Abundance, diversity and daily activity of terrestrial mammal and bird species in disturbed and undisturbed limestone habitats using camera trapping, Central Thailand

Pla-ard M, Hoonheang W, Kaewdee B, Panganta T, Charaspet K, Khoiesri N, Paansri P, Kanka P, Chanachai Y, Thongbanthum J, Bangthong P, Sukmasuang R. 2021. Abundance, diversity and daily activity of terrestrial mammal and bird species in disturbed and undisturbed limestone habitats using camera trapping, Central Thailand. Biodiversitas 22: 3620-3631. This study on the abundance, diversity and daily activity of terrestrial mammal and bird species was conducted in the limestone mountainous area of Central Thailand, located on the east of Dong Phaya Yen-Khao Yai forest complex. Camera traps were placed in both habitats disturbed by limestone mining and undisturbed habitat areas. From the study, a total of 38 species of mammals and birds from 27 families in 13 orders were recorded, including 15 species of mammals from 6 orders, 12 families and 23 species of birds from 14 families in 7 orders. Fifteen species of mammals were recorded in the undisturbed area and 11 were recorded in the disturbed area, with the Malayan Pangolin, Small Indian Civet and Grey-bellied Squirrel found in the undisturbed area. However, the number of bird species in the limestone mining area was larger than in the undisturbed area. It was also found that there was no difference in the overall abundance and diversity of mammalian species between disturbed and undisturbed areas, which is not in accordance with the hypothesis. But in the case of wild birds, the relative abundance of wild birds was found to differ significantly between areas. A high number was found in the areas with mining activities, although there was no difference in the diversity index of the two areas. However, it was found that when the combined data was analyzed, there was a significant difference in the daily activity of both mammals and wild birds in both areas. Many rare wildlife species were recorded during this study, for example, the Malayan Pangolin, Serow, Northern Pig-tailed Macaque, Rufous Limestone-babbler, Golden Jackal, Leopard Cat, Large-toothed Ferret Badger, Small Asian Mongoose, Common Palm Civet, Small Indian Civet, Malayan Porcupine. The key measure proposed is to preserve some natural habitats within the areas with mining activities, as wildlife remains in the area.

Diversity and activity patterns of medium- and large-sized terrestrial mammals at the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, México

Studies on diversity of animal communities allow determination of their species richness and composition. This information is particularly relevant to establish sound conservation programs in biosphere reserves, where human activities should be focused on the sustainable use of natural resources and ensure biodiversity protection. This study estimated the diversity and species richness and determined the species composition and activity patterns of medium- and large-sized terrestrial mammals in the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve (LTBR) located in Veracruz, Mexico. We set 18 camera traps to record medium and large-sized terrestrial mammals from August 2016 to January 2017. We calculated the trapping rate, guilds, and activity patterns of species. Diversity was estimated with Hill numbers. We compared our estimates with other studies in tropical forest in Mexico. We obtained 308 independent captures of 13 species; Cuniculus paca and Dasyprocta mexicana were the species with the highest trapping rate. Order-0, order-1, and order-2 diversity values were 13.99, 6.50, and 4.75 effective species, respectively, which ranks LTBR the fourth-most diverse reserve of medium- and large-sized terrestrial mammals compared to six other tropical rainforest sites in southern Mexico. We recorded mammals representing five trophic guilds, of which frugivore-folivores (five species) and omnivores (three species) ranked highest. All recorded species were primarily nocturnal (six species) or diurnal (six species). Tamandua mexicana, Leopardus pardalis, L. wiedii, and Eira barbara are listed as endangered in the Mexican Official Standard Norm NOM-059-2019, and L. wiedii is listed as near threatened in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. We were able to record 40.6 % of the terrestrial mammal species known to inhabit the LTBR. The absence of large-sized species such as large predators and herbivores was notable. Comparison of medium and large-sized mammal diversity of camera trapping studies in Mexico show that landscape degradation is impoverishing terrestrial mammal communities.

Unique Short-Faced Miocene Seal Discovered in Grytsiv (Ukraine)

Numerous Miocene terrestrial mammal fossils have been discovered at the Grytsiv locality of Ukraine, but this is the first record of a fossil marine mammal at this site. Morphological analysis of the rostral portion of this middle-late Miocene (12.3–11.8 Ma) partial skull suggests that it belongs to the subfamily Phocinae. The small size and cranial morphology of this partial skull is compared with recent and fossil representatives of the extant subfamily Phocinae and the extinct subfamily Devinophocinae. Extinct and modern representatives of the extant subfamilies Cystophorinae and Monachinae were not incorporated in this study due to their extremely large size in comparison to this new find. This newly described skull belonged to a small-sized seal (likely similar in size to the modern sea otter based on the width of the rostrum) with an extremely short rostrum and several other diagnostic characters that differ from all other fossil and extant phocines. Due to the lack of preservation and fragility of fossil seal skulls, less than 20 have been described so far. This new skull is yet another example of an ancestral seal, supporting the suggestion that modern seals have become larger over their evolutionary history. Overall, any cranial information on fossil true seals is extremely important since it allows resolving contentious phylogenetic relationships between extinct and extant representatives of this group.