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The study of prey-predator interactions between land snails and birds offers important insights into evolutionary and ecological relationships. Here, we report a case study of rock anvils presumably used by the birds Myophonus caeruleus and Enicurus ruficapillus in a cave cavity of a limestone hill in Malaysia. We did not detect any other species in the plots and, therefore, based on our short study duration, we cannot rule out the possibility that other species, such as mammals, preyed on the snails. The predated shell remains of four land snails namely, Hemiplecta sp., Cyclophorus perdix perdix, Amphidromus atricallosus perakensis and Cyclophorus semisulcatus, were found around rock anvils in the nine plots. Finally, we discussed the potential and the limitations of using shell remains of preyed land snails for behavioural, ecological and evolutionary studies between land snails and their predators.

Snorkel snails (genus Rhiostoma) are widely distributed in Indo-China and on the Malay Peninsula. The shell morphology is traditionally used for species identification yet in Thailand, the common snorkel snail, Rhiostoma housei , shows considerable variation in shell morphology within and between populations. Therefore species identifications and delimitations are difficult. We used two mitochondrial DNA fragments (COI and 16S rRNA) and morphological characters to delimit species and infer phylogenetic relationships of Rhiostoma housei s.l. from eight localities in Thailand, representing potential cryptic species suggested by earlier allozyme and karyological data. Results revealed four distinct clades from different geographic areas in Thailand. Species delimitation analyses confirmed the clades as four separate species and a geometric morphometric analysis demonstrated subtle but consistent conchological differences between the four clades. The high COI sequence divergences among the four clades (mean: 14.8%; range: 10.3–16.5%) further supported the species level recognition. As a consequence, three new species are described from Thailand: R. khoratense , sp. nov., R. nakwangense , sp. nov. and R. phunangense , sp. nov. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EE534749-9346-4972-BF2E-3B5D0EB8AED8 Snorkel snails of the genus Rhiostoma have considerable variation in shell morphology. We used two mtDNA fragments, morphological characters and shell geometric morphometrics to infer phylogenetic relationships. Results revealed four distinct clades and four separate species under the name R. housei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The type series boundary and the name-bearing type designation of each cyclophorid taxon originally described by Godwin-Austen are clarified based on an interpretation that complies with the ICZN. Previous statuses of type specimens designated by previous authors are reconsidered. Lectotypes of Spiraculum oakesi Godwin-Austen, 1915, Spiraculum kempi Godwin-Austen, 1915, Pterocyclos aborensis Godwin-Austen, 1915, Pterocyclos miriensis Godwin-Austen, 1915, Pterocyclos brahmakundensis Godwin-Austen, 1915, Spiraculum luyorensis Godwin-Austen, 1915, Spiraculum putaoensis Godwin-Austen, 1915, and Theobaldius oakesi Godwin-Austen, 1915 are here designated to stabilize the existing nomenclature. In addition, the type specimens of Pterocyclos miriensis and Theobaldius oakesi are photographed and figured for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Terrestrial Caenogastropoda form an important but threatened component of the Borneo tropical rainforest malacofauna, where the group is nearly as rich in species as the Stylommatophora. They are, however, more sensitive to drought, temperature extremes and forest degradation. New information On a field course at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo), a new caenogastropod species, belonging to the genus Craspedotropis, was discovered by the course participants. The participants decided to name the species Craspedotropis gretathunbergae n. sp., in honour of the climate change activist Greta Thunberg, as caenogastropod land snails, such as this species, are likely to suffer because of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The earliest Miocene (Aquitanian, 23-21 Ma) Hang Mon Formation at Hang Mon in Northern Vietnam has yielded a rich assemblage of terrestrial gastropods. Four species from this assemblage belong to the land caenogastropod superfamily Cyclophoroidea. Three of these are assigned to genera with Recent representatives in Southeast Asia and are described as new species: Cyclophorus hangmonensis Raheem & Schneider sp. nov. (Cyclophoridae: Cyclophorini), Alycaeus sonlaensis Raheem & Schneider sp. nov. (Cyclophoridae: Alycaeinae) and Tortulosa naggsi Raheem & Schneider sp. nov (Pupinidae: Pupinellinae). These fossil species represent the earliest records for their genera and are thus of great value for calibrating molecular phylogenies of the Cyclophoroidea. The fourth species is represented only by poorly preserved fragments and is retained in open nomenclature in the Cyclophoridae. While extant Cyclophoroidea have their greatest diversity in Tropical Asia, the oldest fossils described to date from the region are from the Late Pleistocene. The fossils from Hang Mon predate these by more than 20 million years and are also globally among the earliest cyclophoroideans recorded from the area of the present-day forested Tropics. Cyclophoroidea older than the Miocene are only known from Europe. Given that Recent Cyclophoridae and Pupinidae are typically associated with tropical forests, it seems likely that the Hang Mon fossils were also tropical forest taxa and that suitable habitat was present in the general vicinity of Hang Mon in the earliest Miocene. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B0C2C715-1184-4930-BD94-21ED1E9281B4 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new subspecies of genus Leptopoma Pfeiffer, 1847 is described from Selawati Island, West New Guinea, Indonesia and compared to six other species and forms of this genus: Leptopoma melanostoma (Petit, 1841), Leptopoma niasense Fulton, 1907, Leptopoma perlucidum f. subalatum Quadras & Möllendorff, 1893, Leptopoma helicoides (Grateloup 1840), Leptopoma vitreum (Lesson, 1830) and Leptopoma stainforthi (Sowerby, 1842). It is characterized by a translucent shell, dark brown umbilicus, black outer lip and columella, narrow but raised peripheral rib, and wide dark brown umbilicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apple snails (Ampullariidae) belong to a diversified freshwater family which occurs in pantropical habitats. The Indian apple snail, Pila globosa and other operculate snails are grouped in Architaenioglossa which also includes Viviparidae and Cyclophoridae. In our study, a concise relationship of Ampullariidae with Viviparidae and Cyclophoridae has been elucidated by using partial nucleotide sequence of cytochrome b gene. Pila globosa was collected from freshwater habitats of Berhampore (West Bengal) and its morphometric analysis is determined as an addendum to its phylogeny. The multiple sequence alignment is performed in MEGA v5.2 to reconstruct molecular affinities within the family, Ampullariidae. The phylogenetic tree is constructed with 1000 bootstrap replications in RAxML software. The outgroup species considered for the analysis in our study is chosen from Heterobranchia as it is a sister group to the clade Caenogastropoda. It is observed that family Ampullariidae formed a nested cluster and showed a polyphyletic affinity with Viviparidae and Cyclophoridae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptopoma is a species rich genus with approximately 100 species documented. Species-level identification in this group has been based on shell morphology and colouration, as well as some anatomical features based on small sample sizes. However, the implications of the inter- and intra-species variations in shell form to the taxonomy of Leptopoma species and the congruency of its current shell based taxonomy with its molecular phylogeny are still unclear. There are four Leptopoma species found in Sabah, Borneo, and their taxonomy status remains uncertain due to substantial variation in shell forms. This study focuses on the phylogenetic relationships and geographical variation in shell form of three Leptopoma species from Sabah. The phylogenetic relationship of these species was first estimated by performing Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analysis based on mitochondrial genes (16S rDNA and COI) and nuclear gene (ITS-1). Then, a total of six quantitative shell characters (i.e., shell height, shell width, aperture height, aperture width, shell spire height, and ratio of shell height to width) and three qualitative shell characters (i.e., shell colour patterns, spiral ridges, and dark apertural band) of the specimens were mapped across the phylogenetic tree and tested for phylogenetic signals. Data on shell characters of Leptopoma sericatum and Leptopoma pellucidum from two different locations (i.e., Balambangan Island and Kinabatangan) where both species occurred sympatrically were then obtained to examine the geographical variations in shell form. The molecular phylogenetic analyses suggested that each of the three Leptopoma species was monophyletic and indicated congruence with only one of the shell characters (i.e., shell spiral ridges) in the current morphological-based classification. Although the geographical variation analyses suggested some of the shell characters indicating inter-species differences between the two Leptopoma species, these also pointed to intra-species differences between populations from different locations. This study on Leptopoma species is based on small sample size and the findings appear only applicable to Leptopoma species in Sabah. Nevertheless, we anticipate this study to be a starting point for more detailed investigations to include the other still little-known (ca. 100) Leptopoma species and highlights a need to assess variations in shell characters before they could be used in species classification.

