Insect feeding preferences on Piperaceae species observed in São Paulo city, Brazil

Piperaceae species have been placed among the basal angiosperm and are adapted to a variety of habitats including moist forests, secondary vegetation and dry high lands. The major anatomical/morphology features are of small trees, vines, and shrubs for Piper species, while the epiphytic and succulent characteristics are predominant forms among Peperomia species. Their secondary chemistry can be mostly represented by amides, phenylpropanoids/lignoids, and chromenes in addition to a phletoria of biosynthetically mixed-origin secondary compounds. Although several amides and lignans are known as insecticides, several phytophagous insects, among which some considered pests of economic importance, have been observed feeding vigorously on Piperaceae species. Herein we describe the feeding preferences of fourteen phytophagous species of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera over approximately fifty Piperaceae species observed in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, in a long-term basis.

Leishmania infection and host-blood feeding preferences of phlebotomine sandflies and canine leishmaniasis in an endemic European area, the Algarve Region in Portugal

The Algarve Region (AR) in southern Portugal, which is an international tourist destination, has been considered an endemic region of zoonotic leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum since the 1980s. In the present study, phlebotomine and canine surveys were conducted to identify sandfly blood meal sources and to update the occurrence of Leishmania infection in vectors and dogs. Four sandfly species were captured: Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus ariasi, Phlebotomus sergenti and Sergentomyia minuta. In one P. perniciosus female, L. infantum DNA was detected. Blood meal tests showed that this species had no host preferences and was an opportunistic feeder. An overall canine leishmaniasis (CanL) seroprevalence of 16.06% was found; the seroprevalence was 3.88% in dogs housed in kennels and 40.63% in dogs that attended veterinary clinics. The simultaneous occurrence of dogs and P. perniciosus infected with L. infantum in the AR indicates that the region continues to be an endemic area for CanL. Our results reinforce the need for the systematic spatial distribution of phlebotomine populations and their Leishmania infection rates and the need to simultaneously perform pathogen monitoring in both invertebrate and vertebrate hosts to investigate the transmission, distribution and spreading of Leishmania infection.

Nestling detectability affects parental feeding preferences in a cavity-nesting bird

In many avian species, nestlings have evolved striking plumage, behaviours and mouth colours to obtain a greater share of parental investment. Studies revealing parental feeding preferences for nestlings with red gapes have proposed that red mouth colour in songbirds can act as a signal of nestling need or condition. Alternative hypotheses suggest that bright nestling mouths in cavity-nesting birds evolved to increase nestling detectability by the parents. We tested whether nestling mouth colour affects parental feeding preferences in great tits, Pants major L. In broods of six young, we experimentally painted mouth gapes and flanges either red or yellow and tested the effect of mouth colour on nestlings' mass gain under two lighting conditions. In nests with high luminosity, there was no significant effect of mouth colour on mass gain. In nests with low luminosity, nestlings with red gapes and flanges gained less mass than nestlings with red gapes and yellow flanges or both yellow gapes and flanges. Our results suggest that, in nests with low luminosity, red mouths decreased nestling detectability to the feeding parents and support the hypothesis that poor luminosity in nesting cavities can select for pale mouths. Overall, our results do not support the hypothesis that red mouth colour signals nestling need or condition to parent great tits.

Insect feeding preferences on Piperaceae species observed in São Paulo city, Brazil

Piperaceae species have been placed among the basal angiosperm and are adapted to a variety of habitats including moist forests, secondary vegetation and dry high lands. The major anatomical/morphology features are of small trees, vines, and shrubs for Piper species, while the epiphytic and succulent characteristics are predominant forms among Peperomia species. Their secondary chemistry can be mostly represented by amides, phenylpropanoids/lignoids, and chromenes in addition to a phletoria of biosynthetically mixed-origin secondary compounds. Although several amides and lignans are known as insecticides, several phytophagous insects, among which some considered pests of economic importance, have been observed feeding vigorously on Piperaceae species. Herein we describe the feeding preferences of fourteen phytophagous species of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera over approximately fifty Piperaceae species observed in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, in a long-term basis.

The feeding preferences of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. SMITH) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on cotton plant varieties

Avaliou-se atratividade e não-preferência alimentar de lagartas recém-eclodidas de Spodoptera frugiperda por partes de plantas e plantas de variedades de algodoeiro. Testes foram realizados a 27 ± 1ºC, UR de 70% ± 10% e fotofase de 14h. Folhas, brácteas, botões florais e cascas de maçãs da variedade BRS Itamarati-90 e folhas de Fibermax-966, Fibermax-977, DeltaOpal, DeltaPenta, BRS Acala-90, Coodetec-408, Coodetec-409, Coodetec-410, BRS-Cedro, BRS-Ipê, BRS-Aroeira, IPR-96, IPR-120, BRS-Araçá, IAC-24 e BRS Itamarati-90 foram utilizadas nos testes de atratividade e não-preferência para alimentação, com e sem chance de escolha. Utilizaram-se 20 lagartas de S. frugiperda por placa de Petri (sistema de arena) por teste, com 10 repetições. Contaram-se lagartas para avaliar atratividade por 60 min e não-preferência para alimentação por 24 h. Folha foi mais atrativa e preferida para alimentação por lagartas de S. frugiperda. em livre escolha, Coodetec-410 foi mais atrativa e BRS Acala-90, Fibermax-966 e DeltaPenta, as de menor atratividade à S. frugiperda; BRS-Araçá, mais preferida para alimentação e BRS-Cedro, BRS Itamarati 90, DeltaPenta, Coodetec-408 e BRS-Aroeira, menos preferidas. Considera-se 46 min., tempo mais adequado para avaliar atratividade de algodoeiro a lagartas de S. frugiperda.

Diet Seasonality and Feeding Preferences of Brachycephalus pitanga (Anura: Brachycephalidae)

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

Nutritional preferences of wood-feeding termites inhabiting floodplain forests of the Amazon River, Brazil

The alimentary preferences of five species of wood-feeding termites of the genus Nasutitermes that coexist in the inundated forests of the floodplains of the Amazon river várzea for species of fresh wood and for wood in different stages of decomposition was evaluated in laboratory tests. Wood of low density was generally preferred; the decay stages were preferred over fresh wood. The five termite species differ in the amplitude of their choices, indicating a strong differentiation in food choice among them. Differences in feeding preferences may be a niche-separating factor for these five Nasutitermes species of the floodplains.

Feeding and oviposition preferences of Ctenarytaina spatulata Taylor (Hemiptera, Psyllidae) for Eucalyptus spp. and other Myrtaceae in Brazil

Feeding and oviposition preferences of Ctenarytaina spatulata Taylor (Hemiptera, Psyllidae) for Eucalyptus spp. and other Myrtaceae in Brazil. The Australian psyllid, Ctenarytaina spatulata Taylor (Hemiptera, Psyllidae), was first detected in Brazil in 1994, where it was found on drought-affected shoots of Eucalyptus grandis in a plantation located in the northern part of Paraná State. The oviposition and feeding preferences of this psyllid were examined on 19 Eucalyptus species, one Eucalyptus hybrid (Cambiju), three Corymbia species and four native Myrtaceae species (Hexaclames edulis, Marlieria edulis, Plinia trunciflora, and Psydium sp.) under greenhouse conditions. The largest populations of C. spatulata were found on E. robusta and E. pellita, while sizeable infestations were also found on E. urophylla, E. grandis, and the Cambiju hybrid. The plants with the greatest symptoms of damage were E. grandis and E. resinifera. Eucalyptus cinerea, E. benthamii, E. pilularis, and E. dunnii were not infested and E. cloeziana was minimally infested. Among the Corymbia species, the number of eggs of C. spatulata was very low on C. citriodora and C. torelliana. No eggs and nymphs of C. spatulata were found on native Brazilian Myrtaceae. The number of eggs on plants was highly correlated with the subsequent levels of nymphs, suggesting that egg counts can be used as a viable monitoring tool to assist with the integrated management of this pest.

Natural diet and feeding habits of a freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium carcinus: Crustacea, Decapoda) in the estuary of the Amazon River

Macrobrachium carcinus is a Brazilian native prawn with recognized potential for use in aquaculture activities. However, there is little information about the natural diet and feeding habits of this species. The aim of this study was the identification of the diet items of M. carcinus based on the analysis of the stomach contents. Specimens were collected in the Amazon River estuary between January 2009 and January 2010. The stomach analysis was carried out by using the frequency of occurrence (FO), methods of points (MP) and feeding index (FI). It was observed that prawns fed on detritus, animals and plant fragments as the most important food items. Sediment accounted for the main stomach content, accounting for 43.2% by the MP, 44.9% by FI and 100% by the FO. Sexual differences in feeding preferences were not found in this study, and seasonal differences in the frequency of items ingested by M. carcinus were not observed. The results indicated that M. carcinus can be considered omnivorous species, but with an important carnivorous component, similar to that found in other Macrobrachium species.

Feeding responses of carabid beetles to dimethoate-contaminated prey

1 The feeding responses of Pterostichus madidus Fab., P. melanarius Illiger and Nebria brevicollis Fab. (Coleoptera: Carabidae) to dimethoate-contaminated prey were investigated in 'no-choice' and 'choice' feeding tests. 2 In the no-choice tests, starved beetles were presented with aphid prey treated with four concentrations of dimethoate. In the choice tests, treated and untreated prey were presented together and the feeding preferences of the starved beetles observed. 3 No avoidance or rejection behaviour was seen in any of the carabids in either of the tests, i.e. no discrimination of the treated and untreated prey was observed. 4 Sufficient dimethoate was consumed with the aphid prey to cause significant mortality levels in the carabids. 5 The concentrations of dimethoate used in these experiments are comparable to field exposure, so carabids feeding in treated fields and field margins could potentially suffer lethal effects via the indirect exposure route of consuming contaminated prey.

Feeding selectivity of ichthyofauna in a tropical stream: space-time variations in trophic plasticity

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Feeding preference of Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and attractiveness of soybean genotypes

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)