The preputial gland of the Japanese serow Capricornis crispus: ultrastructure and lectin histochemistry

Preputial glands of the Japanese serow were found to consist of the modified sebaceous gland and apocrine gland in both sexes. In the modified sebaceous gland, cells transformed gradually toward the lumen from plentiful cytoplasm to a sponge-like network. Lipid droplets were observed in mitochondria of differentiating cells. By lectin histochemistry, differentiating cells were stained with Arachis hypogaea (PNA), Triticum vulgaris (WGA) and Canavalia ensiformis (Con A) lectins, while secretory cells of the apocrine gland revealed various stainings with PNA, Glycine max, Dolichos biflorus, WGA and Con A lectins. These findings suggest that glycoconjugates may have an active function in the preputial gland.     

Phospholipid and fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane from wild Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus)

The phospholipid composition and fatty acid composition of the individual phospholipids were determined in erythrocyte membrane of wild Japanese serow, Capricornis crispus, and compared with those of Japanese cattle. Sphingomyelin (SM) contributed more than 50% to the total phospholipids, with only 3% phosphatidylcholine, 30% phosphatidylethanolamine and 11% phosphatidylserine. This phospholipid composition and ratio of phospholipid to protein in erythrocyte membrane of wild serow were quite similar to those of Japanese cattle. However, marked differences in fatty acid composition were found, especially in lignoceric acid 24:0 and nervonic acid 24:1 of sphingomyelin which were major constituents (approximately 60%) of that phospholipid.     

Unique spatial behavior of the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) in the open mountains of Mt. Fuji

acta ethologica - The Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) exhibits spatial behavior adapted to forest habitats with relatively stable food supply and climatic conditions, such as sedentary habits,...     

Eimeria gozaishoensis n. sp. from the Formosan serow (Capricornis crispus swinhoei)

Eimeria gozaishoensis n. sp. was found in the Formosan serow (Capricornis crispus swinhoei). The oocysts were ovoid, 29.41 +/- 0.58 x 20.77 +/- 0.41 microns with a bilayered wall. A micropyle and micropylar cap were observed, but a polar granule and oocyst residuum were absent. Sporocysts were ovoid, 11.78 +/- 0.30 x 7.60 +/- 0.31 microns, with sporocyst residuum and Stieda body. The new species differs from other known species of the genus by the morphology of oocysts and that domestic goats apparently could not be infected. The sporulation time was 6 to 7 days.     

Direct evidence for Toxoplasma gondii infection in a wild serow (Capricornis crispus) from mainland Japan

Toxoplasma gondii infection was studied in 41 Japanese serows ( Capricornis crispus ), a goat-antelope in mainland Japan. Blood and muscle specimens were collected from 41 subjects between 2006 and 2010. Presence of antibodies to T. gondii in the sera was examined by using the latex agglutination test (cutoff titer 1:32); 10 of 41 (24.4%) were seropositive. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in muscle tissue of 1 seropositive serow using a semi-nested PCR assay for the B1 gene. A partial nucleotide sequence (220 bp) corresponding to the B1 gene of T. gondii was obtained by direct sequencing; the sequence was 99.1% identical to that of the RH strain. This study is the first report to show direct evidence for the T. gondii infection in Japanese serows.     

Characterization of parapoxviruses circulating among wild Japanese serows (Capricornis crispus)

We antigenically and molecularly compared 5 parapoxvirus isolates and 7 viral DNA samples from clinical lesions of Japanese serows with 3 viruses from sheep and goats. All isolates from Japanese serows except one, Ishikawa-S, reacted with six monoclonal antibodies to orf virus (ORFV). Restriction endonuclease analysis using amplified viral DNA showed the ORFV-specific pattern in all samples except Ishikawa-S, which showed a bovine papular stomatitis virus (BPSV)-specific pattern. Partial nucleotide sequences of the envelope genes were determined and those of all samples from Japanese serows and sheep except Ishikawa-S were completely identical and also had high identities with the goat virus. These findings suggest that parapoxvirus infection in Japanese serows might be mainly caused by ORFV and accidentally by BPSV. The envelope gene sequenced here seems to be conserved in Japanese ORFVs.     

