Vertebrados consumidos por Brycon opalinus (Pisces, Characidae) em rios do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, SP

A análise da alimentação da pirapitinga do sul (Brycon opalinus), peixe ameaçado de extinção de rios da Mata Atlântica da Serra do Mar na região Sudeste, revelou a ocorrência de itens alimentares incomuns. As espécies deste gênero são onívoras oportunistas e alimentam-se de itens vegetais e animais, tais como: flores, folhas, frutos e sementes e grande variedade de insetos. em três rios do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar - Núcleo Santa Virgínia foram encontrados exemplares de B. opalinus que consumiram três itens animais incomuns, os anfíbios Hypsiboas aff. pardalis (Anura, Hylidae) e Eleutherodactylus guentheri (Anura, Leptodactylidae) e o mamífero Oligoryzomys cf. nigripes (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae). O registro do consumo destas espécies de vertebrados foi relacionado com o período de chuvas, quando o material animal ou vegetal carreado até o rio pode ser consumido por B. opalinus, mesmo que não sejam itens habituais para a espécie. A mata ripária preservada, como foi verificado nos três rios do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar - Núcleo Santa Virgínia (SP), é de suma importância para o fornecimento de itens alimentares animais e vegetais e pela manutenção das condições bióticas e abióticas para a sobrevivência de B. opalinus.

Biology of a catfish, Trichomycterus sp (Pisces, Siluriformes), in a pristine stream in the Morro do Diabo State Park, southeastern Brazil

The distribution, activity, diet, and reproduction of an undescribed catfish species of the genus Trichomycterus (Trichomycteridae) were studied in the Morro do Diabo State Park, an important conservation area in the Rio Paranapanema basin, State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Trichomycterus sp. is a rheophilic species occurring solely in the riffle areas of the streams and hunts mostly immature aquatic insects during the day by picking them from the substrate. The population has a balanced sex ratio, but females were uncommon in the smallest and largest size classes suggesting that females demonstrate a more accelerated growth pattern. Presence of mature individuals throughout the year represents an opportunistic reproductive tactic for fishes living in fast flowing waters, where the clutches could be shifted by the current, but the high incidence of mature individuals in the wet season may be related to optimal environmental conditions for juveniles during that period. Because of the restriction of Trichomycterus sp. to riffle environments, the conservation of this species depends on the maintenance of the original characteristics of these headwaters. That demands protecting the riparian vegetation and consequently the stream from excessive siltation resulting from runoff and erosion.

Migration of the curimbatá Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1836) (Pisces, Prochilodontidae) at the waterfall Cachoeira de Emas of the Mogi-Guaçu river - São Paulo, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Chemical modulation on heterogeneous growth in Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1847) (Pisces; Characiformes)

No presente trabalho, testou-se o efeito de fatores químicos liberados por coespecíficos sobre o crescimento e sua variabilidade no grupo (crescimento heterogêneo, CHet), numa espécie gregária, o curimbatá, Prochilodus lineatus. O CHet foi avaliado pelo coeficiente de variação do peso dos animais, em dois períodos consecutivos de 21 dias. Os peixes foram agrupados em aquários (4 peixes cada) que receberam água corrente, com vazão constante, de tanques contendo (C) ou não (N) coespecíficos. Quatro condições foram delineadas de acordo com a água que abastecia os aquários: a) água com contato prévio com coespecíficos durante todo o experimento (CC); b) água sem contato prévio com coespecíficos durante todo o experimento (NN); c) água com contato prévio com coespecíficos apenas no primeiro período, 0 a 21 dias (CN); e d) apenas no período de 21 a 42 dias (NC). Ao término dos experimentos, verificou-se que ocorre modulação química sobre a variabilidade de crescimento em P. lineatus: os peixes que receberam água com contato prévio com coespecífico (C) apresentaram exacerbação do CHet. Fato que corrobora a idéia de que o mecanismo predominante da determinação da variação intra-específica do crescimento, em espécies gregárias, está associado à ação de fatores químicos liberados por coespecíficos.

Cytogenetic analyses of two Curimatidae species (Pisces; Characiformes) from the Paranapanema and Tietê Rivers

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

Habitat use by two species of Hypostomus (Pisces, Loricariidae) in southeastern brazilian streams

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

Comparative cytogenetic and morphological analysis of Astyanax scabripinnis paranae (Pisces, Characidae, Tetragonopterinae)

Foram realizados estudos citogenéticos e morfológicos em nove populações locais de Astyanax scabripinnis paranae. Todas as populações apresentaram 2n = 50 cromossomos e conspícuas diferenças envolvendo a morfologia dos cromossomos, número e posição das NORs e quantidade e localização dos blocos de heterocromatina constitutiva. O estudo quantitativo dos dados citogenéticos, usando a análise das variáveis canônicas (CVA), mostraram que oito populações apresentaram diferentes constituições cariotípicas. Análises morfológicas baseadas em nove caracteres morfométricos e dois merísticos foram eficazes no estabelecimento de uma clara identificação de cinco populações. Análises comparativas dos dados citogenéticos e morfológicos sugerem que as modificações cromossômicas e morfológicas ocorreram em diferentes taxas, sendo as cromossômicas mais rápidas do que as morfológicas. A despeito da similaridade morfológica encontrada entre algumas populações, diferenças cromossômicas foram detectadas entre todas as populações estudadas.

