Animal Science and Zoology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Multidisciplinary
63
Scopus Publications
1503
Scholar Citations
21
Scholar h-index
44
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
From 19th-century mysteries to modern insights: untangling Aplectana membranosa from Brazilian anurans Ana Nunes Santos, Evelyn Lebrego Cardoso, Lorena Freitas Souza Tavares-Costa, Rayline Thaimenne Alves Figueredo, Gabriel Lima Rebêlo, Maria Isabel Müller, Edna P. Alcantara, Edson A. Adriano, Drausio Honorio Morais, Simone Mousinho Freire, Jeannie Nascimento Dos Santos, Francisco Tiago de Vasconcelos Melo Parasitology, 2025 Aplectana membranosa is a cosmocercid nematode that shows affinity with various amphibian and reptile hosts, being considered a generalist species. To date, no studies have investigated the influence of host and locality in the morphological variation of this species. Thus, we analysed morphological and morphometric characters of 260 specimens of A. membranosa collected from 9 host species and 7 different localities. To complement the metric studies, we conducted phylogenetic analyses using the ribosomal genes 28S and internal transcript spacer 1 (ITS1) to determine the phylogenetic position of the species and its divergence. In the present study, it was possible to observe the cloacal papillae pattern of the species through scanning electron microscopy, and we found no morphological variation in the specimens of A. membranosa from various hosts in different localities in Brazil. The study showed low variation in all data. However, despite the low variation, we found that external environmental conditions, such as climate and latitude, influence its variation. Molecular analyses highlighted that the separation of Cosmocercidae members may be related to geographic distribution and population genetic divergence. Thus, the results illustrated in this study reiterate the importance of using integrative data to better elucidate the family’s taxonomic and evolutionary history.
Inventory of helminth parasites in Caatinga anurans from Northeastern Brazil GIOVANNA S.G.N. PITOMBEIRA, CHARLES S. SILVA, ALINE AGUIAR, FÁBIO H. YAMADA, ROBSON W. ÁVILA, REINALDO JOSÉ DA SILVA, DRAUSIO H. MORAIS Anais Da Academia Brasileira De Ciencias, 2025 Biological inventories are essential tools for understanding parasite diversity. In this study, we describe the helminth parasite communities associated with anuran amphibians from five localities within the Caatinga domain of Northeastern Brazil. A total of 1,198 individuals, belonging to 22 species and six anuran families (Bufonidae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae, Microhylidae, Odontoprhynidae, and Phyllomedusidae), were examined. Of these, 629 specimens (52.5%) were parasitized, and 27,004 helminths were recovered. The helminths represented 34 taxa, including 24 Nematoda, 7 Digenea, 1 Cestoda, and 2 Acanthocephala. We present parasitological descriptors such as prevalence, abundance range, infection site, and life stage. Additionally, we report 18 new host-parasite records and provide updated data on geographical occurrence. Our findings emphasize the importance of regional surveys in expanding knowledge on host-parasite interactions and in highlighting hidden components of biodiversity within the Caatinga biome.
An integrative taxonomy study reveals a rare new species of the genus Creptotrema (Trematoda: Allocreadiidae) in an endangered frog in South America E.P. Alcantara, M.B. Ebert, C. Ferreira-Silva, L.R. Forti, D.H. Morais, G. Pérez-Ponce de León, R. J. Silva Journal of Helminthology, 2024 During an ecological study with a near-endangered anuran in Brazil, the Schmidt’s Spinythumb frog, Crossodactylus schmidti Gallardo, 1961, we were given a chance to analyze the gastrointestinal tract of a few individuals for parasites. In this paper, we describe a new species of an allocreadiid trematode of the genus Creptotrema Travassos, Artigas & Pereira, 1928, which possesses a unique trait among allocreadiids (i.e., a bivalve shell-like muscular structure at the opening of the ventral sucker); the new species represents the fourth species of allocreadiid trematode parasitizing amphibians. Besides, the new species is distinguished from other congeners by the combination of characters such as the body size, ventral sucker size, cirrus-sac size, and by having small eggs. DNA sequences through the 28S rDNA and COI mtDNA further corroborated the distinction of the new species. Phylogenetic analyses placed the newly generated sequences in a monophyletic clade together with all other sequenced species of Creptotrema. Genetic divergences between the new species and other Creptotrema spp. varied from 2.0 to 4.2% for 28S rDNA, and 15.1 to 16.8% for COI mtDNA, providing robust validation for the recognition of the new species. Even though allocreadiids are mainly parasites of freshwater fishes, our results confirm anurans as hosts of trematodes of this family. Additionally, we propose the reallocation of Auriculostoma ocloya Liquin, Gilardoni, Cremonte, Saravia, Cristóbal & Davies, 2022 to the genus Creptotrema. This study increases the known diversity of allocreadiids and contributes to our understanding of their evolutionary relationships, host–parasite relationships, and biogeographic history.
