PURPOSE: This study reports on the first finding of Psychoda larvae collected from decomposing rabbit carcasses placed in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia.

METHODS: The larvae were first observed on rabbit carcasses and were collected using tweezers and carefully preserved in 70% ethanol. They were subsequently mounted on microscopy slides using Hoyer's medium and identified as Psychoda sp. morphologically. The identification was also confirmed through a DNA barcoding analysis.

RESULTS: Psychoda sp. larvae were collected on day-10 post-mortem where the rabbit carcasses were at the advanced decay stage of decomposition. The cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene sequences of the larvae had 90% similarity with the Psychoda spp. in the database.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors associated with T. evansi infection among cattle in Peninsular Malaysia. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed on 1045 blood samples collected from 43 farms. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on risk factors associated with T. evansi prevalence. The RoTat 1.2 set of primers was used to amplify products of 205 base pair.

METHODS: Cytochrome b gene sequences (479 bp) generated from India and available at MalAvi database were used to study the avian haemosporidian prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of lineages at local and world levels.

RESULTS: One common (COLL2) and only once in the study (CYOPOL01, CHD01, CYORUB01, EUMTHA01, GEOCIT01) haemosporidian lineages were discovered. 5.88% prevalence of haemosporidian infection was found in 102 samples belonging to 6 host species. Haemoproteus prevalence was 4.90% across five host species (Phylloscopus trochiloides, Cyornis poliogenys, C. hainanus dialilaemus, C. rubeculoides, Eumiyas thalassinus) and Plasmodium prevalence was 0.98% in Geokichla citrina. Spatial phylogeny at the global level showed that COLL2 lineage, found in C. poliogenys in India, was genetically identical to H. pallidus lineages (COLL2) in parts of Africa, Europe, North America, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The Plasmodium lineage (GEOCIT01) was related to PADOM16 in Egypt, but the sequences were only 93.89% alike.

METHODS: Fish were collected off Mazatlán Port (23° 12' N, 106° 26' W), in the State of Sinaloa, Mexico (southeastern Gulf of California). The copepods were morphologically analyzed by light microscopy. Sequences of the COI mtDNA gene were generated for the first time for this species. These sequences were compared to COI sequences from six species of Lernaeenicus available in GenBank.

RESULTS: The specimens of the present study exhibited a cephalosome without apparent lateral processes, which were originally described for L. longiventris. No remarkable differences were observed with previous descriptions regarding appendages and body proportions. The phylogenetic tree based on COI sequences showed that L. longiventris was closer to L. radiatus although with low bootstrap values support in ML tree, both species formed a sister clade of L. sprattae.

METHODS: Fresh specimens of chondracanthids were collected from the buccal cavity of two species of deep-sea fishes (fish hosts were frozen), Chaunax abei Le Danois, 1978 (Lophiiformes: Chaunacidae) and Setarches longimanus (Alcock, 1894) (Perciformes: Setarchidae), caught at a depth of 212 m in Suruga Bay, Japan (34° 37'48.87″ N, 138° 43'2.958″ E). Both the species are described and illustrated based on ovigerous females.

RESULTS: The genus Avatar gen. nov. can readily be distinguished from all other chondracanthid genera by the following combination of features: cephalothorax slightly wider than long with anterior pair of large and posterior pair of small lateral lobes, and two pairs of ventro-lateral processes; the very posteriormost part of the first pedigerous somite contributes to the neck; cylindrical trunk with two pairs of blunt proximal fusiform processes; antennule with small knob terminally; antenna bearing distal endopodal segment; labrum protruding ventrally; two pairs of biramous legs each with 2-segmented rami. Kokeshioides gen. nov. has the following combinations of features that distinguish it from other chondracanthid genera: body flattened, without lateral processes; cephalothorax much wider than long, with paired anterolateral and posterolateral lobes, folded ventrally; the very posteriormost part of the first pedigerous somite contributes to the neck; mandible elongate; legs unique, heavily sclerotized, represented by two pairs of acutely pointed processes.