Densidad de puma (Puma concolor) y gato montés (Lynx rufus) en la Reserva de la Biosfera Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, México

Abstract. Panthera atrox was a common large-sized cat in North America during the late Pleistocene. An isolated lower canine and a fifth metacarpal bone referable to this species were recovered from fluvial Quaternary deposits that outcrop in southeastern Hidalgo, central Mexico. Associated fossil material belonging to Bison indicates a Rancholabrean North American Land Mammal Age; the age assignment is corroborated by the presence of P. atrox. A comparative study with selected specimens of Panthera and Smilodon indicates that the Hidalgoan sample shares the following diagnostic features with P. atrox: a large, robust, and non-strongly curved lower canine; a large and relatively slender fifth metacarpal with a well-developed projection on the palmar side at the proximal end, narrow articulating surface for the unciform; a narrow notch on the articulating surface for the fourth metacarpal; and a diaphysis that at the middle is oval in cross section. The record supplements the evidence of P. atrox in central Mexico and represents the first reported occurrence of this cat species in the state of Hidalgo. By the same token, the known geographic distribution of P. atrox in the Mexican territory suggests that it was relatively common in temperate areas of central Mexico between 19 and 24° N at an altitudinal range from 1500 to 2250 m a.s.l. The large size (mean body mass of 300 kg) and hypercarnivorous adaptations of the American lion suggest it was the top predator of the mammalian community recorded at southeastern Hidalgo, displacing other members of the carnivore guild at the mesopredator level, such as the dire wolf (Canis dirus ), which has been also reported in the area. The high diversity of large herbivores recorded at southeastern Hidalgo, which in turn could represent potential prey of P. atrox, suggests that some areas that now are part of central Mexico were suitable hunting sites for this large-sized cat. A review of the Pleistocene record of Felidae from Mexico revealed that it encompasses 87.5 and 73.3 % of generic and specific diversity known for North America, respectively, including seven genera (Felis, Miracinonyx, Panthera, Puma, Lynx, Leopardus, and Smilodon) and 11 species (Felis rexroadensis, Miracinonyx inexpectatus, Panthera atrox, Panthera onca, Puma concolor, Puma yagouaroundi, Lynx rufus, Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus wiedii, Smilodon fatalis, and Smilodon gracilis). The majority of these taxa have been reported from numerous late Pleistocene localities; in particular, Panthera atrox was relatively common and widely distributed across the Mexican territory.

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REGISTROS NOTABLES DE MAMÍFEROS PARA LA RESERVA DE LA BIÓSFERA SIERRA GORDA DE GUANAJUATO, MÉXICO

Revista Mexicana de Mastozoologia ◽

10.22201/ie.20074484e.2017.1.1.241 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 52

Author(s):

Oscar Sosa-Guerrero ◽

José I. Campos-Rodríguez ◽

Xhail Flores-Leyva ◽

Paola Yáñez-López ◽

Leticia A. Mora-Villa

Keyword(s):

Puma Concolor ◽

Biosphere Reserve ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Distribution Range ◽

Lynx Rufus ◽

Range Extension ◽

Natural Areas ◽

Nasua Narica ◽

Protected Natural Areas ◽

Present Distribution

ABSTRACTWe present distribution range extentions for five species of mammals from the Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato Biosphere Reserve in state of Guanajuato, Mexico. These are two felids: Lynx rufus and Puma concolor, as well as the western speckled skunk Spilogale gracilis, the peccari Dicotyles crassus, and the coati Nasua narica. The presence of these records reflects the importance of the Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato Biosphere Reserve as one of the main protected natural areas of Guanajuato, Mexico, since this area constitutes a natural bridge between species of neartic and neotropical affinity. This type of study reaffirms the need to continue conducting regional and local biological inventories in Mexico.Key words: Range extensión, camera-traps, Victoria, Guanajuato, biological corridor.Palabras clave: Distribución, cámaras trampa, Victoria, Guanajuato, corredores biológicos.

