Análise morfológica das sementes de Piper L. (Piperaceae) do Leste Metropolitano do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: uma contribuição para os estudos da quiropterofauna

Abstract

Seeds are a vegetative structure resulting from the fertilization of the ovule developed from a flower, which through the existing dispersion process, carried out by animals, enables the life cycle of each species. Piper fruits release essential oil that attract bats, their main dispersers, when they feed on the fruits they swallow the seeds that pass through the intestinal tract without damaging them. Piperaceae is one of the largest families among basal angiosperms and has a pantropical distribution. In the world it currently includes approximately 4,300 species, distributed in five genera: Manekia Trel., Peperomia Ruiz & Pav., Piper L., Verhuellia Miq. and Zippelia Blume. In Brazil, 468 species were identified, concentrated mainly in the Amazon and Atlantic forests. They usually inhabit shady, humid areas or riverbanks, forest edges and inside clearings, natural or opened by anthropic action. Its use is diverse in cooking, folk medicine, rituals of African origin, ornamental and chemical constituents. Bats have a preference for Piper fruits and the seeds found in their droppings may help in understanding their diet. The lack of morphological studies of the seeds makes it difficult both to determine the species level in works on the diet of bats, as well as the taxonomic work of Piper L. The objective of the study is to differentiate the seeds of the species of Piper L. that occur in the East Metropolitan State of Rio de Janeiro, relating them to the diet of bats, their main dispersers. The study area is formed by the municipalities of Guapimirim, Itaboraí, Magé, Niterói, São Gonçalo and Tanguá and occupies approximately 1,701.553 km². A survey was carried out in the Jabot and Specieslink databases, as well as works referring to Piperaceae from the Metropolitan East of the State of Rio de Janeiro and consultation with the herbaria of the National Museum (R), of the Faculty of Teacher Training of UERJ (RFFP) and from the Botanical Garden Research Institute of Rio de Janeiro (RB) in addition to collections, which were incorporated into the herbaria (RFFP) and (RB). From one to five seeds of each species were extracted, varying up to five specimens of each specimen, depending on availability, reaching a total of 25 per species. These were treated with techniques indicated in the literature. We found 41 species of Piper, but we used 37 due to lack of fertile material and currently the non-occurrence of some taxa currently in the Metropolitan East. The seeds presented a variable number of shapes, furrows, symmetries, colors and ornamentation of the forehead, which together provide information for identification and differentiation of species.

Seeds are a vegetative structure resulting from the fertilization of the ovule developed from a flower, which through the existing dispersion process, carried out by animals, enables the life cycle of each species. Piper fruits release essential oil that attract bats, their main dispersers, when they feed on the fruits they swallow the seeds that pass through the intestinal tract without damaging them. Piperaceae is one of the largest families among basal angiosperms and has a pantropical distribution. In the world it currently includes approximately 4,300 species, distributed in five genera: Manekia Trel., Peperomia Ruiz & Pav., Piper L., Verhuellia Miq. and Zippelia Blume. In Brazil, 468 species were identified, concentrated mainly in the Amazon and Atlantic forests. They usually inhabit shady, humid areas or riverbanks, forest edges and inside clearings, natural or opened by anthropic action. Its use is diverse in cooking, folk medicine, rituals of African origin, ornamental and chemical constituents. Bats have a preference for Piper fruits and the seeds found in their droppings may help in understanding their diet. The lack of morphological studies of the seeds makes it difficult both to determine the species level in works on the diet of bats, as well as the taxonomic work of Piper L. The objective of the study is to differentiate the seeds of the species of Piper L. that occur in the East Metropolitan State of Rio de Janeiro, relating them to the diet of bats, their main dispersers. The study area is formed by the municipalities of Guapimirim, Itaboraí, Magé, Niterói, São Gonçalo and Tanguá and occupies approximately 1,701.553 km². A survey was carried out in the Jabot and Specieslink databases, as well as works referring to Piperaceae from the Metropolitan East of the State of Rio de Janeiro and consultation with the herbaria of the National Museum (R), of the Faculty of Teacher Training of UERJ (RFFP) and from the Botanical Garden Research Institute of Rio de Janeiro (RB) in addition to collections, which were incorporated into the herbaria (RFFP) and (RB). From one to five seeds of each species were extracted, varying up to five specimens of each specimen, depending on availability, reaching a total of 25 per species. These were treated with techniques indicated in the literature. We found 41 species of Piper, but we used 37 due to lack of fertile material and currently the non-occurrence of some taxa currently in the Metropolitan East. The seeds presented a variable number of shapes, furrows, symmetries, colors and ornamentation of the forehead, which together provide information for identification and differentiation of species.