RCAAP Repository

Some aspects of the reproductive cycle of female "lambari", Astyanax scabripinnis paranae (Eigenmann, 1927) were studied. The specimens were collected in intervals of fifteen days, from September 1979, until November 1980, in the Marrecas creek (Irerê and Paiquerê districts), Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. The maturity scale was characterized in five stages: immature, maturation, spawning, spent, and resting, which was established by the gonad-somatic relation and the ovary morphology and microscopic aspects. The maturation curve and distribution of maturity stages show that the period of reproduction is very long; spawning extended from July to March. The gonad cycle is related to seasons: maturation occurs chiefly in the winter months, spawning specimens are found in spring and summer, and those in rest are frequent in autumn. In the first sexual maturation the medium length of females was 5.04 cm. Also was observed more males than females during all collecting periods.

A study of the life history of the solitary bee Monoeca xanthopyga, was conducted at the Araucária Plateau, at the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The study focused the seasonality, sexual behavior, females activity during nest building, the exploited plant resources and the associated parasitoids. Three nest aggregations of M. xanthopyga built in clay soil with few plant cover or none at all, were studied on the Parque Nacional dos Aparados da Serra, located in Cambará do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul State. The nests were randomly distributed in areas up to eight square meters in size and reach a maximum density of 57 nests per square meter. The only one generation occurred from January to April. The immature stayed in diapausa in the prepupa stage during eight to 11 months. Males emerged a few days before females, and disappeared from the aggregations four days before the end of females activities. The search for females to mate occurred at nests from the previous year, where many males struggled for a single emergent female. It is suggested that males perceive smells emitted by females. Copulation's lasted, on average, 26 seconds and, immediately after it, the couple separated. Nest building females were not attractive to males. Mating tests, at artificial environments showed the occurrence of copulation with both virgin and fertilized females. After mating, the females returned to the aggregations and established new nests by digging new tunnels, or by using abandoned nests. The bee's flying activities began around 6 A.M. and lasted up to 6 P.M. The females did, on average, eight trips per day, each one lasting 31,4 minutes. They returned from the trips carrying pollen and/or floral oils. These resources were obtained from flowers of Malpighiaceae and Fabaceae species. Pollinaria from orchids of the genus Oncidium Sw. were carried accidentally by males and females. Mutilid parasitoids were present at the aggregations of M. xanthopyga during all the period of the activities. One species of Traumatomutilla André, 1903 was related to the immature of these bees, composing the first registration of inhabitant of this Mutillidae.

The benthic fauna has an important role in the trophic chain of limnic environments, serving as food for fishes and crustaceans. This work aimed to identify and compare, quantitative and qualitatively, the macrobenthic communities from two watercourses in Rio Grande do Sul State. Samplings were done with a Surber sampler, monthly, from September 1999 to August 2000, in one of the creeks forming Tainhas River(29º15'30,2"S, 50º13'12,5"W), around São Francisco de Paula city and in Mineiro Creek (29º30'0,2"S, 50º46'50"W), around Taquara city. At each sampling point, physical and chemical variables of the waters were registered. In the laboratory, the samples were sorted out and the animals identified and quantified. Dissolved oxigen, pH and stream speed were very similar for both environments, whilst conductivity had extreme values. Insects, crustaceans, acari and molluscs dominated in the samples. Abundance, richness and diversity indexes in Tainhas subsidiary had relatively higher average values than Mineiro Creek. Similarity matrix groupings between sampling units indicate three groups. Our research revealed important characteristics of the ecology and distribution of benthic invertebrates, information that can subsidise future environmental monitoring in the region of São Francisco de Paula and Taquara.

Two new species from Peru: Anthidulum lamasi sp. nov. from San Ramón and Anthidulum clausi sp. nov. from Pichanaki, both from the Junín Province; and Anthidianum chilense sp. nov. from Arica, Chile are described. The Lectotype of Anthidium caroliameghinoi Brèthes, 1903, is designated, and a taxonomic change is made: Antidianum caroliameghinoi (Brèthes, 1903) comb. nov.

