Compensatory growth (CG) may be an adaptive mechanism that helps to restore an organisms' growth trajectory and adult size from deviations caused by early life resource limitation. Yet, few studies have investigated the genetic basis of CG potential and existence of genetically based population differentiation in CG potential. We studied population differentiation, genetic basis, and costs of CG potential in nine-spined sticklebacks (Pungitius pungitius) differing in their normal growth patterns. As selection favors large body size in pond and small body size in marine populations, we expected CG to occur in the pond but not in the marine population. By manipulating feeding conditions (viz. high, low and recovery feeding treatments), we found clear evidence for CG in the pond but not in the marine population, as well as evidence for catch-up growth (i.e., size compensation without growth acceleration) in both populations. In the marine population, overcompensation occurred individuals from the recovery treatment grew eventually larger than those from the high feeding treatment. In both populations, the recovery feeding treatment reduced maturation probability. The recovery feeding treatment also reduced survival probability in the marine but not in the pond population. Analysis of interpopulation hybrids further suggested that both genetic and maternal effects contributed to the population differences in CG. Hence, apart from demonstrating intrinsic costs for recovery growth, both genetic and maternal effects were identified to be important modulators of CG responses. The results provide an evidence for adaptive differentiation in recovery growth potential.
The difficulty in differentiating the sex of monomorphic bird species has made molecular sexing an important tool in addressing this problem. This method uses noninvasively collected materials such as feathers and may be advantageous for sexing endangered as well as commercialized bird species. In this study, seven primer sets for sexing birds were screened in Aerodramus fuciphagus using a total of 13 feather samples that were randomly selected from the state of Perak, Malaysia. From the screening analysis, only one primer set (P8/WZ/W) successfully differentiated the sex of A. fuciphagus. PCR amplification produced a single 255-bp DNA fragment for males which was derived from CHD-Z (CHD gene region in the sex chromosome Z), while for the females it produced two fragments (144 and 255 bp). The 144-bp fragment was from CHD-W (CHD gene region in the sex chromosome W). Results from sequencing showed no variations in the base sequences of the CHD-W and CHD-Z amplified fragments within the same sexes, except for one male sample (A23) where at position 166, a base substitution occurred (G → A). Phylogenetic analysis of CHD-W showed that four (Apodiformes; Gruiformes; Passeriformes; and Pelecaniformes) out of the five orders investigated had formed four clear clusters within their orders, including the studied order: Apodiformes. Whereas in CHD-Z, four (Accipitriformes; Columbiformes; Galliformes; and Passeriformes) out of five orders investigated formed four clear clusters within their orders, excluding the studied order. In addition, A. fuciphagus and Apus apus (both Apodiformes) showed less divergence in CHD-W than CHD-Z (0% c.f. 9%). The result suggests that in A. fuciphagus, CHD gene evolution occurred at a higher rate in males (CHD-Z) compared to females (CHD-W). This finding may be useful for further studies on sex ratio and breeding management of A. fuciphagus.
A research study on morphometrics of Kalophrynus palmatissimus (commonly known as Lowland Grainy Frog) at Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve (AHFR), Selangor and Pasoh Forest Reserve (PFR), Negeri Sembilan was carried out from 12 November 2016 to 13 September 2017. The study was to examine data on the morphometric traits of K. palmatissimus at the two forest reserves. 15 morphometric traits of K. palmatissimus that were taken by using vernier calipers. Frog surveys were done by using 15 and 18 nocturnal 400 m transect lines with an interval distance of 20 m at AHFR and PFR, respectively. The GPS coordinates for all frog samples were recorded to ensure the precise geographic location. In addition, five climatic data were recorded. The results showed that most morphometric traits in AHFR (n = 34) and PFR (n = 31) were positively correlated with each other. On the other hand, climatic factor, which was soil pH, had a significant positive influence on most of the morphometric traits (p .05). Later, it was found that the snout-vent length of K. palmatissimus at AHFR was slightly larger than at PFR (AHFR: μ = 37.00 mm, SE = 1.16 c.f. PFR: μ = 30.29 mm, SE = 1.07). It showed that there were variations in morphometric traits of K. palmatissimus at AHFR and PFR. From PCA analysis, morphometric traits are grouped into two components for AHFR and PFR, respectively. In AHFR, head length, eye diameter, head width, internarial distance, interorbital distance, forearm length, tibia length, foot length, and thigh length were strongly correlated, while snout length and eye-nostril distance were strongly correlated. In PFR, eye diameter, head width, internarial distance, interorbital distance, foot length, and thigh length were strongly correlated, though snout length and eye-nostril distance were strongly correlated, hence, suggested that all morphometric traits grow simultaneously in K. palmatissimus with eye-nostril distance (EN), and snout length (SL) growing almost simultaneously at AHFR (r = .91) and PFR (r = .97). There is still a lack of available information regarding the distribution and morphometric studies of K. palmatissimus in Malaysia, especially at AHFR and PFR. This study showed 15 different morphometric traits of K. palmatisssimus between AHFR and PFR, with K. palmatissimus at AHFR were found to be slightly larger than at PFR.
Deforestation in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia has increased significantly in the past few years to accommodate the growing population of Cameron Highlands. This led to a rapid urbanisation in Cameron Highlands which increased anthropogenic activities, causing degradation of the natural environment. Such environmental changes highlight the necessity of wildlife and resource inventories of available forested areas to improve existing conservation and management plans, especially for threatened taxa such as the non-volant small mammals. However, very few studies are known to focus on the effect of deforestation on non-volant small mammals, especially in the adjacent forest. This survey aimed to document non-volant small mammals from four habitat types (restoration areas, boundary, disturbed and undisturbed areas) of Terla A and Bertam, and undisturbed forest of Bukit Bujang Forest Reserve, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Samplings were conducted in two phases between August 2020 to January 2021. A total of 80 live traps were deployed along the transect lines in all three study sites, and 10 camera traps were set randomly in each forested area. Results demonstrated that species diversity (H') is higher at Terla A Forest Reserve compared to Bertam and Bukit Bujang Forest Reserve. In contrast, species diversity in the boundary area (S = 8, H' = 2.025) and disturbed forest area (S = 8, H' = 1.992) had similar number of species (S) compared to others study habitat; restoration area had the lowest species diversity (S = 3, H' = 0.950). Berylmys bowersi was the most captured species from trappings and Lariscus insignis was the most frequently recorded species from camera trappings for all study sites. The results of the survey provided new information on non-volant small mammals in Cameron Highlands for future research, conservation, and management.
BACKGROUND: In Malaysia, the domestic water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are classified into the swamp and the murrah buffaloes. Identification of these buffaloes is usually made via their phenotypic appearances. This study characterizes the subspecies of water buffaloes using karyotype, molecular and phylogenetic analyses. Blood of 105 buffaloes, phenotypically identified as swamp, murrah and crossbred buffaloes were cultured, terminated and harvested using conventional karyotype protocol to determine the number of chromosomes. Then, the D-loop of mitochondrial DNA of 10 swamp, 6 crossbred and 4 murrah buffaloes which were identified earlier by karyotyping were used to construct a phylogenetic tree was constructed.
RESULTS: Karyotypic analysis confirmed that all 93 animals phenotypically identified as swamp buffaloes with 48 chromosomes, all 7 as crossbreds with 49 chromosomes, and all 5 as murrah buffaloes with 50 chromosomes. The D-loop of mitochondrial DNA analysis showed that 10 haplotypes were observed with haplotype diversity of 0.8000 ± 0.089. Sequence characterization revealed 72 variables sites in which 67 were parsimony informative sites with sequence diversity of 0.01906. The swamp and murrah buffaloes clearly formed 2 different clades in the phylogenetic tree, indicating clear maternal divergence from each other. The crossbreds were grouped within the swamp buffalo clade, indicating the dominant maternal swamp buffalo gene in the crossbreds.
CONCLUSION: Thus, the karyotyping could be used to differentiate the water buffaloes while genotypic analysis could be used to characterize the water buffaloes and their crossbreds.