A one-year experimental fishery for P. delagoae was established in April 2004 to determine the frequency and magnitude at which pulse fishing may be sustainable (Government Gazette 2004). Determining the extent of recovery after fishing is one aim of the experimental fishery. Assessments of the growth rate, size at sex maturity and natural mortality of P. delagoae were performed in 2000 (Groeneveld et al) and can be supplemented by the results of this study, which assess the reproductive biology of the East Coast spiny lobster in order to address this aim. A recent study (Groeneveld in press) assessed fecundity, egg loss during gestation, relative reproductive potential and lifetime egg production per recruit for P. gilchristii from three areas along the South African south coast. A general east-west trend of increasing fecundity, size at sexual maturity, and lifetime egg production per recruit was found for P. gilchristii. Examining egg-loss through the first four ( of six) developmental stages of gestation showed significant loss of around 15 % by stage four, irrespective of lobster size (Groeneveld in press). The study of fecundity in P. gilchristii ( Groeneveld in press) was used as a framework for assessing the fecundity of P. delagoae in this study.

Zandvlei is a system that has been highly modified by the urban environment of Cape Town. Salinity is a major driver determining the physical environment of estuaries. The macroalgal community of estuaries forms an important part of the ecology of these systems as primary producers. The salinity of this environment is an important parameter determining the composition, abundance and diversity of these communities. Patterns of salinity fluctuations in the long term (1978-2003) and annually are described in order to establish how communities may vary. Zandvlei is in a Mediterranean climate and salinity was found to vary seasonally and monthly with fluctuations in rainfall. Historical records of macroalgae identified in the estuary were summarized and no record of the Polysiphonia sp., now dominant in the estuary, was found. Dominant macroalgae in the estuary were identified and grown under a range of salinities (0, 1, 5, 10, 20, 29 ppt). Dominant macroalgae included Cladophora sp., Polysiphonia sp. and Enteromorpha prolifera. None of these algae survived at O ppt. In 1 ppt E. prolifera survived but growth was retarded, Polysiphonia sp. survived but did not grow and Cladophora sp. grew successfully at this salinity. All three species have different optimum ranges for growth with E. prolifera preferring higher salinities, Cladophora sp. grew similarly across the range from 1 to 29 ppt and Polysiphonia sp. grew most rapidly at 5 ppt. Depending on the salinity range in the estuary different macroalgae will be dominant. This makes the macroalgae community quite resilient to fluctuating salinities. There should therefore always be estuarine macroalgae present in the estuary provided salinity does not drop below 1 ppt for an extended period. If salinities did drop below 1 ppt there could be an increase in freshwater algae.

The Zandvlei Nature Reserve is to be expanded to form the Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve and will encorporate a much greater area (250 more hectares). The Greater Zandvlei area was classified by means of Zurich Montpellier (Braun Blanquet) procedures. 60 relevés were used to create a hierarchical phytosociology using TWINSPAN and DCA-ordination analyses. 3 major community types were identified, which were then subdivided to reveal 6 community types important to future management: Moist Grassland/Wetland Disturbed Parkland, Dune Asteraceous Fynbos, Thicket/Shrub Mosaic, Rhus-Euclea Dune Thicket and Homogenous Patches. CCA-ordination indicates that the abiotic soil factors sampled (texture composition, pH, carbon content and visible disturbance) explain very little of the variation between the communities (r²=0.002). This phytosociology is provided as a tool for future research in the area, and it is hoped to assist in future management decisions regarding the newly founded GZENR.

The taxonomy of marine isopod crustaceans belonging to the families Serolidae and Sphaeromatidae is considered. All known Australian serolids are discussed and a new species is described from Victoria. The Serolis minuta-group (sensu Monod, 1971) is shown to exhibit great morphological variation and the differentiation of distinct species within this group is not currently possible. The differences between the minuta-group and other Australian species are described and a key to all known serolids from Australia is provided. All known sphaeromatids from the Queensland coast of Australia are redescribed, and 8 genera and 25 species new to science are described from this region. A further 1 new genus and 3 new species of Sphaeromatidae are described from southern and western Australian coasts. The morphology of ovigerous female sphaeromatids is reviewed for all known genera world-wide. The expansion of the maxilliped is shown to be directly related to brood pouch form, and some relationship is indicated between brood pouch structure and environment. Twenty different forms of brood pouch are described. For adult male sphaeromatids, an illustrated key to all known genera world-wide is provided and the known geographical distributions of the genera are listed. A preliminary revision at the species level of the entire family Sphaeromatidae is briefly attempted and the need for a natural classification within this family (especially at the generic level) is emphasised, some of the current genera being obviously artificial groups. It is shown that the families Sphaeromatidae and Serolidae are not as closely related phylogenetically as was previously thought, and the opinion is rendered that the genera Ancinus Milne Edwards, Bathycopea Tattersall and Tecticeps Richardson should probably be removed from the Sphaeromatidae.

Drosera is a carnivorous plant genus belonging to the Droseraceae and comprising around 250 species distributed worldwide. A great number of new species and combinations have been published for Brazil and the Neotropics in the past decades; however, a comprehensive taxonomic work dealing with these species was still lacking. Furthermore, previous phylogenetic works on the genus focused on understanding the relationships between the morphological and geographical groups, revealing that all proposed infrageneric classifications were incongruent with the phylogeny and that the Neotropical species belonging to D. sect. Drosera are divided into two lineages mostly defined by chromosome number. In the present work, a comprehensive taxonomic treatment for the Brazilian Drosera is presented, together with a revision of the previously poorly known Andean species, descriptions of new species and a molecular phylogeny focusing on the two Neotropical lineages of D. sect. Drosera. Although the phylogenetic analyses here performed did not present conclusive results regarding relationships at the species level, they shed light on the importance of some morphological traits for the classification of these species and back up the species circumscriptions adopted in recent works. Combined with data covering all the other lineages in a global phylogeny of Drosera, these results will be of crucial importance for the proposition of a new infrageneric classification of the genus / Drosera é um gênero de plantas canívoras pertencente às Droseraceae e compreende cerca de 250 espécies distribuídas no mundo todo. Um grande número de novas espécies e combinações foi publicado para o Brasil e os Neotrópicos nas últimas décadas, no entanto, ainda carecia-se de um compreensivo trabalho taxonômico lidando com tais espécies. Além disso, trabalhos filogenéticos anteriores focaram no entendimento das relações entre os grupos definidos por morfologia e distribuição geográfica, revelando que todas as classificações infragenéricas já propostas eram incongruentes com a filogenia e que as espécies Neotropicais pertencentes a D. sect. Drosera se dividiam em duas linhagens definidas, principalmente, por número cromossômico. No presente trabalho, um tratamento taxonômico compreensivo tratando das espécies brasileiras é apresentado, junto com uma revisão taxonômica das antes pouco conhecidas espécies andinas, descrições de novas espécies e uma filogenia molecular focando nas duas linhagens Neotropicais de D. sect. Drosera. Embora os resultados das análises filogenéticas não tenham sido conclusivos para o estabelecimento de relações ao nível das espécies, eles apontam para importância de alguns caracteres morfológicos para a classificação dessas espécies e apoiam as circunscrições adotadas em trabalhos recentes. Combinados com dados cobrindo as demais linhagens numa filogenia global de Drosera, esses resultados serão de crucial importância para a proposição de uma nova classificação infragenérica para o gênero

