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MRSA is an important antimicrobial-resistant pathogen reported in a wide range of animal species; however, information regarding its occurrence in captive large felids remains limited. This report describes the detection and characterization of MRSA associated with a dental abscess in a captive jaguar (Panthera onca) from a zoological collection in Romania. A 10-year-old male jaguar presented with clinical signs suggestive of a localized oral infection. Samples collected from the dental lesion, nasal mucosa, external ear canal, and skin surface were subjected to bacteriological examination. Bacterial isolates were identified using conventional microbiological methods and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the VITEK® 2 system, while molecular confirmation was achieved by PCR targeting the nuc, mecA, and mecC genes. All isolates were identified as S. aureus and demonstrated a methicillin-resistant phenotype. PCR confirmed the presence of the species-specific nuc gene and the methicillin-resistance determinant mecA, while mecC was not detected. The isolates exhibited resistance to multiple antimicrobial classes, including β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, and macrolides, while remaining susceptible to linezolid, vancomycin, teicoplanin, rifampicin, and tigecycline. This case documents the occurrence of MRSA in a captive jaguar and highlights the value of integrated microbiological and molecular investigations for the diagnosis and characterization of resistant bacterial infections in zoological species.

This study aimed to assess serological exposure and associated risk factors to Leishmania spp. among wildlife professionals in endemic and nonendemic areas of southern Brazil. Serum samples were collected from employees of four public institutions involved in wildlife management, including the Iguaçu National Park, City Zoological Garden, City Animal Services, and the State Environmental Institute. Anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay using Leishmania major promastigotes as antigen. Epidemiological data were analyzed using chi-square tests and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals. Overall, 11/309 (3.6%) individuals were seropositive to Leishmania spp., with titers ranging from 1:40 to 1:160. Seropositivity was higher among professionals from the Iguaçu National Park (7.4%) from an endemic area and the City Zoological Garden (6.5%) from a nonendemic area. Male participants had increased odds of exposure (OR = 4.08), and veterinarians presented a significantly higher infection rate compared with other occupational categories (p = 0.0318). The findings indicate that wildlife professionals, particularly veterinarians and those working in endemic or wildlife-rich environments, may be at increased risk of Leishmania spp. The results highlighted the importance of implementing occupational biosafety measures and including these professionals in national leishmaniasis surveillance programs.

This study aimed to identify nematodes of the genus Gongylonema using morphological and molecular methods and to determine their occurrence in a group of non-human primates and anteaters. A single female nematode collected from Macaca sylvanus, together with carcasses of 29 non-human primates (belonging to 13 species) and two anteaters (representing one species) from Czech zoological gardens and private collections, were submitted between 2019 and 2025 to the State Veterinary Institute Prague for necropsies. Smears from the buccal cavity and tongue, as well as fecal samples, were collected by veterinarians at each facility and transported to the laboratory in tubes containing saline solution or in plastic bags, respectively. The samples were genetically characterized using the nuclear 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA genes, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1). Four non-human primates (two Pithecia pithecia, one Saguinus labiatus, and one S. midas) and two anteaters (Tamandua tetradactyla), from the same zoological garden, were positive for Gongylonema (G.) primatum sp. nov. The single female specimen from M. sylvanus was identified as G. pulchrum. The new species morphologically differed from its congeners in the body length of adult males, the left spicule length, the gubernaculum length, the protruded vulvar lips, and the number of precloacal papillae. Molecularly, the 18S and 28S rRNA genes were 99.88-100% similar to those of G. nepalensis and G. pulchrum, whereas the ITS and cox1 sequences showed lower similarity to those of both Gongylonema species. Gongylonema primatum sp. nov. was morphologically and molecularly different from its congeners and therefore represents a new species. This is the first record of the zoonotic G. pulchrum in M. sylvanus. Although G. pulchrum is zoonotic, the new species may also have zoonotic potential.

Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) and has been rarely reported in non-human primates. This report describes a fatal case of heavy cystic echinococcosis in an adult chimpanzee from a zoo in Shiraz city, southern Iran. Necropsy revealed hydatid cysts involving daughter cysts in the thoracic cavity, liver, spleen, and pericardium. The cyst rupture and leakage of hydatid fluid were observed in the thoracic cavity. This was considered the likely cause of animal death. Molecular analysis of cyst samples targeting the cox1 gene confirmed E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.), G1 genotype. The findings demonstrate that chimpanzees are susceptible to severe echinococcosis, highlighting the need for strict parasite control and environmental hygiene in zoological parks.

