Pollicipes caboverdensis sp. nov. (Crustacea: Cirripedia: Scalpelliformes), an intertidal barnacle from the Cape Verde Islands

Recently, genetic evidence supported the existence of a new species of the genus Pollicipes from the Cape Verde Islands, previously considered a population of P. pollicipes. However, P. pollicipes was not sampled at its southern limit of distribution (Dakar, Senegal), which is geographically separated from the Cape Verde Islands by about 500 km. Herein we describe Pollicipes caboverdensis sp. nov. from the Cape Verde Islands and compare its morphology with the other three species of Pollicipes: P. pollicipes, P. elegans and P. polymerus. Pollicipes pollicipes was sampled at both the middle (Portugal) and southern limit (Dakar, Senegal) of its geographical distribution. The genetic divergence among and within these two regions and Cape Verde was calculated through the analysis of partial mtDNA CO1 gene sequences. Pollicipes caboverdensis sp. nov. has a single whorl of capitular plates below the subrostrum, peduncular scales pointing up toward the capitulum and multi-articulate caudal appendages (all characters shared with P. pollicipesand P. elegans), reddish-orange capitular plates (large specimens), a single rostral median latus between the median latus and the rostrolatus (both characters shared with P. elegans), and uniquely possesses peduncular scales that are approximately the same width as height. The genetic distance between the Cape Verde population and the Senegal and Portugal populations is 13–14%, whilst between Senegal and Portugal it is < 1%.

Preliminary data on the geographical distribution of Drosophila species within morphoclimatic domains of Brazil. III. The cardini group

A reanalysis, based on museum specimens, of our previously published data on the geographical distribution of the species of Drosophila belonging to the cardini group in Brazil is presented and discussed. As previously recorded in several papers, including ours, the following four species were recognized: D. cardini, D. cardinoides, D. neocardini, and D. polymorpha. However, it was realized that most of the flies we have previously identified as Drosophila cardinoides belong in fact to Drosophila cardini. To facilitate the proper identification of these four near-sibling species, their holotypes were analyzed and their terminalia were described and illustrated. A key to the four species is also provided.

Sistemática, filogenia e distribuição geográfica das espécies sul-americanas de Centris (Paracentris) Cameron, 1903 e de Centris (Penthemisia) Moure, 1950, incluindo uma análise filogenética do "grupo Centris" sensu Ayala, 1998 (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Centridini)

Systematics, phylogeny and geographical distribution of the South American species of Centris (Paracentris) Cameron, 1903, and Centris (Penthemisia) Moure, 1950, including a phylogenetic analysis of the "Centris group" sensu Ayala, 1998 (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Centridini). A cladistic analysis with the objective of testing the hypothesis of monophily of Centris (Paracentris) Cameron, 1903, and of studying its phylogenetic relationships with the other subgenera that belong to the Centris group, sensu Ayala, 1998, and the relationships among the species that occur in South America, is presented. Centris (Paracentris) is a group of New World bees of amphitropical distribution, especially diversified in the Andes and in the xeric areas of South and North America. Thirty-one species were included in the analysis, four considered as outgroup, and 49 characters, all from external morphology and genitalia of adult specimens. Parsimony analyses with equal weights for the characters and successive weighting were performed with the programs NONA and PAUP, and analyses of implied weighting with the program PeeWee. The strict consensus among the trees obtained in all the analyses indicates that C. (Paracentris), as previously recognized, is a paraphyletic group. In order to eliminate that condition, the subgenera C. (Acritocentris), C. (Exallocentris) and C. (Xerocentris), all described by SNELLING (1974) are synonymized under C. (Paracentris). The subgenus C. (Penthemisia) Moure, 1950, previously considered a synonym of C. (Paracentris), is reinstated, but in a more restricted sense than originally proposed and with the following species: Centris brethesi Schrottky, 1902; C. buchholzi Herbst, 1918; C. chilensis (Spinola, 1851), C. mixta mixta Friese, 1904, and C. mixta tamarugalis Toro & Chiappa, 1989. Centris mixta, previously recognized as the only South American species of the subgenus C. (Xerocentris), a group supposedly amphitropical, came out as the sister-species of C. buchholzi. The following South American species were recognized under Centris (Paracentris): Centris burgdorfi Friese, 1901; C. caelebs Friese, 1900; C. cordillerana Roig-Alsina, 2000; C. euphenax Cockerell, 1913; C. flavohirta Friese, 1900; C. garleppi (Schrottky, 1913); C. klugii Friese, 1900; C. lyngbyei Jensen-Haarup, 1908; C. mourei Roig-Alsina, 2000; C. neffi Moure, 2000; C. nigerrima (Spinola, 1851); C. toroi sp. nov.; C. tricolor Friese, 1900; C. unifasciata (Schrottky, 1913), and C. vogeli Roig-Alsina, 2000. The relationships among the subgenera of the "Centris group" were: (Xanthemisia (Penthemisia (Centris s. str. - Paracentris))). Centris xanthomelaena Moure & Castro 2001, an endemic species of the Caatinga and previously considered a C. (Paracentris), came out as the sister group of C. (Centris) s. str. A new species of C. (Paracentris) from Chile is described: Centris toroi sp. nov. Lectotypus designations and redescriptions are presented for Centris burgdorfi, C. caelebs, C. lyngbyei, C. tricolor, C. autrani Vachal, 1904 and C. smithii Friese, 1900. New synonyms proposed: C. buchholzi Herbst, 1918 = Centris wilmattae Cockerell, 1926 syn. nov.; C. caelebs Friese, 1900 = Paracentris fulvohirta Cameron, 1903. The female of C. vogeli Roig-Alsina, 2000 and the male of C. xanthomelaena are described.

