Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

The study of mammal biodiversity in the province of La Rioja, and specifically in the Sierra de Velasco, has historically been limited. However, since the beginning of systematic research, this gap in knowledge has been filled. Currently, 70 species of mammals are recorded from La Rioja; however, there is still no specific list for the Sierra de Velasco. Between 2017 and 2022, sampling was carried out in the region using Sherman traps to capture micromammals and camera traps for mesomammals, complemented with records obtained by direct observation and contributions from third parties. As a result, a total of 36 species of flightless mammals were recorded in the Sierra de Velasco, representing approximately 51% of the total number of flightless mammal species in the province. These species include five species catalogued in the categories of greatest conservation risk. Their main threats are habitat alteration, pressure from exotic species, illegal hunting and the expansion of urban and agricultural activities. This study represents the first list of mammals for the Sierra de Velasco, highlighting the relevance of this region for the conservation of species. It also highlights the need for further research to gain a more complete understanding of the region's mammal biodiversity.

Magíster Claudia Marcela Antelo (1967-2024) se graduó como Licenciada en Ciencias Biológicas con orientación en Zoología en la Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, donde inició su especialización en Ornitología. Desarrolló su carrera en la Fundación Miguel Lillo desde 1989, contribuyendo significativamente a la reorganización de la Colección Ornitológica (COLFML) y realizando investigaciones sobre ecología de aves en la provincia. En 2002 obtuvo su Magister en Manejo de Vida Silvestre en la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba con un estudio pionero sobre el impacto de Pinus elliottii en la avifauna de las Yungas. Sus trabajos científicos, publicados en revistas especializadas, analizaron la relación entre vegetación nativa y conservación de aves. Miembro activo del Colegio de Biólogos, participó en su Consejo Directivo y Comité de Ética. Su legado científico y humano continúa inspirando a la comunidad ornitológica argentina.

Leopardus guigna, commonly known as güiña or kodkod, is a felid endemic to the temperate forests of southern South America, currently classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Its presence in central Chile has been scarcely documented, particularly in San Antonio Province (Valparaíso region), where urban development has led to severe habitat loss. This article presents historical records of the species and new detections obtained between 2021 and 2025 through camera trap surveys conducted in coastal ravines within the communes of El Quisco and San Antonio. Monitoring campaigns were conducted with and without scent lures, recording species presence, behavior, co-occurrence with native fauna, and threats such as free-ranging domestic dogs and cats. Recent detections were recorded in Quebrada de Córdova, Los Colihues, and Carvajal (El Quisco), as well as Fundo Llolleo (San Antonio), alongside 28 historical records within the province. Ravines with vegetation cover, water flow, and ecological connectivity emerged as key habitats and potential ecological corridors for the species. In areas with lower anthropogenic pressure, such as Fundo Llolleo, no domestic dogs were detected, contrasting with more urbanized ravines. The co-occurrence of güiña with other native species suggests complex trophic interactions. These findings expand current knowledge of the güiña’s distribution in central Chile and emphasize the need to incorporate its conservation into territorial planning. Furthermore, the results underscore the importance of sustained monitoring to assess population viability in fragmented landscapes.

Hydra constitutes a monophyletic clade of sessile and solitary polypsthat occur on all continents except Antarctica. Despite its widespreadpresence in freshwater habitats, Hydra requires reasonably unpollut-ed conditions for survival, making its presence a reliable indicator ofgood water quality and a certain degree of ecosystem conservation.Since their discovery, these polyps have become valuable biologicalmodels due to their morphological simplicity, global distribution, andlow maintenance requirements in the laboratory conditions, enablingexperiments on regeneration, reproduction, senescence, cellular differ-entiation, among other processes. All Hydra species are clustered intofour morphological groups: viridissima (green), vulgaris (common), oli-gactis (stalked), and braueri (gracile). Species in the viridissima groupare green due to the presence of intracellular symbiotic algae, whereasthe brown hydras (braueri, oligactis, and vulgaris) lack such endosym-bionts. The oligactis and braueri groups are restricted to the Northern Hemisphere, while the viridissima and vulgaris groups include cosmo-politan species. To date, only five published records documenting thepresence of Hydra in Argentina are available in the scientific literature.In the present study, we report six new occurrences from four wetlandsin the southeastern region of Buenos Aires Province: two each for H.viridissima, H. vulgaris, and H. vulgaris pedunculata. The study includesa quantitative morphological analysis (body measurements, cnidome,and reproductive structures) to assess intraspecific variation among pop-ulations from different freshwater bodies. These findings expand theknown distribution of Hydra in South America and provide referencedata for future ecological and taxonomic studies.

