Arthropods associated with young orchard of pecan in southern Brazil / Artrópodes associados a um plantio jovem de nogueira-pecã no sul do Brasil

A produção mundial de noz-pecã Carya illinoinensis (Juglandaceae) é liderada pelos Estados Unidos. No Brasil, em especial no Rio Grande do Sul, houve uma expansão da área plantada com a cultura nos últimos anos. No entanto, faltam pesquisas relacionadas à entomofauna associada à noz-pecã, bem como práticas culturais que auxiliem no Manejo Integrado de Pragas, mesmo havendo uma expansão da cultura. Assim, o presente estudo objetivou avaliar a fauna de artrópodes na copa de plantas de C. illinoinensis, submetido a diferentes manejos de solo, em Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Para tanto, utilizou-se delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com cinco blocos e quatro tratamentos: plantio em cova pequena, com 20 × 60 cm (Sp); utilização de subsolador mais grade niveladora e cova pequena (Ssp); utilização de enxada rotativa e cova pequena (Tsp); e plantio em cova grande, com 40 × 60 cm (Lp). De novembro de 2014 a maio de 2015, foram coletadas 7.617 espécimes nas copas de árvores jovens de nogueira-pecã. Foram identificados 150 grupos taxonômicos, sendo Coleoptera a ordem com maior riqueza de espécies. Monellia caryella (Hemiptera: Aphididae) apresentou elevada densidade. Foram registrados os inimigos naturais himenópteros parasitoides e Coccinellidae. Conclui-se que a artropodofauna em copas de plantas jovens de nogueira-pecã apresenta diversidade similar entre os tratamentos e predomínio de M. caryella nas áreas avaliadas.(AU)

World production of pecan Carya illinoinensis (Juglandaceae) is led by the United States. In Brazil, especially in the Rio Grande do Sul State, there has been an expansion of the planted area in recent years. Despite this expansion of pecan culture, there is a lack of research on entomofauna associated with pecan and on cultural practices which aids in Integrated Pest Management. This study aimed to evaluate the arthropod fauna in the canopies of C. illinoinensis trees grown under different soil management practices in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A randomized design was used with five blocks and four treatments: planting in small pits of 20 × 60 cm (Sp) using a subsoiler with a leveling grader/shank, planting in small pits (Ssp) using a rotary tiller (Tsp), and planting in large pits of 40 × 60 cm (Lp). A total of 7,617 specimens were collected from November 2014 to May 2015 from the young pecan canopies. Among the 150 taxonomic groups identified, Coleoptera was the most taxonomically rich order. The blackmargined aphid Monellia caryella (Hemiptera: Aphididae) had the greatest abundance. Hymenopteran parasitoids and Coccinellidae spp. were among the natural pest enemies detected. We conclude that the arthropod fauna found in the young pecan canopies is similarly diverse among the different soil managements, with a predominance of pest species M. caryella in all the evaluated areas.(AU)

Taxones superiores de hormigas como sustitutos de la riqueza de especies, en una cronosecuencia de bosques secundarios, bosque primario y sistemas agroforestales en la Amazonía Oriental, Brasil / Ants' higher taxa as surrogates of species richness in a chronosequence of fallows, old-grown forests and agroforestry systems in the Eastern Amazon, Brazil

