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Microflora in the crop of adult Dusky-billed Parrotlets (Forpus modestus)

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Abstract

We isolated aerobic and anaerobic facultative bacteria inhabiting the crop of adult Dusky-billed Parrotlets (Forpus modestus). We looked for bacteria capable of hydrolyzing starch, the most abundant polysaccharide in seeds. We compared our results with bacteria isolated from the crop of three species of doves with granivorous–frugivorous diet and three carnivore birds. Forpus modestus has 107–108 of colony formation units (CFU); these values were higher by one to three orders of magnitude compared with those observed in the other species studied. Bacillus pumilus, one of the most abundant bacteria isolated in F. modestus (6.03 × 106 CFU), was capable of hydrolyzing starch. We found higher diversity and abundance of bacteria in granivorous than in carnivorous birds or birds without a developed crop. Additionally, we found yeasts in the three species of doves. These findings suggest microbial activity in the crop, although its importance in food digestion needs to be determined.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Y. Carreño, at “Colección Ornitológica Phelps”, Caracas, Venezuela for his assistance in samples collection. We thank R. Isea from CeCALCULA and N. Reyes at IVIC for their overall support. We thank A. McCollum and A. A. Escalante who made valuable suggestions that improved the manuscript. Conservation International-Venezuela and “Fundación Cisneros” provided financial support. F. Ibarra from Manaka Fishing Lodge and J. G. León from Siscomar provided support of field work in Ventuari River and Serranía de Lajas. All the experiments complied with the current laws of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Specimens were collected with the authorization of the “Ministerio del Poder Popular para el Ambiente” under the number 01-03-03-113 granted to the “Colección Ornitológica Phelps”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Cálculo Científico de la Universidad de Los Andes, Parque Tecnológico, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela

    M. Andreína Pacheco

  2. School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    M. Andreína Pacheco

  3. Colección Ornitológica Phelps, Caracas, Venezuela

    Miguel Lentino

  4. Laboratorio de Bacteriología Dr. Roberto Gabaldón, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioanálisis, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela

    Carolina Mata, Silvio Barreto & María Araque

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  1. M. Andreína Pacheco
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  2. Miguel Lentino
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Correspondence to M. Andreína Pacheco.

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Communicated by C.G. Guglielmo.

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Pacheco, M.A., Lentino, M., Mata, C. et al. Microflora in the crop of adult Dusky-billed Parrotlets (Forpus modestus). J Ornithol 149, 621–628 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-008-0307-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-008-0307-9

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