ABSTRACT Studying species with wide geographical distributions allows the evaluation of the effects of environmental variation and phylogenetic constraints on the ecology of these organisms. The snake Tantilla melanocephala is widely distributed across South America in different environments (Amazonia, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Caatinga, and Chaco). We compared the morphology, diet, and reproduction

ABSTRACT A new species of Aegisthidae (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) is described from the upper subtidal of the western coast of the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (Chile). Frisia magellanica gen. et sp. nov. is allocated into the subfamily Cerviniinae because of the comparatively short and divergent furcal rami. However, an assignment to any of the six known cerviniin genera is not possible, as Frisia

ABSTRACT Philopatric birds have a number of advantages when breeding in familiar habitats, such as learning the locations of food, efficient movement throughout the breeding area, or effective escape from predators. However, few investigators have examined the possible effect of site familiarity on reproductive success, even less for Neotropical songbirds. We studied a breeding population of Masked

In recent years, the taxonomic knowledge of Pseudopaludicola has increased and it is currently possible to elucidate aspects of the species within this genus such as their geographic distributions. Here we accessed new data on geographic distribution of P. boliviana and three long-legged species of the P. saltica group (P. saltica, P. murundu, and P. jaredi). Based on morphometric, acoustic and genetic

A new Aegidium Westwood species from the East Andes Mountains in Colombia is described and illustrated. A key to the species of Aegidium from Colombia is provided in both English and Spanish. The check list of Aegidium especies of the New World is provided.

The bush dog (Speothos venaticus) is one of the rarest canids in Central and South America. Very little is known about its distribution or its ecological behavior. However, there are ongoing scientific efforts to compile updated data on this species. By using line transect surveys, interviews with local people and camera traps, we studied mammals and their association with four palm-tree species (Oenocarpus

Peridroma saucia (Hübner, [1808]) or ‘variegated cutworm’ is a cosmopolitan owlet moth pest resilient and abundant in agroecosystems. However, the morphology of their immatures is only briefly described, and information from distinct life stages is fragmentary. This study describes in detail all immature stages of the species based on a Neotropical population and compares it with populations from other

We analyzed the spatial-seasonal patterns on the abundance, composition, structure (i.e. abundance distribution among species), and diversity of the ground-dwelling spiders belonging to the retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) clade in two pine-oak forest remnants from Mexico. Additionally, a short review to compare the RTA ground-dwelling communities from Mexican habitats was carried out. Spiders were

We provide information on the diversity of anurans from agroforestry systems in the Colombian Amazon. This area is inserted at the tropical rainforest ecosystem and consists mainly of secondary forest remnants surrounded by crops, grasslands, and agroforestry systems. From February to May 2015, we sampled anurans mainly with visual and auditory surveys. We recorded a total of 1096 individuals of 20

The Neotropical amphibian family Centrolenidae currently includes 156 named species of nocturnal anurans commonly known as glassfrogs. With 79 species, Colombia is the country with the highest diversity of centrolenids. However, the number of species known to occur in the country remains uncertain because research often results in names being resurrected or placed in synonymy, the description of new

We describe the larval morphology of the stream-dwelling tadpole of Hyloscirtus antioquia based on specimens from the type locality, Antioquia, Colombia. The larvae of H. antioquia (belong to the suctorial ecomorphological guild) show morphological characters commonly associated with lotic habitats, like a depressed body, low fins, long tail, well-developed tail musculature, and oral disc with many

The Juan Fernández islands (Chile) are a volcanic archipelago, 670 km away from the continent. Arachnids still remain understudied in those islands. We report the first two records of Parabalta reedii (Butler, 1874) (Opiliones, Gonyleptidae) from the Robinson Crusoe Island. One specimen was collected near San Juan Bautista town (in 2011), while a population was documented in 2020, in secondary forests

