Marburg virus (MARV) causes sporadic outbreaks of severe Marburg virus disease (MVD). Most MVD outbreaks originated in East Africa and field studies in East Africa, South Africa, Zambia, and Gabon identified the Egyptian rousette bat (ERB; Rousettus aegyptiacus) as a natural reservoir. However, the largest recorded MVD outbreak with the highest case-fatality ratio happened in 2005 in Angola, where direct spillover from bats was not shown. Here, collaborative studies by the
The host specificities and systematics of North American
Heligmosomoides
species remain particularly uncertain. The primary aim of this study was to verify that a species described previously based only on morphology,
H. thomomyos
, from pocket gopher (Rodentia: Geomyidae) hosts in Oregon represented a monophyletic lineage. In order to address this aspect, as well as to further understand relationships and geographic patterns, we carried out phylogenetic, genetic diversity, and population dynamic analyses using partial 18S rRNA and COI mtDNA sequences of
Heligmosomoides
specimens. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that there are likely multiple
Heligmosomoides
species present in these hosts. This was supported by the high degree of divergence and differentiation found among populations, significant population structure between locations, and a modest positive association between geographic and genetic distances. This study serves as the first molecular characterization and first phylogenetic report of
H. thomomyos
, and documents two new host records for this parasite. The relationship of
H. thomomyos
among pocket gopher hosts and to other
Heligmosomoides
species, however, warrants continued study.
Research on rare or understudied species often benefits from employing multiple survey techniques to ensure highest efficacy in detecting individuals. The plains spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius interrupta) is an uncommon mephitid historically distributed throughout much of Texas, USA. To inform the current distribution of plains spotted skunks in Texas, we integrated occurrence data from natural history collections and field surveys with data from academic, wildlife, and citizen scientist groups, resulting in 286 verified occurrence records from 1892 through 2018. We modeled historic species distribution using 64 records from natural history collections to direct surveying efforts in 13 counties using live traps, camera traps, and track plates. Field surveys and citizen science camera trap surveys resulted in 16 records while crowdsourcing resulted in 23 verified reports detailing 78 unique plains spotted skunk records. Our efforts resulted in a 49% increase in occurrence records from 1892 to 2018 (186-286) and a 1,000% increase in records since 2000 . Using our methods, researchers and managers can optimize collection of plains spotted skunk occurrence data to better understand the species, produce more robust datasets for future management, and help ensure the best science is used when drafting conservation plans for plains spotted skunks.
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