Habitat associations of small mammals in southern Brazil and use of regurgitated pellets of birds of prey for inventorying a local fauna.

We inventoried terrestrial small mammals in an agricultural area in southern Brazil by using trapping and prey consumed by Barn Owls (Tyto alba) and White-tailed Kites (Elanus leucurus). Small mammals were trapped in three habitat types: corn fields, uncultivated fields ("capoeiras"), and native forest fragments. A total of 1,975 small mammal specimens were trapped, another 2,062 identified from the diet of Barn Owls, and 2,066 from the diet of White-tailed Kites. Both trapping and prey in the predators' diet yielded 18 small mammal species: three marsupials (Didelphis albiventris, Gracilinanus agilis, and Monodelphis dimidiata) and 15 rodents (Akodon paranaensis, Bruceppatersonius iheringi, Calomys sp., Cavia aperea, Euryzygomatomys spinosus, Holochilus brasiliensis, Mus musculus, Necromys lasiurus, Nectomys squamipes, Oligoryzomys nigripes, Oryzomys angouya, Oxymycterus sp.1, Oxymycterus sp.2, Rattus norvegicus, and Rattus rattus (Linnaeus, 1758)). The greatest richness was found in the uncultivated habitat. We concluded that the three methods studied for inventorying small mammals (prey in the diet of Barn Owls, White-tailed Kites, and trapping) were complementary, since together, rather than separately, they produced a better picture of local richness.     

不同松林类型节肢动物群落组成和相似性

采用G-test、Sorensen Classic相似性指数和Jaccard Classic相似性指数比较浙江省舟山市受松材线虫Bursaphelenchus xylophilus侵染后形成的湿地松Pinus elliottii杉木Cunninghamia lanceolata混交林、马尾松P.massoniana疏林、马尾松纯林和黑松P.thunbergi马尾松混交林等4种代表性的松林类型中的节肢动物群落的组成,同时采用采用Chao 1指数和ACE指数对4种林型的总物种丰富度进行了估计。研究结果表明,4种不同的松林类型共捕获513种共55141个个体,隶属15目110科。4种松林类型中节肢动物群落的科数、物种数和个体数量都有显著差异(科数G3=9.303,P=0.026;物种数G3=57.362,P=0.000;个体数G3=2 767.568,P=0.000)。马尾松疏林和马尾松纯林中节肢动物群落的相似性最高,湿地松杉木混交林和黑松马尾松混交林这2种针叶混交林内节肢动物群落相似性最低。估计全部节肢动物群落的物种丰富度为586.47(ACE指数)和634.8±31.5(Chao 1±SD)种。     

Small mammal populations of an agroecosystem in the Atlantic Forest domain, southeastern Brazil.

This study reports 2 years of the population dynamics and reproduction of a small mammal community using the removal method. The study was conducted in a rural area of the Atlantic Forest, in Sumidouro, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The population sizes, age structure and reproduction were studied for the four most common species in the study area. The overall diversity was 1.67 and ranged between 0.8 to 1.67. The species richness was 13 considering the whole study. The most abundant species were the rodents Nectomys squamipes (n = 133), Akodon cursor (n = 74), Oligoryzomys nigripes (n = 25) and the marsupials Didelphis aurita (n = 58) and Philander frenatus (n = 50). Seven other rodents were captured once: Necromys lasiurus, Akodon montensis, Sooretamys angouya, Oecomys catherine, Oxymycterus judex, Euryzygomatomys spinosus and Trinomys iheringi. There were higher peaks for diversity and species richness during the winter (dry) months, probably due to higher food availability. The marsupials had a seasonal reproduction with highest population sizes at the end of the rainy seasons. Nectomys squamipes reproduced mostly during rainy periods. Akodon cursor reproduced predominantly in the winter with the highest population peaks occurring during this season. The analysis of the population dynamics of the rodent species indicated that no species behaved as an agricultural pest, probably due to the heterogeneous landscape of high rotativity of vegetable cultivation. Rodent populations were more susceptible to the removal procedure than marsupial ones.     

