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The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification

The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on... Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 42-48 SHORTCOMMUNICATION March 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification 1,2,4 3 1 Giovanni N. Maurício , Jonathas Barreto , and Leandro Bugoni Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG, CEP 96.203-900, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Universidade Federal de Pelotas – UFPel, Centro de Integração do Mercosul, Rua Andrade Neves, 1529, CEP 96.020-080, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo – UFES, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, CEP 29.075-710, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil Corresponding author: gnachtigallmauricio@yahoo.com.br Received on 23 August 2013. Accepted on 22 November 2013. ABSTRACT. Southwestern Atlantic/eastern South American records of the Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris are scarce, comprised only of specimens found dead on the coast. Here we present a review of records known from this region, including a novel record based on a specimen stranded at Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Additionally, we draw the attention of ornithologists and observers to problems of specimen identification, even in museums, when one needs to separate Kerguelen Petrel from dark- morph Herald Petrel Pterodroma arminjoniana or other dark-plumaged gadfly petrels of the genus Pterodroma. For identification of museum specimens, we recommend the use of an osteological character state, which allows unequivocal identification of Kerguelen Petrels, namely the wide and fenestrated fossa glandulae nasalis of the frontal bone. KEY-WORDS: diagnostic characters, osteological characteristics, petrel, Procellariidae, review, South America. The Kerguelen Petrel, Lugensa brevirostris (Lesson, well as wide ranging-species such as Soft-plumaged and 1831), is a medium-sized procellariiform that breeds on Atlantic petrels. Tristan da Cunha and Gough Islands, in the Atlantic The Kerguelen Petrel had long been placed in the Ocean, and Marion, Prince Edward, Crozet, and genus Pterodroma, but subsequently was regarded to be Kerguelen in the Indian Ocean (Brooke 2004). It occurs generically distinct and probably more closely related to in cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere oceans, at the fulmarine petrels, or close to shearwaters (see revision high latitudes (Harrison 1983; Brooke 2004), commonly in Olson 2000). The species is usually smaller than other around 60°S (Commins et al. 2014) and frequently in potentially confusing Pterodroma gadfly petrels, with a Antarctic waters near the pack ice (Joiris et al. 2013; silver underwing pattern and a distinctive white trailing Orgeira et al. 2013). Its range overlaps with other similar- edge from the carpal joint to the body (Brooke 2004). sized, dark-plumaged petrels, with which it could be However, misidentifications have occurred (e.g., Cuello confused, such as the Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma 1975; Escalante 1980), and few ornithologists realize that macroptera (Teixeira et al. 1985), or the rare dark large-sized specimens of Lugensa are potentially difficult morph of the Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis to discriminate from other dark Pterodroma petrels, such (Harrison 1983; Shirihai 2007), and the Atlantic Petrel as the dark-morph Trindade Petrel. This implies that at Pterodroma incerta (Flood & Fisher 2013). When in least some specimens attributed to these species deserve temperate/subtropical latitudes, the range of Kerguelen reexamination. Here we present a review of specimen Petrel overlaps with tropical species with which it also records of Kerguelen Petrel in southwestern Atlantic could be confused, such as Trindade Petrel Pterodroma Ocean, present a new record from Rio de Janeiro state arminjoniana and Kermadec Petrel Pterodroma neglecta based on a dead and preserved specimen, and propose which breed on tropical islands in both the Atlantic and a secure approach for specimen identification based on Indian Oceans (Luigi et al. 2009; Brown et al. 2010), as osteological characters. The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni Specimen records in the southwestern Atlantic and a basins (Projeto Monitoramento de Praias das Bacias new Brazilian record de Campos e Espírito Santo – PMP-BC/ES) a dead specimen of an all brown-gray, mid-sized petrel was Escalante (1980) reported the first specimen for the found at the Monte Alto beach (22°56'S, 42°09'W), whole southwestern Atlantic coast of South America, a municipality of Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro state, stranded individual found in July 1973 at Canelones, Brazil. Measurements (in mm) of this specimen are as Uruguay (Table 1). This seems to be the only Uruguayan follows: total length 350; exposed culmen 27; wing chord specimen, and there also seem to be no records at sea. 260; tail 138; tarsus 37.6; middle toe with claw 48.9; Kerguelen Petrels are much more frequent southward, middle toe without claw 43.9. over the Patagonian Shelf (Orgeira 2001), and around It had the diagnostic whitish leading edge from the the Falkand/Malvinas Islands (Thurston 1982; Bourne & carpal joint to the body (Figure 2), which characterizes Curtis 1985; White et al. 1999), particularly over offshore Kerguelen Petrels (Marchant & Higgins 1990), but waters, as well as between southern South America and it was a relatively large bird, fitting in both the lower Antarctica (Orgeira et al. 2013). However, to the best of range of biometric data of Trindade Petrels (Luigi et al. our knowledge, there are no records of stranded specimens 2009), and in the upper range of Kerguelen Petrels (e.g., along the Argentinean coast (Mazar-Barnett & Pearman Onley & Scofield 2007), which makes plumage- and 2001). biometric-based identification difficult. This difficulty is There are only three published records of Kerguelen especially true if we consider that light, intermediate, and Petrel in Brazil, the first one being a stranded specimen dark morphs of Trindade Petrels could exhibit a whitish from Bahia (September 1985); the second, a bird found leading edge from the carpal joint to the body (Figure 3; in Rio Grande do Sul state in October 1986 (Figure 1; see Flood & Fisher 2013:73, 76). This suggests that other below); and the third, a male found in Arembepe, Bahia, characters should be investigated to allow an unequivocal in July 1994 (Table 1). To the best of our knowledge, no identification. Thus, in the following section, we explore at-sea records off the Brazilian coast exist. cranial characteristics that allowed unambiguous On 28 September 2012, during activities of a beach identification of the Arraial do Cabo specimen as a monitoring program of the Campos and Espírito Santo Kerguelen Petrel. TABLE 1. All known specimen records of Kerguelen Petrels Lugensa brevirostris from the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. MNRJ – Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro; CAFURG – Coleção de Aves da FURG; RG – Rolf Grantsau private collection; MNHN – Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Montevideo. Geographic Features used in Specimen Place Date Source coordinates identification *MNRJ 35237 Salvador, Bahia, ca.12°59'S, September Plumage and measurements Teixeira et al. (1988) Brazil 38°31'W 1985 CAFURG 311 Cassino Beach, 32°11'S, 1 October Plumage and measurements; Vooren & Fernandes (1989); Rio Grande do 52°10'W 1986 skull osteology (this study this study Sul, Brazil only) *RG 9480 Arembepe, 12°43'29''S, 15 July Plumage and measurements Lima et al. (2004) Bahia, Brazil 38°10'45''W 1994 CAFURG 450 Arraial do Cabo, 22°56'S, 28 September Plumage and measurements; This study Rio de Janeiro, 42°09'W 2012 skull osteology Brazil *MNHN 04142 La Floresta, 34°46'S, 25 July Cuello (1975), misidentified Canelones, 55°37'W 1973 as P. macroptera, corrected by Uruguay Escalante (1980). See pictures in Jiménez et al. (2012). *Specimen not examined for the present study. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni FIGURE 1. Skull of a Lugensa brevirostris specimen (CAFURG 311) obtained at Cassino Beach, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, on 1 October 1986. This is the only specimen of L. brevirostris from this Brazilian state published to date. Identification is now corroborated by the observation of the characteristic fenestrated fossa glandulae nasalis (the arrow indicates the rostral fenestra; see text). FIGURE 2. Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris stranded in Rio de Janeiro in September 2012 (CAFURG 450), showing the whitish leading edge on underwing (arrow). Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni FIGURE 3. Trindade Petrels Pterodroma arminjoniana from Trindade Island, Brazil, illustrating the whitish trailing edge on underwing, in both the a) light and b) intermediate morphs (arrows). Osteology-based identification of gadfly petrels using osteological characters). Preceding Imber (1985), when comparing skulls of Kerguelen and Soft-plumaged Imber (1985), in part based on limited osteological petrels, Harper (1973) highlighted the larger width of the comparisons conducted by Harper (1973), called lateral edges housing the supraorbital depressions, whose attention to a condition of the skull distinguishing “ledges … are characteristically crenated, fenestrated and unequivocally Kerguelen Petrel from any Pterodroma ledged along their perimeter to a degree not shown in species, namely, the lateral extension of the inter-orbital Soft-plumaged Petrel”. region that covers most of the orbit. Therefore, given the Except for Harper (1973) and Imber (1985), identification problems explained above, the Arraial do to the best of our knowledge, no other researcher has Cabo specimen was prepared as a skeleton (Coleção de used the osteological character states mentioned above Aves da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - CAFURG to identify Lugensa specimens (Cuello 1975; Escalante 450), except for a wing which was left completely 1980; Teixeira et al. 1988; Vooren & Fernandes 1989; feathered to document the wing pattern that helps Lima et al. 2004; Jiménez et al. 2012), thus overlooking species identification by plumage (Onley & Scofield the opportunity to confirm identification using fully 2007). The skeleton was prepared by maceration and diagnostic and easy-to-see morphological features. Even hand-cleaning soft tissue from bone (Alvarenga 1992). It if one is interested in producing a traditional museum was immediately evident that the orbit of the specimen specimen, it is possible to check the condition of the was mostly covered dorsally by a supra-orbital bony os frontale – i.e., if matching or not the Lugensa type – extension of the os frontale, forming a wide fossa glandulae by inverting the skin up to the base of the bill during nasalis, a condition in great contrast to that observed taxidermy and by a simple removal of the soft tissue in members of the genus Pterodroma (Harper 1973; of the nasal gland. For old museum skins, or those Imber 1985; Figure 4). Additionally, each fossa seen in specimens recently prepared, ordinary x-ray radiography Lugensa skulls bears a large rostral fenestra (Figures 1 and could be an option. 4) not seen in other procellariid genera (Imber 1985; The only specimen of Kerguelen Petrel from Rio this study), suggesting it represents an autapomorphy Grande do Sul state published to date is that mentioned for this taxon. Imber (1985) stated that Lugensa has a by Vooren & Fernandes (1989), which is deposited “unique fenestrated extension of the skull lateral to at CAFURG under the catalogue number 311. This the supra-orbital gland”, but some very small, caudal specimen was not prepared as a skin, being simply fenestrae similar to those seen in Lugensa are present wholly dried and preserved in the collection. Overall, it in some specimens of other presumably related genera is in poor condition, with exposed bones in several parts of the fulmarine group (Thalassoica, Fulmarus; Imber of the body. As its skull was greatly exposed, a simple 1985, Shearwater.nl. 2013 [http://www.shearwater. removal of the dried tissue over the salt gland allowed nl/?file=kop1.php]), thus indicating that only the rostral us to examine the condition of the fossa glandulae fenestra is fully diagnostic of, and autapomorphic nasalis: the Rio Grande do Sul bird proved to represent a for, the genus (see also Mayr & Smith [2012] for a typical L. brevirostris specimen by presenting the unique comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of procellariiforms fenestrated extension of the skull lateral to the nasal Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni gland (Figure 1). Although plumage and measurements with certainty, the observation of the condition of (see Vooren & Fernandes 1989) of this specimen are the fossa glandulae nasalis prevents any possible future apparently sufficient to determine its specific identity dispute regarding its identification. FIGURE 4. Skulls of Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris (above; CAFURG 450) and Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta (below; CAFURG 603) in dorsal view. Note the wide, fenestrated fossa glandulae nasalis (F) of the former and the contrastingly narrow fossa of the latter. The condition seen in Kerguelen Petrel is fully diagnostic in comparison with any other procellariform taxon. Concluding remarks specimens found on beaches, and such possibility may provide more realistic information on the occurrence of L. The status of Kerguelen Petrels in the southwestern brevirostris in a given region. Finally, we suggest that any Atlantic Ocean seems to be similar to the Great-winged dispute regarding identity of supposed Lugensa specimens Petrel. Both species are rarely found stranded on the beach might be solved by radiographing skulls to determine the along the southwestern Atlantic coast (Bugoni 2006; condition of the fossa. Jiménez et al. 2012), and are nearly absent at sea (Bugoni et al. 2008; Jiménez et al. 2011), despite both species being common southeastward, e.g., in the Southern Ocean at ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS about 60°S, 0°W (Joiris et al. 2013; Commins et al. 2014). All five Kerguelen Petrels records on the coast of Brazil Authors acknowledge CTA Company and Mr. Bruno and Uruguay are from July to early October, coinciding Berger for support during field work. We thank Ananda with the pre-breeding or pre-laying exodus, as eggs are laid Arrieta for help in the preparation of the Kerguelen Petrel in October (Elliott 1957; Shirihai 2007). specimen. L. Bugoni is a research fellow with the Brazilian Council for Scientific and Technological Development – Examination of the condition of the fossa glandulae nasalis may be the only way to identify decomposed CNPq (Proc. #308697/2012-0). Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni Lima, P. C.; Grantsau, R.; Lima, R. C. F. R.; & Santos, S. S. 2004. REFERENCES Occurrence and mortality of seabirds along the northern coast of Bahia, and the identification key of the Procellariiformes Order Alvarenga, H. M. F. 1992. Coleções osteológicas: perspectivas para and the Stercorariidae Family. Atualidades Ornitológicas, 121: a ornitologia no Brasil. Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, 1-63. Série Zoologia, 8: 247-257. Luigi, G.; Bugoni, L.; Fonseca-Neto, F. P.; & Teixeira, D. M. Bourne, W. R. P. & Curtis, W. F. 1985. South Atlantic seabirds. Sea 2009. Biologia e conservação do Petrel-de-trindade, Pterodroma Swallow, 34: 18-28. arminjoniana, na ilha da Trindade, Atlântico sul, p. 223-263. In: Brooke, M. 2004. Albatrosses and petrels across the world. New York: Ilhas oceânicas brasileiras: da pesquisa ao manejo. Volume 2. Mohr, Oxford University Press. L. V.; Castro, J. W. A.; Costa, P. M. S.; & Alves, R. J. V. (eds.). Brown, R. M.; Nichols, R. A.; Faulkes, C. G.; Jones, C. G.; Bugoni, Brasilia: Ministério do Meio Ambiente. L.; Tatayah, V.; Gottelli, D.; & Jordan, W. C. 2010. Range Marchant, S. & Higgins, P. J. 1990. Handbook of Australian, New expansion and hybridization in Round Island petrels (Pterodroma Zealand and Antarctic birds, v. 1. Melbourne: Oxford University spp.): evidence from microsatellite genotypes. Molecular Ecology, Press. 19: 3157-3170. Mayr, G. & Smith, T. 2012. Phylogenetic affinities and taxonomy Bugoni, L. 2006. Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma macroptera in of the Oligocene Diomedeoididae, and the basal divergences Brazil. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club, 126: 52-54. amongst extant procellariiform birds. Zoological Journal of the Bugoni, L.; Mancini, P. L.; Monteiro, D. S.; Nascimento, L.; & Linnean Society, 166: 854-875. Neves, T. S. 2008. Seabird bycatch in the Brazilian pelagic Mazar-Barnett, J. & Pearman, M. 2001. Lista comentada de las aves longline fishery and a review of capture rates in the southwestern argentinas. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Atlantic Ocean. Endangered Species Research, 5: 137-147. Olson, S. L. 2000. A new genus for the Kerguelen Petrel. Bulletin of Commins, M. L.; Ansorge, I. &; Ryan, P. G. 2014. Multi-scale the British Ornithologists’ Club, 120: 59-62. factors influencing seabird assemblages in the African sector of the Onley, D. & Scofield, P. 2007. Albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters of Southern Ocean. Antarctic Science, 26: 38-48. the world. London: Christopher Helm. Cuello, J. 1975. Las aves del Uruguay. Comunicaciones Zoologicas del Orgeira, J. L. 2001. Distribución espacial de densidades de aves Museo de Historia Natural de Montevideo, 10: 1-27. marinas en la plataforma continental argentina y Océano Atlántico Elliot, H. F. I. 1957. A contribution to the ornithology of the Tristan Sur. Ornitología Neotropical, 12: 45-55. da Cunha Group. Ibis, 99: 545-586. Orgeira, J. L.; Scioscia, G.; Torres, M. A.; & Dellabianca, N. A. Escalante, R. 1980. Primera denuncia de un Petrel de Kerguelen 2013. New at-sea records of pelagic seabirds in the South Atlantic colectado sobre la costa atlántica de Sudamérica. Hornero, 12: 41- Ocean and Antarctica. Polar Research, 32: 1-5. Shearwater.nl. 2013. Seabird Osteology. http://www.shearwater. Flood, B. & Fisher, A. 2013. Multimedia Identification Guide to nl/?file=kop1.php (access on 25 July 2013). North Atlantic Seabirds. Pterodroma Petrels. 4edge Ltd, Essex. Shirihai, H. 2007. A complete guide to Antarctic wildlife, second Harper, P. C. 1973. The field identification and supplementary notes edition. London: A & C Black. on the Soft-plumaged Petrel (Pterodroma mollis Gould, 1844). Teixeira, D. M.; Nacinovic, J. B.; & Novelli, R. 1985. Notes on Notornis, 20: 193-201. some Brazilian seabirds. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club, Harrison, P . 1983. Seabirds, an identification guide. Boston: Houghton 105: 49-51. Mifflin Co. Teixeira, D. M.; Nacinovic, J. B.; Schloemp, I. M.; & Kischlat, Imber, M. J. 1985. Origins, phylogeny and taxonomy of the Gadfly E. E. 1988. Notes on some Brazilian seabirds (3). Bulletin of the Petrels Pterodroma spp. Ibis, 127: 197-229. British Ornithologists’ Club, 108: 136-139. Jiménez, S.; Abente, J. S.; Azpiroz, A. B.; Savigny, C.; & Abreu, M. Thurston, M. H. 1982. Ornithological observations in the South 2012. First Uruguayan records of Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma Atlantic Ocean and Weddell Sea, 1959–64. British Antarctic macroptera. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 132: 209- Survey Bulletin, 55: 77-103. Vooren, C. M. & Fernandes, A. C. 1989. Guia de albatrozes e petréis Jiménez, S.; Domingo, A.; Abreu, M.; & Brazeiro, A. 2011. Structure do sul do Brasil. Porto Alegre: Sagra Editora of the seabird assemblage associated with pelagic longline vessels White, R. W.; Reid, J. B., Black, A. D.; & Gillon, K. W. 1999. in the southwestern Atlantic: implications for bycatch. Endangered Seabird and marine mammal dispersion in the waters around the Species Research, 15: 241-254. Falkland Islands. Peterborough: Joint Nature Conservation Joiris, C. R.; Humphries, G. R. W.; & De Broyer, A. 2013. Seabirds Committee. encountered along return transects between South Africa and Antarctica in summer in relation to hydrological features. Polar Biology, 36: 1633-1647. Associate Editor: Alexander C. Lees Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni APPENDIX: Specimens examined at CAFURG for osteological comparisons in this study: Macronectes halli: n° 602 (complete skeleton); Macronectes giganteus: n° 604 (complete skeleton); Fulmarus glacialoides: n° 581 (complete skeleton); Daption capense: n° 530 (complete skeleton); Lugensa brevirostris: n° 450 (complete skeleton), n° 311 (“skin” with exposed skull); Pterodroma incerta: n° 603 (skull); Pachyptila belcheri: n° 443 (complete skeleton); Puffinus gravis: n° 580 (complete skeleton); Puffinus puffinus: n° 579 (complete skeleton). Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Ornithology Research Springer Journals

The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification

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Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 42-48 SHORTCOMMUNICATION March 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification 1,2,4 3 1 Giovanni N. Maurício , Jonathas Barreto , and Leandro Bugoni Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG, CEP 96.203-900, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Universidade Federal de Pelotas – UFPel, Centro de Integração do Mercosul, Rua Andrade Neves, 1529, CEP 96.020-080, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo – UFES, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, CEP 29.075-710, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil Corresponding author: gnachtigallmauricio@yahoo.com.br Received on 23 August 2013. Accepted on 22 November 2013. ABSTRACT. Southwestern Atlantic/eastern South American records of the Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris are scarce, comprised only of specimens found dead on the coast. Here we present a review of records known from this region, including a novel record based on a specimen stranded at Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Additionally, we draw the attention of ornithologists and observers to problems of specimen identification, even in museums, when one needs to separate Kerguelen Petrel from dark- morph Herald Petrel Pterodroma arminjoniana or other dark-plumaged gadfly petrels of the genus Pterodroma. For identification of museum specimens, we recommend the use of an osteological character state, which allows unequivocal identification of Kerguelen Petrels, namely the wide and fenestrated fossa glandulae nasalis of the frontal bone. KEY-WORDS: diagnostic characters, osteological characteristics, petrel, Procellariidae, review, South America. The Kerguelen Petrel, Lugensa brevirostris (Lesson, well as wide ranging-species such as Soft-plumaged and 1831), is a medium-sized procellariiform that breeds on Atlantic petrels. Tristan da Cunha and Gough Islands, in the Atlantic The Kerguelen Petrel had long been placed in the Ocean, and Marion, Prince Edward, Crozet, and genus Pterodroma, but subsequently was regarded to be Kerguelen in the Indian Ocean (Brooke 2004). It occurs generically distinct and probably more closely related to in cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere oceans, at the fulmarine petrels, or close to shearwaters (see revision