RCAAP Repository

A new species of Centris Fabricius, 1804 is described as C. xanthomelaena (body size 15 mm, forewing length 10.33 mm, head width 5.25 mm, second abdominal tergum width 5.75 mm). The specimens were captured when visiting the yellow flowers of Chamaecrista amiciela (I. & B.) I. & B., Caesalpiniaceae and of Stimaphyllom auriculatum (Cav.) Adr. Juss, Malpighiaceae.

Prey foraging behavior in the Black Lion Tamarin, Leontopithecus chrysopygus (Mikan, 1823) was observed in the Caetetus Ecological Station, southeastern Brazil, during 550 hours of direct observations between December 1993 and February 1995. The scan sampling method was used to gather data. These tamarins use manipulative, specific-site foraging behavior. When searching for animal prey items, they examine a variety of microhabitats. The most important microhabitat used for prey foraging behavior was tree cavities (41% of the foraging observations), but palm trees (22%), bamboo (12%), vines (11%), bark (5%), seed pods of the "jequitiba" tree (4%), other places (3%) and epiphytes (2%) were also observed. Animal preys were frequently captured in understory (71.6%, n = 96) and in middle layers (21.6%, n = 29), but infrequently in the canopy (5.9%, n = 8) and in the ground (0.7%, n = 1). Prey foraging behavior showed a similar pattern to that observed for animal prey captured: 54.9% (n = 380) in understory, 35.5% (n = 246) in middle layers, 8.9% (n = 62) in the canopy and 0.6% (n = 4) in the ground. Thus, the understory and middle layers are the most important foraging areas. Also, apparently only L. chrysopygus, among the genus Leontopithecus, has adapted to areas with strong seasonality of climate and resources.

Calacarus heveae Feres, 1992 was the first eriophyid mite reported from Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg. This mite was first found in northwestern São Paulo State, Brazil. Feres (1998) described two additional species, Shevtchenkella petiolula and Phyllocoptruta seringueirae, from the same host and from same region. The commercial monocultural planting of the Amazonian rubber tree in the northwestern region of São Paulo State started about 18 years ago. In the Amazonian region, the native rubber tree grows dispersed between other plant species. Until now these eriophyids have been collected only on monocultural plantings. This paper reports the occurrence of C. heveae, S. petiolula and P. seringueirae on H. brasiliensis in the Amazonian Forest for the first time. The monocultural method in association with prevailing climatic conditions allows periodic outbreaks of these mites is believed. These new records for those three eriophyid species on rubber trees growing in natural conditions corroborate this hypothesis.

Specimens of Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894) were caugth using human bait with electric aspirator and a modified CDC trap.

The utilisation of multiple gears and the surveying of other areas than that of mangrove habitats have increased in 27 the number of fish species known in the Guaratuba Bay, an estuarine ecosystem located in the southern of Brazilian coastal region (25º52'S, 48º39'W). The new occurrence of a typically freshwater species (Pimelodidae) and of several Clupeiformes and Gobiidae species, reveals the importance of the salt marsh and the innermost zones of this Bay to the distribution of certain fish groups.

Two species of marine cladocerans, Penilia avirostris Dana, 1852 and Evadne tergestina Claus, 1877 were collected in thirteen samples at a fixed station in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro (30-meter depth) by means of vertical tows with a 200 µm mesh size net at different times from September 12th to 15th, 1995. The parthenogenetic females of Evadne tergestina bore mature embryos (with pigmented eye) only in the samples collected at night, whereas Penilia avirostris at any time of day. This phenomenon was interpreted based on the greater visibility of the Evadne tergestina brood: one of the benefits for embryo maturing during the darkness period would be a decrease of predation on gravid females.

The presence of Charybdis helleri (A. Milne Edwards, 1867), an Indo-Pacific species, in one of the estuaries of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil is reported here.

