ABSTRACT
We present the first records on pollination biology of Jacquemontia montana (Moric.) Meisn. (Convolvulaceae), a widespread climber in the Chapada Diamantina. Our objectives were to (1) characterise flower morphology and biology of J. montana; (2) sample flower visitors and (3) make inferences about potential pollinators, based on foraging behaviour. Observations and sampling were performed on two patches from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, May 15th to 16th, 2007. The corolla is bowl shaped, pentamerous, gamopetalous, actinomorphic, and yellow, with a mean diameter of 22.43 ± 1.81 mm, the depth being variable during flower phases. Stigma receptivity lasted from 8:00 AM-3:30 PM and pollen viability from 9:00 AM-3:30 PM Pollen. showed great decline in number but not in viability during anthesis. Nectarivorous (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera) and herbivorous (Orthoptera) insects were found on the flowers. Both male and female bees (Dialictus spp., Robertson 1902) were the most frequent flower visitor. The bees' behaviour, and time spent on flowers, varied according to the resource gathered (i.e., pollen or nectar). The Dialictus species are likely to be the main pollinator of J. montana, considering the frequency, contact with reproductive parts, and carrying only J. montana pollen spread over the ventral part of the thorax, abdomen and legs. Although not quantified, nectar may still be available in the afternoon, considering the behaviour of bees on flowers during this time. Pollen:ovule ration that was1.200:4, suggests facultative xenogamy.
Apresentamos os primeiros registros sobre a biologia da polinização de Jacquemontia montana (Moric.) Meisn. (Convolvulaceae), uma trepadeira com ampla distribuição na Chapada Diamantina, Bahia. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: (1) caracterizar a morfologia e biologia floral; (2) amostrar os visitantes; e (3) inferir os possíveis polinizadores, baseando-se no comportamento de forrageio. Observações e amostragens foram conduzidas em duas manchas das 8:00 às 15:30 horas, nos dias 15 e 16 de maio de 2007. A corola é amarela, tem forma de disco, pentâmera, gamopétala, actinomorfa. A corola exposta tem largura média de 22,43 ± 1,81 mm. A receptividade estigmática ocorre das 8:00 às 15:30 horas e a viabilidade polínica das 9:00 às 15:30 horas, se sobrepondo fortemente. O pólen, porém, apresentou forte declínio em número, devido à retirada pelos visitantes, mas não em viabilidade durante a antese. Insetos nectarívoros (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera) e herbívoros (Orthoptera) visitaram as flores. Hymenoptera incluiu representantes das famílias Formicidae (formigas) e Halictidae (Dialictus spp.). Machos e fêmeas de Dialictus spp. foram os visitantes mais frequentes. O comportamento e duração das visitas dessas abelhas variaram conforme o recurso coletado (i.e., pólen ou néctar). As espécies de Dialictus foram os polinizadores potenciais de J. montana, considerando sua frequência, contato com órgãos reprodutivos, e pelo fato de carregar apenas pólen de J. montana na superfície ventral do tórax, abdome e pernas. Embora não tenha sido quantificado, o néctar deve estar disponível até o final da tarde, considerando o comportamento das abelhas nas flores nesse período. A relação pólen:óvulo, no valor de 1.200:4, sugere a ocorrência de xenogamia facultativa.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Male , Convolvulaceae/physiology , Flowers/physiology , Pollination/physiology , Brazil , Coleoptera/physiology , Diptera/physiology , Hymenoptera/physiology , Orthoptera/physiology , Pollen/physiology , Reproduction/physiologyABSTRACT
The volume of secretion obtained from adult Zonocerus variegatus (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae) was influenced by the type of food plants. Insects fed on leaves of cassava Manihot esculenta, bitter leaves Vernonia amygdalina, and a mixture of M. esculenta and Acalypha wilkesiana gave a good volume of secretion while Chromolaena odorata, Elaeis guinensis, Aspilia africana and Citrus sinensis did not favour secretion production. No significant difference was recorded in the volume of secretion obtained from Z. variegatus from the two seasons irrespective of the food plant. Similarly, food plants gave no significant difference on the volume of secretion between the two seasons.
Subject(s)
Animals , Scent Glands , Orthoptera/physiology , PlantsABSTRACT
Zonocerus variegatus is a common grasshopper in parts of west and equtorial Africa. The distribution in Nigeria extends from the lowland rainforest zone to the savannah in the north. The influence of lure on the behaviour of grasshopper inside cages (120 insect per cage) was investigated. Nymphs and adults of Zonocerus variegatus responded positively to intact leaves, crushed leaves and inflorescence of the common compositae weed Chromolaena odorata inside muslin bags, and intact plants. There were significant differences in the attraction recorded for starved nymphs, fed nymphs and starved adults. Attraction was more to intact leaves and is by olfaction. The increase in the attraction of starved nymphs is time dependent. Attraction to plant parts ceased after the plants were dried for 24 and 48 hours at room temperature and when plants were placed in transparent polythene bags. Gut motility and gut activity were higher during the day than at night. Nymphs, adults and egg pods placed separately inside muslin bags were not attractive to adults or nymphs.
Subject(s)
Animals , Orthoptera/physiology , Food Preferences/physiology , Appetitive Behavior , Nymph , PlantsABSTRACT
Learning and memory consolidation was investigated in the mantis Stagmatoptera biocellata, by two succesive trainings: a) the attak (A) avoidance training in which animals were not allowed to catch a mobile star, fallowed by the deimatic reaction (DR) avoidance training of not displaying this defensive response, or b) DR-avoidance training followed by A-avoidance training. The results showed that the presence and the 1 of A-avoidance learning and DR-avoidance learning did not affect the learning of the other training. Total retention of A-avoidance memory was demostrated when A-avoidance training was given first, whereas DR-avoidance memory was significantly lost (716%) when the DR-avoidance training was given first. The retroactive forgetting of DR-avoidance memory is considered as retrograde amnesia rather than retroactive memory inhibition because it depends on the activity during A-avoidance training (number of attacks) and not the quantity of A-avoidance learning. The magnitude of the amnesia effect due to this distracting activity in the A-avoidance training appears to be remarkably similar to that reported in a previous work using nitrogen-induced anoxia as the amnesia factor
Subject(s)
Animals , Behavior, Animal/physiology , Memory/physiology , Orthoptera/physiologyABSTRACT
Durante levantamentos realizados de 1983 a 1988, um total de 1.762 coletas, totalizando 3.312 indivíduos da paquinha, Scapteriscus borellii, foram feitas, principalmente no Estado de Säo Paulo, Brasil. As coletas ajustavam-se bem na totalidade, a uma distribuiçäo binomial negativa e também quando decomposta a coletas mensais. Das coletas, um iridovirus, um nematóide entomogênico, e os fungos Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana, Paecilomyces sp., Aspergillus sp., Sorsporella sp., e Entomophtora sp., foram encontrados como agentes de mortalidade natural, ainda que como endozoóticos e relativamente rara como epizoóticos ou panzoóticos. Como um conjunto, as doenças também foram distribuídas em forma binomial negativa. Estes dados implicam que as agregaçöes temporais e espaciais das paquinhas, determinadas por taxas elevadas de migraçäo entre habitats apropriados, säo respostas para enfrentar os surtos de doenças que também servem como reguladoras dos níveis populacionais da paquinha. Essas idéias säo desenvolvidas e derivadas de modelos matemáticos simples de mudanças de populaçöes