Poster Abstracts

Title

Abstract

Aguilar, Héctor G.

Creating a DNA Barcoding Reference Library for the Asteraceae of the Río Grande Valley

DNA barcoding is a microgenomic identification technique that uses short standardized sequences for species discrimination. Among the benefits this technique offers include: identifying a specimen when distinguishing characteristics are lacking, helping prevent illegal trade of endangered species, and correctly identifying mislabeled species especially when they are used for human consumption. In the Río Grande Valley of Texas, the Asteraceae family is comprised of approximately 150 species. Given the economic situation of this region, people often resort to herbal remedies to alleviate their maladies through the use of herbs found in yerberías or herbal shops. In this study we seek to barcode the species of the Asteraceae family found in the region and compare them with herbal products from yerberías to check for matches. This study will employ the barcoding markers matK and rbcL and will be a step in the direction of obtaining a DNA reference library for these plants.

Aguilar, María

Badhamia melanospora (Myxomycetes, Amoebozoa) is a geographically structured complex of cryptic species

 

The biogeographical patterns of free-living unicellular eukaryotes are still a subject of debate. The "everything is everywhere" hypothesis defends that protists are easily and efficiently dispersed, and therefore ecological preferences are the main factors in shaping their distributions. However, the alternative hypothesis of "moderate endemism" claims that at least some protists have geographically restricted distributions due to the effect of geographic barriers. We have carried out a phylogeographic study of the myxomycete Badhamia melanospora. A fragment of the small-subunit ribosomal gene was sequenced for 125 specimens from 91 localities distributed along all its known distribution area. Our results show that ribotypes from North America and most populations from other parts of the world group together, and are clearly differentiated from Argentinean and Chilean ribotypes. These two genetically distinct groups are congruent with differences in the ornamentation and size of the spores, and they also have different bioclimatic niches.

Albuquerque de Moura, Priscila

Araya-Ajoy, Yimen G.

Quantifying Behavioral traits: a case study of Individual Variation in Aggressiveness

Characterization of individual variation in phenotypic traits has long been a concern for evolutionary biologists. Behavioural traits present a big challenge in this regard because of their complexity and high plasticity. What defines a behavioural trait? How should we deal with behavioural plasticity when quantifying differences between individuals? These questions remain unanswered. Our research aim is to develop a concept of behavioural traits based on an evolutionary framework and suggest a statistical methodology to quantify differences between individuals. We define behavioural traits based on the function they accomplish in an organism. We propose that they should be regarded as latent variables reflecting the causal coherence underlying the expression of behaviours used for the same function. We suggest the use of bayesian mixed models and factor analysis to quantify individual differences in behavioural traits. We illustrate our thesis by quantifying individual differences in the trait aggressiveness for a wild population of birds.

Asorey, Cynthia M.

Origin and spatial distribution of the genus Scurria: The role of ecological and evolutionary processes

The spatial distribution of species is modeled by different forces at different scales. These include restrictions due to the physical conditions of the environment, historical factors and interspecific interactions. Using Scurria genera as a study model and through analysis of niche evolution and niche modeling, comparative phylogeography and patterns of coexistence will assess the role of the above factors in the current spatial distribution of the group. As part of this work, I study the phylogeography of Scurria viridula using a partial sequence of the COI gene in individuals from 8 populations from 18ºS to 33ºS. The results support that this species would have a genetic break in populations north and south of 30ºS, providing to be the major structuring force. Further analysis will help to a deeper understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of local populations. Shaping the oceanographic and climatic niche present and past of the species together with an analysis of coalescence will indicate whether the species is expanding its range, if it is stable or if it is shrinking.

Bagley, Justin C.

Barbosa, Emanuel C.

Analysis of the teaching of evolution in high schools and its effect on society in Parnaíba, Piauí

The Biological Evolution is undoubtedly the answer to many scientific questions and even social. The Evolutionism, its phenomena, concepts and theories have great importance for the formation of anybody, but many flaws conceptual, which aren’t according to the subject, are transmitted at first contact with the theme Evolution: the school. In addition, conflicts between creationism and evolutionism may have a negative influence on education and formation of the student, depending on the way how it is transmitted by the teacher, who must have a laic stance. This article is directed to problematic of evolution teaching, analyzing the difficulties and arbitrariness related to the teacher in giving this matter in a clear, objective and reliable, through a questionnaire, and the effect of this teaching in society. All high schools, private and public will be studied in this research.

Bayless, Keith M.

Elucidating the diversification patterns of horse flies

The common and cosmopolitan family Tabanidae (Insecta: Diptera) constitutes one of the most speciose lineages of blood feeding insects. Adult females can be nuisances and mechanically transmit diseases such as anthrax and tularemia to humans. The venomous larvae are common predators in various aquatic environments and some have adapted to withstand arid conditions. The sheer magnitude of the subfamily Tabaninae has stymied efforts to classify the group, describe further species diversity, and understand the evolution of these flies in a comprehensive manner. A dataset of 217 species of Tabanidae for 6 kb of nucleotide data and morphology was compiled to uncover monophyletic units and investigate biogeographic and morphological factors contributing to the success of this group. Originating in the Neotropical region in the Cretaceous, the lineage that comprises the Tabanus group underwent an explosive diversification in the Paleogene and spread to every biogeographic region by 40 million years ago.

Bendia, Amanda G.

Antarctic Soil Bacteria: Effect of UV Radiation and Its Implications for Astrobiology

Antarctica has some of the coldest and unexplored environments on Earth, providing unique conditions for studying micro-organisms adapted to extreme main parameters found in this continent, as low temperatures and high incidence of UV radiation. Comprise the answers of life against environmental disturbances may help us to understand the planetary habitability and contribute to the search for life beyond Earth, since Antarctica has environments that can be considered analogous to extraterrestrial environments such as Europe and Mars. The UV-C light may be a factor of greater control on the type and distribution of life in extraterrestrial environments, especially within the interplanetary environment and planets with low UV absorption by the atmosphere. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of UV-C at 25 bacteria isolated from Antarctic soil, in order to determine the limits of survival of these micro-organisms for this parameter. The bacteria were subjected to UV-C radiation doses from 100 to 1200 J/m2, plated for colony counting and incubated at 4ºC. Two isolates distinguished themselves exhibiting resistance until the dose of 800 J/m2. These two strains belong to the species Pseudomonas fluorecens, which has a fluorescent pigment (pioverdin) capable of absorbing UV-C radiation, which may cause protection of the constituents of microbial cell against the deleterious effects of radiation. The results indicate that these bacteria have molecular mechanisms of resistance to UV-C, which allowed its adaptation to the extreme conditions found in the Antarctic environment, highlighting thus their potential as models to study the search for life elsewhere in the Universe.

Bezerra, Emerson A. S.

Phylogenetic analysis of Glossoscolecidae (Annelida, Oligochaeta)

A phylogenetic hypothesis has never been proposed for the Glossoscolecidae. We present a first insight on the relationship among genera according to the Hennigian paradigm, using morphological characters. The source of data were the literature and specimens deposited at the invertebrate collection of the Universidade Federal da Paraíba. Four taxa were selected as outgroups and 32 genera formed the ingroup. Characters were coded in Mesquite 2.75 and run in TnT 1.1. Two approaches were used to compare results: qualitative (dubious characters or those with too much variation were excluded) and quantitative (all possible characters included). Our results suggested that when all characters are loaded into the matrix, the resulting tree is more inconsistent due to the presence of a higher amount of phylogenetic non-informative data. Thus, this first phylogeny of the Glossoscolecidae is based on a qualitative treatment of characters.

Bonnet, Nadia

Ecomorphological and ecoregional diversity of Lynchius, Orebates, and Phrynopus in the Neotropics

Traditionally, the Phlebobranchia order is composed of ten families (Agneziidae, Ascidiidae, Octanecmidae, Perophoridae and Plurellidae), but this classification had never been tested with a cladistic approach. Previous studies included only a few species from the taxon and challenged the position of Cionidae and Diazonidae as members of the order also including Thaliacea (another class of tunicates) whithin the phlebobranchs. Hence, it is not clear which families are part of Phlebobranchia neither if the order is monofiletic. Moreover, the validity of the genera is also uncertain, since the characters that define each one may have evolved many times as observed in a preliminary study with Ascidiidae. Therefore, the goal of my research is to study the evolution of the taxa and characters within the Phlebobranchia using morphological and genetic (CO1 and 18S rDNA) data from the largest attainable number of species.

Borda, Victor

Breitman, Maria F.

