Relationships of Megaoryzomys curioi, an Extinct Cricetine Rodent (Muroidea: Muridae) from the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Steadman, David W.; Ray, Clayton E.

doi:10.5479/si.00810266.51.1

Cited by 37 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 10 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, the phallic structures of Halmenus are virtually identical to Schistocerca, suggesting that the divergence between two genera could have been very recent (Dirsh 1974). The ancestral Halmenus must have colonized the Galapagos Islands after the islands emerged, which would make Halmenus certainly less than 5 Myr old (Steadman & Ray 1982). According to the cladistic theory, sister taxa are of the same age by definition, and the current phylogeny would then suggest that Schistocerca is less than 5 Myr old.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the origin of the desert locustSchistocerca gregaria(Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Cyrtacanthacridinae)

Song

2004

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The locust genus Schistocerca (Stål) has a transatlantic disjunction, which has been controversial for more than a century. Among 50 species within the genus, only one species, the desert locust (S. gregaria Forskål), occurs in the Old World, and the rest occur in the New World. Earlier taxonomists suggested that the desert locust is a migrant from America, but this view was strongly challenged when a large swarm of the desert locust successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean from West Africa to the West Indies in 1988. The currently accepted view, supported by this incident, is that the New World species are descendants of a gregaria-like ancestor, and the desert locust would be ancestral to the rest of the genus. However, there is surprisingly little evidence to support this view other than the 1988 swarm. I present the most comprehensive phylogenetic study that suggests that the desert locust originated from the New World, contrary to the accepted view. I also present a hypothesis about how the ancestral Schistocerca might have colonized the New World in the first place in light of phylogenetic relationships with other cyrtacanthacridine genera.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the origin of the desert locustSchistocerca gregaria(Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Cyrtacanthacridinae)

Song

2004

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…; Megaoryzomys sp.) were once present on Isabela Island, and are thought to be extinct (Steadman and Ray 1982;Steadman et al 1991). Alcedo supports approximately 220 plant species (180 native), including the Isabela island endemic Froelichia juncea juncea, and a species of shrub restricted to Alcedo, Hyptis gymnocaulos, which has not been recorded for the last 20 years (A. Tye, personal communication).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Feral donkey (Equus asinus) eradications in the Galápagos

et al. 2006

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduced herbivores are major drivers of ecosystem change and biodiversity loss, particularly on islands. Tools and techniques now exist to routinely remove introduced herbivores from islands, providing a powerful conservation tool. Here, we summarize the few documented feral donkey removals on islands worldwide, and report on the removal of populations from the Gala´pagos archipelago, Ecuador. After decades of sporadic control programs on Santiago Island and Alcedo Volcano, Isabela Island, donkey populations were removed from both areas, concurrent with a goat eradication program. Both ground and aerial hunting programs were utilized. The latter method was highly efficient; donkeys were removed from Santiago Island with less than 80 h of aerial hunting. Given the clear impacts of introduced herbivores on islands worldwide, feral donkey populations should be routinely removed from islands.

show abstract

“…However, convincing cases exist within these groups (Clark 1984;Vigne and Valladas 1996;Harris 2006). Of seven endemic Galápagos rodent species extinctions, the evidence for R. rattus involvement is most convincing for the Nesoryzomys species of Santa Cruz Island, less persuasive for the Nesoryzomys of Isabela Island and debatable for the remaining three (Table 1; Patton et al 1975;Steadman and Ray 1982;Clark 1984;Steadman et al 1991; (Flannery 1995) Review of negative effects of introduced rodents 1615…”

Section: Introduced Rodent Involvement In Insular Small Mammal Extincmentioning

confidence: 97%

Review of negative effects of introduced rodents on small mammals on islands

Harris

2008

Biol Invasions

121

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this first comprehensive review of negative effects of introduced rodents on insular small mammals, the focal species Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus, R. exulans and Mus musculus are implicated in at least 11 extinctions. Furthermore, removal experiments, eradication campaigns and control programmes provide evidence for negative effects on extant populations. While data are currently insufficient for meaningful generalisation with regard to the most threatening rodents, the most threatened small mammals, and the true extent of the problem, it is interesting that R. rattus is implicated in the majority of impacts. This may be explained by its extensive distribution and ecological plasticity. I conclude with methodological recommendations to guide data collection for impact quantification and the study of impact mechanism. This information should facilitate the prioritisation and justification of eradication campaigns, control programmes and biosecurity measures while ensuring that much-needed attention is paid to the conservation of insular small mammals.

show abstract

Relationships of Megaoryzomys curioi, an Extinct Cricetine Rodent (Muroidea: Muridae) from the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Cited by 37 publications

References 10 publications

On the origin of the desert locustSchistocerca gregaria(Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Cyrtacanthacridinae)

On the origin of the desert locustSchistocerca gregaria(Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Cyrtacanthacridinae)

Feral donkey (Equus asinus) eradications in the Galápagos

Review of negative effects of introduced rodents on small mammals on islands

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About