Reproductive biology of Cattleya eldorado, a species of Orchidaceae from the Amazonian white sand campinas

The orchid plants are highly prized for their lush exotic flowers. It is the largest plant family with more than 24000 species, which indicates a high diversity of forms and adaptations to different environments, including the capacity to attract, deceive and manipulate visitors involved in cross-pollination. Cattleya eldorado occurs in areas of white sand campinas, a typical vegetation type of the Amazon region, which is under strong anthropogenic pressure. This work's main objectives to know the biological processes of C. eldorado providing subsidies to maintain and manage it in its natural habitat. This study was conducted from 2000 to 2006 in the Campina Biological Reserve, during its flowering period. C. eldorado is an epiphytic orchid species that has the melittophyly syndrome and is adapted to its pollinator, the bee Eulaema mocsaryi recognizing their flowers by smell and by visual stimuli, through their color and reflection of ultraviolet light. C. eldorado is self-compatible, even if it requires a pollinating agent for the transfer of the pollinarium until its deposition in the stigmatic cavity of the flower.", 'enAs Orchidaceae são muito apreciadas por suas flores exóticas e exuberantes. É a maior família de plantas apresentando mais de 24000 espécies, o que denota uma alta diversidade de formas e adaptações a diferentes ambientes, como também para atração, engano e manipulação de visitantes na realização da polinização cruzada. Cattleya eldorado ocorre em áreas de campinas, que são formações vegetais típicas da região amazônica, que se encontram sob forte ação antrópica. Este trabalho tem como um de seus principais objetivos conhecer parte dos processos biológicos de C. eldorado fornecendo subsídios para conservá-la e manejá-la em seu habitat natural. Este estudo foi desenvolvido na Reserva Biológica de Campina, de 2000 a 2006, durante a sua floração. C. eldorado é uma espécie epifítica que apresenta a síndrome de melitofilia, estando adaptada ao seu polinizador, a abelha Eulaema mocsaryi, que reconhece suas flores pelo odor e pelo estímulo visual através de sua coloração e reflexão de luz ultravioleta. C. eldorado é uma espécie autocompatível, embora necessite de um agente polinizador para a transferência do polinário até sua deposição na cavidade estigmática da flor

First record of Eufriesea laniventris (Ducke, 1902) (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini) in the state of Amazonas, Brazil

The first record of Eufriesea laniventris in the state of Amazonas is here reported. Attracted to 1.8 cineole and methyl salicylate fragrances, six specimens were colected in the region of Manaus (2º 36' S 60º 02' W) during the year 2000.", 'enÉ registrada pela primeira vez a ocorrência de Eufriesea laniventris no Amazonas. No ano 2000, foram coletados seis exemplares na região de Manaus (2º 36' S e 60º 02' W) atraídos pelas substâncias odoríferas 1,8 cineol e salicilato de metila

Inventário da família Orchidaceae na Amazônia Brasileira: parte I Preliminary results of an inventory of the Orchidaceae family in the Brazilian Amazon

São apresentados os resultados parciais de um levantamento sistematizado da família Orchidaceae na Amazônia brasileira. O objetivo do trabalho é conhecer a diversidade específica e aspectos da biologia, biogeografia e ecologia desta família. Foi registrado, até o momento, um total de 378 espécies distribuídas entre 99 gêneros. Destas, algumas são espécies novas para a ciência, cuja a descrição foi feita com base em material tipo coletado pelos autores. Outras são novas citações para a flora brasileira.<br>A total of 378 species of 99 genera were registered, some of these species are new to science while and others are new records for the Brazilian flora

Preferência por estratos florestais e por substâncias odoríferas em abelhas Euglossinae (Hymenoptera, Apidae) Stratification and scents baits preferences in Euglossinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

<abstract language="eng">Euglossinae bees of two areas of Terra Firme forest, near Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil were studied. During one year the collections were done fortnightly, using traps with eight kinds of scent baits. The traps were placed in the understory and in tree crowns. Some species showed a very clear vertical stratification in the forest. The comparison between the strata studied showed that the fauna of one understory is more similar to other than fauna of crowns and the similarity between fauna of understory and fauna of crown of the the two areaswas low. Some species were specialists while most were generalists in their choice of scent baits. Some species varied its preferences during the year

Sazonalidade e horário de atividade de abelhas Euglossinae (Hymenoptera, Apidae), em florestas de terra firme na Amazônia Central Seasonality and daily activity of Euglossinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in terra firme forest in Central Amazonia

<abstract language="eng">Euglossinae bee fauna of two areas of terra firme forest near Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil was compared. Over a twelve-month period collections were done fortnightly, between 7:00 a.m and 5:00 p.m, using traps with eight kinds of scent baits. The traps were placed in the understory and in tree crowns. The majority of species and specimens was most active between August-December, near the beginning of the rainy season in this region. The bees were most active from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., while air temperatures were between 24.5-27ºC, but there was a decline in this activity when air temperature varied above or below of this range. There were differences in the seasonality and in the daily activity patterns for the two areas studied but these differences were not significative

Pollination of Habenaria pleiophylla Hoehne & Schlechter (Orchidaceae) by Heliconius erato phyllis Fabricius (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)

For the first time the pollination of a poorly known, terrestrial orchid, Habenaria pleiophylla Hoehne & Schlechter, 1921 (Orchidaceae) by a passion vine butterfly, Heliconius erato phyllis (Fabricius, 1775) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) is reported. Number of pollinia-carrying individuals was determined on a population of H. erato phyllis in Horto Florestal Barba Negra, Barra do Ribeiro County, Rio Grande do Sul State. The pollination mechanism was described under laboratory conditions, in association with the butterfly feeding habit and the orchid flower morphology. Habenaria pleiophylla pollinia are cemented during nectar feeding on the ventral portion of the compound eyes near H. erato phyllis proboscis base. The pollinia are transferred to the stigma of other flowers during subsequent visits. Both males and females of H. eralo phyllis frequently visit H. pleiophylla flowers in the Barba Negra Forest. About forty percent of field collected adults had attached pollinia, ranging in number from one to 19 per individual. Thus, H. eralo phyllis may play an important role in the reproductive biology of this H. pleiophylla population

Aspectos da biologia de Euplusia violacea (Blanchard) (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini)

<abstract language="eng">Nests of orchid bee Euplusia violacea (Blanchard, 1840) colleted in trap-nests and in the wood of a construction in Viçosa, Minas Gerais (20º45'30"S, 42º52'05"W), Brazil, were studied under laboratory condictions. Some aspects of the biology of these bees were observed, such as sex-ratio, development time, Iongevity and others. Some aspects of the behavior of E. violada were also studied