مجله پژوهشهای جانوری (زیست شناسی ایران)
سال سی و سوم شماره 2 (تابستان 1399)

The pheasant species in Ardabil province is located only in part of the border area of this province with Azerbaijan and is considered as an important biological species in this region. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to introduce a hybrid model of fuzzy-network analysis process in prioritizing the factors that influence the selection process of habitat by the pheasant species. The accuracy of the modeling performed in study, based on the information gathering of field and descriptive information related to 12 selective criteria in 18 habitats in Ardebil province, was also investigated. In this regard, the regression relations between the habitat valuations for each criterion were established with the population of pheasant species. Regression modeling results showed that the criteria for absence of hunter, border station and distance from the road had a significant (P <0.05) relationship with population living in habitats. The results of this analysis show a complete match with results of the model of FANP model, indicating a high degree of prioritization and modeling. Based on this, it can be stated that the habitat conditions at border are the most important element of the habitat selection, given the importance of the security cluster, by the pheasant species in area. This modeling method can be a guide for future research in this area and in other areas.

Determination of reproductive status and knowledge in physiological situations of fish is essential to manage brooders. So, in this study, the efficacy of skin mucosal layer was investigated as the important source of biochemical and also less-invasive method to know goldfish reproductive status. In our research, fish sampling was carried out during five months and according to the histological analysis of gonad, the fish were divided into 5 stages: primary growth (I), cortical alveoli (II), early-vitellogenesis (III), late-vitellogenesis (IV) and spawning (V). Total protein, calcium, lipids (cholesterol and triglyceride) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels of mucus and plasma were measured and compared. Protein levels of mucus were significantly increased during late-vitellogenesis (P < 0.05). Mucosal calcium levels were lower than plasma. Cholesterol and Triglyceride of mucus showedsignificant enhancing during the late-vitellogenesis (P < 0.05). ALP activity was elevated in mucus more than plasma. In histological studies, the analysis of gonadosomatic index showed significant positive correlation between this factor and plasma protein as well as mucus (P < 0.01). ALP was the appropriate indicator to distinguishing vitellogenesis and spawning stages. In summary, the results of this study indicated that the biochemical factors in mucus is measurable and be considered as a less-invasive tool and alternative blood for monitoring the endocrine response, reproductive indices, and sexual stages, especially in the vitellogenesis stages.

The Maranjab desert is located in the south and southwest region of the Salt Lake in Central Plateau of Iran. This region has a diverse topography and many sand dunes and sabulous are observed in its landscape. Common vegetation of this desert includes halophyte plants like Artiplex, Haloxilon and Zygophyllum. In the present study, most part of the Maranjab Desert was investigated. As a result of this investigation 15 species of lizards belonging to 11 genera and six families were identified and recorded. Among the families of lizards recorded in the area, the Lacertidae with six species is the most diverse family in the region. The Agamidae, Gekkonidae, Scincidae and Varanidae, and Spharodactylidae with 3, 2, 2, 1 and 1 species respectively also occur in this region. Phrynocephalus maculatus is a widespread species and can be found in all parts of the area, but Eremias kavirensis and Ophiomorous maranjabensis have colonized in some restricted regions in the area.

As a widely distributed phenomenon in the Animal Kingdom, sexual dimorphism is the morphological differences between two sexes of a given species. Anuran amphibians exhibit sexual dimorphism in numerous aspects such as body size, shape and color. A total number of 84 specimens of the Levant Green Frog (33 males, 51 females) were collected by hand in paddy fields of Sarfaryab, Choram Township, Kohgilouyeh & BoyerAhmad Province in Southern Iran. 12 metric characters were measured and recorded using a digital caliper with accuracy of 0.01 mm. To investigate the presence of sexual dimorphism both uni- and multivariate analyses were done using SPSS 16. Univariate analysis (using t- test) indicated the presence of significant differences in mean values between two sexes with greater values for females in the all metric characters (P < 0.05). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that more than 83% of variations are included in PC1 to 4, with more than 69% only in PC1. Despite presence of sexual dimorphism in individual characters, ordination of males and females in scatter plot showed overlapping. Several factors including sexual selection, fecundity selection, ecological and behavioral effects has been proposed to the presence of sexual dimorphism in amphibians. Females are greater than males in 90% of amphibians. Two possible causes for this female-biased difference are: a) larger females attain greater reproductive outputs and b) males undergo greater rates of mortality, preventing them from reaching larger sizes.

Hard Structures such as otolith and urohyal have high taxonomical value in intraspecific and interspecific studies of teleostei. In this study the intraspecies variations in morphology and morphometry of the otolith and urohyal bone were investigated in Capoeta fusca (Nikolskii, 1897). Fish specimens were collected from five populations located in Loot Basin in Southern Khorasan province and preserved in 75% ethanol. The otolith and urohyal bones were extracted by standard method, and their morphology described and morphometric characters were analyzed. Results showed the astriscus is the biggest otolith and was gyro-type with major and minor lobus. Astriscus was circle or rectangular between different populations with the inner part concave and the outer part convex. The morphometric analyses showed that populations have significant differences in L.H., RRL and RRH (P<0.05). The anterior part of the urohyal bones was without appendage, and posterior part with deep groove, dorsal plate is more front of ventral edges and its height is equal to ventral edges. End of lateral edges are with dentin structures. The urohyal morphometric analyses indicated that the most relative characters were showed significant differences between all populations. In conclusion, morphologic variations of the asteriscus and urohyal are important in intraspecies and interspecies differentiation.

Growth, development and survival have important effects on life-history and population dynamics, as they interact to determine an individual's size and age at particular life cycle transitions (e.g. metamorphosis and maturity). For many amphibians, density and food are the primary biotic environmental factors affecting growth, development and survival rates. In this study, the independent and interactive effects of density and food levels on growth, metamorphosis, and survival were studied in larval of Green toad Bufotes variabilis. We designed a 2 × 2 factorial experiment in which larvae were raised either at high and low density of conspecifics and fed either a high and low level of food that carried out within 112 days. Food level had a significant effect on growth, metamorphosis, and survival. However, density did not significant influence on growth, survival and metamorphosis time but showed a significant effect on metamorphosis size and percentage of metamorphosis. Growth, metamorphosis size, percent of larval metamorphosed, and survival were all highest in the low density / high food. The lowest growth and metamorphosis size, the greatest age of metamorphosis were in the high density / low food. The lowest survival rate and percentage of metamorphosis were in the low density / low food. Combined effects of food level and density showed significant effects on growth, metamorphosis size, percentage of metamorphosis and metamorphosis time over time but this interaction was not significant for survival.

The aim of this study was to Evaluation of protective effects of raspberry fruit extract (Rubus fruticosus L.) on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzymes and serum level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in male diabetic rats induced with streptozotocin. In this laboratory experimental study Diabetic rats were induced by diabetes induction by intraperitoneal injection of STZ. Raspberry fruit was extracted with the usual method. Rats were randomly divided into five healthy (control), diabetic (DM) and DM + doses (50, 100, 200) mg / kg. After intraperitoneal injection of raspberry fruit extract for 4 weeks, the activity of superoxide dismutase enzymes (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and serum level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was determined and the data were statically analyzed using ANOVA. SOD and GPx activity and Serum levels of TAC was significantly decreased in DM group compared to other groups (P<0.05). While after treatment, the activity of all two SOD and GPx enzymes and Serum levels of TAC were significantly increased (P<0.05). Serum levels of MDA was significantly increased in the DM group (P<0.05) and significantly decreased after treatment with the extract (P<0.05). Our results indicate that raspberry fruit extract with increased antioxidant activity and capacity, and inhibiting the production of MDA in the serum level of STZ-induced diabetes, induces improved antioxidant activity.