Search

The current status and annotated checklist of fresh- and brackish-water amphipod species inhabiting the inland waters (streams, lakes, ponds, lagoons, subterranean waters, etc.) of Turkey is presented. Totally, 171 papers, 3 books, 3 book chapters, 5 conference papers, 2 projects, 3 PhD and 3 MSc thesis were examined in the present study. As the result of the previous records, 201 taxa comprising 121 amphipods (16 families, 31 genera), 27 isopods (9 families, 13 genera), 9 mysids (1 family, 5 genera), 4 tanaids (3 families, 4 genera) and 40 decapods (16 families, 18 genera) were compiled. All the previously recorded localities of each taxon were listed in detail. The endemic taxa and the doubtful records were indicated and discussed. Twenty maps showing the distribution of reported species were also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vespertilio murinus Linnaeus, 1758, has a wide distribution from France to Japan, and from Iran in the south to Scandinavia and Russia in the north. The only records of the parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus known from Turkey so far were based on subfossils, remains from owl pellets, and ultrasound recordings. We present the first records of live individuals from two Turkish provinces, Ardahan and Bayburt. Additionally, based on echolocation call records, its known distribution in the Anatolian Peninsula was proved to be wider. The global distribution of the species has been mapped by using ecological niche modelling. The results revealed that its distribution is highly influenced by precipitation dynamics. Although no cases of domestic cat predation on bats have previously been documented in Turkey, this paper also provides the first case study of V. murinus predated by a domestic cat in Ardahan, in November 2003. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Palaearctic material of the genus Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey from many museums was studied. Lobrathium azizsancari sp. nov. from Turkey was described, illustrated, and distinguished from related congeners. Additional records of 14 Lobrathium species, among them four new country records, were reported. These were L. anale (Lucas) from Libya, L. multipunctum (Fauvel) from Montenegro, L. lederi (Eppelsheim) from Armenia, and L. rugipenne (Hochhuth) from Azerbaijan. Distributional map and a checklist of the Lobrathium species of Turkey were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, two species are newly recognized in Turkey. One is new to science, described as Zodarion kunti sp. n. (♂, ♀) from southeast Anatolian region. The other, Zodarion christae Bosmans, 2009 is found for the first time in Denizli, Antalya, and Muğla provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the current knowledge on earthworm diversity and zoogeography of Yıldız (Strandja) Mountain in Bulgaria and Turkey. During the investigation in 2015 and 2016, 8 earthworm species altogether were registered. Murchieona minuscula proved to be new to the earthworm fauna of Bulgaria. In addition, there were 4 taxa recorded for the first time from Yıldız (Strandja) Mountain: Aporrectodea jassyensis, Aporrectodea rosea, Octolasion lacteum, and Proctodrilus tuberculatus. Using all existing information on the earthworms from Yıldız (Strandja) Mountain, we summarized our and previously published data and established a list for the whole territory of the mountain from both Bulgaria and Turkey. The list provides information about earthworm diversity, distribution, and zoogeographical position. Currently, 16 taxa belonging to 11 genera are known from the investigation area. According to the zoogeographic position, the largest number of earthworms belong to peregrine, endemic to Bulgaria, Mediterranean, and Trans-Aegean species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the range extension of Kyphosus vaigiensis in the northeastern (NE) Mediterranean. On 18 November, 2018, a single specimen of K. vaigiensis was caught in İskenderun Bay (36°45.6′ N, 35°40.8′ E) by a recreational fisherman and reported through a social media application. The specimen was identified using morphological and molecular methods. Its occurrence and distribution in the NE Mediterranean were investigated based on interviews with fishers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper provides an updated taxonomic list of sipunculan species known from the coasts of Turkey. A total of 21 species belonging to 5 families have been reported from the region. Eighteen species were determined in the Levantine Sea, 17 species in the Aegean Sea, 6 species in the Sea of Marmara, and a single species in the Black Sea. The family Golfingiidae had the majority of species (8 species, 38%), followed by Phascolosomatidae (5 species, 24%), Aspidosiphonidae (4 species, 19%), Phascolionidae (3 species, 14%), and Sipunculidae (1 species, 5%), respectively. The hotspot areas for the sipunculan species richness were Anamur (12 species) and the Fethiye-Göcek Specially Protected Area (11 species) in the Levantine Sea, and İzmir Bay (10 species) in the Aegean Sea. Four alien species [Nephasoma (N.) eremita, Apionsoma (A.) misakianum, Aspidosiphon (A.) mexicanus, and Aspidosiphon (A.) elegans] have been encountered from the region, of which A. (A.) misakianum was the most common species. This paper also gives a brief description of all