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Search Results
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Research report
Scottish Wildcat Action: Final Summary Report
The wildcat, Felis silvestris, is one of our most iconic species. Elusive and rarely seen, it is threatened by a combination of extremely challenging factors, in particular hybridisation with domestic cats. Its secretive nature has made it a difficult animal to study in the wild, making it harder to design...Kitchener, Andrew C
Felis silvestris, ecology , population, and wildcat
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Interview (radio, television)
Moby the sperm whale interview
In Edinburgh, Iolo Williams and Gillian Burke remain on the coast for a cetacean celebration before saying goodbye to the wild badger sett they’ve been following all series.Kitchener, Andrew C
contemporary collecting, cetacean collections, skull, Physeter catodon (sperm whale), and whale stranding
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Journal article
The prevalence of vestigial teeth in two beaked whale species from the North Atlantic
Beaked whales, Family Ziphiidae, occur in deep offshore and oceanic seas, where they are very difficult to study, so that much of our knowledge about them is derived from stranded animals. Most beaked whales (e.g., genera and ) have only one pair of mandibular teeth. A reduced dentition is widely...Kitchener, Andrew C ; Herman, Jeremy S ; Doeschate, Mariel ten ; Davison, Nicholas J ; Brownlow, Andrew …
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Journal article
Range-wide whole-genome resequencing of the brown bear reveals drivers of intraspecies divergence
Population-genomic studies can shed new light on the effect of past demographic processes on contemporary population structure. We reassessed phylogeographical patterns of a classic model species of postglacial recolonisation, the brown bear ( ), using a range-wide resequencing dataset of 128 nuclear genomes. In sharp contrast to the erratic geographical...de Jong, Menno J ; Niamir, Aidin ; Wolf, Magnus ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Lecomte, Nicolas …
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Blog post
Entangled Knowledges: Sharing collections in Albany
Since 2021 Ali and Andrew have been participating in a project which aims to highlight Menang Nyungar knowledge embedded in a historical collection of fishes and cultural objects and return this knowledge to the Menang community in Western Australia. Here they tell us about this collection, their recent visit to...Clark, Ali ; Kitchener, Andrew C
Research, Collections , Fish , and Colonial Histories And Legacies
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Journal article
Psittacopedids and zygodactylids: The diverse and species-rich psittacopasserine birds from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK)
The Daniels collection of fossil birds from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK) contains multiple specimens of the Psittacopedidae and Zygodactylidae, which are here for the first time studied in detail. The Psittacopedidae include Parapsittacopes bergdahli, Psittacomimus eos, gen. et sp. nov., ?Psittacopes occidentalis, sp. nov., and...Mayr, Gerald ; Kitchener, Andrew C
Psittacopasseres, evolution, fossil birds, Aves, and systematics
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Journal article
First recorded stranding of a short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus, in Britain
A male pilot whale, Globicephala sp., was reported as a live stranding on 1st March 2012 at Hazelbeach, near Neyland, Pembrokeshire. It was euthanased and its skull was recovered during an onsite necropsy. Examination of the skull and contemporary photographs of the stranded animal confirm that this is the first...Kitchener, Andrew C ; Hantke, Georg ; Penrose, R S ; Perkins, M W ; Deaville, R
Globicephala melas, Delphinidae, skull, and Globicephala macrorhynchus
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Blog post
First British record of the short-finned pilot whale
What is the difference between the long-finned and the short-finned pilot whale? Andrew Kitchener explains how the examination of the skull of a stranded whale revealed the true identity of the species and the most northerly stranding of a short-finned pilot whale in the northeast Atlantic.Kitchener, Andrew C
Britain , Stranding , Whales, Short-Finned Pilot Whale, Pilot Whale , and Whale
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Journal article
When did Alexander Philipp Maximilian, Prinz zu Wied-Neuwied, first describe Felis macroura?
