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opencc-zeroApr 2022View details →

Natal dispersal does not entail survival costs but is linked to breeding dispersal in a migratory shorebird, the southern dunlin Calidris alpina schinzii

The costs and benefits of dispersal are often assessed by comparing fitness between dispersing and non-dispersing individuals. Importantly, individuals that disperse between their natal and first breeding site may subsequently be more likely to disperse between breeding sites compared to those that remained philopatric to their natal site. Such within-individual consistency in dispersal behaviour can bias local survival estimation, and thus the survival comparison between dispersing and non-dispersing individuals, if breeding dispersal leads to permanent emigration from the study area. We examined whether adult survival correlates with natal dispersal in a migratory shorebird, the southern dunlin (Calidris alpina schinzii), in two isolated patchy populations where permanent emigration is expected to be extremely rare. To assess whether local adult survival could be biased by non-random breeding dispersal, we analysed between-patch breeding dispersal probability and quantified within-individual consistency in dispersal. Among females, natal dispersers were more likely to disperse again as adults compared to non-dispersers, while no difference was observed in males which were always highly site faithful. Yet, adult survival did not differ between natal dispersing and non-dispersing individuals in either sex. Breeding dispersal probability was higher in failed compared to successful breeders. Breeding dispersal often resulted in dispersal back to the natal patch, i.e. delayed natal philopatry. Our results suggest no survival costs of dispersal after first reproduction. Despite individual consistency, survival estimates of dispersing individuals were not biased because nearly all available breeding habitat was covered. We show that consistency in dispersal can occur even in site faithful species like the southern dunlin. Studies of the effects of dispersal on survival should therefore account for within-individual consistency in dispersal if not all available breeding habitat is monitored in open populations. In particular, delayed natal philopatry may lead to biased local survival estimates for immigrants when compared with philopatric individuals.

opencc-zeroMay 2022View details →

Subpopulation contributions to a breeding metapopulation of migratory Arctic herbivores: Survival, fecundity, and asymmetric dispersal

Estimates of demographic parameters for lesser snow geese (Anser caerulescens caerulescens) have become critical to understand ecosystem change in northern Canada. Exponential increase in abundance has produced hyperdensities of these herbivores that can affect Arctic ecosystem stability through intense foraging. Increased and sustained marking of individually-identifiable lesser snow geese over their breeding distribution now permits joint estimation of local vital rates and movement probabilities among widely scattered subpopulations. We used multi-state models, including an unobservable state, with live captures from 5 subpopulations and dead recoveries to estimate annual probabilities of (i) survival, (ii) capture, (iii) reported mortality and (iv) movement to other subpopulations, as well as derived estimates for probabilities of site fidelity and harvest. Our dataset included 144,754 captures of 139,177 lesser snow geese marked with metal legbands, from 2006 to 2015, of which 5,542 were recaptured near breeding sites and 9,709 were recovered dead in North America. The best model supported variation in survival by subpopulation and age, with additive effects of subpopulation, age and sex on movement probability. Male breeding dispersal was greater than by females, and juvenile geese were more likely to move than adults. Strong northeastward geographic asymmetry in the probability of breeding movement was consistent with an eastward shift in wintering distribution observed in hunter recoveries. Mean annual survival ranged from 0.79-0.94 for adults, and 0.16-0.47 for juvenile geese, with a strong negative relationship between regional adult and juvenile survival. Harvest probabilities were all ≤ 0.03 for adult and ≤ 0.06 for juvenile geese, suggesting little influence from direct anthropogenic exploitation. Metrics for subpopulation persistence and contributions of each to the metapopulation suggested declines in all but one subpopulation, and a declining midcontinent population overall. Our study highlights the importance of all subpopulation demographic parameters as modulators of persistence at both local and range-wide population dynamics.

opencc-zeroMay 2022View details →

Individual variation explains aging patterns in a cooperatively breeding bird, the long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

1. Alloparental care in cooperatively-breeding species may alter breeder age-specific survival and reproduction, and subsequently senescence. The helping behaviour itself might also undergo age-related change, and decisions to help in facultative cooperative breeders are likely to be affected by the individual condition. 2. Helpers in long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus) assist relatives after failing to raise their own brood, with offspring from helped nests being more likely to recruit into the breeding population. 3. Using data collected over 25 years, we examined the age-trajectories of survival and reproduction in adult long-tailed tits to determine how these were affected by the presence or absence of helpers, and how helper behaviour changed with age. 4. There was evidence for increased reproductive performance with breeder age, but no effect of age on the probability of survival. We found no evidence of significant senescent decline in survival or reproductive performance, although individuals accrued less inclusive fitness in their last year of life. Lifetime reproductive success was positively related to both reproductive lifespan and body mass. Within a season, breeders that were assisted by helpers enjoyed greater reproductive success through enhanced offspring recruitment in the following year. We found no evidence that age affected an individual's propensity to help, or the amount of indirect fitness accrued through helping. 5. We found a positive correlation between lifespan and multiple components of reproductive success, suggesting that individual variation in quality underpins age-related variation in fitness in this species. Helping decisions are driven by condition, and the lifetime inclusive fitness of immigrants was predicted by body mass. These findings further support individual heterogeneity in quality being a major driver for fitness gains across the life course of long-tailed tits.

