Novas espécies de Adetus (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, Apomecynini)

Trata-se da descrição de novas espécies de Adetus LeConte, 1852, provenientes da Bolívia (Santa Cruz): Adetus cacapira sp. nov. e A. cecamirim sp. nov.; do Peru (Cuzco) e da Bolívia (Santa Cruz): A. inca sp. nov. e do México (Veracruz): A. catemaco sp. nov.

Novas espécies e novas ocorrências de Xenofrea (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae)

Novos registros: Xenofrea apicalis Melzer, 1931 para o Paraguai e X. triangularis Martins & Galileo, 2005 para o Brasil (Rondônia). Novas espécies: X. fasciolata sp. nov. e X. camixaima sp. nov. (Brasil: Rondônia e Bolívia: Santa Cruz); X. clarkei sp. nov., X. punctata sp. nov., X. nana sp. nov. (Bolívia: Santa Cruz); X. obscura sp. nov. (Argentina: Entre Ríos e Bolívia: Santa Cruz).

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.

Notas e descrições em Eburiini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)

Novos táxons descritos: Neoeburia gen. nov., espécie-tipo N. turuna sp. nov., do Peru (Lima); Eburodacrys silviamariae sp. nov., do Peru (Cuzco); E. putia sp. nov., da Bolívia (Santa Cruz); E. ayri sp. nov., da Colômbia; E. aenigma sp. nov., procedência desconhecida. Novos registros: Eburella pinima Martins, 1967, Peru (Huanuco); Beraba piriana Martins, 1997, Panamá (Panamá); Eburodacrys campestris Gounelle, 1909, Bolívia (Santa Cruz).

Descrição de seis espécies de Chinavia (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae, Pentatominae) da América do Sul

Seis novas espécies de Chinavia Orian, 1965 são descritas: Chinavia vanduzeei sp. nov., do Peru (Madre Dios) e Brasil (Pará); Chinavia schuhi sp. nov., do Peru (Loreto), Colombia (Bolívar) e Brazil (Amazonas); Chinavia sebastiaoi sp. nov., do Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul), Bolivia (La Paz e Santa Cruz) e Paraguai (Carumbé); Chinavia cearensis sp. nov., Chinavia tuiucauna e Chinavia rufitibia sp. nov., do Brasil (Ceará, Bahia e Paraná, respectivamente). São fornecidas características diagnósticas de cada espécie.

Contribuição à taxonomia de três tribos de Lamiinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)

Novas espécies são descritas em Onciderini: Hypsioma solangeae sp. nov., do Brasil (Mato Grosso ?) e Hypsioma cariua sp. nov., da Bolívia (Santa Cruz); Hemilophini: Piratininga mocoia sp. nov. e Eranina piterpe, sp. nov., ambas da Bolívia (Santa Cruz); Aerenicini: Phaula atyroa sp. nov., do Brasil (Mato Grosso do Sul) e Aerenicopisis rejaneae sp. nov., do Brasil (Tocantins). Figuramos a cores Oncideres fulvoguttata Dillon & Dillon, 1946. Duas espécies de Phaula, P. lichenigera (Perty, 1832) e P. splendida (Galileo & Martins, 1987) são figuradas para comparação com Phaula atyroa sp. nov.

Novos táxons de Lamiinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) da América do Sul

Novos táxons descritos: Acanthoderini, Nesozineus osorioensis sp. nov., do Brasil (Rio Grande do Sul); Calliini, Drycothaea clara sp. nov., do Brasil (Rondônia) e Drycothaea hovorei sp. nov., do Equador (Napo); Forsteriini, Itacolomi gen. nov., espécie-tipo I. letiziae sp. nov., do Brasil (Minas Gerais); Yapyguara gen. nov., espécie-tipo Y. fusca sp. nov., da Bolívia (Santa Cruz); Xenofreini, Xenofrea zischkai sp. nov., do Equador (Napo) e da Bolívia (Santa Cruz).

The protein phosphatase 7 regulates phytochrome signaling in Arabidopsis.

