DOCSLIB.ORG

Cricetomys Farming for Improving Animal Production in Developing Countries

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Cricetomys Farming for Improving Animal Production in Developing Countries Cricetomys farming for improving animal production in developing countries Malekani J.M., Ph.D. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Kinshasa, DRC E-mail: [email protected] 1. INTRODUCTION: MINILIVESTOCK AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN ANIMAL PRODUCTION There is a great need to enhance food production in the developing countries. According to Paarlberg (2000), the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently reported that one out of every five citizens from the developing countries, totalling approximately 828 million people, still suffers from chronic malnutrition. The situation may even be more disastrous for the whole of the African continent, with an estimated population of about 776 million inhabitants (FAO, 2002a). Most of these people live under deplorable conditions, with little or no hope of any significant future development in sight. The shortage of protein-rich food resources in some areas has reached serious levels. In stark contrast, protein deficiency in the developed nations is very rare. Protein is an essential constituent of our daily diet. Like fat and carbohydrate, protein can also serve as a source of energy for the body. However, protein is also the only source of the amino acids, especially essential amino acids. A regular, daily protein intake is absolutely necessary to replace expended nitrogenous materials (e.g. protein, nucleic acids, etc.) in the tissues. Proteins are essential for numerous functions in the human body and processes associated with growth, reproduction, health and longevity. The average daily dietary protein allowance for healthy adults is approximately 0.8 g/kg of body weight (Reeds & Beckett, 1996; Williams, 1999; Sizer & Whitsay, 2000). The safe daily requirement for a 19- 24 years old person, weighing approximately 72.5 kg can therefore be calculated to be approximately 58 g of protein per day. It has been reported that by the year 2005 more than the half of the world population will be living in cities (FAO, 2002b). Food sources of animal protein like meat, milk, eggs and even fish remain rare and expensive in developing countries, in the cities as well as in the villages. In cities, especially those in developing countries, the number of poor people often exceeds 50 per cent of the total urban population. Malnutrition affects the majority of the population, especially pregnant and lactating women and children. Based on a calculation that an average grown-up needs a mean protein intake of approximately 52.5 g per day, the annual meat shortage for Central Africa has been estimated at 5,331,884 metric tons without 1 considering the fish protein production (Table 1). Available bush meat in various forms (fresh, smoked, salted, biltong) that should help to eradicate the shortage is unequally distributed throughout the continent. One of the most feasible means to solve the problem of the availability of meat is to develop animal husbandries, employing animal species that are not yet widely reared, or are still just hunted or collected by people for their subsistence. The National Research Council (NRC) of U.S.A. (1991) published a book on "microlivestock" with the intention of attracting the attention of people to the utilization of a number of small animals as food sources and to stimulate initiatives on animal production all over the world. Subsequently, the progressive term "minilivestock" was coined (Hardouin, 1993) pertaining to farming with little-known small sized animals that can be used effectively in the enhancement of animal protein production and can eventually provide inhabitants in developing countries with a regular and stable source of income. Minilivestock can include small domestic animals like chickens, rabbits or goats, but may also involve several