Allozyme Analysis of Hypostomus (Teleostei: Loricariidae) from the Rio Corumbá, Upper Rio Paraná Basin, Brazil

The taxonomy of the genus Hypostomus in the upper Rio Paraná basin presents some very complex issues. For this reason, an allozyme electrophoresis survey of 10 populations of Hypostomus from the Rio Corumbá basin was performed, revealing 25 loci from 14 enzyme systems. Allozyme data revealed diagnostic genetic markers for the four nominal species analyzed (Hypostomus ancistroides, H. iheringi, H. margaritifer, and H. regani) and for six possible undescribed species. The mean expected heterozygosity of the populations ranged from 0.009 in H. iheringi to 0.099 in Hypostomus sp. 4. The genetically most similar populations (I = 0.954) were H. iheringi and Hypostomus sp. 2; the most divergent (D = 0.839) were H. iheringi and H. ancistroides.     

Bacular Variation in Subspecies Taxonomy of the Brazilian Spiny Rat Proechimys (Trinomys) iheringi

Qualitative aspects of the bacular morphology and variation are surveyed in the seven subspecies currently recognized for Proechimys iheringi (Rodentia: Echimyidae). Each form has a distinct bacular morphology, although the degree of distinctiveness varies among the subspecies. Bacula in P. i. denigratus, P. i. panema, P. i. gratiosus, P. i. bonafidei, and P. i. eliasi share a similarity in overall shape although they differ noticeably from bacula in P. i. paratus and P. i. iheringi. The bacular data seem to support hypotheses derived from cranial morphology and statistical analyses of craniometric traits suggesting that P. iheringi might be a complex of three morphologically similar species.     

Diversity and Coexistence of Ectoparasites in Small Rodents in a Tropical Dry Forest

To understand the mechanisms driving species diversity is central to community ecology. Here, we explored if habitat partitioning is associated with a species‐rich ectoparasite community in small rodents from a tropical dry forest in western Mexico. We trapped 199 mice in three 0.5 ha‐plots from eight small rodent species for every two months, from July 2011 to April 2012, and collected their ectoparasites. We identified 17 species of mites, two sucking lice species, two phoretic species, and one commensal species. The most abundant ectoparasite species was Steptolaelaps liomydis, representing 42 percent of all ectoparasites collected; seven ectoparasite species had < 10 individuals. Eighteen ectoparasite species (of 22 species) were collected from the most abundant rodent Liomys pictus. C‐score and the number of checkerboard species pairs were significantly higher against a random expectation. Ectoparasite species in L. pictus mice showed host microhabitat partitioning; Fahrenholzia ehrlichi and Fahrenholzia texana were found only in the anterior dorsal area, Ornithonysus sp. occurred along the dorsal part, Ixodes species were restricted to the ears, and Steptolaelaps liomydis was found throughout the body. We also identified ectoparasite communities with distinct species composition in two rodent species that use contrasting macrohabitats (L. pictus, strictly terrestrial; Peromyscus perfulvus, mostly arboreal). The remaining and low abundant rodent species showed a species‐poor ectoparasite community composition. We conclude that habitat partitioning at both macro and microhabitat scales appeared to characterize the species‐rich ectoparasite community. Conversely, most rodent host species with low abundances showed a species‐poor ectoparasite community.     

烟草根际土壤真菌多样性的研究

烟草土传病害发生普遍,危害严重。为深入了解烟草根际土壤真菌区系与土传病害间的相互关系,选取黑龙江、山东、广西和云南四省区的代表性烟田,开展了烟草根际土壤真菌多样性的研究。对采自上述四省区12个县市的224份烟草根际土壤样品进行了真菌的分离和培养,共分离获得1,278株真菌,通过形态学特征鉴定出真菌25属86种。其中接合菌门4属6种,子囊菌门1属1种,无性型真菌20属79种。通过分析发现,烟草根际土壤中的优势真菌种群及其菌株数量所占分离真菌总菌株数量的比例分别为：青霉属Penicillium 16.74%,木霉属Trichoderma 14.32%,镰孢菌属Fusarium 13.54%和曲霉属Aspergillus 11.50%。在12个采样地点中,山东诸城的多样性指数（H￠=2.0666）和均匀度指数（J=0.6898）最高,云南玉溪的丰富度指数（R=4.0687）最高。不同采样地点的烟草根际土壤真菌种群的相似性水平也存在差异,其中云南永胜和大理的烟草根际土壤真菌种群的相似性系数最高（Cj=0.9375）,山东沂水和云南玉溪间的相似性最低（Cj=0.5217）。     

