Aquatic hyphomycetes constitute the asexual phase of ascomycetes and basidiomycetes that complete one or more phases of their life cycle in water. These fungi act in the decomposition of submerged substrates, making the dissolved organic matter more palatable and with greater nutritional value for consumption by other decomposers. In Brazil, the first records were known in the Atlantic Forest of São Paulo in 1989. In the Brazilian Northeast, records are scarce in remnants of the biome of the states of Bahia, Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte. The present study aimed to carry out an inventory of aquatic hyphomycetes in areas of the Atlantic Forest of Rio Grande do Norte, as well as to analyze the diversity and composition of communities of these fungi in streams and lakes in Rio Grande do Norte. An inventory of aquatic hyphomycetes previously isolated from the streams was carried out: Baldum (Georgino Avelino-RN), Boa Cica (Nísia Floresta), Catu (Canguaretama-RN), Espinho (Canguaretama-RN), Pedra (Baía Formosa-RN) and Guajú (Formosa Bay-RN). In addition, submerged substrates (leaves and branches) and water parameters were collected from the water bodies of the Pium and Jiqui streams (Parnamirim-RN), and from the Jiqui lakes (Parnamirim-RN) and Ilhota (Nísia Floresta-RN) from June 2021 to April 2022. Humid chamber and submerged incubation methodologies were applied. For the ecological analyses, the T test and the Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon test were used to compare the averages of the environmental variables between different types of ecosystems, in addition to the sampling methods, considering abundance, richness and diversity. The composition of genera in ecosystems and methodologies was analyzed using Sankey and Venn diagrams. Nested ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis were performed to assess the difference in means between ecosystems. Nested PERMANOVA was used to compare total beta diversity (βtot), turnover (βrep) and nesting (βnes) between lakes and streams and between leaves and twigs within the two types of ecosystems. With the results of the dissertation, two chapters were written: i) Aquatic hyphomycetes associated with plant debris in freshwater ecosystems of the Atlantic Forest of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil; and ii) Comparison of sampling methods for analyzing the replacement of fungal species in contrasting aquatic ecosystems. In the first chapter, 76 taxa were observed, distributed in 35 genera of aquatic hyphomycetes associated with plant substrates in water bodies of the Atlantic Forest of Rio Grande do Norte. Among the identified species, Flagellospora minuta is a new record for the Americas; Gyrothrix encephalarti and Triscelophorus konajensis for Brazil; Flagellospora stricta, Polylobatispora deltoidea, Pseudoxylomyces elegans and Spirosphaera carici-graminis are new records for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest; and 13 are new records for Rio Grande do Norte. While, the second chapter presented 42 taxa of aquatic hyphomycetes, distributed in 34 genera. Twenty-three taxa were found on leaves, 12 on branches and seven on both substrates. For the methodologies, 25 taxa were found in humid chamber, 14 in submerged incubation and three in both methodologies. Twenty taxa were found only in lakes, 19 only in streams and four in both environments. The environments were little variable regarding the abiotic parameters of the water bodies. The only significant difference found was between the pH values of the Ilhota and Jiqui lakes. No effects were observed on abundance, richness and diversity between ecosystems and within sample units. However, the contribution of nesting increases the variation in fungal species composition when species abundances are considered. For the submerged incubation methodology, beta diversity is highest in the twig substrate. The study demonstrated a high richness of aquatic hyphomycetes for the Atlantic Forest of Rio Grande do Norte and can subsidize Funga conservation studies in these areas. In addition, the high substitution of species between the methods reinforces the importance of the combined use of different sampling strategies for a greater and better representation of fungal communities in continental aquatic ecosystems.

The edaphic fauna holds a great importance for the dynamics of soil ecosystems. Among the components of the edaphic fauna the Collembola stand out. They are small arthropods which present great sensitivity to the changes on the physicochemical nature in the environment where they are inserted. The Pampa Biome is a highly diverse grassland domain, poorly protected and sensitive to environmental changes. Thus, in this study ecological indices of Collembola populations were used to identify the impacts of the changes in the conversion of native fields in the Pampa biome into soybean monoculture. The Collembola fauna was compared in nine paired native grasslands areas and soybean sites in four municipalities in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, taking into account both the effects of the conversion and the main environmental factors. A matrix data of the specimens was generated for comparison between the areas. A total of 975 individuals were sampled: 359 in the native grassland areas and 616 in the soybean sites. The analyses indicated significant changes in the composition of the communities. While the abundance indices were higher in the soybean areas, the Shannon Diversity Index was higher in the native field areas. No significant differences were observed in richness and Pielou Eveness Index between the studied areas. Regarding environmental variables, the Shannon Diversity Index was positively affected by the variables: elevation, plant richness, plant diversity and richness of non-grass plants. The increase in the population of Collembola may reflect a phenomenon of classical resurgence and would indicate a simplification in trophic chains. The reduction in the number of predators, the changes in the physicochemical characteristics of the soil and a possible resistance of some Collembola to some groups of insecticides could explain this phenomenon.

The Sminthurinae holds 18 genera, including extinct and extant genera. Among them, Richardsitas Betsch, Temeritas Richards, Galeriella Curcic & Lucic and Keratosminthurus Zeppelini are remarkably similar to each other especially due to their long antennae (antenna IV with 18 or more subsegments), metatrochanteral spine present and a similar ventro-dental chaetotaxy. But between these genera, Temeritas and Richardsitas possibly are the most similar and close related to each other. Due to this similarity, we performed a bibliographic review of Richardsitas and Temeritas in order to better circumscribe their genera and species diagnoses. We also present a description of a new species of Richardsitas (R. subferoleum sp nov. from Australia), a table and a comparative key for the Sminthurinae genera, tables and comparative keys for the species of Temeritas and Richardsitas as well as an updated diagnoses for both genera.

Pomacentridae (damselfishes) constitute an extremely diverse and abundant group of fishes in rocky areas and coral reefs of tropical and subtropical oceanic regions. In the western South Atlantic, the genus Stegastes is the most representative. Variations in coloration and overlapping meristic characters make the taxonomy of the Atlantic species of this genus in some cases imprecise. In this regard, the taxonomic status, and relationships of insular nominal forms, such as S. rocasensis, S. sanctipauli, and S. fuscus trindadensis, have received increasing attention. Previous cytogenetic data for Stegastes, have indicated remarkable structural karyotypic variation. However, population cytogenetic comparisons, aspects of the organization of repetitive sequences of chromosomes, which can help in understanding the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of these species, are still incipient. Thus, in the current study, we performed population and interspecific cytogenetic analyses, including the patterns of rDNA sequence organization, of Stegastes species endemic to the Western Atlantic coast, Atol das Rocas (AR), and the regions of São Pedro e São Paulo Archipelagos (SPSPA) and Trindade Island (TI). Additionally, the karyotypic patterns of S. fuscus and S. variabilis were investigated in a probable hybridization zone on the coast of Rio Grande do Norte, Northeast region of Brazil. The species presented 2n=48, with high NC values (chromosome arms; 88-90). Heterochromatin showed similar interspecific distribution, with conspicuous blocks in the centromeric and pericentromeric regions. The Ag-RONs loci are unique, except for S. variabilis, which showed multiple sites. Samples of S. rocasensis from AR and SPSPA (previously S. sanctipauli), showed similar karyotypes and rDNA site arrangements. Stegastes fuscus from TI showed a syntenic arrangement of the 18S and 5S rDNA sites, in contrast to the S. fuscus population from the coast, whose sites occur on different chromosomes. This conspicuous karyotypic variation indicates an Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) status for this island population. Stegastes variabilis showed transcriptionally active 18S and 5S syntenic rDNA arrangements, demonstrating that such organization does not impede its gene functionality. Added to molecular and morphological data, S. rocasensis/S. sanctipauli also share the same cytogenetic patterns, supporting that it is the same species. Population analyses of S. variabilis and S. fuscus in a hybridization zone did not reveal intermediate karyotypes, suggesting that hybridization in this region may be sporadic, rare, or time-limited events. Karyotypic evolution in Stegastes revealed conspicuous differentiation, with clear cytotaxonomic distinctiveness, markedly shaped by multiple pericentric inversions. Analyses of the dynamics of repetitive sequences in these species will contribute to elucidating the high level of chromosomal differentiation in this group of reef fishes.

The genus Oocephalus belongs to the subtribe Hyptidinae, family Lamiaceae, and currently comprises 22 species, 21 of which are endemic to the Brazilian campo rupestre. The genus species can be recognized for having a shrub or subshrub habit, aromatic, thyroid, short or elongated inflorescence, composed of pedunculate or sessile cymes, forming a simple or a compound dichasial cymes (or reduced to a single flower), ovoid and commonly enveloped by an involucrum of bracteoles, calyx tubular or infundibuliform, lobes deltate, ensiform, lanceolate or subulate, sinus between them obdeltate, corolla with an elongated tube and short lobes, these never marked with dots or lines. This thesis presents a nuclear phylogeny of Oocephalus using the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) methodology, with the Angiosperms353 kit; a taxonomic review of the genus, with morphological descriptions, taxonomic and ecological comments about the species; and an analysis of the genus distribution patterns, identifying areas with high species richness and endemism, evaluating the conservation status of the species. Phylogenetic analyzes recovered the genus as monophyletic, with species grouped into four distinct clades. The taxonomic review recognizes 24 species of Oocephalus and classifies them into four sections, previously recognized as clades in phylogenetic analyses. The analyzes also showed that the Oocephalus species have four distinct patterns of distribution and present a high risk of extinction, with 22 of the 24 species being classified in some group of threatened species. The results of this thesis show that Oocephalus can be use as model to test hypotheses about diversification and evolution in rupestrian fields, as it is a genus almost entirely endemic to these areas and, also, an important tool to assist in the conservation policies of the campos rupestres.

Studies on the symbiose between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and roots of aquatic macrophytes are recent, where the diversity and ecological role of these fungi in wetlands remains poorly understood. Most of the work focuses on the terrestrial environment, creating a gap in the understanding of the role of AMF, especially in hosts whose roots are constantly submerged. In this study, the presence of mycorrhizal colonization in roots of submerged and floating macrophytes was evaluated, also analyzing the sediment of the rhizosphere of the hosts, including macroalgae of the genus Chara, in tropical lotic environments. Thus, the study was divided into two stages. The first step was to evaluate the presence of AMF in macroalgae of the genus Chara. For this, the presence of colonization in algal rhizoids in five different lotic environments in Brazil was investigated, also evaluating the presence of spores in the rhizosphere. Twenty-five species were found in the rhizosphere of Chara sp., belonging mainly to the families Acaulosporaceae (11) and Glomeraceae (8). The rivers showed low species richness with Rio do Gozo (16), followed by Uma (8), Pratinha (2), Cuitegí (2) and Pandeiros (1). Despite the occurrence of AMF spores in the aquatic sediment, there is no mycorrhizal colonization in the rhizoids of Chara sp. for the analyzed field conditions. In the second stage, AMF colonization was investigated in 61 aquatic macrophytes of the biological types submerged fixed, fixed floating and free floating, which are in permanent contact with water, in nine rivers in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Of the investigated hosts (61) 15 species showed colonization by AMF (24.5%). The macrophytes studied from the Rivers Trairí, Doce, Brandão and Piranhas did not show colonization by AMF, whereas the Rivers Catu, Pitimbú and Pium had colonization by AMF greater than 50%. Colonization by AMF was reported for the first time in 6 of the 15 colonized macrophytes. The species that showed the highest colonization rate were Nymphoides humboldtiana (92%) and Bacopa aquatica (75%). Regarding colonization and colonization by life form, the submerged macrophyte species studied showed 52% colonization by AMF, while the fixed floating 18% and the free floating only 8%. A total of 43 species were recovered from the aquatic sediments of the nine rivers of RN, where the most representative families were Glomeraceae (33.3%) and Acaulosporaceae (31%). The largest number of species was recovered from the Pium River (17), followed by Piranha (14) and Catu (12). Regarding the comparison between the AMF communities and the rivers, it suggests that the AMF communities of the Pium and Piranha rivers are more similar, as are the communities of the Doce and Trairi rivers and the rivers and the Catu and Boa Cica rivers. The composition of AMF communities did not differ when tested in relation to biological types of hosts and interaction between habits and rivers. AMF species richness was highest in fixed floating macrophytes (29), followed by fixed submerged (28) and free floating (11). The greatest diversity of AMF species was observed in the rhizosphere sediment of fixed floating macrophytes, despite the low colonization rate. The results of this study confirm the presence of AMF colonization in vascular aquatic macrophytes and the absence of it in macroalgae (Chara) in lotic environments, where the aquatic sediment harbors a remarkable richness that deserves more attention. Additional studies are essential to better understand the role of AMF in aquatic environments.

Gasteroid fungi constitute several lineages of basidiomycetes characterized by passive dispersal of basidiospores; Basidiospore maturation occurs within the fruiting body and protected by an outer layer called the peridium. The first record with gasteroid fungi in Brazil was around the end of the 18th century by university student José Marianno da Conceição Vellozo. However, only at the beginning of the 21st century is there a considerable increase in studies of gasteroid fungi in Brazil, with emphasis on work with fungi from the northeast region. The general objective of the study proposed here is to expand the taxonomic knowledge of these fungi, currently included in Agaricomycetidae and Phallomycetidae, providing morphological and molecular data when possible from species collected in areas of northeastern Brazil. For this, field expeditions were carried out in areas of northeastern Brazil in the months with the highest rainfall: February to July 2019 to 2022. As well as, loans of specimens from the fungary UFRN-fungi were also requested. Macro and microscopic analyzes were carried out at the Laboratory of Biology of Fungi at UFRN. Scanning electron microscopy analyzes were carried out at the Laboratory of the Gas Technology Center (CTGás) – Natal/RN. DNA extractions, amplifications and purification were performed at the Laboratory of Cellular Biology and Plant Genetics of the Department of Cellular Biology and Genetics at UFRN. As a result eight species new to science were designated: Calvatia baixaverdensis R.L. Oliveira, R.J. Ferreira, P.Marinho, M.P. Martín & Baseia sp. nov.; Calvatia nordestina R.L. Oliveira, R.J. Ferreira, P.Marinho, M.P. Martín & Baseia sp. nov.; Cyathus sp. nov. 1; Cyathus sp. nov. two; Cyathus sp. nov. 3.; Geastrum albofibrosum R.L. Oliveira, Dourado-Barbosa, R. Cruz, M.P. Martin & Baseia; Geastrum sp. nov. 1.; Tulostoma orotubulosa Dourado-Barbosa, R.L. Oliveira, A.A. Lima, Baseia & R. Cruz sp. nov. As well as nineteen new records. Molecular analyzes proved to be important and necessary and morphological analyzes fundamental in the description of new records and new species. Efforts like these surveys are necessary, as well as the expansion of knowledge of gasteroid fungi in the northeast region,
enabling an increase in the conservation of these species.

