Redescription of Oropezella abdominalis Collin from Chile with description of the male and a key to the Neotropical genera of Ocydromiinae (Diptera, Hybotidae)

Oropezella abdominalis Collin, 1933 (Diptera, Hybotidae) is redescribed and the male is described for the first time. An identification key to the Neotropical genera of Ocydromiinae is also provided.

Key to the Australasian and Oceanian genera of Muscidae (Diptera)

A key to 51 Australasian and Oceanian genera of Muscidae is given. The Catalogue of Australasian and Oceanian Diptera and its on line version last reviewed in May 2007 were used as taxonomic guides. Some more recently synonyms and taxonomic changes were updated. For each genus, a brief diagnosis, number of valid species in these regions and comments, when pertinent, are also included. Some morphological diagnostic characteres are illustrated in order to help the use of the key.

Pollen storages in nests of bees of the genera Partamona, Scaura and Trigona (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Bees and angiosperms established a mutualistic relationship along the evolutionary time. The aim of this study is to contribute for the understanding of this relation analyzing pollen stored by stingless bees colonies distributed along the Rio Negro. Fourteen species of Meliponini from the genera Partamona, Scaura, and Trigona were studied with regard to the content of pollen pots. The pollen material was removed from the pollen pots, homogenized, and prepared according to the usual acetolysis technique. The overlap of the trophic niche and the grouping of species by similarity of niches was calculated. The identification revealed 78 pollen types belonging to 36 families, being 37 types attractive and 16 considered as promoters of a temporary specialization event. With the results, it was possible to indicate a list of important plants for meliponiculture in the Amazon.

Taxonomic key for the genera of Elmidae (Coleoptera, Byrrhoidea) occurring in Goiás State, Brazil, including new records and distributional notes

A taxonomic key for the genera of Elmidae (Coleoptera, Byrrhoidea) occurring in Goiás State, Brazil, including new records and distributional notes. Despite their great diversity and high abundance in Neotropical aquatic environments, the fauna of Elmidae remains practically unknown in some areas and even entire biomes in this region. In this work we bring, for the first time, faunistic data for the Elmidae of central Brazil. The aim of this work was to inventory the Elmidae fauna in central, southwestern and southeastern Goiás State, Brazil and to produce a taxonomic key, at genus level, for adults from the studied region. The taxonomic key presented herein offers means for the identification of all the 13 genera known to occur in Goiás, 11 of them being new records for the State. Moreover, the number of named species registered for Goiás increased from one to nine.

Review of the genera Stenopyrgota Malloch and Tropidothrinax Enderlein (Diptera, Pyrgotidae)

Review of the genera Stenopyrgota Malloch and Tropidothrinax Enderlein (Diptera, Pyrgotidae). The Neotropical genera Stenopyrgota Malloch, 1929 and Tropidothrinax Enderlein, 1942 are reviewed. The genus Stenopyrgota is composed by the species S. mexicana Malloch, 1929 and S. crassitibia Aczél, 1956. The monotypic genus Tropidothrinax is composed by the species T. boliviensis Enderlein, 1942. The species of Stenopyrgota and Tropidothrinax are redescribed and illustrations of the main taxonomic characters are given. Illustrations of the type material of the species covered by this paper are presented for the first time.

A pictorial key and diagnosis of the Brazilian genera of Micropezidae (Diptera, Nerioidea)

A pictorial key and diagnosis of the Brazilian genera of Micropezidae (Diptera, Nerioidea). This paper provides the first pictorial key and diagnosis for the Brazilian genera of the Micropezidae, based on external morphological characters illustrated with photographs. The key includes 13 genera: Cardiacephala Macquart, Cliobata Enderlein, Grallipeza Rondani, Metasphen Frey, Micropeza Meigen, Parasphen Enderlein, Planipeza Marshall, Plocoscelus Enderlein, Poecilotylus Hennig, Ptilosphen Enderlein, Rainieria Rondani, Scipopus Enderlein and Taeniaptera Macquart. For each genus, the species known to occur in Brazil are listed and their distribution records, including new ones, are provided.

