Pub Date : 2022-10-21DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2132120
A. Truter, N. Mgqatsa, D. Parker
The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is threatened primarily due to continued poaching for its horns. In South Africa, partly to promote the conservation of the species, white rhinos have been introduced into areas where they did not occur historically (i.e. where they are considered extralimital). Few studies have investigated the conservation contribution of extralimital white rhinos to the overall national herd. We aimed to determine whether the white rhinos introduced to a private game reserve in the Eastern Cape province have been successful from a reproductive perspective. We calculated inter-calving intervals, age at first calving, sex ratios of calves, and recruitment rates for white rhinos at a single site between 1992 and 2019. The average net annual population growth rate for the population was 10%, which is higher than the recommended 5% by the Biodiversity Management Plan for white rhinos. Trends in density-dependent parameters such as age at first calving and inter-calving intervals also indicated that the study population is still well below the density at which ecological constraints may manifest. We demonstrate that an extralimital white rhino population in the Eastern Cape can be successful from a reproductive perspective.
{"title":"An Assessment of the Medium-Term Reproductive Success of an Extralimital White Rhinoceros Population","authors":"A. Truter, N. Mgqatsa, D. Parker","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2132120","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2132120","url":null,"abstract":"The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is threatened primarily due to continued poaching for its horns. In South Africa, partly to promote the conservation of the species, white rhinos have been introduced into areas where they did not occur historically (i.e. where they are considered extralimital). Few studies have investigated the conservation contribution of extralimital white rhinos to the overall national herd. We aimed to determine whether the white rhinos introduced to a private game reserve in the Eastern Cape province have been successful from a reproductive perspective. We calculated inter-calving intervals, age at first calving, sex ratios of calves, and recruitment rates for white rhinos at a single site between 1992 and 2019. The average net annual population growth rate for the population was 10%, which is higher than the recommended 5% by the Biodiversity Management Plan for white rhinos. Trends in density-dependent parameters such as age at first calving and inter-calving intervals also indicated that the study population is still well below the density at which ecological constraints may manifest. We demonstrate that an extralimital white rhino population in the Eastern Cape can be successful from a reproductive perspective.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49585717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-21DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2115859
M. Chammem, Hicham Seri, R. Bastos, M. Santos, J. Vicente, T. Khorchani, J. A. Cabral
Reintroduction of species should be based on ecological knowledge, which is fundamental to enhancing the probability of success, but also in predicting the response to future changing landscapes. The addax (Addax nasomaculatus), an endangered antelope whose ecology is mostly unknown, was released in a fenced area of the Jbil National Park, Tunisia. Considering the extreme desert conditions of the area, seasonal changes should affect both habitat and diet selection. Addax occurrence, habitat selection and diet were assessed using an integrative approach, and analysed with multivariate statistics. During the wet season, preferred and avoided plant species abundance were highly correlated with addax occurrence; while in the dry season, preferred plant species abundance were positively correlated with addax presence. Micro-histological analysis of faecal samples indicated differences in diet between seasons. The integrative approach proposed represents a useful contribution for decision-making in the scope of reintroduction programmes and habitat restoration measures, by facilitating the assessment of habitat suitability for endangered antelopes in arid environments.
