Besides the incipient research effort, the role of parasites as drivers of the reduction affecting pollinator populations is mostly unknown. Given the worldwide extension of the beekeeping practice and the diversity of pathogens affecting Apis mellifera populations, honey bee colonies are a certain source of parasite dispersion to other species. Here, we communicate the detection of the microsporidium Nosema ceranae, a relatively new parasite of honey bees, in stingless bees (Meliponini) and the social wasp Polybia scutellaris (Vespidae) samples from Argentina and Brazil by means of duplex PCR. Beyond the geographic location of the nests, N. ceranae was detected in seven from the eight Meliponini species analyzed, while Nosema apis, another common parasite of A. mellifera, was absent in all samples tested. Further research is necessary to determine if the presence of the parasite is also associated with established infection in host tissues. The obtained information enriches the current knowledge about pathologies that can infect or, at least, be vectored by native wild pollinators from South America.
This study highlights the analysis of the morphological and genetic variation of the common sea bream Pagrus pagrus, and compares its two main areas of concentration: the northern (35ºS -38°S) and the southern areas (39°S -41°S) of the Buenos Aires coast of the Argentine Sea. Body shape characterization presented two significantly different morphotypes (Wilks' Lambda=0.224, P<0.001). Northern individuals displayed a higher middle area while southern ones were smaller and their caudal peduncle was shorter. The northern and southern areas did not yield significant genetic differences either with the control region or the microsatellite loci, revealing that P. pagrus is not genetically structured. However, individuals from these areas should not be managed as a single group since they display distinct life history traits, responsible for morphological differentiation. The presence of two spawning areas with distinctive characteristics would define two stocks of P. pagrus from the Buenos Aires coast.El estudio comprende un análisis de la variación morfológica y genética del besugo Pagrus pagrus, comparando dos áreas principales de concentración, una Norte (35°S -38°S) y otra Sur (39°S -41°S) en la costa bonaerense del Mar Argentino. La caracterización de la forma del cuerpo mostró dos morfotipos diferenciados significativamente (Wilks´ Lambda= 0.224, P<0.001), presentando en el área Norte una mayor altura en la parte media del cuerpo y una menor longitud y altura del pedúnculo caudal que los correspondientes al área Sur. Las áreas Norte y Sur no presentaron diferencias genéticas significativas, tanto para la región control del ADN mitocondrial como para los loci microsatélites, revelando que P. pagrus no está estructurado genéticamente. Sin embargo, los individuos de estas áreas no deberían manejarse como un mismo grupo ya que presentan distintas características de historia de vida, responsables de la diferenciación morfológica. La presencia de dos sitios de cría con características distintivas, definiría para P. pagrus dos stocks en la costa bonaerense.
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