Biological aspects of Orius insidiosus (Say) feeding on eggs of Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) and Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller).

The objective of this work was to evaluate the biology of Orius insidiosus fed on eggs of Plutella xylostella and Anagasta kuehniella. The eggs used were obtained from the Laboratorio de Biologia e Criacao de Insetos, Departamento de Fitossanidade, FCAV/UNESP. The experiment was carried out with a total of 50 12-to-24-hour-old O. insidiosus nymphs, 1 per Petri dish (50 replications). P. xylostella or A. kuehniella eggs were places into each Petri dish daily, along with a small cotton pad moistened with distilled water. The evaluations were carried out daily. The adults were separated in couples, and placed in Petri dishes. The following biological aspects were evaluated: duration, survival rate and consumption of the nymph instars and of the nymph period; longevity of males and females; consumption per day and adult longevity; eggs per day; female fecundity; egg viability; embryonic period; preoviposition period, oviposition period, post-oviposition period. The fertility life table parameters were also evaluated. The predator O. insidiosus did not present significant differences for its biological characteristics, when feeding on P. xylostella and A. kuehniella eggs, however it showed improved fertility life table parameters when fedo n eggs of P. xylostella, suggesting the possibility of using these eggs in the mass rearing of this insect.

Microbial leakage of MTA, Portland cement, Sealapex and zinc oxide-eugenol as root-end filling materials

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the microbial leakage of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), Portland cement (PC), Sealapex and zinc oxide-eugenol (ZOE) as root-end filling materials.Study design: An in vitro microbial leakage test (MLT) with a split chamber was used in this study. A mixture of facultative bacteria and one yeast (S. aureus + E. faecalis + P. aeruginosa + B. subtilis + C. albicans) was placed in the upper chamber and it could only reach the lower chamber containing Brain Heart Infusion broth by way of leakage through the root-end filling. Microbial leakage was observed daily for 60 days. Sixty maxillary anterior human teeth were randomly assigned to different groups - MTA and PC (gray and white), Sealapex + zinc oxide and ZOE, control groups and subgroups to evaluate the influence of EDTA for smear layer removal. These materials were further evaluated by an agar diffusion test (ADT) to verify their antimicrobial efficacy. Data were analyzed statistically by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney test.Results: In the MLT, Sealapex + zinc oxide and ZOE did not show evidence of microbial leakage over the 60-day experimental period. The other materials showed leakage from the 15th day. The presence of smear layer influenced microbial leakage. Microbial inhibition zones were not observed in all samples tested by ADT.Conclusion: Sealapex + zinc oxide and ZOE did not show microbial leakage over the experimental period, whereas it was verified within 15 to 45 days in MTA and Portland cement.

Atividade predatória de Euseius citrifolius Denmark & Muma (Acari: Phytoseiidae) sobre Tenuipalpus heveae (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)

The rubber tree red false spider mite, Tenuipalpus heveae Baker, is an important pest of Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex. Adr. de Juss.) Muell. Arg. The phytoseiid mite Euseius citrifolius Dennmark & Muma has frequently been recorded on rubber tree crops. The objective of this work was to determine the predatory activity of E. citrifolius on the different life stages (egg, larva, nymph and adult) of T. heveae. The experiments were carried out in Petri dishes (9-cm diameter) containing a layer of wet cotton inside, onto which a disk of rubber tree leaf (2.5-cm diameter) was laid. The disks were taken from naturally infested leaves. Twenty specimens in the life stage that was to be tested were left on the disk and the others were eliminated; a predator life stage (larva, nymph or female) was obtained from a laboratory stock colony and put into each dish. For each tested life stage of E. citrifolius, 4 treatments (T. heveae life stages) and 20 replications were considered in a randomized block design. The observations were made after 24 hours for larvae and nymphs of the predator, and after 24, 48 and 72 hours for the females. E. citrifolius larvae and nymphs had a higher preference for T. heveae larvae followed by nymphs, eggs and adults. Within 72 hours, each predator female consumed 15.0 larvae, 14.5 nymphs, 7.4 adults or 2.2 eggs of T. heveae. It is concluded that E. citrifolius can feed on red false spider mites, the larva and nymph being the preferred stages.

