A5007383501- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Plant and animal studies
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Marine Toxins and Detection Methods
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Study of Mite Species
- Ion channel regulation and function
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Animal and Plant Science Education
California Academy of Sciences
2015-2024
Golden Gate University
2004-2022
San Francisco State University
2008-2022
Smithsonian Institution
2000-2011
National Zoological Park
2000-2011
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
2003-2011
University of Chicago
1992-2009
National Museum of Natural History
2004-2008
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
2000-2004
National Institutes of Health
2000-2004
Abstract The degree to which widespread avian blood parasites in the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus pose a threat novel hosts depends part on they are constrained particular host or family. We examined distribution host‐specificity of these birds from two relatively understudied isolated locations: Australia Papua New Guinea. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we detected infection 69 105 species, representing 44% individuals surveyed ( n = 428). Across families, prevalence ranged...
Three passerine species in the genus Pitohui , endemic to New Guinea subregion, contain steroidal alkaloid homobatrachotoxin, apparently as a chemical defense. Toxin concentrations varied among but were always highest skin and feathers. Homobatrachotoxin is member of class compounds collectively called batrachotoxins that previously considered be restricted neotropical poison-dart frogs Phyllobates . The occurrence homobatrachotoxin pitohuis suggests birds independently evolved this alkaloids.
Natural history museums are vital repositories of specimens, samples and data that inform about the natural world; this Formal Comment revisits a Perspective advocated for adoption compassionate collection practices, querying whether it will ever be possible to completely do away with whole animal specimen collection.
Batrachotoxins are neurotoxic steroidal alkaloids first isolated from a Colombian poison-dart frog and later found in certain passerine birds of New Guinea. Neither vertebrate group is thought to produce the toxins de novo , but instead they likely sequester them dietary sources. Here we describe presence high levels batrachotoxins little-studied beetles, genus Choresine (family Melyridae). These small beetles their toxin concentrations suggest that might provide source for Guinea birds....
Batrachotoxins, including many congeners not previously described, were detected, and relative amounts measured by using HPLC-mass spectrometry, in five species of New Guinean birds the genus Pitohui as well a second toxic bird genus, Ifrita kowaldi . The alkaloids, identified feathers skin, batrachotoxinin-A cis -crotonate (1), an allylically rearranged 16-acetate (2), which can form from 1 sigmatropic rearrangement under basic conditions, isomer (3 3a, respectively), batrachotoxin (4),...
Bird species in the genus Pitohui are chemically defended by a potent neurotoxic alkaloid their skin and feathers. The two most toxic pitohui species, hooded (Pitohui dichrous) variable kirhocephalus), sometimes strikingly patterned and, certain portions of geographical ranges, both share nearly identical colour pattern, whereas other areas they do not. Müllerian mimicry (the mutual resemblance prey species) is common some animal groups birds have been suggested as one likely cases birds....
ABSTRACT Avian keratin disorder (AKD), characterized by debilitating overgrowth of the avian beak, was first documented in black-capped chickadees ( Poecile atricapillus ) Alaska. Subsequently, similar deformities have appeared numerous species across continents. Despite widespread distribution this emerging pathology, cause AKD remains elusive. As a result, it is unknown whether suspected cases afflicted are causally linked, and impacts pathology at population community levels difficult to...
With more than 70 described subspecies distributed from Java to Fiji, the Golden Whistler species complex (Aves: Pachycephala pectoralis/melanura) is world's most geographically variable bird species. We sequenced ten genes totalling 5743 bp 202 individuals and 32 nominal subspecies, mostly Australasian Polynesian lineages. used concatenated maximum likelihood Bayesian inference, as well coalescent tree analysis, reconstruct a phylogeny. The resulting phylogeny densely sampled robust...
Bird-window collisions are a major and poorly-understood generator of bird mortality. In North America, studies this topic tend to be focused east the Mississippi River, resulting in paucity data from Western flyways. Additionally, few available can critically evaluate factors such as time day, sex age bias, effect window pane size on collisions. We collected analyzed 5 years strike 3-story building large urban park San Francisco, California. To our collision context, we weekly local...