Genetic characterization of Protostrongylus shiozawai from Japanese serows (Capricornis crispus)

Protostrongylus shiozawai (Nematoda: Strongylida) infection is known to occur in the lungs of wild Japanese serows (Capricornis crispus) and, to date, has been classified only by its morphological characteristics, as well as host specificity. To characterize P. shiozawai genetically, a partial sequence of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) region was determined and compared with those of related nematodes. Our subsequent classification of P. shiozawai based on phylogenetic analysis was consistent with the current classification. Phylogenetic analysis also showed that P. shiozawai is more closely related to Protostrongylus stilesi than to Protostrongylus rufescens. PCR using genetic markers in the ITS-2 region should provide a useful tool for expanded studies of P. shiozawai and other Protostrongylus species.     

A preliminary study on habitat selection of the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) at two temporal scales,season and time of day,in a montane forest

Journal of Ethology - Habitat selection has a significant influence on animals’ fitness, and has been well studied in various ungulates. A trade-off between the access to forage and to...     

Histochemistry of glycoconjugates in the nasolabial skin of the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus, Artiodactyla, Mammalia) with special reference to glandular structures

The histochemistry of glycoconjugates in the nasolabial skin of the Japanese serow ( Capricornis crispus ) was studied by light microscopic histochemical methods, particularly lectin histochemistry. The eccrine glands present exhibited neutral and acidic glycoconjugates with different saccharide residues (alpha-L-fucose, beta-D-galactose, beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, alpha-D-galactose and N-acetyl-neuraminic acid) especially in the cells of the secretory acini, the free surface of the collecting duct cells also showed distinct positive reactions with most of the histochemical methods. The thick epidermis of the nasolabial skin contained smaller amounts of glycoproteins. The results obtained are discussed with regard to possible functions of the glandular secretions. This substance mixture may particularly improve water retention on the skin surface, and protect against physical damage as well as microbial contamination. There seem to be no basic differences of muzzle functions between wild and domesticated bovine species.     

Semen characteristics and sperm morphology of serow (Capricornis sumatraensis)

The serow (Capricornis sumatraensis) is a critically endangered species. The objectives of this study were to evaluate ejaculate quality in captive males, and to investigate and characterize sperm morphology. Semen was collected using electroejaculation. Mean (±S.D.) seminal characteristics were: semen volume 2.3 ± 0.8 mL, pH 7.8 ± 0.4, and osmolality 329.9 ± 32.9 mOsmol/kg; sperm concentration 515.8 ± 263.1 × 10⁶ cells/mL; wave motion score (1-5) 3.9 ± 0.4; motile sperm 60.5 ± 22%; viable sperm 68.3 ± 9.4%; morphologically normal sperm 70.8 ± 19.3%; and an opacity that was yellowish to milky-white. Sperm head length, width, degree of elongation, area, and perimeter were 6.0 ± 0.6 μm, 4.3 ± 0.3 μm, 71.7 ± 8.6%, 19.8 ± 2.5 μm², and 17.9 ± 2.1 μm. Based on these measurements, we categorized sperm head morphometry as small, medium, or large. In addition, sperm morphology was examined by light and scanning electron microscopy; overall, morphologically normal and abnormal sperm were similar to those reported for other bovidae. In summary, this study provided baseline data regarding semen characteristics of C. sumatraensis, which should be of value in the preservation of this endangered species.     

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Himalayan serow (Capricornis thar) and its phylogenetic status within the genus Capricornis

The genus Capricornis (Caprinae, Bovidae) includes six species, i.e., Capriconis sumatraensis, Capricornis swinhoei, Capricornis crispus, Capricornis rubidus, Capricornis milneedwardsii and Capricornis thar. Based on morphological, anatomical and physiological evidence, the Himalayan serow (C. thar), which is distributed in the mountain regions of the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas, is generally classified as a species of the genus Capricornis. However, considering the lack of molecular phylogenetic evidence, a heated controversy still exists over the taxonomic position of the Himalayan serow. To determine the phylogenetic status of C. thar, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) of one Himalayan serow using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Then, we constructed a molecular phylogenetic tree of the genus Capricornis and its related species in the Caprinae subfamily based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian interference methods. The results reflect that the structural characteristics, nucleotide content and codon usage bias of the mitochondrial genome of the Himalayan serow were similar to those of other serows. A phylogenetic analysis using two rRNA genes and 12 encoded protein-coding genes indicated that C. thar is clustered within the C. milneedwardsii clade, which is a sister group of C. sumatraensis. The present study provides useful information about the evolution of the Himalayan serow, which will be essential for conservation genetic studies.     

