Notes on the geographic distribution and subspecific taxonomy of Sais rosalia (Cramer) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Ithomiini), including the first records in Paraguay

Notes on the geographic distribution and subspecific taxonomy of Sais rosalia (Cramer) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Ithomiini), including the first records in Paraguay. This paper provides comments on the subspecific taxonomy and geographic distribution of Sais rosalia (Cramer, 1779) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Ithomiini), as well as an up-to-date distributional map, complemented with unpublished distributional data based on specimens deposited in the Coleção Entomológica Pe. Jesus S. Moure, Curitiba, Brazil and the Museo de Historia Natural, Lima, Peru. The following synonyms are proposed: Sais rosalia camariensis Haensch, 1905 syn. rev. as junior subjective synonym of Papilio rosalia Cramer, 1779 and Sais rosalia brasiliensis Talbot, 1928 syn. rev. as junior subjective synonym of Sais rosalia rosalinde Weymer, 1890. Additionally, the first country records of Sais rosalia in Paraguay, including the southernmost record of the species, are documented.

Taxonomic review of Gallio Evans, 1955 (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae): one less monotypic genus of Moncini

ABSTRACT Moncini is the tribe of Hesperiidae that comprises the greatest diversity of small, brown, hard to identify skippers. The group is peculiarly classified as having many monotypic genera, thus offering low informative value to its systematics. This study presents a review of the genus Gallio Evans, 1955, a genus formerly recognized as monotypic, and describes three new species, Gallio imperatriz sp. nov. from Maranhão, Brazil, Gallio furtadoi sp. nov. from Mato Grosso, Brazil and Gallio eti sp. nov. from Madre de Díos, Peru and Acre, Brazil (type locality). A lectotype for Vehilius carasta Schaus, 1902 is designated. Gallio is therefore redescribed and illustrations and diagnosis to its species are provided.

Immature stages of Hamadryas fornax fornax (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Biblidinae)

ABSTRACT The external morphology and biology of the immature stages of Hamadryas fornax fornax (Hübner, [1823]) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Biblidinae) recorded on Dalechampia triphylla (Euphorbiaceae) in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil are described. Morphological characters are illustrated and described, as a result of observations in scanning electron, stereoscope and optical microscopes, the last two attached to a camera lucida. Results are compared and discussed with immature stages of other species of Biblidinae.

External morphology of immature stages of Zaretis strigosus (Gmelin) and Siderone galanthis catarina Dottax and Pierre comb. nov., with taxonomic notes on Siderone (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Charaxinae)

ABSTRACT The external morphology of immature stages of Zaretis strigosus (Gmelin, [1790]) and Siderone galanthis catarina Dottax and Pierre, 2009 comb. nov. from southern Brazil are described. Additionally, morphology of the adults and sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase, subunit I, were analyzed in order to evaluate the taxonomy of Siderone galanthis Hübner, [1823]. Immatures were collected on Casearia sylvestris (Salicaceae) in Curitiba, Paraná, and Balneário Barra do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil, and reared at the laboratory. Morphological descriptions and illustrations are provided, based on observations through stereoscopic and optic microscopes attached to camera lucida; results are compared and discussed and immature stages of some other species of Charaxinae. The results indicates that the morphology of the immature stages of the studied species differ greatly from other Anaeini, representing a distinct lineage of leafwings butterflies. Morphology and molecular evidence indicate that S. nemesis mexicana Dottax and Pierre, 2009 and S. nemesis catarina Dottax and Pierre, 2009 are conspecific with S. galanthis (Cramer, 1775); additionally, S. thebais C. Felder and R. Felder 1862, S. nemesis var. confluens Staudinger, 1887, S. nemesis f. leonora Bargmann, 1928 and S. nemesis f. exacta Bargmann, 1929 are synonymized with S. galanthis galanthis (Cramer, 1775).

A new species of Aguna Williams (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) from Panamá belonging to the “claxon group”

ABSTRACT A new species of Aguna Williams, 1927 from Panamá is described: Aguna prasinus Siewert, Leviski, Mielke & Casagrande, sp. nov. Illustrations of adults and male genitalia are provided. A dichotomous key for the male Aguna species for the “claxon group” is also provided.

