Murine typhus, a neglected rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia typhi, is a common disease in several Latin‐American countries. The sylvatic life cycle of R. typhi encompasses the presence of several ...wild mammals, particularly opossums of the genus Didelphis and their associated fleas. Due to the colonization of wild environments by human populations, the increase in contact with opossum fleas has generated the presence of urban outbreaks of typhus. For this reason, the aim of our study was to identify the presence and diversity of Rickettsia sp. in fleas collected from opossums of an urban reserve in Mexico City. Opossums were captured from February to September 2017. For the detection of Rickettsia DNA, fragments of 800 bp of the citrate synthase (gltA) and the outer membrane protein B (ompB) were amplified. A total of 141 fleas (111 ♀, 30 ♂) of a single species (Ctenocephalides felis felis) were recovered from 31 Didelphis virginiana. Rickettsia DNA was detected in 17.7% (25/141) of the analysed fleas, recovered from seven infested opossums. The Maximum likelihood of sequences exhibited an identity of 99%–100% with sequences of R. typhi from southern United States. This work represents the first record of R. typhi in fleas from opossums in Mexico.
Protected urban green spaces (PUGS) are exposed to numerous disturbances and threats since they are immersed in highly dynamic socio-ecological systems. PUGS in highly urbanized cities require ...particular conservation strategies. Here, we propose an approach for PUGS management which integrates three components: i) scientific knowledge (monitoring/restoration), ii) community interaction with the environment, and iii) management decision. Our hypothesis asserts that the intersection of these components should produce a solid management program, provided that the obtained multidisciplinary knowledge meets the needs of information required by the community and decision makers. We tested this hypothesis for a small PUGS located within Mexico City at the National Autonomous University of Mexico campus that holds the Ecological Reserve of Pedregal de San Ángel. Through a participatory approach we built a mental model to understand the perceptions of different campus actors (students, academics and administrators), and their social and ecological relationships with this PUGS. Our findings provide insight into the actors’ perceptions and concerns and suggest that the interactions among the three components, although important, are not self-generated and must be constructed. The findings also suggest that one of the management problems is the mismatch between scientific knowledge and conservation programs. It is paramount to include generated knowledge into management and monitoring programs. The complexity of the PUGS requires an active collaboration among actors and monitoring the development of management strategies using the three components while taking the conservation goals into account.
Conservation of natural ecosystems embedded in urban contexts is a big challenge because diverse anthropogenic factors continuously impact native biodiversity and ecological processes. One such ...factor is the pervasive presence of free-ranging predators, especially cats (
Felis silvestris catus
) and dogs (
Canis lupus familiaris
), which may severely affect local wildlife. The “Reserva Ecológica del Pedregal de San Ángel” (REPSA), located within the main campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), in southern Mexico City, is an important natural area that protects a peculiar volcanic spill ecosystem holding native and endemic biodiversity. In 2012, UNAM launched a control program of cats and dogs in REPSA that is still active. To assess the potential impact of cats and dogs on wildlife species, we used live and camera traps coupled with capture-recapture analyses to evaluate changes in the vertebrate community, particularly in the presence and abundance of two medium-size native mammals (
Didelphis virginiana
and
Bassariscus astutus
), before (2008–2009) and during (2017–2019) the control program. Results showed that the abundance of dogs decreased between the two periods, but not so the abundance of cats, whereas the native vertebrate diversity increased from the pre-control stage to the control period. Furthermore, we found a negative, non-significant relationship between the abundance of
D. virginiana
and that of dogs, and a positive, also non-significant relationship between the presence and abundance of
B. astutus
with the abundance of dogs. We conclude that the control program of free-ranging predators has been beneficial for the conservation of native vertebrates and recommend its continuation and enhancement.
The tick
Ixodes dampfi
Cooley 1943, a member of the
Pholeoixodes
subgenus, was first described from gophers (
Geomys
sp.) collected in the state of Mexico. However, information on the origin and ...parasite-host association of
I
.
dampfi
is lacking. Here, new records of the occurrence of this tick species were provided nearly 80 years since its original description, in addition to new localities, genetic data, and host-parasite records. A total of four hosts (one
Bassariscus astutus
, two
Didelphis virginiana
, and one
Peromyscus gratus
) from three orders (Carnivora, Didelphimorphia, and Rodentia) were parasitised by seven
I
.
dampfi
females. Sequences of the
16S rDNA
gene from the ticks exhibited a similarity ranging from 97 (389/403 bp) to 100% (403/403 bp), with the unique sequence of
I
.
dampfi
available on GenBank (AF549837). Additionally,
Rickettsia
-specific
16S rDNA
,
htrA
, and
ompA
gene assays generated sequences in four of the seven
I
.
dampfi
specimens (57.14%). Partial sequences revealed 99–100% genetic identities with
Candidatus
Rickettsia angustus (GenBank accession HF935069, HF935072, HF935078) and
Candidatus
Rickettsia kingi (GenBank accession HF935068, HF935071, HF935077) from Canada. Our results represent the first record of this elusive ectoparasite in a natural protected area, which is a triumph for conservation, as accelerated defaunation processes pose the risk of coextinction for many groups of vertebrates and their ectoparasites.
This study focused on the relationship between the perceptions and attitudes of visitors at the Jardín Zoológico Payo Obispo and their support for the conservation of nine animal species, native of ...southeastern Mexico. Results from 198 surveys applied from November 2018 to February 2019, show that fear is the most important factor for visitors to decide if they support the protection of opossums and boas, while for ferruginous pygmy-owl and Morelet’s crocodile it was the aesthetic consideration (“ugly”). For the remainder species, with the exception of the jicotea turtle, both, the fear, and the aesthetic perceptions directly influence conservation support.
Mammals are one of the most negatively affected groups by urbanization, nevertheless, urban reserves can help their conservation. The study of wildlife within the reserves is important for the ...persistence of these populations, but stressors factors as feral fauna might endanger the conservation of wildlife. Therefore, our objective was to analyze the patterns of temporal and spatial activity of wild and feral mammals within the San Angel Pedregal Ecological Reserve, UNAM, Mexico City, using trap cameras. We found five species of wild mammals and two feral ones. All mammals were primarily nocturnal, except for the Rock Squirrel which changes their behavior in comparison with individuals in natural habitats. All wildlife species showed a high temporal overlap of activity with feral fauna particularly, Rock Squirrel, Eastern Cottontail, and Gray Fox. The analysis of spatial co-occurrence showed that the probability of an encounter between species at a certain point of the reservation is random. Although, due to the reduced area of the reserve, species may overlap spatially. In general, our results indicate that feral fauna has a high overlap of activity with wildlife, however, the studied reserve protects wildlife populations. Therefore, to reduce this overlap, we recommend creating a dog and cat management program for urban protected areas and surrounding areas. Particularly in REPSA, we encourage to continue with the control program of feral species in the long term and change the management of waste within the UNAM.
Resumen: El Ambystoma mexicanum se encuentra en peligro de extinción en vida libre, debido a efectos antropogénicos; la criopreservación espermática para su reproducción en cautiverio, puede ayudar a ...su conservación ex situ. El objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar la viabilidad en fresco y post descongelación de espermatozoides provenientes de diferentes espermatóforos. Durante la temporada reproductiva se indujo en nueve ejemplares, la liberación de espermatóforos mediante la reducción de la temperatura del agua. La concentración promedio por espermatóforo fue de 2.6 ± 0.6 X104 espermatozoides. Se determinó en espermatozoides en fresco y post descongelación, una reducción del 30% de espermatozoides vivos y un incremento de 15 % de morfología anormal. Con las lectinas WGA y PNA, unidas a FITC, se determinaron dos patrones de fluorescencia distintos con cada una, lo cual evidencio la presencia y distribución membranal de N-acetil glucosamina, ácido siálico y manosa respectivamente. Los porcentajes de espermatozoides con cada patrón de fluorescencia mostraron diferencias asociadas al número de espermatóforos de cada liberación. Se determinaron diferencias en la viabilidad de espermatozoides obtenidos de liberaciones con diferente número de espermatóforos. El protocolo para la obtención y criopreservación espermática de A mexicanum, fue eficiente como herramienta para utilizar semen criopreservado para su reproducción ex situ.
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