No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Forty-two Blarina brevicauda and 50 Sorex cinereus from various locations in Delaware County, Indiana, were examined for helminth parasites. From zero to eight parasites were found in 98 percent of the B. brevicauda. From zero to five parasites were found in 92 percent of the S. cinereus. Longistriata depressa, Porrocaecum americanum, P. encapsulatum, Capillaria blarinae, Protogynella sp., Hymenolepis anthocephalus, Panopistus pricei, Entosiphonus thompsoni, Brachylaima rhomboideus, Trichuris sp., Parastrongyloides winchesi, and a larval spirurid nematode, probably Physaloptera limbata, parasitized B. brevicauda. Larval nematodes, which may be Angiostrongylus michiganensis were abundant in the digestive and respiratory tracts. B. brevicauda also contained a minute, unidentifiable nematode from the small intestine. Tapeworms from four different B. brevicauda were in such poor condition as to make positive identification difficult. These were probably H. blarinae. H. parva; H. serrula; H. faculata; H, longi; two different unidentifiable hymenolepids; P. americanum; P. encapsulatum; A. michiganensis; Pseudophysaloptera formosana soricina; L. depressa; P, pricei; C. rauschi; P. winchesi; larval capillarid nematodes from the liver, probably C. hepatica; and three small unidentifiable nematodes parasitized S. cinereus.First reports include: P. winchesi in an American Sorex sp., Trichuris sp. from the intestine of B. brevicauda, P, pricei in S. cinereus, and larval capillarids, possibly C. hepatica, from the liver of S. cinereus.Possible relationships between the parasites' life cycles and the hosts' habitats were discussed.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The order Macroscelidea has a strict African distribution and consists of two extant subfamilies, Rhynchocyoninae with a single genus that includes three species, and the Macroscelidinae represented by the remaining three genera, Elephantulus that includes 10 species, and the monotypic Macroscelides and Petrodromus. On the basis of molecular, cytogenetic and morphological evidence, Elephantulus edwardii (Cape rock elephant-shrew), the only strictly South African endemic species, was shown to comprise two closely related taxa. A new Elephantulus taxon, described here is reported for the first time. It has a restricted distribution in the central Nama Karoo of South Africa. Apart from important genetic distinctions, Elephantulus sp. nov. has several relatively subtle morphological characters that separate it from E. edwardii. Molecular sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the control region of E. edwardii sensu stricto suggests the presence of a northern Namaqua and central Fynbos clade with four evolutionary lineages identified within the latter. The geographic delimitation of the northern and central clades corresponds closely with patterns reported for other rock dwelling vertebrate species indicating a shared biogeographic history for saxicolous taxa in South Africa. Elephantulus rupestris (western rock elephant-shrew) and Macroscelides proboscideus (round-eared elephant-shrew) are two taxa with largely overlapping distributions that span the semi-arid regions of South Africa and Namibia. Based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data E. rupestris has a structured genetic profile associated with a habitat of rocky outcrops compared to M. proboscideus that inhabits gravel plains, where the pattern is one of isolationby– distance. Chromosomal changes, apart from heterochromatic differences, are limited to variation in diploid number among elephant-shrew species. These range from 2n=26 (E. edwardii; E. rupestris; Elephantulus sp. nov.; E. intufi; E. brachyrhynchus and M. proboscideus) to 2n=28 in both Petrodromus tetradactylus and E. rozeti to 2n=30 in E. myurus. Cross-species chromosome painting (Zoo-Fluorescence in situ hybridization or zoo-FISH) of E. edwardii flow-sorted probes that correspond to the five smaller sized autosomes (8-12) and the X chromosome showed no evidence of synteny disruption among Elephantulus sp. nov., E. intufi, E. myurus, P. tetradactylus and M. proboscideus, and reinforced the G-banding observations underscoring the conservative karyotypes in these species. A comprehensive phylogeny including all described elephant-shrew species is presented for the first time. A multigene supermatrix that included 3905 bp from three mitochondrial (12S rRNA, valine tRNA, 16S rRNA) and two nuclear segments (Von Willebrand factor [vWF] and exon 1 of the interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein [IRBP]) was analysed. Cytogenetic characters, previously described morphological, anatomical and dental features as well as allozyme data and penis morphology were evaluated and mapped to the molecular topology. The molecular findings did not support a monophyletic origin for the genus Elephantulus and suggests that both the monotypic Petrodromus and Macroscelides should be included in Elephantulus. Molecular dating suggests that an arid-adapted Macroscelidinae lineage dispersed from east Africa at ~11.5 million years ago via the African arid corridor to southwestern Africa. Subsequent speciation events within the Macroscelidinae are coincidental with three major periods of aridification of the African continent. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die orde Macroscelidea het ’n verspreiding beperk tot Afrika en sluit twee bestaande subfamilies in, die Rhynchocyoninae wat drie spesies binne ’n enkele genus insluit en die Macroscelidinae verteenwoordig deur drie genera, Elephantulus (10 spesies) en die monotipiese Macroscelides en Petrodromus. Gebaseer op molekulêre, sitogenetiese en morfologiese bewyse, bestaan E. edwardii, tot op datum die enigste streng endemiese Suid- Afrikaanse klaasneusspesie, uit twee nabyverwante taksa. Die nuwe Elephantulus takson, hierin beskryf, het ’n beperkte verspreiding in die sentraal Nama Karoo van Suid-Afrika. Afgesien van belangrike genetiese bewyse wat die beskrywing van die nuwe spesie ondersteun, word Elephantulus sp. nov. gekenmerk deur ’n aantal subtiele morfologiese karakters wat dit onderskei van E. edwardii. Binne E. edwardii sensu stricto, het mitochondriale molekulêre volgordes beduidende substruktuur aangedui regoor die spesies se verspreiding. Die data het die teenwoordigheid van ’n noordelike Namakwa en sentrale Fynbos klade aangetoon met vier evolusionêre lyne binne die laasgenoemde. Die geografiese skeiding van die noordelike en sentrale klades stem grootliks ooreen met patrone in ander rotsbewonende vertebraat spesies, wat op ’n gedeelde biogeografiese verlede in Suid-Afrika dui. Elephantulus rupestris (westelike klipklaasneus) en Macroscelides proboscideus (ronde-oor klaasneus) is twee taksa met verspreidings wat grootliks oorvleuel in die semi-woestyn streke van Suid-Afrika en Namibië. Mitochondriale DNS volgorde-bepaling dui op ’n gestruktueerde genetiese profiel binne E. rupestris, geassosieer met ’n habitat van rotskoppies, in vergelyking met ’n isolasie-deur-afstand patroon wat M. proboscideus, wat op gruisvlaktes aangetref word, karakteriseer. Chromosoom verandering, afgesien van heterochromatiese verskille, is beperk tot ’n strukturele verandering van ‘n diploïede getal van 26 (E. edwardii; E. rupestris; Elephantulus sp. nov.; E. intufi; E. brachyrhynchus en M. proboscideus) tot 2n=28 in beide Petrodromus tetradactylus asook E. rozeti en 2n=30 in E. myurus. Kruis-spesies chromosoom fluoressent hibridisasie (“zoo-FISH”) van die vloei-sorteerde merkers toegewys tot die vyf kleiner grootte outosome (8-12) asook die X chromosoom van E. edwardii tot metafase chromosome van Elephantulus sp. nov., E. intufi, E. myurus, P. tetradactylus en M. proboscideus het geen bewyse getoon van sintenie-verbreking nie en versterk G-bandbepaling waarnemings wat die konserwatiewe kariotipes in hierdie spesies ondersteun. ‘n Volledige evolusionêre filogenie, verteenwoordigend van alle erkende klaasneusspesies, word vir die eerste keer voorgestel. As sulks is ’n multigeen supermatriks wat gebaseer is op 3905 bp van drie mitochondriale (12S rRNA, valien tRNA, 16S rRNA) en twee nukluêre segmente (Von Willebrand faktor [vWF] en ekson 1 van die interfotoreseptor-retinoïed-bindende proteïen [IRBP]) ingesluit. As toevoeging, is nuwe sitogenetiese data, voorheen beskryfde morfologiese, anatomiese en dentale karakters sowel as data van allosieme-analises en penis morfologie ge-evalueer en nie-molekulêre ondersteuning aangedui op die molekulêre topologie. Die molekulêre bevindinge ondersteun nie ’n monofiletiese oorsprong vir Elephantulus nie en stel voor dat beide die monotipiese Petrodromus en Macroscelides ingesluit moet word in die genus Elephantulus. Molekulêre datering stel voor dat ’n dor-aangepasde Macroscelidinae lyn versprei het vanaf oos Afrika ~11.5 miljoen jaar gelede deur die “droeë Afrika korridor” tot in suidwestelike Afrika. Verdere spesiasie gebeurtenisse binne die Macroscelidinae kan nouliks geassosieer word met drie groot periodes van verdorring in Afrika.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 114 p. : ill. (some col.), map. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 92-107).

Predation and abiotic processes rather than competition should influence the community structure of rodents and shrews with life histories characterised by high fecundity, short longevity and unstable populations. I investigated the influence of abiotic processes, predation and competition on three parameters of community structure (species composition, phenotypic and phylogenetic niches) of rodents and shrews at Mkhuze and Kube Yini, two game reserves in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, using null models and multivariate analyses. Rodents and shrews were sampled between 2007 and 2009. Sample-based rarefaction curves indicated that rodent species richness was higher at Mkhuze than at Kube Yini, while shrew species richness was identical at both reserves. Species richness estimators indicated that estimates of species richness were fairly accurate, hence strengthening the results from my null model analyses. I found evidence that immigration and extinction operating at a regional scale influenced rodent species composition. Moreover, habitat filtering operating at a local scale influenced rodent and shrew species composition. These processes produced nested assemblages: species present at species-poor sites were subsets of species present at species-rich sites. Habitat filtering also influenced the phenotypic niche of rodents and shrews: sympatric species showed similar phenotypic adaptations (phenotypic niches were underdispersed), probably in response to similar food requirements. Furthermore, shrew phenotypic traits showed a convergent evolution, and local assemblages comprised distantly related species (phylogenetic evenness), suggesting the influence of habitat filtering on the phylogenetic niche structure of shrews. Predation influenced shrew phenotypes. Bullae and ears were underdispersed and larger than expected by chance, probably to reduce predation risk through increased hearing sensitivity. In contrast, I found no evidence that predation influenced the rodent phenotypic niche. Competition influenced the phenotypic niches of rodents and shrews in species-rich assemblages (phenotypic niches were overdispersed). In these assemblages, the coexistence of species was facilitated by dietary and microhabitat partitioning. Competition also influenced the phylogenetic niche of rodents: phenotypic traits showed a convergent evolution, and local assemblages comprised closely related species (phylogenetic clustering). In conclusion, both abiotic and biotic processes influenced different parameters of the community structure of rodents and shrews. However, despite similar life-history traits, the community structure of local assemblages differed between rodents and shrews. Comparing patterns and processes of community structure across taxa would help find general trends of community organisation. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.

In many terrestrial mammals, males are generally larger than females. Since shrews are the smallest living terrestrial mammals, specimens of the shrew Sorex cinereus cinereus from north central Minnesota were studied to determine if size differences between sexes also occurred at this extreme. Comparisons were based on measurements of external body lengths and individual lengths of upper quadrant locomotive muscles. External differences showed neither males nor females were consistently larger. The results from analysis of variance on individual muscle lengths showed very few significant differences between individual muscles. Those muscles that did show a significant difference were not grouped In a way that would suggest a significance due to a function specific to either sex. This study suggests that in these shrews, unlike many other living terrestial mammals, males are not larger than females.

