Efectos de luz, temperatura, salinidad y GA3 en la germinación de semillas de Pumamaqui (Oreopanax spp)

Pumamaqui (Oreopanax sp) is a tree species that inhabits the montane forest of the Andes (a threatened ecosystem) and also possesses a low in vivo percentage of germination. In addition to the necessity to protect this threatened species, Pumamaqui is also important to reforest sloped areas. This study tried to assess different parameters that affect Pumamaqui´s seed germination under in vitro conditions. Seeds were inoculated under sterile conditions in the Murishage & Skoog (MS) culture media, under different environmental conditions: two salt concentrations (MS and half its concentration), two temperatures (4°C, 23°C), two light treatments (absence and presence) and two gibberellin concentrations (1.5μM, 3.0μM).El Pumamaqui (Oreopanax sp) crece en el bosque alto andino (ecosistema amenazado por el hombre) y posee un bajo porcentaje de germinación in vivo. Además de la necesidad de proteger a esta especie, el Pumamaqui es importante para la reforestación de laderas. En este estudio se intentaron evaluar distintos parámetros que afectan la germinación de semillas de Pumamaqui mediante técnicas in vitro. Las semillas se sembraron bajo asepsia total en el medio de Murishage y Skoog (MS) con Agar, en diferentes condiciones: dos concentraciones de sales (concentración del medio MS, y la mitad de su concentración), dos temperaturas (4°C, 23°C), dos tratamientos de luz (ausencia y presencia) y dos concentraciones de giberelinas (1.5μM, 3.0μM)

A new andean species of leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylidae: Phyllodactylus) from Ecuador

We describe a new species of Phyllodactylus from a xerophytic forest in the Andes of southern Ecuador. The new species differs from other mainland species of Phyllodactylus from South America by the combination of the following characters: preanal scales similar in size to other ventral scales, well-defined longitudinal rows of tubercles dorsally, a medial longitudinal row of enlarged caudal scales ventrally, tubercles on dorsal surface of tibia present, enlarged postanal scale absent, tubercles on dorsal surface of forearm absent, interorbital scales homogeneous in size, enlarged scales on proximal one-fourth of tail absent, gular scales granular, and maximum snout-vent length of 55 mm. Even though morphological similarity suggests a close relationship between the new species and Phyllodactylus reissii, phylogenetic analyses of 10 nuclear and mitochondrial genes contradict this hypothesis. We also report the first records of Phyllodactylus kofordi for Ecuador. © 2013 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles

A New Andean Species of Leaf-toed Gecko (Phyllodactylidae: Phyllodactylus

We describe a new species of Phyllodactylus from a xerophytic forest in the Andes of southern Ecuador. The new species differs from other mainland species of Phyllodactylus from South America by the combination of the following characters: preanal scales similar in size to other ventral scales, well-defined longitudinal rows of tubercles dorsally, a medial longitudinal row of enlarged caudal scales ventrally, tubercles on dorsal surface of tibia present, enlarged postanal scale absent, tubercles on dorsal surface of forearm absent, interorbital scales homogeneous in size, enlarged scales on proximal one-fourth of tail absent, gular scales granular, and maximum snout-vent length of 55 mm. Even though morphological similarity suggests a close relationship between the new species and Phyllodactylus reissii, phylogenetic analyses of 10 nuclear and mitochondrial genes contradict this hypothesis. We also report the first records of Phyllodactylus kofordi for Ecuador. © 2013 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles