Effect of architectural angularity on refugia selection by the brown spider, Loxosceles gaucho

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Barriers, rather than refugia, underlie the origin of diversity in toads endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Paleodistributions and Comparative Molecular Phylogeography of Leafcutter Ants (Atta spp.) Provide New Insight into the Origins of Amazonian Diversity

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Contribution to the discussions on the origin of the cerrado biome: Brazilian savanna

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reduction of a native fish fauna by alien species: an example from Brazilian freshwater tropical lakes

The consequences of introducing Cichla cf. monoculus Spix & Agassiz, Astronotus ocellatus (Agassiz) and Pygocentrus nattereri Kner into lakes in the River Doce basin, Brazil, on richness, diversity and efficiency of aquatic macrophytes as natural refugia to native fishes was investigated. Samples were taken from lakes with and without alien fishes in areas with and without aquatic macrophytes. The presence of alien fishes reduced richness and diversity of the native fish community. The refugia function, which could be attributed to the clustering of aquatic macrophytes, does not exist in these lakes probably because the alien fishes exploit such habitats for reproduction. Since introductions threaten the native fish diversity of the region, studies on regional dispersion and factors that minimise the spread of alien fishes are needed.

Historical biogeography and conservation of the golden-striped salamander (Chioglossa lusitanica) in northwestern Iberia: integrating ecological, phenotypic and phylogeographic data

The golden-striped salamander (Chioglossa lusitanica) is an endemic species inhabiting stream-side habitats in mountainous areas in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula. This salamandrid is listed in the IUCN Red Data Book as a threatened species. The combination of bioclimatic modeling of the species distribution and multivariate analysis of genetic and phenotypic data strengthens previous hypotheses concerning the historical biogeography of C. lusitanica: the Pleistocene subdivision of the species' range and a process of postglacial recolonization. Discrepancies between bioclimatic modeling predictions and the present-day distribution suggest that the species may still be expanding its range northwards. We propose the identification of two distinct units for the conservation of the species and suggest that this information should be taken into account in defining key areas for conservation in the Iberian Peninsula.

Geographical variation in genetic structure of an Atlantic Coastal Forest frog reveals regional differences in habitat stability

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Phylogeography of endemic toads and post-Pliocene persistence of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Evolutionary history of Scinax treefrogs on land-bridge islands in south-eastern Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

From widespread to microendemic: Molecular and acoustic analyses show that Ischnocnema guentheri (Amphibia: Brachycephalidae) is endemic to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Many species of tropical amphibians are restricted to very small ranges, and this microendemism coupled with ongoing habitat loss and susceptibility to emerging pathogens imperils the long-term persistence of these species. Incomplete taxonomic and distributional knowledge may obscure conservation assessment, particularly in putatively widespread species that are typically considered to be of Least Concern in Red List assessments, but that in fact may constitute complexes of partly microendemic species. Such is the case in the Steindachner's Robber Frog, Ischnocnema guentheri which, together with the recently recognized Ischnocnema henselii, is thought to occupy most of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. To test whether these taxa may constitute a species complex of range-restricted and thus potentially threatened species, we analyzed 160 samples of I. guentheri and/or I. henselii for two molecular markers, 16S rRNA (16S) and recombination activation gene 1 (RAG1). To verify the monophyly of the complex, closely related species were also included in the 16S analysis. Congruent evidence from the molecular data and from analyses of advertisement calls support the existence of six distinct species within the complex: I. guentheri and I. henselii as well as four candidate new species. The lineages are distributed as a mosaic in the Atlantic Forest and are sympatric at some localities without indication of admixture. Their phylogeographical pattern partially agrees with paleo-models for the Atlantic Forest, but also suggests the existence of micro-refugia in less stable areas. I. guentheri, previously considered to be widespread, was found only in its type locality, a reserve within the urban area of Rio de Janeiro city. Although none of the species studied appears highly threatened with extinction, we recommend their IUCN threat status to be re-evaluated carefully for the next comprehensive update of the Red List of Brazil's amphibians. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Dispersão de machos de Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) (Leipdoptera: Crambidae) em cana-de-açúcar

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Diversificação das espécies de Rhinella do grupo crucifer (Anura, Bufonidae) na Mata Atlântica

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Variation in body size of Phanocerus clavicornis Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Larainae) in Atlantic Rainforest streams in response to hydraulic disturbance

Neste estudo, padrões de tamanho do corpo de Phanocerus clavicornis Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Larainae) foram investigados ao longo de um gradiente de variação de velocidade da corrente em córregos de baixa ordem da Mata Atlântica. Especificamente, buscou-se testar a hipótese de que a distribuição de larvas de P. clavicornis com diferentes tamanhos corpóreos respondem às variações na velocidade da corrente em córregos. As coletas das larvas foram realizadas com um amostrador de Surber durante dois períodos amostrais, definidos pelo regime de chuvas: agosto - estação seca e fevereiro - estação chuvosa. Possíveis diferenças nas medidas de tamanho do corpo foram testadas através de uma análise de variância (ANOVA). Os resultados daANOVAindicaram para todas as medidas das larvas coletadas nos córregos de primeira ordem (largura da cabeça, largura do protórax e comprimento total do corpo) encontramos diferenças significativas, indicando uma variação morfométrica com as mudanças das condições hidráulicas, onde as larvas menores foram associadas aos períodos de maior precipitação. No entanto, em córregos maiores (3a ordem), os eventos de chuva tiveram menor impacto no tamanho dos indivíduos, com a ocorrência de larvas com diferentes tamanhos. Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que os espaços intersticiais são importantes para a proteção das larvas contra a velocidade da corrente e que as populações de P. clavicornis possuem alta plasticidade, sendo uma característica fundamental para a ocupação desta espécie em ambientes instáveis. Esses resultados são importantes para a compreensão da história de vida e características comportamentais da espécie, que permitem persistir em córregos ao longo de gradiente de perturbação do fluxo.

Biogeographic Distribution Patterns and Their Correlates in the Diverse Frog Fauna of the Atlantic Forest Hotspot

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of crevice size on the establishment of macroalgae in subtropical streams

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)