Sumiya Ganzorig

Potential remedy against Echinococcus multilocularis in wild red foxes using baits with anthelmintic distributed around fox breeding dens in Hokkaido, Japan

The effect of bait-delivered anthelmintic to reduce the prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in wild red foxes was evaluated in Koshimizu, in the eastern part of Hokkaido, Japan. The study area (200 km2) was divided into baited and non-baited sections. The anthelmintic baits were distributed around fox den sites in the baited section every month for 13 months. After 1 year of the anthelmintic bait distribution, the prevalence of E. multilocularis in foxes, evaluated either by the parasite egg examination (from 27.1 to 5.6%) or coproantigen ELISA (from 59.6 to 29.7%), decreased in the baited section contrasting to that in the non-baited section (parasite egg: from 18.8 to 24.2%; ELISA: from 41.9 to 45.8%). The prevalence of E. multilocularis in grey red-backed vole Clethrionomys rufocanus, caught around fox dens, born after bait distribution also decreased and was significantly lower than that in non-baited section. However, within the study periods, the coproantigen-positive rate in fox faeces sporadically increased, while egg-positive rate constantly decreased. Since coproantigen ELISA can detect pre-patent infection, this observation indicates that reinfection pressure in the baited section was still high even after the 13 months of anthelmintic bait distribution. Therefore, the bait distribution longer than our study period is required for the efficient control of E. multilocularis in wild red fox population.

The first instance of a cat excreting Echinococcus multilocularis eggs in Japan.

A cat excreting Echinococcus multilocularis eggs was recently identified in Hokkaido, representing the first such observation in Japan. The cat was raised free-range and frequently ate rodents. Fecal egg examination revealed eggs of taeniids (EPG: 440) and Spirometra spp. (EPG: >1000). PCR targeting part of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of E. multilocularis was positive with DNA from 3 single isolated taeniid eggs, and sequence analysis of one amplicon confirmed E. multilocularis. The results indicated that the eggs of E. multilocularis distributed in Hokkaido can be excreted in cat feces, and suggested the necessity of further studies to clarify whether the eggs excreted in cat feces are infective and thus whether cats can serve as infectious source to humans in Japan.

Helminths of Small Mammals (Chiroptera, Insectivora, Lagomorpha) from Mongolia with a Description of a New Species of Schizorchis (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae)

Abstract Fifty-eight individuals belonging to 10 species of bats, insectivores, and pikas were examined for helminths from 4 collection sites in Mongolia in 1999. Two species of bats (Vespertilio murinus and Eptesicus gobiensis) were infected with a single species of trematode (Plagiorchis vespertilionis), which represents a new record for the country. One individual of E. gobiensis also harbored 1 unidentified filaroid nematode. The acanthocephalan Moniliformis moniliformis was found in the hedgehog Hemiechinus auritus. Cestodes in the genus Catenotaenia and the herein described Schizorchis mongoliensis n. sp. were recovered from pikas belonging to the species Ochotona alpina. Schizorchis mongoliensis n. sp. is distinguished from other members of the genus by shorter strobila length accompanied by earlier maturation of proglottids, as well as a distinct vaginal valve and secondary lateral seminal receptacle.

A new nematode, Soboliphyme ataahai sp. n. (Nematoda: Soboliphymidae) from Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens Laxmann, 1788 in Mongolia

Abstract. This report describes a new species of the soboliphymid nematode, Soboliphyme ataahai sp. n. from Laxmanns shrew, Sorex caecutiens. This species is distinguished from the previously known congeners by the notched cephalic sucker with a thin circumoral membrane, relatively long vagina, cephalic papillae arranged in clusters, and bursa possessing papillae on inner and outer surfaces. Also, Soboliphyme ataahai differs from the congeners in other characters, such as position of vulva, number and distribution of cervical sacs, structure of cephalic sucker, body size, and dimensions of organs.

A new nematode, Ansiruptodera scapteromi sp.nov. (Nematoda: Aspidoderidae), recovered from the Argentinean water rat Scapteromys tumidis (Waterhouse, 1837) in Uruguay.

Abstract This report describes a new species of aspidoderid nematode, Ansiruptodera scapteromi sp. nov., the second species to be reported in the genus Ansiruptodera Skrjabin and Shikhobalova, 1947. The A. scapteromi sp. nov. is the first species of the genus to be recorded from a rodent host. The new species is clearly different from the only other species, A. ansirupta (Proença, 1937) Skrjabin and Shikhobalova, 1947, in that it possesses short lateral alae that terminate before the midbody; a smaller cephalic extremity; a shorter esophagus, pharynx, tail, and tail appendage; a smaller sucker; and longer spicules. The two species also differ in the numbers and arrangements of caudal papillae. A. scapteromi appears to be a parasite of capture and the water rats seem to have been infected from Edentata in Uruguay.

