Impact of yellow fever outbreaks on two howler monkey species (Alouatta guariba clamitans and A. caraya) in Misiones,Argentina

Two yellow fever outbreaks (YFOs) ocurred in northeastern Argentina between November 2007 and October 2008, seriously affecting populations of two howler monkey species: the brown howler Alouatta guariba clamitans and the black howler Alouatta caraya. Both howlers live syntopically in El Piñalito Provincial Park, Misiones, where four groups (36 individuals) were studied since January 2005. The first dead howlers were found on January 20, 2008, in El Piñalito. Systematic searches found 14 dead howlers within the area (12 from the study groups and two from neighboring groups), with only two young seen on January 25, 2008, and none found since up to December 2008. In October 2008, another YFO hit howler monkey populations from El Soberbio, Misiones. Overall, 59 howlers were found dead in Misiones from November 2007 to December 2008. Thanks to the alert of the howler's death in El Piñalito, a prompt human vaccination campaign started in the area. Wild howler monkey populations from both species are in a delicate situation in Misiones, especially the brown howler, an already endangered species in Argentina and endemic to the Atlantic Forest. If we add the recurrence of YFOs to the reduction of suitable habitat to small fragments, it could be only a matter of time until howler populations disappear from the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest in Misiones. Am. J. Primatol. 72:475–480, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The Aestivation Chamber of the Giant Earthworm Glossoscolex bergi (Glossoscolecidae) in the Subtropical Rainforest of Misiones (Argentina)

Glossoscolex bergi (Glossoscolecidae) is a giant earthworm from the rainforest of Misiones (Argentina). The large size of its aestivation chamber and the meniscate burrows connected to it allow us to describe morphological details and reinterpret some characteristics of the fossil counterpart Castrichnus incolumis. The concavity of menisci, either in the burrow or in those pellets lining the chamber, shows concentric ridges and radiating striae that result from the impression of the last segments of the body. The meniscate burrows associated to the chamber are different from described ichnospecies of Taenidium, because of the surface texture of the meniscus. The aestivation chamber was produced during an atypical four-month drought in a region that lacks a seasonal climate. This suggests that Castrichnus incolumis would be also an indicator of drought periods even in non seasonal climates.     

A new species of Hyalella (Crustacea,Amphipoda, Dogielinotidae) from the Atlantic Forest of Misiones,Argentina

The freshwater genus Hyalella Smith, 1874 has a distribution restricted to the Western Hemisphere with most species being found in South America. In this report we describe a new species of Hyalella from the Atlantic Forest of the Misiones province, Argentina.     

Litomosoides anguyai n. sp. (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) from Oxymycterus misionalis (Rodentia: Muridae) in the rain forest of Misiones,Argentina

A new species of Litomosoides is described from sigmodontine murids occurring in the rain forests of Misiones, Argentina. Litomosoides anguyai n. sp., a parasite of the abdominal cavity of Oxymycterus misionalis, belongs to the sigmodontis group and is closely related to L. legerae and L. oxymycteri. The new species is differentiated by the salient amphids, an asymmetrical annular thickening of the buccal capsule, by the arrangement of the head and tail papillae, and the shape and size of the microfilaria.     

Ordovician phyllocarids (Arthropoda; Crustacea) from Argentina

New phyllocarids are described from the Ordovician (early Arenig to lower Caradoc) of the Precordillera and Eastern Cordillera of Argentina, namelyCaryocaris delicatus n. sp.,Caryocaris sp. 1, ?Caryocaris sp. 2,Pumilocaris granulosus n. gen., n. sp., ?Pumilocaris sp. and an undetermined form. They all occur in graptolite-bearing shales. A critical review of the South American phyllocarids formerly described in the literature is made andCaryocaris delicatus n. sp. (Llanvirn) is compared with congeneric species known from the Ordovician (Tremadoc-Caradoc) of North America, Europe, China and Australia. The presence ofCaryocaris in South America is therefore attested, which confirms the view that the genus had a worldwide distribution in the lower Ordovician in relation with a possible pelagic lifestyle. A new definition ofCaryocaris is proposed and the former subdivision of the genus [C. (Caryocaris) andC. (Rhinopterocarys)] abandoned. A set of original characters (e.g. lack of rostral plate, short leaflike furcal rami, short telson, extremely thin carapace) strongly indicates thatCaryocaris lies outside the Ceratiocarididae and may form the basis of a new taxonomic unit.     

Chytridiomycosis in two species of Telmatobius (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Argentina

Dead specimens of Telmatobius atacamensis and T. pisanoi were found in 2 localities in northwestern Argentina. The diagnosis was positive for chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Zoosporangia were identified in different stages: immature, mature with zoospores, empty and collapsed. This is the second report of chytridiomycosis in Argentina but the first one involving highly endangered species.     

Squirrel monkey cytomegalovirus antibodies in free-ranging black howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya), Misiones, Argentina

Serum from four black howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) was screened for antibodies to seven viruses by dot immunoassay. Cytomegalovirus antibodies were detected in three of four individuals and provide the first evidence of exposure by black howler monkeys to this virus.     

A new species,Litomosoides odilae n. sp (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) from Oligoryzomys nigripes (Rodentia: Muridae) in the rainforest of Misiones,Argentina

A new species of Litomosoides was collected from the abdominal cavity of Oligoryzomys nigripes (Rodentia: Muridae) in a semideciduous secondary rainforest of Misiones, Argentina. Litomosoides odilae n. sp. belongs to the carinii group and is characterized by the amphids displaced dorsally; buccal capsule with an anterior segment transparent and an annular asymmetrical thickening; esophagus divided, with the posterior glandular portion slightly wider than the muscular; male cloacal aperture strongly protruded; and microfilaria sheathed with an attenuated tail. The morphology of the new species, which is similar to that of L petteri, a parasite of marsupials in Brazil, suggests that host-switching events may have occurred in the diversification of this genus.     

Patterns of species turnover in plant‐pollinator communities along a precipitation gradient in Patagonia (Argentina)

Recent studies have assessed the influence of different types of gradients (e.g. altitudinal, latitudinal and temporal, among others) on the structure and function of community‐level plant‐pollinator webs. Although the importance of humidity as a major driver of species‐richness gradients worldwide has been stressed by recent reviews, no studies have been specifically designed to address the influence of precipitation gradients on pollination webs. In the present paper we describe for the first time the turnover of species of plants and their associated flower visitors between eight communities located along a steep precipitation gradient in north‐west Patagonia, Argentina. Our results show that: (i) there is a high spatial turnover of plant communities and their associated pollinators; (ii) this turnover is strongly related to precipitation changes across the region; and (iii) the turnover rate is similar for plants and pollinators. Our results support the view that the precipitation gradient is a significant factor associated with the regional turnover of plants and their pollinators in the temperate forests of southern South America.     

Comparative analysis of the phytoplankton communities of a peat bog from Tierra del Fuego (Argentina)

The phytoplankton communities of five water hollows and a river from the Rancho Hambre peat bog (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) are compared as to species composition and densities, as well as morphological, chemical and physical data.A total of 212 taxa is reported, the river having the highest species richness (105) and algal density (6374 ind. ml^–1). Water hollows showed remarkable differences in the structure of their phytoplankton communities.A cluster analysis, based on species presence-absence, clearly distinguishes the river from the water hollows. The hollows fall into groups. One contains the shallow ones the other, the smallest, deepest ones.Correlation analyses between biotic and abiotic variates shows strong correlations between the relative frequencies of some major groups (Chrysophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Tribophyceae) and the values of abiotic variables (alkalinity, pH, conductivity and dissolved phosphate).     

Evenness and diversity in Upper Cambrian – Lower Ordovician trilobite communities from the Central Andean Basin (Cordillera Oriental,Argentina)

Community evenness has recently received much attention, either because it is related to ecosystem functioning or because it may affect estimation of diversity. Temporal and environmental trends in diversity and evenness of trilobite communities during the Late Cambrian – Early Ordovician of the Cordillera Oriental (north‐western Argentina) are here analysed. Richness and evenness increase through time in both deep subtidal (between fair‐weather and storm wave base) and offshore (below storm wave base) communities. Two significant patterns are superimposed on this general trend: (1) the magnitude of the increase in evenness is much more pronounced in deep than in shallower settings, and (2) richness and evenness trajectories are decoupled (while a significant rise in evenness is recorded in the middle Tremadocian (Tr2), an increase in richness is delayed until the late Tremadocian (Tr3)). In contrast to expectations, a single family (Olenidae) is dominant in samples associated with this earlier rise in evenness relative to richness. Hence, this trend is explained neither by the number of families present in the communities nor by the familial identity of the most abundant taxon. Large‐scale comparisons of the timing and geographical components of these trends are restricted to the patterns recognized in Laurentian North American studies. Results from the Cordillera Oriental mirror those of Laurentia regarding the rise in both metrics in deep marine settings. Nevertheless, the timing of this increase in richness and evenness is delayed in the Cordillera Oriental, supporting the idea that palaeogeographical regions differed in the nature and timing of ecological changes. Finally, the rise in trilobite alpha‐diversity through the Late Cambrian – Early Ordovician of the Cordillera Oriental supports the idea that trilobite alpha‐diversity did not decline worldwide, suggesting that the relative decline in trilobite alpha‐diversity is most probably caused by the dilution effect.     

Trichomycetes living in the guts of aquatic insects of Misiones and Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Fourteen species of Trichomycetes living in the guts of aquatic insects are reported from two provinces of Argentina, Misiones and Tierra del Fuego. Twelve of the species belong to the Harpellales and two are Amoebidiales. Five harpellid species are reported from Misiones in the extreme northeast of the country (Genistellospora homothallica, Harpella tica, Smittium culisetae, Smittium sp., Stachylina sp.) and seven are from Tierra del Fuego, the southern tip of South America (H. meridianalis, Glotzia sp., S. culicis, S. cellaspora, S. imitatum, Stachylina minima, Penella simulii). Insect hosts all were immature stages of Culicidae, Simuliidae, Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae (Insecta: Diptera), and Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera. The lower diversity of Trichomycetes found at Misiones, which has a subtropical climate and rainforest vegetation, was due possibly to the warmer temperatures of the water (15-24 C), compared to the colder streams of Tierra del Fuego (9-15 C), with forests and steppes as typical vegetation.     

Diversity of anopheline mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) and classification based on the characteristics of the habitats where they were collected in Puerto Iguazú, Misiones,Argentina

In order to extend the knowledge of anopheline diversity and their habitats in three environments with different degrees of anthropic intervention in Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, anopheline larvae were collected and classified on the basis of similarities of their habitats. Spatio‐temporal abundance was determined and larval diversity and complementarity index were calculated. Rank‐abundance curves were performed to compare the composition, abundance, and species evenness among environments. A total of 783 larvae, belonging to six species: Anopheles argyritarsis, An. fluminensis, An. mediopunctatus, An. punctimacula, An. strodei s.l., and An. triannulatus s.l., were collected. A cluster analysis and a principal component analysis detected two groups; exposure to sunlight and type of habitat were the characteristics that explained the grouping of species. Higher abundances of anopheline larvae were observed during autumn and spring. The greatest richness was recorded in wild and peri‐urban environments and the effective number of species was greater in the wild. Anopheles punctimacula and An. triannulatus s.l. are secondary vectors of malaria in other South American countries and both species were found in the three environments, so that deforestation poses a potential risk for malaria transmission as it contributes to the proliferation of larval habitats for these mosquitoes.     

Phosphorous amount in floating and rooted macrophytes growing in wetlands from the Middle Paraná River floodplain (Argentina)

Biomass, P concentration, P amount and chlorophyll in three floating and three rooted macrophytes growing in wetlands of the Middle Paraná River floodplain measured in winter and summer were compared. Macrophytes were sampled three times in summer and twice in winter, in the period 2002/2004. Although Pistia stratiotes was the species with the highest P concentration in leaves and roots, Typha domingensis, Eichhornia crassipes and Pontederia cordata were the most efficient species in P retention in natural wetlands because of their higher biomass. Total P amount in rooted species did not show seasonal variations. However, T. domingensis accumulated a greater P amount in its aerial part in summer, whereas in winter it did so in its below-ground parts, indicating an important P dynamic regarding translocation within the plant. In summer, floating species were able to accumulate great quantities of P in a short period due to their high growth rate. In order to optimize and maintain the efficiency of constructed wetlands for P removal throughout the year, a selection of floating and rooted species should be used.     

Net primary productivity and nitrogen and carbon distribution in two xerophytic communities of central-west Argentina

Net primary productivity and the nitrogen, carbon, and energy contents of the leaf, aerial wood and root components of the five most important woody dominants in two xerophytic forests in central-west Argentina were measured. Nitrogen and carbon contents of litter and mineral soil beneath individual plant canopies were also studied. The woody dominants in the 8-yr old ‘chaco’ woodland in Chamical, La Rioja, covered a greater proportion of total community area but had less aerial biomass than the 5 woody dominants of the 50-yr-old openProsopis flexuosa woodland in Ñacuñán, Mendoza. Marked differences in net primary production among species of the two communities were also noted (29–115 kg aerial biomass ha^?1 yr^?1 in the Chamicalvs 51–524 kg ha^?1 yr^?1 in the Ñacuñán woodland). Nitrogen in vegetation varied by species, and within species, varied by season and plant component. In general, leaf-N was higher in legumes in summer than in non-legumes in summer, and for most species higher in summer than in winter. Differences in %N in other plant components and in per cent C among species and seasons were less consistent. In both communities, soil N and C were higher and more variable with depth under individual plant canopies than in non-vegetated areas, and differences among species were apparent.     

A Comparative Study on Nutritional Status and Body Composition of Urban and Rural Schoolchildren from Brandsen District (Argentina)

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether nutritional status and body composition varies according to the environment of residence (urban or rural) of children in the Brandsen district (Argentina). Weight, height, arm circumference and tricipital and subscapular skinfolds were performed in 1368 schoolchildren aged 3 to 14. NHANES III reference was used to estimate nutritional status -underweight, stunting, wasting, overweight, and obesity- and to evaluate body composition -deficit and excess of adipose (DA, EA) and muscular (DM, EM) tissues of the arm-. Central fat distribution (CFD) was estimated using the subscapular-tricipital index. A structured questionnaire was implemented to evaluate socio-environmental characteristics. Nutritional categories based on body size and body composition were compared between urban and rural areas of residence using Chi-squared tests (χ2). The results indicated for the total sample: 1.1% underweight, 6.9% stunting, 0.4% wasting, 12.1% overweight, 9.7% obesity, 22.0% DM, 2.5% EM, 0.1% DA, 17.6% EA, and 8.5% CFD. Significant differences between urban and rural areas were found only for CFD. The socio-environmental analysis showed that while access to public services and housing quality was significantly better in the urban area, a considerable number of city households lived under deficient conditions, lacked health insurance and had low socioeconomic level. Fifty-three percent of the undernourished children had DM without urban-rural significant differences, and none of them showed DA. In the overweight plus obesity group, 62.8% presented EA, 6.4% EM, 4.7% DM, and 22.8% CFD. The highest percentages of DM and CFD were recorded in rural areas (p = 0.00). We conclude that the child population shows the “double burden” of malnutrition. The environment of residence does not promote any differentiation in the nutritional status. Nevertheless, the increment of central adiposity and, in some cases of muscle deficit in rural children, suggests a consumption of unbalanced diet.     

Resistance to freezing temperatures in Aedes (Ochlerotatus) albifasciatus (Macquart) eggs (Diptera: Culicidae) from two different climatic regions of Argentina

Aedes (Ochlerotatus) albifasciatus (Macquart) has the capacity to proliferate in different kinds of climates within its distribution range in South America. With the aim of studying local thermal adaptations of eggs, we exposed egg stocks from two climatically different localities: temperate humid pampa (Buenos Aires) and cold arid Patagonian (Sarmiento), to freezing conditions and then evaluated the effect on some features at this level. First, we thermally described the substrate where this species lays its eggs in the arid region. A typical thermal condition during winter was 10 h at ?12° C. Second, we evaluated the effect of freezing on primary hatching (vs total hatching) and embryo survival. We also compared the proportion of embryonated eggs from both populations. The proportions of embryonated eggs were not different between localities, with averages of 78% and 83% in Sarmiento and Buenos Aires, respectively. Survival was equally successful after freezing in the two localities with an average range between 94–99%. Whether or not the eggs from Buenos Aires and Sarmiento were under freezing conditions, hatching was more than 98% after the first flooding. The results suggest that eggs of Ae. albifasciatus from Sarmiento and Buenos Aires have the same ability to survive at extreme temperatures (<0° C), showing a regional thermal adaptation rather than a local one.