Mitochondrial alternative oxidase contributes to successful tardigrade anhydrobiosis.

Anhydrobiosis can be described as an adaptation to lack of water that enables some organisms, including tardigrades, to survive extreme conditions, even some that do not exist on Earth. The cellular mechanisms underlying anhydrobiosis are still not completely explained including the putative contribution of mitochondrial proteins. Since mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX), described as a drought response element in plants, was recently proposed for various invertebrates including tardigrades, we investigated whether AOX is involved in successful anhydrobiosis of tardigrades. Milnesium inceptum was used as a model for the study. We confirmed functionality of M. inceptum AOX and estimated its contribution to the tardigrade revival after anhydrobiosis of different durations. We observed that AOX activity was particularly important for M. inceptum revival after the long-term tun stage but did not affect the rehydration stage specifically. The results may contribute to our understanding and then application of anhydrobiosis underlying mechanisms.

How the Geomagnetic Field Influences Life on Earth - An Integrated Approach to Geomagnetobiology.

Earth is one of the inner planets of the Solar System, but - unlike the others - it has an oxidising atmosphere, relatively stable temperature, and a constant geomagnetic field (GMF). The GMF does not only protect life on Earth against the solar wind and cosmic rays, but it also shields the atmosphere itself, thus creating relatively stable environmental conditions. What is more, the GMF could have influenced the origins of life: organisms from archaea to plants and animals may have been using the GMF as a source of spatial information since the very beginning. Although the GMF is constant, it does undergo various changes, some of which, e.g. a reversal of the poles, weaken the field significantly or even lead to its short-term disappearance. This may result in considerable climatic changes and an increased frequency of mutations caused by the solar wind and cosmic radiation. This review analyses data on the influence of the GMF on different aspects of life and it also presents current knowledge in the area. In conclusion, the GMF has a positive impact on living organisms, whereas a diminishing or disappearing GMF negatively affects living organisms. The influence of the GMF may also be an important factor determining both survival of terrestrial organisms outside Earth and the emergence of life on other planets.

Cub Survival in a Wild Leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) Population.

We investigated the survival of cubs in a wild Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) population in the Jhalana Reserve Forest (JRF), India. The research focuses on analyzing the survival of leopard cubs during their first two years of life. Survival functions were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method based on data collected with trail cameras over four years from 2018 to 2021. We found that the mean survival probability of cubs during the first year of life was 0.739, indicating that this period is particularly challenging for their survival. In the second year, the survival probability increased to 0.831, reflecting an improvement in survival as the cubs grew older. The combined survival rate over the two-year period, calculated as the product of the first- and second-year survival rates, was 0.618. These findings highlight the critical periods in the early life stages of leopard cubs, which are essential for developing effective conservation strategies in fragmented habitats to enhance their survival.

No man's land support the endemic Red Sea ghost crab (Ocypode saratan) in the Gulf of Eilat.

Tourism pressure on the Red Sea ecosystem have posed significant threats to numerous endemic species, including the Ghost Crab Ocypode saratan, which is exclusively found along a small stretch of beach in the Eilat/Aqaba Red Sea Gulf. Due to the limited understanding of their ecology, we investigated how tourism impacts the behavior of this species. Employing a natural setup, we compared burrow dimensions, pyramid structures, and density across three distinct beach sections subjected to varying levels of human interference. Access to a secluded beach, referred to as "No Man's Land," provided a crucial control for our study. This facilitated a comparative analysis of ghost crab activity among beaches experiencing differing levels of human disturbances: (1) a tourist beach characterized by continual high disturbance, (2) a naval beach subject to moderate and sporadic disturbances, and (3) the isolated "no man's land" beach devoid of human presence. Our observations revealed notable differences in ghost crab density among the three beaches. Furthermore, we observed that on the secluded beach, larger individuals tended to establish burrows farther from the waterline and construct taller sand pyramids. Given the significance of sexual selection processes, their conservation becomes imperative for the survival and potential expansion of the ghost crab population across the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba. We propose a straight-forward and cost-effective strategy: the designation of short, secluded beach enclaves along this gulf. We believe that this approach will mitigate adverse impacts of tourisms while simultaneously benefiting various sandy beach species.

Distribution of the Quill Mite Bubophilus aluconis Parasitising Western Palaearctic Owls Belonging to the Genus Strix.

Background: The paper presents the results of studies on the distribution of the parasitic quill mite species Bubophilus aluconis (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) in the feather quills of the Western Palaearctic owls of the genus Strix, that is, tawny owl S. aluco, collected in Poland and Sweden, the Ural owl S. uralensis, from Poland, Sweden, and Finland, and the great grey owl S. nebulosa, from Sweden and Finland. The two latter species are new hosts for B. aluconis. Methods: Feather samples of the tawny owl, Ural owl, and great grey owl used in this study come from Prof. Marian Cieslak's private collection, which contains feathers of Western Palearctic birds of prey and owls. Each of the 77 tawny owl, 75 Ural owl, and 55 great grey owl specimens are represented either by whole dry wings or a full complement of flight feathers (primaries (P) and secondaries (S)) and tails (rectrices (R)). Particular types of feathers were coded as follows: Ps, Ss, R, primary greater upperwing coverts (PGUppC), secondary greater upperwing coverts (SGUppC), primary greater underwing coverts (PGUndrC), secondary greater underwing coverts (SGUndrC), uppertail coverts (UppTC), and undertail coverts (UndrTC). Results: The prevalence was relatively low for all of the examined birds, that is, 12% for S. uralensis (N = 79), 2.6% for S. aluco (N = 77), and 3.6% for S. nebulosa (N = 55). In total, we examined 37,260 flight feathers and coverts. The mite B. aluconis occupied only the inner S of the tawny owl, secondary greater under and upperwing coverts of the great grey owl, and inner Ss, primary and secondary upperwing coverts, UndrTC, and coverts from the scapulars of the Ural owl. Conclusion: We hypothesise that the absence of these parasites in the examined P, S, and R suggests that these feather types might be unsuitable for the mites due to their thick quill walls, preventing successful feeding.

Enigmatic host-mite relationships: Unraveling the distribution of quill mites on Birds-of-Paradise.

Mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) are permanent and obligatory parasites of birds. This study presents an analysis of mite material collected from 22 avian species belonging to the family Paradisaeidae (Passeriformes), revealing the presence of four mite species belonging to four genera: Syringophiloidus attenboroughi n. sp., Peristerophila regiusi n. comb., Picobia frankei, and Gunabopicobia garylarsoni. In the present work, the genus Neoperisterophila is synonymized with the genus Peristerophila. While the genera Syringophiloidus and Picobia were expectedly found on paradisaeid birds, given their prevalence in passerines, the presence of Peristerophila and Gunabopicobia was intriguing, suggesting potential host-switching events. The specificity of these mites varies, with some showing occurrence on hosts of closely related genera and others infesting phylogenetically distant hosts. Notably, the distribution of specific mite species on the Birds-of-Paradise appears to be influenced by both long coevolutionary histories and incidental contacts between often unrelated or intergeneric hybrid species of paradisaeid birds. Furthermore, our research of 104 specimens from 22 Birds-of-Paradise species shows generally low infestation rates across the studied species, suggesting a nuanced interaction between these mites and their avian hosts. Additionally, our network analysis provides a deeper understanding of these host-parasite interactions, revealing a high level of specialization and complexity in these ecological relationships.

Diversity and Interactions between Picobiine Mites and Starlings.

The subfamily Picobiinae (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) comprises obligate and permanent parasites of birds found exclusively in the quills of contour feathers. We studied associations of picobiine mites with birds of the family Sturnidae (Aves: Passeriformes) across the Palaearctic, Afrotropical, Oriental, and Oceanian zoogeographical regions. Among the 414 examined bird individuals belonging to 44 species (35.2% of all sturnids), 103 individuals from 24 species (54.5% of examined species) were parasitised by quill mites. The diversity of mites was represented by five species, including one newly described, Picobia malayi Patan and Skoracki sp. n. Statistical analysis of the Picobiinae-Sturnidae bipartite network demonstrated a low connectance value (Con = 0.20) and high modularity, with significant differences in the H2' specialisation index compared to null model values. The network structure, characterised by four distinct modules, highlighted the specificity and limited host range of the Picobiinae-Sturnidae associations. The distribution of Picobia species among starlings was congruent with the phylogeny of their hosts, with different mites parasitising specific clades of starlings. Additionally, the findings suggest that the social and breeding behaviours of starlings influence quite a high prevalence. Finally, our studies support the validity of museum collections to study these parasitic interactions.

Complex phenological changes and their consequences in the breeding success of a migratory bird, the white stork Ciconia ciconia.

1. The timing of bird migration has shifted in response to climate change. However, few studies have linked the potential consequences of any phenological shift on individual fitness and even fewer have disentangled the role of plasticity and microevolution in the observed shifts. 2. The arrival date and breeding success of white storks (Ciconia ciconia) have been recorded since the 1880 s in Slovakia. We used data for two periods (1895-1913 and 1977-2007), which were considered, respectively, as populations before and after the start of climate warming. About 4000 male and 2500 female arrival dates along with 3000 breeding attempts were studied. 3. Mean arrival dates did not differ between the two periods. During 1977-2007, males tended towards a slight delay for most fractions of arrival distribution. Protandry was reduced by 30% (1.44 days). 4. In both sexes, the early percentiles of the arrival distribution arrived later those years with warmer temperatures at the African wintering grounds, while late percentiles advanced their arrival when temperatures were higher in the European areas flown over during migration. 5. Mean breeding success of the Slovakian population has not changed since 1977. However, fecundity selection for arrival date reduced over the years: at the end of 1970s and 1980s, early breeders had more success than late breeders, but this seasonal trend disappeared towards the end of the study period. An early arrival and territory acquisition may have become less of an advantage due to the enhancement of feeding opportunities during the breeding season in recent decades. 6. A century ago, stork arrival varied spatially, with earlier arrivals at low altitudes, southern slopes and warmer and drier regions. This spatial variation mostly vanished, and at present, we found little correlations with topographical and climatic gradients. 7. We showed that long-term temporal changes in the timing of biological events may be complex because each fraction of a population and sex may show different temporal trends in their arrival dates. In addition, the effect of biotic and abiotic factors may change consistently in space and time, and thereby phenotypes' value depends on the circumstances that are expressed due to its variable fitness consequences.

Staphylococcal species composition in the skin microbiota of domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica).

Staphylococci are a natural component of the skin microbiota of many organisms, including humans and birds. As opportunistic pathogens, they can cause a variety of infections in humans. The close contact between domestic pigeons and their owners provide an opportunity for exchange of skin-associated bacteria. In this study, 41 healthy racing pigeons were tested. Staphylococci were detected on the skin of each bird (41/41, 100%). Isolates were identified at the species level using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The diversity of the Staphylococcus species was relatively high and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were predominantly isolated. In total, ten different staphylococcal species were identified. S. lentus (19/41, 46.3%) was noted most frequently. The pigeon skin was also inhabited by S. xylosus (6/41, 14.6%), S. equorum (4/41, 9.8%), S. hyicus (3/41, 7.3%), S. intermedius (2/41, 4.9%), S. sciuri (2/41, 4.9%), S. vitulinus (2/41, 4.9%), S. lugdunensis (1/41, 2.4%), S. hominis (1/41, 2.4%), and S. auricularis (1/41, 2.4%). Our results indicate that domestic pigeons may carry pathogens with zoonotic potential. All strains were susceptible to 12 antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, clindamycin chloramphenicol, erythromycin, fosfomycin, gentamicin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin, rifampicin, tobramycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, vancomycin) representing 8 different classes. None isolate displayed a multidrug-resistant phenotype. Resistance to tetracycline (6/41, 14.6%) and to penicillin (4/41, 9.7%) was shown. The mecA gene was not detected in the examined strains and no methicillin-resistant staphylococci were found on the skin of the healthy pigeons.

Population trends of striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) in Israel for the past five decades.

The striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is considered "Near Threatened" globally and "Vulnerable" in the Middle East. In Israel, the species has experienced extreme population fluctuations owing to poisoning campaigns during the British Mandate (1918-1948) which were also further exacerbated by the Israeli authorities in the mid-twentieth century. We collated data from the archives of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority for the past 47 years to elucidate the temporal and geographic trends of this species. During this period we found a 68% increase in population and the estimated density is at present 2.1 individuals/100km2. This is significantly higher than all previous estimates for Israel. It appears that the major factors contributing to their phenomenal increase in number are the increase in prey availability because of the intensification of human development, preying on Bedouin livestock, the extinction of the leopard (Panthera pardus nimr), and the hunting of wild boars (Sus scorfa) and other agricultural pests in some parts of the country. Reasons should also be sought in increasing people's awareness as well as in advanced technological capabilities that have allowed an improved observation and reporting system. Future studies need to understand the effects of the large concentrations of striped hyenas on the spatial distribution and temporal activity of other sympatric wildlife to ensure the continued persistence of the wildlife guilds in the Israeli nature.

Magnetic alignment in free-ranging Indian Leopard (Panthera pardus fusca).

The earth's geomagnetic field (GMF) is known to influence the behaviour of a wide range of species, but remains one of the most enigmatic of animal senses. Animals are known to utilize the GMF for a wide range of survival capabilities such as navigation and orienteering, migration, territoriality, homing, etc. Despite a lot of study in this regard on vertebrates, little is known about the effects of GMF on felids. Hence, we analyzed the body alignment of the Indian Leopard during defecation, and walking along the trails in the Jhalana Reserve Forest in India. Using circular statistics, we found that the leopards aligned their bodies on the north-south axis during defecation (mean azimuth -176.4°), while no such preference was found when walking (mean azimuth 52.9°). Thus we prove that leopards are sensitive to the GMF during basic physiological activities and in this context show similar behaviour to other vertebrates studied to date.

Prey-Base Does Not Influence Breeding Success in Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo) in Judea, Israel.

The diet and breeding success of Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo) have been suggested to vary at different latitudes. However, it is still unclear whether and how these relationships exist at lower latitudes outside of Europe. We therefore studied the diet and breeding success of Eagle Owls during four breeding seasons at 14 nests in the Judea region, Israel. Of a total of 9461 prey items were identified; mammals (N = 6896, 35 species; 72.89%, biomass 62.3%) and birds (N = 2255, 55 species, 23.83%; biomass 36.0%) predominated the prey-base. We found that the gradient of diversity of the mammalian prey decreased from west to east; and avian prey increased from east to west. The index of species diversity, H' for all prey, had no relationship with breeding success. The prey-base of the Eagle Owls helped identify the changes in geographic distributions of several species. Marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna), especially threatened, appear to be relatively abundant, as are brown rats (Ratttus norvegicus) which were previously considered to be restricted to the coastal regions. In addition to Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), the Eagle Owls also preyed on nine different species of insectivorous bats, several of which appear to have enlarged their geographic distribution within Israel. The Eagle Owl's diet emphasizes its generalist foraging habits, but pairs may be species-specific specialists. This adaptation is especially important in a fast-developing and congested country like Israel, because a generalist hunting strategy probably allows the species to subsist in the region.

The impact of artificial light at night on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic bird species communities in a large geographical range: A modelling approach.

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is currently recognised as an important environmental disturbance that influences habitats, fitness and behaviour of numerous organisms. However, its effect on bird community distribution on a large spatial scale still remains unclear. Therefore, I decided to use a predictive approach to test an assumption that artificial nightlight, as one of 73 predictors, determines taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic levels of an avian community. In order to safeguard inference from any inconsistency, I used not one but four indices describing functional diversity, two measures showing phylogenetic species richness, and one reflecting taxonomic diversity. For all these measures of species communities I developed two sets of Random Forest models: one set included ALAN as an additional predictor, while the other did not. Following cross validation tests as well as an independent evaluation of models, I demonstrated that artificial night light improved the performance of predictive models. Taxonomic species richness decreased linearly along with increasing artificial luminescence. Moreover, functional diversity showed a unimodal relation to ALAN, which meant that most niches were occupied on a moderate level of artificial lighting. Finally, phylogenetic diversity was under the highest pressure of ALAN, because even a minimal amount of artificial night lighting radically reduced this measure of biodiversity. On the basis of predictive maps, I also found that models which did not include urbanisation processes showed high values of avian biodiversity in regions where in fact they were low. Thus, I conclude that ALAN as a human footprint can play a key role when analysing the distribution of bird communities on large spatial scales.

Does Size Matter? The Case of the Courtship Pyramids in Red Sea Ghost Crabs (Ocypode saratan).

Display, wherein males attempt to maximize fitness by attracting sexually mature females to mate, is known to drive speciation by Sexual Selection. We researched the Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan; RSGC), in which males build display pyramids to attract females. The study was conducted at the beach in Eilat, Israel. At each session, we measured the height (in cm) of all pyramids and the dimensions (height, breadth; in cm) of the burrow entrance. We assumed that the size of the entrance represented the relative size of the carapace width of the occupant. The mean (± SE) entrance volume was 230.8 ± 11.7 cm, and the height of the pyramid was 11.8 ± 0.49 cm (n = 54). The results of our study did not support our hypothesis because we had expected to find a linear correlation between body size and pyramid height, i.e., the larger the male, the larger the pyramid. However, our results show that the largest males in the population either built small pyramids or not at all, and the cut-off of the larger crab's body size appears to be around 350 cm3. We discovered a step-wise function in the data in that crabs with the smallest body size of ca. 250 cm3 constructed the highest pyramids, with a declining tendency between 250-350 cm3 and extremely low pyramids beyond 350 cm3. However, our findings need to be further studied with a stress on the ambiance and elucidate whether the habitats differ in temperature, humidity, prey-base, etc., before concluding as to why the larger males desist from building pyramids. This study underwrites the importance of studying the mating systems of the macro-fauna of the beaches that are fast disappearing owing to anthropogenic development.

Tolerance of two anhydrobiotic tardigrades Echiniscus testudo and Milnesium inceptum to hypomagnetic conditions.

The open space is a hostile environment for all lifeforms not only due to vacuum, high radiation, low atmospheric pressure, and extremely low temperature, but also the absence of the geomagnetic field. The geomagnetic field protects Earth mainly from corpuscular radiation, that is, solar wind and cosmic radiation, but above all it influences organisms, including their cells, tissues and organs. Moreover, numerous studies conducted on plants and animals confirmed that hypomagnetic conditions (the term referring to all situations when the magnetic field is weaker than the typical geomagnetic field) have significant influence on the metabolism of living organisms. Although many studies dealt with a variety of aspects related mainly to the influence of hypomagnetic conditions on human health. Very few studies have considered the influence of hypomagnetic conditions on extremophiles. Astrobiologists have long been testing different extremofiles to find out if any multicellular organisms are able to survive in extreme conditions of open space. Among all multicellular extremophiles fit for such research, water bears (Tardigrada) are the most interesting. Not only are they one of the most resistant organisms on Earth, but results obtained from studies on these invertebrates can be extrapolated or applied to vertebrates (including humans). Despite this, studies on the influence of hypomagnetic conditions on tardigrades are rare, so far. In the present study, to test the influence of hypomagnetic conditions on the process of anhydrobiosis while entering and returning from anhydrobiosis, we used two terrestrial anhydrobiotic species that are Echiniscus testudo and Milnesium inceptum. To exclude the ambient magnetic field, experiments were carried out in a special magnetic field shielding chamber. In total, three experiments were conducted: (a) tardigrades in anhydrobiosis, (b) tardigrades entering anhydrobiosis and (c) tardigrades returning to active life. The obtained results clearly showed that even partial isolation from the geomagnetic field, that is, hypomagnetic conditions, has negative influence on anhydrobiotic abilities of both tested tardigrade species. In both species we observed lower survivability rate while entering anhydrobiosis, in anhydrobiotic state and returning to the active state. What is more, we observed a higher mortality rate in Ech. testudo than Mil. inceptum which suggest that different species response to the hypomagnetic conditions in different way. In conclusion, while current knowledge on the influence of hypomagnetic conditions on mortality of invertebrates is very limited, our results suggest that the presence of the magnetic field is a very important factor which should be considered in further research focused on potential survival of Earth organisms in outer space, spacecrafts or different planets and moons.

Tolerance to Anhydrobiotic Conditions Among Two Coexisting Tardigrade Species Differing in Life Strategies.

Water availability is one of the most important factors for terrestrial life. Terrestrial habitats may periodically become dry, which can be overcome by an organism's capability to undergo anhydrobiosis. In animals, this phenomenon has been reported for invertebrates, with tardigrades being the best-known. However, different tardigrade species appear to significantly differ in their anhydrobiotic abilities. While several studies have addressed this issue, established experimental protocols for tardigrade dehydration differ both within and among species, leading to ambiguous results. Therefore, we apply unified conditions to estimate intra-and interspecies differences in anhydrobiosis ability reflected by the return to active life. We analysed Milnesium inceptum and Ramazzottius subanomalus representing predatory and herbivorous species, respectively, and often co-occur in the same habitat. The results indicated that the carnivorous Mil. inceptum displays better anhydrobiosis survivability than the herbivorous Ram. subanomalus. This tendency to some degree coincides with the time of "waking up" since Mil. inceptum showed first movements and full activity of any first individual later than Ram. subanomalus. The movements of all individuals were however observed to be faster for Mil. inceptum. Differences between the experimental groups varying in anhydrobiosis length were also observed: the longer tun state duration, the more time was necessary to return to activity.

The Occurrence of Quill Mites (Arachnida: Acariformes: Syringophilidae) on Bee-Eaters (Aves: Coraciiformes: Meropidae: Merops) of Two Sister Clades.

We studied the quill mite fauna of the family Syringophilidae, associated with bee-eaters. We examined 273 bird specimens belonging to nine closely related species of the genus Merops, representing two phylogenetic sister clades of a monophyletic group. Our examination reveals the presence of two species of the genus Peristerophila, as follows: (1) a new species Peristerophila mayri sp. n. from Merops viridis in the Philippines, M. leschenaulti in Nepal and Sri Lanka, and M. orientalis in Sri Lanka; and (2) P. meropis from M. superciliosus in Tanzania and Egypt, M. persicus in Sudan, Tanzania, Liberia, Senegal, Kenya, and D.R. Congo, M. ornatus in Papua New Guinea, M. philippinus in Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, and M. americanus in the Philippines. The prevalence of host infestations by syringophilid mites varied from 3.1 to 38.2%. The distribution of syringophilid mites corresponds with the sister clade phylogenetic relationships of the hosts, except for P. meropis associated with Merops americanus. Possible hypotheses for the host lineage shift are proposed.

Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl Otus cyprius Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes.

As is well-known, endemic island bird species are especially vulnerable to extinction from anthropogenic environmental change and reduced fitness compared with mainland taxa. The Cyprus Scops Owl, Otus cyprius, is a recently recognized island endemic species whose ecology and breeding biology have not been studied. It nests mainly in holes in trees and buildings, so the felling of old trees, modern architectural practices, and the renovation of old houses in villages may reduce nest site availability. Its population trend is also unknown. Therefore, to better determine its ecological requirements and habitat preferences we placed nest boxes in rural areas adjacent to the forest, in the forest, and in the ecotone between them, and used breeding success as our indicator of habitat suitability. We found that breeding parameters like laying date, clutch size, length of the incubation period, hatching day, hatching success, and number of nestlings did not differ between the three habitats. Despite the low level of nest box occupancy rate (5-11%) the endemic Cyprus Scops Owl readily breeds in artificial nests. Therefore, although we are unaware of any current threats to the Cyprus Scops Owl, we recommend that its conservation be prioritized, including studies, monitoring, habitat conservation, and the provision of nest boxes.

New species and records of the quill mites of the genus Peristerophila Kethley, 1970 (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) associated with pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbiformes).

The fauna of the quill mite genus Peristerophila Kethley, 1970 (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) associated with pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbiformes) is reviewed. In our study, we examined 109 species of columbiform hosts of which 28 species belonging to nine genera were infested by Peristerophila mites. In the analyzed mite material, six species of this genus were found including two new species described herein: P. geopelis sp. nov. from Geopelia cuneata, G. placida, G. striata, as well as Ocyphaps lophotes and P. leucomela sp. nov. from Columba leucomela. Additionally, eighteen new host species and many new locality records for the previously described taxa are reported.

Does the sex and age of birds and the size of human settlements affect recapturing of the Great Tit (Parus major) at bird feeders?

Urban and rural habitats provide different conditions to wintering birds mainly due to different access to bird feeders. Returning to the food sources, even under the stress related to trapping, could play an important role in the energetic budget of wintering birds. We studied the duration of period between the first and the second capture of the Great Tits (Parus major) caught and ringed at bird feeders. We expected that recapturing of birds, which could be connected with their experience, would depend on their sex, age and on the size of human settlements (urban vs. rural areas), which could modify the behavior of wintering birds. We found that the length of the period was the shortest for immature females and the longest for adult males (the difference being 3.8 days in average). In contrast to more experienced adults, more frequent visits in case of immature tits, which increased probability of being trapped, could be affected by their weaker condition and smaller size, which resulted in feeding whenever it was possible. At the same time we did not find any differences between urban (duration of 29.5 days in average) and rural (28.5 days) areas. Differentiation in bird densities, access to feeders and various environmental factors seems to be the reason why this issue awaits further, more detailed studies including influence of weather on the behavior of birds.