the Tolai hare, Lepus tolai, was the most frequently infected species, confirming its important role in the life cycle of the parasite. Among definitive hosts, wild carnivores, particularly foxes and jackals, played a significant role in maintaining the transmission cycle. Seasonal differences were observed in the detection of infection; however, the data on larval stages in intermediate hosts should be interpreted with caution because metacestodes may persist in host tissues for extended periods. The findings demonstrate that T. pisiformis is widely distributed among domestic and wild mammals in Karakalpakstan and emphasize the epidemiological importance of interactions between carnivores and lagomorphs. The results provide a scientific basis for further monitoring and for the development of targeted preventive measures against taeniid infections in domestic and wild animal populations.
A male Ammophila sabulosa specimen exhibiting antennal teratology is reported. Both antennae have 12 segments instead of the typical 13. Partial fusion of antennal segments (incomplete symphysocery) is present on both antennae, involving segments 4 and 5 on the left antenna and segment 4 on the right antenna. Additionally, the terminal segment of the left antenna is shorter than that of the right antenna. This represents a rare case of antennal malformation in Ammophila, characterized by a reduced number of antennal segments and bilateral asymmetry.
Based on published sources and original data, an annotated checklist of ground beetles of the Tambov Region was compiled, comprising 250 species belonging to 57 genera. The highest species richness was recorded in the genera Amara (30 species), Harpalus (29), Bembidion (25), Pterostichus (16), Agonum (15), Carabus (14), and Ophonus (8). The ground beetle fauna of the Tambov Region is typical of the central part of European Russia. The proportion of species shared with the fauna of the Tambov Region in neighboring regional faunas increases from north to south and ranges from 76.2% to 83.2%. High faunal similarity is observed for the Voronezh and Saratov Regions, which border the Tambov Region to the south, as well as for the Lipetsk Region, located at the same latitude. In regions situated further north, the proportion of shared species gradually decreases. Four species were identified as dominant; three of them – Carabus granulatus Linnaeus, 1758, Harpalus rufipes (De Geer, 1774), and Pterostichus melanarius (Illiger, 1798) – are eurybionts with wide geographic distributions and high ecological tolerance, occurring across a broad range of habitats.
