Evolutionary relationships in the genus Lebiasina (Characiformes, Lebiasinidae), with emphasis in Lebiasina minuta

• Grant number: 20/03046-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2021
• End date: December 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo de Bello Cioffi
• Grantee: Priscila Polaquini de Macedo Leite
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Lebiasinidae family (Teleostei, Characiformes) has approximately 74 valid species of Neotropical freshwater fishes, that in general present a very small body size varying from 1.6 to a maximum of 20 cm length. However, this family still lacks studies in a cytogenetics point of view. In the genus Lebiasina, the diploid number are conserved in all the species analyzed till this moment, with 2n = 36 chromosomes. Still, only one of the three species of the genus Lebiasina located in Brazil - L. melanoguttata - has been cytogenetically analyzed. Thus, this project aims to study the species Lebiasina minuta, contributing for a better knowledge about the evolutionary processes occurred particularly in the chromosomal diversification of genus Lebiasina in contrast with others Lebisanidae analyzed so far. In this way, it will be used chromosomal markers from classical cytogenetic analysis, chromosomal banding and molecular cytogenetics with mapping of different classes of repetitive DNAs and chromosomal painting (WCP). Results to be obtained with representatives of this species will be unprecedented and will add information to ongoing studies along with other genera of this family. This project will not only contribute to a solid scientific formation of the student but also enhance the chromosomal knowledge in chromosomal organization and genomics of the focused group, as well as its evolutive relations with other representatives of our ichthyofauna.