The type locality, depositary museums, geographical oceurrences, biological behaviour, flowers visited and taxonomical notes from the species of the neotropical Colletini are mentioned. The following nomenclatural changes are introduced: Monidia Cockerell, 1905; Rhynchocolletes Moure, 1943; Hemicotelles Toro & Cabezas, 1997; Xanthocotelles Toro & Cabezas, 1978 and Colletes griseus Smith, 1879 are revalidated; Colletes desanlisi nom. n. is proposed to Colletes similis Joergensen, 1912, non Schenck, 1853 nec Robertson, 1904; a new combination to Mourecotelles biciliatus (Cockerell, 1918) is given. Lectotypes of the following species are designated: Colletes araucariae Friese, 1910; C. argentinas Friese, 1908; C. atripilis Vachal, 1909; C. azureus Friese, 1912; C. chalybaeus Friese, 1910; C. ciliatus Friese, 1910; C. clarus Joergensen, 1912; C. cognata Spinola, 1851; C. costaricensis Friese, 1916; C. cyaniventris Spinola, 1851; C. dimidiala Spinola, 1851; C. enodis Vachal, 1909; C. eupogonites Moure, 1949; C. extensicornis Vachal, 1909; C.fulvipes Spinola, 1851; C. glycyrrhizae Joergensen, 1912; C. griseus Smith, 1879; C. joergenseni Friese, 1910; C. laticeps Friese, 1910; C. longipes Friese, 1910; C. lycii Joergensen, 1912; C. mininca Cockerell, 1914; C. molaguensis Cockerell, 1912; C. murinus Friese, 1900; C. musculus Friese, 1910; C. neuqueenensis Friese, 1910; C. perplexas Smith, 1879; C. peruvicus Cockerell, 1913; C. plantaris Vachal, 1909; C. senilis Smith, 1879; C. speculiventris Cockerell, 1917; C. pinnatus Vachal, 1909; C. rugicollis Friese, 1900; C. schrottkyi Joergensen, 1912; C. sicheli Vachal, 1909; C. spiloptera Cockerell, 1917; C. steinbachi Friese, 1910; C. sulcatus Vachal, 1909; C. tingoensis Cockerell, 1926; C. tomentasus Friese, 1910; C. vachali Joergensen, 1912; C. virgatus Vachal, 1904; C. weiskei Friese, 1912; Monia griseaWcstwood, 1875. Are recognized as new synonyms; Colletes argentinas Friese, 1908, syn. n. of C. rugicollis Friese, 1900; C. campai Herbst, 1920, syn. n. of C. rhodaspis Cockerell, 1909; C. viridans Vachal, 1909, syn. n. of C. cyunescens (Haliday, 1837).

The type localities, depositary museums, taxonomical comments and host plants of the species of Hylaeus Fabricius, 1793, the unique genus of the Hylaeinae in the Neotropical Region, are mentioned. Lectotypes of the following species are designated: Prosopis bothros Schrottky, 1910; Prosopisfissa Vachal, 1901; Prosopis itapuensis Schrottky, 1906; Prosopis opaca Schrottky, 1906; Prosopis opaciventris Friese, 1925; Prosopis paraguayensis Schrottky, 1906; Prosopis recisa Vachal, 1910; Prosopis scabra Vachal, 1909; Prosopis sculptilis Schrottky, 1910; Prosopis tricolor Schrottky, 1906 and Prosopis trivittata Friese, 1916. The following ones are recognized as new combinations; Hylaeus petroselini (Schrottky, 1906); Hylaeus polybioides (Schrottky, 1906), Hylaeus polybiaeformis (Schrottky, 1907) and Hylaeus psammophilus (Schrottky, 1906).

The present study seeks to elucidatc reproduetive aspects of Sphoeroides testudineus (Linnaeus, 1758), Tetraodontidae. Monthly collections were accomplished for one year (November/98-October/99), in the gamboa do Baguaçu, Bay of Paranaguá with a Fyke net. The macroscopic analysis of the gonad stages allowed us to estimate the sexual proportion as 1:1 during the whole period, except in the months of May and October, when the proportions of two females for one male and two males for one female were observed respectively. The analysis of the relative frequency of the monthly gonad stages and the Curve of Maturation aided in the determination of the reproduetive period, that oceurred from September to January. Microscopic analyses of the female gonads allowed us to characterize four develo-pment phases of the ovarian follicle, six stages of ovarian development and the type of spawn, which was parceled. The first maturation for females was estimated to be betwecn 10-11 cm of length.

