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The Balistidae, especially Balistes vetula are commom fishes in tropical waters from Northeastern Brazil. Studies about these fishes captured at the coastal area of Recife between Pina; Boa Viagem, Piedade and Candeias beaches were carried out in order to determine the diet, and to verify a possible diet diversification between the sexes, and times of the year. Males and females had a food diet consisting mostly of molluscs belonging the classes Scaphopoda, Bivalvia, Gastropoda and crustaceans and fishes. Echinoderms, foraminifera, bryozoa, sponges, polychaete worms, coelenterates and brachiopods were also observed in smaller proportions. Both males and females had a carnivorous benthic diet. Growth and changes in the seasons were not reflected by changes in the diet.

A musculatura que serve aos arcos branquiais, arco hióideo e opérculo nos 22 gêneros marinhos do Atlântico oeste e nos 4 gêneros dos rios da América se caracterizam por apresentar a origem, percurso e inserção das seções e subseções musculares de maneira geral comum para todos os Sciaenidae estudados. Porém, existem algumas variações relacionadas principalmente com o grau de desenvolvimento desta musculatura, que para efeitos da descrição permite o agrupamento dos diferentes gêneros em três (3) grupos, o grupo "Macrodon" (Macrodon, Cynoscion, Larimus, Nebris, Isopistus, Plagioscion, Lonchurus, Stellifer, Odontoscion, Bairdiella e Corvulla), grupo "Micropogonias" (Micropogonias, Umbrina, Equetus, Pareques, Leiostomus, Sciaena, Ctenosciaena, Pachyurus, Pachypops, Menticirrhus, Paralonchurus e Ophioscion) e grupo "Pogonias" (Pogonias e Aplodinotus), mas este último se afasta do padrão geral devido à fusão dos quintos ceratobranquiais e ao desenvolvimento de um processo ventral no mesmo que determina algumas variações críticas a respeito da origem e inserção dos músculos que o servem.

This paper contains a preliminary list of the fishes caught monthly during the period between March, 1982 and April, 1986, in the littoral of the São Luís Island, and estuarine region including the localities Cururuca, Paciência, Cachorros and Ana Jansen, and the straits Coqueiro/Mosquitos. 132 species belonging to 94 genera and 56 families were obtained. Salinity ranged between 1.0 - 37.5‰ at Cururuca and Paciência; 3.9 - 20.8‰ at Ana Jansen, and 1.0 - 32.7‰ in the area including Mosquitos/Coqueiro and Cachorros. No correlation between salinity and distribution of species was obtained. Genyatremus luteus was the predominant species (21.4%) followed by Mugil curema (11.6%) and Arius herzbergii (11.2%). Ariidae, Mugilidae, Sciaenidae and Engraulidae were the most representative families in number of individuals and species.

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Females of white-eared opossum Didelphis albiventris (Lund, 1841) from natural population of the "cerrado", State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, present a seasonal reproductive activity. Young-pouches were found in females captured from August to March. During the months of April to July youngs were not present in the pouch. The only two females captured in July showed pregnant uterus. All females collected in August and September were litter positive. The average number of individuais per litter was 7.04 ± 1.9.

(1) The Pantanal is the central portion of a sunken flat plain bordering the upper Paraguay river, with an area of 140,000 km². Seasonal floods begin in January and end in April. From May to October the land dries out and campos (grassland formations) and scattered pools appear. (2) Typical capybara habitat in the Pantanal is composed of three components: the water, a patch of forest, and a grass field for foraging. Highest densities of capybaras (14 individuals/km²) were found during the rainy season when the available space for capybaras was reduced due to the flooding. Areas without ponds or creeks presented low densities (from 0.38 to 0.84 capybaras/km²). Group sizes ranged from 2 to 49 individuals (x = 9.48). (3) Reproduction occurred year-round and young of different ages were seen throughout the year. However, the principal recruitment of young to the population was observed in July-August. While the females took turns in caring for young of different ages, probably the offspring of mothers who are sisters in the same social groups, the males competed intensively with each other for access to breeding females. The male's reproductive success appears to be limited to the number of breeding females that males have access to in the social group.