The psi2 mutant of Arabidopsis displays amplification of the responses controlled by the red/far red light photoreceptors phytochrome A (phyA) and phytochrome B (phyB) but no apparent defect in blue light perception. We found that loss-of-function alleles of the protein phosphatase 7 (AtPP7) are responsible for the light hypersensitivity in psi2 demonstrating that AtPP7 controls the levels of phytochrome signaling. Plants expressing reduced levels of AtPP7 mRNA display reduced blue-light induced cryptochrome signaling but no noticeable deficiency in phytochrome signaling. Our genetic analysis suggests that phytochrome signaling is enhanced in the AtPP7 loss of function alleles, including in blue light, which masks the reduced cryptochrome signaling. AtPP7 has been found to interact both in yeast and in planta assays with nucleotide-diphosphate kinase 2 (NDPK2), a positive regulator of phytochrome signals. Analysis of ndpk2-psi2 double mutants suggests that NDPK2 plays a critical role in the AtPP7 regulation of the phytochrome pathway and identifies NDPK2 as an upstream element involved in the modulation of the salicylic acid (SA)-dependent defense pathway by light. Thus, cryptochrome- and phytochrome-specific light signals synchronously control their relative contribution to the regulation of plant development. Interestingly, PP7 and NDPK are also components of animal light signaling systems.

Testing the TASP: An Experimental Investigation of Learning in Games with Unstable Equilibria

We report experiments designed to test between Nash equilibria that are stable and unstable under learning. The “TASP” (Time Average of the Shapley Polygon) gives a precise prediction about what happens when there is divergence from equilibrium under fictitious play like learning processes. We use two 4 x 4 games each with a unique mixed Nash equilibrium; one is stable and one is unstable under learning. Both games are versions of Rock-Paper-Scissors with the addition of a fourth strategy, Dumb. Nash equilibrium places a weight of 1/2 on Dumb in both games, but the TASP places no weight on Dumb when the equilibrium is unstable. We also vary the level of monetary payoffs with higher payoffs predicted to increase instability. We find that the high payoff unstable treatment differs from the others. Frequency of Dumb is lower and play is further from Nash than in the other treatments. That is, we find support for the comparative statics prediction of learning theory, although the frequency of Dumb is substantially greater than zero in the unstable treatments.

Description of a new species of sand fly Lutzomyia (Pressatia) mamedei n. sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A new species of sand fly from Santa Cruz, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is described as Lutzomyia (Pressatia) mamedei.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever in an endemic area in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Only one species of spotted fever-group rickettsiae that is pathogenic for humans has been isolated in Brazil, where few physicians are familiar with this disease. In order to obtain information on tick-borne rickettsiosis, a study was performed in the County of Santa Cruz do Escalvado, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where a fatal clinical case confirmed by specific immunofluorescence had been reported. Serum samples obtained from 679 humans and 96 dogs were tested by indirect immunofluorescence for detectable antibodies to spotted fever-group rickettsiae, the criterion for a positive result being a titer > or = 1:64. Seropositivity was detected in 7.14 of the humans sera examined and 13.68 of the dogs. We discuss the significance of these findings and formulate some questions, emphasizing the need for further investigation.

Rickettsiae-infected Ticks in an Endemic Area of Spotted Fever in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

A study on tick-borne rickettsiosis was developed in the county of Santa Cruz do Escalvado, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where a clinical case of the disease, confirmed by necropsy, had been reported. Of the 1,254 ticks collected, 1,061 belonged to the Amblyomma genus, 57 to the Rhipicephalus sanguineus species, 81 to Boophilus microplus, and 46 to Anocentor nitens. The hemolymph test associated with Giménez staining showed that 18 of the 221 A. cajennense specimens, 1 of the 16 R. sanguineus, 1 of the 22 B. microplus, 3 of the A. nitens, and 1 of the A. ovale contained rickettsia-like microorganisms. Only 3 A. cajennense ticks were positive under direct immunofluorescence. A. cajennense was the only species found on humans

Genetic Structure of Triatoma sordida (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) Domestic Populations from Bolivia: Application on Control Interventions

The genetic population of Triatoma sordida group 1, a secondary vector of Chagas disease in Bolivia, was studied by multi-locus enzyme electrophoresis. A total of 253 nymphal and adult specimens collected from seven neighbouring localities in the Velasco Province, Department of Santa Cruz, were processed. The relatively low genetic variability was confirmed for this species (rate of polymorphism: 0.20). The absence of genetic disequilibrium detected within the seven localities was demonstrated. A geographical structuration appears between localities with distances greater than 20 km apart. Although T. sordida presents a relatively reduced dispersive capacity, its panmictic unit is wider than compared with T. infestans. Genetic distances between T. sordida populations were correlated with geographic distance. Gene flow between geographic populations of T. sordida provides an efficient framework for effective vigilance and control protocols.