Springtails are microhexapods associated to different habitats, especially to humid edaphic environments. There is currently about 9,200 nominal species of springtails, most of them found in temperate regions, and the deficit in the coverage of taxonomic studies from tropical regions is apparent. The Entomobryomorpha is the most diverse order of Collembola, holding almost 4000 described species. It also houses the largest superfamily, Entomobryoidea, which has a wide distribution and consists of three families: Orchesellidae, Entomobryidae and Paronellidae. In Brazil there are 445 species registered in all regions, with most of them recorded from the Atlantic and the Amazon Forests.The Cerrado is second largest biome in Brazil, and although it is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, it is undersampled for the Collembola fauna. Thus, this study aimed to carry out the first taxonomic study of the Entomobryoidea fauna from the Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso, Brazil. at the samples were collected from 12 sites using pitfall traps for two days. The biological material was stored in 70% alcohol, screened and assembled to identification and morphological study. Specimens representing the new species were drawn and described following the literature. Four species of Entomobryoidea were identified in this study, all new to science: Trogolaphysa sp. nov., Entomobrya sp. nov., Salina sp. nov and Seira sp. nov. The four taxa are similar to other Neotropical congeners, but they have a distinctive morphology related to the dorsal and ventral tube chaetotaxy and/or the morphology of the empodial complex. Despite being more common in humid forest environments, E. sp. nov. is the record of the genus for the Cerrado domain. Our data represents a increase of 28,5% in the number of species previously recognized for the Brazilian Cerrado, and suggests that the domain may shelter a rich fauna of Collembola. Therefore, inventories, ecological and biogeographic studies, mainly within protected areas, are necessary for the conservation and understanding of the group's distribution within the Cerrado.

Nidulariaceae are small size fungi that have a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on various types of substrates. Among its members, the genus Cyathus Haller is the most representative, with about 84 published species. The genus is characterized by a fruitbody vase or cone-shaped, besides having internal structures that resemble small eggs inside a bird’s nest. Due to this feature, these organisms are popularly known as “bird’s nest fungi”. In Brazil, there are records of distribution of these organisms in all biomes, but with major concentration in the Amazon and Atlantic rainforest. Most of the studies involving Cyathus are focused in publish new species, formulating a large database that has accumulated over the years. In addition, lack of standardization of morphological characteristics has resulted in numerous misidentifications, and after analyses performed with type specimens, it was observed that there were significant differences between these and the Brazilian samples. Thus, this work aimed to perform an extensive taxonomic revision of Cyathus, reevaluating previously published material for the genus, to identify them correctly. For this, loans from Brazilian fungi collections were made, and surveys were performed in areas of Atlantic Forest in Rio Grande do Norte state. A total of 145 samples from institutional collections were analyzed from materials of several biomes, with exception of the Pantanal, totalizing 31 species occurring in Brazil. All species were listed and discussed in this review. In addition, updated descriptions, photo plates, distribution maps and a dichotomous key for all taxa occurring for Brazil are presented. The distribution of Cyathus was extended to 12 new unexplored areas and two samples were considered as potential taxonomic novelties for the genus. The results obtained in this review allowed the elucidation of existing taxonomic problems and provided an updated database for further works with the genus.

The Apogonidae family (Kurtiformes), known as cardinals, represents a very diverse group of reef fish, present in all oceans. Some of its species exhibit the rare buccal incubation behavior of eggs, which can influence the potential for dispersal of the species. This group has karyotypes with reduced diploid values (2n = 34-46), but cytogenetic data for the family are still scarce. In this sense, the expansion of chromosomal data for the family, involving representatives from different oceans, represents a relevant evolutionary model of karyotype evolution. In order to understand the karyotypic evolution of the family, here are given the cytogenetic data that expand the phylogenetic spectrum, and allow the analysis of the dispersive potential of the species and the organization of repetitive sequences in chromosomes. For this, conventional cytogenetic techniques were used (Giemsa staining, Ag-NORs and C-banding); Fluorescent in situ mapping (FISH) of six repetitive DNA classes (18S rDNA, 5S rDNA; retrotransposon Rex3; Microsatellites (CA) 15 and (CGG) 10 and telomeric sequence), in the species Apogon americanus, Phaeoptyx pigmentaria (Atlantic Ocean), Sphaeramia nematoptera and Pterapogon kauderni (Indo-Pacific). The diploid numbers if decreased (2n = 36, A. americanus; 2n = 38, P. pigmentaria; and 2n = 46, S. nematoptera and P. kauderni), large in Atlantic species. The heterochromatic regions are reduced and the Ag-NORs / 18S rDNA regions are simple. The 18S and 5S rDNA sites are non-synthenic in the Pacific species and co-participant in the same chromosome pair in the Atlantic species. As two microsatellite sequences, as well as Rex3, they are dispersed in chromosomes. The telomeric sequences exhibited interstitial telomeric sites (ITS) in A. americanus, indicating a karyotypic reduction mediated by the tandem fusion mechanism with active participation of pericentric inversions. The family's karyotypic diversity contrasts with the numerical conservatism of other reef fish groups, suggesting a possible relationship with biological factors (buccal egg incubation), which shifts the dispersive potential and favors a karyotypic differentiation of the group. The karyotypic characteristics of Apogonidae broadens the understanding of how biological and environmental factors (extrinsic factors) contribute as triggers for a high rate of chromosomal differentiation (intrinsic factors) in some groups of marine fish.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are widely studied in terrestrial ecosystems, due to the symbiosis formed with more than 80% of plant species, however, there is little study on AMF in aquatic macrophyte species, especially in lentic environments in Brazil. In order to test the hypothesis that tropical aquatic environments have high diversity and colonization of AMF analyzes of diversity and distribution of AMF associated with aquatic macrophytes in four perennial ponds in Rio Grande do Norte (RN), in order to verify diversity, species composition besides the colonization of the roots of macrophytes that inhabit this peculiar ecosystem were carried out. Samples of aquatic sediment and rhizosphere of aquatic macrophytes were collected during the rainy season (July/August) 2017. The composition of species, richness, abundance and colonization of AMF in aquatic macrophytes was evaluated, as well as abiotic factors of water. A total of 11,760 glomerospores were recorded in 51 AMF species associated with 14 plant hosts where 11 were colonized by AMF. In general, Glomus and Acaulospora were predominated genera, in addition, five new records of AMF species were found for aquatic environments. Some species, genera, families and orders were indicative of certain areas of study. The richness and abundance of AMF differed between the ponds, the Jiqui ponds was the richest (35 spp. and 5,266 spores), however it did not differ when considering the plant effect. The turbidity variable was related to the variation in the composition of AMF from three ponds (Azul, Jiqui and Jenipabu), and the total dissolved solids (SDT) was correlated with the variation in the AMF composition of the Boqueirão pond. Nymphoides indica had a high colonization taxa (99%). The Cyperaceae family, despite being considered non-mycotrophic, presented mycorrhizal colonization (1-97%). Xyridaceae was registered as a new host to harbor AMF, and the families Nymphaeaceae and Characeae were not colonized, a significant difference was presented between the types of AMF structure, hyphae (%H) was the most representative. The Paris morphological structure was the only and most frequent in the study areas. A positive correlation was observed between percentage of root colonization and AMF richness and abundance in the aquatic sediment. The high values obtained in the present study show that the aquatic environments are rich in AMF, drawing attention to be more studied.

Lactifluus (Rusulaceae, Rusulales) groups fungi that produce in their reproductive form agaricoid, pleurotoid and gasteroid basidiomata, mainly characterized by latex exudation. Lactifluus has approximately 210 species distributed mostly in the tropics, where they frequently form ectomycorrhizal association with a wide variety of plants. The diversity of the genus has been better investigated in Africa and Asia, while remains underexplored in Neotropical region. In Brazil, only nine Lactifluus species were described or reported from Amazon, Atlantic Forest and Caatinga, and another ten species still treated as Lactarius needed to be revised and confirmed. Thus, the proposed project aimed to systematize and interpret the genus Lactifluus from morphological and molecular analysis, with the increase of new collections and review of collection of Herbaria from different biomes in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. The analyzes were based on morphological and molecular data from ten specimens deposited in the PACA, INPA, JPB UFRN-Fungos and URM Herbaria; and also of 31 specimens collected in different ecosystems of Amazonia, Caatinga and Atlantic Forest. The morphological review of herborized collections resulted in recombination of Lactifluus amazonensis, Lactifluus brasiliensis, Lactifluus braunii, Lactifluus mamorensis, Lactifluus russula and Lactifluus rupestris; and in the designation of one lectotype for Lactifluus annulifer, Lf. braunii and Lf. russula. New sample resulted in the identification and sequencing of Lf. amazonensis, Lf. annulifer, Lactfluus dunensis, Lactifluus lepus, Lactifluus neotropicus and Lactifluus mamorensis. Another 11 species were proposed as new to science: Lactifluus aurantioceraceus nom. prov., Lactifluus brunneoruber nom. prov., Lactifluus candidus nom. prov., Lactifluus flavuscaespitosus nom. prov., Lactifluus guttulatus sp. nov., Lactifluus perforatus nom. prov., Lactifluus piperogalactus sp. nov., Lactifluus reniformis nom. prov., Lactifluus restingae nom. prov., Lactifluus sphatuliformis sp. nov. and Lactifluus umbilicatus sp. nov. Molecular analysis of the ITS, LSU and RPB2 DNA regions of the collected specimens confirm the distinct lineages of the cited species in Lactifluus, in which are distributed in five different clades in the subgenera Gymnocarpi, Lactariopsis and Pseudogymnocarpi. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analyses of the collected specimens provided support for delimitation of two sections: Lactifluus section Piperogalacti sec. nov. and Lactifluus section multicepis nom prov.; and emend of Lactifluus sect. Panuoidei.

The coastal zone of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) is the main focus of salt production in the country, significantly impacting the plant and microbial community, as well as the soil in this region. In this scenario, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF), as they form an obligatory symbiosis with plant roots, play an important role in this plant-soil system, increasing the tolerance of plant symbionts to stressful environments, such as saline ones. Thus, this thesis aimed to identify the diversity of the AMF community in a saline activity zone on the north coast of RN, seeking to understand the influence of salinity on this diversity. For this, four collections were carried out, during two consecutive periods of dry and rainy season, between NOV/2017 to JUN/2019 in three locations with different levels of salinity (saline in Macau [active saline], Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Estadual Ponta do Tubarão [negative control] and Galinhos [natural saline]) followed by physicochemical and taxonomic analyses. Thirty-eight species were identified, distributed in 20 AMF genera (Acaulospora, Ambispora, Dentiscutata, Cetraspora, Corymbiglomus, Claroideoglomus, Endogone, Entrophospora, Fuscutata, Gigaspora, Glomus, Intraornatospora, Oehlia, Paradentiscutata, Paraglomus, Rhizoglomus, Racocetra, Sclerocystis, Scutellospora and Septoglomus), being the active saline environment the richest and most abundant in AMF species, when compared to the other two collection sites, with lower average salinity. Regarding the seasonal dry and rainy seasons, in general the dry season was richer in number of species and had greater abundance of spores. According to the UPGMA analysis, what most correlated the samples from the same area was the plant composition. However, the influence of salinity cannot be ruled out, since samples with higher salinity indices had lower species richness than samples with lower indices within the same collection area (Macau active salt). Therefore, more samples would be needed to statistically validate this observation. In addition to these results, a new species of the genus Acaulospora, which was the most abundant in the samples, was described, containing a double ornamentation with pit-shaped depressions, with spine-shaped projections inside, in a flat view the pits are connected as structures that look like channels. Along with the description of the new species, a review of the genus Acaulospora was carried out with phylogenetic analyzes using nrDNA sequences, which showed that Acaulospora is a monophyletic genus that also includes the species Kuklospora colombiana and K. kentinensis. Furthermore, we can conclude that the ornamentations described for the species of Acaulospora, despite being useful for the morphological description of species, constitute homoplastic characters due to the convergence of these characteristics in groups of species that do not share a more recent single ancestor. Spores of the species Corymbiglomus globiferum, also collected in the areas of this study, were used and deposited in the UFRN herbarium, analyzed and included in the article “Sieverdingia gen. nov., S. tortuosa comb. nov., and Diversispora peloponnesiaca sp. nov. in the Diversisporaceae (Glomeromycota)”.

