Simple method for culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes of Testudinidae.

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Silva, T L; Silva, M I A; Venancio, L P R; Zago, C E S; Moscheta, V A G; Lima, A V B; Vizotto, L D; Santos, J R; Bonini-Domingos, C R; Azeredo-Oliveira, M T V

2011-12-06

We developed and optimized a simple, efficient and inexpensive method for in vitro culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes from the Brazilian tortoise Chelonoidis carbonaria (Testudinidae), testing various parameters, including culture medium, mitogen concentration, mitotic index, culture volume, incubation time, and mitotic arrest. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the costal vein of four couples. The conditions that gave a good mitotic index were lymphocytes cultured at 37°C in minimum essential medium (7.5 mL), with phytohemagglutinin as a mitogen (0.375 mL), plus streptomycin/penicillin (0.1 mL), and an incubation period of 72 h. Mitotic arrest was induced by 2-h exposure to colchicine (0.1 mL), 70 h after establishing the culture. After mitotic arrest, the cells were hypotonized with 0.075 M KCl for 2 h and fixed with methanol/acetic acid (3:1). The non-banded mitotic chromosomes were visualized by Giemsa staining. The diploid chromosome number of C. carbonaria was found to be 52 in females and males, and sex chromosomes were not observed. We were able to culture peripheral blood lymphocytes of a Brazilian tortoise in vitro, for the preparation of mitotic chromosomes.

No evidence of contagious yawning in the red-footed tortoise Geochelone carbonaria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wilkinson, A.; Sebanz, N.; Mandl, I.; Huber, L.

2011-01-01

Three hypotheses have attempted to explain the phenomenon of contagious yawning. It has been hypothesized that it is a fixed action pattern for which the releasing stimulus is the observation of another yawn, that it is the result of non-conscious mimicry emerging through close links between

Effect of Australian propolis from stingless bees (Tetragonula carbonaria on pre-contracted human and porcine isolated arteries.

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Flavia C Massaro

Full Text Available Bee propolis is a mixture of plant resins and bee secretions. While bioactivity of honeybee propolis has been reported previously, information is limited on propolis from Australian stingless bees (Tetragonula carbonaria. The aim of this study was to investigate possible vasomodulatory effects of propolis in KCl-precontracted porcine coronary arteries using an ex vivo tissue bath assay. Polar extracts of propolis produced a dose-dependent relaxant response (EC50=44.7±7.0 μg/ml, which was unaffected by endothelial denudation, suggesting a direct effect on smooth muscle. Propolis markedly attenuated a contractile response to Ca(2+ in vessels that were depolarised with 60 mM KCl, in Ca(2+-free Krebs solution. Propolis (160 µg/ml reduced vascular tone in KCl pre-contracted vessels to near-baseline levels over 90 min, and this effect was partially reversible with 6 h washout. Some loss in membrane integrity, but no loss in mitochondrial function was detected after 90 min exposure of human cultured umbilical vein endothelial cells to 160 µg/ml propolis. We conclude that Australian stingless bee (T. carbonaria propolis relaxes porcine coronary artery in an endothelial-independent manner that involves inhibition of voltage-gated Ca(2+ channels. This effect is partially and slowly reversible upon washout. Further studies are required to determine the therapeutic potential of Australian stingless bee propolis for conditions in which vascular supply is compromised.

Celiotomy by plastrotomy in a yellow-footed tortoise (Geochelone denticulata

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Marcelo C. Rodrigues

2015-02-01

Full Text Available One herein reports a successful case of celiotomy by plastrotomy for removal of foreign bodies in yellow-footed tortoise (Geochelone denticulata. The animal was treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Piaui, with appetite loss, regurgitation, constipation, lethargy, reluctance to walk and slightly reddish ocular mucous membranes. Radiographic examination was performed, confirming the presence of foreign bodies in the stomach. The tortoise underwent celiotomy by plastrotomy for the removal of the foreign bodies. The opening of the plastron was performed through the abdominal shields, with the aid of a circular mini grinding saw. One performed an incision in the midline between the two abdominal veins to access the abdominal cavity. A gastrotomy for removal of the foreign bodies (nails, toothpicks, stones, pieces of plastic, glass and crockery pieces was performed after the location of the stomach. The surgery was successful and confirmed with radiographic evaluation in the immediate postoperative period. The celiotomy by plastrotomy for removal of foreign bodies in that animal proved to be a viable, very important and safe technique to the survival of chelonians.

Rhabdomyosarcoma in a terrestrial tortoise (Geochelone nigra in Nigeria: A case report

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Oghenemega D. Eyarefe

2012-11-01

Full Text Available A skeletal muscle tumour (rhabdomysarcoma was diagnosed in a 4-year-old captive female terrestrial tortoise (Geochelone nigra weighing 7 kg presented at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. The tumour was located at the anterior right portion of the body and ventral to the carapace. The location of the tumour prevented the tortoise from extending its head from the body. The tumour was a sessile, smooth white mass, with a soft myxomatous consistency. The histological features that were diagnostic of rhabdomyosarcoma included a sparse population of haphazardly arranged spindle-shaped cells within a homogenous matrix (anisocytosis, occasional tumour giant and binucleate cells, and some well differentiated myofibrils with cross striations within the cytoplasm. The paucity of information on tumours in the land tortoise was the reason for this report, which appears to be the first report of rhabdomyosarcoma in the tortoise.

Body size development of captive and free-ranging Leopard tortoises (Geochelone pardalis).

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Ritz, Julia; Hammer, Catrin; Clauss, Marcus

2010-01-01

The growth and weight development of Leopard tortoise hatchings (Geochelone pardalis) kept at the Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP), Qatar, was observed for more than four years, and compared to data in literature for free-ranging animals on body weight or carapace measurements. The results document a distinctively faster growth in the captive animals. Indications for the same phenomenon in other tortoise species (Galapagos giant tortoises, G. nigra; Spur-thighed tortoises, Testudo graeca; Desert tortoises, Gopherus agassizi) were found in the literature. The cause of the high growth rate most likely is the constant provision with highly digestible food of low fiber content. Increased growth rates are suspected to have negative consequences such as obesity, high mortality, gastrointestinal illnesses, renal diseases, "pyramiding," fibrous osteodystrophy or metabolic bone disease. The apparently widespread occurrence of high growth rates in intensively managed tortoises underlines how easily ectothermic animals can be oversupplemented with nutrients. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Espectro trófico de Chelonoidis chilensis (Chelonii: Testudinidae en la provincia fitogeográfica del monte (Mendoza, Argentina

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Richard, Enrique

1994-01-01

Full Text Available Between 1983 and 1991, 83 field trips were made to the biogeographical province of Monte, in Mendoza province, Argentina, in order to study the trophic spectrum of Chelonoidis chilensis, among other ecoethological aspects. The trophic period extends from September to April. Adults are herbivorous in strict sense, but this may change according to the available resourees. Trophic spectrum is composed by 14 items (Families of vegetables. Some items have toxic or potentially toxit substances. Finally, the diet of Ch. chilensis is compared with the one of Ch. donosobarrosi and with other desert tortoises.

Cerumen of Australian stingless bees ( Tetragonula carbonaria): gas chromatography-mass spectrometry fingerprints and potential anti-inflammatory properties

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Massaro, Flavia Carmelina; Brooks, Peter Richard; Wallace, Helen Margaret; Russell, Fraser Donald

2011-04-01

Cerumen, or propolis, is a mixture of plant resins enriched with bee secretions. In Australia, stingless bees are important pollinators that use cerumen for nest construction and possibly for colony's health. While extensive research attests to the therapeutic properties of honeybee ( Apis mellifera) propolis, the biological and medicinal properties of Australian stingless bee cerumen are largely unknown. In this study, the chemical and biological properties of polar extracts of cerumen from Tetragonula carbonaria in South East Queensland, Australia were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses and in vitro 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) cell-free assays. Extracts were tested against comparative (commercial tincture of A. mellifera propolis) and positive controls (Trolox and gallic acid). Distinct GC-MS fingerprints of a mixed diterpenic profile typical of native bee cerumen were obtained with pimaric acid (6.31 ± 0.97%, w/w), isopimaric acid (12.23 ± 3.03%, w/w), and gallic acid (5.79 ± 0.81%, w/w) tentatively identified as useful chemical markers. Characteristic flavonoids and prenylated phenolics found in honeybee propolis were absent. Cerumen extracts from T. carbonaria inhibited activity of 5-LOX, an enzyme known to catalyse production of proinflammatory mediators (IC50 19.97 ± 2.67 μg/ml, mean ± SEM, n = 4). Extracts had similar potency to Trolox (IC50 12.78 ± 1.82 μg/ml), but were less potent than honeybee propolis (IC50 5.90 ± 0.62 μg/ml) or gallic acid (IC50 5.62 ± 0.35 μg/ml, P bee cerumen, which may herald a commercial potential for the Australian beekeeping industry.

Ultrasound characterization of the coelomic cavity organs of the red-footed tortoise ( Chelonoidis carbonaria

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Yara Silva Meireles

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Herein it was describe sonographic morphology and sintopy of the bowels of the coelomic cavity in the red-footed tortoise. Coelomic cavity of 19 males and 19 females were scanned through cervical and prefemoral access with a multifrequency sector transducer. Morphology, syntopy and echogenicity of the heart, thyroid, liver, gallbladder, reproductive organs, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, urinary bladder and kidneys were evaluated. The heart showed two atria and one ventricle with a thick, trabecular wall. The thyroid was oval and hyperecoic, visualized in the cardiac portion of the ultrasound. The liver, gallbladder and digestive system were similar to those seen in mammals and turtles. However, the tortoise liver was relatively more hyperechoic than mammals. The kidneys appeared as triangular structures, which were hypoechoic, homogeneous and vascularized; the bladder was observed mostly as being elongated with anechoic content, and its wall appeared as a thin hyperechoic line when free fluid was present. The testes were observed to be elongated, homogeneous and more hyperechoic than kidneys. The ovarian follicles were seen as hyperechoic, echogenic balls of variable size and quantity, the oviduct as a sigmoid tubular structure and the eggs as thin hyperechoic lines with posterior acoustic shadowing. In some animals, there were variable amounts of fluid around the heart and in the coelomic cavity.

Ticks on captive and free-living wild animals in northeastern Brazil.

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Dantas-Torres, Filipe; Ferreira, Débora R A; de Melo, Louise M; Lima, Polly-Ana C P; Siqueira, Daniel B; Rameh-de-Albuquerque, Luciana C; de Melo, Adriana V; Ramos, Janaina A C

2010-02-01

From 2005 to 2009, 147 ticks found on 32 wild animals from or referred to two zoobotanical parks (Parque Zoobotânico Arruda Câmara and Parque Estadual Dois Irmãos) located in northeastern Brazil were identified. Ticks found on two veterinarians working in one of the parks (i.e., Parque Estadual Dois Irmãos), after return from forested areas within the park's territory, were also identified. The following tick-host associations were recorded: Amblyomma fuscum Neumann on Boa constrictor L.; Amblyomma longirostre Koch on Ramphastos vitellinus ariel Vigors and Coendou prehensilis (L.); Amblyomma varium Koch on Bradypus variegates Schinz; Amblyomma rotundatum Koch on Chelonoidis carbonaria (Spix), Chelonoidis denticulata (L.), Micrurus ibiboboca (Merrem), Python molurus bivittatus Kuhl, Iguana iguana (L.) and B. variegatus; Amblyomma nodosum Neumann on Myrmecophaga tridactyla L. and Tamandua tetradactyla (L.); and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) on Nasua nasua (L.). The ticks found on the veterinarians were identified as nine Amblyomma larvae. The presence of Am. nodosum in Pernambuco and Am. rotundatum and Am. varium in Paraíba is recorded for the first time and the occurrence of Am. longirostre in Pernambuco is confirmed. Ramphastos vitellinus ariel is a new host record for Am. longirostre whereas M. ibiboboca and B. variegatus are new host records for Am. rotundatum. Finally, the human parasitism by Amblyomma ticks is reported for the first time in Pernambuco, highlighting the potential of tick-borne pathogen transmission in this state.

Innate colour preferences of the Australian native stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria Sm.

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Dyer, Adrian G; Boyd-Gerny, Skye; Shrestha, Mani; Lunau, Klaus; Garcia, Jair E; Koethe, Sebastian; Wong, Bob B M

2016-10-01

Innate preferences promote the capacity of pollinators to find flowers. Honeybees and bumblebees have strong preferences for 'blue' stimuli, and flowers of this colour typically present higher nectar rewards. Interestingly, flowers from multiple different locations around the world independently have the same distribution in bee colour space. Currently, however, there is a paucity of data on the innate colour preferences of stingless bees that are often implicated as being key pollinators in many parts of the world. In Australia, the endemic stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria is widely distributed and known to be an efficient pollinator of both native plants and agricultural crops. In controlled laboratory conditions, we tested the innate colour responses of naïve bees using standard broadband reflectance stimuli representative of common flower colours. Colorimetric analyses considering hymenopteran vision and a hexagon colour space revealed a difference between test colonies, and a significant effect of green contrast and an interaction effect of green contrast with spectral purity on bee choices. We also observed colour preferences for stimuli from the blue and blue-green categorical regions of colour space. Our results are discussed in relation to the similar distribution of flower colours observed from bee pollination around the world.

Description of a New Galapagos Giant Tortoise Species (Chelonoidis; Testudines: Testudinidae from Cerro Fatal on Santa Cruz Island.

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Nikos Poulakakis

Full Text Available The taxonomy of giant Galapagos tortoises (Chelonoidis spp. is currently based primarily on morphological characters and island of origin. Over the last decade, compelling genetic evidence has accumulated for multiple independent evolutionary lineages, spurring the need for taxonomic revision. On the island of Santa Cruz there is currently a single named species, C. porteri. Recent genetic and morphological studies have shown that, within this taxon, there are two evolutionarily and spatially distinct lineages on the western and eastern sectors of the island, known as the Reserva and Cerro Fatal populations, respectively. Analyses of DNA from natural populations and museum specimens, including the type specimen for C. porteri, confirm the genetic distinctiveness of these two lineages and support elevation of the Cerro Fatal tortoises to the rank of species. In this paper, we identify DNA characters that define this new species, and infer evolutionary relationships relative to other species of Galapagos tortoises.

Chapiniella variabilis (Nematoda parasitizing Chelonoidis carbonarius and C. denticulatus (Testudinidae in the state of Piauí

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Simone Mousinho Freire

Full Text Available Abstract Chapiniella variabilis (Chapin, 1924, a strongylid nematode, was collected parasitizing the large intestine of the tortoises Chelonoidis carbonarius (Spix, 1824 (Cc and C. denticulatus (Linnaeus, 1766 (Cd in the Zoobotanical Park of the municipality of Teresina, state of Piauí, Brazil. The taxonomic identification was based on morphological and morphometric features, using bright-field and scanning electron microscopy. The present study adds new observations on the morphology, mainly relating to the mouth papillae, external and internal leaf-crown elements, excretory pore, deirids and male and female posterior end. The parasitic indices of prevalence (P, mean intensity (MI, mean abundance (MA and range of infection (RI of C. variabilis in these two tortoise species were: P = 100%, MI = 833.3, MA = 833.3, RI = 500-1,500 (Cc; P = 100%, MI = 472.2, MA = 472.2, RI = 333-500 (Cd. This record expands occurrences of C. variabilis to a new host, C. carbonarius, and to another state in Brazil, in the Neotropical region of South America. Adjustment to host management with the aim of improving hygiene and health conditions is suggested.

Endoscopically guided removal of cloacal calculi in three African spurred tortoises (Geochelone sulcata).

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Mans, Christoph; Sladky, Kurt K

2012-04-01

3 female African spurred tortoises (Geochelone sulcata) of various body weights (0.22, 0.77, and 2.86 kg [0.48, 1.69, and 6.29 lb]) were examined because of reduced food intake and lack of fecal output. Owners reported intermittent tenesmus in 2 of the tortoises. Physical examinations revealed no clinically important abnormalities in the tortoises. Cloacal calculi were diagnosed on the basis of radiography and cloacoscopy in all 3 tortoises. One tortoise had another calculus in the urinary bladder. Tortoises were anesthetized, and cloacal calculi were removed by use of a cutting burr (plain-fissure cutting burr and a soft tissue protector mounted to a dental handpiece that had a low-speed motor and a straight nose cone) and warm water irrigation with endoscopic guidance. Complete removal of calculus fragments was achieved by use of forceps and irrigation. In 1 tortoise, removal of the cloacal calculus was staged (2 separate procedures). In another tortoise, a second cloacal calculus (which had been located in the urinary bladder during the first examination) was successfully removed 25 days after removal of the first calculus. All 3 tortoises recovered uneventfully, and serious complications secondary to removal of the cloacal calculi were not detected. Cloacoscopy combined with the use of a low-speed dental drill and warm water irrigation should be considered a simple, safe, and nontraumatic treatment option for removal of obstructive cloacal calculi in tortoises.

Resources or landmarks: which factors drive homing success in Tetragonula carbonaria foraging in natural and disturbed landscapes?

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Leonhardt, Sara D; Kaluza, Benjamin F; Wallace, Helen; Heard, Tim A

2016-10-01

To date, no study has investigated how landscape structural (visual) alterations affect navigation and thus homing success in stingless bees. We addressed this question in the Australian stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria by performing marking, release and re-capture experiments in landscapes differing in habitat homogeneity (i.e., the proportion of elongated ground features typically considered prominent visual landmarks). We investigated how landscape affected the proportion of bees and nectar foragers returning to their hives as well as the earliest time bees and foragers returned. Undisturbed landscapes with few landmarks (that are conspicuous to the human eye) and large proportions of vegetation cover (natural forests) were classified visually/structurally homogeneous, and disturbed landscapes with many landmarks and fragmented or no extensive vegetation cover (gardens and plantations) visually/structurally heterogeneous. We found that proportions of successfully returning nectar foragers and earliest times first bees and foragers returned did not differ between landscapes. However, most bees returned in the visually/structurally most (forest) and least (garden) homogeneous landscape, suggesting that they use other than elongated ground features for navigation and that return speed is primarily driven by resource availability in a landscape.

Determination of interglycosidic linkages in O-glycosyl flavones by high-performance liquid chromatography/photodiode-array detection coupled to electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry. Its application to Tetragonula carbonaria honey from Australia.

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Truchado, Pilar; Vit, Patricia; Heard, Tim A; Tomás-Barberán, Francisco A; Ferreres, Federico

2015-05-30

Tetragonula carbonaria pot-honeys are highly valued as a food source and for their biological activities in Australia, and there is a growing interest to know its composition. Phenolic metabolites, which could be related to their beneficial properties, have not been studied in depth yet. Mass spectrometry (MS) coupled to liquid chromatography (LC) is an advanced technique for the study of complex flavonoids present in difficult food matrices that hampers their isolation and purification. This allows the tentative characterization of diglycosides/triglycosides establishing the position of the O-glycosylation on the sugar moiety by the study of the MS data in T. carbonaria pot-honeys from Australia. Their spectra obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography/photodiode-array detection/electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS(n) ) revealed for the first time 19 quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin O-glycosides. These compounds were clustered in flavonoid triglycosides, diglycosides and monoglycosides. The first cluster contained one flavonoid trihexoside, two -3-O-(2-hexosyl, 6-rhamnosyl)hexosides and their isomers and two -3-O-(2,6-di-rhamnosyl)hexosides. In the second cluster, eleven flavonoid diglycosides such as three -3-O-(2-hexosyl)hexosides, four -3-O-(2-rhamnosyl)hexosides and one -3-O-(6-rhamnosyl)hexoside as well as two -3-O-(2-pentosyl)hexosides and one tentative -3-O-(3-pentosyl)hexoside were detected. In the monoglycoside group, only one flavonoid -3-O-hexoside was identified. The occurrence of this large number of flavonoid glycosides could be due to the low glucosidase activity previously reported in stingless bee honey. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

THE BIOCLUB AS A STRATEGY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF THE MORROCOY TORTOISE, GEOCHELONE CARBONARIA (SPIX 1824 IN CURUMANÍ-CESAR.

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Mary Lorena Moyano Acevedo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In this research, the pedagogical implications generated from the implementation of educational strategy named Bioclub with respect to practices that have the population of the municipality of Curumaní in the department of Cesar (Colombia are presented regarding the Tortuga Morrocoy. Through the collection of information on the socioeconomic conditions of the community education strategy was designed on the premise of contextualized learning. In a second step Bioclub meetings where the community participated directly represented by students of San José College, to obtain data related practices concerning species and their biological and ecological survey were applied. Lastly, the practices of the community in relation to the turtle, the implications concerning the development of an educational strategy emphasizing the benefits that science club in the teaching-learning process in the construction of knowledge are characterized, and how this may generate a positive change in the attitudes of children in environmental stewardship and conservation of biodiversity in Colombia. Finally we developed a Conservation Primer built as a result of Bioclub involving aspects of their biology and ecology, as well as a guide aimed at sustainable farming, in order to try to minimize the negative impact of the practices of the community to species.

Long-term memory of relative reward values.

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Soldati, Francesca; Burman, Oliver H P; John, Elizabeth A; Pike, Thomas W; Wilkinson, Anna

2017-02-01

Long-term memory can be adaptive as it allows animals to retain information that is crucial for survival, such as the appearance and location of key resources. This is generally examined by comparing choices of stimuli that have value to the animal with those that do not; however, in nature choices are rarely so clear cut. Animals are able to assess the relative value of a resource via direct comparison, but it remains unclear whether they are able to retain this information for a biologically meaningful amount of time. To test this, captive red-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonaria) were first trained to associate visual cues with specific qualities and quantities of food, and their preferences for the different reward values determined. They were then retested after an interval of 18 months. We found that the tortoises were able to retain the information they had learned about the cues as indicators of relative reward values over this interval, demonstrating a memory for the relative quantity and quality of food over an extended period of time. This is likely to impact directly on an animal's foraging decisions, such as the exploitation of seasonally varying resources, with obvious fitness implications for the individual; however, the implications may also extend to the ecological interactions in which the animal is involved, affecting processes such as herbivory and seed dispersal. © 2017 The Author(s).

Anti-inflammatory activity of animal oils from the Peruvian Amazon.

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Schmeda-Hirschmann, Guillermo; Delporte, Carla; Valenzuela-Barra, Gabriela; Silva, Ximena; Vargas-Arana, Gabriel; Lima, Beatriz; Feresin, Gabriela E

2014-10-28

Animal oils and fats from the fishes Electrophorus electricus and Potamotrygon motoro, the reptiles Boa constrictor, Chelonoidis denticulata (Geochelone denticulata) and Melanosuchus niger and the riverine dolphin Inia geoffrensis are used as anti-inflammatory agents in the Peruvian Amazon. The aim of the study was to assess the topic anti-inflammatory effect of the oils/fats as well as to evaluate its antimicrobial activity and fatty acid composition. The oils/fats were purchased from a traditional store at the Iquitos market of Belen, Peru. The topic anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by the mice ear edema induced by arachidonic acid (AA) and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) at the dose of 3mg oil/ear. Indomethacine and nimesulide were used as reference anti-inflammatory drugs. The application resembles the traditional topical use of the oils. The antimicrobial effect of the oils/fats was assessed by the microdilution test against reference strains of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis. The fatty acid composition of the oils/fats (as methyl esters) was determined by GC and GC-MS analysis after saponification. All oils/fats showed topic anti-inflammatory activity, with better effect in the TPA-induced mice ear edema assay. The most active drugs were Potamotrygon motoro, Melanosuchus niger and Geochelone denticulata. In the AA-induced assay, the best activity was found for Potamotrygon motoro and Electrophorus electricus oil. The oil of Electrophorus electricus also showed a weak antimicrobial effect with MIC values of 250 µg/mL against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Salmonella enteritidis-MI. The main fatty acids in the oils were oleic, palmitic and linoleic acids. Topical application of all the oils/fats investigated showed anti-inflammatory activity in the mice ear edema assay. The effect can be related with the identity and composition of the fatty acids in the samples. This study gives support to the traditional

Identification of limiting climatic and geographical variables for the distribution of the tortoise Chelonoidis chilensis (Testudinidae: a baseline for conservation actions

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Alejandro Ruete

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background. Just as for most other tortoise species, the once common Chaco tortoise, Chelonoidis chilensis (Testudinidae, is under constant threat across it distribution in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. Despite initial qualitative description of the species distribution and further individual reports of new locations for the species, there is no description of the species distribution in probabilistic terms. With this work we aim to produce an updated predictive distribution map for C. chilensis to serve as a baseline management tool for directed strategic conservation planning.Methods. We fitted a spatially expanded logistic regression model within the Bayesian framework that accounts for uncertainty on presence-only and generated pseudo-absence data into the parameter estimates. We contrast the results with reported data for the national networks of protected areas to assess the inclusion of the species in area-based conservation strategies.Results. We obtained maps with predictions of the occurrence of the species and reported the model’s uncertainty spatially. The model suggests that potential suitable habitats for the species are continuous across Argentina, West Paraguay and South Bolivia, considering the variables, the scale and the resolution used. The main limiting variables were temperature-related variables, and precipitation in the reproductive period.Discussion. Given the alarming low density and coverage of protected areas over the distribution area of C. chilensis, the map produced provides a baseline to identify areas where directed strategic conservation management actions would be more efficient for this and other associated species.

Physico-chemical properties of honeys produced by two stingless ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and sodium (Na) contents were 25.43%, 0.76%, and 12.67% for Trigona carbonaria honey and 26.51%, 1.03% and 11.96% for Melipona beecheii .The fructose, glucose, reducing sugar, higher sugar, sucrose and calorific value contents of Trigona carbonaria honey were 37.25%, 31.64%, ...

Description of Eimeria motelo sp. n. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae from the yellow footed tortoise, Geochelone denticulata (Chelonia: Testudinidae, and replacement of Eimeria carinii Lainson, Costa & Shaw, 1990 by Eimeria lainsoni nom. nov.

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Lada Hurková

2000-12-01

Full Text Available Eimeria motelo sp. n. is described from faeces of the yellow-footed tortoise, Geochelone denticulata (L.. Oocysts are irregularly ellipsoidal or cylindrical, with slightly expressed lobed protrusions and irregularities at the poles, possibly caused by wrinkling of the oocyst wall, 17 (15-19 × 9.4 (8.5-11 µm, shape index (length/width being 1.81 (1.45-2. The oocyst wall is smooth, single-layered, 0.5 µm thick with no micropyle. There are no polar bodies. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 8.9 (7.5-10 × 4.4 (4-5 µm, shape index 2.03 (1.7-2.5. A sporocyst residuum is present, composed of many granules of irregular size. The sporozoites are elongate, lying lengthwise in the sporocysts. Comparison with other species of the genus Eimeria parasitising members of family Testudinidae indicates that the presently described coccidium represents a new species. The name of Eimeria carinii Lainson, Costa & Shaw, 1990 is found to be preoccupied by a homonym, Eimeria carinii Pinto 1928 given to a coccidium from Rattus norvegicus. Therefore, it is replaced by Eimeria lainsoni nom. nov.

The industrial melanism mutation in British peppered moths is a transposable element.

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Van't Hof, Arjen E; Campagne, Pascal; Rigden, Daniel J; Yung, Carl J; Lingley, Jessica; Quail, Michael A; Hall, Neil; Darby, Alistair C; Saccheri, Ilik J

2016-06-02

Discovering the mutational events that fuel adaptation to environmental change remains an important challenge for evolutionary biology. The classroom example of a visible evolutionary response is industrial melanism in the peppered moth (Biston betularia): the replacement, during the Industrial Revolution, of the common pale typica form by a previously unknown black (carbonaria) form, driven by the interaction between bird predation and coal pollution. The carbonaria locus has been coarsely localized to a 200-kilobase region, but the specific identity and nature of the sequence difference controlling the carbonaria-typica polymorphism, and the gene it influences, are unknown. Here we show that the mutation event giving rise to industrial melanism in Britain was the insertion of a large, tandemly repeated, transposable element into the first intron of the gene cortex. Statistical inference based on the distribution of recombined carbonaria haplotypes indicates that this transposition event occurred around 1819, consistent with the historical record. We have begun to dissect the mode of action of the carbonaria transposable element by showing that it increases the abundance of a cortex transcript, the protein product of which plays an important role in cell-cycle regulation, during early wing disc development. Our findings fill a substantial knowledge gap in the iconic example of microevolutionary change, adding a further layer of insight into the mechanism of adaptation in response to natural selection. The discovery that the mutation itself is a transposable element will stimulate further debate about the importance of 'jumping genes' as a source of major phenotypic novelty.

Eimeria species (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae of podocnemis expansa (Schweigger and geochelone denticulata (LINN. from Amazonian Brazil (Reptilia: Chelonia

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Ralph Lainson

1990-12-01

Full Text Available Eimeria lagunculata, Eimeria mammiformis and Eimeria podocnemis n. spp., are described from the faeces of the fresh-water turtle Podocnemis expansa, in Pará State, north Brasil. Oocysts of E. lagunculata are ellipsoidal, 19.2 x 12.8 (17.0-20.7 x 11.8-14.1 mum, shape-index (= length/ width 1.5 (1.4-1.7. Oocyst wall about 0.5-0.7 mum thick, with a prominent stopper-like micropyle at one pole. No oocyst residuum and no polar body. Sporocysts elongate ellipsoidal, 11.0 x 5.4 (10.4-11.8 x 5.2-6.0 mum, shape-index 2.0 (1.8-2.1: no Stieda body. A compact, ellipsoidal sporocyst residuum lies between the two sporozoites, which possess a posterior and an anterior refractile body. Oocysts of E. mammiformis broadly ellipsoidal, 30.0 x 19.4 (23.0-37.0 x 16.3-21.5 mum, shape-index 1.5 (1.1-1.9. Oocyst wall about 0.7 mum thick, with a prominent micropyle: no oocyst residuum and rarely a single polar body. Sporocysts ellipsoidal, 15.3 x 7.9 (14.8-17.0 x 7.4-9.6 mum, shape-index 2.0 (1.8-2.2, with a tiny Stieda body. Sporocyst residuum bulky, ellipsoidal: sporozoites with two conspicuous refractile bodies. E. podocnemis has broadly ellipsoidal oocysts, 17.0 x 12.8 (14.8-19.2 x 11.8-14.1 mum, shape-index 1.3 (1.1-1.4. Oocyst wall about 0.5-0.7 mum thick, with no micropyle. No oocyst residuum, but always a single polar body. Sporocysts ellipsoidal, 9.7 x 5.2 (8.9-10.4 x 4.4-6.0 mum, shape-index 1.9 (1.6-2.0, with no Stieda body. Sporocyst residuum bulky, ellipsoidal: sporocysts with 2 refractile bodies. Eimeria carinii n. sp., is recorded from the tortoise Geochelone denticulata, also from Pará. Oocyst wall about 1.2 mum thicl. No micropyle. Oocyst residuum limited to a number (about 10-20 of scattered granules: no polar body. Sporocysts broadly ellipsoidal, and with no Stieda body: they measure 8,8 x 7.3 (8.0-9.0 x 7.0-7.5 mum, shape-index 1.2 (1.1-1.3. Sporocyst residuum bulky, spherical to ellipsoidal: sporozoites possess both posterior and anterior

Algunas observaciones en sangre de la tortuga terrestre argentina

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Troiano, Juan Carlos

1986-01-01

Full Text Available Se describen las observaciones hechas en sangre de 30 ejemplares de tortuga terrestre argentina (Geochelone chilensis, discutiendo la técnica adecuada para toma de muestras de sangre. Además, se evalúan parámetros de química hemática y se detalla la morfología de las diferentes series celulares, comparando las datos obtenidos con especies exóticas afines. It is described the observations made in blood from 30 specimens of argentine terrestrial turtle (Geochelone chilensis, discussing the adecuate technique from blood sampling. Moreover it is evaluated blood chemistry parameters and it is detailed the morphology of the diferents cells series, compared the dates with related exotic species.

The Leopard Tortoise in the Mountain Zebra National Park

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J. H Grobler

1982-12-01

Full Text Available A total of 69 leopard tortoises Geochelone pardalis babcocki (Loveridge 1935 were captured, marked, sexed, weighed and released. The results of this exercise together with other field data are presented and discussed.

the giant tortoise population of aldabra (cryptodira: testudinidae)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The ecology and behaviour of the Aldabran giant tortoise Geochelone (Testudo) ... sling suspended from a heavy duty balance mounted on a light steel tripod and ..... is absent, and may die of exposure to intense solar radiation and resultant.

Land tortoise types in the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie with comments on nomenclature and systematic (Reptilia: Testudines: Testudinidae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoogmoed, M.S.; Crumly, C.R.

1984-01-01

The holotype of Testudo vosmaeri Fitzinger, 1826 [= Geochelone vosmaeri] is RMNH 6001. The holotype of Testudo forstenii Schlegel & Müller, 1840 [= lndotestudo forstenii] is RMNH 3811. I. forstenii is considered a senior synonym of T. travancorica Boulenger, 1907 because plastral colour pattern,

Phylogenetic relationships among the species of the genus testudo (Testudines : Testudinidae) inferred from mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene sequences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Kuyl, Antoinette C.; Ph Ballasina, Donato L.; Dekker, John T.; Maas, Jolanda; Willemsen, Ronald E.; Goudsmit, Jaap

2002-01-01

To test phylogenetic relationships within the genus Testudo (Testudines: Testudinidae), we have sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial (mt) 12S rRNA gene of 98 tortoise specimens belonging to the genera Testudo, Indotestudo, and Geochelone. Maximum likelihood and neighbor-joining methods identify

note on variable incubation period within a clutch of eggs

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Compo Biochem. Physiol. 53A: 1-6. MENDELSOHN, 1. M., BIGOS, H. C. & LEDGER, 1. A. In press. The biology of the black-shouldered. NOTE ON VARIABLE. INCUBATION PERIOD WITHIN A. CLUTCH OF EGGS OF THE. LEOPARD TORTOISE. (GEOCHELONE P ARDALIS). (CHELONIA: CRYPTODIRA: TESTUDINIDAE).

Reproductive ecology and egg production of the radiated tortoise ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

We studied reproduction of wild Geochelone radiata at the Cap Sainte Marie Special Reserve in southwestern Madagascar to gain insight into life history traits related to reproductive success. Reproductive behaviour was observed over two nesting seasons and egg production was studied by radiographing telemetered ...

The alternative Pharaoh approach: stingless bees mummify beetle parasites alive

Science.gov (United States)

Greco, Mark K.; Hoffmann, Dorothee; Dollin, Anne; Duncan, Michael; Spooner-Hart, Robert; Neumann, Peter

2010-03-01

Workers from social insect colonies use different defence strategies to combat invaders. Nevertheless, some parasitic species are able to bypass colony defences. In particular, some beetle nest invaders cannot be killed or removed by workers of social bees, thus creating the need for alternative social defence strategies to ensure colony survival. Here we show, using diagnostic radioentomology, that stingless bee workers ( Trigona carbonaria) immediately mummify invading adult small hive beetles ( Aethina tumida) alive by coating them with a mixture of resin, wax and mud, thereby preventing severe damage to the colony. In sharp contrast to the responses of honeybee and bumblebee colonies, the rapid live mummification strategy of T. carbonaria effectively prevents beetle advancements and removes their ability to reproduce. The convergent evolution of mummification in stingless bees and encapsulation in honeybees is another striking example of co-evolution between insect societies and their parasites.

Predation on tent tortoise and leopard tortoise hatchlings by the pale ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Predation by the pale chanting goshawk Melierax canorus on Psammobates tentorius and Geochelone pardalis hatchlings correlates with the habitat preference of these tortoise species as well as with the breeding pattern of P. tentorius. It is not known why the particularly abundant Chersìna angolata was not preyed upon.

The Giant Tortoise Population of Aldabra (Cryptodira: Testudinidae ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The preliminary results of a study of the endemic giant tortoise population of Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean (Geochelone gigatea Schweiger) are briefly described. Their number would appear to have increased dramatically since the turn of the century to their present level of some 141 000 individuals. Crude estimates of ...

De larven van het geslacht Einfeldia Kieffer, 1924: nomenclatuur en tabel tot de soorten (Diptera: Chironomidae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moller Pillot, H.K.M.; Wiersma, S.M.

1997-01-01

The larvae of the genus Einfeldia Kieffer, 1924: nomenclature and key to the species (Diptera: Chironomidae). A review is given of the identities of groups and taxa of Einfeldia in the larval stage as given in the literature. Three species remain on the Dutch list: E. carbonaria (Meigen), E.

Anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in captive animals in Paraíba State

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Arthur Brasil

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this survey was to verify the occurrence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in captive animals in the Parque Zoobotânico Arruda Câmara, João Pessoa, Paraíba State, Northeastern Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 49 animals: 26 mammals of the species Sapajus libidinosus, Cebus flavius, Saimiri sciureu, Coendu sp., Pseudalopex vetulus, Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus tigrinus, Galactitis vitata, Eira barbara, Nasua nasua, Tayassu tajacu and Ratus norvegicus; 10 birds of the species Penelope jacucaca, Pavo cristatus, Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, Ara chlorothpterus, Pionites leucogaster, Polyborus plancus, Geranoaetus melanoleucus and Urubitinga urubitinga; and 13 reptiles of the species Caiman latirostris, Paleosuchus trigonatus, Caiman crocodilus, Tupinabis merinae, Tupinambis teguixin, Boa constrictor, Corallus hortulanus, Python molurus, Bufocephala vanderhaegei, Geochelone denticulata and Geochelone carboraria. Sera were examined by the microscopic agglutination teste (MAT using 24 serovars as antigens and cut-off point of 1:100. One ocelot (Leopardo pardalis presented positive reaction for the Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar with titer of 100, however, it did not show any clinical sign of the infection. Sinantropic rodents are the main reservoirs of this serovar, which suggests the need of maintenance and continuous evaluation of rodent control programs.

Identificación de Mycobacterium sp., en una población de tortugas morrocoy (Geochelone carbonaria en cautiverio y en su entorno, en un zoológico en la Sabana de Bogotá

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Ángela Natalia Agudelo

2008-06-01

Full Text Available En un Zoológico de la Sabana de Bogotá, se presentó alta mortalidad de aves por tuberculosis aviar, en un encierro en el cual habitaban dos clases de animales diferentes: reptiles y aves. Se buscó establecer la presencia del Mycobacterium sp, por medio de la identificación molecular (PCR-PRA, en una población de 19 tortugas Morrocoy en cautiverio en el Zoológico mencionado anteriormente. Se procedió a tuberculinizar a todas las tortugas, las cuales resultaron negativas y se recolectaron muestras de materia fecal y muestras ambientales (agua y suelo y se cultivaron en medios OK/MSTA, LJ y OK respectivamente realizando baciloscopia para cada una de las muestras. De la muestras de materia fecal sólo cuatro fueron positivas a baciloscopia y de nueve muestras ambientales (suelo (n=7, agua (n=2, cinco fueron positivas (suelo (n=4, agua (n=1; en cuanto al crecimiento fueron negativas todas las de materia fecal de las tortugas Morrocoy. De las muestras ambientales (suelo, agua crecieron cinco y una muestras respectivamente. Adicionalmente se obtuvo muestras de la necropsia de una tortuga Icotea, (tejido, orina y absceso y sólo hubo crecimiento de la muestra de absceso. De la muestra de absceso se identificó Mycobacterium gordonae tipo 3, de las de suelo se obtuvo Mycobacterium avium tipo 3 y en el de agua se obtuvo Mycobacterium fortuitum tipo 1. Los hallazgos sugieren la necesidad de una vigilancia continua, que permita la identificación de la presencia de micobacterias; por medio de pruebas de laboratorio apropiadas (baciloscopia, cultivo, pruebas bioquímicas y moleculares; ya que se debe evitar que las tortugas sigan siendo parte de un ciclo epidemiológico de transmisión como portadores sanos y el contacto con los humanos debe darse sólo cuando sea estrictamente necesario, aplicando normas de bioseguridad.

Experimental study of the cline of industrial melanism in Biston betularia (L. ) (Lepidoptera) between urban Liverpool and rural North Wales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bishop, J A

1972-01-01

Some populations of moths are polymorphic, containing industrial melanic and nonmelanic forms. The melanics are camouflaged from bird predators in grimy, smoke polluted areas and non-melanics are conspicuous. The reverse situation occurs in unpolluted countryside. A mark-release-recapture experiment estimated parameters of the population of male moths in a circular area of 5 km radius. Marked moths, released in a wood at the center of the area flew up to 5.8 km a night. The 24-hour survival rates of the carbonaria melanic and typical females wre estimated at seven places along a cline. The survival rates for carbonaria females decline with distance from Liverpool while those for the typical form increase. The survival rates were used to calculate selective coefficients. The regression of selective coefficient against distance from central Liverpool was significant. A computer model was used in an attempt to resynthesize the original cline from the experimental data. The selective coefficients measured did not produce a good fit in the more rural parts of the cline; this suggests that the melanic form has some hitherto unsuspected advantage in rural areas which more than counterbalances its visual disadvantages. 48 references, 11 figures, 16 tables.

Biodiversity and systematics of apicomplexan parasites infecting South African leopard and hinged tortoises

OpenAIRE

2010-01-01

M.Sc. Research into blood protozoans (haematozoans) infecting African tortoises is scanty with only a few records published, many during the early part of the last century. Little research had been done on the blood parasites of tortoises examined in this study namely, Kinixys lobatsiana, K. belliana belliana, K. natalensis, Geochelone pardalis pardalis, G. pardalis babcocki and Chersina angulata. The study therefore aimed to: 1) examine apicomplexan haematozoan parasites infecting several...

Social, biological, and environmental drivers of the hunting and trade of the endangered yellow-footed tortoise in the Amazon

OpenAIRE

Thaís Q. Morcatty; João Valsecchi

2015-01-01

Chelonians constitute an important source of food and income for the inhabitants of tropical forests. We assessed the social, biological, and environmental factors affecting the hunting and trade of the endangered yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulata) in rural and urban areas in the Amazon and estimated the sustainability of tortoise use. We also discuss possible conservation alternatives that are compatible with the needs of local inhabitants. We monitored tortoise hunting and tra...

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF STRAINS OF Salmonella spp IN RED-FOOT-TORTOISES FROM WILDLIFE TRADE ISOLAMENTO E IDENTIFICAÇÃO DE CEPAS DE Salmonella spp DE JABUTIS-PIRANGA ORIUNDOS DO TRÁFICO DE ANIMAIS SILVESTRES

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Oberdan Coutinho Nunes

2010-04-01

Full Text Available We investigated Salmonella sp. in red-foot tortoise (Chelonoides carbonaria because of the fact this particular reptile shows high frequency of illegal commerce, and also because this situation represents a serious risk for health. We collected feces of 89 turtles from the wildlife center “Chico Mendes” - IBAMA/SUPES-BA. Characteristic colonies of Salmonella sp. were isolated in 12.36% of the tortoises (11/89. Nine colonies were identificated at the Adolfo Lutz Institute, distributed into six different sorotypes: S. enterica salamae 47:b:-; S. enterica houtenae 21:g,z51; S. Panama; S. Poona; S. Javiana e S. Michigan. All of them, according to literature, without previous description of infection in C. carbonaria whatsoever. However, there are previous cases of infections and antibiotics resistance involving these sorotypes, confirming the risk represented by wildlife trade to public health concerning the children’s exposition to the source of infection as well as the dissemination of resistant sorotypes.

KEY WORDS: Epidemiology, reptiles, zoonosis.

Este trabalho objetivou investigar a ocorrência de Salmonella sp. em jabutis-piranga (Chelonoides carbonaria, dada sua elevada frequência no comércio ilegal e risco que representa para a saúde. Coletaram-se fezes de 89 jabutis mantidos no Centro de Triagem de Animais Silvestres Chico Mendes – IBAMA/SUPES-BA. Isolaram-se colônias características de Salmonella sp. em 12,36% dos jabutis (11/89. Destas, nove foram identificadas no Instituto Adolfo Lutz (São Paulo, distribuindo-se em seis diferentes sorovares: S. enterica salamae 47:b:-; S. enterica houtenae 21:g,z51; S. Panama; S. Poona; S. Javiana e S. Michigan, todas, segundo a literatura consultada, sem prévia descrição para C. carbonária. No entanto, estão presentes em relatos de infecções e em estudos sobre resistência a antibióticos, confirmando o risco representado pelo tráfico de animais para a sa

Local survey of the distribution of industrial melanic forms in the moth Biston betularia and estimates of the selective values of these in an industrial environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clarke, C A; Sheppard, P M

1966-01-01

A survey has shown that there is a rapid decline in the frequency of the industrial melanic carbonaria of the moth Biston betularia from a value of about 97% in Liverpool to less than 10% 50 miles to the west in North Wales. The decline in the frequency of the intermediate phenotype insularia in this area, controlled by an allelomorph at the same locus, is from about 14% on the Wirral (no reliable frequency is available for Liverpool) to about 4% 30 miles to the west. Experiments using dead moths placed in life-like positions on tree trunks at Caldy and in Liverpool confirmed that carbonaria is better camouflaged on the blackened tree trunks of industrial areas. Estimates of the selective disadvantage of the typical form in Liverpool, using data from the survey and these experiments, together with a variety of assumptions, indicate values of the order of 60%, which is somewhat higher than previous estimates. At Caldy the typical form appears to have been at a disadvantage of about 50% prior to the introduction of the smokeless zones and is now at about a 20% disadvantage, using assumptions similar to those in the Liverpool estimates. Although these estimates are subject to considerable error, there is little doubt that they reflect the correct order of magnitude of the relative selective values. 8 references, 1 figure, 4 tables.

Plants eaten and dispersed by adult leopard tortoises Geochelone ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1991-10-01

Oct 1, 1991 ... seeds of indigenous and alien plants, is discussed. Study site and methods ... were also made during an estimated 600 h of field work on plains at Tierberg ..... Field guide to the Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa.

Giant fossil tortoise and freshwater chelid turtle remains from the middle Miocene, Quebrada Honda, Bolivia: Evidence for lower paleoelevations for the southern Altiplano

Science.gov (United States)

Cadena, Edwin A.; Anaya, Federico; Croft, Darin A.

2015-12-01

We describe the first Miocene turtle remains from Bolivia, which were collected from the late middle Miocene (13.18-13.03 Ma) of Quebrada Honda, southern Bolivia. This material includes a large scapula-acromion and fragmentary shell elements conferred to the genus Chelonoidis (Testudinidae), and a left xiphiplastron from a pleurodire or side-necked turtle, conferred to Acanthochelys (Chelidae). The occurrence of a giant tortoise and a freshwater turtle suggests that the paleoelevation of the region when the fossils were deposited was lower than has been estimated by stable isotope proxies, with a maximum elevation probably less than 1000 m. At a greater elevation, cool temperatures would have been beyond the tolerable physiological limits for these turtles and other giant ectotherm reptiles.

Cystic calculi removal in African spurred Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata using transplstron coeliotomy

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Azlan Che' Amat

Full Text Available The present report was carried out to manage a case of calculi in the bladder of African spurred tortoise. A 6 year old African spurred tortoise presented with history of anorexia and whitish discharged from the vent. Upon physical examination, the tortoise were 10% dehydrated, hindlegs muscle wasting and whitish materials came out from the vent. Plain radiograph revealed increased radiopacity in the bladder and also both right and left kidney. Contrast gastrointestinal radiograph showed less possibility of foreign body. Inconclusive radiological findings required the decision to proceed with exploratory transplastron coeliotomy by using dental burr. About 4 cm solid, hard whitish mass was removed from the bladder and both kidney was congested with whitish material. The findings were suggestive for urates crystal calculi based on histology result. [Vet. World 2012; 5(8.000: 489-492

First chelonian eggs and carapace fragments from the Pliocene of Rhodes, Greece

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mueller-Töwe, Inken J.; Kjeldahl-Vallon, Tina A.; Milàn, Jesper

2011-01-01

Well-preserved fossil eggs and eggshell fragments from the Pliocene Apolakkia Formation of Rhodes (Greece) are described. The eggs were found in-situ in a clutch. They are sub-spherical with lengths of 53-60 mm and widths of about 40 mm. All eggs are diagenetically compressed and their original...... diameters are estimated at 45-50 mm. The eggshells are 0.3-0.5 mm thick, partly recrystallized, but widely still aragonitic. They consist of needle-like crystals that form individual shell units. A few pores are preserved between these shell units. This shell-structure allows assignment to chelonian eggs...... in the oofamily Testudoolithidae and the oogenus Testudolithus. The external morphology, microstructure and mineralogical composition of the eggshells show close resemblance to eggs of the extant tortoise Geochelone elephantopus. Together with a small association of turtle carapace fragments from the same...

Marine organisms as source of extracts to disrupt bacterial communication: bioguided isolation and identification of quorum sensing inhibitors from Ircinia felix

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Jairo Quintana

Full Text Available AbstractIn this study, 39 extracts from marine organisms were evaluated as quorum sensing inhibitors, collected in the Colombian Caribbean Sea and the Brazilian Coast including 26 sponges, seven soft corals, five algae and one zooanthid. The results showed that crude extracts from the soft coral Eunicea laciniata, and the sponges Svenzea tubulosa, Ircinia felix and Neopetrosia carbonaria were the most promising source of quorum sensing inhibitors compounds without affecting bacterial growth, unlike the raw extracts of Agelas citrina, Agelas tubulata, Iotrochota arenosa, Topsentia ophiraphidites, Niphates caycedoi, Cliona tenuis, Ptilocaulis walpersi, Petrosia pellasarca, and the algae Laurencia catarinensis and Laurencia obtusa, which displayed potent antibacterial activity against the biosensors employed. The crude extract from the sponge I. felix was fractionated, obtaining furanosesterterpenes which were identified and evaluated as quorum sensing inhibitors, showing a moderate activity without affecting the biosensor's growth.

Reactividad inmunoquímica de sueros anti- Caiman yacare y Caiman latirostris frente a sueros de diferentes especies

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de Roodt, Adolfo Rafael

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Se estudió la reactividad inmunoquímica entre los sueros de distintas especies de reptiles frente a sueros hiperinmunes experimentales anti-suero de Caiman yacare y anti-suero de Caiman latirostris. Los sueros que se probaron fueron los homólogos de Caiman yacare, Caiman latirostris y los heterólogos de Alligator missisipiensis, Tupinambis merinae, Tupinambis rufescens, Chelonoidis chilensis, Clelia rustica, Waglerophis merremii, Lystrophys dorbignyi, Phyton molurus, Boa constrictor occidentalis, Eunectes notaeus, Crotalus durissus terrificus, Bothrops alternatus, Bothrops diporus, Bothrops jararaca, Bothrops jararacussu, Bothrops moojeni, Pitangus sulphuratus y Gallus gallus. La reactividad inmunoquímica se determinó mediante las técnicas de doble inmunodifusión y ELISA, mostrándose importante entre los sueros de los crocodrílidos y baja entre estos y los de las otras especies de reptiles estudiadas. Se observó mayor reactividad entre los antisueros anti-Caiman respecto a los sueros de Caiman latirostris y Caiman yacare que frente al suero de Alligator missisipiensis. Además, se encontró una fuerte reactividad entre ambos sueros anti-Caiman y el de Gallus gallus poniendo en evidencia la fuerte reactividad entre los sueros de arcosaurios. In order to study the immunochemical reactivity among sera from different species of reptiles regarding sera from Caiman, the immunoreactivity of sera from reptiles against antisera to Caiman yacare or anti-Caiman latirostris sera was studied. These hiperimmune sera were tested against sera from Alligator missisipiensis, Tupinambis merinae, Tupinambis rufescens, Chelonoidis chilensis, Clelia rustica, Waglerophis merremii, Lystrophys dorbignyi, Phyton molurus, Boa constrictor occidentalis, Eunectes notaeus, Crotalus durissus terrificus, Bothrops alternatus, Bothrops neuwiedii, Bothrops jararaca, Bothrops jararacussu, Bothrops moojeni, Pitangus sulphuratus and Gallus gallus. The immunochemical

NUEVOS APORTES AL CONOCIMIENTO DE LA HERPETOFAUNA DE LA FORMACIÓN CERRO AZUL (MIOCENO SUPERIOR, PROVINCIA DE LA PAMPA, ARGENTINA

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AGUSTÍN SCANFERLA

2015-01-01

Full Text Available RESUMENSe describen nuevos materiales fósiles de anfibios y reptiles hallados en sedimentos referidos a la Formación Cerro Azul (Mioceno Superior, procedentes de numerosas localidades de la provincia de La Pampa, Argentina. Los nuevos registros se basan en un resto craneano de anuro asignado al géneroCeratophrys, restos de caparazón de tortugas terrestres del géneroChelonoidis, vértebras asignables al lagarto de la familia TeiidaeTupinambis, y una vértebra troncal de serpiente comparable al género de colubroideos actualesPhilodryas. Tanto los registros terciarios previos de géneros actuales de anfibios y reptiles en América del Sur, como así también la asociación recuperada en el Mioceno Superior de La Pampa sugieren que la mayoría de los géneros que componen la herpetofauna Neotropical estaban presentes en el Mioceno, patrón similar al observado en otras regiones del mundo.

New tick records in Rondônia, Western Brazilian Amazon Novos relatos de carrapatos em Rondônia, Amazônia ocidental brasileira

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Marcelo Bahia Labruna

2010-09-01

Full Text Available In the present study, we provide new tick records from Vilhena Municipality, in the Southeast of the State of Rondônia, Northern Brazil. Ticks collected from a capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Linnaeus, were identified as Amblyomma romitii Tonelli-Rondelli (1 female, and Amblyomma sp. (1 larva. Ticks collected from a harpy eagle, Harpia harpyja (Linnaeus, were identified as Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius (16 nymphs and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley (1 nymph. Ticks collected from a yellow-footed tortoise, Chelonoidis denticulada (Linnaeus, were identified as Amblyomma rotundatum Koch (10 females, 2 nymphs, and Amblyomma sp. (2 larvae. The present record of A. romitii is the first in the State of Rondônia, and represents the southernmost record for this tick species, indicating that its distribution area is much larger than currently recognized. Although both A. cajennense and H. juxtakochi have been reported parasitizing various bird species, we provide the first tick records on a harpy eagle. A. rotundatum is widespread in the State of Rondônia, and has been previously reported on the yellow-footed tortoise. The present records increase the tick fauna of Rondônia to 26 species.O presente estudo relata novos achados de carrapatos provenientes do Município de Vilhena, Sudeste do Estado de Rondônia, na região Norte do Brasil. Carrapatos colhidos de uma capivara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Linnaeus, foram identificados como Amblyomma romitii Tonelli-Rondelli (1 fêmea e Amblyomma sp. (1 larva. Carrapatos colhidos de uma águia harpia, Harpia harpyja (Linnaeus, foram identificados como Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius (16 ninfas e Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley (1 ninfa. Carrapatos colhidos de um jabuti, Chelonoidis denticulada (Linnaeus, foram identificados como Amblyomma rotundatum Koch (10 fêmeas, 2 ninfas e Amblyomma sp. (2 larvas. O presente achado de A. romitii é o primeiro no Estado de Rondônia, representando o achado mais

Morphological and molecular identification of Tetratrichomonas flagellates from the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla).

Science.gov (United States)

Ibañez-Escribano, A; Nogal-Ruiz, J J; Delclaux, M; Martinez-Nevado, E; Ponce-Gordo, F

2013-08-01

A tetratrichomonad flagellate found in the diarrhoeic faeces of a 5 years-old male giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) was characterised by morphological and genetic analysis. This protozoan presents four anterior flagella of unequal length and a recurrent flagellum attached to the undulating membrane without a free end portion, and a broad axostyle projection. Numerous vacuoles of different sizes containing bacteria and digestion products were found. The complete sequence of the DNA coding for the 16S rRNA-ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 region was also obtained in order to compare this isolate with other tetratrichomonad species. The sequence obtained was identical to others previously obtained by other researchers from bovines and turtles (Geochelone sp.). It is not easily explainable how the same organism could be found in such different hosts and locations; however these results indicate that some tetratrichomonad species could have a wide host range and could survive in a wide range of environmental conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origins of brain asymmetry: lateralization of odour memory recall in primitive Australian stingless bees.

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Frasnelli, Elisa; Vallortigara, Giorgio; Rogers, Lesley J

2011-10-10

Left-right antennal asymmetry has been reported in honeybees. We studied primitive social bees to investigate the evolutionary origins of the asymmetry. Three species of Australian native, stingless bees (Trigona carbonaria, Trigona hockingsi and Austroplebeia australis) were trained to discriminate two odours, lemon (+)/vanilla (-), using the Proboscis Extension Reflex (PER). Recall of the olfactory memory at 1h after training was better when the odour was presented on the right than on the left side of the bee. In contrast, recall at 5h after training was better when the odour was presented on the left than on the right side of the bee. An additional experiment with T. hockingsi bees, fed with sugar 1h before recall and tested at 5h, produced similar results, showing that the shift in lateralized recall was due to the lapse of time per se and not to changes in motivation to feed. Stingless bees show the same laterality as honeybees, suggesting that asymmetry evolved prior to the evolutionary divergence of these species. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Yeast communities from host plants and associated Drosophila in southern arizona: new isolations and analysis of the relative importance of hosts and vectors on comunity composition.

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Ganter, Philip F; Starmer, William T; Lachance, Marc-Andre; Phaff, Herman J

1986-10-01

The yeast communities from slime fluxes of three deciduous trees (Prosopis juliflora, Populus fremontii and Quercus emoryi) and the necroses of two cacti (Opuntia phaeacantha and Carnegiea gigantea) were surveyed in the region of Tucson, Arizona. In addition, the yeasts carried by dipterans associated with the fluxes or necroses (Drosophila carbonaria, D. brooksae, D. nigrospiracula, D. mettleri, and Aulacigaster leucopeza) were sampled. The results indicate that each host sampled had a distinct community of yeasts associated with it. The dipterans, which can act as vectors of the yeasts, deposited yeasts from other sources in addition to those found on their associated hosts. It is argued that host plant physiology is relatively more important than the activity of the vector in determining yeast community composition. Furthermore, the average number of yeast species per flux or necrosis is not different from the average number of yeast species per fly. It is hypothesized that the vector may affect the number of species per individual flux or not, and that the number is lower than the rot or necrosis could potentially support.

Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XLVII. Ticks of tortoises and other reptiles

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I.G. Horak

2006-09-01

Full Text Available A total of 586 reptiles, belonging to 35 species and five subspecies, were examined in surveys aimed at determining the species spectrum and geographic distribution of ticks that infest them. Of these reptiles 509 were tortoises, 28 monitor or other lizards, and 49 snakes. Nine ixodid tick species, of which seven belonged to the genus Amblyomma, and one argasid tick, Ornithodoros compactus were recovered. Seven of the ten tick species are parasites of reptiles. Amongst these seven species Amblyomma marmoreum was most prevalent and numerous on leopard tortoises, Geochelone pardalis; Amblyomma nuttalli was present only on Bell's hinged tortoises, Kinixys belliana; and most Amblyomma sylvaticum were collected from angulate tortoises, Chersina angulata. Amblyomma exornatum (formerly Aponomma exornatum was only recovered from monitor lizards, Varanus spp.; most Amblyomma latum (formerly Aponomma latum were from snakes; and a single nymph of Amblyomma transversale (formerly Aponomma transversale was collected from a southern African python, Python natalensis. All 30 Namaqualand speckled padloper tortoises, Homopus signatus signatus, examined were infested with O. compactus. The seasonal occurrence of A. sylvaticum and the geographic distribution of this tick and of A. marmoreum, A. nuttalli, A. exornatum, A. latum and O. compactus are illustrated.

Atropelamentos de vertebrados na Floresta Nacional de Carajás, Pará, Brasil Roadkills of vertebrates in Carajas National Forest, Para, Brazil

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Fabiano Gumier-Costa

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Vários pesquisadores têm avaliado impactos de estradas. Estes podem envolver aspectos paisagísticos, degradação do solo, poluição do ar e impactos sobre a fauna, como atropelamentos. Na estrada Raimundo Mascarenhas, que atravessa a Floresta Nacional de Carajás (ca. 400 mil hectares, há intenso tráfego de veículos automotores. O objetivo deste trabalho foi testar se há diferenças entre trechos da estrada, em três escalas espaciais; se há alteração ao longo dos anos; se alguns táxons são mais freqüentemente atropelados, e se a freqüência de atropelamentos aumenta com a precipitação mensal. Analisamos a freqüência de atropelamentos de vertebrados de abril/2003 até outubro/2006 ao longo dos 25 km iniciais da estrada. Registramos 155 atropelamentos. O número de atropelamentos diminui ao longo dos anos (P=0,01, e com a distância do início da estrada (P=0,0002. Serpentes (Ophidia e gambás Didelphis marsupialis foram mais atropelados (7,5/ano, seguidos de aves, raposas Cerdocyon thous, quatis Nasua nasua, roedores (Rodentia, e não identificados (4,9/ano; cuíca Marmosops sp., tapeti Sylvilagus brasiliensis, guariba Alouatta sp., irara Eira barbara, jabuti Geochelone sp., lagartos (Lacertilia e macaco prego Cebus apella (1/ano. Não houve relação significativa entre o número mensal de atropelamentos e a precipitação mensal.Several researchers have evaluated impacts of highways. These can involve landscape aspects, soil degradation, air pollution, and impacts upon wildlife, such as roadkills. At the Raimundo Mascarenhas highway, that crosses the Carajás National Forest (ca. 400.000 ha, there is intense traffic of automotive vehicles. The aim of this work was to test if there were differences among higway sections on three spatial scales; if there was alteration along the years; if some taxa suffered more frequently roadkills; and if roadkill frequency increased with monthly precipitation. We analysed roadkill

Illegal trade of tortoises (Testudinata) in Colombia: A network analysis approach

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Arroyave Bermudez, Felber Jair; Romero Goyeneche, Oscar Yandy; Bonilla Gomez, Maria Argenis; Hurtado Heredia, Rafael German

2014-01-01

The use of wildlife is important for supporting the economic and demographic growth in emerging countries. Nevertheless, the products of wildlife usually come from illegal trade to supply fur, wild meat and pet markets. Illegal trade puts great pressure over wild populations and threats some endangered species. In Colombia, the trade of wildlife is important because of the volumes traded and the cultural and economic connotation of some products. We describe the spatial structure of illegal trade of wildlife at departmental level for the five most traded genera of Colombian tortoises (Trachemys, Chelonoidis, Kinosternon, Podocnemis and Rhinoclemmys). This study is based on the reports of seizures between 2005 and 2009 compiled by the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo of Colombia. We apply network analysis to study and evidence that the illegal trade network of tortoises includes international markets and supplies the Andean region. The Caribbean, Pacific and Orinoquia regions are the principal suppliers. Quindio, Santander, Antioquia and Putumayo are the biggest jobbers and consumers of wild tortoises. We propose sociocultural and cohercitive actions to fragment the trade network and their illegal market as well as promoting the conservation and sustainable use of tortoises.

New tick records in Rondônia, Western Brazilian Amazon.

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Labruna, Marcelo Bahia; Barbieri, Fábio Silva; Martins, Thiago Fernandes; Brito, Luciana Gatto; Ribeiro, Francisco Dimas Sales

2010-01-01

In the present study, we provide new tick records from Vilhena Municipality, in the Southeast of the State of Rondônia, Northern Brazil. Ticks collected from a capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Linnaeus), were identified as Amblyomma romitii Tonelli-Rondelli (1 female), and Amblyomma sp. (1 larva). Ticks collected from a harpy eagle, Harpia harpyja (Linnaeus), were identified as Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius) (16 nymphs) and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley (1 nymph). Ticks collected from a yellow-footed tortoise, Chelonoidis denticulada (Linnaeus), were identified as Amblyomma rotundatum Koch (10 females, 2 nymphs), and Amblyomma sp. (2 larvae). The present record of A. romitii is the first in the State of Rondônia, and represents the southernmost record for this tick species, indicating that its distribution area is much larger than currently recognized. Although both A. cajennense and H. juxtakochi have been reported parasitizing various bird species, we provide the first tick records on a harpy eagle. A. rotundatum is widespread in the State of Rondônia, and has been previously reported on the yellow-footed tortoise. The present records increase the tick fauna of Rondônia to 26 species.

Pasteurella testudinis associated with respiratory disease and septicaemia in leopard (Geochelone pardalis and other tortoises in South Africa

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M.M. Henton

2003-07-01

Full Text Available The first recorded isolates of Pasteurella testudinis from South African tortoises kept in captivity is presented. P. testudinis was found in association with respiratory disease in affected animals.

Diversity of black Aspergilli isolated from raisins in Argentina: Polyphasic approach to species identification and development of SCAR markers for Aspergillus ibericus.

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Giaj Merlera, G; Muñoz, S; Coelho, I; Cavaglieri, L R; Torres, A M; Reynoso, M M

2015-10-01

Aspergillus section Nigri is a heterogeneous fungal group including some ochratoxin A producer species that usually contaminate raisins. The section contains the Series Carbonaria which includes the toxigenic species Aspergillus carbonarius and nontoxigenic Aspergillus ibericus that are phenotypically undistinguishable. The aim of this study was to examine the diversity of black aspergilli isolated from raisins and to develop a specific genetic marker to distinguish A. ibericus from A. carbonarius. The species most frequently found in raisins in this study were Aspergillus tubingensis (35.4%) and A. carbonarius (32.3%), followed by Aspergillus luchuensis (10.7%), Aspergillus japonicus (7.7%), Aspergillus niger (6.2%), Aspergillus welwitschiae (4.6%) and A. ibericus (3.1%). Based on inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) fingerprinting profiles of major Aspergillus section Nigri members, a sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker was identified. Primers were designed based on the conserved regions of the SCAR marker and were utilized in a PCR for simultaneous identification of A. carbonarius and A. ibericus. The detection level of the SCAR-PCR was found to be 0.01 ng of purified DNA. The present SCAR-PCR is rapid and less cumbersome than conventional identification techniques and could be a supplementary strategy and a reliable tool for high-throughput sample analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lineage fusion in Galápagos giant tortoises.

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Garrick, Ryan C; Benavides, Edgar; Russello, Michael A; Hyseni, Chaz; Edwards, Danielle L; Gibbs, James P; Tapia, Washington; Ciofi, Claudio; Caccone, Adalgisa

2014-11-01

Although many classic radiations on islands are thought to be the result of repeated lineage splitting, the role of past fusion is rarely known because during these events, purebreds are rapidly replaced by a swarm of admixed individuals. Here, we capture lineage fusion in action in a Galápagos giant tortoise species, Chelonoidis becki, from Wolf Volcano (Isabela Island). The long generation time of Galápagos tortoises and dense sampling (841 individuals) of genetic and demographic data were integral in detecting and characterizing this phenomenon. In C. becki, we identified two genetically distinct, morphologically cryptic lineages. Historical reconstructions show that they colonized Wolf Volcano from Santiago Island in two temporally separated events, the first estimated to have occurred ~199 000 years ago. Following arrival of the second wave of colonists, both lineages coexisted for approximately ~53 000 years. Within that time, they began fusing back together, as microsatellite data reveal widespread introgressive hybridization. Interestingly, greater mate selectivity seems to be exhibited by purebred females of one of the lineages. Forward-in-time simulations predict rapid extinction of the early arriving lineage. This study provides a rare example of reticulate evolution in action and underscores the power of population genetics for understanding the past, present and future consequences of evolutionary phenomena associated with lineage fusion. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Transferability of microsatellite primers developed for stingless bees to four other species of the genus Melipona.

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Viana, M V C; Miranda, E A; de Francisco, A K; Carvalho, C A L; Waldschmidt, A M

2011-11-22

Microsatellite markers are a useful tool for ecological monitoring of natural and managed populations. A technical limitation is the necessity for investment in the development of primers. Heterologous primers can provide an alternative to searching for new loci. In bees, these markers have been used in populational and intracolonial genetic analyses. The genus Melipona has the largest number of species among bee genera, about 70, occurring throughout the Neotropical region. However, only five species of the genus Melipona have specific microsatellite markers. Given the great diversity of this genus, this number is not representative. We analyzed the transferability of 49 microsatellite loci to four other species of the genus Melipona (M. scutellaris, M. mondury, M. mandacaia, and M. quadrifasciata). Four individuals of each species, from different localities, were used in amplification tests. Primer pairs described for five Melipona species and for Trigona carbonaria were tested. Among the 49 loci, 22 gave amplification products for all four species, while three gave nonspecific bands and five showed no amplification products. The remaining loci varied in the pattern of amplification, according to the species examined. The number of alleles ranged from 1 to 6. The results demonstrate the possibility of using these heterologous markers in other Melipona species, increasing the number of loci that can be analyzed and contributing to further genetic analyses of intra- and intercolonial structure, which is required for conservation measure planning, genetic improvement and resolution of taxonomic problems.

Aproximación al conocimiento del morrocoy Geochelone denticulata (Testudinata: Testudinidae en tres sectores cercanos en la amazonía nororiental colombiana

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Jimena Cortés Duque

2006-01-01

escaso de machos, las hembras no mostraron diferencias significativas en tamaño con relación a los machos. Se registra una familia y un género nuevo de plantas dentro de la dieta de G. denticulata. Se encontró una mayor frecuencia en el uso de refugios de exposición parcial o total y se observó una alta capacidad de camuflaje, favorecida por el color y el tamaño de los individuos. La alteración del hábitat y la cacería, parecen no ser factores limitantes en la presencia de G. denticulata en isla Baranoa; en la E.B.C. y en el resguardo de Camaritagua G. denticulata parece estar en densidades muy bajas.

Plant species dispersed by Galapagos tortoises surf the wave of habitat suitability under anthropogenic climate change.

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Ellis-Soto, Diego; Blake, Stephen; Soultan, Alaaeldin; Guézou, Anne; Cabrera, Fredy; Lötters, Stefan

2017-01-01

Native biodiversity on the Galapagos Archipelago is severely threatened by invasive alien species. On Santa Cruz Island, the abundance of introduced plant species is low in the arid lowlands of the Galapagos National Park, but increases with elevation into unprotected humid highlands. Two common alien plant species, guava (Psidium guajava) and passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) occur at higher elevations yet their seeds are dispersed into the lowlands by migrating Galapagos tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.). Tortoises transport large quantities of seeds over long distances into environments in which they have little or no chance of germination and survival under current climate conditions. However, climate change is projected to modify environmental conditions on Galapagos with unknown consequences for the distribution of native and introduced biodiversity. We quantified seed dispersal of guava and passion fruit in tortoise dung piles and the distribution of adult plants along two elevation gradients on Santa Cruz to assess current levels of 'wasted' seed dispersal. We computed species distribution models for both taxa under current and predicted future climate conditions. Assuming that tortoise migratory behaviour continues, current levels of "wasted" seed dispersal in lowlands were projected to decline dramatically in the future for guava but not for passion fruit. Tortoises will facilitate rapid range expansion for guava into lowland areas within the Galapagos National Park where this species is currently absent. Coupled with putative reduction in arid habitat for native species caused by climate change, tortoise driven guava invasion will pose a serious threat to local plant communities.

Plant species dispersed by Galapagos tortoises surf the wave of habitat suitability under anthropogenic climate change.

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Diego Ellis-Soto

Full Text Available Native biodiversity on the Galapagos Archipelago is severely threatened by invasive alien species. On Santa Cruz Island, the abundance of introduced plant species is low in the arid lowlands of the Galapagos National Park, but increases with elevation into unprotected humid highlands. Two common alien plant species, guava (Psidium guajava and passion fruit (Passiflora edulis occur at higher elevations yet their seeds are dispersed into the lowlands by migrating Galapagos tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.. Tortoises transport large quantities of seeds over long distances into environments in which they have little or no chance of germination and survival under current climate conditions. However, climate change is projected to modify environmental conditions on Galapagos with unknown consequences for the distribution of native and introduced biodiversity. We quantified seed dispersal of guava and passion fruit in tortoise dung piles and the distribution of adult plants along two elevation gradients on Santa Cruz to assess current levels of 'wasted' seed dispersal. We computed species distribution models for both taxa under current and predicted future climate conditions. Assuming that tortoise migratory behaviour continues, current levels of "wasted" seed dispersal in lowlands were projected to decline dramatically in the future for guava but not for passion fruit. Tortoises will facilitate rapid range expansion for guava into lowland areas within the Galapagos National Park where this species is currently absent. Coupled with putative reduction in arid habitat for native species caused by climate change, tortoise driven guava invasion will pose a serious threat to local plant communities.

Urban gardens promote bee foraging over natural habitats and plantations.

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Kaluza, Benjamin F; Wallace, Helen; Heard, Tim A; Klein, Alexandra-Maria; Leonhardt, Sara D

2016-03-01

Increasing human land use for agriculture and housing leads to the loss of natural habitat and to widespread declines in wild bees. Bee foraging dynamics and fitness depend on the availability of resources in the surrounding landscape, but how precisely landscape related resource differences affect bee foraging patterns remains unclear. To investigate how landscape and its interaction with season and weather drive foraging and resource intake in social bees, we experimentally compared foraging activity, the allocation of foragers to different resources (pollen, nectar, and resin) and overall resource intake in the Australian stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria (Apidae, Meliponini). Bee colonies were monitored in different seasons over two years. We compared foraging patterns and resource intake between the bees' natural habitat (forests) and two landscapes differently altered by humans (suburban gardens and agricultural macadamia plantations). We found foraging activity as well as pollen and nectar forager numbers to be highest in suburban gardens, intermediate in forests and low in plantations. Foraging patterns further differed between seasons, but seasonal variations strongly differed between landscapes. Sugar and pollen intake was low in plantations, but contrary with our predictions, it was even higher in gardens than in forests. In contrast, resin intake was similar across landscapes. Consequently, differences in resource availability between natural and altered landscapes strongly affect foraging patterns and thus resource intake in social bees. While agricultural monocultures largely reduce foraging success, suburban gardens can increase resource intake well above rates found in natural habitats of bees, indicating that human activities can both decrease and increase the availability of resources in a landscape and thus reduce or enhance bee fitness.

Gopherus Agassizii (Desert Tortoise). Predation/Mountain Lions (Pre-Print)

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Paul D. Greger and Philip A. Medica

2009-01-01

sized Mountain Lion. By comparison, a 2 year old male Mountain Lion salvaged on NTS had an upper intercanine bite width of 45 mm, and a 6 month old kitten measured 35mm respectively. The Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) is the only predator that exists in southern Nevada that could possibly have a bite with a gap between its upper canine teeth that large (Murmann et al. 2006. J. Forensic Sci. 51:846-860). The appearance of the shell remains in Figure 1A is similar to that depicting Jaguar (Panthera onca) predation, on the Amazonian Tortoise (Geochelone denticulata) as illustrated by Emmons (1989. J. Herpetol. 23:311-314) with the majority of the carapace broken open and the plastron still intact. Predation of Desert Tortoises by Mountain Lions was also documented in 1993 in southern Arizona (Little Shipp Wash Plot), where 7 of 8 carcasses found were attributed to Mountain Lion predation (Averill-Murray et al. 2002. In. T.R.Van Devender [ed.], The Sonoran Desert Tortoise: Natural History, Biology, and Conservation, pp.109-134. University of Arizona Press and Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona). Similarly, predation by a Mountain Lion has been reported on the Argentine Tortoise (Chelonoidis chilensis) in Argentina (Acosta et al. 2004. Herpetol. Review 35:53-54), and a Mountain Lion kitten was observed to kill and consume a portion of the carapace of a Texas Tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri) in west Texas (Adams et al. 2006. Southwestern Nat. 51:581-581). Over the past 45 years this Desert Tortoise population has been monitored yearly, with no prior evidence of predation to tortoises within the fenced enclosures. On several occasions other predators such as Bobcats (Lynx rufus) have been observed within the study enclosures for as long as a week. Evidence of Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotus) sign has been observed on numerous occasions, and a Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius) and Longtail Weasels (Mustela frenata) have been captured and released (B.G. Maza, pers. comm

Invasive vertebrate species in Chile and their control and monitoring by governmental agencies Especies de vertebrados invasores en Chile y su control y monitoreo por agencias gubernamentales

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J. AGUSTÍN IRIARTE

2005-03-01

Full Text Available We provide an overview of the current status of vertebrate invasive species throughout Chile, updating information on terrestrial exotics and reporting for the first time the situation of exotic freshwater fishes. In addition, we document the legislation and programs that the Chilean government has implemented to limit the entry of exotics to the country or minimize their impact on native wild flora and fauna and on natural ecosystems. We document what is known about the introduction of 26 exotic fish species to continental waters of the country, discussing the distribution and putative effects of those 11 species that may be considered invasive. From a previous list of 24 terrestrial vertebrate invaders, we withdraw the Argentine tortoise (Chelonoidis chilensis, reindeer (Rangifer tarandus and mouflon (Ovis ammon because there are no data on their subsistence in the wild. On the other hand, we add three new species: red-eared freshwater turtle (Trachemys scripta, monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus, and red-crested cardinal (Paroaria coronata, thus keeping the total number of terrestrial invaders unchanged at 24 species. The chief agency in charge of existing laws and regulations regarding the import of exotic freshwater species is the National Fisheries Service (SERNAPESCA, in Spanish, a dependency of the Ministry of Economy. The main agency in charge of enforcing existing laws and regulations regarding the import of exotic terrestrial species to Chile is the Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG, in Spanish, a dependency of the Ministry of Agriculture. Currently, SAG is not only controlling major border passes, seaports and airports, but also is funding studies to monitor and control already existing invaders. In addition, the Chilean Forest Service (CONAF, in Spanish is also concerned about invasive species, but only if they enter national parks and reserves within the National System of Protected Wildlife Areas (SNASPE, in Spanish

Hosts, seasonality and geographic distribution of the South African tortoise tick, Amblyomma marmoreum

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I.G. Horak

2006-09-01

Full Text Available The tortoise tick Amblyomma marmoreum was collected from large numbers of reptiles and other animals during the course of numerous surveys conducted in South Africa. A total of 1 229 ticks, of which 550 were adults, were recovered from 309 reptiles belonging to 13 species, with leopard tortoises, Geochelone pardalis being the most heavily infested. The 269 birds sampled harboured 4 901 larvae, 217 nymphs and no adult ticks, and the prevalence of infestation was greatest on hel meted guinea fowls, Numida meleagris. Only two larvae were recovered from 610 rodents, including 31 spring hares, Pedetes capensis, whereas 1 144 other small mammals yielded 1 835 immature ticks, of which 1 655 were collected from 623 scrub hares, Lepus saxatilis. The 213 carnivores examined harboured 2 459 ticks of which none were adult. A single adult tick and 6 684 larvae and 62 nymphs were recovered from 656 large herbivores, and a total of 4 081 immature ticks and three adults were collected from 1 543 domestic animals and 194 humans. Adult male and female A. marmoreum were most numerous on reptiles during January and February, and larvae during March. The largest numbers of larvae were present on domestic cattle and helmeted guineafowls in the Eastern Cape Province during March or April respectively, whereas larvae were most numerous on helmeted guineafowls, scrub hares and the vegetation in north-eastern Mpumalanga Province during May. In both provinces nymphs were most numerous between October and December. Amblyomma marmoreum appears to be most prevalent in the western regions of the Western and Eastern Cape and Free State provinces, and the north-eastern regions of the Northern Cape, KwaZulu- Natal, Mpumulanga and Limpopo provinces.

