Production and marketing of Tuber floridanum ­ ecology and gastronomic value of a recently described truffle species

Tuber floridanum is the first truffle species reported in Brazil and little is known about its nutritional properties and ecology. Therefore, this study aimed to (1) determine T. floridanum aroma and nutritional properties and (2) analyze cultivation and fruiting conditions, including potential crop pests and market value. Fruiting bodies of T. floridanum showed a slightly ellipsoid shape and smooth to shallow groovy surface. The mass of ascocarps ranged from 0.13 g to 15.95 g, and the truffle was composed of 71 % carbohydrates, 19 % protein, 5 % ash, and 5 % of fat. Octan-3-one, 1-methoxy-3-methyl-butane, and 1-methoxy-2-methyl-butane determined T. floridanum characteristic aroma. Soil properties were also specific for this truffle, differing from optimal soils where commercial truffles are produced. In addition, the occurrence of earwigs (Anisolabididae, Anisolabidinae) feeding on truffles (26 % of all ascocarps) in pecan orchards may reduce truffle quality and cause financial losses. T. floridanum aroma has a unique composition, completely different from any commercial and non-commercial truffle species analyzed so far. Soil conditions in pecan orchards were also specific for truffle fruiting. Further studies should elucidate other ecological conditions for the co-production of T. floridanum with pecan.(AU)

Dispersal of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: Evidence and Insights for Ecological Studies.

Dispersal is a critical ecological process that modulates gene flow and contributes to the maintenance of genetic and taxonomic diversity within ecosystems. Despite an increasing global understanding of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal diversity, distribution and prevalence in different biomes, we have largely ignored the main dispersal mechanisms of these organisms. To provide a geographical and scientific overview of the available data, we systematically searched for the direct evidence on the AM fungal dispersal agents (abiotic and biotic) and different propagule types (i.e. spores, extraradical hyphae or colonized root fragments). We show that the available data (37 articles) on AM fungal dispersal originates mostly from North America, from temperate ecosystems, from biotic dispersal agents (small mammals) and AM fungal spores as propagule type. Much lesser evidence exists from South American, Asian and African tropical systems and other dispersers such as large-bodied birds and mammals and non-spore propagule types. We did not find strong evidence that spore size varies across dispersal agents, but wind and large animals seem to be more efficient dispersers. However, the data is still too scarce to draw firm conclusions from this finding. We further discuss and propose critical research questions and potential approaches to advance the understanding of the ecology of AM fungi dispersal.

Three new species of Zygothrica (Diptera: Drosophilidae) from the Neotropical region, Brazil

ABSTRACT Zygothrica (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an almost entirely Neotropical genus, with thirteen species found in other biogeographical regions. The genus includes around 130 valid species, of which 54 occur in Brazil. There have been no new descriptions of species of this genus since the 1987s, although a large number of undescribed species are recognized in entomological collections. Here, three species of Zygothrica Wiedemann (1830) are described from Brazil, and figures are presented for external morphology and terminalia.

Four new Neotropical species in the Hirtodrosophila hirticornis species group (Diptera: Drosophilidae).

Hirtodrosophila Duda, 1923 (Diptera, Drosophilidae) is a worldwide genus associated with fungi that encompasses 30 Neotropical species. They are gathered into four clusters: glabrifrons species group (Burla 1956), hirticornis species group (Burla 1956), magnarcus species group (Frota-Pessoa 1951), and thoracis species group (Grimaldi 1987), although there are still some ungrouped species. Nevertheless, their species richness is highly underestimated, and several unknown species of the genus have been sampled in different Brazilian regions. The known Neotropical flies of the hirticornis group belong to a set of four yellow sibling species, which are very difficult to identify based only on external morphology, a fact that partially explains the knowledge gap regarding ecology, biology, and evolution of the group. However, these species are easily sampled around some fungi fruiting bodies, particularly over Auricularia spp. (Auriculariales, Auriculariaceae). In the last years, we collected some hundreds of specimens, which allowed us to detect some common but yet undescribed species. Thus, here we describe four new Neotropical species in the hirticornis group.

Population growth of the stored product pest Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Acaridae) on environmentally and medically important fungi.

