DOCSLIB.ORG

Biennial Report 2017-2018

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Biennial Report 2017-2018 The Czech Academy of Sciences INSTITUTE OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY BIENNIAL REPORT 2017 –2018 BRNO 2019 BIENNIAL REPORT INSTITUTE OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY the Czech Academy of Sciences 2017 –2018 BIENNIAL REPORT 2017–2018 A periodical continuation of the Institute’s previous bulletins: Vertebratologické zprávy (1969–1987), Zprávy ÚSEB (1988–1991) and the ILE Biennial Report (1993–1994). Edited by Alena Fornůsková, Josef Bryja, Hana Slabáková and Marcel Honza Published by the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, 2019 English editing by Kevin Roche Layout and pre-press by Jiří Kaláček Printed by H.R.G. Litomyšl © Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Front cover: The cuckoo catfish (Synodontis multipunctatus), the only obligatory brood parasite species among fishes. (Photo by R. Blažek) Back cover: The Institute’s new cuckoo catfish breeding facility, with 24 breeding and 32 experimental tanks housing hundreds of cuckoo catfish and their cichlid hosts. (Photo by M. Vrtílek) ISBN 978-80-87189-26-9 CONTENTS PREFACE . 5 1. BACKGROUND ......................................................................... 7 | STRUCTURE OF THE INSTITUTE OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY ............................. 7 | STAFF AND BUDGET.................................................................. 8 | HEADQUARTERS ....................................................................11 | RESEARCH FACILITIES ...............................................................11 | FIELD STATION......................................................................11 | MANAGEMENT AND SERVICES.......................................................11 | BOARD OF THE INSTITUTE...........................................................12 | SUPERVISORY BOARD...............................................................12 | RESEARCH STAFF ...................................................................13 2. RESEARCH PROJECTS .................................................................19 Projects supported by the Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR) . 19 Projects supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA ČR) . 21 Projects supported by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic . 21 Projects supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic . 21 International projects . 22 3. SCIENTIFIC RESULTS...................................................................23 | SUMMARY OF PUBLICATION OUTPUT................................................23 RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS . 24 Geographical distribution of selected research activities . 26 Geographic distribution of the most important international cooperation activities . 28 Complete list of publications . 29 Books, textbooks, edited proceedings . 29 Book chapters . 29 Papers in journals included in the Web of Science Database . 30 Papers in other refereed journals . 45 Papers in proceedings . 45 Book reviews . 46 Popular books and articles . 47 Patents, utility models, function samples, verified technologies, certified methodologies . 48 | SELECTED SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS................................................49 EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY . 52 BIODIVERSITY . 66 PARASITES AND DISEASES . 80 4. OTHER ACTIVITIES ....................................................................89 | POPULARISATION ACTIVITIES .......................................................89 Science exposition 2017 and 2018 . 90 Open door days . 90 | THE INSTITUTE OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY AND STRATEGY AV21 ......................93 | NATIONAL ANIMAL GENETIC BANK OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC.........................94 | IVB EXPERIMENTAL BREEDING FACILITIES ...........................................97 Studenec experimental breeding facility . 97 Brno fish breeding facility . 98 | COMMERCIALISATION OF RESEARCH OUTPUTS ......................................98 | OUTREACH PROJECTS...............................................................99 Project ATHENE – The Little Owl in danger . 99 The 2nd European Mammal Atlas (2017–2023) . 100 | MEETINGS ORGANISED BY THE INSTITUTE ..........................................101 “ Zoological days” Conference 2017 (Brno) and 2018 (Prague) . 101 The Czech Congress of Herpetology . 103 Hybrid zone workshop . 104 Rybikon 2018 – XVI Fisheries and ichthyological conference . 104 Lynx and wolf in the Western Carpathians: current population status, ecology and conservation . 105 Evolutionary workshop for PhD students . 106 | MEMBERSHIP OF EDITORIAL BOARDS ..............................................106 | EDUCATION AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES ............................................106 Teaching at universities and supervision of students . 106 PhD students working at the Institute and/or supervised by the Institute’s fellows . 107 PhD theses defended over 2017–2018 and supervised by Institute fellows . 