DOCSLIB.ORG

The Evolution of Micro-Cursoriality in Mammals

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Evolution of Micro-Cursoriality in Mammals © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd | The Journal of Experimental Biology (2014) 217, 1316-1325 doi:10.1242/jeb.095737 RESEARCH ARTICLE The evolution of micro-cursoriality in mammals Barry G. Lovegrove* and Metobor O. Mowoe* ABSTRACT Perissodactyla) in response to the emergence of open landscapes and In this study we report on the evolution of micro-cursoriality, a unique grasslands following the Eocene Thermal Maximum (Janis, 1993; case of cursoriality in mammals smaller than 1 kg. We obtained new Janis and Wilhelm, 1993; Yuanqing et al., 2007; Jardine et al., 2012; running speed and limb morphology data for two species of elephant- Lovegrove, 2012b; Lovegrove and Mowoe, 2013). shrews (Elephantulus spp., Macroscelidae) from Namaqualand, Loosely defined, cursorial mammals are those that run fast. South Africa, which we compared with published data for other However, more explicit definitions of cursoriality remain obscure mammals. Elephantulus maximum running speeds were higher than because locomotor performance is influenced by multiple variables, those of most mammals smaller than 1 kg. Elephantulus also including behaviour, biomechanics, physiology and morphology possess exceptionally high metatarsal:femur ratios (1.07) that are (Taylor et al., 1970; Garland, 1983a; Garland, 1983b; Garland and typically associated with fast unguligrade cursors. Cursoriality evolved Janis, 1993; Stein and Casinos, 1997; Carrano, 1999). In an in the Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla and Carnivora coincident with evaluation of these definition problems, Carrano (Carrano, 1999) global cooling and the replacement of forests with open landscapes argued that ‘…morphology should remain the fundamental basis for in the Oligocene and Miocene. The majority of mammal species, making distinctions between locomotor performance…’. Carrano though, remained non-cursorial, plantigrade and small (<1 kg). The (Carrano, 1999) showed that a morphological continuum between extraordinary running speed and digitigrady of elephant-shrews was ‘cursorial’ and ‘graviportal’ (weight-bearing) locomotion based upon established in the Early Eocene in the earliest macroscelid measures of multiple morphological traits in a principal components Prodiacodon, but was probably inherited from Paleocene, Holarctic analysis provided biologically realistic indices of mammalian stem macroscelids. Micro-cursoriality in macroscelids evolved from locomotor performance. In short, cursorial taxa have longer the plesiomorphic plantigrade foot of the possum-like ancestral metatarsals, more slender limb elements, shorter femora, and a mammal earlier than in other mammalian crown groups. Micro- muscle insertion point located closer to the hip joint, whereas cursoriality evolved first in forests, presumably in response to graviportal mammals have more robust limb elements, shorter selection for rapid running speeds facilitated by local knowledge, in metatarsals, and more distal muscle insertion points (Carrano, 1999). order to avoid predators. During the Miocene, micro-cursoriality was Variations in the dimensions of these traits are borne in limbs pre-adaptive to open, arid habitats, and became more derived in the commonly associated with cursoriality, namely the derived newly evolved Elephantulus and Macroscelides elephant-shrews with digitigrade and unguligrade limbs, in which the metatarsals, in trail running. particular, are elongated relative to other hindlimb bones, resulting in the heel being raised off the ground (Hildebrand, 1974; Garland KEY WORDS: Elephant-shrews, Macroscelidae, Running speed, and Janis, 1993). The length ratio between the metatarsals (MT) and Cursors, Mammals the femur (F), the MT:F ratio, is often used as a proxy for cursoriality in mammals (Garland and Janis, 1993; Carrano, 1999). INTRODUCTION Although higher MT:F ratios are often associated with increased The extraordinary diversity of modern placental mammals evolved hindlimb length, stride length and running speed (Hildebrand, 1974), from a single lineage that survived the asteroid impact event that they are also indicative of more specialized limb adaptations for fast drove the non-neornithean dinosaurs to extinction at the running speeds (Steudel and Beattie, 1993) and cost-effective long- Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary 65.5 million years ago distance locomotion (Garland and Janis, 1993). Nevertheless, there (MYA) (O’Leary et al., 2013). The ancestral placental mammal was is no direct relationship between MT:F ratio and maximum running a small (6–245 g), insectivorous, tree-climbing (scansorial) forest- speed; two mammals with similar body sizes can have similar dweller that looked somewhat like an opossum with a bushy tail maximum running speeds but very different MT:F ratios (Garland (O’Leary et al., 2013). The reconstruction of this virtual placental and Janis, 1993). MT:F ratios range from <0.1 in some plantigrade mammalian ancestor shows the ancestral condition of a plantigrade rodents to 1.4 in the giraffe (Carrano, 1999). foot, in which the heel makes contact with the ground (O’Leary et al., Several published observations on the morphology and 2013). From this ancestor, and given the freedom to radiate into niches physiology of elephant-shrews or sengis (Macroscelidea) prompted evacuated by the non-neornithean dinosaurs, the first members of the us to test the hypothesis that elephant-shrews are exceptional micro- modern placental mammals emerged within hundreds of thousands of cursorial animals relative to typical cursorial taxa. Elephant-shrews years of the extinction event (O’Leary et al., 2013). During the are placed in the superorder Afrotheria (Springer et al., 1997) as a Oligocene and Miocene, a high degree of cursoriality evolved in sister family to Afrosoricida (tenrecs, golden moles and otter several modern placental orders (Carnivora, Artiodactyla and shrews) (Stanhope et al., 1998). The etymology of Macroscelidea confirms the early recognition of unusual hind limb morphology School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville because the word is derived from Macroscelides, which comprises 3209, South Africa. the Latin prefix ‘macro’, meaning large, and the Greek word ‘skelis’, meaning hip or thigh. Indeed, elephant-shrews that have *Authors for correspondence ([email protected]; [email protected]) been studied morphologically to date display extremely elongated Received 12 August 2013; Accepted 5 December 2013 metatarsals and distal muscle reductions (Evans, 1942; Carrano, The Journal of Experimental Biology 1316 RESEARCH ARTICLE The Journal of Experimental Biology (2014) doi:10.1242/jeb.095737 Table 1. Bone dimensions and maximum running speeds of List of symbols and abbreviations Elephantulus rupestris and E. edwardii AIC Akaike’s information criterion CI confidence interval E. rupestris E. edwardii F femur Body mass (g) 60.10±5.02 (n=10) 49.90±4.22 (n=4) K–Pg Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary Femur length (mm) 26.54±0.69 (n=5) 26.13±0.38 (n=5) M body mass b Metatarsal length (mm) 26.68±1.15 (n=5) 24.54±1.26 (n=5) ML maximum likelihood MT:F ratio 1.067±0.041 (n=5) 1.075±0.042 (n=5) MRS maximum running speed (km h−1) MRS (km h−1) 23.6±4.8 (n=10) 19.4±2.2 (n=4) MT metatarsal MRS range (km h−1) 14.4–28.8 10.8–21.6 MT:F metatarsal:femur ratio OLS ordinary least squares MRS, maximum absolute running speed; MT:F, metatarsal:femur. PGLS phylogenetic generalized least squares RRS relative running speed (body lengths s−1) −1 Tb body temperature (°C) body lengths s and Mb) were regressed against each other (Iriarte- Díaz, 2002). Consequently, we resorted here to analyses of MRS only, 1999). Moreover, whereas their closest relatives, tenrecs using a phylogenetically informed approach. (Tenrecidae) and golden moles (Chrysochloridae), display a mean In this study we measured the running speeds and limb body temperature (Tb) of 32.8°C (n=8 species), the mean Tb of morphology of two species of rock elephant-shrew, Elephantulus elephant-shrews is 37.2°C (n=8 species), indicating a profound edwardii (Smith 1839) and E. rupestris (Smith 1831), from apomorphy (derived characteristic) of 4.4°C between sister Namaqualand, South Africa. We recorded the MT:F ratio and Afrotherians (Lovegrove, 2012a; Lovegrove, 2012b) (see maximal running speed (km h−1) and compared these data with supplementary material Fig. S1). High body temperatures are appropriate mammal models for which running speed and MT:F correlated with the MT:F ratio in other cursors (Lovegrove, 2012b), data were available. We tested the hypothesis that elephant-shrews and are thought to enhance muscle performance (Clarke and Pörtner, display a micro-cursorial capacity which evolved in forest 2010). Elephant-shrews also display an exceptionally high MT:F environments with some surety during the Early Eocene, but ratio for their body size, comparable to those of the fastest possibly as early as the Paleocene. unguligrade cursors (Lovegrove, 2012b). Last, elephant-shrews (Elephantulus) displayed the highest index of cursoriality in a RESULTS principal components analysis of mammal limb dimensions Metatarsal:femur ratios (Carrano, 1999). The average MT:F ratio of the two species of Elephantulus was 1.07 The extraordinary large hind limbs/quarters and speed of (Table 1). Excluding the giraffe, only five mammals in the combined elephant-shrews were also recognized in the very first written dataset of 135 mammals had MT:F ratios higher than those of E. description of these African small mammals in
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Evolution of the Patellar Sesamoid Bone in Mammals
    A peer-reviewed version of this preprint was published in PeerJ on 21 March 2017. View the peer-reviewed version (peerj.com/articles/3103), which is the preferred citable publication unless you specifically need to cite this preprint. Samuels ME, Regnault S, Hutchinson JR. 2017. Evolution of the patellar sesamoid bone in mammals. PeerJ 5:e3103 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3103 Evolution of the patellar sesamoid bone in mammals Mark E Samuels 1, 2 , Sophie Regnault 3 , John R Hutchinson Corresp. 3 1 Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 2 Centre de Recherche du CHU Ste-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 3 Structure & Motion Laboratory, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom Corresponding Author: John R Hutchinson Email address: [email protected] The patella is a sesamoid bone located in the major extensor tendon of the knee joint, in the hindlimb of many tetrapods. Although numerous aspects of knee morphology are ancient and conserved among most tetrapods, the evolutionary occurrence of an ossified patella is highly variable. Among extant (crown clade) groups it is found in most birds, most lizards, the monotreme mammals and almost all placental mammals, but it is absent in most marsupial mammals as well as many reptiles. Here we integrate data from the literature and first-hand studies of fossil and recent skeletal remains to reconstruct the evolution of the mammalian patella. We infer that bony patellae most likely evolved between four to six times in crown group Mammalia: in monotremes, in the extinct multituberculates, in one or more stem-mammal genera outside of therian or eutherian mammals, and up to three times in therian mammals.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Reconstruction of the Inner Ear of Leptictidium Auderiense
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by RERO DOC Digital Library Published in "Paläontologische Zeitschrift 90(1): 153–171, 2016" which should be cited to refer to this work. Digital reconstruction of the inner ear of Leptictidium auderiense (Leptictida, Mammalia) and North American leptictids reveals new insight into leptictidan locomotor agility Irina Ruf1,2 • Virginie Volpato1,3 • Kenneth D. Rose4 • Guillaume Billet2,5 • Christian de Muizon5 • Thomas Lehmann1 Abstract Leptictida are basal Paleocene to Oligocene semicircular canals than the leptictids under study. Our eutherians from Europe and North America comprising estimations reveal that Leptictidium was a very agile ani- species with highly specialized postcranial features mal with agility score values (4.6 and 5.5, respectively) including elongated hind limbs. Among them, the Euro- comparable to Macroscelidea and extant bipedal saltatory pean Leptictidium was probably a bipedal runner or jum- placentals. Leptictis and Palaeictops have lower agility per. Because the semicircular canals of the inner ear are scores (3.4 to 4.1), which correspond to the more gener- involved in detecting angular acceleration of the head, their alized types of locomotion (e.g., terrestrial, cursorial) of morphometry can be used as a proxy to elucidate the agility most extant mammals. In contrast, the angular velocity in fossil mammals. Here we provide the first insight into magnitude predicted from semicircular canal angles sup- inner ear anatomy and morphometry of Leptictida based on ports a conflicting pattern of agility among leptictidans, but high-resolution computed tomography of a new specimen the significance of these differences might be challenged of Leptictidium auderiense from the middle Eocene Messel when more is known about intraspecific variation and the Pit (Germany) and specimens of the North American pattern of semicircular canal angles in non-primate Leptictis and Palaeictops.
    [Show full text]
  • Petrodromus Tetradactylus – Four-Toed Sengi
    Petrodromus tetradactylus – Four-toed Sengi Specialist Group web site and www.sengis.org for additional information. This genus specifically is in need of a taxonomic revision that would assess the currently recognized 10 subspecies. Subspecies are characterised mainly by pelage colour and bristles under the tail. Two subspecies occur within the assessment region, P. t. schwanni in north-eastern Limpopo and P. t. warreni in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The subspecies in KwaZulu-Natal (P. t. warreni) lacks tail bristles, as opposed to other forms (Rathbun 2013). For general biological information, please consult Perrin and Rathbun (2013), Rathbun (2013) and Rathbun (2005). Galen Rathbun (c) California Academy of Sciences Assessment Rationale Regional Red List status (2016) Near Threatened This species is at the edge of its range within the B2ab(ii,iii,v)* assessment region where two disjunct subspecies occur: National Red List status (2004) Endangered D P. t. schwanni in north-eastern Limpopo and P. t. warreni in northern KwaZulu-Natal, both being restricted to intact Reasons for change Non-genuine: riparian and coastal forest. The estimated area of New information occupancy for P. t. schwanni and P. t. warreni, based on remaining forest habitat, is 72 and 192 km2 respectively. Global Red List status (2015) Least Concern Although P. t. warreni at least may represent a South TOPS listing (NEMBA) None African endemic, further taxonomic resolution is required before we assess it separately. Overall, the species CITES listing None qualifies for Endangered B2ab(ii,iii,v) based on restricted Endemic Edge of Range area of occupancy (264 km2 in South Africa) presumed small population size, and a continuing decline in *Watch-list Data woodland habitat as a result of human expansion over the past decade.
    [Show full text]
  • The World at the Time of Messel: Conference Volume
    T. Lehmann & S.F.K. Schaal (eds) The World at the Time of Messel - Conference Volume Time at the The World The World at the Time of Messel: Puzzles in Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironment and the History of Early Primates 22nd International Senckenberg Conference 2011 Frankfurt am Main, 15th - 19th November 2011 ISBN 978-3-929907-86-5 Conference Volume SENCKENBERG Gesellschaft für Naturforschung THOMAS LEHMANN & STEPHAN F.K. SCHAAL (eds) The World at the Time of Messel: Puzzles in Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironment, and the History of Early Primates 22nd International Senckenberg Conference Frankfurt am Main, 15th – 19th November 2011 Conference Volume Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung IMPRINT The World at the Time of Messel: Puzzles in Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironment, and the History of Early Primates 22nd International Senckenberg Conference 15th – 19th November 2011, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Conference Volume Publisher PROF. DR. DR. H.C. VOLKER MOSBRUGGER Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Editors DR. THOMAS LEHMANN & DR. STEPHAN F.K. SCHAAL Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany [email protected]; [email protected] Language editors JOSEPH E.B. HOGAN & DR. KRISTER T. SMITH Layout JULIANE EBERHARDT & ANIKA VOGEL Cover Illustration EVELINE JUNQUEIRA Print Rhein-Main-Geschäftsdrucke, Hofheim-Wallau, Germany Citation LEHMANN, T. & SCHAAL, S.F.K. (eds) (2011). The World at the Time of Messel: Puzzles in Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironment, and the History of Early Primates. 22nd International Senckenberg Conference. 15th – 19th November 2011, Frankfurt am Main. Conference Volume. Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt am Main. pp. 203.
