Distribución geográfica y estado de conservación del cactus endémico Austrocylindropuntia pachypus y nuevos registros para el sur del Perú / Geographic distribution and conservation status of the endemic cactus Austrocylindropuntia pachypus and new records for southern Peru

Resumen Austrocylindropuntia pachypus (K.Schum.) Backeb. es un cactus endémico de Perú, cuya distribución conocida estaba restringida a las vertientes occidentales de La Libertad, Áncash y Lima. En base a expediciones botánicas por las estribaciones andinas de Ica, en este trabajo reportamos nuevas localidades con pequeñas poblaciones, lo que amplía en más de 260 km al sur la distribución conocida de A. pachypus. Además, en base a 42 registros georreferenciados, se amplía la información sobre sus localidades, poblaciones, distribución potencial, hábitats, amenazas y estado de conservación. El modelo de distribución potencial mostró altos niveles predictivos o de idoneidad con valores de AUC = 0.96 en base a siete variables climáticas, siendo Bio17, Bio2 y Bio7 las variables con mayor contribución; mostrando a Lambayeque, La Libertad, Áncash, Lima, Ica y Huancavelica los departamentos con mayores valores de idoneidad. Las poblaciones con mayor concentración de individuos, pero que a su vez se encuentran seriamente perturbadas por actividades antropogénicas, son las de los valles del río Chillón (Santa Rosa de Quives, Canta) y Rímac (Santa Eulalia, Huarochirí) en Lima. Asimismo, se estima que cerca del 70% de las poblaciones de A. pachypus se encuentran amenazadas por derechos mineros, extracción de hidrocarburos, sobrepastoreo y expansión urbana o agrícola, incrementando la fragmentación de sus hábitats, por lo que se propone categorizar a este cactus endémico como En Peligro (EN).

Abstract Austrocylindropuntia pachypus (K.Schum.) Backeb. is an endemic cactus of Peru, whose known distribution was restricted to the western slopes of La Libertad, Áncash, and Lima. Based on botanical expeditions along the Andean foothills of Ica, this study reports new localities with small populations, thereby extending the known distribution of A. pachypus by over 260 km to the south. Additionally, based on 42 georeferenced records, information on its localities, populations, potential distribution, habitats, threats, and conservation status is expanded. The potential distribution model exhibited high predictive or suitability levels with AUC values of 0.96 based on seven climatic variables, with Bio17, Bio2, and Bio7 being the most contributory variables; Lambayeque, La Libertad, Áncash, Lima, Ica, and Huancavelica demonstrated the highest suitability values. Populations with the highest concentration of individuals, yet significantly disturbed by anthropogenic activities, are those in the valleys of the Chillón River (Santa Rosa de Quives, Canta) and Rímac River (Santa Eulalia, Huarochirí) in Lima. Furthermore, it is estimated that approximately 70% of A. pachypus populations are threatened by mining rights, hydrocarbon extraction, overgrazing, and urban or agricultural expansion, exacerbating habitat fragmentation. Hence, it is proposed to categorize this endemic cactus as Endangered (EN).

Occurrence of tripletail Lobotes surinamensis (Bloch, 1790) in the inner Bristol Channel, UK.

A specimen of tripletail Lobotes surinamensis (total length: 402 mm, total mass: 1262 g) was caught in the shallow waters of the inner Bristol Channel on September 2, 2019, with this only the second known capture of this species from the British Isles. Given the cosmopolitan distribution of this species, the potential origin of this specimen is uncertain.

New and noteworthy species of the genus Epidendrum (Orchidaceae, Laeliinae) from the Área de Conservación Privada La Pampa del Burro, Amazonas, Peru.

