Two new genera and five new species of the feather mite subfamily Proctophyllodinae (Astigmata : Proctophyllodidae) from suboscine birds in Brazil

Two new genera and five new species of feather mites of the family Proctophyllodidae are described from passerine birds from Brazil: Tyranniphyllodes pitangi gen. n., sp. n. from Pitangus sulphuratus (Tyrannidae); Atrichophyllodes delalandi gen. n., sp. n. from Corythopis delalandi (Tyrannidae); A. mentalis gen. n., sp. n. from Dysithamnus mentalis (Thamnophilidae); Anisophyllodes candango sp. n. from Elaenia chiriquensis (Tyrannidae); and Platyacarus sittasomi sp. n. from Sittasomus griseicapillus (Dendrocolaptidae). The discovery of these taxa might give data for a better understanding of the evolution of the family Proctophyllodidae in general and the dispersion of these mites on passerines in South America in paricular.

Asymmetrical Dependence Between a Neotropical Mistletoe and its Avian Seed Disperser

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The golden lancehead Bothrops insularis (Serpentes: Viperidae) relies on two seasonally plentiful bird species visiting its island habitat

Adult individuals of the island pitviper Bothrops insularis have a diet based on birds. We analysed bird species recorded in the gut of this snake and found that it relies on two out of 41 bird species recorded on the island. When present, these two prey species were among the most abundant passerine birds on the island. A few other migrant birds were very occasionally recorded as prey. A resident bird species (Troglodytes musculus) is the most abundant passerine on the island, but seems able to avoid predation by the viper. Bothrops insularis is most commonly found on the ground. However, during the abundance peak of the tyrannid passerine Elaenia chilensis on the island, more snakes were found on vegetation than on the ground. We suggest that one cause may be that these birds forage mostly on vegetation, and thus cause the snakes to search for prey on this arboreal substratum.

The design of artificial nestboxes for the study of secondary hole-nesting birds: a review of methodological inconsistencies and potential biases

The widespread use of artificial nestboxes has led to significant advances in our knowledge of the ecology, behaviour and physiology of cavity nesting birds, especially small passerines Nestboxes have made it easier to perform routine monitoring and experimental manipulation of eggs or nestlings, and also repeatedly to capture, identify and manipulate the parents However, when comparing results across study sites the use of nestboxes may also Introduce a potentially significant confounding variable in the form of differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained However, the use of nestboxes may also introduce an unconsidered and potentially significant confounding variable clue to differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained Here we review to what extent the characteristics of artificial nestboxes (e g size, shape, construction material, colour) are documented in the 'methods' sections of publications involving hole-nesting passerine birds using natural or excavated cavities or artificial nestboxes for reproduction and roosting Despite explicit previous recommendations that authors describe in detail the characteristics of the nestboxes used, we found that the description of nestbox characteristics in most recent publications remains poor and insufficient We therefore list the types of descriptive data that should be included in the methods sections of relevant manuscripts and justify this by discussing how variation in nestbox characteristics can affect or confound conclusions from nestbox studies We also propose several recommendations to improve the reliability and usefulness of research based on long-term studies of any secondary hole-nesting species using artificial nestboxes for breeding or roosting.

Evidence from molecular systematics for decreased avian diversification in the pleistocene Epoch.

Pleistocene glaciations have been suggested as major events influencing speciation rates in vertebrates. Avian paleontological studies suggest that most extant species evolved in the Pleistocene Epoch and that species' durations decreased through the Pleistocene because of heightened speciation rates. Molecular systematic studies provide another data base for testing these predictions. In particular, rates of diversification can be determined from molecular phylogenetic trees. For example, an increasing rate of speciation (but constant extinction) requires shorter intervals between successive speciation events on a phylogenetic tree. Examination of the cumulative distribution of reconstructed speciation events in mtDNA phylogenies of 11 avian genera, however, reveals longer intervals between successive speciation events as the present time is approached, suggesting a decrease in net diversification rate through the Pleistocene Epoch. Thus, molecular systematic studies do not indicate a pulse of Pleistocene diversification in passerine birds but suggest, instead, that diversification rates were lower in the Pleistocene than for the preceding period. Documented habitat shifts likely led to the decreased rate of diversification, although from molecular evidence we cannot discern whether speciation rates decreased or extinction rates increased.

