Here we present a new record of Sturnira tildae in Pernambuco state, Brazil, based on a capture of a pregnant female in an anthropized environment. This finding expands the known distribution for the species in the northern Atlantic Forest. The species nearest record is about 500 km far from our collection locality. Dental and morphometric characteristics were used to identify the species. These features were compared with those of S. lilium with whom the species has morphological similarities. Sturnira tildae was identified based on its spatulate internal upper incisor teeth, and the lower first and second molars with low lingual cusps and shallow notches. The forearm size of the captured specimen (greater than 45 mm) was also used for identification of S. tildae.
1. Anthropic influence on the environment has caused extensive damage, with several species becoming vulnerable to extinction, such as Hippocampus reidi, the seahorse with the largest distribution area in Brazilian estuaries. For instance, in the Maracaípe River estuary, north-eastern Brazil, once a sanctuary for the species, this seahorse is now increasingly difficult to find.2. Recovery strategies for species threatened with extinction include the introduction of individuals from a demographically healthy population, or the captive breeding and subsequent release of individuals from the population at risk. This study evaluated the evolutionary potential and the best way to manage the recovery of the Maracaípe seahorse population.3. The genetic diversity of 30 adults and 99 juveniles of H. reidi collected in Maracaípe were compared with those of 29 adults from a nearby, demographically healthy population in Jericoacoara National Park, Ceará. Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used, amplifying 96 polymorphic fragments from the studied groups. 4. Adults and juveniles from Maracaípe had high diversity and low genetic differentiation. The neighbour-joining method, based on the number-of-differences model, revealed two clusters: one with adults and juveniles from Maracaípe; and the other with adults from Jericoacoara only. The most probable number of genetic groups (K = 2) was also obtained using Evanno's test, which was confirmed by STRUCTURE.The analysis of molecular variance showed that more than 30% of the differences occur between these two groups (Maracaípe and Jericoacora).
The population differentiation observed between Maracaípe and Jericoacoarasuggests genetic incompatibility between the individuals in each area, and points to the risk of outbreeding depression. Therefore, a possible conservation strategy for the Maracaípe population is a native captive breeding programme and the release of offspring in this location, aiming at the demographic recovery of the population in the area.
Species distribution modelling has been widely employed to indicate probable areas of invasion and to guide management strategies. Drosophila nasuta is native to Asia and has invaded Africa, islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and, more recently, the Americas. This species has been dispersing rapidly in the past decade, dominating the assemblage of drosophilids in numerous invaded territories, especially in protected areas. Here, we model the potential geographic distribution of D. nasuta for the present and two future scenarios. We also determine the environmental variables that most influence its distribution and investigate the risk of invasion in protected areas. Drosophila nasuta has the potential to expand its occurrence, especially on continents that have already been invaded. Variables related to greater rainfall were those that most influenced its distribution. The projections for the two future scenarios revealed a small increase in the distribution of the species compared to the projection for the present. The largest overlaps between the projected areas to be invaded by D. nasuta and territories in protected areas were found for Central and South America. The predictive maps delineated here can assist in the establishment of management plans directed at the conservation of biodiversity.
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