Abstract: The insular limestone karsts of northern Vietnam harbor a very rich biodiversity. Many taxa are strongly associated with these environments, and individual species communities can differ considerably among karst areas. The exact processes that have shaped the biotic composition of these habitats, however, remain largely unknown. In this study, the role of two major processes for the assembly of snail communities on limestone karsts was investigated, interspecific competition and filtering of taxa due to geographical factors. Communities of operculate land snails of the genus Cyclophorus were studied using the dry and fluid‐preserved specimen collections of the Natural History Museum, London. Phylogenetic distances (based on a Bayesian analysis using DNA sequence data) and shell characters (based on 200 semilandmarks) were used as proxies for ecological similarity and were analyzed to reveal patterns of overdispersion (indicating competition) or clustering (indicating filtering) in observed communities compared to random communities. Among the seven studied karst areas, a total of 15 Cyclophorus lineages were found. Unique communities were present in each area. The analyses revealed phylogenetic overdispersion in six and morphological overdispersion in four of seven karst areas. The pattern of frequent phylogenetic overdispersion indicated that competition among lineages is the major process shaping the Cyclophorus communities studied. The Coastal Area, which was phylogenetically overdispersed, showed a clear morphological clustering, which could have been caused by similar ecological adaptations among taxa in this environment. Only the community in the Cuc Phuong Area showed a pattern of phylogenetic clustering, which was partly caused by an absence of a certain, phylogenetically very distinct group in this region. Filtering due to geographical factors could have been involved here. This study shows how museum collections can be used to examine community assembly and contributes to the understanding of the processes that have shaped karst communities in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cyclophosphamide therapy is associated with several urological complications including urinary bladder malignancy. Data on urologic complications of chronic cyclophosphamide therapy for dermatologic conditions is not available.Objectives: To study the urocytological profile of pemphigus patients on long-term cyclophosphamide therapy.Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, consecutive patients who had received cyclophosphamide therapy for pemphigus for more than 12 months were included. All patients were subjected to urinalysis including microscopy, culture, and urine cytology. Immunocytochemical staining for cytokeratin 20 (CK-20) on urine sediments and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for nuclear membrane protein-22 (NMP-22) were performed in all cases. In patients with urinary symptoms, microscopic hematuria, or those detected with abnormal urine sediment cytology, NMP-22, and CK-20 positivity, cystoscopy, and other relevant investigations were also done.Results: A total of 44 patients (43 of pemphigus vulgaris and one of pemphigus foliaceus) were recruited. Mean duration of cyclophosphamide intake was 2.9 ± 1.7 years (range 1-8 years) with a mean cumulative dose of 53 ± 28.4 g (range 6.5-141 g). Twenty-one cases (47.7%) each were asymptomatic and symptomatic with episodic urinary symptoms [of which two had urinary tract infection (UTI)] and two patients had gross hematuria. Urine cytology revealed mild urothelial nucleomegaly with hyperchromasia in four patients. However, CK-20 and NMP-22 were negative in all samples. Cystoscopy was performed in 21 cases and did not reveal any sign of bladder malignancy.Limitations: A relatively small sample size and lack of long-term follow-up were limitations.Conclusions: In our study, no serious urologic complications were found in pemphigus cases on chronic cyclophosphamide therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pincerna yanseni n. sp. is described from six localities in west Sumatra, Indonesia. Shell characters, including a cross-sectional view of the breathing tunnels, as well as the operculum and radula are described and illustrated. Surprisingly, this new species is most similar to northeastern Indian species assigned to the genus Cycloryx Godwin-Austen, 1914. The main shell characters of Cycloryx and Pincerna (ovately conoid shells shape; regular ribbing on the upper whorls; extremely short, often clubbed or pear-shaped sutural tube) are remarkably similar. Therefore, Cycloryx is designated as a junior synonym of Pincerna Preston, 1907, herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on an evolutionary diverse land snail fauna theobaldius tristis in the northern Western Ghats in Maharashtra, India.

