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Pereyra ME, Cerroni MA, Lecuona A, Bona P, Fernández Dumont ML, Otero A. Hindlimb and pelvic anatomy of Caiman yacare (Archosauria, Pseudosuchia): Myology and osteological correlates with emphasis on lower leg and autopodial musculature. J Anat 2024; 244:749-791. [PMID: 38104997 PMCID: PMC11021681 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The anatomy of the archosaurian pelvis and hindlimb has adopted a diversity of successful configurations allowing a wide range of postures during the evolution of the group (e.g., erect, sprawling). For this reason, thorough studies of the structure and function of the pelvic and hindlimb musculature of crocodylians are required and provide the possibility to expand their implications for the evolution of archosaurian locomotion, as well as to identify potential new characters based on muscles and their bony correlates. In this study, we give a detailed description of the pelvic and hindlimb musculature of the South American alligator Caiman yacare, providing comprehensive novel information regarding lower limb and autopodial muscles. Particularly for the pedal muscles, we propose a new classification for the dorsal and ventral muscles of the autopodium based on the organisation of these muscles in successive layers. We have studied the myology in a global background in which we have compared the Caiman yacare musculature with other crocodylians. In this sense, differences in the arrangement of m. flexor tibialis internus 1, m. flexor tibialis externus, m. iliofibularis, mm. puboischiofemorales internii 1 and 2, between Ca. yacare and other crocodylians were found. We also discuss the muscle attachments that have different bony correlates among the crocodylian species and their morphological variation. Most of the correlates did not exhibit great variation among the species compared. The majority of the recognised correlates were identified in the pelvic girdle; additionally, some bony correlates associated with the pedal muscles are highlighted here for the first time. This research provides a wide framework for future studies on comparative anatomy and functional morphology, which could contribute to improving the character definition used in phylogenetic analyses and to understand the patterns of musculoskeletal hindlimb evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eugenia Pereyra
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- División Paleontología Vertebrados, Anexo Laboratorios, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rhodes Gift, South Africa
| | - Mauricio A Cerroni
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Comparada y Evolución de los Vertebrados, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 'Bernardino Rivadavia', Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustina Lecuona
- Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología, General Roca, Río Negro, Argentina
- CONICET, Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología (IIPG), General Roca, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Paula Bona
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- División Paleontología Vertebrados, Anexo Laboratorios, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M Lucila Fernández Dumont
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara, Centro de Ciencias Naturales Ambientales y Antropológicas, Universidad Maimónides, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro Otero
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- División Paleontología Vertebrados, Anexo Laboratorios, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Fernandez Blanco MV, Cassini GH, Bona P. A three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the morphological transformation of Caiman lower jaw during post-hatching ontogeny. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15548. [PMID: 37456902 PMCID: PMC10349558 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Shape ontogenetic changes of the lower jaw in crocodylians are poorly understood. In order to answer some questions related to the inter- and intraspecific morphological variation of the mandible of two extant Caiman species, we performed a three-dimensional geometric morphometric approach. For this purpose, we used landmarks and semilandmarks on two ontogenetic mandibular series of 48 and 15 post-hatching specimens of C. yacare and C. latirostris, respectively. We have also examined the relationship between these anatomical transformations and ontogenetic shifts in diet. We performed a principal component analysis (PCA) for the two species, and regression and partial least squares (PLS) analyses for each species, separately. As a result, species were segregated along the PC1 with specimens of C. yacare showing more gracile mandibles, and specimens of C. latirostris more robust ones. The PC2 and regression analyses showed an age gradient and represented ontogenetic shape changes. Adult caiman mandibles are higher and wider than juvenile ones, and shape changes are more conspicuous in C. latirostris. The PLS analyses showed a significant relationship between shape and diet. Morphological changes of the PLS1 of block-1 match with those of the regression analysis for both species. We have detected morphological transformations in areas where the musculature in charge of mandibular movements is attached. Common morphological changes occurring during ontogeny seem to reflect the same mechanical properties required for crushing and killing in both species, driven by an ontogenetic shift in the diet from invertebrates to vertebrates. Additionally, interspecific differences were also found to be correlated to ontogenetic changes in diet and could be related to dissimilar feeding mechanical requirements (e.g., stiffness and toughness of the item consumed), and to different habitat preferences. Robust mandibles would be more suitable for shallow and fully vegetated environments, as it can be seen in C. latirostris, whereas slender jaws seem to be more suitable for more aquatic species such as C. yacare.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Victoria Fernandez Blanco
