Submitted date: 16 December 2011 Accepted date: 30 April 2012 Published date: 28 May 2012 Pp. 54–56.
Three tick species parasitizing a rock python in Sri Lanka
T.S.P. Fernando* & H.K.A.V.A. Kulasena Fernando *E-mail: saminda@ou.ac.lk
Parasitism is a relationship where one of the parties (the parasite) either harms its host or lives at the expense of it. Host parasite interactions are important driving forces in population dynamics and even extinction. These interactions are also indicators of ecosystem health and they are important in stabilizing food webs. A parasite may cause mechanical injury, stimulate a damaging inflammatory or immune response, or simply rob the host of nutrition. However in the wild most parasites must live in harmony with their hosts. If the parasites kill the host, they themselves would ultimately die without shelter and nutrition. Reptiles become hosts to a number of parasitic organisms ranging from protozoans to arthropods. Among these, ticks (hard and soft) are the most common arthropod group that parasitizes reptiles.
Submitted date: 7 March 2012 Accepted date: 16 March 2012 Published date: 28 May 2012 Pp. 52–53.
First record of the blue sea slug (Glaucus atlanticus) from Andhra Pradesh – India
Bhargavi Srinivasulu*, C. Srinivasulu & G. Chethan Kumar *E-mail: bharisrini@osmaniawildlife.org
The blue sea slug Glaucus atlanticus Forster, 1777 (Gastropoda, Glaucidae) is a nudibranch that occurs in temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world. It is characterized by a silvery white dorsal surface and dark blue ventral surface. The body is elongate measuring up to 3 cm and is flattened. The head is small and blunt with a pair of small oral tentacles near the mouth. The cerata or papillae are wing-like and extend laterally from three distinct pairs of peduncles. The papillae are placed in a single row (uniseriate) and may be 84 in total. A similar looking glaucid nudibranch, Glaucus marginata (Bergh, 1860), is a bluish-brown nudibranch with bluish underside, and differs from Glaucus atlanticus in bearing four pairs of clusters of papillae that are arranged in more than one row (multiseriate) and may be 139 or more in number. The latter species has been included by some authorities under the genus Glaucilla Bergh, 1860. Presently, both species are listed under Glaucus Poli, 1795.
Submitted date: 11 April 2012 Accepted date: 13 April 2012 Published date: 28 May 2012 Pp. 48–51.
Xenopeltis unicolor Boie, 1827 predation upon Sphenomorphus sp.
Bruno H. Martins & Gonçalo M. Rosa* *E-mail: goncalo.m.rosa@gmail.com
Xenopeltis is a genus of non-venomous snakes characterized by its iridescent, highly polished scales which give to the species the common name “sunbeam snake”. Currently, two species are recognized. Xenopeltis unicolor Boie, 1827 is found in Southeast Asia and some regions of Indonesia occupying a variety of habitats from primary to secondary forests, agricultural and settled areas from elevations up to 1402 m. Being nocturnal and subfossorial, this species inhabits burrows excavated by small mammals and crevices within limestones, spending large amounts of time underground on the leaf litter. Pre-maxillary teeth are found in the aglyphous dentition of X. unicolor enabling a varied diet that consists primarily of frogs, lizards (particularly skinks), small mammals (such as rodents), birds and even other snakes.
Abstract Description of a poorly-known endemic Indian homalopsid water snake Enhydris dussumierii is expanded based on character state data obtained anew from newly examined live and preserved specimens in captive facilities. Knowledge on the natural history of this uncommon, endemic species is supplemented by our observations. Further field surveys in southwestern Indian coastal plains are recommended for fully documenting the geographic range of this species.
[b]Key words :Morphology, scalation, body form, colouration, distribution, India
Submitted date: 5 August 2011 Accepted date: 15 April 2012 Published date: 28 May 2012 Pp. 37–41.
GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES OF CAPTIVE PRIMATES IN THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF SRI LANKA
Umanga C. Gunasekera*, Susiji Wickramasinghe, Ganga Wijesinghe & R.P.V.J. Rajapakse *Corresponding author. E-mail: umavet@yahoo.com
Abstract Fifteen species of primates from different geographic areas are living in captivity at the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka. As a result of limited space in the Zoo and ever increasing visitors, there is a possibility to increase the incidence of human animal contact. Therefore, it is important to identify potential parasitic infections that can be transferred from humans to animals and vise versa. In the present study, the primates were investigated for the gastrointestinal parasites. Total of 85 fecal samples were collected from all the species and examined for the presence of helminthes and protozoa. Balantidium sp., Entamoeba coli, Giardia sp., Blastocystis sp. and coccidial oocytes including Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts were identified. Furthermore, Nematodes and Cestodes were also recorded.
[b]Key words :Helminthes, nematodes, cestodes, protozoa, parasitic infections, oocytes