Common evolutionary origin of acoustic communication in choanate vertebrates

Acoustic communication, broadly distributed along the vertebrate phylogeny, plays a fundamental role in parental care, mate attraction and various other behaviours. Despite its importance, comparatively less is known about the evolutionary roots of acoustic communication. Phylogenetic comparative analyses can provide insights into the deep time evolutionary origin of acoustic communication, but they are often plagued by missing data from key species. Here we present evidence for 53 species of four major clades (turtles, tuatara, caecilian and lungfish) in the form of vocal recordings and contextual behavioural information accompanying sound production. This and a broad literature-based dataset evidence acoustic abilities in several groups previously considered non-vocal. Critically, phylogenetic analyses encompassing 1800 species of choanate vertebrates reconstructs acoustic communication as a homologous trait, and suggests that it is at least as old as the last common ancestor of all choanate vertebrates, that lived approx. 407 million years before present

Common evolutionary origin of acoustic communication in choanate vertebrates

Acoustic communication, broadly distributed along the vertebrate phylogeny, plays a fundamental role in parental care, mate attraction and various other behaviours. Despite its importance, comparatively less is known about the evolutionary roots of acoustic communication. Phylogenetic comparative analyses can provide insights into the deep time evolutionary origin of acoustic communication, but they are often plagued by missing data from key species. Here we present evidence for 53 species of four major clades (turtles, tuatara, caecilian and lungfish) in the form of vocal recordings and contextual behavioural information accompanying sound production. This and a broad literature-based dataset evidence acoustic abilities in several groups previously considered non-vocal. Critically, phylogenetic analyses encompassing 1800 species of choanate vertebrates reconstructs acoustic communication as a homologous trait, and suggests that it is at least as old as the last common ancestor of all choanate vertebrates, that lived approx. 407 million years before present

The role of receptivity in the courtship behavior of Podocnemis erythrocephala in captivity

The courtship behavior of Podocnemis erythrocephala (Red-headed Amazon River Turtle) in captivity was studied to examine female receptivity and male response to female rejection. We observed 20 females and 39 males in 150 sessions (3–6 h/day for a total of 450 h). In 36% of the trials, there was no interaction between males and females, and 20% of the trials resulted in copulations. All males introduced into tanks approached females, and eventually there was aggression among the males. In 48% of the experiments, females also searched for or approached males. When males initially approached females, they either accepted the male’s advances (14%), rejected the male passively (38%), or rejected the male aggressively (48%). In 86% of the cases where males were rejected, 4% attempted to approach females again, and in 51% they were ultimately successful

Impact of hospital characteristics on implementation of a Pediatric Early Warning System in resource-limited cancer hospitals

BackgroundPediatric Early Warning Systems (PEWS) aid in identification of deterioration in hospitalized children with cancer but are underutilized in resource-limited settings. Proyecto EVAT is a multicenter quality improvement (QI) collaborative in Latin America to implement PEWS. This study investigates the relationship between hospital characteristics and time required for PEWS implementation.MethodsThis convergent mixed-methods study included 23 Proyecto EVAT childhood cancer centers; 5 hospitals representing quick and slow implementers were selected for qualitative analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 71 stakeholders involved in PEWS implementation. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated to English, then coded using a priori and novel codes. Thematic content analysis explored the impact of hospital characteristics and QI experience on time required for PEWS implementation and was supplemented by quantitative analysis exploring the relationship between hospital characteristics and implementation time.ResultsIn both quantitative and qualitative analysis, material and human resources to support PEWS significantly impacted time to implementation. Lack of resources produced various obstacles that extended time necessary for centers to achieve successful implementation. Hospital characteristics, such as funding structure and type, influenced PEWS implementation time by determining their resource-availability. Prior hospital or implementation leader experience with QI, however, helped facilitate implementation by assisting implementers predict and overcome resource-related challenges.ConclusionsHospital characteristics impact time required to implement PEWS in resource-limited childhood cancer centers; however, prior QI experience helps anticipate and adapt to resource challenges and more quickly implement PEWS. QI training should be a component of strategies to scale-up use of evidence-based interventions like PEWS in resource-limited settings

Subsistence-Level Chelonian Exploitation on the Rio Negro and One Viable Alternative

In the Rio Negro, the third-largest tributary of the Amazon, many turtle species have been important commercial and protein resources for centuries for populations of humans living in the region. For many years, this had been a sustainable activity, but nowadays the outlook for turtle populations in the Amazon is unfavorable due to increasing hunting pressure. Based on 20 yrs of conservation work in the Amazon, we report on the pressure faced by turtle populations in the area and report a sustainable chelonian exploitation alternative developed in the Rio Negro region. We describe the materials and the hand processing artisans use to transform natural resources into artworks. Based on this community program model, we discuss the current government support to local communities of the Rio Negro and provide insights on the application of this economic alternative to substitute for turtle commercialization in the Amazon. The outcomes of this manuscript have direct applications for environmental managers, nongovernmental organizations, and policymakers in Brazil and aim to call government and environmental managers to promote turtle conservation in the Amazon, securing economic safety for local communities.Fieldwork was supported by grants to R.C.V. from CNPq, WCS, CI, WWF, Petrobras Environmental Fund, FAPEAM, INPA, TSA, Turtle Conservancy, and Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve. Publication costs were paid by FAPEAM

Melanosuchus niger (CROCODYLIA: ALLIGATORIDAE) AS OPPORTUNISTIC TURTLE CONSUMER IN ITS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

The Present work observations were driven of potential natural predators of existent chelonians in the Negro river, municipality of Barcelos, Amazonas, Brazil. We worked in two areas of the municipality of Barcelos: Igarapé of the Rio Negro Lodge and Arirá. For the scientific capture of the chelonians were used meshes and net traps, in which fish and some black caiman were also caught because entered to eat, they were registered visually and for the evidence of damage caused in the turtles. In general the Crocodylia includes in their diet turtles, being Melanosuchus niger (black cayman) registered for the first time for this work area as predator of turtles: Podocnemis erythrocephala (red-headed river turtle) and especially of Peltocephalus dumerilianus (big head Amazon turtle). The existent relationship between predator and prey in this case shows few documentation, in spite of existing a wide variety of related studies.En el presente trabajo se hicieron observación de depredadores potenciales de quelonios existentes en el medio río Negro, municipio de Barcelos, Amazonas, Brasil. Se trabajó en dos localidades del municipio de Barcelos: Igarapé del río Negro Lodge y Arirá. Para la captura científica de los quelonios se utilizaron mallas y trampas de red, en las cuales además se atrapaban peces y algunos caimanes negros que entraban para comer y que eran registrados visualmente y por la evidencia de daño causado en las tortugas. En general los Crocodylia incluyen en su dieta quelonios, siendo Melanosuchus niger (caimán negro) registrado por primera vez para esta área de trabajo como depredador de tortugas: Podocnemis erythrocephala (irapuca) y en especial de Peltocephalus dumerilianus (cabezudo). La relación existente entre depredador y presa en este caso muestra poca documentación, a pesar de existir una amplia variedad de estudios relacionados

First Evidence of the Pig-nosed Turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) Vocalizing Underwater

Recent research has demonstrated that some freshwater turtles vocalize underwater, but the taxonomic breadth of this mode of communication in freshwater turtles is unknown, hindering our understanding of its evolution. The Pig-nosed Turtle (Carettochelys insculpta), a monotypic genus inhabiting tropical Australia and New Guinea, is a likely candidate for producing underwater sounds because it exhibits social behavior while feeding, nesting, and thermoregulating. We tested the hypothesis that C. insculpta vocalizes using an omnidirectional hydrophone. We recorded C. insculpta emitting sounds underwater in the field and in captivity in northern Australia in May 2014. Analysis revealed that the 182 sounds produced by seven individuals could be separated into three sound categories. The sounds were simple and characteristic of a contact call, and were similar to those recently reported in other species of aquatic turtles. Further research should focus on the role of sound production in social activities

First evidence of leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) embryos and hatchlings emitting sounds

There are only a few studies documenting acoustic communication in chelonians; here we provide additional evidence that sound plays an important role in the interchange of information in this group. We recorded 12 nests of Dermochelys coriacea during March 2012 at Barra de la Cruz Beach, Oaxaca, Mexico. Four types of sounds were identified from recordings of nests after 51 d of incubation; our results reinforce the idea that sounds are important to coordinate group behavior in turtles. © 2014 Chelonian Research Foundation