Leaf anatomy as a contribution to the taxonomy of Salacioideae N.Hall, ex Thorne & Reveal (Celastraceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Chave ilustrada para identificação dos camarões dendrobranchiata do litoral norte do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

O presente estudo teve como objetivo a elaboração de uma chave de identificação ilustrada para diferenciar as espécies de camarões marinhos Dendrobranchiata, com ocorrência no litoral do Estado de São Paulo até a profundidade de 40m. As 13 espécies apresentadas neste trabalho foram obtidas mediante coletas mensais durante os anos de 1995 a 2000 na região de Ubatuba, SP . Nesta chave estão incluídas as espécies de interesse econômico, como os peneídeos Xiphopenaeus kroyeri, Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis, F. paulensis, Litopenaeus schmitti, Artemesia longinaris e o solenocerídeo Pleoticus muelleri. Além destas espécies, também foram adicionados os camarões que não são alvos das frotas pesqueiras, entre eles, Rimapenaeus constrictus, Acetes americanus, Peisos petrunkevitchi e os sicionídeos Sicyonia dorsalis, S. typica, S. laevigata e S. parri. A chave proposta servirá como uma ferramenta no auxílio da identificação dos camarões Dendrobranchiata, quer seja por pesquisadores ligados à área científica, como também por pessoas relacionadas aos órgãos responsáveis pelo controle da pesca, principalmente, na época do defeso.

Biological Activity of Quinoline Alkaloids from Raulinoa echinata and X-ray Structure of Flindersiamine

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Attractiveness of copperleaf-based bait to leaf-cutting ants

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

O jardim de fungo atua como um molde para a construção das câmaras em formigas cortadeiras?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Níveis de energia metabolizável em rações para frangos de corte mantidos em ambiente de alta temperatura

Quatrocentas aves com peso médio de 675,00 g foram distribuídas em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com base no peso das aves, com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições. As dietas experimentais foram constituídas de cinco níveis de energia metabolizável (2.800, 2.900, 3.000, 3.100 e 3.200 kcal de EM/kg de ração) formuladas para atender às exigências nutricionais, exceto de energia metabolizável. O aumento do nível de energia das rações foi obtido pela adição de óleo de soja. Realizaram-se análises de variância e de regressão, associando-se os níveis de energia aos valores das variáveis estudadas. As aves foram avaliadas quanto ao desempenho (consumo de ração, ganho de peso e conversão alimentar) e às características de carcaça nos períodos de 22 a 35 dias, 36 a 42 dias, 43 aos 49 dias e de 22 a 49 dias de idade. O ganho de peso e a conversão alimentar de frangos de corte da linhagem Hubbard mantidos em ambiente de alta temperatura não são influenciados pelos níveis de energia metabolizável da ração. Os níveis de energia da dieta não afetam os rendimentos de carcaça, coxa, sobrecoxa, asa, tulipa, moela coração fígado, proventrículo e intestino. Entretanto, a gordura abdominal aumenta e o rendimento de peito decresce proporcionalmente à elevação da energia da dieta em ambiente de altas temperaturas.

Toxicity of lignans to symbiotic fungus of leaf-cutting ants

Lignans from Virola sebifera Aubl., Virola sp., and Otoba parvifolia (Mkfg.) A. Gentry (Myristicaceae) inhibited the in vitro growth of the fungus cultivated by leaf-cutting ants of the species Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). A comparison of activity among the lignans was obtained.

PATTERNS OF COLONIZATION AND INCIPIENT NEST SURVIVAL IN ACROMYRMEX-NIGER AND ACROMYRMEX-BALZANI (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

Patterns of colonization by queens and incipient nest survival of the leaf-cutting ants Acromyrmex niger and Acromyrmex balzani were studied by means of belt transects and individually marked incipient nests. No relation was found between colony density and the number of colonization attempts. Both species are not claustral, and high rates of queen mortality were attributed to conspecific executions and predation. of other discernable mortality factors, failure of fungal garden establishment was the most important. Only 34 of 296 A. balzani and 13 of 154 A. niger marked colonies were alive at the end of one year. These figures are higher than those reported for species of Atta. These results are contrasted with those of claustral-founding Atta species. Small colonies are occasionally raided by larger colonies which robbed brood.

MASSETERIC ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC SILENT PERIOD DURATION IN PATIENTS WITH TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT DYSFUNCTION

1. The present study compared the duration of the electromyographic silent period (SP) of the masseter muscles elicited by chin-tapping in normal asymptomatic adults (N = 39) and in a group with symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD) (N = 31).2. EMG activity was recorded from right (RM) and left (LM) masseter muscles using bipolar surface electrodes coupled to a DISA 1500 EMG-System. During maximal clenching, ten taps were applied downwards to the chin with a reflex hammer.3. The mean SP durations obtained for the normal group were 25.45 +/- 4.20 ms (RM) and 25.33 +/- 4.18 ms (LM), whereas the TMJD group presented significantly greater values (P < 0.01, Student t-test) of 41.89 +/- 12.94 ms (RM) and 42.40 +/- 12.99 ms (LM). The upper limits of normality calculated for RM and LM were 32.36 ms and 31.21 ms, respectively. Eighty-four percent of patients with TMJD showed SP durations above these limits.4. The results indicate that the measurement of masseteric SP duration may be used as an objective diagnostic method of TMJ disorders, provided that borderline values are interpreted with caution along with clinical impressions.

A SIMPLE METHOD FOR DETERMINING LOCATION OF FORAGING ANT NESTS USING LEAF-CUTTING ANTS AS A MODEL

In many situations, it is difficult to evaluate the location of nests of ants, especially in tropical systems, or to determine which trail system corresponds with which nest, as in the case of high-density populations of leaf-cutting ants, Atta spp. Fragments of colored drinking straws coated with an attractant, generally vegetable oil and/or a starchy carbohydrate, are carried by ants and following removal of the attractant are deposited in middens, allowing determination of the origin of foraging workers.

Winged leaf-cutting ants on nuptial flights used as transport by Attacobius spiders for dispersal

1. Sexuals of a leaf-cutting ant, Atta bisphaerica Forel, left their nest for nuptial flights in October to December.2. When leaving a nest, 53 of the 479 winged sexuals (or alates) observed (11.1%) carried up to three inquiline spiders of Attacobius luederwaldti.3. Spiders exclusively selected winged sexuals, not workers, and preferred females, indicating their expectation of the stronger flight ability of females. Neither these sexuals nor workers that appeared out of the nest on flight days attempted to remove or attack spiders on the body of alates.4. New qucens landing from their nuptial flight did not carry spiders, indicating that the spiders had left the ants in the sky to be dispersed by wind.5. No spiders were found in more than 100 incipient nests, which were estimated to be 2-3 months old. This suggests that the spiders jumped off the alate during mid-flight and dispersed on the wind to inhabit larger nests.

A pest is a pest is a pest? The dilemma of neotropical leaf-cutting ants: Keystone taxa of natural ecosystems

Leaf-cutting ants of the genera Acromyrmex and Atta are considered the principal polyphagous pests of the Neotropics. Although some members of these genera are of economic importance, have a broad geographic distribution, and are extremely good colonizers, others are endemic and closely interact with native ecosystems. Control is generally practiced against any colony, irrespective of its taxonomic status. Indiscriminate control coupled with habitat destruction threatens endemic species with extinction, and, through habitat simplification, favors other pest species. As nests of Atta are large, having several square meters of nest surface, the endemic taxa can be easily used as environmental indicators for natural ecosystems. Likewise, the pest species can be used to detect environmental disturbance. As these ants are keystone species and easily identified by nonspecialists, efforts should be made to integrate these into viable conservation programs.

Microbiological changes in the nests of leaf-cutting ants fed on sesame leaves

The number of bacteria and yeasts occurring in the organic matter inside the nests were determined both in colonies of leaf-cutting ants reared on Eucaliptus alba (control) or Sesamum indicum (experimental). Sesame leaves induce imbalance and nests usually die. In control nests the number of bacteria in newer sponge and in older sponge were similar (3.6 x 105 and 1.4 x 105 CFU/g, respectively) whereas in waste deposit the mean reached 7.3 x 107 CFU/g. The most Probable Number (MPN/g) of yeasts were 2.7 x 104, 1.3 x 105/g and 2.2 x 104 for newer sponge, older sponge and waste deposit, respectively. Using material from older sponge for comparison, the number of bacteria and yeasts reared on sesame leaves showed significant differences. The number of bacteria was 3.3 x 107 CFU/g, a value close to that found in waste deposit of normal (control) nests, whereas the number of yeasts was 6.7 x 105/g. These changes in microbial populations due to the effect of sesame leaf uptake could be a significant factor in nest imbalance and mortality when leaf-cutting ants are consuming toxic plants.

Ultrastructure of the gland responsible for the synthesis of an aggregation pheromone in Rhynchophorus palmarum (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The ultrastructure of the glands responsible for synthesizing the aggregation pheromone rhynchophorol in the beetle Rhynchophorus palmarum (L.) was studied. Glands from live beetles were removed and examined under a light microscope using semithin sections (∼1μm) and under a transmission electron microscope (TEM) using ultrathin sections (60 nm). The glands show an alveolar structure without a reservoir and the cells making up the gland are arranged in a typical acinus pattern. The existence of two types of cells with different electron densities, secretion canaliculi, numerous mitochondria and smooth endoplasmic reticulum in abundance were observed. These latter organelles are characteristic of cells which synthetize non-proteinaceous substances and are thus, likely candidates for the producion of rhynchophorol.

Toxicity of synthetic piperonyl compounds to leaf-cutting ants and their symbiotic fungus

The development of Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, the fungus cultured by the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens was inhibited in vitro by synthetic compounds containing the piperonyl group. In addition, worker ants that were fed daily on an artificial diet to which these compounds were added had a higher mortality rate than the controls. The inhibition of the fungal growth increased with the size of the carbon side chain ranging from C1 through C8 and decreasing thereafter. 1-(3,4-Methylenedioxybenzyloxy)octane (compound 5) was the most active compound and inhibited the fungal development by 80% at a concentration of 15 μg m1-1. With worker ants the toxic effects started with compound 5 and increased with the number of carbons in the side chain. Thus, for the same concentration (100 μg m1-1) the mortality rates observed after 8 days of diet ingestion were 82%, 66% and 42%, for 1-(3,4-methylenedioxybenzyloxy)decane, 1-(3,4-methylenedioxybenzyloxy)dodecane and compound 5, respectively, whereas with commercial piperonyl butoxide the mortality was 68%. The latter compound, which is known as a synergist insecticide, was as inhibitory to the symbiotic fungus as the synthetic compound 5. The possibility of controlling these insects in the future using compounds that can target simultaneously both organisms is discussed. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry.