T1: Case Study 1 (Penguins and Cheetahs)* done

Question 1

What are the characteristics of the Magellanic Penguins when moving

Answer 1

1. migration behavior (newcomers from ohio moved to san francisco)
   — moved from 12/24/02 to 2/14/03
2. Monogamy
3. this behavior had never been observed in captive penquins before and those at the san fran zoo did not do it again

Question 2

What were the negative side effects of moving zoos?

Answer 2

they under went a “catastrophic molt”
- some had issues with eating/fasting

Question 3

Characteristics of penguins

Answer 3

1. captive penguins are truly colonial, no hierarchy, lack of social structure
2. penguins are flock birds they do things as a group

– social facilitation

Question 4

What is social facilitation

Answer 4

the phenomenon in which a behavior of an animal increases the occurrence of the same behavior among its social partners

Question 5

What are the characteristics of social facilitation

Answer 5

When the performance of a behavior by an animal increases the probability of other animals also engaging in that behavior or increasing the intensity of the behavior

— when the performance of an instinctive pattern of behavior by an individual acts as a releaser for the same behavior in others

– the energizing of dominant behaviors by the presence of others

Question 6

What is the situation of genetic variability with the cheetah

Answer 6

– “rare breed” smithsonian magazine in march 2008 by Guy Gugliotta

– Laurie Marker: world experts on cheetahs

Question 7

What are the characteristics of cheetahs

Answer 7

Acinoynx jubatus
Bullet shaped heads
aerobatic gate, oversized heart

the fastest land animal, 0-70 in 4 secs

Question 8

What are more physical charactersics of cheetahs

Answer 8

Acinonyx from greek = “non moving claws” – limited retractability of the claws

jubatus from latin= refers to the dorsal crest of this animal

• facial tear streaks

Question 9

What is unique about king cheetahs

Answer 9

• born with stripes (Acinonyx rex)
  -rare mutation: large blotchy spots with three dark/wide stripes down to the tail

the same gene is responsible for the striped mackerel and classic pattern in tabby cats

Question 10

What is the gene that changes the color of the stripes in cats

Answer 10

Transmembrane Aminiopeptidase Q (Taqpep)
- every blotched tabby had mutations in both copies of this gene, whereas every mackeral cat had at lease one copy without the mutation

Question 11

In cheetahs Taqpep did not control the skin colors,

Answer 11

bc levels of the gene did not changes between dark and light areas; Edn3 was active at the base of the black hairs

Question 12

Levels of Taqpep increases throughout gestation…

Answer 12

Taqpep establishes a pattern of stripes or spots which is then implemented by varying levels of Edn3 as embryo grows

Question 13

“The Big Four” are… (wrong answers)

Answer 13

• tigers, lions, panthers, jaguares, the purring cats

Question 14

Taqpep determines…

Answer 14

the actual pattern

Question 15

Edn3 controls what?

Answer 15

controls hair color in the cat’s coat pattern

Question 16

What are the physical characteristics of cheetahs

Answer 16

1. rough coat; advantage because they have not been hunted for pelts
2. Low fertility
3. Females define the social order; they are solitary
4. Weak immune system

Question 17

Describe the cheetah reproduction system

Answer 17

1. induced ovulators: mating-induced pre-ovulatory LH surges
2. Females mature at 2 years of age — they leave their natal families
3. Polyoestrus
4. Polyandrous: females can mate with several males

Question 18

Describe cheetah reproduction system part 2

Answer 18

1. gestation is 3 months; altricial species
2. cubs have a “mohawk-type appearance)

Question 19

what is low genetic variability in cheetahs

Answer 19

a prolonged period of inbreeding, following a genetic bottle neck during the last ice age

Question 20

What is the impact of multiple matings (MM) on genetic variation

Answer 20

1. females cheetahs bear single litters with multiple fathers, but those fathers are rarely near neighbors
2. we perceive it as “promiscuity” but this is actually an adaptation that allows female cheetahs to increase the odds of survival

Question 21

what are the two other alternative hypotheses to explain why MM is common in cheetahs

Answer 21

1. MM is a strategy to avoid expending extra energy fending off would be suitors
2. MM evolved as a way to deter infanticide

Question 22

What is significant about cheetahs in captivity? Example?

Answer 22

three cubs born at Philadelphia zoo in 1956; all died within three months

Question 23

What are the challenges of cheetahs

Answer 23

• hunted heavily in the last century
  -about 50-75 % of cubs dies within months of births
• 2,500 of these live in Namibia
• 1980 researchers at the national zoo, began to study reproductive characteristics
  -examined cheetah DNA

Question 24

Genetic problems: who is David Wildt (NIH)

Answer 24

David Wildt (NIH) found shocking low sperm counts
- large proportion (70%) of sperm were malformed

Question 25

Who is Stephen O' Brien (NIH)?

Answer 25

he was sent blood samples and studied domestic cat DNA as a model for human viral cancers -- he found that cheetahs were all essentially the same cheetahs are virtual clones

Question 26

Why does low genetic variability matter

Answer 26

1. moderate to high variability provides buffering capacity 2. Low genetic variability causes whole populations to be susceptible to the same pathogens and it is associated to little ability to withstand environmental challenges

Question 27

How did a lot of generically diverse cat populations die?

Answer 27

viral peritonitis (FIP) - 60% of cheetahs in 1982 wildlife safari died -same disease in diverse populations would kill 2-5%

Question 28

at wildlife safari with marker in charge...

Answer 28

they had the most successful breeding operation raised more than 100 clubs in 16 years

Question 29

What was the use of Anatolian shepherds

Answer 29

- marker's strategy in Namibia; help local ranchers protect their livestock from cheetahs to avoid killing of cheetahs

Question 30

What are the conclusions of cheetahs

Answer 30

cheetahs science facility in front royal, VA (affiliated with the Smithsonian National Zoo) - world-wide population at ~10,000 in 26 countries

Question 31

How will we protect these endangered species

Answer 31

1. protecting and studying in the wild - artificial insemination, frozen semen - females must choose male mates 2. educating the public

Question 32

How are the African wild dogs similar to the cheetahs

Answer 32

The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) have much lower variability at MHC (major histocompatibility complex) than other canids

Question 33

Why are wild dogs unique with their females

Answer 33

uniquely among social carnivores, the female scatter from the natal pack once sexually mature and the young pups are allowed to feed first on carcasses

Question 34

What are the unique characteristics of wild dogs about mating

Answer 34

1. "inbreeding avoidance" via mate selection 2. Computer-population simulations: all populations continuing to avoid incestrous mating will become extinct within 100 years due to the unavailability of unrelated mates they species largely exterminated in africa -- the impact of reduced numbers of suitable unrelated mates

Question 35

What are the Genus Panthera "The Big Four"

Answer 35

Tigers: Panthera tigris Lions: Panthera leo Jaguars: Panther onca Leopards: Panthera pardus "roaring cats"

Question 36

What are the names of the other "big cats"

Answer 36

Cheetahs: Acinonyx jubatus Pumas: Puma concolor Lynx: Lynx canadensis

Question 37

what are the traits of "roaring cats"

Answer 37

in roaring cars, the hyoid bone is not completely ossified - the purr sounds: from a combination of a completely ossified hyoid and special vocal fold that allow air vibrations while both exhaling and inhaling

Question 38

What are the traits of the tiger

Answer 38

- largest of cat species - several subspecies -distinctive vertical black stripes that are unique in each individual

Question 39

What are the Ocelli

Answer 39

white or light colored, eye- spots on the back of the ears; intraspecies communication

Question 40

What are the traits of the lion

Answer 40

second largest of the big four no coat pattern although males have mane most sociable live in prides females do most of hunting

Question 41

What are the traits of the the jaguar

Answer 41

Third largest of the big four - rosettes are larger - good swimmers

Question 42

What are the traits of the leopard

Answer 42

smallest of four cats in the Panthera genus - rosettes smaller and more closely spaces than jaguars

Question 43

What are the traits of the panther

Answer 43

- this is not a species "panther" is used for leopards or jaguars that are almost black in color - melanistic leopards and melanistic jaguars form a mutations -over production of pigment that turns the coat black

Question 44

What are the traits of puma

Answer 44

cubs are born with spots dark facial markings

Question 45

What are the traits of the lynx

Answer 45

- reference to the luminescence of its reflective eye -padded paws for walking on snow; natural snowshoes -ear tufts aid in hearing