A5007539597- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Orthoptera Research and Taxonomy
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Bartonella species infections research
- Virus-based gene therapy research
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Research on Leishmaniasis Studies
- Entomological Studies and Ecology
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Poxvirus research and outbreaks
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
South African National Biodiversity Institute
2019-2022
University of Pretoria
2006-2021
National Zoological Gardens of South Africa
2013-2019
Scientific Services
2013-2016
DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology
2009
South Africa's long and extensive trade activity has ensured ample opportunities for exotic species introduction. Whereas the rich biodiversity of endemic southern African fauna been focus many studies, invasive vertebrates are generally overlooked despite potential impacts on biodiversity, health agriculture. Genetic monitoring commensal rodents in Africa which uncovered presence Rattus tanezumi, a South-East Asian not previously known to occur Africa, provided impetus expanded studies all...
ORIGINAL RESEARCH article Front. Neurosci., 18 April 2013Sec. Neurogenesis Volume 7 - 2013 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2013.00059
Recent studies have described the presence of several mitochondrial lineages within Rhabdomys, which was previously considered to be a monotypic genus. The exact distributional limits species and subspecies their contact zones are unclear. In this study we demonstrate that two monophyletic Rhabdomys dilectus present at northern Gauteng province sampling sites in South Africa. Cytochrome b gene sequences, 896 nucleotides length, generated for 36 samples identified 10 unique haplotypes...
An outbreak of feline panleukopaenia virus (FPLV) infection was diagnosed by pathology, electron microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in vaccinated captive-bred subadult cheetahs South Africa. Subsequent to this disease outbreak, 12 cases FPLV on histology were confirmed PCR captive African black-footed cat, caracal, cheetah, lion, ocelot serval. Phylogenetic analyses the viral capsid protein gene PCR-positive samples, vaccine National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)...
Accurate species identification based on visual cues can be challenging due to morphological similarities and the cryptic nature of certain species. Thus a more conclusive method is required, namely DNA barcoding. This case regarding two South African otter species, Cape Clawless (Aonyx capensis) spotted necked (Lutra maculicollis). Due these animals faecal samples, known as spraints, are easiest way confirming presence animal in an area. In this study, we compared results obtained for...
Canine parvovirus first emerged in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), most likely as a variant of the feline panleucopaenia virus. Relatively recently, canine parvovirus-2a and parvovirus-2b infections have been identified both symptomatic asymptomatic cats, while also demonstrated wild felids. This report documents known case detected unvaccinated serval (Leptailurus serval) from South Africa. The presented with clinical signs vomiting, anorexia diarrhoea that responded to treatment. Two...
Yaba monkey tumour virus (YMTV) was first diagnosed in a colony of captive rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) Yaba, Nigeria. It has been implicated as the cause cutaneous nodules wild baboons (Papio species), and cynomolgus fascicularis). This article reports case pox lesions caused by YMTV free-ranging adult female vervet (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) from Umkomaas coastal area South Africa. The identified molecular sequencing fragments insulin metalloprotease-like protein intracellular mature...
Lack of adequate sanitation and pest control, poor housing conditions that prevail in much both rural urban South Africa, cause rodent populations to thrive, promoting contact with humans, which results increased risk zoonotic disease transmission. This study focused on bacterial pathogens involved potential zoonoses present three commensal invasive Rattus spp., namely norvegicus, R. rattus, tanezumi, from Africa. Bacterial prevalence diversity was determined through amplification sequencing...
DNA barcoding has been proposed as a method for species identification. However, this criticised its over-reliance on single mitochondrial gene. In study, four gene regions and one nuclear region were used to investigate their different abilities identify tissue associated with museum specimens of Aethomys chrysophilus, ineptus Micaelamys namaquensis. chrysophilus the more recently elevated A. are indistinguishable morphological grounds; however, ranges largely parapatric only syntopic...
The eight southern African king cricket genera, namely Bochus, Borborothis, Henicus, Libanasa, Libanasidus, Nasidius, Onosandridus, and Onosandrus are redescribed from type museum material. A key to the genera is provided. status of Libanasidus impicta investigated species characteristics confirmed. two also
AbstractWe examined the putative defence system of a king cricket, Onosandrus sp., in particular efficacy noxious faeces against two types predator: lizard, skink Mabuya striata (an active, diurnal forager), and toad Bufo gutturalis (a nocturnal, ambush predator). Contrary to our predictions, did not act as deterrent either predator. Tongueflick trials with cotton scent applicators indicated that skinks showed heightened predatory response cricket over integument, field integument an...
We examined the putative defence system of a king cricket, Onosandrus sp., in particular efficacy noxious faeces against two types predator: lizard, skink Mabuya striata (an active, diurnal forager), and toad Bufo gutturalis (a nocturnal, ambush predator). Contrary to our predictions, did not act as deterrent either predator. Tongueflick trials with cotton scent applicators indicated that skinks showed heightened predatory response cricket over integument, field integument an odourless...
Abstract An evaluation of genetic structuring and morphometric variation within tusked king crickets, Libanasidus vittatus (Kirby, 1899), from South Africa suggests two main population assemblages. Maximum likelihood (ML), Parsimony, Bayesian phenetic analyses mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequence data recovered well-supported clades corresponding to biogeographically distinct populations. Canonical variates (discriminant) analysis (CVA) also showed evidence assemblages that...
Nine distinct papillomaviruses (Lambdapapillomavirus) have been described in domestic and nondomestic cats, but not cheetahs. These viruses associated with cutaneous papillomas or plaques, bowenoid situ carcinomas, feline squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), sarcoids, oral (often sublingual) papillomas. Fourteen cheetahs from the AfriCat foundation (Namibia) one Ann van Dyk Cheetah center (South Africa) presented sublingual lesions reminiscent of Two animals were biopsied histopathology revealed...
We consider a compartmental model for the Bartonella infection on rodents. More precisely, co‐occurring populations of Rattus rattus and norvegicus where vectors are two species ectoparasites, namely ticks fleas. As usual such models key stage is modelling forces infection. While vital dynamics progression within each four sufficiently well known to determine rest transfer rates, there practically no data probability In order appropriate values coefficients we solve an optimal control...