Reduced anthelmintic efficacy against strongyles in equids is a widespread concern, but up-to-date field data are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate, over a three-year period, the efficacy of the anthelmintic (AH) molecules available in France (fenbendazole, pyrantel, ivermectin and moxidectin) against strongyles in equids using faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs). A total of 104 complete FECRTs (i.e., required sample size reached) were conducted in 98 groups, involving 749 equids kept in 70 facilities. Fenbendazole-resistant populations were detected in 8/9 groups (89%) from 7/8 facilities (88%; upper 90% CI range: 30.5%-83%) and pyrantel-resistant populations in 15/22 groups (68%) from 12/17 facilities (71%; upper 90% CI range: 56%-97%). Regarding macrocyclic lactone efficacy, ivermectin-resistant populations were identified in 14/51 groups (27%) kept in 11/41 facilities (27%; upper 90% CI range: 85.6%-99.9%) and moxidectin-resistant populations in 5/22 groups (23%) kept in 4/18 facilities (22%; upper 90% CI range: 85.3%-99.7%). Resistance was mainly detected in the Normandy region and in breeding farms (25/70), but also in riding schools offering boarding services (3/70), experimental platforms (2/70), and a zoological park (1/70). In conclusion, this study provides the first evidence in France of resistance to all four available AH molecules and documents the spread of these resistances across the facilities. It also highlights the urgent need for regulatory changes requiring the use of AH only after a diagnostic assessment (e.g., targeted selective treatment based on faecal egg count results) in order to reduce the selective pressure exerted on parasite populations.

Animal naming is fundamental to biological classification and scientific communication. Beyond their taxonomic function, scientific names may also reflect historical and cultural contexts. Owing to this dual role, species names have recently attracted increasing attention from historical and humanities perspectives for both their informative value and the broader patterns they may encode. To examine large-scale patterns in naming practices, we investigated temporal trends of scientific names across Animalia using automated large-language-model-based classification approaches. Our analyses revealed systematic structure in naming practices. Periods of major global disturbances coincided with marked declines in species descriptions, while advances in biological techniques were associated with shifts in dominant naming categories. Temporal trends also varied among phyla and across eras, indicating systematic differences among taxonomic communities and variation associated with authors' estimated nationality categories. Although individual naming decisions remain diverse and classification uncertainty persists at the micro level, consistent macro-scale patterns were detectable. Together, these findings suggest that zoological nomenclature contains structured disciplinary signals and may serve as an archive for understanding long-term patterns in taxonomic practice, as well as broader historical dynamics within the biological sciences.

Limited data are available on the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in equines in Algeria. No prior molecular data existed on giardiasis in this host population. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and molecular diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis in equines across multiple regions of Algeria, and to characterise species, subtypes and assemblages present. Between December 2021 and December 2022, 197 faecal samples were collected from 104 horses, 89 donkeys, 2 ponies, 1 zebra and 1 mule from 46 private farms, 2 equestrian centres and 1 zoological park in eastern and central Algeria. Detection used microscopy and PCR. Cryptosporidium species and subtypes were identified by sequence analysis of SSU rRNA and gp60 genes. G. duodenalis was screened by probe-based qPCR with genotyping attempted at the tpi and bg loci. The overall molecular prevalence of Cryptosporidium was 34% (horses 31%, donkeys 38%), and G. duodenalis was 4.6% (horses 2.9%, donkeys 7%). Male equines had a significantly higher Cryptosporidium infection rate than females; no other epidemiological variable was significant for either parasite. Ten Cryptosporidium isolates were genotyped as four species: C. parvum (subtype IIaA20G1R1), C. equi (VIaA15G3, VIaA11G2), C. hominis (IkA15G1) and C. muris. C. equi and C. hominis were reported for the first time in Algerian horses and donkeys, respectively. Genotyping of G. duodenalis-positive samples was unsuccessful due to sequencing failure, likely attributable to low parasite DNA concentrations. This study reports the first molecular prevalence data for G. duodenalis and the first detection of C. equi and C. hominis in Algerian equines. The zoonotic C. parvum subtype IIaA20G1R1, previously detected in Algerian HIV patients, highlights equines as a potential reservoir. Expanded One Health surveillance with longitudinal and seasonal sampling is recommended.

