Distribución potencial del caimán del Orinoco (Crocodylus intermedius Graves 1819) en la Orinoquia colombiana y venezolana

Crocodylus intermedius (Graves 1819), commonly known at the Orinoco Crocodile, is an endemic species of the Orinoco River Basin that occurs in Colombia and Venezuela. Within the Neotropical Crocodylia, it is considered the most endangered species, listed as Critically Endangered. The use of potential distribution models is an important tool in biogeographical analysis for the conservation of rare and endangered species threatened with extinction. For this reason in this study we determined the potential distribution range for the Orinoco Crocodile using the maximum entropy model Maxent. Initial data to calculate potential range included 654 records of known occurrence for this species, 20 environmental and one limnological variable. The distribution of the Orinoco Crocodile was found to be correlated with precipitation climate variables and the type of water (white, clear or black).Crocodylus intermedius (Graves 1819) comúnmente denominado caimán llanero o caimán del Orinoco, es una especie endémica de la cuenca del Orinoco, con distribución en Colombia y Venezuela. Dentro de los Crocodylia del Neotrópico, es considerada la especie más amenazada y se encuentra en la categoría de Peligro Crítico. El uso de modelos de distribución potencial en el análisis biogeográfico es una herramienta importante para la conservación de especies raras o en peligro de extinción. Es por ello que en este trabajo se buscó determinar la distribución potencial del caimán llanero mediante el uso del algoritmo de maximización de la entropía, Maxent. Como información de entrada se utilizaron 654 registros de presencia de la especie y 20 variables ambientales incluyendo una limnológica. Se concluye que la distribución del caimán llanero está relacionada con la precipitación y con el tipo de aguas (blancas, claras y negras) presentes en la cuenca

Revising the diversity within the Dwarf Dog-faced Bat, Molossops temminckii (Chiroptera, Molossidae), with the revalidation of the endangered Molossops griseiventer

The genus Molossops includes two monotypic species of insectivore bats distributed in South America: Molossops neglectus and Molossops temminckii. Both can be differentiated, based on sizes, M. temminckii being smaller (forearm less than 33 mm). Despite being monotypic, at least two additional subspecies have been described for M. temminckii, of which M. temminckii griseiventer from the inter-Andean Valley of the Magdalena River in Colombia might represent a valid taxon. To test the taxonomic status of M. t. griseiventer, we reviewed specimens of M. temminckii from cis- and trans-Andean localities in Colombia. We used Cytochrome-b and Cytochrome Oxidase I comparisons to test the phylogenetic position of cis- and trans-Andean samples and compared qualitative morphology, morphometric and bioacoustics. Our results show that M. t. griseiventer is differentiated from cis-Andean specimens, providing further evidence of its validity at the species level. Furthermore, M. temminckii (sensu stricto) is also distributed in Colombia, but both M. griseiventer and M. temminckii are allopatric, with the Andes acting as a barrier. The specific identity of the specimens from the Caribbean Region of Colombia needs a new evaluation, but our results clearly show that the diversity of Molossops is underestimated

Potential distribution of the Orinoco crocodile (<em>Crocodylus intermedius<em> Graves 1819) in the Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela

Crocodylus intermedius (Graves 1819), commonly known at the Orinoco Crocodile, is an endemic species of the Orinoco River Basin that occurs in Colombia and Venezuela. Within the Neotropical Crocodylia, it is considered the most endangered species, listed as Critically Endangered. The use of potential distribution models is an important tool in biogeographical analysis for the conservation of rare and endangered species threatened with extinction. For this reason in this study we determined the potential distribution range for the Orinoco Crocodile using the maximum entropy model Maxent. Initial data to calculate potential range included 654 records of known occurrence for this species, 20 environmental and one limnological variable. The distribution of the Orinoco Crocodile was found to be correlated with precipitation climate variables and the type of water (white, clear or black)

Detekcija polimorfizama jednog nukleotida (SNP-a) u HER2, MUC1, ESR1 i BRCA1 gena povezanih s tumorom mliječne žlijezde kuja