The margay, Leopardus wiedii Schinz, 1821, is a Neotropical small spotted cat, whose nomenclatural history has long been confused (Thomas 1903; Pocock 1917; Allen 1919). This confusion began with Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, in Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière, avec la description du Cabinet du roi published in 1765,...Kitchener, Andrew C ; Sanderson, James G
Leopardus macrourus, margay, Leopardus wiedii, wild cat, Heinrich Rudolf Schinz, Reise nach Brasilien, and Felis wiedii
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Journal article
Biogeography in the deep: Hierarchical population genomic structure of two beaked whale species
The deep sea is the largest ecosystem on Earth, yet little is known about the processes driving patterns of genetic diversity in its inhabitants. Here, we investigated the macro- and microevolutionary processes shaping genomic population structure and diversity in two poorly understood, globally distributed, deep-sea predators: Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius... -
Presentation
Extending the archive of life: Contemporary collecting in Natural Sciences at National Museums Scotland
What objects will tell the stories of 21st-century Scotland? What themes, events, and ideas represent Scotland today? How do we ‘future proof’ our contemporary collecting? National Museums Scotland is hosting a one-day symposium on contemporary collecting. It will explore how we build representative collections for the future, covering Scotland’s present...Kitchener, Andrew C
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Journal article
Phenotypic plasticity determines differences between the skulls of tigers from mainland Asia
Tiger subspecific taxonomy is controversial because of morphological and genetic variation found between now fragmented populations, yet the extent to which phenotypic plasticity or genetic variation affects phenotypes of putative tiger subspecies has not been explicitly addressed. In order to assess the role of phenotypic plasticity in determining skull variation,... -
Journal article
Biogeography in the deep: Hierarchical population genomic structure of two beaked whale species
The deep sea is the largest ecosystem on Earth, yet little is known about the processes driving patterns of genetic diversity in its inhabitants. Here, we investigated the macro- and microevolutionary processes shaping genomic population structure and diversity in two poorly understood, globally distributed, deep-sea predators: Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius... -
Journal article
Early Eocene fossil illuminates the ancestral (diurnal) ecomorphology of owls and documents a mosaic evolution of the strigiform body plan
We describe a partial skeleton of a fossil owl (Strigiformes) from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK). The holotype of Ypresiglaux michaeldanielsi, gen. et sp. nov. is one of the most complete specimens of a Palaeogene owl and elucidates the poorly known ecomorphology of stem group Strigiformes....Mayr, Gerald ; Kitchener, Andrew C
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Journal article
Oldest fossil loon documents a pronounced ecomorphological shift in the evolution of gaviiform birds
We describe a stem group representative of Gaviiformes (loons or divers) from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK). The holotype of Nasidytes ypresianus gen. et sp. nov. is a partial skeleton including the mandible and all major limb bones. The new species is the oldest unambiguously identified...Mayr, Gerald ; Kitchener, Andrew C
Nasidytes ypresianus, Walton-on-the-Naze, Aves, fossil birds, and London Clay
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Journal article
New fossils from the London Clay show that the Eocene Masillaraptoridae are stem group representatives of falcons (Aves, Falconiformes)
The Eocene taxon Masillaraptoridae includes long-legged, raptorial birds, the phylogenetic affinities of which are poorly resolved. Here, fossils from the London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, U.K.) are described, which corroborate the hypothesis that masillaraptorids are stem group representatives of the Falconiformes (falcons). Two partial skeletons are assigned to a new...Mayr, Gerald ; Kitchener, Andrew C
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Blog post
Dedicated collector: Michael Daniels and his Eocene birds
A stunning collection of over 700 bird fossils has been bequeathed to National Museums Scotland. Collected in Essex by Michael Daniels, the fossils date from 54-56 million years ago, the beginning of the Eocene period. They represent the early stages in the evolution of modern birds and contain many species...Kitchener, Andrew C
Conservation , Fossil Hunters , Palaeontology, Birds , Collections, Fossils , and Natural Sciences
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Poster (unpublished)
