Between Droughts and Floods: The Seasonal Response of Freshwater Snails in Artificial Reservoirs in the Brazilian Semiarid Region Lucas Henrique Sousa da Silva, João Hemerson de Sousa, Adriana Josefa da Rocha, Manuella Feitosa Leal, Lucas Ariel de Sousa Aguiar, et al. Population Ecology, 2026 The Brazilian semiarid region is characterized by high temperatures, irregular rainfall, and two distinct seasons: dry and rainy. These environmental conditions shape aquatic habitats and influence the population dynamics of freshwater organisms, reflecting adaptations to the semiarid climate. Among these organisms, two snail species stand out: the native Biomphalaria straminea (Dunker 1848), a host for the parasite causing schistosomiasis, and the invasive, parthenogenetic Melanoides tuberculata (Müller 1774), renowned for its resilience to adverse conditions. Despite their ecological and epidemiological importance, the population dynamics of these species at local and temporal scales remain poorly understood, known as the Prestonian shortfall. To address this, we conducted monthly monitoring from June 2017 to March 2020 in three reservoirs in the municipality of São Julião, Piauí, Brazil. We evaluated the dynamics of both species in response to semiarid seasonality. A total of 72,677 individuals were collected, comprising 5555 B. straminea and 67,122 M. tuberculata. B. straminea exhibited higher abundances, particularly among juveniles during the dry season, indicating sensitivity to seasonal variations. In contrast, M. tuberculata demonstrated consistent dominance throughout the year, regardless of environmental fluctuations. Analyses revealed that B. straminea was negatively impacted by the rainy season and rising temperatures, while M. tuberculata displayed remarkable tolerance and minimal seasonal adjustments. These findings underscore the enduring impact of seasonal patterns on freshwater organisms, even in artificially regulated environments such as reservoirs. They contribute to management strategies, epidemiological surveillance, and conservation efforts for aquatic biodiversity in semiarid regions.
Diversification of crops and food security: the role of family farming in the COVID-19 pandemic Milena Almeida Vaz, Hermeson dos Santos Vitorino, Alessandro Medeiro Evaristo, Daniela Rosa Alves da Silva Pereira, Edson Lourenço da Silva, et al. Revista Brasileira De Ciencias Ambientais, 2025 Given the importance of family production, our aim was to characterize the productivity and importance of family production during the COVID-19 pandemic in the communities of Engano dos Rodrigues and Lagoa Seca, located in the municipality of Santana do Piauí. Data were collected by monitoring production and sales, from interviews and analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) matrix. The strengths of the activity lie in the diversity of food products and the continuous production of most items, in the organization into an association and the partnerships established, which were crucial at a time of crisis to guarantee the distribution and sale of agricultural products. The weak points are mainly related to the lack of technical assistance. Understanding the dynamics of agroecological family production in times of crisis highlights the importance of institutional support and continuing education for the resilience and sustainable development of rural communities. We also stress the importance of future research focusing on the impact of public policies on family farming in the semiarid region, as well as the effectiveness of different marketing and cooperation strategies among farmers.
Geopolitical impacts on the description of new terrestrial mollusc species Evandro C. T. Abreu, Edson Lourenço da Silva, Mario R. Moura Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, 2025 Despite 2.3 million described species, biodiversity knowledge remains incomplete and unevenly distributed. We analysed 20 years of terrestrial mollusc descriptions, categorizing collaborations as domestic (authored by resident researchers only), parachute (foreign researchers only) or mixed (joint collaboration) to assess links between discovery practices, socioeconomic factors, methodological rigour (number of type specimens, morphometric characters, evidence lines and publication length) and accessibility to analytical tools and resources (internal anatomy, molecular biology and taxonomic revisions). Global South harboured 88.6% of parachute discoveries, with resident researchers involved in 33.3% of total descriptions. Exclusionary practices resulted in lower first-authorship rates for Global South researchers and frequent omission of fieldwork personnel. Collaborations were asymmetrical: nearly 90% of Global South-led studies included Northern researchers, but only 8% of Northern-led studies included Southern partners. Economic power correlated with absolute and relative parachute discovery outputs, while mixed collaborations improved Global South access to analytical tools—although their descriptions remained less comprehensive. Parachute discoveries in the Global South showed lower methodological rigour, underscoring the cost of excluding local expertise. Taxonomic revisions, which were 89% led by the Global North, further reflected resource disparities. Equitable international collaborations prioritizing local capacity-building are crucial for achieving global biodiversity knowledge and advancing conservation goals.
