Páramos Neotropicales como unidades biogeográficas / Neotropical páramos as biogeographic units

Introducción: El Páramo se ha definido desde diversos acercamientos, teniendo en cuenta factores de fácil reconocimiento o medición. A nivel biogeográfico se ha evaluado con métodos ampliamente criticados para la identificación de áreas de endemismo. El análisis de endemicidad, pese a su importancia y amplio reconocimiento, no se ha utilizado como herramienta para evaluar el Páramo. Objetivo: Determinar si los páramos neotropicales es una o varias unidades biogeográficas. Métodos: Incluimos registros de Aves, Amphibia, Mammalia, Reptilia, Marchantiophyta y Spermatophyta, para los que encontramos 7 025 especies con 193 250 presencias viables obtenidas desde GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) [a septiembre de 2018]. Usamos cada grupo taxonómico como una partición independiente, y generamos particiones adicionales como plantas totales (Plantas-T: Marchantiophyta + Spermatophyta), animales totales (Animales-T: Aves + Amphibia + Mammalia + Reptilia) y evidencia total (Plantas-T + Animales-T). Utilizamos el criterio de optimalidad para identificar áreas de endemismo. Realizamos el análisis usando dos tamaños de cuadrícula 0.5 y 0.25°. Con las áreas obtenidas, calculamos la intersección con los polígonos que representan las definiciones de páramo generadas por otros autores. Resultados: Con los dos tamaños de cuadrícula identificamos áreas de endemismo en diferentes sectores; sin embargo, el tamaño de 0.25° nos permitió mayor resolución al identificar los sectores en alta montaña. Estos sectores corresponden a ocho zonas que denominamos subprovincias: Santa Marta-Perijá, Mérida, Santanderes-Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Cordillera Central-Occidental, Norte de Ecuador, Centro-Sur de Ecuador y Talamanca, las cuales fueron congruentes entre un 4 y un 66 % con las definiciones previas. Conclusiones: Páramo se ha planteado como una sola unidad biogeográfica; sin embargo, dado nuestros análisis, lo identificamos como ocho subprovincias biogeográficas, congruentes con estudios previamente publicados.

Neotropical páramos as biogeographic units. Introduction: Páramo has been defined from various points of view, which take into account different factors that are easy to recognize or measure, nevertheless at the biogeographic level it has been evaluated with criticized methods used to identify historical units. The analysis of endemicity, despite its importance and wide recognition, has not been used as a tool to evaluate Páramo. Objective: Determine whether the neotropical Páramo is one or several biogeographic units. Methods: We included distributional records from Aves, Amphibia, Mammalia, Reptilia, Marchantiophyta, and Spermatophyta. We found 7 025 species with 193 250 suitable occurrences obtained from the GBIF. We used each taxonomic group as an independent partition or as a component of a larger partition, such as total plants (Plants-T: Marchantiophyta + Spermatophyta), or total animals (Animals-T: Aves + Amphibia + Mammalia + Reptilia), or total evidence (Plants-T + Animals-T). In order to identify areas of endemism, we used the optimality criterion (NDM/VNDM) with grids of 0.5° or 0.25°. We calculated the intersection among polygons of previous definitions and the areas recovered in our analyses. Results: Both grid sizes, 0.25° and 0.5°, identified areas of endemism in different sectors along the Andean and Central American cordilleras, but only the 0.25° size allowed us to recognize areas/sectors with a higher resolution. We recovered eight areas, which were considered as subprovinces (Santa Marta-Perijá, Mérida, Santanderes-Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Central-Western Cordillera, Northern Ecuador, Central-South Ecuador, and Talamanca). These areas were between 4 and 66 % consistent with previous definitions. Conclusions: Páramo has been considered a single biogeographic unit, however, given our analyses we identified it as a unit composed of eight biogeographic subprovinces, which is consistent with some published studies.

A Hyperspectral Imaging Approach for Classifying Geographical Origins of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae Using the Fusion of Spectrum-Image in VNIR and SWIR Ranges (VNIR-SWIR-FuSI).

Hyperspectral data processing technique has gained increasing interests in the field of chemical and biomedical analysis. However, appropriate approaches to fusing features of hyperspectral data-cube are still lacking. In this paper, a new data fusion approach was proposed and applied to discriminate Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (RAM) slices from different geographical origins using hyperspectral imaging. Spectral and image features were extracted from hyperspectral data in visible and near-infrared (VNIR, 435-1042 nm) and short-wave infrared (SWIR, 898-1751 nm) ranges, respectively. Effective wavelengths were extracted from pre-processed spectral data by successive projection algorithm (SPA). Meanwhile, gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) and gray-level run-length matrix (GLRLM) were employed to extract textural variables. The fusion of spectrum-image in VNIR and SWIR ranges (VNIR-SWIR-FuSI) was implemented to integrate those features on three fusion dimensions, i.e., VNIR and SWIR fusion, spectrum and image fusion, and all data fusion. Based on data fusion, partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and support vector machine (SVM) were utilized to establish calibration models. The results demonstrated that VNIR-SWIR-FuSI could achieve the best accuracies on both full bands (97.3%) and SPA bands (93.2%). In particular, VNIR-SWIR-FuSI on SPA bands achieved a classification accuracy of 93.2% with only 23 bands, which was significantly better than those based on spectra (80.9%) or images (79.7%). Thus it is more rapid and possible for industry applications. The current study demonstrated that hyperspectral imaging technique with data fusion holds the potential for rapid and nondestructive sorting of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs).

A new species of the Neoplecostomine catfish Pareiorhaphis (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Coastal basins of Espírito Santo, eastern Brazil

Pareiorhaphis ruschii, new species, is the first neoplecostomine catfish of the genus Pareiorhaphis described based on material from tributaries to the rio Piraquê-Açu and rio Reis Magos, both small coastal drainages in the State of Espírito Santo, eastern Brazil. The new species is promptly diagnosed from all its congeners by features related to the morphology of the lower lip margin, number of preadipose azygous plates, size and shape of the pectoral-fin spine, and caudal-fin skeleton. Additionally, sexual dimorphism of the new species is marked by hypertrophied odontodes on the lateral margins of head slightly directed forward in adult males.

Pareiorhaphis ruschii, espécie nova, é o primeiro cascudo neoplecostomíneo do gênero Pareiorhaphis descrito de afluentes dos rios Piraquê-Açu e Reis Magos, ambos pequenas bacias costeiras do estado do Espírito Santo, leste do Brasil. A espécie nova é prontamente diagnosticada de todas as demais congêneres por caracteres relacionados à morfologia da margem do lábio inferior, número de placas ázigas pré-adiposas, forma e tamanho do raio não ramificado das nadadeiras peitorais e forma do esqueleto da nadadeira caudal. O dimorfismo sexual da espécie nova é marcado pelos odontódeos hipertrofiados na margem lateral da cabeça que são ligeiramente orientados anteriormente em machos adultos.

Phylogeography and conservation genetics of the Amazonian freshwater stingray Paratrygon aiereba Müller & Henle, 1841 (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae)

The family Potamotrygonidae is monophyletic comprising three genera: Paratrygon Duméril, Potamotrygon Garman and Plesiotrygon Rosa, Castello & Thorson. The distribution of most species in this family is restricted to a single basin or fluvial system. Only Potamotrygon motoro, Potamotrygon orbignyi and Paratrygon aiereba are found in more than one river basin. In this study we investigate genetic structuring of Paratrygon aiereba, from five rivers of the Amazon region: Negro, Solimões-Amazon-Estuary system, Tapajós, Xingu and Araguaia. Sixty-three individuals were sequenced for ATPase 6, and a representative subsample of 27 individuals was sequenced for COI. The COI dataset analysis indicated that Paratrygon is sister to all other potamotrygonid genera and species. Population parameters inferred from the analysis of ATPase 6 sequences revealed that the populations of this species are structured within each river, with no or nearly non-existent gene flow occurring between rivers and a positive correlation between geographic and genetic distances. Paratrygon aiereba is comprised of three geographically restricted clades with K2P interclade distances of at least 2%. Intraspecific divergence within P. aiereba is similar to the interspecific divergence observed in Potamotrygon spp. sampled throughout the same geographic area. Using the premises of COI barcoding and the allopatric distribution of the three P. aiereba clades, the taxon P. aiereba most likely comprises three distinct biological species. Since freshwater stingrays of the family Potamotrygonidae are highly exploited for the aquarium trade, management and conservation strategies need to be implemented at the level of each river basin, rather than at the level of the Amazon basin.

A família Potamotrygonidae forma um clado monofilético com três gêneros: Paratrygon Duméril, Potamotrygon Garman e Plesiotrygon Rosa, Castello & Thorson. A maioria das espécies dessa família possui distribuição restrita a uma única bacia ou sistema fluvial, e somente as espécies Potamotrygon motoro, Potamotrygon orbignyi e Paratrygon aiereba estão presentes em mais de uma bacia hidrográfica. O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar a estrutura genética de Paratrygon aiereba em alguns rios da região Amazônica: Negro, sistema Solimões-Amazonas, Tapajós, Xingu, e Araguaia. Para tal foram utilizados como marcador molecular os genes de ATPase subunidade 6, e COI. As análises com o fragmento de COI indicaram que o gênero Paratrygon é grupo irmão dos outros gêneros da família potamotrygonidae. Os resultados para o fragmento de ATPase mostraram que essas populações estão estruturadas dentro dos rios, com fluxo gênico restrito, ou mesmo sem fluxo gênico, apresentando uma correlação positiva entre distância genética e distância geográfica. Paratrygon aiereba é composta por três clados com distância genética de pelo menos 2%. A divergência encontrada dentro desse grupo é semelhante à observada entre Potamotrygon spp. Segundo as premissas para barcoding COI e a distribuição alopátrica de três clados em P. aiereba indicam que esse grupo pode ser um complexo de espécies. O rio Negro é conhecido por sua pesca ornamental, e na calha Solimões-Amazonas, esses animais são utilizados como fonte de proteína e sofrem com a pesca comercial. Em vista disso medidas de conservação para esta espécie devem ser tomadas em nível local, considerando cada rio separadamente, ao invés de empregar escalas regionais maiores.