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Abstract: Lymnaeidae play a crucial role in the transmission of fasciolosis, a disease of medical and veterinary importance. In the Neotropic, a region where fasciolosis is emergent, eight Lymnaeidae species are currently considered valid. However, our knowledge of the diversity of this taxon is hindered by the fact that lymnaeids exhibit extremely homogeneous anatomical traits. Because most species are difficult to identify using classic taxonomy, it is difficult to establish an epidemiological risk map of fasciolosis in the Neotropic. In this paper, we contribute to our understanding of the diversity of lymnaeids in this region of the world. We perform conchological, anatomical and DNA-based analyses (phylogeny and barcoding) of almost all species of Lymnaeidae inhabiting the Neotropic to compare the reliability of classic taxonomy and DNA-based approaches, and to delimitate species boundaries. Our results demonstrate that while morphological traits are unable to separate phenotypically similar species, DNA-based approaches unambiguously ascribe individuals to one species or another. We demonstrate that a taxon found in Colombia and Venezuela (Galba sp.) is closely related yet sufficiently divergent from Galba truncatula, G. humilis, G. cousini, G. cubensis, G. neotropica and G. viatrix to be considered as a different species. In addition, barcode results suggest that G. cubensis, G. neotropica and G. viatrix might be conspecifics. We conclude that conchological and anatomical characters are uninformative to identify closely related species of Lymnaeidae and that DNA-based approaches should be preferred. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the findings of a study on the link between the condition of Nearctic-Neotropic migrant species and a combination of La Niña and El Niño cycle called El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) during spring in Costa Rica. The authors state the correlation between migrant condition during spring and ENSO, and the possibility for such relationship to vary through foraging guild. Also cited are the factors that may hinder the potential improvement in the number of some migratory species.

The southeastern Yucatan Peninsula hosts high numbers of transient Nearctic-Neotropic migrants during autumn migration, but the importance of this region during migratory stopover has not been addressed. We studied autumn stopover body mass gains among passerine migrants in tropical lowland forest 20 km inland from the Gulf of Honduras. Most individuals captured had some subcutaneous fat. Ten of 15 taxa with sufficient sample sizes had significant positive diel (24 hr) gains in a body condition index. Estimates of net mass gains in these 10 taxa suggested they all were depositing fat; average individuals in four of these taxa were depositing sufficient fuel to undertake an entire night of migration after only 1 day of fattening: Empidonax spp., Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus), Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), and Northern Waterthrush (Seiurus noveboracensis). Two (Wood Thrush [Hylocichla mustelina] and Common Yellowthroat [Geothlypis trichas]) of the four species apparently not gaining mass at the study site migrate late in the season and occurred only after Hurricane Iris severely altered the habitat. Four other species (Gray Catbird, Magnolia Warbler [Dendroica magnolia], American Redstart [Setophaga ruticilla], and Indigo Bunting [Passerina cyanea]) had significant gains in mass after the hurricane. These data demonstrate the importance of the region as an autumn stopover site for some species and suggest that stopover areas farther north are also important to migrants passing through the southeastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The genus Trichoderma has been studied for production of enzymes and other metabolites, as well as for exploitation as effective biological control agents. The biodiversity of Trichoderma has seen relatively limited study over much of the neotropical region. In the current study we assess the biodiversity of 183 isolates from Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Colombia, using morphological, metabolic and genetic approaches. A comparatively high diversity of species was found, comprising 29 taxa: Trichoderma asperellum (60 isolates), Trichoderma atroviride (3), Trichoderma brevicompactum (5), Trichoderma crassum (3), Trichoderma erinaceum (3), Trichoderma gamsii (2), Trichoderma hamatum (2), Trichoderma harzianum (49), Trichoderma koningiopsis (6), Trichoderma longibrachiatum (3), Trichoderma ovalisporum (1), Trichoderma pubescens (2), Trichoderma rossicum (4), Trichoderma spirale (1), Trichoderma tomentosum (3), Trichoderma virens (8), Trichoderma viridescens (7) and Hypocrea jecorina (3) (anamorph: Trichoderma reesei), along with 11 currently undescribed species. T. asperellum was the prevalent species and was represented by two distinct genotypes with different metabolic profiles and habitat preferences. The second predominant species, T. harzianum, was represented by three distinct genotypes. The addition of 11 currently undescribed species is evidence of the considerable unresolved biodiversity of Trichoderma in neotropical regions. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of the ribosomal repeat could not differentiate some species, and taken alone gave several misidentifications in part due to the presence of nonorthologous copies of the ITS in some isolates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The genus Epanycles Butler (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Ctenuchina) has been considered as monotypical for 145 years, including only Epanycles imperialis (Walker). Herein, we propose a new combination: E. satania new. comb. based on external morphology, genital morphology of males and females, morphological phylogeny, DNA barcoding, and geographical distribution. Epanycles satania was originally described for the genus Episcepsis Butler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven species of Omiostola are recorded from Brazil, Ecuador and Cuba, four of which (O. longimacula, O. paragerda, O. manca, O. macella) are described as new. An alphabetical list of the known species of the genus is provided. O. macrotrachela is synonymized with O. hemeropis. Episimus melanaspis and E. varablancana are transferred to Omiostola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty species are discussed; 26 species Epinotia caracae sp. n., Epinotia griseiblema sp. n., Epinotia potosicola sp. n., Epinotia sticta sp. n., Epinotia huatuscana sp. n., Epinotia chalsocia sp. n., Epinotia phorminx sp. n., Epinotia sinuncus sp. n., Crocidosema ochrovirens sp. n., Crocidosema pusula sp. n., Crocidosema semanticana sp. n., Crocidosema marumbiana sp. n., Crocidosema atrovirens sp. n., Crocidosema bidepas sp. n., Crocidosema peroteana sp. n., Crocidosema tainia sp. n., Crocidosema argentonivea sp. n., Crocidosema dematia sp. n., Crocidosema carchinaia sp. n., Crocidosema puertoricana sp. n., Crocidosema cayeaya sp. n., Crocidosema cingularia sp. n., Crocidosema meteora sp. n., Crocidosema obta sp. n., Crocidosema mycteria sp. n., Crocidosema connexa sp. n. are described as new. New combinations: Epinotia chlorochara Razowski & Wojtusiak, E. guarandae Razowski & Wojtusiak, E. multistrigata Razowski & Wojtusiak, E. runtunica Razowski & Wojtusiak and E. tenebrica Razowski & Wojtusiak are transferred to Crocidosema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Field Ornithology is the property of Resilience Alliance 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.)

