Temporal change in the parasite community of an invasive fish Trachelyopterus galeatus (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae) in a neotropical floodplain.

The construction of dams and hydroelectric plants affects biodiversity in aquatic environments and can facilitate the invasion of species. Few studies assess the long-term response of parasite fauna under these events. The aim of this study was to investigate possible changes in the endoparasite composition of the invasive catfish Trachelyopterus galeatus (Linnaeus, 1766) in the floodplain of the upper Paraná River over a 27-year study period. A total of 79 fish were collected in period 1 (1993) and 31 in period 2 (2019/2020) at the same sampling points, and the endoparasites were located in the gastrointestinal system using a stereomicroscope. It was found that the development of the fish and the composition of their endoparasitic fauna changed over time. In the second period, the fish presented smaller values for mass (g) and standard length (cm) when compared to period 1. It was found that three species of endoparasites were found per period, but although the richness was the same, the composition differed, and only one digenean (Microrchis oligovitellum Lunaschi, 1987 (Trematoda: Paramphistomidae)) was shared. The Porto Primavera Dam was built upstream of the site between the sampling periods (1999) and caused a number of environmental changes, possibly being the main factor responsible for changes in components of the parasite community. Anthropic modification to an environment can cause loss of diversity and loss of ecological interactions. Through our results, we emphasize the importance of including parasite fauna in studies that assess environmental impacts.

The functional traits of host fish can act as good predictors for parasite composition in a neotropical floodplain.

Parasite diversity can be influenced by the interaction of environmental factors and host traits, but understanding which traits can be decisive for the establishment of the parasite may provide subsidies for a better understanding of the host-parasite relationship. In this study, we investigated whether functional traits, diet, and host phylogeny can predict the similarity of the endoparasite composition of a fish assemblage in a Brazilian floodplain. Of the three evaluated components, the host's diet was the factor that showed the greatest influence on the composition and similarity of endoparasites, demonstrating the highest value of the explanation. The functional traits and phylogeny, despite presenting significant values (unique effect and global effect), showed low explainability in the composition of the endoparasites. When analyzing the joint effects, all components showed significant influence. Hosts that live in the same environment that are phylogenetically related and have a similar ecology have a certain degree of homogeneity in their parasite assemblages and, because they are endoparasites (which are acquired trophically along the chain), diet is the main driver of parasite richness and similarity. Overall, host traits can be one of the main determinants of parasite composition, so studies that address the functional traits of the host provide a representation of local diversity and define the possible patterns of these parasite communities.

Metabolic organization of pregnant freshwater stingray and their offspring.

The elucidation of energetic patterns in adult viviparous elasmobranchs and their offspring can contribute to understanding ecophysiological questions, such as maternal-fetal metabolism and group life-history traits. We characterized the energetic substrates in pregnant individuals and stages of offspring development in the freshwater stingray Potamotrygon amandae. Our results show that the energetic distribution of the yolk is composed of more lipids than proteins, whereas the inverse pattern is observed in the egg and uterus, proving the plasticity of the energy provision of the species. As a novelty, we describe that yolk/intestine transfer occurs in this species.

Relationship between SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and cases, program breakthrough cases, and deaths in Dois Vizinhos, Paraná, Brazil.

Several vaccines have been produced in 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic to control the infection outbreak. This study demonstrated the success of vaccination in controlling COVID-19 cases and deaths in a small city (41 424 people) with a low population density in Brazil. This study was based on a 1-year dataset since the application of the first dose in January 2021. The results show a reduction in positive cases and deaths as the vaccination coverage increased in the city, mainly after 15 000 inhabitants were vaccinated (35.21% of the population) in July 2021. At the time, 49.06% of administered vaccines were ChAdOx1-S recombinant, 39.80% inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus (CZ02 strain), 9.70% Tozinameran, and 1.44% Ad26.COV2-S recombinant. From August 2021, a marked reduction in daily positive cases and deaths was observed, and incidence (≤2.49 per 1000 inhabitants) and mortality (≤0.02 per 1000 inhabitants) rates remained stabilized until January 2022, when a new outbreak occurred upon the emergence of the Omicron variant. However, the mortality rate (0.07 per 1000 inhabitants) remained low regardless of the Omicron high incidence rate (68.41 per 1000 inhabitants). These data demonstrate the COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness with a threshold of 35.21% of the population vaccinated in this city model.

Impact of invasive fungal infections in men from a state in southern Brazil: A geospatial analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the records of male hospitalisation for fungal infections, including their spatial distribution and the main invasive epidemiological and sociodemographic characteristics in the State of Paraná, Brazil. METHODS: Spatial analysis based on data from male admission records for invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in the State of Paraná, from 2015 to 2019. Data were taken from the hospital records obtained in the Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System, being collected, georeferenced and analysed to infer the existence of autocorrelation with the hospitalisation rates in the state. RESULTS: From 2015 to 2019, there were 385 cases of IFIs in men, being more prevalent in white individuals aged 61-70 years. We observed that the metropolitan, southeast, central-eastern, north-central, northwestern and western regions formed high-high clusters, with regions with a high number of registered cases. In the regression, there was an association with socioeconomic and demographic factors that showed a correlation with the rates of hospitalisation for IFIs. CONCLUSION: The study draws attention to Paraná as an endemic region for paracoccidioidomycosis, in addition to presenting high rates of nosocomial fungal infections. We also emphasise the importance of compulsory notification in the state and in the country to gain greater control over the incidence and prevalence of cases and to incentivise the creation of public policies for the prevention of IFIs.

Multilocus approach reveals distinct evolutionary units of the South American apapa Pellona flavipinnis (Valenciennes, 1837) (Clupeiformes, Pristigasteridae).

The discovery and characterization of cryptic diversity is important for conservation and management, especially for ichthyofauna, whose diversity is underestimated and understudied. Cryptic diversity is especially common in widely distributed species, and Pellona flavipinnis is one such species. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate and test whether P. flavipinnis harbours cryptic diversity. In this study we used the COI and control region sequences and microsatellite loci of 86-114 specimens from 11-12 locations throughout the Amazon basin, depending on the molecular marker used. We also included two COI GenBank sequences from the type locality of the species, the Paraná River. The results from COI sequences showed that P. flavipinnis from the Amazon basin presented two spatially structured lineages differentiated from P. flavipinnis from the Paraná River by 10.6%-9.8% (depending on the lineages) and 45 mutational steps. The genetic distance between the Amazon lineages was 2.4% using COI, with high population differentiation values (ФST = 0.8686 and ФST = 0.8483 for COI and control region, respectively). Among the five species delimitation methods employed, three indicated two lineages in P. flavipinnis in the Amazon basin, and all five methods indicated that the Amazonian lineages are different from that of Paraná. Results from microsatellite loci also showed that P. flavipinnis from the Amazon basin is composed of two evolutionary units. The results of 13 morphometric measurements indicated that there are no differences in shape between the P. flavipinnis lineages in the Amazon basin. The present findings suggest that there are two sympatric lineages of P. flavipinnis in the Amazon basin.

Essential and toxic elements in juvenile migratory commercial fish species in the Paraná River alluvial valley (South America): an approach for aquatic environmental monitoring.

The Paraná River is the sixth largest in the world, and the lower section of the river is one of the largest and most productive floodplain wetlands in South America. The alluvial plain is an important habitat for nursery and feeding areas for commercial fish; however, it has been heavily anthropized due to industries, agricultural activities, and the growth and expansion of metropolitan areas. The aim of this study was to determine element accumulation (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) in young-of-the-year fish muscle from a floodplain lagoon of the lower Paraná River (Argentina) during summer and winter seasons, in relation with abiotic matrices (water and sediment). Four commercial fish species were assessed: sábalo (Prochilodus lineatus), boga (Megaleporinus obtusidens), dorado (Salminus brasiliensis), and pirapitá (Brycon orbignyanus). The concentrations of eight elements were detected by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In water samples, Cd, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Zn levels were under the permissible limits for aquatic biota protection in both seasons, except for Pb (> 1 µg L-1) and Cu (> 2 µg L-1). In sediment, the average concentrations of all elements were under the limits set by national and international regulatory authorities. Differences in elemental concentrations between species and seasons were found. In general, the levels of elements in water were higher in summer than in winter, while in sediment, the lowest concentrations of elements were detected during the summer. The order of element concentration in fish muscle was Cd (0.01-0.04 µg g-1) < As (0.02-0.16 µg g-1) < Pb (0.03-0.23 µg g-1) < Mn (0.77-4.32 µg g-1) < Cu (1.01-4.07 µg g-1) < Cr (1.09-4.30 µg g-1) < Zn (15.8-31.7 µg g -1) < Fe (12.6-49.7 µg g-1). The accumulation assessment showed that the four fish species significantly accumulate Cr, Cu and Zn, and As and Zn from water and sediment, respectively. The correlation analysis showed a relationship between fish size and As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations. Similarly, the highest values of element concentrations in muscle were detected during the summer when the fishes are early juveniles. The level of As, Cd, and Pb detected in B. orbignyanus, M. obtusidens, and P. lineatus juveniles suggested that these species had the potential to be used as biomarkers for assessing accumulation of toxic elements in the environment. Also, this study reveals that the accumulation patterns differ between size and fish species, which should be a considered insight at the moment of selecting a bioindicator to monitor pollution in the ecosystem.

