New Insights into the Molecular Evolution of (Tapiridae, Perissodactyla) and the Rise and Fall of as a Full Species.

Large wild mammals are extremely important in their respective ecological communities and are frequently considered to be emblematic. This is the case of the different tapir species, the largest terrestrial mammals from the Neotropics. Despite their large size and being objects of interest for many naturalists, the field still lacks critical genetics and systematics information about tapir species.

Morphological and Genetics Support for a Hitherto Undescribed Spotted Cat Species (Genus ; Felidae, Carnivora) from the Southern Colombian Andes.

In 1989, a skin of a small spotted cat, from the Galeras Volcano in southern Colombia (Nariño Department), was donated to the Instituto Alexander von Humboldt (identification, ID 5857) at Villa de Leyva (Boyacá Department, Colombia). Although originally classified as , its distinctiveness merits a new taxonomic designation. The skin is distinct from all known holotypes as well as from other species.

Invalidation of taxa within the silvery wooly monkey (, Atelidae, Primates).

The systematics of the Humboldt's wooly monkeys (; Atelidae) is essential to preserve this Neotropical primate species. Traditionally, four morphological subspecies have been described, which recently have been molecularly confirmed. However, no population genetics studies have been carried out throughout the geographical distribution of one of these subspecies, .

First Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of the Lagothrix Taxon Living in Southern Peru and Northern Bolivia: Lagothrix lagothricha tschudii (Atelidae, Primates), a New Subspecies.

We sequenced mitochondrial COI and COII genes (1,377 base pairs) of 166 woolly monkeys (Lagothrix) to determine the phylogenetic relationships of tschudii in reference to the other taxa within the genus Lagothrix, to provide the first genetic diversity level estimates for tschudii, and to reconstruct the historical demographic evolution of this taxon. The sample set included, for the first time, 10 individuals of the elusive tschudii taxon sensu Groves from southern Peru and northern Bolivia. Our phylogenetic analyses showed that these 10 exemplars formed a statistically significant and differentiated (molecularly and morphologically) monophyletic clade relative to other traditional subspecies of Lagothrix lagothricha.

Phylogeography of the Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata; Atelidae, Primates) across Its Geographical Range by Means of Mitochondrial Genetic Analyses and New Insights about the Phylogeny of Alouatta.

We analyzed 156 specimens of diverse howler monkey taxa (Alouatta; Atelidae, Primates) for different mitochondrial genes (5,567 base pairs), with special emphasis on A. palliata and related taxa. Our results showed no relevant differences among individuals of different putative taxa, A.

Small spotted bodies with multiple specific mitochondrial DNAs: existence of diverse and differentiated tigrina lineages or species (Leopardus spp: Felidae, Mammalia) throughout Latin America.

We analysed two sets of mitochondrial (mt) DNA data from tigrinas (traditionally, Leopardus tigrinus) we sampled in Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northwestern and northeastern Argentina and southern Brazil. Additionally, the analysis included some GenBank sequences from southern, central and northeastern Brazil. The first mt set (mt ATP8+mt 16S rRNA with 41 tigrina) revealed the existence of seven different tigrina-like haplogroups.

How many genera and species of woolly monkeys (Atelidae, Platyrrhine, Primates) are there? The first molecular analysis of Lagothrix flavicauda, an endemic Peruvian primate species.

We sequenced COI and COII mitochondrial genes of 141 Neotropical woolly monkeys to provide new insights concerning their phylogeography and phylogenetic relationships. For the first time, eight individuals of the endemic and extremely rare Peruvian yellow-tailed woolly monkey (flavicauda) were sequenced at these genes and compared with other Lagothrix taxa (poeppigii, lagotricha, lugens and cana). There were four main results.

Genetic characterization and structure of the endemic Colombian silvery brown bare-face tamarin, Saguinus leucopus (Callitrichinae, Cebidae, Primates).

We analyzed 115 Saguinus leucopus, from four Colombian departments (Antioquia, Bolivar, Caldas and Tolima ), for 701 bp of the mt COII gene and at 10 microsatellite loci to estimate gene diversity levels, possible molecular subspecies and historical demographic changes in this species. This endemic Colombian species showed an elevated gene diversity in this gene, although its geographical distribution is very restrictive and extremely threatened by habitat fragmentation. The mt COII gene did not show any geographical structure in the distribution of the haplotypes within this species, but it did show a noteworthy population expansion throughout the history of this species.

Molecular relationships and classification of several tufted capuchin lineages (Cebus apella, Cebus xanthosternos and Cebus nigritus, Cebidae), by means of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II gene sequences.

The morphological systematics of the tufted capuchins is confusing. In an attempt to clarify the complex systematics and phylogeography of this taxon, we provide a first molecular analysis. We obtained mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II (mtCOII) gene sequences from 49 tufted capuchins that had exact geographic origins from diverse lineages in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, French Guyana, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay and that belonged to clearly recognized morphological taxa.

Molecular systematics and phylogeography of the genus Lagothrix (Atelidae, Primates) by means of the mitochondrial COII gene.

We propose the first molecular systematic hypothesis on the origin and evolution of Lagothrix taxa based on an analysis of 720 base pairs of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit II mitochondrial gene in 97 Lagothrix specimens. All the current Lagothrix forms probably descended from the ancestor L. poeppigii or perhaps (less probably) that of L.