Ecologia de Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) cearensis (Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae) nas dunas litorâneas de Abaeté, Salvador, Bahia

The study was carried out in a 8.2 ha area in an environmental protection area of tropical sea coastal sand dune with "restinga" vegetation in Salvador, Bahia, northeastern Brazil. A total of 1760 bees of Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) cearensis Ducke, 1910 were netted during the whole year on flowers of 43 plant species belonging to 26 botanic families. The majority of the individuals (79%) concentrated their foraging activity in five plant species. Individuals foraged all day long being the greatest activity between 8 h and 14 h. Similar proportions of young and old bees were sampled over the year. The density of substrates used for nesting was 4.56/ha. In total, 94% of the nests were found in branches of Agaristha revoluta (Spr.) DC. (Ericaceae). The great occurrence (68.7%) of old perforations indicates that the nests were used twice or more times by bees.

Five new Brazilian species of the genus Trybliophorus (Orthoptera, Romaleidae)

The new species Trybliophorus amazonicus, T. nigrus, T. rubricerus, T. olivaceus and T. paraensis from Amazonian region are described. Illustrations of male and female genitalia, as well as a map showing the geographical distribution of the species are included.

Spatial and temporal distribution of decapod larvae in the subtropical waters of the Arvoredo archipelago, SC, Brazil

The present paper aims to describe the temporal and spatial distribution of the composition and abundance of Decapoda larvae in the shallow waters around Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve. Stomatopod occurrence is also discussed. Plankton samples were collected at five sites around the Arvoredo Island every two months for one year from May, 2002 to April, 2003. Thirty-nine morphotypes, 11 genus and 4 species (Artemesia longinaris Bate, 1888, Hexapanopeus schmitii Rathbun, 1930, Menippe nodifrons Stimpson, 1859 and Pleoticus muelleri Bate, 1888) were identified, among them only two morphotypes of Stomatopoda larvae, and the remainder Decapoda larvae. Brachyuran zoeae were the most abundant group and they were well represented by Portunidae and Xanthidae zoeae. Lucifer sp. and Caridea zoeae were the most abundant non-brachyuran taxa. Decapod larvae were observed to occur at all sampling sites, however the spatial distribution demonstrated a general tendency to greater abundance and diversity at the southern sites of the Island. Decapoda and Stomatopoda larvae occurred throughout the year, showing that reproduction is continuous, but that larval input in planktonic community was significantly higher during autumn and spring.

Reproductive biology of the sesarmid crab Armases rubripes (Decapoda, Brachyura) from an estuarine area of the Sahy River, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The aim of this work was to gain knowledge about reproductive biology of the crab Armases rubripes (Rathbun, 1897) from an estuarine area of the Sepetiba Bay. Samples were taken monthly from February 2003 to January 2004 in the Sahy River estuary (22º56'S; 44º01'W), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The crabs were collected by hand during 15-minute catch-effort sessions conducted by two people. In the laboratory, the specimens were separated by sex, carapace width was measured and gonadal stage was checked macroscopically. A total of 830 individuals were caught - 304 males, 373 females (60 ovigerous females) and 153 juveniles. The ovigerous females were found almost year-round, except in November and April, showing a continuous reproductive period. They presented a size range from 8.2 to 15.0 mm carapace width (12.1 ± 1.7 mm). Color and macroscopical aspects determined five gonadal stages for males and females (immature, rudimentary, intermediary, developed and resting). First sexual maturity was estimated at 6.5 mm of carapace width for males and 8.1 mm for females. Individual fecundity varied from 200 to 11,460 eggs (4,458 ± 2,739 eggs). Mean egg size was 0.248 ± 0.026 mm, varying from 0.213 to 0.333 mm, while the volume ranged from 0.0051 to 0.0188 mm³ (0.0082 ± 0.0029 mm³).

Recruitment and colonization of colonial ascidians (Tunicata: Ascidiacea) on intertidal rocks in Northeastern Brazil

Recruitment and colonization of colonial ascidians, starting on natural scraped substratum, was observed throughout one year, in quadrats marked on sea- and continental-rock faces in the sublittoral fringe of an exposed beach in the Northeast of Brazil. The species of the Didemnidae, Didemnum duplicatum Monniot, 1983, D. psammathodes Sluiter, 1895, and Polysyncraton amethysteum Van Name, 1902, and an unidentified species of Polycitoridae, Eudistoma sp. 1, were recruited. Presenting continuous recruitment of all species, the density of living and dead recruits and colonies was similar on both faces of the rocks. The highest rainfall during winter, affected significantly the recruits density of D. duplicatum and D. psammathodes. Different permanence periods were observed for colonies of each species. The longest permanence periods were assigned to the colonies of P. amethysteum and D. psammathodes, extending up to four and five months, respectively.

Anurans of the Serra do Caraça, southeastern Brazil: species composition and phenological patterns of calling activity

Annual patterns of calling and breeding activity of 38 anuran species were studied at Serra do Caraça, an 11,233 ha reserve located in a contact zone between Cerrado and Atlantic forest at the southern Espinhaço range, southeastern Brazil. Five patterns were evident: (1) species that call year-round or nearly year-round with larger aggregations generally observed in the rainy months, (2) species with opportunistic calling activity associated with rainfall during the wettest months of the year, (3) winter species, (4) explosive breeders with intense calling activity triggered by heavy rains during the rainy season or only in the beginning of the rainy season, and (5) summer species with variable breeding seasons. Both the monthly number of species with calling males and the monthly number of species that showed the maximum class of calling males were positively correlated with both mean monthly temperature and monthly precipitation.

Report of the Director to the Board of Trustees for the year ... / Chicago Natural History Museum.

1958

Report of the Director to the Board of Trustees for the year ... / Chicago Natural History Museum.

1959

The solar year of the Mayas at Quirigua, Guatemala / by J. Eric Thompson, Assistant Curator of Central and South American Archaeology; 2 text-figures; Berthold Laufer, Curator, Department of Anthropology, editor.

v.17:no.4(1932)

First nesting record of the Bay-Capped Wren-Spinetail Spartonoica maluroides (Aves, Furnariidae) in Brazil, with nest and nestling descriptions and notes on breeding behavior

The only breeding record of Spartonoica maluroides (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) for Brazil is based on the observation of a fledgling in southern Rio Grande do Sul in January 1976. On 7 December 2005 we discovered a nest containing three nestlings at the southeastern end of Lagoa Pequena, municipality of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. The nest was concealed at the base of a cavity in a Spartina densiflora (Poaceae) tussock located at the edge of a saltmarsh. The nest was built of fine pieces of dead Scirpus olneyi (Cyperaceae) and S. densiflora leaves firmly interlaced to the internal leaves of the tussock. Live leaves of S. densiflora lining the cavity comprised a substantial part of the nest's architecture, forming most of its upper lateral walls and roof. The lower section was more elaborate, resembling a deep cup and forming a distinct incubation chamber. Adults reached the nest's interior through an irregular apical opening amidst the leaves. The nest was 244 mm high and 140 mm wide. The incubation chamber had an external diameter of 138.5 mm, an internal diameter of 79.4 mm and was 86 mm deep. It was lined with fine leaves and white plant fibers. Nestlings were five to six days old. A total of 107 neossoptiles restricted to the capital, spinal and alar tracts were recorded in one nestling. The distribution of neossoptiles in the ocular region of S. maluroides forms a distinct pattern which can be typical of Furnariidae and related families. Two adults attended the nest, bringing small insects to the nestlings and removing fecal sacs. We recorded at least 74 visits to the nest during a ca. 6 h period during an afternoon. The average number of visits per hour was 12.8 ± 1.3. An adult bird spent on average 0.7 ± 0.56 minutes inside the nest attending nestlings. The nest remained unattended on average for 3.61 ± 3.13 minutes. The hour of the day had no influence on the amount of time spent by an adult in the nest or away from it. We returned to the area on 15 December 2005 and found the nest abandoned. Observations confirm that S. maluroides is a resident breeder in southern Brazil and that the saltmarshes of the Lagoa do Patos estuary are an important year-round habitat for the species. A nestling and the nest were collected to document the record.

Five new birds from the Philippines [by] A. L. Rand.

v.31:no.25(1948)