110 | EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES – FOLIA ZOOLOGICA ........................................111 | AWARDS ...........................................................................112 OBITUARY..............................................................................113 post-graduate students (more than 100) studying with us is strong evidence of our Institute´s im- portant position in the Czech educational system, particularly in the fields of zoology, ecology, evo- lutionary biology and biodiversity. Our staff are extremely competitive and have had great success, both in obtaining research grants and in fund-raising from both national and foreign sources. These research grants and other contract funds contributed significantly to the IVB budget, representing an additional 48 and 47 million CZK in 2017 and 2018, respectively. At this point, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all fellows who successfully applied for research grants and to express a vote of heartfelt thanks for the truly excellent results achieved over the past PREFACE two years. It also gives me great pleasure to announce that, over the past two years, we have completed the Dear reader, construction of a new modern breeding facility at It is my great pleasure to introduce what has already Studenec, at a cost of cca 40 million CZK. become a traditional publication of the Institute of Vertebrate Biology (IVB), the Biennial report. Dear reader, The major goal of this report is to provide both I will finish my 10 year period as Director of the a representative overview of the extensive range Institute in mid-June 2019 and I believe that the of research activities undertaken at the IVB and to new Director will bring new ideas and challenges inform the reader about the most important news for the future progress of the IVB. I sincerely hope and events occurring at the IVB over 2017–2018, that our work will continue to be guided by a spirit all in a style that is fully accessible to the interested of mutual understanding and collaboration. layperson. Finally, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all Each chapter in this report provides a detailed the colleagues that supported and helped me over summary of the results of work completed over my tenure as Director. the previous two years. The majority of scientific papers were published in high ranking journals With my very best wishes, covered by the Web of Science. Of particular note is the impressive range of international coopera- tion and wide distribution of study sites through- out the world that is now characteristic of our re- search activities. Despite the majority of studies addressed by our fellows being primarily focused toward basic science, I must stress that the results of our work have also significantly contributed to ap- plied problems in the areas of nature conservation, fisheries, forestry, agriculture and epidemiological surveillance. The solid number of foreign students involved in our research is a clear indication that the In- Marcel Honza stitute has a good reputation abroad. In addition, Director of the IVB our huge participation in education at Czech Uni- versities and the amazing number of graduate and March, 2019 5 6 BACKGROUND 1. BACKGROUND | STRUCTURE OF THE INSTITUTE OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY Supervisory Board Director Board of the Institute Deputy Directors Scientific Secretary Research Sector * Services (Brno) Research Team 1 Administrative Department (headed by group leader 1) Research Team 2 Scientific Information (headed by group leader 2) Centre and Library Research Team 3 Secretariat (headed by group leader 3) Research Team … X * dispersed at three research facilities – Brno, (headed by group leader … X) Studenec, Valtice The Institute of Vertebrate Biology (IVB) is a relatively small institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences and, as such, is not structured into separate research departments. Senior researchers are usually the Principle Investigators of national and international projects and are responsible for creating and main- taining their teams, predominantly from external funds. Principle Investigators (group leaders) of projects are directly subordinated to the Director. Research teams are highly flexible and are composed of junior researchers, post-doctorates, research assistants, technicians and pre- and post-graduate students (mostly paid from project grants). Research subjects can be divided into three main domains: evolutionary ecology, biodiversity and pathogens and diseases (see below). However, individual projects can cover more topics and researchers often use interdisciplinary approaches. 7 INSTITUTE OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY | THE CZECH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Status and Distribution of Mediterranean Mammals
    THE STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF MEDITERRANEAN MAMMALS Compiled by Helen J. Temple and Annabelle Cuttelod AN E AN R R E IT MED The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ – Regional Assessment THE STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF MEDITERRANEAN MAMMALS Compiled by Helen J. Temple and Annabelle Cuttelod The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ – Regional Assessment The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN or other participating organizations, concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN or other participating organizations. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK Copyright: © 2009 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Red List logo: © 2008 Citation: Temple, H.J. and Cuttelod, A. (Compilers). 2009. The Status and Distribution of Mediterranean Mammals. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK : IUCN. vii+32pp. ISBN: 978-2-8317-1163-8 Cover design: Cambridge Publishers Cover photo: Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus © Antonio Rivas/P. Ex-situ Lince Ibérico All photographs used in this publication remain the property of the original copyright holder (see individual captions for details).
    [Show full text]
  • Quaternary Murid Rodents of Timor Part I: New Material of Coryphomys Buehleri Schaub, 1937, and Description of a Second Species of the Genus
    QUATERNARY MURID RODENTS OF TIMOR PART I: NEW MATERIAL OF CORYPHOMYS BUEHLERI SCHAUB, 1937, AND DESCRIPTION OF A SECOND SPECIES OF THE GENUS K. P. APLIN Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO Division of Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra and Division of Vertebrate Zoology (Mammalogy) American Museum of Natural History ([email protected]) K. M. HELGEN Department of Vertebrate Zoology National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution, Washington and Division of Vertebrate Zoology (Mammalogy) American Museum of Natural History ([email protected]) BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Number 341, 80 pp., 21 figures, 4 tables Issued July 21, 2010 Copyright E American Museum of Natural History 2010 ISSN 0003-0090 CONTENTS Abstract.......................................................... 3 Introduction . ...................................................... 3 The environmental context ........................................... 5 Materialsandmethods.............................................. 7 Systematics....................................................... 11 Coryphomys Schaub, 1937 ........................................... 11 Coryphomys buehleri Schaub, 1937 . ................................... 12 Extended description of Coryphomys buehleri............................ 12 Coryphomys musseri, sp.nov.......................................... 25 Description.................................................... 26 Coryphomys, sp.indet.............................................. 34 Discussion . ....................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Copyright © and Moral Rights for This Thesis Are Retained by the Author And/Or Other Copyright Owners
    Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", Canterbury Christ Church University, name of the University School or Department, PhD Thesis. Renita Danabalan PhD Ecology Mosquitoes of southern England and northern Wales: Identification, Ecology and Host selection. Table of Contents: Acknowledgements pages 1 Abstract pages 2 Chapter1: General Introduction Pages 3-26 1.1 History of Mosquito Systematics pages 4-11 1.1.1 Internal Systematics of the Subfamily Anophelinae pages 7-8 1.1.2 Internal Systematics of the Subfamily Culicinae pages 8-11 1.2 British Mosquitoes pages 12-20 1.2.1 Species List and Feeding Preferences pages 12-13 1.2.2 Distribution of British Mosquitoes pages 14-15 1.2.2.1 Distribution of the subfamily Culicinae in UK pages 14 1.2.2.2. Distribution of the genus Anopheles in UK pages 15 1.2.3 British Mosquito Species Complexes pages 15-20 1.2.3.1 The Anopheles maculipennis Species Complex pages
    [Show full text]
  • Evolutionary Systematics in African Gerbilline Rodents of the Genus Gerbilliscus: Inference from Mitochondrial Genes
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42 (2007) 797–806 www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev Evolutionary systematics in African gerbilline rodents of the genus Gerbilliscus: Inference from mitochondrial genes Paolo Colangelo a,¤, Laurent Granjon b,c, Peter J. Taylor d, Marco Corti a a Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Via Borelli 50, 00161 Roma, Italy b Centre de Biologie et Gestion des Populations (UMR 022 IRD), Campus international Agropolis de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France c Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Département Systématique et Evolution, FRE 2695: Origine, structure et évolution de la Biodiversité (Mammifères & Oiseaux), 55 rue BuVon, 75 005 Paris, France d eThekwini Natural Science Museum, P.O. Box 4085, Durban 4001, South Africa Received 23 January 2006; revised 13 July 2006; accepted 3 October 2006 Available online 11 October 2006 Abstract Gerbilliscus has recently been proposed as an endemic African rodent genus distinct from the Asian Tatera. A molecular phylogeny of the genus, including nine species from southern, western and eastern Africa, is presented here based on the analysis of the cytochrome b and 16S mitochondrial genes. With an adequate taxonomic sampling over a wide geographic range, we here provide a clear picture of the phylogenetic relationships between species and species groups in this genus. Three distinct clades were resolved, corresponding to major geographical subdivisions: an eastern clade that possibly diverged Wrst, then a southern and a western clades which appeared later. We suggest two possible hypotheses concerning the dispersal of the genus across Africa, considering also the patterns of karyotypic variation.
