BMC ZoologyPub Date : 2025-02-07DOI: 10.1186/s40850-025-00223-5
Mohamed A M Alsafy, Hanan H Abd-Elhafeez, Ahmed M Rashwan, Atef Erasha, Safwat Ali, Samir A A El-Gendy
{"title":"Anatomy, histology, and morphology of fish gills in relation to feeding habits: a comparative review of marine and freshwater species.","authors":"Mohamed A M Alsafy, Hanan H Abd-Elhafeez, Ahmed M Rashwan, Atef Erasha, Safwat Ali, Samir A A El-Gendy","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00223-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40850-025-00223-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This systematic review highlights the similarities and variations in gill morphology, histology, and anatomical structure between differing fish species. The gill system consists of mainly four pairs of gill arches in most teleost fishes, such as sea bass, sea bream, grouper, and red porgy, etc., while it consists of three pairs of gill arches in pufferfish and striped-red mullet fish. However, Clarias gariepinus had five pairs, including an additional rudimentary fifth-gill arch. The gill structure consisted of gill arches, gill rakers, gill filaments, and secondary lamellae with varied shapes of gill arches such as hook, semilunar, L-shapes, and crescentic shapes. Each gill arch carried mainly two rows of gill rakers, lateral and medial, present in most teleost fishes (Mugil cephalus, Boops boops, Pagrus pagrus, Sparus aurata, European hake, Puffer fish, grey gurnard, sea bass, and sea bream). An additional row appears in Clarias gariepinus or two rows (accessory) in dusky grouper fish. The length and shape of gill rakers are mainly related to feeding habits. The gill rakers in lateral rows are longer, equal, or more in number and more developed than those of the medial rows, except at three gill arches in striped-red mullet fish, the second and third gill arches in pufferfish, and the fourth arch in Pagrus pagrus. gill rakers are absent at the first and second gill arches in Bagrus bayad. The gill arch carries additional structures, such as the air-breathing dendritic organ of the catfish, located in the suprabranchial chamber caudodorsal to the gills and composed of two main parts: small and large ones originated by main stems from the second and fourth-gill arches, respectively. The interbranchial septum can be smooth, form a median crest (seabream), or carry teeth or spines (seabass, pufferfish). Four transversely raised areas on each side are connected by transverse lines caudal to the base of the tongue (Bagrus bayad) and an elevated part at the level of the third-gill arch (Tilapia zilli). Scanning electron microscopy explained the micro-anatomical structures as varied shapes of pavement cells, mucus cell openings, taste buds on the gill arch, varied shapes of grooves or structures and spines near the gill filament side, varied shapes of gill rakers and their spines, and heights in varied feeding types of fish. Histological findings revealed various types of cells, such as superficial pavement cells, large chloride cells, mucous goblet cells, and basal epithelial cells. The lymph space is situated within the gill arch epithelia and is encompassed by cells that resemble tenocytes. The lymph space contains many types of immunological cells, including lymphocytes, granular leukocytes, and rodlet cells. The gill arch comprises sensory structures known as neuromasts and hyaline cartilaginous support. This review underscores the intricate relationship between gill structure and feeding habits across marine and freshwater fishes, highligh","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143366466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMC ZoologyPub Date : 2025-02-06DOI: 10.1186/s40850-025-00225-3
Canshi Hu
{"title":"The population structure and habitat use of resident of Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) in Wu River (Southwest China).","authors":"Canshi Hu","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00225-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40850-025-00225-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) has recently been recognized as a partial migrant in China. The resident population of this species is primarily recorded in southern China, which is not only the traditional wintering range, but also the southernmost breeding sites. However, little information is known about their abundance and habitat requirements during breeding periods. This study provided the first report on the structure of the resident population and the habitat used during the post-breeding period at a tributary of the Wu River in Guizhou Province, Southwest China, which was one of the recently identified breeding sites within the traditional wintering range.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 36 Mandarin ducks were recorded among 15 sites, and the mean population density was estimated to be 3.51 ± 3.06 ind./km. The observed adults sex ratio of males to females was 0.44:1. At the microhabitat scale, the results of logistic regression models indicated that the key habitat variables included the distance to the nearest forest edge (dist.forest), opening extent of valley (deg.valley) and distance to the nearest human settlement (dist.settlement). The Mandarin Duck preferred to use foraging sites near forest edges, where dense marginal growth of woodland and shrubs was present.