species together with figures and distributional features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating population trends provides valuable information for conservation biologists. Although there are many methods for estimating demographic rates, capture-mark-recapture (CMR) methods are known to be the most realistic method that can provide detailed data on individuals and populations, including the achievement of conservation goals. This study focused on determining the population trend of Pelophylax bedriagae caralitanus, Beyşehir frog using the CMR method in a protected area during the 2011-2019 breeding seasons. Our CMR data led to the selection of model-considering constant survival rates, capture/recapture probabilities, and year-specific immigration/emigration patterns [Φ(··) y'(t) y"(t) p(··) = c(··) N(t)]-as the most fitting biological hypothesis among 22 constructed models. According to the best-fitted model, 6% of all individuals in Gölcük population can be captured during each sampling occasion. The annual survival rates show low variation between years, and the mean survival rate was estimated as 0.85, that means 85% of the individuals of Pelophylax bedriagae caralitanus in the Gölcük population were able to live on to subsequent breeding seasons. The average population size of Gölcük population for nine consecutive years was estimated as 5094 (range 4834-5382) individuals that shows minor and acceptable levels of population size fluctuations, and slightly increasing over the years. These findings can guide future research, aiding in assessing population size changes in both protected and nonprotected areas while understanding population decline trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Anatrachyntis badia (Hodges, 1962) (Lepidoptera: Cosmopterigidae) is an opportunistic species native to the southern part of North America. This species was given from several dozens of plants therein from many cultivable plants, such as limes, grapefruits, bananas, peaches, cabbage, blossoms of coconut, Cycas spp., and even pine cones. Thus, it was accidentally introduced to many other countries with appropriate climate with some plants. It can be considered as a plant pest in some cases (e.g., sorghum). The species quite often occurs conjointly with other pest insects, such as mealybug or honeydew moth Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Millière, 1867) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). This paper presents the first report of this North American species from Turkey and a case of its importation to Poland by pomegranates deriving from Spain and Turkey. The mentioned data simultaneously constitute the first records about the species in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to contribute to the Pediciidae (Diptera) fauna in Afyonkarahisar, Balıkesir, Bilecik, Bursa, Çanakkale, Eskişehir, Kırklareli, Kütahya, Kocaeli, Sakarya, and Uşak provinces of Turkey between 2008 and 2014. It was reported that 12 pediciid species belonging to 4 genera have been recorded in Turkey. Six of these species were recorded for the first time for the Turkish Pediciidae fauna. These species are Dicranota (Paradicranota) flammatra Starý, 1981; Dicranota (Paradicranota) fuscipennis Lackschewitz, 1940; Dicronata (Paradicronata) landrocki Czizek, 1931; Dicranota (Paradicranota) schistacea Lackschewitz, 1940; Dicronata (Paradicronata) subtilis Loew, 1871; and Tricyphona (Tricyphona) unicolor (Schummel, 1829). All pediciid species known in Turkey, and their provinces of collection, are given in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patara Beach is one of the most important nesting beaches in Turkey for Caretta caretta. In this paper, we provide information on the nesting activity, spatial and temporal distribution of nesting, nesting and hatching success, nesting density, incubation duration, clutch size, and predation ratio of sea turtles over four nesting periods, namely 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014. An average of 179.75 nests were recorded per year, and the overall nesting density was 15.50 nests/km while 68.20 loggerhead sea turtle eggs were recorded per nest. The hatching success was 44.05% from these counted eggs and 38.04% of hatchlings were able to reach the sea. We also observed 3 Chelonia mydas nests. The highest nesting activity during our monitoring over the past 20 years was obtained in 2013. The average annual number of turtle nests in Patara over 20 nesting seasons was 94.70. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides both the results of a comprehensive research study on trichodinid parasites of several fish species and a review of current trichodinid fauna of fish species revealed during parasitological survey studies in Turkey. The present study yielded 1 Tripartiella, 1 Paratrichodina, and 8 Trichodina identified to the species level and 3 Trichodina identified to the generic level in 12 fish species belonging to several families; their host preferences and infestation indices have also been presented. As a result of fish parasite investigations, a total of 33 trichodinid species have been identified on 30 fish species in Turkey. Considering the total number of 850 marine and freshwater fish species present in the Turkish fauna, the present data on the trichodinid fauna of fishes in the Lower Kızılırmak Delta and the literature