Exploring the phylogenetic landscape: unravelling the relationships and biogeography of the Cosmocerca genus in amphibians Charles De Sousa Silva, Drausio Honorio Morais, Paulo Cascon Journal of Natural History, 2024 Cosmocerca is a cosmopolitan genus of endoparasitic nematodes that infect amphibians and reptiles, and currently encompasses 37 species. Given the increasing number of molecular studies examining diverse species within this genus, we aim to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among Cosmocerca species, identify research gaps, and guide future investigations, particularly within the Neotropical region. We analysed 40 sequences of nuclear (internal transcribed spacer, ITS) and mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, COI) genetic markers from available sequenced species. Our results revealed a strong correlation between parasites’ phylogeny and their geographic distribution across the world’s zoogeographical regions. However, we highlight the paucity of studies on Neotropical Cosmocerca species. These findings can assist subsequent studies to address questions regarding the biology, phylogeography and evolution of Cosmocerca species, contributing to a deeper understanding of the clade Cosmocercidae.
First record of Ozolaimus cirratus (Oxyuroidea: Pharyngodonidae) infecting the casque-headed tree frog Corythomantis greeningi (Anura: Hylidae) from Northeast Brazil Charles De Sousa Silva, Drausio Honorio Morais, Paulo Cascon Journal of Natural History, 2024 The genus Ozolaimus is characterised by presenting a dorsoventrally elongated mouth with two lateral lips, a very long oesophagus consisting of anterior portion strong and short, with a fusiform fold, and a thin posterior portion ending in a distinct bulb, an anteriorly dilated intestine, and absent lateral wings. Between February 2014 and September 2016, 11 specimens of the anuran Corythomantis greeningi were collected manually at the Ecological Station of Aiuaba, Ceará State, Brazil. After analysis, nine specimens of Ozolaimus cirratus infecting the large intestine of the referred specimen were recorded. Knowledge is still scarce about the ecological dynamics of pharyngodonid parasites and their parasitehost relationships; thus, this work is the first to record members of the genus Ozolaimus infecting the casqueheaded tree frog Corythomantis greeningi from the Caatinga biome. Previously, the only registered hosts of Ozalaimus parasites were iguanid lizards.
New record of Vitreorana franciscana Santana, Barros, Pontes & Feio, 2015 (Anura, Centrolenidae), a glassfrog endemic to the Brazilian Cerrado Fábio Maffei, Guilherme Marson Moya, Ezequiel da Silva Sousa, Drausio Honório Morais Check List, 2024 We report a new locality for the endemic glassfrog Vitreorana franciscana Santana, Barros, Pontes & Feio, 2015 from Brazilian Cerrado, from the municipality of Nova Ponte, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Field visits were conducted in 2023 at Fazenda Brejão and resulted in the fourth record of this species, which expands this species’ geographic distribution by 150 km to the east. With the new record, the minimum convex polygon for the species is now 18,210 km2.