{"title":"Habitat Selection and Foraging Preference of the Endangered Addax (Addax nasomaculatus) in a Fenced Wildlife Reserve within Its Historic Range: Insights for Supporting Effective Reintroduction","authors":"M. Chammem, Hicham Seri, R. Bastos, M. Santos, J. Vicente, T. Khorchani, J. A. Cabral","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2115859","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2115859","url":null,"abstract":"Reintroduction of species should be based on ecological knowledge, which is fundamental to enhancing the probability of success, but also in predicting the response to future changing landscapes. The addax (Addax nasomaculatus), an endangered antelope whose ecology is mostly unknown, was released in a fenced area of the Jbil National Park, Tunisia. Considering the extreme desert conditions of the area, seasonal changes should affect both habitat and diet selection. Addax occurrence, habitat selection and diet were assessed using an integrative approach, and analysed with multivariate statistics. During the wet season, preferred and avoided plant species abundance were highly correlated with addax occurrence; while in the dry season, preferred plant species abundance were positively correlated with addax presence. Micro-histological analysis of faecal samples indicated differences in diet between seasons. The integrative approach proposed represents a useful contribution for decision-making in the scope of reintroduction programmes and habitat restoration measures, by facilitating the assessment of habitat suitability for endangered antelopes in arid environments.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42162010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-21DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2137432
Jacco J Leemans, Birthe Linden, F. van Langevelde
Associations between animals of different species have been observed for a large variety of taxa. These polyspecific groups are thought to provide advantages to at least one of the species involved, especially foraging benefits or reduced predation risk. In the case of primate-bird associations, both foraging benefits and reduced predation risk have been suggested. We investigated whether flocks of Crested Guineafowl (Guttera edouardi) join groups of samango monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi) and examined benefits to the birds. Using behavioural data, we tested (1) whether Crested Guineafowl associate with samango monkeys for a longer period of time than can be expected by chance, using a movement simulation model, and (2) whether Crested Guineafowl show differences in foraging and predation risk behaviour and habitat selection in relation to vegetation cover in the presence of samango monkeys. Observations were done in the Soutpansberg Mountain Range, South Africa. We found that (1) Crested Guineafowl join samango monkeys for a longer period of time than expected by chance, and (2) Crested Guineafowl show significantly less sentinel behaviour with samango monkeys present. These findings suggest that the birds experience reduced predation risk in the presence of the monkeys. Our study is the first to report association between Crested Guineafowl and samango monkeys and contributes to understanding why birds and primates associate.
{"title":"Crested Guineafowl and Samango Monkey Associations","authors":"Jacco J Leemans, Birthe Linden, F. van Langevelde","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2137432","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2137432","url":null,"abstract":"Associations between animals of different species have been observed for a large variety of taxa. These polyspecific groups are thought to provide advantages to at least one of the species involved, especially foraging benefits or reduced predation risk. In the case of primate-bird associations, both foraging benefits and reduced predation risk have been suggested. We investigated whether flocks of Crested Guineafowl (Guttera edouardi) join groups of samango monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi) and examined benefits to the birds. Using behavioural data, we tested (1) whether Crested Guineafowl associate with samango monkeys for a longer period of time than can be expected by chance, using a movement simulation model, and (2) whether Crested Guineafowl show differences in foraging and predation risk behaviour and habitat selection in relation to vegetation cover in the presence of samango monkeys. Observations were done in the Soutpansberg Mountain Range, South Africa. We found that (1) Crested Guineafowl join samango monkeys for a longer period of time than expected by chance, and (2) Crested Guineafowl show significantly less sentinel behaviour with samango monkeys present. These findings suggest that the birds experience reduced predation risk in the presence of the monkeys. Our study is the first to report association between Crested Guineafowl and samango monkeys and contributes to understanding why birds and primates associate.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43643513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-21DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2110386
G. Malan, E. Harris, T. Harris, A. Monadjem
This study aimed to analyse the diet of a pair of Bat Hawks Macheiramphus alcinus, based on regurgitated pellets, and the associated habitat-foraging groups that the prey species belonged to. A total of 908 regurgitated pellets were collected from underneath one nest tree in north-eastern South Africa, over a 24-month period. A total of 26 prey species were identified, of which 17 comprised bats and nine were birds. Seven prey species qualified as common in the diet (≥11 individuals): Pipistrellus hesperidus, Tadarida aegyptiaca, Scotophilus dinganii, Zosterops virens, Chaerephon pumilus, Afronycteris nana and Laephotis capensis. Most prey individuals were clutter-edge foragers: 41 individuals (67%) were birds, and 181 (42%) were bats. The Bat Hawks therefore foraged predominantly adjacent to vegetation. Future studies should examine the environmental factors that drive the abundance of insects in these habitats and the foraging techniques that birds and bats employ to prey upon them, to ultimately increase our understanding of the foraging framework that flying Bat Hawks exploit when hunting these flying animals.
{"title":"A Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus Pair Preyed Primarily on Bats and Birds that Forage in Clutter-Edge and Open-Air Habitat Groups","authors":"G. Malan, E. Harris, T. Harris, A. Monadjem","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2110386","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2110386","url":null,"abstract":"This study aimed to analyse the diet of a pair of Bat Hawks Macheiramphus alcinus, based on regurgitated pellets, and the associated habitat-foraging groups that the prey species belonged to. A total of 908 regurgitated pellets were collected from underneath one nest tree in north-eastern South Africa, over a 24-month period. A total of 26 prey species were identified, of which 17 comprised bats and nine were birds. Seven prey species qualified as common in the diet (≥11 individuals): Pipistrellus hesperidus, Tadarida aegyptiaca, Scotophilus dinganii, Zosterops virens, Chaerephon pumilus, Afronycteris nana and Laephotis capensis. Most prey individuals were clutter-edge foragers: 41 individuals (67%) were birds, and 181 (42%) were bats. The Bat Hawks therefore foraged predominantly adjacent to vegetation. Future studies should examine the environmental factors that drive the abundance of insects in these habitats and the foraging techniques that birds and bats employ to prey upon them, to ultimately increase our understanding of the foraging framework that flying Bat Hawks exploit when hunting these flying animals.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43605164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-03DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2078167
A. Acosta, K. A. Hadfield, Nico J. Smit
The gill monogeneans from the genus Ligophorus Euzet et Suriano, 1977 are parasites strictly host specific to mugilid fishes, occurring on a number of mullet species. In South Africa, monogeneans from marine and estuarine teleost fishes are still poorly known. During 2020, five individuals of the South African mullet Chelon richardsonii (Smith) were collected from the Groot River estuary on the south coast of South Africa (south-western Indian Ocean). Monogeneans collected from the gills were preserved for morphological and phylogenetic analyses. The monogeneans found were morphologically identified as Ligophorus minimus Euzet et Suriano, 1977. This study provides the first record of L. minimus from South Africa and the first record on the host C. richardsonii. Furthermore, sequences of the partial 28S rRNA gene and the entire ITS1 region for this species were obtained from the sampled locality in the south-western Indian Ocean for the first time. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the morphological identification of L. minimus in the present study. The phylogenetic relationships of L. minimus with its congeners corroborate previous studies, providing more insights into the monophyly of the genus, routes of new host colonisation, and distribution patterns.
来自Ligophorus Euzet et Suriano, 1977的单系鳃虫是胭脂鱼特有的寄生虫，发生在许多胭脂鱼物种上。在南非，来自海洋和河口硬骨鱼的单系鱼类仍然鲜为人知。2020年期间，在南非南海岸(印度洋西南部)的格鲁特河河口收集了5只南非鲻鱼Chelon richardsonii (Smith)。从鳃中收集的单系鱼保存下来进行形态学和系统发育分析。经形态学鉴定为最小Ligophorus minimus, Euzet et Suriano, 1977。本研究首次记录了来自南非的小乳杆菌，也首次记录了寄主C. richardsonii。此外，首次在西南印度洋取样区获得了该物种的部分28S rRNA基因序列和整个ITS1区序列。系统发育分析证实了本研究中小乳杆菌的形态鉴定。微小L.与其同系物的系统发育关系证实了先前的研究，为该属的单系性、新寄主的定殖途径和分布模式提供了更多的见解。
{"title":"First Record from the Southern Hemisphere: Significant Range Extension, New Host Record and Molecular Characterisation of Ligophorus minimus Euzet et Suriano, 1977 (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae)","authors":"A. Acosta, K. A. Hadfield, Nico J. Smit","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2078167","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2078167","url":null,"abstract":"The gill monogeneans from the genus Ligophorus Euzet et Suriano, 1977 are parasites strictly host specific to mugilid fishes, occurring on a number of mullet species. In South Africa, monogeneans from marine and estuarine teleost fishes are still poorly known. During 2020, five individuals of the South African mullet Chelon richardsonii (Smith) were collected from the Groot River estuary on the south coast of South Africa (south-western Indian Ocean). Monogeneans collected from the gills were preserved for morphological and phylogenetic analyses. The monogeneans found were morphologically identified as Ligophorus minimus Euzet et Suriano, 1977. This study provides the first record of L. minimus from South Africa and the first record on the host C. richardsonii. Furthermore, sequences of the partial 28S rRNA gene and the entire ITS1 region for this species were obtained from the sampled locality in the south-western Indian Ocean for the first time. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the morphological identification of L. minimus in the present study. The phylogenetic relationships of L. minimus with its congeners corroborate previous studies, providing more insights into the monophyly of the genus, routes of new host colonisation, and distribution patterns.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43653980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-03DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2085063
C. Simon, Alheit du Toit, S. Lamberth, G. Branch
Polychaete worms are used widely as bait in South Africa, but common names are not used consistently among fishers or in the literature. This can have implications for conservation, since different polychaete species will not be equally vulnerable to exploitation, and uncertainties about the names of species make it difficult to monitor harvests to assess catch rates. This study develops a consensus view of English and Afrikaans common names for known bait species, building on names already used by fishers and in the literature. The greatest (but not complete) consensus in use of names among fishers and in the literature was for species in the families Arenicolidae, Eunicidae and Nereididae. However, most species are known by multiple common names, some common names are used for multiple species in different families, and the use of at least one name has changed. By applying principles like those used to develop scientific names, we propose a binomial naming system that includes a collective common name that applies to the family or genus, and which, for most species, is already used by fishers, as well as qualifying names that apply to the individual species. The qualifying names may refer to a morphological character that can be observed in the field, its distribution, ecology or the specific name. Research is needed to develop consensus names in isiXhosa.
