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Scientific Reports Jun 2024Before the rise of dinosaurs and pterosaurs, pseudosuchians-reptiles from the crocodilian lineage-dominated the Triassic land ecosystems. This lineage diversified into...
Before the rise of dinosaurs and pterosaurs, pseudosuchians-reptiles from the crocodilian lineage-dominated the Triassic land ecosystems. This lineage diversified into several less inclusive clades, resulting in a wide ecomorphological diversity during the Middle and Late Triassic. Some giant pseudosuchians occupied the top of the trophic webs, while others developed extensive bony armor as a defense mechanism, which later evolved as a convergence in the avemetatarsalian lineage. On the other hand, there were groups like the Gracilisuchidae, which was composed of carnivorous forms with lightweight build and less than 1 m in length. The fossil record of gracilisuchids is geographically restricted to China and Argentina, with one ambiguous record from Brazil. In the present study, the first unambiguous gracilisuchid from Brazil is described. Parvosuchus aurelioi gen. et sp. nov. comes from the Dinodontosaurus Assemblage Zone of the Santa Maria Formation, which is associated with the Ladinian-Carnian boundary. Composed of a complete cranium, vertebrae, pelvic girdle and hindlimbs, the new species nests with Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum and Maehary bonapartei in a phylogenetic analysis. Its discovery fills a taxonomic gap in Brazilian pseudosuchian fauna and reveals the smallest known member of this clade from the Dinodontosaurus Assemblage Zone, highlighting the diversity of pseudosuchians during the moment that preceded the dawn of dinosaurs.
Topics: Animals; Fossils; Brazil; Phylogeny; Dinosaurs; Biological Evolution; Reptiles; Predatory Behavior; Skull
PubMed: 38902259
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63313-3 -
ELife Jun 2024Comprehensive biodiversity data is crucial for ecosystem protection. The mobile app, launched in Japan, efficiently gathers species observations from the public using...
Comprehensive biodiversity data is crucial for ecosystem protection. The mobile app, launched in Japan, efficiently gathers species observations from the public using species identification algorithms and gamification elements. The app has amassed >6 million observations since 2019. Nonetheless, community-sourced data may exhibit spatial and taxonomic biases. Species distribution models (SDMs) estimate species distribution while accommodating such bias. Here, we investigated the quality of data and its impact on SDM performance. Species identification accuracy exceeds 95% for birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians, but seed plants, molluscs, and fishes scored below 90%. Our SDMs for 132 terrestrial plants and animals across Japan revealed that incorporating data into traditional survey data improved accuracy. For endangered species, traditional survey data required >2000 records for accurate models (Boyce index ≥ 0.9), while blending the two data sources reduced this to around 300. The uniform coverage of urban-natural gradients by data, compared to traditional data biased towards natural areas, may explain this improvement. Combining multiple data sources better estimates species distributions, aiding in protected area designation and ecosystem service assessment. Establishing a platform for accumulating community-sourced distribution data will contribute to conserving and monitoring natural ecosystems.
Topics: Biodiversity; Animals; Smartphone; Japan; Conservation of Natural Resources; Mobile Applications; Ecosystem; Plants
PubMed: 38899444
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.93694 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2024The aim of our study was to measure fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations in captive and free-ranging male and female mountain gazelles () during their...
INTRODUCTION
The aim of our study was to measure fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations in captive and free-ranging male and female mountain gazelles () during their circannual cycle. In addition, FGM concentrations were used to track the intensity of the adrenocortical response in mountain gazelles during the same period.
METHODS
Fecal samples were collected from the ground in the Hatay Mountain Gazelle Wildlife Development Area in the Hatay Province of Türkiye (36°32' N, 36°32' E) in each season of the year (December, April, July, September). The sex of the animals was determined by detecting the gene of the Y chromosome in DNA isolated from the fecal samples. FGM was extracted from dried fecal samples with methanol, and its concentration was measured using a previously partially validated ELISA.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results indicate that season is the most important factor explaining the variability in FGM concentrations in mountain gazelles. In animals of both sexes, the highest concentrations of FGM were observed in September. The values were significantly higher in the captive population, perhaps due to unpredictable stress. In July, FGM concentrations were low in both populations. As a result of the overall analysis across seasons, the comparison of FGM concentrations between captive and free-ranging animals revealed higher concentrations in captive animals only in September but not in other seasons, although higher concentrations have been previously reported for several wild captive species. Due to predation risk, the presence of offspring can be considered a critical point in the biological cycle for the welfare of free-ranging mountain gazelles, as suggested by the higher FGM concentrations in the free-ranging population in July. The high number of visitors could be a challenge for mountain gazelles in captivity, as indicated by higher FGM concentrations during September. Sex had no effect on the FGM concentrations of either population.
PubMed: 38898996
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1386009 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024(IIIb) is frequently isolated from reptiles and less frequently from birds and mammals. However, its isolation from invasive human infections has not been widely...
(IIIb) is frequently isolated from reptiles and less frequently from birds and mammals. However, its isolation from invasive human infections has not been widely reported. Migratory mallard ducks are excellent bioindicators of pathogen presence and pathogen antibiotic resistance (AMR). We present the first isolation from a mallard duck in central Europe of the antibiotic-resistant subsp. with the unique antigenic pattern 58:r:z and report its whole-genome sequencing, serosequencing, and genotyping, which enabled the prediction of its pathogenicity and comparison with phenotypic AMR. The isolated strain was highly similar to isolated from humans and food. Twenty-four AMR genes were detected, including those encoding aminoglycoside, fluoroquinolone, macrolide, carbapenem, tetracycline, cephalosporin, nitroimidazole, peptide antibiotic, and disinfecting agent/antiseptic resistance. Six pathogenicity islands were found (SPI-1, SPI-2, SPI-3, SPI-5, SPI-9, and SPI-13). An iron transport system was detected in SPI-1 centisome C63PI. Plasmid profile analyses showed three to be present. Sequence mutations in the and genes were noted, which truncated and elongated the proteins, respectively. The strain also harbored genes encoding type-III secretion-system effector proteins and many virulence factors found in associated with human infections. This study aims to elucidate the AMR and virulence genes in subsp. that may most seriously threaten human health.
Topics: Animals; Ducks; Humans; Salmonella; Whole Genome Sequencing; Genomic Islands; Salmonella Infections, Animal; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Salmonella enterica; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Genome, Bacterial; Phylogeny; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Plasmids
PubMed: 38891852
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115664 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024We present a comparative chromosome study of several taxa of the Malagasy ground geckos of the and species groups. We employed a preliminary molecular analysis using a...
We present a comparative chromosome study of several taxa of the Malagasy ground geckos of the and species groups. We employed a preliminary molecular analysis using a trait of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene (of about 570 bp) to assess the taxonomic status of the samples studied and a cytogenetic analysis with standard karyotyping (5% Giemsa solution), silver staining (Ag-NOR staining) and sequential C-banding (C-banding + Giemsa and + fluorochromes). Our results show that all the taxa studied of the group (, and cf. ) have a similar karyotype composed of 2n = 34 chromosomes, with two metacentric pairs (1 and 3) and all other pairs being acrocentric. Chromosome diversification in the group was mainly linked to the diversification of heteromorphic sex chromosome systems (ZZ/ZW) in and , while no heteromorphic sex chromosome pair was found in cf. . The two taxa investigated of the species group (here named and cf. based on molecular data) showed the same chromosome number of 2n = 36, mostly acrocentric elements, but differed in the number of metacentric elements, probably as a result of an inversion at chromosome pair 2. We highlight that the genus is characterized by the independent diversification of heterogametic sex chromosomes in different evolutionary lineages and, similarly to other phylogenetically related gecko genera, by a progressive formation of a biarmed element by means of tandem fusions and inversions of distinct pairs.
PubMed: 38891755
DOI: 10.3390/ani14111708 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024In the context of global warming, the frequency of severe weather occurrences, such as unexpected cold spells and heat waves, will grow, as well as the intensity of...
In the context of global warming, the frequency of severe weather occurrences, such as unexpected cold spells and heat waves, will grow, as well as the intensity of these natural disasters. Lizards, as a large group of reptiles, are ectothermic. Their body temperatures are predominantly regulated by their environment and temperature variations directly impact their behavior and physiological activities. Frequent cold periods and heat waves can affect their biochemistry and physiology, and often their ability to maintain their body temperature. Mitochondria, as the center of energy metabolism, are crucial for maintaining body temperature, regulating metabolic rate, and preventing cellular oxidative damage. Here, we used -qPCR technology to investigate the expression patterns and their differences for the 13 mitochondrial PCGs in (Squamata:Scincidae), also known as the brown forest skink, under extreme temperature stress at 4 °C, 8 °C, 34 °C, and 38 °C for 24 h, compared to the control group at 25 °C. In southern China, for lizards, 4 °C is close to lethal, and 8 °C induces hibernation, while 34/38 °C is considered hot and environmentally realistic. Results showed that at a low temperature of 4 °C for 24 h, transcript levels of , , , , and significantly decreased, to values of 0.52 ± 0.08, 0.65 ± 0.04, 0.68 ± 0.10, 0.28 ± 0.02, and 0.35 ± 0.02, respectively, compared with controls. By contrast, transcript levels of exhibited a significant increase, with a mean value of 1.86 ± 0.21. However, exposure to 8 °C for 24 h did not lead to an increase in transcript levels. Indeed, transcript levels of , , , , and were significantly downregulated, to 0.48 ± 0.11, 0.68 ± 0.07, 0.41 ± 0.08, 0.54 ± 0.10, and 0.52 ± 0.07, respectively, as compared with controls. Exposure to a hot environment of 34 °C for 24 h led to an increase in transcript levels of , , , , , , and , with values that were 3.3 ± 0.24, 2.0 ± 0.2, 2.70 ± 1.06, 1.57 ± 0,08, 1.47 ± 0.13, 1.39 ± 0.56, and 1.86 ± 0.12, respectively, over controls. By contrast, exhibited a significant decrease (to 0.31 ± 0.01) compared with controls. When exposed to 38 °C, the transcript levels of the 13 PCGs significantly increased, ranging from a 2.04 ± 0.23 increase in to a 6.30 ± 0.96 rise in . Under two different levels of cold and heat stress, the expression patterns of mitochondrial genes in vary, possibly associated with different strategies employed by this species in response to low and high temperatures, allowing for rapid compensatory adjustments in mitochondrial electron transport chain proteins in response to temperature changes. Furthermore, this underscores once again the significant role of mitochondrial function in determining thermal plasticity in reptiles.
PubMed: 38891717
DOI: 10.3390/ani14111671 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... May 2024Monogeneans are flatworm parasites that infest fish gills primarily but can also infect various other vertebrates, including amphibians, aquatic reptiles, mammals like... (Review)
Review
Monogeneans are flatworm parasites that infest fish gills primarily but can also infect various other vertebrates, including amphibians, aquatic reptiles, mammals like hippos, and occasionally invertebrates like copepods, isopods, and cephalopods. Despite their remarkable diversity, our knowledge of monogenean parasites in Peru remains significantly limited, resulting in substantial gaps in our comprehension of their taxonomic identities, host associations, and geographic distribution. To address these knowledge deficits, we present an extensively curated checklist of monogeneans associated with aquatic vertebrates in Peru. This comprehensive compilation is derived from meticulous literature surveys, the examination of specimens deposited in both international and national collections, and the inclusion of additional freshly collected specimens. The checklist offers a thorough repository of data encompassing the diversity, host associations, and geographical distribution of these parasites. Taxonomic discrepancies are addressed through a critical review of the existing literature, supplemented by the direct examination of specimens, including type or voucher specimens, deposited within scientific collections. Additionally, we provide data on the DNA sequences of individual taxa. The compiled list comprises records of 358 monogenean species, including 270 valid species and 88 taxa identified at the family or generic level, all reported across 145 host species in Peru. Predominantly, these parasitic species exhibit associations within fish, with 335 infecting teleosts and 20 affecting chondrichthyans. Three monogenean species have been documented as infecting amphibians, namely , sp. and . Among the monogeneans reported, 141 were found in marine environments and 214 in freshwater environments. The most diverse families were Dactylogyridae and Diplectanidae, comprising 217 and 24 species, respectively. The hosts that harbored the highest number of monogeneans were (with 23 species), followed by (13 spp.) and (11 spp.). We detected many species that do not have any material deposited in a scientific collection due to the loss or deactivation of the collection. These findings represent only a fraction of the potential diversity, considering the wide variety of aquatic vertebrate hosts inhabiting the tropical and subtropical regions of Peru.
PubMed: 38891589
DOI: 10.3390/ani14111542 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Large predators have disproportionate effects on their underlying food webs. Thus, appropriately assigning trophic positions has important conservation implications both...
Large predators have disproportionate effects on their underlying food webs. Thus, appropriately assigning trophic positions has important conservation implications both for the predators themselves and for their prey. Large-bodied predators are often referred to as apex predators, implying that they are many trophic levels above primary producers. However, theoretical considerations predict both higher and lower trophic position with increasing body size. Nitrogen stable isotope values (δN) are increasingly replacing stomach contents or behavioral observations to assess trophic position and it is often assumed that ontogenetic dietary shifts result in higher trophic positions. Intraspecific studies based on δN values found a positive relationship between size and inferred trophic position. Here, we use datasets of predatory vertebrate ectotherms (crocodilians, turtles, lizards and fishes) to show that, although there are positive intraspecific relationships between size and δN values, relationships between stomach-content-based trophic level (TP) and size are undetectable or negative. As there is usually no single value for N trophic discrimination factor (TDF) applicable to a predator species or its prey, estimates of trophic position based on δN in ectotherm vertebrates with large size ranges, may be inaccurate and biased. We urge a reconsideration of the sole use of δN values to assess trophic position and encourage the combined use of isotopes and stomach contents to assess diet and trophic level.
Topics: Animals; Nitrogen Isotopes; Food Chain; Body Size; Predatory Behavior; Vertebrates; Lizards; Fishes; Gastrointestinal Contents; Turtles
PubMed: 38890338
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61969-5 -
Nature Communications Jun 2024Ultraviolet (UV) colour patterns invisible to humans are widespread in nature. However, research bias favouring species with conspicuous colours under sexual selection...
Ultraviolet (UV) colour patterns invisible to humans are widespread in nature. However, research bias favouring species with conspicuous colours under sexual selection can limit our assessment of other ecological drivers of UV colour, like interactions between predators and prey. Here we demonstrate widespread UV colouration across Western Hemisphere snakes and find stronger support for a predator defence function than for reproduction. We find that UV colouration has evolved repeatedly in species with ecologies most sensitive to bird predation, with no sexual dichromatism at any life stage. By modelling visual systems of potential predators, we find that snake conspicuousness correlates with UV colouration and predator cone number, providing a plausible mechanism for selection. Our results suggest that UV reflectance should not be assumed absent in "cryptically coloured" animals, as signalling beyond human visual capacities may be a key outcome of species interactions in many taxa for which UV colour is likely underreported.
Topics: Animals; Ultraviolet Rays; Snakes; Biological Evolution; Predatory Behavior; Color; Pigmentation; Birds; Female; Male
PubMed: 38890335
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49506-4 -
Current Biology : CB Jun 2024Sauropterygians were the stratigraphically longest-ranging clade of Mesozoic marine reptiles with a global fossil record spanning ∼180 million years. However, their...
Sauropterygians were the stratigraphically longest-ranging clade of Mesozoic marine reptiles with a global fossil record spanning ∼180 million years. However, their early evolution has only been known from what is now the Northern Hemisphere, extending across the northern and trans-equatorial western margins of the Tethys paleo-ocean after the late-Early Triassic (late Olenekian, ∼248.8 million years [Ma] ago), and via possible trans-Arctic migration to the Eastern Panthalassa super-ocean prior to the earliest Middle Triassic (Olenekian-earliest Anisian, ∼247 Ma). Here, we describe the geologically oldest sea-going reptile from the Southern Hemisphere - a nothosaur (basal sauropterygian) from the Middle Triassic (Anisian, after ∼246 Ma) of New Zealand. Time-scaled ancestral range estimations thus reveal an unexpected circum-Gondwanan high-paleolatitude (>60° S) dispersal from a northern Tethyan origination center. This coincides with the adaptive diversification of sauropterygians after the end-Permian mass extinction and suggests that rapid globalization accompanied their initial radiation in the earliest Mesozoic.
Topics: Animals; Fossils; Reptiles; Biological Evolution; New Zealand; Animal Distribution; Aquatic Organisms; Internationality; Phylogeny
PubMed: 38889674
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.035