Pleistocene Refugia Inferred from Molecular Evidence in a Forest-Dwelling Harvestman (Arachnida, Opiliones, Gonyleptidae) Support a Biogeographic Split in Subtropical Argentina.

This paper addresses the population genetic structure of the forest-dwelling gonyleptid Geraeocormobius sylvarum (Arachnida, Opiliones). Phylogeographic analyses using cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) were conducted on 186 individuals from 43 localities in Argentina and Paraguay, arranged into nine operational sectors and defined upon geographic and vegetation features. Given the current environmental uniformity, it was aimed to assess whether molecular fingerprints of G.

The disjunct pattern of the Neotropical harvestman Discocyrtus dilatatus (Gonyleptidae) explained by climate-driven range shifts in the Quaternary: Paleodistributional and molecular evidence.

The disjunct distribution of the harvestman Discocyrtus dilatatus (Opiliones, Gonyleptidae) is used as a case study to test the hypothesis of a trans-Chaco Pleistocene paleobridge during range expansion stages. This would have temporarily connected humid regions ('Mesopotamia' in northeastern Argentina, and the 'Yungas' in the northwest, NWA) in the subtropical and temperate South American lowlands. The present study combines two independent approaches: paleodistributional reconstruction, using the Species Distribution Modeling method MaxEnt and projection onto Quaternary paleoclimates (6 kya, 21 kya, 130 kya), and phylogeographic analyses based on the cytochrome oxidase subunit I molecular marker.

New records and distribution modeling of Gryne orensis (Sørensen) (Opiliones: Cosmetidae) support the Mesopotamian-Yungas disjunction in subtropical Argentina.

The presence of Gryne orensis (Sørensen) (Opiliones: Cosmetidae) in a Yungas locality (northwestern Argentina) is reported for the first time, providing new evidence for the Mesopotamian-Yungas disjunct pattern. Combining a total of 19 new Mesopotamian records with previous, reliable citations from the literature, a dataset of 45 points was used to model the potential distribution of the species, using the presence-only methods BIOCLIM and MAXENT. Models supported the existence of a distributional gap across the Semiarid Chaco.

Genetic characterization and phylogeography of the wild boar Sus scrofa introduced into Uruguay.

The European wild boar Sus scrofa was first introduced into Uruguay, in southern South America during the early decades of the last century. Subsequently, and starting from founder populations, its range spread throughout the country and into the neighbouring Brazilian state Rio Grande do Sul. Due to the subsequent negative impact, it was officially declared a national pest.

Copper concentrations in tap water and possible effects on infant's health--results of a study in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Copper in drinking water has been associated with non-Indian childhood cirrhosis (NICC), a form of liver cirrhosis in childhood. This epidemiological study examines the exposure of infants to increased copper concentrations through drinking water from public water supplies in southern Lower Saxony, Germany, and whether this dietary copper intake causes liver damage in early childhood. In total, water samples from 1674 households with infants were tested for copper.