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Novaes DR, Sujii PS, Rodrigues CA, Silva KMNB, Machado AFP, Inoue-Nagata AK, Nakasu EYT, Togni PHB. Natural habitat connectivity and organic management modulate pest dispersal, gene flow, and natural enemy communities. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2938. [PMID: 38071736 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The simplification and fragmentation of agricultural landscapes generate effects on insects at multiple spatial scales. As each functional group perceives and uses the habitat differently, the response of pest insects and their associated natural enemies to environmental changes varies. Therefore, landscape structure may have consequences on gene flow among pest populations in space. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of local and landscape factors, at multiple scales, on the local infestation, gene flow and broad dispersion dynamics of the pest insect Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM-1, former biotype B) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and its associated natural enemies in a tropical agroecosystem. We evaluated the abundance of B. tabaci populations and their natural enemy community in 20 tomato farms in Brazil and the gene flow between farms from 2019 to 2021. Landscapes dominated by agriculture resulted in larger B. tabaci populations and higher gene flow, especially in conventional farms. A higher density of native vegetation patches disfavored pest populations, regardless of the management system. The results revealed that whitefly responds to intermediate spatial scales and that landscape factors interact with management systems to modulate whitefly populations on focal farms. Conversely, whitefly natural enemies benefited from higher amounts of natural vegetation at small spatial scales, while the connectivity between natural habitat patches was beneficial for natural enemies regardless of the distance from the focal farm. The resulting dispersion model predicts that the movement of whiteflies between farms increases as the amount of natural vegetation decreases. Our findings demonstrate that landscape features, notably landscape configuration, can mediate infestation episodes, as they affect pest insects and natural enemies in opposite ways. We also showed that landscape features interact with farm traits, which highlights the need for management strategies at multiple spatial scales. In conclusion, we demonstrated the importance of the conservation of natural areas as a key strategy for area-wide ecological pest management and the relevance of organic farming to benefit natural enemy communities in tropical agroecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyelle R Novaes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Brazil
| | - Patricia S Sujii
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Brazil
- Centro de Ensino Unificado do Distrito Federal, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Camila A Rodrigues
- Instituto Federal Goiano, Goiânia, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Brazil
| | - Karen M N B Silva
- Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Brazil
| | - Amanda F P Machado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Brazil
| | - Alice K Inoue-Nagata
- Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Embrapa Hortaliças, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Erich Y T Nakasu
- Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Embrapa Hortaliças, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Pedro H B Togni
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Brazil
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2
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Enns D, Cunze S, Baker NJ, Oehlmann J, Jourdan J. Flushing away the future: The effects of wastewater treatment plants on aquatic invertebrates. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 243:120388. [PMID: 37517151 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are essential infrastructure in our developing world. However, with the development and release of novel entities and without modern upgrades, they are ineffective at fully removing micropollutants before treated effluents are released back into aquatic environments. Thus, WWTPs may represent additional point source impacts to freshwater environments, further pressuring aquatic fauna and already vulnerable insect communities. Previous studies - mostly focusing on single WWTPs - have shown general trends of freshwater invertebrate communities becoming dominated by pollution tolerant taxa. To expand on these findings, the current study is the first to comprehensively investigate data on the effects of 170 WWTPs on invertebrate taxonomic composition. We compared data for several diversity and pollution indices, as well as the taxonomic composition both upstream and downstream of the WWTPs (366 sampling sites). In terms of abundance, the three most frequent and negatively impacted orders were the Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Gastropoda, while the Turbellaria, Hirudinea and Crustacea increased in abundance. Although strong changes in community composition were observed between upstream and downstream sites (mean species turnover of 61%), commonly used diversity indices were not sensitive to these changes, highlighting their potential inadequacy in accurately assessing ecological health. Our results indicate that WWTPs change downstream conditions in favour of pollution tolerant taxa to the detriment of sensitive taxa. Order-level taxonomic responses can be informative but should be interpreted with caution, since they can be driven by a few taxa, or opposing responses of species in the same group can result in an overall low order-level response. Upgrading WWTPs via additional treatment steps or merging may be beneficial, provided upstream sections are unimpacted and/or are in a good chemical and structural condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Enns
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Hessen, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Sarah Cunze
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Department of Integrative Parasitology and Zoophysiology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nathan Jay Baker
- Nature Research Centre, Institute of Ecology, Akademijos Str. 2, LT-08412 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jörg Oehlmann
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Hessen, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jonas Jourdan
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Hessen, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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3
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Duffus NE, Echeverri A, Dempewolf L, Noriega JA, Furumo PR, Morimoto J. The Present and Future of Insect Biodiversity Conservation in the Neotropics: Policy Gaps and Recommendations. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 52:407-421. [PMID: 36918492 PMCID: PMC10181979 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-023-01031-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that insect populations may be declining at local and global scales, threatening the sustainability of the ecosystem services that insects provide. Insect declines are of particular concern in the Neotropics, which holds several of the world's hotspots of insect endemism and diversity. Conservation policies are one way to prevent and mitigate insect declines, yet these policies are usually biased toward vertebrate species. Here, we outline some key policy instruments for biodiversity conservation in the Neotropics and discuss their potential contribution and shortcomings for insect biodiversity conservation. These include species-specific action policies, protected areas and Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs), sectoral policies, biodiversity offsetting, market-based mechanisms, and the international policy instruments that underpin these efforts. We highlight that although these policies can potentially benefit insect biodiversity indirectly, there are avenues in which we could better incorporate the specific needs of insects into policy to mitigate the declines mentioned above. We propose several areas of improvement. Firstly, evaluating the extinction risk of more Neotropical insects to better target at-risk species with species-specific policies and conserve their habitats within area-based interventions. Secondly, alternative pest control methods and enhanced monitoring of insects in a range of land-based production sectors. Thirdly, incorporating measurable and achievable insect conservation targets into international policies and conventions. Finally, we emphasise the important roles of community engagement and enhanced public awareness in achieving these improvements to insect conservation policies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alejandra Echeverri
- Centre for Conservation Biology, Dept of Biology, Stanford Univ, CA, Stanford, USA
- The Natural Capital Project, Stanford Univ, CA, Stanford, USA
| | - Lena Dempewolf
- Ministry of Planning and Development, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Jorge Ari Noriega
- Grupo Agua, Salud y Ambiente, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paul R Furumo
- Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford Univ, Stanford, USA
| | - Juliano Morimoto
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ecologia E Conservação, Univ Federal Do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Institute of Mathematics, Univ of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen, Scotland
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Barahona-Segovia RM, González CR, Pañinao-Monsálvez L. Citizen Science Meet South American Tachinids: New Records of Feather-Legged Fly Trichopoda (Galactomyia) pictipennis Bigot (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Chile. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 52:227-239. [PMID: 35737226 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-022-00979-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The species of Gymnosomatini (Diptera: Tachinidae) are specialized to attack stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Some of these flies, such as those in the genus Trichopoda Berthold, are conspicuous and represent target species to study with citizen science. Here we report for the first time the distribution range of T. (Galactomyia) pictipennis Bigot, a newly introduced biological control species of tachinid for use against stink bugs in Chile using data obtained through the citizen science method. Additionally, we update the distribution of T. arcuata (Bigot), a native biological control species of tachinid, and assess the grade of overlap between the flies and their main stink bug hosts. We obtained data regarding the occurrence of flies and stink bugs from the citizen science program "Moscas Florícolas de Chile," from Facebook groups, and from iNaturalist. We standardized our data to avoid temporal, spatial, and geographic biases. We report the extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) for each fly and stink bug species. The EOOs for T. pictipennis and T. arcuata are 85,474 km2 and 20,647 km2 through central Chile ecosystems, respectively. The EOO of T. arcuata is overlapped by 53% with the introduced species. Trichopoda pictipennis has a high percentage of overlap with the EOO of Nezara viridula Linnaeus (61%), whereas T. arcuata has low percentages of overlap with different native Acledra species and with N. viridula. We discuss the potential of citizen science to detect (1) areas with higher diversity or gaps of occurrences, (2) new biological control agents, (3) prey records, (4) negative impacts on non-target species, (5) changes in composition at long-term, and (6) areas to promote conservation biological control in agricultural landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo M Barahona-Segovia
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Biodiversidad, Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno, Chile.
- Moscas Florícolas de Chile Citizen Science Program, Valdivia, Chile.
| | - Christian R González
- Instituto de Entomología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de La Educación, Santiago de Chile, Chile
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Hassenbach C, Buchner L, Haug GT, Haug C, Haug JT. An Expanded View on the Morphological Diversity of Long-Nosed Antlion Larvae Further Supports a Decline of Silky Lacewings in the Past 100 Million Years. INSECTS 2023; 14:170. [PMID: 36835743 PMCID: PMC9966087 DOI: 10.3390/insects14020170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Lacewings have been suggested to be a relict group. This means that the group of lacewings, Neuroptera, should have been more diverse in the past, which also applies to many ingroups of Neuroptera. Psychopsidae, the group of silky lacewings, is one of the ingroups of Neuroptera which is relatively species-poor in the modern fauna. Larvae of the group Psychopsidae, long-nosed antlions, can be easily identified as such in being larvae of antlion-like lacewings without teeth in their stylets (=compound structure of mandible and maxilla), with empodia (=attachment structures on legs) and with a prominent forward-protruding labrum. Therefore, such larvae can also be recognised in the fossil record. An earlier study demonstrated a decline in the morphological diversity of long-nosed antlion larvae over the past 100 million years. Here, we report several dozen new long-nosed antlion larvae and expand the earlier quantitative study. Our results further corroborate the decline of silky lacewings. Yet, a lack of an indication of saturation indicates that we have still not approached the original diversity of long-nosed antlions in the Cretaceous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Hassenbach
- Faculty of Biology, Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Laura Buchner
- Faculty of Biology, Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Gideon T. Haug
- Faculty of Biology, Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Carolin Haug
- Faculty of Biology, Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- GeoBio-Center at LMU, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany
| | - Joachim T. Haug
- Faculty of Biology, Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- GeoBio-Center at LMU, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany
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Gigliotti MS, Togni PHB, Frizzas MR. Attractiveness of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) to faeces from native mammals in different trophic guilds. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Soares Gigliotti
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília (UnB) Brasília Federal District Brazil
| | - Pedro Henrique Brum Togni
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília (UnB) Brasília Federal District Brazil
| | - Marina Regina Frizzas
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília (UnB) Brasília Federal District Brazil
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Schneider DI, Sujii ER, Laumann RA, Tidon R. Parasitoids of Drosophilids in the Brazilian Savanna: Spatial-temporal Distribution and Host Associations with Native and Exotic Species. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 51:514-525. [PMID: 35680780 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-022-00966-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Host-parasitoid interactions may have a relevant role not only in ecological processes but also in human procedures such as biological control and the management of invasive species. Although the Drosophila-parasitoid system has been widely used for investigating all aspects of host-parasitoid relationships, it is still poorly understood in tropical areas. Here, we investigate the richness, spatial-temporal distribution, and host associations of parasitoids attacking drosophilid flies in the core region of the Brazilian Savanna, a hotspot of biodiversity. Using different methods, we collected wasps on several occasions over 7 years and found 13 species representing families associated with drosophilid larvae (Figitidae, Braconidae) and pupae (Pteromalidae, Eurytomidae, Dipriidae). The dominant species infesting larvae and pupae were Dicerataspis grenadensis Ashmead and Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani), respectively. Spalangia simplex Perkins was recorded for the first time in the Brazilian Savanna. Although our study was not designed to evaluate collection methods, we observed that they captured different subsets of the wasp community. The spatiotemporal distribution of wasps followed those of drosophilids: they were more abundant in forests and during the rainy season, suggesting that the abundance of hosts, especially native drosophilids, is an important factor determining the assemblage structure and population dynamics of parasitoids. Common parasitoids and drosophilids were associated with more than one host/antagonist species, suggesting that caution should be used for the selection of biological control agents. This study confirms the role and relevance of natural vegetation in preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services, especially in a biome severely threatened by agricultural expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dariane Isabel Schneider
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Univ de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Edison Ryoiti Sujii
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Univ de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Raul Alberto Laumann
- Lab de Semioquímicos, Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Rosana Tidon
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Univ de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
- Depto de Genética e Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Univ de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Honeybee Cognition as a Tool for Scientific Engagement. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12090842. [PMID: 34564282 PMCID: PMC8471026 DOI: 10.3390/insects12090842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Global scientific literacy can be improved through widespread and effective community engagement by researchers. We propose honeybees (Apis mellifera) as a public engagement tool due to widespread awareness of colony collapse and the bees’ importance in food production. Moreover, their cognitive abilities make for engaging experiments. Their relative ease of cultivation means that studies can be performed cost-effectively, especially when partnering with local apiarists. Using a proxy for honeybee learning, a group of non-specialist high-school-aged participants obtained data suggesting that caffeine, but not dopamine, improved learning. This hands-on experience facilitated student understanding of the scientific method, factors that shape learning and the importance of learning for colony health. Abstract Apis mellifera (honeybees) are a well-established model for the study of learning and cognition. A robust conditioning protocol, the olfactory conditioning of the proboscis extension response (PER), provides a powerful but straightforward method to examine the impact of varying stimuli on learning performance. Herein, we provide a protocol that leverages PER for classroom-based community or student engagement. Specifically, we detail how a class of high school students, as part of the Ryukyu Girls Outreach Program, examined the effects of caffeine and dopamine on learning performance in honeybees. Using a modified version of the PER conditioning protocol, they demonstrated that caffeine, but not dopamine, significantly reduced the number of trials required for a successful conditioning response. In addition to providing an engaging and educational scientific activity, it could be employed, with careful oversight, to garner considerable reliable data examining the effects of varying stimuli on honeybee learning.
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Miranda de Sousa MDS, de Deus E, Lima AL, Ramos de Jesus C, Vilar da Costa Neto S, do Nascimento Lemos L, Mendes Malhado AC, Ladle RJ, Adaime R. Spondias mombin as a reservoir of fruit fly parasitoid populations in the Eastern Amazon: an undervalued ecosystem service. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11530. [PMID: 34141484 PMCID: PMC8183428 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Fruit flies are economically important pests that infest a wide variety of host trees. The environmental damage caused by traditional pesticide-based control methods has prompted scientists to seek less damaging alternatives such as biological control by native species. Parasitoids, especially Braconidae species, have excellent potential as biological control agents for fruit flies, being both generalists and well distributed geographically. Native fruit trees that support medium or high levels of these parasitoids could therefore play an important role in biological control strategies. A good potential example is Spondias mombin L. in the Brazilian Amazon, which hosts several species of fruit flies and associated parasitoids. Here, we provide a unique synthesis of over nearly two decades of data from the east Amazon, clearly demonstrating the potential of S. mombin to act as a source and reservoir of fruit fly parasitoids. This important ecosystem service (biological control) provided by the parasitoids and supported by S. mombin could be further enhanced through conservation of this plant species in its natural environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Richard J Ladle
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.,Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Adaime
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Embrapa Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
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