Descrição de Syndyas amazonica SP. N., Primeiro registro do gênero na região Neotropical (Diptera, Empididae, Hybotinae)

Uma espécie amazônica de Syndyas é descrita e ilustrada: Syndyas amazonica sp.n.. Este é o primeiro registro do gênero na Região Neotropical.

Descrição de três novas espécies do gênero Melittomma (Coleoptera: Lymexylidae) da região neotropical e considerações sobre Melittomma brasiliense (Castelnau, 1832)

Estudo taxonômico das espécies neotropicais de Melittomma é apresentado, enfatizando as espécies distribuídas no território brasileiro. Discute-se brevemente os caracteres diagnósticos de M. brasiliense com dados de sua distribuição geográfica; descrições e ilustrações de três novas espécies, Melittomma nana sp.n. distribuída pela região Neotropical, Μ. brunnea sp.n. da Amazônia Central e M. panamensis sp.n. do Panamá, são apresentadas.

Revisão do gênero Euhybus Coquillett (Diptera, Empididae, Hybotinae) da região Neotropical. Grupo dimidiatus

As espécies de Euhybus Coquillett do grupo dimidiatus são revisadas, cinco espécies novas da região amazônica são descritas, E. amazonicus (Santiago, Sierra de Cutucu, Ecuador), Ε. dubius (Parque Nacional do Jaú, Amazonas, Brasil), E. ikedai (Novo Aripuanã, Amazonas, Brasil), E. setulosus (Mocoa, Puntamayo, Colômbia) e E. symmetricus (Parque Nacional do Jaú, Amazonas, Brasil), novos registros geográficos são feitos, novas sinonímias estabelecidas e uma chave para os grupos de espécies de Euhybus é apresentada.

Treetop shelter of a neotropical river otter cub (Lontra longicaudis - Carnivora: Mustelidae) in an Amazonian flooded forest

The finding of a Neotropical river otter (Lontra longicaudis) cub occupying a shelter in a hollowed treetop is reported. The observation was made in a seasonally flooded forest in Central Amazonia, during the high water peak of the annual inundation cycle. A literature review indicates that this is the first description of a shelter of the species, both in a hollowed tree and in Amazonia. This observation can indicate a strong relationship between the species' breeding cycle with the annual dynamics of Amazonian rivers. We discuss potential advantages and disadvantages of breeding when water level is high.

Revisão do gênero neotropical Amazunculus Rafael (Diptera: Pipunculidae) com descrição de três novas espécies e chave de identificação

O gênero Amazunculus é exclusivo da região Neotropical, com a maioria dos seus registros no bioma amazônico. São pipunculídeos grandes, facilmente identificados pelos tarsos posteriores achatados e a veia alar dm-cu curva. Aqui são descritas as espécies Amazunculus cordigaster sp. nov., A. deargentatus sp. nov. e A. duckei sp. nov., cujas diagnoses são baseadas principalmente em características da genitália masculina. É apresentada uma chave para identificação das seis espécies do gênero.

Cladistic analysis of the Neotropical genera Cerqueirellum Py-Daniel, 1983, Coscaroniellum Py-Daniel, 1983 and Shelleyellum Py-Daniel & Pessoa, 2005 (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Females of simuliid black flies are haematophagous insects and vectors of several pathogenic agents of human diseases such as the filarial worms Mansonella ozzardi and Onchocerca volvulus. The genus Cerqueirellum is one of the most important groups of vectors of mansonellosis and onchocerciasis diseases in South America, and the genera Coscaroniellum and Shelleyellum are phylogenetically close to Cerqueirellum. There is not yet an agreement among authors about the generic classification of the species which compose these three genera, being all lumped by some taxonomists within Psaroniocompsa. A cladistic analysis of all species of Coscaroniellum, Cerqueirellum, and Shelleyellum, based on 41 morphological characters were done. Species closely related to Cerqueirellum were included in the analysis. The genera Cerqueirellum, Coscaroniellum and Shelleyellum were demonstrated as consistent basal entities and well-defined monophyletic clades.

Natural diet and feeding habits of a freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium carcinus: Crustacea, Decapoda) in the estuary of the Amazon River

Macrobrachium carcinus is a Brazilian native prawn with recognized potential for use in aquaculture activities. However, there is little information about the natural diet and feeding habits of this species. The aim of this study was the identification of the diet items of M. carcinus based on the analysis of the stomach contents. Specimens were collected in the Amazon River estuary between January 2009 and January 2010. The stomach analysis was carried out by using the frequency of occurrence (FO), methods of points (MP) and feeding index (FI). It was observed that prawns fed on detritus, animals and plant fragments as the most important food items. Sediment accounted for the main stomach content, accounting for 43.2% by the MP, 44.9% by FI and 100% by the FO. Sexual differences in feeding preferences were not found in this study, and seasonal differences in the frequency of items ingested by M. carcinus were not observed. The results indicated that M. carcinus can be considered omnivorous species, but with an important carnivorous component, similar to that found in other Macrobrachium species.

Diet and ecomorphology of Leporinus reticulatus (Characiformes: Anostomidae) from the upper Rio Juruena, MT, Brazil: ontogenetic shifts related to the feeding ecology

The conservation of diverse and well-distributed fish taxa, as the genus Leporinus, relies intrinsically on the knowledge of the ecological attributes of its representatives. Aiming to increase this knowledge, studies on diet and ecomorphology are ideal to provide important information about species ecology. Thus, this study aimed to analyze aspects of feeding ecology of L. reticulatus, from the upper Rio Juruena, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The diet of specimens in different ontogenetic stages was compared, as well as their teeth morphology and ecomorphological attributes. Leporinus reticulatus presented omnivorous diet, with higher consumption of invertebrates by smaller specimens (younger ones), and gradual introduction of plant items in larger specimens (older ones). The items consumed by the individuals and the ecomorphological attributes indicated that the species is generalist and opportunistic, besides its association with the river bottom, evidencing a benthic feeding behavior. This species presents a gradual ontogenetic modification in teeth shape and mouth positioning, ranging from a terminal mouth with tricuspid teeth, in smaller specimens, to an inferior mouth with spatula shaped teeth with no cusps, in larger specimens.The ecomorphological attributes indicate an increasing swimming efficiency, and ability for performing vertical displacements, along the ontogenetic development, which in addition to the morphological ontogenetic alterations in the buccal apparatus, contributes to a better ability to explore another niches.

Taxonomia da subfamília Corinninae (Araneae, Corinnidae) nas regiões neotropical e neártica

