The rediscovery of Rhodnius domesticus Neiva & Pinto, 1923 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Rhodnius domesticus Neiva & Pinto, 1923 is a rare sylvatic triatomine endemic to the Atlantic Forest, with one known record for Espírito Santo (ES), Brazil from 1969. We present here its rediscovery in ES, 42 years after its first record. METHODS: In January 2011, a triatomine specimen was collected from a rural area of the municipality of Santa Teresa, ES. RESULTS: We confirmed this as a new record of R. domesticus in the Baixo Caldeirão locality. CONCLUSIONS: This finding supports the possibility of a wild population of R. domesticus in the mountainous region of the Atlantic forest of ES.

Ocorrência sinantrópica da aranha-marrom Loxosceles laeta (Araneae, Sicariidae) em áreas serranas no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, e notas sobre loxoscelismo / Synanthropic occurrence of the brown-spider Loxosceles laeta (Araneae, Sicariidae) in mountainous areas of Minas Gerais State, Brazil, with notes on loxoscelism

Introdução: Dentre as aranhas-marrons, Loxosceles laeta é responsável por casos de loxoscelismo de maior gravidade, com maior taxa de letalidade. A espécie é invasora, sinantrópica e encontra-se amplamente disseminada, incluindo alguns estados brasileiros. Objetivos: São apresentados novos registros geográficos de L. laeta em Minas Gerais e dados epidemiológicos de loxoscelismo. Metodologia: Os registros foram obtidos com amostragens faunísticas e análise de coleção científica e foi consultado o banco de dados epidemiológicos do Sinan Net. Resultados e Discussão: Loxosceles laeta foi registrada na região do Quadrilátero Ferrífero (extremo sul da Serra do Espinhaço), nos municípios de Ouro Preto e Belo Horizonte (registro prévio em literatura); e na Serra da Mantiqueira (incluindo seu extremo noroeste e o sul do estado), nos municípios de Barbacena, Carandaí e Jacutinga. Em todas as coletas as aranhas estavam no intradomicílio e as localidades de registro compartilham características ambientais, especialmente elevadas altitudes (acima de 1.000 m). Loxosceles laeta é apontada como espécie de elevada importância médica nas serras do Quadrilátero e da Mantiqueira. Acerca da epidemiologia dos acidentes, ao longo de nove anos foram notificados 446 casos de loxoscelismo nos cinco municípios de ocorrência de L. laeta, incluindo um óbito em Jacutinga e outro nas proximidades de Barbacena. É possível que ao menos parte desses caso tenha sido causada por L. laeta, especialmente os óbitos. Conclusão: Conclui-se que L. laeta foi introduzida e encontra-se estabelecida em regiões serranas do sudeste e sul de Minas Gerais, onde há risco de graves casos de loxoscelismo. (AU)

Introduction: Among brown spiders, Loxosceles laeta is responsible for the most severe cases of loxoscelism and the highest lethality rate. The species is invasive, synanthropic and widely disseminated, including occurrences in some Brazilian states. Objectives: We present new geographical records of L. laeta for the state of Minas Gerais, and epidemiological data on cases of loxoscelism. Methods: The records were obtained from faunistic sampling and analysis of scientific collections, while epidemiological data were acquired from consulting the Sinan Net database. Results and Discussion: Loxosceles laeta was recorded in the Iron Quadrangle, municipalities of Ouro Preto and Belo Horizonte; and the Mantiqueira Mountain Range (including its extreme northwest, and southern extensions of the State), municpalities of Barbacena, Carandaí and Jacutinga. In all cases the spiders were inside houses, and the recorded localities shared a set of environmental characteristics, especially being at high elevations (over 1,000 m). Loxosceles laeta is considered to be a species of high medical importance in the Iron Quadrangle and Mantiqueira mountains. Over a period of nine years, 446 cases of loxoscelism were reported from the five municipalities where L. laeta occurs, including a death in Jacutinga and another in the vicinity of Barbacena. It is possible that at least some of these cases were caused by L. laeta, but particularly the deaths. Conclusion: We conclude that L. laeta was introduced to the mountainous regions of southeastern and southern Minas Gerais, where it has become established and now poses a is a risk of severe cases of loxoscelism. (AU)

Novos registros geográficos da aranha-marrom Loxosceles amazonicaGertsch, 1967 (Araneae, Sicariidae) no Nordeste do Brasil e sua importância médica / New geographic records of the brown spider Loxosceles amazonica Gertsch, 1967 (Araneae, Sicariidae) in Northeastern Brazil and its medical importance

Introdução: as espécies de Loxosceles, conhecidas como aranhas-marrons, são consideradas de importância médica, sendo responsáveis pela forma mais grave de araneísmo no Brasil. Loxosceles amazonica é uma espécie ainda pouco estudada e com ampla distribuição geográfica no Norte, Nordeste e Centro-Oeste do Brasil, embora seja reportada em poucas localidades. Objetivos: neste trabalho são apresentados novos registros geográficos de L. amazonica no Nordeste do Brasil. Métodos: foram obtidos registros ocasionais da aranha em coletas herpetológicas ou fortuitamente em ambientes urbanos, entre setembro de 2011 e outubro de 2012. Resultados: foram encontrados espécimes nos estados da Paraíba (Matureia e Serra Branca), Pernambuco (Serra Talhada) e Maranhão (Itapecuru Mirim, Santa Inês, Arari, Buriticupu e Bom Jesus das Selvas) de forma sinantrópica, associados a residências e em áreas alteradas, e de forma autóctone em matas secundárias, nos domínios da Amazônia e da Caatinga. Conclusões: há poucas informações sobre a epidemiologia de acidentes com L. amazonica, mas é provável que a espécie seja o principal agente etiológico de loxoscelismo em sua área de distribuição, o que permite reconhecê-la como de importância médica.

Introduction: Loxosceles species, known as brown-spiders, are considered to be of medical importance, being responsible for the most severe form of araneism in Brazil. Loxosceles amazonica is a still little studied species with wide geographic distribution in Northern, Northeastern, and Central-Western Brazil, although it is reported in a few localities. Objectives: new geographic records of L. amazonica are reported in northeastern Brazil in this study. Methods: occasional records for this spider were obtained in herpetological studies or fortuitously in urban environments, between September of 2011 and August of 2012. Results: specimens were found in the States of Paraíba (Maturéia and Serra Branca), Pernambuco (Serra Talhada), and Maranhão (Itapecuru Mirim, Santa Inés, Arari, Buriticupu, and Bom Jesus das Selvas) in a synanthropic form associated with houses in altered areas, and in an autochthonous form in secondary forests, in Amazon and the Caatinga domains. Conclusions: there is little information about the epidemiologyof accidents with L. amazonica, however, it is likely that the species is the primary etiological agent of loxoscelism in its distribution area, which allows recognizing the species as of medical importance

Is the population of Crotalus durissus (Serpentes, Viperidae) expanding in Brazil?

Crotalus durissus are found from Mexico to northern Argentina in a highly disjunct distribution. According to some studies, this species is prone to occupy areas disturbed by human activities and floods comprise a plausible method of dispersal as inferred for some North American rattlesnakes. Based on the literature, it seems plausible that Crotalus durissus expanded their natural distribution in Brazil due to floods, but only in a few municipalities in Rio de Janeiro State. Data entries of Butantan Institute, in São Paulo, Brazil, from 1998 to 2012 show a declining tendency of snakes brought by donors. In addition, research shows no evidence of Crotalus durissus being an expanding species in the Brazilian territory.(AU)

Is the population of Crotalus durissus (Serpentes, Viperidae) expanding in Brazil?

Crotalus durissus are found from Mexico to northern Argentina in a highly disjunct distribution. According to some studies, this species is prone to occupy areas disturbed by human activities and floods comprise a plausible method of dispersal as inferred for some North American rattlesnakes. Based on the literature, it seems plausible that Crotalus durissus expanded their natural distribution in Brazil due to floods, but only in a few municipalities in Rio de Janeiro State. Data entries of Butantan Institute, in São Paulo, Brazil, from 1998 to 2012 show a declining tendency of snakes brought by donors. In addition, research shows no evidence of Crotalus durissus being an expanding species in the Brazilian territory.