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In Europe, the southernmost subspecies of salamandra is Salamandra salamandra longirostris, found in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. This subspecies, whose populations are currently in decline, has been proposed as a species due to its genetic differentiation and isolation by distance. In one survey at Fuente del Acebuche (Malaga, Spain), one of its most important breeding sites, we observed 67 adult individuals. These data represent a record density of this subspecies in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and are unique even for communities of Salamandra salamandra in the north.

The metacommunity concept provides a theoretical framework that aims at explaining organism distributions by a combination of environmental filtering, dispersal, and drift. However, few works have attempted a multitaxon approach and even fewer have compared two distant biogeographical regions using the same methodology. We tested the expectation that temperate (mediterranean-climate) pond metacommunities would be more influenced by environmental and spatial processes than tropical ones, because of stronger environmental gradients and a greater isolation of waterbodies. However, the pattern should be different among groups of organisms depending on their dispersal abilities. We surveyed 30 tropical and 32 mediterranean temporary ponds from Costa Rica and Spain, respectively, and obtained data on 49 environmental variables. We characterized the biological communities of bacteria and archaea (from the water column and the sediments), phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, amphibians and birds, and estimated the relative role of space and environment on metacommunity organization for each group and region, by means of variation partitioning using generalized additive models. Purely environmental effects were important in both tropical and mediterranean ponds, but stronger in the latter, probably due to their larger limnological heterogeneity. Spatially correlated environment and pure spatial effects were greater in the tropics, related to higher climatic heterogeneity and dispersal processes (e.g., restriction, surplus) acting at different scales. The variability between taxonomic groups in the contribution of spatial and environmental factors to metacommunity variation was very wide, but higher in active, compared with passive, dispersers. Higher environmental effects were observed in mediterranean passive dispersers, and higher spatial effects in tropical passive dispersers. The unexplained variation was larger in the tropical setting, suggesting a higher role for stochastic processes, unmeasured environmental factors, or biotic interactions in the tropics, although this difference affected some actively dispersing groups (insects and birds) more than passive dispersers. These results, despite our limitations in comparing only two regions, provide support, for a wide variety of aquatic organisms, for the classic view of stronger abiotic niche constraints in temperate areas compared with the tropics. The heterogeneous response of taxonomic groups between regions also points to a stronger influence of regional context than organism adaptations on metacommunity organization.

This study consists of a seismicity revision and the assessment of the probabilistic seismic hazard of the Canary Islands. In order to analyze its seismotectonics and associated seismic hazard, we performed a full revision of the seismicity of this region of oceanic intraplate seismicity, whose earthquake rate is low and its links to local tectonics are poorly understood. In this catalog, we designed a criterion for assigning the epicenter of historical events and homogenized the different magnitude values defined over time for earthquakes from the instrumental period. This analysis of the seismicity of the region and the structural lineaments obtained by previous geophysical studies enabled us to define two possible seismic zonings, which were then used in the probabilistic seismic hazard assessment. Given the special characteristics of the seismicity of the Canary Islands, we chose a Monte Carlo approach for calculating the hazard. We used the two alternatives provided by EqHaz open-source code (Assatourians and Atkinson, Seismol Res Lett 84:516–524, 2013; Seismol Res Lett 90:1407–1419, 2019), namely uniform and smoothed seismicity. Given that no ground motion prediction equation (GMPE) for the area is available, we selected the most robust and recent applicable relations from similar tectonic environment and checked the fit of the existing accelerometric data for the Canary Islands. We mixed the aleatory and epistemic uncertainties for each area of the two zonings in the hazard calculation. With this approach, the values obtained may be considered in the context of an extreme-value distribution of motions at a specific site after converting the simulated earthquakes into earth motion with the selected GMPEs. The final outcome is hazard maps for different periods in terms of horizontal acceleration at bedrock level, which we compared with the results deduced from recent hazard studies in the area.

Some species of freshwater microcrustaceans have been widely used for biological control of mosquito larval populations. These zooplankton communities play an important role against some species of mosquitoes by exerting competitive pressure or predation. However, zooplankters are scarcely studied in many Caribbean islands such as Hispaniola. The goal of this study was to improve the knowledge of these microcrustaceans in order to better understand the biodiversity and ecology of this Antillean Island. Samples of zooplankton were taken from 28 ponds in the northern Dominican Republic during 2020. The total richness of microcrustaceans was 25 species, comprising 17 copepods and 8 cladocerans. Most of the collected species were previously described for the island, and some of them are registered as potential biological controllers of mosquito larvae populations. Five genera (including 6 species) of microcrustaceans that inhabit the ponds are recorded for the first time for Hispaniola: Simocephalus Schoedler, 1858; Pleuroxus Baird, 1853; Ilyocryptus G.O. Sars, 1861; Apocyclops Lindberg, 1942; and Diacyclops Kiefer, 1927. Here, we discuss these new findings in relation to the competitive and/or predatory potential of these species against mosquito larvae. The present study improves the knowledge of biodiversity in ponds in the Dominican Republic.

Entre 2017 y 2018 se realizó un estudio limnológico de 30 lagunas temporales de Costa Rica. Entre otros organismos, se estudiaron las esponjas de agua dulce (Porifera: Spongillidae), en cuya distribución se centra el presente estudio. De las muestras se aislaron 15 552 gémulas de esponjas repartidas en 21 localidades de la provincia de Guanacaste. Este material se obtuvo a lo largo de seis campañas de muestreo efectuadas entre mayo de 2017 y diciembre de 2018. Las especies de esponjas identificadas fueron Radiospongilla crateriformis (Potts, 1882), Corvoheteromeyenia heterosclera (Ezcurra de Drago, 1974), Tubella variabilis Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1973 y Ephydatia fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1759) con nuevas localidades. Se recolectaron las cuatro especies juntas en una laguna denominada “El Sitio” y se citan dos nuevas localidades de T. variabilis en “Sainalosa” y “El Sitio” junto con Ephydatia fluviatilis y Corvoheteromeyenia heterosclera en la primera, ambas lagunas localizadas en la provincia de Guanacaste. Además, destaca la recolección de gémulas de T. variabilis aglutinadas en el tubo de alojamiento del oligoqueto Aulophorus vagus Leidy, 1880 (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Naididae). Todas las gémulas se recolectaron únicamente en la vertiente Pacífica de Costa Rica, mientras que no se encontró ninguna en las lagunas muestreadas en la vertiente Atlántica, correspondiéndose con una mayor disponibilidad de fitoplancton en la primera, y mayor transparencia y menor concentración de sales del agua en la segunda.

In this study, we define a local magnitude scale for earthquakes occurring in the Canary Islands during the 2003–2020 period. We used data corresponding to 696 earthquakes (excluding those associated with the 2011–2015 El Hierro eruption), which consisted of 9267 observations in a hypocentral distance in the range of 10–500 km. Amplitudes were obtained by deconvolving the original recordings with the instrument response and then convolving the recording with the Wood-Anderson response. The amplitudes were inverted simultaneously to obtain the distance correction terms and station corrections. We found that the amplitude for this set of data is linearly attenuated. However, this is not the case for the seismicity recorded during the 2011 El Hierro eruption, which is the reason for excluding data for that case. We obtain a local magnitude ofML = logA + 0.967 log (R/40) + 0.00142 (R − 40) + 2.445 + S, whereAis the maximum amplitude in millimeters of the S wave for the horizontal components of the simulated Wood-Anderson instrument (WA),Ris the hypocentral distance in kilometers, andSis the station correction for each component at every station. This relationship indicates that seismic waves at this island volcano setting are less attenuated than those in crustal continental settings, such as across the Iberian Peninsula or in California.

