RCAAP Repository

Emerita brasiliensis Schmitt, 1935 is a common mole crab called "tatuíra" in Brazil, with distribution from Espírito-Santo State (Brazil) to Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). Specimens were collected bimonthly from May/1992 through March/1993 with 4mm siffers mesh, in the intertidal region at Vermelha do Norte Beach, Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. The animals were sexed and measured with a precision caliper of 0.1 mm (Cl = carapace length). Males presented cl amplitude from 3.4-17.3mm (13.2±2.1mm), and females from 13.8-26.3mm (20.5±1.8mm), showing a well-defined sexual dimorfism for this variable. The population presented a smaller incidence of males in relation to females (0.54:1.00), however in May/1992 an inverse pattern occurred (1.84:1.00). Ovigerous females were present in all samples with exception of May and September/1992 with greater frequencies in July/1992 and January/1993. It is probable that female maturity occurs is reached with 17mm CL, the smallest size in wich ovigerous females were found.

The following new species are described: Sphenorhina danielssoni sp.n. (from Peru, Huánuco), S. huggerti sp.n. (from Ecuador, Pichincha), S. unifasciata sp.n. (from Ecuador, Napo), S. pichita sp.n. (from Peru, San Ramon, Mina Pichita), S. badia sp.n. (from Ecuador, Azuay), and S. rubrolurida sp.n. (from Bolivia, Yungas del Palmar). New characters of male genitalia are considered in the generic definition.

Collection data of Euglossinae males from Parque Estadual do Rio Doce (PERD) and Viçosa, both areas with remnants of Atlantic Rain Forest (Mata Atlântica) in Minas Gerais state, Brazil are presented. Comparisons made among three fragments with different sizes and states of disturbance from Viçosa showed differences in abundance of most common species and apparently, Eulaema nigrita Lepeletir, 1841 can be an useful indicator of disturbed sites. Some populations of euglossine bees seems to be restrict to a forest fragment, there being few or no flow of individuals or species of one fragment to another, even when they are only 1 km apart. 15 species of euglossines were sampled in PERD, and the most abundant was Eulaema cingulata (Fabricius, 1804). At Viçosa, 10 species were sampled, E. nigrita was the predominant one. Methyl salicylate attracted no males at both sites, in spite of large numbers of species and individuals sampled using this bait in other regions. The majority of species and individuals were collected in the rainy season. Only 0,58% of sampled males carried orchid pollinia (Catasetum Richard, Cycnoches Lindley and Coryanthes Hook) on their bodies. Emergence data of four species of Euglossa Latreille, 1802 reared from trap nests suggest that sex ratio in Euglossini is not a constant within the tribe. A list of 57 euglossine species now known to occur in Mata Atlântica are offered.

Neolasioptera cerei Rübsaamen, 1905 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) associated to Selenicereus setaceus (SD) Berg (Cactacae) is redescribed. Until now, only female was known. Male, pupa and larva are described and illustrated herein.

The response of Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar, 1824) to the volatiles of its host banana plant (Musa paradisiaca cv. Prata) and conspecific adults was studied. In olfactometer, the attraction of males and females of C. sordidus to rhizome and pseudotem of the banana, fresh or rotting, was observed. The results suggested that the aggregation pheromone is produced by males and that it attracts both sexes, and that there is another pheromone produced by females which attracts males only. The results also suggest that the females are the first responsible for the aggregation of the species, but the male pheromone is mainly responsible for the mass aggregation. Nevertheless, the aggregation phenomenon is a consequence of the mutual action of both pheromones plus the kairomones produced by the banana plant.

Data on the life cycle and morphology of immature stages of Actinote surima (Schaus, 1902) are presented. The larva feed on leaves of Eupatorium intermedium DC and Eupatorium casarettoi (Rob.) Steyermark (Asteraceae).

Fourteen genera and 23 species were misplaced and are assigned to their proper families, 11 genera and 10 species are synonymized, one genus and one species are ressurected from synonymy, and 18 species are new combinations.

The reproductive cycle of the marine catfishes Genidens genidens Valenciennes, 1833 and Cathorops spixii Agassiz, 1839 in the Sepetiba Bay, was assessed by an annual period of sampling from October 1993 to September 1994. The fishes were caught by standardized otter trawl and environmental parameters of temperature, salinity and transparency of water were recorded at each sampling. Five gonadal phases were described, based in macroscopic observations. Changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and in the percentual of stages of gonadal development showed that G. genidens spawns in Summer/early Autumn, coinciding with low salinity and high temperature and transparency. Cathorops spixii spawns in late Spring/early Summer, coinciding with rising temperature and transparency and low salinity. Total spawning are shown for both species, as indicated by length-frequency of oocytes per stages of maturation with two groups synchronic development of oocytes. Fecundity is low (10-23 oocytes, for G. genidens and 24-30 for C. spixii), when compared with other teleosteans, and was not strongly correlated to the total length (G. genidens, r=0.65, C. spixii, r=0.76). Strategy-k is developed by both species as indicated by high brood and enbrions protection and high body length.

In Tupiperla Froehlich, 1969, the presence or the absence of the s cross-vein in the forewings are useless both as a generic and as a specific character. The relative antenna length and the number of cercomeres may be useful in discriminating between species.

Conchological and anatomical studies of the glochidium of Diplodon martensi (lhering, 1893) were performed on samples collected in a small river, tributary from the Caí River, that belong to the Jacuí River sub-basin in south-eastern Brazil. The parasitic development of the glochidium was observed in laboratory on a small cichlid fish Gymnogeophagus gymnogenys (Hensel, 1870).

The objective of the present study was to characterize the richness (number of species) of large and medium-sized mammals, and the antropic threats in the Parque Nacional da Serra do Divisor (PNSD). In 31 days data were collected through direct observations or evidences (bones, hairs, vocalizations and tracks) along pre-existing trails distributed in different types of vegetation. Wild mammals captured by local people were also considered. They were found 44 species of terrestrial mammals (with the exception of small mammals and bats) and two species of cetaceans, representing 73% of the total predicted, according to the literature and information of local dwellers were registered in PNSD. They exist in the area two species classified by IUCN (1996) as "Endangered" [Cacajao calvus rubicundus (I. Geoffroy, 1806) and Priodontes maximus (Kerr, 1792)] and five as "Vulnerable" [Ateles chamek (Humboldt, 1812), Callimico goeldii (Thomas, 1904), Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii (Humboldt, 1812), Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758 and Inia geoffrensis (Blainville, 1817)]. Given that subsistence and commercial hunting are common in the PNSD, mammals more affected by hunting [Ateles chamek (Humboldt, 1812), Lagothrix lagotricha (Humboldt, 1812), Tayassu pecari (Link, 1795)] were observed only in the more remote areas such as Serra do Divisor, Rio Moa. In comparison with others areas, the results indicate that PNSD has high richness of the mammals, with special attention to the 14 primates species registered.

The objective of the present study is to describe the karyotype of the fruit fly Tomoplagia rudolphi (Lutz & Lima, 1918). This fly induces the formation of galls on the stems of Vernonia polianthes (Asteraceae). The cytogenetic analysis of cerebral ganglia (larva and pupa) and testis (adults) of T. rudolphi showed a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 10 + xx (female) and 2n = 10 + xy (male). The diploid chromosome number 2n = 12 and the XX/XY sex determination system have been found in most of the species studied. The present investigation constitutes the first cytogenetics study of the genus Tomoplagia Coquilltt, 1910.

Foraging in the Black Lion Tamarin (L. chrysopygus Mikan, 1823) was observed in the Caetetus Ecological Station, São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, during 83 days between November 1988 to October 1990. These tamarins use manipulative, specific-site foraging behavior. When searching for animal prey items, they examine a variety of microhabitats (dry palm leaves, twigs, under loose bark, in tree cavities). These microhabitats were spatially dispersed among different forest macrohabitats such as swamp forests and dry forested areas. These data indicated that the prey foraging behavior of L. chrysopygus was quite variable, and they used a wide variety of microhabitats, different of the other lion tamarin species.

In addition to the Survey of the Entomological Fauna in Paraná State, the Sphingidae was studied in its ecological and faunistic aspects. The material was collected using one light trap installed in eight different sites of the State (Antonina, São José dos Pinhais, Colombo, Ponta Grossa, Telêmaco Borba, Jundiaí do Sul, Guarapuava, and Fênix), from October 1986 to September 1987. A total of 813 specimens and 55 species was captured. The highest values of diversity (Brillouin and Shannon) was observed in São José dos Pinhais and Jundiaí do Sul; the highest values of evenness (Berger & Parker, and Simpson) in São José dos Pinhais and Antonina. Besides using ecological indices, the data were also compared by Clustering Analysis and Linear Correlation Coefficient. The results were compared with meteorological and floristic conditions in the eight localities, and with the results of others Sphingidae surveys in the Neotropical region.

Two new species of Arhysosage are described: A. cactorum sp.n. from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and A. melanothricha sp.n. from Salta, Argentina.

Three species of whale Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828, B. physalus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Physeter catodon Linnaeus, 1758 captured in the Brazilian coast were necropsied for helminths. Balaenoptera borealis and B. physalus were infected by Crassicauda crassicauda (Nematoda, Tetrameridae) and Ogmogaster antarcticus (Digenea: Notocotylidae), which are referred for the first time in Brazil. Balaenoptera borealis was also infected by Lecithodesmus goliath (Digenea, Campulidae) and Bolbosoma turbinella (Acanthocephala, Polymorphidae). Physeter catodon was infected by Anisakis physeteris (Nematoda, Anisakidae), which is a new record to this host in Brazilian waters.

Morphological characters used for separating Nectomys parvipes Petter, 1979 from N. squamipes melanius Thomas, 1910 are the same used for separating Nectomys from the smaller taxon Sigmodontomys J.A. Allen, 1897. Principal Component analyses grouped N. parvipes holotype with S. alfari specimens and apart from N. s. melanius specimens. Both morphology and morphometry indicated that N. parvipes belongs to the genus Sigmodontomys.

A malacological survey has been done by the sênior author in Ilha Grande, State of Rio de Janeiro, since 1996. Up to this date the only freshwater gastropods found were specimens of Antillorbis nordestensis (Lucena, 1954). The snails were collected at a swampy area situated behind the late Penal Colony Cândido Mendes (Ilha Grande Prison).

Annual fluetuation of densities and population strueture of Armases angustipes (Dana, 1852) from a rocky shore at Farol Island, Matinhos, Paraná, Brazil (25º51'S and 48º32'W) were studied. The population strueture was treated in the following aspects: sexual proportion, dial intensity of activities, size composition and its fluetuation, and general condition of the crabs. The collections were made monthly, from January to December 1991. The samples were obtained handly, in the morning and at night, at the supratidal zone during low tides. There were caught 1,139 crabs, among which 34 were juveniles, 544 males, 555 females and 4 ovigerous females. Population density was highest in April (19.56 ind.m"² ) and in October (23.86 ind.m"² ). The sexual proportion was 1:1 in eleven months. Although the male crabs were more abundant than the females in May, there was not any statistical significam difference between the sexes. The activity of the population is intenser at night than at morning for both sexes. The recruitment of juveniles oceurs mainly in March, April and July. The condition factor in females is related to the reproduetive period. The population can migrate to the terrestrial habitat near the supratidal zone.

The relative growth of the male chelipod and female abdomen of Armases angustipes (Dana, 1852) was studied in order to determine the carapace size of puberty. Also, the age of juvenile crabs in laboratory was established. A total of 537 males and 557 females were analysed and the transition point between mature and immature stages was determined for both sexes. Males attain maturity at 1.00 cm carapace width and females at 1.08 cm. The relative growth of female abdomen was more remarkable than that of the male chelipod, although both are positive allometric. It suggests a greater importance of a large abdomen in females than a strong chelipod in males. Juvenile crabs reared from megalopa stage has five developmental stages before reaching sexual differentiation. This occurs in the sixth juvenile stage, when the intermolt stages become longer. The potential equation between carapace width and accumulated duration of juvenile stages is described as CW = 0,047D0,508.