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Dasypus kappleri (Cingulata: Dasypodidae)
Abstract
Dasypus kappleri Krauss, 1862, commonly known as greater long-nosed armadillo, is the second largest extant armadillo and readily distinguishable by the prominent spurs on the hind legs. It is diurnal-nocturnal, solitary, and insectivorous. It is a semi-fossorial species ranging east of the Andes across the central lowlands of South America. It occupies a wide range of habitats including rainforest, riparian forest, and grassland. D. kappleri is listed as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in light of its wide distribution, which presumedly contains robust populations.
... Detailed sample information for the 33 fecal samples collected aTABLE 1 Detailed sample information for the 33 fecal samples collected, (Continued)Diet was determined based on field observations (i.e., dissections) and the literature(11,(74)(75)(76)(77)(78).Long-and short-reads are available on SRA under BioProject PRJNA942254 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA942254/). NovaSeq instrument were outsourced to Novogene Europe (Cambridge, UK) to generate metagenomes using 50 million of 150 bp paired-end reads each (15 Gb of raw data per sample) ...
In mammals, myrmecophagy (ant and termite consumption) represents a striking example of dietary convergence. This trait evolved independently at least five times in placentals with myrmecophagous species comprising aardvarks, anteaters, some armadillos, pangolins, and aardwolves. The gut microbiome plays an important role in dietary adaptation, and previous analyses of 16S rRNA metabarcoding data have revealed convergence in the composition of the gut microbiota among some myrmecophagous species. However, the functions performed by these gut bacterial symbionts and their potential role in the digestion of prey chitinous exoskeletons remain open questions. Using long- and short-read sequencing of fecal samples, we generated 29 gut metagenomes from nine myrmecophagous and closely related insectivorous species sampled in French Guiana, South Africa, and the United States. From these, we reconstructed 314 high-quality bacterial genome bins of which 132 carried chitinase genes, highlighting their potential role in insect prey digestion. These chitinolytic bacteria belonged mainly to the family Lachnospiraceae, and some were likely convergently recruited in the different myrmecophagous species as they were detected in several host orders (i.e., Enterococcus faecalis , Blautia sp.), suggesting that they could be directly involved in the adaptation to myrmecophagy. Others were found to be more host-specific, possibly reflecting phylogenetic constraints and environmental influences. Overall, our results highlight the potential role of the gut microbiome in chitin digestion in myrmecophagous mammals and provide the basis for future comparative studies performed at the mammalian scale to further unravel the mechanisms underlying the convergent adaptation to myrmecophagy.
IMPORTANCE
Myrmecophagous mammals are specialized in the consumption of ants and/or termites. They do not share a direct common ancestor and evolved convergently in five distinct placental orders raising questions about the underlying adaptive mechanisms involved and the relative contribution of natural selection and phylogenetic constraints. Understanding how these species digest their prey can help answer these questions. More specifically, the role of their gut microbial symbionts in the digestion of the insect chitinous exoskeleton has not been investigated in all myrmecophagous orders. We generated 29 new gut metagenomes from nine myrmecophagous species to reconstruct more than 300 bacterial genomes in which we identified chitin-degrading enzymes. Studying the distribution of these chitinolytic bacteria among hosts revealed both shared and specific bacteria between ant-eating species. Overall, our results highlight the potential role of gut symbionts in the convergent dietary adaptation of myrmecophagous mammals and the evolutionary mechanisms shaping their gut microbiota.
... acouchy) and the greater long-nosed armadillo (D. kappleri) had statistical support in their positive responses. Both species seem to avoid disturbed areas (Patton et al., 2015, Aya-Cuero et al., 2019 as those created by selective logging. Higher detection probabilities at logged sites may indicate increased abundance or increased activity levels (McCarthy et al., 2013;Neilson et al., 2018). ...
Increasing knowledge of species occurrence and assemblage composition is crucial to uncover the impacts of human activities on biodiversity. Here we investigate the effects of certified selective logging on assemblages of medium-and large-sized mammals in central Suriname. Using camera traps set in logged and unlogged parts of two logging concessions, we estimated mammal richness and assemblage composition within them and compared the results to other sites across Suriname obtained from a literature search. Then, using Bayesian multi-species occupancy models, we investigated if selective logging affects the richness, composition, and probabilities of habitat use and detection of mammals in the study sites. We recorded 27 mammal species in total, of which four are threatened globally. The study areas were amongst the richest concerning mammalian diversity throughout Suriname in response to the larger sampling effort employed. However, assemblage composition was overall similar to other sites previously sampled in the country, with variation in species richness mainly driven by sampling effort. Species richness and assemblage composition were similar concerning logged and unlogged parts of the concessions. At the species level, only a minor influence was observed in the probabilities of detection and habitat use of mammals. Most species presented positive responses to logging status, i.e., increasing their detection and habitat use probabilities in logged sites. Therefore, we conclude that selective logging to the extent practiced in the managed sites may fulfill the criteria of sustainability. Due to the continuous nature of Suriname's landscape, which allows for a constant flow of species from managed to un-managed sites, it may act as a buffer to hamper the secondary and indirect impacts of selective logging.
... However, we decided to include it in the data set as its vertebral formula perfectly matches that of D. novemcinctus, but differs from other described Dasypus sp. (Aya-Cuero et al., 2019;Galliari et al., 2010). All specimens from the USNM and the MCZ were μCT-scanned on a SkyScan 1173 at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, and reconstructed with NRecon version 1.6.6.0 (MCZ scans were also included in Oliver et al., 2016). ...
