Lowlands Of Colombia Research Articles

Bovine Tuberculosis Testing in Colombia: Comparative Histopathological, Microbiological, and Molecular Biology Findings

Introduction: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic infectious disease present in Colombia, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, and causes tuberculosis in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis through the intradermal test is difficult; evaluating and understanding the behavior of other diagnostic tests is necessary.
 Objective: To describe the behavior and results of different diagnostic methods for bovine tuberculosis in water buffalo positive for the Purifed Proteic Derivate (DPP) intradermal test.
 Methodology: In water buffaloes positive for comparative cervical tuberculin test, different diagnostic methods were applied, described, and compared: Ziehl-Neelsen staining, microbiological culture, histopathological analysis, and PCR-HRM.
 Results: Histopathological tests showed that 26 water buffalo positive for DPP (52%) had histological lesions compatible with bovine tuberculosis. 37% of the evaluated samples from tuberculin-positive Buffalo's lungs and secondary lymph nodes showed acid-alcohol-resistant bacillus with Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Four samples of Mycobacterium bovis from tuberculin-positive buffalo were isolated and identified, with two of these isolates confirmed from tissues with PCR-HRM, and three buffalo with microbiological isolates presented granulomatous lesions through histological analysis. Seventeen tuberculin-positive buffalo (34%) tested positive for real-time PCR HRM, and nine of these buffalo did not have histological lesions compatible with bTB and were confirmed with the molecular test.
 Conclusion: Our results provide positive evidence of histological findings, microbiological isolation, and molecular diagnosis of tuberculin-positive water buffalo in the lowlands of Colombia. None of the complementary tests performed showed 100% concordance with the comparative cervical tuberculin test results for bTB.

Filling distribution gaps: new records of the Brazilian Porcupine, Coendou prehensilis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mammalia, Rodentia), in 10 departments of Colombia

The Brazilian Porcupine, Coendou prehensilis (Linnaeus, 1758), is the most widespread species of Coendou Lacépède, 1799 in South America, but little is known on its natural history, ecology and distribution. In Colombia, it has been reported in the lowlands and inter-Andean valleys of 18 continental departments, but there are still gaps on its distribution, natural history and ecology. We present new distribution records and add information of the presence of C. prehensilis in 10 additional departments of Colombia located at the Amazonia, Orinoco, Peri-Caribbean Arid Belt, and North Andean Biogeographic provinces. We suggest that C. prehensilis is the most widespread species in the lowlands of Colombia, although it does not occur in the Biogeographic Chocó and in the inter-Andean medium and high valleys of the Cauca and Magdalena rivers.

The effect of captivity on the skin microbial symbionts in three Atelopus species from the lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador.

Many amphibian species are at risk of extinction in their natural habitats due to the presence of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). For the most highly endangered species, captive assurance colonies have been established as an emergency measure to avoid extinction. Experimental research has suggested that symbiotic microorganisms in the skin of amphibians play a key role against Bd. While previous studies have addressed the effects of captivity on the cutaneous bacterial community, it remains poorly studied whether and how captive conditions affect the proportion of beneficial bacteria or their anti-Bd performance on amphibian hosts. In this study we sampled three amphibian species of the highly threatened genus, Atelopus, that remain in the wild but are also part of ex situ breeding programs in Colombia and Ecuador. Our goals were to (1) estimate the diversity of culturable bacterial assemblages in these three species of Atelopus, (2) describe the effect of captivity on the composition of skin microbiota, and (3) examine how captivity affects the bacterial ability to inhibit Bd growth. Using challenge assays we tested each bacterial isolate against Bd, and through sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we identified species from thirteen genera of bacteria that inhibited Bd growth. Surprisingly, we did not detect a reduction in skin bacteria diversity in captive frogs. Moreover, we found that frogs in captivity still harbor bacteria with anti-Bd activity. Although the scope of our study is limited to a few species and to the culturable portion of the bacterial community, our results indicate that captive programs do not necessarily change bacterial communities of the toad skins in a way that impedes the control of Bd in case of an eventual reintroduction.

