Mycophagy of Attini Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) with Agaricales Mushrooms (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) at Riparian Zone in Southern Brazil: Micofagia de Formigas Attini (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) com Cogumelos Agaricales (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) em Zonas Ripárias no Sul do Brasil

Attini ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) have great diversity in exploiting food resources. However, little is known about the mycophagy involving Agaricales fungi (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes). Moreover, these associations are of paramount importance in riparian zones, as the interaction among soil, fauna and flora is fundamental to the maintenance of these environments. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe cases of mycophagy between ants and fungi in order to understand how these associations occur in riparian zones. To this, collections were made between 2021-2022 in the valleys of the Rio Vacacaí, Rio dos Sinos and Rio Pardo in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The samples were analyzed for characters macro and microscopic and identified taxonomically. Mycophagy activities of six species of ants worker were cataloged, among them Acromyrmex niger, Acromyrmex versicolor, Tranopelta gilva, Tranopelta subterranea, Pheidole flavens and Mycetosoritis hartmanni, which included in their diet the mushrooms Agaricus rufoaurantiacus, Macrocybe titans, Agrocybe underwoodii, Dactylosporina steffenii, Lepiota micropholis and Neopaxillus echinospermus, respectively. The observed interactions demonstrate the dispersal of fungal spores through ant body structures, such as legs, antennae, thorax and abdomen; basidiomata as aliment source, such as pileus, lamellae and stipe; and generalized and specialized levels of predation on various fungi structures. Our results demonstrate unprecedented mycophagous relationships and show that Agaricales fungi can be considered a food source for Attini in riparian zones in Brazil south

A relationship between fungi (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes, Agaricales) and nutrient content in riparian area of reforestation with Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden (Myrtaceae) in southern Brazil

ABSTRACT Due the tolerance in soil degraded, Eucalyptus is widely used in reforestation area. This study aims to evaluate the fungi that use Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden as substrate in reforestation area in southern Brazil. Fungi were identified and macronutrient and micronutrient contents were evaluated in order to understand the relationship between the fungi and the substrate. There were 200 specimens found, categorized into 25 species belonging to 10 families of Agaricales (Basidiomycota, Fungi). Substrates used by fungi were branches, roots, stems, humus, and soil. Macronutrients mean level found in fungi followed the order Ca>K>P>Mg, and micronutrients S>Fe>Mn>Cu/B>Zn. C:N ratio mean was 13:1, associated with substrate degradation potential, since the enzymatic production of fungi is affected by disposition of these nutrients. The data obtained in this study allowed a better understanding of fungi associated with the exotic arboreal substrate, and their nutritional significance in reforestation area

Bryophilous Agaricomycetes (Fungi, Basidiomycota): A Review to Brazil

Bryophilous fungi have at least one stage of its life cycle linked to Bryophytes. There are few studies in relation to their taxonomy and ecology all around the world, including Brazil. The Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota) have gained prominence worldwide and contained several species of economic interest. Based on a bibliographic review and discussion about identification methods and experimental models on this association a species list of bryophilous/Agaricomycetes found in Brazil was elaborated. In the works found among the techniques used to identify effective fungi/Bryophytes associations it can be cited: phylogenetics analysis, optical and electron microscopy, and cultivation experiments. In Brazil, four orders of Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota), belonging to Agaricales, Boletales, Hymenochaetales, and Polyporales, with 33 species were found associated to Bryophytes in the literature. Information of the worldwide distribution of Brazilian muscicolous species and application of these groups were realized associating edibility, toxicity, and others. It was noted that in this country there is a scarcity of scientific knowledge of this subject, that needs to be better understood in terms of ecology and taxonomy

Diversity and Ecological Associations of Pluteaceae (Fungi, Agaricomycetes, Agaricales) in Brazilian Biomes // Diversidade e Associações Ecológicas de Pluteaceae (Fungi, Agaricomycetes, Agaricales) nos Biomas Brasileiros

