Thank you very much for your ongoing interst in the preservation of the Giant Armadillo (Priodontes maximus). As I am sure you are very aware, the Giant Armadillo has become endangered largely due to the over-hunting of the species, which has resulted in a 50% drop in it's poulation over the past decade. The exact current population has not been confirmed, but it is estimated that in areas of habitation (certain parts of South America:Brazil, Guyauna, Columbia, Peru, Bolivia) there are aproximately 5-7 incdividuals per 100 km. To my knowledge, no succesful attempts to captively breed the Giant Armadillo exsit. It can be inferred that this is largely due to the monogomous mating habits of the mammal. It seems that due to this monogomous nature, problems at times arrise when two Giant Armadillos are paired together for maiting and they do not take to eachother.
This problem must be combatted in order to catalize the regeneration of the Priodontes maximus population. According to the resaerch done by Mike Rusollo, it seems that the captive breeding efforts of the St. Vincent parrot have encountered the same problems. By using the model described at http://www.ology.amnh.org/genetics/aroundtheworld/pages/parrot.html , we could better aleviate the problems associated with random pairing.
DNA fingerprinting could be used to help facilitate this research into which armadillos will be the best matches. I am suggesting a study in which DNA is removed from both male and female armadillos that have been rejected by their sexual counterparts during pairing. DNA will also simultaneously be collected from both male and female armadillos that have a 100% success rate upon their first attempt at pairing. After the DNA has been collected, we then move on to the trement of the DNA with restriction enzymes. These enzymes act as genetic scissors, cutting DNA at specific nucleotide sequences, so that these fragments can then be compared using a radioactive probe that will allow us to note any differences between the armadillos that were succesfully paired and those that were not.
It is my opinion that the comparrison study will allow us to determine whether or not the probability of pairing succes is due to genetic factors or simply individual preferences. It would seem that if some common difference was found between the succesful pairing group and the unsuccesful pairing group, then one could infer that there exists a genetic predisposition as to whether a certain armadillo can be succesfully introduced into a pairing situation. If there is no genetic difference between the two, then it seems that we would simply have to endure numerous pairing secessions in order to find compatible matches.
Report #2: The Society for the Genetic Modification of the Giant Armadillo
Thank you very much for your continued interest in the genetic modification of the Giant Armadillo in regards to advancing its chances for survival.
As you may know, the regeneration of the Giant Armadillo species faces many problems. Among others, one such problem is that of the Giant Armadillo's low number of reproduced offspring. The Giant Armadillo usually produes only one or two offspring at a time, with the average being much closer to one. This poses many problems to the advancement of the population. If a birth is unsuccesful, then this usually results in a loss of 4-6 months of gestation progress. This problem is coupled with the fact that the mating habits and mating seasons of the Giant Armadillo are largely unknown. If an offspring is lost, there is no recorded time-table to refer to when calculating the armadillos next chance of conception.
It is my opinion that it may be possible to genetically modify the Giant Armadillo in order to increase its number of offspring per litter. A relative of the Giant Armadillo, known as the nine-banded armadillo, almost always gives birth to four identical offspring. Although it is not definite, there does exist the possibility that we could identify a gene in the nine-banded armadiilo that allows it to give birth to such a large litter. I believe we can utilize the process of DNA fingerprinting to compare the DNA of the Giant Armadillo to that of the nine-banded armadillo in hopes of discovering a difference between the two that may help us establish which gene aids in promoting the larger litter.
If it is discovered, we will then be able to genetically engineer Giant Armadiilo with this gene. The process would follow as such:
- The gene responsible for the nine-banded armadillo's larger litter is isolated.
- Eggs are removed from female Giant Armadillos, and the gene is then inserted into the egg's genome.
- The engineered eggs are then fertilized with male Giant Armadillo sperm, and then incubated much in the same way as human "test-tube babies."
- The fertilized eggs are then allowed to mature into suxually mature offspring.
- The genetically engineered offspring are then impregnated, allowing us to see if the litter size is increased.
There may be some negative effects upon releasing the genetically altered armadillos into the environment. It is known that the diet of the Giant Armadillo largely consists of termites and ants. If these genetically modified armadillos were to be released into the environment, there stands the possibility that the termite and ant populations would suffer greatly. This would not only harm the termite and ant population, but it may also negatively impact the populations of other animals that rely on termites and ants as part of their diet.
The genetic modification of the Giant Armadillo could also lead us down a slippery slope. If any other species were in fact to obtain the gene responsible for creating larger litters, it would seem that this would create a problem of overpopulation. Even if it where only other species of armadillos that by some chance contracted this gene, it could possibly lead to the complete annihilation of the termite and ant populations. This problem would also be coupled with the possibility of these large populations of armadillos destroying numerous areas of fields and crops due to their incestent search for substinence. Both of these factors would no doubt contribute to a large change in the homeostasis.
References:
Rusello, Mike. Undated. We Want Future Generations to Inherit the Parrot. http://www.ology.amnh.org/genetics/aroundtheworld/pages/parrot.html . Downloaded March 29, 2007.
Joshua Nixon. September 14, 2006. Genus Priodontes. http://www.msu.edu/~nixonjos/armadillo/priodontes.html. Dowloaded on March 29, 2007.
David Armitage. Undated. Animal Diversity Web: Priodontes maximus. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Priodontes_maximus.html. Dowloaded on March 29, 2007.
