First record of Eumops glaucinus (Wager, 1843) (Chiroptera, Molossidae) to the Brazilian state of Maranhão

The study provides the first record of Eumops glaucinus in the Maranhão state, located in the northern region of Brazil. The collected specimen was a non-lactating adult female, with grayish pelage, broad ears, smooth face, a well-developed and squarish tragus, and elongated snout. The combined analysis of the morphological and molecular data (COI, Cyt b, and rRNA 16S genes) confirmed the occurrence of E. glaucinus in the state of Maranhão. This record extends the known species range area by 660 km easternward from the closest locality, Belém, Pará.(AU)

Litomosoides brasiliensis (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) infecting chiropterans in the Legal Amazon region, Brazil / Litomosoides brasiliensis (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) em morcegos na Amazônia Legal, Brasil

Chiropterans play an important role in the maintenance of the environmental balance, since they are pollinators, seed dispersers and predators. They contribute to transmission and spreading of microorganisms such as helminths, fungi, protozoa, bacteria and virus. The aim of the present study was to investigate natural filariid infection among bats in the Legal Amazon region, Brazil, by means of parasitological and molecular analyses. Blood samples were collected from 82 bats for blood smears and for DNA extraction via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Microfilariae were observed in blood smears from Carollia perspicillata (2), Artibeus lituratus (1), Artibeus fimbriatus (2), Dermanura gnoma (2) and Glossophaga soricina (1). Five positive samples were detected through the PCR assay and four of these were also positive in blood smears. From genome sequencing and comparative analysis with sequences deposited in GenBank, one sample showed 99.31% similarity to the species Litomosoides brasiliensis. The present study expands the geographical distribution of L. brasiliensis, to include the state of Maranhão as an area of occurrence of this species and includes D. gnoma and A. fimbriatus as hosts in Brazil.(AU)

Os quirópteros desempenham um papel importante na manutenção do equilíbrio ambiental, pois são polinizadores, dispersores de sementes e predadores. Contribuem para a transmissão e disseminação de microrganismos, como helmintos, fungos, protozoários, bactérias e vírus. O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a infecção natural por filariídeos em morcegos na região da Amazônia Legal, Brasil, por meio de análises parasitológicas e moleculares. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas de 82 morcegos para confecção de esfregaços e para extração de DNA para a Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR). Microfilárias foram observadas em esfregaços sanguíneos de Carollia perspicillata (2), Artibeus lituratus (1), Artibeus fimbriatus (2), Dermanura gnoma (2) e Glossophaga soricina (1). Cinco amostras positivas foram detectadas por meio do ensaio de PCR, e quatro destas também foram positivas em esfregaços de sangue. A partir do sequenciamento do genoma e análise comparativa com sequências depositadas no GenBank, uma amostra apresentou 99,31% de similaridade com a espécie Litomosoides brasiliensis. O presente estudo expande a distribuição geográfica de L. brasiliensis, abrangendo o estado do Maranhão como área de ocorrência desta espécie, e inclui D. gnoma e A. fimbriatus como hospedeiros no Brasil.(AU)

Occurrence of Sturnira tildae De La Torre, 1959 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in the state of Maranhão, Brazil

Abstract The bat genus Sturnira is widely distributed in the Neotropical region, from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina, and four species occur in Brazil: Sturnira lilium, Sturnira giannae, Sturnira magna, and Sturnira tildae. The present study is the first to record Sturnira tildae in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, based on morphological and molecular diagnoses. The specimen was identified based on its cranial and morphometric traits. The diagnostic traits include discreetly bilobed inner upper incisors with a broad base, lower first and second molars with lingual cusps separated by shallow grooves, and forearm longer than 45 mm. The molecular sequences of Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) and 16S rRNA genes confirmed the morphological identification and thus the occurrence of Sturnira tildae in the Amazon biome of Maranhão. This record represents an eastward extension of the known distribution of the species in the Amazonia, to Cândido Mendes, Maranhão, within an area dominated by dense rainforest and influenced by tides.

Occurrence of Sturnira tildae De La Torre, 1959 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in the state of Maranhão, Brazil

Abstract The bat genus Sturnira is widely distributed in the Neotropical region, from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina, and four species occur in Brazil: Sturnira lilium, Sturnira giannae, Sturnira magna, and Sturnira tildae. The present study is the first to record Sturnira tildae in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, based on morphological and molecular diagnoses. The specimen was identified based on its cranial and morphometric traits. The diagnostic traits include discreetly bilobed inner upper incisors with a broad base, lower first and second molars with lingual cusps separated by shallow grooves, and forearm longer than 45 mm. The molecular sequences of Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) and 16S rRNA genes confirmed the morphological identification and thus the occurrence of Sturnira tildae in the Amazon biome of Maranhão. This record represents an eastward extension of the known distribution of the species in the Amazonia, to Cândido Mendes, Maranhão, within an area dominated by dense rainforest and influenced by tides.