A new nematode genus and species associated with terrestrial gastropods from Vietnam is described and illustrated. Partial SSU and ITS rDNA sequences were obtained and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Both morphologically and molecularly, Neoalloionema tricaudatum gen. n sp. n. is closest to Alloionema appendiculatum, another gastropod associate. It is differentiated from A. appendiculatum by the presence of an outstretched vs reflexed testis and the absence of denticles in the stoma, by the parasitic juveniles inhabiting the pallial cavity vs the foot of the host and having six vs two lips and large sucker-like phasmids vs pore-like. The most peculiar feature of N. tricaudatum gen. n., sp. n. is the presence of paired, solid appendages located at the mid-tail region of juveniles from the pallial cavity of the host. The nature of the association between N. tricaudatum gen. n., sp. n. and its gastropod host is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new cyclophorid species of the genus Pearsonia possessing a sub-discoidal shell with a sutural tube was discovered from a dolomitic limestone hill in Lamphun Province, northern Thailand. This discovery also represents the first record of the genus in Thailand. Pearsonia lamphunensis, new species, differs from the related congeners by the zig-zag brown stripes that are present on both dorsal and ventral sides of the shell. The radula morphology of the genus Pearsonia is examined for the first time. The central cusps of both central and lateral teeth are shovel-shaped, and the central cusp's width is more than half that of the tooth's width. Comparisons of the radula morphology of Pearsonia lamphunensis, new species, and the recently described Pterocyclos diluvium Sutcharit & Panha in Sutcharit et al., 2014, suggests that Pearsonia is more closely related to Pterocyclos than Rhiostoma, which has fewer cusps in the outer lateral teeth, and thus differs from both aforementioned genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present reviews of the Sabah (Malaysia, on the island of Borneo) species of the following problematical genera of land snails (Mollusca, Gastropoda): Acmella and Anaglyphula (Caenogastropoda: Assimineidae); Ditropopsis (Caenogastropoda: Cyclophoridae); Microcystina (Pulmonata: Ariophantidae); Philalanka and Thysanota (Pulmonata: Endodontidae); Kaliella, Rahula, (Pulmonata: Euconulidae); Trochomorpha and Geotrochus (Pulmonata: Trochomorphidae). Next to this, we describe new species in previously revised genera, such as Diplommatina (Diplommatinidae); Georissa (Hydrocenidae); as well as some new species of genera not revised previously, such as Japonia (Cyclophoridae); Durgella and Dyakia (Ariophantidae); Amphidromus, and Trachia (Camaenidae); Paralaoma (Punctidae); Curvella (Subulinidae). All descriptions are based on the morphology of the shells. We distinguish the following 48 new species: Acmella cyrtoglyphe, A. umbilicata, A. ovoidea, A. nana, A. subcancellata, A. striata, and Anaglyphula sauroderma (Assimineidae); Ditropopsis davisoni, D. trachychilus, D. constricta, D. tyloacron, D. cincta, and Japonia anceps (Cyclophoridae); Diplommatina bidentata and D. tylocheilos (Diplommatinidae); Georissa leucococca and G. nephrostoma (Hydrocenidae); Durgella densestriata, Dyakia chlorosoma, Microcystina microrhynchus, M. callifera, M. striatula, M. planiuscula, and M. physotrochus (Ariophantidae); Amphidromus psephos and Trachia serpentinitica (Camaenidae); Philalanka tambunanensis, P. obscura, P. anomphala, P. rugulosa, and P. malimgunung (Endodontidae); Kaliella eurytrochus, K. sublaxa, K. phacomorpha, K. punctata, K. microsoma, Rahula delopleura, (Euconulidae); Paralaoma angusta (Punctidae); Curvella hadrotes (Subulinidae); Trochomorpha trachus, T. haptoderma, T. thelecoryphe, Geotrochus oedobasis, G. spilokeiria, G. scolops, G. kitteli, G. subscalaris, and G. meristorhachis (Trochomorphidae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high degree of intraspecific variation, both genetic and in shell morphology, of the operculate land snail Cyclophorus fulguratus (Pfeiffer, 1854) suggests that its classification as a single species warrants reconsideration. We sequenced two nuclear (18S and 28S) and two mitochondrial (16S and COI) genes of 46 C. fulguratus specimens and used them to estimate the phylogeny and to determine the validity of species boundaries. Molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of three lineages corresponding to three geographically disjunctive populations of C. fulguratus in Thailand. Likelihood tests of topologies significantly supported the non-monophyly of the C. fulguratus–complex and Bayesian species delimitation analysis significantly supported the potential representation as distinct species of these three lineages. Discriminant function analysis based on geometric-morphometrics of shell shape allowed for significant distinction of these three candidate species, although they revealed a considerable degree of overlap of shell shape reflecting their crypsis morphologically. The diagnostic characters are provided by color pattern, pattern of protoconch and pattern of jaw. In conclusion, the results support that the C. fulguratus s.l., as currently recognized, consists of three distinct species in Thailand: C. fulguratus s.s., C. rangunensis and C. abditus sp.nov., which are described herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specimens of the operculated land snail genus Pterocyclos Benson, 1832, from Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia were investigated based on their shell characteristics. Type specimens and topotypic material were studied and compared with newly collected specimens. Two new species are described, viz. Pterocyclos diluvium Sutcharit & Panha, new species, from Tam Sumano, Patthalung, Thailand, adjacent areas in Thailand, and Malaysia, and Pterocyclos frednaggsi Sutcharit & Panha, new species, collected from Bukit Chintamani, Pahang, Malaysia, and adjacent areas in Peninsular Malaysia. Two species that hitherto were included in Pterocyclos, viz. P. blandi Benson, 1851 and P. subulatus Sykes, 1903, were retained in this genus, while two other former Pterocyclos species were re-assigned to other genera, viz. Pearsonia regelspergeri (Morgan, 1885) and Ptychopoma perrieri (Morlet, 1889). Conversely, two previously described species in other genera (Rhiostoma spaleotes Tomlin, 1932, and Cyclotus umbraticus Benthem Jutting, 1949) are here transferred to Pterocyclos, viz. P. spaleotes (Tomlin, 1932) and P. umbraticus (Benthem Jutting, 1949). To stabilise the nomenclatural status, the lectotype of Pterocyclos rupestris Benson, 1832, and Pterocyclos spaleotes are designated herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collection of land caenogastropod snails in the genus Cyclophorus Monfort, 1810 housed in the Natural History Museum, London (NHM), includes 52 type lots. Lectotypes have been designated for 43 available species-level names to stabilize existing nomenclature, two previously designated lectotype, two holotypes, one paratype, one syntype, one possible syntype and two paralectotypes are also listed. A complete catalogue of the Cyclophorus types in NHM, London is provided for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] This work is the first molecular phylogenetic study of Cyclophorus in Thailand. [•] The phylogenetic trees obtained in general confirmed the species level classification. [•] We found cryptic species of Cyclophorus in Thailand. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The study of prey-predator interactions between land snails and birds offers important insights into evolutionary and ecological relationships. Here, we report a case study of rock anvils presumably used by the birds Myophonuscaeruleus and Enicurusruficapillus in a cave cavity of a limestone hill in Malaysia. We did not detect any other species in the plots and, therefore, based on our short study duration, we cannot rule out the possibility that other species, such as mammals, preyed on the snails. The predated shell remains of four land snails namely, Hemiplecta sp., Cyclophorusperdixperdix , Amphidromusatricallosusperakensis and Cyclophorussemisulcatus , were found around rock anvils in the nine plots. Finally, we discussed the potential and the limitations of using shell remains of preyed land snails for behavioural, ecological and evolutionary studies between land snails and their predators., (Siew-Yin Woo, Junn Kitt Foon, Thor-Seng Liew.)

