Constanza Napolitano

Universidad de Los Lagos · Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Biodiversidad

Recording of presentation at the 3rd Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology as part of symposium "What we can and cannot know through current and upcoming phylogenetic comparative methods (S28)". Abstract: With broad availability and application of genome-scale data in an evolutionary context, a shift is taking place in the way we evaluate phylogen...

Introduction: Integrating genetic data into conservation management decisions is a challenging task that requires strong partnerships between researchers and managers. Conservation in Latin America is of crucial relevance worldwide given the high biodiversity levels and the presence of hotspots in this region. Methods: We conducted a survey across...

Humans are rapidly transforming whole ecosystems by deforestation, habitat fragmentation, pollution, and climate change, among others. Increased human populations and the transformation of original habitats to productive lands have led to increased contact between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Although the maintenance and circulation of p...

Even in the genomics era, the phylogeny of Neotropical small felids comprised in the genus Leopardus remains contentious. We used whole-genome resequencing data to construct a time-calibrated consensus phylogeny of this group, quantify phylogenomic discordance, test for inter-species introgression, and assess patterns of genetic diversity and demog...

Poster presenting the research published as Lescroart J, Bonilla-Sánchez A, Napolitano C, Buitrago-Torres DL, Ramírez-Chaves HE, Pulido-Santacruz P, Murphy WJ, Svardal H, Eizirik E. Extensive phylogenomic discordance and the complex evolutionary history of the Neotropical cat genus Leopardus. Molecular Biology and Evolution. 2023:msad255. https:/...

The global decline of terrestrial species is largely due to the degradation, loss and fragmentation of their habitats. The conversion of natural ecosystems for cropland, rangeland, forest products and human infrastructure are the primary causes of habitat deterioration. Due to the paucity of data on the past distribution of species and the scarcity...

The global decline of terrestrial species is largely due to the degradation, loss and fragmentation of their habitats. The conversion of natural ecosystems for cropland, rangeland, forest products and human infrastructure are the primary causes of habitat deterioration. Due to the paucity of data on the past distribution of species and the scarcity...

Human-wildlife coexistence in rural coastal areas of southern Chile is analyzed, emphasizing the variable nature of interactions and the negative impacts of human-wildlife conflict on both human well-being and wildlife populations. The objectives of the study include exploring local perceptions of carnivores, investigating the social factors that i...

Anthropogenic environmental change is reducing available habitat for wild species, providing novel selection pressures such as infectious diseases and causing species to interact in new ways. The potential for emerging infectious diseases and zoonoses at the interface between humans, domestic animals, and wild species is a key global concern. In ve...

Natural habitats in South America have been intensively used and modified, including their conversion to exotic tree plantations, impacting the terrestrial fauna communities. Carnivores play an important role in the functioning of ecosystems as apex predators. Landscape characteristics and resource availability determine the composition and abundan...

Carnivore-poultry conflict in Chile: Dogs as main threat

Carnivores assemblage in central Chile

El nombre de la especie de paseriforme Aphrastura subantarctica, propuesto por Rozzi et al. (2022), no está disponible, dado que la publicación donde el mismo fue propuesto no cumplió con todos los requisitos del Código Internacional de Nomenclatura Zoológica. En esta nota establecemos la disponibilidad del nombre de la especie Aphrastura subantarc...

We describe a new taxon of terrestrial bird of the genus Aphrastura (rayaditos) inhabiting the Diego Ramírez Archipelago, the southernmost point of the American continent. This archipelago is geographically isolated and lacks terrestrial mammalian predators as well as woody plants, providing a contrasted habitat to the forests inhabited by the othe...

Recording of presentation at Evolution 2022. The same presentation was given at ASM 2022. Abstract: The phylogeny and other aspects of the evolutionary history of the Neotropical cat genus Leopardus have long been shrouded in uncertainty, partly owing to an overwhelming abundance of genealogical discordance in this group. We employ whole-genome s...