A quantitative research of parasites of 67 endemic frog Telmatobius jelskii (Peters, 1863) collected from Laguna Tucto (76°46'11"W, 10°39'11"S) where Pativilca River is originated was conducted, and was located in the Province of Oyon, high Andean area from the Department of Lima, Peru during September-October 2000. Of the frogs collected, 23 were females and 44 males. Male showed a length between 5.2 ± 0.5 cm (range = 4.0-6.4 cm) and female between 5.5 ± 1 cm (range = 3.9-7.6 cm) and were not found differences between both sexes. 86 specimens of parasite and three species in total during all the survey were collected. 28 hosts were infected (41.8%). twenty-five hosts (37.3%) showed infection with one parasite species, and three (4.5%) had two parasite species. Three parasite species were found: Gorgoderina parvicava Travassos, 1922 (Digenea: Gorgoderidae) (Prevalence = 40.3%; mean Intensity = 3.1; mean abundance = 1.2), Cylindrotaenia americana Jewell, 1916 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae) (Prevalence = 3%; mean Intensity = 1; mean abundance = 0.02) and Aplectana hylambatis (Baylis, 1927) (Nematoda: Cosmocercidae) (Prevalence = 3%; mean Intensity = 1; mean abundance = 0.02). G. parvicava had an overdispersed distribution and was the dominant species. An effect of sex and length with prevalence and mean abundance of infection of G. parvicava was not found. The relationship of helminthes parasites with T. jelskii is discussed. G. parvicava and C. americana are new records for T. jelskii.

Three species of shrimp, Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis (Latreille, 1817), F. paulensis (Pérez-Farfante, 1967) (Penaeidae) and Macrobrachium acanthurus (Wiegmann, 1836) (Palaemonidae) were sampled at the Imboassica lagoon (Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil), in order to estimate the overlap of dietary niches and electivity of their prey, through the analysis of the fauna associated with the macroalgae Chara and of the benthic fauna on the sediment. The overlap of dietary niches was estimated using five indexes. A total of 495 F. brasiliensis, 131 F. paulensis and 102 M. acanthurus stomachs were examined. The results of the different indexes of niche overlap exhibited the same general trend in the three species, indicating a high degree of homogeneity in the diet of the two species of Penaeidae (between 75 and 100%) and a smaller overlap between each Penaeidae species and M. acanthurus (between 23 and 68%). The species presented selective predation, with differences in the two studied habitats. The results show that the three species are omnivorous, with a varied diet including components of benthic macrofauna and those associated with the macroalgae Chara, plant fragments and detritus, and that there are good conditions in the Imboassica lagoon for the development of these species.

