Individualistic sensitivities and exposure to climate change explain variation in species' distribution and abundance changes

The responses of animals and plants to recent climate change vary greatly from species to species, but attempts to understand this variation have met with limited success. This has led to concerns that predictions of responses are inherently uncertain because of the complexity of interacting drivers and biotic interactions. However, we show for an exemplar group of 155 Lepidoptera species that about 60% of the variation among species in their abundance trends over the past four decades can be explained by species-specific exposure and sensitivity to climate change. Distribution changes were less well predicted, but nonetheless, up to 53% of the variation was explained. We found that species vary in their overall sensitivity to climate and respond to different components of the climate despite ostensibly experiencing the same climate changes. Hence, species have undergone different levels of population “forcing” (exposure), driving variation among species in their national-scale abundance and distribution trends. We conclude that variation in species’ responses to recent climate change may be more predictable than previously recognized.

Anchietea ferrucciae (Violaceae), a new species from the Brazilian Caatinga

A new species of Anchietea (Violaceae) is described and illustrated. Anchietea ferrucciae is characterized by its 4-carpellate ovary, small flowers and mostly, by its obovate seeds, cuneate at the base, and with a narrow, toothed wing. The new species is narrowly endemic to a very restricted area of the dry Caatinga in Bahia state (Brazil). An identification key to the species of Anchietea is provided.

Contributions to the taxonomy of the Normanellidae (Copepoda, Harpacticoida): description of a new genus from the Brazilian continental shelf and re-assignment of Pseudocletodes vararensis Scott & Scott, 1893 (ex Nannopodidae)

A new genus and species of Normanellidae (Copepoda, Harpacticoida), Paranaiara inajae gen. et sp. nov., is described from the continental shelf off the northern coast of Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The new genus differs from the type genus Normanella Brady, 1880 and Sagamiella Lee & Huys, 1999 in its presence of lamelliform caudal rami, a maxillulary endopod represented by 2 setae, an unarmed maxillipedal syncoxa, and reduced setation on P2 enp-2 (without outer spine) and P3 enp-2 (with only 2 inner setae). All these apomorphic character states are shared with the genus Pseudocletodes Scott & Scott, 1893, formerly placed in the family Nannopodidae (ex Huntemanniidae) and here assigned to the Normanellidae. Pseudocletodes can be differentiated from Paranaiara by the loss of the P1 endopod and of the inner seta on P2-P4 enp-1, the presence of only 2 inner setae on P2 enp-2 (instead of 3) and only 1 inner seta on P4 exp-3 (instead of 2), the presence of a second inner seta on P4 enp-2 (instead of 1), the morphology of the fifth pair of legs which are not medially fused and have only 3 endopodal elements (instead of 4) in the male, and the well developed caudal ramus seta V (instead of rudimentary). It is postulated that prehensility of the P1 endopod was secondarily lost in the common ancestor of Paranaiara and Pseudocletodes. An updated family diagnosis of the Normanellidae and a dichotomous identification key to the 22 currently valid species are presented.

A New Species of Rhipsalis (Cactaceae) from Brazil

A new species of Rhipsalis (Cactaceae) from Rio de Janeiro State, in southwestern Brazil, is described and illustrated. The new Rhipsalis aurea is circumscribed in the subgenus Eryhtrorhipsalis and is morphologically most similar to R. pulchra Loefgr., but is distinct by the smaller, suberect habit, smaller secondary stem segments of determinated growth, golden yellow flowers, depressed-globose fruit, and epidermis and pollen grain features. Following the IUCN criteria this new species is vulnerable due to its restricted area of occurrence and reduction of the quality of habitat observed in the present and projected for the future. A taxonomic key to the subgenus Erythrorhipsalis is included.

Taxonomy and cladistic analysis of the subgenus Xenomorellia Malloch (Diptera: Muscidae: Morellia Robineau-Desvoidy) with description of two new species

Xenomorellia Malloch, a subgenus of Morellia Robineau-Desvoidy, is revised to include two new species, Morellia (Xenomorellia) inca Nihei and Carvalho sp. nov. from South America, and M. (X.) maia Carvalho and Nihei sp. nov. from Costa Rica and Mexico. Diagnoses for M. (X.) holti (Malloch) and M. (X.) montanhesa (Albuquerque) are provided, as well as an identification key to the four species of the subgenus. A cladistic analysis was performed to test the monophyly of Xenomorellia and to recover the phylogenetic relationships among its species. Tree searches resulted in one single most-parsimonious cladogram, wherein the monophyly of Xenomorellia is supported, as well as a sister-group relationship with the Neotropical subgenus Trichomorellia Stein. Xenomorellia was divided into two clades: one with Caribbean-Andean species (maia + inca), and another with species from southeastern South America (holti + montanhesa).

The Muscini flies of the world (Diptera, Muscidae): identification key and generic diagnoses

Flies of the tribe Muscini (Diptera, Muscidae) are worldwide in distribution and are represented by some 350 species in 18 genera. The present study provides an identification key and diagnoses for all the genera of world Muscini: Biopyrellia Townsend, Curranosia Paterson, Dasyphora Robineau-Desvoidy, Deltotus Seguy, Hennigmyia Peris, Mesembrina Meigen, Mitroplatia Enderlein, Morellia Robineau-Desvoidy, Musca Linnaeus, Myiophaea Enderlein, Neomyia Walker, Neorypellia Pont, Polietes Rondani, Polietina Schnabl & Dziedzicki, Pyrellia Robineau-Desvoidy, Pyrellina Malloch, Sarcopromusca Townsend, Ziminellia Nihei & de Carvalho. Most infrageneric taxa are also represented, namely, the sub-genera of Dasyphora and Morellia. Comments on phylogeny support (whenever pertinent) and the major references containing revisions and regional identification keys to species are provided for each genus and subgenus.

New species of Harttia (Loricariidae, Loricariinae) from the Rio Sao Francisco Basin

A new species of the mailed catfish genus Harttia is described from the Sao Francisco River drainage, States of Minas Gerais and Bahia, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from congeners by the combination of an abdominal region covered by small bony plates; plates 3-4 times in eye diameter; interorbital width 3.1-4.0 in head length and greater than eye diameter; body width at anal fin origin 6.3-8.3 in standard length; margins of the head and pectoral fin spine of mature males with elongate and conspicuous odontodes; anal fin of males longer than of females. A key to Harttia species and a comparison with other species are provided.

A revision of the genus Pulaeus Den Heyer, with descriptions of a new genus and four new Brazilian species (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae)

A new genus, Lupaeus gen. nov., is created to contain part of the described species in the genus Pulaeus Den Heyer. A key to the genera of the tribe Pulaeini, to which these two genera belong, and one auxiliary key to the species of Brazil and South Africa, are provided. Four new species, viz. Pulaeus myrtaceus sp. nov., P. quadrisolenidius sp. nov., Lupaeus lectus sp. nov. and L. lobidorsalis sp. nov. are described and figured. P. martini Den Heyer, 1981 is designated as type species for the new genus. New nomenclatural combinations are reported.

Comparative descriptions of eggs from three species of Rhodnius (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A new species and a new record of Pyxine (Physciaceae) with norstictic acid from São Paulo State, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A New Species of Meliosma (Sabiaceae) from Southeastern Brazil and Notes on the Genus

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The genus Nanopterodectes Mironov, 2009 (Acari, Proctophyllodidae), with descriptions of three new species from antbirds (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Two new feather mite species (Acari, Pteronyssidae) from the white-barred piculet, Picumnus cirratus (Ayes, Piciformes)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Snout mites from caves in Brazil, with description of a new species (Acari: Trombidiformes: Bdellidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Neoplecostomus (Teleostei : Loricariidae) from the upper Rio Parana basin, Brazil, with description of three new species

Neoplecostomus paranensis was the only Neoplecostomus species known from the upper Rio Parana basin, and it was diagnosed from its congeners mainly by the absence or reduction of the adipose fin. In this study we describe three new Neoplecostomus species. All of them are promptly differentiated from N. paranensis by having a well-developed adipose fin. Furthermore, the new species are differentiated from congeners by morphometric and meristic traits, in addition to color pattern. Neoplecostomus paranensis is redescribed. We also provide an identification key to all Neoplecostomus species.