Primeiro registro de Anopheles (Kerteszia) homunculus Komp (Diptera, Culicidae) no Estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil

Em pesquisa de campo realizada no interior do Estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil, em janeiro de 2006, como parte de projeto sobre a transmissão de Plasmodium, foram coletadas larvas de anofelinos em bromélias. Os imaturos foram mantidos no laboratório até a obtenção dos adultos machos e fêmeas associados com as exúvias das larvas e das pupas, para serem identificados. Conseqüentemente, verificou-se que dois espécimes pertenciam a Anopheles (Kerteszia) homunculus Komp, 1937. Este é o primeiro registro dessa espécie de Kerteszia no Espírito Santo. O encontro evidencia a importância de estudos adicionais de modo a estabelecer a distribuição geográfica do An. homunculus, bem como o status taxonômico e a importância epidemiológica da espécie na dinâmica da transmissão da malária em áreas de Mata Atlântica.

Presença de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) em piscinões na zona leste de São Paulo

INTRODUÇÃO: Alterações no ambiente vêm contribuindo com mudanças climáticas, como o aumento do volume de chuvas, que acarreta as inundações. Medidas estão sendo tomadas no enfrentamento das inundações, como a implantação dos reservatórios de contenção de cheias (piscinões). Neste trabalho, foi avaliada a fauna de culicídeos, de importância epidemiológica, nos piscinões Caguaçu e Inhumas. MÉTODOS: Foram realizadas coletas mensais nos piscinões Caguaçu e Inhumas, situados na região leste de São Paulo, de março de 2006 a fevereiro de 2007, empregando-se os métodos de concha entomológica e aspirador. Para análise dos dados, foram realizadas análises estatísticas descritivas e a regressão linear simples. RESULTADOS: Foram coletados 8.917 culicídeos, destacando-se Culex (Culex) quinquefasciatus, que representou 98,9% dos espécimes no Inhumas e 95,2% no Caguaçu. No Caguaçu, a maior frequência de imaturos foi observada no vertedouro (61%) e no Inhumas na canaleta (42,6%). A precipitação prediz 87% da abundância numérica de larvas de terceiro e de quarto estágio no Caguaçu e 60% do número de pupas coletadas. No Inhumas, a precipitação explicou 36% da abundância numérica de larvas e 18% do número de pupas. CONCLUSÕES: Culex quinquefasciatus, vetor de agentes da filariose, arboviroses e fator de incômodo à população, foi a espécie mais frequente nos dois ambientes. Medidas de controle da espécie nos piscinões estudados se fazem necessárias tendo em vista seu potencial epidemiológico.

Primeiro registro de Anopheles (Kertezia) homunculus Komp (Diptera, Culicidae) no Estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil

Em pesquisa de campo realizada no interior do Estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil, em janeiro de 2006, como parte de projeto sobre a transmissão de Plasmodium, foram coletadas larvas de anofelinos em bromélias. Os imaturos foram mantidos no laboratório até a obtenção dos adultos machos e fêmeas associados com as exúvias das larvas e das pupas, para serem identificados. Conseqüentemente, verificou-se que dois espécimes pertenciam a Anopheles (Kerteszia) homunculus Komp, 1937. Este é o primeiro registro dessa espécie de Kerteszia no Espírito Santo. O encontro evidencia a importância de estudos adicionais de modo a estabelecer a distribuição geográfica do An. homunculus, bem como o status taxonômico e a importância epidemiológica da espécie na dinâmica da transmissão da malária em áreas de Mata Atlântica

Morphology and anatomy of leaf miners in two species of Commelinaceae (Commelina diffusa Burm. f. and Floscopa glabrata (Kunth) Hassk)

In specialized literature, reports on anatomy of miners in host plants are few in number. These agents trigger excavations, or paths, by consumption of plant inner tissues by larvae of several insects. The aim of this work was to investigate leaf miner occurrence in Commelina diffusa (a cosmopolitan plant) and Floscopa glabrata (an amphibious plant) using anatomical techniques. The place where the plants were collected is subjected to seasonal floods, consequently both the species were exposed to the same weather conditions and seasonal floods. This study showed that members of Agromyzidae and Chironomidae families, which are Diptera endophytophagous larvae types, were responsible for the tunnels. Moreover, in Commelina diffusa Agromyzidae larvae were found, while in Floscopa glabrata three Chironomidae cephalic exuviae were found. The miners, as can be seen from anatomical studies, used only mesophyll parenchyma tissues for feeding, causing the formation of linear mines. In addition, in both the species, the epidermis and the medium-sized vascular units were kept intact, showing no structural modification, such as neoformation of tissues.

