Browsing by Author "Eduardo Palma, R."

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    A 19 Year Analysis of Small Mammals Associated with Human Hantavirus Cases in Chile
    (2019) Torres-Perez, Fernando; Eduardo Palma, R.; Boric-Bargetto, Dusan; Vial, Cecilia; Ferres, Marcela; Vial, Pablo A.; Martinez-Valdebenito, Constanza; Pavletic, Carlos; Parra, Alonso; Marquet, Pablo A.; Mertz, Gregory J.
    Small mammals present in areas where hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) cases had occurred in central and southern Chile were captured and analyzed to evaluate the abundance of rodents and seroprevalence rates of antibodies to Andes orthohantavirus (ANDV). Sampling areas ranged from the Coquimbo to Aysen regions (30-45 degrees S approx.) regions. Ninety-two sites in peridomestic and countryside areas were evaluated in 19 years of sampling. An antibody against ANDV was detected by strip immunoassay in 58 of 1847 specimens captured using Sherman traps. Of the eleven species of rodents sampled, Abrothrix olivacea, Oligoryzomys longicaudatus and Abrothrix hirta were the most frequently trapped. O. longicaudatus had the highest seropositivity rate, and by logistic regression analysis, O. longicaudatus of at least 60 g had 80% or higher probability to be seropositive. Sex, age and wounds were significantly related to seropositivity only for O. longicaudatus. Across administrative regions, the highest seropositivity was found in the El Maule region (34.8-36.2 degrees S), and the highest number of HCPS cases was registered in the Aysen region. Our results highlight the importance of long term and geographically extended studies, particularly for highly fluctuating pathogens and their reservoirs, to understand the implications of the dynamics and transmission of zoonotic diseases in human populations.
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    A hybrid zone of two toad sister species, Rhinella atacamensis and R-arunco (Anura: Bufonidae), defined by a consistent altitudinal segregation in watersheds
    (2013) Correa, Claudio; Mendez, Marco A.; Araya, Sergio; Lobos, Gabriel; Eduardo Palma, R.
    Delimiting the spatial extension of a hybrid zone is essential to understand its historical origin and to identify the geographical and/or environmental factors which delimit it. Rhinella atacamensis and R. arunco are two sister species which together inhabit Chile between 25 degrees and 38 degrees S. Their distribution limits coincide at about 32 degrees S, where recently it was reported that they hybridize in a small watershed (Pupio creek). Although the genetic evidence suggests that these two species form a hybrid swarm, they are not mixed homogeneously in the entire watershed, but rather are spatially segregated: R. arunco is found in the lower part of the creek and R. atacamensis in the higher part. An extensive exploration north and south of 32 degrees S revealed other instances of hybridization, with the same pattern of spatial segregation within other watersheds. This study describes the hybrid zone combining mitochondrial sequences and nuclear AFLP markers. In the northern part, the hybrid zone is a narrow strip which crosses several watersheds and extends more than 130 km from NW-SE, so that R. atacamensis is found at higher altitudes towards the south. However, two points south of this strip show that the hybrid zone is more extensive and complex, and probably extends along the entire border of the mountain chains which form the watershed of the Aconcagua River (32 degrees 30' - 33 degrees S). We propose an explanation for the origin of this hybrid zone considering paleoclimatic and orographic information, and briefly discuss the taxonomic implications of these results.
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    Deep Divergences within Liolaemus nigroviridis (Squamata, Liolaemidae) Lineages Associated with Sky Islands in Central Chile
    (2013) Cianferoni, Franco; Yanez, Romina P.; Eduardo Palma, R.; Garin, Carlos F.; Torres-Perez, Fernando
    Evolution of montane species may be strongly influenced by climate oscillations, particularly species distributed in isolated high-elevation areas (sky islands). Chilean topography is exemplified by montane environments including the Andes and Coastal Mountains. To test hypotheses related to genetic divergence associated with sky islands, we explored population genetics and phylogenetic signatures in the montane lizard Liolaemus nigroviridis Muller and Hellmich 1932. We sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome b for samples collected from six montane areas in central Chile. We found high genetic divergence among populations, congruent with well-supported clades from phylogeny reconstructions. The most recent common ancestor of all samples of L. nigroviridis was dated around the limit of Pliocene-Pleistocene (2.7 Mya), congruent with early vicariance of Andean and coastal populations. Deep lineage divergences suggest that allopatric populations accumulated high nucleotide differences and maintained long periods without gene exchange. We discuss potential taxonomic revisions considering relative genetic divergence.
