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An increasing body of evidence has displayed upslope shifts in the high-diversity avian communities of tropical mountains. Such shifts have largely been attributed to warming climates, although their actual mechanisms remain poorly understood. One likely possibility is that changes in species-specific demographic rates underlie elevational range shifts. Fine-scale population monitoring and capture–mark–recapture (CMR) analysis could shed light on these mechanisms, but, until recently, analytical constraints have limited our ability to model multiple demographic rates across bird communities while accounting for transient individuals. Here, we used Bayesian hierarchical multi-species CMR models to estimate the apparent survival, recruitment, and realized population growth rates of 17 bird species along an elevational gradient in the cloud forests of Honduras. For 6 species, we also modeled demographic rates across elevation and time. Although demographic rates varied among species, population growth rates tended to be higher in lower elevation species. Moreover, some species showed higher population growth rates at higher elevations, and elevational differences in growth rates were positively associated with previous estimates of upslope shifts at the study site. We also found that demographic rates showed contrasting trends across the duration of the study, with recruitment decreasing and apparent survival increasing, and stronger effects at lower elevations. Collectively, we provide the methodological tools to encourage more multi-species demographic analyses in other systems, while highlighting the potential for the demographic impacts of global change. We provide a Spanish translation in the Supplementary Materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research by the Tlalancaleca Archaeological Project (PATP) has corroborated modifications to the Middle Formative chronology in Puebla-Tlaxcala (Lesure et al. 2006, 2014) using Bayesian modeling on 26 radiocarbon dates from Tlalancaleca. The present study is the first to evaluate the region's Middle Formative chronology with radiocarbon dates from superposed stratigraphy. Nine Bayesian models were constructed with different combinations of radiocarbon dates and OxCal's phase and sequence functions to determine the beginning and end of the Texoloc phase. Results place the Tlatempa-Texoloc transition at around 650 cal BC and the Texoloc-Tezoquipan transition at around 500 cal BC. The OxCal Interval function supports a timespan of approximately 150 years for the duration of the Texoloc phase. These results suggest the process of initial urbanization in Central Mexico was a rapid one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The American eelgrass Vallisneria americana is a submersed rooted macrophyte that is widely distributed throughout North America. As a structured habitat, it shelters a high biodiversity of aquatic fauna and acts like a carbon sink. However, its populations have drastically decreased or disappeared in the free-flowing Usumacinta Fluvial System. Physicochemical parameters in water, measurements of quantitative habitat complexity, and records of fish collected were quantified for a V. americana patch. A low average density of 96 ± 48 stems/m2, 61.7 ± 0.9 gash free dry weight/m2 of biomass, and 192 ± 42.3 male inflorescences/m2 were recorded for this 14 m2 patch. Six fish species of the Poeciliidae and Cichlidae families were collected, with an average density of 19 ± 1.9 org/m2, all smaller than 6.3 cm standard length. This first record of V. americana in the transitional longitudinal zone (20–60 MASL) of the Usumacinta Fluvial System reinforces the importance of the Wanhá Biosphere Reserve (WBR), which was decreed mainly for its relict inland red mangrove populations and high diversity of tropical swamp woody communities. Moreover, the American eelgrass patch is a nursery area for at least six native poeciliids and cichlids. These are the two most diverse fish families in Mesoamerica. In addition, the cichlid fishery is an important component for environmental sustainability.

Since the middle of the 5th century AD, the territory of the archaeological site of Palenque (Chiapas, Mexico) was the capital of the Baakal state, the city of Lakamha’. A large number of monumental texts have been discovered here, which are of particular interest for the study of the organization and functioning of the royal court of the ancient Maya. The main objective of this work was to examine in detail the royal lists preserved in the monumental texts in order to reconstruct the kinship ties between the Palenque rulers and to reveal the peculiarities of the local political system. One of the main features to be considered about these written sources is a retrospective character, which in theory could give the rulers who created them wide opportunities for manipulation. The lack of detailed information about the rulers of the 5th-7th centuries, which is mainly limited to the dates of accession and death, is no less difficult. Although in the written tradition the royal dynasty is presented as a continuous one, the analysis of the texts reveals several lineages. Study also shows certain peculiarities of the system of power transmission in Baakal. In general, ancient Maya used patrilineal tradition, but the history of Palenque records cases different from this pattern. The throne there was once occupied by a woman, other cases show successive rule of several siblings. These data reveal the flexibility of the political system of the ancient Maya.

