Bird species inventory in secondary tropical montane cloud forest at Cloudbridge Nature Reserve, Talamanca Mountains, Costa Rica

The tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) of the Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica are a unique and understudied habitat that is home to a high number of endemic bird species. Cloudbridge Nature Reserve is a TMCF reforestation reserve lying on the Pacific slope of Cerro Chirripó in the cantón of Pérez Zeledón. Here, we synthesize data collected at Cloudbridge between March 2016 and May 2020 from multi-year point count, walking, call-playback, and camera trap surveys along with photographs collected from February 2007 to April 2021 to present a bird species inventory of the reserve. In total, 204 bird species from 40 families, including 40 endemic species, were identified, and monthly presence summarized for each species. We discuss the implications of our findings for understanding TMCF avian communities, as well as the importance of year-round surveys using a variety of techniques to better capture overall avian diversity.

High prevalence of anomalies in Nyctimantis brunoi (Anura: Hylidae) from a restinga protected area in southeastern Brazil

In the present study we monitored a population of Nyctimantis brunoi, a species commonly found in restingas of southeastern Brazil. Field activities were carried out in the Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba (PNRJ), a protected area located in the northern portion of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Specimens were sampled through a complete species inventory. We analyzed 218 individuals, 32 (14.7%) of which have anomalies. Additionally, a subsample of 15 specimens were radiographed to verify the occurrence of skeletal anomalies not externally detectable and to verify if the classification of anomalies attributed by means of external examination are detectable in the osteological structure of the specimen. There are 12 types of anomalies recognized in this population, three of them only detectable through internal investigation (radiography). We verified that most of anomalies externally detectable were correctly classified when compared to the osteological morphology of the radiographed specimens. Thus, in this investigation, the study of external malformations was capable to detect 60% of the types of anomalies. We conclude that further ecotoxicological and epidemiological studies of the population of N. brunoi in the PNRJ are necessary to establish the origins of anomalies in this species.

Are Bird Nests the Habitat for Ants? Implication from Ant Inventory (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Across Various Bird Nests

This study aimed to do the inventory on ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) that specifically inhabit the bird nests within the Universitas Andalas campus complex, Limau Manis, Padang. It had been conducted from January to August 2018, where the bird nests were purposively collected then followed with ant collection from each nest. Forty nests were sampled and identified as nests of Estrildidae, Pycnonotidae, Sylviidae and from the unknown taxa; 5 nests showed active breeding indications when collected. A total of 2,741 ant individuals belong to 13 species, 12 genera, 8 tribes, and 4 subfamilies extracted from 31 (of which 4 were active nests), out of 40, observed nests. The ant species inventory included the members of subfamilies Formicinae (5), Myrmicinae (5), Dolichoderinae (2) and Pseudomyrmicinae (1). We statistically detected correlation between nest biomass and number of ant individual and species infested in the bird nests, which explained the more species recorded from Estrildid nests that were averagely bulkier than other nests. This result offers strong indication that bird nests may serve as form of habitat, or at least a niche, for ants.

Does the size of the butterfly enhance detection? Factors influencing butterfly detection in species inventory surveys

Butterfly species’ abundance and factors influencing butterfly detection in Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala was studied from April to June 2018. The survey was carried out on 15 tracks of 2-km lengths surveyed two times resulting in the sampling effort of 60km. A total of 141 species of butterflies belonging to two orders, six families and 103 genera were observed during the study, of which 15 species were recorded as endemic. The majority of butterfly species belonged to the families Nymphalidae and Lycanidae. The size of butterflies varies significantly among families with the largest butterflies recorded in Papilionidae and Nymphalidae and the smallest butterflies from Hesperidae and Lycanidae. The factors that determine butterfly detection during the count was determined using multiple regression. The number of detections had a linear relation with abundance, size, and activities of the butterflies. The model was highly significant and explained 86.9% of the variation in the detection of butterflies (F=407.8; df=3; p<0.000). Abundance had a primary influence on detection followed by the size and activities of the butterflies. Further studies on relative detectability of different species of butterflies in the diversity and abundance estimation would help in refining methods of assessment of butterflies.

