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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.)

During the nineteenth century, South America was plagued by internal rebellions that destabilized the region's economies and political systems. At the beginning of the twentieth century, however, levels of political violence throughout the region declined dramatically. Existing scholarship has paid surprisingly little attention to this historic transformation, in part because comprehensive data on revolts have been lacking. Historical narratives and an analysis of a comprehensive new dataset on all revolts in South America from 1830 to 1929 show that the decline in revolts stemmed in large part from the expansion and professionalization of the region's militaries, which were driven by the export boom and the threat of interstate conflict. Nevertheless, not all types of rebellions declined precipitously during this period, as an original typology of revolts shows. Although the strengthening of the region's armed forces discouraged revolts by non-state actors, it did not significantly reduce rebellions from within the state apparatus, such as military coups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species richness in the Neotropics has been linked to environmental heterogeneity and a complex geological history. We evaluated which biogeographic processes were associated with the diversification of Monkey tree frogs, an endemic clade from the Neotropics. We tested two competing hypotheses: the diversification of Phyllomedusinae occurred either in a "south-north" or a "north-south" direction in the Neotropics. We also hypothesized that marine introgressions and Andean uplift had a crucial role in promoting their diversification. We used 13 molecular markers in a Bayesian analysis to infer phylogenetic relationships among 57 species of Phyllomedusinae and to estimate their divergence times. We estimated ancestral ranges based on 12 biogeographic units considering the landscape modifications of the Neotropical region. We found that the Phyllomedusinae hypothetical ancestor range was probably widespread throughout South America, from Western Amazon to Southern Atlantic Forest, at 29.5 Mya. The Phyllomedusines' ancestor must have initially diverged through vicariance, generally followed by jump-dispersals and sympatric speciation. Dispersal among areas occurred mostly from Western Amazonia towards Northern Andes and the South American diagonal of dry landscapes, a divergent pattern from both "south-north" and "north-south" diversification hypotheses. Our results revealed a complex diversification process of Monkey tree frogs, occurring simultaneously with the orogeny of Northern Andes and the South American marine introgressions in the last 30 million years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread Tantilla melanocephala is a South American snake, which has a convoluted taxonomic history and a poorly addressed systematics. The taxonomic identity and the phylogenetic affinities of their populations are unclear, suggesting the existence of a complex of undescribed species. Here, we preliminarily address the morphological diversity and genetic structure of the T. melanocephala complex through comparative morphological approaches and phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood. Our results confirm the presence of hidden diversity within the T. melanocephala complex and strongly indicate that the populations of T. melanocephala from southern South America represent a distinct lineage, which is morphologically diagnosable under a unique combination of character states. Therefore, we formally describe these populations as a new species and present a comparison among all other South American species of Tantilla. We also estimate the divergence times of the main clades within the complex through Bayesian analysis, suggesting a biogeographical scenario of lineage diversification. Finally, our study clarifies aspects of the intricate taxonomy of the T. melanocephala complex, providing a framework for future studies to avoid the description of synonyms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anacondas, genus Eunectes, are a group of aquatic snakes with a wide distribution in South America. The taxonomic status of several species has been uncertain and/or controversial. Using genetic data from four recognized anaconda species across nine countries, this study investigates the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Eunectes. A key finding was the identification of two distinct clades within Eunectes murinus, revealing two species as cryptic yet genetically deeply divergent. This has led to the recognition of the Northern Green Anaconda as a separate species (Eunectes akayima sp. nov), distinct from its southern counterpart (E. murinus), the Southern Green Anaconda. Additionally, our data challenge the current understanding of Yellow Anaconda species by proposing the unification of Eunectes deschauenseei and Eunectes beniensis into a single species with Eunectes notaeus. This reclassification is based on comprehensive genetic and phylogeographic analyses, suggesting closer relationships than previously recognized and the realization that our understanding of their geographic ranges is insufficient to justify its use as a separation criterion. We also present a phylogeographic hypothesis that traces the Miocene diversification of anacondas in western South America. Beyond its academic significance, this study has vital implications for the conservation of these iconic reptile species, highlighting our lack of knowledge about the diversity of the South American fauna and the need for revised strategies to conserve the newly identified and reclassified species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

This article focuses on the circulation of specific European and English fashion magazines and fashion plates in Latin America during the early nineteenth century. Images of fashion and clothing have been present at all stages of the development of visual reproduction techniques. Together, paper and print culture have been linked from the beginning to the notion of speed in the transmission of ideas. The relationship between paper, fashion and the circulation of printed materials was consolidated during the long nineteenth century but began much earlier. Fashion images (fashion plates, but also watercolours and drawings) formed perhaps one of the most important and numerous categories within the visual culture of the period. I highlight the role that some of these representations of fashion on paper have had in the history of the circulation of printed materials in South America, with special attention to Pancho Fierro's watercolours in Perú, Rudolf Ackermann's magazines and books in Latin America and César Hipólito Bacle and Adrienne Macaire's fashion plates in Argentina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Arqueologia is the property of Revista de Arqueologia 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.)

