Térmitas neotropicais: inventário para o Acre, novos registros no Nordeste brasileiro e comparação genética de espécies

Abstract

Termites are eusocial insects that are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions around the globe and comprise a total of 2972 species, of which 615 occur in the Neotropical region. This dissertation, which is divided into three chapters, aims to provide a comprehensive overview of termites in different areas of Brazil. They play an important role as decomposers of plant necromass and as a source of energy for different groups. The first chapter focuses on a species list of termites in the state of Acre, located in the southwest of the Amazon. In this study, 128 species were recorded, including six new records for Brazil. Despite the significant increase in information, the need for more comprehensive studies is emphasized, as only four points were sampled in Acre, highlighting the lack of data in different regions of the state. The second chapter highlights the identification of new detections of the invasive pest species Cryptotermes havilandi (Sjöstedt, 1900) in the states of Paraíba, Pernambuco, and Bahia. Species identification was supported by morphological and molecular characteristics, including analyzes of COI and COII genes. This chapter is the first record of this species in natural environments in the Brazilian semiarid region. The lack of evidence in previous surveys suggests that it may have spread only recently, raising concerns that it may compete with native species. The third chapter focuses on discussing the comparison between two termite species, Nasutitermes ephratae (Holmgren, 1910) and Nasutitermes coxipoensis (Holmgren, 1910). Although they have nests with different structures and nesting sites, their subtle morphological differences make identification difficult unless they are collected directly from their nests. Using the mitochondrial genes COI, COII, and 16S, and the nuclear gene ITS2, this chapter compared N. coxipoensis and N. ephratae to investigate the taxonomic status of these two species using molecular markers. However, despite the morphological and molecular similarities in the analyzed genes, N. coxipoensis and N. ephratae could be recognized as two distinct species. Nevertheless, more in-depth phylogeographical studies and a morphological taxonomic review are necessary for more solid conclusions. In conclusion, this study makes an important contribution to the knowledge of termites in different regions of Brazil by highlighting areas with research gaps and providing valuable insights into the distribution of the species studied.