RESUMO
Abstract Landscape alterations may affect beetle assemblages wherein sensitive species can disappear, and highly adapted species populations can increase. Beetle diversity in a restored forest and cropland was assessed in the tropical dry forest of Ecuador. Pitfall trapping and manual collection were performed in three sites: two sites with cropland and one site with secondary forest remnant. Four bait types were used to attract beetles feeding on different resources to achieve an adequate preliminary beetle assessment. This study is the first approach to characterizing the coleopteran community in the tropical dry forest of Manabí. We report 64 morpho-species associated with productive land and fragmented forests and highlight the occurrence of some resilient genera like Canthon, Canthidium, Deltochilum and Euspilotus that have successfully adapted to disturbed ecosystems; on the other hand, Phyllophaga and Diabrotica were also detected mainly in the crop landscape. Overall, present a baseline of the beetle assemblage composition in a secondary forest and cropland, and provide relevant information for further assessment of land use change in the region.
Resumen Las alteraciones del paisaje pueden afectar los ensambles de escarabajos donde las especies sensibles pueden desaparecer y las poblaciones de especies altamente adaptadas pueden aumentar. Se evaluó la diversidad de escarabajos en un bosque restaurado y tierras de cultivo del bosque seco tropical de Ecuador. Se realizó trampas de caída y recolección manual en tres sitios; dos sitios con tierras de cultivo y un sitio con remanente de bosque secundario. Se usaron cuatro tipos de cebo para atraer escarabajos que se alimentaban de diferentes recursos para lograr una evaluación preliminar adecuada del ensamble de escarabajos. Este estudio es la primera aproximación a la caracterización de la comunidad de coleópteros en el bosque seco tropical de Manabí. Reportamos 64 morfoespecies asociadas con tierras productivas y bosques fragmentados y destacamos la presencia de algunos géneros resilientes como Canthon, Canthidium, Deltochilum y Euspilotus que se han adaptado con éxito a ecosistemas perturbados; por otro lado, Phyllophaga y Diabrotica también fueron detectados principalmente en el paisaje de cultivos. En general, presentamos una línea de base de la composición de escarabajos en un bosque secundario y tierras de cultivo, y brindamos información relevante para una evaluación adicional del cambio de uso del suelo en la región.
RESUMO
It has been suggested that gymnophthalmids, like most semi-fossorial lacertoids, rely more in chemical cues to communicate, in comparison to other groups, like Iguanids, on which communication is mostly based on visual signaling. We present the first description of visual signaling in the Andean lizard Pholidobolusmontium (Gymnophthalmidae) and a complete ethogram based on ex situ observations (34 different types of behaviors including positions and simple movements). Through the design of conspecific stimulus experiments, we were able to recognize leg-waving as a visual signal, as it is only displayed in presence of conspecifics or in presence of a mirror and was one of first and most frequent displays in this context. We also detected other visual displays like neck-arching and tail-undulation which may also be relevant as visual signals. Based on our results, we propose that visual signaling is also possible in semi-fossorial lizards; however, further studies regarding chemical signal recognition and color detection are required to confirm our hypothesis.
RESUMO
We describe a new species of Anolis lizard from the Pacific slopes of the Andes of southwestern Ecuador at elevations between 3721,000 m. The new species belongs to the Dactyloa clade and may be distinguished from other Anolis by size, external anatomy, mitochondrial DNA divergence, and dewlap color. Based on phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data, we found that the new species is sister to A. fraseri in a clade composed primarily of large Dactyloid species. The new species is known from a protected area in southern Ecuador, Buenaventura Reserve, which suggests that at least some its populations are well protected.