scholarly journals Appeasing Pheromones for the Management of Stress and Aggression during Conservation of Wild Canids: Could the Solution Be Right under Our Nose?

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1574
Author(s):  
Pia Riddell ◽  
Monique C. J. Paris ◽  
Carolynne J. Joonè ◽  
Patrick Pageat ◽  
Damien B. B. P. Paris
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Management ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Current Conservation ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Behaviour Modification ◽  
Domestic Species ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Wild Canids ◽  
Pack Formation ◽  
Species Specific

Thirty-six species of canid exist globally, two are classified as critically endangered, three as endangered, and five as near threatened. Human expansion and the coinciding habitat fragmentation necessitate conservation interventions to mitigate concurrent population deterioration. The current conservation management of wild canids includes animal translocation and artificial pack formation. These actions often cause chronic stress, leading to increased aggression and the suppression of the immune and reproductive systems. Castration and pharmaceutical treatments are currently used to reduce stress and aggression in domestic and captive canids. The undesirable side effects make such treatments inadvisable during conservation management of wild canids. Pheromones are naturally occurring chemical messages that modulate behaviour between conspecifics; as such, they offer a natural alternative for behaviour modification. Animals are able to distinguish between pheromones of closely related species through small compositional differences but are more likely to have greater responses to pheromones from individuals of the same species. Appeasing pheromones have been found to reduce stress- and aggression-related behaviours in domestic species, including dogs. Preliminary evidence suggests that dog appeasing pheromones (DAP) may be effective in wild canids. However, the identification and testing of species-specific derivatives could produce more pronounced and beneficial behavioural and physiological changes in target species. In turn, this could provide a valuable tool to improve the conservation management of many endangered wild canids.

scholarly journals Understanding potential implications for non-trophic parasite transmission based on vertebrate behavior at mesocarnivore carcass sites

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moisés Gonzálvez ◽  
Carlos Martínez-Carrasco ◽  
Marcos Moleón
Keyword(s):  
Red Fox ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Infection Risk ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Emerging Pathogens ◽  
Domestic Species ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Wild Canids ◽  
Rubbing Behavior ◽  
Trophically Transmitted Parasites

AbstractHigh infection risk is often associated with aggregations of animals around attractive resources. Here, we explore the behavior of potential hosts of non-trophically transmitted parasites at mesocarnivore carcass sites. We used videos recorded by camera traps at 56 red fox (Vulpes vulpes) carcasses and 10 carcasses of other wild carnivore species in three areas of southeastern Spain. Scavenging species, especially wild canids, mustelids and viverrids, showed more frequent rubbing behavior at carcass sites than non-scavenging and domestic species, suggesting that they could be exposed to a higher potential infection risk. The red fox was the species that most frequently contacted carcasses and marked and rubbed carcass sites. Foxes contacted heterospecific carcasses more frequently and earlier than conspecific ones and, when close contact occurred, it was more likely to be observed at heterospecific carcasses. This suggests that foxes avoid contact with the type of carcass and time period that have the greatest risk as a source of parasites. Overall, non-trophic behaviors of higher infection risk were mainly associated with visitor-carcass contact and visitor contact with feces and urine, rather than direct contact between visitors. Moreover, contact events between scavengers and carnivore carcasses were far more frequent than consumption events, which suggests that scavenger behavior is more constrained by the risk of acquiring meat-borne parasites than non-trophically transmitted parasites. This study contributes to filling key gaps in understanding the role of carrion in the landscape of disgust, which may be especially relevant in the current global context of emerging and re-emerging pathogens. Graphical abstract

scholarly journals A Comparative Study of 5S rDNA Non-Transcribed Spacers in Elaeagnaceae Species

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Oleg S. Alexandrov ◽  
Olga V. Razumova ◽  
Gennady I. Karlov
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Molecular Markers ◽  
Dna Markers ◽  
5S Rdna ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Pcr Products ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Shepherdia Canadensis

5S rDNA is organized as a cluster of tandemly repeated monomers that consist of the conservative 120 bp coding part and non-transcribed spacers (NTSs) with different lengths and sequences among different species. The polymorphism in the 5S rDNA NTSs of closely related species is interesting for phylogenetic and evolutional investigations, as well as for the development of molecular markers. In this study, the 5S rDNA NTSs were amplified with universal 5S1/5S2 primers in some species of the Elaeagnaceae Adans. family. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of five Elaeagnus species had similar lengths near 310 bp and were different from Shepherdia canadensis (L.) Nutt. and Sh. argentea (Pusch.) Nutt. samples (260 bp and 215 bp, respectively). The PCR products were cloned and sequenced. An analysis of the sequences revealed that intraspecific levels of NTS identity are high (approximately 95–96%) and similar in the Elaeagnus L. species. In Sh. argentea, this level was slightly lower due to the differences in the poly-T region. Moreover, the intergeneric and intervarietal NTS identity levels were studied and compared. Significant differences between species (except E. multiflora Thunb. and E. umbellata Thunb.) and genera were found. Herein, a range of the NTS features is discussed. This study is another step in the investigation of the molecular evolution of Elaeagnaceae and may be useful for the development of species-specific DNA markers in this family.