Ecology and host specificity of laelapine mites (Acari: Laelapidae) of small mammals in an Atlantic forest area of Brazil

Mesostigmatic mites of the Laelapinae Berlese, 1892 (Acari: Laelapidae) are nidicolous arthropods that commonly occur in the fur of Neotropical small mammmals. In this 2-yr study, the laelapine acarofauna associated with the small mammal community in an area of Atlantic forest on Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro State, was examined, including observations on patterns of host specificity, mite dispersal, ecology, and food habits. A total of 1,347 laelapines was sampled from the pelage of 6 species of small mammals (Marmosops incanus, Nectomys squamipes, Oryzomys russatus, Rhipidomys n. sp., Oxymycterus dasytrichus, and Trinomys dimidiatus), all of which occurred exclusively in monoxenous associations with their hosts. No evidence of a blood meal was observed in the gut of the mites. With the exception of the 2 species of Tur, mite populations on hosts were entirely or nearly restricted to adult females. These results, together with some morphological characteristics of laelapines, reinforce the hypotheses that Neotropical laelapine mites are not ectoparasitic, and that females disperse by phoresy.     

武汉三角湖浮游甲壳动物群落结构

三角湖是长江中下游地区典型的小型城市湖泊,近年来其富营养化趋势明显。2014年7月至2015年6月对湖中浮游甲壳动物群落及其影响因子进行了调查,旨在为湖泊污染防治和生态修复提供依据。在三角湖共采集浮游甲壳动物9科17属22种。浮游甲壳动物全年平均密度为(3.7±3.6)ind/L,各月密度变化范围为0.6~13.1 ind/L,夏季和秋季密度较低,密度峰值出现在2月。浮游甲壳动物全年大部分时间(5、6月除外)以桡足类及无节幼体占优势,其比例为55.2%~95.4%。浮游甲壳动物物种丰富度变化范围为6~15,平均值为10±3,夏季浮游甲壳动物物种丰富度较低。浮游甲壳动物群落Simpson指数变化范围为0.76~0.90,平均值为0.80±0.04。Pearson相关分析表明,浮游甲壳动物总密度与水深呈显著负相关(r=﹣0.636,P0.05,n=11),显示季节性的水位波动影响浮游甲壳动物密度。典范对应分析(CCA)显示,水温和透明度是影响浮游甲壳动物物种组成季节变化的主要环境因子(P0.05)。高密度的鲢(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)、鳙(Aristichthys nobilis)放养引起的摄食压力可能是三角湖浮游甲壳动物密度较低的主要原因之一。     

Parasitic arthropods of some wild rodents from Juréia-Itatins Ecological Station,State of São Paulo,Brazil

A study of the associations between three species of rodents in the Atlantic forest and their parasitic arthropods was undertaken at the Juréia-Itatins Ecological Station, located in the State of S?o Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, from March 1989 to February 1990. Individuals of three species, Oryzomys russatus, Proechimys iheringi and Nectomys squamipes were captured and examined for ectoparasites. Eleven species of parasitic arthropods were found, including four species of insects and seven of Acari. Parasitism intensity, phenology, and rainfall were positively correlated with the abundance of the ectoparasites and their hosts. The most abundant host was O. russatus (Muridae: Sigmodontinae), and the most common parasite on it was the laelapid mite Gigantolaelaps oudemansi. The cuterebrid Metacuterebra apicalis caused myiasis in O. russatus. A mutualistic association between the staphylinid beetle Amblyopinus sp. and its host P. iheringi (Echimyidae) was observed. The few N. squamipes captured had small numbers of ectoparasites.     

Ectoparasite community structure on three closely related seabird hosts: a multiscale approach combining ecological and genetic data

Parasite communities can be structured at different spatial scales depending on the level of organization of the hosts; hence, examining this structure should be a multiscale process. We investigated ectoparasite community structure in three closely related seabird hosts, the Mediterranean Cory's shearwater Calonectris diomedea diomedea , the Atlantic Cory's shearwater C. d. borealis and the Cape Verde shearwater C. edwardsii . This community was composed of three lice ( Halipeurus abnormis , Austromenopon echinatum and Saemundssonia peusi) and one flea species ( Xenopsylla gratiosa ), and was considered at the infra-, component and regional community levels. We examined temporal and spatial structuring of the infracommunities, the influence of host aggregation and body condition on the component community, and the effect of genetic and geographic connectivity among host populations on the regional community. Ectoparasite infracommunities showed substantial species overlaps in temporal patterns of abundance, but species were spatially segregated within the host body. Within component communities, all ectoparasite species showed an aggregated distribution in abundance. However, aggregation patterns and their relationships with the spatial distribution of hosts within the breeding colony differed among ectoparasite species, mainly reflecting ecological differences between fleas and lice. At the regional scale, similarity in ectoparasite communities correlated with geographic distances among host colonies, but not with genetic distances. This result suggests differences in climate and habitat characteristics among host localities as a major determinant of regional communities, rather than host connectivity. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of the geographic distribution of host breeding colonies and the spatial segregation within the host body as key factors in determining ectoparasite community structure in Calonectris shearwaters.     

贵州波多洞和甲良洞内部分环境因子与动物群落结构的相关性

在2002-2005年的2月和7月多次赴荔波波多洞和甲良洞对肉眼能见到的软体动物、节肢动物和脊索动物进行了观察和采集。在波多洞共获标本1045号,隶属3门6纲13目27科45种或类群,在甲良洞共获标本469号,隶属3门6纲9目24科52种或类群。根据上述两洞内各光带中动物种类和数量组成,可划分为6个动物群落。经群落多样性分析,物种丰富度、群落多样性、最大多样性、均匀度、优势度和相似性指数最高的分别是群落D（8.3223）、D（3.4677）、D（3.8286）、D（0.9057）、C（0.0404）和D-E（0.6611）。环境因子与群落多样性的相关分析结果显示：土壤中有机质的含量与物种数、物种丰富度、群落多样性和群落最大多样性指数都呈极显著正相关（相关系数分别为0.908、0.913、0.826和0.818）,与群落均匀度指数呈显著正相关（相关系数为0.674）;空气中CO2的含量与物种数、物种丰富度、群落多样性、群落最大多样性和均匀度指数都呈负相关（相关系数分别为-0.324、-0.552、-0.573、-0.345和-0.742）。这些结果暗示土壤有机质的含量和空气中CO2的含量是影响洞穴动物群落变化的重要因子。     

淮河干流软体动物群落结构及其与环境因子的关系

2011年3月、6月、9月和12月对淮河干流11个采集点的底栖软体类动物群落结构进行了调查研究, 共记录了软体类动物9科26种, 其中位于最上游的桐柏金庄种类最少, 仅有3种分布, 而位于中下游的新城口种类达到15种。总体上看, 自上游至下游, 软体动物种类的数量呈现一定的增多趋势。Pearson相关性检验结果表明软体动物种类数量和生物密度与河道深度间分别存在显著的正相关(r=0.617, P=0.043, n=11)和负相关关系(r=-0.654, P=0.029, n=11)。方差分析(One-way ANOVA)结果表明, Shannon-Wiener多样性指数F(3, 40) =0.225, P=0.879、Margalef丰富度指数F(3, 40) =0.902, P=0.449、Pielou均匀性指数F(3, 40) =0.841, P=0.479这3种指数以及生物量F(3, 40) =1.931, P=0.14不存在显著的季节性变化, 但生物密度F(3, 40) =5.45, P=0.003却存在极显著的季节性变化。其中, 生物密度在6月份出现峰值(90.13 36.31) ind./m2, 最低值出现在12月份(14.42 2.78) ind./m2; 生物量的变化不与生物密度变化同步, 其峰值出现在9月份(155.08 50.43) g/m2, 最低值则出现在3月份(39.15 14.08) g/m2。相似性分析(One-way ANOSIM)结果表明, 软体类动物群落在生物密度和生物量方面的优势物种组成上均无显著的季节性差异, 其P值分别为0.082和0.514。生物密度在不同月份间的不相似百分比变化幅度从53.87%至59.12%, 而生物量的不相似百分比变化幅度则从58.76%至68.58%。冗余分析(Redundancy Analysis RDA)结果表明, 河宽、水深和砂质型底质为影响淮河干流底栖软体类动物分布的主要环境因子。       

老秃顶子石河冰缘地貌森林群落物种多样性及其影响因素

基于对24个样地的调查数据,采用物种丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener指数以及Jaccard相似性指数,对辽东山地老秃顶子石河冰缘地貌森林群落物种多样性及其影响因子进行了研究。结果显示:(1)石河冰缘地貌森林群落中落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林和暗针叶林的物种丰富度指数平均值分别为41±10、34±5和31±7。森林群落物种丰富度变异系数均为中等变异性。(2)石河冰缘地貌森林群落中落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林和暗针叶林的Shannon-Wiener指数平均值分别为1.67±0.32、1.50±0.18和1.29±0.25。(3)石河冰缘地貌森林群落间Jaccard相似性指数为0.037~0.530,且集中在极不相似和中等不相似区间。(4)相关性分析结果显示,石河冰缘地貌海拔高度与森林群落乔木层物种丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener指数呈极显著负相关(P0.01),与灌木层物种丰富度指数呈显著负相关(P0.05);土壤电导率和含盐量均与森林群落物种多样性指数呈显著正相关(P0.05);土壤pH值与灌木层物种丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener指数呈极显著正相关(P0.01);土壤CaO含量分别与乔木层和灌木层的物种丰富度指数、乔木层Shannon-Wiener指数呈显著正相关(P0.05)。这表明海拔高度、土壤电导率、盐含量、pH值和CaO含量是影响石河冰缘地貌森林群落物种多样性变化的重要因素。     

Determinants of ectoparasite assemblage structure on rodent hosts from South American marshlands: the effect of host species,locality and season

The relative effects of host species identity, locality and season on ectoparasite assemblages (relative abundances and species richness) harboured by four cricetid rodent hosts (Akodon azarae, Oligoryzomys flavescens, Oxymycterus rufus and Scapteromys aquaticus) were assessed across six closely located sites in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Relative abundances of ectoparasites (14 species including gamasid mites, an ixodid tick, a trombiculid mite, lice and fleas), as well as total ectoparasite abundance and species richness, were determined mainly by host species and to a lesser extent by locality (despite the small spatial scale of the study), whereas seasonal effect was weak, albeit significant. The abundances of some ectoparasites were determined solely by host, whereas those of other ectoparasites (sometimes belonging to the same higher taxon) were also affected by locality and/or season. In gamasids, there was a significant effect of locality for some species, but not for others. In fleas and lice, the effect of locality was similar in different species, suggesting that this effect is related to the characteristic life history strategy.     

Ectoparasites of the swift fox in northwestern Texas

Ectoparasites were collected from chemically immobilized swift foxes (Vulpes velox) in the Texas Panhandle (USA). Three species of fleas (Pulex irritans, Dactylopsylla percernis, and Euhoplopsyllus affinis) and one species of tick (Ixodes sculptus) were found. Pulex irritans was the only abundant ectoparasite; it occurred on all 23 foxes brushed in 1999-2000 and all but one of 34 hosts examined in 2000-01. Otherwise, this swift fox population had a depauperate ectoparasite fauna; the remainder of the ectoparasites only occurred on a few (< or =5%) of the hosts. Because of previous taxonomic confusion between P. irritans and the closely related P. simulans, the zoogeographic distribution of these two species in many areas of western North America needs to be verified. Apparently, only the human flea P. irritans occurs on wild canids in the Texas Panhandle. However, there are previous records of P. simulans on other carnivores in western and central Texas. Some of these specimens were reexamined, and their identifications were reconfirmed. Also, the recent literature on the controversial taxonomic status of these two flea species is reviewed. The male terminal aedeagal sexual apparatus is the only means currently available to separate P. irritans and P. simulans.     

