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The Chilean water penny genus Tychepsephus Waterhouse, 1876 is revised, with descriptions and photographic illustrations of life stages including two larval morphotypes, the pupa of one morphotype, and adults of two species. The pupa of Tychepsephus has not been reported previously. Tychepsephus cekalovicisp. nov. is described, and Ectopria (Chilectopria) grandis Pic, 1947, syn. nov. is proposed as a new synonym of Tychepsephus felix Waterhouse, 1876, which is redescribed. Taxonomic treatment of the adults of both species includes images of the habitus of males and females, morphological variation, and male and female genitalia. Males and females are sexually dimorphic. Information on the habitat of Tychepsephus is provided and illustrated with photographs, and the known geographic distribution of the two species is mapped. The occurrence of Tychepsephus in Argentina is reported; therefore, the genus no longer can be considered endemic to Chile. The taxonomic status and geographic distribution in South America of other species of Psephenidae, particularly members of the subfamily Eubriinae, is reviewed.

The classic and current perception of biome in its various meanings is fundamentally based on vegetation types that are considered as discrete or independent and fragmented entities in the landscape. Vegetation units are characterized by their physiognomy, which is based on the dominant life forms and mainly determined by climatic conditions. However, vegetation units are associated and mutually interacting at a landscape level. They are determined by local or regional, climatic, topographic and edaphic gradients within a given territory or geographic area. In this work, we propose a new conceptual and methodological approach aiming to better understand the biome concept in a landscape framework, developing ideas already partially advanced by us. In this sense, we consider the biome as a landscape complex (geocomplex), that spatially includes one to several vegetation geoseries which, in turn, each comprise the following possible geomorphologically linked vegetation series: i) the potential natural climatophilic vegetation (zonal vegetation) and their seral successional stages which occur repeatedly in the landscape; ii) edapho-xerophyllous vegetation (azonal vegetation such as occurs on rocky outcrops or sandy soils); and iii) edapho-hygrophilic vegetation (azonal vegetation such as flooded vegetation on river banks). Based on surveys and field data (more than ca. 300 transects) obtained by the authors in most South American countries from 1990 to the present, 33 South American geocomplex biomes and 16 macrobiomes were identified and synoptically characterized, through graphic general zonation models (phyto-topographic type-profiles) extrapolated from numerous observations along representative bioclimatical, geomorphological and biogeographically stratified transects. Field data and transect-plots are currently being processed to be included into the “GIVD database”. Taxonomic reference: Tropicos.org, Missouri Botanical Garden (https://tropicos.org) [accessed 1 Feb 2023]. In Memoriam: Salvador Rivas-Martínez

The Humboldt Current System along the Pacific coast of South America creates one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. To trace the origin of the water masses in this area, we measured neodymium isotope compositions (ԑNd) in tooth enameloid of two genera of coastal sharks from latest Oligocene to early Pleistocene strata in the Pisco and Sacaco basins in southern Peru. Most ԑNd values range from −4 to −1, with a strong negative excursion in the late Miocene (∼8–7 million years ago [Ma]) with values as low as −9.2. The overall trend of the ԑNd values resembles that of equatorial Pacific deep waters, though with an offset of about +2 ԑNd units until about 6 Ma. With a major input of hinterland weathering considered unlikely, we interpret this pattern as reflecting a modern-type upwelling regime, though with a lower contribution of Antarctic waters than today. Starting about 6 Ma, the contribution of Antarctic waters to the upwelling waters increased approximately to present-day levels, coincident with, and possibly driven by, increased Antarctic glaciation and the Andes reaching their present-day elevation, both of which likely enhanced the counter-clockwise circulation in the South Pacific Ocean. The negative excursion of ԑNd values in the Pisco/Sacaco basins ∼8–7 Ma coincides with a late Miocene biogenic bloom in the Pacific Ocean and elsewhere, and with a strongly increased northward bottom current observed on the Nazca Drift System just offshore our sampling area. Thus, the negative excursion of ԑNd values in the Pisco/Sacaco basins likely resulted from a southern sourced input of nutrient-rich, unradiogenic water, which could have been an important contributor to the biogenic bloom.

Sea turtles are endangered animals that present cosmopolitan distribution. Anthropic actions have been considered important causes for the reduction of sea turtle population, but natural aspects such as parasitism may also contribute to their decline. This study aimed to report the occurrence of parasites in stranded dead sea turtles found in an area known as Potiguar Basin, northeastern Brazil, from 2010 to 2019. They were identified and classified according to the carapace length. At post-mortem analyses all organs were examined, parasites collected and morphologically identified. Ecological parasitic indexes as prevalence (P), mean intensity (MI) and mean abundance (MA) were calculated. A total of 80 Chelonia mydas and 5 Eretmochelys imbricata were assessed. Neoctangium travassosi was detected in both species presenting P = 20%, MI = 4.19 and MA = 0.84 for C. mydas and P = 60%, MI = 1.67 and MA = 1.0 for E. imbricata. This is the first report of N. travassosi parasitizing E. imbricata in South America. Finally, the retrieval of these parasites is a warning regarding the need for further studies to assess the impact of this parasitism on the health and conservation of sea turtles. RESUMO As tartarugas marinhas são animais ameaçados de extinção que apresentam distribuição cosmopolita. Ações antrópicas têm sido consideradas causas importantes para a redução da população de tartarugas marinhas, mas aspectos naturais, como o parasitismo, também, podem contribuir para o seu declínio. Este estudo objetivou relatar a ocorrência de parasitos em tartarugas marinhas, encalhadas mortas, encontradas em uma área conhecida como Bacia Potiguar, nordeste do Brasil, de 2010 a 2019. Essas foram identificadas e classificadas de acordo com o comprimento da carapaça. Nas análises post mortem, todos os órgãos foram examinados, e os parasitos coletados e identificados morfologicamente. Foram calculados índices parasitários ecológicos, como prevalência (P), intensidade média (IM) e abundância média (AM). Um total de 80 Chelonia mydas e cinco Eretmochelys imbricata foi estudado. Neoctangium travassosi foi detectado em ambas as espécies, apresentando P = 20%, MI = 4,19 e MA = 0,84 para C. mydas e P = 60%, IM = 1,67 e AM = 1,0 para E. imbricata. Este é o primeiro relato de N. travassossi parasitando E. imbricata na América do Sul. Conclui-se que a recuperação desses parasitos soa como um alerta para a necessidade de mais estudos para avaliar o impacto desse parasitismo na saúde e na conservação das tartarugas marinhas.

The Anolis heterodermus group comprises eight big-headed and short-legged lizard species from the highlands of the northernmost South American Andes. Recent studies revealed unknown lineages within this group that had previously been categorized as a species complex. By widely sampling and applying an integrative taxonomic framework, we (1) assessed the species diversity of the group using a molecular dataset (two mitochondrial and one nuclear markers) along with an inclusive morphological study (scalation, scale configuration and ornamentation, morphometrics, and dewlap and body colour patterns); and (2) we inferred the evolutionary relationships within this species group. Our analyses confirmed the formerly reported differentiation between populations of those high-altitude lizards, and we identified several unknown evolutionary lineages. Our results provided evidence for the existence of nine distinct, independently evolving evolutionary lineages in the heterodermus group. As a result, we described two morphologically and genetically highly distinct lineages as species new to science (A. quimbayasp. nov. and A. tequendamasp. nov.). We redescribed A. heterodermus and erected as a valid species Anolis richteri, a previously described synonym of A. heterodermus. A taxonomic key for the identification of species of the Phenacosaurus clade was presented. The identification of two additional poorly-known lineages suggested that the diversity of this group of lizards is still unknown; therefore, it is necessary to establish measurements for the group´s conservation, as well as to perform fieldwork and revision of herpetological collections to identify possible hidden diversity within the group.

4 Pág., Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) causes illness and death in cetaceans worldwide; the CeMV strains circulating in the Southern Hemisphere are poorly known. We detected a pilot whale CeMV strain in 3 short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) stranded in Brazil during July-October 2020. Our results confirm this virus circulates in this species., The Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), National Council for Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq), and São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) provided financial support. S.C.S. and A.C.E. received PhD fellowships by FAPESP (process nos. 2020/12434-9 and 2016/20956-0). L.B.K. received financial support from FAPESP (no. 2020/12434-9). J.L.C.-D., L.B.K. and M.J.C. are recipients of research productivity fellowships from CNPq (nos.304999-18, 315619/2021-0, and 313577/2020-0, respectively),C.S. is a recipient of a Juan de la Cierva incorporación fellowship (no. IJC2020-046019-I) and received a postdoctoral grant by FAPESP (no. 2018/25069-7)

During the first two decades of the 21st century, higher education has had an accentuated expansion in South America. To be able to handle this increase in demand, international organizations have encouraged the region’s countries to turn to distance education. Therefore, it is important to understand how this mode of education has been incorporated into higher education policies in different South American countries. The aim of this article is to compare the reality of four South American countries with respect to the level of participation in distance education in higher education, namely in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia. Regarding the methodology, we analyzed official and research data about the latest evolution of distance education in higher education in the four countries studied. The analysis reveals that distance education has experienced a significant expansion in these countries since 2010, with the greatest increase occurring in Brazil. We concluded that, despite external factors in favor of distance education, internal environments in each country influence the manner and tempo with which this pressure is reflected in their respective higher education policies., Durante las dos primeras décadas del siglo XXI, la educación superior ha crecido considerablemente en América del Sur. Para hacer frente a la expansión de la demanda, las organizaciones internacionales han alentado a los países de la región a recurrir a educación a distancia. Por lo tanto, es importante comprender cómo esta modalidad de educación se ha incorporado a las políticas de educación superior en diferentes países de América del Sur. El objetivo de este artículo es comparar la realidad de cuatro países de América del Sur con respecto a la participación de la educación a distancia en la educación superior: Argentina, Brasil, Chile y Colombia. Metodológicamente, se analizaron datos oficiales e investigaciones sobre la evolución más reciente de la educación a distancia en la educación superior en los cuatro países estudiados. El análisis revela que la educación a distancia ha crecido más significativamente en estos países desde 2010, con el mayor aumento en Brasil. Se concluye que, aunque las fuerzas externas están convergiendo a favor de la educación a distancia, el entorno interno de cada país interfiere en la forma y el ritmo en que esta presión se materializa en sus respectivas políticas de educación superior., Ao longo das duas primeiras décadas do século XXI, o ensino superior teve um acentuado crescimento na América do Sul. Para dar conta dessa expansão da demanda, organismos internacionais têm estimulado os países da região a recorrer à educação a distância. Assim, torna-se importante compreender como essa modalidade de ensino tem sido incorporada nas políticas de ensino superior de diferentes países da América do Sul. O objetivo deste artigo é comparar a realidade de quatro países da América do Sul quanto à participação da educação a distância no ensino superior: Argentina, Brasil, Chile e Colômbia. Metodologicamente, analisaram-se dados oficiais e de pesquisas sobre a evolução mais recente da educação a distância no ensino superior nos quatro países estudados. A análise revela que a educação a distância apresenta um crescimento mais significativo nesses países a partir de 2010, com a maior evolução ocorrendo no Brasil. Conclui-se que, apesar de as forças externas serem convergentes em favor da educação a distância, o ambiente interno de cada país interfere na forma e no ritmo com que essa pressão se materializa nas suas respectivas políticas de ensino superior.

Nineteen new species of Desmopachria Babington, 1841 are described from multiple species groups. Two new species groups are erected, the Desmopachria apicodente species group and the Desmopachria bifurcita species group. Desmopachria divergenssp. nov. (Venezuela), Desmopachria lineatasp. nov. (Venezuela), Desmopachria surinamensissp. nov. (Suriname), and Desmopachria tenuasp. nov. (Guyana) are described in Desmopachria but are not assigned to a species group. Desmopachria apicodentesp. nov. (Guyana, Venezuela), Desmopachria lateralissp. nov. (Venezuela), and Desmopachria tumidasp. nov. (Venezuela) are described in the new Desmopachria apicodente species group and are the only members of the group. Desmopachria bifurcitasp. nov. (Peru), and Desmopachria latasp. nov. (Brazil) are described in the new Desmopachria bifurcita group. Other members of the Desmopachria bifurcita group are Desmopachria bifasciata Zimmermann, Desmopachria bolivari Miller, Desmopachria ovalis Sharp, and Desmopachria varians (each previously “ungrouped”). Desmopachria pseudocaviasp. nov. (Venezuela) is described in the Desmopachria convexa-signata species group. Desmopachria wolfeisp. nov. (Venezuela) is described in the Desmopachria nitida species group. Desmopachria angulatasp. nov. (Guyana, Suriname), Desmopachria emarginatasp. nov. (Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela), Desmopachria imparissp. nov. (Guyana), Desmopachria impunctatasp. nov. (Suriname, Venezuela), and Desmopachria truncatasp. nov. (Guyana, Suriname) are described in the Desmopachria portmanni-aldessa species group. Desmopachria bisulcatasp. nov. (Suriname), and Desmopachria irregularasp. nov. (Venezuela) are described in the Desmopachria portmanni-portmanni species group. Desmopachria robustasp. nov. (Venezuela) is described in the Desmopachria striola species group. A key to the species groups is included. Male genitalia are figured for all new species and dorsal habitus images are provided for most new species.

The ArgVeg is a repository of vegetation-plots data registered in the Global Index of Vegetation Databases (GIVD ID: SA-AR-002). This report presents its main characteristics, potential uses, and future perspectives. In September 2022, the database contained 1092 vegetation-plot records, including 1184 valid native and non-native vascular plants. The database covers the main vegetation types of nine vegetation units of the Chaco, Espinal and Pampean phytogeographic provinces in central Argentina. Those types include native forests, shrublands, grasslands, halophytic vegetation and non-native woody communities present in either lowlands or mountain areas. This database represents a significant improvement in the availability of floristic information from subtropical and warm temperate areas in South America, which still represents a major knowledge gap worldwide. ArgVeg reflects the outstanding plant diversity of central Argentina and it is managed by the Plant Ecology and Phytogeography Group at the Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology (Córdoba, Argentina). Not only the high biodiversity but also the complex landscape heterogeneity are the most important characteristics of the vegetation in this region. We hope to increase the number of plots in the near future and to strengthen regional and global networks to enhance the conservation and management of these endangered ecosystems.

The knowledge of Dexiinae and Tachinidae diversity in the Neotropical Region, in contrast to other regions, e.g., the Palaearctic Region, is in a poor condition. The history of these taxa has gradually increased since the 18th Century from the works of European and North American authors such as Johan C. Fabricius, Christian R.W. Wiedemann, Jean B. Robineau-Desvoidy, Pierre J.-M. Macquart, Jacques M.F. Bigot, Francis Walker, Victor von Röeder, Ermanno Giglio-Tos, Friedrich M. Brauer and Julius E. Bergenstamm, Frederik M. van der Wulp, Charles H. Curran, John M. Aldrich, Charles H.T. Townsend, Henry J. Reinhard and William R. Thompson. It was only in the first half of the 20th Century that scientists born or established in South America began to enter tachinidology. Dipterists like Jean Brèthes and Everardo E. Blanchard from Argentina, Rául E. Cortés Peña from Chile and José H. Guimarães from Brazil, are the most memorable names for, not only to Neotropical Dexiinae, but, indeed for the whole family. Herein, a brief chronological review of tachinidology, with emphasis on Dexiinae and based on a literature review, is given. The history is divided into four periods: the pre-Linnaean period of the 16th and 17th Centuries, the 18th Century, the 19th Century and the first half of the 20th Century. After the first half of 20th Century, the emphasis is focused on European and North American dipterists with an overview of their contributions on Dexiinae taxonomy. Later, with presence of the South American dipterists, the emphasis is directed to them. Then a few notes are given on the Czech Dominik Bilimek, a poorly known collector from the 19th Century and Fritz Plaumann, a well-known German immigrant who collected in Brazil during the earlier 20th Century. Finally, some notes and perspectives about the 21st Century dexiinidology from the Neotropics is briefly discussed.

Resumen Las descripciones del territorio americano plasmadas por el joven ingeniero François Froger en su Relation d’un voyage fait en 1695, 1696 et 1697 aux côtes d’Afrique, détroit de Magellan, Brésil, Cayenne et isles Antilles, par une escadre des vaisseaux du roy, commandée par M. De Gennes (1698), constituyen un valioso testimonio de sus observaciones sobre el terreno pero también de la influencia ejercida por relatos de viaje anteriores a la región. En principio, revelan cómo a fines del siglo XVII la navegación por las costas de América meridional y el Caribe se tradujo en una política de expansión concreta por parte de Francia. A su vez, evidencian la multiplicidad de representaciones establecidas en torno a un espacio históricamente constituido y, a la vez, en constante transformación. Con énfasis en el estatus epistemológico del texto y su contexto de producción, el artículo examina los procesos de adaptación, traducción y apropiación a partir de los cuales Froger articula un conjunto de saberes (geográficos, etnográficos, etc.) sobre las zonas visitadas. En este sentido, el artículo indaga los recursos retóricos y visuales utilizados por el ingeniero francés así como por su editor para validar el relato ante sus lectores y legitimarse como viajero erudito. Abstract Te descriptions of America made by the young engineer François Froger in his Relation d’un voyage fait en 1695, 1696 et 1697 aux côtes d’Afrique, détroit de Magellan, Brésil, Cayenne et isles Antilles, par une escadre des vaisseaux du roy, commandée par M. De Gennes (1698) are a valuable testimony of his on-the-ground observations as well as of the influence exerted by previous travel accounts to the region. In principle, they reveal how, towards the end of the 17th century, navigation along the coasts of South America and the Caribbean became a concrete French expansion policy. At the same time, they show the multiplicity of representations established around a historically constituted space and, at the same time, in constant transformation. With special emphasis on the epistemological status of the text and its context of production, the article examines the processes of adaptation, translation and appropriation by which Froger articulates various domains of knowledge (geography, ethnography, etc.) about the visited areas. In this sense, the article examines the rhetoric and visual resources used by both the French engineer and his editor to validate the account and, in consequence, to present Froger as a learned traveler.

RESUMEN Este ensayo analiza cómo las organizaciones criminales en América del Sur se han reconfigurado frente al escenario de pandemia vivido desde finales de 2019. En particular, examina cómo las prácticas y acciones realizadas por estas asociaciones se llevaron adelante en la pandemia, manteniendo o; incluso, dando fuerza a la influencia del crimen en la vida de la sociedad sudamericana. Se argumenta que para entender la gobernanza criminal es fundamental considerar la discusión de cómo los territorios en los que operan estas organizaciones no están en conflicto con el Estado, sino que existe una gobernanza híbrida en la que conviven las organizaciones criminales y el Estado como dos fuentes de legitimidad y autoridad. Hay una complementariedad de acciones, en las que se vieron organizaciones criminales durante la pandemia ocupando funciones del Estado para adopción de medidas de protección, prestación de asistencia, pero siempre con un claro objetivo de mantener el statu quo de sus actividades ilícitas. Al final, se advierte que las organizaciones criminales se han consolidado como un espacio de gobernanza reconocido como legítimo durante la pandemia, complementando y, quizás incluso, eclipsando el papel de la burocracia estatal ante la gravedad de la emergencia sanitaria vivida, especialmente en los casos de Brasil y Colombia. RESUMO O presente ensaio discute como as organizações criminosas na América do Sul se reconfiguraram diante do cenário pandêmico vivenciado desde finais de 2019. Em particular, examina-se como as práticas e ações conduzidas por estas agremiações foram levadas adiante na pandemia, mantendo ou até mesmo dando mais força à influência do crime na vida da sociedade sul-americana. Argumenta-se que para compreender a governança criminal é central considerar a discussão de como os territórios em que estas organizações atuam não são conflitantes com o Estado, mas sim há uma governança híbrida em que coexistem as organizações criminosas e o Estado como duas fontes de legitimidade e autoridade. Há uma complementaridade de ações, na qual se viu durante a pandemia as organizações criminosas ocupando funções do Estado para adoção de medidas protetivas, provisão de assistência, mas sempre com um objetivo claro de manutenção do status quo de suas atividades ilícitas. Ao final, nota-se que as organizações criminosas se consolidaram como espaço de governança reconhecido como legítimo durante a pandemia, complementando e, talvez até, eclipsando o papel da burocracia estatal diante da gravidade da emergência sanitária vivenciada, especialmente nos casos de Brasil e Colômbia. ABSTRACT This essay discusses how criminal organizations in South America have reconfigured themselves in the face of the pandemic scenario experienced since late 2019. In particular, it examines how the practices and actions carried out by these associations were carried forward in the pandemic, maintaining or even giving force the influence of crime on the life of South American society. It is argued that in order to understand criminal governance, it is essential to consider the discussion of how the territories in which these organizations operate are not in conflict with the state, but rather there is a hybrid governance in which criminal organizations and the state coexist as two sources of legitimacy and authority. There is a complementarity of actions, in which criminal organizations were seen during the pandemic occupying state functions in the adoption of protective measures, and provision of assistance, but always with a clear objective of maintaining the status quo of their illicit activities. In the end, it is clear that criminal organizations have consolidated themselves as a governance space recognized as legitimate during the pandemic, complementing and, perhaps even, eclipsing the role of state bureaucracy in the face of the seriousness of the health emergency experienced, especially in the cases of Brazil and Colombia.

The first record of the ant cricket Myrmecophilus (Myrmecophilus) quadrispinus Perkins, 1899 for Peru and South America is presented. This species was discovered in the city of Lima in the nests of the ant species Brachymyrmex cordemoyi Forel, 1895, and Pheidole sp. Westwood, 1939 under a square brick and a stone in two urban gardens.

Bothrocophias microphthalmus (Cope, 1875) currently comprises most mid- to highland populations of the genus Bothrocophias in the eastern versant of the Andes. We describe two new species of Bothrocophias from the highlands of the Colombian Andes previously referred to as B. microphthalmus based on morphological and genetic evidence. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that B. micropthalmus as currently recognized is paraphyletic with respect to B. hyoprora, and the two new taxa are sister lineages. These new toadheaded pitvipers can be morphologically distinguished from their congeners based on the presence of contact between the internasal scales, the number of prefoveal scales, the presence of a lacunolabial scale, the arrangement of supralabial scales, ventral scale counts, the color pattern of the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the body and tail, and hemipenial morphology. We discuss some possible taxonomic scenarios for the lineages found within the B. microphthalmus species complex but refrain from making additional taxonomic changes given our reduced sampling of the southern lineages.

This article analyses the work experiences of Venezuelan migrant women in the Peruvian labour market in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, beginning in March 2020, and the Peruvian state's ensuing public health measures. We argue that the Venezuelan case in Peru presents another example of how migration places women in labour positions that are segmented by gender and migrant status. Likewise, we find that a by-product of the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, is that women are further marginalized from the labour market because of their gender. El presente artículo analiza la experiencia laboral de las mujeres venezolanas migrantes y su participación en el mercado laboral peruano afectado por la pandemia por covid-19 y las medidas cautelares del Estado peruano desde marzo de 2020. Sostenemos que el caso venezolano en Perú es una muestra más de cómo la migración coloca a las mujeres en posiciones laborales segmentadas por género y condición de migrante. Asimismo, identificamos que por la crisis económica —como consecuencia de la pandemia— los efectos laborales para la población migrante están diferenciados por género.&nbsp

RESUMEN. Objetivo/contexto: Este estudio busca explorar la relación que hay entre la conversación que se ha dado en la red social Twitter sobre la migración venezolana y su influencia en la agenda pública de los países suramericanos. Metodología: Para llevar a cabo la recolección de datos, se utilizó la plataforma Crimson Hexagon (CH), la cual permite el análisis de la red social Twitter y la identificación de publicaciones sobre la conversación en torno a la migración venezolana. El algoritmo selecciona aleatoriamente un compendio de tweets, que son identificados a partir de un periodo específico (2 de enero de 2014 al 31 de agosto de 2019), un conjunto de palabras clave relacionadas con las referencias lingüísticas de cada país frente a los migrantes venezolanos, el idioma (español y portugués) y el origen geográfico del tweet (en este caso, nueve países de Suramérica). Se realizó un análisis descriptivo cuantitativo de los hallazgos. Conclusiones: Se puede evidenciar de entrada que hay un sentimiento neutral-negativo y que en los países que están gobernados por políticos de derecha hay un mayor volumen de conversación y el tema ocupa un espacio más relevante dentro de la agenda pública, lo que permite inferir que el problema puede ser utilizado política y electoralmente por estas tendencias ideológicas. Originalidad: Esta investigación parte de la reflexión alrededor de uno de los acontecimientos más importantes que han impactado a América del Sur desde el ámbito político hasta el orden público: la ola migratoria venezolana. Sin embargo, este suceso es aprovechado por los Gobiernos vigentes para influir en la agenda pública y afianzar sus posiciones políticas. ABSTRACT. Objective/Context: This study seeks to explore the relationship between the conversation that has taken place on the social network Twitter about Venezuelan migration and its influence on the public agenda in South American countries. Methodology: For data collection, the Crimson Hexagon (CH) platform was used, which allows for analyzing the social network Twitter and identifying publications related to the Venezuelan migration conversation. The algorithm randomly selects a compendium of tweets from a specific period (from January 2, 2014, to August 31, 2019), identifying a set of keywords related to each country’s linguistic references to Venezuelan migrants, the language (Spanish and Portuguese), and the geographical origin of the tweet, in this case, nine countries in South America, to carry out a quantitative descriptive analysis of the findings. Conclusions: Based on the outset, a neutral-negative feeling can be identified. In countries governed by right-wing politicians, there is a greater volume of conversation, and the topic occupies a more relevant space within the public agenda, suggesting that this issue can be used politically and electorally by these ideological tendencies. Originality: This research starts with a reflection on one of the most important events that has impacted South America from the political sphere to public order: the Venezuelan migratory wave. However, this event is used by current governments to influence their public agenda and strengthen their political positions. RESUMO. Objetivo/contexto: Este estudo busca explorar a relação que há entre a conversa que foi dada na rede social Twitter sobre a migração venezuelana e sua influência na agenda pública dos países sul-americanos. Metodologia: Para realizar a coleta de dados, foi utilizada a plataforma Crimson Hexagon, que permite a análise da rede social Twitter e a identificação de publicações sobre a conversa acerca da migração venezuelana. O algoritmo seleciona aleatoriamente um compêndio de tweets, que são identificados a partir de um período específico (2 de janeiro de 2014 a 31 de agosto de 2019), um conjunto de palavras-chave relacionadas com as referências linguísticas de cada país quanto aos migrantes venezuelanos, o idioma (espanhol e português) e a origem geográfica do tweet, neste caso, nove países da América do Sul. Foi realizada uma análise descritiva quantitativa dos achados. Conclusões: Pode-se evidenciar que há um sentimento neutro-negativo e que, nos países que são governados por políticos de direita, há um maior volume de conversa, e o tema ocupa um espaço mais relevante dentro da agenda pública, o que permite inferir que o problema pode ser utilizado política e eleitoralmente por essas tendências ideológicas. Originalidade: Esta pesquisa parte da reflexão de um dos acontecimentos mais importantes que impactaram a América do Sul desde o âmbito político até a ordem pública: a onda migratória venezuelana. No entanto, esse acontecimento é aproveitado pelos governos existentes para influenciar a agenda pública e consolidar as suas posições políticas.

Ülke imajı tüketicilerin satın alma davranışlarını etkileyen faktörlerden biridir. Bir ülkenin sahip olduğu imaj, turistlerin o ülkeye seyahat etme niyetine etki etmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Güney Amerika’da algılanan Türkiye imajının ortaya konulması ve olumlu bir imaj oluşturulması için yapılması gerekenlerin saptanmasıdır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu Arjantin, Paraguay ve Uruguay ülkelerindeki turizm paydaşları oluşturmaktadır. Örneklem, olasılığa dayalı olmayan örnekleme türlerinden amaçlı örnekleme ile tespit edilmiş 20 katılımcıdan oluşmaktadır. Nitel araştırma yönteminin kullanıldığı araştırmada yarı yapılandırılmış mülakat tekniği ile yüz yüze görüşmeler yapılarak veriler elde edilmiştir. Veriler, MAXQDA bilgisayar destekli nitel veri analiz sistemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Bölgede Türkiye’nin fazla bilinmediği, ülke imajının olumlu yönde olmadığı, Türkiye’nin turizm hareketlerinde tercih edilen bölgeler arasında ön sıralarda yer almadığı sonucuna ulaşılmış; bölgede Türkiye tanıtımlarının artırılması, Türk Havayolları’nın bölgede daha aktif rol alması, büyükelçiliklerin ve kültür ataşeliklerinin artırılması önerilerinde bulunulmuştur., Country image is one of the factors affecting the purchasing behavior of consumers. The image of a country affects the intention of tourists to travel to that country. The aim of this study is to reveal the perceived image of Turkey in South America and to determine what needs to be done to create a positive image. The working group of the research consists of tourism stakeholders in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The sample consists of 20 participants who were determined by purposive sampling from non-probability sampling types. In this research in which qualitative research method was used, the data were obtained by conducting face-to-face interviews with the semi-structured interview technique. The data were analyzed with the MAXQDA computer aided qualitative data analysis system. It has been concluded that Turkey is not well known in the region, the image of the country is not positive, and Turkey is not among the preferred regions in tourism activities; Suggestions were made to increase the promotion of Turkey in the region, Turkish Airlines to take a more active role in the region, and to increase the embassies and cultural attachés.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is commonly analyzed in South American camelids with suspected neurologic disease because of ease of collection and characteristic findings associated with certain diseases.To assess CSF findings associated with short-term survival or non-survival in South American camelids in which neurologic disease was a differential diagnosis based on history and physical examination.Twenty-one llamas and 33 alpacas that underwent CSF analysis at the University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center.Retrospective study. Medical records of camelids that underwent CSF analysis between January 2005 and September 2021 were studied. Short-term survival was defined as survival to discharge from the Veterinary Health Center. A Fisher's exact test was used to compare species, CSF results, and survival.Odds of survival were 3.9 times higher in camelids with a total nucleated cell count (TNCC) 3 cells/μL (P = .04). No significant association was found between survival and total protein concentration (TPC; P = .15) or percentage of eosinophils (P = 1.0). No significant correlation was found between species and increased TNCC (P = .63), TPC (P = .55), or percentage of eosinophils (P = .30). Among camelids diagnosed with Paralephostrongylus tenuis infestation, odds of survival were 4.95 times higher in alpacas (P = .05).Cerebrospinal fluid TNCC ≥3 cells/μL is associated with decreased odds of short-term survival in South American camelids.

In South America, the family Philometridae is represented by several genera and species. In particular, Philometra and Philometroides are the most speciose genera. In Argentina, only Philometroides tahieli has been reported so far. The main objective of this study was to analyze the phylogenetic relationship between Ps. tahieli and other South American philometrids using molecular data. The molecular analysis was performed using a female specimen of Ps. tahieli found on the opercular muscle of a juvenile Micropogonias furnieri from brackish waters in Argentina. Phylogenetic relationships were studied based on partial sequences of the 18S rDNA and 28S rDNA genes. In the 18S rDNA tree, Ps. tahieli was mainly grouped with other Philometroides from freshwater hosts from China, sharing the site of infection (head tissues or muscles). In the 28S rDNA tree, obtained with fewer sequences, Ps. tahieli is related species from subcutaneous tissues of head. This study contributes with information on philometrids and confirms the presence of different lineages among South American species, with Ps. tahieli representing a new one. Further studies on South American species using more molecular markers and new morphological characters will improve our knowledge of philometrid biodiversity and phylogeny.

Amblyrhethus Kirby, 1906 is a genus of arboreal, undergrowth, and shrub crickets comprising, at present, seven species: one from Panama, one from Peru, two from Colombia, two from Brazil, and one with an unprecise locality. These crickets are seldom found in regular active collecting at night, although males produce a rather loud calling song. Unfortunately, their songs have never been recorded, and there is no ecological information for this genus so far. Here, we describe three new species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by dimorphic fungi of the genus Sporothrix. The route of entry of the causative agent is direct inoculation by skin trauma, generally with decaying wood and other vegetation. However, cat-transmitted sporotrichosis has become more relevant in recent decades especially in South America. Until now, there are no case reports of cat-transmitted sporotrichosis in Colombia.We present three cases of cutaneous sporotrichosis after the scratches of an ill cat, in the feline's owners and its veterinarian, confirmed by culture and PCR, where S. schenckii sensu stricto was isolated and typified.Cat-transmitted sporotrichosis is becoming more relevant in recent decades due to its potential to generate epidemics and become a public health problem. In addition, since the associated species are more virulent, the disease has more aggressive behavior. In Colombia, this is the first case series of cat-transmitted cutaneous sporotrichosis.

The present study describesOligogonotylus andinussp. nov.and its life cycle from a rural fish farm in Sopetrán, Antioquia, Colombia. The endemic species of snailAroapyrgus colombiensisand the fishesPoecilia caucanaandAndinoacara latifronsare identified as the first intermediate host, the second intermediate host and the definitive host, respectively. The new species was defined through an integrative approach, combining the traditional morphology of its developmental stages with molecular analyses of the markers ITS2 from ribosomal DNA and COI from mitochondrial DNA. This new species can be distinguished from its congeners by genetic divergence, the position of the vitelline fields, and the number of gonotyls. This work represents the first report of a species of this genus in South America.

Coenosiini (Diptera: Muscidae) is a large cosmopolitan tribe of muscids, within which Coenosia Meigen and Neodexiopsis Malloch are the genera with the largest number of species. In this work, we revised for the first time, all the species placed by Malloch (1934) under Austrocoenosia, an endemic genus from the Andean Patagonian Forests, whose species are now placed in Coenosia and Neodexiopsis. We provide detail redescriptions for eight species placed by Malloch (1934) under Austrocoenosia, and decribed two new species (Coenosia delneneo sp. nov. and Coenosia patagonica sp. nov.), with high quality photographs detailing new structures of the male and female terminalia. To establish the position of the species of Austrocoenosia with respect to Coenosia and Neodexiopsis, we made a phylogenetic analysis using implied weighting for 36 taxa and 132 morphological characters of adults, including male and female genitalia. We recovered all species of Austrocoenosia as Coenosia species. We propose the following nomenclature actions: Austrocoenosia as a junior synonymy of Coenosia (syn. rest.); Coenosia brevicornis (Malloch) (comb. nov.), Coenosia dubia (Bigot) (comb. rest.); Coenosia hucketti, Pont (nom. nov.) and Coenosia nigerrima (Malloch) (comb. rest.). We also propose Coenosia spumicola Pont as an unplaced species of Coenosia sensu lato. Finally, we updated the geographic distributions for all species and observed several new male and female terminalia structures, which enriched the discussion of the genera and the tribe.

We review the taxonomic identities of museum specimens of three bat species previously reported from Bolivia. We comment on some erroneously reported taxa, or taxa either not represented by voucher materials or based on insufficient data (including acoustic detections) to verify their taxonomic affinities. As result of this review, the list of bat species known to occur in Bolivia is updated to eight families and 133 species, unlike the nine families and 146 species of previous lists. Some recommendations for future research and a brief historical revision of bat inventories in the country are included.

Rhagovelia Mayr, 1865 (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Veliidae), known as riffle bugs, includes more than 400 species and is commonly found in tropical lotic environments, including coastal marine habitats, such as mangroves and estuaries. Due to the elevated number of species, the fauna from the Americas has been divided into several groups, which facilitates taxonomic studies. Amongst them, the itatiana group currently includes two species from the Greater Antilles and five from south-eastern and southern Brazil. Despite the many taxonomic studies developed during the past few decades, new species of Rhagovelia are still being discovered in several areas of the continent, including the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil.Rhagovelia bispoi sp. n. is described, illustrated and compared with similar congeners. The new species belongs to the itatiaiana group and can be diagnosed by the uniformly black mesonotum, the presence of a tuft of setae medially on male abdominal sternum VII, the armature of the male hind femur and the distinctive shape of the paramere. In addition, we present new records of R. trepida Bacon, 1948 from the States of Paraná and Santa Catarina and a key to the species of the itatiaiana group recorded from Brazil.

The Amazon biome, spanning nine countries, has one of the highest rates of deforestation worldwide. This deforestation contributes to biodiversity loss, climate change, the spread of infectious diseases, and damage to rural and indigenous livelihoods. Hundreds of articles have been published on the topic of deforestation across Amazonia, yet there has been no recent synthesis of deforestation drivers and deforestation-control policy effectiveness in the region. Here we undertook the first systematic review of papers published between 2000 and 2021 that have causally linked proximate and underlying drivers and policies to deforestation outcomes in Amazonia. In the 155 articles that met our inclusion criteria, we find that causal research is concentrated in Brazil, and to a lesser degree Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. There has been little study of the Guianas, Venezuela or Colombia. Large- and small-scale agriculture linked to improved market access and high agricultural prices are frequently researched underlying drivers of deforestation across the heavily researched regions. In the Guianas research focuses on mining with little focus on underlying causes. Research on infrastructure expansion, mining, and oil extraction and on technological, sociocultural, and institutional factors remains sparse. Many public and private policies have been found to be effective in controlling deforestation across the biome, with protected areas and public policies standing out as particularly successful in slowing deforestation vis-a-vis supply chain approaches. Frontier age, land tenure, and policy interactions are key moderating factors affecting the outcomes of different underlying causes and policies. Our findings indicate a greater need for research on (i) additional deforestation drivers beyond agriculture and economic factors, (ii) the complex interactions between different drivers and deforestation control policies, (iii) causes underlying deforestation in low or new deforestation areas, and (iv) the dynamics between Amazonian subregions and countries. Understanding the extent and diversity of deforestation drivers and effectiveness of existing deforestation mitigation policies across Amazonia is a necessary first step toward designing policies to further reduce deforestation in the biome., Environmental Research Letters, 18 (7), ISSN:1748-9326, ISSN:1748-9318

International audience; The biogeography of neotropical fungi remains poorly understood. Here, we reconstruct the origins and diversification of neotropical lineages in one of the largest clades of ectomycorrhizal fungi in the globally widespread family Russulaceae. We inferred a supertree of 3285 operational taxonomic units, representing worldwide internal transcribed spacer sequences. We reconstructed biogeographic history and diversification and identified lineages in the Neotropics and adjacent Patagonia. The ectomycorrhizal Russulaceae have a tropical African origin. The oldest lineages in tropical South America, most with African sister groups, date to the mid-Eocene, possibly coinciding with a boreotropical migration corridor. There were several transatlantic dispersal events from Africa more recently. Andean and Central American lineages mostly have northtemperate origins and are associated with North Andean uplift and the general north-south biotic interchange across the Panama isthmus, respectively. Patagonian lineages have Australasian affinities. Diversification rates in tropical South America and other tropical areas are lower than in temperate areas. Neotropical Russulaceae have multiple biogeographic origins since the mid-Eocene involving dispersal and co-migration. Discontinuous distributions of host plants may explain low diversification rates of tropical lowland ectomycorrhizal fungi. Deeply diverging neotropical fungal lineages need to be better documented.

Thrixopelma nadineae sp. nov. is described from Loja, Ecuador, based on the male, which possesses distinctive palpal bulb, metatarsal and tibial apophysis morphology. The new species represents the second species of Thrixopelma to be recorded from Ecuador.

Craniovascular traits in the endocranium (traces of middle meningeal vessels and dural venous sinuses, emissary foramina) provide evidence of vascular anatomy in osteological samples. We investigate the craniovascular variation in four South American samples and the effect of artificial cranial modifications (ACM). CT scans of human adult crania from four archeological samples from southern South America (including skulls with ACM) are used for the analyses. The craniovascular features in the four samples are described, skulls with and without ACM are compared, and additionally, South Americans are compared to a previously analyzed sample of Europeans. Of the four South American samples, the Southern Patagonian differs the most, showing the most distinct cranial dimensions, no ACM, and larger diameters of the emissary foramina. Unlike previous studies, we did not find any major differences in craniovascular features between modified and non-modified skulls, except that the skulls with ACM present somewhat smaller foramina. South Americans significantly differed from Europeans, especially in the anteroposterior dominance of the middle meningeal artery, in the pattern of sinus confluence, in the occurrence of enlarged occipito-marginal sinuses, and in foramina frequencies and diameters. Craniovascular morphology is not affected by the cranial size, even in skulls with ACM, indicating a minor or null influence of structural topological factors. Concerning the samples from distinct geographic and climatic environments, it must be evaluated whether the craniovascular morphogenesis might be partially influenced by specific functions possibly associated with thermoregulation, intracranial pressure, and the maintenance of intracranial homeostasis.

Diablophthalmus, gen. nov., is described and illustrated based on two new species, D. wygodzinskyorum sp. n., and D. marmoratus sp. n. from Páramo habitats in Colombia. These insects are the first recorded members of tribe Megophthalmini from South America. Morphologically convergent features shared with other soil-dwelling Membracoidea are discussed.

Although previous epidemiological studies have demonstrated that serum uric acid (SUA) is associated with major depressive disorder (MDD), these analyses are prone to biases. Here, we applied the Mendelian Randomization approach to determine whether SUA is causally associated with MDD.We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between SUA and MDD, then applied summary data from the Global Urate Genetics Consortium and the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium to estimate their causal effect using a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis. Thereafter, the causal effect was further researched using genetic risk scores (GRS) as instrumental variables (IVs).Results of a meta-analysis of articles comprising 6975 and 13,589 MDD patients and controls, respectively, revealed that SUA was associated with MDD (SMD = -0.690, 95% CI: -0.930 to -0.440, IThis paper found little evidence that this association between SUA and MDD is casual. Genetically, there was no significant causal association between SUA and MDD.

Coccidian protozoan species recorded from flycatchers are few, but they have been described with a certain frequency in recent years. In this context, the present study describes a new Isospora sp. from sepia-capped flycatchers Leptopogon amaurocephalus Tschudi, 1846 captured in the Itatiaia National Park and in a reforestation area which is about 60 km away from the park boundaries, in addition to providing a molecular identification via sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. Isospora leptopogoni n. sp. has oöcysts that are subspheroidal to ovoidal, measuring on average 22.0 × 19.7 μm, with a smooth, bi-layered wall, c.1.7 μm thick. The micropyle is delicate or inconspicuous. Oöcyst residuum is absent, but one to three polar granules are present. Sporocysts are lemon-shaped, measuring on average 14.7 × 9.3 μm, with a knob-like Stieda body and a rectangular to rounded sub-Stieda body. Sporocyst residuum is present, consisting of compactly bounded granules. Sporozoites are vermiform, with refractile bodies and nucleus. Isospora leptopogoni is different from other Isospora spp. mainly due to its lemon-shaped sporocysts, the presence of micropyle and details of Stieda and sub-Stieda bodies. Phylogenetic analysis placed I. leptopogoni close to other Isospora spp. recorded from phylogenetically related hosts and from the same biogeographic region. Finally, the recurrent finding of this coccidian species in the same L. amaurocephalus specimen in a specific locality in the Itatiaia National Park suggests that the dispersion of I. leptopogoni needs continuous transmissions between susceptible passerines as the area of movement of each L. amaurocephalus specimen appears to be quite small.

Funding Information: We are especially thankful to Rob G. Bijlsma who generously shared with us his extensive dataset from the Sahel region. We are also thankful to Afan Ajang, Linn M. Bjørvik, Tamuka Chapata, Wouter van Dongen, Patrick Guay, Lenka Harmáčková, Lukasz Jankowiak, Jan van der Kamp, Lennox Kirao, Jakub Kosicki, Philista Malaki, Pretty Maoko, John Mchetto, Grayson Mwakalebe, Organisation for Tropical Studies (South Africa), Diogo Samia, Trine Hay Setsaas, Libor Vaicenbacher and Leo Zwarts for their help with data collection. MW is thankful to Allison Piper, and a Deakin University Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment National and International Research Collaboration Grant in Kenya and BEACH (Beach Ecology and Conservation Hub; Venus Bay) in Australia. In Kenya, field data collection was approved by National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation no. NACOSTI/P14/4653/660 to M.W. and P.M. and no. NACOSTI/P18/52438/25493 to MW, Kenya Wildlife Service no KWS/BRP/5001 to M.W. A Rocha Kenya and the National Museum of Kenya supported and helped conduct fieldwork in Kenya. In South Africa, the University of Cape Town Science Faculty Animal Ethics Committee (2015/V11/SC) to S.J.C., Northern Cape Department of Environment and Nature Conservation (FAUNA 1489/2015) to P.P. In Brazil, we worked on private lands where no permits were required. In Australia, research was approved by the Deakin University (B32/2012, B11/2015, B10/2018), the Charles Darwin University Animal Ethics (A11013), the Macquarie University Animal Research Committee (99021), the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (#FA/000379/00/SA), and the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife (41035 and 55233). This study was financially supported by the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town (grant to S.J.C.), The Leventis Foundation through the A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Jos Nigeria (grant to B.D.A.B.), by a fellowship of the Fulbright (Slovakia) programme to P.M. for a visit to the University of California, Los Angeles. Animal tolerance towards humans can be a key factor facilitating wildlife–human coexistence, yet traits predicting its direction and magnitude across tropical animals are poorly known. Using 10,249 observations for 842 bird species inhabiting open tropical ecosystems in Africa, South America, and Australia, we find that avian tolerance towards humans was lower (i.e., escape distance was longer) in rural rather than urban populations and in populations exposed to lower human disturbance (measured as human footprint index). In addition, larger species and species with larger clutches and enhanced flight ability are less tolerant to human approaches and escape distances increase when birds were approached during the wet season compared to the dry season and from longer starting distances. Identification of key factors affecting animal tolerance towards humans across large spatial and taxonomic scales may help us to better understand and predict the patterns of species distributions in the Anthropocene.

In the Paraguayan Chaco, cattle evoke images of power, prosperity, and celebration, but they also trigger one of the quickest deforestation processes in the world. The presence of cattle in the region has deep historical roots, dating back to the beginning of the colonization process, when the establishment of a double economy based on cattle ranching and the tannin industry dispossessed indigenous people of their territories. Through a historical and ethnographic analysis of the Carlos Casado tannin company, I suggest considering domestication and ferality—and their local related idioms (amansar, anestesiar, sagua’a, señuelo, carne)—as inter-species categories crucial for understanding processes of colonization from a local perspective. In particular, I claim that practices and idioms related to the (un)domestication domain have been used to make sense of ethnic, class, and power relationships, as well as of practices of resistance. RESUMEN En el Chaco paraguayo, el ganado bovino evoca imágenes de poder, prosperidad y abundancia. Pero, a la vez, es la causa de uno de los procesos de deforestación más rápidos del mundo. La presencia de ganado en la región tiene profundas raíces históricas y se remonta al principio del proceso de la colonización, cuando el establecimiento de una doble economía basada en la ganadería y la industria del tanino despojó a los pueblos indígenas de sus tierras. A través de un análisis histórico y etnográfico de la compañía taninera Carlos Casado S.A., propongo considerar a la domesticación y a lo asilvestrado—en sus distintas declinaciones: amansar, anestesiar, sagua’a, señuelo, carne—como categorías interespecíficas fundamentales para entender los procesos de colonización desde una perspectiva local. En particular, sostengo que las prácticas y los términos relacionados con el campo semántico de la (de)domesticación fueron utilizados para poner en escena y conceptualizar relaciones étnicas, de clase y de poder, como así también prácticas de resistencia.

Two new species of Astrothelium are described from the Yungas forest in Bolivian Andes. Astrothelium chulumanense is characterised by pseudostromata concolorous with the thallus, perithecia immersed for the most part, with the upper portion elevated above the thallus and covered, except the tops, with orange pigment, apical and fused ostioles, the absence of lichexanthone (but thallus UV+ orange-yellow), clear hamathecium, 8-spored asci and amyloid, large, muriform ascospores with median septa. Astrothelium isidiatum is known only in a sterile state and produces isidia that develop in groups on areoles, but easily break off to reveal a medulla that resembles soralia. Both species, according to the two-locus phylogeny, belong to Astrothelium s.str. The production of isidia is reported from the genus Astrothelium and the family Trypetheliaceae for the first time.

South American camelids (SACs) have become increasingly popular as livestock and companion animals in the Midwestern United States. With increased ownership, postmortem evaluations and samples available for diagnostic assessment are being submitted more frequently to veterinary diagnostic laboratories. We searched archived pathology records at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL) between 2009–2019 for SAC cases. Postmortem records from 166 alpacas and 27 llamas were included, with an average of 1.42 diagnoses per animal. The overall average diagnostic rate was 79.8%. Abortion and neonatal cases (fetus to 1-wk-old) had the lowest diagnostic rate (33.3%) and was the only group with a diagnostic rate statistically significantly lower than the average. The most common diagnoses were gastrointestinal parasitism and suboptimal nutritional status or inanition; 78% of cases diagnosed with suboptimal nutritional status were also parasitized. The gastrointestinal parasites identified most frequently were Eimeria sp. and strongyles, especially Nematodirus sp. Our findings may aid allocation of diagnostic resources to better serve regional SAC populations and provide a framework for practitioners who send samples to laboratories for analysis. Submission of whole bodies, euthanized animals, fresh tissue, and inclusion of placental tissues in abortion cases are recommended for optimal diagnostic outcome.

Studying material recently collected in Brazil, the authors found three new species of Glabellula (G. catiapatiuae sp. nov., G. rafaelae sp. nov., G. sarahae sp. nov.) that are described and illustrated herein. An identification key to the Brazilian species is also presented. This paper presents the first records of Glabellula in South America and the presence, for the first time, of the subfamily Glabellulinae in Brazil.

Orthobula Simon, 1897 is a group of very small litter-dwelling spiders with a tropical and subtropical distribution. The genus comprises 18 species, without any records in the Neotropical realm yet. Here we describe O. sudamericana sp. nov., distributed in Argentina and Paraguay. The new species appears to be most closely related to O. chayuensis Yang, Song and Zhu, 2003. The male also resembles O. charitonovi (Mikhailov, 1986). Orthobula sudamericana sp. nov. females differ from these species by the straight and parallel insemination ducts, and males by the centrally located, U-shaped sperm duct. Further, we summarize details on its natural history and habitat characteristics.

SUMMARY The crustal structure of the Recôncavo–Tucano basin, an aborted rift system that developed in NE Brazil during extension related to the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean, has been investigated through local constraints from receiver functions developed at 18 seismic stations in the region. Gravity modelling has proved unable to unequivocally localize crustal thinning under the basin depocentre and, together with a general lack of sediments from a putative thermal sag phase, this has led to a range of basin formation models invoking either pure or simple shear or a combination of both. In particular, the ‘flexural cantilever’ model has assumed simple shear extension in the upper crust and pure shear extension in the lower crust and mantle, enabling local erosion of the rift flanks after footwall uplift and regional erosion of the thermal sag phase after magmatic underplate of the basin's crust. Our results reveal that the crust is over 40 km thick beneath the Tucano and Recôncavo basins and that it contains a thick (5–8 km) layer of high velocity (Vs > 4.0 km s–1) material below ∼35 km depth. These observations contrast with structure immediately West (São Francisco Craton) and East (Borborema Province) of the basin, for which crustal thicknesses average 42 and 36 km, respectively, lower crustal velocities are below 4.0 km s–1, and local instances of crust as thin as 33.5 km are observed. We propose, in agreement with the ‘flexural cantilever’ model, that the fast velocity layer making the basin's lowermost crust resulted from mafic underplating after stretching and thinning during the syn-rift phase, restoring crustal thickness to pre-rift values (or larger) and providing the necessary buoyancy to trigger regional uplift. Moreover, although not pervasive, instances of thin crust along the footwall could be related to rift flank erosion. We thus conclude that, regardless of the mode of extension in the upper crust, our results favour models of basin formation invoking extension of the lower crust by pure shear.

We describe a new genus and species of Paederinae rove beetles, Ruptor cordatus gen. et sp. nov., which lives in the arboreal nests of the termite Labiotermes labralis (Holmgren, 1906) in the Amazon lowlands of Peru. The morphology of Ruptor gen. nov. is highly derived, apparently due to its close association with the termite host, and thus, morphologically, the genus cannot be classified further than Lathrobiini incertae sedis. In order to address the sister-group relationships of Ruptor gen. nov., we conducted a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on seven gene fragments. The analysis indeed resolved the genus as a member of the tribe Lathrobiini and placed it nested within the informal clade of ‘Medonina and allied taxa’. We provide a morphological comparison of the new genus with all known myrmeco- and termitophilous representatives of the subfamily, and to the extent possible, we illustrate other relevant and poorly known Neotropical Paederinae inquilines.

Potato virus V (PVV) causes a disease of potato (Solanum tubersosum) in South and Central America, Europe, and the Middle East. We report here the complete genomic sequences of 42 new PVV isolates from the potato’s Andean domestication center in Peru and of eight historical or recent isolates from Europe. When the principal open reading frames of these genomic sequences together with those of nine previously published genomic sequences were analyzed, only two from Peru and one from Iran were found to be recombinant. The phylogeny of the 56 nonrecombinant open reading frame sequences showed that the PVV population had two major phylogroups, one of which formed three minor phylogroups (A1 to A3) of isolates, all of which are found only in the Andean region of South America (Peru and Colombia), and the other formed two minor phylogroups, a basal one of Andean isolates (A4) that is paraphyletic to a crown cluster containing all the isolates found outside South America (World). This suggests that PVV originated in the Andean region, with only one minor phylogroup spreading elsewhere in the world. In minor phylogroups A1 and A3, there were two subclades on long branches containing isolates from S. phureja evolving more rapidly than the others, and these interfered with dating calculations. Although no temporal signal was directly detected among the dated nonrecombinant sequences, PVV and potato virus Y (PVY) are from the same potyvirus lineage and are ecologically similar, so “subtree dating” was done via a single maximum likelihood phylogeny of PVV and PVY sequences, and PVY’s well-supported 157 ce “time to most common recent ancestor” was extrapolated to date that of PVV as 29 bce. Thus the independent historical coincidences supporting the datings of the PVV and PVY phylogenies are the same; PVV arose ≥2,000 years ago in the Andes and was taken to Europe during the Columbian Exchange, where it diversified around 1853 ce, soon after the European potato late blight pandemic. PVV is likely to be more widespread than currently realized and is of biosecurity relevance for world regions that have not yet recorded its presence. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .

Understanding the effects of random versus niche-based processes on biodiversity patterns is a central theme in ecology, and an important tool for predicting effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on biodiversity. We investigated the predictive power of random processes to explain species richness and species dissimilarity of amphibian assemblages in a fragmented tropical landscape of the Atlantic Forest of South America. We analyzed a large database of amphibian abundance and occupancy, sampled in 21 forest fragments ranging in size from 1.9 to 619 ha. We compared observed species richness and species dissimilarity with the outcomes of two null (random placement) models: 1- the traditional Coleman's area-based model and 2- an abundance-based model (based on the number of individuals observed in each fragment). We applied these models for all species combined, and separately for forest-dependent and habitat-generalist species. The abundance-based model fitted the observed species richness data better than the area-based model for all species, forest-dependent species, and generalist species. The area-based and the abundance-based models were also able to significantly explain species dissimilarity for all species and for generalists, but not for forest dependent species. The traditional area-based model assigned too many individuals to large fragments, thus failing to accurately explain species richness within patches across the landscape. Although niche-based processes may be important to structuring the regional pool of species in fragmented landscapes, our results suggest that part of the variation in species richness and species dissimilarity can be successfully explained by random placement models, especially for generalist species. Evaluating which factors cause variation in the number of individuals among patches should be a focus in future studies aiming to understand biodiversity patterns in fragmented landscapes.Compreender os efeitos de processos aleatórios versus processos baseados em nicho nos padrões de biodiversidade é um tema central em ecologia e uma ferramenta importante para prever os efeitos da perda e fragmentação de habitat na biodiversidade. Nós investigamos o poder preditivo de processos aleatórios para explicar a riqueza e a dissimilaridade de espécies de assembleias de anfíbios em uma paisagem fragmentada tropical da Mata Atlântica da América do Sul. Analisamos um grande conjunto de dados de abundância e ocupação de anfíbios, amostrados em 21 fragmentos florestais com tamanhos de 1.9 a 619 ha. Comparamos a riqueza e a dissimilaridade de espécies observadas com os resultados de dois modelos nulos (posicionamento aleatório): 1- o modelo tradicional baseado em área de Coleman e 2 - um modelo baseado em abundância (com base no número de indivíduos observados em cada fragmento). Aplicamos esses modelos para todas as espécies combinadas e separadamente para espécies dependentes de floresta e espécies generalistas de habitat. O modelo baseado em abundância ajustou-se melhor aos dados observados de riqueza de espécies do que o modelo baseado em área para todas as espécies, espécies dependentes de floresta e espécies generalistas. Os modelos baseados em área e em abundância também foram capazes de explicar significativamente a dissimilaridade de espécies para todas as espécies e para generalistas, mas não para espécies dependentes de floresta. O modelo tradicional baseado em área atribuiu muitos indivíduos a grandes fragmentos, falhando assim em explicar com precisão a riqueza de espécies dentro de manchas na paisagem. Embora processos baseados em nicho possam ser importantes para estruturar o conjunto regional de espécies em paisagens fragmentadas, nossos resultados sugerem que parte da variação na riqueza e dissimilaridade de espécies pode ser explicada com sucesso por modelos de posicionamento aleatório, especialmente para espécies generalistas. Avaliar quais fatores causam variação no número de indivíduos entre manchas deve ser um foco em estudos futuros que visem compreender os padrões de biodiversidade em paisagens fragmentadas.

The potential biotechnological and biomedical applications of the animal venom components are widely recognized. Indeed, many components have been used either as drugs or as templates/prototypes for the development of innovative pharmaceutical drugs, among which many are still used for the treatment of human diseases. A specific South American rattlesnake, named Crotalus durissus terrificus, shows a venom composition relatively simpler compared to any viper or other snake species belonging to the Crotalus genus, although presenting a set of toxins with high potential for the treatment of several still unmet human therapeutic needs, as reviewed in this work. In addition to the main toxin named crotoxin, which is under clinical trials studies for antitumoral therapy and which has also anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities, other toxins from the C. d. terrificus venom are also being studied, aiming for a wide variety of therapeutic applications, including as antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, antitumoral or antiparasitic agent, or as modulator of animal metabolism, fibrin sealant (fibrin glue), gene carrier or theranostic agent. Among these rattlesnake toxins, the most relevant, considering the potential clinical applications, are crotamine, crotalphine and gyroxin. In this narrative revision, we propose to organize and present briefly the updates in the accumulated knowledge on potential therapeutic applications of toxins collectively found exclusively in the venom of this specific South American rattlesnake, with the objective of contributing to increase the chances of success in the discovery of drugs based on toxins.

Nicola, M. V.; A. Martínez, A. R. Flores & J. M. Watson. 2022. A new species of Viola subgenus Neoandinium (Violaceae) from the southern Andes of Argentina. Darwiniana, nueva serie 10(2): 515-526. A new rosulate species of Viola from the high Andes of Neuquén in Argentina, V. marcelaferreyrae, is here described, illustrated, and categorized according to its conservation status. Additionally, we compare the new species with its morphologically and geographically allied species, V. anitae and V. escondidaensis, and discuss its preliminary placement in sect. Rhizomandinium due to the presence of stolon-like perennating axes. A key to the species of the section together with images to differentiate them and a distribution map are also provided. The new species joins the ever-growing list of known taxa for subgenus Neoandinium. Resumen Nicola, M. V.; A. Martínez, A. R. Flores & J. M. Watson. 2022. Una nueva especie de Viola subgénero Neoandinium (Violaceae) de los Andes del sur de Argentina. Darwiniana, nueva serie 10(2): 515-526. Aquí se describe, ilustra y categoriza según su estado de conservación a una nueva especie de Viola rosulada de los Andes de Neuquén en Argentina, V. marcelaferreyrae. Adicionalmente, comparamos la nueva especie con las especies morfológica y geográficamente más afines, V. anitae y V. escondidaensis, y discutimos su asignación preliminar en la sect. Rhizomandinium debido a la presencia de ejes perennes pseudo-estoloníferos. Se provee también una clave para las especies de la sección junto con imágenes para diferenciarlas y un mapa de distribución. La nueva especie se une a la lista cada vez mayor de taxones conocidos para el subgénero Neoandinium.

RESUMEN. La violencia es actualmente uno de los principales problemas a nivel mundial, se manifiesta de diferentes maneras y encuentra en el homicidio una forma extrema de expresión que refleja graves problemas sociales. Este artículo busca comparar la proporción de muertes por homicidio y la tasa de homicidios entre los países de Sudamérica durante los últimos treinta años. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo comparativo de tipo longitudinal, con base en el modelo lineal general. Se encuentra que Colombia, Brasil y Venezuela presentan las estadísticas más altas al respecto en este periodo. Se concluye que en los países donde hay grupos al margen de la ley y problemas de desigualdad y pobreza se da el mayor número de casos. ABSTRACT. Currently, violence is a major issue worldwide; it manifests in different ways and finds in homicide an extreme form of expression that reflects major social problems. This article compares the proportion of homicide deaths and the homicide rate among South American countries over the last thirty years through a longitudinal descriptive comparative study based on the general linear model. It finds that Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela have the highest homicide statistics for this period, concluding that the highest number of cases is found in countries where groups outside the law and issues of inequality and poverty exist.

Este artigo traz um breve resgate histórico da transformação da antiga Comissão Parlamentar Conjunta do Mercosul (CPC) em Parlamento do Mercosul (Parlasul), decorrida na primeira década do século XX durante o período em que no bloco foram eleitos governos de esquerda e centro esquerda que colocaram em marcha ações que transformaram o processo de integração. Dessa forma, busca-se descrever e analisar as atribuições e poderes que lhe foram outorgados através do seu Protocolo Constitutivo, detalhando como tais mecanismo moldam sua atuação em face do demais órgãos do Mercosul, em especial do Conselho do Mercado Comum. This article provides a brief historical review of the transformation of the former Joint Parliamentary Committee of Mercosur into Parliament of Mercosur (Parlasur). Renovation took place in the first decade of the 20th century during the period in which left and center left governments were elected in the bloc and set in motion actions that transformed the integration process. In this way, it seeks to describe and analyze the attributions and powers granted to it through its Constitutive Protocol, detailing how these mechanisms shape its performance vis-à-vis other Mercosur bodies, especially the Council of the Common Market. 252-262 rafael.silveira@ifc.edu.br carlos.espindola@ufsc.br Semestral www.saber.ula.ve/regeoven

The genus Maritrema Nicoll, 1907 (Platyhelminthes, Trematoda, Plagiorchiida, Microphallidae) comprises cosmopolitan species that predominantly parasitize birds. Although approximately 65 species have been described worldwide, including 6 for Argentina, molecular data referring to Maritrema species are still scarce worldwide, especially in South America. Unfortunately, this lack of references for nucleotide sequences is an obstacle to understanding the taxonomy and life cycles of trematodes, and impedes advancing our studies on the phylogeny and geographical distribution of these parasites. For that reason, we performed the molecular study of developmental stages of Maritrema bonaerense: cercariae (collected from the snail first intermediate host Heleobia australis, inhabiting Mar Chiquita lagoon) and metacercariae (collected from the crab second intermediate host Neohelice granulata, inhabiting Mar Chiquita lagoon and San Antonio Oeste, Argentina). The accordance between the ITS2 sequence of M. bonaerense cercaria from the snail H. australis and the sequences of metacercariae from the crab N. granulata was 100%, supporting previous findings of the life cycle of M. bonaerense based on morphological data. All Maritrema species are included in a monophyletic and well-supported clade. Maritrema bonaerense grouped more closely with Maritrema gratiosum. These findings contribute to the knowledge of digeneans in coastal marine ecosystems.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects more severely non-White populations, due to their genetic background and sociodemographic characteristics. Several studies have evaluated Latin American SLE patients to determine their genetic and clinical characteristics as well as prognostic factors; these studies have not only allowed the development of treatment guidelines aimed at the region but also to support regional and global projects. Additionally, educational activities in Spanish and Portuguese have been started to reduce our patients’ health illiteracy. Despite the relatively low research output from Latin American countries, we consider that studies from our region coupled with the networks developed to increase our capabilities, could be a model for other rare autoimmune diseases.

To understand the main orographic and non-orographic sources of gravity waves (GWs) over South America during an Experiment (Rapp et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0034.1), we propose the application of a rotational spectral analysis based on methods originally developed for oceanographic studies. This approach is deployed in a complex scenario of large-amplitude GWs by applying it to reanalysis data. We divide the atmospheric region of interest into two height intervals. The simulations are compared with lidar measurements during one of the flights. From the degree of polarization and the total energy of the GWs, the contribution of the upward and downward wave packets is described as a function of their vertical wavenumbers. At low levels, a larger downward energy flux is observed in a few significant harmonics, suggesting inertial GWs radiated at polar night jet levels, and below, near to a cold front. In contrast, the upward GW energy flux, per unit area, is larger than the downward flux, as expected over mountainous areas. The main sub-regions of upward GW energy flux are located above Patagonia, the Antarctic Peninsula and only some oceanic sectors. Above the sea, there are alternating sub-regions dominated by linearly polarized GWs and sectors of downward GWs. At the upper levels, the total available GW energy per unit mass is higher than at the lower levels. Regions with different degrees of polarization are distributed in elongated bands. A satisfactory comparison is made with an analysis based on the phase difference between temperature and vertical wind disturbances.