'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae' and Probable Exclusion of Rickettsia parkeri in Ticks from Dogs in a Natural Area of the Pampa Biome in Brazil.

Spotted fever illness caused by the tick-borne pathogen Rickettsia parkeri has emerged in the Pampa biome in southern Brazil, where the tick Amblyomma tigrinum is implicated as the main vector. Because domestic dogs are commonly parasitized by A. tigrinum, this canid is also a suitable sentinel for R. parkeri-associated spotted fever. Herein, we investigate rickettsial infection in ticks, domestic dogs and small mammals in a natural reserve of the Pampa biome in southern Brazil. The ticks A. tigrinum, Amblyomma aureolatum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus were collected from dogs. Molecular analyses of ticks did not detect R. parkeri; however, at least 34% (21/61) of the A. tigrinum ticks were infected by the non-pathogenic agent 'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae'. Serological analyses revealed that only 14% and 3% of 36 dogs and 34 small mammals, respectively, were exposed to rickettsial antigens. These results indicate that the study area is not endemic for R. parkeri rickettsiosis. We tabulated 10 studies that reported rickettsial infection in A. tigrinum populations from South America. There was a strong negative correlation between the infection rates by R. parkeri and 'Candidatus R. andeanae' in A. tigrinum populations. We propose that high infection rates by 'Candidatus R. andeanae' might promote the exclusion of R. parkeri from A. tigrinum populations. The mechanisms for such exclusion are yet to be elucidated.

Rickettsial Infection in Ticks from a National Park in the Cerrado Biome, Midwestern Brazil.

This study was carried out from February 2020 to September 2021 in Parque Nacional das Emas (PNE), a national park located in the Cerrado biome, midwestern Brazil, as well as in surrounding rural properties. Serum and tick samples were collected from dogs, terrestrial small mammals, and humans. Ticks were also collected from the environment. Dogs were infested with Rhipicephalus linnaei adults, whereas small mammals were infested by immature stages of Amblyomma spp., Amblyomma triste, Amblyomma dubitatum, and Amblyomma coelebs. Ticks collected from vegetation belonged to several species of the genus Amblyomma, including A. coelebs, A. dubitatum, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma sculptum, and A. triste. Two Rickettsia species were molecularly detected in ticks: Rickettsia parkeri in A. triste from the vegetation and a Rickettsia sp. (designated Rickettsia sp. strain PNE) in A. sculptum and A. triste collected from lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris). Based on short gltA gene fragments, this rickettsial organism showed 99.7-100% to Rickettsia tillamookensis. Seroreactivity to Rickettsia antigens was detected in 21.9% of dogs, 15.4% of small mammals, and 23.5% of humans. The present study reveals the richness of ticks and demonstrates the circulation of rickettsial agents in one of the largest conservation units in the Cerrado biome in Brazil. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a rickettsial phylogenetically related to R. tillamookensis in Brazil.

Rickettsial infection in ticks from a natural area of Atlantic Forest biome in southern Brazil.

From June 2013 to January 2014, blood sera samples and ticks were collected from domestic dogs and wild small mammals, and ticks from the vegetation in a preservation area of the Atlantic Forest biome (Turvo State Park), and the rural area surrounding the Park in Derrubadas municipality, state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Dogs were infested by Amblyomma ovale and Amblyomma aureolatum adult ticks, whereas small mammals were infested by immature stages of A. ovale, Amblyomma yucumense, Amblyomma brasiliense, Ixodes loricatus, and adults of I. loricatus. Ticks collected on vegetation were A. brasiliense, A. ovale, A. yucumense, Amblyomma incisum, and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi. Three Rickettsia species were molecularly detected in ticks: Rickettsia bellii in I. loricatus (also isolated through cell culture inoculation), Rickettsia amblyommatis in A. brasiliense, and Rickettsia rhipicephali in A. yucumense. The latter two are tick-rickettsia associations reported for the first time. Seroreactivity to Rickettsia antigens were detected in 33.5% (55/164) small mammals and 8.3% (3/36) canine sera. The present study reveals a richness of ticks and associated-rickettsiae in the largest Atlantic Forest Reserve of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which is characterized by a rich fauna of wild mammals, typical of more preserved areas of this biome. Noteworthy, none of the detected Rickettsia species have been associated to human or animal diseases. This result contrasts to other areas of this biome in Brazil, which are endemic for tick-borne spotted fever caused by Rickettsia rickettsii or Rickettsia parkeri.

Frequency of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in dogs and wild small mammals from rural properties and conservation units in southern Brazil.

