Sphaerohelea, a new neotropical predaceous nidge genus of the tribe Sphaeromiini (Diptera: ceratopogonidae)

Sphaerohelea, a new Neotropical genus of predaceous midges related to Lanehelea, Spnaeromias, Chelohelea, Phaenobezzia and Leehelea is described and illustrated and ilustrated from female specimens. This new genus includes only one species, Sphaerohelea biestroi n. sp. from northeastern Argentina as a type-species.

The surface charge of trypanosomatids of the genus trypanosoma

Cell electrophoresis was used for determionation of the electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of epimastigo and trypamastigote forms of several isolates of Trypanosoma cruzi and some stocks of other members of the Schizotrypanum subgenus, such as T. dionisii, T. vespertilionis and T. myoti. The EPM of T. bruceli, T. rangeli, and T. conorhini was also determined. The results obtained show that the EPM values con be useful to distinguish the parasites.

Observations on the distribution of anophelines in Suriname with particular reference to the malaria vector Anopheles darlingi

A study was made on the distribution of anophelines in Suriname with special emphasis on the principal malaria vector Anopheles darlingi and on the occurrence of other possible vector species. Peridomestic human bait collections of adult mosquitoes and collections of larvae were made in many localities with a recent history of malaria transmission. Stable population of An. darlingi were only found in the interior, south of the limit of tidal influence, due to year-round availability of breeding habitats in quietly sunlit places in flooded forest areas and along river banks. In the area with tidal movement of the rivers, breeding is limited to flooded areas in the west season. Anopheles darlingi was only incidentally collected in low densities. In the interior, malaria transmission occurred in all places where An. darlingi was found. The absence of malaria transmission along the Upper Suriname River could be explained by the absence of An. darlingi. In the malaria endemic areas, An darlingi was the most numerous mosquito biting on man. In the tidal region, malaria outbreak are infrequent and might be explained by the temporary availability of favourable beeding habitats for An. darlingi. However, evidence is insufficient to incriminate an. darlingi as the vector of malaria in this region and the possible vectorial role of other anophelines is discussed.

A morphological, isoenzymatic and behavioural study of ten populations of Anopheles(Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis Lynch-Arribalzaga, 1878 (Diptera: culicidae) including from the type-locality - Baradero, Argentina

Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis Lynch-Arribalzaga, 1878 shows morphological and behavioural variations which results in it being sometimes considered as a major malaria vector and at other times as playing no important role in epidemiology. With the aim of clarifying the taxonomy of the species, comparative morphological and isoenzymatic studies were made in populations from the type-locality, Baradero, Argentina and from 9 different localities inBrazil. Morphological studies consisted of the observation of eggs in scanning electron microscopy, of complete chaetotaxy of larvae and pupae and of the detailed drawing of male and female adults. Only Guajara-Mirim and Rio Branco populations, described previously as Anopheles deaneorum sp.n., showed morphological differences. Isoenzymes were studied using 4th instar larvae homogenate and agarosegel electrophoresis. Eleven enzymatic loci were analyzed. By calculation of Nei's Genetic Distance (D), the populations could be separated into 5 groups: i)Baradero, ii)Marajo, iii)Boa Vista, iv)Angra, Itaguai and Paraipaba and v)Guajara-Mirim and Rio Branco. These groups belong to 2 major clusters called I and II, separated by D = 0.345. In the I cluster are groups i, ii and iii and in II clusteriv and v. In I, D=0.246 separates i and ii from iii, while i is separated by D =0.181 from ii. In II, D = 0.223 between iv and v. Only the population of group vcould be distinguished morphologically from the others, leading to the description of an independent species An. deaneorum.

Ultrastructural and stereological analysis of trypanosomatidis of the genus Endotrypanum

Culture forms of four strains of Endotrypanum (E. schaudinni and E. monterogeii) were processed for transmission electron microscopy and analyzed at the ultrastructural level. Quantitative data about some cytoplasmic organelles were obeined by stereology. All culture forms were promastigotes. In their cytoplasm four different organelles could be found: lipid inclusions (0,2-0,4 µm in diameter), mebrane-bounded vacuoles (0.10-0,28 µm in diameter), glycosomes (0,2-0,3 µm in diameter), and the mitochondrion. The kenetoplast appears as a thin band, except for the strain IM201, which possesses a broader structure, and possibly is not a member of this genus. Clusters of virus-like particles were seen in the cytoplasm of the strain LV88. The data obtained show that all strains have the typical morphological feature of the trypanosomatids. Only strain IM201 could be differentiated from the others, due to its larger kenetoplast-DNA network and its large mitochondrial and glycosomal relative volume. The morphometrical data did not allow the differentiation between E. schaudinni (strains IM217 and M6226) and E. monterogeii (strain LV88).

New brazilian predaceous midges of the genus Monohelea Kieffer, and redescription of M. guaimiesi (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Two new Brazilian species of Monohelea Kieffer, M. affinis and M. roraimensis are described and illustrated, and a redescription of M. guiaimiesi Lane & Wirth is given.

Infection of Anopheles darlingi fed on patients infected with Plasmodium vivax before and during treatment with chloroquine plus primaquine in Costa Marques, Rondônia, Brazil

Five patients with asexual and sexual parasites of Plasmodium vivax were treated orally with 600 mg chloroquine diphosphate (hour 0) followed with 300 mg at 8, 24 and 48 h later. Primaquine phospate, 15 mg, was administered concurrently at h 0 and 24 h intervals for 14 days. Anopheles darlingi were fed before the first dose (h-0.5) and 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h later. Mosquitoes were examined for oocysts on day 8 and for sporozoites on day 15 after infection. Four of the five patients studied were still infective to mosquitoes from 1-5 h after the first dose of chloroquine plus primaquine. One of these and one other patient, who vomited 15 min after the first dose, became inffective again at hours 10 and 12, respectively. Once produced, oocysts in mosquitoes fed on patients before, during and after chloroquine plus primaquine treatment appeared normal and produced sporozoite infected salivary glands. In view of these data , it is concluded that primaquine demonstrated rapid gametocytocidal activity and should be administred concurrently with chloroquine to reduce vivax malaria transmission.

Preliminary investigations on transmission and life cycle of the ear mites of the genus Raillietia trouessart (Acari: Gamasida) parasites of cattle

The life cycle of ear mites of the genus Raillietia Trouessart consists of egg, larva, proto-and deutonymph and adult. The proto-and deutonymph are free living, non feeding instars. The teneral adult is the transfer stage. The minimum period required for completion of the life cycle is approximately eight days.

Travassosisca, a new genus of Johnsoniini (Diptera, Sarcophagidae) from Peru

Descriptions of a genus and two new species of Sarcophagidae from Peru.

Two new species in the genus Cucullanus (Nematoda - Cucullanidae) from the australian region

Two new species of Cucullanus are described: C. bourdini n. sp. and C. laurotravassosi n. sp. C. bourdini is a parasite of Pristipomoides filamentosus , Aprion virescens and P. flavipinnis (Lutjanidae) in New Caledonia. The species is closely related to C. amadai, C. bulbosus and C. hians by the disposition of the post-and ad-cloacal papille but differs by the more posterior position of the deirids. C. laurotravassosi n. sp., a parasite of Arius sp. in Australia, is close to C. bagre but can be distinguished by the more posterior position of post-cloacal papillae.

Revision of the genus Vampirolepis Spasskij, 1954 (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae)

The genus Vampirolepis Spasskij, 1954 is re-defined on the basis of the original description and the first detailed redescription by Andreiko et al. (1969). A restricted definitions is proposed, the main features being the arrangement of testicles on a straight line snd numerous hooks of fraternoid shape. Other important characters are the strobila with numerous proglottids, the cirrus pouch of moderate size and the cirrus, smooth or armed with minute spines. Formerly included Hymenolepidid cestodes with reduced strobila, particularly long cirrus pouch and different arrangement of gonads do not belong to Vampirolepis. Members of Vampirolepis in the restricted sense show a cosmopolitan repartition and parasitize only bats. The author does not accept the synonymy of Rodentolepis Spasskiji, 1954 with Vampirolepis. A tentative list of the species belonging to the genus is proposed.

Two new Brazilian predaceous midges of the genus Downeshelea Wirth & Grogan (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Two new Brazilian species of Downeshelea Wirth & Gorgan D. fluminensis and D. quasidentica, are described and illustrated.

Nematode parasites of Brazilian psittacid birds, with emphasis on the genus Pelecitus railliet & Henry, 1910

In the present paper, some species of nematodes from Brazilian parrots are studied: Aproctapyrrhurae. Ascaridia hermaphrodita, A. sergiomeirai, Pelecitus circularis and P. helicinus. Single female specimens of Pelecitus sp. and Thelazia sp. are presented. The male of P. circularis is fully illustrated, for the first time, since 1884. Ascaridia sergiomeirai is also restudied 59 years after proposition. New host records are estabilished. Remarks on other species of nematodes occuring in psittacid birds are included.