On the genera Allomachilis Silvestri, 1906, and Kuschelochilis Wygodzinsky, 1951 (Insecta: Microcoryphia)

The objective of this study was to revise the nominal, and only described, species of the genera Allomachilis Silvestri, 1906, from Australia, and Kuschelochilis Wygodzinsky, 1951, from Chile (Microcoryphia: Meinertellidae). The studied specimens came from the collections deposited in the: American Museum of Natural History (USA); Instituto di Entomologia Agraria dell'Università di Portici (Italy); South Australian Museum (Australia); Carmen Bach collection of the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (Spain); and the entomology collection of the Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical (Portugal). The revision of the nominal species of the genera Allomachilis and Kuschelochilis allows to consider the Neotropical genus a junior synonym of the Australian one.

Chemotaxonomy of three genera of the annonaceae family using self-organizing maps and 13C NMR data of diterpenes

The Annonaceae family is distributed throughout Neotropical regions of the world. In Brazil, it covers nearly all natural formations particularly Annona, Xylopia and Polyalthia and is characterized chemically by the production of sources of terpenoids (mainly diterpenes), alkaloids, steroids, polyphenols and, flavonoids. Studies from 13C NMR data of diterpenes related with their botanical occurrence were used to generate self-organizing maps (SOM). Results corroborate those in the literature obtained from morphological and molecular data for three genera and the model can be used to project other diterpenes. Therefore, the model produced can predict which genera are likely to contain a compound.

Termos singulares, transcategoriais e Summa Genera na lógica de Aristóteles

Quais termos são suscetíveis de operações silogísticas? Para importantes intérpretes da lógica aristotélica - especialmente Ross, Patzig e Lukasiewicz - a resposta tende a introduzir um único e homogêneo grupo de termos, aqueles de generalidade intermediária (τὰ µεταξὺ). Fundamentada basicamente na classificação tripartite de entes que aparece no capítulo 27 de Primeiros Analíticos I, essa opinião atribui à silogística a exclusão de (i) termos singulares (como "Sócrates" e "este homem"), (ii) transcategoriais (como "ente" e "um"), bem como dos chamados (iii) summa genera ("substância", "qualidade", "quantidade", etc.). Em nossa opinião, esses resultados não derivam dos textos de Aristóteles, mas de leituras, traduções e interpretações impróprias das passagens centrais da discussão. Neste artigo, faremos um novo exame desses textos, a fim de mostrar que Aristóteles jamais afastou de sua lógica os tipos de termos que os intérpretes não hesitam em excluir da silogística. Assim, esperamos reintroduzir termos singulares, transcategoriais e summa genera, no domínio da silogística aristotélica.

The genera Canomaculina and Parmotrema (Parmeliaceae, Lichenized Ascomycota) in Curitiba, Paraná State, Brazil

The present study describes the species of Canomaculina Elix & Hale and Parmotrema A. Massal. occuring in Curitiba, Paraná. Identification keys, descriptions of the species, and comments are presented. Canomaculina conferenda (Hale) Elix, Canomaculina pilosa (Stizemb.) Elix & Hale, Parmotrema catarinae Hale and Parmotrema eciliatum (Nyl.) Hale are reported for the first time to Paraná State.

Cryptophiale and Cryptophialoidea (Conidial fungi) from Brazil and keys to the genera

During a survey of microfungi associated with dead leaves in the State of Bahia, Brazil, four species of Cryptophiale Piroz. and two species of Cryptophialoidea Kuthub. & Nawawi were found. Cryptophiale guadalcanalensis Matsush. and Cryptophialoidea fasciculata Kuthub. & Nawawi are new records for the neotropics, while C. ramosa Delg.-Rodr., J. Mena & Gené is a new record for South America. Descriptions, illustrations and geographical distribution of all the fungi are provided.

