ABSTRACT
Dos especies de ectoparásitos fueron colectados de un lobo marino sudamericano (Otaria flavescens) hallado varado en las playas de Chorrillos, en Lima, Perú. Los ectoparásitos fueron identificados como Antarctophthirus microchir (Phthiraptera) y Orthohalarachne attenuata (Acari). Algunas características morfológicas son descritas en el presente reporte. El hallazgo de estos ectoparásitos constituyen los primeros registros en el Perú.
Two species of ectoparasites were collected from a South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) found stranded on the beaches of Chorrillos in Lima, Peru. The ectoparasites were identified as Antarctophthirus microchir (Phthiraptera) and Orthohalarachne attenuata (Acari). Some morphological characteristics are described in this report. The finding of these ectoparasites is the first records in Peru.
ABSTRACT
Edwarsiella tarda is a zoonotic bacterium that can be isolated from humans, animals and the environment. Although E. tarda is primarily considered a fish pathogen, it is the only species of its genus considered to be pathogenic for humans as well. A survey of zoonotic intestinal bacteria in fresh feces from South American sea lions (SASL) Otaria flavescens, reported E. tarda as the most frequently isolated species. In this study, we used HEp-2 cells to establish in vitro the adherence and invasive ability of 17 E. tarda strains isolated from SASL fecal material. All the strains were able to adhere and invade HEp-2 cells with adhesion and invasion percentages ranging from 56 to 100% and 21 to 74%, respectively. Despite the expression of these pathogenic factors, further investigation is needed to determine whether this bacterium could play a role as primary pathogen for this and other species of pinnipeds.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Bacterial Adhesion , Endocytosis , Edwardsiella tarda/physiology , Enterobacteriaceae Infections/veterinary , Hepatocytes/microbiology , Sea Lions/microbiology , Edwardsiella tarda/isolation & purification , Enterobacteriaceae Infections/microbiology , South AmericaABSTRACT
Along the Brazilian coast only two haul-outs of South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) are known: Ilha dos Lobos and Molhe Leste, both located in the southernmost state of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul. Most sea lions observed in these haul-outs are adult and sub-adult males. It is supposed that the species' presence in these areas is due to food supply and absence of parental assistance by males. This study analysed the use of these haul-outs by O. flavescens between 1993 and 2002 based on counting data of observed individuals. Bayesian generalised linear mixed models were used to evaluate differences in abundance between areas, long term trends and seasonal patterns. Results showed that for O. flavescens abundance had a long term trend of increased average occupancy over the study period, with seasonal variation reaching the highest within-year value in August (Ilha dos Lobos) and October (Molhe Leste). The novel application of this powerful statistical modelling approach resulted in a useful tool to quantify occupancy dynamic.
Ao longo da costa do Brasil apenas duas colônias não-reprodutivas de leões-marinhos-do-sul (Otaria flavescens) são conhecidas: Ilha dos Lobos e Molhe Leste, ambas localizadas no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A maioria dos leões-marinhos observados nestas colônias são machos adultos e sub-adultos. Supõe-se que a presença da espécie nestas áreas está relacionada ao forrageamento e a ausência de cuidado parental pelos machos. Este estudo analisou a dinâmica de ocupação e abundância de O. flavescens nas colônias não-reprodutivas entre 1993 e 2002, baseado em uma série temporal de dados de contagens de indivíduos. Modelos lineares generalizados mistos Bayesianos foram usados para avaliar diferença na abundância entre áreas, tendência de uso em longo prazo e padrões sazonais. Os resultados mostram que a abundância de O. flavescens variou sazonalmente, atingindo pico intra-anual em agosto (Ilha dos Lobos) e outubro (Molhe Leste), acompanhado de um aumento da ocupação média dos refúgios ao longo do período de estudo. A nova aplicação desta poderosa forma de modelagem estatística mostrou-se útil para quantificar a dinâmica de ocupação.
Subject(s)
Animals , Animal Distribution , Sea Lions/classification , Linear Models , BrazilABSTRACT
Campylobacter insulaenigrae have been isolated from different pinnipeds but not from South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens). The aim of this work is to report the first isolation of C. insulaenigrae from South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens). The isolate, identified by its phenotypic and molecular characteristics, allow recognizing O. flavescens as a new host for C. insulaenigrae.
Subject(s)
Animals , Campylobacter Infections , Campylobacter/genetics , Campylobacter/isolation & purification , Fur Seals , Phenotype , Caniformia/genetics , Genetic Techniques , Methods , MethodsABSTRACT
The South American sea lion, Otaria flavescens, is widely distributed along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of South America. However, along the Brazilian coast, there are only two nonbreeding sites for the species (Refúgio de Vida Silvestre da Ilha dos Lobos and Refúgio de Vida Silvestre do Molhe Leste da Barra do Rio Grande), both in Southern Brazil. In this region, the species is continuously under the effect of anthropic activities, mainly those related to environmental contamination with organic and inorganic chemicals and fishery interactions. This paper reports, for the first time, the genetic diversity of O. flavescens found along the Southern Brazilian coast. A 287-bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region (D-loop) was analyzed. Seven novel haplotypes were found in 56 individuals (OFA1-OFA7), with OFA1 being the most frequent (47.54 percent). Nucleotide diversity was moderate (π = 0.62 percent) and haplotype diversity was relatively low (67 percent). Furthermore, the median joining network analysis indicated that Brazilian haplotypes formed a reciprocal monophyletic clade when compared to the haplotypes from the Peruvian population on the Pacific coast. These two populations do not share haplotypes and may have become isolated some time back. Further genetic studies covering the entire species distribution are necessary to better understand the biological implications of the results reported here for the management and conservation of South American sea lions.