Demographic outcomes and ecosystem implications of giant tortoise reintroduction to Española Island, Galapagos.

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Gibbs, James P; Hunter, Elizabeth A; Shoemaker, Kevin T; Tapia, Washington H; Cayot, Linda J

2014-01-01

Restoration of extirpated species via captive breeding has typically relied on population viability as the primary criterion for evaluating success. This criterion is inadequate when species reintroduction is undertaken to restore ecological functions and interactions. Herein we report on the demographic and ecological outcomes of a five-decade-long population restoration program for a critically endangered species of "ecosystem engineer": the endemic Española giant Galapagos tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis). Our analysis of complementary datasets on tortoise demography and movement, tortoise-plant interactions and Española Island's vegetation history indicated that the repatriated tortoise population is secure from a strictly demographic perspective: about half of tortoises released on the island since 1975 were still alive in 2007, in situ reproduction is now significant, and future extinction risk is low with or without continued repatriation. Declining survival rates, somatic growth rates, and body condition of repatriates suggests, however, that resources for continued population growth are increasingly limited. Soil stable carbon isotope analyses indicated a pronounced shift toward woody plants in the recent history of the island's plant community, likely a legacy of changes in competitive relations between woody and herbaceous plants induced by now-eradicated feral goats and prolonged absence of tortoises. Woody plants are of concern because they block tortoise movement and hinder recruitment of cactus--a critical resource for tortoises. Tortoises restrict themselves to remnant cactus patches and areas of low woody plant density in the center of the island despite an apparent capacity to colonize a far greater range, likely because of a lack of cactus elsewhere on the island. We conclude that ecosystem-level criteria for success of species reintroduction efforts take much longer to achieve than population-level criteria; moreover, reinstatement of

Social, biological, and environmental drivers of the hunting and trade of the endangered yellow-footed tortoise in the Amazon

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Thaís Q. Morcatty

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Chelonians constitute an important source of food and income for the inhabitants of tropical forests. We assessed the social, biological, and environmental factors affecting the hunting and trade of the endangered yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulata in rural and urban areas in the Amazon and estimated the sustainability of tortoise use. We also discuss possible conservation alternatives that are compatible with the needs of local inhabitants. We monitored tortoise hunting and trade for 12 years in 10 traditional communities that exploit different habitat types in the Brazilian Amazon and collected data on the tortoise trade in two urban markets for six years. In upland forests, tortoise hunting mainly occurred during the dry season; in whitewater flooded forests, hunting mainly occurred during the flood season. The tortoise trade was carried out nearly entirely by whitewater flooded forest users and was intimately related to fishing, the main economic activity in these communities. Furthermore, the tortoise trade was encouraged in whitewater flooded forests because this environment yielded significantly heavier tortoises than upland forests, and we observed a strong relationship between trade probability and tortoise size. The tortoise trade was found to primarily supply nearby urban centers, generating high monetary gain. Female tortoises suffered greater hunting pressure and were more valued in the bushmeat market. The productivity of tortoise hunting in the monitored communities severely decreased with time. In addition, the price per kilogram of tortoise greatly increased in the urban market. Given this unsustainable scenario, policies regulating tortoise hunting in the Amazon are needed. These policies must be adapted to the different patterns of tortoise use by rural communities while maintaining the culture and food sovereignty of the local inhabitants.

Demographic outcomes and ecosystem implications of giant tortoise reintroduction to Española Island, Galapagos.

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James P Gibbs

Full Text Available Restoration of extirpated species via captive breeding has typically relied on population viability as the primary criterion for evaluating success. This criterion is inadequate when species reintroduction is undertaken to restore ecological functions and interactions. Herein we report on the demographic and ecological outcomes of a five-decade-long population restoration program for a critically endangered species of "ecosystem engineer": the endemic Española giant Galapagos tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis. Our analysis of complementary datasets on tortoise demography and movement, tortoise-plant interactions and Española Island's vegetation history indicated that the repatriated tortoise population is secure from a strictly demographic perspective: about half of tortoises released on the island since 1975 were still alive in 2007, in situ reproduction is now significant, and future extinction risk is low with or without continued repatriation. Declining survival rates, somatic growth rates, and body condition of repatriates suggests, however, that resources for continued population growth are increasingly limited. Soil stable carbon isotope analyses indicated a pronounced shift toward woody plants in the recent history of the island's plant community, likely a legacy of changes in competitive relations between woody and herbaceous plants induced by now-eradicated feral goats and prolonged absence of tortoises. Woody plants are of concern because they block tortoise movement and hinder recruitment of cactus--a critical resource for tortoises. Tortoises restrict themselves to remnant cactus patches and areas of low woody plant density in the center of the island despite an apparent capacity to colonize a far greater range, likely because of a lack of cactus elsewhere on the island. We conclude that ecosystem-level criteria for success of species reintroduction efforts take much longer to achieve than population-level criteria; moreover

Allometric and temporal scaling of movement characteristics in Galapagos tortoises

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Bastille-Rousseau, Guillaume; Yackulic, Charles B.; Frair, Jacqueline L.; Cabrera, Freddy; Blake, Stephen

2016-01-01

Understanding how individual movement scales with body size is of fundamental importance in predicting ecological relationships for diverse species. One-dimensional movement metrics scale consistently with body size yet vary over different temporal scales. Knowing how temporal scale influences the relationship between animal body size and movement would better inform hypotheses about the efficiency of foraging behaviour, the ontogeny of energy budgets, and numerous life-history trade-offs.We investigated how the temporal scaling of allometric patterns in movement varies over the course of a year, specifically during periods of motivated (directional and fast movement) and unmotivated (stationary and tortuous movement) behaviour. We focused on a recently diverged group of species that displays wide variation in movement behaviour – giant Galapagos tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.) – to test how movement metrics estimated on a monthly basis scaled with body size.We used state-space modelling to estimate seven different movement metrics of Galapagos tortoises. We used log-log regression of the power law to evaluate allometric scaling for these movement metrics and contrasted relationships by species and sex.Allometric scaling of movement was more apparent during motivated periods of movement. During this period, allometry was revealed at multiple temporal intervals (hourly, daily and monthly), with values observed at daily and monthly intervals corresponding most closely to the expected one-fourth scaling coefficient, albeit with wide credible intervals. We further detected differences in the magnitude of scaling among taxa uncoupled from observed differences in the temporal structuring of their movement rates.Our results indicate that the definition of temporal scales is fundamental to the detection of allometry of movement and should be given more attention in movement studies. Our approach not only provides new conceptual insights into temporal attributes in one

Equivalency of Galápagos giant tortoises used as ecological replacement species to restore ecosystem functions.

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Hunter, Elizabeth A; Gibbs, James P; Cayot, Linda J; Tapia, Washington

2013-08-01

Loss of key plant-animal interactions (e.g., disturbance, seed dispersal, and herbivory) due to extinctions of large herbivores has diminished ecosystem functioning nearly worldwide. Mitigating for the ecological consequences of large herbivore losses through the use of ecological replacements to fill extinct species' niches and thereby replicate missing ecological functions has been proposed. It is unknown how different morphologically and ecologically a replacement can be from the extinct species and still provide similar functions. We studied niche equivalency between 2 phenotypes of Galápagos giant tortoises (domed and saddlebacked) that were translocated to Pinta Island in the Galápagos Archipelago as ecological replacements for the extinct saddlebacked giant tortoise (Chelonoidis abingdonii). Thirty-nine adult, nonreproductive tortoises were introduced to Pinta Island in May 2010, and we observed tortoise resource use in relation to phenotype during the first year following release. Domed tortoises settled in higher, moister elevations than saddlebacked tortoises, which favored lower elevation arid zones. The areas where the tortoises settled are consistent with the ecological conditions each phenotype occupies in its native range. Saddlebacked tortoises selected areas with high densities of the arboreal prickly pear cactus (Opuntia galapageia) and mostly foraged on the cactus, which likely relied on the extinct saddlebacked Pinta tortoise for seed dispersal. In contrast, domed tortoises did not select areas with cactus and therefore would not provide the same seed-dispersal functions for the cactus as the introduced or the original, now extinct, saddlebacked tortoises. Interchangeability of extant megaherbivores as replacements for extinct forms therefore should be scrutinized given the lack of equivalency we observed in closely related forms of giant tortoises. Our results also demonstrate the value of trial introductions of sterilized individuals to test

TRÁFICO ILEGAL DE TORTUGAS CONTINENTALES (TESTUDINATA EN COLOMBIA: UNA APROXIMACIÓN DESDE EL ANÁLISIS DE REDES

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Felber Jair Arroyave

2014-09-01

Full Text Available El uso de productos extraídos o provenientes de la fauna silvestre es relevante para el desarrollo económico y el bienestar social en muchos lugares del mundo. Sin embargo, frecuentemente la fauna silvestre entra en los circuitos de tráfico ilegal para abastecer los mercados de mascotas y productos como pieles, plumas, "carne de monte", entre otros. El tráfico ilegal genera enormes presiones sobre las especies sujetas a extracción y es una de las principales amenazas para estas. En Colombia, el tráfico de tortugas es de importancia debido a los volúmenes explotados y al significado que tienen sus productos para las comunidades. Mediante el Análisis de Redes se caracterizó espacialmente, a nivel de Departamento, el tráfico de los cinco géneros de testudíneos continentales de Colombia más traficados (Trachemys, Chelonoidis, Kinosternon, Podocnemis y Rhinoclemmys, tomando como base los registros de incautación y decomiso recopilados por el Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible entre los años 2005 y 2009. Se encontró que la red de tráfico ilegal de testudíneos está articulada con mercados internacionales y propende por abastecer mercados del interior del país (región Andina, siendo los Departamentos de las costas Caribe y Pacífica, y de la Orinoquía, los principales extractores de especímenes. Se identificaron los Departamentos de Quindío, Santander, Antioquia y Putumayo como intermediarios y consumidores. Finalmente, se proponen medidas socioculturales y coercitivas como mecanismos de desarticulación de las redes de tráfico ilegal, siendo dichas acciones un soporte para la conservación y el uso sostenible de los recursos naturales.

Animal movement in the absence of predation: environmental drivers of movement strategies in a partial migration system

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Bastille-Rousseau, Guillaume; Gibbs, James P.; Yackulic, Charles B.; Frair, Jacqueline L.; Cabrera, Fredy; Rousseau, Louis-Philippe

2016-01-01

Animal movement strategies including migration, dispersal, nomadism, and residency are shaped by broad-scale spatial-temporal structuring of the environment, including factors such as the degrees of spatial variation, seasonality and inter-annual predictability. Animal movement strategies, in turn, interact with the characteristics of individuals and the local distribution of resources to determine local patterns of resource selection with complex and poorly understood implications for animal fitness. Here we present a multi-scale investigation of animal movement strategies and resource selection. We consider the degree to which spatial variation, seasonality, and inter-annual predictability in resources drive migration patterns among different taxa and how movement strategies in turn shape local resource selection patterns. We focus on adult Galapagos giant tortoises Chelonoidis spp. as a model system since they display many movement strategies and evolved in the absence of predators of adults. Specifically, our analysis is based on 63 individuals among four taxa tracked on three islands over six years and almost 106 tortoise re-locations. Tortoises displayed a continuum of movement strategies from migration to sedentarism that were linked to the spatio-temporal scale and predictability of resource distributions. Movement strategies shaped patterns of resource selection. Specifically, migratory individuals displayed stronger selection toward areas where resources were more predictable among years than did non-migratory individuals, which indicates a selective advantage for migrants in seasonally structured, more predictable environments. Our analytical framework combines large-scale predictions for movement strategies, based on environmental structuring, with finer-scale analysis of space-use. Integrating different organizational levels of analysis provides a deeper understanding of the eco-evolutionary dynamics at play in the emergence and maintenance of

Carriage of antibiotic-resistant enteric bacteria varies among sites in Galapagos reptiles.

