Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis is the main species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Federal District of Brazil

The first autochthonous case of American cutaneous leishmaniasis was reported in the Federal District in 1980, and the species involved in this type of leishmaniasis was unknown. This study aimed to identify the species that causes the disease in the Federal District and to investigate its clinical and epidemiological aspects. Between 2000 and 2007, 71 autochthonous cases of leishmaniasis were reported in the Federal District. Leishmania species were identified by means of direct immunofluorescence reactions using monoclonal antibodies and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The species of 40 (56.33%) out of 71 samples were identified. Thirty-six (90%) were identified as Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and four (10%) were identified as Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. In this area, the disease had clinical and epidemiological characteristics similar to those found in other Brazilian regions.

Mistletoes Play Different Roles in a Modular Host-Parasite Network

Antagonistic interactions between host plants and mistletoes often form complex networks of interacting species. Adequate characterization of network organization requires a combination of qualitative and quantitative data. Therefore, we assessed the distribution of interactions between mistletoes and hosts in the Brazilian Pantanal and characterized the network structure in relation to nestedness and modularity. Interactions were highly asymmetric, with mistletoes presenting low host specificity (i.e., weak dependence) and with hosts being highly susceptible to mistletoe-specific infections. We found a non-nested and modular pattern of interactions, wherein each mistletoe species interacted with a particular set of host species. Psittacanthus spp. infected more species and individuals and also caused a high number of infections per individual, whereas the other mistletoes showed a more specialized pattern of infection. For this reason, Psittacanthus spp. were regarded as module hubs while the other mistletoe species showed a peripheral role. We hypothesize that this pattern is primarily the result of different seed dispersal systems. Although all mistletoe species in our study are bird dispersed, the frugivorous assemblage of Psittacanthus spp. is composed of a larger suite of birds, whereas Phoradendron are mainly dispersed by Euphonia species. The larger assemblage of bird species dispersing Psittacanthus seeds may also increase the number of hosts colonized and, consequently, its dominance in the study area. Nevertheless, other restrictions on the interactions among species, such as the differential capacity of mistletoe infections, defense strategies of hosts and habitat types, can also generate or enhance the observed pattern.

Two new species of Tornidae (Caenogastropoda, Rissooidea) from Espirito Santo, Brazil

Two new species of shallow water Tornidae are found in Espirito Santo state, Brazil, formally described herein. They belong to a complex group of tiny gastropods, in such the taxonomy is very confused. Cyclostremiscus mohicanus sp. n. is characterized by three well-developed spiral, equidistant carinas, working as base of three series of tall, aligned periostracal rods. Episcinia itanhuna sp. n. has as single sculpture a series of pustules in periphery, but the periostracum bears three series of peripheral fringes with irregular rods. The new species are compared with the allies, showing a close relation with Caribbean fauna, but possessing worthy differences. These similarities have raised misidentifications.

Distribution patterns of a marsh vegetation metacommunity in relation to habitat configuration

The identification of the factors behind the distribution of plant communities in patched habitats may prove useful towards better understanding how ecosystems function. Plant assemblages are especially important for wetland productivity and provide food and habitat to animals. The present study analyses the distribution of a metacommunity of helophytes and phreatophytes in a wetland complex in oder to identify the effects of habitat configuration on the colonisation process. Ponds with wide vegetated shores and a short distance to a big (> 10 ha) wetland, had higher species richness. The average percentage of surface covered by each species in all the wetlands correlated positively with the number of patches occupied by that species. Moreover, the community presented a nested pattern (species-poor patches were subsets of species-rich patches), and this pattern came about by selective extinction and colonisation processes. We also detected the presence of some idiosyncratic species that did not follow nestedness. Conservation managers should attempt to maximise the vegetated shore width and to reduce the degree of isolation to enhance species richness. Furthermore, a single large and poorly isolated reserve may have the highest level of biodiversity in emergent vegetation species in this wetland complex, however, the particular ecological requirements of idiosyncratic species should also be taken into account when managing this type of community.

Production and carbon allocation in monocultures and mixed-species plantations of Eucalyptus grandis and Acacia mangium in Brazil

Introducing nitrogen-fixing tree species in fast-growing eucalypt plantations has the potential to improve soil nitrogen availability compared with eucalypt monocultures. Whether or not the changes in soil nutrient status and stand structure will lead to mixtures that out-yield monocultures depends on the balance between positive interactions and the negative effects of interspecific competition, and on their effect on carbon (C) uptake and partitioning. We used a C budget approach to quantify growth, C uptake and C partitioning in monocultures of Eucalyptus grandis (W. Hill ex Maiden) and Acacia mangium (Willd.) (treatments E100 and A100, respectively), and in a mixture at the same stocking density with the two species at a proportion of 1 : 1 (treatment MS). Allometric relationships established over the whole rotation, and measurements of soil CO2 efflux and aboveground litterfall for ages 4-6 years after planting were used to estimate aboveground net primary production (ANPP), total belowground carbon flux (TBCF) and gross primary production (GPP). We tested the hypotheses that (i) species differences for wood production between E. grandis and A. mangium monocultures were partly explained by different C partitioning strategies, and (ii) the observed lower wood production in the mixture compared with eucalypt monoculture was mostly explained by a lower partitioning aboveground. At the end of the rotation, total aboveground biomass was lowest in A100 (10.5 kg DM m(-2)), intermediate in MS (12.2 kg DM m(-2)) and highest in E100 (13.9 kg DM m(-2)). The results did not support our first hypothesis of contrasting C partitioning strategies between E. grandis and A. mangium monocultures: the 21% lower growth (delta B-w) in A100 compared with E100 was almost entirely explained by a 23% lower GPP, with little or no species difference in ratios such as TBCF/GPP, ANPP/TBCF, delta B-w/ANPP and delta B-w/GPP. In contrast, the 28% lower delta B-w in MS than in E100 was explained both by a 15% lower GPP and by a 15% lower fraction of GPP allocated to wood growth, thus partially supporting our second hypothesis: mixing the two species led to shifts in C allocations from above- to belowground, and from growth to litter production, for both species.

Karyotype characterization reveals an up and down of 45S and 5S rDNA sites in Crotalaria (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae) species of the section Hedriocarpae subsection Macrostachyae

The genus Crotalaria is one of the largest within the family Leguminosae-Papilionoideae, with more than 600 species. However, few karyotypes have been described. In the present paper, five species belonging to the section Hedriocarpae were studied (subsection Machrostachyae), in order to better understand chromosomal evolution in Crotalaria. The results reveals that all species presented 2n = 2x = 16 with symmetrical karyotypes, and slight differences in the chromosome morphology. A secondary constriction was identified at short arm of the pair 1. The 45S rDNA was mapped in the secondary constriction and adjacent heterochromatin (NOR-heterochromatin) and a minor site was identified in C. ochroleuca. The 5S rDNA was mapped linked to 45S rDNA at chromosome 1 short arm in all species. Additional sites for 5S rDNA were identified in C. pallida, C. striata and C. mucronata. Heterochromatin blocks around the centromeres are not CMA(+) neither DAPI(+). The karyotypes of the subsection Macrostachyae are characterized by an inversion at chromosome pair one in relation to previous specialized floral species analyzed. Additional sites of 45S and 5S rDNA were assumed to be a result of transposition events by different ways. The results suggest heterochromatin differentiation and the position of ribosomal genes indicates chromosomal rearrangements during evolution. Karyotype characteristics corroborate the morphological infrageneric classification.

Three new species of Lebiasina (Characiformes: Lebiasinidae) from the Brazilian Shield border at Serra do Cachimbo, Para, Brazil

Lebiasina marilynae n. sp., L. melanoguttata n. sp., and L. minuta n. sp. are described from the headwaters of the rio Curua in Serra do Cachimbo, Para, Brazil, and represent the only members of the Lebiasininae in the Brazilian Shied, so far. A close relationship among these species is proposed based on: I) the presence of a pair of foramina through which the rain us palatinus of the facial nerve passes, a modification unique in Lebiasinidae and apparently in the Characiformes, 2) the enlargement of the extrascapular bone, 3) the absence of the secondary stripe, and 4) the nearly equal length of caudal-fin lobes. Lebiasina marilynae additionally differs from all congeners in having the primary stripe extending from the tip of the snout to the distal border of the caudal-fin peduncle, the possession of two series of dark blotches parallel to the primary stripe, and a rounded dorsal surface of the mesethmoid. Lebiasina melanoguttata and Lebiasina minuta additionally differ from all congeners in the absence of the primary stripe and the caudal blotch, and the presence of three longitudinal series of dark blotches at the base of the scales of series 3-5. Lebiasina melanoguttata differs from Lebiasina minuta in the absence of a dark blotch at the base of the median rays of the dorsal fin, second infrapharyngobranchial bearing conical teeth, the reddish overall coloration of the eye and fins, and the dark blotches never coalescing (vs. dark dorsal-fin blotch present; the second infrapharyngobranchial being edentulous; dark, olive green eyes, and the yellowish overall color of body and fins; and the dark blotches of longitudinal series 3 and 4 coalescing where scales of adjacent longitudinal series overlap). The occurrence of species of the Lebiasininae on the Brazilian Shield is discussed, and the distribution pattern of the species described herein is compared to that of other endemic species of the Serra do Cachimbo, a highly biodiverse area isolated from the rest of the Amazon basin.

Properties and secretory mechanism of Musca domestica digestive chymotrypsin and its relation with Drosophila melanogaster homologs

Musca domestica larvae present two different digestive chymotryptic activities found in the posterior midgut (PMG): one major soluble activity in the lumen and another minor present in cell membrane fractions. Both soluble and membrane-bound chymotryptic activities have different half lives of thermal inactivation (46 degrees C) in the presence and absence of 10 mM Triton X-100, indicating that they are two different molecular species. Purified soluble chymotryptic activity has pH optimum 7.4 and a molecular mass of 28 kDa in SDS-PAGE. It does not cleave short substrates, such as Suc-F-MCA, preferring longer substrates, such as Suc-AAPF-MCA, with a primary specificity (kcat/Km) for Phe rather than Tyr and Leu residues. In-gel activity revealed a unique band against S-AAPF-MCA with the same migration as purified chymotrypsin. One chymotrypsinogen-like sequence (MdChy1) was sequenced, cloned and recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli (DE3) Star. MdChy1 is expressed in the proximal posterior midgut (PMG1), as seen by RT-PCR. Expression analysis of other chymotrypsin genes revealed genes expressed at the anterior midgut (AMG) and PMG. Western blot of M. domestica midgut tissues using anti-MdChy1 antiserum showed a single band in samples from AMG and PMG, co-migrating with recombinant and purified enzymes. Immunogold labeling corresponding to Mdchy1 was found in small vesicles (thus indicating exocytosis) and in the lumen of AMG and PMG, corroborating the existence of two similar groups of chymotrypsins. Transcriptomes of M. domestica AMG and whole midgut prepared by pyrosequencing disclosed 41 unique sequences of chymotrypsin-like enzymes (19 probably functional), from which MdChy1 is highly expressed. Phylogenetic reconstruction of Drosophila melanogaster and M. domestica chymotrypsin-like sequences revealed that the chymotrypsin genes expanded before the evolutionary separation of Musca and Drosophila. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scrupocellaria (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata) from the Queensland coast, with the description of three new species

Among the Scrupocellaria species previously reported from Queensland, three are here redescribed - S. cervicornis, S. curvata and S. diadema; two other species, S. frondis and S. sinuosa, are recorded from the area for the first time; three new species, S. hamata n. sp., S. prolata n. sp. and S. peltata n. sp., are also described, and the remainder are discussed. The need for the re-examination of specimens assigned to this genus is highlighted. The geographic range of some Scrupocellaria species is far more limited than once thought.

Morphology and Anatomy of Stem Mines in Cipocereus minensis (Wender.) Ritter (Cactaceae), an Endemic Species to Eastern Brazil

Plant mines are structures with the form of a cavity caused by consumption of host plant tissue by the insect's miner larvae. Plant mines are more common in leaves, but in Cipocereus minensis, a species in which the leaves are modified spines, the miner activity is restricted to the stem. The aim of this paper was to document the morphological and anatomical differences in the infected and uninfected stems of C. minensis due to the feeding habit of the mining agent. Fresh tissue samples of non-mined and mined young stem of C minensis were collected and examined in transverse sections. We hypothesize that the infection begins following mating when the females scratch the surface of the stem or while they feed on fruits and lay eggs, which subsequently develop into larvae, invading the cactus stem. The insect's miner larvae had mostly consumed the parenchyma tissue towards the center of the stem, and periderm formed along the entire path of the insect. This meristematic tissue or "wound periderm" is a common response for compartmentalization to isolate the damaged tissue, in this case the incubating chamber, in which the eggs will be placed. There were no signs of consumption of vascular tissue in the infested samples, further suggesting a compartmentalized infestation. The nest chamber was found in the stem pith region, with periderm surrounding an insect's miner pupa inside identified as a member of the Cerambycidae. The mining insect depends on a host plant to complete the life cycle; however, the nature of this partnership and the long-term effects of the insect on the plant tissue are unknown. The complex mechanisms by which herbivorous insects control the morphogenesis of the plant host are discussed. We propose that C. minensis has a recognition system to identify insect attack and evaluate the effectiveness of early response triggering compartmentalized defense mechanisms by protecting the injured area with a new layer of periderm.

BRAZILIAN MOSQUITO (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) FAUNA. I. Anopheles SPECIES FROM PORTO VELHO, RONDONIA STATE, WESTERN AMAZON, BRAZIL

This study contributes to knowledge of Anopheles species, including vectors of Plasmodium from the western Brazilian Amazon in Porto Velho, Rondonia State. The sampling area has undergone substantial environmental changes as a consequence of agricultural and hydroelectric projects, which have caused intensive deforestation and favored habitats for some mosquito species. The purpose of this study was to diagnose the occurrence of anopheline species from collections in three locations along an electric-power transmission line. Each locality was sampled three times from 2010 to 2011. The principal adult mosquitoes captured in Shannon trap were Anopheles darlingi, An. triannulatus, An. nuneztovari l.s., An. gilesi and An. costai. In addition, larvae were collected in ground breeding sites for Anopheles braziliensis, An. triannulatus, An. darlingi, An. deaneorum, An. marajoara, An. peryassui, An. nuneztovari l.s. and An. oswaldoi-konderi. Anopheles darlingi was the most common mosquito in the region. We discuss Culicidae systematics, fauna distribution, and aspects of malaria in altered habitats of the western Amazon.

ABSENCE OF STABILIZATION POINT OF THE SPECIES ACCUMULATION CURVE IN TROPICAL FORESTS

The definition of the sample size is a major problem in studies of phytosociology. The species accumulation curve is used to define the sampling sufficiency, but this method presents some limitations such as the absence of a stabilization point that can be objectively determined and the arbitrariness of the order of sampling units in the curve. A solution to this problem is the use of randomization procedures, e. g. permutation, for obtaining a mean species accumulation curve and empiric confidence intervals. However, the randomization process emphasizes the asymptotical character of the curve. Moreover, the inexistence of an inflection point in the curve makes it impossible to define objectively the point of optimum sample size.

