Molecular characterization of rabies virus isolated from non-haematophagous bats in Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Rabies is an important zoonosis that causes thousands of deaths worldwide each year. Although the terrestrial cycle, mainly transmitted by dogs, is controlled in Brazil, the aerial cycle remains a serious public health issue, besides the economic problem. In the aerial cycle, the haematophagous bat Desmodus rotundus is the main source of infection, where several different species of non-haematophagous bats can be infected and can transmit the virus. METHODS: The aim of this work was to study the epidemiological pattern of rabies using antigenic characterization with monoclonal antibodies and genetic characterization by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of non-haematophagous bats' and herbivorous animals' central nervous system samples from the western region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. RESULTS: From 27 samples, 3 antigenic variants were identified: AgV-3, AgV-4, and AgV-6; and from 29 samples, 5 different clusters were identified, all belonging to the rabies virus species. CONCLUSIONS: Although only non-haematophagous bats were evaluated in the studied region, the majority of samples were from antigenic and genetic variants related to haematophagous bats Desmodus rotundus. Samples from the same antigenic variant were segregated in more than one genetic cluster. This study demonstrated the diversity of rabies virus genetic lineages presented and circulating in non-haematophagous bats in the studied region.

Detection of arboviruses of public health interest in free-living New World primates (Sapajus spp.; Alouatta caraya) captured in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Introduction A sero-epidemiological survey was undertaken to detect the circulation of arboviruses in free-living non-human primates. Methods Blood samples were obtained from 16 non-human primates (13 Sapajus spp. and three Alouatta caraya) that were captured using terrestrial traps and anesthetic darts in woodland regions in the municipalities of Campo Grande, Aquidauana, Jardim, Miranda and Corumbá in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The samples were sent to the Instituto Evandro Chagas (IEC) in Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil, to detect antibodies against 19 species of arboviruses using a hemagglutination inhibition test (HI). Results Of the 16 primates investigated in the present study, five (31.2%) were serologically positive for an arbovirus. Of these five, two (12.5%) exhibited antibodies to the Flavivirus genus, one (6.2%) exhibited a monotypic reaction to Cacipacoré virus, one (6.2%) was associated with Mayaro virus, and one (6.2%) was positive for Oropouche virus. Conclusions Based on the positive serology observed in the present study, it was possible to conclude that arboviruses circulate among free-living primates. The viruses in the areas studied might have been introduced by infected humans or by primates from endemic or enzootic areas. Studies of this nature, as well as efficient and continuous surveillance programs, are needed to monitor viral activities in endemic and enzootic regions.

Small mammal abundances in isolated and non-isolated primary forest reserves near Manaus, Brazil

Abundances of msmall terrestrial mammals were estimated in 10 and 100-ha, isolated and non-isolated primary forest reserves near, Manaus, Brazil between October 1983 and March 1984. The smalt mammal abundance pattern In a 10 ha reserve isolated fan appoximately three years differed significantly from that in othen reserves, primarily due to higher capture rates of Marmosa cinerea, Rhipidomys mastacalis, and Onyzomys paricola in the isolated reserve. Viet type and re-invasion potential may be important factors the small mammal communities in forest patches. Variation the small mammal community among othen reserves was pnimanlty due to variatton In the abundances of Proechimys and 0. capito. At least pant of this vantation was attributable to temporal efects, but variation due to reserve effects also was suggested. Small mammals were much more abundant in the reserves during the present study than in 1982.

Notes on the ethnoicthyology of fishermen from the Tocantins river (Brazil)

Ethnobiology includes the study of how populations perceive and classify organisms. This study focuses on the utilization and classification of fishes by fishermen from the Tocantins river. The study area is located between the cities of Imperatriz and Estreito (Maranhão and Tocantins States). Interviews with fishermen and collection of fish species were performed from October 1987 to June 1988. The criteria used by fishermen to classify fish species are mainly morphological, such as related to body shape and coloration. Fish habitat is also an information used in folk classification. Terrestrial plants and animals are a reference for some fish names. Fishermen showed a deeper knowledge and detailed classification of species of fish used for food, sale, or medicine. Folk classification represents the knowledge a population has on its environment, and it is more detailed on species which are part of its realized niche as indicated by this study.

Observations on aquatic Macrophyte Dynamics In the Reservoir Of The Balbina Hydroelectric Powerplant, Amazonas State, Brazil

Between 1991 and 1995 aquatic macrophyte composition was observed in the lower part of the reservoir of the hydroelectric power plant of Balbina (Amazonas, Brazil). After closure of the dam in 1987, vegetation cover - mostly Eichhornia crassipes - was high, but was not quantified. After 1990 it declined rapidly with a characteristic succession pattern: Eichhornia ® Vincularia + Cyperaceae ® Salvinia. The Cyperaceae, and many other less dominant species, were mostly associated with drift wood, produced by the decomposing, emergent forest. Comparison of the chemical data of the Uatumã river before the construction of the dam (1983) with those of later years (1989 - 1995) suggests that the succession was the result of a relatively mild and short period of eutrophication, followed by declining nutrient levels. Annual variation of water levels, followed by aquatic and terrestrial decomposition of the marginal vegetation, may allow for the maintenance of relatively productive vegetation belts along the shore lines of islands and inundated stream valleys.

Wood specific gravity of trees and forest types in the southern Peruvian Amazon

Estimates of terrestrial biomass depend critically on reliable information about the specific gravity of the wood of forest trees. The study reported on here was carried out in the southern Peruvian Amazon and involved collection of wood samples from trees (70 spp.) in intact forest stands. Results demonstrate the high degree of variability in specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) in trees at single locations. Three forest types (swamp, high terrace forest with alluvial soil, and sandy-soil forest) had values close to the average reported for tropical forest woods (.69). Two early successional forest types, which make up as much as 12% of the total vegetated area in this part of the Amazon, had values significantly lower (.40). An increase in specific gravity with increasing age of the tree, which has been reported in some spe cies of tropical-forest woods, is seen in a positive relationship between specific gravity and di ameter for a species prevalent in one plot. Increases in specific gravity with tree and forest age may be significant in estimating changes in carbon stores over time.

Seasonal changes of leaf Nitrogen content in trees of Amazonian floodplains

In Amazonian floodplains the trees are exposed to extreme flooding of up to 230 days a year. Waterlogging of the roots and stems affects growth and metabolic activity of the trees. An increased leaf fall in the aquatic period and annual increment rings in the wood indicate periodical growth reductions. The present study aims at documenting seasonal changes of metabolism and vitality of adult trees in the annual cycle as expressed by changes of leaf nitrogen content. Leaves of six tree species common in floodplains in Central Amazonia and typical representants of different growth strategies were collected every month between May 1994 and June 1995 in the vicinity of Manaus, Brazil. Mean leaf nitrogen content varied between 1.3% and 3.2% in the non-flooded trees. Three species showed significantly lower Ν content in the flooded period (p=0.05, 0.001, 0.001), the difference ranging 20-25% lower than in the non-flooded period. Two species showed no significant difference while Nectandra amazonum showed 32% more Ν in the flooded season (p=0.001). Leaf nitrogen content was generally high when new leaves were flushed (in the flooded period) and decreased continuously thereafter in all species. Three species showed an additional peak of nitrogen during the first month of the terrestrial phase, in leaves which had flushed earlier, indicating that flooding may disturb nitrogen uptake.

Modelling Amazonian forest eddy covariance data: a comparison of big leaf versus sun/shade models for the C-14 tower at Manaus I. Canopy photosynthesis

In this study, we concentrate on modelling gross primary productivity using two simple approaches to simulate canopy photosynthesis: "big leaf" and "sun/shade" models. Two approaches for calibration are used: scaling up of canopy photosynthetic parameters from the leaf to the canopy level and fitting canopy biochemistry to eddy covariance fluxes. Validation of the models is achieved by using eddy covariance data from the LBA site C14. Comparing the performance of both models we conclude that numerically (in terms of goodness of fit) and qualitatively, (in terms of residual response to different environmental variables) sun/shade does a better job. Compared to the sun/shade model, the big leaf model shows a lower goodness of fit and fails to respond to variations in the diffuse fraction, also having skewed responses to temperature and VPD. The separate treatment of sun and shade leaves in combination with the separation of the incoming light into direct beam and diffuse make sun/shade a strong modelling tool that catches more of the observed variability in canopy fluxes as measured by eddy covariance. In conclusion, the sun/shade approach is a relatively simple and effective tool for modelling photosynthetic carbon uptake that could be easily included in many terrestrial carbon models.

The seasonal diet of Aequidens tetramerus (Cichlidae) in a small forest stream in the Machado River basin, Rondônia, Brazil

Trophic relationships in fish communities are affected by the availability of resources, which in turn is affected by spatial and temporal variations throughout the year. The aims of this study were to characterize the diet of A. tetramerus in a streamlet in the north of Brazil and compare its composition in different hydrological seasons (wet and dry seasons). Collections were performed every two months from October 2011 to September 2012 with the aid of seine nets, hand net and fishing traps in the streamlet located in the Machado River drainage basin in the Rondônia state. Most of the specimens collected were quite small (< 40 mm) and had empty stomachs. Our results showed that A. tetramerus feeds on a wide variety of items of plant origin, such as algae, seeds and leaves, as well as items of animal origin, including bryozoans, crustaceans, fish scales, terrestrial insects and detritus. The data also indicated higher consumption of aquatic insects than other food items, suggesting a primarily insect-based diet. Items of plant and allochthonous origin were consumed more in the wet season than in the dry season, but there were no seasonal differences in the consumption of animal and autochthonous items.

