Susana Caballero

Los Andes University (Colombia) | UNIANDES · Department of Biological Sciences

Hammerhead sharks (Family Sphyrnidae) comprise a monophyletic Miocene radiation of carcharhiniform sharks characterized by their laterally expanded and dorsoventrally compressed head (‘cephalofoil’). The bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo) is currently described as a single amphi-American hammerhead species composed of the subspecies Sphyrna tiburo t...

The Irrawaddy dolphin ( Orcaella brevirostris ) is an endangered cetacean that ranges throughout much of Southeast Asia and lives in coastal, estuarine, and riverine habitats including three river systems: Ayeyarwady, Mekong, and Mahakam. Many populations face risks from human interference, but overall rangewide diversity and connectivity is not we...

Bonnethead and Caribbean sharpnose sharks frequent coastal waters, rendering them vulnerable to overexploitation, with the bonnethead shark listed as endangered by the IUCN. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been suggested as a management strategy to regulate shark-exploitation. Moreover, it’s essential to identify key areas where nursery grounds...

Dwarf caiman species of the genus Paleosuchus (Paleosuchus palpebrosus and Paleosuchus trigonatus) are old, widespread crocodilian lineages with populations affected by habitat modification. For both species, phylogeographical studies revealing crucial information have already been performed, but for important ecoregions, such as the Orinoco, knowl...

Introduction: The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of the most studied cetaceans worldwide; however, information about the genetic structure of wild populations is scarce in some regions like Central America and the Caribbean. There are two known genetic forms identified in the Caribbean based on mitochondrial DNA Control Regio...

Introduction: The rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) inhabits oceanic waters of tropical latitudes and exhibits philopatry in some oceanic islands. However, the species has been observed in shallow coastal waters in a few areas. Particularly in Central America, the rough-toothed dolphin has been reported by occasional records and strandings....

The southern elephant seal (SES; Mirounga leonina ) has a circumpolar distribution, breeding mainly on sub‐Antarctic islands and making long trips between breeding or molting and foraging areas. Most individuals from colonies in the South Shetland Islands (western Antarctic Peninsula; WAP) are distributed in Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASP...

The Neotropics contain one of the most diverse assemblages of freshwater fishes worldwide. Part of this diversity is shared between the Orinoco and Amazon basins. These basins have been separated for a long time due to the Vaupes Arch, rising between 10–11 Ma. Today, there is only one permanent connection between the Orinoco and Negro (Amazon) basi...

Illegal trade in shark fins can be a driver of overexploitation and is a global law enforcement issue given that some frequently traded species are listed on CITES Appendix II. Shark fins are usually traded dried or frozen and are not processed until they reach supply chain end points in southeast Asia, which allows for visual species identificatio...

Ecological information useful for conservation purposes have benefitted from recent and rapid advancements in genetic techniques, revealing unknown aspects of behavior, natural history, population structure and demography of several aquatic mammal species, many of them with conservation concerns. Molecular markers have been used to define managemen...

The turtle genus Kinosternon is widespread with at least 25 species distributed from Mexico to northern Argentina. The taxonomy of this genus is controversial and requires a full revision using both morphological and molecular approaches. In this study, we did a genomic analysis on the species Kinosternon scorpioides distributed in insular and cont...

River cetaceans are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts due to their constrained ranges in freshwater systems of China, South Asia, and South America. We undertook an exhaustive review of 280 peer-reviewed papers and grey literature reports (1998−2020) to examine the current status of knowledge regarding these cetaceans and their conse...

Rough‐toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) have a global tropical and subtropical distribution with oceanic, neritic, and island‐associated populations. To inform conservation and management for this species, we used sequences from the mtDNA control region (n = 360), mitogenomes (n = 19), and six nuclear introns (n = 35) to provide multiple lines o...

Over the past 4 decades there has been a growing concern for the conservation status of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). In 2002, the first elasmobranch species were added to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Less than 20 yr later, there were 39 species on Appendix II and 5 o...

The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus) and the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) are distributed in rivers in the Caribbean and Amazonian region of Colombia respectively. For 30 years, genetic information has been obtained from these populations in order to inform conservation programs for these endangered species and decide on the locati...

Resolving the identity, phylogeny and distribution of cryptic species within species complexes is an essential precursor to management. The bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo, is a small coastal shark distributed in the Western Atlantic from North Carolina (U.S.A.) to southern Brazil. Genetic analyses based on mitochondrial markers revealed that bonn...

As genomic-scale data sets become economically feasible for most organisms, a key question for conservation biology is whether the increased resolution offered by new genomic approaches justifies repeating earlier studies based on traditional markers, rather than investing those same time and monetary resources in less-known species. Genomic studie...

The Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) is endemic to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Throughout its distribution, both geographic distance and environmental variation may contribute to population structure of the species. In this study we follow a seascape genetics approach to investigate populatio...

• Illegal wildlife trade is a major global threat to biodiversity. Environmental authorities around the world face many challenges enforcing and implementing laws intended to protect wild species. Wildlife forensic protocols can help to solve many of these implementation and enforcement issues. • Matamata turtles comprise two different species that...

• The protection of evolutionary processes and maintenance of genetic diversity is necessary for the persistence of biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. The importance of genetic diversity has been reflected in a range of marine policy mechanisms, and the genetic ‘toolbox’ has great potential to support marine protection and marine spatial planni...

We analyzed 114 DNA samples collected in different locations within the stock G breeding grounds, including Ecuador and the northern and southern Pacific of Colombia. We genotyped 15 microsatellite loci, sexed all samples, and performed genotype comparisons. Genotype comparisons were done using a DNA register of previously genotyped individuals fro...

The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) is a genetically low-studied species. In order to conduct the first genetic diversity assessment of this species in Danco Coast (Antarctic Peninsula), 423 bp of the mitochondrial DNA Control Region (mtDNA-CR) was sequenced from 13 blood samples collected in Primavera Base (62º15'S, 58º39'W) during the 2011-2012...

In 2014, a Resolution was approved by the IWC for establishing new, specific Terms of Reference to consolidate the Scientific Committee’s mandate on small cetaceans within its broader working program. This program opens the possibility of periodic reviews about the current knowledge and threats, as well as the possibility to implement Conservation...

Environmental DNA metabarcoding is a tool with increasing use worldwide. The uses of such technology have been validated several times for diversity census, invasive species detection, and endangered/cryptic/elusive species detection and monitoring. With the help of this technology, water samples collected (n = 37) from several main river basins an...

The freshwater stingray Paratrygon aiereba have coloration, osteological and morphometric variations that could suggest the existence of more than one species in Colombia. In order to evaluate the phylogeography, population structure and genetic diversity for P. aiereba distributed in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, we amplified Cytochrome oxidase s...

Skin mucus in fish is the first barrier between the organism and the environment but the role of skin mucus in protecting fish against pathogens is not well understood. During copulation in sharks, the male bites the female generating wounds, which are then highly likely to become infected by opportunistic bacteria from the water or from the male s...

The silky shark is the second most common shark in Southeast Asia’s dried fin markets and is managed in the Atlantic Ocean by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) and by three Indo-Pacific regional fisheries management organizations (RMFOs). ICCAT reports ~ 7% of global silky landings but there is a moratorium...

The matamata is one of the most charismatic turtles on earth, widely distributed in northern South America. Debates have occurred over whether or not there should be two subspecies or species recognized due to its geographic variation in morphology. Even though the matamata is universally known, its natural history, conservation status and biogeogr...

Environmental variations result in different selection pressures acting upon a species, promoting niche specialization with adaptation to a specific habitat resulting in evolution. Consequently, genetically divergent subpopulations or ecotypes are formed. Ecotype characterization involves morphologic, ecological and even genetic differentiation. Ho...

Population structure studies play an increasingly integral role in conservation and management of marine mammal species. Genetic markers are commonly used; however, ecological markers (i.e. chemical compounds) are a fairly recent and useful tool to investigate ecological management units. The objective of this study is to investigate the population...

The bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo, is a small elasmobranch distributed in the Eastern Pacific from southern California to Ecuador, and along the Western Atlantic, with preferences for continental margins of North, Central and South America, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. Recent studies have suggested that it could be under a process of c...

A small and genetically isolated bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population resides year-round in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago-Panama (BDT). Photo-identification and genetic data showed that this dolphin population is highly phylopatric and is formed exclusively by individuals of the “inshore form”. This study aimed to investigate the tro...

Landscape genomic signatures indicate reduced gene flow and forest-associated adaptive divergence in an endangered neotropical turtle Running title: Landscape genomics of a neotropical turtle ABSTRACT Human-induced transformations of ecosystems usually result in fragmented populations subject to increased extinction risk. Fragmentation is also ofte...

Background Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) are large herbivorous aquatic mammals living in limited areas of South, Central and North America. As with other aquatic mammals, Antillean manatees can be infected by a variety of protozoan and metazoan parasites, some of them with zoonotic potential, which affect not only their welfare bu...

Human‐induced transformations of ecosystems usually result in fragmented populations subject to increased extinction risk. Fragmentation is also often associated with novel environmental heterogeneity, which in combination with restricted gene flow may increase the opportunity for local adaptation. To manage at‐risk populations in these landscapes,...

Phylogeographic patterns and sex-biased dispersal were studied in riverine populations of West Indian (Trichechus manatus) and Amazonian manatees (T. inunguis) in South America, using 410bp D-loop (Control Region, Mitochondrial DNA) sequences and 15 nuclear microsatellite loci. This multi-locus approach was key to disentangle complex patterns of ge...

The lack of clarity regarding the taxonomy of the ocellate river stingray (Potamotrygon motoro) and the absence of previous studies regarding its genetic diversity and population structure makes this species vulnerable to overexploitation, being now the second species of freshwater ray most extracted and exported for ornamental purposes in Colombia...

The release of mercury into the environment is causing the pollution of aquatic ecosystems and a number of consequences for fauna, which are yet to be fully understood. Historically, large amounts of mercury have been discharged in the aquatic ecosystems of the Amazon and Orinoquia by the goldmining sector. Additionally, natural mercury deposits ha...

El manatí antillano (Trichechus manatus manatus) se encuentra amenazado principalmente por cacería, captura incidental en redes, reducción y destrucción del hábitat. Varias localidades de su distribución en Colombia han mostrado altos niveles de contaminación antropogénica de diferentes tipos, amenazando seriamente la salud de las poblaciones anima...

This study reports total mercury concentrations in river dolphins (Inia and Sotalia) in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. Mercury was analysed in 46 tissue samples of from animals found floating dead (n= 19; 41,3%), stranded (n= 4; 8,7%) and captured for the deployment of satellite transmitters (n= 23; 50%) in the Arauca and Orinoco rivers (Colo...

Coastal and freshwater cetaceans are particularly vulnerable due to their proximity to human activity, localized distributions and small home ranges. These species include Sotalia guianensis, found in the Atlantic and Caribbean coastal areas of central and South America, and Sotalia fluviatilis, distributed in the Amazon River and tributaries. We i...

Biota colombiana es una revista científica, que publica artículos originales y ensayos sobre la biodiversidad de la región neotropical, con énfasis en Colombia y países vecinos, arbitrados mínimo por dos evaluadores externos. Incluye temas relativos a botánica, zoología, ecología, biología, limnología, conservación, manejo de recursos y uso de la b...

Human communities living around Cartagena Bay (Colombian Caribbean) depend on fishing activities as their main income and food source. This resource has been affected by pollution, sedimentation and overfishing. DNA barcoding was used for fish species identification, and the genetic diversity and population structure of two valued fish genera, snap...

We present the results of an interinstitutional initiative that verified the provenance of several groups of the Matamata Turtle (Chelus fimbriata), confiscated in the city of Leticia, department of Amazonas, Colombia, with molecular tools. The confiscated turtles corresponded to specimens captured in the Orinoquia region, and apparently were desti...