Fourteen species of the genus Epidendrum, recently collected in the Área de Conservación Privada La Pampa del Burro (ACPPB), five of them new to science (Epidendrumechinatiantherumsp. nov., E.imazaensesp. nov., E.parvireflexilobumsp. nov., E.rosulatumsp. nov., and E.ochrostachyumsp. nov.), are described and illustrated. The other species include a new record for Peru (E.acrobatesii) and four for the department of Amazonas (E.brachyblastum, E.forcipatum, E.mavrodactylon, and E.tridens). Epidendrumenantilobum is here considered a synonym of Epidendrumbrachyblastum. The type locality of Epidendrumcryptorhachis, originally stated as Ecuador, Guayabamba, is corrected to indicate that it refers to the valley of Guayabamba, Rodríguez de Mendoza, Amazonas, Peru. Our results show the need to continue conducting botanical exploration in the ACPPB as a baseline for subsequent studies, including a full inventory of the orchid diversity.

Holothuriophilus trapeziformis Nauck, 1880 (Decapoda: Pinnotheridae) from the Pacific coast of Mexico: taxonomic revision based on integrative taxonomy.

BACKGROUND: Holothuriophilus trapeziformis Nauck, 1880 is a holothurian-dweller pinnotherid crab representing one of the two species of the genus distributed along the Pacific coast of Mexico and Chile, respectively. While the parasitic ecological interaction with its host is well established, the morphology of the male remains unknown, and DNA information for the species is not available. Furthermore, the only morphological trait separating both species of the genus is subjective and corresponds to the presence or absence of a gap between the fingers of the chelae. Our goal is to complete and clarify the taxonomic status of H. trapeziformis and describe the male morphology with the use of the integrative taxonomy, providing additional characters to differentiate this species. METHODS: We collected new biological material in the Pacific coast of Mexico including the topotypes. We also reviewed material from national collections to integrate morphology (based on a complete and detailed description and illustration of the species using light microscopy), ecological data (based on the identification of the host and the place where it was located within the host), and the mtCOI gene information (commonly known as DNA barcode) to differentiate Holothuriophilus trapeziformis from other related crabs. RESULTS: This species presents marked sexual dimorphism only in the primary sexual characters. For the first time we describe morphological variability of traditionally stable characters. In addition to the gap between the fingers of the chelae, Holothuriophilus trapeziformis differs from H. pacificus (Poeppig, 1836) by their ornamentation, the shape of the male abdomen, and the gonopod. Cytocrome Oxidase 1 gene (COI) distance divergence was >3% between both Holothuriophilus species forming a clear clade. DNA barcoding indicates only one taxon, with a maximum divergence of 2.2%. All the specimens have the same Barcode Index Number (BIN; BOLD: ADE9974). All the hosts for H. trapeziformis were identified as Holothuria (Halodeima) inornata Semper, 1868; the presence of the crab in the host's coelomic cavity was confirmed, and for the first time we found it within the intestine. The geographical distribution is the Pacific coast of Mexico. Based on the data presented here, the taxonomic status of Holothuriophilus trapeziformis is now complete.

The experimental range extension of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) influences the metabolic activity of tropical streams.

The ecological consequences of biological range extensions reflect the interplay between the functional characteristics of the newly arrived species and their recipient ecosystems. Teasing apart the relative contribution of each component is difficult because most colonization events are studied retrospectively, i.e., after a species became established and its consequences apparent. We conducted a prospective experiment to study the ecosystem consequences of a consumer introduction, using whole-stream metabolism as our integrator of ecosystem activity. In four Trinidadian streams, we extended the range of a native fish, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), by introducing it over barrier waterfalls that historically excluded it from these upper reaches. To assess the context dependence of these range extensions, we thinned the riparian forest canopy on two of these streams to increase benthic algal biomass and productivity. Guppy's range extension into upper stream reaches significantly impacted stream metabolism but the effects depended upon the specific stream into which they had been introduced. Generally, increases in guppy biomass caused an increase in gross primary production (GPP) and community respiration (CR). The effects guppies had on GPP were similar to those induced by increased light level and were larger in strength than the effects stream stage had on CR. These results, combined with results from prior experiments, contribute to our growing understanding of how consumers impact stream ecosystem function when they expand their range into novel habitats. Further study will reveal whether local adaptation, known to occur rapidly in these guppy populations, modifies the ecological consequences of this species introduction.