The stored food mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acari: Acaridae) has been associated with the presence of several fungal species. The aims of this work were to evaluate T. putrescentiae population growth associated to environmental and medically important fungal species to determine on which fungal species populations of T. putrescentiae performs best, and to evaluate their ability to disperse each fungal species. First, 24 fungal species were inoculated separately in Petri dishes containing Sabouraud agar medium. One week after inoculation, 50 mites were added to each plate. On the 28th evaluation day, mites and eggs were counted in each plate, and 50 mites randomly collected from each replicate were transferred to new plates containing only Sabouraud agar medium. Then, mites, eggs, and fungal population were evaluated in each plate on day 28 again. The highest population increases were on Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Alternaria sp., Microsporum gypseum, and Aspergillus chevalieri. With Fusarium guttiforme and the medically important fungi Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, T. mentagrophytes, and Sporothrix sp., mites were observed to feed on whole mycelium. Only eight fungal species were dispersed by T. putrescentiae to the new Petri dishes: Aspergillus clavatus, Candida tropicalis, Candida albicans, Fusarium guttiforme, Hyphopichia burtonii, Penicillium citrinum, Rhizophus azygosporus, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The best performance of T. putrescentiae was found feeding on F. guttiforme, P. citrinum, and T. mentagrophytes. In conclusion, T. putrescentiae successfully used fungi as a food source, and it proved to be an important tool for disseminating both environmental and medically important fungi.

The Onthophagus fuscus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) species complex: an update and the description of a new species.

The Onthophagus fuscus Boucomont, 1932 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Onthophagini) species complex has a total of eight species, one of which is a new species (Onthophagus orizabensis new species) and three are elevated from the subspecies level (O. canescens Zunino Halffter, 1988 new rank; O. mycetorum Zunino Halffter, 1988 new rank; O. parafuscus Zunino Halffter, 2005 new rank). Onthophagus navarretorum Delgado Capistan, 1996 is included, while Onthophagus semiopacus has been removed from the species complex. The distribution map and key for the identification of species in this species complex are updated. Habitat preferences, ecological tolerance, and the restriction of this species complex to the mountains of the Mexican Transition Zone are discussed.

Two new species of the Phanaeus endymion species group (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae).

Phanaeus bravoensissp. n. is described from the coniferous-oak forests in the state of Guerrero, and P. huicholsp. n. from coniferous-oak forests and cloud forests in Jalisco and Nayarit. The new species are closely related to P. halffterorum and P. zoque respectively. Morphological trait combination, geographic distribution, and trophic habits show important differences among the studied species. A distribution map and an updated key to separate the species are included.

ResumenDescribimos a Phanaeus bravoensissp. n. proveniente de los bosques de coníferas y encino del estado de Guerrero, y a P. huicholsp. n. de los bosques de coníferas y encino y bosques de niebla de Jalisco y Nayarit. Las nuevas especies están cercanamente relacionadas con P. halffterorum y P. zoque, respectivamente. Las combinaciones de caracteres morfológicos, áreas de distribución geográfica y los hábitos alimenticios muestran diferencias importantes entre las especies estudiadas. Incluimos un mapa de distribución y una clave actualizada para separar a las especies.

Ocorrência de psyllobora confluens (fabricius) (coleoptera: coccinellidae) em quiabeiro abelmoschus esculentus l. em andradina, sp

ABSTRACT Species of the genera Psyllobora (Coccinellidae) are mychophagists acting as important biological control agents of fungi in nature. In this work it was reported the occurrence of the lady beetle Psyllobora confluens (Fabricius) in powdery mildew, Erysiphe cichoracearum De Candolle infected okra plants, in the Andradina municipality, western region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The species occurrence was determined by a populational survey conducted bi-weekly in okra, Santa Cruz cultivar, selecting 20 plants and collecting different developmental stages of the coccinellid. During the survey 621 larvae, 78 pupae and 68 adults of P. confluens were collected. The incidence of P. confluens indicates the importance of this lady beetle as biological control agent of E. cichoracearum in okra. It is claimed to be the first report about the presence of P. confluens in okra in the western region of São Paulo State.

RESUMO Coccinelídeos do gênero Psyllobora apresentam hábito micófago, atuando como importantes agentes de controle natural de fungos. Neste trabalho registrou-se a ocorrência da joaninha Psyllobora confluens (Fabricius) em cultura do quiabeiro com incidência de oídio, Erysiphe cichoracearum De Candolle, em Andradina, região oeste do Estado de São Paulo. A ocorrência da espécie foi determinada por meio de levantamento populacional realizado quinzenalmente, selecionandose 20 plantas da cultivar Santa Cruz para a coleta das diferentes fases de desenvolvimento do coccinelídeo. Durante as amostragens, capturou-se 621 larvas, 78 pupas e 68 adultos de P. confluens. A alta incidência de P. confluens em quiabeiro evidencia a importância desse agente benéfico no controle biológico do fungo E. cichoracearum. Ressalta-se que este constitui o primeiro registro de P. confluens em quiabeiro na região oeste do Estado de São Paulo.