Desde que dio inicio el nuevo siglo, varios estudios sobre la culicidofauna de la Hispaniola han elevado el conocimiento de este grupo de artrópodos, muy relevantes desde el punto de vista médico y veterinario. En relación a la diversidad de la familia Culicidae, los hallazgos más recientes se han realizado en el municipio de Jarabacoa, República Dominicana. Con el objetivo de profundizar en la diversidad de los culícidos presentes en esta localidad montañosa de El Cibao, se procedió a la búsqueda de criaderos de mosquitos, sobre todo de origen natural, desde enero de 2018 hasta junio de 2019. La identificación de los especímenes se realizó mediante la utilización de lupa binocular y microscopio, con la ayuda de claves taxonómicas. Se reportan seis nuevas especies para Jarabacoa, sumando un total de 22 para el municipio, sobre las cuales se analizan cuestiones como su bioecología y su papel en la transmisión de agentes patógenos, entre otras. Destaca la presencia de Culex interrogator Dyar y Knab, 1906, especie que se reporta por primera vez en la Hispaniola, y por segunda en el Caribe insular. A pesar de que este culícido no está implicado hasta la fecha en la transmisión de patógenos al ser humano, otras especies encontradas en este estudio como Anopheles crucians Wiedemann, 1828, Aedes scapularis (Rondani, 1848) y Psorophora confinnis (Lynch Arribálzaga, 1891) deben ser tenidas en cuenta en los programas de vigilancia y control, a tenor de su relevancia médica.

An updated compilation of intensity files was performed based mainly on the most recent studies of earthquake intensity distribution in Spain [above all, the revision by Martinez Solares and Mezcua (Catalogo Sismico de la Peninsula Iberica (800 a.C.-1900). Monografia No. 18, Instituto Geografico Nacional, 2002)] and an intensity dataset generated by the Instituto Geografico Nacional in 2008 using the Did you feel it Internet-based program. The large amount of data (more than 37,000 intensity data points) enabled us to calculate an intensity prediction equation for the whole of the Spanish mainland, as well as regional equations corresponding to three Spanish seismotectonic zones. The intensity prediction equations for the three different seismotectonic regions in the Iberian Peninsula (Betic, Stable Continental Region—SCR and Pyrenees) reflect their differences. The Pyrenees zone provides the highest maxima intensities for magnitudes M 5 and 6 in the 20–100 km range of hypocentral distance, but for that distance interval, the intensities for magnitude M = 4 shown by the SCR region is higher. Finally, when comparing the theoretical intensity values obtained using the average intensity prediction equation for the Spanish mainland with the values in the dataset, anomalous behaviour occurs in the 60–120 km range, which can be explained by the Moho bounce of the energy that increases the corresponding intensity values in this distance range. This effect is suggested also by studying the PGV amplitude decay with distance using a set of 11 shallow events in the 4.5–5.1 moment magnitude interval.

The metacommunity concept provides a theoretical framework that aims at explaining organism distributions by a combination of environmental filtering, dispersal and drift. With the development of statistical tools to quantify and partially isolate the role of each of these processes, empirical metacommunity studies have multiplied worldwide. However, few works attempt a multi-taxon approach and even fewer compare two distant biogeographical regions using the same methodology. Under this framework, we tested the expectation that temperate (mediterranean-climate) pond metacommunities would be more influenced by environmental and spatial processes than tropical ones, because of stronger environmental gradients and greater isolation of waterbodies.We surveyed 30 tropical and 32 mediterranean temporary ponds from Costa Rica and Spain, respectively, and obtained data on 49 environmental variables (including limnological, hydrogeomorphological, biotic, climatic, and landscape variables). We characterized the biological communities of Bacteria and Archaea (from both the water column and the sediments), phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, amphibians and birds, and estimated the relative role of space and environment on metacommunity organization for each group and region, by means of variation partitioning using Generalized Additive Models (GAMs).Environmental selection was important in both tropical and mediterranean ponds, but markedly stronger in the latter, probably due to their larger limnological heterogeneity. Spatialized environment and pure spatial effects were greater in the tropics, related to higher climatic heterogeneity and dispersal processes (e.g. restriction, surplus) acting at different scales. The variability between taxonomic groups in spatial and environmental contributions was very wide. Effects on passive and active dispersers were similar within regions but different across regions, with higher environmental effects in mediterranean active dispersers. The residual (unexplained) variation was larger in tropical pond metacommunities, suggesting a higher role for stochastic processes and/or effects of biotic interactions in the tropics. Overall, these results provide support, for a wide variety of organisms related to aquatic habitats, for the classical view of stronger abiotic niche constraints in temperate areas compared to the tropics.

