Introduction: Emerging pathogenic bacteria represent a growing threat to aquaculture, particularly for rare and protected fish species. Populations of Schizothoracinae have experienced declines due to environmental degradation, habitat loss, and anthropogenic pressures. Despite their ecological and economic importance, microbial threats to these fish remain poorly understood. Understanding the pathogenic potential of bacterial species in Schizothoracinae is essential for developing effective biosecurity measures and conservation strategies. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence, antimicrobial resistance, biofilm-forming capacity, and potential virulence of Aeromonas associated with Schizothoracinae, providing baseline data for disease management and aquaculture safety.

Methods: Aeromonas was isolated from multiple organs of Schizothoracinae and characterized using Gram staining, standard biochemical tests, and molecular identification methods. The isolates were evaluated for antimicrobial susceptibility and biofilm formation, while in silico genomic analyses of related strains were conducted to predict the presence of virulence and resistance genes.

Results: All isolates were confirmed as Aeromonas. They displayed multidrug resistance and variable biofilm-forming ability, with stronger biofilm producers correlating with higher antimicrobial resistance. Genomic analysis suggested the presence of genes linked to virulence and antibiotic resistance, indicating horizontal gene transfer as a likely mechanism driving adaptability and pathogenic potential.

Conclusions: This study provides the first evidence of Aeromonas as a potential pathogen in Schizothoracinae, highlighting its pathogenic and zoonotic potential. The findings emphasize the importance of monitoring microbial threats in protected fish species, supporting aquaculture biosecurity, conservation breeding programs, and future research inclu

The accelerated loss of biodiversity demands prioritizing conservation efforts for species with high evolutionary and ecological value, particularly within the most threatened groups. Anurans, with over 40% of species at risk, are especially sensitive to habitat degradation, diseases, and climate change, making them key bioindicators. Within them, Phyllomedusidae frogs, restricted to the Neotropics, are high charismatic, highly vulnerable and currently lacks comprehensive conservation assessments.

In this study we evaluate whether approaches based on evolutionary history, ecological functions, and geographic distribution, identify Phyllomedusidae priority species in complementary or redundant ways. Moreover, we examine the effectiveness of these approaches compared with traditional strategies based solely on extinction risk.

We analyzed 66 species combining phylogenetic, functional, geographic distribution, and IUCN threat status data. We compiled public database records and literature to generate phylogenetic contribution metrics (ED, EDGE, BED) and functional metrics (FUD, EcoDGE, and a new proposal: BEco). We also analyzed spatial patterns of species richness and the mentioned metrics, compared congruence among approaches, and simulated diversity loss scenarios to assess performance under different conservation strategies.

The highest richness of Phyllomedusidae happens in the western Amazon and specific areas in Central America, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Forest. EDGE and EcoDGE scores identified species both unique and threatened, while BED and BEco highlighted endemics or range-restricted taxa. Phylogenetic and functional metrics revealed partially overlapping spatial patterns with correlations up to r = 0.965. Extinction simulations showed that prioritizing conservation approaches based on ED and FUD scores retained more phylogenetic and functional diversity than strategies based on IUCN categories.

Therefore, integrating phylogenetic, functional, and spatial metrics allows identification of high evolutionary and ecological value species overlooked by traditional criteria. This framework enhances prioritization in megadiverse regions such as the Amazon and Atlantic Forest, optimizing conservation responses to the rapid loss of Neotropical amphibian diversity.

Animal models with amyloid pathology are fundamental for elucidating the mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease (AD). These models can be classified into toxicological, pharmacological, and transgenic categories, depending on how neurodegeneration is induced.

