Papers by Antonio Mignucci-giannoni
Avian …, 2002
Seven species of helminths and six species of arthropods are reported from 23 of 40 brown pelican... more Seven species of helminths and six species of arthropods are reported from 23 of 40 brown pelicans, Pelecanus occidentalis, collected from various localities in Puerto Rico. Helminth parasites include three nematodes (Contracaecum multipapillatu m, Contracaecum mexicanum, and Eustrongylides sp.), three trematodes (Galactosomum darbyi, Mesostephanus appendiculatoide s, and Ribeiroia ondatrae), and one cestode (Tetrabothrium sulae). Arthropod parasites include Colpocephalum occidentalis, Neottialges apunctatus, Ornithodoros capensis, Phalacrodectus pelecani, Phalacrodectus punctatissimus, and Phalacrodectus sp. The presence of R. ondatrae in the brown pelican is a new species host record, and P. pelecani, P. punctatissimu s and N. apunctatus are new subspecies host records. C. multipapillatum, C. mexicanum, G. darbyi and M. appendiculatoide s are new locality records for Puerto Rico, and N. apunctatus, P. pelecani, P. punctatissimus and T. sulae are new locality records for the Caribbean. Necrosis produced by C. multipapillatu m, C. mexicanum, and R. ondatrae may have contributed to the emaciation and death of the brown pelicans examined in the present study.
Ethology Ecology & Evolution
West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) are separated into two allopatric subspecies: the Flori... more West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) are separated into two allopatric subspecies: the Florida manatee (T. m. latirostris) and the Antillean manatee (T. m. manatus). In the winter of 2020-2021, an adult manatee was sighted off the coast of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, in areas where Antillean manatees are not typically seen. The individual had distinct watercraft scars on its body, which were matched using photo-identification to a known male Florida manatee (PE424) that had been repeatedly photographed in Florida since 1998. This is the first record of a Florida manatee visiting the Mexican Caribbean. Previous reports of individuals from this subspecies in Cuba, combined with genetic evidence, suggest some level of connectivity among geographically separated manatee populations.
Aquatic Mammals
Fraser's dolphins (Lagenodelphis hosei) are found in oceanic tropical waters around the world, bu... more Fraser's dolphins (Lagenodelphis hosei) are found in oceanic tropical waters around the world, but only seventeen records are known from the entire Atlantic Ocean. Five of these are from the Caribbean. We present two new records of Fraser's dolphin for the Caribbean and the first records for the Puerto Rican bank. The first stranding, a subadult male, occurred at Guánica Bay, while the second, a female calf, occurred in Ponce, both on Puerto Rico's south coast. The animals stranded singly and in a fresh state of decomposition. Postmortem examinations were carried out on both specimens and histopathology analyses were conducted, determining natural cause of death for both animals. Endoparasites collected and identified from one of the specimens included Phyllobothrium delphini, Monorygma grimaldii and Tetrabothrious forsteri. Stomach contents of the subadult included squid beaks and shrimp. Skeletal remains were collected for the University of Puerto Rico Marine Mammal Osteological Collection.
PLOS ONE
The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirotris) is a threatened aquatic mammal in United Stat... more The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirotris) is a threatened aquatic mammal in United States coastal waters. Over the past decade, the appearance of papillomavirusinduced lesions and viral papillomatosis in manatees has been a concern for those involved in the management and rehabilitation of this species. To date, three manatee papillomaviruses (TmPVs) have been identified in Florida manatees, one forming cutaneous lesions (TmPV1) and two forming genital lesions (TmPV3 and TmPV4). We identified DNA sequences with the potential to form G-quadruplex structures (G4) across the three genomes. G4 were located on both DNA strands and across coding and non-coding regions on all TmPVs, offering multiple targets for viral control. Although G4 have been identified in several viral genomes, including human PVs, most research has focused on canonical structures comprised of three Gtetrads. In contrast, the vast majority of sequences we identified would allow the formation of non-canonical structures with only two G-tetrads. Our biophysical analysis confirmed the formation of G4 with parallel topology in three such sequences from the E2 region. Two of the structures appear comprised of multiple stacked two G-tetrad structures, perhaps serving to increase structural stability. Computational analysis demonstrated enrichment of G4 sequences on all TmPVs on the reverse strand in the E2/E4 region and on both strands in the L2 region. Several G4 sequences occurred at similar regional locations on all PVs, most notably on the reverse strand in the E2 region. In other cases, G4 were identified at similar regional locations only on PVs forming genital lesions. On all TmPVs, G4 sequences were located in the non-coding region near putative E2 binding sites. Together, these findings suggest that G4 are possible regulatory elements in TmPVs.
Revista Ciencias Marinas y Costeras
El manatí antillano (Trichechus manatus manatus) está en peligro de extinción debido a actividade... more El manatí antillano (Trichechus manatus manatus) está en peligro de extinción debido a actividades antrópicas, las cuales afectan tanto su salud como el uso de hábitats requeridos para su supervivencia. El presente estudio detalla la distribución espacial y uso de hábitat del manatí en la costa sur de Puerto Rico al hacer censos aéreos en helicóptero y relacionarlos con aspectos zoogeográficos, ambientales y oceanográficas. Se realizaron 33 censos aéreos en helicóptero, paralelos a la costa sur, desde el año 2001 al año 2015. Hubo un total de 488 avistamientos y 914 individuos, lo cual representa 13 manatíes por hora de esfuerzo y 12.4% de crías. No se encontró que factores de temporada, temperatura superficial del mar o las corrientes afecten su presencia. El uso de recursos de agua dulce y praderas de yerbas no presentó estadísticamente una relación, pero si es claro que son parte de su naturaleza y necesarios para su sobrevivencia. Sin embargo, la profundidad y el grado de protec...
The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirotris) is considered a threatened aquatic mammal in ... more The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirotris) is considered a threatened aquatic mammal in United States coastal waters. Over the past decade, the appearance of papillomavirus-induced lesions and viral papillomatosis in manatees has been a concern for those involved in the management and rehabilitation of this species. To date, three manatee papillomaviruses (PVs) have been identified in Florida manatees, one forming cutaneous lesions (TmPV1) and two forming genital lesions (TmPV3 and TmPV4). In this study, we identified DNA sequences with the potential to form G-quadruplex structures in all three PVs. G-quadruplex structures (G4) are guanine-rich nucleic acid sequences capable of forming secondary structures in DNA and RNA. In humans, G4 are known to regulate molecular processes such as transcription and translation. Although G4 have been identified in several viral genomes, including human PVs, no attempt has been made to identify G4 in animal PVs. We found that sequences ca...
Caribbean Journal of Science
Caribbean Journal of Science
Caribbean Journal of Science
West Indian manatees ( Trichechus manatus) are generally considered to have no natural predators.... more West Indian manatees ( Trichechus manatus) are generally considered to have no natural predators. Based on overlaps in habitat use, the likelihood exists of opportunistic attack by large predators. On 19 May 2001, an adult manatee was recovered from Loíza, in northeastern Puerto Rico with signs of injuries, respiratory distress and diving difficulties. The animal died during the rescue attempt, and a necropsy revealed two healed scars in the animal’s peduncle. One crescent-shaped, healed, depigmented, and depressed, and the other, a small dark gray, semi-arched mark, opposite to the first. Based on this, we attributed these scars to a shark attack. External and internal gross examination demonstrated that the difficulty in diving and distressed breathing were the result of severe gas distention and impaction in the distal colon. It is plausible that the attack may have resulted from a preexisting condition, which prevented the manatee from evading the shark attack. Manatees in Puert...
The West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) lives in coastal waters, rivers, and lakes of ... more The West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) lives in coastal waters, rivers, and lakes of western and west central Africa. It is the least understood and most threatened of all sirenian species, and classified as vulnerable by IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Highly endangered by pollution, habitat degradation, hunting (for meat, leather and oil) and incidental catches in fishing nets, it is protected under national laws in every country in which it occurs in Africa. On 24 September 2010 a live West African manatee calf of approximately one month of age, stranded on the beach near Mayumba National Park in Gabon. This is the first documented record of T. senegalensis in the Atlantic Ocean of Gabon. The male calf was 108 cm in length and weighed 27 kg at the time of rescue. After stabilizing him, the calf was transferred to a corral at the edge of nearby Banio Lagoon, and local care-givers were trained to care and feed him using techniques and formula from manatee facilitie...
Marine Biology, 2015
ABSTRACT The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is an invasive predatory marine fish that has rapidl... more ABSTRACT The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is an invasive predatory marine fish that has rapidly expanded its presence in the Western Hemisphere. We collected 214 invasive red lionfish samples from nine countries and territories, including seven unpublished locations. To more comprehensively evaluate connectivity, we compiled our d-loop sequence data with 846 published sequences, resulting in 1,060 samples from 14 locations. We found low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.003) and moderate haplotype diversity (h = 0.59). Using haplotype population pairwise Φ ST tests, we analyzed possible phylogeographic breaks that were previously proposed based on other reef organisms. We found support for the Bahamas/Turks/Caicos versus Caribbean break (Φ ST = 0.12) but not for the Northwestern Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, or US East Coast versus Bahamas breaks. The Northern Region had higher variation and more haplotypes, supporting introductions of at least five haplotypes to the region. Our wide-ranging samples showed that a lower-frequency haplotype in the Northern Region dominated the Southern Region and suggested multiple introductions, possibly to the south. We tested multiple scenarios of phylogeographic structure with analyses of molecular variance and found support for a Northern and Southern Region split at the Bahamas/Turks/Caicos versus Caribbean break (percentage of variation among regions = 8.49 %). We found that Puerto Rico clustered with the Southern Region more strongly than with the Northern Region, as opposed to previous reports. We also found the rare haplotype H03 for the first time in the southern Caribbean (Panama), indicating that either secondary releases occurred or that the low-frequency haplotypes have had time to disperse to extreme southern Caribbean locations.
Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 2014
ABSTRACT Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) are known for their highly social... more ABSTRACT Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) are known for their highly social cohesive behavior which contributes to the reporting by the public of mass stranding. This species has been hunted in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean for generations. Currently, the genetic diversity of short-finned pilot whales has been investigated in the North Atlantic, South Pacific and Japan/Korea, but not in the Caribbean. Here we provide the first description of the genetic diversity of this species in the Caribbean using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (CR) sequences and seven microsatellite loci from 25 skin samples collected from four stranding events in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, British Virgin Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago. Overall, three CR haplotypes were identified; of these, one was unique for the Caribbean (Car 1), while a second (haplotype D) was previously reported in the Western North Atlantic, and a third (Haplotype A) was found to be common in the South Pacific. Even though sample size (n = 25) was small, microsatellite analysis showed a low level of relatedness between the stranded whales. Our results provide relevant preliminary information on the genetic diversity of short-finned pilot whales in the Caribbean, reporting one previously unknown and unique haplotype for this region. Further research should be carried out in the Caribbean to further our knowledge on this species, particularly since its prone to mass stranding.
The Anatomical Record, 2014
West Indian (Trichechus manatus) and Amazonian (T. inunguis) manatees are vocal mammals, with mos... more West Indian (Trichechus manatus) and Amazonian (T. inunguis) manatees are vocal mammals, with most sounds produced for communication between mothers and calves. While their hearing and vocalizations have been well studied, the actual mechanism of sound production is unknown. Acoustical recordings and anatomical examination were used to determine the source of sound generation. Recordings were performed on live captive manatees from Puerto Rico, Cuba and Colombia (T. manatus) and from Peru (T. inunguis) to determine focal points of sound production. The manatees were recorded using two directional hydrophones placed on the throat and nasal region and an Edirol-R44 digital recorder. The average sound intensity level was analyzed to evaluate the sound source with a T test: paired two sample for means. Anatomical examinations were conducted on six T. manatus carcasses from Florida and Puerto Rico. During necropsies, the larynx, trachea, and nasal areas were dissected, with particular focus on identifying musculature and soft tissues capable of vibrating or constricting the airway. From the recordings we found that the acoustical intensity was significant (P < 0.0001) for both the individuals and the pooled manatees in the ventral throat region compared to the nasal region. From the dissection we found two raised areas of tissue in the lateral walls of the manatee's laryngeal lumen that are consistent with mammalian vocal folds. They oppose each other and may be able to regulate airflow between them when they are adducted or abducted by muscular control of arytenoid cartilages. Acoustic and anatomical evidence taken together suggest vocal folds as the mechanism for sound production in manatees.
Lat. Am. J. Aquat. Mamm., 2003
The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) is one of the most endangered species in Jamaica. Fo... more The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) is one of the most endangered species in Jamaica. Four manatees were impounded at the Alligator Hole River on the south coast of the island since 1981. Their semi-captive status was unclear and the present study reports on the documentation of their gender and survival possibilities. The river was surveyed between 18-25 June 1991 by canoeing and snorkeling, interviews were conducted and photographs and documents were examined to ascertain their status, confirm their gender determination and to assess the circumstances of their capture. A total of 10 sightings were recorded, representing three different animals, all females. They were extremely evasive of humans, as they had been mistreated for long periods of time. Two of the animals appeared healthy, but one was observed with a severe cut in its caudal peduncle, produced by a rope and net. Given Jamaicas low manatee population numbers, and the observed degradation of the river, no justification exists to hold three reproducing female manatees apart from the rest of the Jamaican manatee gene pool. It is recommended that the manatees be captured and released at sea, after fitting them with satellite radio-transmitters, which will allow monitoring their re-adaptation to the wild. Resumen El manatí de las Indias Occidentales (Trichechus manatus) es una de las especie en mayor peligro de extinción en Jamaica. Cuatro manatíes fueron encerrados en el rio Alligator Hole en la costa sur de la isla desde 1981. Su estatus de semi-cautiverio no estaba claro y nuestro estudio incluye la determinación del sexo de los animales y sus posibilidades de sobrevivencia. El río fue examinado entre el 18 y el 25 junio de 1991 utilizando canoas y a través de snorkeling, se llevaron a cabo entrevistas y se examinaron fotografías y documentos para analizar su estatus, para confirmar la determinación del sexo y evaluar las circunstancias de su captura. Un total de 10 avistamientos fueron registrados distinguiendo tres animales diferentes, todos hembras. Los animales se mostraron extremadamente evasivos de los humanos, ya que fueron maltratados por largos períodos de tiempo. Dos de los animales aparentan estar saludables, pero uno de ellos fue observado con una herida severa en su pedúnculo, producto de una soga y malla. Debido al bajo número de los individuos de la población de manatíes en Jamaica y la degradación del río, no existe justificación para mantener tres manatíes hembras en madurez reproductiva, aislados del resto del acervo genético de la especie en Jamaica. Se recomienda que los manatíes sean capturados y liberados en el mar después de colocarles radio-transmisores de satélite los cuales permitirán evaluar su re-adaptación al medio ambiente.
Revista de Biología Tropical, 2007
A 12-year old, adult male, West indian Manatee, Trichechus manatus, which stranded in Ponce, Puer... more A 12-year old, adult male, West indian Manatee, Trichechus manatus, which stranded in Ponce, Puerto Rico 26 August 1992, died from cardiac failure. Suppurative epicarditis, myocarditis and endocarditis with mild to moderate degeneration and necrosis was caused by an unidentified infectious agent. Moderate to heavy parasite respiratory infections with Cochleotrema cochleotrema and intestinal infections with Chiorchis groschafti and stomach infections with Heterochelius tunicatus probably contributed to the physiological compromise of the host's condition. This case represents the first record of a diagnosed natural mortality in the Antillean Manatee from the Caribbean and the first attributed to cardiac failure.
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Papers by Antonio Mignucci-giannoni