didelphis virginiana
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PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12574
Author(s):  
Peter J. Bishop ◽  
Mark A. Wright ◽  
Stephanie E. Pierce

Skeletal muscle mass, architecture and force-generating capacity are well known to scale with body size in animals, both throughout ontogeny and across species. Investigations of limb muscle scaling in terrestrial amniotes typically focus on individual muscles within select clades, but here this question was examined at the level of the whole limb across amniotes generally. In particular, the present study explored how muscle mass, force-generating capacity (measured by physiological cross-sectional area) and internal architecture (fascicle length) scales in the fore- and hindlimbs of extant mammals, non-avian saurians (‘reptiles’) and bipeds (birds and humans). Sixty species spanning almost five orders of magnitude in body mass were investigated, comprising previously published architectural data and new data obtained via dissections of the opossum Didelphis virginiana and the tegu lizard Salvator merianae. Phylogenetic generalized least squares was used to determine allometric scaling slopes (exponents) and intercepts, to assess whether patterns previously reported for individual muscles or functional groups were retained at the level of the whole limb, and to test whether mammals, reptiles and bipeds followed different allometric trajectories. In general, patterns of scaling observed in individual muscles were also observed in the whole limb. Reptiles generally have proportionately lower muscle mass and force-generating capacity compared to mammals, especially at larger body size, and bipeds exhibit strong to extreme positive allometry in the distal hindlimb. Remarkably, when muscle mass was accounted for in analyses of muscle force-generating capacity, reptiles, mammals and bipeds almost ubiquitously followed a single common scaling pattern, implying that differences in whole-limb force-generating capacity are principally driven by differences in muscle mass, not internal architecture. In addition to providing a novel perspective on skeletal muscle allometry in animals, the new dataset assembled was used to generate pan-amniote statistical relationships that can be used to predict muscle mass or force-generating capacity in extinct amniotes, helping to inform future reconstructions of musculoskeletal function in the fossil record.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 151-155
Author(s):  
Yury Glebskiy ◽  
Roxana Acosta-Gutiérrez ◽  
Zenón Cano-Santana

El tlacuache de Virginia (Didelphis virginiana) es hospedero para una variedad de pulgas que pueden ser importantes vectores para la transmisión de enfermedades, incluyendo zoonosis; por lo tanto, es importante generar conocimiento sobre las pulgas que parasitan a este animal.  En este trabajo, presentamos la lista de pulgas que parasitan a los tlacuaches, con la adición de una especie que no ha sido registrada previamente en D. virginiana, ni en otros marsupiales.  Colectamos pulgas de tlacuaches de Virginia en el área urbana de la Ciudad de México, México, y también realizamos una búsqueda bibliográfica para determinar las especies de pulgas reportadas previamente.  Encontramos registros de 26 especies de pulgas en los tlacuaches y añadimos a esta lista la especie de pulga Plusaetis sibynus.  Plusaetis sibynus es una pulga común en roedores (principalmente Peromyscus y Neotoma), por lo que representa un vector potencial para la transmisión de enfermedades de estos roedores a los tlacuaches, y posteriormente a las poblaciones humanas.  Se requieren más estudios para determinar el papel de esta pulga como vector de enfermedades zoonóticas.


Author(s):  
Yury Glebskiy ◽  
Zenón Cano-Santana

The choice of methods for trapping animals can greatly affect the studies and their results, despite that there are relatively few studies on the matter. Thus, the purpose of this study is to compare two common methods of live trapping (Tomahawk traps and pitfall traps), their efficiency and ethical implications for trapping Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana). Traps were located in a paired design, the trapped animals were checked for sex, injuries caused by the trap and stress level, then marked and released in the same spot. At the same time, costs of both trap types were compared. Tomahawk traps were 60 % more efficient to trap opossums but the pitfall traps had better results in all the other categories: were more cost-effective, did not injure the animals as often and were less stressful. Neither type of trap presented bias in sex proportion or number of recaptured animals. In general, both types of traps resulted to be effective, the pitfall trap was the better option in almost all of the categories but has the disadvantage that in the infrequent event of two males being caught on in the same trap, they are likely to fight.


PubVet ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Gislaine Gazeta de Jesus ◽  
Regina de Cássia Veronezi

Mieloencefalite Protozoária Equina é considerada uma doença neurológia de importância onde o protozoário causador da doença é o Sarcocystis neurona e é transmitido aos equinos pela via oro-fecal por dejetos dos hospedeiros definitivos, os gambás (Didelphis virginiana e Didelphis albiventris). A doença causa quadro neurológico nos equinos devido à ação direta do parasita no tecido nervoso, causando resposta inflamatória secundária e sinais clínicos como atrofia muscular assimétrica, fraqueza muscular, incoordenação motora decorrente da diminuição da propriocepção. Os sinais da doença podem variar, pois vai depender da localização da lesão (cérebro, cerebelo ou ainda medula espinhal). Foram atendidos pelo Hospital Veterinário da Universidade de Mato Grosso, dois equinos portadores da doença. O tratamento de escolha foi realizado por meio de toltrazuril, sulfa/trimetoprim, anti-inflamatórios não esteroidais, tiocolchicosido e vitamina E e selênio. Contudo, a melhor forma de prevenção é evitar a contaminação do alimento pelo hospedeiro definitivo.


Mammalia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph Eric Thijl Vanstreels ◽  
Caroline Reis Araújo ◽  
Renata Hurtado ◽  
Renata C. C. Bhering

Abstract Albinism has been sporadically recorded in Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) in the United States and Mexico, but records of pigmentation disorders in other Didelphis spp. are rare. The Brazilian common opossum (Didelphis aurita) is a cat-sized nocturnal omnivorous marsupial that inhabits Atlantic and Araucaria forests in South America. A litter of five young Brazilian common opossums was rescued at Espírito Santo state, southeast Brazil, of which two were albinos (one male, one female) and the remaining had normal pigmentation (three males). The two albinos had a complete lack of integumentary and retinal pigmentation, representing the first recorded cases of albinism in this species (and the first record in a Didelphis sp. other than the Virginia opossum).


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gereon Schares ◽  
Maike Joeres ◽  
Franziska Rachel ◽  
Mareen Tuschy ◽  
Gábor Á. Czirják ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Besnoitia darlingi, B. neotomofelis and B. oryctofelisi are closely related coccidian parasites with felids as definitive hosts. These parasites use a variety of animal species as intermediate hosts. North American opossums (Didelphis virginiana), North American southern plains woodrats (Neotoma micropus) and South American domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are intermediate hosts of B. darlingi, B. neotomofelis and B. oryctofelisi, respectively. Based on conserved regions in the internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS1) sequence of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA), a real-time PCR for a sensitive detection of these Besnoitia spp. in tissues of intermediate hosts and faeces of definitive hosts has recently been established. Available sequence data suggest that species such as B. akodoni and B. jellisoni are also covered by this real-time PCR. It has been hypothesised that additional Besnoitia spp. exist worldwide that are closely related to B. darlingi or B. darlingi-like parasites (B. neotomofelis, B. oryctofelisi, B. akodoni or B. jellisoni). Also related, but not as closely, is B. besnoiti, the cause of bovine besnoitiosis. Methods Faecal samples from two free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia that had previously tested positive for coccidian parasites by coproscopy were used for this study. A conventional PCR verified the presence of coccidian parasite DNA. To clarify the identity of these coccidia, the faecal DNA samples were further characterised by species-specific PCRs and Sanger sequencing. Results One of the samples tested positive for B. darlingi or B. darlingi-like parasites by real-time PCR, while no other coccidian parasites, including Toxoplasma gondii, Hammondia hammondi, H. heydorni, B. besnoiti and Neospora caninum, were detected in the two samples. The rDNA of the B. darlingi-like parasite was amplified and partially sequenced. Comparison with existing sequences in GenBank revealed a close relationship to other Besnoitia spp., but also showed clear divergences. Conclusions Our results suggest that a so far unknown Besnoitia species exists in Namibian wildlife, which is closely related to B. darlingi, B. neotomofelis, B. oryctofelisi, B. akodoni or B. jellisoni. The cheetah appears to be the definitive host of this newly discovered parasite, while prey species of the cheetah may act as intermediate hosts.


PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11083
Author(s):  
Jordan T. Rodriguez ◽  
Damon B. Lesmeister ◽  
Taal Levi

Mesocarnivores fill a vital role in ecosystems through effects on community health and structure. Anthropogenic-altered landscapes can benefit some species and adversely affect others. For some carnivores, prey availability increases with urbanization, but landscape use can be complicated by interactions among carnivores as well as differing human tolerance of some species. We used camera traps to survey along a gradient of urban, rural, and forest cover to quantify how carnivore landscape use varies among guild members and determine if a species was a human exploiter, adapter, or avoider. Our study was conducted in and around Corvallis, Oregon from April 2018 to February 2019 (11,914 trap nights) using 47 camera trap locations on a gradient from urban to rural. Our focal species were bobcat (Lynx rufus), coyote (Canis latrans), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), opossum (Didelphis virginiana), raccoon (Procyon lotor), and striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis). Raccoon and opossum were human exploiters with low use of forest cover and positive association with urban and rural developed areas likely due to human-derived resources as well as some refugia from larger predators. Coyote and gray fox were human adapters with high use of natural habitats while the effects of urbanization ranged from weak to indiscernible. Bobcat and striped skunk appeared to be human avoiders with negative relationship with urban cover and higher landscape use of forest cover. We conducted a diel temporal activity analysis and found mostly nocturnal activity within the guild, but more diurnal activity by larger-bodied predators compared to the smaller species. Although these species coexist as a community in human-dominated landscapes throughout much of North America, the effects of urbanization were not equal across species. Our results, especially for gray fox and striped skunk, are counter to research in other regions, suggesting that mesopredator use of urbanized landscapes can vary depending on the environmental conditions of the study area and management actions are likely to be most effective when decisions are based on locally derived data.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gereon Schares ◽  
Maike Joeres ◽  
Franziska Rachel ◽  
Mareen Tuschy ◽  
Gábor Á. Czirják ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Besnoitia darlingi, B. neotomofelis and B. oryctofelisi are closely related coccidian parasites with felids as definitive hosts. These parasites use a variety of animal species as intermediate hosts. North American opossums (Didelphis virginiana), North American southern plains woodrats (Neotoma micropus) and South American domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are intermediate hosts of B. darlingi, B. neotomofelis and B. oryctofelisi, respectively. Based on conserved regions in the Internal Transcribed Spacer-1 (ITS-1) sequence of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA), a real-time PCR for a sensitive detection of these Besnoitia spp. in tissues of intermediate hosts and faeces of definitive hosts has recently been established. Available sequence data suggest that species such as B. akodoni and B. jellisoni are also covered by this real-time PCR. It has been hypothesised that additional Besnoitia spp. exist worldwide, which are closely related to B. darlingi or B. darlingi-like parasites (B. neotomofelis, B. oryctofelisi, B. akodoni or B. jellisoni). Related but not closely related to these species is B. besnoiti, the cause of bovine besnoitiosis.Methods: Faecal samples from two free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia that had previously tested positive for coccidian parasites by coproscopy, were used for this study. A conventional PCR verified the presence of coccidian parasite DNA. To clarify the identity of these coccidia, the faecal DNA samples were further characterised by species-specific PCRs and Sanger sequencing.Results: One of the samples tested positive for B. darlingi or B. darlingi-like parasites by real-time PCR, while no other coccidian parasites including Toxoplasma gondii, Hammondia hammondi, H. heydorni, B. besnoiti, and Neospora caninum were detected in the two samples. The rDNA of the B. darlingi-like parasite was amplified and partially sequenced. Comparison with existing sequences in GenBank revealed a close relationship to other Besnoitia spp., but showed also clear divergences. Conclusions: Our results suggest that a so far unknown Besnoitia species exists in Namibian wildlife, which is closely related to B. darlingi, B. neotomofelis, B. oryctofelisi, B. akodoni or B. jellisoni. The cheetah appears to be the definitive host of this newly discovered parasite, while a prey species of the cheetah may act as intermediate hosts.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alec T. Thompson ◽  
Seth A. White ◽  
David Shaw ◽  
Kayla B. Garrett ◽  
Seth T. Wyckoff ◽  
...  

AbstractUnderstanding the abiotic and biotic variables affecting tick populations is essential for studying the biology and health risks associated with vector species. We conducted a study on the phenology of exotic Haemaphysalis longicornis (Asian longhorned tick) at a site in Albemarle County, Virginia. We assessed the importance of available wildlife hosts, habitats, and microclimate variables such as temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed on this exotic tick’s presence and abundance. In addition, we determined the prevalence of selected tick-borne pathogens potentially transmitted by H. longicornis. We determined that the seasonal activity of H. longicornis was slightly different from previous studies in the northeastern United States. We observed nymphal ticks persist year-round but were most active in the spring, followed by a peak in adult activity in the summer and larval activity in the fall seasons. We also observed a lower probability of detecting H. longicornis in field habitats and the summer months. In addition, we detected H. longicornis on several wildlife hosts, including coyote (Canis latrans), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), raccoon (Procyon lotor), Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), woodchuck (Marmota monax), and a Peromyscus sp. This is the first detection of this tick on a rodent host important to the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens of humans and animals. Finally, we continued to detect the exotic piroplasm parasite, Theileria orientalis Ikeda, in H. longicornis as well as other pathogens, including Rickettsia felis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum (AP-1), and a Hepatozoon sp. previously characterized in Amblyomma americanum. These represent some of the first detections of arthropod-borne pathogens native to the United States in host-seeking H. longicornis. These data increase our understanding of H. longicornis biology in the United States and provide valuable information into the future health risks associated with this tick and pathogens.


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