    [Show full text]
  • Longest Terrestrial Migrations and Movements Around the World Kyle Joly 1*, Eliezer Gurarie2, Mathew S
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Longest terrestrial migrations and movements around the world Kyle Joly 1*, Eliezer Gurarie2, Mathew S. Sorum3, Petra Kaczensky 4,5, Matthew D. Cameron 1, Andrew F. Jakes6, Bridget L. Borg7, Dejid Nandintsetseg8,9, J. Grant C. Hopcraft10, Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar11, Paul F. Jones12, Thomas Mueller8,9, Chris Walzer 5,13, Kirk A. Olson11, John C. Payne5,11,13, Adiya Yadamsuren14,15 & Mark Hebblewhite16 Long-distance terrestrial migrations are imperiled globally. We determined both round-trip migration distances (straight-line measurements between migratory end points) and total annual movement (sum of the distances between successive relocations over a year) for a suite of large mammals that had potential for long-distance movements to test which species displayed the longest of both. We found that caribou likely do exhibit the longest terrestrial migrations on the planet, but, over the course of a year, gray wolves move the most. Our results were consistent with the trophic-level based hypothesis that predators would move more than their prey. Herbivores in low productivity environments moved more than herbivores in more productive habitats. We also found that larger members of the same guild moved less than smaller members, supporting the ‘gastro-centric’ hypothesis. A better understanding of migration and movements of large mammals should aid in their conservation by helping delineate conservation area boundaries and determine priority corridors for protection to preserve connectivity. The magnitude of the migrations and movements we documented should also provide guidance on the scale of conservation eforts required and assist conservation planning across agency and even national boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Mammalian Species 117
    MAMMALIANSPECIES No. 117, pp. 14, 5 figs. Rhynchocyon chrysopygus. BY Galen B. Rathbun Published 8 June 1979 by the American Society of Mammalogists Rhynchocyon Peters, 1847 cyon chrysopygus apparently does not occur in the gallery forests of the Tana River, in the ground-water forest at Witu, or in the Rhynchocyon Peters, 1W7:36, type species Rhynchocyon cirnei dry bushlands between the Galana and Tana rivers. This ele- Peters by monotypy. phant-shrew's habitat is being cleared for exotic forest plantations Rhir~onaxThomas, 1918:370, type species Rh~nchoc~onchr~so- and agriculture all along the coast, resulting in a discontinuous pygus Gunther. and reduced distribution. It will re-occupy fallow agricultural land that is allowed to become overgrown with dense bush (Rathbun, CONTEXT AND CONTENT. Order Macroscelidea, Fam- ily Macroscelididae, Subfamily Rhynch~c~oninae.Corbet and unpublished data)' Hanks (1968) recognized three allopatric species of Rhynchocyon FOSSIL RECORD. As far as is known, the Macrosceli- (figure 1) for which they wrote the following key: didae have always been endemic to Africa (Patterson, 1%5). But- ler and Hopwood (1957) described Rhynchocyon clarki from the 1 Rump straw-colored, contrasting sharply with surround- early Miocene beds of Songhor, Kenya (near Lake Victoria). Ad- ing rufous pelage ----------.-------.-------R. chrysopygus ditional Miocene material from Rusinga Island, Kenya, has been Rump not straw-colored ---------.------.-------------------2 referred to this extinct form (Patterson, 1%5), which was smaller 2(1) Rump and posterior half of back with a pattern of dark than the extant species of Rhynchocyon. R. clarki contributes lines or spots on a yellowish-brown or rufous ground; significantly to the forest related fossil mammal fauna from Ru- top of head without a rufous tinge ._._._....._._R.
    [Show full text]
  • New Large Leptictid Insectivore from the Late Paleogene of South Dakota, USA
    New large leptictid insectivore from the Late Paleogene of South Dakota, USA TJ MEEHAN and LARRY D. MARTIN Meehan, T.J. and Martin, L.D. 2012. New large leptictid insectivore from the Late Paleogene of South Dakota, USA. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 57 (3): 509–518. From a skull and mandible, we describe a new genus and species of a primitive insectivore (Mammalia: Insectivora: Leptictida: Leptictidae). Its large body size and higher−crowned teeth indicate a different feeding ecology from other leptictid insectivores. With evidence of some heavy, flat wear on the molariform teeth, its shift in diet was likely to greater herbivory. Unlike the narrow snout of Blacktops, this new leptictid retains a broad snout, suggesting that small verte− brates were still important dietary components. The specimen was collected from the floodplain deposits of the lower or middle White River Group of South Dakota, which represent the latest Eocene to earliest Oligocene (Chadronian and Orellan North American Land Mammal “Ages”). Key words: Mammalia, Leptictidae, Leptictis, Megaleptictis, Eocene, Oligocene, White River Group, South Dakota, North America. TJ Meehan [[email protected]], Research Associate, Section of Vertebrate Paleontology, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Larry D. Martin [[email protected]], Division of Vertebrate Paleontology, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Re− search Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA. Received 4 April 2011, accepted 25 July 2011, available online 17 August 2011. Introduction molariform teeth. A fossa in this region at least suggests in− creased snout mobility, but no definitive anatomical argument Leptictida is a primitive order of placental, insectivorous has been made to support a highly mobile cartilaginous snout mammals convergent to extant sengis or elephant “shrews” tip, as in sengis.
    [Show full text]
  • Rethinking the Evolution of the Human Foot: Insights from Experimental Research Nicholas B
    © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd | Journal of Experimental Biology (2018) 221, jeb174425. doi:10.1242/jeb.174425 REVIEW Rethinking the evolution of the human foot: insights from experimental research Nicholas B. Holowka* and Daniel E. Lieberman* ABSTRACT presumably owing to their lack of arches and mobile midfoot joints Adaptive explanations for modern human foot anatomy have long for enhanced prehensility in arboreal locomotion (see Glossary; fascinated evolutionary biologists because of the dramatic differences Fig. 1B) (DeSilva, 2010; Elftman and Manter, 1935a). Other studies between our feet and those of our closest living relatives, the great have documented how great apes use their long toes, opposable apes. Morphological features, including hallucal opposability, toe halluces and mobile ankles for grasping arboreal supports (DeSilva, length and the longitudinal arch, have traditionally been used to 2009; Holowka et al., 2017a; Morton, 1924). These observations dichotomize human and great ape feet as being adapted for bipedal underlie what has become a consensus model of human foot walking and arboreal locomotion, respectively. However, recent evolution: that selection for bipedal walking came at the expense of biomechanical models of human foot function and experimental arboreal locomotor capabilities, resulting in a dichotomy between investigations of great ape locomotion have undermined this simple human and great ape foot anatomy and function. According to this dichotomy. Here, we review this research, focusing on the way of thinking, anatomical features of the foot characteristic of biomechanics of foot strike, push-off and elastic energy storage in great apes are assumed to represent adaptations for arboreal the foot, and show that humans and great apes share some behavior, and those unique to humans are assumed to be related underappreciated, surprising similarities in foot function, such as to bipedal walking.
    [Show full text]
  • Elephantulus Pilicaudus – Karoo Rock Sengi
    Elephantulus pilicaudus – Karoo Rock Sengi the order Eulipotyphla. See www.afrotheria.net for additional information. For general biological information on all sengi species, consult accounts in Rathbun (2005, 2013) and Perrin and Rathbun (2013). For current and more technical information, search the on-line bibliography at www.sengis.org. Assessment Rationale This species was described in 2008, based almost entirely on molecular genetics, with weak support from external morphology. Thus, it is a highly cryptic species. It is considered a sister species of the Cape Rock Sengi, Galen Rathbun (c) California Academy of Sciences Elephantulus edwardii. There are only five known locations (with a total of 17 specimens), with two of these locations based on trapping after the year 2000, the other three are Red List status (2016) Data Deficient* based on older museum specimens. Based on these five Red List status (2004) Not Evaluated locations, this species mainly occurs in boulder habitats, but a sample of five locations is not sufficient to be Reasons for change Non genuine change conclusive. The five locations fall within an area of about Global Red List status (2015) Data Deficient 23,000 km2, but this area may include areas not occupied by the species, and thus a fragmented distribution is TOPS listing (NEMBA) None possible. All sengi species studied to date occur at low CITES listing None densities, which suggests relatively few animals per unit area. Recent trapping efforts for this species indicate that Endemic Yes this may be the case here. Without actual abundance and *Watch-list Data density data, more locations, habitat associations, and a proper assessment of habitat condition, there are not This is a recently described new species of sengi enough data to justify anything but a Data Deficient endemic to South Africa (Smit et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Proceedings of the United States National Museum
    PALEOCENE PRIMATES OF THE FORT UNION, WITH DIS- CUSSION OF RELATIONSHIPS OF EOCENE PRIMATES. By James Williams Gidley, Assistant Curator, United States National Museum. INTRODUCTION. The first important contribution to the knowledge of Fort Union mammalian life was furnished by Dr. Earl Douglass and was based on a small lot of fragmentary material collected by him in the au- tumn of 1901 from a locality in Sweet Grass County, Montana, about 25 miles northeast of Bigtimber.* The fauna described by Douglass indicated a horizon about equivalent in age to the Torrejon of New Mexico, but the presence of unfamilar forms, suggesting a different faunal phase, was recognized. A few years later (1908 to 1911) this region was much more fully explored for fossil remains by parties of the United States Geological Survey and the United States National Museum. Working under the direction of Dr. T. W. Stanton, Mr. Albert C. Silberling, an ener- getic and successful collector, procured the first specimens in the winter and spring of 1908, continuing operations intermittently through the following years until the early spring of 1911. The present writer visited the field in 1908 and again in 1909, securing a considerable amount of good material. The net result of this com- bined field work is the splendid collection now in the National Museum, consisting of about 1,000 specimens, for the most part upper and lower jaw portions carrying teeth in varying numbers, but including also several characteristic foot and limb bones. Although nearly 10 years have passed since the last of this collec- tion was received, it was not until late in the summer of 1920 that the preparation of the material for study was completed.
    [Show full text]
  • Afrotherian Conservation – Number 16
    AFROTHERIAN CONSERVATION Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group Number 16 Edited by PJ Stephenson September 2020 Afrotherian Conservation is published annually by the measure the effectiveness of SSC’s actions on biodiversity IUCN Species Survival Commission Afrotheria Specialist conservation, identification of major new initiatives Group to promote the exchange of news and information needed to address critical conservation issues, on the conservation of, and applied research into, consultations on developing policies, guidelines and aardvarks, golden moles, hyraxes, otter shrews, sengis and standards, and increasing visibility and public awareness of tenrecs. the work of SSC, its network and key partners. Remarkably, 2020 marks the end of the current IUCN Published by IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. quadrennium, which means we will be dissolving the © 2020 International Union for Conservation of Nature membership once again in early 2021, then reassembling it and Natural Resources based on feedback from our members. I will be in touch ISSN: 1664-6754 with all members at the relevant time to find out who wishes to remain a member and whether there are any Find out more about the Group people you feel should be added to our group. No one is on our website at http://afrotheria.net/ASG.html automatically re-admitted, however, so you will all need to and on Twitter @Tweeting_Tenrec actively inform me of your wishes. We will very likely need to reassess the conservation status of all our species during the next quadrennium, so get ready for another round of Red Listing starting Message from the Chair sometime in the not too distant future.
    [Show full text]
  • Mammal and Plant Localities of the Fort Union, Willwood, and Iktman Formations, Southern Bighorn Basin* Wyoming
    Distribution and Stratigraphip Correlation of Upper:UB_ • Ju Paleocene and Lower Eocene Fossil Mammal and Plant Localities of the Fort Union, Willwood, and Iktman Formations, Southern Bighorn Basin* Wyoming U,S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESS IONAL PAPER 1540 Cover. A member of the American Museum of Natural History 1896 expedition enter­ ing the badlands of the Willwood Formation on Dorsey Creek, Wyoming, near what is now U.S. Geological Survey fossil vertebrate locality D1691 (Wardel Reservoir quadran­ gle). View to the southwest. Photograph by Walter Granger, courtesy of the Department of Library Services, American Museum of Natural History, New York, negative no. 35957. DISTRIBUTION AND STRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION OF UPPER PALEOCENE AND LOWER EOCENE FOSSIL MAMMAL AND PLANT LOCALITIES OF THE FORT UNION, WILLWOOD, AND TATMAN FORMATIONS, SOUTHERN BIGHORN BASIN, WYOMING Upper part of the Will wood Formation on East Ridge, Middle Fork of Fifteenmile Creek, southern Bighorn Basin, Wyoming. The Kirwin intrusive complex of the Absaroka Range is in the background. View to the west. Distribution and Stratigraphic Correlation of Upper Paleocene and Lower Eocene Fossil Mammal and Plant Localities of the Fort Union, Willwood, and Tatman Formations, Southern Bighorn Basin, Wyoming By Thomas M. Down, Kenneth D. Rose, Elwyn L. Simons, and Scott L. Wing U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1540 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1994 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Robert M. Hirsch, Acting Director For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Map Distribution Box 25286, MS 306, Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S.
    [Show full text]