Long Eared Owls <i>(Asio otus</i> Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar <i>Microtus savii</i> (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Population
Voles from the Genus <i>Microtus</i> are rodents with a subterranean lifestyle. Central Italy is populated by two species of the Genus, the North-Western <i>Microtus savii</i> and the South-Eastern endemic <i>Microtus brachycercus</i>. Although morphometric featur...
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| author | Livia Lucentini Patrick Brunet-Lecomte Leonardo Brustenga Gianandrea La Porta Angelo Barili Angela Gaggi Sergio Gentili Armando Nappi Andrea Maria Paci |
| author_facet | Livia Lucentini Patrick Brunet-Lecomte Leonardo Brustenga Gianandrea La Porta Angelo Barili Angela Gaggi Sergio Gentili Armando Nappi Andrea Maria Paci |
| author_sort | Livia Lucentini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Voles from the Genus <i>Microtus</i> are rodents with a subterranean lifestyle. Central Italy is populated by two species of the Genus, the North-Western <i>Microtus savii</i> and the South-Eastern endemic <i>Microtus brachycercus</i>. Although morphometric features able to help distinguish <i>M. savii</i> from <i>M. brachycercus</i> are lacking, a peculiar morphology of the anterior end of the first lower molar is typical, but not exclusive, of <i>M. brachycercus</i>. Since some skulls with a compatible dental morphology were collected from Long-eared owl pellets in Umbria (Central Italy), a genetic assessment was deemed necessary to verify the possible presence of <i>M. brachycercus</i> outside of its known distribution range. Hemimandibles were isolated and used for both genetic and morphometric dental analyses. Despite the fact that this could suggest the presence of a <i>M. brachycercus</i> population, genetic analyses confirmed the species attribution to the <i>M. savii</i> complex, showing peculiar genetic polymorphisms that can either be due to the wide sampling area, represented by the owls’ hunting grounds, or to the recent evolutive history of the analysed population. This study, once again, underlines the importance of integrative taxonomy, suggesting the key role of predators as field-assistants to minimize the impact of sampling campaign on natural populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:17:25Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:17:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-f131a64db0c2441ea03509bf4417bdee2023-11-17T18:07:58ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-04-01138470310.3390/app13084703Long Eared Owls <i>(Asio otus</i> Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar <i>Microtus savii</i> (Rodentia, Cricetidae) PopulationLivia Lucentini0Patrick Brunet-Lecomte1Leonardo Brustenga2Gianandrea La Porta3Angelo Barili4Angela Gaggi5Sergio Gentili6Armando Nappi7Andrea Maria Paci8Department of Chemistry Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, PG, ItalyIndependent Researcher, 5 Rue de Palanka, 38000 Grenoble, FranceDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, PG, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, PG, ItalyCentro di Ateneo per i Musei Scientifici (CAMS), University of Perugia, 06053 Perugia, PG, ItalyLiceo Statale “Plinio Il Giovane”, 06012 Città di Castello, PG, ItalyCentro di Ateneo per i Musei Scientifici (CAMS), University of Perugia, 06053 Perugia, PG, ItalyMuseo Civico di Storia Naturale, 23017 Morbegno, SO, ItalyIndependent Researcher, Via Dell’antico Forno 2, 06012 Città di Castello, PG, ItalyVoles from the Genus <i>Microtus</i> are rodents with a subterranean lifestyle. Central Italy is populated by two species of the Genus, the North-Western <i>Microtus savii</i> and the South-Eastern endemic <i>Microtus brachycercus</i>. Although morphometric features able to help distinguish <i>M. savii</i> from <i>M. brachycercus</i> are lacking, a peculiar morphology of the anterior end of the first lower molar is typical, but not exclusive, of <i>M. brachycercus</i>. Since some skulls with a compatible dental morphology were collected from Long-eared owl pellets in Umbria (Central Italy), a genetic assessment was deemed necessary to verify the possible presence of <i>M. brachycercus</i> outside of its known distribution range. Hemimandibles were isolated and used for both genetic and morphometric dental analyses. Despite the fact that this could suggest the presence of a <i>M. brachycercus</i> population, genetic analyses confirmed the species attribution to the <i>M. savii</i> complex, showing peculiar genetic polymorphisms that can either be due to the wide sampling area, represented by the owls’ hunting grounds, or to the recent evolutive history of the analysed population. This study, once again, underlines the importance of integrative taxonomy, suggesting the key role of predators as field-assistants to minimize the impact of sampling campaign on natural populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4703<i>Microtus</i>owl pelletscomparative morphologymorphometric analysisdental morphologymtDNA |
| spellingShingle | Livia Lucentini Patrick Brunet-Lecomte Leonardo Brustenga Gianandrea La Porta Angelo Barili Angela Gaggi Sergio Gentili Armando Nappi Andrea Maria Paci Long Eared Owls <i>(Asio otus</i> Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar <i>Microtus savii</i> (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Population Applied Sciences <i>Microtus</i> owl pellets comparative morphology morphometric analysis dental morphology mtDNA |
| title | Long Eared Owls <i>(Asio otus</i> Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar <i>Microtus savii</i> (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Population |
| title_full | Long Eared Owls <i>(Asio otus</i> Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar <i>Microtus savii</i> (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Population |
| title_fullStr | Long Eared Owls <i>(Asio otus</i> Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar <i>Microtus savii</i> (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Population |
| title_full_unstemmed | Long Eared Owls <i>(Asio otus</i> Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar <i>Microtus savii</i> (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Population |
| title_short | Long Eared Owls <i>(Asio otus</i> Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar <i>Microtus savii</i> (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Population |
| title_sort | long eared owls i asio otus i linnaeus 1758 as field assistants in an integrative taxonomy survey of a peculiar i microtus savii i rodentia cricetidae population |
| topic | <i>Microtus</i> owl pellets comparative morphology morphometric analysis dental morphology mtDNA |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4703 |
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