Coexistence of five Cercopithifilaria species in the Japanese rupicaprine bovid, Capricornis crispus

The Japanese serow, Capricornis crispus (Bovidae, Caprinae, Rupicaprini), is parasitized by five Cercopithifilaria species: C. shohoi, recently described, and reexamined in this paper, C. multicauda n. sp., C. minuta n. sp., C. tumidicervicata n. sp., and C. bulboidea n. sp. Coinfections are frequent. The location (skin or subcutaneous regions) in the host of adult worms differed between the species, as did many morphological characters of both adults and microfilariae. The location (limbs, trunk, etc.) in the host of adult worms and dermal microfilariae seemed to differ depending on the species. Male and female worms of the same species had similar head shapes, buccal capsules, and, in four species, swellings in the anterior region of the body (because of the presence of a giant ventral pseudocoelomocyte). The Cercopithifilaria spp. from C. crispus were related to the primitive forms of the genus, parasites of Bovidae and Cervidae, presently recorded in Africa and Europe. C. bulboidea was particularly close to the most primitive species, C. ruandae and C. dermicola, in Africa, with the pairs of caudal papillae numbered 8 and 9 being distant from each other, but the species also had several specialized characters. Like C. rugosicauda in a European cervid, the four other species had pairs 8 and 9 close to each other; they reflect an evolutionary trend (hypertrophy of pair 6, and reduction and posterior migration of pair 7) that suggests diversification in the host.     

Lectin histochemical studies of mouse granulated metrial gland cells

A lectin histochemical study has been carried out on mouse granulated metrial gland cells, the major leucocyte population that differentiates in the uterine wall in pregnancy. The binding characteristics of 26 lectins were examined using light microscopical methods. Fourteen of the lectins, with affinities ranging through N-acetylgalactosamine, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, mannose and sialic acid residues, bound to the cytoplasmic granules of granulated metrial gland cells, and each appeared to bind to the limiting membrane of the granules. The binding characteristics of three of these lectins (Wheat germ agglutinin, Concanavalin A and Helix pomatia agglutinin) were examined using electron microscopical methods. These showed a different binding pattern to the cytoplasmic granules of granulated metrial gland cells compared with that found using light microscopical methods, as they appeared to bind evenly across the granule's matrix. This binding pattern corresponds to the reactivity of the granule matrix in the periodic acid--Schiff technique. Six lectins bound to the cell membranes of granulated metrial gland cells. These included the E and L isoforms of Phaseolus vulgaris agglutinin, with affinities for complex carbohydrates, whose binding differences were related to the stage of differentiation of the granulated metrial gland cells. The lectin binding described presents additional markers of granulated metrial gland cells and tools for investigating carbohydrate moieties in the functional activities of granulated metrial gland cells     

Lectin histochemical studies of mouse granulated metrial gland cells

A lectin histochemical study has been carried out on mouse granulated metrial gland cells, the major leucocyte population that differentiates in the uterine wall in pregnancy. The binding characteristics of 26 lectins were examined using light microscopical methods. Fourteen of the lectins, with affinities ranging through N-acetylgalactosamine, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, mannose and sialic acid residues, bound to the cytoplasmic granules of granulated metrial gland cells, and each appeared to bind to the limiting membrane of the granules. The binding characteristics of three of these lectins (Wheat germ agglutinin, Concanavalin A and Helix pomatia agglutinin) were examined using electron microscopical methods. These showed a different binding pattern to the cytoplasmic granules of granulated metrial gland cells compared with that found using light microscopical methods, as they appeared to bind evenly across the granule's matrix. This binding pattern corresponds to the reactivity of the granule matrix in the periodic acid--Schiff technique. Six lectins bound to the cell membranes of granulated metrial gland cells. These included the E and L isoforms of Phaseolus vulgaris agglutinin, with affinities for complex carbohydrates, whose binding differences were related to the stage of differentiation of the granulated metrial gland cells. The lectin binding described presents additional markers of granulated metrial gland cells and tools for investigating carbohydrate moieties in the functional activities of granulated metrial gland cells This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Lectin histochemical study of olfactory neurons in the eel

Lectin histochemical studies were performed on paraffin embedded sections of the olfactory system of the eel to identify specific glycoconjugates on the surface of primary olfactory neurons. The olfactory receptors, the olfactory nerve fibres and their terminals in the bulbs were labelled with the lectins (SBA, BSA-I, BSA-I-B4 and DBA) HRP-conjugated or biotinylated. The lectin staining patterns indicate that the membrane of olfactory neurons of the eel had oligosaccharides with alpha-galactose and alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine residues. These findings represent the demonstration of a molecular probe that recognizes specific sets of neurons. The identical histochemical features previously described in the olfactory neurons in amphibians suggest that these carbohydrate moieties might to related to modulation of the cell-cell interactions in the olfactory system of vertebrates.     

