Aggresive behavior of pregnant females of Akodon azarae: a strategy to reduce infanticide risk of their youngs next to be born?

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Infanticide by males is an adaptive behavioral strategy to improve the reproductive success of the perpetrator by increasing their chances to reproduce with the victim female by shortening the inter-birth interval. Thus, females are expected to evolve different counterstrategies towards infanticide by males. We study nest site defense, or future offspring protection, through the direct attack of pregnant females close to give birth against potentially infanticidal males in the Pampean grassland mouse (Akodon azarae). We experimentally test the prediction that pregnant females are more aggressive against unfamiliar intruder males than non-pregnant females, and that the intensity of this aggressive response is independent of females residence durations in their home territory. We conducted 46 behavioral trials between resident females (pregnant or non-pregnant) and unfamiliar intruder males, considering different residence durations of females in their own individual enclosure (48 and 72 hours). We found that pregnant females were always more aggressive than non-pregnant females, independently of residence duration. Our research provides evidence that aggressive behavior of future mothers of A. azarae to defend the nest site would reduce infanticide risk of their young next to be born; keeping away potential infanticidal males could reduce the greater cost of avoiding infanticide of their vulnerable offspring (i.e., when they become lactating females). In this way, even though aggression is risky, it would be advantageous for pregnant females to use aggression even when there are not yet any pups to protect.


Comportamiento agresivo de las hembras preñadas de Akodon azarae: ¿una estrategia para reducir el riesgo de infanticidio de sus crías próximas a nacer? El infanticidio por parte de machos es una estrategia adaptativa que incrementa el éxito reproductivo del agresor al aumentar sus posibilidades de reproducirse prontamente con la víctima. Así, se espera que en las hembras evolucionen contraestrategias hacia el infanticidio por parte de machos. Nosotros estudiamos la defensa de nidos, o protección de futuras crías, a través de la agresión de hembras preñadas, próximas a parir, hacia machos potencialmente infanticidas en el ratón de pastizal pampeano (Akodon azarae). Probamos experimentalmente la predicción que las hembras preñadas son más agresivas hacia los machos intrusos que las no preñadas, y que la intensidad de esta respuesta agresiva es independiente del tiempo de residencia de las hembras en sus clausuras individuales. Realizamos 46 enfrentamientos comportamentales entre hembras residentes (preñadas y no preñadas) y machos intrusos desconocidos, considerando el tiempo de residencia de las hembras (48 y 72 horas). Independientemente de la duración de la residencia de las hembras, las preñadas siempre fueron más agresivas que las no preñadas. Nuestra investigación proporciona evidencia de que el comportamiento agresivo de las futuras madres de A. azarae para defender el sitio del nido reduciría el riesgo de infanticidio de sus crías próximas a nacer; mantener alejados a potenciales machos infanticidas podría reducir el mayor costo de evitar el infanticidio de sus crías vulnerables (es decir, cuando son lactantes). De esta manera, aunque la agresión es riesgosa, sería ventajoso para las futuras madres usar la agresión incluso cuando todavía no hay crías para proteger.

Skull morphology in herbivorous mammals: macropodids (Metatheria, Diprotodontia, Macropodidae) and caviids (Eutheria, Rodentia, Hystricomorpha) as a comparative study case

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Quantification of morphological diversity among herbivorous mammals and comparisons between herbivorous marsupials and placentals are scarce. In this report we compared morphological variation of the skull and mandible in three representatives of caviid rodents and three species of macropodid marsupials, whose size is comparable, using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics. We applied two levels of comparison, one pointed to a placental-marsupial dichotomy and another pointed to the intra-variation in each group. We also performed an analysis of modularity based on a likelihood approach in order to evaluate different modularity models and analyzing the intra- and inter-module correlation (i.e., morphological integration). Beyond strong morphological differences that split caviids and macropodids along the first axes of the morphospaces of the cranium and mandible, they shared similar allometric shape changes, including the enlargement of muscular attachment areas and lengthening of the diastema. In both clades, the largest value of inter-module correlation (as a measure of modular integration) was found for the oral-nasal and orbit modules. We reported relatively low values of within-module correlation for the oral-nasal and molar modules in macropodids while the opposite was recorded for caviids. Beyond the great differences in cranial structure, one of the factors that influence the patterns of morphological variation and differential integration was the processing of plant matter which seems to induce strong structural changes in both clades, in which the efficiency of the masticatory apparatus is resolved in a similar way.


Morfología cráneo-mandibular en mamíferos herbívoros: macropódidos (Metatheria, Diprotodontia, Macropodidae) y cávidos (Eutheria, Rodentia, Hystricomorpha) como un caso de estudio. La cuantificación de la diversidad morfológica entre mamíferos herbívoros y las comparaciones entre herbívoros marsupiales y placentarios son escasas. En este reporte comparamos la variación morfológica del cráneo y mandíbula en representantes de roedores cávidos y marsupiales macropódidos mediante técnicas de morfometría geométrica en 3D. Aplicamos dos niveles de comparación: uno apuntando a una dicotomía placentario-marsupial y el otro a la variación interna en cada grupo. También realizamos un análisis de modularidad basado en un enfoque de verosimilitud para evaluar diferentes modelos y analizar la correlación intra- e inter-módulo (integración morfológica). Cávidos y macropódidos se separaron en los espacios de forma del cráneo y mandíbula, particularmente sobre el primer eje, mientras que se distribuyeron a lo largo del segundo eje principalmente de acuerdo con la variación de tamaño. Los cambios de forma vinculados al tamaño estuvieron relacionados con la ampliación de las áreas de fijación muscular y el alargamiento del diastema. Los módulos oral-nasal y orbital mostraron los valores más altos de correlación tanto en macropódidos como en cávidos. Se obtuvieron valores de correlación intra-módulo relativamente bajos para los módulos oral-nasal y molar en macropódidos, mientras que se registró lo contrario para los cávidos. Más allá de las grandes diferencias en la estructura craneana, uno de los factores que influye en los patrones de variación morfológica e integración diferencial es el procesamiento de materia vegetal que parece inducir fuertes cambios estructurales que en ambos clados, en los que la eficiencia del aparato masticatorio se resuelve de manera similar.

Invasion by Canis lupus familiaris (Carnivora) in a protected area in the Atlantic forest biome, Brazil: spatial distribution and abundance

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Most information available regarding domestic dogs in natural reserves comes from developed countries, particularly North America and Europe, where dogs are usually well managed and cared for. Conversely, in developing country reserves information about dogs are comparatively scarce, particularly in terms of their interactions with local wildlife and their management, despite their high abundance and widespread distribution. We aimed to characterize domestic dog spatial distribution using occupancy modelling and estimate abundance in the Mata das Flores State Park (MFSP). We collected data from January to May 2017. We divided the survey into two sampling protocols: (1) interviews and active search on trails and roads in the region and (2) sand plots to detect the presence of dogs in the MFSP. We recorded a total of 132 individually identified domestic dogs between interviews with surrounding residents and records through active search. We recorded an average of 2 ± 1 dogs per household interviewed. Of this total, we recorded 89 individuals inside the MFSP, through 213 detections in the five months of sampling. Both the spatial distribution map and occupancy models for the species indicated a higher occurrence in the side of the park faced to the urbanized area of Castelo municipality, totaling about 53% of the records. We also obtained a high number of records in the areas near the road that intercepts the park, with about 36% of the records. The remaining 11% of the records occurred in areas close to human settlements around the park. Our results of abundance and spatial distribution together with occupancy modeling could serve to assist conservation planning and management in the MFSP.


Invasão por Canis lupus familiaris (Carnivora) em uma área protegida na Mata Atlântica, Brasil: distribuição espacial e abundância. A maior parte das informações disponíveis relacionadas a presença do cachorro doméstico em reservas naturais são provenientes de países desenvolvidos, particularmente América do Norte e Europa, onde essa espécie geralmente é bem manejada e controlada. Por outro lado, nas reservas localizadas nos países em desenvolvimento o conhecimento sobre essa espécie doméstica é escasso, particularmente em termos das suas interações com a fauna nativa local e seu manejo. Nós objetivamos caracterizar a distribuição espacial do cachorro doméstico utilizando a modelagem de ocupação e estimar a abundância da espécie no Parque Estadual Mata das Flores (PEMF). Nós coletamos dados de janeiro a maio de 2017. Nós dividimos a amostragem em dois protocolos de amostragem: (1) entrevistas e busca ativa em trilhas e estradas da região do parque e (2) parcelas de areia para detectar a presença do cachorro doméstico no PEMF. Nós registramos um total de 132 cães domésticos identificados individualmente entre entrevistas com moradores e registros ao redor através de busca ativa. Registramos uma média de 2 ± 1 cães por domicílio entrevistado. Desse total, registramos 89 indivíduos dentro do PEMF, através de 213 detecções nos cinco meses de amostragem. Tanto o mapa de distribuição espacial quanto os modelos de ocupação da espécie, indicaram uma maior ocorrência no lado do parque voltado para a área urbanizada do município de Castelo, totalizando cerca de 53% dos registros. Também obtivemos um alto número de registros nas áreas próximas à estrada que intercepta o parque, com cerca de 36% dos registros. Os 11% restantes dos registros ocorreram em áreas próximas a assentamentos humanos ao redor do parque. Nossos resultados de abundância e distribuição espacial, juntamente com a modelagem de ocupação, poderiam servir para auxiliar o planejamento e a gestão da conservação no PEMF.

