Pathogen spillover from wildlife to humans or domestic animals requires a series of conditions to align with space and time. Comparing these conditions between times and locations where spillover does and does not occur presents opportunities to understand the factors that shape spillover risk. Bovine rabies transmitted by vampire bats was first confirmed in 1911 and has since been detected across the distribution of vampire bats. However, Uruguay is an exception. Uruguay was free of bovine rabies until 2007, despite high-cattle densities, the presence of vampire bats and a strong surveillance system. To explore why Uruguay was free of bovine rabies until recently, we review the historic literature and reconstruct the conditions that would allow rabies invasion into Uruguay. We used available historical records on the abundance of livestock and wildlife, the vampire bat distribution and occurrence of rabies outbreaks, as well as environmental modifications, to propose four alternative hypotheses to explain rabies virus emergence and spillover: bat movement, viral invasion, surveillance failure and environmental changes. While future statistical modelling efforts will be required to disentangle these hypotheses, we here show how a detailed historical analysis can be used to generate testable predictions for the conditions leading to pathogen spillover.

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The emergence of vampire bat rabies in Uruguay within a historical context

The objective of this study was to document new host plants and the geographical distributions of Melanagromyza floris Spencer, M. tomaterae Steyskal, M. viridis (Frost) and Ophiomyia lantanae (Froggatt). The study was carried out from August 2007 to August 2008. Puparia of these flies were collected on Tithonia sp. in Tonatico (state of Mexico); Physalis nicandroides Schltd in Atotonilco el Grande (state of Hidalgo); Tagetes erecta L. and Lantana camara L. in Huautla (state of Hidalgo) and Lantana camara L. in San Joaquin, state of Queretaro. Both flies and host plants were identified. T. erecta is a new host record for M. floris whereas P. nicandroides is a new host record for M. tomaterae. The flies M. floris and M. tomaterae are the first reports for these species in the state of Hidalgo. M. viridis is recorded from the southern part of the state of Mexico. Finally, O. lantanae is registered in two states: Hidalgo and Queretaro.

https://azm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/azm/article/download/680/963

Nuevos registros y extensiones de distribución de mamíferos para Guanajuato, México

The monophyly of the Sceloporus variabilis group is well established with five species and two species complexes, but phylogenetic relationships within species complexes are still uncertain. We studied 278 specimens in 20 terminals to sample all taxa in the “variabilis group,” including three subspecies in the “variabilis complex,” and two outgroups (Sceloporus grammicus and Sceloporus megalepidurus). We assembled an extensive morphological data set with discrete and continuous characters (distances and scale counts), including geometric morphometric data (landmark coordinates of three shapes), and a three‐marker molecular data set as well (ND4, 12S and RAG1). We conducted parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic inferences on these data, including several partitioning and weighting schemes. We suggest elevating three subspecies to full species status. Therefore, we recommend recognition of nine species in the “variabilis group.” First, S. variabilis is sister to Sceloporus teapensis. In turn, Sceloporus cozumelae is sister to Sceloporus olloporus. These four species are a monophyletic group, which is sister to Sceloporus smithi. Finally, Sceloporus marmoratus is sister of the clade of five species. The other species in the “variabilis group” (Sceloporus chrysostictus, Sceloporus couchii and Sceloporus parvus) are a paraphyletic grade at the base of the tree. Our analyses reject the existence of the “variabilis complex.” We conducted a parsimony‐based ancestral reconstruction on body size (snout–vent length), femoral pores and dorsal scales and related morphological changes to geographic distribution of the species. Our phylogenetic hypothesis will allow best designs of comparative studies with species in the “variabilis group,” one of the earliest divergent lineages in the genus.

Phylogenetic relationships in the Sceloporus variabilis (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) complex based on three molecular markers, continuous characters and geometric morphometric data

RESUMEN . La presente publicacion tiene dos objetivos principales: 1. dar a conocer varias especiesde mamiferos que son nuevos registros para Guanajuato y 2. mencionar localidades adicionales paraalgunas especies de mamiferos que han sido colectadas previamente en el estado, incrementando sudistribucion en la entidad. Los ejemplares se colectaron durante los anos 2003 a 2006 en variaslocalidades de la Reserva de la Biosfera “Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato” y se depositaron en la Coleccionde Mastozoologia de la Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biologicas del Instituto Politecnico Nacional.Ademas de los colectados, se incluyeron otros animales que ya se encontraban en dicha coleccion. Sepresentan 11 nuevos registros y 14 especies que aumentan su distribucion conocida en Guanajuato,representados por 364 especimenes de 5 familias, 14 generos y 25 especies (20 roedores y 5murcielagos). De estas especies destacan tres roedores endemicos de Mexico ( Peromyscus difficilis, P.levipes y P. melanophrys ). De los murcielagos,