Understand how environmental factors correlate with the trophic structure of fish communities is a fundamental step to allow designing models for the functioning of stream ecosystems and planning conservation actions. Thus, this study aims to characterize the trophic structure of fish communities of streams of the Contas River basin and evaluate the relationships between local environmental factors

The longtail knifefish Sternopygus macrurus is widely distributed in Neotropical regions, but because of its activity pattern, low recruitment, and ability to hide make it difficult to capture. Records of this species are rarely included in natural history and ecology studies. We studied the influence of both ontogenetic stages and seasonality on the diet of S. macrurus in the São Francisco River,

This study provides for the first time information about the reproductive biology of Mimagoniates lateralis, an endangered species of inseminating Neotropical tetra that occurs in blackwater streams of southeastern Brazil. We analyzed 404 individuals, of which 214 were females, 117 were males, and 73 were immature juveniles. The sex ratio was 1.83 females/males. Males were larger than females. The

The enigmatic, monotypic genus Laciphorus Redtenbacher, 1908 (type species: Laciphorus lobulatus Redtenbacher, 1908) is redescribed and its taxonomic position is explained. It belongs to a subgroup of ‘anareolate’ Phasmatodea currently referred to as Diapheromerinae: Diapheromerini: ‘Bacteria-group’ and now members of a clade termed Occidophasmata (Simon et al., 2019). Globocalynda Zompro, 2001 is

Alluaudinella Giglio-Tos (Diptera, Muscidae) is a small genus with only six known species restricted to the Afrotropical region. Alluaudinella bivittata Macquart, Alluaudinella evanescens Stein, Alluaudinella flavicornis Macquart, Alluaudinella lativentris Stein, Alluaudinella phasiaeformis Stein, and Alluaudinella stuckenbergi Paterson. They are moderate to robust flies and they can be mainly distinguished

The Family Streblidae is represented by 246 species distributed worldwide. In order to contribute to the knowledge of streblid richness in Mexico, we recorded the associations between Streblidae and the New World leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae) collected in different caves in Mexico. For each streblid species their geographical and host spectrum is reported, and diagnostic characters are illustrated

Scarab beetles present a great diversity of life history, in which countless species can act as pollinators, decomposers of organic matter and severe agricultural pests. Different methods have been used to capture adult specimens from different scarab beetle subfamilies in natural or anthropogenic landscapes. Here, we evaluated the preference of scarab beetles for different naturally fermented baits

This study aimed to analyze the accuracy of three currently used methods to quantify the volume of the prey of amphibians using the volumetric displacement method as a comparative parameter. The compared methods were the formula for semi-spherical bodies, which measures the height, length, and width of the prey; the formula for ellipsoid bodies, which estimates the height of the prey; and the parallelepiped

The diet composition and feeding preference of Myiothlypis leucoblephara (White-browed Warbler, Parulidae) were investigated in an area of the Atlantic Forest, Brazil, based on fecal samples and availability of field arthropods. Hymenoptera Formicidae and Coleoptera were the predominant taxa in the diet, corresponding to more than 70% of all items. Myiothlypis leucoblephara exhibited a preference for

The Atacama Myotis is an endangered and poorly studied bat species, endemic from Peru and Chile. Using mist nets and ultrasonic recordings we release new information on activity patterns and roost use by M. atacamensis in Chile. We also report new records for the species, extending its distribution range to Santiago Metropolitan region. Our results suggest a wide distribution and relative abundance

Rock specialists are mainly herbivores with similar morphological and behavioral characteristics such as spatial activity and feeding near rocky outcrops. In mountain areas, they are vulnerable due to restrictions in food searching and many are also sensitive to warm temperatures. The Wolffsohn’s viscacha (Lagidium wolffsohni) is a high-altitude rock specialist whose conservation status IUCN is Data

Some microcrustaceans living in temporary waterbodies produce drought-resistant stages under adverse conditions. These structures accumulate in the sediment, forming an egg bank in which eggs can remain viable for many years. Here, we evaluate the contribution of ostracod resting eggs to the structure of the active ostracod community in a tropical temporary lake located in the Upper Paraná River floodplain

