Chromosomal Evolution in Tenrecs (Microgale and Oryzorictes, Tenrecidae) from the Central Highlands of Madagascar

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Chromosomal Evolution in Tenrecs (Microgale and Oryzorictes, Tenrecidae) from the Central Highlands of Madagascar Chromosome Research (2007) 15:1075–1091 # Springer 2007 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-007-1182-6 Chromosomal evolution in tenrecs (Microgale and Oryzorictes, Tenrecidae) from the Central Highlands of Madagascar C. Gilbert1, S. M. Goodman2,3, V. Soarimalala3,4, L. E. Olson5,P.C.M.O_Brien6, F. F. B. Elder7, F. Yang8, M. A. Ferguson-Smith6 & T. J. Robinson1* 1Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Tel: +27-21-8083955; Fax: +27-21-8082405; E-mail: [email protected]; 2Department of Zoology, Field Museum of Natural History, Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, USA; 3Vahatra, BP 738, Antananarivo (101), Madagascar; 4De´partement de Biologie Animale, Universite´ d_Antananarivo, BP 906, Antananarivo (101), Madagascar; 5University of Alaska Museum, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; 6Centre for Veterinary Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; 7Department of Pathology, Cytogenetics Laboratory, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; 8The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK *Correspondence Received 13 August 2007. Received in revised form and accepted for publication by Pat Heslop-Harrison 2 October 2007 Key words: Afrotheria, cytogenetics, evolution, speciation, Tenrecidae Abstract Tenrecs (Tenrecidae) are a widely diversified assemblage of small eutherian mammals that occur in Madagascar and Western and Central Africa. With the exception of a few early karyotypic descriptions based on conventional staining, nothing is known about the chromosomal evolution of this family. We present a detailed analysis of G-banded and molecularly defined chromosomes based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) that allows a comprehensive comparison between the karyotypes of 11 species of two closely related Malagasy genera, Microgale (10 species) and Oryzorictes (one species), of the subfamily Oryzorictinae. The karyotypes of Microgale taiva and M. parvula (2n = 32) were found to be identical to that of O. hova (2n = 32) most likely reflecting the ancestral karyotypes of both genera, as well as that of the Oryzorictinae. Parsimony analysis of chromosomal rearrangements that could have arisen following Whole Arm Reciprocal Translocations (WARTs) showed, however, that these are more likely to be the result of Robertsonian translocations. A single most parsimonious tree was obtained that provides strong support for three species associations within Microgale, all of which are consistent with previous molecular and morphological investigations. By expanding on a recently published molecular clock for the Tenrecidae we were able to place our findings in a temporal framework that shows strong chromosomal rate heterogeneity within the Oryzorictinae. We use these data to critically examine the possible role of chromosomal rearrangements in speciation within Microgale. Introduction Mozambique Channel (probably by rafting from East Africa between 42 and 25 million years ago; Poux One of the intriguing events in the evolutionary history et al. 2005), the ancestors of the Malagasy tenrecs of Afrotheria is the colonization of Madagascar by gave rise to an assemblage comprising eight genera the afrosoricid family, Tenrecidae. After crossing the that is virtually unique among eutherians in its 1076 C. Gilbert et al. morphological diversity, and range of ecological distribution, with 11 new or resurrected species adaptations (Olson & Goodman 2003). Recent recognized in newer treatments (e.g., Jenkins 1993, phylogenies based on molecular and morphological Jenkins et al. 1997, Jenkins & Goodman 1999, characters strongly support two main clades within Goodman & Soarimalala 2004, Olson et al. 2004, Malagasy tenrecs. The first corresponds to the sub- Goodman et al. 2006). Several other aspects of the family Tenrecinae and includes four genera of spiny, biology of Microgale have received attention in the hedgehog-like tenrecs (Echinops, Hemicentetes, relatively recent past including physiology and Tenrec and Setifer). The second clade groups reproduction (Stephenson & Racey, 1995 and refer- the semi-aquatic Limnogale, the shrew-like Micro- ences therein), as well as the morphology of its hind gale, and the mole-like Oryzorictes in the subfamily limb musculature (Endo et al. 2006), cranium (Asher Oryzorictinae (Poux et al. 2005, Asher & Hofreiter 2001), placenta (Enders et al. 2006), male reproduc- 2006). The placement of the mouse-like Geogale is, tive tract (Bedford et al. 2004) and spermatozoa however, uncertain, being either sister to all Mala- (Bedford 2004). However, apart from karyotypic