Mammalian Biology最新文献

{"title":"Remarks on the functional morphology of the earliest mammals","authors":"Holger Preuschoft, Thomas Martin, Ingmar Werneburg","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00437-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00437-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The earliest mammals are characterized by a series of derived characters when compared to their synapsid predecessors. In comparison to non-mammalian synapsids, these features include highly efficient teeth, a small body size, a parasagittal limb posture, as well as a reduced number of ribs and girdle elements and light-weighted tails. We argue that the mammalian body construction and its functionality are constituted by a set of partially interrelated morphological traits, including akinetic skulls, tooth anatomy, and food processing; body size, locomotor speed, and tail reduction; the posture of the body and the construction of the girdle elements; as well as body torsion and rib reduction. By discussing these features from a biomechanical view, we demonstrate that high speed was the most important evolutionary advantage of the small earliest mammals over their larger synapsid ancestors, as well as over dinosaurs at the end of the Mesozoic.</p>","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141741834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A matter of time not of co-occurrence: temporal partitioning facilitates coexistence between coyotes (Canis latrans) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in temperate forests of Mexico","authors":"César R. Rodríguez-Luna, Jorge Servín, David Valenzuela-Galván, Rurik List","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00412-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00412-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Sympatric species reduce competitive interactions by segregating their ecological niche as a strategy that promotes coexistence. The main dimensions in which niche differentiation occurs are spatial, trophic, and temporal axes. Thus, describing the spatiotemporal patterns of sympatric species help us better grasp how species coexist. In Mexico, coyotes (<i>Canis latrans</i>) and gray foxes (<i>Urocyon cinereoargenteus</i>) are sympatric and widely distributed, and information about their temporal and spatiotemporal interactions is still needed to explain their coexistence throughout their distribution. The evaluation of the ecological niche in temperate forests where both species coexist has shown high spatial and trophic overlap. Therefore, more pronounced segregation must occur in other niche dimensions, such as temporal and spatiotemporal axes, to maintain the coexistence between coyotes and gray foxes. As an approach to exploring the coexistence between these species in temperate forests, we pose the following question: Is there temporal or spatiotemporal segregation between sympatric coyotes and gray foxes? We hypothesized that both species maintain coexistence due to differences in their daily activity patterns (temporal segregation) and the presence of avoidance behaviors at the spatiotemporal level (spatiotemporal segregation), thereby reducing agonistic interactions. We aimed to evaluate indicators of niche segregation through two approaches: (<i>i</i>) temporal niche partitioning, measuring the overlap of the daily activity patterns and activity levels; and (<i>ii</i>) spatiotemporal niche partitioning, through temporal co-occurrence analysis and time to encounter analysis. In 2018, we used a camera-trap array (<i>n</i> = 43) to evaluate spatiotemporal interactions of coyotes and gray foxes in temperate forests of northern Mexico. We found that coyotes exhibited a diurnal daily activity pattern, whereas gray foxes were nocturnal, showing low overlap between daily activity patterns. Temporal co-occurrence and time to encounter analysis showed that coyotes and gray foxes occurred independently of each other. Therefore, we demonstrated that the spatiotemporal interactions between both species is a result of random species associations. In conclusion, here we provide evidence that ecological segregation occurred in the temporal niche and not in the spatiotemporal niche of the species. Thus, the temporal niche segregation represents one of the ecological strategies that facilitates the coexistence between coyotes and gray foxes and therefore promotes their sympatry in the temperate forests of northern Mexico.</p>","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141549692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sexual dimorphism in the Hungarian golden jackal population: analysing body and skull size and shape","authors":"Erika Csányi, Gyula Sándor","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00436-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00436-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Defining species within the Canidae family is challenging due to morphological convergence, behavioral plasticity, traditional taxonomic limitations, and possible hybridisation. This challenge is timely with the recent population and range expansion of the golden jackal (<i>Canis aureus</i>). Exploring their morphological data and sexual dimorphism is essential for identifying factors driving their success in new habitats. The proven hybridization of golden jackals with dogs and wolves may affect species description, population dynamics, and genetic diversity, impacting conservation strategies. This study, for the first time, conducts a morphometric analysis of golden jackals in Somogy County, Hungary, to prove sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in body and skull and sexual shape dimorphism (SShD) in skull across juvenile and adult age groups. 719 golden jackals (362 females and 357 males) were collected between January 2021 and January 2023. Descriptive statistics revealed significant SSD in body and skull measurements among both age groups, with males generally larger than females, particularly in body mass (11.72% in juveniles and 13.37% in adults). Most skull dimensions differed significantly between sexes and age groups, except for foramen magnum height, foramen magnum width, and postorbital breadth among juveniles and foramen magnum height and postorbital breadth among adults. We used principal component analyses (PCA) on raw dimension data and the log shape ratio method to extract shape information. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) explored skull SShD between sexes. Notably, our study achieved over 71% accuracy in sex classification, illustrating the clear presence of SShD of the skull in golden jackals across both age groups. Our study provides a comprehensive database of golden jackals in the overpopulated Hungarian habitat, which will be helpful for further research on ecology, behavior, and conservation management.</p>","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141526955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phylogeographic analysis reveals genetic structure of blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) in India","authors":"Ranjana Bhaskar, Praveen Kanaparthi, Kumarapuram Apadodharanan Subramanian","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00432-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00432-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The blackbuck (<i>Antilope cervicapra</i>) is endemic to the Indian subcontinent. It occurs in a wide variety of habitats that range from open plains, grasslands, scrublands, and lightly forested areas. The current study provides insights into the existing genetic variation in blackbuck populations, which is crucial for enhancing population fitness and long-term survival. To understand the phylogeny and genetic diversity of blackbuck, we processed the pellet samples (n = 233) from 18 locations across their distribution range in India for MtDNACytb and control region. High haplotype (0.991) and nucleotide diversity (0.033) were observed in the populations. The mtDNA-based AMOVA indicated 41.73% genetic variations among the blackbuck populations of India. The results confirmed that the blackbuck has a unique haplotype in different locations that is not shared by other populations. Geographically, our results identified four genetically distinct clusters: Northern, Southern East, Southern West and Eastern central regions of India. The study reveals that an ancestral population initially separated into two groups, leading to the formation of the North and South clusters. Subsequently, the South population diverged further into three clusters: Southeast, Southwest, and Eastern-central populations. Neighbor-joining analysis suggested the Eastern-central region as part of the Southern East region, while Bayesian phylogeny indicated a separate clade emerging from the Eastern-central region at a later time. Bayesian skyline plots revealed a history of population equilibrium in the Northern region followed by a recent population expansion in Southern East, Southern West and Eastern-central regional populations. Demographic analysis suggests that blackbucks have effectively adapted to their respective landscapes.</p>","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141526956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Duplication, recombination and weak selection shape evolution at the MHC class II SLA-DRB1 locus in wild boars from the western Balkans","authors":"Milomir Stefanović, Nevena Veličković, Aja Bončina, Sandra Potušek, Ivana Matić, Mihajla Djan, Elena Bužan","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00433-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00433-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Eurasian wild boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>), having faced a population size reduction during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, is now experiencing a remarkable population recovery, not only confined to natural habitats alone, but also thriving in human-dominated environments. Previously, studies on wild boars predominantly relied on the analysis of supposedly neutral molecular markers (e.g., microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms). In this study, a next-generation sequencing approach was used to examine the adaptive variation at the second exon of the SLA-DRB1 locus in 116 wild boars from the western Balkans. A total of 17 functional SLA-DRB1 alleles were detected which translated into 14 different amino-acid sequences. In 12 individuals, we observed alleles at duplicated SLA-DRB1 loci. Spatial analysis revealed the presence of three genetic clusters, albeit with relatively low overall differentiation (an average F_ST value of 0.012). Positive selection was detected on only one codon, as indicated by multiple tests, while the presence of shared alleles among related species suggested signals of trans-species polymorphism. Our results indicate the high MHC diversity at the SLA-DRB1 locus in wild boars from the Balkan Peninsula, shaped by a complex interplay of several non-exclusive mechanisms, including balancing selection, recombination, and gene duplications.</p>","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141502440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing the distribution of the endangered hispid hare in Bardia National Park, Nepal","authors":"Arjun Thapa, Rabin Bahadur K. C., Rajan Prasad Paudel, Rabin Kadariya, Rima G. C., Ranjita Khadka, Laxmi Raj Joshi, Shyam Kumar Shah, Sagar Dahal","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00430-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00430-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The hispid hare, an endangered elusive mammal that dwells in the tall grasslands of the Himalayan foothills across in Nepal, India, and Bhutan is facing severe threats from anthropogenic activities and seasonal floods. Previous studies on hispid hare have investigated in Shuklaphanta National Park, only a study has been conducted in Bardia National Park over the past decade. We aim to evaluate current distribution pattern of the hispid hare in the Babai valley in Bardia National Park, identify factors influencing their distribution, and access existing threats. We surveyed 428 transects (50 m × 2 m) across 1048.55 hectares of grasslands in the valley pre-burn and post-burn. The hispid hare exhibited a clumped distribution pattern, with recorded pellets in six grasslands: Kalinara, Guthi, Sano Shree Phanta, Chitaale Phanta, Ratomate, Rhino Release Site, and Mulghat in Bardia National Park. Pellet density was higher in post-burn, indicating a greater population density in summer compared to winter. Our finding revealed a preference grasslands area close to riverbank in pre-burn and short grasslands in post-burn, while the species tended to avoid forests and edge between grasslands and forests. The best-fit model highlighted that grass density, grasslands burn, and annual precipitation significantly influence the distribution of the hispid hare. Major threats identified in the field included grasslands burn, flood, invasive species, vegetation succession, and predators. We recommend that conservation efforts focus on protecting and managing grasslands that provide suitable habitat for the hispid hare.</p>","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141502439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Denning and maternal behavior of caracals (Caracal caracal)","authors":"Laurel E. K. Serieys, Gabriella R. M. Leighton, Justin Merondun, Jacqueline M. Bishop","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00429-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00429-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Knowledge of behaviors surrounding reproduction in wild species is essential to the development of effective management and conservation strategies. Many carnivores use dens to increase the safety and survival of their neonatal young while females shift to central-place foraging to meet the energetic demands of raising young. Caracals (<i>Caracal caracal</i>), a medium-size wild cat, have a widespread geographic distribution but limited information from minimal observations exists on the behaviors associated with denning and caring for young. We report observations of dens used by four caracals in the surrounds of Cape Town, South Africa, including the duration of den use, maternal home ranges, and movements away from dens. Three of four females established denning in September and one in December, suggesting a birth pulse during the Southern Hemisphere spring and summer. Of seven den sites we documented, six were in dense shrubland fynbos vegetation and one among boulders; all of which had thick overhead cover. Females and neonatal young used 1–3 primary dens for approximately six weeks, followed by the use of short-term auxiliary dens. Female maternal home ranges were approximately 31% the size of their home ranges estimated using all their data. Trips away from the dens averaged 12 h while the average maximum distances across all trips away from dens for each female was 1135 m (range = 801–1327 m). Our observations inform our understanding of the timing and physical characteristics of caracal dens and help fill research gaps on the natural history of caracal denning behavior.</p>","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141502486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The usage of historical DNA and geometric morphometric approach for detecting the ecological diversification along a remarkable altitudinal gradient","authors":"Elena D. Zemlemerova, Aleksey A. Martynov, Vera B. Sycheva, Leonid A. Lavrenchenko","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00428-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00428-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Ethiopian highlands represent a wide spectrum of ecological gradients that provide suitable conditions for gradient speciation. Previous studies support the gradient model of speciation for two Ethiopian shrew species: <i>Crocidura thalia</i> and <i>C. glassi</i>. Here, we aimed to elucidate for the first time the phylogenetic position of <i>C. afeworkbekelei</i> and to test the gradient model of speciation for these three species. On the basis of a dataset collected from the whole south slope of the Bale Mountains, we reconstructed phylogenetic relationships among these species using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Additionally, we examined shape and size differentiation of the skull and mandible. The molecular data revealed a similarity of the three species with lack of reciprocal monophyly among them. We demonstrated differences both in size and shape of the skull and mandible between low- and high-elevation forms albeit without a significant morphological hiatus. We identified the most changeable parts of the skull and mandible, which imply adaptive shifts in diet. We revealed the distribution, phylogenetic and morphological patterns that match predictions of the gradient model of speciation for three mammalian forms. Our data suggest intense processes of adaptation to the markedly different habitats along the considerable altitudinal gradient that fit the first stage of the gradient model of speciation. We believe that <i>C. afeworkbekelei</i> and <i>C. thalia</i> should be regarded as different ecotypes, and these species names must be reduced to junior synonyms of <i>C. glassi</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141502442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heat tolerance and evaporative cooling capacity in an arid-zone elephant shrew","authors":"Olivia J. B. Chalwin-Milton, Marc T. Freeman, A. McKechnie","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00431-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00431-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141364606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First dietary assessment of a generalist mesocarnivore, the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Austria","authors":"J. Hatlauf, J. Lanszki","doi":"10.1007/s42991-024-00427-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00427-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141374714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}