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Nuevos registros y extensiones de distribución de mamíferos para guanajuato, méxico

In this study the diversity of amphibians and reptiles from the Cerro del Veinte, Irapuato, Guanajuato was analyzed and compared for rainy and dry seasons in a tropical dry forest. A total of 23 species were recorded, 6 amphibians and 17 reptiles of which 22 were collected in the rainy season and 12 in the dry season. The frog Hyla eximia was the most abundant amphibian species for the rainy season, while the toad Anaxyrus compactilis showed low abundance in both, dry and rainy seasons. For reptiles, the most abundant species during the rainy season were the collared lizard Sceloporus torquatus, and the turtle Kinosternon integrum, and in dry weather, the spiny lizard S. spinosus. This work contributes to the understanding of diversity patterns in seasonal tropical environments providing current information on the herpetofauna for the municipality of Irapuato, laying basis for the development of ecological studies and conservation plans for amphibians and reptiles on the site.

http://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/rmbiodiv/v87n1/1870-3453-rmbiodiv-87-01-00150.pdf

Variación estacional de la herpetofauna en el cerro del Veinte, Irapuato, Guanajuato, México

RESUMEN . La presente contribucion tiene como objetivo dar a conocer seis nuevos registros deanfibios y reptiles y confirmar la presencia de una especie en Guanajuato. Los ejemplares fueroncolectados entre los anos 2003 y 2006 en varias localidades de los municipios de San Luis de la Paz,Victoria y Xichu, que actualmente forman parte de la Reserva de la Biosfera “Sierra Gorda deGuanajuato” y se depositaron en la coleccion Herpetologica de la Escuela Nacional de CienciasBiologicas, del I.P.N. Los nuevos registros de anfibios son: Chaunus marinus y Ollotis nebulifer, los dereptiles son: Sceloporus variabilis, Plestiodon tetragrammus, Boa constrictor y Masticophis flagellum. El registro de Lithobates berlandieri confirma la presencia de esta especie en Guanajuato. Palabras clave: anfibios, reptiles, Guanajuato, nuevos registros. Campos-Rodriguez, J. I., C. Elizalde-Arellano, J. C. Lopez-Vidal, G. F. Aguilar-Martinez, S. N.Ramos-Reyes & R. Hernandez-Arciga. 2009. Noteworthy records of amphibians and reptiles ofGuanajuato, collected at the Biosphere Reserve of “Sierra Gorda of Guanajuato” and adjacentzones.

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Nuevos registros de anfibios y reptiles para Guanajuato, procedentes de la reserva de la biosfera sierra gorda de Guanajuato y zonas adyacentes

Se presentan 5 nuevos registros de reptiles para el estado de Guanajuato; Lampropeltis triangulum dixoni, Leptodeira annulata cusiliris, Oxybelis aeneus, Tropidodipsas sartorii y Scincella silvicola caudaequinae. Todos localizados en la vertiente oeste de la sierra Madre Oriental, en la sierra Gorda de Guanajuato. Se proporciona evidencia de un ensamble herpetofaunistico de afinidad tropical a subtropical presente en la region.

Registros notables de reptiles para Guanajuato, México

Five new reptile records for the Mexican state of Guanajuato are reported: Lampropeltis triangulum dixoni, Leptodeira annulata cusiliris, Oxybelis aeneus, Tropidodipsas sartorii, and Scincella silvicola caudaequinae. These records are within western versant of the Sierra Gorda at Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato. Evidence is given that supports the idea that the area supports a herpetofaunal assemblage of tropical affinities.

http://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/rmbiodiv/v81n1/v81n1a27.pdf

Raúl Hernández-Arciga

Papers

Nuevos registros de anfibios y reptiles para Guanajuato, procedentes de la reserva de la biosfera sierra gorda de Guanajuato y zonas adyacentes

Nuevos registros y extensiones de distribución de mamíferos para guanajuato, méxico

Registros notables de reptiles para Guanajuato, México

Registros notables de reptiles para Guanajuato, México

New records and range extension of mammals for Guanajuato, Mexico