opennotspecifiedJul 2014View details →

Distribution. Widespread in subantarctic waters, primarily waters N of the Antarctic Convergence from the S Atlantic and Indian oceans to SW Pacific Ocean. Breeding takes place almost entirely N of the Antarctic polar front. in Otariidae

Distribution. Widespread in subantarctic waters, primarily waters N of the Antarctic Convergence from the S Atlantic and Indian oceans to SW Pacific Ocean. Breeding takes place almost entirely N of the Antarctic polar front.

opennotspecifiedJul 2014View details →

Distribution. Southern Ocean, breeding sites are scattered on subantarctic islands, Antarctic Peninsula, and the coast of S Argentina. in Phocidae

Distribution. Southern Ocean, breeding sites are scattered on subantarctic islands, Antarctic Peninsula, and the coast of S Argentina.

opencc-zeroJun 2022View details →

Warming in the land of the midnight sun: breeding birds may suffer greater heat stress at high- vs low-Arctic sites

Rising global temperatures are expected to increase reproductive costs for wildlife as greater thermoregulatory demands interfere with reproductive activities. However, predicting the temperatures at which reproductive performance is negatively impacted remains a significant hurdle. Using a thermoregulatory polygon approach, we derived a reproductive threshold temperature for an Arctic songbird–the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis). We defined this threshold as the temperature at which individuals must reduce activity to suboptimal levels (i.e., < 4-times basal metabolic rate) to sustain nestling provisioning and avoid overheating. We then compared this threshold to operative temperatures recorded at high (82°N) and low (64°N) Arctic sites to estimate how heat constraints translate into site-specific impacts on sustained activity level. We predict buntings would become behaviourally constrained at operative temperatures above 11.7°C, whereupon they must reduce provisioning rates to avoid overheating. Low Arctic sites had larger fluctuations in solar radiation, consistently producing daily periods when operative temperatures exceeded 11.7°C. However, high-latitude birds faced entire, consecutive days when parents would be unable to sustain required provisioning rates. These data indicate that Arctic warming is likely already disrupting the breeding performance of cold-specialist birds and suggests counterintuitive and severe negative impacts of warming at higher-latitude breeding locations.

opencc-zeroDec 2011View details →

Data from: A parapatric propensity for breeding precludes the completion of speciation in common teal (Anas crecca, sensu lato)

Speciation is a process in which genetic drift and selection cause divergence over tSpeciation is a process in which genetic drift and selection cause divergence over time. However, there is no rule dictating the time required for speciation, and even low levels of gene flow hinder divergence, so that taxa may be poised at the threshold of speciation for long periods of evolutionary time. We sequenced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and eight nuclear introns (nuDNA) to estimate genomic levels of differentiation and gene flow between the Eurasian common teal (Anas crecca crecca) and the North American green-winged teal (A. c. carolinensis). These ducks come into contact in Beringia (northeastern Asia and northwestern North America) and have likely done so, perhaps cyclically, since the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition, ~2.6 Ma, when they apparently began diverging. They have diagnosable differences in male plumage and are 6.9% divergent in the mtDNA control region, with only 1 of 58 crecca and 2 of 86 carolinensis having haplotypes grouping with the other. Two nuclear loci were likewise strongly structured between these teal (ΦST > 0.35), but six loci were undifferentiated or only weakly structured (ΦST = 0.0–0.06). Gene flow between crecca and carolinensis was ~1 individual per generation in both directions in mtDNA, but was asymmetrical in nuDNA, with ~1 and ~20 individuals per generation immigrating into crecca and carolinensis, respectively. This study illustrates that species delimitation using a single marker oversimplifies the complexity of the speciation process, and it suggests that even with divergent selection, moderate levels of gene flow may stall the speciation process short of completion.

opencc-zeroJul 2022View details →

Kin do not always help: testing multiple hypotheses on nest feeding in a cooperatively breeding bird

In cooperatively breeding species, group members may derive multiple benefits from helping to raise other individuals' offspring, yet not all individuals do so. In this study, we tested several hypotheses to explain why group members feed offspring of breeding placid greenbuls (Phyllastrephus placidus). In accordance with the kin selection hypothesis, all helpers were first-order kin of the breeding female and the presence of helpers was associated with increased survival of the breeding pair. However, the propensity to help varied widely among group members, as 46% of group members related to the breeding female did not feed nestlings. Sex, relatedness to the breeding male, and group size did not explain additional variation in helping propensity or effort, however, younger helpers fed offspring more often than older ones. Overall, our results show mixed support for predictions of the group augmentation hypothesis, while predictions of the pay-to-stay hypothesis and skills hypothesis were not supported. We suggest that costs associated with providing food to nestlings, and benefits of other types of helping behavior (e.g. anti-predator behavior), may jointly explain why members of breeding groups often refrain from helping at the nest.

