DOCSLIB.ORG

A New Extinct Species of Solenodon (Mammalia: Insectivora: Solenodontidae) from the Late Quaternary of Cuba

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A New Extinct Species of Solenodon (Mammalia: Insectivora: Solenodontidae) from the Late Quaternary of Cuba ; ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL 62, NUMDER 2, PP. 151-164 28 MAY 1993 A NEW EXTINCT SPECIES OF SOLENODON (MAMMALIA: INSECTIVORA: SOLENODONTIDAE) FROM THE LATE QUATERNARY OF CUBA GARY S. MORGAN1 J osE A. OrrENWALDER 1 Visiting Museum Specialist, Section of Mammals ABSTRACT An ex1inct species of giant Solenodon. S. arredondoi. ts described on the basis of a partial skull and a small sample of postcranial elements from three Late Quaternary fossil deposits in western Cuba. S. arredondoi can be distinguished from all other species of Solenodon by its considerably larger size. Cramal features in which S. arredondoi differs from the two Hispaniolan species of Solenodon, the living S. paradoxus and the extinct S. marcanoi, include the absence of an os proboscis, relatively broader frontals at the anterior edge of the orbits, more pronounced interorbital constriction, con­ stricted internal narial opening and anterior portion of pterygoid fossa, and much larger posterov­ entrally expanded pterygoid processes. Dental characters separating S. arredondoi from S. paradoxus are the greatly enlarged and in Hated C', lack of accessory cusps on C', and presence of a noticeable diastema between P and C'. S. arredondoi is closely related to the living Cuban Solenodon, S. cubanus, but differs from that species in its larger size, as well as the somewhat more constricted interorbital region, narrower internal narial opening, more prominent pterygoid processes, comparatively more inflated C', and broader upper molars. The diverse fauna of extinct birds and mammals collected in association with S. arredondoi indicates a Late Quaternary age (late Pleistocene or early Holocene) for this species. The giant Cuban Solenodon is one of the largest known members of the order lnsectivora, living or extinct. It was probably carnivorous, preying on larger invertebrates and a variety of small to medium-sized terrestrial vertebrates. INTRODUCTION The existence of a very large extinct species of Solenodon from Cuba was first mentioned by Arredondo ( 1970) based on a femur he collected 16 years earlier from a fossil deposit at Abra de Andres, in the Sierra de Anafe, La Habana Province, western Cuba. This femur was later figured and described in detail by Morgan et al. (1980). These authors also mentioned the existence of two other large fossil femora of Solenodon from western Cuba, one each from Cavema de Pio Domingo, Pinar del Rio Province and Cueva Paredones, La Habana Province. Both of these specimens were intermediate in size between the extremely large fossil femur from Abra de Andres and the living Cuban species, Solenodon cubanus Peters. Morgan et al. (1980) did not name a new species because they felt that a single incomplete femur was an inadequate element upon which to describe a new taxon. In early 1991 , while examining specimens in the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural in La Habana, Cuba, Oscar Arredondo discovered a partial skull 1 Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 326 I I -2035. Submitted 6 August 1992. 151 V> -N Table I.- Cranial measurements offossi l and Recent Solenodon from Cuba. Statistics for the samples offo ssil and Recent S. cuban us are (in order) mean, standard deviation (± 1 SD). observed range, coefficient of variation, and sample size (N). Alveolar length of Anto rbital z~;goma tic Interorbital Squamosal Palatal Palatal maxillary > Species and locality constrict ion readth constric tion breadth length breadth toothrow z ;;.z Solenodon arredondoi (type) [;; Cueva Paredones 0.... MNHNC 421/123 19.0 39.0 16.3 35.4 40.7 25.2 28.0 () Solenodon cuban us (fossil) 17. 1 ± 0.5 34.3 ± 0.6 15.7 ± 0.7 31.2 35.7 ± 1.6 23 .7 ± 0.8 25.2 ± 0.6 z~ 16.8-17.8 34.0- 35.0 15.3-16.2 - 33.9-37.2 22.9- 24.3 24.5-26.0 ~ 3.3 1.7 4. 1 - 4.4 3.2 2.5 iii N = 3 N = 3 N = 2 N= l N = 4 N= 3 N= 4 a!: c Solenodon cubanus (Recent) 15.0 ± 0.7 32.4 ± 1.3 15.2 ± 0.6 30.9 ± 0.8 34.3 ± 1. 1 21.5 ± 1.2 23.7 ± 0.9 "'M 14.3-16.4 30.5- 35.2 14.5- 16.4 29.6-31.9 3 1.8-35.7 20.3- 23.9 21.8-24.7 ~ 4.8 4.0 4. 1 2.6 3.1 5.4 3.7 N= 14 N=9 N = 13 N = 12 N = 14 N = 14 N= 14 1993 MORGAN AND 0TTENWALDER- NEW EXTINCT S OLENODON FROM CUBA 153 of a very large Solenodon from a fossil deposit in Cueva Paredones. The discovery of this skull permits a thorough description of the previously unnamed giant Solenodon. We have also re-examined and measured the three large Solenodon femora mentioned in the literature, as well as several additional cranial and postcranial elements that pertain to this new species. Comparisons and measurements of the Solenodon skull from Cueva Paredones reveal that this specimen, like the femur from Abrade Andres reported by Ar­ redondo (1970) and Morgan et al. (1980), is considerably larger than either of the two extant species of Solenodon, S. cubanus Peters from Cuba and S. paradoxus Brandt from Hispaniola. We present a morphological description and measure­ ments (Tables 1-4) of this new large Solenodon, as well as comparisons with the two living and one other extinct species in the genus, S. marcanoi Patterson from Hispaniola. The Solenodon fossils from western Cuba described here belong to a new species that is not only much larger than any previously described member of the genus, but is also one of the largest known species in the order Insectivora. METHODS AND ABBREVIATIONS Ex. planations of the cranial characters and measurements of Solenodon used herein are presented by Ottenwalder ( 1991). Excellent descriptions and illustrations of the cranial anatomy and dentition of Solenodon have been published by McDowell (1958). We follow the standardized dental nomen­ clature for mammals (e.g., Szalay, 1969). However, the cusp homologies of the upper molars and the molariform p• of So!enodon are in question. In attempting to demonstrate a close phylogenetic re­ lationship between Nesophontes and Sole nodon, McDowell ( 1958) interpreted the large central cusp on the P•-M' of Solr!nodon to be the protocone. He also proposed that the metacone on these teeth was lost and that the paracone was represented by a tiny cusp located on the paracrista anterolabial to the protocone. However, most other authors (Butler, 1937, 1939; Van Valen, 1966, 1967; Hersh­ kovitz, 197 1) considered the primary cusp on the upper molariform teeth of S olenodon to be the paracone. According to these workers, a metacone is absent and the two cusps on the lingual cingulum are the slightly larger anterolingual protocone and the smaller posterolingual hypocone. We follow the latter dental terminology for Solenodon molariform teeth, as it appears to be the most commonlv accepted and the least controversial. It should also be noted that mammalian paleon to lo~ i s ts have Ion~ disagreed on the origin and homology of the central cusp in zalambdodont molars, such as those of Solenodon. There is also some disagreement among previous authors on the dental formula of Solendon. which lacks one tooth in each jaw quadrant compared to the primitive eutherian dentition. The missing 2 3 tooth is obviously a premolar, but it is unclear whether this is the P / , or P / 3• We follow McDowell (1958) who tentatively regarded the missing premolars as the P' /3 • Poduschka and Poduschka (1983) examined the external, cranial, and dental characters used by previous workers to distinguish Solenodon cubanus from S. paradoxus. In particular, they evaluated the validity of the genus Atopogale, established by Cabrera (1925) for S. cuba nus. It is not our intent to comment extensively on the relationship between S. cubanus and S. paradoxus. as a thorough systematic review of the genus Solenodon has already been undertaken (Ottenwalder, 1991 ). Our discussion and comparisons are primarily limited to characters that can be observed in the fossil material of the new species of Solenodon from Cuba. The following museums, institutions, and collections possess specimens of Recent and fossil So­ !enodon examined during this study. The abbreviations used in this paper for each of these collections are as follows: Institute de Ecologia y Sistematica, Academia de Ciencias de Cuba, Havana. Cuba (IES/ ACC);Jose A. Ottenwalder, private field collections, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (JAO): Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University (MCZ); Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Cuba, Havana, Cuba (MNHNC); Personal collection of Oscar Arredondo, Havana. Cuba (OA): Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida (UF); United States National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (USNM). 154 ANNAlS OF CARNEGIE M USEUM VOL. 62 Table 2. -Measurements ofupper teeth offossil and Recent Solenodonfrom Cuba. Statistics for samples offossil and Recent S. cubanus are (in order) mean, standard deviation (± I SDj, observed range, coefficient of variation, and sample size (N). Species and Length Width Length Width Length locality if.~~~ c, c• P' P' P' So!enodon arrendondoi (type) Cueva Paredoncs MNHNC 421 / 123 9.7 6.2 4.0 4.0 2.9 5.2 Solenodon cubanus 4.6 ± 0.2 3.1 ± 0.1 3.4 ± 0.2 2.3 ± 0.1 3.8 ± 0.6 (fossil) 4.4-4.8 3.0-3.2 3.2-3.7 2.2-2.4 3.4-4.6 4.7 4.2 6. 1 5.1 16.2 lV = 3 N =3 N= 4 N=4 N = 3 Solenodon cubanus 8.6 ± 0.4 4.5 ± 0.3 3.0 ± 0.2 3.1 ± 0.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • EDGE of EXISTENCE 1Prioritising the Weird and Wonderful 3Making an Impact in the Field 2Empowering New Conservation Leaders A
    EDGE OF EXISTENCE CALEB ON THE TRAIL OF THE TOGO SLIPPERY FROG Prioritising the Empowering new 10 weird and wonderful conservation leaders 1 2 From the very beginning, EDGE of Once you have identified the animals most in Existence was a unique idea. It is the need of action, you need to find the right people only conservation programme in the to protect them. Developing conservationists’ world to focus on animals that are both abilities in the countries where EDGE species YEARS Evolutionarily Distinct (ED) and Globally exist is the most effective and sustainable way to Endangered (GE). Highly ED species ensure the long-term survival of these species. have few or no close relatives on the tree From tracking wildlife populations to measuring of life; they represent millions of years the impact of a social media awareness ON THE of unique evolutionary history. Their campaign, the skill set of today’s conservation GE status tells us how threatened they champions is wide-ranging. Every year, around As ZSL’s EDGE of Existence conservation programme reaches are. ZSL conservationists use a scientific 10 early-career conservationists are awarded its first decade of protecting the planet’s most Evolutionarily framework to identify the animals that one of ZSL’s two-year EDGE Fellowships. With Making an impact are both highly distinct and threatened. mentorship from ZSL experts, and a grant to set in the field Distinct and Globally Endangered animals, we celebrate 10 The resulting EDGE species are unique up their own project on an EDGE species, each 3 highlights from its extraordinary work animals on the verge of extinction – the Fellow gains a rigorous scientific grounding Over the past decade, nearly 70 truly weird and wonderful.
    [Show full text]
  • Hedgehog Fact Sheet
    Hedgehog Descrip�on: This par�cular hedgehog and called a Four-toed hedgehog. The Four-toed hedgehog only has 4 toes on each hind foot. The hedgehog has a very dis�nc�ve prickly spiny coat and long coarse hair on its face and underparts. An adult hedgehog can grow between 14 to 30 cen�meters long. Females are larger than males. Habitat: Class: Mammalia The four-toed hedgehog is found across central Africa. Order: Eulipotyphla They prefer grassy environments or open woodland Family: Erinaceidae with eleva�ons as high a 6,600 �. Their main predators Genus & Species: Erinaceus are Verreaux’s eagles, owls, jackals, hyenas and honey badgers. They prefer temperatures in the mid Life Span: up to 3 years in wild and up to 10 80’s F. When the hot dry season occurs and food is in cap�vity scarce they will go into a state of aes�va�on - inac�vity and lowered metabolic rate and when the temperature Fun Facts: gets colder it will go into a state of hiberna�on. Hedghogs rarely lose their quills during adulthood. Adapta�ons: Hedgehogs sleep in rolled up in a ball to protect The four-toed hedgehog is a solitary, nocturnal animal themselves. normally found along the ground. They have a high They have a special circular muscle that runs tolerance for toxins and have been known to eat along the sides of its body and across its neck scorpions and venomous snakes. When a�acked by and bo�om. When this muscle contracts it a predator, it can scream loudly.
