Gabriel Laufer

Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay · Area Biodiversidad y Conservación

The American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus is an invasive species that can strongly affect native amphibian communities through competition, predation, or introduction of diseases. This frog has invaded multiple areas in South America, for which niche models predict suitable environments across much of the continent. This paper reveals the state...

Effects caused by the invasive American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) are poorly understood at the community level. This study assessed the effects of a small feral bullfrog population (at lag invasion phase) on the different components of native aquatic communities (phytoplankton, zooplankton, invertebrates, fish and amphibians) of Aceguá, Ur...

This manuscript critically examines the history of non-native aquatic species introductions in Uruguay, emphasizing the role of public institutions. Despite global concerns about biodiversity threats from these introductions, Uruguay's reliance on animal production and aquaculture involving non-native species has grown since the 1980s. State instit...

Los nuevos desafíos que plantea el cambio global tornan urgente contar con datos de calidad que nos permitan monitorear la biodiversidad y frenar su pérdida. Sin embargo, en la actualidad, el Estado Uruguayo y sus diferentes Ministerios no disponibilizan datos primarios; tampoco existe información abierta disponible sobre los ejemplares de las cole...

The amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) causes chytridiomycosis, a disease among the main causes of amphibian declines worldwide. However, Bd studies on Neotropical amphibians from temperate areas are scarce. We present a comprehensive survey of Bd in Uruguay, in temperate central eastern South America, carried out between...

The purpose of this work is to describe the creation process of the first long-term experimental platform designed for interdisciplinary studies of Silvopastoral Systems (SPS) in Uruguay and to highlight its relevance on filling knowledge gaps across different areas. This experiment involves professionals from diverse fields working together to gen...

Los nuevos desafíos que plantea el cambio global tornan urgente contar con datos de calidad que permitan monitorear la biodiversidad y frenar su pérdida. Sin embargo, en la actualidad, el Estado Uruguayo y sus diferentes ministerios no disponibilizan datos primarios. Tampoco existe información abierta disponible sobre los ejemplares de las coleccio...

Standardized terminology in science is important for clarity of interpretation and communication. In invasion science – a dynamic and rapidly evolving discipline – the proliferation of technical terminology has lacked a standardized framework for its development. The result is a convoluted and inconsistent usage of terminology, with various discrep...

The purpose of this work is to describe the creation process of the first long-term experimental platform designed for interdisciplinary studies of Silvopastoral Systems (SPS) in Uruguay. This experiment involves professionals from diverse fields working together to generate knowledge for sustainable agriculture. The focus is on understanding long-...

Carpobrotus edulis, a highly invasive plant species repeatedly introduced along the Atlantic coast of South America, poses a significant threat to the ecological integrity of coastal dune ecosystems in Uruguay. This study used 15 years of iNaturalist records to assess the magnitude of Carpobrotus invasion, focusing on its distribution, abundance, a...

‘Rewilding’ is a nature conservation strategy gaining prominence worldwide. Established in the Northern Hemisphere, rewilding initiatives have increasingly been proposed in Argentina, but their relative merits, feasibility of implementation and accountability have lacked adequate analysis and discussion. Recently, 125 scientists and practitioners w...

Standardized terminology in science is important for clarity of interpretation and communication. In invasion science — a dynamic and quickly evolving discipline — the rapid proliferation of technical terminology has lacked a standardized framework for its language development. The result is a convoluted and inconsistent usage of terminology, with...

Carpobrotus edulis, a highly invasive plant species repeatedly introduced along the Atlantic coast of South America, poses a significant threat to the ecological integrity of coastal dune ecosystems in Uruguay. This study used 15 years of iNaturalist records to assess the magnitude of Carpobrotusinvasion, focusing on its distribution, abundance, an...

Biological invasions are a major cause of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss. However, information on distribution and impacts is limited for many alien species, restricting the development of local management measures. The aim of this study is: to identify the current situation of the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) invasion focu...

En los últimos años se han desarrollado en Argentina distintas intervenciones relacionadas con el rewilding (o re-asilvestramiento), abarcando una variedad de especies (e.g., grandes carnívoros, ungulados, psitácidos) y ecorregiones (e.g., Chaco Húmedo y Seco, Estepa Patagónica). El reasilvestramiento es definido como una estrategia aplicada en el...

