RCAAP Repository

Eight geographical areas, considered as representative of the several natural environments wich still exist in Paraná, southern Brazil, were selected for the collection of insects. This data collection formed pan of the "Survey of the Entomological Fauna in Paraná State" (henceforth Profaupar). These areas were sampled using a light trap (Esalq's model) (Silveira-Neto & Silveira 1969) throughout a single year from August, 1986, until July, 1987. The families of Coleoptera captured were analyzed according to Palma's classification.

A population of a small and dark nightjar was discovered at Colatina, Espírito Santo, and has been identified by its voice and pattern of coloration as a new subspecies of the Pygmy Nightjar Caprimulgus hirundinaceus (Spix, 1825). This represents a considerable range expansion for this poorly known species, formerly considered endemic to the xeric "caatinga" region of Northeastern Brazil. However, other populations may exist. Colatina's birds live on exposed dark rocks with which their plumage harmonizes.

Gratiana boliviana Spaeth, 1926 is redescribed, compared with G. conformis (Boheman, 1854), G. graminea (Klug, 1829), G. insculpta (Boheman, 1855), G. inurbana Weise, 1921, G. lutescens (Boheman, 1854), G. pallidula (Boheman, 1854) and G. spadicea (Klug, 1829). The host plant of G. boliviana is Solanum viarum Dun (Solanaceae).

A simple net trap for capturing agile porcelain crabs living amongst superposed stones of the midlittoral rocky shore was developed. About a hundred pebbles and boulders were dislodged from I m² area and Im depth, so that a pit was formed. A sheet net of Im² and Imm mesh size was spread on the bottom of this pit and the stones were replaced again, like the original condition. After a cicle of high tide (about 12 hours), the same stones in the pit were carefully searched by dislodging and by rinsing them. The porcelain crabs were slowly getting out from the handling stones towards the bottom until they found the net sheet. The net border was lifted and the animais captured. The density of population sampled with the aid of the net trap was about 50% higher than that collected by hand. Also, small size species and early developmental stages were adequately collected in this trap. However, the sampling by hand also showed a good performance, as all species of Porcellanidae known from Farol isle and all developmental stages of those species were registered in this collection methodology.

Population structure of the porcelain crab Petrolisthes armatus (Gibbes, 1850) from the rocky shore of the Farol isle (25º51'S, 48º32'W) was carried out in the following aspects: annual fluctuation of the density, distribution of the developmental stages and sexes over year round, size composition and recruiting period of juveniles into the population. Monthly collections were made in the three sites of the midlittoral, from November/89 to April/91, with the aid of a trap. The air temperature ranged from 13ºC to 28ºC, that of the surface water from 16ºC lo 29ºC and the salinity of the surface water from 06.7‰ to 31.5‰. A total of 5.585 individuals of Petrolisthes armatus was collected, among which, 116 were in the megalopa stage, 1,579 juveniles, 830 immature males, 729 immature females, 1,161 mature males, 744 mature females and 426 ovigerous females. The population density ranged from 15.3 to 305.0 ind.m-2, with a peak in January. This density is the highest among the porcelain crab populations known from the literature. The species has continuous reproduction, but, there were two main cohorts in the year: summer one that was longer and more abundant and the winter one that was shorter and the less numerous.

Spalial and temporal density distributions of Amphipoda from the phytals of Caiobá are described. Air temperature oscillated from 16ºC (August and May) to 23ºC (March), surface water temperature from 17ºC (August) to 25ºC (March) and the salinity from 29.3‰ (May) to 32.8‰ (August). Two samples of 25cm² (for algae less than 5cm long), 100 cm² (for algae between 5-10cm long) and whole plants (for algae more than 10cm long) were removed with a spatula from the rocky surface at Caiobá Beach, in August/86, November/86, March/87 and May/87. After sorting, the algal substrata were weighted, their adsorption coefficient calculated and the sediment retained among the thallii weighted. The average distance between the branching was measured for all branched algae. The densities were calculated in relation to the weight of the algal substrate in grams. Eight phytals were considered: Ulva fasciata Delile, Padina gymnospora (Kútzing) Vickers, Sargassum cymosum Garth, Porphyra atropurpurea (Olivi) De Toni, Gelidium sp., Gymnogongrus griffithsiae (Turner) Martius, Pterocladia capillacea (Gmelin) Bornet &Thurel and Pterosiphonia pennata (Roth) Falkenberg, over which nine Amphipoda species live: Ampithoe ramondi Audouin, 1816, Cymadusa filosa Savigny, 1852, Elasmopus pectenicrus Bate, 1857, Hyale media Dana, 1857, Hyale sp.l, Jassa falcata Montagu, 1895 and Sunampithoe pelagica H. Milne-Edwards, 1830 (Gammaridea). Caprella danilevskii Czerniavski, 1861 and Caprella penantis Leach, 1814 (Caprellidea). Amphipoda densities ranged from 0.27 ind.g-1 to 45.68. ind.g-1. The broad-thallii algae Porphyra, Ulva and Padina harbored lower densities of Amphipoda, whereas those finely branched Pterocladia, Pterosiphonia and Gymnogongrus, the highest values and the less branched Sargassum and Gelidium, intermediate values. The high densities found in the finely branched algae had as main contribution the juvenile recruiting of most Amphipoda. The tide level might have influenced the temporal distribution of the Amphipoda density, due to the distinct time of air exposition in eaeh collection data. Most Amphipoda did not show specific algal substratum colonization: only Sunampithoe pelagica occurred solely in Sargassum. Four species occurred in different branched algae: J. falcata. S. pelagica. C. danilevskii and C. penantis. H. media had Sargassum, Pterocladia, Pterosiphonia and Gymnogongrus as the best algal substrata, whereas Caprellidea, the Pterocladia and Pterosiphonia phytals. High sediment weight in Padina was the main reason for high densities of Hyale sp.l in this phytal. The occurrence of males, females (including ovigerous ones) and juveniles of most Amphipoda species found in the present study indicates a complete life cycle whithin these phytals and corroborates with the assumption of the complexity of this marine coastal ecosystem.

