Mario Fernando Garcés-Restrepo

Range extension of Kinosternon dunni Schmidt, 1947 (Reptilia, Testudines, Kinosternidae) in Chocó, Colombia

Dunns’ mud turtle Kinosternon dunni is recognized only from a few localities in the drainages of the San Juan, Baudo and Docampado Rivers in Choco, Colombia. We report on the occurrence of the species in three new localities in a different drainage, two in the Atrato River drainage, which flows into the Caribbean Sea, and a third locality in the Gulf of Uraba, in the Colombian Caribbean. These new records extend the range of the species approximately 367 km to the north of the closest previous confirmed record.

Turtle ectoparasites from the Pacific coastal region of Colombia

This study provides an update on the ectoparasites (ticks and leeches) associated with Rhinoclemmys annulata and provides new accounts on the ectoparasites associated with R. nasuta, R. melanosterna andKinosternon leucostomum from the Pacific coast of Colombia. The presence ofAmblyomma sabanerae on R. nasuta and R. melanosterna provided two new host records for the tick species. Also, the documentation ofA. sabanerae from the Department of Valle del Cauca represents a new department record for the species in Colombia. Placobdella ringueleti was identified fromR. nasuta and K. leucostomum, which represents a new host record for the leech species, as well as a significant extension of the known range.

Research and Conservation Priorities for Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles of Colombia

The objective of our study was to review and quantify the level of knowledge of the biology of tortoise and freshwater turtle species of Colombia based on studies conducted in the country. We used the resulting rankings in knowledge, in combination with IUCN threat category, presence in protected areas, and endemism, to propose conservation priorities. This process also allowed us to evaluate which aspects of turtle biology have been least studied. Four species obtained total values of zero or one over the 21 knowledge criteria employed, so they were ranked as the highest priority for research based on the lack of knowledge of their biology: Black-lined Toad-headed Turtle (Mesoclemmys raniceps), Amazon Toad-headed Turtle (Mesoclemmys heliostemma), Gibba Toad-headed Turtle (Mesoclemmys gibba), and Dunn’s Mud Turtle (Kinosternon dunni). Moreover, species in the family Chelidae in general were found to have limited levels of knowledge, which makes this group a priority for investigation. Evaluation of the distinct criteria used in the knowledge assessment revealed that the best-known criteria were geographic distribution (modeled), presence or absence in protected areas, and clutch size. The most poorly known biological characteristics, which constitute research priorities, are the frequency of nesting, longevity and generation time, and population parameters. According to the criteria used, the priority species for conservation were the Magdalena River Turtle (Podocnemis lewyana), Dahl’s Toad-headed Turtle (Mesoclemmys dahli), K. dunni, and Maracaibo Wood Turtle (Rhinoclemmys diademata), three of which are endemic or semiendemic (R. diademata only occurs in Colombia and Venezuela), followed by two species of Mesoclemmys.

Individual reproductive strategies shape the mating system of tree sloths

While polygyny is the dominant mating system in mammals, it is increasingly recognized that promiscuity occurs in most species. Using a long-term genetic and space-use data set, we documented the mating system for 2 sedentary and uniparous species of tree sloths, brown-throated three-toed (Bradypus variegatus) and Hoffmanns two-toed (Choloepus hoffmanni) sloths. We predicted that the life history of these species facilitates female strategies that promote mating with multiple males across breeding seasons, and shape central features of the mating system in tree sloths. We found that many female sloths mated with different males during our study: 70% of female B. variegatus and 50% of female C. hoffmanni switched mates among years at least once during our study. Our observations of individual movements suggested that females employed 2 strategies that appeared to influence mate switching across breeding seasons: 1) selecting a male from a pool of males in their activity center, and 2) mating with different males by shifting their home ranges during estrus. Collectively, our findings suggest that individual variation in female reproductive strategies contributes to shaping the mating systems for a sedentary mammal like sloths, and highlights the need for long-term studies to effectively capture the mating systems of mammals with slow life histories. Aunque la poligamia es el sistema de apareamiento dominante en los mamíferos, es cada vez más reconocido que las hembras en la mayoría de las especies de mamíferos se aparean con múltiples machos. Usando un set de datos genéticos y de uso de hábitat a largo plazo, se documentó el sistema de apareamiento de dos especies sedentarias y uníparas, el perezoso grisáceo (Bradypus variegatus) y el perico ligero (Choloepus hoffmanni). Se predijo que las características de estas especies, facilitan que las hembras presenten estrategias que promuevan el apareamiento con múltiples machos, determinando finalmente el sistema de apareamiento en estas especies. Se encontró que muchas hembras se aparearon con múltiples machos: 70% de las hembras de B. variegatus y el 50% de las de C. hoffmanni presentaron múltiples parejas por lo menos una vez durante esta investigación. Nuestras observaciones sobre movimientos individuales revelaron que las hembras cambian de pareja bajo diferentes escenarios: (1) apareamiento con machos diferentes en cada estro, de los que se superponen en su ámbito hogareño (2), apareamiento con machos diferentes al cambiar su ámbito hogareño durante el estro. Estas evidencias sugieren que las estrategias reproductivas individuales de las hembras ayudan a modelar el sistema reproductivo de especies sedentarias como los perezosos; finalmente, es importante destacar la necesidad de investigaciones a largo plazo para poder entender los sistemas de apareamiento de especies con lenta historia de vida.

Sustancias alternativas para el control del caracol africano ( Achatina fulica ) en el Valle del Cauca, Colombia

The presence of the giant African snail Achatina fulica (Bowdich 1822) was confirmed in Colombia in 2008. Due to economic and health implications of this species and the difficulties in controlling it, it is essential to establish the relevance of protocols and alternative inexpensive substances used to control the snail. In this research, the effectiveness of manual removal and manual removal with spray of calcium oxide was analyzed. Both techniques had similar efficiencies, so it is recommended that calcium oxide should be implemented only for the disposal of the collected individuals in order to reduce costs and decrease the impact on arthropofauna. In addition, we evaluated the molluscicide ability of commercial sodium hypochlorite, two plant extracts ( Tabebuia rosea and Jatropha curcas ), and commercial molluscicide (metaldehyde). We found that the three alternative substances were effective as molluscicides, but with lower effectiveness than the commercial substance. Implementation of the extracts of T. rosea and J. curcas is recommended because they have low cost, and do not present negative effects on the environment.