Abstract Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease transmitted by sandflies of the genera Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia. There are three main clinical forms of leishmaniasis: one visceral and two tegumentary, differentiated between cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (ML), all present in Paraguay. The objective of this work is to describe the epidemiologic characteristics of tegumentary leishmaniasis in Paraguay. Here we analyzed epidemiological data of tegumentary leishmaniasis (including CL and ML), taken from 2006 to 2017. Patients’ identities were kept confidential. A total of 2,918 cases of positive leishmaniasis infection were studied. The peak of reported cases was in 2007. An overview shows a decrease in the trend of tegumentary leishmaniasis, where males are more affected than females, and the endemic area located on the east and north-eastern parts of Paraguay. Cases in the Chaco (west of Paraguay river) are increasing. The incidence of tegumentary leishmaniasis for the country is 4 persons per 100,000 inhabitants. This is considered an occupational disease since 67% of the infected patients were rural workers. During the period of study CL was more common than ML, except for the years 2010, 2014, and 2017. Most of the patients affected by ML are elders. Conclusion. We remark that leishmaniasis is not only restricted to the humid area of eastern Paraguay, since it is also present in xerophytic areas of Paraguay and Bolivia. Male rural workers are the most susceptible group. The high frequency of ML in some years indicates that more educational programs have to be carried out by national agencies to prevent and reduce the burden of CL (and thus also ML) in the country.

Resumen La leishmaniasis es una enfermedad desatendida, transmitida por dípteros de los géneros Phlebotomus y Lutzomyia. Existen tres formas clínicas principales de leishmaniasis: una visceral, y dos tegumentarias, las cuales se dividen en leishmaniasis cutánea (LC) y leishmaniasis mucocutánea (LM), todas presentes en Paraguay. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir las características epidemiológicas de la leishmaniasis tegumentaria en Paraguay. Aquí analizamos datos epidemiológicos de leishmaniasis tegumentaria (incluyendo LC y ML), tomados desde el 2006 hasta el 2017. La identidad de los pacientes se mantuvo confidencial. Un total de 2.918 casos positivos de leishmaniasis fueron estudiados. El pico de casos reportados se dio en el 2007. Una vista general muestra una disminución en la tendencia de leishmaniasis tegumentaria, donde los varones son más afectados que las mujeres, y el área endémica está localizada en las zonas este y noreste de Paraguay. Los casos en el Chaco (al oeste del Río Paraguay) están en aumento. La incidencia de leishmaniasis tegumentaria para el país es de 4 personas por 100.000 habitantes. Esta es considerada una enfermedad ocupacional ya que el 67% de los pacientes infectados fueron trabajadores rurales. Durante el periodo de estudio, la LC fue más común que la LM, excepto en los años 2010, 2014 y 2017. La mayoría de los pacientes afectados por LM son de avanzada edad. Conclusión. Remarcamos que la leishmaniasis no está restringida a las áreas húmedas del este de Paraguay, debido a que está también presente en zonas xerofíticas de Paraguay y Bolivia. Los trabajadores rurales de sexo masculino comprenden el grupo más susceptible. La alta frecuencia de LM en algunos años indica que es necesario que las agencias nacionales lleven a cabo más programas de educación en salud para prevenir o reducir la carga de LC (y por consiguiente también de LM) en el país.

ABSTRACT Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected tropical diseases worldwide caused by the parasite Leishmania. In Paraguay the species responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is L. (Viannia) braziliensis. Here we report a case diagnosed with Leishmaniasis, and molecular analyses using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) demonstrate that the case was caused by L. (V.) lainsoni. This is the first record of this species for Paraguay, with which we extend the distribution range of the parasite 1,430 km southwards from the southernmost previous known locality. More studies are needed to know the actual incidence of this species in cases of CL in Paraguay, and to identify natural reservoirs in the wild.

RESUMEN La leishmaniasis es una de las enfermedades tropicales más desatendidas, causada por el parásito Leishmania. En Paraguay, la especie responsable de la leishmaniasis cutánea es (LC) es L. (Viannia) braziliensis. Aquí se reporta un caso diagnosticado de Leishmaniasis, y análisis moleculares empleando reacción en cadena de la polimerasa - polimorfismos de restricción de fragmentos de restricción (PCR-RFLP) demostraron que el caso fue causado por L. (V.) lainsoni. Este es el primer registro de esta especie para Paraguay, con lo cual se extiende el rango de distribución conocido de la especie, unos 1.430 km al sur de localidades previamente conocidas. Se necesitan más estudios para conocer la incidencia real de esta especie en casos de LC en Paraguay, y para identificar reservorios naturales del parásito en la naturaleza.

: "Distribution and biogeographic affinities of the Family Gymnophthalmidae in Paraguay (Reptilia: Sauria)": Gymnophthalmidae is a family of small lizards known as "microteiids". The family contains about 160 species which are distributed throughout the Neotropical Region. Six species have been recorded from Paraguay: Bachia bresslaui, Cercosaura schreibersii, Colobosaura kraepelini, Colobosaura modesta, Micrablepharus maximiliani, and Vanzosaura rubricauda; and more recently also Placosoma sp. In addition to these seven species, the record of Cercosaura ocellata is here confirmed for Paraguay. Information is also provided about distribution and eco-regional affinities of species of Gymnophthalmidae from Paraguay.

"Distribución y afinidades biogeográficas de la Familia Gymnophthalmidae de Paraguay (Reptilia: Sauria)": Gymnophthalmidae es una familia de pequeñas lagartijas, conocidas como "microteidos", distribuidos en la Región Neotropical, y que contiene unas 160 especies. En Paraguay fueron registradas seis especies:Bachia bresslaui, Cercosaura schreibersii, Colobosaura kraepelini, Colobosaura modesta, Micrablepharus maximiliani, y Vanzosaura rubricauda; y más recientemente también Placosoma sp. Además de las siete especies conocidas, aquí se confirma el registro de Cercosaura ocellata para Paraguay. También se presenta información sobre la distribución y afinidades eco-regionales de las especies de Gymnophthalmidae de Paraguay.

Anolis is one of the largest genus of lizards with more than 380 species distributed in Central and South America, which often difficult their identification. Particularly Anolis meridionalis was described upon one specimen from Paraguay. This species is widely distributed in Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. Nevertheless, because the original description is poor in diagnostic characters and the holotype is currently lost, sometimes is difficult to know the identity of specimens of related species. For that reason in this work is designed and described a neotype for Anolis meridionalis with the hope that this helps to solve some taxonomic problems in the southernmost species of the genus.

Anolis es uno de los géneros de lagartijas más grandes con más de 380 especies presentes en el Centro y Sur de América, lo cual dificulta muchas veces su identificación. Particularmente Anolis meridionalis fue descrito en base a un ejemplar procedente de Paraguay. Esta especie se encuentra ampliamente distribuida en Brasil, Paraguay y Bolivia. Sin embargo, debido a que la descripción original es pobre en caracteres diagnósticos y a que el holotipo se encuentra perdido, es difícil en ocasiones conocer la identidad de ejemplares de especies afines. Es por eso que en este trabajo se designa y describe un neotipo para Anolis meridionalis con la esperanza de que ayude a resolver los problemas taxonómicos de las especies más australes del género.

We present an arrangement of the herpetofauna from Paraguay according to the categories of threat proposed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The 10.9% of the 82 species of amphibians and 14.9% of the 161 species of reptiles analyzed here were in some category of threat of extinction. This means that both short and long term conservation actions are needed to avoid loss of species.

Se presentan los resultados de la categorización de la herpetofauna de la República del Paraguay, utilizando las categorías propuestas por la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN). El 10,9% de las 82 especies de anfibios analizados y el 14,9% de las 161 especies de reptiles, se encuentra en alguna de las categorías de riesgo de extinción propuestas por UICN. Esto indica que es necesario encarar acciones de conservación a corto y largo plazo para evitar y/o disminuir la pérdida de espécies.

As serpentes dos gêneros pseudoboinos Boiruna e Clelia, este último provavelmente não monofilético, estão distribuídas desde o sul da Argentina, Brasil e Uruguai até o centro do México. Seis de seus membros ocorrem no Paraguai e na Argentina: B. maculata, Clelia bicolor, C. clelia, C. plumbea, C. quimi, e C. rustica. Historicamente, existiram confusões entre as espécies de maior tamanho (B. maculata, C. clelia, C. plumbea e C. rustica) e entre as espécies pequenas (C. bicolor e C. quimi). Todas as espécies, exceto C. rustica, possuem mudanças ontogenéticas na sua coloração. As espécies podem ser diferenciadas através do seu tamanho, cor, espinhos do hemipenis, e número de escamas loreais, supralabiais, e ventrais. A maior parte da diferenciação evolutiva em Boiruna e Clelia parecem ter ocorrido na região anterior da cabeça, pelo que mostram as diferentes proporções das escamas da região loreal. Boiruna maculata é a espécie de maior amplitude ecológica; é encontrada na maioria das formações vegetais existentes ao norte do paralelo 38 no centro da Argentina, ausente apenas na região de sedimentos deltaicos da província de Buenos Aires, Argentina, e nos amplos vales e colinas onduladas do leste do Paraguai. Clelia bicolor é mais comum nos vales dos rios Paraguai e Paraná, e com alguns registros na base dos Andes no norte da Argentina. Clelia clelia distribui-se ao longo do Rio Paraguai e do baixo Paraná, e quase todo o leste do Paraguai. Clelia plumbea aparentemente é parapátrida de C. clelia ao longo do rio Paraná no sudeste do Paraguai e na província de Misiones, Argentina. O extremo leste da distribuição de C. quimi limita-se com o extremo oeste da distribuição de C. bicolor na mesma região sem que, aparentemente, haja superposição. Não existe material de referência que prove a presença de Clelia rustica no Paraguai. Na Argentina, ela é uma espécie encontrada em áreas temperadas; ao norte do paralelo 30, é encontrada na base dos Andes e nas florestas úmidas da província de Misiones. Ao sul, está amplamente distribuída além do paralelo 40.

Snakes of the pseudoboine genera Clelia, which is probably polyphyletic, and Boiruna are distributed from southern Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay northwards into central México. Six members occur in Paraguay and Argentina: B. maculata, Clelia bicolor, C. clelia, C. plumbea, C. quimi, and C. rustica. Historically, there has been taxonomic confusion among the larger species (B. maculata, C. clelia, C. plumbea, and C. rustica) and between the small species (C. bicolor and C. quimi). All of the species except C. rustica have distinct ontogenetic color changes. Species can be distinguished on the bases of size, color, hemipenial spines, and loreal, supralabial, and ventral scale counts. Much of the morphological evolutionary differentiation in Boiruna and Clelia seems to have taken place in the snout region, as evidenced by the differing proportions of the scales of the loreal region. Boiruna maculata has the widest ecological amplitude. It is broadly distributed in most vegetation types north of the 38th parallel in central Argentina, being absent only from the deltaic sediments of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina and the broad valleys and rolling hills of eastern Paraguay. Clelia bicolor is most common in the Paraguay and Paraná river valleys, with a few records from the Andean foothills in northern Argentina. Clelia clelia is distributed along the Río Paraguay and the lower Paraná, and is also found throughout much of eastern Paraguay. Clelia plumbea is apparently parapatric with C. clelia along the Río Paraná in southeastern Paraguay and Misiones Province, Argentina. The ranges of C. quimi to the east and C. bicolor in the west about in this same region without apparent overlap. There are no vouchered records of Clelia rustica from Paraguay. In Argentina, it is a species of temperate climates; north of the 30th parallel, it occurs in the Andean foothills and the wet forests of Misiones Province. Southwards, it is widely distributed to beyond the 40th parallel.