{"title":"Standardising English and Afrikaans Common Names for Polychaetes Harvested as Bait in South Africa","authors":"C. Simon, Alheit du Toit, S. Lamberth, G. Branch","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2085063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2085063","url":null,"abstract":"Polychaete worms are used widely as bait in South Africa, but common names are not used consistently among fishers or in the literature. This can have implications for conservation, since different polychaete species will not be equally vulnerable to exploitation, and uncertainties about the names of species make it difficult to monitor harvests to assess catch rates. This study develops a consensus view of English and Afrikaans common names for known bait species, building on names already used by fishers and in the literature. The greatest (but not complete) consensus in use of names among fishers and in the literature was for species in the families Arenicolidae, Eunicidae and Nereididae. However, most species are known by multiple common names, some common names are used for multiple species in different families, and the use of at least one name has changed. By applying principles like those used to develop scientific names, we propose a binomial naming system that includes a collective common name that applies to the family or genus, and which, for most species, is already used by fishers, as well as qualifying names that apply to the individual species. The qualifying names may refer to a morphological character that can be observed in the field, its distribution, ecology or the specific name. Research is needed to develop consensus names in isiXhosa.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44516127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-03DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2087478
Muluneh Dansa, W. Tekalign
Information on animal diversity and distribution is essential for designing management plans for conservation. This study aimed to investigate primate diversity and species' distributions in the Maze National Park, southern Ethiopia. The study was conducted during the dry season (January–March) and wet season (June–August) in 2020. Fourteen line transects in four stratified habitats were followed, and 613 individual primates belonging to three species [olive baboon Papio anubis (Lesson, 1827), mantled guereza Colobus guereza (Rüppell, 1835), and vervet monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus (F. Cuvier, 1821)] were identified. Papio anubis was the most frequently observed primate species in both the dry and wet season in the riverine forest (n = 99 and n = 97, respectively) and in woodland (n = 43 and n = 40, respectively), whereas fewer C. pygerythrus were observed in the riverine forest in both seasons (n = 38 and n = 34 in the dry and wet season, respectively). The highest numbers of primates were recorded in the wet and dry season in the riverine forest (n = 194 and n = 204, respectively), followed by woodland (n = 78 and n = 80, respectively), open grassland (n = 10 and n = 17, respectively), and wooded grassland (n = 8 and n = 18, respectively). During the dry season, the riverine forest habitat had the highest diversity index (H′ = 1.25). These findings will be useful for the urgent prioritisation of primate conservation programmes in the park.