The American eelgrass Vallisneria americana is a submersed rooted macrophyte that is widely distributed throughout North America. As a structured habitat, it shelters a high biodiversity of aquatic fauna and acts like a carbon sink. However, its populations have drastically decreased or disappeared in the free-flowing Usumacinta Fluvial System. Physicochemical parameters in water, measurements of quantitative habitat complexity, and records of fish collected were quantified for a V. americana patch. A low average density of 96 ± 48 stems/m2, 61.7 ± 0.9 gash free dry weight/m2 of biomass, and 192 ± 42.3 male inflorescences/m2 were recorded for this 14 m2 patch. Six fish species of the Poeciliidae and Cichlidae families were collected, with an average density of 19 ± 1.9 org/m2, all smaller than 6.3 cm standard length. This first record of V. americana in the transitional longitudinal zone (20–60 MASL) of the Usumacinta Fluvial System reinforces the importance of the Wanhá Biosphere Reserve (WBR), which was decreed mainly for its relict inland red mangrove populations and high diversity of tropical swamp woody communities. Moreover, the American eelgrass patch is a nursery area for at least six native poeciliids and cichlids. These are the two most diverse fish families in Mesoamerica. In addition, the cichlid fishery is an important component for environmental sustainability. Article highlights: First record of American eelgrass in the transitional zone of the largest fluvial system in the southern Gulf of Mexico. The American eelgrass patch shelter at least six fish species, four of these are included in the IUCN Red List. This finding opens the possibility of applying socio-ecohydrogeomorphological monitoring to design policies in key habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines relationships between the production of salt in the Basin of Mexico and the emergence of salt-making settlements during the Late Postclassic (ca. 1350–1521 CE) and Early Colonial (ca. 1521–1650 CE) periods. In archaeological practice, the veil that hides producers behind commodities becomes more difficult to pierce when the commodities themselves are invisible today, as is the case with an ephemeral good like salt. Nevertheless, archaeological and ethnohistoric data show how locally produced salt became a widely traded commodity in the expanding economy of the Triple Alliance and how its uses diversified within the early capitalist economy of New Spain. Contrary to the expectation that commodification leads to alienation, I find evidence that the work of producing salt also produced communities. In fact, these communities endured for centuries, adapting and adjusting to new demands and new consumers in the context of decreasing control of production and knowledge of markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the analysis of decapitation celebrated by ancient Mesoamericans with the purpose of knowing what the symbolism of this offering was within ancient Mesoamerican thought, as well as, to know the mythical reasons that legitimized its ritual recreation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new species of Triolena, endemic to Colón Province, Panama, is described and illustrated. The specimens of this taxon were previously identified as Triolena lanceolata, but closer inspection has shown them to be morphologically and geographically distinct. Triolena anisophylla K.Samra & Michelang. grows on rocks and tree trunks along rivers in Colón Province. This species is distinguishable by its strongly anisophyllous leaves and unique trichomes on the adaxial surface of the leaves. A complete description, distribution map, preliminary conservation assessment, taxonomic notes, and regional key are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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El Japón is a 16th century hamlet site in the marshlands of the southern Basin of Mexico in central Mesoamerica. Radiocarbon (14C) dating and OxCal modeling of human bone collagen (n = 11) identifies a range of burials at El Japón cemetery from 1550–1650 cal. CE. The refined chronology identifies use of this rural settlement well after the onset of colonial government-sponsored relocation of Indigenous people to larger settlements (congregaciones). Historically documented information in this work supports chronological modeling beyond stand-alone calibration. Stable isotopic study of bone samples demonstrates similar sources of dietary protein and carbohydrates. The similarity of carbon sources for bone apatite (bioapatite) and collagen offers security that both bone fractions are viable 14C dating opportunities. Recent extension of this work examines bioapatite 14C dates (n = 5) from the same bone samples when quality parameters are met—atomic carbon-nitrogen ratios of 3.2–3.3 and collagen yield of 10–20%. No significant difference is found between collagen and bioapatite dates of the same individuals (p = 0.17, Mann-Whitney U test). 14C dates from human bone samples in this primarily terrestrial dietary context can be successfully acquired from either collagen or bioapatite fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has two main goals. One is to introduce a type of "headless" (or "antecedentless") relative clause that presents a gap strategy and that has not been sufficiently discussed in the typological literature. The other is to show that this type of headless relative clause with a gap is a characteristic trait of Mesoamerican languages, since it exists in many languages of the Mesoamerican linguistic area as an important constructional option in their relativization syntax, independently of the genetic relationships of the language in question. Two types of headless relative clauses are well known to date: one involving a relativization strategy with a relative pronoun (e.g., I wore what you asked me to wear) and another with a light head, introduced by Citko (2004. On headed, headless, and light-headed relatives. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 22. 95–126), somewhat comparable to I wore the one that you asked me to wear. The third type of headless relative clause discussed here presents a gap (i.e., there is no manifestation of the relativized term in the relative clause). It would be equivalent to saying 'I wore you asked me to wear'. The phenomenon we study here is interesting both from a typological and areal point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article complements a previously published study on the unusual Classic Maya onomastic pattern of certain theonyms appearing among the titles of noblemen. The approach that identifies this pattern as a “short formula” of deity impersonation allows for exploring more peculiar cases and distinguishing them from theophoric anthroponyms.

This article analyzes the assemblages of humans and other-than-humans that animated the sacred landscape of Cerro de la Virgen, a hilltop site occupied during the Formative period (1800 BC–AD 250) in the lower Río Verde Valley of coastal Oaxaca, Mexico. Commensalism in the region increased markedly in scope and complexity throughout the Formative period, culminating in the region's first polity at AD 100. Feasting practices became relatively standardized, but the placement of objects and bodies in public architecture—a set of collective practices associated with the vital forces that animated the cosmos—varied considerably from site to site during the late Terminal Formative period (150 BC–AD 250). Lower Verde scholars have argued that these idiosyncrasies reflect the myriad collective identities of the region's hinterland communities, a pattern rooted in local affiliations that may have conflicted with an expanding regional identity centered at the urban center of Río Viejo. I augment this discussion by highlighting the role that the materiality of the landscape, present before humans even occupied the region, played in the construction of collective identity. I develop an interpretive approach that pays special attention to Indigenous concepts of ontology, particularly those related to animacy and its transference, and uses the semiosis of American philosopher Charles Peirce to elucidate meaning from deposits of cached objects. The animate qualities assembled through fired clay and chiseled stone at Cerro de la Virgen afforded a ritual pattern that was unique in coastal Oaxaca at the end of the Formative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study evaluates a focal osteolytic lesion in the right sulcus sinus transversi of an isolated os occipitale. The os occipitale is from a juvenile from the Cueva de Sangre at the Classic Period (250−900 CE) site of Dos Pilas, Guatemala The lesion was examined macroscopically, microscopically, and radiographically. The oval lesion has a well-circumscribed margin, endocranial origin, and involves cortical destruction of the inner and outer tables. Subperiosteal bone reaction around the lesion is present on the ectocranial surface. Skeletal evidence of increased vascularity, diploë expansion, and perimortem fracture near the lesion are not observed. The lesion appears to reflect a response to the presence of an expansile process that has caused pressure erosion. The anatomical location of the lesion and the endocranial origin suggest a probable vascular anomaly, such as a vascular malformation. This case study represents one of the few bioarchaeological evaluations of probable vascular anomaly in a juvenile. As such, it expands our knowledge about vascular anomalies in the past and provides a comparative and core reference for guiding future paleopathological investigations on cranial osteolytic lesions. The skeletal assemblage is commingled and fragmentary preventing the assessment of the distribution of lesions across the skeleton. Further scrutiny of bioarchaeological collections is needed to better understand the distribution of vascular anomalies in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Ceratozamia is a diverse genus of cycads distributed from Mexico to Honduras. Here, a new species of Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae, Cycadales) from the southeast of Mexico is described and illustrated. It was previously misidentified as C. subroseophylla because of the lack of reproductive structures in the specimens from Tabasco. This work is based on phenological monitoring carried out in a karst limestone locality in Tabasco. The lifespan of pollen and ovulate strobili and their morphological changes throughout development are described. The collections of this new species were compared with specimens of all Ceratozamia species; however, the morphological comparison was focused on the most geographically proximate and morphologically similar species to this new taxon. To evaluate the circumscription of this species, we used geographic, morphological and DNA barcoding criteria. On this basis, we propose a new species of Ceratozamia for Mexico and provide notes on its reproductive phenology. The reproductive structures are the primary resource for its recognition and identification. A taxonomic key for the similar morphological species and all species that occur in Tabasco is presented along with habitat characterisation and a conservation status for C. gigantea. This species, whose distribution is restricted to a small geographic area, increases the diversity of Ceratozamia in Tabasco to three species and affirms the importance of limestone karst as areas for speciation and endemism. During the phenological monitoring, pollinator insects were captured on ovulate strobili at receptivity, observations that have been scarcely documented during this phenophase in Ceratozamia, highlighting the relevance of monitoring reproductive phenological patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For thousands of years, mortar-based materials — including bedding mortars, plaster floors, internal wall plasters, external wall renders and stuccos, and concrete — have been key construction materials in many cultures throughout the world. This paper gives an overview and examples of the use and development of mortar-based materials in cultures across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Mesoamerica, prior to the development of hydraulic cements in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is widely recognized as a highly detrimental abiotic stress factor that significantly impacts crop growth, development, and agricultural productivity. In response to external stimuli, plants activate various mechanisms to enhance their resistance or tolerance to abiotic stress. The common bean, a most important legume according to the FAO, serves as a staple food for millions of people worldwide, due to its rich protein, carbohydrate, and fiber content, concurrently, and water scarcity is the main factor limiting common bean production. The process of domestication and on-farm conservation has facilitated the development of genotypes with varying degrees of drought stress resistance. Consequently, using landraces as biological material in research can lead to the identification of variants with superior resistance qualities to abiotic stress factors, which can be effectively integrated into breeding programs. The central scope of this research was to find out if different geographic origins of common bean genotypes can determine distinct responses at various levels. Hence, several analyses were carried out to investigate responses to water scarcity in three common bean genotypes, M-2087 (from the Mesoamerican gene pool), A-1988 (from the Andean gene pool) and Lechinta, known for its high drought stress resistance. Plants were subjected to different water regimes, followed by optical assessment of the anatomical structure of the hypocotyl and epicotyl in each group; furthermore, the morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters and molecular data (quantification of the relative expression of the thirteen genes) were assessed. The three experimental variants displayed distinct responses when subjected to 12 days of water stress. In general, the Lechinta genotype demonstrated the highest adaptability and drought resistance. The M-2087 landrace, originating from the Mesoamerican geographic basin, showed a lower resistance to water stress, compared to the A-1988 landrace, from the Andean basin. The achieved results can be used to scale up future research about the drought resistance of plants, analyzing more common bean landraces with distinct geographic origins (Mesoamerican/Andean), which