Morphology, systematics, chemistry and behaviors related to glands and chemoreceptors in laniatorid harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones)

• Grant number: 15/01518-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2015
• End date: May 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Hirata Willemart
• Grantee: Rodrigo Hirata Willemart
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Chemoreception is a sensory modality used by many species of vertebrates and invertebrates, but not well understood in several groups such as harvestmen (Opiliones, Arachnida). Recent studies have shown that not only contact chemoreception but also olfaction is important, but there are no olfactory receptors described, no extensive behavioral study on olfaction, and no studies on the evolution of chemoreceptive sensilla. From the receptor point of view, there are no studies on the role of cuticular chemicals in intra-specific interactions, only a single description of the internal anatomy of a sexually dimorphic gland in the largest suborder of Opiliones (Laniatores), and only one study on the evolution of glands excepting the repugnatorial glands. We intend to explore these topics with an umbrella project that includes 9 sub-projects, the participation of 7 Master students and 10 collaborators from other laboratories, of which 8 are professors and 7 are from outside Brazil. We will conduct behavioral experiments in the laboratory, morphological studies on the internal and external anatomy of sensilla and glands, chemical analyses with Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry of cuticular chemicals and phylogenetical analyses sampling all the families in Laniatores for sensilla and some groups of Laniatores for sexually dimorphic glands. This project will contribute to train 7 graduate students, to narrow the relationship with collaborators in other universities and should result in 9 papers. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(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)

SEGOVIA, JULIO M. G.; NECO, LUCIA C.; WILLEMART, RODRIGO H.. On the habitat use of the Neotropical whip spider Charinus asturius (Arachnida: Amblypygi). Zoologia, v. 35, 2018. (14/19191-3, 15/01518-9)

GAINETT, GUILHERME; SHARMA, PRASHANT P.; FERNANDES, NATHALIA; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; GIRIBET, GONZALO; WILLEMART, RODRIGO HIRATA. Evolution of a sensory cluster on the legs of Opiliones (Arachnida) informs multi-level phylogenetic relationships. ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, v. 187, n. 1, p. 143-165, SEP 2019. (10/00915-0, 13/23189-1, 13/50297-0, 14/07671-0, 15/01518-9)

SILVA, M. S.; WILLEMART, R. H.; CARBAYO, F.. Sticky flatworms (Platyhelminthes) kill armored harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) but are not immune to the preys weapons. JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, v. 306, n. 2, p. 88-94, OCT 2018. (15/01518-9, 16/18295-5)

SEGOVIA, JULIO M. G.; NECO, LUCIA C.; WILLEMART, RODRIGO H.. On the habitat use of the Neotropical whip spider Charinus asturius (Arachnida: Amblypygi). ZOOLOGIA, v. 35, p. 6-pg., 2018-01-01. (15/01518-9, 14/19191-3)

PAGOTI, GUILHERME FERREIRA; GOMES VILLALBA PENAFLOR, MARIA FERNANDA; MARABESI, MAURO ALEXANDRE; SIMOES BENTO, JOSE MAURICIO; WILLEMART, RODRIGO HIRATA. Proximate factors and potential benefits influencing selection of Psychotria suterella for shelter by the harvestman Jussara spec.. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, v. 163, n. 2, p. 241-250, MAY 2017. (10/00915-0, 15/01518-9, 08/57701-2)