Habitat selection by two sympatric rodent species in the Monte desert, Argentina. First data for Eligmodontia moreni and Octomys mimax

Traba, Juán; Acebes, Pablo; Campos, Valeria E.; Giannoni, Stella M.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2009.06.017

Cited by 25 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…On the other hand, the relative size of the auditory bullae was demonstrated to have a clear association with environmental variation (in terms of vegetal cover and humidity) among caviomorphs (Hautier et al 2012;Álvarez et al 2013). In particular, caviomorphs with enlarged auditory bullae are adapted to semi-arid/arid environments (Ebensperger et al 2006(Ebensperger et al , 2008Traba et al 2010). Bullar hypertrophy is especially marked in desert-adapted octodontids such as Tympanoctomys and Pipanacoctomys, which are convergent with other desert-specialist rodents such as the North American heteromyid Dipodomys (Ojeda et al, 1999;Mares et al 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

First Approach to the Paleobiology of Extinct Prospaniomys (Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Octodontoidea) Through Head Muscle Reconstruction and the Study of Craniomandibular Shape Variation

Álvarez

Arnal

2015

J Mammal Evol

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†Prospaniomys is a basal octodontoid recorded in the early Miocene in Patagonia (Argentina; Colhuehuapian SALMA). Nearly complete cranial and mandibular remains known for this genus provide a unique opportunity to explore its paleobiology. For this, masticatory muscles were reconstructed and craniomandibular shape variation assessed. While such reconstruction indicates that most masticatory muscles would have presented moderate development, both the masseter lateralis and posterior muscles were poorly developed. In contrast, we found that the temporalis muscle was well developed, while conspicuous postorbital constriction, postorbital processes, and superior temporal lines revealed a substantial orbital portion of this muscle. According to geometric morphometric results, craniomandibular shape was interpreted as generalized. Features such as shortened palate, narrower bizygomatic width, orthodont incisors, enlarged incisive foramina, and a shallow jaw could be linked to epigean habits. The moderate development of auditory bullae in Prospaniomys suggests that it is unlikely that it may have lived in extreme arid environments. Additionally, based on its generalized dental morphology, an omnivorous or generalized herbivorous diet that may have included leaves, fruit, and potentially animal matter was inferred. By the early Miocene, Patagonia experienced the initial expansion stage of arid-adapted vegetation, with grasses present in low amounts and abundant forests. Generalized habits and soft and nonabrasive diet suggest that Prospaniomys was possibly associated with more closed environments. Morphology alone cannot be used as an environmental proxy, but it could undoubtedly contribute to the interpretations based on data provided by paleobotanical and geological frameworks in studies on the evolution of environments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

First Approach to the Paleobiology of Extinct Prospaniomys (Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Octodontoidea) Through Head Muscle Reconstruction and the Study of Craniomandibular Shape Variation

Álvarez

Arnal

2015

J Mammal Evol

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“…This population occurs in the "Columnar cactus slopes" plant community, which is situated on rocky substrate with irregular topography and frequent fi ssures that retain some humidity. This site is characterized by a great plant cover compared with other sites within Ischigualasto Provincial Park, producing a concentration of water and nutrients beneath canopies as well as shielding from intense solar radiation (Acebes et al 2010).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Information on the ecology of the viscacha rat is scarce; the population from Ischigualasto Provincial Park, the one occur ring in the most arid portion of the Monte Desert, has received the greatest attention so far (see review in Sobrero et al 2010). The viscacha rat was captured in habitats dominated by hard substrates (Traba et al 2010) and was found to typically use rock crevices with relatively low vegetation cover as resting places (Ebensperger et al 2008), suggesting that it would behave as a species associated with coarse-grained selection. Although some studies have described habitat use by the viscacha rat, none of them have measured microhabitat scale variables in the crevices used by the species or compared them to random crevices to identify variables that increase crevice suitability for the viscacha rat use.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microhabitat selection by Octomys mimax (Rodentia: Octodontidae) in the Monte Desert is affected by attributes and thermal properties of crevices

Campos

Andino

Cappa

et al. 2013

Rev. chil. hist. nat.

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“…Previous studies in the central Monte desert (Ñacuñan Reserve) with sigmodontine rodents, which live in sympatry with T. pallidior, have shown that, unlike the mouse opossums, habitat type would be more important for selection than vegetation variables (microhabitat characteristics) (Corbalán and Ojeda 2004;Corbalán 2006;Tabeni et al 2007). Other studies in a northern portion of Monte desert showed that macrohabitat and microhabitat selection would both contribute to the coexistence of sympatric species (Octomys mimax and Eligmodontia typus) (Traba et al 2009). Therefore, as this study also shows, only one scale or level of analysis does not seems to be sufficient when assessing habitat preference and requirements of small mammal species (Cox et al 2000;Haythornthwaite and Dickman 2006;Stevens and Tello 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat use by a Neotropical desert marsupial (Thylamys pallidior): A multi-scale approach

Albanese¹,

Ojeda²

2012

Mammalian Biology

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a b s t r a c tIn South America, most didelphid marsupials are associated with tropical and moist forests; however, a few species are adapted to more extreme environments such as desert systems. The desert mouse opossum, Thylamys pallidior, is a small marsupial which inhabits the arid regions of South America and has the broadest distribution of the genus. The objective of this research was to assess the habitat use and selection by the desert marsupial T. pallidior considering different scales and habitat levels of analysis, as well as seasonality. We considered two habitat levels (macro and microhabitat) and the microhabitat was analyzed at two spatial scales (1 ha and 4 m 2 ). We recorded 95 captures of mouse opossums in 27,600 trap-nights. Our study showed that habitat type was not a significant factor for selection; instead mouse opossums selected areas with low complexity and high grass cover. The scale of analysis was also important since the selection was stronger in larger areas. Habitat selection by T. pallidior occurred mainly during the dry season. During the wet season, the species used all habitat areas and types indistinctly. The present study highlights the importance of performing analyses which include multiple spatial and temporal scales for a better understanding of the patterns involved in habitat use and species distribution.

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Habitat selection by two sympatric rodent species in the Monte desert, Argentina. First data for Eligmodontia moreni and Octomys mimax

Cited by 25 publications

References 39 publications

First Approach to the Paleobiology of Extinct Prospaniomys (Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Octodontoidea) Through Head Muscle Reconstruction and the Study of Craniomandibular Shape Variation

First Approach to the Paleobiology of Extinct Prospaniomys (Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Octodontoidea) Through Head Muscle Reconstruction and the Study of Craniomandibular Shape Variation

Microhabitat selection by Octomys mimax (Rodentia: Octodontidae) in the Monte Desert is affected by attributes and thermal properties of crevices

Habitat use by a Neotropical desert marsupial (Thylamys pallidior): A multi-scale approach

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