River dolphins are among the most endangered cetaceans in the world. The Amazon, Orinoco, Tocantins basins (fig. 1) face severe threats based in anthropic activities, ranging from bycatch (Reeves et al. 2003; Alves et al. 2012; Trujillo et al. 2010b; Iriarte and Marmontel 2013), deliberate killing as a bait (Iriarte and Marmontel 2014), loss of con...

This study reports total mercury concentrations in river dolphins (Inia and Sotalia) in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. Mercury was analysed in the tissue of animals found floating dead (n= 19, 50%), stranded (n= 4, 10,5%) and captured for the installation of satellite transmitters (n= 15, 39,5%) in the Arauca and Orinoco rivers (Colombia and...

Population fragmentation is one of the most concerning consequences of habitat fragmentation, as small and isolated populations suffer increased genetic drift and inbreeding. However, the extent to which habitat fragmentation leads to population fragmentation depends not only on the landscape structure, but also on the response of organisms to it....

The current conservation status of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) under the IUCN is ‘least concern’. However, in the Caribbean, small and localized populations of the ‘inshore form’ may be at higher risk of extinction than the ‘worldwide distributed form’ due to a combination of factors including small population size, high site fideli...

Graphic representation of Evanno et al. [71] ad hoc statistic ∆K, which shows a clear peak in K = 2. (DOCX)

Mean and Stdev LnPK, and DeltaK results for all K (1 to 10), according to STRUCTURE analyses. (DOCX)

Microsatellite data. (XLSX)

The Andean bear is an endemic species of the tropical Andes who has an almost exclusively plant-based diet. Since herbivorous mammals do not carry enzymes for fiber degradation, the establishment of symbiosis with cellulolytic microorganisms in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract is necessary to help them fulfill their nutritional needs. Furthermore,...

Humpback whales wintering in tropical waters along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the South American continent are thought to represent distinct populations or “stocks.” Here we present the first analysis of genetic differentiation and estimates of gene flow between these breeding stocks, based on both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region s...

The nearest known population of common dolphins (Delphinus sp.) to the Colombian Caribbean occurs in a fairly restricted range in eastern Venezuela. These dolphins have not been previously reported in the Colombian Caribbean, likely because of a lack of study of the local cetacean fauna. We collected cetacean observations in waters of the Guajira D...

We developed nuclear SNPs for the heavily overfished tambaqui/cachama negra Colossoma macropomum using next-generation sequencing-based genotyping. We created a reduced-representation library for 30 individuals from Orinoco and Amazon basins following the ddRAD methodology for sequencing on the IonTorrent PGM. We analyzed the sequence data using th...

The knowledge of the sex ratio of threatened populations or species is pivotal since sub-optimal sex ratios can affect negatively the population growth and resilience. The vulnerable species, Tapirus terrestris, is rarely studied through traditional field methods and non-invasive genetic analyses have been employed using feces as source of DNA. Her...

We generated for the first time nuclear SNP loci for the commercially exploited gilded catfish Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii using next-generation sequencing. We implemented double-digest-Restriction-Associated-DNA-based de novo SNP genotyping for 30 individuals (Orinoco and Amazon basins) using the IonTorrent PGM. It was analyzed the sequence reads...

Lack of adequate information about the taxonomic and evolutionary relationships, ecology, biology, and distribution of several species belonging to the family Potamotrygonidae makes these species vulnerable to anthropic activities, including commercial overexploitation for the ornamental fish market. The aim of this study was to investigate the sys...

Endangered giant otters, Pteronura brasiliensis, are found along the Amazon and Orinoco rivers and most of their tributaries. Hunting in the mid-1970s pushed giant otter populations to the brink of extinction. We studied population structure and genetic diversity of giant otters from Colombia's Orinoco basin using analyses of partial mitochondrial...

Previous investigations of the population genetics of the scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific have lacked information about nursery areas. Such areas are key to promoting conservation initiatives that can protect young sharks from threats such as overfishing. Here, we investigated the genetic diversity, phyl...

Southern white shrimp Litopenaeus schmitti has been a commercial exploited species in Colombian Caribbean since 1968, becoming a high trade interest species and carrying a development of high fisheries activity, which then caused an overexploitation and a subsequent decrease in catches. Due to the current situation of this species, with the aim of...