The birds of South Africa,

Vol. 2 completed and v. 3-4 written by W.L. Sclater.

Genetic population structure and call variation in a passerine bird, the satin bowerbird, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

Geographic variation in vocalizations is widespread in passerine birds, but its origins and maintenance remain unclear. One hypothesis to explain this variation is that it is associated with geographic isolation among populations and therefore should follow a vicariant pattern similar to that typically found in neutral genetic markers. Alternatively, if environmental selection strongly influences vocalizations, then genetic divergence and vocal divergence may be disassociated. This study compared genetic divergence derived from 11 microsatellite markers with a metric of phenotypic divergence derived from male bower advertisement calls. Data were obtained from 16 populations throughout the entire distribution of the satin bowerbird, an Australian wet-forest-restricted passerine. There was no relationship between call divergence and genetic divergence, similar to most other studies on birds with learned vocalizations. Genetic divergence followed a vicariant model of evolution, with the differentiation of isolated populations and isolation-by-distance among continuous populations. Previous work on Ptilonorhynchus violaceus has shown that advertisement call structure is strongly influenced by the acoustic environment of different habitats. Divergence in vocalizations among genetically related populations in different habitats indicates that satin bowerbirds match their vocalizations to the environment in which they live, despite the homogenizing influence of gene flow. In combination with convergence of vocalizations among genetically divergent populations occurring in the same habitat, this shows the overriding importance that habitat-related selection can have on the establishment and maintenance of variation in vocalizations.

Physical, epidemiological, and molecular evaluation of infection by Cryptosporidium galli in Passeriformes

Due to the scarcity of information related to the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium infection in passerine birds, this study aimed to determine the periodicity of fecal shedding of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts, after natural infection, and its clinical signs, mortality, and molecular characterization. Four hundred eighty fecal samples were collected from 40 birds, including 372 samples from 31 adult birds and 108 samples from nine young birds (up to 12 months old), housed in five aviaries, monthly from September 2007 to September 2008, with the exception of April. The birds originated from aviaries in which the following species were raised: great-billed seed-finch (Oryzoborus maximiliani), lesser seed-finch (Oryzoborus angolensis), ultramarine grosbeak (Cyanocompsa brissonii), and rusty-collared seedeater (Sporophila collaris). The samples were preserved in 2.5% potassium dichromate at 4A degrees C until processing. The oocysts were purified by centrifugal flotation in Sheather`s solution, followed by genomic DNA extraction and molecular characterization of oocysts using the nested polymerase chain reaction for amplification of fragments of the 18S subunit of rRNA gene. Intermittent shedding of oocysts was observed by positive amplification for Cryptosporidium spp. in 91 (24.5%) samples of adult birds and 14 (13%) of young birds. The sequencing of the amplified fragments enabled the identification of Cryptosporidium galli. Although all the aviaries had birds positive for C. galli, morbidity or mortality was observed in only one aviary and was associated with concomitant infection with Escherichia coli and Isospora sp.

Caraterização dos habitats propícios à conservação da Estrelinha-de-Santa-Maria (Regulus regulus sanctaemariae)

Dissertação de Mestrado, Gestão e Conservação da Natureza, 11 de Junho de 2014, Universidade dos Açores.