The Morrosquillo Assemblage Revealed: Provenance and Context of a Refined Group of Ground-edge Stone Tools from the Caribbean Lowlands of Colombia

ABSTRACTPolished ground-edge stone tools exhibiting a wide range of shapes, sizes, and lithologies as well as aesthetic sophistication and exceptional quality occur in large numbers throughout the Caribbean lowlands of Colombia and beyond. The wealth of polished tools suggests an advanced and large-scale lithic industry. This paper provides context for a collection of over 300 tools collected as surface finds in an area centered on the Gulf of Morrosquillo on the central lowlands, and it is thus dubbed the Morrosquillo assemblage. Using a combination of geologic and archaeological evidence, these tools are traced to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the enclave of the Taironas for 1000 years, where the abundance of high-quality raw materials enabled the development of an impressive lithic industry. Thorough examination of the stone tools revealed that they were mostly utilitarian objects used in a variety of tasks; however, the large numbers of polished tools suggest that the tool makers were as concerned with aesthetic appearance as with utilitarian purposes, and some of the tools were apparently symbols of status. The presence of tools that appear to have been deliberately broken suggest that they probably were used in rituals or offering ceremonies.

An optical luminescence chronology for late Pleistocene aeolian activity in the Colombian and Venezuelan Llanos

The lowland savannas (Llanos) of Colombia and Venezuela are covered by extensive aeolian landforms for which little chronological information exists. We present the first optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) age constraints for dunes in the Llanos Orientales of lowland Colombia and new ages for dunes in the Venezuelan Llanos. The sampled dunes are fully vegetated and show evidence of post-depositional erosion. Ages range from 4.5±0.4 to 66±4ka, with the majority dating to 27–10ka (Marine Isotope Stage 2). Some dunes accumulated quickly during the last glacial maximum, although most were active 16–10ka. Accretion largely ceased after 10ka. All dunes are elongated downwind from rivers, parallel with dry season winds, and are interpreted as source-bordering features. As they are presently isolated from fluvial sediments by gallery forest it is proposed that activity was associated with a more prolonged dry season, which restricted gallery forest, leading to greater sediment availability on river shorelines. Such variability in dry season duration was potentially mediated by the mean latitude of the ITCZ. The cessation of most dune accretion after ca. 10ka suggests reduced seasonality and a more northerly ITCZ position, consistent with evidence from the Cariaco Basin.

A review of Holocene rainforest ecotonal dynamics at opposite ends of the Amazon – Bolivia <i>versus</i> Colombia

In this review paper, the aim is to compare and contrast fossil pollen evidence for Holocene rainforest ecotonal dynamics at opposite ends of the Amazon basin – the southern ecotone in NE lowland Bolivia versus the northern ecotone in lowland Colombia. During the Holocene, tropical South America experienced major changes in precipitation (Silva Dias et al. 2009). Consideration of Amazonian rainforest dynamics over this time-frame may therefore provide important insights into rainforest responsiveness to climate change.

Amphibia, Anura, Centrolenidae, Espadarana callistomma (Guayasamin and Trueb, 2007): first country records from Colombia

The glassfrogs diversity in the Chocoan tropical rain forest in Colombia is far from being thoroughly documented. We report here, the first record of Espadarana callistomma for the lowlands of Colombia. Further work in this region can yield results of interest to clarify the phylogenetic relationships of this group.

The taxonomic status of some spiny-backed treefrogs, genus Osteocephalus (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae)

A reassessment of some Amazonian spiny-backed treefrogs (Osteocephalus) either considered to be junior synonyms or not associated yet with Osteocephalus reveals that O. cabrerai (Cochran and Goin, 1970) from lowland Colombia and Peru is distinct from a frog previously used to revalidate the species, that O. festae (Peracca, 1904) is a valid species from the foothills of the Andes in Ecuador, and that Hyla inframaculata Boulenger, 1882, from the lower Amazon in Brazil, is a member of this genus. The oldest available name for O. elkejungingerae (Henle, 1981) from the Andean foothills in Peru is O. mimeticus (Melin, 1941). Another Melin (1941) species, Hyla vilarsi from the Rio Negro watershed in Brazil, is also an Osteocephalus revalidated from the synonymies of several other frogs.

Pollen-based biome reconstructions for Latin America at 0, 6000 and 18 000 radiocarbon years ago

Abstract. The biomisation method is used to reconstruct Latin American vegetation at 6000±500 and 18 000±1000 radiocarbon years before present (14C yr BP) from pollen data. Tests using modern pollen data from 381 samples derived from 287 locations broadly reproduce potential natural vegetation. The strong temperature gradient associated with the Andes is recorded by a transition from high altitude cool grass/shrubland and cool mixed forest to mid-altitude cool temperate rain forest, to tropical dry, seasonal and rain forest at low altitudes. Reconstructed biomes from a number of sites do not match the potential vegetation due to local factors such as human impact, methodological artefacts and mechanisms of pollen representivity of the parent vegetation. At 6000±500 14C yr BP 255 samples are analysed from 127 sites. Differences between the modern and the 6000±500 14C yr BP reconstruction are comparatively small; change relative to the modern reconstruction are mainly to biomes characteristic of drier climate in the north of the region with a slight more mesic shift in the south. Cool temperate rain forest remains dominant in western South America. In northwestern South America a number of sites record transitions from tropical seasonal forest to tropical dry forest and tropical rain forest to tropical seasonal forest. Sites in Central America show a change in biome assignment, but to more mesic vegetation, indicative of greater plant available moisture, e.g. on the Yucatán peninsula sites record warm evergreen forest, replacing tropical dry forest and warm mixed forest presently recorded. At 18 000±1000 14C yr BP 61 samples from 34 sites record vegetation reflecting a generally cool and dry environment. Cool grass/shrubland is prevalent in southeast Brazil whereas Amazonian sites record tropical dry forest, warm temperate rain forest and tropical seasonal forest. Southernmost South America is dominated by cool grass/shrubland, a single site retains cool temperate rain forest indicating that forest was present at some locations at the LGM. Some sites in Central Mexico and lowland Colombia remain unchanged in the biome assignments of warm mixed forest and tropical dry forest respectively, although the affinities that these sites have to different biomes do change between 18 000±1000 14C yr BP and present. The "unresponsive" nature of these sites results from their location and the impact of local edaphic influence.

Anomaloglossus confusus, a New Ecuadorian Frog Formerly Masquerading as “Colostethus” chocoensis (Dendrobatoidea: Aromobatidae)

Anomaloglossus confusus, new species, is a small (21–26 mm SVL) riparian frog from the Pacific versant of the Andes in northwestern Ecuador. It inhabits rocky forest streams in an elevational range of about 600–1540 m. It is the only known Anomaloglossus in Ecuador, where it can be distinguished from all other dendrobatoids by the generic synapomorphy of a median lingual process. The only other named trans-Andean species of Anomaloglossus are the western Colombian A. atopoglossus and A. lacrimosus. Anomaloglossus confusus was previously confused with ‘‘Hylixalus’’ or ‘‘Colostethus’’ chocoensis (currently in Hyloxalus), a rare species described by Boulenger on the basis of a subadult female from Pacific lowland Colombia. The first adult specimen of Hyloxalus chocoensis, an adult male, is described. The generic name Hylixalus is not ‘‘an incorrect subsequent spelling’’ as recently interpreted, but an emendation with its own authorship and date of publication (Boulenger, 1882); as such, it is a junior objective synonym of Hyloxalus and is an available name.

Colombian dry moist forest transitions in the Llanos Orientales—A comparison of model and pollen-based biome reconstructions

Colombian vegetation, at the ecological level of the biome, is reconstructed at six sites using pollen data assigned a priori to plant functional types and biomes. The chosen sites incorporate four savanna sites (Laguna Sardinas, Laguna Angel, El Piñal and Laguna Carimagua), a site on the transition between savanna and Amazon rainforest (Loma Linda) and a site within the Amazon rainforest (Pantano de Monica). The areal extent of tropical moist forest, tropical dry forest and steppe have been subject to significant change: differential responses of the vegetation to climatic shifts are related to changes in plant available moisture, duration of dry season and edaphic controls on the vegetation. The record from El Piñal shows that the present-day savanna vegetation, dominated by steppe (Poaceae) with little occurrence of woody savanna taxa (e.g. Curatella, Byrsonima), was present since the last glacial period of the northern hemisphere. Unfortunately, El Piñal is located on an edaphic savanna and is not particularly responsive to registering change. Most records cover the early Holocene; one site records the El Abra stadial (Younger Dryas equivalent), when forest expansion reflects more humid climatic conditions and higher plant available moisture. During the early and middle Holocene, the maximum expansion of steppe and tropical dry forest occurred, indicating that dry climatic conditions continued to around 4000 14C BP. The following period, from shortly before 4000 14C BP, is characterised by an increase in forest and gallery forests, reflecting a wetter period probably with a shorter annual dry season. Anthropogenic influence on the vegetation is recorded by all the records over the last millennial, particularly characterised by a reduction in forest cover and high amplitude changes in vegetation. Biome transitions from one type to another, and the environmental controls on this shift, are investigated by applying a vegetation model (BIOME-3). The model uses climatic data from six meteorological stations that, encompass a range of environments within lowland Colombia, which are similar to the pollen data. The signals of vegetation change can be translated to the main environmental controls of temperature and moisture to indicate the degree of change needed in these parameters to record the vegetation change depicted by the pollen data. Moisture balance is the dominant control on driving vegetation change whether under seasonal or annual control. The combined reconstruction from pollen data and model output of biome-scale vegetation dynamics for lowland Colombia allows an understanding of the environmental controls to be developed.

Philodendron pusillum (Araceae), a remarkable new species from Colombia

Goncalves, E. G. & Bogner, J.: Philodendron pusillum (Araceae), a remarkable new species from Colombia. – Willdenowia 34: 297-300. – ISSN 0511-9618; © 2004 BGBM Berlin-Dahlem. Philodendron pusillum from lowland Colombia, a small terrestrial herb inhabiting the forest floor, is described as a species new to science and compared with the similar P. humile from Brazil. It can be placed into P. subg. Philodendron but its sectional position is still uncertain.

A noteworthy new species of Tovomita (Clusiaceae) from Amazonian white sand forests of Peru and Colombia

Tovomita calophyllophylla, from white sand forests of the Amazonian lowlands of Colombia and Peru, is described. The species is unique by its leaves and petioles which somewhat resemble those of two other genera of Clusiaceae,Calophyllum andGarcinia.

Rubiacearum Americanarum Magna Hama Pars VI: New Species of and Morphological Notes on Psychotria subg. Psychotria (Psychotrieae) from Mesoamerica and Western South America

Eight new Neotropical species of Psychotria subg. Psychotria are described and illustrated here: P cerrocoloradensis of western Panama and P matagalpensis of northern Nicaragua have both previously been confused with P sylvivaga Standley and P chiriquina Standley; P cornejoi of western Ecuador has been previously confused with P trivialis Rusby; P jefensis of Costa Rica and Panama and P orosioides of Costa Rica have both been previously confused with P orosiana Standley; P. lorenciana of southern Mexico and Guatemala has been variously confused with P grandis Swartz, P. Jiava Oersted ex Standley, and P costivenia Grisebach; and P romolerouxiana of Amazonian Ecuador and Peru and P sacciformis of lowland Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru have both previously been confused with P borjensis Kunth. The interpretations of stipule morphology and the arrangement of the flowers on the higher-order inflorescence axes as taxonomically informative characters have varied among previous authors and are re-evaluated here.

HLA antigens (A,B,C and D) among two groups of Guahiboan speaking Indians in Colombia. “Results of expedicion humana”

The serological HLA types (A,B,C and D loci) were studied in the Sikuani and Guayabero, two Guahiboan speaking Indian groups inhabiting the eastern lowlands of Colombia. Besides restricted polymorphism, the results show significant differences only in two antigens, A2 and B35, suggesting genetic similarity among these tribes which belong to the same linguistic family. Genetic distances were calculated for comparison with other Colombian groups so far studied, showing the lowest distance between the two tribes under study. The Guayabero were closer to the urban population of Bogota, which suggests that the genetic structure of the present day Amerindians of South America may be significantly influenced by the European populations.

Ochoterenella complicata n. sp. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from the Toad Bufo marinus in Western Colombia

Ochoterenella complicata n. sp. is described on the basis of nine gravid females recovered from the retroperitoneum and mesentery of the giant toad, Bufo marinus, in the Pacific lowlands of Colombia. Males were not recovered. Microfilariae are described from blood films, from blood fixed in 2% aqueous formalin, and from specimens removed from the vagina of a worm. The exceptionally short (ca. 4 uLm), low cuticular midbody bosses of the adult female set this species apart from all others, except 0. guyanensis and 0. dufourae. Adjacent bosses of 0. complicata are separated by approximately four times the distance of those of 0. guyanensis, and the latter species has a tail twice the length of that of 0. complicata. The cuticular bosses of 0. dufourae, although of length and disposition comparable with those of the new species, are distinctly salient, and the shape of the tail of 0. dufourae is broad and nearly truncate in contrast to the gradually attenuated, conical tail of 0. complicata. The uniformly slender microfilaria of 0. complicata with its prominent ovoid Innenk6rper, rounded posterior extremity, and tendency to assume a tightly folded attitude in blood films is readily distinguished from that of all other species of Ochoterenella. A key to the gravid females of the 15 known species of Ochoterenella is provided. Members of the genus Ochoterenella Caballero, 1944, as redefined (Esslinger, 1986), appear to be confined to the tropical areas of the Western Hemisphere. With the exception of two species reported from leptodactylid frogs (Travassos, 1929) and one of questionable specific identity from Bufo paracnemis (see Lent et al., 1946), all have been described from the giant toad, Bufo marinus. The specimens of concern in the present report differ from the previously known 14 species; these specimens represent a new species described herein. MATERIALS AND METHODS Specimens of Ochoterenella were collected in 1962 from adult Bufo marinus in the vicinity of Rio Raposo in the Pacific lowlands of Colombia. Adult worms, all females, were recovered from the retroperitoneum and mesentery, fixed for approximately 1 min in glacial acetic acid, and transferred to 70% ethanol. Thin blood films were prepared, lysed in saline, and fixed in hot 70% ethanol; additional blood was preserved in 2% aqueous formalin. Adult worms were examined in pure glycerol following slow evaporation from 70% ethanol containing 5% glycerol; nine of these specimens provided the basis for the description below. Blood films containing microfilariae were stained with Harris' hematoxylin and eosin. Microfilariae in blood fixed in 2% Publication costs, in part, are being met by a grant from the Spencer-Tolles Fund of the American Microscopical Society. TRANS. AM. MICROSC. SOC., 108(2): 197-203. 1989. ? Copyright, 1989, by the American Microscopical Society, Inc. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.249 on Wed, 03 Aug 2016 06:04:09 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms

Personal Networks and Musical Contexts in the Pacific Lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador

Personal Networks and Musical Contexts in the Pacific Lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador

The Pacific Lowlands of Colombia: A Negroid Area of the American Tropics

The Pacific Lowlands of Colombia: A Negroid Area of the American Tropics

The Pacific Lowlands of Colombia, A Negroid Area of the American Tropics

The Pacific Lowlands of Colombia, A Negroid Area of the American Tropics

The Pacific Lowlands of Colombia: A Negroid Area of the American Tropics

The Pacific Lowlands of Colombia: A Negroid Area of the American Tropics