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44959684015.Pdf Revista de Biología Tropical ISSN: 2215-2075 ISSN: 0034-7744 Universidad de Costa Rica Andrade-Zuñiga, Erick M.; Morales, Miguel; Ariano-Sánchez, Daniel Toxicity of the feathers of Yellow Grosbeak, Pheucticus chrysopeplus (Passeriformes: Cardinalidae), a chemically defended neotropical bird Revista de Biología Tropical, vol. 66, no. 4, 2018, pp. 1530-1535 Universidad de Costa Rica DOI: 10.15517/rbt.v66i4.32059 Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44959684015 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System Redalyc More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America and the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Project academic non-profit, developed under the open access initiative Toxicity of the feathers of Yellow Grosbeak, Pheucticus chrysopeplus (Passeriformes: Cardinalidae), a chemically defended neotropical bird Erick M. Andrade-Zuñiga1, Miguel Morales1 & Daniel Ariano-Sánchez2, 3 1. Departamento de Biología, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, 18 avenida 11-95, zona 15, Vista Hermosa III, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala; [email protected], [email protected] 2. Centro de Estudios Ambientales y Biodiversidad, Instituto de Investigaciones, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala; [email protected] 3. Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences,University of Southeast Norway, 3800 Bø, Telemark, Norway. Received 21-I-2018. Corrected 06-V-2018. Accepted 05-IX-2018. Abstract: Chemical defense is a widespread mechanism on many animals and plants. However, just a few cases are known for avian species. In this study we evaluate the toxicity of Pheucticus chrysopeplus feather extract via lethality test with brine shrimp (Artemia salina) as an in vivo model. Mortality of A. salina was evaluated after 24 hour exposure to artificial seawater, methanol, and the methanolic feather extract. Kruskal-Wallis test showed a significant difference in mortality between treatments (X2 = 65.25, P < 0.0001, n = 50). With this we describe P. chrysopeplus as the first known toxic avian species of Guatemala and Central America, raising awareness about its conservation and the identification of the toxic substance present in its feathers. We also highlight the possible mimicry mechanism taking part between P. chrysopeplus and two sympatric oriole species (Icterus pectoralis and I. pustulatus). Key words: toxicity; lethality test; aposematism; mimicry; brine shrimp; yellow grosbeak; Guatemala. Andrade-Zuñiga, E. M., Morales, M., & Ariano-Sánchez, D. (2018).Toxicity of the feathers of Yellow Grosbeak, Pheucticus chrysopeplus (Passeriformes: Cardinalidae), a chemically defended neotropical bird. Revista de Biología Tropical, 66(4), 1530-1535. Chemical defense refers to any mechanism a bird species. Dumbacher, Beehler, Spande, by which plants or animals utilize a chemical Garraffo, and Daly (1992) confirmed Pitohui, substance to avoid being predated or stop an an endemic genus to New Guinea, to be the attack that has already began (Wilsdon, 2009). first avian group to present some sort of toxin These chemical substances can either be syn- (batrachotoxin, in this case). Since then, sev- thetized by the organism from its own genome eral more avian species have been reported and metabolism, or be obtained from an exter- to present chemical defense, including: Ifrita nal source. Examples of chemical defense can kowaldi, Plectropterus gambesis, Ergaticus be found on many animal species. A lot of cases ruber, Bonasa umbellus, Phaps elegans, and have been reported for both vertebrate and Phaps chalcoptera (Bartram & Boland, 2001). invertebrate fauna, the latter presenting most Pheucticus chrysopeplus, the species eval- of the occurrences. In vertebrates, chemical uated, belongs to the family Cardinalidae. defense has mostly been reported for reptiles They possess a solid yellow color in head and and amphibians. Other groups, like mammals chest, black wings and a lightly white spotted and birds, contain just a few known cases black tail. It has a distinctive massive black (Savitzky et al., 2012). It wasn’t until relatively beak (Fig. 1). They inhabit Mexico and Guate- recently that the first case was reported for mala and tend to inhabit clear and dry forests 1530 Rev. Biol. Trop. (Int. J. Trop. Biol. ISSN-0034-7744) Vol. 66(4): 1530-1535, December 2018 from 300 to 1 850 m above sea level (Fagan & Komar, 2016). This species is listed as endan- gered by the Guatemalan List of Endangered Species (CONAP, 2009). The assumption of its possible toxicity lies on its aposematic-like coloration. Aposematism is a mechanism by which animals advert their predators through a warn signal (vivid coloration or patterns) that they