RCAAP Repository

The spider fauna (Araneae) of a sugar eane plantation was surveyed monthly by hand colteetion and beating vegetation in sugar cane fields across Botucatu, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Composition and rchness (family and species where identifieation to species was possible) microhabitat preferenees were reeorded, and diversity and evenness indices were calculated. A total of 1291 spiders belonging to 73 species and 20 families were collected. The most diverse families were Theridiidae, Salticidae, and Araneidae, and the most abundant ones were Theridiidae, Saltieidae, Anyphaenidae, and Araneidae, Seven species represented 58.6% of the total fauna, with Crysso pulcherrima (Mello-Leitão,1917) (Theridiidae) composing 28.2%. About 65% of the spiders occupied the upper part of the plants (above 20 cm). Five spider species were present in the sugar cane throughout crop development. Evidence of spiders feeding on sugar cane pest species was observed.

Diversity of owlet-moth (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) in Salvador do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Noctuidae community in Salvador do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul. Light traps captured the insects of this research. The quantitative data were collected through weekly sampling, during one year (1994-1995); the qualitative data were collected through non-systematic sampling, during four consecutive years. The community characterization was based on the richness, abundance, specific constancy, diversity indices and abundance distribution; also total richness estimates were calculated, by nonparametric statistical procedures. In the systematized collecting there were captured 4017 noctuids of 108 species, distributed in 14 subfamilies; in the non-systematized, another 189 additional species and two subfamilies. Amphipyrinae, Hadeninae and Ophiderinae had the largest species richness. The more constant species were noctuids of great economic importance; the accessories were related to specific vegetable groups; the accidentals have their host unknown. The accessories and accidental species were captured more in spring and summer; also in these periods were measured the highest values of richness, abundance and diversity. There was no fit between observed/calculated log normal and log series distribution models. The 2nd order Jackknife and Michaelis-Menten equation procedures estimated that the total richness values were close to the total number of the species in the studied area.

Description and biological aspects of a new species of Sigelgaita Heinrich, 1939, the first known to occur east of the Andes, S. cerei Becker, are presented. S. cerei larvae were collected on "restinga" ecosystems feeding on Pilosocereus arrabidae (Lem.) Byles & Rowl. (Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba-Macaé and Área de Proteção Ambiental de Barra de Marica, Rio de Janeiro) and rarely on Cereus obtusus Haw. (PNRJ). Life cycle and behavior of larvae are presented. Larvae are found singly on flower buds, on fruit or more frequently on stem of the plants. They build chambers in the cladodium where they complete their larval development, then droping to the ground in order to pupate. Trichogramma sp. was parasitizing 72% of eggs and a species of braconid was parasitizing half out of ten larvae collected from fruits of Cereus obtusus. S. cerei larvae develop a special role in the colonization and establishment of a diverse fauna associates with the hosts such as insects, spiders and yeasts. Ants, such as Camponotus crassus Mayr, 1862 and C. cingulatus Mayr, 1862 are among the insects which most frequently nest in the chambers abandoned by the larvae of this moth species.

Sennius leptophyllicola sp. nov. is described from Paraná, Brazil and reported to feed in seeds of Cassia leptophylla Vogel with Pygiopachymerus lineola (Chevrolat, 1871). Both species attach their eggs to the outside of the fruit valves of the host. Their oviposition behavior places them in oviposition guild A of JOHNSON (1981). Eggs were described based upon scanning electron micrographs.

A survey of the stonefly (Plecoptera) fauna of streams of the Almas River basin, Pirenópolis, Goiás State, Central Brazil, is presented as well as data of some factors that could affeet the temporal distribution of the adults. For checking adult phenology, light sources were used in three stations from June 1993 to Jully 1994. The sampled individuais were identified to species or morphospecies, as possible. In this study, 301 individuais belonging to the perlid genera Anacroneuria Klapálek, 1909, Kempnyia Klapálek, 1916 and Macrogynoplax Enderlein, 1909 were collected. Adults of most species were collected along the studied period, except for those of Kempnyia that were restricted to the warm-rainy season, the same pattern for this genus in southeastern Brazil. Although adults of most species were collected along most of the studied period, the largest number of adults was collected in the months with larger mean temperatures, showing a clear seasonality in abundance.

The stonefly (Pleeoptera) nymphs of streams of the Almas River basin, Pirenópolis, Goiás State, Central Brazil, and some abiotie factors that might affect their temporal distribution were studied. Nymphs were sampled monthly (June 1993 to July 1994) in five stations with a Surber sampler, and each sample consisted of 20 units totalling 2 m². In each station, stream velocity, discharge, temperature, electrical conductivity and pH were measured in order to assess their influence on the density of nymphs. Nymphs were identified to genus level. In general, the annual variation in density of nymphs, in four stations, showed that the seasonal variation was not clearly influenced by the annual rain cycle. In the case of the one of the stations, where numbers of stonefly nymphs were low and the anthropic action high, there was a density peak in the rainy season. This peak was probably related to dilution of the organie pollution in the rainy season, improving the environmental conditions for the Pleeoptera.