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Novel Circoviruses Detected in Feces of Sonoran Felids

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v12091027 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 1027

Author(s):

Natalie Payne ◽

Simona Kraberger ◽

Rafaela S Fontenele ◽

Kara Schmidlin ◽

Melissa H Bergeman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary Dynamics ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Puma Concolor ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Emerging Diseases ◽

Lynx Rufus ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Pairwise Identity ◽

Invasive Approach ◽

Genome Wide

Sonoran felids are threatened by drought and habitat fragmentation. Vector range expansion and anthropogenic factors such as habitat encroachment and climate change are altering viral evolutionary dynamics and exposure. However, little is known about the diversity of viruses present in these populations. Small felid populations with lower genetic diversity are likely to be most threatened with extinction by emerging diseases, as with other selective pressures, due to having less adaptive potential. We used a metagenomic approach to identify novel circoviruses, which may have a negative impact on the population viability, from confirmed bobcat (Lynx rufus) and puma (Puma concolor) scats collected in Sonora, Mexico. Given some circoviruses are known to cause disease in their hosts, such as porcine and avian circoviruses, we took a non-invasive approach using scat to identify circoviruses in free-roaming bobcats and puma. Three circovirus genomes were determined, and, based on the current species demarcation, they represent two novel species. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that one circovirus species is more closely related to rodent associated circoviruses and the other to bat associated circoviruses, sharing highest genome-wide pairwise identity of approximately 70% and 63%, respectively. At this time, it is unknown whether these scat-derived circoviruses infect felids, their prey, or another organism that might have had contact with the scat in the environment. Further studies should be conducted to elucidate the host of these viruses and assess health impacts in felids.

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Frequent Transmission of Immunodeficiency Viruses among Bobcats and Pumas

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.00997-07 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 81 (20) ◽

pp. 10961-10969 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

S. P. Franklin ◽

J. L. Troyer ◽

J. A. Terwee ◽

L. M. Lyren ◽

W. M. Boyce ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Southern California ◽

Nonhuman Primates ◽

Puma Concolor ◽

Lynx Rufus ◽

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Infection ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

The Family ◽

New Hosts ◽

Species Specific

ABSTRACT With the exception of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which emerged in humans after cross-species transmissions of simian immunodeficiency viruses from nonhuman primates, immunodeficiency viruses of the family Lentiviridae represent species-specific viruses that rarely cross species barriers to infect new hosts. Among the Felidae, numerous immunodeficiency-like lentiviruses have been documented, but only a few cross-species transmissions have been recorded, and these have not been perpetuated in the recipient species. Lentivirus seroprevalence was determined for 79 bobcats (Lynx rufus) and 31 pumas (Puma concolor) from well-defined populations in Southern California. Partial genomic sequences were subsequently obtained from 18 and 12 seropositive bobcats and pumas, respectively. Genotypes were analyzed for phylogenic relatedness and genotypic composition among the study set and archived feline lentivirus sequences. This investigation of feline immunodeficiency virus infection in bobcats and pumas of Southern California provides evidence that cross-species infection has occurred frequently among these animals. The data suggest that transmission has occurred in multiple locations and are most consistent with the spread of the virus from bobcats to pumas. Although the ultimate causes remain unknown, these transmission events may occur as a result of puma predation on bobcats, a situation similar to that which fostered transmission of HIV to humans, and likely represent the emergence of a lentivirus with relaxed barriers to cross-species transmission. This unusual observation provides a valuable opportunity to evaluate the ecological, behavioral, and molecular conditions that favor repeated transmissions and persistence of lentivirus between species.