Alimentação de quatro espécies de Leporinus (Characiformes, Anostomidae) durante a formação de um reservatório no sudeste do Brasil

The study reports the changes ocurred in feeding ecology of fish species during a tropical river reservoir formation. It was analysed the stomachal contents of 399 individuals belonging to four species of genus Leporinus (L. elongatus Valenciennes, 1849, n=157; L.friderici (Bloch, 1794), n=87; L. octofasciatus Steindachner, 1917, n=107; L.amblyrhynchus Garavello & Britski, 1987, n=48) during formation of Nova Ponte reservoir, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 1993 and 1994. Specimens were separated by sampling period, according with the rate of filling of the reservoir, and standard lenght classes. The species had included in diet vegetal and animal items of autochtone and alochtone origin in several proportions. L. amblyrhynchus fed on basically dipterans in all the sampling periods and length classes. L. elongatus had presented a diverse diet, with predominance of dipterans and vegetal items, and changed the consumed items proportions along the sampling periods and between lenght classes. L. friderici diet was composed mainly by terrestrial insects during the rapid filling period, that were later substituted by fishes and vegetal items. Ontogenetic trophic changes were observed in this species. L. octofasciatus presented a well characterized herbivorous diet, without trophic ontogeny, but with a opportunistic character. Just three pair-species, L. amblyrhynchus-L. elongatus, L. friderici-L. octofasciatus and L. elongatus-L. octofasciatus, have presented some high value of trophic overlap in at least one sampling period. In spite of the fishes of the genus Leporinus being classified like omnivorous in a general way, the differences found between diets of these four species suggest that there is structuration of trophic niches in the reservoir.

Efectos del herbicida Paraquat sobre el zooplancton

The effects of 0.1; 0.2; 0.4 and 0.8 mlPQ/L were analized on a zooplankton community, to determine the most sensitive species and to analize the occurence of physical abnormalities. A total of 40 taxa were determined. Paraquat affected significantly the zooplankton density but not the species richness. A progressive state of deformation of these organisms was also observed. Paraquat showed to be highly toxic for the zooplankton, so this herbicide should be strictly regulated in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Culicídeos associados a entrenós de bambu e bromélias, com ênfase em Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Diptera, Culicidae) na Mata Atlântica, Paraná, Brasil

Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, 1894) larvae were recorded for the first time in the internodes of bamboo cuts found in the Atlantic Forest in the State of Paraná, Brazil. The bamboo, Bambusa sp., was introduced in the area of Imbucuí-Mirim town, across the municipal district of Paranaguá and towards the interior of the Atlantic Forest. A total of 251 larvae of Aedes albopictus (37.9%), Culex (Microculex) spp. (13.9%), Limatus durhami Theobald, 1901 (39.8%), Toxorhynchites sp. (0.4%) and Wyeomyia spp. (8.0%) were collected from bamboo internodes filled with rain and from the terrestrial Bromeliaceae and epiphytas found near the bamboo bushes. Aedes albopictus was found in bamboo internodes containing 30 to 254 ml of rain, sometimes coexisting with Li. durhami. Borders of forest ecosystems should be characterized as risk areas for arbovirosis transmission, since they sustain the circulation of vertebrates and arthropodal hematophagus, not only in the wild but also in the anthropic areas.

Macroecologia de carnívoros do Novo Mundo (Mammalia): envelopes de restrição e análise de padrões filogenéticos

The relationship between body size and geographic range was analyzed for 70 species of terrestrial Carnivora ("fissipeds") of the New World, after the control of phylogenetic patterns in the data using phylogenetic eigenvector regression. The analysis from EcoSim software showed that the variables are related as a triangular envelope. Phylogenetic patterns in data were detected by means of phylogenetic correlograms, and 200 simulations of the phenotypic evolution were also performed over the phylogeny. For body size, the simulations suggested a non-linear relationship for the evolution of this character along the phylogeny. For geographic range size, the correlogram showed no phylogenetic patterns. A phylogenetic eigenvector regression was performed on original data and on data simulated under Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. Since both characters did not evolve under a simple Brownian motion process, the Type I errors should be around 10%, compatible with other methods to analyze correlated evolution. The significant correlation of the original data (r = 0.38; P < 0.05), as well as the triangular envelope, then indicate ecological and adaptive processes connecting the two variables, such as those proposed in minimum viable population models.

Macrocyclis peruvianus (Gastropoda, Acavidae), an endemic land snail from Chile

Macrocyclis peruvianus (Lamarck, 1822) is a large terrestrial snail which is endemic in Chile. A detailed description of its shell structure, jaw, radula, palial cavity and reproductive system is presented here for the first time.

Feeding ecology of Pterodoras granulosus (Siluriformes, Doradidae) in the Lajeado Reservoir, Tocantins, Brazil

The diet and feeding habits of armado catfish, Pterodoras granulosus (Valenciennes, 1821), were studied in the Lajeado Reservoir, Tocantins, Brazil, and the mouth of its tributaries. Stomach contents of 327 specimens were analyzed by the percentage composition and volumetric methods. The feeding of armado on a wide variety of foods, including both animal and plant items, leads to its classification as a euriphagic species with herbivorous tendency. However, it should be noted that armado showed a strong ontogenetic diet shift, with the gradual replacement of detritus and sediment by plant items, especially terrestrial ones. The environmental use pattern of P. granulosus corroborates the ontogenetic shift observed in its diet. Small fish predominated mainly in the benthic region and detritus and sediment represented an important resource, whereas large fish fed mainly on terrestrial plants, as they explore open water sites and the surface of the water column.