Qualitative Real-Time PCR SYBR Green Detection of Petri Disease Fungi

Real-time PCR provides a fast, reliable, and cost-effective method for detecting the presence or absence of Petri disease fungi in grapevines. The primer pairs, Pmo1f + Pmo2r, and Pac1f + Pac2r, were designed for species and genus-specific amplification of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium spp. respectively, using realtime PCR with SYBR® Green. The primers were specific and showed no primer-primer dimers until after 35 cycles. Pa. chlamydospora was detected in roots, shoots, and young trunks of drill-inoculated vines. Phaeoacremonium was detected in trunk cross-sections of naturally infected vines from which Phaeoacremonium aleophilum had been isolated. The protocol presented here can be adapted to provide a reliable detection system for research and industry

Manganese Oxidation in Petri Disease Fungi as a Novel Taxonomic Character

Manganese (Mn) oxidation was evaluated for Petri disease fungi by using potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with Mn sulfate. Phaeomoniella chlamydospora showed reduced growth on PDA amended with 3000 ppm Mn sulfate and exhibited no growth at higher concentrations. All Phaeoacremonium spp. evaluated were manganese tolerant and grew on PDA amended with as much as 6000 ppm Mn sulfate. Phaeoacremonium viticola and P. angustius s.s. oxidized manganese in vitro. Stereum hirsutum and Fomitiporia punctata, known white-rot basidiomycetes, were used as controls. Stereum hirsutum oxidized Mn in vitro and grew on PDA amended with 6000 ppm Mn sulfate. Fomitiporia punctata had reduced growth at 300 ppm and no growth at higher concentrations of Mn sulfate with no clear evidence of Mn oxidation

Population biology of spine shrimp Exhippolysmata oplophoroides (Holthuis) (Caridea, Hippolytidae) in a subtropical region, São Paulo, Brazil Biologia populacional do camarão espinho Exhippolysmata oplophoroides (Holthuis) (Caridea, Hippolytidae) numa região subtropical, São Paulo, Brasil

The population biology of Exhippolysmata oplophoroides (Holthuis, 1948) was studied in Ubatuba Bay (23º26'S, 45º02'W), Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, from September/1995 to August/1996. Each sampling comprised eight transects (14 000 m² each), sampled monthly with three repetitions. The specimens were classified with respect to the presence or absence of eggs in the abdominal appendages. Spine-shrimps occurred only on six transects, being most abundant on transect II, with the highest incidence in late spring and throughout the summer months. Ovigerous and non-ovigerous shrimps were present year-round, in an approximately similar proportion (1:1). Site II in Ubatuba Bay is characterized by high salinity and oxygen values, temperature between 26 and 29ºC, low organic matter content in the sediment, and a bottom composed of very fine sand; these environment and biological features allow the establishment and maintenance of the population of E. oplophoroides.<br>A biologia populacional de Exhippolysmata oplophoroides (Holthuis, 1948) foi estudada na enseada de Ubatuba (23º26'S, 45º02'W), Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brasil, de setembro de 1995 até agosto de 1996. Cada amostragem compreendeu oito transectos (14000 m² cada), amostrados mensalmente com três repetições. Os espécimes foram classificados quanto à presença ou ausência de ovos nos apêndices abdominais. Os camarões espinhos ocorreram somente em seis transectos, sendo mais abundantes no transecto II, com a maior incidência no final da primavera e ao longo dos meses de verão. Indivíduos ovígeros e não ovígeros estiveram presentes o ano todo, numa proporção semelhante a 1:1. O transecto II é caracterizado por altos valores de salinidade e oxigênio, temperatura entre 26 e 29º C, baixo teor de matéria orgânica e sedimento composto por areia muito fina. Tais características biológicas e ambientais permitem o estabelecimento e a manutenção da população de E. oplophoroides na região de estudo

Espécies do gênero Munida Leach (Crustacea, Decapoda, Galatheidae), distribuídas na costa do Brasil Species of the genus Munida Leach (Crustacea, Decapoda, Galatheidae) with distribution in the Brazilian coast

<abstract language="eng">The purpose of this work is to analyse the taxonomy and distributional patterns of the species of the genus Munida Leach, 1820 which occur along the Brazilian coast. The species of Munida present some peculiar characteristics, rarely found in any other marine group. They live in groups with great number of individuals (gregariousness) and with several species found together in the same population (sintopy). In addition, they exhibit a great degree of intraspeciftc variation and, paradoxally, a little variability among the species. These factors make a better understanding of the systematics of this group very difficult. In the present study the utilization of non variable characters was emphasized. As a corollary of this study, "species-complexes" were defined including groups of species morphologically very similar but yet well characterized. Sixteen species with distribution along the Brazilian coast were studied. An identification key is provided. A general discussion where the main problems on taxonomy and distributional patterns of species were analysed was done