A new species of Sphaenorhynchus (Anura; Hylidae) from Brazil

A new species of Sphaenorhynchus, probably closely related to S. surdus, is described from the states of São Paulo, Paraná, and Santa Catarina in the southeast and south of Brazil. This species, Sphaenorhynchus caramaschii sp. nov., is an intermediate species in size within the genus and is characterized by the absence of external tympanum, by the snout from truncate to slightly mucronate in dorsal view and protruding in lateral view, by the presence of a dark line from the snout to the eye, and mainly by differences in the advertisement call (a long call with several notes). It is found in open areas, calling during the wet season of the year, generally, in the deepest area of permanent ponds. Illustrations of the adults, descriptions of the advertisement calls, and a map of geographic distribution of the species are provided. Also, we provide data on the distribution and natural history of S. surdus and describe its advertisement call. Copyright © 2007 Magnolia Press.

A new cunaxid genus with descriptions of two new species from Brazil (Acari: Prostigmata: Bdelloidea: Cunaxidae)

The genus Pseudobonzia Smiley 1975 is revised and divided into two genera. The genus Pseudobonzia Smiley, 1975, with its type species and five other related species, is retained. The remainder of the group is now known as Coleobonzia gen. nov. of which the main characteristics are provided. Coleobonzia argillae (Den Heyer, 1977) is designated as type species for the new genus. Two species from Brazil, viz. Coleobonzia clava sp. nov. and C. moraesi sp. nov. are described and figured. A key to the two genera as well as a key to the Brazilian and South African species of the new genus are provided. Copyright © 2008 Magnolia Press.

Influence of the vinasse application in sugar cane fields in Patrocínio Paulista, São Paulo State, Brazil

This investigation was carried out in Patrocínio Paulista municipality, located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Sugarcane has been extensively cultivated in the area in order to be utilized by the sugar and ethanol industries. The major effluent from the ethanol industry, vinasse, has been applied in the sugarcane fields as an alternative to supply several nutrients in crop production. Because it may represent a major environmental problem in that area, with implications to human health, soil samples from six points were collected and analyzed in order to evaluate the main factors related to the vinasse application in the ground. The importance of clays, iron oxides, organic matter and minor refractory minerals was also considered for explaining several relationships identified from the acquired data. © 2009 WIT Press.

Climatic variables and altitude as predictors of anuran species richness and number of reproductive modes in Brazil

Because anuran species are highly dependent on environmental variables, we hypothesized that anuran species richness and the number of reproductive modes from different Brazilian localities vary according to climatic and altitudinal variables. Published data were compiled from 36 Brazilian localities and climatic and altitudinal data were extracted from an available database. A partial redundancy analysis (pRDA) showed that 23.5% of the data set's variation was explained by climatic and altitudinal data, while the remaining 76.5% remained unexplained. This analysis suggests that other factors not analysed herein may also be important for predicting anuran species richness and the number of reproductive modes in Brazil. Altitude and total annual rainfall were positively correlated with anuran species richness and the number of reproductive modes, and total annual rainfall was strongly associated with these two biotic variables in the triplot of pRDA. The positive association of total annual rainfall and the negative association of the concentration of annual rainfall were already expected based on physiological and reproductive requirements of anurans. On the other hand, temperature was not associated with richness or the number of reproductive modes. Copyright © 2010 Cambridge University Press.

Attacks by jaguars (Panthera onca) on humans in central Brazil: Report of three cases, with observation of a death

Conflicts between humans and big cats have been known for centuries throughout the world, but have intensified in recent decades. Recently, attacks by Panthera onca on humans in Brazil have been brought to the forefront through exposure in the press and because of the severity of the attacks. We report 3 cases of patients attacked by jaguars in provoked and predatory situations. Two patients survived the attacks and one died. Attack mechanisms and lesions in victims are discussed. The attacks demonstrate a real risk of accidents from jaguars in certain regions, such as the Pantanal and the Amazon. © 2011 Wilderness Medical Society.

Groundwater quality on a waste disposal area due to sand mining activities in São Paulo state, Brazil

This investigation reports the results of a study realized in an area related to the development of sand mining activities, which belongs to Sibelco Mineração Ltd. The site is located around Analândia municipality, nearly in the center of São Paulo State, Brazil. Hydrochemical analyses of groundwater were realized under different periods of time, with the aim of evaluating the possibility of release of several constituents to the liquid phase, which may be a source of pollution of the surface hydrological resources and of the deeper Guarani aquifer. This is because the site is located at the recharge area of Guarani aquifer and some tributaries from Corumbataí river may also be suffering contamination, implying on the impoverishment of the water quality that are very important resources in the region, as they are extensively used for drinking purposes, among others.© 2011 WIT Press.

Sprawling and Urban transportation system: Impacts in the city of Londrina, Parana, Brazil

After nearly 80 years since the construction of its core, represented today by the city's central area, Londrina, located in the state of Parana, has the appearance of a new city but its features and trends of planning policies depict the bad examples of Brazilian cities. With a booming urban growth, from north to south of the county, the urban interstices represented by big voids in the middle of the city created speculation and the concept of an ideal city slowly disappeared. With a metropolitan appearance and, at the same time, with small town aspects, Londrina stands out as an automobile-oriented city, a fact that has impacted the livelihood of the population, generating environmental impacts for all social classes. This paper discusses how the form of occupation in Londrina, characterized by the sprawl phenomenon and its relation to car preference as a mode of transportation has generated urban environmental impacts. It was concluded that the choice of using cars in Londrina, as well in other medium-sized Brazilian cities studied by the comparative method, has increased and has generated bottlenecks in traffic. As a consequence, there is a constant expropriation of properties for widening roads and at the same time, the presence of various densities and urban voids that form an uneven urban space and an obstacle to efficient urban planning. © 2012 WIT Press.

Hydrochemical evaluation of bottled mineral waters and spring at Corumbataí city, São Paulo State, Brazil

This investigation was carried out within São Paulo State, Brazil, and involved the sampling of well-known mineral bottled waters for performing a comparative hydrochemical study and of a spring occurring at Corumbataí city, in order to evaluate its suitability for bottling. Several methods were utilized for acquiring the hydrochemical data like the methyl orange end-point titration, potentiometry, ion selective electrode, colorimetry, flame photometry and inductively-coupled plasma spectrometry. The results obtained for the analyzed samples were compared with the guideline values established by the National Commission of Rules and Standards for Food of the Brazilian Health Ministry published in 1976. The Brazilian Code for Mineral Waters that was established by Register 7841 published on 8 August 1945 was also taken into account for verifying if the spring waters are mineralized. The hydrochemical data allowed identify some constituents impoverishing the water quality, thus, implying on its nonutilization for commercial purposes (bottling). In one specific case, the spring water only can become appropriate for human consumption after previous chemical treatment. © 201 WIT Press.

The nematode community in the Atlantic rainforest lizard Enyalius perditus Jackson, from south-eastern Brazil

Studies focusing on communities of helminths from Brazilian lizards are increasing, but there are many blanks in the knowledge of parasitic fauna of wild fauna. This lack of knowledge hampers understanding of ecological and parasitological aspects of involved species. Moreover, the majority of research has focused on parasitic fauna of lizards from families Tropiduridae and Scincidae. Only a few studies have looked at lizards from the family Leiosauridae, including some species of Enyalius. This study presents data on the gastrointestinal parasite fauna of Enyalius perditus and their relationships with ecological aspects of hosts in a disturbed Atlantic rainforest area in the state of Minas Gerais, south-eastern Brazil. Two nematode species, Oswaldocruzia burseyi [(Molineidae) and Strongyluris oscari (Heterakidae) were found. Nematode species showed an aggregated distribution in this host population, with O. burseyi being more aggregated than S. oscari. The present study extends the range of occurrence of O. burseyi to the Brazilian continental area. © 2011 Cambridge University Press.

Bambuina bambui: A new genus and species of cave cricket from brazil (orthoptera: Grylloidea: Phalangopsidae: Luzarinae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Helminths of lizards from the municipality of Aripuanã in the southern Amazon region of Brazil

Ninety-five specimens from 13 species of lizard collected during a herpetofaunal monitoring programme of the Faxinal II power plant, municipality of Aripuanã, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil (southern Amazon region) were examined for helminths. A total of 21 helminth species (16 Nematoda, 1 Cestoda and 4 Trematoda) were recovered, with an overall prevalence of 67.37%. Seventeen new host records and seven new locality records are reported. A low number of specialists and core helminth species were found. Lizard body size was positively correlated with both the total number of helminth species and individuals. Active foragers exhibited higher helminth diversity. However, sit-and-wait foragers, especially Plica plica, had similar diversity values as active foragers and harboured more helminth species. The degree of similarity in helminth fauna was higher among closely related host species. Copyright © 2011 Cambridge University Press.

Morphometric and bioacoustic data on three species of Pseudopaludicola Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae) described from chapada dos guimarães, mato Grosso, Brazil, with the revalidation of pseudopaludicola ameghini (Cope, 1887)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Onset of sexual maturity and relative growth of the freshwater crab Trichodactylus fluviatilis (Trichodactyloidea) in south-eastern Brazil

The main purpose of this study was to provide an estimate for the onset of morphological sexual maturity in the freshwater crab Trichodactylus fluviatilis, from a population located in south-eastern Brazil, based on the relative growth relationships, as well as the characterization of ''handedness''. Monthly collections were carried out at night, from January 2006 to January 2007, in a small water body. In the laboratory, the crabs were sexed; the following body structures were measured and the estimate of onset of sexual maturity was given by the logistic function, as y a/(1\+becx), for 50% of the population to reach the adult phase (CW50carapace width). Right propodus length and abdomen width were the best-fit relationships to represent the onset of sexual maturity for males and females, respectively. Based on the logistic function, the onset of sexual maturity was estimated to occur at around 18mm CW for both sexes. The relative growth recorded for this species is consistent with the model for brachyuran crabs (Hartnoll RG. 1982, Growth. In: Bliss, DE, editor. The biology of Crustacea: embryology, morphology and genetics. New York: Academic Press. p. 111-196), except for the abdomen growth, which is likely to be an adaptive condition related to protection of the newly hatched young. © 2013 Taylor & Francis.

The licensing of a laboratory for manipulating radionuclides in Brazil

Radionuclides take a major role in guidelines of environmental agencies/national organizations of countries worldwide. In Brazil, CNEN-Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear is responsible for managing all subjects related to nuclear energy in the country. Thus, laboratories employing radionuclides for the development of their activities must submit a Radioprotection Plan to CNEN in order to get an operation license. Such plan must indicate that the laboratory is exempt of risks to the people involved and designed to fit all related environmental aspects. This was the case of LABIDRO-Hydrochemical and Isotopes Laboratory that belongs to IGCE-Geosciences and Exact Sciences Institute from UNESP - the University of the State of São Paulo Júlio de Mesquita Filho, located at Rio Claro city, São Paulo State, Brazil. The total monthly activity of the radionuclides utilized during the laboratorial activities held at LABIDRO corresponds to 0.01 μCi. This paper describes all information provided by LABIDRO in order to get the CNEN license. The LABIDRO plan also showed the expected radioactive waste released when the experiments take place and CNEN decided that it fits the guidelines established by Brazilian legislation. Therefore, LABIDRO received its license for utilizing radionuclides, which is valid until September 2016. © 2013 WIT Press.

Impacts of agricultural activities in remaining forest: Campinas/SP, Brazil

Forest fragmentation occurs normally in an area around the city or with high agricultural influence, such as the Forest of Quilombo that lies in Metropolitan Campinas/SP- Brazil. This forest is one such example since it is separated from the other forest fragments in the region for several types of human action. The objective of this study is to analyze the macro and micronutrients and soil edaphic insect fauna in the forest, pasture and sugar cane and inferring the impacts caused by the Mata do Quilombo cattle farming and urban expansion in chemical aspects of soil. Samples were collected in June/11, according to the procedure of method traps pitfall traps. In addition, at each sampling point four composite samples were collected for soil fertility analysis. Samples were collected at six points: pasture, degraded forest (near pasture), preserved forest (near pasture), degraded forest (near cane sugar), preserved forest (near cane sugar), and sugar cane sugar. The samples thus prepared were analyzed Ca, P, K, Mg, pH, organic matter, H + Al, Sum of Base (SB), Base Percentage Saturation (V%), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and trace elements (S, B, Cu, Fe, Mg and Zn). Generally it can be seen that the group of organisms of soil fauna presented with little biodiversity. The number of individuals also shows little species, taxonomic groups showing the highest degree of impact that the remaining forest has suffered. Regarding the analysis of fertility it can be observed that the soil of the surrounding areas of the forest is under direct influence of agriculture. © 2013 WIT Press.