A new species of caligid copepod, Lepeophtheirus simplex sp. n., parasitic on bullseye puffer, Sphoeroides annulatus (Jenyns) in Sinaloa, Mexico is described. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the possession of (1) a maxillule with simple dentiform process; (2) a sternal furca with sharply pointed, curved tines; (3) a 2-segmented exopod of leg 3 with simple, slender spine o...

Abstract Merodon natans group (Diptera, Syrphidae) taxa are reviewed using an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological, morphometric and molecular techniques. The substantiates recognition of the three species: M. calcaratus (Fabricius, 1794), 1794) pulveris Vuji? & Radenkovi? in et al. 2011, reveals existence a new species, makrisi Vuji?, Tot sp. nov. , which is described...

The genus Curicaberis gen. nov. is described to include the type species, Curicaberis ferrugineus (C.L. Koch, 1836) comb. nov., and eight other species transferred from Olios Walckenaer, 1837: C. abnormis (Keyserling, 1884) comb. nov., C. annulatus (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900) comb. nov., C. bibranchiatus (Fox, 1937) comb. nov., C. ensiger (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900) comb. nov., C. ferrugi...

Caecilians (Lissamphibia: Gymnophiona) are unique among vertebrates in having two sets of jaw-closing muscles, one on either side of the jaw joint. Using data from high-resolution X-ray radiation computed tomography scans, we modelled the effect of these two muscle groups (mm. levatores mandibulae and m. interhyoideus posterior) on bite force over a range of gape angles, employing a simplified ...

A full-length cDNA of a glutathione S-transferase (GST) was cloned from a cDNA library of the local Egyptian cattle tick Boophilus annulatus. The 672 bp cloned fragment was sequenced and showed an open reading frame encoding a protein of 223 amino acids. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with GSTs from other species revealed that the sequence is closely related to the mammalian mu-c...