Worldwide, canine mammary cancer (CMC) is the most frequent type of neoplasia in female dogs, and it is three times more frequent in dogs than in humans. In Colombia, CMC is the second most frequent type of cancer, after skin neoplasia. Genetics is one of the most important factors involved in any type of cancer, and the genetic basis of this disease is reflected through line breeding due to changes in allelic frequencies that are traceable using molecular markers. This study aimed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with CMC in blood samples collected from collected from healthy and CMC female dogs at Diego Villegas Toro Veterinary Hospital of Universidad de Caldas (Manizales, Colombia). We designed primers using Primer-BLAST and Primer3, and gene fragments from HER2, MUC1, ESR1, and BRCA1 were amplified to identify SNPs through genome mapping using the UCSC Genome Institute genome browser. We used the genome of Canis lupus familaris Boxer breed [GCF_000002285.3, (CanFam 3.1)] as a reference to compare the gene fragments and SNPs. We associated SNPs with the CMC and control groups by testing odds ratios (OR) through Fisher’s exact tests to determine an association or risk for CMC. We detected two SNPs for ESR1, three for MUC1, six for HER2, and one for BRCA1. MUC1 was the only gene to display an SNP in an exonic region that resulted in an amino acid substitution (Pro>Thr). No significant differences based on the OR were found, though the majority of SNPs, with the exception of four, were found in females with CMC. We report a novel molecular marker for HER2 that amplifies exons 25–26 and introns 24-25, and highlight the importance of conducting further studies on MUC1 and elucidating the role of introns and splicing in candidate genes associated with CMC.Diljem svijeta, tumor mliječne žlijezde kuja (CMC) najčešća je skupina neoplazija kuja te je tri puta učestalija u pasa nego u ljudi. U Kolumbiji, CMC je bio druga najčešća vrsta tumora, nakon neoplazija na koži. Nadalje, genetika je jedan od najvažnijih čimbenika uključenih u bilo koju vrstu tumora, a genetska baza ove bolesti održava se kroz linijski uzgoj uslijed promjena alelnih frekvencija, koje se mogu pratiti preko molekularnih markera. Ova studija imala je za cilj detektirati polimorfizme jednog nukleotida (SNP-e) povezane s CMC-om u uzorcima krvi prikupljenih od kuja s CMC-om i zdravih kuja u veterinarskoj bolnici Diego Villegas Toro Sveučilišta Caldas (Manizales, Kolumbija). Dizajnirali smo početnice uporabom Primer-BLAST i Primer3 te su fragmenti gena HER2, MUC1, ESR1 i BRCA1 pojačani za identifikaciju SNP-a preko mapiranja genoma uporabom preglednika genoma Instituta za genom Sveučilišta Santa Cruz u Kaliforniji (UCSC). Rabili smo genom Canis lupus familaris pasmine bokser [GCF_000002285.3, (CanFam 3.1)] kao referencu za usporedbu fragmenata gena i SNP-a. Povezali smo SNP-e s CMC-om i kontrolnim skupinama testiranjem omjera izgleda (OR) pomoću Fisherovih egzaktnih testova za određivanje povezanosti ili rizika od CMC-a. Detektirali smo dva SNP-a za ESR1, tri za MUC1, šest za HER2 i jedan za BRCA1. MUC1 je bio jedini gen koji je pokazao SNP u regiji egzona što je rezultiralo supstitucijom aminokiseline (Pro>Thr). Nismo pronašli značajne razlike na temelju OR-a, premda je većina SNP-a, izuzev četiri, pronađena u kuja s CMC-om. Prijavljujemo novi molekularni marker za HER2 koji pojačava egzone 25 - 26 i introne 24 - 25 te naglašavamo važnost provođenja dodatnih studija na MUC1, kao i pojašnjenja uloge introna i izrezivanja u gena kandidata poveznih s CMC-om

Procjena gama-aktina, beta-aktina, gliceraldehid-3-fosfat dehidrogenaze i 18S kao referentnih gena za qRT-PCR uporabom uzoraka krvi u istraživanju mliječnih žlijezda kujica

Mammary tumours are the most frequent group of neoplasia in female dogs. Tumorigenesis is associated with gene expression changes in a wide variety of genes. For this reason, real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) is used in routine diagnostic procedures in clinical practice due to its the specificity, sensitivity, simplicity, and high performance. qRT-PCR is also widely used to measure the expression of target genes compared to reference genes in several tissues. We collected blood samples from healthy female dogs and females with canine mammary cancer in Manizales, Colombia between June 2018 and January 2019, and mRNA was isolated from each sample for cDNA synthesis. qRT-PCR-based expression assays were performed using primers designed for gamma-actin, beta-actin, GAPDH, and 18S genes. We calculated the amplification efficiency, specificity, and stability using geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and the ΔCt comparative method. We obtained linear regressions to verify constant gene expression and conducted an ANOVA to detect expression differences regarding Ct values and healthy vs. ill conditions. We found stability for primers 18S-1, GAPDH-1, GAPDH-NM, and Gamma-actin-1 (in increasing order). Furthermore, these genes showed constant expression levels in patients (R2>0.80). We report novel primers for gamma-actin and GAPDH, which proved to be efficient endogenous control genes for qRT-PCR applications in blood tissue. These primers are useful for gene expression research in canine mammary cancer.Tumori mliječnih žlijezda najčešća su skupina neoplazija u kujica. Tumorogeneza je povezana s promjenama u ekspresiji gena u širokom rasponu gena. Iz tog razloga se rabi kvantitativna lančana reakcija polimerazom u stvarnom vremenu (qRT-PCR) u rutinskim dijagnostičkim postupcima u kliničkoj praksi, uslijed specifičnosti, osjetljivosti, jednostavnosti i visoke učinkovitosti ove tehnike. qRT-PCR se široko rabi i za mjerenje ekspresije ciljanih gena u usporedbi s referentnim genima u više vrsta tkiva. Prikupili smo uzorke krvi zdravih kujica i kujica s tumorom mliječnih žlijezda u Manizalesu, Kolumbiji, od lipnja 2018. do siječnja 2019. godine. Izolirali smo mRNK iz svakog uzorka za cDNK sintezu. Pokusi ekspresije na bazi qRT-PCR obavljeni su uporabom primera dizajniranih za gama-aktin, beta-aktin, gliceraldehid- 3-fosfat dehidrogenazu (GAPDH) i 18S gene. Izračunali smo pojačanu učinkovitost, specifičnost i stabilnost uporabom geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper i ΔCt komparativne metode. Dobili smo linearne regresije za potvrđivanje stalne ekspresije gena i proveli smo analizu varijance (ANOVA) za detekciju razlika u ekspresiji s obzirom na Ct vrijednosti te zdrava u usporedbi s bolesnim stanjima. Otkrili smo i stabilnost za primere 18S-1, GAPDH-1, GAPDH-NM i Gamma-actin-1 (rastućim redoslijedom). Nadalje, ovi geni su pokazali konstantne razine ekspresije u pacijenata (R2>0,80). Izvještavamo o novim primerima za gama-aktin i GAPDH, koji su se pokazali učinkovitim endogenim kontrolnim genima za qRT-PCR primjene u krvnom tkivu. Ti primeri su korisni za istraživanje ekspresije gena u tumora psećih mliječnih žlijezda

Diversidad avifaunística y gremios tróficos en tres condiciones diferentes de cobertura vegetal selvática, al sureste de Chiapas, México

Los bosques, selvas y otras asociaciones vegetales han sufrido un proceso de degradación ambiental, atribuido a la deforestación y a la fragmentación con el objetivo de ampliar la frontera agrícola-pecuaria. Estos cambios ambientales no pasan desapercibidos para las comunidades faunísticas presentes, como las aves. Una manera confiable de conocer las posibles afectaciones antropogénicas en los ecosistemas es a través del análisis de los gremios tróficos aviares, ya que los cambios en la estructura de la vegetación condicionan la presencia de diferentes gremios tróficos. El objetivo principal del presente estudio fue analizar las variaciones en la riqueza, abundancia y composición de las comunidades de aves y los gremios tróficos en tres diferentes condiciones de cobertura vegetal (selva con regeneración SCR, ecotonos ECO, y un poblado POB), en una región de la Selva Lacandona, Chiapas, México. El muestreo se realizó durante cuatro meses del 2020 donde se recorrieron seis transectos de aproximadamente 2 km de longitud cada uno. Se registraron en total 6,190 individuos de 201 especies de aves. El ECO presentó la mayor riqueza de aves con 155 especies, seguido por la SCR (104 especies) y finalmente, el POB (101 especies). Sin embargo, el POB presentó la mayor abundancia de individuos (2,661 individuos) con respecto a las otras dos condiciones ambientales. La mayor semejanza de las comunidades avifaunísticas ocurrió entre el poblado y el ecotono (53 %). El mayor número de gremios tróficos también se registró en el ECO (15). En general, los insectívoros tuvieron una buena representatividad, particularmente en la SCR. Por el contrario, los granívoros estuvieron relacionados con los espacios abiertos y semiabiertos, desprovistos de vegetación arbórea (POB y ECO). Los frugívoros tuvieron mayor número de especies en el ECO, pero fueron más abundantes en el POB. Mientras que, los nectarívoros se observaron con mayor frecuencia en el POB. La deforestación y la fragmentación reducen el espacio físico de los ecosistemas y también alteran la disponibilidad de alimento para las aves. Lo anterior, se verá reflejado en la presencia-ausencia de los diferentes gremios tróficos y en las funciones ecológicas que son capaces de realizar.Recently many forests, tropical rain forest, and other plant associations have suffered a process of environmental degradation, attributed to deforestation andfragmentation, with the aim of expanding the agricultural-livestock frontier. These environmental changes have a measurable impact on the fauna communities present, such as birds. A reliable way of documenting the possible anthropogenic effects on ecosystems, is through the analysis of the avian trophic guilds since changes in the structure of the vegetation impacts the different trophic guilds. The main objective of this study was to analyze the variations in richness, abundance, and composition of the bird communities and trophic guilds in three different vegetation cover conditions (rain forest with regeneration SCR, ecotones ECO, and a village POB), in a region of the Lacandon rain forest region, Chiapas, Mexico. Sampling was carried four months of 2020 where six transects of approximately 2 km in length were walked. A total of 6190 individuals from 201 bird species were recorded. The ECO presented the highest richness of birds with 155 species, followed by the SCR (104 species) and finally, the POB (101 species). However, the POB presented the highest abundance of individuals (2661 individuals) with respect to the other two environmental conditions. The greatest similarity of bird communities occurred between the village and the ecotone (53%). The highest number of trophic guilds was also registered in ECO (15). In general, the insectivores were widely represented, particularly in the SCR. On the contrary, granivores were related to open and semi-open spaces, devoid of arboreal vegetation (POB and ECO). Frugivores had greater number of species in the ECO but were more abundant in the POB. Meanwhile, nectarivores were observed more frequently in the POB. Deforestation and fragmentation reduce the physical space of ecosystems and modify the availability of food for birds. This will be reflected in the presence-absence of the different trophic guilds and in the ecological functions they are able to perform