Taphonomy of harpy eagle predation on primates and other mammals.

The goal of this study is to provide a taphonomic analysis of bone fragments found in harpy eagle nests in the Brazilian Amazonia, utilizing the largest sample of prey remains collected to date. Harpy eagle kill samples were collected from nine nests, between June 2016 and December 2020 in Mato Grosso, Brazil. We identified the specimens, calculated the number of identified specimens (NISP) and minimum number of individuals (MNI). These metrics were used to estimate bone survivability and fragmentation. A total of 1661 specimens (NISP) were collected, representing a minimum number of 234 individuals (MNI). We identified at least nine species of primates, which represent 63.8% of the individuals in the kill sample. Harpy eagles preyed mostly on the medium-sized capuchin and bearded saki monkeys (28.2% of the MNI), and two-toed sloths (17.7% of the MNI). The large woolly monkeys also represented a significant portion of the sample (11.5% of the MNI). Three distinct patterns of bone survivability were found, one characterizing two-toed sloths, another characterizing medium-sized monkeys, and a third typical of woolly monkeys. We conclude that harpy eagle predation leaves an identifiable signature on the prey with a bone survivability pattern specific to each taxon. The intertaxon variations observed in the taphonomic signatures of harpy eagle kills should be taken into account when evaluating the potential influence of these raptors as accumulators of bone material in both paleontological and neontological assemblages.

Unraveling the nomenclatural puzzle of the collared and white-lipped peccaries (Mammalia, Cetartiodactyla, Tayassuidae).

The nomenclatural history of the collared and white-lipped peccaries, two well-recognized taxonomic entities, has been confusing. From the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century, several genera were created, most of them without an explicit designation of type species. Due to differing opinions as to whether the two species should be included in a single genus or, if separate genera were recognized, which generic name should be applied to each of the two taxa, the validity of generic and specific names oscillated until even recently. This paper aims to solve these nomenclatural issues by reviewing the different taxonomic arrangements of these two peccaries and applying appropriately the International Code on Zoological Nomenclature. We contend that the valid generic name for the white-lipped peccary is Tayassu Fischer, 1814 (type Sus pecari Link, 1795), while Dicotyles Cuvier, 1816 (type Dicotyles torquatus Cuvier, 1816) is the valid genus for the collared peccary, with Pecari Reichenbach, 1835 as its junior synonym.

Systematics of big-eyed bats, genus Chiroderma Peters, 1860 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae).

We present a revision of the Neotropical bat genus Chiroderma, commonly known as big-eyed bats. Although species of Chiroderma have a wide distribution from western México to southern Brazil, species limits within Chiroderma are not clearly defined, as attested by identification errors in the literature, and there is no comprehensive revision of the genus that includes morphological and molecular data. Our review is based on phylogenetic analyses of two mitochondrial (COI and CYTB) and two nuclear (RAG2 and DBY) genes, coalescence analyses of mitochondrial genes, and morphological analyses including type specimens of all named taxa. We recognize seven species in three clades: the first clade includes (1) C. scopaeum Handley, 1966, endemic to western México and previously considered a subspecies of C. salvini; and (2) C. salvini Dobson, 1878, a taxon associated with montane forests, distributed from México to Bolivia; the second clade includes (3) C. improvisum Baker and Genoways, 1976, endemic to the Lesser Antilles, and (4) C. villosum Peters, 1860, widely distributed on the continental mainland and polytypic, with subspecies C. v. villosum and C. v. jesupi; and the third clade includes (5) the polytypic C. doriae Thomas, 1891, with C. d. doriae distributed in eastern Brazil and Paraguay, and C. d. vizottoi, occurring in northeastern Brazil; (6) C. trinitatum Goodwin, 1958, distributed from Trinidad to Amazonia; and (7) C. gorgasi Handley, 1960, distributed from Honduras to trans-Andean South America, previously considered a subspecies of C. trinitatum.

Correction to: Predation of treefrogs (Anura: Hylidae) with toxic skin secretions by the black lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus, Callitrichinae).

In the original publication of the article, the scientific name of veined treefrog.

Predation of treefrogs (Anura: Hylidae) with toxic skin secretions by the black lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus, Callitrichinae).

We report on the predation of a veined treefrog (Trachycephalus venulosus) and an ocellated treefrog (Itapotihyla langsdorffii), both species with noxious skin secretions, by black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus). The two predation events took place in Morro do Diabo State Park, an Atlantic Forest reserve in southeastern Brazil. The veined treefrog was removed from a tree hollow by an adult male, whereas the ocellated treefrog was caught on the ground after it jumped from the tree attempting to escape capture. The frogs were completely ingested and no food sharing occurred in either of the events. We did not observe any signs of irritation during the event or when the group was followed in the next day in either of the cases. These are the first reports of lion tamarins ingesting anurans with noxious secretions on the skin.

Cryptic diversity and range extension in the big-eyed bat genus Chiroderma (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae).

Since the last systematic review of Chiroderma (big-eyed bats) more than two decades ago, we report on biodiversity surveys that expand the distribution and species diversity of this Neotropical genus. The Caribbean endemic species Chiroderma improvisum is documented for the first time from Nevis in the northern Lesser Antilles. A broader geographic sampling for a molecular analysis identifies a paraphyletic relationship in Chiroderma trinitatum with respect to Chiroderma doriae. Cis-Andean populations of C. trinitatum are most closely related to the morphologically distinctive and allopatrically distributed C. doriae in the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest of Brazil and Paraguay. The sister taxon to this grouping includes trans-Andean populations of C. trinitatum, which we recommend to elevate to species status as C. gorgasi. This is an example of a cryptic species because C. gorgasi was previously considered morphologically similar to C. trinitatum, but more detailed examination revealed that it lacks a posterolabial accessory cusp on the lower second premolar and has a narrower breadth of the braincase. We provide an amended description of Chiroderma gorgasi.

What is in a genus name? Conceptual and empirical issues preclude the proposed recognition of Callibella (Callitrichinae) as a genus.

In a recent article, Silva et al. (Zool Scr 47:133-143, 2018) proposed the relocation of the dwarf marmoset, Mico humilis, to the so far unrecognized genus Callibella. We contend that a taxonomic scheme that recognizes Callibella as if it were a valid genus is inadequately supported, and to some extent contradicted, by the ecological and morphological information provided by the authors. We discuss why the criterion of sympatry, invoked by Silva et al. to justify the recognition of Callibella at the genus level, is uninformative for taxonomic decisions above the species level. We also show that the morphological characteristics used by Silva et al. to separate Mico humilis from the other Mico are individually variable and present in every analyzed species of the genus. Moreover, we demonstrate that the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) metric, employed by those authors to attempt to justify their taxonomic proposition, makes no sense in a taxonomic context. Conceptually, the use of autapomorphies and plesiomorphies to justify using Callibella goes against one of the main objectives of a meaningful classification, that is, to allow for all kinds of inferences based on previous observations (i.e., to be inductively projectible). Based on these arguments, we demonstrate that regarding Callibella as a subgenus of Mico is the most suitable way of making the Linnean taxonomy of marmosets congruent with the phylogenetic information available for the group.

Separation of monophyletic groups into distinct genera should consider phenotypic discontinuities: the case of Lasiurini (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae).

Baird et al. (2015) split Lasiurus into three distinct genera (Aeorestes, Dasypterus and Lasiurus) based on tree topology and divergence times for the tribe Lasiurini. This arrangement has not been widely adopted by the scientific community and was criticized by Ziegler et al. (2016). More recently, Baird et al. (2017) reinforced the taxonomic arrangement of Lasiurini comprised by three genera. Baird et al. (2015, 2017) provided the most comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of Lasiurus and offer important insights on the phylogeny and alpha-taxonomy of the group. However, we disagree with the taxonomic arrangement proposed at the genus level and explain our point below.

Filling gaps in the distribution of the white-winged vampire bat, Diaemus youngii (Phyllostomidae, Desmodontinae): new records for southern Amazonia / Preenchendo lacunas na distribuição do morcego-vampiro de asas brancas, Diaemus youngii (Phyllostomidae, Desmodontinae): novos registros para o sul da Amazônia

Bats of the subfamily Desmodontinae are the only hematophagous mammals, represented by three species. Among them, Diaemus youngii has the fewest records in Brazil, being poorly known demographically and ecologically. We report the first record of D. youngii for Mato Grosso state, in central-western Brazil, and provide additional records for the states of Rondônia and Tocantins, in northern Brazil, extending the known distribution of D. youngii in the southern Amazon region.

Os morcegos da subfamília Desmodontinae compreendem as únicas três espécies de mamíferos hematófagos. Entre elas, Diaemus youngii é a espécie com menor número de registros no Brasil, sendo pouco conhecida demográfica e ecologicamente. Nós relatamos o primeiro registro de D. youngii para o estado do Mato Grosso, no centro-oeste do Brasil, e fornecemos registros adicionais para os estados de Rondônia e Tocantins, no norte do Brasil. Os registros ampliam a distribuição conhecida de D. youngii no sul da região amazônica.

Species delimitation based on diagnosis and monophyly, and its importance for advancing mammalian taxonomy.

A recently proposed taxonomic classification of extant ungulates sparked a series of publications that criticize the Phylogenetic Species Concept (PSC) claiming it to be a particularly poor species concept. These opinions reiteratively stated that (1) the two fundamental elements of the "PSC", i.e., monophyly and diagnosability, do not offer objective criteria as to where the line between species should be drawn; and (2) that extirpation of populations can lead to artificial diagnosability and spurious recognitions of species. This sudden eruption of criticism against the PSC is misleading. Problems attributed to the PSC are common to most approaches and concepts that modern systematists employ to establish species boundaries. The controversial taxonomic propositions that sparked criticism against the PSC are indeed highly problematic, not because of the species concept upon which they are based, but because no evidence (whatsoever) has become public to support a substantial portion of the proposed classification. We herein discuss these topics using examples from mammals. Numerous areas of biological research rest upon taxonomic accuracy (including conservation biology and biomedical research); hence, it is necessary to clarify what are (and what are not) the real sources of taxonomic inaccuracy.

Phenotypic evolution in marmoset and tamarin monkeys (Cebidae, Callitrichinae) and a revised genus-level classification.

Marmosets and tamarins (Cebidae, Callitrichinae) constitute the most species-rich subfamily of New World monkeys and one of the most diverse phenotypically. Despite the profusion of molecular phylogenies of the group, the evolution of phenotypic characters under the rapidly-emerging consensual phylogeny of the subfamily has been little studied, resulting in taxonomic proposals that have limited support from other datasets. We examined the evolution of 18 phenotypic traits (5 continuous and 13 discrete), including pelage, skull, dentition, postcrania, life-history and vocalization variables in a robust molecular phylogeny of marmoset and tamarin monkeys, quantifying their phylogenetic signal and correlations among some of the traits. At the family level, our resulting topology supports owl monkeys (Aotinae) as sister group of Callitrichinae. The topology of the callitrichine tree was congruent with previous studies except for the position of the midas group of Saguinus tamarins, which placement as sister of the bicolor group did not receive significant statistical support in both Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian Inference analyses. Our results showed that the highest value of phylogenetic signal among continuous traits was displayed by the long call character and the lowest was exhibited in the home range, intermediate values were found in characters related to osteology and skull size. Among discrete traits, pelage and osteology had similar phylogenetic signal. Based on genetic, osteological, pelage and vocalization data, we present an updated genus-level taxonomy of Callitrichinae, which recognizes six genera in the subfamily: Callimico, Callithrix, Cebuella, Mico, Leontopithecus and Saguinus. To reflect their phenotypic distinctiveness and to avoid the use of the informal "species group", we subdivided Saguinus in the subgenera Leontocebus, Saguinus and Tamarinus (revalidated here).

ATLANTIC BATS: a data set of bat communities from the Atlantic Forests of South America.

Bats are the second most diverse mammal order and they provide vital ecosystem functions (e.g., pollination, seed dispersal, and nutrient flux in caves) and services (e.g., crop pest suppression). Bats are also important vectors of infectious diseases, harboring more than 100 different virus types. In the present study, we compiled information on bat communities from the Atlantic Forests of South America, a species-rich biome that is highly threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. The ATLANTIC BATS data set comprises 135 quantitative studies carried out in 205 sites, which cover most vegetation types of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest: dense ombrophilous forest, mixed ombrophilous forest, semideciduous forest, deciduous forest, savanna, steppe, and open ombrophilous forest. The data set includes information on more than 90,000 captures of 98 bat species of eight families. Species richness averaged 12.1 per site, with a median value of 10 species (ranging from 1 to 53 species). Six species occurred in more than 50% of the communities: Artibeus lituratus, Carollia perspicillata, Sturnira lilium, Artibeus fimbriatus, Glossophaga soricina, and Platyrrhinus lineatus. The number of captures divided by sampling effort, a proxy for abundance, varied from 0.000001 to 0.77 individuals·h-1 ·m-2 (0.04 ± 0.007 individuals·h-1 ·m-2 ). Our data set reveals a hyper-dominance of eight species that together that comprise 80% of all captures: Platyrrhinus lineatus (2.3%), Molossus molossus (2.8%), Artibeus obscurus (3.4%), Artibeus planirostris (5.2%), Artibeus fimbriatus (7%), Sturnira lilium (14.5%), Carollia perspicillata (15.6%), and Artibeus lituratus (29.2%).

On the mammals collected by Friedrich Sellow in Brazil and Uruguay (1814-1831), with special reference to the types and their provenance.

From 1814 to 1831, the Prussian naturalist Friedrich Sellow collected 263 mammals in Brazil and Uruguay. Upon receiving the specimens, the curator of the Berlin Zoological Museum, Martin Lichtenstein, removed the original labels and replaced with ones containing more generalized locations. As a consequence, several type specimens have now dubious type localities. We examined these types as well as geographically restricted mammals collected by Sellow. In some cases, there are inconsistencies between the specimen label and the collection catalog regarding the collecting locality. We conclude that the locality information on the lectotype of the tent-making bat Uroderma bilobatum is mistakenly identified, and therefore, we restrict it to "eastern Brazil". We designate a lectoype for Azara's agouti, Dasyprocta azarae, and restrict its type locality to the region travelled by Sellow in São Paulo. Although there are no recent records of the woolly giant rat, Kunsia tomentosus, from its type locality, the species may have been recently extirpated from the area. Two primate specimens supposedly collected by Sellow, a silvery marmoset, Mico argentatus, and a black tamarin, Saguinus niger, occur only in the Amazonia of northern Brazil, outside the route travelled by the naturalist, and are more likely to have been collected by Sieber. Our investigations stress the importance of collecting vouchers for verifying species occurrence records and establishing a solid taxonomy.

Distribution of tolypeutes illiger, 1811 (xenarthra: cingulata) with comments on its biogeography and conservation.

This study reviews the data available on the distribution of three-banded armadillos of the genus Tolypeutes, identifying potential geographic barriers and evaluating possible biogeographic processes that may account for the present-day distribution of the species and its conservation status. The database was derived from published records, interviews, and voucher specimens, over a timescale ranging from the fossil record to specimens collected in 2013. A total of 236 localities were recorded, with 68 attributed to Tolypeutes matacus and 168 to Tolypeutes tricinctus. The vegetation within the range of the genus is predominantly a xerophytic mosaic of grassland, savannas, open woodland, and xeric thorn forest. The marine transgressions of the Miocene and the uplifting of the Brazilian Shield may have contributed to the vicariant separation of the ancestral populations of T. matacus, to the west and south, and T. tricinctus, to the north and east. The three-banded armadillo is possibly one of the most threatened of Brazilian mammals, considering the low number of recent records and the fact that it is hunted intensively throughout its range.

How many marmoset (Primates: Cebidae: Callitrichinae) genera are there? A phylogenetic analysis based on multiple morphological systems.

The marmosets, tribe Callitrichini, are the most speciose clade in the subfamily Callitrichinae, containing 21 species. However, there is no consensus among molecular and morphological systematists as to how many genera should be recognized for the group. To test the morphological support for the alternative generic classifications, this study presents a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis. It is the first such analysis to include all 21 species and employ continuous and discrete osteological, pelage and tegument, karyological and vocal characters. This dataset was combined with nucleotide sequences from two mitochondrial and four nuclear regions. Separate analyses showed that, among morphological datasets, osteological characters were best at solving relationships at more inclusive levels, whilst pelage characters were most informative at the interspecific level. This suggests the presence of different transformation rates for the two character sets. When a single most parsimonious tree was obtained using the 83-character matrix, three main clades were identified, supporting the division of the marmosets into three genera: Callithrix, Cebuella and Mico. The total evidence analysis that included an additional 3481 molecular characters corroborated most of the morphology-based clades and also supported a three-genus classification of the marmosets. This is the first morphological study to support an Amazonian marmoset clade (Cebuella + Mico), which is also strongly supported in exclusively molecular phylogenies, and to synonimize Callibella under Mico.