high latitudes (Harrison 1983; Brooke 2004), commonly in Olson 2000). The species is usually smaller than other around 60°S (Commins et al. 2014) and frequently in potentially confusing Pterodroma gadfly petrels, with a Antarctic waters near the pack ice (Joiris et al. 2013; silver underwing pattern and a distinctive white trailing Orgeira et al. 2013). Its range overlaps with other similar- edge from the carpal joint to the body (Brooke 2004). sized, dark-plumaged petrels, with which it could be However, misidentifications have occurred (e.g., Cuello confused, such as the Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma 1975; Escalante 1980), and few ornithologists realize that macroptera (Teixeira et al. 1985), or the rare dark large-sized specimens of Lugensa are potentially difficult morph of the Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis to discriminate from other dark Pterodroma petrels, such (Harrison 1983; Shirihai 2007), and the Atlantic Petrel as the dark-morph Trindade Petrel. This implies that at Pterodroma incerta (Flood & Fisher 2013). When in least some specimens attributed to these species deserve temperate/subtropical latitudes, the range of Kerguelen reexamination. Here we present a review of specimen Petrel overlaps with tropical species with which it also records of Kerguelen Petrel in southwestern Atlantic could be confused, such as Trindade Petrel Pterodroma Ocean, present a new record from Rio de Janeiro state arminjoniana and Kermadec Petrel Pterodroma neglecta based on a dead and preserved specimen, and propose which breed on tropical islands in both the Atlantic and a secure approach for specimen identification based on Indian Oceans (Luigi et al. 2009; Brown et al. 2010), as osteological characters. The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni Specimen records in the southwestern Atlantic and a basins (Projeto Monitoramento de Praias das Bacias new Brazilian record de Campos e Espírito Santo – PMP-BC/ES) a dead specimen of an all brown-gray, mid-sized petrel was Escalante (1980) reported the first specimen for the found at the Monte Alto beach (22°56'S, 42°09'W), whole southwestern Atlantic coast of South America, a municipality of Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro state, stranded individual found in July 1973 at Canelones, Brazil. Measurements (in mm) of this specimen are as Uruguay (Table 1). This seems to be the only Uruguayan follows: total length 350; exposed culmen 27; wing chord specimen, and there also seem to be no records at sea. 260; tail 138; tarsus 37.6; middle toe with claw 48.9; Kerguelen Petrels are much more frequent southward, middle toe without claw 43.9. over the Patagonian Shelf (Orgeira 2001), and around It had the diagnostic whitish leading edge from the the Falkand/Malvinas Islands (Thurston 1982; Bourne & carpal joint to the body (Figure 2), which characterizes Curtis 1985; White et al. 1999), particularly over offshore Kerguelen Petrels (Marchant & Higgins 1990), but waters, as well as between southern South America and it was a relatively large bird, fitting in both the lower Antarctica (Orgeira et al. 2013). However, to the best of range of biometric data of Trindade Petrels (Luigi et al. our knowledge, there are no records of stranded specimens 2009), and in the upper range of Kerguelen Petrels (e.g., along the Argentinean coast (Mazar-Barnett & Pearman Onley & Scofield 2007), which makes plumage- and 2001). biometric-based identification difficult. This difficulty is There are only three published records of Kerguelen especially true if we consider that light, intermediate, and Petrel in Brazil, the first one being a stranded specimen dark morphs of Trindade Petrels could exhibit a whitish from Bahia (September 1985); the second, a bird found leading edge from the carpal joint to the body (Figure 3; in Rio Grande do Sul state in October 1986 (Figure 1; see Flood & Fisher 2013:73, 76). This suggests that other below); and the third, a male found in Arembepe, Bahia, characters should be investigated to allow an unequivocal in July 1994 (Table 1). To the best of our knowledge, no identification. Thus, in the following section, we explore at-sea records off the Brazilian coast exist. cranial characteristics that allowed unambiguous On 28 September 2012, during activities of a beach identification of the Arraial do Cabo specimen as a monitoring program of the Campos and Espírito Santo Kerguelen Petrel. TABLE 1. All known specimen records of Kerguelen Petrels Lugensa brevirostris from the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. MNRJ – Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro; CAFURG – Coleção de Aves da FURG; RG – Rolf Grantsau private collection; MNHN – Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Montevideo. Geographic Features used in Specimen Place Date Source coordinates identification *MNRJ 35237 Salvador, Bahia, ca.12°59'S, September Plumage and measurements Teixeira et al. (1988) Brazil 38°31'W 1985 CAFURG 311 Cassino Beach, 32°11'S, 1 October Plumage and measurements; Vooren & Fernandes (1989); Rio Grande do 52°10'W 1986 skull osteology (this study this study Sul, Brazil only) *RG 9480 Arembepe, 12°43'29''S, 15 July Plumage and measurements Lima et al. (2004) Bahia, Brazil 38°10'45''W 1994 CAFURG 450 Arraial do Cabo, 22°56'S, 28 September Plumage and measurements; This study Rio de Janeiro, 42°09'W 2012 skull osteology Brazil *MNHN 04142 La Floresta, 34°46'S, 25 July Cuello (1975), misidentified Canelones, 55°37'W 1973 as P. macroptera, corrected by Uruguay Escalante (1980). See pictures in Jiménez et al. (2012). *Specimen not examined for the present study. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni FIGURE 1. Skull of a Lugensa brevirostris specimen (CAFURG 311) obtained at Cassino Beach, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, on 1 October 1986. This is the only specimen of L. brevirostris from this Brazilian state published to date. Identification is now corroborated by the observation of the characteristic fenestrated fossa glandulae nasalis (the arrow indicates the rostral fenestra; see text). FIGURE 2. Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris stranded in Rio de Janeiro in September 2012 (CAFURG 450), showing the whitish leading edge on underwing (arrow). Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni FIGURE 3. Trindade Petrels Pterodroma arminjoniana from Trindade Island, Brazil, illustrating the whitish trailing edge on underwing, in both the a) light and b) intermediate morphs (arrows). Osteology-based identification of gadfly petrels using osteological characters). Preceding Imber (1985), when comparing skulls of Kerguelen and Soft-plumaged Imber (1985), in part based on limited osteological petrels, Harper (1973) highlighted the larger width of the comparisons conducted by Harper (1973), called lateral edges housing the supraorbital depressions, whose attention to a condition of the skull distinguishing “ledges … are characteristically crenated, fenestrated and unequivocally Kerguelen Petrel from any Pterodroma ledged along their perimeter to a degree not shown in species, namely, the lateral extension of the inter-orbital Soft-plumaged Petrel”. region that covers most of the orbit. Therefore, given the Except for Harper (1973) and Imber (1985), identification problems explained above, the Arraial do to the best of our knowledge, no other researcher has Cabo specimen was prepared as a skeleton (Coleção de used the osteological character states mentioned above Aves da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - CAFURG to identify Lugensa specimens (Cuello 1975; Escalante 450), except for a wing which was left completely 1980; Teixeira et al. 1988; Vooren & Fernandes 1989; feathered to document the wing pattern that helps Lima et al. 2004; Jiménez et al. 2012), thus overlooking species identification by plumage (Onley & Scofield the opportunity to confirm identification using fully 2007). The skeleton was prepared by maceration and diagnostic and easy-to-see morphological features. Even hand-cleaning soft tissue from bone (Alvarenga 1992). It if one is interested in producing a traditional museum was immediately evident that the orbit of the specimen specimen, it is possible to check the condition of the was mostly covered dorsally by a supra-orbital bony os frontale – i.e., if matching or not the Lugensa type – extension of the os frontale, forming a wide fossa glandulae by inverting the skin up to the base of the bill during nasalis, a condition in great contrast to that observed taxidermy and by a simple removal of the soft tissue in members of the genus Pterodroma (Harper 1973; of the nasal gland. For old museum skins, or those Imber 1985; Figure 4). Additionally, each fossa seen in specimens recently prepared, ordinary x-ray radiography Lugensa skulls bears a large rostral fenestra (Figures 1 and could be an option. 4) not seen in other procellariid genera (Imber 1985; The only specimen of Kerguelen Petrel from Rio this study), suggesting it represents an autapomorphy Grande do Sul state published to date is that mentioned for this taxon. Imber (1985) stated that Lugensa has a by Vooren & Fernandes (1989), which is deposited “unique fenestrated extension of the skull lateral to at CAFURG under the catalogue number 311. This the supra-orbital gland”, but some very small, caudal specimen was not prepared as a skin, being simply fenestrae similar to those seen in Lugensa are present wholly dried and preserved in the collection. Overall, it in some specimens of other presumably related genera is in poor condition, with exposed bones in several parts of the fulmarine group (Thalassoica, Fulmarus; Imber of the body. As its skull was greatly exposed, a simple 1985, Shearwater.nl. 2013 [http://www.shearwater. removal of the dried tissue over the salt gland allowed nl/?file=kop1.php]), thus indicating that only the rostral us to examine the condition of the fossa glandulae fenestra is fully diagnostic of, and autapomorphic nasalis: the Rio Grande do Sul bird proved to represent a for, the genus (see also Mayr & Smith [2012] for a typical L. brevirostris specimen by presenting the unique comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of procellariiforms fenestrated extension of the skull lateral to the nasal Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni gland (Figure 1). Although plumage and measurements with certainty, the observation of the condition of (see Vooren & Fernandes 1989) of this specimen are the fossa glandulae nasalis prevents any possible future apparently sufficient to determine its specific identity dispute regarding its identification. FIGURE 4. Skulls of Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris (above; CAFURG 450) and Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta (below; CAFURG 603) in dorsal view. Note the wide, fenestrated fossa glandulae nasalis (F) of the former and the contrastingly narrow fossa of the latter. The condition seen in Kerguelen Petrel is fully diagnostic in comparison with any other procellariform taxon. Concluding remarks specimens found on beaches, and such possibility may provide more realistic information on the occurrence of L. The status of Kerguelen Petrels in the southwestern brevirostris in a given region. Finally, we suggest that any Atlantic Ocean seems to be similar to the Great-winged dispute regarding identity of supposed Lugensa specimens Petrel. Both species are rarely found stranded on the beach might be solved by radiographing skulls to determine the along the southwestern Atlantic coast (Bugoni 2006; condition of the fossa. Jiménez et al. 2012), and are nearly absent at sea (Bugoni et al. 2008; Jiménez et al. 2011), despite both species being common southeastward, e.g., in the Southern Ocean at ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS about 60°S, 0°W (Joiris et al. 2013; Commins et al. 2014). All five Kerguelen Petrels records on the coast of Brazil Authors acknowledge CTA Company and Mr. Bruno and Uruguay are from July to early October, coinciding Berger for support during field work. We thank Ananda with the pre-breeding or pre-laying exodus, as eggs are laid Arrieta for help in the preparation of the Kerguelen Petrel in October (Elliott 1957; Shirihai 2007). specimen. L. Bugoni is a research fellow with the Brazilian Council for Scientific and Technological Development – Examination of the condition of the fossa glandulae nasalis may be the only way to identify decomposed CNPq (Proc. #308697/2012-0). Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni Lima, P. C.; Grantsau, R.; Lima, R. C. F. R.; & Santos, S. S. 2004. REFERENCES Occurrence and mortality of seabirds along the northern coast of Bahia, and the identification key of the Procellariiformes Order Alvarenga, H. M. F. 1992. Coleções osteológicas: perspectivas para and the Stercorariidae Family. Atualidades Ornitológicas, 121: a ornitologia no Brasil. Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, 1-63. Série Zoologia, 8: 247-257. Luigi, G.; Bugoni, L.; Fonseca-Neto, F. P.; & Teixeira, D. M. Bourne, W. R. 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Lees Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014 The Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on osteology - and plumage-based identification Giovanni N. Maurício, Jonathas Barreto, and Leandro Bugoni APPENDIX: Specimens examined at CAFURG for osteological comparisons in this study: Macronectes halli: n° 602 (complete skeleton); Macronectes giganteus: n° 604 (complete skeleton); Fulmarus glacialoides: n° 581 (complete skeleton); Daption capense: n° 530 (complete skeleton); Lugensa brevirostris: n° 450 (complete skeleton), n° 311 (“skin” with exposed skull); Pterodroma incerta: n° 603 (skull); Pachyptila belcheri: n° 443 (complete skeleton); Puffinus gravis: n° 580 (complete skeleton); Puffinus puffinus: n° 579 (complete skeleton). Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(1), 2014

Journal

Ornithology Research – Springer Journals

Published: Mar 1, 2014

Keywords: diagnostic characters; osteological characteristics; petrel; Procellariidae; review; South America

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