animal species of wildlife that still need to be domesticated and for which the proper production techniques still have to be established. Among them there are invertebrates, like gastropods (e.g. snails: Archachatina marginata), insects (e.g. termites: Macrotermes bellicosus; crickets: Brachytrupes membranaceus, butterfly caterpillars: Lobohunaea goodi, etc.). Vertebrate species with potential for microlivestock husbandries can include reptiles (e.g. lizards: Green iguana: Iguana iguana), birds (e.g. guinea fowls: Numida meleagris; quails: Coturnix coturnix) and the very abundant class of mammalian species that may be exceptionally suitable for husbandry, the rodents (e.g. cricetomas: Cricetomys emini and C. gambianus as well as the grasscutters: Thryonomys swinderianus; agoutis: Dasyprocta spp.; capybaras: Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris; coypus: Myocastor coypus). Small antelopes (e.g. duikers: Blue duiker: Cephalophus monticola), bucks (e.g. Marshbuck or Sitatunga: Tragelaphus spekei) and bush pigs (e.g. River hog: Potamochoerus porcus; Forest hog: Hylochoerus meinertzhageni; Wart hog: Phacochoerus aethiopicus; peccaries: Tayassu tajacu, T. pecari), are equally suitable minilivestock candidates. All these different species of which some are already being promoted as minilivestock, can be reared to produce sufficient meat in their various distribution areas. Farming with these potential bush-meat species can also facilitate the protection of these animals against over-hunting and, in so doing, help to preserve their respective ecosystems (Malekani, 1995 & 1997). In fact, in some African countries, like in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, etc., people already consume more bush meat than domestic meat (Ntiamoa-Baidu, 1997; Table 1). It has been reported that 80 % of fresh meat consumed by the population in Ghana is derived from wildlife (Thomson, 1992). If the 2 Table 1 Evaluation of meat shortage in Central Africa (bush meat and domestic meat sources), estimated from animal production figures for 1999. POPULATION OF AREA OF THE THE COUNTRY4 BUSH MEAT OPTIMUM AMOUNT 2 1 ESTIMATED COUNTRY CONSUMING BUSH POPULATION CONSUMED / OF MEAT NEEDED SHORTAGE FOR COUNTRY OCCUPIED BY MEAT IN FOREST DENSITY DOMESTIC FOR NATIONAL CENRAL AFRICA THE FOREST1 AND CITIES1 (inhabitants/km2) MEAT PRODUCED3 CONSUMPTION (metric tons/year) (%) (km2 ) (%) (number of (metric tons/year) (metric tons/year) inhabitants) 32.7 24.5 31.3 78,077.2 1,425,307 1,137,823.8 Cameroun 155,330 3,638,620 209,406 Subtot. 287,483.2 Central 20.5 6 12,976.5 356,135 259,928.5 8.4 African 759,275 83,230 52,236 Republic Subtot. 96,206.5 Congo, 50.8 50.8 21.7 1,067,873.5 4,881,455 3,579,881.5 Democratic 1,190,737 25,909,369 233,700 Republic Subtot. 1,301,573.5 Congo, 62.4 48.5 8.8 16,325.3 289,162 245,866.7 Republic 213,400 1,465,028 26,970 Subtot. 43,295.3 Equatorial 60.6 89.8 16.3 9,762.8 43,786.5 33,500.7 Guinea 17,004 410,500 523 Subtot. 10,285.8 Gabon 84.9 62 4.6 11,380.6 117,849.5 74,882.9 227,500 763,140 31,586 Subtot. 42,966.6 45.50 44.4 18.2 1,196,395.9 7,113,695 5,331,884.1 TOTAL 1,856,207 32,945,932 585,415 Part.tot. 1,781,810.9 References: 1 Inamdar et al., 1999:2-3; 2 Anon., 1985:111 & 118; 3 FAO, 1999; 4 FAO, 2000. 3 husbandry of some the most exploited wild animal species, like the cricetomas (Cricetomys emini and C. gambianus) is not undertaken soon, this source of wildlife protein may be exhausted in a number of places in the very near future. 