The species belonging to this genus are easily distinguished from most of the other Tachinidae by their metallic colour -green, blue or purple, although grey coloured species are known. From the nineteen species cited in the literature, seven are herein redescribed: Chrysotachina braueri Townsend, 1931; Chrysotachina equatorialis (Townsend, 1912); Chrysotachina panamensis Curran, 1939; Chrysotachina peruviana Townsend, 1919; Chrysotachina purpurea Curran, 1939; Chrysotachina townsendi Curran, 1939; Chrysotachina willistoni Curran, 1939. The type material of C. peruviana and C. equatorialis was examined. Illustrations of the male terminalia and of the larvae of C. peruviana are presented. A key for the identification of twelve species from South America is also presented.

Some aspects of the ecology of the skink Mabuya agilis (Raddi, 1823) at the restinga habitat of Grumari, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are studied. Most of the lizards were first sighted on the ground, though a few were using perches (mainly cacti) up to 30 cm high. Mean body temperature in activity was 33.1 ± 2.4ºC and was significantly correlated to air temperature. There was sexual dimorphism in size (snout-vent length - SVL), with females growing larger than males. Frequency of broken tails was high overall (83%) and did not differ between sexes. Females and males are sexually mature at 49 mm and 47 mm SVL, respectively. Brood size averaged 3.2 ± 1.0 (range 1-5) and was positively and significantly related to female SVL (r = 0.65, p = 0.001). Relative clutch mass (RCM) of seven gravid females averaged 0.250 ± 0.042, being relatively low compared to those of other congeners. The diet of M. agilis was composed basically of arthropods, with relatively large and soft-bodied arthropods such as spiders, caterpillars and homopterans being the most important prey. The results of our work confirm and expand the knowledge of ecological tendencies previously observed for M. agilis in other areas.

Horticultural production areas are favorable to development and maintenance of land mollusks populations. To know the mollusk fauna diversity in that kind of production area a research project was conduced in a rural-urban district of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The production property studied is located in the Southern zone of the city and has 17 ha of cultivated area. The sampling period was from August/2000 to August/2001, with monthly quantitative collects on the different culture production beds previously selected. Six taxa were registered: Deroceras leave (Müller, 1774) (1.389 specimens = 82,82%), Bradybaena similaris (Férussac, 1821) (195 specimens = 11,7%), Succinea meridionalis d'Orbigny, 1846 (82 specimens = 4,9%), Lamellaxis gracilis (Hutton, 1834) (03 specimens = 0,17%), Bulimulus (Bulimulus) vesicalis angustus Weyrauch, 1966 (05 specimens = 0,3%) and Megalobulimus abbreviatus (Bequaert, 1948) (02 specimens = 0,11 %), only the last two being natives.

Ceresa amazonica sp. nov. from Reserva Ducke, Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil, C. calosa sp. nov. from Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil, C. denticulata sp. nov. from Valle Chanchamayo, Junín, Peru) and C. remeslenicovae sp. nov. (from Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brasil) are described and illustrated.

Anphira guianensis sp. nov. (Isopoda, Cymothoidae) is described from the branchial cavity of a freshwater fish, Acnodon oligacanthus Eigenmann, 1903 from French Guiana. The new species differs from the other known species of the genus in a number of important respects. Adult females are less convex than those of the other two known species and the mouth points downward. The coxal plates are largest posteriorly, unlike those of the other species. The antennule is much stouter and longer than the antenna whereas in the other species these appendages are subequal. Additionally, the dactyls of the new species are much longer.

Macrobrachium acanthurus Wiegmann, 1836 is a Palaemonidae commonly found in Brazilian coastal environments. At Imboassica lagoon, located in the north of the State of Rio de Janeiro, it is found in two stages of its life cycle: as larvae and as reproductive adults. This work had as its goal the evaluation of adults distribution, estimating the weight/length relationship and the condition factor of these adults. After sampling in two regions of the lagoon, one interior and another closer to the ocean, we verified that females are found in a greater proportion close to the ocean, and males are found in greater number in the innermost region, amidst the aquatic macrophytes, suggesting that the fecundation takes place in this last area and the females then travel to the area closer to the ocean to spawn. Total and carapace weight/length relationship exhibited differences between males and females, presenting positive allometric growth. The relative growth of the cephalotorax related to total length showed that it correspond to 53% of the total length in females, and 50% in males. The average condition factor was significantly lower than the expected pattern, demonstrating that the species does not find ideal conditions in the lagoon. This may be attributed to the migration of the adults, to the spawning and/or to the impact caused by the frequent sandbar openings that took place at Imboassica lagoon during the studied period.

The objective of this work is to get knowledge about the "guaiamum" crabs reproduction. Two hundred and twenty four crabs were caught from August'96 to July'97. Their sex carapace color and morphometric data were obtained. The stages of gonadal development were macroscopically determined and the eggs diameter was measured. Three colors patters for the carapace for males, and four patters for females. Five stages of gonadal development were observed in female crabs, and two stages were observed for males. The first sexual maturity was estimated 53,0 mm carapace width for the females and 52,0 mm for the males. The ovigerous females occurred from March to May. The individual fecundity varied from 103.300 to 366.400 eggs. The eggs mean diameter was 0,39 mm.

Herein, the puparium of Sargus thoracicus Macquart, 1834 collected in decaying organic material, on the Campus of Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropedica, Rio de Janeiro State is described. The description is based on a single larva collected and reared in laboratory till the emergence of the adult. Some biological notes on the larva are also presented.

This paper deals with the schooling structure of Brazilian-sardine, Sardinella brasiliensis (Steindachner, 1879), in coastal waters of Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil). Samples were obtained from schools caught by commercial fishery in the area of Angra dos Reis (23º-24ºS, 44º-45ºW), from autumn/1999 to summer/2000, comprising 2,278 fishes. In average, males had total lengths and weights lower than those of females, with major differences in weights. Seasonal fluctuations of average total weights are associated with the annual reproduction cycle and condition factor, mainly in females. Sex-ratio was around 1:1, except in winter, when females were in majority. Mature males and females were found all along the year, with a peak in the spring-summer, showing a long reproduction period of successive spawning of reproducers in a same school, since individual spawning is complete. Total lengths when 50% of fishes are mature differ between males (18.2 cm) and females (19.2 cm). The schools can be considered as spawning schools, as they were found in a spawning ground, and consisted almost exclusively of adults, with a long annual reproduction period.

The genus Cyclopeplus Thomson, 1860 is revised. New synonyms proposed: C. violaceus Lane, 1957 = C. peruvianas Tippmann, 1939 and C. germaini Gounelle, 1906 = C. lacordairei Thomson, 1868. The five species of Cyclopeplus are keyed, redescribed and illustrated.

The genus Gounellea Lane, 1964 is revised and new synonyms proposed, G. zikani (Melzer, 1932) = G. Melzeri (Franz, 1935) = G. Franzae Lane, 1970 = G. bruchi (Gounelle, 1906). The species of Gounellea are keyed, redescribed and illustrated.

A survey of chiropteran fauna was conducted during the period from March 1994 to May 1998 in Pedra Branca State Park, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro State. A total of 681 specimens of 24 species were recorded: Chrotopterus auritus (Peters, 1856); Micronycteris megalotis (Gray, 1842); Micronycteris minuta (Gervais, 1856); Mimmon bennettii (Gray, 1838); Phyllostomus hastatus (Pallas, 1767); Tonatia bidens (Von Spix, 1823); Lonchophylla bokermanni Sazima, Vizotto & Taddei, 1978; Lonchophylla mordax Thomas, 1903; Anoura caudifera (E. Geoffroy, 1818); Glosso-phaga soricina (Pallas, 1766); Carollia perspicillata (Linnaeus, 1758); Artibeus fimbriatus Gray, 1838; Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818); Artibeus obscuras Schinz, 1821; Chiroderma doriae Thomas, 1891; Platyrrhinus lineatus (E. Geoffroy, 1810); Platyrrhinus recifinus (Thomas, 1901); Sturnira lilium (E. Geoffroy, 1810); Vampyressa pusilla (Wagner, 1843); Desmodus rotundus (E. Geoffroy, 1810); Diphylla ecaudata Von Spix, 1823; Eptesicus brasiliensis (DesMarest, 1819); Myotis nigricans (Schinz, 1821) and Molossus molossus (Palas, 1766). One external (forearm length) and 13 cranial meansurements were studied for 23 species. The meansurements of male and female specimens were treated separately. Comments about some taxonomic respects for some species studied are also included.

Dolops carvalhoi Lemos de Castro, 1949 was found infesting fish in a fish culture station located in highway AM-010 Manaus-ltacoatiara in the State of Amazonas. Egg laying of D. carvalhoi was studied. Hatching started after 16 days in a temperature span of 26 to 28ºC. Eggs were laid in clusters on hard substrata and covered by a gelatinous material. The number of eggs was 16 to 392 eggs by laying. In the postembryonic development the larvae were hatched from the egg as juveniles (epimorphic development), very similar to the adult shape.

The following new species are presented: Anthodioctes rosanae sp. nov. and Anthodioctes ayalai sp. nov. from México and Anthodioctes misiutae sp. nov. from Brazil. The male of Moureanthidium bahianum Urban, 1995 and the female of Ananthidium dilmae Urban, 1990 are described by the first time. Notes and new occurrences of Anthodioctes lunatus (Smith, 1854) are given.