Freezing behavior of the Japanese serow (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Capricornis crispus</Emphasis>) in relation to habitat and group size

Freezing behavior is frequently observed among forest-dwelling ungulates and is thought to function as a method of concealment from predators. However, because of the difficulty of observing such behaviors, detailed observations have not previously been conducted to provide evidence for this interpretation. Therefore, we have examined the response to human observers of the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus), a typical forest dweller, in relation to visibility and group size based on direct observations conducted over 3 years. From a total of 221 sightings, freezing behavior was observed more frequently in the closed habitat (14.3% of 196 sightings) and during the growing season (22.8% of 92 sightings) than in the open habitat (0% of 25 sightings) and during the non-growing season (5.2% of 129 sightings). Freezing behavior was also frequently observed in solitary animals (15.2% of 184 sightings) than in groups (0% of 37 sightings). These results suggest that the function of this freezing behavior is concealment from predators. Japanese serows fled more frequently in the open habitat (72%) and during the non-growing season (58.7%) than in the closed habitat (18%) and during the growing season (41.3%). Japanese serows selected closed habitat significantly more often regardless of the season. These results suggest that Japanese serow adopt cryptic anti-predator strategy to avoid detection by predators in the dense forest habitat, and their strategy changes according to visibility.     

Morphological and histochemical study of the submandibular gland in Praomys (Mastomys) natalensis

The submandibular gland in female and male Praomys (Mastomys) natalensis (a South African multimammate rodent) was studied using light microscopy and techniques for the demonstration of carbohydrates. Hematoxylin and eosin stain revealed the presence of a single secreting component that gave a strongly positive PAS reaction. Limiting elements of the granular tubules gave a weakly positive PAS reaction. Acidic glycoproteins were evidenced only in granules of the acinar component.     

Distribution pattern of the threatened Himalayan serow (Capricornis thar) in western midhills of Nepal: An insight for conservation along an altitudinal gradient

Almost nothing is known about the distribution and status of the Himalayan serow, an IUCN category “near threatened” ungulate, formerly widely distributed from subtropical to subalpine regions, in the Nepalese Himalaya. Heavy hunting, together with habitat loss and fragmentation are believed to have caused local extinctions in many sites within its geographical range. Distribution pattern of this dense forest dwelling threatened ungulate thus indicates conservation status of the whole unique ecosystems of this region. The objective of this study was therefore to assess distribution and status of serow in the Nepalese midhills. We conducted surveys, based on sightings and indirect presence signs, in western Nepal, between the subtropical Bardia National Park in the south and mountainous Shey Phoksundo National Park in the north, during 2008–2010. We recorded serow in the Bardia National Park. Further to the north, we recorded it only in highly rugged and inaccessible areas in the high altitudes, which suggests their possible extinction in the midhill region. The serow presence was strongly positively correlated with hunting intensity and forest intactness index. The populations of serow, scattered in the region, are small and therefore likely to be sensitive to demographic stochasticity. This all may consequently lead to future extinction of serow in the entire region. This information can be used to aid further research and decision-making processes for conservation planning along altitudinal gradient of Nepal's Himalaya.     

Lectin histochemical studies on the olfactory epithelium and vomeronasal organ in the Japanese striped snake,Elaphe quadrivirgata

The olfactory epithelium and the vomeronasal organ of the Japanese striped snake were examined by lectin histochemistry. Of the 21 lectins used in the study, all lectins except succinylated‐wheat germ agglutinin (s‐WGA) showed similar binding patterns in the vomeronasal receptor cells and the olfactory receptor cells with varying intensities. The binding patterns of s‐WGA varied among individuals in the vomeronasal and olfactory receptor cells, respectively. Four lectins, Bandeiraea simplicifolia lectin‐II (BSL‐II), Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), Sophora japonica agglutinin (SJA), and Erythrina cristagalli lectin (ECL) stained secretory granules and the organelles in the olfactory supporting cells and did not stain them in the vomeronasal supporting cells. These results suggest that the glycoconjugate moieties are similar in the vomeronasal and olfactory receptor cells of the Japanese striped snake. J. Morphol., 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.