Pub Date : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1768144
A. Osiecka, J. Fearey, S. Elwen, T. Gridley
Extended nursing periods have been observed in some pinniped species. Here, we document multiple cases of such prolonged nursing in Cape fur seals in Namibia. Over three separate visits to the Cape Cross breeding colony, we observed five unusual nursing interactions. These included animals of estimated age from one to over three years suckling on awake and permitting females. One of these observations included two individuals (juvenile and pup) suckling simultaneously. In three out of five cases, the female sniffed the large suckling animal, and the lack of aggression suggested mutual recognition. We suggest that the most likely scenario for these observations is that the larger animals might be the mothers' offspring from the previous year maintaining contact over at least three years. Such prolonged nursing may occur in cases where the year's pup is not born, dies or is outcompeted by older siblings, which can result in large energetic advantages for the offspring, by maintaining a feeding relationship with mothers over more than one year. We suggest that animals that extend suckling over more than one year may increase their overall success, although possibly inhibiting their mother's pregnancy in a given year. Under poorer conditions, investing more in an older calf may also be more cost effective to the mother than risking a new pregnancy. However, further detailed investigation is necessary to explain extended nursing in this socially complex mammal.
{"title":"Prolonged Nursing in Cape Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) at Cape Cross Colony, Namibia","authors":"A. Osiecka, J. Fearey, S. Elwen, T. Gridley","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1768144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1768144","url":null,"abstract":"Extended nursing periods have been observed in some pinniped species. Here, we document multiple cases of such prolonged nursing in Cape fur seals in Namibia. Over three separate visits to the Cape Cross breeding colony, we observed five unusual nursing interactions. These included animals of estimated age from one to over three years suckling on awake and permitting females. One of these observations included two individuals (juvenile and pup) suckling simultaneously. In three out of five cases, the female sniffed the large suckling animal, and the lack of aggression suggested mutual recognition. We suggest that the most likely scenario for these observations is that the larger animals might be the mothers' offspring from the previous year maintaining contact over at least three years. Such prolonged nursing may occur in cases where the year's pup is not born, dies or is outcompeted by older siblings, which can result in large energetic advantages for the offspring, by maintaining a feeding relationship with mothers over more than one year. We suggest that animals that extend suckling over more than one year may increase their overall success, although possibly inhibiting their mother's pregnancy in a given year. Under poorer conditions, investing more in an older calf may also be more cost effective to the mother than risking a new pregnancy. However, further detailed investigation is necessary to explain extended nursing in this socially complex mammal.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"233 - 239"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1768144","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42239967","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 : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1756909
K. A. Obirikorang, Anthea Georgina Ama Ofori, B. Gyampoh
Hierarchies are prevalent in social animals and display of aggression by dominant individuals often results in appetite and growth suppressions in lower-ranked fish. This study investigated the effects of dominance hierarchies on growth and some physiological responses in Nile tilapia (mass range: 120–300 g). Fish were grouped based on body mass into three classifications of one dominant and three subordinates (1D:3S), two dominants and two subordinates (2D:2S) and four equal-sized (4ES) individuals, and each grouping was triplicated. Rates of aggressive interactions under conditions of food deprivation, hypoxia and increased temperature stressors were also assessed. The 4ES treatment was characterised by more frequent aggressive interactions, compared with the other groupings. The number of lost scales recovered from the different groups after 24 h of group formations were significantly higher in the 1D:3S group. Food deprivation resulted in progressively increasing rates of aggressive interactions up to 48 h, but decreased at 72 h in all treatments. Feed intake for the 4ES group was significantly higher for than the other groups, because access to feed was largely unrestricted for all individuals. The lower-ranked individuals in the 1D:3S and 2D:2S groups had lower growth rates, compared with the dominants. Subordinate fish under treatment 1D:3S and dominant individuals in 2D:2S had elevated mean red blood cells, haemoglobin, haematocrit and white blood cell counts relative to other fish. Although aggression counts were highest in the 4ES group, the results of this study provide evidence ensuring homogeneous weights improve feed intake and growth in Nile tilapia.