scholarly journals Going Wild: Lessons from Naturally Occurring T-Lymphotropic Lentiviruses

2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 728-762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue VandeWoude ◽  
Cristian Apetrei
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Host Immune Responses ◽  
Experimental Systems ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Lentiviral Infections ◽  
Hiv Aids

SUMMARY Over 40 nonhuman primate (NHP) species harbor species-specific simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs). Similarly, more than 20 species of nondomestic felids and African hyenids demonstrate seroreactivity against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antigens. While it has been challenging to study the biological implications of nonfatal infections in natural populations, epidemiologic and clinical studies performed thus far have only rarely detected increased morbidity or impaired fecundity/survival of naturally infected SIV- or FIV-seropositive versus -seronegative animals. Cross-species transmissions of these agents are rare in nature but have been used to develop experimental systems to evaluate mechanisms of pathogenicity and to develop animal models of HIV/AIDS. Given that felids and primates are substantially evolutionarily removed yet demonstrate the same pattern of apparently nonpathogenic lentiviral infections, comparison of the biological behaviors of these viruses can yield important implications for host-lentiviral adaptation which are relevant to human HIV/AIDS infection. This review therefore evaluates similarities in epidemiology, lentiviral genotyping, pathogenicity, host immune responses, and cross-species transmission of FIVs and factors associated with the establishment of lentiviral infections in new species. This comparison of consistent patterns in lentivirus biology will expose new directions for scientific inquiry for understanding the basis for virulence versus avirulence.

scholarly journals Repeated evolution of asymmetric genitalia and right-sided mating behavior in theDrosophila nannopteraspecies group

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Acurio ◽  
Flor T. Rhebergen ◽  
Sarah Paulus ◽  
Virginie Courtier-Orgogozo ◽  
Michael Lang
Keyword(s):  
Related Species ◽  
Current Data ◽  
The Other ◽  
Genital Morphology ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Outgroup Species ◽  
Repeated Evolution ◽  
Drosophila Pachea ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Group Species

AbstractBackgroundMale genitals have repeatedly evolved left-right asymmetries, and the causes of such evolution remain unclear. TheDrosophila nannopteragroup contains four species, among which three exhibit left-right asymmetries of distinct genital organs. In the most studied species,Drosophila pachea, males display asymmetric genital lobes and they mate right-sided on top of the female. Copulation position of the other species is unknown.ResultsTo assess whether the evolution of genital asymmetry could be linked to the evolution of one-sided mating, we examined phallus morphology and copulation position inD. pacheaand closely related species. The phallus was found to be symmetric in all investigated species exceptD. pachea, which display an asymmetric phallus with a right-sided gonopore, andD. acanthoptera, which harbor an asymmetrically bent phallus. In all examined species, males were found to position themselves symmetrically on top of the female, except inD. pacheaandD. nannoptera, where males mated right-sided, in distinctive, species-specific positions. In addition, the copulation duration was found to be increased innannopteragroup species compared to closely related outgroup species.ConclusionOur study shows that gains, and possibly losses, of asymmetry in genital morphology and mating position have evolved repeatedly in thenannopteragroup. Current data does not allow us to conclude whether genital asymmetry has evolved in response to changes in mating position, or vice versa.

scholarly journals Nanopore amplicon sequencing reveals molecular convergence and local adaptation of opsin genes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine M. Eaton ◽  
Moisés A. Bernal ◽  
Nathan J.C. Backenstose ◽  
Trevor J. Krabbenhoft
Keyword(s):  
Local Adaptation ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Parallel Evolution ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Species Flock ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Oxford Nanopore ◽  
Opsin Genes ◽  
Potential Case ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractLocal adaptation can drive diversification of closely related species across environmental gradients and promote convergence of distantly related taxa that experience similar conditions. We examined a potential case of adaptation to novel visual environments in a species flock (Great Lakes salmonids, genus Coregonus) using a new amplicon genotyping protocol on the Oxford Nanopore Flongle. Five visual opsin genes were amplified for individuals of C. artedi, C. hoyi, C. kiyi, and C. zenithicus. Comparisons revealed species-specific differences in the coding sequence of rhodopsin (Tyr261Phe substitution), suggesting local adaptation by C. kiyi to the blue-shifted depths of Lake Superior. Parallel evolution and “toggling” at this amino acid residue has occurred several times across the fish tree of life, resulting in identical changes to the visual systems of distantly related taxa across replicated environmental gradients. Our results suggest that ecological differences and local adaptation to distinct visual environments are strong drivers of both evolutionary parallelism and diversification.

scholarly journals Sex aggregation and species segregation cues in swarming mosquitoes: role of ground visual markers

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Serge B. Poda ◽  
Charles Nignan ◽  
Olivier Gnankiné ◽  
Roch K. Dabiré ◽  
Abdoulaye Diabaté ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Laboratory Setup ◽  
Visual Markers ◽  
Constant Distance ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Marker Size ◽  
Swarm Size ◽  
Species Segregation

Abstract Background Mating swarm segregation in closely related insect species may contribute to reproductive isolation. Visual markers are used for swarm formation; however, it is unknown whether they play a key role in swarm location, species segregation and sex aggregation. Methods Using two sympatric closely related species of the Anopheles gambiae complex, An. coluzzii and An. gambiae (s.s.), we investigated in both laboratory and semi-field conditions (i) whether males of the two species use visual markers (black cloths) to locate their swarm; and (ii) whether the presence/absence and size of the marker may differentially affect swarm characteristics. We also investigated whether conspecific virgin females use these markers to join male swarm sites. Results We showed that males of the two species used visual markers but in different ways: An. coluzzii swarm right above the marker whereas An. gambiae (s.s.) locate their swarm at a constant distance of 76.4 ± 0.6 cm from a 20 × 20 cm marker in the laboratory setup and at 206 ± 6 cm from a 60 × 60 cm marker in the semi-field setup. Although increased marker size recruited more mosquitoes and consequently increased the swarm size in the two species, An. coluzzii swarms flew higher and were stretched both vertically and horizontally, while An. gambiae (s.s.) swarms were only stretched horizontally. Virgin females displayed a swarm-like behavior with similar characteristics to their conspecific males. Conclusions Our results provided experimental evidence that both An. coluzzii and An. gambiae (s.s.) males use ground visual markers to form and locate their swarm at species-specific locations. Moreover, the marker size differentially affected swarm characteristics in the two species. Our results also showed that virgin females displayed a swarm-like behavior. However, these “swarms” could be due to the absence of males in our experimental conditions. Nevertheless, the fact that females displayed these “swarms” with the same characteristics as their respective males provided evidence that visual markers are used by the two sexes to join mating spots. Altogether, this suggests that visual markers and the way species and sexes use them could be key cues in species segregation, swarm location and recognition.

scholarly journals Differentiation in Leaf Physiological Traits Related to Shade and Drought Tolerance Underlies Contrasting Adaptations of Two Cyclobalanopsis (Fagaceae) Species at the Seedling Stage

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ai-Ying Wang ◽  
Guang-You Hao ◽  
Jing-Jing Guo ◽  
Zhi-Hui Liu ◽  
Jiao-Lin Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drought Tolerance ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
High Irradiance ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Physiological Mechanisms ◽  
Full Sunlight ◽  
Leaf Hydraulics ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Distinct Distribution

Adaptation and acclimation of tree seedlings to different combinations of light and water conditions can determine the species-specific patterns of distribution along environmental gradients and the underlying physiological mechanisms are fundamental to the understanding of such patterns. Seedlings of two Cyclobalanopsis species naturally occurring in southwest China, with distinct distribution and regeneration characteristics, were grown under 100%, 50% and 4% sunlight conditions and traits related to shade and drought tolerance were studied. Particularly, we investigated whether leaf hydraulics, photosynthetic traits and their functional coordination play an important role in determining seedling environmental adaptation and acclimation of the two species. Seedlings of C. helferiana showed characteristics adapted to high irradiance while C. rex had traits adapted to partially shaded environments. Cyclobalanopsis helferiana had significantly higher maximum net photosynthetic rate (Amax), light compensation point and light saturation point than C. rex and the contrasts were particularly large when they were grown under full sunlight. Cyclobalanopsis helferiana showed the highest Amax when grown under 100% sunlight, while C. rex exhibited the highest Amax at 50% sunlight. Similarly, under full sunlight conditions C. helferiana showed significantly higher leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) than C. rex, i.e., 13.37 vs. 7.09 mmol m−2 s−1 MPa−1 (p < 0.01). The correlation between Kleaf and Amax followed a unified positive correlation across different light treatments of both species. Moreover, leaves of C. helferiana showed greater resistance to drought-induced hydraulic dysfunction and to desiccation than C. rex. The contrasts in functional traits between the two Cyclobalanopsis species are consistent with the hypothesis that there is a trade-off between shade tolerance and drought tolerance. Findings of the present study contribute to a deeper understanding of mechanisms of divergence between closely related (congeneric) species with respect to key ecophysiology associated with natural regeneration.

scholarly journals Variable Rates of Simple Satellite Gains across the Drosophila Phylogeny

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 925-941 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin H -C Wei ◽  
Sarah E Lower ◽  
Ian V Caldas ◽  
Trevor J S Sless ◽  
Daniel A Barbash ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Dynamics ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Single Mutation ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Limited Sampling ◽  
Drosophila Phylogeny ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Turn Over

Abstract Simple satellites are tandemly repeating short DNA motifs that can span megabases in eukaryotic genomes. Because they can cause genomic instability through nonallelic homologous exchange, they are primarily found in the repressive heterochromatin near centromeres and telomeres where recombination is minimal, and on the Y chromosome, where they accumulate as the chromosome degenerates. Interestingly, the types and abundances of simple satellites often vary dramatically between closely related species, suggesting that they turn over rapidly. However, limited sampling has prevented detailed understanding of their evolutionary dynamics. Here, we characterize simple satellites from whole-genome sequences generated from males and females of nine Drosophila species, spanning 40 Ma of evolution. We show that PCR-free library preparation and postsequencing GC-correction better capture satellite quantities than conventional methods. We find that over half of the 207 simple satellites identified are species-specific, consistent with previous descriptions of their rapid evolution. Based on a maximum parsimony framework, we determined that most interspecific differences are due to lineage-specific gains. Simple satellites gained within a species are typically a single mutation away from abundant existing satellites, suggesting that they likely emerge from existing satellites, especially in the genomes of satellite-rich species. Interestingly, unlike most of the other lineages which experience various degrees of gains, the lineage leading up to the satellite-poor D. pseudoobscura and D. persimilis appears to be recalcitrant to gains, providing a counterpoint to the notion that simple satellites are universally rapidly evolving.

Carbo-loading in Coccidioides spp.: a quantitative analysis of CAZyme abundance and resulting glycan populations

Glycobiology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie M Mitchell ◽  
Thomas E Grys ◽  
Douglas F Lake
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
American Southwest ◽  
Carbohydrate Active Enzymes ◽  
Diagnostic Approaches ◽  
Fungal Genomes ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Fungal Kingdom

Abstract Coccidioides spp. are important pneumonia-causing pathogens of the American southwest, but little is known about their glycobiology and how their glycosylations differ from other pneumonia-causing fungi. There is mounting preliminary evidence to suggest genus or even species-specific glycosylations in the fungal kingdom due to the presence of unique Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes) in fungal genomes (Deshpande and others 2008; Karkowska-Kuleta and Kozik 2015). If Coccidioides spp.-specific glycans can be identified, it may be possible to exploit these differences to develop more specific diagnostic approaches and more effective therapeutics. Herein we i) mined Coccidioides spp. and other pathogenic fungal genomes to identify CAZymes specific for Coccidiodes spp., ii) proteomically determined the Coccidioides spp. “CAZome” produced in vivo and in vitro, and iii) utilized glycomics to differentiate Coccidioides genus-specific N-glycans from other pathogenic fungi. As far as we are aware, this is the first proteomic and glycomic comparison of the N-glycomes and CAZomes of different fungal genera during infection in human hosts.

Acute olfactory sensitivity to prostaglandins but not to gonadal steroids in two sympatric species of Catostomus (Pisces: Cypriniformes)

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 1897-1903 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Cardwell ◽  
J. G. Dulka ◽  
N. E. Stacey
Keyword(s):  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Gonadal Steroids ◽  
Electrophysiological Recording ◽  
Olfactory Sensitivity ◽  
Complex Issue ◽  
Olfactory Responses ◽  
Prostaglandin F ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Longnose Sucker

The discovery that released hormones (steroids and prostaglandins) and their metabolites function as potent pheromones in some fishes provides an opportunity to determine whether these chemically identified pheromones are species specific. As a first step in studying this complex issue, we used an extracellular electrophysiological recording technique (electro-olfactogram) to investigate the olfactory sensitivity of two sympatrically spawning catostomid species (white sucker, Catostomus commersoni, and longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus; Cypriniformes: Catostomidae) to steroids and prostaglandins that might function as sex pheromones. Both species were acutely sensitive to F-series prostaglandins, particularly prostaglandin-F2α and its metabolite 15-ketoprostaglandin-F2α, but exhibited no olfactory responses to free or conjugated gonadal steroids. The data from tests of olfactory sensitivity to a range of gonadal steroids, though negative, provide preliminary evidence that maturational steroid hormones do not function as pheromones in catostomids as they do in other cypriniform fishes. We were unable to detect species differences in receptor-level olfactory sensitivity to hormones or hormone metabolites, although we cannot discount possible differences at other levels of the olfactory system.

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