The present study analyses the reproductive aspects of Sphoeroides greeleyi (Gilbert, 1900), such as morphology and histochemistry of carbohydrates in the oogenesis phases, maturity scale, time and type of spawn, sexual rate and first ripened mature size for females. From the monthly captured animais (Nov 1998 to Nov 1999) the morphometric data (entire length and total weight) were extracted and the sex and the gonadal maturity were determined. Some ovaries were prepared for microscopic analysis that charac-terized six phases for the development of the ovarian folheies. Through the carbohydrates analysis the acid carbohydrates could be related to the oogenesis maintenance and the neutral carbohydrates to the beginning of embryonic development. A maturity scale containing six stages of gonadal development was determined. The reproductive period is between August and January and the spawn time is from October to January. The first ripened mature size for females oceurs between 6,5cm and 7.5 cm of total length. The sexual rate shows that there are more females than males during the reproductive period.

Lizards may benefit from gain of heat from contact with the substrate via conduction. In this study, evidence that the lizards Mabuya agilis (Raddi, 1823) and Mabuya macrorhynclui Hoge, 1946 (Scincidae) inhabiting two restinga habitats in southeastern Brazil (Grussaf, Rio de Janeiro and Praia das Neves, Espfrito Santo), may shift microhabitat preferences along the day, and that such shifts may be related to the use of cacti surfaces as direct sources of heat is presented. For both species, body temperature (Tb) was always significantly correlated (p < 0,05) with air temperature (Ta). Tb was significantly correlated (p < 0,0.5) with substrate temperature (Ts) for M. agilis collected on cacti, but not for specimens collected on the ground. For M. macrorhyncha collected on cacti, both Ta and Ts were more important in conjunction than separately, in explaining lizard Tb. Use of cacti as perches by M. agilis was more frequent during late afternoon when environmental temperatures are declining, but such a trend was not evident for M. macrorhynclui. We suggest that the use of cacti as direct heat sources may be more evident in the ground-dwelling M. agilis than in the scansorial M. macrorhynclui.

The cynodontid fish Rhaphiodon vulpinus Agassiz, 1829, known as "peixe-cachorro", is the only species of the family oceurring in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso. The initial development of its larvae was characterized, based on material collected with a 500 µm mesh size plankton-net, in several biotopes of the Pantanal of Barão de Melgaço, State of Mato Grosso, Central Brazil. The analysis was carried out with 72 larvae with standard length (SL) between 4.7 and 13.8 mm. The morphometric measurements varied positively with standard length, and body proportions ranged 8.1-17.8% for head length (HL), 6.2-10.1% for body height, and 63.673.5%, 16.8-21.6%, and 61.8-78.2% SL, respectively for pre-dorsal, pre-pectoral and pre-anal distances. The eye diameter varied positively with HL and its proportion varied between 9.1 -22.5% HL. The body relations did not show great variation along the larval development. The morphologicai characterization of larvae from 4.7 to 5.8 mm SL, in the pre-flexion phase, showed lhe presence of anembryonic finfold covering the unraycd fins, exposed branchial arches, absence of exogenous digestive content, unpigmented eyes and round shaped head. Larvae with SL between 8.1 and 13.8 mm SL were in the flexion phase, presenting a pointed head, mouth filled with externai and internai rows of numerous teeth, presence of exogenous food, pigmented eyes, branchial filaments still exposed, evident swimming-bladder, and formation of the first caudal, dorsal and anal fins' rays. Only individuais in the pre-flexion and flexion phases were analyzed, and no completely developed fin was evidenced. A maximum number of 69 myomeres was counted and no evident pigmentation over the body observed. Comparing R. vulpinus larvae to those of other Characiformes, it was observed that this species and Apareiodon affinis Steindachner, 1879 present smaller body proportions, and variation range of body height, while R. vulpinus is characterized by a shorter eye diameter. The myomere number is a relevam feature for the idenlification of R. vulpinus larvae, since it is the Characiform that possesses the highest myomere number, among those species of this family studied so far.

The project "Survey of the Entomolo-gical Fauna in Paraná" (PROFAUPAR) was carried out in eight localities of Paraná, Brazil, during two years. In the first year a total of 1.607 specimens of Syrphidae were collected with Malaise trap. The species Toxomerus tibicen (Wiedemann, 1830), Microdon milis Curran, 1940 and Leucopodella gracilis (Williston, 1891) were the most abundant. The abundance and seasonality of each species are evaluated.