{"title":"Primate Diversity and Species' Distributions in Maze National Park, Southern Ethiopia","authors":"Muluneh Dansa, W. Tekalign","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2087478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2087478","url":null,"abstract":"Information on animal diversity and distribution is essential for designing management plans for conservation. This study aimed to investigate primate diversity and species' distributions in the Maze National Park, southern Ethiopia. The study was conducted during the dry season (January–March) and wet season (June–August) in 2020. Fourteen line transects in four stratified habitats were followed, and 613 individual primates belonging to three species [olive baboon Papio anubis (Lesson, 1827), mantled guereza Colobus guereza (Rüppell, 1835), and vervet monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus (F. Cuvier, 1821)] were identified. Papio anubis was the most frequently observed primate species in both the dry and wet season in the riverine forest (n = 99 and n = 97, respectively) and in woodland (n = 43 and n = 40, respectively), whereas fewer C. pygerythrus were observed in the riverine forest in both seasons (n = 38 and n = 34 in the dry and wet season, respectively). The highest numbers of primates were recorded in the wet and dry season in the riverine forest (n = 194 and n = 204, respectively), followed by woodland (n = 78 and n = 80, respectively), open grassland (n = 10 and n = 17, respectively), and wooded grassland (n = 8 and n = 18, respectively). During the dry season, the riverine forest habitat had the highest diversity index (H′ = 1.25). These findings will be useful for the urgent prioritisation of primate conservation programmes in the park.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45222193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-03DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2086020
Jarryd P. Streicher, M. Streicher, T. Ramesh, C. Downs
Anthropogenic habitat conversion through urban sprawl is driving mesocarnivores to modify their behaviour and ecology. Thorough knowledge of their feeding ecology is fundamental in understanding the pressures imposed on mesocarnivores by urbanisation. The diet of the water mongoose Atilax paludinosus has been studied in natural habitats of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. However, its urban conspecifics have been mostly overlooked. We used scat analysis to investigate the feeding ecology of water mongooses in the urban greenspace matrix of the Upper Highway Area of eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal Province. We analysed dietary intake trends using relative percentage of occurrence, based on 105 scat samples collected in 2018–2019. Urban water mongooses opportunistically consumed a wide array of prey items. Their diet was dominated by three main categories: crustaceans 35.9%, rodents 19.6%, and invertebrates 18.4%. Seasonal variation was only detected for crustaceans and rodents. We found chicken bones, plastic particulates and cigarette butts in the scat samples. This indicated that water mongooses in an urban landscape were supplementing their diet by foraging on anthropogenic waste. Our study highlights the generalist and flexible feeding habits of water mongooses in an urban matrix.
{"title":"Diet of a Generalist Mammalian Mesocarnivore in an Urban Matrix","authors":"Jarryd P. Streicher, M. Streicher, T. Ramesh, C. Downs","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2086020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2086020","url":null,"abstract":"Anthropogenic habitat conversion through urban sprawl is driving mesocarnivores to modify their behaviour and ecology. Thorough knowledge of their feeding ecology is fundamental in understanding the pressures imposed on mesocarnivores by urbanisation. The diet of the water mongoose Atilax paludinosus has been studied in natural habitats of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. However, its urban conspecifics have been mostly overlooked. We used scat analysis to investigate the feeding ecology of water mongooses in the urban greenspace matrix of the Upper Highway Area of eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal Province. We analysed dietary intake trends using relative percentage of occurrence, based on 105 scat samples collected in 2018–2019. Urban water mongooses opportunistically consumed a wide array of prey items. Their diet was dominated by three main categories: crustaceans 35.9%, rodents 19.6%, and invertebrates 18.4%. Seasonal variation was only detected for crustaceans and rodents. We found chicken bones, plastic particulates and cigarette butts in the scat samples. This indicated that water mongooses in an urban landscape were supplementing their diet by foraging on anthropogenic waste. Our study highlights the generalist and flexible feeding habits of water mongooses in an urban matrix.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49333569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-03DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2078671
N. M. Rindoria, Q. D. Dos Santos, Shimaa E. Ali, M. Ibraheem, A. Avenant‐Oldewage
Lamproglena monodi Capart, 1944 adult females were first described from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and have been redescribed seven times from different cichlid species in Egypt, Burkina Faso and Brazil, all showing morphological variation. The adult male was first described from Lake Victoria and the Victoria Nile in Uganda. Copepods from the present study were collected from the gills of Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Kibos Fish Farm, Kenya (between December 2017 and April 2018) and Sharqia Governorate (June 2019) and El-Minia (between July and December 2018) in Egypt. They were identified as L. monodi based on morphology and genetic data. Parasites were studied morphologically with the aid of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and female infection levels calculated. Genetically, the specimens were studied using fragments of 18S and 28S rDNA. SEM analyses revealed additional diagnostic morphological features for the three adult males (elusive) and 249 females. These data were used to update the identification key for male Lamproglena species. Prevalence, mean intensity and mean abundance of the females were calculated as 13.5%, 8.6 and 1.2 respectively. Both 18S and 28S rDNA fragments confirmed the distinctness of L. monodi from previously characterised Lamproglena species, with distances of 1.22–1.94% (17–27 bp) for 18S rDNA and 15.66–18.1% (111–128 bp) for 28S rDNA. Haplotypes obtained from male and female specimens were identical, confirming the identity of the male specimens. This is the first genetic study of Lamproglena from Africa, the first SEM and genetic study of male L. monodi, and the first geographical report of this parasite from Kenya. The male and molecular data reported herein provide a useful point of reference for future Lamproglena studies.
{"title":"Lamproglena monodi Capart, 1944 Infecting Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758): Additional Information on Infection, Morphology and Genetic Data","authors":"N. M. Rindoria, Q. D. Dos Santos, Shimaa E. Ali, M. Ibraheem, A. Avenant‐Oldewage","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2078671","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2078671","url":null,"abstract":"Lamproglena monodi Capart, 1944 adult females were first described from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and have been redescribed seven times from different cichlid species in Egypt, Burkina Faso and Brazil, all showing morphological variation. The adult male was first described from Lake Victoria and the Victoria Nile in Uganda. Copepods from the present study were collected from the gills of Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Kibos Fish Farm, Kenya (between December 2017 and April 2018) and Sharqia Governorate (June 2019) and El-Minia (between July and December 2018) in Egypt. They were identified as L. monodi based on morphology and genetic data. Parasites were studied morphologically with the aid of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and female infection levels calculated. Genetically, the specimens were studied using fragments of 18S and 28S rDNA. SEM analyses revealed additional diagnostic morphological features for the three adult males (elusive) and 249 females. These data were used to update the identification key for male Lamproglena species. Prevalence, mean intensity and mean abundance of the females were calculated as 13.5%, 8.6 and 1.2 respectively. Both 18S and 28S rDNA fragments confirmed the distinctness of L. monodi from previously characterised Lamproglena species, with distances of 1.22–1.94% (17–27 bp) for 18S rDNA and 15.66–18.1% (111–128 bp) for 28S rDNA. Haplotypes obtained from male and female specimens were identical, confirming the identity of the male specimens. This is the first genetic study of Lamproglena from Africa, the first SEM and genetic study of male L. monodi, and the first geographical report of this parasite from Kenya. The male and molecular data reported herein provide a useful point of reference for future Lamproglena studies.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42753117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-03DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2079386
Tinyiko C. Shivambu, Ndivhuwo Shivambu, C. Downs
The Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri (Scopoli, 1769) has become invasive in several countries, including South Africa, mainly through the pet trade releases and escapees. We conducted an online questionnaire survey targeting the residents in Durban, eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We aimed to determine the distribution, habitat and diet of the Rose-ringed Parakeet. We also determined if the public perceived parakeets as pests and if control measures were supported. We found that many parakeet sightings were reported in Durban North, primarily in and around shopping centres. Approximately 64.5% of respondents provided feeding stations for parakeets, with most providing seeds and grains. A total of 173 (55.4%) respondents considered parakeets as a pest. Rose-ringed parakeets were reported to chase nine bird species, of which seven were native and two non-natives. Most respondents stated that parakeets should not be controlled. However, most of those who supported their control suggested shooting and destruction of eggs. We concluded that the distribution of parakeets is likely expanding and associated with anthropogenic activities in this urban landscape. However, public perceptions may make invasive Rose-ringed Parakeet management difficult.
{"title":"Citizen Science Survey of Non-Native Rose-Ringed Parakeets Psittacula krameri in the Durban Metropole, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa","authors":"Tinyiko C. Shivambu, Ndivhuwo Shivambu, C. Downs","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2022.2079386","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2022.2079386","url":null,"abstract":"The Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri (Scopoli, 1769) has become invasive in several countries, including South Africa, mainly through the pet trade releases and escapees. We conducted an online questionnaire survey targeting the residents in Durban, eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We aimed to determine the distribution, habitat and diet of the Rose-ringed Parakeet. We also determined if the public perceived parakeets as pests and if control measures were supported. We found that many parakeet sightings were reported in Durban North, primarily in and around shopping centres. Approximately 64.5% of respondents provided feeding stations for parakeets, with most providing seeds and grains. A total of 173 (55.4%) respondents considered parakeets as a pest. Rose-ringed parakeets were reported to chase nine bird species, of which seven were native and two non-natives. Most respondents stated that parakeets should not be controlled. However, most of those who supported their control suggested shooting and destruction of eggs. We concluded that the distribution of parakeets is likely expanding and associated with anthropogenic activities in this urban landscape. However, public perceptions may make invasive Rose-ringed Parakeet management difficult.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42184944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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