Repositório RCAAP

Biological aspects of palemonids, collected from March, 91 to December, 95 in the Ratones Hidrographic Basin, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, have been investigated. Individuals of different sizes of Macrobrachium acanthurus (Weigmann, 1836), Macrobrachium carcinus (Linnaeus, 1758), Macrobrachium olfersii (Weigmann, 1836), Macrobrachium potiuna (Müller, 1880), Palaemonetes argentinus Nobili, 1901 and Palaemon pandaliformis (Stimpson, 1871) were registered. These prawns, showed reproductive strategies, typical of the Palaemonidae (Rafinesque, 1815), associated to species particularities, and seem to adapt to different environmental conditions.

The population structure, reproductive aspects and feeding of Phalloceros caudimaculatus (Hensel, 1868), Poecilia vivipara Bloch & Schneider (1801), Phalloptychus januarius (Hensel, 1868) e Jenynsia lineata (Jenyns, 1842) were studied in five sampling stations in the Ubatiba stream, municipality of Maricá (State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). In relation to the population structure, P. caudimaculatus was more representative upstream; P. vivipara mid-stream and downstream; P. januarius and J. lineata downstream. The species presented preponderance of females, except in the intermediate length classes. The occurence of imatures and females with young pointed out a long reproductive period and favoured areas for reproduction of the four species. The young forms of P. caudimaculatus were more abundant in station 1 (upstream), P. vivipara in station 4 (downstream) and P. januarius and J. lineata in station 5 (Maricá coastal lagoon). The higher occurences of females with young belong to P. caudimaculatus, in station 1 (upstream) and P. vivipara and P. januarius in station 5 (Maricá lagoon). The four studied species presented herbivorous diet and the differences found in the feeding may reflect the differences in the food availability in the microhabitats used by the species. So, we concluded that the studied species presented evident segregation in several levels of the different available resources in the environment.

Acará bandeira, Pterophyllum scalare Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1831 is a Neotropical cichlid fish, which has not been studied under a scientific approach. The objective of this work was to identify and describe the reproductive behaviour involved in the various phases of its reproductive cycle, such as territorial disputes and its establishment, substrate selection for spawning, courtship and mating, selection of mate and parental care. Twenty males and ten females of the study species were observed in the laboratory, over a period of six consecutive months. Behaviour descriptions resulting from these observations were analysed and the results show that the reproductive males are very agressive in the initial phase of reproduction. Agressiveness is a constant variable in encounters between territorial fishes, and possession of territory is of fundamental importance for reproduction of this species. Males with established territories were those which very successful in atracting the females during courtship. The selection of the females were influenced by the possession of territory, the type of substrate available for spawning and the body size. The fish preferred aquatic plants with broad leaves as an adequate substrate for spawning. It was observed that there was a short-term biparental care, before the eggs hatched, during which period the males played an important role in protecting them. After the eggs hatched, the male continued to protect the hatchling in his mouth, but played a lesser role, possibly to seek other females for mating so as to increase his reproductive output. Selection of a good mate by the female and the high degree of parental care were the factors which influence the reproductive success of the study species.

Bithoracochaeta Stein, 1911 and eigth known species are redescribed: B. annulata Stein, 1911; B. atricornis Malloch, 1934; B. flavicoxa Malloch, 1934; B. leucoprocta (Wiedemann, 1830), B. maricaensis Couri & Motta, 1994 , B. nigricornis Malloch, 1934; B. plumata Albuquerque, 1955; B. varicornis (Coquillett, 1900). The redescriptions of B. sociabilis Blanchard, 1937 and B. pacifera (Giglio-Tos, 1893) are not presented because no material was available. A key to identification of the redescribed species is presented.

The neotropical genus Parentheca Berg, 1891 is revised and redescribed with emphasis on male and female genitalia, and placed into "section 1" of Pentatomini which includes those genera lacking a basal spine or tubercle at the abdominal venter. Parentheca subfurcata Berg, 1891 (type species) and Parentheca aeliomorpha Berg, 1891, both from Argentina are redescribed, also with emphasis on male and female genitalia, which are fully illustrated. The lectotype and paralectotype of P. aeliomorpha are designated.