Morphological abnormalities in amphibians, defined as a lack of symmetry or an imbalance in structure, color, or other characteristics, are usually caused by genetic, epigenetic, or traumatic factors. Here, we report the first study of morphological abnormalities in Uruguayan amphibians. We evaluated 378 post-metamorphic anurans representing 11 spe...

Alien species introductions produce strong impacts on invaded communities, altering their structure, diversity and functioning. These impacts are interrelated with changes in food web architecture. However, the reorganization or robustness of food webs in the face of invasion is a phenomenon poorly considered in ecology and conservation practices....

Between 2000–2020, more than ten new populations of the invasive American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) have been reported in the southern cone of South America. We studied the stomach contents of 126 bullfrogs from a population at an early invasion stage in Uruguay (Aceguá, Cerro Largo Department). We observed a rich diet, with extensive prey...

Climate change (CC) is a major threat to biodiversity, increasing species extinction risk. Assessments of its possible impacts on species are crucial for designing conservation strategies. Here, we adjusted a global trait-based approach to the national level and apply it to Uruguay (South America) to evaluate the CC vulnerability of its herpetofaun...

The American mink (Neovison vison) has been introduced for fur farming into several countries around the world. In southern South America, although invasive populations have established in Argentina and Chile, no feral minks have been recorded in the Pampas Biome to date. We report a potentially new biological invasion in Uruguay, presenting observ...

The hidden diversity: invertebrates of temporary ponds in Barra Grande Uruguay. Temporary ponds of Uruguay and the invertebrates that inhabit them represent relatively unexplored ecosystems, without clearreferences in relation to the diversity levels they host. In the present work we report the presence of 216 species and morphospecies of invertebr...

La rana toro Lithobates catesbeianus, originaria del este de Norteamérica, fue introducida en Uruguay en la década de 1980, para la cría en granjas por su uso comestible. Así llegaron a funcionar 19 granjas, que en dos décadas terminaron cerrando sin un control del destino de este anuro acuático de gran tamaño corporal, que actúa como un depredador...

This study reviews the geographic distributions of four hylid frogs native to Uruguay: Dendropsophus nanus, D. minutus, Lysapsus limellum, and Scinax nasicus. Their current conservation status in Uruguay, according to the IUCN red listing criteria, is Endangered, as few locality records were available and published in the herpetological literature...

in press: North-western Journal of Zoology 2021: e2115 http://biozoojournals.ro/nwjz/content/acc.html

The uneven spatial distribution of biodiversity is a defining feature of nature. In fact, the implementation of conservation actions both locally and globally has progressively been guided by the identification of biodiversity ‘hotspots’ (areas with exceptional biodiversity). However, different regions of the world differ drastically in the availab...

International socioeconomic relationships form the background that underlies the history of invasive species. Species with economic value, such as the North American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), are more likely to become internationally distributed and to be subsequently introduced to non-native areas and, consequently, become more difficult...

The aim of the present work is to report a case of predation on an adult specimen of P. falcipes (11.1 mm SVL) by a sub-adult L. thorelli (13.0 mm SVL) (Fig. 1). The observation was made on November 25th, 2018 at 20.05 in a grassland environment next to a lotic water body in Aceguá, Cerro Largo Department, north-eastern Uruguay (31°54′33.3′′S 54°07...

El presente informe resume el trabajo del monitoreo del estado de conservación de la biodiversidad del Parque Nacional Esteros de Farrapos e Islas del Río Uruguay. Dicho monitoreo fue realizado por un equipo de investigadores del MNHN—MEC, en el marco de un acuerdo de trabajo con el SNAP—MVOTMA, entre 2018 y 2019. Para el monitoreo fueron seleccion...

The continental and marine territories of Uruguay are characterised by a rich convergence of multiple biogeographic ecoregions of the Neotropics, making this country a peculiar biodiversity spot. However, despite the biological significance of Uruguay for the South American subcontinent, the distribution of biodiversity patterns in this country rem...

Noticias de la Sociedad Zoológica del Uruguay Año 12-N°43 Disponible en: www.szu.org.uy/

Abstract.— This note reports the occurrence of a new feral american bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus, population in the locality of Cerrillos, Canelones Department, Uruguay. This population is within a protected area of great national importance. We recommend evaluating its status and distribution. Resumen.— Esta nota reporta la presencia de una...

Esta nota reporta la ocurrencia de una nueva población feral de rana toro americana, Lithobates cathesbeianus, en la localidad de Cerrillos, Departamento de Canelones, Uruguay. Esta población se encuentra dentro de un área protegida de gran importancia nacional. Se recomienda evaluar su estatus y distribución.

We studied in this work the prevalence of two eukaryotic skin pathogens in a population of the frog Boana pulchella (Anura, Hylidae) from southeastern Uruguay, the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Rhizophydiales) and the protoctistan Valentines rwandae (Ichthyosporea, Der-mocystida), between 2012 and 2014. In both cases higher prevalences wer...

Despite being an important habitat for biodiversity, autoecology studies of fish in artificial water reservoirs in the Pampas grasslands are scarce. The present study explores aspects of population ecology and trophic interactions of four fish species inhabiting these habitats at the hilly area of the Pampas, Uruguay. We performed a seasonal sampli...

Libro con capitulos de diferentes autores sobre invasiones biologicas en Uruguay. Editores Brugnoli & Laufer.

Amphibians detect quality signals when selecting reproduction sites. We hypothesize that Melanophryniscus rubriventris, an explosive breeding toad that reproduces in small, ephemeral water bodies, is able to select sites without predators. We performed a field experiment simulating oviposition sites, two with predators (tadpoles and bugs) and one c...

El presente documento es el resultado del trabajo coordinado por un grupo de investigadores del MNHN con el objetivo de monitorear el estado de conservación de la biodiversidad del Paisaje Protegido Quebrada de los Cuervos (PPQC). Para esto se seleccionaron 88 indicadores asociados a cinco objetos focales de conservación del Plan de Manejo: pastiza...

The occurrence of satellite males is a common behaviour across anuran taxa. Satellite males take peripheral positions to calling males and adopt tactics in an attempt to intercept females that are attracted to calling males to increase their own mating success. Satellite males could have an inexpensive form of mate-locating, avoiding predators, and...

The aim of the present work is to communicate a case of predation on an adult specimen of Pseudis minuta (Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae) by an aquatic water bug of the genus Lethocerus (Insecta: Heteroptera: Belostomatidae). Observations were made on May 27, 2012, 12: 40 am, at Aceguá, Departamento de Cerro Largo, in NE Uruguay.

It is an important input for conservation of biodiversity to survey the presence of exotic species and to know their environmental attributes. Through literature reviews and scientific collections, we were able to collect data on diet, body size, history and status of invasion of exotic mammals reported in Uruguay. Niche modeling was conducted for...

It is an important input for conservation of biodiversity to survey the presence of exotic species and to know their environmental attributes. Through literature reviews and scientific collections, we were able to collect data on diet, body size, history and status of invasion of exotic mammals reported in Uruguay. Niche modeling was conducted for...

The Neotropical frog genus Elachistocleis Parker consists of 17 species, most of them described in the last two decades. External morphology characters traditionally used in anuran systematics to distinguish among species, such as skin texture, dermal protuberances, cranial chests and nuptial pads, are of relative value in Elachistocleis (Pereyra e...

Elachistocleis haroi sp. nov. is described from El Algarrobal, Jujuy province, north-western Argentina. The new species is diagnosed by the dorsal pattern of mid-longitudinal bright yellow stripe from the intraocular zone, surpassing the postcephalic transverse skin fold, to vent; dorsum grayish brown mottled with a paravertebral symmetric pattern...

El presente informe constituye el Producto 4 y final del Acuerdo N°7 del PROYECTO PNUD URU/07/G32 entre la DINAMA y el IIBCE: Identificación de medidas de adaptación al cambio climático (CC) para minimizar los impactos del cambio y variabilidad climática sobre los vertebrados continentales de Uruguay. Los contenidos de este producto incluyen un res...

The North American bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus is a dangerous invasive species that has been introduced worldwide for commercial and ornamental purposes. Although studies of the bullfrog's effects on invaded communities have been carried out, they have focused mostly on post-metamorphic stages. However, considering the experimental evidence a...

Localidad.— Oreobates barituensis Vaira & Ferrari, 2008. República Argentina, provincia de Tucumán, departamento Tafí Viejo, ruta provincial N° 340 entre las localidades de Las Tipas y San Javier (26°41’42.04”S; 65°23’13.85”O; altitud: 1153 m s.n.m.; Fig. 1). Colectores M. S. Akmentins, L. C. Pereyra y G. Laufer. El día 18 de diciembre de 2011 a la...