When One Global Invasion Hides Another—Cryptic Interspecific Invasion in Freshwater Gastropods Christian Albrecht, Catharina Clewing, Hanno Seebens, Fred D. Chibwana, Edson Lourenço Da Silva, et al. Diversity and Distributions, 2025 AimCryptic invasions are an understudied phenomenon among species invasions, especially in freshwater invertebrates. We study the gastropod family Physidae, including the global invaders Physella acuta and several enigmatic Stenophysa species, their phylogenetic relationships and the presence of native species among African Physidae. We infer distribution pattern, colonisation history and invasion ecology across Africa. Finally, we reconstruct the colonisation pathways and their timing into, across (and out of) Africa and model future dispersal.LocationGlobal, with a focus on Africa and Indian Ocean islands.MethodsBased on extensive sampling, multi‐gene phylogenetic, phylogeographic and ecological analyses, including species distribution modelling, we here examine Physidae globally.ResultsThe Physidae probably originated in the Lower Cretaceous. A robust phylogeny showed four strongly supported genus‐level clades corresponding to Physella, Physa, Stenophysa and Aplexa. Physella acuta thrives in continental African countries and Indian Ocean islands. The African continent was colonised at least six times independently.For Stenophysa, the phylogeny suggests two independent transoceanic dispersal events into Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. Physella acuta occurs not only in artificial or highly disturbed habitats but also in large natural lakes. Stenophysa marmorata is ecologically flexible. The SDM for S. marmorata based on the selected climate variables predicted high probabilities of future occurrence in equatorial Africa and regions in the Indo‐Malayan Archipelago, New Guinea and eastern Australia.Main ConclusionsPhysidae contains examples of both intraspecific cryptic and interspecific cryptic invasions, with an intraspecific invasion of Physella acuta and a prime example of an interspecific cryptic invasion of Stenophysa spp. This study highlights the importance of cryptic invasions in freshwaters and also calls for their management. Stenophysa is likely to become pan‐tropical in the future. Physidae are an excellent model to study differential patterns and processes of intra‐ versus interspecific invasions at global and regional scales.
Current distribution of the invasive mollusk corbicula fluminea (O.f. müller, 1774) (bivalvia, cyrenidae) in Brazil, including a new record from the state of Piauí Manuella Feitosa Leal, Luiz Ricardo Lopes de Simone, Ana Carolina Figueiredo Lacerda, Edson Lourenço da Silva, Tamaris Gimenez Pinheiro Check List, 2021 Corbicula fluminea is an invasive clam originally from Asia that threatens the biodiversity of freshwater communities around the world. It has greatly expanded in Brazil since its first record. We report here the occurrence of C. fluminea from Piauí state, Parnaíba river basin and, provide an assessment of its current distribution in Brazil. The compiled data include 382 records in 22 states and the Federal District, encompassing a variety of ecosystems. These results contribute to a discussion about the invasion and expansion process of C. fluminea in Brazil over time.
