Browsing by Subject "Geographical distribution"

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    First and southernmost records of Tetramesa stipae De Stefani, 1901 (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) from Tunisia: a new addition to the African Chalcidoidea
    (Universidad de Murcia, 2025) El Mokni, Ridha; Sin departamento asociado
    The phytophagous eurytomid wasp, Tetramesa stipae (De Stefani, 1901) is newly recorded from Africa. It was collected twice on April and June 2023 in two very distant localities in Tunisia (North Africa). The species inducing galls on Stipella capensis growing in the hedges of olive groves and within ruderal thermophilous floristic communities. Preliminarily data for this taxon together with morpho logical measurements of its galls are here firstly presented. Moreover, coloured illustrations of the Tunisian galls are also provided
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    First epidemiological data on Spirocerca vulpis in the red fox: a parasite of clustered geographical distribution
    (Elsevier, 2019-10-19) Sanchis-Monsonís, Gloria; Fanelli, Angela; Tizzani, Paolo; Martínez-Carrasco Pleite, Carlos; Sanidad Animal; Facultad de Veterinaria
    This is the first study describing the epidemiology of Spirocerca vulpis after its description as a new species in 2018. During the period 2006–2013, a total of 286 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the Valencian Community (southeast Spain) were necropsied. Based on data collected, S. vulpis prevalence and intensity were calculated, as well as the spatial distribution of this nematode. Influence of host (sex and age) and environmental factors on S. vulpis occurrence was evaluated. MAXENT software was used to model and predict the parasite distribution. Continuous and discrete prediction maps were built using ArcMap 10.6. The prevalence of S. vulpis was 22% (63/286; 95% CI: 17.4–27.3), and the median intensity was 5 (IQR 11) nematode specimens. No significant difference in term of intensity was found between males and females; regarding the host age, S. vulpis was found only in adult foxes, with the exception of one juvenile individual. The distribution of S. vulpis in foxes was skewed to the left, highlighting that parasite infection affects few individuals within a population, with parasitized animals being responsible to maintain the infection at the population level. The majority of parasitized foxes had a parasite burden lower than eight parasites/individual. S. vulpis distribution in Valencian Community presents sharply defined areas in which there are optimal environmental conditions for maintaining the life cycle of this parasite. Climatic variables and altitude are the main factors influencing the parasite presence. Our results indicate that S. vulpis has epidemiological characteristics similar to those of S. lupi and, therefore, based on the phylogenetic proximity of both nematode species, it is likely that coprophagous beetle species might play a key epidemiological role in the maintenance of this newly described Spirocerca species. Moreover, it is currently unknown if S. vulpis can infect the dog and other wild canid species apart from the red fox and, if so, what are the pathogenic effects on these host species. Therefore, it is necessary to continue investigating the epidemiology of this parasite in order to know the range of appropriate host species. This information will enable to know if S. vulpis endemic areas should be considered as health risk points for dogs, especially for the most exposed, such as those living in rural areas, and hunting dogs.