Taxonomic redescription and biological notes on Diaugia angusta (Diptera,Tachinidae): parasitoid of the palm boring weevils Metamasius ensirostris and M. hemipterus (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae)

Diaugia angusta Perty, 1833 is a Neotropical species of Tachinidae (Diptera) reported here as a parasitoid of Metamasius ensirostris (Germar, 1824) and M hemipterus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) in Brazil. Several species of Dryophthoridae and Curculionidae cause damage to bromeliad and palm species, and most are regarded as pests. In the present study, the male and female of D. angusta are morphologically characterized and illustrated to provide a means for the identification of this parasitoid. Data obtained from preliminary field research show that natural parasitism of Metamasius pupae by D. angusta varies by year but can reach nearly 30%. A network of parasitoid-host interactions among tachinid parasitoids and coleopteran hosts reported as bromeliad and palm pests (Dryophthoridae and Curculionidae) in the Americas indicates that the species of the tribe Dexiini sensu lam (including D. angusta) might be promising as biological control agents of these pests.

Ocorrência de joaninha Azya luteipes 1850 Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), agente de controle biológico de cochonilhas do cafeeiro, em Porto Velho, Rondônia.

Publicação que reúne informações sobre a ocorrência de joaninha Azya luteipes em plantações de café Conilon, no município de Porto Velho, Rondônia.

Development and reproduction of Olla v-nigrum (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) fed Anagasta kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs supplemented with an artificial diet.

2013

EVALUATION AND MONITORING OF ASH (FRAXINUS SPP.) TOLERANT TO LONG-TERM EMERALD ASH BORER (AGRILUS PLANIPENNIS [COLEOPTERA: BUPRESTIDAE]) EXPOSURE

Invasive insects that successfully establish in introduced areas can significantly alter natural communities. These pests require specific establishment criteria (e.g. host suitability) that, when known, can help quantify potential damage to infested areas. Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis [Coleoptera: Buprestidae]) is an invasive phloem-feeding pest which is responsible for the death of millions of ash trees (Fraxinus spp. L.). Over 200 surviving ash trees were previously identified in the Huron-Clinton Metroparks located in southeast Michigan. Trees were assessed over a four year period and a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on dieback, vigor, and presence of signs and symptoms, in order to place trees into one of three tolerance groups. The clustering of trees with different responses to emerald ash borer attack suggests that there are different tolerance levels in North American ash trees in southeastern Michigan, and these groups were designated as apparently tolerant, not tolerant and intermediate tolerance. Adult landing rates and evidence of adult emergence were significantly lower in the apparently tolerant group compared with the not tolerant group, but larval survival from eggs placed on trees did not differ between tolerance groups. Therefore, it appears that apparently tolerant trees survive because they are less attractive to adult beetles which results in fewer eggs being laid on them. Trees in the apparently tolerant group remained of higher vigor over the four years of the study. North American ash may survive the emerald ash borer epidemic due to natural variation and inherent resistance regardless of the lack of co-evolutionary history with emerald ash borer.

Levantamento de adultos do bicudo Anthonomus grandis (Boh., 1843) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) utilizando armadilhas com feromônio, em alguns municípios do Estado de São Paulo.

1988

Observação da diapausa em adultos do bicudo do algodoeiro (Anthonomus grandis Boh., 1843) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) no Estado de São Paulo.

Como a diapausa manifestada nos bicudos e um importante mecanismo de sua sobrevivencia nos Estados Unidos durante a entressafra, e fundamental que se conhecam detalhes de sua ocorrencia no Brasil, a fim de se introduzirem tecnicas eficientes de manejo dessa especie. Com o presente trabalho objetivou-se verificar a incidencia da diapausa em lavouras de algodao de alguns municipios do Estado de Sao Paulo. Na safra 1983/84 o estudo desenvolveu-se em 10 municipios e em 1984/85, em 7 municipios. O numero de adultos coletados, bem como o numero de coletas realizadas em cada tempo, foram variaveis. Em praticamente todas as coletas ocorreram adultos em diapausa, excetuando-se as de 18/04/84 e 15/02/85 para Porto Feliz e a de 10/05/1985 para Tiete. As maiores porcentagens de bicudos em diapausa foram observadas nos meses de marco a abril, fase final do ciclo das plantas. Na safra 1984/85 altas porcentagens ocorreram tambem em maio, mas na safra 1983/84 nao foram conduzidas coletas nessa epoca. Os maiores indices de diapausa foram observados em Monte Mor, no periodo de 19-23/03/84, com cerca de 54% e em Campinas, no periodo de 12-18/03/85, com cerca de 56%.

Distribuição espacial de Metamasius hemipterus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) em plantio de dendê (Elaeis guineensisJacq) em Roraima.

2015

Observações sobre biologia de Spaethiella tristis (Boh.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) e danos causados ao dendezeiro.

O ciclo de vida de Spaethiella tristis (Boh.), um besouro que se alimenta de folhas de dende (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), é de mais ou menos 56 dias, sob condicoes de laboratorio. Seus inimigos naturais, coletados de um plantio de dende na Estacao Experimental do Rio Urubu/CPAA, foram: Paecilomyces farinosus (Samson & Evans) e Metarhizium sp. parasitando larvas e adultos, respectivamente, e uma especie nao identificada de Chalcididae (Hymenoptera), parasitando larvas. O dano da folha causado por S. tristis é agravado pela infeccao do fungo Pestalotiopsis guepini (Desm.) Steyaert, que se instala nos ferimentos feitos pelo inseto.

Influência da alimentação na longevidade de adultos da broca-do-cupuaçu Conotrachelus sp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) em condições laboratoriais.

2016

Residual effects of pesticides in peach orchards on the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)¹.

2016

Digestive Peptidase Evolution In Holometabolous Insects Led To A Divergent Group Of Enzymes In Lepidoptera.

Trypsins and chymotrypsins are well-studied serine peptidases that cleave peptide bonds at the carboxyl side of basic and hydrophobic l-amino acids, respectively. These enzymes are largely responsible for the digestion of proteins. Three primary processes regulate the activity of these peptidases: secretion, precursor (zymogen) activation and substrate-binding site recognition. Here, we present a detailed phylogenetic analysis of trypsins and chymotrypsins in three orders of holometabolous insects and reveal divergent characteristics of Lepidoptera enzymes in comparison with those of Coleoptera and Diptera. In particular, trypsin subsite S1 was more hydrophilic in Lepidoptera than in Coleoptera and Diptera, whereas subsites S2-S4 were more hydrophobic, suggesting different substrate preferences. Furthermore, Lepidoptera displayed a lineage-specific trypsin group belonging only to the Noctuidae family. Evidence for facilitated trypsin auto-activation events were also observed in all the insect orders studied, with the characteristic zymogen activation motif complementary to the trypsin active site. In contrast, insect chymotrypsins did not seem to have a peculiar evolutionary history with respect to their mammal counterparts. Overall, our findings suggest that the need for fast digestion allowed holometabolous insects to evolve divergent groups of peptidases with high auto-activation rates, and highlight that the evolution of trypsins led to a most diverse group of enzymes in Lepidoptera.

Insect feeding preferences on Piperaceae species observed in São Paulo city, Brazil

Piperaceae species have been placed among the basal angiosperm and are adapted to a variety of habitats including moist forests, secondary vegetation and dry high lands. The major anatomical/morphology features are of small trees, vines, and shrubs for Piper species, while the epiphytic and succulent characteristics are predominant forms among Peperomia species. Their secondary chemistry can be mostly represented by amides, phenylpropanoids/lignoids, and chromenes in addition to a phletoria of biosynthetically mixed-origin secondary compounds. Although several amides and lignans are known as insecticides, several phytophagous insects, among which some considered pests of economic importance, have been observed feeding vigorously on Piperaceae species. Herein we describe the feeding preferences of fourteen phytophagous species of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera over approximately fifty Piperaceae species observed in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, in a long-term basis.

Eutaleola, a replacement name for the homonym Euteleia (Bryozoa: Pasytheidae)

Eutaleola nom. nov. is proposed as a replacement name for Euteleia Marcus, 1938 (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata), a secondary homonym of Euteleia Raffray, 1904 (Arthropoda: Coleoptera). Eutaleola is a monospecific genus of Pasytheida e, found in warm shallow waters on both sides of the Atlantic and in deeper waters of the eastern Pacific. Brazilian material of Eutaleola evelinae (Marcus, 1938) comb. nov. is described and illustrated.

Hydrolysis of methyl benzoate from Piper arboreum by Naupactus bipes beetle

A new natural product was isolated from Piper arboreum (Piperaceae) leaves, the methyl 3-geranyl-4-hydroxybenzoate (1). The metabolism of P. arboreum leaves by Naupactus bipes beetle (Germar, 1824 - Coleoptera: Curculionidae) led to the hydrolysis of 1 to 3-geranyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid (2). The structures of both compounds were determined based on spectroscopic analysis (¹H and 13C NMR, MS, and IR).