Fernando Castro-Herrera

The global distribution of tetrapods reveals a need for targeted reptile conservation

The distributions of amphibians, birds and mammals have underpinned global and local conservation priorities, and have been fundamental to our understanding of the determinants of global biodiversity. In contrast, the global distributions of reptiles, representing a third of terrestrial vertebrate diversity, have been unavailable. This prevented the incorporation of reptiles into conservation planning and biased our understanding of the underlying processes governing global vertebrate biodiversity. Here, we present and analyse the global distribution of 10,064 reptile species (99% of extant terrestrial species). We show that richness patterns of the other three tetrapod classes are good spatial surrogates for species richness of all reptiles combined and of snakes, but characterize diversity patterns of lizards and turtles poorly. Hotspots of total and endemic lizard richness overlap very little with those of other taxa. Moreover, existing protected areas, sites of biodiversity significance and global conservation schemes represent birds and mammals better than reptiles. We show that additional conservation actions are needed to effectively protect reptiles, particularly lizards and turtles. Adding reptile knowledge to a global complementarity conservation priority scheme identifies many locations that consequently become important. Notably, investing resources in some of the world’s arid, grassland and savannah habitats might be necessary to represent all terrestrial vertebrates efficiently.The global distribution of nearly all extant reptile species reveals richness patterns that differ spatially from that of other taxa. Conservation prioritization should specifically consider reptile distributions, particularly lizards and turtles.

Proteomic and functional analyses of the venom of Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii (Lansberg's hognose viper) from the Atlantic Department of Colombia

UNLABELLED The venom of the Lansbergs hognose pitviper, Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii, a species found in the northern region of Colombia, is poorly known. Aiming to increase knowledge on Porthidium species venoms, its proteomic analysis and functional evaluation of in vitro and in vivo activities relevant to its toxicity were undertaken. Out of 51 protein components resolved by a combination of RP-HPLC and SDS-PAGE, 47 were assigned to 12 known protein families. In similarity with two previously characterized venoms from species within this genus, Porthidium nasutum and Porthidium ophryomegas, that of P. lansbergii lansbergii was dominated by metalloproteinases, although in lower proportion. A common feature of the three Porthidium venoms appears to be a high content of disintegrins. Proteins not previously observed in Porthidium venoms belong to the vascular endothelium growth factor, phosphodiesterase, and phospholipase B families. P. lansbergii lansbergii venom showed relatively weak lethal activity to mice, and induced a moderate local myotoxicity, but considerable hemorrhage. Its isolated VEGF component showed potent edema-inducing activity in the mouse footpad assay. Significant thrombocytopenia, but no other major hematological changes, were observed in envenomed mice. In vitro, this venom lacked coagulant effect on human plasma, and induced a potent inhibition of platelet aggregation which was reproduced by its purified disintegrin components. Phospholipase A2 and proteolytic activities were also demonstrated. Overall, the compositional and functional data herein described for the venom of P. lansbergii lansbergii may contribute to a better understanding of envenomings by this pitviper species, for which specific clinical information is lacking. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii is estimated to be responsible for nearly 20% of snakebite envenoming cases at the Atlantic Department of Colombia, but the identity and functional properties of its venom components are largely unknown. This study provides the first combined proteomic and functional analyses of the venom of this pitviper, which may contribute to a better understanding of the features of envenomings by this species.

Microhabitats for Oviposition and Male Clutch Attendance in Hyalinobatrachium aureoguttatum (Anura: Centrolenidae)

In this study we describe for the first time aspects of the reproductive ecology and behavior of a population of Hyalinobatrachium aureoguttatum located in the Colombian Pacific lowlands. Males vocalize and attend clutches from the underside of leaves overhanging the streams. Males showed high fidelity to their territory; each male repeatedly uses the same leaf for perching, calling, mating, and clutch attendance. There were no significant differences in the environmental variables registered for the microhabitats where males were located with or without clutches, with one or multiple clutches, or between successful or unsuccessful clutches, which suggest that the analyzed variables are not important for the obtention of the clutches and their success. Males were found grouped in the study area at distances varying between 0.3–0.5 m; thus, more than one male can be observed occupying other leaves in the same plant. Fights or aggressive behaviors were not observed in intrusion events by co-specific males in the territory of the resident males; however, we registered a series of movements that resulted in moving the intruder further away. Females almost immediately abandoned the clutches after oviposition, whereas most of the time, at day and night, males stayed near, touching or sitting on one to five egg clutches during most of their embryonic development. This brooding behavior also included hydration, cleaning, and defense of the eggs. Arthropod predation was observed in both attended and abandoned egg clutches; however, in one observation, the behavior of the male moved the predator away and saved the clutch. These observations and the finding of abandoned clutches that did not complete their development suggest that male parental care increases embryo survival and, as a result, his reproductive success.

Reptilia, Squamata, Serpentes, Colubridae, Urotheca decipiens : distribution extension

. Extensive field work and recent taxonomic studies have contributed to a general knowledge of the herpetofaunal diversity in Colombia (Acosta-Galvis 2000, Renjifo and Lundberg 1999, Sanchez-C et al. 2001). However, there are many areas in the country without adequate inventories, which reflects in the description of new species of amphibians and reptiles, and records of species previously unreported for Colombia or a given region. Here we increase the range distribution of

Lista de anfibios y reptiles del departamento del Tolima, Colombia

Due to its high number of ecosystems and wide altitudinal gradient, the department of Cauca in southwestern Colombia, encloses a great part of the Colombian mammal diversity. In spite of its richness, the mammalian fauna from Cauca has been poorly studied. In order to synthesize the information on mammals from this Department, we present a checklist of 220 mammalian species that occupy the continental and marine area of Cauca, representing 45 % of mammals reported as present or potentially present in Colombia. The present work was based on national mammal collections, international museums databases, and bibliographic information. Although this work represents the most comprehensive effort in documenting the mammalian fauna of the department of Cauca, future research is necessary to increase our knowledge on the mammals of Cauca and to implement more adequate conservation policies.

Author Correction: The global distribution of tetrapods reveals a need for targeted reptile conservation

In the version of this Article originally published, grant no. 2015/20215-7 for C.N. was omitted from the Acknowledgements section. This has now been corrected in all versions of the Article.

Imantodes chocoensis Torres-Carvajal, Yánez-Muñoz, Quirola, Smith, and Almendáriz, 2012 (Squamata: Dipsadidae): first records from Colombia

The occurrence of Imantodes chocoensis in Colombia is noted for the first time based on two new records from the lowlands of Valle del Cauca, on the Colombian Pacific coast, which extends the species range approximately 313 km NE (airline) from Carchi and Esmeralda, Ecuador.

Amphibia, Anura, Strabomantidae, Pristimantis permixtus Lynch, Ruiz-Carranza, and Ardila-Robayo, 1994: Distribution extension, Valle del Cauca, Colombia

Pristimantis permixtus is a moderate sized frog tipically of upper cloud forests and sub-paramo areas. Here we provide the second record and southernmost of P. permixtus in the Occidental Cordillera in the department of Valle del Cauca, Vereda Chicoral, municipality of La Cumbre, Colombia.