Academic literature on the topic 'Neotropical realm'

After the presence of the genus Platyscelio was noticed and confirmed in the Neotropical realm, in this paper the genus is recorded from the Panamanian realm, in Dominican Republic. In the Neotropical realm Platyscelio is represented through P. africanus Risbec, previously considered as being present only in the Afrotropical realm, but in the Panamanian realm we found a different species – P. pulchricornis Kieffer.

After the presence of the genus <i>Platyscelio </i>was noticed and confirmed in the Neotropical realm, in this paper the genus is recorded from the Panamanian realm, in Dominican Republic. In the Neotropical realm <i>Platyscelio </i>is represented through <i>P. africanus </i>Risbec, previously considered as being present only in the Afrotropical realm, but in the Panamanian realm we found a different species &ndash; <i>P. pulchricornis </i>Kieffer.

The Neotropical realm harbours unparalleled species richness and hence has challenged biologists to explain the cause of its high biotic diversity. Empirical studies to shed light on the processes underlying biological diversification in the Neotropics are focused mainly on vertebrates and plants, with little attention to the hyperdiverse insect fauna. Here, we use phylogenomic data from ultraconserved element (UCE) loci to reconstruct for the first time the evolutionary history of Neotropical swarm-founding social wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini). Using maximum likelihood, Bayesian, and species tree approaches we recovered a highly resolved phylogeny for epiponine wasps. Additionally, we estimated divergence dates, diversification rates, and the biogeographic history for these insects in order to test whether the group followed a ‘museum’ (speciation events occurred gradually over many millions of years) or ‘cradle’ (lineages evolved rapidly over a short time period) model of diversification. The origin of many genera and all sampled extant Epiponini species occurred during the Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene. Moreover, we detected no major shifts in the estimated diversification rate during the evolutionary history of Epiponini, suggesting a relatively gradual accumulation of lineages with low extinction rates. Several lines of evidence suggest that the Amazonian region played a major role in the evolution of Epiponini wasps. This spatio-temporal diversification pattern, most likely concurrent with climatic and landscape changes in the Neotropics during the Miocene and Pliocene, establishes the Amazonian region as the major source of Neotropical swarm-founding social wasp diversity.

Peplomicrus nidicola sp. n., a new rove beetle species of the subfamily Micropeplinae is described and illustrated based on a series of males and females collected from nests of New World blackbirds (Icteridae) in northern Ecuador. It is the eleventh nominal species of this genus and the eighth known to occur in the Neotropical realm. A modification of Campbell’s key to the Neotropical species of Peplomicrus Bernhauer is given to include P. nidicola, as well as a list of co-occurring coleopterofauna.

The Banks grass mite/New World date mite, Oligonychus pratensis (Banks) (Acari: Prostigmata: Tetranychidae), is a globally distributed and economically significant agricultural pest. The present study comprehensively addresses the morphotaxonomic identification of globally reported populations of O. pratensis, to resolve ambiguities within the pratensis complex. Detailed morphological characterizations of all mobile stages (larva, protonymph, deutonymph, male, and female) of the Californian population of O. pratensis were provided, with key diagnostic traits utilized in this taxonomic assessment. The taxonomic notes are provided for worldwide populations of O. pratensis reported from six biogeographic realms. The taxonomic identity of the claimed populations of O. pratensis from South Africa (Afrotropical realm), El Salvador (Neotropical realm), China, Pakistan (Oriental realm), and Saudi Arabia (Palearctic realm) were found to either be “doubtful” or exhibit notable differences compared to the Californian population. Notably, the purported Chinese population of O. pratensis was identified as a cryptic species, likely a novel taxon within the gossypii species subgroup. Furthermore, the study confirmed the absence of O. pratensis in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, ontogenetic changes across developmental stages are documented. The findings of this study may contribute to a clearer understanding of the true distribution and global occurrence of O. pratensis, providing robust diagnostic characteristics to support future research.