O gênero Centroscymnus Barboza du Bocage & Britto-Capello, 1864 compreende um grupo de tubarões de profundidade elevada, distribuídos por praticamente todos os oceanos. Esse gênero contém duas espécies, Centroscymnus coelolepis e Centroscymnus owstonii, ambas reportadas com ampla distribuição mundial; entretanto, foram originalmente descritas no Atlântico Oriental e no Pacífico Ocidental, respectivamente. O presente estudo examinou espécimes de praticamente todos os oceanos e concluiu que ambas espécies de Centroscymnus são válidas e, de fato, ocorrem de forma simpátrica com uma distribuição mundial. Centroscymnus coelolepis e Centroscymnus owstonii diferenciam-se por características dos dentículos dérmicos e caracteres esqueléticos, como a forma do rostro do neurocranium, arranjo das cartilagens das nadadeiras dorsais e forma das cartilagens do clásper. O gênero Centroscymnus é definido dos demais gêneros da família Somniosidae por apresentar dentículos démicos com lâminas dorsais lisas, no tronco e cauda de adultos, sem cristas longitudinais e pela forma retangular do rostro, sem projeções ou expansões. Este estudo ainda definiu os demais gêneros de Somniosidae e apresentou algumas evidências morfológicas que podem indicar sobre o inter-relacionamento nas espécies dessa família. / The genus Centroscymnus Barboza du Bocage & Britto-Capello, 1864 comprises a group of deep-water sharks, with worldwide occurrences in almost all oceans. This genus contains two species, Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centroscymnus owstonii, both with worldwide distribution either, however, they were originally described from Northeastern Atlantic and Northwestern Pacific, respectivelly. The present study examined specimens from almost all oceans and concluded that both species of Centroscymnus are valid and, indeed, have sympatric occorrences with a worldwide distribution. Centroscymnus coelolepis e Centroscymnus owstonii are distinguished by features in dermal denticles and skeleton, such as the shape of the rostro in neurocranium, arrangement of dorsal fins cartilages and the shape of clasper cartilages. The genus Centroscymnus is recognized from the remainder genera of Family Somniosidae by presenting dermal denticles with smooth surface of dorsal blades on trunk and tail of adults, without longitudinal ridges, and by a rectangular shape of rostro, without projections and expansions of any sort. This study also defined the remainder genera of Somniosidae, and presented some morphological evidences that might indicate the interrelationship within the species of this Family.

A phylogenetic hypotesis of American Vernonieae based on three molecular regions (ITS, ndhF, rpl32-trnL) and on a morphological dataset reveals the existence of four main lineages in the group. Three of these lineages correspond, with a few adjustments, to subtribes Chrestinae, Lychnophorinae and Vernoniiae. The last lineage is mainly composed of Lepidaploinae and Elephantopinae. In order to keep the Lychnophorinae monophyletic, two small subtribes (Centratherinae, Sipolisiinae) and three monotypic genera (Albertinia, Blanchetia and Gorceixia) must be to transferred to Lychnophorinae, which has the presence of heliangolide in aerial parts as a synapomorphy. Our results show that syncephaly probably appeared independently three of four times in the course of evolution of American Vernonieae. Special features of these aggregation of heads in each lineage suggest that the formation of syncephalia is related to different biological functions: attractive in Chrestinae, disseminative in Rolandrinae or protective in Lychnophorinae. A phylogenetic analysis of Lychnophorinae was further performed based on a morphological dataset and on four molecular regions (ETS, ITS, ndhF, rpl32-trnL), in order to delimit monophyletic genera in Lychnophorinae, and to achieve a better understanding fo the relationships between the genera of the subtribe. The richest genus of the subtribe, Lychnophora, with 32 describe species, emerged as polyphyletic, involving three main lineages not closely related. Most clades obtained are associated with some existing generic concept and can be defined by a simple combination of morphological characters. Albertinia, Blanchetia and Gorceixia are the most basal lineages, whereas Eremanthus and Lychnophora stricto sensu emerged as the most derived clade, which contains half of the species of the subtribe. However, relationships between the remaining clades persist partially unresolved. Aiming to compare the influence of a hierarchical representation of homology hypotheses on phylogenetic inference, two morphological datasets of American Vernonieae and Lychnophorinae (Asteraceae) have been analyzed using parsimony and three-item analysis. The results widely diverged not only in terms of topology but also in the number of homologies recovered. The three-item analysis appears to retrieve a higher information content fron the original datasets. The already acknowledged high level of homoplasy in Vernonieae morphological data is here confirmed and most of the clades are not supported by synapomorphies. Based on the results of the phylogenetic analyses performed, a new classification of the subtribe Lychnophorinae is here proposed. The subtribes Centratherinae and Sipolisiinae are reduced to synonymy of Lychnophorinae and three genera (Albertinia, Blanchetia, Gorceixia) are transferred to the subtribe. As now circumscribed, Lychnophorinae comprises 18 genera and 104 species distributed mostly in the cerrado, domain of the Brazilian Central Plateau, Oiospermum is synonymized under Centratherum, and Irwinia under Blanchetia. Because Lychnophora as currently circumscribed was shown to be polyphyletic, it is here dismantled into three monophyletic genera: Lychnophora s.s., Lychnocephalus and a new genus described herein, Lychnophorella. 17 new combinations are proposed as well as 10 new synonymies. The descriptions of eight new species of Lychnophorinae are presented: Eremanthus brevifolius, Heterocoma gracilis, H. Robinsoniana, Minasia ramose, Paralychnophora glaziouana, Piptolepis campestris, P. monticola and P. schultziana. The synopsis provides the taxonomic status, data on nomenclatural types, geographical distribution, and taxonomic notes for each species. / Uma hipótese filogenética das Vernonieae Americanas, baseada em uma matriz morfológica e em três regiões moleculares (ITS, ndhF, rpl32-trnL), revela a existência de quatro linhagens principais neste grupo. Três dessas linhagens correspondem, com alguns ajustes, às subtribos Chrestinae, Lychnophorinae e Vernoniinae. A última linhagem é principalmente composta de Lepidaploinae e Elephantopinae. Para uma circunscrição de Lychnophorinae monofilética, devem ser aqui incluídos duas pequenas subtribos (Centratherinae, Sipolisiinae) e três gêneros monotípicos (Albertinia, Blanchetia e Gorceixia), tendo como sinapomorfia a presença de heliangolidos nas partes aéreas. Nossos resultados mostram que a sincefalia provavelmente surgiu três ou quatro vezes ao longo da evolução das Vernonieae Americanas. As características especiais dessas agregações de capítulos em cada linhagem sugerem que a formação da sincefalia deve estar relacionada a diferente funções biológicas: atração nas Chrestinae, dispersão nas Rolandrinae ou proteção nas Lychnophorinae. A análise filogenética das Lychnophorinae foi realizada baseada numa matriz morfológica e quatro regiões moleculares (ETS, ITS, ndhF, rpl32-trnL), a fim de delimitar gêneros monofiléticos na subtribo, e alcançar uma melhor compreensão das relações entre seus gêneros. O gênero mais rico da subtribo, Lychnophora, com 32 espécies descritas, emergiu como polifilético, envolvendo três principais linhagens não estreitamente relacionadas. A maioria dos clados obtidos estão associados a conceitos de gêneros já existentes e podem ser definidos por uma combinação simples de caracteres morfológicos. Albertinia, Blanchetia e Gorceixia são as linhagens mais basais, enquanto Eremanthus e Lychnophora stricto sensu emergiram como o clado mais derivado, que contém metade das espécies da subtribo. Porém, as relações entre os demais clados persistem apenas parcialmente resolvidas. Com o objetivo de comparar a influência de uma representação hierárquica de hipóteses de homologia em inferência filogenética, uma matriz morfológica das Vernonieae Americanas e uma das Lychnophorinae (Asteraceae) foram ambas analisadas usando a parcimônia e análise de três itens. Os resultados divergiram muito não só em termos de topologia, mas também no número de homologias recuperadas. A análise de três itens parece recuperar um maior conteúdo de informação das matrizes originais. O nível elevado de homoplasia já reconhecido em dados morfológicos de Vernonieae foi aqui confirmado e a maioria dos clados não são sustentados por sinapomorfias. Baseada nos resultados das análises filogenéticas realizadas, propõe-se aqui uma nova classificação da subtribo Lychnophorinae, e uma sinopse é apresentada. As subtribos Centratherinae e Sipolisiinae são reduzidas a sinonímia de Lychnophorinae e três gêneros (Albertinia, Blanchetia, Gorceixia) são transferidos para a subtribo. Como agora circunscrita, Lychnophorinae compreende 18 gêneros e 104 espécies distribuídas principalmente no domínio do cerrado do Planalto Central Brasileiro. Propõe-se a sinonimização de Oiospermum sob Centratherum, e de Irwinia sob Blanchetia. Devido ao fato de Lychnophora, como atualmente circunscrito ter-se mostrado polifilético, suas espécies tiveram que ser rearranjadas em três gêneros monofiléticos: Lychnophora s.s., Lychnocephalus e um novo gênero agora descrito, Lychnophorella. 