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Martre P, Mulot B, Roussel E, Leclerc A. Evolutionary Specializations in the Venous Anatomy of the Two-Toed Sloth ( Choloepus didactylus): Insights from CT-scan 3D Reconstructions. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1768. [PMID: 38929387 PMCID: PMC11200405 DOI: 10.3390/ani14121768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The venous anatomy of the two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) remains poorly understood, particularly in living specimens due to the limitations of traditional cadaveric studies. This study aims to describe the unique venous structures of Choloepus didactylus using computed tomography, enhancing our understanding of this species in a live setting. Three living Choloepus didactylus underwent CT scans as part of routine clinical assessments. The images were reconstructed using 3D Slicer software (version 5.6.2), focusing on the caudal vena cava anatomy. The reconstructions confirmed the presence of a significant intravertebral vein, showing complex venous connections through the ventral sacral foramen and vertebral foramina. These findings highlight notable anatomical variations and challenge existing literature on the species' venous architecture. By employing modern imaging technologies, this research provides new insights into the venous anatomy of Choloepus didactylus, demonstrating the value of non-invasive techniques in studying the anatomical features of live animals, thereby offering a foundation for further comparative and evolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Martre
- Hôpital Privé de l’Estuaire, 76620 Le Havre, France
| | - Baptiste Mulot
- ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature, 41110 Saint-Aignan, France; (B.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Edouard Roussel
- Department of Digestive Surgery, Rouen University Hospital, 76000 Rouen, France;
| | - Antoine Leclerc
- ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature, 41110 Saint-Aignan, France; (B.M.); (A.L.)
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2
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Clauss M, Fritz J, Hummel J. Teeth and the gastrointestinal tract in mammals: when 1 + 1 = 3. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220544. [PMID: 37839451 PMCID: PMC10577037 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Both teeth and the digestive tract show adaptations that are commonly interpreted in the context of trophic guilds-faunivory, herbivory and omnivory. Teeth prepare food for the digestive tract, and dental evolution focuses on increasing durability and functionality; in particular, size reduction of plant particles is an important preparation for microbial fermentative digestion. In narratives of digestive adaptations, microbes are typically considered as service providers, facilitating digestion. That the majority of 'herbivorous' (and possibly 'omnivorous') mammals display adaptations to maximize microbes' use as prey-by harvesting the microbes multiplying in their guts-is less emphasized and not reflected in trophic labels. Harvesting of microbes occurs either via coprophagy after separation from indigestible material by a separation mechanism in the hindgut, or from a forestomach by a 'washing mechanism' that selectively removes fines, including microbes, to the lower digestive tract. The evolution of this washing mechanism as part of the microbe farming niche opened the opportunity for the evolution of another mechanism that links teeth and guts in an innovative way-the sorting and cleaning of not-yet-sufficiently-size-reduced food that is then re-submitted to repeated mastication (rumination), leading to unprecedented chewing and digestive efficiency. This article is part of the theme issue 'Food processing and nutritional assimilation in animals'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Fritz
- Zugspitzstr. 15 1/2, 82131 Stockdorf, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hummel
- Ruminant Nutrition, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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3
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Cliffe RN, Haupt RJ, Kennedy S, Felton C, Williams HJ, Avey-Arroyo J, Wilson R. The behaviour and activity budgets of two sympatric sloths; Bradypus variegatus and Choloepus hoffmanni. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15430. [PMID: 37273542 PMCID: PMC10234273 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is usually beneficial for species to restrict activity to a particular phase of the 24-hour cycle as this enables the development of morphological and behavioural adaptations to enhance survival under specific biotic and abiotic conditions. Sloth activity patterns are thought to be strongly related to the environmental conditions due to the metabolic consequences of having a low and highly variable core body temperature. Understanding the drivers of sloth activity and their ability to withstand environmental fluctuations is of growing importance for the development of effective conservation measures, particularly when we consider the vulnerability of tropical ecosystems to climate change and the escalating impacts of anthropogenic activities in South and Central America. Unfortunately, the cryptic nature of sloths makes long term observational research difficult and so there is very little existing literature examining the behavioural ecology of wild sloths. Here, we used micro data loggers to continuously record, for the first time, the behaviour of both Bradypus and Choloepus sloths over periods of days to weeks. We investigate how fluctuations in the environmental conditions affect the activity of sloths inhabiting a lowland rainforest on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and examined how this might relate to their low power lifestyle. Both Bradypus and Choloepus sloths were found to be cathemeral in their activity, with high levels of between-individual and within-individual variation in the amounts of time spent active, and in the temporal distribution of activity over the 24-hour cycle. Daily temperature did not affect activity, although Bradypus sloths were found to show increased nocturnal activity on colder nights, and on nights following colder days. Our results demonstrate a distinct lack of synchronicity within the same population, and we suggest that this pattern provides sloths with the flexibility to exploit favourable environmental conditions whilst reducing the threat of predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N. Cliffe
- The Sloth Conservation Foundation, Hayfield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
- Swansea Lab for Animal Movement, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- The Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica, Limon, Costa Rica
| | - Ryan J. Haupt
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States of America
| | - Sarah Kennedy
- The Sloth Conservation Foundation, Hayfield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
| | - Cerys Felton
- Swansea Lab for Animal Movement, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah J. Williams
- Swansea Lab for Animal Movement, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Migration Department, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | | | - Rory Wilson
- Swansea Lab for Animal Movement, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
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4
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DiGeronimo PM, Enright C, Ziemssen E, Keller D. FATAL GASTRIC DILATATION AND VOLVULUS IN THREE CAPTIVE JUVENILE LINNAEUS'S TWO-TOED SLOTHS ( CHOLOEPUS DIDACTYLUS). J Zoo Wildl Med 2023; 54:211-218. [PMID: 36971647 DOI: 10.1638/2022-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) is one of two extant neotropical species of the family Megalonychidae. Despite their being commonly kept under managed care, the digestive physiology of sloths remains poorly understood. Gastrointestinal disease has been reported as a primary or contributing cause of morbidity and mortality in captive two-toed and three-toed (Bradypus spp.) sloths. Gastric dilatation due to gas accumulation ("bloat") has been reported in sloths; however, a literature search failed to yield any published mention of gastric volvulus in any sloth species. Following an inquiry sent to the electronic mailing lists of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, the European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians, and the LatinVets community, three cases of fatal gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) were identified in one male and two female Linnaeus's two-toed sloths from institutions in the United States, Canada, and Germany. All cases occurred in juvenile sloths <1 yr of age. Two animals were primarily hand reared, whereas one was reared primarily by its dam. Two animals were found dead with no overt premonitory signs, whereas one animal died following a 3-wk course of waxing and waning clinical signs consistent with gastric gas accumulation. In all cases, GDV was diagnosed on postmortem examination. Similar to other species, the condition is likely subsequent to a combination of host- and husbandry-related contributing factors. Further research into sloth husbandry is required in order to take an evidence-based approach to their management.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eva Ziemssen
- Zoo Dresden, Tiergartenstrasse 1 D-01219 Dresden, Germany
| | - Dominique Keller
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
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5
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Muramatsu D, Vidal LV, Costa ER, Yoda K, Yabe T, Gordo M. Low-cost thermoregulation of wild sloths revealed by heart rate and temperature loggers. J Therm Biol 2022; 110:103387. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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6
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de Andrade GP, de Albuquerque PV, Tschá MDC, de Alcântara SF, de Miranda MELC, Nascimento JCDS, de Barros NFJ, Amorim MJAAL. Dietary neutral detergent fibre and lignin contents affect intake, digestibility and digesta retention in captive sloths (Bradypus variegatus). J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2022; 106:910-921. [PMID: 35468240 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated food intake, digestibility, digesta retention and digestible energy (DE) intake in four three-toed sloths (Bradypus variegatus, body mass 2.86 ± 0.10 kg) fed two leaf-based diets containing different neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and lignin contents. Total dry matter intake (DMI), and intake in relation to body mass and metabolic body weight were higher for the mixed diet with lower NDF content based on Pterondon sp. + Inga sp. (47 g day-1 , 16 g kg-1 day-1 and 21 g kg-0.75 day-1 ) compared to the treatment with higher content of NDF from only Cecropia pachystachya leaves (37 g day-1 , 14 g kg-1 day-1 and 18 g kg-0.75 day-1 ). The digestibility of dry matter (dDM) and neutral detergent fibre (dNDF) were higher in the mixed diet (60% and 61% respectively). There was a higher supply of DE and metabolisable energy (ME) on the mixed diet, at 221 and 199 kJ kg-0.75 day-1 , meeting the average energy requirement of 185 kJ ME kg-0.75 day-1 ME estimated for sloths in this study. In contrast, the diet with C. pachystachya generated a deficit of 31 kJ ME kg-0.75 day-1 . There was a correlation between DMI and dNDF (r2 = 0.89), and between dNDF and dDM (r2 = 0.98) across treatments. The mean retention times for a liquid and a particle marker were lower on the mixed diet with the higher intake at 133 h (passage rate = 0.75% h-1 ) and 181 h (0.55% h-1 ), and longer on the single-species diet with lower intake at 204 h (0.49% h-1 ) and 261 h (0.38% h-1 ). The results suggest that it may be beneficial for sloths to be offered a variety of browse from which they can choose low-NDF components. Further, we suggest that these sloths perform 'digesta washing' to increase the microbial yield in the stomach to maximise the digestion of NDF and dry matter.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Marleyne José Afonso Accioly Lins Amorim
- Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.,Postgraduate in Animal Bioscience, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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7
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Integrative Approach Uncovers New Patterns of Ecomorphological Convergence in Slow Arboreal Xenarthrans. J MAMM EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-021-09590-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIdentifying ecomorphological convergence examples is a central focus in evolutionary biology. In xenarthrans, slow arboreality independently arose at least three times, in the two genera of ‘tree sloths’, Bradypus and Choloepus, and the silky anteater, Cyclopes. This specialized locomotor ecology is expectedly reflected by distinctive morpho-functional convergences. Cyclopes, although sharing several ecological features with ‘tree sloths’, do not fully mirror the latter in their outstandingly similar suspensory slow arboreal locomotion. We hypothesized that the morphology of Cyclopes is closer to ‘tree sloths’ than to anteaters, but yet distinct, entailing that slow arboreal xenarthrans evolved through ‘incomplete’ convergence. In a multivariate trait space, slow arboreal xenarthrans are hence expected to depart from their sister taxa evolving toward the same area, but not showing extensive phenotypical overlap, due to the distinct position of Cyclopes. Conversely, a pattern of ‘complete’ convergence (i.e., widely overlapping morphologies) is hypothesized for ‘tree sloths’. Through phylogenetic comparative methods, we quantified humeral and femoral convergence in slow arboreal xenarthrans, including a sample of extant and extinct non-slow arboreal xenarthrans. Through 3D geometric morphometrics, cross-sectional properties (CSP) and trabecular architecture, we integratively quantified external shape, diaphyseal anatomy and internal epiphyseal structure. Several traits converged in slow arboreal xenarthrans, especially those pertaining to CSP. Phylomorphospaces and quantitative convergence analyses substantiated the expected patterns of ‘incomplete’ and ‘complete’ convergence for slow arboreal xenarthrans and ‘tree sloths’, respectively. This work, highlighting previously unidentified convergence patterns, emphasizes the value of an integrative multi-pronged quantitative approach to cope with complex mechanisms underlying ecomorphological convergence.
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8
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VITAMIN D STATUS OF INDOOR-HOUSED HOFFMANN'S TWO-TOED SLOTHS ( CHOLOEPUS HOFFMANNI): A PILOT STUDY. J Zoo Wildl Med 2021; 52:1030-1035. [PMID: 34687521 DOI: 10.1638/2020-0209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Disorders of calcium homeostasis have been reported with some frequency in two-toed sloths, yet little investigation has been performed on vitamin D and mineral metabolism in these species. This study evaluates biomarkers involved in vitamin D and calcium metabolism in a group of nine managed Hoffmann's two-toed sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni), correlated with diet analysis. Serum was analyzed for both vitamin D2 and D3 metabolites, minerals (calcium [Ca], phosphorus [P], and magnesium [Mg]), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and ionized calcium (iCa). The diet was analyzed for proximate nutrients, minerals and vitamins D2 and D3, and feed intake was estimated. Average values reported for D3 metabolites, including 25(OH)D3, 1,25(OH)2D3, and 24,25(OH)2D3, were 25.1 ng/ml, 52.23 pg/ml, and 7.65 ng/ml, respectively. Average PTH was 0.22 pmol/L while average iCa was 1.46 mmol/L. Values reported for Ca, P, Mg were within expected ranges. Dietary concentration of D3 was 6.7 ng/g and the average daily intake per sloth was 113.7 IU/kg body weight. No detectable levels of vitamin D2 metabolites 25(OH)D2, 1,25(OH)2D2, or 24,25(OH)2D2 were found in the diet or serum. These data will serve as a starting point for future investigations into the vitamin D metabolism and calcium homeostasis of two-toed sloths to improve the health in managed settings.
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9
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Jimenez IA, Makowski AJ, Scanlon LM, Childs-Sanford SE. Cutaneous concentrations of 7-dehydrocholesterol in Hoffmann's two-toed sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni) in managed care. Zoo Biol 2021; 41:20-25. [PMID: 34329484 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Hoffmann's two-toed sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni) are unique animals popular in zoological settings. The role of vitamin D in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis in this species is unexplored, although disorders of calcium homeostasis have been reported in managed sloths, including urolithiasis and soft tissue mineralization. This study assessed cutaneous concentrations of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in nine indoor-housed Hoffmann's two-toed sloths, as a means of evaluating the potential for cutaneous photobiosynthesis of vitamin D3 . Samples were obtained from both abdominal and lumbar regions of the skin to assess for regional variation in 7-DHC concentration. The average concentration of 7-DHC in the sloth skin was low (0.197 ± 0.02 nmol/cm2 ). Location had a significant effect on 7-DHC level only when concentrations were expressed based on the wet weight of the sample (ng/g), but levels were similar when values were normalized to biopsy surface area (nmol/cm2 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel A Jimenez
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | | | - Lisa M Scanlon
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.,Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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10
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Cerling TE, Bernasconi SM, Hofstetter LS, Jaggi M, Wyss F, Rudolf von Rohr C, Clauss M. CH4/CO2 Ratios and Carbon Isotope Enrichment Between Diet and Breath in Herbivorous Mammals. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.638568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Breath and diet samples were collected from 29 taxa of animals at the Zurich and Basel Zoos to characterize the carbon isotope enrichment between breath and diet. Diet samples were measured for δ13C and breath samples for CH4/CO2 ratios and for the respired component of δ13C using the Keeling plot approach. Different digestive physiologies included coprophagous and non-coprophagous hindgut fermenters, and non-ruminant and ruminant foregut fermenters. Isotope enrichments from diet to breath were 0.8 ± 0.9‰, 3.5 ± 0.8‰, 2.3 ± 0.4‰, and 4.1 ± 1.0‰, respectively. CH4/CO2 ratios were strongly correlated with isotope enrichments for both hindgut and foregut digestive strategies, although CH4 production was not the sole reason for isotope enrichment. Average CH4/CO2 ratios per taxon ranged over several orders of magnitude from 10–5 to 10–1. The isotope enrichment values for diet-breath can be used to further estimate the isotope enrichment from diet-enamel because Passey et al. (2005b) found a nearly constant isotope enrichment for breath-enamel for diverse mammalian taxa. The understanding of isotope enrichment factors from diet to breath and diet to enamel will have important applications in the field of animal physiology, and possibly also for wildlife ecology and paleontology.
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11
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Abraham AJ, Prys‐Jones TO, De Cuyper A, Ridenour C, Hempson GP, Hocking T, Clauss M, Doughty CE. Improved estimation of gut passage time considerably affects trait‐based dispersal models. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Abraham
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
- Environmental Change Institute School of Geography and the Environment University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Tomos O. Prys‐Jones
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Annelies De Cuyper
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Ghent University Merelbeke Belgium
| | - Chase Ridenour
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Gareth P. Hempson
- Centre for African Ecology School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Toby Hocking
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals Exotic Pets and Wildlife Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Christopher E. Doughty
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
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12
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Modesto M, Satti M, Watanabe K, Huang CH, Liou JS, Tamura T, Saito S, Mori K, Huang L, Sandri C, Spiezio C, Sgorbati B, Scarafile D, Cammà C, Ancora M, Patavino C, Arita M, Mattarelli P. Bifidobacteria in two-toed sloths ( Choloepus didactylus): phylogenetic characterization of the novel taxon Bifidobacterium choloepi sp. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2021; 70:6115-6125. [PMID: 33052806 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Seven bifidobacterial strains were isolated from the faeces of two adult males of the two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) housed in Parco Natura Viva, in Italy. Comparative sequence analysis of 16S rRNA and of five housekeeping (hsp60, rpoB, clpC, dnaJ, dnaG) genes revealed that these strains were classified into two clusters. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, the type strain of Bifidobacterium catenulatum subsp. kashiwanohense DSM 21854T (95.4 %) was the closest neighbour to strain in Cluster I (BRDM 6T), whereas the type strain of Bifidobacterium dentium DSM 20436T (values were in the range of 98‒99.8 %) was the closest neighbour to the other six strains in Cluster II. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values of BRDM 6T and of strains in Cluster II with the closely related type strains were 76.0 and 98.9 % (mean value) respectively. Therefore, genotyping based on the genome sequence of the strain BRDM 6T combined with phenotypic analyses clearly revealed that the strain BRDM 6T represents a novel species for which the names Bifidobacterium choloepi sp. nov. (BRDM 6T=NBRC 114053T=BCRC 81222T) is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Modesto
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Satti
- Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI University (National Institute of Genetics), Yata 1111, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Koichi Watanabe
- Bioresource Collection and Research Center, Food Industry Research and Development Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chien-Hsun Huang
- Bioresource Collection and Research Center, Food Industry Research and Development Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jong-Shian Liou
- Bioresource Collection and Research Center, Food Industry Research and Development Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tomohiko Tamura
- Biological Resource Center (NBRC), National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE), 2-5-8, Kazusakamatari, Kisarazu, Chiba 292-0818, Japan
| | - Satomi Saito
- Biological Resource Center (NBRC), National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE), 2-5-8, Kazusakamatari, Kisarazu, Chiba 292-0818, Japan
| | - Koji Mori
- Biological Resource Center (NBRC), National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE), 2-5-8, Kazusakamatari, Kisarazu, Chiba 292-0818, Japan
| | - Lina Huang
- Bioresource Collection and Research Center, Food Industry Research and Development Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Camillo Sandri
- Department of Animal Health Care and Management, Parco Natura Viva - Garda Zoological Park, Bussolengo, Verona, Italy
| | - Caterina Spiezio
- Department of Animal Health Care and Management, Parco Natura Viva - Garda Zoological Park, Bussolengo, Verona, Italy
| | - Barbara Sgorbati
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Donatella Scarafile
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Cesare Cammà
- National Reference Center for Whole Genome Sequencing of microbial pathogens: database and bioinformatic analysis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Massimo Ancora
- National Reference Center for Whole Genome Sequencing of microbial pathogens: database and bioinformatic analysis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Claudio Patavino
- National Reference Center for Whole Genome Sequencing of microbial pathogens: database and bioinformatic analysis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Masanori Arita
- Bioinformation and DDBJ Center, National Institute of Genetics, Yata 1111, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Paola Mattarelli
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
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13
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Alfieri F, Nyakatura JA, Amson E. Evolution of bone cortical compactness in slow arboreal mammals. Evolution 2020; 75:542-554. [PMID: 33314086 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Convergent evolution is a major topic in evolutionary biology. Low bone cortical compactness (CC, a measure of porosity of cortical bone) in the extant genera of "tree sloths," has been linked to their convergent slow arboreal ecology. This proposed relationship of low CC with a slow arboreal lifestyle suggests potential convergent evolution of this trait in other slow arboreal mammals. Femoral and humeral CC were analyzed in "tree sloths," lorisids, koala, and extinct palaeopropithecids and Megaladapis, in comparison to closely related but ecologically distinct taxa, in a phylogenetic framework. Low CC in "tree sloths" is unparalleled by any analyzed clade and the high CC in extinct sloths suggests the recent convergence of low CC in "tree sloths." A tendency for low CC was found in Palaeopropithecus and Megaladapis. However, lorisids and the koala yielded unexpected CC patterns, preventing the recognition of a straightforward convergence of low CC in slow arboreal mammals. This study uncovers a complex relationship between CC and convergent evolution of slow arboreality, highlighting the multifactorial specificity of bone microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Alfieri
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin, Germany
| | - John A Nyakatura
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eli Amson
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin, Germany
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de Miranda EB, Kenup CF, Campbell-Thompson E, Vargas FH, Muela A, Watson R, Peres CA, Downs CT. High moon brightness and low ambient temperatures affect sloth predation by harpy eagles. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9756. [PMID: 32913676 PMCID: PMC7456529 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate plays a key role in the life histories of tropical vertebrates. However, tropical forests are only weakly seasonal compared with temperate and boreal regions. For species with limited ability to control core body temperature, even mild climatic variation can determine major behavioural outcomes, such as foraging and predator avoidance. In tropical forests, sloths are the arboreal vertebrate attaining the greatest biomass density, but their capacity to regulate body temperature is limited, relying on behavioural adaptations to thermoregulate. Sloths are largely or strictly nocturnal, and depend on crypsis to avoid predation. The harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a sloth-specialist and exerts strong top-down control over its prey species. Yet the role of environmental variables on the regulation of predator-prey interactions between sloths and harpy eagles are unknown. The harpy eagle is considered Near Threatened. This motivated a comprehensive effort to reintroduce this species into parts of Mesoamerica. This effort incidentally enabled us to understand the prey profile of harpy eagles over multiple seasons. METHODS Our study was conducted between 2003 and 2009 at Soberanía National Park, Panamá. Telemetered harpy eagles were seen hunting and feeding on individual prey species. For each predation event, field assistants systematically recorded the species killed. We analysed the effects of climatic conditions and vegetation phenology on the prey species profile of harpy eagles using generalised linear mixed models. RESULTS Here we show that sloth predation by harpy eagles was negatively affected by nocturnal ambient light (i.e. bright moonshine) and positively affected by seasonally cool temperatures. We suggest that the first ensured low detectability conditions for sloths foraging at night and the second posed a thermally unsuitable climate that forced sloths to forage under riskier daylight. We showed that even moderate seasonal variation in temperature can influence the relationship between a keystone tropical forest predator and a dominant prey item. Therefore, predator-prey ecology in the tropics can be modulated by subtle changes in environmental conditions. The seasonal effects shown here suggest important demographic consequences for sloths, which are under top-down regulation from harpy eagle predation, perhaps limiting their geographic distribution at higher latitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Everton B.P. de Miranda
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Biodiversity, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Caio F. Kenup
- Wildlife and Ecology Group, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | | | - Carlos A. Peres
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Colleen T. Downs
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Biodiversity, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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15
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Abstract
Methane (CH4) production is a ubiquitous, apparently unavoidable side effect of fermentative fibre digestion by symbiotic microbiota in mammalian herbivores. Here, a data compilation is presented of in vivo CH4 measurements in individuals of 37 mammalian herbivore species fed forage-only diets, from the literature and from hitherto unpublished measurements. In contrast to previous claims, absolute CH4 emissions scaled linearly to DM intake, and CH4 yields (per DM or gross energy intake) did not vary significantly with body mass. CH4 physiology hence cannot be construed to represent an intrinsic ruminant or herbivore body size limitation. The dataset does not support traditional dichotomies of CH4 emission intensity between ruminants and nonruminants, or between foregut and hindgut fermenters. Several rodent hindgut fermenters and nonruminant foregut fermenters emit CH4 of a magnitude as high as ruminants of similar size, intake level, digesta retention or gut capacity. By contrast, equids, macropods (kangaroos) and rabbits produce few CH4 and have low CH4 : CO2 ratios for their size, intake level, digesta retention or gut capacity, ruling out these factors as explanation for interspecific variation. These findings lead to the conclusion that still unidentified host-specific factors other than digesta retention characteristics, or the presence of rumination or a foregut, influence CH4 production. Measurements of CH4 yield per digested fibre indicate that the amount of CH4 produced during fibre digestion varies not only across but also within species, possibly pointing towards variation in microbiota functionality. Recent findings on the genetic control of microbiome composition, including methanogens, raise the question about the benefits methanogens provide for many (but apparently not to the same extent for all) species, which possibly prevented the evolution of the hosting of low-methanogenic microbiota across mammals.
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Matsuda I, Espinosa-Gómez FC, Ortmann S, Sha JC, Osman I, Nijboer J, Schwarm A, Ikeda T, Clauss M. Retention marker excretion suggests incomplete digesta mixing across the order primates. Physiol Behav 2019; 208:112558. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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17
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Hagen KB, Frei S, Ortmann S, Głogowski R, Kreuzer M, Clauss M. Digestive efficiency, digesta passage, resting metabolism and methane production in captive juvenile nutria (Myocastor coypus). EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1239-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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18
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Montañez‐Rivera I, Nyakatura JA, Amson E. Bone cortical compactness in 'tree sloths' reflects convergent evolution. J Anat 2018; 233:580-591. [PMID: 30117161 PMCID: PMC6183012 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bone remodeling, one of the main processes that regulate bone microstructure, consists of bone resorption followed by the deposition of secondary bone at the same location. Remodeling intensity varies among taxa, but a characteristically compact cortex is ubiquitous in the long bones of mature terrestrial mammals. A previous analysis found that cortical bone in a few 'tree sloth' (Bradypus and Choloepus) specimens is heavily remodeled and characterized by numerous immature secondary osteons, suggesting that these animals were remodeling their bones at high rate until late in their ontogeny. This study aims at testing if this remodeling is generally present in 'tree sloths', using a quantitative analysis of the humeral cortical compactness (CC) among xenarthrans. The results of the investigation of humeral diaphyseal cross-sections of 26 specimens belonging to 10 xenarthran species including specimens from both extinct and extant species indicate that in 'tree sloths' the CC is significantly lower than in the other sampled xenarthrans. No significant difference was found between the CC of the two genera of 'tree sloths'. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the cortical bone of 'tree sloths' in general undergoes intense and balanced remodeling that is maintained until late (possibly throughout) in their ontogeny. In the light of xenarthran phylogeny, low CC represents another convergence between the long-separated 'tree sloth' lineages. Although the exact structural and/or functional demands that are associated with this trait are hitherto unknown, several hypotheses are suggested here, including a relationship to their relatively low metabolism and to the mechanical demands imposed upon the bones by the suspensory posture and locomotion, which was independently acquired by the two genera of 'tree sloths'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Montañez‐Rivera
- AG Morphologie und FormengeschichteInstitut für BiologieHumboldt UniversitätBerlinGermany
| | - John A. Nyakatura
- AG Morphologie und FormengeschichteInstitut für BiologieHumboldt UniversitätBerlinGermany
- Bild Wissen Gestaltung. Ein interdisziplinäres LaborHumboldt UniversitätBerlinGermany
| | - Eli Amson
- AG Morphologie und FormengeschichteInstitut für BiologieHumboldt UniversitätBerlinGermany
- Bild Wissen Gestaltung. Ein interdisziplinäres LaborHumboldt UniversitätBerlinGermany
- Museum für NaturkundeLeibniz‐Institut für Evolutions‐ und BiodiversitätsforschungBerlinGermany
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19
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Tejada-Lara JV, MacFadden BJ, Bermudez L, Rojas G, Salas-Gismondi R, Flynn JJ. Body mass predicts isotope enrichment in herbivorous mammals. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1020. [PMID: 30051854 PMCID: PMC6030519 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon isotopic signatures recorded in vertebrate tissues derive from ingested food and thus reflect ecologies and ecosystems. For almost two decades, most carbon isotope-based ecological interpretations of extant and extinct herbivorous mammals have used a single diet–bioapatite enrichment value (14‰). Assuming this single value applies to all herbivorous mammals, from tiny monkeys to giant elephants, it overlooks potential effects of distinct physiological and metabolic processes on carbon fractionation. By analysing a never before assessed herbivorous group spanning a broad range of body masses—sloths—we discovered considerable variation in diet–bioapatite δ13C enrichment among mammals. Statistical tests (ordinary least squares, quantile, robust regressions, Akaike information criterion model tests) document independence from phylogeny, and a previously unrecognized strong and significant correlation of δ13C enrichment with body mass for all mammalian herbivores. A single-factor body mass model outperforms all other single-factor or more complex combinatorial models evaluated, including for physiological variables (metabolic rate and body temperature proxies), and indicates that body mass alone predicts δ13C enrichment. These analyses, spanning more than 5 orders of magnitude of body sizes, yield a size-dependent prediction of isotopic enrichment across Mammalia and for distinct digestive physiologies, permitting reconstruction of foregut versus hindgut fermentation for fossils and refined mean annual palaeoprecipitation estimates based on δ13C of mammalian bioapatite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia V Tejada-Lara
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA .,Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA.,Departamento de Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
| | - Bruce J MacFadden
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA.,Departamento de Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú.,BioGeoCiencias Laboratory, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía/CIDIS, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - John J Flynn
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
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Influence of ruminal methane on digesta retention and digestive physiology in non-lactating dairy cattle. Br J Nutr 2016; 116:763-73. [PMID: 27452637 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114516002701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Enteric methane (CH4) production is a side-effect of herbivore digestion, but it is unknown whether CH4 itself influences digestive physiology. We investigated the effect of adding CH4 to, or reducing it in, the reticulorumen (RR) in a 4×4 Latin square experiment with rumen-fistulated, non-lactating cows, with four treatments: (i) control, (ii) insufflation of CH4 (iCH4), (iii) N via rumen fistula, (iv) reduction of CH4 via administration of bromochloromethane (BCM). DM intake (DMI), apparent total tract digestibility, digesta mean retention times (MRT), rumen motility and chewing activity, spot breath CH4 emission (CH4exhal, litre/kg DMI) as well as CH4 dissolved in rumen fluid (CH4RRf, µg/ml) were measured. Data were analysed using mixed models, including treatment (or, alternatively, CH4exhal or CH4RRf) and DMI relative to body mass0·85 (rDMI) as covariates. rDMI was the lowest on the BCM treatment. CH4exhal was highest for iCH4 and lowest for BCM treatments, whereas only BCM affected (reduced) CH4RRf. After adjusting for rDMI, CH4RRf had a negative association with MRT in the gastrointestinal tract but not in the RR, and negative associations with fibre digestibility and measures of rumination activity. Adjusting for rDMI, CH4exhal had additionally a negative association with particle MRT in the RR and a positive association with rumen motility. Thus, higher rumen levels of CH4 (CH4exhal or CH4RRf) were associated with shorter MRT and increased motility. These findings are tentatively interpreted as a feedback mechanism in the ruminant digestive tract that aims at mitigating CH4 losses by shortening MRT at higher CH4.
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21
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Vendl C, Clauss M, Stewart M, Leggett K, Hummel J, Kreuzer M, Munn A. Decreasing methane yield with increasing food intake keeps daily methane emissions constant in two foregut fermenting marsupials, the western grey kangaroo and red kangaroo. J Exp Biol 2015; 218:3425-34. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.128165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Fundamental differences in methane (CH4) production between macropods (kangaroos) and ruminants have been suggested and linked to differences in the composition of the forestomach microbiome. Using six western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) and four red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), we measured daily absolute CH4 production in vivo as well as CH4 yield (CH4 per unit of intake of dry matter, gross energy or digestible fibre) by open-circuit respirometry. Two food intake levels were tested using a chopped lucerne hay (alfalfa) diet. Body mass-specific absolute CH4 production resembled values previously reported in wallabies and non-ruminant herbivores such as horses, and did not differ with food intake level, although there was no concomitant proportionate decrease in fibre digestibility with higher food intake. In contrast, CH4 yield decreased with increasing intake, and was intermediate between values reported for ruminants and non-ruminant herbivores. These results correspond to those in ruminants and other non-ruminant species where increased intake (and hence a shorter digesta retention in the gut) leads to a lower CH4 yield. We hypothesize that rather than harbouring a fundamentally different microbiome in their foregut, the microbiome of macropods is in a particular metabolic state more tuned towards growth (i.e. biomass production) rather than CH4 production. This is due to the short digesta retention time in macropods and the known distinct ‘digesta washing’ in the gut of macropods, where fluids move faster than particles and hence most likely wash out microbes from the forestomach. Although our data suggest that kangaroos only produce about 27% of the body mass-specific volume of CH4 of ruminants, it remains to be modelled with species-specific growth rates and production conditions whether or not significantly lower CH4 amounts are emitted per kg of meat in kangaroo than in beef or mutton production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catharina Vendl
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mathew Stewart
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Keith Leggett
- Fowlers Gap Arid Zone Research Station, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Fowlers Gap, Broken Hill, NSW 2880, Australia
| | - Jürgen Hummel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Ruminant Nutrition, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Kreuzer
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Adam Munn
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Fowlers Gap Arid Zone Research Station, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Fowlers Gap, Broken Hill, NSW 2880, Australia
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22
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Dill-McFarland KA, Weimer PJ, Pauli JN, Peery MZ, Suen G. Diet specialization selects for an unusual and simplified gut microbiota in two- and three-toed sloths. Environ Microbiol 2015; 18:1391-402. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul J. Weimer
- Department of Bacteriology; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison WI 53706 USA
- US Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service; Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - Jonathan N. Pauli
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - M. Zachariah Peery
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - Garret Suen
- Department of Bacteriology; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison WI 53706 USA
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