Luiz Ricardo Lopes de Simone

Anatomical characters and systematics of Anodontites trapesialis (Lamarck, 1819) from South America (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Unionoida, Muteloidea)

Here is an anatomical concept of Anodontites trapesialis (Lamarck, 1819) (Bivalvia, Unionoida, Mycetopodidae) from South America. This complementary anatomical study, with a systematic interest, refers to a group of anatomical data, exclusive for this species, that may be analized to identify this wide‐ranging South‐American species, with such a variable shell. Diagnosis of A. trapesialis: trapezoid large shell, thin wall, smooth periostracus. Mantle border without tentacles, even in incurrent and excurrent canals. Presence of a fourth mantle fold well developed. Palps smooth outward, internally with relativelly large, easily view folds, and a smooth margin. Gills with transversal wide folds. Thin walled anal papilla. Evidence in some specimens of palliai cardinal muscle. Hermaphroditic gonad.

Genetic relationships among freshwater mussel species from fifteen Amazonian rivers and inferences on the evolution of the Hyriidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionida).

The current phylogenetic framework for the South American Hyriidae is solely based on morphological data. However, freshwater bivalve morphology is highly variable due to both genetic and environmental factors. The present study used both mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and nuclear (18S-ITS1) sequences in molecular phylogenetic analyses of nine Neotropical species of Hyriidae, collected from 15 South American rivers, and sequences of hyriids from Australia and New Zealand obtained from GenBank. The present molecular findings support traditional taxonomic proposals, based on morphology, for the South American subfamily Hyriinae, currently divided in three tribes: Hyriini, Castaliini and Rhipidodontini. Phylogenetic trees based on COI nucleotide sequences revealed at least four geographical groups of Castalia ambigua: northeast Amazon (Piriá, Tocantins and Caeté rivers), central Amazon, including C. quadrata (Amazon and Aripuanã rivers), north (Trombetas river), and C. ambigua from Peru. Genetic distances suggest that some specimens may be cryptic species. Among the Hyriini, a total evidence data set generated phylogenetic trees indicating that Paxyodon syrmatophorus and Prisodon obliquus are more closely related, followed by Triplodon corrugatus. The molecular clock, based on COI, agreed with the fossil record of Neotropical hyriids. The ancestor of both Australasian and Neotropical Hyriidae is estimated to have lived around 225million years ago.

Taxonomic revision of the fossil pulmonate mollusks of Itaboraí Basin (Paleocene), Brazil

Os calcarios da Bacia de Itaborai (Paleoceno Medio), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, abrigam uma rica fauna de gastropodes pulmonados do Paleoceno Medio, tanto terrestres quanto dulciaquicolas. No presente trabalho realiza-se uma extensiva revisao taxonomica dessa paleofauna. Duas novas especies, Eoborus fusiforme e Gastrocopta itaboraiensis, sao descritas, assim como um novo genero, Cortana. A classificacao revisada encontra-se do seguinte modo: Austrodiscus lopesi (Charopidae); Biomphalaria itaboraiensis (Planorbidae); Brachypodella britoi (Urocoptidae); Brasilennea arethusae, Brasilennea guttula, Brasilennea minor (Cerionidae); Bulimulus fazendicus, Bulimulus trindadeae, Cortana carvalhoi, Cyclodontina coelhoi, Itaborahia lamegoi, Leiostracus ferreirai, Plagiodontes aff. dentatus (Orthalicidae); Cecilioides sommeri (Ferussaciidae); Eoborus rotundus, Eoborus sanctijosephi, Eoborus fusiforme (Strophocheilidae); Gastrocopta mezzalirai, Gastrocopta itaboraiensis (Gastrocoptidae); Temesa magalhaesi (Clausiliidae). A especie Strobilopsis mauryae foi considerada sinonimo de Brasilennea arethusae; Bulimulus sommeri sinonimo de Itaborahia lamegoi; e Vorticifex fluminensis sinonimo de Eoborus sanctijosephi. A bacia conta com os registros fosseis mais antigos das familias Orthalicidae, Gastrocoptidae, Ferussaciidae e Strophocheilidae. Alem disso, os registros de Itaborai das familias Charopidae, Clausiliidae, Cerionidae, e Urocoptidae estao entre os mais antigos do mundo e, dentre esses, os de Cerionidae, Clausiliidae e Urocoptidae merecem destaque por estarem bem afastados das distribuicoes atuais das familias. Ademais, os registros de Itaborai sao os mais antigos para os generos Austrodiscus, Brachypodella, Bulimulus, Cecilioides, Cyclodontina, Eoborus, Gastrocopta, Leiostracus, Plagiodontes e Temesa. Ha tres generos endemicos na bacia: Brasilennea, Cortana e Itaborahia. Discussoes adicionais sobre paleobiogeografia e evolucao dessa paleofauna sao oferecidas.

Taxonomical study on a sample of land snails from Nanuque (Minas Gerais, Brazil), with descriptions of three new species

Abstract A sample of land snails was recently collected in a fragment of Atlantic rainforest, in the vicinities of the city of Nanuque (north of Minas Gerais state, Brazil), totaling 15 species. The following new species are herein described: Leiostracus carnavalescus n. sp. and Rhinus botocudus n. sp. (Bulimulidae), and Obeliscus boitata n. sp. (Subulinidae), the first two accompanied by anatomical descriptions. Moreover, the geographical ranges of some species are extended to Minas Gerais: Auris bilabiata, Bahiensis cf. bahiensis, Cyclopomops moricandi, Dysopeas muibum, Helicina boettgeri, Helicina variabilis, Prohappia besckei, and Rectartemon piquetensis. The discovery of new species in such a small forest fragment is a clear reminder of how little the Brazilian terrestrial snail fauna is known. It also points to the fact that these few remaining forest fragments may house many new and possibly endemic species and should, therefore, be properly preserved.

Two African origins of naturalized brown mussel ( Perna perna ) in Brazil: past and present bioinvasions

Shipping has facilitated dispersion of exotic marine species, the genetic diversity of which may allow determination of their geographic origins. The economically important African brown mussel (Perna perna) is widely distributed along the southeastern and southern Brazilian coasts, and for which information on genetic diversity and origins is scarce. Five populations, along 2,500xa0km of Brazilian coast, were genetically characterized to test for homogeneity, verify haplotype and nucleotide diversity levels, and infer relationships among Brazilian and African P. perna. Mitochondrial COI gene sequences of 488xa0bp were obtained from 158 Brazilian P. perna, and from GenBank for other locations. The nuclear fragment rRNA18S-ITS1 was used as a species-specific marker. The five Brazilian locations were homogeneous, being composed of two mitochondrial haplogroups: haplogroup 1, with low genetic diversity, was linked to Tunisia, Morocco, and Mauritania, and haplogroup 2, with high genetic diversity, shared haplotypes with Brazil, Venezuela, western South Africa, Namibia and Angola. Haplotypes from southeastern Africa and from Oman were not found in Brazil. Patterns in genetic structure, diversity, and haplotype relationships of haplogroup 2 appear related to past trade routes between former African colonies and Brazil, whereas the low diversity of haplogroup 1 suggests more recent invasions.

A new species of Kora from Bahia, Brazil (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Orthalicoidea), with an emended diagnosis of the genus

Abstract A new species of land snail was recently found in the municipalities of Carinhanha, Serra do Ramalho and Coribe, western Bahia state, Brazil. It is described herein as Kora rupestris n. sp. and can be easily recognized from its congeners by its usually narrower shell and aperture, and especially by its protoconch sculpture pattern. In light of this new discovery, new emended diagnosis and description are provided for the genus Kora, and two taxa previously described under this genus are excluded, being transferred to the genus Drymaeus [D. iracema (Simone, 2015) n. comb. and D. terreus (Simone, 2015) n. comb.]. The region where the new species was found consists of a contact zone of the Caatinga and Cerrado biomes. Such regions are proving to be quite diverse and a more thorough knowledge of their fauna is of utmost importance for future conservation efforts.

Estudo Malacológico de Sambaquis de Momuna (Iguape - SP) e o seu significado paleoambiental

Na planicie costeira de Iguape (SP) ocorrem sambaquis, que se acham situados a diferentes distâncias da atual linha de costa. Em geral, os sambaquis mais externos apresentam idades mais novas com predominância de conchas de Anomalocardia brasiliana, enquanto que os sambaquis mais internos, correspondentes a fase de maior expansao lagunar holocenica, entre 5 a 6 ka B.P., comumente apresentam a Crassostrea brasiliana. Alem disso, tem sido verificado que as razoes δ13C(PDB) das conchas variam segundo as posicoes geograficas dos sambaquis, em funcao das flutuacoes do NRM (nivel relativo do mar) com o tempo. Neste trabalho foram estudadas malacofaunas de sambaquis de Momuna 1 e 2, situados na localidade homonima (Iguape, SP), sobre terracos pleistocenicos da Formacao Cananeia (120 ka B.P.).

A new species of Arene (Vetigastropoda, Areneidae) from Canopus Bank, off NE Brazil

Arene lychee sp.xa0nov. is described from Canopus Bank, a seamount located ~190xa0km off Fortaleza, Ceara, NE Brazil (02°14’25”S, 38°22’50”W), based on shell morphology. The species is characterized by a large, trochiform shell; color ranging from intense reddish to white (darker on spiral cords, lighter at base) with a yellow apex; sculpture of 3‑8 wide spiral cords with large scale-like spines; cords separated by deep interspaces with similar width, and interspaces sculptured by closely-packed, thin axial growth lines.

Addisonia enodis (Vetigastropoda: Lepetelloidea) associated with an elasmobranch egg capsule from the South Atlantic Ocean and the discovery of the species from deep waters off northeastern Brazil

A gastropod specimen of the subfamily Addisoniinae Dall, 1882 is reported here for the first time associated with an elasmobranch egg capsule from the South Atlantic Ocean. A specimen of Addisonia enodis Simone, 1996 was found living inside an egg capsule of Atlantoraja castelnaui (Miranda Ribeiro, 1907) (Arhynchobatidae Fowler, 1934) from shallow waters off southeastern Brazil. Previous studies have reported the association of members of the genus Addisonia Dall, 1882 only with the egg capsules of sharks from the family Scyliorhinidae Gill, 1862 and skates from the family Rajidae de Blainville, 1816. Other specimens of A. enodis are also here reported to occur off northeastern Brazil based on shells found in deep waters off the state of Sergipe, which fills a gap in its distribution in the Southwestern Atlantic to the north of this region. Addisonia enodis was recognized as a synonym of A. excentrica (Tiberi, 1855). However, we consider A. enodis as a valid species until further data clarify this issue based on a large sample of Addisonia from Brazilian waters.

Potential for shistosomiasis in a municipality of Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon

Schistossomiasis is a parasitic disease, caused by helminths of the genus Schistosoma and transmitted in Brazil by snails of the genus Biomphalaria. The municipality of Ouro Preto do Oeste, Rondonia, in the Brazilian Amazon Region, has unusually registered more than 900 cases of schistosomiasis in the last 10 years. The aim of this study was to investigate de potential of transmission of schsitosomiasis in Ouro Preto do Oeste. A total of 1,196 people in a risk area for the disease transmission were requested to answer a clinical-epidemiological survey and to collect feces samples for examination. All the samples that underwent examination resulted negative for S. mansoni. Two hundred and sixty-eight snails were collected in the locality of Ouro Preto do Oeste in 32 different locations. Among these, 44% were classified as belonging to the genus Biomphalaria. Another sample of snails (146 specimens), collected at the same sites, were submitted to an in vitro challenge with Schistosoma mansoni, and none of them were able to transmit the parasite. Finally, we discuss the epidemiological importance of these findings and the lack of attention to a patient with the disease in a non-endemic area. We failed to detected any association between shistossomiasis and the snails from the genus Biomphalaria, that exists in the local, as the planorbids were unable to transmit Shistosoma mansoni. Perhaps the small sample and/or the stool examination technique can have contributed to the results. Further studies, in other localities of Rondonia and with a greater sample could put some light in this question.