studies conducted so far clearly point out the necessity of conducting more investigations on unexamined fish species to attain a more complete picture throughout all Turkish waters. The bioindicator potential of trichodinid parasites will also provide clues for the current status of aquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new form of Melitaea phoebe is described from Turkey. This new form is compared with other infrasubspecific Melitaea taxa known from Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new plant-feeding mite species, Tetranychus solanacearum Çobanoğlu & Ueckermann sp. nov. (Acari: Tetranychidae), is described and illustrated. The samples were collected from various solanaceous plants (Solanaceae) [black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.), bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), spiny nightshade (Solanum rostratum Dunal), jimsonweed or datura (Datura stramonium L.), and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)] in Ankara Province, Turkey. A key to all species of the genus Tetranychus Dufour known to occur in Turkey is presented in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The census of shallow-water sponges from the northern Aegean and Marmara sea coasts resulted in the collection of 10 species of Demospongiae. A new Hymedesmia species, Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) anatoliensis sp. nov., is described from the western coast of Turkey. Three further species of demosponges, Axinyssa aurantiaca (Schmidt, 1864), Halichondria (Halichondria) contorta (Sarà, 1961), and Dictyonella incisa (Schmidt, 1880), are new to the sponge fauna of Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of a total of 61 marine tetrapod species is presented in this paper, including 3 sea turtles, 43 sea birds, and 15 marine mammals. Distribution of each reported species along the Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, Aegean, and Levantine coasts of Turkey is mentioned, associated with key references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compilation of papers on marine annelids along the coasts of Turkey together with new records of species (24 species) presented in this study yielded a total of 721 species belonging to 2 classes (Polychaeta and Clitellata), 60 families, and 352 genera. Polychaeta were represented by 705 species, Oligochaeta by 13 species, and Hirudinea by 3 species. Syllidae (119 species) and Serpulidae (56 species) were the species-rich polychaete families. The majority of annelid species were benthic (691 species), 14 species were pelagic, and 3 species (leeches) were parasitic. Thirteen polychaete species were excluded from the species inventory. The Aegean Sea had the highest number of species (559 species), followed by the Levantine Sea (459 species) and the Sea of Marmara (398 species). The hot spot areas for the species diversity were İzmir Bay, Mersin Bay, the southwest part of the Sea of Marmara, and Sinop Peninsula, where intense scientific efforts have been carried out. A total of 75 alien polychaete species were reported from the regions, 22 of which were classified as invasive species. The annelid species were generally encountered in soft substrata of the shallow-water benthic environments, whereas only 9 species were reported from depths deeper than 600 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This recent checklist of marine arthropods found on the coasts of Turkey represents a total of 1531 species belonging to 7 classes: Malacostraca (766 species), Maxillopoda (437 species), Ostracoda (263 species), Pycnogonida (27 species), Arachnida (26 species), Branchiopoda (7 species), and Insecta (5 species). Seventy-five species were classified as alien species in the region. This paper also includes the first record of the amphipod Melita valesi from the Levantine coast of Turkey (Kaş, Gulf of Antalya). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the actual status of species diversity of the phyla Cnidaria and Ctenophora along the Turkish coasts of the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean Sea, and the Levantine Sea. A total of 195 cnidarian species belonging to 5 classes (Hydrozoa, Cubozoa, Scyphozoa, Staurozoa, and Anthozoa) have been determined in these regions. Eight anthozoan species (Arachnanthus oligopodus, Bunodactis rubripunctata, Bunodeopsis strumosa, Corynactis viridis, Halcampoides purpureus, Sagartiogeton lacerates, Sagartiogeton undatus, and Pachycerianthus multiplicatus) are reported for the first time as elements of the Turkish marine fauna in the present study. The highest number of cnidarian species (121 species) was reported from the Aegean Sea, while the lowest (17 species) was reported from the Black Sea. The hot spot areas for cnidarian diversity are the Prince Islands, İstanbul Strait, İzmir Bay, and Datça Peninsula, where relatively intensive scientific efforts have been carried out. Regarding ctenophores, 7 species are distributed along the Turkish coasts, 5 of which were reported from the Black Sea. A total of 16 alien cnidarian and 2 ctenophore species were determined in the regions. Two species (Sagartiogeton laceratus and Pachycerianthus multiplicatus) are new alien species for the Mediterranean Sea and could have been introduced to the northern part of the Sea of Marmara and İskenderun Bay, areas from which these species are