Many poisonous organisms carry small-molecule toxins that alter voltage-gated sodium channel (NaV) function. Among these, batrachotoxin (BTX) from Pitohui poison birds and Phyllobates frogs stands out because of its lethality unusual effects on NaV How these toxin-bearing avoid autointoxication remains poorly understood. In frogs, a DIVS6 pore-forming helix N-to-T mutation has been proposed as the BTX resistance mechanism. Here, we show this variant is absent frog NaVs, incurs strong cost...
Birds in the genus Pitohui carry potent neurotoxin homobatrachotoxin their skin and feathers. In this study, I tested whether can repel or kill chewing lice (order Phthiraptera). When individual feather were offered a choice of two feathers on which to feed take shelter, preferred nontoxic most toxic pitohui species, dichrous. Moreover, presence P. dichrous significantly shortened life span captive lice. These results suggest that repels kills may thus protect pitohuis against infestation.
The three subspecies of Spotted Owl (Northern, Strix occidentalis caurina; California, S. o. occidentalis; and Mexican, lucida) are all threatened by habitat loss range expansion the Barred (S. varia). An unaddressed threat is whether Owls could be a source novel strains disease such as avian malaria (Plasmodium spp.) or other blood parasites potentially harmful for Owls. Although commonly harbor Plasmodium infections, these have not been documented in Owl. We screened 111 Owls, 44 387 owls...
We used ancient DNA analysis of seven museum specimens the endangered North American ivory-billed woodpecker ( Campephilus principalis ) and three species from Cuba to document their degree differentiation relationships other woodpeckers. Analysis these mtDNA sequences reveals that Cuban ivory bills, along with imperial imperialis Mexico, are a monophyletic group roughly equidistant genetically, suggesting each lineage may be separate species. Application both internal external rate...
Gabriel, M. W., L. V. Diller, J. P. Dumbacher, G. Wengert, Higley, R. H. Poppenga, and S. Mendia. 2018. Exposure to rodenticides in Northern Spotted Barred Owls on remote forest lands northwestern California: evidence of food web contamination. Avian Conservation Ecology 13(1):2. https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-01134-130102
Closely related species with parapatric elevational ranges are ubiquitous in tropical mountains worldwide. The gradient speciation hypothesis proposes that these series the result of situ ecological driven by divergent selection across elevation. Direct tests this scenario have been hampered difficulty inferring geographic arrangement populations at time divergence. In cichlids, sticklebacks and Timema stick insects, support for other selective pressures has come from demonstrating parallel...
New Guinea is a biologically diverse island, with unique geologic history and topography that has likely played role in the evolution of species. Few island-wide studies, however, have examined phylogeographic lowland The objective this study was to examine patterns variation common widespread Guinean bird species (Colluricincla megarhyncha). Specifically, we test mechanisms hypothesized cause geographic genetic (e.g., vicariance, isolation by distance founder-effect dispersal). To...
We report here the assembly of a northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) genome. generated Illumina paired-end sequence data at 90× coverage using nine libraries with insert lengths ranging from ∼250 to 9,600 nt and read 100 375 nt. The genome is comprised 8,108 scaffolds totaling 1.26 × 109 in length an N50 3.98 106 calculated genome-wide fixation index (FST) S. o. caurina closely related barred varia) as 0.819. examined 19 genes that encode proteins light-dependent functions our...
Abstract Laboratory techniques for high‐throughput sequencing have enhanced our ability to generate DNA sequence data from millions of natural history specimens collected prior the molecular era, but remain poorly tested at shallower evolutionary time scales. Hybridization capture using restriction site‐associated probes (hy RAD ) is a recently developed method population genomics with museum specimens. The hy employs fragments produced in double digestion as basis that orthologous loci...
Some of the transitional periods Britain during first millennium A.D. are traditionally associated with movement people from continental Europe, composed largely invading armies (e.g., Roman, Saxon, and Viking invasions). However, extent to which these were migrations (as opposed cultural exchange) remains controversial. We investigated history migration by women amplifying mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) ancient Britons who lived between approximately 300-1,000 compared 3,549 modern mtDNA...