Phylogenetic analysis of the Camaenidae (Mollusca: Stylommatophora) with special emphasis on the american taxa

The monophyly of the land snail family Camaenidae has been in doubt due to a disjunct bihemispheric distributional pattern and to the lack of morphological synapomorphies. A cladistic analysis is presented using an ingroup composed of representatives of the three subfamilies distributed in Australia and 52 other species with American distribution. Bradybaenidae, Helicidae and Helminthoglyptidae were used as outgroups. Fifty morphological characters were treated as unordered and analysed using Pee-Wee ver. 2.9, a program for parsimony analysis using implied weights. The results of the analysis support Camaenidae as a monophyletic family (synapomorphies: oval genital orifice, absence of penial sheath). Two of the three Australasian subfamilies, Sinumeloninae and Camaeninae, are monophyletic in the strict consensus tree. The American taxa are classified in eight genera and arranged into two main clades. Caracolus is proposed as the sister group of the American Continental Camaenidae. The genus Solaropsis, previously excluded from this family by different authors, is reassigned to Camaenidae. Shell characters proved to be phylogenetically informative in defining Pleurodonte, Caracolus, Solaropsis, Isomeria and Labyrinthus.Fil: Cuezzo, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentin

First record of occurrence of Epiphragmophora estella (d’Orbigny, 1837) (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Stylommatophora) in Argentina

This is the first record of Epiphragmophora estella in Argentina, a species traditionally of Bolivian distribution. Specimens were found during several field trips conducted in the northern patch of the Southern Andean Yungas forest of Salta. Morphometrics and qualitative shell characters are described in order to validate the taxonomic identification. Current species distribution is also reported.Fil: Cuezzo, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. Facultad de Cs.naturales E Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentin

From morphology to molecules: A combined source approach to untangle the taxonomy of Clessinia (Gastropoda, Odontostomidae), endemic land snails from the Dry Chaco ecoregion

Background: Land gastropods of the Dry Chaco merit special attention because they comprise a highly diverse but barely studied group. Clessinia Doering, 1875 are typical inhabitants of this ecoregion. The inclusion of their distribution areas into Spixia range, their shell shape similarities, and a former molecular study raised doubts on the monophyly of this genus. The present study review the species of Clessinia, under a morphological, geometric morphometrics, and molecular combined approach. Methods: Adults were collected, photographed, measured, and dissected for anatomical studies. Shell ultrastructure was studied with scanning electron microscope. Geometric morphometric analyses on shells were performed testing if they gave complementary information to anatomy. Two mitochondrial genes, and a nuclear region were studied. Phylogenetic reconstructions to explore the relationships of DNA sequences here obtained to those of Clessinia and Spixia species from GenBank were performed. Results: Species description on shell, periostracal ornamentation and anatomy is provided. We raised former Clessinia cordovana striata to species rank, naming it as Clessinia tulumbensis sp. nov. The periostracum, consisting of hairs and lamellae, has taxonomic importance for species identification. Shell morphometric analyses, inner sculpture of penis and proportion of the epiphallus and penis, were useful tools to species identification. Nuclear markers do not exhibit enough genetic variation to determine species relationships. Based on the mitochondrial markers, genetic distances among Clessinia species were greater than 10%, and while C. cordovana, C. nattkemperi, and C. pagoda were recognized as distinct evolutionary genetic species, the distinction between C. stelzneri and C. tulumbensis sp. nov. was not evident. Clessinia and Spixia were paraphyletic in the molecular phylogenetic analyses. Species of Clessinia here treated have narrow distributional areas and are endemic to the Chaco Serrano subecoregion, restricted to small patches within the Dry Chaco. Clessinia and Spixia are synonymous, and the valid name of the taxon should be Clessinia Doering, 1875 which has priority over Spixia Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1894. Discussion: Our results support the composition of C. cordovana complex by three species, C. cordovana, C. stelzneri, and C. tulumbensis sp. nov. The low genetic divergence between C. stelzneri and C. tulumbensis sp. nov. suggests that they have evolved relatively recently. The former Spixia and Clessinia are externally distinguished because Clessinia has a detached aperture from the body whorl forming a cornet, periostracal microsculpture extended over dorsal portion of the peristome, five inner teeth on the shell aperture instead of three–four found in Spixia. Morphological similarities exists between both genera in shell shape, type of periostracum microsculpture, reproductive anatomy, besides the overlap in geographic ranges.Fil: Cuezzo, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; ArgentinaFil: Miranda, Maria Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; ArgentinaFil: Vogler, Roberto Eugenio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; ArgentinaFil: Beltramino, Ariel Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; Argentin

Identifying priority areas for invertebrate conservation using land snails as models

Mollusca is a megadiverse phylum with an estimated number of 70,000–76,000 described species which can inhabit a wide variety of environments. Among them, land snails are a main component of terrestrial ecosystems and they play a pivotal role in ecosystem functioning. They are suffering habitat loss, overexploitation and competition from introduced species, but are regarded as a “non-charismatic” group for conservation purposes. Orthalicoidea is a dominant faunal element in the Neotropics and in Argentina includes 104 species that inhabit a variety of environments. Their abundance, diversity, comprehensive taxonomy and widespread representation in different ecoregions makes this molluscan group an excellent model for biodiversity assessments. The database used here consisted of 985 unique geographic records of 104 species. Species distribution models were generated using the Maximum Entropy method and Zonation v 3.1 was used to evaluate the proposed conservation goals. Three analyses including species distributions, the current protected areas system (PAs) and the Human print layer were carried out. This allowed the identification of priority areas for conservation, the percentage of the species distribution under PAs and analysis of the potential impacts under current land use and in the priority areas detected above. Sixty-one species were modeled, and 59 of them were included in the priority area selection process due to their high area under curve (AUC) scores. Five high priority areas located in the different ecoregions, were identified: 1-dry Chaco, 2-humid Pampas, 3-Southern Andean Yungas, 4-Alto Paraná Atlantic Forests and 5-high Monte. A small percentage of the average distribution range of Orthalicoidean species (3%) was within the current protected areas. Highest-ranked priority areas for land snails are outside the current protected areas system. When human impact is considered, the priority areas are reduced in size and appear as small patches. However, highest priority areas for conservation continue being those detected in the above analyses. Most of the areas detected are used for economic purposes, creating conflicts of interest between the development of human activities and conservation. This study represents one of the first attempts to identify ecoregion level priority areas for a terrestrial invertebrate group. Further analyses, including new predictors and other molluscan taxa, would improve planning the conservation of poorly known invertebrate groups.Fil: Ovando, Ximena Maria Constanza. Universidade do Estado de Rio do Janeiro; BrasilFil: Miranda, Maria Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; ArgentinaFil: Loyola, Rafael. Universidade Federal de Goiás; BrasilFil: Cuezzo, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentin

Solaropsis brasiliana, anatomy, range extension and its phylogenetic position within pleurodontidae (Mollusca, gastropoda, stylommatophora)

A detailed anatomical revision on Solaropsis brasiliana (Deshayes 1832) has been carried out. New characters on shell, anatomy of soft parts, and a review of the genus distribution in South America, as well as clarification on S. brasiliana distributional area are provided in the present study. Solaropsis brasiliana is diagnosed by its globose, solid, and hirsute shell, with periphery obsoletely angular, bursa copulatrix with a thick, long diverticulum, a thick, long flagellum and a penis retractor muscle forked, with the vas deferens passing through it. This compiled information was used to test the phylogenetic position of S. brasiliana within South American Pleurodontidae through a cladistics analysis. In the phylogenetic hypothesis obtained, S. brasiliana is sister group of S. gibboni (Pfeiffer 1846) and the monophyly of the genus Solaropsis Beck is also supported. Here, we sustain that the distribution of S. brasiliana is restricted to Brazil, inhabiting the States of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Bahia and Minas Gerais.Fil: Cuezzo, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; ArgentinaFil: De Lima, Augusto P.. Universidade do Estado de Rio do Janeiro; BrasilFil: Barbosa Santos, Sonia B.. Universidade do Estado de Rio do Janeiro; Brasi

Estudio de moluscos Lymnaeidae, vectores de fasciolosis, en comunidades de altura en la Provincia de Catamarca

