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Ockelbo virus (Togaviridae: Alphavirus) neutralizing antibodies in experimentally infected Swedish birds.

The ability of native Swedish birds to produce and maintain production of Ockelbo virus neutralizing (Nt) antibodies were evaluated experimentally between 6 June 1990 and 27 July 1991. After experimental infection of 57 birds of the orders Anseriformes and Passeriformes with Ockelbo virus, these birds were examined for Ockelbo virus Nt antibodies at 5 days, and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo after inoculation. One month after inoculation, Nt antibodies were more prevalent in birds with a detectable viremia (100%, n = 22) than in non-viremic birds (65%, n = 26). The Nt antibody prevalence varied over time among taxa; detectable antibodies occurred earlier after inoculation and for a longer time in Anseriformes than in Passeriformes. By 5 days after inoculation, antibodies could be detected in 22 (71%) of 31 Anseriformes but in none of 16 Passeriformes. However, at 1 mo the antibody prevalences at 1 mo were similar: 84% among the Anseriformes and 73% among the Passeriformes; at 3 mo the prevalences were 50% in Anseriformes and 15% in Passeriformes. Forty-two percent of the Anseriformes had detectable antibodies even 12 mo after inoculation.

Alphavirus↗

The oldest European fossil songbird from the early Oligocene of Germany.

We report on the oldest European songbird (Passeriformes), from the early Oligocene (30-34 million years ago) of Frauenweiler in Germany. The specimen represents the earliest associated remains of an early Tertiary passerine described so far. It ties the first appearance of Passeriformes in Europe to a minimum age of 30 million years. Passeriform birds are absent in Eocene deposits that yielded abundant remains of small land birds and apparently dispersed into Europe around the Eocene/Oligocene boundary (about 34 million years ago), not at the Oligocene/Miocene boundary (about 24 mya) as hitherto thought. This possibly relates the appearance of songbirds in Europe to a well-known major faunistic break at the Eocene/Oligocene boundary, called the " grande coupure". The Frauenweiler songbird most notably differs from extant Passeriformes in having a larger processus procoracoideus on the coracoid and appears to be outside Eupasseres, the taxon which includes Oscines (all modern European and most Old World songbirds) and Suboscines (most South and Central American songbirds). It shows that there were earlier dispersal events of non-oscine songbirds into Europe before the arrival of Oscines from the Australian continental plate towards the late Oligocene.

Animals↗

Complex distribution of avian color vision systems revealed by sequencing the SWS1 opsin from total DNA.

To gain insights into the evolution and ecology of visually acute animals such as birds, biologists often need to understand how these animals perceive colors. This poses a problem, since the human eye is of a different design than that of most other animals. The standard solution is to examine the spectral sensitivity properties of animal retinas through microspectophotometry-a procedure that is rather complicated and therefore only has allowed examinations of a limited number of species to date. We have developed a faster and simpler molecular method, which can be used to estimate the color sensitivities of a bird by sequencing a part of the gene coding for the ultraviolet or violet absorbing opsin in the avian retina. With our method, there is no need to sacrifice the animal, and it thereby facilitates large screenings, including rare and endangered species beyond the reach of microspectrophotometry. Color vision in birds may be categorized into two classes: one with a short-wavelength sensitivity biased toward violet (VS) and the other biased toward ultraviolet (UVS). Using our method on 45 species from 35 families, we demonstrate that the distribution of avian color vision is more complex than has previously been shown. Our data support VS as the ancestral state in birds and show that UVS has evolved independently at least four times. We found species with the UVS type of color vision in the orders Psittaciformes and Passeriformes, in agreement with previous findings. However, species within the families Corvidae and Tyrannidae did not share this character with other passeriforms. We also found UVS type species within the Laridae and Struthionidae families. Raptors (Accipitridae and Falconidae) are of the violet type, giving them a vision system different from their passeriform prey. Intriguing effects on the evolution of color signals can be expected from interactions between predators and prey. Such interactions may explain the presence of UVS in Laridae and Passeriformes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular cloning of major histocompatibility complex class II B gene cDNA from the Bengalese finch Lonchura striata.

The only avian major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) genes thus far identified are from species of the relatively small order of Galliformes, while by far the largest order of Passeriformes (songbirds), containing some 60% of extant bird species, has not been studied at all in this regard. The Galliformes emerged more than 55 million years (my) ago, the Passeriformes some 25 my ago. Because of the potential for the use of Mhc genes as markers in the study of songbird populations, an attempt was made to clone class II B genes of a passeriform species, the Bengalese finch Lonchura striata acuticauda. Using a set of primers designed on the basis of known sequences, a probe corresponding to part of exon II was obtained by the polymerase chain reaction. The probe was then used to screen a Bengalese finch cDNA library and to isolate and sequence two nearly full-length clones. The sequences reveal the presence of one presumably functional class II B locus in this bird species.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The Paleogene fossil record of birds in Europe.

The Paleogene (Paleocene-Oligocene) fossil record of birds in Europe is reviewed and recent and fossil taxa are placed into a phylogenetic framework, based on published cladistic analyses. The pre-Oligocene European avifauna is characterized by the complete absence of passeriform birds, which today are the most diverse and abundant avian taxon. Representatives of small non-passeriform perching birds thus probably had similar ecological niches before the Oligocene to those filled by modern passerines. The occurrence of passerines towards the Lower Oligocene appears to have had a major impact on these birds, and the surviving crown-group members of many small arboreal Eocene taxa show highly specialized feeding strategies not found or rare in passeriform birds. It is detailed that no crown-group members of modern 'families' are known from pre-Oligocene deposits of Europe, or anywhere else. The phylogenetic position of Paleogene birds thus indicates that diversification of the crown-groups of modern avian 'families' did not take place before the Oligocene, irrespective of their relative position within Neornithes (crown-group birds). The Paleogene fossil record of birds does not even support crown-group diversification of Galliformes, one of the most basal taxa of neognathous birds, before the Oligocene, and recent molecular studies that dated diversification of galliform crown-group taxa into the Middle Cretaceous are shown to be based on an incorrect interpretation of the fossil taxa used for molecular clock calibrations. Several taxa that occur in the Paleogene of Europe have a very different distribution than their closest extant relatives. The modern survivors of these Paleogene lineages are not evenly distributed over the continents, and especially the great number of taxa that are today restricted to South and Central America is noteworthy. The occurrence of stem-lineage representatives of many taxa that today have a restricted Southern Hemisphere distribution conflicts with recent hypotheses on a Cretaceous vicariant origin of these taxa, which were deduced from the geographical distribution of the basal crown-group members.

Animals↗

New quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Cheyletoidea).

Five new species and two new genera belonging to the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Cheyletoidea) are described from birds that died in the Antwerp Zoo during their quarantine: Charadriaulobia vanelli n. g., n. sp. from Vanellus chilensis (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae) in Brazil; Fritschisyringophilus lonchurae n. g., n. sp. from Lonchura punctulata (Passeriformes: Estrildidae) in India; Mironovia coturnae n. sp. from Coturnix coturnix (Galliformes: Phasianidae) in Europe; Syringophiloidus daberti n. sp. from Passerina ciris (Passeriformes: Emberizidae) in Mexico; and S. serini n. sp. from Serinus mozambicus (Passeriformes: Fringillidae) in Central Africa. Charadriaulobia n. g. differs from the closely related Aulobia Kethley, 1970, in both sexes, by the divergent epimeres I; in females, by the absence of protuberances on the hypostomal apex and by the situation of the bases of setae l4 distinctly anterior the bases of setae d4. Fritschisyringophilus n. g. differs from the closely related Syringophiloidus Kethley, 1972, in both sexes, by the presence of setae vs ' on legs II, the absence of setae dT on legs III and IV; in females, by the presence of median hypostomal protuberances and by short setae l1, l2 and l3. The relationships between the Syringophilidae and their hosts are briefly discussed. A list of all known syringophilid genera and their distribution on bird families is provided.

Animals↗

An allometric study of pulmonary morphometric parameters in birds, with mammalian comparisons.

Comprehensive pulmonary morphometric data from 42 species of birds representing ten orders were compared with those of other vertebrates, especially mammals, relating the comparisons to the varying biological needs of these avian taxa. The total lung volume was strongly correlated with body mass. The volume density of the exchange tissue was lowest in the charadriiform and anseriform species and highest in the piciform, cuculiform and passeriform species. The surface area of the blood-gas (tissue) barrier, the volume of the pulmonary capillary blood and the total morphometric pulmonary diffusing capacity were all strongly correlated with body mass. The harmonic mean thickness of both the blood-gas (tissue) barrier and the plasma layer were weakly correlated with body mass. The mass-specific surface area of the blood-gas (tissue) barrier (surface area per gram body mass) and the surface density of the blood-gas (tissue) barrier (i.e. its surface area per unit volume of exchange tissue) were inversely correlated (though weakly) with body mass. The passeriform species exhibited outstanding pulmonary morphometric adaptations leading to a high specific total diffusing capacity per gram body mass, consistent with the comparatively small size and energetic mode of life which typify passeriform birds. The relatively inactive, ground-dwelling domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) had the lowest pulmonary diffusing capacity per gram body mass. The specific total lung volume is about 27% smaller in birds than in mammals but the specific surface area of the blood-gas (tissue) barrier is about 15% greater in birds. The ratio of the surface area of the tissue barrier to the volume of the exchange tissue was also much greater in the birds (170-305%). The harmonic mean thickness of the tissue barrier was 56-67% less in the birds, but that of the plasma layer was about 66% greater in the birds. The pulmonary capillary blood volume was also greater (22%) in the birds. Except for the thickness of the plasma layer, these morphometric parameters all favour the gas exchange capacity of birds. Consequently, the total specific mean morphometric pulmonary diffusing capacity for oxygen was estimated to be about 22% greater in birds than in mammals of similar body mass. This estimate was obtained by employing oxygen permeation constants for mammalian tissue, plasma and erythrocytes, as avian constants were not then available.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Light microscopic morphometry of the lung of 19 avian species.

The lungs of 107 birds of 19 different species from seven orders were fixed in situ. The mean volumes of both fixed lungs together ranged from 0.15 to 95.31 cm3. Histological sections of one lung from each bird were analyzed by point counting with a Zeiss integrating eyepiece to determine the volume densities and thence the absolute volumes of the main functional components of the lung. The mean volume density of the exchange tissue was highest in the 11 passeriform species (53.5%) and lowest in the 2 charadriiform species (34.6%); that for all of the 8 non-passeriform species was 42.6%. The possible significance of these variations in relation to the differing oxygen requirements of these groups of birds is discussed. The parabronchi showed minor variations in the degree of development of the interparabronchial septa, atria, interatrial septa, and atrial muscles. The diameter of the parabronchi (including the mantle of exchange tissue) ranged from about 0.34 mm in the passeriform species to about 0.63 mm in Anser anser; the lumen of the parabronchus accounted for about half of this diameter. Body weight an lung volume were strongly correlated (0.995); the allometric function relating lung volume to body weight was 29.5 w0.988.

Animal Population Groups↗

Identification of mosquito bloodmeals using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with order-specific primers.

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol was developed to identify host bloodmeals from mosquitoes. Primers for the cytochrome b gene were designed to distinguish between mammalian and avian bloodmeals and further differentiate among four avian orders: passeriformes, falconiformes, columbiformes, and galliformes. The assay was validated by testing tissues from 18 species of passeriformes, three species of falconiformes, three species of columbiformes, and two species of galliformes. American crows were distinguished from other passeriformes by restriction enzyme digestion. Host bloodmeals from engorged mosquitoes collected in New York State were identified to avian order level. PCR was able to detect the mosquito bloodmeal for up to 3 d after feeding on a quail. Significantly, these studies use order-specific primers in a single PCR test to identify mosquito bloodmeals.

Animals↗

Light microscopic morphometry of the kidneys of fourteen avian species.

Kidney volume and the volume proportions of the cortex, medulla, blood vessels larger than capillaries and ureter and ureteral ducts were investigated in 61 birds from 14 species representing passeriformes, psittaciformes, podicipediformes, anseriformes, galliformes, and columbiformes. The kidneys were fixed in situ by perfusion via their arterial supply. Kidney volume and body weight were strongly correlated (r = 0.991); the allometric function relating kidney volume (Vk) to body weight (W) was: Vk = 13.96W0.902. Histological sections of one kidney from each bird were analysed by point counting with a Zeiss integrating eyepiece to estimate the volume proportions and subsequently the absolute volumes of the main components of the kidney. The avian kidney was found to consist of a very large cortex (range 71-81%), a relatively small medulla (range 5-15%), blood vessels larger than capillaries (range 10-13%). For all the birds, the mean volume proportions of the kidney components were as follows: cortex, 77%; medulla, 10%; blood vessels larger than capillaries, 12%; ureter and ureteral ducts, 1%. The values for the absolute volume of each of the main components of the kidney were well correlated with body weight. The allometric equations and correlation coefficients (r) relating: (a) the volume of cortex (Vc) and the body weight (W) was Vc = 10.06W0.914, r = 0.991; (b) the volume of medulla (Vm) and body weight was Vm = 2.27W0.795, r = 0.974; (c) the volume of blood vessels larger than capillaries (Vb) and body weight was Vb = 1.76W0.894, r = 0.988. All the birds were divided into two groups in the following five sets: (a) passeriform and non-passeriform orders; (b) galliform and non-galliform orders; (c) small and large birds weighing less than and more than 500 g respectively; (d) aquatic and non-aquatic birds; (e) desert and non-desert birds. In the two groups of each set the differences between kidney volume per gram body weight and those between the respective percentage proportions of cortex, medulla and blood vessels larger than capillaries were assessed by Student's t-test. The differences between kidney volume per gram body weight were significant for all sets except desert and non-desert birds; those between the respective percentage proportions of cortex and medulla were significant for all sets; those between the percentage proportions of blood vessels larger than capillaries were significant only in desert and non-desert birds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Anatomy, Comparative↗

Erythrocyte size in some wild Spanish birds.

An analysis was made of the erythrocyte dimensions of 21 species of the following Passeriformes common to the Iberian Peninsula: Fringilidae, Silvidae, Turdidae, Prunellidae, Ploceidae, Certhiidae, Emberizidae, Paridae, Troglodytidae and Apodiformes: F. Apodidae. The erythrocyte dimensions in Passeriformes were very uniform. Only the Silvidae presented a significant correlation (r = 0.96) between body size and cell area. In Apodiformes, cell area and cell length and width were significantly greater (p less than 0.01) than red blood cell dimensions in Passeriformes.

Animals↗

High chromosome conservation detected by comparative chromosome painting in chicken, pigeon and passerine birds.

Chicken chromosome paints for macrochromosomes 1-10, Z, and the nine largest microchromosomes (Griffin et al. 1999) were used to analyze chromosome homologies between chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus: Galliformes), domestic pigeon (Columba livia: Columbiformes), chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs Passeriformes), and redwing (Turdus iliacus: Passeriformes). High conservation of syntenies was revealed. In general, both macro- and microchromosomes in these birds showed very low levels of interchromosomal rearrangements. Only two cases of rearrangements were found. Chicken chromosome 1 corresponds to chromosome 1 in pigeon, but to chromosomes 3 and 4 in chaffinch and chromosomes 2 and 5 in redwing. Chicken chromosome 4 was shown to be homologous to two pairs of chromosomes in the karyotypes of pigeon and both passerine species. Comparative analysis of chromosome painting data and the results of FISH with (TTAGGG)n probe did not reveal any correlation between the distribution of interstitial telomere sites (ITSs) and chromosome rearrangements in pigeon, chaffinch and redwing. In chaffinch, ITSs were found to co-localize with a tandem repeat GS (Liangouzov et al. 2002), monomers of which contain an internal TTAGGG motif.

Animals↗

Influence of methyl parathion on gametogenic and acetylcholinesterase activity in the testis of whitethroated munia (Lonchura malabarica).

Adult male whitethroated munias, Lonchura malabarica (Aves; Passeriformes), were orally administered with methyl parathion (O, O-dimethyl O-(4-nitrophenyl) phosphorothioate), an extensively used organophosphate pesticide, in graded sublethal dose (5 micro g-, or 10 micro g-, or 20 micro g/100 g body wt/day) for variable durations (1-, 5-, or 10 day/s) during their peak reproductive activities in an annual gonadal cycle. No subtle changes in the feeding behavior, mobility, and body weight were noted between the control and different groups of pesticide-fed birds. As a result of the treatment, the paired testicular weight became reduced significantly only after 10 days at 10 micro g and 20 micro g dose levels, but significant decrease in the number of tubules containing healthy germ cells occurred even after single administration of methyl parathion (MP) at the lowest dose (5 micro g/100 g). With the increase in dose and progress of treatment, the number of tubules with healthy germ cells became gradually decreased. The activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in both the brain and testes of MP-treated birds was inhibited in a dose and duration dependent manner. A significant negative correlation was observed between the number of tubules containing degenerated germ cells in the testis and the AChE activity in both the brain and testes of MP-administered birds. However, no remarkable changes in the cytomorphological features, including the nuclear diameter of Leydig cells, were noted in any testis of the pesticide-treated munias. The results of the present investigation suggest that methyl parathion ingestion is harmful to male gametogenic functions in the studied passeriform bird, and the given pesticide may exert its antigonadal effect by impairing cholinergic functions of the brain and/or testes.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

New host and locality records for the Ixodes auritulus (Acari: Ixodidae) species group, with a review of host relationships and distribution in the Neotropical Zoogeographic Region.

New Neotropical records are presented for ticks belonging to the Ixodes auritulus Neumann, 1904, species group, together with a review of hosts and localities from which members of this complex have previously been collected. The range of the I. auritulus species group is now understood to include Colombia, and 15 bird species are listed as new hosts. From Guatemala to southern Argentina and Chile, specimens of the I. auritulus group have been found on birds belonging to the orders Ciconiiformes, Columbiformes, Falconiformes, Galliformes, Passeriformes, Piciformes, Procellariiformes and Tinamiformes. Passeriform birds are probably the principal hosts, sustaining tick populations throughout the Neotropics. Collection data have yielded four areas--southern South America (from 56 degrees S to 51 degrees S), southern Brazil (25 degrees S-22 degrees S), south-central Peru (14 degrees S-10 degrees S) and Central America (10 degrees N-15 degrees N)--where the I. auritulus group appears to commonly parasitize birds, but additional collections may show that the range of this complex is less discontinuous than currently perceived. Several morphological differences are described for ticks within and among these areas, but it is still unclear whether the I. auritulus group comprises more than one species.

Animals↗

Cytogenetic repartition of chicken CR1 sequences evidenced by PRINS in Galliformes and some other birds.

Chicken repeat 1 (CR1) belongs to the non-long repeat class of retrotransposons. Nearly 100000 repeats interspersed in the chicken genome are subdivided into at least six distinct subfamilies, each 300 bp long and all sharing substantial sequence similarity. CR1-like elements were found in genomes from invertebrates to mammals, suggesting their importance for genome structure and/or function. Moreover, numerous data support the hypothesis of their implication in regulation of gene expression. So, the chromosomal distribution of these CR1 sequences in vertebrates is of great interest to improve our knowledge about the genome structure, function and evolution. A comparison of the cytogenetic distribution of CR1 sequences was performed by PRINS using consensus chicken primers on the chromosomes of chicken and species of several bird orders: Galliformes, Anseriformes, Passeriformes and Falconiformes. The study revealed that CR1 repeats are spread over nearly all chicken chromosomes with a higher density on the macrochromosomes and in particular with hot spots on subtelomeric regions of chromosome 1, 2, 3q, 4q, 5q. Their distribution on the macrochromosomes forms a kind of banding pattern, which was not systematically matched with R- or G-banding. This banding pattern appears to be conserved on the chromosomes of the Galliformes studied, irrespective of their karyotypes, rearranged or not. CR1 primers also show similar signals on the chromosomes of birds phylogenetically more distant (Anseriformes, Passeriformes and Falconiformes). This fact confirms the importance of these sequences at the large scale of bird evolution and in the chromosomal structure. The location of CR1 sequences, and in particular of the hot spots, mainly within the richest CG areas are in conformity with the data on an epigenetic role of these highly conserved sequences.

Animals↗

Interspecies variation in yolk selenium concentrations among eggs of free-living birds: The effect of phylogeny.

Birds deposit the trace element selenium (Se) into their eggs because an adequate supply of this micronutrient is essential for embryonic development. Although there is considerable interest in egg Se with regard to topics as diverse as poultry nutrition and environmental pollution, data on the natural levels of Se in eggs of free-living avian species are currently very limited. To address this lack of information, we measured the yolk Se concentrations in eggs of 14 avian species collected in the wild. The concentrations (ng/g wet yolk) varied from 394 to 2238, with a mean value of 1040. Values (means+/-SD) for eggs from the UK, Canada and New Zealand were, respectively, 522+/-192 (3 species), 1194+/-584 (8 species) and 1147+/-200 (3 species). However, analysis by appropriate statistical models indicates that the effect of phylogenetic relatedness among these species is so significant that it removes any effect of geographical location. In particular, species belonging to the order Passeriformes displayed significantly higher yolk Se levels than Non-Passeriforme species. In marked contrast to the free-living species, our previously published data indicate that the Se concentration in egg yolk of the domestic chicken is only about 100 ng/g wet yolk when the birds are maintained on a basal commercial diet without supplementary Se. The results reveal an extensive interspecies variation in yolk Se (across a 6-fold range) for eggs collected from the wild. Nevertheless, the Se concentrations in the yolks of all the free-living species were far higher (4-21-fold) than that achieved in the yolk of the domestic chicken consuming a standard basal diet.

Animals↗

Persistent organochlorine contaminants in eggs of northern goshawk and Eurasian buzzard from northeastern Spain: temporal trends related to changes in the diet.

Persistent organochlorine compounds (pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls) were determined in 24 northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) and eight Eurasian buzzard (Buteo buteo) samples of eggs collected between 1988 and 1999 in La Segarra (northeast Spain), in order to evaluate the changes in exposure and detrimental effects during this period. In the study area, both species exhibited similar levels of contamination, which may be related to their similar diet, mainly based on European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in terms of biomass. The buzzard showed contamination levels similar to those found in other Spanish areas, but the levels found in the goshawk were much lower. The shell index in goshawk eggs was inversely correlated to concentration of p,p'-DDE. In late eighties, the concentrations of p,p'-DDE and heptachlor-epoxide in goshawk eggs were positively correlated to the biomass percentage of passeriforms in the diet. In goshawk samples, a decline in HCB concentration in the 1990s as compared to the 1980s was detected. Surprisingly, p,p'-DDE concentrations did not decline, as could be expected from the ban on DDT use. On the contrary, the highest p,p'-DDE concentrations were detected in some samples from the nineties, which also showed the lowest shell indices. This may be related to a severe reduction of rabbit population after 1989 that produced an increase in the consumption of passeriformes, which are known to accumulate higher levels of organochlorine compounds. Our study suggests that monitoring programs aiming to detect temporal trends in chemical contamination should take into account changes in diet composition before any conclusion can be drawn.

Animals↗

Revision of the genus Parvirostrum Fuhrmann, 1908 (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea: Paruterinidae).

Redescriptions are presented of the type-materials of Parvirostrum reticulatum Fuhrmann, 1908 (type-species of Parvirostrum Fuhrmann, 1908) from Lepidocolaptes albolineatus (Passeriformes: Dendrocolaptidae) and of P. synallaxis (Mahon, 1957) n. comb. (syn. Deltokeras synallaxis Mahon, 1957) from Synallaxis rutilans (Passeriformes: Furnariidae), both from Brazil. P. linusi n. sp. is described from Dendrocolaptes platyrostris (Dendrocolaptidae) from Paraguay. It is characterised by a strobila up to 29 mm long, 50-56 triangular rostellar hooks (13-15 microm long) in two regular rows, irregularly-alternating genital pores, the variable position of the genital ducts relative to the osmoregulatory canals, 11-17 testes, a cirrus-sac 104-129 microm long, a cirrus armed with minute spines, elongate gravid proglottides and a uterine development which initially passes through a sac-like stage, followed by a sac-like stage with diverticula and finally through a reticulate stage. An incomplete description of Parvirostrum sp., based on contracted specimens from Lepidocolaptes angustirostris from Paraguay, is presented. The diagnosis of Parvirostrum is amended.

Animals↗