RCAAP Repository

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.

Studies were carried out on the relationship between Phthiraptera and wild birds captured by mist nets at the Engenho Independência, at Vicência's county. Three families of Phthiraptera were identified. The Menoponidae were the one with the highest number of hosts. They were specially found in the dorsal face of the remiges. The Trochiloecetidae were only seen infesting the neck of birds belonging to the hummingbirds. The Philopteridae were observed on birds from three orders showing the highest variety of distribution on the birds.

Studies were carried out on the relationship between feather mites in wild birds captured by mist nets at the Engenho Independência, county of Vicência. The captures were performed in June, September and December (1995) and March (1996). Mites belonging to the families: Analgidae, Psoroptoididae, Avenzoariidae, Proctophyllodidae e Trouessartiidae were identified to genera. The most representative genera, according to the number of hosts they were found were Pterodectes sp. (Proctophyllodidae), with eighteen and Trouessartia sp. (Trouessartiidae), with sixteen hosts, respectively. The Psoroptoididae and Avenzoariidae families were found in only one host each. The ventral face of remiges and rectrices were the main sites inhabited by mites.

Rhabdepyris longifoveatus sp.n. from southeastern Brazil and R. vesiculosus sp.n.. from Central America and northwestern South America are described and illustrated. Rhabdepyris virescens Evans, 1965, R. vesculus Evans, 1065, R. subviridis (Kieffer, 1906), R. violaceus Evans, 1965, R. septemlineatus Kieffer, 1906 and R. lobatifrons Kieffer, 1906 had their sting and male genitalia described.

The Muscoidea community of two adjacent areas was sampled. For eight months one area was of secondary tropical forest and the other was an open field used for cattle grazing. The main purpose of the study was to investigate if there would be any differences in abundance, family diversity, community composition and bait attractiveness. Results suggest that the change in the environment resulted in a reduction of overall abundance, but not a reduced diversity in terms of families. None of the families was led to a marked decrease or increase, as might be expected in a disturbed environment. The changes observed in the community composition were not significant for the distribution and abundance rank of the families within that community. The environmental change also seemed to affect the way the flies responded to the baits.

Funkhouseriana gen.n. is described (type species Tynelia cerulea Funkhouser, 1935). Funkhouseriana cerulea, comb.n. is redescribed and illustrated.

Two specimens of Phyllocaulis boraceiensis were found in concomitant cross copulation on 19.VII.1997. Each was in the "U"-shape position. Both specimens were the same age. One was 100 mm. long and weighed 14.53 g.; the other was 129 mm long and weighed 16.08 g. Thirty-one days later the largest one laid 11 eggs; all hatched 64 days later. The other died in October, 1997 without laying.

No summary/description provided

Old descriptions of species frequently present imprecise or even non-existing toponyms. Based on comparisons of old collecting maps by HENSEL (1867), it is suggested the river basin to which belongs the material collected and designed as a new species (Rio Caí basin), namely Chilina parva Martens, 1868. The type-locality of this material, Rödersberg, can hardly be categorically affirmed, but as coordinates were raised, along other evidences, it is suggested that the actual toponym be Morro Reuter county, Rio Grande do Sul.

No summary/description provided

Diagnosis and genitalia description and illustration of Dissomphalus bicavatusEvans, 1979;D. bispinulatusEvans, 1969;D. brasiliensisKieffer, 1910;Z). caviclypeus Evans, 1969; D. cornutus Evans 1964; D. dumosus, Evans, 1966; D. fungosus Evans, 1979; D. gilvipes Evans, 1979; D. incomptus Evans, 1964; D. infissus Evans, 1969; D. mendicus Evans, 1969; D. microstictus Evans, 1969; D. mirabilis Evans, 1966; D. nanellus Evans, 1969; D. napo Evans, 1979; D. plaumanni Evans, 1964; D. punctatus (Kieffer, 1910); D. puteolus Evans, 1969; D. rufipalpis Kieffer, 1910; D. xanthopus Ashmead, 1893 are provided. Female of D. mirabilis is first described. Five synonymies are proposed: D. connubialis Evans, 1966 of D. brasiliensis, D. montanus Kieffer, 1910 of D. punctatus, D. obliquus Evans, 1979 of D. rufipalpis, D. teren Evans, 1969 of D. cornutus and D. hastatus Evans, 1979 of D. bispinulatus. D. microtuberculatus sp.n. from Northern Argentina is described and illustrated.

Two new species of Dasmeusa Melichar, 1926 are descri bed and illustrated: D. basseti sp.n. from Guyana and D. isabellina sp.n. from Brazil, Pará.

The collects from mosquitoes' sample that repro-duce in leaf imbricate of bromeliads were done by two differents methods: a conven-tional method where the plants were felled and the water inside were dropped in a recipient and in the second method the samples were collected by sucking the water, so the plant wasn't felled. The number of bromeliads studied in each method was 120 plants from zero to 15 m height. The period of study lasted from january till december 1989. The bromeliads were collected monthly by each method. The score of immature was done at the laboratory. The variables studied were the number of leaf axils with water (Xi, Yi), water volume (cm³) inside each bromeliad (X2, Y2), the number of immature mosquitoes (larvae and pupae) inside each water volume from each bromeliad (X3, Y3), respectivelly, for the methods that the samples were obtained: by sucking or by felling the plant and the time (month) variable. By this study, we concluded that there is no significative difference between the methods done for a = 0,05. There is also no significative difference between both methods in each month. However, there was significative difference between the monlhs for α = 0.05.

The Pumpkin toadlet, Brachycephalus ephippium (Spix, 1824), is an orangish daily anuran, which inhabits the litter of the Atlantic Forest of Southeastem Brazil. During a survey of this species' natural history in the vicinities of Campinas (22º52'S, 46º49'W), São Paulo State, field observations were made on the oviposition behavior, in which after the male left the oviposition site, the female covered the surface of ali eggs with soil particles. She pressed and rolled each egg against the ground using her hindfeet, until the eggs were indistinguishable from the litter background. A clutch was obtained in laboratory and two others were found in the field. After 25 days of development the embryo possess a big yolk sac, differentiated mouth and a small tail with caudal membranes poorly developed. After 41 days, fingers and toes are fully formed, the tail is relatively smaller than the previous state, the abdômen is large due to the yolk within, and the mouth possess two egg tooth. After 54 days, the tail remains as a small appendix, there is only one egg teeth, and body is densely pigmented. The hatehling oceurred after 64 days of development, the young possess reddish brown coloration, vestigial tail, and no egg teeth.

The pupae of Anthrax oedipus oedipus Fabricius, 1805 and Anthrax oedipus aquilus Marston, 1970 are described and illustrated. Eleven species of four Hymenoptera families (Apidae, Eumenidae, Megachilidae and Sphecidae) are recorded as hosts of the immature stages of A. o. oedipus and A. o. aquilus.