The frog Dermatonotus muelleri (Boettger 1885) (Anura Microhylidae) shifts its search tactics in response to two different prey distributions

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Feeding preference of the South American endemic anomuran Aegla platensis (Decapoda, Anomura, Aeglidae)

In order to determine the feeding preference of Aegla platensis in streams and the importance of microorganisms in its detritivore diet, we carried out two experiments designed to evaluate the food preferences of A. platensis (1) among leaves with different levels of microbial colonization and (2) among insect larvae (Chironomidae, Simuliidae, Hydropsychidae) and microbially conditioned leaves. A. platensis preferred animal over plant food items; when only leaves were offered, this aeglid preferred the leaves with higher levels of microorganism conditioning.

The fitness of the Brazilian damsel Stegastes fuscus is increased by sharing the territory with the dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Distribution and habitat preference of Carabidae and Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) in an orange orchard and a forest fragment

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

A Meta-Analysis of Predation Risk Effects on Pollinator Behaviour

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Distribution of extrafloral nectaries in different vegetation types of Amazonian Brazil

Surveys were carried out in terra firme' forest, successional forest, buritirana' (palm vegetation) and shrub canga' (savanna). Extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) were present in 30 plant species belonging to 22 genera and 14 families. Nectary species represented 17.6-53.3% of the species samples in different areas, with local abundances varying from 19.1-50.0%. The percentage of species with EFNs was greater in the flora of the shrub canga than in the terra firme and successional forests. Nectary plants were more abundant in the shrub canga and successional forest. The high abundance of EFNs may be the result of intense foraging activity by ants on plants, leading to the formation of facultative mutualism. -from Authors

Larval predation by Chrysomya albiceps on Cochliomyia macellaria, Chrysomya megacephala and Chrysomya putoria

Chrysomya albiceps, the larvae of which are facultative predators of larvae of other dipteran species, has been introduced to the Americas over recent years along with other Old World species of blowflies, including Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya putoria and Chlysomya rufifacies. An apparent correlate of this biological invasion has been a sudden decline in the population numbers of Cochliomyia macellaria, a native species of the Americas. In this study, we investigated predation rates on third instar larvae of C. macellaria, C. putoria and C. megacephala by third instar larvae of C. albiceps in no-choice, two-choice and three-choice situations. Most attacks by C. albiceps larvae occurred within the first hour of observation and the highest predation rate occurred on C. macellaria larvae, suggesting that C. albiceps was more dangerous to C. macellaria than to C. megacephala and C. putoria under these experimental conditions. The rates of larvae killed as a result of the predation, as well as its implications to population dynamics of introduced and native species are discussed.

Composição faunística de insetos predadores em fragmento florestal e em área de hortaliças na região de Jaboticabal, estado de São Paulo

A population survey was carried out in a forest fragment and in an area of vegetables, from November/1996 to February/1998, aiming to determine the predator insect species and the influence of abiotic factors. The samples were taken weekly by light traps. The results were evaluated using faunistic analysis and simple correlation with temperature, relative humidity and rainfall. In the forest fragment higher similarity in the abundance of species was observed comparing to the area of vegetables, but the largest number of captured individuals (95%) occurred in this last habitat. Metius sp., Polpochila impressifrons (Dej.), Eulissus sp. and Doru sp. were predominant species in both areas, evidencing they may play an important role as pest predators in areas of vegetables. Arthrostictus speciosus (Dej.) and Leptotrachelus sp. predominated in the forest fragment, and the same was observed with Paederus sp. in the vegetable area. This species is probably adapted for open and hot places, while A. speciosus and Leptotrachelus sp. can be adapted for dark and humid places of forests.

