Aggressive behaviour traits predict physiological stress responses in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

This study tested whether aggressive behaviour can predict individual variation in stress responses of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. We used a mirror test to measure tendency to aggressive behaviour, and calculated the attack frequency and time until the first attack (latency) for each fish. One day later, we measured plasma cortisol and glucose, and two days later, we measured ventilatory frequency (VF) (pre-confinement responses). Immediately after the VF measure, we subjected the same fish to 30 min confinement, followed by measurements of cortisol, glucose, and VF (post-confinement responses). We found that post-confinement stress cortisol, glucose, and VF were higher than pre-confinement responses. Attack frequency was negatively correlated with VF and latency was positively correlated with baseline glucose and VF. Thus, we conclude that attack frequency and latency to a mirror reflection could be used to predict baseline levels of physiological stress indicators in Nile tilapia.

Fish ladders select fish traits on migration - still a growing problem for natural fish populations

We investigated the potential selective effect of fish ladders on physiological and morphological profiles of the curimbata, Prochilodus lineatus, during reproductive migration in Brazil. We registered sex, body weight and length, plasma glucose, hepatosomatic and gonadosomatic indices (HSI and GSI, respectively), hematocrit, leucocrit, blood cell and nucleus areas, and the diameter of white and red muscle fibers in fish sampled at the bottom (downstream) and at the top (upstream) of a fish ladder at a hydroelectric dam. Males and females at the top of the ladder showed higher size (weight and length), white muscle fiber diameters, plasma glucose levels and lower hematocrit when compared with those at the bottom. These size and muscle traits assist fish to overcome the ladder barrier and bypass the dam, an effort that might be reflected in the glucose levels. Females also showed higher GSI at the top of the fish ladder, a trait possibly facilitating their reproduction upstream. These results indicate that a dam system favors fish with specific morphological-physiological profile. This may have a strong influence upon upstream fish populations over generations and implies the presence of artificial selective pressure.

Female preferences based on male nutritional chemical traits

Selection favors females that attend to reliable information about male genetic quality and fitness. Male nutritional condition can be a significant sign of mate quality since poor nutrition can be related to reduced sperm quality, low sperm quantity, sexually transmitted diseases, and parasites. We tested whether female Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, preferred the chemical cues of males that were well fed with high-protein diet over those fed with low-protein diet. Females do not only discriminate between males but also show a preference for well-fed males, discriminating between the odors with respect to nutritional state, suggesting that they were responding to a food-specific chemical cue. It is therefore likely that nutritional condition is related to the production of pheromones in males. Our results suggest that information about male nutritional state can be conveyed in chemical cues and that females attend to these cues during mate choice.

Root, shoot and leaf traits of the congeneric Styrax species may explain their distribution patterns in the cerrado sensu lato areas in Brazil

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

Diversity of functional traits of fleshy fruits in a species-rich Atlantic rain forest

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

Integrating species life-history traits and patterns of deforestation in amphibian conservation planning

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

Geographic variation in cranial shape in the Pumpkin Toadlet (Brachycephalus ephippium): A geometric analysis

The description of patterns of variation in any character system within well-defined species is fundamental for understanding lineage diversification and the identification of geographic units that represent opportunities for sustained evolutionary divergence. In this paper, we analyze intraspecific variation in cranial shape in the Pumpkin Toadlet, Brachycephalus ephippium-a miniaturized species composed of isolated populations on the slopes of the mountain ranges of southeastern Brazil. Shape variables were derived using geometric-statistical methods that describe shape change as localized deformations in a spatial framework defined by anatomical landmarks in the cranium of B. ephippium. By statistically weighting differences between landmarks that are not close together (changes at larger geometric scale), cranial variation among geographic samples of B. ephippium appears continuous with no obvious gaps. This pattern of variation is caused by a confounding effect between within-sample allometry and among-sample shape differences. In contrast, by statistically weighting differences between landmarks that are at close spacing (changes at smaller geometric scale), differences in shape within- and among-sample variation are not confounded, and a marked geographic differentiation among population samples of B. ephippium emerges. The observed pattern of geographic differentiation in cranial shape apparently cannot be explained as isolation-by-distance. This study provides the first evidence that the detection of morphological variation or lack thereof, that is, morphological conservatism, may be conditional on the scale of measurement of variation in shape within the methodological formalism of geometric morphometrics.

Hung Out to Dry: Choice of Priority Ecoregions for Conserving Threatened Neotropical Anurans Depends on Life-History Traits

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Using visual cues of microhabitat traits to find home: the case study of a bromeliad-living jumping spider (Salticidae)

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

Cytogenetics studies in thirteen Brazilian species of Phaneropterinae (Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea: Tettigoniidae): main evolutive trends based on their karyological traits

As treze espécies de Phaneropterinae estudadas neste trabalho podem ser organizadas em quatro diferentes grupos tomando como referência suas características cariotípicas. Todas possuem sistema cromossômico de determinação sexual do tipo X0(masculino), XX(feminino). O cromossomo X é sempre heteropicnótico durante a prófase I, tem dimensões e morfologias variáveis nas diferentes espécies mas é sempre o maior elemento do cariótipo, além de apresentar segregação precoce durante a anáfase I. O número cromossômico fundamental (NF) varia de 21 a 32. Neste trabalho, são discutidos os significados evolutivos das variações cariotípicas encontradas e suas correlações filogenéticas com outros grupos de espécies pertencentes à mesma subfamília.