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggested that dense vegetation along rivers could play a positive, important role in habitat use by the resident population of Mandarin ducks. Compared to traditional breeding ranges, both adults and ducklings of this species were more likely to experience human-related disturbances due to the limited availability of ancient trees outside villages. This information will contribute to provide baseline knowledge on the resident population of Mandarin ducks, and enhance understanding of the causes and consequences of breeding partial migration.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Population structure, distribution pattern and habitat utilization of Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Vanellus malabaricus (Boddaert, 1783), in Northern India.","authors":"Prateek, Himanshu Mishra, Vikas Kumar, Ashish Kumar","doi":"10.1186/s40850-025-00222-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-025-00222-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This field study investigated the population structure, distribution pattern and habitat utilization of Yellow-wattled Lapwings. The line transect method was used to estimate the density of Yellow-wattled Lapwings. An average of 394 individuals including 77 chicks of Yellow-wattled Lapwings have been registered with an average density of 38 birds per km. The outcome of the GLM analysis exhibited, that Bakshi Ka Talab had the highest lapwing count while, Malihabad had the lowest lapwing count. A significant lapwing count in the year 2021 was confirmed. The winter season had the lowest lapwing counts, whereas the summer season had the highest values. Moreover, the largest lapwing counts were estimated in uncultivated while, the lowest lapwing count was documented in river habitat types. There was a significant difference in the mean flock size across the seasons and the habitat types. Being sighted in flocks of various sizes the distribution pattern was found to be clumped in Yellow-wattled Lapwings. The results of the factorial ANOVA showed a significant difference in the habitat utilization of Yellow-wattled Lapwings across study sites, years, seasons and habitat types. Uncultivated habitat types were the most utilized habitat types during summer seasons.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"10 1","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11765937/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143047268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMC ZoologyPub Date : 2024-11-29DOI: 10.1186/s40850-024-00220-0
Soodong Lee, Chunghyeon Oh, Bonggyo Cho, Youngsub Han
{"title":"Understanding the home range characteristics of the first naturally bred pair of crested ibis(Nipponia nippon) released into the natural habitat.","authors":"Soodong Lee, Chunghyeon Oh, Bonggyo Cho, Youngsub Han","doi":"10.1186/s40850-024-00220-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-024-00220-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The crested ibis, a species that relies on wetland ecosystems for survival, was once found throughout East Asia but has declined to near extinction in Korea, Russia, and Japan, except China. Artificial propagation of seven individuals found in Yangxian, Shaanxi Province, China has resulted in a stable population. Furthermore, South Korea and Japan are working on restoring populations through donations from China. Artificial propagation began in 2008, and in 2019, 40 individuals born between 2014 and 2018 were released into the natural habitat for the first time. We conducted this study to analyze the habitat environment, home range, and habitat usage patterns of a 2016-born male and a 2017-born female who attempted to reproduce naturally for the first time.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After forming a breeding pair on April 3, 2020, the pair made two breeding attempts, built a nest in Pinus densiflora, and succeeded in hatching the chicks, but failed to raise them. The home range analysis showed that the area was 1.777-2.425 km² for MCP 100%, and 0.347-2.085 km² for 95% KDE. Meanwhile, the core habitat ranged from 0.007 to 0.296 km² (KDE 50%), indicating differences depending on the time of year and the individual being studied. Breeding pairs were estimated to spend over 50% of their recorded occurrences within 50 m during nesting for incubation, resting, and other activities. They mainly used in paddy fields, but from April to June, when onions and garlic were growing, they searched for food in fields, cemeteries, reservoirs, and other areas.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Breeding pairs have increasingly become more active near the nest, and Changnyeong-gun, where they were released, has large agricultural land suitable for crested ibis habitat. However, there is a problem that during the breeding season from April to June, most paddy fields are maintained as garlic and onion fields, which are then converted back for rice cultivation from May to June through double-cropping. Accordingly, for stable laying and rearing, it is necessary to contemplate how to maintain rice paddies, which serve as feeding grounds in the core habitats.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"9 1","pages":"30"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11606112/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142755352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMC ZoologyPub Date : 2024-11-13DOI: 10.1186/s40850-024-00219-7
