Publicaties

Common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) experienced a selective sweep, probably caused by a SIV-like virus, which targeted their MHC class I repertoire. Based on MHC class I intron 2 data analyses, this selective sweep took place about 23 million years ago. As a consequence, common chimpanzees have a skewed MHC class I repertoire that is enriched for allotypes that are able to recognise conserved regions of the SIV proteome. The bonobo (Pan ...

The two closest living relatives of humans, bonobos (Pan paniscus) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), share many traits that are common in humans but rare in other mammals, including societies with high fission?fusion dynamics, male philopatry, female dispersal and extensive social bonding among unrelated individuals [1]. The major difference between these two species is that male aggression is more frequent and intense in male-dominated ...

The distal forelimb (autopodium) of quadrupedal mammals is a key morphological unit involved in locomotion, body support, and interaction with the substrate. The manus of the tapir (Perissodactyla: Tapirus) is unique within modern perissodactyls, as it retains the plesiomorphic tetradactyl (four-toed) condition also exhibited by basal equids and rhinoceroses. Tapirs are known to exhibit anatomical mesaxonic symmetry in the manus, although ...

Endangered species lists identify real and potential taxa extinction risks at global and regional scales, supporting decision-making processes and public policy. The construction of the first list of threatened species in Bahia state
started in 2013. This paper describes the evaluation of conservation status of mammals in Bahia and its main results. The list was built in three phases: (1) preparatory, (2) evaluation and (3) final ...

In a landscape fragmented by agriculture, the extent to which forest-dwelling primates can use the matrix between fragments can be critical for their long-term survival. So far, the golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas), an endangered primate inhabiting the Atlantic Forest of south Bahia, is only known to use shaded cacao (Theobroma cacao) agroforests within the matrix. We report on the use of a rubber plantation by a group of ...

Determining individual health status is of great importance for a better understanding of life history trade-offs between growth, reproduction, and maintenance. However, existing immunological methods are invasive and therefore not suitable for investigating health status in wild populations. Thus, there is an urgent need for non-invasive methods to assess the immune status of animals. Neopterin is involved in the cell-mediated pathway of the ...