Darwin's fox is an opportunistic omnivorous predator native to Chile classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List. Habitat use by Darwin's foxes can be negatively affected by the presence of free-ranging dogs that range freely across native and non-native habitats and can be a source of fox mortality. The objective of this study was to analyze the...

The phylogeny and taxonomy of the Neotropical genus Leopardus (Felidae) has always been controversial, owing to the cryptic morphology, rapid diversification and instances of hybridization in this clade. We employ whole-genome sequencing data of 15 samples spanning all 8 recognized Leopardus species (IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group) to address how sp...

Chile is a large country with a marked range of climate conditions that make it an ideal scenario for the study of vector-borne parasites; however, knowledge about their distribution is limited to a few confined areas of this country. The presence of Hepatozoon spp., piroplasmids, Leishmania spp. and filarioids was investigated through molecular an...

The Andean cat (Leopardus jacobita) is one of the most endangered and least known wild cat species in the Americas and the world in general. We describe new records of the Andean cat in the central Andes of Chile, in Parque Andino Juncal, obtained as part of a monitoring program conducted from December 2020 to May 2021 using eight trail cameras. Th...

Antibodies against Spotted Fever Group (SFG) Rickettsia and Coxiella burnetii, investigated through indirect antibody immunofluorescence tests, were detected in serum samples from 3.1% and 0% of 358 rural dogs, respectively, and in none of 32 wild foxes tested. SFG Rickettsia seropositive dogs were only detected in the Mountain Desert 31 (8%) and t...

The Darwin's fox (Lycalopex fulvipes) is one of the most endangered carnivores worldwide, with the risk of disease spillover from domestic dogs being a major conservation threat. However, lack of epidemiologic information about generalist, non-dog-transmission-dependent protozoal and bacterial pathogens may be a barrier for disease prevention and m...

Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis are members of the Anaplasmataceae family that cause disease in dogs and are mainly transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus species group ticks. We performed a cross-sectional study on these pathogens across six bioclimatic regions of Chile, including 719 free-ranging rural dogs, 132 Andean foxes (Lycalopex culp...

Free-roaming domestic cats can negatively affect wildlife, and understanding how they use space is fundamental to predict their potential impacts. In this study we describe the use of space of 48 owned free-roaming cats and assess the level of care provided by owners in rural areas near priority conservation areas in southern Chile. Additionally, w...

The wildland–urban interface lies at the confluence of human-dominated and wild landscapes—creating a number of management and conservation challenges. Wildlife sightings near human settlements have appeared to increase in the last years. This article reports 51 records of presences, sightings, and livestock attacks of Puma concolor, a large-sized...

Blood samples of 626 rural dogs, 139 Andean foxes (Lycalopex culpaeus), and 83 South American grey foxes (L. griseus) from six bioregions of Chile spanning 3,000 km. were screened for Mycoplasma DNA by conventional PCR and sequencing. Risk factors of infection were inferred using GLMMs and genetic structure by network analyses. Overall, M. haemocan...

Human transformation of natural habitats facilitates pathogen transmission between domestic and wild species. The guigna (Leopardus guigna), a small felid found in Chile, has experienced habitat loss and an increased probability of contact with domestic cats. Here we describe the interspecific transmission of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline...

Mycoplasma haemocanis (Mhc) is prevalent in the endangered Darwin’s fox (Lycalopex fulvipes) in its main stronghold, Chiloé Island (Chile). The origin of the infection, its dynamics, its presence in other fox populations and the potential consequences for fox health remain unexplored. During eight years, 82 foxes in Chiloé and other two fox populat...

The family of paramyxoviruses has received growing attention as several new species have been identified recently, notably two different clusters in domestic cats, designated as feline morbillivirus (FeMV) and feline paramyxovirus (FPaV). Their phylogenetic origin and whether wild felids also harbor these viruses are currently unknown. Kidney sampl...

Landscape anthropization has been identified as one of the main drivers of pathogen emergence worldwide, facilitating pathogen spillover between domestic species and wildlife. The present study investigated Carnivore protoparvovirus‐1 infection using molecular methods in 98 free‐ranging wild guignas (Leopardus guigna) and 262 co‐occurring owned, fr...