recorded, by ships from the North-East Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, the authors report the discovery of Sphedanolestes sanguineus (Fabricius, 1794) in Turkey, a new inding for Asian fauna, and give an annotated checklist of Reduviidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) for this country. Stenolemus novaki Horváth, 1888, Holotrichius apterus Jakovlev, 1879, Holotrichius denudatus A. Costa, 1842, Holotrichius rotundatus Stål, 1874, Rhynocoris annulatus (Linnaeus, 1758), Rhynocoris transitus Hoberlandt, 1952, and Pygolampis bidentata (Goeze, 1778) are little known species from Turkey. Furthermore, Stenolemus novaki is recorded for the irst time from Marmara and central Anatolia, and Pygolampis bidentata is recorded for the irst time in the eastern Black Sea region. A revised list of Turkish Reduviidae species comprising 57 taxa is compiled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of recent field surveys and provides new data on the spider fauna of Turkey. The following 9 taxa are new records for Turkey: Larinia chloris (Audouin, 1826); Macrothele sp.; Arctosa tbilisiensis Mcheidze, 1946; Pisaura consocia (O. P.-Cambridge, 1872); Prodidomus redikorzevi Spassky, 1940; Macaroeris flavicomis (Simon, 1884); Scytodes velutina Heineken & Lowe, 1832; Achaeridion conigerum (Simon, 1914); and Phoroncidia paradoxa (Lucas, 1846). New locality data are provided for the following previously but rarely recorded species: Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836); Ariadna insidiatrix Audouin, 1826; and Segestria senoculata (Linnaeus, 1758). Taxonomic, zoogeographical, and ecological data are given for each species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 1210 adult specimens of the infraorder Gerromorpha (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) were collected from 47 different localities in eastern Anatolia, the Black Sea region, Kelkit Valley, and Hatay from 2006 to 2010, and the unpublished materials studied were collected from different parts of Turkey by Seidenstücker, Wellschmied, Demel, and Heinzl, and deposited in the Zoologische Staatssammlung München. In this study, 6 genera of 4 families and 15 species were recorded. Of those, 13 were new records for the research areas. Furthermore, Gerris lacustris (Linnaeus, 1758), Gerris thoracicus Schummel, 1832, Gerris asper (Fieber, 1860), and Gerris caucasicus Kanyukova, 1982 were the first recorded from east Anatolia and Gerris maculatus Tamanini, 1946 was the first recorded from the Black Sea region. In addition, recently doubted specimens that are related to the given record, called Rhagovelia nigricans nigricans (Burmeister, 1835) by Seidenstücker (1957) from Hatay (Iskenderun), were reexamined and their species identification was confirmed and the redescription of this taxon is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Plecotus auritus and Plecotus austriacus were recorded from 8 and 3 localities in the Asiatic part of Turkey, respectively. It was determined that the length of the first premolar, the shape of the zygomatic arches and baculum distinguish these taxa from each other. Apart from these morphological characteristics, the tibia length of P. austriacus was found to be significantly greater than that of P. austriacus (P < 0.05). The diploid chromosome numbers were identical in both taxa (2n = 32). The number of chromosomal arms (FN = 54) and the number of autosomal chromosomal arms (FNa = 50) were the same as in previously published papers on P. austriacus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal toxicity is a significant threat to human health and the environment. Contamination of the food chain with heavy metals in water sources may impact the health of consumers adversely. This study aimed to determine the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Zn in the invasive fish species Carassius gibelio inhabiting two important lakes in Türkiye: Lake Beyşehir and Lake Eğirdir, from the Lake District Region and assess any health risks posed by the consumption of these species. For this purpose, C. gibelio species were obtained from two lakes in dry and rainy seasons and heavy metal concentrations were determined via ICP-OES analyses. The Cd concentrations in the muscle samples obtained from both lakes were below the analysis limits. The mean heavy metal concentrations (mg/kg) in the Beyşehir and Eğirdir lake samples were found as Pb: 0.32, Cr: 0.09, Cu: 0.52, and Zn: 6.88 and Pb: 0.88, Cr: 0.08, Cu: 0.46, and Zn: 12.6, respectively. The average heavy metal concentrations in the muscle tissues were below the national/international legislation limits, and the estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotients (THQs), total THQs (TTHQs), and carcinogenic rates (CRs) did not exceed these limits. The results suggested that the consumption of these invasive fish species from these two lakes might not pose any potential health risk for consumers. Transference values (TF) for the digestive tract were also calculated, and biomagnification was determined for Pb, Cd, and Cr. Risk assessment studies are very important in terms of evaluating the effects of fish consumption on human health via applying different indices. This is the first study in which heavy metal concentrations were determined simultaneously in Lake Beyşehir and Lake Eğirdir, and the public health risk of