Morphological cladistic analysis of Pseudobombax Dugand (Malvaceae, Bombacoideae) and allied genera

(Morphological cladistic analysis of Pseudobombax Dugand (Malvaceae, Bombacoideae) and allied genera). Pseudobombax Dugand belongs to the family Malvaceae subfamily Bombacoideae and aggregates 29 species restricted to the Neotropics. A morphological cladistic analysis of Pseudobombax and allied genera was carried out to test the monophyly of the genus and to provide hypotheses on its phylogeny. Parsimony analyses were based on 40 morphological characters and 28 species, 14 belonging to Pseudobombax and 14 to other species of Bombacoideae, Matisieae (Malvoideae) and Ochromeae. Nine most parsimonious trees (144 steps, ci 0.40, ri 0.67) were produced when 10 multistate characters were taken as ordered while only two most parsimonious trees (139 steps, ci 0.41, ri 0.67) were obtained when all characters were considered as unordered. Pseudobombax monophyly had moderate bootstrap support, appearing as sister to a clade composed of the genera Bombacopsis Pittier and Pachira Aubl., or to the genus Bombax L. according to the analysis. The petiole widened at the apex and the leaflets not jointed to the petiole are probably synapomorphies of Pseudobombax. Three main clades were found in the genus: one characterised by petiolulated leaflets and 5-angular fruits, the other by pubescent leaves and calyx, and the other by reduction of the number of leaflets. The latter includes species endemic to the Brazilian semi-arid region also characterised by the absence of phalanges in the androecium. Interspecific affinities in Pseudobombax as well as the morphological evolution in Bombacoideae are discussed.

The genera Eriochrysis P. Beauv., Imperata Cirillo and Saccharum L. (Poaceae - Andropogoneae - Saccharinae) in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The subtribe Saccharinae belongs to the tribe Andropogoneae and comprises ca. 140 species in 13 genera, including Eriochrysis, Imperata and Saccharum. This work presents a survey of the species of these three genera in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Intensive field collections were made in different physiographic regions of the state, as well as studies in several herbaria. The occurrence of three native species of each genus was confirmed in Rio Grande do Sul, in addition to sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) that is cultivated in the region. Based on the material examined, Eriochrysis villosa is reported for the first time in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Identification keys for the species, descriptions, data on their geographical distributions, habitats and flowering and fruiting periods, as well as illustrations of important taxonomic characters are provided.

The genera Chara and Nitella (Chlorophyta, Characeae) in the subtropical Itaipu Reservoir, Brazil

The family Characeae, represented by two genera in Brazil, Chara and Nitella, is considered to include the closest living relatives of land plants, and its members play important ecological role in aquatic ecosystems. The present taxonomic survey of Chara and Nitella was performed in tributaries that join to form the Brazilian shore of the Itaipu Reservoir on the Paraná River. Thirteen species were recorded, illustrated, and described: C. braunii var. brasiliensis R.Bicudo, C. guairensis R.Bicudo, N. acuminata A.Braun ex Wallman, N. furcata (Roxburgh ex Bruzileus) C.Agardh, and N. subglomerata A.Braun, already cited for the reservoir, and C. hydropitys Reichenbach, C. rusbyana Howe, N. axillaris A.Braun, N. glaziovii G.Zeller, N. gracilis (Smith) C.Agardh, N. hyalina (DC.) C.Agardh, N. inversa Imahori, and N. microcarpa A.Braun that represent new occurrences for the Itaipu Reservoir and Paraná State. Among the species encountered, C. guairensis, N. furcata, and N. glaziovii are widely distributed, while C. hydropitys and C. rusbyana have more restricted distributions.

Preparation of mitotic chromosomes of leaf-cutting ants from the genera Atta and Acromyrmex

Some modifications were made to the methodology of Imai et al. (Jpn. J. Genet. 63: 159-185, 1988) for cytogenetic analysis of the leaf-cutting ants Atta sexdens piriventris and Acromyrmex heyeri (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), shortening preparation time and improving chromosomal preparations. The brain ganglia of prepupae were dissected in a 0.0025% hypotonic solution of colchicine, placed on a glass slide on a cold plate (4 ± 1oC) for 20 min. The material was fixed directly on the cold slide (with cold fixative I), macerated with a histological needle and fixed again with fixative I, followed by fixatives II and III, all of them cold. The slide was flame-dried right after the use of fixative III, and it was allowed to air-dry at room temperature for 2 h. The resulting metaphases presented less contracted chromosomes, with separated and well defined sister chromatids at a high frequency, when the material was processed in the manner described and stained with 3% Giemsa in phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) for 15 min.