Study of the samples of Heterotermes from University of Florida collection, and DNA sequences achievement from the h. tenuis complex (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

• Grant number: 13/20247-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: February 01, 2014
• End date: September 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Eliana Marques Cancello
• Grantee: Tiago Fernandes Carrijo
• Supervisor: Rudolf H. Scheffrahn
• Host Institution: Museu de Zoologia (MZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Florida, Gainesville (UF), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/03767-0 - Phylogeography of the Heterotermes tenuis (Hagen, 1858) species complex (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae), BP.PD

Abstract

The genus Heterotermes comprises 50 described species worldwide. Nine of these occur in the Neotropical region, including Heterotermes tenuis (Hagen, 1858) the species with the widest distribution: occurring from Southern Mexico to Northern Argentina, and the West Indies. The termite collection housed in the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, US (FTLD), is the most representative for the geographical distribution of H. tenuis, with samples from Caribbean Basin and South American Countries. However, many of their over 3,100 Heterotermes samples are not identified to species level. Thus, considering the importance of the FTLD collection for the development of my post-doctoral research (Phylogeographical analysis of the H. tenuis complex - Fapesp Process: 2013/03767-0), the main aim of this internship is to morphotype all Heterotermes samples for Dr. Scheffrahn and identify all samples of H. tenuis and other congenerics to species. During this time, I also intend to obtain the DNA sequences of the genes COI, COII and 16S rRNA from the widest geographic range of H. tenuis complex, and test the efficiency of the ITS1 + 5.8S + ITS2 genes. This internship research project will process near 50% of the overall samples that I will use for my post-doctoral project. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

DE MARTINI, FRANCESCA; COOTS, NICOLE L.; JASSO-SELLES, DANIEL E.; SHEVAT, JORDYN; RAVENSCRAFT, ALISON; STIBLIK, PETR; SOBOTNIK, JAN; SILLAM-DUSSES, DAVID; SCHEFFRAHN, RUDOLF H.; CARRIJO, TIAGO F.; et al. Biogeography and Independent Diversification in the Protist Symbiont Community of Heterotermes tenuis. FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, v. 9, MAR 19 2021. (13/20247-0, 13/03767-0)

SCHEFFRAHN, RUDOLF H.; CARRIJO, TIAGO F.; KRECEK, JAN; SU, NAN-YAO; SZALANSKI, ALLEN L.; AUSTIN, JAMES W.; CHASE, JAMES A.; MANGOLD, JOHN R.. A single endemic and three exotic species of the termite genus Coptotermes (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) in the New World. ARTHROPOD SYSTEMATICS & PHYLOGENY, v. 73, n. 2, p. 333-348, AUG 2015. (13/20247-0, 13/03767-0)

DE MARTINI, FRANCESCA; COOTS, NICOLE L.; JASSO-SELLES, DANIEL E.; SHEVAT, JORDYN; RAVENSCRAFT, ALISON; STIBLIK, PETR; SOBOTNIK, JAN; SILLAM-DUSSES, DAVID; SCHEFFRAHN, RUDOLF H.; CARRIJO, TIAGO F.; et al. Biogeography and Independent Diversification in the Protist Symbiont Community of Heterotermes tenuis. FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, v. 9, p. 16-pg., 2021-03-19. (13/03767-0, 13/20247-0)