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We have described here proboscideans fossil remnants which belong to six species: Prodeinotherium pentapotamiae, Gomphotherium browni, Choerolophodon corrugatus, Protanancus chinjiensis, and Elephas planifrons. The described specimens are collected from six different localities of the Siwaliks. These localities are Bhilomar, Chinji type section, Lawa, Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon (Chinji Formation), Ochri (Dhok Pathan Formation) and Rathian (Pinjor Formation), belongs to the Lower to Upper Siwaliks, district Chakwal and Jhelum, Punjab, Pakistan. The specimens were collected from these localities after extensive fieldwork from 2015 to 2020, which confirms the presence of large mammalian fauna during the Middle Miocene to Late Pleistocene. Prodeinotherium pentapotamiae is rare taxa in the Middle Siwaliks of Pakistan, first time discovered from new fossil section Satroma wali dhal in the vicinity of the Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon locality. Bhilomar is a less explored fossil locality belongs to the Chinji Formation, Gomphotherium browni and Choerolophodon corrugatus is reported from the Chinji type section. A beautiful juvenile mandibular ramus of Protanancus chinjiensis has been recovered first time from Lawa and Elephas planifrons were recovered from Rathian which belongs to Pinjor Formation dated as Plio-Pleistocene age of Upper subgroup of Siwaliks. Based on palaeoenvironment and stratigraphy the age of these localities is suggested as Miocene to Pleistocene. The recovered proboscideans fossil fauna indicates about the climatic changes and confirms that more seasonal extensive grasslands and savannah like ecosystem were present at that time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sites of Chinji type locality, Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon, Lawa and Markhal are highly fossiliferous in the Chinji and Dhok Pathan formations, dated from middle and late Miocene (15.97–5.33 Ma), in the Lower and Middle Siwalik subgroups of the Pakistan. In these studied localities fossils of suids, tragulids, bovids (including caprins), giraffids, proboscideans, and rhinocerotids are reported. The main focus of current study is on family Suidae and the collected specimens show strong similarities with the previously discovered species of Listriodon pentapotamiae, Conohyus sindiensis, Propotamochoerus hysudricus, and Propotamochoerus sp. Here we present comparative data of suids from the Siwaliks and we notably present first remains of L. pentapotamiae incisors and C. sindiensis from Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon; P. hysudricus from Markhal and Propotamochoerus sp. from Chinji type section. The material described here enhances our knowledge about the diversification and evolution of suid fossil species in the Siwaliks of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trial was conducted to evaluating the effect of different hormone concentrations of 17α-methyltestosterone @ (HC): (200, 400, 600, and 800 μg/L−1), immersion times (IT): 48, 60 and 72 h and the interaction effect of (HC × IT) on the hatching percentage of Cyprinus carpio egg, percent survival and percent of males. Results indicated that survival of treated fry was affected by the increasing IT (p < 0.001). The main interaction effect of HC × IT showed that the highest percent of male individuals 96% was attained at 800 μg/L HC at 72 h IT and lowest was recorded 49% in control (p < 0.05). Increased percent male of C. carpio was obtained with increasing HC across all IT. It is concluded that the immersion treatment at 800 µg/L for 72 h is more effective to change sex ratios of C. carpio. Masculinization of C. carpio by egg immersion is an alternative technique of oral method, manual sorting of sexes, gene manipulation and hybridization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed taxonomic study of fossil ruminants from three localities of the Chinji Formation, Lower Siwaliks of the Siwalik Group, Pakistan has been carried out. These fossil sites; Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon, Chinji type locality, and Lava have produced an important quantity of fossil fauna of the Middle Miocene age. Many new Ruminant samples have been collected including three different families Tragulidae, Giraffidae, and Bovidae. The 41 collected and described specimens belong to five species. Quantitatively, bovids and girafids provide evidence of small to medium size ruminants. The skull of Giraffokeryx punjabiensis has been reported for the first time from the locality Dhook Bun Ameer Khatoon. Giraffokeryx is the medium-sized member of the Giraffidae famed for its two pairs of horn cores. The litho-stratigraphic paleoenvironmental data of Chinji Formation (14.2–11.2 Mya) indicate that the Miocene climate of Pakistan was likely to be monsoonal and humid having extensive forest components and grasslands. Biogeographically, the Miocene fauna of Lower Siwaliks shows similarities with Eurasian and African Miocene sites. The composition of the fauna suggests a Middle Miocene age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxonomic study from a late Miocene Fossil locality Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon, Lower Siwalik Hills of Pakistan has been conducted. New fossil remains belong to family Giraffidae which include right and left maxilla, isolated upper premolars and molars. After morphological and comparative analysis, the collection is attributed to Giraffokeryx punjabiensis and Giraffa priscilla. Size variation in dentition is taxonomically important for vertebrate evolutionary point of view and this is the main reason to conduct this study at this specific site to add additional information about family Giraffidae. The fossil site has well exposed Chinji and Nagri Formation and has dated approximately 14.2-9.5 Ma. In this study, different aspects of evolution, taxonomy and biogeographic distribution as well as the relation of Giraffidae with Procerotidae have been discussed comprehensively. Palaeoenvironment, biostratigraphy and geology of the locality have also been discussed. The coexistence of Giraffokeryx punjabiens with its mammalian paleo-community reveals the persistence of mosaics of diverse habitats ranging from tropical evergreen forest to subtropical ones, closed seasonal woodlands to wooded savannas during the deposition of the Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon, Chinji Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dhok Pathan Formation of Middle Siwaliks is remarkably rich for the fossils of ungulates. The fauna consists of Cervidae, Giraffidae, Tragulidae and Suidae but the fossils of family bovidae are more abundant. The 23 collected and described specimens here belong to seven species which are Selenoportax vexillarius, Pachyportax latidens, Miotragocerus cf. gluten, Gazella lydekkeri, Dorcatherium majus, Propotamochoerus hysudricus and Tetraconodon cf. magnus. The described material consists of both upper and lower dentition. The fossil-bearing locality is located near Padhri village 55 km away from the tehsil Dina, district Jhelum. It is mainly composed of claystone, sand-stone and siltstone beds. The studied locality dated to Late Miocene. This Formation was deposited in subtropical condition. Bovids were predominant in Padhri, which indicate the highly moist conditions with small but numerous open standing water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fossil site Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon (DBAK) is located 35 km southeast from Chakwal district, Punjab, Pakistan. It has yielded a significant amount of fossil artiodactyls including five families: Bovidae, Tragulidae, Suidae, Giraffidae, and Anthracotheriidae. This site principally exposes Middle Miocene strata that have been dated approximately as 14.2–11.63 Mya. A detailed study was carried out on the fossils found at DBAK and 29 specimens have been described herein. The collection comprises isolated upper and lower teeth and fragments of mandibular ramii. Gazella lydekkeri, Elachistoceras khauristanensis, Dorcatherium majus, Listriodon pentapotamiae, Giraffokeryx punjabiensis, Giraffa priscilla, and Merycopotamus nanus have been described in this article. The newly discovered material is productive to understand the fauna of this Middle Miocene locality and it enhances our knowledge about the described species. Merycopotamus nanus have been reported for the first time from this locality. Palaeoenvironmental data indicates that the Miocene climate of Pakistan was most likely to be monsoonal. All the feeding habits and distribution of those animals suggested the presence of abundant forests, herbaceous, grassy, and bushy vegetation in the DBAK and its surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new taxonomic study of fossil giraffids from the Siwaliks of Pakistan. The recovered material belongs to the family Giraffidae and includes a cranium of Vishnutherium priscillum, maxillary isolated cheek teeth of Bramatherium grande, maxillary isolated cheek teeth and mandibular fragments of Bramatherium megacephalum. These specimens were collected from the localities of Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon, Chakwal district, and Hasnot, Jhelum district, Punjab, Pakistan. These outcrops belong to the Chinji Formation and Dhok Pathan Formation, respectively, of lower to middle Siwaliks, dated as Middle to Late Miocene in age. The presence of fossil fauna that primarily fed on herbaceous, grassy, and bushy vegetation suggests that both Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon and Hasnot were dominated by mixed woodland habitats. These localities have a very rich fossil fauna and the cranium of Vishnutherium priscillum is the first that has been reported from Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current study reports the immunomodulatory effects of Artemisia brevifolia (leaves extract) against experimental coccidiosis in broiler chicken. For evaluation of immunomodulatory potential, a total of 175 day-old broiler chicks were distributed into 5 groups each group having 35 birds. Mixed Eimeria infection (50,000 sporulated oocysts) was given orally at one week of age. At same age, A. brevifolia extract was orally given at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg of body weight in first three groups respectively. Vitamin E and PBS treated chicks served as control groups. Cell mediated immunity was inquired through PHA-P, Carbon Clearance Assay, Concanavalin-A and DNCB assays. Sheep RBCs were used to check humoral immunity through hemagglutination test. Results showed that A. brevifolia extract induced cellular and humoral immunity against coccidiosis. Immunological response of groups administered with A. brevifolia extract at highest dose i.e., 300 mg was higher as compared to lower doses and caused immunomodulatory effect on infected chicks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and avian influenza virus (AIV) are causing contagious diseases in chickens and wild birds worldwide; however, there is a paucity of information on the current status of seropositivity of Newcastle and avian influenza diseases in chickens and wild birds of Pakistan. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the serological evidence of both diseases in commercial poultry (broiler, layer chickens), backyard poultry, and captive wild birds in poultry‑dense regions of Punjab, Pakistan. Enzyme‑linked immunosorbent (ELISA) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays were performed for the determination of antibodies against NDV and AIV and their genotyping and subtyping, respectively. Overall, 47.5% and 67.4% seroprevalence of NDV and AIV, respectively, was observed in both poultry and wild birds. Based on bird's category, layer chickens had the highest seroprevalence of NDV (60.8%, 95% CI: 52.95‑68.22, OR: 0.71) followed by backyard poultry (56.8%, 95% CI: 47.92‑65.32, OR: 0.82), broilers (52.7%, 95% CI: 46.84‑58.64), pigeons (41.3%, 95% CI: 30.53‑52.81, OR: 1.59), peafowls (26.1%, 95% CI: 11.09‑48.69, OR: 3.16), ducks (23.8%, 95% CI: 12.59‑39.8, OR: 3.57), turkeys (16.7%, 95% CI: 4.41‑42.27, OR: 5.58), parrots (14.3%, 95% CI: 2.52‑43.85, OR: 6.70) and quails (2.3%, 95% CI: 0.2‑13.51, OR: 4.8). Comparatively, backyard chickens had the highest seroprevalence of AIV (78.8%, 95% CI: 70.64‑85.22, OR: 0.63) followed by ducks (73.8%, 95% CI: 57.68‑85.6, OR: 0.83), layers (73.5%, 95% CI: 65.98‑79.89, OR: 0.84), pigeons (72.5%, 95% CI: 61.2‑81.61, OR: 0.89), broilers (70.1%, 95% CI: 64.44‑75.29), turkeys (55.5%, 95% CI: 31.35‑77.6, OR: 1.87), peafowls (47.8%, 95% CI: 27.42‑68.9, OR: 2.56) and parrots (42.8%, 95% CI: 18.8‑70.3, OR: 3.1). Overall, 40.1%, 34.2%, 31.3%, and 25.1% sera were positive for H9 AIV, G‑VII NDV, H7 AIV, and G‑VI NDV, respectively. The current study revealed a widespread exposure to NDV and AIV in poultry and captive wild birds. Therefore, it is crucial to include captive wild birds in NDV and AIV surveillance programs to further strengthen disease control measures, particularly in endemic regions.