Feline morbillivirus infections have gained increased attention due to repeated reports of their association with urinary tract disease in cats. In the present study, 112 serum samples from free-roaming domestic cats in Chile were tested for antibodies against feline morbillivirus genotypes 1 and 2 (FeMV-1 and FeMV-2) using an indirect immunofluore...

Alianza Gato Andino (AGA)

Abstract We report new records of the wild felid Leopardus guigna in its northern-most distribution, in the southern Coquimbo and northern Valparaíso regions, in northern-central Chile. To our knowledge, these are the northern-most confirmed guigna records to date. We discuss implications for the conservation of these fragile populations in the fac...

Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 is one of the most important pathogens affecting both wild and domestic carnivores. Here, we reported the genetic characterization of canine parvovirus strains from a rescued guiña (Leopardus guigna) and domestic dogs from Chile. Guiña sequence was classified as CPV-2c and phylogenetic analysis of the complete coding gen...

Sarcoptic mange has been anecdotally reported in Chilean wildlife during the last decade. Although this disease can have devastating outcomes for biodiversity, there is no comprehensive assessment of this potential threat in Chile. Because the current capacity to monitor sarcoptic mange and other wildlife diseases is limited in this country, we use...

Guignas (Leopardus guigna) are small felids closely associated with native forest habitats. In fragmented landscapes, they use vegetation corridors and forest remnants to move across the landscape. In these contexts, guignas may increase contact probabilities with domestic animals, being therefore relevant to assess their pathogens and parasites. T...

In Press

This report summarizes the discussion that emerged at the second international Small Wild Cat Conservation Summit held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 6 to 11 Decem- ber 2019. Thirty one conservationists from 16 countries gathered to share and discuss the conservation status of the world’s small wild cats. They shared their research and conservation ex...

Mycoplasma haemocanis is prevalent in the endangered Darwin’s fox (Lycalopex fulvipes) in its main stronghold, Chiloé Island (Chile). The origin of the infection, its dynamics, its presence in other fox populations and the potential consequences for fox health remain unexplored. For 8 years, hemoplasmal DNA was screened and characterized in blood f...

No evidence of exposure to canine distemper virus (CDV) was detected in 70 samples corresponding to 58 wild-trapped Darwin’s foxes (Lycalopex fulvipes) in Chile. Given its current endangered status and it being immunologically naive, in the event of a CDV spillover from dogs to foxes, high population mortality is expected.

We present comments on an article recently published in Ecology and Evolution (“High‐resolution melting of the cytochrome B gene in fecal DNA: A powerful approach for fox species identification of the Lycalopex genus in Chile”) by Anabalon et al. that reported the presence of Darwin's fox (Lycalopex fulvipes), a temperate forest specialist, in the...

Sarcoptic mange has been anecdotally reported in Chilean wildlife during the last decade. Although this disease can have devastating outcomes for biodiversity, there is no comprehensive assessment of this potential threat in Chile. Because the current capacity to monitor sarcoptic mange and other wildlife diseases is limited in this country, we use...

A pelt of an Andean Cat specimen was discovered in La Rioja Province, Argentina, a region with no previous data recorded, located in a large distribution gap between the two currently identified evolutionarily significant units (ESU). This new record not only improves our knowledge about the species distribution but can also provide relevant geneti...

La antropización del paisaje se considera una de las principales causas de emergencia de enfermedades en fauna silvestre. La güiña es un felino endémico de Chile y una parte de Argentina altamente amenazado por la transformación de su hábitat. Se han estudiado los efectos de la antropización del paisaje en la transmisión interespecífica de leucemia...

Background: Human activities are permanently threatening wildlife. Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centers (WRRC) have served for the rescue, rehabilitation and reinsertion of affected and recovered animals. Methods: We reviewed the casuistry of five wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centers in Chile over 5 years, and described the main causes...

The co-occurrence of domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) and wild felids in rural landscapes can facilitate pathogen transmission. However, in the relatively-isolated regions of southern South America there have been no comprehensive studies to assess disease transmission risks between domestic cats and forest-dwelling wild felids such as guigna...