Phylogeny and phylogeography of lizards from the Liolaemus lineomaculatus section (Squamata, Iguania) from Patagonia

Patagonia was shaped by a complex geological history, including the Miocene uplift of the Andes, followed by volcanism, marine introgressions, and extreme climatic oscillations during Pleistocene glaciation–deglaciation cycles. The distributional patterns and phylogenetic relationships of patagonian animals and plants were affected in different ways, and those imprints are reflected in the phylogeographic breaks and refugia that have been proposed from phylogeographic studies of some plant and rodent clades of southern Patagonia. Lizards from the Liolaemus lineomaculatus section provide an excellent model to test the phylogeographic hypotheses proposed for plants and rodents because of its widespread distribution throughout southern Patagonia. The L. lineomaculatus section is composed of 21 species. Here I present the main results from my Phd dissertation, including the phylogeny of the group (recovered using nine molecular markers in a species tree approach) and the time-calibrated phylogenetic/phylogeographic patterns in lizards of the Liolaemus lineomaculatus section.

Bronzati Filho, Mario

Morphological patterns and shifts of diversification in Crocodyliformes evolution

Living Crocodyliformes are known from 23 species representing just a small part of the morphological diversity found in their fossil counterparts. Classical studies on crocodiles evolution propose a scenario of a bigger aforetime diversity for the group and also point out the occurrence of a "linear evolution" from basal forms to the more derived ones. In addition, it is proposed that some cranial characters had a correlated evolution. The studies I developed effectively tested this classical scenario in regard to character correlation and indicate in what portion of the phylogeny and in what period the group went through a burst of diversification. The results show that the Mesozoic is a key period in the diversification of the group and that some proposals for cranial character correlation are not corroborated by phylogeny-based tests.

Butterfield, Eileen.

Life-history theory predicts that organisms are prevented from reaching their maximal traits, e.g. fecundity, because of trade-offs between traits, such as immune response and reproductive effort. Here we test if such a trade-off occurs for collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) females. We performed brood-size manipulations and collected information on female infection status, parental effort (feeding), and offspring condition (chick weight and growth). For a trade-off to occur, we expect that infected females would not be able to feed their young as often as uninfected females, but no such pattern was found. Late breeding infected females were able to compensate for the reduced offspring care of their partners and produce chicks of comparable weight to other broods. However, Kulma et al. (submitted) have shown that late-breeding females have a lower recruitment rate than early-breeding females. And so, the extra effort exerted by infected late-breeding females may be maladaptive.

Canales-Aguirre, Cristian B.

Underlying marine environmental factors driving diversity patterns at several levels of their taxonomic hierarchy: Clupeiformes Order, Sprattus Genus and Sprattus fuegensis species as study models

It is difficult to conceptualize why some fish taxa have more species than others, and furthermore what marine environmental factors (Temperature or Salinity) are responsible of this diversity pattern. My research goal focuses on identifying and evaluating underlying evolutionary mechanisms that give rise to population structure and species diversity patterns across phyla, using molecular analyses and biogeographic theory. Specifically, I want to identify: (1) the most important factors promoting diversification on the order Clupeiformes and at several levels of their taxonomic hierarchy (Family and Genus), (2) what environmental factor drive the origin and diversification in the genus Sprattus, and (3) which factors are responsible of the diverse genetic lineages in the species Sprattus fuegensis. At present, I am working to determine the relative importance of those factors and their role on the diversification process of this group at a micro and macroevolutionary scale.

Chandru-Balasa, Kuhan

Amino Acid analysis using multiple hydrothermal prebiotic simulations

Many experiments has been conducted to produce amino acid with prebiotic conditions. However little has been done to produce biological significance aggregates linked by peptide bonds, which can only be seen as subsequent step. Several methods has been been mentioned such as melting (water removal) and the role of mineral (clay) has shown some ways to produce peptide bonds but with many limitations . No work involving hydrothermal systems (HT) simulations has been available in regards to this area. Here, we use 6 amino acid (Gly, L- Ala, L-Asp, L- Val, L-Ser, L-Pro) in three HT simulations (Kobayashi’s lab, Imai’s lab and an autoclave). The systems vary in many ways, for example Kobayshi’s flow reactor (FR) is able to work in a single injection but with multiple temperature (100-380 °C), Imai’s FR operates at only 200 °C but works in a reflow system; and the autoclave is more of a non-flow system which has been extensively studied in amino acid formation. With the experiments, we will then analyze the recovery of the amino acids and study their aggregates to see its plausibility in the prebiotic environment. On a separate note, we are also trying to use lipid to produce membrane like structures using Kobayashi system.

Cunha, Amanda F.

Morphological variability and its phylogenetic signal in marine colonial organisms: a case study with the family Campanulariidae (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa)

Intraspecific variation is the basis for evolutionary processes to occur. This variation can be adaptive and contribute to lineage diversification above the species level, functioning as an important macroevolutionary mechanism. In the taxonomic level, characterizing the patterns of intra and interspecific variation is not simple, and it complicates the delimitation of species. The family Campanulariidae presents variable morphological characters from the intraspecific level to the suprageneric, being, therefore, an interesting model for studying morphological variation. In this sense, this study aims to evaluate the taxonomic levels in which the morphological variation in Campanulariidae is expressed as a phylogenetic signal, correlating this variation to lineages delimitation and testing the current taxonomy structure of the family. For this, the patterns obtained from morphometric and molecular analyses are correlated to the morphological variation present in successive taxonomic levels. With this approach, we expect to understand the evolution of morphological variability in this group and its influence on lineages delimitation.

Cunha, Tauana J.

Macrofauna associated with the brown algae Dictyota spp. (Phaeophyceae, Dictyotaceae) in the Sebastiao Gomes Reef and Abrolhos Archipelago, Bahia, Brazil

A major concern for the maintenance of marine ecosystems of the Abrolhos Bank is the insufficient representation of key habitats. Seaweeds are abundant in Abrolhos' shallow reefs and mesograzers may regulate seaweed distribution. We characterized the composition and the structure of the macrofaunal community associated with the algae genus Dictyota. We compared summer and winter assemblages and sites from Sebastiao Gomes Reef, near the coast, and Siriba Island, away from the mainland. We registered forty-six species for the first time in the Bank, three of which are new for the Brazilian coast. The most abundant families were Ampithoidae amphipods, Janiridae isopods, Rissoellidae gastropods and Syllidae polychaetes. Algal size was lower in the summer, when faunal density was higher. We suggest a possible effect of grazing. Coastal and external assemblages were markedly different and larger spatial differences were found in winter. We suggest environmental conditions related to sediment type, origin and turbidity as main factors acting on macrofaunal distribution.

David, Juliana M.

The evolutionary history of Permian bivalves from the western Gondwanaland: systematics, paleobiogeography and biostratigraphy.

During the Late Paleozoic, large areas of the western Gondwanaland were covered by an extensive inland sea in which part of the Permian successions of the Parana (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay), Karoo (South Africa) and Huab (Namibia) basins were deposited. In the Permian, this huge inland sea was either isolated or had a restricted connection to the open oceans. Benthic faunas were dominated by bivalve molluscs that flourished despite the conditions of high environmental stress and extreme geographic isolation. This is one of the oldest known examples of a molluscan long-lived fauna that evolved within a lake/sea. The rapid evolution in unrelated lineages and the radiation into distinct microhabitats lead to a series of puzzling shell morphologies. The morphological disparity, distribution, and palaeoecological signal shown by these mischievous shells are now under elucidation by the Brazilian and African fossils, allowing the better comprehension of their evolutionary history.

Dragu, Anca-Neluta

Elnagdy, Sherif M.

The killer ladybird

Male-killing is one of four known strategies that inherited parasitic endosymbionts have evolved to manipulate their host reproduction. Ladybird beetles are particularly susceptible to invasion by various species of male-killing bacteria. These bacteria, which are maternally inherited, cause the death of male host embryos. The ladybird, Harmonia axyridis has been identified as an Invasive Alien Species (IAS) recently. Although it is an efficient biocontrol agent against aphids, H. axyridis has also turned out to be major threat to native species of ladybirds and many non-target aphids. There is a great interest in developing measures to control H. axyridis populations. Male-killing is argued to affect the fitness of infected populations, in which there can be a very strongly female-biased sex ratio. It is argued that male-killing endosymbionts may then be used for biocontrol of invasive H. axyridis.

Faria, Samuel C.

Decapod osmoregulation and habitat diversification: does salinity drive physiological evolution?

The colonization of fresh water and dry land reflects physiological transformations that govern water and ion movements between the body fluids and surrounding medium, axiomatically linking osmoregulatory physiology and habitat diversification. Since monophyletic groups store biological information retrievable by adding a phylogenetic component to comparative studies, we examined two decapod clades whose species occupy distinct osmotic niches: palaemonid shrimps (Macrobrachium + Palaemon + Palaemonetes) and fiddler crabs (Uca). In each clade, we tested for niche conservatism and osmoregulatory evolution linked to environmental salinity, employing Blomberg’s phylogenetic signal test, ordinary (OLS) and phylogenetic (PGLS) regressions, and parsimony analyses. Both clades reveal niche conservatism, osmoregulatory ability at the species level being independent of habitat salinity. At more inclusive levels, osmoregulatory ability and habitat salinity are associated, demonstrating a role for natural selection and shared inheritance in driving the evolution of the osmoregulation.