Xenarthrans (armadillos, anteaters, sloths, and their extinct relatives) are unique among mammals in displaying a distinctive specialization of the posterior trunk vertebrae—supernumerary vertebral xenarthrous articulations. This study seeks to understand how xenarthry develops through ontogeny and if it may be constrained to appear within pre-existing vertebral regions. Using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics on the neural arches of vertebrae, we explore phenotypic, allometric, and disparity patterns of the different axial morphotypes during the ontogeny of nine-banded armadillos. Shape-based regionalization analyses showed that the adult thoracolumbar column is divided into three regions according to the presence or absence of ribs and the presence or absence of xenarthrous articulations. A three-region division was retrieved in almost all specimens through development, although younger stages (e.g., fetuses, neonates) have more region boundary variability. In size-based regionalization analyses, thoracolumbar vertebrae are separated into two regions: a prediaphragmatic, prexenarthrous region, and a postdiaphragmatic xenarthrous region. We show that posterior thoracic vertebrae grow at a slower rate, while anterior thoracics and lumbars grow at a faster rate relatively, with rates decreasing anteroposteriorly in the former and increasing anteroposteriorly in the latter. We propose that different proportions between vertebrae and vertebral regions might result from differences in growth pattern and timing of ossification.
Highlights
Xenarthrans are unique vertebral xenarthrous articulations. We use three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to explore phenotypic, allometric, and disparity patterns of vertebrae through development, and characterize vertebral regions of the xenarthran spine and how they develop.
... However, we decided to include it in the data set as its vertebral formula perfectly matches that of D. novemcinctus, but differs from other described Dasypus sp. (Aya-Cuero et al., 2019;Galliari et al., 2010). All specimens from the USNM and the MCZ were μCT-scanned on a SkyScan 1173 at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, and reconstructed with NRecon version 1.6.6.0 (MCZ scans were also included in Oliver et al., 2016). ...
Xenarthrans (armadillos, anteaters, sloths and their extinct relatives) are unique among mammals in displaying a distinctive specialization of the posterior trunk vertebrae - supernumerary vertebral xenarthrous articulations. This study seeks to understand how xenarthry develops through ontogeny and if its development impacts regionalisation patterns (thoracic vs lumbar). Using 3D geometric morphometrics on the neural arches of vertebrae, we explore phenotypic, allometric, and disparity patterns of the different axial morphotypes during ontogeny of nine-banded armadillos. Shape-based regionalisation analyses showed that adult thoracolumbar column is divided into three regions according to the presence or absence of ribs and the presence or absence of xenarthrous articulations. A three-region-division was retrieved in almost all specimens through development, although younger stages (e.g. embryos, neonates) have more region boundary variability. In size-based regionalisation analyses, thoracolumbar vertebrae are separated into two regions according to the presence or absence of xenarthry. We show that xenarthrous thoracic vertebrae grow at a slower rate, while anterior thoracics and lumbar grow at a faster rate relatively, with rates decreasing anteroposterioly in the former and increasing anteroposterioly in the latter. We propose that different proportions between vertebrae and vertebral regions might result from differences in growth pattern and timing of ossification, which might in turn correlate with expression patterns of Hox genes.
... Different studies have used camera traps to obtain data on medium and large mammals, during which D. pastasae was documented (Tobler et al., 2008;Aya-Cuero et al., 2017). It should be noted that nine-banded armadillo (D. novemcinctus) and greater long-nosed armadillo (D. pastasae) tend to be pooled as Dasypus spp., due to difficulties in differentiating the two species based on camera trap images (Aya-Cuero et al., 2019). Similarly, D. pastasae also inhabits areas where other members of the genus Dasypus can be found, such as the llano long-nosed armadillo D. sabanicola, of the Eastern Plains, which likely indicates that armadillo abundance in other biological surveys of the Orinoco basin has been under-reported or misrepresented. ...
Estudiamos la diversidad de mamíferos medianos y grandes en un área no protegida de la Orinoquia Colombiana durante tres años, empleando cámaras trampa en 72 estaciones de muestreo y haciendo recorridos por bosques y sabanas. Con un esfuerzo de 1789 días-cámara y 469.5 km recorridos se documentaron 31 especies de mamíferos (9 órdenes, 19 familias). Se registraron especies amenazadas como ocarro (Priodontes maximus), danta (Tapirus terrestris), pecarí de labio blanco (Tayassu pecari) y hormiguero gigante (Myrmecophaga tridactyla). Se registraron especies raras, como el perro vinagre (Speothos venaticus) y semiendémicas como el cachicamo sabanero (Dasypus sabanicola). Las especies mejor representadas a través del índice de abundancia relativa fueron el pecarí de collar (Pecari tajacu) y la zarigüeya (Didelphis marsupialis). Las especies registradas se enfrentan a diversas presiones, como cacería para subsistencia, especies invasoras y ganadería. Por lo tanto, los resultados sugieren que las áreas no protegidas son importantes para la conservación de los mamíferos en los Llanos Orientales de Colombia.
Este estudo foi desenvolvido nas Reservas Particulares do Patrimônio Natural Cristalino (670 ha) e Lote Cristalino (6.539 ha) e no Parque Estadual Cristalino (184.900 ha). Essas unidades de conservação são contíguas e estão localizadas no extremo centro-norte do estado do Mato Grosso, em locais considerados prioritários para a conservação, em função da alta biodiversidade e endemismos, além da elevada pressão antrópica. Desta forma, este trabalho objetivou conhecer, avaliar e comparar a estrutura das populações de mamíferos de médio e grande porte, em termos de riqueza e abundância das espécies em ambientes sem turismo e com atividades de ecoturismo na região do Cristalino. Para tanto, no período compreendido entre maio de 2008 a fevereiro de 2010 foram amostrados ambientes com floresta primária, os quais apresentavam dois níveis de perturbação antrópica: sem turismo e com atividades de ecoturismo. Os dados foram coletados utilizando a amostragem de distâncias em transecções lineares, que totalizou 468,3 Km percorridos nos períodos diurno e noturno, e registro de pegadas em parcelas previamente preparadas (n = 660 parcelas vistoriadas), além de percursos fluviais no rio Cristalino e buscas aleatórias nos locais onde não ocorriam caminhos. Registros de 37 espécies de mamíferos foram obtidos, sendo 33 de médio e grande porte e quatro de pequeno porte. Não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa na riqueza de espécies dos ambientes sem turismo e com ecoturismo, sendo que a similaridade de espécies entre eles foi alta (88%). No entanto, três táxons apresentaram abundância inferior nos ambientes com turismo: Dasyprocta leporina (Linnaeus, 1766), Mazama spp. e Dasypus kappleri Krauss, 1862. Percebe-se, portanto, que o impacto negativo das atividades de ecoturismo desenvolvidas na área de estudo foi de pequena magnitude, em termos de riqueza e abundância de mamíferos de médio e grande porte. Assim, empreendimentos de ecoturismo se apresentam como importante atividade econômica a ser desenvolvida em áreas com potencial turístico na Amazônia.
Abstract Indigenous knowledge is a potentially important source of natural history information about unstudied species of large Amazonian mammals. The Matses, a Panoan-speaking tribe that lives in the basin of the Río Yavarí in northeastern Peru and western Brazil, retain intact traditional knowledge of the local fauna and flora. Our interviews with Matses hunters provide a rich source of original observations about Dasypus kappleri, the greater long-nosed armadillo, which we analyzed for accuracy and content by comparing items of Matses natural history information with the scientific literature. Of 66 items about this species gleaned from eight interviews, only 14 items (21%) overlapped substantively with information in the literature, which corroborated the accuracy of 13 items (93% accuracy, as assessed by this method). On the single point of disagreement between the literature and our interview results, it seems highly likely that the literature is incorrect. The remaining 52 Matses observations about the natural history of D. kappleri contain novel information about many aspects of the behavior, diet, and predators of this large and abundant but hitherto virtually unstudied xenarthran species.
Keywords: behavior, diet, habitat, Matses, predation, reproduction
The giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) is the largest extant armadillo species. This rare, cryptic, and poorly
studied South American mammal is considered a physical ecosystem engineer. From February to August 2014,
10 camera traps were used to estimate population density, activity patterns, and the ecological importance of giant armadillos on private lands with riparian forests and natural savannas near Puerto Gaitán (Meta), in the EasternLlanos of Colombia. A total of 5,728 records (photos and videos) were obtained during 1,335 trap nights, 7.4% of which corresponded to giant armadillos and 92.6% to other vertebrate species. The 426 records of Priodontes, grouped in 78 events (uncorrelated records), were used to individually identify 11 individuals in an area of 189 km2 and determine their activity periods. Population density was estimated at 5.8 animals/100 km
. Nocturnal habits, mainly between 22:00 and 00:00 h, were predominant. A total of 470 km walking transects, censuses of burrows and other indirect signs of presence, and camera trapping allowed determination of some aspects of habitat use. Priodontes prefers riparian forest habitats, makes burrows of 42.0 ± 5.9 cm width and 35.0 ± 5.9 cm height in sloped terrain, and re-uses burrows. More than 26 different species were associated with Priodontes burrows. The conservation of riparian forests is fundamental for the persistence of P. maximus populations and the ecological community that is associated with its burrows.
Resumen El armadillo espuelón (Dasypus kappleri) es una especie nocturna y poco estudiada de América del Sur que en Colombia se distribuye en la Orinoquia y Amazonia. La historia natural del espuelón es prácticamente desconocida y son muy escasos los datos de esta especie en vida silvestre. El presente trabajo describe registros del comportamiento de transporte de material vegetal para anidación del espuelón en un bosque de galería de Puerto Gaitán (Meta, Colombia), incrementando el conocimiento sobre la historia natural de esta especie. Palabras clave: anidación, Dasypodidae, Meta, tatú quince quilos, Puerto Gaitán Transport of plant material by greater long-nosed armadillos Dasypus kappleri Krauss, 1862 for nest building in a gallery forest of the Eastern floodplains of Colombia Abstract The greater long-nosed armadillo (Dasypus kappleri) is a nocturnal and poorly studied armadillo species of South America. In Colombia it occurs in the Orinoco and Amazonia regions. The natural history of D. kappleri is virtually unknown. The present work describes records of nesting behavior of greater long-nosed armadillos in a gallery forest of Puerto Gaitán (Meta, Colombia) and increases the current knowledge about the natural history of this species.
Dasypus kappleri is the largest species of the genus Dasypus and is restricted to the Amazonian rainforest biome. Over the last century, related taxa have been described and synonymized without comprehensive analyses, and the current classification involving two subspecies, Dasypus k. kappleri and Dasypus k. pastasae, has never been revised. The aim of this work is to clarify the taxonomy of Dasypus kappleri through integrative morphological and morphometric analyses. We examined 70 specimens housed in scientific collections as well as photographs of the type specimens of five nominal taxa. Three methodologies (discrete characters, linear and geometric morphometrics) were employed. All results converged on the recognition of three allopatric groups, each with diagnostic qualitative and quantitative traits, that we recognize as full species: Dasypus kappleri Krauss, 1862, occurs in the Guiana shield; Dasypus pastasae (Thomas, 1901) is distributed from the eastern Andes of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela south of the Orinoco River into the western Brazilian Amazon; and Dasypus beniensis Lönnberg, 1942, occurs in the lowlands of Amazonian Brazil and Bolivia to the south of the Madre de Dios, Madeira, and lower Amazon rivers. This revision raises to nine the number of living species of Dasypus.
The Dasypodini are one of the most basal clades of cingulates according to morphologic and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Its living representatives are the group of armadillos with most species and the widest latitudinal geographic distribution, occupying distinct biomes aproximatelly between 40° N and 40° S. In this context, this paper aims to review the diversity of Dasypodini, providing diagnoses and updating the geographic and chronologic distributions of taxa. For that, numerous specimens of cingulates were analyzed and compared. The following species are considered to be valid: Anadasypus hondanus Carlini et al., 1997 (middle Miocene of Colombia); A. aequatorianus Carlini et al., 2014 (late Miocene of Ecuador); Pliodasypus vergelianus Castro et al., 2014 (middle Pliocene of Venezuela); Propraopus sulcatus (Lund, 1842) (Pleistocene–early Holocene of Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Ecuador); Dasypus bellus (Simpson, 1929) (late Pliocene–late Pleistocene of the United States and Mexico); D. punctatus Lund, 1840 (late Pleistocene–early Holocene of Brazil); and the extant species D. novemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758; D. septemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758; D. hybridus (Desmarest 1804); D. kappleri Krauss, 1862; D. sabanicola Mondolfi, 1967; D. mazzai Yepes, 1933; and Cryptophractus pilosus Fitzinger, 1856, some of them with records since the late Pleistocene. Based on that, we briefly discuss evolutive, biogeographic, and environmental aspects. We corroborate that the extant Dasypodini are more diverse and larger in low latitudes. Lastly, the fossil records show that the group has been historically rectricted to temperate warm tropical and subtropical environments of the American continent.
Reportamos los resultados de un estudio con cámaras-trampa desarrollado con la finalidad de conocer la diversidad de mamíferos y aves terrestres de una de las zonas menos estudiadas del Purús, la cuenca del río La Novia. Instalamos 36 cámaras-trampa que cubrieron un área aproximada de 36 km 2 tanto en la época seca (junio-septiembre 2013) cómo en la época húmeda (octubre 2013-enero 2014). El esfuerzo de muestreo fue 2767 y 2418 días-cámara para cada época, respectivamente. Registramos 26 especies de mamíferos y 17 especies de aves. Dentro de los mamíferos, los grupos más diversos fueron los carnívoros (8 especies), seguido de los roedores (5 especies) y los ungulados (3 especies). En las aves, el grupo más diverso fue el de las perdices (8 especies) y se destaca el registro de Tinamus guttatus por ser el primer registro de esta especie para Purús. Para evaluar la eficacia del inventarío con cámaras, desarrollamos curvas de acumulación y modelos de ocupación. En mamíferos y en aves, la riqueza esperada a partir de los modelos de ocupación resultó muy similar a la riqueza observada (en ambas épocas). No obstante, la riqueza esperada según las curvas de rarefacción/extrapolación sugiere que es posible registrar especies adicionales. En efecto, no pudimos registrar algunas especies registradas en evaluaciones previas en Purús y a pesar del esfuerzo de muestreo realizado (aproximadamente 6 meses), es probable que aún haya mucho más por reportar en la cuenca de La Novia.
This paper presents the Quaternary cingulates collected from two limestone caves in Aurora do Tocantins, northern Brazil. Osteoderms of Euphractus sexcinctus, Dasypus novemcinctus, Propraopus sulcatus, and Pachyarmaterium brasiliense were retrieved, representing an expansion on the known distribution of the taxa. The specimens are described herein, and their geographic and chronologic distributions in Brazil are reviewed. Numerical dates allied to the presence of biostratigraphically relevant taxa indicate a Late Pleistoceneemiddle Holocene age. Considering that E. sexcinctus and D. novemcinctus occupy the area nowadays, why did part of the past cingulate community survive and the other part became extinct? We believe that their distribution was affected by paleoclimatic shifts, especially during glacial/interglacial cycles. The colder and arid climate of the Pleistocene glacial periods favored the development of open forests and savannas in Brazil, whereas grasslands and steppes were predominant in higher latitudes. Probably, Propraopus and Pachyarmatherium (from south and north, respectively) took refuge in lower latitudes, including in Brazil. Later, during the interglacial cycle, warm and moist climates favored the development of an evergreen forest in central Brazil, leading Propraopus and Pachyarmatherium to extinction and positively selecting E. sexcinctus and D. novemcinctus.
Vertebrates are a vital ecological component of Amazon forest biodiversity. Although vertebrates are a functionally important part of various ecosystem services they continue to be threatened by anthropogenic impacts throughout the Amazon. Here we use a standardized, regularly spaced arrangement of camera traps within 25km2 to provide a baseline assessment of vertebrate species diversity in a sustainable use protected area in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. We examined seasonal differences in the per species encounter rates (number of photos per camera trap and number of cameras with photos). Generalized linear models (GLMs) were then used to examine the influence of five variables (altitude, canopy cover, basal area, distance to nearest river and distance to nearest large river) on the number of photos per species and on functional groups. GLMs were also used to examine the relationships between large predators [Jaguar (Panthera onca) and Puma (Puma concolor)] and their prey. A total of 649 independent photos of 25 species were obtained from 1,800 camera trap days (900 each during wet and dry seasons). Only ungulates and rodents showed significant seasonal differences in the number of photos per camera. The number of photos differed between seasons for only three species (Mazama americana, Dasyprocta leporina and Myoprocta acouchy) all of which were photographed more (3 to 10 fold increase) during the wet season. Mazama americana was the only species where a significant difference was found in occupancy, with more photos in more cameras during the wet season. For most groups and species variation in the number of photos per camera was only explained weakly by the GLMs (deviance explained ranging from 10.3 to 54.4%). Terrestrial birds (Crax alector, Psophia crepitans and Tinamus major) and rodents (Cuniculus paca, Dasyprocta leporina and M. acouchy) were the notable exceptions, with our GLMs significantly explaining variation in the distribution of all species (deviance explained ranging from 21.0 to 54.5%). The group and species GLMs showed some novel ecological information from this relatively pristine area. We found no association between large cats and their potential prey. We also found that rodent and bird species were more often recorded closer to streams. As hunters gain access via rivers this finding suggests that there is currently little anthropogenic impact on the species. Our findings provide a standardized baseline for comparison with other sites and with which planned management and extractive activities can be evaluated.
Over the last two decades, a large number of camera trap surveys have been carried out around the world and camera traps have been proposed as an ideal tool for inventorying and monitoring medium to large‐sized terrestrial vertebrates. However, few studies have analysed camera trap data at the community level.