CryoArks – The UK’s first zoological biobank
National Museums Scotland and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland are partners in a UK-wide collaboration to create the UK’s first comprehensive zoological Biobank network for research and conservation.Kitchener, Andrew C ; Murray-Dickson , Gill
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Lecture
Bones, teeth and gum: How museums can contribute to improving animal welfare
How museums can contribute to improving animal welfareKitchener, Andrew C
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Journal article
Novel mtDNA haplotypes represented in the European captive population of the Endangered François’ langur (Trachypithecus francoisi)
Assessing the genetic diversity of captive populations of endangered species is key to the successful management of conservation-breeding programs. In this study, we sequenced a 393-bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 23 captive individuals of the Endangered François’ langur ( ) to assess the mtDNA diversity...Farré, Marta ; Johnstone, Cameron ; Hopper, Jane ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Roos, Christian …
Captive populations, mtDNA , Conservation genetics , and François’ langurs
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Blog post
On the edge: COP 15 and disappearing species
With COP 15 taking place in China this month, Principal Curator of Vertebrates Andrew Kitchener explores the case of the ivory-billed woodpecker. Thought to be extinct, but with potential sightings still reported, this bird is just one of many species we’re at risk of losing forever.Kitchener, Andrew C
Conservation , Birds , Natural Sciences , Audubon , and Natural World
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Journal article
Expediency of photographs to study the distribution of wildcats in South-west Asia
By compiling a wildcat catalogue of georeferenced digital photographs from Southwest Asia, we investigated the plausibility of phenotypically identifying Felis silvestris caucasica (Caucasian wildcat), Felis lybica ornata (Asiatic wildcat) and Felis lybica lybica (African wildcat) through external phenotypic traits, in order to verify their known distribution, and identify any inconsistencies...Wuest, Dina ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Ghoddousi, Arash ; Gerngross, Peter ; Barashkova, Anna …
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Journal article
African and Asian leopards are highly differentiated at the genomic level
Leopards are the only big cats still widely distributed across the continents of Africa and Asia. They occur in a wide range of habitats and are often found in close proximity to humans. But despite their ubiquity, leopard phylogeography and population history have not yet been studied with genomic tools....Paijmans, Johanna L A ; Axel, Barlow ; Becker, Matthew S ; Cahill, James ; Fickel, Joerns …
genomes, Panthera pardus, population genomics, historical samples, leopards, and out-of-Africa
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Journal article
Variation in predicted COVID-19 risk among lemurs and lorises
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which in humans leads to the disease COVID-19, has caused global disruption and more than 2 million fatalities since it first emerged in late 2019. As we write, infection rates are at their highest point globally and are rising extremely rapidly in some areas due to...Melin, Amanda D ; Orkin, Joseph D ; Janiak, Mareike C ; Valenzeula, Alejandro ; Kuderna, Lukas …
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Journal article
High-quality carnivoran genomes from roadkill samples enable comparative species delineation in aardwolf and bat-eared fox
In a context of ongoing biodiversity erosion, obtaining genomic resources from wildlife is essential for conservation. The thousands of yearly mammalian roadkill provide a useful source material for genomic surveys. To illustrate the potential of this underexploited resource, we used roadkill samples to study the genomic diversity of the bat-eared...Allio, Rémi ; Tilak, Marie-Ka ; Scornavacca, Celine ; Avenant, Nico L ; Kitchener, Andrew C …
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Journal article
Improved diagnosis of foot osteoarthritis in elephants ( elephas maximus, loxodonta africana) using stereoradiography
Diagnosis of foot disease in elephants is challenging. Owing to their large size, the available diagnostic tools and the expense of imaging are diagnostically limiting. Stereoradiography is the preparation of paired radiographs that form a three-dimensional (3D) image when viewed stereoscopically. Clinicians and veterinary students graded osteoarthritis in the feet...Bentley, Charlotte E ; Cracknell, Jonathan M ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Martinez Pereira, Yolanda ; Pizzi, Romain