Mamíferos de mediano y gran porte en corredores boscosos del pedemonte de yungas del noroeste argentino

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La transformación del ambiente natural constituye la principal amenaza para la conservación de muchas de las especies de mamíferos. La agricultura ha reducido la conectividad del piedemonte de Yungas con el Chaco, limitándola a corredores de hábitats naturales modificados que atraviesan una matriz de zonas transformadas. Mediante relevamientos con cámaras trampa, identificamos las especies medianas y grandes de mamíferos que utilizan corredores boscosos en dos sectores latitudinales del piedemonte de Yungas de Argentina. Estudiamos la diversidad de especies, la influencia de la distancia a través del corredor hasta el bosque continuo sobre la riqueza, cuantificamos similitudes en la composición y estructura de las comunidades entre ambas situaciones ambientales y evaluamos si los corredores constituyen zonas de paso o si los mamíferos establecen sus áreas de acción en los mismos. Registramos 22 especies en los corredores. Solo seis taxones registrados en bosque continuo no fueron documentados en los corredores, y tres fueron fotografiados solo en corredores. Para ambos sectores latitudinales, la equitatividad fue levemente mayor en corredores (aunque las diferencias fueron significativas solo en el sector norte), mientras que la riqueza de especies mostró tendencias opuestas entre sectores latitudinales, siendo mayor en el bosque del sector norte pero menor en el bosque del sector sur (aunque las diferencias no fueron significativas en ningún caso). No encontramos una influencia de la distancia al bosque continuo sobre la riqueza de mamíferos, ni diferencias importantes en la composición y estructura de las comunidades de ambas situaciones ambientales. En el norte, Dasyprocta punctata fue más frecuente en bosques continuos, mientras que Mazama gouazoubira y Leopardus pardalis prefirieron los corredores. En el sur, Leopardus pardalis y Pecari tajacu fueron más frecuentes en bosque continuo, mientras que Didelphis albiventris y las especies omnívoras utilizaron más los corredores. No encontramos diferencias significativas entre especies generalistas y especialistas en el uso de estos hábitats. Nuestro trabajo constituye la primera aproximación a esta temática en la región de las Yungas, aportando información relevante para el establecimiento de políticas de conservación.


Medium and large sized mammals in forested corridors of the yungas’ piedmont of northwestern Argentina. The transformation of the natural environment constitutes the main threat for the conservation of many mammal species. Agriculture has reduced the contact area of the Yungas piedmont forests with the Chaco region to corridors of modified natural habitats which cross the matrix of transformed areas. With camera traps surveys, we identified medium and large sized mammal species that use forested corridors in two latitudinal sectors of the Yungas piedmont forests in Argentina. We studied species diversity, the influence of the distance along the corridor to the continuous forest on species richness, and we evaluated whether the corridors are areas with established populations of these mammals. We recorded 22 species in the corridors. Only six species registered in the continuous forest were not recorded in the corridors, and three were only photographed in the corridors. For both latitudinal sectors, equitability was slightly higher in corridors (although differences only were significant in the northern sector) while species richness was different between latitudinal sectors, higher in the forest of the northern sector, but lower in the forest of the southern sector (although the differences were not significant in any case). We did not find any influence of the distance to the continuous forest on the richness of mammal species nor important differences in the composition and structure of the communities of both environmental situations. In the northern portion, Dasyprocta punctata was more frequently recorded in the continuous forest, whereas Mazama gouazoubira and Leopardus pardalis were more frequently recorded in the corridors. In the southern one, Leopardus pardalis and Pecari tajacu were more frequently recorded in the continuous forest, while Didelphis albiventris and the omnivore species more in the corridors. We did not find significant differences in the use of these habitats between the generalist and specialist species. This is the first study on this topic in the Yungas of Argentina, providing relevant information for the establishment of conservation policies.