data gasy tenrecs as a separate subfamily, the Geogalinae from three species based on standard stained prepa- (Olson & Goodman 2003), or occupying an unre- rations (Borgaonkar & Gould 1968, 1969), virtually solved position within Oryzorictinae (Asher & nothing is known about the chromosomal evolution Hofreiter 2006). Within Oryzorictinae, Olson & of Microgale. This observation can in fact extend to Goodman (2003) found that Limnogale nested within other Tenrecidae since the only information available Microgale, a position that was supported by several on the karyotypes of the other genera is restricted to non-ambiguous molecular characters. Moreover, diploid chromosome numbers and/or the occasional although subsequent studies included only one presentation of unbanded karyotypes (i.e., Micro- species of Microgale, and could therefore not test potamogale, 2n = 40; Tenrec and Hemicentetes,2n= the monophyly of this genus, strong support was 38; Echinops and Setifer, 2n = 40; Borgaonkar 1967, found for an (Oryzorictes,(Limnogale + Microgale)) Borgaonkar & Gould 1965, Bernischke 1969). topology by Poux et al. (2005) and Asher & Moreover, there is no well-supported phylogenetic Hofreiter (2006). hypothesis detailing interspecific relationships within With its 34 species (including three African Microgale. Olson & Goodman_s (2003) cladistic species), the Tenrecidae is the most diversified analysis of the Tenrecidae is the most comprehensive family within Afrotheria, an endemic African clade in terms of taxonomic sampling, including a large of mammals that includes the Paenungulata (ele- number of species of shrew tenrecs. Importantly, phants, sirenids and hyraxes), and the Afroinsecti- however, relationships within Microgale were not phillia comprising elephant shrews, tenrecs, golden discussed in this study. Finally, although two recent moles and the aardvark (see Springer et al. 1997, studies have utilized both molecular and morpho- Murphy et al. 2001, reviewed in Robinson & Seiffert metric characters to define species limits in selected 2004). This high diversity within the Tenrecidae can shrew tenrec taxa (Olson et al. 2004, Goodman et al. be attributed to the spectacular radiation of Micro- 2006), neither was intended to produce a compre- gale, the most speciose terrestrial mammal genus on hensive phylogeny for the genus. Madagascar (Goodman et al. 2006). Most of these Here, we use conventional banding as well as small, shrew-like tenrecs are found in the eastern chromosome painting by fluorescence in-situ hybrid- humid forests of the island where they generally have ization (FISH) to describe and compare the karyo- a broad distribution, with many species occurring types of 10 Microgale species and that of the closely sympatrically (Jenkins 2003). The taxonomy of the related genus Oryzorictes, represented by O. hova. genus has undergone extensive revision since its We interpret the observed rearrangements in a original description by Thomas (1882). For example, cladistic framework and examine the outcomes with MacPhee (1987) retains only 10 of the 22 species respect to two hypotheses of chromosomal evolu- described during the preceding century. During the tionVone involving Whole Arm Reciprocal Trans- past 20 years, however, extensive field surveys locations (WARTs), and the other only Robertsonian coupled with comprehensive morphometric and/or translocations. We place our findings in a temporal molecular investigations resulted in a considerable framework by expanding the molecular clock analy- refinement of their taxonomy and patterns of sis of Poux et al. (2005) and show that extreme rate Chromosomal evolution in tenrecs of Madagascar 1077 differences exist in the chromosomal evolution of Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) Microgale spp. Using these data, we critically examine the role for chromosomal rearrangements Chromosome specific painting probes were generated in speciation within the genus. from flow-sorted suspensions of Hoechst 33258 and chromomycin A-3 stained chromosomes that were separated on size and AT:GC ratio, and labelled with Material and methods DOP-PCR (Telenius et al. 1992). FISH followed the protocol described in Gilbert et al. (2006) with the Tissue samples, cell culture and chromosome exception that chromosome preparations were dena- preparation tured for 10 s in 70% formamide/0.6% SSC solution at 65-C rather than 30Y45 s at the temperature of Tissue samples were collected during three inventory 70-C originally described. Biotin-labelled probes surveys of study sites situated in the rainforests of the were detected by Cy3-avidin. Slides were mounted Central Highlands of Madagascar (Table 1). Fibro- in antifade (Vectashield: Burlingame, California, USA) blast cell lines were established using DMEM or and images were captured using Genus 3.7 software Amniomax (Gibco: Paisley, Scotland, UK) culture (Applied Imaging).
Recommended publications
  • Structure of the Ovaries of the Nimba Otter Shrew, Micropotamogale Lamottei , and the Madagascar Hedgehog Tenrec, Echinops Telfairi
    Original Paper Cells Tissues Organs 2005;179:179–191 Accepted after revision: March 7, 2005 DOI: 10.1159/000085953 Structure of the Ovaries of the Nimba Otter Shrew, Micropotamogale lamottei , and the Madagascar Hedgehog Tenrec, Echinops telfairi a b c d A.C. Enders A.M. Carter H. Künzle P. Vogel a Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, Calif. , USA; b Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense , Denmark; c d Department of Anatomy, University of Munich, München , Germany, and Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne , Switzerland Key Words es between the more peripheral granulosa cells. It is sug- Corpora lutea Non-antral follicles Ovarian gested that this fl uid could aid in separation of the cu- lobulation Afrotheria mulus from the remaining granulosa at ovulation. The protruding follicles in lobules and absence of a tunica albuginea might also facilitate ovulation of non-antral Abstract follicles. Ovaries with a thin-absent tunica albuginea and The otter shrews are members of the subfamily Potamo- follicles with small-absent antra are widespread within galinae within the family Tenrecidae. No description of both the Eulipotyphla and in the Afrosoricida, suggest- the ovaries of any member of this subfamily has been ing that such features may represent a primitive condi- published previously. The lesser hedgehog tenrec, Echi- tion in ovarian development. Lobulated and deeply nops telfairi, is a member of the subfamily Tenrecinae of crypted ovaries are found in both groups but are not as the same family and, although its ovaries have not been common in the Eulipotyphla making inclusion of this fea- described, other members of this subfamily have been ture as primitive more speculative.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecology and Population Dynamics of Small Mammals in the Ankazomivady Forest, Madagascar
    Ecology and population dynamics of small mammals in the Ankazomivady Forest, Madagascar Voahangy Soarimalala Association Vahatra CRVOI Introduction • Madagascar: rich in endemic small mammal, 92% occuring species, but little known about their zoonoses, • The exception is plague transmitted by introduced species, Rattus rattus and R. norvegicus, • Plague results in human epidemics and could contributed to the decline of endemic rodents. Endemic small mammals Tenrecidae 32 species Microgale dobsoni Hemicentetes nigriceps Nesomyinae Rodentia 27 species Eliurus minor Nesomys rufus Introduced small mammals Rattus rattus Suncus murinus Rodentia Soricomorpha High abundance of Transmission cycles of Rattus rattus in human various potential diseases disturbed forest areas to endemic species and at a range of human populations living elevations. near the forest area. Objectives Environmental contamination by other pathogens probably responsible for human and endemic mammal infections. CRVOI and Vahatra Association conducting inventory of small mammals : 1. To increase available information, 2. Provide biological samples for pathogen detection and identifying infectious agents, 3. Evaluation of the possible pathogen transmission routes between endemic and introduced small mammals. Study site • Ankazomivady, Ambositra • 1670 m • Central Highlands humid montane forest • Degraded, fragmented and isolated from other forest blocks Methods • Trapping sessions: December 2010 November 2011 March 2012 • Traps: 80 Shermans and 20 National traps x Sherman
    [Show full text]
  • AFROTHERIAN CONSERVATION Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group
    AFROTHERIAN CONSERVATION Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group Number 10 Edited by PJ Stephenson September 2014 Afrotherian Conservation is published annually by the Speaking of our website, it was over ten years old IUCN Species Survival Commission Afrotheria Specialist and suffering from outdated material and old technology, Group to promote the exchange of news and inform- making it very difficult to maintain. Charles Fox, who ation on the conservation of, and applied research into, does our web maintenance at a hugely discounted cost golden moles, sengis, hyraxes, tenrecs and the aardvark. (many thanks Charles), has reworked the site, especially the design of the home page and conservation page Published by IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. (thanks to Rob Asher for his past efforts with the latter © 2014 International Union for Conservation of Nature material, which is still the basis for the new conservation and Natural Resources page). Because some of the hyrax material was dated, Lee ISSN: 1664-6754 Koren and her colleagues completely updated the hyrax material, and we have now linked our websites. A similar Find out more about the Group on our website at update is being discussed by Tom Lehmann and his http://afrotheria.net/ASG.html and follow us on colleagues for the aardvark link. The sengi web material is Twitter @Tweeting_Tenrec largely unchanged, with the exception of updating various pages to accommodate the description of a new species from Namibia (go to the current topics tab in the Message from the Chair sengi section). Galen Rathbun Although a lot of effort has focused on our Chair, IUCN/SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group group's education goals (logo, website, newsletter), it has not over-shadowed one of the other major functions that There has been a long time gap since our last newsletter our specialist group performs: the periodic update of the was produced in October 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Informes Individuales IUCN 2018.Indd
    IUCN SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group 2018 Report Galen Rathbun Andrew Taylor Co-Chairs Mission statement of golden moles in species where it is neces- Galen Rathbun (1) The IUCN SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group (ASG) sary (e.g., Amblysomus and Neamblysomus Andrew Taylor (2) facilitates the conservation of hyraxes, aard- species); (3) collect basic data for 3-4 golden varks, elephant-shrews or sengis, golden moles, mole species, including geographic distributions Red List Authority Coordinator tenrecs and their habitats by: (1) providing and natural history data; (4) conduct surveys to determine distribution and abundance of Matthew Child (3) sound scientific advice and guidance to conser- vationists, governments, and other inter- five hyrax species; (5) revise taxonomy of five hyrax species; (6) develop and assess field trials Location/Affiliation ested groups; (2) raising public awareness; for standardised camera trapping methods (1) California Academy of Sciences, and (3) developing research and conservation to determine population estimates for giant California, US programmes. sengis; (7) conduct surveys to assess distribu- (2) The Endangered Wildlife Trust, tion, abundance, threats and taxonomic status Modderfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa Projected impact for the 2017-2020 of the Data Deficient sengi species; (8) build on (3) South African National Biodiversity Institute quadrennium current research to determine the systematics (SANBI), Kirstenbosch National Botanical If the ASG achieved all of its targets, it would be of giant sengis, especially Rhynchocyon Garden, Newlands Cape Town, South Africa able to deliver more accurate, data-driven Red species; (9) survey Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) List assessments for more Afrotherian species populations to determine abundance, distribu- Number of members and, therefore, be in a better position to move tion and trends; (10) conduct taxonomic studies 34 to conservation planning, especially for priority to determine the systematics of aardvarks, with species.
    [Show full text]
  • (Mammalia) from the Eocene of Black Crow, Namibia Martin PICKFORD
    Tiny Tenrecomorpha (Mammalia) from the Eocene of Black Crow, Namibia Martin PICKFORD Sorbonne Universités (CR2P, MNHN, CNRS, UPMC - Paris VI) 8, rue Buffon, 75005, Paris, France, (e-mail : [email protected]) Abstract: The 2019 campaign of acid treatment of Eocene freshwater limestone from Black Crow, Namibia, resulted in the recovery of a minuscule mandible of an insectivoran-grade mammal representing a new genus and species of Tenrecomorpha. The specimen is the smallest mammal described from the fossil record from Africa. From the incisor alveoli to the rear end of the angle, the jaw measures a mere 8.6 mm. The jaw is relatively complete, but has lost the incisors, canine and p/2. It shows several characters that link it to the suborder Tenrecomorpha. In some morphological features it recalls Tenrecidae, in others Potamogalidae. The new genus and species throws doubt on the homogeneity of the order Afroinsectiphilia, which in its turn renders doubtful the concept of Afrotheria as currently understood. Key words: Tenrec, Ypresian/Lutetian, Mandible, Namibia To cite this paper: Pickford, M. 2019. Tiny Tenrecomorpha (Mammalia) from the Eocene of Black Crow, Namibia. Communications of the Geological Survey of Namibia, 21, 15-25. Introduction This paper is devoted to the description and Each year the Namibia Palaeontology interpretation of a minuscule mammalian Expedition has visited the locality to search for mandible from the middle Eocene limestones at blocks of limestone showing the presence of Black Crow, Namibia. The freshwater bones and teeth on their surfaces and these have limestone at Black Crow in the Sperrgebiet, been developed in the laboratory to extract the Namibia, first yielded vertebrate fossils a fossils.
    [Show full text]
  • Morphological Diversity in Tenrecs (Afrosoricida, Tenrecidae)
    Morphological diversity in tenrecs (Afrosoricida, Tenrecidae): comparing tenrec skull diversity to their closest relatives Sive Finlay and Natalie Cooper School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Trinity Centre for Biodiversity Research, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland ABSTRACT It is important to quantify patterns of morphological diversity to enhance our un- derstanding of variation in ecological and evolutionary traits. Here, we present a quantitative analysis of morphological diversity in a family of small mammals, the tenrecs (Afrosoricida, Tenrecidae). Tenrecs are often cited as an example of an ex- ceptionally morphologically diverse group. However, this assumption has not been tested quantitatively. We use geometric morphometric analyses of skull shape to test whether tenrecs are more morphologically diverse than their closest relatives, the golden moles (Afrosoricida, Chrysochloridae). Tenrecs occupy a wider range of ecological niches than golden moles so we predict that they will be more morpho- logically diverse. Contrary to our expectations, we find that tenrec skulls are only more morphologically diverse than golden moles when measured in lateral view. Furthermore, similarities among the species-rich Microgale tenrec genus appear to mask higher morphological diversity in the rest of the family. These results reveal new insights into the morphological diversity of tenrecs and highlight the impor- tance of using quantitative methods to test qualitative assumptions about patterns of morphological diversity. Submitted 29 January 2015 Subjects Evolutionary Studies, Zoology Accepted 13 April 2015 Keywords Golden moles, Geometric morphometrics, Disparity, Morphology Published 30 April 2015 Corresponding author Natalie Cooper, [email protected] INTRODUCTION Academic editor Analysing patterns of morphological diversity (the variation in physical form Foote, Laura Wilson 1997) has important implications for our understanding of ecological and evolutionary Additional Information and traits.
    [Show full text]
  • Endemic Small Mammals Captured Outside of Natural Habitats in the Moramanga District, Central Eastern Madagascar
    Terrestrial “forest-dwelling” endemic small mammals captured outside of natural habitats in the Moramanga District, central eastern Madagascar Toky M. Randriamoria1,2, Voahangy Soarimalala2 petits mammifères, par le biais des trous-pièges et & Steven M. Goodman2, 3 des pièges standards, menées dans cinq villages du 1Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des District de Moramanga, dans la partie Est-centrale Sciences, Université d’Antananarivo, BP 906, de Madagascar, en 2013 (saison sèche) et en 2014 Antananarivo 101, Madagascar (saison humide) ont permis d’attraper pour la première E-mail: [email protected] fois deux espèces d’Afrosoricida endémiques, 2 Association Vahatra, BP 3972, Antananarivo 101, Microgale majori et M. thomasi, dans des habitats Madagascar anthropogéniques en dehors des forêts naturelles. E-mail: [email protected] La première espèce a été répertoriée dans deux 3Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake sites (Ambalafary et Antsahatsaka) à travers deux Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60605, USA types d’habitats principaux : la forêt d’Eucalyptus et E-mail: [email protected] le savoka. Le terme savoka désigne des formations végétales secondaires souvent peu pénétrables et correspond à la période de jachère des cultures sur Abstract brûlis. Ces habitats de capture sont situés près de The vast majority of Malagasy rodent (Subfamily 770 m jusqu’à plus de 3 km d’une forêt naturelle. Nesomyinae) and tenrec (Subfamily Oryzorictinae) Concernant M. thomasi, un spécimen a été capturé species living in the eastern humid forest are thought dans un savoka situé à près d’une centaine de to be strictly forest-dwelling. Small mammals surveys mètres d’une forêt naturelle, dans le site de Besakay.
    [Show full text]
  • Number 3 April 2005
    AFROTHERIAN CONSERVATION Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group Number 3 April 2005 Afrotherian Conservation is published once a year by -ject (see more at the IUCN website http:// the IUCN Species Survival Commission Afrotheria www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/programs/gma/index.htm). Specialist Group to promote the exchange of news and This has required that the status of each of our species information on the conservation of, and applied research be carefully evaluated in terms of their biology and into, golden moles, sengis, hyraxes, tenrecs and the conservation. As our editor, PJ Stephenson, prepares aardvark this issue of Afrotherian Conservation, the assessments for Editor: PJ Stephenson the aardvark, sengis, and golden moles are completed. The tenrecs will be finished soon, after the assessment of the three African species and a review of the Madagascar species during a workshop this April that Message from the Chair will focus on the island’s mammals. The hyraxes should Galen Rathbun be completed by the time you receive this newsletter. It Chair, IUCN/SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group is then up to the GMA staff to incorporate our effort into the entire database. A year has passed since our last newsletter, but this does Our specialist group's website (http://www not reflect a lack of interest or activity by our specialist .calacademy.org/research/bmammals/afrotheria/ASG.h group members. The first order of business for our tml) has also been the focus of some of our members. members must be earning a living. For most of our Link Olson is working on tenrec material, while Nigel members this involves working at a university, but others Bennett and Serita Maree are assembling information on toil in the hidden catacombs of museums or in the nerve golden moles.
    [Show full text]
  • List of 28 Orders, 129 Families, 598 Genera and 1121 Species in Mammal Images Library 31 December 2013
    What the American Society of Mammalogists has in the images library LIST OF 28 ORDERS, 129 FAMILIES, 598 GENERA AND 1121 SPECIES IN MAMMAL IMAGES LIBRARY 31 DECEMBER 2013 AFROSORICIDA (5 genera, 5 species) – golden moles and tenrecs CHRYSOCHLORIDAE - golden moles Chrysospalax villosus - Rough-haired Golden Mole TENRECIDAE - tenrecs 1. Echinops telfairi - Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec 2. Hemicentetes semispinosus – Lowland Streaked Tenrec 3. Microgale dobsoni - Dobson’s Shrew Tenrec 4. Tenrec ecaudatus – Tailless Tenrec ARTIODACTYLA (83 genera, 142 species) – paraxonic (mostly even-toed) ungulates ANTILOCAPRIDAE - pronghorns Antilocapra americana - Pronghorn BOVIDAE (46 genera) - cattle, sheep, goats, and antelopes 1. Addax nasomaculatus - Addax 2. Aepyceros melampus - Impala 3. Alcelaphus buselaphus - Hartebeest 4. Alcelaphus caama – Red Hartebeest 5. Ammotragus lervia - Barbary Sheep 6. Antidorcas marsupialis - Springbok 7. Antilope cervicapra – Blackbuck 8. Beatragus hunter – Hunter’s Hartebeest 9. Bison bison - American Bison 10. Bison bonasus - European Bison 11. Bos frontalis - Gaur 12. Bos javanicus - Banteng 13. Bos taurus -Auroch 14. Boselaphus tragocamelus - Nilgai 15. Bubalus bubalis - Water Buffalo 16. Bubalus depressicornis - Anoa 17. Bubalus quarlesi - Mountain Anoa 18. Budorcas taxicolor - Takin 19. Capra caucasica - Tur 20. Capra falconeri - Markhor 21. Capra hircus - Goat 22. Capra nubiana – Nubian Ibex 23. Capra pyrenaica – Spanish Ibex 24. Capricornis crispus – Japanese Serow 25. Cephalophus jentinki - Jentink's Duiker 26. Cephalophus natalensis – Red Duiker 1 What the American Society of Mammalogists has in the images library 27. Cephalophus niger – Black Duiker 28. Cephalophus rufilatus – Red-flanked Duiker 29. Cephalophus silvicultor - Yellow-backed Duiker 30. Cephalophus zebra - Zebra Duiker 31. Connochaetes gnou - Black Wildebeest 32. Connochaetes taurinus - Blue Wildebeest 33. Damaliscus korrigum – Topi 34.