Assessment of divine proportion in the cranial structure of individuals with Angle Class II malocclusion on lateral cephalograms

INTRODUCTION: The study of the Divine Proportion (Φ = 1.618) began with the Greeks, having as main researchers the mathematician Pythagoras and the sculptor Phidias. In Dentistry, Ricketts (1981-82) was an early to study this issue. OBJECTIVE: This study proposed to evaluate how some cephalometric measures are presented in relation to the Divine Proportion, with the total of 52 proportions, formed by 28 cephalometric landmarks. METHODS: Lateral cephalograms of 40 Class II adults patients aging from 17 to 45 years (13 male and 27 female) were evaluated. The linear distances between the landmarks were measured using Radiocef Studio software. RESULTS: After statistical analysis, the data shown an average of 65,48% in the Divine Proportion, 17,5% in the relation Ans-Op/V1S-DM16 and 97,5% in the relations Na-Me/Na-PoNa e Na-PoNa/Na-Gn. CONCLUSION: Among all cephalometric measurements investigated, the lower facial third and the dental arches showed the smallest percentages of Divine Proportion.

Biochemical traits useful for the determination of genetic variation in a natural population of Myracrodruon urundeuva

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

Effect of electrical stimulation of the cranial tibial muscle after end-to-side neurorrhaphy of the peroneal nerve in rats

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

RADIOGRAFIA E MACROSCOPIA do JOELHO APÓS ESTABILIZAÇÃO EXTRA-ARTICULAR UTILIZANDO FÁSCIA LATA, FIO DE POLIÉSTER TRANÇADO OU FIO DE POLIAMIDA PARA CORREÇÃO da RUPTURA do LIGAMENTO CRUZADO CRANIAL em CÃES

A ruptura do ligamento cruzado cranial é uma das principais doenças ortopédicas que afetam os cães. Muitas técnicas cirúrgicas foram descritas no intuito de aliviar a dor, restaurar a estabilidade biomecânica do joelho e prevenir a progressão da osteoartrite. Fáscia lata, fio de poliéster trançado e fio de poliamida foram empregados na estabilização do joelho após excisão do ligamento cruzado cranial em cães, os quais foram submetidos à avaliação radiográfica e macroscópica da articulação. Neste estudo, foram utilizados 18 cães com massa corporal superior a 15Kg (peso médio - 19,67kg), separados em 3 grupos eqüitativos correspondentes a cada técnica, avaliados durante 30 e 60 dias. Ao exame radiográfico, independentemente de grupo, os cães apresentaram evidência de efusão articular moderada a severa, distensão da cápsula articular e, na maioria dos casos, ausência de sinais de doença articular degenerativa. Ao exame macroscópico da articulação do joelho observou-se espessamento da cápsula articular e tecidos moles periarticulares, erosão da cartilagem articular dos côndilos femorais em todos os grupos e afrouxamento dos fios nos cães submetidos às técnicas de estabilização extra-articular com fio de poliéster trançado e fio de poliamida.

O centro instantâneo de movimento e vetor velocidade em joelhos submetidos a incisuroplastia troclear e estabilização articular após transecção do ligamento cruzado cranial em cães

Avaliou-se o centro instantâneo de movimento e vetor velocidade após a transecção do ligamento cruzado cranial (LCCr), seguida da substituição ligamentar por retalho de fáscia lata, associada ou não a incisuroplastia troclear (ITR) em nove cães adultos. O joelho direito (GI) foi submetido a ITR e posterior estabilização articular, e o joelho esquerdo submetido somente a substituição ligamentar (GC). Os animais foram avaliados nos períodos pré-operatório, pós-operatório imediato e aos 30, 90 e 180 de pós-operatório, correspondente ao momento de eutanásia de subgrupos de três animais. O centro instantâneo de movimento (CIM) e o vetor velocidade (Vv) resultante foram determinados por meio do deslocamento de pontos a partir da análise radiográfica dos joelhos. Todas as articulações apresentavam CIM e Vv normais antes da transecção do ligamento cruzado cranial. Após a estabilização articular, acompanhada ou não de ITR, observou-se o posicionamento normal do CIM e Vv resultante, em todos os períodos de avaliação, apesar da presença de movimento de gaveta em três animais de GC e dois de GI no pós-operatório imediato, em dois animais de cada grupo, aos 30 dias de avaliação, e em um animal em cada grupo nas avaliações subseqüentes. Conclui-se que a estabilização articular com retalho de fáscia lata, associada ou não a ITR, mantém a integridade biomecânica do joelho, quando considerados o CIM e o Vv.