This study was carried out to determine the biodiversity of rodents and
their distribution in Syrian Arab Republic, and to evaluate the role of owls as
natural enemies against rodents.
The investigation of owl pellets indicated that small mammals
in general
and especially rodents are the main food of owls. This investigation was able to
identify ١٤ species, representing five families of rodents inside the pellets
collected from different locations in Syria. these are:
Microtus socialis.; Mesocricetus auratus; Cricetulus migratorius; Tatera
indica; Mus musculus; Rattus norvegicus; Rattus rattus; Nesokia indica;
Meriones tristrami; Meriones libycus; Meriones crassus; Allactaga euphratica;
Jaculus jaculus and Spalax leucodon.
Five Species of the most widely consumed fish in the Syrian Coast (namely
Merluccius merluccius, Diplodus sargus, Siganus luridus, Lithognathus mormyrus, and
Chelon labrosus). were selected for this research. Samples were collected from the fish
m
arket in lattakia, with weight ranging between 150 and 200g. Samples were cleaned by
removing scales and inner organs, freezed at -35°C for five hours and then stored at -
18°C for a maximum period of six months.
Chemical analysis of fish samples was carried out before and after freezing periods
of one week, 1, 2, 4 and 6 months. Analysis included determination of moisture, proteins,
lipids, acidity, volatile nitrogen, and peroxide value. Organoleptic evaluation was also
performed on the control (fresh samples) and on the frozen samples after thawing and
frying. The evaluation included taste, flavor, color, texture or meat consistency and form
homogeneity.
A survey of the natural enemies of woolly apple aphid Eriosoma lanigerum
(Hausm.) was conducted in unsprayed orchards in the mountain region of
Sweida, Syria. Twenty-six species were found, belonging to Coleoptera,
Dermaptera, Diptera, Heteroptera
, Neuroptera. Coccinella septempunctata L.
was the most abundant predator at the beginning of the season. The coccinellid
Oenopia conglobata (L.) occurred in less numbers and had a secondary
importance. Predatory bugs had a high activity in summer. Also, the aphelinid
parasite, Aphelinus mali (Haldeman), was observed with a high effectiveness at
late summer and at the end of the growing season.