Gastón A. F. Giné

• Doctor of Ecology
• Professor at State University of Santa Cruz

Knowledge of the potential distribution and locations of poorly known threatened species is crucial for guiding conservation strategies and new field surveys. The painted tree-rat (Callistomys pictus) is a monospecific, rare, and endangered echimyid rodent endemic to the southern Bahia Atlantic Forest in Brazil. There have been no records of the sp...

This study aimed to investigate whether the use of space and movements of Guiana dolphins were altered during the construction of a cable-stayed bridge at the mouth of the Cachoeira River estuary in Ilhéus, Brazil. We described and compared the visitation rate, use of space, and movements of the Guiana dolphins across two periods: before the constr...

New World porcupines (Erethizontidae) exhibit behaviors and possess integumentary structures, including the quills, that are used for self‐defense. The North American porcupine ( Erethizon dorsatum ) has been well studied regarding these features; however, information is lacking for the South American Coendou species. We describe the defensive beha...

Technological advances have enabled new methods for surveying fauna, such as the use of drones. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of drones with thermal sensors in detecting Coendou baturitensis, an arboreal rodent popularly known as porcupine. Carried out in the municipality of Mulungu, in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest located in...

Changes in ambient temperature and solar radiation may affect sloths' metabolic rate and body temperature, with consequent changes in activities, postures and microhabitat selection. Although the separate effect of temperature and solar radiation on sloth's behaviour have been previously studied, the combined effect of these climatic factors on beh...

This study examines the functional histology of the thin-spined porcupine's (Chaetomys subspinosus (Olfers, 1818)) quills and integument, and compares them with the North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum (Linnaeus, 1758)) equivalents. Erethizon quills disseminate warnings to potential predators. An olfactory warning is generated by sebaceous...

Individual diet specialization is commonly found in generalist species but has been little studied in folivore mammals. Empirical evidence shows that the diversity of food resources in the habitat affects the degree of this specialization, by influencing among-individual diet variation (diet similarity) and individual niche breadth (diet diversity)...

This is the first multiple months study on home range and habitat use by a small group of bushmaster (Lachesis spp.). Five snakes (natives and translocated) were intensively radio tracked in a mosaic of plantations and small fragments of Atlantic Forest in the Reserva Ecologica Michelin in Bahia, Brazil. The average home range was 9.47 ha (MCP 95%)...

Aspects of the feeding ecology of the threatened maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus Illiger, 1811) are poorly understood. Here, we evaluate the diet composition and the influence of leaf chemical compounds on the consumption of plant species by 10 radio‐tracked individuals in southern Bahia and construct a list of plants consumed by the species based...

Global change imposes multiple challenges on species and, thus, a reliable prediction of current and future vulnerability of species must consider multiple stressors and intrinsic traits of species. Climate, physiology, and forest cover, for example, are required to evaluate threat to thermolabile forest-dependent species, such as sloths (Bradypus...

Amblyomma varium is a neotropical tick popularly known as the sloth’s giant tick, during the adult stage is found almost exclusively on mammals of the Bradypodidae and Megalonychidae families of the superorder Xenarthra. The maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus) is the only sloth species in danger of extinction in Brazil. This species is arboreal and de...

Climate change has affected the distribution and phenology of several species. However, due to narrow ecological and physiological tolerances, not all species are affected in the same way. Here, we test whether life history characteristics and biogeographic character influence the response of Cerrado anurans to climate change using ecological niche...

As mudanças climáticas terão impactos de longo alcance sobre a biodiversidade; no entanto, nem todas as espécies serão afetadas igualmente. As diferenças biológicas entre as espécies e as características regionais de sua área potencial de distribuição podem aumentar ou reduzir sua vulnerabilidade. Neste artigo, abordamos essa questão usando modelos...

Preliminary behavioral data from monitoring of a population of Bradypus torquatus, maned sloth, in the North portion of its distribution. Here we provide activity pattern and budget for this population.

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropica...

The thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus Olfers, 1818) is an endemic and threatened rodent from the Atlantic Forest biological hotspot. Previous studies have demonstrated it follows a strictly leaf-based diet, limited to a few tree species, although such information is derived from few individuals (n = 7) resident in small forest fragments....

Is it possible to reconcile production with biodiversity conservation? The south of Bahia, where cocoa is planted under the shade of native forest - called cabrucas - is helping us to answer this question. Get to know a little about this region and our research in this video, and fall in love with the landscape, culture and science that we are unve...

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across...

In Brazil, 64 recovery plans are currently focused on single or multiple species. We aimed to evaluate whether there is a difference in effectiveness and efficiency in the implementation of the two types of animal protection plans. We selected 16 plans, eight of each type. In addition, we analysed which of the 12 operational attributes of elaborati...

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across...

The threatened thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus), a forest-specialist endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic forest, was rarely detected in the wild during the 20th century. Previous geographic distribution assessments were carried out nearly three decades ago and were based on interview data. We performed extensive field surveys (based on a...

Georeferenced localities of positive and negative evidence of the presence of the thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus) based on interviews with locals. (XLS)

Characterization of the remaining Atlantic forest within the potential extent of occurrence of the thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus) and zone of high climatic suitability predicted by modeling procedures. (DOCX)

Georeferenced localities of confirmed occurrences of the thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus) based on direct observations and specimens registered in scientific collections. Direct observation data provided by colleagues were included only with the previous consent and species' identification confirmed by us through pictures. (XLS)

Differences between sympatric and allopatric porcupines from the Central Atlantic forest based on body weight, quills, and external appearance. (PDF)

Dogs (Canis familiaris) are among the most abundant and widely distributed carnivores worldwide, and their presence can have negative impacts on native fauna. This study investigated the invasion of cacao agroforests by free-ranging dogs in Brazil. By monitoring the behavior of dogs using direct observations, we assessed whether direct (chasing and...

