Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Amanda S. Santos, Erton M. Almeida, Paulo Aecyo, Lucas Costa, Artur Wanderley, Henrique Batalha-Filho, Magdalena Vaio, Mark W. Chase, Maarten J. M. Christenhusz, Leonardo P. Felix, Gustavo Souza
Summary: Ameroglossum is a rare plant genus endemic to northeastern Brazil, recently expanded to include eight new species and two related genera. Phylogenetic analysis shows that Ameroglossum is monophyletic with the inclusion of Catimbaua and Isa-belcristinia, and belongs to the family Linderniaceae. Biogeographic analysis suggests that Ameroglossum and related genus arrived in South America approximately 15 million years ago through long-distance dispersal. Ameroglossum has developed floral morphological specialization in rocky outcrop habitats, but no increase in speciation rate was detected.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Paul van Els, Eugenia Zarza, Lucas Rocha Moreira, Valentina Gomez-Bahamon, Antonita Santana, Alexandre Aleixo, Camila C. Ribas, Perices Sena do Rego, Marcos Persio Dantas Santos, Kristof Zyskowski, Richard O. Prum, Jacob Berv
Summary: Through studying the phylogeography of 23 taxa of Neotropical savanna birds, it was found that although these species do not generally share similar diversification patterns geographically, many have at least two distinct genetic groups, one north and one south of the Amazon Basin, that have only recently diverged.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Catarina C. Jakovac, Jorge A. Meave, Frans Bongers, Susan G. Letcher, Juan Manuel Dupuy, Daniel Piotto, Danae M. A. Rozendaal, Marielos Pena-Claros, Dylan Craven, Braulio A. Santos, Alexandre Siminski, Alfredo C. Fantini, Alice C. Rodrigues, Alma Hernandez-Jaramillo, Alvaro Idarraga, Andre B. Junqueira, Angelica Maria Almeyda Zambrano, Ben H. J. de Jong, Bruno Ximenes Pinho, Bryan Finegan, Carolina Castellano-Castro, Daisy Christiane Zambiazi, Daisy H. Dent, Daniel Hernan Garcia, Deborah Kennard, Diego Delgado, Eben N. Broadbent, Edgar Ortiz-Malavassi, Eduardo A. Perez-Garcia, Edwin Lebrija-Trejos, Erika Berenguer, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Esteban Alvarez-Davila, Everardo Valadares de Sa Sampaio, Felipe Melo, Fernando Elias, Filipe Franca, Florian Oberleitner, Francisco Mora, G. Bruce Williamson, Gabriel Dalla Colletta, George A. L. Cabral, Geraldine Derroire, Geraldo Wilson Fernandes, Hans van Der Wal, Heitor Mancini Teixeira, Henricus F. M. Vester, Hernando Garcia, Ima C. G. Vieira, Jaider Jimenez-Montoya, Jarcilene S. De Almeida-Cortez, Jefferson S. Hall, Jerome Chave, Jess K. Zimmerman, Jhon Edison Nieto, Joice Ferreira, Jorge Rodriguez-Velazquez, Jorge Ruiz, Jos Barlow, Jose Aguilar-Cano, Jose Luis Hernandez-Stefanoni, Julien Engel, Justin M. Becknell, Katia Zanini, Madelon Lohbeck, Marcelo Tabarelli, Marco Antonio Romero-Romero, Maria Uriarte, Maria D. M. Veloso, Mario M. Espirito-Santo, Masha T. van Der Sande, Michiel van Breugel, Miguel Martinez-Ramos, Naomi B. Schwartz, Natalia Norden, Nathalia Perez-Cardenas, Noel Gonzalez-Valdivia, Pascal Petronelli, Patricia Balvanera, Paulo Massoca, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Pedro M. Villa, Peter Hietz, Rebecca Ostertag, Rene Lopez-Camacho, Ricardo G. Cesar, Rita Mesquita, Robin L. Chazdon, Rodrigo Munoz, Saara J. DeWalt, Sandra C. Muller, Sandra M. Duran, Sebastiao Venancio Martins, Susana Ochoa-Gaona, Susana Rodriguez-Buritica, T. Mitchell Aide, Tony Vizcarra Bentos, Vanessa de S. Moreno, Vanessa Granda, Wayt Thomas, Whendee L. Silver, Yule R. F. Nunes, Lourens Poorter
Summary: The study revealed large continental-scale variation in the species composition of early successional forests, mainly associated with biogeographic and environmental factors rather than human disturbance indicators. The uniqueness of the floristic composition is partially driven by regionally restricted species belonging to widespread genera, and early secondary forests contribute to restoring and conserving the distinctiveness of bioregions across the Neotropical realm.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael J. Landis, Ignacio Quintero, Martha M. Munoz, Felipe Zapata, Michael J. Donoghue
