Phylogeography of Bombus morio and B. pauloensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Author(s)

Elaine Françoso

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB)
• Defense date: 2015-02-19

Examining board members

Maria Cristina Arias; Tiago Mauricio Francoy; Marco Antonio Del Lama; Isabel Alves dos Santos

• Advisor: Maria Cristina Arias

Abstract

Phylogeography is one of the most multidisciplinary fields in Biology and joins different areas such as phylogenetic systematics, population genetics, geology, paleogeographic and paleoclimatic models, demography, and conservation. Thus, besides comparative Phylogeography, I also present important results concerning the conservation of the species studied and the description of a cryptic species. Bombus morio and B. pauloensis are sympatric species, occupying a large area in two important Brazilian biomes, Atlantic forest and Brazilian savanna. Except for differences in dispersal, which is greater in B. morio, both species have similar behavior and ecological niches. The results obtained by molecular data and distribution models suggest that climatic oscillations in the late Pleistocene influenced the population structure of both species, and that a greater dispersal capacity was responsible for the absence of genetic structure in B. morio. Eastern São Paulo state, in which different phylogeographic breaks have been found for many organisms, seems to be complex and to have a new phylogeographic scenario. Furthermore, this region, because it is the center of genetic diversity for B. pauloensis and it was stable throughout periods of climatic change for both species, is a priority for their conservation (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/20548-2 - Phylogeography of B. morio and B. pauloensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
• Grantee: Elaine Aparecida Françoso
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)