Regions of rationality: Maps for bounded agents

An important problem in descriptive and prescriptive research in decision making is to identify regions of rationality, i.e., the areas for which heuristics are and are not effective. To map the contours of such regions, we derive probabilities that heuristics identify the best of m alternatives (m > 2) characterized by k attributes or cues (k > 1). The heuristics include a single variable (lexicographic), variations of elimination-by-aspects, equal weighting, hybrids of the preceding, and models exploiting dominance. We use twenty simulated and four empirical datasets for illustration. We further provide an overview by regressing heuristic performance on factors characterizing environments. Overall, sensible heuristics generally yield similar choices in many environments. However, selection of the appropriate heuristic can be important in some regions (e.g., if there is low inter-correlation among attributes/cues). Since our work assumes a hit or miss decision criterion, we conclude by outlining extensions for exploring the effects of different loss functions.

Banks and development: Jewish communities in the Italian Renaissance and current economic performance

Are differences in local banking development long-lasting? Do they affect long-term economic performance?I answer these questions by relying on an historical development that occurred in Italian cities during the 15thcentury. A sudden change in the Catholic doctrine had driven the Jews toward money lending. Cities thatwere hosting Jewish communities developed complex banking institutions for two reasons: first, the Jews werethe only people in Italy who were allowed to lend for a profit and, second, the Franciscan reaction to Jewishusury led to the creation of charity lending institutions, the Monti di Pietà, that have survived until today andhave become the basis of the Italian banking system. Using Jewish demography in 1500 as an instrument, Iprovide evidence of (1) an extraordinary persistence in the level of banking development across Italian cities (2)large effects of current local banking development on per-capita income. Additional firm-level analyses suggestthat well-functioning local banks exert large effects on aggregate productivity by reallocating resources towardmore efficient firms. I exploit the expulsion of the Jews from the Spanish territories in Italy in 1541 to arguethat my results are not driven by omitted institutional, cultural and geographical characteristics. In particular,I show that, in Central Italy, the difference in current income between cities that hosted Jewish communitiesand cities that did not exists only in those regions that were not Spanish territories in the 16th century.

Phylogeographical structure, postglacial recolonization and barriers to gene flow in the distinctive Valais chromosome race of the common shrew (Sorex araneus).

Using one male-inherited and eight biparentally inherited microsatellite markers, we investigate the population genetic structure of the Valais chromosome race of the common shrew (Sorex araneus) in the Central Alps of Europe. Unexpectedly, the Y-chromosome microsatellite suggests nearly complete absence of male gene flow among populations from the St-Bernard and Simplon regions (Switzerland). Autosomal markers also show significant genetic structuring among these two geographical areas. Isolation by distance is significant and possible barriers to gene flow exist in the study area. Two different approaches are used to better understand the geographical patterns and the causes of this structuring. Using a principal component analysis for which testing procedure exists, and partial Mantel tests, we show that the St-Bernard pass does not represent a significant barrier to gene flow although it culminates at 2469 m, close to the highest altitudinal record for this species. Similar results are found for the Simplon pass, indicating that both passes represented potential postglacial recolonization routes into Switzerland from Italian refugia after the last Pleistocene glaciations. In contrast with the weak effect of these mountain passes, the Rhône valley lowlands significantly reduce gene flow in this species. Natural obstacles (the large Rhône river) and unsuitable habitats (dry slopes) are both present in the valley. Moreover, anthropogenic changes to landscape structures are likely to have strongly reduced available habitats for this shrew in the lowlands, thereby promoting genetic differentiation of populations found on opposite sides of the Rhône valley.

Testing Spatial Autocorrelation in Weighted Networks : the Modes Permutation Test

In a weighted spatial network, as specified by an exchange matrix, the variances of the spatial values are inversely proportional to the size of the regions. Spatial values are no more exchangeable under independence, thus weakening the rationale for ordinary permutation and bootstrap tests of spatial autocorrelation. We propose an alternative permutation test for spatial autocorrelation, based upon exchangeable spatial modes, constructed as linear orthogonal combinations of spatial values. The coefficients obtain as eigenvectors of the standardised exchange matrix appearing in spectral clustering, and generalise to the weighted case the concept of spatial filtering for connectivity matrices. Also, two proposals aimed at transforming an acessibility matrix into a exchange matrix with with a priori fixed margins are presented. Two examples (inter-regional migratory flows and binary adjacency networks) illustrate the formalism, rooted in the theory of spectral decomposition for reversible Markov chains.

Geographical effects on the accuracy of textile trade data:an international approach for 1913

Foreign trade statistics are the main data source to the study of international trade.However its accuracy has been under suspicion since Morgernstern published hisfamous work in 1963. Federico and Tena (1991) have resumed the question arguing thatthey can be useful in an adequate level of aggregation. But the geographical assignmentproblem remains unsolved. This article focuses on the spatial variable through theanalysis of the reliability of textile international data for 1913. A geographical biasarises between export and import series, but because of its quantitative importance it canbe negligible in an international scale.

A new species of Leschenaultia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera, Tachinidae) from Venezuela and new geographical records

Leschenaultia barbarae sp. nov. is described from Cojedes state, Venezuela. This species is similar to Leschenaultia bicolor (Macquart, 1846) but can be distinguished from this species by the combination of the following characters: anterior tarsal claws longer than second tarsomere of the same leg, and cerci, in lateral view, finer and no so strongly curved back as in L. bicolor (Macquart).

Avaliação do Estatuto de Conservação da Flora Endémica de Cabo Verde

As ilhas da Macaronésia (Açores, Madeira, Selvagens, Canárias e Cabo Verde) estão englobadas no Hotspot de Biodiversidade da Bacia do Mediterrâneo, devido ao elevado grau de endemismos que apresentam. Das ca. 900 espécies de plantas endémicas que ocorrem na Macaronésia, a maioria exibe uma distribuição geográfica muito limitada, o que pode implicar um elevado risco de extinção. No caso de Cabo Verde, são conhecidos atualmente 94 taxa de plantas endémicas, que necessitam de conservação e proteção urgente. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é atualizar a Primeira Lista Vermelha de Cabo Verde, publicada por Leyens e Lobin (1996), através da avaliação do estatuto de conservação da flora endémica. Este estudo segue os critérios e categorias da IUCN e utiliza o software RAMAS Red List. Os resultados indicam que a maioria das plantas endémicas de Cabo Verde tem uma distribuição geográfica muito limitada, sendo que metade dos taxa têm áreas de ocupação e extensões de ocorrência inferiores a 20km2 e 200km2, respetivamente. Além disso, são comparadas duas atitudes em relação ao parâmetro tolerância ao risco, nomeadamente, RT = 0,5 para uma atitude neutra e RT = 0,6 para uma atitude evidenciaria. Com RT = 0,5, cerca de 77% dos taxa foram classificados como Criticamente em Perigo e 10% como em Perigo. Por outro lado, com RT =0, 6 obteve-se uma melhor discriminação nas diferentes categorias de ameaça: 29% dos taxa foi classificado como Criticamente em Perigo, 40% como em Perigo e 8% como Vulnerável. Neste estudo propõem-se que o ajuste de uma atitude em relação ao parâmetro tolerância ao risco (RT) pode ser um método importante a considerar na aplicação dos critérios IUCN em pequenas regiões, como é o caso das lhas de Cabo Verde, sem alterar as regras de avaliação da IUCN.

The poor stay poor: Non-convergence across countries and regions

We study the issue of income convergence across countries and regions witha Bayesian estimator which allows us to use information in an efficient andflexible way. We argue that the very slow convergence rates to a commonlevel of per-capita income found, e.g., by Barro and Xavier Sala-i-Martin,is due to a 'fixed effect bias' that their cross-sectional analysisintroduces in the results. Our approach permits the estimation of differentconvergence rates to different steady states for each cross sectional unit.When this diversity is allowed, we find that convergence of each unit to(its own) steady state income level is much faster than previously estimatedbut that cross sectional differences persist: inequalities will only bereduced by a small amount by the passage of time. The cross countrydistribution of the steady state is largely explained by the cross countrydistribution of initial conditions.

Characterization of a new clinical yeast species, Candida tunisiensis sp. nov., isolated from a strain collection from Tunisian hospitals.

