Phlebotomines (Diptera, Psychodidae) in caves of the Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

The present paper deals with the phlebotomine species captured during the period from January 1998 to June 2000 in 12 caves located in the Serra da Bodoquena, situated in the south central region of Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. Three of the caves are situated further north (in Bodoquena county), seven in the central area (Bonito county) and two in the south (Jardim county). These last two caves and three of those in Bonito are located at the west side of the ridge. Eighteen species of phlebotomines were captured within the caves: Brumptomyia avellari (Costa Lima, 1932), Brumptomyia brumpti (Larrousse, 1920), Brumptomyia cunhai (Mangabeira, 1942), Brumptomyia galindoi (Fairchild & Hertig, 1947), Evandromyia corumbaensis (Galati, Nunes, Oshiro & Rego, 1989), Lutzomyia almerioi Galati & Nunes, 1999, Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912), Martinsmyia oliveirai (Martins, Falcão & Silva, 1970), Micropygomyia acanthopharynx (Martins, Falcão & Silva, 1962), Micropygomyia peresi (Mangabeira, 1942), Micropygomyia quinquefer (Dyar, 1929), Nyssomyia whitmani (Antunes & Coutinho, 1939), Psathyromyia campograndensis (Oliveira, Andrade-Filho, Falcão & Brazil, 2001), Psathyromyia punctigeniculata (Floch & Abonnenc, 1944), Psathyromyia shannoni (Dyar, 1929), Pintomyia kuscheli (Le Pont, Martinez, Torrez-Espejo & Dujardin, 1998), Sciopemyia sordellii (Shannon & Del Ponte, 1927) and Sciopemyia sp. A total of 29,599 phlebotomine sandflies was obtained. Lutzomyia almerioi was absolutely predominant (91.5%) over the other species on both sides of the Bodoquena ridge, with the exception of the southern caves in which it was absent. It presents summer predominance, with nocturnal and diurnal activities. The species breeds in the caves and was captured during daytime both in the dark area and in the mouth of the caves. Martinsmyia oliveirai, the second most frequent sandfly, also presents a summer peak and only predominated over the other species in one cave, in which there were human residues.0

Notes on the holotype of Anopheles marajoara Galvão & Damasceno (Diptera, Culicidae)

During studies on the dynamics of malaria transmission in Marajó Island, State of Pará, Brazil, Galvão & Damasceno (1942) collected a single specimen of a new species that they named Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) marajoara Galvão & Damasceno, 1942. Now, examining genitalia slide associated to the holotype, we observed that the ventral claspette of the male genitalia is distinct from those of all other species of the Argyritarsis Section and consequently from members of the complex Anopheles albitarsis Lynch Arribalzaga, 1878. The male genitalia of the slide belong to a specimen of Anopheles aquasalis Curry, 1932, nevertheless, it was originally labeled as Anopheles marajoara. To solve this problem, we are setting aside the male genitalia slide associated with the holotype of Anopheles marajoara and excluding it from the type material. Illustrations of the male genitalia and adult male are included.

First record of Anastrepha parishi Stone (Diptera, Tephritidae) and its host in Brazil

Anastrepha parishi Stone, 1942 was reared in fruits of Oenocarpus bacaba Martius, 1823 (Arecaceae) collected in Pracuúba, State of Amapá. This is the first record of an Anastrepha species in a native species of Arecaceae.

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.

Genetic improvement and population structure of the Nelore breed in Northern Brazil

The objective of this work was to evaluate the population structure and the genetic and phenotypic progress of Nelore cattle in Northern Brazil. Pedigree information concerning animals born between 1942 and 2006 were analyzed. Population structure was performed using the Endog program. Out of the 140,628 animals studied, 67.7, 14.52 and 3.18% had complete pedigree record of the first, second and third parental generation, respectively. Inbreeding and average relatedness coefficients were low: 0.2 and 0.13%, respectively. However, these parameters may have been underestimated, since information on pedigree was incomplete. The effective number of founders was 370 and the genetic contribution of 10, 50 and 448 most influent ancestors explained 13.2, 28 and 50% of the genetic variability in the population, respectively. The genetic variability for growth traits and population structure demonstrates high probability of increasing productivity through selective breeding. Moreover, management strategies to reduce the currently observed age at first calving and generation intervals are important for Nelore cattle genetic improvement.

Electrochemical study and dependence of 'transition state' in Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes with some antibiotics and cephalothin

Electrode kinetics and study of 'transition state' with applied potential in case of [M - antibiotics - cephalothin] system were reported at pH = 7.30 ± 0.01 at suitable supporting electrolyte at 25.0ºC. The M = Co or Ni and antibiotics were doxycycline, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, minocycline, amoxicillin and chloramphenicol used as primary ligands and cephalothin as secondary ligand. Kinetic parameters viz. transfer coefficient (a), degree of irreversibility (l), diffusion coefficient (D) and rate constant (k) were determined. The values of a and k varied from 0.41 to 0.59 and 2.60 X 10-3 cm s-1 to 9.67 X 10-3 cm s-1 in case of [Co - antibiotics - cephalothin] system. In case of [Ni - antibiotics - cephalothin], a and k varied from 0.41 to 0.58 and 2.34 X 10-3 cm s-1 to 9.19 X 10-3 cm s-1 respectively confirmed that transition state behaves between oxidant and reductant response to applied potential and it adjusts it self in such a way that the same is located midway between dropping mercury electrode and solution interface. The values of rate constant confirmed the quasireversible nature of electrode processes. The stability constants (logb) of complexes were also determined.