02787naa a2200349 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000170006024501380007726000090021550000830022452017810030765000120208865000180210065000160211865000130213465000130214765000130216065000120217365000130218565000140219865300200221270000270223270000160225970000150227570000190229070000170230970000160232670000150234270000190235777300610237619641252021-07-14       2013    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aBROWN, G. G.  aTerrestrial oligochaete research in Latin Americabthe importance of the Latin American Meetings on Oligochaete Ecology and Taxonomy.  c2013  aSpecial issue: Progress and Priorities in Latin American Oligochaete Research.  aOver 1100 species of oligochaetes are known from Latin America (LA), of which most are earthworms. Enchytraeid research is not so well developed, mainly due to their small size, the difficulty of identifica- tion, and the general ignorance of LA scientists of this family. Some countries, such as Brazil, Colombia and Mexico have active taxonomists, and hence tend to have better knowledge of oligochaete diver- sity and ecology. However, the few professionals active in the area and a major taxonomic impediment have greatly hindered research on oligochaetes in LA. Four Latin American Meetings on Oligochaete Ecol- ogy and Taxonomy (ELAETAO) have been held since 2003. These meetings brought together researchers, students and technicians from 15 countries and resulted in several landmark publications (3 special jour- nal issues and one book) that synthesize research performed in the Americas. Topics addressed include the diversity and distribution of native and exotic earthworm species in all LA countries, the use of oligochaetes as bioindicators, oligochaete genetics and phylogeny, various aspects of vermiculture, earth- worm and enchytraeid sampling methods, and ecology and biology of invasive species, among others. Furthermore, since the first ELAETAO, regular training in terrestrial oligochaete ecology and taxonomy (10 earthworm and 2 enchytraeid short courses), as well as in ecotoxicology and molecular genetics has been offered to ∼ 150 scientists and students in these topics in order to build capacity for research activity. The ELAETAOs have greatly stimulated earthworm and enchytraeid research in LA, but several challenges must still be overcome to adequately assess the true nature of oligochaete biodiversity and their ecology in the region  aecology  aLatin America  aOligochaeta  aresearch  ataxonomy  aEcologia  aMinhoca  aPesquisa  aTaxonomia  aAmérica Latina1 aCALLAHAM JUNIOR, M. A.1 aNIVA, C. C.1 aFEIJOO, A.1 aSAUTTER, K. D.1 aJAMES, S. W.1 aFRAGOSO, C.1 aPASINI, A.1 aSCHMELZ, R. M.  tApplied Soil Ecologygv. 69, (nesp), p. 2-12, July 2013.