Cytogenetic characterization of Ameivula ocellifera (Spix, 1825) (Squamata, Teiidae) from the Brazilian northeast MARCELO JOÃO SILVA, Flávia Manoela Galvão Cipriano, Ana Paula de Araújo Vieira, Maria Rita dos Santos Cândido, Tamaris Gimenez Pinheiro, et al. Bioscience Journal, 2020 Ameivula is as a new genus of Teiidae family that emerged after extensive revision of species that comprised the former complex of species called Cnemidophorus group. Its species has a wide distribution from the northeast of Brazil to northern Argentina. Cytogenetic studies in the Teiidae family have shown that karyotypical data are important tools in phylogenetic and systematic studies within this group allowing to determine the position of species in the family. Thus, this study aimed to describe the karyotype of Ameivula ocellifera (Spix, 1825) from Picos, Piauí state in the Brazilian Northeast. Specimens were collected from August 2014 to October 2015 using interception traps and pitfalls, mounted randomly along the Caatinga area. The animals were collected and transported to Federal Institute of Piauí, campus Picos, where was carried out all laboratory procedures. Individuals analyzed showed a diploid number of 2n = 50 for both sexes, with karyotype composed by 30 macrochromosomes and 20 microchromosomes of telocentric and subtelocentric types. There were no heteromorphic sex chromosomes in the studied specimens. C-band technique evidenced the heterochromatic blocks in pericentromeric and telomeric regions of chromosomes. The nucleolar organizing regions appeared as a simple unit located at the terminal portion of the long arm of chromosomal pair number 5. The chromosomal characteristics of A. ocellifera analyzed do not show divergences regarding individuals from other regions. However, the nucleolar organizing regions seems to be a good chromosomal marker that permits to distinguish the species already studied.
The Karyotype of Salvator merianae (Squamata, Teiidae): Analyses by Classical and Molecular Cytogenetic Techniques Marcelo J. da Silva, Ana P. de Araújo Vieira, Flávia M. Galvão Cipriano, Maria R. dos Santos Cândido, Edivaldo H.C. de Oliveira, et al. Cytogenetic and Genome Research, 2020 In this study, we analyzed the karyotype of <i>Salvator merianae</i> (Teiidae) from the Brazilian semiarid region using different cytogenetic markers. Chromosomes were examined by classical (Giemsa and AgNOR staining) and molecular (FISH with ribosomal, telomeric, and microsatellite probes) cytogenetic approaches. <i>S. merianae </i>showed a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 38 (10 biarmed macrochromosomes + 28 microchromosomes). No sex-linked chromosome heteromorphisms were observed<i>. </i>Clusters of 18S/28S rDNA were localized in the terminal region of the long arm of pair 2. In addition to the typical telomeric signals, (TTAGGG)<sub>n</sub> repeats were detected in the pericentromeric region of some macrochromosome pairs, which might indicate the occurrence of chromosomal rearrangements via chromosome fusions. Hybridization signals of the microsatellite probes (GA)<sub>n</sub>, (GAA)<sub>n</sub>, and (GAG)<sub>n</sub> were uniformly distributed across all chromosomes, while (CA)<sub>n</sub>, (CAA)<sub>n</sub>, and (CAC)<sub>n</sub> produced brighter signals in the telomeric and pericentromeric regions of specific chromosome pairs. The comparison with previous studies demonstrates that, despite the wide distribution of <i>S. merianae</i>, the macrostructure organization of the karyotype remained unchanged, showing stability in diploid number and chromosome morphology.
Freshwater mollusks from three reservoirs of piauí, northeastern Brazil Edson Lourenço da Silva, Adriana Josefa da Rocha, Manuella Feitosa Leal, Orianna dos Santos, João Hemerson de Sousa, et al. Biota Neotropica, 2020 The pronounced dry season determines the characteristics of the semiarid region of Brazil. Numerous small reservoirs are built to overcome this condition, accumulating multiple uses and causing important changes in the landscape and the local biota. Considering the limited amount of information about the malacofauna of reservoirs, mainly in the Northeast region of the country, this inventory provides a list of mollusks from three important reservoirs located in the city of São Julião, state of Piauí. The collections were carried out monthly between May/2017 and April/2018, sampling a total of 11,149 mollusks, corresponding to the species Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774) (n = 9,724), Biomphalaria straminea (Dunker, 1848) (n = 1,361) and Pomacea lineata (Spix, 1827) (n = 64). The richness of mollusks from the three reservoirs was low, similar to those described in studies conducted in other regions of Northeast Brazil. There was a significant difference in the abundance of M. tuberculata and B. straminea among the studied reservoirs. These environments are not connected and are installed in urban and rural areas, presenting different ecological conditions. The relationship between the human population and the reservoirs, associated with the lack of sanitation, increases the risks of spreading waterborne diseases besides the development of environmental imbalance by the introduction of exotic species.