Based on observations of the Jicamarca Unattended Long‐term investigations of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere (JULIA) radar, we perform statistical analysis on the occurrence of 3‐m‐scale E‐region irregularities and F‐region irregularities (FRI) in Jicamarca region of South America. The results show that there is a negative correlation between the occurrence rates of equatorial irregularities in E‐ and F‐region. When the equatorial spread F appears, the occurrence rate of irregularities in E‐layer decreases. By analyzing the ion zonal drift velocity detected by JULIA radar, it is proposed that the vertically polarized electric field in the bottom F‐layer could extend downward to E‐layer when FRI appears, leading to the weakening or even reversal of E‐layer electric field. As a result, the electron vertical drift velocity in the E‐layer decreases so as to suppress the growth rate of two‐stream instability, which cause a weakening or even disappearance of equatorial irregularities in E‐region. Plain Language Summary: For the equatorial region, the previous researches on E‐ and F‐region coupling are mainly focused on the relationship between valley region irregularities and F‐region irregularities (FRI). Up to now, the connection between the E‐region irregularities (ERI) existing in Equatorial Electrojet and FRI at night in the equatorial region has not been revealed and needs to be further studied and supplemented. Based on observations of the Jicamarca Unattended Long‐term investigations of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere radar from 2018 to 2022, we conduct a statistical study on the occurrence rate of 3 m‐scale irregularities in the E‐ and F‐layer at Jicamarca at night. The results show that there is a negative correlation between the occurrence rates of ERI and FRI. Based on the observation of ion drift, the vertical polarized electric field in the FRI is suggested to suppress the ERI. Key Points: Occurrence distributions of E‐region irregularities (ERI) and F‐region irregularities (FRI) in the equatorial ionosphere are obtainedThe occurrence rates of equatorial irregularities in E‐region and F‐region is negatively correlatedThe vertical polarized electric field in the FRI is suggested to suppress the ERI in the equatorial ionosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotifers represent an important component of freshwater zooplankton. The high richness of taxa, particularly in littoral macrophyte zones of water bodies in tropical and subtropical flood-prone areas, is a repeatedly reported fact. However, studies on the composition of periphytic rotifers in the Neotropics are reduced and almost non-existent in some regions. A qualitative study on rotifers (Monogononta) associated with littoral aquatic vegetation and their seasonal variation was carried out in three flood-prone ponds in the "Esteros de Camaguán Fauna Reserve" in the Venezuelan plains. For the selection of the collection sites, the two-stage stratified method with proportional affixation was used. Samples of macrophytes and the water associated with them were taken in littoral zones. The percentages of occurrence and numerical frequency were calculated for each rotifer taxa. The faunal similarities and correlations within and between ponds in the same and different climatic seasons were estimated using the Jaccard and Spearman coefficients (α = 0.05), respectively. In total, 102 rotifer taxa associated with 11 species of aquatic macrophytes were identified. The genus Taphrocampa with two taxa plus ten other taxa, are new records for Venezuela and one of them for South America. The taxocenosis and the geographic distribution of the reported taxa reflect a typical composition of the littoral zones of tropical regions. The total richness of both planktonic associated with aquatic vegetation and periphytic assemblages were similar. The highest richness of rotifer taxa coincided with the rainy season and the lowest with the early rainy season. The rotifer fauna presented low similarity values within and between ponds according to seasonality and, with some exceptions, between planktonic and periphytic environments. The importance of sampling periphytic rotifers and the influence of the flood cycle, and the degree of macrophyte development in the structuring of periphytic rotifer communities, were confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mid‐20th century, the so‐called Great Acceleration (sensu Steffen et al., 2007, https://doi.org/10.1579/0044-7447(2007)36[614:TAAHNO]2.0.CO;2) has amplified processes of ecosystem degradation, extinction of biological species, displacement of local peoples, losses of languages, and cultural diversity. These losses are still underperceived by the academic community, and by a global society that is disconnected from biocultural diversity. To reconnect society with biocultural diversity, we integrate temporal and spatial dimensions of seasonal cycles, by combining two conceptual frameworks: ecological calendars and the "3Hs" model of the biocultural ethic (sensu Rozzi, 2012, https://doi.org/10.5840/enviroethics20123414). The latter values the vital links between human and other‐than‐human co‐inhabitants, their life habits (e.g., cultural practices of humans or life cycles of other‐than‐human species), and the structure and processes of their shared habitats. This integration enhances an understanding of links between cultural practices and the life cycles of biocultural keystone species. As a synthesis, we use the term biocultural calendars to emphasize their co‐constitutive nature that result from interactions between dynamic biophysical and cultural processes embedded in specific ecosystems and cultures. These calendars link astronomical, biological, and cultural seasonal cycles that sustain life and enhance the integration of Indigenous and scientific knowledge to confront challenges of climate change faced from local to global scales. To illustrate this integration, we examine cultural practices and socio‐environmental changes across four contrasting ethnolinguistic communities in southwestern South America, from southern to northern Chile along a marked climatic gradient to show the broad application of the concept of biocultural calendars. Plain Language Summary: We combine ecological calendars and the biocultural ethic. The first refers to natural or seasonal calendars and focuses on the temporal scale of life cycles and other ecological phenomena observed at a given place. The second emphasizes the vital links among human and non‐human co‐inhabitants, their habits (e.g., cultural practices of humans or life cycles of other‐than‐human species) in shared habitats (the "3Hs" of the biocultural ethic). Close observation of biological and cultural diversity, and their interrelationships (in short, biocultural diversity), synchronizes cultural practices with natural processes at specific places. This synchrony is particularly relevant in the context of climate change because by being locally attuned, communities enhance their capacity to adapt their activities to the variability of temperature, rainfall, and other climatic events. In this article we use the term biocultural calendars to more closely understand the links between different life habits in contrasting habitats and annual seasons. In this way, biocultural calendars provide an understanding of biological and cultural heterogeneity in different seasons and regions of the world that can help us adapt to a rapidly changing world. Key Points: Biocultural calendars are co‐constitutively generated through interactions between dynamic biophysical and cultural processesThe biocultural ethic's 3Hs model values the vital links among human and other‐than‐human co‐inhabitants, their habits, and shared habitatsBiocultural calendars are based on seasonal cycles of keystone species that are part of communities of co‐inhabitants [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classifications of the pantropical plant family Sapotaceae based solely on morphology have historically recognized between 125 and 53 genera. Phylogenetic analyses using molecular data have repeatedly demonstrated that broad concepts of two large genera belonging to subfamily Chrysophylloideae, Chrysophyllum and Pouteria, are untenable and their narrowed delimitations have restricted them to the Neotropics. A recent phylogenetic study proposed further amendments by resurrecting the genera Achrouteria, Cornuella, Lucuma, Martiusella, Nemaluma, Prieurella and Ragala, and questioned the status of three generally accepted genera, Chromolucuma, Pradosia and Sarcaulus. We test this suggested classification using expanded sampling that comprises 122 terminals, including material of 29 of the 34 name‐bringing species for generic names historically regarded as synonyms of Chrysophyllum and Pouteria. We used sequence data from ribosomal nrDNA (ETS, ITS), the nuclear gene RPB2, two cpDNA spacers (petN‐psbM, trnH‐psbA), and indel information to estimate phylogenetic relationships in a Bayesian framework using BEAST. All sequences were newly realigned to test reproducibility, and 26 morphological characters were mapped on the resulting tree. Our analyses recovered three African genera embedded within a large Neotropical clade of Chrysophylloideae. We found strong support for the reinstatement of the seven genera listed above as well as for four other genera, viz. Chloroluma, Englerella, Labatia, and Peteniodendron. This subsequently leads to further amendments of Chrysophyllum and Pouteria, which are now limited to include 25–30 and 7 species, respectively. However, one clade that includes many name‐bringing lineages largely corresponds to Pouteria s.l., a group that needs further phylogenetic research to unravel relationships and generic limits. The hypothesis that Chrysophyllum cuneifolium had an inter‐continental hybrid origin involving genomes from Africa and South America is rejected because it is shown to have been based on erroneous results obtained from a contaminated DNA aliquot. A total of 73 genera are currently recognised in Sapotaceae, 21 of which are Neotropical members of Chrysophylloideae. We update the nomenclature and synonymy of 75 species, make 36 new combinations, and designate lectotypes for 31 names. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pouteria splendens is the only native species of Sapotaceae in Chile, a species once placed in the monotypic genus Gayella and known as G. valparadisaea, but for a long time treated as a Pouteria. In a phylogenetic analysis, this species was placed in an Australasian clade, not with its presumed relatives in South America. We used Bayesian inference under a relaxed molecular clock in BEAST, nuclear ribosomal DNA (ETS, ITS), the nuclear gene RPB2, indel information, and 201 terminals to find the closest relative of P. splendens and to estimate the age of the disjunction between Australasia and South America. The taxon has an isolated phylogenetic position, being part of the cladeʼs backbone, and is placed with weak support as sister to Van‐royena, another monotypic genus, but endemic to Australia. Our results justify reinstatement of Gayella with its single species G. valparadisaea. Gayella has a unique combination of morphological features including alternate, opposite or 3‐whorled leaves, often on the same plant, a usually 6‐lobed, rotate corolla with revolute corolla lobes giving the flower a star‐like appearance, lacerate to dentate staminodes, and yellow‐orange‐red fruit with plano‐convex cotyledons and an exserted radicle below the cotyledon commissure. The split between Gayella and Van‐royena is estimated to the late Eocene at about 40.0 Ma (50.5–25.3 Ma). The hypothesis that the presence of Gayella in South America is a result of vicariance is consistent with the timing of the geological splits of southern Gondwana, as well as with evidence from fossil pollen, but long‐distance dispersal is an alternative explanation that cannot be excluded. Gayella is restricted to an area with a Mediterranean‐type climate in coastal central Chile, where it occurs in rocky places, ravines, and gullies, usually below 100 m altitude within reach of sea mist. Gayella valparadisaea is a rare plant, listed as Endangered (EN) in Chile, but it does not occur in any protected area. Considering the isolated phylogenetic position of this old lineage, we urge the Chilean authorities to increase the efforts towards protection of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All the names in Paronychia described from South America are investigated. Five names (P. arbuscula, P. brasiliana subsp. brasiliana var. pubescens, P. coquimbensis, P. hieronymi, and P. mandoniana) are lecto- or neotypified on specimens preserved at GOET, K, LP, and P. The typification of nine names, first proposed by Chaudhri in 1968 as the "holotype" are corrected according to Art. 9.10 of ICN. Three second-step typifications (Art. 9.17 of ICN) are proposed for P. camphorosmoides, P. communis, and P. hartwegiana. The following nomenclatural changes are proposed: P. arequipensis comb. et stat. nov. (basionym: P. microphylla subsp. microphylla var. arequepensis), P. compacta nom. nov. pro P. andina (Philippi non Gray; Art. 53.1 of ICN), P. jujuyensis comb. et stat. nov. (basionym: P. hieronymi subsp. hieronymi var. jujuyensis), P. compacta subsp. boliviana comb. nov. (basionym: P. andina subsp. boliviana), and P. compacta subsp. purpurea comb. nov. (basionym: P. andina subsp. purpurea). A new species (P. glabra sp. nov.) is proposed based on our examination of live plants and herbarium specimens. P. johnstonii subsp. johnstonii var. scabrida is synonymized (syn. nov.) with P. johnstonii. Finally, P. argyrocoma subsp. argyrocoma is excluded from South America since it was based on misidentified specimens (deposited at MO) of P. andina subsp. andina. A total of 30 species (43 taxa including subspecies, varieties, subvarieties, and forms) are recognized, highlighting that for some (Paronychia chilensis, P. communis, P. setigera) we provisionally accept Chaudhri's infraspecific classification, since the high phenotypic variability of these taxa is quite complicated and further investigations need to solve their taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neotropical otter Lontra longicaudis is a top predator in aquatic ecosystems from North, Central, and South America and is subjected to substantial environmental distress due to historic and contemporary anthropogenic disturbance. Currently, L. longicaudis is considered 'near threatened' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. This study renders the first genomic resource for L. longicaudis; its mitochondrial genome was assembled and characterised in detail. The AT-rich mitochondrial genome of L. longicaudis was 16,436 bp in length and encoded 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a 994 bp long putative control region (CR). The heavy use of CTA (Leu), ATA (Met), and ATC (Ile) codons in PCGs contributes to the AT-rich nature of this genome. Out of 22 tRNAs, tRNA-Ser (AGY) (trnS1) lacked a typical 'cloverleaf' secondary structure. In the CR, numerous microsatellites and two tandem repeats were detected as well as multiple 'hairpin' structures. Ka/Ks values estimated for all but one PCG were < 1, indicating purifying selection in most PCGs. atp8 experienced neutral selection. A phylogenomic analysis based on PCGs confirms the monophyly of the family Mustelidae and also supports the monophyletic status of the subfamilies Guloinae, Helictidinae, Melinae, Mustelinae and Lutrinae; Ictonychinae was found to be polyphyletic. In the Lutrinae, L. longicaudis had an early branching position. The characterisation of a complete mitochondrial genome in the Neotropical otter L. longicaudis constitutes the first step towards supporting conservation efforts using genomic tools in this and other mustelids inhabiting aquatic neotropical environments under considerable contemporary anthropogenic disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalogued collection of South American terrestrial gastropods, including the Caribbean ABC islands and Trinidad & Tobago, of the Auckland War Memorial Museum (AM), New Zealand, is discussed here. In total, 264 specimen lots from South America were found in the AM collection, including eight type lots. Twelve of the specimens represent new geographic distribution data, including the first known precise locality for the species Bostryx luridus (L. Pfeiffer, 1863) and potentially for Drymaeus cf. waldoschmidti Parodiz, 1962 as well. The specimens of Lopesianus crenulatus Weyrauch, 1967 allowed for the revision of the monospecific genus Lopesianus Weyrauch, 1958, which is herein considered valid in the family Simpulopsidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

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

Copyright of Ecology & Evolution (20457758) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell 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.)