As part of two surveys in the state of Paraná, Nyssodrysina lignaria (Bates, 1864) (Cerambycidae, Coleoptera) was sampled using malaise traps. One of the surveys was developed in eight different sites (Antonina, São José dos Pinhais, Colombo, Ponta Grossa, Telêmaco Borba, Jundiaí do Sul, Guarapuava e Fênix) from August 1986 to July 1987 and another one in five areas in different conditions of forest conservation, all located at Vila Velha, Ponta Grossa, from September 1999 to August 2000. The data indicate that the seasonality is congruent with the conditions found in temperate regions, with an activity peak in the spring-summer months. In the beginning of fall a second peak of abundance was observed, but not as high as in the spring-summer. These two peaks probably indicate the presence of two populations of N. lignaria associated to different fruit-ripening phases on diverse species of Inga Ph.Miller (Leguminosae, Mimosacea). The populational fluctuation observed in the various sites and the temperature and air humidity influences are discussed. Differences in the floristic conditions in Vila Velha (Ponta Grossa), as a cause of punctual differences in the populational fluctuation are also discussed. Finally, the results are compared with a study made with N. lignaria in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Phytoseiidae and Sigmaeidae are the most common predatory mites on rubber tree leaves in the State of Mato Grosso, associated with phytophagous mites of the families Eriophyidae, Tenuipalpidae and Tetranychidae. The aim of this work was to compare the effect of different kinds of food, including different species of mites commonly found on the rubber tree in Mato Grosso, and one kind of pollen, on the oviposition of the predators Agistemus floridanus Gonzalez, 1965 (Stigmaeidae), Euseius concordis (Chant, 1959) and Neoseiulus anonymus (Chant & Baker, 1965), both Phytoseiidae. Those predators are common on rubber tree leaves in Mato Grosso. For the tests with A. floridanus, discs of 2 cm in diameter of rubber tree leaves were used as substrate. Food provided to the predators were the mites Calacarus heveae Feres, 1992, Oligonychus gossypii (Zacher, 1921), Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks, 1904), Tenuipalpus heveae Baker, 1945 and Tetranychus mexicanus (McGregor, 1950), and pollen of Typha angustifolia L. Agistemus floridanus accepted a larger variety of foodthan other predators. This was the only predator with high oviposition rate when fed C. heveae and T. heveae, the phytophagous mites considered most important on rubber trees. Euseius concordis and A. floridanus had nearly the same oviposition rates when fed pollen of T. angustifolia (ca. one egg per female per day). Neoseiulus anonymus had the highest oviposition rate than other predators when fed O. gossypii and T. mexicanus. Polyphagotarsonemus latus was the least suitable food for the predators studied.

Descriptions of the fourth and fifth larval instars and pupa of Dasyophthalma creusa creusa (Hübner [1821]) from material reared in southern Brasil are presented and illustrated. The larva feed on leaves of Geonoma schottiana Martius (Arecaceae).

The feeding behavior and the food preference was studied in P. expansa (Schweigger, 1812) P. unifilis (Troschel, 1848) and P. sextuberculata (Cornalia, 1849). The method used for feeding behavior and food preference was the sampling of all occurrences. The Students' t test was applied on the food items, to compare differences during the development of each species. The main conclusions are: feeding behavior for food, except alive animals, is divided in foraging, approach, olfactory recognition, capture, laceration and ingestion; the persecution behavior was observed for prey activity; cleptoparasitism occurs in the three species and neustophagia mechanism was detected in P. unifilis; P. sextuberculata shows to be almost only carnivorous and P. expansa and P. unifilis show to be omnivorous; P. expansa can be considered more herbivorous in captivity than P. unifilis during the age between one and five years old and more than five years old; P. expansa is more sensitive than P. unifilis concerning the alteration of the food place, mainly the meat, decreasing its consumption, if it is put on a dry place.

A taxonomic key is provided for the assembly of sponges of the floating meadows, in a protected deltaic area at southern Brazil. The roots of the water hyacinths Eichhornia azurea (Sw). Kunth and Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms-Laubach were seen to be the prefered substrates. The register of C. australis (Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1966) is the first for Brazil enhancing a discussion of the genus.

Age and growth of Hypophthalmus edentatus (Spix, 1829) (Siluriformes, Hypophthalmidae) was determined. Data were collected from December 1983 to November 1984 and from April 1997 to March 1998 in the Itaipu Reservoir. To evaluate reading consistency, it was analyzed the coefficient of variation of the total length for each annulus observed in the otoliths. Through marginal increment analysis, it was determined that the annuli formed annually (April) indicating that otoliths may be used in the study of age and growth of the species. Food supply was considered the main factor affecting growth and annuli formation in both periods. Back-calculated data were used to assess if the Rosa Lee phenomenon, commom in selective samples like commercial fishing, occured. It was used also, the von Bertalanffy model to obtain the length growth curve. Parameters k and L<FONT FACE=Symbol>¥</FONT> were estimated by nonlinear regression for sexes separated. Although nom significant, k was greater in 1983-1984 than in 1997-1998. Inversely the L<FONT FACE=Symbol>¥</FONT> was greater for females, but k was smaller. Age at first maturation and annual instantaneous mortality (A) were similar in both sexes and years analyzed.