R- and G-band patterns in Astyanax scabripinnis paranae (Pisces, Characiformes, Characidae)

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

NUCLEOLAR CHROMOSOME VARIANTS IN STERNOPYGUS-MACRURUS (PISCES, STERNOPYGIDAE) FROM 3 BRAZILIAN RIVER BASINS

The karyotypes, location of nucleolus organizer regions (NOR) and constitutive heterochromatin pattern of Sternopygus macrurus (Pisces, Gymnotoidei) of natural populations from the Amazon River, Sao Francisco River and Tiete River (the last belonging to the Upper Parana River system) are reported. All specimens had 2n = 46 chromosomes and presented small differences in karyotypic formulae, but populations of each river basin had a different fixed NOR phenotype. The loss of the satellite and a gradual deletion of the heterochromatin block adjacent to the NOR may be the origin of the variants. The possible mechanism of fixation of the NOR phenotypes, and the implications of the occurrence of intraspecific differences in fixed NOR phenotype in this species are discussed.

Reinterpretation of a conulariid-like fossil from the Vendian of Russia

Vendoconularia triradiata Ivantsov and Fedonkin, recently described from Vendian (latest Proterozoic) strata of Russia, has been interpreted as a six-sided conulariid cnidarian. However, comparison of published illustrations of V. triradiata with Palaeozoic conulariids suggests that certain key features of the anatomy of V. triradiata should be reinterpreted. Specifically, features previously homologized with the corners of conulariid thecae may actually be homologous to the conulariid midlines. Under this new interpretation, the corners of the Vendoconularia theca were sulcate, and the midline of each face was non-sulcate and flanked by a pair of low internal carinae. This alternative set of hypotheses of homology makes the argument for a conulariid affinity for Vendoconularia stronger.

NATURAL TRIPLOIDY IN ASTYANAX-SCABRIPINNIS (PISCES, CHARACIDAE) AND SIMULTANEOUS OCCURRENCE OF MACRO B-CHROMOSOMES

The occurrence of natural triploidy in two specimens of Astyanax scabripinnis collected in the Araqua river and in the Corrego das Pedras stream, respectively, is noticed. The triploid specimen from the Araqua river presented one macro B-chromosome and the triploid specimen from Corrego das Pedras stream presented two macro B-chromosomes. The C-banding performed in the specimen from the Araqua river confirmed the triploidy and showed that the macro B-chromosome was entirely heterochromatic. Ag-NOR characterization showed two chromosomes involved in the nucleolar activity in both specimens. Some aspects related to the origin of triploid fishes are described.

CHROMOSOME-STUDIES IN HYPOPTOPOMATINAE (PISCES, SILURIFORMES, LORICARIIDAE) .2. ZZ ZW SEX-CHROMOSOME SYSTEM, B-CHROMOSOMES, AND CONSTITUTIVE HETEROCHROMATIN DIFFERENTIATION IN MICROLEPIDOGASTER-LEUCOFRENATUS

Cytogenetic analysis of two local populations of microlepidogaster leucofrenatus showed a basic diploid chromosome number (2N) of 54 in both populations. Some fishes were found to have a 2N = 55 or 56 chromosomes due to the presence of one or two large heterochromatic B chromosomes. Specimens of M. leucofrenatus from the Poco Grande stream had 24 metacentrics, 24 submetacentrics, four subtelocentrics, and one submetacentric homomorphic pair in males and one submetacentric/subtelocentric heteromorphic pair in females, whereas individuals of this species from the Marumbi River had 22 metacentrics, 24 submetacentrics, four subtelocentrics, two acrocentrics, and one submetacentric/subtelocentric heteromorphic pair in females. The occurrence of the heteromorphic pair in the females was due to the presence of an extra C-banded segment on the W chromosome. Ag-NORs in both populations were located interstitially on the short arm of the largest metacentric pair. The Poco Grande population had less constitutive heterochromatin than did the Marumbi River population. The speciation process in this fish species is discussed on the basis of heterochromatin distribution.

OCCURRENCE OF MACRO-B CHROMOSOMES IN ASTYANAX-SCABRIPINNIS PARANAE (PISCES, CHARACIFORMES, CHARACIDAE)

B chromosomes occur in several Neotropical fish species. Cytogenetic analysis of 27 specimens (15 females and 12 males) of Astyanax scabripinnis paranae from the Araqua river (a small headwater tributary of the Tiete river) shows that this population has 2n = 50 chromosomes (4M + 30 SM + 4ST + 12A), two chromosome pairs with NORs and conspicuous C-band positive blocks in the terminal position of the long arm of four chromosome pairs. In this population, eight females presented 2n = 51 chromosomes and the extra chromosome was a large metacentric similar in size and morphology to the first chromosome pair in the karotype. This accessory chromosome is entirely heterochromatic in C-banded metaphases and shows a late replication pattern evidenced by BrdU incorporation. There was no significant correlation between the presence of B chromosomes and increased NOR activity at the P >0.05 level. Some aspects related to these B chromosomes are discussed.