    [Show full text]
  • Mammals of Jordan
    © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at Mammals of Jordan Z. AMR, M. ABU BAKER & L. RIFAI Abstract: A total of 78 species of mammals belonging to seven orders (Insectivora, Chiroptera, Carni- vora, Hyracoidea, Artiodactyla, Lagomorpha and Rodentia) have been recorded from Jordan. Bats and rodents represent the highest diversity of recorded species. Notes on systematics and ecology for the re- corded species were given. Key words: Mammals, Jordan, ecology, systematics, zoogeography, arid environment. Introduction In this account we list the surviving mammals of Jordan, including some reintro- The mammalian diversity of Jordan is duced species. remarkable considering its location at the meeting point of three different faunal ele- Table 1: Summary to the mammalian taxa occurring ments; the African, Oriental and Palaearc- in Jordan tic. This diversity is a combination of these Order No. of Families No. of Species elements in addition to the occurrence of Insectivora 2 5 few endemic forms. Jordan's location result- Chiroptera 8 24 ed in a huge faunal diversity compared to Carnivora 5 16 the surrounding countries. It shelters a huge Hyracoidea >1 1 assembly of mammals of different zoogeo- Artiodactyla 2 5 graphical affinities. Most remarkably, Jordan Lagomorpha 1 1 represents biogeographic boundaries for the Rodentia 7 26 extreme distribution limit of several African Total 26 78 (e.g. Procavia capensis and Rousettus aegypti- acus) and Palaearctic mammals (e. g. Eri- Order Insectivora naceus concolor, Sciurus anomalus, Apodemus Order Insectivora contains the most mystacinus, Lutra lutra and Meles meles). primitive placental mammals. A pointed snout and a small brain case characterises Our knowledge on the diversity and members of this order.
    [Show full text]
  • Onetouch 4.0 Scanned Documents
    / Chapter 2 THE FOSSIL RECORD OF BIRDS Storrs L. Olson Department of Vertebrate Zoology National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC. I. Introduction 80 II. Archaeopteryx 85 III. Early Cretaceous Birds 87 IV. Hesperornithiformes 89 V. Ichthyornithiformes 91 VI. Other Mesozojc Birds 92 VII. Paleognathous Birds 96 A. The Problem of the Origins of Paleognathous Birds 96 B. The Fossil Record of Paleognathous Birds 104 VIII. The "Basal" Land Bird Assemblage 107 A. Opisthocomidae 109 B. Musophagidae 109 C. Cuculidae HO D. Falconidae HI E. Sagittariidae 112 F. Accipitridae 112 G. Pandionidae 114 H. Galliformes 114 1. Family Incertae Sedis Turnicidae 119 J. Columbiformes 119 K. Psittaciforines 120 L. Family Incertae Sedis Zygodactylidae 121 IX. The "Higher" Land Bird Assemblage 122 A. Coliiformes 124 B. Coraciiformes (Including Trogonidae and Galbulae) 124 C. Strigiformes 129 D. Caprimulgiformes 132 E. Apodiformes 134 F. Family Incertae Sedis Trochilidae 135 G. Order Incertae Sedis Bucerotiformes (Including Upupae) 136 H. Piciformes 138 I. Passeriformes 139 X. The Water Bird Assemblage 141 A. Gruiformes 142 B. Family Incertae Sedis Ardeidae 165 79 Avian Biology, Vol. Vlll ISBN 0-12-249408-3 80 STORES L. OLSON C. Family Incertae Sedis Podicipedidae 168 D. Charadriiformes 169 E. Anseriformes 186 F. Ciconiiformes 188 G. Pelecaniformes 192 H. Procellariiformes 208 I. Gaviiformes 212 J. Sphenisciformes 217 XI. Conclusion 217 References 218 I. Introduction Avian paleontology has long been a poor stepsister to its mammalian counterpart, a fact that may be attributed in some measure to an insufRcien- cy of qualified workers and to the absence in birds of heterodont teeth, on which the greater proportion of the fossil record of mammals is founded.
    [Show full text]
  • Independent Evolutionary Histories in Allopatric Populations of a Threatened Caribbean Land Mammal
    Article type: Biodiversity Research Independent evolutionary histories in allopatric populations of a threatened Caribbean land mammal Samuel T. Turvey1, Stuart Peters2*, Selina Brace3*, Richard P. Young4, Nick Crumpton3,5, James Hansford1,6, Jose M. Nuñez-Miño4, Gemma King7, Katrina Tsalikidis7, José A. Ottenwalder8, Adrian Timpson9, Stephan M. Funk10,11, Jorge L. Brocca12, Mark G. Thomas2 and Ian Barnes3 1Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, UK, 2Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK, 3Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK, 4Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, Trinity, Jersey JE3 5BP, Channel Islands, 5Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK, 6Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, UK, 7School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham TW20 OEX, UK, 8Mahatma Gandhi 254, Gazcue, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 9Institute of Archaeology, University College London, Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, UK, 10Nature Heritage, St. Lawrence, Jersey, Channel Islands, 11Universidad de Temuco UCT, Casilla 15-D, Rudecindo Ortega 02950, Temuco, Chile, 12Sociedad Ornitológica de la Hispaniola, Parque Zoologico Nacional, Avenida de la Vega Real, Arroyo Hondo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic *Correspondence: [email protected], [email protected] Running title: Evolutionary history of Hispaniolan solenodon populations 1 ABSTRACT Aim To determine the evolutionary history, relationships and distinctiveness of allopatric populations of Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus), a highly threatened Caribbean “relict” mammal, to understand spatiotemporal patterns of gene flow and the distribution of diversity across complex large island landscapes and inform spatial conservation prioritization.
    [Show full text]
  • The Biogeography of Large Islands, Or How Does the Size of the Ecological Theater Affect the Evolutionary Play
    The biogeography of large islands, or how does the size of the ecological theater affect the evolutionary play Egbert Giles Leigh, Annette Hladik, Claude Marcel Hladik, Alison Jolly To cite this version: Egbert Giles Leigh, Annette Hladik, Claude Marcel Hladik, Alison Jolly. The biogeography of large islands, or how does the size of the ecological theater affect the evolutionary play. Revue d’Ecologie, Terre et Vie, Société nationale de protection de la nature, 2007, 62, pp.105-168. hal-00283373 HAL Id: hal-00283373 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00283373 Submitted on 14 Dec 2010 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. THE BIOGEOGRAPHY OF LARGE ISLANDS, OR HOW DOES THE SIZE OF THE ECOLOGICAL THEATER AFFECT THE EVOLUTIONARY PLAY? Egbert Giles LEIGH, Jr.1, Annette HLADIK2, Claude Marcel HLADIK2 & Alison JOLLY3 RÉSUMÉ. — La biogéographie des grandes îles, ou comment la taille de la scène écologique infl uence- t-elle le jeu de l’évolution ? — Nous présentons une approche comparative des particularités de l’évolution dans des milieux insulaires de différentes surfaces, allant de la taille de l’île de La Réunion à celle de l’Amé- rique du Sud au Pliocène.
    [Show full text]
  • Differential Loss of Embryonic Globin Genes During the Radiation of Placental Mammals
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Jay F. Storz Publications Papers in the Biological Sciences 9-2-2008 Differential loss of embryonic globin genes during the radiation of placental mammals Juan C. Opazo Instituto de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile Federico Hoffmann Instituto Carlos Chagas Fiocruz, Rua Prof. Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775-CIC, 81350-010, Curitiba, Brazil Jay F. Storz University of Nebraska - Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/bioscistorz Part of the Genetics and Genomics Commons Opazo, Juan C.; Hoffmann, Federico; and Storz, Jay F., "Differential loss of embryonic globin genes during the radiation of placental mammals" (2008). Jay F. Storz Publications. 26. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/bioscistorz/26 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Papers in the Biological Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Jay F. Storz Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 105:35 (September 2, 2008), pp. 12950–12955; doi 10.1073/pnas.0804392105 Copyright © 2008 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA. Used by permission. http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0804392105 Author contributions: J.C.O. and J.F.S. designed research; J.C.O. and F.G.H. performed research; J.C.O. and F.G.H. analyzed data; and J.C.O. and J.F.S. wrote the paper.
