- UFU - Universidade Federal de Uberlândia - Instituto de Biologia - MG - Brasil - CEP 38400-902
- 3432258639
Kleber Del-Claro
Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biologia, Faculty Member
- Graduate at Ciências Biológicas from Universidade Estadual de Campinas (1987), master's at Ecology from Universidade ... moreGraduate at Ciências Biológicas from Universidade Estadual de Campinas (1987), master's at Ecology from Universidade Estadual de Campinas (1991) and ph.d. at Ecology from Universidade Estadual de Campinas (1995). He is currently Full Professor at Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU). Has experience in Ecology, focusing on Ecology, acting on the following subjects: comportamento animal, formigas, comportamento, cerrado and herbivoria. Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Ecology at UFUedit
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Defaunation, the local decline in animal abundance, the contraction of their range, and global extinction of species, is an overlooked manifestation of the Anthropocene. Available information however shows that it is an omnipresent and... more
Defaunation, the local decline in animal abundance, the contraction of their range, and global extinction of species, is an overlooked manifestation of the Anthropocene. Available information however shows that it is an omnipresent and impactful disturbance on biodiversity which is causing significant disruptions in species interactions networks, including plant-animal interactions. In some instances, defaunation leads to the local extinction of interactions such as herbivory. Furthermore, defaunation can cause cascading effects reverberating throughout the community and ultimately threatening Earth’s biodiversity and life support systems. This chapter aims at introducing the readers to this critical, contemporary issue of the Anthropocene.
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Birds are highly visually oriented and use plumage coloration as an important signalling trait in social communication. Hence, males and females may have different patterns of plumage coloration, a phenomenon known as sexual dichromatism.... more
Birds are highly visually oriented and use plumage coloration as an important signalling trait in social communication. Hence, males and females may have different patterns of plumage coloration, a phenomenon known as sexual dichromatism. Because males tend to have more complex plumages, sexual dichromatism is usually attributed to female choice. However, plumage coloration is partly condition-dependent; therefore, other selective pressures affecting individuals' success may also drive the evolution of this trait. Here, we used tanagers as model organisms to study the relationships between dichromatism and plumage coloration complexity in tanagers with parasitism by haemosporidians, investment in reproduction and life-history traits. We screened blood samples from 2849 individual birds belonging to 52 tanager species to detect haemosporidian parasites. We used publicly available data for plumage coloration, bird phylogeny and life-history traits to run phylogenetic generalized l...
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In animals, changes in colour pigmentation in an intraspecific context are usually described as a polymorphism adaptive to environmental factors. According to the thermal melanism hypothesis (TMH), melanic individuals are more active... more
In animals, changes in colour pigmentation in an intraspecific context are usually described as a polymorphism adaptive to environmental factors. According to the thermal melanism hypothesis (TMH), melanic individuals are more active because they may attain higher temperature and then benefit from higher size, foraging time and reproduction. The polymorphic seed‐beetle Acanthoscelides quadridentatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) naturally attacks the seeds of two plant varieties, Mimosa setosa var. paludosa and M. setosa var. setosa, in the Brazilian savanna. The authors tested TMH in this system, predicting that melanic beetles would be larger, and infringe worst germination rate and higher seed mortality. Additionally, they tested whether seed weight plays a role in germination. The authors found two beetle morphs: a melanic/1.1‐fold larger and another lighter/smaller. Seeds of M. setosa var. setosa are 1.9‐fold heavier and its intact seeds germinate faster and with a higher amount ...
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Polymorphism in coenagrionids is widely known, mainly for Ischnura. Here, we present the case of I. capreolus, a Neotropical species of which, until now, little information concerning color polymorphism and ontogenetic color changes was... more
Polymorphism in coenagrionids is widely known, mainly for Ischnura. Here, we present the case of I. capreolus, a Neotropical species of which, until now, little information concerning color polymorphism and ontogenetic color changes was known. We used a marking and recapture method to evidence ontogenetic coloration changes in females. We show that, in addition to the gynochrome morph, I. capreolus females also exhibit at least one additional morph: an androchrome color pattern. Gynochrome females (97.1% of marked females) are green-yellow when young and change to a brownish pattern with age, within a week. Androchrome females (2.9% of marked females) exhibit blue coloration, similarly to males. Our study provides the first evidence of ontogenetic color change in I. capreolus. Furthermore, field observations show that I. capreolus is similar to other Ischnura species regarding sexual harassment behavior.
