Eight years: a short journey, but a long way to go

With this new edition, Mammalia aequatorialis strengthens its standing as an emerging scientific journal dedicated to Neotropical mammals. The contributions assembled here span not only the diverse landscapes of Ecuador but also extend beyond its borders, with an article from Honduras underscoring our growing international reach. The thematic breadth is notable, encompassing biodiversity, ecology and natural history, behavior, methodological advances, and even antimicrobial resistance. Our cover article presents a study of genetic diversity in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri macrodon) from Sucumbíos province in northeastern Ecuador. Such research is crucial for understanding the consequences of deforestation and forest fragmentation on the genetic variability of wild populations. This issue also explores mammalian diversity across two Ecuadorian ecosystems. One study, based on camera trapping, documents medium- and large-sized mammals in a dry forest of Santa Elena province, including information on how local communities use them. Another, employing live-trapping of non-volant small mammals, assesses species richness in Cerro de Arcos, a páramo ecosystem in northern Loja province. We further include a comprehensive synthesis of techniques for capturing and managing in situ medium- and large-sized mammals in Ecuador. Drawing on more than three decades of experience, the authors provide recommendations for radiotelemetry, trap deployment, and veterinary procedures. Case studies feature tapirs (Tapirus pinchaque and T. terrestris), the Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), and carnivores such as the puma (Puma concolor), jaguar (Panthera onca), and Andean fox (Lycalopex culpaeus). Small mammals are also highlighted. One article reviews the distribution, behavior, and natural history of two pocket mouse species (genus Heteromys) in Honduras, while another examines the dietary behavior of a frugivorous bat (Sturnira ludovici) in northwestern Pichincha province. For the first time, we present a study with a distinctly veterinary focus: antimicrobial resistance in Leopardus garleppi under human care. Among notable records, this edition reports the southernmost occurrence of the water opossum (Chironectes minimus) in western Ecuador, specifically in Loja province, and the first confirmed record of the rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) in continental Ecuadorian waters. The issue concludes with two scientific notes: a radiotelemetry study documenting the reduction of the home range of Tapirus terrestris in Sarayaku, Pastaza province, and observations of simultaneous events involving medium- and large-sized mammals in the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest, Guayas province. Thus, we embark on our eighth year. Though still a brief trajectory, it is marked by diverse and substantive contributions that enrich the knowledge of mammals in Ecuador and across the region. We advance deliberately, yet with steady resolve.