Scanning electron microscopy shows that the quill surface from the thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus (Olfers, 1818)) has several regional cuticular patterns of which the most expansive is highly pitted with 4 μm wide pores leading to pits, which in turn communicate circumferentially via tunnels to neighboring pits. The cell unit of the p...

Here we compile a data set comprising morphological and life history information of 279 mammal species from 39,850 individuals of 388 populations ranging from 5.83 to 29.75 decimal degrees of latitude and 34.82 to 56.73 decimal degrees of lon- gitude in the Atlantic forest of South America. We present trait information from 16,840 individ- uals of...

Measures of traits are the basis of functional biological diversity. Numerous works consider mean species-level measures of traits while ignoring individual variance within species. However, there is a large amount of variation within species and it is increasingly apparent that it is important to consider trait variation not only between species,...

Listas de espécies ameaçadas identificam taxa com real ou potencial risco de extinção em uma escala regional e global, embasando a tomada de decisões e a formulação de políticas públicas. A construção da primeira lista estadual de espécies ameaçadas de extinção na Bahia teve início em 2013. Este artigo descreve a avaliação do status de conservação...

Three-toed sloths (Bradypus) are heterothermic, and ambient temperature may have a direct effect on their activity levels. Our goal was to describe the time budget, pattern and rhythm of activity of the maned sloth, Bradypus torquatus (Xenarthra: Bradypodidae), and to evaluate the effect of ambient temperature on its activity. We hypothesized that...

Thin-spined porcupines (Chaetomys subspinosus) are threatened with extinction and are categorized as vulnerable. This is because of alteration to and loss of their habitat and possible hunting activities in their distribution area. Their spines constitute one of their defense mechanisms, which can be fomites for pathogens to humans. However, little...

The threatened and poorly known thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus) is endemic to the highly deforested central portion of the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. In southern Bahia, anecdotal observations suggested that native forest and shade cacao (Theobroma cacao) plantations are important habitats for this species. However, no studies...

Studies investigating rickettsial infections in ticks parasitizing wild animals in the Northeast region of Brazil have been confined to the detection of Rickettsia amblyommii in immature stages of Amblyomma longirostre collected from birds in the state of Bahia, and in immatures and females of Amblyomma auricularium collected from the striped hog-n...

Strains of Toxoplasma gondii in Brazil have high genetic diversity compared to North America and Europe. The bristle-spined porcupine, Chaetomys subspinosus, is often subject to hunting for human food, but it is not known whether it can be a reservoir of this parasite. The aim of this study was to verify the occurrence of T. gondii in C. subspinosu...

Habitat selection is a scale-dependent process of paramount importance to the understanding of how species deal with environmental variation. This process has practical implications for wildlife conservation, aiding in the identification of key resources for animals and in the definition of scales relevant to the proposal of practical conservation...

The thin-spined porcupine, Chaetomys subspinosus, is an endemic mammal of the Atlantic forest of northeastern Brazil. With its population declining, it has been listed as "vulnerable" in the Brazilian Red List. Its National Action Plan, published in 2011, intended to develop awareness projects about the species in local communities, to implement al...

Activity and behavior patterns are important components of a given species’ ecological strategy, as they have profound implications for its survival and reproduction. Here, we studied the activities, movements and secretive behavior of the thin‐spined porcupine Chaetomys subspinosus (Rodentia: Erethizontidae), a threatened arboreal folivore in the...

The bristle-spined porcupine, Chaetomys subspinosus, an endemic rodent from Atlantic Forest, was considered to be abundant in the recent past, but population reductions due to habitat loss and expansion of human activities caused this species to be included in the "vulnerable" category of the World Conservation Union Red List. We performed the firs...

We studied the feeding ecology of the thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus), a small arboreal rodent endemic to the Atlantic rain forest of Brazil and threatened with extinction. We captured and radiotracked 4 free-ranging individuals and collected 1,177 feeding records in 944 h of observation between April 2005 and September 2006. We found...

We studied the role of collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) as seed dispersers and predators of ten fleshy-fruited species, including both native and naturalized exotic plants to the Atlantic rainforest remnants of Southern Bahia, Brazil. We quantified the total number of seeds consumed and excreted by captive ani-mals and performed germination trial...

In order to estimate genetic parameters for swine carcasses traits, data of dressing percentage (DP), carcass length by Brazilian method (CLBM) and American method (CLAM), average backfat thickness (ABT), backfat thickness at 6.5 cm from the dorsal line (P2), loin eye area (LEA), lean:fat ratio (LFR), ham yield (HY), lean, fat and lean cuts yields...

Com o objetivo de estimar parâmetros genéticos para características de carcaça de suínos, foram utilizados dados de rendimento de carcaça (RC), comprimentos de carcaça pelo método Brasileiro (CCMB) e pelo método americano (CCMA), espessuras de toucinho média (ETM) e a 6,5 cm da linha dorsal (P2), área de olho de lombo (AOL), relação carne:gordura (...

In order to estimate genetic parameters for swine carcasses traits, data of dressing percentage (DP), carcass length by Brazilian method (CLBM) and American method (CLAM), average backfat thickness (ABT), backfat thickness at 6.5 cm from the dorsal line (P,), loin eye area (LEA), lean:fat ratio (LFR), ham yield (HY), lean, fat and lean cuts yields...

Introdução Segundo a maioria dos especialistas, o ouriço-preto (Chaetomys subspinosus) e o ouriço-amarelo (Sphiggurus insidiosus) pertencem a mesma família: Erethizontidae. Os hábitos solitários, noturnos e arborícolas dos membros dessa família os tornam difíceis de se observar, e explica o pouco conhecimento biológico destes (Alberico et.al, 1999)...