Nuevas ocurrencias y descripción del hábitat de la rana endémica del sur de Ecuador Atelopus exiguus (Anura: Bufonidae) en un punto crítico de conservación en los altos Andes

Atelopus species are classified as a priority taxon for monitoring and conservation, of these A. exiguus is endemic to southern Ecuador and is classified as critically endangered, however, within its known geographic range, little attention has been given to identifying new localities particularly across the páramo ecosystem (> 3500 m a.s.l.). Therefore, in the páramo landscape of Macizo del Cajas Biosphere Reserve, a conservation hotspot, we intensively searched for A. exiguus across 15 localities (elevation range: 3550 – 3800 m a.s.l.). In one year of monitoring (2020 – 2021), we recorded four individuals of A. exiguus (two were tadpoles) in two localities. The localities are characterized by a higher proportion of páramo grassland in association with shrubby páramo as well as cushion páramo; this riparian habitat is related to relatively good water quality (according to Andean Biotic Index), relatively low water temperatures and relatively low water flow. Our findings, accompanied by a detailed monitoring protocol, suggest habitat requirements for A. exiguus. Further intensive surveys beyond the limits of protected areas of Azuay province, especially across the páramos, is emerging as an urgent step to improve conservation decisions.Las especies del género Atelopus están clasificadas como un taxón prioritario para su monitoreo y conservación, de ellas A. exiguus es endémica del sur de Ecuador y está clasificada como en peligro crítico de extinción. Sin embargo, dentro de su área de distribución geográfica conocida, poca atención se ha prestado en identificar nuevas localidades, especialmente en el ecosistema del páramo (> 3500 m de altitud). Por lo tanto, en el paisaje de páramo de la Reserva de la Biosfera Macizo del Cajas, un punto caliente de conservación, buscamos intensamente la especie en 15 localidades (rango de elevación: 3550 – 3800 m de altitud). En un año de monitoreo (2020 – 2021), registramos cuatro individuos de A. exiguus (dos fueron renacuajos) en dos localidades. Las localidades se caracterizan por una mayor proporción de pastizales de páramo en asociación con páramo arbustivo, así como páramo de almohadilla; este hábitat ribereño está relacionado con una calidad de agua relativamente buena (según el Índice Biótico Andino), temperaturas de agua relativamente bajas, así como un flujo de agua relativamente bajo. Nuestros hallazgos, acompañados de un protocolo de monitoreo detallado, sugieren los requerimientos de hábitat para A. exiguus. La realización de más estudios intensivos más allá de los límites de las áreas protegidas de la provincia de Azuay, especialmente a través de los páramos, se considera como urgente para mejorar las decisiones de conservación

Primeros reportes de Myotis riparius (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) en los altos Andes del sur del Ecuador

The Vespertilionidae family is widely distributed in South America. In Ecuador, there are 20 species including Myotis riparius. The species has been recorded between 10 to 1240 m a.s.l. on the both eastern and western sides of the Andes cordillera. In this work we reported two new localities for southern Ecuador which include the highest records for the species and increasing in 1077 m the limit elevation previously known in Ecuador.La familia Vespertilionidae está ampliamente distribuida en América del Sur. En Ecuador habitan 20 especies incluyendo a Myotis riparius. Esta especie ha sido registrada entre 10 y 1240 metros de elevación en las estribaciones de la cordillera de los Andes. En este trabajo reportamos dos nuevas localidades para el sur del Ecuador las cuales incluyen los registros de mayor elevación para la especie e incrementan 1077 metros el límite altitudinal conocido en Ecuador

EL CARACARA MONTAÑERO Phalcoboenus megalopterus (FALCONIFORMES: FALCONIDAE), REGISTRO DE UNA NUEVA LOCALIDAD AL OCCIDENTE DE LA PROVINCIA DEL AZUAY