Summary: Geographical features have an impact on species dispersal, extinction, and speciation. This study uses a Bayesian hierarchical modeling framework to transform regional features into evolutionary rates. The results show that distance between regions affects dispersal rates and speciation rates.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Caitlin M. Baker, Rebecca S. Buckman-Young, Cristiano S. Costa, Gonzalo Giribet
Summary: RNA sequencing and phylogenomic analysis were used to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships within the phylum Onychophora, revealing a well-supported phylogeny for the family Peripatopsidae with signals of Gondwanan vicariance. However, the family Peripatidae in the Neotropical region showed unstable relationships largely due to amino acid-translated sequence data. Discordant phylogenetic signal between genes may indicate a rapid, mid-Cretaceous radiation in the group.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Huajie Zhang, Xu Zhang, Yanxia Sun, Jacob B. B. Landis, Lijuan Li, Guangwan Hu, Jiao Sun, Bashir B. B. Tiamiyu, Tianhui Kuang, Tao Deng, Hang Sun, Hengchang Wang
Summary: This study provides new evidence for the relationships within Polygonaceae by sequencing and analyzing the plastomes of multiple genera. The study reveals high conservation within Polygonoideae in terms of structure and gene order. Phylogenetic analysis identifies two major clades and seven tribes within Polygonoideae. Furthermore, the study suggests a Paleocene origin of Polygonoideae in Asia and the role of both ancient vicariance and long-distance dispersal events in shaping their current distribution pattern.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jose Eustaquio Santos Junior, Paul H. Williams, Cayo A. Rocha Dias, Fernando A. Silveira, Pierre Faux, Raphael T. F. Coimbra, Davidson P. Campos, Fabricio Rodrigues Santos
Summary: This study sequenced the DNA of nine Brazilian bumblebee species to construct a detailed phylogenetic tree, and used fossil dating to analyze the timeline of bumblebee diversification. The results showed that the ancestral Bombus lineage originated between 47.08 and 34.27 million years ago in the Holarctic region, and was mainly distributed in the eastern Old World. The Neotropical bumblebees likely originated from North American lineages and colonized South America after 29 million years ago.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juan C. Garcia-R, Nicholas J. Matzke
Summary: The study reveals that loss of flight is common in rails, with flightless lineages contributing significantly to dispersal. Flight distance has a significant impact on dispersal rate, and non-flying lineages also play a role in dispersal.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ingrid de Mattos, Barbara Zimbres, Jader Marinho-Filho
Summary: Conversion of natural environments into agriculture and pasture is causing biodiversity decline in the tropics, with consequences depending on habitat quality and amount in the landscape. Landscape configuration, habitat loss, and quality affect small mammal abundance, richness, and species composition, with smaller patches impacting abundance and specialist richness, while habitat amount in the landscape determines generalist richness. Patch size and habitat amount are major drivers of change in small mammal species composition.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yun Song, Fan Jiang, Junxia Shi, Chaonan Wang, Ning Xiang, Shuifang Zhu
Summary: This study examined the classification and phylogenetic relationships of Phytolacca using the whole chloroplast genome and three markers. The results showed that Phytolacca is monophyletic and that Central America is the center of species diversity. Birds may play a key role in the dispersal of Phytolacca due to the fleshy fruiting of the genus.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Fernando M. Pelicice, Angelo Antonio Agostinho, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Eduardo Bessa, Lilian Casatti, Domingos Garrone-Neto, Luiz Carlos Gomes, Carla S. Pavanelli, Ana Cristina Petry, Paulo dos Santos Pompeu, Roberto E. Reis, Fabio de Oliveira Roque, Jose Sabino, Leandro Melo de Sousa, Fabio Silveira Vilella, Jansen Zuanon
Summary: The study found that Neotropical freshwater fishes provide multiple benefits to society, including provisioning services such as fisheries and ornamental fish, as well as regulating services like seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. However, human activities have negatively impacted the generation of these ecosystem services, particularly in relation to fishing and food provisioning.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tammy Iwasa-Arai, Silvana G. L. Siqueira, Juliana L. Segadilha, Fosca P. P. Leite
Summary: This study conducted the first survey on the biodiversity of Peracarida from Trindade Island in Brazil, revealing new species and suggesting an Indo-Pacific origin for the genus based on phylogenetic and biogeographical analyses. A comparison with the closest Abrolhos Archipelago showed a high percentage of endemic species on Trindade Island.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Lisieux Fuzessy, Fernando A. O. Silveira, Laurence Culot, Pedro Jordano, Miguel Verdu
Summary: Seed dispersal benefits plants and frugivores, potentially driving co-evolution; phylogenetic congruences suggest shared evolutionary history between primates and plants; consistent eco-evolutionary dynamics with co-phylogenetic signals emerging independently across different regions.
Article
Ecology
Jan Heuschele, Tom Andersen, Bjorn Walseng, Dag O. Hessen
Summary: This study examines the influence of spatial and climatic variables on species richness and macroecological patterns in Cladocera and Copepoda. The findings suggest that longitude and latitude alone are not good predictors of zooplankton richness, but a combination of spatial and ecological factors can provide a better prediction. However, temperature alone is a poor predictor and the constraints of dispersal make it difficult to estimate future patterns of microcrustacean diversity.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Thomas E. Dilts, Katherine A. Zeller, Samuel A. Cushman, Eveline S. Larrucea, Miranda M. Crowell, Nathan W. Byer, Kevin T. Shoemaker, Marjorie D. Matocq
Summary: In this study, a habitat modeling approach was used to assess the suitability of pygmy rabbit habitat and identify key variables that define suitability. Corridors and core areas were identified as important for enhancing habitat quality and connectivity, providing a starting point for land managers to develop site-specific plans.
Article
Zoology
Ebony Weems, Noe U. de la Sancha, Laurel J. Anderson, Carlos Zambrana-Torrelio, Ronaldo P. Ferraris
Summary: The current environmental changes require integrated research on the interactions between microbes and macroscale phenomena. By coordinating studies and data sets from different disciplines, important questions can be answered.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Sara M. Rodriguez, Omar M. Amin, Richard A. Heckmann, Meysam Sharifdini, Guillermo D'Elia
Summary: This study analyzed the molecular profile of Mediorhynchus gallinarum specimens collected from chickens in Indonesia to assess their phylogenetic position. The results showed that this species is sister to Mediorhynchus africanus, with low genetic variation. The phylogenetic relationships of the Class Archiacanthocephala were mostly congruent using both genes, but further analyses are needed for a more robust phylogeny.
