Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Scorpiodoras (Siluriformes: Doradidae) with Resurrection of Scorpiodoras calderonensis and Description of a New Species

Three species of Scorpiodoras are recognized: S. calderonensis, S. heckelii, and S. liophysus; the latter species is described herein. Scorpiodoras calderonensis occurs in the upper Amazon basin, including the Solimoes, Jurua, Japura, and Tefe rivers. Its type locality, originally stated as ""Calderon"", is elucidated as Tabatinga, Brazil. Scorpiodoras heckelii is the most widespread species, occurring in the Orinoco, Branco, Negro, and Amazonas rivers downstream of its confluence with Rio Negro. Scorpiodoras liophysus is only known from the middle Rio Madeira basin and presents a morphological feature unique within the genus: gas bladder without secondary bladder. An osteological description of the genus is provided, as well as redescriptions of S. calderonensis and S. heckelii. Additionally, a key allowing identification of the species is presented, as well as a biogeographic discussion.

Mating behaviour, nympho-imaginal development and description of a new Mesabolivar species (Araneae: Pholcidae) from the Brazilian dry forest

A new species of Mesabolivar is described from Brazilian forests: Mesabolivar delclaroi. The mating behaviour, postembryonic development, number of egg sacs and eggs, birth rate, number of instars, developmental time until adulthood, sex ratio and size of cephalothorax (per instar) were recorded. The sexual behaviour was described and categorized into four steps: courtship, pre-copulation, copulation and post-copulation. After hatching, individuals presented five instars until maturity. The mean number of eggs (42 +/- 16.6) and live births (31.5 +/- 3.4) of the first egg sac were significantly greater than that of a second one (23.8 +/- 3.8, and 19.25 +/- 3.9, respectively). The developmental time from birth to adulthood (130.8 +/- 9.6 days) did not differ significantly between egg sacs produced (128.61 +/- 11.1). The size of the cephalothorax did not differ among adults or between sexes. The sex ratio revealed a shift in favour of females (4: 3).

Redescriptions of two species and descriptions of three new species of the louse genus Bizarrifrons Eichler, 1938 (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae)

Redescriptions of Bizarrifrons magus (Nitzsch [in Giebel], 1866), the type species of Bizarrifrons, and B. picturatus Carriker & Diaz-Ungria, 1961 are given based on material from their type hosts. The nymphal instars of these two species are described and illustrated for the first time. Also, three new species are named and described: B. latifrons, from the russet-backed oropendola, Psarocolius angustifrons alfredi (Des Murs, 1856); B. wecksteini, from the Amazonian oropendola, Psarocolius b. bifasciatus (Spix, 1824); and B. quasisymmetricus, from the solitary cacique, Cacicus solitarius (Vieillot, 1816) (Passeriformes: Icteridae). Two species-groups are proposed, and a checklist and a key for the species of Bizarrifrons are also included. Sequences of a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the nuclear elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) genes for two species are given for the first time in this genus.

Reflections on the genus Amaga Ogren and Kawakatsu 1990, and description of a new genus of land planarian (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Geoplanidae)

Amaga amagensis, the type species of the genus Amaga, and Amaga bogotensis are re-described. Detailed analysis of the morphology of A. amagensis revealed important taxonomic features, such as testes located dorsally to the supraintestinal parenchymal muscular layer, and secretory accumulations opening through the lateral margins of the body. These characters, as well as other morphological features, are discussed, culminating in an emendation of the generic diagnosis of Amaga. Amaga bogotensis exhibits a characteristic set of morphological features, namely an eversible penis, a male atrium lined with large musculosecretory papillae, and independent muscular coats around both male and female atrium. Therefore, a new genus is proposed for this species.

Design and synthesis of a new coumarin-based 'turn-on' fluorescent probe selective for Cu+2

The novel coumarin-based 'turn-on' fluorescent probe (E)-3-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylideneamino)-7-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one (MGM) was designed, synthesized, and characterized. This compound shows high selectivity for Cu+2, combined with a large fluorescence enhancement upon binding to Cu2+. Benesi-Hildebrand and Job plots demonstrate that the stoichiometry of the Cu+2 complex formed is 2:1. Preliminary studies employing epifluorescence microscopy demonstrated that Cu+2 could be imaged in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells treated with MGM. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of unannotated exons of low abundance transcripts in Drosophila melanogaster and cloning of a new serine protease gene upregulated upon injury

Abstract Background The sequencing of the D.melanogaster genome revealed an unexpected small number of genes (~ 14,000) indicating that mechanisms acting on generation of transcript diversity must have played a major role in the evolution of complex metazoans. Among the most extensively used mechanisms that accounts for this diversity is alternative splicing. It is estimated that over 40% of Drosophila protein-coding genes contain one or more alternative exons. A recent transcription map of the Drosophila embryogenesis indicates that 30% of the transcribed regions are unannotated, and that 1/3 of this is estimated as missed or alternative exons of previously characterized protein-coding genes. Therefore, the identification of the variety of expressed transcripts depends on experimental data for its final validation and is continuously being performed using different approaches. We applied the Open Reading Frame Expressed Sequence Tags (ORESTES) methodology, which is capable of generating cDNA data from the central portion of rare transcripts, in order to investigate the presence of hitherto unnanotated regions of Drosophila transcriptome. Results Bioinformatic analysis of 1,303 Drosophila ORESTES clusters identified 68 sequences derived from unannotated regions in the current Drosophila genome version (4.3). Of these, a set of 38 was analysed by polyA+ northern blot hybridization, validating 17 (50%) new exons of low abundance transcripts. For one of these ESTs, we obtained the cDNA encompassing the complete coding sequence of a new serine protease, named SP212. The SP212 gene is part of a serine protease gene cluster located in the chromosome region 88A12-B1. This cluster includes the predicted genes CG9631, CG9649 and CG31326, which were previously identified as up-regulated after immune challenges in genomic-scale microarray analysis. In agreement with the proposal that this locus is co-regulated in response to microorganisms infection, we show here that SP212 is also up-regulated upon injury. Conclusion Using the ORESTES methodology we identified 17 novel exons from low abundance Drosophila transcripts, and through a PCR approach the complete CDS of one of these transcripts was defined. Our results show that the computational identification and manual inspection are not sufficient to annotate a genome in the absence of experimentally derived data.

Revisiting the Acanthamoeba species that form star-shaped cysts (genotypes T7, T8, T9, and T17): characterization of seven new Brazilian environmental isolates and phylogenetic inferences

Free-living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba are the agents of both opportunistic and non-opportunistic infections and are frequently isolated from the environment. Of the 17 genotypes (T1-T17) identified thus far, 4 (T7, T8, T9, and T17) accommodate the rarely investigated species of morphological group I, those that form large, star-shaped cysts. We report the isolation and characterization of 7 new Brazilian environmental Acanthamoeba isolates, all assigned to group I. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial (similar to 1200 bp) SSU rRNA gene sequences placed the new isolates in the robustly supported clade composed of the species of morphological group I. One of the Brazilian isolates is closely related to A. comandoni (genotype T9), while the other 6, together with 2 isolates recently assigned to genotype T17, form a homogeneous, well-supported group (2-0% sequence divergence) that likely represents a new Acanthamoeba species. Thermotolerance, osmotolerance, and cytophatic effects, features often associated with pathogenic potential, were also examined. The results indicated that all 7 Brazilian isolates grow at temperatures up to 40 degrees C, and resist under hvperosmotic conditions. Additionally, media conditioned by each of the new Acanthamoeba isolates induced the disruption of SIRC and HeLa cell monolayers.

Reassessment of the taxonomic status of Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius, 1787) with the description of three new species, Amblyomma tonelliae n. sp., Amblyomma interandinum n. sp. and Amblyomma patinoi n. sp., and reinstatement of Amblyomma mixtum Koch, 1844, and Amblyomma sculptum Berlese, 1888 (Ixodida: Ixodidae)

A reassessment of the taxonomic status of Amblyomma cajennense based on the morphological analyses of ticks from the whole distribution area of the species resulted in the redescription of A. cajennense, the validation of 2 species which had been reduced to synonymy in the past, Amblyomma mixtum and Amblyomma sculptum, and the description and definition of 3 new species, Amblyomma tonelliae n. sp., Amblyomma interandinum n. sp., and Amblyomma patinoi n. sp. This study provides descriptions and redescriptions, scanning electron microscopic and stereomicroscopic images, updated synonymies, information on geographical distributions, and host associations for each of the 6 species. Amblyomma cajennense s.s. is found in the Amazonian region of South America, A. interandinum is reported from the northern part of the Inter-Andean valley of Peru, A. mixtum is present from Texas (U.S.A.) to western Ecuador, A. patinoi occurs in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, A. tonelliae is associated with the dry areas of the Chaco region which spans from central-northern Argentina to Bolivia and Paraguay, whereas A. sculptum is distributed from the humid areas of northern Argentina, to the contiguous regions of Bolivia and Paraguay and the coastal and central-western states of Brazil.

Revision of the Neotropical robber fly genus Cnodalomyia Hull (Diptera, Asilidae, Asilinae) with description of two new species from Brazil

The genus Cnodalomyia includes only two Brazilian species: C. obtusa Hull, 1962 and C. catarinensis Lamas and Mellinger, 2008. Studying material deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo (MZUSP), the authors found a long series of unidentified specimens of the genus, some of which are specimens of C. obtusa labelled with the same data as the type series as well as other specimens from different localities, representing an enlargement of the known geographic records of the species. This material, together with the types of C. catarinensis, enables this revision. A redescription of the genus and of its type species, C. obtusa, including descriptions and illustrations of its spermathecae and egg, until now never described, the description and illustration of two new species (C. artigasi sp. nov. and C. papaveroi sp. nov.), the diagnosis and egg description of C. catarinensis and an identification key to all included species are presented herein.

A New Genus and Species of a Minute Suckermouth Armored Catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Rio Tocantins Drainage, Central Brazil: The Smallest Known Loricariid Catfish

Nannoplecostomus eleonorae, a new genus and species of a miniature suckermouth armored catfish, is described based on specimens collected from the karst region of Sao Domingos, upper Rio Tocantins basin, Goias State, central Brazil. The new genus and species can be diagnosed among loricariids by presenting a unique reductive pattern of lateral dermal plates, with most of the body covered by only three series of plates (viz., dorsal, mid-ventral, and ventral). Based on the available published phylogenetic studies for the family, we provisionally consider Nannoplecostomus eleonorae as being an incertae sedis taxon within Loricariidae. Achieving a maximum standard length of 22.2 mm SL, Nannoplecostomus eleonorae is the smallest known loricariid catfish, and a list of the remaining smallest loricariids is provided.