Carlos Ruiz

Molecular phylogeny of the tribe Sphodrini (Coleoptera: Carabidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers.

A phylogenetic analysis of 6.4 kb of nucleotide sequence data from seven genes (mitochondrial cox1-cox2 and tRNA(leu), and nuclear Ef-1alpha C0, Ef-1alpha C1, 28S, and 18S) was done to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of the ground-beetle tribe Sphodrini. Gene regions of variable nucleotide length were aligned using both a secondary structure model, Clustal W, and a combination of the two. Sensitivity analysis was performed in order to explore the effect of alignment methods. The ribosomal and protein-coding genes were largely congruent based on the ILD test and partitioned Bremer support measures. MtDNA analysis provided high resolution and high support for most clades. The tribe Sphodrini and the related tribes Platynini, Pterostichini and Zabrini made up monophyletic clades, but the relationship between them was weakly resolved and sensitive to alignment strategy. Previously suggested relationships between subtribes of Sphodrini were not corroborated, and only the subtribe Atranopsina revealed high support as the sister clade to the other subtribes. The analyses clearly demonstrated the importance of exploring effects of alignment methods that may become particularly important in resolving polytomies and nodes with low support.

Molecular phylogeny and Holarctic diversification of the subtribe Calathina (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Sphodrini)

A molecular phylogeny of the subtribe Calathina was inferred from DNA sequence data from the mitochondrial cox1-cox2 region and the nuclear genes 28S and EF-1alpha. All lineages within Calathina from the Holarctic region were represented except for the monotypic subgenus Tachalus. Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the combined data set showed that the subtribe is a monophyletic lineage that includes a single genus Calathus, where other taxa currently ranked as independent genera (Lindrothius, Synuchidius, Thermoscelis and Acalathus) are nested within this genus.Neocalathus and Lauricalathus, both subgenera of Calathus, were found to be polyphyletic and in need of taxonomic revision. The subtribe appears to have originated in the Mediterranean Basin and thereafter expanded into most parts of the Palearctic region, the Macaronesian archipelagos (at least five independent colonisation events), the Ethiopian highlands and the Nearctic region (at least two independent events).

A geometric morphometric and microsatellite analyses of Scaptotrigona mexicana and S. pectoralis (Apidae: Meliponini) sheds light on the biodiversity of Mesoamerican stingless bees

Geometric morphometrics and molecular methods are effective tools to study the variability of stingless bee populations and species that merit protection given their worldwide decline. Based on previous evidence of cryptic lineages within the Scaptotrigona genus, we tested the existence of multiple evolutionary lineages within the species S. mexicana and we investigated the status of S. pectoralis. By analyzing their population structure, we found differences between the Pacific and Atlantic populations of each of these species, although geometric morphometrics of the wing only confirmed these results in S. mexicana. There was a tendency towards enhanced genetic differentiation over larger distances in the Atlantic populations of both species but not in the Pacific populations. These results revealed a pattern of differentiation among evolutionary units and a specific distribution of genetic diversity within these Scaptotrigona species in Mesoamerica, suggesting the need for future taxonomic revisions, as well as activities aimed at management and conservation.

Multilocus species delimitation in MesoamericanScaptotrigonastingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) supports the existence of cryptic species: Multilocus species delimitation inScaptotrigona

Accelerating taxonomic knowledge and making accurate species identifications are critically important given the current biodiversity crisis, particularly in biodiversity hotspots such as Mesoamerica. Objective species delimitation that reduces investigator‐driven bias is fundamental to the establishment of appropriate conservation strategies, above all in managed species. Previous morphological and molecular studies on three managed stingless bee species of the genus Scaptotrigona distributed in Mexico (S. mexicana, S. pectoralis and S. hellwegeri) suggested that both S. mexicana and S. hellwegeri are cryptic species complexes. Herein we tested species delimitation by analysing sequence information of five markers (two mitochondrial: cox1 and 16S, and three nuclear: ITS1, EF1‐α, ArgK) within a Bayesian coalescent framework to test the putative species. We obtained two different hypotheses using a Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) model: four (cox1) and six (16S) species. After the species validation step with the Bayesian species‐delimitation analysis (BPP), we suggest that only S. mexicana is a complex of two species with different distribution (along the Pacific and the Atlantic coasts, respectively). We highly recommend avoiding colony exchange between geographical regions in order to conserve the genetic integrity of both taxa.

Rural-Urban Meliponiculture and Ecosystems in Neotropical Areas. Scaptotrigona, a Resilient Stingless Bee?

Traditional knowledge of meliponiculture (stingless bee keeping) is a land-use legacy. Scaptotrigona species successfully kept in Ecuador, Mexico, and Venezuela stand on diverse backgrounds (tradition, availability, handiness, empirical evidence). Sustainable techniques are needed to improve management of stingless bees and to protect pollinator-plant interactions. Rural-urban stingless bee meliponaries have ecological, economic and social key-components. We investigated the perception of economic benefits achieved by conservation of forest resources approached by surveys in rural communities of southern Ecuador and eastern Mexico.