Is it possible for a Procellariiform to raise two chicks? A case of chick adoption in Southern Giant petrels Macronectes giganteus in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

We report on the adoption of a Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus chick by a breeding pair on 25 de Mayo Island (King George Island), South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Our observations showed both chicks received similar amounts of food, but there were differences in their growth rates that could be explained by their gender. After the third week of adoption, aggressive behaviors were common between chicks, usually expressed through regurgitation. This resulted in a low rate of growth in both chicks. Neither chick fledged, and both were found dead near the colony seven weeks after adoption. The constant fights between them could be one of the causes of their death, particularly if death resulted from excessive regurgitation. Although exclusion of unrelated chicks at nest sites has not been reported in M. giganteus, chick adoption seems to have no clear benefits and may contribute to brood failure.Fil: Archuby, Diego Ignacio. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Coria, Néstor Rubén. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Harrington, Ana. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Fusaro, Bruno. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; ArgentinaFil: Montalti, Diego. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Favero, Marco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentin

First record of feather-loss disorder in Antarctic penguins

Little is known about diseases affecting Antarctic wildlife (Kerry & Riddle 2009). Understanding the patterns, causes and effects of disease in these populations is crucial as many of these species are already threatened by rapid environmental changes brought about by climate change and increases in human activity. Although Antarctic penguins are one of the best studied organisms on the continent in terms of health, the published information is also scarce and fragmented (Barbosa & Palacios 2009). This paper reports for the first time, a new disease present in Antarctic penguins, the feather-loss disorder. The feather-loss disorder is characterized by premature loss of feathers resulting in exposed skin.In penguins, the disorder was first observed in African penguin (Spheniscus demersus (L)) chicks, both in captivity and the wild in 2006 and 2008, respectively, and in Magellanic penguins (S. magellanicus (Forster, 1781)) in 2007 (Kane et al. 2010). The cause is still uncertain but avian polyomavirus, the beak and feather disease virus or a bacterial pathogen have been proposed as potential agentsFil: Barbosa, Andrés. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales. Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva; EspañaFil: Colominas Ciuró, Roger. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales. Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva; EspañaFil: Coria, Néstor Rubén. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Centurión, Mara. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Sandler, Rosana Veronica. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Negri, Agustina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Santos, Mercedes. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentin

"Ino" colour aberration in gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) in Antarctica

Two main types of pigments, carotenoids and melanin, primarily determine plumage colouration in birds. Carotenoids are obtained from food, while melanin formation involves metabolic processes and is genetically determined. Melanin pigments comprise pheomelanin (red/brown) and eumelanin (brown/black). Any change in the formation processes of these types of pigments may lead to abnormal colouration of an individual For example, a strong qualitative reduction of both types of melanin defines a colour mutation called "ino". On 15 Dec 2003, an ino chick of a gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua); was observed at Stranger Point, 25 de Mayo/King George I, South Shetland (62° 16´ S, 58° 37´ W). The following year, on 5 Dec 2004, an ino prebreeder gentoo penguin was seen at the same locality. During 2006/07 breeding season an ino adult of the same species successfully reared 2 normally coloured chicks. The ino penguin we observed showed pale brown colour in the normally dark areas of the plumage in this species. It had reddish eyes and grey claws. The beak remained orange but the normally dark culmen was grey. In summary, the ino penguin showed a clear reduction of the darkest areas of the body changing from black to pale brown in plumage and from black to grey in other tissues such as beak and claws. Nevertheless, the distinctive colour pattern of a gentoo penguin was still recognisable. To our knowledge this is the 1st report of an ino gentoo penguin, following van Grouwes (2006) classification.Fil: Juares, Mariana Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Negrete, Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Mennucci, Jorge Augusto. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Longarzo, Mria Lucrecia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Coria, Néstor Rubén. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentin

"Ino" colour aberration in gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) in Antarctica

Two main types of pigments, carotenoids and melanin, primarily determine plumage colouration in birds. Carotenoids are obtained from food, while melanin formation involves metabolic processes and is genetically determined. Melanin pigments comprise pheomelanin (red/brown) and eumelanin (brown/black). Any change in the formation processes of these types of pigments may lead to abnormal colouration of an individual For example, a strong qualitative reduction of both types of melanin defines a colour mutation called "ino". On 15 Dec 2003, an ino chick of a gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua); was observed at Stranger Point, 25 de Mayo/King George I, South Shetland (62° 16´ S, 58° 37´ W). The following year, on 5 Dec 2004, an ino prebreeder gentoo penguin was seen at the same locality. During 2006/07 breeding season an ino adult of the same species successfully reared 2 normally coloured chicks. The ino penguin we observed showed pale brown colour in the normally dark areas of the plumage in this species. It had reddish eyes and grey claws. The beak remained orange but the normally dark culmen was grey. In summary, the ino penguin showed a clear reduction of the darkest areas of the body changing from black to pale brown in plumage and from black to grey in other tissues such as beak and claws. Nevertheless, the distinctive colour pattern of a gentoo penguin was still recognisable. To our knowledge this is the 1st report of an ino gentoo penguin, following van Grouwes (2006) classification.Fil: Juares, Mariana Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Negrete, Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Mennucci, Jorge Augusto. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Longarzo, Mria Lucrecia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Coria, Néstor Rubén. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentin

Relato de deformidade no bico de um ninhego do pinguim-gentoo Pygoscelis papua (Spheniscidae)

Neste artigo reportamos sobre um filhote de pinguim-gentoo com uma deformidade na maxila, encontrado numa colônia das ilhas Shetland do sul. Embora a prevalência deste tipo de anomalia esteja aumentando, as razões para sua explicação não são tão simples de determinar. Contudo, como uma das causas conhecidas de indução à anomalias de formação á a deterioração de condições ambientais, consideramos importantes relatos como o feito nesta publicação.Fil: Juares, Mariana Alejandra. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Santos, Maria Mercedes. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mennucci, Jorge Augusto. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; ArgentinaFil: Longarzo, Mria Lucrecia. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Coria, Néstor Rubén. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; Argentin

Relato de deformidade no bico de um ninhego do pinguim-gentoo Pygoscelis papua (Spheniscidae)

Neste artigo reportamos sobre um filhote de pinguim-gentoo com uma deformidade na maxila, encontrado numa colônia das ilhas Shetland do sul. Embora a prevalência deste tipo de anomalia esteja aumentando, as razões para sua explicação não são tão simples de determinar. Contudo, como uma das causas conhecidas de indução à anomalias de formação á a deterioração de condições ambientais, consideramos importantes relatos como o feito nesta publicação.Fil: Juares, Mariana Alejandra. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Santos, Maria Mercedes. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mennucci, Jorge Augusto. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; ArgentinaFil: Longarzo, Mria Lucrecia. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Coria, Néstor Rubén. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope; Argentin

Gastrointestinal helminths of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) from Antarctica

Knowledge about parasitic organisms in Antarctica is scarce and fragmentary. The study reported here adds to the knowledge of gastrointestinal parasites of the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) (Sphenisciformes), from 25 de Mayo/ King George Island (South Shetlands), Bahia Esperanza (Hope Bay) and Avian Island (Antarctica). Thirty-five freshly dead specimens (20 chicks and 15 adults) were collected from December 2007 to December 2014 and examined for internal macroparasites. Three adult parasite species were found: one Cestoda, Parorchites zederi, and two Nematoda, Stegophorus macronectes and Tetrameres sp. Immature Tetrabothrius sp. were found in hosts from Avian Island. Helminth communities are known to be related to host feeding behaviours. Low parasite richness observed in Adélie penguins could be related to the stenophagic and pelagic diet of this host species, which feeds almost exclusively on krill.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Diet of Cape Petrel Daption capense chicks on South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

The diet of the Cape Petrel was investigated in two localities of South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, over the period January–February 1996. Stomach contents of adults obtained by flushing and regurgitates of chicks were sampled during the chick-rearing period. During the whole sampling period, euphausiids represented the predominant prey in terms of frequency of occurrence, mass and number at Fildes Peninsula, while at Harmony Point, euphausiids and fish components were found in similar proportions in terms of mass and frequency. Myctophiids fish, in particular Electrona antarctica, formed the bulk of the fish component. The analysis of the diet throughout the breeding season showed significant differences in number and mass of the prey items at Fildes Peninsula, while at Harmony Point, there were significant differences also in the occurrence of preys. Considering both localities, although the occurrence of the prey did not vary significantly during the brooding period, there were significant differences in their number and mass. Similar results were found in the post-brooding period between both localities.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Gastrointestinal helminths of Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) from Stranger Point, 25 de Mayo/King George Island, Antarctica

Fil: Díaz, Julia Inés. Centro de Estudios en Parasitología y Vectores (CEPAVE). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Fusaro, Bruno. Centro de Estudios en Parasitología y Vectores (CEPAVE). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Longarzo, Lucrecia. Centro de Estudios en Parasitología y Vectores (CEPAVE). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Coria, Néstor Rubén. Departamento Biología de Predadores Tope. Instituto Antártico Argentino. DNA, Balcarce . Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Vidal, Virginia. Departamento de Sanidad Animal (Parasitología). Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad de Murcia. Murcia; EspañaFil: Jerez, Silvia. Área de Toxicología. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad de Murcia. Murcia; EspañaFil: Ortiz, Juana. Departamento de Sanidad Animal (Parasitología). Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad de Murcia. Murcia; EspañaFil: Barbosa, Andrés. Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC). Madrid; Españ

Birds at Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica: Breeding species and their distribution

Bird communities of the ice-free areas of Laurie Island were surveyed during the breeding seasons of 1993/94 and 1994/95. Additional censuses of penguin colonies were made during the 2004/05 season. Twenty-nine seabird species were recorded, of which 15 were breeding. Adélie Penguins Pygoscelis adeliae bred at six localities, primarily on the south coast. This survey showed that the population of Adélie Penguins in the 2004/05 season was 32.3% lower than that found a previous study conducted during the 1983/84 season. Chinstrap Penguins Pygoscelis antarctica are the most numerous pygoscelid penguins in the area. Previous studies showed they had increased between 1948 and 1983 at many colonies. Since then, there was a slight increase in the population between 1983/84 and 1994/95 (from 141 950 to 143 792 breeding pairs, +1.3%). However, populations of Chinstrap Penguins in the Antarctic Peninsula showed different trends in the late 1980s. Because the censuses available from Laurie Island after 1994/95 season were incomplete, it is not possible to draw any conclusions about Chinstrap Penguin population trends. Population size and distribution of several other species breeding in the area are updated, and possible factors affecting short-term changes are discussed.Fil: Coria, Néstor Rubén. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Montalti, Diego. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rombola, Emilce Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Santos, Maria Mercedes. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Garcia Betoño, Maria Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Juares, Mariana Alejandra. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin