Two new species of the ant-like spider genus Fluda Peckham & Peckham, 1892 from Bolivia with first reports of potential ant models for the genus and a novel ant-resembling behavior (Araneae: Salticidae, Simonellini).

In this work, the results of a survey for species of Fluda Peckham & Peckham, 1892 in primary forest in five Bolivian forest ecoregions are reported. Fluda dauca sp. nov. is described from Southwest Amazon forest and F. thuruampara sp. nov. from Bolivian Yungas forest. Fluda perdita (Peckham & Peckham, 1892) is reported from Bolivia for the first time. Both new species exhibited polymorphic mimicry; dark females of both species resembled the turtle ant Cephalotes pusillus (Klug, 1824) and dark males of F. thuruampara sp. nov. the carpenter ant Camponotus sanctaefidei Dalla Torre, 1892. Orange males and females of F. dauca sp. nov. are likely mimics of Camponotus latangulus Roger, 1863. Males of Fluda may compensate lower mimetic accuracy by the broadened femora I, resembling an ant head in lateral view and ant mandibles when moving the face towards a potential threat. As in other Simonellini, the turnover of Fluda species between the South American superregions suggests that significant shifts in seasonality and related conditions are major factors triggering speciation in the tribe Simonellini.

Grismadox elsneri sp. nov.a new species of ant-resembling sac spider from the Bolivian orocline, with indirect evidence of species-specific mimicry (Araneae: Corinnidae: Castianeirinae).

A new species of ant-resembling sac spider of the subfamily Castianeirinae, Grismadox elsneri sp. nov., is described from the Sub-Andean area of the Bolivian orocline. The species was collected from savanna grass along the edges of the Chiquitano forest and is a putative mimic of the carpenter ants Camponotus cf. crassus or C. cf. blandus.

Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy Ablation in Pericytes Reveals New Glioblastoma Prognostic Markers and Efficient Treatment Against Tumor Progression.

Background: The lack of knowledge of the progression mechanisms of glioblastoma (GB), the most aggressive brain tumor, contributes to the absence of successful therapeutic strategies. Our team has recently demonstrated a crucial new role for chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) in pericytes (PC)-acquired immunosuppressive function, which prevents anti-tumor immune responses and facilitates GB progression. The possible impact that GB-induced CMA in PC has on other functions that might be useful for future GB prognosis/treatment, has not been explored yet. Thus, we proposed to analyze the contribution of CMA to other GB-induced changes in PC biology and determine if CMA ablation in PC is a key target mechanism for GB treatment. Methods: Studies of RNA-seq and secretome analysis were done in GB-conditioned PC with and without CMA (from knockout mice for LAMP-2A) and compared to control PC. Different therapeutic strategies in a GB mouse model were compared. Results: We found several gene expression pathways enriched in LAMP2A-KO PC and affected by GB-induced CMA in PC that correlate with our previous findings. Phagosome formation, cellular senescence, focal adhesion and the effector function to promote anti-tumor immune responses were the most affected pathways, revealing a transcriptomic profiling of specific target functions useful for future therapies. In addition, several molecules associated with tumor mechanisms and related to tumor immune responses such as gelsolin, periostin, osteopontin, lumican and vitamin D, were identified in the PC secretome dependent on GB-induced CMA. The CMA ablation in PC with GB cells showed an expected immunogenic phenotype able to phagocyte GB cells and a key strategy to develop future therapeutic strategies against GB tumor progression. A novel intravenous therapy using exofucosylated CMA-deficient PC was efficient to make PC reach the tumor niche and facilitate tumor elimination. Conclusion: Our results corroborate previous findings on the impaired immunogenic function of PC with GB-induced CMA, driving to other altered PC functions and the identifications of new target markers related to the tumor immune responses and useful for GB prognosis/therapy. Our work demonstrates CMA ablation in PC as a key target mechanism to develop a successful therapy against GB progression.

Intestinal microbiota is modified in pediatric food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

Background: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated food hypersensitivity that affects the gastrointestinal system, especially in children, who often present with more severe clinical manifestations than adults do. Although its pathogenesis is poorly understood and biomarkers are still lacking, scientific evidence suggests that gut microbiota may play an important role in the development of FPIES. Objective: We aimed to compare the composition of gut microbiota in children with FPIES with that in age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Methods: We analyzed the gut microbiota profiles in fecal samples of 17 patients with FPIES (case patients) and 12 age-matched healthy children (controls) by tag sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene hypervariable V4-V5 regions. Subjects' sociodemographic, clinical, and food diary variables were described and compared between groups by using inferential statistical tests. Nonparametric linear discriminant analysis was performed for intestinal microbiota data. Results: Patients with confirmed cases FPIES (n = 17; average patient age, 7.5 ± 3.2 years) and controls without FPIES or any atopy (n = 12, average patient age, 6.9 ± 2.7 years) were included. Fish was the main FPIES-inducing allergen in 65% of the cases. The patients with FPIES showed higher proportions of Lachnospiraceae spp (P < .0286) and a lower proportion of Ruminococcaceae spp (P < .0066), Lactobacillaceae spp (P < .0075), and Leuconostocaceae spp (P < .0173) than the controls. Conclusions: Our data clearly show a different gut microbial signature in patients with FPIES, suggesting a new potential avenue for aiding the diagnosis and clinical management of FPIES. Larger studies are needed to confirm these results.

Dissecting the transcriptional program of phosphomannomutase 2-deficient cells: Lymphoblastoide B cell lines as a valuable model for congenital disorders of glycosylation studies.

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) include 150 genetically and clinically heterogeneous diseases, showing significant glycoprotein hypoglycosylation that leads to pathological consequences in multiple organs and systems whose underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. A few cellular and animal models have been used to study specific CDG characteristics, although they have given limited information due to the few CDG mutations tested and the still missing comprehensive molecular and cellular basic research. Here, we provide specific gene expression profiles, based on ribonucleic acid (RNA) microarray analysis, together with some biochemical and cellular characteristics of a total of nine control Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid B cell lines (B-LCL) and 13 CDG B-LCL from patients carrying severe mutations in the phosphomannomutase 2 (PMM2) gene, strong serum protein hypoglycosylation and neurological symptoms. Significantly dysregulated genes in PMM2-CDG cells included those regulating stress responses, transcription factors, glycosylation, motility, cell junction and, importantly, those related to development and neuronal differentiation and synapse, such as carbonic anhydrase 2 (CA2) and ADAM23. PMM2-CDG-associated biological consequences involved the unfolded protein response, RNA metabolism and the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and mitochondria components. Changes in the transcriptional and CA2 protein levels are consistent with the CDG physiopathology. These results demonstrate the global transcriptional impact in phosphomannomutase 2-deficient cells, reveal CA2 as a potential cellular biomarker and confirm B-LCL as an advantageous model for CDG studies.

Myrmecotypus haddadi sp. nov.-a new species of ant resembling sac spider from the Bolivian orocline (Araneae: Corinnidae: Castianeirinae).

A new species of ant resembling sac spider of the subfamily Castianeirinae, Myrmecotypus haddadi sp. nov. is described from the Sub-Andean area at the Bolivian orocline. The species was collected from low herbaceous vegetation along the edges of the Chiquitano and Cerradao forest.

Contributions to the knowledge of Neotropical ant-like spiders: Myrmecotypus tahyinandu sp. n. from Bolivian Chiquitano forest, a new country record for M. niger, and indirect evidence for species-specific mimicry (Araneae: Corinnidae: Castianeirinae).

Myrmecotypus tahyinandu sp. n. is described from the Bolivian Chiquitano forest, and M. niger Chickering, 1937 is recorded from Bolivia for the first time. The morphological differentiation among the closely related M. tahyinandu sp. n. and M. iguazu Rubio Arbino, 2009 is likely attributable to the selection for specific ant mimicry. Adults of M. tahyinandu sp. n. are accurate mimics of the ant Camponotus crassus Mayr, 1862, M. iguazu of C. sericeiventris (Guérin-Méneville, 1838), and M. niger of Dolichoderus bispinosus (Olivier, 1792). This study is the first to identify ant models for morphologically closely related Castianeirinae, providing a promising starting point for future research on ant mimicry.

A wolf in sheep's clothing: The description of a fly resembling jumping spider of the genus Scoturius Simon, 1901 (Araneae: Salticidae: Huriini).

