Sex differences in partner preference in mated pairs of saddle-back tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis)

Summary The attraction of permanently cohabiting males and females to their pair mate was assessed in a preference situation in which a subject was given a choice between its pair mate and a stranger of the mate's sex. Animals were tested in a choice apparatus, consisting of 1 cage housing the subject, 1 cage housing its pair mate, and 1 cage housing the strange stimulus animal. Wire mesh tunnels connected the subject's cage with that of each stimulus animal. Each tunnel was divided into 5 sections of equal length. During a series of 30-min choice tests, the subjects' location was scored every 10 sec as being in the home cage or in one of the sections of the tunnels leading to the cages of the other animals. In addition to these location scores, being at Zero Distance from a stimulus animal, as well as a number of behaviors directed at both stimulus animals, were recorded. Males were in closer proximity to their females than to strange females (Fig. 2), approached their females more frequently and directed more Tongue Displays and Sniffs at their mates (Figs. 3–5). Females did not prefer their males in terms of these behaviors (Figs. 2–5). Moreover, they directed a higher number of Gazes at strange males (Fig. 6). Both males and females were more frequently at Zero Distance from their pair mates than from strange stimulus animals and had more Nonaggressive Contacts with their pair mates (Figs. 7–8). These results suggest that males show a strong attachment to their female pair mates while females are attracted to their mates as well as to strange males.     

Occurrence and potential risk of triclosan in freshwaters of São Paulo,Brazil—the need for regulatory actions

Triclosan (TCS) is a broad-spectrum bactericide, highly toxic to algae, which is released into the environment via wastewater effluents. Predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) for aquatic biota have been proposed in the literature, varying from 1.4 to 1,550 ng/L, reflecting contradicting protection goals. In this work, six rivers in the state of São Paulo were monitored for TCS and caffeine, a tracer for untreated sewage disposal, over a period of more than 1 year. From 71 samples analyzed, 32 contained TCS at concentrations above the limit of quantification, ranging from 2.2 to 66 ng/L, corresponding to a frequency of exceedance of the lowest PNEC of 86 % (six out of seven sites). No correlation between TCS and caffeine was observed, and one of the reasons for that could be the different use patterns in the local populations. Given the high values found in the investigated rivers, TCS seems to be a strong candidate in the priority list of compounds that should be regulated in Brazil to preserve the aquatic environment.     

Recognizing animal personhood in compassionate conservation

Compassionate conservation is based on the ethical position that actions taken to protect biodiversity should be guided by compassion for all sentient beings. Critics argue that there are 3 core reasons harming animals is acceptable in conservation programs: the primary purpose of conservation is biodiversity protection; conservation is already compassionate to animals; and conservation should prioritize compassion to humans. We used argument analysis to clarify the values and logics underlying the debate around compassionate conservation. We found that objections to compassionate conservation are expressions of human exceptionalism, the view that humans are of a categorically separate and higher moral status than all other species. In contrast, compassionate conservationists believe that conservation should expand its moral community by recognizing all sentient beings as persons. Personhood, in an ethical sense, implies the individual is owed respect and should not be treated merely as a means to other ends. On scientific and ethical grounds, there are good reasons to extend personhood to sentient animals, particularly in conservation. The moral exclusion or subordination of members of other species legitimates the ongoing manipulation and exploitation of the living worlds, the very reason conservation was needed in the first place. Embracing compassion can help dismantle human exceptionalism, recognize nonhuman personhood, and navigate a more expansive moral space.     

Binary mixtures of azinphos-methyl oxon and chlorpyrifos oxon produce in vitro synergistic cholinesterase inhibition in Planorbarius corneus

In this study, the cholinesterase (ChE) and carboxylesterase (CES) activities present in whole organism homogenates from Planorbarius corneus and their in vitro sensitivity to organophosphorous (OP) pesticides were studied. Firstly, a characterization of ChE and CES activities using different substrates and selective inhibitors was performed. Secondly, the effects of azinphos-methyl oxon (AZM-oxon) and chlorpyrifos oxon (CPF-oxon), the active oxygen analogs of the OP insecticides AZM and CPF, on ChE and CES activities were evaluated. Finally, it was analyzed whether binary mixtures of the pesticide oxons cause additive, antagonistic or synergistic ChE inhibition in P. corneus homogenates. The results showed that the extracts of P. corneus preferentially hydrolyzed acetylthiocholine (AcSCh) over propionylthiocholine (PrSCh) and butyrylthiocholine (BuSCh). Besides, AcSCh hydrolyzing activity was inhibited by low concentrations of BW284c51, a selective inhibitor of AChE activity, and also by high concentrations of substrate. These facts suggest the presence of a typical AChE activity in this species. However, the different dose-response curves observed with BW284c51 when using PrSCh or BuSCh instead of AcSCh suggest the presence of at least another ChE activity. This would probably correspond to an atypical BuChE. Regarding CES activity, the highest specific activity was obtained when using 2-naphthyl acetate (2-NA), followed by 1-naphthyl acetate (1-NA); p-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA), and p-nitrophenyl butyrate (p-NPB). The comparison of the IC(50) values revealed that, regardless of the substrate used, CES activity was approximately one order of magnitude more sensitive to AZM-oxon than ChE activity. Although ChE activity was very sensitive to CPF-oxon, CES activity measured with 1-NA, 2-NA, and p-NPA was poorly inhibited by this pesticide. In contrast, CES activity measured with p-NPB was equally sensitive to CPF-oxon than ChE activity. Several specific binary combinations of AZM-oxon and CPF-oxon caused a synergistic effect on the ChE inhibition in P. corneus homogenates. The degree of synergism tended to increase as the ratio of AZM-oxon to CPF-oxon decreased. These results suggest that synergism is likely to occur in P. corneus snails exposed in vivo to binary mixtures of the OPs AZM and CPF.     

Providing a common diet to different marine decapods does not standardize the fatty acid profiles of their larvae: a warning sign for experimentation using invertebrate larvae produced in captivity

Larval decapods are commonly produced in captivity and employed in experiments to evaluate interspecific physiological and biochemical differences. Currently, it is still unknown if different decapod species provided a common diet and exposed to identical abiotic conditions produce newly hatched larvae (NHL) with similar fatty acid (FA) profiles. This study analyzed the FA composition of NHL from five marine shrimp species (Lysmata amboinensis, L. boggessi, L. debelius, L. seticaudata and Rhynchocinetes durbanensis) fed a common diet and stocked at constant temperature. FA profiles of NHL differed significantly within and among genera. NHL from species unable to molt from zoea I to zoea II in the absence of food (L. amboinensis, L. debelius and R. durbanensis) displayed the lowest FA contents. Researchers must be aware that providing a common diet to different species, even if closely related, may not standardize the FA profile of NHL produced in captivity.