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Heartwater
Heartwater (also known as cowdriosis, nintas, and ehrlichiosis) is a tick-borne rickettsial disease. The name is derived from the fact that fluid can collect around the heart or in the lungs of infected animals. It is caused by ''Ehrlichia ruminantium'' (formerly ''Cowdria ruminantium'')—an intracellular Gram-negative coccal bacterium (also referred to as ''Rickettsia ruminantium''). The disease is spread by various ''Amblyomma'' ticks, and has a large economic impact on cattle production in affected areas. There are four documented manifestations of the disease, these are acute, peracute, subacute, and a mild form known as heartwater fever. There are reports of zoonotic infections of humans by ''E. ruminantium'', similar to other ''Ehrlichia'' species, such as those that cause human ehrlichiosis. History Heartwater disease was first described in 1838 within the personal journal of Louis Trichardt, a Voortrekker in South Africa. In Trichardt's notes he recorded that a majori ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Wildebeest
The black wildebeest or white-tailed gnu (Connochaetes gnou) is one of two wildebeest species—the other being the blue wildebeest—in the family Bovidae. First described in 1780 by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann, it is native to the open grasslands, plains, and ''Karoo'' shrublands of southern Africa. Adults measure in head‑and‑body length and weigh between ; bulls stand about at the shoulder while cows are somewhat smaller. A distinctive long white, horse‑like tail and a dark, shaggy coat set the species apart. Black wildebeest are grazers that rely almost exclusively on grasses with ready access to water. Their social organisation comprises mixed female–calf herds, bachelor groups, and solitary territorial bulls. Breeding peaks from February to April; following a gestation of roughly 8½ months, a single calf is born and remains with its mother until her next reproductive cycle. Overexploitation for hides, meat, and as perceived lives ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cattle Egret
The cattle egret (formerly genus ''Bubulcus'') is a cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan clade of heron (family (biology), family Ardeidae) in the genus ''Ardea (genus), Ardea'' found in the tropics, subtropics, and warm-temperate zones. According to the International Ornithologists' Union, IOC bird list, it contains two species, the western cattle egret and the eastern cattle egret, although some authorities regard them as a single species. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus ''Egretta'', it actually belongs to the genus ''Ardea (genus), Ardea''. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion in its range (biology), distribution and successfully Colonisation (biology), colonised much of the rest of the world in the last century. They are white birds adorned with buff feather, plumes in the breeding season. They nest in bird colony, colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rickettsia
''Rickettsia'' is a genus of nonmotile, gram-negative, nonspore-forming, highly pleomorphic bacteria that may occur in the forms of cocci (0.1 μm in diameter), bacilli (1–4 μm long), or threads (up to about 10 μm long). The genus was named after Howard Taylor Ricketts in honor of his pioneering work on tick-borne spotted fever. Properly, ''Rickettsia'' is the name of a single genus, but the informal term "rickettsia", plural "rickettsias," usually not capitalised, commonly applies to any members of the order Rickettsiales. Being obligate intracellular bacteria, rickettsias depend on entry, growth, and replication within the cytoplasm of living eukaryotic host cells (typically endothelial cells). Accordingly, ''Rickettsia'' species cannot grow in artificial nutrient culture; they must be grown either in tissue or embryo cultures. Mostly chicken embryos are used, following a method developed by Ernest William Goodpasture and his colleagues at Vanderbilt University i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hypovolemia
Hypovolemia, also known as volume depletion or volume contraction, is a state of abnormally low extracellular fluid in the body. This may be due to either a loss of both salt and water or a decrease in blood volume. Hypovolemia refers to the loss of extracellular fluid and should not be confused with dehydration. Hypovolemia is caused by a variety of events, but these can be simplified into two categories: those that are associated with Renal physiology, kidney function and those that are not. The signs and symptoms of hypovolemia worsen as the amount of fluid lost increases. Immediately or shortly after mild fluid loss (from blood donation, diarrhea, vomiting, bleeding from trauma, etc.), one may experience headache, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, or thirst. Untreated hypovolemia or excessive and rapid losses of volume may lead to hypovolemic shock. Signs and symptoms of hypovolemic shock include Tachycardia, increased heart rate, Hypotension, low blood pressure, Pallor, pale or c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oedema
Edema (American English), also spelled oedema (British English), and also known as fluid retention, swelling, dropsy and hydropsy, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. Symptoms may include skin that feels tight, the area feeling heavy, and joint stiffness. Other symptoms depend on the underlying cause. Causes may include venous insufficiency, heart failure, kidney problems, low protein levels, liver problems, deep vein thrombosis, infections, kwashiorkor, angioedema, certain medications, and lymphedema. It may also occur in immobile patients (stroke, spinal cord injury, aging), or with temporary immobility such as prolonged sitting or standing, and during menstruation or pregnancy. The condition is more concerning if it starts suddenly, or pain or shortness of breath is present. Treatment depends on the underlying cause. If the underlying mechanism involves sodium retention, decreased salt intake and a diuret ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Four-striped Grass Mouse
The four-striped grass mouse (''Rhabdomys pumilio'') or four-striped grass rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found throughout the southern half of Africa up to above sea level, extending as far north as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitats are savannas, shrublands, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, hot deserts, arable land, rural gardens, and urban area An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...s. References mouse, grass, four-striped Mammals of Southern Africa four-striped grass mouse Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Anders Sparrman {{Murinae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laboratory Mouse
The laboratory mouse or lab mouse is a small mammal of the order Rodentia which is bred and used for scientific research or feeders for certain pets. Laboratory animal sources for these mice are usually of the species ''Mus musculus''. They are the most commonly used mammalian research model and are used for research in genetics, physiology, psychology, medicine and other scientific disciplines. Mice belong to the Euarchontoglires clade, which includes humans. This close relationship, the associated high homology with humans, their ease of maintenance and handling, and their high reproduction rate, make mice particularly suitable models for human-oriented research. The laboratory mouse genome has been sequenced and many mouse genes have human homologues. Lab mice are sold at pet stores for snake food and can also be kept as pets. Other mouse species sometimes used in laboratory research include two American species, the white-footed mouse (''Peromyscus leucopus'') and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ferret
The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), as evidenced by the ferret's ability to interbreed with European polecats and produce hybrid offspring. Physically, ferrets resemble other mustelids because of their long, slender bodies. Including their tail, the average length of a ferret is about ; they weigh between ; and their fur can be black, brown, white, or a mixture of those colours. The species is sexually dimorphic, with males being considerably larger than females. Ferrets may have been domesticated since ancient times, but there is widespread disagreement because of the sparseness of written accounts and the inconsistency of those which survive. Contemporary scholarship agrees that ferrets were bred for sport, hunting rabbits in a practice known as rabbiting. In North America, the ferret has become an increasingly pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scrub Hare
The scrub hare (''Lepus saxatilis'') is one of two species of hares found in southern Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho. Although it is listed as a least concern species, the population has been declining and is expected to decline by 20% over the next 100 years. Description The scrub hare has a very distinct coloration. On the Dorsal (anatomy), dorsal side of the hare, the fur is grizzled-gray with small black spots. The ventral side of the fur is all white. Scrub hares have a small, stubby tail with the topside being black and the underside being white. What makes ''Lepus saxatilis'' different from the other subspecies is the patch of red-brown fur it has behind its ears. They have long ears that are normally perched up that are gray, and together with its tail make it most visible when it is running from predators. The scrub hare has a very large range in its body size and body mass compared to most animals. Its length ranges from about , and its mass ran ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leopard Tortoise
The leopard tortoise (''Stigmochelys pardalis'') is a large and attractively marked tortoise found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape Province. It is the only extant member of the genus ''Stigmochelys'', although in the past, it was commonly placed in '' Geochelone''. This tortoise is a grazing species that favors semiarid, thorny to grassland habitats. In both very hot and very cold weather, it may dwell in abandoned fox, jackal, or aardvark burrows. The leopard tortoise does not dig other than to make nests in which to lay eggs. Given its propensity for grassland habitats, it grazes extensively upon mixed grasses. It also favors succulents and thistles. Taxonomy and etymology The phylogenic placement of the leopard tortoise has been subject to several revisions. Different authors have placed it in ''Geochelone'' (1957), ''Stigmochelys'' (2001), ''Centrochelys'' (2002), and ''Psammobates'' (2006). More recently, consensus appears to h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helmeted Guineafowl
The helmeted guinea fowl (''Numida meleagris'') is the best known of the guinea fowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus ''Numida''. It is native to Africa, mainly south of the Sahara, and has been widely introduced, as a domesticated species, into the West Indies, North America, Colombia, Brazil, Australia and Europe. Taxonomy The helmeted guinea fowl was formally described by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under the binomial name ''Phasianus meleagris''. In 1764, Linnaeus moved the helmeted guinea fowl to the new genus ''Numida''. The genus name ''Numida'' is Latin for "North African". In the early days of the European colonisation of North America, the native wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') was confused with this species. The word ''meleagris'', Greek for guinea fowl, is also shared in the scientific names of the two species, though for the guinea fowl it is the species name, whereas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blesbok
The blesbok or blesbuck (''Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi'') is a subspecies of the bontebok antelope endemic to South Africa, Eswatini and Namibia. It has a distinctive white face and forehead, which inspired the name because ''bles'' is the Afrikaans (and Dutch language) word for a blaze such as one might see on the forehead of a horse. Taxonomy The blesbok and the bontebok (''D. p. pygargus'') are subspecies of the same species and can readily interbreed, the hybrid offspring being known as the bontebles or baster blesbok; the differences between the two subspecies have arisen due to preferences for different habitats in the wild. Distribution The blesbok is endemic to southern Africa and is found in large numbers in all national parks with open grasslands, from the Highveld north of the Vaal River southwards through the Free State, to the Eastern Cape. It is a plains species and dislikes wooded areas. It was first described in the 17th century in bountiful herds.Gordon- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