Técnicas multivariadas na determinação da diversidade genética em gergelim usando marcadores RAPD

O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar diferentes técnicas multivariadas na caracterização de 35 genótipos de gergelim mediante 769 marcadores RAPD. As distâncias genéticas foram obtidas pelo complemento aritmético do coeficiente de Jaccard e agrupadas pelos métodos hierárquicos do vizinho mais próximo, do vizinho mais distante, das médias aritméticas não ponderadas (UPGMA), do método de otimização de Tocher e análises de coordenadas principais. O agrupamento dos genótipos foi alterado em função dos diferentes métodos usados. Adotando-se a mesma distância genética (0,36) como valor de corte, diferenciaram-se quatro grupos no método do vizinho mais próximo, 13 para o vizinho mais distante, 11 no UPGMA e quatro no Tocher. Entre os métodos hierárquicos, o UPGMA apresentou o melhor ajuste das distâncias originais e estimadas (CCC = 0,89). As análises das coordenadas principais confirmaram a baixa diversidade existente entre os genótipos. A maior divergência ocorreu entre as cultivares Seridó 1 e Arawaca 4, e a menor, entre os genótipos VCR-101 e GP-3314. As três primeiras coordenadas principais contabilizaram 35,13% do total da variabilidade, e 18 autovalores foram necessários para explicar 81% da variação genética. Os métodos UPGMA, de otimização de Tocher, e as análises de coordenadas principais são complementares na formação dos grupos.

Forage yield and quality of a dense thorny and thornless "jurema-preta" stand

The objective of this work was to compare forage production and quality of thorny and thornless "jurema-preta" (Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poiret) in a dense planted stand, subjected to annual pruning of fine branches, in Patos, PB, Brazil. The experiment consisted of two treatments (thornless and thorny "jurema-preta") in a complete randomized block design, with ten replicates of two linear plots subdivided in time. Forage mass and chemical composition of fine branches and the basal diameter of plants were measured during five years. Pruning decreased (p<0.05) increments in basal diameter and forage production. Annual dry matter yields reached 4,108 and 5,833 kg ha-1, respectively, for thornless and thorny plants, and forage quality was similar (p>0.05) for both genotypes. This roughage fodder (minimum NDF and ADF averages were 56±1.1% and 43±1.0%, respectively) had low P and K concentrations. Its average crude protein content was greater than 9.9±0.5%, which exceeds the minimum necessary for animal maintenance. Both "jurema-preta" genotypes tolerated pruning of fine branches and contributed with a significant amount of roughage fodder for animal maintenance in the dry season.

Crescimento e produção de fitomassa de variedades de milho em diferentes manejos da capoeira

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento e a produção de fitomassa de três variedades de milho submetidas a diferentes manejos da capoeira, em sistema de corte e trituração, em Marapanim, nordeste do Pará, no período da seca. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com 18 tratamentos e quatro repetições. As parcelas foram constituídas por três manejos da capoeira: natural, enriquecida com ingá (Inga edulis) e tachi-branco (Sclerolobium paniculatum) e enriquecida com ingá e tachi-branco com adubação fosfatada. Foram introduzidas três variedades de milho (BRS Sol da Manhã, BRS 4154 Saracura e BR 106), distribuídas em subparcelas com ou sem adubação complementar (NPK). Foram avaliadas as variáveis: altura da planta, diâmetro do caule, número de folhas, massa de matéria úmida e seca e estande. Os manejos com capoeira enriquecida e capoeira enriquecida com adubação fosfatada influenciaram positivamente a altura das plantas, o diâmetro do colmo e a produção de fitomassa; a adubação complementar potencializou o efeito dos manejos para estas variáveis.

DDT (dicloro difenil tricloroetano): toxicidade e contaminação ambiental - uma revisão

DDT and others organochlorine insecticides are very persistent substances. Clinical symptoms of intoxication have been reported in humans, although the main problem concerning such substances is bioaccumulation and biomagnification along throphic chains, leading to contamination of top predators and humans after them. In this review these characteristics are described, as well as some aspects of the control of vector borne diseases, like leishmaniasis and malaria, which were until recently, controlled by the health authorities using DDT.