Ramos, Kimberly Silva, Netto, Renata Guimarães, Sedorko, Daniel (2021): Termite nests in eolian backshore settings: An unusual record throughout the Quaternary in the Neotropical realm. Palaeontologia Electronica (a15) 24 (1): 1-17, DOI: 10.26879/1146, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.26879/1146

Zacca, Thamara, Mielke, Olaf H. H., Pyrcz, Tomasz W., Casagrande, Mirna M., Freitas, André V. L., Boyer, Pierre (2013): Stegosatyrus, a new genus of Euptychiina from the grasslands of neotropical realm (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae). Zootaxa 3682 (2): 331-350, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3682.2.7

The American tropics (the Neotropics) are the most species-rich realm on Earth, and for centuries, scientists have attempted to understand the origins and evolution of their biodiversity. It is now clear that different regions and taxonomic groups have responded differently to geological and climatic changes. However, we still lack a basic understanding of how Neotropical biodiversity was assembled over evolutionary timescales. Here we infer the timing and origin of the living biota in all major Neotropical regions by performing a cross-taxonomic biogeographic analysis based on 4,450 species from six major clades across the tree of life (angiosperms, birds, ferns, frogs, mammals, and squamates), and integrate &gt;1.3 million species occurrences with large-scale phylogenies. We report an unprecedented level of biotic interchange among all Neotropical regions, totaling 4,525 dispersal events. About half of these events involved transitions between major environmental types, with a predominant directionality from forested to open biomes. For all taxonomic groups surveyed here, Amazonia is the primary source of Neotropical diversity, providing &gt;2,800 lineages to other regions. Most of these dispersal events were to Mesoamerica (∼1,500 lineages), followed by dispersals into open regions of northern South America and the Cerrado and Chaco biomes. Biotic interchange has taken place for &gt;60 million years and generally increased toward the present. The total amount of time lineages spend in a region appears to be the strongest predictor of migration events. These results demonstrate the complex origin of tropical ecosystems and the key role of biotic interchange for the assembly of regional biotas.

The workshop ‘ Species distribution models: applications, challenges and perspectives ’ held at Belo Horizonte (Brazil), 29–30 August 2011, aimed to review the state-of-the-art in species distribution modelling (SDM) in the neotropical realm. It brought together researchers in ecology, evolution, biogeography and conservation, with different backgrounds and research interests. The application of SDM in the megadiverse neotropics—where data on species occurrences are scarce—presents several challenges, involving acknowledging the limitations imposed by data quality, including surveys as an integral part of SDM studies, and designing the analyses in accordance with the question investigated. Specific solutions were discussed, and a code of good practice in SDM studies and related field surveys was drafted.

The genus <i>Trichopoda</i> Berthold, 1827 is distributed in the Neotropical and Nearctic Regions and some species are very important for biological control. During the last decades, the species <i>Trichopoda pictipennis</i> Bigot, 1876 has received much attention. It is of Neotropical origin, but it has been introduced throughout the western Palaearctic, probably through exchanges that transported its main host, the 'southern green stink bug' <i>Nezara viridula</i>.<i>Trichopoda pictipennis</i> is reported for the first time from the Canary Islands. To date, this introduced species has been detected throughout the island of Tenerife and in a single locality on the island of La Gomera. This finding confirms that this species of Neotropical origin is expanding its range across the Palaearctic realm of this species of Neotropical origin. Parasitised <i>Nezara viridula</i> were collected and reared under laboratory conditions to document the complete life cycle of <i>T. pictipennis</i>. Its potential effects on its main host, as well as on the Canary fauna, are discussed.

O vírus da hepatite E (HEV) é um patógeno emergente de distribuição global, causador de hepatite aguda e crônica em humanos e infecções assintomáticas em animais. No Brasil a prevalência de infecção por HEV em humanos e animais ainda é pouco compreendida, assim como as características de virulência, patogenicidade e de infecção inter-espécies de isolados do genótipo 3, zoonótico, circulantes no país também são desconhecidas. O estudo foi dividido em duas etapas, com os objetivos de 1) contribuir no diagnóstico laboratorial molecular do HEV a partir do desenvolvimento de um protocolo de RT-PCR em tempo real (RT-qPCR) para pesquisa do HEV em amostras biológicas, e 2) contribuir com a compreensão das características moleculares, sorológicas, clínico-laboratoriais, ultrassonográficas e histopatológicas associadas à infecção experimental em macacos-da-noite (Aotus azarai infulatus) por um isolado do genótipo 3 suíno do HEV previamente detectado na Amazônia oriental brasileira. O protocolo de RT-qPCR foi desenvolvido com a caracterização da curva de detecção e aplicado em concomitância com testes sorológicos para avaliação diagnóstica restrospectiva de 318 (n = 318) amostras de soros humanos suspeitos de hepatite E. O HEV-RNA não foi detectado em nenhuma das amostras humanas testadas, mas foi determinada soroprevalência de 3,4% e 5,9% de anti-HEV IgM e IgG, respectivamente, o que indicou baixa prevalência de infecção por HEV, mesmo entre pacientes com suspeita clínica e/ou laboratorial de hepatite E na Amazônia brasileira. O estudo experimental em macacos-da-noite foi desenvolvido durante 12 semanas e os animais infectados, por via intravenosa (n=3) e oral (n=3) (e dois controles), foram avaliados semanalmente para determinação dos parâmetros clínicos, bioquímicos, hematológicos, sorológicos (pesquisa de anti-HEV IgM e IgG por enzimaimunoensaio) e moleculares (HEV-RNA soro e fezes por RT-qPCR). Adicionalmente, os animais também foram submetidos a avaliação hepática mensal por ultrassonografia, histopatologia e pesquisa hepática de antígenos do HEV por imunohistoquímica. Os seis macacos-da-noite infectados apresentaram o HEV-RNA em amostras de soro e/ou fezes, e alguns apresentaram evidências de soroconversão, detecção hepática do antígeno viral por imunohistoquímica associada a alterações clínicas e laboratoriais de hepatite aguda oligossintomática. Assim, o protocolo RT-qPCR demonstrou ser aplicável na pesquisa molecular do HEV em amostras de humanos e animais, representando uma importante ferramenta de diagnóstico laboratorial. O estudo experimental permitiu a primeira validação de um primata neotropical como modelo experimental para estudos de infecção com o genótipo 3 do HEV.<br>Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging pathogen with global distribution that causes acute and chronic hepatitis in humans and asymptomatic infections in animals. In Brazil, the prevalence of HEV infection in humans and animals is still poorly understood, and the characteristics of virulence, pathogenicity and inter-species infection of the genotype 3 isolates circulating in the country are unknown. The study was divided in two stages that aimed to 1) contribute to the molecular diagnosis of HEV infection by the development of a real-time RT-PCR protocol (RT-qPCR) for HEV-RNA research in biological samples, and 2) to contribute to understanding of molecular, serological, clinical-laboratory, ultrasonographic and histopathological features of HEV genotype 3 in owl monkeys (Aotus azari infulatus) experimental infected with isolate of swine HEV genotype 3 previously detected in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon. The RT-qPCR protocol was developed with characterization of a quantification standard curve and later applied concurrently with serological tests in the retrospective evaluation of 318 (n = 318) human serum samples of hepatitis E suspected cases. HEV-RNA was not detected in any of human tested samples, but seroprevalence of 3.4% and 5.9% was determined for anti-HEV IgM and IgG, respectively, that indicated a low prevalence of HEV infection, even among patients with clinical and/or laboratory suspicion of hepatitis E in the Brazilian Amazon. The experimental study in owl monkeys was developed during12 weeks and the animals were infected by intravenous (n = 3) and oral (n = 3) routes (and two negative controls) were evaluated for determination of clinical, biochemical, hematological, serological (anti-HEV IgM and IgG by enzyme immunoassay) and molecular (HEV-RNA serum and stool by RT-qPCR) parameters weekly. Additionally, the animals were also evaluated by hepatic ultrasonography, histopathology and immunohistochemistry research of HEV antigens in liver monthly. The six infected owl monkeys presentend HEV-RNA in serum and/or stool, and some monkeys presented with evidence of seroconversion, liver detection of HEV antigens by immunohistochemistry associated with clinical and/or laboratory findings of oligosymptomatic acute hepatitis. Thus, the RT-qPCR protocol demonstrated to be applicable in the molecular investigation of HEV infection in human and animal samples, and it also represented an important laboratory diagnostic tool. The experimental study allowed the validation of the first neotropical primate model for HEV genotype 3 infection studies.

Abstract This guide includes all living species of native mammals south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico, through the Mexican states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán, and all Central American countries: Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama (Plate 50). This region comprises most of the Neotropical Zoogeographic Realm of Middle America, which also extends northward up both coasts of Mexico and southward into South America along the Pacific Slope of northern Colombia and northwest Ecuador. Marine mammals found in the waters surrounding Central America and southeastern Mexico and most islands associated with these countries are also included. Isla del Coco, Costa Rica, is not included. Non-native mammals that may form feral populations are not included, with the exception of three widespread introduced rodents: the house rats and house mouse.

South America forms the greater part of the Neotropical faunal realm, which extends northward through Central America to tropical southern Mexico. Although making up only 12% of the world’s land area, South America is the richest continent for virtually all organismal groups, including vertebrates. For example, of the known 23,250 species of fish (Eschmeyer, 1998), 41% or 9,530 species are freshwater, and of these, more than 2,800 species (29%) are in South America (Moyle and Cech, 2000). A comparable level of diversity exists for amphibians and birds. Of Earth’s 5,900 species of amphibians, at least 1,749 or 30% occur in South America (Duellman, 1999a, 1999b; Köhler et al., 2005; www.amphibiaweb.org). More than 3,200 (or nearly 32%) of Earth’s 9,900 species of birds occur in South America (Sibley and Monroe, 1990). For reptiles and mammals, diversity is only slightly lower; at least 1,560 (19%) of 8,240 reptile species (Uetz and Etzold, 1996; www.reptiledatabase. org), and 1,037 (19%) of 5,416 mammal species (Nowak, 1999; Wilson and Reeder, 2005) are found in South America. Four major geological events or features are important to understanding South America’s contemporary zoogeography. The first was the breakup of Pangea, and then of Gondwana. South America and Africa remained close for an extended period of the Mesozoic, and thus share important similarities in their faunas, including groups not fully evolved at the time of separation. South America also maintained connections to other Gondwanan continents, directly with Antarctica, indirectly with Australia, until the early Cenozoic. The second major feature was South America’s long period of isolation in the Cenozoic, particularly from North America pending establishment of the late Pliocene land bridge after 3 Ma (million years before present). The latter resulted in “The Great American Interchange” (Webb, 1976; Marshall et al., 1982), which had profound consequences for the fauna. The third major feature of South America has been the Andes, which, in addition to modifying climate, have been a center of speciation, a dispersal route, and a barrier. The cordillera has had an overriding effect on distributions and histories of both past and current biotas on the continent.

Os mecópteros não possuem nome popular no Brasil. A ordem é cosmopolita, ocorrendo em todas as regiões biogeográficas, exceto Antártica. Mecoptera compreende cerca de 740 espécies, distribuídas em nove famílias e 39 gêneros (Bicha 2018). A maioria das espécies ocorre em duas famílias, Panorpidae e Bittacidae, com cerca de 450 e 220 espécies respectivamente (Bicha 2018). A região Neotropical possui 77 espécies descritas, distribuídas em dez gêneros e quatro famílias: Bittacidae é a maior, com 72 espécies; Eomeropidae possui uma espécie, que ocorre no Chile. Meropeidae é representada também por uma espécie com registro somente para o Brasil (Machado et al. 2013) e Nannochoristidae com três espécies, encontradas na região Andina do Chile e da Argentina (Machado 2018). Para o Brasil, são registradas 26 espécies, 5 gêneros e duas famílias, Bittacidae e Meropeidae (Tab. 34.1) (Machado et al. 2009, 2013, 2018, 2022). Estima-se que o número real de espécies no mundo seja em torno de 1.200 e no Brasil, cerca de 100 espécies. A maioria das áreas da região Neotropical é subamostrada e as coletas são ocasionais, carecendo de uma padronização de metodologia. No Brasil, as regiões norte e sudeste são as mais bem amostradas.

This case study-based exercise is designed to foster the practice of critical thinking—a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues and evidence before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion—in the context of a complex and real conservation problem: the overexploitation of parrots in the Neotropics. The exercise has three parts: an introduction, a case study, and four exercise questions that promote critical consideration and strategic problem solving of a specific conservation issue.