Geize Deon

• PhD Genetics
• Federal University of São Carlos

Contrasting with most bird species that present an ancestral-like karyotype (with 2n = 80), the only extant Cariamidae birds, the Red-legged (Cariama cristata) and Black-legged (Chunga burmeisteri) Seriemas, have high 2n and atypically large Z chromosomes. This study combined cytogenetic, bioinformatic, and genomic analyses to examine the distincti...

Astroblepus species, commonly known as Andean climbing catfish, exhibit a unique challenge in species delimitation, leading to ongoing taxonomic debates. Here we report data on Astroblepus mindoensis, a vulnerable species endemic to Ecuador, obtained by an integrative approach that includes cytogenetic analysis, molecular identification of the spec...

Do all birds' sex chromosomes follow the same canonical one-way direction of evolution? We combined cytogenetic and genomic approaches to analyze the process of the W chromosomal differentiation in two selected Passeriform species, named the Pale-breasted Thrush Turdus leucomelas and the Rufous-bellied thrush T. rufiventris. We characterized the fu...

The underlying processes behind the formation, evolution, and long-term maintenance of multiple sex chromosomes have been largely neglected. Among vertebrates, fishes represent the group with the highest diversity of multiple sex chromosome systems and, with six instances, the Neotropical fish genus Harttia stands out by presenting the most remarka...

Background Different patterns of sex chromosome differentiation are seen in Palaeognathae birds, a lineage that includes the ratites (Struthioniformes, Rheiformes, Apterygiformes, Casuariiformes, and the sister group Tinamiformes). While some Tinamiform species have well-differentiated W chromosomes, both Z and W of all the flightless ratites are s...

Vanellus (Charadriidae; Charadriiformes) comprises around 20 species commonly referred to as lapwings. In this study, by integrating cytogenetic and genomic approaches, we assessed the satellite DNA (satDNA) composition of one typical species, Vanellus chilensis, with a highly conserved karyotype. We additionally underlined its role in the evolutio...

Charadriiformes, which comprises shorebirds and their relatives, is one of the most diverse avian orders, with over 390 species showing a wide range of karyotypes. Here, we isolated and characterized the whole collection of satellite DNAs (satDNAs) at both molecular and cytogenetic levels of one of its representative species, named the wattled jaca...

The Neotropical monophyletic catfish genus Harttia represents an excellent model to study karyotype and sex chromosome evolution in teleosts. Its species split into three phylogenetic clades distributed along the Brazilian territory and they differ widely in karyotype traits, including the presence of standard or multiple sex chromosome systems in...

The plecos (Loricariidae) fish represent a great model for cytogenetic investigations due to their variety of karyotypes, including diploid and polyploid genomes, and different types of sex chromosomes. In this study we investigate Transancistrus santarosensis a rare loricariid endemic to Ecuador, integrating cytogenetic methods with specimens' mol...

In this work, we trace the dynamics of satellite DNAs (SatDNAs) accumulation and elimination along the pathway of W chromosome differentiation using the well-known Triportheus fish model. Triportheus stands out due to a conserved ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system present in all examined species. While the Z chromosome is conserved in all species, the W c...

The remarkable fish biodiversity encompasses also great sex chromosome variability. Harttia catfish belong to Neotropical models for karyotype and sex chromosome research. Some species possess one of the three male-heterogametic sex chromosome systems, XY, X1X2Y or XY1Y2, while other members of the genus have yet uncharacterized modes of sex determ...

Cytogenetic studies demonstrated that unstable chromosomal sites in armored catfishes (Loricariidae) triggered intensive karyotypic diversification, mainly derived from Robertsonian (Rb) rearrangements. In Loricariinae, the presence of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) clusters and their flanking repeated regions (such as microsatellites or partial transposable...

Cytogenetic data showed the enrichment of repetitive DNAs in chromosomal rearrangement points between closely related species in armored catfishes. Still, few studies integrated cytogenetic and genomic data aiming to identify their prone-to-break DNA sites. Here, we aimed to obtain the repetitive fraction in Rineloricaria latirostris to recognize t...

The Neotropical armored catfish genus Harttia presents a wide variation of chromosomal rearrangements among its representatives. Studies indicate that translocation and Robertsonian rearrangements have triggered the karyotype evolution in the genus, including differentiation of sex chromosome systems. However, few studies used powerful tools, such...

The Neotropical genus Harttia comprises species with extensive chromosomal remodeling and distinct sex chromosome systems (SCSs). So far, three different SCSs with male heterogamety have been characterized in the group. In some species, the presence of the XX/XY1Y2 SCS is associated with a decrease in diploid numbers and several chromosomal rearran...

Miniature fishes have always been a challenge for cytogenetic studies due to the difficulty in obtaining chromosomal preparations, making them virtually unexplored. An example of this scenario relies on members of the family Lebiasinidae which include miniature to medium-sized, poorly known species, until very recently. The present study is part of...

A remarkable morphological diversity and karyotype variability can be observed in the Neotropical armored catfish genus Harttia. These fishes offer a useful model to explore both the evolution of karyotypes and sex chromosomes since many species possess male-heterogametic sex chromosome systems and a high rate of karyotype repatterning. Based on th...

In the fish genus Hoplias, two major general groups can be found, one of which is formed by the “common trahiras” (Hoplias malabaricus group) and the other by the “giant trahiras” (Hoplias lacerdae group, in addition to Hoplias aimara), which usually comprises specimens of larger body size. Previous investigations from the giant trahiras group reco...

Harttia comprises an armored catfish genus endemic to the Neotropical region, including 27 valid species with low dispersion rates that are restricted to small distribution areas. Cytogenetics data point to a wide chromosomal diversity in this genus due to changes that occurred in isolated populations, with chromosomal fusions and fissions explaini...

O presente trabalho tem por finalidade apresentar uma proposta de atividade interdisciplinar envolvendo as disciplinas de Ciências e Educação Física do Ensino Fundamental. O tema trabalhado é a cadeia alimentar e a atividade prática envolve um jogo de queimada sobre este tema. O jogo foi organizado de modo a levar o aluno à compreensão da cadeia tr...

O presente trabalho tem por finalidade apresentar uma proposta de atividade interdisciplinar envolvendo as disciplinas de Ciências e Educação Física do Ensino Fundamental. O tema trabalhado é a cadeia alimentar e a atividade prática envolve um jogo de queimada sobre este tema. O jogo foi organizado de modo a levar o aluno à compreensão da cadeia tr...

The armored Harttia catfishes present great species diversity and remarkable cytogenetic variation, including different sex chromosome systems. Here we analyzed three new species, H. duriventris, H. villasboas and H. rondoni, using both conventional and molecular cytogenetic techniques (Giemsa-staining and C-banding), including the mapping of repet...

Pimelodidae has a high number of species, but cytogenetic studies are generally restricted to classical chromosomal characterization and in situ localization of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) genes. This study was developed to compare Pimelodus microstoma and Pimelodus pohli focusing on chromosomal diversification provided by the transposition of DNA sequenc...

Ancistrus is a specious genus of armored catfishes that has been extensively used for cytogenetic studies in the last 17 years. A comparison of the extensive karyotypic plasticity within this genus is presented with new cytogenetic analysis for Ancistrus cf. multispinis and Ancistrus aguaboensis. This study aims to improve our understanding of chro...

Parodontidae is a small group of fish and some species are particularly difficult to identify due to the lack of sufficiently consistent morphological traits. Cytogenetically, the species possess 2n = 54 chromosomes and are either sex-homomorphic or sex-heteromorphic (regarding its chromosomes). We evaluated data on color, tooth morphology, cytogen...

Anostomidae é uma família altamente especiosa entre os Characiformes, compreendendo 156 espécies válidas, as quais estão distribuídas na região Neotropical. Estudos citogenéticos com anostomídeos revelam que sua estrutura cariotípica é altamente conservada, com variações quanto a presença de cromossomos sexuais. O presente estudo teve como objetivo...

O gênero Neoplecostomus compreende espécies de tamanho pequeno que habitam riachos da região sul e sudeste do Brasil. O gênero apresenta interesse em estudos citogenéticos e genéticos por apresentar cariótipos conservados e indícios de ausência de fluxo gênico entre populações de subafluentes do rio Paraná. Das dezesseis espécies válidas descritas...