RCAAP Repository

The Hepatus pudibundus (Herbst, 1785) juvenile development was studied in laboratory, under the morphological and systematical stand points. The eight early juvenile stages were obtained from larvae hatched from eggs of two ovigerous females, collected at the northern coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The experiments were carried out in a climatically controlled room at 25 ± 1°C, and steady saltness of 34‰. The youngs were maintened individually and food consisted of Artemia sp. nauplii and fragments of fish muscle.The first juvenile stage were particulary drawn and described. For the remaining juvenile stages the most representative frameworks were picked out, which allowed the characterization of the first eight stages. According to juvenile morphology studies, it was noted that secondary sexual characters differentation begins from the third stage.

Cymothoa catarinensis sp. nov. collected at Camboriú, Santa Catarina State, Brazil is described. The new species is of small size, has a cephalon that is little immersed in pereonite 1, anterolateral angles of pereonite 1 that reach or surpass the eyes and a pleon that is deeply immersed in pereonite 7. The pleopods of the new species have small, lobular accessory gills projecting from the bases. Cymothoa excisa Perty, 1830, and Cymothoa oestrum (Linnaeus, 1758) are redescribed. Both are of large size (25-35 mm in length). C. excisa has pointed anterolateral margins of pereonite 1 that reach or surpass the eyes. This species also has trilaminate pleopods in the female and bilaminate pleopods in the male. C. oestrum has rounded anterolateral margins of pereonite 1 and no visible eyes. This is the first time the latter species has been reported from Brazil. These three species are compared to four others that have been reported from Brazilian waters, namely: C. liannae Sartor & Pires, 1988; C. brasiliensis, C. gerris and C. ianuarii, all described by Schiödte & Meinert, 1884. A key is provided to aid in the separation of the Brazilian species of Cymothoa.

A new species, attributed to the group of Hyla microcephala Cope, 1886, is described. The new species is close to H. bipunctata Spix, 1824, and it is found in Quebrangulo, State of Alagoas, in Northeastern Brazil. The eggs and larvae are also described and some ecological information is added. The new species is compared with other species of the same group, and with species of closely related groups that occur in syntopy. With H. bipunctata, it shares the general form of the body, the yellow ventral coloration and the orange color of the thighs, but it is distinguished by the dorsal Paris-green coloration (beige in H. bipunctata), absence of a dorsal pattern, light red thighs, and ornamentation of the upper lip with two or three yellow stains instead of the characteristic aureolate of H. bipunctata. With H. elegans Wied-Neuwied, 1824, it also shares the general form of the body and the ventral and the thighs coloration, but it is distinguished by the smaller size, absence of a dorsal pattern and light red thighs. From H. oliveirai Bokermann, 1963, the new species is distinguished by the dorsal coloration, the ornamentation of the upper lip and larger size. From H. branneri Cochran, 1948, it differs by the presence of the stains in the upper lip (just one in H. branneri), absence of the dorsal pattern and green dorsal coloration, which is more intense. The tadpole of the new species is provided.

The flight activities of five colonies of Melipona (Michmelia) scutellaris Latreille, 1811 kept among mixed fruit crop plantations in within fragments of Atlantic Rainforest in Pernambuco, NE-Brazil was examined. The daily deployment of foragers to collect pollen, nectar, resin and mud was observed. The colonies performed between 2,640 and 14,250 flights per day. Variations in the number of total daily flights were similar between colonies on all observation days. Proportional allocation of foragers to the different resources also among colonies showed similar variation. More than 90% of the pollen collection flights were made early in the morning. Nectar was collected in similar proportional frequencies with a reduction in activity at noon. On a single day, was observed atypical intense pollen foraging during the afternoon by all colonies. This indicates a high plasticity in foraging behaviour and efficient recruitment to resources which are presented by mass flowering trees with synchronised big bang or multiple bang flowering. Resource availability of the surrounding vegetation, therefore, seems to be the major factor in defining the forager activities on a given day.

The giant conifer aphids Cinara pinivora (Wilson, 1919) and Cinara atlantica (Wilson, 1919) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are pests on Pinus spp. (Pinaceae) in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil. Larvae of Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae) were observed feeding voraciously on these aphid colonies. In order to evaluate their potential as biological control agents, some biological parameters and their consumption capacity were studied in laboratory. Ten larvae were isolated in plastic vials and fed with aphids of small size (nymphs of 1st and 2nd instars) and 10 with aphids of medium size (nymphs of 3rd and 4th instars), maintained at 15ºC, 20ºC and 25ºC, under 12:12 h photoperiod and 70 ± 10% RH, and observed daily. The egg incubation period was nine days at 20ºC and four days at 25ºC. The mean larval development period for C. externa was 59.5 days; 22.3 days and 10.9 days, respectively at 15ºC, 20ºC and 25ºC. The pupal stage last 23.2 at 20ºC and 11.1 days at 25ºC. Unfortunately, data of egg and pupal development at 15ºC are not available because the rearing chamber overheated. The mortality rate from egg to adult was 46.2% 46.6% and 20.2% at 15ºC, 20ºC and 25ºC, respectively. The average aphid consumption of each C. externa larva to complete its development was 499.1; 341.7 and 215.1 small aphids, and 126.4; 105.6 and 67.0 medium aphids, at 15ºC, 20ºC and 25ºC, respectively. About 80% of the total food consumption was by the 3rd instar larvae. Although the development was faster and viability higher at 25ºC than at the other two temperatures, the consumption was the highest at 15ºC because the larval period was much longer. Therefore, the larvae of C. externa can be regarded as potential biological control agents of Cinara spp. throughout the year and even in cool areas of Southern Brazil during some periods o the year.

