1
|
de Oliveira TG, Fox-Rosales LA, Ramírez-Fernández JD, Cepeda-Duque JC, Zug R, Sanchez-Lalinde C, Oliveira MJR, Marinho PHD, Bonilla-Sánchez A, Marques MC, Cassaro K, Moreno R, Rumiz D, Peters FB, Ortega J, Cavalcanti G, Mooring MS, Blankenship SR, Brenes-Mora E, Dias D, Mazim FD, Eizirik E, Diehl JL, Marques RV, Ribeiro ACC, Cruz RA, Pasa E, Meira LPC, Pereira A, Ferreira GB, de Pinho FF, Sena LMM, de Morais VR, Ribeiro Luiz M, Moura VEC, Favarini MO, Leal KPG, Wagner PGC, Dos Santos MC, Sanderson J, Araújo EP, Rodrigues FHG. Ecological modeling, biogeography, and phenotypic analyses setting the tiger cats' hyperdimensional niches reveal a new species. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2395. [PMID: 38287072 PMCID: PMC10825201 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52379-8] [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: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, the tiger-cat species complex was split into Leopardus tigrinus and Leopardus guttulus, along with other proposed schemes. We performed a detailed analysis integrating ecological modeling, biogeography, and phenotype of the four originally recognized subspecies-tigrinus, oncilla, pardinoides, guttulus-and presented a new multidimensional niche depiction of the species. Species distribution models used > 1400 records from museums and photographs, all checked for species accuracy. Morphological data were obtained from institutional/personal archives. Spotting patterns were established by integrating museum and photographic/camera-trap records. Principal component analysis showed three clearly distinct groups, with the Central American specimens (oncilla) clustering entirely within those of the Andes, namely the pardinoides group of the cloud forests of the southern Central-American and Andean mountain chains (clouded tiger-cat); the tigrinus group of the savannas of the Guiana Shield and central/northeastern Brazil (savanna tiger-cat); and the guttulus group in the lowland forests of the Atlantic Forest domain (Atlantic Forest tiger-cat). This scheme is supported by recent genetic analyses. All species displayed different spotting patterns, with some significant differences in body measurements/proportions. The new distribution presented alarming reductions from the historic range of - 50.4% to - 68.2%. This multidimensional approach revealed a new species of the elusive and threatened tiger-cat complex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tadeu G de Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão (UEMA), Campus Paulo VI, Av. Lourenço Vieira da Silva 1000, Jardim São Cristóvão, São Luís, Maranhão, 65055-310, Brazil.
- Instituto Pro-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP, Brazil.
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre -ECMVS, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - Lester A Fox-Rosales
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal, UEMA, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - José D Ramírez-Fernández
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Oncilla Conservation, Costa Rica Wildlife Foundation, San José, Costa Rica
| | | | - Rebecca Zug
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Catalina Sanchez-Lalinde
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Onca Fundación para el Estudio de la Diversidad, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Marcelo J R Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre -ECMVS, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Instituto Biotrópicos, Diamantina, MG, Brazil
| | - Paulo H D Marinho
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Alejandra Bonilla-Sánchez
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Mara C Marques
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Zoológico de São Paulo Zoo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo Moreno
- Fundación Yaguará Panamá, Ciudad del Saber/Panama City, Panama
| | - Damián Rumiz
- Noel Kempff Mercado Natural History Museum, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
| | - Felipe B Peters
- Instituto Pro-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP, Brazil
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Josué Ortega
- Fundación Yaguará Panamá, Ciudad del Saber/Panama City, Panama
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancon, Panama
| | | | - Michael S Mooring
- Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA, USA
- Quetzal Education & Research Center (QERC), San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
| | | | | | - Douglas Dias
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre -ECMVS, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- SETEG- Soluções Geológicas e Ambientais, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Fábio D Mazim
- Instituto Pro-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP, Brazil
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Ka'aguy Consultoria Ambiental, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Eizirik
- Instituto Pro-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP, Brazil
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jaime L Diehl
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
| | | | - Ana Carolina C Ribeiro
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | | | - Emanuelle Pasa
- Cruzeiro do Sul Consultoria Ambiental Ltda., Ivoti, RS, Brazil
| | - Lyse P C Meira
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Bioconsultoria Ambiental Ltda., Caetité, BA, Brazil
| | - Alex Pereira
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Bioconsultoria Ambiental Ltda., Caetité, BA, Brazil
| | | | | | - Liana M M Sena
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre -ECMVS, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Micheli Ribeiro Luiz
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Instituto Felinos do Aguaí, Siderópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Vitor E C Moura
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, UEMA, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Marina O Favarini
- Instituto Pro-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP, Brazil
- Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI), São Luís, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Karla P G Leal
- Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, MG, Brazil
| | - Paulo G C Wagner
- Centro de Triagem de Animais Silvestres CETAS, IBAMA-RS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - James Sanderson
- Re:wild, Austin, TX, USA
- Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Corrales, NM, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Stachowicz I, Ferrer-Paris JR, Sánchez-Mercado A. Leveraging limited data from wildlife monitoring in a conflict affected region in Venezuela. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1673. [PMID: 38242939 PMCID: PMC10799001 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52133-0] [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: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient monitoring of biodiversity-rich areas in conflict-affected areas with poor rule of law requires a combination of different analytical approaches to account for data biases and incompleteness. In the upland Amazon region of Venezuela, in Canaima National Park, we initiated biodiversity monitoring in 2015, but it was interrupted by the establishment of a large-scale mining development plan in 2016, compromising the temporal and geographical extent of monitoring and the security of researchers. We used a resource selection function model framework that considers imperfect detectability and supplemented detections from camera trap surveys with opportunistic off-camera records (including animal tracks and direct sighting) to (1) gain insight into the value of additional occurrence records to accurately predict wildlife resource use in the perturbated area (deforestation, fire, swidden agriculture, and human settlements vicinity), (2) when faced with security and budget constraints. Our approach maximized the use of available data and accounted for biases and data gaps. Adding data from poorly sampled areas had mixed results on estimates of resource use for restricted species, but improved predictions for widespread species. If budget or resources are limited, we recommend focusing on one location with both on-camera and off-camera records over two with cameras. Combining camera trap records with other field observations (28 mammals and 16 birds) allowed us to understand responses of 17 species to deforestation, 15 to fire, and 13 to swidden agriculture. Our study encourages the use of combinations of methods to support conservation in high-biodiversity sites, where access is restricted, researchers are vulnerable, and unequal sampling efforts exist.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Stachowicz
- Department of Geobotany and Plant Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 1/3, 90-237, Lodz, Poland.
- Laboratorio de Biología de Organismos, Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apartado 20632, Caracas, 1020-A, Venezuela.
| | - José Rafael Ferrer-Paris
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
- UNSW Data Science Hub, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Ada Sánchez-Mercado
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Espíritu Santo, 092301, Samborondón, Ecuador
| |
Collapse
|