Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1988. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-12-07Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:24:14Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 cardia_dff_dr_jabo.pdf: 2910916 bytes, checksum: 3f70fd080a4c82de31b109a17ad81f6b (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O Brasil possui uma das maiores diversidades de quirópteros do planeta, entretanto apesar do grande número de espécies distribuídas por todo território nacional, pouco se sabe sobre alguns aspectos da biologia destes mamíferos. Pesquisas referentes à fauna parasitária destes animais, especialmente de seus helmintos, ainda são escassas no país. Diante disso, o presente estudo objetivou identificar a helmintofauna de quirópteros, provenientes da região Centro- Oeste do Estado de São Paulo. Para isto, foram realizadas análises morfológicas e biométricas dos diferentes grupos de helmintos, colhidos durante a necropsia de 340 morcegos de várias espécies, previamente recolhidos pelos Serviços Municipais de Controle de Zoonoses da referida região para vigilância epidemiológica da raiva. Foram identificadas 12 espécies de helmintos, dentre as quais oito eram de nematódeos, três de digenéticos e uma de cestódeo. Seis das espécies de helmintos analisadas apresentaram novos registros de hospedeiro na região Neotropical e cinco no Brasil. Duas espécies foram registradas pela primeira vez no território nacional e três no Estado de São Paulo. Além disso, o nematódeo Pterygodermatites (Paucipectines) andyra n. sp. foi descrita como uma nova espécie / Brazil has one of the highest diversities of chiropteran of the world, however despite the large number of species distributed throughout the national territory, little is known about some aspects of the biology of these mammals. Researches related to parasitic fauna of these animals, especially helminths, are still scarce in the country. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the helminth fauna of bats, from Midwest Region of São Paulo State. For this, biometric and morphological analyzes were performed in the different groups of helminths, collected during the necropsy of 340 bats of various species, previously collected by Municipal Disease Control Services of this region for rabies epidemiological surveillance. Twelve of helminths were identified, which eight were nematodes, three of digeneans and one of cestodes Six species of helminths analyzed had new host records in the Neotropical region and five in Brazil. Two species were recorded for the first time in the country and three in the state of São Paulo. Also, the nematode Pterygodermatites (Paucipectines) andyra n. sp. was described as a new species

No description available.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-17T14:55:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 8341348 bytes, checksum: 3c793b10a08a57a4fe65df46346e7385 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-03-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The first classifications for the annelids were presented within a peculiar group of worms grouped within Class Vermes. The group was initially divided into Errant Annelides, Tubicolous or Sedentary Annelides, Terricolous Annelids, and Freshwater Annelids. These classifications did not reflect common ancestry. With the advent of phylogenetic systematics, many proposals were made for other organisms, attempting to reflect true relationships. The first proposals for annelids and polychaetes appeared in the 90s, based on morphology, and attempted to confirm the monophyly of these two groups. In these analyses, the Pogonophora were reduced to a family of Polychaeta, the Siboglinidae. These results remained incongruent when compared to results obtained later from molecular data. Another phylogenetic proposal presented the Pogonophora as being close to the sedentary polychaetes, closely related to Owenia. In this proposal, the clade Metameria was established to group the annelids, Enterocoela and Deuterostomia. Pogonophora as a family of Polychaeta disregards the evolutionary relationships that this taxon shares with the deuterostomes. In the present work, polychaetes with tori were selected as the ingroups of the analysis, together with Pogonophora, and including Phoronida and Pterobranchia, in order to establish genealogical relationships among these taxa. For parsimony analyses molecular data from 18S rRNA, morphological data coded as binary (a/p), multistate, and combined data (multistate molecular and morphological data) were used. Several slightly different topologies appeared in our results on morphology and molecules. On the other hand, the combined data was similar to the topology obtained from multistate morphology. From these analyses, we hypothesize that sedentary polychaetes with tori (including Pogonophora) are strictly related to Phoronida and Deuterostomia, their tagmatization being considered a particularly important synapomorphy. Finally, we emphasize the paraphyletic nature of Protostomia, Spiralia, Trochozoa and Lophotrochozoa, which are contrasted to the monophyletic Metameria. / As primeiras classificações para os anelídeos foram representadas para um grupo peculiar de vermes que formavam as primeiras famílias de poliquetas, agrupadas dentro da Classe Vermes. O grupo foi dividido inicialmente em Annélides Errantes, Annélides tubicoles ou Sédentaires, Annélides Terricoles e Annélides souceuses. Essas classificações não refletiam ancestralidade comum. Com o surgimento da sistemática filogenética, muitas propostas foram apresentadas para vários outros grupos de organismos, buscando refletir as relações de parentescos. A partir da década de 90 surgiram os primeiros trabalhos de filogenia com dados morfológicos para os anelídeos e poliquetas, com objetivo de confirmar a monofila dos dois grupos. Nestas análises, Pogonophora foi reduzido a uma família de Polychaeta, os Siboglinidae. Os resultados permaneceram incongruentes quando comparados os dados morfológicos com os dados moleculares, que surgiram posteriormente. Outras propostas filogenéticas apresentaram os Pogonophora como grupo próximo aos poliquetas sedentários, relacionados com os Owenia. Nessa proposta, foi estabelecido o clado Metameria para agrupar anelídeos, Enterocoela e Deuterostomia. Pogonophora como uma família de Polychaeta quebra a relação de paradigma evolutivo que este táxon compartilha com os Deuterostômios. Neste trabalho, se usou como grupo interno poliquetas com tori, Pogonophora, Phoronida e Pterobranchia, a fim de estabelecer relações genealógicas entre eles. Desta forma, se usou para análise de parcimônia dados moleculares 18S rRNA, dados morfológicos codificados como binário e multiestados, e dados combinados (moleculares e morfológicos multiestados). Os resultados mostraram várias hipóteses que se diferenciaram um pouco nas topologias, quando foram comparados os cladogramas de caracteres moleculares com os cladogramas de caracteres morfológicos. Embora, a topologia de caracteres combinadas se mostrou igual à topologia de caracteres morfológicos multiestados. Dessa maneira, hipotetiza-se a partir das análises aqui obtidas, que os poliquetas sedentários portadores de tori (incluindo Pogonophora) estão estritamente relacionados aos Phoronida e Deuterostomia, principalmente quando se ressalta o processo de tagmatização. Finalmente, enaltece-se a parafilia de Protostomia, Spiralia, Trochozoa e Lophotrochozoa, ressaltando o monofiletismo de Metameria.

No description available.

In most animals, oogenesis involves a syncytial “cyst” stage. Cysts are produced by incomplete mitotic divisions of gonial precursor cells, leaving the resulting cystocytes interconnected by cytoplasmic bridges. The bridges subsequently break down, liberating the developing gametes. In some animals (e.g. meroistic insects) cysts are “polarized”, such that certain cystocytes differentiate as supportive nurse cells, rather than oocytes. The variability of cysts in animal oogenesis contrasts with the relative universality of spermatogenic cysts, making the functional importance of cysts in oogenesis unclear. I have studied oogenesis in a polychaete worm, Ophryotrocha labronica (Annelida: Dorvilleidae). These worms produce polarized, two-celled oogenic cysts with one nurse cell and one oocyte. Such cysts resemble their better-characterized counterparts in meroistic insects. However, using a variety of light- and electron-microscopic techniques, I show here that the resemblance between O. labronica and meroistic insects is largely superficial. Rather, the roles of nurse cells and the mechanisms underlying cystocyte differentiation are quite distinct in both groups. Therefore, similarities between these polychaetes and insects are probably examples of convergent evolution rather than homology. These observations underscore the plasticity of oogenesis among animals. Mechanisms by which germ cells become distinct from somatic cells in animals are also a subject of considerable research activity. Two general modes of germ-cell specification have been described in animals: deterministic specification, which is typical of established model species (e.g., Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans) and inductive specification, which, though it is the more-common mode among animals, has not been well studied. As an annelid worm, O. labronica likely specifies its germ cells inductively, and therefore has potential to serve as a model species for studies of inductive germ cell specification. Realizing this potential, however, will require the development of genetic resources for this species. I describe the beginnings of such work here: the isolation and characterization of a vasa/PL10-like gene whose expression is largely restricted to germ cells, the construction of a cDNA library, and the refinement of methods for in situ hybridization and immunostaining to visualize gene expression in whole worms.

In most animals, oogenesis involves a syncytial “cyst” stage. Cysts are produced by incomplete mitotic divisions of gonial precursor cells, leaving the resulting cystocytes interconnected by cytoplasmic bridges. The bridges subsequently break down, liberating the developing gametes. In some animals (e.g. meroistic insects) cysts are “polarized”, such that certain cystocytes differentiate as supportive nurse cells, rather than oocytes. The variability of cysts in animal oogenesis contrasts with the relative universality of spermatogenic cysts, making the functional importance of cysts in oogenesis unclear. I have studied oogenesis in a polychaete worm, Ophryotrocha labronica (Annelida: Dorvilleidae). These worms produce polarized, two-celled oogenic cysts with one nurse cell and one oocyte. Such cysts resemble their better-characterized counterparts in meroistic insects. However, using a variety of light- and electron-microscopic techniques, I show here that the resemblance between O. labronica and meroistic insects is largely superficial. Rather, the roles of nurse cells and the mechanisms underlying cystocyte differentiation are quite distinct in both groups. Therefore, similarities between these polychaetes and insects are probably examples of convergent evolution rather than homology. These observations underscore the plasticity of oogenesis among animals. Mechanisms by which germ cells become distinct from somatic cells in animals are also a subject of considerable research activity. Two general modes of germ-cell specification have been described in animals: deterministic specification, which is typical of established model species (e.g., Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans) and inductive specification, which, though it is the more-common mode among animals, has not been well studied. As an annelid worm, O. labronica likely specifies its germ cells inductively, and therefore has potential to serve as a model species for studies of inductive germ cell specification. Realizing this potential, however, will require the development of genetic resources for this species. I describe the beginnings of such work here: the isolation and characterization of a vasa/PL10-like gene whose expression is largely restricted to germ cells, the construction of a cDNA library, and the refinement of methods for in situ hybridization and immunostaining to visualize gene expression in whole worms.

