Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: JOSI SILVA DE FRANÇA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : JOSI SILVA DE FRANÇA
DATE: 24/03/2026
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: Google Meet
TITLE:

DIVERSITY AND TAXONOMY OF COLLEMBOLA IN A REMNANT OF THE ATLANTIC FOREST IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

KEY WORDS:

bioindicators; springtails; soil ecology; Neotropical Region; soil fauna.

PAGES: 114
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUBÁREA: Ecologia de Ecossistemas
SUMMARY:

Collembola represent a group of small arthropods found mainly in soil environments. Their local diversity is influenced by different environmental conditions, making them excellent models for ecological studies, especially in severely degraded ecosystems. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the taxonomic diversity of Collembola and seasonality, local abiotic and biotic factors, and urbanization in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, as well as to provide an inventory of the sampled fauna and describe a new species discovered during the study. The samples were collected over a two-year period, with two samplings during the dry season and two samplings during the rainy season. Specimens were collected using pitfall traps, morphotyped, quantified, and identified with the aid of specialized literature. The description of a new species of Rhynchocyrtus Mendonça & Fernandeswas performed using a Leica optical microscope. In Chapter 1,we evaluated the relationship between biotic and abiotic parameters and Collembola diversity in three distinct environments within the Dunas do Natal State Park: forest, urban environment, and dunes. The dunes area showed lower α and β diversity, with a dominance of a single taxon due to adverse local conditions. In contrast, the urban environment showed higher β diversity and α diversity values similar to the forested area. Our results suggest that local environmental factors and habitat heterogeneity influence the composition and density of Collembolain the sampled areas. In Chapter 2, we described the second species of Rhynchocyrtus, a genus endemic to Brazil. Rhynchocyrtus cleideae sp. nov. is distinguished from R. klausi Mendonça & Fernandes by the body coloration pattern, with Th II laterally pigmented (Th II to Abd II in R. klausi), Abd III with a lateral spot (absent in R. klausi), and Abd II with a transversal band (lateral spot in R. klausi); 3 macrochaetes in the A series of the head (5 in R. klausi); maxilla with 1 sickle-shaped tooth and two lamellae, being the distal lamella apically rounded (2 teeth, 3 lamellae and posterior lamellar oval in R. klausi); anterior side of the collophore with about 16 ciliated setae (15 in R. klausi); manubrial plate with 4–5 setae (7–8 in R. klausi) Finally, we describe the mitogenome of this species and, for the first time, assess the phylogenetic placement of the genus within Lepidocyrtinae. Our results suggest that Rhynchocyrtus constitutes an internal group of the subgenus Setogaster Salmon. Finally, this thesis contributes to local conservation and management strategies, as well as expanding knowledge of Collembola diversity in the Atlantic Forest, providing ecological, taxonomic, and phylogenetic data on the group.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Interno - 1879211 - BRUNO CAVALCANTE BELLINI
Externo à Instituição - CLÉCIO DANILO DIAS DA SILVA - UFRN
Externo à Instituição - RUDY CAMILO NUNES - IFPI