La mayor parte de los estudios realizados hasta el momento sobre el complejo de páramos de Chingaza se han desarrollado principalmente en las zonas cercanas a Bogotá y algunos sectores del Parque Nacional Natural Chingaza. El objetivo del presente estudio fue caracterizar la zona de transición bosque-páramo en el complejo. Realizamos 5 transectos altitudinales en áreas con buen estado de conservación, en los que se obtuvieron 11,588 registros de ocurrencias y 1382 registros de rasgos funcionales de vegetación, edafofauna, anfibios y aves. Registramos dos especies de plantas en estado vulnerable (VU) (Hedyosmum parvifolium y Centronia brachycera) y un nuevo taxón endémico para este complejo de páramo (Puya loca). Análisis preliminares de los datos presentados sugieren variación en estructura biótica a lo largo del gradiente, y cambios en la composición de las comunidades. Con la información presentada se logró identificar la zona de transición entre el bosque altoandino y el páramo por medio de diversos atributos fisonómicos, florísticos, ecológicos y corológicos. Palabras clave. Alta montaña. Ecotono. Gradiente altitudinal. Norte de los Andes. Rasgo funcional.

Hydrometra colombiana Martínez and Galindo-Malagón, sp. nov., H. tayrona Martínez and Galindo-Malagón, sp. nov., and H. quimbaya Martínez and Galindo-Malagón, sp. nov. are described and compared with congeners. Furthermore, the female of H. williamsi Hungerford & Evans, 1934 and the male of H. adnexa Hungerford & Evans, 1934 are described. New records from Colombia and a key to the species of Hydrometra Latreille, 1796 recorded from the country are presented.

Esta investigación registra las especies de chinches semiacuáticas (Hemiptera: Gerromorpha) de la franja costera del Parque Nacional Natural Utría (Chocó, Colombia). Durante una salida de campo en el mes de febrero de 2019, se recolectaron individuos en diferentes tipos de hábitats: ensenada, manglar, playa y quebrada. En cada hábitat se hicieron recolectas por medio de redes entomológicas acuáticas, con un esfuerzo de muestreo de dos horas/hombre. Se lograron recolectar 192 individuos, donde el 93% fue determinado a especie y el 7% a género. Así, se lograron registrar 11 especies y dos morfoespecies, cuatro especies para la familia Gerridae y siete para la familia Veliidae. Las morfoespecies pertenecen a los géneros Rhagovelia y Microvelia (Veliidae). Se resalta el registro de cuatro especies endémicas para el Chocó biogeográfico que han sido descritas recientemente: Rhagovelia molanoi, Rhagovelia nuqui, Rhagovelia utria y Stridulivelia chocoana. Los resultados de este proyecto estuvieron dentro del Marco de la revisión taxonómica de la familia Hydrometridae para Colombia

We present the first list of beetle species from an urban area in the northeast Andes of Colombia, based on a review of specimens deposited in the insect collection of the Museo de Historia Natural “Luis Gonzalo Andrade” of the Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia and from sporadic collections from various points around the city of Tunja, Boyacá. We recorded 34 species, 30 genera, 17 subfamilies, and 12 families of beetles. Of these, 10 new records for the department of Boyacá and two new species records for Colombia are reported. In addition, we recorded the type of urban habitat for the individuals of 24 species collected: 11 species in gray areas (roads, sidewalks, houses, buildings) and eight in green areas (parks, pastures, plantations). Our results form a baseline for further studies on biodiversity in urban ecosystems in the Eastern Andes of Colombia.

Introduction: Nyssomyia yuilli (Young & Porter, 1972) and Nyssomyia trapidoi (Farchild & Hertig, 1952) are vectors of Leishmania panamensis (Lainson y Shaw, 1972), causal of cutaneous leishmaniasis in several American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama. Objective: Describe the nocturnal activity of N. yuilli and N. trapidoi in Otanche Municipality, endemic zone of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods: The specimens were collected through CDC traps located in the intra and peri-domicile of homes that had antecedents or active cases of infected people with cutaneous leishmaniasis. Results: N. yuilli present increased activity near midnight, while N. trapidoi not show any increase and maintained a constant activity throughout the night. Conclusions: It was observed that N. yuilli demonstrates typical conduct of a forest species, with peaks of activity at midnight, while N. trapidoi shows behaviour of an anthropophilic species that has been adapted to life near to human residences, with constant activity throughout the night without any sporadic increases.

Introducción: Sandfly are known for having vector species for the tropical disease known as leishmaniasis, endemic to West Boyacá; the municipality of Otanche displays one of the main focus for cutaneous leishmaniasis. Objetivo: To identify the species of sandfly present in an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis in West Boyacá. Métodos: The search and collection of sandflies was carried out using CDC gravid traps, over a period of twelve hours (18:00- 06:00). Identification was carried out by revising the genitalia on both male and female samples under a microscope. The distribution took as reference households with a history of people infected with this disease, locating them intra, peri and extra domicile. Resultados: 361 individuals were recollected (252 females and 109 male), belonging to 9 genres and 16 species. 60% of all recollected phlebotominae consists of Nyssomyia yuilli and Nyssomyia trapidoi. Other species recollected and relevant, due to vector precedent, are Lutzomyia hartmanni, Psychodopygus panamensis, Lutzomyia gomezi and Psychodopygus carrerai. Conclusión: It was established that, due to its abundance and vector precedent for the country and the area under study, Nyssomyia yuilli and Nyssomyia trapidoi constitute the species of phlebotominae which may be involved in the transmission of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the region.

Introduction: The effects of habitat transformation have been widely studied and the effects are well-known at different levels of biological organization. However, few studies have focused on responses to this process at the level of multiple taxa in diverse taxonomic and functional groups. Objective: To determine variations in insect assemblages in a landscape mosaic of Colombian Orinoquia foothills. Methods: We assessed amount of natural habitat and landscape composition in four types of vegetation of Colombian foothills in the Orinoquia region (three each on the highest and lowest rain periods). We collected butterflies with hand nets and used baited pitfall traps for dung beetles and ants. Results: Precipitation caused species turnover to different degrees in the three taxa; and connectivity between different types of plant cover, amount of natural habitat, and pasture type play a fundamental role in the maintenance of insect biodiversity in modified ecosystems of the foothills of the Colombian Orinoquia. However, the assemblages responded differently to habitat change. Conclusions: While connectivity, natural habitat, and pastures affect insect assemblages, the lack of a common pattern shows that several insect groups must be studied for monitoring biodiversity and for conservation.