Travisia Johnston, 1840 is the only genus of the family Travisiidae Hartmann-Schröder, 1971. Travisiid species have body relatively short, papillated, fusiform, often tapered anteriorly and posteriorly, and swollen medially. They are found mainly in deep-sea sediments. Several faunistic accounts from different locations in the Brazilian coast have included records of Travisia species that need to be

The rio Pratinha is a short affluent of the upper course of the rio Paraguaçu basin inserted in the semiarid domain in the northeastern of Brazil. It is a unique water body with remarkably transparent water exiting from a cave and immediately forming a lagoon, which has whitish substrate partially covered by tiny gastropod shells. The local ichthyofauna is known only by a few descriptions of endemic

Human alteration toward environment modifies the spatial distribution of available resources that influences habitat selection in animals. Thus, it is necessary to identify the resources that determine species occurrence in modified landscapes to provide the basis for future conservation efforts. We evaluated the habitat use and microhabitat selection of two lizard species with different niche requirements

The biology of South American land snails, can be achieved if their eating habits and by extension their distribution in the environment is understood. The present study evaluates the food choices of Megalobulimus paranaguensis. In the laboratory, we tested whether M. paranaguensis prefers fresh or dry Malvaviscus flowers. Our results indicate that the species is herbivorous and that it has a preference

The plateaus surrounding the Pantanal in Mato Grosso do Sul are highly threatened by land-use conversion and are home to Ameerega berohoka and Ameerega picta, two species of poison frogs renowned for their aposematic coloration and toxic skin. The species have diurnal and terrestrial habitats and are often observed among dead tree branches, leaf litter or under rocks. Herein, we investigated the diet

The Atlantic Forest is highly heterogeneous, with successional stages inducing shifts in food resources for birds. We investigated fruit and flower availability across two different successional stages in a continuous forest and the implications for bird communities. We sampled three sites in primary forest and three in second-growth forest. We established four plots (10 x 10 m) in each site and estimated

Bumble bees of the genus Bombus spp. play a key role as effective pollinators in the biodiversity rich Central Andean region; however, parasites and pathogens may negatively influence their abundance and population numbers. In this study, we aimed at verifying the occurrence of these natural enemies in the Andes regions of Bolivia and Peru. Workers and males of Bombus funebris, Bombus opifex and Bombus

We describe the larva of the louse fly, Stilbometopa podopostyla (Speiser) (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), and make the first ultrastructural analysis of the spiracular plate. We also report the first record of S. podopostyla in the state of Paraná and a new host for the species, Geotrygon montana (Linnaeus) (Aves: Columbidae).

The large branchiopod crustacean fauna (fairy shrimp, tadpole shrimp and clam shrimp) of the Neotropical Bioregion are incompletely known, with scattered records for many taxa, and many new taxa discovered and described regularly. As an aid to furthering our knowledge of the group in this region, we present an assortment of notes and records on various Neotropical taxa. We present our information in

Recently, the availability of cheap and effective survey methods increased the number of forest canopy studies. Several studies have described butterfly communities in the upper forest stratum. However, these studies were all conducted in tall forests (20–60 m canopy height). Here we aim to assess the stratification of fruit-feeding butterfly species in two vertical strata of a semi-deciduous seasonal

In Brazil, the Caatinga ecoregion is the only biome that lies completely within the country, covering approximately 11% of the national territory. This biome exhibits a strong climatic seasonality that may affect the activity of its fauna. We aimed to assess the effects of seasonality on scorpion foraging activity in an area of hypoxerophytic Caatinga, located in the municipality of Caetés, Pernambuco

A new species of Leptostygnus Mello–Leitão, 1940, Leptostygnus yarigui sp. nov. from Colombia (Santander department) is described and illustrated. Photographs of Leptostygnus leptochirus Mello-Leitão, 1940 (type species of the genus) and L. marchantiarum (González-Sponga, 1987), a map with geographical distribution and a key to the species of the genus are given. The first SEM images of a penis of