Alcohol dehydrogenase activities and ethanol tolerance in Anastrepha (Diptera, Tephritidae) fruit-fly species and their hybrids

The ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase) system is one of the earliest known models of molecular evolution, and is still the most studied in Drosophila. Herein, we studied this model in the genus Anastrepha (Diptera, Tephritidae). Due to the remarkable advantages it presents, it is possible to cross species with different Adh genotypes and with different phenotype traits related to ethanol tolerance. The two species studied here each have a different number of Adh gene copies, whereby crosses generate polymorphisms in gene number and in composition of the genetic background. We measured certain traits related to ethanol metabolism and tolerance. ADH specific enzyme activity presented gene by environment interactions, and the larval protein content showed an additive pattern of inheritance, whilst ADH enzyme activity per larva presented a complex behavior that may be explained by epistatic effects. Regression models suggest that there are heritable factors acting on ethanol tolerance, which may be related to enzymatic activity of the ADHs and to larval mass, although a pronounced environmental effect on ethanol tolerance was also observed. By using these data, we speculated on the mechanisms of ethanol tolerance and its inheritance as well as of associated traits.

Variations in the sensitivity of different primers for detecting Wolbachia in Anastrepha (diptera: tephritidae)

Wolbachia are endosymbiont bacteria of the family Rickettsiacea that are widespread in invertebrates and occur between 20% and 60% of Neotropical insects. These bacteria are responsible for reproductive phenomena such as cytoplasmic incompatibility, male killing, feminization and parthenogenesis. Supergroups A and B of Wolbachia are common in insects and can be identified using primers for 16S rDNA, ftsZ and wsp; these primers vary in their ability to detect Wolbachia. The ftsZ primer was the first primer used to detect Wolbachia in Anastrepha fruit flies. The primers for 16S rDNA, ftsZ and wsp and the corresponding PCR conditions have been optimized to study the distribution of Wolbachia and their effect on the biology of Anastrepha in Brazil. In this work, we examined the ability of these primers to detect Wolbachia in Anastrepha populations from three regions in the State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. All of the samples were positive for Wolbachia supergroup A when screened with primers for 16S A rDNA and wsp A; the wsp B primer also gave a positive result, indicating cross-reactivity. The ftsZ primer showed a poor ability to detect Wolbachia in Anastrepha and generated false negatives in 44.9% of the samples. These findings indicate that reliable PCR detection of Wolbachia requires the use of primers for 16S rDNA and wsp to avoid cross-reactions and false negatives, and that the ftsZ primer needs to be redesigned to improve its selectivity.

On the first tachinid fly (Diptera, Tachinidae) carrying Asclepiadoideae pollinaria in the Neotropical Region

On the first tachinid fly (Diptera, Tachinidae) carrying Asclepiadoideae pollinaria in the Neotropical Region. This paper reports the first Neotropical Tachinidae species possibly associated to pollination of Asclepiadoideae: a female of Euacaulona sumichrasti Townsend, 1908 (Diptera, Tachinidae, Phasiinae, Trichopodini) carrying pollinaria of Gonolobus parviflorus Decne., 1844 (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae, Asclepiadeae: Gonolobinae) attached to its proboscis. The fly specimen was collected in Paraguay, Departamento Canindeyú. The pollinarium is illustrated and described herein. This represents the first anthophilous record to G. parviflorus and to the genus.

Dimorfismo sexual alar em Aedes scapularis (Diptera: Culicidae)

A detecção do sexo de mosquitos da família Culicidae é importante em estudos faunísticos e epidemiológicos, pois somente as fêmeas possuem competência vetora para patógenos. O dimorfismo sexual de genitália e de apêndices cefálicos é, em geral, facilmente visível em culicídeos. As asas também podem ser dimórficas e assim poderiam complementar o procedimento de sexagem. No entanto, tal distinção não é facilmente notável à observação direta. Visando descrever formalmente o dimorfismo sexual alar em Aedes scapularis, um culicídeo vetorialmente competente para arbovírus e filárias, asas de machos e fêmeas foram comparadas usando-se métodos de morfometria geométrica e análise estatística multivariada. Nestas análises, populações dos municípios São Paulo e Pariquera-Açu (Estado de São Paulo) foram amostradas. A forma das asas mostrou evidente dimorfismo sexual, o que permitiu um índice de acurácia de 100% em testes-cegos de reclassificação, independentemente da origem geográfica. Já o tamanho alar foi sexualmente dimórfico apenas na população de São Paulo. Aparentemente, a forma alar é evolutivamente mais estável que o tamanho, interpretação que está de acordo com a teoria de Dujardin (2008b), de que a forma alar de insetos seria composta por caracteres genéticos quantitativos e pouco influenciada por fatores não-genéticos, enquanto que o tamanho alar seria predominantemente determinado por plasticidade decorrente de influências ambientais.

