Diet of some passerines in south coast of Espírito Santo State, Brazil

Studies about diet of birds in Atlantic Forest are scarce. In this study, we characterized the diet of Passeriformes from the south coast of Espírito Santo State, Brazil, classifying them into trophic guilds. From 26 species a total of 94 samples were obtained by regurgitation using tartar emetic method. The 855 items found were separated into two different categories: Insects (includes other terrestrial arthropods, such as spiders and opiliones) and Fruits/Seeds. The most frequent food item was Coleopterans, and the most abundant was Hymenoptera

A multifactorial role for P. falciparum malaria in endemic Burkitt\u27s lymphoma pathogenesis

Endemic Burkitt\u27s lymphoma (eBL) arises from the germinal center (GC). It is a common tumor of young children in tropical Africa and its occurrence is closely linked geographically with the incidence of P. falciparum malaria. This association was noted more than 50 years ago. Since then we have learned that eBL contains the oncogenic herpes virus Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and a defining translocation that activates the c-myc oncogene. However the link to malaria has never been explained. Here we provide evidence for a mechanism arising in the GC to explain this association. Accumulated evidence suggests that eBL arises in the GC when deregulated expression of AID (Activation-induced cytidine deaminase) causes a c-myc translocation in a cell latently infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Here we show that P. falciparum targets GC B cells via multiple pathways to increase the risk of eBL. 1. It causes deregulated expression of AID, thereby increasing the risk of a c-myc translocation. 2. It increases the number of B cells transiting the GC. 3. It dramatically increases the frequency of these cells that are infected with EBV and therefore protected from c-myc induced apoptosis. We propose that these activities combine synergistically to dramatically increase the incidence of eBL in individuals infected with malaria

Diet of bromeliad-frog Phyllodytes luteolus (Anura, Hylidae) in Atlantic Forest environments: what have the frogs been eating outside sandy coastal plains?

Knowledge about the diet of anurans in different environments is essential to understanding important aspects of their trophic ecology. The bromeliad-frog Phyllodytes luteolus inhabits tank bromeliads in sandy coastal plains and lowland forests on the mainland, as well as a continental island in southeastern Brazil. In this work, we describe and analyze the diet of P. luteolus in three environments. We obtained the consumed prey items of 92 frogs (32 from sandy coastal plain, 32 from lowland forest and 28 from the island) via a stomach-flushing procedure. We found some variations in consumed prey composition and prey volume across populations, but ants represented the most important consumed prey in all environments. Only ants had a relative importance greater than 50%, which may suggest a specialized diet that transcends the sandy coastal plain environment

Anuran species in a remnant of the Atlantic rainforest in an urban area

Forest fragments in urban areas have many habitat resources that frogs use for refuge, reproduction and growth. Knowledge of an anuran assembly is the first step towards understanding the importance of these forest fragments in areas highly threatened by anthropogenic actions. We sampled anurans during the day and night from November 2012 to August 2013 through visual and acoustic surveys. We found 333 individuals belonging to 19 species. The highest richness and abundance were recorded in January whereas the lowest richness and abundance were recorded in June. Most species were found in open areas. Our results highlight the importance of well-studied urban fragments for the anuran community. The conservation of these habitats may ensure the viability of the ecological functions of this anuran community for the future

A new host for Philornis torquans (Diptera, Muscidae) from the Brazilian Cerrado

Philornis larvae and pupae were collected in nestlings of Neothraupis fasciata (Lichtenstein), the White-banded Tanager (Passeriformes, Thraupidae), in three breeding seasons, between October and November 2003-2005 in a reserve in central Brazil. Here, we present biological data, diagnosis to the recognition of the species and a key to the segregation of species occurring in the Cerrado. The larvae were intradermic in the nestlings and the pupae were collected in the nests after the birds have abandoned them. The immatures collected were taken to the laboratory and reared under laboratory conditions, until emergence. The species identified as Philornis torquans (Nielsen), is here firstly recorded from the Brazilian Cerrado, and firstly recorded its association with N. fasciata. With this record, the number of Philornis species occurring in the Cerrado rises to three

Diet of juveniles of the venomous frog <em>Aparasphenodon brunoi</em> (Amphibia: Hylidae) in southeastern Brazil

Seventy juvenile individuals of Aparasphenodon brunoi were collected on the low parts of tree trunks in an Atlantic Forest remnant. Arthropods were the dominant prey found in their stomachs. Coleoptera (adult and larvae) was the most important prey regarding prey frequency, number, weight, and index of relative importance. Secondary preys included Hymenoptera that was important regarding number of prey and Hemiptera that was important regarding prey weight. Trophic ontogeny was detected. The diversity of prey suggests A. brunoi is an opportunistic sit-and-wait predator

Amphibians of Santa Teresa, Brazil: The Hotspot Further Evaluated

A checklist of the amphibians of Santa Teresa municipality, in southeastern Brazil is presented based on fieldwork, examination of specimens in collections, and a literature review. This new amphibian list of Santa Teresa includes 108 species, of which 106 (~98%) belong to Anura and two (~2%) to Gymnophiona. Hylidae was the most represented family with 47 species (43%). Compared to the previous amphibian lists for Santa Teresa, 14 species were added, 17 previously reported species were removed, and 13 species were re-identified based on recent taxonomic rearrangements. Of the 14 species added, 11 (79%) were first recorded during our fieldwork and specimen examination. It is also the first list of caecilians for Santa Teresa. This list suggests that Santa Teresa has 0.16 species per km2 (i.e., 108 species/683 km2), one of the highest densities of amphibian species in the world at a regional scale. This richness represents 78% of the 136 anurans from Espírito Santo state and 10% of the 1,080 amphibians from Brazil. We highlight the need for long-term monitoring to understand population trends and develop effective conservation plans to safeguard this remarkable amphibian richness

Diet of juveniles of the venomous frog Aparasphenodon brunoi (Amphibia: Hylidae) in southeastern Brazil

Seventy juvenile individuals of Aparasphenodon brunoi were collected on the low parts of tree trunks in an Atlantic Forest remnant. Arthropods were the dominant prey found in their stomachs. Coleoptera (adult and larvae) was the most important prey regarding prey frequency, number, weight, and index of relative importance. Secondary preys included Hymenoptera that was important regarding number of prey and Hemiptera that was important regarding prey weight. Trophic ontogeny was detected. The diversity of prey suggests A. brunoi is an opportunistic sit-and-wait predator

Diet of juveniles of the venomous frog Aparasphenodon brunoi (Amphibia: Hylidae) in southeastern Brazil

Seventy juvenile individuals of Aparasphenodon brunoi were collected on the low parts of tree trunks in an Atlantic Forest remnant. Arthropods were the dominant prey found in their stomachs. Coleoptera (adult and larvae) was the most important prey regarding prey frequency, number, weight, and index of relative importance. Secondary preys included Hymenoptera that was important regarding number of prey and Hemiptera that was important regarding prey weight. Trophic ontogeny was detected. The diversity of prey suggests A. brunoi is an opportunistic sit-and-wait predator