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PubMed2002

A Jurassic mammal from South America.

The Jurassic period is an important stage in early mammalian evolution, as it saw the first diversification of this group, leading to the stem lineages of monotremes and modern therian mammals. However, the fossil record of Jurassic mammals is extremely poor, particularly in the southern continents. Jurassic mammals from Gondwanaland are so far only known from Tanzania and Madagascar, and from trackway evidence from Argentina. Here we report a Jurassic mammal represented by a dentary, which is the first, to our knowledge, from South America. The tiny fossil from the Middle to Late Jurassic of Patagonia is a representative of the recently termed Australosphenida, a group of mammals from Gondwanaland that evolved tribosphenic molars convergently to the Northern Hemisphere Tribosphenida, and probably gave rise to the monotremes. Together with other mammalian evidence from the Southern Hemisphere, the discovery of this new mammal indicates that the Australosphenida had diversified and were widespread in Gondwanaland well before the end of the Jurassic, and that mammalian faunas from the Southern Hemisphere already showed a marked distinction from their northern counterparts by the Middle to Late Jurassic.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Locomotor mode, maximum running speed, and basal metabolic rate in placental mammals.

The locomotor performance (absolute maximum running speed [MRS]) of 120 mammals was analyzed for four different locomotor modes (plantigrade, digitigrade, unguligrade, and lagomorph-like) in terms of body size and basal metabolic rate (BMR). Analyses of conventional species data showed that the MRS of plantigrade and digitigrade mammals and lagomorphs increases with body mass, whereas that of unguligrade mammals decreases with body mass. These trends were confirmed in plantigrade mammals and lagomorphs using phylogenetically independent contrasts. Multiple regression analyses of MRS contrasts (dependent variable) as a function of body mass and BMR contrasts (predictor variables) revealed that BMR was a significant predictor of MRS in the complete data set, as well as in plantigrade and nonplantigrade mammals. However, there was severe multicollinearity in the nonplantigrade model that may influence the interpretation of these models. Although these data show mass-independent correlation between BMR and MRS, they are not necessarily indicative of a cause-effect relationship. However, the analyses do identify a negligible role of body size associated with MRS once phylogenetic and BMR effects are controlled, suggesting that the body size increase in large mammals over time (i.e., Cope's rule) can probably rule out MRS as a driving variable.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Limited MHC polymorphism in the southern elephant seal: implications for MHC evolution and marine mammal population biology.

Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are highly polymorphic in most terrestrial mammal populations so far studied. Exceptions to this are typically populations that lack genome-wide diversity. Here I show that two populations of the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) have low DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism at MHC loci when compared with terrestrial mammals. Limited studies on MHC polymorphism in two cetacean species suggest this is a feature of marine mammal populations in general. MHC polymorphism is thought to be maintained by balancing selection, and several types of disease-based and reproductive-based mechanisms have been proposed. For the three marine mammal species examined, the low MHC polymorphism cannot be explained by low genome-wide diversity, or by any reproductive-based selection pressure. It can, however, be explained by diminished exposure to pathogenic selection pressure compared with terrestrial mammals. Reduced exposure to pathogens would also mean that marine mammal populations may be susceptible to occasional pathogen-induced mass mortalities.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Variation in growth form and precocity at birth in eutherian mammals.

Using the flexible Chapman-Richards model for describing the growth curves from birth to adulthood of 69 species of eutherian mammals, we demonstrate that growth form differs among eutherian mammals. Thereby the commonly used Gompertz model can no longer be considered as the general model for describing mammalian growth. Precocial mammals have their peak growth rate earlier in the growth process than altricial mammals. However, the position on the altricial-precocial continuum accounts for most growth-form differences only between mammalian lineages. Within mammalian genera differences in growth form are not related to precocity at birth. This indicates that growth form may have been associated with precocity at birth early in mammalian evolution, when broad patterns of body development radiated. We discuss four non-exclusive interpretations to account for the role of precocity at birth on the observed variation in growth form among mammals. Precocial and altricial mammals could differ according to (i) the distribution of energy output by the mother, (ii) the ability of the young to assimilate the milk yield, (iii) the allocation of energy by the young between competing functions and (iv) the position of birth between conception and attainment of physical maturity.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

PCR detection of granulocytic ehrlichiae in Ixodes ricinus ticks and wild small mammals in western Switzerland.

