فصلنامه زیست شناسی جانوری تجربی
سال ششم شماره 2 (پیاپی 22، پاییز 1396)

Synthetic pyrethroid insecticides are widely used in place of organochlorine, organophosphorus insecticides and carbamates to control various types of pests and are among the most potent insecticides known. Due to the extensive application of deltamethrin and fenvalerate in the agricultural lands of the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in central Iran, this investigation was conducted to determine LC50, NOEC, MAC and LOEC of these pyrethroid insecticides and their effects on behavioral responses and clinical signs of Zagros pupfish, Aphanius vladykovi. For this, groups of seven A. vladykovi in three replicates were exposed to different concentrations of deltamethrin (EC 2.5%) and fenvalerate (EC 20%) for 96 h within the 20 L glass aquaria and cumulative mortality of fish was calculated in 24-h interval. During experiments reaction and behavior of the fish to toxin were observed carefully. The 96h LC50, NOEC, LOEC, MAC values of deltamethrin for A. vladykovi were estimated at 0.015, 0.0001, 0.0005 and 0.0002 ppb, respectively. The 96h LC50, NOEC, LOEC, MAC values of fenvalerate for Zagros pupfish were estimated at 0.021, 0.0005, 0.001 and 0.0007 ppb, respectively. First changes in behavior were observed 15min after exposure to the three highest deltamethrin concentrations (0.01, 0.1, and 1ppb). The changes in behavioral responses started in the 3 h after dosing of fenvalerate (0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 ppb). Based on the results, deltamethrin and fenvalerate were classified as super toxic pesticide for Zagros pupfish and this fact should be taken into consideration when these insecticides were used in agriculture. Biological methods could be used for controlling pets instead of pesticides in order to protect this valuable species.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women in the world. So far, many natural products have been identified as potent anti-cancer agents. The large Eurasion genus Jurinea (tribe Cynareae, subtribe Carduinae) has 250 species. In this study, the aerial parts of Jurinea leptoloba DC., from Compositae were collected from south of Shiraz in August 2012. Defatted extract of J. leptoloba was investigated for total flavonoid content and cytotoxic properties. Total flavonoid content was determined as mg catechin equivalents (CE) / g dried extract using spectrophotometer methods. Total flavonoid content (TFC) of the extract of J. leptoloba was determined to be 98.81±7.74 mg catechin equivalent/g sample. Cytotoxicity was measured using a modified MTT assay on normal human lymphocytes and tumor HeLa cells. The results indicated that the extract of J. leptoloba exhibited a dose-dependent cytotoxicity against HeLa and lymphocyte cells. The LD50 values for HeLa and lymphocyte cells were obtained to be 11.12 µg/ml and 6068.64 µg/ml, respectively The LD50 shows that the cytotoxicity of the extract of J. leptoloba on human cancer cell lines is much higher than that observed in normal lymphocytes. The results obtained suggest that J. leptoloba extract may be exploited as a natural anti-oxidant and anti-cancer agent with low adverse side effects.

The aim of the present study was investigated the evaluation of the Median Lethal Concentration (LC50) Toxicity of Zinc Chloride (ZnCl2) and its effect on behavioral responses of gray mullet (Mugil cephalus). For this experiment, healthy of gray mullet with mean weight 7.42 g and mean length 6.51cm were captured from the Chabahar Bay. At the first, fish were exposed to ZnCl2 at several selected concentrations 0.25, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 ppm for rang finding test, then fish exposed to four concentrations 16, 17, 18 1nd 19 mg/L of Zncl2 for LC50-96h. Experiment was carried out in triplicate and 21 fish per each treatment. Physicochemical properties of water were measured continuously throughout the experiment. The temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and salinity were 30 ◦C, 7.75, 8.25 mgO2 L-1 and 38 ppt respectively. Number of mortality and behavioral responses of fish were recorded after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. The behavioral changes observed in fish at the experiment period included reversal, swimming on water surface, nervous manifestations, swallowing air, rapid opening and closing of the operculum, congestion and bleeding of mouth, gills and fish fins and slow down motility change of body coloration and increased of mucus secretion. LC50 of zinc chloride value was calculated with spss and probit analysis and was determined to be 17.33 mg/L in a static bioassay test system.

