Twenty-seven Pachycrocuta brevirostris coprolites from Taurida Cave (Early Pleistocene) were studied. Eggs of parasitic worms were found in 6 of them (22.2%). Eggs of Trematoda species were identified among them, as were eggs of Taenia, Toxocara, and Capillaria. Toxocara eggs were the most common; they were found in 15% of the coprolites. This is the earliest evidence of P. brevirostris infection by these groups of helminths.

Members of the copepod family Caligidae are some of the most common parasites of marine fishes. There are 503 recognized species divided into about 30 genera, with 75% of species belonging to the 2 largest genera, Caligus and Lepeophtheirus. More than 30 caligid species are known to cause serious pathologic changes as ectoparasites in marine teleost aquaculture. This study was undertaken to provide a key to the valid genera of Caligidae, to examine their morphology in new detail with confocal laser scanning microscopy, and to review uncertainties concerning boundaries between several genera. There have been several substantial changes to the taxonomy of Caligidae over the last decade: Metacaligus, Sciaenophilus, and Sinocaligus have been synonymized with Caligus and the validity of Midias has been questioned. Here, we formally propose that Midias and Markevichus are junior subjective synonyms of Caligus. In total, we recognize 27 valid genera; provide a key to these genera; present confocal laser scanning micrographs for 25 of the genera, many of which have never been imaged before; and highlight helpful diagnostic features used in the key. We also discuss some concerns regarding the generic boundaries separating Belizia, Caritus, Parapetalus, Parechetus, Pseudechetus, and Synestius from Caligus and those separating Anuretes, Pseudanuretes, and Mappates from Lepeophtheirus.

The present work includes the description of Gyrinicola pilyolcatzin n. sp. (Nematoda: Oxyurida) collected from the large intestine of tadpoles of the Montezuma frog, Rana montezumae. Nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA generated via a combination of Sanger and Next Generation shotgun sequencing were used to reconstruct the species in a phylogenetic context, by including the other 4 recognized species in the genus present in North America, namely, Gyrinicola batrachiensis, Gyrinicola armatus, Gyrinicola gulabrevioris, and Gyrinicola moohsia. The distinctiveness of the species was supported by an analysis of branching patterns using Bayesian Poisson tree processes. We used morphometric evidence to enumerate the diagnostic characters that define members of this unique clade within the genus. The species shares a common ancestor with G. gulabrevioris and G. moohsia; yet it is meristically similar to G. armatus. This is the first species of the genus described in Mexico and the fifth species described in the Nearctic, as it is present in the Transvolcanic Axis of Mexico, which acts as a transition zone between the Nearctic and the Neotropics. A dichotomous key to the species in the Nearctic is offered.

The Zygocotylidae Ward, 1917 is a compact family of amphistome digeneans that until now comprised 2 genera, each represented by a single species: Zygocotyle lunata (Diesing, 1836) Stunkard, 1916 and Wardius zibethicus Barker and East, 1915 in Barker 1915. Despite highly similar morphology, these genera are separated based on the presence (Zygocotyle) or absence (Wardius) of posterolateral projections (=lappets) on the ventral sucker and esophageal bulb. In the present study, we generated partial large ribosomal subunit (28S), internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) rDNA, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) sequences of Z. lunata from several hosts (12 avian and 1 rodent species) throughout North and South America as well as 28S and COI sequences of W. zibethicus from muskrat in North America. The newly generated 28S sequences were used for sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis. The COI sequences were used for species-level comparisons. Our analysis revealed a close relationship and high sequence similarity between Z. lunata and W. zibethicus. Considering the low morphological and genetic differences, we synonymize Zygocotyle Stunkard, 1916 with Wardius Barker and East, 1915 in Barker 1915 and transfer Z. lunata to Wardius as Wardius lunatus (Diesing, 1836) n. comb.

Species of Placobdella have been the frequent subject of revisionary and alpha-taxonomy in the past 2 decades. Recent molecular analyses introduced uncertainty about the taxonomic status of several broadly distributed and morphologically variable Placobdella species, including Placobdella picta (Verrill 1872), compounded by incomplete original descriptions reliant upon characters that are no longer unique in comparison to modern congeners. We assessed specimens of P. picta to identify any distinct phylogenetic entities that align with our morphological observations of the type series and novel topotype specimens. Using mitochondrial COI and ND1 and nuclear 18S rDNA with Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference, we evaluated species boundaries using species delimitation analyses (ABGD, mPTP, bPTP, and GMYC) and molecular phylogenetics. Our analyses revealed 2 species entities equivalent to 2 non-reciprocal monophyletic clades. Morphological examinations revealed the lectotype was determined to be Placobdella ornata (Verrill 1872), and paralectotypes are other leech species or were poorly preserved and unidentifiable. Due to the problems with the type series, P. picta is now considered a junior synonym of P. ornata. Based on our results, we describe 2 new species: Placobdella unimaculata n. sp. from Connecticut and Placobdella desseri n. sp. from Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada.

Cysto-biliary fistulas are commonly diagnosed, either before or after surgical intervention, in patients with enlarged or advanced-stage hydatid cysts (HCs). Analysis of cystic contents in these patients shows that diminished scolex vitality is more common in patients with cysto-biliary fistulas. This study aims to demonstrate the scolicidal effects of bile on Echinococcus granulosus (EG) scolices at various bile concentrations and over specific periods. The time- and concentration-based scolicidal potency was analyzed in EG scolex samples obtained from HC patients. The integrity of the cyst wall and the scolicidal effect of the contents were evaluated using a vital staining technique with 0.1% eosin. Bile samples were collected from patients with cholelithiasis who were scheduled for surgery. Scolicidal efficacy of 100% was observed in all samples at the 1/4 bile concentration after 10 min and at the 1/8 concentration after 60 min. At a 1/16 concentration, scolicidal efficacy was 66% at 1 min, 89% at 10 min, 93% at 30 min, and 98% at 60 min. At a 1/32 bile concentration, scolicidal efficacy was 59% at 1 min, 68% at 10 min, 89% at 30 min, and 95% t 60 min. At a 1/64 concentration, the scolicidal efficacy was 53% at 1 min, 58% at 10 min, 77% at 30 min, and 93% at 60 min. After 1 hr, reasonable scolicidal efficacy was determined up to a 1/64 concentration; however, significant decreases in scolicidal efficacy were observed at 1/128 and 1/256 bile concentrations. Theoretically, bile, which is an endogenous secretion, can be used as a suitable and potent scolicidal agent. This study lays the groundwork for future in vivo clinical trials utilizing synthetic bile acids for scolicidal purposes or for studies evaluating the scolicidal effects of bile in patients who develop cysto-biliary fistulas.

Toxoplasma gondii is recognized as one of the most successful zoonotic parasites globally, infecting a wide range of hosts including camelids. This infection can lead to serious outcomes such as abortion, neonatal death, or fetal abnormalities. Camels play a crucial role in the economic, ecological, and social landscapes of various regions, particularly in the Middle East, highlighting the importance of close health monitoring and disease screening. Hence in this study, sera from 409 dromedary camels (39 males and 370 females) were examined for T. gondii IgG antibodies using the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT). Both univariable and multivariable statistical analyses were performed using SPSS to identify the risk factors. A seroprevalence of 32% was found with 74% of the reactive specimens exhibiting a MAT titer ≤ 80. Univariate analysis ruled out sex and season as significant risk factors. Multivariable analysis confirmed age and area as statistically significant factors (P value < 0.05) associated with T. gondii seropositivity in camels. Overall, the finding of the present study confirms that T. gondii is prevalent and widely distributed in camels in suburban areas of Qatar. Given the veterinary and economic implications, there is an urgent need for further investigations into the infection's risk factors and its zoonotic impact.

This paper provides correct amended names for adeleid coccidia formerly in the genus Adelina Hesse, 1911, that now belong to the genus Obvallatus Özdikmen, 2009, and their new endings if necessary to satisfy the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature Formation and Treatment of Names (Chapter 7, Article 31.2). The morphometric and host data of Adelina castana Ghosh, Choudhury, and Misra, 2000, indicate that it is a junior synonym of Obvallatus (Adelina) tribolii Bhatia, 1937, and has been synonymized. The taxonomic status of an adeleorinid coccidium, “Adelina bambarooniae,” from which sequence data (nuclear 18S rDNA–AF494058, AF494059) have been used widely in molecular phylogenetic studies of adeleorinid coccidia and wider apicomplexan taxa has been corrected. A promised species description listed in the GenBank accession associated with this Adelina sp. was never published; consequently, this species name does not satisfy the Criteria of Publication (Chapter 3, Article 8.1) expected by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and is a nomen nudum. The scientific community should refer to the GenBank entries AF494058 and AF494059 as an unnamed Obvallatus sp. (ex. Dermolepida albohirtum) until a formal species description of the parasite has been published.