Based on an agreement between the Ministry of Health and the National Space Activities Commission in Argentina, an integrated informatics platform for dengue risk using geospatial technology for the surveillance and prediction of risk areas for dengue fever has been designed. The task was focused on developing stratification based on environmental (historical and current), viral, social and entomological situation for >3,000 cities as part of a system. The platform, developed with open-source software with pattern design, following the European Space Agency standards for space informatics, delivers two products: a national risk map consisting of point vectors for each city/town/locality and an approximate 50 m resolution urban risk map modelling the risk inside selected high-risk cities. The operative system, architecture and tools used in the development are described, including a detailed list of end users' requirements. Additionally, an algorithm based on bibliography and landscape epidemiology concepts is presented and discussed. The system, in operation since September 2011, is capable of continuously improving the algorithms producing improved risk stratifications without a complete set of inputs. The platform was specifically developed for surveillance of dengue fever as this disease has reemerged in Argentina but the aim is to widen the scope to include also other relevant vector-borne diseases such as chagas, malaria and leishmaniasis as well as other countries belonging to south region of Latin America.

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Argentina is the country with the most geographically extended biological invasion of the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) in South America after Brazil. Here, we used a maximum entropy ecological niche modeling algorithm (using records of the native range of American bullfrog) to project the model onto the whole of Argentina. We determined the most suitable habitats for this invasive alien species and where we consider urgent measures should be taken. Our projections showed good agreement with known feral populations of American bullfrog in Argentina.

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RESUMENLiolaemus melanops es un lagarto de mediano tamaño (hasta 90 mm LHC), que habita zonas arenosas bajas y dunas costeras en las provincias argentinas de Río Negro y Chubut. En este estudio se analizó el ámbito de hogar de una población de L. melanops en el centro de Chubut, durante el período febrero a mayo de 2005. En una cuadrícula de 100 x 100 m, todos los individuos observados fueron capturados, sexados, medidos, marcados y liberados en el mismo sitio. Mediante transectas de rumbo fijo, realizadas a intervalos regulares entre las 8:00 y las 19:00 h, fue registrada la posición de todos los individuos observados. El ámbito de hogar de cada ejemplar fue calculado utilizando el método del polígono convexo mínimo. El área promedio para los machos no fue significativamente diferente al de las hembras. No se encontró correlación entre el tamaño corporal y el tamaño del ámbito de hogar. Se observó un gran solapamiento en el ámbito de hogar en machos pero no en hembras. Estos resultados se discuten a la luz de la teoría actual.PALABRAS CLAVES: Liolaemus, Patagonia, Polígono Convexo Mínimo, Liolaemini. ABSTRACTLiolaemus melanops is a medium sized lizard (up to 90 mm SVL) that inhabits sandy lowlands and coastal dunes in Río Negro and Chubut Provinces. We studied the home range of a population of Liolaemus melanops from central Chubut Province between February and May, 2005. In a grid of 100 x 100 m all observed individuals were captured, sexed, measured, marked and released. We made regular transects between 08:00 and 19:00 h and registered the position of all observed lizards. Home range was calculated using the Minimum Convex Polygon method. No differences in Home range between males and females were found. There was no correlation between body size and home range. Home range overlap was low in females but high in males. These results are discussed at the light of current theory.

We provide a checklist of lizards distributed in the Rio Negro province, northern Patagonia, Argentina. Representatives of 45 species of lizards were found inhabiting this region as well as several still undescribed species. This list is a contribution to the still poorly known herpetofauna of the region.

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