In this paper, our goal was to test fish–environment relationships at headwater streams using three different taxonomic levels (species, family, and order) considering two hypotheses: i) fish–environment relationships are expected to occur at higher taxonomic levels; ii) fish–environment relationships are expected to differ among distinct families and orders. We sampled 37 headwater streams using the

The description of life-history traits is a prerequisite to understand the complex patterns of bird biodiversity. However, most of the highly diverse Neotropical avifauna still lack basic information on their reproductive behavior. Here, we describe the breeding biology of the Creamy-bellied Thrush (Turdus amaurochalinus) in a periurban area of southeast Brazil. We found 67 nests between early September

The present study investigates the diet composition and the feeding strategy of Kalyptodoras bahiensis by verifying variations during the hydrological cycle and between males and females. Samples were collected during the periods of rain and drought using various fishing gears adapted to each microhabitat. In laboratory, the fishes were weighed and measured. An abdominal incision was made to observe

Cannibalism is considered common among spiders. Nonsexual cannibalism might provide a significant foraging behavior for wolf spiders. To determine the type of cannibalism that influences the foraging behavior of Lycosa poliostoma (Lycosidae), we conducted experiments to test whether hunger level and territoriality affected the rate of cannibalism in adult females in captivity. We found significant

Tropical dry forests are diverse ecosystems that are globally threatened but are rarely protected. The main threat to this habitat is conversion for agricultural use. Here we evaluate the effects of environmental conversion, comparing patterns of beta diversity of butterflies in unconverted dry forest ecosystems (protected areas) and in agroecosystems (sugarcane and pasture). Butterflies were collected

Like all human action that changes ecosystems, roads contribute to habitat fragmentation, acting as barriers and, consequently, causing biodiversity loss. Given the need for studies related to roadkill of wild animals, especially in the Atlantic Forest, and the vulnerability of mammal species to roadkill on the roads, we analyzed roadkill data of medium and large mammals. The study was carried out

The reasons for the decline of bee diversity and abundance include the destruction and loss of natural habitats. Protected areas are created for biodiversity conservation, but these areas vary strongly in their level of vegetation disturbance. Using trap-nests, we assessed changes in solitary bee abundance, richness, and composition in areas ranging from naturally conserved to degraded. Solitary bees

Myocastor coypus is a large semi-aquatic rodent ranked as one of the 100 most invasive species in the world. In Brazil, few ecological studies have been proposed to understand the relationship of this species with the environment. To date, drivers that facilitate its establishment in new areas remain unknown. However, it is generally accepted that the natural distribution of this species is limited

The distribution of aquatic insects is influenced by several environmental features, especially water quality and substrate. Diversity and distribution of the aquatic community and the distribution of the feeding functional groups (FFGs) of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) in four microhabitats from low-order streams on a subtropical island were analyzed. Samples were taken with a Surber

Azaras’s capuchin monkey (Sapajus cay) is a poorly studied species in ecological aspects. We investigated behavioral activities and diet of a group of S. cay in a remnant of the Brazilian Cerrado. We sought to identify the most frequent behavior that the group engaged in, as well as to verify possible differences in behavioral patterns and diet between adult males and females. From January to July

The Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) has been a species of conservation concern since the 1960s because of its regional population decline and loss of breeding colonies. In the last two decades, there have been reports of increasing population trends in the Caribbean. The aim of this work is to document the historic population status of flamingos on Margarita Island, Venezuela, and to present

A new species of the spider genus Cuacuba from Brazil, C. ribeira sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on eighty-six specimens collected from caves in the Vale do Ribeira region, in the states of São Paulo and Paraná. This species is recognized by the hook-shaped median apophysis on the male palp, and females by having invaginations on the sides of the median posterior edge of the epigynal plate

The little-known Alucita danunciae Vargas, 2011 (Lepidoptera: Alucitidae) is recorded for the first time from Peru, expanding its altitudinal, geographic and host plant ranges. Its larvae were found on fruits of Tecoma fulva arequipensis (Bignoniaceae) at 2900 m elevation in Pocsi, Arequipa, on the western slopes of the Andes of southern Peru. Genetic divergence between the Chilean (type locality)

Ablabesmyia is a speciose genus, with about 90 species distributed worldwide, 37 of which occurring in the Neotropical region. In Colombia, A. metica is the only species of the genus recorded so far, which was initially described with material collected in the Colombian Orinoquia and more recently recorded in the southeastern Brazil. In the present study, Ablabesmyia opita sp. n. from the Colombian

Euathlus Ausserer, 1875 is a South American genus of spiders of the family Theraphosidae known from Chile and Argentina. Three new species from Argentina: Euathlus mauryi sp. n. (from San Juan province), Euathlus grismadoi sp. n. (from La Rioja province), and Euathlus pampa sp. n. (from Salta province) are described here. New records of the previous species Euathlus diamante and Euathlus tenebrarum

Stephanopoides is a genus of crab spiders (Thomisidae), currently composed of four species distributed only in the Neotropics, from Panama to Argentina. In this study, we redescribe Stephanopoides cognata, including a description of the male, previously unknown, and an updated description of the female epigynum. The examination of 12 arachnological collections allowed us to update the geographic records

Ophiocordyceps is a genus comprised by entomopathogenic fungi known to infect ten orders of insects, including Hymenoptera. Amongst the nearly 250 species described in the genus, few are known to manipulate their hosts, which are most notably ants. These species cause their hosts to die in an exposed position high above the ground while grabbing and/or biting the abaxial surface of leaves or branches

The Dipteran family Streblidae are ectoparasites of bats. These flies are viviparous and have an intrauterine larval life phase, a free-living sessile puparium phase and the adult obligate parasite. Here we describe the external morphology of the puparium of Aspidoptera phyllostomatis (Perty, 1833), Megistopoda aranea (Coquillett, 1899), M. proxima (Séguy, 1826), Noctiliostrebla morena Alcantara et

Species that exploit the same type of environmental resources are defined as a guild, which have similar needs in the use of food or habitat. It was analyzed the diet of five waterbirds’ offsprings species (Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianus), Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens), Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius), Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) and Great Egret (Ardea alba)), by prey

The recently described solitary bee Monoeca catarina Aguiar (Apidae, Tapinotaspidini) is only known from two nest aggregations on Santa Catarina Island, state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Nests are excavated in sandy soils along trails near dunes and beaches. Up to 287 nests were counted in one aggregation. Bees were active for about seven weeks from late November to mid-January suggesting a

The composition of a snake assemblage from an orographic island in east-central Argentina, the Sierras de Ventania mountain chain, was analyzed. The aim was to determine the biogeographic resemblance to other snake assemblages from neighboring regions. Species composition of each region was obtained from an exhaustive review of the literature, and both fieldwork and museum records. The higher biogeographic

Felids biogeographic patterns in Uruguay are poorly understood despite the importance of fringe populations of species in conservation. We determined suitability areas, analyzed species richness and assessed the role of Uruguayan protected areas in the conservation of small felids: margay, pampas cat, and Geoffroy’s cat. We applied umbrella-species approach to select conservation areas based on habitat

Seed dispersion is a critical process to vegetation dynamics which is particularly complex in mosaic-like landscapes as the Pantanal wetlands. We analyzed some aspects of ichthyochory in the Pantanal flooded grasslands. The fish were collected and had their whole intestinal contents removed and submitted to suitable germination conditions for 179 days. We collected 661 specimens belonging to 40 species

Male and female adults of Scrobipalpula wilsoni sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the coastal valleys of the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, based on specimens reared from leaf tier larvae collected on the shrub Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. (Asteraceae). The morphology of the male genitalia of S. wilsoni resembles that of S. transiens Povolný, 1987, endemic to central Chile;