Unraveling the biodiversity and phylogeny of Ergasilidae in Brazil (Cyclopoida: Copepoda) through integrative analyses of parasitic and free-living species and specimens

• Grant number: 25/01633-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Gilmar Perbiche Neves
• Grantee: Rodrigo Bravin Narciso
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Ergasilidae is one of the most important families of parasitic copepods in fish. They have the ability to cause severe damage to their hosts' organs, and their attachment can lead to an increase in host population mortality rates. Brazil holds the greatest biodiversity of this taxon worldwide, with 77 species and 19 genera. Despite its importance, knowledge about Ergasilidae in Brazil is still very limited. Less than 10% of Brazilian fish species have been investigated regarding their parasitic copepod fauna. Genetic data are even scarcer, as only three Brazilian species have available gene sequences. Moreover, little is known about the free-living stages of this group, making it impossible to determine the actual taxonomic value of these stages for species identification and for defining phylogenetic relationships within the family.Here, we aim to expand knowledge about this taxon in Brazil through an inventory of free-living and parasitic specimens collected from various locations across the country. Sequences of nuclear ribosomal genes (18S and 28S) and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) will be obtained for all known species from inland waters. These sequences will also be used to establish correspondences between different life cycle stages of ergasilids and, ultimately, to formulate a phylogenetic hypothesis for the group. Identification keys will be developed, including one specifically for free-living stages. The results will be presented at international conferences and published in high-impact scientific journals.