Nesokia is sister to Bandicota and are nested in Rattus phylogenetically, making Rat- tus paraphyletic. Tarsomys, Limnomys, and Diplothrix are also phylogenetically in Rat- tus, and the clade is in need of focused re- vision at the generic level. Nesokia bunnui was originally described as a separate ge-nus, Erythronesokia, because it is morphologically very distinctive from N. indica. Type specimen was destroyed during the Iraq War, and a neotype was recently designated to replace it. Monotypic. Distribution. Tigris and Euphrates river valleys, SE Iraq. Descriptive notes. Head—body 230-260 mm, tail 205-270 mm, ear 18-21 mm, hindfoot 49-58 mm; weight 519 g. The Long-tailed Bandicoot Rat is larger than the Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat (N. indica). Pelage is soft and woolly, interspersed with harsher coarse hair and long black hairs near mid-back. Dorsum is fawn to ocherous red, washed with purple or chestnuton darker individuals. Hairs are basally slate-gray and distally rufous, occasionally with whitish or black tips. Muzzle is drab. Sides arefawn, with gray edge toward venter. Venteris whitish, extending onto cheeks where the same pattern from gray to fawn to dorsal pelage occurs. Feet are large and robust, being light brown and well-furred dorsally. Claws are amber on forefeet and dull brown on hindfeet; pollux is extremely small. Ears are moderately long and brownish, with no hair internally. Tail is ¢.82-104% of head-body length and deep brownish drab, interspersed with visible white hair. Skull is large and robust, similarly to the Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat. Habitat. Marsh and swamp land. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. The Long-tailed Bandicoot Rat is terrestrial, although it isfound in swampy and marshy areas and is probably amphibious. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Longtailed Bandicoot Rat is apparently rare and is known from very few specimens. Marsh and swamp habitats in which it is found were completely destroyed during the Iraq War by draining, war damage, and agricultural expansion. In recent years, flooding from Tigris and Euphrates rivers and high snow fall and melt haveresulted in partial restoration ofits native habitat, although restoration is not a complete. Populations are now probably highly fragmented. Bibliography. Al-Ansari et al. (2012), Al-Robaae & Felten (1990), Khajuria (1981), Krystufek et al. (2017), Musser & Carleton (2005), Richardson & Hussain (2006), Stuart (2008). in Muridae

Nesokia is sister to Bandicota and are nested in Rattus phylogenetically, making Rat- tus paraphyletic. Tarsomys, Limnomys, and Diplothrix are also phylogenetically in Rat- tus, and the clade is in need of focused re- vision at the generic level. Nesokia bunnui was originally described as a separate ge-nus, Erythronesokia, because it is morphologically very distinctive from N. indica. Type specimen was destroyed during the Iraq War, and a neotype was recently designated to replace it. Monotypic. Distribution. Tigris and Euphrates river valleys, SE Iraq. Descriptive notes. Head—body 230-260 mm, tail 205-270 mm, ear 18-21 mm, hindfoot 49-58 mm; weight 519 g. The Long-tailed Bandicoot Rat is larger than the Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat (N. indica). Pelage is soft and woolly, interspersed with harsher coarse hair and long black hairs near mid-back. Dorsum is fawn to ocherous red, washed with purple or chestnuton darker individuals. Hairs are basally slate-gray and distally rufous, occasionally with whitish or black tips. Muzzle is drab. Sides arefawn, with gray edge toward venter. Venteris whitish, extending onto cheeks where the same pattern from gray to fawn to dorsal pelage occurs. Feet are large and robust, being light brown and well-furred dorsally. Claws are amber on forefeet and dull brown on hindfeet; pollux is extremely small. Ears are moderately long and brownish, with no hair internally. Tail is ¢.82-104% of head-body length and deep brownish drab, interspersed with visible white hair. Skull is large and robust, similarly to the Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat. Habitat. Marsh and swamp land. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. The Long-tailed Bandicoot Rat is terrestrial, although it isfound in swampy and marshy areas and is probably amphibious. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Longtailed Bandicoot Rat is apparently rare and is known from very few specimens. Marsh and swamp habitats in which it is found were completely destroyed during the Iraq War by draining, war damage, and agricultural expansion. In recent years, flooding from Tigris and Euphrates rivers and high snow fall and melt haveresulted in partial restoration ofits native habitat, although restoration is not a complete. Populations are now probably highly fragmented. Bibliography. Al-Ansari et al. (2012), Al-Robaae & Felten (1990), Khajuria (1981), Krystufek et al. (2017), Musser & Carleton (2005), Richardson & Hussain (2006), Stuart (2008).

Distribution. Mt Cameroon, W Cameroon, and Bioko I, Equatorial Guinea. Descriptive notes. Head-body 100- 130 mm, tail 110-147 mm, ear 16-20 mm, hindfoot 21-25 mm; weight 27-62 g. Fur of the Cameroon Soft-furred Mouse is dark rufous-brown to blackish brown above and pale to dark gray below. Tail is very long (c.112% of head-body length) and dark. Hindfeet and forefeet are dark brown. Females have three pairs of nipples. Habitat. Montane forest and alpine grassland at elevations above 1000 m. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. Gestation lasts 26-30 days. Litters have 2-6 young. Activity patterns. The Cameroon Soft-furred Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Cameroon Soft-furred Mouse occurs in two disjunct areas occupying only ¢.2900 km? and the extent and quality of its forest habitat continue to decline. Bibliography. Eisentraut (1970, 1973), Happold (2013a), Missoup et al. (2012), Monadjem etal. (2015). in Muridae

Distribution. Mt Cameroon, W Cameroon, and Bioko I, Equatorial Guinea. Descriptive notes. Head-body 100- 130 mm, tail 110-147 mm, ear 16-20 mm, hindfoot 21-25 mm; weight 27-62 g. Fur of the Cameroon Soft-furred Mouse is dark rufous-brown to blackish brown above and pale to dark gray below. Tail is very long (c.112% of head-body length) and dark. Hindfeet and forefeet are dark brown. Females have three pairs of nipples. Habitat. Montane forest and alpine grassland at elevations above 1000 m. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. Gestation lasts 26-30 days. Litters have 2-6 young. Activity patterns. The Cameroon Soft-furred Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Cameroon Soft-furred Mouse occurs in two disjunct areas occupying only ¢.2900 km? and the extent and quality of its forest habitat continue to decline. Bibliography. Eisentraut (1970, 1973), Happold (2013a), Missoup et al. (2012), Monadjem etal. (2015).

Deccan region, Madras, India. Genus Vandeleuria is masculine, so widely used specific name oleracea has been changed for gender agreement. Vandeleuria oleraceusis possibly a composite of species. Polytypic, but subspecific taxonomy requires reassessment. Distribution. Widespread in S Asia (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lan-ka), S China (W & S Yunnan), and mainland SE Asia N of the Isthmus of Kra. Descriptive notes. Head-body 68 mm, tail 105 mm, ear 13 mm, hindfoot 17 mm; weight 10 g. The Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse is small, with flat nail on outer finger and outertoe; tail is slender, brown, twice as long as head-body length, and lacks distal tuft. Dorsal pelageis silky and salmon in color; venter is white, with fulvous hues. Habitat. Tall cane and tangled vines in primary and secondary forest such as bamboo forest, moist deciduous forest, temperate forests, montane wet zone, and disturbed secondary forests, and perhaps agricultural areas at elevations of 150-1500 m. Food and Feeding. Indomalayan [Long-tailed Climbing Mice eat fruits, buds, and flowers. Breeding. Litters of the Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse have 3-6 young. Activity patterns. Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mice are arboreal and nocturnal, although one individual was caught duringthe day. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mice build nests in tall bushes or cane to rear their young. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Last (as V. olacea). The Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse occurs in several habitats and a wide distribution that includes national parks. Further taxonomical studies are required to assess conservation status ofthis potentially diverse species complex. Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Dang Huy Huynh et al. (1994), Ellerman (1941), Marshall (1977b), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1932), Phillips (1980), Wang Yingxiang (2003). in Muridae

Deccan region, Madras, India. Genus Vandeleuria is masculine, so widely used specific name oleracea has been changed for gender agreement. Vandeleuria oleraceusis possibly a composite of species. Polytypic, but subspecific taxonomy requires reassessment. Distribution. Widespread in S Asia (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lan-ka), S China (W & S Yunnan), and mainland SE Asia N of the Isthmus of Kra. Descriptive notes. Head-body 68 mm, tail 105 mm, ear 13 mm, hindfoot 17 mm; weight 10 g. The Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse is small, with flat nail on outer finger and outertoe; tail is slender, brown, twice as long as head-body length, and lacks distal tuft. Dorsal pelageis silky and salmon in color; venter is white, with fulvous hues. Habitat. Tall cane and tangled vines in primary and secondary forest such as bamboo forest, moist deciduous forest, temperate forests, montane wet zone, and disturbed secondary forests, and perhaps agricultural areas at elevations of 150-1500 m. Food and Feeding. Indomalayan [Long-tailed Climbing Mice eat fruits, buds, and flowers. Breeding. Litters of the Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse have 3-6 young. Activity patterns. Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mice are arboreal and nocturnal, although one individual was caught duringthe day. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mice build nests in tall bushes or cane to rear their young. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Last (as V. olacea). The Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse occurs in several habitats and a wide distribution that includes national parks. Further taxonomical studies are required to assess conservation status ofthis potentially diverse species complex. Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Dang Huy Huynh et al. (1994), Ellerman (1941), Marshall (1977b), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1932), Phillips (1980), Wang Yingxiang (2003).

