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The paper presents a review of suggested and used methods of predicting the number of the main vector and its infection with the tick-borne encephalitis virus. It has been suggested that most practically important are long-term prognoses of tendencies in the changes of the parasitic system on the basis of retrospective estimation of the recurrence of its changes, that is, the definition of probability of recurrence of most important characters (states) of a parasitic system in the presence of appropriate external conditions.

The definition "physiological age" of animals has been revised. A new definition has been formulated on the basis of V.N. Beklemishev's (1962) and Ju. S. Balashov's (1962) theses as follows: physiological age of animals (= biological) is an extent of general irreversible morphophysiological change of organism during its whole life and determined by the accumulation of irreversible changes as a result of its normal vital activity. This definition is equivalent to that of "biological age" of man. The contents of this definition is enlarged and the possibility of its use for different animals including their males is unified. On the basis of the general concept this definition is specified in regard to ixodid ticks: physiological age of hungry ixodid tick is an extent of general irreversible morphophysiological change of its organism during the whole life and determined by the state of reserve nutrient and excretory substances. According to the ammount of reserve and excretory substances in the organism of ixodid tick we distinguish 4 main physiological ages: new-born, young, mature and old which reflect general biological regularity of age development of animals.

The paper presents results of systematic studies on 8324 gamasid mites taken from 879 specimens belonging to 9 species of Chiroptera. The collections were conducted from 1955 to 1975 in the Osh district of Kirghizia. 23 species of mites were recorded of which 16 are specific parasites of Chiroptera. Brief information on the biology of these 23 species is given.

Three new species are described: Trouessartia reguli sp. n. from Regulus regulus, T. microcaudata sp. n. from Hirundo rustica, T. ripariae sp. n. from Riparia riparia. The key to 14 species recorded from the USSR is given.

The factors favouring the cessation of reproduction in X. conformis are laid in the preimaginal state. The drop in temperature during the formation of imago at the pupal stage is a signal for the cessation of reproduction. Imagos hatched at a temperature lower than that of developmental conditions of preimaginal stages do not start reproduction and enter facultative imaginal diapause state. With further decrease in temperature the state of fleas intensifies. With the rise of temperature fleas come out of diapause. In autumn coming out of diapause begins at a temperature higher than 20°, on the 8th—9th day. The lower air temperature the more rapid is coming out of diapause, at a rise of temperature of 3 to 5°.

Migrating small passerine birds having different fatness levels can be infected with Haemosporidia. However, the per cent of birds of "average" and "high" fatness infected with Haemoproteus is considerably lower at high values of infection intensity index. This suggests a possibility of inhibition of migrational fat accumulation during haemoproteoses. The ways of pathogenic effect of Haemosporidia on birds during seasonal migrations are discussed.

The ultrastructure of integument of the body of Acanthobothrium dujardini was studied. A distinct differentiation of tegument and structures associated with it on various parts of scolex and strobile has been found. Two types of microtrychia and four different types of integument which differ in their structure and functions were observed. Large conoid microtrichia of a fixative type with strong basal part and well developed apical one are situated on scolex and neck adjoining to host's intestine tissues and in addition to complex adhesive organs assist the helminth adhesion. Tubular microtrichia on the strobile have well developed basal part which is similar to microvilli of intestinal epithelium. They form brush margin and participate in trophic processes. Calculations have shown that tubular microtrichia increase the strobile surface 47 fold. It has been established that structural specialization of the whole complex of integument performs two main functions: adhesive and trophic.

Ultrastructure of the cyst's wall was studied in monocercus type larvae of 5 species of the family Dilepididae: Dichoanotaenia tundra, Paricterotaenia porosa, Platyscolex ciliata, Sacciuierina stellifera and Trichocephaloides megalocephala. In all examined cysticercoids the cyst's wall is of identical structure. It differs from the cyst's wall of larvae of the family Hymenolepididae by the character of material filling tegument, by fibrous and muscular elements forming independent layers, by the absence of myelin-like layer limiting the cyst cavity. In addition to cytons and myofibroblasts in the cyst parenchima there are secretory cells producing electronic dense granules similar to those produced by neurosecretory cells of tape forms of cestodes.

The activity and properties of malate dehydrogenase (MDH; EG 1.1.1.37) and of "malic" enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40) in cytosole of the trematode C. ijimai were determined. The activity of MDH directed to oxaloacetate formation was shown to be 14 times and maximum velocity 13 times lower than that of the reverse reaction. The apparent KM was one order higher in the direct reaction. This confirms the possibility of glycolytic pathway in C. ijimai via CO₂ fixation into phosphoenolpyruvate to form oxaloacatate which is readily eliminated by active MDH. The presence of "malic" enzyme in C. ijimai testifies to the occurence of different pathways of succinate formation in this species.

Two new species of plant nematodes are described. Nagelus arenosus sp. n. was found in the rhizosphere of Calligonum microcarpum Borszcz. (type host) in the desert of Kara-Dum (type locality) as well as in the rhizosphere of other desert plants in the Tajik SSR. N. elongatus sp. n. was found in the rhizosphere of Secale silvestre Hort., Salsola richteri Karel. and Calligonum rubescens in the Kara-Kum desert in the Turkmenian SSR. A key to 15 known species of the genus Nagelus is given.

In the ranges of the Kharkov district Ixodes trianguliceps Bir. is distributed in the limits of forest-steppe zone from the western border to the valley of the Seversky Donets. Through the forests along the Seversky Donets the species gets to the steppe zone. Most abundant the species is in aspen groves, its main host — Clethrionomys glareolus Schreb. The peak of abundance was recorded in June.

The species Haematobia crassipalpis Ringd earlier unknown in the USSR was found in the Tomsk district. A description of the female in comparison to the close species Haematobia stimulans Mg. is given.

A technique has been suggested for individual maintenance of intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni, molluscs of the genus Biomphalaria, in thermostat water bath with thermoregulator in order to study the host-parasite relationships in the mollusc-trematode system. Advantages of the suggested technique have been shown for studying total production of Cercaria when estimating the compatibility degree of various strains of S. mansoni and races of molluscs of some species of the genus Biomphalaria.

The paper presents a description and differential diagnosis of G. artemisiae males from their typical habitat (Khasansky region, Primorje Territory). The males differ in a number of morphological characters from those of the Armenian population of G. artemisiae and from males of other species of the genus Globodera.

Description of female of the parasitic isopod Irona philippinensis Avdeev, 1973 found in Euleptorhamphus viridis from Arafura Sea and supplements to the original description of male are given.

In fishes there were discovered signs of scale regeneration on the inner surface of zoocecidium. This indicates that the formation of zoocecidium under the effect of parasitic isopods of the family Cymothoidae is accompanied by the decay of the scale and its subsequent regeneration.

Summary is absent.