A new species of Parapharyngodon (Oxyuroidea: Pharyngodonidae) infecting Corythomantis greeningi (Anura: Hylidae) from Northeast Brazil Charles De Sousa-Silva, Edna Paulino Alcantara, Cristiana Ferreira-Silva, Drausio Honorio Morais, Paulo Cascon Journal of Natural History, 2024 Currently, 56 species of Parapharyngodon are known, with only 12 reported from the Neotropical realm. Parapharyngodon pereiramendoi sp. n. is described herein from the host anuran Corythomantis greeningi in the Caatinga biome, a Brazilian semiarid region. In Parapharyngodon pereiramendoi sp. n. males present a triangular oral opening with four bilobed lips, each one with a pair of distally located rounded papillae, gubernaculum absent, a short V-shaped support in postanal lips, and three pairs of caudal papillae, while females have three bilobed lips, opening of the postbulbar excretory pore, vulva in equatorial position, and conical tail. Lateral alae are absent in males and females. Here, we describe the 57th species of Parapharyngodon in the world, and the thirteenth from the Neotropical realm, contributing to the taxonomy of the genus Parapharyngodon, as well as increasing the knowledge of helminthfauna in Neotropical hylids.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B064E8A8-170D-4203-9F49-374FC9AF26EE
Richness of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from Eastern Brazilian Amazonia, state of Pará, Brazil Richard C. Pacheco, Thiago F. Martins, Thiago B. F. Semedo, Drausio H. Morais, Herbert S. Soares, Andréia L. T. Melo, Antônio H. H. Minervino, Leopoldo F. de O. Bernardi, Igor da C. L. Acosta, Francisco B. Costa, Ezequiel da S. Sousa, Solange M. Gennari, Marcelo B. Labruna International Journal of Acarology, 2021
Feeding ecology, reproductive biology, and parasitism of gymnodactylus geckoides spix, 1825 from a caatinga area in northeastern Brazil Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 2019
First record of Amblyomma rotundatum Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing Paleosuchus palpebrosus Cuvier, 1807 (Reptilia:Crocodylidae), in the western border of Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil Herpetology Notes, 2010
Notes on the ecology of the colubrid snake Leptodeira annulata in the Pantanal, Brazil Herpetological Review, 2007
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Análise bibliográfica do comportamento de pesquisas em ESG no Brasil de 2010 a 2023 W Azevedo, DH Morais, DL Bragagnolo, ME Silva Revista Master-Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão 10 (20) , 2025 2025
From 19th-century mysteries to modern insights: untangling Aplectana membranosa from Brazilian anurans AN Santos, EL Cardoso, LFS Tavares-Costa, RTA Figueredo, GL Rebêlo, ... Parasitology 152 (3), 251-274 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Inventory of helminth parasites in Caatinga anurans from Northeastern Brazil GSGN Pitombeira, CS Silva, A Aguiar, FH Yamada, RW Ávila, RJDA Silva, ... Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 97 (suppl 4), e20241137 , 2025 2025
A new species of Parapharyngodon (Oxyuroidea: Pharyngodonidae) infecting Corythomantis greeningi (Anura: Hylidae) from Northeast Brazil C De Sousa-Silva, EP Alcantara, C Ferreira-Silva, DH Morais, P Cascon Journal of Natural History 58 (45-48), 2219-2236 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Exploring the phylogenetic landscape: unravelling the relationships and biogeography of the Cosmocerca genus in amphibians C De Sousa Silva, DH Morais, P Cascon Journal of Natural History 58 (41-44), 1871-1884 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
New record of Vitreorana franciscana Santana, Barros, Pontes & Feio, 2015 (Anura, Centrolenidae), a glassfrog endemic to the Brazilian Cerrado F Maffei, GM Moya, E da Silva Sousa, DH Morais Check List 20 (4), 1041-1045 , 2024 2024
First record of Ozolaimus cirratus (Oxyuroidea: Pharyngodonidae) infecting the casque-headed tree frog Corythomantis greeningi (Anura: Hylidae) from Northeast … C De Sousa Silva, DH Morais, P Cascon Journal of Natural History 58 (29-32), 1157-1165 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
What is the diversity and pattern of network interactions parasite-host in amphibians (Anura) from Caatinga domain?–A meta-analysis E da Silva Santos, IHS Torquato, DH Morais, P Cascon, C de Sousa Silva Biologia 79 (8), 2401-2421 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
An integrative taxonomy study reveals a rare new species of the genus Creptotrema (Trematoda: Allocreadiidae) in an endangered frog in South America EP Alcantara, MB Ebert, C Ferreira-Silva, LR Forti, DH Morais, ... Journal of Helminthology 98, e23 , 2024 2024 Citations: 6
Integrative taxonomy in the genus Rhabdias Stiles et Hassall, 1905 from anuran in Brazil, description of two new species and phylogenetic analyses EP Alcantara, MI Müller, LP Úngari, C Ferreira-Silva, E Emmerich, ... Parasitology International 93, 102714 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
Revisiting the taxonomy of Rhabdias fuelleborni Travassos, 1928 (Nematoda, Rhabdiasidae) with approaches to delimitation of species and notes on molecular phylogeny MI Müller, DH Morais, LFST da Costa, FT de Vasconcelos Melo, EG Giese, ... Parasitology International 92, 102692 , 2023 2023 Citations: 9
A new species of Skrjabinodon (Oxyuroidea: Pharyngodonidae) infecting Vanzosaura multiscutata (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) from Northeastern Brazil C De Sousa, S Silva De Oliveira, DH Morais, RH Da Silva Pinheiro, ... Journal of Natural History 56 (1-4), 35-48 , 2022 2022 Citations: 10
Novos registros do lagarto-listrado Kentropyx paulensis para São Paulo, Brasil T Pagotto, CAB Medolago, PR Prist, FD Abra, GA Marson, VO Queiroz, ... Acta Brasiliensis 6 (1), 17 , 2022 2022 Citations: 3
Carcass and commercial cuts yields of caiman ( Caiman crocodilus yacare ) farmed in a ranching system in the Brazilian Pantanal NBC Medeiros, M Rodrigues, DH Morais, MD Nunes-Rodrigues Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 93 (4), e20190949 , 2021 2021 Citations: 8
Visceral mycobacteriosis in amphibians from the Brazilian Caatinga region DH Morais, MV Rodrigues, RW Ávila, RJ da Silva Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 145, 139-144 , 2021 2021 Citations: 7
A new species of Hannemania Oudemans, 1911 (Trombidiformes: Leeuwenhoekiidae) from Brazil R Bassini-Silva, M Huang-Bastos, DH Morais, EP Alcantara, RW Ávila, ... Journal of Natural History 55 (19-20), 1277-1287 , 2021 2021 Citations: 7
Diet of three sympatric Physalaemus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from the Brazilian semiarid region CR de Oliveira, LA Cavalcante, HT de Sousa Machado, RW Ávila, ... Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi-Ciências Naturais 16 (1), 13-19 , 2021 2021 Citations: 2
Biodiversity of anuran endoparasites from a transitional area between the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes in Brazil: new records and remarks A Aguiar, DH Morais, LAF Silva, LA Dos Anjos, OC Foster, RJ Da Silva Zootaxa 4948 (1), 1–41-1–41 , 2021 2021 Citations: 9
First molecular assessment of two digenean parasites of the lancehead snake Bothrops moojeni Hoge, 1966 (Serpentes, Viperidae) in Brazil MI Müller, E Emmerich, EP de Alcantara, LP Ungari, MB Ebert, DH Morais, ... Parasitology Research 120 (3), 971-977 , 2021 2021 Citations: 13
Richness of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from eastern Brazilian Amazonia, state of Pará, Brazil RC Pacheco, TF Martins, TBF Semedo, DH Morais, HS Soares, ALT Melo, ... International journal of Acarology 47 (2), 159-169 , 2021 2021 Citations: 18
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Checklist of helminth parasites of amphibians from South America. KM Campião, DH Morais, OT Dias, A Aguiar, M Toledo Gde, LE Tavares, ... Zootaxa 3843, 1-93 , 2014 2014 Citations: 204
How many parasites species a frog might have? Determinants of parasite diversity in South American anurans KM Campiao, ACA Ribas, DH Morais, RJ Silva, LER Tavares PLOS one 10 (10), e0140577 , 2015 2015 Citations: 109
Diversity in the genus Rhabdias (Nematoda, Rhabdiasidae): Evidence for cryptic speciation MI Mueller, DH Morais, GJ Costa‐Silva, A Aguiar, RW Avila, RJ da Silva Zoologica Scripta 47 (5), 595-607 , 2018 2018 Citations: 50
Nematodes of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) from Caatinga biome, northeastern Brazil RW Ávila, LA Anjos, SC Ribeiro, DH Morais, RJ da Silva, WO Almeida Comparative Parasitology 79 (1), 56-63 , 2012 2012 Citations: 46
Helminths Associated with Three Physalaemus Species (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Caatinga Biome, Brazil CR de Oliveira, RW Ávila, DH Morais Acta Parasitologica 64 (1), 205-212 , 2019 2019 Citations: 44
Helminth fauna of Leptodactylus syphax (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Caatinga biome, northeastern Brazil AGS Lins, A Aguiar, DH Morais, LA Firmino da Silva, RW Ávila, RJ Silva Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária 26 (1), 74-80 , 2017 2017 Citations: 39
Life history of Mato Grosso Antbird (Cercomacra melanaria) in the Brazilian Pantanal. JB PINHO, LE LOPES, DH MORAIS, AM FERNANDES Ibis (London. 1859) 148, 321-329 , 2006 2006 Citations: 37
A new species of Parapharyngodon (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) infecting Dermatonotus muelleri (Anura: Microhylidae) from Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil JADEA FILHO, SV Brito, WDO Almeida, DH Morais, RW Ávila Zootaxa 4012 (2), 386-390 , 2015 2015 Citations: 36
A New Snake of the Genus Helicops Wagler, 1830 (Dipsadidae, Xenodontinae) from Brazil RA Kawashita-Ribeiro, RW Ávila, DH Morais Herpetologica 69 (1), 80-90 , 2013 2013 Citations: 36
A new species of Pseudopaludicola Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 (Anura: Leiuperidae) from the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, with comments on the geographic distribution of … A Pansonato, DH Morais, RW Avila Zootaxa 3523 (1), 49–58-49–58 , 2012 2012 Citations: 34
First record of Trypanosoma chattoni in Brazil and occurrence of other Trypanosoma species in Brazilian frogs (Anura, Leptodactylidae) M Lemos, DH Morais, VT Carvalho, M D'Agosto The Journal of parasitology 94 (1), 148-151 , 2008 2008 Citations: 34
A new species of Proceratophrys (Anura: Cycloramphidae) from western Brazil RW Avila, RA Kawashita-Ribeiro, DH Morais Zootaxa 2890 (1), 20-28 , 2011 2011 Citations: 33
Ticks (Acari: Argasidae and Ixodidae) infesting amphibians and reptiles in Northeastern Brazil EP De Alcantara, C Ferreira-Silva, RW Ávila, R de Campos Pacheco, ... Systematic and applied Acarology 23 (8), 1497-1508 , 2018 2018 Citations: 32
A New Species of Milk Frog of the Genus Trachycephalus tschudi (Anura, Hylidae) from the Amazonian Rainforest M Gordo, LF Toledo, P Suárez, RA Kawashita-Ribeiro, RW Ávila, ... Herpetologica 69 (4), 466-479 , 2013 2013 Citations: 32
Helminth community dynamics in a population of Pseudopaludicola pocoto (Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae) from Northeast-Brazilian CDS Silva, RW Ávila, DH Morais Helminthologia 55 (4), 292 , 2018 2018 Citations: 31
Evaluation of helminths associated with 14 amphibian species from a Neotropical island near the southeast coast of Brazil. A AGUIAR, DH MORAIS, PJP CICCHI, RJ SILVA Herpetological Review 45, 13-17 , 2014 2014 Citations: 30
Amphibians and reptiles of a Cerrado area in Primavera do Leste Municipality, Mato Grosso State, Central Brazil. MC da Silva, RH de Oliveira, DH Morais, RA Kawashita-Ribeiro, ... Salamandra 51 (2) , 2015 2015 Citations: 29
Helminths of Dermatonotus muelleri (Anura: Microhylidae) from Northeastern Brazil EP Alcantara, C Ferreira-Silva, LAF Silva, AGS Lins, RW Ávila, DH Morais, ... The Journal of Parasitology 104 (5), 550-556 , 2018 2018 Citations: 28
Helminth communities of Leptodactylus latrans (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from the Atlantic rainforest, south-eastern Brazil GM Toledo, DH Morais, RJ Silva, LA Anjos Journal of Helminthology 89 (2), 250-254 , 2015 2015 Citations: 27
New records of helminths in reptiles from five states of Brazil TF Quirino, A Ferreira, MC Silva, RJ Silva, DH Morais, RW Ávila Brazilian Journal of Biology 78 (04), 750-754 , 2018 2018 Citations: 24