A new species of Neosilba (Diptera, Lonchaeidae) from Brazil

A new species of Neosilba McAlpine, 1962, N. pradoi sp. nov., is described and illustrated. This new species was found in the south of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina), in the southeast (State of São Paulo) and center west (State of Mato Grosso do Sul). It has been reared from fruits of guava (Psidium guajava, Myrtaceae), "araçá" (Psidium cattleyanum, Myrtaceae), "guabiroba" (Campomanesia xanthocarpa, Myrtaceae), Surinam cherry (Malpighia emarginata, Malpighiaceae), cherry (Prunus avium, Rosaceae), orange (Citrus sinensis, Rutaceae), "ingá" (Inga laurina, Fabaceae), "esporão-de-galo" (Celtis iguanae, Ulmaceae) and passion fruit (Passiflora edulis, Passifloraceae).

The importance of dietary calcium consumption in two species of semi-terrestrial grapsoid crabs

Calcium (Ca) is essential for crustaceans, due to calcium carbonate (CaCO3) deposition in the new exoskeleton to harden it. The purpose of this work was to study short term Ca balance in terms of dietary Ca ingestion in two phylogenetically related crabs (Superfamily Grapsoidea) showing different degrees of terrestrial adaptations: Sesarma rectum Randall, 1840 and Neohelice granulata (Dana, 1851). Dietary Ca ingestion was studied using purified diets with different Ca concentrations (0, 2.2 and 6.66 % Ca), together with measurements of Ca excretion and Ca hemolymph levels. The results showed that both crabs had the same response to foods containing different levels of Ca, with both species eating more of the high Ca diet. However, S. rectum consumed more per mg body mass at all Ca concentrations (6 mg.g-1 for S. rectum against 3 mg.g-1 for N. granulata). Both species excreted/egested Ca differently: S. rectum excreted Ca proportionally to ingestion, whereas N. granulata maintained constant faecal Ca output at all dietary Ca levels. Moreover, Ca hemolymph levels for crabs fed the different diets were independent of dietary Ca. In conclusion, both S. rectum and N. granulata seem to regulate the consumption of diets containing more Ca, which suggests a fine balance for Ca intake.

Acanthotylotra alvarengai (Porifera, Demospongiae) new genus and species of sponge from Tocantins river, Pará State, Brazil

Acanthotylotra a new monotypic genus of freshwater sponge is defined. Its sole species A. alvarengai sp. nov. is described based upon microscopic specimens recovered from the Tocantins river, Pará State, Brazil, when the deep rocky substrate was temporarily exposed downstream from the dam at the time it was closed for lake formation. A unique set of megascleres, allied to the paucity of spongin, the renieroid skeleton and the fact that gemmules or new specimens remain undetected, call for the proposition of a new monospecific genus to be retained as incertae sedis until new larger and probably gemmuliferous specimens come to be found.

Phylogeny of Thylamys (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) species, with special reference to Thylamys karimii

The genus Thylamys Gray, 1843 lives in the central and southern portions of South America inhabiting open and shrub-like vegetation, from prairies to dry forest habitats in contrast to the preference of other Didelphidae genera for more mesic environments. Thylamys is a speciose genus including T. elegans (Waterhouse, 1839), T. macrurus (Olfers, 1818), T. pallidior (Thomas, 1902), T. pusillus (Desmarest, 1804), T. venustus (Thomas, 1902), T. sponsorius (Thomas, 1921), T. cinderella (Thomas, 1902), T. tatei (Handley, 1957), T. karimii (Petter, 1968), and T. velutinus (Wagner, 1842) species. Previous phylogenetic analyses in this genus did not include the Brazilian species T. karimii, which is widely distributed in this country. In this study, phylogenetic analyses were performed to establish the relationships among the Brazilian T. karimii and all other previously analyzed species. We used 402-bp fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, and the phylogeny estimates were conducted employing maximum parsimony (MP), maximum likelihood (ML), Bayesian (BY), and neighbor-joining (NJ). The topologies of the trees obtained in the different analyses were all similar and pointed out that T. karimii is the sister taxon of a group constituted of taxa from dry and arid environments named the dryland species. The dryland species consists of T. pusillus, T. pallidior, T. tatei, and T. elegans. The results of this work suggest five species groups in Thylamys. In one of them, T. velutinus and T. kariimi could constitute a sister group forming one Thylamys clade that colonized Brazil.

A review of the South American catfish tribe Hoplomyzontini (Pisces, Aspredinidae), with descriptions of new species from Ecuador / Donald J. Stewart.

n.s. no.25(1985)

Revalidation of Acanthagrion cuyabae (Odonata, Coenagrionidae) and description of the female, with a key to the Brazilian species of the viridescens group

Acanthagrion cuyabae Calvert, 1909 was described based on a male from State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The female of this species was described based on morphological characters of four individuals collected in copula from State of Mato Grosso do Sul, and three other specimens of same locality. Acanthagrion cuyabae is here revalidated based on morphological characters of the female. Illustrated keys to the groups of Acanthagrion Selys, 1876 and species of the viridescens group occurring in Brazil are provided.

Assemblages of drosophilids (Diptera, Drosophilidae) in mangrove forests: community ecology and species diversity

Brazilian fauna of drosophilids has been researched in various ecosystems, but those in mangrove forests remain overlooked in Brazil and elsewhere. The present study attempts to characterise the assemblages of drosophilids of this environment, based on 28 collections taken in three mangrove areas in Santa Catarina Island, southern Brazil. The three mangroves surveyed were different in their surroundings, which varied from highly urbanised areas to conservation areas with natural vegetation. Overall, 69 species were collected, and no remarkable difference was detected in species composition and abundances or in the richness, evenness and heterogeneity between sites. The species abundance distribution observed fitted to a theoretical lognormal distribution in the three mangroves. The species richness scored and the performance of the species richness estimators showed an unexpectedly high diversity, considering the very low floristic diversity and the harsh conditions of the environment. Regarding species composition and abundances, the drosophilid mangrove assemblages were shown to be more similar to those found in open environments, with a marked dominance of exotic species. Finally, considering the apparent lack of feeding and breeding sites, we suggest that mangrove forests are acting as sink habitats for the drosophilids populations.

New species of fresh-water catfishes from North Borneo [by] Robert F. Inger and Chin Phui Kong.

v.39:no.27(1959)

A new species of the fossorial mammal Arctoryctes from the Oligocene of Colorado / Charles A. Reed --

v.10:no.24(1956)

Deep sea fishes from the Gulf of Mexico, with the description of a new species, Squalogadus intermedius (Macrouroididae)

v.39:no.29(1959)

New records, distribution and status of six seabird species in Brazil

Distribution records of poorly-known species are currently the most explored theme in the Brazilian seabird literature. If properly evaluated, this kind of information can improve our knowledge on distribution, migration and status of occurrence of these species. In this note we present new records for six species of poorly-known seabirds in the Brazilian coast, reviewing distribution records and defining their status of occurrence in the country. We consider Chionis albus (Gmelin, 1789) a pseudo-vagrant in Brazil and define its status as a scarce seasonal visitor from southern South America. We present the first records of Leucophaeus atricilla (Linnaeus, 1758) for Trindade Island, and of Leucophaeus pipixcan (Wagler, 1831) for the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and determined that the former is a vagrant in eastern Brazil and the latter a vagrant across the country. Anous stolidus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a vagrant in southernmost Brazil. We were unable to determine if records of Chlidonias niger (Linnaeus, 1758) for Brazil and southern South America refer to vagrancy or pseudo-vagrancy. Additionally, we verified the occurrence of breeding individuals of Anous minutus Boie, 1844 on Martin Vaz Island and confirmed that there is no evidence of breeding on neighboring Trindade Island.

Reproductive characteristics of characid fish species (Teleostei, Characiformes) and their relationship with body size and phylogeny

In this study, I investigated the reproductive biology of fish species from the family Characidae of the order Characiformes. I also investigated the relationship between reproductive biology and body weight and interpreted this relationship in a phylogenetic context. The results of the present study contribute to the understanding of the evolution of the reproductive strategies present in the species of this family. Most larger characid species and other characiforms exhibit a reproductive pattern that is generally characterized by a short seasonal reproductive period that lasts one to three months, between September and April. This is accompanied by total spawning, an extremely high fecundity, and, in many species, a reproductive migration. Many species with lower fecundity exhibit some form of parental care. Although reduction in body size may represent an adaptive advantage, it may also require evolutionary responses to new biological problems that arise. In terms of reproduction, smaller species have a tendency to reduce the number of oocytes that they produce. Many small characids have a reproductive pattern similar to that of larger characiforms. On the other hand they may also exhibit a range of modifications that possibly relate to the decrease in body size and the consequent reduction in fecundity. Examples of changes in the general reproductive pattern include the following: reduction in the size of mature oocytes; increase in fecundity; production of several batches of oocytes; an extended reproductive period or even continuous reproduction that allows individuals to reproduce more than once a year; high growth rates; rapid recruitment of juveniles; presence of more than one reproductive cohort that increases the sexually active population; and multiple independent development of insemination as a reproductive strategy. These changes are possibly associated with adaptive pressures that are related to the reduction in body size. In addition, such reproductive characteristics or novelties may reflect the phylogenetic history of a given species.

Intraspecific and interspecific variation in the Cryptotis nigrescens species complex of small-eared shrews (Insectivora, Soricidae) : with the description of a new species from Colombia / Neal Woodman, Robert M. Timm.

n.s. no.74(1993)

Comparative review of Fascicularis-group species of macaques (Primates: Macaca) / Jack Fooden.

n.s. no.107(2006)

The first record of Litargus tetraspilotus (Coleoptera, Mycetophagidae) in Brazil, with biological notes and complementary description of the species

Litargus tetraspilotus LeConte, 1856 was collected feeding on Oidium sp. (Fungi, Ascomycota, Erysiphaceae) associated with fruit trees. This is the first time L. tetraspilotus is recorded in Brazil, totaling three species of Mycetophagidae for this country. This study aims to provide a complementary description of this species based on new characters and to present information on its life cycle under laboratory conditions and fluctuation in population in the field. During the period of inventories between July 2004 and August 2006, about every fifteen days, a total of 565 specimens of L. tetraspilotus were collected, with the highest abundance found on citrus plants, with values differing significantly between the two years. The population levels differed between the seasons; spring had the greatest abundance and autumn the least. There was a significant positive correlation of L. tetraspilotus abundance with rainfall and relative humidity. Mycetophagidae, as well as other mycophagous families of Brazilian coleopterans, are barely studied, warranting further future studies of their bioecology and systematics.