17 novas combinações são propostas bem como 10 novas sinonímias. As descrições de oito novas espécies de Lychnophorinae são apresentadas: Eremanthus brevifolius, Heterocoma gracilis, H. robinsoniana, Minasia ramosa, Paralychnophora glaziouana, Piptolepis campestris, P. monticola e P. schultziana. A sinopse inclui os dados fundamentais de todas as espécies de Lychnophorinae: status taxonômico, dados sobre os tipos nomeclaturais, distribuição geográfica e habitat, além de notas taxonômicas.

Thesis advisor: M. Shawn Copeland / This dissertation investigates God’s salvific response to contemporary experiences of depression. The inquiry affords both constructive and critical insights for Christian theologies of suffering and salvation. Constructively, it offers a theological interpretation of depression and an account of salvation in relation to it. I argue that depression is an instantiation of bodily difference with unique difficulties and limitations to which God responds with the life-giving possibilities of survival and situational flourishing. These possibilities are a heuristic for an eschatological vision of salvation. The glorified body is characterized by an expansion of possibilities amid the persistence of some creaturely limitations, including many that constitute depression. Critically, my proposal about depression and salvation challenges the prevailing treatment of suffering and soteriology in political and liberation theologies. I argue that an “infralapsarian logic” shapes the predominant vision of salvation in these movements. I adopt the framework of infralapsarian logic from Edwin Chr. van Driel, who uses it to denote theologies that are primarily governed by the principle of sin. This is largely because negative suffering—that is, suffering that results from sin and evil—has been the primary object of concern in recent theologies. My argument about salvation in the context of depression illuminates the anthropological and theo-logical shortcomings of infralapsarian logic, and it reveals the need for alternative accounts of God’s salvific response to suffering. To this end, I advocate for the retrieval and development of soteriologies shaped by “supralapsarian logic,” and I point to my constructive account of depression and salvation as one example of this way of thinking about salvation. Chapter 1 introduces readers to Christian soteriology, my methodology, and a project overview. Chapter 2 examines suffering and salvation in the early work of Johann Baptist Metz, Gustavo Gutiérrez, James Cone, and Rosemary Radford Ruether. This analysis illuminates the infralapsarian logic shaping their influential liberation soteriologies. Chapter 3 explores critiques of liberation soteriology that have arisen from within political and liberation theologies in recent decades—namely, from feminist theology, theologies of disability, black and womanist theologies, theologies of trauma, Latin American feminist theology, and theologies engaged with postmodern conceptions of power. Together, chapters 2 and 3 present the recent landscape of theological discourse on suffering and salvation. Chapter 4 is a cross-disciplinary survey of depression that presents the affordances of narrative and phenomenological accounts of this condition. Based on these accounts of depression, chapter 5 develops a theological interpretation of depression as a particular instantiation of bodily difference—not a form of suffering that results from sin or evil. Chapter 6 offers an account of God’s saving work in relation to depression. I argue that salvation in this context is not primarily liberation from suffering but rather survival and an expansion of possibility that enables an improved quality of life amid depression. Together, chapters 5 and 6 illuminate the inadequacy of infralapsarian logic for envisioning salvation in relation to depression. I conclude the dissertation with chapter 7, where I argue for the development of soteriologies that reflect a supralapsarian logic. I close the project by naming the implications of this argument for further theological reflection on depression, in particular, and suffering and salvation, more broadly.