昆嵛山老杨坟阳坡与阴坡半天然植被植物群落生态学特性的初步研究

本文对昆嵛山老杨坟阳坡与阴坡半天然植被植物群落的上层（乔木层）和下层（灌木层）的物种优势度、多样性指数、群落的均匀度、相似性指数以及群落的最小面积进行了分析。昆嵛山老杨坟半天然植物群落上层的最小面积应为３００ｍ２,下层应为２２５ｍ２。阳坡与阴坡植物群落的上层和下层优势种的分布格局存在一定差异;乔木层的物种多样性指数,阴坡大于阳坡,灌木层阳坡大于阴坡,但二者的差异水平不显著;两群落乔木层的均匀度指数存在显著差异。阳坡与阴坡植物群落乔木层的相似性指数低于灌木层,并且以相对盖度和相对优势度（相对重要值）为基础统计所得到的群落相似性指数更好地反映了群落间乔木层在结构和功能上的差异。     

Community ecology of the metazoan parasites of namorado sandperches, Pseudopercis numida Miranda-Ribeiro, 1903 and P. semifasciata Cuvier, 1829 (Perciformes: Pinguipedidae), from the coastal zone of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

One hundred and twenty-eight specimens of namorado sandperches, 62 P. numida and 66 P. semifasciata, collected between October 2002 and June 2003 off the Cabo Frio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Lat 23 degrees S and Long 42 degrees W), were examined to study their metazoan parasites. Parasite communities of these fish were composed basically of endoparasites, mainly digenean and cestodes species, with low prevalence and abundance but having high parasite species richness values (at the component community level). Among these values, that found for P. numida is the highest so far recorded for marine fishes from the Neotropical Region. Thirty-nine species of metazoan parasites were collected: 36 from P. numida and 28 from P. semifasciata. Twenty-five parasite species were common to both species of namorado sandperches. Pseudopercis numida and P. semifasciata are new host records for all parasite species collected, with the exception of Microcotyle pseudopercis. Choanodera sp., Leurodera decora, Neolebouria georgenascimentoi, and Proctoeces sp. which were recorded for the first time in the South American Atlantic Ocean. Gnathia sp. from P. numida and Scolex pleuronectis from P. semifasciata were the species having the greatest dominance frequency. Parasite abundance in P. numida and P. semifasciata were positively correlated with the host total length. Only in P. numida was parasite species richness correlated positively with the host total length. No significant differences between endoparasite infracommunities of P. numida and P. semifasciata were detected. The ectoparasites of P. numida had higher values for parasite abundance, parasite richness, Brillouin index, evenness index, and Berger-Parker index than those of the ectoparasites of P. semifasciata. Comparisons among all ecto- and endoparasites showed the ectoparasites of P. numida as the most heterogeneous group. Low similarity values were observed among the three types of parasite infracommunities of the two hosts.     

Arthropod and filarioid parasites associated with wild rodents in the northeast marshes of Buenos Aires,Argentina

During 1995, 16 species of arthropods and 2 species of filarioids, totaling 1 287 specimens were collected from 64 wild rodents captured in the Hudson Natural Reserve, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Infestation parameters and indexes were analyzed. Host specific richness was S = 6, diversity H = 1.48, and relative density RDI = 40%. High values of parasite species richness and diversity were found on Oligoryzomys delticola (S = 9; H = 1.40), Oxymycterus rufus (S = 9; H = 1.37), and Oligoryzomys flavescens (S = 9; H = 1.28), followed by Scapteromys aquaticus (S = 6; H = 0.17), and Akodon azarae (S = 4; H = 1.20). Deltamys kempi was infested only by Androlaelaps rotundus. O. delticola and O. flavescens showed the highest similarity index (O = 74.19%), followed by O. flavescens with S. aquaticus, as a result of historical processes and shared microhabitats. Considering arthropods-filarioids associations, significant affinity was observed in Litomosoides bonaerensis with Hoplopleura travassosi, Laelaps paulistanensis, and Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni.