Sibelle T Vilaça
Population genetics,
wildlife conservation, evolutionary genetics
Peer reviewed publications
(Published, In Review)
49. Povill C*, Barreto SB*, Mendes IS, Luna-Lucena D, Damasceno RP, Pavan ACO, Kantek DLZ, Lima LHA, Cortes LG, Bento DM, Vilaça ST, Nunes GL, Vidal AF, Figueiró H, Aleixo A, Martins AB. Mapeando Necessidades: Oportunidades para a Utilização de Ferramentas Genômicas na Conservação da Biodiversidade Brasileira. In review. EcoEvoRXiv LINK.
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48. Hoban S, Hvilsom C, Aissi A, Aleixo A, Biala K, Ekblom R, Fedorca A, Funk WC, Heuertz M, Goncalves AL, Ishihama F, Gonzalez A, Hughes A, Stroil BK, Laikre L, Millette KL, Paz-Vinas I, O'Brien D, Robuchon M, Rincón-Parra VJ, Rodríguez-Morales MA, Rodriguez JP, Segelbacher G, Straza T, Susanti R, Tshidada N, Vilaça ST, Silva JM. How can biodiversity strategy and action plans incorporate genetic diversity and align with global commitments? Accepted, BioScience. EcoEvoRXiv LINK
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47. Vilaça ST, Vidal A, Silva BM, Nunes G, Figueiró H, Bittencourt JAP, Canesin L, Oliveira RMR, Vasconcelos V, Tavares V, Souza CP, Mendes IS, Cortes LG, Barreto LG, Oliveira GC, Martins AB, Aleixo AP. (2024) Leveraging genomic data to support conservation and bioeconomy policies in a megadiverse country. Accepted, Cell Genomics.
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46. Logan SR, Vilaça ST, Bienentreu J-F, Lesbarrères D, Brunetti CR. Isolation and characterization of a frog virus 3 strain from a wood frog (Rana sylvatica) in Wood Buffalo National Park. (2024) Viruses 16, 1411.
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45. Canesin L, Vilaça ST, Oliveira R, Formenti G, Fedrigo O; Banhos A; Sanaiotti T; Farias I; Jarvis ED; Oliveira G; Hrbek T; Solferini V; Aleixo A. (2024) A reference genome for the Harpy Eagle reveals steady demographic decline and chromosomal rearrangements in the origin of Accipitriformes. Scientific Reports 14:19925.
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44. Dalapicolla, Weir JT, Vilaça ST, Quaresma TF, Schneider MPC, Vasconcelos ATR, Aleixo A. (2024) Whole genomes reveal contrasting trends of population size changes and genomic diversity for an Amazonian endemic Passerine over the Late Quaternary. Ecology and Evolution 14: e11250. LINK
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43. Prosdocimi L, Vilaça ST, Naro-Maciel E, Formia A, Velez-Rubio G. (2024) Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) genetic composition at coastal feeding areas of Uruguay. Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science, 2, 1351226. LINK
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42. Aravena-Ramírez V, Fuentes-Castillo D, Vilaça ST, Goldberg D, Esposito F, Tainá T, Fontana H, Sellera FP, Lincopan N. (2024). Genomic scan of a healthcare-associated NDM-1-producing Citrobacter freundii ST18 isolated from a green sea turtle impacted by plastic pollution. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 36: 389-392. LINK
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41. Wallace B, Posnick ZA, Hurley BJ, DiMatteo AD, Bandimere A, Rodriguez I, Maxwell SM, Meyer L, Brenner H, Jensen MP, LaCasella E, Shamblin BM, Abreu-Grobois FA, Stewart KR, Dutton PH, Barrios-Garrido H, Dalleau M, dell’Amico F, Eckert KL, FitzSimmons NN, Garcia-Cruz M, Hays GC, Hof CAM, Hutchison BJ, Kelez S, Lagueux CJ, Marco A, Martins SLT, Mobaraki A, Mortimer JA, Nel R, Phillott A, Pilcher NJ, Putman NF, Rees AF, Rguez-Baron JM, Swaminathan A, Seminoff JA, Turkozan O, Vargas SM, Vernet PD, Vilaça ST, Whiting SD, Hutchinson BJ, Casale P, Mast RB. (2023) Marine turtle regional management units 2.0: an updated framework for conservation and research of wide-ranging megafauna species. Endangered Species Research, 52: 209–223. LINK
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40.Wikston M, Breton BA, Vilaça ST, Bennett A, Kyle CJ, Beresford D, Lesbarrères D, Wilson CC, Green D, Fortin M-J, Murray DL. (2023) Comparative efficacy of eDNA and conventional methods for monitoring wetland anuran communities. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11: 1179158. LINK
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39. Prewer E, Vilaça ST, Bird S, Kutz S, Leclerc LM, Kyle CJ. (2023) Metabarcoding of fecal pellets in wild muskox populations reveals negative relationships between microbiome and diet alpha diversity. Ecology and Evolution: e10192. LINK
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38. Vilaça ST*, Donaldson M*, Benazzo A*, Wheeldon TJ, Vizzari MT, Bertorelle G, Patterson B, Kyle CJ. (2023) Tracing eastern wolf origins from whole-genome data in context of extensive hybridization. *Co-first authors. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 40: msad055. LINK
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37. Chang G, Jones S, Leelakumari S, Ashkani J, Culibrk L, O'Niell K, Tse K, Cheng D, Chuah E, McDonald H, Kirk H, Pandoh P, Pari S, Angelini V, Kyle CJ, Bertorelle G, Zhao Y, Mungall A, Moore R, Vilaça ST, Jones SJM. (2023) The genome sequence of the Loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta Linnaeus 1758. F1000 Genome Note 12: 336. LINK
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36. Bielo R, Brunelli A, Sozio G, Havenstein K, Mortelliti A, Ketmaier V, Vilaça ST, Bertorelle G. (2023) The genetic structure and connectivity in two sympatric rodent species with different life histories are similarly affected by land use disturbances. Conservation Genetics, 24: 59-72. LINK
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35. Vilaça ST, Maroso F, Lara P, Thoisy B, Chevallier D, Arantes LS, Santos FR, Bertorelle G, Mazzoni CJ. (2023) Evidence of backcross inviability and mitochondrial DNA paternal leakage in sea turtle hybrids. Molecular Ecology, 32: 628-643. LINK
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34. Vilaça ST*, Hahn AT*, Naro-Maciel E, Abreu-Gobrois A, Bowen B, Castilhos JC, Ciofi C, FitzSimmons N, Formia A, Jensen M, Limpus C, Natali C, Soares LS, de Thoisy B, Whiting S, Bonatto SL. (2022) Global phylogeography of ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys spp.): evolution, demography, connectivity, and conservation. *Co-first authors. Conservation Genetics, 6: 995-1010. LINK
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33. Breton BA, Beaty L, Bennett AM, Kyle CJ, Lesbarrères D, Vilaça ST, Wikston M, Wilson CC, Murray DL. (2022) Using environmental DNA (eDNA) to quantify relative larval amphibian abundance. Environmental DNA, 4: 1229-1240. LINK
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32. Congram M, Vilaça ST, Wilson CC, Kyle CJ, Lesbarrères D, Wikston M, Beaty L, Murray DL. (2022) Tracking the prevalence of a fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (chytrid fungus), using environmental DNA. Environmental DNA, 4: 687-699. LINK
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31. Vilaça ST, Piccinno R, Rota-Stabelli O, Gabrielli M, Benazzo A, Soares LS, Bolten AB, Bjorndal KA, Bertorelle G (2021) Divergence and hybridization in sea turtles: inferences from whole genomes show evidence of ancient gene flow. Molecular Ecology 30:6178–6192. LINK
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30. Soares LS, Bjorndal KA, Bolten AB, Wayne ML, Castilhos JC, López-Mendilaharsu M, Marcovaldi MA, Vilaça ST, Naro-Maciel E (2021). Reproductive output, foraging destinations, and isotopic niche of olive ridley and loggerhead sea turtles, and their hybrids, in Brazil. Endangered Species Research, 44:237-251. LINK
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29. Arantes LS, Vilaça ST, Mazzoni CJ, Santos FR (2020). New genetic insights about hybridization and population structure of hawksbill and loggerhead turtles from Brazil. Journal of Heredity, 111:444-456. BioRxiv. LINK
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28. Vilaça ST, Santos FR (2020). Complete mitochondrial genome of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirotris, Sirenia). Genetics and Molecular Biology 42:e20190210. LINK
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27. Brito C*, Vilaça ST*, Lacerda ALF, Maggioni R, Marcovaldi MA, Velez-Rubio G, Proietti MC (2020). Combined use of mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers further reveal immature sea turtle hybrids along the South Western Atlantic. Genetics and Molecular Biology 43:e20190098. *Co-first authors LINK
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26. Carstairs SJ*, Kyle CJ, Vilaça ST* (2020). High prevalence of subclinical frog virus 3 infection in freshwater turtles of Ontario, Canada. Virology 543:76-83. *Equal contribution LINK
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25. Tikochinski Y, Carreras C, Tikochinski G, Vilaça ST (2020). Population-specific signatures of intra-individual mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy and their potential evolutionary advantages. Scientific Reports, 10:211. LINK
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24. Vilaça ST, Grant S, Congram M, Beaty L, Wilson CC, Brunetti CR, Kyle CJ. (2020) Detection of spatiotemporal variation in ranavirus distribution using eDNA. Environmental DNA 2:210-220. LINK​
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23. Bird S, Prewer E, Kutz S, Leclerc LM, Vilaça ST, Kyle CJ. (2019) Geography, seasonality, and host-associated population structure influence the fecal microbiome of a genetically depauparate Arctic mammal. Ecology and Evolution, 9: 13202-13217. LINK
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22. Vilaça ST, Binentreu J-F, Brunetti CR, Lesbarrères D, Murray D, Kyle CJ. (2019) Frog virus 3 genomes reveal prevalent recombination between Ranavirus lineages and their origin in Canada. Journal of Virology, 93: e00765-19. LINK
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21. Vilaça ST*, Lima CS*, Mazzoni CJ, Santos FR, de Thoisy B. (2019) Manatee genomics supports a special conservation area in the Guianas coastline under the influence of the Amazon River plume. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 226: 106286 BioRxiv LINK *Co-first authors
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20. Grant S, Binentreu J-F, Vilaça ST, Brunetti C, Lesbarrères D, Murray D, Kyle CJ. (2019) Low intraspecific variation of Frog Virus 3 provides evidence for novel FV3-like and possible FV3/CMTV isolates within Canada. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 134:1-13. LINK
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19. Blankers T, Vilaça ST, Waurick I, Gray DA, Hennig RM, Mazzoni CJ, Mayer F, Berdan EL. (2018) Demography and selection shape transcriptomic divergence in field crickets. Evolution, 72: 553-567. BioRxiv LINK
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18. Maia T, Vilaça ST, Silva L, Santos FR, Dantas GPM. (2017) DNA sampling from eggshells and microsatellite genotyping in rare tropical birds: case study on Brazilian Merganser. Genetics and Molecular Biology, 40: 808-812. LINK
17. Soares L, Bolten AB, Wayne ML, Vilaça ST, Santos FR, Marcovaldi MA, Bjorndal K. (2017) Comparison of reproductive output of hybrid sea turtles and parental species. Marine Biology 164: 9. LINK
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16. Canu A, Vilaça ST, Iacolina L, Apollonia M, Bertorelle G, Scandura M. (2016) Lack of polymorphism in MC1R wild-type allele and evidence of domestic alleles introgression at two nuclear loci across European wild boar. Mammalian Biology, 81: 477-479. LINK
15. Vai S, Vilaça ST, Romandini M, Benazzo A, Visentini P, Modolo P, Bertolini M, MacQueen P, Austin J, Cooper A, Caramelli D, Lari M, Bertorelle G. (2015) The Biarzo cave in northern Italy: are the temporal dynamics of pig mtDNA lineages in Europe related to domestication? Scientific Reports 5: 16514. LINK
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14. Tassi F, Ghirotto S, Mezzavilla M, Vilaça ST, De Santi L, Barbujani G. (2015) Early modern human dispersal from Africa: genomic evidence for multiple waves of migration. Investigative Genetics 6: 1-16. BioRxiv LINK
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13. Benazzo A, Ghirotto S, Vilaça ST, Hoban S. (2015) Using ABC and microsatellite data to detect multiple introductions of invasive species from a single source. Heredity 115: 262-272. LINK
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12. Vilaça ST, Biosa D, Zachos F, Iacolina L, Kirschning J, Alves PC, Paule L, Gotazar C, Mamuris Z, Jedrzejewska B, Borowik T, Sidorovich V, Kusak J, Costa S, Schley L, Hartl GB, Apollonio M, Bertorelle G*, Scandura M*. (2014) Mitochondrial phylogeography of the European wild boar: the effect of climate on genetic diversity and spatial lineage sorting across Europe. Journal of Biogeography, 41:987-998. LINK
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11. Badotti F, Vilaça ST, Arias A, Rosa CA, Barrio E. (2014) Two interbreeding populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains coexist in cachaça fermentations from Brazil. FEMS Yeast Research, 14: 289-301. LINK
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10. Shamblin BM, Bolten AB, Abreu-Grobois F, Bjorndal KA, Cardona L, Carreras C, Clusa M, Monzón-Arguello C, Nairn CJ, Nielsen JT, Nel R, Soares LS, Stewart KR, Vilaça ST, Turkozan O, Dutton PR. (2014) Geographic patterns of genetic variation in a broadly distributed marine vertebrate: new insights into loggerhead turtle stock structure from expanded mitochondrial DNA sequences. PLoS ONE 9: e85956. LINK
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9. Perez M, Livoreil B, Mantovani S, Boisselier M, Crestanello B, Abdelkrim J, Bonillo C, Goutner V, Lambourdière J, Pierpaoli M, Sterijovski B, Tomovic L, Vilaça ST, Mazzotti S, Bertorelle G. (2014) Geographic distribution of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA variation in the Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni spp.): the relative roles of geographic distance and past human-mediated processes. Journal of Heredity, 105: 70-81. LINK
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8. Vilaça ST*, Lara-Ruiz P*, Marcovaldi MA, Soares LS, Santos FR. (2013) Population origin and historical demography in hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) feeding and nesting aggregates from Brazil. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 446: 334-344. * co-first authors LINK
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7. Vilaça ST, Santos FR. (2013) Molecular data for the sea turtle population in Brazil. Dataset Papers in Science, 2013: 196492. LINK
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6. Molfetti É, Vilaça ST, Georges J-Y, Plot V, Delcroix E, et al. (2013) Recent Demographic History and Present Fine-Scale Structure in the Northwest Atlantic Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) Turtle Population. PLoS ONE 8: e58061. LINK
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5. Vilaça ST, Vargas SM, Lara-Ruiz P, Molfetti E, Reis EC, Lobo-Hajdu, Soares LS, Santos FR. (2012) Nuclear markers reveal a complex introgression pattern among marine turtle species on the Brazilian coast. Molecular Ecology, 21: 4300-4312. LINK
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4. Hollatz C, Vilaça ST, Redondo RAF, Marmontel M, Baker CS, Santos FR. (2011) The Amazon River system as an ecological barrier driving genetic differentiation of the pink dolphin (Inia geoffrensis). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 102: 812-827. LINK
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3. Vilaça ST, Redondo RAF, Lins LV, Santos FR. (2011) Remaining genetic diversity in Brazilian Merganser (Mergus octosetaceus). Conservation Genetics 13: 293-298. LINK
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2. Vilaça ST, Santos FR. (2010) Biogeographic history of the species complex Basileuterus culicivorus (Aves, Parulidae) in the Neotropics. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 57: 585-597. LINK
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1. Vilaça ST, Lacerda DR, Sari HER, Santos FR. (2006) DNA taxonomy applied to Thamnophilidae (Passeriformes) species: the first barcodes of Neotropical birds. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 14: 7-14. LINK
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