Knowledge of the genome-wide rate and spectrum of mutations is necessary to understand the origin of disease and the genetic variation driving all evolutionary processes. Here, we provide a genome-wide analysis of the rate and spectrum of mutations obtained in two Daphnia pulex genotypes via separate mutation-accumulation (MA) experiments. Unlike most MA studies that utilize haploid, homozygous...

Understanding nucleotide variation in natural populations has been a subject of great interest for decades. However, many taxonomic groups, especially those with atypical life history attributes remain unstudied, and Drosophila is the only arthropod genus for which DNA polymorphism data are presently abundant. As a result of the recent release of the complete genome sequence and a wide variety ...

Daphnia pulex has played an important role in fresh-water ecosystems. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of Daphnia pulex from Chaohu, China was sequenced for the first time. It was accomplished using long-PCR methods and a primer-walking sequencing strategy with genus-specific primers. The mitogenome was found to be 15,306 bp in length. It contained 13 protein-coding genes, two r...

The antibacterial properties of nanosilver have led to a versatile application spectrum including medical purposes and personal care products. However, the increasing use of nanosilver has raised concerns about its environmental impacts. Long-term exposure studies with aquatic invertebrates are essential to assess possible adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, acute (48 h...

Golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) has become an economically important fish in China the past decade. However, Cryptocaryon irritans, a parasitic ciliate, causes considerable economic losses mariculture of T. ovatus. To characterize pathogenesis C. irritans ovatus, pathological properties, immune-related enzyme activity and expression NEMO gene was analysed. The results from histological sect...

The infestation of Rhynchopsyllus pulex on the bat Molossus molossus was observed using mist-nets opened between constructions in the Primatological Center, in Guapimirim, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

A taxonomic study of the genus Furcilarnaca Gorochov, 2004 is presented. Four new species are described: F. affinis sp. nov., F. hirta sp. nov., F. fractiflexa sp. nov., F. brachyptera sp. nov.. Two new combinations F. fallax (Liu et al., 2010) comb. nov. and F. pulex (Karny, 1928) comb. nov. are given. A key to the species and the distributional data of Furcilarnaca are provided.

The bloodsucking horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), is one of the most damaging pests of pasture cattle in many areas of the world. Both male and female imagoes spend their adult stage on the host, while immature stages develop in dung. Our goal was to determine if the progress of H. irritans gonad maturation can be correlated with eye and cuticle pigmentation events that o...