A new species of land snail belonging to the family Cyclophoridae is described from a non-karstic hill dipterocarp forest in Peninsular Malaysia. Pearsonia tembatensis new species, differs from other congeners by its wrinkled shell surfaces, glossy top whorls and a short sutural tube just behind the peristome. Based on comparisons with other cyclophorids, we assign this species to the genus Pearsonia--this represents a new record for this genus in Peninsular Malaysia and also extends the southern limit of its distribution on mainland Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the findings of a study which investigated the molecular phylogenetics of 'Cyathopoma' (Cya.) species of snails in East Asia. Cyathopoma is described as tiny, white cyclophorid snails that are generally found in Madagascar, East Asia, and the Seychelles. Relationships among cyclophorids and the East Asian species were examined by sequencing part of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene from 31 cyclophorid species. Researchers were able to confirm that the species Cya. micron, Cya. ogaitoi, Cya. iota, and Cya. taiwanicum belong to the genus Cyathopoma.

The effects of trifluoperazine on the mutagenicity of cyclophosphamide were examined in the progenies of Drosophila melanogaster males injected with 2 μl of 5.0 mM cyclophosphamide and/or 0.1 mM trifluoperazine. The Muller-5 method was used to study the induction of sex-linked recessive lethals in five successive broods representing the different stages of spermatogenesis. Results showed that both cyclophosphamide and trifluoperazine were proportionally toxic to the injected males. While cyclophosphamide was less toxic than trifluoperazine, it increased the frequencies of induced complete and mosaic lethals significantly (5% level) in all stages of spermatogenesis contrary to trifluoperazine which was non mutagenic and had only an additive effect over the toxicity of cyclophosphamide. The sizes of the mutated gonad tissue in the F1. mosaic female progenies of the males treated with cyclophosphamide alone ranged from 14% to 17% and of those treated with cyclophosphamide in association with trifluoperazine varied between 18% and 19%. Both complete and mosaic sex-linked lethals induced by cyclophosphamide treatments alone and in association with trifluoperazine were detected in singles and clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematics of Pyrenean and Cantabrian species of the terrestrial prosobranch genus Cochlostoma Jan, 1830 is readdressed using morphology of shell and soft parts, anatomy and allozyme electrophoresis. Ten biological species are recognized: C. obscurum (Draparnaud, 1805), C. crassilabrum (Dupuy, 1849), C. partioti (Moquin-Tandon, 1848), C. martorelli (Bourguignat, 1880), C. gigas Gofas and Backeljau, 1994, C. nouleti (Dupuy, 1851), C. hidalgoi (Crosse, 1864), C. bicostulatum Gofas, 1989, C. oscitans Gofas, 1989 and C. asturicum (Raven, 1990); forty other available species-group names are synonymized accordingly. The populations are very isolated one from another in the southern Pyrenees, with a high incidence of fixed alleles. Cochlostoma gigas is given species status but may be interpreted as a peripheral isolate from C. martorelli. The amount of divergence found between populations of C. martorelli is high, and the intrapopulation polymorphism is very low, a setting which is very prone to further breakup. In the Cantabrian range, C. asturicum has hardly diverged from C. hidalgoi, but fixed or nearly fixed alleles for three enzymatic loci are evidence for reproductive isolation in fully sympatric populations. Cochlostoma asturicum is nevertheless genetically closer to the local C. hidalgoi than the latter is to distant conspecific populations. This points to a sympatric speciation for C. asturicum. It is suggested that the montane habitat of several species is the consequence of an adaptation developed when a colder climate forced the species into coastal refuges. The onset of temperate climate could then result in a disruptive selection, with alternate pathways of a retreat to higher altitude, or colonisation of newly available space in the lowlands; this process is considered as a possible explanation for the lowland/montane divergence between C. obscurum and C. crassilabrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We injected