Behavior of Acromyrmex crassispinus in trail bifurcations and influence of ant flow on error rate of nestbound laden workers.

Resumo

Formigas cultivadoras de fungos: estado da arte e direcionamento para pesquisas futuras.

A tribo Attini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) compreende 14 gêneros com aproximadamente 230 espécies de formigas descritas que estão envolvidas em um mutualismo obrigatório com fungos. Este fungo é cultivado no interior das colônias para a alimentação das formigas, e tem como substrato uma variedade de material orgânico. O fungo é utilizado na dieta das formigas, que em retribuição fornecem ao fungo substratos para o crescimento, proteção contra parasitas ou competidores e asseguram a sua reprodução. Embora todas as espécies da tribo cultivem fungo, essas formigas são bastante heterogêneas em relação ao sistema de agricultura, tamanho da colônia e estrutura social, métodos de cultivo do fungo, forrageamento, etc. Nesta revisão são discutidas as principais características da agricultura, simbiose e história natural das formigas cultivadoras de fungos, bem como o direcionamento para as pesquisas futuras com essas formigas.Artigo de revisão

Oviposition ecology and species composition of Aedes spp. and Aedes aegypti dynamics in variously urbanized settings in arbovirus foci in southeastern Côte d'Ivoire

Background Aedes mosquito-transmitted outbreaks of dengue and yellow fever have been reported from rural and urban parts of Côte d’Ivoire. The present study aimed at assessing Aedes spp. oviposition ecology in variously urbanized settings within arbovirus foci in southeastern Côte d’Ivoire. Methods Aedes spp. eggs were sampled using a standard ovitrap method from January 2013 to April 2014 in different ecosystems of rural, suburban and urban areas. Emerged larvae were reared until the adult stage for species identification. Results Aedes spp. oviposition ecology significantly varied from rural-to-urban areas and according to the ecozones and the seasons. Species richness of Aedes spp. gradually decreased from rural (eight species) to suburban (three species) and urban (one species) areas. Conversely, emerged adult Aedes spp. mean numbers were higher in the urban (1.97 Aedes/ovitrap/week), followed by the suburban (1.44 Aedes/ovitrap/week) and rural (0.89 Aedes/ovitrap/week) areas. Aedes aegypti was the only species in the urban setting (100 %), and was also the predominant species in suburban (85.5 %) and rural (63.3 %) areas. The highest Ae. aegypti mean number was observed in the urban (1.97 Ae. aegypti/ovitrap/week), followed by the suburban (1.20 Ae. aegypti/ovitrap/week) and rural (0.57 Ae. aegypti/ovitrap/week) areas. Aedes africanus (9.4 %), Ae. dendrophilus (8.0 %), Ae. metallicus (1.3 %) in the rural, and Ae. vittatus (6.5 %) and Ae. metallicus (1.2 %) in the suburban areas each represented more than 1 % of the total Aedes fauna. In all areas, Aedes species richness and abundance were higher in the peridomestic zones and during the rainy season, with stronger variations in species richness in the rural and in abundance in the urban areas. Besides, the highest Culex quinquefasciatus abundance was found in the urban areas, while Eretmapodites chrysogaster was restricted to the rural areas. Conclusions Urbanization correlates with a substantially higher abundance in Aedes mosquitoes and a regression of the Aedes wild species towards a unique presence of Ae. aegypti in urban areas. Aedes wild species serve as bridge vectors of arboviruses in rural areas, while Ae. aegypti amplifies arbovirus transmission in urban areas. Our results have important ramifications for dengue and yellow fever vector control and surveillance strategies in arbovirus foci in southeastern Côte d’Ivoire

ESTADO DA ARTE DAS PESQUISAS COM O CARANGUEJO-UÇÁ, Ucides cordatus

A member of Ocypodidae, the mangrove land crab, Ucides cordatus, is endemic to the Atlantic Coast of the Americas. It has considerable economic value to underpriviledged communities, which depend on it as a source of income and food. Ucides cordatus is considered as one of the most important biological components of mangrove ecosystems, particularly due to its role in the cycling of organic matter. Possibly as a consequence of the intense harvesting, the destruction of its habitats – the mangroves – and disease, there has been a decrease in the fishery stocks of the mangrove crab throughout the Brazilian coast. However, in spite of the cultural, ecological, and socio-economic importance of the species, the number of scientific studies on the mangrove land crab is still limited. The aim of the present study is to identify and relat the main studies published on the species until 2007.Pertencente a Ocypodidae, o caranguejo-uçá, Ucides cordatus, é uma espécie endêmica da costa atlântica do Continente Americano. Possui grande importância econômica para populações de baixo poder aquisitivo, que dependem de sua captura como fonte de renda e alimento. Ucides cordatus é considerado um dos componentes biológicos mais importantes do ecossistema dos manguezais por seu papel na ciclagem de matéria orgânica. Possivelmente, em virtude do intenso esforço de captura somado à destruição de seus habitats - os manguezais – e a uma enfermidade específica, têm-se observado uma tendência de redução dos estoques pesqueiros de caranguejo-uçá no litoral brasileiro. Porém, a despeito de sua importância cultural, ecológica e sócio-econômica, o número de pesquisas científicas desenvolvidas com a espécie ainda é limitado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar e apresentar os principais estudos publicados sobre a espécie até o ano de 2007

Historical biogeography of the neotropical Diaptomidae (Crustacea:Copepoda)

Introduction: Diaptomid copepods are prevalent throughout continental waters of the Neotropics, yet little is\ud known about their biogeography. In this study we investigate the main biogeographical patterns among the\ud neotropical freshwater diaptomid copepods using Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE) based on species records\ud within ecoregions. In addition, we assess potential environmental correlates and limits for species richness.\ud Results: PAE was efficient in identifying general areas of endemism. Moreover, only ecoregion area showed a\ud significant correlation with diaptomid species richness, although climatic factors were shown to provide possible\ud upper limits to the species richness in a given ecoregion.\ud Conclusion: The main patterns of endemism in neotropical freshwater diaptomid copepods are highly congruent\ud with other freshwater taxa, suggesting a strong historical signal in determining the distribution of the family in the\ud Neotropics.We would like to thank to Professor Edinaldo Nelson dos Santos Silva (INPA, Brazil) for useful insight during this study. We also thank FAPESP (process 2008/02015-7, 2009/00014-6, 2011/18358-3) for financial support to GPN; and CNPq for financial support to DP (process 141702/2006-0) and MRP (process 304897/2012-4)