In Ecuador, the Mountain Caracara Phalcoboenus megalopterusranges in the southernmost Andes. Records come mainly from the provinces of Loja and Zamora Chinchipe. However, there are a few visual records north of the known distributional limit, in the province of Azuay, all undocumented. We present the first photographic record for Azuay Province. In August 2018, we observed and photographed one adult at San Gerardo, canton Girón, western Andes of Azuay. This record represents a new, northernmost locality, and suggests that the species may be locally distributed north of its current known distribution.En Ecuador, el Caracara Montañero Phalcoboenus megalopterusse distribuye en los Andes del extremo sur. Los registros mayoritariamente se concentran en las provincias de Loja y Zamora Chinchipe. Sin embargo, al norte del límite conocido, en la provincia de Azuay, los registros de P. megalopterusson escasos y sin documentación. En esta nota se presenta el primer registro fotográfico en la provincia de Azuay. Un individuo adulto fue observado en agosto de 2018 en San Gerardo, cantón Girón, en los Andes occidentales de la provincia. Este registro representa una nueva localidad, las más septentrional, y sugiere que la especie podría distribuirse localmente hacia el norte del límite de su distribución conocido en Ecuador

Nuevo registro de Promops centralis (Chiroptera: Molossidae) en el suroriente del Ecuador

New record of Promops centralis  (Chiroptera:Molossidae) in south-eastern Ecuador Abstract: Promops centralis (Chiroptera: Molossidae) is reported for the first time in south-eastern Ecuador, province of Morona Santiago. In 1998, an adult female was collected at Limón-Indanza. The specimen was donated to the mastozoology collection of the Museo de Zoología, Universidad del Azuay (MZUA) in 2016. The specimen was collected in secondary low montane forest on the eastearn subtropical zoogeographic region. This record is a new locality for P. centralis, extending the species known distribution in Ecuador and providing its highest elevation record. Keywords. Amazonia, bat, distribution, elevation, montane forest, Morona-Santiago, new locality. Resumen: Promops centralis (Chiroptera:Molossidae) es reportado por primera vez en el suroriente del Ecuador, provincia de Morona Santiago. En 1998, una hembra adulta fue colectada en la localidad de Limón-Indanza. El espécimen fue donado a la colección de mastozoología del Museo de Zoología de la Universidad del Azuay (MZUA) en 2016. El espécimen fue colectado en bosque montano bajo secundario en el piso zoogeográfico subtropical oriental. Este registro es una nueva localidad para P. centralis, que extiende la distribución conocida de la especie en Ecuador y provee la localidad de mayor elevación. Palabras Clave. Amazonía, bosque montano, distribución, altitud, murciélago, Morona-Santiago, nueva localidad

Network structure of avian mixed-species flocks decays with elevation and latitude across the Andes.

Birds in mixed-species flocks benefit from greater foraging efficiency and reduced predation, but also face costs related to competition and activity matching. Because this cost-benefit trade-off is context-dependent (e.g. abiotic conditions and habitat quality), the structure of flocks is expected to vary along elevational, latitudinal and disturbance gradients. Specifically, we predicted that the connectivity and cohesion of flocking networks would (i) decline towards tropical latitudes and lower elevations, where competition and activity matching costs are higher, and (ii) increase with lower forest cover and greater human disturbance. We analysed the structure of 84 flock networks across the Andes and assessed the effect of elevation, latitude, forest cover and human disturbance on network characteristics. We found that Andean flocks are overall open-membership systems (unstructured), though the extent of network structure varied across gradients. Elevation was the main predictor of structure, with more connected and less modular flocks upslope. As expected, flocks in areas with higher forest cover were less cohesive, with better defined flock subtypes. Flocks also varied across latitude and disturbance gradients as predicted, but effect sizes were small. Our findings indicate that the unstructured nature of Andean flocks might arise as a strategy to cope with harsh environmental conditions. This article is part of the theme issue 'Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes'

A New Terrestrial Frog (Anura: Craugastoridae) From The Montane Cloud Forests Of The Southeastern Ecuadorian Andes

We describe a new species of Pristimantis from the Tinajillas-Rio Gualaceño Ecological Conservation Area, Morona Santiago province, an area of montane forest in the southeastern Andes of Ecuador. Pristimantis nimbus sp. nov. is similar to P. altamazonicus, P. ardyae, P. bambu, P. bellator, P. caeruleonotus, P. cethospilus, P. churuwiai, P. croceoinguinis, P. cryptomelas, P. diadematus, P. flavobracatus, P. gualacenio, P. nigrogriseus, P. ventrimarmoratus, and P. versicolor from which it can be distinguished by the presence of flash marks on flanks, groin, and arm insertion composed of bright-yellow oval spots and blotches surrounded by dark brown to black, forming a reticulated pattern, by having slightly enlarged toe pads, a finely shagreen dorsum lacking dorsal folds, and males having nuptial pads but lacking vocal slits. Pristimantis nimbus sp. nov. is only known from the type locality, at elevations between 2200-2400 masl. All individuals of the new species were found at night, perching on leaves and branches between 80 cm to 150 cm above the ground. The analysis of stomach contents rendered a total of 17 prey items of different unidentified species in five orders (Aranae, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera). Other species found in the area are Pristimantis aff. altamnis, P. galdi, P. proserpens, P. tinajillas, P. versicolor, Rhinella margaritifera, Noblella sp. and three unidentified species of Pristimantis

Using surrogate species and MaxEnt modeling to prioritize areas for conservation of a páramo bird community in a tropical high Andean biosphere reserve

ABSTRACTThe páramo grassland ecosystem in the high Andes requires definition of spatially explicit and large-scale priorities for bird conservation, especially for lands outside of protected areas. Using surrogate species such as habitat specialists (e.g., páramo specialists), endemic species, or threatened species to identify potential habitat can support conservation decisions. We used MaxEnt to generate habitat suitability models for eighteen surrogate bird species in a high Andean biosphere reserve, the Macizo del Cajas (MCB). The areas of estimated suitable habitat range from 115,500 to 312,700 ha; the proportion predicted inside the national system of protected areas of MCB ranged from 12 to 29 percent. The consolidated map (i.e., the coincidence of predicted pixels for all eighteen surrogate bird species) predicted an area of 94,800 ha, with 70 percent outside the national system of protected areas. The models reveal that there are large suitable areas of MCB potentially occupied by these species outside of protected areas, especially along the eastern flank of the study area. MaxEnt models as a proxy facilitate the recognition of locations of possible habitat suitability for páramo-specialized birds and therefore identify areas of the MCB outside of the protected areas that should be considered for more formal protection

Survival estimates of bird species across altered habitats in the tropical Andes

The probability of long-term persistence of a population is strongly determined by adult survival rates, but estimates of survival are currently lacking for most species of birds in the tropical Andes, a global biodiversity hotspot. We calculated apparent survival rates of birds in the Ecuadorian tropical Andes using a moderately long-term (11 yr) capture–recapture dataset from three habitats that varied in how much they had been modified by human activities (native forest, introduced forest, and shrubs). We fit mark–recapture models for 28 species with habitat as a covariable. For all species, recapture rates between sampling sessions were low and varied from 0.04 for Rainbow Starfrontlets (Coeligena iris) to 0.41 for Stripe-headed Brushfinches (Arremon assimilis) when averaged across all occupied habitats. Annual survival rates varied from 0.07 for Black-crested Warblers (Margarornis squamiger) to 0.75 for Violet-throated Metaltails (Metallura baroni). We found no significant differences in survival rates either among habitats or species grouped by habitat specialization. Because we found similar survival rates in native forest and human-modified habitats, our results support those of recent studies concerning the potential value of secondary habitats for the conservation of some species of birds in the tropics. However, our conclusions are tempered by the uncertainty around the estimates of survival rates. Despite the relatively long-term nature of our study, obtaining survival estimates for bird species in this region was challenging, and either more years of study or modification of field protocols may be needed to obtain more precise survival estimates.</p