DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)

Introduction: Cardiorespiratory Fitness (CRF) measures how efficiently the heart, lungs, and muscles supply oxygen during exercise. Quality of Life (QoL) encompasses an individual’s perceived well-being and satisfaction across multiple domains, including physical, psychological, social, and environmental aspects. Handloom workers are exposed to various occupational health hazards due to the natur…

Abstract The rise of arboviruses in tropical countries, such as Brazil, underscores the need for new vector control strategies. This study examines the impact of indigo on the reproductive biology of Aedes aegypti. Females exposed to indigo during the larval stage (150 µg/mL) exhibited a significant decrease in fecundity (150 ± 41 eggs) compared to the control group (204 ± 42 eggs). Fertility was…

The myriapod fauna of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (Azerbaijan) comprises at least 20 species: 12 species from eight genera, seven families, and three orders of Chilopoda, and eight species from eight genera, five families, and three orders of Diplopoda. Family Henicopidae Pocock, 1901, genus Lamyctes Meinert, 1868, and the species L. emarginatus (Newport, 1844) (Chilopoda) and Syrioiulus a…

During a faunistic and taxonomic survey of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) in Vashlovani National Park, eastern Georgia (Sakartvelo), material collected mainly using Malaise traps was examined. As a result, 127 species belonging to 18 ichneumonid subfamilies were identified, including 30 species recorded for the first time from Georgia and 25 species newly recorded from the Caucasus region. In additi…

Aphids (Hemiptera, Aphidoidea) represent a diverse group of sap-feeding insects of considerable ecological and economic importance. The Iranian aphid fauna has been the subject of numerous studies, yet new records continue to emerge due to the country’s diverse climates and habitats. In the present study, three aphid species are recorded from Iran for the first time: Brachyunguis calotropicus Men…

The Thar Desert of northwestern India harbours underdocumented parasitoid–host interactions and unique ecological interactions often overlooked due to its arid landscapes. Here, we report the first confirmed host association of Brachymeria apicicornis (Cameron, 1911) (Chalcididae: Brachymeriinae) as a pupal parasitoid of Cassida obtusata Boheman, 1854 (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) feeding on Amaran…

The flies from the family Hippoboscidae (Diptera) are specialized hematophagous ectoparasites and transmit many dangerous diseases. The genus Lipoptena Nitzsch, 1818 is a group of keds, parasitic mainly on Bovidae and Cervidae. It includes 27 species and is divided into two groups. The main difference between them is the degree of pulvilli reduction. At present, the classification of morphologica…

Two new Diaphanes Motschulsky 1853 species, D. meghalayanus Nonglang, Das, Shangpliang sp. nov., and D. mawlynnong Nonglang, Das, Shangpliang sp. nov., from Meghalaya, Northeast India, are described. Diaphanes meghalayanus sp. nov., is characterised by a unique colour pattern of the central disc, the absence of a typical circular pronotal areolet area, brownish-yellow pronotum and elytra, and oth…

Measuring biodiversity remains a fundamental yet challenging issue in conservation biology. Drylands, major components of terrestrial biomes, are particularly susceptible to desertification due to climate change and human activities. In Venezuela, the highly threatened arid ecosystems of Margarita Island harbor unique biodiversity, yet beetle diversity remains poorly known, despite the value of b…

This study investigates the role of hedgerows and landscape heterogeneity in supporting arthropod biodiversity within apple orchards in the Médéa region of Algeria. Comparing two contrasting orchard systems—one extensive with structural elements (Si El Mahdjoub) and one intensive without (Benchicao)—arthropod communities were sampled over a full annual cycle using pitfall traps, colored sticky tr…

This work presents a comprehensive review of the insect orders Mantodea (praying mantises), Blattodea (cockroaches and termites), and Phasmatodea (stick insects) in Iran, based on literature, national checklists, and global taxonomic databases to develop an up-to-date faunistic inventory. Following the most recent accepted classifications, the review documents a total of three orders, 20 families…

Lebanon is expected to be among the most important biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean. The latest ant checklist of the country, counting 110 taxa, was published in 2014. Here we record seven species to be added to the Lebanese checklist, belonging to five genera from the Formicinae, Myrmicinae, and Ponerinae subfamilies. Four are considered natives [Hypoponera eduardi (Forel, 1894), Lasiu…

A comprehensive worldwide list of 425 species of the ladybird genus Diomus Mulsant, 1850, is provided, together with the number of countries occupied by each species in the major biogeographical regions. Thirteen of the species formally assigned to the genus must be confirmed. Also, records of Diomus species occurring in the Middle East are documented, and the genus Diomus is reported from Oman f…

The genus Besseria Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 with 15 described species (Tachinidae: Phasiinae) is distributed in the Palaearctic, Nearctic, and Afrotropical Regions. A new species, Besseria macrocerca sp. nov., is described from the western and southern regions of Iran. This species is diagnosed and illustrated based on both male and female specimens, with particular emphasis on distinctive morphol…

Pitfall traps are widely used for collecting ground-dwelling arthropods, with ramp and tube traps serving as complementary options. This study compares the performance of these three trap types in an arid environment in southeastern Iran. Fieldwork was conducted in spring 2025 across three active orchards in the Sistan region. Six replicates of each trap type (18 total) were deployed along three …

In this study, we provide a larval stage redefinition of the two genera Hirstiosoma and Sphaerotarsus (Trombidiformes: Smarididae) and new data on the larva of Hirstiosoma latreillei (Grandjean, 1947) collected from the soil and leaf litter of a section of the Hyrcanian forests near the Tilek village, Sari County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. Prior to this study, a single specimen of H. latreillei …

A new species, Sclerocardius lyali sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. The new species is close to Sclerocardius indicus Hartmann, 1903, but differs in the body covered with short setiform yellowish and pale scales, the postero-ventral side of the protibia lacking teeth, a pronotum with quite large punctation, and a narrower aedeagus. This is the first rec…

Numerous innovations have appeared in modern teaching over the last few years. Among them, holograms stand out in particular. Namely, holograms in teaching allow for the transformation of abstract concepts into tangible, three-dimensional experiences. They enable students to interact with virtual objects without the need for special glasses, as is the case with virtual reality, for example. Compa…

Prinsepia utilis Royle, a plant native to China and the Himalayan region, remains underutilized despite its potential applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. This review examines the phytochemical composition and associated biological activities of P. utilis, underscoring its value as a multifunctional resource. The plant contains phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanin…