Abundance and Species Richness of Leafhoppers and Planthoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae and Delphacidae) in Brazilian Maize Crops

Fil: De Oliveira, Charles Martins. Embrapa Cerrados. Planaltina. Brasília/DF; BrazilFil: De Oliveira, Elizabeth. Embrapa Milho e Sorgo. Sete Lagoas/MG; BrazilFil: Prazeres De Souza, Isabel Regina. Embrapa Milho e Sorgo. Sete Lagoas/MG; BrazilFil: Alves, Elcio. DuPont do Brazil S.A. DivisÆo Pioneer Sementes. Itumbiara/GO; BrazilFil: Dolezal, William. Pioneer Hi-Bred International. Itumbiara/GO; BrazilFil: Paradell, Susana Liria. División Entomología. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Marino de Remes Lenicov, Ana María. División Entomología. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Frizzas, Marina Regina. Universidade de Brasília. Departamento de Zoologia. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas. Brasília/DF; Brazi

Establishment of a Bluetongue Virus Infection Model in Mice that Are Deficient in the Alpha/Beta Interferon Receptor

Bluetongue (BT) is a noncontagious, insect-transmitted disease of ruminants caused by the bluetongue virus (BTV). A laboratory animal model would greatly facilitate the studies of pathogenesis, immune response and vaccination against BTV. Herein, we show that adult mice deficient in type I IFN receptor (IFNAR(−/−)) are highly susceptible to BTV-4 and BTV-8 infection when the virus is administered intravenously. Disease was characterized by ocular discharges and apathy, starting at 48 hours post-infection and quickly leading to animal death within 60 hours of inoculation. Infectious virus was recovered from the spleen, lung, thymus, and lymph nodes indicating a systemic infection. In addition, a lymphoid depletion in spleen, and severe pneumonia were observed in the infected mice. Furthermore, IFNAR(−/−) adult mice immunized with a BTV-4 inactivated vaccine showed the induction of neutralizing antibodies against BTV-4 and complete protection against challenge with a lethal dose of this virus. The data indicate that this mouse model may facilitate the study of BTV pathogenesis, and the development of new effective vaccines for BTV

Hemípteros auquenorrincos asociados al cultivo de sorgo en la Argentina (INSECTA-HEMIPTERA)

Se citan 25 especies de Auchenorrhyncha sobre el cultivo de sorgo (Sorghum vulgare (Pers.)): 17 pertenecientes a la Familia Cicadellidae y ocho a la Familia Delphacidae. La mayoría de los insectos fueron colectados por los autores con trampas pegajosas durante el período de cultivo, en el verano y otoño de 2003 en la provincia de Buenos Aires; otros fueron capturados con red entomológica, en el período 1992-2000, en varias localidades de la Argentina. Se adicionan datos de distribución, daños y una selección de referencias bibliográficas sobre datos biológicos; 10 de las especies son mencionadas por primera vez asociadas al sorgo: Ciminius platensis (Berg, 1879), Plesiommata mollicella (Fowler, 1900), Syncharina argentina (Berg, 1879), Graminella puncticeps Linnavuori, 1959, Amplicephalus dubius Linnavuori, 1955, Chlorotettix fraterculus (Berg, 1879), Haldorus sexpunctatus (Berg, 1879), Paratanus exitiosus (Beamer, 1943), Curtara pagina De Long y Freytag, 1976 y Empoasca curveola Oman, 1936

Curatorial Assessment and Status of the General Collection of Membracoidea and Cercopoidea (Insecta, Hemiptera, Cicadomorpha) of the Museo de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Biological collections kept by museums have more than a public education value, and offer unique opportunities for taxonomic studies and a continued value to the study of biodiversity. The Museo de La Plata (MLP), Buenos Aires, Argentina, holds one of the most important insect collections of species from the Neotropical region, with nearly two million individuals from all orders present in the Neotropics. This report assessed the curatorial status of the General Collection (excluding types) of Membracoidea and Cercopoidea from MLP. The authors analyzed the material of Aetalionidae, Melizoderidae, Membracidae, Cercopidae and Clastopteridae. Based on data registered in labels attached to each pinned individual, they calculated the following indexes of curatorial status: taxonomic representativity, geographic representativity, taxonomic identification, spatial coverage, data completeness, biological associations and historical record. Some of these are a modification of previous indexes from other researchers to describe collections deposited elsewhere. The general level of conservation, ease of access to preserved species, and the degree of identification of individuals were found to be good. Major shortfalls included a lack of data in material collected prior to the 1950's and a decrease in the number of Membracoidea deposited in recent decades. Based on the results of this assessment, the authors demonstrate the ongoing value of thorough documentation of collections to current research, the importance of information surrounding specimen additions to an existing collection, and the ethical responsibilities to accuracy in data collection that museum collections staff have to future generations of researchers.Fil: Maciá, Arnaldo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Foieri, Alvaro. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Marino, Ana Maria. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin