Punjab University Journal of Zoology

1-9

Authors: Muhammad Ramzan Mirza, Muhammad Naeem Javed, Alamgir Khan and Mehboob Haider

Gomal is an important river of Pakistan with the river Zhob as its main tributary. The survey of Gomal drainage system (rivers Gomal, Zhob and Wana stream) was done between 1988 and 1994 in various seasons. The fishes were collected using all kinds of prevalent methods. Thirty two species belonging to 23 genera, 9 families, 5 orders and 2 superorders were collected. There are important food fishes and are consumed locally: Tor Putitora (Hamilton), Naziritor zhobensis (Mirza), Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton), Schizothorax plagiostomus Heckel, Schizorypris brucei Regan, Labeo dero (Hamilton), Labeo dyocheilus akistanicus Mirza and Awan. Some other species including Barilius pakistanicus Mirza and Sadiq, Barilius vagra (Hamilton), Barilius bicirrhatus (McClelland), Botia birdi Choudhuri, Schistura arifi Mirza and Banarescu, Schistura punjabensis (Hora) and Schistura Regan. Schistura arifi Mirza and Banarescu and Schistura pakistanica (Mirza & Banarescu) are endemic to the Gomal drainage system. Zhob valley can be regarded as a paradise of mahasheers because two species of mahasheers viz. Tor putitora (Hamilton) and Naziritor zhobensis (Mirza) are found here in abundance and provide good game to the anglers.

21-24

Authors: M. Yaseer Mustafa Butt, Shakil Akhtar Khan and Z. Aziz

The biometrical values including size (length, width and thickness) and weight of the normal ovary, oviduct and cervix in three different age groups of Pakistani female camels (C. dromedaries) have shown that there were no differences in both left and right organs of same age group, however, have variations in different age showing the increase with the advancement of the age.

33-37

Authors: Shabbir Ahmed and Firdausia Azam Ali

Babesiosis (Redwater), a tick borne protozoal disease, poses a great threat to cows and buffaloes. It was recorded form different districts of Punjab i.e., Lahore, Kasur, Jhang, Faisalabad and Gujrat. The surveys revealed many animals to be infected with Babesia begemina. These infecte animals showed showed pyrexia, loss of appetite, dysponoea, haemoglobinurea and decrease in the milk yield. Animals responded to treatment with Diminazine 20-30 ml. Berenil 1.05 gm/12 ml distilled water and Imizol (Imidocarb) 1ml/100kg body weight.

49-53

Authors: Muhammad Akhtar and Abu Bakr

A well preserved skull is described from the Dhokwazira. In general the skull appears to be smaller in size as compared to those referred to Hexaprotodon sivalensis. The most distinguishing feature is the size of P. which is much smaller as compared to ?? at of H. sivalensis. On the basis of these features the species under study is regarded as a new species and the name H. dhokwazirensis is being proposed which is after the name of the type locality.

63-77

Authors: Syed Shahid Ali, Mohammad Arshad, Tanvir Ali and Abdul Rauf Shakoori

An organophosphate insecticide malathion (57 EC) was administered orally to seven week old broilers as three different doses i.e., 600, 400 and 250 mg (a.i) / kg body weight/day for the total durations of 40 hours, 12 days and 4 weeks, and were designated as short term (ST), long term-I (LT-I) and LT-II experiments, respectively. after stipulated periods, a group of 3-5 birds were sacrificed along with a group of control animals, their muscle samples were quickly excised and processed differently for various biochemical analyses. The muscle acid phosphatase (AcP) activity, although showed a gradual rise in ST experiment but it was significant, with 32% rise, only at 40 hours. In LT-I treatment AcP activity shot up by 21 and 79% at 3 and 6 days malathion feeding. The alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity in ST experiment showed a significant increase of 40, 45 and 38% at 10, 20 and 40 hours, respectively. the glutamate pyruvate transaminase activity remained unaffected in ST and LT-I experiment until day 6 after which 100% rise at 12 day and 33, 29 and 33% rise at 2nd, 3rd and 4th week insecticide feeding was observed, respectively. Significant increase in free amino acids (FAA: 338% and 145%) and glycogen (63% and 38%) contents was also noticed at 5 and 10 hour treatments, respectively in ST experiment. The rise in FAA contents was 54% (12 days) and 62% (2 weeks) in ST-I and ST-II experiments respectively. glycogen content also increased by 55 and 54% at 6 and 12 days and 31 and 20% at 3rd and 4th week of insecticide feeding. Soluble proteins remained unchanged in ST experiment but showed variable results in LT-I and LT-II experiments. It is concluded that malathion is relatively less toxic to muscle tissue under the present experimental conditions as for as the above analysed parameters are concerned. This was probably due to the fact that muscle is not a primary target of foreign toxic compounds in the animal systems.

89-102

Authors: Khalid P. Lone, Sadiq Hussain, Shugufta Nasreen, Ruth Khan, and Anwar Saeed

A study was undertaken to obtain reference, values under local conditions on the effect of age on the organ weights of various internal organs during early ontogenetic development of female chicks (pullets). In addition, the effect of feeding, an anabolic-androgenic steroid, dimethazine, on the growth of chicks was also studied. During the first 100 days of life, the growth of liver, kidney, heart, adrenal, thyroid, ovary, and muscles pectoralis, gastrocnemius, and peroneus longus was different qualitatively and quantitatively. Feeding of anabolic-androgenic steroid increased the appetite of the birds but did not induce any changes in the FCE. The steroid fed groups were heavier (P<0.05) than the control groups. Some of the organs studied had heavier weights (statistically significant in certain instances) in the steroid-fed groups when compared to the control groups. The study confirms some earlier reports that androgens can induce positive growth response in birds as they do in mammalian species.

111-123

Authors: Abdul Bari and Ali Abbas Qazilbash

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first recognized as a clinical condition in 1981 and was thought to be confined to a specific population group – homosexuals. However, since then AIDS has received great media coverage which has revealed that it is both a homosexual and heterosexual disease with a fatal outcome. It is known that the disease spread from central and western Africa to the Caribbean eventually manifesting itself in the United States and Europe. In Asia, the disease still remains a taboo and is not well documented. Due to this reason that the spread of the AIDS virus remains un-checked in many Asian countries. According to WHO, the AIDS virus has infected over 2.5 million individuals throughout the world. the HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) epidemic in Asia is growing at an alarming rate; in Thailand the estimated cases of infection have risen ten-fold and in India it has tripled since 1992. Thus it is estimated that by the end of the century more than 10 million Asians will be infected with HIV. In Pakistan, three social taboos are driving the spread of disease, effectively blocking prevention and care – denial, discrimination and disempowerment. Today a very conservative estimation of HIV infections in Pakistan, as reported by the national Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, stands at 850 HIV-positive cases, of those 46 developed AIDS and have since died. Compared to the figures released by the same organization a year ago there were 733 HIV cases – an increase of 123 cases in a matter of one year. These estimates do not reflect the true scenario. If the first case of HIV was detected in 1987, as is presently thought then the estimated cases of HIV could be around 10,000-20,000 persons, based on epidemiological parameters. However, if there were cases before 1987 but not diagnosed as HIV/AIDS cases – which is not unreasonable to presume – then based on the statistical parameters the estimates could be much higher – closer to 50,000 – 100,000. In 1990, India officially had 2,700 HIV positive cases; by 1993 the official figures rocked to 500,000 while the actual estimates hover around 2.7-3.5 million. According to an AIDs researcher, Pakistan is at the same stage at which India was three years ago, which necessitates immediate action on strategies for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. This includes universal precautions; compulsory testing of all donated blood; surveillance; comprehensive training of health workers; safer sexual behavior; sexually transmitted diseases STD management; condom procurement and distribution; counseling and rehabilitation of HIV infected individuals; management, monitoring and evaluation of the program. The largest hurdle of resistance that such a campaign can encounter is that from the nation’s clergy. Such a reaction should be treated with patience and candidness and the clergy should be convinced that such a campaign is necessary to combat this disease and that any misleading information will have a detrimental effect on the whole nation.