Direct and indirect injury caused by Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in corn is an ever-increasing concern in Brazil and other corn-producing countries of the Americas. This highly efficient vector transmits corn stunting pathogens and is of economic concern in the Neotropics, including temperate regions where epidemic outbreaks are now common. Despite the progress made so far, Brazilian corn growers continue to struggle with this pest and its associated pathosystem. In this review, we gathered relevant and updated information on the bioecology, population dynamics, and damaging potential of D. maidis. Our goal was to better understand its intimate association and complex interactions with the host crop and transmitted pathogens. Based on available scientific literature, we identified factors which explain the recent increase in D. maidis occurrence in South America, including the cultivation of corn during multiple growing seasons, overlapping of susceptible crops, and widespread use of genetically modified hybrids. The reasons for the overall inefficiency of current suppression strategies aimed at this pest are also summarized. Finally, a management program for D. maidis and corn stunt disease is proposed, combining strategies such as eradicating volunteer corn, reducing the planting period, using tolerant hybrids, and applying chemical and/or fungal insecticides. Prospects regarding the pest's status are also outlined. Overall, the information presented here will serve as a decision-making guide within Brazilian and South American corn production systems, as well as paving the way for devising novel strategies aimed at suppressing D. maidis populations and limiting the spread of corn stunt disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the recent advances in the systematics of snakes, the diversity of several Neotropical groups of species remains poorly understood. The lack of studies focused on the phylogenetic relationship within most of the 20 tribes of Dipsadidae precludes a better understanding of the evolution of this diverse family. Here, we present a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Tachymenini, a heterogeneous tribe that comprises 36 viviparous species of dipsadids, grouped in seven genera based on morphological similarities. The tribe is widely distributed throughout South America presenting very distinctive phenotypes, habitats, and behaviours. The phylogenetic relationship among tachymenins is a well‐recognized challenge regarding the systematics of the South American dipsadids. The similar morphotype of some generalist species, combined with the very derived morphology of some strict specialists, creates a complexity of traits that has prevented the comprehension of the systematics of the group. To address such a challenge, we combine molecular (six loci) and morphological (70 characters) datasets in an integrative phylogenetic approach. The resultant phylogenetic trees indicate, with strong support, that three of the seven current recognized genera (Tachymenis, Tomodon, and Thamnodynastes) are non‐monophyletic and, consequently, we propose a new systematic arrangement for Tachymenini. We revalidate two genera, Dryophylax and Mesotes, and we describe three additional monotypic genera, Apographon gen. n., Tachymenoides gen. n., and Zonateres gen. n. to accommodate Tomodon orestes, Tachymenis affinis, and Thamnodynastes lanei, respectively. We also include Tomodon ocellatus and Pseudotomodon trigonatus in Tachymenis and describe a new genus, Galvarinus gen. n., to accommodate the Tachymenis chilensis species group. Furthermore, we also provide an evolutionary scenario for the speciation events based on a time‐calibrated tree, commenting on the diversification and origin of the tribe, and on the probable existence of undescribed species of Mesotes and Dryophylax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Reconciling the use of taxonomy to partition morphological variation and describe genetic divergence within and among closely related species is a persistent challenge in phylogenetics. We reconstructed phylogenetic relationships among Cedrela odorata (Meliaceae) and five closely allied species to test the genetic basis for the current model of species delimitation in this economically valuable and threatened genus. Methods: We prepared a nuclear species tree with the program SNPhylo and 16,000 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms from 168 Cedrela specimens. Based on clades present and ancestral patterns ADMIXTURE, we designed nine species delimitation models and compared each model to current taxonomy with Bayes factor delimitation. Timing of major lineage divergences was estimated with the program SNAPP. Results: The resulting analysis revealed that modern C. odorata evolved from two genetically distinct ancestral sources. All species delimitation models tested better fit the data than the model representing current taxonomic delimitation. Models with the greatest marginal likelihoods separated Mesoamerican C. odorata and South American C. odorata into two species and lumped C. angustifolia and C. montana as a single species. We estimated that Cedrela diversified in South America within the last 19 million years following one or more dispersal events from Mesoamerican lineages. Conclusions: Our analyses show that the present taxonomic understanding within the genus obscures divergent lineages in C. odorata due in part to morphological differentiation and taxonomic distinctions that are not predictably associated with genetic divergence. A more accurate application of taxonomy to C. odorata and related species may aid in its conservation, management, and restoration efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mounded Posterior Median Eyes (MPME) clade is a group of linyphiid spiders characterized by having posterior median eyes (PME) on a mound. The species diversity of this lineage, especially in the Neotropical region, is still largely unknown. In this study, we tackled one of the MPME groups, the genus Diplothyron Millidge, 1991. We have studied numerous specimens from both museums and freshly collected specimens to monograph Diplothyron. We also compiled both morphological and behavioral data from Diplothyron and representatives of higher-level lineages within Linyphiidae and several potential MPME groups to infer the phylogenetic relationships. We redescribed the type species, Diplothyron fuscus Millidge, 1991 and described the previously unknown male, and six new species: Diplothyron ballesterosi sp. nov. , D. dianae sp. nov. , D. monteverde sp. nov. , D. nubilosus sp. nov. , D. sandrae sp. nov. and D. solitarius sp. nov. We also transferred the following species from Linyphia to Diplothyron based on the study of the type material: D. chiapasia (Gertsch & Davies, 1946) comb. nov. , D. linguatulus (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1902) comb. nov. , D. nigritus (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1902) comb. nov. , D. simplicatus (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1902) comb. nov. and D. trifalcatus (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1902) comb. nov. Diplothyron species are mainly found in the cloud forests of Central and South America, with the distribution stretching from the Colombian Andes to the Mexican Sierra Madre across the Central American mountain chains. We also provide a detailed morphological comparison between Diplothyron and closely related genera in the MPME clade, focusing on the genital morphology, including identification keys to both the MPME genera and species of Diplothyron. Our cladistic analyses recovered Diplothyron as a monophyletic group placed within the MPME clade. A newly circumscribed lineage now includes the genera Diplothyron , Dubiaranea Mello-Leitão, 1943; Linyphia Latreille, 1804; Lomaita Bryant, 1948; Microlinyphia Gerhardt, 1928; Neriene Blackwall, 1833; Notiohyphantes Millidge, 1985; Novafrontina Millidge, 1991 and Pityohyphantes Simon, 1929. The Neotropical diversity of spiders is poorly known. Many of the lineages from the Neotropics were described only once; on some occasions, only one of the sexes was known. The sheet weaver genus Diplothyron is one of those groups. We assembled a vast collection of samples and compiled the largest morphological dataset for linyphiids to date. We produced a modern monograph and a new phylogenetic hypothesis for the family. Our study helped to advance the knowledge of the Neotropical diversity of linyphiid spiders and our comprehension of the internal relationships of the lineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical taxonomic and nomenclatural review of the Brazilian species of Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) is presented. As a result, 40 species (44 taxa including six subspecies) are accepted, 37 of them native (17 endemic) and three introduced; also, 132 names are considered synonyms, 28 of them for the first time. Two new combinations are proposed: Acalypha brasiliensis subsp. asterotricha and A. brasiliensis subsp. psilophylla, previously considered varieties of A. brasiliensis. Information about types is provided for all the valid names, and 54 lectotypes and one neotype are designated. Identification keys and detailed distribution maps of all the native taxa are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudocrossidium is a genus of 21 species belonging to the Pottiaceae with the highest concentration of taxa and morphological variation found in South America. To investigate the evolutionary relationships among the species of Pseudocrossidium and other members of the Pottioideae, molecular phylogenetic reconstructions, using the nuclear ITS1‐5.8S‐ITS2, and the plastid atpB‐rbcL, trnG, and trnL‐F, has been performed because this genus has only been partially tested using molecular markers. Bayesian and maximum likelihood topologies show that the genus, as presently circumscribed, is polyphyletic. Consequently, the circumscription of Pseudocrossidium is amended and numerous taxonomic changes resulting from the molecular, morphological, and nomenclatural studies are proposed. The phylogenetic and morphologically divergent Pseudocrossidium mendozense is renamed as Gertrudiella mendozensis. Pseudocrossidium linearifolium and P. porphyreoneurum are representatives of the new genera Barbulastrum and Helicobarbula, respectively. Pseudocrossidium carinatum and P. santiagense are accommodated in a new genus Austrobarbula. Aloinella, nested in a paraphyletic Pseudocrossidium, is maintained at generic rank, apparently derived from Pseudocrossidium. Barbula integrifolia, B. riograndensis, and Tortula jaffuelii are transferred to Pseudocrossidium. The remaining species of Pseudocrossidium are maintained in this genus, pending further studies. Conflicts of the trees observed could be evidence of interspecific or intergeneric gene flow in various lineages in the Pottioideae. [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.)

