vahid akmali

The osteological characteristics of fish, especially the head structure, are important in understanding the biological characteristics. Periophthalmus waltoni and Boleophthalmus dussumieri are among the mudskippers and are distributed along the coasts of the Oman Sea and the Persian Gulf.

After catching and fixing the samples in 96% ethanol, the samples were then sent to the preclinical laboratory (Lotus-InVivo) for micro-CT scanning (TPCF, in Tehran university of medical sciences) for imaging.

In B. dussumieri, the skull is rudimentary and a high percentage of the bones is still cartilaginous. In this species, despite the larger head size, the braincase is small. In P. waltoni, the braincase is larger, but the skull tissue is completely bony and has very little cartilaginous. The jaws have also undergone drastic changes, corresponding to the change from a nearly fixed biting mouth to a flexible sucking mouth. In both species, the teeth are sharp and in two parts in the jaws. In P. waltoni, there are three pairs of sharp teeth for hunting in the upper jaw, the number of these teeth in B. dussumieri is four passes and it is less curved.

In this report, for the first time, the skull structure of the Persian Gulf was investigated. Micro CT technique has also been used for the first time. Mudskippers have developed special adaptations to live in mud in terrestrial and aquatic conditions. These adaptations are greater in P. waltoni, which shows greater degrees of terrestrialization, and requires detailed studies in this field.

Guilan province, located in northern Iran and surrounded by the Caspian Sea to the north and the Hyrcanian forests to the south, boasts the most diverse habitats in the country. However, there is a lack of information on bat fauna in the caves of Guilan province, with all existing records limited to artificial roosts, foraging individuals or echolocation calls. Despite this, available data suggests that 13 species of bats have been reported in the region. In this study, 12 caves throughout the province were observed, resulting in the identification of five bat species, namely Miniopterus pallidus, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Myotis blythii, Rhinolophus hipposideros, and R. ferrumequinum. One colony and two individuals in separate localities were also identified at the generic level as Rhinolophus sp., while two cave roosts with large populations and considerable number of species were described in detail. Furthermore, this study encompasses data on five new sample records, comprising three from Pipistrellus kuhlii, one from Rhinolophus sp., and one from Rhinolophus hipposideros, from foraging individuals and artificial roosts. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the diversity and distribution of bats in Guilan province, particularly within its caves.

In many insect species, cannibalism has been reported as a natural behavior, and in this behavior, complete insects and larvae feed on eggs and pupae in the absence of food.

In the present study, seven diet groups, each of which contains a mixture of wheat bran with barley, corn, and beetle, were provided as beetle breeding environments. The effect of the above diets groups in the presence of carrot (saturation period) and the absence of fruit (hungry period) on the selective cannibalism behavior of whole insects and larvae from eggs and yellow flour beetle was investigated.

The results of the selective behavior analysis of beetle showed that they prefer eggs first and then pupae, which is probably due to their searching behavior in the bed of the breeding environment containing eggs, as well as the eggs' inability to avoid hunting. In the selective behavior of the larvae, it was observed that they attack the pupae first rather than the complete insects, which is probably due to the inability of the pupae to avoid prey and also having a soft and moist body. Also, the results of this research showed that the nutrition factor and diet quality have a significant effect on cannibalism. In the study of the effect of periods of starvation (12, 24, 36, 48) on the rate of cannibalism of the whole insect, it was observed that insects with more than 12 hours of starvation show the highest rate of cannibalism.

Boleophthalmus dussumieri is one of the leading fish in tidal mud areas. This species is larger than other mudskippers. It is mainly herbivorous and has been reported to spread from Iraq to Pakistan and the west coast of India. Sampling was performed in the spring of 1401-1400 from two stations of Khor Jafari and Petroshimi (from Khoryat Musa Bandar Mahshahr, Khuzestan province). A total of 36 fish were caught alive by hand and transferred to the laboratory. After explaining the samples and extracting the sex gonads, the reproductive characteristics of the gonad index and homogeneity were examined. With the dissection of the skull, the cornerstones were removed and the annual rings were counted to determine the age, and the relationship between age and body weight and length was calculated. The study of the relationship between sexual characteristics with weight and length showed a significant relationship with both traits, with the difference that the correlation coefficient between sexual characteristics and weight was more prominent than the correlation of indicators with total length. Comparison of sexual characteristics in the two stations studied showed the superiority of Jafari station. In order to determine the age, after dissecting the skull, ear stones were isolated and annual rings were counted and the age of the samples was recorded. In determining the age and population growth pattern in both stations, the fish were in the age range of 1-3 years, the highest frequency was related to two-year-old fish and the maximum maturity age was recorded in both three-year-old stations, with the difference that the relationship There was a higher correlation coefficient between sex and age indices in Petroshimi station compared to Jafari station. At the Petroshimi station, due to contamination, the samples do not reach the age of three and often at the age of two have a higher reproductive capacity compared to the parsley.

The internal origin of reproduction is controlled by biological clocks. In different conditions, there may be a daily, monthly or annual cycle and it depends on the geographical characteristics of the place where the fish lives. Thus, in the present study, the reproductive indices under the influence of species and season in Periophthalmus waltoni and Boleophthalmus dussumieri, which live in Ghanam estuary, Khuzestan province, were investigated. Sampling was performed in two seasons of spring and autumn 1401-1400. A total of 53 fish of both species were caught live by hand and transferred to the laboratory in spring and autumn. After explaining the samples and extracting the sexual gonads, the reproductive characteristics were examined. In this study, the prevalence of P. waltoni in both autumn and spring was higher than the other species. In addition, in both seasons, for both samples, the male gender was dominant and accounted for the highest frequency. For B. dussumieri, although the male population was more abundant in spring, their gonadal index was higher in autumn and the males of this species were more active in reproduction in spring than in spring. However, for both species in the female, sexual maturation peaks in the spring. It can be concluded that due to climate change and the major role of ecological conditions, while increasing temperature and humidity in hot to cold seasons, biological and food activities have increased and the amount of weight has a direct relationship with reproductive capacity.

Bats with a wide range of distribution are considered as one of the most important indicators of environmental changes. In this study, the distribution range and suitable habitat patches of the large-tailed bat (Rhinopoma microphyllum) in Iran were investigated. First, the presence points of the species in the country were collected and then modeling was done using MaxEnt. The habitat variables used in this study are a combination of climate, human, vegetation and topographic variables. In order to implement the model, the bias file was used to select the pseudo-absence points of the background using the kernel density function within a radius of 50 km of the presence points. The model was carried out with 10 replications and the average prediction map was analyzed as the result map. The TSS threshold was used to identify habitat patches. Based on the results, the model was successful in the average performance (AUC=0.90) and differed from the random model in all thresholds (P-value <0.001). According to Jack Knife analysis, vegetation, climatic and topographic variables had the greatest effect on species distribution respectively. Thirty habitat patches were identified, the largest one started in the south and covered the western part of the country. Other distribution patches are scattered in the southeast and central parts of the country. The area of the patches varies from 221.04 Km2 as the smallest patches to 219416.78 Km2 as the largest patches and in total, they cover 15.9 percent of the country.

Mudskippers are members of the Oxudercidae family and are amphibious fishes that are able to spend long periods out of water. In the present study, Boleophthalmus dussumieri was sampled from Petroshimi and Jafari stations. In order to perform histological studies, the samples (3 males and females from each station) were anesthetized and fixed in Boyne's fixative solution in accordance with biological ethical principles. Then, tissue sectioning and H&E staining were done. Observations by light microscope showed that the epidermis consists of a corresponding epithelium consisting of three cell layers. The dermis of the skin consists of thick collagen fibers and many blood capillaries. In some areas, protrusions from the dermis enter the epidermis, which are called dermal protrusions. There was a significant difference in the thickness of the epidermis layer in males and females. It was 87.97 microns in females and 74.32 microns in males. Based on the amphibian way of life of slugs, in species that are more hydrophilic, the upper and middle parts of the body, which are often exposed to air, have smaller amounts of diffusion distance. Therefore, it can be expected that air absorption through the skin in B. dussumieri takes place more in the upper part of the body than in the lower part or appendages.