A B S T R A C T The Pluteaceae family is recorded in 10 Brazilian states, containing lignicolous, terricolous and humicolous species that perform fundamental functions as saprobes. This study aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the interactions and ecological importance of the family. For this, through a synthesis of taxonomic, morphological, and molecular data, the phylogenetic relationships of the group were reconstructed by Maximum Likelihood and Maximum Parsimony. Georeferenced data were used to elucidate the distribution of the species in Brazilian biomes. Phylogenetically, the family integrated a monophyletic clade, where the genera Pluteus and Volvariella were internally related as sister clades. In relation to the ecology of Pluteaceae, the Southeastern Region was very important, containing about 32% of the family species occurring near watersheds. 62% of the species of the group have occurrence restricted to the Atlantic Forest biome, and many of them are associated with native arboreal substrates, such as Roupala sp., Dicksonia sp., Clitoria sp., and Astrocaryum aculeatissimum. In general, the largely lignicolous family acts in the ecosystems as nutrient cycles, mainly related to wood. Also, species of the family with colonization in litterfall and terricolous represented unique interactions involving native arboreal groups and occurrences in areas of intense anthropic action, such as agriculture. Thus, with the compiled data in this study, it was possible to infer that Pluteaceae is directly associated with the regeneration of Brazilian biomes, actively helping in their maintenance. Keywords: Evolutionary relationships, Ecology of Agaricales, Ecosystems.   Diversidade e Associações Ecológicas de Pluteaceae (Fungi, Agaricomycetes, Agaricales) nos Biomas Brasileiros   R E S U M O A família Pluteaceae é registrada em 10 estados brasileiros, contendo espécies lignícolas, terrícolas e húmicas que desempenham papéis fundamentais como sapróbios. Este estudo teve como objetivo contribuir para uma melhor compreensão das interações e da importância ecológica da família. Para tanto, através de uma síntese de dados taxonômicos, morfológicos e moleculares, as relações filogenéticas do grupo foram reconstruídas por Máxima Verossimilhança e Máxima Parcimônia. Os dados georreferenciados foram utilizados para elucidar a distribuição das espécies nos biomas brasileiros. Filogeneticamente, a família integrou um clado monofilético, onde os gêneros Pluteus e Volvariella se relacionaram internamente como clados irmãos. Em relação à ecologia de Pluteaceae, a Região Sudeste foi muito importante, contendo cerca de 32% das espécies da família ocorrendo próximas a bacias hidrográficas. 62% das espécies do grupo possuem ocorrência restrita ao bioma Mata Atlântica, e muitas delas estão associadas a substratos arbóreos nativos, tais como Roupala sp., Dicksonia sp., Clitoria sp. e Astrocaryum aculeatissimum. Em geral, a família é em grande parte lignícola e atua nos ecossistemas como cicladores de nutrientes, principalmente os relacionados à madeira. Além disso, espécies da família de colonização em serapilheira e terrícolas apresentaram interações únicas envolvendo grupos arbóreos nativos, e ocorrências em áreas de intensa ação antrópica como a da agricultura. Assim, com os dados compilados neste estudo, foi possível inferir que Pluteaceae está diretamente associada à regeneração dos biomas brasileiros, auxiliando ativamente na sua manutenção.   Palavras-Chaves: Relações evolutivas, Ecologia de Agaricales, Ecossistemas

Comparative analyses of three swallow species (Aves, passeriformes, hirundinidae): insights on karyotype evolution and genomic organization

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas. São Gabriel, RS, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Programa de Pós-graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular. Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas. São Gabriel, RS, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas. São Gabriel, RS, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Paraná. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética. Curitiba, PR, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas. São Gabriel, RS, Brazil.University of Cambridge. Department of Veterinary Medicine. Cambridge Resource Centre for Comparative Genomics. Cambridge, United Kingdom.University of Cambridge. Department of Veterinary Medicine. Cambridge Resource Centre for Comparative Genomics. Cambridge, United Kingdom.Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Naturais. Belém, PA, Brazil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas. São Gabriel, RS, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas. São Gabriel, RS, Brazil.Despite the richness of species in the Hirudinidae family, little is known about the genome organization of swallows. The Progne tapera species presents genetic and morphological difference when compared to other members of the same genus. Hence, the aims of this study were to analyze the chromosomal evolution of three species Progne tapera, Progne chalybea and Pygochelidon cyanoleuca - by comparative chromosome painting using two sets of probes, Gallus gallus and Zenaida auriculata, in order to determine chromosome homologies and the relationship between these species. All karyotypes exhibited 76 chromosomes with similar morphology, except for the 5th, 6th and 7th chromosome pairs in P. cyanoleuca. Additionally, comparative chromosome painting demonstrated the same hybridization pattern in the two Progne, which was similar to the putative avian ancestral karyotype, except for the centric fission in the first pair, as found in other Passeriformes. Thus, these data display a close relationship between the Progne species. Although P. cyanoleuca demonstrated the same fission in the first pair of the ancestral syntenic (GGA1), it also showed an additional chromosomal rearrangement for this species, namely a fusion with a microchromosome in the seventh pai