As algas pardas filamentosas (Phaeophyceae) constituem um grupo essencialmente marinho com morfologia extremamente simples. A identificação taxonômica dessas algas é bastante difícil quando empregados apenas caracteres morfológicos devido à grande plasticidade fenotípica que apresentam. No Brasil, nenhum estudo sistemático foi feito com seus representantes empregando-se dados moleculares. Neste contexto, a diversidade de algas pardas filamentosas dos gêneros Acinetospora, Asteronema, Bachelotia, Ectocarpus, Hincksia e Feldmannia foi investigada pela primeira vez no Brasil sob uma abordagem molecular, complementada com dados morfológicos. As coletas abrangeram a região sudeste do Brasil, incluindo a área de ressurgência dos litorais do Rio de Janeiro e Espírito Santo, que abriga quase que a totalidade de táxons de algas pardas filamentosas citadas para o país. Foi utilizado o marcador mitocondrial do tipo DNA Barcode, COI-5P e o marcador plastidial para inferências filogenéticas, o rbcL. Os estudos moleculares e morfológicos permitiram identificar 10 táxons para o litoral sudeste brasileiro: oito da ordem Ectocarpales: Acinetospora filamentosa, \"Feldmannia\" irregulares, \"Feldmannia irregulares\" 1, \"Feldmannia irregulares\" 2, \"Feldmannia\" mitchelliae, \"Hincksia\" conífera e Hincksia sandriana (família Acinetosporaceae) e Ectocarpus fasciculatus (família Ectocarpaceae) e dois da ordem Scytothamnales: \"Asteronema\" breviarticulatum (família Asteronemataceae) e Bachelotia antillarum (família Bachelotiaceae). A família Acinetosporaceae não é monofilética e se dividiu em dois agrupamentos, Acinetosporaceae 1, que incluiu a maioria dos representantes brasileiros e a espécie tipo da família, Acinetospora crinita, e para o qual o nome da família deve ser retido; e Acinetosporaceae 2, que incluiu os autênticos gêneros Feldmannia, Hincksia e Pylaiella com suas respectivas espécies-tipo, Feldmannia lebelli, Hincksia hincksiae e Pylaiella litorallis, respectivamente, e para o qual, uma nova família deverá ser proposta. Hincksia sandriana foi a única espécie estudada que se agrupou no clado do autêntico gênero Hincksia e é citada pela primeira vez para o Brasil, constituindo um caso de introdução recente. Para os demais representantes agrupados em Acinetosporaceae 1, excluindo Acinetospora, um novo gênero para a ciência deverá ser proposto. Os táxons \"H.\" conífera, \"F.\" irregulares, \"F. irregulares\" 1, \"F. irregulares\" 2 e \"F.\" mitchelliae não pertencem aos autênticos gêneros Feldmannia e Hincksia, já que não se agruparam com as respectivas espécies-tipo dos gêneros, e, portanto, devem ser transferidos para o novo gênero. As análises com os dois marcadores moleculares demonstraram que \"F.\" irregulares, \"F. irregulares\" 1 e \"F. irregulares\" 2, previamente citados sob uma única espécie (F. irregulares), representam três entidades taxonômicas independentes. Sequências do COI-5P de F. irregulares da Itália, considerada próxima à localidade tipo (Mar Adriático), confirmaram que parte do material analisado deve ser mantido sob o epíteto irregulares, enquanto duas novas espécies devem ser propostas para a ciência para acomodar \"F. irregulares\" 1 e \"F. irregulares\" 2. As análises moleculares com o COI-5P dividiu \"F.\" mitchelliae em três agrupamentos com alta divergência genética e variabilidade morfológica indicando que \"F.\" mitchelliae forma um complexo. Uma sequência de \"F.\" mitchelliae procedente dos EUA (Carolina do Norte), próxima à localidade tipo (Massachusetts), gerada no presente estudo, confirmou que o material brasileiro deve ser descrito sob o epíteto mitchelliae, porém acomodado sob um novo gênero. Nossos resultados moleculares demonstraram claramente que o gênero Acinetospora não é monofilético. Acinetospora filamentosa é citada pela primeira vez para o Oceano Atlântico e foi revelada por meio de dados moleculares, tanto pelo COI-5P quanto pelo rbcL. A espécie Acinetospora crinita referida previamente para o litoral sudeste do Brasil não foi recoletada neste estudo. Diferenças morfológicas nas estruturas pluriloculares entre as duas espécies e ausência de monosporângios em A. filamentosa, descritos como típico apenas para A. crinita, confirmaram a ocorrência de A. filamentosa para o Atlântico. Nossos resultados com o rbcL revelaram que a família Asteronemataceae não é monofilética. O táxon \"Asteronema\" breviarticulatum se agrupou com Asterocladon lobatum, espécie tipo do gênero, e deve ser alocado na família Asterocladaceae, assim como transferido para o gênero Asterocladon propondo-se uma combinação nova para resolver o posicionamento taxonômico dessa espécie. A alta divergência genética verificada para os marcadores COI-5P e rbcL demonstraram que Bachelotia antillarum é uma espécie críptica. A utilização da ferramenta molecular no estudo de algas pardas filamentosas na região sudeste do Brasil foi fundamental para desvendar a sua diversidade, que comprovadamente estava subestimada, assim como melhor delimitar seus gêneros e espécies e revelar espécies crípticas. Os dados aqui apresentados são pioneiros e constituem uma fonte relevante de informação sobre a taxonomia e sistemática deste grupo de algas pardas. Mais investigações por meio de uma ampla revisão, especialmente da família Acinetosporaceae, uma maior amostragem no litoral brasileiro e inclusão de mais gêneros de algas pardas filamentosas nas análises podem ainda mudar o panorama da classificação desse grupo / Filamentous brown algae (Phaeophyceae) constitute an essentially marine group that display an extremely simple morphology. The taxonomic identification of these algae is very difficult when based only on morphological characters, due to the high incidence of phenotypic plasticity. In Brazil, no systematic study using molecular data has investigated their representatives. In this context, this study aims to investigate the diversity of filamentous brown algae of the genera Acinetospora, Asteronema, Bachelotia, Ectocarpus, Hincksia and Feldmannia for the first time in Brazil, applying the molecular approach coupled with morphological data. The sampling sites covered the southeastern region of Brazil, including the upwelling area of the Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo coasts, which include almost all the filaments of brown algae mentioned for the country. The DNA barcode mitochondrial marker, COI-5P, and the plastid marker for phylogenetic inferences, rbcL, were sequenced. The molecular and morphological studies allowed the recognition of 10 taxa on the Brazilian southeastern coast, out of which eight taxa correspond to the order Ectocarpales, and two to the order Scytothamnales. Ectocarpales is represented by the families Acinetosporaceae (Acinetospora filamentosa, \"Feldmannia\" irregularis, \"Feldmannia irregularis\" 1, \"Feldmannia irregularis\" 2, \"Feldmannia\" mitchelliae, \"Hincksia\" conifer and Hincksia sandriana), and Ectocarpaceae (Ectocarpus fasciculatus). The order Scytothamnales, in turn, includes the families Asteronemataceae (\"Asteronema\" breviarticulatum) and Bachelotiaceae (Bachelotia antillarum) The Acinetosporaceae family is non-monophyletic and was divided into two clusters: Acinetosporaceae 1 for which the family name should be retained, included the type species of the family (Acinetospora crinite) and most of the Brazilian representatives; and Acinetosporaceae 2 for which a new family should be proposed, included the genera Feldmannia, Hincksia and Pylaiella represented by their respective type species, Feldmannia lebelli, Hincksia hincksiae and Pylaiella litorallis. Hincksia sandriana was the only species studied that grouped in the clade of the authentic genus Hincksia. Besides, this is the first record of H. sandriana for Brazil, which constitutes a case of recent introduction. For the other representatives of Acinetosporaceae 1, except Acinetospora, a new genus for science should be proposed. The taxa \"H.\" conifer, \"F.\" irregularis, \"F. irregularis\" 1, \"F. irregularis\" 2 and \"F.\" mitchelliae do not belong to the authentic genera Feldmannia and Hincksia, since they did not group with the respective generitypes. Therefore, should be transferred to the new genus. Analyzes applying both molecular markers showed that \"F.\" irregularis, \"F. irregularis\" 1 and \"F. irregularis\" 2, previously cited as a single species (F. irregularis), constitute three independent taxonomic entities. COI-5P sequences of F. irregularis from Italy, close to the type locality (Adriatic Sea), demonstrate that part of the analyzed material should be maintained under the epithet irregularis, whereas two new scientific species should be proposed to accommodate \"F. irregularis \"1 and \" F. irregularis \"2. COI-5P molecular analyzes divided \"F.\" mitchelliae into three clusters with high genetic divergence and morphological variability indicating that \"F.\" mitchelliae corresponds to a species complex. A sequence of \"F. mitchelliae from the United States (North Carolina), near the type locality (Massachusetts), obtained and included in the present study, confirmed that the Brazilian material should be described under the epithet mitchelliae and transferred to a new genus. Our molecular results have clearly demonstrated that the genus Acinetospora is non-monophyletic. Acinetospora filamentosa is for the first time mentioned for the Atlantic Ocean and was revealed by molecular data, both by COI-5P and rbcL. The species Acinetospora crinite recorded on the southeastern coast of Brazil was not collected in this study. Morphological differences in plurilocular structures between two species and absence of monosporangia in A. filamentosa, described as typical only for A. crinite, confirmed the occurrence of A. filamentosa for the Atlantic. Our results with the rbcL revealed that the family Asteronemataceae is non-monophyletic. \"Asteronema\" breviarticulatum was grouped with Asterocladon lobatum, the type species of the genus, and should be transferred to the genus Asterocladon and to the family Asterocladaceae. Consequently, a new combination should be proposed to solve taxonomic placement of this species. The high genetic divergence observed for the COI-5P and rbcL markers demonstrated that Bachelotia antillarum is a cryptic species. The use of the molecular tool in the study of filamentous brown algae in the southeastern region of Brazil was fundamental to uncover their diversity, previously underestimated, as well as to allow a better delimitation of their genera and species. The innovative data presented here constitute a relevant source of information to the taxonomy and systematics of filamentous brown algae. More investigations through a broad review, especially of the Acinetosporaceae family, a wider sampling in the Brazilian coast and the inclusion of more genera of filamentous brown algae in the analyses can still change the classification scenario of this group

BACKGROUND:Numerous studies have investigated cospeciation between parasites and their hosts, but there have been few studies concerning parasitoids and insect hosts. The high diversity and host specialization observed in Anicetus species suggest that speciation and adaptive radiation might take place with species diversification in scale insect hosts. Here we examined the evolutionary history of the association between Anicetus species and their scale insect hosts via distance-based and tree-based methods.RESULTS:A total of 94 Anicetus individuals (nine parasitoid species) and 113 scale insect individuals (seven host species) from 14 provinces in China were collected in the present study. DNA sequence data from a mitochondrial gene (COI) and a nuclear ribosomal gene (28S D2 region) were used to reconstruct the phylogenies of Anicetus species and their hosts. The distance-based analysis showed a significant fit between Anicetus species and their hosts, but tree-based analyses suggested that this significant signal could be observed only when the cost of host-switching was high, indicating the presence of parasite sorting on related host species.CONCLUSIONS:This study, based on extensive rearing of parasitoids and species identification, provides strong evidence for a prevalence of sorting events and high host specificity in the genus Anicetus, offering insights into the diversification process of Anicetus species parasitizing scale insects.