The pantanal is one of the world's richest freshwater wetlands. The pantanal is located in the flood plain of the headwaters of the Paraguai river, covering 140,000km². The habitats of the Pantanal are present in a complex mosaic. The major habitat types are: pockets of forests, called capão or cordilheira, seasonally flooded grasslands or campos, and permanent or temporary lagoons, called baías. The Pantanal harbors both rich and abundant mammal fauna. A survey was conducted at Fazenda Nhumirim, a research station run by the Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Pantanal (CPAP) in Corumbá, a research branch of EMBRAPA. The Fazenda covers an area of 4,310 ha in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, appoximately 150km east of Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul. The area receives an average annual rainfall of 1,022mm, and has a mean monthly temperature that varies between 29.1ºC (January) and 22.0ºC (June). Four routes were followed between two times during ten days of each month. The survey routes were covered on horseback by between two and four observers. Each route was followed and equal number of times in the morning and in the afternoon, to eliminate bias related to the activity patterns of mammals. In order to evaluate relative abundance of nocturnal species, we also conducted a number of nocturnal censuses. These censuses were done by car; a high intensity searchlight was used to spot the animals. We also conducted a trap-mark-recapture survey of the small mammals at Fazenda Nhumirim. After the census period, we continued to collect observations on the occurrence of mammals at the Fazenda, noting wherever possible the kind of habitat in which the animals were observed. The survey identified a diversity of mammals at Fazenda Nhumirim: six orders, 14 families, 19 genera, and 20 species. Nasua nasua was the most frequently observed species during the diurnal census, accounting for 61.5 percent of all observations. Dusicyon (formely Cerdocyon) thous was the most frequently observed species on the nocturnal census (39.13%). The small mammal community of Fazenda Nhumirim is composed of seven species: one marsupial, four cricetine rodents and two echimyid rodents.

The post-embryonic development of the crab from the north coast of São Paulo State, Eriphia gonagra (Fabricius) was studied in laboratory. The experiments were performed in a climatically controlled room at 24±1ºC at a salinity of 36‰ and the animals were fed with newly hatched Artemia salina nauplii. The larval development of E. gonagra comprises 4 stages of zoea and one megalopa. All larval stages are illustrated and described in detail. The main morphological characters that allow the Identification of the zoeae and megalopae of E. gonagra are analyzed with respect to other Brasilian species of the family Xanthidae.

All the larval stages of the hermit crab Pagurus brevidactylus were studied in the laboratory, with special emphasis on external morphology and on the duration of each stage. The larvae were kept in individual containers, with water of 35‰ salinity and fed on nauplii of Artemia salina; room temperature was maintained at 24±1ºC. The post-embryonic development includes four stages of zoea and one of megalopa. All the larval stages are drawn and described in detail.

Randomly sampled oothecae of a natural population of Gratiana spadicea from the outskirts of Porto Alegre, RS, were dissected. The overlapping of the egg membranes makes possible to enumerate the eggs in a batch and therefore to relate mortality to position in the ootheca. The ootheca of this cassid provides a spatial refuge for some of its eggs. Successful eggs of G. spadicea amounted to less than one fifth of the total in each batch. Parasitoids and predators were responsible for a high mortality of eggs whatever the size of the ootheca. The main cause of mortality was the eulophid wasp Emersonella ooecia De Santis, 1983. A large proportion of eggs were sucked dry by the mirid Tupiocoris cincticornis (Stal, 1860). The sucked eggs could have contained either the embryo of G. spadicea or the parasitoid in the pre-emergence stages.

Four spittlebugs belonging to the Ischnorhinini (Hom., Auchenorhyncha), occurring in Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), with respective synonymy and distribution, are characterized in the present paper. Also keys for the distinction of Brazilian tribes, genera and species are presented.

Os, caracteres morfo-anatômicos do sistema genital e glândula pediosa de Phyllocaulis soleiformis são redescritos após exame de 30 espécimes provenientes de Porto Alegre e arredores. Dados biométricos, média e intervalo de cada caráter são também incluídos. Após análise estatística, propõem-se índices de proporção dos característicos descritivos válidos para a espécie.

The growth of body proportions of Sardinella brasiliensis was not homogeneous in the study area, between Macaé (RJ) and Santa Catarina Island (SC); the growth rates (K) of the von Bertalanffy growth curve were greater than growth rates for another áreas. In this area the biomass estimates for pelagic fish is poor, and near Cabo Frio occurs an upwelling zone. These facts permit the sardines to attain large lengths in this area. Between Rio de Janeiro and Florianópolis the growth rates were lower than in the northern part and Paranaguá Bay. On the other hand the biomass estimates for pelagic fish in Rio de Janeiro-Florianópolis region was very high, and in this zone the population density is high and the growth rates are small. Paranaguá Bay is a particular region because of its geographical and oceanographic conditons; this is a shelter region with different features and the sardines living there attain small length. In this area the growth rates are intermediary among growth rates for fishes from Macaé-Cabo Frio and Rio de Janeiro-Florianópolis regions. Therefore, the growth rates for sardines in southeast Brazilian proves to be dependent of the population density, food and oceanographic conditions.

This research was undertaken in Registro, SP, from January 1979 to December 1982, to verify the relationship between the capture (in kilo-grams) of Anchoviella lepidentostole (Fowler, 1911) and fluviometric and climatic parameters. The following results were obtained, utilizing the Pearson index of linear correlation: a) for capture and fluviometric values, r = -0.84; b) for capture and solar radiation, r = 0.63; c) for capture andpluviometric index, r = -0.83; d) for capture and mean air temperature, r = 0.30.

The Neotropical cichlid genus Gymnogeophagus Ribeiro, 1918 is revised. The following species are considered valid and are redescribed: G. rhabdotus (Hensel, 1870), G. gymnogenys (Hensel, 1870), G. labiatus (Hensel, 1870), G. balzanii (Perugia, 1891) and G. australis (Eigenmann, 1907). In addition, two new species are described: G. lacustris, sp. n., from the coastal region of southern Brazil and G. meridionalis, sp. n., from the lower Rio Paraná and Rio Uruguay systems. Lectotypes are designated for Geophagus bucephalus Hensel, 1870 (= G. labiatus) and Geophagus scymnophilus Hensel, 1870 (= G. labiatus) and the phylogenetic relationships among the species are analyzed. An osteological description based mainly on G. meridionalis is presented. A map of species distribution and a key to the species are provided.

Agelaius r. ruficapillus is gregarious, being found in large flocks in Rio Grande do Sul during most of the year; they nest in natural marshes or rice fields. This bird is accused by farmers of causing damage to rice at all stages of its growth and Belton, 1985, believes it may now be the most abundant bird in the state. Its reproductive biology in rice fields in southern Rio Grande do Sul was observed from 1981 to 1983, with more emphasis from november 1982 to march 1983. Capture and banding of 16 birds with aluminum and plastic colored bands were made; nine nests were marked with steel stakes. It was found that the male is responsible for the construction of the nest, which the female lines inside. The clutch varies from three to four eggs, three being more frequent. The female broods the eggs and leaves the nest to feed. The male stays near the nest, defending the territory. The young hatch after 13 days of brooding, and are fed arthropods by the parents. After fledging they receive grains of dehulled rice. Reproduction is synchronized with rice growth. It begins with flowering and ends at harvest time. Adult birds feed on rice during the entire growth period, taking the "milk" of green rice and eating ripe grains after dehulling them.

Sixpairs of Volatina jacarina have been studied under captivity condition. Territorial defense was displayed by male as well as by female, through agonistic displays joined to characteristic vocalization. Several vocalizations have been identified and described. Courtship behaviour have also been observed. Male and female contributed both to the building of the nest, which is of the cup type, but the male alone was responsible for the chosen place. The average number of eggs by clutch was 2.3 (n = 2.8). Incubation have been depending on the sole female and the average incubation period was 10.6 days (n = 10). Both male and female fed the young with small arthropods and seeds. Nestlings remained in the nest for nine days (n = 9). A gular sac was present in the adults while they fed their young. Independence of the young was adquired in about one month. An internuptial plumage appeared during the non-reproductive period.

This study is based on observations of behaviour of the bird species which visit and feed on 2 species of Cecropia catkins in three localities of the Atlantic forest, SP. A total of 31 species was observed visiting Cecropia; out of these, 17 were seen feeding on the catkins. Two species of the family Psittacidae were observed as seed predators. Seed germination tests of the seeds obtained from the birds' feces eating C. adenopus catkins proved that they function as dispersal agents.

In this paper some data are shown about cetaceans that occurred at the Rio de Janeiro coast from 1968 to 1984. The newspapers' archives were used, as well as personal observations. There are some new records and the greatest number of animais were seen during August.

The genus Holochilus Brandt, 1835 is represented in Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil, by two forms: H. brasiliensis vulpinus (Brants, 1827) e H. magnus Hershkovitz, 1955. They are myomorph rodents with semi-aquatic habits. Species of Holochilus range from Northern South America to Central Argentina. In this paper, I present an analysis of standard measurements of specimens collected in Southern Brazil and deposited in the collections of FZB, PUC and UFRGS and a distribution map with collecting localities.