Biologia

New eastern Pacific records and extensions of the distribution range of 14 Porcellanid crab species representing seven genera are reported. These species were found during recent fieldwork and in museum collections, and constitute new records for Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, including Galapagos Islands, and Peru. Janet Haig's monograph (1960) on porcellanid crabs from the eastern Pacific, and all relevant work published thereafter were reviewed and complemented with collection data from this report. Some gaps in the knowledge of the geographic distribution and ecology of the species reported were filled.

Two new species of infaunal decapod crustaceans are described based on material collected in Bahía Málaga, Pacific coast of Colombia, in 2009. The mud-shrimp Axianassa darrylfelderi sp. nov. (Axianassidae) appears to be most closely related to A. australis Rodrigues & Shimizu, 1992, A. canalis Kensley & Heard, 1990, and A. jamaicensis Kensley & Heard, 1990. The new species may be distinguished from each of them by a combination of morphological features, mainly on the uropodal exopod, antennal acicle, third maxilliped and first pleonite. The shrimp Leptalpheus canterakintzi sp. nov. (Alpheidae), associated with burrows of A. darrylfelderi sp. nov., undoubtedly represents the eastern Pacific sister species of the western Atlantic L. axianassae Dworschak & Coelho, 1999, which lives exclusively in burrows of A. australis. The two species are reliably distinguishable only by the proportions of the merus and propodus of the third pereiopod. Leptalpheus azuero Anker, 2011, previously known only from the Pacific coast of Panama, is reported for the first time from Bahía Málaga, Colombia.

The present study deals two new alpheid shrimp species from the transisthmian Salmoneus ortmanni (Rankin, 1898) complex. Salmoneus alvarezi sp. nov. is described based on materials collected in Bahía Málaga, Colombia, and Punta Morales, Costa Rica, and is closely related to the western Atlantic S. ortmanni and S. wehrtmanni Anker, 2011. Salmoneus malagensis sp. nov. is described based on specimens from Bahía Málaga, Colombia, and beyond any doubts represents the eastern Pacific sister species of the western Atlantic S. carvachoi Anker, 2007. The two new species can be easily distinguished from each other by a number of morphological characters and colouration, and in addition appear to be ecologically separated. All previous records of S. ortmanni from the eastern Pacific are reassigned, some tentatively, to S. alvarezi sp. nov. based on description, illustrations or ecological data.

Rocky shores are areas of high diversity and productivity providing goods and services. Since humans are altering nature at an unprecedented rate, producing shifts in important parameters for life such as temperature, habitat availability, water quality, among others, it is expected that species will respond by changing their natural distributions and/or abundances. To understand how species will respond to such changes, it is necessary to learn the processes that determine these patterns. The South American Research Group on Coastal Ecosystems was established to assess marine diversity and biomass along both coasts of South America through an international collaboration. The main goals of SARCE are to: (1) Test hypotheses about latitudinal gradients and patterns of local and regional biodiversity, (2) Identify the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, (3) Assess the effect of environmental gradients and anthropogenic stressors, (4) Carry out capacity building and training activities aimed to solve environmental problems for the benefit of society. The SARCE network has sampled the coasts of nine countries around South America with a standardized protocol in more than 150 sites (2010- 2014), ranging from 11º North to 55º South. This chapter provides a description of the biodiversity of the sites sampled by SARCE, along with a review of the uses and services that these ecosystems provide to human populations and the main threats and impacts these uses have caused.

Bermúdez-Tobón, A., J. Cantera, J. Lazarus & A.M. Cobo. 2008. Crustáceos decápodos (Arthropoda: Crustacea). Pp. 219-223. En: INVEMAR. 2008. Informe del Estado de los Ambientes Marinos y Costeros en Colombia: Año 2007. Serie de Publicaciones Periódicas No. 8. Santa Marta, 380 pag.

En muchas especies de aves nidícolas los hermanos compiten agresivamente por el alimento. En el pelícano común este comportamiento lleva en ocasiones al fratricidio y es determinante para la supervivencia de los polluelos. En este estudio se evaluó el rol de la etapa de desarrollo, tamaño de nidada, cantidad de alimento y método de alimentación en el comportamiento agresivo de los polluelos de Pelecanus occidentalis murphyi.En el islote de Gorgonilla Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Gorgona, entre marzo y mayo de 2011, se registró el comportamiento de los polluelos en los eventos de alimentación de 30 nidos en las tres primeras etapas del desarrollo. Para la evaluación de la incidencia de agresión se efectuaron pruebas no paramétricas y un modelo de regresión logística binomial. Polluelos en la etapa tres del desarrollo tuvieron una probabilidad casi diez veces mayor de presentar eventos agresivos que polluelos de menor edad. En los eventos de alimentación directa se presentó una mayor...

