Predicting future climate change impacts on the potential distribution of the black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra): an endangered arboreal primate.

Climate change is one of the main factors affecting biodiversity worldwide at an alarming rate. In addition to increases in global extreme weather events, melting of polar ice caps, and subsequent sea level rise, climate change might shift the geographic distribution of species. In recent years, interest in understanding the effects of climate change on species distribution has increased, including species which depend greatly on forest cover for survival, such as strictly arboreal primates. Here, we generate a series of species distribution models (SDMs) to evaluate future projections under different climate change scenarios on the distribution of the black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra), an endemic endangered primate species. Using SDMs, we assessed current and future projections of their potential distribution for three Social Economic Paths (SSPs) for the years 2030, 2050, 2070, and 2090. Specifically, we found that precipitation seasonality (BIO15, 30.8%), isothermality (BIO3, 25.4%), and mean diurnal range (BIO2, 19.7.%) are the main factors affecting A. pigra distribution. The future climate change models suggested a decrease in the potential distribution of A. pigra by projected scenarios (from - 1.23 to - 12.66%). The highly suitable area was the most affected above all in the more pessimist scenario most likely related to habitat fragmentation. Our study provides new insights into the potential future distribution and suitable habitats of Alouatta pigra. Such information could be used by local communities, governments, and non-governmental organizations for conservation planning of this primate species.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Psittacanthus schiedeanus (Cham. & Schltdl.) G.Don. (Santalales: Loranthaceae), the first plastome of a mistletoe species in the Psittacantheae tribe.

Psittacanthus schiedeanus (Cham. & Schltdl.) G.Don., 1834, is a mistletoe species in the Loranthaceae, characteristic of the canopy in cloud forest edges and widely distributed in northern Mesoamerica. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome sequence of P. schiedeanus, the first for a species in the Psittacantheae tribe. The circularized quadripartite structure of the P. schiedeanus chloroplast genome was 122,586 bp in length and included a large single-copy region of 72,507 bp and two inverted repeats of 21,283 bp separated by a small single-copy region of 7,513 bp. The genome contained 112 genes, of which 96 are unique, including 65 protein-coding genes, 27 transfer RNA, and four ribosomal RNA. The overall GC content in the plastome of P. schiedeanus is 36.9%. Based on 43 published complete chloroplast genome sequences for species in the families Loranthaceae and Santalaceae (Santalales), the maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree with high-support bootstrap values indicated that P. schiedeanus in the Psittacantheae tribe is sister to the tribe Lorantheae. The chloroplast genome provided in this study represents a valuable resource for genetic, phylogenetic and conservation studies of Psittacanthus species, and an important advance for unraveling the evolutionary history of these hemiparasitic plants.