Seven species of the genus Rhysida Wood, 1862 from Venezuela and one subspecies from Peru described by Manuel Angel González Sponga and Wolfgang Bücherl respectively, are revised. R. caripensis González- Sponga, 2002, R. neoespartana González-Sponga, 2002, R. guayanica González-Sponga, 2002, R. maritima González-Sponga, 2002, R. monaguensis González-Sponga, 2002, R. porlamarensis González-Sponga 2002, R. sucupanensis González-Sponga, 2002 and Rhysida celeris andina Bücherl, 1953 are junior synonyms of R. celeris (Humbert & Saussure, 1870), which is redescribed and illustrated for the first time. Its geographic distribution is updated and a map showing its distribution is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study the male of Acanthaegilips levis Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar and the female of A diazi Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar are described, both unknown to date. The distribution oi A. brasiliensis Ashmead and A. macropennis Sporrong & Ros-Farré is extended, and the diagnostic characters of each species are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Field Ornithology is the property of Resilience Alliance 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 Marattiaceae are represented by a small family of four to six genera that bear esporogenous structures of two types: sorus with free eusporangia in Angiopteris and Archangiopteris, and indurated synangium in Christensenia, Danaea and Marattia. Marattia is a pantropical genus of about eight to ten species in the paleotropic and seven to eight species in the neotropic. In order to describe the spores and sinangia morphology, this study analyzed the shape of the receptacles, and the position of the synangia, and evaluated the spores with SEM, of seven neotropical species of the genus Marattia: M. alata, M. cicutifolia, M. excavata, M. interposita, M. laevis, M. laxa y M. weinmanniifolia from several collections. The receptacles were fully developed in M. cicutifolia and M. laevis, and scarcely overelevated in the rest of the species. The synangium was ellipsoidal and had intramarginal to supramedial position in the laminae. The spores of Marattia were elliptic. Among the taxa, only monolete spores were found, with no trilete, aborted or deformed spores. The laesura was linear and reached about two of the total length of the spore. The perispore appears as a continuous thin layer deposited on the exospore according to its ornamentation in M. cicutifolia and M. laevis. It is smooth in M. alata, rugate in M. excavata and pustulate-rugate in two species: M. interposita and M. laxa. The exospore is echinate in M. cicutifolia and M. laevis and pustulate in the other species. In M. weinmannifolia spores produced by the same sinangium may have different ornamentation types. We concluded that, while the presence of ellipsoidal and superficial synangia and monolete spores aperture were generic traits, the micro and macro-ornamentation types of the perispores and exospores vary at specific level. Besides, macro-ornamentation can be bulliform (pustulate), a combination of bulliform and muriform types (pustulate-rugate), muriform (rugate-retate) and stelliform (echinate); finally, granular micro-ornamentation can be seen frecuently in perispores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galatheidae and Chirostylidae are two of the most diverse and abundant families of decapod crustaceans, besides penaeid shrimps. These families contain 869 species around the world and live from shallow waters (less common), marine bottoms on continental slopes (more common), to hydrothermal vents and abyssal plains at 5000 m depth. Eleven genera and 161 species from the Neotropic, and eight genera and 43 species from Colombian waters have been recorded. Currently we have few taxonomic and systematic studies on these groups in spite of their ecological importance due the species richness and abundance. The main goal of this paper is to compile the most important bibliographic information from galatheids and chyrostilids from the neotropical region, including local and regional data, synonymies and current information. This compilation was made from papers and other regional publications and also with the material revision from several international museums, including the Museo de Historia Natural Marina de Colombia. Results show that the majority of species from Neotropic waters (67 species) are distributed in Florida, Central America, Caribbean insular territories and Colombia; 20 species are Neotropical-wide, 12 are restricted to insular territories and three to Central America. The remaining 46 species show a discontinuous distribution throughout the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new fossil flower preserved in amber from Miocene sediments of Simojovel de Allende, Mexico, is described and recognized as a new member of Celastraceae. This fossil flower is bisexual, with a 5-merous perianth and extrastaminal disk, furthermore the presence of two stamens inserted in the inside surface of a pentagonal disk and ovoid pistil constitute characters that allows its inclusion in Salacia (Salacioideae). This is a new extinct taxon and represents a Salacia species with a mosaic of characters today present in different extant species distributed along the Paleo and Neotropic. The presence of Salacia ca. 23–15 My in southern Mexico can be explained through the Boreotropical Flora Hypothesis, a proposal supported by the Paleogene fossil record of Celastraceae in high latitude North America. The neobotanical data suggest that the Salacioideae was derived from an independent Old World Celastraceae lineage, and subsequently diversified in the New World. Fossil and extant plant evidence support the importance of fossil plants collected in low latitude North America and highlight the relevance of paleobotanical studies in challenging