Distribution update, male genitalia, natural history, and conservation of the stump-tailed porcupine Coendou rufescens in South America

The stump-tailed porcupine, Coendou rufescens, is a widely distributed but scarcely documented species inhabiting the Andean region of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and an isolated population in Bolivia. Despite the wide distribution different aspects on its biology and ecology are still unknown. We present an update to the distribution of C. rufescens, and recent observations on the anatomy, natural history, and conservation in Colombia. For this, we described the male genitalia and present data on reproductive periods, plants used and consumed, and threats. The distribution of C. rufescens comprises 12 ecoregions in an area of 376,225 km2 for the northern group (Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru) and 393 km2 for the southern group (Bolivia). The highest elevational record is in Ecuador (4387 m), being the porcupine inhabiting at highest elevations. The anatomy of the glans is similar to that observed in Coendou quichua and constitutes the second species of Coendou with available information on glans morphology. C. rufescens consumes fruits and leaves of potato cider (Sechium edule: Cucurbitaceae) and woody shrub (Bejaria: Ericacea), and usually perches even in exotic species such as pines. Finally, common treats for the species in Colombia are related to hunting pressures, predation by domestic dogs, and roadkills.

A scoping review of rodent-borne pathogen presence, exposure, and transmission at zoological institutions

BACKGROUND

Rodents are one of the major taxa most likely to carry zoonotic diseases, harboring more than 85 unique zoonotic pathogens. While the significance of rodents' capacity to carry and transmit disease has been characterized in urban settings, the zoo environment is particularly unique given the overlap of collection, free-living, and feeder rodents as well as non-rodent collection animals, staff, and visitors.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

This scoping review examines reports of rodent-borne pathogen detection or transmission in zoo settings extracted from the literature. Papers were included in the final analysis if there was evidence of presence or exposure to a pathogen in a rodent at a zoological institution.

SOURCES OF EVIDENCE

Publications were included from PubMed, CAB Abstracts and Biological Abstracts searched in August 2019.

CHARTING METHODS

Data extracted from publications on pathogen presence/exposure included publication identifiers, study identifiers, infectious agent identifiers, rodent identifiers, and non-rodent collection animal identifiers. Extraction from papers with evidence of disease transmission included number of rodents involved in transmission, non-rodent collection animal species and numbers, and job title of humans involved, diagnostic tests performed, and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Aggregate literature examined included 207 publications presenting evidence of pathogen presence and/or exposure in rodents across 43 countries in over 140 zoological institutions. A total of 143 infectious agent genera were identified, comprising 14 viral genera, 31 bacterial genera, 83 parasitic genera, and 15 fungal genera. Of these infectious agents, over 75 % were potentially zoonotic. The most common disease-causing agent genera identified were Leptospira, Toxoplasma, Salmonella, and Yersinia. Additional screening for evidence of pathogen transmission across species yielded 30 publications, indicating an area for future investigation to better inform surveillance and management priorities in order to reduce exposure, infection, and transmission.

CONCLUSIONS

Analyzing the breadth of rodent species and pathogens identified at zoos highlights the unique opportunity zoos have to be at the forefront of the early detection and identification of novel hosts and geographic ranges of rodent-borne pathogens with high impact on both endangered species and people. The overlap of these populations at zoos exemplifies the importance of considering One Health when prioritizing surveillance and risk mitigation of rodent reservoirs at zoos.