can then be used in breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Early colonial documents from central Mesoamerica detail raising and planting of European livestock and crops alongside native ones. The extent to which Indigenous people, especially of the rural commoner class, consumed newly introduced foods is less known. This gap in knowledge is addressed through stable isotope analysis and comparison to published archaeological botanical, human, and faunal data. Materials and Methods: Stable isotope analysis of bone collagen and bioapatite is applied to 74 skeletal samples of Indigenous human remains representing Colonial period individuals from El Japón—a farming hamlet in the Xochimilco area—to provide insight into long‐term individual dietary practices in the context of a rapidly transforming Mesoamerican world. Results: Carbon isotope ratios in collagen (δ13Ccollagen) average −8.10/00 VPDB (SD 0.55), while δ15N averages 8.90/00 AIR (SD 0.50). δ13Cbioapatite averages −2.90/00 VPDB (SD 0.60). Modest increase in carbon isotopic diversity is observed among more recent males from El Japón when compared to earlier males and females. Discussion: Based on the isotopic results, it is estimated that the individuals of El Japón consumed maize or other C4 plants as a central source of carbohydrates. Dietary protein was largely supplied through domestic maize‐fed fauna but potentially supplemented by wild terrestrial and aquatic fauna and fowl. Similarity in skeletal isotopic composition between precontact Mesoamericans from other sites and El Japón individuals of both earlier and later stratigraphy is interpreted as continuity in local diets and foodways despite potentially available European alternatives. Colonial taxation demands on preexisting agricultural regimes may have incentivized maize production, thus indirectly contributing to the maize‐centered aspect of local foodways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research conducted since 2003 in and around the regional center of Tres Zapotes, Veracruz documents the importance of aquatic resources and transportation routes for subsistence and settlement over more than two millennia. Systematic archaeological survey over more than 400 km2 in the surrounding Eastern Lower Papaloapan Basin details a persistent focus of major settlements on streams and other bodies of water that would have provided an abundance of food and opportunities for water-born transport. Excavations at Tres Zapotes further indicate that exploitation of aquatic fauna was a significant component of a mixed subsistence strategy for the Olmec and Epi-Olmec inhabitants of the site, who obtained fish, turtles, and waterfowl from streams, lakes, estuaries and coastal marine environments over a range extending no less than 20 km from the center. Artifact inventories and landscape features further suggest an associated subsistence technology that included weighted nets and retention ponds in seasonally flooded areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Sierra de Santa Marta (Veracruz, Mexico) a process of maldevelopment/sustained underdevelopment has prevailed that has deteriorated the socio-natural environment. Thus, the objective is to find alternatives that improve their socio-territorial situation (ecological, socioeconomic and landscape). From a transdisciplinary methodology -Geography, Anthropology and Environmental History- this research has identified and analysed four non-governmental natural resource management projects that, with a holistic hydrographic basin approach, promote integrally sustainable socioecological practices of socio-environmental governance. These eco-cultural experiences contribute to reforesting the territory and reducing poverty, generating progress towards human development of the indigenous peasant communities of Mesoamerica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article interrogates an archaeological application of the Indigenous concept of place-thought, defined by Vanessa Watts as an "understanding of the world via a physical embodiment" through studying corporeal animal forms. This latter encompasses the osteological traces of animal matter (sacrificed animals and prepared body parts) that, because of their material vitalities, provide an opportune site of engagement to retrieve ancient interpersonal relationships. Over 100 corporeal animal forms from Burials 2 and 6 are interpreted as agentive persons who brought into being the Moon Pyramid as an altepetl (water mountain) of Teotihuacan. The altepetl is a seminal place-thought in Mesoamerica intimately tied with sovereignty. The author argues that potentate apex predators (eagles, wolves, jaguars, pumas, and rattlesnakes) became part of Teotihuaccan's community through their captive management and were buried alive to sustain the altepetl as master guardians. A zooarchaeological and isotopic investigation of corporeal animal forms provided lurid details of human–predator interactions, including differential access to the animals, esoteric knowledge about their personhood, and even deceit of that information. She concludes that providing a contextually and historically contingent, data-driven, and inter-personally centered reconstruction of ancient place-thought, though admittedly partial and from a specific perspective, should be attainable given the enhanced methods in archaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shrubs recognized as I. hartmanii were known from the northern Mexican deserts, whereas I. cassiniiformis is considered to occur throughout the Mexican highlands. Morphologically similar individuals were reported under both names also south beyond the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to Guatemala. Question: Are I. hartmanii and I. cassiniiformis distinct species, or do they represent widespread taxa exhibiting clinal variation due to adaptation along a gradient spanning desert to evergreen tropical forest? Taxon: Amaranthaceae, Iresine. Study site: Mexico and Central America. Method: Field and herbarium work, molecular phylogenetics, morphology, palynology, distribution mapping. Results: Plastid and nuclear phylogenetic trees suggest a complex speciation scenario in Iresine, revealing new lineages in the mountains of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guatemala that also differ by morphological characters. Iresine cassiniiformis appears monophyletic and occurs in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt whereas I. hartmanii comprises a core clade of individuals confined to the northern deserts. Specimens morphologically intermediate to I. cassiniiformis, and part of the I. hartmanii species clade in nrITS, occur directly south of the desert zone, either representing ancestral types in the speciation of I. hartmanii or introgression from I. cassiniiformis. Conclusion: Our results underscore the importance of an integrative taxonomy approach including molecular phylogenetics and morphology with a dense sampling of putative species from throughout the geographical range in order to arrive at explicit hypotheses on species limits. Here this supports the description and naming of two new species.

El modo de habitar maya ofrece una mirada diferente de ser y de estar en el mundo. Expresa, a través de sus particularidades en el uso del espacio y su concepción, una relación dialéctica entre los universos natural y edificado, donde lo uno y lo otro, reposan sobre la tierra, se rigen por los ciclos marcados por los astros, tienen vida y son sagrados. La trascendencia de esta relación ancestral, sigue vigente y cobra importancia en el mundo contemporáneo por su antagonismo con la visión imperante que separa y marca límites muy claros entre dichos universos.

Abstract The squash family (Cucurbitaceae) contains some of the most important crops cultivated worldwide and has played an important ecological, economic, and cultural role for millennia. In the American tropics, squashes were among the first cultivated crop species, but little is known about how their domestication unfolded. Here, we employ direct radiocarbon dating and morphological analyses of desiccated cucurbit seeds, rinds, and stems from El Gigante Rockshelter in Honduras to reconstruct human practices of selection and cultivation of Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbita pepo, and Cucurbita moschata. Direct radiocarbon dating indicates that humans started using Lagenaria and wild Cucurbita starting ~ 10,950 calendar years before present (cal B.P.), primarily as watertight vessels and possibly as cooking and drinking containers. A rind directly dated to 11,150–10,765 cal B.P. represents the oldest known bottle gourd in the Americas. Domesticated C. moschata subsequently appeared ~ 4035 cal B.P., followed by domesticated C. pepo ~ 2190 cal B.P. associated with increasing evidence for their use as food crops. Multivariate statistical analysis of seed size and shape show that the archaeological C. pepo assemblage exhibits significant variability, representing at least three varieties: one similar to present-day zucchini, another like present-day vegetable marrow, and a native cultivar without modern analogs. Our archaeobotanical data supports the hypothesis that Indigenous cucurbit use started in the Early Holocene, and that agricultural complexity during the Late Holocene involved selective breeding that encouraged crop diversification.

In the area along the southern Gulf Coast in Mexico, a large number of previously unrecorded archaeological sites have recently been detected with the aid of lidar data, which also allowed us to determine the orientations of hundreds of structures and architectural assemblages, including many standardized complexes dated to the Early-to-Middle Formative transition. As revealed by our analyses, most orientations were based on astronomical and calendrical principles, occasionally combined with certain concepts of sacred geography. While the results of these analyses were presented in a recently published article, here we explore the potential of alignment data for addressing other questions of archaeological relevance. The distribution of particular building types and regional variations in alignment patterns in the study area suggest the existence of two somehow different cultural spheres, loosely corresponding to the areas conventionally called the Gulf Olmec region and the western Maya Lowlands. Examining pertinent evidence, we argue that it was in this area where some of the most prominent orientation groups materialized in later Mesoamerican architecture originated. We also attempt to reconstruct the paths of their diffusion, which are expected to contribute to understanding the dynamics of long-distance cultural interaction in Mesoamerica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the Classic period architecture of Pahñú, a small urban center in the northeast of the Mezquital Valley, Mexico. This architecture stands out because it represents a local style developed from elements of several distinct cultural groups. On the one hand, sunken patio compounds akin to the Bajío tradition are observable, and on the other, buildings incorporate features from Teotihuacan and Zapotec monumental architecture. This evidence demonstrates that Pahñú established its group identity by displaying political connections with cultural groups from Central Mexico and the Bajío. This evidence also challenges previous interpretations that characterized the cultural development of the region throughout the Classic period as either a process of Teotihuacan acculturation or of resistance to it. Likewise, it calls into question the accepted view that cultural exchange between Central Mexico and the Bajío did not begin until the Epiclassic. Finally, Pahñú is relevant because it was a small political center that maintained its leadership for six centuries by taking advantage of its location in the borderland area between central Mexico and the Bajío. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The names Coccoloba caracasana, C. caracasana f. glabra, C. cozumelensis, C. floribunda, C. humboldtii var. longipedicellata, and Campderia mexicana are lectotypified, and seventeen specimens with mature fruits are proposed as epitypes to facilitate the recognition and delimitation of Coccoloba species distributed in Mexico and Central America. The presence of fruits in these specimens allowed us to recognize and reinstate the names Coccoloba lapathifolia, C. euvelutina, and C. matudae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Determine the geographic place of origin and maternal lineage of prehistoric human skeletal remains discovered in Puyil Cave, Tabasco State, Mexico, located in a region currently populated by Olmec, Zoque and Maya populations. Materials and Methods: All specimens were radiocarbon (14C) dated (beta analytic), had dental modifications classified, and had an analysis of 13 homologous reference points conducted to evaluate artificial cranial deformation (ACD). Following DNA purification, hypervariable region I (HVR‐1) of the mitogenome was amplified and Sanger sequenced. Finally, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) was performed for total DNA. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants and haplogroups were determined using BioEdit 7.2 and IGV software and confirmed with MITOMASTER and WebHome softwares. Results: Radiocarbon dating (14C) demonstrated that the inhabitants of Puyil Cave lived during the Archaic and Classic Periods and displayed tabular oblique and tabular mimetic ACD. These pre‐Hispanic remains exhibited five mtDNA lineages: A, A2, C1, C1c and D4. Network analysis revealed a close genetic affinity between pre‐Hispanic Puyil Cave inhabitants and contemporary Maya subpopulations from Mexico and Guatemala, as well as individuals from Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and China. Conclusions: Our results elucidate the dispersal of pre‐Hispanic Olmec and Maya ancestors and suggest that ACD practices are closely related to Olmec and Maya practices. Additionally, we conclude that ACD has likely been practiced in the region since the Middle‐Archaic Period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a preliminary bioarchaeological study of 10 funerary urns containing human burned remains from the Los Tamarindos urn-field cemetery dated to the Postclassic period. I was able to determine the basic biological profile data. In addition, I determined the fragmentation rate as well as the thermal alternation of bones from funerary urns from Los Tamarindos, which allowed me to propose the first observations about the Pretarascan cremation burial practices in this region. The low weight of bones indicates that burials should be determined as partial burials; however, they contain fragments of bones from each anatomical region. The structure of the bones and the chromatic discoloration caused by the thermal alternation indicate that temperature during the cremation did not exceed 900°C, given that the cremains did not exhibit the recrystallization structure, which is interpreted as a characteristic feature of the high maximum temperature of a funerary pyre during the cremation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The squash family (Cucurbitaceae) contains some of the most important crops cultivated worldwide and has played an important ecological, economic, and cultural role for millennia. In the American tropics, squashes were among the first cultivated crop species, but little is known about how their domestication unfolded. Here, we employ direct radiocarbon dating and morphological analyses of desiccated cucurbit seeds, rinds, and stems from El Gigante Rockshelter in Honduras to reconstruct human practices of selection and cultivation of Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbita pepo, and Cucurbita moschata. Direct radiocarbon dating indicates that humans started using Lagenaria and wild Cucurbita starting ~ 10,950 calendar years before present (cal B.P.), primarily as watertight vessels and possibly as cooking and drinking containers. A rind directly dated to 11,150–10,765 cal B.P. represents the oldest known bottle gourd in the Americas. Domesticated C. moschata subsequently appeared ~ 4035 cal B.P., followed by domesticated C. pepo ~ 2190 cal B.P. associated with increasing evidence for their use as food crops. Multivariate statistical analysis of seed size and shape show that the archaeological C. pepo assemblage exhibits significant variability, representing at least three varieties: one similar to present-day zucchini, another like present-day vegetable marrow, and a native cultivar without modern analogs. Our archaeobotanical data supports the hypothesis that Indigenous cucurbit use started in the Early Holocene, and that agricultural complexity during the Late Holocene involved selective breeding that encouraged crop diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new estimate of the Epiclassic chronological interval (6th to 9th centuries) is proposed for the archaeological site of San José de Los Ranchos, located in Los Altos de Jalisco, near the city of Lagos de Moreno. This site is part of the cultural space of the western Mexico. The date was obtained through an archaeomagnetic analysis of ceramic materials from a cist-type tomb found at old hacienda located in the foothills of the Sierra Alta, next to the valley of the Lagos River. This archaeological site is a settlement of farmers, possibly linked to neighboring sites such as El Cerrito in the town of El Cuarenta; Los Cerritos in Lagos de Moreno and El Cóporo in the neighboring state of Guanajuato. The materials recovered in the tomb, consisting of pottery, shell beads and miniature zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figurines. The new periodization allows us to date the beginning of the Mesoamerican occupation of the Lagos River valley from the 6th century, in addition to dates obtained by previous investigations. In this way, it can be established that the villages in the valley date from the end of the Mesoamerican classic period, with its peak in the epiclassic era and possibly concluding at the beginning of the postclassic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the discovery of ceramic kilns in the archaeological complex of Atzompa in Monte Albán, Oaxaca. These kilns have similar characteristics to those of the ethnographic tradition of Atzompa and it is believed that they were used to produce large gray ceramic pots. An archaeomagnetic study conducted on one of the kilns indicates that it was used after the supposed abandonment of Monte Albán, suggesting that the inhabitants of Atzompa continued to manufacture ceramics. Additionally, evidence of specialization in ceramic production in Atzompa and a permanent relationship between Atzompa and Monte Albán were found. The study was funded by the CONAHCyT CF19-1761 project and UNAMDGAPA PAPIIT IN100224. [Extracted from the article]

This article delves into the reasons behind the Spanish establishment in the region, with a particular focus on the alliances formed with native populations that facilitated the conquest of the Aztec Empire. Through source analysis, the article evaluates the credibility and content of primary sources, particularly The Thirteenth Communication by Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl, to uncover alternative perspectives on historical events. The analysis reveals the emotional narrative and strategic objectives underlying Ixtlilxochitl's account, shedding light on the motivations behind the Texcocan alliance with Spain. Additionally, the article examines the broader geopolitical landscape of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, characterized by internal conflicts, economic interactions, and religious dynamics as well as the personal factor, including the maneuverability in uncertainty and the power dynamics between individuals, having played a crucial role in shaping the outcomes of the conquest. Finally, the article highlights the multifaceted nature of historical causation in shaping colonial legacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ololiuhqui, the seeds of coatl xoxouhqui (morning glory, Turbina corymbosa), contain a nonhuman life force within them that Central Mexican Nahua specialists have used to diagnose and prognosticate cocoliztli (illness) and help guide cocoxqueh (sick people) back to pactinemiliztli (health). In the seventeenth century, Spanish priest Hernando Ruiz de Alarcón went on a campaign against ololiuhqui and its users that lasted more than two decades. Early in his war against ololiuhqui, the priest became ill, and some Nahuas in his parish viewed his cocoliztli as a result of his contempt toward the seed. This further fueled his rage toward ololiuhqui and drove him to uncover and punish specialists and their clients. After 1617, when the archbishop of Mexico licensed Ruiz de Alarcón to investigate Native "heterodoxy," the zealous priest quickly found that non-Native people were also involved in ololiuhqui networks and seldom wished to comply with his investigations. As a result, well into the 1630s the priest courted the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Mexico with the goal of obtaining jurisdiction over all colonial racial and ethnic categories in New Spain. Ruiz de Alarcón failed to extirpate the relationship Nahuas had with ololiuhqui, and he also failed to become an official member of the Holy Office's networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neotropical physaloid genera Witheringia and Brachistus have long been subject to taxonomic confusion. We obtained tissue from well-documented species of these genera, including multiple accessions from widespread taxa, to generate a molecular systematic framework. We present Bayesian phylogenies based on sequences of one chloroplast (trnL-trnF) and two nuclear loci (ITS and waxy). The major findings are that: 1) Witheringia and Brachistus together form a well-supported monophyletic group, 2) Brachistus is nested within Witheringia, 3) two Mexican endemic species represent the earliest diverging lineages of the clade, 4) several proposed synonyms represent distinct species, and 5) sequenced accessions include several new species awaiting description. The four currently recognized species of Brachistus are transferred to Witheringia, necessitating the new combination Witheringia knappiae, and Athenaea affinis is lectotypified. A list is also provided for names now excluded from Brachistus and recognized as belonging to other genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ant diversity in tropical montane rainforests is globally understudied. This is true for Cusuco National Park (CNP), a cloud forest ecosystem in northwestern Honduras that supports geographically isolated and threatened habitats. The current study presents the first comprehensive ant species checklist for CNP , which is also the first ant checklist for Honduras in over a century. Species records from several projects are also combined and presented. Sampling occurred along an elevational range (mainly between 1170 and 2030 m a.s.l.), with methodologies and intensities varying among projects and dates. Overall, 162 ant species belonging to nine subfamilies and 60 genera are reported from the CNP. Five species are recorded for the first time in Honduras (Pheidole natalie Longino, 2019; Strumigenys cf. calamita; Solenopsis invicta Buren, 1972; Solenopsis texana/carolinensis; Pseudomyrmex pallens Mayr, 1870). For the first time, male individuals are reported in Pheidole balatro Longino, 2019. For each species, we provide information on observed habitat preference, elevational range, and sampling technique. Species accumulation curves are provided for each sample technique, representing sampling intensity and community sample coverage. We also provide a key to the ant genera of Honduras to aid future taxonomic efforts in the country. Our research demonstrates that CNP harbours a surprisingly rich diversity of ant species, despite its small area, similar to many other taxa in the park. The information provided here represents baseline information for future work on ants in CNP and other Honduran cloud forests and will help guide research in these otherwise poorly explored yet highly threatened ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Climate change is one of the main factors affecting biodiversity worldwide at an alarming rate. In addition to increases in global extreme weather events, melting of polar ice caps, and subsequent sea level rise, climate change might shift the geographic distribution of species. In recent years, interest in understanding the effects of climate change on species distribution has increased, including species which depend greatly on forest cover for survival, such as strictly arboreal primates. Here, we generate a series of species distribution models (SDMs) to evaluate future projections under different climate change scenarios on the distribution of the black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra), an endemic endangered primate species. Using SDMs, we assessed current and future projections of their potential distribution for three Social Economic Paths (SSPs) for the years 2030, 2050, 2070, and 2090. Specifically, we found that precipitation seasonality (BIO15, 30.8%), isothermality (BIO3, 25.4%), and mean diurnal range (BIO2, 19.7.%) are the main factors affecting A. pigra distribution. The future climate change models suggested a decrease in the potential distribution of A. pigra by projected scenarios (from − 1.23 to − 12.66%). The highly suitable area was the most affected above all in the more pessimist scenario most likely related to habitat fragmentation. Our study provides new insights into the potential future distribution and suitable habitats of Alouatta pigra. Such information could be used by local communities, governments, and non-governmental organizations for conservation planning of this primate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kiekie Polotow & Brescovit, 2018 is a Neotropical genus of Ctenidae, with most of its species occuring in Central America. In this study, we review the systematics of Kiekie and describe five new species and the unknown females of K. barrocolorado Polotow & Brescovit, 2018 and K. garifuna Polotow & Brescovit, 2018, and the unknown male of K. verbena Polotow & Brescovit, 2018. In addition, we described the female of K. montanense which was wrongly assigned as K. griswoldi Polotow & Brescovit, 2018 (both species are sympatric). We provided a modified diagnosis for previously described species based on the morphology of the newly discovered species and in situ photographs of living specimens. We inferred a molecular phylogeny using four nuclear (histone H3, 28S rRNA, 18S rRNA and ITS-2) and three mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I or COI, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA) to test the monophyly of the genus and the evolutionary relationships of its species. Lastly, we reconstruct the historical biogeography and map diversity and endemism distributional patterns of the different species. This study increased the number of known species of Kiekie from 13 to 18, and we describe a new genus, Eldivo which is sister lineage of Kiekie. Most of the diversity and endemism of the genus Kiekie is located in the montane ecosystems of Costa Rica followed by the lowland rainforest of the Pacific side (Limon Basin). Kiekie originated in the North America Tropical region, this genus started diversifying in the Late Miocene and spread to Lower Central America and South America. In that region, Kiekie colonized independently several times the montane ecosystems corresponding to periods of uplifting of Talamanca and Central Cordilleras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To produce insights into the nature of butterfly communities in Belize and potential strategies for their conservation, we analyzed a data set of 31,539 occurrences representing 1047 species of butterflies. Most species in Belize are rarely encountered and 23% are known from one or two occurrences. Conversely, a few species (2%) are disproportionately abundant (19% of occurrences). Chao 1 and 1st-order Jackknife species richness estimates indicate a minimum of 101.6 ± 17.5 and 169.7 ± 24.9 additional species (respectively) in Belize. Most of the "missing species" are Lycaenidae, Riodinidae and Hesperiidae, groups that are difficult to identify and which have ecological traits that decrease detectability in the field. Seasonal and geographic weather patterns related to precipitation structure butterfly communities in the country. Species richness (alpha-diversity) is correlated to both average monthly temperature and precipitation for most, but not all families. During the dry season, both species numbers and densities are low, but both increase abruptly with the onset of rains. There are significant beta-diversity community differences between seasons (rainy and dry) as well. Precipitation decreases dramatically from south to north across the country and Chao 1 and rarefication estimates indicate that species richness is highest in southern Belize and declines northward corresponding with regional patterns of precipitation. Likewise, the three southern districts of Belize support significantly different butterfly communities (beta-diversity) than do the three northern districts. Implications for insect conservation: Because climate change will disrupt the status quo as ecological communities respond to changes that influence drought stress, actions that ensure that ecological connectivity is maintained or restored across ecological gradients, especially as reflected by precipitation patterns, will be critical for conserving butterfly and other phytophagous insect communities in Belize as communities respond to climate disruption. We make geographically explicit recommendations for conservation action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reivindico en mi práctica artística elementos plásticos formales de los Amoxtli o códices precolombinos, como la utilización de papel Amate y los colores brillantes. Además, profundizo en la mitología y en las crónicas etnográficas que plasman concepciones diversas al género binario, así como prácticas sexuales mucho más abiertas que las que se impusieron tras la evangelización de los pueblos originarios. En estas sociedades, se reconocían más de dos géneros, desde una concepción dual y fluida que aparece en toda mi obra metafóricamente, a partir de elementos orgánicos y simbólicos que hacen alusión a la vida (sexualidad) y a la muerte. Mis personajes tienden a ser personas que voy conociendo en mi vida, y algunas veces son autobiográficas. Encarnan arquetípicamente cada una de estas deidades/energías/númenes: elles/nosotres, somos les deidades. Mujeres, compañeres de la cotidianidad, personajes numinoses, que gozan abiertamente. Son, en su mayoría, disidentes, y crean rupturas de todo tipo, se reapropian de esos espacios que les/nos han sido negados: gozan, gritan y se complacen de forma consensuada. Se sumergen en el éxtasis de sus fluidos, en la vida deleitosa del tlalticpac: personas con diversidad funcional, con cuerpos desbordantes, raquíticos, quimeras, personas trans, cyborgs, putas, insurrectas, rebeldes, artistas, migrantes, exiliades, tercermundistas, maricas, con pelos, estrías, imperfecciones en la piel, menstruantes, prietes, negres, racializades. Todes a quienes el sistema colonial-patriarcal quiere fuera de los espacios, escondides en las penumbras. A quienes no se quiere ver, quienes dan asco, les imperfectes, les invisibles. Cuerpos a los que se nos obliga a permanecer invisibles, inexistentes, escatológicos, que defecan mientras experimentan placer. Cuerpos no hegemónicos, no binarios, zoomórficos, que critican y desbaratan con su existencia las identidades impuestas, cuerpos que desestabilizan, que cuestionan, que gozan el dolor y el placer. La serie titulada Zotz, Xochiquetzal y el origen de la menstruación, comenzó en el año 2015, y ha sido expuesta en diversas muestras y espacios (Galería Art Space Mexico, Swinton & Grant Gallery, Projektraum 404, Schwules Museum, Habitación, Bruja soy, mujer espíritu, en el Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Huarte, etc) y publicada en revistas (KALTBLUT magazine, POUSTA, etc.) además de formar parte de la plataforma digital del Museo Experimental El Eco. Se centra en la representación de un mito prehispánico relacionado con el origen de la menstruación. Xochiquetzal es una energía/deidad del placer sexual, de las flores, de las pintoras, el arte y las trabajadoras sexuales, a quien rendían culto y ofrendas las mujeres para propiciar un aborto. El mito, que explica el origen de la menstruación, cuenta que, mientras dormía, el murciélago Zotz le muerde la vulva, y Xochiquetzal comienza a sangrar. Otro mito narra que el murciélago fue creado por la simiente que Quetzalcóatl arrojó sobre una piedra después de masturbarse. Y que las flores, principalmente las Cempasúchil, flores que se usan para decorar y ofrendar el día de los muertos en México, fueron creadas por Mictlantecuhtli, deidad/energía de la muerte, cuando Zotz, el murciélago, llevó el pedacito que arrancó de la vulva de Xochiquetzal al inframundo. En la representación que hago de esta serie de mitos, intento darle un matiz sadomasoquista, donde Xochiquetzal goza del dolor consensuado ocasionado por la mordida de Zotz, que así mismo goza succionando y deleitándose con su menstruación.

Se realizó revisión bibliográfica de libros (cuatro), artículos científicos (tres) y visitas a un sitio arqueológico (Casa Blanca) y MUNA. Como producto de este proceso se obtuvo datos de representaciones de individuos de la familia Felidae Orden Carnívora, a partir de 13 registros de piezas de cerámica (cinco) como de lítica (ocho). La procedencia de las piezas proviene de seis departamentos (Santa Ana, Ahuachapán, La Libertad, San Salvador, San Vicente y San Miguel). Consultando las diversas fuentes revisadas, siete de los 11 registros constituyen, de acuerdo a los especialistas, jaguares (Panthera onca) y el resto felinos (Felidae: Carnívora). Con respecto a toponimia, se documento cuatro sitios, todos del occidente de El Salvador, cuyos nombres son alusivos a felinos.