consuming their invasive fish species was estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries with heterogeneous climatic and geographic characteristics may find it challenging and limiting to fulfill the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), such as defining ecoregion and water body types. To overcome this limitation, they implement optional factors in addition to the obligatory factors defined in the WFD. As a candidate country, Türkiye is required to comply with the WFD requirements and must determine its own optional and obligatory factors. In this context, we addressed the relevance of Chironomus spp. in determining these factors. We used twenty distinct national lake typologies for Türkiye and identified a total of 24 Chironomus species. The Chironomus genus was found to be effective in determining the optional factors. Statistical analyses revealed that fetch, altitude, salinity, water temperature, pH, saturated and dissolved oxygen, conductivity, orthophosphate, ferrous ion, chloride, and nitrogen compounds were significant in discriminating the regions. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) explained 56.62% of the variance. We also statistically analyzed the effectiveness of the class boundaries of the obligatory factors used in Türkiye for regionalization. Among the official obligatory factors, only the altitude boundaries gave a significant result and explained a total of 62% variance. We recommend revising the class boundaries of obligatory factors and using fetch data as a significant genuine parameter for lake typology as an optional factor [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic pollution has emerged as a prominent environmental concern over recent decades, particularly due to its critical implications for seafood safety. In light of this, an investigation was conducted to assess the abundance and characteristics of microplastics (MPs) in Unio mancus Lamarck 1819, a freshwater bivalve inhabiting Atatürk Dam Lake in Türkiye. For the MPs analysis, a total of 20 U. mancus Lamarck 1819 specimens were collected from the lake, with shell lengths ranging from 7.7 to 10.1 cm and soft tissue weights varying from 21.46 to 49.1 g. The findings of this study revealed the presence of MPs-like particles in 12 out of the 20 mussels, with a total count of 42 particles. MPs concentration ranged from 0 to 9.9 MPs per individual, with an average of 1.89 ± 0.57 MPs per individual. When considering the soft tissue weight, MPs concentration ranged from 0 to 50.51 MPs per 100 g, with a mean of 6.91 ± 2.56 MPs per 100 g. µ-Raman analysis further confirmed that 90% of the particles were composed of various polymers. Among these, polypropylene (PP) constituted 40%, polyethylene (PE) accounted for 20%, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) comprised 10%, Nylon-6 constituted 10%, and cellulose represented 10% of the identified particles. Notably, fragments were the predominant shape observed in the samples, and the majority of MPs were less than 100 µm in length. This study provides valuable foundational data for establishing frequent MP monitoring routines in freshwater environments, considering that bivalves serve as key vectors of MP contamination in the context of human exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amblyseius bryophilus Karg (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is recorded for the first time for the Turkish fauna. The specimens were collected on bean plants infested with Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Ayder plateau, Rize Province, Turkey. In this paper, the redescription of A. bryophilus based on the collected adult females and a key to the Turkish Amblyseius species are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Gammarus species is identified based on the specimens collected from the Morca Sinkhole, which was discovered in 2019 in Anamur District, South of Türkiye. Eleven individuals belonging to the newly identified species were collected from the siphon located at the end of the sinkhole (-1260 m). The newly identified species can be distinguished by the following character combinations and morphological features: blind, colorless (unpigmented) and completely setae-covered body. Setae are not only on the surfaces of the meta- and mesosome segments, they are also present on the head, coxal + epimeral plates, and basal segments of the pereopods V to VII. Some tiny formations (aesthetascs?) on the flagellar segments of antenna I were also noted. The mouthparts of the holotype male were photographed, and the remaining extremities were drawn in detail. The morphology of the new species is compared with its relatives and a list of the covernicolous amphipod species of Türkiye was also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phorbia securis Tiensuu, 1935 (Diptera, Anthomyiidae) is a new pest found in the cereal areas of the Thrace region in Turkey. In this paper, its morphology, short biology, hosts and distribution in Turkey are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last 2 decades, aphid species have widely distributed outside their original geographical regions. North America originated Euceraphis gillettei was determined as a new contribution to the Turkey aphid fauna and in turn regarded as an exotic aphid species in Turkey. In addition, all of the determined species are new