Mandibular gland secretions of meliponine worker bees: further evidence for their role in interspecific and intraspecific defence and aggression and against their role in food source signalling

Like ants and termites some species of stingless bees (Meliponini), which are very important pollinators in the tropics, use pheromone trails to communicate the location of a food source. We present data on the communicative role of mandibular gland secretions of Meliponini that resolve a recent controversy about their importance in the laying of such trails. Volatile constituents of the mandibular glands have been erroneously thought both to elicit aggressive/defensive behaviour and to signal food source location. We studied Trigona spinipes and Scaptotrigona aff. depilis (`postica`), two sympatric species to which this hypothesis was applied. Using extracts of carefully dissected glands instead of crude cephalic extracts we analysed the substances contained in the mandibular glands of worker bees. Major components of the extracts were 2-heptanol (both species), nonanal (T. spinipes), benzaldehyde and 2-tridecanone (S. aff. depilis). The effect of mandibular gland extracts and of individual components thereof on the behaviour of worker bees near their nest and at highly profitable food sources was consistent. Independent of the amount of mandibular gland extract applied, the bees overwhelmingly reacted with defensive behaviour and were never attracted to feeders scented with mandibular gland extract or any of the synthetic chemicals tested. Both bee species are capable of using mandibular gland secretions for intra-and interspecific communication of defence and aggression and share 2-heptanol as a major pheromone compound. While confirming the role of the mandibular glands in nest defence, our experiments provide strong evidence against their role in food source signalling.

The parasitic isopod Anilocra physodes, as a novel food source for the lizardfish Synodus saurus (Synodontidae).

Copyright © 2015 Société Française d'Ichtyologie.

Natural Leishmania sp. reservoirs and phlebotomine sandfly food source identification in Ibitipoca State Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Leishmania spp are distributed throughout the world and different species are associated with varying degrees of disease severity. However, leishmaniasis is thought to be confined to areas of the world where its insect vectors, sandflies, are present. Phlebotomine sandflies obtain blood meals from a variety of wild and domestic animals and sometimes from humans. These vectors transmit Leishmania spp, the aetiological agent of leishmaniasis. Identification of sandfly blood meals has generally been performed using serological methods, although a few studies have used molecular procedures in artificially fed insects. In this study, cytochrome b gene (cytB) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed in DNA samples isolated from 38 engorged Psychodopygus lloydi and the expected 359 bp fragment was identified from all of the samples. The amplified product was digested using restriction enzymes and analysed for restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). We identified food sources for 23 females; 34.8% yielded a primate-specific banding profile and 26.1% and 39.1% showed banding patterns specific to birds or mixed restriction profiles (rodent/marsupial, human/bird, rodent/marsupial/human), respectively. The food sources of 15 flies could not be identified. Two female P. lloydi were determined to be infected by Leishmania using internal transcribed spacer 1 and heat shock protein 70 kDa PCR-RFLP. The two female sandflies, both of which fed on rodents/marsupials, were further characterised as infected with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. These results constitute an important step towards applying methodologies based on cytB amplification as a tool for identifying the food sources of female sandflies.

Interaction between Musca domestica L. and its predator Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (Diptera, Muscidae): effects of prey density and food source abundance

Interaction between Musca domestica L. and its predator Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (Diptera, Muscidae): Effects of prey density and food source abundance. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of prey density and food source abundance on the predatory behavior of Muscina stabulans over M. domestica. Three predator/prey proportions were evaluated (1:1, 1:3 and 1:6), using 100 third instar predator larvae against second instar prey larvae. Each proportion was maintained using three different levels of food substrate (25, 50 and 100 g). The experiments were carried out in triplicate in BOD incubators (25ºC, UR 70% ± 10% and 12 h photoperiod). The mortality of the M. domestica larvae was 100% under all conditions, except in the 1:6 predator/prey proportion, at the 50g and 100g food substrate levels, where it was 99.99% and 99.22%, respectively. There was a significant increase in the development period of M. stabulans in relation to the increase in prey density and decrease in quantity of food substrate. An increase in the proportion of individuals and a reduction in the amount of resource slowed down larval development. Muscina stabulans pupal weight was proportional to the increase in prey density and the amount of food substrate. The proportion or the density influenced the survival of M. stabulans, with no difference in relation to the amount of food source and consequently in the interaction of the factors. There was no difference between the 1:1 and 1:3 predator-prey densities, with both differing from the 1:6 density.

