RESUMO
The Güiña (Leopardus guigna), the smallest Neotropical feline, inhabits central and southern Chile and western Argentina. This communication reports the first documented instance of a güiña swimming in a marine environment, observed in the Refugio Channel, which separates Refugio Island from the mainland in Northern Patagonia, Chile. In April 2023, a local resident recorded video footage of a güiña swimming near the eastern shore of the channel, emerging from the water, shaking off, and climbing a tree to groom itself. This observation suggests that the güiña might use the seacoast when searching for food, particularly during periods of low terrestrial prey availability during the winter. The ability of the güiña to adapt to such environments underscores the species' ecological flexibility, previously undocumented in this context, and highlights the need for integrating marine resources into the species' conservation strategies. The video's quality is limited due to the simplicity of the recording device, but it provides crucial visual evidence of this behavior.
RESUMO
We studied the geographic variation of skulls of Lycalopex culpaeus using qualitative and quantative analyses. The sampling area covered Chile, from its northern portion, to Tierra del Fuego and the neighbouring Hoste Island, as well as part of Argentina. Five subespecies are currently recognized from this large area. We found two morphotypes that are segregated geographically. Both groups mostly differ by morphometric attributes, followed by qualitative features. Specimens from northern Chile (Tarapacá and Antofagasta) have small skulls, short rostrum, a liriform sagital zone, and lack the interparietal crest. The second group is formed by specimens from north-western and central Argentina, central-south Chile, Patagonia, and the austral islands of Tierra del Fuego and Hoste. This group presents a strong sagital crest, large rostrum, and a large skull. Our results agree with observed patterns of mitochondrial DNA variation. We propose to retain the name L. c. andinus for the populations of northern Chile and to synonymize L. c. magellanicus, L. c. lycoides, and L. c. smithersi under L. c. culpaeus.
Assuntos
Raposas/classificação , Crânio/anatomia & histologia , Animais , Argentina , Cefalometria , Chile , DNA Mitocondrial/genética , Raposas/anatomia & histologia , Raposas/genética , GeografiaRESUMO
Geographic variation of the fox Lycalopex culpaeus (Mammalia, Canidae) in Chile: taxonomic implications. We studied the geographic variation of skulls of Lycalopex culpaeus using qualitative and quantative analyses. The sampling area covered Chile, from its northern portion, to Tierra del Fuego and the neighbouring Hoste island, as well as part of Argentina. Five subespecies are currently recognized from this large area. We found two morphotypes that are segregated geographically. Both groups mostly differ by morphometric attributes, followed by qualitative features. Specimens from northern Chile (Tarapacá and Antofagasta) have small skulls, short rostrum, a liriform sagital zone, and lack the interparietal crest. The second group is formed by specimens from north-western and central Argentina, central-south Chile, Patagonia, and the austral islands of Tierra del Fuego and Hoste. This group presents a strong sagital crest, large rostrum, and a large skull. Our results agree with observed patterns of mitochondrial DNA variation. We propose to retain the name L. c. andinus for the populations of northern Chile and to synonymize L. c. magellanicus, L. c. lycoides, and L. c. smithersi under L. c. culpaeus. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (1-2): 421-432. Epub 2009 June 30.
Mediante análisis cualitativos y cuantitativos, se estudió la variación geográfica del cráneo de Lycalopex culpaeus en Chile (desde Tarapacá a la islas australes), y de algunas poblaciones argentinas. En dicha distribución se reconocen cinco de las seis subespecies del culpeo. Los resultados muestran dos grupos morfológicos geográficamente segregados; los mismos se diferencian principalmente por atributos morfométricos, y secundariamente por caracteres cualitativos. individuos del norte chileno (Tarapacá y Antofagasta) presentan cráneos pequeños, poco desarrollados, hocico levemente corto, ausencia de cresta interparietal y una tenue zona sagital "liriforme". Por otra parte, los individuos del noroeste y centro argentino, centro sur chileno, Patagonia e islas australes (islas de Tierra del Fuego y Hoste) (grupo B), no muestran diferencias significativas en su morfometría dento-craneal. En el grupo B destacó una fuerte cresta interparietal y zona sagital, hocicos prolongados y cráneos de mayor tamaño que los del norte chileno. Nuestros resultados coinciden con estudios de patrones de variación en el ADN mitocondrial de cánidos de Chile. Por lo tanto, se propone mantener el nombre L. c. andinus para las poblaciones del norte de Chile y sinonimizar los taxones L. c. magellanicus, L. c. lycoides y L. c. smithersi bajo la forma L. c. culpaeus.