The first record of Tremoctopus violaceus sensu stricto Delle Chiaje,1830 in southwestern Gulf of Mexico gives a hint of the taxonomic status of Tremoctopus gracilis.

Knowledge on species taxonomic identity is essential to understand biological and biogeographical processes and for studies on biodiversity. Species the genus Tremoctopus have been confused in the past and are inconsistently identified. To clarify of the taxonomic diagnosis Tremoctopus violaceus Delle Chiaje, 1830, an evaluation of morphological and meristic characters, as well as morphometric indices and genetic analyses, was undertaken. The analyzed octopod was an opportunistically collected mature female of 640 mm in total length, with a mantle length of 135 mm and a total weight of 1.02 kg. Evidence of autotomy as a defensive mechanism for protecting the egg mass is presented. The 16S haplotype sequenced from this specimen represents the first one publicly available for this species from the Gulf of Mexico. The genetic divergence between this haplotype and those reported from the Pacific Ocean is representative of interspecific variation in other taxa, which suggests that "T. violaceus" in the Pacific Ocean (KY649286, MN435565, and AJ252767) should be addressed as T. gracilis instead. Genetic evidence to separate T. violaceus and T. gracilis is presented. The studied specimen from the Gulf of Mexico represents the westernmost known occurrence of T. violaceus and the first record from the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.

Occurrence of Sturnira tildae De La Torre, 1959 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in the state of Maranhão, Brazil

The bat genus Sturnira is widely distributed in the Neotropical region, from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina, and four species occur in Brazil: Sturnira lilium, Sturnira giannae, Sturnira magna, and Sturnira tildae. The present study is the first to record Sturnira tildae in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, based on morphological and molecular diagnoses. The specimen was identified based on its cranial and morphometric traits. The diagnostic traits include discreetly bilobed inner upper incisors with a broad base, lower first and second molars with lingual cusps separated by shallow grooves, and forearm longer than 45 mm. The molecular sequences of Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) and 16S rRNA genes confirmed the morphological identification and thus the occurrence of Sturnira tildae in the Amazon biome of Maranhão. This record represents an eastward extension of the known distribution of the species in the Amazonia, to Cândido Mendes, Maranhão, within an area dominated by dense rainforest and influenced by tides.(AU)

Ampliación del rango de distribución del pecho de luna del Marañón (Melanopareia maranonica) en la cuenca media del río Marañón, Perú / Range extension for the Marañon crescentchest (Melanopareia maranonica) in the Marañon river middle basin, Peru

Resumen Reportamos registros documentados de la ampliación del rango de distribución del pecho de luna del Marañón (Melanopareia maranonica) en seis localidades. Estas tienen conectividad hidrológica con la cuenca media del río Marañón, en las provincias de Celendín (Cajamarca) y Luya (Amazonas), Perú. Los registros fueron obtenidos mediante encuentros ocasionales, evaluaciones biológicas y búsqueda intensiva, entre el 2017 y 2020. Los nuevos registros están entre los 1111 y 2074 m, superando en más de 1000 m su rango altitudinal conocido. Se registraron un total de 39 individuos (11 hembras, 12 machos y 16 indeterminados debido a que solo se hizo registro auditivo). Respecto a los registros publicados, el rango conocido se amplía en 121 km en el departamento de Cajamarca y 98.2 km en el departamento de Amazonas. Se protege hábitat apropiado para la especie en 5290.12 ha del ecosistema Bosque Estacionalmente Seco Interandino del Marañón y 7784.67 ha de Matorral Andino, en tres Áreas de Conservación Privada y un Área de Conservación Regional.

Abstract We report documented records of the Marañón crescentchest (Melanopareia maranonica) in six localities. These have hydrological connectivity with the middle basin of the Marañón River, in the provinces of Celendín (Cajamarca) and Luya (Amazonas), Peru. The records were obtained through occasional encounters, biological evaluations and intensive searching, between 2017 and 2020. These new records are between 1111 and 2074 m in elevation, exceeding its known altitudinal range by more than 1000 m. A total of 39 individuals were registered (11 females, 12 males and 16 indeterminate due to the fact that only auditory registration was made). We expanded the known range with respect to the published records by 121 km in the Cajamarca department and 98.2 km in the Amazonas department. Appropriate habitat for this species is protected in 5290.12 ha of the Marañón Seasonally Dry Inter-Andean Forest ecosystem and 7784.67 ha of Andean Scrub, within three Private Conservation Areas and one Regional Conservation Area.

First record of Gorgona guitarfish (Pseudobatos prahli) off the Baja California peninsula with updated key to the guitarfishes of the North Eastern Pacific.

The Gorgona guitarfish is a poorly documented ray found in the Eastern Pacific. It can be distinguished from its congeners due to its distinctive coloration and rostral cartilages. Here I document an extensive northern range expansion of almost 2000 km based on a juvenile specimen caught off the Baja California Peninsula. This specimen also represents the smallest documented individual of this species, along with the first quantitative morphometric data reported since the 1995 description. Additionally, an updated key to the guitarfishes of the North Eastern Pacific is included.

The distribution of Cteniloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): known and new records in Brazil suggest headwater captures as drivers of disjoint distribution

Cteniloricaria is a genus of Neotropical armored catfishes belonging to the Loricariinae, currently including two valid species: C. platystoma and C. napova. Cteniloricaria platystoma is presently recorded across the main coastal drainages of the Guiana Shield, from the Sinnamary River, French Guiana, to the Essequibo River basin, Guyana, and is considered to be restricted to the region. Cteniloricaria napova is only known from its type locality at the headwaters of the Paru de Oeste River, Amazon basin, Sipaliwini Savannah, Trio Amerindian territory in Suriname, close to the Brazilian border. Based on a specimen of C. napova, captured in the Cuminapanema River, a tributary to the Curuá River, within Brazilian territory, the geographic distribution of the species and the genus is extended, representing the first record of Cteniloricaria in Brazil. The genus shows a disjoint distribution, and divergence between populations in the north-flowing coastal rivers of the Guianas and the south-flowing Amazon tributaries, and more recent headwater capture between south-flowing Amazon tributaries, may have played a key role in shaping its current distribution. Illustrations, diagnostic characters, morphometrics, description of the habitat where the new specimen was captured, extinction risk assessment, and a discussion of the distribution of the genus are provided.(AU)

Cteniloricaria é um gênero de cascudos neotropicais pertencente à Loricariinae, atualmente incluindo duas espécies válidas: C. platystoma e C. napova. Atualmente, C. platystoma é registrada nas principais drenagens costeiras do Escudo das Guianas, desde o rio Sinnamary, na Guiana Francesa, até a bacia do rio Essequibo, Guyana, sendo considerada restrita à região. Cteniloricaria napova é conhecida unicamente por sua localidade-tipo nas cabeceiras do rio Paru de Oeste, bacia Amazônica, Savana Sipaliwini, território indígena de Trio, no Suriname, próximo à fronteira com o Brasil. Com base em um espécime de C. napova, capturado no rio Cuminapanema, afluente do rio Curuá, em território brasileiro, a distribuição geográfica da espécie e do gênero se estende até a bacia do rio Curuá, representando o primeiro registro de Cteniloricaria no Brasil. O gênero apresenta uma distribuição disjunta e, eventos como divergência entre as populações dos rios costeiros das Guianas e nos afluentes do Amazonas, e mais recente captura de cabeceiras entre os afluentes do Amazonas, podem ter desempenhado um papel fundamental em sua distribuição atual. São fornecidos ilustrações, caracteres diagnósticos, morfometria, descrição do habitat onde o novo espécime foi capturado, avaliação do risco de extinção e uma discussão sobre a distribuição do gênero.(AU)

Occurrence of Sturnira tildae De La Torre, 1959 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in the state of Maranhão, Brazil

Abstract The bat genus Sturnira is widely distributed in the Neotropical region, from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina, and four species occur in Brazil: Sturnira lilium, Sturnira giannae, Sturnira magna, and Sturnira tildae. The present study is the first to record Sturnira tildae in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, based on morphological and molecular diagnoses. The specimen was identified based on its cranial and morphometric traits. The diagnostic traits include discreetly bilobed inner upper incisors with a broad base, lower first and second molars with lingual cusps separated by shallow grooves, and forearm longer than 45 mm. The molecular sequences of Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) and 16S rRNA genes confirmed the morphological identification and thus the occurrence of Sturnira tildae in the Amazon biome of Maranhão. This record represents an eastward extension of the known distribution of the species in the Amazonia, to Cândido Mendes, Maranhão, within an area dominated by dense rainforest and influenced by tides.

Occurrence of Sturnira tildae De La Torre, 1959 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in the state of Maranhão, Brazil

Abstract The bat genus Sturnira is widely distributed in the Neotropical region, from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina, and four species occur in Brazil: Sturnira lilium, Sturnira giannae, Sturnira magna, and Sturnira tildae. The present study is the first to record Sturnira tildae in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, based on morphological and molecular diagnoses. The specimen was identified based on its cranial and morphometric traits. The diagnostic traits include discreetly bilobed inner upper incisors with a broad base, lower first and second molars with lingual cusps separated by shallow grooves, and forearm longer than 45 mm. The molecular sequences of Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) and 16S rRNA genes confirmed the morphological identification and thus the occurrence of Sturnira tildae in the Amazon biome of Maranhão. This record represents an eastward extension of the known distribution of the species in the Amazonia, to Cândido Mendes, Maranhão, within an area dominated by dense rainforest and influenced by tides.

The distribution of Cteniloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): known and new records in Brazil suggest headwater captures as drivers of disjoint distribution

Cteniloricaria is a genus of Neotropical armored catfishes belonging to the Loricariinae, currently including two valid species: C. platystoma and C. napova. Cteniloricaria platystoma is presently recorded across the main coastal drainages of the Guiana Shield, from the Sinnamary River, French Guiana, to the Essequibo River basin, Guyana, and is considered to be restricted to the region. Cteniloricaria napova is only known from its type locality at the headwaters of the Paru de Oeste River, Amazon basin, Sipaliwini Savannah, Trio Amerindian territory in Suriname, close to the Brazilian border. Based on a specimen of C. napova, captured in the Cuminapanema River, a tributary to the Curuá River, within Brazilian territory, the geographic distribution of the species and the genus is extended, representing the first record of Cteniloricaria in Brazil. The genus shows a disjoint distribution, and divergence between populations in the north-flowing coastal rivers of the Guianas and the south-flowing Amazon tributaries, and more recent headwater capture between south-flowing Amazon tributaries, may have played a key role in shaping its current distribution. Illustrations, diagnostic characters, morphometrics, description of the habitat where the new specimen was captured, extinction risk assessment, and a discussion of the distribution of the genus are provided.(AU)

Cteniloricaria é um gênero de cascudos neotropicais pertencente à Loricariinae, atualmente incluindo duas espécies válidas: C. platystoma e C. napova. Atualmente, C. platystoma é registrada nas principais drenagens costeiras do Escudo das Guianas, desde o rio Sinnamary, na Guiana Francesa, até a bacia do rio Essequibo, Guyana, sendo considerada restrita à região. Cteniloricaria napova é conhecida unicamente por sua localidade-tipo nas cabeceiras do rio Paru de Oeste, bacia Amazônica, Savana Sipaliwini, território indígena de Trio, no Suriname, próximo à fronteira com o Brasil. Com base em um espécime de C. napova, capturado no rio Cuminapanema, afluente do rio Curuá, em território brasileiro, a distribuição geográfica da espécie e do gênero se estende até a bacia do rio Curuá, representando o primeiro registro de Cteniloricaria no Brasil. O gênero apresenta uma distribuição disjunta e, eventos como divergência entre as populações dos rios costeiros das Guianas e nos afluentes do Amazonas, e mais recente captura de cabeceiras entre os afluentes do Amazonas, podem ter desempenhado um papel fundamental em sua distribuição atual. São fornecidos ilustrações, caracteres diagnósticos, morfometria, descrição do habitat onde o novo espécime foi capturado, avaliação do risco de extinção e uma discussão sobre a distribuição do gênero.(AU)

Species richness and biogeographical affinities of the marine molluscs from Bahía de Chamela, Mexico.

For more than 10 years (2007-2018), the benthic macroinvertebrates of Bahía de Chamela (Mexican Pacific) were sampled at 31 sites (0-25 m depth). A total of 308 species of the five main classes of benthic molluscs were obtained (106 bivalves, 185 gastropods, 13 polyplacophorans, two scaphopods and two cephalopods). This is a significant increase in the number of species (246 new records) compared to the 62 species previously recorded more than 10 years ago. The distribution in the 31 localities of the bay is given for the first time for most of the species, together with information on its ecological rarity (incidence in the samples). Two families of bivalves (Veneridae and Mytilidae) and three families of gastropods (Calyptraeidae, Muricidae and Collumbellidae) comprised ~ 30% of all species. Ecological rarity was evident with 45 families (45.0%) with only one species and 178 species (57.8%) collected in one site and 67 (21.8%) in two sites. The molluscs of Bahía de Chamela represent 12.2% of all species recorded in the Mexican Pacific. Their biogeographic affinities are mostly related to the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) including the oceanic islands and a few are restricted to the Tropical Mexican Pacific (TMP). Some have broader distributions to adjacent northern and southern temperate regions of the American Pacific, one to the western Atlantic, two pantropical (PAN) and two cosmopolitans (COS). The range distribution of each species was reviewed and updated, thus finding that seven species have extended their ranges of geographic distribution.

Invasion history of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Ecuador.

Harmonia axyridis is a ladybird extensively used around the world for biological control of agricultural pests. However, it has become invasive in several countries, producing negative ecological and socio-economic impacts. Herein, we review the invasion history of the Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773) in Ecuador. Although first reported in Ecuador in 2012, museum specimens date back to 2004 and it is currently established across the country, especially along the Andean region. Due to its invasive nature, further studies are urgently needed to evaluate possible impacts of H. axyridis on the Ecuadorian biodiversity and agroindustry.

Cuba in Mexico: first record of Phyllops falcatus (Gray, 1839) (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) for Mexico and other new records of bats from Cozumel, Quintana Roo.

The first record of Phyllops falcatus (Gray, 1839) in Mexico is documented from the island of Cozumel, Quintana Roo. This species is present in the Antilles, distributed in all the Cuban archipelago, Cayman Islands, and Hispaniola. It is likely that a hurricane moved these bats from Cuba to Cozumel. The Cozumel record extends the distribution more than 200 km west. Two new records from Cozumel of the bats Lasiurus ega and Molossus alvarezi are also provided.

First record of Nesomesochorinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from America north of Mexico with descriptions of two new species of Nonnus Cresson.

The subfamily Nesomesochorinae is recorded for the first time from America north of Mexico. Two new species of Nonnus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Nesomesochorinae) are described, both from Arizona, USA and Mexico. Diagnostic characters and figures are provided to distinguish these two new species from congeners in North and Central America.

Distribution, habitat suitability, conservation state and natural history of endangered salamander Bolitoglossa pandi.

BACKGROUND: Pandi's mushroom-tongue salamander (Bolitoglossa pandi) is one of the threatened amphibians in South America, as well as a flagship species for the Colombian conservation agenda. This species is endemic to the Andean cloud forests of the western slope of the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia, occurring only in the department of Cundinamarca within a narrow elevational range. At night, B. pandi can be seen perching on the upper side of leaves at heights ranging from ground level to 2.5 m. During the day, it can be found under leaf litter or cover objects. Few studies have provided relevant information that can help the Colombian government to formulate lines of action for the conservation of this species; consequently, its threat assessments so far have been based on very limited information. METHODS: We conducted surveys for salamanders in four municipalities of Cundinamarca, Colombia, using two approaches: visual encounter surveys (Guaduas and Villeta) and the basic sampling protocol for single-species occupancy modeling (Supatá and Venecia). Multivariate analyses were employed to explore the correlation between habitat structure and natural history traits, abundance, and detection/non-detection of B. pandi. We evaluated the B. pandi activity pattern through kernel density curves for each sampling occasion and explored the variability of salamander abundance during their activity period by performing a nested ANOVA. RESULTS: We report the discovery of two new populations of B. pandi, which represent the most northwestern records known. A significant correlation between body length, body mass, and habitat structure was observed. Multivariate analyses indicated that leaf litter depth, mean temperature, percent vegetation cover, and altitude were the habitat variables that together explained 60.3% of the B. pandi abundance variability, as well as the main determinants of its optimal habitat. Bolitoglossa pandi exhibits an activity pattern characterized by two main activity peaks, in which niche time-partitioning was observed. Across the surveyed area, we found a healthy, stable, highly dense population of B. pandi (>1,300 individuals), with seasonal variability between development stages. DISCUSSION: Given the high habitat specificity of B. pandi, the species is highly vulnerable to local changes. Thus, we recommend that B. pandi be retained as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, based on the IUCN Criterion B, given its restricted extent of occurrence (ca. 2,500 km2) and the ongoing threats from agriculture, cattle ranching, logging, and urban development, which continue to reduce its suitable habitat.

Evidence of surplus carrying capacity for benthic invertebrates with the poleward range extension of the tropical seagrass Halophila decipiens in SE Brazil.

Seagrasses may enhance the abundance and diversity of benthic invertebrates through trophic facilitation. We investigated this potential ecological function for two seagrasses in SE Brazil: Halodule emarginata, a native species, and Halophila decipiens, a tropical seagrass recently established in the region. At Halophila sites, the organic matter (or carbon) in sediments decreased steadily from seagrass patches to isolated bare grounds, indicating surplus primary production. This was not observed at Halodule sites. At one of the two Halophila sites, localized trophic enrichment was also consistently linked to increased invertebrate abundance within patches, chiefly through increased carrying capacity of small mesoherbivores. Rather than spillover, edge effects were observed at bordering bare habitats, where polychaete predators were abundant. The transition from seagrass edges to isolated bare habitats was marked by an increase of the density of sipunculid worms. The current spread of Halophila may thus change the spatial distribution of benthic ecological functions.

Cerithiidae, Litiopidae, Modulidae and Planaxidae (Gastropoda, Cerithioidea) collected by the Marion Dufresne MD55 expedition in southeastern Brazil

Several deep-water mollusks collected during the Marion Dufresne MD55 expedition off SE Brazil have been studied in recent papers. The present work focuses on eight species belonging to the cerithioidean families Cerithiidae, Litiopidae, Modulidae and Planaxidae. Three species have their geographic distributions greatly expanded: Bayericerithium bayeri Petuch, 2001 from Pernambuco to Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará states (north) and to Bahia and Espírito Santo states (south), Brazilian coast; Ittibittium oryza (Mörch, 1876), from the Caribbean to the SW Atlantic; and Angiola lineata (Costa, 1778), from Trindade Island, Brazil to the Abrolhos Slope, nearly 870 km westward. Four species reported herein had their bathymetric ranges greatly expanded: Alaba incerta (dOrbigny, 1841) from 0-40 m to 300 m; B. bayeri from 0-2 m to 120 m (live specimens); Litiopa melanostoma Rang, 1829 from 0-805 m to 1,550 m; Fossarus orbignyi Fischer, 1864 from 0-40 to 830 m (shells only).(AU)