The 5×FAD (B6SJL) mouse line, carrying five human mutations in APP and PSEN1 (Swedish, Florida, London, M146L, L286V), represents one of the most aggressive and well-characterized transgenic models for early-onset AD. These mice exhibit intraneuronal Aβ₄₂ accumulation as early as 1.5 months, followed by extracellular plaque deposition, glial proliferation, and cortical neurodegeneration. At 4–6 months, they display marked synaptic loss (reduced synaptophysin and PSD-95), memory deficits in Y-maze and Morris water maze tests, and altered olfactory and social behaviors. Sex-dependent differences have also been reported, with females showing enhanced APP overexpression and accelerated pathology, likely estrogen-modulated. By nine months, cognitive and motor impairments are pronounced, reflecting extensive amyloidosis and neuronal loss across hippocampal and cortical regions.

The 5×FAD model, thus, integrates key neuropathological, molecular, and behavioral hallmarks of human AD, making it a powerful platform for testing phytochemical compounds and exploring mechanisms of amyloid clearance, neuroinflammation, and neuroprotection. Despite interspecies limitations, its rapid, reproducible pathology continues to provide invaluable insight into the progression and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

The invasion of non-native parasitic fauna in India has steadily increased alongside the introduction of their exotic hosts. The expansion of non-native monogeneans in Indian waters has been largely facilitated by human-mediated transfers of these hosts, which play a major role in their establishment in new localities. Parasites of exotic hosts may switch to native species, leading to transmission that can adversely affect India’s native fish diversity.

However, limited attention has been given by Indian researchers to non-native monogenean parasites, as no such species had been documented previously. In recent years, growing interest in biological invasions has encouraged biologists to investigate the role of non-native parasites and the risks associated with them. Based on recent occurrences of monogeneans in India, it is evident that these parasites are co-introduced with their exotic hosts and readily establish themselves in new environments due to their simple, single-host life cycle.

The aquarium fish trade is a major pathway enabling the continual introduction and spread of monogenean parasites in India. The presence of non-native monogenean fauna indicates a lack of effective national guidelines for the ornamental fish trade. Therefore, proper surveillance and disease diagnostic measures should be implemented prior to the introduction of exotic fishes. Additionally, existing Indian guidelines for the import of ornamental species should be revised to safeguard both aquaculture industries and the aquatic environment.

The objective of this study is to assess the extent of non-native monogenean parasite invasions in Indian waters and to analyze the associated risks to native fish species.

Mammals of the order Carnivora play a fundamental role in ecosystems as top predators, with some taxa designated as flagship and umbrella species. In the Americas, they have a complex biogeographical history, shaped by processes of colonization and adaptive radiation that have generated a high diversity of lineages. However, in the face of the global biodiversity crisis, conservation efforts have traditionally focused on species richness, overlooking evolutionary relationships. This limited approach prevents the recognition of areas and species with unique evolutionary value, which is crucial for planning effective strategies. In this study, we evaluated the distribution of the evolutionary diversity of carnivorous mammals in the Americas and its relationship with biological and geographical variables, using phylogenetic metrics that incorporate extinction risk and biogeography. We analyzed 104 species using phylogenies, geographic distributions, and threat categories obtained from public databases and the literature. Using this information, we calculated phylogenetic metrics of Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED) and incorporated extinction risk (EDGE), evaluating their relationship with body size, altitude, and latitude. Additionally, we estimated Biogeographically weighted Evolutionary Distinctiveness (BED) and mapped spatial patterns of richness, metrics, and priority conservation areas. The evolutionary diversity of carnivores was unevenly distributed across regions and taxonomic groups. In terrestrial species, ED and EDGE scores decreased with altitude and followed a unimodal pattern with latitude, concentrating in the tropical belt; in marine species, values clustered in the temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, where a relationship between body size and ED scores was also observed. Spatial patterns of richness were consistent with those of ED and EDGE but differed markedly from those obtained with BED. These results highlight the importance of incorporating evolutionary metrics into the prioritization of American carnivores, protecting their evolutionary history and optimizing conservation planning and resource allocation.

The Sathyamangalam region, straddling the transitional zone between India's Western and Eastern Ghats, represents a unique, high-altitude (above 4000 feet MASL) biogeographic area critical for biodiversity. Fungi, as key drivers of decomposition, nutrient cycling, and plant health, are integral to this ecosystem's function. This study aimed to characterize the soil fungal communities across different habitats and elevations within this ecologically significant landscape. Environmental DNA (eDNA) was analyzed using fungal ITS metabarcoding, sequenced in Illumina 250 bp paired-end chemistry and the QIIME2 pipeline, with taxonomic assignments based on the robust UNITE database. Sequencing yielded a total of 417,612 quality-filtered reads across six samples studied, resulting in a high observed diversity ranging from 1,047 to 1,460 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) per sample (Total OTUs: 7495). The communities were rich in key functional groups, including dominant saprotrophic (Penicillium, Aspergillus and Mortierella) and the mycorrhiza of both ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The identified species sequences are publicly available via NCBI GenBank Accession Numbers (PQ523512- PQ527698). Crucially, taxonomic annotation indicated the potential presence of new species records for India, and a notable fraction of reads identified only at the Phylum level suggests significant novel fungal diversity new to science. Many of the sequences are simply identified as they belong to Kingdom Fungi stating their distribution as Dark Taxa. Community composition varied significantly, reflecting differences between the distinct Western and Eastern Ghats ecosystems. This high-resolution inventory provides a vital baseline for the high-altitude soil mycobiota of Sathyamangalam. The observed species richness and identification of potential novel fungal diversity underscore the ecological complexity of this transitional zone and highlight its importance for fungal biogeography and conservation.

The Himalayan canopy orchids constitute an ecologically significant yet understudied group of epiphytic plants that thrive in the fragile montane ecosystems of the North Western Himalaya. This study examines the patterns of diversity, distribution, and climate sensitivity of canopy orchids along altitudinal gradients, integrating multiscale field data, GIS-based habitat mapping, and species distribution modelling. Results revealed a distinct mid-elevation diversity peak (1,800–2,200 m) driven by microclimatic stability and host-tree diversity, with projected models showing a 23–41% contraction of suitable habitats and potential loss of unique evolutionary lineages under high-emission scenarios.

By combining landscape-level environmental data with fine-scale ecological observations, this research highlights temperature seasonality and canopy humidity as dominant predictors of orchid occurrence and demonstrates how microhabitat heterogeneity buffers orchids from macroclimatic changes. Projected models indicated a significant upward contraction of suitable habitats by 23–41% under high-emission scenarios, particularly threatening narrowly distributed taxa such as Dendrobium sp. and Bulbophyllum sp.. The findings underscore the vulnerability of canopy-dependent orchids to both anthropogenic pressures and climate-induced habitat fragmentation. Conservation efforts should prioritize the protection of mid-elevation forest canopies and the creation of climate-resilient corridors to facilitate species persistence. Overall, this work provides a baseline for long-term monitoring and adaptive management strategies essential for safeguarding Himalayan orchid diversity under future climate change scenarios.

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) is a fragrant, medicinal, and economically valuable herb that also plays a vital ecological role in supporting pollinators. Due to its protandrous floral nature, cross-pollination by insect vectors is essential for successful reproduction, fruit set, and seed formation. To investigate its pollination ecology, a study on the insect pollinator assemblage of S. rosmarinus was conducted during its peak flowering season, from mid-March to April, on the farms of India Glycols Ltd., Ghimtoli, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, located in the mid-altitudinal region of the Western Himalaya. Field observations were carried out between 09:00 and 14:00 hours, during which a total of 28 insect pollinator species were recorded. These species belonged to three insect orders—Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, and Diptera—representing eight families. Lepidoptera formed the most dominant group, accounting for 64% of total visitors, followed by Hymenoptera (22%) and Diptera (14%). Among families, Nymphalidae (28.6%) and Lycaenidae (21.4%) were the most represented. Prominent and frequent visitors included Papilio machaon, Anthophora sp., Apis cerana, Apis mellifera, and Episyrphus balteatus. Notably, several pollinator species of conservation concern were also documented, including taxa listed under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The findings emphasize the ecological importance of S. rosmarinus as a pollinator-attractive plant that supports diverse insect communities. Encouraging the cultivation of rosemary in agroecosystems can promote pollinator conservation, enhance ecological balance, and contribute to both environmental and economic sustainability in the Western Himalayan farmlands.

Snakes represent a taxonomically diverse group that plays a critical role in ecosystems and is associated with public health issues; however, accurate identification remains challenging in many resource-limited settings. We evaluated microscopic ultrastructures in the microdermatoglyphics of scales collected from shed-off skin as a non-invasive and cost-effective diagnostic method. Shed-off skins from twelve adult specimens—three each from two venomous cobras (Naja naja, Naja kaouthia) and two non-venomous colubrids (Ptyas mucosa, Fowlea piscator)—were collected from different geolocations in Bangladesh. Then, 15 types of scales representing head, body, and tail regions of snakes were collected and prepared for microscopic observation, and the micro-ornamentation of microdermatoglyphics was examined at 40X, 100X, and 400X magnifications. Six ultrastructural characters (edge perimeter, edge area, edge WPD, follicle perimeter, follicle area, follicle 20,000 µm²) in microdermatoglyphics were quantified. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (p = 0.001) assessed stability within species and variation between species, as well as group. The results show that 75.56%, 58.89%, 76.67%, and 77.78% of characters are stable across the 15 scales in N. naja, N. kouthia, P. mucosa, and F. piscator, respectively. Four characters (out of six) significantly (p = 0.001) differentiate N. naja from N. kaouthia, whereas all six characters separate P. mucosa from F. piscator. Furthermore, five characters significantly differentiate more than 50% of the analyzed scales of the venomous from the non-venomous groups. PCA accounted for 77.6% (PCA1 and PCA2) of the variance, with clear species-wise and group-wise clustering. This approach enables reliable differentiation between closely related congeneric species and far distant species, providing a practical alternative to conventional taxonomic techniques. It holds potential for application in field-based diagnostics, snakebite management, forensic herpetology, and biodiversity monitoring.

Abundance and distribution of butterflies within a particular habitat signify floral diversity and, in turn, habitat quality. The generalized pattern of lepidopteran host plant consortium is the occurrence of host plant specialization along with a propensity of clades to remain associated with either the genus or family of host plants. The diversity of nectar plants they visit contributes towards the establishment of an elaborate plant–butterfly community. The present study was designed to explore the presence of pierid butterflies across 11 altitudinal gradients (≤ 300 masl; 301- 600masl; 601- 900 masl; 901-1200 masl; 1201-1500 masl; 1501-1800masl; 1801-2100 masl; 2101-2400 masl; 2401-2700 masl; 2701-3000 masl; ≥3001masl) in the Eastern Himalayan landscape of West Bengal, India. Identification of larval plant species followed by the determination of host plant specificity, diet breadth, and polyphagy index was undertaken. Adult nectaring resources were documented, and the information content of flower–butterfly interactions was quantified using the Shannon–Wiener Function and the Brillouin Index. The maximum number of individuals was recorded from ≤ 300 masl (791) while the minimum number of individuals was observed at ≥3001masl (137). The species diversity curve showed an increasing trend from lowest elevation, reaching its peak at 601–900 masl (4.99) and then declined at ≥3001masl (3.33). The highest species richness was noted at 601–900 masl (4.846) compared to the lowest value at 2401–2700 masl (1.92). A total of 56 plant species served as larval food resources for the butterflies, with 38.09% feeding from a single plant family and 35.71% from a single genus of food plant. Pierinae possessed higher diet breadth (0.435) as compared to Coliadinae (0.231). Eurema hecabe was most polyphagous (PI=4.243), while 7.14% of the species were monophagous. Seventeen plant species constituted the nectar resource of the butterflies. Higher values of information content as indicated by the Shannon–Wiener Function and Brillouin Index for Tabernæmontana coronaria (H'=5.537 Ĥ=5.267) and Fragaria nubicola (H'=5.247 Ĥ=5.011) indicated their greater preference among butterflies.