Phyllodistomum pepirense n. sp. is described from the urinary bladder of Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1794), sampled in the Jacaré-Pepira River in São Paulo state, Brazil. The isolates of the new species were recovered as a monophyletic group in the phylogenetic analysis of the 28S rRNA gene, which showed the new species as the sister taxa of Phyllodistomum virmantasi Pinacho-Pinacho, Sereno-Uribe, Hernández-Orts, García-Varela & Pérez-Ponce de León, 2021, a species sampled from an eleotrid fish in Southeastern Mexico. The new species differs morphologically from P. virmantasi by having a larger body size, slightly lobed testes and ovary, a mostly intercaecal uterus, slightly diverticulated caeca, and vitelline masses irregularly shaped. The new species is also readily distinguished from other species of Phyllodistomum Braun, 1899 reported from freshwater fishes in Brazil – namely, P. rhamdiae Amato & Amato, 1993 and P. spatula Odhner, 1902. The new species is herein described based on morphological characteristics, molecular data from D1–D3 domains of the 28S rRNA gene, host association, and geographical distribution.

In this paper we re-describe Trichuris muris based on morphological data following isolation from two commensal rodent species, Mus musculus from Mexico and Rattus rattus from Argentina. Furthermore, we provide a molecular characterization based on mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial gene) and nuclear (internal transcribed spacer 2 region) markers in order to support the taxonomic identification of the studied specimens of T. muris from M. musculus. We distinguished T. muris from 29 species of Trichuris found in American rodents based on morphological and biometrical features, such as the presence of a spicular tube, length of spicule, size of proximal and distal cloacal tube and non-protrusive vulva. We suggest that spicular tube patterns can be used to classify Trichuris species in three groups. Considering that the diagnosis among the species of this genus is mainly based on morphometry, this proposal represents a relevant contribution. We provide molecular studies on two markers, making this the first contribution for T. muris in the Americas. This study makes an important contribution to the integrative taxonomy of cosmopolitan nematode species, and its correct determination from the parasitological study of commensal rodents.

Theobroma cacao L. (cacao) is an important tropical crop used to produce chocolate. Evolutionary relationships between cultivated and wild cacao genotypes and their genetic diversity are poorly understood. Exploring phylogenetic diversity and spatial patterns of both cultivated and crop wild relatives can improve the knowledge of the evolutionary history of a crop, giving insights into its cultivation, breeding programmes and conservation. This study identifies biodiversity priority areas in Colombia by calculating phylogenetic diversity indices using a set of 87 single nucleotide polymorphism markers. These were sourced from 279 genotypes conserved in the Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (Agrosavia) germplasm collection. The Caribbean and North Andes areas exhibited the highest phylogenetic diversity and significantly high relative phylogenetic diversity. We propose that those regions where wild cacao occurs should be prioritized as conservation areas. Besides, cacao lineages that have recently diverged and are present in Arauca, Huila and Nariño areas, with significantly low relative phylogenetic diversity, should be prioritized for breeding programmes. The Amazonia genotypes were closer to the root of the phylogenetic tree, suggesting an older origin than those found in the Andes region. Our study highlights the importance of using T. cacao germplasm from the Amazonia region as a priority to recover relict diversity in breeding programmes and broaden the gene pool of modern cultivated cacao.

Reptiles, as well as other vertebrate groups, harbour a significant diversity of parasitic organisms, from nematodes and other helminths to viruses and bacteria. The Northeast is one of the richest regions in Brazil in terms of the reptile diversity, number of species and endemism. Parasites are diverse organisms and knowledge about the parasitic fauna of vertebrates is an important factor in understanding the ecological relationships between hosts and the environment. Studies on the parasitic fauna of reptiles in South America have increased in the past few years. The present review is a compilation of 122 studies published from 1924 to 2021. We present information on 101 species of reptiles from five groups (amphisbaenians, crocodile, testudines, snakes and lizards) and 183 parasitic taxa belonging to four phyla: Nematoda; Arthropoda; Platyhelminthes; and Acanthocephala. Nematodes were the most frequently recorded species. Lizards and snakes had more records of parasitism and higher levels of parasite richness and diversity. Ceará was the state with most studies and recorded cases of parasite–host association. The Caatinga and Atlantic Forest were the most investigated environments. The objective of this review was to contribute knowledge on the parasitic biodiversity in reptiles from Northeast Brazil, which may help identify gaps in our knowledge and guide future studies.

The maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus, the fourth largest canid, is categorized as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. The objectives of this study were to update information on the occurrence of this species in Argentina, compare the current distribution to that previously described for 1988–2008, and indicate the areas in which the species is exposed to particular hazards. We created a database that included 1,051 new records of C. brachyurus for 2009-2021, in addition to records for 1988–2008 that had not been reported previously. We calculated the area of occupancy of the species in Argentina to be 500,000 km2. Most of the new records of C. brachyurus are in the Chaco Seco, Espinal and Pampas ecoregions. Our findings indicate a current area of occupancy 61% higher than that calculated from records for 1988–2008. However the location and frequency of reported threats and the intense environmental transformation that characterizes the areas for which we obtained new records suggest counterintuitive implications for the conservation of the species because of increased human–wildlife interactions. Our study reveals the need for systematic research to improve the understanding of the ecological processes that affect the maned wolf in Argentina, and will aid in the development of conservation strategies for the species.

The Andes offers a particularly effective focus for an archaeology of mobility because their extreme topography compresses enormous vertical resource diversity across short horizontal distances. In this article, the authors combine findings from two large-scale archaeological studies of adjacent watersheds—the Nasca-Palpa Project and One River Project—to provide the necessary context in which to explore changing mobilities from the Archaic Period to the Inca Empire, and from the Pacific coast to the high Andes. Analyses of obsidian lithics and stable isotopes in human hair are used to argue that changing patterns of mobility offer a new way of defining the ‘Horizons’ that have long dominated concepts of periodisation here.

Six vertebrae (one cervical, three articulated thoracic, and two lumbar) and an incomplete thoracic neural spine from a new late Pleistocene site at Anolaima, Cundinamarca, Colombia, are attributed to the extinct gomphothere (Elephantoidea, Proboscidea) Notiomastodon platensis. The preserved bones exhibit a range of alterations, including porosities, piercings, hollows, and deep bone lesions on the spinous process and the neural arch; asymmetrical zygapophyseal articulations; and osteoarthritic lesions. Diet, behaviour, ecological aspects, selective pressures, and disease have the potential to affect the bones, so the study of individual variations and palaeopathology provides important information for understanding aspects of the life of extinct organisms. Osteological anomalies in the Anolaima gomphothere are interpreted as the result of nutritional deficiencies in essential minerals caused by environmental stresses, possibly related to the palaeoenvironmental instability that characterized the late Pleistocene and that coincides with the age of the fossils. Excessive biomechanical loading on already weakened bones from locomotion through the uneven, upland terrain of the Anolaima region may have contributed to the pathologies. This palaeopathological analysis is the first for Colombian megafauna, and thereby broadens our knowledge of the health conditions of South American gomphotheres.

Corrections are made to Stuart Fiedel’s (2022) recent errors and misrepresentations related to the late Pleistocene sites of Monte Verde and Huaca Prieta and to South American Fishtail projectile points.

The dating and routes by which humans colonised South America continue to be debated. Recent research in Uruguay has yielded new Palaeoindian lithic finds from the southern shores of the coastal Merín Lagoon. The author's analysis of a group of Fell points—comparable to other regional examples—shows that this widespread artefact was produced using locally available materials and that they were repeatedly resharpened and repaired until no longer functional. The finds from the Merín Lagoon permit consideration of changing sea levels and their influence on colonisation routes, resource exploitation and archaeological preservation. The Atlantic coastline may have been one possible route of entry for early colonisers of South America.

All Pseudocorynosoma species inhabit freshwater environments of the American continent, but little is known about their life cycles. We report Pseudocorynosoma enrietti (Molfi & Freitas Fernandes, 1953) from natural and experimental specimens in Patagonia and identify the intermediate and definitive hosts of its life cycle for the first time in South America. Adult worms were recovered from Anas platyrhynchos (Linnaeus) and from a new definitive host, Coscoroba coscoroba Molina. Naturally infected amphipods, Hyalella patagonica Ortmann, were collected to obtain cystacanths that were fed to Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus) and Anas platyrhynchos. Specimens of P. enrietti are described in detail using light and scanning electron microscopy. A key to species of the genus Pseudocorynosoma is included. Worms are characterized in both sexes by fore-trunk spines, and genital spines in an isolated field. The proboscis has 19–20 hook rows; males have 9–11 (10) hooks per row and females 7–9 (8). Males with four cement glands similar in size. Eggs elongated, with filaments. Experimental male and female worms were recovered from A. platyrhynchos at seven and 14 days, post-infection.

Caracterizar las estrategias de movilidad de las sociedades cazadoras-recolectoras-pescadoras en ambientes insulares y litorales es fundamental para comprender la interacción humano-ambiental en el pasado. Las prospecciones en el noreste de la isla Diego Portales, en el mar interior de Última Esperanza (Magallanes, Chile), han permitido documentar ocho yacimientos arqueológicos formados por uno o varios conchales. Todos ellos se hallan ubicados en áreas de la costa al resguardo del viento dominante y con fácil acceso mediante embarcación. Los trabajos arqueológicos en dos de estos yacimientos (Bahía Easter 1 y 2) indican una estrategia de subsistencia similar durante el Holoceno tardío final, basada en el aprovechamiento de la biodiversidad de este ambiente de ecotono, con más de una docena de recursos marinos y terrestres consumidos. Entre éstas destaca en abundancia el huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), probablemente cazado en el litoral continental. Teniendo en cuenta las dinámicas de poblamiento y movilidad propuestas desde la etnografía o la arqueología para otras áreas del archipiélago fuego-patagónico, los resultados permiten discutir la reocupación sucesiva de puntos estratégicos de la isla, particularmente en primavera-verano, cuando la encrucijada de caminos y recursos que representa el mar interior de Última Esperanza presentaba alicientes significativos para las comunidades canoeras.

Urban rodents are associated with parasites and pathogens, which present health risks for humans, but information on factors related to parasite and pathogen infection in rodents in cities of Latin America is scarce. This study analyzes the hosts, host community structure and environmental characteristics of parasite and pathogen fauna present in the three species of urban rodents in an urban area of South America. Rodents were captured seasonally in seven different neighborhoods. Digestive tracts were dissected under stereoscopic microscopy and feces were processed using a sedimentation technique. Protozoa and bacteria were detected through polymerase chain reaction and indirect immunofluorescence techniques. In Rattus norvegicus, Rattus rattus and Mus musculus, ten helminths, three protozoa and two bacteria were found. Six were zoonotic: Toxoplasma gondii; Hymenolepis diminuta; Rodentolepis nana; Strobilocercus fasciolaris; Leptospira borgpetersenii; and Leptospira interrogans. The parasite and pathogen infections were influenced by the host species, the host community structure, the season, and the presence of streams in the neighborhood. Urban rodents may be the infection source of many zoonotic diseases and it is important to generate public policies for this problem. This study is one example of the situation of many cities of Latin America, where peripheral neighborhoods are growing dramatically.

Paraguay is a landlocked country in South America. It is a democratic low-middle-income nation, and the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare is responsible for its healthcare system. Mental health services receive just 1–2% of healthcare budgets, and there are only 1.6 psychiatrists per 100 000 inhabitants. There are insufficient resources to adequately assess and treat mental disorders in high-risk populations such as children, adolescents and prisoners. Despite several improvements to mental health policies within the past two decades, the nation still lacks a Mental Health Act and specific policies required to optimise the mental health of the population.