[Revision of the Taxonomic Position of the Olkhon Mountain Vole (Rodentia, Cricetidae)].

An analysis of the phylogenetic position of the Olkhon mountain vole (Alticolaolchonensis Litvinov 1960) using the sequences of four nuclear (BRCA, GHR, LCAT, and IRBP) and one mitochondrial (cyt. b) genes was undertaken. It was noted that, until recently, multiple studies of the systematic position of this vole had been based exclusively on morphological data, while the major taxonomic traits contained contradictory information regarding both the subgeneric status of this species and its genus. It was established that the molecular data and morphology data allow us to attribute the Lake Baikal vole unambiguously to the nominative subgenus Alticola instead of Aschizomys.

[TRANSFORMATIONS OF LIFE CYCLES IN THE EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF TRYPANOSOMATIDS. ENDOTRANSFORMATIONS AND ABERRATIONS].

Endotransformations and aberrations of the life cycle in the evolutionary history of trypanosomatids (Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatidae) are analyzed. We treat the term "endotransformations" as evolutionarily fixed changes of phases and/or developmental stages of parasites. By contrast, we treat aberrations as evolutionary unstable, periodically arising deformations of developmental phases of trypanosomatids, never leading to life cycle changes. Various examples of life cycle endotransformations and aberrations in representatives of the family Trypanosomatidae are discussed.

[TRANSFORMATIONS OF LIFE CYCLES IN THE EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF TRYPANOSOMATIDS. MACROTRANSFORMATIONS].

The review concerns analysis of life cycle macrotransformations in the evolutionary history of trypanosomatids. The term "macrotransformations" stands for evolutionary processes leading to the establishment of heteroxenous and secondary homoxenous life cycles within Trypanosomatidae. There were three direct macrotransformations in the evolution of the group resulting in the rise of heteroxenous genera Leishmania, Trypanosoma and Phytomonas, and one case of reverse macrotransformation in trypanosomes of T. (b.) brucei group. The issues of the origin, diversity and phylogeny of taxa whose emergence resulted from macrotransformations of life cycles of homoxenous trypanosomatids.

[TRANSFORMATIONS OF LIFE CYCLES IN THE EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF TRYPANOSOMATIDAE. EXOTRANSFORMATIONS].

The present review is devoted to the analysis of exotransformations of life cycles in the evolutionary history of trypanosomatids (Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatidae). Exotransformations are treated as processes associated with the transition of a trypanosomatid to a new host. The result of these transformations comprises both the inclusion of new hosts in life cycles of parasites and also epy formation of parasitic systems de novo. It is shown that exotransformations are one of the main modi in the evolution of trypanosomatids. Different examples of exotransformations of life cycle in all the taxonomic groups of Trypanosomatidae are given.

[Homoxenous trypanosomatids from true bugs Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.) in the north of the Pskov region].

In the north of the Pskov region (58 degrees 35' N, 28 degrees 55' E) the appearance of a single colony of true bugs Pyrrhocoris apterus has been recorded. Dissection of 95 individuals from this colony revealed 100% prevalence of infection with homoxenous trypanosomatids. In 3% of the cases intestinal infection was accompanied by hyperinvasion into the salivary glands and hemolyph of the hosts. Analysis of trypanosomatid morphotypes demonstrated mixed infections in all studied P. apterus individuals. At least 4 forms of promastigotes along with epimastigotes, choanomastigotes and amastigotes were found. The distribution of the trypanosomatid morphotypes over all intestinal parts as well as salivary glands and hemolymph was investigated. Three isolates of the flagellates were deposited into the living cultures collection of the laboratory of Protozoology of the Zoological institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.