Scientific Reports in Life Sciences

Taxonomic Revision and Annotated Catalogue to the Family Brassicaceae of Libya

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0300

This paper deals with a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the family Brassicaceae that was published in 1977 for the Flora of Libya. Since then, there have been no updating attempts in the family. Unfortunately, the flora of Libya, including the family Brassicaceae, is out of date. Recently, names of families and species have been updated [phototaxonomy]. The present study concerns mainly concerned with species of the family Brassicaceae, represented by actual authentic voucher specimens preserved in the national herbarium, Faculty of Science, Tripoli University [ULT]. Thus, species that are not represented by voucher specimens deposited in our herbarium are excluded from this study. Therefor, 69 different kinds of taxa representing 43 genera, 69 species, and 13 subspecies included in this study, compared with 96 species, 59 genera, and 15 infarspecific taxa in the flora of Libya No. 23. A total number of 27 species belonging to 21 genera are excluded of which 5 genera with different species are common in both included and excluded genera; these are Alyssum, Brassica, Enarthrocarpus, Raphanus, and Sisymbrium. The results of this study revealed that the genera Matthiola and Diplotaxis are the most sizable genera with 8 and 4 species, respectively, whereas the genera Moricandia, Enarthrocarpus, Lipedium, Lobularia, and Sisymbrium are represented by 3 species each. Other genera are represented by 1-2 species. Four endemic species reported from Libya are confined to the Sahara; these are Ammosperma variable, Matthiola glutnosa, Oudneya africana, and Savignya parviflora. Variety rubella of the species Capsella bursa-pastoris was treated in this study at the specific level. Names of some species are updated according to Plants of the World Online [POWO]. Original keys to the genera and species within each genus are provided. An annotated list of species follows the generic key. Moreover, 69 species are included with relevant citations, synonyms, distribution of species in Libya, flowering period, and a life forms spectrum are included. In addition to that, an excluded list of 27 different species is also given. Genera and species included in this study are arranged alphabetically.

A review on diversity, bio-geography, and updated checklist of Cobras (Naja, Laurenti, 1768) (Squamata: Serpentes: Elapidae): Present and prehistoric

Amtyaz Safi, Hans-Volker Karl — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The Naja Laurenti, 1768, is a genus of venomous snakes widely considered as "true" cobras and belongs to the family Elapidae. The living species of this genus are mainly found in Africa and Asia. This review article provides an updated checklist of 35 recognized living species of the genus Naja, including 22 (63%) African species, 13 (37%) Asian species, and four currently recognized extinct cobra species from Miocene and Pliocene strata discovered in Africa and Europe. The Naja genus is divided into four subgenera: 1. The typical subgenus Naja is restricted to Asian species, 2. The subgenus Uraeus, Wagler, 1830, is revived for a group of non-spitting cobras found in the savannas and open lands of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, 3. Boulengerina, Dollo, 1886, is used for non-spitting African cobra species, including forest, aquatic, and semi-fossorial forms. The 4th subgenus, Afronaja, is designated for all African spitting cobras. This review also summarizes the diversity, distribution, conservation status, and toxicity levels of some Naja species. The searches were limited to peer-reviewed journals written in English, excluding books and other non-English sources.

From silence to recall: cognitive persistence and adaptation during hibernation in small mammals

Morteza Naderi — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Small mammals, particularly those living in complex arboreal and terrestrial environments, rely on advanced spatial and social memory, yet they face extreme cognitive challenges during hibernation and torpor. This review synthesizes breakthrough studies from recent years on how memory persists, degrades, or is restructured in hibernators. Topics include spatial mapping, olfactory and social recognition, molecular neuroprotection, ecological drivers, and comparative perspectives across rodents, bats, and other taxa. I identify high-impact gaps, highlight the transformative potential of integrative field-genomic approaches, and advocate for comparative, cross-taxa studies to resolve outstanding paradoxes in neuroecology.

Youngest leopard cub ever documented in a tree hole with mother at Yala National Park, Sri Lanka: a rare sighting

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) occupies a wide range of habitats across the island, yet sightings of very young cubs in the wild are exceptionally uncommon. This report describes an extraordinary observation of a newborn cub with its mother inside a tree cavity in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka. On April 7, 2023, a female leopard was seen caring for a cub estimated to be under 10 days old, resting in a hollow located roughly 4.5 meters above the ground. High-quality photographs documented the mother nursing, grooming, and calmly guarding her offspring, offering a rare glimpse into early maternal behavior and den-site selection. A subsequent sighting in 2024 confirmed that the cub had survived and matured, indicating successful early development. This unusual observation enriches current knowledge of leopard reproductive behavior and highlights the importance of continued conservation efforts to safeguard this vulnerable subspecies within its natural habitats.

Influence of prostate health campaign messages on knowledge, attitude, and practice among adult males in South-South Nigeria

Esther George Ntegwung, Herbert Batta — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0300

This study deployed the survey research technique with the questionnaire as instruments of data collection in South-South Nigeria to ascertain whether any significant correlation existed in the knowledge, attitude, and practice embedded in prostate health campaign messages. The major objectives of the study were to ascertain the extent to which adult males in South-South Nigeria were aware of/exposed to prostate health campaigns and to determine the extent to which the campaigns on prostate health influenced their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. The population comprised the 18,466,888 adult males living in South-South, Nigeria, while data aimed at achieving the research objectives were collected from a sample of 384 subjects determined using the Krejcie and Morgan formula and purposively selected from the three States where the campaign was done intensively. The research adopted the multi-stage sampling procedure. The primary data collected were analysed using simple percentage and weighted mean computation presented in tables, while the correlational analyses of the variables of the study were done using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient statistical method, commonly symbolised as r. The study revealed that more of the adult males in South-South Nigeria (138 [36%]) had little exposure to campaigns on prostate health, and a slight majority, 154 (40%), had little awareness of the campaigns on prostate health. The data also indicate that 117 adult males [31%] in South-South, Nigeria, were knowledgeable that, from 40, one should become more concerned about prostate problems. The correlational analyses of the hypothetical variables of the study showed that significant positive correlations exist between the variables at the 0.05 level, thus proving the probability that the significance of the correlations between the variables was simply due to error or chance was found to be less than 0.1%. Therefore, the hypotheses were upheld. Among other relevant recommendations, promoters of prostate health campaigns in South-South, Nigeria, should make campaigns more demographically-intensive so as to appeal to adult males of all segments beyond age, marital status, and educational level.

Assessment of the toxic effects of the organophosphate insecticide Malathion (Cythion) on non-target earthworm growth

Yasir irfan, Ahmad Shazad, Asif Ahmed Kamgar — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Earthworms are recognized as important bioindicators of chemical toxicity within soil ecosystems. This is significant because they serve as common prey for many terrestrial vertebrates, including birds and small mammals, and therefore play a key role in the biomagnification of various soil pollutants. The present study examined the concentration-dependent effects of the pesticide Cythion on earthworm growth. The experiment was conducted over a 60-day period using different concentrations of Cythion, starting from 3 mg/kg soil and increasing to 9 mg/kg. These concentrations produced non-significant effects on earthworm growth throughout the 60-day toxication period when compared with the control. A further increase from 9 mg/kg to 12 mg/kg soil likewise showed no significant difference in growth relative to the control during the same period. The results suggest that growth can be considered a sensitive parameter for evaluating the toxicity of Cythion in earthworms. Cythion demonstrated an impact on earthworm growth, resulting in a decrease in earthworm size.