Biological features of a puzzling symbiotic association between the hermit crab Dardanus insignis and the porcellanid crab Porcellana Sayana (Crustacea)

The symbiotic lifestyle is widespread among porcellanid crabs, which maintain ecological and co-evolutionary associations with annelid polychaetes, poriferans, cnidarians, echinoderms, gastropod. mollusks, and other crustaceans such as shrimps and hermit crabs, among others. We investigated the ecological association between the hermit crab Dardanus insignis and the porcellanid Porcellana sayana, in southeastern Brazil. Porcellanid crabs, hermit crabs, and available shells were collected monthly from July 2001 to June 2003, with a shrimp boat equipped with two double-rig trawl nets. The majority of P. sayana specimens were collected in shells occupied by D. insignis (96.6%); a few were found in empty shells (3.4%). The catch of both symbionts and hosts increased with increasing depth, with the highest occurrence at 35 m. The F. sayana crabs of various sizes could be found solitary or forming aggregations of up to 14 individuals per host, showing no sex or size segregation. In spite of the high diversity of shell species occupied by the hermit crabs and also available in the field, only a few of them were also utilized by P. sayana. The majority (93%) of shells utilized by P. sayana also hosted other symbiont species, constituting the basis of extensive symbiotic complexes. Thus, the ecological relationship between D. insignis and P. sayana may be classified as a non-obligate and non-specific symbiosis that may also involve other facultative organisms such as sea anemones. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Equilíbrio líquido-líquido de sistemas aquosos com tensoativos polietoxilados: dados experimentais e modelagem

The nonionic surfactants when in aqueous solution, have the property of separating into two phases, one called diluted phase, with low concentration of surfactant, and the other one rich in surfactants called coacervate. The application of this kind of surfactant in extraction processes from aqueous solutions has been increasing over time, which implies the need for knowledge of the thermodynamic properties of these surfactants. In this study were determined the cloud point of polyethoxylated surfactants from nonilphenolpolietoxylated family (9,5 , 10 , 11, 12 and 13), the family from octilphenolpolietoxylated (10 e 11) and polyethoxylated lauryl alcohol (6 , 7, 8 and 9) varying the degree of ethoxylation. The method used to determine the cloud point was the observation of the turbidity of the solution heating to a ramp of 0.1 ° C / minute and for the pressure studies was used a cell high-pressure maximum ( 300 bar). Through the experimental data of the studied surfactants were used to the Flory - Huggins models, UNIQUAC and NRTL to describe the curves of cloud point, and it was studied the influence of NaCl concentration and pressure of the systems in the cloud point. This last parameter is important for the processes of oil recovery in which surfactant in solution are used in high pressures. While the effect of NaCl allows obtaining cloud points for temperatures closer to the room temperature, it is possible to use in processes without temperature control. The numerical method used to adjust the parameters was the Levenberg - Marquardt. For the model Flory- Huggins parameter settings were determined as enthalpy of the mixing, mixing entropy and the number of aggregations. For the UNIQUAC and NRTL models were adjusted interaction parameters aij using a quadratic dependence with temperature. The parameters obtained had good adjust to the experimental data RSMD < 0.3 %. The results showed that both, ethoxylation degree and pressure increase the cloudy points, whereas the NaCl decrease

Comportamento social e territorialidade alimentar na garça-azul, Egretta caerulea (L) = Feeding territoriality in the little blue heron, Egretta caerulea (L)

The use of habitat is an important part of a species biology. One resource of great importance for the survivor and reproduction of an individual is the food resource. Thus, the social interactions an animal has during the feeding activities are of extremely importance within its behavioral aspects, which represents the part of an organism trough which it interacts with the environment, adapting to changes and variations. Herons are known to form feeding aggregations of even more than thousands of individuals, in which social components of foraging have been identified and studied for several species. More profound studies of these aspects are yet to poor for the Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the social behavior (display postures, vocalizations and co-specific interactions) and the territoriality of the specie during the feeding period in an area of mud bank in the estuarine system of Cananéia, south coast of São Paulo state, Brazil. The defense of a fixed and exclusive area, closest to the mangrove, trough expulsion was observed; some thing that have not yet been registered with concrete data for the specie. Higher capture and success rates, and lower investment rates (steps/min and stabs/min) were registered for individuals foraging in areas corresponding to the defended territory. This could be one of possible reasons for the establishment of territories in the area. Four display postures were registered for the specie, two of then new in the literature, which are used in the interactions between individuals; one vocalization, that apparently is important in the social context of foraging for the specie and, possibly, has a function of advertising and proclaiming the dominance position of the territorial individual within the group. A territorial individual uses three behaviors, of the ones described: expulsion, vocalization and encounter (agonistic encounter between individuals, without physical aggression). Of these, the expulsion is apparently used in the actual defense, actively; while the other two behaviors are used in a more passive way, in the maintenance of the dominance position of the individual, helping it in the defense of its territory in a less direct manner. Therefore, with the results presented in here, new components of the social utilization of the feeding resource for the Little Blue Heron were identified, incorporating aspects of the territorial behavior for a future understanding of its possible adaptive significance. And it also reinforces the importance of the social interactions of herons foraging in great aggregations, in areas ecologically important

Group size and composition of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) (Van Bénèden, 1864) in the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex, Brazil

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

Guiana dolphins, Sotalia guianensis (Cetacea: Delphinidae), in the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex: insights on the use of area based on the photo-identification technique

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

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)

Reciprocal interference between ants and stingless bees attending the honeydew-producing homopteran Aetalion reticulatum (Homoptera: Aetalionidae)

We evaluated the reciprocal effects between foragers of the ants Camponotus crassus and of the stingless bees Trigona hyalinata on aggregations of the honeydew-producing treehopper Aetalion reticulatum. The interactions were observed in Bauhinia variegata (Caesalpiniaceae) and Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae) trees. We recorded the presence/absence of each attendant species in homopteran aggregations to test if the observed co-occurrence is lower than that expected by chance. An exclusion experiment was performed in which each attendant species was excluded from aggregations in order to test if an attendant species is more likely to occupy aggregations where the other attendant is not present. We also recorded the number of individuals of each attendant species in homopteran aggregations to search for any correlation between homopteran and attendant abundances. Additionally, we performed experiments using termites (Termitidae, Isoptera) as models to verify if the attendant species have the potential to defend A. reticulatum against natural enemies. The co-occurrence of attendant species was lower than that expected by chance. Homopteran aggregations without stingless bees were more visited by ants than those in which T. hyalinata was present, and vice-versa. The abundance of stingless bees was proportional to homopteran abundance, while ants abundance was not correlated to homopteran abundance. Both attendant species attacked the natural enemies models when we glued the termites ca. 1 cm away from homopteran aggregations, but only ants removed termites glued 5-7 cm away from aggregations. We suggest that the effects of non-formicid attendants should be included as another factor influencing the costs and benefits of ant-homopteran interactions, since honeydew availability for ants also depends on the presence and behavior of interspecific attendants.

Estimação de curvas de carga em pontos de consumo e em transformadores de distribuição

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A ictiofauna agregada a um sistema de piscicultura em tanques-rede na represa oligotrófica de Chavantes (médio rio Paranapanema, SP/PR): composição de espécies e atributos ecológicos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Past and present distribution, densities and movements of blue whales Balaenoptera musculus in the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean

1. Blue whale locations in the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean were obtained from catches (303 239), sightings (4383 records of ≥ 8058 whales), strandings (103), Discovery marks (2191) and recoveries (95), and acoustic recordings. 2. Sighting surveys included 7 480 450 km of effort plus 14 676 days with unmeasured effort. Groups usually consisted of solitary whales (65.2%) or pairs (24.6%); larger feeding aggregations of unassociated individuals were only rarely observed. Sighting rates (groups per 1000 km from many platform types) varied by four orders of magnitude and were lowest in the waters of Brazil, South Africa, the eastern tropical Pacific, Antarctica and South Georgia; higher in the Subantarctic and Peru; and highest around Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Chile, southern Australia and south of Madagascar. 3. Blue whales avoid the oligotrophic central gyres of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, but are more common where phytoplankton densities are high, and where there are dynamic oceanographic processes like upwelling and frontal meandering. 4. Compared with historical catches, the Antarctic (‘true’) subspecies is exceedingly rare and usually concentrated closer to the summer pack ice. In summer they are found throughout the Antarctic; in winter they migrate to southern Africa (although recent sightings there are rare) and to other northerly locations (based on acoustics), although some overwinter in the Antarctic. 5. Pygmy blue whales are found around the Indian Ocean and from southern Australia to New Zealand. At least four groupings are evident: northern Indian Ocean, from Madagascar to the Subantarctic, Indonesia to western and southern Australia, and from New Zealand northwards to the equator. Sighting rates are typically much higher than for Antarctic blue whales.

SEASONAL, HABITAT AND SEX-SPECIFIC PATTERNS OF FOOD UTILIZATION BY RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS (Agelaius phoeniceous) IN EASTERN ONTARIO AND THEIR ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

Crop depredation by red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) causes serious economic losses to agricultural crops each year in both Canada and the United States. The concentration of vulnerable, monocultural crops, particularly corn, during periods when large flocks of blackbirds congregate in roosting areas prior to migration has invariably led to heavy feeding pressure (Stone et al., 1972; Wiens and Dyer, 1975; Tyler et al., 1978). Efforts to reduce damage levels by mechanical and chemical dispersal agents have been largely unsuccessful, at least in terms of a long-term solution to the problem. Recently, the lethal control of blackbird populations using surfactants has been proposed. However, the potential repercussions of the removal of substantial numbers of birds from northern breeding areas are virtually unknown (Robertson et al., 1978). Much of the research dealing with the feeding ecology of red-winged blackbirds has been limited to fall and winter periods when large aggregations of birds are actively involved in crop depredation (Goddad, 1969; Williams, 1976; Dolbeer et al., 1978) or pose a potential health hazard (Monroe and Cronholm, 1976). However, what is not known is the degree to which the removal of deleterious weed seed and insect pests cited in several studies (Bird and Smith, 1964; Mott et al., 1972; Robertson et al., 1978) might be of potential value to agriculture. The issue of whether the benefits derived from redwing foraging compensate for the negative aspects associated with crop depredation and health hazards remains largely unresolved. The present study attempted to evaluate the pest status of this species using diet information derived from food habits analysis conducted during the residency of red- winged blackbirds in a northern breeding area. By determining how the feeding ecology of red-winged blackbirds varies on a seasonal basis, among different breeding habitats and between sexes, we hoped to determine more realistically which segments of the population might be responsible for the greatest benefits or detriments and, thereby, more accurately evaluate the economic impact of the species as a whole. To achieve this aim, the study provides an accurate description of the common insects and weed pests utilized by redwings. By determining the relative proportions of those items known to be detrimental, we hoped to illustrate, at least qualitatively, the degree to which redwing foraging is comprised of both beneficial and harmful components.

Sponges as substrata and early life history of the tubulariid Zyzzyzus warreni (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) in the Sao Sebastiao Channel, Brazil

The hydroid Zyzzyzus warreni is usually found in shallow coastal waters forming aggregations of solitary polyps embedded in demosponges. Early life history transformations and settlement responses by the actinulae of this hydroid were studied in the laboratory using 13 species of sponges and 2 species of algae collected in the Sao Sebastiao Channel (Brazil) as substrata. The absence of oral tentacles and mouth in the actinulae and early events of metamorphosis suggest that these larvae are unable to spend long periods in the plankton and attach quickly near conspecifics when a preferred substratum is encountered. The time required for settlement and the number of elicited settlings indicated four settlement responses: (a) frequent and short-time settlement, in actinulae exposed to Halichondria cebimarensis, Mycale angulosa, M. aff. americana, M. laxissima (skeleton) and Tedania ignis; (b) moderate and delayed settlement, in actinulae exposed to Aplysina caissara, A. fulva, Haliclona melana and M. microsigmatosa; (c) no settlement, in actinulae exposed to Suberites aurantiacus and to the algae Hypnea musciformis and Sargassum cymosum; and (d) lethal response, in actinulae exposed to Amphimedon viridis, Aplysilla rosea, Dragmacidon reticulatum and M. laxissima. These responses indicate a considerable degree of species discrimination by the actinulae and are consistent with substrata used by the hydroid in the natural environment.

Do Staurozoa bloom? A review of stauromedusan population biology

The study of "jellyfish blooms" provides important data toward determining the causes and consequences of these phenomena; however, the definition of "bloom" remains controversial and different concepts have been adopted in recent works. By addressing the biological and convenience definitions, this study tested the adequacy of the different concepts of "blooms" for the Class Staurozoa (Cnidaria). From seasonal monitoring data of some species of Staurozoa, we concluded that stauromedusae bloom if we used the biological concept of "bloom", which considers the life cycle and resulting changes in the abundances of these animals. By contrast, the small, benthic, inconspicuous, and non-harmful stauromedusae do not bloom if we use the convenience concept of "bloom", which constrains the events to those that humans can observe and that cause damage to human activities. In other words, the same group of organisms either is or is not capable of blooming depending on which concept of "bloom" is used. In fact, previous literature has suggested that Staurozoa could not bloom, which indicates that the study of "jellyfish blooms" can be biased, considering convenience rather than biological reasoning.

Gregarious behavior of two species of Neotropical harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones: Gonyleptidae)

We present the first record and description of the gregarious behavior of the Neotropical harvestmen Serracutisoma proximum (Mello-Leitao 1922) and Serracutisoma spelaeum (Mello-Leitao 1933) (Opiliones: Gonyleptidae: Goniosomatinae) (DaSilva & Gnaspini 2010). We followed and described the pattern of these aggregations over a period of 17 months in a cave in southeastern Brazil. Individuals of the two species aggregated with both conspecifics and heterospecifics during the non-reproductive season (i.e., from October to March, the cool and dry season). Aggregations contained up to 81 individuals, usually with a female-biased adult sex ratio. Multispecific aggregations were usually composed mainly of representatives of one of the two species, suggesting that although these species also aggregate with heterospecifics, there is a preference for aggregating with conspecifics. This study provides novel information on the social behavior of harvestmen, specifically regarding the composition of multispecific aggregations.

Should extragonadal germ cell tumors be included in studies of families with testicular germ cell tumors?

Abstract Background Family history is among the few established risk factors for testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT). Approximately 1.4% of newly diagnosed TGCT patients report a positive family history of TGCT. Sons and siblings of TGCT patients have four- to six fold and eight- to tenfold increase in TGCT risk, respectively. In twins of men with TGCT the relative risk of testicular cancer is 37.5 (12.3-115.6). Nevertheless, information about the occurrence of TGCT in relatives of patients with extragonadal germ cell tumor is limited. Case report A 24 year-old male patient was diagnosed with a mediastinum tumor and was submitted to image-guided biopsy, which revealed a seminoma. Two months later, his non-identical asymptomatic twin brother was submitted to an elective ultrasound of the testes, which showed a left testicular mass of 4.2 cm. This patient underwent orchiectomy revealing a seminoma of the left testis. There are no other cases of seminoma or other types of cancers reported in first-degree relatives in this family. Conclusions Although familial aggregations of TGCT have been well described, to the best of our knowledge, no data concerning the association of gonadal and extragonadal germ cell tumor in relatives has been previously reported. Further investigation on this association is warranted and may help in improving our knowledge of familial pattern inheritance.