scholarly journals Diversity of cave Phlebotomines (Diptera: Psychodidae) from a Colombian cave

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuela Velazquez ◽  
Adam M M Stuckert ◽  
Rafael Vivero ◽  
Daniel R Matute

Sandflies are vector species of Leishmania, among many other pathogens, with a global distribution and a variety of ecological niches. Previous samplings have found that karstic formations (i.e., caves and folds formed by the erosion of limestone) serve as a natural habitat to sandfly species. The majority of samplings of cave sandfly diversity have occurred in Brazil and to date none have studied the species composition in a cave in the Northern Andes. We collected sandflies in the Cave-Los Guacharos-, in the state of Antioquia, Colombia. The sampling was carried out during two consecutive nights in September 2019. CDC-type light traps were installed inside the cavern and in other surrounding karst systems (caves and folds). In total, we identified 18 species of sandfly from the cave and surrounding karst systems, including three new records for Colombia (Bichromomyia olmeca nociva, Brumptomyia brumpti, and Warileya leponti), and provide the first karstic reports for four other species (Lutzomyia gomezi, Lutzomyia hartmanni, Pintomyia ovallesi, and Psychodopygus panamensis). We then used the results of our survey and published literature to test two hypotheses. First, that sandfly diversity in Neotropical caves is richest nearer to the equator and second that there is a phylogenetic signal of karstic habitat use in sandflies. Counter to our predictions, we found no evidence that diversity follows a latitudinal gradient. Further, we find no evidence of a phylogenetic signal of karstic habitat use, instead finding that the use of caves likely evolved multiple times across several genera. Our results highlight the importance of a wide sampling to understand the natural habitat of sandflies and other disease vectors.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-144
Author(s):  
Maria Luiza Felippe-Bauer ◽  
Gilmara Pereira Gonzaga ◽  
Robson Cavalcante ◽  
Ricristhi Gomes ◽  
Rafaella Silva

Introduction: little is known about the biodiversity of the genus Culicoides and the possible presence of vector species in Ceará State, Brazil. Objective: to improve the knowledge about the biodiversity and possible vectors presence in northeastern Brazil. Methods: with CDC light traps we surveyed Culicoides species in 18 municipalities from six mesoregions of Ceará State. Results: we collected 1 453 specimens (12 species). Culicoides guyanensis was the most abundant species, with 75,84% of the collected specimens. Culicoides venezuelensis is well distributed and is found in five Mesoregions. We recorded five species for the first time from Ceará State and seven from the surveyed municipalities; the presence of species with sanitary importance is discussed. Conclusion: with the addition of new species records, there are now 12 species known from Ceará State. The presence of species with medical and/or veterinary importance in the studied Mesoregions is indicative of the need of epidemiological surveillance in this state.


Mammalia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. 503-511
Author(s):  
Hayato Takada ◽  
Riki Ohuchi ◽  
Haruko Watanabe ◽  
Risako Yano ◽  
Risako Miyaoka ◽  
...  

AbstractDifferential resource use allows for diverse species to specialize in ecological niches and thus coexist in a particular area. In the Japanese archipelago, increasing sika deer (Cervus nippon, Temminck 1836) densities have excluded the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus, Temminck 1836), but in places where deer population densities are low, the two species coexist. We wanted to better understand their habitats and how these two ungulates manage to coexist. We evaluated the role of habitat use in the coexistence of these two sympatric ungulates on Mt. Asama, central Japan. Deer frequently used the dwarf bamboo-rich communities in autumn and winter, and their habitat use was not associated with topography. Serows frequently used deciduous broadleaf shrub-rich communities and steep slopes throughout the year. Consequently, their habitat use was significantly different in terms of vegetation and topography. Niche breadth suggests that deer tend to be generalists, whereas serows tend to be specialists. Niche differentiation in habitat use between deer and serows may make the coexistence of these similarly sized ungulates possible in Japanese mountainous zones. Therefore, the fine-grained habitat mosaic of different vegetation and topography areas might be the underlying feature that allows the coexistence of these two species.


Author(s):  
Diego Morales Viteri ◽  
Manuela Herrera-Varela ◽  
Maribel Albuja ◽  
Cristina Quiroga ◽  
Gloria Diaz ◽  
...  

Abstract The increase in malaria transmission in the Amazon region motivated vector control units of the Ministry of Health of Ecuador and Peru to investigate Anopheles (Diptera: Culicidae) species present in transmission hotspots. Mosquitoes were collected using prokopack aspirators and CDC light traps (Ecuador) and human landing catch in Peru. In Ecuador, 84 Anopheles were captured from Pastaza, Morona Santiago, and Orellana provinces and identified morphologically [An. (An.) apicimacula Dyar and Knab, An. (Nys.) near benarrochi, An. (Nys.) near oswaldoi, An. (Nys.) near strodei, An. (An.) nimbus (Theobald, 1902), and An. (Nyssorhynchus) sp.]. In Peru, 1,150 Anopheles were collected in Andoas District. A subsample of 166 specimens was stored under silica and identified as An. near oswaldoi, An. darlingi, and An. (An.) mattogrossensis Lutz and Neiva. COI barcode region sequences were obtained for 137 adults (107 from Peru, 30 from Ecuador) identified by ITS2 PCR-RFLP as An. benarrochi Gabaldon, Cova Garcia, and Lopez and retained in the final analysis. Haplotypes from the present study plus An. benarrochi B GenBank sequences grouped separately from Brazilian An. benarrochi GenBank sequences by 44 mutation steps, indicating that the present study specimens were An. benarrochi B. Our findings confirm the presence of An. benarrochi B in Ecuador and reported here for the first time from the Amazonian provinces of Orellana and Morona Santiago. Furthermore, we confirm that the species collected in Andoas District in the Datem del Maranon Province, Peru, is An. benarrochi B, and we observed that it is highly anthropophilic. Overall, the known distribution of An. benarrochi B has been extended and includes southern Colombia, much of Peru and eastern Ecuador.


2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego de Santana Souza ◽  
Alexandre de Almeida e Silva

Cerambycidae is one of the largest families of beetles and it is estimated that there are about 25,000 species of longhorned beetles in the world. However, little is known about the distribution of many species in some regions, including the Amazon. The longhorned beetles are indispensable in the ecological chain, contributing mostly to the recycling of dead wood in forest. The present study is an inventory of the Cerambycidae of the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil. Insects were sampled from June 2008 to May 2009 using Malaise and light traps. A total of 61 species were identified, of which 33 are new records for Rondônia and one for Amazon region, i.e., Anisopodus melzeri Gilmour, 1965.


Check List ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 1613 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Augusto Teston ◽  
Danilo Do C. V. Correa

This study evaluated the Arctiini fauna of the Serra do Pardo National Park (Pará, Brazil) between 22 September and 3 October 2011. Light traps were left one night in each sampling site (SS) from 18:00 h to 6:00 h of the next day. The following parameters were evaluated: richness (S), abundance (N), diversity index (H’), Shannon uniformity (U) index, and Berger-Parker dominance (BP). Richness was estimated using the non-parametric methods Chao1, Chao2, ACE, ICE, Jackknife1, Jackknife2 and Bootstrap. A total of 3,247 specimens were captured, belonging to 221 Arctiini taxa; 32 of these are new records for the state of Pará and, of these, six are new records for the Brazilian Amazon. The Arctiini fauna is very rich and uniform. The richness estimator and rarefaction curve indicated the need for increased sampling efforts in the area.


2017 ◽  
Vol 131 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-140
Author(s):  
Emily J. Herdman ◽  
Karen E. Hodges

in Canada, Nuttall’s Cottontails (Sylvilagus nuttallii nuttallii) occur in southcentral British Columbia (BC), where they are federally listed as a species of special Concern due to their presumed small populations and limited distribution in fragmented habitats. Their habitat use and movement patterns are poorly known at this northern edge of their distribution. We used livetrapping, radio-collaring, and fecal pellet surveys to examine Nuttall’s Cottontails’ use of remaining patches of native habitat as well as use of human-impacted areas. Cottontails were present in low densities and only about half of presumably suitable patches of native sagebrush-steppe were occupied. Cottontails were more likely to occur in shrubby habitat, but at a fine scale cottontails used areas that had a lower density of shrubs and finer substrates. movement patterns differed significantly between areas of varying habitat quality, with longer movements in natural habitat. one radio-collared male cottontail used anthropogenic habitats adjacent to native habitat; this use corresponds with landowner reports. However, it is not clear whether Nuttall’s Cottontails are able to use anthropogenically-impacted areas to maintain populations or in areas where such habitats are not near native habitats. our results suggest that these animals are rare and occur primarily in remnant patches of shrub-steppe within BC.


Author(s):  
Odilon D. Kaboré ◽  
Sylvain Godreuil ◽  
Michel Drancourt

Traditionally recognized as environmental bacteria, Planctomycetes have just been linked recently to human pathology as opportunistic pathogens, arousing a great interest for clinical microbiologists. However, the lack of appropriate culture media limits our future investigations as no Planctomycetes have ever been isolated from patients’ specimens despite several attempts. Several Planctomycetes have no cultivable members and are only recognized by 16S rRNA gene sequence detection and analysis. The cultured representatives are slow-growing fastidious bacteria and mostly difficult to culture on synthetic media. Accordingly, the provision of environmental and nutritional conditions like those existing in the natural habitat where yet uncultured/refractory bacteria can be detected might be an option for their potential isolation. Hence, we systematically reviewed the various natural habitats of Planctomycetes, to review their nutritional requirements, the physicochemical characteristics of their natural ecological niches, current methods of cultivation of the Planctomycetes and gaps, from a perspective of collecting data in order to optimize conditions and the protocols of cultivation of these fastidious bacteria. Planctomycetes are widespread in freshwater, seawater, and terrestrial environments, essentially associated to particles or organisms like macroalgae, marine sponges, and lichens, depending on the species and metabolizable polysaccharides by their sulfatases. Most Planctomycetes grow in nutrient-poor oligotrophic environments with pH ranging from 3.4 to 11, but a few strains can also grow in quite nutrient rich media like M600/M14. Also, a seasonality variation of abundance is observed, and bloom occurs in summer-early autumn, correlating with the strong growth of algae in the marine environments. Most Planctomycetes are mesophilic, but with a few Planctomycetes being thermophilic (50°C to 60°C). Commonly added nutrients are N-acetyl-glucosamine, yeast-extracts, peptone, and some oligo and macro-elements. A biphasic host-associated extract (macroalgae, sponge extract) conjugated with a diluted basal medium should provide favorable results for the success of isolation in pure culture.


1951 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 725-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. H. Strickland

The entomology of swollen shoot of cacao is a complex and unique problem involving the inter-relations in the field of over 120 insect species of four insect and two arachnoid orders. Briefly, there are 17 species of pseudococcids, 75 species of ants, 16 species of hymenopterous parasites, three predatory beetles, one predatory dipteran, and three arachnid species involved in vector relationships directly, with a further 18 Coccid species involved indirectly (it is possible, of course, that further work will show that some of these 18 species are directly concerned as vectors).In the present paper an attempt has been made to reduce this assemblage of insect material to some semblance of order. The Coccid species are named and a series of preliminary observations on their biology and field behaviour detailed. The ant species, some of which are obligatorily associated with certain vector species, have been sorted into groups where specific determination has proved impossible or unnecessary and information has been included on their field habits and relative abundance.There are three distinct but complementary ecological niches involved in the problem. The first, and most important, is the association between the mealybug virus vectors and the Myrmicine coccid-tending ants. The second is the association between mealybugs of the genera Paraputo and Formicococcus and the wild forest tree hosts of swollen shoot virus, and the third is the negative association between the mealybug tending Myrmicine ants and Oecophylla and Macromischoides, the latter species acting in certain circumstances as barriers to the spread of the mealybugtending species and hence to the spread of mealybugs and virus. These problems will be dealt with on a quantitative basis in a further paper.


Check List ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 220
Author(s):  
Mauricio Rivera-Correa

The current work provides three new localities for Centrolene antioquiense (Noble, 1920), a small centrolenid endemic to Colombia and known for just four sites. An updated diagnosis and life pictures of this species are also presented. Centrolene antioquienseapparently inhabits the canopy of montane forest and its natural habitat has been severely reduceddue to deforestation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvain Delabye ◽  
Ondřej Sedláček ◽  
Vincent Maicher ◽  
Robert Tropek

Southern Africa hosts a high diversity of ecosystems and habitats with a tremendous diversity of Lepidoptera. Although it is one of the most studied parts of the Afrotropics, the knowledge on diversity and distribution of south African moth fauna remains insufficient. To partly fill this gap, we surveyed macromoths by automatic light traps in five localities in two relatively less sampled south African countries. We reported six species and one genus (Remigioides) of moths which had not yet been recorded in Namibia or Zimbabwe. Although none of these records broadened the known distribution of individual species to a new biogeographical region, they still fill important gaps in their distributions. The known distributional ranges of two species have been substantially extended, although they are still within the same biogeographical regions: ca. 800 km southwards for Remigioides remigina (Mabille, 1884) and ca. 600 km westwards for Haplopacha cinerea Aurivillius, 1905.


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