The abiotic niche of species tells part of their ecological and evolutionary history, as well as helps to identify groups that are more susceptible to extinction in a context of a rapidly changing climate. Marine species from temperate regions are among the most vulnerable taxa because habitat loss as a consequence of thermal stress and other cascading impacts can constrain the availability of suitable area of occurrence, or result in distribution shift towards higher latitudes. The tribe Riorajini comprises four species of neotropical skates that are evaluated by IUCN as vulnerable or endangered, and cooccur in the subtropical Atlantic Ocean: Atlantoraja castelnaui, A. cyclophora, A. platana and Rioraja agassizii. The present dissertation is divided into two chapters and uses this group as a model for eco-evolutionary studies. In the first chapter, phylogenetic niche conservatism is questioned for a clade of sympatric and competitive sister-species. Low niche overlap was expected to reduce interspecific competition between closely-related species. The second chapter assessed the impacts of climate change on the current geographical distribution of the tribe Riorajini. Ecological niche models for each species of the group were developed under current and future (2100, for the most extreme scenario) geophysical and climatic conditions of the marine environment. Environmental data and species occurrence data were compiled from public databases and literature. Niche shift and overlap were measured within and between species. Results indicate phylogenetic niche conservatism in which shallow waters, proximity to the coast, and low nitrate concentration are the most important variables for the occurrence of these species. Under the future climatic scenario projected, the areas of higher environmental suitability for the occurrence of each species analysed increases up to 20% towards deeper areas, suggesting that this clade will resist the thermal stress resulting from global warming. Nevertheless, future studies should consider the combined effects of temperature increase with other factors potentially determining the coexistence of these species, such as prey availability.

Body size is one of the fundamental eco-evolutionary variables of species and populations, reflecting the life history of taxa, i.e. physiological variations and fitness traits. Two macroecological rules are strongly related to the body size of organisms: Bergmann and Rensch. Bergmann’s rule states that organisms are larger in colder regions (high latitudes). The Rensch’s rule states that sexual size dimorphism increases when males are larger. In addition to body size, body shape is a covariate in taxa. Desiccation, temperature, distinct energy expenditures during growth, reproduction and life history can all influence the bias of these rules. Some organisms that have their growth mediated by shelter, hermit crabs, for example, have a mandatory metabiosis relationship with gastropod shells, making them excellent models for assessing macroecological and evolutionary patterns in the face of these constraints. Using body size data (literature and in situ), regression models were designed to evaluate the rules separately and their interaction and types of used shelters. In addition to size, shape abstraction was used in investigations in situ data (sexual dimorphism). The three species of Clibanarius showed interpopulation clines consistent with Bergmann’s rule. There was no sexual size dimorphism for Clibanarius between or within species and for evaluation of Rensch’s rule, C. antillensis revealed an inverse pattern to the rule. In the assessment of sex-specific divergence in response to latitudinal gradients, latitude magnified the interpopulation body effect in females. This reveals that body size variation is modulated by fecundity selection.

The assessment of fishery stocks for sustainable management and conservation measures are made using fishery statistics, which requires reliable data and is, in most cases, based on popular names. However, basic data such as taxonomy, popular names, geographical distribution, and delimitation of stocks, for example, often are not available, which compromise fishery management. Thus, this project combines ethnoichthyology and phylogeographic analyses of two clupeids Opisthonema oglinum and Harengula spp. to identify their popular names and investigate their phylogeographic patterns, and then delimit fish stocks on
the Brazilian coast. In the first chapter, I describe the perception of fishers and local consumers of what is “ginga”, which are small coastal fish and are part of the typical dish “ginga com tapioca”, an intangible cultural heritage of the Rio Grande do Norte state. Through interviews and specimens at fish markets in six locations in three states of northeastern Brazil, I found that “ginga” consists of juvenile individuals of some sardine and anchovy species, and that the only difference between “ginga” and sardine is the size, “ginga” representing the smaller fishes and sardines the larger, sometimes of the same species. The popular name is basically restricted to the metropolitan region of Natal city. In addition, the “ginga” can be considered a "culturally important species" and, therefore, should among the target species for conservation and local management. In the second chapter, I compare the phylogeographic patterns of the two most representative groups of “ginga”, O. oglinum and Harengula spp., along their supposed Western Atlantic distributions using mitochondrial markers. In addition, I investigate how many stocks of these taxa are on the Brazilian coast and in the oceanic archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. In this archipelago, where sardines are used as bait for artisanal fishing, a conflict between fishermen and environmental agencies is underway, and the lack of basic data, including the identity of the species, is essential for sustainable management. Our results indicate O. oglinum as a single species in the entire Western Atlantic and with population structure between Brazil, USA + Mexico and Bermuda, and Harengula as three species, Harengula clupeola and H. jaguana in North America and the Caribbean and one distinct species in Brazil. Furthermore, the date of separation between the Harengula species in the northern hemisphere and Brazil coincides with the increased discharge of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. With these results it is possible to observe that, despite the similar biology, O. oglinum and Harengula spp. they do not have the same phylogeographic pattern and must be handled differently.

Brejos de Altitude are areas of exception or fractions of the perennial tropical rainforest, bringing together both characteristics of the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga biomes, being “islands” of humid forest amid dry vegetation. These environments are usually areas with particular characteristics (vegetation, climate, fauna and soil) different from the environments that surround them. In such environments, little is known about what are the biotic and abiotic factors that are directly related to the modification of the biodiversity of microorganisms present in the soil. Among these, there are the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF), which live symbiotically associated with most of the roots of the plants, mainly increasing the absorption of nutrients and facilitating plant growth. These fungi are worldwide and widely studied in several ecosystems, mainly due to their ecological importance for the maintenance of the environment, being distributed in the main terrestrial biomes, in which new species are often known, however the knowledge of the diversity, richness and ecological strategies of these fungi in areas of brejos de altitude it is scarce and requires more research. In this sense, the objective of this work was to compare the diversity of FMA species between different phytophysiognomies of an brejo de altitude, in order to characterize the richness and diversity of FMA in Chapada do Araripe, Ceará, Brazil. The soil samples were collected in April/2019. Two types of phytophysiognomies were selected: cerradão and humid forest. Spores were quantified and morphologically identified to carry out ecological analyzes of the FMA community. A total of 95 species were recorded, distributed in four orders, 11 families and 17 genera. Some species were detected as indicators of a certain phytophysiognomy. The number of spores was higher in cerradão compared to humid forest, but the richness was higher in humid forest. It was observed that the composition of the FMA communities differed significantly between the phytophysiognomies of Chapada do Araripe. In addition, a significant change was also observed between the FMA community and the chemical parameters of the soil, highlighting the influence of some variables. This work also proposes the morphological description of a new species for the area. The results obtained demonstrate the importance of environments such as brejos de altitude to be studied with their different phytophysiognomies, as for the FMA community and that differences in plant composition, associated with other factors, can provide environmental conditions for the creation of different microhabitats and have influence in the composition, diversity and distribution of FMA communities.

The Serranidae family, whose representatives are known as groupers, is one of the most diverse groups of fish in reef environments. They are efficient predators that can occupy everywhere from tide pools to deep reefs. Some species can reach considerable size and, in general, significant economic value. With a circunglobal distribution, the group consists of 577 species, distributed in 75 genera, of which Epinephelus is the most representative. Despite the growing set of genetic information, less than 10% of species have known cytogenetic aspects. Cytogenetic approaches to the family are dissociated in terms of their phylogenetic, geographical and taxonomic aspects, limiting the understanding of their evolutionary aspects and applied to management. Thus, aiming at a broader estimate of the chromosomal evolution of this family and obtaining data applied to management, conventional cytogenetic analyzes and fluorescent in situ hybridization mapping of the DNAr 18S, DNAr 5S sequences, transposable elements Tol2 and Rex3, microsatellites (CA) were performed 15, (GA) 15, (CAA) 10 and (CGG) 10, and telomeric sequences (TTAGGG) n, in the species Epinephelus coioides, E. sexfasciatus, E. erythrurus, E. tauvina, E. coeruleopunctatus, E. adscensionis, E. itajara, E. striatus, Cephalopholis formosa, C. fulva and Rypticus saponaceus. All species presented 2n = 48, of which only three have karyotypes not composed exclusively of acrocentric elements. Karyotypical conservatism, only disturbed by pericentric inversions, extends to the organization of repetitive DNA, where DNAr 18S and 5S sites reflect a low evolutionary dynamism, combined with arrangements of other essentially similar repetitive sequences. The cytogenetic and genomic divergence between species due to common ancestry that occurred in periods from 15 to 11 M.a apparently provides a reduced level of post-zygotic reproductive block, with valuable implications for the hybridization induced in aquaculture. From a biogeographic and phylogenetic perspective, the most basal groups in the Atlantic demonstrate 2n = 48a as the ancestral pattern for the family, indicating that speciation in the group was not followed by significant karyotype changes and despite a relative frequency of divergent karyotypes, this group of fish is adapted to an evolutionary pattern of karyotype stasis.

The Northeast of Brazil comprises four biomes (Caatinga, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest and the Amazon) and five continental hydrographic ecoregions: Mid-East Northeast (NEMO), Maranhão-Piauí (MAPI), São Francisco (SAFR), Northeast Atlantic Forest (MANE), and Estuary of the Amazon basin and coastal drainages (EADC). In the last few decades, several species of fish have been described from these ecoregions, including some of the armored catfish of the genus Hypostomus, the richest genus in the Loricariidae family and one of the most widely distributed throughout the Neotropical region. In two of the five ecoregions
mentioned above (NEMO and MAPI), nine nominal species of Hypostomus are known: seven from NEMO, and two from MAPI. However, many of these species, described in the mid-twentieth century, present problems with the definition of type locality, insufficient specimens making up the type series, undetailed descriptions, and diagnosis based on few external morphological characters. These factors have hindered estimations of richness and distribution of species of the genus in these ecoregions,
which causes problems when assessing their conservation status. The aim of the present study was to carry out a systematic review of Hypostomus in the NEMO and MAPI ecoregions using integrative taxonomy, and to discuss the diversification of the genus in drainages in the northeast semiarid. Based on our results, Hypostomus carvalhoi, H. jaguribensis, H. nudiventris, H. papariae and H. salgadae are junior synonyms of H. pusarum. The geographical distribution of H. pusarum was expanded
to MAPI, and two new species of the genus were revealed for this ecoregion and were described here. We provided data on the distribution of species of the genus in the studied ecoregions, and recorded the occurrence of a total of six species of Hypostomus (H. johnii, H. pusarum and H. vaillanti, two described in this study and another possible new species) in the MAPI ecoregion. The results indicate that the species richness of the genus in NEMO is overestimated, while in MAPI it is underestimated. We verified phylogenetic relationships between a group of NEMO and MAPI species with species from the Amazon and Guyana regions, as well as past relationships between these ecoregions with the SAFR, as well as the latter with the tributaries of the La Plata system, in addition as concluding that the color pattern of the species is not very informative about the phylogenetic relationships. Our biogeographic inferences suggest that there were at least two invasions in MAPI and NEMO, and at least three in SAFR, and the processes that acted in the diversification of the majority of Hypostomus species in the northeast semiarid region were the headland capture events. According to our results, the species diversified between the late Miocene and the Pliocene, which coincides with the period of lowest temperatures on the globe, a condition that possibly led to the expansion of the semiarid areas of the region.

In the light of a recent phylogenetic review, Cereinae was proposed as one of the three subtribes of tribe Cereeae s.l., which includes most of South American columnar cacti lineages in Cactoideae. Current Cereinae comprises species in 14 genera with a remarkable occurrence in eastern Brazil, mainly in dry forest formations such as Caatinga. Nevertheless, the circumscription of the group is still quite controversial, generic delimitations are problematic, and the knowledge of the anatomy of species is incipient. The aims of this study were to test the monophyletism of Cereinae based on multigenic data and in a broad sampling, evaluate the subtribe systematics, in particular the generic circumscriptions, and survey potential diagnostic and phylogenetic anatomical traits of the dermal system and part of the fundamental system of representatives of 11 genera of the subtribe. The results point to a monophyletic Cereinae with high support in Bayesian, maximum parsimony, and maximum likelihood analyses based in combined matrices, and expand the knowledge of generic relationships within the subtribe. Regarding the morphological analyses results, some skin features are informative for some groups within the subtribe, such as the markedly plicate cell outline shared by all Melocactus species, the abundant prismatic crystals in the epidermal cells shared by all species of Arrojadoa and Stephanocereus, the presence of druses with the round-oval-shaped outline in the spongy parenchyma shared by all species of Cereus and Cipocereus, and the combination of druses with the round-oval-shaped outline and in concretions in the spongy parenchyma shared by Cereus species. These groups emerge as clades strongly supported by Bayesian analyses in our phylogeny, demonstrating the relevance of anatomical characters for taxonomy. Our results showed novelties both in the anatomy of the species and in the phylogeny of Cereinae as a base of future investigations in a systematic framework also serving to support the study of
the evolutionary history and patterns of South American dry forests and the associated biota as a whole.

It is estimated that there are about 3.8 million species of fungi, of which about 120,000 have been described to date. Gasteroid fungi currently represent a polyphyletic group with about 10,000 species, of which 324 species are known and described for Brazil. Since ancient times, the gasteroid fungi have demonstrated important value being used by the humanity for diverse purposes like economic, medicinal, forestry and gastronomic. The Caatinga, the focus of this research, has been described as a poor ecosystem in species and endemism. However, recent studies have challenged this point of view and demonstrated the importance of the Caatinga for the conservation of Brazilian biodiversity. In this context, the present study aimed to increase the knowledge of the gasteroid fungi in two areas of biological importance in the Caatinga phytogeographic domain in the states of Rio Grande do Norte (Serra do Torreão - João Câmara) and Paraíba (Serra de Cuité - Cuité). For this, 12 field trips were carried out in the periods with the highest rainfall incidence (February to July 2017 and March to April 2018). The collection methodology was based on specialized literature of the group. The collected basidiomas were taken to the fungal biology laboratory of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), where the herborization and study of the specimens were carried out following the traditional methodology for the gasteroid fungi. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in species requiring greater morphological detail. It was identified 19 species distributed in eight genera: Bovista (2 spp.), Calvatia (5 spp.), Cyathus (2 spp.), Disciseda (2 spp.), Geastrum (2 spp.), Podaxis (1 sp.), Sphaerobolus (1 sp.) and Tulostoma (4 spp.). Of these, four are new species for science, four are first records for South America, nine first records for Brazil, a second record for Brazil, twelve first records for the semiarid, three second record for the semiarid, three first records for the state of Paraíba, twelve first records for Rio Grande do Norte and four are second record for Rio Grande do Norte. The Serra do Torreão and the Serra de Cuité have been shown to be favorable for studies of gasteroid fungi. Thus, additional taxonomic studies are necessary in areas of Caatinga, allowing an increase in the conservation of these species.

Collembola holds small arthropods, commonly found on soil, living in humid environments rich in decaying organic matter. Entomobryidae gathers the most diversified and numerous forms of the group, and its current systematics includes seven subfamilies. Nothobrya Arlé is inserted in the subfamily Nothobryinae, being characterized by the presence of post-antennal organ; absence of body scales; 8 + 8 eyes; antennae with six segments (first and second segments subdivided); and trochanteral organ with 4–15 chaetae. The genus is currently represented by two described species: N. schubarti Arlé and N. arlei Silveira & Mendonça, recorded from Piauí, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro States. The two descriptions of N. schubarti are poorly detailed, lacking information about dorsal head and body chaetotaxy, while N. arlei has some omissions in the dorsal chaetotaxy description and nomenclature of the chaetae, as well as in the morphology of labial triangle and dorsal manubrium. This study consists in the description of two new species of Nothobrya, presenting new morphological information to the genus previously unknown. The collections were made in two municipalities: Jardim do Seridó, Rio Grande do Norte and Porto Velho, Rondônia, using pitfall traps and entomological aspirators. The specimens were analyzed and described using specific literature. Nothobrya sp. nov. 1 and Nothobrya sp. nov. 2 differs from known species of the genus in the number of dorsal chaetae and resembles these species by the colour pattern and habitus. However, Nothobrya sp. nov. 1 differs from Nothobrya sp. nov. 2 by the number of spine-like chaetae in the trochanteral organ, chaetae in the tenaculum, morphology tenent hair shape. Nothobrya sp. nov. 1 and Nothobrya sp. nov. 2 also differs from Nothobrya arlei by number of dorsal chaetae and the body sensillae formula plus anterior and posterior collophore chaetotaxy. This study contributed with the description of two new species to the genus Nothobrya, adding detailed morphological information to the taxon. Additionally, the record and description of new species allows the planning and efforts related to future actions in the environmental conservation field

Bromeliaceae is a natural group widely distributed in the Neotropics and recognized mainly by the extremely reduced stem and alternate-spiraled leaves. Of the approximately 3,630 known species, 1,177 are exclusively Brazilian. Northeastern Brazil has a significant richness, potential for the discovery of new taxa and an alarming state of conservation, which makes it essential to carry out studies with the family in that region. Thus, this work aims to analyze biogeographical patterns of bromeliads in a portion of Northeast Brazil and to describe their taxonomic diversity, with emphasis on the states of Ceará (CE) and Rio Grande do Norte (RN), seeking to contribute to conservation measures. Using 2,671 georeferenced records compiled from online platforms, we analyzed richness, collection density, endemism, and how environmental variables influence the distribution of bromeliads in a freshwater ecoregion. For the taxonomic treatments, expeditions were carried out for collection, observation of ecological, phenological and geographical distribution aspects, and five herbaria were visited to complement the morphological analysis. Our sample recorded 23 genera and 108 species in the studied area. Thirty-nine species were registered in CE, with two new occurrences and one of variety, besides 26 species for RN, of which four are new occurrences. Mean annual precipitation and altitude are important factors that affect the richness and distribution of the genera in the studied area, making the Atlantic Forest the domain with greater richness, collection density and endemism. On the other hand, a belt of low rainfall may be acting as a geographic barrier to moisture-dependent genera. We conclude that the two states in fact possess underestimated richness and that the richness and endemism of Bromeliaceae in the study area as a whole are linked to fragments of wet forest or high-altitude regions, which should be considered priority areas for the conservation of the group.

In 1991, H. Sick described the subspecies Streptoprocne biscutata seridoensis based on specimens collected from a colony in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The diagnosis of this subspecies is based exclusively on differences in wing and tail size of that population compared to those in southern and southeastern Brazil. However, subspecies that represent only arbitrary sections of a cline should not be considered as evolutionarily distinct entities. The differences pointed out by the author between these two populations of Streptoprocne biscutata were not justified by any statistical test. Therefore, the objective of this work was to verify statistically if the subspecies S. b. seridoensis has measures smaller than S. b. biscutate is intended to verify whether or not they are a gradual variation along a latitudinal gradient. To verify if the subspecies have different sizes, we compare the measures between S. b. seridoensis and S. b. biscutata. The measures analyzed were wingspan, total length, wing (flat), tail, weight, tarsus and exposed culmen. The subspecies S. b. biscutata obtained larger averages: wingspan, total length, weight, wing, tail and tarsus, an influence of latitude was also identified on all the morphometric measures. Considering that the differences in morphology and weight observed between populations represent only clonal variations, we suggest that the classification of the subspecies category based only on this criterion be repealed.

The class Ostracoda has one of the most diverse and abundant fossil records among all animals, as well as a wide stratigraphic distribution (from the Ordovician to the Recent) and cosmopolitan geographical distribution. For these characteristics the group is widely used as an ecological and paleoecological indicators. This Master Thesis aimed to at performing a taxonomic survey of the Ostracoda fauna in the northern continental shelf of Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast Brazil, as well as to investigate ecological aspects of this fauna. Twenty-one samples were collected with a Van Veen gral from the internal and external platform regions off the Açu River. A total of 63 species, 31 genera and 16 families were identified. Hemicytheridae was the family with the highest genus richness and also with the highest abundance (number of valves / 100g of dry sample). Pellucistoma Coryell & Fields, 1937 and Bythocythere Sars, 1866 were the most abundant genera. Neonesidea Maddocks, 1969, Semicytherura Wagner, 1957 and Paracytheridea Mueller, 1894 presented the highest species richness. Based on the Ostracoda assemblages, the internal and external regions of the platform were significantly different. Of the 31 genera present in the samples, nine were found only in the external region, four were found only in the internal region and 18 were common to both regions. Among the environmental variables analyzed, depth and sediment type were the factors that best explained the current distribution of benthic marine ostracodes along the internal and external regions of the northern continental shelf of Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeastern Brazil.

Araeococcus Brong. is a small and rare genus of Bromeliaceae that is placed in core of the subfamily Bromelioideae. Here we provide its taxonomic revision through an extensive morphological, taxonomic and anatomical work in thesis structured in six chapters. Araeococcus has morphological affinities with Lymania Read, being distinguished mainly by the absence of lateral folders in the petal, antipetalous petal stamen adnate to the petal and morphology of the ovary and fruit. It is endemic to the Neotropical region, occurring in Costa Rica, Panamá, Colombia, Trinindad-Tobago, all of the Amazonian região and in the Northeastern Atlantic Forest. Araeococcus is epiphytic, or more rarely terrestrial, occurring in conserved humid and semi-deciduous forests. Historically, two distinct morpho-biogeographical groups (Araeococcus subgenus Araeococcus and Araeococcus subgenus Pseudaraeococcus) are accepted, based on the presence or absence of pedicellate flowers. This character has shown to be artificial and of weak value for taxonomy. The group appears either as polyphyletic, sometimes as monophyletic, and its evolutionary history is still uncertain but at least two clades are resolved. Six field expeditions were carried out, two for the Amazon forest (Amapá, Roraima and Amazonas) and four for the Atlantic forest (Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas and Bahia). The herbaria HAMAB, INPA (Amazonas), CEPEC, HURB (Bahia) and RB, HB and R (Rio de Janeiro) were visited, as well as loans from other herbaria (NY, UFP, ALCB, CEN, UFMT, MG) were analyzed, as well as virtual visits to online collections. A total of 300 specimens were analyzed, of which nine species were recognized as traditionally established but with an expanded morphological characterization. Four new species for the group are being proposed (A. serranensis, A. longipedicellatus, A. prancei and Araecoccus sp. nov.), Totaling 14 taxa, with a 55% increase in the number of known species. A new species (A. lageniformis) has been proposed and accepted for publication. The external morphology showed to be useful to segregate the two subgenera, by the foliar architecture, type of vegetative reproduction, stigmas morphology, seed surface morphology. Two neotypifications (Araeococcus micranthus and A. flagellifolius) were also performed and one amendment to the original description. Anatomic studies (light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) of leaves and flowers were performed. The anatomy revealed that the density and morphology of the trichomes on the leaf surface, the arrangement of the stomata, occlusion of the sub-stomatic chambers and distribution of the fibers in the mesophyll are useful characteristics to separate the subgenera. Given the morphological, anatomical and biogeographic evidences, we propose here the segregation of the genus Araeococcus, raising the subgenus Pseudaraeococcus to the category of a new genus. Diagnostic morphological characteristics, habitat, observations on conservation, geographic distribution were analyzed. Identification keys, illustrations, geographic distribution maps, photographic and line drawings plates of the species and details of flowers, bracts and seeds are presented.

The families Acanthuridae and Holocentridae are groups of marine fish with high representation in coral reefs, where they play important ecological functions in environmental balance. Biological, phylogeographic and taxonomic aspects of these families are widely known, however, their cytogenetic aspects are incipient. In order to increase the knowledge about karyotypic evolution and possible interpopulation cytogenetic variations, four species of Acanthuridae (A. coeruleus, A. bahianus and A. chirurgus - Western Atlantic; and Acanthurus triostegus - Indo-Pacific) and three Holocentridae species were analyzed. (Myripristis jacobus, Holocentrus adscensionis - West Atlantic; and Sargocentron rubrum – Indian Ocean). The analyzes used conventional cytogenetic techniques, base-specific fluorochrome staining and repetitive sequence mapping of rDNA 18S, rDNA 5S, histones H3 and H2B-H2A and retrotransposon Rex3 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. In Acanthuridae, A. triostegus showed a karyotypic pattern considered basal for Percomorpha (2n = 48; NF = 48), while West Atlantic species exhibited a sequential karyotypic divergence associated with phylogenetic divergence. Interpopulation variation of 18S rDNA sites was identified between A. coeruleus populations of the Western Atlantic and Caribbean. The mapping of 18S rDNA, 5S rDNA, DNAhis H2B-H2A and H3 sites showed diversified patterns, indicative of a dynamic karyotypic evolution in the Acanthurus genus. Holocentric species M. jacobus and S. rubrum presented 2n = 48 acrocentric chromosomes, while H. adscensionis, 2n = 50 (2m + 6sm + 16st + 26a). In this group the 18S and 5S rDNA sites constitute discriminating cytotaxonomic markers, where Rex elements and microsatellite repeats (GA)₁₅ were co-located. Despite the wide geographical distances, no interpopulation variations were observed in M. jacobus and H. adscensionis. The results indicated a more diverse horotelic evolution in Atlantic Acanthurus species, with more recent colonization in relation to A. triostegus, belonging to the Indo-Pacific, center of origin of this group. While the presence of 2n = 48a karyotypes in Holocentrinae (Sargocentron) and Myripristinae (Myripristis) species, highlights the sharing of a conserved condition in Percomorpha, which among these groups dates back to 50 M.a. and suggests an ancestral condition for the Holocentriformes. These groups of marine fish reveal phylogenetic divergences, but also the maintenance of chromosomal homeologies, and evidence of population variation (A. coeruleus), highlighting the importance of cytogenomic analyzes correlated with biogeographic patterns in understanding karyotypic changes in marine groups.

Bromeliaceae is a group of neotropical monocotyledons with 3543 species in 73 genera. Recognized as one of the most notorious cases of adaptive radiation, it has a large variety of reproductive traits. However, several correlated bromeliads occur in sympatry, and to allow this, there must be strong reproductive barriers that keep these species cohesive. This dissertation aimed to describe the reproductive biology of two sympatric bromeliads in the Atlantic Forest of Rio Grande do Norte, in order to understand how reproductive dynamics occurs and the mechanisms that allow the cohesion of both, by analyzing the pollen flow and reproductive barriers. This work was carried out in the Nísia Floresta National Forest, a fragment of Atlantic Forest in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, and the species sampled were Wittmackia patentissima and Hohenbergia ridleyi. In Chapter I, the processes involving reproductive biology, pollination ecology and floral phenology of Wittmackia patentissima and Hohenbergia ridleyi, were analyzed, trying to describe their respective reproductive mechanisms, as well as possible pre-pollination barriers and the pollen flow between them. We found that both have delicate, aromatized, diurnal, flowers that are available for 1-2 days. In addition, flowering is synchronous, occurring between August and October, with several individuals overlapping and prolonging the reproductive season. The main floral visitors are bees, but other hymenoptera, lepidoptera, coleoptera and diptera can be seen, all of which use floral nectar as a resource. Basically, all the floral characteristics are shared, not being identified any type of reproductive barrier of the type pre-pollination between them. In Chapter II, the reproductive systems of this pair of species were described, in order to understand how the dynamics of pollination occurs and what mechanisms enable fruiting. In addition, hybridization tests were performed between these species, analyzing the growth of the pollen tube along the gynoecium, to observe if there are post-pollination barriers that prevent the formation of natural hybrids. As a result, it has been found that both taxa are highly self-compatible, and that there is spontaneous pollen deposition while in flower bud stage, and this can maximize their reproductive success. In the hybridization tests it was possible to observe that the pollen grains germinated and grew until the first portion of the style in all treatments in both species. There was no difference in pollen development in the self- versus cross pollination treatments for either species, however, it was possible to observe abnormalities from the second portion of the style in the hybridization tests. At this point, it was possible to observe the irregular deposition of callose along the style, as well as the stoppage of the pollen tubes in all the hybridization tests, indicating that there are strong post-pollination barriers that inhibit the formation of natural hybrids.

