Diego G. Tirira

Leucistic Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) at Robert Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, with a note on colour morph nomenclature

Fur chromatic disorders, which include albinism, leucism and melanism, are rare in mammals. Worldwide these atypical cases are naturally infrequent and poorly reported in the literature, particularly in pinnipeds. The knowledge available about colouration in mammals comes from studies in mice and other domestic mammals. Generally this information is homologous to most mammals. However, adaptive interpretation of atypical colouration patterns in pinnipeds and its biological relevance are uncertain. Hence, this report is indirect evidence of a source of misunderstood genetic variability for this group of carnivores. Here, we present an opportunistic observation of leucism in an Antarctic Fur Seal, Arctocephalus gazella, from Peninsula Coppermine, in Robert Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. A young male with a leucistic dilute phenotype was recorded on February 5th, 2013. This is the first confirmed record of a leucistic fur seal on this island. Additionally, we provide some general comments on the nomenclature used for colour morphs.

Genus Glyphonycteris Thomas, 1896 (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in Ecuador: first confirmed record of G. sylvestris Thomas, 1896 and a geographical review to G. daviesi (Hill, 1965) [with erratum]

Herein we present a geographical review to the genus Glyphonycteris in Ecuador. We confirm the first record for G. sylvestris for the country, which extends its range about 680 km southwest of the nearest previously known record. This first record belongs to an individual captured in Sangay National Park, Morona Santiago province, eastern slopes of the Andes. We also review the records of G. daviesi deposited in scientific collections and mentioned in literature, report a new record from west of the Andes, and present a distribution map.

Mammalia, Chiroptera, Thyropteridae, Thyroptera tricolor Spix, 1823: distribution extension in Ecuador

In Ecuador, Thyroptera tricolor is distributed on the northern coastal region, in Amazonia, and in the foothills of the Andes between 50 to 1,800 m of altitude. We reported a capture of a non-breeding female at El Descanso, Los Rios Province, in the central coastal region of Ecuador. With this record, we have extended the geographical distribution of T. tricolor in Ecuador 55 km further south. Using the available data for Ecuador, a predictive distribution model was generated using a Maximum Entropy approach.

Mammalia, Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae, Lampronycteris brachyotis (Dobson, 1879): first confirmed record for Ecuador

Herein we report the first record for Lampronycteris brachyotis in Ecuador, which extends its range about 570 km west of the nearest previously known published record in Loreto, Peru. We captured an adult male on 31 October 2008 in Tarangaro, near the Manderoyacu River, Pastaza province. This locality is placed in a flat, periodically flooded river valley, with small estuaries. The forest is well preserved with high canopy trees. There also are small agricultural patches in the zone.

Surveying Two Endangered Primate Species (Alouatta palliata aequatorialis and Cebus aequatorialis) in the Pacoche Marine and Coastal Wildlife Refuge, West Ecuador

Accurate information on the distribution, demography, and conservation status of endangered populations in threatened habitats are essential to provide the basis for conservation actions and management plans. Neglect of western Ecuador by biologists has resulted in a paucity of information of primate populations in the region. Capuchins (Cebus spp.) and howlers (Alouatta sp.) occur in the Tumbes–Chocó–Magdalena hotspot along the Pacific coast. We conducted the first primate survey in Pacoche Marine and Coastal Wildlife Refuge, one of the few protected areas in western Ecuador. Although the Pacoche refuge is protected, illegal activities inside the area include slash-and-burn agriculture and natural resource extraction. We surveyed 18 1-km transects within the protected area between April and July 2012 to evaluate the effects of anthropogenic disturbance and habitat characteristics on population densities of the Critically Endangered Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchin (Cebus aequatorialis) and the Vulnerable mantled howler (Alouatta palliata aequatorialis). We confirmed the presence of C. aequatorialis through direct observation on three occasions outside transects. The low detection rate of C. aequatorialis underscores the need for immediate conservation action for this species. Using a hierarchical distance sampling model, we predicted group size as a proxy of probability of detection and found that canopy cover explained group density of A. p. aequatorialis, following a half-normal distribution. We estimated the mean density of A. p. aequatorialis as 12.4 ind./km2 and the total population to be 621.5 individuals. The correlation between the density of A. p. aequatorialis and canopy cover underlines the need to preserve the remaining forest and its connectivity. Our results also highlight the importance of including vegetation structure in primate censuses.

Lophostoma carrikeri (Allen, 1910) (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae): First confirmed records in Ecuador

Herein we confirm the occurrence of Lophostoma carrikeri in Ecuador. One adult female was collected in Orellana province on 17 September 2012 at Boanamo, Waorani Ethnic Reserve, and another on 5 May 2013 at Yasuni Research Station, Yasuni National Park. These records extend the distributional range of the species about 570 km northwest of the nearest previously known record in Jenaro Herrera, Loreto, Peru. Both Ecuadorian localities are characterized by well-conserved primary Terra Firme rainforest. Morphological characters of the specimens presented here broaden the known intraspecific variation in this taxon, including uniformly dark ears without white margins, undeveloped sagittal crests, and smaller forearm size than previously reported. In addition, information on ectoparasites for this species in Ecuador is provided.

Mammalia, Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae, Lonchophylla hesperia G. M. Allen, 1908: second record of the Western Nectar Bat in Ecuador after 70 years

Herein we report the second record for Lonchophylla hesperia in Ecuador, and the first one since 1939. We captured an adult male in a mountainous dry valley at Comunidad San Jacinto, Catamayo Valley, Loja Province, southwestern Ecuador. The dominant landscape consists of agricultural lands, mainly of corn fields and pastures; while the natural forest is restricted to small patches. A description of the species’ shelter and a predictive distribution model in Peru and Ecuador are presented, indicating the areas between the two countries were the habitat is climatically suitable for its presence.