{"title":"Dominance Hierarchies within Different Size Groupings of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Effects on Growth and Physiological Responses","authors":"K. A. Obirikorang, Anthea Georgina Ama Ofori, B. Gyampoh","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1756909","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1756909","url":null,"abstract":"Hierarchies are prevalent in social animals and display of aggression by dominant individuals often results in appetite and growth suppressions in lower-ranked fish. This study investigated the effects of dominance hierarchies on growth and some physiological responses in Nile tilapia (mass range: 120–300 g). Fish were grouped based on body mass into three classifications of one dominant and three subordinates (1D:3S), two dominants and two subordinates (2D:2S) and four equal-sized (4ES) individuals, and each grouping was triplicated. Rates of aggressive interactions under conditions of food deprivation, hypoxia and increased temperature stressors were also assessed. The 4ES treatment was characterised by more frequent aggressive interactions, compared with the other groupings. The number of lost scales recovered from the different groups after 24 h of group formations were significantly higher in the 1D:3S group. Food deprivation resulted in progressively increasing rates of aggressive interactions up to 48 h, but decreased at 72 h in all treatments. Feed intake for the 4ES group was significantly higher for than the other groups, because access to feed was largely unrestricted for all individuals. The lower-ranked individuals in the 1D:3S and 2D:2S groups had lower growth rates, compared with the dominants. Subordinate fish under treatment 1D:3S and dominant individuals in 2D:2S had elevated mean red blood cells, haemoglobin, haematocrit and white blood cell counts relative to other fish. Although aggression counts were highest in the 4ES group, the results of this study provide evidence ensuring homogeneous weights improve feed intake and growth in Nile tilapia.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"201 - 212"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1756909","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47827747","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 : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1773310
Abderrahmane Soudani, Abdelhamid Moussi
The grasshopper communities of central Saharan ecosystems (Adrar region, Algeria) were studied at two scales: the first scale considered different biotopes in 23 localities. Random sampling with different traps from February 2016 to February 2019 made it possible to capture two families comprising 20 species, of which 13 are recorded for the first time in the region. The second scale concerned the desert oases. Monthly sampling from March 2017 to November 2018 captured 11 species belonging to two families and four different subfamilies. A comparative study of the grasshopper community in three palm groves with two types of habitat (cultivated and uncultivated) indicated homogeneity in fauna diversity, although their composition was very different. Phenological analysis of species in three oasis habitats revealed the presence of three groups of species: (1) a group of hygrophilic species with a reproduction period concentrated in summer, (2) xerophilic species only present during the spring and autumn, (3) a group of mesophilic species remaining present almost throughout the year and moving between the two types of habitats. Despite three years of field work with several trips and in different biotopes, we believe that the list of species presented here is not exhaustive, but only an updated list, and we consider the new data as an important resource for various future studies, especially genetic studies.
{"title":"Updated Checklist and Assemblages of Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acridomorpha) Associated with Various Habitats, Including Oases of Central Sahara in Algeria","authors":"Abderrahmane Soudani, Abdelhamid Moussi","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1773310","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1773310","url":null,"abstract":"The grasshopper communities of central Saharan ecosystems (Adrar region, Algeria) were studied at two scales: the first scale considered different biotopes in 23 localities. Random sampling with different traps from February 2016 to February 2019 made it possible to capture two families comprising 20 species, of which 13 are recorded for the first time in the region. The second scale concerned the desert oases. Monthly sampling from March 2017 to November 2018 captured 11 species belonging to two families and four different subfamilies. A comparative study of the grasshopper community in three palm groves with two types of habitat (cultivated and uncultivated) indicated homogeneity in fauna diversity, although their composition was very different. Phenological analysis of species in three oasis habitats revealed the presence of three groups of species: (1) a group of hygrophilic species with a reproduction period concentrated in summer, (2) xerophilic species only present during the spring and autumn, (3) a group of mesophilic species remaining present almost throughout the year and moving between the two types of habitats. Despite three years of field work with several trips and in different biotopes, we believe that the list of species presented here is not exhaustive, but only an updated list, and we consider the new data as an important resource for various future studies, especially genetic studies.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"213 - 223"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1773310","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46111014","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 : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1796525
J. Visser, S. Geerts
Southern Africa contains a diverse and endemic scorpion fauna, but with biological aspects remaining largely unexplored for this group. In order to gain biological insights into an understudied scorpion species, the current study investigates fine-scale spatial distributions and sexual dimorphism in the South African endemic Drab Thick-tail Scorpion (Parabuthus planicauda). The species closely track rocky areas, with the sexes homogenously distributed across habitats. Varying adult sex ratios are evident at each sampling area, likely influenced by differing vegetation cover and predation pressures. When considering size-corrected measurements, several characters are significantly sexually dimorphic in P. planicauda; this sexual dimorphism is not readily observable (<10% difference in size) based on uncorrected measurements, thereby rendering the identification of males and females in the field difficult. Even so, sexually dimorphic characters in females appear to be shaped mainly by natural selection (e.g. carapace width, pedipalp patella and metasoma), likely for enhanced feeding ability, fecundity, parental care and juvenile survival. In contrast, the male morphology may be primarily subject to sexual selection pressures on features used during courtship and mating (e.g. pectines, chela movable finger, pedipalp femur, 2nd and 4th legs). Taken together, the results reported on here add novel preliminary information on the understudied biological aspects of a South African endemic scorpion species.
{"title":"Describing Sexual Dimorphism and Fine Scale Spatial Distributions in the Drab Thick-Tail Scorpion, Parabuthus planicauda","authors":"J. Visser, S. Geerts","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1796525","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1796525","url":null,"abstract":"Southern Africa contains a diverse and endemic scorpion fauna, but with biological aspects remaining largely unexplored for this group. In order to gain biological insights into an understudied scorpion species, the current study investigates fine-scale spatial distributions and sexual dimorphism in the South African endemic Drab Thick-tail Scorpion (Parabuthus planicauda). The species closely track rocky areas, with the sexes homogenously distributed across habitats. Varying adult sex ratios are evident at each sampling area, likely influenced by differing vegetation cover and predation pressures. When considering size-corrected measurements, several characters are significantly sexually dimorphic in P. planicauda; this sexual dimorphism is not readily observable (<10% difference in size) based on uncorrected measurements, thereby rendering the identification of males and females in the field difficult. Even so, sexually dimorphic characters in females appear to be shaped mainly by natural selection (e.g. carapace width, pedipalp patella and metasoma), likely for enhanced feeding ability, fecundity, parental care and juvenile survival. In contrast, the male morphology may be primarily subject to sexual selection pressures on features used during courtship and mating (e.g. pectines, chela movable finger, pedipalp femur, 2nd and 4th legs). Taken together, the results reported on here add novel preliminary information on the understudied biological aspects of a South African endemic scorpion species.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"250 - 256"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1796525","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41722819","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 : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1768145
Emmanuel Do Linh San, Aviwe Nqinana, Zimkitha JK Madikiza, M. Somers
The diet of the marsh or water mongoose Atilax paludinosus has been well studied in coastal and inland riverine habitats, where crabs often constitute the main prey in terms of frequency of occurrence. We investigated the feeding ecology of a small number of marsh mongooses living next to a small, non-permanent reservoir (Andries Vosloo Kudu Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape), where freshwater crabs were not available. Using a combined metric of the percentage of occurrence and the percentage volume of food remains in 133 scats collected from 2006–2009, no primary prey could be detected. Amphibians, mammals, arthropods and fish all acted as secondary prey. Plants supplemented the diet, whereas birds only occurred as trace foods. There were seasonal variations in the diet, with peaks in amphibian (spring), arthropod (summer) and fish (autumn) consumption contributing to the change. Dietary diversity and niche breadth were relatively high throughout the year. This study strongly suggests that the marsh mongoose is in fact a generalist opportunist feeder. Although it consumes crabs and other aquatic prey in areas where they are particularly abundant, it can adapt to local food availability and include a significant proportion of terrestrial prey in its diet.
{"title":"Diet of the Marsh Mongoose around a Non-Permanent Reservoir: Response of a Generalist Opportunist Forager to the Absence of Crabs","authors":"Emmanuel Do Linh San, Aviwe Nqinana, Zimkitha JK Madikiza, M. Somers","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1768145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1768145","url":null,"abstract":"The diet of the marsh or water mongoose Atilax paludinosus has been well studied in coastal and inland riverine habitats, where crabs often constitute the main prey in terms of frequency of occurrence. We investigated the feeding ecology of a small number of marsh mongooses living next to a small, non-permanent reservoir (Andries Vosloo Kudu Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape), where freshwater crabs were not available. Using a combined metric of the percentage of occurrence and the percentage volume of food remains in 133 scats collected from 2006–2009, no primary prey could be detected. Amphibians, mammals, arthropods and fish all acted as secondary prey. Plants supplemented the diet, whereas birds only occurred as trace foods. There were seasonal variations in the diet, with peaks in amphibian (spring), arthropod (summer) and fish (autumn) consumption contributing to the change. Dietary diversity and niche breadth were relatively high throughout the year. This study strongly suggests that the marsh mongoose is in fact a generalist opportunist feeder. Although it consumes crabs and other aquatic prey in areas where they are particularly abundant, it can adapt to local food availability and include a significant proportion of terrestrial prey in its diet.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"240 - 244"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1768145","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46500743","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 : 2020-07-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1776635
Chloe E Grotto, T. Wolf, E. Berkeley, Stephen Lee, A. Ganswindt
Elephant interaction programs, specifically ones that provide elephant back riding, have come under public scrutiny, and little information exists to show whether these activities affect animal welfare. This study examined the impact of human interactions and ride-based activities on physiological stress-related indicators in African elephants. Fifteen trained semi-captive elephants, as well as free-ranging elephants roaming under the same ecological conditions, were monitored. Faecal samples were collected over a nine-month period from both groups and these were analysed using an enzyme immunoassay detecting faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) with a 5β-α-ol-11-one structure. Elephants that participated in elephant-back-safari (EBS) activities showed significant decreases in fGCM concentrations when EBS were discontinued. Similarly, fGCM concentrations of the trained semi-captive individuals that did not participate in EBS showed decreased steroid concentrations over the same time. Overall, fGCM concentrations of the trained semi-captive herd and the free-ranging herd did not differ significantly. The collected data will help to better understand the physiological and behavioural requirements of semi-captive elephants with frequent exposure to humans. The findings will also help to optimise management strategies for wild elephant populations and elephants living in controlled environments on reserves exposed to wildlife tourism.
{"title":"Physiological Measure of Animal Welfare in Relation to Semi-Captive African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Interaction Programs","authors":"Chloe E Grotto, T. Wolf, E. Berkeley, Stephen Lee, A. Ganswindt","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1776635","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1776635","url":null,"abstract":"Elephant interaction programs, specifically ones that provide elephant back riding, have come under public scrutiny, and little information exists to show whether these activities affect animal welfare. This study examined the impact of human interactions and ride-based activities on physiological stress-related indicators in African elephants. Fifteen trained semi-captive elephants, as well as free-ranging elephants roaming under the same ecological conditions, were monitored. Faecal samples were collected over a nine-month period from both groups and these were analysed using an enzyme immunoassay detecting faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) with a 5β-α-ol-11-one structure. Elephants that participated in elephant-back-safari (EBS) activities showed significant decreases in fGCM concentrations when EBS were discontinued. Similarly, fGCM concentrations of the trained semi-captive individuals that did not participate in EBS showed decreased steroid concentrations over the same time. Overall, fGCM concentrations of the trained semi-captive herd and the free-ranging herd did not differ significantly. The collected data will help to better understand the physiological and behavioural requirements of semi-captive elephants with frequent exposure to humans. The findings will also help to optimise management strategies for wild elephant populations and elephants living in controlled environments on reserves exposed to wildlife tourism.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"245 - 249"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1776635","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46504292","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 : 2020-04-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1723440
C. Simon, J. Kara, C. Naidoo, C. Matthee
The bloodworm, Arenicola loveni, is commonly used as bait by fishers and may be vulnerable to local extinction owing to its K-selected life history strategies and overexploitation. Accurate population data that can inform management is, however, outdated, whereas demand for bloodworm continues or is even increasing. This study provides genetic data on the population structure of A. loveni sampled at seven sites in the Western Cape and one in the Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) data indicate that the population forms two lineages that should be managed separately: a western lineage that contains mostly samples from Saldanha Bay and a southern lineage that contains samples from the south coast (Muizenberg to Swartkops). High haplotypic, but low nucleotide diversity for the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and COI genes, suggest that populations from both lineages have a recent common ancestry. Low pairwise Fixation index (Fst) values among most populations on the south coast, and common haplotypes shared among localities, indicate some degree of connectivity among populations. The presence of many private haplotypes at each site, however, indicates that local populations also rely heavily on regional recruitment. Gene flow among populations, and the absence of this between the western and southern lineages, is most likely attributed to larval dispersal facilitated by the predominant oceanic circulation patterns. These results suggest that although individual populations may be protected against local extinction through recruitment from elsewhere, reliance on local recruits may render populations vulnerable should baiting pressure increase.
{"title":"Genetic Structure of Bloodworm, Arenicola loveni (Annelida; Arenicolidae) Suggests Risk of Local Extinction in the Face of Overexploitation is Lower Than Expected","authors":"C. Simon, J. Kara, C. Naidoo, C. Matthee","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1723440","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1723440","url":null,"abstract":"The bloodworm, Arenicola loveni, is commonly used as bait by fishers and may be vulnerable to local extinction owing to its K-selected life history strategies and overexploitation. Accurate population data that can inform management is, however, outdated, whereas demand for bloodworm continues or is even increasing. This study provides genetic data on the population structure of A. loveni sampled at seven sites in the Western Cape and one in the Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) data indicate that the population forms two lineages that should be managed separately: a western lineage that contains mostly samples from Saldanha Bay and a southern lineage that contains samples from the south coast (Muizenberg to Swartkops). High haplotypic, but low nucleotide diversity for the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and COI genes, suggest that populations from both lineages have a recent common ancestry. Low pairwise Fixation index (Fst) values among most populations on the south coast, and common haplotypes shared among localities, indicate some degree of connectivity among populations. The presence of many private haplotypes at each site, however, indicates that local populations also rely heavily on regional recruitment. Gene flow among populations, and the absence of this between the western and southern lineages, is most likely attributed to larval dispersal facilitated by the predominant oceanic circulation patterns. These results suggest that although individual populations may be protected against local extinction through recruitment from elsewhere, reliance on local recruits may render populations vulnerable should baiting pressure increase.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"175 - 183"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1723440","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43060681","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 : 2020-04-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1739555
Ellen Connelly, Lisa Hywood, M. Donaldson, D. W. Pietersen
Blood biochemistry values are routinely employed during clinical examinations to assess the health of the patient and to identify potential underlying conditions. No blood biochemistry data are currently available for Temminck's pangolin (Smutsia temminckii), a species that is being confiscated from both the domestic and international trade with increasing frequency, and this lack of data is hampering rehabilitation efforts. We determined haematological and serum biochemical values for ten Temminck's pangolins rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Zimbabwe and placed in the care of the Tikki Hywood Foundation as part of their rehabilitation. Our results suggest a large overlap in serum biochemistry and haematology values with previously reported values for other pangolin species, but also suggest some apparent differences. Haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and albumin:globulin ratio were positively correlated with mass, while alkaline phosphatase and amylase were negatively correlated with mass. Lymphocytes and monocytes were positively correlated with body condition, while mean corpuscular volume, alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin were negatively correlated with condition. These results suggest that at least some parameters are independent of mass and are directly correlated with body condition and may therefore be informative in rapid health assessments of confiscated individuals.
{"title":"Haematology and Biochemistry Values for Temminck's Pangolins (Smutsia temminckii) from Zimbabwe","authors":"Ellen Connelly, Lisa Hywood, M. Donaldson, D. W. Pietersen","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1739555","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1739555","url":null,"abstract":"Blood biochemistry values are routinely employed during clinical examinations to assess the health of the patient and to identify potential underlying conditions. No blood biochemistry data are currently available for Temminck's pangolin (Smutsia temminckii), a species that is being confiscated from both the domestic and international trade with increasing frequency, and this lack of data is hampering rehabilitation efforts. We determined haematological and serum biochemical values for ten Temminck's pangolins rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Zimbabwe and placed in the care of the Tikki Hywood Foundation as part of their rehabilitation. Our results suggest a large overlap in serum biochemistry and haematology values with previously reported values for other pangolin species, but also suggest some apparent differences. Haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and albumin:globulin ratio were positively correlated with mass, while alkaline phosphatase and amylase were negatively correlated with mass. Lymphocytes and monocytes were positively correlated with body condition, while mean corpuscular volume, alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin were negatively correlated with condition. These results suggest that at least some parameters are independent of mass and are directly correlated with body condition and may therefore be informative in rapid health assessments of confiscated individuals.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"161 - 165"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1739555","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48385133","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 : 2020-04-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1740610
J. Lebepe, J. Steyl, W. Luus‐Powell
The Loskop Dam is the most polluted impoundment in the Olifants River, because it receives pollutants from the entire mine-dominated upper catchment. However, histopathology of fish inhabiting this polluted dam is scantly explored. The current study aimed to investigate the histopathology of the gills and liver of Labeo rosae from Loskop Dam. Alkaline pH was observed throughout the study with most metal concentrations exceeding the water quality guideline for aquatic ecosystems. Regressive changes were the most prominent lesions for both organs with gills showing relatively more pathologies than the liver. Epithelial lifting was 100% prevalent during both seasons in the gills whereas a significant expansion of lipofuscin-laden melanomacrophages (MMCs) showed 100% prevalence in the liver. Gills were significantly different in their prevalence of histopathology between the two seasons, which was not the case for liver. The histopathology recorded in this study shows that the health of L. rosae at Loskop Dam was compromised. Given the exacerbating pollution level in the upper Olifants River, these findings serve as a warning to conservation authorities and emphasise the necessity for regular monitoring of fish health at Loskop Dam to assess pollution levels using fish health as a sensitive indicator to altering pollution levels.
{"title":"Histopathology of the Liver and Gills of Labeo rosae (Rednose Labeo) from Loskop Dam in South Africa","authors":"J. Lebepe, J. Steyl, W. Luus‐Powell","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1740610","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1740610","url":null,"abstract":"The Loskop Dam is the most polluted impoundment in the Olifants River, because it receives pollutants from the entire mine-dominated upper catchment. However, histopathology of fish inhabiting this polluted dam is scantly explored. The current study aimed to investigate the histopathology of the gills and liver of Labeo rosae from Loskop Dam. Alkaline pH was observed throughout the study with most metal concentrations exceeding the water quality guideline for aquatic ecosystems. Regressive changes were the most prominent lesions for both organs with gills showing relatively more pathologies than the liver. Epithelial lifting was 100% prevalent during both seasons in the gills whereas a significant expansion of lipofuscin-laden melanomacrophages (MMCs) showed 100% prevalence in the liver. Gills were significantly different in their prevalence of histopathology between the two seasons, which was not the case for liver. The histopathology recorded in this study shows that the health of L. rosae at Loskop Dam was compromised. Given the exacerbating pollution level in the upper Olifants River, these findings serve as a warning to conservation authorities and emphasise the necessity for regular monitoring of fish health at Loskop Dam to assess pollution levels using fish health as a sensitive indicator to altering pollution levels.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"167 - 174"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1740610","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42787609","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 : 2020-04-02DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2020.1717376
Alan Tristram Kenneth Lee, Henk Nel
In recent decades, people across the world have adopted ‘smart-phones’ and their technology. Software applications on these devices have become diverse in their functionality and easy to use. Citizen science projects that try to mobilise data collection from people from diverse backgrounds are ideally placed to benefit from the acceptance of easy-to-use technology. This article describes the development of the mobile BirdLasser app and its integrated gamification network, with emphasis on how its unique features contributed to increased participation and submission of data to the current Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP2) and associated BirdMap projects across Africa. The app has experienced a high adoption rate by contributors to SABAP2 (atlassers), birdwatchers and conservationists, contributing to causes, creating life lists and taking part in events. The app has been associated with the recruitment of new participants, but this has also seen a change in atlassing patterns, suggesting caution when using traditional measures of abundance comparisons, especially reporting rate, before and after the adoption of BirdLasser as the data submission pathway. We show that a well-designed mobile app that facilitates the flow of information from observers to databases is essential for maintaining long-term citizen science based, monitoring projects, especially if the platform is fun, well-supported, and free to use; but the introduction of an app may also introduce subtle changes to the data itself and so data submission pathways to citizen science projects is a field that requires additional research.
{"title":"BirdLasser: The Influence of a Mobile App on a Citizen Science Project","authors":"Alan Tristram Kenneth Lee, Henk Nel","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2020.1717376","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1717376","url":null,"abstract":"In recent decades, people across the world have adopted ‘smart-phones’ and their technology. Software applications on these devices have become diverse in their functionality and easy to use. Citizen science projects that try to mobilise data collection from people from diverse backgrounds are ideally placed to benefit from the acceptance of easy-to-use technology. This article describes the development of the mobile BirdLasser app and its integrated gamification network, with emphasis on how its unique features contributed to increased participation and submission of data to the current Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP2) and associated BirdMap projects across Africa. The app has experienced a high adoption rate by contributors to SABAP2 (atlassers), birdwatchers and conservationists, contributing to causes, creating life lists and taking part in events. The app has been associated with the recruitment of new participants, but this has also seen a change in atlassing patterns, suggesting caution when using traditional measures of abundance comparisons, especially reporting rate, before and after the adoption of BirdLasser as the data submission pathway. We show that a well-designed mobile app that facilitates the flow of information from observers to databases is essential for maintaining long-term citizen science based, monitoring projects, especially if the platform is fun, well-supported, and free to use; but the introduction of an app may also introduce subtle changes to the data itself and so data submission pathways to citizen science projects is a field that requires additional research.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"55 1","pages":"155 - 160"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2020-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15627020.2020.1717376","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43324787","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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