Leptospirosis is a disease of worldwide distribution that affects man and several animal species. Domestic and wild animals can behave as reservoirs of the agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in dogs and wild small mammals from rural properties and conservation units of three municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Sera were collected from 192 domestic dogs and 132 small mammals, namely rodents of the Cricetidae and Caviidae families and marsupials of the Didelphidae family. The study used Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) against 23 serovars of Leptospira spp. Overall, 9.90% (19/192) dogs, and 1.51% (2/132) small mammals were seropositive. Leptospira interrogans serovar Australis was the most frequent serovar in dogs and antibodies against L. interrogans serovar Pomona were detected in a dog and a small mammal belonging to the same municipality. We conclude that in the regions studied the frequency of seropositivity in dogs is low, and leptospires do not seem to be circulating in small mammals, yet, further research is necessary to assess the real role that these animals may have for leptospirosis in the studied areas. This is the first serological survey in small mammals, including wild rodents, in the area that encompasses conservation units of great importance to Rio Grande do Sul state.

ATLANTIC MAMMALS: a data set of assemblages of medium- and large-sized mammals of the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Biodiversity inventories contain important information about species richness, community structure, and composition, and are the first step in developing any conservation and mitigation strategies. The Atlantic Forest of South America is home to around 334 species of small-, medium-, and large-sized mammals, and is currently restricted to less than 12% of its original cover. Here, we present the ATLANTIC MAMMALS, an open data set on information on medium- and large-sized mammal assemblages in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. A total of 129 studies were compiled, including published and in press peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, theses and unpublished data. We mapped 244 assemblages, eight orders, 63 genera, and 94 species (24 of which are classified as threatened by the IUCN Red List) distributed in 128 protected and 116 unprotected areas. Species richness of the mammalian assemblages varied from 1 to 39 species (mean 15). The most recorded species in the entire biome was Dasypus novemcinctus, followed by Cerdocyon thous and Procyon cancrivorous. These data can be useful in support of macroecological studies and conservation planning strategies. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data.

ATLANTIC MAMMAL TRAITS: a data set of morphological traits of mammals in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Measures of traits are the basis of functional biological diversity. Numerous works consider mean species-level measures of traits while ignoring individual variance within species. However, there is a large amount of variation within species and it is increasingly apparent that it is important to consider trait variation not only between species, but also within species. Mammals are an interesting group for investigating trait-based approaches because they play diverse and important ecological functions (e.g., pollination, seed dispersal, predation, grazing) that are correlated with functional traits. Here we compile a data set comprising morphological and life history information of 279 mammal species from 39,850 individuals of 388 populations ranging from -5.83 to -29.75 decimal degrees of latitude and -34.82 to -56.73 decimal degrees of longitude in the Atlantic forest of South America. We present trait information from 16,840 individuals of 181 species of non-volant mammals (Rodentia, Didelphimorphia, Carnivora, Primates, Cingulata, Artiodactyla, Pilosa, Lagomorpha, Perissodactyla) and from 23,010 individuals of 98 species of volant mammals (Chiroptera). The traits reported include body mass, age, sex, reproductive stage, as well as the geographic coordinates of sampling for all taxa. Moreover, we gathered information on forearm length for bats and body length and tail length for rodents and marsupials. No copyright restrictions are associated with the use of this data set. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data.

Ecology of a tick-borne spotted fever in southern Brazil.

Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state of Brazil, bordering Uruguay. Clinical cases of spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiosis were recently reported in Rio Grande do Sul. None of these cases was lethal, and all were confirmed by seroconversion to R. rickettsii antigens. Because serological cross-reactions are well known to occur between different SFG agents, the SFG agent responsible for the clinical cases remains unknown in Rio Grande do Sul, where no rickettsial agent is known to infect ticks. During 2013-2014, ticks and blood sera samples were collected from domestic dogs and wild small mammals, and from the vegetation in a SFG-endemic area of Rio Grande do Sul. Dogs were infested by Amblyomma ovale adult ticks, whereas small mammals were infested by immature stages of A. ovale, Ixodes loricatus, and adults of I. loricatus. Ticks collected on vegetation were adults of A. ovale, and immature stages of A. ovale, Amblyomma dubitatum, and Amblyomma longirostre. Three Rickettsia species were detected: Rickettsia bellii in I. loricatus, Rickettsia amblyommii in A. longirostre, and a Rickettsia parkeri-like agent (Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest) in A. ovale. Seroreactivity to SFG antigens were detected in 19.7 % (27/137) canine and 37.5 % (15/40) small mammal sera, with highest titers to R. parkeri. Results indicate that the R. parkeri-like agent, strain Atlantic rainforest, is circulating between A. ovale ticks, dogs and small mammals in the study area, suggesting that this SFG pathogen could be one of the etiological agents of SFG clinical cases in Rio Grande do Sul.

Which Factors Determine Spatial Segregation in the South American Opossums (Didelphis aurita and D. albiventris)? An Ecological Niche Modelling and Geometric Morphometrics Approach.

Didelphis albiventris and D. aurita are Neotropical marsupials that share a unique evolutionary history and both are largely distributed throughout South America, being primarily allopatric throughout their ranges. In the Araucaria moist forest of Southern Brazil these species are sympatric and they might potentially compete having similar ecology. For this reason, they are ideal biological models to address questions about ecological character displacement and how closely related species might share their geographic space. Little is known about how two morphologically similar species of marsupials may affect each other through competition, if by competitive exclusion and competitive release. We combined ecological niche modeling and geometric morphometrics to explore the possible effects of competition on their distributional ranges and skull morphology. Ecological niche modeling was used to predict their potential distribution and this method enabled us to identify a case of biotic exclusion where the habit generalist D. albiventris is excluded by the presence of the specialist D. aurita. The morphometric analyses show that a degree of shape discrimination occurs between the species, strengthened by allometric differences, which possibly allowed them to occupy marginally different feeding niches supplemented by behavioral shift in contact areas. Overlap in skull morphology is shown between sympatric and allopatric specimens and a significant, but weak, shift in shape occurs only in D. aurita in sympatric areas. This could be a residual evidence of a higher past competition between both species, when contact zones were possibly larger than today. Therefore, the specialist D. aurita acts a biotic barrier to D. albiventris when niche diversity is not available for coexistence. On the other hand, when there is niche diversification (e.g. habitat mosaic), both species are capable to coexist with a minimal competitive effect on the morphology of D. aurita.

Molecular phylogenetic position of endangered Wilfredomys within Sigmodontinae (Cricetidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences and comments on Wiedomyini.

Wilfredomys, a monotypic genus of endangered sigmodontine rats, was historically related to the tribe Thomasomyini or considered "incertae sedis". Given no molecular data is available for Wilfredomys, the phylogenetic position of this taxon is uncertain in relation to modern, molecular hypotheses of sigmodontine relationships. We investigate the phylogeny of Wilfredomys to provide a hypothesis of its position within Sigmodontinae based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses recovered Wilfredomys oenax as sister to Wiedomys pyrrhorhinos, and Wie. cerradensis fell out sister to this clade. At the genus level, Phaenomys is sister to Wilfredomys + Wiedomys, forming a novel and well-supported sigmodontine clade. Our results suggest that tribe Wiedomyini should encompass Wilfredomys in addition to Wiedomys and Cholomys, thus the hypothesis that Wiedomys is paraphyletic should be investigated further. Another plausible classification scheme consistent with our results would be to expand Wiedomyini to encompass the clade composed of Phaenomys + Wilfredomys + Wiedomys. Last, our recovery of an "Atlantic clade" composed of lineages restricted to eastern South America supports the idea that this region has likely played an important role in sigmodontine diversification.

Chewing on the trees: Constraints and adaptation in the evolution of the primate mandible.

Chewing on different food types is a demanding biological function. The classic assumption in studying the shape of feeding apparatuses is that animals are what they eat, meaning that adaptation to different food items accounts for most of their interspecific variation. Yet, a growing body of evidence points against this concept. We use the primate mandible as a model structure to investigate the complex interplay among shape, size, diet, and phylogeny. We find a weak but significant impact of diet on mandible shape variation in primates as a whole but not in anthropoids and catarrhines as tested in isolation. These clades mainly exhibit allometric shape changes, which are unrelated to diet. Diet is an important factor in the diversification of strepsirrhines and platyrrhines and a phylogenetic signal is detected in all primate clades. Peaks in morphological disparity occur during the Oligocene (between 37 and 25 Ma) supporting the notion that an adaptive radiation characterized the evolution of South American monkeys. In all primate clades, the evolution of mandible size is faster than its shape pointing to a strong effect of allometry on ecomorphological diversification in this group.

Interaction of ectoparasites (Mesostigmata, Phthiraptera and Siphonaptera) with small mammals in Cerrado fragments, western Brazil.

We describe ectoparasite fauna associated with small mammals in fragments of Cerrado biome, central-western Brazil. We analyzed the level of associations and the aggregation patterns according to seasonal and host variations. Small mammals were systematically captured in 54 woodland fragments from February 2012 to July 2013. A total of 1040 animals belonging to eight marsupial and 12 rodent species were sampled; 354 individuals were parasitized by 33 ectoparasite species (twenty five Mesostigmata, seven Phthiraptera and one Siphonaptera). A total of 49 ecological relationships between ectoparasites and small mammals were observed, 24 being new association records. The overall specialization index of all ectoparasites and host species was 0.91 with significant deviation from a random host-parasite association, suggesting a high host-parasite specialization in this system. Specialization indices for ectoparasites ranged from moderate to high, while among host was high, for most species. Contrary to the overall pattern, some ectoparasites had higher prevalence and mean intensity of infestation in the dry season. Overall, ectoparasite prevalence and mean intensity of infestation were not significantly associated with host gender. This study provides significant information about the ectoparasites ecology in relation to specificity, seasonality and hosts gender, contributing to the understanding of host-parasite relationships in Brazilian savannah.

Association patterns of ticks (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae, Argasidae) of small mammals in Cerrado fragments, western Brazil.

The present study describes ticks associated with small mammals and analyzes the aggregation patterns according to seasonal and host variations in the Cerrado biome, central-western Brazil. Small mammals were systematically captured in 54 woodland fragments from February 2012 to July 2013. A total of 1,040 animals belonging to eight marsupial and 12 rodent species were captured; 265 animals were parasitized by eight tick species (in decreasing order of abundance): Ornithodoros mimon, Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma parvum, Amblyomma dubitatum, Amblyomma parkeri, and Ixodes amarali. With few exceptions, collected ticks were larvae and nymphs. Among the more abundant animals, the marsupial Didelphis albiventris showed the highest tick prevalence (84.4 %), mean abundance (19.2), mean intensity (22.8), richness of ticks species (n = 7), and total abundance of ticks (n = 2,457). Amblyomma sculptum and O. mimon were the most generalist species, collected on four host species. Fifteen new tick-host associations are reported for the first time. Most ticks showed higher prevalence and mean intensity in the dry season, regardless of host species. Overall, tick prevalence and mean intensity of infestation were significantly associated with host gender. Finally, the importance of the large number of records of the argasid O. mimon is discussed.

First record of the invasive alien species Axis axis (Erxleben, 1777) (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) in Brazil / Primeiro registro da espécie exótica invasora Axis axis (Erxleben, 1777) (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) no Brasil

The exotic alien species Axis axis was introduced in the Americas at the beginning of last century and since then has established itself, expanding its distribution. This is the first record of this species in Brazil. In the extreme south of the country, an individual of A. axis was recorded with a camera trap in the Espinilho State Park. The area is close to the border of Uruguay and Argentina, countries where the species is established and from where this individual presumably originated. The Pampas biome is strongly disturbed by human activity in Brazil and since many native mammal species such as the Pampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus are threatened regionally. It is alarming that exotic populations can potentially rapidly expand their ranges in the region, as A. axis deer has done in Uruguay and Argentina. Possible consequences for this invasion are discussed.

A espécie exótica invasora Axis axis foi introduzida no continente americano no início do século passado e desde então se estabeleceu, ampliando sua distribuição. Este é o primeiro registro da espécie para o Brasil. No extremo sul do país, um indivíduo de A. axis foi registrado com armadilha fotográfica, no Parque Estadual do Espinilho. A área é muito próxima a divisa com Uruguai e Argentina, países onde a espécie esta estabelecida e de onde provavelmente o espécime é originário. Visto que o bioma Pampa encontra-se fortemente alterado no Brasil e que muitas espécies da fauna de mamíferos nativa estão ameaçadas de extinção regionalmente, como o veado-campeiro Ozotoceros bezoarticus, é preocupante que populações exóticas estejam ampliando rapidamente sua área de distribuição na região, como fez A. axis no Uruguai e Argentina. Possíveis implicações decorrentes dessa invasão são discutidas.

Morcegos de Frederico Westphalen, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil (Mammalia: Chiroptera): riqueza e utilização de abrigos / Bats of Frederico Westphalen, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Mammalia: Chiroptera): richness and shelter use

O Estado do Rio Grande do Sul possui, até o momento, registros para 38 das 168 espécies de morcegos ocorrentes no Brasil e possui extensas áreas carentes de amostragem. Neste trabalho apresenta-se uma lista de espécies de quirópteros do município de Frederico Westphalen no extremo norte do Rio Grande do Sul e são fornecidas informações sobre a utilização de edificações humanas e minas abandonadas para sete das 25 espécies registradas no município. De outubro de 2004 a junho de 2008 esforços amostrais foram realizados em onze áreas no município visando inventariar a quiropterofauna local. A presença das espécies foi constatada a partir de capturas com auxílio de redes de neblina, busca ativa em refúgios, bem como, de exemplares obtidos junto a comunidade. As espécies pertencem a 13 gêneros, das quais a família Vespertilionidae é representada por 11 espécies, Molossidae por sete espécies e Phyllostomidae por sete espécies. Os resultados obtidos no presente trabalho colocam o Alto Uruguai entre as regiões com maior riqueza de quirópteros do Rio Grande do Sul.

The state of Rio Grande do Sul has, up to the present, records of 38 of the 168 bat species known to occur in Brazil, and several of its regions are severely understudied. In this study, a list of chiropteran species of the municipality of Frederico Westphalen, in the northernmost region of Rio Grande do Sul, is provided, as well as information on the use of human buildings and abandoned mines for seven of the 25 species recorded in the municipality. From October, 2004 to June, 2008, sampling was carried out in eleven areas of the municipality in order to survey the local chiropterofauna. The presence of species was recorded based on captures using mist nets, active searches in shelters, and specimens obtained from local residents. The recorded species belonged to 13 genera, of which 11 belonged to the family Vespertilionidae, whereas the families Molossidae and Phyllostomidae were represented by seven species each. The results obtained in the present study place the Upper Uruguay among the regions of highest species richness in Rio Grande do Sul.

Avaliação da qualidade dos produtos e do processo de produção das agroindústrias de laticínios da região do Codemau, RS / Evaluation of product quality and manufacturing process of agro-industries from Codemau, RS

O Noroeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul é uma região pouco desenvolvida, onde ocorre a predominância de pequenas propriedades rurais, cujas atividades geradoras de renda estão direcionadas à pecuária leiteira. Foram identificadas e selecionadas seis agroindústrias de laticínios, nos diferentes municípios de abrangência do CODEMAU, com o objetivo de verificar os processos de manipulação da matéria-prima e dos produtos prontos, juntamente com o processo de produção.(...) Nas observações referentes ao processo de produção realizado nas referidas agroindústrias, pode-se constatar que todas possuíam falhas com relação aos itens observados, como: condições de higiene dos manipuladores, equipamentos e utensílios, bem como armazenamento inadequado da matéria-prima, sanitizantes e embalagens. Pode-se constatar que em algumas agroindústrias a pasteurização estava sendo feita corretamente e que, provavelmente a contaminação do produto final se dava devido ao processo de manipulação e as más condições em que se encontravam as agro-indústrias. Sugere-se então uma maior fiscalização dentro destas empresas para não comprometer a saúde do consumidor.

Diversidade de Lepidoptera (Papilionoidea e Hesperioidea) em dois fragmentos de floresta no município de Frederico Westphalen, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil / Diversity of Lepidoptera (Papilionoidea e Hesperioidea) in two fragments in Frederico Westphalen, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

Foram realizados levantamentos mensais em duas localidades no Município, fragmento da Vila Faguense e do Santuário de Schoenstatt, os quais distam entre si em 1.500 m, entre março de 2005 e abril de 2006. Em 140 horas de amostragem foram registrados 3.123 indivíduos distribuídos em 169 espécies. Nymphalidae foi a família mais amostrada com aproximadamente 53 por cento das espécies registradas. Nove espécies ainda não haviam sido registradas para o Estado. O índice de Diversidade de Shannon-Wiener foi maior no fragmento da Vila Faguense, local menos perturbado. Os índices de dominância de Simpson e Berger-Parker foram mais representativos no Santuário de Schoenstatt, com maior número de espécies abundantes. Foram registradas em Frederico Westphalen 126 (74,55 por cento) espécies acidentais, 25 acessórias (14,80 por cento) e 18 constantes (10,65 por cento).

A systematic survey was carried out in two localities of the Municipal District of Frederico Westphalen, fragment of Villa Faguense and Schoenstatt's Sanctuary, situated 1,500 m apart, from March 2005 to April 2006. In 140 hours of sampling, 3123 individuals, distributed in 169 species, were registered. Nymphalidae was the most sampled with approximately 53 percent of the recorded species. Nine species sampled were still no registered for the State. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was higher in fragment of Villa Faguense, place less disturbed. The Simpson and Berger-Parker dominance indexes had been more representative in fragment of Schoenstatt Sanctuary, with higher number of abundant species. Among the species captured 126 (74,55 percent) are accidental, 25 (14,80 percent) are accessory and 18 (10,65 percent) are constant.