On the immature stages of the crazy ant Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The ant Paratrechina longicornis is a cosmopolitan ant species that has been accidentally spread by commerce around the world, and now is a pest of houses and hospitals. The morphology of its larval stages has been previously described without knowledge of the number of instars. The present study revisits the original description of P. longicornis larvae by adding differences observed among the three larval instars. Compared to other Paratrechina species studied so far, P. longicornis presents smaller larvae, less evident variation in mandible morphology, and clear variation in the morphology of head hairs between the analysed specimens of the second and third instar larvae. Ultrastructural images of the eggs, larval spiracle ornamentation, and pupae are also presented for the first time. Copyright © 2007 - Magnolia Press.

Caracterização de efluentes de viveiros de engorda de rã-touro (lithobates catesbeianus, Shaw, 1802)

Aim: Current analysis characterizes the effluent from bullfrog-rearing ponds during the grow-out phase; Methods: Temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, electric conductivity, turbidity, total phosphorus, N-NH3, N-NO3, BOD5 and COD and the number of thermotolerant coliforms (Escherichia coli) of the inlet and outlet water of the ponds were analyzed twice a week. Assay consisted of a completely randomized experimental design with two treatments (inlet and outlet water) and six repetitions in a split-plot, coupled to collection over time as subplot; Results: All variables were significantly different (p < 0.05) between treatments and over time (p < 0.05). Average rates of temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen levels of the supply water were higher when compared to those of the effluent. The other variables such as conductivity, turbidity, total phosphorus, ammonia, nitrate, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand and E. coli were higher in the effluent when compared to rates in the supply water; Conclusions: The management during grow-out phase caused the deterioration of the water quality, with increasing levels of dissolved nutrients and the number of thermotolerant coliform. Ammonia and phosphorus levels in the effluent, caused by waste food, skin and feces, accelerate the eutrophication process of the receiving water body. Further studies on effluent treatment are required.

Influência de probióticos no desempenho produtivo e fisiológico de rã-touro Rana catesbeiana Shaw, 1802

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito da aplicação da menbrana de látex natural e do extrato da pele de rã (Lithobates catesbiana) (Shaw, 1802), em feridas cirurgicas em Ratos Wistar

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Ecologia trófica e reprodutiva de Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis (Daudin, 1802) (Hylidae, Phyllomedusinae) na Amazônia Oriental, Pará, Brasil

Este estudo está dividido em dois capítulos formatados de acordo com as normas da revista Amphibia-Reptilia. No capítulo 1, intitulado “Ecologia trófica de Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis (Daudin, 1802) (Hylidae, Phyllomedusinae) na Amazônia Oriental, Pará, Brasil”, verificamos a contribuição das presas na dieta da espécie assim como diferenças na dieta em relação ao sexo, tamanho corporal e estações pluviométrica e seca. No capítulo 2 intitulado “Biologia reprodutiva e uso de hábitat por Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis (Daudin, 1802) (Hylidae, Phyllomedusinae) na Amazônia Oriental, Pará, Brasil”, descrevemos a biologia reprodutiva e o uso de recursos espaciais da espécie. período sazonal, já fêmeas tendem a procurar itens que lhes garantam maior retorno energético.

Sistemas de produção pesqueira da pescada amarela (Cynoscion acoupa Lacèpede, 1802) e serra (Scomberomorus brasiliensis Collette, Russo & Zavalla-Camin, 1978) no litoral nordeste do Estado do Pará

O Estado do Pará, cujo litoral se estende do Cabo do Norte à foz do rio Gurupi, representa o principal pólo pesqueiro da região. Dentre as espécies de importância econômica no estado, destaca-se a pescada amarela Cynoscion acoupa e serra Scomberomorus brasiliensis, capturadas principalmente nos municípios de Augusto Corrêa, Bragança, Curuçá, São Caetano de Odivelas, São João de Pirabas e Vigia. Este trabalho teve o objetivo de descrever estes sistemas pesqueiros segundo as dimensões sociais, tecnológicas, econômicas e ecológicos visando estabelecer linhas de ação que auxiliem na estruturação de um plano de manejo que garanta a sustentabilidade das pescarias. Para descrever os sistemas de pesca, uma lista de 45 atributos, na forma de valores numéricos absolutos ou porcentagens, classificados de acordo com cada dimensão supracitada. Um estudo mais aprofundado (Estudo de Caso) foi efetuado em Bragança, para ambos sistemas. Análise multivariada de agrupamento e ordenação (MDS), comparando os sistemas pesqueiros e considerando os diferentes municípios, foram aplicadas, visando identificar os agrupamentos e as possíveis causas da semelhança entre os sistemas de pesca por município. A análise dos sistemas da pescada amarela e serra juntas, mostraram a formação de dois grupos. Quando analisados por dimensão separadamente, registrou-se similaridade entre ambos os sistemas nas dimensões social e ecológica. Com relação às dimensões tecnológica e econômica notou-se que os municípios de Bragança e Vigia (sistema pescada amarela) destacaram-se, sobretudo pelas embarcações utilizadas, tamanho das redes de pesca, produção por pescaria e lucro líquido obtido nas pescarias. Para a serra registrou-se, entre os municípios do sistema, a predominância de barcos de pequeno porte nas capturas. O estudo de caso em Bragança indicou que apesar da importância do grude (bexiga natatória) na cadeia de comercialização da pescada amarela, com elevado valor de comercialização, a venda da carne constituiu a principal fonte de lucro líquido. O estudo de caso da serra revelou que as suas pescarias em Bragança ocorreram em três áreas distintas: costa do Amapá, costa de Salinas e costa de Bragança. Considerando o exposto, pressupõe-se que um plano de manejo no âmbito social deve prover ações em prol da cidadania, saúde, educação, emprego e capacitação. Numa abordagem ecológica, considerando que ambos os estoques se encontram no limite máximo sustentável, medidas de manejo devem ser implementadas. Finalmente, com relação aos aspectos tecnológicos e econômicos observou-se que as pescarias em Bragança e Vigia foram visualmente “sustentáveis”. Entretanto, os acentuados aumentos nas capturas com evidentes tendências de queda na produção, devem ser observados com cautela no que diz respeito à liberação de novos financiamentos.

Ecologia de Lithobates catesbeianus (SHAW, 1802) e relações com anfíbios da região de Botucatu, SP (Amphibia, Anura)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The plants by Daniel Rolander (c. 1723-1793) in Diarium Surinamicum (1754-1765) and herbaria

The manuscripts of Diarium Surinamicum by Daniel Rolander practically remained ignored and unpublished for over 240 years, till the recent publication of its translation into English, which occurred in 2008. In this, the names of species described and/or cited by Rolander were faithfully retained, hence preserving the indication of them without authorship, for the vast majority. In the present work, all the names of plants that were treated by Rolander in his journal, about 664, including by tradition the fungi and algae, are contextualised in relation to the authorship, reference to the publication of the protologue, pagination of citations/descriptions in the manuscripts and in the published translation, indication of probable misidentifications with possible alternative names, vernacular names, and related literature. Additionally, we searched for the vouchers collected by Rolander, scattered in several herbaria, which have been linked to the probable names and descriptions in the diary. Given the considerable time till the publication of these names, and by the lack of indication of their nomenclatural types in the English version, the great majority of the new species described by Rolander, which would have priority if published in due time, became invalid names according to the ICN. Nevertheless, the list of Rolandrian species here presented, from his work that has finally taken a place in the history of natural sciences, shows that he was also a competent botanist, besides being a skilled entomologist, having recognised and detailedly described many of the Surinamese plants hitherto unknown to science.

Oxygen consumption by the hermit crab, Clibanarius vittatus (Bosc, 1802) in declining oxygen tensions

1. 1. Oxygen consumption and its relationship to stepwise declining oxygen tension were examined in the common striped hermit crab, Clibanarius vittatus. 2. 2. Weight-specific oxygen consumption varied with body weight (W), according to the equation log V ̇o2 = 2.1639 + (-0.419 log W). 3. 3. Shell-less individuals of 1-2 g wet wt, where found to be oxygen conformers, since oxygen consumption ( V ̇o2) decreased with declining oxygen tensions. At ambient oxygen tensions below 35.4 mmHg, oxygen consumption remained constant, suggesting an increased ventilation. 4. 4. C. vittatus was found to survive in oxygen-free seawater for 5.5 hr, and no significant differences were found in oxygen consumption rates, for shelled and shell-less crabs, measured in water and air. 5. 5. The use of a K1 K2 index of oxygen independence, showed that larger animals were better able to maintain oxygen-independence during hypoxia than smaller individuals. 6. 6. C. vittatus displayed a pattern of no oxygen debt, once returned to normoxia. © 1983.

Molecular barcode and morphological analyses reveal the taxonomic and biogeographical status of the striped-legged hermit crab species Clibanarius sclopetarius (Herbst, 1796) and Clibanarius vittatus (Bosc, 1802) (Decapoda: Diogenidae)

The taxonomic status of the species Clibanarius sclopetarius (Herbst, 1796) and Clibanarius vittatus (Bosc, 1802), which have sympatric biogeographical distributions restricted to the western Atlantic Ocean, is based only on differences in the colour pattern of the walking legs of adults. Their morphological similarity led to the suggestion that they be synonymised. In order to investigate this hypothesis, we included species of Clibanarius Dana, 1892 in a molecular phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene and the COI barcode region. In addition, we combined the molecular results with morphological observations obtained from several samples of these two species. The genetic divergences of the 16S rDNA and COI sequences between C. sclopetarius and C. vittatus ranged from 4.5 to 5.9% and 9.4 to 11.9%, which did not justify their synonymisation. Differences in the telson morphology, chela ornamentation, and coloration of the eyestalks and antennal peduncle provided support for the separation of the two species. Another interesting result was a considerable genetic difference found between populations of C. vittatus from Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico, which may indicate the existence of two homonymous species.

Low temperatures reduce skin healing in the Jacaré do Pantanal (Caiman yacare, Daudin 1802)

Studies of skin wound healing in crocodilians are necessary given the frequent occurrence of cannibalism in intensive farming systems. Air temperature affects tissue recovery because crocodilians are ectothermic. Therefore, the kinetics of skin wound healing in Caiman yacare were examined at temperatures of 33°C and 23°C. Sixteen caiman were selected and divided into two groups of eight maintained at 23°C or 33°C. The studied individuals' scars were photographed after 1, 2, 3, 7, 15 and 30 days of the experimental conditions, and samples were collected for histological processing after 3, 7, 15 and 30 days. Macroscopically, the blood clot (heterophilic granuloma) noticeably remained in place covering the wound longer for the caiman kept at 23°C. Microscopically, the temperature of 23°C slowed epidermal migration and skin repair. Comparatively, new blood vessels, labeled using von Willebrand factor (vWF) antibody staining, were more frequently found in the scars of the 33°C group. The collagen fibers in the dermis were denser in the 33°C treatment. Considering the delayed healing at 23°C, producers are recommended to keep wounded animals at 33°C, especially when tanks are cold, to enable rapid wound closure and better repair of collagen fibers because such lesions tend to compromise the use of their skin as leather.

Räumliche und zeitliche Einbindung einer strukturierten Population der Westlichen Smaragdeidechse (Lacerta bilineata, DAUDIN 1802) im Mittelrheintal

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die räumliche und zeitliche Dynamik einer strukturierten Population der Westlichen Smaragdeidechse (DAUDIN, 1802) im Mittelrheintal zwischen 1997 und 2000 untersucht. Dazu wurden die Teilaspekte der Hibernation, der Thermoregulation und der Raumnutzung der Art analysiert. Die Ergebnisse der Hibernation deuten auf eine hohe Relevanz dieses Jahresabschnitts für die Art in Bezug auf die Verbreitung in Südexponierten Steilhanglagen am Nordrand ihrer Verbreitung hin. Die Hibernationsstandorte unterscheiden sich im Mikroklimaprofil von Trockenmauern und Sommerlöchern. Die Standorte der Hibernation liegen in Zonen höchster Insolation im Untersuchungsgebiet. Die Analyse der Thermoregulation zeigte geschlechtsspezifische und saisonale Unterschiede, die mit den unterschiedlichen Jahresaktivitätszyklen erklärt werden können. Die Weibchen zeigen eine engere Bindung an die klimatischen Entwicklungen von Mirkohabitatstrukturen als die Männchen, was mit endogenen Faktoren zusammenhängen könnte. Die Parallelen und Unterschiede zu anderen Arten werden diskutiert. In der Raumnutzung zeigen sich auch Unterschiede zwischen Männchen und Weibchen, die auch mit den unterschiedlichen Jahresaktivitätszyklen erklärt werden können. Im Frühjahr und im Herbst zeigt die Art eine Bindung an Standorte hoher Insolation im Untersuchungsgebiet, im Sommer dagegen keine. In der Gesamtbetrachtung werden die Ergebnisse in Bezug auf das Verbreitungsbild der Art, Schutzaspekte und Schlüsselfaktoren der Habitatqualität diskutiert.