Fasciola hepatica (Linnaeus 1758) es el tremátodo causante de fasciolosis. Esta parasitosis existe en casi todo el país, afectando a distintos ganados que pastan en áreas contaminadas y el hombre, al consumir alimentos contaminados con metacercarias (Carnevale et al., 2015). Los gasterópodos dulceacuícolas Lymnaeidae, del género Galba (Schrank, 1803) tienen una marcada especificidad en la transmisión de fasciolosis. Estas especies tienen características ecológicas y etológicas diferentes entre sí, por lo que identificar el tipo de hábitat preferido, la dinámica de la población, umbrales de temperatura o la susceptibilidad a la infección del trematodo es crucial para el conocimiento de la dinámica de fasciolosis. Los lymneidos tienen un rol importante en la diferenciación de los diversos escenarios epidemiológicos y el diseño de estrategias de control.Fil: Tomassi, Carla Antonella. Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Facultad de Cs.exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología. Cátedra Diversidad Animal I; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; ArgentinaFil: Carnevale, Silvana. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina. Administracion Nacional de Laboratorios E Institutos de Salud "dr. Carlos G. Malbran". Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia. Departamento de Investigacion.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cuezzo, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentin

Aplicación de indicadores biológicos en el Noroeste Argentino: el caso de la cuenca Salí-Dulce

El Noroeste Argentino (NOA), incluye las provincias de Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Catamarca y La Rioja y representa el 20% de la superficie de la Argentina. En el NOA se identifican 24 cuencas principales agrupadas en cinco Sistemas Hidrográficos extendidos en 11 ecorregiones, desde los Andes por arriba de los 4.000 msnm a la llanura chaqueña por debajo de los 500 msnm. La primera aplicación de índices bióticos acuáticos del NOA data de los noventa, en algunos afluentes de la cuenca Salí-Dulce. Por su nivel de contaminación y por ser una cuenca endorreica del sistema Mar Chiquita con una elevada densidad poblacional, esta cuenca ha merecido una atención especial y se expone aquí su historia como un caso particular. Los diagnósticos sobre calidad de agua en cuerpos lóticos se basan principalmente en macroinvertebrados bentónicos mientras que en ecosistemas lénticos se usó plancton, bacterias coliformes y peces, y menos frecuentemente aves y vegetación de ribera.The NOA (Northwestern Argentina) region includes the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Catamarca and La Rioja and represents approximately 20% of Argentina. In the NOA can be identified 24 main basins grouped in five Hydrographic systems, extending across 11 ecoregions, from the Andes above 4.000 m.a.s.l. to the Chaco and plains below 500 m.a.s.l. The first application of a freshwater biotic index is from the 1990s, in some tributaries of the Salí-Dulce basin, due to its level of pollution and because it is an endorheic basin of the Mar Chiquita system with a high population density. This basin has deserved special attention and its history is presented here as a particular study case. In the NOA, water quality diagnoses in lotic bodies are based mainly on benthic macroinvertebrates, whereas in lentic ecosystems, plankton, coliform bacteria and fish were used, and less frequently birds and riparian vegetation.Fil: Dominguez, Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; ArgentinaFil: Romero, Fátima. Fundación Miguel Lillo. Dirección de Zoología; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Hugo Rafael. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; ArgentinaFil: Cuezzo, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentin

an individual participant data meta-analysis

Background The impact of neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) on influenza-related pneumonia (IRP) is not established. Our objective was to investigate the association between NAI treatment and IRP incidence and outcomes in patients hospitalised with A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection. Methods A worldwide meta- analysis of individual participant data from 20 634 hospitalised patients with laboratory-confirmed A(H1N1)pdm09 (n = 20 021) or clinically diagnosed (n = 613) ‘pandemic influenza’. The primary outcome was radiologically confirmed IRP. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using generalised linear mixed modelling, adjusting for NAI treatment propensity, antibiotics and corticosteroids. Results Of 20 634 included participants, 5978 (29·0%) had IRP; conversely, 3349 (16·2%) had confirmed the absence of radiographic pneumonia (the comparator). Early NAI treatment (within 2 days of symptom onset) versus no NAI was not significantly associated with IRP [adj. OR 0·83 (95% CI 0·64–1·06; P = 0·136)]. Among the 5978 patients with IRP, early NAI treatment versus none did not impact on mortality [adj. OR = 0·72 (0·44–1·17; P = 0·180)] or likelihood of requiring ventilatory support [adj. OR = 1·17 (0·71–1·92; P = 0·537)], but early treatment versus later significantly reduced mortality [adj. OR = 0·70 (0·55–0·88; P = 0·003)] and likelihood of requiring ventilatory support [adj. OR = 0·68 (0·54–0·85; P = 0·001)]. Conclusions Early NAI treatment of patients hospitalised with A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection versus no treatment did not reduce the likelihood of IRP. However, in patients who developed IRP, early NAI treatment versus later reduced the likelihood of mortality and needing ventilatory support