Temporal and ontogenetic diet changes of omnivorous fish in an impacted (reservoir) and in a natural environment (lagoon) Acta Scientiarum Biological Sciences, 2007
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Unravelling the diversity of limnic molluscs in the Parnaíba River Basin, Brazil: can ecoregions influence species composition? MF Leal, LHS da Silva, MDC Nunes Santos, LAS Aguiar, ... Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, 1-11 , 2026 2026 Citations: 2
Geopolitical impacts on the description of new terrestrial mollusc species (vol 292, 20251428, 2024) ECT Abreu, EL da Silva, MR Moura PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 293 (2062) , 2026 2026
Correction to ‘Geopolitical impacts on the description of new terrestrial mollusc species’ by Abreu et al. ECT Abreu, EL Silva, MR Moura Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 293 (2062), 20252509 , 2026 2026
Habitat Structure Shapes Mollusc Assemblages in an Urban Semiarid River: Implications for Conservation and Public Health LAS Aguiar, LHS Silva, MF Leal, EL Silva, TG Pinheiro Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 36 (1), e70283 , 2026 2026
Between Droughts and Floods: The Seasonal Response of Freshwater Snails in Artificial Reservoirs in the Brazilian Semiarid Region LHS da Silva, JH de Sousa, AJ da Rocha, MF Leal, LA de Sousa Aguiar, ... Population Ecology 68 (1), e70001 , 2026 2026 Citations: 2
Geopolitical impacts on the description of new terrestrial mollusc species ECT Abreu, EL da Silva, MR Moura Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292 (2055) , 2025 2025 Citations: 5
Diversification of crops and food security: the role of family farming in the COVID-19 pandemic MA Vaz, H dos Santos Vitorino, AM Evaristo, DRA da Silva Pereira, ... Revista Brasileira de Ciências Ambientais 60, e2090-e2090 , 2025 2025
When one global invasion hides another—Cryptic interspecific invasion in freshwater gastropods C Albrecht, C Clewing, H Seebens, FD Chibwana, EL Da Silva, MF Leal, ... Diversity and Distributions 31 (1), e13958 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
Structure and dynamics of mollusk communities from intermittent rivers in Brazilian semiarid region (SEPT, 10.1007/s10452-024-10133-2, 2024) MF Leal, M Nogueira Junior, KKS Dantas, EL Silva, TG Pinheiro, ... AQUATIC ECOLOGY 58 (4), 1191-1191 , 2024 2024
Correction: Structure and dynamics of mollusk communities from intermittent rivers in Brazilian semiarid region MF Leal, MN Júnior, KKS Dantas, EL Silva, TG Pinheiro, ACF Lacerda Aquatic Ecology 58 (4), 1191-1191 , 2024 2024
Structure and dynamics of mollusk communities from intermittent rivers in Brazilian semiarid region MF Leal, M Nogueira Júnior, KKS Dantas, EL Silva, TG Pinheiro, ... Aquatic Ecology 58 (4), 1175-1189 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Environmental drivers of Biomphalaria straminea population dynamics in rivers of the Brazilian semiarid EZG Costa, MF Leal, LHS da Silva, LA de Sousa Aguiar, TG Pinheiro, ... Simpósio Internacional sobre Esquistossomose , 2024 2024
Filling the gaps: overcoming the Prestonian shortfall in Biomphalaria straminea (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) populations in Neotropical dry forest reservoirs LHS da Silva, TG Pinheiro, EL da Silva Simpósio Internacional sobre Esquistossomose , 2024 2024
Cytogenetic study in the Brazilian semiarid lizard Tropidurus hispidus (Squamata, Tropiduridae) MJ da Silva, AP de Araújo Vieira, FM Galvão Cipriano, ... Cuadernos de Herpetología 37 , 2023 2023
Composição florística de espécies de macrófitas aquáticas em um trecho urbano do rio Itaim, Itainópolis, Piauí FM Moura, TG Pinheiro, EL da Silva, ACL Pacheco, MC Abreu Biosphere Comunicações Científicas 1 (1), 29-37 , 2022 2022 Citations: 1
Larval trematodes hosted by Biomphalaria straminea in the Brazilian semiarid region: implications for schistosomiasis control. DGS Sousa, FA Carvalho-Costa, KJL Monteiro, EL Silva, ES Castro, ... 2022 Citations: 4
Malacofauna of lotic environments in the Northeast and Brazilian semiarid region: current knowledge and new records MF Leal, LRL Simone, ES Castro, ODOS SANTOS, ARVDA Silva, ... Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 93 (suppl 4), e20210140 , 2021 2021 Citations: 6
Desafios e perspectivas do diagnóstico da esquistossomose mansônica no Brasil: revisão de literatura DG dos Santos Sousa, RLT de Sousa, DR de Mesquita, CMOG Álvares, ... Revista Eletrônica Acervo Saúde 13 (3), e6430-e6430 , 2021 2021 Citations: 5
Current distribution of the invasive mollusk Corbicula fluminea (OF Müller, 1774)(Bivalvia, Cyrenidae) in Brazil, including a new record from the state of Piauí MF Leal, LRL de Simone, ACF Lacerda, EL da Silva, TG Pinheiro Check List 17 (1), 151-157 , 2021 2021 Citations: 15
Triatomine bugs (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) in the Domiciles of the Guaribas Valley Territory, in Northeastern Brazil AF Mendes-Sousa, LDN Araújo, SS Sousa, SC Alencar, WA Sousa, ... Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 53, e20200177 , 2020 2020 Citations: 9
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Mammal occurrence and roadkill in two adjacent ecoregions (Atlantic Forest and Cerrado) in south-western Brazil NC Cáceres, W Hannibal, DR Freitas, EL Silva, C Roman, J Casella Zoologia (Curitiba) 27 (5), 709-717 , 2010 2010 Citations: 121
Comparative analysis of sex chromosomes in Leporinus species (Teleostei, Characiformes) using chromosome painting PP Parise-Maltempi, EL da Silva, W Rens, F Dearden, PCM O’Brien, ... BMC genetics 14 (1), 60 , 2013 2013 Citations: 38
Chromosome mapping of retrotransposable elements Rex1 and Rex3 in Leporinus Spix, 1829 species (Characiformes: Anostomidae) and its relationships … R Splendore de Borba, E Lourenço da Silva, PP Parise-Maltempi Mobile Genetic Elements 3 (6), e27460 , 2013 2013 Citations: 34
Variações temporais e ontogenéticas na dieta de um peixe onívoro em ambiente impactado (reservatório) e em ambiente natural (baía) da bacia do rio Cuiabá EL da Silva, R Fugi, NS Hahn Acta Scientiarum. Biological Sciences 29 (4), 387-394 , 2007 2007 Citations: 30
Freshwater mollusks from three reservoirs of Piauí, northeastern Brazil EL Silva, AJ Rocha, MF Leal, O Santos, JH Sousa, ARV Silva, ... Biota Neotropica 20 (1), e20190868 , 2019 2019 Citations: 22
Trends in the karyotypic evolution of the Neotropical catfish family Heptapteridae Bockmann 1998 (Teleostei: Siluriformes) RS de Borba, EL Da Silva, ACS Pacheco, PP Parise-Maltempi, AL Alves Reviews in fish biology and fisheries 22 (2), 509-518 , 2012 2012 Citations: 17
Current distribution of the invasive mollusk Corbicula fluminea (OF Müller, 1774)(Bivalvia, Cyrenidae) in Brazil, including a new record from the state of Piauí MF Leal, LRL de Simone, ACF Lacerda, EL da Silva, TG Pinheiro Check List 17 (1), 151-157 , 2021 2021 Citations: 15
New records of the invasive mollusk Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774)(Gastropoda, Thiaridae) in the Brazilian Northeast EL da Silva, MF Leal, O dos Santos, AJ da Rocha, ACL Pacheco, ... Check List 15 (3), 479-483 , 2019 2019 Citations: 14
Chromosome mapping of repetitive sequences in Anostomidae species: implications for genomic and sex chromosome evolution EL Da Silva, RS De Borba, PP Parise-Maltempi Molecular cytogenetics 5 (1), 45 , 2012 2012 Citations: 14
Characterization and genome organization of a repetitive element associated with the nucleolus organizer region in Leporinus elongatus (Anostomidae: Characiformes) EL Silva, AF Busso, PP Parise-Maltempi Cytogenet Genome Res 139, 22-28 , 2013 2013 Citations: 12
Characterization and genome organization of a repetitive element associated with the nucleolus organizer region in leporinuselongatus (anostomidae: Characiformes) EL Da Silva, AF Busso, PP Parise-Maltempi Cytogenetic and Genome Research 139 (1), 22-28 , 2013 2013 Citations: 11
La recherche agricole, vecteur de dynamiques collectives des territoires ruraux: l'Indication géographique" Vales da Uva Goethe" au Brésil C Cerdan, N Andrade, A Lima da Silva, HJ Vieira, E Silva, JL Le Guerroue EDP Sciences , 2018 2018 Citations: 10
Triatomine bugs (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) in the Domiciles of the Guaribas Valley Territory, in Northeastern Brazil AF Mendes-Sousa, LDN Araújo, SS Sousa, SC Alencar, WA Sousa, ... Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 53, e20200177 , 2020 2020 Citations: 9
The karyotype of Salvator merianae (Squamata, Teiidae): analyses by classical and molecular cytogenetic techniques MJ da Silva, AP de Araújo Vieira, FM Galvão Cipriano, ... Cytogenetic and Genome Research 160 (2), 94-99 , 2020 2020 Citations: 9
Avaliação do consumo alimentar, estado nutricional e ocorrência de enteroparasitos em crianças pré-escolares no município de Picos-Piauí, Nordeste Brasileiro AE Ramos, TTR da Silva, YR Oliveira, PH da Silva, MC de Abreu, ... Ensaios e Ciência: Ciências Biológicas, Agrárias e da Saúde 23 (3), 268-272 , 2019 2019 Citations: 9
When one global invasion hides another—Cryptic interspecific invasion in freshwater gastropods C Albrecht, C Clewing, H Seebens, FD Chibwana, EL Da Silva, MF Leal, ... Diversity and Distributions 31 (1), e13958 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
Malacofauna of lotic environments in the Northeast and Brazilian semiarid region: current knowledge and new records MF Leal, LRL Simone, ES Castro, ODOS SANTOS, ARVDA Silva, ... Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 93 (suppl 4), e20210140 , 2021 2021 Citations: 6
Cytogenetic characterisation of the ornamental freshwater fish, Piabucus melanostomus (Iguanodectinae) from Brazilian wetlands and its relation with species of … E Lourenço da Silva, D Piscor, JM Ponzeto, L Centofante, AL ALves, ... Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 22 (2), 477-484 , 2012 2012 Citations: 6
Geopolitical impacts on the description of new terrestrial mollusc species ECT Abreu, EL da Silva, MR Moura Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292 (2055) , 2025 2025 Citations: 5
Desafios e perspectivas do diagnóstico da esquistossomose mansônica no Brasil: revisão de literatura DG dos Santos Sousa, RLT de Sousa, DR de Mesquita, CMOG Álvares, ... Revista Eletrônica Acervo Saúde 13 (3), e6430-e6430 , 2021 2021 Citations: 5