Place branding scholars and practitioners increasingly highlight the influence that corporate image can exert on the image of the country of origin (COI). Yet, there is remarkably little theoretical and empirical research on this influence. In this qualitative and quantitative study the researcher aims (1) to analyse whether corporate image affects COI; (2) to identify consumer-related and company-related factors that affect the influence of corporate image on COI; (3) to examine the influence of corporate image- (net valence and consistency) and corporate-related factors (number of corporate brands and accessibility) on COI; (4) to investigate the moderating effects of corporate familiarity, business familiarity and consumer ethnocentrism on the influence of corporate image-related factors on COI; and (5) to describe the COI not only in terms of lists of attributes, but also in terms of holistic impressions. This study focuses on the case of Spain and is based on empirical evidence provided by undertaking, firstly, in-depth interviews with 13 place branding experts and, secondly, a face-to-face survey of 300 British people aged 18 and over living in London or Greater London, selected using a multi-stage area sampling technique. The findings reveal (1) the statistically significant positive impact of corporate image on one dimension of COI (political beliefs); (2) six consumer-related (awareness of the corporate brand’s COO; power of the corporate brand image; strength of the corporate brand-country association; brand image fit; brand image unfit; strength of the industry-country association) and four company-related (extent to which the company plays up or down its COO; the company’s international and market visibility; the number of corporate brands operating in the market) factors that influence the impact of corporate image on COI; (3) that corporate image- and corporate-related factors explain collectively 10 per cent or over of variance in the affective dimensions of COI and a smaller proportion of variance in the cognitive dimensions of COI; (4) that business familiarity has a significant effect moderating the influence of net valence on COI; and (5) that tourism is the dominant element of the image that British people have of Spain. Theoretical (conceptual model, first study testing the influence of corporate image on COI) and managerial (guidelines for selecting corporate brands to be included in country branding campaigns) implications of these findings are considered, and finally, limitations of the study and future research directions are suggested.

The biting midges (family Ceratopogonidae) is one of the most species rich amongst the biting flies (Diptera) and has been recorded from most parts of the world. The species are mostly known for their capability to act as vectors for several important diseases, which have helped in shaping the focus to one of its genera, Culicoides Latreille, 1809.   This thesis gives an overview of the knowledge of the Swedish diversity, in the first paper (paper I) with a closer look at the species of Dasyhelea Kieffer, 1911 where all twenty species found in Sweden are presented with their associated localities, and two new species are described.  In the second paper (paper II) the biting midge diversity of Sweden is presented based on specimens collected from several localities. All these individuals were barcoded using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI). The analysis included 773 specimens that were assigned into 214 barcoding clusters (BINs) and sorted into 164 groups based on their morphology. The third paper (paper III) broadens the scale were the evolutionary relationships within the family are investigated by applying five protein coding genes (COI, CAD, TPI, AATS and PGD) and specimens from different parts of the World. The analysis recovers Ceratopogonini, Forcipomyia Meigen, 1818 and Bezzia Kieffer, 1899 as paraphyletic and Palpomyia Meigen, 1818 polyphyletic. In the last and fourth paper (paper IV) the family is used as a model organism together with Hymenoptera for an alternative analysis method for reducing the impact of saturation and long-branch attraction using non-synonymous coding (e.g. Degen1) on only parts of a dataset. The effectiveness of the method is compared to the removal of the faster evolving third codon position. The result yields a higher number of supported nodes as well as a higher median of support for the method as well as an ability to reduce long-branch attraction artifacts. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Manuscript. Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.</p><p> </p>

Submitted by Dominick Jesus (dominickdejesus@hotmail.com) on 2015-11-06T19:31:35Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação_Rafaela Augusta Mouzinho Bordalo.pdf: 3519525 bytes, checksum: c2c6204c8420d2aff0e7e7a06f977edb (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-11-06T19:31:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação_Rafaela Augusta Mouzinho Bordalo.pdf: 3519525 bytes, checksum: c2c6204c8420d2aff0e7e7a06f977edb (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-03-14 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / It conducted a taxonomic study for the Culex species nigripalpus based on analyzes imorfológicas and molecular analysis with the "barcode" region of the COI gene. The analysis indicated that individuals in the US and Brazil do not differ as to infer that make up a species complex. In this case, the wide geographic distance did not represent a high genetic and morphological divergence. / Foi realizado um estudo taxonômico para a espécie Culex nigripalpus com base em análises morfológicas e moleculares, com a região "barcode" do gene COI. As análises indicaram que os indivíduos dos EUA e do Brasil não diferem entre si a ponto de inferir que compõem um complexos de espécies. Neste caso, a ampla distância geográfica não representou uma elevada divergência genética e morfológica.

As one of the major preys of many important economic fish species such as swordfish and dolphinfish in waters off estern Taiwan, flyingfish belongs to low-end consumers in the food chain with the function of maintaining the stability of the Kuroshio marine ecosystem. Hirundichthys oxycephalus is the primary component of flyingfish-egg fishery captures in the northeastern waters of Taiwan, and is also one of the dominant species of flyingfish in eastern waters of Taiwan. However, the significant drop of the flyingfish and flyingfish-egg catch from 2006 to 2007 and the effects on ecosystem and fishery caused major concern from the fishery sector and academic field. In order to manage this marine resource effectively, the phylogenetic relationships and population structure needed to be characterized first. In this study, the phylogenetic relationships of Hirundichthys oxycephalus of Northwestern Pacific was characterized based on the mitochondrial COI fragment. Totally 55 samples were collected between July, 2008 and November, 2010 in waters of Keelung, Ilan, Hualian, and Green Island. In addition, 12 more samples were obtained in Sebtember, 2009 from Tanegashima Island, and Yakushima Island of Japan. The DNA sequencing results of samples from Taiwan showed a total number of 29 haplotypes. The length of partial COI sequence was found to be 657 bp while the mean genetic distance was found to be 0.6%. In phylogenetic analyses, two major groups were identified in the phylogenetic trees by neighbor-joining and maximum-likelihood methods. The majority of "Keelung inshore group" came from Keelung and Ilan waters. The main population of "Kuroshio group" came from Green Island. The variation between two groups was found to be 61.75% by amova. The DNA sequencing results of samples from Japan showed a total number of 8 haplotypes. The length of partial COI sequences was found to be 657 bp with a mean genetic distance of 0.53%. In the phylogenetic tree, the samples from Japan were found to belong to "Kuroshio group". The variation between the two major groups was found to be 60% by amova. It was inferred that the differentiation of flyingfish into the two major groups in Taiwan was due to the flow pattern difference of Kuroshio in northeast waters of Taiwan. It was also inferred that phylogenetic similarity of the samples from Japan and the Kuroshio group was due to the distribution of both groups locating on the same path of the main current of Kuroshio. However, applying different distribution assumption may result in different conclusion such as one single stock hypothesis. Further studies will be needed to confirm the stock structure of the species.

Invasive species are capable of causing considerable damage to natural ecosystems, agricultures and economies throughout the world. These invasive species must be identified and adequate control measures should be investigated to prevent and reduce the negative effects associated with exotic species. A recent introduction of an exotic ant, Paratrechina sp. nr. pubens, has caused tremendous economic and ecological damage to southern Texas. Morphometric and phylogenetic procedures were used to identify this pest ant, P. sp. nr. pubens, to Southern Texas. The populations in Texas were found to be slightly different but not discriminating from P. pubens populations described in previous literature. Analysis of the distribution and expansion of P. sp. nr. pubens found numerous geographically discrete populations and moderately expanding territories. These expansion rates were determined to be ~20 and ~30 m per mo for a neighborhood and industrial area, respectively. Several laboratory and field control strategies were implemented for control of this intensely pestiferous species. Dinotefuran exhibited high laboratory efficacy against P. sp. nr. pubens, while treatments using novaluron were inconclusive. The use of expanded-use Termidor� demonstrated trends in these data that suggest it as the treatment of choice. Other field treatments, such as Termidor and Top Choice�, Termidor and Advance Carpenter Ant BaitTM, and Transport� and Talstar� G, did not attain the success found in the expanded-use Termidor treatment. Most treatments examined were determined ineffective against high populations of P. sp. nr. pubens. Additional and more intensive population management regimes should be investigated. Abating further P. sp. nr. pubens population proliferation to other regions will only be realized from additional control research supplemented with state and federal interdiction policies.

No description available.

The current method to determine a mosquito specimen to a certain species is by morphological keys basically following the taxonomy developed by Carl Linnaeus in the 1700. Since Watson and Crick presented their model of the double-helix DNA in 1953, a new era of molecular based taxonomic studies have revolutionized the field. The revolution is not in terms of how the classification of species is done but how the biological diversity is seen. However, morphological, ecological and behavioral characteristics are still important and are used together with the information a gene or whole genome can give. DNA barcoding is one of the promising methods for molecular identification. A small segment of a gene, approximately 400-1000 base pairs (bp), are examined by a Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Like the barcodes in the grocery store these sequences work like unique ID: s for every species. This thesis shows how a fast DNA extraction method could be combined with DNA barcoding to get a 658-bp segment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) from different species of the mosquito family Culicidae. A total of 15 thoraxes or wings, from individual specimen of mosquitoes, were examined and 11 different barcode sequences could be retrieved. Six correspond to already published COI sequences and could therefore be determined to the species level, including a sequence from a new species for Sweden, Aedes (Ochlerotatus) nigrinus. All mosquitoes were collected during the national inventory of species in summer of 2012 in Sweden, ”Myggjakten”, and have been morphological examined by experts at the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) prior to molecular determination. This thesis also highlights the importance of building a reference library of barcode sequences, so DNA barcoding could become an effective diagnostic tool. Inventory projects like “Myggjakten” may, if repeated, provide excellent material for such a library collection of barcode data. / När en stickmyggsart skall artbestämmas är den vanligaste metoden att använda morfologiska nycklar. I princip görs det här efter den taxonomi som Carl von Linne utvecklade på 1700-talet. Men sedan Watson och Crick presenterade sin DNA modell 1953 så har dock en ny era av molykylärt baserade metoder revolutionerat taxonomin. Förändringen består egentligen inte i hur vi klassificerar och använder taxonomin utan mer hur vi ser på den biologiska mångfalden. Morfologiska och ekologiska studier, samt studier av arters beteende, är fortfarande viktiga och komplementerar den molekylära informationen från ett genom eller från en enstaka gen. DNA barcoding är en av de lovande nya molekylära metoderna för artbestämning. Ett litet segment av en gen, på ungefär 400-1000 baspar (bp), undersöks med hjälp av polymeras-kedjereaktion (PCR) och sekvensering. Likt streckkoder i livsmedelsbutiken ger metoden ett unikt ID för varje art. Den här studien visar hur en snabb DNA-extraktionsmetod kan kombineras med DNA barcoding, för att ge en 658-bp lång DNA-sekvens, från den mitokondriella genen cytokrom c oxidas subunit 1 (COI) från olika arter av myggfamiljen Culicidae. I undersökningen ingick 15 mellankroppar eller vingar från individuella stickmyggor och av dessa kunde 11 olika barcode sekvenser utläsas. Sex av dessa stämde överrens med redan publicerade COI-sekvenser och kunde bestämmas till artnivå, varav en av sekvenserna kommer från den nyligen i Sverige funna morfologiskt artbestämda Aedes (Ochlerotatus) nigrinus. Stickmyggorna i detta arbete insamlades av privatpersoner på olika ställen i Sverige under sommaren 2012 i det nationella mygginsamlingsprojektet ”Myggjakten”. Dessa artbestämdes morfologiskt av personal på Statens veterinärmedicinska anstalt (SVA) innan de artbestämdes molekylärt. Det här arbetet belyser även vikten av att bygga upp ett referensbibliotek av barcode sekvenser för att DNA-barcoding ska kunna bli ett effektivt diagnostiskt verktyg vid studier av vektorburna zoonoser. Nationella projekt som Myggjakten kan vara mycket användbara för insamling av sådana data.

This thesis investigates species diversity and patterns of molecular evolution in Arachnida through DNA barcoding. The first chapter assesses mite species richness through comprehensive sampling at a subarctic location in Canada. Barcode analysis of 6279 specimens revealed nearly 900 presumptive species with high rates of turnover between major habitat types, demonstrating the utility of DNA barcoding for biodiversity surveys of understudied taxa. The second chapter explores nucleotide composition, indel occurrence, and rates of amino acid evolution in Arachnida. The results suggest a significant shift in nucleotide composition in the arachnid subclasses of Pulmonata (GC = 37.0%) and Apulmonata (GC = 34.2%). Indels were detected in five apulmonate orders, with deletions being much more common than insertions. Finally, rates of amino acid evolution were detected among the orders, and were negatively correlated with generation length, suggesting that generation time is a significant contributor to variation in molecular rates of evolution in arachnids.