Hybridization between the European and Asian badgers (Meles, Carnivora) in the Volga-Kama region, revealed by analyses of maternally, paternally and biparentally inherited genes
Publication date: Available online 8 May 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Emi Kinoshita, Alexei V. Abramov, Vyacheslav A. Soloviev, Alexander P. Saveljev, Yoshinori Nishita, Yayoi Kaneko, Ryuichi Masuda Two closely related species of Meles (Carnivora), the European badger (M. meles) and the Asian badger (M. leucurus), are distributed allopatrically in continental Eurasia but show a narrow contact zone around the Volga and Kama Rivers, Russia. We analyzed maternally (mitochondrial DNA), paternally (SRY gene and CAN-SINEs on the Y chromosome), and biparentally (CFTR gene and nine microsatellite loci) inherit...
Source: Mammalian Biology - May 15, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Vienna Supplementary feeding can attract red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) to optimal environments
Publication date: Available online 9 May 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Anna Starkey, Javier delBarco-Trillo A number of conservation approaches are used to manage threatened species. However, some of these approaches require intensive planning and can often be restricted by funding. Supplementary feeding is a non-invasive and cost-effective approach to manage vulnerable populations, but we lack data on its usefulness. Here we investigated the effects of supplementary feeding on a population of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris), a UK priority species which faces competition from the non-native grey squirrel (S...
Source: Mammalian Biology - May 15, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Understanding factors affecting the distribution of the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) in South America: Spatial dynamics and environmental drivers
Publication date: September 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology, Volume 92 Author(s): Lorena Coelho, David Romero, Diego Queirolo, José Carlos Guerrero The maned wolf is the largest canid in South America, and is currently classified as a near threatened species. Though once widely distributed in open habitats throughout the continent, the species’ current distribution is significantly reduced, especially in the southern part of its range. Species distribution models are useful tools that can reveal the causes contributing to the decline of the species, especially in the southern limit of its global distribution. In thi...
Source: Mammalian Biology - May 15, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Effect of humans and pumas on the temporal activity of ocelots in protected areas of Atlantic Forest
Publication date: September 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology, Volume 92 Author(s): Rodrigo Lima Massara, Ana Maria de Oliveira Paschoal, Larissa Lynn Bailey, Paul Francis Doherty, Marcela de Frias Barreto, Adriano Garcia Chiarello Temporal segregation may be one of the most effective mechanism adopted by a subordinate species to reduce competition with a dominant species. We hypothesized temporal segregation by ocelots as the main strategy of reducing direct contact with pumas and humans in Atlantic Forest protected areas. Through a standardized camera trap protocol, we measured the degree of activity overlap between ...
Source: Mammalian Biology - May 15, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Genetic polymorphism and structure of wild and zoo populations of the fosa (Eupleridae, Carnivora), the largest living carnivoran of Madagascar
Publication date: Available online 14 April 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Géraldine Veron, Délia Dupré, Mia-Lana Lührs, Peter M. Kappeler, Luke Dollar, Julie Pomerantz, Steven M. Goodman Cryptoprocta ferox, or fosa, is the largest living endemic carnivoran of Madagascar, with presumably high dispersal capacity, and for which no broad scale phylogeographic study has been conducted to date. This species is considered “Vulnerable” by the IUCN and the subject of a captive breeding program; approximately 113 individuals are held in 57 zoos. The aim of this study was to examine the genetic structure a...
Source: Mammalian Biology - April 14, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Behavioural Ecology in a Predator-Prey System
Publication date: Available online 7 April 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Douglas de Matos Dias, Claudia Bueno de Campos, Flávio Henrique Guimarães Rodrigues Predator-prey systems are regulated by a behavioral response race, in which the predator develops adaptations that enhance its hunting success and its prey adopt anti-predator strategies. In the present study, we analyzed the activity patterns, the influence of moonlight, and the habitat use of Leopardus pardalis and Puma concolor in comparison with their potential prey, Dasypus novemcinctus, Mazama gouazoubira, Pecari tajacu, Sapajus libidinosus, Ker...
Source: Mammalian Biology - April 8, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
A large-scale assessment of the presence of the Darwin ’s fox across its newly discovered range
Publication date: Available online 6 April 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Eduardo A. Silva-Rodríguez, Erwin Ovando, Danilo González, Brayan Zambrano, Maximiliano A. Sepúlveda, Gabriella L. Svensson, René Cárdenas, Patricio Contreras, Ariel A. Farías The Darwin’s fox is one of the most threatened carnivores worldwide and was thought to occur in only two isolated areas. Recently this canid was found in the Valdivian Coastal Range, between the previously known populations, but other than their presence, little is known about these populations. Here we report the results of camera trap surveys cond...
Source: Mammalian Biology - April 7, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Exploring Rattus praetor (Rodentia, Muridae) as a possible species complex using geometric morphometrics on dental morphology
Publication date: Available online 6 April 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Ardern Hulme-Beaman, Thomas Cucchi, Allowen Evin, Jeremy B. Searle, Keith Dobney Taxonomic uncertainties in the Rattus genus persist due to among-species morphological conservatism coupled with within-species environmental variation in morphology. As a result, this genus contains a number of possible cryptic species. One important example can be found in R. praetor, where morphological studies indicate it is a possible species complex. Genetic studies of R. praetor (limited to analysis of mitochondrial DNA) have been inconclusive, bu...
Source: Mammalian Biology - April 7, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Understanding patterns of distribution and space-use by Ursus thibetanus in Khangchendzonga, India: Initiative towards conservation
Publication date: Available online 6 April 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Tawqir Bashir, Tapajit Bhattacharya, Kamal Poudyal, Qamar Qureshi, Sambandam Sathyakumar Increasing rate of bear-human conflict and declining black bear population remains a conservation paradox throughout its distributional range. Sound information on the patterns and dynamics of bear occurrence seems prerequisite towards addressing this issue, particularly in sub-tropical and temperate ecosystems. We aimed to understand the patterns of space-use and distribution of Asiatic black bears Ursus thibetanus in the Khangchendzonga Biosphe...
Source: Mammalian Biology - April 7, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Genetic relationships of wild boars highlight the importance of Southern Iran in forming a comprehensive picture of the species ’ phylogeography
Publication date: Available online 5 April 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Mohammad Reza Ashrafzadeh, Hamid Reza Rezaei, Olyagholi Khalilipour, Szilvia Kusza Genetic relationships between wild boar populations in the southern regions of Iran still remain unclear. Therefore in the present study our aim was filling this gap and providing preliminary knowledge about the phylogenetic status of Iranian wild boar based on two datasets of the mtDNA control region (the 402-bp and 605-bp segments as the first and second datasets, respectively). Altogether 1063 and 490 sequences were used in the shorter and longer seq...
Source: Mammalian Biology - April 6, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Light-independent magnetosensitive behaviour in the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus)
Publication date: Available online 30 March 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Sandra Malewski, Sabine Begall, Hynek Burda Although magnetoreception is known to be widespread in the animal kingdom, the underlying perception mechanism is still poorly understood, thus representing one of the most relevant research gaps. Currently, a light-independent magnetic-particle mediated mechanism and a light-dependent radical pair mechanism are the two mainly discussed hypotheses for terrestrial animals. Hamsters are highly interesting mammalian models for studies on this topic, because, based on their ecology, both mechani...
Source: Mammalian Biology - March 31, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Landscape-level field data reveal broad-scale effects of a fatal, transmissible cancer on population ecology of the Tasmanian devil
Publication date: July 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology, Volume 91 Author(s): C.E. Grueber, S. Fox, K. Belov, D. Pemberton, C.J. Hogg In order to project and plan for the future of threatened species, conservationists require good quality estimates of basic population parameters, such as population sex ratios and breeding rates. These data can be difficult to obtain in many threatened species where pervasive threats perturb population dynamics. For Tasmanian devils, previous studies at several sites across Tasmania revealed demographic consequences of the fatal and transmissible devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). In t...
Source: Mammalian Biology - March 31, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Unveiling the identity of Kerr's Atlantic tree rat, Phyllomys kerri (Rodentia, Echimyidae)
Publication date: Available online 29 March 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Edson Fiedler de Abreu-Júnior, Alexandre Reis Percequillo, Lena Geise, Yuri L.R. Leite, Ana Carolina Loss Arboreal spiny rats of the genus Phyllomys are the most diverse group of echimyid rodents in the Atlantic Forest. Many species of Phyllomys have small geographic ranges and are rare in scientific collections. One of them is Phyllomys kerri known from only three specimens collected in a single locality almost 80 year s ago. The identity and the taxonomic validity of this enigmatic species has been questioned in recent decade...
Source: Mammalian Biology - March 30, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Mapping Risk: Quantifying and Predicting the Risk of Deer-Vehicle Collisions on major roads in England
Publication date: Available online 28 March 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Luca Nelli, Jochen Langbein, Peter Watson, Rory Putman Wildlife-vehicle collisions are increasing across both Europe and North America, with considerable implications for animal populations themselves, for human safety and in terms of economic cost. Deer are generally the primary species involved in wildlife-vehicle collisions. Common mitigation measures, such as warning signs, chemical repellent, wildlife underpasses and overpasses and roadside fencing, have however proven to have a limited efficacy. The development of tools aimed a...
Source: Mammalian Biology - March 29, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
Use of space and homesite attendance by Iberian wolves during the breeding season
Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018 Source:Mammalian Biology Author(s): Helena Rio-Maior, Pedro Beja, Mónia Nakamura, Francisco Álvares The persistence of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes is conditional on the preservation of adequate ecological conditions during the reproduction period, when they may be particularly susceptible to human disturbance. However, little is known about the breeding behaviour of large carnivores in these landscapes, though this is important for conservation management. Here we describe the space use and homesite attendance patterns of wolves inhabiting humanise...
Source: Mammalian Biology - March 28, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: research