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Novel Circoviruses Detected in Feces of Sonoran Felids

10.20944/preprints202008.0501.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Natalie Payne ◽

Simona Kraberger ◽

Rafaela S Fontenele ◽

Kara Schmidlin ◽

Melissa H Bergeman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary Dynamics ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Puma Concolor ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Emerging Diseases ◽

Lynx Rufus ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Pairwise Identity ◽

Invasive Approach ◽

Genome Wide

Sonoran felids are threatened by drought and habitat fragmentation. Vector range expansion and anthropogenic factors such as habitat encroachment and climate change are altering viral evolutionary dynamics and exposure. However, little is known about the diversity of viruses present in these populations. Small felid populations with lower genetic diversity are likely to be most threatened with extinction by emerging diseases, as with other selective pressures, due to having less adaptive potential. We used a metagenomic approach to identify novel circoviruses, which may have a negative impact on the population viability, from confirmed bobcat (Lynx rufus) and puma (Puma concolor) scats collected in Sonora, Mexico. Given some circoviruses are known to cause disease in their hosts, such as porcine and avian circoviruses, we took a non-invasive approach using scat to identify circoviruses in free-roaming bobcats and puma. Three circovirus genomes were determined, and, based on the current species demarcation, they represent two novel species. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that one circovirus species is more closely related to rodent associated circoviruses and the other to bat associated circoviruses, sharing the highest genome-wide pairwise identity of approximately 70% and 63%, respectively. At this time, it is unknown whether these scat-derived circoviruses infect felids, their prey, or another organism that might have had contact with the scat in the environment. Further studies should be conducted to elucidate the host of these viruses and assess health impacts in felids.

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Integrating spatial capture-recapture models with variable individual identifiability

10.1101/2020.03.27.010850 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Joel S. Ruprecht ◽

Charlotte E. Eriksson ◽

Tavis D. Forrester ◽

Darren A. Clark ◽

Michael J. Wisdom ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Puma Concolor ◽

Individual Recognition ◽

Population Monitoring ◽

Lynx Rufus ◽

Individual Identification ◽

Telemetry Data ◽

Density Estimates ◽

Gps Collars ◽

Remote Cameras ◽

Capture Recapture

AbstractMany applications in ecology depend on unbiased and precise estimates of animal population density. Spatial capture recapture models and their variants have become the preferred tool for estimating densities of carnivores. Within the spatial capture-recapture family are variants that require individual identification of all encounters (spatial capture-recapture), individual identification of a subset of a population (spatial mark-resight), or no individual identification (spatial count). In addition, these models can incorporate telemetry data (all models) and the marking process (spatial mark-resight). However, the consistency of results among methods and the relative precision of estimates in a real-world setting are unknown. Consequently, it is unclear how much and what type of data are needed to achieve satisfactory density estimates. We tested a suite of models to estimate population densities of black bears (Ursus americanus), bobcats (Lynx rufus), cougars (Puma concolor), and coyotes (Canis latrans). For each species we genotyped fecal DNA collected with detection dogs. A subset of individuals from each species were affixed with GPS collars bearing unique markings to be resighted by remote cameras set on a 1 km grid. We fit 10 models for each species ranging from those requiring no animals to be individually recognizable to others that necessitate full individual recognition. We then assessed the contribution of incorporating telemetry data to each model and the marking process to the mark-resight model. Finally, we developed an integrated hybrid model that combines camera, physical capture, genetic, and GPS data into a single hierarchical model. Importantly, we find that spatial count models that do not individually identify animals fail in all cases whether or not telemetry data are included. Results improved as models contained more information on individual identity. Models where a subset of individuals were identifiable yielded qualitatively similar results, but can produce quantitatively divergent estimates, suggesting that long-term population monitoring should use a consistent method across years. Incorporation of telemetry data and the marking process can produce more accurate and precise density estimates. Our results can be used to guide future study designs to efficiently estimate carnivore densities for better understanding of population dynamics, predator-prey relationships, and community assemblages.

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Cuidados maternales y registros recientes de Puma (Puma concolor) y Gato Montes (Lynx rufus) en el estado de Hidalgo, México

Therya ◽

10.12933/therya-13-154 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 565-573 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alberto Enrique Rojas-Martínez ◽

Melany Aguilar-López ◽

Brenda Muñoz Vázquez

Keyword(s):

Puma Concolor ◽

Lynx Rufus

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Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Cross-Species Transmission: Implications for Emergence of New Lentiviral Infections

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.02134-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 91 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Justin Lee ◽

Jennifer L. Malmberg ◽

Britta A. Wood ◽

Sahaja Hladky ◽

Ryan Troyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Puma Concolor ◽

Molecular Techniques ◽

Viral Fitness ◽

Lynx Rufus ◽

Ancestral Reconstruction ◽

Content Type ◽

Mountain Lions ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Puma Lentivirus

ABSTRACT Owing to a complex history of host-parasite coevolution, lentiviruses exhibit a high degree of species specificity. Given the well-documented viral archeology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) emergence following human exposures to simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), an understanding of processes that promote successful cross-species lentiviral transmissions is highly relevant. We previously reported natural cross-species transmission of a subtype of feline immunodeficiency virus, puma lentivirus A (PLVA), between bobcats (Lynx rufus) and mountain lions (Puma concolor) for a small number of animals in California and Florida. In this study, we investigate host-specific selection pressures, within-host viral fitness, and inter- versus intraspecies transmission patterns among a larger collection of PLV isolates from free-ranging bobcats and mountain lions. Analyses of proviral and viral RNA levels demonstrate that PLVA fitness is severely restricted in mountain lions compared to that in bobcats. We document evidence of diversifying selection in three of six PLVA genomes from mountain lions, but we did not detect selection among 20 PLVA isolates from bobcats. These findings support the hypothesis that PLVA is a bobcat-adapted virus which is less fit in mountain lions and under intense selection pressure in the novel host. Ancestral reconstruction of transmission events reveals that intraspecific PLVA transmission has occurred among panthers (Puma concolor coryi) in Florida following the initial cross-species infection from bobcats. In contrast, interspecific transmission from bobcats to mountain lions predominates in California. These findings document outcomes of cross-species lentiviral transmission events among felids that compare to the emergence of HIV from nonhuman primates. IMPORTANCE Cross-species transmission episodes can be singular, dead-end events or can result in viral replication and spread in the new species. The factors that determine which outcome will occur are complex, and the risk of new virus emergence is therefore difficult to predict. We used molecular techniques to evaluate the transmission, fitness, and adaptation of puma lentivirus A (PLVA) between bobcats and mountain lions in two geographic regions. Our findings illustrate that mountain lion exposure to PLVA is relatively common but does not routinely result in communicable infections in the new host. This is attributed to efficient species barriers that largely prevent lentiviral adaptation. However, the evolutionary capacity for lentiviruses to adapt to novel environments may ultimately overcome host restriction mechanisms over time and under certain ecological circumstances. This phenomenon provides a unique opportunity to examine cross-species transmission events leading to new lentiviral emergence.

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Activity overlap of carnivores, their potential wild prey, and temporal segregation, with livestock in a Biosphere Reserve in the Chihuahuan Desert

Journal of Mammalogy ◽

10.1093/jmammal/gyaa120 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jessica Durán-Antonio ◽

Alberto González-Romero ◽

Vinicio J Sosa

Keyword(s):

Daily Activity ◽

Chihuahuan Desert ◽

Bos Taurus ◽

Puma Concolor ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Biosphere Reserve ◽

Lynx Rufus ◽

Temporal Segregation ◽

Risk Of Predation ◽

Lepus Californicus

Abstract Daily activity is an important aspect of animal behavior and depends both on nutritional and reproductive demands. It also can be modified by—among other factors—interspecific competition, the need to minimize the risk of predation, and human disturbance, such as the presence of cattle. We studied the activity patterns and degree of overlap among carnivores, their potential wild prey, and livestock, in a Biosphere Reserve in the Chihuahuan Desert. There was no temporal segregation among the carnivores. Carnivores synchronized their activity with that of their main prey, the black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus). In contrast, we did observe temporal segregation between the puma (Puma concolor), coyote (Canis latrans), and bobcat (Lynx rufus), with mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). There was little activity overlap between predators and livestock (Bos taurus, Equus caballus). However, to avoid conflict resulting from livestock predation we suggest increasing and improving surveillance, and that calves and females close to calving be sheltered. More studies on the multi-niche interactions of livestock and their wild predators are needed to understand daily activity overlap in different seasons, and to better understand the mechanisms of coexistence in protected areas in order to make sound management recommendations to cattle growers and park rangers.

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