Southern South America Research Articles

Light-level geolocators and species distribution modeling reveal that the Vulnerable Sporophila cinnamomea (Chestnut Seedeater) migrates through the Paraná-Paraguay System to Central Brazil

Abstract The movement ecology of migratory Sporophila seedeaters in the Neotropics, particularly their migratory routes and nonbreeding areas, remains poorly understood. This study aimed to fill this gap by providing a detailed description of these migratory routes, stopovers, and nonbreeding areas using light-level geolocators on Sporophila cinnamomea (Chestnut Seedeater), a vulnerable species that breeds in southern South America. Species distribution modelling was employed to estimate the probability of occurrence at distribution extremes. Over 3 breeding seasons (October to March 2018–2021), geolocators were affixed to 14 adult males. The overall device recovery rate was 64% (n = 9), and these 8 devices operated, on average, for 301 days. Autumn migration commenced on 24 February, lasting 46 days and spanning 1,679 km, with an average of 2.38 ± 0.92 stopovers—twice the number observed during spring migration (1.40 ± 0.89). We identified 8 nonbreeding areas utilized by the birds for an average of 145 days, primarily located between the northern and northeastern regions of the Paraná and Paraguay Rivers and the southern Tocantins River. Spring migration began in early September, lasted ~58 days, and covered 2,940 km. In both migrations, birds followed routes along the Paraná-Paraguay River valleys, with no significant difference in the number of stopovers detected between seasons. The nonbreeding period model indicated high habitat suitability in 2 regions within the Cerrado biome, particularly a larger area predominantly in the southern and then in the central regions of the Tocantins River. In the southern limit, the breeding model highlighted the most representative area, which is located in the central-eastern region of the Uruguay River. Our study offers valuable insights into the migratory patterns of S. cinnamomea. These findings should be used to inform the planning and establishment of protected areas aimed at conserving grassland species.

Potential global distributions of an important aphid pest, Rhopalosiphum padi: insights from ensemble models with multiple variables.

Species distribution modeling is extensively used for predicting potential distributions of invasive species. However, an ensemble modeling approach has been less frequently used particularly pest species. The bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi L. is an important pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide and causes 30% yield losses. Here, we developed a series of ensemble models with multiple variables to predict the habitat suitability of this pest at a global scale. The current suitable habitat for R. padi is mainly distributed in East Asia, South Asia, Europe, southern North America, southern South America, eastern Australia, and New Zealand. The highly suitable regions are primarily distributed in east of China, Japan, most of North America, southeastern South America, most of Europe, and southeastern edge of Australia. In future scenarios, the suitable habitats will undergo a significant contraction overall northward, and no moderately nor highly suitable habitats are predicted for this pest in other areas. Our findings indicate that a high risk of R. padi outbreaks currently exists for the highly suitable regions mentioned above, especially with wheat cultivation, but the capacity of R. padi to cause such outbreaks will weaken in the future. Climate-associated factors are significantly more important than land use, elevation and host-plant factors, and the BIO11 (mean temperature of the coldest quarter), in particular, predominated in shaping projections of R. padi's distribution. The predicted distribution pattern and key ecological factors affecting this pattern identified herein could provide important guidance for developing management policies targeting this economically important pest.

Hilda Sabato: itinerarios, horizontes y problemas para la historia política

Hilda Sabato is a referent of Hispano-American historiography. As a result of the launching of the first volume of the editorial project Historias de lo político en Colombia: imaginando repúblicas en tiempos de independencia, 1780-1852 (Bogotá: Universidad Nacional de Colombia; Universidad del Rosario, 2024), we took advantage of Hilda Sabato's presence in Bogotá to talk with her about the familial, political and intellectual context of her formative years, her experience amid the dictatorships in the Southern Cone, her return to Argentina in the late 1970s and the process of democratic and institutional reconstruction, particularly in the university sphere. We also talked about her concerns and theoretical approaches in the political sphere, as well as her view of the configuration of the republic after the monarchical fracture and the construction of political communities throughout the nineteenth century. In short, the interview addresses the problems and questions that Sabato has sought to resolve through her extensive bibliography.

Genetic diversity and intercontinental dispersal of temperate and subarctic populations of Dibothriocephalus dendriticus (Cestoda; Diphyllobothriidea), a causative agent of dibothriocephalosis.

The diphyllobothriid tapeworm Dibothriocephalus dendriticus, one of the causative agents of the fish-borne zoonosis dibothriocephalosis, is mainly distributed in the Arctic/subarctic and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, North America, and Asia), but also in the southern cone region of South America (Patagonia). The genetic structure and gene flow among 589 individuals of D. dendriticus, representing 20 populations, were studied using the mitochondrial cox1 gene as the first choice marker and 10 polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci as a dominant molecular tool. The haplotype network of 30 cox1 haplotypes and Principal Coordinate Analysis/Structure analysis based on microsatellite data revealed close genetic relationships among populations within continents, namely northern and northwestern Europe (Norway, Finland, and UK/Scotland), North America (USA/Alaska, USA/Oregon, and Greenland), and South America (Argentina and Chile). The population from Iceland, located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe, was related to both Europe and North America. The mixed Nearctic and Palaearctic origin of D. dendriticus in Iceland was confirmed by a coalescent-based analysis of the microsatellite loci (in Migrate software). The most likely scenarios suggested that the Icelandic population is a genetic admixture of tapeworms from northwestern Europe and USA/Alaska. These findings corresponded with the distribution and migratory routes of piscivorous birds of the family Laridae, the main definitive hosts of D. dendriticus. The origin of an apparently non-native population of D. dendriticus in Patagonia was investigated in detail. The two most plausible hypotheses based on Migrate analysis represented different scenarios. One of them points to a European origin of the Patagonian population, the other to a North American origin. Future research with more extensive and a geographically broader sampling set is recommended to trace dispersal routes of D. dendriticus in Patagonia.

Reconstructing deltaic palaeoenvironments in southern South America: phytoliths in Miocene estuarine sediments (Paraná Formation)

This study provides new insights into the palaeoenvironments that developed during the Late Miocene in Argentina and represents the first palaeobotanical record for the Paraná Formation at the Salto Ander Egg site. The analysis of the phytolith assemblages identified new morphotypes not previously documented in the literature for the sediments of this region. The importance of these discoveries lies in their potential taxonomic relevance to plant components associated with mangrove environments. The stratigraphic column in the study area is made up of the Paraná Formation (Late Miocene) and other Neogene and Quaternary geological formations. Samples of three sedimentary cycles were taken for the analysis of the phytoliths in levels with internal discontinuities and a high density of sub-vertical tubular biogenic structures and horizontal extensions. The morphotypes identified suggest the presence of species with pneumatophores, features typically found in intertidal mangrove forests. This study highlights the potential of phytolith analysis as a valuable tool for characterising deltaic palaeoenvironments. The phytolith assemblages from the Paraná Formation sediments provide important preliminary insights into a palaeoenvironment that possibly included mangrove forests and saline-adapted plant communities, existing in an ecosystem with freshwater availability within a saline environment, under a warm tropical to subtropical climate.

Development Planning, Structural Heterogeneity and Social Policy in the Southern Cone (1960-1975)

This paper analyzes the role of economic and social development ideas in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay during the 1960s and early-70s, emphasizing on the role of social issues within the development planning agenda. The paper’s theoretical standpoint is the recognition of an important shift in the diagnosis of the Latin American economic backwardness around the mid-60s: from the underdevelopment hypothesis to the structural heterogeneity hypothesis. After an introduction of the theoretical discussions, the paper analyzes different official governmental documents from the four countries in order to find the role that social policy is expected to play within the economic development agenda in each case. Similarities and differences among the neighbors are specified in order to identify this conceptual shift, defined both theoretically and in the guidelines of public policy.

Evaluation of global fire simulations in CMIP6 Earth system models

Abstract. Fire is the primary form of terrestrial ecosystem disturbance on a global scale and an important Earth system process. Most Earth system models (ESMs) have incorporated fire modeling, with 19 of them submitting model outputs of fire-related variables to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). This study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of CMIP6 historical fire simulations by comparing them with multiple satellite-based products and charcoal-based historical reconstructions. Our results show that most CMIP6 models simulate the present-day global burned area and fire carbon emissions within the range of satellite-based products. They also capture the major features of observed spatial patterns and seasonal cycles, the relationship of fires with precipitation and population density, and the influence of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the interannual variability of tropical fires. Regional fire carbon emissions simulated by the CMIP6 models from 1850 to 2010 generally align with the charcoal-based reconstructions, although there are regional mismatches, such as in southern South America and eastern temperate North America prior to the 1910s and in temperate North America, eastern boreal North America, Europe, and boreal Asia since the 1980s. The CMIP6 simulations have addressed three critical issues identified in CMIP5: (1) the simulated global burned area being less than half of that of the observations, (2) the failure to reproduce the high burned area fraction observed in Africa, and (3) the weak fire seasonal variability. Furthermore, the CMIP6 models exhibit improved accuracy in capturing the observed relationship between fires and both climatic and socioeconomic drivers and better align with the historical long-term trends indicated by charcoal-based reconstructions in most regions worldwide. However, the CMIP6 models still fail to reproduce the decline in global burned area and fire carbon emissions observed over the past 2 decades, mainly attributed to an underestimation of anthropogenic fire suppression, and the spring peak in fires in the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes, mainly due to an underestimation of crop fires. In addition, the model underestimates the fire sensitivity to wet–dry conditions, indicating the need to improve fuel wetness estimation. Based on these findings, we present specific guidance for fire scheme development and suggest a post-processing methodology for using CMIP6 multi-model outputs to generate reliable fire projection products.

Regionally optimized fire parameterizations using feed-forward neural networks

Abstract The fire weather index (FWI) is a widely used metric for fire danger based on meteorological observations. However, even though it simulates the nonlinear relationship between the meteorological observations and fire intensity, the ability of the FWI to accurately represent global satellite-derived fire intensity observations is limited due to its empirical formulation based on a specific region. In this study, we propose a regionally-fitted fire parameterization method using feed-forward neural networks (FFNNs) to understand the nonlinear relationship between the meteorological variables and the fire intensity, which eventually improves the parameterization accuracy. These FFNNs for each grid point utilize daily-averaged meteorological variables (2 m relative humidity (RH2m), precipitation (PRCP), 2 m temperature, and wind speed) as inputs to estimate the satellite-derived fire radiative power (FRP) values. Applying the proposed FFNNs for fire parameterization during the 2001–2020 period revealed a marked enhancement in cross-validated skill compared to fire intensity estimation based on the FWI. This improvement was particularly notable across East Asia, Russia, the eastern US, southern South America, and central Africa. The sensitivity experiments demonstrated that the RH2m is the most critical variable in estimating the FRP. Conversely, the FWI-based estimations were primarily influenced by PRCP. The FFNNs accurately captured the observed nonlinear RH2m-FRP and PRCP-FRP relationship compared to that of the FWI-based estimations.

Invading extreme environments: status of the invasion of the European hare Lepus europaeus in the Atacama Desert and the Andean highlands of the Southern Cone of South America

Invading extreme environments: status of the invasion of the European hare Lepus europaeus in the Atacama Desert and the Andean highlands of the Southern Cone of South America

Scorpion Envenoming as an Emerging Public Health Problem in Paraguay, Bolivia, and Midwest Brazil: Involvement of Tityus confluens and the Need for a Panregional Evaluation of Available Antivenoms.

This contribution highlights the emergence of a newly endemic region for scorpion envenoming in South America, covering eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, and the midwestern Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. These areas have not historically been known to harbor life-threatening scorpion species. Tityus confluens, a parthenogenetic species of medical significance in Argentina, has been identified in severe and lethal human cases in Bolivia and Paraguay. Given that the clinical use of scorpion antivenom preparations in the region has often lacked preclinical data and considering the significant burden of scorpion envenoming, we propose a panregional evaluation of available anti-Tityus antivenoms. This evaluation, along with interdisciplinary efforts at a multinational scale to control scorpionism, aims to determine their true neutralization capacity and potential clinical efficacy against known culprits in the Southern Cone of South America and other regions endemic for scorpion envenoming on the continent.

Pacific decadal oscillation and ENSO forcings of northerly low-level jets in South America

The hydrological cycle in South America during austral summer, including extreme precipitation and floods, is significantly influenced by northerly low-level jets (LLJs) along the eastern Andes. These synoptic weather events have been associated with three different types of LLJs (Central, Northern, and Andes) and are sensitive to remote large-scale forcings. This study investigates how tropical forcings related to El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) regulate the duration and frequency of each LLJ type and their impacts on extreme precipitation. Our analysis reveals that ENSO and PDO are important in driving the variability of LLJs over the past 65 years. Specifically, the Central LLJ type is more prevalent during El Niño and Warm/Neutral PDO phases, leading to heightened extreme precipitation in southern South America. Conversely, La Niña years during Cold PDO phases tend to favor the Northern and Andes LLJs, which are associated with increased precipitation extremes in the western Amazon and southeastern South America. Central and Andes LLJs tend to persist longer during these favored conditions, causing more pronounced precipitation events in the areas under their influence. This study enhances our understanding of the influence of large-scale atmospheric forcings on the regional precipitation dynamics in South America.

Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) stocks in South American waters and its implications for fishery management

Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) is a highly prized resource in markets due to the quality of its meat. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) implemented controls and regulations in response to the sharp rise in the illegal fishing of D. eleginoides in the 1990s. Today, four fisheries in waters close to the southern tip of South America are managed in accordance with stringent sustainability standards. Even though they are separate management units, both abundance assessments and annual catch allocations are conducted using different criteria regarding stock considerations across the region, leaving one of the fundamental premises of fisheries management unclear. This study examines historical data and recent research to explore the potential differentiation between Patagonian toothfish populations in South American waters, which is crucial for the management of diverse fisheries. Genetic studies, otolith microchemistry, morphometry, parasitic fauna, tagging programs, reproductive characteristics, and the impact of ocean circulation on dispersal and recruitment were analyzed. Tagging studies in the southern hemisphere oceans confirm the species’ affinity to specific habitats, suggesting minimal fish exchange between South American fishing grounds. From a fisheries perspective, this review suggests the existence of distinct stocks of the species structured along the shelf and slope of the southern cone of America based on reproduction areas along the continental shelves and slope, the diverse parasitic fauna, the variability in stable isotopes and trace elements of otoliths, and the little significant exchange of fish between current fishing grounds. All of this could lead to considering the D. eleginoides fishery as independent exploitation units.

The genus Camillea (Xylariales) in Argentina’s Yungas: a comprehensive morphological study with two new species and identification key

From an exhaustive taxonomic survey of Xylariales carried out in the subtropical montane forest of the Argentine northwest (“Las Yungas”), a first comprehensive revision of Camillea for the country is presented. Based on a new combination of sexual and asexual morphology, C. hladkiae and C. romeroae are proposed as new species for the genus; C. hladkiae is principally distinguished by its conidiogenous structure from similar species such as C. guzmanii and C. magnifica. On the other hand, C. romeroae is mainly differentiated from other known species of Camillea by the ornamentation of the ascospores under SEM. Additionally, the conidiogenous structure of C. coroniformis, C. flosculosa, C. hainesii, C. hyalospora and C. signata are described and illustrated for the first time. Furthermore, four species reports are new for the Southern Cone of South America (C. coroniformis, C. hainesii, C. hyalospora and C. signata) and three are a novelty for Argentine Yunga (C. flosculosa, C. obularia and C. punctulata). Finally, full descriptions, illustrations of all species and a dichotomous key to the identification of Camillea species for the region are provided

Genome‐Wide Diversity in Lowland and Highland Maize Landraces From Southern South America: Population Genetics Insights to Assist Conservation

ABSTRACTMaize (Zea mays ssp. mays L.) landraces are traditional American crops with high genetic variability that conform a source of original alleles for conventional maize breeding. Northern Argentina, one the southernmost regions of traditional maize cultivation in the Americas, harbours around 57 races traditionally grown in two regions with contrasting environmental conditions, namely, the Andean mountains in the Northwest and the tropical grasslands and Atlantic Forest in the Northeast. These races encounter diverse threats to their genetic diversity and persistence in their regions of origin, with climate change standing out as one of the major challenges. In this work, we use genome‐wide SNPs derived from ddRADseq to study the genetic diversity of individuals representing the five groups previously described for this area. This allowed us to distinguish two clearly differentiated gene pools, the highland northwestern maize (HNWA) and the floury northeastern maize (FNEA). Subsequently, we employed essential biodiversity variables at the genetic level, as proposed by the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), to evaluate the conservation status of these two groups. This assessment encompassed genetic diversity (Pi), inbreeding coefficient (F) and effective population size (Ne). FNEA showed low Ne values and high F values, while HNWA showed low Ne values and low Pi values, indicating that further genetic erosion is imminent for these landraces. Outlier detection methods allowed identification of putative adaptive genomic regions, consistent with previously reported flowering‐time loci and chromosomal regions displaying introgression from the teosinte Zea mays ssp. mexicana. Finally, species distribution models were obtained for two future climate scenarios, showing a notable reduction in the potential planting area of HNWA and a shift in the cultivation areas of FNEA. These results suggest that maize landraces from Northern Argentina may be unable to cope with climate change. Therefore, active conservation policies are advisable.

Palaehoplophorini glyptodonts (Xenarthra, Glyptodontidae) from the Puerto Madryn Formation (Late Miocene), Argentine Patagonia: diversity and biochronological implications in southern South America

Palaehoplophorini glyptodonts (Xenarthra, Glyptodontidae) from the Puerto Madryn Formation (Late Miocene), Argentine Patagonia: diversity and biochronological implications in southern South America

Geographical variation in Tachycineta Swallows (Aves: Passeriformes: Hirundinidae), with description of a new subspecies from Colombia

