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In this study, single nucleotide polymorphisms were used to investigate kinship and philopatry for the Critically Endangered green sawfish, Pristis zijsron, in Western Australia.Sampling was conducted in an important nursery area: the Ashburton River estuary and adjacent tidal creeks. Kinship was inferred from the genotypes of 104 sawfish sampled between 2011 and 2014 (n = 31), and 2020 and 2022 (n = 73).The total number of dams contributing across all sites and time periods was estimated to be between 50 and 56.Fifty‐two full sibling dyads, 90 half sibling dyads and 72 third‐degree dyads were detected, involving 58, 67, and 46 P. zijsron, respectively. Of these, 34 half sibling dyads were related maternally and 56 related paternally, including multiple maternal and paternal half siblings pupped in different years, suggesting both female and male philopatry. Catch data indicated that two groups of maternal half siblings were littermates, demonstrating multiple paternity. A high degree of relatedness was found across the study area, with 88% of P. zijsron related to at least one other individual up to the third‐degree.Evidence for female philopatry in P. zijsron highlights the importance of protecting nursery areas for this species. The occurrence of philopatric behaviour in male and female P. zijsron suggests that dispersal might be limited in both sexes of this species, highlighting the need to investigate the amount of genetic diversity and incidence of inbreeding within remaining populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation management of threatened wildlife increasingly relies upon translocations to augment populations. Translocations, however, pose various risks: from the host perspective these include the spread of parasitic disease, whereas from a broader biodiversity perspective translocation may lead to the loss of rare parasites and other dependent fauna. Although Disease Risk Analyses are recommended during translocation planning, knowledge regarding the parasites infecting threatened species or their pathogenicity is often lacking. Between March 2014 and June 2016, woylies (Bettongia penicillata) and sympatric marsupials were screened for the presence of endo- and ectoparasites, during two fauna translocations in south-western Australia. Here, we summarise the parasite taxa identified from B. penicillata, brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus) and chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), including prevalence data for host, parasite taxon and site. Results from the opportunistic sampling of other species (Isoodon fusciventer, Phascogale tapoatafa wambenger, Tiliqua rugosa and Felis catus) are also presented. New host--parasite records including Hepatozoon spp. from T. v. hypoleucus, Trypanosoma noyesi from T. rugosa, Ixodes australiensis and Ixodes tasmani from D. geoffroii, and I. australiensis and Amblyomma sp. from a P. t. wambenger were identified. This study highlights the importance of monitoring sympatric species, particularly when compiling baseline data of parasite fauna present within translocation sites and enhances our knowledge of parasites infecting terrestrial wildlife within Australia's south-west, a Global Biodiversity Hotspot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptosporidium parvum is a significant cause of watery diarrhoea in humans and other animals worldwide. Although hundreds of novel drugs have been evaluated, no effective specific chemotherapeutic intervention for C. parvum has been reported. There has been much recent interest in evaluating plant-derived products in the fight against gastrointestinal parasites, including C. parvum. This study aimed to identify extracts from 13 different plant species that provide evidence for inhibiting the growth of C. parvum in vitro. Efficacy against C. parvum was detected and quantified using quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence assays. All plant extracts tested against C. parvum showed varying inhibition activities in vitro, and none of them produced a cytotoxic effect on HCT-8 cells at concentrations up to 500 µg/mL. Four plant species with the strongest evidence of activity against C. parvum were Curcuma longa, Piper nigrum, Embelia ribes, and Nigella sativa, all with dose-dependent efficacy. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that these plant extracts have proven to be experimentally efficacious against C. parvum. These results support further exploration of these plants and their compounds as possible treatments for Cryptosporidium infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]