The second confirmed record of the scorpion genus Chactas Gervais, 1844 (Scorpiones,Chactidae) from Ecuador with description of a new species from the Amazonian Province of Sucumbíos

A new species, Chactas moreti sp. n., is described from Ecuadorian Amazonia. It can be distinguished from Chactas mahnerti Lourenço, 1995, the other known species of this genus from Ecuador by its smaller body size, distinct morphometric values, overall darker blackish-brown coloration, totally smooth vesicle, and a concave anterior margin of carapace. This is the second confirmed record of the genus Chactas Gervais from Ecuador. The geographical pattern of distribution of the genus is also discussed.     

Ecuadorian novelties in Blakea and Topobea (Melastomataceae)

Three new species of Melastomataceae (Blakeeae) are described:Blakea subpanduriformis, Topobea adscendens, andT. bullata. All are climbers endemic to the montane forests of the eastern slopes of the Andes in southern Ecuador. In this region, 35% of the Ecuadorian species and 41% of the endemic Ecuadorian species of Melastomataceae occur. The discovery of these three new endemic species underlines the diversity of Melastomataceae occurring on the slopes of the Andes in southeastern Ecuador.     

THE GIANT HUMMINGBIRD PATAGONA GIGAS IN ECUADOR

The Giant Hummingbird Patagona gigas was studied in highland Ecuador in 1968–70. The northern and southern limits of its known distribution were extended, but east-west range and altitudinal limits were as restricted as noted by other authors. Its distribution elsewhere in South America is also reviewed, as are the taxonomy of various populations and breeding records. It is concluded that northern Ecuador is not reached by migrants from central Chile.
Locally, Agave americana was the principal source of nectar, and the Ecuadorian range of the bird corresponds with the distribution of this plant. Further south, where the birds occur over a wider range of elevations, other plants are visited. It is suggested that the availability of nectar and the presence of competitors in combination determine the distribution of the Giant Hummingbird. The Ecuadorian population is probably prevented from northward extension by conditions unsuitable for Agave americana . There is evidence that this plant is exotic to Ecuador; its introduction may have permitted the Giant Hummingbird to expand its range from Peru.     

Termites (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae,Rhinotermitidae, Termitidae) of Ecuador

Termites are an abundant and diverse group in the Neotropics with about 500 species representing 83 genera. The paucity of the termite fauna recorded from Ecuador is due, in part, to a lack of deliberate surveys. We revise the termite fauna of Ecuador and raise the number of species from 25 species to 72 based on our recent termite surveys. Of the 72 species, 18 could not be conclusively identified and are likely new species. Given the limited area that has been covered in surveys of the Ecuadorian termite fauna, there are undoubtedly many more species to be recorded for Ecuador, primarily in the eastern lowland areas, cloud forests on both the eastern and western slopes of the Andes, and the Amazonian lowland forests.     

Developmental biology in Ecuador: a 30-year teaching experience

Developmental biology has been taught at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, in Quito for 30 years by the author. The experience of teaching development is described within the broader context of science in Latin America. It is recognized that developmental biology is poorly represented in research and teaching in this part of the world. The teaching of developmental biology to Ecuadorian students contributes to their intellectual training, by helping them to integrate concepts derived from various branches of biology. Moreover, the highly conserved molecular mechanisms of development provide extraordinary examples of the unity of biology, and many complex biological processes can be more easily grasped when studying embryos.     

A new species of Myotis Kaup, 1829 (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Ecuador

A new species of bat in the genus Myotis (Vespertilionidae, Myotinae) is described from the Chocó ecoregion on the western slope of the Andes in northwestern Ecuador. The genus Myotis comprises a diverse group of small to large-sized vespertilionid bats distributed worldwide. Twelve South American species are recognized currently, 6 of which occur in Ecuador. Morphological relationships among the new species and the other 12 South American species of Myotis were examined using 15 cranial and 5 external characters. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses found the new species to be distinct. As an aid to future identifications, we provide a key to the Ecuadorian species of Myotis.     

History of limnology in Ecuador: a foundation for a growing field in the country

Hydrobiologia - Paul Colinvaux and his Ecuadorian student Miriam Steinitz-Kannan were the first modern scientists to study limnology in Ecuador in the 1960s and 1970s. Fifty years later,...     

New evidence for pre-Columbian Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata from Ecuador

The archaeological record of the large lowland neotropical Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata , one of the few native animals known to have been domesticated by pre-Columbian peoples, is poorly known. Only a few specimens have been recovered in different cultural, temporal and depositional contexts from throughout the neotropics, and differentiating between wild and domesticated forms on the basis of osteological evidence has proved to be difficult. Archaeological specimens are mainly recorded from sites in western Panama and South America, including the western lowlands of Ecuador where two new locations are described and evaluated. It is suggested that at least some of these Ecuadorian specimens belong to domesticated forms, and that the cultural contexts in which they are found at archaeological sites suggest that prehispanic trade may have influenced their geographical distribution prior to the arrival of Europeans.     

Life cycle and environmental impact evaluation of polylactic acid (PLA) production in Ecuador

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - Plastics generate more than 500 tons of waste in Ecuador each year, according to statistics from 2016. Therefore, the Ecuadorian Congress has...     

Tracing the native ancestors of the modern Theobroma cacao L. population in Ecuador

The native Theobroma cacao L. population from Ecuador, known as Nacional, is famous for its fine cocoa flavour. From the beginning of the twentieth century, however, it has been subjected to genetic erosion due principally to successive introductions of foreign germplasm whose hybrid descendants gradually replaced the native plantations, implying a decrease in cocoa quality. We attempted to trace this native cacao within a wide pool of modern Ecuadorian cacao population. Three hundred and twenty-two cacao accessions collected from different geographical areas along the pacific coast of Ecuador and maintained in two living collections were analysed using 40 simple-sequence repeat markers. Most of Ecuadorian cacao accessions displayed a high diversity and heterozygosity level. A factorial analysis of correspondence (FAC) showed a continuous variation among them, with a few ones, grouped at an extreme side of the FAC cloud, showing higher levels of homozygosity and lower introgression level by foreign cacaos. A paternity analysis revealed that these highly homozygous individuals are the most probable ancestors of the modern Nacional hybrid pool. These particular accessions studied could represent the native Nacional cacao present in Ecuador before the foreign introductions. Their identification will help to conserve valuable genetic material and to improve cocoa quality in new cacao varieties.     

Three new Ecuadorian species of Axinaea (Melastomataceae)

Three new Ecuadorian species of Axinaea (Melastomataceae) are described: Axinaea flava, A. glauca, and A.lawessonii. All three species are endemic to southern Ecuador. Axinaea flava and A.glauca grow in the transition zone between montane forest and pbramo. They share characters such as shrubby habit, dense to moderate pubescence and coriaceous, rigid, erect leaves, which may be related to their high altitude habitat. Axinaea flava is the only species of the genus with a yellow corolla. Axinaea glauca, a shrub less than 1 m high, is the smallest Axinaea species known. Field observations show that these two species have a restricted habitat and their known populations are small, probably less than 100 individuals. The third species, A.lawessonii, grows in wet montane forests. It can grow as a shrub or a slender tree and its leaves are glabrous and less rigid than those of A.flava and A.glauca, characters which are probably a consequence of the more humid and benign habitat. Axinaea lawessonii is the only species of the genus in which the leaf margins have uncinate teeth. The species is rather frequent in southern Ecuador and has been collected in a dozen localities, most of which are within the Podocarpus National Park.     

Are tropical butterflies more colorful?

There is a common and long-standing belief that tropical butterflies are more striking in their coloration than those of cooler climates. It has been suggested that this is due to more intense biotic selection or mate selection in the tropics. We tested whether there were differences in coloration by examining the dorsal surface color properties of male butterflies from three regions of the western hemisphere: the Jatun-Satcha Reserve in lowland Ecuador (tropical), the state of Florida, USA (subtropical) and the state of Maine, USA (cool temperate). We digitally photographed the dorsal wing and body surface of male butterfly specimens from Maine, Florida, and Ecuador. For each photograph, we analyzed the mean and variation for the color-parameters that are thought to be related to colorfulness; namely Hue, saturation and intensity. Overall, the Ecuadorian sample exhibited more varied intensity, saturation, and Hue compared to the other regions. These results suggest a more complex assemblage of colors and patterns regionally and on a butterfly-by-butterfly basis in the tropics. The greater complexity of colors within each butterfly in our Ecuadorian sample suggests that tropical butterflies are indeed more ‘colorful’, at least by some measures. Possible reasons for this include stronger predation pressure selecting for aposematism, greater species diversity selecting for camouflage or warning coloration against potential predators, and easier recognition of potential mates in a species rich environment.     

Diverging diversity patterns in the Tulasnella (Basidiomycota, Tulasnellales) mycobionts of Aneura pinguis (Marchantiophyta, Metzgeriales) from Europe and Ecuador

Aneura pinguis (Aneuraceae) is a cosmopolitan thalloid liverwort that shows a specific mycorrhiza-like interaction with basidiomycetes. To date, tropical specimens have not been studied in great depth. Samples of A. pinguis were collected from 48 individuals in one plot in South Ecuador and 54 individuals in five European countries. Light and transmission electron microscopy and molecular analyses based on nuclear rDNA coding for the ribosomal large subunit (nucLSU) and from the 5.8s-ITS2 regions were carried out to identify the associated mycobionts and to study their phylogenetic relationships. Microscopic and ultrastructural investigations of the fungal colonisation showed a high congruence between the European and the Ecuadorian sites and confirmed previous results. Tulasnellales are the only mycobionts that could be detected from ultrastructural characters with certainty. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of tulasnelloid fungi from at least 13 distinct clades. The composition of the communities of tulasnelloid fungi in A. pinguis differs between Ecuador and Europe. The diversity of tulasnelloid fungal partners was much higher at the Ecuadorian site.     

Two new species of Paratrigona and the male of Paratrigona ornaticeps (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Two distinctive new species of the Neotropical stingless bee genus Paratrigona Schwarz from Ecuador and Paraguay are described and figured. The Ecuadorian species, Paratrigona scapisetosasp. n.,belongs to the haeckeli-lineatifrons group and is easily distinguished from its congeners by the unique shape and pubescence of the antennal scape, which is distinctly convex on its outer margin and bears thick, long, simple hairs along its inner margin. The Paraguayan species, Paratrigona wasbauerisp. n.,belongs to the lineata group and is easily distinguished by the pattern of body pubescence in both sexes and male genitalic characters. The male of the Mesoamerican species Paratrigona ornaticeps (Schwarz) is described and figured. New geographical records for Paratrigona impunctata and Paratrigona opaca, and an updated key to the haeckeli-lineatifrons and lineata species groups are provided.     

Genetic diversity and distribution patterns of Ecuadorian capuli (Prunus serotina)

Prunus serotina subsp. capuli (Cav.) is an arboreal species with promising economic prospects in the timber, health-food and neutraceutical markets. Despite its cultural and commercial significance, limited information exists with regards to the degree of genetic variation and ecological history of P. serotina in Ecuador. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the degree of genetic diversity and population structure of Ecuadorian P. serotina, as a preliminary step towards understanding the distribution history of this species in Ecuador and establishing germplasm conservation programs. P. serotina samples (217, representing 8 provinces from the Ecuadorian highlands) were characterized using 8 heterologous SSR markers derived from related Prunus species. Expected heterozygosity across samples (H_e = 0.71) reveals a moderate level of genetic diversity for Ecuadorian P. serotina. Nevertheless, simple allele-count analysis indicates that Ecuadorian capuli has a narrower degree of allelic richness relative to collections from the species’ center of origin in North America. Furthermore, pairwise F statistics (0.0069 ≤ Fst ≤ 0.0319) and Nei genetic distance estimates (0.02 ≤ Ds ≤ 0.09) indicate minimal population differentiation within Ecuadorian capuli. However, Bayesian population structure analysis suggests a subtle genetic contrast between germplasm from the Northern and Southern highlands. Certainly, it is of interest to analyze whether this underlying genetic differentiation between the Northern- and Southern-Highland groups is also manifested in morphological, agronomic or other phenotypic characters that could indicate adaptive differences to divergent agro-ecosystems.     

God’S Laboratory: Religious Rationalities And Modernity In Ecuadorian In Vitro Fertilization

Catholicism is the only major world religion that unequivocally bans the use of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Nevertheless, in Ecuador, Catholic IVF practitioners declare God’s dominion over their IVF laboratories and clinics in explaining pregnancy outcomes. My analysis of this routine combination of spiritual and material causal models in Ecuadorian IVF contributes to two ongoing discussions about (1) the tensions between “institutional” and popular forms of Catholic religiosity and (2) the proper boundaries of science in modernity. The Catholic Church’s historical and contemporary struggle to determine control of the miraculous has usually been characterized as a conflict between educated clergy and humble peasants. In the case of Ecuadorian IVF, we find, instead, educated elites and middle classes participating in this same contestation with the Church, proclaiming their direct ability to harness the power of God to effect material change on earth. This spiritual power to affect clinical outcomes does not take place just anywhere, but in clinic and lab, disrupting another set of presumptions about modern scientific practice and subjectivity. Like other Ecuadorian elites and middle classes, IVF practitioners are heirs to Enlightenment thought, and experience themselves as modern in their participation in these high-tech endeavors. But their spiritual approach to laboratory rationality does not trouble these IVF practitioners’ experience of themselves as moderns, prompting a reevaluation of the narratives of scientific modernity that limit their scope to Europe and North America.     

A mantle length structured stock assessment model for the jumbo squid,Dosidicus gigas,fishery of the Ecuadorian Pacific: a limited data approach

The jumbo squid Dosidicus gigas is a new fishery resource in Ecuador; the species is harvested from January to December every year. Biological sampling was carried out each month during March–December (2013) and January–December (2014) in different coastal zones off Ecuador, and the monthly mantle length (ML) composition was obtained from field data in the coastal areas. The catch-at-mantle length data were analysed based on the mantle length structured model (CAMLA). The results showed that the biomass of D. gigas in Pacific Ecuadorian waters was 641,915 t (2013) and 1,866,857 t (2014). For 2013, for squid smaller than 30?cm ML the biomass was greater than 30,000 t, while individuals between 35 and 48?cm ML had an estimated biomass varying between 35,000 and 45,000 t. During 2014, the biomass estimated for squid smaller than 30?cm ML was low (40,000 t or less); however, squid between 38 and 48?cm ML showed a change in biomass compared with the previous fishing season, varying from 100,000 to 190,000 t. The harvested rate-at-mantle length for squid larger than 35?cm ML was higher than for individuals between 12 and 30?cm ML. The CAMLA model was found to be appropriate for modelling catch-at-mantle length of jumbo squid in Ecuadorian waters, and the model can be used to obtain harvest management quantities, as well as quantitative outputs useful for Ecuadorian stakeholders.