Mico munduruku: A new species of Marmoset from the Amazon Basin.

Marmosets are small New World Monkeys, Platyrrhini, with claw-like nails and the incisor and canine teeth of the lower jaw modified for boring holes in Trees to obtain sap, a significant part of their diet. The group is well studied in the Atlantic Forests of Brazil, but also present in the forests of the Amazon Basin, where they are less well understood.

In a paper published in the journal PeerJ on 25 July 2019, Rodrigo Costa-Araújo of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia and the Departamento de Genética at the Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Fabiano de Melo of the Departamento de Engenharia Florestal at the Universidade Federal de Viçosa, and the Unidade Acadêmica Especial Ciências Biológicas at the Universidade Federal de Goiás, Gustavo Rodrigues Canale of the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Sandra Hernández-Rangel, also of the Departamento de Genética at the Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Mariluce Rezende Messias of the Departamento de Biologia at the Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Rogério Vieira Rossi of the Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia at the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Felipe Silva of the School of Environment and Life Sciences at the University of Salford, and the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Maria Nazareth Ferreira da Silva of the Coleção de Mamíferos at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Stephen Nash of the Department of Anatomical Sciences at Stony Brook University, Jean Boubli, also of the School of Environment and Life Sciences at University of Salford, and Izeni Pires Farias and Tomas Hrbek, again of the Departamento de Genética at the Universidade Federal do Amazonas, describe a new species of Marmoset from the Tapajós–Jamanxim interfluve (i.e. the area between the Tapajós and Jamanxim rivers) in the southwest of Pará State, Brazil.

The new species is placed in the genus Mico, and given the specific name munduruku, in honour of the Munduruku Amerindians of the Tapajós–Jamanxim interfluve. The species was first identified by its coat, which is distinctive and cannot easily be mistaken from that of any other previously described Marmoset, and later confirmed as a separate species by genetic analysis. Members of this species are white in colour with a a beige-yellowish spot on the elbow, and beige-yellowish saddle.

Mico munduruku, artists impression. Stephen Nash in Costa-Araújo et al. (2019).

Mico munduruku is found in lowland terra firme rainforest (i.e. rainforest which does not flood), from the left margin of the Jamanxim River, below the mouth of Novo River, possibly up to the right margin of the upper Tapajós River, below the mouth of Cururú River. The Tapajós–Jamanxim interfluve covers an area of about 120 000 km², slightly less than the area of New Mexico or England, although the area occupied by Mico munduruku is thought to only cover about 55 000 km². This region is one of the main fronts of forest destruction within the Arc of deforestation, a region infamously characterised by fast, intense and disordered conversion of forests to pastoral and agricultural land and human settlements, and has area has suffered extensive environmental damages due to illegal logging and agricultural expansion—this is happening even within federal conservation units and protected indigenous lands. There are also there are four hydroelectric plants in the process of implementation in this region. The population structure of Mico munduruku is to poorly understood to properly assess it's conservation status at this time, but Costa-Araújo et al. nevertheless express extreme concern about the future of the species given the immediate threats to its environment.

See also...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.

Pseudephedranthus enigmaticus: A new secies of Custard Apple from Suriname, Guyana and Brazil.

The Custard Apples (Annonacaea) are a family of flowering trees and shrubs found throughout the tropics, some of which produce edible fruit. They are placed within the Magnoliales (Magnolias), generally thought to be one of the oldest groups of flowering plants. To date around 2450 species have been described. The genus Pseudephedranthus currently contains a single species from the Brazilian state of Amazonas and adjacent areas of Venezuela.

In a paper published in the journal Phytokeys on 21 September 2017, Roy Erkens of the Maastricht Science Programme at Maastricht University, and the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Jessica Oosterhof of the Netherlands, and Lubbert Westra and Paul Maas, also of the Maastricht Science Programme at Maastricht University, describe a new species of Pseudephedranthus from Suriname, Guyana and the Brazilian state of Pará.

The new species is named Pseudephedranthus enigmaticus, presumably meaning 'enigmatic', though no explanation is given. While the species is newly described, Erkins et al. were able to find a number of specimens that they assign to it in different herbaria (plant collections) under a variety of names. The species forms trees up to 15 m in height in periodically inundated forests at altitudes of 100-600 m. It was observed to produce greenish white flowers in May to June, and black, ellipsoid fruit from June to September.

Drawing of Pseudephedranthus enigmaticus. (a) Flowering branch, (b) Flower in lateral view, (c) Staminate flower in longitudinal section, (d) Outer petal, (e) Inner petal, (f) Stamen, (g) Fruit, (h) Seed, small part of seed coat removed to show lamellate ruminations, (i) Cross section of monocarp and enclosed seed showing 4-parted rumination. Esmée Winkel in Erkins et al. (2017).

See also...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.

Potamotrygon albimaculata & Potamotrygon jabuti: Two new species of Freshwater Stingray from the Rio Tapajós Basin of Brazil.

Freshwater Stingrays, Potamotrygonidae, are Batoid Fish found in South American river systems draining into the Caribbean and Atlantic, found as far south as the River Plate in Argentina, with their maximum diversity in the Amazon River system of Brazil. They are roughly disk-shaped, with an elongate tail with a venomous caudal sting, and range from about 25 cm to about 1.5 m in length. They are the only entirely freshwater-dwelling family of Batoid Fish, or Chondrichthians of any type. Many species are traded in the aquarium trade, often under the name 'Teacup Rays', which has raised concern with some conservationists, as these Rays are slow-breeding, leading dealers to rely on wild-caught, rather than captive-bred, Fish, and making over-harvested populations slow to recover.

In a paper published in the journal Zootaxa on 13 September 2016, Marcelo De Carvalho of the Departamento de Zoologia at the Universidade de São Paulo, describes two new species of Freshwater Stingray from the Rio Tapajós Basin of Brazil. Both species are placed in the genus Potamotrygon, and both have been known in the aquarium trade for some time, but this is the first time they have been formally described.

The first new species described is named Potamotrygon albimaculata, meaning 'white spots'; adults of the species are dark-brown to black in colour with numerous white spotes on their dorsal surface. The species is found in the upper and middle reaches of the Rio Tapajós in Amazonas, Pará and Mato Grosso states, where it is known locally as the Pretinha do Tapajós (Tapajós Freshwater Stingray); it is traded in the aquarium trade as the 'Itaituba Ray', or simply 'P14'. The species appears to live in the deeper parts of the center of the river during the daytime, foraging in the shallower waters around the shore at night.

Live adult female specimen of Potamotrygon albimaculata, in aquarium, shortly before giving birth to two pups. Richard Hardwick & G England in De Carvalho (2016).

This is quite a large species, reaching 790 mm in length. Juveniles have a distinctive reticulated pattern, with a dark background with tightly packed lighter brown areas with small white spots in the center. The dermal denticles on the body reach a maximum of 1 mm; on the tail many of these are modified to make larger, sharp thorns. As a defence mechanism they produce copious amounts of mucus, which is shed when they are grabbed. Young are born live, being 100-110 mm in length, in clutches of up to four, though two is much more common.

Live neonates of Potamotrygon albimaculata, shortly after birth; offspring of gravid female above. Richard Hardwick & G England in De Carvalho (2016).

The second new species is named Potamotrygon jabuti, where 'jabuti' is a local word for the species meaning 'Tortoise', a reference to the appearance of the adults, which have a torroiseshell patternation and a tendency to arch their backs. In the aquarium trade the species is marketed as the 'Pearl Freshwater Stingray'. The species was found in the middle and upper Rio Tapajós waterway as well as numerous smaller tributaries, being partucularly abundant in the Rio Jamanxim.

Live adult specimen of Potamotrygon jabuti, in aquarium. Richard Hardwick in De Carvalho (2016).

This is another large species, reaching 810 mm in length, and quite variable in colouration, having a marbled pattern that comes in a variety of greens, browns and yellows. Denticles on the body reach up to a mm in size, with larger denticles modified to form spines on the tail and hindpart of the body disk.

Live neonates of Potamotrygon jabuti, shortly after birth. Richard Hardwick in De Carvalho (2016).

See also...

A new species of Eagle Ray from the Northwest Pacific.                                     Eagle Rays (Myliobatidae) are large Batoid Fish (bilaterally symmetrical fish with cartilaginous skeletons descended from Sharks), that predominantly live as free swimming animals in the water column rather than on the sea bottom. They are strong swimmers, and some species have been observer to leap several...

Satellite tracking Manta Rays off the coast of Mexico.                                                                      Manta Rays, or Devilfish (Manta birostris) are the worlds largest Batoid Fish (bilaterally symmetrical fish with cartilaginous skeletons descended from Sharks), reaching widths of up to 7.1 m. They are considered...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.

Penicillium excelsum: A new species of Fungi from the Brazil Nut Tree Ecosystem in the Amazon Basin.

Fungi of the genus Penicillium are considered to be highly important both ecologically and economically. They act as major biodegrading agents in many ecosystems, helping to recycle a wide range of biological material, but this also makes them spoiling agents capable of rotting food and man made goods. They also produce a wide range of chemicals of interest to us, including powerful metabolites and drugs such as penicillin (an antibiotic) and lovastatin, which is used to lower cholesterol.

In a paper published in the journal PLoS One on 30 December 2015, Marta Hiromi Taniwaki of the Centro de Ciência e Qualidade de Alimentos at the Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos, John Pitt of Food and Nutrition at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Beatriz Iamanaka, also of the Centro de Ciência e Qualidade de Alimentos at the Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos, Fernanda Massi and Maria Helena Fungaro of the Centro de Ciências Biológicas at the Universidade Estadual de Londrina and Jens Frisvad of the Department of Systems Biology at the Technical University of Denmark, describe a new species of Penicillium  from the Amazon rainforest in Para and Amazon States, Brazil.

The new species is named Penicillium excelsum, in reference to its relationship with the Brazil Nut Tree (Bertholletia excelsa). The Fungus was isolated from the soil around Brazil Nut Trees, as well as from the flowers and nuts of the trees, and from Bees and Ants living on the trees. The ecological role of the Fungus is unclear.

Penicillium excelsum. Colonies after 7 days at 25°C on (a) Czapek yeast extract agar; (b) malt extract agar; (c–f) penicilli, bar = 20 μm; (g) conidia, bar = 5 μm. Taniwaki et al. (2015).

See also...

Jahnula purpurea: A new species of Ascomycote Fungo from Martinique. Ascomycote Fungi of the order Jahnulales are aquatic wood decomposing Fungi found almost exclusively in freshwater environments (one species is known from Mangroves). Members of the genus Jahnula, from which the family gets its name, are primarily tropical...

The cause of Pink Spot Disease on Guavas in South Africa.

Guavas, Psidium guajava, are fruit bearing trees in the Myrtle Family, Myrtaceae, closely related to Eucalyptus. They are native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean Islands, but have been introduced to many countries as a commercial fruit crop, the largest producers being Mexico, India and Brazil. Like most...

New species of Mold found growing on Brazil Nuts in the Amazon Basin.                        Molds of the genus Aspergilus are considered major economic pests due to their production of aflatoxins, highly carcininogenic compounds that can cause liver cancers in humans and animals. Several hundred species have been described since the genus was first described in 1725, and there are probably far more undescribed species, since these...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.