体型并不重要：巴西中部条纹猪鼻臭鼬（Conepatus amazonicus）的自然历史和性别二态性,Mammal Research

体型并不重要：巴西中部条纹猪鼻臭鼬（Conepatus amazonicus）的自然历史和性别二态性

Mammal Research

(

IF

1.6

)

Pub Date : 2024-01-19

, DOI:

10.1007/s13364-024-00738-1

Giulianny A. Machado

,

Fernanda C. Azevedo

,

Mozart C. Freitas-Junior

,

Caio F. M. Lima

,

Gitana N. Cavalcanti

,

André A. Cunha

,

Kátia G. Facure

,

Frederico G. Lemos

扩大对食肉动物自然历史的了解可以了解物种为生存而发展的机制，并改善旨在保护的决策。对臭鼬（如Conepatus amazonicus ）生态形态方面的研究很少，而且通常基于小样本。我们评估了路杀个体、相机陷阱记录和生物识别数据，以描述巴西中部农业生态系统和保护区中条纹猪鼻臭鼬的摄食生态、活动周期和形态。无脊椎动物代表了农业生态系统饮食中的关键项目，并且由于中间位宽度（0.545），臭鼬不能被归类为专家或通才。男性和女性的生态位总重叠度 (0.94)，并且物品的多样性不受靠近城市中心的影响。动物在夜间开展活动，93% ( n = 71) 的记录是从日落到日出。体重存在显着的性别差异（\(t\) = − 3.7151；df = 29；P < 0.0001）。雄性（平均值 = 2.56 kg）比雌性（平均值 = 1.96 kg）重 30%，这使我们能够推断C. amazonicus存在性别二态性。男性的脚尺寸和牙列也更大，证实了性选择假说。行为和形态适应有利于捕食昆虫，这些昆虫是物理抵抗力低的猎物，这也存在于农业生态系统中。这是第一项报告亚马逊线虫两性二态性的研究。我们的研究结果填补了对生态系统功能发挥独特作用的物种的知识空白，表明臭鼬代表了占据巴西稀树草原的主要中型杂食性食虫生物。

"点击查看英文标题和摘要"

Size does not matter: natural history and sexual dimorphism of the striped hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus amazonicus) in Central Brazil

Expanding knowledge on natural history of carnivores allows to understand mechanisms species developed for survival and improve decision-making aiming conservation. Studies on eco-morphological aspects of skunks, such Conepatus amazonicus, are scarce and usually based on small sampling size. We assessed roadkill individuals, camera trap records, and biometric data to describe the feeding ecology, activity period, and morphology of striped hog-nosed skunk in agroecosystems and protected areas in Central Brazil. Invertebrates represented critical items in the diet in agroecosystems, and due to an intermediate niche breadth (0.545), skunks could not be classified as specialists or generalists. Males and females have total niche overlap (0.94), and the diversity of items was not affected by proximity to urban centres. Animals develop their activities during the night, with 93% (n = 71) of records from sunset to sunrise. There were significant sex differences in the body masses (\(t\) = − 3.7151; d.f. = 29; P < 0.0001). Males (mean = 2.56 kg) were 30% heavier than females (mean = 1.96 kg), allowing us to infer the existence of sexual dimorphism in C. amazonicus. Foot size and dentition were also larger in males, corroborating the sexual selection hypothesis. Behavioural and morphological adaptations favour predation on insects, prey of low physical resistance, which are also available in agroecosystems. This is the first study to report sexual dimorphism in C. amazonicus. Our results fill a gap in the knowledge of a species that plays a unique role for ecosystem functioning, suggesting that skunks represent the primary medium-sized omnivorous-insectivorous organism occupying the Brazilian Savanna.

更新日期：2024-01-19