are toxic or distasteful (Weldon, 2000; Skelhorn & Rowe, 2007). P. chrysopeplus bright yellow and black plumage ties in with this definition. Another apparent indicator that drives us to test the possible toxicity of feath- ers of this species is the observation that local people avoid consuming this species due to it supposedly having unpleasant taste if it’s not adequately prepared and cooked, based on observations by Ariano-Sánchez & Salazar (2004-2017). In order to evaluate the toxic- ity of P. chrysopeplus, we realized alcoholic feather extracts and assessed their toxicity with a lethality test using Artemia salina as a model MATERIALS AND METHODS Study site: The study was carried out on Reserva Natural Privada para la Conservación del Heloderma (RNH), a protected area man- aged by local NGO Zootropic. It is located on El Arenal village, Cabañas municipality, Zacapa department, Guatemala (14°53’ N - 89°47’ W). Average annual precipitation is 815 mm, average temperature is 26.9 °C, average relative humidity is 71 % and annual evapo- transpiration is 1 798.8 mm. Elevation ranges from 310-950 masl. Topography is mostly undulant, with many conglomerated steep cliffs. There’s presence of two main seasons, rainy season (June-October) and dry season Fig. 1. Images for (A) I. pustulatus (Common name: (November-May). Landscape is composed by Streak-backed oriole), (B) P. chrysopeplus (Common many patches of seasonally dry tropical forest name: Yellow grosbeak) and (C) I. pectoralis (Common name: Spot-breasted oriole). Source, in order of listing: and tropical thorn shrub, with a matrix of corn- Lee’s Birdwatching adventures plus, by Amy McAndrews; fields alongside some cliffs (Ariano-Sánchez & Aves de Costa Rica, by Jorge Chinchilla; Turismo de Salazar, 2015). observación, by Raúl Vega. Plant species include Plumeria rubra (Apocynaceae); Bursera simaruba (Bursera- ceae); Nopalea guatemalensis, Opuntia decum- bens, Pilocereus leucocephalus, Stenocereus Rev. Biol. Trop. (Int. J. Trop. Biol. ISSN-0034-7744) Vol. 66(4): 1530-1535, December 2018 1531 pruinosus, Stenocereus eichlami (Cactaceae); Ethics, Use, and Animal Care of Universidad Acacia picachensis, Leucaena collinsii, Lysilo- del Valle de Guatemala). ma divaricatum, Mimosa platycarpa (Mimosa- ceae); Swietenia humilis (Meliaceae); Ximenia P. chrysopeplus feather extract prepara- americana (Olacaceae); Bonellia macrocarpa tion: Feathers were cut and ground to small (Theophrastaceae); and Karwinskia calderonii portions. Approximately 0.1 g of feather mac- (Rhamnaceae). Based on its Importance Index, erate was packed in a 0.5 mL microcentrifuge the dominant species are: Oak (Bucida macro- tube. Using a small needle, a tiny hole was stachya, Combretaceae), Quebracho (Lysiloma drilled at the base of the tube. Feathers were divaricatum, Mimosaceae), Yaje (Leucaena soaked in 2 mL of ethanol per gram of feather collinsii, Mimosaceae), Campón (Gyrocar- and allowed to sit for 5 min, to allow toxins to pus americanus, Hernandiaceae), Organ cac- dissolve in the ethanol. The 0.5 mL drilled tube tus (Stenocereus pruinosus, Cactaceae) and was then placed inside a 2 mL microcentrifuge Cabro’s fruit (Karwinskia calderonii, Rhamna- tube and centrifugated at 13 200 rpm during ceae) (Ariano-Sánchez & Salazar, 2015). 5.5 min to filter the ethanol. The process was repeated three times, and the ethanol washes Feather collection: We placed mist nets were combined and evaporated on a Shake (6-8) on forest openings with high bird traf- n’ Bake at 60 °C. The resultant residue was fic on RNH. Nets were open from 06:00 to resuspended on 2 mL of methanol per gram of feather. Extracts were stored at 4 °C following 10:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00 hrs. Nets were Dumbacher, Menon, and Daly (2009) methods. checked every 20 minutes for trapped birds. Feathers from P. chrysopeplus were collected Lethality test: Brine shrimps (Artemia per recommendations of the Protocol of Feather salina) were used as a model to test feather Sampling (UCLA, 2015). Feathers were used extract toxicity. According to Wu (2014), its because, being the first line of defense against use is compatible with methanol as a solvent as predators, they’re a logical functional reposi- they are very resistant to it, which is relevant tory for defensive toxic substances (Wieldon, for obtaining results without confusing effects 2000). Furthermore, Dumbacher et al. (1992) of the solvent used. Sealed 1 000 mL micropi- determined feathers contained the second high- pette tips were used as vials to serve at least 10 est concentration of toxins from several tissues A. salina in 500 µL of a combination of artifi- of Pitohui sp., only below skin concentrations. cial seawater (38 g sea salt/L deionized water), Approximately
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