Both nymphal and adult stages of several species of spittlebugs (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) are key economic pests of brachiariagrasses (Brachiaria spp.) in tropical America. Progress has been made in the characterization and development of antibiosis resistance to nymphs in brachiariagrasses. Essentially no attention has been given to screening germplasm for resistance to adults. To support current breeding programs, a series of experiments was conducted to develop a methodology to screen for adult damage and to study categories of resistance to adult feeding damage. Six host brachiariagrass genotypes were used: two susceptible checks (CIAT 0606 and CIAT 0654) and four nymph-resistant genotypes (CIAT 6294, CIAT 36062, CIAT 36087, and SX01NO/0102). Test insects were Aeneolamia varia (F.) and Zulia carbonaria (Lallemand). None of the nymph-resistant genotypes was antibiotic to adults. All four nymph-resistant genotypes showed tolerance to A. varia and Z. carbonaria feeding damage. The levels of tolerance to adults of Z. carbonaria, a larger, more aggressive species, were lower. Of the four nymph-resistant genotypes, only CIAT 6294 and CIAT 36087 showed some tolerance to Z. carbonaria expressed as lower leaf damage scores, less chlorophyll loss, and lower functional plant loss indices. The fact that a genotype like SX01NO/0102, which is highly antibiotic to nymphs, is susceptible to adult damage suggests that mechanisms of resistance to the two spittlebug life stages may be independent. Results of these studies suggest a need to incorporate routine screening for tolerance to adult feeding damage as an additional selection criterion in the breeding scheme.

Direct behavioral observations, plus deductions made from studying the lines in recently built webs, showed that Linothele macrothelifera Strand 1908 lays swaths of lines in relatively stereotypic ways that differ during sheet web and tube construction. Sheet construction occurs in brief bursts interspersed with returns to the retreat. The legs are not used to manipulate lines; the spinnerets attach lines to the substrate and are probably used as sense organs. Asymmetrical use of the spinnerets during sheet construction results in an increase in the variety of orientations of lines in the sheet.

The first case of intraguild predation in the neotropical region by Tityus forcipula (Gervais) (Buthidae) predating upon Chactas vanbenedeni (Gervais) (Chactidae) in Yotoco Forest Reserve, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, is recorded. A comprehensive table including known records of intraguild predation is provided. Despite similarity between the microhabitats of both species, this observation of predation might be casual.

This study provides new records, geographical distribution extensions and a checklist of the current ctenids species in Colombia based on the review of four arachnological collections and published literature. A total of 15 new records for Ctenidae in Colombia are reported; nine of these species are new records for the country and the distribution of the remaining six is expanded. The genus Centroctenus Mello- Leitão, 1929 (C. ocelliventer Strand, 1909 is recorded for first time in Colombia and Cupiennius coccineus (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1901) for South America. Due to the strategic geographic position of Colombia, which is a transition zone between Southern and Central American biotas, species inventories in different localities are important to fill distributional gaps. The number of known species of ctenids in Colombia is increased from 16 to 25 and these data will be useful for future studies in taxonomy, systematics and biogeography of this family.

Phoneutria boliviensis (F.O.P.-Cambridge 1897) is a medically important wandering spider distributed from
Central America to northern South America. This study is the first description of the natural history of this species, and
presents data on several aspects of its natural history: reproductive and prey wrapping behavior, postembryonic
development, and habitats in the departments of Valle del Cauca and Quindio, Colombia. Prior to copulation, the male did
not engage in any courtship from a distance, but instead climbed onto the female, adopting the typical copulation position
of ‘‘modern wandering spiders’’ (position III). Females laid up to four egg sacs; between 430–1300 hatchlings emerged after
28–34 days. After hatching, spiderlings had a third claw on all their legs and built an irregular web, where they remained
until the next molt. Sexual maturity occurred after 14–17 molts, and spiders matured 300–465 days after emerging from the
egg sac. The species was found in disturbed habitats associated with both dry and wet tropical forests, usually on the
ground with little litter. Spiders wrapped prey in silk, moving in a stereotypically circular pattern around the prey without
manipulating threads with their legs. Attachments to the substrate involved rapid movements of the anterior spinnerets,
while the others remained immobile.