    [Show full text]
  • The African Elephant Under Threat
    AFROTHERIAN CONSERVATION Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group Number 11 Edited by PJ Stephenson October 2015 Afrotherian Conservation is published annually by the To help PJ focus on our conservation work, Chris IUCN Species Survival Commission Afrotheria Specialist and Mathilde Stuart have kindly agreed to take on the Group to promote the exchange of news and information role of editing the next edition of Afrotherian Conservation. on the conservation of, and applied research into, golden Their contacts are in the guidelines for submissions (page moles, sengis, hyraxes, tenrecs and the aardvark. 17). We hope you’ll send them plenty of material for the next edition. Published by IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. © 2015 International Union for Conservation of Nature Galen Rathbun, Cambria, California, USA and Natural Resources & ISSN: 1664-6754 PJ Stephenson, Gland, Switzerland 1 October 2015 Find out more about the Group on our website at http://afrotheria.net/ASG.html and follow us on Twitter @Tweeting_Tenrec Message from the Chairs Galen Rathbun & PJ Stephenson Co-Chairs, IUCN/SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group It’s been a busy twelve months for the group. Sadly, 2015 started with the terrible news that Peter Vogel had passed away. Peter was a global expert on shrews but he was a long-term member of the group due to his specialist knowledge of otter-shrews; he was one of the few biologists to capture and study these illusive afrotheres. We include an obituary to Peter on page 8 and send our Chequered sengi (Rhynchocyon cirnei) by Jonathan Kingdon condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
    [Show full text]
  • Oomparative Craniological Systematics of the "Tenrecomorpha" (Mammalia: Insectivora)
    Oomparative craniological systematics of the "Tenrecomorpha" (Mammalia: Insectivora) Peter Giere Anke C. Schunke Ulrich Zeller 1 Introduction Insectivore systematics has long been of spécial interest for mammal- ogists in the belief that a member of this group represents the ances¬ tral eutherian stock. Despite this attention, the establishment of a phylogenetic classification based on shared derived characters proved to be diffïcult due to the heterogeneity of the group and the paucity of such characters (cf. Butler 1988, MacPhee and Novacek 1993). In part, this is also true for the taxa identified within the Insectivora. Hère, a doser look will be taken at the 'Tenrecomorpha", consisting of the Malagasy tenrecs and the central and west African otter shrews. Based mainly on palaeontological data, Butler (1972) distinguished the 'Tenrecomorpha" from the Erinaceomorpha, Soricomorpha and View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Chrysochlorida.brought to you by CORE Due to a misidentification of the original material, provided by Horizon / Pleins textes this division ofthe insectivores was abandoned (Butler 1988), and both tenrecs and otter shrews are now subsumed under the Soricomorpha (Butler 1988; cf. MacPhee and Novacek 1993; McKenna and BELL 1997). The label 'Tenrecomorpha" is used hère to facilitate denoting tenrecs and otter shrews and could be used inter- 244 African Small Mammals / Petits mammifères africains changeably with "Tenrecidae" as in Hutterer (1993) or 'Tenrecoidea" as in McKenna and Bell (1997). It is not used hère to distinguish the tenrecs and otter shrews as a higher level taxon to be separated from other insectivore higher taxa. The two gênera of otter shrews, Potamogale and Micropotamogale are generally placed within the Tenrecidae (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Order Suborder Infraorder Superfamily Family
    ORDER SUBORDER INFRAORDER SUPERFAMILY FAMILY SUBFAMILY TRIBE GENUS SUBGENUS SPECIES Monotremata Tachyglossidae Tachyglossus aculeatus Monotremata Tachyglossidae Zaglossus attenboroughi Monotremata Tachyglossidae Zaglossus bartoni Monotremata Tachyglossidae Zaglossus bruijni Monotremata Ornithorhynchidae Ornithorhynchus anatinus Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Caluromyinae Caluromys Caluromys philander Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Caluromyinae Caluromys Mallodelphys derbianus Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Caluromyinae Caluromys Mallodelphys lanatus Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Caluromyinae Caluromysiops irrupta Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Caluromyinae Glironia venusta Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Chironectes minimus Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Didelphis aurita Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Didelphis imperfecta Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Didelphis marsupialis Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Didelphis pernigra Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Didelphis virginiana Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Didelphis albiventris Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Gracilinanus formosus Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Gracilinanus emiliae Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Gracilinanus microtarsus Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Gracilinanus marica Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Gracilinanus dryas Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Gracilinanus aceramarcae Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae Gracilinanus agricolai Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphinae
    [Show full text]