Repositório RCAAP

The aim of this article is to characterize the biological aspects of oral strains of C. albicans in children with Down's syndrome. These yeasts were analyzed as to their macromorphological and enzymatic aspects and were tested as to their in vitro susceptibility to antifungal drugs using broth microdilution to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The morphotyping revealed that all oral C. albicans isolates from children with Down's syndrome promoted the formation of fringes regardless of size, while the control group presented smaller fringes. All oral C. albicans strains produced proteinase, but those with phospholipolytic activity showed greater enzyme capacity in the test group. In vitro susceptibility showed that all oral C. albicans isolates were sensitive to the drugs used.

The thermal biology of the small sand lizard, Liolaemus occipitalis, was studied in the coastal sand dunes at Quintão Beach (Palmares do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; 30° 24' S and 50° 17' W), between September, 1998 and August, 1999. Liolaemus occipitalis presented a mean body temperature of 30.89 °C (SD = 4.43 °C; min = 16.4 °C; max = 40.2 °C; N = 270), that varied on a daily and seasonal basis according to microhabitat thermal alterations. The substrate temperature was the main heat source for thermoregulation of L. occipitalis as in all seasons of the year it was responsible for the animals' temperature variation (82% of the collected lizards in the spring; 60% in the summer; 84% in the fall and 68% in the winter). The results indicate that L. occipitalis is a saxicolous, thigmothermic and heliothermic species that regulates its body temperature through behavioral mechanisms.

No summary/description provided

During gonadal maturation the females of Steindachnerina insculpta, a teleost of the Furnas reservoir, Minas Gerais, Brazil, show low hepatosomatic and high gonadossomatic indexes, suggesting possible transference of hepatic substances to the ovaries. In comparison to the resting phase, in the maturation/mature one the hepatocytes show greater development of both smooth and rough endoplasmic reticula, increased electron density in the mitochondria, and glycogen scattered throughout the cytoplasm. In both resting and maturation/mature phases, the hepatic parenchyma contains melanomacrophagic centers that consist of degenerating cellular debris and are surrounded by capsules formed by cells, resembling fibroblasts, joined by desmosomes. No physiological relation of these centers with ovarian maturation was found.

This work was carried out in the Enseada da Baleia and Vila Rápida communities. Data was provided by the Co-Management Committee of the Cardoso Island State Park (PEIC) on manjuba fishery management, technique and strategies used by the fishermen, as well as locally accumulated knowledge. Based on the results, social, ecological, and economic aspects of this type of fishing were analyzed. The importance of the accumulated knowledge and experience of this community, as well as the limitations imposed by local fishing gear, was concluded to be essential in conserving manjuba fishery conditions in the area. Industrial fishing, relevant state legislation, and market conditions were found to be the main obstacles to local fishery. Various proposals are suggested for manjuba fishery management, with emphasis on the need for fishing community participation in whatever measures are ultimately implemented.

As a contribution to the environmental history of the Tijuca National Park, we report on two pioneering restorationist initiatives and list its the mammal species now found in this urban park. The Tijuca National Park (TNP), a 3,200 ha urban park covered by secondary tropical forest, is located within Rio de Janeiro, in southeastern Brazil. The two restorationist initiatives were a pioneer tropical forest restoration project in the nineteenth century and a fauna management project in the 70' s. The mammal list presented here was based on specimens in the Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro and on publications. The mammal community of TNP is composed of 49 species, of which 11 are on regional red lists, and four are on the 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Occurrence of these threatened species and the park history itself made the TNP a priority site for studying conservation, management, and monitoring. Besides maintaining fauna and flora (including threatened species) diversity, the park benefits the population of Rio de Janeiro by providing water, green areas, and recreational and touristic opportunities.

