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Reticulitermes flavipes is the most invasive species in its genus and is responsible for causing significant damage to human structures in areas where it has been introduced. Although it has already become established in Chile and Uruguay, it had not previously been reported in Argentina. In this study, we report the first detection of this species in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. The colony was already producing alates, and species identification was confirmed through both morphology and mitochondrial gene 16S rRNA analysis. Our results, while not conclusive, suggest that this introduction was independent from the one that occurred in Chile and Uruguay, and potentially originated from the United States. The detection of R. flavipes in Argentina is significant because it highlights the potential for this species to establish itself in new regions and underscores the need for future research on and control of R. flavipes in this country.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:42:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-07-01 The family Thamnophilidae is a species-rich Neotropical radiation of passerine birds. Current classification of its 235 species is mostly based on morphological similarities, but recent studies integrating comprehensive phenotypic and phylogenetic data have redefined taxonomic limits of several taxa. Here, we assess generic relationships of Herpsilochmus, Sakesphorus, Thamnophilus, Biatas, and Dysithamnus using DNA sequences from the mitochondrion, nuclear exons, and ultraconserved elements, with further attention to interspecific relationships within Herpsilochmus. We show that Herpsilochmus and Sakesphorus are not monophyletic. We resolve Herpsilochmus sellowi as a deep-branch sister to the monotypic genus Biatas and Sakesphorus cristatus as sister to a clade comprising Herpsilochmus sensu stricto and Dysithamnus. These results are consistent across loci, obtained via concatenation and coalescent-based analyses, and supported by likelihood-ratio tests of the distribution of our sampled coalescent histories. The phenotypic distinctiveness of both H. sellowi and Biatas argues against merging them into a single genus. Because no generic name is available for H. sellowi, we describe a monotypic genus. The polyphyly of Sakesphorus warrants recognition of the available generic name Sakesphoroides for the distinctive and monotypic S. cristatus. Furthermore, we recover 6 well-supported species groups within Herpsilochmus sensu stricto. Within the context of the family as a whole, the ubiquity of long terminal branches representing monotypic genera points to extinction events among ancestors of these lineages. We suggest that retention of ancestral characters or random genetic drift coupled with extensive extinction could explain the high degree of morphological and ecological similarity across these taxa, but we highlight the potential role of the environment in driving adaptive phenotypic convergence. Finally, our results send a cautionary message against the blind use of phylogenies containing imputed data based on taxonomy due to the increasingly frequent mismatches between traditional taxonomic classification and molecular phylogenies. LAY SUMMARY We conduct phylogenomic analyses to infer generic relationships of Herpsilochmus, Sakesphorus, Thamnophilus, Biatas, and Dysithamnus. Using thousands of ultraconserved elements, exons, and mitochondrial DNA, we consistently show that the genus Herpsilochmus is not monophyletic because H. sellowi is a sister of the monotypic species Biatas nigropectus. Because the phenotypic distinctiveness of H. sellowi and B. nigropectus argues against merging them into a single genus and there is no available generic name for H. sellowi, we describe a monotypic genus for this species. We also found polyphyly of the genus Sakesphorus, warranting recognition of the available generic name Sakesphoroides for Sakesphorus cristatus. Our results provide a robust framework for downstream analyses of biogeographic and phenotypic evolution of Herpsilochmus antwrens and allies. This study adds to the increasing body of literature documenting the mismatch between traditional avian taxonomic classifications based on external morphology and evolutionary histories traced by modern genetic tools. Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University Seção de Aves Museu de Zoologia Universidade de São Paulo Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences Louisiana State University Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Centro Politécnico Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Centro Politécnico Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista Mater Natura - Instituto de Estudos Ambientais Gund Institute for Environment The University of Vermont Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources The University of Vermont Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Coordenação de Zoologia Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi Finnish Museum of Natural History University of Helsinki Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Tennessee Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista

Diversity does not drive speciation The role of the environment in the origin of new species has long been debated. Harvey et al. examined the evolutionary history and species diversity of suboscine birds in the tropics (see the Perspective by Morlon). Contrary to expectations that the tropics have higher rates of speciation, the authors observed that higher and more constant speciation rates occur in harsh environments relative to the tropics. Thus, for this group of birds, diversification in temperate to Arctic regions followed by the movement and retention of species in the tropics results in their higher local levels of species diversity. Science , this issue p. 1343 ; see also p. 1268

The objectives of this study were to understand how genotype, storage time, and storage conditions affect cooking time of beans and to indicate storage techniques that do not affect the cooking time. The grains were subjected to five different storage periods and six different storage conditions. The cooking time was estimated using the Mattson Cooker. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and a subsequent adjustment of simple linear regression for deployment of the interactions between the factors. Contrasts were used to determine the best levels of the factor storage condition. Genotype did not impact cooking time when the storage time and storage conditions were considered. Time and storage conditions affect the cooking time of beans in a dependent manner, but time of storage had the biggest influence. The best conditions for long-term storage of beans ensuring a smaller increase in cooking time is plastic storage at low temperatures. Thus, plastic freezer storage is a practical alternative for consumers. O objetivo deste trabalho foi compreender como os fatores genótipo, tempo e condição de armazenamento impactam no tempo de cocção de grãos de feijão, bem como indicar formas de armazenamento que não afetam o tempo de cocção. Os grãos foram submetidos a cinco diferentes tempos de armazenamento e a seis condições de armazenamento. Estimou-se o tempo de cocção utilizando-se o Cozedor de Mattson. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância, com posterior ajuste de regressão linear simples para desdobramento das interações entre fatores. Para a determinação dos melhores níveis do fator condição de armazenamento, foram utilizados contrastes. Genótipo não é decisivo para o tempo de cocção quando são considerados tempo e condição de armazenamento. Tempo e condição de armazenamento afetam de maneira dependente o tempo de cocção dos grãos de feijão; no entanto, o fator tempo tem maior influência. A melhor condição de armazenamento de grãos de feijão em longo prazo, com menor incremento no tempo de cozimento, é o armazenamento em plástico em baixas temperaturas. Assim, o armazenamento em plástico no freezer é uma alternativa prática para os consumidores.

The objectives of this study were to understand how genotype, storage time, and storage conditions affect cooking time of beans and to indicate storage techniques that do not affect the cooking time. The grains were subjected to five different storage periods and six different storage conditions. The cooking time was estimated using the Mattson Cooker. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and a subsequent adjustment of simple linear regression for deployment of the interactions between the factors. Contrasts were used to determine the best levels of the factor storage condition. Genotype did not impact cooking time when the storage time and storage conditions were considered. Time and storage conditions affect the cooking time of beans in a dependent manner, but time of storage had the biggest influence. The best conditions for long-term storage of beans ensuring a smaller increase in cooking time is plastic storage at low temperatures. Thus, plastic freezer storage is a practical alternative for consumers.O objetivo deste trabalho foi compreender como os fatores genótipo, tempo e condição de armazenamento impactam no tempo de cocção de grãos de feijão, bem como indicar formas de armazenamento que não afetam o tempo de cocção. Os grãos foram submetidos a cinco diferentes tempos de armazenamento e a seis condições de armazenamento. Estimou-se o tempo de cocção utilizando-se o Cozedor de Mattson. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância, com posterior ajuste de regressão linear simples para desdobramento das interações entre fatores. Para a determinação dos melhores níveis do fator condição de armazenamento, foram utilizados contrastes. Genótipo não é decisivo para o tempo de cocção quando são considerados tempo e condição de armazenamento. Tempo e condição de armazenamento afetam de maneira dependente o tempo de cocção dos grãos de feijão; no entanto, o fator tempo tem maior influência. A melhor condição de armazenamento de grãos de feijão em longo prazo, com menor incremento no tempo de cozimento, é o armazenamento em plástico em baixas temperaturas. Assim, o armazenamento em plástico no freezer é uma alternativa prática para os consumidores.

Crops of bean are sensible to climate changes, especially water stress. One way to minimize this instability is through genetic breeding of root system character. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify genotypes with superior root system in the first segregating generation at three depths in the soil profile and also verify the occurrence of heterosis for the root system character. Evaluations were performed using the method of Bohm (Methods studying root systems. Springer, Berlin 1979) at three different depths (0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm), in the experimental area of the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Breeding, at the State University of Santa Catarina UDESC Lages-SC. Twelve segregating populations and four parents (BAF 09, BAF 07, BAF 50 and IPR Uirapuru) were assessed by comparison. The favorable genotypes to the progress of generations are: two, seven and three for depths up to 20 cm and three for depths up to 30 cm. The cross between the parents BAF 07 (black group) and BAF 50 (carioca group) presented wide genetic divergence, providing significant increase in the root system revealed by the analysis of their progenies. The selection of superior genotypes in the layer of 20–30 cm was limited because most genotypes have similar and poorly distribution. Due to the strong effect of the dominance component, heterosis occurred for root distribution in early generation. This fact may interfere in the selection of autogamous species of bean related to this genetic character.

This study evaluated the biodiversity of 28 clinical and 24 environmental Mycobacterium isolates from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by using hsp65 sequences, with the aim of contributing to a better understanding of the genetic diversity and usefulness of this marker. An extensive phylogenetic analysis was performed. The nucleotide diversity was similar between clinical (0.06508) and environmental (0.06221) isolates.

Alu insertions provide useful markers for the study of inter-population affinities and historical processes, but data on these systems are not numerous in Native Americans and related populations.The study aimed to answer the following questions: (a) do the population relationships found agree with ethnic, historical and geographical data? and (b) what can heterozygote levels and associated results inform us about the events that led to the colonization of the New World?Twelve Alu insertion polymorphisms were studied in 330 individuals belonging to South American Native, Siberian and Mongolian populations. These data were integrated with those from 526 persons, to ascertain the relationships between Asian, Northern Arctic and Amerindian populations.A decreasing trend concerning heterozygosities and amount of gene flow was observed in the three sets, in the order indicated above. Most results indicated the validity of these subdivisions. However, no clear structure could be observed within South American Natives, indicating the importance of dispersive (genetic drift, founder effects) factors in their differentiation.The answers to the questions are: (a) yes; and (b) an initial moderate bottleneck, intensified by more recent historical events (isolation and inbreeding), can explain the current Amerindian pattern of diversity.

O talha-mar Rynchops niger (Rynchopinae) e o trinta-réis-grande Phaetusa simplex (Sterninae), são aves aquáticas migratórias que se reproduzem simultaneamente em muitas praias fluviais da América do Sul. A taxonomia e a sistemática destas subfamílias foram objetos de poucos estudos. Além disso, possuem subespécies cuja delimitação e a caracterização ainda são confusas, além do que, uma revisão rigorosa da validade destes táxons nunca foi feita. E, como consequência dos poucos estudos, existe uma enorme imprecisão sobre a real área de distribuição de cada táxon, não havendo muita informação sobre os locais para onde se movimentam após o período reprodutivo. Assim sendo, este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar geneticamente e revisar a taxonomia destas duas espécies polítipas, definindo os seus táxons válidos e distribuição. Para tal, foram utilizados caracteres morfológicos (de plumagem e morfométricos), sequências do gene mitocondrial ND2 e de marcadores associados a sítios de restrição (ddRADseq), a fim de estimar a variação intra e interpopulacional, o fluxo gênico e a estrutura genética; visando também entender o padrão de migração destes táxons na América do Sul e a influência dos rios na taxonomia e na história evolutiva destas aves. De acordo com os resultados conclui-se: P. simplex passa a ser considerado um táxon monotípico, pois não é possível separar as subespécies entre si, nem morfologicamente e nem geneticamente. Apesar das variações genéticas entre as três subespécies de R. niger não serem significativas, estas continuam a ser consideradas como subespécies válidas, pois puderam ser plenamente diagnosticáveis quanto aos caracteres de plumagem e de distribuição. Não existem variações genéticas significativas entre as populações. As populações podem estar passando por um processo de expansão recente ou seleção positiva; ou podem estar se comportando como uma metapopulação. Os grandes rios sul-americanos, juntamente com o ciclo sazonal de precipitação da América do Sul (que altera a dinâmica destes rios), influenciam diretamente na distribuição, e, consequentemente, na evolução das aves aqui analisadas. Neste caso, os rios funcionam como vias de contato (e não como barreiras) entre os indivíduos, contribuindo para o intenso fluxo gênico dos táxons aqui apresentados The Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) and the Large-billed Tern (Phaetusa simplex) are migratory waterbirds that breed simultaneously on river beaches throughout South America. Few studies have been conducted on the taxonomy and systematics of these polytypic species and the delimitation and validity of each taxa described has never been studied in detail. As a result, the geographical distribution of both species is poorly understood and there is little information about the whereabouts of their non-breeding grounds. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to characterize genetically and revise the taxonomy and distribution of these two polytypic species. For this it was integrated morphological characters (plumage and morphometrics), mitochondrial sequences (ND2), and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) inferred from double digestion restriction associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to estimate: 1) intra- and inter-populational variation, 2) gene flow, 3) population genetic structure, 4) migration patterns of these taxa within South America, and 5) assess the influence of rivers on the taxonomy and evolutionary history of these birds. The results lead to the following conclusions: P. simplex should now be considered a monotypic taxon because currently recognized subspecies are neither morphologically nor genetically diagnosable. Although genetic variation between the three subspecies currently recognized in R. niger is not significant, these taxa continue to be considered as valid subspecies because they are fully diagnosable in plumage characters and distributional patterns. There are no significant genetic variation between the populations of both species (R. niger and P. simplex). Populations may be undergoing a process of recent expansion or positive selection or they may be behaving like a metapopulation. Main South American rivers, together with the seasonal precipitation cycles of South America (which changes the dynamics of these rivers), have direct influence on the distribution, and, consequently, on the evolution of these birds. In this case, the rivers function as pathways of contact (and not as barriers) between individuals, contributing to the intense gene flow between these taxa

Currently, the genus Thraupis Boie, 1826 is a monophyletic group with seven species, all of which have high molecular and morphological support. Nevertheless, the phylogenetic relationship of the species still unclear: T. abbas is the sister species of T. ornataT. palmarum clade, and a second group within the genus is composed by the T. episcopusT. sayaca clade. Furthermore, in the remaining species group, one of the species, T. glaucocolpa, has not been included in any of the previous molecular studies, even it was believed to be close related with T. sayaca. Moreover, the last species within the genus, T. cyanoptera, has an uncertain position in the genus phylogenetic tree. The T. episcopusT. sayacaT. galucocolpa species complex includes 18 subspecies and a high morphological variation and a wide distribution which includes overlapping zones of T. episcopus and T. sayaca, makes taxa identification almost impossible. Nonetheless, previous molecular studies had only used samples from two individuals of T. episcopus and one of T. sayaca. Furthermore, the group does not have taxonomic stability, as shown by the multiple changes, which occur at different levels: moving from one genus to another or from species to subspecies level etc. To check the genus, I analyze 1171 specimens. The morphometric analysis outcomes show the weight as the most variable and important measure and T. cyanoptera as the only clearly different species within taxonomic units. Finally, I did a phylogenetic analysis based on two mitochondrial genes (Cyt- and ND2), in addition to three nuclear introns (intron 3 of MUSK gen, intron 5 of TGFB2 gen and a piece of the intron 5 of the BF5 gen). I performed the extractions from tissues collected at different localities around the natural distribution of the species, with emphasis on T. episcopus and T. sayaca. I ran independent locus RAxML analysis and haplotypes networks and used to group the samples on genetic taxonomic units. RAxML and haplotypes analysis shows a close relationship between T. episcopus and T. sayaca with high probably introgression process within. Furthermore, exposed a genetic structure within T. episcopus. I used this genetic taxonomic units to ran a multilocus species tree with a calibrated molecular clock. The species tree suggests that the origin of the genus Thraupis was between 5.5 and 7.5 million years before present, in the Messinian age. Also recovers T. glaucocolpa is the oldest linage in the genus and shows a relation between the morphological traits with the genetic structure within T. episcopus. Finally, I suggest synonymizing several subspecies and elevating to species level the subspecies T. episcopus cana, based on the morphological and molecular data. O gênero Thraupis Boie, 1826 é um grupo monofilético composto por sete espécies. Entretanto, as relações entre estas espécies continuam obscuras. Thraupis abbas é a espécie irmã do clado T. ornataT. palmarum. Um segundo grupo é composto pelo clado T. episcopusT. sayaca. Por outro lado, T. glaucocolpa não foi incluída em nenhum dos trabalhos que utilizou dados moleculares, enquanto que a posição de T. cyanoptera continua ainda não é clara. O complexo de espécies T. episcopusT. sayacaT. glaucocolpa inclui 18 subespécies e uma grande variação morfológica, além de uma ampla distribuição de várias delas, com áreas de sintopia entre T. episcopus e T. sayaca, onde a identificação destas duas espécies é muito difícil. Estudos moleculares prévios só incluíram amostras de dois indivíduos de T. episcopus e uma de T. sayaca. Este complexo de espécies ainda apresenta uma grande instabilidade taxonômica. Na revisão deste gênero foram analisados 1.171 espécimes. As análises morfométricas mostraram que a massa é o parâmetro que apresenta a maior variação e que T. cyanoptera é a única mais claramente diferençável dentre as unidades taxonômicas. Foi também realizada uma análise filogenética com base em dois marcadores mitocondriais (Cyt- e ND2), além de três íntrons nucleares (íntron 3 do gen MUSK, íntron 5 do gen TGFB2 e uma parte do íntron 5 do gen BF5). Foi realizada uma análise RAxML e das redes de haplótipos independentemente para cada lócus, e esta informação foi utilizada para agrupar as amostras em unidades taxonômicas genéticas. O RAxML e as redes de haplótipos mostraram uma relação próxima entre T. episcopus e T. sayaca, além de uma alta probabilidade de um processo de introgressão entre as espécies. Há também uma evidente estruturação genética em T. episcopus. As unidades taxonômicas genéticas foram utilizadas em uma análise multilocus de árvore de espécies, com um relógio molecular calibrado. A árvore de espécies sugere que a origem do gênero Thraupis se deu entre 5.5 e 7.7 milhões de anos. Thraupis glaucocolpa é a linhagem mais antiga do gênero e a estrutura genética dentro de T. episcopus possui uma relação com as características morfológicas dessa espécie. Finalmente, são sinonimizadas várias subespécies e T. episcopus cana é elevada à espécie com base nos dados morfológicos e moleculares.