A morphometric study of the mud crab, Panopeus austrobesus Williams, 1983 (Decapoda, Brachyura) from a subtropical mangrove in South America

The relative growth of the xanthid crab, Panopeus austrobesus was investigated by means of the allometric method. Crabs were obtained in the mangrove formed by the estuary of the rivers Comprido and Escuro (23degrees29'24S 45degrees10'12W), Ubatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil. All crabs were measured to obtain their carapace width (CW) and length (CL), abdomen width (AW) at the basis of the 5(th) somite, and major cheliped propodus length (PL) and height (PH). Males were also measured for their gonopod length (GL). The size of crabs based on CW ranged from 4.0 to 44.8 mm for males and 3.1 to 34.5 mm for females. The relative growth equation (Y = aX(b)) based on the relationship between GL and CW suggested that males reach their sexual maturity near 14.6 mm CW. Such relationship shows a positive allometry during the juvenile phase and an isometric growth in adult life. In females, the estimated size at 50% maturity is 13.0 mm CW, based on the relationship AW vs. CW. Males reach larger sizes than females, which probably provides them better conditions to protect females during courtship. Concerning cheliped size, approximately 73% of the crabs analysed (N = 209), disregarding sex, have the right PL larger than the left. The PL growth shows that specimens with a left major cheliped (26%) have a higher allometric coefficient, despite being smaller considering their CW. Such a difference may compensate the smaller size of the crab during defense or prey capture.

Ultrastructural Alterations in the Midgut of Diplopods after Subchronic Exposure to Substrate Containing Sewage Mud

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

Ascomycetous yeasts from tropical intertidal dark mud of southeast Brazilian estuaries

Four different intertidal estuarine sediments had distinct yeast communities. One-hundred-ninety-three yeast isolates were classified in 47 species, with 34 of these in the genus Candida. Candida tropicalis was the only ascomycetous species isolated from all four sites. Other opportunistic pathogens including Candida glabrata, Candida guilliermondii, Candida parapsilosis and Candida krusei were present, especially at the more polluted sites. Pichia species were also frequent isolates with Pichia membranaefaciens, and its anamorph, Candida valida, and other phenotypically similar low assimilation profile species the most frequent. Kluyveromyces aestuarii was prevalent at the only site with well established mangrove vegetation, but not present at the other sites. The sediment yeast communities were distinct from each other, but more similar to each other than to the yeast communities of other ecosystems in the same geographic region.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for the mud-dauber wasp Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) albitarse (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Feasibility of RF Sputtering and PIIID for production of thin films from red mud

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

Allelopathic potential and survey of natural seed bank under the canopy of Copaifera Langsdorffii Desf

The aim of this study was to evaluate the allelopathic effect of soil samples collected under the canopies of three specimens of Copaifera langsdorffii the germination of Lactuca sativa and survey the natural seed bank according to seasonality. To test the allelopathic effect was carried experiments of pre and post-emergence with seeds of L. sativa and to quantify the stock of seeds, soil samples were collected from three specimens at three distances from the stem (1, 2 and 3 m) and at three depths (0-5, 5-10 and 10-15cm) in the region of savanna in the dry and wet seasons. The samples tested in bioassay of pre-emergence no significant influence on germinability, mean germination time and mean germination speed, but showed a difference in the synchronism of germination, these data were independent of sampling station. In test for post-emergence was observed statistical difference in the parameters evaluate (length of primary roots and hypocotyls) in both seasons. To quantify the natural seed bank were macroscopic analysis of each soil sample with the help of stereoscopic microscope. The analysis of the natural seed bank showed a larger number of seeds in the 0-5cm and in distance of 2m for both seasons. The results suggest the presence of allelochemical substances in soil samples collected under the canopy of Copaifera langsdorffii.

Removal of reactive dye from aqueous solution using thermally treated red mud

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

A new species of Pachycerianthus (cnidaria, Anthozoa, Ceriantharia) from Tropical Southwestern Atlantic

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)