Border interceptions of forest insects established in Australia: intercepted invaders travel early and often

Invasive forest insects continue to accumulate in Australia (and worldwide) and cause significant impacts through costs of prevention, eradication and management, and through productivity losses and environmental and biodiversity decline. We used our recent non-native Australian forest insect species inventory to analyse border interception rates (2003–2016) of established species, and link interception frequencies with biological traits, historical establishment patterns, commodities and countries of origin. The strongest predictor of interception frequency was year of establishment. Polyphagous species were more likely to be intercepted, as were more concealed species, although this latter likely reflects the higher interceptions of bostrichid borers and other wood-boring Coleoptera relative to other taxa. Interceptions occurred more often for species native to Asia; in contrast, interceptions from other regions were more likely to be of species invasive there. While interception frequencies did not provide a good overall indicator of contemporaneous species establishments, wood and bark borers were more closely linked for establishments and interceptions. The first fifty forest insect species to establish comprised 85% of all border interceptions of established species between 2003 and 2016, while the most-recent fifty species represented just 6% of interceptions. We suggest that early-establishing species are among the “super-invaders” that continue to move globally, while more recent invasive species may be exploiting new trade pathways, new commodity associations, or changes in dynamics in their countries of origin.

Anticancer Potential of Compounds from the Brazilian Blue Amazon

Abstract“Blue Amazon” is used to designate the Brazilian Economic Exclusive Zone, which covers an area comparable in size to that of its green counterpart. Indeed, Brazil flaunts a coastline spanning 8000 km through tropical and temperate regions and hosting part of the organisms accredited for the countryʼs megadiversity status. Still, biodiversity may be expressed at different scales of organization; besides species inventory, genetic characteristics of living beings and metabolic expression of their genes meet some of these other layers. These metabolites produced by terrestrial creatures traditionally and lately added to by those from marine organisms are recognized for their pharmaceutical value, since over 50% of small molecule-based medicines are related to natural products. Nonetheless, Brazil gives a modest contribution to the field of pharmacology and even less when considering marine pharmacology, which still lacks comprehensive in-depth assessments toward the bioactivity of marine compounds so far. Therefore, this review examined the last 40 years of Brazilian natural products research, focusing on molecules that evidenced anticancer potential–which represents ~ 15% of marine natural products isolated from Brazilian species. This review discusses the most promising compounds isolated from sponges, cnidarians, ascidians, and microbes in terms of their molecular targets and mechanisms of action. Wrapping up, the review delivers an outlook on the challenges that stand against developing groundbreaking natural products research in Brazil and on a means of surpassing these matters.

An updated species inventory of Callithamnion sensu lato Rhodophyta, Callithamniaceae in South Africa with the description of Callithamnion africanum sp. nov.

The species diversity of Callithamnion sensu lato in South Africa is re-visited using existing literature, morphology and DNA. The identity of a putative new species is confirmed as distinct using DNA and is described here as Callithamnion africanum sp. nov. Callithamnion africanum differs molecularly and morphologically from a similar species, C. cordatum with which it shares a similar habitat and distribution range in South Africa. Callithamnion africanum is resolved in the Callithamnion sensu stricto clade and is sister to the type species of the genus, Callithamnion corymbosum. Additionally, Callithamnion stuposum, a species described from South Africa and a common component of the seaweed flora, was recovered in the larger, unresolved Callithamnion sensu lato clade. An updated species inventory of Callithamnion sensu lato in South Africa is provided, and indicates a lack of sequence data for the large majority of species. Furthermore, a global rbcL phylogeny highlights a number of taxonomic concerns regarding the classification of taxa circumscribed to Callithamnion sensu lato and calls for a global revision using DNA, type specimens or material collected from near type localities.