The subfamily Corinninae is characterized and diagnosed. Two synapomorphies are hypothesized for the subfamily, both regarding the male palpal reservoir, which is primarily coiled and presents a sclerotized distal sector. Seventeen genera are recognized, six of which are new: Abapeba (type species Corinna lacertosa Simon), Erendira (type species Corinna pallidoguttata Simon), Septentrinna (type species Corinna bicalcarata Simon), Simonestus (type species Diestus validus Simon), Tapixaua (type species T. callida sp. nov.) and Tupirinna (type species T. rosae sp. nov.). The genera Creugas Thorell, Falconina Brignoli and Paradiestus Mello-Leitão are revalidated. Diestus Simon and Lausus Simon are newly synonymized with Corinna C. L. Koch. Chemmis Simon is included in the synonymy of Megalostrata Karsch. Hypsinotus L. Koch is removed from the synonymy of Corinna and included in the synonymy of Creugas. Thirteen new species are described: Septentrinna yucatan and S. potosi from Mexico; Tupirinna rosae from Venezuela and Brazil; Tapixaua callida from Brazil and Peru; Abapeba hoeferi, A. rioclaro, A. taruma, Corinna ducke, C. colombo, C. mourai, C. recurva and Parachemmis manauara from Brazil; Creugas lisei from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Twenty seven species are redescribed. Fifty eight new combinations are presented: from Chemmis, Septentrinna steckleri (Gertsch); from Corinna, Abapeba abalosi (Mello-Leitão), A. cleonei (Petrunkevitch), A. echinus (Simon), A. grassima (Chickering), A. guanicae (Petrunkevitch), A. lacertosa (Simon), A. luctuosa (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), A. lugubris (Schenkel), A. pennata (Caporiacco), A. kochi (Petrunkevitch), A. saga (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), A. wheeleri (Petrunkevitch), Creugas annamae (Gertsch & Davis), C. apophysarius (Caporiacco), C. bajulus (Gertsch), C. bellator (L. Koch), C. bicuspis (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge), C. epicureanus (Chamberlin), C. falculus (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), C. mucronatus (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), C. navus (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), C. nigricans (C. L. Koch), C. plumatus (L. Koch), C. praeceps (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), C. silvaticus (Chickering), C. uncatus (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), Erendira luteomaculatta (Petrunkevitch), E. pallidoguttata (Simon), E. subsignata (Simon), Falconina albomaculosa (Schmidt), F. crassipalpis (Chickering), F. gracilis (Keyserling), Megalostrata raptrix (L. Koch), Paradiestus egregius (Simon), P. giganteus (Karsch), P. penicillatus (Mello-Leitão), P. vitiosus (Keyserling), Septentrinna bicalcarata (Simon), S. paradoxa (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), S. retusa (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), Simonestus pseudobulbolus (Caporiacco), S. robustus (Chickering), S. semiluna (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge), Stethorrhagus maculatus (L. Koch) and Xeropigo smedigari (Caporiacco); from Diestus, Corinna alticeps (Keyserling), C. kochi (Simon), Simonestus occidentalis (Schenkel), S. separatus (Schmidt) and S. validus (Simon); from Lausus, Corinna grandis (Simon) and Abapeba sicarioides (Mello-Leitão); from Medmassa, Corinna andina (Simon) and C. venezuelica (Caporiacco); from Megalostrata, Erendira atrox (Caporiacco) and Erendira pictitorax (Caporiacco); from Parachemmis, Tupirinna trilineata (Chickering). Five combinations are restaured: Corinna aenea Simon, Creugas cinnamius Simon, Creugas gulosus Thorell, Falconina melloi (Schenkel), Paradiestus aurantiacus Mello-Leitão. Twenty five new synonymies are proposed: Diestus altifrons Mello-Leitão with Corinna nitens (Keyserling); Corinna tomentosa Simon, C. tridentina Mello-Leitão, Hypsinotus flavipes Keyserling, H. humilis Keyserling and Xeropigo scutulatus Simon with Xeropigo tridentiger (O. Pickard-Cambridge); Corinna cribosa Mello-Leitão and C. stigmatica Simon with Falconina gracilis (Keyserling); Corinna casueta Chickering with SIMONestus separatus (Schmidt); Corinna abnormis Petrunkevitch, C. antillana BRYANT, C. consobrina Simon, C. inornata Kraus, C. nervosa F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, C. wolleboeki Banks, Creugas cetratus Simon, C. senegalensis Simon and Hypsinotus gracilipes Keyserling with Creugas gulosus Thorell; Chemmis frederici Simon, Delozeugma formidabile O. Pickard-Cambridge, D. mordicans O. Pickard-Cambridge, Megalostrata sperata Kraus and M. venifica KARSCH with Megalostrata raptrix (L. Koch); Megalostrata lohmanderi Caporiacco with Erendira atrox (Caporiacco); Corinna tenubra Chickering with Parachemmis fuscus Chickering. One new name, Creugas berlandi, is erected for Corinna bellatrix Schmidt. Males of Creugas cinnamius, Corinna kochi, Methesis semirufa Simon, Paradiestus aurantiacus, Septentrinna steckleri and Xeropigo smedigari, the females of Paradiestus giganteus, Septentrinna bicalcarata and the adult female of S. steckleri are described for the first time.

A new species of Stratiodrilus (Polychaeta, Histriobdellidae) from freshwater crayfishes of southern Brazil

A new species of polychaete, Stratiodrilus vilae, epizoic on Parastacus brasiliensis (von Martens, 1869) and P. defossus Faxon, 1898, is described from the State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. The new species has one pair of long, anal, conical ventral lobes, one on each side of the anus, claspers in the males, and one pair of tubercles in each of the posterior locomotor appendages; and the jaw apparatus not reaching the limit between the head and the first segment.