Gao, Feng

Gavilan, Ronnie G.

Graves, Christopher

The elevated mutation rate of antigens may be selectively favored in pathogens as a strategy to facilitate adaptation to the constantly changing vertebrate immune response. The Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, evades immune detection through a series of unexpressed ‘cassette’ sequences that alter the expressed protein via recombination. Importantly, the mutation rate in the expressed protein, and thus its ability to repeatedly escape a directed immune response, is correlated with the diversity among the cassettes. Using population genetic analyses, we tested the hypothesis that natural selection favors diversity among the cassettes and thereby promotes antigenic evolvability in B. burgdorferi. The data show strong signatures of natural selection favoring among-cassette diversity in regions targeted by host antibodies. Further, mutation-prone tandem repeats are conserved in antigenic regions despite near-complete sequence divergence among strains. The evidence of selection favoring among-cassette diversity strongly supports the hypothesis that natural selection promotes antigenic evolvability in pathogens.

Grizante, Mariana B.

Evolution of body form in squamate reptiles: developmental pathways and patterns of body elongation

In squamate reptiles (lizards, snakes and amphisbaenians), independent evolutionary changes culminated in convergent serpentiform morphologies characterized by reduced limbs and elongated bodies in different lineages that derived from ancestral lacertiform body shape. Variation in the length of trunk and tail is given by an increase/decrease in number of vertebrae, whose precursors are formed during somitogenesis. In this context, we aim to investigate changes in developmental processes that can be related to the different patterns of variation in number of vertebrae that occur in squamate species. After investigating intra-specific variation in number of trunk and tail vertebrae in squamate lineages, we will characterize gene expression in ventral epithelial ridge (VER), a signaling center that controls tail elongation. Also, we will characterize the sequence of some developmental genes that contributes to somitogenesis clock since eventual differences could be associated to changes in the period of formation of one pair of somites.

Guidolin, Aline S.

Molecular characterization of Wolbachia strains associated with Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, 1908 (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)

Wolbachia has been proposed as an alternative tool to control insect pests. Diaphorina citri is an important pest of citrus, but the frequency and diversity of Wolbachia associated with D. citri is unknown, limiting its use. Thus, we aimed to determine the infection rate, the Wolbachia strains, by "multilocus sequencing typing" (MLST) and wsp analysis, and verify the association symbiont host haplotype. Analysis indicated Wolbachia infects 100% of the specimens, the MLST revealed five new sequence-types (STs), while wsp sequences indicated only four Wolbachia types. The host-symbiont relationship did not reveal any particular association of Wolbachia and haplotypes. However, we found one predominant ST (ST-173). The consequences of the diversity of STs reported are still unknown, but the fact that Wolbachia is fixed and that there is one ST with a broad distribution highlights the use of this symbiont as an alternative strategy to control D. citri.

Hubbe, Alex

Kalsoom, Saima

In vitro and in silico exploration of IL-2 inhibition of small drug like molecules

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is an immunoregulatory cytokine produced by T lymphocytes in response to antigen. It is a potent growth and differentiation factor for several cell-types and is structurally related to the four-helix bundle family of cytokines. Here we report IL-2 inhibitory potential and computational studies on different series of chalcones, benzothiazepines, semicarbazones, and dihyropyrimidines. These compounds were synthesized in wet lab and were then tested for their potency as IL-2 inhibitors through in vitro T-cell proliferation, IL-2 cytokine production as well as their effect on oxidative burst. Compounds that showed significant suppressive activity were further evaluated for their cytotoxicity on normal two cell lines. Most of the chalcones were found to have a powerful inhibitory effect on lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production. Amongst the aza heterocycles benzothiazepines, benzoxazepines, and benzodiazepinones were found to be the strongest IL-2 inhibitors. Molecular docking studies were carried out on a set of 10 active compounds in order to correlate experimental and theoretical results. A good agreement between the experimental and theoretical results was observed which indicated that computational studies could provide an alternate tool for the identification and designing of more potent IL-2 inhibitors.

Kaminski, Valeria de L.

Possible cases of horizontal transfer of Minos transposon in neotropical drosophilids

Transposable elements are DNA fragments with the capability of change itself position and replicate into and between genomes. Minos was first described in the Drosophila hydei genome and it has ~1,8 kb in length. This work aims to investigate the Minos distribution in neotropical Drosophila species to clarify the origin and the function of this element in the genomic evolution of this species, beyond to contribute for the understanding of horizontal transfer's action on evolution. 22 species were tested by PCR (Plymerase Chain Reaction). Until now, we obtained sequences in three species. The sequencing results were analyzed, sequences were aligned and this alignment were used to make the phylogenetic reconstruction. Observing some incongruities, we can suggest that Minos has been maintained in current species by some events of horizontal transfer. However, we until do not discard the possibility that this element was present in one ancestral species of Drosophila subgenus been vertically transmitted in this species with cases of ancestral polymorphism and different evolutionary rates.

Kitahara, Marcelo V.

Corals and Climate Change

Previous periods of global environmental changes have resulted in mass extinction events affecting all or most marine phyla. The synergistic and global impacts of atmospheric CO2 concentration, and sea level and temperature fluctuations have particularly influenced and currently pose major threats to calcifying organisms such scleractinian corals. Amongst the nearly 1500 known extant scleractinians 50.7% are zooxanthellate and restricted to shallow-waters, 48.5% azooxanthellate and inhabit shallow and deep-waters (ubiquitous to all oceans), and only 0.7% are facultatively symbiotic. Despite the rich fossil record especially for zooxanthellate forms, the origin of the order is still a topic of great controversy. Comprehensive molecular analyses and consideration of the Paleozoic fossil record suggest that the oldest scleractinian lineages were azooxanthellate and solitary and that the order probably had shallow-water origins but later “invaded” deep-waters. Aiming to add to the knowledge on how corals may respond to our rapidly changing world, the main focus of my ongoing research gravitates between key events in coral evolution and major global scale changes that have occurred over the past 460 My.

Lanna Neto, Emilio

Evolution of the aquiferous systems in calcareous sponges (Porifera, Calcarea)

The aquiferous system (AS) is the main characteristic of Porifera. Calcarea is the sole class of sponges that presents the five types of AS. However, independently of the AS found in the adults, their juveniles have always an asconoid AS, which is the simplest type. This is the phylotypic stage of the development of Calcarea, and the other AS types are formed by the folding of the internal cell layer. It has been assumed that the asconoid AS is the most basal and the other types have arisen independently several times in the different lineages of Calcarea. Here, it is being proposed that asconoid adults are the result of heterochrony. The syconoid and leuconoid AS are novelties in Calcarea, being the latter probably derived from a syconoid ancestral after changes in the vector of the internal cell layer folding, probably caused by changes in the expression pattern of genes that regulate this folding.

Lemer, Sarah M. E.

Genetic connectivity, historical demography and phylogeny of fragmented populations

To better understand species evolution it is essential to consider their relation to the environment and the consequences of habitat modifications (natural or anthropogenic). My research focuses on the evolution of bivalve at the population and species level by assessing a global pattern of phylogeography, demographic history and population genetic connectivity of fragmented and exploited populations and species. Lagoonal wild populations of Pinctada margaritifera from the Pacific Ocean show signs of population size decrease and recent expansion related to sea level fluctuations during the end of the Pleistocene glaciations (c. 2000 BP). While past eustasy structured populations and current habitat geomorphology seems to limits gene flow, recent human activity (aquaculture) tends to enhance connectivity among populations. Using phylogenetic and transcriptomic variation comparison I now aim to delineate species evolutionary history in a biogeographical context and characterize the environmental and molecular bases responsible for the phenotypic diversity in a whole family, the Pinnidae

Li, Yang

Rapid evolution of beta-keratin genes in turtles and the evolution of their scutes.

It has been previously shown that the large-scale duplication in the avian lineage of ancestral avian scale beta-keratin genes was crucial to the sebsequent evolution of bird beaks, claws, and feathers. On this poster, I will show that, as for birds, a large expansion of beta-keratin genes in turtles occurred concomitantly with the evolution of a unique phenotype, namely, their plastron and carapace. Phylogenetic reconstruction of beta-keratin gene evolution indicates that separate waves of gene duplication within a single genomic location gave rise to scales, claws and feathers in birds, and independently the scutes of the shell in turtles. These phenotypic and genotypic differences set the turtles and birds apart from other reptiles, such as the Anolis lizard.

Lima, Marcos R.

Genetic and phenotypic divergence in introduced house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Brazil.

Introduced species are excellent models for the study of contemporary evolution in novel environments because of their spatial and temporal scale. This study had two aims: (i) determine how genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of introduced populations of the house sparrow in Brazil varies with range expansion and how they compare with ancestral European populations; and (ii) determine which process, selection or genetic drift, may be influencing phenotypic divergence. As expected introduced populations presented reduced genetic diversity compared to native populations. Moreover, overall genetic differentiation among introduced populations was low indicating that the expansion process took place in large populations with low effect of genetic drift. PST-FST analysis shows that phenotypic divergence encountered among sampling sites in Brazil was mainly shaped by directional selection. Because no spatial genetic pattern was found, it is more likely that phenotypic plasticity is driving the morphological differentiation found in our study sites.

Macias-Hernandez, Nuria

Morphological evolution of the spider genus Dysdera: The role of specialization in adaptive radiations

My current research project aims to reveal the factors that promote morphological diversification due to food specialization, using as a model organism the spider genus Dysdera in the Canarian archipelago, where this genus has radiated into so far 50 known endemic species. Dysdera is remarkable among spider genera in showing a wide range of variation in body size and mouthpart size and shape. This variation has been attributed to prey specialisation and prey capture strategies to feed on woodlice. We hypothesize that morphological diversification of this spiders has been mainly driven by trophic segregation among co-occurring species, and that the adaptation to specific types of woodlice might lie behind the outstanding richness of species. This project combines systematics and evolution of this group of spiders with prey preferences and nutritional experiments, and molecular prey detection approaches to decipher the role of specialization in morphological evolution of Dysdera spiders.

Magalhaes, Ivan L. F.

Diversification of Sicarius spiders (Araneae: Sicariidae) in the New World: insights on the biogeographic history of Neotropical seasonally dry tropical forests

Sicarius spiders occur in Africa and South and Central America and are restricted to xeric environments. We aim at describing the genus diversity at different levels to test biogeographical hypotheses regarding these ecosystems. So far, we have identified and described four species from Brazil, and have identified 17 morphotypes from other American countries. Most species have restricted distributions, with some being endemics to different dry forest nuclei. In the near future, we expect to obtain nuclear and mitochondrial sequences to explore the phylogenetic relationships among these species. We hope that molecular dating approaches will give insights into the timing of diversification of the biota of American xeric environments. Finally, we have collected specimens from most of the range of one species endemic to the Brazilian Caatinga. We plan on describing phylogeographic patterns of this species using a mitochondrial marker. This may help improve the knowledge about the Caatinga biogeographical history.

Marcelino, Vanessa R.

Dynamics and conservatism of ecological niches in Halimeda

Niche dynamics have received increasing attention due to their importance for understanding biodiversity patterns and the effects of climate change, but have rarely been studied in the marine realm. This study focuses on multiple aspects of the ecological niche dynamics of the green algal genus Halimeda. Niche-related features are characterized for the different species through microhabitat (α-niche) description and macroecological (β-niche) modelling. A historical perspective of niche evolution is achieved by molecular phylogenetics, ancestral character estimation and evolutionary modeling. A high degree of thermal niche conservatism is observed in 4 out of 5 sections in the genus. The diversification of α niches started earlier when compared to macroecological differences, the latter coinciding with Cenozoic climate evolution. Pre-adaptations acquired at the α-niche scale are suggested to facilitate adaptations at the β-niche scale. The results suggest a substantial role of niche conservatism in explaining biogeographic patterns of species distribution.

Marx, Hannah E.

Community phylogenetics of the vascular flora of the San Juan Islands archipelago

Insights into processes that drive community assembly are important for understanding the diversity of ecosystems. The theory of Naturalization proposed by Darwin hypothesizes that species introduced into a community will be more distantly related to existing (native) species than expected by chance, possibly due to novel traits that enable colonization of unique niches. Using megaphylogenetic techniques, an ultrametric phylogeny was assembled of the vascular flora of the San Juan Islands in the Northwestern United States. Standard community phylogenetic metrics such as phylogenetic diversity (PD), mean pairwise distance (MPD), and mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD) as well as the minimum distance to the nearest native species for both native and introduced taxa were calculated as a function of island size and distance to the nearest large island. Results show the opposite of the Naturalization hypothesis: introduced species are more closely related to native species, suggesting a greater importance of pre-adapted traits.

Mendonça, Munique P.

Nuclear-mitochondrial genes support the hypothesis of two independent evolutionary lineages of haplotypes in the colonization of South America by Zaprionus indianus

Zaprionus indianus is an Afrotropical drosophilid which first spread through Asian and most recently through the American continent. The hypothesis most accepted about South America invasion is an accidental introduction of a single and numerous propagule, followed by rapid geographic expansion. In a few years, the species has spread through Brazilian regions, neighbor countries and later to Panama and Florida. We genetically characterize populations from North and South America, Asia and Africa aiming to refine the model of colonization and expansion by the drosophilid. We used CO-I mitochondrial and period nuclear genes as molecular markers. Our mains results suggest: entering of two haplotype lineages evolutionarily independent in South America, which supports the idea of a numerous African propagule or points to multiple introduction events; the North America colonization from Brazilian immigrants; the possible emergence of new characteristics in Brazil, despite the short time elapsed since the arrival of the invader.

Miller, Skylar E.

A model for collaborative conservation: The Lionfish Research and Education Program at the Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera, Bahamas.

The mission of the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) is to promote the conservation of tropical ecosystems by facilitating research, supporting education and conducting outreach with local and global communities. Recently, the collaborative Lionfish Research and Education Program (LREP) was formed to aid and inform efforts to protect marine ecosystems from the effects of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles), which is now a major threat to marine biota across the Bahamian archipelago. Research initiatives focus on the ecology and management of this invasive fish, while education and awareness efforts fosters stewardship within local communities and promote the harvest and consumption of lionfish as a method for control. Through LREP, CEI is emerging as a center for lionfish research and outreach in the Caribbean, with a view to effectively disseminate valuable information on best practices for lionfish control and management to both local and regional stakeholders.

Miño, Carolina I.

I am a postdoctoral researcher associated to three different laboratories, contributing with refining genetic analyses. Our research aims to investigate how genetic variation (molecular markers) is distributed at various hierarchical levels: from families and individuals to populations and meta- populations, in several animal species. The main objectives are planned at the levels of: i) families: to assess mating structures and estimate degrees of genetic relatedness; ii) populations: estimate genetic structure, recognize dispersal and colonization patterns; iii) 'supra-populations': conduct phylogeographic analyses to assess geographic distribution of genealogical lineages; iv) species and upper taxonomical levels: conduct phylogenetic analyses to determine if the presence of a certain character in a group of species can be attributed to an adaptive response or to phylogenetic inerse. Studied species include: aquatic birds (Platalea ajaja, Jabiru mycteria, Mycteria americana, Bubulcus ibis, Plegadis chihi, Ardea alba), fishes (Prochilodus spp, among others), shrimps (Litopenaeus vannamei) and hymenopterans (bees and wasps).

Miranda, Lucília S.

Evolution in Staurozoa (Cnidaria)

Staurozoa is a class of Cnidaria comprising stalked, benthic jellyfishes. Stauromedusae are distributed worldwide, but are more common in temperate and polar waters. Taxonomic knowledge of these cnidarians is inadequate, as is information on their biology and ecology, probably because of their cryptic habit and general inconspicuousness. Recent phylogenetic analyses suggest that the taxonomy of Staurozoa needs to be reassessed, since the traditional classification is based on non-monophyletic groups. The proposal of my project is an integrative study of the class Staurozoa (Cnidaria), encompassing (1) the evolution of their body plan (internal and external morphology), (2) the taxonomic/evolutionary meaning of their cnidome, and (3) the evolution of their life cycle (comparative gene expression). In addition, my research also includes a macroevolutive perspective, with the study of niche conservatism in the genus Haliclystus. The results are being analyzed and discussed in an evolutionary context, based on the new phylogenetic hypothesis.

Mourikis, Athanasios T.

Genetic structure and haplotype networks of endemic arthropod species of Azorean archipelago.

The Azorean Archipelago has suffered from a long-term human intervention and severe degradation of the native forest on several of its nine islands. In order to investigate the effect of these interventions on the genetic diversity of the endemic arthropod species, samples from seven Azorean islands were used to examine the genetic structure of their subpopulations. While the population genetics approach was carried out, the phylogeographic pattern of each species was also inferred. The assessment both of the genetic structure and the phylogenetic relationships involved three mitochondrial genes (mtDNA), the large (16S rRNA) and the small (12S rRNA) ribosomal subunits and the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI). The relationships of each species island populations are discussed in conjuction with the species ecology and the palaeogeographic history of the island group. Our findings are contrasted to those of other taxa investigated from the same island group.

Muñoz, Sergio A.

The Evolutionary History of Green Plastids

The green plants (Viridiplantae) comprise the most diversified group of photosynthetic eukaryotes and contain an astonishing diversity of body plans and forms. The photosynthetic ability of its members derives directly from the primary symbiogenetic event between a host heterotrophic eukaryote and a cyanobacterium that gave rise to the supergroup Archaeplastida (green plants, red algae and glaucophytes). The current research aims to analyze the early evolution of the group from the perspective of their plastid genome sequences and architectures. In order to do this, phylogenetic analyses of complete genome sequences are being carried out. Once an appropriate phylogenetic framework is in place we want to study how green plastid genomes have changed during Viridiplantae evolution. Additionally, we intend to generate new data by sequencing the plastid genome of the prasinophyte Tetraselmis sp. Finally, we hope to contribute to our better understanding of Viridiplantae early evolution, the deep relationships of its phylogenetic tree, and the evolution of green plastid genome architecture.

Nery, Mariana F.

Genomic Signatures Of Evolutionary Processes On Cetacean Evolution: Footprints Of The Return Of Mammals To The Sea

Cetaceans are among the most specialized of all mammals and are unique in being the only mammals completely dependent and adapted to an aquatic environment. The adaptation to this lifestyle has required complex changes and sometimes a complete restructuration of physiological systems, behavior and morphology. Identifying genes that have been subjected to selection pressure during cetacean evolution would greatly enhance our knowledge of the ways in which genetic variation in this mammalian order has been shaped by natural selection. This work aimed to provide the first step towards the searching for genome-wide evidence of positive selection and case-by-case analysis of candidate loci associated with adaptation to a fully aquatic life from a terrestrial life. Since a stable phylogenetic classification is a prerequisite to provide a reliable framework for comparative genomic studies, before the selection analyses we performed a phylogenomic analysis of Laurasiatheria group, since its orders relationships have been difficult to resolve. Phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated dataset using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods resulted on an identical and well-supported topology. Our analyses provide high support for the sister relationship between Chiroptera and Cetartiodactyla and also provide support for placing Perissodactyla as sister to Carnivora. Also we demonstrated the utility of very large and conserved genomic dataset to clarify our understanding of the evolutionary relationships among mammals. Once we had a stable and reliable phylogenetic tree, we could perform a genome-wide scan for positive selection in cetacean lineage. We employed models of codon substitutions that account for variation of selective pressure over branches on the tree and across number of sites. In total we analyzed 7859 nuclear-coding orthologs and using likelihood ratio tests based on these models, we identified 378 genes (4.8%) that possess patterns of genetic variation consistent with the hypothesis of positive selection in dolphin lineage. Of particular interest for the cetacean adaptation to an aquatic life are some GOs (gene ontology) under positive selection: genes related to kidney, heart, lung, eye, ear and nervous system development. We also found some GOs positively selected restricted to dolphin lineage, such as those related to hindlimb, nose and hair folicule development. Regarding the case by case analysis, the two gene families chosen were the globin genes and the keratin genes, because of their important role in hypoxic and anatomical adaptation, respectively, essential for a subaquatic life. In both gene families, we characterized their genomic structure, and assigned orthology and paralogy relationships among the duplicate copies. We analyzed each of these genes in cetacean lineage in comparison with other terrestrial mammals through codon-based maximum likelihood models to look for evidence of adaptive molecular evolution of these genes among cetaceans and non-cetaceans. Our results show that, indeed, in cetacean lineage, these genes show an increased rate of evolution when compared to their terrestrial counterparts. Our analyses provide a first insight into the type of biological processes that have been targets of selection in cetacean evolution. Traditionally, the Phlebobranchia order is composed of ten families (Agneziidae, Ascidiidae, Octanecmidae, Perophoridae and Plurellidae), but this classification had never been tested with a cladistic approach. Previous studies included only a few species from the taxon and challenged the position of Cionidae and Diazonidae as members of the order also including Thaliacea (another class of tunicates) whithin the phlebobranchs. Hence, it is not clear which families are part of Phlebobranchia neither if the order is monofiletic. Moreover, the validity of the genera is also uncertain, since the characters that define each one may have evolved many times as observed in a preliminary study with Ascidiidae. Therefore, the goal of my research is to study the evolution of the taxa and characters within the Phlebobranchia using morphological and genetic (CO1 and 18S rDNA) data from the largest attainable number of species.

Oses, Gabriel L.

The evolutionary pattern of Uropygi: an example of evolutionary stasis

Uropygi is an arachnid order that consists of organisms which are highly homogeneous, adaptively conservative and which have not shown expressive morphological changes during its evolutionary history. These facts request an evolutionary explanation. The study of Uropygi fossil record and of extant organisms reveals that Paleozoic organisms do not belong to Thelyphonidae, which includes Cretaceous and living lineages and is the only family of Uropygi. This pattern suggests at least two possible evolutionary models: dominance of evolutionary stasis since the Carboniferous, which implies the presence of Thelyphonidae in this period and its survival after Late Permian mass extinction; or, dominance of evolutionary stasis punctuated by the appearance of Thelyphonidae in the Cretaceous. In both cases, morphological, behavioral, biogeographical and ecological mechanisms can be used to explain such proposed models.

Pacheco, Mirian Liza A. F.

Corumbella werneri and the dawn of metazoans: a study performed by means of high-resolution techniques

The Ediacaran/Cambrian boundary registers the rise of animal life on Earth. In this context was documented Corumbella werneri Hahn et al. 1982, one of the most abundant macroscopic fossil in Brazil (Corumbá Group, Ediacaran). Without unresolved systematic position, this fossil was considered embraced by the Kingdom Metazoa, sharing features with extinct (conulariid) and modern (coronate) cnidarians. By the means of basic taphonomic studies, geometric modeling, ultrastructural morphology and further non-destructive techniques of chemical and high-resolution X-ray imaging, we are reconstituting Corumbella and understanding its tegument composition. Until now, the results of our researches showed that C. werneri was one of the oldest animals capable to perform skeletogenesis. Corumbella had a relatively thick carapace, with polyhedral geometry, midlines and septa. This study and the techniques will be extended to other Ediacaran fossils but these results are already providing answers about evolutionary and ecological relations between animals in this paradigmatic period.

Pappalardo, Maria P.

Correlated evolution between mode of larval development and habitat in muricid gastropods

Since mode of larval development can affect evolutionary process, it is important to understand how the environment can influence this trait and affect transitions between larval types. We establish support for the association between larval development and habitat (latitude and type of substrate) in marine gastropods of the family Muricidae, applying comparative methods in a Bayesian framework. The most probable common ancestor had direct development with nurse eggs and lived in hard bottoms, and from this ancestor planktotrophy evolved at least three times. Correlated evolution was significant between pelagic or non-pelagic development and types of substrate occupy by adults, transition rates between larval development were relatively high for species in soft bottoms, but negligible in hard bottoms. However, for both pelagic and non-pelagic larval strategies, the highest transitions rates were from soft to hard bottoms. Species with non-pelagic development were associated to higher latitudes, supporting Thorson's rule.

Parfrey, Laura W.

Comparisons of eukaryotic microbial communities from free-living and host-associated environments

The eukaryotes that reside in the human gut remain relatively unexplored with high-throughput methods. However, many eukaryotic parasites are major sources of morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries. Initial pyrosequencing results from geographically and socioeconomically diverse populations demonstrate that the eukaryotic component of the human gut microbiome is highly variable across individuals. Family members tend to share a large proportion of taxa, but geography does not drive overall patterns. These results suggest that the presence or absence of specific taxa may be the most important factor in structuring eukaryotic communities in the gut. We also combine these data with additional samples from a wide range of environments to compare the diversity patterns between free-living and host-associated microbial eukaryotic communities. The patchy taxonomic distribution across people the obscures the distinction between free-living and host-associated communities in analyses of beta-diversity. However, using the open-source tool Topiary Explorer to visualize these communities within the eukaryotic tree of life reveals the fundamental differences between host-associated and free-living communities.

Paz, Andrea

Testing the role of ecology and life history in structuring genetic variation across a landscape: A comparative ecophylogeographic approach.

Phylogeographic studies of Central American amphibians have revealed a variety of historical patterns with little commonality among species. Limits to dispersal may vary in strength according to organisms’ intrinsic biology. We developed a novel approach to elucidate the role of life history variation in generating phylogeographic structure. We employed DNA barcode data (COI + 16S) from 31 anuran species. To evaluate congruence in divergence times between species we used HABC analyses in two comparisons between three amphibian communities in Panama. Simultaneous divergence between all species was rejected in both cases however, congruence in divergence times between groups of species was found. We generated ecological niche models and estimated landscape resistance between localities for each species. Ecological and life history variables were used to evaluate their importance in explaining the observed genetic divergence. Results suggest that environmental factors may provide a more general explanation than physical barriers for the genetic patterns we observe.

Pereira, Alessandro A.

Genetic diversity, genomics and phylogeography of manioc (Manihot esculenta Crantz): implications for the crop’s dispersion and diffusion along the major rivers of Amazon Basin.

Manioc (Manihot esculenta ssp. esculenta Crantz) is the most important food crop that originated in Amazonia. Currently, the two major groups of cultivated varieties (bitter and sweet manioc) present distinct patterns of distribution. Until present, few studies investigated how manioc’s genetic diversity is arranged along its geographical distribution. Furthermore, there is no population genomics study on manioc. The goal of this study is to evaluate, with different molecular markers, the genetic as well as the genomic diversity and structure of manioc varieties traditionally grown along the major rivers of Amazon basin. The contemporaneous and historical genetic diversity and structure will be evaluated with nuclear and chloroplastidial microsatellites, and information at genomic level will be generated with RAD-seq markers. We expect to contribute for the understanding of both: manioc’s dispersion along the Amazon basin, and the genomic basis for the differentiation between sweet and bitter manioc varieties. These information may permit the identification of crop’s centers of genetic diversity, which may guide efforts for the conservation of the crop’s genetic resources.

Pereira, Noemy S.

Provete, Diogo B.

The influence of tree shape on a technique to describe the phylogenetic structure of metacommunities (Principal Coordinates of Phylogenetic Structure)

Methodological techniques describing the phylogenetic structure of communities have been developed a decade ago. However, methods to describe the phylogenetic structure of a metacommunity are still in its infancy. One of these multivariate methods is called Principal Coordinates of Phylogenetic Structure (PCPS; Duarte 2011, Oikos 120:208). Our goal is to detect the influence of tree shape, specifically Colless index (Ic) of tree imbalance and Pybus α index of diversification, on PCPS eigenvalue (percentage of variation explained). We obtained from the literature data on species incidence of larval amphibians from 13 metacommunities in the Western hemisphere. Then, we built a supertree for the metacommunity and obtained the eigenvalue of the first PCPS for each metacommunity by performing a PCoA on the phylogeny-weighted composition matrix. We then regressed the two indices against the eigenvalues. Diversification index was the only significant predictor of the PCPS relative eigenvalue. Therefore, tree shape must be considered in studies of metacommunity phylogenetics.

Ribas-Rodrigues, Diana

Characterization and functional analysis of the soil microbial community exposed by glacier retreat in artarctica through cultivation and molecular methods

The moraine soil gradually exposed every year is a record of the soil development in terms of geochemical parameters and microbial community. In order to study the succession of microbial populations after soil exposure, five samples were collected in front of the Baranowski Glacier, King George Island, and used for cultivation of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria with 6 different media (TSA, R2A and Marine Agar 2216, at 100% and 1% [m/v] concentrations) at 4° and 30°C. Colony-forming units were counted and morphologically characterized. The results indicate differences in the microbial community structure, which could be related to the soil development. A total of 255 isolates were selected and are being characterized by BOX-PCR. The next step will be sequencing the 16R RNA gene of each distinct BOX-PCR phylotype. The molecular identification of these isolates will be important to characterize the functional diversity of soil microbial community and the processes of ecological succession resulting from glacier retreat in Antartica.

Rizzato, Pedro P.

Subterranean fishes of Brazil: Morphology, Taxonomy and Evolution, with emphasis on family Trichomycteridae (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes)

Exclusively subterranean organisms (= troglobites) are interesting models for testing evolutionary scenarios and investigating morphological, ecological and behavioral trends towards the successful colonization of the hypogean habitat. Brazilian subterranean ichthyofauna has worldwide relevance not only in terms of species richness but also in view of the morphological, ecological and phylogenetic diversity of its components. My research focuses on Trichomycteridae, the richest of the Brazilian fish families with troglobitic representatives, and have as principal aims: (1) to describe new subterranean fish species occurring on Brazil, especially in view of the threats for their conservation; (2) to investigate constructive and regressive characters on these species, attempting to identify possible trends or patterns of morphological changes related to the subterranean way of life; and (3) to test evolutionary scenarios of selective adaptation or neutral evolution towards the successful colonization of the hypogean habitat and complete development of a exclusively subterranean way of life.

Rosser, Neil S.

Jordan’s Law refuted? The geography of speciation in heliconiine butterflies

Sympatric speciation has been the subject of considerable debate during the last hundred years, with many biologists doubting its plausibility both for empirical and theoretical reasons. Recent mathematical models have supported the theory of sympatric speciation and there is evidence for some cases, but how common the process is remains unanswered. Here, I estimate the frequency of sympatric speciation in Heliconius butterflies and their allies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Heliconiina). The observed frequency of sister species showing geographic range overlap is compared with expectations generated via simulations of the geography of speciation. In the simulations I vary the proportion of sympatric events and species’ ranges follow a random walk, allowing them to shift, grow and contract. I find that the geographic ranges overlap in nearly half of 21-23 heliconiine sister species pairs (depending on species concept); a much higher proportion than reported in birds and mammals. I show that the patterns of range overlap are most consistent with simulations in which sympatric speciation is common, contributing 35%-90% of speciation events. However, a scenario not accounted for in the simulations, parapatric speciation followed by a tendency for daughter species to expand rapidly into one another’s ranges, presents a highly plausible alternative explanation. The high levels of overlap contradict the long held tenet of biogeography that closely related animal species are usually allopatric, but whether heliconiines simply represent the exception that proves the rule will require biogeographic comparative studies for a wider range of animal species than have been considered to date.

Salinas-Saavedra, Miguel A. H.

An evolutionary and experimental approach to homeotic frameshifts in the bird wing

The Identity of the three digits of the wing of birds has been discussed for more than 140 years by developmental biologists and paleontologists. Based on the relative position of early cartilages, the wing digits are identified as 2, 3, and 4. On the other hand, the evolution of digit morphology suggests that their identities are 1, 2, and 3. A hypothesis to explain this is that a homeotic frame-shift might have occurred in the evolution of the bird wing, such that digits 1, 2, and 3 began developing from embryological positions 2, 3 and 4. The mechanistic plausibility of such a homeotic frameshift is an important topic. Are frameshifts reasonable according to currently known mechanisms of digit patterning? Can frameshifts be produced experimentally? Recently, it was argued that inhibition of Shh signaling using cyclopamine produces an experimental frameshift in the wing, but other studies have offered different interpretations for this experiment. In the present work, we made fate-maps to follow digit formation in the development of Cyclopamine-treated wings of the chicken. We show that digits 1 and 2 develop from posterior cells of the early limb bud that in control embryos become digits 2 and 3. In the evolutionary frameshift, both digit morphology and HoxD expression were shifted towards posterior. In Cyclopamine-treated wings, we verified that HoxD-10, HoxD-11 and HoxD-12 are also posteriorly shifted. We confirm that a homeotic frameshift of digit identity is possible experimentally, that closely resembles that inferred for evolution, suggesting a similar mechanism acted upstream of HoxD expression.

Sanchez-Meseguer, Andrea

Santos, Vitória T.

Functional morphology characterization of Boophilus microplus embriogenesis and oogenesis

Boophilus microplus is a cattle tick causing major economic losses to livestock production. Tick control using acaricides affects stages after hatching. Thus, strategies interfering with embryogenesis must be developed, which depends on the knowledge of tick embryonic development. Most of the arthropod embryology has been investigated in the Diptera Drosophila melanogaster and the few molecular studies on chelicerates are restricted to spiders. Thus, investigation of the molecular mechanisms involved in tick oogenesis and embryogenesis is of great importance. In insects determination of dorso-ventral (DV) and antero-posterior (AP) axes starts during oogenesis involving a crosstalk between germ line and soma. This crosstalk is mediated by several pathways, including the EGF pathway. Whether this pathway also plays a role in AP and DV axis determination in B. microplus and by consequence in chelicerates is an open question. To answer this question, we used an antibody against MAPK (dpERK), a downstream effector of EGF. dpERK was observed in the oocyte nucleus region and in pedicels, suggesting that these latter cells act similarly to insects follicular cells. Several aspects of tick embryogenesis are similar to spider embryogenesis like cumulus cell formation and germ disc development, but many are different, like a transient ventral opening and fourth-leg regression in the end of development. At the moment an in situ hybridization protocol to identify the expression of major pathway components like dpp and its antagonist Sog (dorsoventral axis), Notch, Wnt8 (segmentation) is being developed. Functional analysis of these genes will be performed via RNA interference technique, which will provide important insights on the evolution of axis formation in arthropods.

Schmidt, Jennifer N.

Rostralia in frog tadpoles: Development, novelty and the role of FoxN3

One of the most controversial topics in evolutionary developmental biology is the origin of evolutionary innovations. In a comparative approach, we will analyze amphibian species with differences in larval head anatomy and how their development is regulated by the transcription factor FoxN3, and by genes regulated by or regulating FoxN3. The most drastic novel structure being the rostralia in frog tadpoles and the derived organisation of cranial muscles that goes along with these. These new cartilage elements form a part of a novel feeding apparatus, and the new arrangement of cranial muscles is necessary for their proper function. The cranial cartilages are mostly cranial neural crest derived and the proper development of cranial muscles has been shown to be strongly dependent on the neural crest-derived cartilage elements in the larval head of amphibians. A morpholino based knock-down of FoxN3 in Xenopus laevis has indirect effects on cranial muscle patterning, the direct function of the gene is mostly connected to neural crest development and to joint development and therefore for the normal development of the rostralia. How did FoxN3 which is highly conserved in gene structure and protein sequence among different vertebrates or its genetic network, gain these new functions? Based on such detailed empirical data, our aim is to develop a general model for the evolution of anatomical novelties. If the infra- and suprarostral cartilages themselves were novelties, they would not have any homologous structures in other ancestors or are they no real evolutionary novelties and the articulation between Meckel's cartilage and the infrarostrals, and the articulation between the trabecular horns and the suprarostrals is the novelty. If the latter is true, the rostralia are partitioned off Meckel's cartilage and the trabecular horns and would then have homologues.

Schneider, Daniela I.

Host-microbe interactions: influence of symbiotic Wolbachia on sex pheromones and mating behavior in Drosophila.

Recent studies suggest that quantitative alterations in invertebrate cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles contribute significantly to sexual isolation, a key parameter of speciation. Neotropical Drosophila paulistorum semi-species are infected with distinctive maternally inherited bacteria, Wolbachia. Mutualistic Wolbachia of D. paulistorum manipulate sexual behavior by influencing mate choice. In this model system, we have analyzed CHC profiles, which differ significantly in compound quantities between semi-species, and evaluated potential influence of Wolbachia on pheromone signatures. Preliminary results show massive changes in CHC profiles between wildtype and Wolbachia-knockdown, suggesting strong influence exerted by these bacteria on D. paulistorum pheromones. Studies in D. melanogaster and related sibling species have indicated that desaturase genes are essential for sex pheromone production. Since Wolbachia might manipulate expression of desaturases in D. paulistorum, we have determined i) divergence of these genes in the desat1-desat2-desatF-clade among D. paulistorum semispecies, plus ii) their expression levels in wildtype and Wolbachia-knockdown flies.

Scolari, Francesca

Identification of mating-responsive genes from the testes and male accessory glands transcriptome of the mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata

The medfly Ceratitis capitata is a tephritid pest with a worldwide distribution and a history of rapid outbreaks. Genes encoding seminal fluid proteins transferred to the female during mating are involved in the establishment of barriers to fertilization that can lead to speciation contributing to sperm activation, gamete interactions and ovulation. We report the functional annotation of 8448 expressed sequence tags assembled into 3344 contigs from testes and male accessory glands to identify transcripts encoding putative secreted peptides that might elicit post-mating responses in females. qRT-PCR on transcripts expressed in the accessory glands revealed that several changed in abundance after one or more copulations, compared to virgin males. We suggest the presence of transcriptional switch points possibly related to the replenishment of transcripts encoding secreted proteins with active roles in the seminal fluid. This study will help the study of genome evolution in the light of this high adaptive potential.

Sheets, Elisabeth A.

Using a multi-gene approach to investigate global population structure of the colonial tunicate Botrylloides nigrum

Studies of introductions in tropical regions are extremely limited, and new surveys are highlighting invasion hotspots, presenting a great need for studies characterizing invasion processes in these habitats. We are using a multi-gene approach to investigate population structure across the global distribution of the tunicate Botrylloides nigrum, by comparing a candidate allorecognition locus with microsatellites and mitochondrial COI. Allorecognition, in botryllid tunicates, is the ability to recognize self from non-self, and if closely related kin, to fuse into a chimeric colony. Fusions may alter colony fitness, and affect their ability to establish in, and invade, new environments. Results from COI show low haplotype diversity in sampled populations, and reveal two broadly distributed haplotypes. Populations on each coast of Panama share a single common haplotype, suggesting that the Panama Canal may serve as an invasion corridor. Comparing current results with neutral and functional polymorphic markers may provide finer genetic resolution, and may reveal how invasion events affect functional diversity.

Shirai, Leila T.

Shultz, Alisson J.

Using an avian visual model to assess the evolution of sexual dichromatism in tanagers

Avian plumage coloration can be shaped by many different factors including aspects of sexual and natural selection. Because males and females can be under different selective pressures, sexual dichromatism can evolve either due to changes in male or female plumage. We used the tanagers, a family of Neotropical birds with 370 species, to investigate whether male or female plumage changes drive the evolution of sexual dichromatism. Quantifying plumage patterning using an avian visual model, we found that when the all tanagers were analyzed simultaneously, there were eight significant correlations between male plumage characteristics and sexual dichromatism, and two significant female correlations. However, when seven tanager subclades were analyzed separately they displayed a variety of patterns, indicating that life history differences among the clades may cause different selective pressures from clade to clade. Finally, model-fitting results indicate that signaling is important in the evolution of male and female plumage coloration.

Soares, Luana P.C.M.

Palaeobiology and Phosphogenesis event of Bocaina Formation (Corumbá Group): a Late Neoproterozoic scenario revealed

The Corumbá Group, SW Brazil, comprises an important stage in evolution of life because it presents a fossil record of microbialites followed by an increasing in complexity of life. The Bocaina Formation is one of the most distinguished by its microbialites diversity and a record of a significant phosphogenesis event. This occurrence, as well as recognized in others geologic units in the world, precedes the record of an explosion of macroscopic multicellular evidence (Cloudina, Corumbella) in the overlying Tamengo Formation. Associated with the phosphate, "vase–shaped microfossils", similar to testate amoebas, were found and interpreted as early protistan heterotrophs. The palaeobiology and the significant phosphogenesis event recorded in Bocaina Formation are possibly related to the increasing in complexity of life. The petrographic and chemical analysis of these microfossils, as well as the interpretation and correlation of Bocaina phosphogenesis event, is now under investigation, allowing a better comprehension of the life evolution in Corumbá Group.

Silva, Larissa L.

The Schistosoma mansoni Phylome: Using Evolutionary Genomics to Gain Insight into a Parasite’s Biology

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease and a major economic problem in many countries. Although significant effort has been made toward identifying schistosome gene and protein functions, a complete picture of the parasite and its genome biology and evolution remains a distant goal. In this study, we used an evolutionary approach to improve S. mansoni’s genome functional annotation, assess parasite biology, and provide insights into host-parasite interactions. Taking advantage of a genome-wide perspective rather than from individual gene or protein analyses, we identified that this parasite had particular gene duplication events, especially in genes that could be directly related to the parasitic lifestyle, such as protein encoding genes that are involved with the cellular membrane. These innovations may be related to the mechanisms that protect S. mansoni against host immune responses being important adaptations for the parasite survival in a potentially hostile environment.

Simonov, Evgeniy

Genetics of conspicuous colour polymorphism in snakes

Body colouration pattern is one of the most important traits for individual fitness and survival. Revealing the genetic architecture for such variability is essential to understanding microevolutionary processes. However, studies on colour variation and the underlying genetic variability in reptiles are still scarce. We investigate genetic variability underlying the colour phenotypes in populations of the Halys pit-viper (Gloydius halys) to determine the nature of these differences (selection vs. random processes) using candidate gene approach. Genes involved in the melanin synthesis pathway were chosen for our study: melanocortin-1 receptor (Mc1r), tyrosinase (Tyr), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (Tyrp1), dopachrome tautomerase (DCT), silver (SILV) genes and agouti signalling protein gene (ASIP). We design primers in silico on the basis of conserved DNA sequence regions in other vertebrates accessible via GenBank. This is the first study examining variability and genotype-phenotype associations of Tyr, Tyrp1, DCT, SILV and ASIP genes in populations of a reptile species.

Spanbauer, Trisha L.

Morphology and Molecules: Diatom Diversification, Extinction, and Dispersal in an Ancient Tropical Lake System

In some extant ancient lakes, continuous sedimentation over long intervals of time offers the potential to reconstruct evolutionary history at high temporal resolution and to tie it directly to environmental patterns inferred from independent proxies contained in the same samples. My research reconstructs the history of diversification, extinction, and dispersal in a major lineage of planktic diatom by integrating molecular genetics of extant populations with micropaleontological approaches. I will document the pattern and timing of morphological diversification and extinction in the Cyclostephanos andinus complex in continuous high-resolution sediment cores from Lake Titicaca spanning the last ~400,000 yr and compare the evolutionary history of the lineage with independent measures of climate variation to assess the role of environmental drivers in these patterns of change. Using comparative phylogenetics techniques, I will infer intraspecific evolutionary histories (including vicariance, dispersal, and gene flow) by assessing genetic variation between multiple extant populations of C. andinus.

St. Onge, Philippe

Evidence for kin-aggregated larval cohorts and larval retention in a broadcast-spawning temperate marine bivalve

In order to successfully use microsatellite-based parental connectivity analyses to demonstrate larval retention and to follow larval cohorts from birth to settlement for broadcast-spawning marine invertebrates, sampled cohorts need to reflect strong and distinct genetic signatures. In this study, it was hypothesized that larvae sampled during specific time frames within a spawning season will have such distinct signatures resulting from founder effects, i.e. a lower effective number of breeders. To test this hypothesis, larvae of the temperate marine bivalve Mya arenaria were collected weekly for 13 consecutive weeks (May - August 2010) in a sheltered, shallow and warm bay in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Atlantic Canada) and genotyped at seven polymorphic microsatellite loci. Results showed strong evidence for the retention of larvae near their spawning grounds and the importance of sampling the first larval cohorts produced in the spawning season for connecting offspring with their parents.

Sugawara, Mauro T. C.

The Role of Extinction and Speciation in the Molecular Signal of Clades in Decline

Molecular phylogenies have been widely used to investigate the diversification dynamics, but recent studies have questioned the interpretations obtained by most methods. Of particular interest is the neglected scenario of declining diversity and the phylogenetic signature resulting from such diversification scenario. The goal of my project was to evaluate the role of extinction and speciation in the phylogenetic signal of groups experiencing a decline in diversity. I simulated the process of diversification and analyzed the molecular phylogenies in different moments of their diversification history. I used the mostly used method, the _-statistics. The results indicate that for a clade experiencing a decline in diversity the signal of decreasing diversification is contingent on a reduction in the speciation rate and that it cannot result from changes in extinction rate alone. This is particularly interesting given that changes in either rates result in a change from a positive to negative diversification rate.

Sunagar, Kartik B.

Evolution of CRISPs associated with toxicoferan-reptilian venom and mammalian reproduction

Cysteine-rich Secretory proteins (CRISPs) are glycoproteins found exclusively in vertebrates and have broad diversified functions. They are hypothesized to play important roles in mammalian reproduction and in reptilian venom, where they disrupt homeostasis of the prey through several mechanisms, including among others, blockage of cyclic nucleotide-gated and voltage-gated ion channels and inhibition of smooth muscle contraction. We evaluated the molecular evolution of CRISPs in toxicoferan-reptiles at both nucleotide and protein- levels relative to their non-venomous mammalian homologues. We show that the evolution of CRISP gene in these reptiles is significantly influenced by positive selection, and in snakes (_=3.84) more than in lizards (_=2.33), while mammalian CRISPs were under strong negative selection (CRISP1=0.55, CRISP2=0.40 and CRISP3=0.68). The use of ancestral sequence reconstruction, mapping of mutations on the three-di- mensional structure and detailed evaluation of selection pressures, suggests that the toxicoferan CRISPs underwent accelerated evolution aided by directional mutagenesis. Moreover, most of the positively-sites are located on the molecular surface (nearly 76% in snakes and 79% in lizards) while the backbone of the pro- tein retains a highly conserved structural scaffold. Most mutations were also directed towards the cysteine- rich domain of the toxin. Such directional mutagenesis, where the hotspots of mutations are found on the molecular surface and functional domains of the protein, acts as a diversifying mechanism for the exquisite biological targeting of CRISPs in toxicoferan reptiles. Finally, our analyses suggest that the evolution of toxicoferan-CRISP venoms might have been influenced by the specific predatory mechanism employed by the organism. CRISPs in Elapidae, which mostly employ neurotoxins have experienced less positive selection pressure (_=2.86) compared with the "non-venomous" colubrids (_=4.10) that rely on grip and constric- tion to capture the prey, and the Viperidae, a lineage that mostly employs haemotoxins (_=4.19). Relatively lower omega estimates in Anguimorph lizards (_=2.33) than snakes (_=3.84) suggests that lizards probably depend more on pace and powerful jaws for predation than venom.

Torrano-Silva, Beatriz N.

Taxonomy and phylogeny of Lithophylloideae from Brazil

The coralline algae comprise two orders (Corallinales and Sporolithales) of marine red algae which precipitate calcium carbonate on cell walls. They are distributed all around the world, from intertidal to near 300 m depth. Their importance include their capability to consolidate reef constructions, to resist to wave impacts and to create amazing micro-macro habitats when growing as articulated forms or when constructing unique subtidal habitats such as rhodolith beds. Human uses include stratigraphic prospection, calcite extraction and as substrate for marine aquariophyly. Encrusting coralline algae have been understudied in Brazil due to its calcified structure, making their study more difficult than with most algae. This is the first study using both molecular and morphological approaches with articulated (Amphiroa) and encrusting (Lithophyllum and Titanoderma) forms of Lithophylloideae for the Brazilian coast. We are using DNA Barcoding (cox1 and UPA) and phylogenetic (psbA and SSU) markers, allied to light microscopy and to scanning electron microscopy to understand the diversity, taxonomy and phylogeny of this relevant group of red algae.

Vasco, Alejandra

Fern leaf evolution and development

The evolution and development of leaves in land plants has been debated for more than a century. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that megaphylls originated independently up to nine times, six of which have occurred within ferns. Most research on the developmental network necessary to specify leaves has been done on angiosperms, and comparable studies are largely lacking for ferns. Therefore, questions remain about the homology of megaphylls. To address this gap in our understanding of fern leaf evolution, we are studying some of the gene families that play a role in angiosperm leaf development. We are cloning and analyzing two of these genes across ferns: Class-1 KNOX and Class III HD-Zips. Our analyses include 10 out of 11 orders of extant ferns. Results suggest that both gene families duplicated early in the diversification of ferns, and at least two copies of each gene family are present in each fern taxa sampled. We have analyzed the expression patterns of several paralogs of these two families and found that they resemble that of angiosperms homologs. So far, our expression studies across ferns indicate that the same leaf developmental network was coopted for megaphyll development in ferns and angiosperms suggesting a deep homology of megaphylls in these two groups.

Vieira, Ana Paula M.

Ecomorphological and ecoregional diversity of Lynchius, Orebates, and Phrynopus in the Neotropics

A recent revision of the New World Direct-Developing frogs (Terrarana) based on moderate to fast-evolving mitochondrial genes, and slow-evolving nuclear genes, presented a clade formed by Lynchius, Orebates, and Phrynopus. The group is widely distributed in tropical South America across a diverse array of ecoregions, from wet montane grasslands of Andes, to Amazonian lowland forests, and dry savannas of Cerrado. The clade origin, placed at ca. 36 ma, is old enough to have experienced several of geological and climatic events that shaped the diversity of South America. Also, the diversification of the group seems to be associated to its capacity to inhabit across different altitudinal gradients and the morphological traits linked to physiological performance in different habitats. The project's goal is to apply dispersal-vicariance analyses, morphological ancestral states reconstructions, and diversification rates analyses to infer historical factors responsible of ecomorphological and ecoregional diversity of the group in the Neotropics.

Vitonis, João E. V. V.

Genetic and morphologic variation on Stramonita brasiliensis (Mollusca, Gastropoda)

The whelk Stramonita brasiliensis Claremont & Reid 2011 is an important predatory species, living on rock shores in the Brazilian coast, already extensively studied. However, recent researches indicate that S. brasiliensis maybe are a cryptic species complex. To investigate this hypothesis, the present study will analyze the genetic and morphologic polymorphism in populations of this gastropod along the Brazilian coast (Rio de Janeiro State to Santa Catarina State). Pgm isoenzyme analysis, sequencing of three genes, two mitochondrial (12S rRNA and CO1) and one nuclear (28S rRNA), and analyses of several organs usually used in the taxonomy of the group will be used to separate those possible cryptic species.

Wang, Mei-Hui

Transcriptional Profiling as an Alternative Method for Anophele gambiae Age-grading

Transcriptional profiling has been proposed as a method for predicting mosquito age for Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes, however, whether this new method is adequate for natural conditions is unknown. This study tests the applicability of transcriptional profiling for age-grading of Anopheles gambiae, the most important malaria vector in Africa. Age-dependent monotonic changes in transcript levels were observed in all strains evaluated. These genes were validated as age-grading biomarkers using the mark, release and recapture (MRR) method. The MRR method determined a good correspondence between actual and predicted age, and thus demonstrated the value of age classifications derived from the transcriptional profiling of two genes. The technique was further applied to establish the age structure of mosquito populations from two malaria-endemic areas in western Kenya. The population age structure determined by the transcriptional profiling method was consistent with that based on mosquito parity. This study demonstrates that the transcription profiling method is valuable for age determination of natural mosquitoes, providing a new approach for determining a key life history trait of malaria vectors.

Wozniak, Natalia J.

Genotype and ecotype-specific responses of Sphagnum denticulatum Brid. to drought stress and rehydration treatment determined from chlorophyll fluorescence and pigments content

Aim: Here, we evaluate the physiological responses to water stress that take place in Sphagnum denticulatum originated from immersed and terrestrial conditions. We hypothesize that aquatic ecotype will be more sensitive to drought stress than terrestrial plants. Methods: The problem was approached by chlorophyll fluorescence measurements of photochemical efficiency of PSII and pigments content in pretreated, drought-stressed, and rehydrated plants. Experimental plants were raised from a small apical fragments and long-term acclimated to controlled common conditions (axenic culture and phytotron conditions). Results: In pretreated plants the influences of specific plant features on examined parameters were more important than their original environment. However, after re-wetting following drought stress, a significant differences between immersed and terrestrial ecotypes were noted in non-photochemical quenching, and amounts of pigments and their ratios (insignificant in pretreated plants). Conclusions: Genotypic predisposition of gametophores selected in specific environments may explain observed differences between aquatic and terrestrial plants.