The influence of the forest corridors to the north of the Andes on the diversification of the bright-rumped Attila, (Passeriformes, Tyrannidae), during the climatic oscillations of the middle Pleistocene.

This study aims to enhance our understanding of the temporal and spatial processes scales governing the evolutionary diversification of Neotropical birds with Trans- and Cis-Andean populations of the species from South and Central America. Through a multilocus analysis of the mitochondrial (CytB and ND2) and nuclear genes (I7BF, I5BF, and G3PDH) of 41 samples representing six subspecies, we describe the existing molecular lineages of , and estimate their demographic dynamics. We used Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM) with six different algorithms to predict the potential distribution of in both present-day and past scenarios, examining the overlap climatic niche between Cis- and Trans-Andean lineages.

Peripheral isolation and demographic stability are reflected in the genetic diversity of the populations of the Helmeted Manakin: a bird endemic to the gallery forests.

The Cerrado encompasses a complex network of hydrographic basins, which is responsible for the formation and maintenance of the riparian and gallery forests. Alterations in the vegetation resulting from the paleoclimatic changes that occurred during the Pleistocene influenced the current distribution of these humid forests. To understand of the evolutionary dynamics of this landscape on the population structure of the associated organisms, we studied the population genetics of the Antilophia galeata (Pipridae), a bird endemic to the gallery forests of the Cerrado.

Shorebirds' Longer Migratory Distances Are Associated With Larger Microsatellites and Greater Morphological Complexity of Hippocampal Astrocytes.

For the epic journey of autumn migration, long-distance migratory birds use innate and learned information and follow strict schedules imposed by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, the details of which remain largely unknown. In addition, bird migration requires integrated action of different multisensory systems for learning and memory, and the hippocampus appears to be the integration center for this task. In previous studies we found that contrasting long-distance migratory flights differentially affected the morphological complexity of two types of hippocampus astrocytes.

Contrasting migratory journeys and changes in hippocampal astrocyte morphology in shorebirds.

Semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) migration to the Southern Hemisphere includes a 5-day non-stop flight over the Atlantic Ocean, whereas semipalmated plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) migration, to the same area, is largely over land, with stopovers for feeding and rest. We compared the number and 3D morphology of hippocampal astrocytes of Ch. semipalmatus before and after autumnal migration with those of C.

Genetic diversity and structuring in the arapaima (Osteoglossiformes, Osteoglossidae) population reveal differences between the Amazon and the Tocantins-Araguaia basins.

Arapaima is a widely-distributed fish of enormous economic importance in the Amazon region. In the present study, a total of 232 specimens were sampled, 121 from five sites in the Amazon basin and 111 from five sites in the Tocantins-Araguaia basin. The analyses investigated fragments of the Cytochrome b, Control Region, Cytochrome Oxidase I, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 and seven loci microsatellites.