Low accuracy of identifying Neotropical deer species by scat morphology

Costa, Eugênia Barbosa Varella; Oliveira, Márcio Leite de; Peres, Pedro Henrique de Faria; Grotta‐Neto, Francisco; Vogliotti, Alexandre; Piovezan, Ubiratan; Duarte, José Maurício Barbanti

doi:10.1080/01650521.2016.1263418

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 24 publications

(34 reference statements)

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“…Although the number of reindeer samples (n = 3) in the dung morphometry part of the study was too small to be included in the statistical analyses, their measurements (available as Online Resource 2) and the misidentification rate for all reindeer samples (29%, see Table 1) strongly indicate that in areas of overlap with red deer and roe deer, correct identification might be complicated further. We therefore concur with the conclusions reached by other authors who have studied similar multi-species ungulate systems (Costa et al 2017;Bowkett et al 2013;Ramón-Laca et al 2014), in that dung morphometry is an inaccurate tool for distinguishing ungulate species of similar size.…”

Section: Morphometric Measurementssupporting

confidence: 92%

“…The successful identification of red deer and fallow deer depended on observer experience and was higher for experienced observers. Moose was generally better identified than the smaller species by both experienced and novice observers range of correct species assignment we found (99% for moose to 60% for fallow deer) resembles the results of Costa et al (2017) (92-56%) in a study of six sympatric neotropical deer species.…”

Section: Morphometric Measurementssupporting

confidence: 78%

“…For example, Yamashiro et al (2013) found that 41% of sika deer (Cervus nippon) pellets were misidentified as Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus). A study involving six neotropical and largely sympatric deer species found correct dung identification rates to vary from 56 to 92% depending on the location (Costa et al 2017), andBowkett et al (2013) reported an overall identification accuracy of only 59% for five forest-associated antelopes in Tanzania.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Doubting dung: eDNA reveals high rates of misidentification in diverse European ungulate communities

et al. 2019

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Pellet counts are widely used to monitor ungulates but rely on the assumption that pellets of different species are correctly identified in the field. Recent studies question this assumption using DNA barcoding techniques to check field identification rates. For Europe, which is undergoing a rapid shift towards more diverse ungulate assemblages, such an assessment is still missing. Using DNA barcoding on 3889 fecal samples from nine ungulate species in four European countries, we found average field misidentification rates varied from 0.6% for horse (Equus ferus) to 41.1% for roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Most identification errors occurred between similar-sized species from the same taxonomic family. For a subset of samples from Sweden, we looked at the effect of dung morphometry, observer experience, and season on species identification success. Dung morphometry clearly distinguished moose (Alces alces) but not red (Cervus elaphus), roe, and fallow deer (Dama dama). Experienced observers performed better than novices for red and fallow deer although still making significant identification errors (26% and 17% incorrectly identified). Identification success was higher during spring and winter (x = 86%) than summer and autumn (x = 74%). We question pellet counts as an accurate monitoring tool where similar-sized species coexist and monitoring relates to the whole community. For this increasingly common situation across Europe, DNA testing or camera traps may be a better alternative. Pellet counts remain useful where only few species with clearly different dung morphology coexist (e.g., moose and roe deer) or when focused on species with distinctive dung morphology (e.g., moose).

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Section: Morphometric Measurementssupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Morphometric Measurementssupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Doubting dung: eDNA reveals high rates of misidentification in diverse European ungulate communities

et al. 2019

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“…Identifying the animal origin of faecal matter by morphological means is often challenging and can lead to misidentification and subsequent misinterpretation of associated data sets [6][7][8]. For example, the identification of species of ungulates based on faecal pellets is often ambiguous, because many factors, such as variation in diet, health status, size, age of an animal and/or season, can contribute to variation in faecal morphology [7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Similarly, for large marsupials, marked variation in faecal morphology (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiplex PCRs for the specific identification of marsupial and deer species from faecal samples as a basis for non-invasive epidemiological studies of parasites

et al. 2020

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Background: The specific identification of animals through the analysis of faecal DNA is important in many areas of scientific endeavour, particularly in the field of parasitology. Methods: Here, we designed and assessed two multiplex PCR assays using genetic markers in a mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene region for the unequivocal identification and discrimination of animal species based on the specific amplification of DNA from faecal samples collected from water catchment areas in Victoria, Australia. One of these assays differentiates three marsupial species (eastern grey kangaroo, swamp wallaby and common wombat) and the other distinguishes three deer species (fallow, red and sambar deer). We tested these two assays using a total of 669 faecal samples, collected as part of an ongoing programme to monitor parasites and microorganisms in these animals. Results: These two PCR assays are entirely specific for these animal species and achieve analytical sensitivities of 0.1-1.0 picogram (pg). We tested 669 faecal samples and found that some previous inferences of species based on faecal morphology were erroneous. We were able to molecularly authenticate all of the 669 samples. Conclusions: We have established PCR assays that accurately distinguish the faecal samples of some of the prominent large mammalian herbivores found within a water catchment system in the state of Victoria, Australia. The multiplex assays for marsupials and deer produce amplicons that are easily differentiable based on their size on an agarose gel, and can be readily sequenced for definitive species authentication. Although established for marsupials and deer, the methodology used here can be applied to other host-parasite study systems to ensure data integrity.

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“…Brocket deer are a cryptic and elusive group of deer species with a high degree of morphological similarity between species (Duarte & Gonz alez 2010). Visual identification to species level is very unreliable (Duarte & Merino 1997) and genetic analysis is the most reliable tool in distinguishing between species (Costa et al 2017). Therefore, a piece of muscle tissue was collected and sent to the laboratory at the Center for Research and Conservation of Deer in São Paulo State University (Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of tayra (Eira barbara) as predator of medium and large‐sized mammals

Grotta‐Neto

Mello

et al. 2020

Austral Ecology

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Interactions between predators and prey affect their distributions and abundances, and these effects are of central importance in ecology. However, these interactions are difficult to observe in some free-ranging species due to their elusive behaviour. We describe the video-recorded observation of predation of a grey brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) by a tayra (Eira barbara), which is the largest prey reported for this mustelid. Additionally, we report three other wild species (Dasypus sp., Sylvilagus brasiliensis and Leontopithecus chrysopygus) predated by tayra and we present a review of tayra attacks on, and predation of, small primates and other medium and large-sized mammal prey. Surprisingly, this mustelid is capable of predating a high diversity of species, both arboreal and terrestrial. At least 20 species were seen to be predated or attacked by tayras, which are capable of predating species with up to twice its own body weight, information which may be unknown due to its elusive behaviour. Additionally, we discuss the role of tayra in a community structure and raised the question of its potential key role as a predator species. This makes this mustelid a predator with greater prey diversity than previously thought and elucidate aspects of the natural history of trophic ecology of tayra, grey brocket deer and others elusive forest species.

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Low accuracy of identifying Neotropical deer species by scat morphology

Cited by 11 publications

References 24 publications

Doubting dung: eDNA reveals high rates of misidentification in diverse European ungulate communities

Doubting dung: eDNA reveals high rates of misidentification in diverse European ungulate communities

Multiplex PCRs for the specific identification of marsupial and deer species from faecal samples as a basis for non-invasive epidemiological studies of parasites

The role of tayra (Eira barbara) as predator of medium and large‐sized mammals

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