2. IMPORTANCE OF THE CRICETOMYS MINILIVESTOCK AS A SOURCE OF FOOD 2.1. Acceptance of the Cricetomys meat as food by people Cricetomys meat is habitually consumed in most of Africa where these rodents are still occurring naturally. A study carried out in Nigeria showed that 71.4 % of the people find it acceptable to use this animal as food (Ajayi & Olawoye, 1974). Despite taboos and prohibitions that exist in some areas of DRC, the meat of Cricetomys is generally well appreciated. A survey carried out in selected cities and villages of the country on the acceptance of this meat revealed that 76.3 % of 455 individuals questioned consume this meat in their homes as a type of venison. In addition, 64 % of the questioned subjects in the survey reported that the taste of the cricetoma meat is excellent (Malekani & Paulus, 1989: 142). Fitzsimons et al. (1920) reported that a significant number of people in South Africa also enjoy the meat of Cricetomys. Because of over- hunting, these animals have become relatively rare and have even disappeared in several areas close to the villages and cities (NRC, 1991; Malekani, 2001) in DRC. 2.2 Importance of the Cricetomys meat among other bush meat sources Cricetomys rodents are considered to be the most common animals to be employed as a meat source in Africa (Den Hartog & De Vos, 1973). Heymans and Codjia (1988) reported that these rodents are among the most hunted animals in West Africa. According to the study of Wetshi et al. (1988), the C. emini species itself was found to represent 39.1 % of all the mammalian game sold in Kisangani, the third largest city in DRC. According to Knight (1987), Cricetomys should also be considered as an alternative source of protein in South Africa, because cattle meat production will probably no longer be sufficient in the near future. Besides conventional livestock and game, African countries need to find relatively inexpensive, renewable meat sources to provide for their growing populations. The consumption of wild Cricetomys meat is already relatively high throughout most of Africa and the development of husbandries of these rodent species would be one of the easiest ways to increase animal production and help to protect them against over-hunting. 4 3. BIOLOGY OF CRICETOMYS GAMBIANUS/C. EMINI 3.1 Systematic position, appearance, common and local names Cricetomys gambianus (Waterhouse, 1840) belongs to the subfamily Cricetomyinae (Roberts, 1951), family Cricetidae (Rochebrune, 1883), superfamily Muroidea (Miller and Gidley, 1918), suborder Myomorpha (Brandt, 1855), order Rodentia (Bowditch, 1821), class Mammalia (Kingdon, 1984; Haltenorth & Diller, 1985).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 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]
  • Chromosomal Numbers in African Giant Rat (Cricetomysgambianus, Waterhouse-1840)
    IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS) e-ISSN: 2279-0853, p-ISSN: 2279-0861.Volume 18, Issue 7 Ser. 6 (July. 2019), PP 26-31 www.iosrjournals.org Chromosomal Numbers in African Giant Rat (Cricetomysgambianus, Waterhouse-1840) Ahmad, Im1, Musa, Sa2, Nzalak, Jo3 1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, UsmanuDanfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria. 2Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria. 3Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Kaduna, Nigeria. Corresponding Author: Ahmad, IM Abstract: Background: Karyotypic studies were carried out on the African giant rat, Cricetomysgambianus, Waterhouse-1840 with the aim of determining its chromosome diploid numbers and autosomal fundamental numbers. Methods: The chromosomes were prepared from the conventional bone marrow of two (2) African giant rats – a male and a female treated intra-peritoneally with 2 ml of 0.04% colchicines for 3 hours. Chromosomes in well spread mitotic metaphase cells were counted and measured using KaryoType computer software. Chromosomal numbers were identified. Ideograms were also constructed from the measurements. Data were collected and analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: A diploid chromosome number of 2n = 80 with an autosomal fundamental number (NFa) of 66 and 95 were obtained for the species of C. gambianus used in this study. The X chromosomes were medium-sized metacentric and small acrocentric while the Y chromosome was small acrocentric. Conclusion: Cricetomysgambianus was found to have an identifiable autosomal diploid number,The findings resembled those in Benin, Senegal, Niger, Cameroun and other countries.
    [Show full text]
  • Invasive Rodents in the United States: Ecology, Impacts, and Management
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Publications Plant Health Inspection Service 2012 Invasive Rodents In The United States: Ecology, Impacts, And Management Gary W. Witmer USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, [email protected] William C. Pitt National Wildlife Research Center, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc Witmer, Gary W. and Pitt, William C., "Invasive Rodents In The United States: Ecology, Impacts, And Management" (2012). USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications. 1214. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/1214 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. In: hlvasive Species ISBN: 978-1-61942-761 -7 Editors: Joaquin J. Blanco and Adrian T. Femandes © 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. 1M ~ fur this PDF is uolimiiM U<:qII dw no pan of this Wgibl document = y ~ rq>mducni, srorni in " r..mv:...t systm> Of tr.IDSl:Dittni c~ in any form Of by any meaD.'l. The publishn" has ukm r.,.sonabk car~ in ~ IRP3flIIicn of this digibl documrnt. but makes no ~ or imp~ w=ty of any kind and assumrs no uspoosibility for any rnocs or omissions. No liability is assumrd for incidmul. or c~ ~ in COllDOCtioo with or arising OW of infunnation roouintd hoJein.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogenetic Relationships and Divergence Times in Rodents Based on Both Genes and Fossils Ryan Norris University of Vermont
    University of Vermont ScholarWorks @ UVM Graduate College Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 2009 Phylogenetic Relationships and Divergence Times in Rodents Based on Both Genes and Fossils Ryan Norris University of Vermont Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis Recommended Citation Norris, Ryan, "Phylogenetic Relationships and Divergence Times in Rodents Based on Both Genes and Fossils" (2009). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 164. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/164 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]. PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AND DIVERGENCE TIMES IN RODENTS BASED ON BOTH GENES AND FOSSILS A Dissertation Presented by Ryan W. Norris 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 February, 2009 Accepted by the Faculty of the Graduate College, The University of Vermont, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, specializing in Biology. Dissertation ~xaminationCommittee: w %amB( Advisor 6.William ~il~atrickph.~. Duane A. Schlitter, Ph.D. Chairperson Vice President for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies Date: October 24, 2008 Abstract Molecular and paleontological approaches have produced extremely different estimates for divergence times among orders of placental mammals and within rodents with molecular studies suggesting a much older date than fossils. We evaluated the conflict between the fossil record and molecular data and find a significant correlation between dates estimated by fossils and relative branch lengths, suggesting that molecular data agree with the fossil record regarding divergence times in rodents.
    [Show full text]
  • African Giant
    ORIGINAL ARTICLE Anatomy Journal of Africa. 2016. Vol 5 (1): 618-630 LOCALIZATION PROFILE OF CATHEPSIN L IN THE BRAIN OF AFRICAN GIANT RAT (Cricestomys gambianus) Claudius Luzigaa*, Bui Thi To Ngab Isaac Kashomac Abdul Katakwebad Yamamoto Yoshimie, aDepartment of veterinary Anatomy, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania bDepartment of Veterinary Pathology, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Vietnam cDepartment of Surgery and Theriogenology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania dPest Management Centre (PMC), Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania eLaboratory of Biochemistry and Radiation Biology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi 753- 8515, Japan *Corresponding author; Tel. +255 765 774033; P.O. Box 3016 Morogoro, Tanzania. E-mail address: [email protected] ABSTRACT Cathepsins, are members of the papain superfamily of mammalian lysosomal cysteine proteases. Among others there are two prominent members with broad substrate specificity, these are cathepsin B and cathepsin L that are known to be involved in the process of intra- and extra-cellular protein degradation and turnover. However, the in vivo targets of cathepsin L in nervous tissues are yet to be identified. We examined by immunofluorescence studies the distribution pattern of cathepsin L protein and determine the specific cell types synthesizing the enzyme in the brain of African giant rats (Cricetomys gambianus). Results showed that Cathepsin L protein was localized in various brain regions of the giant rats. In the telencephalon, immunoreactivity was identified in cerebral cortex and subcortical structures, hippocampus, amygdala and basal ganglia. Within the diencephalon high density of positive signals was observed in mediodorsal and lateral posterior thalamic nuclei and medial habenular nucleus.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 7 a New Genus and Species of Small 'Tree-Mouse' (Rodentia
    Chapter 7 A New Genus and Species of Small ‘Tree-Mouse’ (Rodentia, Muridae) Related to the Philippine Giant Cloud Rats LAWRENCE R. HEANEY1, DANILO S. BALETE2, ERIC A. RICKART3, M. JOSEFA VELUZ4, AND SHARON A. JANSA5 ABSTRACT A single specimen of a small mouse from Mt. Banahaw–San Cristobal Natural Park, Quezon Province, Luzon Island, Philippines, is here described as a new genus and species. It is easily distinguished from all other murids by its small size (15 g), rusty orange fur, mystacial vibrissae that are two-thirds the length of head and body, postocular patch of bare skin with long vibrissae arising within it, long tail with elongated hairs only on the posterior quarter, ovate ears, procumbent incisors that are deeply notched at the tip, and other distinctive characters. Both morphological and molecular data (from two nuclear genes) indicate that the new taxon is a member of the endemic Philippine clade of ‘‘giant cloud rats,’’ some of which weigh up to 2.6 kg. It is most closely related to the genus Carpomys, which includes the smallest previously known member of the clade (ca. 125 g), but differs from it in many features. The discovery of this new taxon reveals an even greater degree of diversification within the giant cloud rat clade than recognized previously, and adds to the 21 previously known genera of mammals endemic to the Philippines. The new mouse was captured in regenerating lowland rain forest located only 80 kilometers from Manila. This discovery highlights the importance of protecting regenerating tropical lowland rain forest, as well as the few remaining tracts of old-growth lowland rain forest on Luzon.
    [Show full text]
  • Wessels, W (2009). Miocene Rodent Evolution and Migration. Muroidea
    Miocene rodent evolution and migration Muroidea from Pakistan, Turkey and Northern Africa W. Wessels GEOLOGICA ULTRAIECTINA Mededelingen van de Faculteit Geowetenschappen departement Aardwetenschappen Universiteit Utrecht No. 307 ISBN 978-90-5744-170-7 Graphic design and figures: GeoMedia, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University (7497) Miocene rodent evolution and migration Muroidea from Pakistan, Turkey and Northern Africa Evolutie en migratie van Miocene knaagdieren Muroidea afkomstig uit Pakistan, Turkije en Noord Afrika (met een samenvatting in het Nederlands) PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Universiteit Utrecht op gezag van de rector magnificus, prof.dr. J.C. Stoof, ingevolge het besluit van het college voor promoties in het openbaar te verdedigen op maandag 8 juni 2009 des middags te 4.15 uur door Wilma Wessels geboren op 9 december 1955 te Vriezenveen Promotor: Prof.dr. J.W.F. Reumer Contents Part 1 Introduction 1 Introduction 13 2 Correlation of some Miocene faunas from Northern Africa, Turkey and Pakistan 17 by means of Myocricetodontidae Published in Proceedings of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen B 90(1): 65-82 (1987), Wessels W., Ünay. E. & Tobien H. 2.1 Abstract 17 2.2 Introduction 17 2.3 The Pakistani Myocricetodontinae 19 2.3.2 Taxonomy 19 2.3.3 Discussion of the Pakistani Myocricetodontinae 24 2.4 The Turkish Myocricetodontinae 24 2.4.2 Taxonomy 25 2.4.3 Discussion of the Turkish Myocricetodontinae 31 2.5 Conclusions 31 2.6 Acknowledgements 31 Part 2 Rodents from Europe, Turkey and Northern Africa 3 Gerbillidae from the Miocene and Pliocene of Europe 35 Published in Mitteilungen der Bayerischen Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Historische Geologie 38: 187-207 (1998), Wessels W.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogenetic Analysis of Sigmodontine Rodents (Muroidea), with Special Reference to the Akodont Genus Deltamys
    Mamm. biol. 68 (2003) 351±364 Mammalian Biology ã Urban & Fischer Verlag http://www.urbanfischer.de/journals/mammbiol Zeitschrift fuÈr SaÈ ugetierkunde Original investigation Phylogenetic analysis of sigmodontine rodents (Muroidea), with special reference to the akodont genus Deltamys By G. D'ELIÂA,E.M.GONZAÂLEZ, and U. F. J. PARDINÄ AS The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, Laboratorio de EvolucioÂn, Facultad de Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay and Centro Nacional Pa- tagoÂnico, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina Receipt of Ms. 24. 06. 2002 Acceptance of Ms. 13. 01. 2003 Abstract We present a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis based on cytochrome b gene sequences of sig- modontine rodents. Our particular interest is to estimate the phyletic position of Deltamys, a tax- on endemic to a small portion of the La Plata river basin in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, and to assess its generic status. The three primary conclusions derived from our analyses are: (1) cotton rats (Sigmodon) are the sister group of the remaining sigmodontines, (2) the tribe Akodontini is monophyletic with moderate support, and (3) Deltamys falls outside of a clade containing all spe- cies of subgenera of Akodon yet examined, and thus we grant Deltamys status of full genus. Key words: Akodon, Akodontini, Muroidea, Sigmodontinae, phylogeny Introduction The high diversity of muroid rodents to Thomas (1916, 1918) who recognised the belonging to the New World subfamily Sig- morphologic similarity among Akodon and modontinae has seriously challenged re- some other taxa ranked as genera by him searchers attempting to understand their (e.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogenetics of Sigmodontinae (Rodentia, Muroidea, Cricetidae), with Special Reference to the Akodont Group, and with Additional Comments on Historical Biogeography
    Cladistics Cladistics 19 (2003) 307–323 www.elsevier.com/locate/yclad Phylogenetics of Sigmodontinae (Rodentia, Muroidea, Cricetidae), with special reference to the akodont group, and with additional comments on historical biogeography Guillermo DÕElııaa,b a The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Ann Arbor, USA b Laboratorio de Evolucion, Facultad de Ciencias, Igua 4225 esq. Mataojo, Montevideo CP 11400, Uruguay Accepted 6 June 2003 Abstract This is the first cladistic analysis of sigmodontine rodents (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Two most parsimonious cladograms (7410 steps in length; CI ¼ 0.199; RI ¼ 0.523) were discovered. Sig- modontinae appears well supported. Sigmodon is sister to the remaining living sigmodontines. It is shown that Euneomys is not a phyllotine and that the Reithrodon group is not monophyletic. Results corroborate that the abrothricines form a natural group that is not part of the akodont radiation. The akodontine tribe is well supported, and is composed of five main clades, whose limits and relationships are thoroughly discussed. For instance, the scapteromyines do not form a natural group and they fall within the akodontine clade. Additionally, I present some taxonomic judgments and comments on the historical biogeography of sigm- odontines in the light of the newly discovered relationships. For example, five akodontine divisions are suggested: the Akodon, the Bibimys, the Blarinomys, the Oxymycterus, and the Scapteromys Divisions. It is shown that traditional hypotheses of sigmodontine historical biogeography are falsified by the recovered topology. Ó 2003 The Willi Hennig Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Introduction time it has seriously challenged researchers attempting to study their phylogenetic relationships and classify With about 71 extant genera, muroids of the sub- them accordingly (Table 1).
    [Show full text]
  • Definition and Diagnosis of a New Tribe of Sigmodontine Rodents (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae), and a Revised Classification of the Subfamily
    Gayana 71(2): 187-194, 2007. Comunicación breve ISSN 0717-652X DEFINITION AND DIAGNOSIS OF A NEW TRIBE OF SIGMODONTINE RODENTS (CRICETIDAE: SIGMODONTINAE), AND A REVISED CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBFAMILY DEFINICION Y DIAGNOSIS DE UNA NUEVA TRIBU DE ROEDORES SIGMODONTINOS (CRICETIDAE: SIGMODONTINAE), Y UNA CLASIFICACION REVISADA DE LA SUBFAMILIA Guillermo D’Elía1, Ulyses F. J. Pardiñas2, Pablo Teta3, & James L. Patton4 1Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Concepción, casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile. Email: [email protected] 2Centro Nacional Patagónico, Casilla de Correo 128, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina. 3Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Avenida Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Pabellón II, 4º Piso (C1428EHA), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina. 4Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA, 94720 USA. ABSTRACT A new tribe of sigmodontine rodents is formally defined and diagnosed. The tribe contains the extant genera Abrothrix (including Chroeomys), Chelemys, Geoxus, Pearsonomys, and Notiomys, a group of taxa distributed in the central and southern Andes and lowlands both east and west of the cordillera. The new tribe presents a unique combination of characters including nasals and premaxilla usually projected anterior to the incisors, moderately trumpeted; zygomatic plate with upper free border reduced or obsolete; and third upper molar reduced and sub-cylindrical in out-line with an internal ring-like enamel fossette. Molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that Abrothrix is sister to a clade containing the remaining genera of the new tribe. KEYWORDS: Abrothrix, Chelemys, Chroeomys, Geoxus, Pearsonomys, Notiomys, South America, classification.
    [Show full text]
  • Diversity, Distribution, and Conservation of Endemic Island Rodents
    ARTICLE IN PRESS Quaternary International 182 (2008) 6–15 Diversity, distribution, and conservation of endemic island rodents Giovanni Amoria,Ã, Spartaco Gippolitib, Kristofer M. Helgenc,d aInstitute of Ecosystem Studies, CNR-Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Via A. Borelli 50, 00161 Rome, Italy bConservation Unit, Pistoia Zoological Garden, Italy cDivision of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA dDepartment of Biological Sciences, Division of Environmental and Life Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia Available online 8 June 2007 Abstract Rodents on islands are usually thought of by conservationists mainly in reference to invasive pest species, which have wrought considerable ecological damage on islands around the globe. However, almost one in five of the world’s nearly 2300 rodent species is an island endemic, and insular rodents suffer from high rates of extinction and endangerment. Rates of Quaternary extinction and current threat are especially high in the West Indies and the species-rich archipelagos of Southeast Asia. Rodent endemism reaches its most striking levels on large or remote oceanic islands, such as Madagascar, the Caribbean, the Ryukyu Islands, the oceanic Philippines, Sulawesi, the Galapagos, and the Solomon Islands, as well as on very large land-bridge islands, especially New Guinea. While conservation efforts in the past and present have focused mainly on charismatic mammals (such as birds and large mammals), efforts specifically targeted toward less conspicuous animals (such as insular rodents) may be necessary to stem large numbers of extinctions in the near future. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • Sahul): Multilocus Systematics of the Old Endemic Rodents (Muroidea: Murinae)
    Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 47 (2008) 84–101 www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev Pliocene colonization and adaptive radiations in Australia and New Guinea (Sahul): Multilocus systematics of the old endemic rodents (Muroidea: Murinae) Kevin C. Rowe a,b,*, Michael L. Reno b, Daniel M. Richmond b, Ronald M. Adkins c, Scott J. Steppan b a Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720-3160, USA b Department of Biological Science, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1100, USA c Children’s Foundation Research Center and Center of Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA Received 19 April 2007; revised 27 December 2007; accepted 3 January 2008 Available online 11 January 2008 Abstract The old endemic rodents of Australia and New Guinea (Sahul) represent one or more large adaptive radiations including novel mor- phological adaptations to aquatic, arboreal, hopping, and arid ecologies. Four tribes recognized among the Sahulian old endemics (Hydromini, Conilurini, Anisomyini, and Uromyini) reflect distinct biogeographic and ecomorphological hypotheses about diversifica- tion within the Old Endemics. We present the first character-based phylogeny of the Sahulian Old Endemic rodents with broad sampling, nested within a broader phylogeny of the Murinae. We estimated phylogenies from >2500 nucleotides of mtDNA sequence and >9500 nucleotides from six autosomal nuclear loci, for individual genes and for the full concatenated data using parsimony, likelihood, and Bayesian methods. Our results strongly supported monophyly of the group and its sister relationship to the Philippine old endemics of the Chrotomys division.
    [Show full text]