Rapid assessment of fruit-color selection by birds using artificial fruits at local scale in Central Amazonia

Modeling clays have been used in several ecological experiments and have proved to be an important tool to variables control. The objective of our study was to determine if fruit color in isolated and grouped displays influences the fruit selection by birds in the field using artificial fruits. Data were collected in six plots distributed homogeneously in 3 km long trails with a minimum distance of 0.5 km. We used a paired experimental design to establish our experiments, so that all treatments were available to the local bird community in each plot. Overall, red was more pecked than brown and white. Isolated red and brown displays were significantly more pecked than others display. Even though our study was conducted in small spatial scales, artificial fruits appeared to be efficient in register fruit consumption attempts by bird. Although inconclusive about selective forces that sharp the dynamics of fruit color polymorphisms and choice by frugivorous birds, our findings corroborate recent studies wherein birds showed preferences by high- over low-contrast fruit signals.

Notes on necrophagous flies (Diptera: Calyptratae) associated to fish carrion in Colombian Amazon

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of studies on carrion fly communities due to their medical importance and as a consequence of the large number of studies on forensic entomology. Surprisingly few studies have adressed with the asynantropic flies of the Amazon, and none were done in Colombia. A faunistic study of asynantropic flies of the families Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae and Fannidae in three different landscapes of the Colombian Amazon is presented, trapping effectiveness is assessed, and the first record of Mesembrinella batesi (Aldrich, 1922) and Fannia femoralis (Stein, 1897) from Colombia is reported.

Diversity of sand flies in domiciliary environment of Santarém, state of Pará, Brazil: species composition and abundance patterns in rural and urban areas

This paper aimed to evaluate the richness, abundance and frequency of sand fly occurrence in rural and urban areas American visceral Leishmaniasis -AVL is endemic in the study area of Santarém municipality, Pará state. Sand flies were collected during 1995-2000, using CDC light traps placed in neighborhoods and rural areas of the municipality. A total of 53.454 individuals and 26 species of sand flies were collected. The most abundant species in both urban and rural environments was Lutzomyia longipalpis, vector of AVL in the area. The highest species richness by capture was in rural area. In all years sampled, the largest number of species of sand fly collected was always in rural areas. The species of sand flies in urban and rural area were similar in 11 species. In the rural area other 11 species were found, a total of 22 species. Shannon-Wiener index ranged from 0.12 to 0.84 at rural areas and 0.08 to 0.34 at urban ones. In general, rural localities showed higher diversity (H') of phlebotomines than urban ones. Individual-based rarefaction curves for each area demonstrated that urban localities had the lowest expected number of phlebotomine species and the richest rural ones reach higher expected values with lower amount of individuals than urban sites. The most frequent species were Lutzomyia longipalpis, Evandromyia carmelinoi and Bichromomyia flaviscutellata.

Studies on the mineral nutrition and fertilization of the passion fruit plant (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa): II - placement of fertilizer phosphorus

A localização do superfosfato (marcado com P32) no maracujá em produção foi estudada em condições de plantação comercial. Verificou-se que as aplicações em sulcos circulares ou faixas superficiais ao redor da planta tem eficiência equivalente sendo esses métodos três vezes superiores à localização do adubo em furos no solo. A pulverização foliar, por sua vez, mostrou-se 20 vezes mais eficiente que a aplicação no solo de acordo com os dois primeiros métodos.

Studies on the mineral nutrition and fertilization of the passion fruit plant (Passiflora edulis F. flavicarpa): II. placement of fertilizer phosphorus

1. Tagged superphosphate was applied to 2.5 year old passion fruit plants from a commercial plantation established in a sandy loam. 2. 100 grams of the fertilizer were distributed in the following ways: in a circular furrow 20 cm around the plant 40 cm from the stems; in a circular strip 10 cm wide, 40 cm from the stems; in six holes around the plants, 40 cm from the stems 20 cm deep, 2.5 cm in diameter. 3. 10 grams of the fertilizer in 11 of water were sprayed to the leaves. 4. Three weeks after the treatments were made, leaf samples were taken for analysis. 5. Determinations of specific activities both in the leaves and in the fertilizer used have shown that R in the plant was derived from the superphosphate in the following relative proportions (by making the first treatment equal to 100): circular furrow = 100; circular strip = 120; holes = 30; foliar spray = 230.

The effect of chlorophenoxy propionamide (Fruitone CPA) on the fruit of banana cv. 'nanicão'

Fruitone CPA was applied on the two terminals hands of the banana bunch, using the following doses: 0-159-300 and 600 ppm. Fruitone did not affect fruit weightm but increased fruit lenght. This alteration was greater with Fruitone at 600 ppm.

Aceitação e preferência de frutos para oviposição em duas populações de Ceratitis capitata (Diptera, Tephritidae)

The influence of four host fruits, orange (Citrus sinensis L.), papaya (Carica papaya L.), mango (Mangifera indica L.) and apple (Malus domestica Borkh) on oviposition behavior of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) was evaluated. Experiments were carried out on two C. capitata laboratory-reared populations: one with artificial diet for 10 years with periodic introduction of wild flies and other reared with artificial diet for 20 years without wild flies introduction. In acceptance experiments two pieces of a single fruit type were exposed to a group of 10 females; after 48 hours, these were changed by two new pieces of the same fruit type, and, in the end of the fourth day, the experiments were concluded. In preference experiments, two pieces of different fruits were offered to the females. These experiments were driven under the same conditions of the acceptance ones. Acceptance and preference experiments for both populations showed the following choice hierarchy: papaya > mango > orange > apple. The acceptance experiments showed no differences in the number of eggs/female/day laid in the first 48 hours and in the last 48 hours of the experiments. The amount of eggs in the two pieces of fruits offered to the females was similar. In spite of the two populations present similar behavior in relation to host hierarchy, the number of laid eggs was different, being larger for the population reared without wild flies introduction.

Sarcophagid flies (Diptera) from sinop, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

In Sinop, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, for the first time specimens of Euboettcheria, with seven species, are dominant (54.39%) among the Sarcophagid flies. Two new species of Euboettcheria (alvarengai and roppai) and females of known species are described and figured. Notochaeta sinopi n.sp. and Sinopiella rufopilosa n. gen., n. sp. are also described.

The susceptibility of wild caught sand flies to infection by a subspecies of Leishmania mexicana isolated from proechimys iheringi denigratus (Rodentia, echimyidae)

Several species of wild caught sand flies were collected in the same site where a subspecies of leishmania mexicana was isolated from the rodent Proechimys iheringi denigratus. The absence of natural infection in these sand flies permitted us to test, with relative assurance, the susceptibility of wild caught females to infection by this parasite. the success obtained in these experimental infections suggest that one or more of the sand fly species encountered in high numbers in the same site where the infected rodents were captured may be the vector(s) of this subspecies of l. mexicana.

The transmission of suprapylarian Leishmania by bite of experimentally infected sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Lutzomyia furcata transmitted Leishmania chagasi to a hamster 10 days after being experimentally fed on an infected spleen. An individual female Psychodopygus carrerai carrerai that had fed on a hamster lesion caused by Leishmania mexicana amazonensis transmitted this parasite 6 days later to another hamster. Transmission electron microscopy of this fly's head revealed a small number of degenerate promastigotes in the foregut, but only a few were attached.

Tryptophan metabolism in tsetse flies and the consequences of its derangement

Literature comparing salmon and wild type Glossina morsitans morsitans and that comparing tan and wild type Glossina palpalis palpalis is reviewed. New information is presented on behaviour and biochemistry of salmon and wild type G. m. morsitans. The eye color mutants result from two lesions in the tryptophan to xanthommatin pathway: lack of tryptophan oxygenase in G. m morsitans and failure to produce or retain xanthommatin in eyes (but not in testes) of G. p. palpalis. The salmon allele in G. m. morsitans is pleiotropic and profoundly affects many aspects of fly biology including longevity, reproductive capacity, vision, vectorial capacity and duration of flight, but not circadian rhythms. The tan allele in G. p. palpalis has little effect upon the biology of flies under laboratory conditions, except that tan flies appear less active than normal. Adult tsetse flies metabolize tryptophan to kynurenine which is excreted; fluctuations in activities of the enzymes producing kynurenine suggest this pathway is under metabolic control.

Sarcophagid flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) from Tripura, India

Systematic position of seventeen species under nine genera are reported here. Sinonipponia smarti is described as new species. Lioproctia (Coonoria) pattoni (Senior-White) is redescribed and figured.

Trypanosomatid protozoa in fruit of solanaceae in southeastern Brazil

Fruits of cultivated and indigenous Solanaceae from Southeastern Brazil have been examined for the presence of trypanosomatid flagellates. The 14 species found infected were: Capsicum annum, C. praetermissum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Nicandra physaloides, Physalis angulata, Solanum sp., S. americanum, S. concinnum, S. diflorum, S. erianthum, S. gilo, S. robustum, S. variable and S. viarum. The pentatomid hemipteran Arvelius albopunctatus experimentally transmitted flagellates to fruits of some species. Cultures of flagellates were obtained form fruits of eight species of Salonaceae and from A. albopunctatus.

New records of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Ecuador

The plebotomine sand fly fauna of Ecuador was surveyed in two 3-month collecting trips made in 1988 and 1990. A total of 12 provinces were visited, including three (Bolivar, Loja and Morona Santiago) from wich no previous records to phlebotomines existed. Forty-six species were collected, 13 of wich, together with 1 subspecies and 1 genus (Warileya) represented new records for the country. This survey increases the known number of species in Ecuador to 60. The distribuition of Ecuadorian sand flies is discussed in the light of these new findings.