斑嘴环企鹅的人工孵育技术

2011—2012年对成都动物园4枚斑嘴环企鹅蛋进行人工孵化,并对其中的关键技术进行分析,其中2枚企鹅蛋孵育成功,1枚企鹅蛋孵化出壳时幼企鹅死亡,1枚企鹅蛋孵出的小企鹅在60日龄死亡。结果表明:温度对企鹅幼雏出壳影响较大;企鹅日龄与生长发育呈正相关,与温度呈负相关;企鹅蛋孵化期为41 d;人工孵育是提高斑嘴环企鹅繁殖率的重要方式;正确的食糜配制及饲养方式是人工育雏成功的关键。     

Corneal endothelium of the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) by scanning electron microscopy.

The corneal endothelium is essential for the maintenance of the corneal transparency. The aim of this study was to examine the morphology of the endothelial surface and perform morphometric analysis of the normal corneal endothelial cells of the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) using scanning electron microscopy. The present work demonstrates that the corneal endothelium of the Magellanic penguin is similar to those described in other vertebrates.     

Social and spatial foraging patterns of the jackass penguin Spheniscus demersns

The inshore distribution and foraging behaviour of jackass penguins Spheniscus demersus were studied between December 1982 and August 1983 in waters close to breeding islands in Saldanha Bay, South Africa. The use of a sail-boat permitted close observation of foraging penguins with minimal apparent disturbance. Penguin numbers at sea were lowest in December, when most birds were confined to islands during moult, and highest during the winter breeding season. Although most penguin group sizes were small (one or two birds), over 44% of penguins occurred in groups of more than 10 birds. Three typical penguin group formations occurred at sea: ‘facing-search’, ‘line-abreast’, and ‘pointed-ovoid’. Penguins also foraged in association with other seabirds and marine mammals. The importance of large foraging groups suggests that the jackass penguin relies on shoals of similar sizes to those taken by the commercial purse-seine fishery, increasing the potential for "o competition.     

Intralesional cisplatin chemotherapy and topical cryotherapy for the control of choanal squamous cell carcinoma in an African penguin (Spheniscus demersus).

A 3.5-yr-old, 2.5-kg female African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) was diagnosed with a choanal squamous cell carcinoma on the basis of biopsy after a history of choanal ulceration and anorexia with weight loss. Therapeutic modalities included the use of intralesional cisplatin followed by localized, topical cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen. The penguin remained free of clinical disease for a period of 9 mo, at which time a second cryotreatment was performed. The patient has remained free of all signs of choanal carcinoma for a period of 13 mo since the second cryotreatment.     

Septicaemia caused by Edwardsiella tarda and Plesiomonas shigelloides in captive penguin chicks

Three cases of fatal septicaemia due to Plesiomonas shigelloides and one due to Edwardsiella tarda were diagnosed in newborn penguins from the Basle Zoo, Switzerland from 2003 to 2007. The affected penguins were of two different species (king penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus, and African penguin, Spheniscus demersus) and between 2 and 10 days old at the time of death. The causative agents, E. tarda and P. shigelloides are ubiquitous bacteria which are reported to be present in the normal intestinal flora of wild and captive aquatic animals, including penguins. Their occurrence and infectious potential is discussed.     

An integrative insight into the synsacral canal of fossil and extant Antarctic penguins

The lumbosacral-canal system in birds most likely operates as a sense organ involved in the control of balanced walking and perching, but our knowledge of it is superficial. Penguins constitute interesting objects for the study of this system due to their upright walking, but only the Humboldt penguin, Spheniscus humboldti, and some incomplete fossil penguin synsacra have been studied in this respect. Here, we give an integrative comparative insight into the synsacral canal of extant Emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri, Adelie penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, and Eocene giant Anthropornis and/or Palaeeudyptes Antarctic penguins, using computed tomography imaging and associated data-extraction methodologies, complemented by analytical approaches ranging from geometric morphometrics to modularity, curvature, and wavelet analyses. We document that the variability in the number of synsacro-lumbar vertebrae is evolutionarily conserved, and all studied synsacra possess osteological correlates of the lumbosacral-canal system. We also found that Eocene and extant Antarctic penguins were separable on the basis of the main direction of the shape-related (size-independent) variability within said system, and A. forsteri was unique in the entire studied set in terms of the relative cranial shift of this compound structure. Moreover, we suggest that the evolutionary processes, shaping both the terrestrial posture and gait, were responsible, in extant penguins, for the increased simplicity and stability of the synsacral canal cross-sectional periodic patterns, as well as pave the way for the lumbosacral-canal system modularity characterized by reduced atomization/complexity.     