Garlic plant due to organophosphorus compounds can be used as growth promoters and immune system of shrimp. In this study the effect of diets containing 0, 0.5, 1 and 2% powder of garlic (Allium sativum) were evaluated on the weight rate, length rate, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conservation rate (FCR), feed conversion efficiency (FCE) and survival rate of Litopenaeus vannamei with weight average 8.64 gr for 60 days. The results indicated weight, length average and SGR of shrimp fed diet 2% (15.42 g, 16.2 cm and 237.368 %, respectively) were significantly higher than other treatment (P0.05). Also, FCE of shrimp fed diet 2 % was significantly increased and FCR of them were significantly lower than other treatments (P

Since Methylphenidate or Ritalin is used as a treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Also there is not a comprehensive study in the literature about its side effects on the nerve system structure; in the present survey the effect of methylphenidate on the brain tissue was studied. In this study a total of 16 female mice with primary weight of 32-38 g were randomly divided into four groups including one control and three experimental groups. In experimental groups Ritalin was used in the doses of 0.5, 5 or 50 mg/kg by gavages method for 21 days. At the end of the period and after animal's euthanasia; the brain specimens were removed and structural alterations were studied using a light microscope. There is congestion in the brain vessels, decrease in the perikarion size and increase in the heterochromatin levels in the nerve cells of treated animals with Ritalin at 50 mg/kg/BW when compared with the control group. It could be concluded that treatment of Ritalin maybe induces structural disorders in the brain tissue and its prescribing must be reconsidered.

Black-tailed toad agama (Phrynocephalus maculatus maculatus) is one of the rare diurnal lizards belonging to Agamidae family that have been distributed in deserts and sandy areas in central and southern parts of Iran. This research was conducted in order to the study of sexual dimorphism in this species from April to August, 2013. Totally, 30 adult specimens including 15 males and 15 females were collected from four stations: Hasan Abad, Aliyan, Saleh Abad and Yazdan Abad in southern parts of Damghan County in daily patrols by hand. Results of present study showed that males and females of this species are not significantly different in body weight, body length, tail length, head length, head width, right and left supralabial and infralabial scales, and scales around the mid- body (p

Colour pattern polymorphism is more hereditary and subject to selection. Most of anuran species showed significantly colour or dorsal pattern polymorphisms, thus provide a very good system in which to survey questions pertaining to the evolution and maintenance of polymorphisms. 25 species of anuran amphibians presented that they have been seen in color polymorphism and Rana (Pelophylax) genus have the most variety. In most anurans, polymorphism is caused by the presence or absence of spots on the back of their bodies. Color variations can include skin of the whole body or part of It,s. In this research for the survey of polymorphism marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus, dring six month of field work in the sampling areas (since March 2013 to August 2013), 200 specimens were collected from six stations (Astaneashrafiye, Siyahkal, Lahijan, Langerood, Roodsar and Amlash) in east of Guilan province. Sampling carried out using the handle tour. Samples were transferred alive to the zoology lab of Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Then different morphs and their characteristics were recorded, based on the number and location of spots, presence or absence of the mid dorsal stripe and the amount of green in the back, out of 25 morph were identified, That it variety could be due to ecological factors, to escape from the hunter or the prey or due to genetic factors.

Present study was conducted the effects of Allium sativum on growth, survival, body composition and salinity tolerance of (Rutilus frisii kutum). In this experiment, 4 diet (each triplicate) were supplemented with 0(control), 0.5, 1, 1.5 percent of garlic powder. The experiment carried out in 40 liters tanks. 360 Fry, initially weighing an average of 376±10.6m g, were distributed at a stocking density of 30 fish per tank and fed 4 to 6 percent body weights for 45 days. The results showed that the best performance of growth were seen in treatment 1% garlic powder (P

In order to study and identify macrobenthic invertebrates’ fauna of Dadin Spring in Kezerun, Fars south-west, Iran was conducted from April, 2014 to March, 2015. Benthic samples were collected from five different stations of spring including: center, north, south, west and east. Sediment was performed by using Van Veen Grab. After washing the sediment to avoid spoilage, organisms were fixed with 1% formalin and then macrobenthic invertebrates were identified based on key identification. The results showed that three phyla of macrobenthic invertebrates were diagnosed in the Dadin spring which these three phyla including Arthropoda, represented by seven genera: Epitheca sp., Argia sp., Chironomus sp., Chysops sp., Hydropsyche sp., Potamon sp., Caridina sp.. Annelida represented by two genera, Uncinais sp. and Lumbriculus sp. and Mollusca represented by four genera of gastropods including Theodoxus sp., Monacha sp., Melanopsis sp. and Melanoides sp.. Mollusca dominated the macrobenthic invertebrates with a total abundance of 48% and Annelida were the least abundant, 15.5% by number. Although the abundant of Arthropoda was less than Mollusca (36.75%),but the diversity of Arthropoda was more than others. One-way Aonwa showed that there was significant relationship between collected samples and season (P≤0.05) while this relationship was not seen between collected samples and sampling station(P>0.05).

