Calomys tener (Winge, 1887) (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae): Filling gaps

Abstract

Calomys tener is a widely distributed species in Brazil. Herein we report the second record of C. tener in state of Rio Grande do Sul about 80 km northwestwards from the previous southernmost known limit in Brazil. A fragment of 890 bp of Cytochrome b gene (cyt b) from MCN -MAM 42 was sequenced and the sequence identity was first investigated by using BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Tool) (Altschul et al. 1990) in order to observe its similarity levels with other sequences deposited in the GenBank. We also performed a Neighbor-Joining (NJ) analysis in MEGA5 (Tamura et al. 2011), which included the cyt b sequence from one specimen here surveyed and specimens from other 10 recognized species of Calomys generated in the studies of Salazar-Bravo et al. (2001;2002) and Almeida et al. (2007), obtained from GenBank ( Figure 4; Appendix 1). The specimen here surveyed grouped with the specimen of C. tener from Goiás, Central Brazil (Almeida et al. 2007) with a high level of bootstrap support (100%). The new cyt b sequence was deposited in GenBank (access number: JX975467). Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) evolutionary distances between Banhado Grande specimen and sequences from the specimens utilized in NJ analysis are shown in Table 1. Cranial measurements (Table 2) were within the range presented by Bonvicino et al. (2003) for C. tener, except by the length of diastema (LD) and breadth of rostrum (BRO). The specimen presented tawny dorsal pelage, lighter on the face; the venter was lighter, but hairs gray-based and with color limits with dorsum less conspicuous when compared to sympatric C. laucha. White hairs behind ears also distinguished these two species in the region, being a conspicuous characteristic in C. laucha and less conspicuous in C. tener. This is the second record of Calomys tener for the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Although it not extends its distribution, we confirm the presence of this species in a region approximately 80 km northwestwards from the locality of Quintão, the previous southernmost known limit in Rio Grande do Sul years of small mammal surveys conducted in different physiognomies of the state (e.g. Cademartori et al. 2002; 2004; Dalmagro and Vieira 2005;Iob and Vieira 2008;Quintela et al. 2012;Sponchiado et al. 2012) and the record in only two localities until now (Haag et al. 2007 and this study). Calomys laucha, on the other hand, seems to be a common species in southern coastal dune systems (e.g. Camargo et al. 2006; Haag et al. 2007;Quintela et al. 2013), with one record that may represents its northernmost limit of distribution in a shrubby area in the north region of the state (Badzinski et al. 2012). Since this is the first record of sympatry between these two morphologically similar species in the genus, the real distribution limits MCN-MAM 42

Barn Owl pellets (Aves: Tyto furcata) reveal a higher mammalian richness in the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, Southeastern Brazil

“…The record of the rodent Calomys tener, for instance, is new for restinga habitats in Southeastern Brazil and also represents the first occurrence of the species in the littoral of Rio de Janeiro state. This species inhabits dry and open vegetation formations in central Brazil, and its marginal records in Southeastern Brazil did not include littoral zones or coastal localities east to the Serra do Mar (Almeida et al 2007;Bonvicino et al 2010), despite its widespread occurrence in the coast of Southern Brazil (Quintela et al 2014). The most coastal localities reported for this species in Southeastern Brazil were the municipalities of Santa Tereza, in Espírito Santo state, and Itapetininga, in São Paulo state (Bonvicino et al 2010).…”

“…Mammalian diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic forest is relatively high in comparison to those found in other biomes in Brazil, being distributed throughout a wide range of physiognomies that includes dense and humid forests to coastal sandy plains covered by shrublands and dry forests (Paglia et al 2012). These coastal sandy plains, commonly termed restingas, are discontinuously distributed along the Brazilian littoral near river mouths or zones of past marine transgressions, harboring varied biotas, lagoons and vegetation types, some of which adapted to dry or arid conditions (Cerqueira 2000, Esteves 2011.…”

Does the widely distributed rodent Calomys tener (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) constitute a single evolutionary unit?

“…2 show the same global topology with the following relationships: (C. tener (C. laucha and the big clade including all the large-bodied species of Calomys)). Quintela et al (2014) recorded for the first time the sympatry between C. tener and C. laucha and warned that the distribution limits in the Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil should be investigated. Considering the two clades found for C. laucha by González-Ittig et al (2014), it is highly probable that what Quintela et al (2014) found corresponds to our clade B.…”

“…Quintela et al (2014) recorded for the first time the sympatry between C. tener and C. laucha and warned that the distribution limits in the Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil should be investigated. Considering the two clades found for C. laucha by González-Ittig et al (2014), it is highly probable that what Quintela et al (2014) found corresponds to our clade B. Thus, there is no evidence of sympatry with C. laucha sensu stricto (or clade A) (see a discussion on the geographic distribution of the species in Teta et al 2017).…”

“…One species of the genus that needs a study of its taxonomic situation is Calomys tener (Winge, 1887), the Delicate Vesper Mouse, a small body-sized species, broadly distributed in open vegetative formations in the Cerrado of central Brazil and eastern Bolivia, Caatinga and Pantanal in Brazil (Salazar-Bravo 2015). Several novel reports of occurrence for C. tener have been published: for example, the species was recently reported in the Atlantic and Paranaense forests of Argentina and Paraguay and areas in southeastern Brazil (González-Ittig et al 2014, Quintela et al 2014, all of which were considered outside of the range of the species (Salazar-Bravo 2015). The ecology of C. tener is better known in Brazil, where it occupies a mix of habitat types, including domestic and agricultural areas, and populations appear to be stable all year-long (Umetsu and Pardini 2007).…”