Rodrigo A. Moreno

Benthic polychaetes belonging to Amphinomida, Phyllodocida and Eunicida orders collected in the austral Chilean channel and fjord region, in the Magellanic biogeographic province (42°S-56°S), from the Reloncav' estuary (41°25’S) to Obstruction estuary (52°11’S), between 26 and 1173 meters water depth, were identified and characterized. Polychaetes...

In order to elucidate how ecological interactions drive the abundances of marine benthic polychaete populations and the role that environmental variables play in their dynamics, we examined long-term dynamics of winter abundance in 13 polychaete species from benthic samples obtained over 15 years (1993 to 2007) at Punta Coloso, northern Chile on th...

The genus Leocrates is currently made up of 11 nominal species, of which Leocrates chinensis Kinberg, 1866 is the type species. Kinberg's original description is brief, and the diagnostic morphological characters are poorly defined. Therefore, numerous subsequent records in different world regions have been considered doubtful. Numerous specimens o...

Latitudinal diversity gradients (LDG) and their explanatory factors are among the most challenging topics in macroecology and biogeography. Despite of its apparent generality, a growing body of evidence shows that ‘anomalous’ LDG (i.e., inverse or hump-shaped trends) are common among marine organisms along the Southeastern Pacific (SEP) coast. Here...

Here we present a multi-taxa inventory of naturalized alien species recorded on continental Chile and adjacent marine habitats, including eight taxonomic groups. We identified 1,122 species. These comprise 790 vascular plants (terrestrial and aquatic); 31 nonvascular plants [Bryophyta (mosses), Marchantiophyta (liverworts) and Anthocerotophyta (hor...

Here we present a multi-taxa inventory of naturalized alien species recorded on continental Chile and adjacent marine habitats, including eight taxonomic groups. We identified 1,122 species. These comprise 790 vascular plants (terrestrial and aquatic); 31 nonvascular plants [Bryophyta (mosses), Marchantiophyta (liverworts) and Anthocerotophyta (hor...

Esta investigación contempló trece grupos taxonómicos, incluidas plantas (terrestres y acuáticas), algas, hongos, mamíferos, aves, anfibios, reptiles, insectos, peces y moluscos; y, además de identificar qué especies están asilvestradas, entrega información sobre su distribución, cómo y cuándo fueron introducidas al país y los impactos sobre la bio...

Las rapaces constituyen un linaje de aves con más de 310 especies descritas actualmente. Son consideradas depredadores tope y se han especializado en la captura tanto de presas vivas para proveerse de alimento, entre las cuales se incluyen insectos, anfibios, reptiles, aves y micromamíferos, como también en consumir carroña, ya que actúan como verd...

Los humedales son ecosistemas que proveen múltiples servicios ecosistémicos al ser humano como el suministro y purificación del agua, recursos pesqueros, una alta biodiversidad, patrimonio cultural y paisajístico, entre otros aspectos. Sin embargo, son unos de los ecosistemas más amenazados del mundo, principalmente por la acción humana. Ante la cr...

Accurate species identification remains a basic first step in any study of biodiversity, particularly for global changes and their consequences. Thus, there is a pressing need for taxonomic expertise in a broad range of taxa. DNA barcoding has proved to be a powerful alternative method to traditional morphological approaches, allowing to complement...

The delimitation of species is a major issue in systematic biology and has been a re-emerging discipline in the last decade. A number of studies have shown that the use of multiple data sets is critical for the identification of cryptic species, particularly in groups with complex evolutionary histories. Liolaemus monticola is a montane lizard spec...

Se presentan los resultados del análisis taxonómico y ecológico de los poliquetos bentónicos submareales obtenidos durante el crucero CIMAR 11 Fiordos. Las muestras fueron obtenidas en el mar interior de los fiordos magallánicos entre el seno Reloncaví (41° 40¿ S) y golfo Corcovado (43° 43¿ S), Pacífico suroriental, Chile, con un box-corer, entre 1...

Aim We evaluated the bathymetric gradient of benthic polychaete species richness from the Chilean coast, as well as its possible underlying causes. We tested three possible hypotheses to explain the richness gradient: (1) Rapoport's effect; (2) the mid-domain effect (MDE); and (c) the source–sink hypothesis. Location South-eastern Pacific coast of...

Despite a large amount of climatic and oceanographic information dealing with the recurring climate phenomenon El Niño (EN) and its well known impact on diversity of marine benthic communities, most published data are rather descriptive and consequently our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and processes that drive community structure duri...

We conducted an ecological study of a population of the polychaete Abarenicola affinis chiliensis in the shallow subtidal zone of Caleta Guardiamarina Riquelme in northern Chile. The study area is characterized by a hypoxic bottom consisting of fine sands and a silt-clay mixture, with high values of total organic matter content (TOM>20%). During th...

Long-term monitoring (1990 to 2004) at four stations (50 to 60 m depth) off Punta Coloso, Antofagasta, northern Chile, has allowed us to study temporal changes in the sublittoral macrobenthic polychaete infauna composition and abundance. The numerical contribution of the polychaete fraction to the total fauna was high (65 to 93%), whereas biomass w...

Boring polychaetes infesting the shells of aquacultured molluscs affect host fitness and cause serious economic problems for the aquaculture industry. In Chile, knowledge of the native and non-indigenous polychaete fauna associated with mollusc hosts is limited, in spite of the fact that numerous native and non-indigenous mollusc species are active...

We present results from a taxonomic study of subtidal benthic polychaetes belonging to the Amphinomida, Eunicida, Spionida, Sabellida and Scolecida clades, obtained during the Cimar-7 and Cimar-8 Fjords research cruises. We include morphological observations and illustrations, synonymy and the geographical distribution for each species. Samples wer...

Aim In this study we evaluate patterns of endemism for benthic polychaete species along the southeastern Pacific coast of Chile. Our goals were (1) to describe latitudinal gradients of endemism and identify areas of high endemism, (2) to evaluate the effect of biogeographical limits on endemism patterns, and (3) to evaluate indirectly the role play...

Se presentan los resultados del análisis taxonómico de los poliquetos bentónicos submareales del clado Terebellida obtenidos durante los cruceros de investigación CIMAR 7 y CIMAR 8 Fiordos. Se incluye sinonimia, distribución geográfica, observaciones morfológicas e ilustraciones de cada especie. Las muestras fueron obtenidas en la región de Aysén (...

Se presentan los resultados del análisis taxonómico y ecológico de los poliquetos bentónicos submareales obtenidos durante el crucero CIMAR 10 Fiordos. Las muestras fueron obtenidas en el mar interior del archipiélago de Chiloé entre el seno Reloncaví (41o 40¿ S) y boca del Guafo (43o 45¿ S), Pacífico suroriental, Chile, mediante una rastra Agassiz...

We present results from a taxonomic study of subtidal benthic polychaetes belonging to the Amphinomida, Eunicida, Spionida, Sabellida and Scolecida clades, obtained during the Cimar-7 and Cimar-8 Fjords research cruises. We include morphological observations and illustrations, synonymy and the geographical distribution for each species. Samples wer...

Recently three biogeographical units were identified along the Chilean coast (the Magellanic Province, an Intermediate Area, and the Peruvian Province), however few studies have focused on the factors and dynamic processes that formed these spatial units (e.g. Rapoport's rule and its causal mechanisms). In this study we used benthic polychaetes of...

Results from a taxonomic analysis of benthic polychaetes of the clade Phyllodocida, obtained during the Cimar-7 and Cimar-8 Fjords research cruises are presented. Synonymy, distribution, morphological remarks, and illustrations for each species are included. The samples were obtained in the region of Aysén, on the southern coast of Chile, from silt...

The polychaete Pherusa tumbensis is recorded from a new locality, and new taxonomic data are presented for this species. Specimens were collected in the intertidal zone of Punta Gruesa, Iquique (20º22'S) and compared with specimens from the type locality. The presence of P. tumbensis in northern Chile represents the first documented record followin...

A total of 109 specimens of pelagic polychaetes belonging to 12 species in four families was collected using an Isaacs Kids Midwater Trawl (IKMT) during the Cimar 5 and Cimar 6 cruises in the SE Pacific Ocean off the Chilean coast as well as Easter I., San Felix I., San Ambrosio I. and the Juan Fernandez Archipelago. The species Torrea pelagica, Va...

The taxonomy, geographical distribution, and ecological aspects of Pectinaria chilensis are reviewed. Specimens were collected in sublittoral soft bottoms, between 45 and 93m depth, at four localities in northern Chile. These specimens are compared with individuals collected from 17m depth at Coronel, Gulf of Arauco, Chile, the type locality of the...

Additions of new species of herpetological fauna to the Herpetological Collection of the Museo del Mar, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique, Chile, are documented. The Collection currently contains 56 herpetological species, 16 of which are Amphibia, and 40 of which are Reptilia, both terrestrial and marine. There is a total of 165 specimens, of which...

Single species aggregations are common in the rocky intertidal shore. One of such gregarious species is the tubicolous polychaete Phragmatopoma moerchi, which builds reefs of variable size on the rocky intertidal. These reefs provide refuge and food to many invertebrate species. The aim of this work is to characterize the macrofauna associated to t...

Data on epibionts found on the carapace, fins and cloaca of five olive-ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea specimens stranded in the years 2000 and 2001 in the central south region of Chile.

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 realizaro...

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

We present the results of taxonomic and ecological analyses of subtidal benthic polychaetes obtained during the CIMAR 10 Fjords sampling cruise. Samples were obtained between Seno Reloncaví (41 o 40' S) and boca del Guafo (43 o 45' S), in the inner seas of the southeastern Pacific coast of Chile, using an Agassiz trawl and a box-corer, between 22 a...

Results from a taxonomic analysis of benthic polychaetes of the clade Terebellida, obtained during the CIMAR 7 and CIMAR 8 Fjords research cruises are presented. Synonymy, geographical distribution, morphological remarks, and illustrations for each species are included. The samples were obtained in the region of Aysén (43 o 45' S-46