First phylogenetic analysis of Mesoamerican brocket deer Mazama pandora and Mazama temama (Cetartiodactyla: Cervidae) based on mitochondrial sequences: Implications for Neotropical deer evolution

Mammalian Biology 81 (2016) 303–313

First phylogenetic analysis of Mesoamerican brocket deer Mazama pandora and Mazama temama (Cetartiodactyla: Cervidae) based on mitochondrial sequences: Implications for Neotropical deer evolution

Luis A. Escobedo-Morales • Salvador Mandujano
Luis E. Eguiarte • Marco A. Rodríguez-Rodríguez
Jesús E. Maldonado

Abstract

Several recent studies have tried to unravel the complex evolutionary history of Neotropical cervids. However, the two Mesoamerican brocket deer Mazama pandora and M. temama have not been included in these studies and their relationship to other Neotropical cervids remains unclear. Here, we present analyses that included concatenated sequences from the mitochondrial genes ND2, Cytb, and tRNA-Pro-Control region.

Our results suggest that both Mesoamerican brocket deer fall within the “red” clade, more closely related to genus Odocoileus and red brocket deer species, such as South American Mazama americana, M. bororo, M. nana, and M. rufina.

We estimated that M. temama diverged from other red brocket deer ca. two MYA. Two hypothesis emerge regarding the relationship of the Yucatan brocket deer M. pandora with respect to the other Neotropical deer.

• The first one, based on analyses of concatenated sequences from all three genes, implies an early split from a larger clade that includes Odocoileus and other red Mazama species, with an estimated divergence time dating back to 2.7 MYA. This would suggest isolation on the Yucatan peninsula, limiting the crossing of this species into South America.
• The second one, based only on Cytb, places M. pandora more closely related to Odocoileus and with an estimated divergence time of ca. 1.9 MYA. This would suggest that the humid tropical forests of Mexico and Central America could have been the most likely place of origin of members of the red brocket deer clade.

Deer colonization into South America occurred after the complete formation of the Panamanian land bridge in the late Pliocene, more than one ancestor of the gray brocket deer clade crossed into South America, as well as a red brocket deer ancestor and Odocoileus dispersed southward. A posterior event probably occurred when divergent ancestors of M. temama and M. pandora respectively moved northward after the split with South American red brocket deer.

Our results add to the growing body of evidence calling for an extensive taxonomic revision of this group, and we concur with previous recommendations that the generic taxonomic designation of Mazama should be applied not only to the red brocket deer but also to all of the species currently recognized under the genus Odocoileus.

Abundancia relativa de la zorra gris Urocyon cinereoargenteus en la zona centro de Veracruz México

ISSN impreso: 0034-7744
ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075

Abundancia relativa de la zorra gris Urocyon cinereoargenteus (Carnívora: Canidae) en la zona centro de Veracruz, México

Sonia Gallina T. • Paloma López-Colunga
Carolina Valdespino • Verónica Farías

Abstract
Relative abundance of the gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus (Carnívora: Canidae) in Veracruz central area, Mexico. The gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, is a medium-size canid widely distributed in México. Most studies on this species focus on habitat use, home range, diet, intraguild competence, and lanscape distribution between urban and rural sites. In central Veracruz, gray foxes are present in fragments of cloud forest and in shaded coffee plantations; nevertheless, its abundance has not yet been compared among other vegetation types found in the area, such as sugarcane plantations. In this study we described gray foxes abundance variations using 500 m transects, among sugarcane plantations, shaded coffee plantations, and cloud forest fragments throughout eight months, by scat counting in three sites of each cover type. We reported the relative abundance index for each cover type and each month, and evaluated its relationship with four landscape features:

1. shade percent,
2. trail density,
3. human population density, and
4. habitat juxtaposition, in influence areas of 450 ha around sampling sites.

Abundance comparison among cover types showed lower abundances in cloud forest fragments and higher abundances in coffee and sugarcane plantations. No significant differences were found throughout months (p = 0.476). We proposed that higher abundances in plantations may be related to the presence of rodent plagues and fruit trees which offer food resources to gray foxes. The evaluation of landscape features showed that only medium-impact trail density and human population density were positively correlated with gray fox abundance; fact that demonstrates that this canid can coexist with humans in rural sites. We highlight the gray fox capacity to take advantage of heterogeneous landscapes.