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    Ecological and evolutionary trends of body size in Pristimantis frogs, the world's most diverse vertebrate genus
    (2022) Acevedo, Aldemar A.; Eduardo Palma, R.; Angel Olalla-Tarraga, Miguel
    Body size is a key organismal trait. However, the environmental and evolutionary factors that drive body size patterns at the interspecific level remain unclear. Here, we explored these relationships between phenotype-environment using neotropical frogs of Pristimantis, the world's most diverse vertebrate genus. We analyzed: (a) whether this group follows the Rensch's rule, a trend of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) to increase with size when males are the larger sex; (b) whether environmental constraints have influenced body size variation; and (c) how the rates of body size evolution have varied over time. Analyses were based on two information sources, the first one including body sizes of similar to 85% (495 species) of known species in the genus, and a second one incorporating molecular phylogenetic information for 257 species. Our results showed that all Pristimantis species exhibited marked SSD but did not follow Rensch's rule. We found that the models that best explained body size in males, females, and SSD contained environmental variations in temperature, precipitation, and elevation as predictors. In turn, body size has evolved toward an optimum, with a decelerating rate of evolution differentiated between the large Pristimantis clades.
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    Genetic variability and structure of the Olive Field Mouse: a sigmodontine rodent in a biodiversity hotspot of southern Chile
    (2019) Zepeda, Paulo S.; Rodriguez-Serrano, Enrique; Torres-Perez, Fernando; Celis-Diez, Juan L.; Eduardo Palma, R.
    The temperate rainforests of southern Chile, a recognized biodiversity hotspot, were significantly affected by Pleistocene glacial cycles in their southern portion and have been severely disrupted mainly due to recent human activities. Additionally, the landscape is characterized by a series of potential barriers to gene flow, such as the Chacao Channel, Cordillera de Piuche in Chiloe and both the Ancud and the Corcovado gulfs. We used mitochondrial DNA sequences and microsatellite data across several populations to evaluate the genetic variability and structure of the sigmodontine rodent Abrothrix olivacea brachiotis, one of the most common species of small mammals and an inhabitant of these biodiverse forests. Sequencing data showed that along with the recovery of high haplotype variation for this species, there was a low nucleotide diversity between haplotypes, showing no genetic differences between the Chiloe Island and continental populations in southern Chile or through any other geographic barrier in the study area. However, microsatellite data exhibited some level of population structuring. The most evident clusterings were those of the Chiloe Island and that of North Patagonia. These findings are corroborated by a barrier analysis that showed a genetic barrier in the latter areas, whereas the Chacao Channel was not a significant barrier for this rodent. Overall, the genetic variability and structure of A. o. brachiotis was concordant with historical factors, such as the Last Glacial Maximum and the presence of geographic elements that isolate populations.
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    Glaciation Effects on the Phylogeographic Structure of Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae) in the Southern Andes
    (2012) Eduardo Palma, R.; Boric-Bargetto, Dusan; Torres-Perez, Fernando; Hernandez, Cristian E.; Yates, Terry L.
