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Walker BJJ, Letnic M, Bucknall MP, Watson L, Jordan NR. Male dingo urinary scents code for age class and wild dingoes respond to this information. Chem Senses 2024; 49:bjae004. [PMID: 38319120 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjae004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemical information in canid urine has been implicated in territoriality and influences the spacing of individuals. We identified the key volatile organic compound (VOC) components in dingo (Canis lupus dingo) urine and investigated the potential role of scents in territorial spacing. VOC analysis, using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), demonstrated that the information in fresh urine from adult male dingoes was sufficient to allow statistical classification into age categories. Discriminant function analyses demonstrated that the relative amounts or combinations of key VOCs from pre-prime (3-4 years), prime (5-9 years), and post-prime (≥10 years) males varied between these age categories, and that scents exposed to the environment for 4 (but not 33) days could still be classified to age categories. Further, a field experiment showed that dingoes spent less time in the vicinity of prime male dingo scents than other scents. Collectively, these results indicate that age-related scent differences may be discriminable by dingoes. Previous authors have suggested the potential to use scent as a management tool for wild canids by creating an artificial territorial boundary/barrier. Our results suggest that identifying the specific signals in prime-age male scents could facilitate the development of scent-based tools for non-lethal management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J J Walker
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mike Letnic
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Martin P Bucknall
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Lyn Watson
- Dingo Discovery Sanctuary and Research Centre, Australian Dingo Foundation, P.O. Box 502, Gisborne, VIC, Australia
| | - Neil R Jordan
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Taronga Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Taronga Conservation Society, Dubbo, NSW 2830, Australia
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Keyes CA, Myburgh J, Brits D. Identifying forensically relevant urban scavengers in Johannesburg, South Africa. Sci Justice 2022; 62:399-409. [PMID: 35598932 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Unidentified human remains are frequently recovered in urban environments in South Africa, which undergo forensic (medico-legal) investigations. These remains often exhibit animal scavenging modifications and are frequently scattered by animals. This impacts the collection and forensic analysis of the remains. This study aimed to identify scavenging animals present in two urban environments in Johannesburg, South Africa, and describe their scavenging and scattering behaviours. Six pig carcasses (Sus scrofa domesticus) (30-80 kg) were placed in a veldt in Johannesburg and in an abandoned building complex. Motion-activated cameras recorded the scavenging activities. Scavenger species were identified and their behaviours, scattering pattern, and scavenging bone modifications were described. Slender mongooses (Galerella sanguinea) were the most prolific veldt scavengers. They scattered remains to a maximum distance of 10.5 m in two directions: north and southeast. These mongooses scavenged during the advanced and dry decomposition stages. Gnawing on the angle of the mandible - with multiple parallel scores on the flat surfaces and the angle margin having a stepped appearance - may be a distinguishing scavenging modification feature of the slender mongoose. Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) were the only scavengers recorded scavenging on the intestines of a pig carcass in the abandoned building complex. They favoured colonizing insects and created multiple, large holes in the skin and removed the lips to access the insects. The described scavenging behaviours will assist in the reconstruction of postmortem events in forensic cases and the location and collection of scattered remains in Southern Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig Adam Keyes
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Jolandie Myburgh
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, PO Box 667, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
| | - Desiré Brits
- Human Variation and Identification Research Unit, School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Yoshida K, Saito MU. Behavioral response of wild mammals to pre-existing and artificial latrines of raccoon dogs in northeastern Japan. MAMMALIA 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2020-0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In this study, we reveal the behavior of raccoon dogs and other mammals on two types of latrines: already-existing latrines in the field and artificial latrines created from the feces of a captive individual. From September to November 2019, we used camera traps at already-known (eight sites), and artificial latrines (four sites), and recorded the mammalian species that visited, their behavior types, and the duration of time spent at the latrines. Our camera traps detected eight species visits, including raccoon dogs, masked palm civets, and rodents (Muridae). In raccoon dogs, sniffing, urination, defecation, and passing were observed, and the numbers of defecation and passing occurrences were significantly higher in the already-existing latrines. The duration time of the raccoon dogs was significantly longer at the artificial latrine; however, the time decreased as days elapsed. Masked palm civets frequently visited the artificial latrines, where the number of rubbings was significantly higher. The Muridae did not differ in their proportion of foraging behavior between the two latrine types, indicating that both were used as feeding sites without distinction. The results of this study indicate that raccoon dog latrines affect not only raccoon dogs but also other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koharu Yoshida
- Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University , 1-23 Wakaba-machi , Tsuruoka-shi , Yamagata 997-8555 , Japan
| | - Masayuki U. Saito
- Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University , 1-23 Wakaba-machi , Tsuruoka-shi , Yamagata 997-8555 , Japan
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Poldy J. Volatile Cues Influence Host-Choice in Arthropod Pests. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1984. [PMID: 33126768 PMCID: PMC7692281 DOI: 10.3390/ani10111984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Many arthropod pests of humans and other animals select their preferred hosts by recognising volatile odour compounds contained in the hosts' 'volatilome'. Although there is prolific literature on chemical emissions from humans, published data on volatiles and vector attraction in other species are more sporadic. Despite several decades since the identification of a small number of critical volatiles underpinning specific host-vector relationships, synthetic chemicals or mixtures still largely fail to reproduce the attractiveness of natural hosts to their disease vectors. This review documents allelochemicals from non-human terrestrial animals and considers where challenges in collection and analysis have left shortfalls in animal volatilome research. A total of 1287 volatile organic compounds were identified from 141 species. Despite comparable diversity of entities in each compound class, no specific chemical is ubiquitous in all species reviewed, and over half are reported as unique to a single species. This review provides a rationale for future enquiries by highlighting research gaps, such as disregard for the contribution of breath volatiles to the whole animal volatilome and evaluating the role of allomones as vector deterrents. New opportunities to improve vector surveillance and disrupt disease transmission may be unveiled by understanding the host-associated stimuli that drive vector-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Poldy
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Health & Biosecurity, Black Mountain Laboratory, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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Apps P, McNutt JW. Are camera traps fit for purpose? A rigorous, reproducible and realistic test of camera trap performance. Afr J Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Apps
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust; Maun Botswana
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How Behavior of Nontarget Species Affects Perceived Accuracy of Scat Detection Dog Surveys. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13830. [PMID: 30218000 PMCID: PMC6138736 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32244-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Detection dogs, specially trained domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), have become a valuable, noninvasive, conservation tool because they remove the dependence of attracting species to a particular location. Further, detection dogs locate samples independent of appearance, composition, or visibility allowing researchers to collect large sets of unbiased samples that can be used in complex ecological queries. One question not fully addressed is why samples from nontarget species are inadvertently collected during detection dog surveys. While a common explanation has been incomplete handler or dog training, our study aimed to explore alternative explanations. Our trials demonstrate that a scat’s genetic profile can be altered by interactions of nontarget species with target scat via urine-marking, coprophagy, and moving scats with their mouths, all pathways to contamination by nontarget species’ DNA. Because detection dogs are trained to locate odor independent of masking, the collection of samples with a mixed olfactory profile (target and nontarget) is possible. These scats will likely have characteristics of target species’ scats and are therefore only discovered faulty once genetic results indicate a nontarget species. While the collection of nontarget scats will not impact research conclusions so long as samples are DNA tested, we suggest ways to minimize their collection and associated costs.
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The Chemical Basis of Species, Sex, and Individual Recognition Using Feces in the Domestic Cat. J Chem Ecol 2018; 44:364-373. [DOI: 10.1007/s10886-018-0951-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Miyazaki M, Nishimura T, Hojo W, Miyazaki T, Laine RA, Yamashita T. Potential use of domestic cat ( Felis catus ) urinary extracts for manipulating the behavior of free-roaming cats and wild small felids. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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