Astyanax hastatus Myers, 1928 (Teleostei, Characidae): a new species complex within the genus Astyanax?

Four populations of Astyanax hastatus Myers 1928 from the Guapimirim River basin (Rio de Janeiro State) were analyzed and three distinct cytotypes identified. These cytotypes presented 2n = 50 chromosomes, with 4M+8SM+10ST+28A (Cytotype A), 8M+10SM+14ST+18A (Cytotype B), 6M+8SM+4ST+32A (Cytotype C) and scanty heterochromatin, mainly located throughout pericentromeric regions of several chromosomal pairs. No homologies with the As-51 satellite DNA were observed in the three cytotypes, although all of them presented multiple 18S rDNA sites, as detected by both silver nitrate staining and FISH (fluorescent in situ hybridization). The application of the term "species complex" in Astyanax is discussed from a cytotaxonomic viewpoint

Contribuição citogenética à análise da biodiversidade em Astyanax fasciatus (Pisces, Characidae).

Astyanax fasciatus is characterized as a cytogenetically diverse species. Sympatric and syntopic occurrence of distinct cytotypes corroborates the hypothesis that A. fasciatus might represent a species complex sharing a common denomination. In this work, specimens from three collection sites along Mogi-Guaçu River, on Southeastern Brazil, were examined: (1) close to headwaters (Ouro Fino MG), (2) in the mean river portion (Cachoeira de Emas, Pirassununga SP, characterized by the presence of a dam) and (3) close to river mouth at Pardo river (Barrinha SP). Two karyotypes bearing perfectly paired chromosomes, named standard cytotypes, were identified; one of them with 2n=46 and another one with 2n=48 chromosomes. The cytotype 2n = 48 was found in all collection sites, whereas the cytotype 2n = 46 was restricted to Barrinha and Cachoeira de Emas. In this latter locality, the cytotype 2n=46 was predominant, but variant karyotypical forms were also reported, bearing 2n=45 and 47 chromosomes, besides a structural variant with 2n=46. A variant with 2n=47 chromosomes was also found in Ouro Fino. The Ag-NORs and 18S and 5S rDNA sites showed a conserved distribution among cytotypes, as well as the constitutive heterochromatin, preferentially located at terminal region on the long arms of submetacentric, subtelocentric and acrocentric chromosomes and terminal region on short arms of a submetacentric pair. This latter region showed to be GC-rich after chromomycin A3 staining and it corresponds to the location of a Nucleolar Organizer Region. Sites bearing the satellite DNA As51 were detected at terminal region on the long arms of several chromosomes, distributed over 4 submetacentric pairs, 3 subtelocentric pairs and one acrocentric pair in the standard cytotype 2n=46, and over 3 submetacentric pairs, 4 subtelocentric pairs and one acrocentric pair in the standard cytotype 2n=48. The variant karyotypical forms also presented other chromosomes bearing such satellite DNA, remarkably at a large metacentric chromosome bearing a terminal site on the long arms (found in two variant karyotypes), two subtelocentric pairs bearing additional interstitial site (found in one variant karyotype), and one submetacentric pair bearing a subterminal site on the long arms (found in one variant karyotype). Data based on RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) were poorly informative to analyze the reported diversity, indicating a high number of migrants per generation among cytotypes. On the other hand, data from ISSR (Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats) showed a low structuring, mainly between two standard cytotypes from Barrinha, where a Nm value of 0,4301 was observed, with a genetic identity of 0,6862 and genetic distance of 0,3765. The values of genetic distance (0,3219) and genetic identity (0,7248) between cytotypes with 2n=48 from Barrinha and Ouro Fino also evidenced a slight differentiation, indicating that the dam at Cachoeiras de Emas is probably a barrier to gene flow among populations located upstream and downstream the dam. The obtained results with molecular markers do not discard the possibility of inbreeding among the cytotypes of A. fasciatus, as a source of the diversity found. Hypothetically, the standard cytotype with 2n=48 might be the resident form at Mogi- Guaçu River, while the cytotype with 2n=46 would represent an invasive form, showing recent divergence. Although the variant karyotypes present a karyotypical structure similar to the cytotype with 2n=46, there are evidences that chromosomes typical from the cytotype with 2n=48 have been incorporated, suggesting that such variants may be derived from viable crossings among standard cytotypes, and/or their offsprings, which share some homologies, as demonstrated by chromosomal markers. The presence of a higher number of As-51 sites in some variants reinforces their inbreeding origin. The As-51 sites, which showed to be specific for some variant forms, might be originated by complementary chromosomal rearrangements, propitious to new locations of this satellite DNA on karyotypes.Universidade Federal de Sao CarlosAstyanax fasciatus caracteriza-se como uma espécie diversificada do ponto de vista citogenético. A ocorrência simpátrica e sintópica de diferentes citótipos corrobora a hipótese de que A. fasciatus possa representar um grupo de espécies, hoje englobadas em uma mesma denominação comum. Neste trabalho foram examinados exemplares provenientes de três pontos de coleta, ao longo do rio Mogi-Guaçu, no Sudeste do Brasil: (1) próximo à sua cabeceira (Ouro Fino MG), (2) no trecho médio do rio (Cachoeira de Emas, Pirassununga SP, caracterizado pela ocorrência de uma barragem) e (3) próximo à sua foz no rio Pardo (Barrinha SP). Foram detectados dois tipos de cariótipos com cromossomos perfeitamente pareáveis, denominados citótipos padrão, um com 2n=46 e outro com 2n=48 cromossomos. O citótipo 2n = 48 foi encontrado em todos os pontos de coleta, enquanto o citótipo 2n = 46 foi encontrado somente em Barrinha e Cachoeira de Emas. Nesta última localidade o citótipo 2n=46 foi predominante, mas ocorrendo também formas cariotípicas variantes com 2n=45 e 47 cromossomos, além de um variante estrutural 2n=46. Um variante 2n=47 cromossomos foi também encontrado em Ouro Fino. As Ag-RONs e os sítios de rDNA 18S e 5S mostraram uma distribuição conservada entre os citótipos, assim como heterocromatina constitutiva, localizada preferencialmente na região terminal do braço longo de cromossomos submetacêntricos, subtelocêntricos e acrocêntricos e na região terminal do braço curto de um par submetacêntrico. Esta última região mostrou-se também GC rica, após coloração com cromomicina A3, e corresponde à localização de uma região organizadora de nucléolo. Foram detectados sítios do DNA satélite As51 na região terminal do braço longo de vários cromossomos, distribuídos em 4 pares submetacêntricos, em 3 pares subtelocêntricos e em um par acrocêntrico no citótipo padrão 2n=46, e em 3 pares submetacêntricos, em 4 pares subtelocêntricos e em um par acrocêntrico no citótipo padrão 2n=48. As formas cariotípicas variantes apresentaram também outros cromossomos portadores desse DNA satélite, destacando-se um cromossomo metacêntrico grande com um sítio terminal no braço longo (em dois cariótipos variantes), dois pares subtelocêntricos com um sítio intersticial extra (em um dos cariótipos variantes), e um par submetacêntrico com um sítio subterminal no braço longo (em um dos cariótipos variantes). Dados de RAPD ( Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA ) mostraram-se pouco informativos quanto à análise da diversidade encontrada, indicando altos valores de migrantes por geração entre os citótipos. Dados de ISSR, Inter- Simple Sequence Repeats , por outro lado, mostraram uma pequena estruturação, principalmente entre os dois citótipos padrão provenientes de Barrinha, onde o Nm foi de 0,4301, com identidade genética de 0,6862 e distância genética de 0,3765. Os valores de distância genética (0,3219) e de identidade genética (0,7248) entre os citótipos 2n=48 de Barrinha e Ouro Fino também evidenciam uma certa diferenciação entre os mesmos, indicando que a barragem de Cachoeira de Emas provavelmente seja um obstáculo ao livre fluxo entre populações situadas à jusante e à montante da mesma. Os resultados gerais obtidos com os marcadores moleculares não descartam a possibilidade de intercruzamentos entre os citótipos de A. fasciatus, como fonte da diversidade encontrada. É levantada a hipótese que o citótipo padrão 2n=48 seja a forma residente do rio Mogi-Guaçu, sendo o citótipo 2n=46 uma forma invasora, com divergência recente. Embora os cariótipos variantes apresentem uma estrutura cariotípica mais similar ao citótipo 2n=46, há evidências de que cromossomos característicos do citótipo 2n=48 tenham sido neles incorporados, sugerindo que tais variantes sejam decorrentes de intercruzamentos viáveis entre os dois citótipos padrão e/ou seus descendentes, os quais ainda compartilham uma série de homologia, como evidenciado na análise dos marcadores cromossômicos. A presença de um maior número de sítios As-51 em alguns variantes reforça, de certa forma, a sua origem por intercruzamentos. Os sítios As-51, que se mostraram específicos para algumas formas variantes, poderiam ser decorrentes de rearranjos cromossômicos complementares, propiciando novas localizações desse DNA satélite nos cariótipos

Influence of sociocultural factors and acceptance of Creationism in the comprehension of evolutionary Biology in freshman brazilian students

The creationist movements in Brazil, although considered weak, are on the increase. The Brazilian legislation neither imposes any objection in teaching evolution nor obliges the teaching of creationism as an alternative to evolution in science classes. Furthermore, it allows the optional teaching of religion at schools. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge regarding biological evolution in freshman students from a Brazilian university. Such knowledge was related to sociocultural factors such as their parental education level, the type of high school the student graduated from (private or public school), their philosophical/religious position as well as the acceptance of creationism as an alternative to evolution. Among those factors, the latter two showed significant differences, in which the higher averages belonged both to the atheistic students and to those who do not accept creationism as an alternative to evolution

Misconceptions about evolution in brazilian freshmen students

Regarding such an important issue as our origin, as well as the origin of all biological diversity, it is surprising to realize that evolution still faces drawbacks in keeping its deserved notability as a unifying theory in biology. This does not happen because evolutionism lacks validity as a scientific theory, but rather because of several misconceptions regarding evolutionary biology that were and continue to be found in elementary and secondary education. Furthermore, mistaken evolutionary ideas also affect some philosophical and social issues. The aim of the present study was to evaluate knowledge about evolution among freshman students from distinct majoring areas at Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste do Paraná (UNICENTRO), Brazil. The research was carried out based on aten-question questionnaire about evolution with distinct levels of difficulty, comprising the most observed misconceptions. In this study, 231 students attending classes in biological sciences (morning and evening schedule), exact sciences (agronomy, physics, chemistry, and math), and human sciences (history, geography, and pedagogy) were interviewed. The total average of right answers was 48.8%, and the highest average per course obtained was 58.7% from the students attending biological sciences (evening schedule). Although evolutionary biology and ecology are supposed to represent teaching guide issues according to the recommendations of the National Curricular Parameters for the Secondary School, the data obtained suggest that the evidence for evolution, the role of natural selection and random events, as well as the sources of variation, must be better focused at schools

Parallel evolution evidenced by molecular data in the banded- tetra (Astyanax fasciatus)

Astyanax is well known as a model for developmental biology studies, particularly with regard to Mexico's cave populations. More than 130 species of Astyanax are already known, most of which live in South America. The occurrence of cryptic species and species complexes elucidated by chromosomal and genetic studies demonstrates that the relationship between morphology and molecular evolution is quite complex within this group. In this work, we demonstrate that morphology does not follow the path of vicariant processes observed in Astyanax fasciatus populations, which separated about three million years ago, although molecular data suggests its separation in two species

Trends in Karyotype Evolution in Astyanax (Teleostei, Characiformes, Characidae): Insights From Molecular Data

The study of patterns and evolutionary processes in neotropical fish is not always an easy task due the wide distribution of major fish groups in large and extensive river basins. Thus, it is not always possible to detect or correlate possible effects of chromosome rearrangements in the evolution of biodiversity. In the Astyanax genus, chromosome data obtained since the 1970s have shown evidence of cryptic species, karyotypic plasticity, supernumerary chromosomes, triploidies, and minor chromosomal rearrangements. In the present work, we map and discuss the main chromosomal events compatible with the molecular evolution of the genus Astyanax (Characiformes, Characidae) using mitochondrial DNA sequence data, in the search for major chromosome evolutionary trends within this taxon

Morphological and genetic divergence of a small stream fish species along a watershed

Piabina argentea is a species of Characidae family that is widely distributed in the hydrographic basins of the São Francisco and Paraná Rivers and in some Atlantic coastal drainages of South America. The genus contains only one other species, which is restricted to the Tietê River headwaters (the Upper Paraná River Basin) and is considered monophyletic within the Stevardiinae subfamily. Despite the apparent morphological conservation of at least six well-structured clades, great genetic distance revealed by DNA barcoding has already been reported. In an attempt to evaluate the effect of the watershed of the two river basins in the Arc of Upper Paranaíba region (Upper Paraná and São Francisco River basins), we analyzed the populations from both basins using mitochondrial DNA sequences and morphometry and constructed a distribution scenario for the species in both basins