Cephalocolletes Michener. 1989 (Paracolletini) is placed in a new status and new species are described: Cephalocolletes isabelae, sp.n., Cephalocolletes rugata, sp.n. and Cephalocolletes crassipunctata, sp.n.; another Paracolletini bees. Bicolletes pampeana, sp.n. and Sarrocolletes guaritarum. sp.n., and the Panurginae Anthrenoides micans. sp.n..

Fifteen species of Tomosvaryella (Diptera, Pipunculidae) from Mexico, Central America and Antilles are registered. Two new species from Mexico are described: T. membranacea and T. mexicanensis. Four species are redescribed from the types; a new synonym is stablished: Tomosvaryella tumida Hardy, 1940 = Pipunculus lynchi Shannon, 1927. A key based in males is included.

This paper registers 16 species of aquatic molluscs, especially the limnic and estuarine species Heleobia davisi Silva & Thomé, 1985, Heleobia australis australis (Orbigny, 1835) and Erodona mactroides Bosc, 1802, from D'Una river and Mirim, Imaruí and Santo Antônio lagoons and Laguna Beach (Santa Catarina, Brazil). This parameter was very important for the paleoecological analysis conduced for that area, where oscillation of the sea level occurred during the Holocen Period. Heleobia davisi is registered for the first time to the Santa Catarina.

Grafanthidium. gen.n. is proposed for three new species from northern Brazil, Grafanthidium amazonense, sp.n. from BR 174 km 70 (near Manaus), Amazonas; Grafanthidium rondonicola, sp.n. from Vilhena, Rondônia, and Grafanthidium paraense, sp.n. from Jacareacanga, Pará. The sixth and seventh terga of the males of these new species are characterized by the large carinate lateral lobes, the seventh with the lobes on the apex. Duckeanthidium cibele, sp.n. from Vilhena. Rondônia is described.

A key and short descriptions are given to the males of the eleven species of Euglossa Latreillle, 1802. collected in cineole; eugenol and vanillin in natural forest reserves of the Northeast of São Paulo State (Cajuru, Sertãozinho, Dumont, Ribeirão Preto, Luís Antônio and Pedregulho). Namely: E. imperialis Cockerell. 1922; E. annectans Dressler. 1982; E. pleosticta Dressler. 1982; E. townsendi Cockerell. 1904; E. melanotricha Moure, 1967; E. cordata (Linaeus, 1758); E. securigera Dressler, 1982; E. fimbriata. sp.n.; E. leucotricha. sp.n.; E. truncata, sp.n. and E. violaceifrons, sp.n..

Recently I have seen some bees from the State of Bahia, and because they are relatively rare the opportunity is taken to complete the short description of Oxaea rufa Friese, 1898, and register the new locality for this species and for Oxaea schwarzi Moure & Seabra, 1962. Euglossa (Euglossella) cyanochlora. the largest known Euglossa Latreille, 1802 (length 19,5mm), a visitor of flowers of Solanaceae, is described as new. It is from Itamarajú. on the Southernmost part of Bahia. Euglossa (Euglossa) perfulgens Moure, 1967, belongs in the subgenus Euglossella Moure, 1967.

The developmental stages of Dardanus insignis (Saussure, 1858) from first through eighth zoea and megalopa are described and illuslraled. The experiments were carried out involving 100 larvae, obtained from ovigerous females collected on the north littoral of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The larvae were kept in individual containers, with water of 34‰ salinity and fed with freshly hatched nauplii of Artemia; room temperature was maintained at 25±1ºC. The larval characters of this species are compared with Dardanus arrosor (Herbst, 1796). the only species of the genus that has also heen reared in laboratory.

A quali-quantitative survey of avifauna was earried out at the Santa Genebra forest reserve (MSG) in order to evaluate the current state of conservation of this important conservation area in the interior of São Paulo Stale. The qualilative survey recorded 134 species and the quantitativo survey through unlimited distance point counts recorded the abundance of 97 species. The low number of species recorded in both surveys was due to the small size (251 ha) and the high degree of isolation of the MSG. These factors plus the extensivo degradation of the forest cover prevent recolonization of extinct species and allow the expansion of some species tolerant to disturbance. The quantitative survey showed some species with an unusually high abundance index. The abundance of most species at MSG is higher whon compared with other areas of similar vegetation which are not fragmented and isolated, There was no striking seasonal variation in the number of birds recorded. These caracteristics could be interpreted as resulting from the density compensation phenomenon. The structure of the bird community of MSG resembles that from an island with low number of species but overall density similar to that of the mainland, leading to a higher density per species. The process responsible for these patterns seems to be related to the habitat appropriateness, mainly because the MSG is completely isolated from other forest arcas.

The effect of temperature on the development of Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas, 1851) and Supputius cinctceps (Stål, 1860) was studied in order to adjust equations to predict the development of these predators under 18, 20, 25, 30, 32 and 35º±0.2ºC, relative humidity of 65±10% and photophase of 12 hours. Incubation period of the eggs and duration and viability of nymphal stage were quadratically influenced by temperature while egg viability decreased linearly with increased temperature. The best temperature for egg development was 29ºC for both species and for nymphal development of P. nigrispinus and S. cincticeps they were 29º and 28ºC respectivelly. Nymphal viability was highly affected by extreme temperatures, with optima around 24ºC for S. cincticeps and 26ºC for P. nigrispinus.

A study on the ecology of Chiroptera was made at the Reserve of Volta Velha on the Northern coast of Santa Catarina. This study aimed at knowing the frequency of the individuals colleeted in each season, part of their feeding diet and their time of activity as well as their breeding activity. The investigation was carried out from March, 1990 to February, 1991 by means of periodical captures which ocurred during four days each month totalizing 144 hours of net use. One hundred and thirty-five individuals belonging to 15 different species were caught. Sturnira lilium (Geoffroy, 1810), Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818) and Myotis nigricans (Schinz, 1821) were captured in the highest number throughout the seasons of the year. Fruit-eating bats confirm their feeding preference for Cecropiaceae, Solanaceae. Myrtaceae and Piperaceae. The births occurred mostly in seasons other than the dry. Around 1:15 hours after sunset was the time when the highest numher of individuals were collected in the nets.

Oligonychus longipenis, sp.n. and the female allotype of O. psidium Estebanes & Baker, 1968 from Qualea grandiflora Mart. (Vochysiaceae) is described. The male of O. psidium is redescribed in Northwestern São Paulo (Brazil). This is the first record for 0. psidium in Brazil.

This paper reports twelve acarine species belonging to eleven genera in five families, associated with Bambusa sp. (Poaceae), in a woody area from São Paulo State, Brazil. Four species of Tetranychidae (Monoceronychus bambusicola, sp.n.. Oligonychus santoantoniensis, sp.n.. Schizotetranychus longirostris, sp.n. and S. paraelymus, sp.n.) are regarded as new. The genus Cheletomimus Oudemans, 1904 (Cheyletidae) is recorded for the first time to South America.

The fauna of Euglossinae bees were studied in two areas of "terra firme" continuous forest in the Central Amazon. Brazil. During one year (september/1989-august/1990) the collections were done fortnightly, using traps with eight kinds of seents baits. The traps were placed in the understory and in the tree crowns. The continuous forest of "terra firme" near Manaus are among those with the highest speeies richness of Euglossinae in the Neotropics. The species richness was higher than that found in other studies carried out in Brazil also. One study area had higher species richness and abundance, while species diversity was higher in another one. The diversity was different significally between the two areas.

Three species of Chrysomya were collected and the most frequent were: C. albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819) (62,62%), C. putoria (Wiedeman, 1818) (30,11%) and C. megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) (7,27%). The peaks of the populations of these species occurred in November and December/1988 and October and November/1989, and the small frequencies occurred from April to June/1989. All species showed significant correlation to 5% level with pluviometric precipitation, and none species showed correlation with temperature and relative humidity.