We developed a multi‐session multi‐species occupancy model that allows us to obtain estimates for species richness and occupancy combining data from multiple camera trap surveys (sessions). By estimating species presence at the session‐level and modelling detection probability and occupancy for each species and sessions as nested random effects, we could improve parameter estimates for each session, especially for species with sparse data. We developed two variants of our model: one was a binary latent states model while the other used a Royle–Nichols formulation for the relationship between detection probability and abundance.
We applied both models to data from eight camera trap surveys from south‐eastern Peru including six study sites, 263 camera stations and 17 423 camera days. Sites covered protected areas, a logging concession and Brazil nut concessions. We included habitat ( terra firme vs. floodplain) as a covariate for occupancy and trail vs. off‐trail as a covariate for detection.
Among‐camera heterogeneity was a serious problem for our data and the Royle–Nichols variant of our model had a much better fit than the binary‐state variant. Both models resulted in similar species richness estimates showing that most of the sites contained intact large mammal communities. Detection probabilities and occupancy values were more variable across species than across sessions within species. Three species showed a habitat preference and four species showed preference or avoidance of trails.
Synthesis and applications . Our multi‐session multi‐species occupancy model provides improved estimates for species richness and occupancy for a large data set. Our model is ideally suited for integrating large numbers of camera trap data sets to investigate regional and/or temporal patterns in the distribution and composition of mammal communities in relation to natural or anthropogenic factors or to monitor mammal communities over time.
Data on terrestrial large-mammal communities were collected in the Brownsberg Nature Park, Raleighvallen/ Voltzberg area of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve and the Boven Coesewijne Nature Reserve. In the Brownsberg Nature Park we worked on the plateau, at approx. 500m elevation, in an area with limited illegal hunting. The Raleighvallen/ Voltzberg area is a lowland tropical rainforest, where hunting does not occur. The Boven Coesewijne area is a mosaic of savannas and savanna forests with hunting carried out by the local community. The mammal communities of Brownsberg and Coesewijne were most similar, probably related to the relative dryness of these areas as compared to the swampy Raleighvallen site. Several species that were only observed at Raleighvallen show a preference for swamps. Hunting in the Coesewijne area was reflected in low numbers of ungulates and large rodents. On the contrary, carnivore diversity in Coesewijne was high.
Departamento de Microbiologia, Facultad de Salud, Universidad del "al/e,Cali, Colombia (MB, PB)Centro Internacional de Investigaciones Medicas, CIDEIM, A.A. 5390, Cale Colombia (ADA)Present addresses o/ MB and ADA: Tulane Universit'l, School 01 Public Health and Tropical A[edicine,1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70Il2
Late eruption of the permanent dentition was recently proposed as a shared anatomical feature of endemic African mammals (Afrotheria), with anecdotal reports indicating that it is also present in dasypodids (armadillos). In order to clarify this question, and address the possiblity that late eruption is shared by afrotherians and dasypodids, we quantified the eruption of permanent teeth in Dasypus, focusing on growth series of D. hybridus and D. novemcinctus. This genus is the only known xenarthran that retains two functional generations of teeth. Its adult dentition typically consists of 8/8 ever-growing (or euhypsodont) molariforms, with no premaxillary teeth. All but the posterior-most tooth are replaced, consistent with the identification of a single molar locus in each series. Comparison of dental replacement and skull metrics reveals that most specimens reach adult size with none or few erupted permanent teeth. This pattern of growth occurring prior to the full eruption of the dentition is similar to that observed in most afrotherians. The condition observed in Dasypus and many afrotherians differs from that of most other mammals, in which the permanent dentition erupts during (not after) growth, and is complete at or near the attainment of sexual maturity and adult body size. The suture closure sequence of basicranial and postcranial epiphyses does not correlate well with dental eruption. The basal phylogenetic position of the taxon within dasypodids suggests that diphyodonty and late dental replacement represent the condition of early xenarthrans. Additionally, the inferred reduction in the number of molars to a single locus and the multiplication of premolars represent rare features for any living mammal, but may represent apomorphic characters for Dasypus.
The conservation status of the 21 extant armadillo species was re-assessed by specialists of the IUCN/SSC Anteater, Sloth and Armadillo Specialist Group between December 2009 and May 2010. Information on their geographic range, population size and status, habitat and ecology, threats, and existing conservation measures was collected from the literature and personal communications. Four armadillo species were classified as Vulnerable, four as Near Threatened, and four were categorized as Data Deficient. Less than half of all armadillo species were listed as Least Concern. Virtually all assessed species are affected by hunting as well as habitat fragmentation and degradation. The populations of only two species are thought to be increasing, while those of at least seven species are in decline. Much work is still needed to ensure the long-term survival of all species. Most armadillo species occur in at least one protected area, but other conservation actions are scarce.
An inventory of mammals in the vicinity of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname, incorporated a number of different sampling methods including examining museum voucher specimens, an animal-rescue operation, transect surveys, camera photo-traps, and interviews with local inhabitants. We document a total of 125 mammal species present in the Park. These include ten opossums, five pilosans, four armadillos, 58 bats, eight monkeys, 13 carnivores, one tapir, four artiodactyls, and 22 rodents. Nine of these species are reported for the first time from Suriname: one mouse opossum (Marmosops pinheiroi); one naked-backed moustached bat (Pteronotus gymnonotus); four fruit-eating bats (Artibeus bogotensis, A. gnomus, A. obscurus, and A. planirostris); two evening bats (Eptesicus chiriquinus and Myotis riparius);and one arboreal rice rat (Oecomys auyantepui). There are 191 indigenous non-marine mammals presently known from Suriname.
During the flooding of primary lowland rain forest by the filling of a
hydroelectric reservoir in French Guiana, live-trapping was conducted on 175
subsequently formed islands. Different factors affecting the mammal trap
efficiency were analysed. The main results show the real complexity of the
sampling problem and the influence of the habitat disturbance due to the
flooding. The location and/or the type of traps influenced captures of
Dasypus
novemcinctus,
Proechimys spp., Metachirus
nudicaudatus and Philander
opossum in relation to their foraging and/or locomotion behaviour, and to to their size. The conformation of the islands
(height and size) had no influence on the number of captures, nor on the species
richness. The number of captures increased with the number of trapnights during
the first water inflow and the level stretch. The best trapping success was observed
during the wet season, when the strong habitat modification and the forest fragmentation became more significant. It resulted from the reduction of available
land area and trophic resources. One year after the beginning of the water inflow, the decrease of the number of captures with the increasing
number of trapnights reflected a real decrease of the number of mammals on
the islands. The species richness increased with the number of trapnights in
all periods, and was also the highest during the wet season.
More than 3000 mammals were captured and translocated during a rescue operation conducted in French Guiana during the filling of a hydroelectric dam, a unique opportunity to gather biological data on many aspects of the Guianan fauna. All animals were identified, anaesthetized, measured, and biological samples (blood, skin biopsies) were collected and preserved. This study presents morphological data on all captured mammals belonging to 40 species of Marsupialia, Xenarthra, Primates, Carnivora, Artiodactyla, Rodentia and Sirenia. Data reported here include weight, shoulder height, head and body, tail, hind foot, head, and ear lengths, and some additional measurements for particular species. Some species were found to be larger than previously reported, which may be attributed to the large sample size, circumstances of data collection or to geographic variations. Such basic data appear to be hardly available on neotropical mammals, and thus provide useful comparative material for further studies.
Many wildlife rescues have been carried out over the past few decades but most were not documented and were controversial. However, such operations can be useful, providing risks are evaluated and elementary guidelines are followed. In addition to saving lives and being desirable from an ethical point of view, such operations can be very valuable for both biological research and conservation, and are certainly preferable than the alternative: to do nothing. Previous rescues are reviewed and the operation conducted in French Guiana during the filling of the Petit Saut reservoir is described. Objectives, methods, results and financial aspects are discussed. Around 5500 mammals and reptiles were captured, sampled and translocated to a protected area. The successful results of the translocation, the large amount of original data obtained, the interest shown by scientists in our samples and the subsequent new conservation impetus that appeared in the government corroborate our initial conviction that the operation was worthwhile.
En este artículo se presentan los resultados de las evaluaciones de animales de caza y las comparaciones realizadas de las especies presentes en la Zona Reservada Allpahuayo-Mishana (ZRAM), empleándose para el trabajo el método de censo por transecto. Se ha constatado la presencia de 56 especies entre aves, mamíferos y reptiles, en 371.05 km de recorrido. Entre las especies más importantes está el coto (Alouatta seniculus), mono negro (Cebus apella), choro (Lagothrix lagothricha), sachavaca (Tapirus terrestris), otorongo (Panthera onca), huamburushi (huamburushu) (Leopardus wiedii) y tigrillo (Leopardus pardalis). La perdiz yanayuto (Cripturellus cinereus) es la más abundante entre las aves de caza, seguida de la perdiz grande (Tinamus guttatus) y lapucacunga (Penelope jacquacu). Entre los reptiles se incluye el quelonio Batrachemys heliostemma, como nuevo registro en la lista de especies de la ZRAM. Se puede observar que la parte más occidental de la ZRAMpresenta un mejor estado de conservación, probablemente debido a una menor utilización de recursos de fauna.
Dasypus hybridus (Desmarest, 1804) is commonly known as the southern long-nosed armadillo. Like all armadillos, it bears a carapace of ossified dermal scutes covered by epidermal scales. This diurnal species mainly inhabits grasslands on humic soils in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. D. hybridus is omnivorous with a tendency to myrmecophagy and gives birth to 6–12 presumably genetically identical offspring. Listed as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, it is mainly threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
Xenarthra (armadillos, sloths, and anteaters) constitutes one of the four major clades of placental mammals. Despite their phylogenetic distinctiveness in mammals, a reference phylogeny is still lacking for the 31 described species. Here we used Illumina shotgun sequencing to assemble 33 new complete mitochondrial genomes, establishing Xenarthra as the first major placental clade to be fully sequenced at the species level for mitogenomes. The resulting data set allowed the reconstruction of a robust phylogenetic framework and timescale that are consistent with previous studies conducted at the genus level using nuclear genes. Incorporating the full species diversity of extant xenarthrans points to a number of inconsistencies in xenarthran systematics and species definition. We propose to split armadillos in two distinct families Dasypodidae (dasypodines) and Chlamyphoridae (euphractines, chlamyphorines, and tolypeutines) to better reflect their ancient divergence, estimated around 42 million years ago. Species delimitation within long-nosed armadillos (genus Dasypus) appeared more complex than anticipated, with the discovery of a divergent lineage in French Guiana. Diversification analyses showed Xenarthra to be an ancient clade with a constant diversification rate through time with a species turnover driven by high but constant extinction. We also detected a significant negative correlation between speciation rate and past temperature fluctuations with an increase in speciation rate corresponding to the general cooling observed during the last 15 million years. Biogeographic reconstructions identified the tropical rainforest biome of Amazonia and the Guiana Shield as the cradle of xenarthran evolutionary history with subsequent dispersions into more open and dry habitats.
This paper presents the Quaternary cingulates collected from two limestone caves in Aurora do Tocantins, northern Brazil. Osteoderms of Euphractus sexcinctus, Dasypus novemcinctus, Propraopus sulcatus, and Pachyarmaterium brasiliense were retrieved, representing an expansion on the known distribution of the taxa. The specimens are described herein, and their geographic and chronologic distributions in Brazil are reviewed. Numerical dates allied to the presence of biostratigraphically relevant taxa indicate a Late Pleistocene–middle Holocene age. Considering that E. sexcinctus and D. novemcinctus occupy the area nowadays, why did part of the past cingulate community survive and the other part became extinct? We believe that their distribution was affected by paleoclimatic shifts, especially during glacial/interglacial cycles. The colder and arid climate of the Pleistocene glacial periods favored the development of open forests and savannas in Brazil, whereas grasslands and steppes were predominant in higher latitudes. Probably, Propraopus and Pachyarmatherium (from south and north, respectively) took refuge in lower latitudes, including in Brazil. Later, during the interglacial cycle, warm and moist climates favored the development of an evergreen forest in central Brazil, leading Propraopus and Pachyarmatherium to extinction and positively selecting E. sexcinctus and D. novemcinctus.
We describe Pliodasypus vergelianus gen. et sp. nov., a Dasypodini armadillo from the middle Pliocene of Venezuela (Vergel Member, San Gregorio Formation). Although scarce, the remains are remarkable because of their geochronologic proximity to the main phase of Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI). The cladistic analysis conducted reveals that Pliodasypus groups with Dasypus and both are sister taxa of Propraopus, whereas Anadasypus is at a basal position. With respect to the records of tribe Dasypodini, after its oldest representative (Anadasypus, middle and late Miocene), the chronologically subsequent form is Pl. vergelianus (middle Pliocene), followed by Dasypus bellus in higher northern latitudes (late Pliocene), and then by widespread occurrences in the Pleistocene of North America (D. bellus) and South America (Propraopus, Dasypus punctatus, and Dasypus novemcinctus). Thus, we infer that Dasypus differentiated in the late Pliocene at low latitudes in the northern South America. It leads to two alternative hypotheses of dispersal: (a) some early Dasypus remained cryptically in South America until the Pleistocene, whereas others dispersed to North America between 2.2 and 2.7 Ma, or (b) they dispersed to North America subsequently to the emersion of the Panamanian isthmus and D. bellus differentiated there; later, during the Pleistocene, D. bellus entered South America and experienced speciation. The same process of re-ingression has been proposed to other xenarthrans, breaking with the traditional assumption that the GABI was unidirectional.
Basic knowledge on the biology and ecology of a species is fundamental for the realistic assessment of its conservation status and for planning effective conservation strategies. The latest assessment of the 21 extant armadillo species ( X enarthra, D asypodidae) by the I nternational U nion for C onservation of N ature ( IUCN ) for its R ed L ist of T hreatened S pecies shows that considerable gaps exist in our knowledge of these N eotropical mammals.
Our goal was to analyse the existing literature on armadillos to define thematic and regional research priorities that will eventually benefit their conservation.
We categorized 3117 publications on extant armadillos published between 1660 and 2011 according to their research topic, species studied, country and publication language.
The number of publications per research topic and the number per species were very variable. The nine best‐studied species are classed as L east C oncern by the IUCN , while three of the four least‐studied species are classed as D ata D eficient. At least one field study was done in each range country, but over 80% of field research took place in the USA , B razil, A rgentina and B olivia. Most research was done in the USA on leprosy in D asypus novemcinctus . Most ecological research has been focused on four species, and data on the ecology of D ata D eficient and V ulnerable taxa are virtually absent.
Field research on armadillos should be intensified to broaden conservation‐relevant knowledge. Additional studies in the G uianas, P eru, E cuador, C olombia, V enezuela and P araguay are urgently needed to assess the conservation status of armadillos in these regions. Future research should focus on ecology, conservation, population genetics, reproduction and threats. Species priorities should include country endemics, such as D asypus pilosus ( P eru), T olypeutes tricinctus ( B razil) and D asypus yepesi and C hlamyphorus truncatus ( A rgentina), as well as other D ata D eficient and V ulnerable species, especially C abassous centralis and C alyptophractus retusus .
The results of zooarchaeological study carried out on the bone remains of armadillos (Mammalia, Dasypodidae) from four Sierras of Córdoba (Argentina) archaeological sites were presented. The radiocarbon dates place chronologically their occupation at the last millennium of the Late Holocene (ca. 970 ± 110 and 290 ± 37 14C BP). Four taxa were identified: Chaetophractus villosus, Chaetophractus vellerosus, Euphractus sp. and Dasypus sp. The diagnostic characters of their bony dermal scutes or osteoderms were described in order to facilitate their taxonomical identification in other modern collection and/or fossil assemblages. C. villosus and C. vellerosus show a current distribution in the study area, while Euphractus sp. and Dasypus sp. are absent in the Sierras of Córdoba. Euphractus was determined on the basis of a fragmented movable osteoderm in C.Pun.39. Their presence may be a response to an increase of precipitation and temperature associated with the “Medieval Warm Period”. The record of Dasypus sp. during the “Little Ice Age” contrasts negatively with its potential as an indicator of warm and humid condition, showing either their adaptive plasticity or the biological fragmentation of the mountain environment under paleoclimatic conditions. Finally, the possibility that the presence of Euphractus and Dasypus is due to anthropogenic transport was considered.
In the Amazon region diurnal line-transect census is the technique used by most monitoring programs to collect data on medium and large terrestrial mammals. However, this method usually fails to provide high quality information (e.g. abundance, occurrence) for some species, especially for larger bodied and less abundant ones, which are mostly threatened by human disturbances. Aiming to provide guidelines for monitoring programs in the region we compared the efficiency of three field techniques: (1) diurnal surveys (i.e. diurnal line-transect census with sign surveys), (2) nocturnal surveys and (3) camera trapping in non-flooded and seasonally flooded forest sites at the Uacari Sustainable Development Reserve, western Brazilian Amazonia. Nocturnal surveys provided poor information for all species, except pacas. Tracks accounted for 50% of the observations recorded during diurnal surveys, the most effective technique for smaller diurnal species and ungulates. For armadillos and rare species camera trapping was the most effective technique. Moreover, all techniques failed to detect the most common species, agouti, in at least two sites. High sampling effort using a combination of sampling methods and statistical analyses that enable the integration of different source data, such as photos, tracks and visual sightings, are necessary steps to maximize the efficiency of medium and large mammals monitoring programs in Amazonian forests.
The Brazilian part of the Rio Negro Basin, a major region of the Amazon, is one the least studied regions of the Amazon rainforest. Ail intensive, four months inventory, of the medium to large, non-volant mammal species was conducted in the area encompassing the lower Rio Xixuau!, a minor tributary to the Rio Jauaperi river, to the north of Rio Negro. The main habitats of the study area were seasonally flooded igapo forest, riparian vegetation, higher-lying terra-firme forest, secondary forest, minor water Courses and lakes. Using walked transects, camera trapping, observations form canoe, nightspotting, interviews, and identification of skulls, it was possible to list 42 species for the study site, including 8 xenarthrans, 7 primates, I I carnivores and 5 ungulates. The habitat use of the primate species is analyzed.
De navolgende lijst geeft de namen van zoogdieren die behoren tot de Surinaamse fauna of die zijn gedomesticeerd. Als assistent vergezelde ik van december 1962 tot begin juli 1963 dr. A. M. Husson op zijn verzameltocht in Suriname voor het verkrijgen van zoogdieren. Gedurende deze excursies (zie Husson, 1966) maakte ik aantekeningen van de zoogdiernamen die de bevolking aan de verschillende soorten gaf. Hierbij viel het mij op dat verschillende inwoners voor hetzelfde zoogdier een andere naam gebruikten. Als deelnemer aan de Noord-West Suriname expeditie in 1971 (zie Geyskes, 1973) had ik de gelegenheid de reeds eerder verkregen gegevens verder uit te breiden. Van 1 november tot begin december 1972 was ik wederom in Suriname om meer materiaal te verzamelen van enkele groepen zoogdieren, die taxonomische problemen opleverden. Ook tijdens deze tochten werden de reeds verkregen namen gecontroleerd of aangevuld. In 1973 werden via een uitvoerige correspondentie nog waardevolle aanvullingen en verbeteringen verkregen. Aan diverse personen van de verschillende bevolkingsgroepen, die in Suriname wonen, werd gevraagd: hoe noemt U dat zoogdier? Hierbij deed zich de moeilijkheid voor dat sommige personen, òf de dieren niet goed kenden, òf de namen daarvoor in hun eigen taal niet wisten; b.v., het verschil tussen een boshond en een savannehond was velen onbekend. In publikaties over zoogdieren van Suriname viel mij hetzelfde op. Bij deze literatuurstudie kwam ook duidelijk naar voren dat auteurs veelal de fouten van elkaar hadden overgenomen. De indeling van de hierna volgende naamlijst is in overeenstemming met Husson (1973); de gedomesticeerde dieren zijn daaraan toegevoegd. De
Intertropical Pleistocene taxa of dasypodids and pampatheriids are reported for the Lagoon-Barrier III System (Arroio Chui locality) and for the Touro Passo Formation (Ponte Velha I locality), both from Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. The record of pampatheriids includes new specimens that confirm the presence of Pampatherium humboldti in the Arroio Chui assemblage. Material previously assigned to Holmesina majus is identified as H. paulacoutoi. The record of dasypodids includes a large-sized specimen of the genus Dasypus, represented by an isolated pelvic buckler osteoderm, closely related to Dasypus (Hyperoambon) kappleri, and of Propraopus sulcatus, represented by isolated moveable and fixed osteoderms. This southernmost Brazilian record of P. sulcatus extends their distribution by about 2200 km from Lagoa Santa (Minas Gerais State, Brazil). The first record of P. sulcatus also includes specimens previously referred to as Propraopus cf. grandis from the Touro Passo Formation. Propraopus sulcatus differs from P. punctatus and P grandis in having: osteoderms with wrinkled external surface, with wide and relatively deep sulci; principal figure plane, ranging from subcircular to hexagonal in fixed osteoderms; and moveable osteoderms with principal sulci forming a lageniform figure, and with four to five larger foramina distributed on the posterior half of these sulci. The late Pleistocene mammals of the coastal province and western Rio Grande do Sul were previously considered closely related to those of the Pampean region of Argentina. However, the presence of intertropical mammals in Southern Brazil (Arroio Chui locality and Touro Passo Formation) mixed with Pampean representatives, corroborates the proposal of a close paleobiogeographic relation with assemblages of northern Uruguay and Argentine Mesopotamia.
Nine species of Xenarthra are found in French Guiana, a French overseas region that lies between Suriname and Amapá (Brazil) in the Guianan Shield. Most species seem to occur throughout this ca. 83,000 km2 region, as deduced from distribution data extracted from a database of 470 visual or vouchered observations. Cabassous unicinctus and Cyclopes didactylus have been mostly observed in the northern part of the country, but additional field surveys are necessary before concluding that they have a restricted distribution. Five species (Cabassous unicinctus, Cyclopes didactylus, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Priodontes maximus, and Tamandua tetradactyla) are fully protected by national or regional laws. Subsistence hunting is allowed for the two species of sloths, and there is no restriction on hunting Dasypus novemcinctus and D. kappleri. Documented threats include roadkills, which are rather common along the few concrete roads (Tamandua tetradactyla is the most common victim), and deforestation, which is fortunately still very limited at the regional scale. Few studies have been devoted to xenarthrans in French Guiana, except at the Petit-Saut hydroelectric dam, where scientists had the opportunity to handle several hundred sloths that were translocated to a nonflooded nearby area.
Armadillos are a very diverse group ranging from non-fossorial Tolypeutini through to the powerful diggers like the giant armadillo Priodontes maximus to the totally subterranean Chlamyphorini. A previous study demonstrated a close relationship between the relative length of the olecranon of the ulna (index of fossorial ability, IFA) and the fossorial ability of armadillos. This study examines a wide range of limb proportions to explore the biomechanical correlates with fossorial ability. The study demonstrates that the indices of the forelimb (brachial index, shoulder moment index and IFA) do correlate well with digging habits, but also reveals some interesting exceptions, particularly in the most fossorial and most cursorial forms. On the other hand, the hindlimb indices apparently do not correlate with digging habits, but seem to be influenced more by body size. The correlations among the forelimb indices are quite strong and positive but correlations between forelimb and hindlimb indices are negative or very low. It is apparent that there is still much to be learned about structure and function in armadillos.