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Copyright of Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina is the property of Sociedad Entomologica Argentina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Andean swamp rat Neotomys ebriosus is a sigmodontine rodent restricted to the Central Andes of South America. A distribution map of the species in Peru have been previously drawn based on few of the localities where the species has been captured and collected. I update the distribution of the species in Peru based on new records from three different areas surveyed by the author, specimens at Museum collections in the United States and France from VertNet webpage, localities from the collection at the Natural History Museum of Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, and localities from the collection at the Natural History Museum of the Universidad Nacional San Agustín. The northern limit of the species distribution is increased based on new localities with collected individuals. Habitat used by N. ebriosus is mainly high Andean bogs; most individuals caught adjacent to the borders of Andean bogs and along streams near the bogs. Collected individuals leave unclear subspecies division and identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthotrichum camanchacanum is presented as a newly described species from Chile. The species is primarily distinguished by its emergent capsule with cryptoporous stomata, a double peristome, linear-lanceolate stem leaves with a long hyaline aristae in apex, conspicuously differentiated perichaetial leaves, and a densely hairy vaginula. The species was discovered in the mountain massif of the Andes in the Coquimbo region, notable for its unique climatic conditions. Molecular data and a brief discussion comparing the newly described species with the most closely related taxa are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel species of Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895 are described from the north-western and central-western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes mountain range in Ecuador. The new species are easily differentiated from other congeners of Psalmopoeus by spermathecae and male palpal bulb morphology and a comparatively distant distribution to the type localities of the geographically nearest known congeners. The diagnosis of P. ecclesiasticus Pocock, 1093 is revised and updated, considering the novel species and observations on spermatheca of this species. Likewise, an evaluation is provided for the new species in terms of conservation due to the various threats impacting ecosystems and ecosystem services of their type localities. Finally, the importance of theraphosid spiders in Ecuador and South America and their possible conservation requirements are discussed and assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Molossops includes two monotypic species of insectivore bats distributed in South America: Molossops neglectus and Molossops temminckii. Both can be differentiated, based on sizes, M. temminckii being smaller (forearm less than 33 mm). Despite being monotypic, at least two additional subspecies have been described for M. temminckii, of which M. temminckii griseiventer from the inter-Andean Valley of the Magdalena River in Colombia might represent a valid taxon. To test the taxonomic status of M. t. griseiventer, we reviewed specimens of M. temminckii from cis- and trans-Andean localities in Colombia. We used Cytochrome-b and Cytochrome Oxidase I comparisons to test the phylogenetic position of cis- and trans-Andean samples and compared qualitative morphology, morphometric and bioacoustics. Our results show that M. t. griseiventer is differentiated from cis-Andean specimens, providing further evidence of its validity at the species level. Furthermore, M. temminckii (sensu stricto) is also distributed in Colombia, but both M. griseiventer and M. temminckii are allopatric, with the Andes acting as a barrier. The specific identity of the specimens from the Caribbean Region of Colombia needs a new evaluation, but our results clearly show that the diversity of Molossops is underestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Peruana de Biología is the property of Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pike cichlids form the largest clade of Neotropical cichlids, with over 100 species presently classified in two genera: Crenicichla (93 species widespread in rivers of South America east of the Andes) and Teleocichla (nine rheophilic Amazonian species). Here, we combined a new dataset of 216 morphological characters with molecular data compiled from published sources, comprising 74 terminal taxa of pike cichlids (68 out of 102 valid species, plus four putative new species), and performed phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and parsimony. Based on a synthesis of our results and previous phylogenies, we propose a new classification in which the clade including all pike cichlids is elevated to the rank of subtribe (Crenicichlina) and the genus Crenicichla is redefined, including three subgenera: Crenicichla (monotypic with the type species), Batrachops (resurected as subgenus), and Lacustria (new subgenus). Teleocichla is maintained as a valid genus and four new genera are proposed: Wallaciia, Saxatilia, Hemeraia , and Lugubria. Our results on character mapping support the hypothesis that resource partitioning in environments with fast-flowing water and rocky beds might have played a role in the origin or maintenance of the great diversity of pike cichlids, resulting in parallel evolution of similar ecomorphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe two new species of glassfrogs of the genus Centrolene living in syntopy at La Enramada, province of Azuay, southwestern Ecuador. They were found in a small creek in montane evergreen forests at 2,900 m elevation. The first new species is distinguished from all other members of the genus Centrolene by having the following combination of characters: dentigerous process of vomer absent; sloping snout in lateral view; thick, white labial stripe and a faint white line between the lip and anterior í4 of body; humeral spine in adult males; parietal peritoneum covered by iridophores, visceral peritonea translucent (except pericardium); ulnar and tarsal ornamentation; dorsal skin shagreen with dispersed warts; uniform green dorsum with light yellowish green warts; and green bones. The new species is remarkable by being sister to a species from the opposite Andean versant, C. condor. The second new species is distinguished from all other Centrolene by having the following combination of characters: dentigerous process of vomer absent; round snout in lateral view; thin, yellowish labial stripe with a row of white tubercles between the lip and arm insertion, and a yellowish line between arm insertion and groin; uniform green dorsum; humeral spine in adult males; parietal peritoneum covered by iridophores, visceral peritonea translucent (except pericardium); dorsal skin shagreen with dispersed spicules; ulnar and tarsal ornamentation; and green bones. The second new species is sister to C. sabini and an undescribed species of Centrolene from southeastern Ecuador. Based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences, we present a new phylogeny for Centrolene and comment on the phylogenetic relationships inside the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The montane Argyrogrammana Strand, 1932, fauna (Riodinidae: Symmachiini) of the eastern Andes is reviewed. There are five described species from the region, and an additional three species are described here from Ecuador and Peru: A. janiceae Ahrenholz & Hall, n. sp., A. aurora Hall & Willmott, n. sp. (both occidentalis group), and A. cosnipata Hall, n. sp. (amalfreda group). A ninth species, known from only a single Peruvian female, is figured but not described. These nine east Andean endemics range in elevation from 550 to 2200 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of PhytoKeys is the property of Pensoft Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The taxonomy of Neotropical bats is constantly changing, with new species being described and junior synonyms elevated, while other taxa are relegated to junior synonyms or subspecies. The genus Platyrrhinus has followed this trend, with some issues persisting about the current status of its subspecies. Here we evaluate variation in cranial shape and size based on geometric morphometric analyses of Platyrrhinus dorsalis and P. umbratus. P. dorsalis occurs at elevations from sea level to above 2,000 m and is found from southern Panama southward into Colombia and along both slopes of the Andes in Ecuador. P. umbratus occurs at elevations from 400 m to above 3,150 m in the Andean from Colombia south through Bolivia and Caribbean Mountain systems of Venezuela and Colombia. Our analyses did not support the recognition of subspecies in either species. The difference in skull size and shape between populations of P. dorsalis is associated with elevation, suggesting that this species exhibits an altitudinal clinal variation, with individuals being larger in the lower elevation and smaller in higher elevations. In P. umbratus the difference in skull size and shape between populations is associated with a latitudinal cline, with individuals tending to be larger in the northern part of their range. Our analyses did not reveal the existence of secondary sexual variation in P. dorsalis nor in P. umbratus. La taxonomía de murciélagos Neotropicales está en un estado de constante cambio, con algunas especies siendo descritas, sinónimos menores siendo elevados o especies siendo reconocidas como sinónimos menores o subespecies. El género Platyrrhinus no ha sido la excepción a esta tendencia, y presenta una larga historia de cambios taxonómicos persistiendo algunas dudas acerca del estado actual de sus subespecies. Evaluamos la variación en forma y tamaño del cráneo en Platyrrhinus dorsalis y P. umbratus basándonos en análisis de morfometría geométrica. P. dorsalis se encuentra presente en elevaciones desde el nivel del mar hasta por encima de los 2,000 m y se distribuye desde Panamá al sur hasta Colombia, y a lo largo de ambas vertientes de los Andes en Ecuador. P. umbratus se encuentra presente en elevaciones desde 400 m hasta los 3,150 m, con distribución en los Andes de Venezuela a Bolivia y el Sistema Montañoso del Caribe de Venezuela y Colombia. Nuestros análisis no apoyan el reconocimiento de subespecies en P. dorsalis o P. umbratus. La diferencia en el tamaño y forma del cráneo entre poblaciones de P. dorsalis está asociada con la elevación, sugiriendo que esta especie presenta una variación clinal altitudinal, con individuos grandes a elevaciones menores y pequeños en las altas. En P. umbratus también el tamaño y forma del cráneo está asociada con una clina latitudinal, con los más grandes en la parte septentrional de la distribución. Nuestros análisis no revelan la presencia de variación sexual secundaria en ninguna de las dos especies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of PhytoKeys is the property of Pensoft Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Phenotypically similar species – often called cryptic species – represent a challenge for taxonomy and conservation biology because they are usually undetectable to scientists. To unravel these cryptic taxa, studies now employ data from different sources under an integrative approach. We present an assessment of the cryptic diversity of the Lophostoma brasiliense species complex (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) based on multiple lines of evidence (molecular, morphological, morphometric, and geographic data) and using molecular (ABGD, ASAP, GMYC, and bPTP) and phenotypic (distance-based approaches and Normal Mixture Model Analyses) species delimitation methods. Our analyses recognized two distinct lineages with clear allopatric distributions. One lineage corresponds to Lophostoma brasiliense with a cis-Andean distribution and the other to the formerly species Lophostoma nicaraguae with a trans-Andean distribution. The two lineages probably diverged from a vicariant speciation driven by the uplift of the Andes less than six million years ago. Our work also shows that the wide range of environmental conditions during the recent history of South America may have promoted restrictions to gene flow among the populations of Lophostoma brasiliense. Finally, we raised L. nicaraguae to species level clarifying the species limit and morphological characteristics of lineages, and we provide an emended diagnosis and comparisons between the two taxa. We highlight the need for multiple lines of evidence to solve the remaining taxonomic problems among the remaining species complexes in Lophostoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of oribatid mites of the family Scheloribatidae – Urubambates jakobisp. nov. and Pachygena annaesp. nov. – are described, based on adults collected from upper soil and leaf litter in primary mountain forests in the Andes, Central Peru. Pachygena makarovae is supposedly a member of the genus Perscheloribates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allopatric speciation has been posed as the main mechanism affecting amphibian diversification. In contrast, the role of alternative mechanisms such as ecological speciation has received less attention, and empirical evidence of this mechanism in shaping species richness gradients remains elusive in the tropics. Highly heterogeneous landscapes can favor both allopatric and ecological speciation either by producing physical barriers to dispersal or by inducing selective pressures on lineages distributed along environmental gradients (e.g., climatic gradients). Based on explicit predictions under the ecological speciation hypothesis, we tested whether the phylogeographic, acoustic, morphological, and climatic features differ across the range of Pristimantis viejas, a frog species distributed along a wide altitudinal gradient in the northern Andes of Colombia. In agreement with our predictions, we found two highly differentiated lineages within P. viejas, showing striking differences in molecular diversity, acoustic, and climatic distribution. Importantly, we found that variation of such characteristics is highly congruent with variation in elevational ranges of these two lineages (P. viejas distributed in the lowlands and a cryptic sister lineage distributed in the highlands), and our evidence suggest that the divergence of these lineages was influenced by temperature-related variables. These results support a temperature-driven speciation process which may influence the amphibian diversity patterns in tropical mountains. Last, we describe and name the new cryptic lineage distributed in the highlands. We highlight that an integrative framework in phylogeographic studies should not only focuses on the identification of hidden lineages and their associated processes but also, when multiple lines of evidence are available, it should conduct to their formal description as species are the units for multiple biodiversity disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butterflies associated with xerophytic environments of the Andes have been little studied, and they exhibit high levels of endemism. Herein Dione (Agraulis) dodona Lamas & Farfán, sp. nov. (Nymphalidae; Heliconiinae) is described, distributed on the western slopes of the Andes of Peru and northern Chile, between 800 and 3,000 m elevation. Adults of both sexes, and the immature stages, are described and illustrated based on light and scanning electron microscopy. The immature stages are associated with Malesherbia tenuifolia D. Don (Passifloraceae) found in xeric environments, representing a new record of this genus as a host plant for the subfamily Heliconiinae. Conspicuous morphological differences are presented for all stages at the generic level. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of the COI barcode mitochondrial gene fragment, D. (A.) dodona Lamas & Farfán, sp. nov. is distinguished as an independent lineage within the Agraulis clade of Dione, with ca. 5% difference to congeneric species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the genus Diachea (order Physarales, Myxomycetes, Amoebozoa) is described from Peru. Relevant details on spore germination, as well as morphological and phylogenetic data, are provided. At first glance, the new species shares some morphological similarities with both D. leucopodia, type of the genus, and D. koazei, but it strikingly differs from all other species of its genus by combining a short dark stalk, with a reticulate columella, and clustered spores. Moreover, it seems to be the only species of Diachea exclusively associated with Polylepis tropical forests at elevations above 3500 m. Apart from a comprehensive morphological study of 31 specimens, we here provide phylogenetic evidence to confirm the inclusion of this species in the genus Diachea. Specifically, our phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear 18S rDNA (18S), mitochondrial 17S rDNA (17S), and elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α) genes show that the new species is related to D. leucopodia and D. bulbillosa. The remarkably different morphological characters distinguishing the new Diachea from all other species of its genus, along with its particular ecological preferences and geographic distribution, indicate that it is a distinct entity deserving recognition as an independent species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the neotropical genus Amboroppia (Oribatida, Oppiidae), A. andensis sp. nov. is described, based on adults collected from upper soil and leaf litter in primary mountain forest in the Andes, Central Peru. Additions to the generic diagnosis of Amboroppia are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Popilius gibbosus (Burmeister, 1847) was known only from localities in the Cordillera Oriental of the northern Andes in Colombia and Venezuela and the southern section in Colombia between 1,350-3,000 m. Herein, we provide the first record for Bolivia at low elevations (< 1,000 m), thus extending the geographic and altitudinal range of this species. Information about characters not yet used and the first description of the aedeagus are provided, accompanied with figures of those characters that facilitate the identification of the species. An identification key for Popilius species in Bolivia and a P. gibbosus distribution map are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new species of Neotropical spiny-lizard of the genus Echinosaura from the Imbabura and Carchi Provinces on the western slopes of the Andes in northwestern Ecuador. The new species mostly resembles E. horrida. However, it can be distinguished from all congeners by having keeled enlarged dorsal scales forming a paired vertebral row, two paravertebral series of short oblique rows of projecting scales, and a pair of spine-like scales on temporal and nuchal regions. We also provide a detailed description of the osteology of the skull and pectoral girdle of the new species and present a phylogenetic hypothesis for Echinosaura based on three mitochondrial genes (12S, 16S, ND4) and one nuclear gene (c-mos). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]