The presence of granulocytic ehrlichiae was demonstrated by PCR in Ixodes ricinus ticks and wild small mammals in Switzerland in two areas of endemicity for bovine ehrlichiosis. Six ticks (three females and three nymphs) (1.4%) of 417 I. ricinus ticks collected by flagging vegetation contained ehrlichial DNA. A total of 201 small mammals from five species, wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), earth vole (Pitymys subterraneus), bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), and common shrew (Sorex araneus), were trapped. The analysis of I. ricinus ticks [corrected] collected on 116 small mammals showed that nine C. glareolus voles and two A. sylvaticus mice hosted infected tick larvae. In these rodents, granulocytic ehrlichia infection was also detected in blood, spleen, liver, and ear samples. Further examinations of 190 small mammals without ticks or with noninfected ticks showed the presence of ehrlichial DNA in spleen and other tissues from six additional C. glareolus, three A. flavicollis, and one S. araneus mammals. This study suggests that A. sylvaticus, A. flavicollis, S. araneus, and particularly C. glareolus are likely to be natural reservoirs for granulocytic ehrlichiae. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequences of granulocytic ehrlichiae from ticks and rodents showed a high degree of homology (99 to 100%) with granulocytic ehrlichiae isolated from humans. In contrast, groESL heat shock operon sequence analysis showed a strong divergence (approximately 5%) between the sequences in samples derived from rodents and those derived from samples from questing ticks or from other published ehrlichia sequences. Dual infections with granulocytic ehrlichia and Borrelia burgdorferi were found in ticks and small mammals.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

The thalamus of reptiles and mammals: similarities and differences.

Certain aspects of thalamic organization in reptiles and mammals are reviewed. Features shared by the dorsal thalamus of reptiles and that of mammals include projection to the telencephalon, specific and non-specific non-telencephalic afferents, and input from the thalamic reticular nucleus. Differences between the dorsal thalamus of reptiles and that of mammals are the absence of reciprocal telencephalic efferents to the dorsal thalamus and lack of local circuit neurons in reptiles (with the exception of the dorsal geniculate complex in turtles) and their presence in mammals. A thalamic reticular nucleus is present in both reptiles and mammals. In both of these classes of vertebrates, this neuronal aggregate surrounds the dorsal thalamus along its lateral surface, projects to the dorsal thalamus, and is organized into sectors. In one group of reptiles, Caiman crocodilus, the sole reptilian group in which immunocytochemical features have been investigated in detail, the reticular nucleus contains at least three neuronal subpopulations: neurons immunoreactive for glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD); neurons immunoreactive for parvalbumin; and cells that are not immunoreactive for parvalbumin or, probably, GAD. On the other hand, the reticular nucleus of mammals contains a single population of neurons immunoreactive for GAD, gamma amino butyric acid, and parvalbumin.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Osmoregulation in marine mammals.

Osmoregulation in marine mammals has been investigated for over a century; however, a review of recent advances in our understanding of water and electrolyte balance and of renal function in marine mammals is warranted. The following topics are discussed: (i) kidney structure and urine concentrating ability, (ii) sources of water, (iii) the effects of feeding, fasting and diving, (iv) the renal responses to infusions of varying salinity and (v) hormonal regulation. The kidneys of pinnipeds and cetaceans are reniculate in structure, unlike those of terrestrial mammals (except bears), but this difference does not confer any greater concentrating ability. Pinnipeds, cetaceans, manatees and sea otters can concentrate their urine above the concentration of sea water, but only pinnipeds and otters have been shown to produce urine concentrations of Na+ and Cl- that are similar to those in sea water. This could afford them the capacity to drink sea water and not lose fresh water. However, with few exceptions, drinking is not a common behavior in pinnipeds and cetaceans. Water balance is maintained in these animals via metabolic and dietary water, while incidental ingestion and dietary salt may help maintain electrolyte homeostasis. Unlike most other aquatic mammals, sea otters commonly drink sea water and manatees frequently drink fresh water. Among the various taxonomic groups of marine mammals, the sensitivity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system appears to be influenced by the availability of Na+. The antidiuretic role of vasopressin remains inconclusive in marine mammals, while the natriuretic function of atrial natriuretic peptide has yet to be examined. Ideas on the direction of future studies are presented.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Differential scaling of locomotor performance in small and large terrestrial mammals.

It has been observed that the relationship between locomotor performance and body mass in terrestrial mammals does not follow a single linear trend when the entire range of body mass is considered. Large taxa tend to show different scaling exponents compared to those of small taxa, suggesting that there would be a differential scaling between small and large mammals. This pattern, noted previously for several morphological traits in mammals, has been explained to occur as a result of mechanical constraints over bones due to the differential effect of gravity on small and large-sized forms. The relationship between maximum relative running speed (body length s(-1)) and body mass was analysed in 142 species of terrestrial mammals, in order to evaluate whether the relative locomotor performance shows a differential scaling depending on the range of mass analysed, and whether the scaling pattern is consistent with the idea of mechanical constraints on locomotor performance. The scaling of relative locomotor performance proved to be non-linear when the entire range of body masses was considered and showed a differential scaling between small and large mammals. Among the small species, a negative, although nearly independent, relationship with body mass was noted. In contrast, maximum relative running speed in large mammals showed a strong negative relationship with body mass. This reduction in locomotor performance was correlated with a decrease in the ability to withstand the forces applied on bones and may be understood as a necessary stress reduction mechanism for assuring the structural integrity of the limb skeleton in large species.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Island mammals of the past.

The effect of insularity on mammal evolution is approached by considering endemic fossil mammals of islands in the Mediterranean. It is shown that in general the same mammals will arrive on the islands by sweepstake dispersal. Among the large mammals this includes elephants, hippopotamids and deer: all mammals known for their good swimming ability. The evolutionary changes these mammals underwent follow parallel patterns on different islands and can be explained as an adaptational process to an island environment lacking large carnivores.

Animals↗

PubMed1976

[Extraorganic vessels of the epiphysis of humans and placental mammals in their comparative anatomic aspect].

The extraorganic arteries and veins of the pineal gland were studied by methods of injections with staining masses in 166 preparations of the brain of placentry mammals and 15 preparations of the human brain. The difference in the external structure and the topography of the organ in representatives of different orders of mammals is described. An increased amount of additional sources of blood supply, of the extraorganic arteries to the following organ, extraorganic and intracapsular anastomoses between them and of extraorganic veins in higher mammals (primates) as compared with lower mammals (insectivorous) was found. The epiphysis veins are described. The later were note to fall not only into the great cerebral vein, but to be tributaries of internal cerebral and basal veins or to fall immediately into direct or transverse sinuses of the dura mater in a quite a number of representatives of different animal species. An increased intensity of the body supply of the organ, indirectly pointed out by an increased number and diameter of extraorganic arteries and veins might be explained by different levels of the functional activity of the epiphysis in higher mammals as compared with lower mammals.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Man versus beast: pharmacokinetic scaling in mammals.

Land mammals range in size from the 3-g shrew to the 3000-kg elephant. Despite this 10(6) range in weight, most land mammals have similar anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and cellular structure. This similarity has allowed interspecies scaling of physiologic properties such as heart rate, blood flow, blood volume, organ size, and longevity. The equation that is the basis for scaling physiologic properties among mammals is the power equation Y = aWb, where Y is the physiologic variable of interest, W is body weight, and log a is the y-intercept and b is the slope obtained from the plot of log Y versus log W. Animals commonly used in preclinical drug studies (i.e., mice, rats, rabbits, monkeys, and dogs) do not eliminate drugs at the same rate that humans eliminate drugs; small mammals usually eliminate drugs faster than large mammals. Since drug elimination is intimately associated with physiologic properties that are well described among species, it seems reasonable to surmise that drug elimination can be scaled among mammals. Analysis of drug pharmacokinetics in numerous species demonstrates that drug elimination among species is predictable and, in general, obeys the power equation Y = aWb. Early papers on interspecies pharmacokinetic scaling normalized the x- and y-axes to illustrate the superimpossibility of pharmacokinetic curves from different species. More recently, the x- and y-axes have been left in the common units of concentration and time, and individual pharmacokinetic variables have been adjusted to predict pharmacokinetic profiles in an untested species, usually humans.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1999

8-oxo-deoxyguanosine levels in heart and brain mitochondrial and nuclear DNA of two mammals and three birds in relation to their different rates of aging.

Previous studies found that the rate of mitochondrial oxygen radical generation is lower in long-lived birds than in short-lived mammals. In the present study, the oxidative DNA damage marker 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) in heart and brain mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) was compared between mammals and birds of approximately similar body size and metabolic rates; rats (maximum life span, MLSP = 4 years) vs pigeons (MLSP = 35 years), and mice (MLSP = 3.5 years) vs parakeets (MLSP = 21 years) or canaries (MLSP = 24 years). Lower steady-state 8-oxodG values were observed in all cases in the heart mtDNA in birds than in mammals. 8-oxodG levels were also lower in brain mtDNA in pigeons than in rats, in brain nDNA in canaries than in mice, and in heart nDNA in parakeets compared with mice. The rest of the comparisons did not show significant differences between species. These results taken together indicate that oxidative damage to DNA tends to be lower in birds (highly long-lived species) than in short-lived mammals, specially in the case of mtDNA. This is consistent with the low rate of mitochondrial oxygen radical generation observed in all long-lived species investigated up to date, birds or mammals, including the bird species studied here. The results also show that 8-oxodG steady-state levels are much higher in mtDNA than in nDNA in all the tissues (heart and brain) and species (birds and mammals) studied.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗

PubMed2006

Heat shock response and mammal adaptation to high elevation (hypoxia).

The mammal's high elevation (hypoxia) adaptation was studied by using the immunological and the molecular biological methods to understand the significance of Hsp (hypoxia) adaptation in the organic high elevation, through the mammal heat shock response. (1) From high elevation to low elevation (natural hypoxia): Western blot and conventional RT-PCR and real-time fluorescence quota PCR were adopted. Expression difference of heat shock protein of 70 (Hsp70) and natural expression of brain tissue of Hsp70 gene was determined in the cardiac muscle tissue among the different elevation mammals (yak). (2) From low elevation to high elevation (hypoxia induction): The mammals (domestic rabbits) from the low elevation were sent directly to the areas with different high elevations like 2300, 3300 and 5000 m above sea level to be raised for a period of 3 weeks before being slaughtered and the genetic inductive expression of the brain tissue of Hsp70 was determined with RT-PCR. The result indicated that all of the mammals at different elevations possessed their heat shock response gene. Hsp70 of the high elevation mammal rose abruptly under stress and might be induced to come into being by high elevation (hypoxia). The speedy synthesis of Hsp70 in the process of heat shock response is suitable to maintain the cells' normal physiological functions under stress. The Hsp70 has its threshold value. The altitude of 5000 m above sea level is the best condition for the heat shock response, and it starts to reduce when the altitude is over 6000 m above sea level. The Hsp70 production quantity and the cell hypoxia bearing capacity have their direct ratio.

Acclimatization↗

PubMed1981

Blood oxygen transport and organ weights of small bats and small non-flying mammals.

Blood oxygen transport properties and organ weights of five bat species in the weight range between 4.8 and 150 g have been investigated and compared to four similar-size non-flying mammals. In addition allometric organ weight-body weight relations have been compiled for both groups. All bats had higher relative heart weights than the terrestrial mammals. In both groups the relative heart weight increased with decreasing body weight. In bats hemoglobin concentrations (18.2--24.4 g Hb/dl), hematocrits (51--63%), and red blood cell counts (11.0 x 10(6)--26.2 x 10(6) RBC/microliter) were remarkably increased compared to non-flying mammals (15.3--17.4 g Hb/dl, 44--50% Hct, 8.8 x 10(6)--18.3 x 10(6) RBC/microliters). The highest values have been found in the smallest european bat Pipistrellus pipistrellus (4.8 g), they exceeded by far the results of the smallest terrestrial mammal, the shrew Suncus etruscus (2.5 g). Oxygen half saturation pressures and Bohr factors did not show considerable differences between similar-size flying and non-flying mammals. Our results indicate that the higher specific oxygen uptake of flying bats compared to exercising non-flying mammals is mainly enabled by larger hearts and larger blood oxygen capacities.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Comparison between the antioxidant status of terrestrial and diving mammals.

Many diving mammals are known for their ability to deal with nitrogen supersaturation and to tolerate apnea for extended periods. They are all characterized by high oxygen-carrying capacity in blood together with high oxygen storage in their muscle mass due to large myoglobin concentrations. The above properties theoretically also imply a high tissue antioxidant defenses (AD) to counteract reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation associated with the rapid transition from apnea to reoxygenation. Different enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase), and non-enzymatic (levels of glutathione) AD as well as cellular damage (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances contents, as a measure of lipoperoxidation) were measured in blood samples obtained from anesthetized animals, and also in blood obtained from recently dead diving mammals, and compared to some terrestrial mammals (n=5 in both groups). The results confirmed that diving mammals have, in general, higher antioxidant status compared to non-diving mammals. Apparently, to avoid exposure of tissues to changing high oxygen levels, and therefore to avoid an oxidative stress condition related to antioxidant consumption and increased ROS generation, diving mammals possess constitutive high levels of antioxidants in tissues. These data are in agreement with short-term AD adaptations related to torpor and to animals that experience large daily changes in oxygen consumption. These data are similar to the long-term adaptations of animals that undergo hibernation, estivation, freezing-thawing and dehydration-rehydration processes. In summary, animals that routinely face high changes in oxygen availability and/or consumption seem to show a general strategy to prevent oxidative damage by having either appropriate high constitutive AD and/or the ability to undergo arrested states, where depressed metabolic rates minimize the oxidative challenge.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Spermiogenesis and spermiation in a monotreme mammal, the platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus.

Spermatogenesis in the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is of considerable biological interest as the structure of its gametes more closely resemble that of reptiles and birds than marsupial or eutherian mammals. The ultrastructure of 16 steps of spermatid development is described and provides a basis for determining the kinetics of spermatogenesis. Steps 1-3 correspond to the Golgi phase of spermatid development, steps 4-8 correspond to the cap phase, steps 9-12 are the acrosomal phase, and steps 13-16 are the maturation phase. Acrosomal development follows the reptilian model and no acrosomal granule is formed. Most other features of spermiogenesis are similar to processes in reptiles and birds. However, some are unique to mammals. For example, a thin, lateral margin of the acrosome of platypus sperm expands over the nucleus as in other mammals, and more than in reptiles and birds. Also, a tubulobulbar complex develops around the spermatid head, a feature which appears to be unique to mammals. Further, during spermiation the residual body is released from the caudal end of the nucleus of platypus sperm leaving a cytoplasmic droplet located at the proximal end of the middle piece as in marsupial and eutherian mammals. Other features of spermiogenesis in platypus appear to be unique to monotremes. For example, nuclear condensation involves the formation of a layer of chromatin granules under the nucleolemma, and development of the fibrous sheath of the principal piece starts much later in the platypus than in birds or eutherian mammals.

Animals↗

PubMed1981

Replication of avian influenza A viruses in mammals.

The recent appearance of an avian influenza A virus in seals suggests that viruses are transmitted from birds to mammals in nature. To examine this possibility, avian viruses of different antigenic subtypes were evaluated for their ability to replicate in three mammals-pigs, ferrets, and cats. In each of these mammals, avian strains replicated to high titers in the respiratory tract (10(5) to 10(7) 50% egg infective doses per ml of nasal wash), with peak titers at 2 to 4 days post-inoculation, similar to the pattern of human and other mammalian viruses in these animals. Most avian strains were recovered for 5 to 9 days post-inoculation. One avian H1N1 virus initially replicated poorly in pigs, but was adapted to this host and even transmitted to other pigs. Replication of the avian viruses occurred in the respiratory tracts of mammals, whereas, in birds, they replicate in the intestinal tract as well. The infected mammals had no significant disease signs and produced low levels of humoral antibodies; however, challenge experiments in ferrets indicated that they were immune. These studies suggest that influenza A viruses currently circulating in avian species represent a source of viruses capable of infecting mammals, thereby contributing to the influenza A antigenic pool from which new pandemic strains may originate.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1990

Origins of descending spinal pathways in prehensile birds: do parrots have a homologue to the corticospinal tract of mammals?

In mammals, the supraspinal descending projections that influence distal limb muscles are the rubrospinal and corticospinal tracts. The former, which is found in other vertebrates, shows greater somatotopy in mammals that are 'dextrous' (e.g. monkeys) than those that are not (e.g. opossums). Similarly, the corticospinal tract, which is found only in mammals, has more extensive connections (i.e. direct corticomotoneural) in mammals that are dextrous than in mammals that are not. Descending spinal pathways have been described in 'non-dextrous' avian species (chickens, ducks, geese and pigeons), and the purpose of this study was to determine if there are any differences in the origins of descending projections to the spinal cord in 'dextrous' or prehensile parrots (sulphur-crested cockatoo, Cacatua galerita, and eastern rosella, Platycerus eximius). True Blue or wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase was injected into the lumbar or cervical spinal cord. The distribution of retrogradely labelled cells was similar to that previously reported for non-prehensile birds. We found no evidence of any direct spinal projections from the telencephalon (including any pathway homologous to the corticospinal tract of mammals), nor any specialized anatomical organization of the descending pathways that could account for the pedal dexterity of these species.

Animals↗