This study was conducted to identification and abundance of shell occupied by hermit crabs in 8 selected stations located in the intertidal zones of southern Qeshm Island. Sampling was conducted during the Dec. 2013. Some of samples of each station were separately fixed in 70% ethanol and were transported to the laboratory. In this study 605 samples of hermit crabs was surveyed. According to our results eight hermit crab species (Clibanarius signatus, Clibanarius virescens, Diogenes avarus, Diogenes planimanus, Dardanus tinctor, Areopaguristes perspicax, Pagurus kulkarniii and Coenobita scaevola) were identified in the intertidal zones of southern Qeshm Island. Our results showed these hermit crabs were occupied with 28, 17, 24, 10, 4, 18, 4 and 3 species of gastropods respectively for protecting their abdominal section. In general 50 gastropod shell species occupied by 8 hermit crabs species. Highest shell occupied by Clibanarius signatus with 28 gastropod shell species. Thais lacera with 13/89% occupations of all the shells was the highest frequent occupied shells. Station 5 (Mangrove forest) had the highest abundance of the hermit crabs and shell occupation.

Status and distribution of breeding birds in Iran is poorly known, especially in the north-east of Iran. In this study we present the result of our long-term field observations of breeding birds in northeastern Iran, Khorasan-e-Razavi province (Mashhad County, Sabzevar County, Sarakhs County, Dargaz County, Quchan County, Torbat-e Heydarieh County) since 2008. We confirmed the breeding status of 54 bird species, some of which, namely Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, Saker Falcon Falco cherrug, Asian Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii and European roller Coracias garrulus are threatened. We believe that the number of breeding birds in Khorasan-e-Razavi province is much higher than reported here, but further observations and evidence is required to confirm the exact number. Due to the importance of uniform data collection and monitoring of breeding birds, we provide a framework for recording these data within Iran.

The objective of this study was to determine the level of Khuzestan people’s knowledge and willingness to pay towards the protection of the Persian Follow Deer (Dama dama mesopotamica (Brooke, 1875)) as endangered species, to recommend solutions that can improve management and protection of this species. In this descriptive and analytical study, 600 people from Khuzestan province were chosen via the clustered random sampling. Data was collected by a questionnaire with a reliability of 0.78, consisting of questions about the people’s demographics as well as their knowledge and practice regarding conservation of Persian Follow Deer was completed for all the study population through interviews. Subsequently, descriptive statistics, x2, and Mann-Whitney test and kruscal-wallis test were employed for analysis using SPSS Software (version 21). The findings of this study showed that, 67 percent of the people had poor awareness about endangered species of Persian Follow Deer and 82.8% of people were not interested in supporting the preservation of this species. On the other hand, there was a significant correlation between knowledge and sex, awareness and levels of education and knowledge and age (P

Amyloid fibrils are a class of protein nanoparticles in which native proteins are converted into dense fibers. The aggregation can be pathogenic or nonpathogenic. Recently, these fibrils have been considered for the production of Bio– nanomaterials due to their unique structure. In this study, Bovine serum albumin was used as a model protein to optimize the fibrillation process. Concentrations of 2-10 mg/ml were prepared in buffer at different pH values of 3-7 and placed at 0-70 ºC for 0 to 48 hours, and the amounts of produced amyloid fibrils were analyzed by spectrophotometry, fluorimetry and circular dichroism. The spectra obtained from the Congo red absorption method were compared on the basis of the maximum wavelength and absorption at maximum wavelengths with a sample containing Congo red. The concentration of 10 mg/ml of protein, which was 48 hours in buffer at pH = 4 at 50 ºC, produced the highest amounts of amyloid. Optimum conditions were obtained by ThT fluorescence and circular dichroism at a concentration of 10 mg/ml, pH = 4, 70 ºC and 48 hours. The presence of the fibers was confirmed by transmission electron microscope images. The insoluble structure and dimensions of amyloid fibrils can be describe them as new Bio– nanomaterials. Optimizing the production of these structures allows them to be produced at higher scales.