skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: The first report of albinism in a Sundaland endemic rodent
Abstract Albinism, a congenital disorder that results in a lack of melanin deposition, is common in domesticated animals but rare in nature. Among the ∼2500 species of rodents worldwide, only 67 have published reports of albinism. Here we report the capture of an albino murid (Muridae: Rodentia) from Mt. Singgalang in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The specimen is an adolescent but sexually mature maleMaxomys hylomyoides, a montane Sumatran endemic. To our knowledge, this specimen represents the first reported albino rodent from Indonesia and Sundaland, and only the second from Southeast Asia.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2010756
PAR ID:
10502047
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Mammalia
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Mammalia
Volume:
85
Issue:
2
ISSN:
0025-1461
Page Range / eLocation ID:
168 to 172
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Abstract Demand-side restrictions on high-deforestation commodities are expanding as a climate policy, but their impact on reducing tropical deforestation and emissions has yet to be quantified. Here we model the effects of demand-side restrictions on high-deforestation palm oil in Europe on deforestation and emissions in Indonesia. We do so by integrating a model of global trade with a spatially explicit model of land-use change in Indonesia. We estimate a European ban on high-deforestation palm oil from 2000 to 2015 would have led to a 8.9% global price premium on low-deforestation palm oil, resulting in 21 374 ha yr−1(1.60%) less deforestation and 21.1 million tCO2yr−1(1.91%) less emissions from deforestation in Indonesia relative to what occurred. A hypothetical Indonesia-wide carbon price would have achieved equivalent emission reductions at $0.81/tCO2. Impacts of a ban are small because: 52% of Europe’s imports of high-deforestation palm oil would have shifted to non-participating countries; the price elasticity of supply of high-deforestation oil palm cropland is small (0.13); and conversion to oil palm was responsible for only 32% of deforestation in Indonesia. If demand-side restrictions succeed in substantially reducing deforestation, it is likely to be through non-price pathways. 
    more » « less
  2. ABSTRACT:Using the classical pulse decay test to measure the permeability of tight rock such as serpentinized harzburgite can be time-consuming, often requiring hours or even days. This prolonged duration not only complicates experimental control but also introduces difficulties in maintaining stable environmental conditions. To address such challenges, a fast permeability measurement method has been developed based on an analytical solution that approximates the pressure distribution in the test specimen using parabolic arcs. This solution yields a simple linear regression formula, enabling rapid interpretation of rock permeability using data from only the initial stage of the pulse decay test. In this study, the proposed method is validated by numerical simulations using synthesized pulse decay test data. In addition, an experimental validation of this method using a serpentinized harzburgite is also presented. It is shown that the method is not only faster but also more accurate than the classical method, which ignores the storage of the rock specimen. 
    more » « less
  3. Abstract Hoplodactylus delcourtiis a presumably extinct species of diplodactylid gecko known only from a single specimen of unknown provenance. It is by far the largest known gekkotan, approximately 50% longer than the next largest-known species. It has been considered a member of the New Zealand endemic genusHoplodactylusbased on external morphological features including shared toe pad structure. We obtained DNA from a bone sample of the only known specimen to generate high-throughput sequence data suitable for phylogenetic analysis of its evolutionary history. Complementary sequence data were obtained from a broad sample of diplodactylid geckos. Our results indicate that the species is not most closely related to extantHoplodactylusor any other New Zealand gecko. Instead, it is a member of a clade whose living species are endemic to New Caledonia. Phylogenetic comparative analyses indicate that the New Caledonian diplodactylid clade has evolved significantly more disparate body sizes than either the Australian or New Zealand clades. Toe pad structure has changed repeatedly across diplodactylids, including multiple times in the New Caledonia clade, partially explaining the convergence in form betweenH. delcourtiand New ZealandHoplodactylus. Based on the phylogenetic results, we placeH. delcourtiin a new genus. 
    more » « less
  4. Abstract DNA sequences were obtained from 32 blade-formingUlvaspecimens collected in 2018 and 2019 from four islands in the Galápagos Archipelago: Fernandina, Floreana, Isabela and San Cristóbal. The loci sequenced were nuclear encoded ITS and plastid encodedrbcL andtufA, all recognized as barcode markers for green algae. Four species were found,Ulva adhaerens,U. lactuca,U. ohnoiandU. tanneri, all of which have had their type specimens sequenced, ensuring the correct application of these names. Only one of these,U. lactuca, was reported historically from the archipelago.Ulva adhaerenswas the species most commonly collected and widely distributed, occurring on all four islands. Previously known only from Japan and Korea, this is the first report ofU. adhaerensfrom the southeast Pacific Ocean.Ulva ohnoiwas collected on three islands, Isabela, Floreana, and San Cristóbal, andU. lactucaonly on the last two.Ulva tanneriis a diminutive, 1–2 cm tall, high intertidal species that is easily overlooked, but likely far more common than the one specimen that was collected. This study of blade-formingUlvaspecies confirms that a concerted effort, using DNA sequencing, is needed to document the seaweed flora of the Galápagos Archipelago. 
    more » « less
  5. Summary Herbarium specimens are widely distributed in space and time, thereby capturing diverse conditions. We reconstructed specimen ‘lived’ climate from knowledge of germination cues and collection dates for 14 annual species in theStreptanthus(s.l.) clade (Brassicaceae) to ask: which climate attributes best explain specimen phenological stage and estimated reproduction? Are climate effects on phenology and reproduction evolutionarily conserved?We used climate data geolocated to collection sites to reconstruct the climate experienced by specimens and to ask which aspects of climate best explain specimen reproductive traits. We mapped slopes of climate relationships with these traits on the phylogeny to explore evolutionary constraint and models of evolution.Precipitation amount and onset, more than temperature, best predicted specimen phenology, but weakly predicted reproduction. Earlier rainfall was associated with more phenological advancement, a relationship that showed phylogenetic signal. Few climate predictors explained specimen reproduction. Phenological compensation, interactions with other species, or challenges in estimating total reproduction from specimens may reduce the signal between climate and reproduction.We highlight the value of specimen‐tailored growing season estimates for reconstructing climate, incorporating evolutionary relationships in assessing responses to climate. We propose supplemental collection protocols to increase the utility of specimens for understanding climate impacts. 
    more » « less