Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an exotic ladybird, first recorded in South Africa in 2004, where it was introduced factitiously. In this study the seasonal occurrence of H. axiridis and other coccinellids were monitored in four vineyards and the adjacent windbreaks over...

Attempts were made to detect Neospora caninum in rats (Rattus rattus) in and around Chennai, India. During the study, 112 feral rats were trapped and blood, brain, heart, lungs and diaphragm samples were collected for serological, parasitological and molecular identification of N. caninum. Out of...

The ethnomedicinal uses of plants reported by 22 herbalists in the Rivercess County of Liberia show a rich knowledge of medicinal plant usage for both common and less common health problems. We set out with the objectives of documenting the ethnomedicinal plant knowledge and assessing gender...

Latin America has tripled production by aquaculture up to 78 million tonnes in the past 20 years. However, one of the problems that aquaculture is facing is the presence of helminth parasites and the diseases caused by them in the region. In this review we have collected all the available...

Biological invasions have movement at the core of their success. However, due to difficulties in collecting data, medium- and long-distance dispersal of small insects has long been poorly understood and likely to be underestimated. The agricultural release of parasitic hymenoptera, a group of wasps ...

The parasitic vines of the genus Cuscuta form haustoria that grow into other plants and connect with their vascular system, thus allowing the parasite to feed on its host. A major obstacle that meets the infection organ as it penetrates the host tissue is the rigid plant cell wall. In the present...

This case study describes the diagnosis of clinical toxoplasmosis in two meerkats (Suricata suricatta) from the Safari-zoological center, Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan. The meerkats showed neurological signs such as incoordination, lethargia, anorexia and one of them died. Gross pathology revealed diffuse...

Introduced parasites threaten host populations around the world. For example, introduced parasitic nest flies (Philornis downsi) have contributed to the decline of several species of Darwin's finches in the Galápagos Islands. Introduced parasites are thought to have severe effects on native hosts...

To a large degree, the most serious insect and weed pests around the world are non-native, invasive species. Classical biological control, the introduction of natural enemies of invasive species to limit their populations, is a possible mechanism for alleviating the impacts of non-native pests....

Parasites and diseases can have important effects on both non-native and native species. In this chapter, several mechanisms for these processes are discussed, including the parasite immunocompetence advantage; novel weapons from spill-over of co-introduced parasites; parasite spill-back of native...