records for study area. Findings of the present study are in accordance with the predictions made by various aphidologist recently, which it is not going to be a surprise to add more species to the Turkish aphid fauna with a detailed study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to evolutionary biologists, ecology is a very important factor in speciation. Ecology may be effective at driving adaptive divergence between lineages in different environments and climatic conditions. Because Anatolia has major mountain belts, paleogeographic characteristics, and unique climatic traits, it plays an important role in speciation and shows a barrier effect for many terrestrial species. In this study, we investigated the climatic preferences of 6 isolated evolutionary lineages of Typhlops vermicularis in Anatolia using ecological niche modeling. Our results revealed that both glacial (Last Glacial Maximum) and interglacial (Last Interglacial) modeling, as well as current modeling, showed the most important climatic variables that potentially limit the spread of 6 major lineages of T. vermicularis throughout all of Anatolia. In addition, our results revealed that 6 lineages of T. vermicularis could be adapted to different climatic conditions. Finally, our study demonstrates the unique climatic importance of Anatolia as a center for the local diversification of T. vermicularis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the feeding patterns of populations of Anopheles sacharovi, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, and Culex pipiens in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions of Turkey. Blood-fed females resting inside barns, houses, and chicken coops in the rural areas were collected between May 2017 and September 2019, and the genomic DNA from each female was isolated to determine the blood source after amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene region. Cytb results showed that out of 445 blood-fed An. sacharovi females 2 blood-fed from dogs, 9 from birds, and 434 from cows. The results also showed that all 216 blood-fed females Cx. tritaeniorhynchus captured fed from cows, 6 out of 97 Cx. pipiens females fed from horses and 91 from birds. The feeding pattern of mosquito populations can be affected by numerous factors such as sampling method, sample size, and host abundance. Although field studies on mosquito feeding patterns do not reveal the feeding preference of such vectors, they provide vital information to understanding of vector and host interactions in the research area. Moreover, these data can give an idea of possible human contact in an environment where various hosts are readily accessible to a given vector mosquito; this is important for the prevention of various human diseases caused by vector mosquitoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates skull variation between the two closely related hedgehog species, Erinaceus concolor and E. roumanicus by using geometric morphometric analyses based on 2-dimensional landmarks. For this purpose, a total of 68 specimens were evaluated: 54 E. concolor and 14 E. roumanicus. The results of PCA, ANOVA and MANOVA analyses showed significant shape differences between the species, especially for the dorsal cranium. Shape differences were most prominent on the neurocranium and viscerocranium regions of the dorsal surface of the cranium and in mandibular ramus and the premolar regions. DFA tests were statistically significant against the null hypothesis of equal species means and crossvalidation scores were high enough to distinguish the species. Regression analyses also showed highly significant allometric differences between the two species, for both crania and mandibles. Finally, this study indicates that E. roumanicus is not only present in the European part of Turkey, but also in northwestern Anatolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides updated the length-weight relationships and Fulton's condition factor of 28 fish species belonging to 23 families from the Black Sea. Samples were collected along the depths between 0-100 meters by demersal trawl surveys conducted seasonally from May 2017 to September 2019. A total of 83,885 specimens were collected. The length-weight relationships and Fulton's condition factor, minimum, maximum and mean lengths, total weights, descriptive statistics, and growth type were provided for all the species. The results indicate that LWR parameters of b varied from 2.2039 to 3.737 and Fulton's condition factor varied between 0.004 and 1.18. These findings could be useful for monitoring and management of sustainable fisheries and habitat health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to the journal. It mentions that the journal has been selected for coverage in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) from 2008. The journal is stated to be important in the region of Turkey, as zoogeographically it is located among the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The submission of scientific papers from the neighboring regions to the journal is expected to increase the knowledge of zoogeography, ecology, and genetics of animals in the area.

