South America holds the greatest diversity of native daisies (Asteraceae) in the world: an updated catalogue supporting continental-scale conservation.

Asteraceae is the world's richest plant family and is found on all continents, in environments ranging from the coast to the highest mountains. The family shows all growth forms and, as in other angiosperm families, species richness is concentrated in tropical regions. South America has the highest diversity of Asteraceae in the world, yet taxonomic and distributional knowledge gaps remain. This study compiles an updated catalog of Asteraceae native to South America, based on national and regional checklists and ongoing large-scale flora projects. The resulting checklist includes a total of 6,940 species and 564 genera native to South America to date, which represent about a quarter of the family's global diversity. Countries already considered to be megadiverse show the greatest diversity, such as Brazil with 2,095 species, followed by Peru (1,588), Argentina (1,377), and Colombia (1,244), with this diversity mainly focused on the Brazilian Highlands and the Andes. Species endemism also peaks in Brazil, but Sørensen distances reveal the Chilean flora to be eminently different from the rest of the continent. Tribes better represented in the continent are Eupatorieae, Senecioneae and Astereae, also with a remarkably presence of entirely South American subfamilies representing earliest diverging lineages of the Asteraceae, such as Barnadesioideae, Wunderlichioideae, Famatinanthoideae, and Stifftioideae. It is estimated that the discovery and description curves have not yet stabilized, and the number of species is likely to increase by 5 to 10% in the coming years, posing major challenges to continental-scale conservation.

Revealing the diversity of ant-eating spiders in Colombia I: morphology, distribution and taxonomy of the barronus group of the genus Tenedos O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 (Araneae: Zodariidae)

The genus Tenedos O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 is the most diverse among Neotropical Zodariids. It is composed of 44 species, fourteen of which occur in Brazil, while in Colombia, the diversity of the genus is poorly known, with only seven species recorded for the country. Based on genital morphology, several species groups can be distinguished within the genus, but these have not been formally established. We propose the species group barronus to include 41 species, 34 of which are distributed in Colombia and the other seven exclusively occurring in: Brazil (one Amazonian species), Peru (three Andean species), and Venezuela (three Andean species). The previously proposed species Tenedos andes Jocqué & Baert, 2002; T. peckorum Jocqué & Baert, 2002; T. jocquei Quijano & Galvis, 2018 and T. capote Jocqué & Baert, 2002 are redescribed based on the type material and the females of the two former species are described for the first time. T. barronus (Chamberlin, 1925) and T. persulcatus Jocqué & Baert, 2002 are reported for Colombia for the first time, the female of the latter is described. Twenty-eight new species are herein described, illustrated and their distributions are represented (species listed according to morphological affinities): T. ayo sp. n. (♂♀), T. calebi sp. n. (♂), T. caqueta sp. n. (♂), T. choco sp. n. (♂♀), T. cofan sp. n. (♂♀), T. dankittipakuli sp. n. (♂♀), T. eberhardi sp. n. (♂♀), T. neitai sp. n. (♂♀), T. tama sp. n. (♂♀), T. griswoldi sp. n. (♂♀), T. guacharos sp. n. (♂), T. henrardi sp. n. (♂♀), T. humboldti sp. n. (♂♀), T. carlosprietoi sp. n. (♂♀), T. narinensis sp. n. (♂), T. mesa sp. n. (♂), T. macagual sp. n. (♂♀), T. marquetones sp. n. (♂), T. medina sp. n. (♂♀) , T. pensilvania sp. n. (♂), T. piedecuesta sp. n. (♂♀), T. quipile sp. n. (♂♀), T. santarosa sp. n. (♂♀), T. luzmarinae sp. n. (♂♀), T. tatama sp. n. (♂♀), T. ticuna sp. n. (♂♀), T. wayuu sp. n. (♂) and T. yurayaco sp. n. (♂). We further provide new morphological data for some species included in the barronus group, and briefly discuss some aspects on morphological affinities and distribution between the species, based on a comparison with Tenedos type species, T. lautus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897. Distribution maps for all Colombian species, including new records for T. barronus and T. persulcatus, are also herein included. Additionally, an identification key for all species of the barronus group is provided.

Biogeografía y evolución de la biodiversidad en Guatemala, ¿qué nos ha contado el ADN? / Biogeography and evolution of biodiversity in Guatemala, what has DNA told us?

: El conocimiento de la biodiversidad de una región es fundamental para dirigir su conservación y manejo. La biogeografía y la evolución nos guían conceptualmente para estudiar la vida en un continuo espacial y temporal. El continuo espacial y temporal del que forma parte la biodiversidad de Guatemala, al ser parte del Istmo Centroamericano, determina características únicas. Asimismo, la historia geológica y climática de Guatemala ha generado una topografía compleja con múltiples tipos de ambientes, los cuales han sido dinámicos a lo largo del tiempo. Todo esto resulta en la presencia de un ensamble de linajes con ancestros que provinieron del norte o del sur, además de clados que han diversificado in situ. Aunque la biodiversidad del país aún es extensamente desconocida, el auge de la aplicación de herramientas moleculares abre las puertas para descubrir la rica diversidad genética de la biota de Guatemala. Nos permite también conocer más de su historia biogeográfica y evolutiva y avanzar del estudio de patrones al estudio de los procesos que generan y mantienen la biodiversidad local y regional. La investigación científica en estos temas es indispensable para que nos demos cuenta que la biodiversidad de Guatemala y del norte de Centroamérica es más rica de lo que podemos imaginar.

Knowledge of the biodiversity of a region is essential to guide its conservation and management. Biogeography and evolution guide us conceptually to study life in a spatial and temporal continuum. The spatial and temporal continuum that the biodiversity of Guatemala is embedded in, as part of the Central American Isthmus, determines unique characteristics. Likewise, the geological and climatic history of Guatemala has generated a complex topography with multiple types of environments, which have been dynamic over time. The result is an assemblage of lineages with ancestors that came from the north or the south, as well as clades that diversified in in situ conditions. Although the biodiversity of the country is still largely unknown, the rise of the application of molecular tools opens the doors to discover the rich genetic diversity of the biota of Guatemala. It also allows us to learn more about its biogeographic and evolutionary history and move from the study of patterns to the study of processes that generate and maintain local and regional biodiversity. Scientific research on these topicsis essential for us to realize that the biodiversity of Guatemala and northern Central America is richer than we can imagine.

An update of morphological and distributional data of the genus Patrera Simon (Araneae: Anyphaenidae: Anyphaeninae) with the description of twenty-five new species from Colombia.

The knowledge on the diversity of the genus Patrera Simon in Colombia is widely expanded. P. auricoma (L. Koch, 1866) and P. armata (Chickering, 1940) are redescribed and their females are described for the first time and recorded from Cundinamarca and Meta departments, respectively. Aysha strandi (Caporiacco, 1947) is synonymized with P. armata. Three species groups in the genus Patrera are proposed to include the bulk of its species (fulvastra, florezi, and philipi). These groups are diagnosed based on sexual characters. Twenty-five new species are herein described, illustrated and mapped: P. anchicaya n. sp. (♂♀); P. barbacoas n. sp. (♂); P. borjai n. sp. (♂♀); P. danielae n. sp. (♂♀); P. dimar n. sp. (♂♀); P. perafani n. sp. (♂♀); P. platnicki n. sp. (♂); P. quillacinga n. sp. (♂♀), and P. ramirezi n. sp. (♂♀) into the fulvastra species group. P. bonaldoi n. sp. (♂♀); P. boteroi n. sp. (♂); P. carvalhoi n. sp. (♂♀); P. florezi n. sp. (♂♀); P. perijaensis n. sp. (♀); P. quimbaya n. sp. (♂♀); P. sampedroi n. sp. (♂); P. yukpa n. sp. (♂♀), and P. wiwa n. sp. (♂♀) in florezi species group. P. sutu n. sp. (♂); P. chucurui n. sp. (♂♀); P. dawkinsi n. sp. (♂); P. dentata n. sp. (♂); P. dracula n. sp. (♂); P. kuryi n. sp. (♂♀), and P. longitibialis n. sp. (♂) in philipi species group. We also briefly discuss some aspects of the species groups' genital morphology, based on a comparison with the type, P. fulvastra Simon. Additionally, distribution maps for all Colombian species including new records for P. armata (Chickering, 1940), P. auricoma (L. Koch, 1866) and P. suni Dupérré Tapia, 2016 from Cundinamarca, Meta and Nariño departments are also herein included.

An update of morphological and distributional data of the genus Patrera Simon (Araneae: Anyphaenidae: Anyphaeninae) with the description of twenty-five new species from Colombia

The knowledge on the diversity of the genus Patrera Simon in Colombia is widely expanded. P. auricoma (L. Koch, 1866) and P. armata (Chickering, 1940) are redescribed and their females are described for the first time and recorded from Cundinamarca and Meta departments, respectively. Aysha strandi (Caporiacco, 1947) is synonymized with P. armata. Three species groups in the genus Patrera are proposed to include the bulk of its species (fulvastra, florezi, and philipi). These groups are diagnosed based on sexual characters. Twenty-five new species are herein described, illustrated and mapped: P. anchicaya n. sp. (♂♀); P. barbacoas n. sp. (♂); P. borjai n. sp. (♂♀); P. danielae n. sp. (♂♀); P. dimar n. sp. (♂♀); P. perafani n. sp. (♂♀); P. platnicki n. sp. (♂); P. quillacinga n. sp. (♂♀), and P. ramirezi n. sp. (♂♀) into the fulvastra species group. P. bonaldoi n. sp. (♂♀); P. boteroi n. sp. (♂); P. carvalhoi n. sp. (♂♀); P. florezi n. sp. (♂♀); P. perijaensis n. sp. (♀); P. quimbaya n. sp. (♂♀); P. sampedroi n. sp. (♂); P. yukpa n. sp. (♂♀), and P. wiwa n. sp. (♂♀) in florezi species group. P. sutu n. sp. (♂); P. chucurui n. sp. (♂♀); P. dawkinsi n. sp. (♂); P. dentata n. sp. (♂); P. dracula n. sp. (♂); P. kuryi n. sp. (♂♀), and P. longitibialis n. sp. (♂) in philipi species group. We also briefly discuss some aspects of the species groups’ genital morphology, based on a comparison with the type, P. fulvastra Simon. Additionally, distribution maps for all Colombian species including new records for P. armata (Chickering, 1940), P. auricoma (L. Koch, 1866) and P. suni Dupérré & Tapia, 2016 from Cundinamarca, Meta and Nariño departments are also herein included.

What do we know about parasites of wildlife in high biodiversity areas with anthropogenic disturbance? The special case of Mexico.

The continual rise of anthropogenic disturbance of ecosystems has been associated with an increasing incidence of emerging diseases. The largest amount of data on emerging diseases relates to bacterial and viral pathogens, but there is a lack of parasite data, especially from wildlife. Monitoring wildlife parasitic diseases should be considered a priority, especially in high biodiversity regions with strong anthropogenic impacts, like Mexico, where the wildlife/livestock/human interface is associated with increased risk of disease transmission. Mexico belongs to the top-ten megadiverse countries and is located between two biogeographic regions. This situation makes Mexico a favourable region for the spillover of animal pathogens to human beings, causing pandemics, such as the one recently caused by influenza virus A (H1N1). The current state of knowledge of Mexican wildlife parasites is scarce and focuses mainly in Neotropical fauna. Moreover, this knowledge is heterogeneous for different parasite groups, especially concerning their pathologic effects and epidemiology. The goals of this review are to compile information on Mexican wildlife parasites and to identify knowledge gaps in order to stimulate research on pending epidemiological, public health, ecological and pathological areas, and to encourage the creation of more specialized groups from the perspective of the One-Health concept.