Wing diagnostic characters for Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex nigripalpus (Diptera, Culicidae)

Wing diagnostic characters for Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex nigripalpus (Diptera, Culicidae). Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex nigripalpus are mosquitoes of public health interest, which can occur sympatrically in urban and semi-urban localities. Morphological identification of these species may be difficult when specimens are not perfectly preserved. In order to suggest an alternative taxonomical diagnosis, wings of these species were comparatively characterized using geometric morphometrics. Both species could be distinguished by wing shape with accuracy rates ranging from 85-100%. Present results indicate that one can identify these species relying only on wing characters when traditional taxonomical characters are not visible.

A catalogue of types of Conopoidea, Diopsoidea, Nerioidea and Tephritoidea (Diptera, Schizophora) in the collection of the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo

A catalogue is provided with the type material of four superfamilies of "Acalyptrate" (Conopoidea, Diopsoidea, Nerioidea and Tephritoidea) held in the collection of the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP), São Paulo, Brazil. Concerning the taxa dealt with herein, the Diptera collection of MZUSP held 77 holotypes, 4 "allotypes" and 194 paratypes. In this paper, information about data labels, preservation and missing structures of the type specimens is given.

Description of the larva and pupal case of Ommatius orenoquensis Bigot (Diptera, Asilidae, Ommatiinae)

Description of the larva and pupal case of Ommatius orenoquensis Bigot (Diptera, Asilidae, Ommatiinae). The last instar larva and the pupal case of Ommatius orenoquensis Bigot, 1896 from a Cerrado (Brazilian Savanna) area in São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, are for the first time described and illustrated.

Description of the pupal case of Systropus (Systropus) nitidus Wiedemann, 1830 (Diptera, Bombyliidae, Toxophorinae, Systropodini)

The pupal case of Systropus (Systropus) nitidus Wiedemann reared from an unidentified tipical Limacodidae (Lepidoptera) cocoon is described and illustrated for the first time. Only species of Limacodidae are recorded as host of the immature stages of S. (Systropus). The geographical distribution of S. (Systropus) nitidus is restricted to Brazil, from Pará to Santa Catarina states. This is the first pupal case description and illustration of a Neotropical species of the subgenus Systropus.

Redescription of two neotropical species of Toxophora Meigen (Diptera, Bombyliidae, Toxophorinae)

Two neotropical species of Toxophora Meigen, 1848 are redescribed (T. aurea Macquart, 1848 and T. leucon Séguy, 1930) and the male terminalia, female spermathecae, and the eggs are described and illustrated. Both species can be easily segregated from the other congeners by the following features: T. leucon: body covered with dark brown scales, longitudinal stripe formed by yellow scales on center of mesonotum, scutellum and abdomen, and abdomen slender; T. aurea: antenna with short dark brown scales, body covered with yellow scales and spots of dark brown scales with greenish reflex, wings without inter-radial vein, femora with yellow scales and without setae on males, and abdomen stout.

Revision of the genus Physoclypeus Hendel, 1907 (Diptera, Lauxaniidae), with description of seven new species

The genus Physoclypeus Hendel, 1907 has its distribution restricted to the Neotropical region. In this study, its species have been redescribed, three new combinations have been proposed, three lectotypes have been designated, seven new species have been described, and an identification key to the species is presented. An updated list of species of Physoclypeus is presented as: P. annulatus Hendel, 1925; P. coquilletti (Hendel, 1908); P. farinosus (Hendel, 1925); P. flavus (Wiedemann, 1830); P. hendeli sp. nov. (Type locality, Jamaica, N. Irish Town); P. lineatus (Williston, 1896) new comb.; P. montanus (Becker, 1919) new comb.; P. plaumanni sp. nov. (Type locality, Brazil, Santa Catarina); P. risaraldensis sp. nov. (Type locality, Colombia, Risaralda); P. saltensis sp. nov. (Type locality, Argentina, Salta); P. scutellatus (Curran, 1926) new comb.; P. unimaculatus sp. nov. (Type locality, Mexico, Vera Cruz); P. vitattus sp. nov. (Type locality, Brazil, Santa Catarina) and P. zebrinus sp. nov. (Type locality, Costa Rica, Limón).

Culicidae (Diptera, Culicomorpha) from the western Brazilian Amazon: Juami-Japurá Ecological Station

With 312 trap-hours of sampling effort, 1554 specimens of Culicidae (Diptera) were collected, using CDC and Malaise traps, in nine different locations along the Juami River, within the Juami-Japurá Ecological Station, Amazonas State, Brazil. A list of mosquito species with 54 taxa is presented, which includes three new distributional records for the state of Amazonas. The species found belong to the genera Anopheles, Aedeomyia, Aedes, Psorophora, Culex, Coquillettidia, Sabethes, Wyeomyia and Uranotaenia.