Venezuela was the fastest‐growing economy of the twentieth century until the 1970s, and it still has the world's largest known oil reserves. Yet in recent years, it has experienced the greatest economic collapse in South America's history, condemning 96 per cent of its people to poverty. Much of the existing literature blames foreign sanctions or a decline in oil prices, or both. We disagree, arguing the breakdown was caused by explicit institutional changes that politicised the oil industry and replaced market mechanisms with central planning. The institutional restructuring also disregarded monetary stability and basic infrastructure, including electricity supply, telecommunications, and even security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides contributions to the knowledge on diversity and natural history of hyperparasitoids (Hymenoptera) associated with host–parasitoid interactions between spiders (Araneae) and polysphinctine Darwin wasps (Pimplinae) in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil, South America. All hyperparasitoids emerged in the laboratory from polysphinctine cocoons that were collected in cocoon webs in the field. A total of 27 hyperparasitoid wasps emerged from polysphinctine cocoons belonging to six genera, three families and two superfamilies: Ceyxia Girault, 1911 and Conura Spinola, 1837 (Chalcidoidea: Chalcididae); Palmistichus Delvare & LaSalle, 1993 (Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae); and Lymeon Förster, 1869, Mesochorus Gravenhorst, 1829, and Neotheronia Krieger, 1899 (Ichneumonoidea: Ichneumonidae). We add new biological information on nine species of hyperparasitoids, emerging from pupae of at least seven species of polysphinctine wasps, which were collected in seven different types of cocoon webs. In addition, a new species is described, Conura capixaba Tavares, sp. nov. (Chalcididae), and digital images of all hyperparasitoids are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: How species respond to climate change is influenced by their sensitivity to climatic conditions (i.e. their climatic niche) and aspects of their adaptive capacity (e.g. their dispersal ability and ecological niche). To date, it is largely unknown whether and how species' sensitivity to climate change and their adaptive capacity covary. However, understanding this relationship is important to predict the potential consequences of a changing climate for species assemblages. Here, we test how species' sensitivity to climate change and trait‐based measures of their ecological adaptive capacity (i) vary along a broad elevational gradient and (ii) covary across a large number of bird species. Location: A Neotropical elevational gradient (300–3600 m.a.s.l.) in the Manú Biosphere Reserve, south‐east Peru. Methods: We focus on 215 frugivorous bird species along a Neotropical elevational gradient. We approximate species' sensitivity to climate change by their climatic niche breadth, based on species occurrences across South America and bioclimatic variables. In addition, we use a trait‐based approach to estimate the dispersal ability of species (approximated by their wing pointedness), their dietary niche breadth (approximated by bill width) and their habitat niche breadth (the number of used habitat classes). Results: We found that (i) species' climatic niche breadth increased with elevation, while their trait‐based dispersal ability and dietary niche breadth decreased with elevation, and (ii) sensitivity to climate change and trait‐based adaptive capacity were not related across species. Main conclusions: These results suggest different mechanisms of how species in lowland and highland assemblages might respond to climate change. The independent variation of species' sensitivity to climate change and their trait‐based adaptive capacity suggests that accounting for both dimensions will improve assessments of species' susceptibility to climate change and potential impacts of climate change on diverse species assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trypanosoma cruzi is the causal agent of Chagas disease, a parasitic zoonosis transmitted mainly through the feces of triatomine insects. Triatoma infestans is the main triatomine vector of this disease in South America. Previous research has shown that T. cruzi infection modifies the behavior of triatomines. We evaluated, for the first time, the effect of parasite load on feeding and defecation behavior, which we quantified by using real-time PCR. The detection time of the host was shorter in infected individuals, and the number of bites increased, while the dejection time was reduced when compared with the non-infected group. A significant correlation between the parasite load and the behavioral changes registered in the infected triatomines was found. These results would indicate that the intensity of T. cruzi infection modulates the feeding and defecation behavior of T. infestans, increasing the vector competence of this triatomine vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersal is the process by which individuals move through different sites away from their natal place during their life. Many factors can regulate dispersal movements of individuals, from intrinsic characteristics of the individuals to environmental conditions. Here, we report American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) natal dispersal in central Argentina and analyse some of the factors that can modulate it. We also report information on breeding dispersal, and nest box fidelity, using banding data from 2011 to 2019. The number of kestrels banded was high, but only 5.59% of birds were recaptured or re-sighted. Part of the American Kestrel population is philopatric, and most kestrels were detected breeding at 1 year of age for the first time (41.38%). Kestrels bred from one (mostly) to 6 years in the same nest box. Natal dispersal ranged from 2 to 36.9 km, and females dispersed longer distances than males. We did not record kestrels dispersing between the different sampling sites, but we recovered two dead dispersing juveniles more than 200 km from their natal nest, suggesting some long-distance dispersal may occur in our studied population. Further banding studies or better, studies based on the tagging of American Kestrels with GPS tracking devices will certainly be needed to better understand dispersal movements and factors that modulate these dispersal patterns in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petalacmis Olivier, 1908 is a poorly known genus of firefly endemic to South America and is currently the only member of the subfamily Lampyrinae, tribe Lampyrini known to occur on the continent. Here, we describe a new species, Petalacmis triplehorni sp. nov. from Bolivia and compare it to the two other described species in the genus. A key to Petalacmis species based on male traits, as well as illustrations of morphological features, are given in detail for the first time. We present unique, previously neglected traits of Petalacmis species and compare them to other Lampyrinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have long debated the degree to which Native American land use altered landscapes in the Americas prior to European colonization. Human–environment interactions in southern South America are inferred from new pollen and charcoal data from Laguna El Sosneado and their comparison with high-resolution paleoenvironmental records and archaeological/ethnohistorical information at other sites along the eastern Andes of southern Argentina and Chile (34–52°S). The records indicate that humans, by altering ignition frequency and the availability of fuels, variously muted or amplified the effects of climate on fire regimes. For example, fire activity at the northern and southern sites was low at times when the climate and vegetation were suitable for burning but lacked an ignition source. Conversely, abundant fires set by humans and infrequent lightning ignitions occurred during periods when warm, dry climate conditions coincided with ample vegetation (i.e., fuel) at midlatitude sites. Prior to European arrival, changes in Native American demography and land use influenced vegetation and fire regimes locally, but human influences were not widely evident until the 16th century, with the introduction of nonnative species (e.g., horses), and then in the late 19th century, as Euro-Americans targeted specific resources to support local and national economies. The complex interactions between past climate variability, human activities, and ecosystem dynamics at the local scale are overlooked by approaches that infer levels of land use simply from population size or that rely on regionally composited data to detect drivers of past environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subfamily Dasypodinae (including Astegotheriini, Stegotheriini and Dasypodini) constitutes the sister group of the remaining diversity of 'armadillos', with an ancient divergence estimated in ca. 40 Ma. (Eocene). Dasypodini represent the only living Dasypodinae, with their oldest records, previous to this contribution, ranging from the middle Miocene (ca. 12 Ma). Here, we describe a new genus and species of armadillo from the middle Miocene deposits of La Victoria Formation (ca. 13 Ma, La Venta, Colombia), which represents the oldest known Dasypodini. Remains include an articulated fragment of the dorsal carapace, and the first described cranium of a Miocene Dasypodini. Despite that most of the characters support its inclusion within Dasypodini, its dorsal carapace shows an unique combination of characters from the clades Dasypodini and Euphractinae, allowing to carry out inferences about the transitional morphological processes that took place between both groups. The cladistics analysis corroborates the basal position of this new taxon within Dasypodini, in concordance with its stratigraphic provenance, and reinforces the idea of a tropical origin of the Dasypodini. Finally, the evolutionary history and palaeobiogeography of Dasypodini and Glyptodontinae (large cingulates) show noticeable parallelism, despite the fact that both represent different lineages with evident different ecological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The appearance and spread of parasitic diseases around the world aroused the interest of the scientific community to discover new animal models for improving the quality and specificity of surveys. Calomys callosus is a rodent native to South America, an easy handling model, with satisfactory longevity and reproducibility. C. callosus is susceptible to toxoplasmosis and can be used as experimental model for the study the pathogenesis, treatment, vertical transmission, and ocular toxoplasmosis. C. callosus can also be used to study cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, as the animals present cutaneous lesions, as well as parasites in the organs. C. callosus has epidemiological importance in Chagas disease, and since it is a Trypanosoma cruzi natural host in which rodents show high parasitemia and lethality, they are also effective as a model of congenital transmission. In the study of schistosomiasis, Schistosoma mansoni was proven to be a C. callosus natural host; thus, this rodent is a great model for fibrosis, hepatic granulomatous reaction, and celloma associated with lymphomyeloid tissue (CALT) during S. mansoni infection. In this review, we summarize the leading studies of parasitic diseases that used C. callosus as a rodent experimental model, describing the main uses and characteristics that led them to be considered an effective model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries are among the most productive aquatic ecosystems and provide important ecological and economic services in coastal areas. However, estuarine systems have been threatened worldwide by natural and anthropogenic impacts acting on local, regional, and global scales. Long-term ecological studies contribute to the understanding and management of estuarine functioning and provide the baseline information for detection changes and modeling of predictive scenarios. Here, we describe long-term data on the biodiversity and physico-chemical parameters obtained from 1993 to 2016 for the Patos Lagoon estuary and adjacent marine coast (PLEA), in southern Brazil. We report 8 datasets containing 6972 sampling events with the occurrence and abundance records of 275 species (kingdoms: Bacteria, Protozoa, Chromista, Plantae, and Animalia) of functional groups plankton, benthos, and nekton. Datasets also include 22 190 abiotic records. The database is published in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) repository (see Sect. 3 "Data availability" and Table 3). The present compendium represents one of the most comprehensive and longest datasets from primary producers to top predators in an estuarine coastal system in South America, and their availability will be an important contribution to the understanding and predictability of estuarine dynamics around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last two decades witnessed a rapid growth of publicly accessible online language resources. This has allowed for valuable data on lesser known languages to become available. Such resources provide linguists with opportunities for advancing their research. Yet despite the proliferation of lexical and morphological databases, the ca. 456 languages spoken in South America are poorly represented, particularly the Tupían family, which is the largest on the continent. This paper therefore introduces and discusses TuLeD, a lexical database exclusively devoted to a South American language family. It provides a comprehensive list of lexical items presented in a unified transcription for all languages with cognacy assignment and relevant (cultural or linguistic) notes. One of the main goals of TuLeD is to become a full-fledged database and a benchmark for linguistic studies on South American languages in general and the Tupían family in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) strains in healthcare settings has changed the hospital epidemiology of MRSA in the last few years. Despite a global increase in MRSA frequency, infections caused by methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) have persisted in healthcare settings and the community. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were collected between 2009 and 2017 at the Children's Hospital of a Caribbean city in South America. Methicillin-resistant isolates were subjected to SCCmec typing. Representative isolates were analyzed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and spa typing. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed by agar dilution method. D-zone test was performed in erythromycin-resistant isolates to determine macrolide/lincosamide/streptogramin resistance. Spa typing revealed 10 different spa types. The main epidemic clones circulating during the study period were: ST8-MRSA-IVc, ST923-MRSA-IVa and ST8-MRSA-IVa. The study found high frequencies of PVL genes and resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin in the isolates. This study provides the first description of the population structure of MRSA and MSSA causing infections attended in the participating Children's Hospital. ST8-MRSA-IVc, ST923-MRSA-IVa and ST8-MRSA-IVa were the most prevalent in the isolate population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black people's contributions to print ventures have been constant and manifold across the Atlantic world during the past centuries. If enslavement and forced labor dictated their involvement in many instances, Black people from early on also adopted the roles of authors, contributors, subscribers, and, notably, editors of different print materials. This collection of essays pays respect to different embodiments of Black editors in the Atlantic world, highlighting that from North to South America to Great Britain they occupied and promoted multifaceted roles, agendas, and poieses during a transformative period in the Atlantic world, the long nineteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribe Chlamydini was highly diversified in the marine Neogene of southern South America, reaching its maximum taxonomic diversity during the Miocene. However, the evolutionary relationships of South American taxa remain uncertain. This is the first phylogenetic analysis based on a large morphological matrix on Pectinidae, which focuses on South American taxa and species related to Chlamys s.s. The phylogenetic analysis is based on a matrix composed of 145 shell‐characters scored for 48 species, and multiple searches were conducted using equal and implied weighting. Two new monophyletic clades are defined, Multiplicata and Pauciplicata. The first includes Dietotenhosen, Ckaraosippur, Zygochlamys, Moirechlamys (South America), the North‐West Pacific Azumapecten, and the North‐East Pacific Chlamys hastata. Pauciplicata is represented by Chokekenia (Patagonia, Argentina), Laevichlamys (tropical Atlantic and Indo‐Pacific), Semipallium (Indo‐Pacific), Swiftopecten (South America and North Pacific), and Jorgechlamys + Reticulochlamys (Patagonia, Argentina). All of these genera are monophyletic except for the paraphyletic Jorgechlamys. The oldest documented occurrence of the tribe is Semipallium foulcheri from the lower Oligocene, a derived taxon that pushes the divergence time of basal genera to the Eocene–Oligocene boundary, generating ghost lineages in all clades, except Jorgechlamys + Reticulochlamys. Pauciplicata and Multiplicata diverge in the early history of the tribe, at the Eocene–Oligocene boundary. Future analyses are necessary to gain a better understanding of the taxonomic arrangement of this poorly understood tribe. Further insights into the relationships of its deepest nodes may well resolve many ghost lineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sigmodontines comprise one of the most diverse radiations of mammals. The cranial ontogeny has been studied in several mammals, but remains poorly studied in the group. We quantified the ontogenetic pattern for 22 sigmodontine species and 8 outgroups, generating partial reconstructions of ancestral allometric growth patterns, and testing the role of evolutionary history on cranial ontogeny. Sigmodontines were conservative in growth pattern, without unique patterns defining tribes. The allometric growth of the cranium was mostly negative, with Akodontini being the most isometric and Phyllotini the most allometric tribes. Allometry of variables associated with the neurocranium was mostly negative, while those linked to trophic functions showed positive allometry or isometry. A general cranial lengthening was detected, but variables associated with cranial width or height grew at lower rates. Cranial growth and development were associated with changes in the musculature functionally involved in bite and mastication. Most changes occurred in earlier postnatal stages, achieving an early morphological optimum. Few changes in the rate of growth at internal nodes were detected, and the stasis along the backbone was recurrent. Cranial elongation was a pattern widespread in the sample and likely a plesiomorphic condition. The few synapomorphies defining the ancestor of Sigmodontinae conform to a pattern with zygomatic arches little expanded laterally and globose braincases. The conservative pattern may be attributed to the biomechanically optimal morphology for omnivorous diets, suggesting that the generalized morphology allows the exploitation of multiple types of food with minor morphological adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, only one small-sized species of Testudinidae (Chelonoidis gringorum) was named from Lower-Middle Miocene of Central Patagonia. In this short article, we describe a new large Testudinidae, here named Chelonoidis meridiana sp. nov. This large new species (carapace up to 80 cm) differs from other large species of the southern South American fossil record by the absence of gibbosities on neural and costal carapacial bones, a short and wide entoplastron with a humeropectoral sulcus that was placed well behind its posterior end, and pectoral scutes that are medially longer, approximately one-third of the medial length of the hyoplastra. The discovery of this new species in the Middle Miocene increases the raw turtle diversity in Chubut, permitting to reduce the gap between the raw and phylogenetic diversity previously proposed. This occurrence is also important from both a temporal and geographic point of view. It permits fixing the presence of large-sized tortoises in the continent since ~15 million years ago (Middle Miocene). This occurrence predates all other large and giant tortoises from Argentina and South America and it is older than the giant Chelonoidis from the Langhian-Tortonian of Colombia. This is also the southernmost occurrence of a large-sized testudinid in the world., (© 2022 American Association for Anatomy.)

The Cuvieri Cave is a palaeontological site located in the Lagoa Santa Karst, known for its large number of caves containing bones preserved from recent and extinct vertebrate animals. These caves served as natural traps for numerous groups of animals and, due to their relatively stable environmental conditions, much osteological material was preserved. Tapirids have had their remains recognised since the Pleistocene, but very young individuals are extremely rare and little known. The present study describes the occurrence of the youngest specimen of Tapirus found in Quaternary deposits. The specimen consists of teeth, vertebrae and appendicular bones (femurs, humerus, tibia, radius, ulna, and scapula). No evidence of wear, predatory attack or weathering was observed on the bones. Due to the size and morphology of the bones and the non- wearing of the teeth, it is possible to infer that the individual was very young and might have been accidentally separated from the mother before falling in the natural trap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by the triatomine Mepraia spinolai in the southwest of South America. Here, we examined the T. cruzi-infection dynamics of field-caught M. spinolai after laboratory feeding, with a follow-up procedure on bug populations collected in winter and spring of 2017 and 2018. Bugs were analyzed twice to evaluate T. cruzi-infection by PCR assays of urine/fecal samples, the first evaluation right after collection and the second 40 days after the first feeding. We detected bugs with: the first sample positive and second negative (+/-), the first sample negative and second positive (-/+), and with both samples positive or negative (+/+; -/-). Bugs that resulted positive on both occasions were the most frequent, with the exception of those collected in winter 2018. Infection rate in spring was higher than winter only in 2018. Early and late stage nymphs presented similar T. cruzi-infection rates except for winter 2017; therefore, all nymphs may contribute to T. cruzi-transmission to humans. Assessment of infection using two samples represents a realistic way to determine the infection a triatomine can harbor. The underlying mechanism may be that some bugs do not excrete parasites unless they are fed and maintained for some time under environmentally controlled conditions before releasing T. cruzi, which persists in the vector hindgut. We suggest that T. cruzi-infection dynamics regarding the three types of positive-PCR results detected by follow-up represent: residual T. cruzi in the rectal lumen (+/-), colonization of parasites attached to the rectal wall (-/+), and presence of both kinds of flagellates in the hindgut of triatomines (+/+). We suggest residual T. cruzi-infections are released after feeding, and result 60–90 days after infection persisting in the rectal lumen after a fasting event, a phenomenon that might vary between contrasting seasons and years. Author summary: In the vector-borne transmission of Chagas disease, approximately 150 species of triatomine bugs are potential vectors for the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. A competent vector must fulfill several features such as the ability to host, amplify, and differentiate the parasite, allowing T. cruzi persistence within the insect vector. Our aim was to describe the dynamics of T. cruzi infection in a competent triatomine species collected in two contrasting seasons—with different environmental temperatures—of 2017 and 2018. We used a follow-up procedure including T. cruzi detection right after collection and 40 days later; both detections were performed after laboratory feeding. Most infected bugs were T. cruzi positive on both occasions. However, infected bugs from winter 2018 presented switches from T. cruzi negative at collection to T. cruzi positive 40 days later. The results suggest infections with T. cruzi attached to the hindgut wall as the colonization site, caused by infections that persist there after a fasting event, are released after a second feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smooth-shelled blue mussels, Mytilus spp., have a worldwide antitropical distribution and are ecologically and economically important. Mussels of the Mytilus edulis species complex have been the focus of numerous taxonomic and biogeographical studies, in particular in the Northern hemisphere, but the taxonomic classification of mussels from South America remains unclear. The present study analysed 348 mussels from 20 sites in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and the Falkland Islands on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America. We sequenced two mitochondrial locus, Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I (625 bp) and 16S rDNA (443 bp), and one nuclear gene, ribosomal 18S rDNA (1770 bp). Mitochondrial and nuclear loci were analysed separately and in combination using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods to identify the combination of the most informative dataset and model. Species delimitation using five different models (GMYC single, bGMYC, PTP, bPTP and BPP) revealed that the Mytilus edulis complex in South America is represented by three species: native M. chilensis, M. edulis, and introduced Northern Hemisphere M. galloprovincialis. However, all models failed to delimit the putative species Mytilus platensis. In contrast, however, broad spatial scale genetic structure in South America using Geneland software to analyse COI sequence variation revealed a group of native mussels (putatively M. platensis) in central Argentina and the Falkland Islands. We discuss the scope of species delimitation methods and the use of nuclear and mitochondrial genetic data to the recognition of species within the Mytilus edulis complex at regional and global scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oceanic variability that interacts with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been well identified in most ocean basins; however, the effect of variability over the South Atlantic (SA) on the ENSO is unknown. This study demonstrates that dominant mode of subtropical SA sea surface temperature (SST) variability during the boreal winter, referred to as the South Atlantic Subtropical Dipole (SASD), contributes to occurrence of an El Niño a year later. During a positive SASD, low‐tropospheric anticyclonic circulation anomalies over the mid‐latitude SA reduce convective activities over southeastern South America. The low‐tropospheric divergence anomalies associated with the reduced convection attenuate the occurrence of South American Low‐Level Jet, and moisture supply is directed along the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ). The increased precipitation over the SACZ leads to an anomalous surface easterly that lowers the SST over the equatorial Atlantic and eventually modulates the zonal Walker circulation, thereby favoring El Niño development. Plain Language Summary: Variability in sea surface temperature occurs over various ocean basins outside the Pacific; these variations, though induced by the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), subsequently promote a phase transition of ENSO by feeding back to it during the subsequent seasons. However, the feedback mechanism underlying the effect of climate variability of the South Atlantic (SA) on ENSO has not been fully studied. This study is the first to demonstrate interaction between ENSO and SA climate variability: El Niño induces variability in SA climate, resulting in a phase transition from El Niño to La Niña, and vice versa. For this feedback loop to occur, the climate signal related to the South Atlantic Subtropical Dipole must first be conveyed to the equatorial Atlantic by a modulation in the convective activity over the land area of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone. Key Points: The South Atlantic Subtropical Dipole (SASD) can initiate the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) with a 1‐year time lagThe ENSO and South Atlantic climate variability exhibit two‐way interactionsThe sea surface temperature signal related to the SASD modulates precipitation variability along the South Atlantic Convergence Zone [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk mitigation is assumed today as a top priority in the international agenda. Recent natural disasters raised the awareness of governments and scientists and have let to the search for more efficient and effective strategies to manage and mitigate risk. Such efforts are especially important in the case of large historic centres, which, by often combining a high heritage value with a high level of physical vulnerability, are particularly sensitive and relevant. Considering the abovementioned, the present work aims at presenting and discussing the fire risk in the Historic Centre of Quito, one of the oldest and most important Spanish colonial settlements in South America. Taking into account the difficulties inherent to the scale of the case study, the evaluation is carried out in a neighbourhood scale, through the application of simplified fire vulnerability and risk assessment methodology. In order to perform the spatial analysis of the outputs, vulnerability and risk indicators are integrated into a Geographical Information System tool and the results are presented in the form of vulnerability maps. In a second-order analysis, these maps are subsequently combined with pre-existing vulnerability data in order to identify targets and priorities in terms of risk mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mayaro virus (MAYV), which causes mayaro fever, is endemic to limited regions of South America that may expand due to the possible involvement of Aedes spp. mosquitoes in its transmission. Its effective control will require the accurate identification of infected individuals, which has been restricted to nucleic acid-based tests due to similarities with other emerging members of the Alphavirus genus of the Togaviridae family; both in structure and clinical symptoms. Serological tests have a more significant potential to expand testing at a reasonable cost, and their performance primarily reflects that of the antigen utilized to capture pathogen-specific antibodies. Here, we describe the assembly of a synthetic gene encoding multiple copies of antigenic determinants mapped from the nsP1, nsP2, E1, and E2 proteins of MAYV that readily expressed as a stable chimeric protein in bacteria. Its serological performance as the target in ELISAs revealed a high accuracy for detecting anti-MAYV IgM antibodies. No cross-reactivity was observed with serum from seropositive individuals for dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, Zika, and other infectious diseases as well as healthy individuals. Our data suggest that this bioengineered antigen could be used to develop high-performance serological tests for MAYV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biotropica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell 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.)