- División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Unidades de Investigación Anexo II Museo, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillermo Hernán Cassini
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- División Mastozoología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula Bona
- División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Unidades de Investigación Anexo II Museo, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Vera-Candioti L, Leiva PML, Valli F, Bernal CA, Piña CI, Simoncini MS, González MA. Optimization of oil extraction from caiman fat. Characterization for use as food supplement. Food Chem 2021; 357:129755. [PMID: 33915468 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The leather of Caiman latirostris is highly appreciated in the fashion industry and the meat is valued as an important food but its fat are usually discarded because it has no commercial value. However it is an alternative source of essential fatty acids and could be used for human consumption. The aim was to optimize the oil extraction from Caiman latirostris fat and to carry out the chemical and microbiological characterization for its use as food supplement. The oil obtained by fusion method contains fatty acids with high nutritional quality such as oleic acid (34%), linoleic acid (30%) and α-linolenic acid (2%). The atherogenicity index was 0.29 and the thrombogenicity index 0.47. The presence of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli and Salmonella were not observed, and the oil is stable for 4 months at 25 °C and for at least 8 months in an inert atmosphere at 25 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Vera-Candioti
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Avda. Rivadavia 1917, CP C1033AAJ Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Bromatología y Nutrición, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Pamela M L Leiva
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Bromatología y Nutrición, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina; CICyTTP-CONICET/Prov. Entre Ríos/UADER, España 149, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina; Proyecto Yacaré, Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo Vertebrados, FHUC/UNL, Aristóbulo del Valle 8700, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Florencia Valli
- CICyTTP-CONICET/Prov. Entre Ríos/UADER, España 149, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina; Proyecto Yacaré, Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo Vertebrados, FHUC/UNL, Aristóbulo del Valle 8700, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Claudio A Bernal
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Avda. Rivadavia 1917, CP C1033AAJ Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Bromatología y Nutrición, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Carlos I Piña
- CICyTTP-CONICET/Prov. Entre Ríos/UADER, España 149, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina; Proyecto Yacaré, Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo Vertebrados, FHUC/UNL, Aristóbulo del Valle 8700, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Melina S Simoncini
- CICyTTP-CONICET/Prov. Entre Ríos/UADER, España 149, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina; Proyecto Yacaré, Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo Vertebrados, FHUC/UNL, Aristóbulo del Valle 8700, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marcela A González
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Bromatología y Nutrición, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina.
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Cruz BRFD, Cunha MC, Bueno AADP, Jacobucci GB. Natural diet of Macrobrachium brasiliense (Crustacea, Decapoda) in a Cerrado stream. IHERINGIA. SERIE ZOOLOGIA 2021. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-4766e2021003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Knowledge about the diet of a given species is essential to provide information on the growth and maintenance of populations in a natural environment. Macrobrachium brasiliense (Heller, 1862) is a species of freshwater prawn widely distributed in Brazil, being frequent in aquatic environments inserted in the Cerrado biome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the natural diet of a population of M. brasiliense, comparing the consumed food items according to sex, seasonality and body size of individuals. Monthly collections were carried out between September 2018 and August 2019. The individuals collected had their sex identified and the length of the cephalothorax measured. Stomach content was assessed based on the degree of repletion, the method of points and the frequency of occurrence. There was a high frequency of plant material in the stomach contents and a smaller but significant frequency of aquatic insects. There were no significant differences regarding the diet of males and females and between the dry and rainy seasons. It was observed an increase in total insect consumption with the increase in size of males and females of M. brasiliense. A diet preference for Trichoptera was recorded in both sampling periods for males and females. The results obtained confirm an omnivorous diet for the species and suggest that the composition and proportion of items may vary depending on the size of the individuals and the availability of the items in the environment.
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Cossette AP. A new species of Bottosaurus (Alligatoroidea: Caimaninae) from the Black Peaks Formation (Palaeocene) of Texas indicates an early radiation of North American caimanines. Zool J Linn Soc 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Morphological and molecular data suggest a close relationship for alligators and caimans. The first fossil appearances combined with phylogenetic hypotheses suggest a divergence of the groups near the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary, but the early fossil record of Caimaninae is incomplete, and large gaps exist between the earliest representatives of the group. A new caimanine from lower Palaeocene (Tiffanian) deposits in the Black Peaks Formation of Brewster County, Texas is established upon two specimens of different size that bear similarities to Bottosaurus harlani from the uppermost Cretaceous and lowermost Palaeogene of New Jersey. The larger individual consists of a partial skull and lower jaw in addition to postcranial material. The smaller individual preserves a snout and posterior portions of the skull. Both specimens suggest an animal with a comparatively short, flat, broad snout. Species of Bottosaurus share diagnostic morphological character states but are differentiated in meaningful ways. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the new species is sister to B. harlani, indicates an early radiation of North American caimanines and elucidates a more complicated biogeographical history than previously hypothesized. A growing body of evidence suggests that Caimaninae may be diagnosed by ancestral characters, potentially drawing basal alligatoroids crownwards in phylogenetic trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam P Cossette
- Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Basic Sciences, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine – Arkansas, Jonesboro, AR, USA
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Somaweera R, Nifong J, Rosenblatt A, Brien ML, Combrink X, Elsey RM, Grigg G, Magnusson WE, Mazzotti FJ, Pearcy A, Platt SG, Shirley MH, Tellez M, Ploeg J, Webb G, Whitaker R, Webber BL. The ecological importance of crocodylians: towards evidence‐based justification for their conservation. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:936-959. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruchira Somaweera
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity Floreat WA 6014 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - James Nifong
- IFAS‐Fort Lauderdale Research & Education Center, University of Florida Fort Lauderdale FL 33314 USA
| | - Adam Rosenblatt
- University of North Florida 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville FL 32224 USA
| | - Mathew L. Brien
- Queensland Parks and WildlifeDepartment of Environment and Science Cairns QLD 4870 Australia
| | - Xander Combrink
- Department of Nature ConservationTshwane University of Technology Pretoria South Africa
| | - Ruth M. Elsey
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Grand Chenier LA 70643 USA
| | - Gordon Grigg
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4072 Australia
| | - William E. Magnusson
- Coordenação da Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional da Pesquisas da Amazônia Manaus 69067 Brazil
| | - Frank J. Mazzotti
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationEverglades Research and Education Center, University of Florida Gainesville FL 32603 USA
| | - Ashley Pearcy
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of BioScienceAarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Steven G. Platt
- Wildlife Conservation Society ‐ Myanmar Program Yangon Myanmar
| | - Matthew H. Shirley
- Tropical Conservation InstituteFlorida International University Miami FL 33181 USA
| | | | - Jan Ploeg
- Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, Innovation Campus, University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Grahame Webb
- Wildlife Management International Karama NT 0812 Australia
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT 0810 Australia
| | - Rom Whitaker
- The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust & Centre for Herpetology Mahabalipuram 603104 India
| | - Bruce L. Webber
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity Floreat WA 6014 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia Crawley WA 6009 Australia
- Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute Perth WA 6000 Australia
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Fonseca LA, Dornelas LRSM, Orozco AMO, Souto PC, Bento LD, Nóbrega YC, Santos MRD, Carvalho Filho WP, Ermita PAN, Girardi FM. The effects of sex, body length, and different habitats on the serum protein electrophoresis of the broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris). Vet Clin Pathol 2020; 49:59-65. [PMID: 32128863 DOI: 10.1111/vcp.12827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Knowledge of mammalian inflammatory responses is vast; however, many aspects of the inflammatory response in non-mammalian vertebrates, such as reptiles, remain unclear, including those regarding acute-phase proteins (APPs). Recent studies have focused on the use of serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) to assess inflammatory responses in the broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) and other reptiles. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of sex, body length, and different habitats on SPE patterns in C latirostris using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). METHODS A total of 40 animals of both sexes and varying body lengths were collected; of these, 23 were free-living in an industrial complex (site 1), and 17 were captive on a rural property (site 2). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was performed to fractionate different serum protein constituents. RESULTS Sex affected protein levels, with females showing higher serum levels of total protein, as well as the 90-, 66-, and 58-kDa proteins compared with males. Similarly, body length affected protein levels, with male adults >1.70 m in length showing the lowest serum levels of 152-, 58-, 54-, and 27-kDa proteins of all other animals. Finally, habitat affected protein levels, with animals at site 1 showing higher serum levels of 152- and 41-kDa proteins compared with those at site 2. CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study was the first to evaluate the SPE of C latirostris using SDS-PAGE. Further studies to identify the proteins in each band with more specific and sensitive techniques (eg, mass spectrometry) should be conducted to elucidate the standard of APPs in reptiles better.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro A Fonseca
- Professor of Veterinary Clinical Pathology in Veterinary Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Andres M O Orozco
- Veterinary Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Pollyanna C Souto
- Veterinary Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lucas D Bento
- Veterinary Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Yhuri C Nóbrega
- Projeto Caiman, Marcos Daniel Institute, Vitória, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Pedro A N Ermita
- Veterinary Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fabricia M Girardi
- Veterinary Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Soria-Ortiz GJ, Charruau P, Reynoso VH. Variation in diet of hatchlings, juveniles and sub-adults of Caiman crocodilus chiapasius in La Encrucijada, Chiapas, Mexico. REV MEX BIODIVERS 2020. [DOI: 10.22201/ib.20078706e.2020.91.2852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Drumheller SK, Wilberg EW. A synthetic approach for assessing the interplay of form and function in the crocodyliform snout. Zool J Linn Soc 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Existing classifications of snout shape within Crocodylia are supported by functional studies, but ecological surveys often reveal a higher than expected diversity of prey items within putatively specialist groups, and research into bite force and predation behaviour does not always reveal significant differences between snout shape groups. The addition of more distantly related crocodyliforms complicates the ecomorphological signal, because these groups often occupy a larger area of morphospace than the crown group alone. Here, we present an expanded classification of snout shapes and diets across Crocodyliformes, bringing together geometric morphometrics, non-hierarchical cluster analyses, phylogenetic analyses, ancestral state reconstructions, ecological surveys of diet, and feeding traces from the fossil record to build and test predictive models for linking snout shape and function across the clade. When applied to living members of the group, these new classifications partition out based on differences in predator body mass and maximal prey size. When applied to fossils, these classifications predict potential prey items and identify possible examples of scavenging. In a phylogenetic context, these ecomorphs reveal differences in dietary strategies and diversity within major crocodyliform clades. Taken together, these patterns suggest that crocodyliform diversity, in terms of both morphology and diet, has been underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie K Drumheller
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee–Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Eric W Wilberg
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University, Health Sciences Center, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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Grattarola F, Botto G, da Rosa I, Gobel N, González EM, González J, Hernández D, Laufer G, Maneyro R, Martínez-Lanfranco JA, Naya DE, Rodales AL, Ziegler L, Pincheira-Donoso D. Biodiversidata: An Open-Access Biodiversity Database for Uruguay. Biodivers Data J 2019; 7:e36226. [PMID: 31274982 PMCID: PMC6597616 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.7.e36226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The continental and marine territories of Uruguay are characterised by a rich convergence of multiple biogeographic ecoregions of the Neotropics, making this country a peculiar biodiversity spot. However, despite the biological significance of Uruguay for the South American subcontinent, the distribution of biodiversity patterns in this country remain poorly understood, given the severe gaps in available records of geographic species distributions. Currently, national biodiversity datasets are not openly available and, thus, a dominant proportion of the primary biodiversity data produced by researchers and institutions across Uruguay remains highly dispersed and difficult to access for the wider scientific and environmental community. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by developing the first comprehensive, open-access database of biodiversity records for Uruguay (Biodiversidata), which is the result of a large-scale collaboration involving experts working across the entire range of taxonomic diversity found in the country. New information As part of the first phase of Biodiversidata, we here present a comprehensive database of tetrapod occurrence records native from Uruguay, with the latest taxonomic updates. The database provides primary biodiversity data on extant Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia species recorded within the country. The total number of records collated is 69,380, spanning 673 species and it is available at the Zenodo repository: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2650169. This is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically comprehensive database of Uruguayan tetrapod species available to date and it represents the first open repository for the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Grattarola
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Campus, Lincoln, United Kingdom School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Campus Lincoln United Kingdom
| | - Germán Botto
- Department of Micriobiology and Immunology, Montana State Universitiy, Bozeman, United States of America Department of Micriobiology and Immunology, Montana State Universitiy Bozeman United States of America.,Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República Montevideo Uruguay.,Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Uruguay, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Uruguay, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Inés da Rosa
- Laboratorio de Sistemática e Historia Natural de Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay Laboratorio de Sistemática e Historia Natural de Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Noelia Gobel
- Área Biodiversidad y Conservación, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay Área Biodiversidad y Conservación, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Enrique M González
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Javier González
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Daniel Hernández
- NGO JULANA (Jugando en la Naturaleza), Montevideo, Uruguay NGO JULANA (Jugando en la Naturaleza) Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Gabriel Laufer
- Área Biodiversidad y Conservación, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay Área Biodiversidad y Conservación, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Raúl Maneyro
- Laboratorio de Sistemática e Historia Natural de Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay Laboratorio de Sistemática e Historia Natural de Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Juan A Martínez-Lanfranco
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Montevideo Uruguay.,Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, United States of America Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University Mississippi United States of America
| | - Daniel E Naya
- Departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay Departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Ana L Rodales
- Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Uruguay, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Uruguay, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Lucía Ziegler
- Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE), Universidad de la República, Maldonado, Uruguay Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE), Universidad de la República Maldonado Uruguay
| | - Daniel Pincheira-Donoso
- MacroBiodiversity Lab, School of Science and Technology, Department of Biosciences, Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom MacroBiodiversity Lab, School of Science and Technology, Department of Biosciences, Trent University Nottingham United Kingdom
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D’Amore DC, Harmon M, Drumheller SK, Testin JJ. Quantitative heterodonty in Crocodylia: assessing size and shape across modern and extinct taxa. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6485. [PMID: 30842900 PMCID: PMC6397764 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterodonty in Crocodylia and closely related taxa has not been defined quantitatively, as the teeth rarely have been measured. This has resulted in a range of qualitative descriptors, with little consensus on the condition of dental morphology in the clade. The purpose of this study is to present a method for the quantification of both size- and shape-heterodonty in members of Crocodylia. Data were collected from dry skeletal and fossil specimens of 34 crown crocodylians and one crocodyliform, resulting in 21 species total. Digital photographs were taken of each tooth and the skull, and the margins of both were converted into landmarks and semilandmarks. We expressed heterodonty through Foote's morphological disparity, and a principal components analysis quantified shape variance. All specimens sampled were heterodont to varying degrees, with the majority of the shape variance represented by a 'caniniform' to 'molariform' transition. Heterodonty varied significantly between positions; size undulated whereas shape was significantly linear from mesial to distal. Size and shape appeared to be primarily decoupled. Skull shape correlated significantly with tooth shape. High size-heterodonty often correlated with relatively large caniniform teeth, reflecting a prioritization of securing prey. Large, highly molariform, distal teeth may be a consequence of high-frequency durophagy combined with prey size. The slender-snouted skull shape correlated with a caniniform arcade with low heterodonty. This was reminiscent of other underwater-feeding tetrapods, as they often focus on small prey that requires minimal processing. Several extinct taxa were very molariform, which was associated with low heterodonty. The terrestrial peirosaurid shared similarities with large modern crocodylian taxa, but may have processed prey differently. Disparity measures can be inflated or deflated if certain teeth are absent from the tooth row, and regression analysis may not best apply to strongly slender-snouted taxa. Nevertheless, when these methods are used in tandem they can give a complete picture of crocodylian heterodonty. Future researchers may apply our proposed method to most crocodylian specimens with an intact enough tooth row regardless of age, species, or rearing conditions, as this will add rigor to many life history studies of the clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenic C. D’Amore
- Department of Natural Sciences, Daemen College, Amherst, NY, United States of America
| | - Megan Harmon
- Department of Natural Sciences, Daemen College, Amherst, NY, United States of America
| | - Stephanie K. Drumheller
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee—Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Jason J. Testin
- Department of Physical Science, Physics and Pre-Engineering, Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs, IA, United States of America
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12
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Feeding in Crocodylians and Their Relatives: Functional Insights from Ontogeny and Evolution. FEEDING IN VERTEBRATES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-13739-7_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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13
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Moldowan PD, Laverty TM, Emmans CJ, Stanley RC. Diet, Gastric Parasitism, and Injuries of Caimans (Caiman, Melanosuchus,andPaleosuchus) in the Peruvian Amazon. SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-16-00012.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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14
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Carnevali RP, Collins PA, Poi AS. Reproductive pattern of the freshwater prawn Pseudopalaemon bouvieri (Crustacea, Palaemonidae) from hypo-osmotic shallow lakes of Corrientes (Argentina). STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2016.1215037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Romina P. Carnevali
- Departamento de Biología, Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral (CONICET-UNNE), Corrientes, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura (UNNE), Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Pablo A. Collins
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Santa Fe, Argentina
- Departamento de Química General e Inorgánica, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas (UNL), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Alicia S.G. Poi
- Departamento de Biología, Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral (CONICET-UNNE), Corrientes, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura (UNNE), Corrientes, Argentina
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15
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Gignac P, O'Brien H. Suchian Feeding Success at the Interface of Ontogeny and Macroevolution. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:449-58. [PMID: 27252224 PMCID: PMC4990708 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
There have been a number of attempts to explain how crocodylian bite-force performance covaries with cranial form and diet. However, the mechanics and morphologies of crocodylian jaws have thus far remained incongruent with data on their performance and evolution. For example, it is largely assumed that the functional anatomy and performance of adults tightly fits the adult niche. At odds with this precept are groups with resource-dependent growth, whose juvenile stages undergo shifts in mass, morphology, and resource usage to overcome strong selection related to issues of small body size, as compared to adults. Crocodylians are an example of such a group. As living suchians, they also have a long and fossil-rich evolutionary history, characterized by analogous increases in body size, diversifications in rostrodental form, and shifts in diet. Here we use biomechanical and evolutionary modeling techniques to study the development and evolution of the suchian feeding apparatus and to formally assess the impact of potential ontogenetic-evolutionary parallels on clade dynamics. We show that patterns of ontogenetic and evolutionary bite-force changes exhibit inverted patterns of heterochrony, indicating that early ontogenetic trends are established as macroevolutionary patterns within Neosuchia, prior to the origin of Eusuchia. Although selection can act on any life-history stage, our findings suggest that selection on neonates and juveniles, in particular, can contribute to functionally important morphologies that aid individual and clade success without being strongly tied to their adult niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Gignac
- *Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74107-1898, USA
| | - Haley O'Brien
- *Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74107-1898, USA Department of Biological Sciences (Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology), Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA
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16
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Somaweera R, Brien M, Shine R. The Role of Predation in Shaping Crocodilian Natural History. HERPETOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS 2013. [DOI: 10.1655/herpmonographs-d-11-00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruchira Somaweera
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New Sout Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Matthew Brien
- Wildlife Management International Pty. Limited, Karama, Northern Territory 0813, Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New Sout Wales 2006, Australia
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17
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Pereira GR, Soares P, Gomes MQ, Viana LA, Manso PPDA, Machado MP, Paiva F, Lourenço-de-Oliveira R. Are fish paratenic natural hosts of the caiman haemoparasite Hepatozoon caimani? Parasitol Res 2013; 113:39-45. [PMID: 24142284 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-013-3623-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2013] [Accepted: 09/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The susceptibility of two fish and four mosquito species to the Caiman yacare haemoparasite Hepatozoon caimani was experimentally investigated. Mosquitoes belonging to four species (Aedes fluviatilis, Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus) were blood-fed on two naturally infected C. yacare from the Central-West Region of Brazil that exhibited distinct levels of parasitaemia: caimans A (11.05%) and B (1.25%). None of the engorged A. fluviatilis, A. albopictus or A. aegypti mosquitoes fed on caiman A survived for the duration of the sporogonic cycle; the great majority of the engorged mosquitoes died within 48 h of the blood meal. All A. aegypti fed on caiman B were negative, whereas 91.3% of dissected C. quinquefasciatus fed on the same caiman contained oocysts. Characid fish-Metynnis sp. and Astyanax sp.-were individually fed with C. quinquefasciatus females previously engorged (21-23 days) on caiman B. No parasite was found in the Astyanax fish. By contrast, 100% of the Metynnis fish depicted numerous cysts harbouring cystozoites identical to those of H. caimani, even more than 8 months after the ingestion of the infected mosquitoes. The cysts were located near the veins of the liver and, in some cases, close to the tunica intima of these vessels. No inflammatory reaction was observed. Gametocytes were observed in the blood smears of juvenile caimans that had ingested infected fish 9-12 weeks earlier. The potential role of fish as paratenic vertebrate hosts of H. caimani in nature is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glauber Rocha Pereira
- Laboratório de Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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18
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Angelini R, de Morais RJ, Catella AC, Resende EK, Libralato S. Aquatic food webs of the oxbow lakes in the Pantanal: A new site for fisheries guaranteed by alternated control? Ecol Modell 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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19
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Marques TS, Lara NRF, Bassetti LAB, Piña CI, Camargo PB, Verdade LM. Intraspecific isotopic niche variation in broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris). ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH STUDIES 2013; 49:325-335. [PMID: 24117429 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2013.835309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Strategies to minimise intraspecific competition are common in wild animals. For example, individuals may exploit food resources at different levels of the food chain. Analyses of stable isotopes are particularly useful for confirming variations in an intraspecific niche because the chemical composition of animals tends to reflect both the food consumed and the habitats occupied by the species. However, studies using this methodology to investigate neotropical crocodilians are scarce. This study aimed to verify the existence of ontogenetic and sexual niche variation in broad-snouted caiman in a silvicultural landscape in Brazil through the use of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. The isotopic ratios of carbon and nitrogen were determined in claw samples collected from 24 juveniles, 8 adults, and 16 hatchlings of C. latirostris. We identified a discrete ontogenetic variation in the isotopic niche and sexual difference only for juveniles. These results may indicate differences in the exploitation resources and a consequent reduction in competition between age classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago S Marques
- a Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura , Universidade de São Paulo , Piracicaba , Brazil
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20
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Barrios-Quiroz G, Casas-Andreu G, Escobedo-Galván AH. Sexual size dimorphism and allometric growth of Morelet's crocodiles in captivity. Zoolog Sci 2012; 29:198-203. [PMID: 22379988 DOI: 10.2108/zsj.29.198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have conducted morphological analyses of crocodilians, and little information exists on differences between size-classes and sexes in Neotropical crocodilians. In this study, we measured nine morphological traits in 121 captive Morelet's crocodiles Crocodylus moreletii (81 females and 40 males). Our results revealed that individuals < 2 m total length do not exhibit sexual dimorphism in morphometric characteristics. However, for crocodiles over 2 m in length, males were significantly larger than females in terms of dorsal-cranial length, cranial width, snout width and snout-ventral length. In general, morphological traits demonstrated a strongly significant relationship with total length at the smaller size class of 150-200 cm length. However, in the highest size class of 250-300 cm length (large adult males), morphological traits were no longer significantly related with total length. Male crocodiles demonstrated allometric growth of cranial morphology with significantly greater increase in cranial width, snout width, and mid-snout width relative to total length at higher size classes. Morphological dimorphism and allometric growth may be associated with adaptive strategies for reproductive success.
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21
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Erickson GM, Gignac PM, Steppan SJ, Lappin AK, Vliet KA, Brueggen JD, Inouye BD, Kledzik D, Webb GJW. Insights into the ecology and evolutionary success of crocodilians revealed through bite-force and tooth-pressure experimentation. PLoS One 2012; 7:e31781. [PMID: 22431965 PMCID: PMC3303775 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2011] [Accepted: 01/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Crocodilians have dominated predatory niches at the water-land interface for over 85 million years. Like their ancestors, living species show substantial variation in their jaw proportions, dental form and body size. These differences are often assumed to reflect anatomical specialization related to feeding and niche occupation, but quantified data are scant. How these factors relate to biomechanical performance during feeding and their relevance to crocodilian evolutionary success are not known. Methodology/Principal Findings We measured adult bite forces and tooth pressures in all 23 extant crocodilian species and analyzed the results in ecological and phylogenetic contexts. We demonstrate that these reptiles generate the highest bite forces and tooth pressures known for any living animals. Bite forces strongly correlate with body size, and size changes are a major mechanism of feeding evolution in this group. Jaw shape demonstrates surprisingly little correlation to bite force and pressures. Bite forces can now be predicted in fossil crocodilians using the regression equations generated in this research. Conclusions/Significance Critical to crocodilian long-term success was the evolution of a high bite-force generating musculo-skeletal architecture. Once achieved, the relative force capacities of this system went essentially unmodified throughout subsequent diversification. Rampant changes in body size and concurrent changes in bite force served as a mechanism to allow access to differing prey types and sizes. Further access to the diversity of near-shore prey was gained primarily through changes in tooth pressure via the evolution of dental form and distributions of the teeth within the jaws. Rostral proportions changed substantially throughout crocodilian evolution, but not in correspondence with bite forces. The biomechanical and ecological ramifications of such changes need further examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M Erickson
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America.
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22
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Viana LA, Soares P, Silva JE, Paiva F, Coutinho ME. Anurans as paratenic hosts in the transmission of Hepatozoon caimani to caimans Caiman yacare and Caiman latirostris. Parasitol Res 2011; 110:883-6. [PMID: 21808978 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-011-2570-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2010] [Accepted: 07/21/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Prevalence of Hepatozoon caimani has been reported in 76% of caimans Caiman yacare from the Pantanal region. Culex (Melanoconion) spp. mosquitoes were recently identified as natural vectors of this parasite. However, culicids are not typically eaten by crocodilians, suggesting that the main transmission route is through ingestion of insectivorous vertebrates, such as anurans. The susceptibility of wild frogs Leptodactylus chaquensis, Leptodactylus podicipinus and Scinax nasicus to infection by H. caimani was verified. Wild-caught anurans were force fed with sporulated oocysts from laboratory-bred Culex (Melanoconion) mosquitoes. Frogs were killed 30 days postinfection, and their internal organs were fed to caimans C. yacare and Caiman latirostris. Cystozoites were identified in fresh liver impression smears of L. chaquensis. C. yacare fed on anuran organ presented gametocytes in peripheral blood circulation between 74 and 80 days postinoculation (dpi). Gametocytes were also verified in C. latirostris fed on the internal organs of L. podicipinus and S. nasicus between 60-70 and 69-75 dpi, respectively. Since frogs used in experiment are sympatric with C. yacare and C. latirostris and may occur in the diet of these caimans, the results suggest these amphibians are paratenic hosts in the natural transmission cycle of H. caimani in Pantanal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lúcio André Viana
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, Maracanã, 20541-000 Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Nico LG. Nocturnal and diurnal activity of armored suckermouth catfish (Loricariidae: Pterygoplichthys) associated with wintering Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris). NEOTROPICAL ICHTHYOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1590/s1679-62252010005000014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Several Pterygoplichthys species, members of the Neotropical catfish family Loricariidae, have been widely introduced outside their native ranges. In this paper, I present observations on the diel activity pattern of non-native Pterygoplichthys, tentatively identified as P. disjunctivus, with respect to their attachment and grazing on endangered Florida manatees, Trichechus manatus latirostris. The study was conducted in December 2009 at Volusia Blue Spring, an artesianal spring system in the St. Johns River basin, Florida (USA). Supplemented by information gathered during previous visits to the spring site, this study revealed that adult Pterygoplichthys are active throughout the diel period (day, twilight and night). However, juvenile Pterygoplichthys were largely nocturnal and only at night did they consistently join adults in attaching to manatees. The juveniles generally remain hidden during the day, probably responding to presence of diurnal predators, mainly birds. Differences in diel behaviors among different Pterygoplichthys size classes in Florida are consistent with published observations on loricariids inhabiting clearwater streams within their native ranges.
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