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Fernández A, Suárez-Santana C, Alonso-Almorox P, Consoli FA, Suárez González Z, Molpeceres-Diego I, Iglesias González C, Hernández ML, Pérez AH, Martín-Barrasa JL, Llorente LI, Medina FM, Guzmán RG, Rueda DL, Arbelo M, Sierra E. Case Report: Ambergris coprolite and septicemia in a male sperm whale stranded in La Palma (Canary Islands). Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1388276. [PMID: 38650849 PMCID: PMC11034612 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1388276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
On the 21st of May 2023, a dead adult male sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) of 13 m in length and estimated weight of around 18,000 kg was reportedly stranded at Playa Los Nogales, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. A necropsy was performed 48hpm. A 50 cm diameter and 9.5 kg coprolite was found obstructing the caudal colon-rectal lumen. Necro-hemorrhagic lesions were found in heart muscles and three different bacteria of intestinal origin were isolated and identified (Edwarsiella tarda, Hathewaya limosa and Clostridium perfringens). It is reported a lethal septicemia of intestinal origin associated with ambergris coprolite as cause of death in this sperm whale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Fernández
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Cristian Suárez-Santana
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Paula Alonso-Almorox
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Francesco Achille Consoli
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Zuleima Suárez González
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Ignacio Molpeceres-Diego
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Claudia Iglesias González
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | | | - Amaranta Hugo Pérez
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - José Luis Martín-Barrasa
- Group of Fish Health and Infectious Diseases, University Institute of Animal Health, and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Country Animal Facility, Research Unit, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Laura Iglesias Llorente
- Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Félix M. Medina
- Biodiversity Unit, Cabildo de la Isla de La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Raiden Grandía Guzmán
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Diego Llinás Rueda
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Manuel Arbelo
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Eva Sierra
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, Marine Mammals Health WOAH col Centre, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, Las Palmas, Spain
- Canary Islands Stranding Network, Canary Islands Government, Canary Islands, Spain
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Nogales M, Guerrero-Campos M, Boulesteix T, Taquet N, Beierkuhnlein C, Campion R, Fajardo S, Zurita N, Arechavaleta M, García R, Weiser F, Medina FM. The fate of terrestrial biodiversity during an oceanic island volcanic eruption. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19344. [PMID: 36369519 PMCID: PMC9652411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22863-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Volcanic activity provides a unique opportunity to study the ecological responses of organisms to catastrophic environmental destruction as an essential driver of biodiversity change on islands. However, despite this great scientific interest, no study of the biodiversity at an erupting volcano has yet been undertaken. On La Palma (Canary archipelago), we quantified the main species affected and their fate during the 85-day eruption (September-December 2021). Our main objective consisted of monitoring the biodiversity subjected to critical stress during this volcanic eruption. We found that all biodiversity within a 2.5 km radius was severely affected after the first two weeks. It is challenging to assess whether volcanism can drive evolutionary traits of insular organisms. Examples are the adaptation of an endemic conifer to high temperatures, selection of functional plant types-secondary woodiness-, effects of the disappearance of invertebrates and their influence in trophic nets and vertebrate trophic plasticity. However, our data suggest that such previous evolutionary changes might continue to favour their resilience during this eruption. Lastly, it is a very good opportunity to assess the extent to which these periodic volcanic catastrophes may constitute temporary windows of repeated opportunities for the evolution and speciation of oceanic island biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Nogales
- grid.4711.30000 0001 2183 4846Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Francisco Sánchez No. 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands Spain
| | - María Guerrero-Campos
- grid.4711.30000 0001 2183 4846Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Francisco Sánchez No. 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands Spain ,Área de Medio Ambiente, Gestión y Planeamiento Territorial y Ambiental (Gesplan S.A.), Tenerife, Canary Islands Spain ,grid.10215.370000 0001 2298 7828Departamento de Botánica y Fisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Thomas Boulesteix
- grid.4711.30000 0001 2183 4846Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Francisco Sánchez No. 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands Spain
| | - Noémie Taquet
- grid.4711.30000 0001 2183 4846Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Francisco Sánchez No. 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands Spain
| | - Carl Beierkuhnlein
- Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), Bayreuth, Germany ,grid.7384.80000 0004 0467 6972Department of Biogeography, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany ,Geographical Institute Bayreuth (GIB), Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Robin Campion
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Departamento de Vulcanología, Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Silvia Fajardo
- Servicio de Biodiversidad, Gobierno de Canarias, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Nieves Zurita
- Servicio de Biodiversidad, Gobierno de Canarias, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Manuel Arechavaleta
- Servicio de Biodiversidad, Gobierno de Canarias, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Rafael García
- grid.4711.30000 0001 2183 4846Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Francisco Sánchez No. 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands Spain ,C/ San Miguel No. 9, 38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Frank Weiser
- grid.7384.80000 0004 0467 6972Department of Biogeography, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Félix M. Medina
- Unidad de Biodiversidad, Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Cabildo de La Palma, Santa Cruz de La Palma, Canary Islands Spain
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Pomeda-Gutiérrez F, Medina FM, Nogales M, Vargas P. Diet of the black rat ( Rattus rattus) in a Canary laurel forest: species identification based on morphological markers and DNA sequences. J NAT HIST 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2021.1915400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Pomeda-Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid (RJB-CSIC), Madrid, España
| | - Félix M. Medina
- Servicio de Medio Ambiente, Cabildo Insular de La Palma, Santa Cruz de La Palma, España
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), La Laguna, España
| | - Manuel Nogales
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), La Laguna, España
| | - Pablo Vargas
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid (RJB-CSIC), Madrid, España
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Hernández-Teixidor D, Díaz-Luis N, Medina FM, Nogales M. First record of geckos visiting flowers in the Palaearctic Ecozone. Curr Zool 2020; 66:447-448. [PMID: 32617094 PMCID: PMC7319463 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David Hernández-Teixidor
- Animal Biology, Geology and Edaphology Department, University of La Laguna, Av. Astrofisico Francisco Sánchez, 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Natalia Díaz-Luis
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), Av. Astrofisico Francisco Sánchez, 3, 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Félix M Medina
- Servicio de Medio Ambiente, Cabildo Insular de La Palma, Avenida de Los Indianos, 20, 38700, Santa Cruz de La Palma, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Manuel Nogales
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), Av. Astrofisico Francisco Sánchez, 3, 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
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Irl SDH, Schweiger AH, Medina FM, Fernández-Palacios JM, Harter DEV, Jentsch A, Provenzale A, Steinbauer MJ, Beierkuhnlein C. Front Cover. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Irl SDH, Schweiger AH, Medina FM, Fernández-Palacios JM, Harter DEV, Jentsch A, Provenzale A, Steinbauer MJ, Beierkuhnlein C. An island view of endemic rarity-Environmental drivers and consequences for nature conservation. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Severin D. H. Irl
- Biogeography; University of Bayreuth; Bayreuth Germany
- Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER); University of Bayreuth; Bayreuth Germany
| | - Andreas H. Schweiger
- Biogeography; University of Bayreuth; Bayreuth Germany
- Department of Bioscience; Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity; Aarhus University; Aarhus Denmark
| | - Félix M. Medina
- Servicio de Medio Ambiente; Cabildo Insular de La Palma; Santa Cruz de La Palma Canary Islands Spain
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC); La Laguna Tenerife Canary Islands Spain
| | - José M. Fernández-Palacios
- Department of Ecology; Island Ecology and Biogeography Research Group; Universidad de La Laguna; La Laguna Tenerife Canary Islands Spain
| | | | - Anke Jentsch
- Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER); University of Bayreuth; Bayreuth Germany
- Disturbance Ecology; University of Bayreuth; Bayreuth Germany
| | - Antonello Provenzale
- Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources (IGG); National Research Council (CNR); Pisa Italy
| | - Manuel J. Steinbauer
- Department of Bioscience; Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity; Aarhus University; Aarhus Denmark
| | - Carl Beierkuhnlein
- Biogeography; University of Bayreuth; Bayreuth Germany
- Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER); University of Bayreuth; Bayreuth Germany
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Nogales M, Valido A, Medina FM, Delgado JD. Frugivory and factors influencing visitation by birds at ‘Balo’ (Plocama pendulaAit., Rubiaceae) plants in the Canary Islands. Écoscience 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/11956860.1999.11682551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Nogales M, Vidal E, Medina FM, Bonnaud E, Tershy BR, Campbell KJ, Zavaleta ES. Feral Cats and Biodiversity Conservation: The Urgent Prioritization of Island Management. Bioscience 2013. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2013.63.10.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Nogales M, Medina FM. Trophic ecology of feral cats (Felis silvestris f. catus) in the main environments of an oceanic archipelago (Canary Islands): An updated approach. Mamm Biol 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2008.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Medina FM, López-Darias M, Nogales M, García R. Food habits of feral cats (Felis silvestris catus L.) in insular semiarid environments (Fuerteventura, Canary Islands). Wildl Res 2008. [DOI: 10.1071/wr07108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we present the first data on diet and impacts of feral cats on a semiarid island (Fuerteventura, Canary Islands). A total of 614 prey was identified in the 209 scats analysed. Introduced mammals, especially rabbits and mice, were the most consumed vertebrate prey and constituted more than 90% of biomass. Barbary ground squirrels, Algerian hedgehogs, and rats were preyed upon less even though they were abundant on the island. Invertebrates, mainly Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Odonata, were the second most important prey items (in terms of actual numbers) but they contributed only minimally with respect to biomass (<1.1%). The presence of terrestrial molluscs in the diet was interesting because they are a rare prey in an insular context. Birds and reptiles occurred at a low frequency. A total of 677 seeds was counted, mainly belonging to Lycium intricatum (Solanaceae) and two unidentified plant species. Levin’s niche breadth was narrow due to the high consumption of mammals. Morisita’s index showed a similar trophic overlap in diet with respect to the other xeric habitats of the Canarian archipelago. Considering that more than 90% of biomass corresponded to introduced mammals, we conclude that feral cats are not having a large direct impact on the native prey species.
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Abstract
A retrospective study was performed in patients diagnosed with primary lung cancer, and admitted to the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias between 1984 to 1992. One thousand and nineteen patients were studied, 636 males and 383 females. We found a higher incidence in the group among 61-70 years of age in both sexes. The highest percentage of tumors were from the adenocarcinoma variety, followed by the epidermoid carcinoma, while the small-cell carcinoma presented a lower incidence. Smoking has been associated with the development of lung cancer. Many of our patients were smokers. The highest frequency was in smokers with a smoking habit of more than 30 years and a rate of more than 10 cigarettes per day. However, an important part of the patients with cancer did not have a smoking habit, which led us to believe that there are other etiological possibility factors (genetic or environmental) that could be involved. Most of the cases of cancer were staged as stage IIIb and stage IV and the patients had an ECOG of 1-2. The main symptoms were coughing, sputum, dyspnea and thoracic pain. This data shows an increasing frequency of lung cancer in Mexico city as well as other countries, it also shows that it is going to be a serious health problem in the future. We consider that in order to improve the prognosis, it is necessary to increase the educational and orientation campaigns among the adult population with or without a smoking history.
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Affiliation(s)
- F M Medina
- Servicio Clinico No. 3. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, México D.F., Mexico
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