Food of Canis Mesomelas in South Africa

Data from five jackass penguin chicks (mean mass 201 g) showed that even young chicks can increase their oxygen consumption from 0,76± 0,16 ml 0¹/gxhr at 35°C to 2,09± 0,21 ml 0, at 20 °C. Close parental attendance may therefore be interpreted not only as protection against aerial predators but also as creating a microclimate which could favour a decrease in maintenance requirements and thus channel a substantial part of the available energy into growth. A decrease in rectal temperature, despite the increase in heat production, is interpreted as indicative of poor insulative properties of the down. Preliminary data on the ontogeny of thermoregulation indicate that penguin chicks may attain mature thermoregulatory abilities at a mass of approximately 400g.     

Variations in the morphology of Rhizomucor pusillus in granulomatous lesions of a Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)

This report presents a new case of mucormycosis encountered in penguin characterized by morphological variation of hyphae and presence of sporangia with numerous sporangiospores. A 4.5-year-old Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) died after exhibiting anorexia, poor nutritional condition and dyspnea. Multiple nodular lesions were observed in the thoracic and abdominal regions. Histopathologically, hyphae of various sizes were seen in the lungs, air sac and nodular lesions. Myriad sporangiospores and several sporangia were observed in/around the bronchi or parabronchi. The very narrow and short hyphae in the nodules were not consistent with the characteristics of Mucorales. However, for most hyphae, including those in the nodules, sporangiospores and sporangia, immunohistochemistry revealed Mucorales-positive reactions. In addition, these fungi were identified as Rhizomucor pusillus by gene analysis.     

Systemic aspergillosis in an oiled magallanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)

This report describes a case of fatal aspergillosis caused by A. fumigatus during the recovery of an oiled Magallanic penguin. The possible role of aspergillosis as a possible complication responsible for the mortality of penguins surviving the first days of treatment for oil is emphasized.     

Preliminary results of an anticircumsporozoite DNA vaccine trial for protection against avian malaria in captive African black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus).

Captive juvenile African black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus) housed in an outdoor enclosure at the Baltimore Zoo have an average 50% mortality from avian malarial (Plasmodium sp.) infection each year without intense monitoring for disease and chemotherapeutic intervention. During the 1996 malaria transmission season, the safety and efficacy of an anti-circumsporozoite (CSP) DNA vaccine encoding the Plasmodium gallinaceum CSP protein against P. relictum were studied. The goal was to reduce clinical disease and death without initiating sterile immunity after release into an area with stable, endemic avian malaria. The birds were monitored for adverse clinical signs associated with vaccination, the stimulation of an anti-CSP antibody response, and protection afforded by the vaccine. The presence of P. relictum in trapped culicine mosquitoes within the penguin enclosure was monitored to assess parasite pressure. Among the vaccinated penguins, the parasitemia rate dropped from approximately 50% to approximately 17% despite intense parasite pressure, as determined by mosquito infection rate. During the year of the vaccine trial, no mortalities due to malaria occurred and no undesirable vaccination side effects occurred. This is the first trial of an antimalarial vaccine in a captive penguin colony.     

上海动物园斑嘴环企鹅繁殖数据相关性分析

根据2008～2018年上海动物园斑嘴环企鹅种群的繁殖数据,运用双变量相关性分析的方法,分析入孵数、受精数和出雏数的相关性。研究结果显示:入孵数与受精数相关系数为0. 432(P <0. 05);入孵数与出雏数相关系数为0. 447(P <0. 05);受精数与出雏数相关系数为0. 895(P <0. 01),呈现显著正相关性。其中入孵数与受精数以及入孵数与出雏数在0. 05水平(双侧)上显著相关,相关程度为中等相关;受精数与出雏数在0. 01水平(双侧)上极显著相关,相关程度为强相关。分析得出:入孵数与受精数以及入孵数与出雏数在变化趋势上有同步性,但是并没有必然因果关系,而出雏数主要取决于受精数,受精数直接影响出雏数,根据分析结果对上海动物园圈养斑嘴环企鹅种群发展制定相应措施。     

Babesia peircei sp. nov. from the jackass penguin

An avian piroplasm, Babesia peircei sp. nov. is described from the jackass penguin Spheniscus demersus. Morphological differences between Babesia peircei sp. nov. and the other valid Babesia spp. are discussed together with the possible vectors.     

Species diversity and size ranges of cephalopods in the diet of jackass penguins from Algoa Bay,South Africa

An analysis of cephalopod remains collected from jackass penguin Spheniscus demersus regurgitations and stomachs at St Croix Island, Algoa Bay, in 1976 and 1977 revealed the presence of three cephalopod species. Most common was Loligo reynaudi, with Heterotuthus sp. and Argonauta argo constituting trace items. Beak measurements were used to estimate dorsal mantle lengths and wet masses of cephalopods taken by penguins. The dominant cephalopod taken by penguins was the same species as that harvested by commercial fisheries. Despite an overlap in the size range of squid taken by penguins and trawlers, penguins tended to take smaller squid and did not take the larger squid landed by trawlers. The seasonal occurrence of squid in the penguin diet in 1976 and 1977 was the opposite of the abundance of squid in the area as reflected by trawler landings. This is explained in terms of the abundance and preference for other prey items. It is suggested that penguins take fish in preference to squid because of the relatively higher energy content and food value of fish.     

Virological studies of Adelie Penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) in Antarctica

Serum antibodies to influenza virus hemagglutinin 7, Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and avian paramyxoviruses were detected in Adelie penguin colonies in Antarctica. Infection with NDV and avian influenza virus was confined to particular colonies, whereas antibodies to the paramyxoviruses were detected in all seven colonies samples. Two avian paramyxoviruses were also isolated fromcloacal swabs. Results of serological tests must be interpreted with caution, as little as known about the persistence of specific antibodies in Adelie penguins.     

Erysipelothrix septicemia in a little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor).

On June 25, 2002, aquarium veterinarians treated a 5-year-old, male little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) that was acutely recumbent and dull, with inappetence of 24-hour duration. The penguin died within 10 minutes of presentation despite emergency resuscitation efforts. Gross pathologic findings consisted of pulmonary congestion and intestinal hemorrhage. Histopathologic findings included necrosis of tips of intestinal villi, increased numbers of mononuclear cells in pulmonary interstitium and hepatic sinusoids, and gram-positive bacteria in systemic microvasculature. Transmission electron microscopic examination revealed short gram-positive bacilli located in lumina of glomerular capillaries and in cytoplasm of mononuclear phagocytic cells in the lung and liver. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was recovered from the lung, liver, and intestine by bacteriologic culture. Amplicons from polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests using Erysipelothrix genus-specific primers and total genomic DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of lung and intestine demonstrated 99% nucleotide sequence identity with 16S small-subunit ribosomal DNA of E. rhusiopathiae and E. tonsillarum. The source of infection was speculated to be fish in the diet; however, repeated attempts to detect Erysipelothrix spp. from the mucous layer of food fish using bacteriologic culture and PCR were unsuccessful. This is the first report of erysipelas in a captive aquatic bird. Details of the isolation of E. rhusiopathiae and the application of molecular testing to identify Erysipelothrix DNA in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections are given.     

Genetic monitoring of ex situ African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) populations in South Africa

The African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) has suffered population declines and is listed in the IUCN Red List as Endangered. The species is endemic to the coast of southern Africa, and breeding colonies are distributed on the south-western coast of Africa. Currently, African Penguins are being kept in zoo and aquarium facilities throughout South Africa. In this study, molecular genetic data based on 12 microsatellite markers from 1 119 African Penguin samples from four facilities were generated in order to determine the level of genetic variation, population structure and differentiation, and effective population size to assist in the development of an effective captive management plan. Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.57 to 0.62, and allelic richness from 4.2 to 5.1. However, based on differences between first- and second-generation captive birds, we conclude that the ex situ population is at risk of losing genetic variability in the future and management programmes should include exchange of birds between captive facilities in order to induce gene flow and increase effective population size. Adding individuals from in situ populations should also be considered in the future in cases where these birds cannot be rehabilitated. Molecular genetic analyses of wild penguin populations should be carried out for comparison, and to ascertain to what degree ‘in situ genetic diversity’ is represented among ex situ populations. With regular resampling and analyses, the extent of the effect of processes such as genetic drift on diversity in the ex situ penguin populations will become evident.     

Disseminated toxoplasmosis in black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus)

Three 1- to 3-mo-old black-footed penguins (Spheniscus Demersus) died within 24 hr of showing central nervous signs such as ataxia. The birds were housed in a baby penguin crèche. At necropsy, peritonitis, pneumonia, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and renomegaly were evident. Histologically, the liver, lung, brain, and small intestine contained numerous tachyzoites and a few cysts of Toxoplasma. Immunohistochemistry identified the protozoal parasites as Toxoplasma gondii. Ultrastructurally, this was confirmed by the presence of many tachyzoites of T. gondii in the liver and lungs.     

野禽新城疫病毒F和HN基因的遗传变异趋势

野禽携带的新城疫病毒是新城疫流行传播的重要的潜在传染源。结合本实验室克隆测序的鸽NDV(PB9601)、企鹅NDV(QE01)以及GenBank下载的44株野禽(包括野鸭、鹦鹉、鸽子、天鹅、鸳鸯、雁、火鸡等)的NDV毒株的融合蛋白(Fusion gene,F)基因和血凝素蛋白(Hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene,HN)基因分别进行了F蛋白裂解位点、基因分型以及F和HN基因氨基酸全长的遗传距离分析。结果表明:野禽感染NDV F基因的基因型以Ⅶ和Ⅵ为主,同时Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅴ和Ⅸ多种基因型并存。同一种属、同一地区的毒株间的遗传距离较近,具有明显的种属性和区域性,且绝大多数分离株与经典毒株LaSota、V4、B1、TEX-48等的遗传距离相对较远;对HN基因的遗传进化关系分析得出了相似的结论。