- Email: [email protected]
First observation of localized urination in territorial male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus)
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Abstracts / Mammalian Biology 81S (2016) 3–18
Current status of a spreading meso-carnivore in Austria, the golden jackal (Canis aureus) Jennifer Hatlauf ∗ , Klaus Hackländer University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management (IWJ), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria E-mail address: [email protected] (J. Hatlauf). The first golden jackal (Canis aureus moreoticus, I. Geoffroy SaintHilaire, 1835) evidence in Austria was reported 1987 in Styria. Twenty years later, in 2007, the first reproduction was confirmed near lake Neusiedl in the province of Burgenland. Since then, occasional roadkill reports or camera-trap pictures revealed single individuals scattered in various areas of Austria, but no territorial groups have been reported. We present results from the first active monitoring attempt on golden jackals in Austria. Occasional observations were collected in a passive (online form) and in an active (through questionnaires to hunters) approach. Following these reports bioacoustic surveys in pre-selected and presumed suitable areas with altogether 64 calling stations were performed. Apart from five sightings, two reports of jackal roadkill and six camera-trap pictures were received between January and May 2016. During the bioacoustic survey one territorial golden jackal group could be confirmed in Burgenland near the border to Hungary and five equivocal responses were recorded. Collected evidence between 1987 and 2015 combined with results from this study are compiled in an up-to-date map. As there was only one typical group-howl response, it seems that the number of territorial jackals in the studied areas is still small. However, reports have become more frequent in recent years. Further studies are needed in order to determine whether golden jackals have already established constant territories in Austria. Selected regions should be monitored closely to observe future dispersal. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2016.07.022 New cervid cytochrome b sequences, new conundrums in cervid systematics Nicola S. Heckeberg 1,2,3,∗ , Dirk Erpenbeck 1,4 , Gert Wörheide 1,2,4 , Gertrud E. Rössner 1,2,4 1 Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology & Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany 2 SNSB – Bavarian State Collection for Palaeontology and Geology, Munich, Germany 3 Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK 4 GeoBio-CenterLMU , Munich, Germany E-mail address: [email protected] (N.S. Heckeberg).
Cervid systematics has been puzzling researchers for over 150 years. For many parts of the phylogeny results from comparative anatomy and molecular data are in consensus; however, systematic relationships of some taxa, particularly within Odocoileini (American clade of New World deer), remain difficult to solve. This is likely partly due to the incomplete taxon sampling in current cervid phylogenetic data sets. Although molecular approaches contributed significantly to increase the data available for phylogenetic analyses, a comprehensive species sampling
has not yet been achieved. For almost 20% of cervid species we still lack molecular data, because they are difficult to access in the wild. In this study, we obtained partial mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences for Mazama bricenii, Mazama chunyi, Muntiacus atherodes, Pudu mephistophiles, and Rusa marianna from 13 museum specimens, including three holotypes. These new sequences were combined with available cytochrome b sequences to the most taxonomically complete data set yet known for cervids. The newly sequenced species were placed within the topology and provide new insights into the evolutionary history of these five species. Re-analyses of the previously available sequences in combination with the new sequences confirmed monophyly of Odocoileini, Capreolini (Capreolus and Hydropotes), and Cervinae (Old World deer) including Muntiacini (Muntiacus and Elaphodus) and Cervini. However, systematic uncertainties within Cervus and Muntiacus remain, new systematic issues were discovered, and solving the phylogenetic relationships within Pudu, Hippocamelus, Mazama, and Odocoileus remain challenging. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2016.07.023 First observation of localized urination in territorial male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) Elisabeth Hempel Department of Animal Evolution and Systematics, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany E-mail address: hempel [email protected]. Eliminatory behaviour occurs in many mammals not only at random, but localized at specific sites. In artiodactyls this is well examined for defecation, but only poorly explored for urination, especially if not linked to defecation. Bontebok are a rare, endemic South African antelope subspecies that is often kept under managed conditions (e.g. on game farms). Unfortunately, fatal intraspecific conflicts between males have been observed under management conditions. This study provides first evidence that male territorial bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus [Pallas, 1767]) establish specific urination sites that are solely used for urine. To the author’s knowledge this behaviour has so far gone unnoticed for bontebok and potentially for all antelope. Focal Animal Sampling and Behaviour Sampling as well as GPS recording were applied. For four out of the six studied bontebok males at least one specific urination site was identified. Considered possible explanations are demarcation and competition, fences and rut. Links between fences and competitors behind them are possible and are particularly important for this highly managed subspecies. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2016.07.024
Abstracts / Mammalian Biology 81S (2016) 3–18
Current status of a spreading meso-carnivore in Austria, the golden jackal (Canis aureus) Jennifer Hatlauf ∗ , Klaus Hackländer University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management (IWJ), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria E-mail address: [email protected] (J. Hatlauf). The first golden jackal (Canis aureus moreoticus, I. Geoffroy SaintHilaire, 1835) evidence in Austria was reported 1987 in Styria. Twenty years later, in 2007, the first reproduction was confirmed near lake Neusiedl in the province of Burgenland. Since then, occasional roadkill reports or camera-trap pictures revealed single individuals scattered in various areas of Austria, but no territorial groups have been reported. We present results from the first active monitoring attempt on golden jackals in Austria. Occasional observations were collected in a passive (online form) and in an active (through questionnaires to hunters) approach. Following these reports bioacoustic surveys in pre-selected and presumed suitable areas with altogether 64 calling stations were performed. Apart from five sightings, two reports of jackal roadkill and six camera-trap pictures were received between January and May 2016. During the bioacoustic survey one territorial golden jackal group could be confirmed in Burgenland near the border to Hungary and five equivocal responses were recorded. Collected evidence between 1987 and 2015 combined with results from this study are compiled in an up-to-date map. As there was only one typical group-howl response, it seems that the number of territorial jackals in the studied areas is still small. However, reports have become more frequent in recent years. Further studies are needed in order to determine whether golden jackals have already established constant territories in Austria. Selected regions should be monitored closely to observe future dispersal. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2016.07.022 New cervid cytochrome b sequences, new conundrums in cervid systematics Nicola S. Heckeberg 1,2,3,∗ , Dirk Erpenbeck 1,4 , Gert Wörheide 1,2,4 , Gertrud E. Rössner 1,2,4 1 Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology & Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany 2 SNSB – Bavarian State Collection for Palaeontology and Geology, Munich, Germany 3 Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK 4 GeoBio-CenterLMU , Munich, Germany E-mail address: [email protected] (N.S. Heckeberg).
Cervid systematics has been puzzling researchers for over 150 years. For many parts of the phylogeny results from comparative anatomy and molecular data are in consensus; however, systematic relationships of some taxa, particularly within Odocoileini (American clade of New World deer), remain difficult to solve. This is likely partly due to the incomplete taxon sampling in current cervid phylogenetic data sets. Although molecular approaches contributed significantly to increase the data available for phylogenetic analyses, a comprehensive species sampling
has not yet been achieved. For almost 20% of cervid species we still lack molecular data, because they are difficult to access in the wild. In this study, we obtained partial mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences for Mazama bricenii, Mazama chunyi, Muntiacus atherodes, Pudu mephistophiles, and Rusa marianna from 13 museum specimens, including three holotypes. These new sequences were combined with available cytochrome b sequences to the most taxonomically complete data set yet known for cervids. The newly sequenced species were placed within the topology and provide new insights into the evolutionary history of these five species. Re-analyses of the previously available sequences in combination with the new sequences confirmed monophyly of Odocoileini, Capreolini (Capreolus and Hydropotes), and Cervinae (Old World deer) including Muntiacini (Muntiacus and Elaphodus) and Cervini. However, systematic uncertainties within Cervus and Muntiacus remain, new systematic issues were discovered, and solving the phylogenetic relationships within Pudu, Hippocamelus, Mazama, and Odocoileus remain challenging. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2016.07.023 First observation of localized urination in territorial male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) Elisabeth Hempel Department of Animal Evolution and Systematics, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany E-mail address: hempel [email protected]. Eliminatory behaviour occurs in many mammals not only at random, but localized at specific sites. In artiodactyls this is well examined for defecation, but only poorly explored for urination, especially if not linked to defecation. Bontebok are a rare, endemic South African antelope subspecies that is often kept under managed conditions (e.g. on game farms). Unfortunately, fatal intraspecific conflicts between males have been observed under management conditions. This study provides first evidence that male territorial bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus [Pallas, 1767]) establish specific urination sites that are solely used for urine. To the author’s knowledge this behaviour has so far gone unnoticed for bontebok and potentially for all antelope. Focal Animal Sampling and Behaviour Sampling as well as GPS recording were applied. For four out of the six studied bontebok males at least one specific urination site was identified. Considered possible explanations are demarcation and competition, fences and rut. Links between fences and competitors behind them are possible and are particularly important for this highly managed subspecies. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2016.07.024