Fly resemblance in arthropods is much less common than e.g., resemblance to ants or wasps, and has been mainly observed in beetles. Putative fly mimicry in arachnids has been reported only from the jumping spider genus Saitis. However, recent literature has attributed the fly-resembling characteristics in Saitis to sexual signalling during courtship. The lack of observation of fly mimicry in spiders is not surprising as flies belong to the most important prey item group of spiders. In this study, a new fly-resembling species of the jumping spider tribe Huriini, Scoturius dipterioides sp. nov., from the pre-Andean Chiquitano forest at the Bolivian orocline is described and illustrated. The new species was tentatively placed into Scoturius because the epigynum has a single large elliptical opening. Scoturius dipterioides sp. nov. is distinguished from all other species of this tribe by a combination of following characteristics: epigynum with a large anterior elliptical atrium and initial portion of the copulation ducts dilated as a chamber (shared with Urupuyu); relatively joined copulation openings and short copulation ducts; kidney-shaped spermathecae, advanced at the atrium level. Several somatic features, two of them found exclusively in S. dipterioides sp. nov., increase the resemblance to flies. The Huriini are currently the only spider tribe that is suggested to feature fly mimics.

First description of the male of the spider Tibellus paraguensis Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Philodromidae), with new distribution records.

The genus Tibellus Simon, 1875 currently includes 51 species (WSC 2016); it presents some taxonomic difficulties, due to morphological variability, and similarities among some congeners (Efimik 1999). Studies on the genus were undertaken by Gertsch (1933) and Schick (1965) from America, Tikader (1980) from India, Van den Berg & Dippenaar-Schoeman (1994) from the Afrotropical region, and Efimik (1999) from the East Palearctic region.

Using a jumping spider fauna inventory (Araneae: Salticidae) as an indicator of their taxonomic diversity in Misiones, Argentina / Uso de inventario de arañas saltadoras (Araneae: Salticidae) como un indicador de diversidad taxonómica en Misiones, Argentina

AbstractFaunistic studies, with a taxonomically complete inventory of species, provide an important source of quantitative compiled information for several and specific regions. This information can be used in diversity analysis and has great potential in setting conservation priorities. In this study, I used the relatively well known salticid spider fauna of Misiones to generate Clarke & Warwick taxonomic diversity indices. For this, information of three ecoregional salticid diversities was obtained and analyzed between Upper Parana Atlantic Forest (UPAF), Araucaria Moist Forest (AMF), and Southern Cone Mesopotamian Savanna (SCMS). Results showed differences between the three ecoregions of the province, mainly Southern savannas regarding the forests of Northern Misiones. Most species were registered in UPAF followed by AMF, however the α-taxonomic diversity of salticids was higher in SCMS than in UPAF and AMF. The β-taxonomic diversity showed that the proportions of shared species between SCMS and UPAF (or and AMF) were the lowest. The high taxonomic dissimilarity among ecoregions is an indication that the three assemblages are distant, showing a variation in their vegetation habitat and/or bioclimatic characteristics as a possible reason. The need to expand with new samples in subsampled or underexplored areas of Misiones remains essential, however this study contributes to information about biodiversity levels of salticid fauna in three ecoregions of Northeast Argentina, and will provide reference data for future studies for management plans. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (2): 875-883. Epub 2016 June 01.

ResumenLos estudios faunísticos, con un inventario de especies taxonómicamente completo, proveen una fuente importante de información compilada cuantitativa acerca de varias regiones. Esta información puede ser utilizada en análisis de diversidad y tiene gran potencial en el establecimiento de prioridades de conservación. En este estudio, yo utilicé la relativamente bien conocida fauna de arañas saltícidas de Misiones para generar índices de diversidad taxonómica de Clarke y Warwick. Para ello, la información de tres diversidades ecorregionales de saltícidos fue obtenida y analizada entre la Selva Atlántica del Alto Paraná (UPAF), el Bosque Húmedo de Araucaria (AMF), y la Sabana Mesopotámica del Cono Sur (SCMS). Fueron encontradas diferencias entre las tres ecorregiones de la provincia, principalmente en las sabanas del sur con respecto a las selvas del norte de Misiones. La mayoría de las especies fueron registradas en UPAF seguida por AMF, sin embargo la diversidad α-taxonómica de saltícidos fue mayor en SCMS que en UPAF y AMF. La diversidad β-taxonómica mostró que las proporciones de especies compartidas entre SCMS y UPAF (o AMF) fueron las más bajas. La alta disimilitud taxonómica entre ecorregiones es un indicador de que los tres ensamblajes son distantes, mostrando una variación en la vegetación de su hábitat y/o características bioclimáticas como una posible razón. Sigue siendo esencial la necesidad de ampliar con nuevas muestras en áreas no- o sub-muestreadas de Misiones, sin embargo este estudio contribuye a la información acerca de los niveles de biodiversidad de la fauna de saltícidos en tres ecorregiones del nordeste de Argentina, y proporcionará datos de referencia para futuros planes de gestión.

First description of the female of the jumping spider Balmaceda nigrosecta Mello-Leitão (Salticidae, Dendryphantini, Marpissina).

The female of Balmaceda nigrosecta Mello-Leitão, 1945 is described and illustrated for the first time. In addition, this paper further illustrates the male, and provides the first known observations on the natural history of this species, including habitat, cohabitation, and prey capturedata.

Clinical and immunological characteristics of a pediatric population with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) to fish.

BACKGROUND: Food protein-induced enterocolitis (FPIES) is an uncommon, non-IgE-mediated food allergy that usually debuts in infancy with profuse vomiting, lethargy, and pallor 2-4 h following ingestion of the offending food. Its immune mechanism is not known. We aimed to describe the clinical features and outcome of children with fish-FPIES as well as to investigate on cellular immune response implicated. METHODS: Prospective and follow-up clinical study of children with FPIES by fish over a period between 2004 and 2013 was conducted. Measurement in vitro of both cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and expression of HLA-DR in monocyte-derived dendritic cells stimulated with fish extracts. RESULTS: Sixteen children (seven male and nine female) were included, with a mean age of onset at 10 months. Diagnosis was established after a median of 4 reactions. Twelve patients were treated in emergency room, and two were admitted in intensive care. Patch tests were positive in six patients. Skin prick tests (SPTs) and specific IgE to all fish tested were negative. Only three children reached tolerance at a mean age of 4.5 years. Eight children avoided fish because of positive oral food challenge (OFC) after 6 years of age. Other patients have not been challenged because of parent refusal to OFC or a recent diagnosis. TNF-α was increased in patients, and a significant elevation of the HLA-DR marker was also observed in these patients vs. control donors. CONCLUSIONS: FPIES caused by fish in many cases presents with severe clinical manifestations. Patch test has poor diagnostic value, and OFC is the gold standard to test tolerance. The cytokine TNF-α may be implicated in the clinical symptoms. Higher expression of HLA-DR in dendritic cells has also been detected in our patients.

Using a jumping spider fauna inventory (Araneae: Salticidae) as an indicator of their taxonomic diversity in Misiones, Argentina.

Faunistic studies, with a taxonomically complete inventory of species, provide an important source of quantitative compiled information for several and specific regions. This information can be used in diversity analysis and has great potential in setting conservation priorities. In this study, I used the relatively well known salticid spider fauna of Misiones to generate Clarke & Warwick taxonomic diversity indices. For this, information of three ecoregional salticid diversities was obtained and analyzed between Upper Parana Atlantic Forest (UPAF), Araucaria Moist Forest (AMF), and Southern Cone Mesopotamian Savanna (SCMS). Results showed differences between the three ecoregions of the province, mainly Southern savannas regarding the forests of Northern Misiones. Most species were registered in UPAF followed by AMF, however the α-taxonomic diversity of salticids was higher in SCMS than in UPAF and AMF. The ß-taxonomic diversity showed that the proportions of shared species between SCMS and UPAF (or and AMF) were the lowest. The high taxonomic dissimilarity among ecoregions is an indication that the three assemblages are distant, showing a variation in their vegetation habitat and/or bioclimatic characteristics as a possible reason. The need to expand with new samples in subsampled or underexplored areas of Misiones remains essential, however this study contributes to information about biodiversity levels of salticid fauna in three ecoregions of Northeast Argentina, and will provide reference data for future studies for management plans.

A new species of jumping spider Neonella Gertsch, with notes on the genus and male identification key (Araneae, Salticidae).

The American genus Neonella Gertsch, 1936 consists of very small jumping spiders whose biology is not well known. The genus currently includes eleven valid species, of which eight are known from both sexes and two are only known from one sex. This paper describes and illustrates a new species Neonella acostae sp. n., demonstrates male palpal variation in Neonella montana Galiano, 1988, and provides some information on the ecology of three sympatric species. New records of Neonella montana and Neonella minuta Galiano, 1965 are reported. Because the previously described species of Neonella were well illustrated and diagnosed, a dichotomous key to males is given along with genital illustrations of both sexes for all known species.

Three new species and the first known males of the Andean spider genus Orinomana Strand (Araneae, Uloboridae).

Three new species of the uloborid genus Orinomana Strand, O. penelope n. sp. from Ecuador, O. viracocha n. sp. from Peru, and O. florezi n. sp. from Colombia, are described. Additionally, the male of O. ascha Grismado, from Northwestern Argentina, is described for the first time. This material includes the first males known of the genus, providing diagnostic characters for its recognition; the complex and massive embolus with several branches is proposed as a synapomorphy of the genus.

Taxonomic revision of the American spider genus Arachosia (Araneae: Anyphaenidae).

We review the American spider genus Arachosia O.P.-Cambridge, and present a descriptive taxonomic study with a comparative dichotomous key including 21 species, of which seven are newly described (A. avalosi sp. nov., A. carancho sp. nov., A. kapiipeoi sp. nov., A. magna sp. nov., A. monserrate sp. nov., A. pinhalito sp. nov. and A. tungurahua sp. nov.). Four species names are considered nomina dubia: Oxysoma dubium Berland, Gayenna duplovittata Mello-Leitão, Oxysoma polytrichium Mello-Leitão, and Arachosia sulfurea Mello-Leitão. Arachosia bonneti (Mello-Leitão) is newly synonymized with A. albiventris Mello-Leitão, and A. mezenioides Mello-Leitão with A. freiburgensis Keyserling. Previous problems with the identification of species in a species complex including A. cubana (Banks) are resolved. A disjunct distributional pattern is reported for A. kapiipeoi sp. nov.; a preliminary phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial COI sequences shows that these may correspond with two cryptic species. In this contribution, grassland and forests are discussed as the two main habitats inhabited by species of Arachosia. Finally, we propose a hypothesis of matching sexes based on functionality of some genital structures, involving sclerites of the male copulatory organ with structures of the epigyne: the prolateral projection on the primary conductor of the male would have a direct interaction with the lateral projections of the anterior pouch on the median epigynal field of females.

A revision of the Neotropical genus Austrohahnia Mello-Leitão (Araneae, Hahniidae).

The Neotropical genus Austrohahnia Mello-Leitão, 1942 is revised, comprising four species from Argentina. The genus is here transferred to the subfamily Hahniinae Bertkau, 1878 from Cybaeolinae Lehtinen, 1967. Austrohahnia is diagnosed by a single synapomorphy, short setae ventrally on the abdomen, in immature as well as adult stages. The type species A. praestans Mello-Leitão, 1942 is redescribed. Austrohahnia catleyi new species is described and illustrated based both sexes from the alder forests of northwestern Argentina. Austrohahnia melloleitaoi (Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1942) new combination was transferred from Hahnia C.L. Koch, 1841, the male is described and illustrated for the first time, and the female is redescribed. Austrohahnia isophthalma (Mello-Leitão, 1941) new combination is also transferred from Hahnia and considered a nomen dubium. New geographic records of studied species are provided.

Description of the female of Aysha yacupoi Brescovit 1992 (Araneae: Anyphaenidae).

The female of Aysha yacupoi Brescovit, 1992 is described and illustrated for the first time. Males and female specimens were observed together in the same plants. Some data on natural history are presented.

A new orb-weaving spider from the Argentinean flooding pampas grasses: Aculepeira morenoae new species (Araneae, Araneidae).

A new species of the orb-weaving spider genus Aculepeira Chamberling & Ivie 1942, A. morenoae new species, is described and illustrated based on male and female specimens from the Argentinean natural flooding pampas grasses.

Geographical distribution of the space-weaving spider, Chibchea salta, from northwestern Argentina: New records and bioclimatic modeling.

New records of the spider Chibchea salta Huber 2000 (Araneae, Pholcidae) from northwestern Argentina are provided, and the potential range of this species is modeled. Two presence-only methods, Maxent and Bioclim, were run using 19 bioclimatic parameters at a resolution of 30 arc seconds. The climatic profile of C. salta is described, and the relative importance of the bioclimatic variables is explored. Temperature variables proved to be more decisive to the final range shape. The range predicted with Maxent is slightly larger than with Bioclim, but the latter appears to be more sensitive to the record set bias. Both methods performed well, resulting in predictive ranges consistent with the yungas ecoregion. These results provide an initial insight into the bioclimatic tolerance of C. salta, and by identifying potential areas with no records, such as the sierras on the Salta-Jujuy border, they also help in identifying sites for future sampling efforts.