Sex determination studies in two species of teleost fish, Oreochromis niloticus and Leporinus elongatus

Genetic analyses of sex determination have identified sex chromosomes in many teleost fish species. However, there are several cases for which sex ratios do not fit perfectly with the expectations of heterogametic systems, suggesting the influence of either minor sex determining genes or environmental influences on the process of sex differentiation. The frequent absence of sex chromosome markers makes the identification of minor sex-determining genes very difficult. It is easier to test first the hypothesis of environmental sex determination (ESD) by studying the temperature effect, since temperature-dependent sex determination has been demonstrated to occur in several vertebrate groups including 1 fish species. To contribute to a better understanding of fish sex determination, we have tested the effects of high temperatures on sex ratios of Oreochromis niloticus, and have attempted to isolate sex chromosome molecular markers in Leporinus elongatus. Treatments of O. niloticus fry at 36 degrees C applied for 10 days and more, and starting 1 week after fertilization markedly increased the proportion of males, and progeny-testing these males confirmed that some of them are sex-reversed genetic females. Two non-coding sequences of L. elongatus Z and W chromosomes were cloned by genomic subtraction. They cross-hybridized with the genome of a close species without providing sex-specific patterns. A collection of L. elongates individuals was subjected to gonadal and chromosomal sexing, and DNA hybridization with both sequences. These analyses revealed 3 individuals having atypical W chromosomes. Interestingly, 2 of these were males having a ZW karyotype. We assume that these atypical sex chromosome arise by exchanges between Z and W chromosomes, and that a transition between female and male heterogamety is underway in this species.

Oligosarcus perdido (Characiformes, Characidae), a new species of freshwater fish from Serra da Bodoquena, upper Rio Paraguai basin, Brazil

Oligosarcus perdido, a new species of freshwater fish from Serra da Bodoquena, upper Rio Paraguai basin, Brazil, is described. The new species is distinguished from congeners by the number of lateral-line scales, number of scales around the caudal peduncle, and osteological characters. The osteology of this new species is also documented by stereomicroscopic photography of cleared and stained specimens. Ecological notes based on direct observation by scuba diving in the field are also provided. Copyright © 2007 Magnolia Press.

Telenomus remus Nixon Egg Parasitization of Three Species of Spodoptera Under Different Temperatures

Telenomus remus Nixon is a promising biocontrol agent as an egg parasitoid of Spodoptera spp., but the lack of information on the host-parasitoid interactions in this system precludes its applied use in agriculture. Therefore, we studied the parasitism capacity of T. remus on eggs of Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker), Spodoptera eridania (Cramer), and Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) in a range of temperatures (19, 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34 ± 1°C) under controlled conditions (70 ± 10% RH and 12 h photophase). Egg masses of Spodoptera spp. were offered to a single-mated T. remus female on a daily basis. More than 80% lifetime parasitism on eggs of S. cosmioides, S. frugiperda, and S. eridania was reached from 1 to 5, 1 to 7, and 1 to 9 days, respectively, at temperatures from 19 to 34°C. More than 80% parasitization was obtained at extreme temperatures for all hosts studied. Lifetime parasitization of S. frugiperda, S. cosmioides, and S. eridania was affected by temperature, with the lowest values for S. frugiperda (34°C) and S. cosmioides (19 and 34°C). Parasitization of S. eridania eggs was reduced around 18% at 28 and 31°C, but dropped more severely at 34°C. Parasitoid longevity was reduced as temperature increased. Thus, our data indicated that T. remus might be suitable as a biocontrol agent against S. eridania, S. cosmioides, and S. frugiperda in geographical areas that fit the temperature range studied here, even though T. remus parasitism was reduced at 34°C. © 2013 Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.

Karyotypic conservatism in five species of Prochilodus (Characiformes, Prochilodontidae) disclosed by cytogenetic markers

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Chromosomal diversification of diploid number, heterochromatin and rDNAs in two species of Phanaeus beetles (Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The conservation of number and location of 18S sites indicates the relative stability of rDNA in species of Pentatomomorpha (Heteroptera)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Common Descent of B Chromosomes in Two Species of the Fish Genus Prochilodus (Characiformes, Prochilodontidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Apistogramma ortegai (Teleostei: Cichlidae), a new species of cichlid fish from the Ampyiacu River in the Peruvian Amazon basin

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

Single Origin of Sex Chromosomes and Multiple Origins of B Chromosomes in Fish Genus Characidium

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

Fish distribution in watersheds of the eastern part of the Serra da Mantiqueira (state of Sao Paulo)

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

Dietary copper absorption and excretion in three semi-terrestrial grapsoid crabs with different levels of terrestrial adaptation

Three species of phylogenetically related semi-terrestrial crabs (Superfamily Grapsoidea - Sesarma rectum, Goniopsis cruentata and Neohelice granulata (formerly: Chasmagnathus granulatus) with different degrees of terrestriality were studied to quantify the accumulation of copper (Cu) in hemolymph, gills, hepatopancreas and antennal gland, and its excretion through the faeces. These crabs were fed for 15 days practical diets containing 0 (A), 0.5 (B), 1.0 (C), and 1.5% (D) of added CuCl2 (corresponding to 0, 0.2, 0.5 and 0.7% of Cu2+, respectively). The amount of food ingested was directly proportional to the degree of terrestriality: S. rectum, the most terrestrial species, ate around 2-3 times more than the other crabs, whereas G. cruentata ate 1.5-2 times more than N. granulata, the least terrestrial. The amount of Cu excreted in the feces was proportional to Cu ingestion, and was 76.8% and 64.2% higher for Sesarma fed diet D compared to G. cruentata and N. granulata, respectively. Sesarma also displayed higher Cu concentration in the haemolymph, gills and antennal glands, but not in the hepatopancreas. A detoxifying mechanism followed by elimination was probably present at this last organ, preventing Cu accumulation. More terrestrial crabs, such as Sesarma, may accumulate more Cu in hemolymph and tissues, showing a correlation between metal accumulation and increased terrestriality. In this aspect, contaminated feed sources with Cu may have more impact in conservation of terrestrial crabs. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Different Periods of Clomazone plus Hexazinona Permanence in Soil and Sugarcane Mulch before the Occurrence of Rain on Weed Control Efficacy

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of the formulated mixture clomazone and hexazinone applied in soil or combined with sugarcane mulch, after different periods of permanence without the occurrence of rain. The experiment was carried out in vases under greenhouse conditions in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. The weeds Brachiaria decumbens, Ipomoea grandifolia, Ipomoea hederifolia and Euphorbia heterophylla were sown and covered or not with sugarcane mulch. The experiment was arranged in a complete randomized design with four repetitions. The treatments were displaced in a 3x6 factorial scheme, with the factors being six periods without rain (0, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days) and three modes of herbicide application(on the soil without sugarcane mulch, on and under sugarcane mulch). Control evaluations were carried out at 10, 21, 35 and 42 days after the occurrence of rain. The clomazone + hexazinone mixture promoted an excellent weed control for all the species studied when applied on, under, or without sugarcane mulch. However, the control levels tended to reduce for periods over 60 days without rain.

Determination of selenium by GFAAS in slurries of fish feces to estimate the bioavailability of this micronutrient in feed used in pisciculture

This paper presents a simple, fast and sensitive method to determine selenium in samples of feces and of fish feed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) through the direct introduction of slurries of the samples into the spectrometer's graphite tube. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ calculated for 20 readings of the blank of the standard slurries (0.50% m/v of feces or feed devoid of selenium) were 0.31 mu g 1(-1) and 1.03 mu g 1(-1), respectively, for the standard feces slurries and 0.35 mu g 1(-1) and 1.16 mu g 1(-1), respectively, for the standard feed slurries. The proposed method was applied in studies of bioavailability of selenium in different fish feeds and the results proved consistent with that obtained from samples mineralized by acid digestion using the microwave oven. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of chromium by GFAAS in slurries of fish feces to estimate the apparent digestibility of nutrients in feed used in pisciculture

This paper presents a simple, fast and sensitive method to determine chromic oxide (used as a biological marker of fish feed) in samples of fish feces by GFAAS through the direct introduction of slurries of the samples into the spectrometer's graphite tube. The standard samples of feces and of fish feed containing 0.10-1.00 mg kg(-1) of Cr2O3 were pre-frozen for I min in liquid nitrogen and then ground a cryogenic mill for 2 min, which reduced the samples' grain size to less than 60 mu m. The standard slurries were prepared by mixing 20 mg of standard samples of fish feed or feces with I mL of a solution containing 0.05% (v/v) of Triton X-100 and 0.50% (v/v) of suprapure HNO3 directly in the spectrometer's automatic sampling glass. The final concentrations of Cr2O3 present in the standard slurries were 2, 4, 8, 16 and 20 mu g L-1. After sonicating the mixture for 20s, 10 mu L of standard slurries were injected into the graphite tube, whose internal wall was lined with a metallic palladium film that acted as a permanent chemical modifier. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) calculated for 20 readings of the blank of the standard slurries (2%, m/v of feces or feed devoid of minerals) were 0.81 and 2.70 mu g L-1 of Cr2O3 for the standard feces slurries, 0.84 and 2.83 mu g L-1 of Cr2O3 for the standard feed slurries. The proposed method was applied in studies of nutrient digestibility of different fish feeds and its results proved compatible with the results obtained from samples pre-mineralized by acid digestion. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.