Novos Hemilophini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae) da Região Neotropical

A key to the species of Murupeaca Martins & Galileo, 1992 is presented and M. tavakiliani, from French Guyana, is described. Hemiloapis gen. nov. and its type-species, H. yandaira sp. nov. are described from Bolivia.Two new species are described in the genus Mariliana Lane, 1970, M. amazonica sp. nov. from French Guiana and M. cicadellida sp. nov. from Bolivia. A key to the species of Mariliana is added. Two other new species of the genus Erana Bates, 1866 are described: E. septuosa sp. nov. and E. rosea sp. nov., both from Panama.

Novos táxons de Hemilophini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) da Região Neotropical

Novos táxons descritos da Costa Rica: Erana cretaria sp. nov., Itumbiara denudata sp. nov., Hilaroleopsis coloratus sp. nov., Alampyris flavicollis sp. nov., Cotycuara viridis sp. nov., Adesmus stellatus sp. nov., A. pilatus sp. nov. (também do Panamá); do Panamá: Eulachnesia amoena sp. nov., Cotycuara crinita sp. nov.; da Venezuela: Abanycha fasciata sp. nov.; do Equador: Mariliana hovorei sp. nov., Adesmus ocellatus sp. nov.; do Peru: Susuanycha gen. nov., espécie-tipo, S. susua sp. nov., Malacoscylus elegantulus sp. nov., Adesmus guttatus sp. nov., A. calca sp. nov.; do Brasil (Minas Gerais): Sybaguasu cornutum sp. nov. Acrescenta-se chave para as espécies de Cotycuara.

Studies on neotropical Protoneuridae: 19. Two new species of Neoneura from Southern Brazil (Odonata, Protoneuridae)

Neoneura anaclara sp. nov. and Neoneura leonardoi sp. nov. are described and illustrated from specimens collected in Southern Brazil. These two species are unique in the genus Neoneura by the structure of their anal appendages.

Novos táxons de Cerambycinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) da Região Neotropical

São descritos e ilustrados os seguintes novos táxons - em Oemini, Methioidina: Kalore gen. nov., espécie-tipo K. asanga sp. nov.; em Methiini: Tessaropa boliviana sp. nov.; em Smodicini: Marupiara gen. nov., espécie-tipo M. castanea sp. nov.; em Ectenessini: Cotynessa gen. nov., espécie-tipo C. abatinga sp. nov.; em Phlyctaenodini: Ancylodonta apipema sp. nov.; em Neocorini: Marauna gen. nov., espécie-tipo M. punctatissima sp. nov., em Oxycoleini: Oxycoleus flavipes sp. nov., todos da Bolívia, Santa Cruz; Coscinedes oaxaca sp. nov. do México, Oaxaca; em Elaphidionini: Curtomerus piraiuba sp. nov. da Colômbia, Boyacá.

Quantitative fidelity of recent freshwater mollusk assemblages from the Touro Passo River, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

This study represents one of the first contributions to the knowledge on the quantitative fidelity of the recent freshwater molluscan assemblages in subtropical rivers. Thanatocoenoses and biocoenoses were studied in straight and meandering to braided sectors, in the middle course of the Touro Passo River, a fourth-order tributary of the Uruguay River, located in the westernmost part of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. Samplings were carried out through quadrats of 5 m², five in each sector. A total area of 50 m² was sampled. Samplings were also made in a lentic environment (abandoned meander), with intermittent communication with the Touro Passo River, aiming to record out-of-habitat shell transportation from the lentic communities to the main river channel. The results show that, despite the frequent oscillation of the water level, the biocoenosis of the Touro Passo River shows high ecological fidelity and undergoes little influence from the lentic vicinal environments. The taxonomic composition and some features of the structure of communities, especially the dominant species, also reflect some ecological differences between the two main sectors sampled, such as the complexity of habitats in the meandering-sector. Regarding the quantitative fidelity, 60% of the species found alive were also found dead and 47.3% of the species found dead were also found alive, at river-scale. However, 72% of the dead individuals belong to species also found alive. This value might be related with the good rank order correlation obtained for live/dead assemblages. Consequently, the dominant species of the thanatocoenoses could be used to infer the ecological attributes of the biocoenoses. The values of all the indexes analyzed were very variable in small-scale samplings (quadrat), but were more similar to others registered in previous studies, when they were analyzed in a station and river scale.