New records of interaction between Pseudoxenos (Strepsiptera) and the solitary wasp Pachodynerus grandis in Brazil (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) with an updated worldwide checklist of eumenine host species of Pseudoxenos.

Interactions between Strepsiptera (Pseudoxenos Saunders, 1872) and solitary wasps (Eumeninae) are recorded for the first time in Brazil for Pachodynerus grandis Willink Roig-Alsina, 1998. An updated worldwide checklist of the host species of Eumeninae for Pseudoxenos is provided.

A phylogenetic investigation of the Neotropical genus Alphamenes van der Vecht, 1977 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae)

ABSTRACT Advances in potter wasp systematics have been achieved recently, with classificatory changes resulting from analyses based upon large scale molecular datasets. For the Neotropics, recent hypotheses point to the occurrence of an exclusive clade recognized within the tribe Eumenini. In this group, several contributions regarding taxonomy and systematics have been proposed in the last five years, including the genus Alphamenes. This taxon contains seven described species whose distribution is exclusively Neotropical. Females are morphologically homogeneous, and characters related to copulatory organs are useful in male diagnosis. This contribution forms the first phylogenetic approach to include all species of Alphamenes, hence the first to strongly test for group monophyly. Our cladistic results recovered Alphamenes as a monophyletic group supported by male genital features. Relationships among included species also rely upon genitalic characters, highlighting the importance of these attributes for eumenine systematics. Recent phylogenetic investigations applied to the Neotropical fauna of potter wasps represent desirable advancements towards a natural classification for the group.

A revision of the Neotropical eumenine wasp genus Stenosigma Giordani Soika, 1978 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae).

The Neotropical eumenine wasp genus Stenosigma Giordani Soika, 1978 is revised. Stenosigma mariae Ferreira Hermes sp. nov. and S. panamensis Ferreira Hermes sp. nov. are proposed as new. An updated identification key for species, new distributional records, and additional information on the species currently recognized within the genus are presented.

Different extenders in the cryopreservation of bovine epididymal spermatozoa.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two different egg yolk extenders incubated with or without Sperm Talp on the motility and plasma membrane integrity of cryopreserved bovine epididymal spermatozoa after freezing. Twenty-five testicles with epididymides from mature bulls were collected at the abattoir. Epididymal sperm recovery was performed by retrograde flushing using a skim milk-extender (Botu-Semen™). After recovery, sperm were incubated either without or with Sperm Talp and then submitted to centrifugation. For the freezing process, half of the testes were processed with Tris egg yolk extender, and half were processed with Botu-Bov™ egg yolk extender. Samples incubated in Sperm Talp exhibited better results than epididymal spermatozoa that were incubated without Sperm Talp (p<0.05). Both Botu-Bov™ and Tris could be utilised to freeze sperm from the bovine epididymides if the sperm were previously incubated with Sperm Talp. The extenders examined in this work did not differ in their effect on plasma membrane integrity after freezing.