cyclophosphamide into mice and examined their natural killer (NK) activity both in vitro and in vivo. Cyclophosphamide injection temporarily abrogated the lung clearance activity of Yac-1 lymphoma cells, which is considered to be an index of NK activity in vivo. However, administration of recombinant human macrophage-colony-stimulating-factor (rhM-CSF) to cyclophosphamide-injected mice restored the lung clearance activity. To clarify whether the administration of rhM-CSF activated NK cells, we purified NK1.1+ cells from mice treated with cyclophosphamide and/or rhM-CSF and examined their functions (cytotoxicity, proliferation, and interferon γ production) in vitro. Cyclophosphamide injection decreased the number, but did not suppress the functions of NK1.1+ cells. The numbers of NK1.1+ cells in cyclophosphamide-injected mice restored by rhM-CSF administration. And the functions of NK1.1+ cells from both saline-injected and cyclophosphamide-injected mice were accelerated by rhM-CSF administration. These results suggested that the temporary abrogation of NK activity in vivo caused by cyclophosphamide injection was due to a decrease in the number and not to suppression of the functions of NK1.1+ cells. The injection of cyclophosphamide into mice increased the number of tumor (B16 melanoma) nodules formed in the lungs and liver. However, treatment with rhM-CSF recovered the anti-metastatic activity in the lungs of cyclophosphamide-injected mice. These results show that administration of rhM-CSF restores NK activity suppressed by cyclophosphamide injection in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amber fossil record of land snails is poorly studied, with few described species relative to other invertebrate groups (e.g., insects and chelicerates). Recently discovered land snail amber fossils from Myanmar present an important opportunity to understand the tropical land snail fauna of the Cretaceous, which was a time when many terrestrial invertebrates were rapidly diversifying. We describe 12 new land snail species in 3 families from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber: Eotrichophorus kachin gen. et sp. nov. , Perissocyclos kyrtostoma gen. et sp. nov. , Macropupina electricus gen. et sp. nov. , Paleodiplommatina spelomphalos gen. et sp. nov. , Xenostoma lophopleura gen. et sp. nov. and Assiminea striatura sp. nov. and six species of uncertain taxonomic affinity. We also discuss the fossil history of the Cyclophoroidea. We report the first mid-Cretaceous land snail species with periostracal hairs and discuss their adaptive significance, as well as the general paleoecology of Burmese mid-Cretaceous tropical land snails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prey-tracking behavior is common in snail-killing predators, but in the family Lampyridae, this behavior has been validated in only a single species even though this Coleopteran family includes many specialist snail predators. The endemic firefly Pyrocoelia atripennis is a major snail-killing predator in the Yaeyama Islands of Japan, and the larvae often climb on the trees and grasses at night. This tree-climbing behavior is relevant to larval food choices and anti-predatory defenses of land snails. This study examined whether lampyrid larvae can track snail mucus trails and examined larval prey preferences using alternative choice experiments. In addition, predation trials were conducted to evaluate which snail species are potential prey. P. atripennis larvae significantly selected mucous trails over distilled water or control (no-trail) treatments. In addition, a semi-arboreal species was preferred over a ground-dwelling species. In predation trials, the larvae preyed on five out of 10 endemic snail species, all of which were semi-arboreal or arboreal species. Ground-dwelling Cyclophoridae and Aegista species have effective anti-predatory defenses consisting of an operculum or "foamy-lid" that fills the shell aperture. Whether the prey has a lid affects the predation success of lampyrid larvae, and larval tree-climbing behavior may be an adaptation used to search for semi-arboreal and arboreal land snails that lack defensive lids. Furthermore, snail mucus left on the plant stem may help the lampyrid larvae to locate their prey., Competing Interests: The author declares that they have no competing interests., (© 2019 Sato.)

The genus Chondrocyclus Ancey, 1898 contains the majority of southern African members of the Cyclophoridae, a large family of operculate land snails. We present the first molecular phylogeny of the genus based on two mitochondrial genes (16S and CO1) and complement this with an appraisal of morphological characters relating to the shell and soft parts. Worn shells on which some descriptions and records of different species were based appear to be indistinguishable morphologically, creating taxonomic confusion. We show that Chondrocyclus s.l. underwent two major radiations, one Afromontane and the other largely coastal. Accordingly, we recommend a revision recognising two genera. Chondrocyclus s.s. contains four monophyletic lineages, each characterized by a combination of morphological features. The Afromontane group is shown to be a species complex; relationships within this complex could not be resolved due to insufficient DNA sequence data. The molecular data confirms the monophyly of seven currently recognised species and provides evidence for at least twelve undescribed species; the morphological data are broadly consistent with this finding. The morphological data suggest that the two species from countries to the north of South Africa should be removed from the genus, and that Chondrocyclus sensu lato is endemic to South Africa. The historical biogeography of this group of microhabitat specialists with poor dispersal abilities contributes an additional, phylogenetically independent taxon to our understanding of the processes generating biodiversity in southern Africa, a natural laboratory for palaeobiogeography. All taxa are narrow-range endemics, underlining the importance of conserving South Africa's threatened forest habitats., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Leptopoma is a species rich genus with approximately 100 species documented. Species-level identification in this group has been based on shell morphology and colouration, as well as some anatomical features based on small sample sizes. However, the implications of the inter- and intra-species variations in shell form to the taxonomy of Leptopoma species and the congruency of its current shell based taxonomy with its molecular phylogeny are still unclear. There are four Leptopoma species found in Sabah, Borneo, and their taxonomy status remains uncertain due to substantial variation in shell forms. This study focuses on the phylogenetic relationships and geographical variation in shell form of three Leptopoma species from Sabah. The phylogenetic relationship of these species was first estimated by performing Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analysis based on mitochondrial genes (16S rDNA and COI) and nuclear gene (ITS-1). Then, a total of six quantitative shell characters (i.e., shell height, shell width, aperture height, aperture width, shell spire height, and ratio of shell height to width) and three qualitative shell characters (i.e., shell colour patterns, spiral ridges, and dark apertural band) of the specimens were mapped across the phylogenetic tree and tested for phylogenetic signals. Data on shell characters of Leptopoma sericatum and Leptopoma pellucidum from two different locations (i.e., Balambangan Island and Kinabatangan) where both species occurred sympatrically were then obtained to examine the geographical variations in shell form. The molecular phylogenetic analyses suggested that each of the three Leptopoma species was monophyletic and indicated congruence with only one of the shell characters (i.e., shell spiral ridges) in the current morphological-based classification. Although the geographical variation analyses suggested some of the shell characters indicating inter-species differences between the two Leptopoma species, these also pointed to intra-species differences between populations from different locations. This study on Leptopoma species is based on small sample size and the findings appear only applicable to Leptopoma species in Sabah. Nevertheless, we anticipate this study to be a starting point for more detailed investigations to include the other still little-known ( ca . 100) Leptopoma species and highlights a need to assess variations in shell characters before they could be used in species classification., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests.