Studies on ossification patterns and other ontogenetic events associated with postnatal cranial growth of wild felids are scarce. An analysis of developmental processes undergone by several cranial structures (presphenoidal and sphenooccipital synchondroses, temporal and sagittal crests, and deciduous and permanent teeth) during postnatal growth has been conducted on a sample of 336 specimens belonging to the four Recent species of lynxes (Lynx pardinus, Lynx lynx, Lynx rufus, and Lynx canadensis). Age has been estimated based on tooth replacement, skull size, and by counting the annual lines of cementum growth. Comparison of the results obtained for each of the four species reveal (1) a single pattern for both tooth replacement and ossification of the sphenooccipital synchondrosis, (2) two ossification patterns for the presphenoidal synchondrosis, (3) a common pattern for development of temporal ridges and sagittal crest showing different degrees of morphological expression, and (4) evidence suggesting the involvement of a heterochronic process, neoteny, in the morphological differentiation of several populations and species of the genus Lynx. These data also support the hypothesis that processes involved in the replacement of carnassials are based on functional requirements. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Specimens of 12 helminth species were collected from carcasses of eight Lynx pardinus (Temminck, 1827), a carnivore endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. These species included: Brachylaima sp. (12.5%) (Trematoda); Taenia pisiformis (12.5%), T. polyacantha (25%), T. taeniaeformis (25%) and Mesocestoides litteratus (37.5%) (Cestoda); Eucoleus aerophilus (12.5%), Ancylostoma tubaeforme (12.5%), Toxocara cati (37.5%), Toxascaris leonina (62.5%), Vigisospirura potekhina potekhina (12.5%), Mastophorus muris (12.5%) and Physaloptera praeputialis (12.5%) (Nematoda). The helminth fauna in Iberian lynx is compared with that of L. canadensis and L. rufus in America, and for L. lynx in Eurasia. The potential relationships between the parasitological data and some geographical, historical and dietary factors are discussed.

ResumenPresentamos en este artículo el mapa con el área de distribución global de Iberomys cabrerae, en cuadrículas UTM 10x10 km. A partir de los resultados obtenidos, destacamos que a) las 420 cuadrículas con citas se concentran en cuatro grandes núcleos disjuntos (Luso-Carpetano, Montibérico, Bético y Prepirenaico), de los cuales el más extenso es el Luso-Carpetano y el más pequeño, aislado y amenazado es el Prepirenaico; b) sería necesario intensificar la búsqueda de poblaciones en áreas próximas aún poco estudiadas; y c) los datos disponibles sobre la situación de las poblaciones tienen una calidad y distribución geográfica muy desigual, con lo que no disponemos de una imagen clara de su estado de conservación ni se pueden desarrollar estrategias de protección y gestión adecuadas. Palabras clave: atlas de distribución, conservación, España, Iberomys cabrerae, Portugal. ResumoNeste estudo é apresentado um mapa de quadrículas UTM 10x10 km para toda a área de distribuição de Iberomys cabrerae. A partir dos dados obtidos destacamos que a) as 420 quadrículas com dados se concentram em 4 grandes núcleos disjuntos (Luso-Carpetano, Montibérico, Bético y Prepirenaico), das quais o mais importante é o Luso-Carpetano e o mais pequeno, isolado e ameaçado é o Preirenáico; b) é necessário intensificar a procura de populações em áreas ainda pouco estudadas; e c) os dados disponíveis sobre a situação das populações têm uma qualidade muito desigual, diferindo igualmente entre regiões, o que não permite ter uma imagem clara do seu estado de conservação, nem desenvolver estratégias de proteção e gestão adequadas. Palavras-chave: atlas de distribuição, conservação, Espanha, Iberomys cabrerae, Portugal. AbstractIn this article, we provide a map representing the whole distribution area of Iberomys cabrerae, displayed in UTM System, at a scale of 10x10 km squares. Our results show that a) the records are included in 420 squares, which are grouped in four large, disjunct nuclei: Luso-Carpetanian, Montiberian, Baetic and Prepyrenean, the Luso-Carpetanian grouping the largest number of populations, and the Prepyrenean (isolated and threatened) including the smallest number of populations; b) it is necessary to conduct surveys in certain poorly explored areas; and c) available data on the population status are unbalanced in quality and geographic distribution, providing an inaccurate picture of the global conservation status, and preventing the development of global strategies for an adequate conservation and management of the species.

The Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus is one of the world's most endangered felids and is vulnerable to human-induced mortality and habitat loss, which reduce population size and accelerate the loss of genetic variation. Twenty-five metric traits of Iberian lynx skulls have been measured on 95 skulls collected between 1872 and 2003. The skulls belong to three geographically distinct areas/populations, which have recently diverged from each other as a consequence of increased habitat fragmentation: Do˜nana area, Sierra Morena mountains and Montes de Toledo area. The morphometric study was undertaken using univariate, multivariate and admixture analysis approaches, and all three techniques provided evidence for morphometric differentiation, both in skull size and shape, among the three populations for both males and females. Environmental and genetic forces that may have shaped these patterns are discussed. The males of the population of the Do˜nana area showed a different degree of reduction in size in nine of the skull traits with time, which has been suggested to be partly because of worsened habitat conditions. However, the heterogeneity of the degree of mean size reduction and the relatively high degree of reduction of some of the skull traits investigated (44%), which have altered the original proportions between the skull variables, could also partly be attributed to inbreeding depression in the Do˜nana population. The phenotypic variability of the skull traits showed significant increases (two traits) or decreases (nine traits) with time, and this different pattern of change with time has been suggested to be because of a different number of genes controlling the traits with different degrees of dominance and epistatic interactions. The increased phenotypic variability of two of the traits has also been attributed to a possible decreased level of developmental stability, which can be produced by environmental and/or genetic stress. The findings of this investigation contribute to the discussion about the utility and the limits of quantitative genetics techniques for conservation purposes.