Galaxy evolution in nearby groups. II. Galaxy evolution in nearby loose
  groups. II. Photometric and kinematic characterization of USGC U268 and USGC
  U376 group members in the Leo cloud
  We present the photometric and kinematic characterization of two groups, USGC
U268 and USGC U376 located in different regions of the Leo cloud. U268,
composed of 10 catalogued members and 11 new added members, has a small
fraction (~24%) of early-type galaxies (ETGs). U376 has 16 plus 8 new added
members, with ~38% of ETGs. We find the presence of significant substructures
in both groups suggesting that they are likely accreting galaxies. U268 is
located in a more loose environment than U376. For each member galaxy, broad
band integrated and surface photometry have been obtained in far-UV and near-UV
with GALEX, and in u,g, r, i, z (SDSS) bands. H_alpha imaging and 2D high
resolution kinematical data have been obtained using PUMA Scanning Fabry-Perot
interferometer at the 2.12 m telescope in San Pedro M\'artir, (Baja California,
M\'exico). We improved the galaxy classification and we detected morphological
and kinematical distortions that may be connected to either on-going and/or
past interaction/accretion events or environmental induced secular evolution.
U268 appears more active than U376, with a large fraction of galaxies showing
interaction signatures (60% vs. 13%). The presence of bars among late-type
galaxies is ~10% in U268 and ~$29% in U376. The cumulative distribution of (FUV
- NUV) colours of galaxies in U268 is significantly different than that in U376
with galaxies in U268 bluer than those in U376. In the (FUV-r vs. M_r) and
(NUV-r vs. M_r) planes no members of U268 are found in the `red sequence', even
early-type galaxies lie in the `blue sequence' or in the `green valley'. Most
(80%) of the early-type members in U376 inhabits the `red sequence, a large
fraction of galaxies, of different morphological types, are located in the
`green valley', while the `blue sequence' is under-populated with respect to
U268.