Forest fires significantly alter the biodiversity of Mediterranean ecosystems, particularly butterfly communities, which are sensitive bioindicators of environmental changes. This study compares the diversity and structure of diurnal butterflies in two cork oak forests of the Edough Massif (Algeria): a natural forest and a post-fire forest, based on surveys conducted from March to July 2023. Butterfly sampling was carried out using two complementary methods: a modified linear transect approach based on the British Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (BMS) and the Kilometric Abundance Index (KAI). Species abundances were recorded along predefined transects under standardized conditions. The results show a significant decline in species diversity after the fire, with only 11 species recorded in the burned habitat compared to 31 in the natural forest. Abundance analysis reveals that some sensitive species disappear or become rare, while others, more fire-resistant, benefit from the newly created ecological conditions. The Bray-Curtis index highlights a moderate but notable transformation of butterfly communities. These findings confirm that fire acts as an ecological filter, structuring populations according to their tolerance to disturbances. The study emphasizes the need for adapted management and restoration strategies to mitigate the effects of wildfires and promote the resilience of Mediterranean ecosystems.

Urania leilus (Lepidoptera: Uraniidae) is a diurnal moth distinguishedby its velvet black coloration and iridescent green bands. Its primarydistribution includes the Amazon Basin and other tropical areas, butrecent reports document occurrences in Argentina, including new re-cords from Catamarca Province. The study presents the first confirmedobservations of U. leilus in urban and peri-urban environments in cen-tral and western Catamarca —specifically in San Fernando del Valle deCatamarca and Andalgalá— between 2023 and 2025. All individualswere photographed, georeferenced, and observed under varied envi-ronmental conditions, perched on plant species unrelated to the genusOmphalea, the only known larval host. The absence of Omphalea inthe region suggests that these individuals are accidental migrants orerratic dispersers, with no evidence of established populations. Potentialcauses include unintentional transport, wind dispersal, or environmentalchanges. The study also integrates citizen science records and describesthe arid phytogeographic context of the sampled sites. These findingshighlight the importance of collaboration between formal science andlocal observers in improving faunal inventories. Additionally, U. leilusis proposed as a potential bioindicator species, due to its speacializeddiet and migratory behavior. Finally, the lack of conservation status forthis species in the IUCN and national agencies underscores the urgentneed for more systematic research, especially in underexplored regionssuch as northwestern Argentina.

Empusa fasciata Brulle, 1832 is reported from the Republic of Kosovo based on specimens from multiple localities. This work fills an important zoogeographical gap, as this otherwise widespread species was hitherto formally unknown for Kosovo. Historical records of other mantids are discussed, and the formal list now consists of two species.

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the terrestrial isopod Porcellio laevis in removing cadmium (Cd) from contaminated agricultural soils at laboratory level. The study employed an experimental design with five doses and four replications, using cadmium chloride (CdCl2) as a contaminant. 10 kg of clay loam soil were prepared and a control and four doses of Cd were established: 20 mg.Kg-1 (T1), 80 mg.Kg-1 (T2), 240 mg.Kg-1 (T3) and 400 mg.Kg-1 (T4). 40 individuals of P. laevis were introduced per dose and incubated for 60 days. The physicochemical characteristics of the soil and the doses of Cd in the soils and in the isopods at the beginning and at the end of the study were analyzed, evaluating the removal of Cd (%R) and the bioaccumulation factor (BAF). The results revealed removal rates of Cd from the soil that increased with the initial dose of Cd and the exposure time, reaching 86.9% in the treatment with 400 mg.Kg-1 Cd. However, the mortality rate increased significantly with the dose of Cd, reaching 92,5% in the treatments with 240 and 400 mg.Kg-1 Cd at the end of the study. This exposure to Cd caused significant morphological changes in the isopods, including size reduction, alterations in pigmentation and deformities in the shell. These findings suggest that P. laevis is an effective bioaccumulator for the remediation of agricultural soils contaminated with Cd. 

A population of Liolaemus pseudolemniscatus associated with a hill located west of Santiago city, Metropolitan Region, Chile, closely linked to the Coastal mountain range in the central zone of the country, is documented for the first time. Previously, this endemic lizard had only been recorded in the foothills of the Andean mountain range, about 35 km east of the location of this report, with no records in the intermediate valley. On the other hand, the closest record to the north, outside of the Andes, is located more than 100 km away, in the northern Valparaiso Region. This record fills the gaps in distributional information that existed for this species in central Chile, and its complete extension can be appreciated.

We present for the first time detailed information regarding the reproductive biology of the Loja Hummingbird (Amazilis amazilia alticola) in the wild. This research was carried out between February and March 2022 in the city of Loja, Ecuador, through detailed observations of an active nest located in a loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica). We recorded data concerning the nest, its structure, construction materials and size. We also review all available information regarding this species’ breeding phenology. The nest was built using plant fibers, spider webs and lichens for insulation and camouflage. The incubation lasted 16 to18 days, and the chicks remained in the nest for 23 days. Typical for hummingbirds, the female assumed all parental duties, including the incubation, care and feeding of the young, collecting nectar from at least eight plant species. Significant differences were observed in the care given to each chick. Our data improves our knowledge regardingthe reproduction of Andean hummingbirds, and in  articular of these common but poorly known species that have adapted to anthropic environments.