A SECOND RECORD OF ADULT ASCAROPS STRONGYLINA (RUDOLPHI, 1819) (NEMATODA: SPIROCERCIDAE) IN A RODENT HOST

Mature adults of Ascarops strongylina (Nematoda: Spirocercidae) were collected from a Manchurian zokor, Myospalax psilurus (Rodentia: Cricetidae), in Mongolia. This is the second record of adult A. strongylina from wild rodents and the first for M. psilurus as a definitive host of this nematode. Remnants of ground crustaceans (Porcellio sp.) and a dung beetle (Onthophagus sp.) were also found in the stomach of the zokor.

The impact of land cover change on patterns of zoogeomorphological influence: Case study of zoogeomorphic activity of Microtus brandti and its role in degradation of Mongolian steppe

Earths surface building and changing by endogenetic and exogenetic processes. Endogenous processes are large-scale landform building and transforming processes. However, The exogenetic processes are the processes that shape the land by forces coming on or above the Earths surface (exogenetic forces), such as zoogeomorphic activity. Ecosystems in the Central Asian Plateau, which includes the Mongolian Plateau, are becoming increasingly sensitive to human interventions, leading to deterioration of already fragile ecosystems. Grassland ecosystems supply almost all of the forage needed for livestock production in the Mongolian Plateau, and support the livelihood of the regions herders and their primarily nomadic way of life. However, the grassland ecosystems are distributed over a vast region that ranges between forest and desert ecosystems, and negligent human activities have caused serious environmental consequences for human society. The degraded grassland is habitat of Brandts vole (Microtus brandti). Does Brandts vole make damage to the environment or it provides management? Therefore we analysing NDVI, soil temperature and soil hardness measurements at the Brandts vole colony, to examine changes of land surface characteristics by activity of Brandts vole. As conclusion, we suppose that Brandts vole is might indicate the degradation of pasture and play important role in ecosystem recovery.

Change detection method for pasture degradation using RGB color composite image of multitemporal Landsat TM - A case study of the Inner Mongolian settlement region

This study was performed at Abag banner in Inner Mongolia. Two Landsat TM data were acquired separately in 1989 and 2011 over the study area. Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) were derived from reflectance spectra, and applied to compare the green vegetation cover. The change detection result show that there is a large change in land cover, and most vegetation decreasing area was located overgrazing pasture area. During past 22-years, about 36.3% of the area was decreased in vegetation. Our result also indicated that vegetation cover change can be observed using satellite data. And the analysis of vegetation trends in land cover change using remote sensing change detection is a useful method to document the human impacts on ecosystems.

Investigation on the water stress in alpine vegetation using Hyperspectral sensors

The effect of global warming may be seen even on the top of the Mt. Daisetsuzan National Park (DNP) in Japans northernmost island of Hokkaido where communities of alpine plants having been greatly suffered from the expansion of alien species. Alpine of the Mt. Daisetsu is in protected zone of the DNP and has no direct human influence. So far, this happening might indicate the negative effects of global scale climate changes in high mountainous ecosystem. Seriousness of that phenomenon is that it is completely changing the local vegetation. Due to the global warming, increased temperature causes rapid melting of the snow coverage at DNP and soil is quickly losing its moisture. In this study, alpine meadow vegetation in DNP was photographed with aid of the hyper-spectral sensors mounted on the airplane. Simultaneously, ground observations were also made. Hyperspectral sensors are having 60 bands with wavelength from 400 to 1000 nm, and resolution of 10 nm. Ground observations were made using the Field Spec devices for spectral measurement, GPS for mapping. Plant species, coverage, and soil moisture were investigated.

Multiplication of ovaries in Ctenotaenia marmotae (Frölich, 1802) (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae)

Abstract Individuals of the cestode species Ctenotaenia marmotae (Frölich, 1802) (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) possessing duplicated rudimentary ovaries toward the medial parts of the segments were found in material collected from the Siberian marmot (Marmota sibirica) in Mongolia. This tapeworm is characterized by possessing one pair of female genitals per segment. The extra rudimentary ovaries that we found ranged from 1 to 6 in number per segment and were much smaller than the main pairs of ovaries. Although multiplication of ovaries was reported to occur in a species of Diandrya (Darrah, 1930) by Rausch (1980), this is the first report of multiplication of ovaries in this species of cestode.