    The long-tailed pygmy rice rat Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (Sigmodontinae), the major reservoir of Hantavirus in Chile and Patagonian Argentina, is widely distributed in the Mediterranean, Temperate and Patagonian Forests of Chile, as well as in adjacent areas in southern Argentina. We used molecular data to evaluate the effects of the last glacial event on the phylogeographic structure of this species. We examined if historical Pleistocene events had affected genetic variation and spatial distribution of this species along its distributional range. We sampled 223 individuals representing 47 localities along the species range, and sequenced the hypervariable domain I of the mtDNA control region. Aligned sequences were analyzed using haplotype network, Bayesian population structure and demographic analyses. Analysis of population structure and the haplotype network inferred three genetic clusters along the distribution of O. longicaudatus that mostly agreed with the three major ecogeographic regions in Chile: Mediterranean, Temperate Forests and Patagonian Forests. Bayesian Skyline Plots showed constant population sizes through time in all three clusters followed by an increase after and during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; between 26,000-13,000 years ago). Neutrality tests and the "g" parameter also suggest that populations of O. longicaudatus experienced demographic expansion across the species entire range. Past climate shifts have influenced population structure and lineage variation of O. longicaudatus. This species remained in refugia areas during Pleistocene times in southern Temperate Forests (and adjacent areas in Patagonia). From these refugia, O. longicaudatus experienced demographic expansions into Patagonian Forests and central Mediterranean Chile using glacial retreats.
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    Phylogenetic evaluation of taxonomic definition of didelphid mouse opossum of the genus Thylamys from valleys of Coquimbo region, Chile
    (2016) Boric-Bargetto, Dusan; Zuniga-Reinoso, Alvaro; Cancino, Ricardo A.; Gonzalez-Acuna, Daniel; Rodriguez-Serrano, Enrique; Eduardo Palma, R.; Hernandez, Cristian E.
    Only two species of Didelphidae are currently recognized in Chile, the sister species Thylamys elegans, endemic of Mediterranean ecorregion and Thylamys pallidior, the inhabitant of the Puna and desert canyons. Three subspecies have been described for T. elegans: T. e. elegans, T. e. coquimbensis and T. e. soricinus. However, a recent study based on morphological analyses, synonymized T. elegans coquimbensis from the Coquimbo valleys (30-31 degrees S) with T. pallidior and proposed that T. elegans and T. pallidior could be in sympatry at Coquimbo valleys between Fray Jorge (30 degrees 40'S) and Paiguano (30 degrees 02'S). We assess the current definition of T. e. coquimbensis and T. e. elegans, as well as this taxonomical conflict among the mouse opossums from the Coquimbo valleys through phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome b mitochondrial gene sequences. In this study, for the first time, we used specimens from the type localities of T. e. coquimbensis and T. e. elegans. In addition, we analyzed diagnostic cranial structures for this taxonomic revision. The results supported two allopatric clades, allowing us to keep the taxonomic definition of T. e. elegans and T. e. coquimbensis as phylogenetic reciprocal monophyletic clades and polyphyletic with T. pallidior. This result corroborates previous morphological analyses, which support that mouse opossums from the Coquimbo valleys are T. e. coquimbensis, thus extending its geographic distribution to the coast of Coquimbo and Atacama regions. We don't have evidence for sympatric distribution between T. elegans and T. pallidior in the Coquimbo region.
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    Phylogenetic relationships of the pygmy rice rats of the genus Oligoryzomys Bangs, 1900 (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae)
    (OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2010) Eduardo Palma, R.; Rodriguez Serrano, Enrique; Rivera Milla, Eric; Hernandez, Cristian E.; Salazar Bravo, Jorge; Carma, Maria I.; Belmar Lucero, Sebastian; Gutierrez Tapia, Pablo; Zeballos, Horacio; Yates, Terry L.
    Sequences from two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and NADH1) were used to produce a molecular phylogeny for 12 named and two undescribed species of the genus Oligoryzomys. All analyses placed Oligoryzomys microtis as the most basal taxon, a finding consistent with previous studies that suggested the west-central Amazon as a centre of origin for the tribe Oryzomyini to which Oligoryzomys belongs. Biogeographically, this suggests that Oligoryzomys had a South American origin, and later advanced northwards, entering Central America and Mexico more recently. Different analyses have provided consistent support for several additional clades that did not necessarily agree with the species groups hypothesized by previous studies. A molecular clock derived for these data suggests an origin for the genus of 6.67 Mya, with most speciation within the genus occurring between 3.7 and 1.5 Mya. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London.
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    Phylogeographical Analysis of Neotropical Rhagoletis (Diptera: Tephritidae): Did the Andes Uplift Contribute to Current Morphological Differences?
    (2008) Ramirez, Claudio C.; Salazar, Marcela; Eduardo Palma, R.; Cordero, Cecilia; Meza-Basso, Luis
    Neotropical Rhagoletis species are arranged in four groups: nova, psalida, striatella and ferruginea, which include 18 species. On both sides of the Andes, the evolution of morphological differences among these groups has been suggested to be related to the Andes uplift process. In order to test this hypothesis, a phylogenetic analysis of morphological and molecular data was performed. The results suggest that: 1) Neotropical species of Rhagoletis constitute a separate group from Paleartic and North American species, with the only exception being a member of the striatella group having a certain association with the northern species. 2) Neotropical species seem to form a monophyletic clade, although statistical support for this is weak. 3) The split of South American Rhagoletis from other groups was dated at 4.333 million years ago, which is before the emergence of a continuous landbridge between Central and South America. 4) Within species distributed in South America, morphological and molecular data were coincident, placing species of the ferruginea group separate from the other Neotropical Rhagoletis. 5) The divergence of the ferruginea group from the other groups was dated at 3.882 million years ago, which is before the last uplift of the Andes. These results suggest that diversification of the ferruginea, psalida and nova groups, on each side of the Andes, was the result of a vicariant separation followed by dispersal and isolation processes. Thus, these results support the hypothesis that the Andes uplift has played an important role in Neotropical Rhagoletis diversification.
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    Range expansion of Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) in Patagonian Chile, and first record of Hantavirus in the region
    (2009) Belmar-Lucero, Sebastian; Godoy, Paula; Ferres, Marcela; Vial, Pablo; Eduardo Palma, R.
    At present, 20 species of Oligoryzomys (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) are recognized in the Neotropical region, most of them distinguished by their karyotypes, which fluctuates between 46-70 chromosomes. Two species are currently recognized in Chile, Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (Bennet, 1832: "colilargo" or the long-tailed pygmy rice rat: 2n = 56), which ranges from 27 degrees to approximately 51 degrees S, and O. magellanicus (Bennet, 1 836 Magellanic pygmy rice rate 2n = 54), south of 51 degrees S in the Patagonian region of Chile and Argentina. As part of an ongoing research on the southern Patagonia of Chile. we report the results Of small mammal samplings in six localities. We karyotyped 28 specimens and we also sequenced the hypervariable mtDNA region I in 22 individuals. aligning these sequences With an Under development phylogeny of O. longicaudatus. We also evaluated the serology and viral charge in all captured specimens to detect the presence of antibodies to Andes virus (ANDV) through Strip Immunoblot Assay (SIA), and of viral genome by RT-PCR. The results consistently showed that the karyotype of southern Patagonia specimens was 2n = 56, equal to that of O. longicaudatusand that individuals from this area (to not differentiate phylogenetically from those of the northern range of distribution. In addition, the serology showed the presence of antibodies IgG anti-ANDV and of viral genome in heart, kidney, spleen, and lungs S of a single specimen of Oligoryzomys from the locality of Fuerte Bulnes in the Magallanes region. We conclude that all specimens trapped south of 51 degrees S correspond to Oligoryzomys longicaudatus thus expanding the distribution of this speciei from 51 degrees to at least 55 degrees S. The results also extended the distribution of the Andes strain of Hantavirus to Southernmost Patagonia.
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    Relationship between the genetic structure of the Andean toad Rhinella spinulosa (Anura: Bufonidae) and the northern Chile landscape (21°-24° S)
    (2011) Gallardo, Carolina E.; Hernandez, Hector J.; Diniz-Filho, Jose A. F.; Eduardo Palma, R.; Mendez, Marco A.