The gasteroid fungi comprise a group of organisms with great morphological diversity, represented by several distinct lineages of basidiomycetes which, although not sharing the same ancestors, have common characteristics such as the angiocarpic development of the basidiomata and the passive basidiospores dispersion. Besides having influence on the ecology of the most varied ecosystems, its importance has also been demonstrated in several areas such as biotechnology, medicine, forestry and gastronomy. The Atlantic rainforest fragments, the focus of this research, harbor important richness and diversity of gasteroid fungi. However, these sites are increasingly present in anthropic action and are at risk of destruction. During the last years, the efforts of the brazilian mycologists have contributed to the expansion of the knowledge about gasteroid fungi in the country mainly through the discovery of new species. The Rio Grande do Norte state has areas of extreme biological importance with great species richness, but the studies already carried out are concentrated in a few areas. Thus, this study aimed to determine the diversity of gasteroid fungi in two still unexplored remains of Atlantic rainforest in the state of Rio Grande do Norte and, thereby, to fill gaps in taxonomic knowledge about the richness of species of these organisms in that region. For that, fourteen field trips were carried out from May to September 2016 and March to July 2017. The herborization and analysis of the specimens followed the methodology traditionally adopted in studies of gasteroid fungi. The identification of the specimens was carried out based on the specialized literature. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of potentially new or critical species was realized. Twenty species were identified, distributed in 7 genera [Abrachium (1 sp.), Clathrus (1 sp.), Cyathus (3 spp.), Geastrum (12 spp.), Phallus (1 sp.), Scleroderma (1 sp.), and Tulostoma (1 sp.)]. Of these, four are new species to science, 5 constitute new records for Brazil and 7 for Rio Grande do Norte. With these results, there was an increase of about 14.6% in the list of gasteroid fungi for the state of the Rio Grande do Norte, 4.1% for the Northeast, 1.5% for Brazil and 2.2% for the Atlantic rainforest. The Piquiri-Una Environmental Protection Area and Mata da Pipa State Park, were shown to be favorable for the development of gasteroid fungi, including the discovery of new species. Therefore, inventories in areas of the Atlantic rainforest are still extremely essential and urgent mainly in unexplored areas.

The fern and the licophytes shall comprise a group of vascular plants without seeds that presents water dependence for its reproduction. In the world, it is estimated 13.600 species, with at least 1.253 in Brazil, divided between 1.111 ferns and 142 licophytes. Brazil with Mexico and the Andes are three primary regions for the biodiversity of fern in America. One of the biggest wealth of species occur in Atlantic Forest (883 spp.), one of the 25 hotspots for the conservation of global biodiversity. The history of Atlantic Forest is related to the climate variations of glacial cycles, with expansions during the moister periods and retraction in drier. This variation in its extension influenced in the species exchange with the Atlantic and Amazon Forest, so that this relation continue being studied by different methodologies. Considering the current knowledge of wealth of fern found in Northerly Atlantic Forest of Brazil. This paper aims to presents the area wealth with knowledge deficit and indicated to conservation, develop model of potential paleodistribution, looking for evidence historical connections between Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests of South America by the Pteridaceae Family and the compatibility of forest refugium with biological wealth areas. The inventoried areas present specimens predominance of Pteridaceae, Thelypteridaceae and Polypodiacae families. Although the species number was reduced, mainly in the conservation units with more influence in anthropic activities and less climate stability. In this case, it were also found species typical Caatinga area, as Doryopterys concolor, Adiantum deflectens, Anemia dentata, A. villosa and disturbed or regenerating area (Macrothelypteris torresiana and Christella dentata). The obtained models for the main biomes detected alteration in the vegetation cover of South America during the Last Glacial Maximum and the Mid Holocene. Even with the retraction events and the expansion of various biomes, always occurred remaining areas that could operate like connection between the Amazon and Atlantic Forest. The retraction during the Last Glacial Maximum, in the Amazon Forest, did not reduce these areas in isolated fragments. However, the observed retraction in the Atlantic Forest was broader, generating isolated nucleus in the forest along the Brazilian coast. The spatial homologies found in this paper, throughout the generalized track, corroborate to the main routes for the species exchange between the Atlantic and Amazon Forest, occurring along the southeast via, in the sub-basin of Paraná River; In the northeast, along the enclaves, and in gallery forest of Brazilian central Savanna. The obtained values about niche overlap, evidence the adequacy conformity of habitat to milder conditions in the past corridors identified by the generalized tracks.

Brazil is a country with a big biodiversity and has a 20% of all biodiversity of the world. Therefore the knowledge of the brasilian mycobiota e scarce and it’s worse in the semiarid region. The present study intended to investigate the species of fungi of the Russulaceae from Brazil through taxonomic studies. The collections were made during the rainy season in areas of conservation of some North and Northeastern states. The species were discribed, ilustraded macro- and microscopically, microstructures of taxonomic aspects and spores ornamentations, these were also observed in scanning electron microscopy. As result were described 22 species. The most representative were Russula with 15 species, Lactifluus with 7 species, the genus Multifurca and Lactarius didn´t present anu representants.

Gomphillaceae is considered one of the most diverse families of foliicolous lichens. The knowledge about the taxonomic diversity of the ascomata and hyphofores (unique asexual structures of this family) within a phylogenetic context is of great importance to understand the systematics and evolution of this group. However, phylogenetic studies concerning Gomphillaceae are still scarce, with no extensive knowledge of the internal classification and position of the family. The objective of the present research is to review the family Gomphillaceae (Ascomycota lichenized), especially the foliicolous taxa, using morphological and molecular characters. The methodology consisted of using samples collected in areas of Atlantic Forest, Brejo de Altitude and Amazon, in Brazil, in addition to samples collected in other Latin American countries such as Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and Guatemala. The collected material was pressed, refrigerated, analyzed and selected according to the presence of representatives of the family Gomphillaceae. After that, the samples were identified, morphologically reviewed and molecularly analyzed using the mtSSU rDNA and nuLSU rDNA markers. A total of 2,127 leaves containing foliicolous lichens was collected and 502 specimens were selected for identification and molecular analysis. However, due to contamination or PCR failure, 309 specimens were used in the final phylogenetic analysis for the family, added to 28 sequences from GenBank (including the outgroup). A total of 464 sequences were obtained for the Gomphillaceae family, 272 new for nuLSU and 136 new for mtSSU. The results obtained from this work help to explain the distribution of genera and species belonging to Gomphillaceae, contributing to the systematic evolutionary knowledge within the group. 13 new genera for the family (Adelphomyces Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Aptrootidea Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Aulaxinella Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Batistomyces Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Bezerroplaca Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Caleniella Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Monocalenia Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Pseudocalenia Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Roselviria Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Serusiauxiella Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Sipmanidea Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., Verruciplaca Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., and Vezdamyces Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov..), four newly reinstated genera (Microxyphiomyces Bat., Valle & Peres, Psathyromyces Bat. & Peres, Spinomyces Bat. & Peres ex Xavier-Leite, M. Cáceres & Lücking, gen. nov., and Sporocybomyces H. Maia), and 53 new combinations are introduced for species included in the new and re-established genera. In addition, the analyzes confirmed polyphyletic groups (Aderkomyces, Calenia, Echinoplaca, and Tricharia), and the previously distinguished and well supported genera were Actinoplaca, Arthotheliopsis, Asterothyrium, Aulaxina s.str, Bullatina, Caleniopsis, Gomphillus, Gyalectidium, Gyalidea,
Jamesiella, Linhartia, Psorotheciopsis, Rolueckia, and Rubrotricha. Finally, some small genera have not yet been molecularly sampled and require further analysis: Aplanocalenia, Diploschistella, Ferraroa, Gyalideopsis, Hippocrepidea, Lithogyalideopsis, Paratricharia, Phyllogyalidea.

Macrobrachium jelskii is a widely distributed species in northeastern Brazil, occurring throughout South America. However, no studies on phylogeography, local morphological variations and genetic variability of the populations of this species were carried out. This prawn species can reveal important information on the dispersion pattern and related vicariates for scenarios of past tectonic arrangements and other events that have influenced the biogeography of the aquatic taxa. The aim of this manuscript is to investigate a phenotypic and molecular diversity of the prawn M. jelskii populations in the Mid-Northeast Caatinga, Maranho Piauí and São Francisco ecoregions, influenced by past scenarios and environmental local responses. This scientific article uses an approach of Integrative Systematics, a multivariate geometric morphometry, phylogenetic analyzes and genetic structuring. Geometric morphometry showed evident sexual dimorphism, in which females presented cephalothorax and abdomen more horizontally stretched. This possibly favors gonadal development, vitellogenesis and egg storage. Abstraction of the shape of the three body planes does not demonstrate a consensus on the structuring of the populations between M. jelskii in the Northeast of Brazil. This fact corroborates a low nucleotide and haplotype diversity, in which only one haplotype was shared among the populations of the basins. Thus, ratifying a possibility of introduction in the Northeast area by DNOCS. In addition, the genetic data reported a presence of noises and double peaks not electropherogram, which represents co-amplification of mitochondrial pseudogenes of the region Cytochrome Oxidase I, little reported in the literature for the genus Macrobrachium. This fact show a precedent of mistrust for published phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships, which recently did not depict this. Knowing that this characteristic can generate an overestimation of evolutionary lineages and, thus, erroneous conclusions on dispersive, vicarious or speciation events, it is of importance to report the cases of pseudogenes and the use of specific molecular primers for each taxon.

The coastal zone is characterized by a transition between biomes or phytophysiognomies and may present stressful environmental conditions. In Rio Grande do Norte State (Brazil), this transition occurs due to the overlap (ecotone) between restinga and caatinga, distinct phytophysiognomies, characterized by mosaic formations. In addition to the flora adaptations to this interface, another important factor for the survival of plant species is the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which are important symbionts that are relevant for the stabilization of the soil-plant system. In view of its ecological importance, this work aimed to identify the diversity of the AMF community in a restinga and caatinga continuum along the Northeastern coast, in the Ponta do Tubarão Sustainable Development Reserve, in Macau / Guamaré Counties, RN, Brazil. Two soil collection were carried out, one at the end of the period after rainfall and another in the dry period for AMF species identification by spore morphology. The soil abiotic factors and their influence on the AMF community were assessed. Twenty - four species were identified, 12 of which are exclusive to restinga, one (1) to caatinga and 11 occurred in both areas. As for the seasonal dynamics, the dry period showed a greater abundance of spores, and in the rainy season sporocarpic species, with agglomerates forming bunches of spores, were frequently found. The environmental factors that most influenced the distribution of the species were salinity and pH. The salinity, as well as the other chemical aspects of the soil verified, was homogeneous, being found some specific sites more saline, which presented a low species richness. This result suggests a significant impact of one of the main economic activities of the RN, the salines, on the biodiversity of AMF in the soil.

One of the most threatened woodlands in the world is the Atlantic Forest, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot since it presents high levels of species richness and endemism. However, our knowledge level is variable with regards to taxonomic groups and geographic regions. Fishes freshwater status of the art has pointed that ichthyofaunal inventories should be immediately managed in Northeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest basins due to impacts of human actions. Ichthyofaunal knowledge of the Mid-Northeastern Caatinga ecoregion (MNCE), which encompasses the basins between Parnaíba and São Francisco rivers, is considered to be partial with only a few studies concerning fishes, in the areas under influence of the Atlantic Forest. This ecoregion is chiefly under the effects of Caatinga, but the drainages that flow into the east coast are partially or completely inserted in the Atlantic Forest domain. Therefore, the aim of this research is to define the richness of freshwater fish species of the basins that drain the MNCE. Within these drainages there were recorded 57 species of freshwater fishes in 43 genera, 19 families, and six orders; 10 native species were recorded only in Atlantic Forest domains, and five within Caatinga limits. The remaining (n=43) are shared between both biomes. There are also listed species that are endemic to the ecoregion (n=9), threatened (n=1), and non-native (n=9). Paraíba do Norte river basin, the largest among the studied ones, showed the highest species number. This inquiry also presents a list of protected species in conservation units in MNCE. The study also shows patterns in the composition of species in the different drainages, be they microbasins, small and medium basins, also indicating sample gaps in these. The results raise the continental fish species richness to 39 in the Atlantic Forest, which encompassed mainly the ichthyofauna southern to São Francisco river.

The freshwater ecosystems and their fauna are the world's most threatened by anthropic activities. Because of that, it has been rapidly declining. Due to concern about the unplanned urban occupation and irrational use of natural resources, the headwaters of the Parnaíba River and tributaries of the Tocantins River is protected, since 2002, by the creation of the Parque Nacional das Nascentes do Rio Parnaíba (PNNRP). The PNNRP is inside the Cerrado biome, in a transitional area between the Amazon and the Caatinga. Besides it’s located in the border of the States of Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins and Bahia (MAPITOBA). This area is a watershed of three important hydrographic basins: San Francisco, Tocantins and Parnaíba. Thus, this work was developed to study the ichthyofauna of the PNNRP identifying the species and richness in each basin. In addition to indicating endemic species, endangered, shared, not described and possible introduced species. The field sampling covered 53 collection point in July’s 2014 using active (picaré-type nets, hand-nets and trawl nets) and passive (holding nets and covo traps) in order to avoid selectivity for each fishing gear. In PNNRP and around, was recorded 97 species, 53 genres, 22 families and 6 orders of freshwater fish. These species were recorded in areas of three basins’s headwater: Parnaíba, Tocantins and São Francisco. Among them, only two (4.76%) are shared between the two basins: Bryconops melanurus (Bloch, 1794) and Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae (Steindachner, 1907). Of the remaining, 34 (83.34%) species were present only in the basin of Parnaiba river and four (11.90%) on the Tocantins river basin. Of these 13 (30.95%) are supposedly endemic to the Parnaíba basin. This information can be used for the elaboration of the management plan of the conservation unit, as well as future biogeographic studies of the aquatic biota of the Cerrado. Although the PNNRP area has increased twice since its inception, it still does not include headwaters of the middle San Francisco basin, which would imply in a greater wealth fish protected by conservation unit.

The extensive Brazilian coast is multi-party in different ecosystems, composed by estuaries, mangroves, reef systems, oceanic and coastal islands. These environments detain a largely diversified ichthyofauna composed by 1,297 species, in which 25% represents endemic species. These levels of biodiversity can be uncertain, because of the occurrence of cryptic and polytypic species and the absence of population studies, especially in reef species. In this sense, population, taxonomical and phylogenetical aspects were analyzed form species of the Pomacentridae (Perciformes) and Carangidae (Carangiformes) families, along the coast and oceanic islands of Brazil. The molecular and morphometric analyzes were performed in S. variabilis, S. fuscus, S. rocasensis, S. sanctipauli and S. fuscus trindadensis indicated synonym among S. rocasensis and S. sanctipauli, and between S. fuscus and S. fuscus trindadensis. Besides that, revealed the presence of a possible cryptic species which has been confused with S. variabilis. The population analyzes in Abudefduf saxatilis at the Western Atlantic, including the oceanic islands, reveals a status of panmixia from Venezuela to the Southeast of Brazil, while the island populations have different levels of genetic structuration, specially the population of the Trindade island. The genetic analyzes in the polytypic species Caranx lugubris indicated a large panmitic population in the Western Atlantic, revealing new data about the origins of the morphotypes that occurs in the surroundings of the Saint Paul Rocks archipelago. The data obtained expands the knowledge over the insular ichthyic fauna of the Atlantic and serves as subsidy to the conservation and management of species of these particular and important oceanic regions.

The genus Cyathus Haller was established in 1768, but in-depth taxonomic studies with the group only occurred after 1844. In the following years changes in the infrageneric classification of Cyathus were proposed, based mainly on morphology. In 1906 Lloyd distributed the species into five groups, and in 1975 Brodie expanded to seven groups. With the advances of phylogenetic studies, the morphological classifications were tested and a new subdividion into three groups was proposed by Zhao and collaborators in 2007. Based on the morphological characteristics used in the last two classifications, is remarkable the presence of ambiguous and poorly delimited morphological characters, which makes identification at species level often doubtful. Thus, this PhD thesis aimed to understand the phylogenetic relationships of the fungi in the genus Cyathus and how these relations reflect in the taxonomic characterization, through morphological and molecular analyzes covering most of the type species of the group. The specimens analyzed come from national (JPB, URM, UESC and UFRN-Fungos) and international fungal collections (BBH, BPI, PH, DAOM, K, MA-Fungi, PC and TNS). Morphological and molecular analyzes were performed in Brazil and Japan: the morphology followed the standard methodology for the group, and the molecular analysis was performed based on protocols available in the literature or indicated by the reagent manufacturers, with steps adapted for the genus Cyathus, including the design of specific primers. New informational morphological characters were defined from the description of 50 types and 4 other species. All 81 species with name in current use were discussed. Figure plates, list of invalid names and list of synonyms are also presented. The phylogenetic analyzes using Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian included 36 species, 25 of them being classified in some nomenclatural type category. The monophyletism of Cyathus was confirmed with maximum support in both tests, and the infrageneric groups of the last classification based on molecular data were unchanged, however the clade striatum showed segregation into five groups and two subgroups. All the phylogenetic organization is supported based on morphological characters and diagnoses are presented for each clusters as well as a dichotomous key for the infrageneric separation.

Freshwater ecosystems are within the richest in terms of species number and are threatened by anthropic transformations worldwide. Impacts such as non-native species introduction and interbasin water transfer (like São Francisco River Interbasin Water Transfer Project – SF-IBWT, PISF – in Portuguese) put species conservation in peril. The concern with this matter promoted the creation of Conservation Unities (UCs – created from 1930’s onward in Brazil and have distinct restriction levels). Possibly, these mechanisms have been insufficient in species conservation, because even after their creation, non-native species contribution to natural communities has only grown over years and it is pointed as the second main cause of planet’s species extinction. Regarding this issue, we hereby tried to establish a species nomenclatural pattern in basins encompassed by PISF, previous to the artifitial connection, demonstrating the current ichthyofaunal knowledge level and building a baseline for future identification of the project’s impacts. Besides, we aim to evaluate the effectivity of UCs in protecting fish of the basins included in the project and model the invasiveness risk of exclusive species of donor basins to receptor ones. Therefore, we used primary and secondary records of species. The results showed a low similarity among species composition of donor and receptor basins of PISF, besides indicating the UCs’ importance for regional fish species conservation. Even though these UCs have a small size (~1% of Caatinga), they contain a significant percentage of associated fauna (between 24 and 31% of each basin’s species). Lastly, we noticed the PISF receptor basins show adequability to 11 species (seven families and three orders) which were exclusive to donor basin (Leporinus friderici, Megaleporinus obtusidens, Pamphorichthys hollandi, Pimelodus maculatus, Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae, Hemigrammus brevis, Pimelodella laurenti, Cichlasoma sanctifranciscense, Centromochlus bockmanni, Conorhynchos conirostris e Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, decending order of general suitability). Within this context, we strengthen the need of creation/enlargement of UCs in encompassed basins so these can better fulfill their conservational goals, and we also corroborate the need of constant monitoring of invasive species in receptor basins of PISF’s water in order to guarantee the preservation of native ichthyc communities.

Percomorpha series is the largest division among vertebrates, constituting the largest and most derived clade of teleostean fishes. Among its Orders, Perciformes and Labriformes constitue adequated models for the investigation of conservatism and chromosomal diversification. In Perciformes the chromosomal conservatism is represented by basal karyotypes with 2n = 48 acrocentric, extensively shared by a considerable portion of species. The causes and extent of the karyotypic conservatism in various families of this Order are not entirely clear. In front of the diversity of species in Labriformes, more detailed aspects of its karyotype evolution or even the taxonomic status of some species deserve particular attention. In order to contribute with new information on these issues, it was implemented conventional chromosome analysis (conventional staining with Giemsa, C-banding and Ag-NORs, base-specific fluochromes) and cytomolecular (in situ hybridization with 18S rDNA, 5S rDNA) probes were implemented. Eight species of the genera Anisotremus and Haemulon of the family Haemulidae (Perciformes) were analyzed, including samples from different areas of the Atlantic, as a model of conservative evolution. In 2 species of the Bodianus genus Labridae (Labriformes), it was also analyzed aspects of the evolution of particular repetitive sequences (DNAr 18S, DNAr 5S, Alu and Tol2) in the chromosomes by hybridization with 5 methylcytosine (5mC). Additionally, phylogenetic comparisons were performed using mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and nuclear (Rhodopsin) DNA sequences to verify the taxonomic status of the Bodianus insularis species, endemic to the Meso-Atlantic islands. All Haemulidae species presented 2n = 48a, single Ag-NORs sites and reduced centromeric heterochromatin, besides considerable sharing of rDNA 5S and 18S sites, confirming the occurrence of karyotype stasis in the family. The karyotypic patterns of the populations of A. virginicus and H. chrysargyreum between the Caribbean and the South Atlantic did not reveal chromosomal variations due to the barrier of the discharges of the Amazonas / Orinoco rivers. In Bodianus, the analyzes identified a remarkable decondensed region in a subtelocentric chromosomal pair, denominated BOD region. Among its particular constitutive and functional characteristics, it is DAPI-, Argentofílica (Ag +), markedly hypomethylated and saturated with transposable elements, suggesting that the participation of these mobile elements may have contributed to its genesis and complex epigenetic dynamics. In relation to the endemic species B. insularis its genetic divergence is much inferior to that presented by differentiated species suggesting that although it represents a geographically isolated group, it constitutes a synonym of B. pulchellus. The divergence in the rates of karyotype diversification between Haemulidae and Labridae is discussed here in the light of intrinsic karyotype characteristics that may favor the buffering and the fixation of chromosomal changes and biological aspects of the species that contributes to particular conditions of karyotype evolution of these two groups of marine fish.

Interspecific hybridization has been identified in various animal groups, among these, on a recurring basis in marine fish, notably in the Chaetodontidae family. The Chaetodon is the most diverse gender in the family, with about 30 species able to produce viable hybrids. All relevant features of this phenomenon have been analyzed, but we still need more data about the break of reproductive barriers in this genre. In the present study were compared sequences of the 12S gene, 16S, rag2 and NADH of Chaetodon genus with produce known hybrids, in order to ascertain what the genetic distance between them and cytogenetic comparisons by chromosomal mapping of regions of rDNA 18S and 5S of C. striatus, C. sedentarius and C. capistratus, from South Atlantic and Caribbean. The results indicate that parental species, even having a high level of genetic divergence, maintains the potential intercross and are capable to produce viable hybrids. An extreme conservatism karyotype inter- and intraspecific was observed for the species. Despite the long interval of separation between some species, interspecific reproductive potential as well an environmental and biological factors may have been favored by extensive karyotype homogeneity present in the family.

A alta diversidade de plantas vasculares nos trópicos está correlacionada com diversos fatores, como, por exemplo, fatores climáticos. Alterações no ecossistema podem gerar oportunidade ecológica e impulsionar irradiações adaptativas. Todavia, alguns clados não irradiam frente a uma aparente oportunidade ecológica, algumas linhagens mantêm seus nichos conservados ao longo do tempo ou convergem para nichos similares. Este trabalho avalia a evolução das tolerâncias climáticas de uma linhagem antiga de plantas arbóreas da família Leguminosae, especificamente do clado Bowdichia integrante do grande clado Genistoide da subfamília Papilionoideae. A fim de caracterizar a evolução do nicho climático do clado, registros das distribuições geográficas das espécies foram coletados em banco de dados online nacionais e internacionais; foram efetivadas análises filogenéticas e de datação molecular; construídos modelos de nicho ecológico; calculados os índices de sobreposição; produzidos Perfis de Ocupação de Nicho (PON) no contexto filogenético; e calculada a disparidade climática através do tempo. Como resultado, foram evidenciados altos valores de sobreposição entre algumas espécies de subclados distintos, valores mais altos do que o esperado por Movimento Browniano entre outras altamente aparentadas, e baixos valores de sobreposição entre algumas espécies em um mesmo subclado. Uma heterogeneidade na ocupação de cada variável bioclimática entre as espécies foi evidenciada através dos PONs, e, levando em consideração o contexto filogenético, a irradiação das espécies, através do tempo, se deu sobre uma grande variedade de espaços e condições bioclimáticas, sendo observados eventos de convergência, divergência e conservantismo de nicho. Além disso, no que diz respeito à disparidade através do tempo, é sugerido que a evolução do clado tenha ocorrido sob eventos gradativos e tardios de diversificação ao invés de uma irradiação adaptativa rápida por oportunidade ecológica no momento anterior a irradiação do clado. O estudo reforça a teoria de que regiões com alta precipitação e alta temperatura média anual são altamente biodiversas e refuta a teoria dos refúgios pleistocênicos como explicação para a maior riqueza na Amazônia. Além disso, a maior heterogeneidade de hábitats e de ocupação de nicho não estão correlacionadas com o tempo de origem de uma linhagem. Também é sugerido que a evolução divergente tenha sido favorecida no Plio-Pleistoceno com surgimento de oportunidades ecológicas após eventos glaciais e interglaciais.

This is the floristic taxonomic inventory of the Apocynaceae occurring in the Atlantic Forest remnants from Rio Grande do Norte state, by consulting the specimens deposited in herbaria, field expeditions and description of the collected specimens in the laboratory. Twenty-five species in eighteen genera were recorded in three subfamilies. The genera with more species were DitassaR.Br (4 spp.), AspidospermaMart. & Zucc. e MandevillaLindl. (3 spp.). The other genera are represented by one species each. Eightnew records are presenting for the flora of the state along with its several conservation statuses. Five of these species are placed in genera that are also reported here for the first time to the Rio Grande do Norte state (CynanchumL., MacoubeaAubl., OdontadeniaBenth., TabernaemontanaL. and TemnadeniaMiers). The study also presents identification key, taxonomic comments and geographic distribution of genera and species, descriptions, illustrations, photos and maps of the speciesfound in the study area.

Capparaceae abrange 25 gêneros e 480 espécies, das quais aproximadamente 110 são compreendidas em 18 gêneros na região Neotropical. Sua distribuição é pantropical com grande frequência em ambientes sazonalmente secos. Seus representantes apresentam hábito arbóreo, arbustivo e raramente lianescente, folhas simples ou compostas 3–folioladas, brácteas florais reduzidas e decíduas, flores tetrâmeras e noturnas com estames exsertos numerosos, ovário súpero sobre um ginóforo, frutos carnosos deiscentes ou indeiscentes. Para o Brasil são registrados 12 gêneros e 28 espécies das quais 12 são endêmicas do país, ocorrendo preferencialmente em savana estépica (strictu senso), floresta estacional semidecidual e restinga. O presente trabalho está dividido em dois capítulos. O primeiro capítulo aborda o padrão de distribuição das espécies que ocorrem no semiárido brasileiro e sua distribuição intra Caatinga. Os padrões de distribuição foram determinados a partir da revisão da distribuição das espécies em coleções de herbários e complementados com dados obtidos de bibliografia específica da família. Foram avaliadas a riqueza, esforço de coleta e similaridade florística das espécies intra Caatinga pelo método de quadrículas de 1 × 1 grau. Seis gêneros e oito espécies foram registradas na Caatinga, sendo quatro endêmicas do Brasil, dessas, apenas uma é endêmica da Caatinga, e quatro apresentaram distribuição neotropical. Quatro padrões foram observados: restrito ao NE, amplo e contínuo no Brasil, disjunto e neotropical. Todas as espécies foram registradas na Bahia, estado que apresentou a maior riqueza de espécies por quadrícula e também notável esforço amostral das espécies da família. O estado do Piauí apresenta áreas prioritárias para futuras coletas de Capparaceae, devido a pouca representatividade da família no estado. A análise de similaridade florística intra Caatinga mostrou-se baixa, 22%, provavelmente devido a poucas espécies da família na região e a ampla distribuição das mesmas. No segundo capítulo é apresentada a flora de Capparaceae para o Rio Grande do Norte (RN), visto que o estado possui uma flora pouco conhecida, com estudos pontuais. Através de coletas no estado e revisão de herbário foram registrados cinco gêneros e seis espécies de Capparaceae no RN: Capparidastrum (1); Crateva (1); Cynophalla (2); Mesocapparis (1) e Neocalyptrocalyx (1). Capparidastrum frondosum e Mesocapparis lineata são novas ocorrências para o estado. São apresentadas uma chave de identificação, descrições e imagens, comentários sobre a biologia das espécies e Unidades de Conservação onde ocorrem.

Geastraceae é uma família monofilética pertencente ao clado “gomphoid-phalloid”, composta apenas por dois gêneros Geastrum e Myriostoma, que são muito próximos tanto na morfologia quanto na filogenia, ambos apresentam basidiomas angiocárpicos, poro apical, basidiosporos liberados passivamente através do mecanismo de fole e exoperídio deiscente em raios, sendo diferenciados pelo número de ostíolos e pedicelos. Devido à deiscência do exoperídio, são conhecidos popularmente como “estrelas-da-terra”. Ocorrem geralmente degradando liteira ou madeira, sendo, portanto, saprofíticos, com raras exceções de espécies ectomicorrízicas. Geastrum é um dos gêneros gasteroides mais diversos no Brasil, com 51 registros. Contudo, existem lacunas de conhecimento quanto à distribuição geográfica e sistemática deste gênero no país. Especialmente, devido às características encontradas em território brasileiro (megavidersidade, “hotspots” e tamanho continetal), as quais o tornam área prioritária para inventário de espécies. Desta forma, o presente trabalho objetivou realizar inventariar espécies Geastrum ocorrentes em áreas da Caatinga e Mata Atlântica do Nordeste. Foram realizadas pelo menos duas expedições de campo, com duração aproximada de quatro dias, durante períodos de chuva dos anos 2013 e 2014 para as áreas: Reserva Biológica de Guaribas, localizada no domínio Mata Atlântica da Paraíba e Reserva Ecológica Estadual Mata do Pau Ferro, localizada nos “Brejos Paraibanos”. Além disso, foram analisados espécimes depositados no Herbário UFRN-Fungos, os quais foram coletados no Parque Nacional Vale do Catimbau, Caatinga de Pernambuco. Os espécimes foram identificados de acordo com a análise de macro e micromorfologia, seguindo literatura específica. Foram analisados cerca de 400 basidiomas, distribuídos em 73 exsicatas. Foram identificadas 21 espécies, 19 em nível de espécie, sendo duas destas propostas como novas espécies (Geastrum magnosporum sp. nov. e G. pusillupilosum sp. nov.) e duas em nível de gênero (sp. e aff.). Destaca-se um novo registro para o Brasil, 12 novos registros para o estado da Paraíba, quatro novos registros para a região Semiárida do Brasil e seis novos registros para a vegetação de “Brejos de Altitude”. Desta forma, os resultados representam um aumento de 200% no conhecimento do gênero Geastrum na Paraíba, 24 % no Semiárido e 55% no “Brejo de Altitude”, demostrando que o Nordeste brasileiro apresenta uma alta riqueza de espécies.

A família Centropomidae é composta por três gêneros, Centropomus, Lates e Psammoperca. Centropomus é o grupo mais diversificado, apresentando seis espécies com ocorrência no Oceano Atlântico Ocidental, C. undecimalis (Bloch, 1792), C. poeyi Chávez, 1961, C. parallelus Poey, 1860, C. mexicanus Bocourt, 1868, C. pectinatus Poey, 1860 e C. ensiferus Poey, 1860. Algumas destas espécies são consideradas crípticas, por apresentarem características morfológicas pouco resolutivas para fins de identificação. Apesar do grande interesse como recurso natural e para cultivo, aspectos sobre sua diversidade e padrões cariotípicos são pouco conhecidos. Neste trabalho classificações morfológicas e comparações de sequências mitocondriais 16S foram utilizadas para identificação das espécies do gênero Centropomus com ocorrência no Rio Grande do Norte, nordeste do Brasil. Duas espécies foram identificadas, C. undecimalis e C. mexicanus, que tiveram seus aspectos cromossômicos analisados através de métodos citogenéticos clássicos (coloração convencional, bandamento C, Ag-RONs), coloração com fluorocromos AT- e GC-específicos, bandas de replicação pela incorporação do análogo de base 5´BrdU ( 5-bromo-2´-deoxiuridina) e mapeamento cromossômico in situ de sequências (TTAGGG)n e dos genes RNAr 18S e 5S. Ambas as espécies apresentaram 2n=48 cromossomos acrocêntricos, com sítios ribossomais (Ag-RON/DNAr 18S/Mitramicina+) no segundo par cromossômico, em posição telomérica no braço longo de C. mexicanus) e intersticial em C. undecimalis. O par organizador nucleolar (par 2) se mostra um marcador citotaxonômico resolutivo para estas duas espécies. Os dados gerados revelam uma menor diversidade de espécies de Centropomus do que se acreditava, sugerindo uma maior atenção na identificação taxonômica das espécies, tendo em vista otimizar ações de exploração comercial, conservação biológica e cultivo.

Com o desenvolvimento e aprimoramento das técnicas para estudos moleculares e sua consequente aplicação à sistemática, relevantes modificações ocorreram na classificação dos gasteromicetos. O gênero Morganella pertence à família Lycoperdaceae, e é caracterizado, principalmente, pelo hábito lignícola e presença de paracapilícios. Dados recentes demonstram a descoberta de novas espécies para o grupo e a existência de uma grande diversidade de espécies ocorrendo em ecossistemas tropicais. Entretanto, as relações filogenéticas do gênero, como também a classificação taxonômica, ainda requerem revisões para serem melhor compreendidas, além de que, trabalhos que abordem esse tema ainda são escassos na literatura. Desta forma, objetivou-se neste trabalho realizar estudos de filogenia molecular com espécies do gênero Morganella, visando ampliar o conhecimento sobre a filogenia do grupo mediante a inclusão de dados de espécies tropicais. Para isso, os espécimes utilizados, tanto para as extrações de DNA quanto para a revisão morfológica, foram obtidos a partir de herbários brasileiros e estrangeiros. Para a análise morfológica foram observados caracteres relevantes para a taxonomia do grupo. Para as análises filogenéticas foram utilizados os métodos de Máxima Parcimônia e Análise Bayesiana, utilizando-se o espaçador interno transcrito (ITS) do DNA ribossômico nuclear. Nas análises filogenéticas realizadas, os representantes de Morganella formaram um clado monofilético com um bom valor de suporte, e com base nestes resultados o gênero não deve ser incluído como subgênero de Lycoperdon. As análises indicaram que M. pyriformis não se agrupa com os demais representantes de Morganella, e portanto não deve ser incluído no grupo como representante do subgênero Apioperdon, pois se trata de um representante de Lycoperdon. Por outro lado, M. fuliginea, M. nuda, M. albostipitata, M. velutina, M. subincarnata, se encontram agrupadas, com valores de suporte alto, dentro do gênero Morganella. Morganella arenicola, com base em estudos morfológicos e moleculares, não se agrega em Morganella. Morganella nuda se agrupou com M. fuliginea dando indícios de que podem se tratar de uma variação intraespecífica. Os resultados das análises realizadas favorecem para um melhor esclarecimento e posição das espécies de Morganella. No entanto, estudos adicionais utilizando um maior número de espécies, e também outros marcadores moleculares se fazem necessários para um melhor entendimento da filogenia de Morganella.

O Brasil é um país de grande biodiversidade e possui potencialmente 20% de toda biodiversidade mundial. Diante deste quadro, o conhecimento sobre a micobiota brasileira é escasso e isso se agrava em regiões como o semiárido brasileiro. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo investigar as espécies de fungos da família Russulaceae para o semiárido, através de estudos taxonômicos. As coletas foram realizadas durante o período chuvoso, em áreas de conservação de alguns estados do Nordeste. Os materiais foram descritos, ilustrados macro e microscopicamente, juntamente com as análises da ornamentação de esporos, estes foram obtidos com microscópio eletrônico de varredura e outras microestruturas de cunho taxonômico. Como resultado foram encontradas 12 espécies. O gênero mais rico é Russula com sete espécies, Lactifluus com quatro e por fim Lactarius com uma espécie. Todas as espécies são novas para a ciência, aumentando o conhecimento sobre a riquesa de Russulaceae no Brasil de 41 para 52 espécies, este presente trabalho representa 4,5% da riqueza de táxons conhecidos para o Brasil e evidencia que o semiárido é uma área rica para estudos taxonômicos desta família.

A dengue é considerada a doença transmitida por artrópodes mais importante do mundo devido ao elevado número de pessoas que correm o risco de contraí-la, principalmente em regiões tropicais e sub-tropicais do planeta. O agente etiológico da doença é o vírus dengue (DENV), um vírus de RNA fita simples e polaridade positiva, pertencente à família Flavivridae e ao gênero Flavivirus. São conhecidos quatro sorotipos distintos: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 E DENV-4. Uma das suas principais características é a elevada variabilidade genética que torna clara a necessidade da realização de estudos filogenéticos e evolutivos com o objetivo de compreender aspectos essenciais como: epidemiologia, virulência, padrões de migração e características antigênicas. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar a caracterização genética dos vírus dengue circulantes no estado do Rio Grande do Norte durante o período de Janeiro de 2010 a Dezembro de 2012. Realizou-se o sequenciamento do gene do envelope (1485pb) dos sorotipos DENV-1 (N=6), DENV-2 (N=6) e DENV-4 (N=4) isolados de casos clínicos de diferentes municípios do estado do Rio Grande do Norte. A análise filogenética foi realizada utilizando o programa Mega v5.2, método de Neighbor-Joining e modelo Tamura-Nei. No Brasil, foi constada a circulação de apenas um genótipo de DENV-1 (genótipo V), um genótipo DENV-2 (asiático/americano) e dois genótipos de DENV-4 (genótipos I e II) no Brasil. As cepas brasileiras de DENV-1 estão dividas em duas linhagens temporalmente distintas (BR-I e BR-II), as cepas brasileiras de DENV-2 estão subdividas em quatro linhagens (BRI-IV) e o genótipo II de DENV-4 apresentou três linhagens de cepas brasileiras (LI-III). Os vírus isolados no Rio Grande do Norte pertencem a linhagem BR-II (DENV-1), BR-IV (DENV-2) e BR-III (DENV-4). A fonte de importação destes vírus para o Brasil é principalmente o Caribe e países próximos da América Latina. Foram detectadas substituições de aminoácidos ao longo dos três domínios da proteína E, tornando clara a necessidade da realização de estudos que associem dados epidemiológicos e moleculares para melhor compreensão dos efeitos dessas mutações. Este é o primeiro estudo sobre caracterização genética e evolução dos vírus dengue no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil.

Colêmbolos são pequenos artrópodes extremamente abundantes na natureza. São semelhantes a insetos em seu padrão de tagmose, ecologicamente muito importantes e podem ser usados como bioindicadores. Mais de 8.300 espécies já foram descritas no mundo, mas se estima que a riqueza real corresponda a um número muito maior. A Mata Atlântica corresponde ao domínio fitogeográfico mais alterado pela ação antrópica no Brasil, restando menos de 8,5% de sua cobertura original. No Rio Grande do Norte a Mata Atlântica cobre apenas 0,27% do território do Estado. Assim, considerando a importância de se conhecer a fauna de Collembola, sobretudo num ambiente ameaçado como a Mata Atlântica, este trabalho objetivou estudar a riqueza de colêmbolos Entomobryoidea e Symphypleona ocorrentes em dois remanescentes de Mata Atlântica do Rio Grande do Norte através de coletas ativas com aspirador entomológico e passivas com pitfall, durante os períodos de chuva e seca. Foram identificadas 22 espécies de colêmbolos, sendo que destas 19 (mais de 85% do total) são novas para a ciência, incluindo um novo gênero da família Sminthuridae. As coletas realizadas no período chuvoso apresentaram praticamente o dobro de espécies em relação às realizadas no período seco. Este fato possivelmente está associado à dependência dos colêmbolos de umidade, assim como estratégias de resistência a período secos. São descritas quatro novas espécies, incluindo o novo gênero (Trogolaphysa sp.nov., Gen.nov. sp.nov., Szeptyckitheca sp.nov. e Sminthurinus sp.nov.). Este expressivo número de espécies novas identificadas, os novos registros para o gêneros e famílias para a Mata Atlântica do Rio Grande do Norte e a descoberta de um novo gênero corroboram o pressuposto que motivou este trabalho: o Rio Grande do Norte apresenta uma fauna de Collembola desconhecida e potencialmente diversificada. Além disso, foram geradas informações importantes sobre a morfologia das espécies descritas, que por sua vez são de grande importância para a sistemática dos Collembola. O novo gênero descrito faz parte de um visível subgrupo dentro da família Sminthuridae (aqueles com o unguis com cavidade) que aparentemente tem potencial para ser reconhecido futuramente em alguma categoria taxonômica supragenérica.

Bignoniaceae compreende 82 gêneros e cerca de 827 espécies de árvores, arbustos e lianas, encontradas em toda flora tropical mundial com menor representação em regiões temperadas. No Brasil, são encontradas 391 espécies em 32 gêneros, e a família, como um todo, foi muito explorada para diversos fins e usos, como a extração da madeira para construção, indústria farmacêutica assim como para horticultura. Sua riqueza é bastante conhecida em vários estado do país, porém poucos estudos foram realizados sobre a família na região Nordeste. Não foram encontrados estudos aprofundados sobre a ocorrência das espécies no Rio Grande do Norte, o que justifica a produção de um inventário estadual das Bignoniaceae. Para o estado identificamos 37 espécies de 17 gêneros, contrariando os dados propostos pelo site Flora do Brasil, que relacionava apenas 29 espécies distribuídas em 15 gêneros. Dentre as espécies encontradas por este estudo, 17 espécies surgem como novas ocorrências, uma vez que algumas espécies relacionadas para o estado pelo site não foram encontradas em nossas pesquisas, não sendo incluídas neste estudo. Uma chave para identificação das espécies, junto com descrições morfológicas, ilustrações e fotos das espécies são apresentadas. Os dados das espécies aqui obtidos possibilitarão diretamente o desenvolvimento de trabalhos futuros, como produção de uma chave interativa digital e o estudo da conservação das espécies de bignoniáceas do estado.

Vriesea minarum é uma espécie de bromélias rupícola, com populações naturalmente fragmentadas, restrita a região do Quadrilátero Ferrífero, em Minas Gerais, Brasil. É uma espécie ameaçada, que está sofrendo com a perda de habitat devido ao crescimento das cidades e às atividades de mineração. O conhecimento da variabilidade genética em populações de plantas é um dos principais ramos de genética da conservação, associando dados genéticos para as estratégias de conservação, enquanto que o conhecimento sobre a biologia reprodutiva pode ajudar na compreensão de aspectos fundamentais da história de vida, distribuição e estratégias de sobrevivência das plantas. Assim, o estudo da diversidade, riqueza, estrutura genética e biologia reprodutiva das populações de V. minarum podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento de ações de conservação. O capítulo 1 apresenta a transferabilidade de 14 loci de microssatélites para V. minarum. Entre os resultados desse capítulo, destaca-se o sucesso da transferabilidade de 10 loci de microssatélites descritos para outras espécies de Bromeliaceae, sendo todos eles polimórficos. No capítulo 2, é apresentada a genética de 12 populações de V. minarum que se distribuem por todo o Quadrilátero Ferrífero. Os resultados obtidos mostram pouca estruturação entre as populações (Fst = 0,088), mas com diferentes valores de riqueza (média = 2.566) e diversidade genética (média = 0.635) para todas as populações; o coeficiente de endogamia foi alto (Gis = 0.376). Estes dados podem ser resultado da ação de polinizadores e/ou dispersão de sementes eficientes, já que as populações são naturalmente fragmentadas. No capítulo 3, é estudada a biologia reprodutiva e morfologia floral de uma população de V. minarum, situada no Parque Estadual da Serra do Rola-Moça, Minas Gerais. Como resultado, foi possível identificar que a espécie possui floração de janeiro a março; com flores que duram dois dias; síndrome mista de polinização; sendo primariamente alógama, mas também tem capacidade para ser auto fecundada. Espera-se que dados obtidos nos capítulos 1, 2 e 3 sirvam como base para outros estudos com espécies de campos rupestres ferruginosos, já que até o presente momento, não é de nosso conhecimento a existência de registros de outras pesquisas feitas com espécies endêmicas do Quadrilátero Ferrífero, que busquem conciliar o entendimento da genética, com os dados da biologia reprodutiva, tendo como alvo a conservação da biodiversidade neste hábitat altamente ameaçado pela mineração. Torna-se crucial uma análise cuidadosa para a criação de novas áreas de proteção, para conservação das populações da espécie.

Os Fungos da família Nidulariaceae, ou “fungos ninho-de-pássaro”, apresentam basidiomas
em forma de vaso, com a superfície da parede lisa ou estriada longitudinalmente e
estruturas internas que se assemelham a pequenos ovos de pássaros dentro de um ninho, os
peridíolos. Dentre os cinco gêneros que compõem o grupo, o mais representativo é Cyathus
Haller: Pers. O Nordeste Brasileiro apresenta grande importância para a diversidade
mundial por conter um domínio fitoecológico único e exclusivamente brasileiro, a
Caatinga, o qual carece de atenção especial quanto aos macrofungos. Apesar do
crescimento gradual de conhecimento nos últimos anos, os estudos ainda são incipientes no
domínio Caatinga. Entre as suas diversas formações vegetais existem os Brejos de Altitude,
caracterizados como ilhas úmidas de vegetação perenifólia, solo de baixa fertilidade e
precipitação anual entre 900 – 1.300 mm. Este trabalho visou levantar a riqueza taxonômica
dos fungos nidulariáceos em áreas de Caatinga do Nordeste Brasileiro, descrevendo e
identificando espécies, bem como ampliando a coleção do herbário UFRN – Fungos. Para
descrição de fungos nidulariáceos seguiu-se a proposta em literaturas especializadas do
grupo. Foram encontradas e identificadas 10 espécies do gênero Cyathus, a saber: C. earlei
Lloyd, C. gayanus Tul. & C. Tul., C. gracilis H.J. Brodie, C. intermedius (Mont.) Tul. & C.
Tul., C. limbatus Tul. & C. Tul., C. montagnei Tul. & C. Tul., C. pallidus Berk. & M.A.
Curtis, C. poeppigii Tul. & C. Tul., C. striatus (Huds.) Willd. e C. tríplex Lloyd. Além
dessas foram descritas 4 novas espécies para a ciência: Cyathus calvescens R. Cruz &
Baseia sp. nov., C. hortum R. Cruz & Baseia sp. nov., C. magnomuralis R. Cruz & Baseia
sp. nov. e C. parvocinereus R. Cruz & Baseia sp. nov. Duas amostras foram identificadas
apenas a nível de gênero. Nenhum membro de Mycocalia J.T. Palmer, Nidula V.S. White,
Nidularia Fr. e Crucibulum Tul. & C. Tul. foi encontrado, contudo os resultados foram de
grande valia por ser um trabalho inédito na Caatinga e importante subsídio para aplicação
de projetos de conservação e utilização sustentável do domínio.

A família Entomobryidae é uma das mais diversas famílias de Collembola do Nordeste Brasileiro. Dados sobre sua diversidade podem ser considerados subestimados devido ao baixo esforço de coleta na região. No presente estudo, foram realizadas coletas em cinco localidades do Nordeste, nunca antes amostradas, objetivando avaliar a riqueza de espécies desta família. O estudo foi feito na Serra da Jibóia, município de Santa Teresinha, Bahia; Serra das Confusões, município de Caracol, Piauí; Chapada do Araripe, munícipio do Crato, Ceará; Mata do Pau-Ferro, município de Areia, Paraíba; e Parque Nacional de Ubajara, município de Ubajara, Ceará, todas consideradas áreas úmidas da Caatinga. As coletas foram feitas utilizando-se armadilhas de queda do tipo pitfall e aspiradores entomológicos. Todo o material coletado foi triado, montado em lâminas, identificado e, por fim, foram feitas as descrições de algumas das espécies novas encontradas. Um total de 48 espécies de Entomobryidae pertencentes a nove gêneros foram registradas e 27 destas são espécies novas para a ciência, o que representa um percentual de 56,25% do total. Um novo registro de espécie para o Brasil foi identificado e novos registros para os estados foram feitos. O gênero que possuiu distribuição mais ampla foi Seira, o único encontrado em todas as áreas e o mais representativo com o maior número de espécies registradas (26). Esse resultado já era esperado, pois indivíduos do gênero Seira possuem uma boa adaptabilidade a ambientes semi-áridos, fato que já foi comprovado em pesquisas anteriores. Sete novas espécies do gênero Seira foram descritas. Uma chave dicotômica de identificação dos gêneros e espécies de Seirini com ocorrência no Brasil, foi elaborada. Este trabalho demonstrou o grande potencial de Entomobryidae e Seirini no Nordeste, visto que, apesar de ter sido realizado em áreas bem restritas, obteve resultados importantes para o conhecimento da fauna do grupo.

Collembola constitui um dos grupos mais abundantes e diversos de artrópodes terrestres, estando na base da cadeia alimentar e atuando no processo de decomposição. Possuem ampla distribuição no mundo e podem ser encontrados em praticamente todos os habitats. O conhecimento desta distinta fauna ainda é deficiente em território brasileiro, especialmente no semiárido. O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar quais as variáveis climáticas podem atuar como preditoras da riqueza de espécies, abundância de indivíduos e da estrutura composicional da taxocenose de Collembola ao longo de 12 meses em uma área semiárido dominada por vegetação de Caatinga, Nordeste brasileiro; e descrever novas espécies encontradas do gênero Seira, táxon mais diverso de Collembola no Brasil. As coletas foram realizadas em João Câmara, Rio Grande do Norte. Dez parcelas de 20 x 20 metros foram estabelecidas e os espécimes foram coletados com esforço de coleta de uma hora por pessoa utilizando um aspirador entomológico. A identificação e descrição das espécies foram realizadas através do estudo da morfologia e quetotaxia dos exemplares. Foi realizada uma análise de regressão múltipla entre a riqueza de espécies e a abundância de indivíduos com as variáveis climáticas. Foi coletado um total de 1231 indivíduos, distribuídos em 15 espécies, 12 gêneros e nove famílias. As maiores riqueza e abundância de Collembola foram encontradas durante a estação chuvosa. O gênero Seira foi o mais abundante. A precipitação explicou variação temporal da riqueza de espécies e abundância de Collembola no semiárido, o que condiz com a biologia desses animais. As populações de Collembola apresentaram distribuição agrupada. Três espécies novas de Seira foram descritas e ilustradas e todas apresentam semelhanças com espécies já registradas em território nacional.

O gênero Herpsilochmus é composto principalmente por espécies crípticas, entre elas está Herpsilochmus rufimarginatus, que atualmente é representado por quatro subespécies: H. r.
rufimarginatus, H. r. frater, H. r. scapularis e H. r. exiguus. Diferenças na plumagem e vocalização sugerem que existam mais de uma espécie envolvida nesse complexo. Sendo assim esse e outros táxons subespecíficos precisa de revisão urgente, a distribuição disjunta dessa espécie também possibilita inferir a relação entre essas aves que ocorrem em biomas e/ou centros de endemismos diferentes. Esse estudo tem como objetivo fazer a revisão taxonômica dos táxons hora incluídos no complexo Herpsilochmus rufimarginatus com base em caracteres morfológicos, morfométricos, vocais e distribuição geográfica dessa ave. Além criar modelos de distribuição potencial atual e fazer a reconstrução da distribuição pretérita usando modelagem de nicho ecológico, e testar o conservadorismo e divergência de nicho entre as diferentes subespécies. Foram realizadas consultas para exame das peles dos espécimes presentes nos museus: Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP), Museu Nacional (MN) e Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG), e as peles depositadas na Coleção de Ornitológica da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (COUFRN). Foram verificadas as seguintes medidas de comprimento dos espécimes: culmen exposto, culmen total e culmen narina, tarso, asa achatada e cauda. A análise vocal foi realizada com vocalizações de bancos digitais e/ou de bancos pessoas, onde foram mensurados 17 parâmetros vocais. Essas informações e mais as disponíveis em literatura serviram para montar um bando de dados sob o limite de distribuição dos táxons e gerar os modelos de nicho ecológico. As análises realizadas no programa Maxent, tendo como critério de seleção de modelo os valores de AUC, sendo os modelos que tiveram valores maiores que 0,80 são considerados bons modelos. Os dados ambientais para realização da modelagem foram baixados no site do WorldClim. As informações morfométricas, vocais e distribuição geográfica apontam para a para a separação desses táxons seja levando em consideração análises multivariadas e uni variadas. Os modelos de distribuição potencial tiveram bom desempenho (AUC > 0,80), sendo a sua distribuição associada a características ambientais da floresta Amazônica e Mata Atlântica (florestas do sul e sudeste, e floresta do nordeste). A reconstrução da distribuição aponta um possível contato entre a parte sul da Mata Atlântica com a parte norte da Amazônica. A análise de sobreposição de nicho apontou uma baixa sobreposição entre os táxons e as comparações entre modelo nulo e os gerados de sobreposição apontam provavelmente que ocorre conservadorismo de nicho. As informações sugerem que os táxons que ocorrem na Amazônia e Mata Atlântica representam três espécies distintas, sendo uma delas uma espécie não descrita.

A delimitação taxonômica ao nível de espécie em plantas não é uma tarefa fácil, devido ao grande polimorfismo dos vegetais. No presente trabalho objetivamos avaliar três morfotipos (formas) de Cryptanthus zonatus (Vis.) Beer (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioideae) descritos na literatura, lançando mão da biologia floral e fenologia, além da morfologia floral e anatomia foliar. As áreas de realização do estudo foram o Parque Estadual das Dunas de Natal e a Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural da Mata Estrela, no município de Baía Formosa Rio Grande do Norte (RN). Para o estudo fenológico foram feitas visitas mensais durante o período de um ano, onde foram feitas observações acerca das fenofases de floração e frutificação das populações das três formas de C. zonatus. Para biologia floral, procurou-se avaliar dados como: tipo de visitante floral, volume e concentração de néctar e horário de abertura e fechamento das flores. Flores das três formas foram coletadas em campo, analisadas ao estereomicroscópio e as medidas das peças foram feitas com a ajuda de um paquímetro. Cortes transversais e paradermais de folhas das três formas foram feitos, corados e posteriormente analisados ao microscópio ótico. Observações de cortes paradermais em microscópio eletrônico de varredura também foram feitas. Todos os dados mostraram não haver diferenças significativas entre as três formas. Desse modo, conclui-se que não há subsídios para o reconhecimento dos três morfotipos de C. zonatus como entidades taxonômicas, e que as ferramentas de fenologia, anatomia, biologia floral e morfologia floral não foram conclusivas para delimitar esses três morfotipos. Ainda visando caracterizar melhor a Flora de Bromeliaceae do RN, foi também estudada a anatomia foliar de Orthophytum disjunctum, uma espécie de um gênero irmão de Cryptanthus, apenas recentemente documentada no semiárido do RN. A comparação anatômica entre Cryptanthus e Orthophytum permitiu a separação dos gêneros com base na disposição dos estômatos e maior espessura do parênquima aquífero. Durante os trabalhos de campo, foi possível, ainda, documentar a primeira ocorrência de Aechmea muricata no RN, na RPPN Mata Estrela, auxiliando no entendimento da distribuição do táxon, que encontra-se ameaçado de extinção.