Rotifers from inland water bodies of continental Ecuador and Galápagos Islands: An updated checklist

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4768 (4) ◽  
pp. 551-564
Author(s):  
CARLOS LÓPEZ ◽  
LUZ MARINA SOTO ◽  
WILSON LAFUENTE ◽  
GEORGIA STAMOU ◽  
EVANGELIA MICHALOUDI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Region ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Aquatic Habitats ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
The Andes ◽  
The Status ◽  
Inland Water Bodies

We present an updated checklist of the rotifer fauna from inland aquatic habitats in continental Ecuador and the Galápagos islands based on published rotifer records found in the literature. The checklist summarizes the status of the current taxonomic and faunistic knowledge on rotifers in Ecuador, updates the nomenclature, and reports the regions where each species has been found in the country. A total of 287 valid species (269 monogononts and 18 bdelloids was found. The Ecuadorian region with the highest number of records was Amazonia (228) followed by the Coastal region (139) and the Andes (121), whereas in the Galápagos Archipelago only 40 species have been recorded. Studies of the rotifer fauna of the areas are scarce and quite recent, pointing to important gaps in our knowledge on taxonomy and biogeography of Ecuadorian rotifers. 

A catalog and distributional analysis of the Rutelinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of Ecuador

Zootaxa ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 948 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
AURA PAUCAR-CABRERA
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Distributional Analysis ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Distributional Patterns

Research on the Ecuadorian Rutelinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) was conducted to determine the diversity of the group in Ecuador and to examine distributional patterns. Results showed that the Rutelinae are distributed in all zoogeographical zones of the country except the Galápagos Islands. Species of Rutelinae occupy a wide variety of habitats ranging from sea level to the high Andes. Areas with the greatest diversity of species, in decreasing order, are the tropical habitats on both sides of the Andes, the subtropical, and the temperate zones. Ecuador has 298 species and 53 genera of Rutelinae. In sum, 36% of the species are endemic to Ecuador.Se realizó un estudio faunístico con el objetivo de conocer la biodiversidad de Rutelinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) en el Ecuador. Los resultados muestran que la subfamilia Rutelinae está distribuida en todos los pisos zoogeográficos del Ecuador excepto en Galápagos. Las especies de Rutelinae ocupan una amplia variedad de hábitats desde el nivel del mar hasta el piso alto andino. Las áreas con mayor diversidad de especies, en orden decreciente, son los pisos tropicales, subtropicales y temperado. Ecuador tiene 298 especies y 53 géneros de Rutelinae. El 36% de las especies son endémicas.

New littoral mite species (Acari, Oribatida, Fortuyniidae) from the Galápagos archipelago, with ecological and zoogeographical considerations

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4244 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
TOBIAS PFINGSTL ◽  
HEINRICH SCHATZ
Keyword(s):  
Littoral Zone ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
Ecological Preferences ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Unique Character ◽  
Cuticular Ridge

Two species of Fortuyniidae, found on the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador) are described and illustrated based on the adult and juvenile instars. Alismobates galapagoensis sp. nov. was found on six islands of the archipelago, in littoral and supralittoral habitats. It is morphologically similar to A. inexpectatus Pfingstl & Schuster, 2012 from Bermuda, but differs from that species and all other known congeners by a prominent cuticular ridge on epimeron III among other unique character combinations. Litoribates caelestis gen. and sp. nov. was found on the islands Santa Cruz and Bartolomé in the littoral zone under Maytenus and mangroves. Notes on distribution and ecological preferences of both species are included. 

scholarly journals Psidium guajava in the Galapagos Islands: population genetics and history of an invasive species

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Urquía ◽  
Bernardo Gutiérrez ◽  
Gabriela Pozo ◽  
María José Pozo ◽  
Analía Espín ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Genetics ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Psidium Guajava ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Historical Record ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
Island Populations ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
History Of

AbstractThe threat of invasive plant species in island populations prompts the need to better understand their population genetics and dynamics. In the Galapagos islands, this is exemplified by the introduced guava (Psidium guajava), considered one of the greatest threats to the local biodiversity due to its effective spread in the archipelago and its ability to outcompete endemic species. To better understand its history and genetics, we analyzed individuals from three inhabited islands in the Galapagos archipelago with 11 SSR markers. Our results reveal similar genetic diversity between islands, suggestive of gene flow between them. Populations appear to be distinct between the islands of San Cristobal and Isabela, with the population of Santa Cruz being composed as a mixture from both. Additional evidence for genetic bottlenecks and the inference of introduction events suggests an original introduction of the species in San Cristobal, from where it was later introduced to Isabela, and finally into Santa Cruz. Alternatively, an independent introduction event for Isabela is also possible. These results are contrasted with the historical record, providing a first overview of the history of P. guajava in the Galapagos islands and its current population dynamics.

scholarly journals Origin and dispersion pathways of guava in the Galapagos Islands inferred through genetics and historical records

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Urquia ◽  
Bernardo Gutierrez ◽  
Gabriela Pozo ◽  
Maria Pozo ◽  
Maria Torres
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Psidium Guajava ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Genetic Distances ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
Historical Sources ◽  
Introduction History ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
History Of

Guava (Psidium guajava) is one of the most aggressive invasive plants in the Galapagos Islands. Determining its provenance and genetic diversity could provide valuable information for its control. With this purpose, we analyzed 11 SSR markers in guava individuals collected from Isabela, Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Floreana islands in the Galapagos, as well as from mainland Ecuador. The mainland guava population appeared genetically differentiated from the Galapagos populations, with higher genetic diversity levels found in the former. By using different approaches for data analysis, we consistently found that the Central Highlands region of mainland Ecuador is one of the most likely origins of the Galapagos populations. Moreover, the guavas from Isabela and Floreana show a potential genetic input from southern mainland Ecuador, while the population from San Cristobal would be linked to the coastal mainland regions. Interestingly, the proposed origins for the Galapagos guava coincide with the first human settlings of the archipelago. By employing Approximate Bayesian Computation, we propose a model where San Cristobal was the first island to be colonized by guava from the mainland, from which it would have spread to Floreana and finally to Santa Cruz; Isabela would have been seeded from Floreana. An independent trajectory could also have contributed in the invasion of Floreana and Isabela. The pathway shown in our model agrees with the human colonization history of the different islands in the Galapagos. Our model, in conjunction with the clustering patterns of the guava individuals (based on genetic distances), suggests that guava introduction history in the Galapagos archipelago was driven predominantly by a single event (or events in rapid succession) instead of several independent introductions. We thus show that genetic analyses supported by historical sources can be used to answer questions on the variability and history of guava in the Galapagos Islands.

NOAA's Response to the Jessica Oil Spill in the Galapagos Archipelago

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 (1) ◽  
pp. 1091-1095 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlie Henry ◽  
Ed Levine
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Fuel Oil ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Response Effort ◽  
United States Coast Guard ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Home Team ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago

ABSTRACT During the night of 16 January 2001, the 260-foot tanker, Jessica, grounded on a reef at the entrance to Wreak Bay on the island of San Cristobal. Ironically, the site of the grounding was very near where Darwin first stepped ashore in 1835. Ecuador, realizing the threat posed by spilling more than 240,000 gallons of diesel and intermediate fuel oil, declared a state of emergency and made a request for assistance. NOAA immediately sent spill response and environmental experts as part of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) response effort to the remote islands. The Galapagos Islands are composed of shorelines not atypical of those NOAA has responded to in the past, but the unique wildlife, including many species found only in the Galapagos Islands, made this response different. This paper documents the USCG-NOAA mission, provides and overview of the incident response, an estimated oil mass balance, and the NOAA HAZMAT AWAY Team - HOME Team concept.

Tourism in the Galápagos Islands: The Dilemma of Conservation

1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Kenchington
Keyword(s):  
Charles Darwin ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Special Significance ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
The Face ◽  
Tourist Infrastructure ◽  
Tourist Development

The Galapágos Archipelago is an area of very special significance to ecologists. Its unique flora and fauna, rugged scenery, and historical connections with Charles Darwin, make it a place of environmental pilgrimage. Between 1970 and 1985, visiting tourist numbers, comprised largely of foreign naturalists, grew from negligible levels to about 15,000 per annum. In 1987, visitor arrivals to the Galápagos grew to 32,500 following the opening of a second airport in 1986.Management of tourism has involved a policy which requires most visitors to be accommodated on boats, places strict controls on the sites which can be visited, and requires tourists to be accompanied by highly-trained Naturalist Guides. The policy precludes development of any substantial island-based tourist infrastructure. Recently this approach has become increasingly inadequate in the face of rapid small-scale, little coordinated, tourist development.

scholarly journals Evidence of cannibalism in a population of western Galápagos racers Pseudalsophis occidentalis (Serpentes: Colubridae)

2021 ◽  
pp. 6-11
Author(s):  
LUIS ORTIZ-CATEDRAL
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Trophic Interactions ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
History Of ◽  
Common Behaviour ◽  
Prey Items

Cannibalism is a common behaviour among snakes, but it has not yet been verified for any of the nine species of Galápagos racer (Pseudalsophis spp.), a group endemic to the Galápagos archipelago, Ecuador. Galápagos racers are opportunistic generalists feeding on a variety of vertebrate prey. There are a few anecdotal and suspected attempts of cannibalism among Galápagos racers, but it is unclear whether this behaviour occurs and if so, how frequent it is. We analysed 61 faecal samples from western Galápagos racers (Pseudalsophis occidentalis). In addition to the remains of well known prey items such as lizards, we found snake teeth and skin fragments in 11 samples. Combined with previous observations of attempted cannibalism between western Galápagos racers, our results represent evidence that this species consumes other racers as prey. Our study contributes to a growing knowledge of the natural history of Galápagos racers and highlights the role of these reptiles in complex trophic interactions in the Galápagos islands.

scholarly journals The Fate of Wildlife in the Galapagos Islands

Oryx ◽  
1961 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-59
Author(s):  
Jean Dorst
Keyword(s):  
Charles Darwin ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago

On the 15th of September, 1835, a young naturalist landed on Chatham, the most easterly island of the Galapagos archipelago: he was none other than Charles Darwin, and it was there he first came into contact with the facts over which he pondered during the immortal voyage of the Beagle and which his genius translated into theories on evolution.

scholarly journals Brachionus rotundiformis Tschugunoff, 1921 from the Brachionus plicatilis species complex (Rotifera: Monogononta): A new record from Galápagos Archipelago, Ecuador

2019 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
pp. e20195921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos López ◽  
Miriam Steinitz-Kannan ◽  
Georgia Stamou ◽  
Evangelia Michaloudi ◽  
Spiros Papakostas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Complex ◽  
Brachionus Plicatilis ◽  
First Record ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
High Dispersion ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Brachionus Rotundiformis ◽  
Morphological Variations ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Wind Currents

The presence of the rotifer species Brachionus rotundiformis from the B. plicatilis species complex in Lake Arcturo, a saline lake in the Genovesa Island of the Galápagos Islands, is here reported. This is the first record of the species for the rotifer fauna of Ecuador as well as of the species complex to the Galápagos Islands. This finding is consistent with the idea of high dispersion capacity, and of cosmopolitan distribution of this species complex. Because Genovesa Island is uninhabited, passive transport by wind currents and zoochory by migrant birds seem to emerge as the most plausible factors in this process of colonization. Integrative studies on the morphological variations, genetic, molecular, and ecological aspects are still required to further understand the process of dispersion and the ecology of this member of the B. plicatilis species complex in this remote and isolated locality, and the exact taxonomical position of the island’s population to the other members of the complex.

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