Distribution. Now restricted to the Channel Country of SW Queensland and the Lake Eyre Basin in NE South Australia. Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-120 mm, tail 105-160 mm, ear 23-29 mm, hindfoot 32-37 mm; weight 30-50 g. The Fawn Hopping Mouse has body form typical of hopping mice, with very long hindfeet, long tail with distal brush of longer hairs, very long ears, and large protruberant eyes. Dorsal fur is of variable color, from pale pinkish fawn to gray; ventral fur white. Unlike most other hopping mice, it has no throat pouch, but males have a glandular area of naked skin on the chest. Habitat. Occurs in low shrublands and tussock grasslands on stony ("gibber") plains and claypans. Shows marked habitat segregation from the Dusky Hopping Mouse (N. fuscus), which is closely associated with sandy substrates. Food and Feeding. The Fawn Hopping Mouse is mostly granivorous, but also eats other plant material (stems, leaves) and occasionally invertebrates. It uses succulent, salt-adapted plants around edges of claypans as a source of water. Breeding. Reproduction is probably largely opportunistic and aseasonal, with high reproductive output from near-continuous breeding after periods of high rainfall; reported littersize is 1-5, most commonly three; gestation period 38-43 days for nonlactating females. Females may mature later than other hopping mice, with reproductive maturity reached at about six months. Activity patterns. Terrestrial and nocturnal. Fawn Hopping Mice shelter during day in burrow systems that are typically simpler and shallower than those of other hopping mice. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Fawn Hopping Mice generally live singly or in small groups; typically uncommon within range, but population density may increase by an order of magnitude following periods of high rainfall. Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. The Fawn Hopping Mouse has shown marked decline in range (estimated at greater than 50%), and presumably population size, since European settlement of Australia. This is mostlikely due to predation by the introduced house cat and Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), and to habitat degradation associated with pastoralism. Bibliography. Brazenor (1934), Burbidge et al. (2008), Finlayson (1939), Gould (1853), Jackson & Groves (2015), Murray et al. (1999), Ogilby (1892), Thomas (1921h), Van Dyck & Strahan (2008), Waite (1898), Watts & Aslin (1981), Woinarski et al. (2014), Wood Jones (1925). in Muridae

Distribution. Now restricted to the Channel Country of SW Queensland and the Lake Eyre Basin in NE South Australia. Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-120 mm, tail 105-160 mm, ear 23-29 mm, hindfoot 32-37 mm; weight 30-50 g. The Fawn Hopping Mouse has body form typical of hopping mice, with very long hindfeet, long tail with distal brush of longer hairs, very long ears, and large protruberant eyes. Dorsal fur is of variable color, from pale pinkish fawn to gray; ventral fur white. Unlike most other hopping mice, it has no throat pouch, but males have a glandular area of naked skin on the chest. Habitat. Occurs in low shrublands and tussock grasslands on stony ("gibber") plains and claypans. Shows marked habitat segregation from the Dusky Hopping Mouse (N. fuscus), which is closely associated with sandy substrates. Food and Feeding. The Fawn Hopping Mouse is mostly granivorous, but also eats other plant material (stems, leaves) and occasionally invertebrates. It uses succulent, salt-adapted plants around edges of claypans as a source of water. Breeding. Reproduction is probably largely opportunistic and aseasonal, with high reproductive output from near-continuous breeding after periods of high rainfall; reported littersize is 1-5, most commonly three; gestation period 38-43 days for nonlactating females. Females may mature later than other hopping mice, with reproductive maturity reached at about six months. Activity patterns. Terrestrial and nocturnal. Fawn Hopping Mice shelter during day in burrow systems that are typically simpler and shallower than those of other hopping mice. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Fawn Hopping Mice generally live singly or in small groups; typically uncommon within range, but population density may increase by an order of magnitude following periods of high rainfall. Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. The Fawn Hopping Mouse has shown marked decline in range (estimated at greater than 50%), and presumably population size, since European settlement of Australia. This is mostlikely due to predation by the introduced house cat and Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), and to habitat degradation associated with pastoralism. Bibliography. Brazenor (1934), Burbidge et al. (2008), Finlayson (1939), Gould (1853), Jackson & Groves (2015), Murray et al. (1999), Ogilby (1892), Thomas (1921h), Van Dyck & Strahan (2008), Waite (1898), Watts & Aslin (1981), Woinarski et al. (2014), Wood Jones (1925).

The first comprehensive revision of all the species attributed to Melomys led J. I. Menzies in 1996 to resurrect the genus Paramelomys and to redefine its morphologicallimits and species content. Menzies created P. gressitti as a new species belonging to a group displaying morphological similarities and including also P. lorentzii and P. moncktoni. Monotypic Distribution. E New Guinea. Descriptive notes. Head-body 135-162 mm, hindfoot 30-34 mm; no specific data are available for body weight. Gressitt's Mosaic-tailed Rat is a medium-sized Paramelomys with a soft, thick and woolly pelage, a long narrow foot, and a tail with three hairs per scale. It exhibits a medium-sepia dorsal pelage and a gray-buff ventral one. Tail is slightly shorter (99%) than head-body length. The skull has a narrow zygomatic plate. Habitat. Moist tropical mountain forest between 2300 m and 2400 m. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. Gressitt's Mosaic-tailed Rat is terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List owing to its small geographic range (less than 3500 km?*) and the destruction ofits habitat by mining and logging activities. The major threat to Gressitt's Mosaic-tailed Rat is ongoing habitat degradation caused by nearby human populations; habitat on Mount Kandy has been destroyed by gold-miners and wood-cutters. Bibliography. Menzies (1996). in Muridae

The first comprehensive revision of all the species attributed to Melomys led J. I. Menzies in 1996 to resurrect the genus Paramelomys and to redefine its morphologicallimits and species content. Menzies created P. gressitti as a new species belonging to a group displaying morphological similarities and including also P. lorentzii and P. moncktoni. Monotypic Distribution. E New Guinea. Descriptive notes. Head-body 135-162 mm, hindfoot 30-34 mm; no specific data are available for body weight. Gressitt's Mosaic-tailed Rat is a medium-sized Paramelomys with a soft, thick and woolly pelage, a long narrow foot, and a tail with three hairs per scale. It exhibits a medium-sepia dorsal pelage and a gray-buff ventral one. Tail is slightly shorter (99%) than head-body length. The skull has a narrow zygomatic plate. Habitat. Moist tropical mountain forest between 2300 m and 2400 m. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. Gressitt's Mosaic-tailed Rat is terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List owing to its small geographic range (less than 3500 km?*) and the destruction ofits habitat by mining and logging activities. The major threat to Gressitt's Mosaic-tailed Rat is ongoing habitat degradation caused by nearby human populations; habitat on Mount Kandy has been destroyed by gold-miners and wood-cutters. Bibliography. Menzies (1996).

Lophuromys stanley: is member of the L. flavopunctatus species complex and was named during partial revision of the L. aguilus species complex. It is characterized by craniometric and genetic character-istics; its skull proportions are similar to L. laticeps, and molecularly, it is similar to L. margarettae and L. zena (cytochrome-b). Lophuromys stanleyi is one of four endemic species in the Rwenzori Mountains diversity hotspot. Monotypic. Distribution. Rwenzori Mts, E DR Congo and SW Uganda. Descriptive notes. Head-body 113-126 mm, tail 40-80 mm, ear 16-19 mm, hindfoot 22-24 mm; weight 36-55 g. The Rwenzori Brush-furred Rat has a speckled pelage similar to other speciesin the L. flavopunctatus species complex. Tail is short, 50-60% of head-body length. Habitat. Poorly known, but type specimen was collected at an elevation of 3700 m. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. No information. in Muridae

Lophuromys stanley: is member of the L. flavopunctatus species complex and was named during partial revision of the L. aguilus species complex. It is characterized by craniometric and genetic character-istics; its skull proportions are similar to L. laticeps, and molecularly, it is similar to L. margarettae and L. zena (cytochrome-b). Lophuromys stanleyi is one of four endemic species in the Rwenzori Mountains diversity hotspot. Monotypic. Distribution. Rwenzori Mts, E DR Congo and SW Uganda. Descriptive notes. Head-body 113-126 mm, tail 40-80 mm, ear 16-19 mm, hindfoot 22-24 mm; weight 36-55 g. The Rwenzori Brush-furred Rat has a speckled pelage similar to other speciesin the L. flavopunctatus species complex. Tail is short, 50-60% of head-body length. Habitat. Poorly known, but type specimen was collected at an elevation of 3700 m. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. No information.