    [Show full text]
  • <I>Acomys Cahirinus</I>
    Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science Vol 55, No 1 Copyright 2016 January 2016 by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science Pages 9–17 The Biology and Husbandry of the African Spiny Mouse (Acomys cahirinus) and the Research Uses of a Laboratory Colony Cheryl L Haughton,1,† Thomas R Gawriluk,2,† and Ashley W Seifert2,* African spiny mice (Acomys spp.) are unique precocial rodents that are found in Africa, the Middle East, and southern Asia. They exhibit several interesting life-history characteristics, including precocial development, communal breeding, and a suite of physiologic adaptations to desert life. In addition to these characteristics, African spiny mice are emerging as an important animal model for tissue regeneration research. Furthermore, their important phylogenetic position among murid rodents makes them an interesting model for evolution and development studies. Here we outline the necessary components for maintaining a successful captive breeding colony, including laboratory housing, husbandry, and health monitoring as- pects. We also review past and present studies focused on spiny mouse behavior, reproduction, and disease. Last, we briefly summarize various current biomedical research directions using captive-bred spiny mice. Rodents of the genus Acomys are collectively referred to as Taxonomy and Unique Properties ‘spiny mice’ due to the prominent spiny hairs that emerge Acomys spp. are members of the family Muridae, a taxonomic 57 from their dorsal skin. Acomys takes its name
    [Show full text]
  • Mosquitoes of the Maculipennis Complex in Northern Italy
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Mosquitoes of the Maculipennis complex in Northern Italy Mattia Calzolari1*, Rosanna Desiato2, Alessandro Albieri3, Veronica Bellavia2, Michela Bertola4, Paolo Bonilauri1, Emanuele Callegari1, Sabrina Canziani1, Davide Lelli1, Andrea Mosca5, Paolo Mulatti4, Simone Peletto2, Silvia Ravagnan4, Paolo Roberto5, Deborah Torri1, Marco Pombi6, Marco Di Luca7 & Fabrizio Montarsi4,6 The correct identifcation of mosquito vectors is often hampered by the presence of morphologically indiscernible sibling species. The Maculipennis complex is one of these groups that include both malaria vectors of primary importance and species of low/negligible epidemiological relevance, of which distribution data in Italy are outdated. Our study was aimed at providing an updated distribution of Maculipennis complex in Northern Italy through the sampling and morphological/ molecular identifcation of specimens from fve regions. The most abundant species was Anopheles messeae (2032), followed by Anopheles maculipennis s.s. (418), Anopheles atroparvus (28) and Anopheles melanoon (13). Taking advantage of ITS2 barcoding, we were able to fnely characterize tested mosquitoes, classifying all the Anopheles messeae specimens as Anopheles daciae, a taxon with debated rank to which we referred as species inquirenda (sp. inq.). The distribution of species was characterized by Ecological Niche Models (ENMs), fed by recorded points of presence. ENMs provided clues on the ecological preferences of the detected species, with An. daciae sp. inq. linked to stable breeding sites and An. maculipennis s.s. more associated to ephemeral breeding sites. We demonstrate that historical Anopheles malaria vectors are still present in Northern Italy. In early 1900, afer the incrimination of Anopheles mosquito as a malaria vector, malariologists made big attempts to solve the puzzling phenomenon of “Anophelism without malaria”, that is, the absence of malaria in areas with an abundant presence of mosquitoes that seemed to transmit the disease in other areas1.
    [Show full text]
  • Folding Frog Afrixalus Paradorsalis (Anura: Hyperoliidae) of the Lower Guineo-Congolian Rain Forest
    DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13365 RESEARCH PAPER Sky, sea, and forest islands: Diversification in the African leaf-folding frog Afrixalus paradorsalis (Anura: Hyperoliidae) of the Lower Guineo-Congolian rain forest Kristin L. Charles1 | Rayna C. Bell2,3 | David C. Blackburn4 | Marius Burger5,6 | Matthew K. Fujita7 | Vaclav Gvozdık8,9 | Gregory F.M. Jongsma4 | Marcel Talla Kouete4 | Adam D. Leache10,11 | Daniel M. Portik7,12 1Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 2Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia 3Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California 4Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 5African Amphibian Conservation Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom,South Africa 6Flora Fauna & Man, Ecological Services Ltd., Tortola, British Virgin Island 7Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 8Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno,Czech Republic 9Department of Zoology, National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic 10Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 11Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 12Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona Correspondence Daniel M. Portik, Department of Ecology Abstract and Evolutionary Biology, University of Aim: To investigate how putative barriers, forest refugia, and ecological gradients Arizona, Tucson, AZ. Email: [email protected] across the lower Guineo-Congolian rain forest shape genetic and phenotypic diver- gence in the leaf-folding frog Afrixalus paradorsalis, and examine the role of adjacent Funding information Division of Environmental Biology, Grant/ land bridge and sky-islands in diversification.
    [Show full text]
  • Diversification of Muroid Rodents Driven by the Late Miocene Global Cooling Nelish Pradhan University of Vermont
    University of Vermont ScholarWorks @ UVM Graduate College Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 2018 Diversification Of Muroid Rodents Driven By The Late Miocene Global Cooling Nelish Pradhan University of Vermont Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis Part of the Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons, Evolution Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Pradhan, Nelish, "Diversification Of Muroid Rodents Driven By The Late Miocene Global Cooling" (2018). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 907. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/907 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations and Theses at ScholarWorks @ UVM. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate College Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ UVM. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DIVERSIFICATION OF MUROID RODENTS DRIVEN BY THE LATE MIOCENE GLOBAL COOLING A Dissertation Presented by Nelish Pradhan to The Faculty of the Graduate College of The University of Vermont In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Specializing in Biology May, 2018 Defense Date: January 8, 2018 Dissertation Examination Committee: C. William Kilpatrick, Ph.D., Advisor David S. Barrington, Ph.D., Chairperson Ingi Agnarsson, Ph.D. Lori Stevens, Ph.D. Sara I. Helms Cahan, Ph.D. Cynthia J. Forehand, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate College ABSTRACT Late Miocene, 8 to 6 million years ago (Ma), climatic changes brought about dramatic floral and faunal changes. Cooler and drier climates that prevailed in the Late Miocene led to expansion of grasslands and retreat of forests at a global scale.
    [Show full text]
  • How Often Do Mosquitoes Bite Humans in Southern England? a Standardised Summer Trial at Four Sites Reveals Spatial, Temporal
    Brugman et al. Parasites & Vectors (2017) 10:420 DOI 10.1186/s13071-017-2360-9 RESEARCH Open Access How often do mosquitoes bite humans in southern England? A standardised summer trial at four sites reveals spatial, temporal and site-related variation in biting rates Victor A. Brugman1,2*, Marion E. England1, Joanne Stoner1, Laura Tugwell1, Lara E. Harrup1, Anthony J. Wilson1, Jolyon M. Medlock3,4, James G. Logan2, Anthony R. Fooks5,6, Peter P.C. Mertens1,7, Nicholas Johnson5,8 and Simon Carpenter1 Abstract Background: This field-based study examined the abundance and species complement of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) attracted to humans at four sites in the United Kingdom (UK). The study used a systematic approach to directly measure feeding by mosquitoes on humans at multiple sites and using multiple volunteers. Quantifying how frequently humans are bitten in the field by mosquitoes is a fundamental parameter in assessing arthropod- borne virus transmission. Methods: Human landing catches were conducted using a standardised protocol by multiple volunteers at four rural sites between July and August 2013. Collections commenced two hours prior to sunset and lasted for a total of four hours. To reduce bias occurring due to collection point or to the individual attractiveness of the volunteer to mosquitoes, each collection was divided into eight collection periods, with volunteers rotated by randomised Latin square design between four sampling points per site. While the aim was to collect mosquitoes prior to feeding, the source of blood meals from any engorged specimens was also identified by DNA barcoding. Results: Three of the four sites yielded human-biting mosquito populations for a total of 915 mosquitoes of fifteen species/species groups.
    [Show full text]
  • Repeated Evolution of Carnivory Among Indo-Australian Rodents
    ORIGINAL ARTICLE doi:10.1111/evo.12871 Repeated evolution of carnivory among Indo-Australian rodents Kevin C. Rowe,1,2 Anang S. Achmadi,3 and Jacob A. Esselstyn4,5 1Sciences Department, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australia 2E-mail: [email protected] 3Research Center for Biology, Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Cibinong, Jawa Barat, Indonesia 4Museum of Natural Science, 119 Foster Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 5Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 Received February 1, 2015 Accepted January 12, 2016 Convergent evolution, often observed in island archipelagos, provides compelling evidence for the importance of natural selection as a generator of species and ecological diversity. The Indo-Australian Archipelago (IAA) is the world’s largest island system and encompasses distinct biogeographic units, including the Asian (Sunda) and Australian (Sahul) continental shelves, which together bracket the oceanic archipelagos of the Philippines and Wallacea. Each of these biogeographic units houses numerous endemic rodents in the family Muridae. Carnivorous murids, that is those that feed on animals, have evolved independently in Sunda, Sulawesi (part of Wallacea), the Philippines, and Sahul, but the number of origins of carnivory among IAA murids is unknown. We conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of carnivorous murids of the IAA, combined with estimates of ancestral states for broad diet categories (herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore) and geographic ranges. These analyses demonstrate that carnivory evolved independently four times after overwater colonization, including in situ origins on the Philippines, Sulawesi, and Sahul. In each biogeographic unit the origin of carnivory was followed by evolution of more specialized carnivorous ecomorphs such as vermivores, insectivores, and amphibious rats.
    [Show full text]
  • Monkeys, Mice and Menses: the Bloody Anomaly of the Spiny Mouse
    Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics (2019) 36:811–817 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1390-3 COMMENTARY Monkeys, mice and menses: the bloody anomaly of the spiny mouse Nadia Bellofiore1,2 & Jemma Evans3 Received: 18 November 2018 /Accepted: 17 December 2018 /Published online: 5 January 2019 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract The common spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) is the only known rodent to demonstrate a myriad of physiological processes unseen in their murid relatives. The most recently discovered of these uncharacteristic traits: spontaneous decidual transformation of the uterus in virgin females, preceding menstruation. Menstruation occurring without experimental intervention in rodents has not been documented elsewhere to date, and natural menstruation is indeed rare in the animal kingdom outside of higher order primates. This review briefly summarises the current knowledge of spiny mouse biology and taxonomy, and explores their endocrinology which may aid in our understanding of the evolution of menstruation in this species. We propose that DHEA, synthesised by the spiny mouse (but not other rodents), humans and other menstruating primates, is integral in spontaneous decidualisation and therefore menstruation. We discuss both physiological and behavioural attributes across the menstrual cycle in the spiny mouse analogous to those observed in other menstruating species, including premenstrual syndrome. We further encourage the use of the spiny mouse as a small animal model of menstruation and female reproductive biology. Keywords Menstruation . Novel model . Evolution Introduction ovulation (for comprehensive review of domestic animal oestrous cycles, see [7]); rather, ovulation is spontaneous Despite the (quite literal) billions of women worldwide under- and occurs cyclically throughout the year.
    [Show full text]
  • UC Berkeley UC Berkeley Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    UC Berkeley UC Berkeley Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Diversification of Afrobatrachian Frogs and the Herpetofauna of the Arabian Peninsula Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6nk451m0 Author Portik, Daniel Publication Date 2015 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Diversification of Afrobatrachian Frogs and the Herpetofauna of the Arabian Peninsula By Daniel Portik A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Integrative Biology in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Dr. Jimmy A. McGuire, Chair Dr. Rauri Bowie Dr. David Blackburn Dr. Rosemary Gillespie Fall 2015 Abstract Diversification of Afrobatrachian Frogs and the Herpetofauna of the Arabian Peninsula by Daniel Portik Doctor of Philosophy in Biology University of California, Berkeley Dr. Jimmy A. McGuire, Chair The identification of biotic and abiotic factors that promote the diversification of clades across Africa and the Arabian Peninsula remains a difficult challenge. A variety of ecological and evolutionary processes can be driving such patterns, and clade-specific traits may also play a role in the evolution of these groups. Comparative evolutionary studies of particular clades, relying on a phylogenetic framework, can be used to investigate many of these topics. Beyond these mechanisms there are abiotic factors, such as geological events, that can drive vicariance and dispersal events for large sets of taxa. The investigation of historical biogeography in a comparative phylogenetic framework can be used to detect such patterns. My dissertation explores these topics using reptiles and amphibians as study systems, and I rely on the generation of molecular sequence data, phylogenetics, and the use of comparative phylogenetic methods to address a variety of questions.
    [Show full text]