Diversity of cultivable bacteria from deep-sea sediments of the Colombian Caribbean and their potential in bioremediation.

The diversity of deep-sea cultivable bacteria was studied in seven sediment samples of the Colombian Caribbean. Three hundred and fifty two marine bacteria were isolated according to its distinct morphological character on the solid media, then DNA sequences of the 16S rRNA were amplified to identify the isolated strains. The identified bacterial were arranged in three phylogenetic groups, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria, with 34 different OTUs defined at ≥ 97% of similarity and 70 OTUs at ≥ 98.65%, being the 51% Firmicutes, 34% Proteobacteria and 15% Actinobacteria. Bacillus and Fictibacillus were the dominant genera in Firmicutes, Halomonas and Pseudomonas in Proteobacteria and Streptomyces and Micromonospora in Actinobacteria. In addition, the strains were tested for biosurfactants and lipolytic enzymes production, with 120 biosurfactant producing strains (mainly Firmicutes) and, 56 lipolytic enzymes producing strains (Proteobacteria). This report contributes to the understanding of the diversity of the marine deep-sea cultivable bacteria from the Colombian Caribbean, and their potential application as bioremediation agents.

Use of species delimitation approaches to tackle the cryptic diversity of an assemblage of high Andean butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea).

Cryptic biological diversity has generated ambiguity in taxonomic and evolutionary studies. Single-locus methods and other approaches for species delimitation are useful for addressing this challenge, enabling the practical processing of large numbers of samples for identification and inventory purposes. This study analyzed an assemblage of high Andean butterflies using DNA barcoding and compared the identifications based on the current morphological taxonomy with three methods of species delimitation (automatic barcode gap discovery, generalized mixed Yule coalescent model, and Poisson tree processes). Sixteen potential cryptic species were recognized using these three methods, representing a net richness increase of 11.3% in the assemblage. A well-studied taxon of the genus Vanessa, which has a wide geographical distribution, appeared with the potential cryptic species that had a higher genetic differentiation at the local level than at the continental level. The analyses were useful for identifying the potential cryptic species in Pedaliodes and Forsterinaria complexes, which also show differentiation along altitudinal and latitudinal gradients. This genetic assessment of an entire assemblage of high Andean butterflies (Papilionoidea) provides baseline information for future research in a region characterized by high rates of endemism and population isolation.

A revision of the new genus Amiga Nakahara, Willmott & Espeland, gen. n., described for Papilioarnaca Fabricius, 1776 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae).

We here propose a new, monotypic genus, Amiga Nakahara, Willmott & Espeland, gen. n., to harbor a common Neotropical butterfly, described as Papilioarnaca Fabricius, 1776, and hitherto placed in the genus Chloreuptychia Forster, 1964. Recent and ongoing molecular phylogenetic research has shown Chloreuptychia to be polyphyletic, with C.arnaca proving to be unrelated to remaining species and not readily placed in any other described genus. Amigaarnaca gen. n. et comb. n. as treated here is a widely distributed and very common species ranging from southern Mexico to southern Brazil. A neotype is designated for the names Papilioarnaca and its junior synonym, Papilioebusa Cramer, 1780, resulting in the treatment of the latter name as a junior objective synonym of the former. A lectotype is designated for Euptychiasericeella Bates, 1865, which is treated as a subspecies, Amigaarnacasericeella (Bates, 1865), comb. n. et stat. n., based on molecular and morphological evidence. We also describe two new taxa, Amigaarnacaadela Nakahara & Espeland, ssp. n. and Amigaarnacaindianacristoi Nakahara & Marín, ssp. n., new subspecies from the western Andes and eastern Central America, and northern Venezuela, respectively.

Before it is too late: description of a new genus and species of butterfly from a highly threatened Brazilian biome

Abstract A new genus, Nhambikuara Freitas, Barbosa & Zacca gen. nov., and species, Nhambikuara cerradensis Freitas, Barbosa & Zacca sp. nov., of the highly diverse Neotropical butterfly subtribe Euptychiina are described. Nhambikuara cerradensis sp. nov. is the type species for the genus, and Euptychia mima Butler, 1867 is also transferred to the new genus, as Nhambikuara mima (Butler, 1867) comb. nov., from the genus Zischkaia Forster, 1964. The taxonomy, phylogenetic relationships, geographic distribution and natural history of species of the genus are also discussed.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:41AD7568-3490-4F63-A019-32D5592A8C44

Taxonomic status and redescription of Magneuptychianebulosa (Butler, 1867) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) with a lectotype designation.

A redescription of Magneuptychianebulosa (Butler, 1867), a poorly known euptychiine butterfly, is given here, and accurate distributional data are provided for the first time. Taxonomic status of this taxon has been discussed by comparing its morphology against its possible congeners. In addition, lectotype designation for Magneuptychianebulosa is provided in order to objectively establish the identity of this taxon and consequently stabilize the nomenclature.

ResumenSe presenta una redescripción de Magneuptychianebulosa (Butler, 1867), una mariposa euptychina poco conocida y se brinda por primera vez datos de su distribución. Se discute el estatus taxonómico de este taxón por comparación de su morfología con la de posibles congéneres. En adición, se provee un lectotipo para Magneuptychianebulosa, en búsqueda de establecer objetivamente la identidad de este taxa y consecuentemente estabilizar su nomenclatura.

Interspecific variation in mitochondrial serine transfer RNA (UCN) in Euptychiina butterflies (Lepidoptera: Satyrinae): structure and alignment.

The nucleotide variation and structural patterns of mitochondrial RNA molecule have been proposed as useful tools in molecular systematics; however, their usefulness is always subject to a proper assessment of homology in the sequence alignment. The present study describes the secondary structure of mitochondrial tRNA for the amino acid serine (UCN) on 13 Euptychiina species and the evaluation of its potential use for evolutionary studies in this group of butterflies. The secondary structure of tRNAs showed variation among the included species except between Hermeuptychia sp1 and sp2. Variation was concentrated in the ribotimidina-pseudouridine-cystosine (TψC), dihydrouridine (DHU) and variable loops and in the DHU and TψC arms. These results suggest this region as a potential marker useful for taxonomic differentiation of species in this group and also confirm the importance of including information from the secondary structure of tRNA to optimize the alignments.