Accumulation of six metals in the mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Crustacea: Ucididae) and its food source, the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle (Angiosperma: Rhizophoraceae)

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

The cetacean offal connection: Feces and vomits of spinner dolphins as a food source for reef fishes

At Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, southwest Atlantic, reef fishes associated with spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) were recorded when the cetaceans congregated in a shallow inlet. In the reef waters the dolphins engaged in several behaviors such as resting, aerial displays and other social interactions, as well as eliminative behaviors such as defecating and vomiting. Twelve fish species in seven families were recorded feeding on dolphin offal. The black durgon (Melichthys niger) was the most ubiquitous waste-eater, and its group size was positively and significantly correlated with dolphin group size. The durgons recognized the postures a dolphin adopts prior to defecating or vomiting, and began to converge to an individual shortly before it actually voided. Offal was quickly fed upon, and the fishes concentrated in the area occupied by the dolphins until the latter left the shallows. Since all the recorded offal-feeding species feed on plankton or drifting algae, feeding on cetacean droppings may be regarded as a switch from foraging on drifting organisms to foraging on drifting offal, a predictable food source in the inlet. Further instances of this cetacean-fish association are predicted to occur at sites where these mammals congregate over reefs with clear water and plankton-eating fishes.

Effects of food quality on growth and biochemical composition of a calanoid copepod, Argyrodiaptomus furcatus, and its importance as a natural food source for larvae of two tropical fishes

Growth, reproduction and biochemical composition were analyzed for the copepod Argyrodiaptomus furcatus fed on the alga Ankistrodesmus gracilis grown in different media. The ingestion of this copepod by larvae of two species of tropical fishes was also evaluated. The mean peak density of the copepod population was 1369 individuals 1-1 for all four diets used, and the highest was 1387 individuals 1-1 on diet ARV (algae + ration + vitamins). A small copepod, A. furcatus tends to have a short life span. The smallest females did not attain maturity in the shortest time on all diets used. Food quality may play a major role in the dynamics of the biochemical composition of this copepod. Argyrodiaptomus furcatus was a more important food item for larvae of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) than of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus). However, it made up a large part of the gut contents of larvae of both species.

Relationship Between Jaw Apparatus, Feeding Habit, and Food Source in Oriental Woodpeckers

Associations among feeding habit, beak type, and food source in birds have been widely studied and are well known to exist. The relationship between feeding habit and jaw apparatus in birds has not attracted attention from ornithologists, perhaps because of the complexity of the skeletal morphology of the feeding system of birds. The goal of this study was to compare the jaw apparatus and foraging strategies of various Oriental species of the Picidae (Meiglyptini and Picini tribes) using a morphofunctional analysis of the skeletal structure of the jaw apparatus. This study showed that there are at least three types of jaw apparatus in these woodpeckers, as follows: 1) robust, developed, and complex; 2) complexity and development intermediate, as observed in Meiglyptes tristis and Dinopium spp., whose main foraging method involves gleaning, probing, and tapping; and 3) poorly developed, as observed in Picus miniaceus and Hemicircus concretus. The success of woodpeckers as a natural group is due not only to their feeding diversity, but also their ability to explore a wide range of different resources, as appropriate to their jaw apparatus.

Accumulation of six metals in the mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Crustacea: Ucididae) and its food source, the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle (Angiosperma: Rhizophoraceae)

The crab Ucides cordatus and the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle are endemic mangrove species and potential bio-accumulators of metals. This study quantified the accumulation of six metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn and Pb) in different organs (claw muscle, hepatopancreas and gills) of U. cordatus, as well as in different maturation stages of the leaves (buds, green mature, and pre-abscission senescent) of R. mangle. Samples were collected from mangrove areas in Cubatao, state of Sao Paulo, a heavily polluted region in Brazil. Data for metal contents in leaves were evaluated by one-way ANOVA; while for crabs a factorial ANOVA was used to investigate the effect of different tissues, animal size and the interactions between them. Means were compared by Tukey test at five percent, and the association between the metal concentrations in each crab organ, depending on the size, was evaluated by Pearson's linear correlation coefficient (r). Concentrations of Pb and Hg were undetectable for the different leaf stages and crab tissues, while Cd concentrations were undetectable in the leaf stages. In general, the highest accumulation of metals in R. mangle leaves occurred in pre-abscission senescent and green mature leaves, except for Cu, which was found in the highest concentrations in buds and green mature leaves. For the crab, Cd, Cu, Cr and Mn were present in concentrations above the detection limit, with the highest accumulation in the hepatopancreas, followed by the gills. Cu was accumulated mostly in the gills. Patterns of bioaccumulation between the crab and the mangrove tree differed for each metal, probably due to the specific requirements of each organism for essential metals. However, there was a close and direct relationship between metal accumulation in the mangrove trees and in the crabs feeding on them. Tissues of R. mangle leaves and U. cordatus proved effective for monitoring metals, acting as important bioindicators of mangrove areas contaminated by various metals. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential of Trichoderma harzianum for control of banana leaf fungal pathogens when applied with a food source and an organic adjuvant

Trichoderma isolates were obtained from diseased leaves and fruit collected from plantations in the main banana production area in Northern Queensland. Phylogenetic analyses identified the Trichoderma isolates as T. harzianum and T. virens. The Trichoderma spp. were found to be antagonistic against the banana leaf pathogens Mycosphaerella musicola, Cordana musae, and Deight-oniella torulosa in vitro. Several products used by the banana industry to increase production, including molasses, Fishoil and Seasol, were tested as food source for the Trichoderma isolates. The optimal food substrate was found to be molasses at a concentration of 5 %, which when used in combination with a di-1-p-menthene spreader-sticker enhanced the survivability of Trichoderma populations under natural conditions. This formulation suppressed D. torulosa development under glasshouse conditions. Furthermore, high sensitivity was observed towards the protectant fungicide Mancozeb but Biopest oil (R), a paraffinic oil, only marginally suppressed the growth of Trichoderma isolates in vitro. Thus, this protocol represents a potential to manage banana leaf pathogens as a part of an integrated disease approach.

Accumulation of six metals in the mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Crustacea: Ucididae) and its food source, the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle (Angiosperma: Rhizophoraceae)

The crab Ucides cordatus and the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle are endemic mangrove species and potential bio-accumulators of metals. This study quantified the accumulation of six metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn and Pb) in different organs (claw muscle, hepatopancreas and gills) of U. cordatus, as well as in different maturation stages of the leaves (buds, green mature, and pre-abscission senescent) of R. mangle. Samples were collected from mangrove areas in Cubatao, state of São Paulo, a heavily polluted region in Brazil. Data for metal contents in leaves were evaluated by one-way ANOVA; while for crabs a factorial ANOVA was used to investigate the effect of different tissues, animal size and the interactions between them. Means were compared by Tukey test at five percent, and the association between the metal concentrations in each crab organ, depending on the size, was evaluated by Pearson's linear correlation coefficient (r). Concentrations of Pb and Hg were undetectable for the different leaf stages and crab tissues, while Cd concentrations were undetectable in the leaf stages. In general, the highest accumulation of metals in R. mangle leaves occurred in pre-abscission senescent and green mature leaves, except for Cu, which was found in the highest concentrations in buds and green mature leaves. For the crab, Cd, Cu, Cr and Mn were present in concentrations above the detection limit, with the highest accumulation in the hepatopancreas, followed by the gills. Cu was accumulated mostly in the gills. Patterns of bioaccumulation between the crab and the mangrove tree differed for each metal, probably due to the specific requirements of each organism for essential metals. However, there was a close and direct relationship between metal accumulation in the mangrove trees and in the crabs feeding on them. Tissues of R. mangle leaves and U. cordatus proved effective for monitoring metals, acting as important bioindicators of mangrove areas contaminated by various metals. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Burrknots as food source for larval development of Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) on apple trees.

Grapholita molesta (Busck) is one of the main pests of apple trees, and lives on their shoots and fruits. In southern Brazil, the insect is also found on old branches and structures similar to aerial roots, so-called burrknots. This study evaluated the development and population growth potential of G. molesta fed on burrknots, compared with apple fruit cultivar. Fuji and a corn-based artiÞcial diet. The study was carried out in the laboratory under controlled temperature (25 1C), relative humidity (7010%), and photophase (16 h). The biological parameters of the immature and adult stages were determined, and a fertility life table was constructed. Insects fed on burrknots showed a longer duration and a lower survival for the egg-to-adult period (29.3 d and 22.5%) compared with those that fed on apples (25.1 d and 30.0%) and artiÞcial diet (23.9 d and 54.8%). Insects reared on aerial roots had a lower pupal weight (10.0 mg) compared with those reared on either artiÞcial diet (13.7 mg) or apple cultivar. Fuji (12.4 mg). The fecundity and longevity of males and females did not signiÞcantly differ for the three foods. Based on the fertility life table, insects reared on burrknots had the lowest net reproductive rate (Ro), intrinsic rate of population growth (rm) and finite rate of increase, compared with insects reared on artiÞcial diet and apple fruit. Burrknots support the development of the complete cycle of G. molesta, which allows populations of this pest to increase in orchards.

The sialotranscriptome of Antricola delacruzi female ticks is compatible with non-hematophagous behavior and an alternative source of food

The hosts for Antricola delacruzi ticks are insectivorous, cave-dwelling bats on which only larvae are found. The mouthparts of nymphal and adult A. delacruzi are compatible with scavenging feeding because the hypostome is small and toothless. How a single blood meal of a larva provides energy for several molts as well as for oviposition by females is not known. Adults of A. delacruzi possibly feed upon an unknown food source in bat guano, a substrate on which nymphal and adult stages are always found. Guano produced by insectivorous bats contains twice the amount of protein and 60 times the amount of iron as beef. In addition, bacteria and chitin-rich fungi proliferate on guano. Comparative data on the transcriptome of the salivary glands of A. delacruzi is nonexistent and would help to understand the physiological adaptations of salivary glands that accompany different sources of food as well as the steps taken by the Acari toward haematophagy, believed to have evolved from scavenging dead animals. Annotation of the transcriptome of salivary glands from female instars of A. delacruzi collected on guano categorized 5.7% of the clusters of expressed genes as putative secreted proteins. They included abundantly expressed TIL-domain-containing proteins (possible anti-microbials), an abundantly expressed protein similar to a serum amyloid found in the sialotranscriptomes of Ornithodoros spp., a savignygrin, a family of mucin/peritrophin/cuticle-like proteins, anti-microbials and an HIV envelope-like glycoprotein also found in soft ticks. When comparing the transcriptome of A. delacruzi with those of blood-feeding female soft and hard ticks some notable differences were observed; they consisted of the following transcripts over- or under-represented or absent in the sialotranscriptome of A. delacruzi that may reflect its source of food: ferritin, mucins with chitin-binding domains and TIL-domain-containing proteins versus lipocalins, basic tail proteins, metalloproteases, glycine-rich proteins and Kunitz protease inhibitors, respectively. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.