Spatial modelling of Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) whitmani s.l. (Antunes & Coutinho, 1939) (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) habitat suitability in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) whitmani s.l.is the main vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis in state of Mato Grosso, but little is known about environmental determinants of its spatial distribution on a regional scale. Entomologic surveys of this sand fly species, conducted between 1996 and 2001 in 41 state municipalities, were used to investigate the relationships between environmental factors and the presence of the species, and to develop a spatial model of habitat suitability. The relationship between averaged CDC light trap indexes and 15 environmental and socio-economic factors were tested by logistic regression (LR) analysis. Spatial layers of deforestation tax and the Brazilian index of gross net production (IGNP) were identified as significant explanatory variables for vector presence in the LR model, and these were then overlaid with habitat maps. The highest habitat suitability in 2001 was obtained for the heavily deforested areas in the Central-North, South, East, and Southwest of Mato Grosso, particularly in municipalities with lower IGNP values.

Meliponini neotropicais: o gênero Partamona Schwarz, 1939 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae) - bionomia e biogeografia

This work, dedicated to the study of nesting habits of the species of the Neotropical genus Partamona Schwarz, is a sequence to the taxonomic revision recently published elsewhere. A total of 214 nests and nest aggregations of 18 species [Partamona epiphytophila Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. testacea (Klug, 1807); P. mourei Camargo, 1980; P. vicina Camargo, 1980; P. auripennis Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. combinata Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. chapadicola Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. nhambiquara Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. ferreirai Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. pearsoni (Schwarz, 1938); P. gregaria Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. batesi Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. ailyae Camargo, 1980; P. cupira (Smith, 1863); P. mulata Moure in Camargo, 1980; P. seridoensis Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. criptica Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. helleri (Friese, 1900)] were studied , including data about habitat, substrate, structural characteristics, construction materials and behavior. The descriptions of the nests are illustrated with 48 drawings. Partial data of the nests of P. bilineata (Say, 1837), P. xanthogastra Pedro & Camargo, 1997, P. orizabaensis (Strand, 1919), P. peckolti (Friese, 1901), P. aequatoriana Camargo, 1980, P. musarum (Cockerell, 1917) and P. rustica Pedro & Camargo, 2003 are also presented. Nests of P. grandipennis (Schwarz, 1951), P. yungarum Pedro & Camargo, 2003, P. subtilis Pedro & Camargo, 2003, P. vitae Pedro & Camargo, 2003, P. nigrior (Cockerell, 1925), P. sooretamae Pedro & Camargo, 2003 and P. littoralis Pedro & Camargo, 2003 are unknown. The species of Partamona build notable nest entrance structures, with special surfaces for incoming / exiting bees; some of them are extremely well-elaborated and ornamented, serving as flight orientation targets. All species endemic to western Ecuador to Mexico with known nesting habits (P. orizabaensis, P. peckolti, P. xanthogastra, P. bilineata, P. aequatoriana and P. musarum) build their nests in several substrates, non-associated with termitaria, such as cavities and crevices in walls, among roots of epiphytes and in bases of palm leaves, in abandoned bird nests, under bridges, and in other protected places, except P. peckolti that occasionally occupies termite nests. In South America, on the eastern side of the Andes, only P. epiphytophila and P. helleri nest among roots of epiphytes and other substrates, non-associated with termitaria. All other species studied (P. batesi, P. gregaria, P. pearsoni, P. ferreirai, P. chapadicola, P. nhambiquara, P. vicina, P. mourei, P. auripennis, P. combinata, P. cupira, P. mulata, P. ailyae, P. seridoensis, P. criptica and P. rustica) nest inside active termite nests, whether epigeous or arboreous. The only species that builds obligate subterranean nests, associated or not with termite or ant nests (Atta spp.) is P. testacea. Nests of Partamona have one vestibular chamber (autapomorphic for the genus) closely adjacent to the entrance, filled with a labyrinth of anastomosing pillars and connectives, made of earth and resins. One principal chamber exists for food and brood, but in some species one or more additional chambers are filled with food storage pots. In nests of P. vicina, there is one atrium or "false nest", between the vestibule and the brood chamber, which contains involucral sheaths, cells and empty pots. All structures of the nest are supported by permanent pillars made of earth and resins (another autapomorphy of the genus). The characters concerning nesting habits were coded and combined with morphological and biogeographic data, in order to hypothesize the evolutive scenario of the genus using cladistic methodology. The phylogenetic hypothesis presented is the following: (((((P. bilineata (P. grandipennis, P. xanthogastra)) (P. orizabaensis, P. peckolti)) (P. aequatoriana, P. musarum)) P. epiphytophila, P. yungarum, P. subtilis, P. vitae) (((((P. testacea (P. mourei, P. vicina)) (P. nigrior (P. auripennis, P. combinata))) (P. ferreirai (P. pearsoni (P. gregaria (P. batesi (P. chapadicola, P. nhambiquara)))))) ((((P. ailyae, P. sooretamae) P. cupira, P. mulata) P. seridoensis) P. criptica, P. rustica, P. littoralis)) P. helleri))). One area cladogram is presented. Dates of some vicariance / cladogenesis events are suggested. For bilineata / epiphytophila group, which inhabits the Southwestern Amazonia and the Chocó-Mexican biogeographical components, the origin of ancestral species is attributed to the Middle Miocene, when the transgressions of the Maracaibo and Paranense seas isolated the tropical northwestern South America from the eastern continental land mass. The next cladogenic event in the history of the bilineata / epiphytophila group is attributed to the Plio-Pleistocene, when the Ecuadorian Andes reached more than 3000 m, and the ancestral species was fragmented in two populations, one occupying the western Andes (ancestral species of the bilineata subgroup) and other the southwestern Amazon (ancestral species of the epiphytophila subgroup). Other aspects of the history of Partamona are also discussed.

Meliponini neotropicais: o gênero Partamona Schwarz, 1939 (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Neotropical Meliponini: the genus Partamona Schwarz, 1939 (Hymenoptera, Apidae). The systematics and biogeography of Partamona Schwarz, a Neotropical genus of stingless bees (Meliponini, Apinae, Apidae), are revised. Seventeen new species are described: P. epiphytophila sp. nov., P. subtilis sp. nov., P. nhambiquara sp. nov., P. batesi sp. nov., P. yungarum sp. nov., P. vitae sp. nov., P. ferreirai sp. nov., P. gregaria sp. nov., P. auripennis sp. nov., P. nigrilabris sp. nov., P. combinata sp. nov., P. chapadicola sp. nov., P. seridoensis sp. nov., P. littoralis sp. nov., P. criptica sp. nov., P. rustica sp. nov. and P. sooretamae sp. nov. Partamona pseudomusarum Camargo, 1980, is considered as junior synonym of P. vicina Camargo, 1980. Types of P. grandipennis (Schwarz, 1951), P. xanthogastra Pedro & Camargo, 1996-1997, P. pearsoni (Schwarz, 1938), P. ailyae Camargo, 1980, P. pseudomusarum, P. vicina, P. mulata Moure in Camargo, 1980, P. aequatoriana Camargo, 1980, P. mourei Camargo, 1980, P. peckolti, (Friese, 1901), P. testacea (Klug, 1807), P. helleri (Friese, 1900) and P. musarum (Cockerell, 1917) were examined. Lectotypes of P. orizabaensis (Strand, 1919), and P. cupira (Smith, 1863) are designated. An identification key for the species and drawings of morphological characters are presented. A phylogenetic hypothesis, based mainly on morphological characters is proposed. Four groups are defined, considering the shape of mandible of workers and sternum VII of males: bilineata / epiphytophila group (western Amazon to México), including P. bilineata (Say), P. grandipennis, P. xanthogastra P. orizabaensis P. peckolti P. epiphytophila sp. nov., P. subtilis sp. nov., P. nhambiquara sp. nov., P. batesi sp. nov., P. yungarum sp. nov. and P. vitae sp. nov.; musarum group (Central Brazil, north of South America to Central America), including P. musarum, P. aequatoriana, P. vicina, P. mourei, P. pearsoni, P. ferreirai sp. nov., P. gregaria sp. nov. and P. testacea; nigrior group (Central Brazil to northeast of South America) including P. nigrior (Cockerell, 1925), P. auripennis sp. nov., P. nigrilabris sp. nov., P. combinata sp. nov., P. chapadicola sp. nov., P. seridoensis sp. nov. and P. littoralis sp. nov., and cupira group (southeastern and Central Brazil), including P. cupira, P. mulata, P. ailyae, P. sooretamae sp. nov., P. criptica sp. nov., P. rustica sp. nov. and P. helleri. Some geographic distribution patterns, congruent with that of other Meliponini bees, are commented.

Dimensionamento de amostras para monitoramento do ácaro da leprose Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939) em citros

O controle do ácaro Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939), transmissor do vírus da leprose, deve ser realizado quando sua população atinge o nível de ação, obtido pelo monitoramento de sua população, por meio de amostragens. Objetivou-se determinar o tamanho da amostra aceitável para estimar a população do ácaro, para posterior tomada de decisão. O experimento foi realizado na Fazenda Cambuhy, Matão - SP, no ano agrícola 2003-2004. Escolheu-se ao acaso um talhão da variedade Valência, com oito anos de idade, plantada no espaçamento 7x3,5m, com 2.480 plantas. Nesse talhão, foram inspecionados 1; 2; 3; 5; 10 e 100% das plantas, o que corresponde a 25; 50; 74; 124; 248 e 2.480 plantas, respectivamente, em caminhamento no sentido das linhas de plantio. Foram amostrados 3 frutos ou, na ausência destes, eram analisados ramos. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, observa-se que a porcentagem de erro na estimativa da média para a porcentagem de frutos com presença de ácaros, quando se amostra apenas 1% das plantas (25 plantas), é de 50%, ou seja, para uma infestação de 10%, a variação da porcentagem de frutos infestados estaria entre 5 e 15%, levando o produtor a subestimar ou a superestimar o nível de infestação, aumentando os gastos com pulverizações desnecessárias ou um controle ineficiente do ácaro. Para que o erro na amostragem fique dentro da situação aceitável, de 20 a 30% (em média 25%) de erro, deveriam ser amostradas 105 plantas. Na porcentagem de frutos com mais de 10 ácaros, verifica-se que, para a situação aceitável (20 a 30%), devem ser inspecionadas 540 plantas.

Toxicidade diferencial de produtos à base de abamectina ao ácaro Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) em citros

O ácaro Brevipalpus phoenicis é uma das principais pragas dos citros por ser vetor do "Citrus Leprosis Virus" (CiLV), agente causal da leprose, uma das mais graves doenças da citricultura. Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito tóxico de produtos à base de abamectina sobre o ácaro B. phoenicis. Foram realizados um experimento de ação direta e três de ação residual no Laboratório de Acarologia do Departamento de Proteção de Plantas (Fitossanidade) da FCAV - UNESP, Jaboticabal-SP. O delineamento adotado nos bioensaios foi o inteiramente casualizado, onde 10 tratamentos foram repetidos 7 vezes, sendo cada repetição composta por um fruto de laranja. Os tratamentos estudados (mL p.c./100 L de água) foram: Acaramik a 20; 30; 40 e 50 mL; Vertimec a 30 e 40 mL; Abamectin Nortox a 30 e 40 mL; Tricofol a 77 mL e uma testemunha sem aplicação. Utilizaram-se frutos com presença de verrugose, que foram lavados e parcialmente parafinados, deixando-se uma área sem parafina, que foi circundada com cola entomológica para contenção dos ácaros. Transferiram-se 20 ácaros adultos B. phoenicis para cada fruto. No bioensaio de ação direta, a transferência foi realizada antes das aplicações e, nos bioensaios de ação residual, aos 5; 10 e 15 dias após a aplicação dos produtos. A aplicação dos produtos sobre os frutos foi realizada em Torre de Potter. Os resultados obtidos nos bioensaios evidenciaram que os melhores tratamentos foram: Tricofol a 77 mL, Acaramik a 40 e 50 mL e Vertimec a 40 mL. De forma geral, os produtos testados podem ser utilizados no controle do ácaro B. phoenicis.

Dinâmica da infestação de Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939) (Acari:Tenuipalpidae) em pomares cítricos da Bahia, Brasil

Em duas regiões da Bahia - Litoral Norte (LN) e Recôncavo Baiano (RB) quantificaram-se a dinâmica espaço-temporal da infestação de plantas cítricas pelo ácaro Brevipalpus phoenicis. Dez pomares de cada região foram avaliados mensalmente (de abril de 2008 a fevereiro de 2011), nos quais 21 plantas tiveram três frutos/planta vistoriados com lupa de 10x para registrar a presença ou ausência do ácaro. A proporção média de plantas infestadas variou entre 0,38 e 1,0. Em frutos, a proporção mínima de infestação foi 0,10 e máxima de 0,73 no LN e 0,66 no RB. O processo de infestação foi sazonal, com mais unidades infestadas na primavera-verão (Nemenyi, p<0,05). A análise de densidade espectral mostrou a ocorrência de dois tipos de ciclos: um com período aproximado de 2 meses, possivelmente relacionado com a biologia do ácaro e outro anual, decorrente da interação vetor-hospedeiro-ambiente. Em ambas as regiões, a aleatoriedade caracterizou o padrão espacial da infestação do ácaro intra e interpomares. Não foram observados sintomas de leprose dos citros no RB.

Alameda Glette, 463, sede do Curso de Química da Universidade de São Paulo no período 1939-1965

As the foundation of the University of São Paulo completes 75 years, this article describes the history of a mansion at 463 Glette Boulevard, in São Paulo city, where several undergraduate courses of the University's Philosophy, Sciences and Letters Faculty operated until 1969. The first building of the school of Chemistry was erected there, 70 years ago. A brief retrospective of the Department of Chemistry at that place is given. The mansion was torn down by the middle of the 1970s, but it remained as a symbol of the school identity in the memory of all those who studied there.

Histochemical study of the oviducal gland and analysis of the sperm storage tubules of Mustelus schmitti Springer, 1939 (Chondrichthyes, Triakidae)

Abstract: The paired oviducal glands of immature and mature females of Mustelus schmitti were examined macro and microscopically. Findings indicate that these glands possessed the same zonation as in most chondrichthyans from anterior to posterior: club, papillary, baffle and terminal zones. The whole gland is composed by simple tubular glands that connect with transverse grooves all along the organ. The club zone presents a typical indian club shape with a simple columnar and ciliated epithelium including secretory cells PAS (+) and AB (+). The papillary zone is characterized by lamella forming small and long cones in numbers of three. The epithelium of this zone contains ciliated cells with apical nuclei and secretory cells with basal nuclei that stain AB (+)The baffle zone consists of apically flattened lamellae alternating with spinnerets which are small projections disposed by both sides of the plateau. This whole structure is present in number of 8 or 9 units. A simple columnar ciliated epithelium covers the plateau and spinnerets and no AB or PAS staining is observed. The epithelium of the terminal zone is PAS (-) and AB (+), and elongated tubules, that run adjacent to the baffle zone are the site where groups of spermatozoa are clearly observed in the lumen. The epithelium of the sperm storage tubules do not stain with any of the dyes tested. Sperm was also observed in the baffle zone, presumably in its way to the fecundation in the oviduct because it displays no aggregation pattern and was between the folds of the epithelium. By scanning electron microscopy sperm was observed in the club and baffle zones in a gland which belonged to a pregnant female.