ABSTRACT
Telebasis Selys, 1865 is a genus well represented in Colombia, with 18 species distributed throughout the territory, one of them being endemic to the country. One of the most underexplored biogeographic regions of the country is the Choc, where we found the two new endemic species of Telebasis here described, Telebasis blasi sp. nov. and Telebasis noveloi sp. nov. In the description of both species, we provide detailed information about their distribution, diagnostic characteristics for males and females, pictures of living specimens and diagnostic characteristics, and a map showing the localities where each species was found. Finally, remarks on the conservation status of these species are presented; we consider that they are probably endangered, since they occupy small ranges and are threatened by several human activities.
Subject(s)
Odonata , Animals , Colombia , Female , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
Batesian mimicry (BM), where a nontoxic species resembles a toxic species with aposematic coloring, has been recently described for a Neotropical species of the suboscine passerine (Laniocera hypopyrra). Understanding the order and series in which these characteristics evolved is unknown and requires character information from closely related taxa. Here, we trace the origin of mimetic traits and how they evolved by examining antipredator characteristics using images and other field-collected trait data from nest and nestlings along with data available in the literature for the Laniisominae clade and closely related taxa. We found that morphological modifications of the downy feathers appeared first in the broader clade leading to the Laniisominae clade followed by further morphological and behavioral characteristics within the Laniisominae clade leading to the full BM. Images of nestlings in the Laniisominae and closely related clades demonstrated the extent of antipredator and camouflage characteristics. We found a complex set of behavioral and morphological traits in this clade for reducing predation from hiding to camouflage to mimicry. We further propose the evolution of two distinctive mimicry strategies in the Laniisominae clade: (1) Batesian Mimicry, as described above and (2) Masquerade, resemblance to inedible objects commonly found in their local environment. This complex set of antipredator traits shed light on the diversity of antipredator characteristics in avian nestlings, particularly in neotropical areas where the avian diversity is highest. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of species in the neotropics that lack basic natural history information on nesting traits, and therefore, we are likely missing critical information on the diversity of antipredator characteristics across avian nestlings.
ABSTRACT
Andaeschna is a small and poorly known genus of dragonflies that inhabits the Andes, from Venezuela to northwestern Argentina. Here we describe Andaeschna occidentalis sp. nov., first species of the genus recorded in the Western Andes, specifically from the Tatamá National Park in Colombia. Males of this species can be differentiated from the other four species in the genus by the unique shape of the distal segment of the vesica spermalis. Likewise, females can be distinguished by their smaller and broader cerci (slightly shorter than S9) and its subquadrate point. The discovery of this beautiful species expands the range of the genus, previously known only in the Eastern Andes.