Impact of neuraminidase inhibitors on influenza A(H1N1)pdm09‐related pneumonia: an individual participant data meta‐analysis

BACKGROUND: The impact of neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) on influenza‐related pneumonia (IRP) is not established. Our objective was to investigate the association between NAI treatment and IRP incidence and outcomes in patients hospitalised with A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection. METHODS: A worldwide meta‐analysis of individual participant data from 20 634 hospitalised patients with laboratory‐confirmed A(H1N1)pdm09 (n = 20 021) or clinically diagnosed (n = 613) ‘pandemic influenza’. The primary outcome was radiologically confirmed IRP. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using generalised linear mixed modelling, adjusting for NAI treatment propensity, antibiotics and corticosteroids. RESULTS: Of 20 634 included participants, 5978 (29·0%) had IRP; conversely, 3349 (16·2%) had confirmed the absence of radiographic pneumonia (the comparator). Early NAI treatment (within 2 days of symptom onset) versus no NAI was not significantly associated with IRP [adj. OR 0·83 (95% CI 0·64–1·06; P = 0·136)]. Among the 5978 patients with IRP, early NAI treatment versus none did not impact on mortality [adj. OR = 0·72 (0·44–1·17; P = 0·180)] or likelihood of requiring ventilatory support [adj. OR = 1·17 (0·71–1·92; P = 0·537)], but early treatment versus later significantly reduced mortality [adj. OR = 0·70 (0·55–0·88; P = 0·003)] and likelihood of requiring ventilatory support [adj. OR = 0·68 (0·54–0·85; P = 0·001)]. CONCLUSIONS: Early NAI treatment of patients hospitalised with A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection versus no treatment did not reduce the likelihood of IRP. However, in patients who developed IRP, early NAI treatment versus later reduced the likelihood of mortality and needing ventilatory support

Systematic revision and cladistic analysis of Epiphragmophora Doering from Argentina and southern Bolivia (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora: Xanthonychidae)

As a first step towards a comprehensive revision of the South American genus Epiphragmophora Doering 1874, taxa described from Argentina and Bolivia, inhabitants of the rainforest Yungas (Amazonian biogeographic subregion) Monte, Pre-Puna biogeographic provinces and Chacoan biogeographic subregion are studied. Special attention has been paid to the morphology of the terminal genitalia with respect to its relevance for systematics. The revision is based on the examination of nearly all type material, plus extensive field work and examination of additional material deposited in several Museums. Shell, pallial system and genitalia of each species have been described and illustrated, some of them for the first time. Detailed description on the structure and connections of the dart sac apparatus and associated mucous glands in the terminal genitalia in each species is provided. A total of twenty-four species plus three new ones for the science are described from the region. From the total number of species, the anatomy of seven species of them is described for the first time. Six unambiguous synapomorphies support the monophyly of the genus: body whorl surface malleated with diagonal ribs (character # 1 [2]), umbilicus overlapped but not solded to body whorl (character # 2 [1]), peristome thick, wide reflexed (character # 4[1]), mucous glands unequal in size and shape (character # 15 [1]), insertion of mucous glands ducts in middle portion of dart sac (character # 17 [1]), penial retractor muscle inserting in medial epiphallus (character # 23 [1]). Most of the synapomorphies of the generated phylogenetic hypothesis are characters from the genitalia, shell characters proved to be less informative. The short duct of the bursa copulatrix, a character that traditionally had been used to define the genus is characteristic only of a small group of species.  The distribution of the Argentinean species studied is illustrated on maps according to the biogeographic areas. An area cladogram based on the cladistic analysis is presented. According to this hypothesis the species inhabitants of the Yungas biogeographic province are basal groups of the remaining species inhabitants of the Chacoan, Monte and Pre-puna regions. The Monte and Pre-puna species conform a monophyletic clade. The biogeographic relationships are in agreement to former studies on Latin-American entomofauna (Morrone, 2006).Fil: Cuezzo, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentin