Use of carrion fly iDNA metabarcoding to monitor invasive and native mammals.

Severely fragmented habitats increase the risk of extirpation of native mammal populations through isolation, increased edge effects, and predation. Therefore, monitoring the movement of mammal populations through anthropogenically altered landscapes can inform conservation. We used metabarcoding of invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) from carrion flies (Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae) to track mammal populations in the wheat belt of southwestern Australia, where widespread clearing for agriculture has removed most of the native perennial vegetation and replaced it with an agricultural system. We investigated whether the localization of the iDNA signal reflected the predicted distribution of 4 native species-echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), woylie (Bettongia penicillata), and chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii)-and 2 non-native, invasive mammal species-fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus). We collected bulk iDNA samples (n = 150 samples from 3428 carrion flies) at 3 time points from 3 conservation reserves and 35 road edges between them. We detected 14 of the 40 mammal species known from the region, including our target species. Most detections of target taxa were in conservation reserves. There were a few detections from road edges. We detected foxes and feral cats throughout the study area, including all conservation reserves. There was a significant difference between the diversity (F3, 98  = 5.91, p < 0.001) and composition (F3, 43  = 1.72, p < 0.01) of taxa detections on road edges and conservation reserves. Conservation reserves hosted more native biodiversity than road edges. Our results suggest that the signals from iDNA reflect the known distribution of target mammals in this region. The development of iDNA methods shows promise for future noninvasive monitoring of mammals. With further development, iDNA metabarcoding could inform decision-making related to conservation of endangered taxa, invasive species management, and impacts of habitat fragmentation.

Caracterización genética del ADNi de la mosca carroñera para monitorear mamíferos invasores y nativos Resumen Los hábitats con mucha fragmentación aumentan el riesgo de extirpación de las poblaciones de mamíferos nativos debido al aislamiento, el aumento de los efectos de borde y la depredación. Por lo tanto, el monitoreo del movimiento de las poblaciones de mamíferos a través de paisajes alterados antropogénicamente puede guiar a la conservación. Utilizamos la caracterización genética del ADN derivado de invertebrados (ADNi) de moscas de la carroña (Calliphoridae y Sarcophagidae) para rastrear poblaciones de mamíferos en la región de Wheatbelt del suroeste de Australia, en donde la tala generalizada ha sustituido la mayor parte de la vegetación perenne nativa por un sistema agrícola. Investigamos si la localización de la señal de ADNi reflejaba la distribución prevista de cuatro especies autóctonas: equidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), rata canguro (Bettongia penicillata) y cuol occidental (Dasyurus geoffroii), y dos especies de mamíferos invasores no autóctonos: el zorro (Vulpes vulpes) y el gato feral (Felis catus). Recogimos muestras masivas de ADNi (n = 150 muestras de 3,428 moscas de la carroña) en tres puntos temporales de tres reservas ecológicas y 35 bordes de carreteras entre ellas. Detectamos 14 de las 40 especies de mamíferos conocidas en la región, incluidas nuestras especies objetivo. La mayoría de las detecciones de los taxones objetivo se produjeron en las reservas ecológicas. Pocas detecciones ocurrieron en los bordes de las carreteras. Detectamos zorros y gatos ferales en toda la zona de estudio, incluidas todas las reservas ecológicas. Hubo una diferencia significativa entre la diversidad (F3, 98 = 5.91, p<0.001) y la composición (F3, 43 = 1.72, p<0.01) de los taxones detectados en los bordes de las carreteras y en las reservas ecológicas. Las reservas ecológicas albergaron más biodiversidad nativa que los bordes de las carreteras. Nuestros resultados sugieren que las señales de ADNi reflejan la distribución conocida de los mamíferos objetivo en esta región. El desarrollo de métodos de ADNi es prometedor para el futuro monitoreo no invasivo de mamíferos. Con un mayor desarrollo, la caracterización genética del ADNi podría servir de base para decidir sobre la conservación de taxones amenazados, la gestión de especies invasoras y los impactos de la fragmentación del hábitat.

Ocurrencia de Mesocestoides sp. (Cestoda: Mesocestoididae) en el zorro andino (Lycalopex culpaeus) / Occurrence of Mesocestoides sp. (Cestoda: Mesocestoididae) in the Andean fox (Lycalopex culpaeus)

Resumen En este trabajo, informamos Mesocestoides sp. parasitando a un individuo de Lycalopex culpaeus (zorro andino) procedente del Abra la Raya, departamento de Cusco, Perú. El individuo fue necropsiado en el Instituto Veterinario de Investigaciones Tropicales y de Altura (IVITA), sede de Maranganí. Numerosos cestodos se recolectaron del intestino delgado y se analizaron morfológicamente. Se proporciona una breve descripción morfológica de los especímenes de Mesocestoides, así como una discusión con respecto de especies anteriormente registradas para Perú.

Abstract In this work, we report Mesocestoides sp. parasiting one individual of Lycalopex culpaeus (Andean fox) captured from the Abra la Raya, Department of Cusco, Peru. The individual was necropsed in the Instituto Veterinario de Investigaciones Tropicales y de Altura (IVITA), Maranganí Headquarters. Numerous cestodes collected from the small intestine and morphologically analyzed. We provided a brief morphological description of Mesocestoides specimenes, and discuss concerning previous Mesocestoides species registered in Peru.

Trends in anecdotal fox sightings in Tasmania accounted for by psychological factors.

There has been little evaluation of anecdotal sightings as a means to confirm new incursions of invasive species. This paper explores the potential for equivocal information communicated by the media to account for patterns of anecdotal reports. In 2001, it was widely reported that red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) had been deliberately released in the island state of Tasmania (Australia), although this claim was later revealed to be baseless. Regardless, by 2013 a total of 3153 anecdotal fox sightings had been reported by members of the public, which implied their distribution was wide. For each month in 2001-2003, we defined a monthly media index (MMI) of fox-related media coverage, an index of their relative seasonal abundance (abundance), and a factor denoting claims of fox evidence (claimed evidence) regardless of its evidentiary quality. We fitted a generalized linear model with Poisson error for monthly totals of anecdotal sightings with factors of year and claimed evidence and covariates of MMI, abundance, and hours of darkness. The collective effect of psychological factors (MMI, claimed evidence, and year) relative to biophysical factors (photoperiod and abundance) was highly significant (χ2 = 122.1, df = 6, p < 0.0001), whereas anticipated changes in abundance had no significant influence on reported sightings (p = 0.15). An annual index of fox media from 2001 to 2010 was strongly associated with the yearly tally of anecdotal sightings (p = 0.018). The odds ratio of sightings ranked as reliable by the fox eradication program in any year decreased exponentially at a rate of 0.00643 as the total number of sightings increased (p < 0.0001) and was indicative of an observer-expectancy bias. Our results suggest anecdotal sightings are highly susceptible to cognitive biases and when used to qualify and quantify species presence can contribute to flawed risk assessments.

Habitat as a mediator of mesopredator-driven mammal extinction.

A prevailing view in dryland systems is that mammals are constrained by the scarcity of fertile soils and primary productivity. An alternative view is that predation is a primary driver of mammal assemblages, especially in Australia, where 2 introduced mesopredators-feral cat (Felis catus) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes)-are responsible for severe declines of dryland mammals. We evaluated productivity and predation as drivers of native mammal assemblage structure in dryland Australia. We used new data from 90 sites to examine the divers of extant mammal species richness and reconstructed historic mammal assemblages to determine proportional loss of mammal species across broad habitat types (landform and vegetation communities). Predation was supported as a major driver of extant mammal richness, but its effect was strongly mediated by habitat. Areas that were rugged or had dense grass cover supported more mammal species than the more productive and topographically simple areas. Twelve species in the critical weight range (CWR) (35-5500 g) that is most vulnerable to mesopredator predation were extirpated from the continent's central region, and the severity of loss of species correlated negatively with ruggedness and positively with productivity. Based on previous studies, we expect that habitat mediates predation from red foxes and feral cats because it affects these species' densities and foraging efficiency. Large areas of rugged terrain provided vital refuge for Australian dryland mammals, and we predict such areas will support the persistence of CWR species in the face of ongoing mammal declines elsewhere in Australia.

LINE Retrotransposition Assays in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Long interspersed nuclear element (LINE) retrotransposons make up significant parts of mammalian genomes. They alter host genomes by direct mutagenesis through integration of new transposon copies, by mobilizing non-autonomous transposons, by changes in host gene activity due to newly integrated transposons and by recombination events between different transposon copies. As a consequence, LINEs can contribute to genetic disease. Simple model systems can be useful for the study of basic molecular and cellular biology of LINE retrotransposons. Here, we describe methods for the analysis of LINE retrotransposition in the well-established model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The ability to follow retrotransposition in budding yeast opens up the possibility of performing systematic screens for evolutionarily conserved interactions between LINE retrotransposons and their host cells.

Histology and scanning electron microscopy of the lower respiratory tract in the adult red fox (Vulpes vulpes) / Histología y microscopía electrónica de barrido de las vías respiratorias inferiores en el zorro rojo adulto (Vulpes vulpes)

The study was conducted on a total of three adult healthy freshly killed red foxes of both sexes weighing about 4-6 kg collected from Abou Rawwash, Giza, Egypt. The wall of trachea and bronchi formed of mucosa, submucosa and adventitia. The mucosa formed of pseudostratified columnar epithelium and lamina propria. The respiratory epithelium composed of tall columnar ciliated, goblet cells, basal cells, and neuroendocrine cells. Goblet cells account for about 20 to 30% of cells in the more proximal. Basal cells are relatively small triangular cells whose bases are attached to the basement membrane. The primary bronchiole is lined by simple columnar nonciliated to cuboidal epithelium containing some bronchiolar exocrine cells and some goblet cells. Neuroendocrine cells constitute about 4 to 5% of bronchial epithelial cells, attached at their bases to the basement membrane and have tapering apices. The lamina propria consists principally of a network of capillaries, a meshwork of connective tissue fibers continuous with the basement membrane. The submucosa formed of connective tissue elements and blood vessels and devoid of Tracheobronchial glands in red fox. The adventitia contain tracheal cartilage and muscle in trachea and bronchial cartilages and muscles in bronchi. Tracheal muscle is transverse bundles attached to the outer perichondrium. In the bronchi, muscle is organized in transverse bundles close to the epithelium adjacent to the lamina propria and longitudinal bundles close to the cartilages. Alveoli are demarcated by septa composed of a continuous layer of epithelial cells overlying a thin interstitium. The epithelial cells consist principally of type I and type II pneumocytes. SEM revealed that, the mucosal surface of both trachea and bronchi was completely covered by cilia. There were few glandular openings or goblet cell.

El estudio se realizó en tres zorros rojos adultos sanos, recién fallecidos, de ambos sexos, con un peso aproximado 4,6 kg recogidos de Abou Rawwash, Giza, Egipto. La pared de la tráquea y los bronquios estaban formados por mucosa, submucosa y adventicia. La mucosa estaba formada por un epitelio estratificado y lámina propia. El epitelio respiratorio ciliado compuesto de células caliciformes, células basales y células neuroendocrinas. Las células calciformes representaban alrededor del 20 al 30% de las células más proximales. Las células basales eran células triangulares relativamente pequeñas cuyas bases están unidas a la membrana basal. El bronquiolo principal está cubierto por un epitelio columnar simple no ciliado que contiene algunas células exocrinas bronquiolares y células caliciformes. Las células neuroendocrinas constituyen aproximadamente 4 a 5% de las células epiteliales bronquiales, unidas en sus bases a la membrana basal y tienen ápices de ahusamiento. La lámina propia consiste principalmente en una red de capilares, una malla de fibras de tejido conectivo continuo con la membrana basal. La submucosa formada por elementos del tejido conectivo y vasos sanguíneos y escasas glándulas traqueobronquiales. La capa adventicia contiene cartílago traqueal y muscular en la tráquea, y los bronquios cartílagos y músculos. En los bronquios, el músculo está compuesto de haces transversales cercanos al epitelio próximo a la lámina propia y haces longitudinales cerca de los cartílagos. Los alvéolos están delimitados por tabiques compuestos de una capa continua de células epiteliales que recubren un intersticio delgado. Las células epiteliales se componen principalmente de neumocitos tipo I y tipo II. El MEB reveló que la superficie de la mucosa de la tráquea y los bronquios estaba completamente cubierta por cilios. Se observaron pocas aberturas glandulares o células caliciformes.

Structural features and mechanism of translocation of non-LTR retrotransposons in Candida albicans.

A number of abundant mobile genetic elements called retrotransposons reverse transcribe RNA to generate DNA for insertion into eukaryotic genomes. Non-long-terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposons represent a major class of retrotransposons, and transposons that move by target-primed reverse transcription lack LTRs characteristic of retroviruses and retroviral-like transposons. Yeast model systems in Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been developed for the study of non-LTR retrotransposons. Non-LTR retrotransposons are divided into LINEs (long interspersed nuclear elements), SINEs (short interspersed nuclear elements), and SVA (SINE, VNTR, and Alu). LINE-1 elements have been described in fungi, and several families called Zorro elements have been detected from C. albicans. They are all members of L1 clades. Through a mechanism named target-primed reverse transcription (TPRT), LINEs translocate the new copy into the target site to initiate DNA synthesis primed by the 3' OH of the broken strand. In this article, we describe some advances in the research on structural features and origin of non-LTR retrotransposons in C. albicans, and discuss mechanisms underlying their reverse transcription and integration of the donor copy into the target site.

Brucelosis en el zorro gris pampeano (Pseudalopex gymnocercus) en la provincia de La Pampa (Argentina) / Brucelosis in the grey fox of the pampas (Pseudalopex gymnocercus) in La Pampa province (Argentina)

Brucella abortus (Br abortus) es una de las principales causas de abortos y pérdidas reproductivas en el ganado bovino. Los fetos abortados y sus fluidos fetales son la mayor fuente de infección. Es así como la enfermedad puede llegar a animales silvestres cuando ingieren esos tejidos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la prevalencia serológica de brucelosis en el zorro gris pampeano (Pseudalopex gymnocercus). Se tomaron muestras de sangre de 41 zorros de la región centro-este de la provincia de La Pampa, Argentina. Para determinar la presencia de anticuerpos específicos contra Br abortus se utilizaron las Pruebas de Polarización de la Fluorescencia (FPA), Seroaglutinación en Microplaca (SAP) y Seroaglutinación en Microplaca con 2-mercaptoetanol (2-ME). Sobre un total de 41 sueros procesados por FPA, en 7 (17,1%) se detectaron anticuerpos contra Br abortus. Sólo 34 sueros fueron analizados por las pruebas de SAP y 2-ME, encontrando 5 (14,7%) y 4 (11,8%) muestras positivas, respectivamente. Los resultados permiten inferir que el zorro gris pampeano es susceptible a infectarse con Br. abortus a una tasa de incidencia importante. Es necesario realizar futuros estudios para establecer el rol del zorro en la transmisión de la enfermedad y sus consecuencias en esta especie.

Brucellosis is produced by several species of Brucella. Brucella abortus causes abortion and reproductive loss in bovine cattle. In the epidemiology of brucellosis, aborted fetus and their fetal fluids are the main source of infection and dissemination. Although the biological cycle and the disease consequences to domestic cattle have been widely studied, it is not the case with wild fauna. The objective of this study was to determine the serologic prevalence to brucellosis in the grey fox of the pampas (Pseudalopex gymnocercus). To that purpose, 41 foxes were sampled in the centre-east area of La Pampa province (Argentina). Blood samples for serologic studies were collected. A test of agglutination in microplate (SAP), another SAP with the addition of 2-mercapto-etanol (2-ME) and a test of polarization of the fluorescence (FPA) were used for the diagnosis of antibodies against Brucella abortus. For this, 17.1%, 14.7% and 11.8% was the prevalence found by FPA, SAP and SAP with 2-ME. More studies will be necessary to know the role of foxes in disease transmission and maintenance as well as the consequence of the diseases in foxes.

Morphometric Examination of Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) from the Van-Yoncatepe Necropolis in Eastern Anatolia / Examen Morfométrico del Zorro Rojo (Vulpes vulpes) de la Necrópolis de Van-Yoncatep en Anatolia del Este

In the burial chamber M4 of the Van-Yoncatepe necropolis in eastern Anatolia, dated to the beginning of the first millennium before our time, fox skeletal remains have been discovered together with human skeletal remains. The fox remains consist of two skulls and a large number of skeletal (postcranial) bones. Examination of the material led us to the conclusion that five foxes had been buried in the chamber. Craniometric and osteometric measurements were carried out on the bones, and estimations of shoulder height and body weight have been calculated. Evaluation of all quantitative and qualitative data and comparison with modern fox species led to identification of the remains as red fox (Vulpes vulpes).

En la cripta mortuoria M4 del cementerioVan-Yoncatepe en Anatolia del Este, se encontraron restos de zorro y humanos que datan de mil años aC. Los restos de zorro corresponden a 2 cráneos y variados huesos postcraniales. Los estudios de dicho material nos lleva a concluir que, hubo 5 zorros enterrados en la cripta. Conjuntamente, se realizaron exámenes craniométricos y mediciones osteométricas, estimaciones de altura de hombro y cálculo de peso corporal. Las evaluaciones cuantitativa y cualitativa de la información obtenida y las comparaciones realizadas con especies de zorros modernos, permiten concluir que dichos hallazgos corresponden a zorro rojo (Vulpes vulpes).