Ultrastructure of the digestive tract in neotropical carnivorous catfish Hemisorubim platyrhynchos (Valenciennes, 1840) (Siluriformes, Pimelodidae)

The surface of the digestive tract of Hemisorubim platyrhynchos was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Morphometric studies by transmission electron microscopy were performed to analysis the intestinal microvilli. H. platyrhynchos is a Neotropical carnivorous freshwater catfish featuring a short digestive tract composed of a short esophagus, saccular stomach, and intestine with four regions: anterior, middle, posterior, and rectal. The esophageal surface is constituted by fingerprint-like microridges that anchor the mucosubstances secreted by goblet cells facilitating the passage of food. Goblet cells present the opening to the esophageal lumen, between the microridges. Club cells are in basal epithelium and they do not present the opening to the lumen. The gastric luminal surface shows polygon-shaped epithelial cells which secrete granules by exocytose to protect the gastric surface. The intestinal luminal surface reveals folds that are thicker in the anterior intestine than in the posterior intestine, increasing the absorptive surface area. The intestinal surface presents the microvilli of enterocytes and the opening of goblet cells. The morphometric analysis showed that the microvilli are longer in the anterior intestine, significantly decreasing towards the posterior intestine. The microvilli surface area significantly is greater in the anterior and middle intestine than in the posterior intestine. Numerous openings of goblet cells were observed in the posterior intestine acting in epithelial protection and lubrication. SCANNING 9999:1-8, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Clinostomum detruncatum metacercariae infecting Synbranchus marmoratus

A complete morphological description, supported by molecular data, of Clinostomum detruncatum metacercariae is reported in this study. The metacercariae were found infecting Synbranchus marmoratus from the Paraná River, municipality of GuaÃ-ra, Paraná State, Brazil. The taenioidean uterus is the main morphological characteristic of this species. Both Neighbour-Joining (NJ) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) trees showed 2 clear separate clusters grouping together the species from the Palearctic region (Clinostomum complanatum, Clinostomum cutaneum, Clinostomum phalacrocoracis, Clinostomum philippinense) and from the Nearctic/Neotropical regions (Clinostomum marginatum, Clinostomum tataxumui, C. detruncatum, Clinostomum sp. 7). The latter clade is divided into 2 subclades grouping species from North America and Mexico (C. marginatum and C. tataxumui), and from Brazil (C. detruncatum and Clinostomum sp. 7).

Defesa e território de forrageamento das colônias do cupim Neotropical Ruptitermes reconditus (Isoptera, Termitidae, Apicotermitinae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Bromeliads as biodiversity amplifiers and habitat segregation of spider communities in a Neotropical rainforest

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

Predation on microcrustaceans in evidence: the role of chaoborid larvae and fish in two shallow and small Neotropical reservoirs

This study was focused on the predation upon microcrustaceans by an invertebrate predator (chaoborid larvae), and vertebrate predators (fish), in two small reservoirs in southeastern Brazil, with and without macrophytes, in two climatic periods (dry and rainy seasons). Chaoborus larvae were sampled in the limnetic zone, as they are scarce in the littoral, and fish in both limnetic and littoral zones. Their diets were evaluated by the analysis of the crop (chaoborid) or stomach contents (fish). Chaoborid larvae consumed the dinoflagellate Peridinium sp. or other algae, rotifers, and planktonic microcrustaceans. The fish species that included microcrustaceans in their diets were juveniles caught in the littoral. Aquatic insects, plant fragments, and detritus were their major dietary items, microcrustaceans representing a minor item. Planktonic copepods contributed more to the diet of chaoborid larvae than planktonic cladocerans. Fish preyed on planktonic microcrustaceans, as well as on benthic and macrophyte-associated species. Microcrustaceans were not heavily preyed on by chaoborid larvae and fish in both reservoirs.

Avaliação das condições bióticas e abióticas em um viveiro neotropical impactado

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Diversidade e sazonalidade de ácaros (Acari) em seringal (Hevea brasiliensis, Muell. Arg.) no Noroeste do Estado de São Paulo

A Região Sudeste do Brasil apresenta aspectos edafo-climáticos favoráveis para o plantio e desenvolvimento da seringueira, sendo o estado de São Paulo o maior produtor nacional de látex. Este trabalho teve como objetivos determinar, através de coletas mensais durante três anos de estudo, a diversidade, a riqueza de espécies e a sua sazonalidade, bem como realizar estimativas de densidade populacional das principais espécies de ácaros presentes nas folhas. Todos os ácaros foram montados em lâminas de microscopia, totalizando 74.407 indivíduos, de 26 espécies pertencentes a 10 famílias. Os fitófagos representaram 95,4% do total de indivíduos coletados e os predadores 3,9%. Doze espécies foram consideradas acidentais, seis foram acessórias e oito constantes. Apresentaram maior número de espécies as famílias Phytoseiidae (cinco) e Tydeidae (quatro). A espécie mais abundante foi Calacarus heveae Feres (50.573), com maior abundância nos meses correspondentes ao término da estação chuvosa e início da estação seca na região. Dentre os predadores, a mais abundante foi Zetzellia quasagistemas Hernandes & Feres (1.345), seguida por Pronematus sp. (455), Zetzellia agistzellia Hernandes & Feres (409) e Euseius citrifolius Denmark & Muma (243). C. heveae apresentou maior densidade populacional em março e abril de 2003, e Lorryia formosa Cooreman e Tenuipalpus heveae Baker em março e maio de 2001, respectivamente. Muitos estigmeídeos foram observados associados a agrupamentos de L. formosa predando seus ovos e estágios imaturos.

Filogeografia de Nasutitermes corniger (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) na região Neotropical

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Evaluation of helminths associated with 14 amphibian species from a Neotropical island near the southeast coast of Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Limnology of a lateral lagoon system connected to a Neotropical reservoir (Rosana reservoir, São Paulo/Paraná, Brazil)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Carbohydrate concentration in 'BRS Rubimel' peach trees during the annual cycle

The carbohydrate storage is necessary to support the plant growth in periods of stress, during the dormancy, in the beginning of the vegetative development and during the fruiting time. In this context, this work intended to evaluate the carbohydrate concentrations of the peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) tree ‘BRS Rubimel’, cultivated under subtropical conditions. The experiment was performed at the experimental farm Lageado, of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of UNESP at Botucatu/SP. The evaluated peach trees were two years old and were cultivated in the spacing of 6.0 x 4.0 m. The adopted experimental delineation was in randomized blocks, making use of four plants per parcel with four repetitions. The treatments corresponded to the period of the collection of leaves and branches, during the annual cycle, corresponding to January to May and July to December 2012. The sample collection of the roots was performed in January, April, August, November and December 2012. Four fruits per plant were collected. The concentration of starch in the roots of the peach tree were superior to the ones from the branches, from August to December. The carbohydrate with the higher storage level in the peach tree ‘BRS Rubimel’ was starch.

Agronomic performance of peach trees grown in subtropical region

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

Filogenia de Hisonotus Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889 (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae)

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

Organic material decomposition and nutrient dynamics in a mulch system enriched with leguminous trees in the Amazon

As novas técnicas propostas para a agricultura na Amazônia incluem sistema de rotação de capoeira enriquecido com árvores leguminosas e transformando a queima da biomassa em cobertura morta sobre o solo. A decomposição e a liberação de nutrientes da cobertura morta foram estudadas usando sacos de liteira com malha fina que continham cinco tratamentos com diferentes espécies de leguminosas em comparação a um tratamento-controle com vegetação natural. As amostras para cada tratamento foram analisadas para conteúdos de C total, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, lignina, celulose e polifenóis solúveis em diferentes tempos de amostragem durante um ano. A razão constante de decomposição variou com a espécie e com o tempo. A perda de massa nos sacos de decomposição foi de 30,1 % para Acacia angustissima, de 32,7 % para Sclerolobium paniculatum, de 33,9 % para Inga edulis e para a vegetação secundária, de 45,2 % para Acacia mangium e de 63,6 % para Clitoria racemosa. Foi observada imobilização de N e P em todos os tratamentos, sendo a mineralização do N negativamente correlacionada com o fenol, razão C/N, razão (lignina + fenol)/N, razão fenol/P e o conteúdo de N nos sacos de liteira. Depois de 362 dias de incubação no campo, 3,3 % de K, 32,2 % de Ca e 22,4 % de Mg permaneceram no material em decomposição. Os resultados evidenciaram que a baixa qualidade mineral e a alta quantidade de carbono orgânico e aplicado como cobertura morta podem limitar a quantidade de energia disponível para os microrganismos resultando em uma competição por nutrientes com as plantas agrícolas.

EC03-1759 Nebraska Register of Champion Trees 2003

This register lists the largest trees of over 80 species identified in Nebraska. The name of the owner and nominator, size and location of each tree follow each listing. Many people across Nebraska have worked hard to make this register as comprehensive and accurate as possible, but the quest to find the largest trees in Nebraska is never over. Champion trees are by nature old, and old trees diminish and die. Larger trees are newly discovered. Thus, this list continually changes as new nominations are submitted.