From a collection of yeast isolates isolated from patients in Tunisian hospitals between September 2006 and July 2010, the yeast strain JEY63 (CBS 12513), isolated from a 50-year-old male that suffered from oral thrush, could not be identified to the species level using conventional methods used in clinical laboratories. These methods include matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), germ tube formation, and the use of CHROMagar Candida and metabolic galleries. Sequence analysis of the nuclear rRNA (18S rRNA, 5.8S rRNA, and 26S rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) indicated that the ribosomal DNA sequences of this species were not yet reported. Multiple gene phylogenic analyses suggested that this isolate clustered at the base of the Dipodascaceae (Saccharomycetales, Saccharomycetes, and Ascomycota). JEY63 was named Candida tunisiensis sp. nov. according to several phenotypic criteria and its geographical origin. C. tunisiensis was able to grow at 42°C and does not form chlamydospores and hyphae but could grow as yeast and pseudohyphal forms. C. tunisiensis exhibited most probably a haploid genome with an estimated size of 10 Mb on at least three chromosomes. Using European Committee for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Candida albicans susceptibility breakpoints as a reference, C. tunisiensis was resistant to fluconazole (MIC = 8 μg/ml), voriconazole (MIC = 0.5 μg/ml), itraconazole (MIC = 16 μg/ml), and amphotericin B (MIC = 4 μg/ml) but still susceptible to posaconazole (MIC = 0.008 μg/ml) and caspofungin (MIC = 0.5 μg/ml). In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS permitted the early selection of an unusual isolate, which was still unreported in molecular databases but could not be unambiguously classified based on phylogenetic approaches.

Geographical deviations in foreign trade statistics: A study into European trade with Latin American Countries, 1925

We have analyzed the spatial accuracy of European foreign trade statistics compared to Latin American. We have also included USA s data because of the importance of this country in Latin American trade. We have developed a method for mapping discrepancies between exporters and importers, trying to isolate systematic spatial deviations. Although our results don t allow a unique explanation, they present some interesting clues to the distribution channels in the Latin American Continent as well as some spatial deviations for statistics in individual countries. Connecting our results with the literature specialized in the accuracy of foreign trade statistics; we can revisit Morgernstern (1963) as well as Federico and Tena (1991). Morgernstern had had a really pessimistic view on the reliability of this statistic source, but his main alert was focused on the trade balances, not in gross export or import values. Federico and Tena (1991) have demonstrated howaccuracy increases by aggregation, geographical and of product at the same time. But they still have a pessimistic view with relation to distribution questions, remarking that perhaps it will be more accurate to use import sources in this latest case. We have stated that the data set coming from foreign trade statistics for a sample in 1925, being it exporters or importers, it s a valuable tool for geography of trade patterns, although in some specific cases it needs some spatial adjustments.

The fauna of phlebotomines (Diptera, Psychodidae) in different phytogeographic regions of the state of Maranhão, Brazil

Phlebotomine specimens were captured in domiciliary and forest environments in 47 municipalities between 1982 and 2005 with the aid of CDC light traps. A total of 91 species were found, of which four belonged to genus Brumptomyia and 87 to genus Lutzomyia, distributed among the following subgenera: Evandromyia (6), Lutzomyia (5), Micropygomyia (2), Nyssomyia (9), Pintomyia (2), Pressatia (3), Psathyromyia (6), Psychodopygus (14), Sciopemyia (4), Trichophoromyia (2), Viannamyia (2); species groups: Aragaoi (2), Baityi (1), Dreisbachi (1), Migonei (12), Oswaldoi (8), Pilosa (1), Saulensis (2), Verrucarum (4) and ungrouped (1). Species diversity was greatest in areas where there was dense evergreen seasonal forest (52 species), ombrophilous forest (31) and meridional cerrados (23) and lowest in areas with mixed forest (forest with babassu palms, cerrado and caatinga). The greatest similarity index was observed for restinga and open evergreen seasonal forest (J=0.48). Dense evergreen seasonal forest had greatest similarity with ombrophilous forest (J=0.38). The phlebotomine fauna was species rich and unevenly distributed in Maranhão, reflecting the phytogeographical complexity of the state, which is a result of the great variety of ecosystems and climate zones.

For public service or money: Understanding geographical imbalances in the health workforce in Ethiopia

Geographical imbalances in the health workforce have been a consistent feature of nearly all health systems, and especially in developing countries. In this paper we investigate the willingness to work in a rural area among final year nursing and medical students in Ethiopia. Analyzing data obtained from contingent valuation questions, we find that household consumption and the student s motivation to help the poor, which is our proxy for intrinsic motivation, are the main determinants of willingness to work in a rural area. We investigate whoe is willing to help the poor and find that women are significantly more likely than men. Other variables, including a rich set of psychosocial characteristics, are not significant. Finally, we carry out some simulation on how much it would cost to make the entire cohort of starting nurses and doctors chooseto take up a rural post.