Fruit and seed exploitation by small rodents of the Brazilian Atlantic forest

In the Brazilian Atlantic forest (BAF) there are at least 57 rodent species and most of them are considered omnivorous. These species feed, more or less frequently, on fruits and seeds. Nevertheless the potential role of each species as frugivorous, seed predator or seed disperser is still unclear. In the present study we analyzed patterns of fruit and seed exploitation by eight small rodent species from an Atlantic Forest site. We offered to captive animals fruits of 30 plant species (23 genera, 15 families). After 48 h we recorded consumption patterns of pulp/aril and seed. Rodent species differed in their patterns of fruit and seed exploitation. The smallest species, Akodon serrensis, Oligoryzomys nigripes, and Wilfredomys pictipes (body size range : 26-45 g), and also the medium-sized Oecomys aff. concolor (84 g) fed mainly on pulp and also on small to medium-sized seeds (< 10 mm diameter). The medium-sized rodent, Oryzomys russatus (91 g) fed on pulp and also on seeds with diameter ≤ 15 mm. Thus larger seeds remain intact after being manipulated by such species. The medium-sized Delomys dorsalis (72 g) and the larger Trinomys iheringi (274 g) and Nectomys squamipes (253 g) form a third group, which consumed both fruit and seed of most species independent of their size. These later two species and also O. russatus are probably the main seed predators in the rodent community of the BAF.

Dynamics of handling time and functional response by larvae of Chrysomya albiceps (Dipt., Calliphoridae) on different prey species

One way to understand the behavioural patterns exhibited by a predator in response to prey density is to evaluate its functional response. Such evaluation yields information about basic mechanisms of prey-predator dynamics, and is an essential component of prey-predator models. In this paper we analysed experimentally the functional response and the handling time spent by Chrysomya albiceps on different prey species and larval instars of blowflies. The type II functional response was observed when second instar larvae of Chrysomya megacephala and Chrysomya macellaria were consumed. The handling time spent by the predator was significantly different between instars and species. The implications of the functional response and handling time for the interaction dynamics of Brazilian Chrysomyinae species are discussed.

Tabela de vida ecológica do minador-dos-citros, Phyllocnistis citrella stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

The construction of ecological life tables is a useful tool to understand the population dynamics of insects in the field. In this work, ecological life tables were developed for Phyllocnistis citrella (Stainton) in an orchard of Citrus sinensis situated in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, Sao Paulo State, during 2002. The occurrence of generation overlay in the field was avoided by obtaining the eggs from infestation on young citrus plants (Citrus limonia) kept under controlled conditions. The samples were taken every other day and the number of live, dead, predated and parasitized individuals were recorded. The occurrence of arthropod predators was determined through visual search on the plants of the orchard. The key factors of mortality acting on P.citrella populations were: pupae parasitism caused by Ageniaspis citricola (Logvinovskaya), action of uncertain factors on prepupae and predation of 3rd-instar larvae. The most abundant arthropod predators belonged to the families Formicidae, Chrysopidae, Coccinellidae, Reduviidae e Araneae. In two of five generations of P. citrella, approximately 4% of A. citricola pupae were hyperparasitized by Galeopsomyia fausta (LaSalle) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

Immune Response to the Rhodococcus equi infection in high and low antibody-producing mice (selection IV-A)

Rhodococcus equi is a Gram-positive, facultative intracellular bacterium which infects macrophages and causes rhodococcal pneumonia and enteritis in foals. Recently, this agent has been recognized as an opportunistic pathogen for immunocompromised humans. Several murine experimental models have been used to study R. equi infection. High (H IV-A) and Low (L IV-A) antibody (Ab)-producers mice were obtained by bi-directional genetic selections for their ability to produce antibodies against sheep and human erythrocytes (Selection IV-A). These lines maintain their phenotypes of high and low responders also for other antigens than those of selection (multispeciflc effect). A higher macrophage activity in L IV-A mice has been described for several intracellular infectious agents, which could be responsible for their intense macrophage antigens (Ag)-handling and low Ab production. Due to these differences, L IV-A mice were found to exhibit a better performance to trigger an effective immune response towards intracellular pathogens. The objective of this work was to characterize the immune response of Selection IV-A against R. equi. H IV-A and L IV-A mice were infected with 2.0 × 10 6 CFU of ATCC 33701 +R. equi by intravenous route. With regards to bacterial clearance and survival assays, L IV-A mice were more resistant than H IV-A mice to virulent R. equi. L IV-A mice presented a higher hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) and nitric oxide (NO) endogenous production by splenic macrophages than H IV-A mice. L IV-A expressed the most intense cellular response, available by the Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction, which activated macrophages and produced more H 2O 2 and NO. The three times higher specific antibodies titres in H IV-A indicated that Selection IV-A maintained the multispecific effect and the polygenic control of humoral and cellular responses also to R. equi.