The growth study, in length and weight, of Aegla leptodactyla Buckup &amp; Rossi, 1977, was developed based on biometric data of 2,435 specimens collected from Rio da Divisa, a tributary of the Rio Silveira, district of São José dos Ausentes, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The samplings were realized from April/2000 to July/2001. The captured specimens had recorded the Sex and the length and width of cephalothorax. The specimens from June/2000, November and May/2001 were weighted, and those from June and July/2001 had recorded their length and width of the chelipeds. For the description of the growth the von Bertalanffy's model was utilized. The growth curves in length (mm), for data obtained through the modal progression, are described by the equations: Ct = 19.83 [1- e - 0,0023 (t +55,5)] for males and Ct = 18.096 [1- e - 0,0024 (t +48,6)] for females. For data obtained through the progression of age group means, the equations for males and females are, respectively, Ct = 18.15 [1- e - 0,0027 (t +52)] and Ct = 20.7 [1- e - 0,002 (t +63,4)]. For the growth description in weight (g), for data obtained through modal progression, the equations are: Pt = 3.88 [1- e - 0,0023 (t +55,5)]3,073 for males and Pt = 2.78 [1- e - 0,0024 (t +48,6)]3,1046 for females, and for data obtained from progression of age group means: Pt = 2.96 [1- e - 0,0027 (t +52)]3,073 (males) e Pt = 3.65 [1- e - 0,002 (t +63,4)]3,1046 (females). The analysis of covariance did not record significant differences between the length of right and left chelae, of males and females.

A new species of Xenocoelidia Kramer, 1959 is described from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. This species can be distinguished by the aspect of the male genitalia, mainly by the aedeagus shape.

Santiago wittmanni sp. nov. from Canchaque, Huancabamba, Piura, Peru, is described and illustrated. For the first time, the female from Svastrina subapicalis (Brèthes, 1910) and the males of three species from Gaesischia Michener, LaBerge &amp; Moure, 1955, are described.

It was compared body size (measured as intertegular span) variance of trapped-males of Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, 1841 sampled in dry (July, August and September) and wet (December, January and February) seasons of the years 1988/89 and 1994/95 in Viçosa (Minas Gerais, Brazil). It was also compared the body size variance between males and females sampled in three nests found in São Carlos (São Paulo, Brazil) and between these males and trapped ones. The smaller male (6.4 mm) was sampled in June and the bigger (8.9 mm) in July 1994, but the majority (32.3%) showed an intertegular span ranging from 7.8 to 8.0mm. The observed variance in body size was similar between males sampled in nests and trapped-males and the variance found inside a nest was similar between the sexes. However, males sampled in 1988/89 were bigger than 1994/95 males and males sampled in nests were smaller than trapped-males. The variance of the body size of males did differ between 1988/89 and 1994/95. In the first period differences between males sampled in dry or wet season was not observed, but in 1994/95 period the males sampled in dry season showed significantly greater variance in body size than males sampled in wet season. The body size variance did not differ between the wet seasons of 1988/89 and 1994/95. The body size variation, measured as the coefficient of variation in intertegular span, did not differ between males of E. nigrita (CV = 4.3%) and ground-nesting bees. These results show that the variation in body size of males of E. nigrita reflects that one found inside the nests of this bee, being similar among males and females. This variation is expected as result of ecological factors influences the nesting females. El Niño climatic events alone or in association with the lack of local food resources due to deforestation and presence of monocultures might play a role in observed body size variation. However this hypothesis is not sufficient to explain the observed body size variation inside a single nest. The absence of pressures of selection related to the females' advantages of produce large offspring perhaps contributes to the maintenance of the observed size variation. Studies regarding maternal allocation in E. nigrita may be useful to explain either the variation in body size or sex ratio found in this Neotropical bee.

This study evaluated the influence of the water and air temperatures, pluviosity and photoperiod on the breeding season of Goniopsis cruentata (Latreille, 1803), in Ubatuba littoral, southeastern Brazilian coast. Monthly collections were conducted out from January/95 to December/96 in an estuarine area from 23º29'10"-23º29'45"S to 45º09'10"-45º10'00"W. Water and air temperature variation showed the highest correlation coefficient with the frequency of ovigerous females, r² = 0.73 and 0.68, respectively. However, an analysis of the set of environmental variables, revealed the photoperiod as the factor of highest association with the ovigerous frequency (r² = 0.68). This degree of association allow us to suggest that the breeding season duration of G. cruentata might have some variations over different latitudes, and such results could be quite diverse in populations from different latitudes.

Stream ecosystems may be strongly influenced in different ways by land use. The effects of land-cover patterns on Odonata community were studied in eight streams and seven lakes-dams of northeastern São Paulo State. The pattern analyzed was monoculture (sugar cane) vs. nature reserve in terms of Odonata species richness and similarity. Eighty-five Odonata species were sampled. The species richness was higher in the monoculture (33 species) than nature reserve (30 species) and 22 species were common to both areas. There was not verified relationship between land use and physical or chemical characteristics of the streams or lakes-dams water. These results suggest that some Odonata species are benefited and other affected by anthropogenic actions, although more studies are necessary to evaluate this hypothesis. There were ten new records for São Paulo State (Neoneura sylvatica, Coryphaeschna adnexa, Erythemis haematogastra, E. mithroides, Micrathyria longifasciata, M. pseudeximia, Planiplax machadoi, Lauromacromia sp., Tibiagomphus sp. and Aeschnosoma sp.).

This study was carried out with the objective of evaluating if the size of forest fragments affects the diversity of bat species. In order to do that, seven fragments were studied in Londrina, Paraná: five small fragments, whose areas varied between 1 and 10 ha; a fragment which is considered medium-sized (Parque Municipal Arthur Thomas - 85,47 ha.); and a large fragment (Parque Estadual Mata dos Godoy - 680 ha.). Thirty three species were collected. Ten species were common to all three types of fragments: Chrotopterus auritus (Peters, 1856), Carollia perspicillata (Linnaeus, 1758), Artibeus fimbriatus Gray, 1838, Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818), Platyrrhinus lineatus (E. Geoffroy, 1810), Pygoderma bilabiatum (Wagner, 1843), Sturnira lilium (E. Geoffroy, 1810), Vampyressa pusilla (Wagner, 1843), Eptesicus brasiliensis (Desmarest, 1819), and Myotis nigricans (Schinz, 1821). Eight species were only found in the large fragment: Noctilio albiventris Desmarest, 1818, Glossophaga soricina (Pallas, 1766), Uroderma bilobatum Peters, 1866, Diaemus youngi (Jentink,1893), Diphylla ecaudata Spix, 1823, Eptesicus furinalis (d'Orbigny, 1847), Histiotus velatus (I. Geoffroy, 1824) and Myotis levis (I. Geoffroy, 1824). Five were only found in the small fragments: Noctilio leporinus (Linnaeus, 1758), Phyllostomus discolor Wagner, 1843, Chiroderma villosum Peters, 1860, Eptesicus sp. e Rogheessa tumida H. Allen, 1866. Chiroderma doriae, which is threatened by extinction, was captured in the large fragment and in one of the small fragments; M. ruber, also threatened by extinction, was captured in the medium-sized and large fragments. We believe that the major cause for the loss of organic diversity is not rational exploitation, but the destruction of habitats, a result of the expansion of irrational human activities.

In the present study five new species of Biza are presented: B. castanea sp. nov., B. ocellata sp. nov., B. maculata sp. nov., B. trimaculata (all from Brazil, Amazonas State) and B. similis sp. nov. (from Brazil, Mato Grosso State). The new species of Biza can be distinguished by the aspect of the male genitalia, mainly by the shape of the aedeagus, the presence or absence of process in the aedeagus and shape of pygofer.