Monitoring of wildlife populations is critical to conservation and public health and provides crucial information necessary for effective decision-making and management. Effective wildlife monitoring requires effective and adaptable sampling methods that consider the researchers as well as species being monitored. This thesis assesses non-invasive sampling methods to 1) detect cryptic shrew species, and 2) identify bacteria of public health concern present in American black bear (Ursus americanus) fecal matter. Results from Chapter 2 demonstrate the potential for monitoring rare and sparsely distributed small mammals using soil sourced environmental DNA with targeted sampling (e.g., cover objects for shrews). Chapter 3 demonstrates fecal indicator bacteria harboring antimicrobial resistant genes of public health concern can be tracked in the shared human-wildlife environment using non-invasively sourced wildlife fecal samples. This study contributes to future monitoring efforts needed to detect other rare species and identify members of the resistome using non-invasive methods

Thesis (MSc) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Shrews are excellent bioindicators of environmental heavy metal pollution. This is due to their diets and the high rate of consumption at which these small mammals consume their prey. Shrews feed mostly on earthworms, and earthworms accumulate high levels of heavy metals in their bodies. Biomarkers measure responses to environmental pollution in the bodies of exposed organisms. Cellular biomarkers give an indication of responses to pollutants at levels of pollutant exposure that are not yet lethal to the organism. This study was prompted by concern that the number of shrews in the Stellenbosch region was declining. For the present study, shrews (Myosorex varius and Crocidura jlavescens) from the Stellenbosch region were sampled. The levels of Cd and Pb in their bodies were analysed in order to ascertain whether or not these two heavy metals, which occur in the environment as a result of various anthropogenic activities, are present in the food chain of the shrews. In the laboratory, shrews were fed live control and metal exposed earthworms from laboratory cultures. The earthworms had been exposed to either Cd or Pb in these cultures over a number of generations. This was performed to determine whether the presence of the metals in the body of the shrews, had resulted from metal accumulation from the earthworms which were fed to the shrews. Cellular biomarkers were used to determine the cellular response to the metals and membrane integrity and DNA integrity were investigated. This was done by exposing the cells of the shrews and ofBALB/c mice to metal salt solutions of Cd, Pb and Zn in vitro. Membrane integrity was tested by cell leaching techniques viz. the LDH assay and the trypan blue assay. DNA integrity was determined by using the comet assay as a biomarker of exposure. The results of the study show that the shrews in the immediate Stellenbosch region are exposed to lower levels of Cd and even lower levels of Pb than shrews from a site 16km out of the town of Stellenbosch. The cellular responses induced by metal exposure of laboratory mice show that the metals are indeed cytotoxic and genotoxic to the cells of small mammals. Cd and Pb were found to be more cytotoxic than Zn, while Zn was more genotoxic than either CqorPb. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Skeerbekke is uitstekende bioindikatore van swaarmetaalbesoedeling in die omgewing. Dit is as gevolg van hul dieët en die hoë koers waarteen hierdie klein soogdiere hul prooi verorber. Skeerbekke voed meestalop erdwurms, en erdwurms akkumuleer hoë vlakke van swaarmetale in hul liggaam. Biomerkers meet response as gevolg van omgewingsbesoedeling in die liggame van blootgestelde organismes. Sellulêre biomerkers gee 'n aanduiding van response op besoedelingstowwe by vlakke wat nog nie dodelik is vir die organisme nie. Die studie is aangespoor deur die bekommernis dat die getal van skeerbekkies in Stellenbosch besig is om te daal. In die studie is skeerbekke (Myosorex varius en Crocidura flavescens) van die Stellenbosch omgewing gevang en die vlakke van Cd en Pb in hul liggame gemeet om vas te stelof die twee swaarmetale, wat in die omgewing beland as gevolg van verskeie antropogeniese aktiwiteite, teenwoordig is in die voedselketting van die skeerbekke. Die skeerbekke is in die laboratorium met lewende kontrole en metaalblootgestelde erdwurms uit kulture in die laboratorium gevoer. Die erdwurms is aan Cd en Pb oor baie generasies blootgestel in hierdie kulture. Dit is gedoen om vas te stelof die teenwoordigheid van die metale in die liggame van die skeerbekke 'n oorsaak is van metaalakkumuleering as gevolg van die erdwurms waarmee hulle gevoer is. Sellulêre biomerkers is gebruik om sellulêre respons op die metale op die membraanintegriteit en DNA-integriteit vas te stel. Dit is gedoen deur die selle van skeerbekke so wel as BALB/c muise in vitro bloot te stel aan metaalsoutoplossings van Cd, Pb en Zn. Membraanintegriteit is getoets deur selmembraan permeabiliteit tegnieke nl. die LDH en tripaan blou toetse. DNA-integriteit is getoets deur die komeettoets te gebruik. Die resultate van die studie dui daarop dat die skeerbekke van Stellenbosch aan laer vlakke van Cd, en nóg laer vlakke van Pb blootgestel is as die skeerbekke van 'n perseel 16km buite die dorp. Die sellulêre response geïndusseer deur blootstelling aan metale by die laboratoriummuise het aangetoon dat die metale inderdaad skadelik is vir die selmembraan en die DNA van die selle van die muise. Cd en Pb is meer toksies vir die selmembraan as Zn, terwyl Zn weer meer toksies is vir die DNA-integriteit as Cd en Pb.