Ocorrência e conservação de Touit melanonotus (Aves, Psittacidae) no sul do Brasil

O apuim-de-costas-pretas [Touit melanonotus (Wied, 1820)] é uma espécie florestal endêmica da Mata Atlântica Brasileira e de relevante interesse conservacionista. Trata-se de uma ave com poucas informações disponíveis acerca de sua história natural e distribuição geográfica e novas observações são importantes fontes de informação para auxiliar na conservação da espécie. Aqui reavaliamos o primeiro registro da espécie e apresentamos novas observações no estado do Paraná, sul do Brasil. As vocalizações atribuídas a T. melanonotus e que consubstanciaram sua ocorrência no estado foram examinadas com auxílio de espectrogramas e identificadas como vozes de Pionopsitta pileata (Scopoli, 1769). Não obstante, T. melanonotus ocorre com certa regularidade no Paraná, como indicado por novos registros da espécie em sete localidades distribuídas por todo o litoral do estado. Esta ave foi registrada principalmente em florestas de terras baixas e, uma vez que esta fisionomia sofre intensas pressões antrópicas, sugerimos que esforços de conservação da espécie devem priorizar a preservação desses hábitats.

Predation on Leptodactylus marmoratus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) by the spider Ctenus medius (Araneae: Ctenidae) in the Atlantic Forest, southeast Brazil.

We report herein a case of predation by the ctenid spider Ctenus medius on a leptodactylid frog Leptodactylus marmoratus, observed in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest, municipality of Sao Vicente, São Paulo state, southeast Brazil. This is the first record of predation by C. medius upon L. marmoratus. Nevertheless, due to the high abundance of both groups, we suggest that the interaction between spiders and amphibians could be very common on the floor of the Atlantic Forest.

A new Oligonychus and description of the female allotype of Oligonychus psidium Estebanes & Baker (Acari, Tetranychidae) from Qualea grandiflora Mart. (Vochysiaceae) in northwestern São Paulo, Brazil

Oligonychus longipenis, sp.n. and the female allotype of O. psidium Estebanes & Baker, 1968 from Qualea grandiflora Mart. (Vochysiaceae) is described. The male of O. psidium is redescribed in Northwestern São Paulo (Brazil). This is the first record for 0. psidium in Brazil.

Recognition and distribution of Leptodactylus mystaceus (Anura; Leptodactylidae) in the State of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil

Leptodactylus mystaceus, uma espécie com ampla distribuição geográfica pela América do Sul, é diagnosticada com base em exemplares do Estado de São Paulo, seu limite meridional de distribuição geográfica. Apresentamos aqui o primeiro registro da espécie para o Sudeste do Brasil, ampliando sua distribuição conhecida em cerca de 1.300 km ao sudeste. Também incluímos a descrição da vocalização de anúncio, informações sobre história natural, fotografia em vida e desenhos de caracteres morfológicos que auxiliam na identificação desta espécie.

Ichthyofauna of the rio Itatinga in the Parque das Neblinas, Bertioga, São Paulo State: composition and biogeography

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Prevalence of larvae of the bot fly Cuterebra simulans (Diptera, Oestridae) on Gracilinanus microtarsus (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in southeastern Cerrado from Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Myxomycetes sobre inflorescências e folhas vivas de lírio-do-brejo (Hedychium coronarium Koenig, Zingiberaceae): registro de um novo substrato

A ocorrência de Myxomycetes sobre plantas vivas de Hedychium coronarium Koenig foi registrada nos Municípios de Botucatu (22o52 S e 48o26 W) e Itatinga (23o08 S e 48o38 W), São Paulo, região Sudeste do Brasil. Foram encontrados esporóforos sobre brácteas florais, restos de flores e sobre folhas adjacentes às inflorescências em plantas vivas, evidenciando ser este um ambiente favorável ao desenvolvimento de Myxomycetes. Cinco espécies foram encontradas: Didymium bahiense Gottsb., D. nigripes (Link) Fr. (Didymiaceae), Physarum compressum Alb. & Schwein., P. pusillum (Berk. & M. A. Curtis) G. Lister (Physaraceae) e Arcyria cinerea (Bull.) Pers. (Arcyriaceae). Todas podem ser consideradas espécies florícolas, embora haja registros mais freqüentes de sua ocorrência sobre componentes da serapilheira. Este é o primeiro relato da ocorrência de Myxomycetes neste tipo de microhabitat para o Brasil.

Doença Cria Giz Ascosphaera apis (Maassen ex Claussen) Olive & Spiltoir em abelhas Apis mellifera L. na Depressão Central do Rio Grande do Sul

A ocorrência da doença apícola cria giz, em colônias de abelhas Apis mellifera no apiário do Departamento de Zootecnia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), RS, Brasil, foi constatada em 2004. Foram coletadas amostras de crias de abelhas duras e mumificadas em favos falhados nas colônias com pequena população. Essas amostras foram analisadas no Laboratório de Fitopatologia do Departamento de Defesa Fitossanitária da UFSM, onde se observou a presença de estruturas fúngicas com formação típica do fungo Ascosphaera apis, conhecido como causador da doença cria giz. Até então não existiam notificações da presença dessa doença na região central do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, o que pode caracterizar um avanço dessa enfermidade para o interior, a partir de regiões próximas à fronteira com o Uruguai e a Argentina.

EXTRAFLORAL NECTARIES IN THE TROPICAL TREE GUAREA-MACROPHYLLA (MELIACEAE)

This paper describes the anatomy and morphology of the complex nectary systems of the tropical tree Guarea macrophylla Vahl (Meliaceae) and presents the first record of extrafloral nectaries occurring on reproductive organs (fruits) of a member of the order Sapindales. The extrafloral nectaries of G. macrophylla occur on petioles, petiolules, the abaxial surface of all leaflets, leaf buds, and over the surface of fruits. All extrafloral nectaries are distinctly raised above the surface. Foraging ants collect extrafloral nectar on Guarea trees both day and night. We suggest that the presence of extrafloral nectaries might be a useful taxonomic character for the identification of Guarea species.

Geological evolution of the basement rocks in the east-central part of the Rondonia Tin Province, SW Amazonian craton, Brazil: U-Pb and Sm-Nd isotopic constraints

On the basis of geologic, petrologic, and U-Pb geochronologic data the basement rocks in the east-central part of the Rondonia Tin Province (RTP, southwestern Amazonian craton) are grouped into five lithologic associations: (1) tonalitic gneiss (1.75 Ga); (2) enderbitic granulite (1.73 Ga); (3) paragneiss; (4) granitic and charnockitic augen gneisses (1.57-1.53 Ga); and (5) fine-grained granitic gneiss and charnockitic granulite (1.43-1.42 Ga). The first three are related to development of the Paleoproterozoic Rio Negro-Juruena Province and represent the oldest crust in the region. The tonalitic gneisses and enderbitic granulites show calc-alkaline affinities and Nd isotopic compositions (initial epsilon(Nd) = +0-1 to -1.5; T-DM of 2.2-2.1 Ga) that suggest a continental arc margin setting for the original magmas. The paragneisses yield T-DM values of 2.2-2.1 Ga suggesting that source material was primarily derived from the Ventuari-Tapajos and Rio Negro-Juruena crusts, but detrital zircon ages and an intrusive granitoid bracket deposition between 1.67 and 1.57 Ga. The granitic and charnockitic augen gneisses show predominantly A-type and within-plate granite affinities, but also some volcanic arc granite characteristics. The initial epsilon(Nd) values (+0.6 to +2.0) indicate mixing of magmas derived from depleted mantle and older crustal sources. These rocks are correlated to the 1.60-1.53 Ga Serra da Providencia intrusive suite that reflects inboard magmatism coeval with the Cachoeirinha orogen located to the southeast. The fine-grained granitic gneiss and charnockitic granulites represent the first record of widespread magmatism at 1.43-1.42 Ga in northern Rondonia. Their geochemical signatures and the slightly positive initial epsilon(Nd) values (+0.7 to +1.2) are very similar to those of the most evolved granites of the calc-alkaline Santa Helena batholith farther southeast. U-Pb monazite and Sm-Nd whole-rock-garnet ages demonstrate that a high-grade tectonometa-morphic episode occurred in this region at 1.33-1.30 Ga. This episode attained upper-amphibolite conditions and is interpreted as the peak of the Rondonian-San Ignacio orogeny. The U-Pb and Sm-Nd data presented here and data published on rapakivi granites elsewhere indicate that the east-central part of the RTP is a poly-orogenic region characterized by successive episodes of magmatism, metamorphism, and deformation between 1.75 and 0.97 Ga. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Visual communication in Brazilian species of anurans from the Atlantic forest

