Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático
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Pristimantis tinguichaca Brito, Ojala-Barbour, Batallas & Almendariz, 2016 (Anura, Strabomantidae): Range extension and notes on variation in color pattern

2019 , Franco-Mena, Daniela , Reyes-Puig J.P. , Yánez-Muñoz M.H.

In this paper we extend the known distribution of the endemic and recently described Pristimantis tinguichaca Brito et al., 2016, a terrestrial robber frog characterized by its beige and brown to dark-brown dorsal coloration, flanks with longitudinal or diagonal cream-coloured bands which are separated by brown, and reddish iris. The new records, based on two specimens collected from the Cerro Candelaria and Cerro Mayordomo reserves of Fundación Ecominga in the upper Pastaza River watershed, Tungurahua province, east-central Ecuador, represent the northern limit of the species and extend this species to the Llanganates-Sangay ecological corridor. © 2019, Pensoft Publishers. All rights reserved.

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Population genomics of parallel hybrid zones in the mimetic butterflies, H. melpomene and H. erato

2014 , Nadeau N.J. , Ruiz M. , Salazar P. , Counterman B. , Medina J.A. , Ortiz-Zuazaga H. , Morrison A. , McMillan W.O. , Jiggins C.D. , Papa R.

Hybrid zones can be valuable tools for studying evolution and identifying genomic regions responsible for adaptive divergence and underlying phenotypic variation. Hybrid zones between subspecies of Heliconius butterflies can be very narrow and are maintained by strong selection acting on color pattern. The comimetic species, H. erato and H. melpomene, have parallel hybrid zones in which both species undergo a change from one color pattern form to another. We use restriction-associated DNA sequencing to obtain several thousand genome-wide sequence markers and use these to analyze patterns of population divergence across two pairs of parallel hybrid zones in Peru and Ecuador. We compare two approaches for analysis of this type of data - alignment to a reference genome and de novo assembly - and find that alignment gives the best results for species both closely (H. melpomene) and distantly (H. erato, ∼15% divergent) related to the reference sequence. Our results confirm that the color pattern controlling loci account for the majority of divergent regions across the genome, but we also detect other divergent regions apparently unlinked to color pattern differences. We also use association mapping to identify previously unmapped color pattern loci, in particular the Ro locus. Finally, we identify a new cryptic population of H. timareta in Ecuador, which occurs at relatively low altitude and is mimetic with H. melpomene malleti. © 2014 Nadeau et al.

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A revision of species diversity in the neotropical genus Oreobates (Anura: Strabomantidae), with the description of three new species from the amazonian slopes of the andes

2012 , Padial J.M. , Chaparro J.C. , Castroviejo-Fisher S. , Guayasamin, Juan M. , Lehr E. , Delgado A.J. , Vaira M. , Teixeira M. , Aguayo R. , Riva I.D.L.

We revisit species diversity within Oreobates (Anura: Strabomantidae) by combining molecular phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA amphibian barcode fragment with the study of the external morphology of living and preserved specimens. Molecular and morphological evidence support the existence of 23 species within Oreobates, and three additional candidate species (Oreobates sp. [Ca JF809995], Oreobates sp. [Ca EU368903], Oreobates cruralis [Ca EU192295]). We describe and name three new species from the Andean humid montane forests of Departamento Cusco, southern Peru: O. amarakaeri New Species from Río Nusinuscato and Río Mabe, at elevations ranging from 670 to 1000 m in the Andean foothills; O. machiguenga, new species, from Río Kimbiri (1350 m), a small tributary of the Apurimac River, in the western versant of Cordillera Vilcabamba; and O. gemcare, new species, from the Kosipata Valley at elevations ranging from 2400 to 2800 m. The three new species are readily distinguished from all other Oreobates by at least one qualitative morphological character. Three species are transferred to Oreobates from three genera of Strabomantidae: Hypodactylus lundbergi Pristimantis crepitans, and Phrynopus ayacucho (for which the advertisement call, coloration in life, and male characteristics are described for first time). Oreobates simmonsi is transferred to the genus Lynchius. Hylodes verrucosus is considered a junior synonym of Hylodes philippi. In addition, H. philippi is removed from the synonymy of O. quixensis and considered a nomem dubium within Hypodactylus. The inclusion of Phrynopus ayacucho in Oreobates extends the ecological range of the genus to the cold Andean puna. Oreobates is thus distributed from the Amazonian lowlands in southern Colombia to northern Argentina, reaching the Brazilian Atlantic dry forests in eastern Brazil, across an altitudinal range from ca. 100 to 3850 m. © American Museum of Natural History 2012.

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Range extensions and other noteworthy bird records from the Ecuadorian Andes

2011 , Bonaccorso, Elisa , Arzuza D. , Buitrón-Jurado G. , Charpentier A.L. , Juiña M. , Piedrahía P. , Freile J.F.