Since disturbance is an important ecological factor affecting species diversity in natural environments, the increasing human occupation rate in Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, which supports about 50% of Brazil's human population, has resulted in intense habitat degradation and fragmentation. Within this rainforest, animal and plant species have been lost at a high rate, and biological and diversity is presently vulnerable. Various animals community studies along a gradient of environmental disturbances have shown that the highest species diversities occur in habitats with intermediate levels of disturbance frequency and intensity. In the present study, which was carried out in the Atlantic forest of Ilha Grande (23° 11' S and 44° 12' W), an island located on the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil, we estimated species richness, diversity, and abundance of small mammals in three forest areas having different disturbance levels. This was done, in each of these areas and in an anthropic area that they surround, by establishing trails 200 m long, in which points were marked at 20 m intervals. The work involved a total effort of 4800 trap/nights. We also measured some habitat variables at each site in order to evaluated their disturbance levels. Our data showed that the two most conserved forests had the lower species richness and small mammal diversity, while in the anthropic area wild species were absent. The forest with an intermediary level of disturbance showed higher values for species richness and diversity, with the anthropic area presenting the highest disturbance level.

The Pantanal is a large savanna wetland (138,183 km² in Brazil), important for its wildlife, fed by tributaries of the upper Paraguay River, center of South America (Brazil, touching Bolivia and Paraguay). Uplands are plateaus (250-1,200 m high, 215,000 km² in Brazil) and flatland is the Pantanal (80-150 m high, 147,574 km² in Brazil). Rivers are slow moving when they meet the flatland (slope 0.3-0.5 m/km east-west; 0.03-0.15 m/km north-south), periodically overflowing their banks, creating a complex seasonal habitat range. Recurrent shallow flooding occupies 80% of the Pantanal; during the dry season flooded areas dry up. Fluctuating water levels, nutrients and wildlife form a dynamic ecosystem. A flooding regime forms distinct sub-regions within the Pantanal. A mammal survey was carried out in the sub-region of the Rio Negro from April, 2003 through March, 2004 to study the diversity and abundance of terrestrial mammals during the dry and flooding seasons. A total of 36 species were observed in the field. The capybara Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris was the most frequent species, followed by the crab-eating-fox Cerdocyon thous and the marsh deer Blastocerus dichotomus. The highest abundance of species was observed during the dry season (August and September), when there is a considerable expansion of terrestrial habitats, mainly seasonally flooded grassland. Animal abundance (in terms of observed individual frequencies) varied during the dry and wet seasons and the seasonally flooded grassland was the most utilized habitat by mammals in the dry season.

We are summarizing the current state of knowledge of the diversity and distribution of oribatid mites in 26 environments in northern Brazil and of a rain forest in Peru. the published studies were mostly concentrated in central amazon. Only one report is a result from an agricultural polyculture. We are providing the first lists of species for savannas and for the brazilian states of Roraima and Pará. up to date, 146 species are definitively identified from a total of 444 taxa with 188 known genera, reinforcing the notion of a rich biodiverse area. the high number of 298 non-described species (morphospecies) clearly shows the inadequacy of the current taxonomic knowledge for the region. most of the registers are from forest environments. in the soil from primary forests, we registered the highest diversity (54-155 species/morphospecies). eighty-nine species were unique to primary forests, followed by 34 for savannas, 32 in trees, 10 in "igapó", 4 in caatinga, 3 in secondary forests, two in "várzea" and one in polyculture. twenty genera were the most speciose. the species with the largest home ranges were Rostrozetes foveolatus, Scheloribates sp. a, and Galumna sp. a. our numbers reflect the lack of taxonomists and show that the taxonomic knowledge must be improved for the region or we will continue to work with taxonomic resolution of order or family and a high percentage of morphospecies, which will probably be appropriate to the question being asked in each study, but not for a comparison among environments.

Neotropical parrots usually forage in forest canopies for nectar, flowers, leaves, fruit pulp, and seeds. As they have no all-purpose territories, these birds usually exploit vegetation mosaics in order to use plentiful resources as they become available. In this study we examine the use of a gallery forest in the southern Pantanal (Brazil) by a diverse parrot community that ranged from Brotogeris chiriri (a small species) to Ara chloroptera (a large one). Plant food resources principally used by parrots were abundantly available during the rainy season (fleshy fruits), the annual floods (fleshy fruits), and the dry season (flowers). While both smaller and larger species foraged on fruits, parakeets largely consumed the pulp, while larger parrot species used pulp and seeds. In the dry season parakeets foraged extensively on nectar, especially Inga vera nectar that was abundantly available during the last two months of the dry season, the harshest period of the year. Among larger parrots, only Propyrrhura auricollis frequently harvested nectar. Fruits maturing during floods, despite being fish- or water- dispersed were extensively used by the parrots. Hence, unlike what happens in most other Neotropical dry forests, occurrence of a fruiting peak during the annual flooding, which occurs in the transition from the wet to the dry season, constitutes an extra and significant episode of food availability, since in this period, fruit production normally declines. Therefore, the unique and abundant availability of flowers and fruits in this gallery forest may account for the presence of large parrot populations in the southern Pantanal.

No summary/description provided

The lepidopterans Platynota rostrana (Walker) (Tortricidae) and Phidotricha erigens Raganot (Pyralidae) have been found frequently in citrus groves in São Paulo State in recent years. Since in Brazil, the fertility cycle of these two species is largely unknown, as are details of the damage wrought by them in crops, this research studied these aspects of the two species, which were kept under laboratory conditions (temperature 25 ± 2 °C, 70 ± 10% RH, 14 h photophase) and on an artificial diet. The duration of the biological cycle (egg-adult) for P. rostrana was 38.3 days and total viability was 44.0%; for P. erigens these values were 32.5 days and 63.6%, respectively. Both species showed five larval instars. Females of P. rostrana laid an average of 308 eggs, whereas those of P. erigens laid an average of 106 eggs. In both species, female pupae were heavier than males. Male and female longevity for both species was nearly 10 days. Based on the data obtained, the artificial diet produced better results in P. rostrana than in P. erigens. If these species, which have the potential to reach pest status in the citrus groves of São Paulo State, could be reared on an artificial diet, research on their control by alternative methods would be easier.

The present research describes the histology of the midgut, gastric caeca, and pyloric valve of Tropidacris collaris (Stoll, 1813), (Orthopetera: Romaleidae). We used light microscopy, staining (Gomori's trichrome and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)), and a routine histological analysis method (hematoxilin-eosin). The insects were obtained from, and also bred in, the Laboratory of Entomology, Department of Biology, of the Rural Federal University of Pernambuco (UFRPE). The collected material was fixed in alcoholic Boüin and embedded in paraplast. The results demonstrated that the midgut wall is composed of an inner epithelial layer and two outer layers of striate muscles: one internal (circular) and the other external (longitudinal), with connective tissue between the muscle fibers. The epithelium is single-layered, with two cell types: regenerative and elongated columnar. The gastric caeca presents muscle layers similar to those of the midgut. Simple columnar epithelium lines the gastric caeca, which presents villi and projects towards the lumen. The pyloric valve is of striate muscle tissue, covered by a single epithelial-cell layer.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of seasonal variation and fasting on fat reserves of the common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus. Plasma free fatty acids (FFA), along with lipid content of the liver and muscles, and fatty acids from the carcass were obtained from bats fed bovine blood and from whom food was subsequently withheld for 24 and 48 h. Animals were caught during both dry and rainy seasons. In general, fat tissue stores were not significantly influenced by seasonal variation. Lipid content of liver, muscles, and carcass decreased during some food deprivation periods, although the concomitant increase expected in plasma FFA was not observed. Lipid metabolism is hypothesized as being continued by the tissues themselves. In addition, free access to food sources (e.g., domestic livestock) throughout the year is believed to contribute to the low seasonal variations in fat reserves observed in the common vampire bat.

The jundiá (Rhamdia quelen, Quoy & Gaimard) is an endemic South American fish species. Because this species supports cold winters and grows faster during warm months, it has begun to be viewed as an ideal species for fish production in southern South America. In the present study, jundiá oocytes used were obtained by extrusion from females after hormone injection. Soon after hydration, the eggs were transferred to 50 L conic glass incubators, with constant and controlled water influx. Samples of fertilized eggs were transferred to Petri dishes and, examined under a stereoscopic microscope, were spherical, demersal, and non-adhesive with defined perivitelline space and resistant chorion. Cleavage stages occurred during the first 3.5 h. After hatching, larvae were transferred to 200 L glass fiber incubators. First signs of embryo movement were observed 21 h after fertilization; larval eclosion occurred 30.5 h after fertilization. Present findings may provide a basis for studies aimed at determining the complete ontogeny of jundiá and may be useful in eco-toxicological studies.

Aspects of feeding, such as food capture and ingestion, as well as mobility of the polychaetes Eurythoe complanata, Marphysa formosa and Diopatra aciculata, from São Sebastião Channel (São Sebastião, state of São Paulo) were observed in laboratory conditions. Eurythoe complanata, a carnivorous species, fed exclusively on pieces of fish with the aid of strong muscular retractable lips, and detected the presence of food by chemical stimuli. Diopatra aciculata, an omnivorous species, captured and ingested different kinds of food with the aid of its jaws, generating a flow of water through its tube by which it detects the presence of food and oxygenates its gills. Marphysa formosa also used its jaws to bite and lacerate food. These species showed greater or lesser degrees of intolerance to light.

In regularly burned grassland on Morro Santana, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, we investigated differences in the floristic composition and their relation to soil properties, aspect and distance from the forest border. In 48 plots of 0.75 m², we identified a total of 201 species from a local species pool of approximately 450 to 500 species. Most species occurred in low frequencies, showing clumpy distribution patterns in the studied area. Multivariate analysis showed that plots close to the forest edge clearly differed from plots in the open grassland concerning composition and structure. Plots exposed to the north differed from plots on the top of the hill both in the composition of species as well as in soil variables, mainly due to shallower soil in the former. No strong relation between soil properties and variation in vegetation composition could be detected at a finer scale. The studied grassland, as all grassland vegetation in southern Brazil, is very rich in species compared to other grassland formations worldwide. However, this high biodiversity and conservational value of Campos vegetation in general has so far not been recognized properly. Disturbance is essential to maintain this open vegetation type and its species richness. Fire should be considered as a management option in the absence of grazing.

A total of 67 nests of Centris tarsata were obtained from wood trap-nests of different diameters, consisting of a linear series of brood cells built with sand mixed with oil. This species showed a preference for open habitats, since it occurred only in Swamp and Grassland areas and has never been found in the Araucaria forest. Nesting activity was bigger during the hot season, especially in December and January. The Sex ratio was of 1.48:1 (females/males), significantly different from 1:1. The females were larger than the males and these showed no dimorphism. Males were produced in the outermost cells and females in the innermost cells. C. tarsata presented a direct development without diapause in larval stage. They overwinter as adults. Development time was similar for males and females. Natural enemies are Bombyliidae Mesocheira bicolor, Coelioxys sp. and Meloidae.

Aquatic environmental factors are very changeable in short periods. Among these factors are pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, ammonia and ions. Nitrite, as one ion naturally present in aquatic systems, deserves particular consideration as it is highly toxic for many species. Among fish, nitrite may have harmful effects, such as methemoglobin (MtHb) formation, disruption to the gill and hepatic structure, which could result in hemolytic anemia and cell hypoxia by reducing the functional hemoglobin content. In this work, we compared hematological and metabolical responses of pacu and its hybrid tambacu exposed to 20 ppm of environmental nitrite. It was observed that the MtHb content was less than 18% in tambacu while pacu reached nearly 8%. These data reflect specific differences in nitrite uptake by the gill. The hematocrit of both fish was distinct; pacu did not have a typical response of poisoning by nitrite. This fact shows less skill of the hybrid to cope with environmental nitrite. Incipient hemolytic anemia was observed in pacu and both species presented a neoglycogenic profile. The glucose-provider character of the liver was more evident in tambacu. The white muscle of both species presented distinct metabolic behavior. While in pacu the white muscle was predominantly oxidative, in tambaqui the lactic fermentation was the most important metabolic profile. Metabolic and hematological observations in both species show that they present distinct metabolical strategies to cope with toxic effects of nitrite and there is no evidence that the hybrid is more resistant to nitrite.

The Thiarid snail Melanoides tuberculatus (Müller, 1774), native to Asia and East Africa was recorded for the first time in the Paranã River basin, Goiás State. There is no evidence concerning introduction vectors but aquarium releases is the most probable vector. Specimens were collected at three different water bodies after twenty-seven rivers were investigated. The possible spread of this species to other habitats and potential effects on native thermal water communities are discussed.