Occurrence of Sturnira tildae De La Torre, 1959 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in the state of Maranhão, Brazil

The bat genus Sturnira is widely distributed in the Neotropical region, from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina, and four species occur in Brazil: Sturnira lilium, Sturnira giannae, Sturnira magna, and Sturnira tildae. The present study is the first to record Sturnira tildae in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, based on morphological and molecular diagnoses. The specimen was identified based on its cranial and morphometric traits. The diagnostic traits include discreetly bilobed inner upper incisors with a broad base, lower first and second molars with lingual cusps separated by shallow grooves, and forearm longer than 45 mm. The molecular sequences of Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) and 16S rRNA genes confirmed the morphological identification and thus the occurrence of Sturnira tildae in the Amazon biome of Maranhão. This record represents an eastward extension of the known distribution of the species in the Amazonia, to Cândido Mendes, Maranhão, within an area dominated by dense rainforest and influenced by tides.(AU)

Molecular identification of native oysters on the coast of Maranhão, Brazil / Identificação molecular de ostras nativas na costa do Maranhão, Brasil

Oysters are found along the whole coast of Brazil. The phenotypes of the species vary considerably according to the characteristics of the habitat. The present study investigated the existence of different oyster species of the genus Crassostrea on the coast of Maranhão, using the Multiplex PCR technique and DNA Barcoding. The results of the Multiplex PCR revealed two distinct bands characteristic of the species C. gasar and C. rhizophorae in a total of 135 samples analyzed. The sequencing of the COI gene of 98 samples produced a 695 bp fragment and 15 haplotypes for C. gasar and 640 bp and eight haplotypes for C. rhizophorae. The haplotype tree divided the two species clearly into different clades with 100% bootstrap support. Intraspecific genetic divergence was 0.2% in both species, while interspecific divergence was 23.6%. The similarity between the sequences generated and those available in BoldSystems ranged from 97.01% to 98.37% for C. rhizophorae and from 97.55% to 99.84% for both C. gasar and C. brasiliana, reinforcing the taxonomic problems in this group, which supports the synonymization of these species. The DNA barcoding permitted the reliable identification of the samples and confirmed the existence of two species of oyster in the study area.

As ostras são encontradas ao longo de toda a costa do Brasil. Os fenótipos das espécies variam consideravelmente de acordo com as características do habitat. O presente estudo investigou a existência de diferentes espécies de ostra do gênero Crassostrea no litoral do Maranhão, utilizando a técnica de PCR Multiplex e DNA barcoding. Os resultados da PCR Multiplex revelaram duas bandas distintas, características das espécies C. gasar e C. rhizophorae num total de 135 amostras analisadas. No sequenciamento do gene COI de 98 amostras obteve-se fragmentos de 695 pb e 15 haplótipos para C. gasar e de 640 pb e oito haplótipos para C. rhizophorae. A árvore haplótipica agrupou fortemente as duas espécies em clados diferentes com 100% de bootstrap. Divergências intraespecíficas foram de 0,2% para ambas, e a interespecífica de 23,6%. A similaridade das sequencias deste estudo com sequências presentes no BoldSystems variou de 97,01 a 98,37 para C. rhizophorae e de 97,55 a 99,84 tanto para C. gasar como para C. brasiliana, reforçando uma problemática na taxonomia do grupo, que apontam para a sinonimia dessas espécies. Portanto, o DNA barcoding permitiu identificar as amostras coletadas e confirmou a existência de duas espécies de ostras.

Molecular identification of native oysters on the coast of Maranhão, Brazil / Identificação molecular de ostras nativas na costa do Maranhão, Brasil

Oysters are found along the whole coast of Brazil. The phenotypes of the species vary considerably according to the characteristics of the habitat. The present study investigated the existence of different oyster species of the genus Crassostrea on the coast of Maranhão, using the Multiplex PCR technique and DNA Barcoding. The results of the Multiplex PCR revealed two distinct bands characteristic of the species C. gasar and C. rhizophorae in a total of 135 samples analyzed. The sequencing of the COI gene of 98 samples produced a 695 bp fragment and 15 haplotypes for C. gasar and 640 bp and eight haplotypes for C. rhizophorae. The haplotype tree divided the two species clearly into different clades with 100% bootstrap support. Intraspecific genetic divergence was 0.2% in both species, while interspecific divergence was 23.6%. The similarity between the sequences generated and those available in BoldSystems ranged from 97.01% to 98.37% for C. rhizophorae and from 97.55% to 99.84% for both C. gasar and C. brasiliana, reinforcing the taxonomic problems in this group, which supports the synonymization of these species. The DNA barcoding permitted the reliable identification of the samples and confirmed the existence of two species of oyster in the study area.(AU)

As ostras são encontradas ao longo de toda a costa do Brasil. Os fenótipos das espécies variam consideravelmente de acordo com as características do habitat. O presente estudo investigou a existência de diferentes espécies de ostra do gênero Crassostrea no litoral do Maranhão, utilizando a técnica de PCR Multiplex e DNA barcoding. Os resultados da PCR Multiplex revelaram duas bandas distintas, características das espécies C. gasar e C. rhizophorae num total de 135 amostras analisadas. No sequenciamento do gene COI de 98 amostras obteve-se fragmentos de 695 pb e 15 haplótipos para C. gasar e de 640 pb e oito haplótipos para C. rhizophorae. A árvore haplótipica agrupou fortemente as duas espécies em clados diferentes com 100% de bootstrap. Divergências intraespecíficas foram de 0,2% para ambas, e a interespecífica de 23,6%. A similaridade das sequencias deste estudo com sequências presentes no BoldSystems variou de 97,01 a 98,37 para C. rhizophorae e de 97,55 a 99,84 tanto para C. gasar como para C. brasiliana, reforçando uma problemática na taxonomia do grupo, que apontam para a sinonimia dessas espécies. Portanto, o DNA barcoding permitiu identificar as amostras coletadas e confirmou a existência de duas espécies de ostras.(AU)