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Journal article
Selection preferences for animal species used in bone-tool-manufacturing strategies in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Animal symbolism is a prominent feature of many human societies globally. In some cases, these symbolic attributes manifest in the technological domain, influencing the decision to use the bones of certain animals and not others for tool manufacture. In southern Africa, animals feature prominently in the cosmogenic narratives of both...Bradfield, Justin ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Buckley, Michael
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Journal article
Abnormal (Hydroxy)proline Deuterium Content Redefines Hydrogen Chemical Mass
Analyzing the δ2H values in individual amino acids of proteins extracted from vertebrates, we unexpectedly found in some samples, notably bone collagen from seals, more than twice as much deuterium in proline and hydroxyproline residues than in seawater. This corresponds to at least 4 times higher δ2H than in any...Gharibi, Hassan ; Chernobrovkin, Alexey L ; Eriksson, Gunilla ; Saei, Amir Ata ; Timmons, Zena …
Biopolymers, Ions, Hydrogen , Peptides , Anatomy, proteins, and isotopes
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Journal article
Genetic examination of historical North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) bone specimens from the eastern North Atlantic: Insights into species history, transoceanic population structure, and genetic diversity
Species monitoring and conservation is increasingly challenging under current climate change scenarios. For the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) this challenge is heightened by the added effects of complicated and uncertain past species demography. Right whales once had a much wider distribution across the North Atlantic Ocean, although the...Frasier, Brenna A ; Springate, Leah ; Frasier, Timothy R ; Brewington, Seth ; Carruthers, Martin …
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Journal article
Cranial volume and palate length of cats, Felis spp., under domestication, hybridization and in wild populations
Reduced brain size, compared with wild individuals, is argued to be a key characteristic of domesticated mammal species, and often cited as a key component of a putative ‘domestication syndrome’. However, brain size comparisons are often based on old, inaccessible literature and in some cases drew comparisons between domestic animals...Lesch, Raffaela ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Hantke, Georg ; Kotrschal, Kurt ; Fitch, W Tecumseh
skull, conservation, brain size, wildlife, hybridization, and cranial capacity
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Journal article
Towards resolving taxonomic uncertainties in wolf, dog and jackal lineages of Africa, Eurasia and Australasia
Successful conservation depends on accurate taxonomy. Currently, the taxonomy of canids in Africa, Eurasia and Australasia is unstable as recent molecular and morphological studies have questioned earlier phenetic classifications. We review available information on several taxa of Old World and Australasian Canis with phylogenetic uncertainties (namely, African jackals, Asian wolves...Krofel, M ; Hatlauf, J ; Bogdanowicz, W ; Campbell, L A D ; Godinho, R …
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Journal article
Dental Anomaly Causing Severe Maxillary Lesions in a Male Sowerby’s Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon bidens Sowerby, 1804)
Sowerby’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens) is a poorly known cetacean species, and much of our current information comes from stranded animals. Herein, we describe a dental anomaly in an adult male stranded in 2019 in the Moray Firth, Scotland. The mandibular teeth (tusks) had erupted so their tips converged towards...Plint, Tessa ; Hantke, Georg ; Schwarz, Tobias ; Kitchener, Andrew C
beaked whale, dental anomaly, maxillary lesions, Mesoplodon bidens, and pathology
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Journal article
A system for designating taxonomic certainty in mammals and other taxa
Taxonomy and systematics are fundamental to the success of conservation actions. A robust and accurate classification of living organisms is vital for understanding biodiversity, using limited resources wisely, prioritising conservation action, and for legal protection and regulation of trade. However, all too often current taxonomies are not based on the...Kitchener, Andrew C ; Hoffmann, Michael ; Yamaguchi, Nobuyuki ; Breitenmoser-Würsten, Christine ; Wilting, Andreas
Taxonomy, Systematics , Conservation , Classification , and Species concepts
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Journal article
The Scientific Name of the Aardwolf is Proteles cristatus
The aardwolf is one of the four members of the family Hyaenidae (order Carnivora). It is referred to as either Proteles cristatus or Proteles cristata in the scientific literature and on animal diversity websites, but only one of these names is correct. In this short note, we seek to rectify...Werdelin, Lars ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Abramov, Alexei ; Veron, Géraldine ; Do Linh San, Emmanuel
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Lecture
CryoArks: Animal biobanking for research and conservation
Join curator Andrew Kitchener and conservation geneticists Gill Murray-Dickson and Helen Senn to discuss how museums and zoos are coming together to share their research and help conserve endangered species around the world.Kitchener, Andrew C ; Murray-Dickson, Gill ; Senn, Helen
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Blog post
Frozen assets saving species with biobanks
How do frozen tissue samples from the 1960s help animal conservation in the time of COVID-19? Andrew Kitchener and Gill Murray-Dickson explore the importance of our Biobank and the CryoArks initiative for continuing research to answer the questions of today and the future.Kitchener, Andrew C
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Journal article
A kingdom in decline: Holocene range contraction of the lion (Panthera leo) modelled with global environmental stratification
Aim We use ecological niche models and environmental stratification of palaeoclimate to reconstruct the changing range of the lion (Panthera leo) during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Location The modern (early 21st century) range of the lion extends from southern Africa to the western Indian Subcontinent, yet through the... -
Journal article
Intraspecific macroscopic digestive anatomy of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta), including a comparison of frozen and formalin-stored specimens
Digestive tract measurements are often considered species specific, but little information exists on the degree to which they change during ontogeny within a species. Additionally, access to anatomical material from nondomestic species is often limited, with fixed tissues possibly representing the only available source, though the degree to which this...Clauss, Marcus ; Trümpler, Jelscha ; Ackermans, Nicole L ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Hantke, Georg …
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Journal article
Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis in captive gorillas (Gorilla Spp.): Appearance and diagnosis
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a disorder of unknown cause, in which new bone forms in soft tissues attached to the skeleton. Originally described in humans, in whom it is quite common, it is usually asymptomatic. New bone may completely bridge across joints, especially in the spine. However, it...Livingstone, Brian ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Hull, Gordon ; Schwarz, Tobias ; Vijayanathan, Sanjay …
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Journal article
Machine learning ATR-FTIR spectroscopy data for the screening of collagen for ZooMS analysis and mtDNA in archaeological bone
Faunal remains from archaeological sites allow for the identification of animal species that enables the better understanding of the relationships between humans and animals, not only from their morphological information, but also from the ancient biomolecules (lipids, proteins, and DNA) preserved in these remains for thousands and even millions of... -
Journal article
Consequences of the misidentification of museum specimens: the taxonomic status of Canis lupaster soudanicus
Researchers are increasingly using museum collections for taxonomy, systematics, phylogenetics, and faunal analyses, and they assume that taxonomic identifications on museum labels are correct. However, identifications may be incorrect or out of date, which could result in false conclusions from subsequent research. A recent geometric morphometrics analysis of skulls of...Kitchener, Andrew C ; Machado, Fabio A ; Hayssen, Virginia ; Moehlman, Patricia D ; Viranta, Suvi
museum, Lupulella adusta, misidentification, Canis lupaster, and taxonomy
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Journal article
Small carnivorans, museums and zoos
Small carnivorans are generally poorly represented in zoos, probably because they are small, mostly nocturnal and solitary hunters. However, there is limited knowledge about the ecology and behaviour of a large number of these and many species are threatened with extinction or their conservation status is poorly known or even...Kitchener, Andrew C
museums , zoo, small carnivoran , research , taxonomy , conservation , collection, anatomy , and biobanking
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Book chapter
Systematic, evolution and genetic of bears
Bears have fascinated people since ancient times. The relationship between bears and humans dates back thousands of years, during which time we have also competed with bears for shelter and food. In modern times, bears have come under pressure through encroachment on their habitats, climate change, and illegal trade in...Kitchener, Andrew C ; Bellemain, Eva ; Kopatz, Alexander ; Mano, Tsutomu ; Tsuruga, Hifumi …
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Journal article
First record of True’s beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus, in Britain
A female beaked whale, Family Ziphiidae, was reported as stranded on 29th January 2020 at Kearvaig Bay, Sutherland, Scotland. Examination of its skull confirms that this is the first recorded stranding of True’s beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus, in Britain.Kitchener, Andrew C ; Georg , Hantke ; Herman, Jeremy S ; ten Doeschate, Mariel ; Brownlow, Andrew C
skull, stranding, Ziphiidae, Mesoplodon mirusy, and pathology
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Journal article
Morphological and functional variation between isolated populations of British red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris)
Isolation due to habitat fragmentation can lead to morphological and functional variation between populations, with the effect being well documented in rodents. Here, we investigated whether such morphological variation could be identified between British populations of the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). This species was once widespread across Great Britain,... -
Journal article
A mitochondrial genetic divergence proxy predicts the reproductive compatibility of mammalian hybrids
Numerous pairs of evolutionarily divergent mammalian species have been shown to produce hybrid offspring. In some cases, F1 hybrids are able to produce F2s through matings with F1s. In other instances, the hybrids are only able to produce offspring themselves through backcrosses with a parent species owing to unisexual sterility...Allen, Richard ; Ryan, Hannah ; Davis, Brian W ; King, Charlotte ; Frantz, Laurent …
evolution, gene flow, genetic distance, and hybrid
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Journal article
Skull morphology diverges between urban and rural populations of red foxes mirroring patterns of domestication and macroevolution
Human activity is drastically altering the habitat use of natural populations. This has been documented as a driver of phenotypic divergence in a number of wild animal populations. Here, we show that urban and rural populations of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from London and surrounding boroughs are divergent in skull...Parsons, K J ; Rigg, Anders ; Conith, A J ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Harris, S …
Canidae , domestication, developmental bias , contemporary evolution, morphometrics, and urban ecology
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Journal article
Investigating infectious disease threats to the recovery of the European polecat in Britain
The European polecat (Mustela putorius) almost became extinct in Britain in the early twentieth century, but populations are now recovering. As seen in other endangered carnivore populations, disease is one potential threat to recovery. This study assessed exposure of wild polecats (n = 149) to three, multi-host pathogens which could limit reproduction...Heald, Kari-Anne ; Millins, Caroline ; Kitchener, Andrew C ; Banyard, Ashley C ; Hantke, Georg …
Mustela putorius , Leptospira , Toxoplasma gondii, and Canine distemper virus
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Journal article
Rapid evolution of the primate larynx?
Tissue vibrations in the larynx produce most sounds that comprise vocal communication in mammals. Larynx morphology is thus predicted to be a key target for selection, particularly in species with highly developed vocal communication systems. Here, we present a novel database of digitally modeled scanned larynges from 55 different mammalian...Bowling, Daniel L ; Dunn , Jacob C ; Smaers, Jeroen B ; Garcia, Maxime ; Sato , Asha …
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Journal article
Population fragmentation leads to morpho-functional variation in British red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris)
It is well-known that population fragmentation and isolation can lead to rapid morphological and functional divergence, with the effect being particularly well-documented in rodents. Here, we investigated whether such a phenomenon could be identified in the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), which was once widespread across the majority of Great...Cox, Philip G ; Morris, Philip J R ; Kitchener, Andrew C
Morphological evolution, masticatory biomechanics, Sciuridae, geometric morphometrics, and mechanical advantage
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