Revalidation of Passalites Gloger, 1841 for the Amazon brown brocket deer P. nemorivagus (Cuvier, 1817) (Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Cervidae)

Abstract

Mazama nemorivaga (Cuvier, 1817) is a gray brocket deer that inhabits the Amazon region. An assessment of previous studies revealed inconsistencies in its current taxonomic classification, suggesting the need for an update in its genus classification. A taxonomic repositioning of this species is proposed through the collection of a specimen from its type locality (French Guiana) with subsequent morphological (coloring pattern, body measurements, and craniometry), cytogenetics (G Band, C Band, conventional Giemsa, Ag-NOR staining, and BAC probe mapping), and molecular phylogenetic analysis (mitochondrial genes Cyt B of 920 bp, COI I of 658 bp, D-loop 610 bp), and comparisons with other specimens of the same taxon, as well as other Neotropical deer species. The morphological and cytogenetic differences between this and other Neotropical Cervidae confirm the taxon as a unique and valid species. The phylogenetic analysis evidenced the basal position of the M. nemorivaga specimens within the Blastocerina clade. This shows early diversification and wide divergence from the other species, suggesting that the taxon should be transferred to a different genus. A taxonomic update of the genus name is proposed through the validation of Passalites Gloger, 1841, with Passalites nemorivagus (Cuvier, 1817) as the type species. Future research should focus on evaluating the potential existence of other species within the genus Passalites, as suggested in the literature.

Description of Bisbalus, a New Genus for the Gray Brocket, Mazama cita Osgood, 1912 (Mammalia, Cervidae), as a Step to Solve the Neotropical Deer Puzzle

“…Most measurements are greater in the M. cita topotype than reported [24,26] for other gray brockets. Owing to the availability for morphometric analyses of a single specimen of M. cita, we could not statistically test the difference.…”

“…The cytogenetic characteristics of the gray brockets S. gouazoubira and P. nemorivagus have been reported by several authors [24][25][26]. Neitzel [63] was the first to describe the karyotype of S. gouazoubira as possessing a 2n and an FN both equal to 70, which was recently corroborated based on topotypes found to possess a 2n = 69 and an FN = 70 owing to the presence of a centric fusion in a heterozygous state [24].…”

“…Also, within this subtribe, Mazama bricenii Thomas, 1908 [12] was synonymized with Mazama rufina Pucheran, 1851 [13,14]; the Yucatan brown brocket deer, formerly Mazama pandora Merriam, 1901 [15], was transferred to the genus Odocoileus Rafinesque, 1832 [7,16]; Mazama rufa (Illiger, 1815) [17] was validated [18]; and Mazama bororo Duarte, 1996 [19] was synonymized with Mazama jucunda Thomas, 1913 [20,21]. Within the subtribe Blastocerina, the monophyletic Azara's gray brocket, Mazama gouazoubira (Fischer, 1814) [22], has been proposed to belong to the resurrected genus Subulo Smith, 1827 [23], thus its updated name would be Subulo gouazoubira [24]; and the Amazonian gray brocket, formerly Mazama nemorivaga (Cuvier, 1817) [25] and recently updated to Passalites nemorivagus (Cuvier, 1817) [25], has been proposed to represent another genus within the Blastocerina given that it does not share a common ancestor with S. gouazoubira [7,8,26]). Much is yet to be learned regarding the alpha and beta taxonomy of the genus Mazama, thus the analysis of taxa described from the type localities across the Neotropics needs to be continued.…”

“…One species needing a clarification of its phylogenetic relationships is Mazama americana citus Osgood, 1912 [27], whose type locality is "El Panorama, Rio Aurare, eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela". The specific allocation of this putative subspecies is based on the assumption that Cervus nemorivagus Cuvier, 1817 [25] is a synonym of Cervus americanus Erxleben, 1777 [5,[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. The description of specimens characterizes them as paler and more grayish than those of typical "M. americana", with upperparts grizzled cinnamon that gradually become paler on the sides and underparts, white spots on the tarsal glands and on each side of the rhinarium and above each eye, a slightly larger body, notably larger cheek teeth, and differences in other minor cranial features [27].…”

Transcervical artificial insemination in the brown brocket deer (Subulo gouazoubira): a promising method for assisted reproduction in deer

“…However, the biggest obstacle regarding deer TCAI is the anatomy of the cervix, which, similar to sheep, has a tortuous cervical canal with reduced dimensions 6 , 18 . Despite this, there is one successful report for the cervical canal transposition and semen deposition in the uterine lumen of a Passalites nemorivagus (formerly Mazama nemorivaga ) 19 female, giving rise to a healthy offspring 20 . Unfortunately, despite this successful report, there have been no reports of other attempts on Neotropical deer.…”