New Specialist Group Website!
The IUCN/SSC Anteater, Sloth and Armadillo Specialist group is pleased to announce the launch of its new, dynamic website < www.xenarthrans.org> (also available at < www.asasg.org>). The site will feature, among other changes, information on the biology and conservation status of all xenarthran species, including range maps and pictures. You will also find profiles of our Specialist Group Members, manuals, an updated version of the armadillo bibliography, and, of course, all issues of our newsletter Edentata. The site is still under construction, so please check back regularly to keep yourself informed about everything related to armadillo, sloth, and anteater conservation.
We are especially pleased to provide a News section, which will be updated regularly. We welcome your contributions! Please send us field updates, congress announcements, pictures, or any other information you would like to see on the new website to <webmaster@xenarthrans.org>. We are looking forward to receiving your comments and suggestions, and hope this new forum will be an intensely used resource for researchers, students, and the general public. We hope it will eventually help promote the conservation of these fascinating mammals.
A Must-Have: The Biology of the Xenarthra
The Biology of the Xenarthra, edited by Sergio Vizcaíno and Jim Loughry, is now available! The volume features an impressive group of international scholars who explore the current biology and ecological status of these mammals in each of the geographic regions they inhabit. Many of these populations reside in developing countries, and before now, information on these species has been scarce. Topics cover a wide array of issues including genetics, physiology, behavior, ecology, and conservation. Discussions range from paleontological perspectives on xenarthran evolution to both lab and field-based studies of living species. Contemporary research in areas such as genome sequencing and leprosy in armadillos is also included.
“Destined to become a classic in the field of xenarthran biology and is a must for anyone interested in living armadillos, anteaters, and sloths, as well as their extinct relatives.”
Michael A. Mares Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
“From their very early beginnings in mammalian history to their utility in modern human medicine, xenarthrans represent an ancient basal lineage of mammah deserving of interest from a wider audience.”
Don E. Wilson Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Natural History
The book can be purchased through Amazon < http://www.amazon.com> or the University of Florida Press website < http://www.upf.com>.
Call for help: developmental series of xenarthrans and afrotherians
I am starting a long term post-doctoral project at the University Museum of Zoology of Cambridge under the supervision of Dr. Robert Asher within the “Mammal Evolution and Morphology” group. We seek to determine if high-level clades of placental mammals differ in terms of their skeletodental development, as described here:
< http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122498520/abstract> and < http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/news/Awards_in_Focus/Asher/>
Towards this end, we are interested in obtaining embryonic, foetal, and post-natal developmental series of xenarthrans and afrotherians (e.g., armadillos, hyraxes, tenrecs, among other species). We would be delighted to hear from anyone who could provide access to such series; and we are happy to compensate interested parties for any expenses incurred.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Lionel Hautier
Robert Asher
Museum of Zoology
University of Cambridge
Downing St. CB2 3EJ
United Kingdom
E-mail: <ljh75@cam.ac.uk and <rja58@hermes.cam.ac.uk>
Morphological and Genetic Variability in Silky Anteaters (Cyclopes didactylus) (Pilosa: Cyclopedidae).
A research project on the morphological traits and genetic diversity of Silky anteaters (Cyclopes didactylus) is being conducted as a collaborative study between the Projeto Tamanduá, Wildlife Conservation Society, Laboratory of Bio-diversity and Molecular Evolution (LBEM) at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, and the Program of Ecology at the University of Luiz de Queiroz/ ESALQ—USP.
This project focuses on the morphological, ecological and genetic aspects of the Silky anteater. It was initiated in 2006 with a comparison of Amazonian and Atlantic Forest (REBIO Trombetas and Pernambuco) populations. The next step is to extend the research to all of its range. If you have information on the species and wish to collaborate with the project, please contact Flávia Miranda at <flaviamiranda@yahoo.com> or <fmiranda@wcs.org>.
59th Annual Meeting of the Wildlife Disease Association
For the first time, a WDA International Meeting will take place in South America. The 59th annual meeting of the Wildlife Disease Association (WDA) will be held 30 May–4 June 2010 in Misiones, Argentina, in the heart of Iguazú Falls. A perfect mixture of wild nature and cultural heritage awaits you, so mark your calendars now and we will ensure that you experience all the wonders Iguazú has to offer.
This year's theme is Ecosystem health in the Neotropics: a growing challenge. For additional information, please visit the official congress website < http://sites.google.com/site/wda2010argentina/conferencehome-2> or the Wildlife Disease Association's website < http://www.wildlifedisease.org>.
Symposium Announcement: Form and Function in Xenarthra
9th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology 26–31 July 2010 Conrad Hotel & Spa Punta del Este, Uruguay
Timothy Gaudin and François Pujos are convening a Symposium called “Form and Function in the Xenarthra” at the Ninth International Congress on Vertebrate Morphology (ICVM9) in Punta del Este, Uruguay. We would like to inform the community of xenarthrologists about this symposium with the hope of encouraging participation.
The proposal of this Symposium is a logical continuation of the two previous symposia on xenarthran biology presented during ICVM6 and ICVM8, but also an excellent opportunity for the contributors of the “X Book” (The Biology of the Xenarthra, 2008, University of Florida Press, Gainesville, FL, USA) to present their latest results to the community of vertebrate morphologists.
The goal of this Symposium, “Form and Function in Xenarthra,” is to present the results of the most recent research on modern and/or fossil forms. The proposed presentations suggested for the Symposium will be given by a mixture of young and established researchers from Europe and America.
The Congress will be held from 26–31 July 2010. More information about the meeting can be found at the following website: < http://icvm-9.edu.uy>.
Scope
Edentata, the newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Anteater, Sloth and Armadillo Group, aims to provide a basis for conservation information relating to xenarthrans. We welcome texts on any aspect of xenarthran conservation, including articles, thesis abstracts, news items, recent events, recent publications, and the like.
Submission
Mariella Superina, IMBECU - CCT CONICET Mendoza, Casilla de Correos 855, Mendoza (5500), Argentina. Tel. +54-261-5244160, Fax +54-261-5244001, e-mail: <mariella@superina.ch>.
Contributions
Manuscripts may be in English, Portuguese or Spanish, and should be double-spaced and accompanied by the text and any tables and/or figures on diskette for PC compatible text-editors (MS-Word, WordPerfect, Excel, and Access), and/or emailed to <mariella@ superina.ch>. Hard copies should be supplied for all figures (illustrations and maps) and tables. The full name and address of each contributing author should be included. Please avoid abbreviations and acronyms without the name in full. Authors whose first language is not English should please have their texts carefully reviewed by a native English speaker.
Conservation research ethics
Authors must confirm in written that their research protocols have been approved by an authorized animal care or ethics committee and/or the authors had the necessary permits to carry out their research.
Articles
A broad range of topics is welcomed and encouraged, including but not limited to: Taxonomy, Systematics, Genetics (when relevant to systematics), Biogeography, Ecology, Conservation, and Behavior. Texts should not exceed 20 pages in length (double-spaced and including the references). For longer articles please include an abstract in English and an optional one in Portuguese or Spanish. Please limit the number of tables and figures to six, excepting cases where fundamental to the text.
Figures and Maps
Articles may include small high-quality photographs, figures, maps, and tables. Image resolution should be 300 dpi or higher in any of the following electronic file formats: .jpg, .tif, .eps, .pdf, .psd, or .ai. We also accept original artwork, photos, or slides to scan and return to the owner.
References
Examples of house style may be found throughout this newsletter. Please refer to these examples when citing references:
