Evaluation of Monoraphidium contortum for the tertiary treatment of dairy industry wastewater and biomass production with nitrogen supplementation.

The present study sought to evaluate the secondary wastewater from dairy industry as a culture medium for Monoraphidium contortum, in bench-scale tubular photobioreactor, aiming at tertiary wastewater treatment and microalgae biomass production. Since the used secondary wastewater contained residual phosphorus (P) but negligible residual nitrogen (N), we also evaluated the nitrogen supplementation, following Redfield ratio (N:P = 16:1) and the same N:P proportion of Bold Medium (N:P = 1.71:1). These cultures were compared to secondary wastewater without N and Bold Medium (control). Secondary wastewater without N addition provided lower values of maximum biomass concentration, indicating the importance of this supplementation. The nitrogen supplementation following Bold Medium represented the best protocol, since biomass productivity was higher than that in control culture, but with lower nitrogen addition (in comparison with the supplementation following Redfield proportion). The biomass of M. contortum showed to be an excellent candidate for oil production, which could be employed as feedstock for biodiesel, for example.

A taxonomic approach on diagnostic characters used to define new pterosaur taxa and an estimation of pterosaur diversity.

Diagnostic characters from 227 pterosaur species were listed, separated into cranial or post-cranial elements and counted. From 21 post-cranial and 23 cranial elements, most diagnostic characters were related to phalanges (15%) and rostrum. Post-cranial characters comprise 44.23%, and cranial characters 55.77% of all characters used in pterosaur diagnoses. The highest correlation between diagnostic features occurs between the coracoid and the scapula. 25.11% and 28.63% of sampled taxa were diagnosed with 3-4 and 5-6 characters, respectively. The mean number of 6.79 characters was found in specimens with both cranial and post-cranial elements, and 4.86 and 4.17 in those with just cranial or post-cranial elements, respectively. 31 from 227 species (13.7%) were erected based on single elements, which are most frequently complete or partial mandibles (n=18). We estimate that 23.4% of the total pterosaur genera are currently known, with 90% of this diversity to be unveiled up to 2145. As the requirements of broad and cautious revision of genus/group must be undertaken, and some deposits will provide mostly fragmented and incomplete material, the assignment of fairly incomplete specimens to the most inclusive taxonomic level is feasible. Tracing this scenario can guide future works on the description of new pterosaur taxa.

The phylogeny of the Casque-headed Treefrogs (Hylidae: Hylinae: Lophyohylini).

The South American and West Indian Casque-headed Treefrogs (Hylidae: Hylinae: Lophyohylini) include 85 species. These are notably diverse in morphology (e.g. disparate levels of cranial hyperossification) and life history (e.g. different reproductive modes, chemical defences), have a wide distribution, and occupy habitats from the tropical rainforests to semiarid scrubland. In this paper, we present a phylogenetic analysis of this hylid tribe based on sequence fragments of up to five mitochondrial (12S, 16S, ND1, COI, Cytb) and six nuclear genes (POMC, RAG-1, RHOD, SIAH, TNS3, TYR). We included most of its species (> 96%), in addition to a number of new species. Our results indicate: (i) the paraphyly of Trachycephalus with respect to Aparasphenodon venezolanus; (ii) the nonmonophyly of Aparasphenodon, with Argenteohyla siemersi, Corythomantis galeata and Nyctimantis rugiceps nested within it, and Ap. venezolanus nested within Trachycephalus; (iii) the polyphyly of Corythomantis; (iv) the nonmonophyly of the recognized species groups of Phyllodytes; and (v) a pervasive low support for the deep relationships among the major clades of Lophyohylini, including C. greeningi and the monotypic genera Itapotihyla and Phytotriades. To remedy the nonmonophyly of Aparasphenodon, Corythomantis, and Trachycephalus, we redefined Nyctimantis to include Aparasphenodon (with the exception of Ap. venezolanus, which we transferred to Trachycephalus), Argenteohyla, and C. galeata. Additionally, our results indicate the need for taxonomic work in the following clades: (i) Trachycephalus dibernardoi and Tr. imitatrix; (ii) Tr. atlas, Tr. mambaiensis and Tr. nigromaculatus; and (iii) Phyllodytes. On the basis of our phylogenetic results, we analyzed the evolution of skull hyperossification and reproductive biology, with emphasis on the multiple independent origins of phytotelm breeding, in the context of Anura. We also analyzed the inter-related aspects of chemical defences, venom delivery, phragmotic behaviour, co-ossification, and prevention of evaporative water loss.

Osteology of an exceptionally well-preserved tapejarid skeleton from Brazil: Revealing the anatomy of a curious pterodactyloid clade.

A remarkably well-preserved, almost complete and articulated new specimen (GP/2E 9266) of Tupandactylus navigans is here described for the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil. The new specimen comprises an almost complete skeleton, preserving both the skull and post-cranium, associated with remarkable preservation of soft tissues, which makes it the most complete tapejarid known thus far. CT-Scanning was performed to allow the assessment of bones still covered by sediment. The specimen can be assigned to Tupa. navigans due to its vertical supra-premaxillary bony process and short and rounded parietal crest. It also bears the largest dentary crest among tapejarine pterosaurs and a notarium, which is absent in other representatives of the clade. The new specimen is here regarded as an adult individual. This is the first time that postcranial remains of Tupa. navigans are described, being also an unprecedented record of an articulated tapejarid skeleton from the Araripe Basin.

A new genus of fossil frog (Anura) from lower Cretaceous deposits in South America.

The frog clade Neobatrachia or "advanced frogs" represents more than 95% of the diversity within Anura. The neobatrachian fossil record is incomplete due to the small size and fragile nature of their bones but provides some clues on the time and rate of the current diversification of modern-day amphibians. The Crato Formation (Aptian) of northeastern Brazil is known for the presence of, at least, five species of neobatrachian fossils. Herein, we describe a well-preserved fossil that represents a new neobatrachian taxon from the Crato Formation (Cretaceous) in the Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil, and perform phylogenetic analysis to assess its higher-level relationships. The new specimen is an almost complete and articulated skeleton with soft tissue preservation. Phylogenetic analysis recovered the specimen nested in the clade Hyloidea and our results highlight the remarkable value of the Crato Formation as a Laggerstätte.

Advertisement call description of two Proceratophrys species (Anura: Odontophrynidae).

The genus Proceratophrys Miranda-Ribeiro comprises 41 species distributed in South America, especially in Brazil (Nascimento et al. 2019). Proceratophrys species have been traditionally organized into four species groups based on morphology of supraocular and postocular swellings, and presence or absence of rostral appendage (Cruz Napoli 2010). However, these groupings are not supported by molecular data (Teixeira et al. 2012; Dias et al. 2013, Mângia et al. 2018).

Hidden by the name: A new fluorescent pumpkin toadlet from the Brachycephalus ephippium group (Anura: Brachycephalidae).

Species of Brachycephalus has been having taxonomical issues due its morphological similarity and genetic conservatism. Herein, we describe a new species of Brachycephalus from the south Mantiqueira mountain range and semidecidual forests in the municipalities of Mogi das Cruzes, Campinas and Jundiaí, state of São Paulo, Brazil, based on an integrative approach. It can be distinguished from all species of the B. ephippium species group based on morphological characters (especially osteology and head shape), advertisement call and divergence in partial mitochondrial DNA gene sequences (16S). The new species is genetically similar to B. margaritatus and morphologically similar to B. ephippium. It can be differentiated from B. ephippium by the presence of dark faded spots on skull and post-cranial plates, presence of black connective tissue connective tissue scattered over dorsal musculature, parotic plate morphology, smaller snout-vent length (adult SVL: males 13.46-15.92 mm; females 16.04-17.69 mm) and 3% genetic distance. We also present natural history data and discuss the robustness of the integrative approach, geographic distribution, genetic data, behaviour, fluorescence in ontogeny, and conservation status.

Redescription of the tadpole of rare Giant Torrent Frog Megaelosia boticariana Giaretta amp; Aguiar, 1998 (Anura, Hylodidae) with comments on natural history.

The Hylodidae genus Megaelosia Miranda-Ribeiro comprises seven frog species that inhabit the Atlantic Rainforest in Southeastern Brazil (Da Silva et al. 2018). Larvae and adults of Hylodidae are commonly associated with lotic streams (Giaretta et al. 1993; Silva-Soares et al. 2015). Tadpoles of all Megaelosia species but Megaelosia bocainensis Giaretta, Bokemann Haddad are formally described, even though many of these descriptions are restricted to few lines and several anatomical details were overlooked (e.g., Megaelosia lutzae; Izecksohn Gouvêa 1985). The tadpole of M. boticariana was briefly described by Giaretta Aguiar (1998) based on a single larva with no measurements or figures. Currently, M. boticariana is only known from its type locality and São Francisco Xavier, both in São Paulo state portion of the Serra da Mantiqueira, Brazil (Muscat et al. 2020). The lack of information, coupled with the rarity of the species, reinforces the importance of taxonomic and natural history data to subside works on other fields. In this context, we present a complete redescription of the external anatomy of the tadpoles of M. boticariana and comment on their natural history.

Redescription of the tadpole of Thoropa taophora (Miranda-Ribeiro) (Anura: Cycloramphidae).

Thoropa Cope is an anuran genus of the family Cycloramphidae that comprises six species of small rock frogs peculiar for the semiterrestrial habits of their larvae, which develop on wet rock environments distributed throughout eastern and southeastern Brazil (Bokermann 1965; Frost 2019). Current knowledge on their tadpoles relies mostly on their descriptions, namely the works of Bokermann (1965) for T. lutzi Cochran and T. petropolitana (Wandolleck), Caramaschi Sazima (1984) for T. megatympanum Caramaschi Sazima, Cocroft Heyer (1988) for T. saxatilis Cocroft Heyer, and Barth (1956) and Fatorelli et al. (2018) for T. miliaris (Spix). Thoropa taophora (Miranda-Ribeiro) tadpoles were originally described by Bokermann (1965) as T. miliaris, but several features were overlooked. In addition, T. taophora was recently removed from the synonymy with T. miliaris (Feio et al. 2006). Herein, we present a complete redescription of the tadpoles of T. taophora and provide comparisons with previously published drawings and descriptions of all other species of the genus.

A molecular phylogeny recovers Strabomantis aramunha Cassimiro, Verdade and Rodrigues, 2008 and Haddadus binotatus (Spix, 1824) (Anura: Terrarana) as sister taxa.

The taxonomic and biogeographic affinities of Strabomantis aramunha from the Campos Rupestres of Brazil are intriguing. A unique skull morphology of females suggest affinities with the broad-headed eleutherodactylines of Northwestern South America in the genus Strabomantis. Male and juvenile morphology nonetheless suggest S. aramunha could be related to members of the recently described genus Haddadus from eastern Brazil. We assess the affinities of S. aramunha using molecular phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial (12S, tRNAval, 16S, cyt b) and nuclear sequences (RAG-1and rhodopsin). Bayesian inference, likelihood, and parsimony analysis recover a highly supported clade with S. aramunha and H. binotatus as sister taxa. Accordingly, we transfer S. aramunha to Haddadus, and provide a new generic definition of the later. The distribution of species in Haddadus (highlands of the Espinhaço mountain Range and coastal eastern Brazil) is now concordant with the general pattern observed for other species in the area.