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Wheeler, Emily; Hong, Pei-Ying; Bedon, Lenin Cruz; Mackie, Roderick I

2012-01-01

Increased overlap between humans and wildlife populations has increased the risk for novel disease emergence. Detecting contacts with a high risk for transmission of pathogens requires the identification of dependable measures of microbial exchange. We evaluated antibiotic resistance as a molecular marker for the intensity of human-wildlife microbial connectivity in the Galápagos Islands. We isolated Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica from the feces of land iguanas (Conolophus sp.), marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), giant tortoises (Geochelone nigra), and seawater, and tested these bacteria with the use of the disk diffusion method for resistance to 10 antibiotics. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were found in reptile feces from two tourism sites (Isla Plaza Sur and La Galapaguera on Isla San Cristóbal) and from seawater close to a public use beach near Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on Isla San Cristóbal. No resistance was detected at two protected beaches on more isolated islands (El Miedo on Isla Santa Fe and Cape Douglas on Isla Fernandina) and at a coastal tourism site (La Lobería on Isla San Cristóbal). Eighteen E. coli isolates from three locations, all sites relatively proximate to a port town, were resistant to ampicillin, doxycycline, tetracycline, and trimethoprin/sulfamethoxazole. In contrast, only five S. enterica isolates showed a mild decrease in susceptibility to doxycycline and tetracycline from these same sites (i.e., an intermediate resistance phenotype), but no clinical resistance was detected in this bacterial species. These findings suggest that reptiles living in closer proximity to humans potentially have higher exposure to bacteria of human origin; however, it is not clear from this study to what extent this potential exposure translates to ongoing exchange of bacterial strains or genetic traits. Resistance patterns and bacterial exchange in this system warrant further investigation to understand better how human associations

The phylogeny of Mediterranean tortoises and their close relativesbased on complete mitochondrial genome sequences from museumspecimens

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Parham, James F.; Macey, J. Robert; Papenfuss, Theodore J.; Feldman, Chris R.; Turkozan, Oguz; Polymeni, Rosa; Boore, Jeffrey

2005-04-29

As part of an ongoing project to generate a mitochondrial database for terrestrial tortoises based on museum specimens, the complete mitochondrial genome sequences of 10 species and a {approx}14 kb sequence from an eleventh species are reported. The sampling of the present study emphasizes Mediterranean tortoises (genus Testudo and their close relatives). Our new sequences are aligned, along with those of two testudinoid turtles from GenBank, Chrysemys picta and Mauremys reevesii, yielding an alignment of 14,858 positions, of which 3,238 are parsimony informative. We develop a phylogenetic taxonomy for Testudo and related species based on well-supported, diagnosable clades. Several well-supported nodes are recovered, including the monophyly of a restricted Testudo, T. kleinmanni + T. marginata (the Chersus clade), and the placement of the enigmatic African pancake tortoise (Malacochersustornieri) within the predominantly Palearctic greater Testudo group (Testudona tax. nov.). Despite the large amount of sequence reported, there is low statistical support for some nodes within Testudona and Sowe do not propose names for those groups. A preliminary and conservative estimation of divergence times implies a late Miocene diversification for the testudonan clade (6-12 million years ago), matching their first appearance in the fossil record. The multi-continental distribution of testudonan turtles can be explained by the establishment of permanent connections between Europe, Africa, and Asia at this time. The arrival of testudonan turtles to Africa occurred after one or more initial tortoise invasions gave rise to the diverse (>25 species) 'Geochelone complex.'Two unusual genomic features are reported for the mtDNA of one tortoise, M. tornieri: (1) nad4 has a shift of reading frame that we suggest is resolved by translational frameshifting of the mRNA on the ribosome during protein synthesis and (2) there are two copies of the control region and trnF, with the

Scopulariopsis and scopulariopsis-like species from indoor environments

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J.H.C. Woudenberg

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Scopulariopsis-like species are often reported from the indoor environment, as well as from clinical samples. The lack of type isolates and thorough phylogenetic studies in the Microascaceae hampered the correct identification of these isolates. Based on recent phylogenetic studies, which resulted in multiple name changes, the aim is to molecularly identify the Scopulariopsis and scopulariopsis-like species which occur in the indoor environment and give an overview of the current species in these genera and their habitats. Strains from the CBS culture collection were supplemented with almost 80 indoor strains of which the internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 and intervening 5.8S nrDNA (ITS, beta-tubulin (tub2 and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1 gene regions were sequenced for phylogenetic inference. The multi-gene phylogenies recognise 33 Microascus species and 12 Scopulariopsis species and showed that the recently established genus Fuscoannellis, typified by Scopulariopsis carbonaria, should be synonymized with the genus Yunnania. Seven new Microascus species, four new Scopulariopsis species, and one new Yunnania species, are described, and a new name in Microascus and two new name combinations (one in Microascus, and one in Yunnania are proposed. In the indoor environment 14 Microascus species and three Scopulariopsis species were found. Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (22 indoor isolates and Microascus melanosporus (19 indoor isolates are the most common indoor species, in number of isolates, followed by M. paisii (8 indoor isolates and S. candida (7 indoor isolates. A genus phylogeny based on the ITS, tef1 and the large subunit 28S nrDNA (LSU of the type or representative isolates of all here recognised species is provided depicting all species habitats. No correlation between phylogenetic relationship and habitat preference could be observed. Ten species which are found indoor are also found in relation with human-derived samples. A

DNA from the past informs ex situ conservation for the future: an "extinct" species of Galápagos tortoise identified in captivity.

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Michael A Russello

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Although not unusual to find captive relicts of species lost in the wild, rarely are presumed extinct species rediscovered outside of their native range. A recent study detected living descendents of an extinct Galápagos tortoise species (Chelonoidis elephantopus once endemic to Floreana Island on the neighboring island of Isabela. This finding adds to the growing cryptic diversity detected among these species in the wild. There also exists a large number of Galápagos tortoises in captivity of ambiguous origin. The recently accumulated population-level haplotypic and genotypic data now available for C. elephantopus add a critical reference population to the existing database of 11 extant species for investigating the origin of captive individuals of unknown ancestry.We reanalyzed mitochondrial DNA control region haplotypes and microsatellite genotypes of 156 captive individuals using an expanded reference database that included all extant Galápagos tortoise species as well as the extinct species from Floreana. Nine individuals (six females and three males exhibited strong signatures of Floreana ancestry and a high probability of assignment to C. elephantopus as detected by Bayesian assignment and clustering analyses of empirical and simulated data. One male with high assignment probability to C. elephantopus based on microsatellite genotypic data also possessed a "Floreana-like" mitochondrial DNA haplotype.Historical DNA analysis of museum specimens has provided critical spatial and temporal components to ecological, evolutionary, taxonomic and conservation-related research, but rarely has it informed ex situ species recovery efforts. Here, the availability of population-level genotypic data from the extinct C. elephantopus enabled the identification of nine Galápagos tortoise individuals of substantial conservation value that were previously misassigned to extant species of varying conservation status. As all captive individuals of C

Applying network theory to animal movements to identify properties of landscape space use.

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Bastille-Rousseau, Guillaume; Douglas-Hamilton, Iain; Blake, Stephen; Northrup, Joseph M; Wittemyer, George

2018-04-01

Network (graph) theory is a popular analytical framework to characterize the structure and dynamics among discrete objects and is particularly effective at identifying critical hubs and patterns of connectivity. The identification of such attributes is a fundamental objective of animal movement research, yet network theory has rarely been applied directly to animal relocation data. We develop an approach that allows the analysis of movement data using network theory by defining occupied pixels as nodes and connection among these pixels as edges. We first quantify node-level (local) metrics and graph-level (system) metrics on simulated movement trajectories to assess the ability of these metrics to pull out known properties in movement paths. We then apply our framework to empirical data from African elephants (Loxodonta africana), giant Galapagos tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.), and mule deer (Odocoileous hemionus). Our results indicate that certain node-level metrics, namely degree, weight, and betweenness, perform well in capturing local patterns of space use, such as the definition of core areas and paths used for inter-patch movement. These metrics were generally applicable across data sets, indicating their robustness to assumptions structuring analysis or strategies of movement. Other metrics capture local patterns effectively, but were sensitive to specified graph properties, indicating case specific applications. Our analysis indicates that graph-level metrics are unlikely to outperform other approaches for the categorization of general movement strategies (central place foraging, migration, nomadism). By identifying critical nodes, our approach provides a robust quantitative framework to identify local properties of space use that can be used to evaluate the effect of the loss of specific nodes on range wide connectivity. Our network approach is intuitive, and can be implemented across imperfectly sampled or large-scale data sets efficiently, providing a

Catalogue of Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera of North America

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Yves Bousquet

2018-01-01

Blaisdell, 1909]; Eleodes parvicollis var. squalida Blaisdell, 1918 [= Eleodes parvicollis Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes reflexicollis Mannerheim, 1843 and Eleodes parvicollis forma farallonica Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes planata Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes indentata Blaisdell, 1935 [= Eleodes rotundipennis LeConte, 1857]; Eleodes intricata Mannerheim, 1843 [= Eleodes scabrosa Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes horni fenyesi Blaisdell, 1925 [= Eleodes tenebrosa Horn, 1870]; Eleodes cordata var. horrida Blaisdell, 1918 [= Eleodes tuberculata Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes oblonga Blaisdell, 1933 [= Eleodes versatilis Blaisdell, 1921]; Eleodes dentipes marinae Blaisdell, 1921 [= Eleodes dentipes Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes carbonaria forma glabra Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes carbonaria carbonaria (Say, 1824]; Eleodes granosa forma fortis Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes granosa LeConte, 1866]; Eleodes pilosa forma ordinata Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes pilosa Horn, 1870]; Trogloderus costatus pappi Kulzer, 1960 [= Trogloderus tuberculatus Blaisdell, 1909]; Trogloderus costatus mayhewi Papp, 1961 [= Trogloderus vandykei La Rivers, 1946]; Bolitophagus cristatus Gosse, 1840 [= Bolitotherus cornutus (Fabricius, 1801]; Eleates explanatus Casey, 1890 [= Eleates depressus (Randall, 1838]; Blapstinus sonorae Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus brevicollis LeConte, 1851]; Blapstinus falli Blaisdell, 1929 [= Blapstinus castaneus Casey, 1890]; Blapstinus brunneus Casey, 1890 and Blapstinus coronadensis Blaisdell, 1892 [=Blapstinus histricus Casey, 1890]; Blapstinus hesperius Casey, 1890 [=Blapstinus intermixtus Casey, 1890]; Blapstinus cinerascens Fall, 1929 [= Blapstinus lecontei Mulsant and Rey, 1859]; Blapstinus niger Casey, 1890 and Blapstinus cribricollis Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus pimalis Casey, 1885]; Blapstinus arenarius Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus pratensis LeConte, 1859]; Blapstinus gregalis Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus substriatus Champion, 1885]; Blapstinus hydropicus Casey, 1890 [= Blapstinus sulcatus Le

Thesis Abstract Morphological and phylogeographic analysis of Brazilian tortoises (Testudinidae).

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Silva, T L; Venancio, L P R; Bonini-Domingos, C R

2015-12-29

The discriminative potentials of biogeography, vocalization, morphology, cytogenetics, hemoglobin, and molecular profiling of cytochrome b as taxonomic techniques for differentiating Brazilian tortoises were evaluated in this study. In Brazil, two species of tortoises are described, Chelonoidis carbonarius and Chelonoidis denticulatus. However, in the present study, some animals that were initially recognized based on morphological characters and coloring did not correspond to the typical pattern of C. carbonarius; these animals were classified as morphotypes 1 and 2. It was proposed that these morphotypes are differentiated species, and they should not be considered as a single taxonomic unit with C. carbonarius. Tortoises analyzed were provided by the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA); the Emilio Goeldi Museum, PA; municipal zoos in São José do Rio Preto, SP, and Araçatuba, SP; and the Reginaldo Uvo Leone breeding farm for Wild and Exotic Animals, Tabapuã, SP. Based on the data obtained using biogeographic evaluation of specimens in the literature, it was found that C. carbonarius is distributed in the Northeast Region of Brazil, and no animal of this pattern was observed in the investigated collections. On the other hand, C. denticulatus is found in all the states of the Legal Amazonia. In addition, isolated individual records of this species exist in the Atlantic Forest in Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro and in the Midwest Region composed of the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul. In the Northeast Region, C. denticulatus occurs in the State of Bahia. Morphotype 1 has a wider geographical distribution than C. carbonarius, possibly because of several distribution reports associated with C. carbonarius, indicating erroneous association of morphotype 1 as a single taxonomic unit with C. carbonarius. Morphotype 2 is found only in the states of Pará, Maranhão, and Piauí. These biogeographic data indicate that the

Trace fossils and sedimentary facies from a Late Cambrian‐Early Ordovician tide‐dominated shelf (Santa Rosita Formation, northwest Argentina): Implications for ichnofacies models of shallow marine successions

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Mángano, M. Gabriela; Buatois, Luis A.; Aceñolaza, Guillermo F.

1996-01-01

The Santa Rosita Formation is one the most widely distributed lower Paleozoic units of northwest Argentina. At the Quebrada del Salto Alto section, east of Purmamarca, Jujuy Province, it is represented by four sedimentary facies: thick‐bedded planar cross‐stratified quartzose sandstones (A), thin‐bedded planar cross‐stratified quartzose sandstones and mudstones (B), wave‐rippled sandstones and bioturbated mudstones (C), and black and greenish gray shales (D). Paleocurrent data, sandstone architecture, and sedimentary structures from faciès A and B indicate bipolar/bimodal paleoflows, suggesting the action of tidal currents. The succession is interpreted as that of a tide‐dominated shelf, with only secondary influence of wave processes. Trace fossils are restricted to facies B and C.The Cruziana ichnocoenosis is preserved on the soles of thin‐bedded planar cross‐stratified quartzose sandstones (faciès B). This ichnocoenosis consists of Conostichus isp., Cruziana omanica, C. semiplicata, C. cf. tortworthi, Cruziana isp. Helminthopsis abeli, Monomorphichnus bilinearis, M. multilineatus, Palaeophycus tubularis, Rusophycus carbonarias, R. latus, and R. isp. The occurrence of Cruziana semiplicata, C. omanica, C. cf. tortworthi, and Rusophycus latus supports a Late Cambrian‐Tremadoc age. Slabbing of Cruziana shows complex interactions between biologic and sedimentologic processes, and suggests a predominance of exhumed traces, washed out and recast by tractive sand deposition. Sandstone soles are densely packed with biogenic structures and exhibit distinctive clusters of Rusophycus isp. that most likely represent trilobite nesting burrows. The Cruziana ichnocoenosis records the resident fauna of a protected, lower intertidal to subtidal interbar setting.The Skolithos ichnocoenosis is represented by high to low density vertical burrows of Skolithos linearis, which extend downwards to the quartzose sandstone soles of faciès B and