Anti-predator adaptations in aquatic environments

Predation is an important selective force that has led to the evolution of a variety of fascinating anti-predator adaptations, such as many types of protective coloration and prey behaviours. Because the evolution of life has begun in the aquatic environment and many anti-predator adaptations are found already in relative primitive taxa, it is likely that many of these adaptations evolved initially in the aquatic environment. Yet, there has been surprisingly little research on the mechanisms and function of antipredator adaptations in aquatic systems. To understand the function of anti-predator adaptations and natural selection imposed on prey appearance and behaviour, I have investigated how protective coloration can be used, either as such or together with behavioural adaptations, to manipulate predator behaviour and decrease predation risk. To this end I conducted a series of behaviour ecological laboratory experiments in which I manipulated the visual appearance of artificial backgrounds and prey items. In paper I of this thesis, I investigated background choice as an anti-predator strategy, by observing the habitat choice of the least killifish (Heterandria formosa) between pairs of artificial backgrounds, both in the presence and absence of predation threat. It has been suggested that prey could decrease their risk of being detected by predators either by preferring backgrounds into which they blend or by preferring visually complex backgrounds. The least killifish preferred a background that matched their patterning to a background that mismatched it, showing that they are able to respond to cues of visual similarity between their colour pattern and the surrounding environment. Interestingly however, in female least killifish visual complexity of the background was a more important cue for habitat safety and may override or act together with background matching when searching for a safe habitat. It is possible that in females, preference for visually complex backgrounds is associated with lower opportunity costs than preference for matching backgrounds would be. Generally, the least killifish showed stronger preference while under predation threat, indicating that their background choice behaviour is an antipredator adaptation. Many aquatic prey species have eyespots, which are colour patterns that consist of roughly concentric rings and have received their name because they for humans often resemble the vertebrate eye. I investigated the anti-predator function of eyespots against predation by fish in papers II, III and IV. Some eyespots have been suggested to benefit prey by diverting the strikes of predators away from vital parts of the prey body or towards a direction that facilitates prey escape. Although proposed over a century ago, the divertive effect of eyespots has proven to be difficult to show experimentally. In papers II and III, I tested for divertive effect of eyespots towards attacking fish by presenting artificial prey with eyespots to laboratory reared three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). I found that eyespots strongly influenced the behaviour of attacking sticklebacks and effectively drew their strikes towards the eyespots. To further investigate this divertive effect and whether the specific shape of eyespots is important for it, I tested in paper III the response of fish also to other markings than eyespots. I found that eyespots were generally more effective in diverting the first strikes of attacking fish compared to other prey markings. My findings suggest that the common occurrence of eyespots in aquatic prey species can at least partly be explained by the divertive effect of the eyespot shape, possibly together with the relative simple developmental mechanisms underlying circular colour patterns. An eyebar is a stripe that runs through the eye, and this pattern has been suggested to obscure the real eyes of the prey by visually blending parts of the eyes and head of the prey and by creating false edges. In paper III, I show that an eyebar effectively disrupts an eyelike shape. This suggests that eyebars provide an effective way to conceal the eyes and consequently obstruct detection and recognition of prey. This experiment also demonstrates that through concealment of the eyes, eyebars could be used to enhance the divertive effect of eyespots, which can explain the common occurrence of eyebars in many species of fish that have eyespots. Larger eyespots have been shown to intimidate some terrestrial predators, such as passerine birds, either because they resemble the eyes of the predator’s own enemy or because highly salient features may have an intimidating effect. In papers II and IV, I investigated whether the occurrence of eyespots in some aquatic prey could be explained by their intimidating effect predatory fish. In paper IV, I also investigated the reason for the intimidating effect of eyelike prey marks. In paper II, I found no clear intimidating effect of eyespots, whereas in paper IV, using a different approach, I found that sticklebacks hesitated to attack towards eyelike but not towards non-eyelike marks. Importantly, paper IV therefore presents the first rigorous evidence for the idea that eye mimicry, and not merely conspicuousness, underlies the intimidating effect. It also showed that the hesitation shown by fish towards eyelike marks is partly an innate response that is reinforced by encounters with predators. Collectively, this thesis shows that prey colour pattern and the visual appearance of the habitat influence the behaviour of fish. The results demonstrate that protective coloration provides numerous distinctive ways for aquatic prey to escape predation. Thus, visual perception and behaviour of fish are important factors shaping the appearance and behaviours of aquatic prey.

Food habits of bats of subfamily vampyrinae in Brazil

We describe and compare diets of 3 species of vampyrine bats based on analysis of food remains found in gastrointestinal tracts of preserved museum specimens. We also examined possible ontogenetic, intersexual, geographic, and seasonal variations in feeding habits of each species. Trachops cirrhosus fed mainly on insects (79% of prey items), whereas Chrotopterus auritus and Vampyrum spectrum primarily ate small vertebrates (61-73% of prey items for both species). Vertebrate prey most frequently eaten by C. auritus were murid rodents whereas V. spectrum consumed primarily passerine birds. The frequency of occurrence of food items did not differ significantly with age or sex, at least for T. cirrhosus and C. auritus. Significant seasonal variations in diet were observed only for C. auritus, which consumed more insects during the wet season. Our findings confirm the importance of insects in the diet of T. cirrhosus and present new information on a diversified diet for V. spectrum and opportunistic feeding for C. auritus.

Genetic structure in a tropical lek-breeding bird, the blue manakin (Chiroxiphia caudata) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Determining the genetic structure of tropical bird populations is important for assessing potential genetic effects of future habitat fragmentation and for testing hypotheses about evolutionary mechanisms promoting diversification. Here we used 10 microsatellite DNA loci to describe levels of genetic differentiation for five populations of the lek-mating blue manakin (Chiroxiphia caudata), sampled along a 414-km transect within the largest remaining continuous tract of the highly endangered Atlantic Forest habitat in southeast Brazil. We found small but significant levels of differentiation between most populations. F-ST values varied from 0.0 to 0.023 (overall F-ST = 0.012) that conformed to a strong isolation by distance relationship, suggesting that observed levels of differentiation are a result of migration-drift equilibrium. N(e)m values estimated using a coalescent-based method were small (<= 2 migrants per generation) and close to the minimum level required to maintain genetic similarity between populations. An implication of these results is that if future habitat fragmentation reduces dispersal between populations to even a small extent, then individual populations may undergo a loss of genetic diversity due to an increase in the relative importance of drift, since inbreeding effective population sizes are relatively small (N-e similar to 1000). Our findings also demonstrate that population structuring can occur in a tropical bird in continuous habitat in the absence of geographical barriers possibly due to behavioural features of the species.

Unpalatability of Hyla semilineata tadpoles (Anura) to captive and free-ranging vertebrate predators

This study examines the unpalatability of Hyla semilineata tadpoles, relating this possible defence mechanism to their black, presumably aposematic, colouration. Bullfrog tadpoles (Rana catesbeiana), similar in size to the H. semilineata larvae, were used as controls in the experiments. The palatability of H. semilineata tadpoles was tested by offering the tadpoles to Fish (Hoplias malabaricus), free-ranging passerine birds (Pitangus sulphuratus) and hawks (Buteo magnirostris), and domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus). All predators showed a significant preference towards the control R. catesbeiana tadpoles. However, in experiments with fish, this preference was not significant for tadpole capture, only for their ingestion, suggesting that the fish could not distinguish between the two species before tasting them. Although great kiskadees (P. sulphuratus) preferred the control R. catesbeiana tadpoles, they promptly ingested more than half of the test H. semilineata tadpoles when these were offered alone. The chickens, used as naive predators, clearly learned to avoid the black H. semilineata tadpoles after a few trials. The conspicuous colouration and unpalatability of H. semilineata tadpoles may benefit the individual as well as the group, depending on the predator involved.

The genus Nanopterodectes Mironov, 2009 (Acari, Proctophyllodidae), with descriptions of three new species from antbirds (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The golden lancehead Bothrops insularis (Serpentes: Viperidae) relies on two seasonally plentiful bird species visiting its island habitat

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)