Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

Comparing cnidocyst sizes among populations of Bunodosoma (Cnidaria: Actiniaria: Actiniidae) from the South Atlantic west coast

The simplicity of a sea anemone polyp hinders the differences between species and populations, as very few external and internal morphological characters vary enough to distinguish closely related groups. Variations in size of different cnidocyst types could be an important way to characterize populations of sea anemones. We aim to identify which cnidocyst types could be useful to distinguish the variation between sea anemone populations, tested for two species of genus Bunodosoma from the South Atlantic west coast: Bunodosoma caissarum from the Brazilian coast, and Bunodosoma cangicum from the Brazilian and Uruguayan coasts. We measured cnidocysts in several parts of the sea anemones: acrorhagi, external and internal tentacles, column, actinopharynx and filaments, comprising a total of 35,593 measured capsules. Comparisons between cnidocysts lengths from each tissue type were performed by Generalized Linear Models. In B. caissarum, basitrichs from external and internal tentacles were found to be useful for detecting differences between populations and may indicate a latitudinal gradient. For B. cangicum, these aspects should be further analyzed in basitrichs from external tentacles, holotrichs from acrorhagi and microbasic b-mastigophores from the filaments. The basitrich from tentacles were found to be the most informative cnidae type in both species for population studies in a latitudinal sense.Fil: Beneti, J. S.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Garese, Agustin. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Acuña, Fabian Horacio. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Morandini, A. C.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Teneurin-2 presence in rat and human odontoblasts

<div><p>Teneurins are transmembrane proteins consisting of four paralogues (Ten-1-4), notably expressed in the central nervous system during development. All teneurins contain a bioactive peptide in their carboxyl terminal named teneurin C-terminal associated peptide (TCAP). The present study analyzed the detailed distribution of teneurin-2-like immunoreactive (Ten-2-LI) cells in developing and mature rat molar teeth, as well as in mature human dental pulps. Ten-2 and TCAP-2 genic expressions were also evaluated in rat and human dental pulps. Finally, Ten-2-LI cells were analyzed during the repair process after dentin-pulp complex injury in rat lower molar teeth. For this, histological sections of rat molar teeth and human dental pulps were submitted to immunohistochemical techniques, while total RNA from developing rat teeth and mature human dental pulps were submitted to conventional RT-PCR. Ten-2-LI cells were evident in the initial bell stage of rat molar teeth development, especially in ectomesenchymal cells of the dental papilla. Ten-2-LI odontoblasts showed strong immunoreactivity in rat and human mature teeth. Ten-2 and TCAP-2 genic expressions were confirmed in rat and human dental pulps. Dentin-pulp complex injury resulted in a decrease of Ten-2-LI odontoblasts after traumatic injury. Interestingly, Ten-2-LI cells were also evident in the pulp cell-rich zone in all postoperative days. In conclusion, Ten-2-LI presence in rat and human odontoblasts was demonstrated for the first time and Ten-2/TCAP-2 genic expressions were confirmed in rat and human dental pulps. Furthermore, it was revealed that Ten-2-LI rat odontoblasts can be modulated during the regenerative process.</p></div

Ten-2-LI immunoperoxidase analysis of human dental pulp and conventional RT-PCR.

<p>In A-B, odontoblast layer at high magnification with intense Ten-2-LI (arrow). In C, 1.5% agarose gel stained with bromide ethidium exhibiting Ten-2, TCAP-2 and beta-actin RT-PCR-amplified products using total RNA extracted from human third molar dental pulp. Abbreviations: P, dental pulp; TCAP-2, teneurin C-terminal associated peptide-2; Ten-2, teneurin 2; β-actin, beta actin.</p

List of primers used in conventional RT-PCR for rat and human samples.

<p>List of primers used in conventional RT-PCR for rat and human samples.</p