The first record of partial xanthochromism in big-eared opossum, <i>Didelphis aurita</i> (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae)

Cotts, Leonardo; Prestes, Stella Barbara Serodio; Pires, Jeferson Rocha; Mathias, Maria da Luz

doi:10.1515/mammalia-2023-0104

Mammalia

2023

DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2023-0104

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The first record of partial xanthochromism in big-eared opossum, Didelphis aurita (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae)

Leonardo Cotts,

Stella Barbara Serodio Prestes,

Jeferson Rocha Pires

et al.

Abstract: Didelphis aurita is an abundant South American didelphid. Chromatic disorders are rare and scarcely known in marsupials. We report and describe the occurrence of xanthochromism (yellowish coloration) in D. aurita, being the first record of this anomaly for opossums. The emergence of the xanthochromism correlated with the anthropogenic stress in urban-sylvatic interface suggests that chromatic disorders may serve as useful bioindicators of the health of wildlife in disturbed environments.

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2024

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Cited by 3 publications

References 24 publications

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Unveiling the Colors of Mustelids: A Historical Review on the Emergence of Chromatic Disorders and Their Ecological Effects in Mustelids Worldwide with Report of the First Case of Erythrism in Eira barbara (Carnivora, Mustelidae)

Cotts,

Costa,

Gabriel

et al. 2024

Animals

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Mustelidae is the largest and most diverse family within the order Carnivora, encompasses 65 species and 22 genera, and is widely distributed around the world. Mustelids exhibit a multiplicity of coloration patterns, ranging from darker tones, such as black and brown, to lighter tones, such as pale yellow and white. Anomalous colorations in wild mustelids are occasionally reported, but these records are still poorly discussed in the scientific literature and are often subject to misidentification and/or incorrect terminology. Among mustelids, the Tayra, Eira barbara, is suggested to have the highest frequency of chromatic disorders reported in the formal scientific literature, although most cases involve hypopigmentation. Here, we report and describe the first case of a reddish-colored tayra, a rare chromatic disorder known as erythrism, and compare their coloration to that observed in the subspecies currently suggested for E. barbara. We also conducted a survey and a review of chromatic variants in mustelids based on the formal scientific literature, reporting 119 anomalously colored individuals from 1890 to 2024, and proposed accurate terminology for misidentified cases. Additionally, we discuss the occurrence of these chromatic disorders on a global scale and their potential ecological effect on wild mustelids.

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Unveiling the Colors of Mustelids: A Historical Review on the Emergence of Chromatic Disorders and Their Ecological Effects in Mustelids Worldwide with Report of the First Case of Erythrism in Eira barbara (Carnivora, Mustelidae)

Cotts,

Costa,

Gabriel

et al. 2024

Animals

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Shadows in the forest: Uncovering unusual colouration records in mammals from the Ecuadorian Tropical Andes

Viteri-Basso,

Reyes Puig,

Reyes-Puig

et al. 2024

BDJ

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Variations in colouration patterns have been reported in numerous wildlife species, particularly birds. However, the increased use of camera traps for wildlife monitoring has enabled the detection of elusive species and phenotypic variations that might otherwise go undetected. Here, we compiled records of unusual colouration patterns in terrestrial mammals, documented through camera-trap studies over a 12-year period in the Llanganates-Sangay Connectivity Corridor, in the Tropical Andes of Ecuador. We identified colour variations in seven species of terrestrial mammals, including disorders, such as melanism, white spotting/ piebaldism, xanthocromism and progressive greying. Notably, we reported a high prevalence of melanism in wild populations of the clouded oncilla, along with observations on the species' activity patterns. Approximately half of the recorded clouded oncillas were melanistic. We detected significant differences in activty patterns between melanistic and non-melanistc clouded oncilla, with melanistic morphs showing a peak of activity between 3 a.m. and before dawn. The proportion of melanistic individuals suggests that melanism is widespread throughout the corridor. However, its impact on the species' fitness remains unclear.

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Report of coloration anomalies in mammals from Panama

Fuentes,

Castillo,

Moreno

et al. 2024

NBC

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Coloration anomalies are widespread across the animal kingdom; however, they pass underreported for some taxa or are extremely rare, like in the case of mammals. Three of those anomalies are albinism, leucism, and erythrism, each of which generates atypical colorations in white with white spots and reddish-brown, respectively. Here, we report five cases of coloration anomalies in mammals from Panama: 1) albinism in the Derby’s woolly opossum (Caluromys derbianus Waterhouse, 1841), the lowland Paca (Cuniculus paca Linnaeus, 1766), and the variegated squirrel (Echinosciuris variegatoides Ogilby, 1839). 2) leucism in the Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata J. E. Gray, 1842), and 3) erythrism in the northern Tamandua (Tamandua mexicana Saussure, 1860). We discuss some implications of these observations and the importance of gathering this type of data for developing more complex studies in the future.

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The first record of partial xanthochromism in big-eared opossum, Didelphis aurita (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae)

Cited by 3 publications

References 24 publications

Unveiling the Colors of Mustelids: A Historical Review on the Emergence of Chromatic Disorders and Their Ecological Effects in Mustelids Worldwide with Report of the First Case of Erythrism in Eira barbara (Carnivora, Mustelidae)

Unveiling the Colors of Mustelids: A Historical Review on the Emergence of Chromatic Disorders and Their Ecological Effects in Mustelids Worldwide with Report of the First Case of Erythrism in Eira barbara (Carnivora, Mustelidae)

Shadows in the forest: Uncovering unusual colouration records in mammals from the Ecuadorian Tropical Andes

Report of coloration anomalies in mammals from Panama

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