Rediscovering Prof. Ernst Marcus: use of integrative morphology in the redescription of species of the genus Aeolosoma (Polychaeta, Aeolosomatidae, incertae sedis) from original material found at the USP Zoology Museum

• Grant number: 19/14802-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2020
• End date: December 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: André Rinaldo Senna Garraffoni
• Grantee: Nathan Drumov Gonçalves Simioni
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Polychaetes represent the most diverse group within Annelida species with 17000 species, which the majority occur in marine environment and only 2% live in freshwater or terrestrial ones. Among these freshwater taxa, Aeolosomatidae is one of the most specious and can be found on virtually every continent. This group was originally described as belonging to the Oligochaeta and recently was reclassified within the Polychaeta, but as a taxa incertae sedis. Such uncertainty may be due to the fact that most descriptions were done long time ago, are succinct, and always no aelosomatids type materials were deposited in the museuns. In the 40's, Prof. Ernst Marcus pioneered in Aeolosomatidae studies and sampled many localities in the state of São Paulo. His research yielded the description of four new species, all still valid, and recorded another six originally described from Asia and Europe. The challenge of exploring diversity requires a broad basic knowledge and detailed information on the morphological variations of specimens. To overcome these challenges, the use of modern technologies for integrated studies of external and internal morphological structure is high recommended. Thus, in order to increase the knowledge about the freshwater polychaetes, we aim to redescribe the species Aeolosoma evelinae, Aeolosoma gertae and Aeolosoma sawayai, based on the original material used by Prof. Ernst Marcus and recently found in the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo (MZUSP). To achieve this goal, we will use optical microscopy with Differential Interference Contrast and Scanning Electron Microscopy. We will also perform 3D reconstruction of the animals based on serial sections contained in the slides.