Owned, free-roaming domestic cats are abundant in the Chilean countryside, having high probability of contact with wildlife and potentially participating as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens. In the present study, 131 cats from two remote study areas (Valdivia and Chiloe Island) in southern Chile were analyzed for infection/exposure to eight pathoge...

Antimicrobial resistance is a global emerging Public Health issue whose presence and impact in wildlife is widely unknown. Antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) are considered environmental contaminants, suitable to evaluate the degree of anthropic impact on wildlife and the environment. The guigna (Leopardus guigna) is the smallest wild felid in t...

During the last decade, knowledge about threatened and endemic mammals in the Valdivian Coastal Range has experienced significant progress. Advances include the discovery of a new Darwin’s fox population, and a growing understanding of the threats that imperil native species. One of these is the problem of free-ranging rural dogs. Dogs harass and p...

Domestic cats exert different negative effects over wildlife. The guigna (Leopardus guigna), a threatened small wild felid endemic to Chile and Argentina and closely associated with native rainforests, can inhabit fragments surrounded by a human matrix. Extensive habitat loss and fragmentation in Chile may potentially increase encounter probabiliti...

Individual hosts differ extensively in their competence for parasites, but traditional research has discounted this variation, partly because modeling such heterogeneity is difficult. This discounting has diminished as tools have improved and recognition has grown that some hosts, the extremely competent, can have exceptional impacts on disease dyn...

Introduction: the family Anaplasmataceae is composed of obligatory intracellular organisms that parasitize different types of host cells, including the genus Ehrlichia and Anaplasma. In Chile, there is limited information about their presence in dogs, and no information exists regarding free-livings wild canids. Objects: our aim was to investigate...

The Andean cat ( Leopardus jacobita) is one of the most threatened and least known wild felids in the world. Using molecular and serologic tests, we screened a free-ranging Andean cat for 17 pathogens of conservation concern. Results suggested no evidence of infection or exposure. Whether pathogens are a threat for Andean cat populations remains cu...

Domestic cats exert different negative effects over wildlife. In Chile, increasing human landscape perturbation may facilitate pathogen transmission from domestic cats to wildlife. The Guigna (Leopardus guigna) is a threatened small wild felid endemic to Chile and Argentina, closely associated with native rainforests. Extensively affected by habita...

The interaction between humans and small carnivores is a phenomenon especially frequent in rural fringes, as is the case of communities surrounding natural areas. In Chile, two species of threatened carnivores, the Darwin’s Fox and the Guigna, have increased their contact with humans due to human-induced changes in their habitat. The objective of t...

The interaction between humans and small carnivores is a phenomenon especially frequent in rural fringes, as is the case of communities surrounding natural areas. In Chile, two species of threatened carnivores, the Darwin's Fox and the Guigna, have increased their contact with humans due to human-induced changes in their habitat. The objective of t...

Plan Nacional de Conservación de la Güiña

Plan Nacional de Conservación del Gato Andino (Leopardus jacobita) en Chile (CONAF)

Landscape fragmentation is often a major cause of species extinction as it can affect a wide variety of ecological processes. The impact of fragmentation varies among species depending on many factors, including their life-history traits and dispersal abilities. Felids are one of the groups most threatened by fragmented landscapes because of their...

Relative to Neotropical cats and felids in general, the tiny Guiña has a restricted extent of occurrence (300,000 km²). Most of the species area of occupancy is suffering from increasing landscape fragmentation due to logging, habitat conversion to pine plantations, agricultural and livestock activities. An annual forest loss rate of 4.5% per year...

Morphological variation in natural populations is a genomic test bed for studying the interface between molecular evolution and population genetics, but some of the most interesting questions involve non-model organisms that lack well annotated reference genomes. Many felid species exhibit polymorphism for melanism but the relative roles played by...

Abstract Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are two of the most common viruses affecting domestic cats (Felis catus). During the last two decades, reports show that both viruses also infect or affect other species of the family Felidae. Human landscape perturbation is one of the main causes of emerging diseases in...