Visual communication is widespread among several anuran families, but seems to be more common than currently thought. We investigated and compared visual communication in six species of an anuran community in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Four are nocturnal species: Hyalinobatrachium uranoscopum (Centrolenidae), Hyla albomarginata, Hyla sp. (aff. ehrhardti), and Scinax eurydice (Hylidae), and two are diurnal species: Hylodes phyllodes and Hylodes asper ( Leptodactylidae). For H. uranoscopum, H. albomarginata, S. eurydice, and H. phyllodes, this is the first record of visual communication. Observations were made at Nucleo Picinguaba, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, in the Municipality of Ubatuba, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Descriptions of behaviour were based on individuals observed in the field, using sequence sampling with continuous tape recording for behavioural observations. Eight new behaviours are described: body wiping, face wiping, jump display, leg kicking, limb lifting, mouth opening, toe flagging, and vocal sac display. of the 42 anuran species known from Nucleo Picinguaba, at least six ( approximately 14%) display visual communication. The evolution of visual signals in these species may be related to the availability of ambient light, the structural complexity of the habitat, and/or the ambient noise. They may also have evolved to aid in the location of the individual, to avoid physical combat, and/or may be a by-product of seismic communication.

Further notes on the capture of a Carcharhinus leucas in a northeastern Atlantic oceanic insular shelf, the Azores Archipelago, Portugal

In March 1993, a specimen of Carcharhinus leucas was captured by fishermen on the south coast of Terceira Island, the Azores Archipelago. Its head was recovered and its jaws were preserved. This is the first capture of this species on an oceanic insular shelf in the Atlantic. The distribution of C. leucas in this ocean is commented.

Helminthological records of six-banded Armadillos Euphractus sexcinctus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Brazilian semi-arid region, Patos county, Paraiba state, including new morphological data on Trichohelix tuberculata (Parona and Stossich, 1901) Ortlepp, 1922 and proposal of Hadrostrongylus ransomi nov comb.

This work aimed to evaluate the gastrointestinal helminthfauna composition of six-banded armadillos from the Brazilian semi-arid region. Gastrointestinal contents of six road-killed adult animals from Patos County, Paraiba State, were analyzed. Six species of nematodes, comprising five genera and four families, were recovered from the analyzed animals. New morphological data on Trichohelix tuberculata is given, along with a new taxonomical proposal for Hadrostrongylus ransomi (Travassos, 1935) n. comb. This is the first record for parasitic helminths in this host from the Brazilian semi-arid.

Pelecitus helicinus Railliet & Henry, 1910 (Filarioidea, Dirofilariinae) and other nematode parasites of Brazilian birds

We report Pelecitus helicinus Railliet & Henry, 1910 from 13 species of birds of 2 orders and 7 families, collected from the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso, Brazil. All 13 constitute new host records for this nematode. In addition, we report the first record of Aprocta golvani Diaz-Ungria, 1963 from Brazil and Monasa nigrifrons (Bucconidae), as well as a number of other nematode records from Neotropical birds.

A preliminary investigation of pre-dispersal seed predation by Acanthoscelides schrankiae horn (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in Mimosa bimucronata (DC.) Kuntze trees

This is the first record of Acanthoscelides schrankiae Horn, feeding in seeds of Mimosa bimucronata (DC.) Kuntze. We investigated the pattern of oviposition and seed exploitation by A. schrankiae, and the distribution of mature fruits and seed predation in the inflorescences. We also compared the percentage of predated seeds, the total dry weight of fruits and non-predated seeds, the percentage of aborted seeds, and the percentage of non-emergent insects, among different quadrants of the M. bimucronata canopy. To determine the occurring species, the emergence of bruchids and parasitoids was observed in the laboratory, resulting altogether, only in individuals of A. schrankiae and Horismenus sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) species, respectively. Mean number of fruits produced in the median region of inflorescence was significantly higher than in the inferior and superior regions, and the frequencies (observed and expected) of predated and non-predated seeds differed among the different regions of inflorescence. Females of A. schrankiae laid their eggs on fruits, and larvae, after emergence, perforated the exocarp to reach the seeds. Most fruits presented one to three eggs and only one bruchid larva was observed in each seed. The highest value of the rate number of eggs/fruit and the highest percentage of predated seeds were recorded in April. Dry weight of fruits (total) and seeds (non-predated), proportions of predated seeds, seed abortions, and non-emergent seed predators, were evenly distributed in the canopy.