Taxonomy and phylogeny from the subfamily Lithophylloideae in Brazil

• Grant number: 12/07109-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: September 22, 2012
• End date: January 21, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany
• Principal Investigator: Mariana Cabral de Oliveira
• Grantee: Beatriz Nogueira Torrano da Silva
• Supervisor: Rafael Riosmena Rodríguez
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, Mexico
• Associated to the scholarship: 10/19234-3 - Taxonomy and phylogeny from the subfamily Lithophylloideae in Brazil., BP.DR

Abstract

The calcareous marine algae are known as important structurers of the benthic manine habitat. Their study is in progress in Brazil and there are still many gaps to be investigated, since it´s a very peculiar group and Brazilian coast is so extense. The subfamily Lithophylloideae is interesting since it groups two very distinc genera in Brazil, one of them encrusting, Lithophyllum, and other that grows as geniculated arborescent morphologies, Amphiroa, represented by eight and six species, respectivelly. We will apply morphoanatomical and molecular approaches to investigate the taxonomy an phylogenetics from Lithophyllum and Amphiroa on the Brazilian coast.The study and working period at UABCS should provide to the student the oportunity on discussing various aspects on Corallinales, also on improving the envolved techniques and learning new ones. (AU)