The analysis of macroinvertebrate communities is essential in aquatic ecology studies. Nonetheless, sample collection, processing and species determination of macroinvertebrates are extremely time-consuming and require huge efforts. Moreover, despite the crucial need for refined sampling protocols, investigations on viable benchmark sampling efforts are still scarce. This study provides a preliminary analysis on the optimisation of the sampling effort required to study macroinvertebrate communities from rice fields. Twenty core sediment samples were collected from a non-vegetated Mediterranean lagoon (rice field) in Valencia (Spain), and their macroinvertebrate community assemblages were obtained. Characterisations of the minimum number of samples needed for both faunistic inventories and environmental quality assessments were carried out using diversity indexes (number of taxa, Shannon, Simpson, and Margalef indexes), ecological indicators (Nutritional Mode Index, IMN) and several species richness estimators (Chao 1, Chao 2, Jacknife 1, Jacknife 2, ACE, ICE, Bootstrap and EstimateS 9.1.0). Our results indicate that in surveys in which the taxa richness of the communities is the objective, 20 samples or even more could be needed. However, when the objective of the study is to assess the environmental quality by means of ecological indexes such as the IMN, three samples could be an acceptable benchmark. Our findings, despite being limited by our experiment conditions, can provide methodological guidelines for ecological assessments in Mediterranean rice fields and shallow non-vegetated lagoons. Further research involving multiple study areas and seasonal patterns will help meliorate the accuracy of this protocol and refine sampling efforts in wetlands.

19 páginas, 9 figuras, 3 tablas., The genus Cypris, considered the oldest ostracod generic name erected using the Linnean system, comprises a reduced number of large-bodied species, mostly found in Africa and Asia. Only six of them are known to occur in Europe. Here we describe a new species, Cypris pretusi sp. nov., collected in small temporary streams and ponds along the Eastern Iberian Peninsula and Minorca (Balearic Islands). The new species is very close to the type species of the genus, Cypris pubera O.F. Müller, 1776, but differs from it in having a set of smaller subequal spines on the posterior edge of the valves, by the absence of conspicuous spines along the front edge, and by the beak-like frontal shape of its carapace in dorsal view, similar to Cypris decaryi Gauthier, 1933. Soft parts are very similar to the type species, but it differs in having shorter swimming setae on the second antennae. Molecular analyses of the COX1 region support its status as a species distinct from C. pubera and closer to Cypris bispinosa Lucas, 1849, also providing evidence for a separation of C. pubera s.l. in two clades, one of which is here considered to correspond to Cypris triaculeata Daday, 1892. We discuss the relationships of C. pretusi sp. nov. to other members of the genus and its possible origin from nearby biogeographic regions (probably Africa or Asia) and provide a key to species of Cypris found in Europe. We also discuss the relationship between Monoculus concha pedata (= M. conchaceus), the first ostracod named by Linnæus, and Cypris pubera, the type species of the genus, described by Müller in 1776 and considered by him the same species as the one first named by Linnæus., Partial funding has been provided by the METACOM-SET project (code CGL201678260-P), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Agencia Española de Investigación, and FEDER). We also acknowledge the help provided by the technicians at the SCSIE (Microscopy and Genomics Units) of the University of valencia when obtaining SEM pictures and COX1 sequences. FP acknowledges projects “CIDEGENT/2019/028 - BIOdiversity PAtterns of Crustacea from Karstic Systems (BIOPACKS): molecular, morphological, and functional adaptations” funded by the Conselleria d’Innovació, Universitats, Ciència i Societat Digital, and “PRO2019-S02-PALERO - Fauna aquàtica en coves anquihalines del País valencià: un mon encara per descriure” funded by the Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

RESUMEN Se desarrolló un material compuesto a partir de un jarabe de polimetilmetacrilato (PMMA), trihidróxido de aluminio (ATH) y cargas minerales naturales (CMN) con propiedades similares al material comercial Krion®. Con este propósito, se fabricaron materiales compuestos en dos etapas: En la primera etapa, se realizó la polimerización parcial, en masa, vía radicales libres del metacrilato de metilo (MMA) para obtener un jarabe de polimetilmetacrilato y se determinaron los parámetros de la polimerización necesarios para evitar el efecto de autoaceleración y, al mismo tiempo, lograr un jarabe de un porcentaje de conversión de PMMA capaz de evitar la sedimentación de partículas de ATH. En la segunda etapa, se fabricaron y caracterizaron diversas muestras de materiales compuestos a partir de la mezcla del jarabe de PMMA obtenido anteriormente, partículas de ATH y CMN, con el propósito de determinar los parámetros adecuados para lograr propiedades similares al Krion®. Se ha demostrado que, para evitar la autoaceleración y la sedimentación de ATH, se debe lograr un jarabe con un porcentaje de conversión de MMA en PMMA entre 20% y 25% en peso y la polimerización parcial debe realizarse con 0,1% en peso de peróxido de benzoilo (PBO) y 0,2% en peso de etilenglicol dimercaptoacetato (EGDM) a 85°C durante 90 minutos. Similarmente, para obtener propiedades similares al Krion®, los parámetros para la fabricación de un material compuesto de PMMA reforzado con partículas de ATH y CMN son: 40% jarabe / 60% ATH / %CMN variable según el tipo de carga, 0,1% en peso de PBO adicional, 2,0% en peso de etilenglicol dimetacrilato (EGDMA) y 13 horas de curado en un horno a 85°C. Las propiedades del material compuesto con solo ATH fabricado bajo estas condiciones son: 53 MPa de resistencia a flexión, 8054 MPa de módulo elástico en flexión y 91 HRM de dureza. La calidad estética mejora con la incorporación de CMN pero las propiedades mecánicas disminuyen. ABSTRACT A composite material, which properties are similar to the commercial material Krion®, was manufactured using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) syrup, alumina trihydrate (ATH) and natural mineral fillers (CMN). For this purpose, composites have been manufactured in 2 stages: In first stage, free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out to obtain syrup of polymethyl methacrylate. Polymerization parameters were determined in order to avoid autoacceleration effect and to get syrup which PMMA conversion avoids precipitation of ATH particles. In second stage, composite samples were manufactured using the obtained syrup, ATH and CMN particles and, then, they were tested in order to determine suitable parameters to get similar properties to Krion®. It has been proved that syrup must have a MMA to PMMA conversion between 20% and 25% to avoid autoacceleration effect and precipitation of ATH particles. To obtain such syrup, polymerization must be carried out using 0,1% of benzoyl peroxide (PBO) y 0,2% of ethylene glycol dimercaptoacetate (EGDM) at 85°C during 90 minutes. Similarly, to get composites which properties are similar to Krion®, the manufacturing parameters of a PMMA composite reinforced with ATH and CMN particles are: 40% syrup / 60% ATH / %CMN variable according to the type of filler, 0,1% of additional PBO, 2,0% ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) y curing time 13 hours inside a furnace at 85°C. Properties of the composite that has been manufactured under these conditions and only contains ATH filler are: flexural resistance of 53 MPa, flexural elastic modulus of 8054 MPa and hardness of 91 HRM. Esthetic quality improves with the incorporation of CMN but mechanical properties decrease.

Se desarrollo un material compuesto a partir de un jarabe de polimetilmetacrilato (PMMA), trihidroxido de aluminio (ATH) y cargas minerales naturales (CMN) con propiedades similares al material comercial Krion®. Con este proposito, se fabricaron materiales compuestos en dos etapas: En la primera etapa, se realizo la polimerizacion parcial, en masa, via radicales libres del metacrilato de metilo (MMA) para obtener un jarabe de polimetilmetacrilato y se determinaron los parametros de la polimerizacion necesarios para evitar el efecto de autoaceleracion y, al mismo tiempo, lograr un jarabe de un porcentaje de conversion de PMMA capaz de evitar la sedimentacion de particulas de ATH. En la segunda etapa, se fabricaron y caracterizaron diversas muestras de materiales compuestos a partir de la mezcla del jarabe de PMMA obtenido anteriormente, particulas de ATH y CMN, con el proposito de determinar los parametros adecuados para lograr propiedades similares al Krion®. Se ha demostrado que, para evitar la autoaceleracion y la sedimentacion de ATH, se debe lograr un jarabe con un porcentaje de conversion de MMA en PMMA entre 20% y 25% en peso y la polimerizacion parcial debe realizarse con 0,1% en peso de peroxido de benzoilo (PBO) y 0,2% en peso de etilenglicol dimercaptoacetato (EGDM) a 85°C durante 90 minutos. Similarmente, para obtener propiedades similares al Krion®, los parametros para la fabricacion de un material compuesto de PMMA reforzado con particulas de ATH y CMN son: 40% jarabe / 60% ATH / %CMN variable segun el tipo de carga, 0,1% en peso de PBO adicional, 2,0% en peso de etilenglicol dimetacrilato (EGDMA) y 13 horas de curado en un horno a 85°C. Las propiedades del material compuesto con solo ATH fabricado bajo estas condiciones son: 53 MPa de resistencia a flexion, 8054 MPa de modulo elastico en flexion y 91 HRM de dureza. La calidad estetica mejora con la incorporacion de CMN pero las propiedades mecanicas disminuyen. Palabras clave: superficie solida, polimerizacion radicalar, polimetilmetacrilato, trihidroxido de aluminio, carga mineral natural.

Culex (Culex) garciai fue descrita por primera vez por González Broche (2000) a partir de ejemplares recolectados en las provincias cubanas orientales de Granma y Santiago de Cuba, a una altitud entre 120 y 620 msnm, respectivamente. Algunos años después, fue localizada también en la provincia de La Habana, a 65 msnm. En el presente estudio, se muestran los primeros hallazgos de esta especie para La Española, donde se ha localizado en entornos agrestes del municipio de Jarabacoa, provincia de La Vega, República Dominicana, a una altitud entre los 528 y 657 msnm. Los estados preimaginales fueron encontrados en hábitats naturales y artificiales, como huecos excavados en las rocas, troncos de bambú, charcos de agua de lluvia y en contenedores artificiales. Culex (Culex) garciai was first described by González Broche (2000) from specimens collected in the eastern Cuban provinces of Granma and Santiago de Cuba, between 120 and 620 MASL, respectively. Later, the species was also found in the province of Havana above 65 MASL. In this study, the first records of this species from Hispaniola are given. Cx. garciai has been located in a mountainous rural area in the municipality of Jarabacoa, Province of La Vega, Dominican Republic, between 528 and 657 MASL. Immature stages have been found in natural and artificial habitats, such as rocks pools, bamboo trunks, temporary rainwater puddles and artificial containers.

Se estudia la caracterización limnológica de 30 lagunas del bosque tropical seco de Costa Rica y Nicaragua durante 2010-11. Se aislaron gémulas de esponjas de agua dulce en cuatro de las localidades. Se registraron dos nuevas citas de esponjas para Nicaragua, Radiospongilla cerebellata (Bowerbank, 1863) y Corvoheteromeyenia heterosclera (Ezcurra de Drago, 1974). En Costa Rica también se registró esta última y se recolectaron ejemplares de Radiospongilla crateriformis (Potts, 1882). En otra laguna de Costa Rica, se recolectó una larva neuróptero (Insecta) de la familia Sisyridae asociada a las esponjas: Sisyra apicalis Banks, 1908. Por otro lado, hemos podido recolectar gémulas incrustadas en el tubo de alojamiento del oligoqueto Aulophorus vagus Leidy, 1880 (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Naididae), que también supone la primera cita para Costa Rica y Nicaragua. The characterization of 30 temporary ponds was done in the tropical dry forest of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, in 2010-2011. Gemmules of sponges were isolated in four of the studied sites. Two new records were set for Nicaragua, Radiospongilla cerebellata (Bowerbank, 1863) and Corvoheteromeyenia heterosclera (Ezcurra de Drago, 1974). In Costa Rica, the last ones was also recorded as well as specimens of Radiospongilla crateriformis (Potts, 1882) were collected. In another pond of Costa Rica, larva of Neuroptera (Insecta) belonging to family Sisyridae, commonly associated to sponges, was collected: Sisyra apicalis Banks, 1908. In addition, we have been able to collect embedded gemmules in the housing tube of the annelid Aulophorus vagus Leidy, 1880 (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Naididae). This species is also here reported for the first time in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

espanolEntre final de abril y principio de mayo de 2017, en un area de montana con altitudes superiores a 1.500 msnm, se capturaron dos especies de mosquitos (Diptera, Culicidae) poco comunes: Aedes (Rusticoidus) refiki y Aedes (Ochlerotatus) pullatus. Se recolectaron 626 ejemplares, con densidades larvarias mayoritarias de Ae. refiki (87%). Se describio una nueva asociacion larvaria entre ambas especies, hasta la fecha desconocida. Los culicidos se localizaron en un entorno habitualmente nevado en invierno, del Parque Natural del Alto Tajo (Guadalajara, Comunidad de CastillaLa Mancha) y en los Montes Universales (Teruel, Comunidad Auto- noma de Aragon). En consecuencia, se presentan como primeras citas para las provincias de Guadalajara y Teruel. EnglishTwo species of uncommon mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) were collected during late April and early May 2017, in a mountainous rural area located above 1,500 MASL: Aedes (Rusticoidus) refiki Medschid, 1928 and Aedes (Ochlerotatus) pullatus (Coquillett, 1904). A total of 626 specimens were collected, with larval densities in favor of Ae. refiki (87%). A new larval association between both species, to date unknown, was described. The culicids were located in a normally snowy environment during the winters, in the Alto Tajo Natural Park (Guadalajara, Community of Castilla-La Mancha) and in the Montes Universales (Teruel, Autonomous Community of Aragon). Thus, in this contribution two new provincial records for Guadalajara and Teruel

A historical overview of the leech fauna of Morocco, based on both literature data, museum collections and new material, sampled in more than 100 sites in the Moulouya River basin (eastern region of Morocco), is provided. Twenty species from five families and ten genera are currently known, of which Helobdella europea Kutschera, 1987, is a new record for the country and North Africa as a whole. Herein, we add many new distribution records. The current list will need to be revised as new species distributions are recorded in the region. Notes on the species distribution are given along with comments on their habitat preferences. A concise biogeographic analysis outlines the similarities in the distribution of some species at regional and continental scales. This contribution is intended to provide information concerning the leech fauna of Morocco and is considered a foundation for future studies.Keywords: distribution, habitat preferences, Helobdella europea, leech fauna, new record

En República Dominicana tienen especial interés, dada su gran relevancia médica, las enfermedades transmitidas por mosquitos. La presente investigación profundiza sobre la diversidad de los culícidos existentes en el municipio de Jarabacoa, a fin de actualizar la información sobre estos dípteros y sus principales sitios de cría, naturales y artificiales. Para tal cometido, se procedió a la búsqueda activa de formas preimaginales mediante la técnica del dipper; se utilizaron pipetas plásticas para muestrear en reservorios de pequeño tamaño. La identificación se llevó a cabo mediante la utilización de lupa binocular y microscopio, con la ayuda de claves taxonómicas específicas. Se capturaron 16 especies pertenecientes a los géneros Aedes Meigen, 1818, Anopheles Meigen, 1818, Culex Linnaeus, 1758, Toxorhynchites Theobald, 1901, Uranotaenia Lynch Arribálzaga, 1891 y Wyeomyia Theobald, 1901, sobre las que se analizaron diversas cuestiones acerca de su bioecología y su papel en la transmisión de agentes patógenos de importancia médica. Se reporta Culex biscaynensis Zavortink & O’Meara, 1999 por primera vez en el Caribe insular, con lo que el número de especies de mosquitos citadas en el país se eleva a 50.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness in people over 40 years old. In Colombia there is a high prevalence of the disease, being worse the fact that there is not enough ophthalmologists for the country’s population. Fundus imaging is the most used screening technique for glaucoma detection for its trade-off between portability, size and costs. In this paper we present a computational tool for automatic glaucoma detection. We report improvements for disc segmentation in comparison with other works on the literature, a novel method to segment the cup by thresholding and a new measure between the size of the cup and the size of the disc. Results were obtained from a set of fundus images in collaboration with the Center of Prevention and Attention of Glaucoma in Bucaramanga, Colombia, where the percentage of success of glaucoma detection was of 88.5%.

The circular economy seeks to minimize the use of raw materials and waste generation. In this context, here we addressed the use of dunite mining tailings and subproducts to stabilize metal(oid)s in polluted soils. We first characterized the dunite mining tailings and subproducts, and a paradigmatic polluted soil in depth to determine their chemical and mineralogical properties. Experimental trials using Brassica juncea L. were performed to evaluate the impact of the two materials on vegetation growth, edaphic properties and pollutant stabilization yields. To this end, the plants were grown over 75 days in 1 kg pots containing the polluted soil amended with the dunite materials. Notably, both amendments caused a dramatic decrease in the available Zn and a moderate reduction in available Cu, Cd and Pb. In contrast, the concentration of available As was not modified. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) was improved by treatment with the amendments, allowing an increase in the biomass harvested. The immobilization mechanism achieved was probably due to an increase in pH and CEC. In conclusion, the dunite tailings and subproducts could be effective amendments for stabilizing polluted soil. This work paves the way for additional studies with distinct types of soils and conditions.

Durante el desarrollo de un curso sobre la evaluación de la calidad biológica de las aguas continentales en León (Nicaragua), se recolectaron ejemplares de la esponja de agua dulce Radiospongilla crateriformis (Potts, 1882) (Porifera: Spongillidae), la cual se cita aquí por primera vez para el país. Los muestreos se realizaron durante la tercera semana de enero de 2016 en el río Los Aposentos. Este circula dentro del recinto del Jardín Botánico Ambiental (JBAUNAN-León). Se aportan datos sobre la autoecología de los ejemplares recolectados y se discuten ciertas diferencias morfológicas con respecto a otras citas en países cercanos. In the framework of a field course on water quality assessment in León (Nicaragua), we collected specimens of the freshwater sponge Radiospongilla crateriformis (Potts, 1882) (Porifera: Spongillidae), which is herein cited for the first time for this country. Samples were obtained during the third week of January 2016 from river Los Aposentos. This stream runs through the Environmental Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico Ambiental, JBA-UNAN-León). We present data on the species autoecology and discuss morphological differences with previous findings from surrounding areas.

Different waveform-based discrimination parameters were tested using multivariate statistical analysis to develop a real-time procedure for discriminating explosions from earthquakes at regional distances in the Iberian Peninsula. This work enabled a purge of the Spanish National Seismic Catalogue for the period 2003–2014. The training data consisted of waveform-based signal properties in the time and frequency domain for events (earthquakes and explosions) recorded during the selected time period by the Spanish Broadband National Network and Sonseca short-period Array of the Instituto Geografico Nacional (IGN). For each station and its associated training dataset, a discriminant function was defined as a linear combination of the measured variables. All station-specific discriminant functions were then combined with a weighting scheme to test the training events, revealing that 86 % of the events were consistent with the analysts’ judgement. The application of this method to the whole of the IGN’s seismic database for the studied period gave an 83 % success rate; however, a 91 % success rate is reached if events are classified using at least three stations and 100 % confidence levels.

The processes behind the heterogeneous distribution of species involve a combination of environmental and spatial effects. In the spatial context, stream networks constitute appropriate systems to compare the relative importance of two dispersal modes in aquatic organisms: overland and watercourse dispersal. In the present study, we analyzed the distribution of ostracod species in a river network in the eastern Iberian Peninsula, with variation partitioning between environmental and spatial factors, using Moran and Asymmetric Eigenvector Maps (MEMs, AEMs) as spatial variables. Our aims were to determine the relative importance of environmental and spatial control and to compare the importance of overland and watercourse dispersal for species distribution of passively-dispersing aquatic organisms. Our results suggest that watercourse was the most important dispersal mode, favoring mass-effects. The role of species sorting was significant and related to temperature, stream width and water quality, measured as a biotic index (IBMWP). These results stress the major importance of connectivity, besides niche-related factors, in structuring riverine communities of passively-dispersing aquatic organisms.

A rapid and simple method to access unnatural 2-substituted 5-thio oxazolines has been developed. This methodology is based on a Pummerer reaction followed by an intramolecular nucleophilic substitution, which changes the paradigm for the normal use of a base in Pummerer chemistry. We also provide a useful two-step method for the synthesis of the starting material and a mechanistic proposal based on experimental observations, which contests the previously proposed reaction pathway. The reaction proved to be general, and different substituents, such as alkyl, aryl, alkenyl and functionalized groups, can be used without a significant decrease in efficiency.