A subfamília Chauliognathinae Champion, 1914 é dividida em duas tribos: Chauliognathini LeConte, 1861 e Ichthyurini Champion, 1915. Na classificação de Miskimen (1961) Chauliognathini é formada por espécies que possuem élitros longos, recobrindo totalmente ou a maior parte do abdômen, enquanto nas espécies de Ichthyurini os élitros são muito curtos, expondo as asas e os tergitos abdominais. Em uma classificação alternativa, Magis & Wittmer (1974) propõem que as tribos sejam definidas principalmente com base em caracteres dos abdomens e genitálias dos machos. Nessa proposta, parte dos gêneros de Ichthyurini foi transferida para Chauliognathini. No entanto, uma análise cladística com o objetivo de testar a monofilia de Chauliognathini sensu Magis & Wittmer indicou que este não é monofilético, recuperando os grupos conforme a proposta de Miskimen (Biffi 2012). A classificação dos gêneros de Ichthyurini está relativamente bem resolvida, com quase todos os gêneros revisados. Por outro lado, a taxonomia de Chauliognathini é caótica, com poucos gêneros que não representam suficientemente a grande diversidade morfológica do grupo. As cerca de 900 espécies e subespécies estão alocadas principalmente em um único gênero, Chauliognathus Hentz, 1830, cuja definição pouco precisa abrange todas as espécies de Chauliognathini. É apresentada uma nova proposta de homologias para os caracteres do edeago da subfamília Chauliognathinae, principal estrutura utilizada por alguns autores para delimitar as tribos e gêneros. Em seguida, é proposta uma análise cladística da tribo Chauliognathini com o objetivo de elucidar o posicionamento filogenético de suas espécies e apresentar caracteres que possam sustentar uma nova classificação dos gêneros. Foram amostradas espécies representantes da grande diversidade morfológica e da ampla distribuição geográfica, incluindo as espécies-tipo de todos os gêneros e subgêneros. Os resultados confirmam a monofilia de Chauliognathini e Ichthyurini como grupos-irmãos, conforme a proposta de Miskimen (1961). São discutidas as possibilidades de redefinição ou proposição de novos gêneros, com a redistribuição das espécies. Por fim, como um primeiro passo nos futuros trabalhos de revisões dos gêneros da tribo, é apresentada uma revisão taxonômica de Microdaiphron Pic, 1926. Dez espécies são reconhecidas como válidas, sendo duas novas, e 23 espécies ou subespécies são propostos como sinônimos. São apresentadas redescrições, ilustrações e um mapa de distribuição para todas as espécies / The subfamily Chauliognathini Champion, 1914 is composed of two tribes: Chauliognathini LeConte, 1861 e Ichthyurini Champion, 1915. In Miskimen\'s (1961) classification the species of each tribe differ in terms of the length of elytra, which may are long, covering the abdomen (Chauliognathini) or very short, exposing the wings and abdominal tergites (Ichthyurini). Alternatively, Magis & Wittmer (1974) proposed that the tribes should be defined based on characters of the abdomen and genitalia of males. In this proposal, part of the Ichthyurini genera was transferred to Chauliognathini. However, a cladistic analysis conducted in order to test the monophyly of Chauliognathini sensu Magis & Wittmer indicated that the group is not monophyletic, recovering the groups according to Miskimen\'s proposal (Biffi 2012). The classification of the genera in Ichthyurini is reliable, with taxonomic revisions available for most of them. However, the taxonomy of Chauliognathini is chaotic, with few genera that do not represent the group\'s morphological diversity accordingly. The approximately 900 species and subspecies are mainly allocated in a single genus, Chauliognathus Hentz, 1830, whose imprecise definition covers all the species of Chauliognathini. A new proposal of homologies for the aedeagus of Chauliognathinae is presented. This is the main structure used by some authors to delimit the tribes and genera. Then, a cladistic analysis of Chauliognathini is proposed in order to verify the phylogenetic positioning of its species and to present morphological characters that may support new classifications for the genera. Species representative of the great morphological diversity and the wide geographic distribution were sampled, including the type species of all genera and subgenera. The results confirm the monophyly of Chauliognathini and Ichthyurini as sister groups, according to Miskimen\'s proposal. We discuss the possibilities of redefining or proposing new genera, with a redistribution of species. Finally, a taxonomic revision of Microdaiphron Pic, 1926, is presented. Ten species are recognized as valid, two of them proposed as new species, and 23 species or subspecies are proposed as synonyms. Redescriptions, illustrations and a distribution map are presented for all species

No presente trabalho foram testados o monofiletismo e relações filogenéticas de Croton sect. Cleodora (Klotzsch) Baill. (Euphorbiaceae s.s.) utilizando-se sequências da região nuclear ITS e das regiões plastidiais trnL-F e trnH-psbA (capítulo 1). Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a seção, em sua delimitação tradicional, não é monofilética e portanto uma nova circunscrição foi proposta para a mesma. Com base nessa nova circunscrição, foi realizada a revisão taxonômica da seção (capítulo 2), que inclui chave para identificação das espécies, descrições, ilustrações, fotos, sinonímias e comentários sobre ecologia e taxonomia das 18 espécies reconhecidas para a seção. Estudos detalhados sobre a morfologia dos tricomas foliares (capítulo 3) e dos padrões de distribuição geográfica (capítulo 4) das espécies também são aqui apresentados. Modelos preditivos de habitats foram construídos de maneira a esclarecer aspectos da ecologia do grupo estudado (capítulo 5). Em sua nova circunscrição, a seção Cleodora possui 18 espécies, é exclusivamente Neotropical, e apresenta distribuição disjunta entre o sul do México/América Central, norte e noroeste da América do Sul e leste do Brasil. Algumas caracteristicas compartilhadas pelas espécies da seção são: porte arbóreo ou arbustivo; presença de látex; tricomas lepidotos (vários subtipos), raramente estrelados ou multiradiados; folhas com um par de glândulas acropeciolares ou basilaminares; inflorescências geralmente com címulas basais bissexuadas; flores masculinas com sépalas geralmente unidas até a metade; estames 15-25; flores femininas com sépalas unidas na base ou mais acima, geralmente imbricativas; estiletes 4-fidos ou multifidos, unidos na base ou um pouco mais acima, geralmente formando uma coroa / In the present study the monophyly and phylogenetic relationships of In the present study the monophyly and phylogenetic relationships of Croton sect. Cleodora (Euphorbiaceae s.s.) were examined using sequences of nuclear ITS and the plastid regions trnL-F e trnH-psbA (chapter 1). The results shown that the section, in its traditional circumscription, is not monophyletic and, therefore, a new circumscription was proposed. Based on this new circumscription a taxonomic revision was done (chapter 2), where were presented, for the 18 recognized species, identification keys, descriptions, illustrations, pictures, synonymous, and comments on ecology and taxonomy of the species. A detailed study about morphology of foliar trichomes and patterns of distribution are presented. Predictive habitat distribution models were built to understand the ecology of the studied group (chapter 5). In its new circumscription, section Cleodora has 18 species and it is exclusively Neotropical, disjunctly distributed between south Mexico/Central America, north and northwestern South America and eastern Brazil. Some features shared by the member of this section are: arborescent or shrubby habit; presence of latex; lepidote trichomes (all subtypes), rarely stellate or multiradiate; leaves with a pair of basilaminar or acropetiolar glands; inflorescences usually with basal bisexual cymules; sepals of the staminate flowers usually united half of their length; 15-25 stamens; sepals of the pistillate flowers united at the base or higher, usually imbricative, and 4-fid or multifid styles, united at the base or higher, usually forming a crown