We present the results of nine ornithological expeditions aimed at documenting bird diversity in areas of Ecuador that remain relatively underexplored. The majority of new records were made along the western Andes, either in the central or the southern extensions of the outer slope, suggesting that several species may have more continuous distributions than previously thought. Among the most interesting records are those of Collared Inca Coeligena torquata in western Azuay, Tricoloured Brush Finch Atlapetes tricolor in the Cerro de CelicaGuachanamá, in Loja, and White-browed Spinetail Hellmayrea gularis and Bluish Flowerpiercer Diglossa caerulescens in the Cordillera de Chilla, in El Oro. These new records in the south-west of the country suggest that extensive sampling is still needed in this region. We also report new altitudinal records for several species and suggest that they may represent range extensions rather than occasional records. © British Ornithologists' Club 2011.

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Characterization of the Body Mass Index and Height for Age in adolescents in a central Andean area of Ecuador [Caracterización del Índice de Masa Corporal y Talla para la Edad en adolescentes de la zona andina central del Ecuador]

2018 , Jara Porras J. , Caicedo Jaramillo C. , García Guerra G. , Yánez Moretta P.

Introduction: The evaluation of the nutritional status and growth patterns in adolescents help to glimpse the eating habits and the quality of life that they lead. The standard of weight and height in Ecuador for this age group has not been well established yet, so it is useful to show the information collected in recent studies such as the present one. Objective: To determine, through nutritional indicators and anthropometric measures, the nutritional status of adolescents in a central Andean region of Ecuador. Methods: A mixed study of intentional and cross-sectional type was carried out in December 2017 in a sample of 238 men and 194 women from 13 to 17 years old, belonging to four Educational Centers in a central Andean area of Ecuador. The sample was stratified according to the age and sex. The indicators used were: body mass index (BMI) and height for age. The data were converted to z-scores and analyzed. Results: In BMI for age, the prevalence of risk of overweight reaches up to 30% in both groups women and men. In the categories obesity, emaciated and severely emaciated, the results reached a maximum of 10% in each group. In height for age, there is a minimum percentage of adolescents who have low height, which does not exceed 13% in the two groups. In severe short stature, only 3% were found in the group of 17-year-old women. In addition, it should be noted that in both groups there was generally a tendency toward the normal category in the nutritional indicators. Conclusions: Despite the fact that the vast majority of the observed groups is in a normal nutritional state, the present study documented the national reality of the double burden of malnutrition: the coexistence of emaciation cases together with risk of overweight, overweight and obesity cases. It is necessary to take actions that involve healthy eating habits from an early age to ensure optimal physical development and adequate school performance. © 2018 Sociedad espanola de dietetica. All rights reserved.

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A QR (Quick Response) code application model in environmental management and education activities in a Neotropical botanical garden [Modelo de aplicación del código QR (Quick Response Code) en actividades de gestión y educación ambientales en un jardín botánico del Neotrópico (Ecuador)]

2019 , Alvarez Loaiza P. , Vite Valverde F. , Yánez Moretta P. , Burneo Villegas C. , Jumbo Ramos S.

We describe the generation of QR codes (Quick Response) for plant species and physical sections of the Reinaldo Espinosa Botanical Garden (Loja), the oldest in Ecuador, made with the purpose of providing visitors with a tool that allows them to have a better knowledge on specimens and promote greater interest in biodiversity conservation. The elements included for each species within the code were: floristic characteristics, origin and conservation status, as well as their ethnobotanical uses and image. The application of this new technology in a semi-natural area seeks to generate a more interactive guidance process, with more information. The proposal constitutes a management reference for the botanical gardens of the region. © 2019.

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Feeding ecology of the Terciopelo pit viper snake (Bothrops asper) in Ecuador

2023 , Loaiza-Lange A. , Székely D , Torres-Carvajal O. , Tinoco N. , Salazar Valenzuela, David , Székely P.

Thoroughly documenting prey items and diet composition is crucial for understanding a predator’s role in the ecosystem. In gape restricted predators, such as snakes, documenting and analyzing the type and size of the prey is important to interpret their ecological role. We describe the diet patterns of a species of venomous snake, the Terciopelo pit viper (Bothrops asper), from its Ecuadorian populations. Examining the gastrointestinal contents of museum specimens collected over an extensive area of the Pacific lowlands of Ecuador, we encountered 69 identifiable prey items from four major taxonomic groups (amphibians, centipedes, mammals, and reptiles). We evaluated the observed composition of prey to check for differences between sexes and size-classes. To complement our observations of the Terciopelo species complex throughout their distribution, we carried out a systematic literature review. Our data show an ontogenetic shift in diet, with a transition from more diverse diet in juveniles towards a mammal-specialized diet in adults, and distinct proportion of prey taxa between the sexes in the juvenile size class. Copyright 2023 Loaiza-Lange et al.

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The impact of termites on soil sheeting properties is better explained by environmental factors than by their feeding and building strategies

2022 , Jouquet, P. , Harit, A. , Hervé, V. , Moger, H. , Carrijo, T. , Donoso, David , Eldridge, D. , Ferreira da Cunha, H. , Choosai, C. , Janeau, J.-L. , Maeght, J.-L. , Thu, T.D. , Briandon, A. , Skali, M.D. , van Thuyne, J. , Mainga, A. , Pinzon Florian, O.P. , Issa, O.M. , Podwojewski, P. , Rajot, J.-L. , Henri-des-Tureaux, T. , Smaili, L. , Labiadh, M. , Boukbida, H.A.

Termites are key soil bioturbators in tropical ecosystems. Apart from mound nests constructed by some advanced lineages, most of the species use their faeces, oral secretions, debris, or soil aggregates to protect themselves from predators and desiccation when they go out to forage. Although this soil ‘sheeting’ is considered to play a key role in soil functioning, the properties of this termite-made material has been poorly studied. The few available data showed that sheeting properties are highly variable with positive, neutral or negative impacts on soil C and clay content, and consequently on soil aggregate stability. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the factors controlling the physical (particle size fractions and structural stability) and chemical (pH, electrical conductivity and carbon content) properties of soil sheeting produced by termite species encompassing all feeding and building categories using a dataset representative of an important diversity of biotopes coming from 21 countries from all continents colonized by termites. We showed that sheeting properties were explained by the properties of their environment, and especially by those of the bulk soil (linear relationships), followed in a lesser extent by the mean annual precipitation and biotope. Classic hypotheses related to termite feeding and building strategies were not hold by our analysis. However, the distinction of termites into fungus-growing and non-fungus growing species was useful when differentiating the impact of termites on soil electrical conductivity, C content, and structural stability. The large variability observed suggests the need to redefine termite functional groups based on their impacts on soil properties using a trait-based approach from morphological, anatomical and/or physiological traits. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

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First Insights into the Venom Composition of Two Ecuadorian Coral Snakes

2022 , Hernández-Altamirano, J.A. , Salazar Valenzuela, David , Medina-Villamizar, E.J. , Quirola, D.R. , Patel, K. , Vaiyapuri, S. , Lomonte, B. , Almeida, J.R.

Micrurus is a medically relevant genus of venomous snakes composed of 85 species. Bites caused by coral snakes are rare, but they are usually associated with very severe and life-threatening clinical manifestations. Ecuador is a highly biodiverse country with a complex natural environment, which is home to approximately 20% of identified Micrurus species. Additionally, it is on the list of Latin American countries with the highest number of snakebites. However, there is no local antivenom available against the Ecuadorian snake venoms, and the biochemistry of these venoms has been poorly explored. Only a limited number of samples collected in the country from the Viperidae family were recently characterised. Therefore, this study addressed the compositional patterns of two coral snake venoms from Ecuador, M. helleri and M. mipartitus, using venomics strategies, integrating sample fractionation, gel electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry. Chromatographic and electrophoretic profiles of these snake venoms revealed interspecific variability, which was ascertained by mass spectrometry. The two venoms followed the recently recognised dichotomic toxin expression trends displayed by Micrurus species: M. helleri venom contains a high proportion (72%) of phospholipase A2, whereas M. mipartitus venom is dominated by three-finger toxins (63%). A few additional protein families were also detected in these venoms. Overall, these results provide the first comprehensive views on the composition of two Ecuadorian coral snake venoms and expand the knowledge of Micrurus venom phenotypes. These findings open novel perspectives to further research the functional aspects of these biological cocktails of PLA2s and 3FTxs and stress the need for the preclinical evaluation of the currently used antivenoms for therapeutic purposes in Ecuador. © 2022 by the authors.

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Nutritional niches reveal fundamental domestication trade-offs in fungus-farming ants

2021 , Shik J.Z. , Kooij P.W. , Donoso D.A. , Santos J.C. , Gomez E.B. , Franco M. , Crumière A.J.J. , Arnan X. , Howe J. , Wcislo W.T. , Boomsma J.J.

During crop domestication, human farmers traded greater productivity for higher crop vulnerability outside specialized cultivation conditions. We found a similar domestication trade-off across the major co-evolutionary transitions in the farming systems of attine ants. First, the fundamental nutritional niches of cultivars narrowed over ~60 million years of naturally selected domestication, and laboratory experiments showed that ant farmers representing subsequent domestication stages strictly regulate protein harvest relative to cultivar fundamental nutritional niches. Second, ants with different farming systems differed in their abilities to harvest the resources that best matched the nutritional needs of their fungal cultivars. This was assessed by quantifying realized nutritional niches from analyses of items collected from the mandibles of laden ant foragers in the field. Third, extensive field collections suggest that among-colony genetic diversity of cultivars in small-scale farms may offer population-wide resilience benefits that species with large-scale farming colonies achieve by more elaborate and demanding practices to cultivate less diverse crops. Our results underscore that naturally selected farming systems have the potential to shed light on nutritional trade-offs that shaped the course of culturally evolved human farming. © 2020, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

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