Symmetries and asymmetries in the topological roles of piscivorous fishes between occurrence networks and food webs.

Ecological networks represent the architecture over which diversity is assembled. The compartmentalization of trophic links and the spatial aggregation of species determine ecosystem dynamics and stability. Species traits such as body size or those related to dispersal ability or environmental and trophic niche may determine the role of a species in different ecological networks such as food webs and occurrence networks. However, the empirical analysis of these connections and their determinants were seldom considered. Our study focused on 16 species of piscivorous fishes from 27 water bodies of the Paraná River floodplain, which were surveyed between 4 and 20 times over 5 years. Occurrence networks and food webs were built from abundance of species by site and preys by gut content. Using null models and methods for weighted bipartite networks, we evaluated the compartmentalization in both kinds of networks. The topological roles of species in each network along four hydro-climatic conditions were calculated, based on their membership in a module standardized within module connectivity 'z' and between module connectivity 'c' and related to species body size and 30 eco-morphological variables. A significant modular organization in feeding links and species occurrences was detected. While species of larger body size seem to have a main role connecting modules in food webs, the smaller size species foster the connection among spatial aggregations. However, body size was not the main determinant of intra module connectivity. Morphologies associated with linear races (fusiform body) and manoeuvrability (orbicular body) and predation behaviours were consistently related to intra and inter-module connectivity in food webs and occurrence networks. Our results support the modular organization of food webs and occurrence networks of the main consumers of the Paraná River floodplain and the trait-related interrelationship among these networks. Furthermore, the dynamic nature of the trait-role association may foster the stable modular structure observed at higher levels. The recognition of the connecting role of the species in the different networks will improve the understanding of their importance in the functioning of ecosystems, thus enhancing the knowledge of the mechanisms shaping biodiversity.

Las redes ecológicas representan la arquitectura sobre la cual se ensambla la biodiversidad. La compartimentalización de las interacciones tróficas y las agregaciones espaciales de las especies determinan la dinámica y estabilidad de los ecosistemas. Los rasgos morfológicos como el tamaño corporal o aquellos relacionados con la capacidad de dispersión y la configuración del nicho (trófico y espacial) pueden determinar el rol de las especies en diferentes redes ecológicas, como las tramas tróficas y las redes de ocurrencia. Sin embargo, el análisis empírico de estas conexiones y sus determinantes fueron escasamente estudiados. Nuestro trabajo se centró en 16 especies de peces piscívoros colectados en 27 cuerpos de agua de la llanura aluvial del Río Paraná, los cuales fueron muestreados entre 4 y 20 veces durante 5 años. Las redes de ocurrencia y las tramas tróficas fueron construidas con la información de la abundancia de los depredadores por sitios y la abundancia de las presas en los contenidos estomacales, respectivamente. Usando modelos nulos y métodos para redes bipartitas cuantitativas, evaluamos la compartimentalización en ambos tipos de redes. Los roles topológicos de cada especie se calcularon para cada red en cuatro situaciones hidro-climáticas diferentes, basándonos en sus conexiones dentro de su módulo de residencia (valor z) y por fuera de su módulo de residencia (valor c). Posteriormente, relacionamos los roles topológicos con el tamaño corporal y con 30 variables ecomorfológicas. Detectamos que las tramas tróficas y las redes espaciales presentan una estructura modular significativa. Los depredadores de gran tamaño corporal tuvieron un rol central en la conexión modular en las tramas tróficas, mientras que los depredadores pequeños permitieron la conexión entre las agregaciones espaciales. Sin embargo, el tamaño corporal no fue un determinante central en el rol de conexión intra-modular. La morfología asociada con la natación lineal (cuerpo fusiforme), la maniobrabilidad (cuerpo orbicular) y el comportamiento de cacería se relacionaron de manera consistente con los roles topológicos en las tramas tróficas y las redes de ocurrencia. Nuestros resultados sostienen que tanto las tramas tróficas como las redes de ocurrencia de los principales consumidores del Río Paraná medio presentan una organización modular y que los roles topológicos en ambas redes se encuentran interrelacionadas por los rasgos de las especies. Además, la naturaleza dinámica de la relación entre los rasgos y los roles topológicos puede permitir una estructura modular estable a niveles de organización mayores. El reconocimiento de los roles topológicos de las especies en diferentes redes ecológicas puede mejorar nuestro entendimiento de la importancia del funcionamiento ecosistémico, potenciando nuestro conocimiento sobre los mecanismos que sostienen a la biodiversidad.

A new species of Cambeva (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) from the Rio Iguaçu basin, Paraná State, Brazil and redescription of Cambeva stawiarski (Miranda Ribeiro 1968).

This work aimed to describe Cambeva cauim, sp. nov., endemic to the Rio Iguaçu basin, Brazil and redescribe Cambeva stawiarski using external and internal morphological data through the revision of specimens deposited in fish collections, including the type material. In this process, we have also added comments on the possible type locality of C. stawiarski. C. cauim, sp. nov. and C. stawiarski are mainly diagnosed by the anatomy and number of procurrent caudal-fin rays in addition to colouration and several meristic and morphometric characters. Both species are compared with other possibly related species and their synapomorphic characters are discussed. C. cauim, sp. nov. and C. stawiarski along with eight other congeners are endemic to the Rio Iguaçu basin, a high impacted freshwater region which could be considered as a biodiversity hotspot to the genus.

A new catfish species of the genus Cambeva (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Rio Iguaçu drainage, southern Brazil, with a remarkable unique colour pattern.

Cambeva melanoptera sp. nov. is described from stream tributaries of the Rio Iratim, Rio Iguaçu drainage, southern Brazil. This new species is remarkable with a colour pattern not found elsewhere among trichomycterid catfishes, consisting of a broad distal black zone in all unpaired and pectoral fins, strongly contrasting with a pale-yellow proximal zone. C. melanoptera also differs from all other trichomycterids from eastern South America by the presence of the nasal barbel about thrice longer than the maxillary and rictal barbels. Due to the presence of a similar bicolour caudal fin, the new species is tentatively considered closely related to Cambeva castroi and Cambeva diabola, as well as more closely related to C. castroi than to C. diabola, with the first two species sharing the presence of a curved lateral process of the parurohyal and a trapezoidal projection on the lateral margin of the lateral ethmoid. The great morphological diversity found in Cambeva species endemic to the Rio Iguaçu drainage, including numerous exclusive characteristics not occurring in congeners and in any other species of closely related trichomycterine genera, indicates the need for more studies focusing on possible causal factors responsible for such unique diversification pattern.

Apparent prevalence and risk factors for bovine tuberculosis in the state of Paraná, Brazil: an assessment after 18 years since the beginning of the Brazilian program.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) impacts considerably animal production and one health worldwide. To describe the prevalence, risk factors, and spatial pattern of the disease in the state of Paraná, Brazil, a cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2018 to February 2019. The area was divided into seven regions. Within each region, farms were randomly selected, and a predetermined number of cows was selected and tested by a comparative cervical tuberculin test. 17,210 animals were tested across 1757 farms. Herd prevalence of bTB-infected herds in Paraná was 2.5% [1.87-3.00%]. It has varied from 0.8 to 3.98% among seven regions, with clustering being detected in the west, central, and northeast areas. Animal prevalence was 0.35% [0.21-0.59%] and has varied from 0.08 to 0.6% among the pre-set regions. No major shifts in the prevalence of bTB were detected since 2007. Large-sized herds, dairy production, and feeding with whey were detected to be correlated with the presence of bTB. Exclusively among dairy herds, veterinary assistance from cooperatives, possession of self-owned equipment to cool milk, and feeding with whey were correlated with the disease. Considering these results, it is recommended that the state of Paraná seek to implement a surveillance system for the detection of bTB-infected herds transforming them into free ones, if possible, incorporating elements of risk-based surveillance. Health education is also recommended to inform farmers about the risks of introducing animals without testing and of feeding raw whey to calves.

The use of an integrative approach to improve accuracy of species identification and detection of new species in studies of stream fish diversity.

In this study, we made an inventory of the stream and headwater ichthyofauna of the left bank of the Itaipu Dam Reservoir, located in the lower part of the Upper Paraná River basin, using an integrative approach of molecular and morphological data. The area is located in the western portion of the Paraná state in Brazil, in an area of about 8,000 km2 highly impacted by deforestation and intensive agriculture. For taxonomic identification of species, we used an identification key combined with the DNA barcoding approach. We found 48 species belonging to six orders, 13 families, and 37 genera. The Siluriformes and Characiformes were the most representative orders (75%) and the Characidae was the most representative family (20.8%). Nine species prevailed in this region, making up to 86% of all specimens collected. The integrative approach proved to be useful by allowing the unambiguous identification of all species, including those cases in which morphological characters were not conclusive for species identification, cases of cryptic species, and species with high morphological plasticity. In addition, the integrative approach highlighted six to 13 new putative species depending on the approach considered. Our study provides a relevant contribution to the knowledge of fish diversity in a poorly studied area of the Paraná River basin. We showed that the use of an integrative approach in inventory studies improves species identification and the discovery of new, cryptic, and overlooked species, being a powerful and necessary tool to quantify biodiversity.

Acoustic homogeneity in the piranha Serrasalmus maculatus.

Different studies suggest some social calls could be used in fish identification if their specificity is unambiguously assessed. Sounds of different populations of piranhas Serrasalmus maculatus Kner, 1858 were recorded to determine their homogeneity between rivers inside a single basin (Araguari and Grande River, upper Paraná River basin) and between separated basins (Amazon and Paraná basins). All fish from the different populations produced sounds with similar acoustic features. Consequently, the populations were not discernible based on individual sound characteristics. This high homogeneity between sounds from different populations indicates their usefulness for conservation projects using passive acoustic monitoring in piranhas. Moreover, it supports the use of acoustic features as complementary key characteristics in taxonomic studies.

A test of the riverine barrier hypothesis in the largest subtropical river basin in the Neotropics.

The riverine barrier hypothesis proposes that large rivers represent geographical barriers to gene flow for terrestrial organisms, leading to population differentiation and ultimately allopatric speciation. Here we assess for the first time if the subtropical Paraná-Paraguay River system in the Del Plata basin, second in size among South American drainages, acts as a barrier to gene flow for birds. We analysed the degree of mitochondrial and nuclear genomic differentiation in seven species with known subspecies divided by the Paraná-Paraguay River axis. Only one species showed genetic differentiation concordant with the current river channel, but another five species have an east/west genetic split broadly coincident with the Paraná River's dynamic palaeochannel, suggesting this fluvial axis has had a past role in shaping present-day genetic structure. Moreover, dating analyses show that these splits have been asynchronous, with species responding differently to the riverine barrier. Comparisons informed by the geological history of the Paraná River and its influence on the ecological and climatic differences among ecoregions in the study area further bolster the finding that responses to this geographical barrier have been species-specific.

Commercial fisheries in a mega unregulated floodplain river: Assessment of the most favourable hydrological conditions for its preservation.

This paper deals with the hydrological variability effects on the primary commercial fish species inhabiting the main channel and the floodplain of the large Paraná River in its middle reaches in Argentina. Analysing more than eight decades (1935-2016) of information on the most frequent and abundant commercial species in conjunction with hydrological levels and temperature, our results show that spring-summer floods of a certain magnitude (c. 6 m) and durations (> 80 days) are crucial for sustaining commercial fisheries. Moreover, the frequency of these floods was modulated by the decadal climatic fluctuations that have occurred over the past 100 years in the Paraná Basin. An insight into the probable incidence of some anthropogenic influences is also provided.

Taxonomic revision of Hypostomus albopunctatus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) reveals a new piece of the Hypostomus jigsaw in the upper Rio Paraná basin.

Hypostomus albopunctatus was described from the Rio Piracicaba, a tributary of the Rio Tietê, upper Rio Paraná basin. Nevertheless, specimens attributed to this species are commonly found throughout other river systems in the upper Rio Paraná basin and present varying degrees of morphological variation. A taxonomic review of H. albopunctatus based on large series of specimens from many localities throughout the upper Rio Paraná basin was carried out. Results support H. lexi, H. niger and H. scaphyceps as junior synonyms. Hypostomus albopunctatus differs from all congeners except H. heraldoi by having pectoral-fin spine equal to or shorter than pelvic-fin spine (v. longer); it differs from H. heraldoi by having white or light yellow spots on the body and fins (v. dark brown or black spots). Despite conspicuous variation related to the shape and size of the spots and snout morphology, both spot and snout patterns overlapped among the examined populations, thus this variation was inferred to be intraspecific within a widely distributed H. albopunctatus.

Yellow-eyed piranhas produce louder sounds than red-eyed piranhas in an invasive population of Serrasalmus marginatus.

Serrasalmus marginatus is a piranha species native from the lower Paraná River basin and has been invasive in the upper Paraná River basin since the 1980s. In piranhas, sounds of different species have different features. The aim of this study was to investigate if the sounds produced by this species could be used to distinguish two morphotypes: red- and yellow-eyed S. marginatus from the Araguari River (upper Paraná River basin). All the temporal and frequency features of the sounds were equivalent in both groups of eye colour; it corresponds to the species-specific signature described for S. marginatus. Nonetheless, the amplitude features were all statistically different between red- and yellow-eyed piranhas. Yellow-eyed specimens produced louder sounds. In different fish species, colour change in eyes can be due to the absence or the presence of a dominant allele. It can also be involved in social rank or during reproduction. Different hormones and neuropeptides can modulate vocal features. It is hypothesized that a mutation or different hormonal concentrations could explain both sound amplitude and eye colour playing a role in animal communication in S. marginatus.

Effects of biological traits on capture-induced parturition in a freshwater stingray and perspectives for species management.

Elasmobranchs are particularly vulnerable to overexploitation and population depletion, especially due to their life-history traits, such as low reproductive output and slow growth. Given that capture-induced parturition (abortion or premature birth) is a common consequence of fisheries in elasmobranchs, but still little studied, we investigated how the abortion/premature birth process varies in response to reproductive traits in a freshwater stingray, Potamotrygon amandae. Our results revealed that capture-induced parturition was affected by reproductive traits, such as litter size (one to seven) and gestation stage. The event occurred faster in pregnant females with high litter size during late pregnancy. Also, as found in other elasmobranchs, litter size was positively correlated with maternal size. These findings indicate that larger pregnant females in late pregnancy are more vulnerable to capture-induced parturition. This study improves our understanding of the capture-induced parturition process in stingrays, and provides useful information for management strategies and future recommendations for elasmobranch conservation.

Glyphosate and AMPA occurrence in agricultural watershed: the case of Paraná Basin 3, Brazil.

Glyphosate is the main herbicide used in soybean crops, and Brazil is one of the major soybean producers around the world. GLY and AMPA were evaluated in 124 surface waters samples of twenty one micro basins in Paraná Basin 3 (State of Parana, Brazil) over six subsequent weeks. A simple and economical routine methodology was established, based on lyophilization as a pre-concentration method. The validated method showed a limit of detection of 0.0125 and 0.025 µg L-1 for GLY and AMPA, respectively. In general, water samples presented concentrations ranging from 0.31 to 1.65 µg L-1 for GLY. Those values are below the maximum allowed amounts in Brazilian Law (65 µg L-1). The AMPA values were found in the range from 0.50 to 1.40 µg L-1. In summary, GLY was detected in 19.3% and it was quantified in 17.7% of the samples. AMPA was detected in 21.8% and it was quantified in 1.6% of the samples. Although samples did not present values higher than the established by Brazilian Law, GLY and AMPA appear constantly in the samples, which highlight the importance of monitoring studies in watersheds.

Mitochondrial DNA control region diversity in a population from Parana state-increasing the Brazilian forensic database.

The entire mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (nucleotide position 16024-576) sequences were obtained through Sanger sequencing method for 122 individuals from Parana state, South of Brazil. We observed a total of 108 different haplotypes of which 97 were unique and 11 were shared by more than one individual. The haplogroups were classified according to the updated mtDNA phylogeny, by EMMA (estimating mitochondrial haplogroups using a maximum likelihood approach). Our results revealed the predominance of Amerindian haplogroups with a frequency of 49.2% of the population sample, followed by European lineages with 38.5% and 12.3% of African lineages. Parana population sample set presented a high haplotype diversity (0.9976) and the random match probability was 0.0106. The phylogenetical findings and the diversity indices confirm the high genetic heterogeneity of this population and suggest a high informativeness of mtDNA analyses in forensic cases. The population data will contribute to increase the Brazilian mtDNA database for forensic purposes and it is available through EMPOP (European DNA Profiling Group mitochondrial DNA population database) under the accession number EMP00714.