Mohamed A M Alsafy, Samir A A El-Gendy, Hanan H Abd-Elhafeez, Soha Soliman, Atef Erasha, Safwat Ali, Karam Roshdy, Ahmed M Rashwan
{"title":"Scanning electron microscopy, morphometric and energy dispersive X-Ray analysis of cephalothoracic structures exploring defensive and sensory features in kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus Spence Bate, 1888).","authors":"Mohamed A M Alsafy, Samir A A El-Gendy, Hanan H Abd-Elhafeez, Soha Soliman, Atef Erasha, Safwat Ali, Karam Roshdy, Ahmed M Rashwan","doi":"10.1186/s40850-024-00219-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-024-00219-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus) is a commercially important crustacean and a valuable global food source. This study employed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to explore the morphology and morphometric features of the Marsupenaeus japonicus cephalothoracic structures, including antennules, antennas, scaphocerite, rostrums, and eye stalks. The primary focus was on understanding the role of each part, especially through the examination of setae, which are crucial for chemoreception and defense. Additionally, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis was utilized to identify the elemental composition of these structures.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>The samples from the heads of fifteen Marsupenaeus japonicus were studied by gross morphology and morphometry, SEM, and EDX analysis. This study is the first to integrate both SEM and EDX techniques for a detailed analysis of these cephalothoracic structures, offering an innovative approach to understanding both morphological and elemental characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Marsupenaeus japonicus exhibited two antennules and two antennae. The antenna featured four basal segments: basicerite, ischiocerite, merocerite, and carpocerite, each with distinctive articulations and setae distribution. The antennule, with three segments covered by plumose setae, displayed curved cone-shaped flagellae. The scaphocerite, resembling a paddle, showcased plumose setae, while the rostrum exhibited dorsal and ventral spines, lateral grooves, and unique setal arrangements. Setal measurements across structures revealed diverse lengths and widths, indicating functional specialization. The compound eyes were connected to an optic stalk adorned with plumose setae. EDX analysis revealed higher percentages of calcium and phosphorus in the spear-like structures of the scaphocerite, rostrum, and antenna, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This investigation provides a thorough examination of the intricate morphological features of the cephalothoracic region of Marsupenaeus japonicus, shedding light on its sensory and defensive capabilities. The novel application of both SEM and EDX not only deepens our insights into these structures but also lays the groundwork for future studies using this dual approach to explore crustacean morphology, with potential advantages for sustainable aquaculture and the conservation of marine ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"9 1","pages":"29"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11558839/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142630518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Population estimate and habitat association of Grant's gazelle (Nanger granti Brooke, 1872) in the Ene Forest of Dale Sadi district, western Ethiopia.","authors":"Paulos Bultum, Wondimagegnehu Tekalign, Taye Dobamo","doi":"10.1186/s40850-024-00217-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-024-00217-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Grant's gazelles (Nanger granti) are classified as of least concern by the IUCN, although their number is declining due to several factors. A few research studies have been conducted on Grant's gazelle in Ethiopia. Thus, the present study was carried out to determine the population size and habitat association of Grant gazelle in the Ene Forest of western Ethiopia, comprising the dry and wet seasons. The study area was stratified into four habitats: woodland, mixed woodland, riverine forest, and grassland habitats. The data were collected using the direct observation technique. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square (χ<sup>2</sup>) test. The average estimated Grant gazelle population was 136 ± 23 individuals, with a density of 9/km<sup>2</sup>. The adult male-to-adult female sex ratio was 1:1.40 and 1:1.26 during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The largest herd size (N = 6) was observed during the wet season, and the smallest (N = 4) was observed during the dry season. The highest numbers of Grant gazelles were observed in the grassland habitat during the wet season and in the woodland during the dry season. More Gazelles (N = 65) were observed in the woodland habitat compared to the other habitat types. The continued existence of the Grant's gazelle population in the area and the suitability of the environment depend significantly on ongoing assessments of habitat change and management intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"9 1","pages":"28"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11533338/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142576509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Spatiotemporal variations and driving factors of fine-scale habitat use by the Yangtze finless porpoise population in the Yangtze River.","authors":"Ping Zhang, Zhongyin Yu, Daoping Yu, Bangzhi Ding, Minmin Chen","doi":"10.1186/s40850-024-00218-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-024-00218-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) is critically endangered and has suffered from extensive habitat loss and fragmentation. Knowledge of its habitat preference could assist the conservation of the species and associated ecosystem. In the present study, spatiotemporal variations and driving factors of habitat use of a Yangtze finless porpoise population were studied in a 30-km section of the Yangtze mainstream. Seasonal variation in porpoise occurrences was observed based on visual surveys conducted from 2022 to 2023, with five surveys during the dry season and seven surveys during the wet season. Biological and environmental factors were synchronously sampled in both seasons. The maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) was applied to get the effects of biological and environmental variables on porpoise habitat preference.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Within the study area, high-suitability habitats of the finless porpoises accounted for 19.0% and 15.4% of the area during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. The high-suitability habitat shifted from the mainstream in the dry season to the sandbar head and tributary area in the wet season. In the dry season, variables influencing the distribution were phytoplankton biomass, water velocity, and zooplankton biomass, which contributed 97.05% variation in the MaxEnt modeling. In the wet season, water depth, surface water temperature, and zooplankton biomass accounted for 97.69% variation of the distribution. Above results highlight that food availability plays an important role in porpoises distribution regardless of seasons, particularly in the dry season. This is because plankton is the primary food source for filter-feeding and omnivorous fish, especially those in the upper-middle layer which are frequently preyed on by finless porpoises.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Suitable areas for finless porpoises, particularly those with high suitability, differed significantly across seasons at a fine-scale in the Yangtze mainstream. Seasonal variations in habitat were driven by different factors. But food availability plays an important role in porpoises distribution regardless of seasons, particularly in the dry season. These results suggest prioritizing conservation of the finless porpoise in the dry season when fish resources are relatively scarce. Measures including monitoring and evaluating prey resources should be considered. More attention should also be paid on management of shipping in the dry season given that the high-suitability habitat of the finless porpoises shifts to the mainstream.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"9 1","pages":"27"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11492758/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142478159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMC ZoologyPub Date : 2024-10-10DOI: 10.1186/s40850-024-00214-y
Alberto J Ríos-Flores, Sandra López-Flores, Jose A Martínez-Moreno, Karen Y Falcon-Romero, Gloria G Asencio-Alcudia, Cesar A Sepúlveda-Quiroz, Rafael Martínez-García, Elizabeth Rodríguez-Salazar, Carlos A Alvarez González, Ernesto Maldonado
{"title":"Regeneration of the caudal fin of the evolutionary ancient tropical gar Atractosteus tropicus.","authors":"Alberto J Ríos-Flores, Sandra López-Flores, Jose A Martínez-Moreno, Karen Y Falcon-Romero, Gloria G Asencio-Alcudia, Cesar A Sepúlveda-Quiroz, Rafael Martínez-García, Elizabeth Rodríguez-Salazar, Carlos A Alvarez González, Ernesto Maldonado","doi":"10.1186/s40850-024-00214-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-024-00214-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The tropical gar (Atractosteus tropicus), a member of the Lepisosteidae family, is native to regions extending from southeastern Mexico to southern Costa Rica. This species serves as a unique bridge between tetrapods and teleosts due to its phylogenetic position, slow evolutionary rate, dense genetic map, gene similarities with humans, and ease of laboratory cultivation. As a taxonomic sister group to teleosts like the zebrafish (Danio rerio), known for its high regenerative capacity, it remains unclear whether the tropical gar shares a similar ability for regeneration.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study aims to elucidate the caudal fin regeneration process in tropical gar through skeletal and histological staining methods. Juvenile specimens were observed over a two-month period, during which they were fed brine shrimp, and anesthetized with 1% eugenol for caudal fin amputation. Samples were collected at various days post-amputation (dpa). Alcian blue and alizarin red staining were used to highlight skeletal regeneration, particularly the formation of new cartilage, while histological staining with hematoxylin and eosin was performed to observe tissue regeneration at the amputation site.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings reveal a remarkable ability for caudal fin regeneration in juvenile tropical gar. Given the Garfish evolutionary relationship with teleosts, this opens new avenues for research into tissue regeneration across different groups of Actinopterygii.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"9 1","pages":"26"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11465863/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142401660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMC ZoologyPub Date : 2024-09-30DOI: 10.1186/s40850-024-00216-w
Dessalegn Ejigu, Marye Gelaw
{"title":"Rodents of Bahir Dar Blue Nile River Millennium Park, Ethiopia.","authors":"Dessalegn Ejigu, Marye Gelaw","doi":"10.1186/s40850-024-00216-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40850-024-00216-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Rodents are mammals of the order Rodentia, which are found in all continents except Antarctica. They are the most diverse groups of mammals representing 41% of all mammals and they are known with 33 families, 481 genera, and about 2277 species. The present study was conducted from December 2018 to August 2019 both during the dry and wet seasons using Sherman traps and live traps. Four trap sites namely forest, bushland, grassland, and sugarcane plantation were selected for data collection. Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H') was used to compute rodent species diversity, Simpson's index (D) to assess the number and abundance of rodents in the different habitats, and one-way ANOVA and independent samples t-test were used for data analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 163 individual rodents were captured in 1776 trap nights of which 125 individuals were captured using live traps in 1176 trap nights and 38 individuals using snap traps in 600 trap nights. Among the total individual rodents captured in the Bahir Dar Blue Nile River Millennium Park, 63.8% (n = 104) were males and 36.2% (n = 59) were females. Males outnumbered females in all the grids and the difference was significant (t = 31.5, df = 10, p < 0.05). The relative abundance of rodent species indicated that 42.4% (n = 53) were Arvicanthis niloticus, 26.4% (n = 33) Rattus rattus, 17.6% (n = 22) Mus musculus, 8% (n = 10) Mastomys natalensis, and 5.6% (n = 7) Arvicanthis abyssinicus. There are more individual specimens of A. niloticus than other species identified in the area (F = 698.22, df = 4, p < 0.05). Distribution of rodents varied among the different habitats. As a result, the bushland habitat showed more diversity of rodents (H = 0.98) and comprised relatively the highest (51.2%, n = 64) number of individuals captured, while the forest habitat supported the lowest number of rodents (4%, n = 5), and the difference showed a significant difference (F = 873.37, df = 3, p < 0.05). Population density with 95% confident interval estimated as 166 individuals/ha (95% CI:164.43-167.57).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The present study provides basic information about population dynamics of rodents and contributes to design conservation strategies for rodents in particular and other biota of the area in general.</p>","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"9 1","pages":"25"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11441244/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142356342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessment of bird diversity and abundance in Mai-Nigus artificial reservoir and surrounding semi-forest in Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia","authors":"Alembrhan Assefa, Kalayu Mesfin, Weldemariam Tesfahunegny, Birkti Fitsum, Amleset Gaim, Teklay Meles","doi":"10.1186/s40850-024-00215-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40850-024-00215-x","url":null,"abstract":"Artificial reservoirs are alternative habitats for bird diversity, and knowledge of the diversity and abundance of bird species contribute to the management of the ecosystem. This study was conducted to investigate the species diversity and abundance of birds in Mai-Nigus reservoir and its surrounding semi-forest from July 2022 to March 2023. Point count method with a total of fifteen count stations at an interval of 50 m radius was used to study the diversity and abundance of bird species in the semi-forest habitat while total count employed on the reservoir. A total of 123 bird species comprising endemic and globally threatened species were identified. Order Passeriformes had the highest number of species followed by Charadriiformes and Pelecaniformes. Family Scolopacidae was the most abundant followed by Ardeidae, Ploceidae and Anatidae. Bird species richness and abundance were not significantly varied across seasons and habitats (P > 0.05). The highest species diversity (H´=3.96) were recorded in the Semi-forest during the wet season, whereas the least was recorded from reservoir during the dry season (H´=2.66). The highest and lowest species evenness of birds was recorded in Semi-forest (E = 0.725) and reservoir (E = 0.448) during the dry season, respectively. Most birds that inhabited the area had frequent relative abundance followed by uncommon and common species. Mai-Nigus reservoir and surrounding habitat host high bird diversity and this requires critical conservation concerns for the long-term survival of birds.","PeriodicalId":48590,"journal":{"name":"BMC Zoology","volume":"104 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142269877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}