Repositório RCAAP

Use of nest-boxes for management of cavity nesting birds in anthropic areas can give good results. In November 1987, data collection begun in UNICAMP, Campinas (São Paulo), with the objective of favouring establishment and increase in urban bird communities. The House Wren (Troglodytes aedon Viellot. 1807) and House Sparrow (Passer domesticus Linnaeus, 1758) used the nest boxes for reproduction. Nests were collected and analysed (weight, used materials, incubation chamber materials, nest form). House Sparrow used thin materials, like straw, paper and plastic, while house wren used heavy materials, like sticks, wire and tabs of soff drink cans. The nest-boxes offered favorable conditions to bird reproduction and protection in disturbed areas, and showed signs of leading to increase in diversity of species, that might use this nest-boxes for reproduction in the future.

A list of butterflies from Curitiba and vicinity, Paraná, Brazil is given, 486 species are listed. The following are syn.n.: Phanes hoffmani Bell, 1940 of Phanis tavola Schaus, 1902; Parphorus nemorus Bell, 1941 and Tigasis altona Evans. 1955 of Phlebodes fartuga Schaus, 1902; Megistias gisparoides Hayward, 1934 of Megistias sancoya Schaus, 1902; Hesperia curassavica Snellen, 1887 of Hesperia clavus Erickson, 1848. The following is a stat.n.: Vehilius almoneus vetus Mielke, 1969. The following are comb.n.: Phanes tavola (Schaus, 1902); Parphorus fartuga (Schaus, 1902); Cobalopsis sancoya (Schaus, 1902); Arita polistion (Schaus, 1902). The following is sp.rev.: Arita polistion (Schaus, 1902).

In order to analyse the diet of Schizodon intermedius Garavello & Britski, 1990, captures were made every season during the period of April/1990 to February/1991, using gillnets of different mesh size at Sertanópolis, a region of Paraná State. An analysis of stomach fullness degree was made upon 76 individuals (including young ones). A sample of 20 adult specimens was chose to compare the morphology of the digestive tract with the diet found. It was concluded that S. intermedius is a grazer herbivore whose principal diet consists of leaves and stalks of two monocotyledonous plants: Poaceae and/or Cyperaceae. This species shows quanlitative, but not qualitative feeding seasonal variations. It was verified that intestinal quotient of the species is X = 1.34, the variation of gill rakers number is 18-23 and of the pyloric caeca number is 15-25. These morphological characteristics found in this species are typical of herbivore fishes.

This study gives information on the feeding habits of 1,015 specimens, belonging to the five most abundant fish species in the Jacarepagua Lagoon, captured between March 1990 and February 1991, using trawl net. A feeding index was introduced to compare the relative importance of various food items, according to species standard length. A clustering analysis was calculated by using numerical coefficient of food items and defined two main groups: The 1 st represented by Xenomelaniris brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) and Jenynsia lineata (Jenyns, 1842) considered omnivorous, fed mainly on insects, and the second including Tilapia rendalli (Boulenger, 1896), Phalloptychus januarius (Hensel, 1868) and Poecilia vivipara (Bloch & Schneider, 1801), whose principal diet source was epibenthic cyanophytes, specially Microcystis sp. and Lyngbia sp.

No summary/description provided

The male of Elaver valvula (Pickard-Cambridge) was described by Chickering under the name Clubiona balboae, syn.n.. This species is herein synonymyzed with E. valvula and the male is redescribed.

Natural history accounts are presented for six species of anuran amphibians from the Manaus region, Amazonas. Varied information concerning advertisement call, clutch size, hatching success, and reproductive behavior for two species of dendrobatids and four species of hylids. The information was gathered over several years of field work and hopefully will serve to better understand the ecology of these species.

Stingless bees were collected between 1984 and 1990 in continuous forest, forest fragments and cleared areas 90 Km north of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Several methods were employed. a total of 54 species of 21 genera were collected including two undescribed species of Plebeia Schwarz, 1938. The most abundant genera were Trigona Jurine, 1807; Melipona Illiger, 1806; Partamona Schwarz, 1939 and Tetragona Lepeletier, 1825. The most abundant species were Trigona crassipes (Fabricius, 1793) and T. fulviventris Guérin, 1835. Fruit fly traps baited with fragrances for euglossine bees showed to be an useful method for stingless bee collection too. The study area showed a great richness in relation to other regions of the world. However the density of nests found from a 100ha area of continuous forest were low (1 nest/6.67ha). The consequences of deforestation on stingless bees populations and of the decrease of these on the forest conservation are also discussed.

Redescriptions and notes are presented on the genera Coeloprocta Aurivillius, 1926 and Anisopeplus Melzer, 1934, gen. rev., Acaua exotica, gen.n., sp.n. is described from Brazil (Pará, Mato Grosso do Sul) and Bolívia.

The Xoridinae with four genera are nearly cosmopolitan and Xorides are mainly Holartic in distribution. This genus has in South America three subgenera with four species, X. (Xorides) xanthisma Porter, 1975, X. (Pyramirhyssa) magnificus (Mocsáry. 1905), X. (Periceros) plumicornis (Smith, 1877) and X. (Periceros) euthrix Porter, 1975. The males of X. magnificus and X. xanthisma are described. Xorides euthrix and X. xanthisma are for the first time registered from Brazil. Comments are made on the morphology and distribution is registered for the eastern Brazil. Alphus sp. Cerambycidae, is the host of X. euthrix.

Moureanthidium, gen.n. is proposed for Dianthidium subarenarium Schwarz, 1933 and to include four new species of Anthidiine bees from Brazil, Moureanthidium paranaense, sp.n from Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Moureanthidium capixaba, sp.n. from Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Moureanthidium bahianum, sp.n. from Vitória da Conquista, Bahia and Moureanthidium catarinense, sp.n. from Seara, Santa Catarina. The males are characterized by the border of the seventh tergum strongly reflexed, densely hairy and with a pair of lateral projections and the third sternite with two spines or little projections at the middle, near the apex.

Bithoracochaeta Stein is redescribed based on type material and good series of other species. The redescription includes characteres recently used in the modern classification of Muscidae. Coments on the position of the genus in Coenosiinae subfamily and illustration of proboscis, katepisternum and female terminalia are also presented.

Ogloblinia Canals, 1933 is revised and Quitete Mello-Leitão, 1936 is considered its synomym. The following new synonyms are here established: Ogloblinia calcarata H. Soares & Bauab, 1970, O. dentei Soares, 1945 and O. intermedia Soares, 1944 = O. loretoensis Canals, 1933; Quitete marginata Mello-Leilão, 1936 = O. argenteopilosa (Mello-Leitão, 1935). Ogloblinia pulchra, sp.n. (type-localily Brazil, Paraná: Guaratuba) is described.

The aim is to determine the relationship between the diversity of small mammals and the structural heterogeneity and/or secondary successional stages in an Atlantic forest fragment at Viçosa (Minas Gerais). We used Sherman and hook live traps to sample this fauna, monthly from may 1992 to april 1993 in three areas: an abandoned plantation of Melinis minutiflora (campo) and two distinct forest areas (capoeira and mata). The structural heterogeneity was determined as a function of the presence of dead trees, pioneer species, epiphytes, the distances between trees, the tree height and basal area measured by a modified quadrant sample method (Cottam & Curtis 1945). lt was sampled a total of 340 individuals belonging to 17 species. The homogeneous plantations had the highest diversity (H' = 1,67). Among the two forests stands the less heterogeneous capoeira had similar diversity (H' = 1,19) than the more heterogeneous stand, the mata (H' = 1,13). The unexpected higher diversity and species richness in the more homogeneous habitat may be explained by some hidden factor which decrease the competition for resources in this community.

From 1978 to 1991, 48 bird species have exploited some kind of resource in a residential quarter reasonably well provided of vegetation. There was a predominante of species with generalist feeding habits (omnivores and non-specialized insectivores), forest edge or secondary growth dwellers, and species that feed and nest in arboreal and shrub layers. Only 23 species are certain or probable residents; the presence of others is due to migration or to displacement of populational excedents coming perhaps from nearby urban parks. Although the vegetation is not exactly profuse, it is enough to be exploited by many forest species. As the city of São Paulo confines with the Atlantic Forest, this kind of urban vegetation may be important to the maintenance not only of resident populations but also of vagrant birds from the surroundings, including some rare or little known species.

The genus Coelosis with two subgenera, Coelosis s.str. [type species: Scarabaeus sylvanus Fabricius, 1775] and Eucoelosis subgen.n. [type species: Scarabaeus biloba Linnaeus, 1767], is revised and redescribed. Other four species: C. (C.) inermis Sternberg, 1908, C. (C.) bourgini (Dechambre, 1976), C. (Eucoelosis) hippocrates Blanchard, 1846, and C. (E.) bicornis (Leske, 1779) were recognized and redescribed. Coelosis (E.) denticornis Arrow, 1937 was not studied, and the original description is transcribed herein. New characters considered relevant for comparative studies and for species identification are presented. The subgenus Millotsis Bourgin, 1944 [type species: Coelosis inermis Sternberg, 1908] is considered a junior subjective synonym of Coelosis s.str.. A phenetic analysis is presented.

Ligyra maracaensis, sp.n. (from Brazil, Roraima, Maracá Island) is described.

A study of phylogenetic relationships of the genera of Mesembrinellinae and of the species of Eumesembrinella Townsend, 1931, on the ground of shared derived character states (synapomorphies) is presented. Resulting the following assumption: Laneella Mello, 1967 presenting sister group relationship with all other Mesembrinellinae, followed by Souzalopesiella Guimarães, 1977, M. peregrina Aldrich, 1922 that was isolated from Mesembrinella Giglio-Tos, 1893. Mesembrinella was considered paraphiletic, its species were judged in changeable positions at the bifurcation point of analysis of Albuquerquea Mello, 1967 with the tricotomic interrelationships of Thompsoniella Guimarães, 1977, Huascaromusca Townsend, 1918 and Eumesembrinella Townsend, 1931. The phylogeny of the genus Eumesembrinella shows E. cyaneicincta in basal position, followed by E. quadrilineata that showed sister group relationship wilh E. randa plus E. benoisti. Mesembrinella currani Guimarães, 1977 and Eumesembrinella benoisti (Séguy 1925) were revalided.

Known as "domestic dove", the Columba livia (Gmelin, 1789) is a columbidae species widely distributed in Brazil, whose reproductive biology has been studied by many researchers. The testes of 12 Columba livia males were collected and prepared for histologic examination under an optical microscope, the results of which were analysed and photographed. The tunica albuginea that covers the testes consists of a thick, not very cellular layer of dense connective tissue. Groups of interstitial cells with typical morphological appearance and surrounded by loose, well vascularized connective tissue are observable within the organ, between the seminiferous tubules. The seminiferous tubules are thick, intensely wound and, when seen in cross section, show Sertoli cells and spermatogenic lineage cells in different stages of development. These include spermatogonia (type A, clear; type A, dark; and type B), spermatocytes I and II, spermatids, and a large number of spermatozoons. Similarities are found between the histological findings described and those reported for the testes of Columbina talpacoti (Temminck, 1811).

The study of the female genital system of Columba livia (Gmelin, 1789) is part of the research on the reproductive biology of Brazilian birds. This work describes the morphological aspects of the ovary of Columba livia, as well as the histological differences observed in the ovarian follicles during the ovocyte maturation process. Ten Columba livia females were studied, whose ovaries had been dissected, fixed in Bouin and Helly solutions, and histologically processed for staining (Hematoxylin-Eosin; Gomori's trichromic and Weigert's technique and Gomori's technique for connective tissue fibers). The ovary has an irregular surface, is located in the abdominal cavity, and relates to the cranial portion of the left kidney and caudal extremity of the left lung. Histological examination shows that the ovary is covered with simple cubical epithelium, underlined by loose connective tissue that continues internally, surrounding the follicles. The ovarian follicles were described, in their different stages of development, with basis on the morphological changes occurring in the ovocyte and in the layers that surround it, in each phase of maturation. Among the follicles, groups lof cells of two distinct types, surrounded by connective tissue, are observable: clear cells with a spherical nucleus, and acidophilic cells with a slightly elongated nucleus. The studies of the ovary of Columba livia reveal histological similarities between this species and Columbina talpacoli (Temminck, 1811), whose ovaries were examined by Ribeiro et al. (1991).