Persistent organic pollutants in two reservoirs along the Paraíba do Sul-Guandu River system, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sediment contamination is evaluated by determining organic micropollutants (organochlorine compounds - OCs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - PAHs) in two important Brazilian water reservoirs. Trace levels of OCs were observed in the Santana reservoir (44.8 ng g-1 d.w. of p,p'-DDT), while in the Funil reservoir the levels were below detection level. Forty-eight percent of the found sigmaocs were polychlorinated biphenyls, 29% dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), 18% Drins, and 5% other pesticides (HCB, Heptachlor, Heptachlor-epoxide, gamma-HCH and a-Endosulfan). We observed lower levels of sigmaPAH in the Funil reservoir (1 to 275 ng g-1d.w.) than in the Santana reservoir (2.2 to 26.7 µg g-1 d.w.).

Um novo método para quantificar mercúrio orgânico (Hg orgânico) empregando a espectrometria de fluorescência atômica do vapor frio

In this work a simple and sensitive procedure to extract organic mercury from water and sediment samples, using methylene chloride in acidic media followed by CVAFS quantification has been developed. The method was evaluated for possible interferents, using different inorganic mercury species and humic acid, no effects being observed. The detection limit for organic mercury was 160 pg and 396 pg for water and sediment samples respectively. The accuracy of the method was evaluated using a certified reference material of methylmercury (BCR-580, estuarine sediment). Recovery tests using methylmercury as surrogate spiked with 1.0 up to 30.0 ng L-1 ranged from 90 up to 109% for water samples, whereas for sediments, recoveries ranged from 57 up to 97%.

Distribuição de selênio em organismos marinhos da Baía de Guanabara/ RJ

The study assessed selenium concentrations in the muscle tissues and liver samples of three fish species and in the soft tissues of a mussel species. The samples were analyzed by GF-AAS using Zeeman background correction. Selenium in the muscle samples was higher in carnivorous fish. The liver of all studied fish species presented higher selenium concentrations than the muscle. The fish species presented a high positive correlation between their total length and selenium concentration. A significant correlation was observed between the selenium concentration in the mussel soft tissues and the condition index.

Transferência trófica de mercúrio e selênio na costa norte do Rio de Janeiro

Trophic transfer of trace elements along marine food chains has been recognized as an important process influencing metal and metalloid bioaccumulation. The trophic transfer of mercury was observed between trophic levels from prey (considering fish with different feeding habits and squid) to top predator (dolphin) in a Northern coastal food chain of Rio de Janeiro. Selenium showed some evidence of trophic transfer between lower trophic levels. Dolphin presented the highest mercury concentrations whereas the benthic carnivorous fish showed the highest selenium concentrations. Mercury is biomagnified through the food chain while selenium does not present the same behavior.

Bioconcentração e biomagnificação de metilmercúrio na baía de Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro

Methylmercury was determined in water and aquatic biota from Guanabara Bay. Trophic transfer of methylmercury was observed between trophic levels from prey (microplankton, mesoplankton and fish with different feeding habits) to top predator (pelagic demersal fish). Top predator fish presented the highest methylmercury concentrations (320.3 ± 150.7 mg kg-1 dry wt.), whereas microplankton presented the lowest (8.9 ± 3.3 mg kg-1 dry wt.). The successive amplification of methylmercury concentrations and its bioconcentration factor with increasing trophic levels from base to top indicate that biomagnification may be occurring along the food web. Results suggest the importance of feeding habits and trophic level in the bioaccumulation of methylmercury by aquatic biota.

METODOLOGIAS DE COLETA, PRESERVAÇÃO E ARMAZENAMENTO DE AMOSTRAS DE ÁGUA PARA ANÁLISE DE MERCÚRIO - UMA REVISÃO

Knowing the mercury levels of an environment allows a diverse array of biogeochemical studies into the mercury cycle on a local or global scale. Among matrices commonly evaluated, water remains a challenge for research because its mercury levels can be very low, requiring development of complex analytical protocols. Currently, sample preservation methods, protocols that avoid contamination, and analytical techniques with low detection limits allow analysis of mercury in pristine waters. However, different protocols suggest different methods depending on a range of factors such as the characteristics of water sampled and storage time. In remote areas, such as oceanic and Amazonian regions, sample preservation and transport to a laboratory can be difficult, requiring processing of the water during the sampling expedition and the establishment of a field laboratory. Brazilian research on mercury in water can be limited due to difficulty obtaining reagents, lack of laboratory structure, qualified personnel, and financial support. Considering this complexity for analyzing water, we reviewed methodologies for sampling, preservation, and storage of water samples for analysis of the most commonly evaluated mercury species (dissolved gaseous mercury, reactive mercury, methylmercury and total mercury).