American Flamingo Research Articles

Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Distribution of American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) in Cuba

Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Distribution of American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) in Cuba

Sperm Cryopreservation in American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus Ruber): Influence of Cryoprotectants and Seminal Plasma Removal.

Simple SummaryThe Phoenicopteridae family is made up of six species of which 50% are in near-threatened status and 17% are in vulnerable status because their population is decreasing. The American flamingo is a useful model for development of successful semen cryopreservation procedures to be applied to threatened related species from the family Phoenicopteridae, and to permit genetic material banking. The current study sought to develop effective sperm cryopreservation protocols through examining the influences of two permeating cryoprotectants and the seminal plasma removal. In addition, morphometric and functional sperm characteristics were studied for the first time in this species. Head morphometric data provide relevant information in future studies about sperm cryobiology in these species because the head size is related with the ability of sperm to survive the freeze/thawed process. There was no apparent effect of cryoprotectants (DMA (dimethylacetamide) 6% and Me2SO (dimethylsulphoxide) 8%) on frozen–thawed flamingo sperm variables. The removal of the seminal plasma provided lower sperm quality after thawing than samples containing seminal plasma. This research demonstrated that there were no differences between Me2SO and DMA to successful freezing sperm of flamingos, but we recommend the use of Me2SO because the cell toxic effect of DMA.The American flamingo is a useful model for the development of successful semen cryopreservation procedures to be applied to threatened related species from the family Phoenicopteridae, and to permit genetic material banking. Current study sought to develop effective sperm cryopreservation protocols through examining the influences of two permeating cryoprotectants and the seminal plasma removal. During two consecutive years (April), semen samples were collected and frozen from American flamingos. In the first year, the effect of two permeating cryoprotectants, DMA (dimethylacetamide) (6%) or Me2SO (dimethylsulphoxide) (8%), on frozen–thawed sperm variables were compared in 21 males. No differences were seen between DMA and Me2SO for sperm motility, sperm viability, and DNA fragmentation after thawing. In the second year, the role of seminal plasma on sperm cryoresistance was investigated in 31 flamingos. Sperm samples were cryopreserved with and without seminal plasma, using Me2SO (8%) as a cryoprotectant. The results showed that samples with seminal plasma had higher values than samples without seminal plasma for the following sperm variables: Straight line velocity (22.40 µm/s vs. 16.64 µm/s), wobble (75.83% vs. 69.40%), (p < 0.05), linearity (62.73% vs. 52.01%) and straightness (82.38% vs. 73.79%) (p < 0.01); but acrosome integrity was lower (55.56% vs. 66.88%) (p < 0.05). The cryoresistance ratio (CR) was greater in samples frozen with seminal plasma than without seminal plasma for CR-progressive motility (138.72 vs. 54.59), CR-curvilinear velocity (105.98 vs. 89.32), CR-straight line velocity (152.77 vs. 112.58), CR-average path velocity (122.48 vs. 98.12), CR-wobble (111.75 vs. 102.04) (p < 0.05), CR-linearity (139.41 vs. 113.18), and CR-straightness (124.02 vs. 109.97) (p < 0.01). This research demonstrated that there were not differences between Me2SO and DMA to successful freezing sperm of flamingos; seminal plasma removal did not provide a benefit for sperm cryopreservation.

Assessment of the American Flamingo distribution, trends, and important breeding areas.

The American Flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber, is a charismatic bird distributed throughout the Caribbean, North and South America. Its wide distribution, the complexity of international monitoring due to its capacity for long-distance flying, and a focus mostly on local populations, make it difficult to understand the dynamics between sites. Here, we took advantage of the citizen eBird science project to present a global perspective on the distribution of the American Flamingo, and identify the potentially most important countries for breeding. We obtained 16,930 records for the Americas from the 1960s until October 2018, of which 9,283 could be used for our objectives. The eBird database indicated a considerable increase in the total number of records over the last decade (2010s), probably reflecting an increase in tourism facilities, research investment, technological advancement, interest in conservation, and the worldwide availability of eBird. We also observed a range extension in the Gulf of Mexico in the United States and a significant recolonization in the Florida Peninsula. The apparent range extension to the South is more likely to be linked to biases in the data; for example, in any given country the number of records might reflect either reporting efforts or actual numbers. eBird data confirmed that six countries host the main breeding colonies (Bahamas, Bonaire, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, and Venezuela). We suggest three additional countries as potential breeding areas for the species (Colombia, Curaçao, Turks and Caicos Islands) for which more field observations are necessary to support this possibility. This global appraisal of the distribution of the American Flamingo using citizen science data provides valuable information for national and international management and conservation programs such as the need to verify the species breeding status in areas where it appears to be expanding its distribution.

Telomere shortening rate predicts species life span.

Telomere shortening to a critical length can trigger aging and shorter life spans in mice and humans by a mechanism that involves induction of a persistent DNA damage response at chromosome ends and loss of cellular viability. However, whether telomere length is a universal determinant of species longevity is not known. To determine whether telomere shortening can be a single parameter to predict species longevities, here we measured in parallel the telomere length of a wide variety of species (birds and mammals) with very different life spans and body sizes, including mouse (Mus musculus), goat (Capra hircus), Audouin's gull (Larus audouinii), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), and Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus). We found that the telomere shortening rate, but not the initial telomere length alone, is a powerful predictor of species life span. These results support the notion that critical telomere shortening and the consequent onset of telomeric DNA damage and cellular senescence are a general determinant of species life span.

Lost trophies: Hunting animals and the imperial souvenir in Walton Ford’s Pancha Tantra

This article argues that the work of contemporary American artist Walton Ford stages the paradoxical role that trophy hunting played in both establishing and undermining the strict racial, biological, and ecological hierarchization of colonial environments. American Flamingo (1992) and Lost Trophy (2005), from the 2009 collection Pancha Tantra, foreground how the tradition of nineteenth century naturalist art, characterized by John James Audubon, and popular narratives of trophy hunting expeditions, such as Ernest Hemingway’s Green Hills of Africa (1935), are complicit in colonialist domination. In doing so, Ford’s paintings of hunted animals, which adopt many of the tropes popularized by Audubon, point to the Spivakian notion of “epistemic violence” behind an ostensibly innocuous, taxonomic art form. At the same time, the painting Lost Trophy recalls the writings of Joseph Conrad and George Orwell, investing animals with the power to unsettle the assumed superiority of the colonial hunter. My interdisciplinary analysis adopts literary strategies for reading artistic works, allowing for a broader understanding of the growing relationship between postcolonial studies and ecocriticism.

AVIAN POXVIRUS INFECTION IN A FLAMINGO (PHOENICOPTERUS RUBER) OF THE LISBON ZOO.

Avian poxviruses (APV) are very large viruses spread worldwide in a variety of hosts. They are responsible for a disease usually referred to as pox, mainly characterized by nodular lesions on feather-free regions of the body. On May 2010, a young American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) of the Lisbon Zoo (Portugal) developed a nodular lesion suggestive of poxvirus infection on its right foot. Avipoxvirus was isolated from the lesion and a fragment of the P4b-encoding gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction. The nucleotide sequence of the amplicon was determined and analyzed. A close relationship (100% identity) was observed between the flamingo poxvirus and isolates from great bustard (Hungary 2005), house sparrow (Morocco 2009), MacQueen's bustard (Morocco 2011), and Houbara bustard (Morocco 2010 and 2011), suggesting interspecies transmission as a possible source of infection. To strengthen the investigation, the 5' and 3' ends of genes cnpv186 and cnpv 187, respectively, were also analyzed. The cnpv186-187 fragment exhibited 100% identity with MacQueen's bustard and Houbara bustard isolates, both from Morocco 2011. Phylogenetic analyses based in both fragments grouped the flamingo isolate consistently within clade B2 of canarypox. However, the phylogenetic relationships among the different representatives of avian poxviruses were more comprehensive in the tree based on the concatenated coding sequences of the cnpv186-187 fragment, rather than on the P4b-coding gene. The clearer displacement and distribution of the isolates regarding their host species in this last tree suggests the potential usefulness of this genomic region to refine avian poxvirus classification.

Scanning electron microscopic study on the tongues of seven avian species.

The dorsal lingual surface of the grey crowned crane (Balearica regulorum), American flamingo (Phoenicopterus rubber), great egret (Ardea alba), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus), black-necked stilt (himantopus mexicanus) and green macaw (Ara militaris) were examined by scanning electron microscopy. In the grey crowned crane, the surface of the lingual apex was relatively rough. Many openings of the lingual glands in both lateral regions of the lingual body were observed. The surfaces of many conical papillae were smooth. Many openings of the lingual glands were observed in the region of the lingual root. In the American flamingo, the surface of the lingual apex was relatively smooth. The surfaces of many fang-like and mustache-like structures were smooth. In the great egret, the surfaces of the lingual apex, central part of the posterior lingual body and giant conical papilla were relatively smooth. Many openings of the lingual glands were observed on the lingual root. In the mallard, the surface of the lingual apex was relatively smooth. The thread-shaped and scale-shaped structures were observed on the anterolateral region of the lingual body. The saw-shaped papillae on the posterolateral region of the lingual body consisted of the thread-shaped structure and big processes. In the Himalayan monal, the dorsal surfaces of the lingual apex and body were relatively smooth. The posterior part of the lingual body consisted of several conical papillae. Many openings of the lingual glands were observed on the lingual root. In the black-necked stilt, the surface of the lingual apex was relatively smooth. The dorsal surface of the lingual body was rough to comparison with that of the lingual apex. The posterior part of the lingual body consisted of several conical papillae. In the green macaw, the surface of the lingual apex had many grooves. The posterior part of the lingual body consisted of several conical papillae. These findings indicate a close correlation between the shape of the tongue and the method of food intake, the type of food, and bird's habitat.

ACUTE PHASE PROTEIN AND ELECTROPHORESIS PROTEIN FRACTION VALUES FOR CAPTIVE AMERICAN FLAMINGOS (PHOENICOPTERUS RUBER).

Protein electrophoresis has recognized applications in determining the health status of various species. While reference intervals for electrophoresis have been determined for psittacine and raptor species, there are none reported for Phoenicopteriformes species. Reference intervals for haptoglobin and protein fractions obtained by electrophoresis were determined for the American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) based on plasma samples from 39 captive birds. The reference intervals were as follows: haptoglobin, 0.17-0.8 mg/ml; total protein, 3.65-6.38 g/dl; prealbumin, 0.26-1.9 g/dl; albumin, 1.51-3.12 g/dl; α-1 globulin, 0.06-0.38 g/dl; α-2 globulin, 0.17-0.67 g/dl; β globulin, 0.38-1.33 g/dl; γ globulin, 0.26-0.68 g/dl; albumin : globulin ratio, 0.93-2.17. As captive flamingos often suffer from pododermatitis, feet of all flamingos were scored to determine if pododermatitis would be reflected in the acute phase proteins. Spearman rank correlation was performed on each of the protein fractions and pododermatitis scores, and only albumin had a significant correlation. This indicates that albumin, as a negative acute phase protein, may be a marker for this disease process.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the American flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber (Phoenicopteriformes, Phoenicopteridae)

The American flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber (P. ruber), is a large species of flamingo closely related to the greater flamingo and Chilean flamingo. In this paper, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of P. ruber has been assembled for the first time. It was 17 476 bp in length and consisted of 13 typical vertebrate protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes and 2 control regions. COI and ND3 genes used GTG and ATC as start codons respectively, but the remaining protein-coding genes were encoded beginning with orthodox ATG codon. Two triplet codons (TAA, AGG) and one single T base were employed as stop codons. The arrangement of the overall genes and noncoding regions was identical to the same genus flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus. The AT content (54.27%) was higher than the GC content. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using 12 protein-coding genes, combined with other 11 species from the same Neognathae, which validated the responsibility and utility of this new mitochondrial genome.

Use of a point-of-care portable blood analyzer for evaluation of blood gas analytes and select physiologic parameters in the American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)

This study was conducted in order to evaluate blood gas analytes using a portable clinical analyzer in captive American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber). Seventeen healthy flamingos were evaluated as part of an overall clinical health assessment. Each bird underwent a complete physical examination, complete blood count, and serum biochemistry testing. Blood samples were collected from the medial metatarsal vein and using the VetScan i-STAT® analyzer, tested for the following parameters: hydrogen ion concentration, oxygen tension, carbon dioxide tension, sodium, potassium, ionized calcium, hematocrit, and various calculated parameters. The different parameters of venous blood gas were described using the mean, median, the interquartile range, P2.5 and P97.5, and minimum and maximum values. A comparison between sexes revealed no significant difference (p > 0.05) in any of the observed values. The test provided rapid results and was easy to use, making it useful for point-of-care use in zoological settings, or hospitalized critical avian patients. Knowledge of baseline parameters can promote better physiological understanding and improve clinical management of this avian species.

Stability of social behavior in captive American Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber): A quantitative case study.

Over a three-year period a captive American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) group showed recurring seasonal changes in the pattern of agonistic behavior. In spite of seasonal changes in the rates of agonistic behavior, dominance relations were generally stable across seasons. Males had significantly higher dominance status than females, and birds in long-term male-female pair bonds had significantly higher dominance than others. Unresolved agonistic encounters (URI), those with no clear winner or loser, were frequently observed; and their pattern of occurrence changed over the course of the year. URI were most frequent on the breeding "island" during the breeding season, and at the feeder in the post-breeding season. Thus, the frequency of URI reliably tracked seasonal changes regarding the resources most in contention; and, the extent of an individual's involvement in URI was indicative of privileged access to resources over which competition occurred.

Serum bile acids concentration in captive American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber)

This study was conducted in order to determine serum bile acids concentration in captive American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber). Seventeen healthy flamingos of both sexes were evaluated as part of an overall clinical health assessment. Each bird underwent a complete physical examination, complete blood count, and serum biochemistry testing. Blood samples were collected from the medial metatarsal vein and submitted for a serum bile acids analysis. The median serum bile acids concentration for the American flamingo was 30 μmol/L (min = 20 μmol/L, max = 58 μmol/L), with no significant difference (p = 0.14) between males and females in this study. The data presented in this report can promote better physiological understanding and improve clinical management of this avian species.

Genetic and Phenotypic Evidence Supports Evolutionary Divergence of the American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) Population in the Galápagos Islands

The Galápagos archipelago is characterized by a high degree of endemism across many taxa, linked to the archipelago's oceanic origin and distance from other colonizing land masses. A population of ~500 American Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) resides in Galápagos, which is thought to share an historical origin with the American Flamingo currently found in the Caribbean region. Genetic and phenotypic parameters in American Flamingos from Galápagos and from the Caribbean were investigated. Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers data showed that the American Flamingo population in Galápagos differs genetically from that in the Caribbean. American Flamingos in Galápagos form a clade that differs by a single common nucleotide substitution from American Flamingos in the Caribbean. The genetic differentiation is also evident from nuclear DNA in that microsatellite data reveal a number of private alleles for the American Flamingo in Galápagos. Analysis of skeletal measurements showed that American Flamingos in Galápagos are smaller than those in the Caribbean primarily due to shorter tarsus length, and exhibit differences in body shape sexual dimorphism. American Flamingo eggs from Galápagos have smaller linear dimensions and volumes than those from the Caribbean. These findings are consistent with reproductive isolation of the American Flamingo population in Galápagos.

DNA barcodes reveal female dimorphism in syringophilid mites (Actinotrichida: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea): Stibarokris phoeniconaias and Ciconichenophilus phoeniconaias are conspecific.

Here we present the first evidence of female dimorphism in ectoparasitic quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Actinotrichida: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea). Stibarokris phoeniconaias Skoracki et OConnor, 2010 and Ciconichenophilus phoeniconaias Skoracki et OConnor, 2010 so far have been treated as two distinct species cohabiting inside the quills of feathers of the lesser flamingo Phoeniconaias minor (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire) and the American flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Linnaeus. Although females of these species differ morphologically by the extent of body sclerotisation, presence/absence of lateral hypostomal teeth, and shape of dorsal setae, their important common features are the lack of leg setae vs II, and both stylophore and peritremes shape. Here, we apply the DNA barcode markers to test whether the differences between S. phoeniconaias and C. phoeniconaias have a genetic basis, indicating that they really are distinct taxa, or whether they just represent two morphs of a single species. All analysed sequences (616 bp for COI and 1159 bp for 28S rDNA) obtained for specimens representing females of both studied taxa as well as male, tritonymph, protonymph and larva of S. phoeniconaias were identical, which indicates that S. phoeniconaias and C. phoeniconaias are conspecific. The formal taxonomic consequence of our results is denial of the genus status of Ciconichenophilus Skoracki et OConnor, 2010 and species status of C. phoeniconaias, and recommendation that they should be treated as junior synonyms of Stibarokris Kethley, 1970 and S. phoeniconaias, respectively.

New species of quill mites (Acari, Cheyletoidea, Syringophilidae) and the first record of male for the genus Stibarokris

In this paper we describe a new quill mite species Stibarokris dastychi sp. nov., parasitizing Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus) (Pelecaniformes: Phalacrocoracidae) and the male of S. phoeniconaias Skoracki et OConnor, 2010 from American Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Linnaeus (new host). Additionally, the improved (including both female and male) diagnosis of the genus Stibarokris Kethley, 1970 and the key to all known species of this genus are given.

Management of a Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma in an American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)

A 32-year-old female American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) was presented with a squamous cell carcinoma of the middle digit of the right foot. No clinical, hematologic, or radiologic evidence of metastasis was present. Salvage amputation of the digit resulted in complete cure, whereas previous electrosurgery and radiation therapy were unsuccessful. Three years later, another squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in the middle digit of the left foot. The digit was also amputated. Seven months after the second amputation, the bird did not have any recurrence or signs of metastasis.

Molecular Characterization of a Poxvirus Isolated from an American Flamingo (Phoeniconais ruber rubber)

Molecular Characterization of a Poxvirus Isolated from an American Flamingo (Phoeniconais ruber rubber)

Molecular Characterization of a Poxvirus Isolated from an American Flamingo (Phoeniconais ruber rubber)

An avian poxvirus from the beak scab of an American flamingo (Phoeniconais ruber rubber) was isolated by inoculation on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chicken embryos. The virus produced multifocal areas of epithelial hyperplasia along with foci of inflammation in the CAM, and rare cells contained small eosinophilic intracytoplasmic bodies. Chickens inoculated with the isolated virus in the feather follicle of the leg did not develop significant lesions. Nucleotide sequence comparison of a PCR-amplified 4.5 kb HindIII fragment of the genome of flamingo poxvirus (FlPV) revealed very high homology (99.7%) with condor poxvirus (CPV), followed by approximately 92% similarity with canary poxvirus (CNPV) and Hawaiian goose poxvirus (HGPV), but less similarity (approximately 69%) to fowl poxvirus (FPV), the type species of the genus Avipoxvirus of family Poxviridae. As in the cases with CPV, CNPV, and HGPV, genetic analysis of FlPV revealed an absence of three corresponding FPV open reading frames (ORF199, 200, and 202) and an absence of any reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) sequences in this region. There are only nine nucleotide substitutions observed between FlPV and CPV in the 4.5 kb fragment; those were clustered in the ORF201 region, which in FPV genome is a site for integration of REV sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of the predicted amino acid sequences of the ORF201-coded hypothetical protein demonstrated FlPV to be more closely related to CPV, as well as to CNPV and HGPV, than to FPV.

Spontaneous appearance of Tay–Sachs disease in an animal model

Tay–Sachs disease (TSD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder due to an autosomal recessively inherited deficiency of β-hexosaminidase A (Hex A). Deficiency of Hex A in TSD is caused by a defect of the α-subunit resulting from mutations of the HEXA gene. To date, there is no effective treatment for TSD. Animal models of genetic diseases, similar to those known to exist in humans, are valuable and essential research tools for the study of potentially effective therapies. However, there is no ideal animal model of TSD available for use in therapeutic trials. In the present study, we report an animal model (American flamingo; Phoenicopterus ruber) of TSD with Hex A deficiency occurring spontaneously in nature, with accumulation of G M2-ganglioside, deficiency of Hex A enzymatic activity, and a homozygous P469L mutation in exon 12 of the hexa gene. In addition, we have isolated the full-length cDNA sequence of the flamingo, which consists of 1581 nucleotides encoding a protein of 527 amino acids. Its coding sequence indicates approximately 71% identity at the nucleotide level and about 72.5% identity at the amino acid level with the encoding region of the human HEXA gene. This animal model, with many of the same features as TSD in humans, could represent a valuable resource for investigating therapy of TSD.

CORRECTION OF ANGULAR LIMB DEFORMITY IN TWO SUBSPECIES OF FLAMINGO (PHOENICOPTERUS RUBER) UTILIZING A TRANSPHYSEAL BRIDGING TECHNIQUE

Three hand-raised American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber ruber) chicks and one hand-raised Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber chilensis) developed valgus angular limb deformities of the proximal tarsometatarsal bone. All flamingos underwent surgical correction to unequally retard the growth plate using transphyseal bridging. Positive profile pins were placed in the proximal epiphysis and distal to the growth plate in the metaphysis on the convex side of the affected tarsometatarsus. Various banding techniques were used in each flamingo to create tension. Three of the four flamingos responded in 7-14 days with correction or slight overcorrection of the valgus limb deformity. The fourth flamingo's leg deformity did not improve for reasons thought to be related to improper implant placement. Growth plate retardation by transphyseal bridging proved successful in correcting valgus limb deformity of the proximal tarsometatarsus. This technique may be considered as an option for correction of angular limb deformities of the proximal tarsometatarsus in flamingos less than 90-120 days of age.