ResumenLa deforestación es una de las principales causas de pérdida de biodiversidad en todo el mundo. Las hormigas son clave como ingenieras del ecosistema, por lo tanto, la pérdida de la diversidad de hormigas puede indicar la pérdida de funciones cruciales de los ecosistemas. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la riqueza de hormigas del suelo y estimar si los niveles superiores (Subfamilia y Género) pueden ser usados como sustitutos para estimar la riqueza de especies en diferentes estados de sucesión del bosque (bosque primario, bosque secundario y sistema agroforestal) en la Amazonía Oriental. Fueron muestreadas 65 parcelas en el estado de Maranhão y Pará entre 2011 y 2014. El esquema de muestreo siguió el procedimiento de Biología de Suelos Tropicales y Fertilidad (TSBF). Primero caracterizamos los tipos de vegetación de acuerdo con su edad y luego se estimó la riqueza de especies. Para evaluar si los taxones superiores pueden utilizarse como sustitutos utilizamos funciones lineales y exponenciales y correlación de Pearson. En total, se identificaron 180 especies distribuidas en 60 géneros. Los resultados mostraron que la riqueza fue superior en el bosque secundario intermedio (88) y avanzado (76) y fue menor en el sistema agroforestal (38) y bosque ribereño primario (35). El género fue el mejor sustituto para estimar la riqueza de especies de hormigas a través de los diferentes tipos de sucesión vegetal, explicando entre el 72-97 % (P < 0.001) de la variabilidad total de especies. Nuestros resultados confirman que el uso del nivel de género es un excelente sustituto para estimar la riqueza de especies de hormigas en la región y tanto los bosques en regeneración y sistemas agroforestales pueden contribuir en la conservación de la comunidad de hormigas en la Amazonía Oriental.

Abstract:Deforestation in Amazon forests is one of the main causes for biodiversity loss worldwide. Ants are key into the ecosystem because act like engineers; hence, the loss of ants' biodiversity may be a guide to measure the loss of essential functions into the ecosystems. The aim of this study was to evaluate soil ant's richness and to estimate whether higher taxa levels (Subfamily and Genus) can be used as surrogates of species richness in different vegetation types (fallows, old-growth forests and agroforestry systems) in Eastern Amazon. The samples were taken in 65 areas in the Maranhão and Pará States in the period 2011-2014. The sampling scheme followed the procedure of Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility (TSBF). Initially, the vegetation types were characterized according to their age and estimated species richness. Linear and exponential functions were applied to evaluate if higher taxa can be used as surrogates and correlated with the Pearson coefficient. In total, 180 species distributed in 60 genera were identified. The results showed that ant species richness was higher in intermediate fallows (88) and old secondary forest (76), and was lower in agroforestry systems (38) and mature riparian forest (35). The genus level was the best surrogate to estimate the ant's species richness across the different vegetation types, and explained 72-97 % (P < 0.001) of the total species variability. The results confirmed that the genus level is an excellent surrogate to estimate the ant's species richness in the region and that both fallows and agroforestry systems may contribute in the conservation of Eastern Amazon ant community. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (1): 279-291. Epub 2017 March 01.

Temporal variation in the composition of ant assemblages (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) on trees in the Pantanal floodplain, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Temporal variation in the composition of ant assemblages (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) on trees in the Pantanal floodplain, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. In this paper we investigate how seasonal flooding influences the composition of assemblages of ants foraging on trees in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul. During the flood in the Pantanal, a large area is covered by floods that are the main forces that regulate the pattern of diversity in these areas. However, the effects of such natural disturbances in the ant communities are poorly known. In this sense, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of temporal variation in assemblages of ants foraging on trees in the Pantanal of Miranda. Samples were collected during a year in two adjacent areas, one who suffered flooding during the wet period and another that did not suffer flooding throughout the year. In 10 sites for each evaluated habitat, five pitfall traps were installed at random in trees 25 m apart from each other. In the habitat with flooding, the highest richness was observed during the flooding period, while there was no significant change in richness in the area that does not suffer flooding. The diversity of species between the two evaluated habitats varied significantly during the two seasons. Most ants sampled belong to species that forage and nest in soil. This suggests that during the flood in flooded habitats, ants that did not migrate to higher areas without flooding adopt the strategy to search for resources in the tree canopy.

Terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) in termite nests (Blattodea: Termitidae) in a cocoa plantation in Brazil / Isopodos terrestres (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) em ninhos de termitas (Blattodea: Termitidae) em uma plantacao de cacau no Brasil

Various animals live in termite nests as secondary occupants. Among them are terrestrial isopods. We found five species of terrestrial isopods (Oniscidea) in 17 of 34 termite nests of Nasutitermes in a cocoa plantation near Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil (in 2 aging and 15 abandoned nests). The 14 active, 1 aging and 2 abandoned nests bore no isopods. The oniscideans were Atlantoscia rubromarginata, an undescribed species of Atlantoscia (Philosciidae), Pudeoniscus birabeni, P. obscurus (Pudeoniscidae) and Neotroponiscus carolii (Bathytropidae). Of the 146 individuals collected, 122 were A. rubromarginata. Due to the absence of isopods in active nests, these terrestrial isopods are considered termitariophilous.

Diversos animais, incluindo isópodos terrestres, vivem em ninhos de térmites como ocupantes secundários. Neste trabalho, foram registradas cinco espécies de isópodos terrestres (Oniscidea) em 17 de 34 ninhos de Nasutitermes estudados em uma plantação de cacau situada próxima a Ilhéus, Bahia, Brasil. Destes ninhos, dois eram decadentes e 15 abandonados. Catorze ninhos ativos, um decadente e dois abandonados não apresentaram isópodos. Foram registrados os oniscídeos Atlantoscia rubromarginata, uma espécie não identificada de Atlantoscia (Philosciidae), Pudeoniscus birabeni, P. obscurus (Pudeoniscidae) e Neotroponiscus carolii (Bathytropidae). Foram coletados 146 indivíduos, dos quais 122 pertenciam à espécie A. rubromarginata. Devido à ausência de isópodos em ninhos ativos, estes foram considerados termitariófilos.

Epigean ant communities in Atlantic Forest remnants of São Paulo: a comparative study using the guild concept

Epigean ant communities in Atlantic Forest remnants of São Paulo: a comparative study using the guild concept. The guilds constitute a valuable ecological tool, because they allow conducting comparisons among environments under different conditions. The ants can be used as ecological indicators, mainly for the monitoring of degraded forest areas. The aim of this research was to study guild organization among the epigeous Formicidae living in Atlantic forest remnants of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Ant collections were performed in three distinct Atlantic forest biome areas: arboreal littoral vegetation ("restinga") (Cananéia), semideciduous seasonal forest (Piracicaba) and dense ombrophylousforest (Pariquera-Açu). After identification, the ants were grouped into guilds, based on the ecological attributes of behavior and habit, according to the literature. Nine guilds were found; the semideciduous seasonal forest ecosystem presented eight of them, followed by the arboreal sandbank (7) and dense ombrophylous forest (6). The guilds found were: litter omnivorous and scavengers, granivorous species, specialist predators living in litter and soil, litter generalist predators, subterranean mealybug-dependent species, army ants, dominant or subdominants arboreal, that occasionally forage on the ground, soil or litter dominant and fungus-growers, using feces and insect body fragments. The guilds found can be used in the monitoring of the mirmecofauna in the Atlantic Forest biome, supplying insights for further ecological studies.

Comunidades de formigas epígeas em remanescentes da Mata Atlântica do Estado de São Paulo: um estudo comparativo utilizando o conceito de guildas. As guildas constituem-se em uma valiosa ferramenta ecológica, pois permitem realizar comparações entre ambientes em diferentes condições. As formigas podem ser utilizadas como indicadores ecológicos, principalmente para o monitoramento de áreas florestais degradadas. O objetivo deste estudo foi agrupar em guildas os Formicidae epígeas, coletados em remanescentes da Mata Atlântica do Estado de São Paulo. As coletas ocorreram em três áreas distintas do bioma Mata Atlântica: restinga arbórea (Cananéia), floresta estacional semidecídua (Piracicaba) e floresta ombrófila densa (Pariquera-Açu). As formigas foram identificadas e agrupadas em guildas, com base nos atributos ecológicos de comportamento e hábito, de acordo com a literatura. As formigas foram agrupadas em nove guildas, sendo que o ecossistema floresta estacional semidecídua apresentou oito destas, seguido da restinga arbórea (7) e da floresta ombrófila densa (6). As guildas encontradas foram: espécies onívoras, espécies granívoras, espécies predadoras especialistas de serapilheira e do solo, espécies predadoras generalistas de serapilheira, formigas subterrâneas dependentes de honeydew, formigas que fazem correições, formigas arborícolas dominantes ou subdominantes, que ocasionalmente forrageiam no chão, formigas dominantes de solo ou serapilheira e formigas cultivadoras de fungo, utilizando fezes e cadáveres de insetos. As guildas encontradas poderão ser utilizadas em monitoramento da mirmecofauna no bioma Mata Atlântica, fornecendo subsídios para futuros estudos ecológicos.

Ant fauna (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) associated to arboreal nests of Nasutitermes spp: (Isoptera, Termitidae) in a cacao plantation in southeastern Bahia, Brazil / Mirmecofauna (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) associada a ninhos arborícolas de Nasutitermes spp: (Isoptera, Termitidae) num cacaual do sudeste da Bahia, Brasil

Ants are among the most common arthropods that colonize termite nests. The aim of this study was to identify the ant fauna associated to termite nests found in a cacao plantation in the county of Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil, with emphasis on the fauna that uses the nests as foraging and/or nesting environment. For this purpose, 34 active, decadent and abandoned nests of Nasutitermes corniger, N. ephratae and Nasutitermes sp., with different volumes and degrees of activity, were dissected. A total of 54 ant species, belonging to 23 genera and five subfamilies, was found in the constructions. The active, decadent and abandoned termite nests presented, respectively, six, eight and 48 ant species. Crematogaster acuta and Ectatomma tuberculatum were the most frequent species in the active and decadent nests, respectively, while the most frequent species in the abandoned nests were Solenopsis pollux, Thaumatomyrmex contumax and Thaumatomyrmex sp. Twenty-six ant species had true colonies within the termitaria. The Formicidae species richness in the nests was inversely related to the degree of termite activity in the nests. The occurrence of living, decadent or abandoned termitaria of Nasutitermes spp. in cacao plantations foments the heterogeneity of habitats available in the plantations and favors the maintenance of high diversity of organisms that use obligatory or opportunistically this substrate.

As formigas estão entre os mais comuns artrópodes colonizadores de ninhos de térmitas. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar a mirmecofauna associada a ninhos de térmitas encontrados em um cacaual no município de Ilhéus, Bahia, Brasil, com ênfase na fauna que utiliza os ninhos como ambiente de forrageio e/ou nidificação. Para tanto, 34 ninhos ativos, decadentes e abandonados de Nasutitermes corniger, N. ephratae e Nasutitermes sp., com diferentes volumes e graus de atividade, foram analisados. Um total de 54 espécies de formigas, pertencentes a 23 gêneros e cinco subfamílias, foi encontrado nas construções. Os ninhos de térmitas em atividade, decadência e abandonados apresentaram, respectivamente, seis, oito e 48 espécies de formigas. Crematogaster acuta e Ectatomma tuberculatum foram as espécies mais freqüentes nos ninhos em atividade e em decadência, respectivamente. Nos ninhos abandonados, as espécies mais freqüentes foram Solenopsis pollux, Thaumatomyrmex contumax e Thaumatomyrmex sp. Vinte e seis espécies de formigas possuíam colônias verdadeiras dentro dos termiteiros. A riqueza de espécies de Formicidae nos ninhos mostrou-se inversamente proporcional ao grau de atividade dos térmitas nos ninhos. A ocorrência de termiteiros ativos, em decadência ou abandonados de Nasutitermes spp. em cacauais amplia a heterogeneidade dos habitats disponíveis nas plantações e favorece a manutenção de uma elevada diversidade de organismos que utilizam obrigatoriamente ou oportunamente esse substrato.

Prenatal exposure to diaethylstilbestrol in the rat inhibits transabdominal testicular descent with involvement of the INSL3/LGR8 system and HOXA10 / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Prenatal exposure to diaethylstilbestrol (DES) has been found to lead to intra-abdominal cryptorchidism, but the mechanism is still not completely clear. This study investigated the roles of the INSL3/LGR8 system and HOXA10 in DES-induced intra-abdominal cryptorchidism (DIIAC). The effect of DES on steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1), that has been reported to control transcription of insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3), was also investigated.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty pregnant female SD rats at embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5) were randomly assigned to five groups that received a subcutaneous injections of dimethyl sulfoxide (control), 2.5 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, or 20 mg/kg of DES. Male offspring were sacrificed at E19.5, and fetal mortality and the degree of transabdominal testicular ascent (DTA) were determined under a stereomicroscope. The mRNA expression of INSL3 and SF-1 in the testis and leucine rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptors 8 (LGR8) and homeobox-A10 (HOXA10) in the gubernaculum were determined by RT-PCR. The expression of INSL3 protein was determined by Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Higher fetal mortality and DTA were induced by DES in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the expression of INSL3 and SF-1 mRNA were down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01), as was INSL3 protein; HOXA10 in the 2.5 mg/kg group and LGR8 mRNA in the 2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05); HOXA10 mRNA in groups C, D, and E decreased significantly and LGR8 mRNA levels in groups D and E increased significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>DES can inhibit transabdominal testicular descent in a dose-dependent manner via down-regulating the expression of INSL3, which is induced by down-regulating the expression of SF-1. HOXA10 may not be involved in DES induced intra-abdominal cryptorchidism at 2.5 mg/kg, but is involved at 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg. LGR8 may not be responsible for DES-induced transabdominal testicular maldescent.</p>

Exploratory studies on the karyotypes of seven species of the ant neotropical genus pseudomyrmex (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE: PSEUDOMYRMECINAE)

The karyotypes of Neotropical Pseudomyrmecinae were analyzed for the first time. Seven species belongingto the Pseudomyrmex genus from four Brazilian localities had their chromosome number and morphologystudied. Six of the nine species groups of Pseudomyrmex were sampled. Chromosome numbers rangedfrom 2n=24 to 2n=70, characterized in acrocentrics and metacentrics. Our cytogenetic studies indicatethat, as in other ants, karyoptype evolution in Pseudomyrmex may have evolved increasing chromosomenumber and diversifying chromosome morphology, minimizing genetics risks for deleterious mutationsthrough centric fission and pericentric inversion. Such a karyotypic diversity is also recognized in otherants’ subfamilies, especially Myrmeciinae, Ponerinae and Myrmicinae. These first cytogenetic studies in thegenus Pseudomyrmex should contribute with other data to the evolutionary history of the Pseudomyrmecinaesubfamily.

Caracterizacão de ninhos e tamanho de colônia de Acromyrmex rugosus (F. Smith) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Attini) em restingas de Ilhéus, BA, Brasil / Characterization of nest and colony size of Acromyrmex rugosus (F. Smith) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Attini) in sandbanks at Ilhéus, BA, Brazil

Oito ninhos de Acromyrmex rugosus foram escavados para estudar sua estrutura e estimar sua populacão. Esses ninhos eram sempre encontrados escondidos por plantas; apresentaram pequena quantidade de solo e tinham 1 ou 2 entradas; uma delas tinham a forma de um "U" invertido. Internamente, o número de câmaras foi variável e o volume de fungo foi pequeno(X=196 ml). O total da populacão do ninho foi aproximadamente, 895 indivíduos.

Neuropile organization in the brain of Acromyrmex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) during the post-embryonic development

A neurópila é a região do sistema nervoso central onde ocorrem as sinapses entre as ramificações dos neurônios. Durante o desenvolvimento de um inseto holometábolo pode ocorrer a quebra das fibras dos neurônios formando novos axônios e dendritos e sua distribuição na neurópila do cérebro é organizada de modo a refletir funções específicas do sistema nervoso dos insetos adultos. Os componentes desta organização foram observados e discutidos neste estudo na formiga Acromyrmex octospinosus evidenciando aspectos similares para aqueles descritos para A. subterraneus subterraneus, dentre outros insetos para os quais esta informação está disponível.