Polychaetes are among the most abundant and diverse groups in the benthic environment; however, the diversity of marine polychaetes remains underexplored. On coral reef ecosystems, scientists predict 80-90% of species are still undescribed due to low sampling efforts in certain regions and the understudied nature of smaller invertebrates, such as polychaetes. Sabellidae, a prominent family of polychaetes, are known for their widespread distribution and are recognized as an ornamental worm due to their feather-like appendages. Here, we detail the diversity of Sabellidae around the understudied Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian Peninsula is surrounded by diverse marine ecosystems (e.g., coral reefs, seagrass beds) occurring in extreme environmental conditions (e.g., higher seawater temperature and strong seasonal variation). Our samples included 178 sabellids from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Arabian Gulf. Collected from February 2019 to February 2020, these sabellids were sampled from hard and soft substrate on coral reefs and their associated habitats. We used two molecular markers, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16S ribosomal DNA alongside an array of morphological analyses, including widely used characters, meristic counts, and morphometric measurements, to identify seven morphotypes. Environmental and biological information was also recorded to understand more about the ecology of these relatively understudied polychaetes. Our combined morphological and genetic analyses acknowledge the presence of six species from the genera Sabellastarte, Bispira, Branchiomma, and Acromegalomma. Our study identified the existence of potential undescribed species in the region and proposed expanded geographic ranges for three accepted species, Sabellastarte sanctijosephi, Branchiomma luctuosum, and Acromegalomma nechamae. The present work increases the current knowledge about the overall systematics of marine polychaetes in the Arabian Peninsula and ultimately contributes to the reassessment of the family’s biogeography.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Joint Program in Biological Oceanography (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Biology; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. / The overarching goal of this thesis was to investigate marine benthic invertebrate phylogenetics and population genetics, focused on the phylum Annelida. Recent expansions of molecular methods and the increasing diversity of available markers have allowed more complex and fine-scale questions to be asked at a variety of taxonomic levels. At the phylogenetic level, whole mitochondrial genome sequencing of two polychaetes (the deep-sea tubeworm Riftia pachyptila and the intertidal bamboo worm Clymenella torquata) supports the placement of leeches and oligochaetes within the polychaete radiation, in keeping with molecular evidence and morphological reinvestigations. This re-interpretation, first proposed by others, synonomizes "Annelida" and "Polychaeta", and lends further support to the inclusion of echiurids, siboglinids (previously called vestimentiferans) within annelids, and sipunculans as close allies. The complete mt-genome of C. torquata was then rapidly screened to obtain markers useful in short timescale population genetics. / (cont.) Two quickly evolving mitochondrial markers were sequenced from ten populations of C. torquata from the Bay of Fundy to New Jersey to investigate previous hypotheses that the Cape Cod, MA peninsula is a barrier to gene flow in the northwest Atlantic. A barrier to gene flow was found, but displaced south of Cape Cod, between Rhode Island and Long Island, NY. Imposed upon this pattern was a gradient in genetic diversity presumably due to previous glaciation, with northern populations exhibiting greatly reduced diversity relative to southern sites. These trends in C. torquata, combined with other recent short time scale population genetic research, highlight the lack of population genetics models relevant to marine benthic invertebrates. To this end, I constructed a model including a typical benthic invertebrate life cycle, and described the patterns of genetic differentiation at the juvenile and adult stages. Model analysis indicates that selection operating at the post- settlement stage may be extremely important in structuring genetic differentiation between populations and life stages. Further, it demonstrates how combined genetic analysis of sub-adult and adult samples can provide more information about population dynamics than either could alone. / by Robert M. Jennings. / Ph.D.

This thesis concerns genomic variation within the Annelida, for which genome size studies are few and provide data for only a handful of groups. Genome size estimates were generated using Feulgen image analysis densitometry for 35 species of leeches and 61 polychaete species. Relationships were explored utilizing collection location and supplementary biological data from external sources. A novel, inverse correlation between genome size and maximum adult body size was found across all leeches. Leeches that provide parental care had significantly larger genome sizes than leeches that do not. Additionally, specimens identified as Nephelopsis obscura exhibited geographic genome size variation. Within the Polychaeta, Polar region polychaete genomes were significantly larger than those of Atlantic and Pacific polychaetes. These studies represent the first exploration of leech genome sizes, and provide base evidence for numerous future studies to examine relationships between genome size and life history traits across and within different annelid groups.