Best, Robin Christopher

30 publications

Bullock, Theodore H.; Domning, Daryl Paul; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1977Hearing in a manatee (Sirenia: Trichechus inunguis). [Abstr.]
Proc. 2nd Conf. Biol. Marine Mamms. (San Diego, Calif.): 72. Dec. 1977.
—Abstr. of Bullock et al. (1980).
Farmer, Martha; Weber, Roy E.; Bonaventura, Joseph; Best, Robin Christopher; Domning, Daryl Paul (detail)
1979aFunctional properties of hemoglobin and whole blood in an aquatic mammal, the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis).
Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 62A: 231-238. 6 figs.
—Abstr.: Farmer & Bonaventura, 1977. Portuguese transl.: Farmer et al. (1979b). Reports that the blood has a low hematocrit and oxygen capacity compared to that of other diving mammals; the hemoglobin has low sensitivity to temperature, tends to dissociate into dimers, and has other exceptional characteristics.
Best, Robin Christopher; Silva, Vera Maria Ferreira da (detail)
1979Peixe-boi. Uma sereia na represa?
Cespaulista (São Paulo) 3(16): 26-27, 29. 3 figs. Apr. 1979.
—Pop. acc. of Brazilian manatees and manatee research at INPA in Manaus. See also Cascudo (1979).
Farmer, Martha; Weber, Roy E.; Bonaventura, Joseph; Best, Robin Christopher; Domning, Daryl Paul (detail)
1979bPropriedades funcionais de hemoglobina e sangue completo em um mamífero aquático, o peixe-boi amazônico (Trichechus inunguis).
Acta Amazonica 8(4), Supl.: 311-321. 6 figs. Dec. 1978 (publ. 1979).
—Engl. summ. Portuguese transl. of Farmer et al. (1979a).
Mok, Wai-yin; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1979Saprophytic colonization of a hyphomycete on the Amazonian manatee Trichechus inunguis (Mammalia; Sirenia).
Aquatic Mammals 7(3): 79-82. 4 figs.
—Reports a skin fungus resembling Cercospora in captive and wild T. inunguis calves.
Ayres, José Márcio; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1980Estratégias para a conservação da fauna amazônica.
Acta Amaz. 9(4), Supl.: 81-101. 4 tabs. 5 figs.
—Discusses conservation problems and recommendations concerning T. inunguis (83-85, 90-92); includes some data on prices of manatee meat in 1979.
Bullock, Theodore H.; Domning, Daryl Paul; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1980Evoked brain potentials demonstrate hearing in a manatee (Trichechus inunguis).
Jour. Mamm. 61(1): 130-133. 1 fig. Feb. 20, 1980.
—Portuguese transl.: Bullock et al. (1981). Abstr.: Bullock et al. (1977). Reports that the most effective frequency was circa 3 kHz. Compares the hearing range with the range of vocalizations in other sirs. The most sensitive region of the head was found to be over the zygomatic process of the squamosal.
Gallivan, G. James; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1980Metabolism and respiration of the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis).
Physiol. Zool. 53(3): 245-253. 2 tabs. 6 figs.
—Abstr.: Ciencia e Cultura 30(7): 508, 1978 (in Portuguese)? Portuguese transl.: Gallivan & Best (1981). Measurements on six manatees showed a low metabolic rate, breathing frequency, and minute ventilation, and high oxygen extraction and carbon dioxide output.
Montgomery, G. Gene; Best, Robin Christopher; Yamakoshi, Megumi (detail)
1981A radio-tracking study of the Amazonian manatee Trichechus inunguis (Mammalia: Sirenia).
Biotropica 13(2): 81-85. 1 tab. 1 fig. June 1981.
—Describes the freeze-branding and radiotagging of a juvenile manatee, its release in a lake near the Rio Solimões, Brazil, and its movements and habitat use during 20 days of radiotracking. Concludes that radiotracking is a practical means of studying manatee ecology in the Amazon Basin. Includes a list of plants thought to be eaten by manatees in the study area. For a slightly expanded Portuguese version of this paper, with illustrations of the tagging equipment, see Best, Montgomery & Yamakoshi (1981).
Best, Robin Christopher; Montgomery, G. Gene; Yamakoshi, Megumi (detail)
1981Avaliação de técnicas de rádio-rastreamento e marcação do peixe-boi da Amazônia, Trichechus inunguis (Mammalia: Sirenia).
Acta Amazonica 11(2): 247-254. 1 tab. 4 figs. June 1981.
—A Portuguese version of Montgomery, Best & Yamakoshi (1981) (q.v.), with additional photographs showing the floating meadows in the study area, the freeze-brand and branding iron used, and the transmitter-peduncle belt assembly.
Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1981Foods and feeding habits of wild and captive Sirenia.
Mammal Review 11(1): 3-29. 12 tabs. 2 figs.
—Detailed review of diets, feeding behavior, food consumption, nutrition, and digestive physiology of the five Recent species, listing all reported food items consumed in the wild or in captivity, with analyses of composition and digestibility for some of them.
Gallivan, G. James; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1981Metabolismo e respiração do peixe-boi da Amazônia (Trichechus inunguis).
Acta Amazonica 11(1): 103-111. 2 tabs. 6 figs. Mar. 1981.
—Engl. summ. Portuguese transl. of Gallivan & Best (1980).
Bullock, Theodore H.; Domning, Daryl Paul; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1981Potências cerebrais através do estímulo acústico (AEP) mostram a audição no peixe-boi (Sirenia: Trichechus inunguis).
Acta Amazonica 11(3): 423-427. 1 fig. Sept. 1981.
—Portuguese transl. of Bullock et al. (1980).
Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1982bA salvação de uma espécie: novas perspectivas para o peixe-boi da Amazônia.
Revista IBM No. 14: 10 pp. 12 figs. Dec. 1982.
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Best, Robin Christopher; Ribeiro, Gilberto de Assis; Yamakoshi, Megumi; Silva, Vera Maria Ferreira da (detail)
1982Artificial feeding for unweaned Amazonian manatees Trichechus inunguis.
Internatl. Zoo Yearbk. 22: 263-267. 2 tabs. 1 fig. 1 pl.
—Describes the composition and effects on growth rates of three different artificial formulas used in the rearing of 14 captive calves.
Best, Robin Christopher; Gallivan, G. James; Kanwisher, John W. (detail)
1982Ecophysiology of the Amazonian manatee Trichechus inunguis [Abstr.].
Braz. Jour. Med. Biol. Res. 15(2-3): 193.
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Best, Robin Christopher; Teixeira, Dantes Martins (detail)
1982Notas sobre a distribuição e "status" aparentes dos peixes-bois (Mammalia: Sirenia) nas costas amapaenses brasileiras.
Bol. Inf. FBCN (Rio de Janeiro, Fundação Brasileira para a Conservação da Natureza) No. 17: 41-47. 1 fig.
—A 1978 ground survey of the coast of Amapá, Brazil, found evidence only of T. manatus. Comments on hunting methods, food plants, body size of calves and adults, possible shark bites, status, and conservation efforts.
Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1982aSeasonal breeding in the Amazonian manatee, Trichechus inunguis (Mammalia: Sirenia).
Biotropica 14(1): 76-78. 1 fig.
—Concludes from dates of capture of calves that the indirect effect of rising river levels on nutritional status serves as a cue for manatee reproductive activity.
Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1983Apparent dry-season fasting in Amazonian manatees (Mammalia: Sirenia).
Biotropica 15(1): 61-64. 1 fig.
—Reports observations on T. inunguis trapped in Lago Amanã, Brazil, during the 1979-80 dry season, with comments on physiology, hunting, and implications for conservation. Manatees normally appear to fast 3-4 months per year; in this case the fast lasted nearly 7 months.
Lainson, R.; Naiff, R. D.; Best, Robin Christopher; Shaw, J. J. (detail)
1983Eimeria trichechi n. sp. from the Amazonian manatee, Trichechus inunguis (Mammalia: Sirenia).
Syst. Parasitol. 5(4): 287-289. 2 figs.
—Describes oocysts and sporocysts of this new coccidial protozoan from captive and wild manatees, the majority of which were found to be infected.
Piggins, David; Muntz, W. R. A.; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1983Physical and morphological aspects of the eye of the manatee Trichechus inunguis Natterer 1883: (Sirenia: mammalia [sic]).
Mar. Behav. Physiol. 9(2): 111-129. 3 tabs. 3 figs.
—Examination of gross ocular anatomy, retinal histology, visual pigment, ocular refraction, and visual behavior in 5 animals showed a primarily rod retina, high receptor:ganglion cell ratio, low refractive error (hyperopia) under water, pigment based on vitamin A1, a difference spectrum of lambda max at 505 nm, a retina suited to low light levels, moderate visual acuity at best, motion perception, and a low degree of binocular vision. These results are compared with previous studies of T. manatus and Dugong.
Gallivan, G. James; Best, Robin Christopher; Kanwisher, John W. (detail)
1983Temperature regulation in the Amazonian manatee Trichechus inunguis.
Physiol. Zool. 56(2): 255-262. 4 figs. Apr. 1983.
—Summ.: New Scientist, Dec. 1, 1983: 654, 1 fig. Core temperatures of two animals were measured (with swallowed transmitters) at 35-36 C and varied with water temperature within the thermoneutral zone; below that zone (i.e., below 22-23 C) they were maintained, primarily by increase in activity. Their primary mechanism for thermoregulation seemed to be changes in peripheral circulation, aided by subcutaneous fat insulation. Speculates that cold-related mortality and limits to distribution in T. manatus may be due less to physiology than to nutritional status and food availability.
Packard, Jane M.; Rathbun, Galen B.; Domning, Daryl Paul; Best, Robin Christopher; Anderson, Paul K.; O'Shea, Thomas J. (detail)
1984Sea cows and manatees. In: D. W. Macdonald (ed.), The encyclopedia of mammals.
New York, Facts on File Publs.: 292-303. 15 figs.
—Repr. in: K. Banister & A. Campbell (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Aquatic Life. New York, Facts on File Publs.: 340-349. 12 figs. Dec. 16, 1985.
Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1984bThe aquatic mammals and reptiles of the Amazon. In: H. Sioli (ed.), The Amazon. Limnology and landscape ecology of a mighty tropical river and its basin.
Monographiae Biol. 56 (Dordrecht, Dr. W. Junk, 763 pp.): 371-412. 11 tabs. 12 figs.
—Gen. acc. of the history of exploitation of T. inunguis and its biology, based on studies in progress at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Brazil (371-377). According to eyewitness Mario Ypiranga (unpublished data in INPA files), the "anonymous" photo of a manatee and hunter (Fig. 1) was taken by INPA photographer Lourival Salgado near Freguesia do Andir on the Rio Andir , Amazonas, Brazil. The manatee was a female, not pregnant, and not as huge as it looks; the hunter was only about 160 cm tall (compared to Ypiranga's 155 cm) and the manatee's back rose some 60-70 cm above the ground. Another view of this scene was published in the Amazônia Bibliografia 1614-1962, Rio de Janeiro, INPA, 1963.
Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1984aTrichechus inunguis vulgo peixe-boi.
Ciênciahoje 2(10): 66-73. 11 figs. Jan.-Feb. 1984.
—Excellent pop. acc. of T. inunguis biology and the diverse manatee research projects at INPA, Manaus, Brazil.
Gallivan, G. James; Kanwisher, John W.; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1986Heart rates and gas exchange in the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) in relation to diving.
Jour. Compar. Physiol. B: Biochem. Syst. Environ. Physiol. 156(3): 415-423. 3 tabs. 5 figs.
—Electrocardiograms and respiratory gas measurements of unrestrained captive animals showed a constant heart rate (here defined as the "normal" rate) during dives, slight respiratory tachycardia, and marked (probably fright-induced) bradycardia when the manatees were forced to prolong their dives. Because their metabolism is low, it can remain aerobic during most dives, and changes in alveolar gas composition are slower than in other marine mammals. Metabolic acidosis is apparently compensated for by metabolic rather than respiratory alkalosis.
Marsh, Helene D.; O'Shea, Thomas J.; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1986Research on sirenians.
Ambio 15(3): 177-180. 4 figs.
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Gallivan, G. James; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1986The influence of feeding and fasting on the metabolic rate and ventilation of the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis).
Physiol. Zool. 59(5): 552-557. 3 tabs. 1 fig. Sept.-Oct. 1986.
—Measurements on captive manatees fed grass (Brachiaria) and water hyacinth (Eichhornia) showed no increase in metabolic rate after feeding (= specific dynamic action), probably due to the slow rate of food passage through the digestive tract. Two weeks of fasting did not reduce metabolic rate, again because much of the weight loss during the fast was attributable to emptying of the gut. Also notes differences in chewing rates correlated with body size and diet.
Assis, M. F. L.; Best, Robin Christopher; Barros, R. M. S.; Yonenaga-Yassuda, Y. (detail)
1988Cytogenetic study of Trichechus inunguis (Amazonian manatee).
Rev. Brasil. Genet. 11(1): 41-50. 6 figs.
—Portuguese summ. Describes the chromosomes of 5 male and 4 female manatees and their banding patterns; reports that 2n = 56, FN = 82, and that the nucleolar organizing genes are on the secondary constriction of the short arm of pair 20. Suggests that Robertsonian rearrangements may be responsible for the karyotypic differences between T. inunguis and T. manatus.
Lefebvre, Lynn W.; O'Shea, Thomas J.; Rathbun, Galen B.; Best, Robin Christopher (detail)
1989Distribution, status, and biogeography of the West Indian manatee. In: C. A. Woods (ed.), Biogeography of the West Indies: past, present, and future.
Gainesville (Florida), Sandhill Crane Press (xvii + 878): 567-609. 12 figs.
—Reviews historical, distributional, and status information from all countries within the range of T. manatus, and discusses aspects of habitat that account for limits to the species' distribution.