A5069104348- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Plant and animal studies
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- Berry genetics and cultivation research
- Plant Gene Expression Analysis
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution
- Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
- Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence
- Cybersecurity and Cyber Warfare Studies
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
National Museum of Natural History
2011-2024
Smithsonian Institution
2008-2024
Rice University
2011-2019
The University of Texas at Austin
2004-2017
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
2008-2017
To elucidate fungicultural specializations contributing to ecological dominance of leafcutter ants, we estimate the phylogeny fungi cultivated by fungus-growing (attine) including fungal cultivars from (i) entire range southern South America North America, (ii) all higher-attine ant lineages (leafcutting genera Atta, Acromyrmex; nonleafcutting Trachymyrmex, Sericomyrmex) and (iii) lower-attine lineages. Higher-attine form two clades, Clade-A (Leucocoprinus gongylophorus, formerly Attamyces)...
The evolutionary basis for high species diversity in tropical regions of the world remains unresolved. Much research has focused on biogeography speciation Amazon Basin, which harbors greatest terrestrial life. leading hypotheses allopatric diversification Amazonian taxa are Pleistocene refugia, marine incursion, and riverine barrier hypotheses. Recent advances fields phylogeography species-distribution modeling permit a modern re-evaluation these Our approach combines comparative, molecular...
The obligate mutualism between leafcutter ants and their Attamyces fungi originated 8 to 12 million years ago in the tropics, but extends today also into temperate regions South North America. northernmost ant Atta texana sustains fungiculture during winter temperatures that would harm cold-sensitive cultivars of tropical ants. Cold-tolerance increases with harshness along a south-to-north temperature gradient across range A. , indicating selection for cold-tolerant variants cline....
Abstract The fungus‐growing ants and their fungal cultivars constitute a classic example of mutualism that has led to complex coevolutionary dynamics spanning c . 55–65 Ma. Of the five agricultural systems practised by ants, higher‐attine agriculture, which leaf‐cutter agriculture is derived subset, remains poorly understood despite its relevance ecosystem function human across Neotropics parts North America. Among practising genus Trachymyrmex Forel, as currently defined, shares most‐recent...
Leafcutter ants propagate co-evolving fungi for food. The nearly 50 species of leafcutter (Atta, Acromyrmex) range from Argentina to the United States, with greatest diversity in southern South America. We elucidate biogeography cultivated by using DNA sequence and microsatellite-marker analyses 474 cultivars collected across range. Fungal belong two clades (Clade-A Clade-B). dominant widespread Clade-A form three genotype clusters, their relative prevalence corresponding America, northern...
Fungus-farming ants cultivate multiple lineages of fungi for food, but, because fungal cultivar relationships are largely unresolved, the history fungus-ant coevolution remains poorly known. We designed probes targeting >2000 gene regions to generate a dated evolutionary tree 475 and combined it with similarly generated 276 ants. found that agriculture originated ~66 million years ago when end-of-Cretaceous asteroid impact temporarily interrupted photosynthesis, causing global mass...
Abstract Nuclear mitochondrial‐like sequences (numts) are copies of mitochondrial DNA that have migrated to the genomic DNA. We present first characterization numts in ants, these being homologues a fragment containing loci 3′ portion cytochrome oxidase I gene, an intergenic spacer, tRNA leucine gene and 5′ II gene. All 67 specimens Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini) investigated had homologues, which within two monophyletic groups we called numt1 numt2. Numt1 numt2 less...
Tropical leaf-cutter ants cultivate the fungus Attamyces bromatificus in a many-to-one, diffuse coevolutionary relationship where ant and fungal partners re-associate frequently over time. To evaluate whether ant– coevolution is more specific (tighter) peripheral populations, we characterized host-specificities of genotypes at their northern, subtropical range limits (southern USA, Mexico Cuba). Population-genetic patterns northern reveal features that have so far not been observed diffusely...
Since the formal description of fungi in genus Escovopsis 1990, only a few studies have focused on systematics this group. For more than two decades, species were described; however, 2013, three additional formally described along with Escovopsioides, both found exclusively attine ant gardens. During survey for gardens lower Mycetophylax morschi Brazil, we four strains belonging to pink-colored clade. Careful examination these revealed significant morphological differences when compared...
Fungus-gardening (attine) ants grow fungus for food in protected gardens, which contain beneficial, auxiliary microbes, but also microbes harmful to gardens. Among these potentially pathogenic microorganisms, the most consistently isolated are fungi genus Escovopsis , thought co-evolve with and their cultivar a tripartite model. To test clade-to-clade correspondence between higher attine symbiosis (including leaf-cutting non-leaf-cutting ants), we amassed geographically comprehensive...
After decades of intensive searching for antimicrobial compounds derived from actinobacteria, the frequency isolation new molecules has decreased. To cope with this concern, studies have focused on exploitation actinobacteria unexplored environments and symbionts plants animals. In study, twenty-four strains isolated workers Trachymyrmex ants were evaluated antifungal activity towards a variety Candida species. Results revealed that seven inhibited tested Streptomyces sp. TD025 presented...
The genus Mycetagroicus is perhaps the least known of all fungus-growing ant genera, having been first described in 2001 from museum specimens. A recent molecular phylogenetic analysis ants demonstrated that sister to higher attine (Trachymyrmex, Sericomyrmex, Acromyrmex, Pseudoatta, and Atta), making it extreme importance for understanding transition between lower agriculture. Four nests cerradensis near Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil were excavated, fungus chambers one located at a depth...
Summary Attine ants maintain an association with antibiotic‐producing A ctinobacteria found on their integuments. Evidence supports these bacteria as auxiliary symbionts that help to defend the fungus gardens against pathogens. Using P seudonocardia strains isolated from T rachymyrmex ants, we tested whether inhibitory capabilities of such are restricted E scovopsis parasites infect this ant genus. Twelve were in vitro bioassays derived ( n = 1) and leaf‐cutting 3). Overall, significant...
Cocos Island, Costa Rica is a 24-square kilometer volcanic island in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, located approximately 480 kilometers from mainland. Despite its biogeographic significance, much of entomofauna have not been systematically surveyed. A detailed survey ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) fauna this was conducted over three-week period. The results suggest that, despite relatively minor presence humans on Cocos, dominated by non-native species. Furthermore, current community...