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Phylogeny and phylogeography of Monogenoidea (Platyhelminthes: Cercomeromorpha) parasites of Potamotrygonidae (Condrichthyes: Rajiformes: Myliobatoidei)

Grant number: 05/01299-3
Support Opportunities:Regular Research Grants
Duration: December 01, 2005 - February 28, 2009
Field of knowledge:Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
Principal Investigator:Fernando Portella de Luna Marques
Grantee:Fernando Portella de Luna Marques
Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Among the groups of Neotropical freshwater fishes of marine origin, there is a unique group of elasmobranchs taxonomically included within the family Potamotrygonidae. Members of Potamotrygonidae represent the only elasmobranchs exclusively restricted to freshwater; although they belong to a large group of rays predominantly marine (Myliobatiformes) of which some members occasionally invade brackish water environments. Morphological end molecular evidences suggest that the family Potamotrygonidae is a monophyletic taxon, sister group of amphi-Americam member of Himantura, and possibly derived from a Caribbean marine ancestor via marine incursion to the Paleo-Amazon-Orinoco during the Miocene. The complex origin of potamotrygonids resulted in a parasite fauna represented by groups predominantly marine and others endemic to freshwater. This makes this system an interesting model to study historical associations among parasites, hosts, and biogeographical areas. The parasite fauna inhabiting potamotrygonids is poorly known and the processes responsible for the patterns of diversification of these organisms depend still on the description of the diversity of parasites associated with potamotrygonid. Although recent studies have documented the cestode fauna of potamotrygonids, other groups have never been addressed satisfactorily. In addition, even the diversity of potamotrygonids themselves lack taxonomic treatment; for some nominal species persist without unambiguous definition. That is particularly true for species with widespread distribution. This proposal attempts to contribute to our present understanding of this host/parasite complex focusing on the diversity of a group of parasites for which to date only two nominal species are known and on the definition of the limits of a host species that lacks unequivocal definition. Within this framework, the objectives of this research proposal are: (1) to describe the diversity of Monogenoidea parasites of Potamotrygonidae using morphological and molecular data; (2) to propose a phylogenetic hypothesis of this group of parasites based on total evidence (i.e., simultaneous phylogenetic analysis of morphological and molecular data); (3) to characterize the components and the historical structure of the parasite fauna of monogenoids of Potamotrygon orbignyi from different hydrographic basins; (4) to erect a phylogeographic hypothesis for P. orbignyi based on molecular data; and (5) to elucidate the coevolutionay and biogeographical processes responsible for the diversification patterns of this host/parasite system in different temporal scales (i.e., biogeographic and phylogenographic). (AU)

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Scientific publications (14)
(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)
PEPATO, ALMIR R.; DA ROCHA, CARLOS E. F.; DUNLOP, JASON A.. Phylogenetic position of the acariform mites: sensitivity to homology assessment under total evidence. BMC Evolutionary Biology, v. 10, . (05/03458-1, 03/10335-8, 08/06604-7, 05/01299-3, 04/09961-4)
DOMINGUES, M. V.; MARQUES, F. P. L.. Phylogeny and taxonomy of Potamotrygonocotyle Mayes, Brooks & Thorson, 1981 (Monogenoidea: Monocotylidae) with a description of four new species. JOURNAL OF HELMINTHOLOGY, v. 85, n. 4, p. 353-380, . (05/01299-3)
DA SILVA, JOAO PAULO C. B.; DE CARVALHO, MARCELO R.. A taxonomic and morphological redescription of Potamotrygon falkneri Castex & Maciel, 1963 (Chondrichthyes: Myliobatiformes: Potamotrygonidae). Neotropical Ichthyology, v. 9, n. 1, p. 209-232, . (05/01299-3, 02/06459-0, 08/09436-8)
LOVEJOY, NATHAN R.; LESTER, KRISTIE; CRAMPTON, WILLIAM G. R.; MARQUES, FERNANDO P. L.; ALBERT, JAMES S.. Phylogeny, biogeography, and electric signal evolution of Neotropical knifefishes of the genus Gymnotus (Osteichthyes: Gymnotidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, v. 54, n. 1, p. 278-290, . (03/10335-8, 05/01299-3, 04/09961-4)
FONTENELLE, JOAO PEDRO; LOVEJOY, NATHAN R.; KOLMANN, MATTHEW A.; MARQUES, FERNANDO P. L.. Molecular phylogeny for the Neotropical freshwater stingrays (Myliobatiformes: Potamotrygoninae) reveals limitations of traditional taxonomy. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. 134, n. 2, p. 381-401, . (08/09436-8, 11/12249-8, 05/01299-3)
FONTENELLE, JOAO PEDRO; PORTELLA LUNA MARQUES, FERNANDO; KOLMANN, MATTHEW A.; LOVEJOY, NATHAN R.. Biogeography of the neotropical freshwater stingrays (Myliobatiformes: Potamotrygoninae) reveals effects of continent-scale paleogeographic change and drainage evolution. Journal of Biogeography, v. 48, n. 6, . (08/09436-8, 11/12249-8, 05/01299-3)

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