Abstract: The conservation of biodiversity in Mediterranean Chile requires a greater coverage than that represented in the Protected Wild Areas of the State (SNASPE) and Private Protec ted Areas (APP) are complementary alternative for conservation. The study of biodiver sity in APP is scarce, ignoring its contribution to the conservation. The small mammals assemblage of the APP Bioparque Puquén and surroundings was described comparing the species richness, relative abundance and diversity index of Margalef inside and out side the park. Using the Morisita-Horn similarity index and a cluster analysis, the small mammals assemblage was compared between sampling points categorized in different biotopes. Endemic and native species were more abundant outside the APP. There were no significant differences in specific richness or diversity inside and outside the APP. The small mammals assemblage was grouped into biotopes of dense native vegetation and prairies, ravines and seasonal waters. The park would act as buffer area, protecting the nearby areas of the Los Molles-Pichidangui Priority Site. The importance of rocky outcrops as a habitat for endemic species of small mammals and protecting the areas adjacent to the BioParque is discussed.

Resumen: La conservación de la biodiversidad en Chile Mediterráneo requiere una mayor cobertura en el Sistema Nacional de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas del Estado, por lo que las Áreas Pro tegidas Privadas (APP) son alternativas complementarias para la conservación. El estudio de la biodiversidad en las APP es escaso, desconociendo su aporte en la conservación. Se describió el ensamble de micromamíferos del APP Bioparque Puquén y alrededores comparando la riqueza de especies, abundancia relativa e índice de diversidad de Marga- lef al interior y exterior del parque. Mediante el índice de similitud de Morisita-Horn y un análisis de agrupamientos se comparó el ensamble de micromamíferos entre puntos de muestreos categorizados en distintos biotopos. Las especies endémicas y nativas fueron más abundantes fuera del APP. No hubo diferencias significativas en la riqueza específica ni diversidad dentro y fuera del APP. El ensamble de micromamíferos se agrupó en bioto pos de vegetación nativa densa y de praderas, quebradas y aguas estacionales. El parque actuaría como área de amortiguación, protegiendo las áreas aledañas del Sitio Prioritario Los Molles-Pichidangui. Se discute la importancia de los escollos como hábitat de es pecies endémicas de micromamíferos y de proteger las áreas adyacentes al BioParque.

Abstract Background Mitochondrial markers are widely used as a first approach in determining evolutionary relationships among vertebrate taxa at different hierarchical scales. Cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I are among the most common markers; they are particularly useful in phylogeography and species delineation studies. Simulation and empirical studies show that increasing the taxon sampling has a clear and strong effect on the accuracy of the inferred trees and therefore on hypothesized phylogenetic relationships (and eventually in new taxonomic rearrangements); this should be considered in the design of studies. The lizard genus Liolaemus is widely distributed in southern South America and includes more than 250 described species. The number of taxa and the distribution of Liolaemus species/populations makes them a good model for testing different hypotheses in systematics. Methods We studied two Liolaemus species, Liolaemus nigroviridis and L. monticola as focal species to evaluate their monophyly and the influence of adding new samples from related taxa in the resulting phylogenies. We performed phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) using 141 sequences of the mitochondrial DNA Cytochrome b (cyt-b) of 11 Liolaemus species. Results Our study show that using intensive taxon sampling for phylogenetic reconstructions, two species (L. uniformis and L. nitidus) are placed within the clades of the two focal species (L. nigroviridis and L. monticola, respectively). Conclusions Our study confirms the importance of taxon sampling to infer more accurate phylogenetic relationships, particularly to reveal hidden polyphyly or paraphyly, which may have a strong impact on taxonomic proposals and/or inferring cryptic diversity.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is widely used to clarify phylogenetic relationships among and within species, and to determine population structure. Due to the linked nature of mtDNA genes it is expected that different genes will show similar results. Phylogenetic incongruence using mtDNA genes may result from processes such as heteroplasmy, nuclear integration of mitochondrial genes, polymerase errors, contamination, and recombination. In this study we used sequences from two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase subunit I) from the wild vectors of Chagas disease, Triatoma eratyrusiformis and Mepraia species to test for topological congruence. The results showed some cases of phylogenetic incongruence due to misplacement of four haplotypes of four individuals. We discuss the possible causes of such incongruence and suggest that the explanation is an intra-individual variation likely due to heteroplasmy. This phenomenon is an independent evidence of common ancestry between these taxa.

