Refining Phylogenetic Relationships in Grammostolini: Assessing Incongruence, Hybridization, and Introgression by UCE-based phylogenomics

• Grant number: 24/20480-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: March 10, 2025
• End date: September 10, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: José Paulo Leite Guadanucci
• Grantee: Tiago Belintani
• Supervisor: Chris Hamilton
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Idaho, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/15240-9 - Evolution of tarantulas of the tribes Hapalopini and Grammostolini (Mygalomorphae Theraphosidae) and their diversification processes in the Neotropics., BP.PD

Abstract

The infraorder Mygalomorphae, one of the three primary spider lineages, includes diverse species like tarantulas and trapdoor spiders. Comprising around 3,000 species across 31 families, the Theraphosidae family is notably diverse. Within this family, the Theraphosinae subfamily, with over 500 species, is distributed throughout tropical regions in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and parts of North America. Despite recent advances in species descriptions, understanding phylogenetic relationships within Theraphosinae remains limited. Many species are grouped by morphological similarities, which can obscure true evolutionary relationships, underscoring the need for comprehensive investigations with modern phylogenomic tools. Currently, three tribes-Grammostolini, Hapalopini, and Theraphosini-are recognized. Studies suggest Grammostolini and Hapalopini may share a closer relationship than with Theraphosini, though relationships within the subfamily remain unresolved. The objectives are: (1) Train me in UCE library construction and DNA extraction; (2) Enhance my bioinformatics skills; and (3) Sequence UCE library. Practical training will be essential to enhance research capabilities and address phylogenetic challenges of Neotropical tarantulas. Through UCE-based analyses, we aim to clarify phylogenetic relationships within Theraphosinae, particularly in the Grammostolini tribe. Preliminary findings suggest a complex evolutionary history, likely influenced by hybridization, introgression, and other factors. This project will contribute to the understanding of Neotropical spider relationships and enable knowledge transfer to support advanced phylogenomic research in Brazil, especially at the Laboratory of Arachnology in Rio Claro (LARC/UNESP).