This study investigates the natural radioactivity of 40K, 226Ra, and 232Th in valley sediments from Wadi
Al-Maia located in Egypt’s Eastern Desert. Radiation monitoring was conducted using high-resolution gamma-
ray spectrometry with a NaI(Tl) detector. The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K were measured.
Based on these measurements, several radiological hazard parameters were calculated, including the absorbed
dose rate (ADR), radium equivalent activity (Raeq), gamma index (Iγ), annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE),
annual effective dose equivalent (AEDEout and AEDEin), and the external and internal hazard indices (Hₑₓ and
Hᵢn).The average values of these parameters were 347 nGy/h (ADR), 724 Bq/kg (Raeq), 2.73 (Iγ), 2471 μSv/year
(AGDE), 425 μSv/year (AEDE out), 1700 μSv/year (AEDEin), 1.96 (Hex), and 2.47 (Hin), all of which exceed the
worldwide recommended limits. These results indicate that the study area exhibits elevated natural radioactivity
levels and potential radiological health risks. The findings can serve as a baseline for future monitoring of natural
radionuclide contamination and radiological risk assessment in the Eastern Desert of Egypt.

This study provides an integrated geochemical, petrographic, and
radiological assessment of the El Gara El Hamra and El Gara El Soda
granitoids in Egypt’s Southwestern Desert. Whole-rock major, trace, and REE
geochemistry, combined with tectonic discrimination diagrams, reveals that
the granitoids belong to ferroan A-type suites and comprise both
peraluminous and peralkaline varieties. These contrasting chemistries reflect
heterogenous crustal sources and within-plate magmatic processes associated with late Neoproterozoic post-collisional extension. Elemental
ratios (e.g., Nb/Yb, Ga/Al) and HFSE enrichments support an anhydrous,
oxidized, high-temperature melt regime consistent with the regional
evolution of the Arabian–Nubian Shield.
High-resolution gamma spectrometry was used to quantify primordial
radionuclides (238U, 232Th, 40K). Thorium and potassium show pronounced
enrichment in the peralkaline samples, whereas uranium displays moderate variability across the granitoid suites. Calculated radiological parameters—
including absorbed dose rate (Dγ), annual effective dose (E_annual), radium
equivalent activity (Raeq), and hazard indices—exceed global crustal averages
but remain within ranges typical of A-type granites worldwide. Radiogenic
heat production (RHP) varies significantly between the peraluminous and
ACCAERPTTICEDLE M IANN PURSECSRSIPT
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peralkaline groups, reaching up to 9.99 μW/m³, indicating favorable potential
for shallow-crust geothermal exploration.
Organ-specific dose modeling (ICRP‐based) identifies the bone marrow and
lungs as the most impacted tissues under hypothetical prolonged exposure scenarios. Although some samples exceed recommended limits for
unrestricted building use, actual public exposure would depend on rock
utilization and exposure geometry rather than intrinsic radionuclide
concentrations alone.
Overall, the El Gara granitoids represent a compositionally diverse A-type system with elevated heat-producing elements and moderate radiological
significance. These findings highlight the need for site-specific radiological
evaluation before large-scale quarrying or use as construction materials, and
underscore their potential relevance for geothermal energy assessments.

The Western Desert of Egypt exhibits well exposures of Late Cretaceous deposits, containing varieties of
marine and terrestrial vertebrate fossils. The Quseir Formation (Campanian age) contains vertebrate fossils
such as dinosaurs, turtles and crocodyliforms remains. This formation is formed of variegated shale and
siltstone intercalations, indicating supratidal marsh environment. The present work concerns with the
histology and the diagenetic process of the Late Cretaceous juvenile crocodyliform vertebrae from the
Campanian deposits of the Quseir Formation of the south of Baris Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt. It provides
the first discovery of the Late Cretaceous juvenile neosuchian crocodyliform postcranial remains in Egypt, in
addition to the study of the early and the late diagenesis phases exhibited by the microbial activities and the
minerals precipitations of the bone cavities.

Dyrosauridae are a clade of crocodyliforms characterized by diverse cranial morphologies and a broad palaeogeographic distribution from the Late Cretaceous to the Palaeogene. However, their early evolutionary history remains poorly understood due to a significant fossil gap during the Campanian. Here, we describe Wadisuchus kassabi gen. et sp. nov., an early-diverging dyrosaurid from the middle Campanian Quseir Formation of Egypt, based on two partial skulls and three partial mandibles. This new taxon displays transitional cranial features—including reduced premaxillary alveoli, modified occlusion patterns, and dorsally positioned external nares—that clarify aspects of cranial evolution related to longirostry in early dyrosaurids. Phylogenetic analyses consistently recover Wadisuchus as the earliest-diverging dyrosaurid, closely related to Chenanisuchus and distinct from Elosuchus, supporting a transition from dyrosauroids to dyrosaurids. Its Campanian age extends the temporal range of the clade and suggests that transatlantic dispersal from Africa to South America occurred earlier than previously recognized. Alongside Brachiosuchus kababishensis from Sudan, the new Egyptian taxon also implies that reverse dispersal into Africa preceded the Maastrichtian. Wadisuchus provides critical insights into the early diversification, palaeobiogeography, and cranial evolution of Dyrosauridae, confirming longirostry as an early-acquired trait and highlighting North Africa as a key region in their origin

Four large foraminiferal species have been newly recorded from the Darb Gaga area. The Darb Gaga area is represented by the Upper Paleocene-Lower Eocene succession, which is composed of the Esna Formation (Fm.) at the base followed upward by the lowermost part of the Thebes Fm. The present work concentrates on Abu Had Member (Mb.), the upper part of the Esna Fm., and the Thebes Fm. A new genus (Solimanina) is introduced for the first time in Egypt. Two species (Solimanina canaliferus and Solimanina conf. subgranulosa) belong to this genus. These species are recorded from the Abu Had Mb. Moreover, Nummulites pernotus and Nummulites partschi have been documented from the Thebes Fm. Morphometric, biometric, taxonomic and systematic study of the large benthonic foraminifera (LBF) in integration with field, litho- and bio-stratigraphical studies of the study area have been done. The recorded LBF species assigned the Abu Had Mb. and the lowermost part of the Thebes to be Early Eocene in age (Ypresian), within SBZ10 (the beginning of Late Ypresian). The shift from the outer shelf environment prevailed during the deposition of the Darb Gaga Mb. to the inner shelf environment of the Abu Had Mb. and the lowermost part of the Thebes Fm. may be due to sea-level changes and/or tectonism that occurred in Early Eocene (Ypresian) age.

The aim of the current study was to examine and document the diverse scale characteristics of three species of gerreid fish, namely Gerres longirostris (standard length [SL] 166–212 mm, Gerres oyena (SL 120–135 mm) and Gerres oblongus (SL 217–268 mm) from the Red Sea, Hurghada, Egypt. Variations in inter-specific geomorphometrics and in meristics of radii of the scales of these gerreid species were clearly evident in terms of size and shape. Light and scanning electron microscopic techniques were used to identify and describe the detailed scale structure and surface ornamentation of these Gerres species. These studies revealed a wide range of variations in surface morphology, interradial tongues and circuli, outer and inner lateral circuli, denticles, interradial and intercircular grooves, caudal field segmentation and granulation pattern, position of scales on fish, annuli and radii as well as lateral line canal. These findings have unequivocally demonstrated the potential use of scale size and shape variation as a means of identifying the Gerres species studied. Scale characteristics are a taxonomy tool that can be used for the identification of stocks and fisheries management.

The present investigation aimed to document and analyze the diversity of scale characteristics in three Nemipterus species; N. zysron (12.2–18.5 cm SL), N. randalli (13–18 cm SL), and N. japonicus (8.5–17.2 cm SL) collected from the Egyptian Red Sea near Hurghada. Assessing interspecific differences in scale morphology, geometry, and morphometry provides valuable insights for taxonomy and stock identification. The results revealed pronounced interspecific variations in scale geometry, morphometrics, and radii meristics, particularly with respect to overall shape and size. Detailed structural features and surface ornamentation were examined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Notable differences were observed in surface morphology, interradial and intercircular grooves, interradial tongues and circuli, denticles, inner and outer lateral circuli and caudal field segmentation and granulation pattern. The observed variation in scale form among the three species underscores the potential utility of scale morphology in stock discrimination. Collectively, these findings contribute to improved species differentiation and offer a valuable tool for fisheries management and taxonomic assessment.

Background

Synanthropic filth flies thrive in human and animal habitats, posing health risks through the transmission of infectious agents. They breed on organic waste, including animal feces, making them carriers of various pathogens. In Egypt, where livestock farming is common and poor sanitation, these flies may contribute to zoonotic disease transmission. The current study investigates parasitic infections in filth flies from three livestock farms in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt, highlighting their role as vectors for zoonotic infections, particularly Cryptosporidium, via morphological and molecular tools.

Methods

A total of 12,749 flies were collected from the study sites via sweep nets. After taxonomic identification, the flies were examined microscopically for parasites using various concentration and staining techniques. Positive samples were further confirmed for infections, particularly for Cryptosporidium parasites, via nested PCR and sequence analysis targeting the COWP and SSU rRNA genes.

Results

This study revealed the presence of several fly species from seven dipteran families, particularly the family Muscidae, primarily Musca domestica, which presented a high parasite infestation rate of 96.6%. This study revealed a high prevalence of various protozoans and helminths in the collected flies. Cryptosporidium was the most prevalent parasite (64.4–100%), infecting all fly species. Entamoeba and Balantidium were also significant, especially in M. domestica (22.6–90.1%, 8.9–100%), Fannia canicularis (10.5–74.4%, 44.2–88.2%), and Borborillus vitripennis (11.1–50%, 37.2–91.4%). Giardia, Trichuris, and Trichostrongylidae had low to moderate prevalence in multiple fly species. Mites are commonly detected on fly exoskeletons, with high infestation rates observed in Musca domestica (77–100%) and Physiphora alceae (66.7–100%). The present study also reported sporadic infections with Trichomonas, Toxocara vitulorum, and pseudoscorpions, along with notable midge larval infestations (52.1%), mainly at site B. Parasitic infections were highest in autumn and spring, with the lowest rates in winter. Molecular identification confirmed the presence of the zoonotic species Cryptosporidium parvum and Cladotanytarsus gedanicus.

Conclusion

This study revealed that zoonotic parasites exist in flies and pose potential risks when they are found near humans. Cryptosporidium parvum is the prevalent parasite causing diarrhea outbreaks in animals. This is the first genetic evidence of Cladotanytarsus gedanicus midge from Upper Egypt.