Pollination efficiency of the stingless bee Melipona subnitida on greenhouse sweet pepper

The present study was carried out in Northeastern Region of Brazil, in order to investigate the use of stingless bee Melipona subnitida Ducke in the pollination of greenhouse sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Treatments of hand cross-pollination, hand self-pollination, pollination by bees and restricted pollination were performed. Results showed that despite sweet pepper flowers are considered autogamous, this crop benefits from pollination by M. subnitida, producing fruits significantly heavier and wider, containing a greater number of seeds and of better quality (lower percentage of malformed fruits) than self-pollinated sweet pepper. Thus, M. subnitida can be considered an efficient pollinator of greenhouse sweet pepper.

7ª Contribuição ao estudo dos Flebotomus (Diptera: Psychodidae): descrição dos machos de 24 novas espécies

The A. and his co-workers captured in trips in the hinterland of Brazil more tham 17.000 flebotomi from which 35 are new ones, 11 discribed by, him in previous papers. The A. found these insects in groups of species living in different habitats, some ones of them not yet known: ondoors, or outdoors attracted by light or animal baits, without Shannon’s trap, in great or small caves, in the jungle in tree’s holes, holes in stones, holes in the soil habited by animals like armadillos, pacas (Aguti paca), wild rats, cururú toad (Bufo sp.). He observed the life history of 13 species: Flebotomus longipalpis Lutz& Neiva, 1912, Flebotomus intermedius Lutz & Neiva, 1912, Flebotomus avellari Costa Lima, 1932, Flebotomus aragãoi costa Lima, 1932, Flebotomus lutzianus Costa Lima, 1932, Flebotomus limai fonseca, 1935, Flebotomus rickardi Costa Lima, 1936, Flebotomus dasipodogeton Castro, 1939, Flebotomus oswaldoi n. sp., Flebotomus villelai n. sp., Flebotomus triacanthus n. sp., Flebotomus longispinus n. sp. And flebotomus travassosi n. sp. He describes the male of 24 n. sp., explaining the differential diagnose of group or nearly allied species. He inclued F. rooti n. sp. And F. hirsutus n. sp. In the sub-genus Shannonomyia. The first one, very allied to F. davisi Root is different from it, for presenting in the dorsal side of the abdomen bristles and not scales and to have the median claspers longer than his inner appendage and F. hirsutus quite different from the others which show 3 spines on distal segment of the upper clasper and for being the only one who presents the bristles of inner appendage of median clasper longer than it. Only the females of F. amazonensis Root and f. chagasi Costa Lima, are known and then it is possible that they belong to one of the species of this sub-genus from whom only the male have been described. F. choti Floch & Abonnenc, captured also at Pará, F. triacanthus n. sp. F. trispinosus n. sp. And F. equatorialis n. sp. Are very related and to this group the A. proposes the same of Pressatia as sub-genus in honor to whom demonstrated the medical importance of the flebotomi, considering F. triacanthus as the type specie of this sub-genus. In this sub-genus the V papal joint is very long, longer than III + IV, the antennae with geniculated spines without posterior outgrowth. At the genitalia the basal segment of the upper clasper presents two types of bristles ou the inner face, arranged in tuft; the distal segment with 3 spines and 2 thin bristles something difficult to see one of them situated near the apical spine and the other on the base of tubercle where the median spine is articulated; the median clasper is unarmed and compressed; the inferior clasper is also unarmed and longer than de basal segment of the upper clasper; the pompeta is longer than the basal segment of the upper clasper. Following it is presented a key for the determination of the males of the four species of this sub-genus. F. micropygus n. sp., F. minasensis n. sp. e F. dandrophylus n. sp., f. shannoni, F. monticolus, F. pestanai, F. lanei and F. cayenensis constitute a group with many similars characters. F. micropygus is the only American species who present α smaller than β and for that reason and others is allied to. F. minuts and others related species, but presents two terminal spines on the distal segment of the upper clasper. F. micropygus and f. minasensis are quite different because they have very small genitalia, smaller than their heads. F. dendrophylus presents on the median clasper a naked area near the apex and for this and others characters is different from the others of the group. F. flaviscutellatus n. sp., F. oliverioi, F. intermedius and whithmani, are very allied but the first one can be very easily distinguished because it’s scutellum is light. Flebotomus barrettoi n. sp., F. coutinhoi n. sp., F. aragãoi, F. brasiliensis, F. lutzianus, F. texanus, F. pascalei, F. atroclavatus and F. tejeraae are very allied forming a natural group. The two last ones are not well known but the A. A. who have studied them described very long clipeus so long as the head and for that reason can be distinguished from all the others included the two new ones. F. coutinhoi is the only one who presents the apecis of the penis filaments twisted. F. barrettoi n. sp., can be distinguished from aragãoi, texamus and coutinhoi by the length of the penis filaments and from atrocavatus, tejeraae, lutzianus and brasiliensis by the arrangement of the spines of distal segment of the upper clasper. Flebotomus ubiquitalis n. sp., F. auraensis n. sp., F. affinis and F. microps e F. antunesi have many common characters. F. microps n. sp., can be distinguished from any one by the size of the eyes and the presence od well developed genae. This species and other new species are different from F. antunesi by the arrangement of the spines of the distal segment of the upper clasper of the latter. F. ubiquitalis n. sp. can be distinguished from others by the figure of the median clasper. F. auraensis n. sp. Can be distinguished from F. affinis n. sp. By the tuft hairs on the inner face of the basal segment and by arrangement of the spines of the sital segment of the upper clasper. Flebotomus brachipygus n. sp. Seemed to be F. rostrans, specie not well known, by the characters of the genitalia but can not be identified to her by the clypeus size and the palpi’s characters. Flebotomus costalimai, n. sp., f. tupynambai n. sp., and f. castroi Barreto & Coutinho, 1941, are very allied species and the A. proposes to included them the new sub-genus Castromyia, in honor to Dr. G. M. de Oliveira Castro, appointing like typespecies F. castroi with the V joint longer than III + IV; antennae with geniculated spines without posterior prolongation. Genitalia: the basal segment of the upper clasper with a tuft of hairs and the distal segment with 4 spines, one of them at the apex and near it a thin and straight bristle difficult to see; the median clasper with one spinous hair isolated...

Evolutionary steps in the reproductive biology of Annonaceae

Flowers of Annonaceae are characterized by fleshy petals, many stamens with hard connective shields and numerous carpels with sessile stigmas often covered by sticky secretions. The petals of many representatives during anthesis form a closed pollination chamber. Protogynous dichogamy with strong scent emissions especially during the pistillate stage is a character of nearly all species. Scent emissions can be enhanced by thermogenesis. The prevailing reproductive system in the family seems to be self-compatibility. The basal genus Anaxagorea besides exhibiting several ancestral morphological characters has also many characters which reappear in other genera. Strong fruit-like scents consisting of fruit-esters and alcohols mainly attract small fruit-beetles (genus Colopterus, Nitidulidae) as pollinators, as well as several other beetles (Curculionidae, Chrysomelidae) and fruit-flies (Drosophilidae), which themselves gnaw on the thick petals or their larvae are petal or ovule predators. The flowers and the thick petals are thus a floral brood substrate for the visitors and the thick petals of Anaxagorea have to be interpreted as an antipredator structure. Another function of the closed thick petals is the production of heat by accumulated starch, which enhances scent emission and provides a warm shelter for the attracted beetles. Insight into floral characters and floral ecology of Anaxagorea, the sister group of the rest of the Annonaceae, is particularly important for understanding functional evolution and diversification of the family as a whole. As beetle pollination (cantharophily) is plesiomorphic in Anaxagorea and in Annonaceae, characters associated with beetle pollination appear imprinted in members of the whole family. Pollination by beetles (cantharophily) is the predominant mode of the majority of species worldwide. Examples are given of diurnal representatives (e.g., Guatteria, Duguetia, Annona) which function on the basis of fruit-imitating flowers attracting mainly fruit-inhabiting nitidulid beetles, as well as nocturnal species (e.g., large-flowered Annona and Duguetia species), which additionally to most of the diurnal species exhibit strong flower warming and provide very thick petal tissues for the voracious dynastid scarab beetles (Dynastinae, Scarabaeidae). Further examples will show that a few Annonaceae have adapted in their pollination also to thrips, flies, cockroaches and even bees. Although this non-beetle pollinated species have adapted in flower structure and scent compounds to their respective insects, they still retain some of the specialized cantharophilous characters of their ancestors.

Reproductive biology of Pseudolaelia corcovadensis Porto & Brade (Orchidaceae): melittophyly and self-compatibility in a basal Laeliinae

The floral biology, mating systems and phenology of Pseudolaelia corcovadensis (Orchidaceae), in the "Estação de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de Peti", São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo, Minas Gerais state was studied. This species flowers from April to September, with a higher availability of flowers in June and July. The flowers are dark-pink, strongly zygomorphic, and have osmophores and nectar-guides absorbing ultraviolet light. However, the flowers of P. corcovadensis do not present nectar and are pollinated by Bombus (Fervidobombus) atratus Franklin, 1913 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) by deceit. Apparently, the flowers do not form a model-mimic pair with other species in the community, but mimic a generalized melittophilous food-flower. As a consequence, visits are very rare and fruit set is low (18%). Pseudolaelia corcovadensis is self-compatible and presents inbreeding depression in the early stages of development. The phylogenetic position of the genus Pseudolaelia and studies on floral biology in related genera suggest that melittophyly and self-compatibility are basal characters in the subtribe Laeliinae, with subsequent adaptive radiation to pollination by hummingbirds, Lepidoptera, Diptera and other Hymenoptera.

Nectar and pollen production in pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.)

Cucurbitaceae species depend on pollination by honey bees for fruit production. The overall objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of C. pepo for pollen and nectar production, that could help maintain colonies placed in the field. Plants of pumpkin were cultivated in field, in 1996 and 1997. Before anthesis, male flowers were covered to prevent visits by bees and other insects. After anthesis the flowers were uncovered and the following parameters were evaluated: 1) nectar production; 2) total sugar concentration in the nectar; 3) nectar replacement; and 4) production of pollen and flowers during the crop cycle. Nectar production varied from 18 to 79 µL flower-1 and increased progressively from 7h to 13h. The sugar concentration, measured at 7h, 9h and 11h, did not vary, averaging 50.5% ± 0.5% in 1996 and 40.5% ± 0.6% in 1997. At 13h the concentration decreased to 42% in 1996 and to 35% in 1997. Total daily nectar production was not influenced by removing nectar several times per day, indicating that nectar secretion is not stimulated or inhibited by frequent removal. The number of pollen grains did not differ in the two years, with an average of 43,669 ± 1,382 grains per flower. The peak rate of male and female flowers occurred from 60 to 66 days after planting (DAP) with 34.6 male flowers and 2.2 female flowers per plant, respectively. Cucurbita pepo has a potential for honey and pollen production of about 105 and 160 kg per hectare per season, respectively, which is enough to sustain, at least, five honeybee colonies.

Is the pollination efficiency of long-lived orchid flowers affected by age?

The long-lived flowers of orchids increase the chances of pollination and thus the reproductive success of the species. However, a question arises: does the efficiency of pollination, expressed by fruit set, vary with the flower age? The objective of this study was to verify whether the flower age of Corymborkis flava(Sw.) Kuntze affects pollination efficiency. The following hypotheses were tested: 1) the fruit set of older flowers is lower than that of younger ones; 2) morphological observations (perianth and stigmatic area), stigma receptivity test by using a solution of hydrogen peroxide and hand-pollination tests are equally effective in defining the period of stigmatic receptivity. Flowers were found to be receptive from the first to the fourth day of anthesis. Fruit set of older flowers (third and fourth day) was lower than that of younger flowers. Morphological observations, the stigma receptivity test and hand-pollinations were equally effective in defining the period of stigmatic receptivity. However, to evaluate the maximum degree of stigma receptivity of orchid species with long-lived flowers, we recommend hand-pollinations, beyond the period of receptivity.

Injuries and envenoming by aquatic animals in fishermen of Coxim and Corumbá municipalities, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil: identification of the causative agents, clinical aspects and first aid measures

INTRODUCTION: The fishes of continental Brazil have socioeconomic importance due to their potential for sport fishing and commercial and subsistence uses, as seen in the Upper Paraguay River Basin, particularly in the municipalities of the Pantanal region, where it is the second largest economic activity. Injuries caused in professional fishermen are common and poorly studied, as in other regions of the country. METHODS: Data were obtained from questionnaires and interviews with 100 professional fishermen, 50 in each municipality, between December 2008 and October 2009. RESULTS: All the fishermen reported some kind of injury caused by fish stings (78% of injuries) and fish, alligator and snake bites (22%) on the hands (46% of cases) and feet (35% of cases). Most of the patients had mild symptoms. The most severe cases were associated with secondary bacterial infections and required specific treatment and prolonged recovery associated with social and economic losses. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that the stressful work conditions, inattention to basic preventive measures and carelessness were factors that contributed to accidents and that the toxicity and ability to inflict mechanical trauma of some aquatic species, plus the ineffective use of first aid and hospital treatment, contributed to the high morbidity and complications in many cases. Data from this study are relevant to the fishing communities of the Pantanal region, since they reveal high rates of accidents, lack of knowledge concerning first aid, initial treatment, injury prevention and lack of medical follow-up of the population.

Injuries caused by aquatic animals in Brazil: an analysis of the data present in the information system for notifiable diseases

AbstractINTRODUCTION:We present a review of injuries in humans caused by aquatic animals in Brazil using the Information System for Notifiable Diseases [ Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN)] database.METHODS:A descriptive and retrospective epidemiological study was conducted from 2007 to 2013.RESULTS:A total of 4,118 accidents were recorded. Of these accidents, 88.7% (3,651) were caused by venomous species, and 11.3% (467) were caused by poisonous, traumatic or unidentified aquatic animals. Most of the events were injuries by stingrays (69%) and jellyfish (13.1%). The North region was responsible for the majority of reports (66.2%), with a significant emphasis on accidents caused by freshwater stingrays (92.2% or 2,317 cases). In the South region, the region with the second highest number of records (15.7%), jellyfish caused the majority of accidents (83.7% or 452 cases). The Northeastern region, with 12.5% of the records, was notable because almost all accidents were caused by toadfish (95.6% or 174 cases).CONCLUSIONS:Although a comparison of different databases has not been performed, the data presented in this study, compared to local and regional surveys, raises the hypothesis of underreporting of accidents. As the SINAN is the official system for the notification of accidents by venomous animals in Brazil, it is imperative that its operation be reviewed and improved, given that effective measures to prevent accidents by venomous animals depend on a reliable database and the ability to accurately report the true conditions.

Studies in search of a suitable experimental insect model for xenodiagnosis of hosts with Chagas' disease. 1 - Comparative xenodiagnosis with nine triatomine species of animals with acute infections by Trypanosoma cruzi

In search of a suitable vector species for xenodiagnosis of humans and animals with chronic Chagas' disease we first investigated the reactions of different vector species to acute infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. Vector species utilized in this study were: Triatoma infestans, Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma dimidiata, all well adapted to human habitats; Triatoma rubrovaria and Rhodnius neglectus both considered totally wild species; Panstrongylus megistus, Triatoma sordida, Triatoma pseudomaculata and Triatoma brasiliensis, all essentially sylvatic but some with domiciliary tendencies and others restricted to peridomestic biotopes with incipient colonization of human houses after successful eradication of T. infestans. Results summarized in Table IV suggest the following order of infectivity among the 9 studied vector species: P. megistus with 97.8% of infected bugs, T. rubrovaria with 95% of positive bugs a close second followed by T. Pseudomaculata with 94.3% and R. neglectus with 93.8% of infected bugs, almost identical thirds. R. prolixus, T. infestans and T. dimidiata exhibited low infection rates of 53.1%, 51.6% and 38.2% respectively, coupled with sharp decreases occuring with aging of infection (Fig. 1). The situation was intermediate in T. brasiliensis and T. sordida infection rates being 76.9% and 80% respectively. Results also point to the existence of a close correlation between prevalence and intensity of infection in that, species with high infection rates ranging from 93.8% to 97.8% exhibited relatively large proportions of insects (27.3% - 33.5%) harbouring very dense populations of T. cruzi. In species with low infection rates ranging from 38.2% to 53.1% the proportion of bugs demonstrating comparable parasite densities was at most 6%. No differences attributable to blood-meal size or to greater susceptibility of indigenous vector species to parasites of their own geographical area, as suggested in earlier...

Experimental kinetics of infection induced by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis isolated from stock animals

The course of in vivo infection of five isolates of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was followed for three weeks in Swiss mice. The strains were isolated from diarrheic and normal feces and mesenteric lymph nodes of healthy and sick stock animals. Four strains of serogroup O:3 and one of serogroup O:1a, with and without the virulence plasmid, were inoculated intragastrically and intravenously in the mice. Groups of five animals were sacrificed at 6 h and 3, 6, 10, 15, and 21 days after inoculation, and organs and tissues were checked for possible macroscopic alterations. Development of infection was monitored at these times by performing viable bacterial counts in homogenates of selected tissues. The animals were cheked daily for clinical alterations. The results of the study showed that strains with the virulence plasmid infected organs and tissues at various times and at varying intensity by both routes of infection, the strain of type O:1a being the most invasive. Moreover, clinical and pathological alterations occurred only in animals inoculated with bacteria carrying the virulence plasmid, regardless of the route of infection.

Histological changes caused by experimental Riedeliella graciliflora (Leg. Papilionoideae) poisoning in cattle and laboratory animals

Tissues from cattle, mice, rats and guinea pigs experimentally intoxicated by Riedeliella graciliflora were studied histologically. Cattle lymph nodes, spleen, Peyer patches and peribronchial lymphoid tissues had diffuse necrosis of lymphocytes, mainly in the germinal centers of the follicles. This lesion was less severe in laboratory animals. All species had severe enteritis with infiltration of the lamina propria by mononuclear cells. Some cells in this infiltrate were necrotic. Degeneration and necrosis of the epithelial cells, mainly in the tip of the villi, and detachment of the epithelial lining from the lamina propria were also observed. In the liver the trabecular structure was disrupted and the hepatocytes had some degree of individual necrosis and degeneration. A tubular nephrosis was observed in the kidneys. Liver, lung, kidney, intestine and lymph nodes had different degrees of congestion. Those lesions are similar than those caused by Polygala klotzschii, a plant that contains 5-metoxi-podophyllotoxin.

Myocardial stereology in captive Callithrix kuhlii (Callitrichidae, Primates): healthy animals versus animals affected by wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS)

This study comprised 12 hearts of Wied´s black-tufted-ear marmoset, Callithrix kuhlii (Coimbra-Filho 1985), 6 with Wasting Marmoset Syndrome (WMS) and 6 non-affected. Biometry was performed after death. After necropsy, the hearts were weighed, dissected, fixed in 10% formalin solution (pH 7.2), and processed for optical microscopy at 5µm sections stained with Haematoxylin-Eosin. Quantitative analysis was performed by stereological techniques. The statistical differences between the biometrical and stereological parameters were assessed by the Mann-Whitney test. The morphometric results showed that WMS causes a significant reduction in body and cardiac weights, and also in the volume density of vessels in those animals. Further studies are necessary to understand some of the results shown here.

Reproductive phenology, pollination and seed dispersal syndromes on sandstone outcrop vegetation in the "Chapada Diamantina", northeastern Brazil: population and community analyses

Vegetation on rock outcrops in the "Chapada Diamantina" (soil islands) is often aggregated and surrounded by nude rock surfaces, thus creating natural units with well defined limits. The flowering and fruiting cycles of plants on 58 soil islands at altitudes between 1,100 and 1,140 meters above sea leavel were analyzed at Mãe Inácia Peak (12°27' S and 41°28' W) in the "Chapada Diamantina", Bahia, Brazil. The presence/absence of flowering and fruiting species on each soil island, and their respective cover areas were analyzed at both the population and community levels, and the phenophases of flowering and fruiting were observed during 24 successive months. The analyses of pollination and seed dispersal syndromes indicated that animals are more important in pollination than in seed dispersal (which is predominantly by anemochory and autochory). The flowering and fruiting of plants with animal pollination syndromes were correlated with rainfall and temperature. The flowering season varied during the year according to the pollination syndrome involved: entomophily was predominant from summer through autumn, ornithophily was predominant during winter, and anemophily in the spring. The staggered timing of flowering and fruiting among different species provides a nearly continuous supply of resources for the local fauna.

Pollination and fruit set in pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) by honey bees

Species of Cucurbitaceae are cultivated worldwide and are depend on bee pollination for fruit set. Field and lab experiments were conducted at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, during 1996 and 1997 to determine "Howden" pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) pollen removal and deposition by honeybees and factors relating to male flower attractiveness. Several parameters were evaluated in flowers at anthesis: (1) removal of pollen from anthers by honey bees, (2) pollen deposition on the stigma by honey bees, (3) amount of pollen on the body of honey bees, (4) fruit set after bee pollination, and (5) male flower nectary's pores and flower attractiveness. Honey bees carried between 1,050 to 3,990 pollen grains and 13,765 were removed from an anther after one visit. The amount of pollen deposited on the stigma by the honey bees varied according to the number of visits, from 53 grains with one visit, to 1,253 grains with 12 visits, and the mean number of grains in each visit varied from 53 to 230 grains. The percentage of established fruits was higher (100%) when the flowers received 12 visits of Apis mellifera, corresponding to a load 1,253 pollen grains. The attractiveness of the male flower for pollen and nectar collection was increased by the degree of opening of the access pore to the nectary in the flower.