RESUMO
A new species of Dipsas Laurenti, 1768, from Central Panama is described based on molecular analyses, hemipenial morphology, and external characters. This is the sixth species of Dipsas to be described for the country; the snake has been suspected to exist since 1977 and has not been thoroughly studied until now. Additionally, morphological comparations including scale counts are done with other species within the genus, and the current geographic distribution of Dipsastemporalis (Werner, 1909), the sister species, is updated. Finally, a key to the species of Dipsas currently known from Middle America is presented.
ResumenDescribimos una nueva especies de Dipsas Laurenti, 1768 de la región central de Panamá en base a análisis moleculares, morfología hemipenial y caracteres de morfología externa. Esta es la sexta especie del género Dipsas descrita para el país. Se sospechaba su existencia desde 1977 pero no había sido estudiada exhaustivamente hasta ahora. Adicionalmente, presentamos comparaciones morfológicas (incluyendo lepidosis) con otras especies del género y actualizamos la distribución geográfica de su especie hermana Dipsastemporalis (Werner, 1909). Finalmente, presentamos una clave para las especies de Dipsas distribuidas en Centroamérica.
RESUMO
Infectious diseases rarely end in extinction. Yet the mechanisms that explain how epidemics subside are difficult to pinpoint. We investigated host-pathogen interactions after the emergence of a lethal fungal pathogen in a tropical amphibian assemblage. Some amphibian host species are recovering, but the pathogen is still present and is as pathogenic today as it was almost a decade ago. In addition, some species have defenses that are more effective now than they were before the epidemic. These results suggest that host recoveries are not caused by pathogen attenuation and may be due to shifts in host responses. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying disease transitions, which are increasingly important to understand in an era of emerging infectious diseases and unprecedented global pandemics.