Apsil diminuta sp. n. is described from Chile. Male terminalia is illustrated.

Two new Mycale (Naviculiiia) Gray, 1867 are described, M. (N.) arcuiris sp. n. and M. (N.)purpurata sp. n., from the Paulista Biogeographic Province (Southwestern Atlantic). They both occur in the São Sebastião Channel area (São Paulo stale coast), the former extending its known distribution to "Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve" (Santa Catarina state coast). The new species are sibling and differ from each other by a series of very small traits, the most notorious being live-color: yellow, orange, green, white, grey and beige, always light, in M. (N.) arcuiris sp. n. and bordeaux in M. (N.) purpúrala sp. n. Both species are compared with other known M. (Naviculiiia). Mycale (Aegogropila) henlscheli Sim &amp; Lee, 2001 is transferred to subgenus Naviculiiia and given a new name, viz. M. (N.) chungue nom. n., as the specific name was preoccupied by M. (Curmia) henlscheli Bergquist &amp; Fromont, 1988. An identification key for all the species hitherto assigned to the subgenus is provided.

An extensive survey for freshwater sponges was carried at the temporarely exposed rocky bottoms of river Corumbá at Goiás State and river Manso at Mato Grosso State. The exposure resulted from the closing of the dams for lake formation at the respective Hidreletric Power Plants. Drulia uruguayensis Bonetto &amp; Ezcurra de Drago, 1968, Corvospongilla seckti Bonetto &amp; Ezcurra de Drago, 1966 and Trochospongilla repens (Hinde, 1888) were seen to be common to both rivers. Eunapiusfragilis (Leidy, 1851), Oncosclera navicella (Carter, 1881) and O. petricola (Bonetto &amp; Ezcurra de Drago, 1969) were yet found in river Manso and O. schubarti (Bonetto &amp; Ezcurra de Drago, 1967) in river Corumbá. O. schubarti is redescribed and SEM illustrated.

The mites of three rubber tree cultures (Cedral, Pindorama and Taquaritinga) in order to determine the abundance of populations, the richness, the diversity and the degree of similarity among the communities was studied. Twenty one species were found, five of which were common to the three cultures. The richness and the abundance were greatest at the beginning of the dry season. The composition of communities differed probably as consequence of the kind of neighboring vegetation to each area, and because of the acaricid pulverization on the culture of Taquaritinga, reductng the richness of mite species in that area. The influence of neighboring vegetation can be shown by the occurrence of Iphiseiodes zuluagui Denmark &amp; Muma, 1972, a common species to citrus trees, on neighboring rubber trees in Taquaritinga, and Tenuipalpus heveae Baker, 1945, a common species on rubber trees, on a coffee culture neighbor to the rubber trees of Pindorama. This data suggests that mites move among neighbor cultures, and can be an importam factor towards pest management and control. The diversity was small on the three cultures, as a result of the occurrence of one dominam species on each area, Calacarus heveae Feres, 1992 or T. heveae, which are considered pests of the rubber tree. The small diversity and the occurrence of dominant species are patterns expected in monocultures, systems with small environmental heterogeneity.

Ascocotyle (Phagicola) rara sp. n. is described from the intestine of Ixobiyclius exilis (Gmelin, 1789), a Brazilian bittern. The new species is compared with Ascocotyle (Phagicola) angeloi Travassos, 1928 and Ascocotyle (Phagicola) moUieiiisicola (Sogandares-Bernal &amp; Bridgman, 1960); the main distinguishing characters are related to the aspect of the gonotyl that is not perforated in A. (P.) rara sp. n. when compared to A. (P.) mollienisicola and the absence of the crown of spines at the anteriorend in the new species compared withA. (P.) angeloi. This is an important finding, since human infections by Phagicola spp. have been previously reported in Brazil.

The first case of a natural avian infection caused by the digenetic trematode Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa Ransom, 1920 in Brazil, is reported from the ardeid bird Ardea cocoi Linnaeus, 1766. This represents a new host record and data on clinical and pathological findings are also reported.