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Zoology is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Tycherobius polonicus Bolland, 1986 and Neophyllobius podocarpi Bolland, 1991, originally described in Poland and the USA, respectively, are recorded for the first time in Turkey. Their morphological characters and distributions are given. In addition, a key is given to the known genera of Camerobiidae from Turkey [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rose sawfly, Arge rosae L. (Hymenoptera: Argidae), is one of the most destructive pests of roses grown both indoors and outdoors in Antalya province (south-western part of Turkey). Especially in greenhouse rose cultivation, growers depend heavily on synthetic pesticides to control this pest along with other arthropod pests in their crops. The aim of this study was to evaluate biocontrol potential of some indigenous soil-borne entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) against the pest. In pathogenicity assays, a total of 17 EPF isolates, belonging to three species [Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. - 14, Clonostachys rosea (Link) Schroers - 2 and Isaria farinosa (Holmsk.) Fr. - 1] were tested against the 4th instar larvae of A. rosae under laboratory conditions. All the isolates were applied at a conidial suspension of 1 × 107 conidia/mL, using the spray method. The results from the assays showed that bio-efficacy of tested isolates increased significantly with elapsed time up to 9 days after inoculation. Of the 17 isolates tested, 5 isolates of B. bassiana (BbDm-1, BbKp-1, BbMp-1, BbSr-1 and BbMg-2) and 1 isolate of I. farinosa (IfGp-1) appeared to be most promising, causing mortalities between 76.7 and 86.7% 3 days post treatment. Probit analysis of mortality data showed that there were significant differences in the susceptibility of 4th instar larvae of A. rosae to tested EPF isolates. The above-mentioned six isolates had the lowest LT50 and LT95 values (ranged from 1.66 to 7.50 and 4.81 to 8.49 days, respectively), implying their high virulence and their biocontrol potential against the pest. Phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS region sequence revealed that all tested isolates showed high similarities (ranged from 99 to 100%) with other isolates of their respective fungal species in GenBank. Overall results suggested that the most virulent abovementioned six isolates had significant potential as biological control agents against A. rosae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health status of Pelophylax ridibundus species living in anthropogenic pollution sources in Erzurum (Turkey) were investigated. Firstly, heavy metal concentrations in liver of the frog species, and in water and sediment samples taken from the habitats of the frogs were determined by instrumental analysis. Secondly, morphometric (fluctuating asymmetry-FA, hepatosomatic index-HSI) and erythrometric analyses were performed to reveal the health status of the frogs in the areas. Our study provides the first morphometric datas on the frog in Turkey. Although the metal concentrations in the water were high, it was determined that they did not exceed the limit values. However, Cr, Ni, Zn, and As metal concentrations in the sediment were determined to be above the acceptable level. It was also found that some metals accumulated in the livers of the frog due to heavy metal pollution. On the other hand, the FA, HSI values and the erythrocytic nuclear abnormality frequency increased in the frogs living in polluted stations. Moreover, erythrocyte size decreased and nucleated erythrocyte, mitotic erythrocyte, pycnotic erythrocyte, and immature erythrocyte frequencies increased. It was found that there was a correlation between the presence of pollution and the health status of the frogs, and the frog populations were affected negatively by anthropogenic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasive nature of Aedes albopictus, a competent vector of dengue, zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya viruses, has spread to many parts of the world. To date, there have been no report regarding the insecticide resistance status of Aedes albopictus populations along the Aegean coasts of Turkey. This study aims to confirm the occurrence of Aedes albopictus populations in the Aegean region of Turkey and test their susceptibility against different insecticide classes. Bioassay for susceptibility to Dikloro difenil trikloroetan (DDT) (4%), propoxur (0.1%), fenitrothion (1%), bendiocarb (0.1%), permethrin (0.75%), and deltamethrin (0.05%) of each population was assessed through the World Health Organization (WHO) standard bioassay test. A total of 675 adult Aedes albopictus samples were analysed from four populations in addition to control group and laboratory population. Results showed that all of the populations were resistant or at least possible resistant to DDT. In addition to that, all of the populations showed susceptibility against bendiocarb, propoxur, and fenitrothion except the Didim population, which is a possible resistant to propoxur and fenitrothion and the Bodrum population which is a possible resistant to fenitrothion. Results also indicated reduced mortality against permethrin in the Kuşadası and Güzelçamlı populations, while all of the populations were susceptible to deltamethrin. This study might help public health authorities to choose proper insecticide in control activities before insecticide resistance spread other populations and fix in these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]