Lophuromys medicaudatus, L. woosnami, and L. luteogaster are in subgenus Kivumys and woosnami species group. Monotypic. Distribution. Endemic to the Albertine Rift, occurring around Lake Kivu in E DR Congo and Rwanda and SW Uganda (Bwindi). Descriptive notes. Head—body 92-112 mm, tail 73-95 mm, ear 15-19 mm, hindfoot 18-23 mm; weight 29-43 g. Similar to other species in subgenus Kivumys, the Western Rift Brush-furred Rat has unspeckled pelage, and tail ¢.85% of head-body length. Dorsum is uniform dark brown-olive, and venter is orange. Females have three pairs of mammae. Habitat. Mountain swamps and mountain forests at elevations of 1850-2500 m. Food and Feeding. The Western Rift Brush-furred Rat is omnivorous; diets contain 30-100% arthropods, mollusks, seeds, and fruits. Breeding. Female Western Rift Brush-furred Rats can have 1-2 embryos. Pregnant females were observed in February, April, and July. Activity patterns. The Western Rift Brush-furred Rat is terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Western Rift Brush-furred Rat has never been found in modified secondary environment and is quite rare. Bibliography. Dieterlen (1976b, 1987 2013g), Kasangaki et al. (2003), Verheyen et al. (1996). in Muridae

Lophuromys medicaudatus, L. woosnami, and L. luteogaster are in subgenus Kivumys and woosnami species group. Monotypic. Distribution. Endemic to the Albertine Rift, occurring around Lake Kivu in E DR Congo and Rwanda and SW Uganda (Bwindi). Descriptive notes. Head—body 92-112 mm, tail 73-95 mm, ear 15-19 mm, hindfoot 18-23 mm; weight 29-43 g. Similar to other species in subgenus Kivumys, the Western Rift Brush-furred Rat has unspeckled pelage, and tail ¢.85% of head-body length. Dorsum is uniform dark brown-olive, and venter is orange. Females have three pairs of mammae. Habitat. Mountain swamps and mountain forests at elevations of 1850-2500 m. Food and Feeding. The Western Rift Brush-furred Rat is omnivorous; diets contain 30-100% arthropods, mollusks, seeds, and fruits. Breeding. Female Western Rift Brush-furred Rats can have 1-2 embryos. Pregnant females were observed in February, April, and July. Activity patterns. The Western Rift Brush-furred Rat is terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Western Rift Brush-furred Rat has never been found in modified secondary environment and is quite rare. Bibliography. Dieterlen (1976b, 1987 2013g), Kasangaki et al. (2003), Verheyen et al. (1996).

The mere presence of cuckoos in breeding area alters egg-ejection decisions in Daurian redstarts

Brood parasitic cuckoos and their hosts serve as model systems for studying host-parasite coevolution. Egg-rejection behavior constitutes an effective defense against brood parasitism, but some host species show phenotypic plasticity in egg-rejection behavior. Direct exposure to a cuckoo near the nest can increase egg-rejection likelihood, and long-term studies have shown that increased the egg-rejection rates generally correlate with higher parasite prevalence. However, it remains unclear whether such increases result from interactions between parasites and hosts, as these can be surprisingly common, or whether the mere presence of cuckoos in the breeding area is sufficient. Daurian redstarts Phoenicurus auroreus are a common host of the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus that defend against cuckoo parasitism mainly by ejecting the parasitic egg from the nest. This species is unique, as its first breeding attempt of the year takes place before the arrival of cuckoos, excluding the possibility for direct interactions. We simulated the ambient presence of cuckoos or hoopoes Upupa epops (control) in sub-populations of redstarts during their first egg-laying period by presenting taxidermic models and playing back vocalizations. Redstarts in cuckoo-treated plots showed significantly higher egg-ejection rates than individuals in control plots, even though females in both groups were equally likely to recognize the parasitic egg. Among females that did recognize the parasitic egg, those exposed to the cuckoo treatment were more likely to eject it than those exposed to the control treatment. Our results demonstrate unequivocally that the mere presence of cuckoos in the environment is sufficient to provoke egg-ejection behavior.

Demographics for all four breeds of broiler chickens

In 2018, over nine billion chickens were slaughtered in the United States. As the demand for chickens increases, so too have concerns regarding the welfare of the chickens in these systems and the damage such practices cause to the surrounding ecosystems. To address welfare concerns, there is large-scale interest in raising chickens on pasture and switching to slower-growing, higher-welfare breeds as soon as 2024. We created a box model of US chicken demographics to characterize aggregate broiler chicken welfare and land use consequences at the country scale for US shifts to slower-growing chickens, housing with outdoor access, and pasture management. The US produces roughly 20 million metric tons of chicken meat annually. Maintaining this level of consumption entirely with a slower-growing breed would require a 44.6%–86.8% larger population of chickens and a 19.2% – 27.2% higher annual slaughter rate, relative to the current demographics of primarily "Ross 308" chickens that are slaughtered at a rate of 9.25 billion per year. Generating this quantity of slower-growing breeds in conventional concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) would require 90,582-98,687 km2, an increase of 19.9-30.6% over the 75,577 km2 of land used for current production of Ross 308. Housing slower-growing breeds on pasture, the more individually welfare-friendly option, would require 108,642-121,019 km2, a 43.8-60.1% increase over current land use. Allowing slower-growing breeds occasional outdoor access is an intermediate approach that would require 90,691-98,811 km2, an increase of 20-30.7% of the current land use, a very minor increase of land relative to managing slower-growing breeds in CAFOs. In sum, without a drastic reduction in consumption, switching to alternative breeds will lead to a substantial increase in the number of individuals killed each year, an untenable increase in land use, and a possible decrease in aggregate chicken welfare at the country-level scale. Pasture-based management requires substantial additional land use. These results demonstrate constraints and trade-offs in animal welfare, environmental conservation, and food animal consumption, while highlighting opportunities for policies to mitigate impacts in an integrated manner using a One Health approach.

Data from: Improvement of genomic predictions in small breeds by construction of genomic relationship matrix through variable selection

Genomic selection has been increasingly implemented in the animal breeding industry, and it is becoming a routine method in many livestock breeding contexts. However, its use is still limited in several small-population local breeds, which are, nonetheless, an important source of genetic variability of great economic value. A major roadblock for their genomic selection is accuracy when population size is limited: to improve breeding value accuracy, variable selection models that assume heterogenous variance have been proposed over the last few years. However, while these models might outperform traditional and genomic predictions in terms of accuracy, they also carry a proportional increase of breeding value bias and dispersion. These mutual increases are especially striking when genomic selection is performed with a low number of phenotypes and high shrinkage value—which is precisely the situation that happens with small local breeds. In our study, we tested several alternative methods to improve the accuracy of genomic selection in a small population. First, we investigated the impact of using only a subset of informative markers regarding prediction accuracy, bias, and dispersion. We used different algorithms to select them, such as recursive feature eliminations, penalized regression, and XGBoost. We compared our results with the predictions of pedigree-based BLUP, single-step genomic BLUP, and weighted single-step genomic BLUP in different simulated populations obtained by combining various parameters in terms of number of QTLs and effective population size. We also investigated these approaches on a real data set belonging to the small local Rendena breed. Our results show that the accuracy of GBLUP in small-sized populations increased when performed with SNPs selected via variable selection methods both in simulated and real data sets. In addition, the use of variable selection models—especially those using XGBoost—in our real data set did not impact bias and the dispersion of estimated breeding values. We have discussed possible explanations for our results and how our study can help estimate breeding values for future genomic selection in small breeds.

opencc-by-4.0Aug 2022View details →

Rainy cycles in South America as a driver for the breeding of Rynchops niger and Phaetusa simplex (Aves: Charadriiformes)

THIS IS THE DATASET for the following work: ABSTRACT Rynchops niger and Phaetusa simplex are two migratory waterbirds that breed simultaneously on many river beaches in South America. Both are polytypic taxa with little information about the distribution and non-breeding ("wintering") areas. Based on data from the literature, fieldwork, and specimens housed in natural history museums we revised the distribution of some of the main breeding colonies in South America, comparing it with the rainy cycles in the continent to identify generalities about the role of precipitation seasonality on the defining intratropical migration routes of these species. Our data suggest that the seasonal precipitation cycle of South America directly influences the reproductive timing and distribution of both species, which is largely circumscribed by South America's rivers. After breeding on sandy beaches during the dry season, both species disperse in small groups or even individually – not in large flocks as seen in breeding areas – making it difficult to find general migration patterns during the rainy season. Nonetheless, individuals of both species tend to follow the course of the largest rivers of the continent and even alternative routes to disperse into several areas throughout South America during the non-breeding season.

Helpers slow senescence in a Tibetan cooperatively breeding bird

Sociality is known to be capable of slowing individual senescence, but it is unclear whether the effect differs for reproduction vs. survival in a sex-specific way. Here we predict that social benefits are directed toward 1) somatic maintenance in harsh environments where high survival prospects of adults over young intensifies the trade-off between current and future reproduction, and 2) females that invest more in reproduction and have a greater marginal effect if their survival is improved by reducing the cost of reproduction. These two predictions are tested with cooperatively breeding Tibetan ground tits (Pseudopodoces humilis). Across the lifetime, both mothers and fathers with helpers did not differ in brood size at fledging from their counterparts without helpers. The presence of helpers reduced survival senescence of both parents, but mothers benefited more than fathers from receiving help. Consequently, the inherent sex difference in lifespan and along with lifetime reproductive success, as expressed in breeders of never-receiving help, became no longer obvious. The model of social modulation for senescence should facilitate the persistence of cooperative breeding in challenging environments.