Dark-winged Tachycineta swallows occurring west of the Andes in Colombia have confounded observers for decades. With a view to assessing their taxonomic rank, geographical variations in voice, plumage and biometrics were studied as between western Colombian birds ("Magdalena Swallows") and all members of subgenus Leucochelidon, i.e. Mangrove Swallow T. albilinea of Central America, White-winged Swallow T. albiventer of East of the Andes, Chilean Swallow T. meyeni and White-rumped Swallow T. leucorrhoa of southern South America and Tumbes Swallow T. stolzmanni of western Ecuador and Peru. A 'yardstick' methodology was applied, measuring and comparing differentiation between species using up to 18 vocal variables across 4 vocalization types as well as 9 biometric characters. Chilean versus White-rumped Swallow are a closely-related pair of valid, sympatric species, whose measured differentiation was compared to that between Magdalena and other swallows to assess their taxonomic rank. Vocal and morphological characters gave conflicting results. The rising calls of Magdalena Swallow are diagnosable in multidimensional space from White-winged Swallow, with slower pace, less change in frequency and overall lower frequency. Also, vocal repertoire differed, with 'buzz' calls predominating in Magdalena Swallow but 'rising' calls being more common in White-winged. Measured vocal differentiation exceeded that between Chilean and White-rumped Swallows and differences in repertoire were consistent. In contrast, Magdalena Swallow was non-diagnosably differentiated in plumage and biometrics from White-winged Swallow. Magdalena Swallows usually have a darker, navy-blue mantle (this usually being aquamarine or green-blue in White-winged Swallow but variable), and reduced white markings on the secondaries and wing coverts (which are typically extensive in White-winged Swallow but variable in both, with overlap). Biometrics largely overlap but Magdalena Swallows have an average shorter tarsus and bill. The molecular biology of Magdalena Swallow is unknown. Reported pairwise molecular differentiations between other species in the genus in previous published studies were tested for correlations against measured differentiation in all vocal and biometric variables. Magdalena Swallow achieved higher differentiation in vocal variables which correlated with molecular differentiation but low differentiation in biometric variables which also correlated with molecular differentiation, again a conflicting outcome. Considering differences in voice, plumage and biometrics, the Magdalena Swallow is here described as a new subspecies. The occurrence of dark-winged White-winged Swallows in western Colombia has led to dubious claims of both Mangrove Swallow and Bahama Swallow T. cyaneoviridis in this region, based on sight records. A 'Colombia' specimen of Mangrove Swallow was found in this study. Together with an intermediate specimen (showing a pale lore), there is evidence of occasional vagrancy of Mangrove Swallow to northern Colombia. There is some geographical variation in biometrics and plumage among Eastern populations of T. albiventer, but vocal differentiation is weak. The type locality of T. albiventer is in Cayenne, French Guyana, whilst western Amazonian birds were once named as aequatorialis due to their paler blue dorsal and more extensive white wing markings, but these variations are non-diagnostic. Populations of White-winged Swallow in the Atlantic and Cerrado regions of Brazil are taxonomically undescribed. These have a greenish mantle coloration (a rare morphotype in Amazonia) and often have a longer tail and white tail tips or remiges. Measured biometric and vocal differentiation of this population closely misses requirements for subspecies rank, but study of a larger sample of Brazilian specimens should be considered.

Urban Parrots in Southern South America: Challenges and Opportunities

Data on the interactions between the order Psittaciformes and the anthropogenic environment are still insufficient and have not been systematized, especially in the Neotropical region. As a consequence of this coexistence, the volume of accumulated knowledge is probably significantly greater than the formal scientific contributions on the subject. In this survey, information was compiled on the wild parrots inhabiting cities in the Southern Cone of South America, based on surveys with key informants. The results obtained highlighted the presence of a large number of parrot species that form part of the urban avifauna of the region, between 67% and 90% of the total number of species of the order cited for each territory evaluated. The greatest species richness and the number of breeding species were associated with the large cities located in middle and low latitudes. We confirmed breeding within the cities for more than 40% of the species mentioned. Seventy-five percent of the species reported are native to the study area, the rest originating from other regions of South America or other continents. A quarter of the reported species are considered threatened and almost 50% have declining populations. Urban parrots represent a challenge in the search for urban models compatible with biodiversity conservation, and in the designing of innovative conservation strategies that respond to the new challenges posed by a constantly growing human population.

Legalizing Abortion in the Southern Cone

The Southern Cone has been at the forefront of the fight for abortion rights in Latin America. Due to the legacies of Hispanic legal traditions and the overwhelming political influence of the Catholic Church, the region historically has been known for its restrictive policies on abortion and reproductive rights more broadly.1 However, in the past 15 years, Southern Cone countries began to challenge those restrictions and embarked on a feminist revolution that led to what is now widely known as the “Green Wave” because of the color embraced by abortion-rights activists. Uruguay began this trend of legalizing abortion on demand in 2012, followed by Argentina in 2020. Chile experienced a moderate reform in 2017 when it moved from a total ban to a system of exceptions. Feminists have been trying ever since to pass abortion on demand through both legislative and constitutional reforms, which have not yet yielded the expected results.

Phylogenetic analysis of the circum-Antarctic Subfamily Migadopinae (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and assessment of the trans-Tasman Amarotypus clade

Phylogenetic analysis of Migadopinae Chaudoir, 1861, based on morphological characters analyzed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference, recognizes the tribal adelphotaxa Aquilicini Moret, 2005 and Migadopini. Amarotypini Erwin, 1985 (type genus Amarotypus Bates, 1872) is newly synonymized with Migadopini, as its taxonomic recognition renders Migadopini paraphyletic. Phylogenetic relationships within Migadopinae establish the Andean tropicomontane Aquilex Moret, 1989—type genus of the monogeneric Aquilicini—as sister group to the circum-Antarctic Migadopini. The earliest-diverging member taxa of Migadopini are distributed across southern South America and the subantarctic Falkland Islands. Subsequent divergence implicates Australia, New Zealand, and the Campbell Plateau. Internodes of the taxon-area cladogram are optimized using RASP (Reconstruct Ancestral State in Phylogenies), with nodal optimizations interpretable by both vicariance or dispersal. Campbell Plateau taxa are ambiguously derived from an ancestral node optimized to either South America, Australia, or the Campbell Plateau itself, a result most consistent with fragmentation of these Gondwanan terranes. Only the origin of the Tasmanian Migadopiella Baehr—taxonomically placed within a paraphyletic assemblage comprising the New Zealand genera Amarotypus, Amaroxenus Larochelle & Larivière, and Amarophilus Larochelle & Larivière—is interpreted unambiguously as dispersal based, in this instance via east to west trans-Tasman dispersal. Winged flight by migadopine carabid beetles, previously hypothesized as a vehicle for dispersal between Australia and South America, is dismissed based on restriction of macropterous taxa to two disparate and highly subordinate taxa; one comprising the Australian tropicomontane Dendromigadops Baehr and its temperate rainforest-occupying sister genus Decogmus Sloane, and the second, Antarctonomus complanatus of Valdivian and Magellanic Nothofagus forest in Chile and Argentina. Relevant fossil evidence supporting austral relationships of Migadopinae is briefly reviewed, including the mid-Cretaceous occurrence of Migadopinae in Kachin Burmese Amber, and the Miocene-aged fossil carabid beetle, Antarctotrechus balli Ashworth and Erwin (Trechini), described from the trans-Antarctic Mountains. The former supports a Cretaceous origin for Migadopinae consistent with Austral vicariance, the latter augurs the discovery of biogeographically homologous Antarctic fossil representatives that could corroborate an Austral vicariance hypothesis for the migadopine radiation.

Do we have the necessary insights to classify species according to their conservation status? A case study in the world’s southernmost lizard genus

Endemic species generally have higher risk of extinction; therefore, it is necessary to focus conservation actions on these groups. Tools such as the Red List, through its criteria (A, B, C, D and E) allow to establish extinction risk and a conservation status for the species. Liolaemus is a highly diversified genus of lizards from southern South America. In Chile, 64% of the species within this genus are endemic, and more than 25% are threatened. However, for most of Liolaemus we have little biological information. In this study, to assess whether the current insights are sufficient to establish the conservation statuses of these species and to determine the criteria on which the current conservation statuses are based, a bibliographic review of all available information was conducted for the Chilean endemic Liolaemus species. Our results show that the most-used criteria were those of distribution (B and D). However, abundance studies were poorly represented. Species with wider distributions present the highest number of studies and more restricted species are little studied. Finally, many evaluations are based on the expert’s opinion. We conclude that further current and temporal studies of abundance and distribution, key aspects of ecology to assess species, are essential to generate an adequate conservation status of the genus.