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La introducción de especies exóticas constituye una de las principales amenazas para la biodiversidad a nivel mundial. Spathodea campanulata es una especie arbórea cultivada como ornamental, cuyo néctar tóxico presenta propiedades con actividad insecticida, en especial contra abejas. En la Argentina se desconocen sus efectos sobre la entomofauna. Por lo tanto, este estudio explora los efectos de mortalidad causados por S. campanulata sobre la entomofauna nativa en un área verde de la ciudad de Corrientes. A partir del estudio de tres árboles se analizó el porcentaje de flores con especímenes de entomofauna muertos en su interior y se determinó la abundancia de los taxones representados. Se calcularon índices de diversidad, riqueza de especies, completitud del inventario y curva de rango abundancia. Los resultados indican que la abeja nativa Scaptotrigona jujuyensis presentó la mayor mortalidad, con un total de 46 ejemplares de un total de 151, entre los que se hallaron representantes de los órdenes Himenoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera y Araneae. Este estudio exploratorio advierte que S. campanulata es una amenaza potencial para la entomofauna nativa en áreas urbanas.

Abstract Homonota taragui is an endemic gecko of the northeast of Argentina. We estimate demographic parameters: number of individuals by populations, sex and ontogenetic stage; sexual dimorphism; survival of this species; and describe the use of microhabitat and movement patterns. We measured 11 morphological variables, determined the sex and marked individually. We found bigger head width in males. Some factors contribute to the vulnerability of this species such as its constrained geographical distribution, use of the specific microhabitat and the isolation of their populations. We highlight demography studies as an essential data source for management and conservation of critically endangered species.

We provide an updated checklist of birds of a unique landscape in northeastern Argentina, which is characterized by three isolated, rocky outcrops and their surrounding agroecosystem. We recorded 188 bird species, including nine that are globally or nationally threatened. We highlight the presence of several grassland-specialist birds of conservation concern. Of the species recorded, 80.6% are residents and 17.7% are migrants. The heterogeneity of the landscape and its structural complexity accounts the existence of a high avian species diversity, which includes both generalists and specialists. This study confirms the conservation value of this ecosystem, due both to the rocky outcrops and grassland matrix. Grasslands are one of the most threatened biomes in the world.

Natural History (NH) is a relevant discipline of the Natural Sciences that describes organisms in their environment from accurate observation. As the mother of Western sciences, its origin dates back to Aristotle’s writings. Since then it crossed human history providing essential knowledge for humanity development. After flourishing between the 17th and 19th centuries due to the exploratory travels of European naturalists to the new continents, NH has lost appreciation in its contribution to scientific knowledge. The debate about its role in sciences has swung like a pendulum between estimation and dismissal. In this contribution, we present the main themes of this debate. We expose our point of view from our experience that revalues the history of NH under the influence of Alexander von Humboldt and Amado Bonpland´ works. The specialization of sciences, technological advances, the loss of the naturalistic sense, and the connection with romanticism have been among, the main causes that have discredited NH. However, we conclude that history shows us that NH has been and is fundamental for the growth and development of humanity.

Abstract Isolated rocky outcrops represent biodiversity centers, refuges for endangered species, and favorable scenarios for endemism. Most studies in these ecosystems have been focused mainly on their flora and secondarily on different groups of animals. To highlight the value of rocky outcrops as ecosystems for biodiversity conservation, in the present study, we describe the diversity of herptiles of three isolated rocky outcrops of northeastern Argentina and compare it with that of other natural areas of the region. We conducted fieldwork from September 2010 to March 2017. We calculated the alpha diversity and the number of rare, threatened and endemic species. For comparative diversity analysis, we calculated the importance of each area for amphibians and reptiles and the beta diversity. Were recorded a total of 56 species (23 amphibians and 33 reptiles), representing 35% of the herptiles recorded for Corrientes province. These species included 19 rare species, seven threatened species, and two endemic species. The overall beta diversity showed considerably differences in species composition between the compared areas. The rocky outcrops showed higher importance for amphibians and reptiles than the other areas studied. Our study contributes to the knowledge of rocky outcrops and highlights their importance in biodiversity conservation.

Abstract The reproduction is one of the main events in the life of an organism, and anurans stand out among vertebrates because of the diversity of their reproductive strategies. We studied the reproduction of two syntopic species, Physalaemus aff. albonotatus and P. santafecinus, and comparatively described their reproductive activity pattern, advertisement calls, calling sites, daily calling activity, amplexus behavior, foam nests, and microhabitats in foam nests. In regards to the reproductive activity pattern, both species were defined as prolonged breeders. However, P. santafecinus exhibited a behavior like explosive breeders: it had a faster reproductive response against rains than P. aff. albonotatus. The calling activity was restricted exclusively to night hours in P. santafecinus, whereas P. aff. albonotatus called during both night and day. The advertisement calls of both species showed a rich harmonic structure, and were characterized by a bimodal harmonic dominance. The species differed significantly in microhabitat calling sites, foam nests, and microhabitats in foam nests. Namely, P. santafecinus frequently called and constructed its nests in sites more exposed than those of P. aff. albonotatus. The general differences in reproductive behaviors observed between the species principally agree with their different reproductive activity patterns.

Abstract Background: Argenteohyla siemersi (red-spotted Argentina frog) is a casque-headed tree frog species belonging to the Hylidae family. This species has a complex combination of anti-predator defense mechanisms that include a highly lethal skin secretion. However, biochemical composition and biological effects of this secretion have not yet been studied. Methods: The A. siemersi skin secretion samples were analyzed by mass spectrometry and chromatographic analysis (MALDI-TOF/MS, RP-HPLC and GC-MS). Proteins were also studied by SDS-PAGE. Among the biological activities evaluated, several enzymatic activities (hemolytic, phospholipase A2, clotting, proteolytic and amidolytic) were assessed. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activity (cytolysis and fluorescence staining) was evaluated on myoblasts of the C2C12 cell line. Results: The MALDI-TOF/MS analysis identified polypeptides and proteins in the aqueous solution of A. siemersi skin secretion. SDS-PAGE revealed the presence of proteins with molecular masses from 15 to 55 kDa. Steroids, but no alkaloids or peptides (less than 5 KDa), were detected using mass spectrometry. Skin secretion revealed the presence of lipids in methanolic extract, as analyzed by CG-MS. This secretion showed hemolytic and phospholipase A2 activities, but was devoid of amidolytic, proteolytic or clotting activities. Moreover, dose-dependent cytotoxicity in cultured C2C12 myoblasts of the skin secretion was demonstrated. Morphological analysis, quantification of lactate dehydrogenase release and fluorescence staining indicated that the cell death triggered by this secretion involved necrosis. Conclusions: Results presented herein evidence the biochemical composition and biological effects of A. siemersi skin secretion and contribute to the knowledge on the defense mechanisms of casque-headed frogs.

Tityus curupi n. sp., belonging to the bolivianus complex, is described from the biogeographically distinct area of Paraje Tres Cerros in north-eastern Argentina. We also present a molecular species delimitation analysis between Tityus curupi n. sp. and its sister species Tityus uruguayensis Borelli 1901 to confirm species integrity. Furthermore, a cytogenetic analysis is presented for these two species which contain different multivalent associations in meiosis, as a consequence of chromosome rearrangements, and the highest chromosome numbers in the genus.

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Abstract Abstract: We used skeletochronology to compare age, size, reproductive parameters and growth patterns of two related, anuran amphibians from Northern Argentina: Leptodactylus bufonius(n=69) andL. latinasus(n=56), in order to better understand their coexistence in syntopy. Previous studies showed that the two species overlap in their dietary requirements and utilize the same habitats for feeding and breeding. We found that their life-history patterns are significantly different,L. bufoniusbeing larger, and having a higher reproductive output and lifespan, compared to the smaller and shorter-livingL. latinasus. Since none of the species exhibited sexual size dimorphism, and both acquired sexual maturity after the first year of life, we suggest that the differences in the observed life-history parameters must appear during early stages of development, during larval and/or juvenile stages.

Abstract Two dimensions of the ecological niche (diet and habitat) of a snake assemblage from an endemic rich area in east-central Argentina, the Sierras de Ventania mountain chain, were analyzed. Field data collection was performed in 15-week study periods between 2010 and 2014. Snakes were hand-captured using transect surveys. Field observations on diet were analyzed together with stomach content data from museum specimens. Our results supported the partitioning of the snake assemblage by both habitat use and diet into at least three functional groups: species restricted to microhabitats under rocks and with a diet composed exclusively of ants (Epictia australis); species found mostly in stream microhabitats and feeding mainly upon anurans (Erythrolamprus poecilogyrus and Lygophis elegantissimus); and species found mostly in grassland microhabitats, with specialized diets of terrestrial prey items (Philodryas patagoniensis and Bothrops alternatus). Consistent with previous work, diet was more important than habitat in explaining ecological niche partitioning of this snake assemblage. Our results showed that high overlap values of microhabitat use were compensated by low overlap values of the trophic niche dimension, thus matching the traditional complementary niches hypothesis.