    [Show full text]
  • The First Record of Anourosorex (Insectivora, Soricidae) from Western Myanmar, with Special Reference to Identification and Karyological Characters
    Bull. Natl. Mus. Nat. Sci., Ser. A, 40(2), pp. 105–109, May 22, 2014 The First Record of Anourosorex (Insectivora, Soricidae) from Western Myanmar, with Special Reference to Identification and Karyological Characters Shin-ichiro Kawada1, Nozomi Kurihara1, Noriko Tominaga2 and Hideki Endo3 1 Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4–1–1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305–0005, Japan E-mail: [email protected] 2 Adachi Study Center, The Open University of Japan, 5–13–5 Senju, Adachi-ku, Tokyo 120–0034, Japan 3 The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, 7–3–1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113–0033, Japan (Received 3 March 2014; accepted 26 March 2014) Abstract We collected six mole shrews in Tiddim Town of Chin State, western Myanmar. They were captured in a human-modified artificial environment, although mole shrews usually inhabit forests. External and skull measurements indicated that the species was Anourosorex assamensis, previously known only as an endemic species of the Assam region of India. This is the first record of this species from Myanmar. Karyological examination revealed the species was diploid with a fundamental autosomal number of 2n=50 and NFa=96. These numbers correspond to the Taiwanese species A. yamashinai, but several differences were apparent in chromosomal morphology and the position of secondary chromosomal constrictions. The karyological information suggests A. assamensis is a full species separate from A. squamipes in China. Key words : Mole shrew, Anourosorex assamensis, morphological identification, karyotype. karyotypes, and should therefore be considered Introduction separate species. After that, Hutterer (2005) Mole shrews, the genus Anourosorex Milne- reclassified all four Anourosorex as four distinct Edwards, 1872, are semifossorial shrews known species based on size differences.
    [Show full text]
  • Subterranean Mammals Show Convergent Regression in Ocular Genes and Enhancers, Along with Adaptation to Tunneling
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Subterranean mammals show convergent regression in ocular genes and enhancers, along with adaptation to tunneling Raghavendran Partha1, Bharesh K Chauhan2,3, Zelia Ferreira1, Joseph D Robinson4, Kira Lathrop2,3, Ken K Nischal2,3, Maria Chikina1*, Nathan L Clark1* 1Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States; 2UPMC Eye Center, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States; 3Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, United States; 4Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, United States Abstract The underground environment imposes unique demands on life that have led subterranean species to evolve specialized traits, many of which evolved convergently. We studied convergence in evolutionary rate in subterranean mammals in order to associate phenotypic evolution with specific genetic regions. We identified a strong excess of vision- and skin-related genes that changed at accelerated rates in the subterranean environment due to relaxed constraint and adaptive evolution. We also demonstrate that ocular-specific transcriptional enhancers were convergently accelerated, whereas enhancers active outside the eye were not. Furthermore, several uncharacterized genes and regulatory sequences demonstrated convergence and thus constitute novel candidate sequences for congenital ocular disorders. The strong evidence of convergence in these species indicates that evolution in this environment is recurrent and predictable and can be used to gain insights into phenotype–genotype relationships. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25884.001 *For correspondence: [email protected] (MC); [email protected] (NLC) Competing interests: The Introduction authors declare that no The subterranean habitat has been colonized by numerous animal species for its shelter and unique competing interests exist.
    [Show full text]
  • Species Examined.Xlsx 8:17 PM 5/31/2011
    8:17 PM 5/31/2011 Names Accepted Binomial Name, Family Page Binomial Name, Page Common Name as of 2011, as given in Sperber if different than in Sperber Monotremata 264 Duckbilled Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus 264 Marsupialia 266 Slender‐tailed Dunnart Sminthopsis murina 266 Kultarr Antechinomys laniger 268 Gray Four‐eyed Opossum Philander opossum Didelphys opossum 269 (or possibly Virginia Opossum) ( or Didelphis virginiana) Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus 269 Insectivora 272 Elephant Shrew Macroscelides sp. 272 Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus 273 Eurasian Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus 274 Eurasian Water Shrew Neomys fodiens 279 Pygmy White Toothed Suncus etruscus Pachyura etrusca 280 (or Etruscan ) Shrew Russian Desman Desmana moschata 280 Chiroptera 281 Greater Flying Fox Pteropus vampyrus Pteropus edulis 281 (Kalong, Kalang) Northern Bat Eptesicus nilssonii Pipistrellus nilssoni 283 Particoloured Bat Vespertilio murinus 285 Xenarthra 287 and Pholidota Armadillos, anteaters and pangolins: Review of the literature only Rodentia 288 European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus 288 Eurasian Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris 293 Eurasian Beaver Castor fiber 294 Agile Kangaroo Rats Dipodomys agilis Perodipus agilis 296 Fresno Kangaroo Rat Dipodomys nitratoides exilis Dipodomys meriami exilis 297 Lesser Egyptian Jerboa Jaculus jaculus 298 Field (or Short‐tailed) Vole Microtus agrestis 299 Bank Vole Myodes glareolus Evotomys glareolus 303 European (or Northern) Water Arvicola terrestris 303 Vole Black Rat Rattus Rattus Epimys rattus 303 House Mouse
    [Show full text]
  • Hair Types in the Fur of the Pyrenean Desman (Insectivora: Talpidae
    Hair Types©Akademie in d. Wissenschaften the Fur Wien; downloadof the unter www.biologiezentrum.atPyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) GEOFFROY, 1811 (Insectivora: Talpidae: Desmaninae)* B y W a l t e r P o d u s c h k a & Be r n a r d R ic h a r d Mit 7 Figuren (Vorgelegt in der Sitzung der mathem.-naturw. Klasse am 14. März 1985 durch das k. M. Fried rich Sc h a l l e r ) Introduction For more than 25 years, American Mink (Mustela vison SCHREBER, 1877) escaped from a fur farm near El Espinar (Sierra Guadarrama, in northern Central Spain). They quickly spread and are suspected of being the main culprits in the extermination of the local Desman population. However, since this sad fact may also be due to water pollution, to "scientists” and unscrupulous lifetrapping or to the destruction of decidous forests along the riverbanks and their replacement with conifers, the M ink’s alleged guilt has to be substantiated through the finding of Desman bones and/or hair in their faeces. Unfortunately no such proof has yet been undertaken, due mostly to the lack of knowledge about the characteristics of the Desman’s fur. This paper is intended to amend this insufficiency. DAY (1966) published details of a method for the identification of mammalian hair in the faeces of predators, but he distinguished only two hair types: woolly hairs and sharply bent guard hairs. Unfortunately, his general remarks about the lack of a clear distinction between these two types of guard hair and “fine” (= woolly) hairs in the insectivores are incorrect.
    [Show full text]
  • Solenodon Genome Reveals Convergent Evolution of Venom in Eulipotyphlan Mammals
    Solenodon genome reveals convergent evolution of venom in eulipotyphlan mammals Nicholas R. Casewella,1, Daniel Petrasb,c, Daren C. Cardd,e,f, Vivek Suranseg, Alexis M. Mychajliwh,i,j, David Richardsk,l, Ivan Koludarovm, Laura-Oana Albulescua, Julien Slagboomn, Benjamin-Florian Hempelb, Neville M. Ngumk, Rosalind J. Kennerleyo, Jorge L. Broccap, Gareth Whiteleya, Robert A. Harrisona, Fiona M. S. Boltona, Jordan Debonoq, Freek J. Vonkr, Jessica Alföldis, Jeremy Johnsons, Elinor K. Karlssons,t, Kerstin Lindblad-Tohs,u, Ian R. Mellork, Roderich D. Süssmuthb, Bryan G. Fryq, Sanjaya Kuruppuv,w, Wayne C. Hodgsonv, Jeroen Kooln, Todd A. Castoed, Ian Barnesx, Kartik Sunagarg, Eivind A. B. Undheimy,z,aa, and Samuel T. Turveybb aCentre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA Liverpool, United Kingdom; bInstitut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany; cCollaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093; dDepartment of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010; eDepartment of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138; fMuseum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138; gEvolutionary Venomics Lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, 560012 Bangalore, India; hDepartment of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305; iDepartment of Rancho La Brea, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles,
    [Show full text]