The aim of this study was to meta-analyze the factors and barriers affecting sports support. The research method was meta-analysis. The statistical population included all scientific sources reported in the field of effective factors in supporting investment in sports in the period 2006 to 2020. From the statistical population, 10 studies that met the criteria for entering the meta-analysis were selected as a research sample through the census method. A total of 68 factors were extracted from the sample research and classified into eight main categories of media, sales-customer-competition, economic, socio-cultural, managerial, advertising, structural and other factors and entered the meta-analysis process. Cohen D index was designated as the effect size index. Orwin's funnel diagram and safe test were used to investigate the presence of diffusion bias and the result of both methods showed no diffusion bias. The results of Cochran's Q test (Q = 1024.62, df = 67, p <0.001) and I squared (93.46) showed the existence of heterogeneity in the size of the research effect which was equal to 0.89 and according to Cohen's classification, it is a large effect size. In addition, due to the existing heterogeneity, the effect size was calculated based on subgroups and managerial factors (1.25) and economic factors (1.03) had the highest effect size, respectively. Sports managers should develop media coverage and appropriate advertising facilities in order to remove barriers to attracting sponsors of sports so that sponsors invest more confidently in the sports industry.

Bats as indicators of environmental changes have provided important ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersion, and insect population control that reflect their role and status of them in the ecosystem. Therefore, knowledge of the distribution range, habitat requirements and connections is necessary for the management of bat species. The objective of this study is distribution modeling and identification of the connecting network, including corridors and habitat cores of the small mouse tailed bat in Iran. For habitat modelling, species presence points (74 locality) and bioclimatic, topographic and human variables, as well as soil organic carbon, were used. Modelling was performed using the MaxEnt method, and suitable/unsuitable habitat for the species was determined using the TSS threshold. Habitat cores with an emphasis on continuity and then the pairwise connection paths using the least cost path (LCP) analysis identified. To analysis the connectivity, the density metrics and suitability of the corridor in the landscape were used. According to the results of the modelling, there are numerous potential habitats as patches for the species in the country. Most of the habitat cores with an area of over 250 hectares are in the southern and southeastern regions of the country. The length of the set of paths that connect the habitat cores with the lowest cost was estimated 140,399 km, which the highest amount of connection related to the habitat cores is in the southern and southeastern parts.

Bats are natural reservoir hosts of several zoonotic infections. Few studies have demonstrated gut helminth community parasite in bats. In the present study, we investigated two intestinal helminths of two bat species, Rhinopoma muscatellum, and Rhinopoma microphyllum, from Hormozgan province, southern Iran.

We received digestive tracts of 56 Rhinopoma bats previously captured by several biologists. The specimens were precisely dissected and examined for the parasitic helminths. The collected helminths were cleared in the lactophenol and identified using reliable morphological and morphometrical key references.

In this study, 44 R. muscatellum and 6 R. microphyllum species were examined, among which 15 (26.7%) had infections with parasitic worms. Lecithodendrium sp. and Castoria sp. were identified in the digestive tract of eight and four individually examined R. muscatellum bats, respectively. Also, in three R. microphyllum bats, a few spirurid nematodes with incomplete structures were detected.

We, for the first time, identified Lecithodendrium sp., Castoria sp., in R. muscatellum from south of Iran. Due to the insectivorous biological trait of bats, the most abundant helminth was Lecithodendrium sp. Further study with more samples is needed to describe the helminths fauna of microbats in Iran taxonomically.

Cannibalism is an aggressive behavior in which the living organism eats whole or part of its body. In amphibians, cannibalism is done by feeding on its own eggs or larvae. The increase in temperature resulting from global warming, by affecting on the rate of intraspecific interaction and intensifying water level fluctuations and change in density, can alter the rate of cannibalism with a high coefficient in amphibian populations. In this study, independent and interactive effects of temperature (high and low), water level (hydroperiod) (high, low, and decreasing water levels), and density (low and high) factors on the cannibalism of Levant green frog Pelophylax bedriagae larvae was investigated in within 10 months. By considering the independent effect of the factors, the highest rate of cannibalism was observed in high temperature (56.6%), low water level (47.5%) and low density (53.33%). Due to the interactive effect, the highest percentage of cannibalism (including biting and whole body cannibalism) was recorded in the high temperature/low water level/low density treatment with 90%. In contrast, the lowest rate of cannibalism was recorded in two treatments: low temperature/low water level/low density, and low temperature/high water level/low density with 20%. The results of study showed that temperature and density had significant independent effects on the cannibalism but water level fluctuations are not significant. Also, interaction of three factors included temperature, water level and density had a significant effect on the rate of cannibalism.

This paper reviews the unique characteristics of bats, their important roles in providing ecosystem services, their viruses in relation to emerging diseases. Bats, as flying mammals, are the second largest order following rodents, with a wide variety (over 1400 identified species among 230 genera of 21 families in the world) due to their flying power and echolocation. Despite their importance as natural host reservoirs and providing ecosystem services, till relatively recently, bats have been among the least studied mammals. So far, over 200 viruses from 27 families isolated or identified amonf bats, some related fatal disease, including EBOLA, SARS, MERS, MARBURG and current COVID-19. It is hypothesized, perhaps, the flight evolution has exerted strong selective pressure on bats immune systems’ and their viruses, through the fluctuations in metabolic rate and body temperature. Higher body temperatures in bats raises immune responses leading to fast replication of viruses; so while in humans and other mammals’ body, with low or moderate immune responses, the same viruses could bring about fatal epidemics. However, bats are not to be blamed mediating the fatal diseases, rather mostly human misbehavior makes it possible to facilitate the spread of these diseases in different ways, such as destroying natural habitats, hunting, and handling them as pets, along with the planet population growth. At the last, disease like covid-19, could persist and may affect humans to adjust their behavior, supposedly, these adjustments easier than producing very expensive vaccines to cure viral disease! The current coronavirus pandemic is perhaps the first clear indisputable sign that environmental damages could kill humans reckless, too.

Data on distribution and fauna of cave-dwelling bat species from Iran is infrequent. Recent studies in certain parts of the country especially the western and southwestern regions demonstrated a high level of species richness for chiropteran fauna. Since Lorestan province is located in the middle of Zagros mountain ranges, and a considerable number of bat species are living in the adjacent provinces; it is expected that Lorestan also harbors a great number of bat species. In the present study, 49 caves were investigated of which 48 caves were found to be occupied by 1 to 3 bat species. Bats were identified using identification keys, measured, photographed, and then released. A total number of 68 records from 11 species was documented in this study. The identified species include Rhinopoma hardwickii, R. muscatellum and R. microphyllum from family Rhinopomatidae, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rh. hipposideros, Rh. euryale, Rh. mehelyi and Rh. blasii from family Rhinolophidae, Myotis blythii and M. capaccinii from Vespertilionidae family, and Miniopterus pallidus from Miniopteridae family. Rh. ferrumequinum with 19 observation records had the highest distributional range. Furthermore, the biggest colony comprising several thousands of individuals of R. microphyllum was observed in Khofash Big Cave. Myotis capaccinii, Rhinopoma microphyllum, Rhinolophus blasii, and Rh. mehelyi were observed for the first time in Lorestan province.

We present a review of earlier records of the greater horseshoe bat distribution in Iran together with new distribution records of this bat obtained during recent years (2012–2016). The present study describes 41 new localities that increase the species known range mainly over Zagros and Elburz ranges at elevations between 27 - 2560 m above sea level. Moreover, based on these data potential geographic distribution of the greater horseshoe bat has been estimated using the Maximum Entropy modeling (MaxEnt). The MaxEnt model showed that the environmental variables including bio-12 (average annual precipitation), bio-6 (minimum temperature of the coldest month), and bio-19 (precipitation of the coldest quarter of the year) were the most important predictors of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum distribution. AUC values indicated an excellent power of MaxEent to create potential habitat map (AUC=0.845). The MaxEnt model predicted climate suitability to be high in Zagros and Elburz Mountains especially in northwest of Iran, low in some parts of south, east and southeast of Iran. Suitable habitat was absent in the two vast deserts (Dasht-e lut and Dasht-e Kavir) in the Iranian Plateau basin where there had not been any report of R. ferrumequinum.

Cannibalism is a behavioural characteristic that is defined in a wide range of animals and is widely seen in aquatic ecosystems and in more than 90% of the life cycle of animals, especially amphibians. Climate change is one of the most important threats to diversification. The studies show that the temperature changes the interaction of species and affects the cannibalism rate. In this study, to investigate the effect of emerging climate change on cannibalism, the independent and interactive effects of three factors including (high and low temperature), density (high and low density), and fluctuations in water levels (high, low and decreasing water levels) on head, tail and whole body cannibalism were investigated in the larval of Green toad (Bufotes variabilis) for the period of 10 months. In this study, generally, the highest rate of cannibalism was observed in low density (59.44%), high temperature (53.33%) and low water level (45%). In the interactive study, the highest percentage of cannibalism observed in the treatment of high temperature/low water level/low density with 90%. In contrast, the lowest percentages of cannibalism were recorded in low temperature/low water levels/low density with 20%. The results of ANOVA analysis indicated that temperature and density have a significant effect on the level of cannibalism. In contrast, this effect was not significant for fluctuations in the water level. The interaction of all three factors of temperature, density and water level also had a significant effect on cannibalism.

We present a review of earlier records of distribution of the Mehely's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi, in Iran together with new distribution records of this bat obtain during recent years (2014–2017). Until 2012, R. mehelyi had been recorded from 14 localities in Iran. Records of new localities, updated distribution maps and new echolocation-call information are important contributions of this rarely species. This contribution, reports ten new locality records for R. mehelyi in Iran that increases the species known range mainly over Zagros Mts. Here, we also report echolocation-call parameters for 42 individuals caught in six caves which represent the first record of this species in Iran.

The mouse-tailed bats genus Rhinopoma traditionally are considered as one of the most ancient living microchiropteran clade. The species of this genus inhabiting arid and subtropical regions of the Old World including North-western Africa, Middle East, Levant, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Thailand and Sumatra. Mitochondrial D-loop gene was used for phylogenetic relationship in this genus. In this study we collected 36 samples from different localities for DNA analysis. After amplification and sequencing of sightly fragment, the sequence lengths were 577 bp and the mean base composition was: A (35.23%), C (24.16%), T (28.60%), and G (12.01%). From 577 sites, 168 polymorphic sites were recorded that 148 from one were parsimony informative. Results showed that genus Rhinopoma in Iran includes three species (eg. R. microphyllum, R. muscatellum and R. hardwickei). Also, phylogenetic survey showed that the sister status of the R. microphyllum and R. muscatellum phylogroups contradicts with traditional arrangements of the family where R. hardwickii and R. muscatellum are considered as the most closely related taxa based on similarities in narial morphology and body size.

Rhinopoma muscatellum Thomas, 1903 is one of the six mouse-tailed bats (Rhinopomatidae) that traditionally was considered as one of the most ancient chiropteran. R. muscatellum has been reported from Oman, India, Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistan so far. This taxon is widely distribution from south to west and east in Iran. This species is as an extremely frequent bat in the southern part of Iran that reported at least from 52 localities. The taxonomic status of R. muscatellum species in Iran is unclear, as different researchers have reported either one or two subspecies. In the current study using morphological data including nine external and 34 craniodental characters in 190 specimens from 20 caves, the taxonomic status of this species is reviewed. Morphological analysis was done with univariate and multivariate statistical methods in SPSS and PAST Softwares. Our results did not show statistical significant delimitation between male and females. Also, didn’t reveal any considerable differences between populations. Our findings indicated that all the Iranian specimens of R. muscatellum belong to one subspecies. Therefore, we suggest that R. m. muscatellum Thomas, 1903 and R. m. seianum Thomas, 1913 should be synonymized as the same subspecies, with the name R. m. muscatellum.