ACTA PARASITOLOGICA
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Marcial Quiroga-Carmona, Carolina Abud, Enrique P. Lessa, Guillermo D'Elia
Summary: The mitochondrial diversity of Abrothrix olivacea is structured in four main phylogroups, each with distinct crown ages and signals of asynchronous population expansions. The study results improve the delimitation of the geographic ranges of the intraspecific mitochondrial lineages and suggest a need for revision of subspecific taxonomy. The pattern of genetic structure in the Patagonian-Fuegian populations differs from nuclear variation and indicates a more complex evolutionary history for this species.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALIAN EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Natali Hurtado, Guillermo D'Elia
Summary: The study reveals that Oligoryzomys originated in the northern half of South America and colonized southern South America, the Andes, Central, and North America through a series of vicariant and dispersion events, making it one of the fastest and largest Pleistocene diversifications of Neotropical mammals.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Correction
Evolutionary Biology
Marcial Quiroga-Carmona, Carolina Abud, Enrique P. Lessa, Guillermo D'Elia
JOURNAL OF MAMMALIAN EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Scott J. Steppan, Thomas Bowen, Max R. Bangs, Matthew Farson, Jay F. Storz, Marcial Quiroga-Carmona, Guillermo D'Elia, Lara Vimercati, Cristina Dorador Ortiz, Graham Zimmerman, Steve K. Schmidt
Summary: A population of leaf-eared mice, Phyllotis vaccarum, has been discovered at an elevation higher than any previously reported for mammals, marking a new record for terrestrial vertebrates. This finding is based on evidence from multiple expeditions, including live observations, mummified remains, environmental DNA, and soil microbial analysis.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Edson Fiedler Abreu, Jeronymo Dalapicolla, Paulo Roberto Furini, Noe U. De La Sancha, Sharon A. Jansa, Alexandre Reis Percequillo
Summary: The endemic rodent Euryzoryzomys russatus in the Atlantic Forest of South America was found to be divided into four groups, with each group mainly inhabiting different latitudinal regions of the Atlantic Forest. The study suggests that the diversification of this species is better explained by forest refugia processes rather than riverine barriers.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Pablo Teta, Noe U. de la Sancha, Guillermo D'Elia, Bruce D. Patterson
Summary: Mountains have significant effects on climate and biodiversity, and the rain shadow effect affects the morphology of species. This study on shaggy soft-haired mice in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego found that morphological variation and size are highly structured along a longitudinal gradient.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Pablo Teta, Pablo Jayat, Pablo E. Ortiz, Guillermo D'Elia
Summary: This study fills the knowledge gap of genetic information, morphological description, and natural history for the elusive species Microcavia shiptoni.
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Deyan Ge, Yanhua Qu, Tao Deng, Wilfried Thuiller, Cene Fiser, Per G. P. Ericson, Baocheng Guo, Noe U. de la Sancha, Sophie von Der Heyden, Zhonge Hou, Jiatang Li, Alexei Abramov, Alfried P. Vogler, Knud A. Jonsson, Russell Mittermeier
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Noe U. de la Sancha, Jose F. Gonzalez-Maya, Sarah A. Boyle, Pastor E. Perez-Estigarribia, J. Nicolas Urbina-Cardona, Nancy E. McIntyre
Summary: Deforestation in eastern Paraguay has resulted in a fragmented landscape highly influenced by forest edges. This study examined the edge effects on small mammalian diversity and found that species richness and abundance increased along the forest edge gradient. Forest edges showed higher phylogenetic and functional diversity, with a spillover effect of non-forest and invasive species.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marcial Quiroga-Carmona, Guillermo D'Elia
Summary: This study investigates the intraspecific genetic variation of a certain species based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. Results show that landscape features and past climatic dynamics have significant influences on the genetic structure and geographic distribution of the species. The study also suggests that genetic differentiation is driven by more complex evolutionary processes than simple disruption of gene flow or drift.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marcial Quiroga-Carmona, Pablo Teta, Guillermo D'Elia
Summary: This study characterizes the cranial variation of the sigmodontine rodent Abrothrix olivacea by measuring twenty cranial dimensions in 235 individuals from 64 localities in Argentina and Chile. The results suggest that cranial variation in this species is clustered in localized patterns associated with different environmental types, and that populations in arid and treeless areas exhibit higher levels of cranial differentiation. Additionally, the study finds that cranial size variation is ecogeographically associated and does not follow Bergmann's rule, with island populations having larger cranial sizes than continental populations at the same latitudes. These findings indicate that cranial differentiation in this species is not uniform across its geographic distribution and may be influenced by environmental factors.
Article
Zoology
Marcial Quiroga-Carmona, Jay F. Storz, Guillermo D'Elia
Summary: We discovered a mummified mouse specimen of the Punomys genus at an elevation of 5,461 m in the caldera of Volcan Acamarachi, Region de Antofagasta, Chile, which is a significant extension of the elevational and latitudinal range for this species. It is also the first record of Punomys genus in Chile. The morphological assessment suggests that the specimen belongs to the P. lemminus species. This finding extends the known geographic distribution of the genus by 700 km to the south and adds to the mammal richness in Chile.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2023)