We report the first record of Litomosoides pardinasi in native and exotic rodents from Chile. Litomosoides pardinasi, described in the Argentine Patagonia parasitizing Phyllotis xanthopygus and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, was found in Chile parasitizing the peritoneal and thoracic cavities of O. longicaudatus (prevalence (P)= 18.9%, mean intensity (MI)= 57.3) and Phyllotis darwini (P= 4.2%, MI= 10), and in the peritoneal cavity of Rattus rattus (P= 1.24%; MI= 22.5). Total P in native rodents from Chile was significantly lower than in Argentina, while the total MI was higher. Prevalence and MI of L. pardinasi in O. longicaudatus from Chile and Argentina showed non-significant differences; prevalence in P. darwini from Chile was significantly lower than in P. xanthopygus from Argentina and than in Chilean O. longicaudatus. Our results, together with those from Argentina, support the hypothesis that L. pardinasi is well established in O. longicaudatus, but seems to be recently acquired by P. darwini and the exotic R. rattus. Considering the known host distribution of Litomosoides species among the sigmodontines, our results also support the hypothesis that L. pardinasi first colonized the Oryzomyini tribe and later, by different phenomena of host-switching, colonized the Phyllotini tribe and the exotic R. rattus.

Litomosoides pardinasi es registrada por primera vez en roedores nativos y exóticos de Chile. La especie Litomosoides pardinasi, parásita de Phyllotis xanthopygus y Oligoryzomys longicaudatus en la Patagonia Argentina, fue encontrada en Chile parasitando la cavidad torácica y abdominal de O. longicaudatus (prevalencia (P)= 18.9%, intensidad media (MI)= 57.3) y de Phyllotis darwini (P= 4.2%, MI= 10), y la cavidad abdominal del roedor exótico Rattus rattus (P= 1.24%; MI= 22.5). La P total en roedores nativos de Chile fue significativamente menor que la P de Argentina, en tanto la MI total fue significativamente mayor. La P y MI de L. pardinasi en O. longicaudatus de Chile y Argentina no mostraron diferencias significativas; la P en P. darwini de Chile fue significativamente menor que la de P. xanthopygus de Argentina y que la de O. longicaudatus de Chile. Considerando la distribución de las especies de Litomosoides entre los sigmodontinos, estos resultados apoyan la hipótesis que L. pardinasi está bien establecida en O. longicaudatus y que posiblemente haya sido recientemente adquirida por P. darwini y R. rattus. Así, L. pardinasi colonizó primero a la Tribu Oryzomyini y posteriormente por un fenómeno de cambio de hospedero a la Tribu Phyllotini y a R. rattus.

Triatoma infestans is one of the main domestic vectors of Chagas disease. Reports of wild habitat occurrences have recently increased. In Chile, after a successful elimination campaign of T. infestans domestic infestation, a sylvatic focus was reported in bromeliads in the metropolitan region. Here, we report a new focus of sylvatic T. infestans inhabiting rock piles in the Valparaíso region in central Chile. All T. infestans captured were nymphal instars living among the stones, which were inhabited by several mammal species, along with the sylvatic triatomine vector Mepraia spinolai. We found a prevalence of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi of 36.54% in T. infestans, similar to the previous report for sylvatic specimens from bromeliads. Sylvatic populations of T. infestans should be studied at different geographic scales to elucidate their role in the maintenance of the sylvatic transmission cycle of T. cruzi and their possible role in threatening the domestic elimination of this vector. This information should be used to re-design the control programs in Chile to avoid the re-establishment of the domestic cycle.

The Eight Region has the second highest number of cases of Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) in humans for Chile. A study was performed to identify the number of rodents serologically positive to hantavirus and their local distribution in this region. To achieve this goal, we sampled eleven sites in the four provinces of the region. Seven rodents species were collected, with Abrothrix olivaceus presenting the largest number of captures followed by Oligoryzomys longicaudatus. Of the 300 rodents analyzed, five (1.66 %) were sero-positives to hantavirus and belonged to three different sigmodontine species: Abrothrix longipilis, O. longicaudatus, and Loxodontomys micropus. No previous records of seropositive L. micropus existed.

La Octava Región de Chile corresponde a la segunda región con el mayor número de casos de Síndrome Cardiopulmonar por Hantavirus (SCPH). Por tal motivo se realizó un estudio para detectar la presencia de anticuerpos contra hantavirus en roedores y su distribución local en la Octava Región. El estudio comprendió las cuatro provincias de la región y consideró once sitios de muestreo. Se capturaron siete especies de roedores, Abrothrix olivaceus fue la más abundante seguida de Oligoryzomys longicaudatus. De los 300 roedores analizados, cinco ejemplares (1,66 %) resultaron ser positivos a hantavirus y correspondieron a tres especies de sigmodontinos: a saber, Loxodontomys micropus, que corresponde al único registro de este tipo para la especie en Chile, Abrotrix longipilis y Oligoryzomys longicaudatus

Allozyme variation and evolutionary relationship in species of the genus Microlophus of the peruvianus group from 11 localities in Chile and southern Perú were determined. Two external groups (M. occipitalis and M. thoracicus, both from northern Perú), were considered to polarize character states in a cladistics analysis. A total of 22 presumptive loci were analysed, of which 18 were variables. The results obtained suggests the presence of three species of Microlophus in southern Perú and northern Chile. Two species inhabit intertidal areas; one correspond to M. quadrivittatus which extends from Islay in Perú (16º59' S, 72º06' W) to Antofagasta in Chile (23º40' S, 70º26' W). The second species, M. atacamensis, is distribuited from the south of Antofagasta to Tres Playitas in Chile (28º 28' S, 71º14' W). The third species corresponds to M. theresioides, which is distribuited in the chilean desert, in Pica (20º30' S, 69º20' W), Huayca (20º11' S, 69º08' W), and Mamiña (20º04' S, 69º13' W), and probably extends to the coastal range of the Chilean desert at this latitude. The taxonomic arrangement proposed is according to Rogers genetic identity levels, where the respective dendrogram clustered populations in three nodes, one for each species. Phylogenetic analysis confirms the existence of three clades corresponding to species suggested by phenetic analysis. We did not detect evidence of monophily of both coastal species. This indicates that M. atacamensis is the sister taxon of M. quadrivittatus - M. theresioides clade. According to this, the adaptation to an intertidal habitat could have originated more than once in the evolutionary history of Microlophus of the peruvianus group. Another explanation is that this adaptation is plesiomorphic within the group analysed.

RESUMEN Se determinó la variación aloenzimática y el grado de parentesco evolutivo en especies del género Microlophus del grupo "peruvianus" provenientes de 11 localidades de Chile y sur de Perú. Además se incluyó a dos grupos externos (M. occipitalis y M. thoracicus, ambos del norte de Perú), con el fin de polarizar los estados de caracteres en un análisis cladístico. Se analizó un total de 22 presuntos loci, de los cuales dieciocho fueron variables. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren la existencia de tres especies en el sur de Perú y norte de Chile. Dos especies habitan en el intermareal; una corresponde a M. quadrivittatus que se extiende desde Islay en Perú, hasta Antofagasta por el sur, y la otra, M. atacamensis se distribuye desde el sur de Antofagasta hasta Tres Playitas (Huasco). La tercera especie corresponde a M. theresioides, la cual se distribuye en el desierto interior de Chile, abarcando las localidades de Pica, Huayca y Mamiña, y probablemente se extienda hasta el rango costero del desierto chileno. Este ordenamiento taxonómico resultó concordante con los niveles de identidad genética de Rogers, cuyo dendrograma agrupó a las poblaciones en nodos consistentes con las tres especies. El análisis filogenético confirma la existencia de tres clados atribuibles a las especies sugeridas por el análisis fenético. No se encontró evidencia de la monofilia de las dos especies de intermareal, lo que indica que M. atacamensis es el taxón hermano del clado M. quadrivittatus-M. theresioides. De acuerdo a esto, la adaptación al hábitat costero pudo surgir en más de una ocasión en la historia evolutiva de los Microlophus del grupo "peruvianus", o bien corresponde a un atributo plesiomórfico dentro del grupo analizado.

ABSTRACT The Llanos de Challe National Park is located near Huasco in northern Chile, with a total area of 45,708 ha. The area experiences a cloudy coastal desert climate, and is representative of the Coastal Desert Ecological Subregion of northern Chile. From 1997-98 herpetological surveys were carried out in the area, yielding eight species belonging to six genera and five families. In this article, we discuss the extent to which the national park is representative of the regional herpetofauna

RESUMEN El Parque Nacional Llanos de Challe se encuentra ubicado en el desierto costero de Huasco, III Región de Atacama (Chile), con un área total de 45.708 ha. Se caracteriza por presentar un clima desértico costero con nubosidad abundante y ser representativo de la subregión ecológica del desierto costero. Entre los años 1997 y 1998 se realizaron prospecciones herpetológicas determinándose ocho especies, pertenecientes a cinco familias y seis géneros. Se discute la importancia del conocimiento a nivel específico de la herpetofauna en áreas destinadas para la conservación de la biodiversidad

The Herpetological Catalogue of Museo del Mar in Arturo Prat University is described. There are 100 specimens included in 29 species, 11 genera and six families

Se da a conocer el Catálogo de los Herpetozoos depositados en el Museo del Mar de la Universidad Arturo Prat de Iquique, el cual cuenta con 100 ejemplares, los que pertenecen a 29 especies agrupadas en 11 géneros y 6 familias