Identification and asexual reproduction of Actiniarian species (Cnidaria; Anthozoaria; Hexacorallia) with less than 3 cm of the North Coast of São Paulo

• Grant number: 18/07219-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Sérgio Nascimento Stampar
• Grantee: Maria Angélica Doéring Soares
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Few species of Anthozoaria, specially with small polyps, were discovered and identified in Brazil. This observation is very important because it suggest that there are still many species to be identified and studied. A small number of projects were performed on Actiniaria in Brazil, so few species have been recorded and information on the behavior and systematics of this group is scarce. A better understanding of these species is fundamental for phylogenetic comparisons and other evolutionary approaches. The present project aims to identify small species of Actiniaria of the North Coast of the São Paulo State, besides recognizing the process of asexual reproduction of each one of these species. In this way, morphological analyzes with the description of the anatomical structure of the polyps, obtaining of DNA sequences and study of the cnidomas will be realized. The description of the reproductive behavior will be based on observations and photos of individuals of each species that will be separated in culture plates and kept in the laboratory.