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Figure 8 in Life History of Western Ghats endemic and threatened Anuran - Matheran leaping frog, (Indirana leithii) with notes on its feeding preferences

Figure 8. Grey-coloured eggs showing white yolk plug, i.e. Stage 11.

Figure 5 in Life History of Western Ghats endemic and threatened Anuran - Matheran leaping frog, (Indirana leithii) with notes on its feeding preferences

Figure 5. Inguinal amplexus in Indirana leithii with multiple males around.

Figure 4 in Life History of Western Ghats endemic and threatened Anuran - Matheran leaping frog, (Indirana leithii) with notes on its feeding preferences

Figure 4. External morphology of oral apparatus of Indirana leithii tadpole.

Figure 9 in Life History of Western Ghats endemic and threatened Anuran - Matheran leaping frog, (Indirana leithii) with notes on its feeding preferences

Figure 9. Hatchlings of Indirana leithii i.e. Stage 25 (live).

Figure 3 in Life History of Western Ghats endemic and threatened Anuran - Matheran leaping frog, (Indirana leithii) with notes on its feeding preferences

Figure 3. Femoral glands in (a) Indirana leithii and (b) Indirana chiravasi.

opencc-zeroNov 2021View details →

Can evolutionary theories of dispersal and senescence predict postrelease survival, dispersal, and body condition of a reintroduced threatened mammal?

<ol> <li>Theories of dispersal and senescence (or ageing) predict that dispersal, and ongoing survival and body condition, are influenced by evolutionary drivers, along with intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Such theories are relevant to translocations of animals where high mortality, loss of body condition, and dispersal beyond the area of release are commonly reported. However, these theories have rarely been tested using data from translocations.</li> <li>We explore whether theories of dispersal and senescence, together with biological knowledge and management interventions, can predict rates of post-release dispersal, survival and change in body condition of a translocated endangered meso-predator, the eastern quoll Dasyurus viverrinus.</li> <li>Captive-bred quolls (n = 60) from three sanctuaries were translocated to an unfenced, predator-managed reserve (Booderee National Park) over 2 years (2018, 2019). Survival, dispersal and body mass were monitored via GPS / VHF tracking and targeted trapping for 45 days post-release.</li> <li>We found support for the 'social subordinate' hypothesis, with smaller quolls dispersing further. Consistent with theories of senescence and the biology of our species, survival was marginally greater for females, and females regained losses in body mass in both years following release. In contrast, males recovered body condition in the first but not the second release as this coincided with breeding. Quolls that originated from the mainland sanctuary were on average heavier at release and, after accounting for weight, dispersed further.</li> <li> Synthesis and applications. Using theory to test outcomes of wildlife translocations can provide insights into patterns across taxa and under different conditions, enabling useful improvements to future fauna translocations. This allows for better predictions to be made about the likelihood of success from proposed translocations, changes to planning to improve outcomes (e.g. modifying sex ratios, individual selection and release cohort), and improved animal welfare as fewer animals are subjected to trials.</li> </ol>

opennotspecifiedFeb 2012View details →

FIGURE 1 in Re-validation and re-description of an endemic and threatened species, Aphanius pluristriatus (Jenkins, 1910) (Teleostei, Cyprinodontidae), from southern Iran

FIGURE 1. Drainage systems and type localities of Aphanius species in south and central Iran.

opencc-zeroAug 2021View details →

Genomic signatures of inbreeding and mutation load in a threatened rattlesnake

Theory predicts that threatened species living in small populations will experience high levels of inbreeding that will increase their genetic load, but recent work suggests that the impact of load may be minimized by purging resulting from long-term population bottlenecks. Empirical studies that examine this idea using genome-wide estimates of inbreeding and genetic load in threatened species are limited. Here we use individual genome resequencing data to compare levels of inbreeding, levels of genetic load (estimated as mutation load), and population history in threatened Eastern massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus), which exist in small isolated populations, and closely-related yet outbred Western massasauga rattlesnakes (S. tergeminus). In terms of inbreeding, S. catenatus genomes had a greater number of ROHs of varying sizes, indicating sustained inbreeding through repeated bottlenecks when compared to S. tergeminus. At the species level, outbred S. tergeminus had higher genome-wide levels of mutation load in the form of greater numbers of derived deleterious mutations compared to S. catenatus, presumably due to long-term purging of deleterious mutations in S. catenatus. In contrast, mutations that escaped species-level drift effects within S. catenatus populations were in general more frequent and more often found in homozygous genotypes than in S. tergeminus, suggesting a reduced efficiency of purifying selection in smaller S. catenatus populations for most mutations. Our results support an emerging idea that the historical demography of a threatened species has a significant impact on the type of genetic load present, which impacts implementation of conservation actions such as genetic rescue.

opencc-zeroAug 2021View details →

Projected climate change threatens significant range contraction of Cochemiea halei (Cactaceae), an island endemic, serpentine adapted plant species at risk of extinction

Threats faced by narrowly distributed endemic plant species in the face of the Earth's sixth mass extinction and climate change exposure are especially severe for taxa on islands. We investigated the current and projected distribution and range changes of Cochemiea halei, an island endemic cactus. This taxon is of conservation concern, currently listed as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List and as a species of special concern under Mexican federal law. The goals of this study are to 1). identify the correlations between climate variables and current suitable habitat for C. halei; 2). determine if the species is a serpentine endemic or has a facultative relationship with ultramafic soils; 3). predict range changes of the species based on climate change scenarios. Location: The island archipelago in Bahía Magdalena on the Pacific coast, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Main conclusions: The occurrence of the species is found to be strongly correlated with ultramafic soils. The most important climate predictor for habitat suitability is annual temperature range. The species is predicted to undergo range contractions from 21% to 53%, depending on the severity and duration of exposure to climate change. The broader implications for a wide range of narrowly adapted, threatened and endemic plant species indicate an urgent need for threat assessment based on habitat suitability and climate change modeling.

opencc-zeroAug 2021View details →

Secondary predation constrains DNA-based diet reconstruction in two threatened shark species

Increasing fishing effort, including bycatch and discard practices, are impacting marine biodiversity, particularly among slow-to-reproduce taxa such as elasmobranchs, and specifically sharks. While some fisheries involving sharks are sustainably managed, collateral mortalities continue, contributing towards > 35% of species being threatened with extinction. To effectively manage shark stocks, life-history information, including resource use and feeding ecologies is pivotal, especially among those species with wide-ranging distributions. Two cosmopolitan sharks bycaught off eastern Australia are the common blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus; globally classified as Near Threatened) and great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran; Critically Endangered). We opportunistically sampled the digestive tracts of these two species (and also any whole prey; termed the 'Russian-doll' approach), caught in bather-protection gillnets off northern New South Wales, to investigate the capacity for DNA metabarcoding to simultaneously determine predator and prey regional feeding ecologies. While sample sizes were small, S. mokkaran fed predominantly on stingrays and skates (Myliobatiformes and Rajiformes), but also teleosts, while C. limbatus mostly consumed teleosts. Metabarcoding assays showed extensive intermixing of taxa from the digestive tracts of predators and their whole prey, likely via the predator's stomach chyme, negating the opportunity to distinguish between primary and secondary predation. This Russian-doll effect requires further investigation in DNA metabarcoding studies focusing on dietary preferences and implies that any outcomes will need to be interpreted concomitant with traditional visual approaches.

opencc-zeroSep 2021View details →

SNP dataset for the threatened plant species Dinizia jueirana-facao (Fabaceae)

By performing sensitivity analyses, we empirically investigated how decisions about the percentage of missing data (MD) and the minor allele frequency (MAF) set in bioinformatic processing of genomic data affect direct (i.e., parentage analysis) and indirect (i.e., fine-scale spatial genetic structure - SGS) gene flow estimates. We focus specification on these manifestations in small plant populations, and specifically, in the rare tropical plant species Dinizia jueirana-facao, where assumptions implicit to analytical procedures for accurate estimates of gene flow may not hold. Avoiding biases in dispersal estimates are essential given this species is facing extinction risks due to habitat loss, and so we also investigate the effects of forest fragmentation on the accuracy of dispersal estimates under different filtering criteria by testing for recent decrease in the scale of gene flow. Our sensitivity analyses demonstrate that gene flow estimates are robust to different setting of MAF (0.05 to 0.35) and MD (0 to 20%). Comparing the direct and indirect estimates of dispersal, we find that contemporary estimates of gene dispersal distance (σrt = 41.8 m) was ~ fourfold smaller than the historical estimates, supporting the hypothesis of a temporal shift in the scale of gene flow in D. jueirana-facao, which is consistent with predictions based on recent, dramatic forest fragmentation process. While we identified settings for filtering genomic data to avoid biases in gene flow estimates, we stress that there is no 'rule of thumb' for bioinformatic filtering or that relying on default program settings is advisable. Instead, we suggest that the approach implemented here be applied independently in each separate empirical study to confirm appropriate settings to obtain unbiased population genetics estimates.

opencc-zeroOct 2021View details →

Genetic variation in sea otters (Enhydra lutris) from the North Pacific with relevance to the threatened Southwest Alaska distinct population segment

For the sea otter (Enhydra lutris), genetic population structure is an area of research that has not received significant attention, especially in Southwest Alaska where that distinct population segment has been listed as threatened since 2005 pursuant to the U.S. Endangered Species Act. In this study, 501 samples from 14 locations from Prince William Sound, Alaska to the Commander Islands in Russia were analyzed for variation at 13 microsatellite loci. Our results indicate a high degree of genetic divergence among the 14 locations (FST = 0.12) with gene flow conforming to the isolation by distance (IBD) model (r2 = 0.491, p < 0.05). The 14 sampling locations formed six geographic associations in clustering and ordination analyses that likely correspond to remnant population lineages: 1) Southcentral Alaska, 2) Kodiak and North Alaska Peninsula, 3) South Alaska Peninsula and Bristol Bay, 4) Eastern Aleutian, 5) Western Aleutian, and 6) the Commander Islands. Except for South Alaska Peninsula and Bristol Bay, these clusters closely agree with previously defined stock and management unit boundaries. Our results reveal significant genetic population structure and are generally congruent with current management strategies for the threatened Southwest Alaska distinct population segment.

opencc-zeroOct 2021View details →

Threatened salmon rely on a rare life history strategy in a warming landscape

Rare phenotypes and behaviours within a population are often overlooked, yet they may serve a heightened role for species imperilled by rapid warming. In threatened spring-run Chinook salmon spawning at the southern edge of the species range, we show late-migrating juveniles are critical to cohort success in years characterized by droughts and ocean heatwaves. Late migrants rely on cool river temperatures over summer, increasingly rare due to the combined effects of warming and impassable dams. Despite the dominance of late migrants, other strategies played an important role in many years. Our results suggest that further loss of phenotypic diversity will have critical impacts on population persistence in a warming climate. Predicted thermally suitable river conditions for late migrants will shrink rapidly in the future and will be largely relegated above impassable dams. Reconnecting diverse habitat mosaics to support phenotypic diversity will be integral to the long-term persistence of this species.

opencc-by-4.0Jun 2014View details →

Figure 1 from: Diniz F, Silva G, Souza B, Pereira F, Lopes M, Valente S (2014) New molecular evidence for fragmentation between two distant populations of the threatened stingless bee Melipona subnitida Ducke (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 38: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.38.7302

Figure 1 - A Sampling sites of Melipona subnitida: NAT (coordinates: 5°48'04"S, 35°11'08"W; State of Rio Grande do Norte) and PAR (coordinates: 2°46'39"S, 41°51'59"W; on the border of the States of Piauí and Maranhão) B Clustering analysis using UPGMA for Melipona subnitida genotypes included in this study based on DICE similarity coefficient values. Numbers indicate bootstrap values for nodes retained by more than 50% of bootstrap replicates (1000 replications) C Scatter-plot of the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) using ISSR loci. ■ PAR genotypes; ● NAT genotypes D Bar plot from Inferred population structure of using the Bayesian grouping admixture model-based program STRUCTURE (K = 2).

Figure 1 from: Hershler R, Liu H (2011) Redescription of Marstonia comalensis (Pilsbry & Ferriss, 1906), a poorly known and possibly threatened freshwater gastropod from the Edwards Plateau region (Texas). ZooKeys 77: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.77.935

Figure 1 - Shells, opercula and animal, Marstonia comalensis. A Lectotype, ANSP 91323 B, C Shells, USNM 874932, USNM 874926 D Lateral view of shell apex, USNM 874932 E Protoconch, USNM 874926 F, G Opercula (outer, inner sides), USNM 874926 H Relaxed, alcohol-preserved preserved male (dorsal view), showing distinctive pigment bands on the pallial roof, USNM 874926. Scale bars A–C, H, 1.0 mm; D, E, 100 µm; F, G, 200 µm.

Figure 2 from: Hershler R, Liu H (2011) Redescription of Marstonia comalensis (Pilsbry & Ferriss, 1906), a poorly known and possibly threatened freshwater gastropod from the Edwards Plateau region (Texas). ZooKeys 77: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.77.935

Figure 2 - Radula, Marstonia comalensis, USNM 874926. A Portion of radular ribbon B Central teeth C Lateral teeth D Inner marginal tooth E Outer marginal teeth. Scale bars A, 20 µm; B-E, 10 µm.

Figure 3 from: Hershler R, Liu H (2011) Redescription of Marstonia comalensis (Pilsbry & Ferriss, 1906), a poorly known and possibly threatened freshwater gastropod from the Edwards Plateau region (Texas). ZooKeys 77: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.77.935

Figure 3 - Reproductive anatomy, Marstonia comalensis, USNM 874926. A Penis, dorsal surface B–D Distal portion of penis showing terminal gland variation E Female glandular oviduct and associated structures (viewed from left side) F Bursa copulatrix and seminal receptacle and their ducts. Scale bars = 500 µm. Ag albumen gland Bu bursa copulatrix Cg capsule gland Cov coiled oviduct Dby bursal duct Ga genital aperture Pf penial filament Pl penial lobe Pw posterior wall of pallial cavity Sr seminal receptacle Vc ventral channel of capsule gland.

Figure 5 from: Hershler R, Liu H (2011) Redescription of Marstonia comalensis (Pilsbry & Ferriss, 1906), a poorly known and possibly threatened freshwater gastropod from the Edwards Plateau region (Texas). ZooKeys 77: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.77.935

Figure 5 - Bayesian tree based on the COI dataset. Posterior probabilities for each node within the Marstonia clade are shown for the reader's interest; only those >95% are considered significant.

Figure 4 from: Hershler R, Liu H (2011) Redescription of Marstonia comalensis (Pilsbry & Ferriss, 1906), a poorly known and possibly threatened freshwater gastropod from the Edwards Plateau region (Texas). ZooKeys 77: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.77.935

Figure 4 - Map showing the distribution of Marstonia comalensis in the Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe and Nueces River basins, south-central Texas. The arrow indicates the type locality (Comal Creek).