This work consists of age, growth, and circuli formation period determination and the relation of reproduction, temperature, and pluviosity on the growth of S. intermedius Garavello & Britski, 1990. The growth curve was adjusted by the Bertalanfy's expression and the relationship between weight and size was made by the minimum square method to determine the conditioning factor. Gonadossomatic index (IGS) was used to study the reproduction. The assintotic values for length were 33,94 cm and 44,81 cm for males and females, respectively. The circulus were formed annually and the growth was slow and the maximum age was determined to be nine years. The formation of the circuli was influenced by the reproduction, probably allied to other abiotic factors like temperature and rain.

Fifty-five specimens of bluefish, Pomatomus saltator (Linnaeus, 1766), collected at Cabo Frio (23ºS, 42ºW), State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between March 1995 and November 1995, were necropsied to study their infracommunities of metazoan parasites. Sixteen species of metazoan parasites were collected. All fish were parasitized by one or more metazoan. The digeneans were the majority of the parasite specimens collected, with 44.2%, followed by the helminth larval stages (cestodes, acanthocephalans, and nematodes) with 40.6%. The Simpson index for all parasite species was 0.097, indicating lack of dominance by any species in the parasite community. Microcotyle pomatomi Goto, 1899 showed the higher frequency of dominance and mean relative dominance. The parasite species of P. saltator showed the typical overdispersed pattern of distribution. The majority of parasite species showed positive correlation between the host's total body length and prevalence or parasite abundance. Two species, Brachyphallus parvus (Manter, 1947) and Phocanema sp. have differences in their prevalences and abundances in relation to sex of the hosts. The mean diversity in the infracommunities of P. saltator was H'=1.243±0.521, with correlation with the host's total length and without difference between male and female fish. The components of the parasite community of P. saltator showed overall positive association. All pairs confonned by ectoparasites and adult endoparasites species showed signiticant positive association or covariation between their abundances. Five pairs of endoparasites larval species showed positive association or covariation, and two pairs, showed negative association and covariation. The parasite community of P. saltator was dominated by species with high prevalence values, that composed a high number of associations, thus, is considered closer to the interactive type.

The present study proposes a modification of the technique described by PURSER & MOIR (1959) for the quantitative evaluation of rumen ciliate based on an adaptation described by DEHORITY (I984). The modifying process includes: the replacement of two drops of brilliant green dye, for at least four hours, by three drops of lugol solution, for at least 15 minutes. It was made a comparative evaluation of these stainings. It was concluded that lugol solution can replace the brilliant green dye showing the following advantages: staining time reduction and subsequent speeding of sample processing; evidence of skeletal plates of entodiniomorphs making its identification easier; improved observation of small ciliates and inconspicuous structures; improved total counting and generic identification of the ciliates.

Between 1989 and 1995, twenty caves in the Distrito Federal area in mid-western Brazil were assessed for bat species richness, frequency, spatial distribution, behavior, reproduction and inter-specific cohabitation. The general state of conservation of the caves was also assessed. Of the 20 caves studied, 12 were less than 100 m long, five between 100 m and 300 m, and three were longerthan 300 m. Twenty-two species of six different families were observed: 16 species belonged to Phyllostomidae, two to Vespertilionidae and Mormoopidae and one to Furipteridae and Emballonuridae. In this study, 17 species were characterized as Distrito Federal cave dwellers. The most prevalent were Desmodus rotundus, Glossophaga soricina and Carollia perspicillata. The least prevalent were Lonchorhina aurita, Pteronotus gymnonotus and Phylloderma stenops. Since some Anoura caudifer, Platyrrhinus lineatus, Myotis nigricans, Micronycteris minuta, and Eptesicus brasiliensis individuals were captured only while going into the caves early in the night, they were not considered cave dwellers. Even though, they probably use the caves as a daytime roosting place. Surprisingly, Lonchophylla dekeyseri, considered to be the only endemic bat species in the Cerrado ecosystem, was observed in three of the surveyed caves. Further biological studies are necessary to determine the biology of L. dekeyseri and the necessity of its conservation. The bat colonies observed were usually of a small size. Few colonies of D. rotundus and Anoura geoffroyi contained more than 300 individuals of both sexes. Only a inale group of L. aurita was observed in the Distrito Federal area. Twelve of the surveyed caves were hard to access and therefore well protected. Four of the caves received some public visitation, two were located near limestone mines, one was located near an urban area. and one had both public visitation and deforestation near its entrance. In this latter cave, no bats were observed after november 1994, probably due to the urbanization process. Special attention should be given to eight of the surveyed caves in any plan made for the conservation of cave bats in the Distrito Federal area. These caves host a high bat diversity (six or more species) and also shelter two rare and one endemic bat species.

Euctenochira frieirocostai a new species from Japi Mountain, Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil, is described.

Pupa of Stephomyia espiralis Maia, 1993, and larvae of Asphondylia communis Maia & Couri, 1992 and Proasphondylia guapirae Maia, 1993 are described and illustrated. Asphondylia maytenuse Maia & Couri, 1992 is transfered to Bruggmanniella Tavares, 1909 and its larva is characterized.

The length/weight relationships are described for Astyanax bimaculatus, A. schubarti, Aphyocharax nasutus, Cheirodon notomelas, Hyphessobrycon callistus, Hemigrammus marginatus, Moenkhausia intermedia, M. sanctae-filomenae and Roeboides paranensis of tropical freshwater fishes in the high Paraná River floodplain. The fishes were caught over a period of 12 month (March 1993 to February 1994). The equations of the length/weight relationships for each species were: Wt=0.0235.Ls3.13; Wt=0.0162.Ls2.89; Wt=0.0179.Ls3.11; Wt=0.0199.Ls3.09; Wt=0.0183.Ls3.10; Wt=0.0140.Ls3.14; Wt= 0.0200.Ls3.21 and Wt=0.0101.Ls3.21, respectively.

New species are described and illustrated: Amblycerus isabelae sp.n., A. bidentatus sp.n., A. denticulatus sp.n., A. similaris sp.n., A. similis sp.n.. A. isocalcaratus sp.n. and A. luciae sp.n.. These species are recorded from Brazil and one of them, A. bidentatus sp.n., also recorded from Paraguai.

The following new species are described: Eburiini - Eburella longicollis (Bolívia, Província del Sara), Cupanoscelis serrana (Brazil, Goiás); Onciderini - Sternycha panamensis (Panamá, Panamá), Cacostola nordestina (Brazil, Paraíba); Apomecynini-Parmenonta chapadensis (Brazil, Mato Grosso), P. maculala (Argentina, Salta); Phacellini - Piola rubra (Bolívia, Santa Cruz), P. unicolor (Brazil, Pará), P. colombica (Colombia, Bolivar); Desmiphorini - Maltonea itaiuba (Venezuela. Mérida). Notes on Piola quiabentiae Marinoni, 1974 and keys to the South American species of Parmenonta Thomson, 1868 and Piola Marinoni, 1974 are added.

Larvae of Culex eduardoi, Culex bigoti, Limatus durhamii and Toxorhynchites were collected in a tyre that had been placed in a wood by a river bank. These larvae were present coexisting and in an individualized form. It was observed that Toxorhynchites, Culex bigoti and Limatus durhamii were efficient in reducing the other two species's population. Culex bigoti and Toxorhynchites showed preference for Culex quinquefasciatus larvae, while Limatus durhamii preferred Culex eduardoi. The most efficient predator was Toxorhynchites, and the least efficient was Limatus durhamii. The reduction of the preys' population density was statistically meaningful in the face of the three species considered as predators.

The objective of this work was to get some knowledge about the Guaia stone crab reproduction. The sampling was monthly obtained in the intertidal zone at the Ibicuí Rock Beach. The 638 crabs were collected from August, 1995 to March, 1997. In this total amount 293 were males and 345 (41 ovigerous crabs) were female crabs. Biometrical data informing the total width and length were taken, and gonadal stage was checked macroscopically. The total male width range was between 7.9 to 67.1 mm, while in the female crabs it was between 4.4 to 79.3 mm. The female ones were bigger than the male ones. The ovigerous female crabs were found mainly on Spring and Summer and it probably indicates the reproduction season. The carapace width range of the ovigerous female crabs was about 38.0 and 77.0 mm. The individual fecundity was determined on the number of eggs laid, which were dissociated by means of sodium hipoclorito. The number of eggs laid was about 12,800 and 212,000, according to the female size and the average number of the eggs was 98,800. They were round in shape and their size varied between 0.31 and 0.44 mm. Their average size was 0.37 mm. The five female gonadal stages were determined by the color and the width of the gonads. The estimated mean size of first sexual maturity was 37.8 mm carapace width for female.

A new genus, Steyskalina Knutson, is erected for S. picta Ghorpadé & Marinoni, an undescribed species of the Sciomyzidae, Tetanocerini, discovered from Burma and the neighbouring Yunnan Province of China. The habitus and male terminalia are illustrated. Comments about the affinities of the genus within the Tetanocerini are also included.

The corn is a plantation attacked by a lot of pests, mainly by Caterpillar Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith), producing serious damages in the plants, occasioning unproductiveness. Thus, the goal of this research was to verify the predation of Polistes simillimus (Zikán, 1951) wasps on this pest of a corn plantation using the wasps colonies as a efficient form of this pest management. The present research was developed in a area in the Piracicaba county, São Paulo (22º43'S, 47º38'W), during the period of november/1995-march/1996, introducing 20 P. simillimus colonies in artificial wood shelters around of 5 plots of com, to accompany the foraging activity of the wasps and the development of the wasps colonies. Spodoptera frugiperda (23,07%) was the main prey captured by the wasps and the average rate of capture was 1,54 preys/h. These data gave an estimation of reduction in the occurrence of S. frugiperda (77,16%), due mainly to the wasps action.

Six different categories of breeding sites were investigated from August 1989 to July 1990 at São José do Bonfim (240 m above sea level) and Maturéia (770 m above sea level), two sites localized in the Brazilian Caatinga (State of Paraíba). A severe drought affected these areas during the study. Even so, calling males, nests and/or tadpoles of 20 species from 5 families were found. Leptodactylidae was the most numerous family, with nine species distributed among five genera. In Maturéia, due to the low evapo-transpiration rates, less variation of water levels was observed. Males of hylids and leptodactylids began their calling activities together, whereas at São José do Bonfim leptodactylids began their calling activities first. Thus, at Maturéia high concentrations of individuals and large choruses were found at the beginning of the rainy season, whereas in São José do Bonfim high concentrations were found later. Although up to eleven synchronously calling species were recorded in São José do Bonfim and up to ten synchronously calling species in Maturéia, egg masses and tadpoles of few species were found at both study sites, suggesting that some species may vocalize but do not reproduce in adverse periods.

This paper reports the first record of a bamboo aphid Takecallis arundinariae (Essig, 1917) on bamboo plants in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Specimens were also collected in yellow pan traps from June-August (fall-winter), and a few specimens from October-December (late spring-early summer). Individuals were found feeding on the underside of leaves, parallel to the veins on Dendroclamus sp. and Merostachys sp. (Bambusoideae). Individuals collected were represented mainly by alate viviparous females bearing a characteristic clypeus with an anterior tubercle. A brief diagnosis and morphometric data are presented to distinguish T. arundinariae from Takecallis taiwanus (Takahashi, 1926), another bamboo aphid recorded recently in Brazil. T. arundinariae is a medium-sized pale yellow aphid, distinguished by a series of elongate black spots on the abdominal tergites and found mainly on mature bamboo leaves. T. taiwanus is pale green and has been found on young leaves and shoots.