Anchovies are members of the Engraulidae family, characterized to present coastal pelagic habits, concentrating in large schoolings distributed among the continental shelf and semi-closed environment, like bays, where they are target of heavy fisheries. The present study aims to describe spatial and temporal distribution of Cetengraulis edentulous (Cuvier, 1828) in the Sepetiba bay (22º54'-23º04'S, 43º34'-44º10'W) and to assess influences of environmental variables on fish occurrence. A monthly sampling programme was carried out between October 1998 and September 1999, to take both, fish and environmental information on temperature, salinity and depth. Three bay zones were established based on spatial gradient of salinity and depth. Adults C. edentulus were more abundant in the inner bay zone; seasonally, larger size groups (total length > 16 cm) occurred in spring/summer. Significant negative correlations were found between fish abundance and salinity and depth. The close relationship of this species to innermost areas in bays, and the absence of juveniles in sandy beaches, suggest that young-of-the-year use mangrove areas as recruitment sites.

In Sula leucogaster (Boddaert, 1783) it happens a brood reduction from two to one egg. The eggs hatch asynchronously and it is rare for the second chick to survive for long. A quantify parental investment is proposed and the differences between males and females of Sula leucogaster is verified for to help to understand the brood reduction. The studies were conducted on Ilhas dos Currais, Paraná, Brazil, where a total of 140 nests were studied. Males and females shared the breeding care period. However, females invested about 8% more on incubation than males (c² = 7,37; c² critic = 3,842). Time of absence in the nest for females was larger than for males (c² = 13,9; c² critic = 3,842). This is probably a function of females bringing food to chicks more frequently (61%, n = 120) than males (c² = 5,63; c² critic = 3,842). The main parental investment during the phases with eggs and/or hatchings was protection, and during the postfledging period was to provide feeding. The brood reduction in S. leucogaster is due to the high cost of rearing two chicks during the same breeding attempt. This could be a disadvantage to the future survival and/or the reproduction of both parents and chicks.

The ichthyofauna of a tidal creek in Rasa da Cotinga Island, Paranaguá Bay, Paraná was studied through monthly collections in the quadrature high and low tides, with seine net of 30 m x 1.5 m and 10 mm mesh and "fyke" net of 30 m x 1.5 m with 10 mm mesh in the wings and 8 mm mesh in the bag. Together with the nekton sampling, temperature, salinity and water transparency values were also obtained as well as current speed. A total of 9068 fish belonging to 54 species and 23 families were collected. The ichthyofauna was dominated by Harengula clupeola (Cuvier, 1829), Atherinella brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825), Sphoeroides greeley (Gilbert, 1900) and Sphoeroides testudineus (Linnaeus, 1758), that contributed to 66.1% of the capture in number and 79.7% in weight. Statistical differences between the collection months and months groups were observed for the number of species, number and weight of fish, species richness and species diversity (weight). The observed temporal biological structure seems to be better explained by the rainfall, rainfall and salinity and combined action of the rainfall, salinity and water transparency.

Nesting activity of Centris aenea Lepeletier, 1841 was studied in two Brazilian habitats, Caatinga (Monte Santo, Bahia) and Cerrado (Palmeiras, Bahia and Luiz Antônio, São Paulo). Nests were excavated in the ground and did not tend to be aggregated together at the two sites, but at Palmeiras, nests were in a large aggregation. Nest architecture consists of a single unbranched tunnel, sloping to vertical, which leads to a linear series of four cells, placed from 8 to 26 cm in depth. Cells are urn-shaped with a rounded base, and their cell caps have a central hollow process, as in other Centridini. Nest architecture of C. aenea was compared to other species of Centris Fabricius, 1804. Provisions are composed of a pollen mass covered by a thin liquid layer on which the egg is placed. Females were observed gathering oil on Mcvaughia bahiana W.R. Anderson flowers from October to March in the Caatinga, and on Byrsonima intermedia A.Juss. as well as other Malpighiaceae species from August to December in the Cerrado. Pollen is gathered by buzzing flowers of Solanaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Malpighiaceae, and Ochnaceae. Several nectar sources were recorded. There is indirect evidence that Mesoplia sp. parasitizes nests of C. aenea in the Cerrado.

Herein, the advertisement and territorial calls recorded from topotypes of Scinax arduous Peixoto, 2002 and S. perpusillus (A. Lutz & B. Lutz, 1939) are described. These two species belong to the Scinax perpusillus species group and show acoustic parameters of territorial calls similar to the catharinae species group, suggesting that they are phylogenetically related. The acoustic parameters of advertisement calls of S. arduous and S. perpusillus suggest a monophyletic origin for the Scinax perpusillus species group.

From material collected in the northeast of Rio Grande do Sul State, one new species of Novamundoniscus Schultz, 1995 is described.

Rivulus pictus has a wide distribution in Distrito Federal and lives in different environments, including small lakes. The analysis of gastric and intestinal contents showed that most of the 21 ingested food items were from autochthonous origin and characterized the diet of an omnivorous fish with a trend to planktivory. Five feeding items were important in the composition of the alimentary spectrum and revealed that food resources are explored near water surface (Acari), in the water column (Copepoda, Cladocera and Closterium sp.) and also in the bottom (Chironomidae). The varied diet and the capacity to explore all levels of the environment evidenced that feeding flexibility is one of the factors that facilitates the survival of this species in different environments.

Studies involving the reproduction of seabirds in the Santa Catarina coast are scarce. From 1996 to 2002 a sampling program was implanted with the objectives of identifying the ranches, the species and to study some aspects of their reproductive cycle. Five species: Sula leucogaster Boddaert, 1783; Fregata magnificens Matheus, 1914; Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, 1823; Sterna hirundinacea Lesson, 1831; S. eurygnatha Sauders, 1876, breed in the islands of Santa Catarina, with the largest intensity in the period of May to December. The size of the colonies varied in function of the species and of the reproduction area.

A recreational fishery that use ghost-shrimp as bait was evaluated along 11 km of a sandy beach of Paraná State. The beach was divided in five sectors and samples were obtained along a transect extended on the middle of each sector, after and before months of major extractive activity. The highest densities were found in beaches with well select very fine sands and gentle slope. The density decreased only at the sector that presented greater extractive activity. In this sector, the smallest mean modal size was detected too. The total standing stock of the whole area was 2,486,250 individuals before summer's months, with a mean density of de 4.48 ind.m-2. Annual fishing effort represented nearly 10 % of total standing stock.

The feeding of E. crossotus was analyzed during the period from January to December 1995 using the frequency of occurrence, frequency of points and feeding index methods. The species presents a broad trophic specter and diversified, composed by 32 itens. The trophic analyses indicated the species show that the categories Crustacea, Polychaeta and Osteichthyes were the most exploited resources.

The first redescription of T. radiata Selenka, 1879 based on study of a live population and material other than the type is presented. A neotype is proposed for the species, from a locality some 400 km to the southwest as it has not been found in its original type locality, Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro State).

A new species of Zischkaita Bechyné, 1956, Z. serrana sp. nov. are described from São Francisco de Paula and Cambará do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Two new combinations are proposed: Zischkaita bucki (Bechyné & Bechyné, 1962), comb. nov., removed from Isotes and Cochabamba volxemi (Baly, 1889), comb. nov., transferred from Paranapiacaba.

The Lake Extremoz is one of the three big lakes in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. The present work was carried out in this lake during the period of October 2000 to September 2001, which included the dry and the rainy seasons. Parauchenipterus galeatus Linnaeus, 1766 represent 10% of the commercially important species captured from this lake. Fish samples were collected on a monthly basis, besides registering the rainfall, temperature, and dissolved oxygen of the lake. The populational structure of cangati and the stage of maturation of the gonads were determined, besides the gonadosomatic relation. The results indicate that the study population presented higher mean values of total length and weight during the dry season. Mature fishes were caught during the months of May, June and July which represented the reproductive season.

Amicitia Emden, 1940 is an Afrotropical genus of Coenosiinae (Diptera, Muscidae), with four known species described by Emden (1940): A. insignis, A. lucens, A. modesta and A. seclusa. All examined holotypes are deposited at "The Natural History Museum" (London, UK). Notes on the species and illustrations, especially of the terminalia are presented.

On the Brazilian coast, those species nest sympatrically, from the islands of Espírito Santo State to Santa Catarina State. From 1999 to 2002 a sampling program was implanted with the objectives of studying the breeding of S. hirundinacea and S. eurygnatha along Santa Catarina coast. The size of colonies in number of couples, reproduction strategy, length, width, weight and the volume of the eggs, as well as bill length and weight of the nestlings were determined. S. hirundinacea youth weight/length relationship was estimated and the reproductive success of the terns colonies was also determined.