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ABSTRACT The seed beetles, Acanthoscelides quadridentatus and Acanthoscelides winderi are here recorded for the first time feeding on seeds of Mimosa setosa var. paludosa in the Brazilian Cerrado. Our main aims were to describe the... more
ABSTRACT The seed beetles, Acanthoscelides quadridentatus and Acanthoscelides winderi are here recorded for the first time feeding on seeds of Mimosa setosa var. paludosa in the Brazilian Cerrado. Our main aims were to describe the temporal distribution, seed damage, and notes on the natural history of these two species on their host plant. We hypothesised that: (a) healthy seeds from infested fruits would have worse germination rate than healthy seeds from noninfested fruits, and (b) females of seed beetles would lay more eggs on large fruits. We made field observations and an experimental field study with the presence of seed beetles versus their exclusion on plants. Results revealed that seed beetles are synchronised with fruiting, with a temporal partitioning in occurrence. Attacked seeds did not germinate, whereas healthy seeds from infested fruits had worse germination rate than healthy seeds from noninfested fruits. Females of seed beetles laid more eggs on large fruits. These results suggest that seed beetles avoid competition through a temporal partitioning curcial for their coexistence, and select large fruits to oviposit as these fruits probably provide more food resource for their offspring. Furthermore, plants might perceive seed beetles’ damage and then reduce resource allocation on infested fruits.
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A new species of microgastrine wasp, Cotesia itororensis Sousa-Lopes & Whitfield, sp. nov., is described from a Brazilian savanna area in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais. This species is a koinobiont endoparasitoid recorded from caterpillars of... more
A new species of microgastrine wasp, Cotesia itororensis Sousa-Lopes & Whitfield, sp. nov., is described from a Brazilian savanna area in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais. This species is a koinobiont endoparasitoid recorded from caterpillars of Oospila pallidaria (Schaus, 1897) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), feeding on Mimosa setosa var. paludosa (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae). Morphological, molecular, biological, ecological and geographical data are used to describe the new species and distinguish it from others formally recorded for the Neotropical region.
Research Interests: Botany, Evolutionary Biology, Zoology, Biology, Medicine, and 3 moreHymenoptera, Fabaceae, and Braconidae
Research Interests: Zoology, Biology, Diet, DNA Barcoding, Lepidoptera, and 8 moreDieta, Diet breadth, Cryptic Species, Genus, Larva, Butterfly, DNA Barcodes, and Pupa
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Research Interests: Geography, Biology, Ecology, Biodiversity, Wetland, and 4 moreHabitat, Zooplankton, Species Richness, and Macrophyte
Evolution begets diversity, and insects are the most diverse organisms in the history of life, so insects should provide profound insight into evolution. Insects are considered keystone species because loss of their critical ecological... more
Evolution begets diversity, and insects are the most diverse organisms in the history of life, so insects should provide profound insight into evolution. Insects are considered keystone species because loss of their critical ecological functions (e.g., pollinators; seed dispersers; predators; and parasitoids) could lead to collapse of the wider ecosystem. Indeed, insects dominate freshwater aquatic systems, but in general we know very few about the biology and natural history of these organisms. Here, we present a good set of basic data and knowledge in ecology, natural history, and behavior of this unknown fauna. Our hope is that it encourages young researchers to investigate basic aspects of the life history of aquatic insects, mainly in tropical systems.
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In this remembrance, we have brought together some of Victor Rico‐Gray’s friends and collaborators to recall his many contributions to tropical ecology and his influence on so many young scientists. Victor’s research ranged from Mexican... more
In this remembrance, we have brought together some of Victor Rico‐Gray’s friends and collaborators to recall his many contributions to tropical ecology and his influence on so many young scientists. Victor’s research ranged from Mexican ethnobotany to the evolutionary ecology of complex interactions between ants and plants. His research was highly collaborative, forming strong bonds among those who shared his interests in how the web of life is organized. He inspired students through his mentoring in tropical ecology, mainly his lectures at the Instituto de Ecología AC (INECOL), and later at the Universidad Veracruzana (UV), his courses organized by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), and his talks at meetings, including the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC). Victor’s story is not over. It will continue to be traced through countless scientists who were inspired by Victor’s life and work.
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The female of Argia tupi Calvert, 1909 (BRAZIL, Mato Grosso, Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, Cachoeira do Marimbondo (15.4330° S, 55.7198° W, 370 m), 01 xi 2015) is described, illustrated and diagnosed based on comparison with... more
The female of Argia tupi Calvert, 1909 (BRAZIL, Mato Grosso, Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, Cachoeira do Marimbondo (15.4330° S, 55.7198° W, 370 m), 01 xi 2015) is described, illustrated and diagnosed based on comparison with sympatric species of Argia Rambur, 1842. We also augmented the description of Argia bicellulata (Calvert, 1909) female (BRAZIL, Mato Grosso, Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, Rio Paciencia (15.3438° S, 55.8322° W, 280 m), 25 x 2015).
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Argia angelae sp. nov. (Holotype ♂, BRAZIL, Mato Grosso, Chapada dos Guimarães, Rio Salgadeira (15°21'25" S, 55°49'51" W, 305 m), 1 xi 2015, D. S. Vilela leg., in LESTES, Cod. ACR 8173A) from Chapada dos Guimarães,... more
Argia angelae sp. nov. (Holotype ♂, BRAZIL, Mato Grosso, Chapada dos Guimarães, Rio Salgadeira (15°21'25" S, 55°49'51" W, 305 m), 1 xi 2015, D. S. Vilela leg., in LESTES, Cod. ACR 8173A) from Chapada dos Guimarães, Brazil is described, illustrated and diagnosed based on comparison with other known sympatric species of the genus. This species inhabits streams throughout the National Park and a map of its known distribution is provided.
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Vector-borne parasites are important ecological drivers influencing life-history evolution in birds by increasing host mortality or susceptibility to new diseases. Therefore, understanding why vulnerability to infection varies within a... more
Vector-borne parasites are important ecological drivers influencing life-history evolution in birds by increasing host mortality or susceptibility to new diseases. Therefore, understanding why vulnerability to infection varies within a host clade is a crucial task for conservation biology and for understanding macroecological life-history patterns. Here, we studied the relationship of avian life-history traits and climate on the prevalence ofPlasmodiumandParahaemoproteusparasites. We sampled 3569 individual birds belonging to 53 species of the family Thraupidae. Individuals were captured from 2007 to 2018 at 92 locations. We created 2 phylogenetic generalized least-squares models withPlasmodiumandParahaemoproteusprevalence as our response variables, and with the following predictor variables: climate PC1, climate PC2, body size, mixed-species flock participation, incubation period, migration, nest height, foraging height, forest cover, and diet. We found thatParahaemoproteusandPlasm...
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In male odonates, both size and fat content are related to territory defence and mating success. Males that are larger and have higher energy reserves win relatively more disputes for territory and attract more females. Wing colour has... more
In male odonates, both size and fat content are related to territory defence and mating success. Males that are larger and have higher energy reserves win relatively more disputes for territory and attract more females. Wing colour has also been regarded as a mechanism that influences agonistic behaviour between males, as wing pigmentation might be regarded as a sign of male quality. In this study, we analysed whether a set of male physical (body size and wing colour), physiological (body fat content) and behavioural (disputes between males) characteristics were involved in the territory defence and mating behaviour of the neotropical dragonfly Zenithoptera lanei Santos, 1941 (Anisoptera: Libellulidae). Males were characterised as territorial whenever they warded‐off other males and remained in the same place within the pond for two consecutive days. In general, these territorial males were larger and had more abdominal and thoracic fat, engaged in pursuits more frequently, spent mo...
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Pseudomyrmex concolor is an Amazonian ant that works as an induced biotic defence of its host plant. Nevertheless, there is no information about the division of labour in P. concolor and how it impacts its ant–plant mutualism. We... more
Pseudomyrmex concolor is an Amazonian ant that works as an induced biotic defence of its host plant. Nevertheless, there is no information about the division of labour in P. concolor and how it impacts its ant–plant mutualism. We hypothesized that the spatio-temporal variation in P. concolor workers might be reflected in labour division associated with colony/plant defence. For this, we took morphometric measures of ants present on the stem and leaves of Tachigali myrmecophila. They were marked, and the frequency with which they remained in the plant regions and behavioural responses to herbivores presence throughout the day was recorded. The results showed that the spatio-temporal variation influences the division of labour in the P. concolor colony, with workers showing local high fidelity over time and differentiated responses to the same behavioural stimulus, suggesting that the workers perform tasks depending on where they are located in the host plant. Probably workers of P. concolor exhibit age polyethism, with individuals performing different functions in the colony throughout their lifetime and changing their tasks in the colony as they get older and depending on their spatial location.
Research Interests: Zoology, Entomology, Ethology, Biology, Ecology, and 3 moreAnimal Ecology, Division of Labour, and Herbivore
The family Mutillidae (Hymenoptera) is represented by solitary aculeate wasps with high sexual dimorphism. The adult females are wingless and usually immature parasitoids of other insects and males are most often winged and generally feed... more
The family Mutillidae (Hymenoptera) is represented by solitary aculeate wasps with high sexual dimorphism. The adult females are wingless and usually immature parasitoids of other insects and males are most often winged and generally feed on nectar. There are few records in the literature of adults of mutillidae wasps feeding on extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and still less in Brazil. Here, we report six fortuitous observations of mutillid wasps feeding on extrafloral nectar and their behavior in different plants in a reserve of cerrado sensu stricto, in Uberlândia, Brazil. We observed six species of mutillid wasps: Traumatomutilla sp. and Traumatomutilla latevittata feeding on EFNs of Stryphnodendron polyphyllum, Hoplocrates sp. feeding on the EFNs of Eriotheca gracilipes,Timulla sp. feeding on the EFNs of Banisteriopsis malifolia, Hoplomutilla sp. feeding on the EFNs of Qualea grandiflora and an unidentified male species in Qualea multiflora. All mutillid wasps showed similar behavi...
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Carotenoids are exogenously sourced pigments that determine plumage coloration in many species of birds. Aside from plumage coloration, carotenoids play a role in mounting an immune response and neutralizing the by-products of cytotoxic... more
Carotenoids are exogenously sourced pigments that determine plumage coloration in many species of birds. Aside from plumage coloration, carotenoids play a role in mounting an immune response and neutralizing the by-products of cytotoxic activity. We determined whether colorimetric descriptors of carotenoid-based plumage predict infection occurrence of malarial parasites (order Haemosporida, Plasmodium, Parahaemoproteus and Haemoproteus). We captured birds in an area of sensu strictu Cerrado in southeastern Brazil, used PCR to molecularly detect haemosporidian infections and microscopy to confirm all infections. We collected five feathers from the region below the furcula of each individual to retrieve plumage coloration descriptors, namely saturation, carotenoid chroma, hue and the maximum reflectance at the ultraviolet spectrum. We analysed feathers of 58 individuals from three bird species: Lesser Elaenia Elaenia chiriquensis, Flavescent Warbler Myiothlypis flaveola and Red Pileated Finch Coryphospingus cucullatus. Colour saturation and carotenoid chroma predicted the individual occurrence of an infection with malarial parasites. We suggest that infected individuals may trade carotenoid investment between the immune system and plumage coloration, as carotenoid chroma was negatively associated with parasite occurrence. Our results indicate that haemosporidian parasites are important in influencing physiological trade-offs in natural bird populations.
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Spiders are ubiquitous in most vegetation, however very little empirical data are available on specific spider–plant interactions and their reciprocal outcomes. In the Brazilian Cerrado, the plant Mimosa setosa var. paludosa, (Fabaceae)... more
Spiders are ubiquitous in most vegetation, however very little empirical data are available on specific spider–plant interactions and their reciprocal outcomes. In the Brazilian Cerrado, the plant Mimosa setosa var. paludosa, (Fabaceae) has glandular trichomes in its leaves and stems, commonly entrapping insects (i.e. carrion) as well as hosting the lynx spider, Peucetia flava. We hypothesized that: (1) the damage inflicted by exophytic (leaves) and endophytic (seeds) herbivore insects that overcome the glandular trichomes is lower in plants where the lynx spider is present; and (2) the presence of this predator is positively related to food availability (live insects and/or carrion) and plant size. We performed field observations and an experimental field study in terms of the spider's presence versus absence on the Fabaceae plants. Our results showed that the proportion of damaged foliolules on the Fabaceae plants differed between the spiders‐present and spiders‐absent treatme...
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1. Ants are recognized as induced biotic defence in mutualistic relationships with myrmecophytic plants. Pseudomyrmex concolor is an aggressive Amazonian ant that works as an anti‐herbivory agent for its host plant Tachigali myrmecophila.... more
1. Ants are recognized as induced biotic defence in mutualistic relationships with myrmecophytic plants. Pseudomyrmex concolor is an aggressive Amazonian ant that works as an anti‐herbivory agent for its host plant Tachigali myrmecophila. However, it is not known how this ant maintains the plant on low levels of herbivory.2. Tachigali myrmecophila provides no food for P. concolor making this model appropriate to test the hypothesis that ants associated with myrmecophytes act as induced biotic defence by herbivory. Based on Optimal Defence Theory, we tested whether the response to herbivory and the ant daily activity rhythm is more frequent in most valuable parts of the plant, such as young leaves.3. Ants were observed in young and mature leaves exposed to herbivory by experimental manipulation. Results suggest that ants act as induced biotic defence in T. myrmecophila: number of ants was significantly higher in manipulated leaflets, as well as the daily activity rhythm was increased...
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Weaver ants nest on plants but the extent of such associations is unknown for many species. Literature records of weaver ant host plants from 1945 to 2016 showed that Camponotus textor Forel, 1899 (= Camponotus senex), the Brazilian... more
Weaver ants nest on plants but the extent of such associations is unknown for many species. Literature records of weaver ant host plants from 1945 to 2016 showed that Camponotus textor Forel, 1899 (= Camponotus senex), the Brazilian savanna weaver ant, was recorded on 17 plant species belonging to 11 families. Our field survey recorded nine plant species in eight families at Brazilian Cerrado. Overall, we expanded the list to a total of 24 host plant species and 14 families, including economically important tree species as mango, citrus, and jambo trees. Such host plants could be used to augment the establishment of weaver ants, facilitating their role in biocontrol as deterrents of phytophagous insect pests of economically important plants.