Structural and biological characterization of two novel peptides from the venom of the neotropical social wasp Agelaia pallipes pallipes

The venom of the neotropical social wasp Agelaia pallipes pallipes was fractionated by RP-HPLC resulting in the elution of seven fractions; the last two were re-fractionated under RP-HPLC by using isocratic elution conditions and the purity of the fractions were confirmed by using ESI-MS analysis. Both fractions are constituted of peptide components, which were sequenced by Edman degradation chemistry, resulting in the following sequences:Protonectin I-L-G-T-I-L-G-L-L-K-G-L-NH2Agelaia-MP I-N-W-L-K-L-G-K-A-I-I-D-A-L-NH2Both peptides are manually synthesized on solid-phase and functionally characterized by using Wistar rats cells. Protonectin is a non-hemolytic chemotactic peptide for polymorphonucleated leukocytes (PMNL), presenting some mast cell degranulating activity and potent antimicrobial action both against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Agelaia-MP was characterized as a hemolytic mast cell degranulator toxin, presenting a poor antimicrobial action and no chemotaxis for PMNL. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soldier head morphology of the Neotropical termites: Embiratermes festivellus Silvestri and Spinitermes brevicornutus (Desneux) (Isoptera, Termitidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

MRT Letter: A Novel Tegumental Gland in Female Imagoes of the Neotropical Termite Cornitermes cumulans (Isoptera, Termitidae, Syntermitinae)

In general, the exocrine glands of social insects are structures involved in the chemical communication associated with social life. Here, we report the discovery of an unknown tegumental gland that is present in the female imagoes of Cornitermes cumulans and occurs next to the well-developed tergal glands that have previously been described. The tegumental glands release their secretion in the intersegmental membrane and are composed of bicellular units, a secretory cell and a canal cell, that are closely located to the epidermal cells in the inferior part of the eighth and ninth tergites. The ultrastructure of the glandular cells showed abundant smooth endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting that the secretion may be pheromonal, although its function is still unknown. These exocrine structures are facing the tergal glands, and we hypothesized that they act synergistically with the tergal glands to generate short-range attraction during tandem behavior. Microsc. Res. Tech. 73: 1005-1008, 2010. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hyperalgesic and edematogenic effects of peptides isolated from the venoms of honeybee (Apis mellifera) and neotropical social wasps (Polybia paulista and Protonectarina sylveirae)

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

Record of mimetism between mites and eggs of the neotropical termite Cornitermes cumulans (Isoptera : Termitidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Trends in the karyotypic evolution of the Neotropical catfish family Heptapteridae Bockmann 1998 (Teleostei: Siluriformes)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Density of the tegu lizard (Tupinambis merianae) and its role as nest predator at Anchieta Island, Brazil

Mammals has been pointed out to be the main nest predators in islands, but recent studies has shown that tree snakes are also important nest predator in tropical forests. Here we present information on the density tegu lizards Tupinambis merianae and its role as nest predator at Anchieta Island, Ubatuba, in southeastern Brazil. The mean density of tegu lizards wets estimated to be 83 individuals/km2, which is 1.83 times lower than other well-known population (Fernando de Noronha Archipelago). In the dense rainforest, the density was estimated in 20 individuas/ km2, and in the open rainforest, 109 ind/km2. The high density of this lizard may have serious implications for nest predation. We found that 36% of artificial plasticine eggs were "preyed upon" by tegu lizards. Therefore, it is paramount to manage the tegu population on Anchieta Island to assure the survival of ground nesting birds in islands and possibly in forest fragments.

Modelagem do nicho ecológico de Phyllomedusa ayeaye (Anura: Hylidae): previsão de novas áreas de ocorrência para uma espécie rara

The tree-frog Phyllomedusa ayeaye is a rare species. With its distribution mostly unknown in the southeastern region of Brazil, it is considered one of the most threatened anurans in the country. Here we use ecological niche modelling from only three known occurrence points to produce predictive maps of the distribution of this species, which should help target new field surveys in areas of occurrence predicted by the model. This is the first study in Brazil that uses ecological niche modelling as a tool for predicting the distribution of rare and threatened amphibian anuran species.

Effects of flooding regime and woody bamboos on tree community dynamics in a section of tropical semideciduous forest in South-Eastern Brazil

The influence of a population of the understorey woody bamboo Merostachys riedeliana and different flooding regimes on tree community dynamics in a section of tropical semideciduous forest in South-Eastern Brazil was examined. A forest section with an area of 1.6 ha composed of 71 adjacent plots was located on a slope ending at the river margin. The section was divided into five topographical sectors according to the mean duration of river floods. In 1991 and 1998 all trees with a diameter at the base of the trunk greater than or equal to 5 cm were measured, identified and tagged, and all live bamboo culms were counted. Annualised estimates of the rates of tree mortality and recruitment, gain and loss of tree basal area, and change in bamboo density were calculated for each of the 71 plots and five topographical sectors as well as for diameter classes and tree species. To segregate patterns arising from spatially autocorrelated events, geostatistical analyses were used prior to statistical comparisons and correlations. In general, mortality rates were not compensated by recruitment rates but there was a net increase in basal area in all sectors, suggesting that the tree community as a whole was in a building phase. Tree community dynamics of the point bar forest (Depression and Levee sectors) differed from that of the upland forest (Ridgetop, Middle Slope and Lower Slope sectors) in the extremely high rates of gain in basal area. The predominant and specialised species, Inga vera and Salix humboldtiana, are probably favoured by relaxed competition in an environment stressed by long-lasting floods. In the upland forest, mortality rates were highest at the Middle Slope, particularly for smaller trees, while recruitment rates were lowest. As bamboo clumps were concentrated in this sector, the locally higher instability in the tree community probably resulted from the direct interference of bamboos. The density of bamboo culms in the upland forest was negatively correlated with the rates of tree recruitment and gain in basal area, and positively correlated with tree mortality rates. Bamboos therefore seemed to restrict the recruitment, growth and survival of trees.

Tree population and community dynamics in a Brazilian tropical semideciduous forest

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Horizontal and vertical tree community structure in a lowland atlantic rain forest, southeastern Brazil

A estrutura horizontal e vertical do componente arbóreo foi investigada em um trecho de Floresta Atlântica baixo-montana através de um levantamento fitossociológico em dois blocos amostrais de 0,99 ha cada no Parque Estadual Intervales. Todos os indivíduos com DAP > 5 cm foram registrados. Foram amostrados 3.078 indivíduos distribuídos em 172 espécies. O índice de diversidade de Shannon foi de H' = 3,85 nat.ind.-1. A família Myrtaceae se destacou tanto em número de espécies (38) quanto em número de indivíduos (745) no levantamento. Euterpe edulis Mart. teve o maior valor de importância (33,98%), abrangendo 21,8% do total de indivíduos registrados. O índice de similaridade quantitativo foi maior do que o qualitativo, mostrando pouca variação estrutural entre os blocos amostrais, mas a grande quantidade de espécies pouco abundantes, resultou em pronunciadas diferenças florísticas entre eles. Uma análise de correspondência retificada (DCA) gerou três estratos verticais arbitrários. O estrato A (> 26 m) teve a menor densidade e foi bem representado pelas espécies Sloanea guianensis (Aubl.) Benth. e Virola bicuhyba (Schott. ex A.DC.) Warb. O estrato B (8 m < h < 26 m) mostrou a maior riqueza e diversidade florística, e o estrato C (< 8 m) a maior densidade. Euterpe edulis, Guapira opposita (Vell.) Reitz, Garcinia gardneriana (Planch. & Triana) Zappi e Eugenia mosenii (Kausel) Sobral foram bem representadas nos estratos B e C da floresta. A existência de estratos verticais em florestas tropicais é discutida, recomendando-se o uso da DCA para estudos da estratificação vertical em outras florestas tropicais.

Floral anatomy of Neotropical species of Mayacaceae

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Linking frugivore activity to early recruitment of a bird dispersed tree, Eugenia umbelliflora (Myrtaceae) in the Atlantic rainforest

Seed dispersal by animals is a complex process involving several distinct stages: fruit removal by frugivores, seed delivery in different microhabitats, seed germination, seedling establishment, and adult recruitment. Nevertheless, studies conducted until now have provided scarce information concerning the sequence of stages in a plant's life cycle in its entirety. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the immediate consequences of frugivore activity for Eugenia umbelliflora ( Myrtaceae) early recruitment by measuring the relative importance of each fruit-eating bird species on the establishment of new seedlings in scrub and low restinga vegetation in the Atlantic rainforest, Brazil. We conducted focal tree observations on E. umbelliflora trees recording birds' feeding behaviour and post-feeding movements. We also recorded the fate of dispersed seeds in scrub and low restinga vegetation. We recorded 17 bird species interacting with fruits in 55 h of observation. Only 30% of the handled fruits were successfully removed. From 108 post flight movements of exit from the fruiting trees, 30.6% were to scrub and 69.4% to low restinga forest. Proportion of seed germination was higher in low restinga than in the scrub vegetation. Incorporating the probabilities of seeds' removal, deposition, and germination in both sites, we found that the relative importance of each frugivorous bird as seed dispersers varies largely among species. Turdus amaurochalinus and Turdus rufiventris were the best dispersers, together representing almost 12% probability of seed germination following removal. Our results show the importance of assessing the overall consequence of seed dispersal within the framework of disperser effectiveness, providing a more comprehensive and realistic evaluation of the relative importance of different seed dispersers on plant population dynamics.

Typification of Neotropical Species of Staurogyne (Acanthaceae)

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

Biological cycle of Lorryia formosa (Acari, Tydeidae) on rubber tree leaves: A case of thelytoky

Lorryia formosa Cooreman has been collected on many different host plants around the world. The biological cycle of this species was studied at 28 degrees C with mites collected from a rubber tree crop. The life table was constructed based on sixty individuals. The average lifetime was 37.43 +/- 20.23 (SE) days, and the r(m) was 0.08. The sex ratio was totally female biased, and unfertilized eggs developed into females. This is the first record of thelytoky in Tydeoidea proved by rearing.