A NEW AND THREATENED INSULAR SPECIES OF LANCEHEAD FROM SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

We describe a new species of Bothrops from Vitoria Island, off the coast of Sao Paulo, southeastern Brazil. The new species differs from the mainland coastal populations of B. jararaca mostly in its smaller and stouter body, number and form of scales, and hemipenial morphology. From B. insularis and B. alcatraz, both related species endemic to islands in southeastern Brazil, B. otavioi sp. nov. differs mainly in its body form and number of scales. The new species has the twist common mitochondrial haplotype for mainland populations of B. jararaca, which is also found in B. alcatraz. A mitochondrial genealogy (gene tree) shows the new species nested within the northern clade of B. jararaca. This genealogical pattern can be explained by a recent speciation event for B. otavioi sp. nov. The isolation of insular species of Bothrops from continental ancestor populations are probably related to the same vicariant process, the oscillations of sea level during the Pleistocene. The new species feeds on small hylid frogs, and attains sexual maturity at 388 mm snout-vent length (SVL; males) and 692 mm SVL (females). Bothrops facial sp. nov. is endemic to Vitoria Island, and should be listed as critically endangered because it is known from only a single area (an island), its geographic range covers less than 100 km(2), and there is a projected continuing decline in the quality of its habitat because of increasing human settlement.

Ecological aspects of the sandfly fauna (Diptera, Psychodidae) in an American cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic area under the influence of hydroelectric plants in Paranapanema river, State of Parana, Brazil

Introduction: An epidemiological study was undertaken to identify determinant factors in the occurrence of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in areas under the influence of hydroelectric plants in Paranapanema river, State of Parana, Brazil. The ecological aspects of the phlebotomine fauna were investigated. Methods: Sandflies were sampled with automatic light traps from February 2004 to June 2006 at 25 sites in the urban and rural areas of Itambaraca, and in Porto Almeida and Sao Joaquim do Pontal. Results: A total of 3,187 sandflies of 15 species were captured. Nyssomyia neivai predominated (34.4%), followed by Pintomyia pessoai (32.6%), Migonemyia migonei (11.6%), Nyssomyia whitmani (8.8%), and Pintomyia fischeri (2.7%), all implicated in the transmission of Leishmania. Males predominated for Ny. neivai, and females for the other vector species, with significant statistical differences (p < 0.001). Nyssomyia neivai, Pi. pessoai, Ny. whitmani, Brumptomyia brumpti, Mg. migonei, and Pi. fischeri presented the highest values for the Standardized Species Abundance Index (SSAI). The highest frequencies and diversities were found in the preserved forest in Porto Almeida, followed by forests with degradation in Sao Joaquim do Pontal and Vila Rural. Conclusions: Sandflies were captured in all localities, with the five vectors predominating. Ny. neivai had its highest frequencies in nearby peridomestic environments and Pi. pessoai in areas of preserved forests. The highest SSAI values of Ny. neivai and Pi. pessoai reflect their wider dispersion and higher frequencies compared with other species, which seems to indicate that these two species may be transmitting leishmaniasis in the area.

Ecological Aspects of Phlebotomines (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Endemic Area of Visceral Leishmaniasis, Campo Grande, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Aspects of phlebotomine behavior were investigated in the city of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul state. The insects were captured weekly during December 2003 to November 2005, with Centers for Disease Control light traps at seven different sites including forests and residential areas. In total, 11,024 specimens (7,805 males and 3,219 females) were collected, from which 9,963 (90.38%) were identified as Lutzomyia longipalpis, the proven vector of American visceral leishmaniasis agent. The remaining 9.62% comprised 21 species. L. longipalpis was the most frequent species in all sampled sites, and the first in the ranking of standardized species abundance index. In residential areas this species clearly predominated in the peridomicile (90.96%), in contrast to the intradomicile (9.04%); in animal shelters, it was more numerous in hen houses and prevailed at ground level, inside, and at forest edge around the residences; this aspect is worrying because this insect may remain sheltered in forested environments during the use of insecticides in homes. In the forest environment, other probable or proven vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis agents were also captured such as Lutzomyia whitmani (=Nyssomyia whitmani, sensu Galati), Lutzomyia antunesi (=Nyssomyia antunesi, sensu Galati), and Lutzomyia flaviscutellata (=Bichromomyia flaviscutellata, sensu Galati).