Healthy animals can harbor complex and diverse bacterial communities, including pathogenic taxa capable of causing disease and mortality, and individuals that are kept in zoos may act as asymptomatic carriers of a broad range of pathogens. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the rectal bacterial microbiota of multiple animal classes (reptiles, birds, and mammals), maintained in enclosures, identify known or emerging bacterial pathogens, and characterize the antibiotic resistance profiles of the isolated strains. A total of 40 samples were collected by rectal swabbing for bacteriological analysis from 31 different animal species living in enclosures in four Algerian zoos. The isolated and identified bacterial strains were tested against certain antibiotics used in human and veterinary medicine. Statistical analyses were performed to assess differences in bacterial isolation among animal classes, sex, age categories, and zoological facilities, as well as the degree of similarity between isolated strains based on their antibiotic resistance profiles. A total of 94 bacterial isolates were recovered from 40 fecal samples. Overall, the bacterial isolates belonged to seven families, 13 genera, and 16 taxa. The families identified were Enterobacteriaceae (50/94; 53.19%), Staphylococcaceae (28/94; 29.78%), Pseudomonadaceae (6/94; 6.38%), Brucellaceae (2/94; 2.12%), Morganellaceae (4/94; 4.25%), Yersiniaceae (3/94; 3.19%), and Erwiniaceae (1/94; 1.06%). Reptiles accounted for the highest number of isolates (37/94; 39.36%), followed by 31/94 isolates (32.97%) for birds and 26/94 isolates (27.65%) for mammals. The highest resistance rates were observed for ampicillin (AMP; 95.73%), followed by amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMC; 75.54%) and cephalothin (CEP; 44.90%). Lower resistance rates were detected for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT; 18.87%), cefotaxime (CTX; 17.41%), ceftazidime (CX; 13.67%), ciprofloxacin (CIP; 6.38%), and gentamicin (GEN; 1.05%). This study shows the first report that vertebrates in Algerian zoos can harbor a diverse range of cultivable bacteria, often with polymicrobial carriage. Antimicrobial resistance patterns were generally consistent with commonly used veterinary drugs. Overall, these findings contribute to a better understanding of the composition of rectal bacterial carriage in zoos.

Large quantities of plastic pollution are accumulating at small island nations across the western Indian Ocean. Despite a historical focus on terrestrial inputs, recent research suggests that most pollution arriving at some islands may come from fishing and shipping activity. We use a 2D Lagrangian particle-tracking model, combined with satellite-tracked shipping and fishing data, to identify major fisheries and shipping lanes which are responsible for plastic debris beaching at the Seychelles. Virtual particles, representing plastic debris, are released monthly over multiple decades and are advected by currents from a 1/50°(∼2 km) regional ocean model. We find most fishing debris originates from within the Seychelles' own exclusive economic zone, and sources of shipping debris are concentrated along major shipping routes. Sources vary seasonally, due to wind-induced reversals of surface currents between monsoons. Finally, we find variation in the quantity and seasonality of debris accumulation on a sub-island scale. Therefore, higher-resolution models that resolve local currents and kilometre scale islands may play a vital role in clean-up and management efforts.

Water can serve as a vector for distribution and exposure to both toxins and toxicants. Because water is essential for all species, water quality impacts the health of wildlife and animals under managed care. Waterborne toxicants and toxins in exotic species include heavy metals, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, algal blooms, nitrogenous wastes, and water treatment chemicals. Susceptibility varies by species, and mitigation typically requires supportive care and removal of the source of contamination.

Alvinocaridid shrimps colonize hydrothermal vent fields along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), where they experience extreme environmental conditions including high hydrostatic pressure, steep thermal and chemical gradients, and dim light. While various aspects of the biology of the dominant vent shrimp Rimicaris exoculata, such as general anatomy, microhabitat, symbiotic relationships, or trophic networks, have been extensively studied, little is known about how brain organization varies among alvinocaridid species occupying different ecological niches. Here, we investigated whether vent shrimps share common neuroanatomical features and whether differences in brain and vascular organization reflect ecological diversification among species. Using histology, immunohistochemistry, µCT scans, and 3D reconstruction, we compared the brain and the neurovascular system (cor frontale) in four MAR species with distinct ecologies (R. exoculata, Rimicaris chacei, Mirocaris fortunata, Alvinocaris markensis) and in the coastal relative Palaemon elegans. Our results reveal strong commonalities in brain organization among vent shrimps. All MAR species display a compact brain architecture with hypertrophied mushroom bodies (MBs), suggesting enhanced multisensory integration and memory capacities. Corresponding to the low-light environment, the visual neuropils (lamina, medulla, lobula) are smaller than those of the coastal species P. elegans. In all species living near hydrothermal vents, the retina exhibits modifications; it extends along the dorsal part of the cephalothorax, and its length varies according to the species, being the longest in the genus Rimicaris. The lobula satellite neuropil is absent in all alvinocaridids, suggesting a limited capacity to track moving visual signals. The olfactory lobes exhibit a common glomerular organization but differ among species in quantitative parameters, such as volume and number of glomeruli. The neurovascular system shows marked interspecific variation; the cor frontale differs in size and volume among hydrothermal vent species but retains a conserved subdivision of central arteries surrounding a longitudinal muscle bundle. We conclude that the observed variations in the volume of neuropils and arrangement of the vascular system likely reflect the ecological divergence related to microhabitat conditions and trophic strategies near hydrothermal emissions.

The role of birds of the Strigiformes order in the transmission of globally distributed Sarcocystis parasites remains insufficiently studied. In the present work we aimed to evaluate the diversity of Sarcocystis species in the intestines of 22 naturally infected Tawny Owls (Strix aluco) sampled in Lithuania. The Sarcocystis infection was established using combined light microscopy and DNA sequence analysis. Samples were analyzed using Sarcocystis-genus and species-specific primers in nested PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Sporocysts of Sarcocystis spp. were detected in 45.5% of samples, while 77.3% of samples were positive by molecular methods. Comparison of 28S rRNA and ITS1 sequences obtained and phylogenetic analyses indicated the presence of eight Sarcocystis taxa: S. halieti, S. kutkienae, S. turdusi, and Sarcocystis sp. ex Corvus corax, associated with birds, and S. funereus, S. glareoli, Sarcocystis sp. LT24Sa1, and Sarcocystis sp. LT24Sa11, associated with small mammals. Our results supplement previous findings that some Sarcocystis species can be transmitted by birds of three orders: Accipitriformes, Falconiformes, and Strigiformes. Overall, the low burden of sporocysts and predominance of single-species infections (63.6%) suggest that Tawny Owls transmit a limited number of Sarcocystis species associated with small mammals and birds.

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Chromosomal rearrangements can play an important role in shaping patterns of genomic divergence and speciation, yet their evolutionary context is still largely unclear, as such events are rare and challenging to identify in recent evolutionary history. Geladas (Theropithecus gelada) provide a unique system to investigate this process, as a novel fission on chromosome 7 has resulted in polymorphic karyotypes among gelada populations. We integrate new cytogenetic data from ten animals together with whole-genome sequencing from 149 individuals spanning all three extant gelada populations (northern, central, and southern). We report additional cytogenetic evidence consistent with fixation of a chromosomal fission on chromosome 7 in northern geladas, and the absence of the fission in the central population. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that the southern lineage diverged first, prior to the split between northern and central geladas, strongly suggesting that the southern population retains the ancestral karyotype. Demographic modeling further refines the timing of the northern-central split, indicating a more recent divergence (~ 160 thousand years ago) than previously estimated. We detect elevated genetic differentiation between the northern and central populations and reduced nucleotide diversity in the northern lineage on chromosome 7, which is consistent with historically suppressed recombination. These results suggest that the fission on chromosome 7 may have contributed to regional divergence by promoting recombination suppression in heterokaryotypes. By combining cytogenetics with population genomes, these findings highlight the role of chromosomal evolution in shaping localized genomic differentiation, and its potential for reinforcing reproductive isolation. Our results also suggest that northern geladas may represent an incipient species.

We describe and name a new species of African monkey, Colobus congoensis sp. nov. (Primates, Cercopithecidae), from the interfluve region of the Lomami and Congo (Lualaba) Rivers in east-central Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Colobus congoensis is a rare and cryptic monkey, poorly known even by local communities bordering its range, some of whom use the vernacular name Likweli for the species. Between 2018 and 2022, 114 field observations were made over an estimated range of 1,700 km2. Colobus congoensis is largely restricted to high, closed canopy forest on deep clay pediments and islands of terra firme forest, where it co-occurs with two other colobine species (Piliocolobus parmentieri and Colobus angolensis). Colobus congoensis was most frequently observed in small groups (mean = 6.2 individuals), often in mixed-species associations. Mitochondrial and morphological data confirm the attribution of C. congoensis to the genus Colobus and reveal that it is the sister to Colobus satanas, from which it is geographically separated by more than 1,200 km. Comparative analysis of C. congoensis vocalizations also reveals structural similarities with C. satanas to the exclusion of other Colobus species. Among other features, C. congoensis is distinguished from C. satanas and other Colobus species by its small size, a striking orange cream patch surrounding the mouth, philtrum, and portions of the inferior nasal alae on an otherwise black face, and a white perianal patch that is covered with fine white hairs in males and is glabrous in females. We propose a preliminary IUCN Red List classification of Endangered (EN) for C. congoensis based on its small range area and population size, coupled with the projected impact of increased hunting pressure and habitat conversion. Protection of Lomami National Park, within which most of the C. congoensis range occurs, and engagement of local communities in not hunting the species are the most important actions needed to ensure the conservation of C. congoensis.

Whether large accumulations of woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) bones reflect natural mortality or deliberate human resource exploitation has long been debated, with major implications for understanding Late Pleistocene human-megafaunal interactions.1,2,3,4,5 Here, we use ancient DNA to investigate site-formation hypotheses by comparing genetic sex ratios from mammoth remains recovered in putative anthropogenic bone accumulations and from geographically dispersed, non-anthropogenic contexts. We studied genome-wide data from 521 woolly mammoths-including 100 mammoths from bone accumulation sites and 421 mammoths from natural depositional settings across Eurasia and North America-of which 448 are newly generated. Genetic sex determination reveals a striking contrast between contexts: mammoths from dispersed sites show a male bias (∼66.5%), which is consistent with the heightened vulnerability of solitary males to hazards such as natural traps, where bones are more likely to be preserved, whereas mammoths from anthropogenic bone accumulations are predominantly female (∼70%). This female bias is pervasive across multiple sites, indicating an anthropogenic origin for these accumulations as a result of Upper Paleolithic hunters preferentially exploiting female mammoths, possibly derived from herd contexts. Together, these results provide population-scale genetic evidence that highlights the central role of mammoths in the subsistence and material economies of some Paleolithic communities.

Environmental salinity strongly shapes the physiology of osmoconforming marine invertebrates, yet population-level metabolic responses remain poorly understood. The ocean quahog Arctica islandica exhibits extreme geographic variation in growth and maximum lifespan, ranging from several decades in brackish environments to more than four centuries in fully marine habitats. The physiological mechanisms underlying these differences are unknown, although there are indications that habitat salinity may influence metabolic processes underlying life-history traits, including lifespan. We compared A. islandica populations from the fully marine Barents Sea and the brackish White Sea, acclimating individuals to three salinity regimes (17, 25, 33) spanning natural and experimentally altered conditions. Survival, tissue energy status, and whole-body metabolomic profiles were assessed. Quahogs from the White Sea and Barents Sea showed pronounced population-specific metabolomic signatures and distinct responses to salinity acclimation. White Sea individuals showed higher levels of glycine, proline, tyrosine, and tryptophan, as well as elevated oxidative stress markers (methionine sulfoxide, cystine) and glutathione metabolism at habitat salinity, indicating greater exposure to reactive oxygen species likely due to higher metabolic activity. Salinity shifts triggered differential regulation of amino acids, osmolytes, and urea cycle intermediates, with White Sea quahogs showing more pronounced osmolyte adjustments and tricarboxylic acid cycle flexibility. Despite substantial metabolomic remodeling, gross tissue bioenergetics, including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and electron transport system activity, remained stable. These results reveal population-specific strategies for salinity tolerance highlighting the metabolic flexibility of White Sea quahogs relative to the more conservative metabolism of Barents Sea individuals.