Zoological Survey of India

Ungulates play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the high mountain ecosystem by sustaining plant community structure and regulating predator populations. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the interaction of sympatric species in the mountainous landscape. In this study we aim to investigate the seasonal spatial and temporal overlap between two sympatric species namely barking deer ( Muntiacus vaginalis) and Himalayan goral ( Naemorhedus goral) in Uttarkashi, district of Uttarakhand. We employed niche equivalency and niche similarity test, to quantify the niche overlap of these sympatric species. Total of 99 trails were traversed and 134 camera traps were deployed to collect data on the sympatric ungulate species. The finding of non-significant niche similarity test statistics and significant background test statistics indicated that both sympatric ungulates have broad niche similariy relative to the same available environmental space throughout year. Overall niche overlap index showed modrate to high (0.58), however in summer showed modrate (0.54) and in winter showed low overlap (0.34). We also investigate the temporal activity pattern of both species, where barking deer showed diurnal and crepuscular activity pattern with highest peak activity during mid-day hours while Himalayan goral was active throughout the day with peak activity during morning and evening hours. The daily activity index Dhat value showed highest temporal overlap was found in winter season (0.79) and lowest in summer season (0.71). This study provided useful information to understand the coexistence pattern of sympatric ungulates in Himalaya, which will be helpful for their long term conservation and management. Understanding these interactions provides insights into the mechanisms driving community structure and species persistence in increasingly complex ecosystems.

During a faunal survey in Great Nicobar Island, we collected four Amblyomma helvolum ticks infesting the snake Xenochrophis trianguligerus and processed for gut-metagenomic analysis using Illumina paired-end sequencing. A total of 8.7 million high-quality reads were generated, revealing that the gut microbiome was dominated by Bacteria (∼99.9%), primarily represented by Proteobacteria (∼95.7%), followed by minor fractions of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. The predominant bacterial families were Alcaligenaceae, Bradyrhizobiaceae, Boseaceae, and Rickettsiaceae, with Achromobacter xylosoxidans emerging as the most abundant species (∼30% of total reads). Species-level analyses revealed a complex microbial community dominated by Achromobacter, Brevibacillus, Stutzerimonas, and Aeromicrobium. Several putative opportunistic pathogens were detected, including Myroides sp., Sphingobacterium sp., Stutzerimonas stutzeri, Cutibacterium acnes, Mycobacterium abscessus, Staphylococcus hominis, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and Pseudomonas otitidis. This study represents the first metagenomic characterization of A. helvolum from India and provides baseline data on reptile-tick-associated microbial diversity from Great Nicobar Island. The findings underscore the importance of molecular surveillance in remote ecosystems and highlight the potential of reptile ticks as reservoirs of opportunistic and zoonotic bacteria.

Human gut microbiomes respond to lifestyle transitions, yet the extent to which these responses are conserved across spatio-cultural contexts remains undercharacterized. We present the South Asian MicroBiome ARray (SAMBAR), a population-scale 16S gut microbiome study of 575 adults from ten geographically and socio-culturally diverse South Asian communities. Each community was sampled in ancestral villages and urban centers, enabling controlled comparisons of geography and lifestyle. Relative to global cohorts, SAMBAR microbiomes occupy a distinct compositional space with stronger correlation to geography and community membership than lifestyle. Although urbanization is consistently associated with increased abundance of disease-linked taxa, microbiome responses to lifestyle transitions are largely community-driven, including the acquisition of wheat- and dairying-associated microbial modules in some communities that may facilitate non-genetic adaptation to lactase non-persistence. Microbiome responses to urbanization are heterogeneous even at regional scales, reflecting local culture and geography and underscoring the need for community-specific investigations of health impacts.

The resurgence of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a natural cyclical phenomenon with an inter-epidemic period of 10-15 years. It might be due to the persistence of a silent parasite pool amongst post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) and asymptomatic leishmanial infection (ALI). The present study targeted to find out the obstacles for unearthing and proper management of the hidden parasite pool for prevention of the resurgence of VL in erstwhile endemic districts of West Bengal, India. Two strategies were employed to identify the latent parasite reservoirs: follow-up of individuals having a previous history of VL and/or PKDL and limited mass sero-surveillance within a 500-m radius of recently treated VL and PKDL. Diagnosed PKDL and VL cases were treated and ALI were followed up. A total of 95 new PKDL and 70 relapse PKDL were diagnosed during the entire study period; those remained undiagnosed in spite of ongoing case searching methods recommended by the national VL elimination programme. 'Relapse PKDL'-a new challenge for VL elimination has been identified. The incidence of PKDL declined steadily during successive study years. Limited mass survey revealed 17 VL, 2 PKDL and 124 ALI. Most of the ALI sero-reverted during the follow up period and 2 of them converted to disease VL. The present work revealed three major obstacles. First, identification of the occult parasite pool may be resolved by applying the searching methods used in this study. Second, case confirmation of 'relapse PKDL' may be achieved by examining slit skin samples at the local level by existing staff with proper training. Alternative short duration treatment strategy for the treatment of new and relapse PKDL is needed. Third, considering the long inter-epidemic period and observed declining trend of incident PKDL, such surveillance should be continued for 10-15 years for the prolonged post-elimination phase and finally to achieve eradication.