Estimating kangaroo age from lens weight

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Robert C. Augusteyn
Keyword(s):  
Future Studies ◽  
Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Western Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Drying Conditions ◽  
Age Estimates

In a recent publication, Mayberry et al. (2017) presented a method for estimating western grey kangaroo age from the weights of dried eye lenses. The drying conditions are inadequate and may lead to erroneous age estimates. It is suggested that well documented methods in general use be used for future studies.

scholarly journals Letting the ‘cat’ out of the bag: pouch young development of the extinct Tasmanian tiger revealed by X-ray computed tomography

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 171914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel H. Newton ◽  
Frantisek Spoutil ◽  
Jan Prochazka ◽  
Jay R. Black ◽  
Kathryn Medlock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Appendicular Skeleton ◽  
Developmental Morphology ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Digital Resource ◽  
X Ray Computed ◽  
Australian Marsupial ◽  
Age Estimates

The Tasmanian tiger or thylacine ( Thylacinus cynocephalus ) was an iconic Australian marsupial predator that was hunted to extinction in the early 1900s. Despite sharing striking similarities with canids, they failed to evolve many of the specialized anatomical features that characterize carnivorous placental mammals. These evolutionary limitations are thought to arise from functional constraints associated with the marsupial mode of reproduction, in which otherwise highly altricial young use their well-developed forelimbs to climb to the pouch and mouth to suckle. Here we present the first three-dimensional digital developmental series of the thylacine throughout its pouch life using X-ray computed tomography on all known ethanol-preserved specimens. Based on detailed skeletal measurements, we refine the species growth curve to improve age estimates for the individuals. Comparison of allometric growth trends in the appendicular skeleton (fore- and hindlimbs) with that of other placental and marsupial mammals revealed that despite their unique adult morphologies, thylacines retained a generalized early marsupial ontogeny. Our approach also revealed mislabelled specimens that possessed large epipubic bones (vestigial in thylacine) and differing vertebral numbers. All of our generated CT models are publicly available, preserving their developmental morphology and providing a novel digital resource for future studies of this unique marsupial.

The measurement of luteinising hormone in the western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus) and the black-flanked rock wallaby (Petrogale lateralis lateralis)

2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip Matson ◽  
Christopher Mayberry ◽  
Nicole Willers ◽  
Margaret A. Blackberry ◽  
Graeme B. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Immunoassay ◽  
Luteinising Hormone ◽  
Standard Curve ◽  
Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Western Grey Kangaroo

An enzyme immunoassay with an anti-bovine-LH antibody (518B7) was applied to female western grey kanagaroos (Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus) and black-flanked rock wallabies (Petrogale lateralis lateralis). Validation showed parallelism to the assay standard curve, and significant increases in plasma LH concentrations after challenging animals with intramuscular GnRH.

276. The technical and biological validation of an LH assay for use with the Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosis) and Black-flanked Rock Wallaby (Petrogale lateralis lateralis)

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
P. Matson ◽  
C. Mayberry ◽  
N. Willers ◽  
M. A. Blackberry ◽  
G. B. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Standard Curve ◽  
Biological Validation ◽  
Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Coefficients Of Variation ◽  
Western Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Technical Validation ◽  
Zoo Biology ◽  
Smithsonian Institute ◽  
And Control

Methods for the measurement of marsupial LH invariably rely upon the similarity of the LH molecule between different species and usually use anti-ovine or anti-bovine LH antibody and an ovine or bovine labelled LH preparation. Initial attempts to measure plasma LH in the Western Grey Kangaroo with assays using antibodies to 4 different isoforms of ovine LH raised in 7 different rabbits were unsuccessful. An enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) developed for the Asian elephant (Zoo Biology 23:45–63) was then applied to the Western Grey Kangaroo and the Black-flanked Rock Wallaby. This EIA has an anti-bovine-LH monoclonal antibody (518B7 provided by Dr Jan Roser, University of California, Davis, USA), biotinylated ovine LH label and bovine LH standard (NIADDK-oLH-26 and NIH-bLH-B10, both provided by Dr Janine Brown and Nicole Abbondanza, Smithsonian Institute, Front Royal, Virginia USA). Technical validation showed that serial dilution down to 1:8 of plasma from 7 individuals of each species showed parallelism to the assay standard curve, and control samples (1.24–5.30 ng/mL) had between-assay coefficients of variation <9%. Biological validation was achieved by challenging animals with intramuscular GnRH (Fertagyl®, 2.5 µg/kg) and measuring LH before and 25 min after the injection. Significant increases in plasma concentrations of LH (mean ± sem; all P > 0.0005) were seen after GnRH for both the Western Grey Kangaroo (from 5.0 ± 0.8 ng/mL to 9.4 ± 1.2 ng/mL; n = 19) and the Black-flanked Rock Wallaby (from 6.0 ± 0.7 ng/mL to 10.6 ± 0.6 ng/mL; n = 28). In conclusion, this assay can be successfully used to measure LH in these two species.

Fluoroacetate Tolerance, a Genetic Marker in Some Australian Mammals.

1979 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 363 ◽  
Author(s):  
AJ Oliver ◽  
DR King ◽  
RJ Mead
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Marker ◽  
Geographic Origin ◽  
Tammar Wallaby ◽  
Southeastern Australia ◽  
Toxic Plants ◽  
Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Western Grey Kangaroo ◽  
History Of ◽  
Genetic Tolerance ◽  
High Level

The toxin fluoroacetate occurs naturally in many southwestern Australian species of the legume genera Gastrolobium and Oxylobium. No fluoroacetate-bearing species are known from southeastern Australia. Herbivores have evolved a high level of genetic tolerance to this toxin; this has persisted in some mammalian herbivores whose range now extends beyond the range of the toxic plants. Other species of mammals have acquired tolerance since extending their range into south-western Australia. This tolerance can be used as a genetic marker to identify the geographic origin and trace the subsequent spread of herbivorous mammals in southern Australia. In this paper, this marker has been used to clarify the recent evolutionary history of the western grey kangaroo, the tammar wallaby and the bush rat.

scholarly journals Isolation and Identification of Pyrene MineralizingMycobacteriumspp. from Contaminated and Uncontaminated Sources

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher W. M. Lease ◽  
Richard H. Bentham ◽  
Sharyn E. Gaskin ◽  
Albert L. Juhasz
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Agricultural Soil ◽  
Prior Exposure ◽  
Environmental Matrices ◽  
Isolation And Identification ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
16S Rrna Analysis ◽  
Catabolic Activity ◽  
Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Western Grey Kangaroo

Mycobacteriumisolates obtained from PAH-contaminated and uncontaminated matrices were evaluated for their ability to degrade three-, four- and five-ring PAHs. PAH enrichment studies were prepared using pyrene and inocula obtained from manufacturing gas plant (MGP) soil, uncontaminated agricultural soil, and faeces fromMacropus fuliginosus(Western Grey Kangaroo). Three pyrene-degrading microorganisms isolated from the corresponding enrichment cultures had broad substrate ranges, however, isolates could be differentiated based on surfactant, phenol, hydrocarbon and PAH utilisation. 16S rRNA analysis identified all three isolates asMycobacteriumsp. TheMycobacteriumspp. could rapidly degrade phenanthrene and pyrene, however, no strain had the capacity to utilise fluorene or benzo[a]pyrene. When pyrene mineralisation experiments were performed, 70–79% of added14C was evolved as14CO2after 10 days. The present study demonstrates that PAH degrading microorganisms may be isolated from a diverse range of environmental matrices. The present study demonstrates that prior exposure to PAHs was not a prerequisite for PAH catabolic activity for two of theseMycobacteriumisolates.

scholarly journals Muscular anatomy of the tail of the western grey kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekah Dawson ◽  
Nick Milne ◽  
Natalie M. Warburton
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
The Body ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
High Speeds ◽  
Hind Limbs ◽  
Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Western Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Low Speeds ◽  
Fifth Limb

The western grey kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus, is a large-bodied kangaroo that engages in pentapedal locomotion at low speeds and bipedal hopping at high speeds. The tail is thought to have functional roles in both of these modes of locomotion. In pentapedal locomotion the tail acts as a ‘fifth limb’ to support the body weight together with the forelimbs while the hind limbs are drawn forward. The tail has also been suggested to have a role as a counterbalance during bipedal hopping. On the basis of these functional roles for the tail in locomotion, the caudal musculature of the western grey kangaroo was dissected and described in this study. The arrangement of the caudal musculature showed particular adaptations for the role of the tail in both pentapedal locomotion and bipedal hopping.

scholarly journals Effective Machine-Learning Assembly For Next-Generation Sequencing With Very Low Coverage

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Ranjard ◽  
Thomas K. F. Wong ◽  
Allen G. Rodrigo
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Programming Algorithm ◽  
Reference Sequence ◽  
Programming Algorithm ◽  
Original Sequence ◽  
Insertions And Deletions ◽  
Limiting Error ◽  
Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Western Grey Kangaroo ◽  
Sequence Reconstruction ◽  
Low Coverage

ABSTRACTIn short-read DNA sequencing experiments, the read coverage is a key parameter to successfully assemble the reads and reconstruct the sequence of the input DNA. When coverage is very low, the original sequence reconstruction from the reads can be difficult because of the occurrence of uncovered gaps. Reference guided assembly can then improve these assemblies. However, when the available reference is phylogenetically distant from the sequencing reads, the mapping rate of the reads can be extremely low. Some recent improvements in read mapping approaches aim at modifying the reference according to the reads dynamically. Such approaches can significantly improve the alignment rate of the reads onto distant references but the processing of insertions and deletions remains challenging. Here, we introduce a dynamic programming algorithm to update the reference sequence according to previously aligned reads. Substitutions, insertions and deletions are performed in the reference sequence dynamically. We evaluate this approach to assemble a western-grey kangaroo mitochondrial amplicon. Our results show that more reads can be aligned and that this method produces assemblies of length comparable to the truth while limiting error rate when classic approaches fail to recover the correct length. Our method allows us to assemble the first full mitochondrial genome for the western-grey kangaroo. Finally, we discuss how the core algorithm of this method could be improved and combined with other approaches to analyse larger genomic sequences.

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