Is Eriocnemis luciani meridae (Aves: Trochilidae) a diagnosable taxon and does it come from Venezuela, with remarks on the collectors Salomn Briceo and Walther Frederick Henninger.

Eriocnemis luciani meridae was originally described from a single specimen collected in the late 19th century in western Venezuela. Subsequently a second specimen of E. luciani, also labelled Venezuela, has been taken as additional proof for a highly disjunct population of this hummingbird, which otherwise ranges from southwest Colombia to southern Peru (taxonomy-dependent). Eriocnemis l. meridae has been accepted by all of the global checklists of birds, but has been routinely ignored by Venezuelan sources. In an effort to resolve this dichotomy of treatment, we re-examined the specimens plumage in comparison with relevant material in two major European bird collections. We found that the characters used to erect E. l. meridae are only doubtfully or weakly expressed in the holotype and appear invisible in the Ohio specimen, but both are clearly referrable to the species E. luciani. Evidence that the second specimen was definitely collected in Venezuela is weak and its overall provenance is unclear. In contrast, an extensive historical investigation of the relevant collectors indicates that the holotype does appear to have been taken in Venezuela, although perhaps not in the precise locality indicated for it. This leaves an unusual situation whereby we consider the case for a separate Venezuelan endemic taxon to be unproven, but there is no incontrovertible reason to exclude the species from the countrys avifauna; according to recent niche modelling data it is best searched for in the Sierra Nevada of Mrida state. In contrast, a second subspecies of E. luciani, E. l. baptistae, described by the same authors as endemic to part of western Ecuador is, according to our reappraisal, clearly diagnosable and is upheld.

Quo vadis Pantanal? Expected precipitation extremes and drought dynamics from changing sea surface temperature.

Climate change poses a critical threat to the Pantanal, the largest wetland in the world. Models indicate an increase in the frequency of extreme precipitation events and extended periods of drought. These changes can amplify consequences for Pantanal's ecological functioning, which has already experienced intensive human modification of its hydrological system and environmental health. The present study analyzed the spatial and temporal dynamics of rainfall and resulting extremes in the Brazilian area of the Upper Paraguay River Basin (UPRB) along with a co-evaluation of the global Sea Surface Temperature data (SST). The predicted results indicate that wet extreme precipitation events will become more frequent in the highlands, while severe and prolonged droughts triggered by warming SSTs in the Northern Hemisphere (North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans) will affect the Pantanal. The linear relations between precipitation with SST of very specific oceanic regions and even from specific oceanic indexes obtained in the present study significantly improve the forecasting capacity, mainly from a resulting reduction to two months of the lead-time between SST warming to concomitant precipitation impacts, and by explaining 80% of Pantanal´s precipitation variation from major oceanic indexes (e.g., ENSO, PDO, NAO, ATL3). Current SST trends will result in inter- and intra-annual flooding dynamic alterations, drastically affecting the Pantanal ecosystem functioning, with consequences for wildlife diversity and distribution. Regarding the foreseeable global climate and land use change scenarios, the results from the present study provide solid evidence that can be used at different decision-making levels (from local to global) for identifying the most appropriate management practices and effectively achieving sustainability of the anthropic activity occurring in the Pantanal.

Reproductive pattern of the large fruit-eating bat, Artibeus amplus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in the Venezuelan Andes / Patrón reproductivo del murciélago frugívoro grande, Artibeus amplus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) en los Andes venezolanos

Abstract:Bimodal polyestry is the most common reproductive pattern in tropical bats, and it consists in producing one offspring per female twice a year. Reproductive patterns are closely related to rainfall regimes, frequently occurring twice a year in tropical regions. The goal of our study was to determine the reproductive pattern of the large fruit-eating bat, Artibeus amplus Handley, 1987 in a cave in the Venezuelan Andes inhabited by a large, stable colony. Thus, in this study we describe for the first time this important biological aspect of this unknown Neotropical bat species through the examination of external reproductive characteristics of males (inguinal or scrotal testes) and females (pregnant, lactating, post-lactating), based on 211 individuals (120 males and 91 females) captured between September 2008 and August 2009, in Cueva del Parque Las Escaleras, Estado Táchira, Venezuela. During this period of monthly sampling for a full year, most males displayed large scrotal testes, averaging 10 mm maximum length. The examination of females indicated that although pregnancy was first observed in November 2008, it reached a maximum during January and February 2009. Although adult males with scrotal testes throughout the year could imply that females have more than one pregnancy, our results suggested a seasonally monoestrous reproductive pattern for A. amplus. This study represents the first report of reproductive pattern for this poorly-known Neotropical frugivorous species. The observed monoestrous reproductive pattern supports the existence of synchronization between precipitation and reproduction. This synchronization has been frequently observed in most species of fruit bats. In this study, Artibeus amplus presumably adjust the parturition to anticipate the rainy season, as a strategy that allows maintenance of offspring during high availability of fruits. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (1): 335-344. Epub 2017 March 01.

ResumenPoliestría bimodal es el patrón reproductivo más común en murciélagos tropicales, y consite en producir una cría por hembra dos veces al año. Los patrones reproductivos estan estrechamente relacionados con regímenes de precipitación, frecuentemente manifestándose dos veces al año en regiones tropicales. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue determinar el patrón reproductivo del murciélago frugívoro grande, Artibeus amplus Handley 1987, en una cueva en los Andes venezolanos habitada por una colonia grande y estable. De este modo, en este estudio describimos por primera vez este aspecto biológico fundamental de esta especie de murciélago Neotropical desconocida, a través de la examinación de características reproductivas externas de machos (testículos inguinales o escrotados) y hembras (preñadas, lactantes o postlactantes), basado en 211 individuos (120 machos y 91 hembras) capturados entre septiembre 2008 y agosto 2009, en la Cueva del Parque Las Escaleras, en Táchira, Venezuela. Durante este período de muestreo mensual por un año, la mayoría de los machos mostraron testículos escrotados grandes, con promedio de 10 mm de longitud máxima. La examinación de las hembras indicó que aunque la preñez fue observada por primera vez en noviembre 2008, esta alcanzó su máximo durante enero y febrero 2009. Aunque la presencia de machos adultos con testículos escrotados a lo largo del año podría implicar que las hembras experimentan más de una preñez, nuestros resultados sugieren un patrón reproductivo monoestro estacional para A. amplus. Este estudio representa el primer reporte de patrón reproductivo para esta especie de frugívoro neotropical desconocido. El patrón reproductivo monoestro observado apoya la existencia de una sincronización entre precipitación y reproducción. Esta sincronización ha sido frecuentemente observada en especies de murciélagos frugívoros. En este estudio, Artibeus amplus presumiblemente ajusta el parto anticipando la estación lluviosa, como una estrategia que permite el mantenimiento de las crías durante la disponibilidad máxima de frutas.

Reproductive pattern of the large fruit-eating bat, Artibeus amplus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in the Venezuelan Andes.

Bimodal polyestry is the most common reproductive pattern in tropical bats, and it consists in producing one offspring per female twice a year. Reproductive patterns are closely related to rainfall regimes, frequently occurring twice a year in tropical regions. The goal of our study was to determine the reproductive pattern of the large fruit-eating bat, Artibeus amplus Handley, 1987 in a cave in the Venezuelan Andes inhabited by a large, stable colony. Thus, in this study we describe for the first time this important biological aspect of this unknown Neotropical bat species through the examination of external reproductive characteristics of males (inguinal or scrotal testes) and females (pregnant, lactating, post-lactating), based on 211 individuals (120 males and 91 females) captured between September 2008 and August 2009, in Cueva del Parque Las Escaleras, Estado Táchira, Venezuela. During this period of monthly sampling for a full year, most males displayed large scrotal testes, averaging 10 mm maximum length. The examination of females indicated that although pregnancy was first observed in November 2008, it reached a maximum during January and February 2009. Although adult males with scrotal testes throughout the year could imply that females have more than one pregnancy, our results suggested a seasonally monoestrous reproductive pattern for A. amplus. This study represents the first report of reproductive pattern for this poorly-known Neotropical frugivorous species. The observed monoestrous reproductive pattern supports the existence of synchronization between precipitation and reproduction. This synchronization has been frequently observed in most species of fruit bats. In this study, Artibeus amplus presumably adjust the parturition to anticipate the rainy season, as a strategy that allows maintenance of offspring during high availability of fruits.

On the absence of the Green-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia nuna (Trochilidae) from Venezuela: an analysis based on environmental niche modelling.

BACKGROUND: Lesbia nuna, a hummingbird distributed in the tropical Andes, has been included in Venezuela's bird list on the basis of a specimen collected in 1873 at Sierra Nevada, Mérida and deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, with no further records for this country since then. This record, largely considered as valid by most authors, has been questioned by others, although without formal analyses. NEW INFORMATION: The potential habitat range of the Green-Tailed Trainbearer, Lesbia nuna gouldii (Trochilidae), in the northern Andes from Ecuador to Venezuela was modelled, using maximum entropy niche modelling, environmental covariates and records from locations across the Colombian Andes. The predicted suitable habitat range corresponded well to the known range of the subspecies L. n. gouldii in Colombia and clearly excluded Sierra Nevada. Therefore, these analyses suggest that this species should be removed from the Venezuelan bird list.

Population dynamics of the rat Microryzomys minutus (Rodentia: Muridae) in the Venezuelan Andes.

The population dynamics of the small forest rice rat Microryzomys minutus, a murid rodent that occurs in the high altitudes of the northern and central Andes, was studied in disturbed and primary environments in a cloud forest of the Venezuelan Andes (Juan Pablo Peñaloza National Park, 8 degrees 11'N, 71 degrees 49'W). We collected 121 animals (66 female female and 55 male male) between 1995 and 1998, using pitfall traps with formalin. Adult males were heavier than adult females. Relative abundance was much greater in the disturbed environments (over 10 individuals in some periods) than in the primary cloud forest: 4-8 individuals. In the disturbed environments, the rats were extremely abundant in the first sampling period, and less frequent afterwards. In the cropland, abundance showed some fluctuations during the study and displayed two small abundance peaks in March-June 1997 and 1998. In the mined area, the rats had irregular fluctuations until March-June 1997 and were not recorded in July-October 1997. The occurrence of this rat in both disturbed and natural habitats confirms the wide ecological tolerance of this species.

Serial heart rate changes in rats inoculated by conjunctival instillation of Trypanosoma cruzi obtained from bug faeces

Os efeitos da miocardite chagásica experimental, produzida por Trypanosoma cruzi proveniente do sangue de camundongos säo bem conhecidos. O mesmo näo ocorre quando a inoculaçäo é feita com Trypanosoma cruzi proveniente de fezes do vetor. No presente estudo, usamos a variedade "Y" da Trypanosoma cruzi mantida em Rodhnius prolixus por repetidas passagens em camundongos. As fezes de 30 insetos parasitados foram coletadas e contados os parasitas. O estudo foi desenvolvido em três grupos de ratos. O primeiro, controle, formado por 40 animais, o segundo, por 29 animais que receberam fezes de insetos näo infectados (controle falso inoculado) e o terceiro grupo constituído por 60 ratos inoculados com 4.000 parasitas, por via conjuntival. Em todos os animais, após anestesia geral, registrou-se a frequência cardíaca (FC). Esta, antes da inoculaçäo, era similar nos infectados e nos controles (controle 379 27bpm; falsa inoculado: 366 Ý 3lbpm; infectado 351 ñ 29bpm). No 12§ dia após a infecçäo, a FC no grupo chagásico começou a se elevar (375 Ý 31bpm) atingindo seu valor máximo entre os dias 18 (390 Ý 33bpm) e 21 (403 Ý 33bpm). No 33§ dia pós-infecçäo, a FC refornou ao valor basal inicial. Nos grupos controles, näo se detectaram alteraçöes da FC. O estudo estatístico mostrou que as variaçöes da FC, no grupo infectado, foram estatisticamente diferentes das detectadas nos outros grupos. Conclui-se que a infecçäo pelo Trypanosoma cruzi, em ratos, produz taquicardia sinusal transitória, independente da fonte do parasita e da via de inoculaçäo

Heart rate responses to a muscarinic agonist in rats with experimentally induced acute and subacute chagasic myocarditis

We administered arecoline to rats, with experimentally induced chagasic myocarditis, in order to study the sinus node sensitivity to a muscarinic agonist. Sixteen month old rats were inoculated with 200,000 T. cruzi parasites ("Y" strain). Between days 18 and 21 (acute stage), 8 infected rats and 8 age-matched controls received intravenous arecoline as a bolus injection at the following doses: 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, 40.0, and 80.0 mug/kg. Heart rate was recorded before, during and after each dose of arecoline. The remaining 8 infected animals and 8 controls were subjected to the same experimental procedure during the subacute stage, i.e., days 60 to 70 after inoculation. The baseline heart rate, of the animals studied during the acute stage (349 Ý 68 bpm, mean Ý SD), was higher than that of the controls (250 Ý 50 bpm, p < 0.005). The heart rate changes were expressed as percentage changes over baseline values. A dose-response curve was constructed for each group of animals. Log scales were used to plot the systematically doubled doses of arecoline and the induced-heart rate changes. The slope of the regression line for the acutely infected animals (r = - 0.99, b =1.78) was not different from that for the control animals (r = - 0.97, b = 1.61). The infected animals studied during the subacute stage (r = - 0.99, b = 1.81) were also not different from the age-matched controls (r = - 0.99, b = 1.26, NS). Consequently, our results show no pharmacological evidence of postjunctional hypersensitivity to the muscarinic agonist arecoline. Therefore, these results indirectly suggest that the postganglionic parasympathetic innervation, of the sinus node of rats with autopsy proved chagasic myocarditis, is not irreversibly damaged by Trypanosoma cruzi.