biogeographical hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Apicotermitinae genus and species Echinotermes biriba is described from workers collected on the Andean-Amazon Piedmont in Colombia and Peru. The enteric valve armature of Echinotermes biriba Castro & Scheffrahn, gen. et sp. n. is a remarkably diagnostic character. A Bayesian phylogenetic analysis using the COI gene and including all other Neotropical Apicotermitinae genera, supports the new genus as a distinct terminal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Lilloa is the property of Fundacion Miguel Lillo 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 felid Neotropical ensemble has experienced important changes from the Pleistocene to the present, the extinction of sabertooth cats being the most significant. Assuming that the morphofunctional structure of the Neotropical felid ensemble was maximally expressed when machairodontines were present, we added specimens of Smilodon fatalis and S. populator to a morphological dataset inclusive of all extant species of Neotropical felids to explore the hypothetical effect of extinction of machairodontines on the perceived morphofunctional structure of the ensemble. We studied 321 specimens of 12 extant species of Neotropical felids plus S. populator and S. fatalis by measuring 123 skull and postcranial morphofunctional variables. We used Principal Component Analysis to find morphofunctional patterns of the skull, postcranium, and both combined (with and without correction for size) of both ensembles, past (with Smilodon) and present (with Smilodon lost to extinction). Canonical Phylogenetic Ordination was performed to assess the degree of phylogenetic influence on this morphospace. We also explored the effect of including homotherines in the Pleistocene guild by including specimens of North American Homotherium serum. Size was the principal factor structuring ensembles. Important morphological characters were associated to ecological performance of species. A pattern of bodily proportions was apparent: more stout species with larger skull, longer rostrum, stronger bite force, and longer pectoral crests, versus gracile, jumping species with opposing characters. The felid morphospace shrank after the extinction of Smilodon and Homotherium, but the configuration of the portion of space containing extant felids remained stable. This pattern is associated with deep phylogenetic roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a greenhouse experiment using common Puerto Rican trees and shrubs that span the spectrum of neotropic life histories. Our working hypothesis was that species had a higher colonisation rate of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) as they established further and further after a disturbance (quantified as increasing seed size). Results suggested that (1) Cecropia schreberiana and Schefflera morototoni were weakly-facultative mycorrhizal, (2) Casearia arborea, Inga laurina and Guarea guidonia were strongly-facultative mycorrhizal and (3) Piper glabrescens, Tabebuia heterophylla, Palicourea riparia, Buchenaria capitata and Dacryodes excelsa were obligately mycorrhizal with (4) Psychotria berteriana, Prestoea montana and Manilkara bidentata also obligate but at a reduced level. In general, these species were adapted to low inorganic phosphorus, colonised well with AMF and agreed with our working hypothesis; however, three shrub species (Piper, Palicourea, Psychotria) did not. Finally, we also found that shade tolerance of the test species corresponded with the AMF results better than their wood density or drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common assumption in bioclimatic envelope modeling is that species distributions are in equilibrium with contemporary climate. A number of studies have measured departures from equilibrium in species distributions in particular regions, but such investigations were never carried out for a complete lineage across its entire distribution. We measure departures of equilibrium with contemporary climate for the distributions of the world amphibian species. Specifically, we fitted bioclimatic envelopes for 5544 species using three presence-only models. We then measured the proportion of the modeled envelope that is currently occupied by the species, as a metric of equilibrium of species distributions with climate. The assumption was that the greater the difference between modeled bioclimatic envelope and the occupied distribution, the greater the likelihood that species distribution would not be at equilibrium with contemporary climate. On average, amphibians occupied 30% to 57% of their potential distributions. Although patterns differed across regions, there were no significant differences among lineages. Species in the Neotropic, Afrotropics, Indo-Malay, and Palaearctic occupied a smaller proportion of their potential distributions than species in the Nearctic, Madagascar, and Australasia. We acknowledge that our models underestimate non equilibrium, and discuss potential reasons for the observed patterns. From a modeling perspective our results support the view that at global scale bioclimatic envelope models might perform similarly across lineages but differently across regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laguncularia racemosa is a species characteristic of mangroves of the Neotropic. The leaves of this species present diverse glandular structures, slightly common characteristic in arboreal species and less still in species of mangrove forest. In this work we are described morphoanatomically the leaf blade glands by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The presence of diverse glands might assume to a complex adjustment or mechanism of response of the species to the halophytic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia 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.)

Window strikes are among the most worrisome causes of bird mortality. Being responsible for billions of avian deaths, bird-window collisions have been widely studied in the US and Canada, with few studies from Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Thus, there is still a dearth of knowledge regarding this alarming phenomenon in regions where biodiversity and urbanization peek, such as Latin America. In this study, we assessed bird-window collisions in Xalapa, a small-to-medium-sized Neotropical city located in Southeast Mexico. We gathered data under two schemes: (1) a standardized survey procedure and (2) non-systematic records. Regarding the former, we evaluated the role of building and surrounding vegetation traits, as well as the location of focal buildings in driving bird-window collisions. Considering both schemes, we recorded bird-window collisions for 43 species. The most frequent striking groups were hummingbirds and thrushes, which had already been identified as vulnerable given some of their natural and life history traits. Regarding the standardized survey, we found no statistical differences in the number of collisions among seasons; yet, we did record a predominance of strikes from resident bird species over migrants among all studied seasons. Our results show a significant positive relationship between the amount of surrounding vegetation area of the studied buildings and bird-window collision frequency, while building non-glass material area showed a significant negative relationship. Based on our findings and the limitations of our study, we encourage future research to combine systematic and standard surveys throughout the year with citizen science, together with carcass removal assessments and bird density surveys in the immediate vicinity of focal buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mammals are the biological group initially analysed by Wallace to define the Neotropical region (NR). Their areas of endemism (Ae) are considered historical patterns, which have been used to describe biogeographic schemes. However, the Ae at regional scale are currently unclear. In the present study, we analyse Ae of mammals at the regional scale and compare them with previous biogeographic schemes of the NR. The Ae of Neotropical terrestrial mammals were identified using the endemicity analysis (software NDM/VNDM). Our results showed that the NR is composed of 10 Ae, supported by 82 endemic taxa (6 families, 29 genera, and 47 species). The Ae showed a NR with multiple boundaries and with a core of higher overlap of the areas of endemism (OAE) from Veracruz and the Pacific coasts of Mexico to the southern limit of Amazonia in Brazil. The NR boundaries vary strikingly with latitude, with substantially more overlapping areas of endemism in the tropical biomes than in the temperate biomes of America. This pattern of OAE is consistent with the higher mammal-species richness zone within the tropical biomes and other biogeographic patterns such as higher productivity and spatial heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helminths in aquatic invertebrate hosts have been overlooked in comparison with vertebrate hosts. Therefore, the known diversity, ecology and distribution of these host–parasite systems are very limited in terms of their taxonomic diversity, habitat and geographic regions. In this study we examined the published literature on helminth parasites of aquatic invertebrates from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to identify the state of the knowledge in the region and to identify patterns of helminth diversity. Results showed that 67% of the literature is from Argentina, Mexico and Brazil. We found records for 772 host–parasite associations. Most records relate to medically or economically important hosts. Molluscs were the most studied host group with 377 helminth records (80% trematodes). The lymnaeids and planorbids were the most studied molluscs across LAC. Arthropods were the second most studied host group with 78 helminth records (trematodes 38%, cestodes 24% and nematodes 20%), with shrimps and crabs being the most studied hosts. Host species with the largest number of helminth taxa were those with a larger sampling effort through time, usually in a small country region. No large geographical-scale studies were identified. In general, the knowledge is still too scarce to allow any zoogeographical or helminth diversity generalization, as most hosts have been studied locally and the studies on invertebrate hosts in LAC are substantially uneven among countries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Blue-winged teal ( Anas discors) are abundant, small-bodied dabbling ducks that breed throughout the prairies of the northcentral USA and central Canada and that winter in the southern USA and northern Neotropics. Given the migratory tendencies of this species, it is plausible that blue-winged teal may disperse avian pathogens, such as parasites causing avian malaria, between spatially distant areas. To test the hypothesis that blue-winged teal play a role in the exchange of blood parasites between North America and areas further south, we collected information on migratory tendencies of this species and sampled birds at spatially distant areas during breeding and non-breeding periods to diagnose and genetically characterize parasitic infections. Using a combination of band recovery data, satellite telemetry, molecular diagnostics, and genetic analyses, we found evidence for (1) migratory connectivity of blue-winged teal between our sampling locations in the Canadian prairies and along the US Gulf Coast with areas throughout the northern Neotropics, (2) parasite acquisition at both breeding and non-breeding areas, (3) infection of blue-winged teal sampled in Canada and the USA with Plasmodium parasite lineages associated with the Neotropics, and (4) infection of blue-winged teal with parasites that were genetically related to those previously reported in waterfowl in both North America and South America. Collectively, our results suggest that blue-winged teal likely play a role in the dispersal of blood parasites between the Neotropics and North America, and therefore, the targeting of this species in surveillance programs for the early detection of Neotropical-origin avian pathogens in the USA may be informative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform phylogenetic analyses of the 'polymorphic earless praying mantises', a heterogeneous assemblage comprising c. 55% of mantodean diversity in the Neotropics. Bayesian and maximum-likelihood were implemented on a DNA dataset of 9949 aligned nucleic acid characters comprising ten mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Our analyses largely resolved congruent relationships with high levels of support for higher-level taxonomic groups, but revealed extensive inconsistencies between the resolved topology and morphology-based classification systems. The polymorphic earless praying mantises, now granted superfamily status as the Acanthopoidea stat. n., comprises 8 families, 15 subfamilies and 18 tribes. Our newly revised organization required the following taxonomic changes: (i) Thespidae sensu n., including subfamilies Pseudopogonogastrinae subfam. n., Pseudomiopteryginae sensu n., Bantiinae subfam. n., Miobantiinae sensu n. and Thespinae sensu n. (tribes Musoniellini trib. n. and Thespini sensu n.); (ii) Angelidae stat. n. et sensu n.; (iii) Coptopterygidae stat. n.; (iv) Liturgusidae sensu n.; (v) Photinaidae stat. n., including Macromantinae stat. n., Cardiopterinae stat. n., Photiomantinae subfam. n. and Photinainae sensu n. (tribes Microphotinini trib. n., Orthoderellini stat. n. and Photinaini sensu n.); (vi) Stenophyllidae stat. n.; (vii) Acontistidae stat. n.; and (viii) Acanthopidae sensu n. Our new system also resulted in the reassignment of various genera to new and existing higher-level taxa, the exclusion of old world genera otherwise traditionally classified among the Thespidae, Liturgusidae and Angelidae, the confirmation of Stenophylla Westwood as member of this clade, and the revalidation of Paradiabantia Piza stat. r. We provide diagnoses for all suprageneric taxa using external morphological characters and male genitalia. A key to higher-level groups is provided. We incorporate egg case structural variation as a novel approach for taxon delineation. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A short review is supplied of the history and search of the Microchelonus species in the Neotropics, taxonomic status of the genus Microchelonus and the features employed for the species differentiation. Descriptions of 25 new species of Microchelonus are presented from the Neotropical Region, completed with their taxonomic position. The enumeration of the new species is presented in the Introduction. Fifty-six Microchelonus species are registered in the region, their checklist are compiled. Identification key was constructed to the species occurring in Central and South America, females and males separately. A new synonymy; Microchelonus parkeri Papp, 2010 sen. syn. / Chelonus (Microchelonus) murici Nascimento et Penteado-Dias, 2011, jun. syn. and a new combination; Microchelonus kellieae (Marsh, 1979) originally Chelonus (Microchelonus) kellieae are presented. With 519 line-drawn figures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the feasibility of using the Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase Large subunit gene (rbcL) and the Internal Transcribed Spacers 1 and 2 of the nuclear rDNA (nuITS1 and nuITS2) markers for identifying a very diverse, albeit poorly known group, of green microalgae from neotropical inland waters. Fifty-one freshwater green microalgae strains isolated from Brazil, the largest biodiversity reservoir in the neotropics, were submitted to DNA barcoding. Currently available universal primers for ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region amplification were sufficient to successfully amplify and sequence 47 (92%) of the samples. On the other hand, new sets of primers had to be designed for rbcL, which allowed 96% of the samples to be sequenced. Thirty-five percent of the strains could be unambiguously identified to the species level based either on nuITS1 or nuITS2 sequences’ using barcode gap calculations. nuITS2 Compensatory Base Change (CBC) and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region phylogenetic analysis, together with morphological inspection, confirmed the identification accuracy. In contrast, only 6% of the strains could be assigned to the correct species based solely on rbcL sequences. In conclusion, the data presented here indicates that either nuITS1 or nuITS2 are useful markers for DNA barcoding of freshwater green microalgae, with advantage for nuITS2 due to the larger availability of analytical tools and reference barcodes deposited at databases for this marker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyriocosmus peruvianussp. nov.,C. itayensissp. nov.,C. auerisp. nov.,C. giganteussp. nov. from Peru, Loreto region,C. hoeferisp. nov. from Brazil,C. williamlamarisp. nov. andC. nicholausgordonisp. nov. from Venezuela are described, illustrated, diagnosed and both sexes, if known, keyed. New Peruvian species can be distinguished from all congeners, exceptC. bertaePérez-Miles, 1998 andC. pribikiPérez-Miles and Weinmann, 2009, by the uniformly coloured carapace and abdomen without stripes and by the short paraembolic apophysis in male palpal bulb. The female ofCyriocosmus ritaePérez-Miles, 1998 is described for the first time from a known Peruvian population near Iquitos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects' wings are complex surfaces that have become a new field to study towards the design of flying devices and hydrophobic surfaces. Several orders and families of insects have been analyzed for their hydrophobic properties and the microstructures related. We studied the wings of 13 dipteran families under scanning electron microscopy and used a goniometer to measure the corresponding static contact angle. Common structures as well as distinct features were found in the samples. None of the wings was superhydrophobic; the contact angles raged from 67.9° to 109.9°. Wings' ultrastructure and cuticle elements are associated with these differences, and play a crucial role during flight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification to the species level using morphology is challenging when usual diagnostic characters are similar amongst related taxa. Within the Neotropical genus Atlantoscia, differences between nominal species are generally small and restricted to a few characters. Despite the power of DNA sequencing to identify and distinguish between species, molecular phylogenies of terrestrial isopods from the Neotropics have not been determined. In this study, two new species of Atlantoscia were described and molecular markers were used to verify both the validity of the current taxonomy and the relationships amongst the species within this genus. All of the recognized Atlantoscia species were strongly supported in the generated phylogenetic trees. The average congeneric distance was 14.7%, with Atlantoscia ituberasensis and Atlantoscia rubromarginata showing the highest genetic divergence. Our results demonstrate the utility of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene together with DNA barcoding to reliably distinguish Atlantoscia species. They also show that DNA barcoding may be helpful in those cases in which classical taxonomy does not provide clear-cut species resolution. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cave entrances are transition zones with intermediate characteristics between epigean environments, which bear lower environmental stability, and hypogean environments, with lower food resources. Associated to these interfaces there is a specific community, capable of exploiting its unique and intermediate characteristics. This work investigated this community in a Brazilian limestone cave, identifying its arthropod species composition and spatial distribution, and exploring its relationships with climatic and structural environment characteristics and trophic relations. An ecotone zone was identified, with 55 species found only in the ecotone, 49 species were shared with the epigean community, 37 species with the hypogean community, and 14 species were found in the three communities. Although detritus is the base of the trophic web in the entrance, light allows the establishment of some producers and even herbivores. Species diversity in the ecotone was intermediate to that of the adjacent environments. Light is the main filter that acts near the cave entrance and determines the presence and distribution of several species in the ecotone. Therefore, this region is important for the cave ecosystem as a whole, considering that a considerable amount of trophic resources is transferred from the epigean to the hypogean environment through this area. Accordingly, conservation and management strategies regarding cave communities should incorporate actions to study and protect ecotonal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neotropical savanna is characterized by a set of different phytophysiognomies occurring in a wide expanse of Brazilian lands. Based on the known higher diversity of orchid bees in forests rather than in savanna formations, we hypothesized that the occurrence of forest formations inside the Brazilian savanna increases the diversity of euglossine bees in that domain and that there are species more associated with these environments. To test this hypothesis, we sampled the euglossine fauna in eight forest and woody savanna remnants and analyzed their community structure. We sampled 1,010 males of 13 species of orchid bees. Bee abundance and species richness ranged from 30 to 341 individuals and from 4 to 12 species, respectively. The forest remnants showed the highest diversity indices and species richness. Our data suggest that some species of Euglossa are mainly associated with forest remnants. We concluded that environmental heterogeneity in the Neotropical savanna contributes to higher diversity of euglossine and that some species are more frequently found in forested habitats. Additionally, considering that some sampled species are typical of the Atlantic and Amazon forests, our data reinforce the hypothesis that forest environments inside the Brazilian savanna can be considered bio-corridors for orchid bees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe morphologically unique Leucocytozoon pterotenuis sp. nov. (Haemosporida, Leucocytozoidae), the first reported leucocytozoid species developing in fusiform host cell found in a Neotropical passeriform bird. The type host of this parasite is the Chestnut-crowned Antpitta ( Grallaria ruficapilla, Grallariidae), an elusive native passerine bird whose natural history remains, to a large degree, unexplored. This bird was captured in Palacio forest in the damping zone of Chingaza National Natural Park, Cundinamarca, Colombia, at 2900 m above sea level (asl). Gametocytes of the new species develop both in roundish and fusiform host cells. This parasite is readily morphologically distinguishable from the described Leucocytozoon species because its host cells possess the narrow (needle-like) spindle-shaped processes, which length markedly exceeds their width. Additionally, the host cell nucleus markedly extends into the processes. Phylogenetic relationships were constructed based on a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the complete mitochondrial genome. Phylogenetic analysis placed the lineage of L. pterotenuis in different positions depending on the length of the sequence analyzed that is likely due to poor sampling of Leucocytozoon species, especially from rare or non-passerine hosts, as well as a paucity of complete mitochondrial sequences of these parasites. Available data indicate that Leucocytozoon parasites are distributed mainly in mountain regions of the Neotropics where unique morphological forms have been recently discovered. To a better knowledge of the diversity of Leucocytozoon spp. and their host-vector-parasite interactions in Neotropical countries, additional deep and intensive samplings are needed, particularly in orders different to Passeriformes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fauna of south-east Brazilian mountains was sampled and revealed two new species of Frieseinae, F riesea curupira sp. nov. and F riesea boitata sp. nov. The first is an unpigmented species with 1 + 1 eye, no furca and two anal spines. The second species is very similar to F . reducta Denis, 1931. Comments are made about a complex of species that also share many similarities within the ' reducta group'. Remarks are made on tegumentar protuberances of subcoxae 1 of legs of Frieseinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the Neotropical otter ( Lontra longicaudis) seasonal diet variations in the middle Paraná River valley, in central-northern Argentina, at the southern limit of its global range. We recorded 745 prey items in 320 scats collected over the course of 1 year in a tributary stream of the Paraná River. Fish, crustaceans, mammals, and insects were the most important items in frequency of occurrence among items. Other items, like mollusks, birds, amphibians, and reptilians were presented in low frequency in all seasons. We recorded seasonal variation in the frequency of the principal categories items: fish, mammals, crustaceans, and insects and in reptilian that had low frequency. Although fish were the most common items consumed by the otter, other groups such as crustaceans, mammals, and insects, were also important in the diet of the Neotropical otter throughout the seasons. Mammals and insects showed a higher frequency in the Neotropical otter diet in our study than in Brazil, Mexico, and even northern Argentina. We noted a marked variation throughout the Neotropical region in the niche breadth indices among studies of Neotropical otter's diet. The Shannon H′ diversity index showed a higher value in our study than in most of previous diet analyses of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A new Neotropical species of Trentepohlia (Mongoma) is described from Cuba. This is the first species of the subgenus from the West Indies, whereas the other four Trentepohlia spp. are from the subgenus Paramongoma. Notes on the phenology of this new species are provided. Also, we discuss the transfer of Trentepohlia suberrans Alexander, 1979 to Mongoma and provide a key for the identification of the three species of this subgenus present in the Neotropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taccarum ulei ( Araceae, Spathicarpeae) is a seasonal geophytic aroid, native to north-eastern Brazil, that flowers during two months of the rainy season. Patterns of floral thermogenesis, pollination biology, and floral traits associated with pollination syndromes were studied and compared with those of other Araceae. Two species of cyclocephaline scarabs ( Scarabaeidae, Cyclocephalini) were recognized as effective pollinators: Cyclocephala celata and Cyclocephala cearae. Larvae of an unidentified species of fruit fly ( Melanoloma spp., Richardiidae, Diptera) were also frequently observed in inflorescences at various maturation stages, feeding on the connectives of male florets and fruits, and thus lowering the reproductive success of individual plants. Beetles were attracted by odoriferous inflorescences in the early evening of the first day of anthesis, during the female phase. The emission of attractive volatiles was coupled with intense thermogenic activity in the entire spadix, unlike other aroids in which only certain zones of the spadix heat up. Pollen release, which marks the beginning of the male phase on the subsequent evening, was not related to floral thermogenesis. Comparative multivariate analysis of the floral traits of T. ulei points to a beetle-pollinated aroid, although some of the observed traits of the species are not common to other taxa sharing this pollination strategy. Such incongruence might be explained by the evolutionary history of the tribe Spathicarpeae and potential pollinator shifts. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, ••, ••-••. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The regression of similarity against distance unites several ecological phenomena, and thus provides a highly useful approach for illustrating the spatial turnover across sites. Our aim was to test whether the rates of decay in community similarity differ between diatom growth forms suggested to show different dispersal ability. We hypothesized that the diatom group with lower dispersal ability (i.e. periphyton) would show higher distance decay rates than a group with higher dispersal ability (i.e. plankton). Methods/Principal findings: Periphyton and phytoplankton samples were gathered at sites distributed over an area of approximately 800 km length in the Negro River, Amazon basin, Brazil, South America (3°08'00"S; 59°54'30"W). Distance decay relationships were then estimated using distance-based regressions, and the coefficients of these regressions were compared among the groups with different dispersal abilities to assess our predictions. We found evidence that different tributaries and reaches of the Negro River harbor different diatom communities. As expected, the rates of distance decay in community similarity were higher for periphyton than for phytoplankton indicating the lower dispersal ability of periphytic taxa. Conclusions/Significance: Our study demonstrates that the comparison of distance decay relationships among taxa with similar ecological requirements, but with different growth form and thus dispersal ability provides a sound approach to evaluate the effects of dispersal ability on beta diversity patterns. Our results are also in line with the growing body of evidence indicating that microorganisms exhibit biogeographic patterns. Finally, we underscore that clumbing all microbial taxa into one group may be a flawed approach to test whether microbes exhibit biogeographic patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leishmaniasis is one of the most diverse and complex of all vector-borne diseases worldwide. It is caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania, obligate intramacrophage protists characterised by diversity and complexity. Its most severe form is visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a systemic disease that is fatal if left untreated. In Latin America VL is caused by Leishmania infantum chagasi and transmitted by Lutzomyia longipalpis. This phlebotomine sandfly is only found in the New World, from Mexico to Argentina. In South America, migration and urbanisation have largely contributed to the increase of VL as a public health problem. Moreover, the first VL outbreak was recently reported in Argentina, which has already caused 7 deaths and 83 reported cases. Methodology/Principal Findings: An inventory of the microbiota associated with insect vectors, especially of wild specimens, would aid in the development of novel strategies for controlling insect vectors. Given the recent VL outbreak in Argentina and the compelling need to develop appropriate control strategies, this study focused on wild male and female Lu. longipalpis from an Argentine endemic (Posadas, Misiones) and a Brazilian non-endemic (Lapinha Cave, Minas Gerais) VL location. Previous studies on wild and laboratory reared female Lu. longipalpis have described gut bacteria using standard bacteriological methods. In this study, total RNA was extracted from the insects and submitted to high-throughput pyrosequencing. The analysis revealed the presence of sequences from bacteria, fungi, protist parasites, plants and metazoans. Conclusions/Significance: This is the first time an unbiased and comprehensive metagenomic approach has been used to survey taxa associated with an infectious disease vector. The identification of gregarines suggested they are a possible efficient control method under natural conditions. Ongoing studies are determining the significance of the associated taxa found in this study in a greater number of adult male and female Lu. longipalpis samples from endemic and non-endemic locations. A particular emphasis is being given to those species involved in the biological control of this vector and to the etiologic agents of animal and plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The causes for the higher biodiversity in the Neotropics as compared to the Nearctic and the factors promoting species diversification in each region have been much debated. The refuge hypothesis posits that high tropical diversity reflects high speciation rates during the Pleistocene, but this conclusion has been challenged. The present study investigates this matter by examining continental patterns of avian diversification through the analysis of large-scale DNA barcode libraries. Methodology and Principal Findings: Standardized COI datasets from the avifaunas of Argentina, the Nearctic, and the Palearctic were analyzed. Average genetic distances between closest congeners and sister species were higher in Argentina than in North America reflecting a much higher percentage of recently diverged species in the latter region. In the Palearctic genetic distances between closely related species appeared to be more similar to those of the southern Neotropics. Average intraspecific variation was similar in Argentina and North America, while the Palearctic fauna had a higher value due to a higher percentage of variable species. Geographic patterning of intraspecific structure was more complex in the southern Neotropics than in the Nearctic, while the Palearctic showed an intermediate level of complexity. Conclusions and Significance: DNA barcodes can reveal continental patterns of diversification. Our analysis suggests that avian species are older in Argentina than in the Nearctic, supporting the idea that the greater diversity of the Neotropical avifauna is not caused by higher recent speciation rates. Species in the Palearctic also appear to be older than those in the Nearctic. These results, combined with the patterns of geographic structuring found in each region, suggest a major impact of Pleistocene glaciations in the Nearctic, a lesser effect in the Palearctic and a mild effect in the southern Neotropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neotropical region (tropical America) is the most species rich region on Earth. Several causes have been proposed to explain this extraordinary biodiversity, which may be very roughly classified into two major categories: 'biotic' (e.g. soil adaptations; biotic interactions with pollinators, dispersers and herbivores; niche conservatism; dispersal ability) and 'abiotic' (e.g. time; rainfall, temperature and area; mountain uplift; hydrological changes). In this paper we review the evidence for each of these postulated causes of diversification and provide general directions towards further testing. We highlight the need of more well-sampled and dated phylogenies and urge increased inter-disciplinary collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Botany is the property of Canadian Science Publishing 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.)

In this paper the Latin American species of the water mite genus Torrenticola are presented and discussed comprehensively for the first time. All 21 previously known species from Central and South America are portrayed in detail, descriptions are given for 36 new species from Costa Rica: Torrenticola adunca, T. alargada, T. alexandra, T. alticola, T. altifontana, T. amalgamada, T. ambigua, T. australis, T. baderi, T. chicacoxalis, T. chirripoensis, T. collina, T. conopalpis, T. corta, T. cortobrazo, T. costaricense, T. cumbrensis, T. delgada, T. dispersa, T. elhachensis, T. esferica, T. esquinada, T. fastigata, T. flexirostris, T. fontinale, T. guanacastensis, T. harpagophora, T. levicoxalis, T. menudopalpis, T. monticola, T. pervagata, T. rapidensis, T. ratoncitoi, T. rubella, T. tilaranensis and T. torpebrazo . The Latin American species of Torrenticola are subdivided in a clear, robust system of ten species groups – five of these are regarded as phylogenetic entities, five as rather artificial groups. An identification key to these species groups is given, as well as keys, measurement tables, figures and detailed descriptions of all species within these groups. The males of T. gennada Cook, 1980 and T. keesdavidsi Cramer, 1992, as well as the female of T. amala Cook, 1980 are described for the first time. Descriptions and figures of the genital skeleton of nine formerly described species are given for the first time. All information available on the habitat preferences (habitat type, stream velocity, altitudinal distribution, choriotope types, temperature and conductivity) and the geographical distribution of the species is presented. Zoogeographical characteristics, endemicity and habitat preferences of the 42 species of Torrenticola found in Costa Rica are analysed. The main object of this study is to facilitate further systematic and ecological work on this important genus and to make it accessible for general limnological surveys. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 150, 443–678. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companion vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are an important threat for pet life, but may also have an impact on human health, due to their often zoonotic character. The importance and awareness of CVBDs continuously increased during the last years. However, information on their occurrence is often limited in several parts of the world, which are often especially affected. Latin America (LATAM), a region with large biodiversity, is one of these regions, where information on CVBDs for pet owners, veterinarians, medical doctors and health workers is often obsolete, limited or non-existent. In the present review, a comprehensive literature search for CVBDs in companion animals (dogs and cats) was performed for several countries in Central America (Belize, Caribbean Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico) as well as in South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana (British Guyana), Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela) regarding the occurrence of the following parasitic and bacterial diseases: babesiosis, heartworm disease, subcutaneous dirofilariosis, hepatozoonosis, leishmaniosis, trypanosomosis, anaplasmosis, bartonellosis, borreliosis, ehrlichiosis, mycoplasmosis and rickettsiosis. An overview on the specific diseases, followed by a short summary on their occurrence per country is given. Additionally, a tabular listing on positive or non-reported occurrence is presented. None of the countries is completely free from CVBDs. The data presented in the review confirm a wide distribution of the CVBDs in focus in LATAM. This wide occurrence and the fact that most of the CVBDs can have a quite severe clinical outcome and their diagnostic as well as therapeutic options in the region are often difficult to access and to afford, demands a strong call for the prevention of pathogen transmission by the use of ectoparasiticidal and anti-feeding products as well as by performing behavioural changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New replacement names are proposed in Trathala Cameron, 1899 (Ichneumonidae: Cremastinae) and Enicospilus Stephens, 1835 (Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae) from the Neotropical Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]