Tamanho do corpo, despigmentação das partes bucais e presença de Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis estão relacionados em Hylodes cf. ornatus e Lithobates catesbeianus

A fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which can cause morbidity and death of anurans, has affected amphibian populations on a worldwide basis. Availability of pure cultures of Bd isolates is essential for experimental studies to understand the ecology of this pathogen. We evaluated the relationships of body length of Hylodes cf. ornatus and Lithobates catesbeianus tadpoles to depigmentation of mouthparts and determined if dekeratinization indicated an infection by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. A strong association existed for both species, one from South America (Brazil: São Paulo) and one from North America (USA: Maine). We believe it prudent not to kill adult amphibians if avoidable, thus obtaining tissue for isolating Bd from tadpoles is reasonable because infected specimens of some species can be selectively collected based on depigmentation of mouthparts.O fungo patógeno Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) é apontado como o causador de morbidade e morte em anuros, e tem afetado populações de anfíbios em uma base mundial. Avaliar culturas puras de isolados de Bd é essencial para estudos experimentais para o entendimento da ecologia desse patógeno. Avaliou-se a relação entre o comprimento do corpo em girinos de Hylodes cf. ornatus e Lithobates catesbeianus com a despigmentação das peças bucais, para verificar se a desqueratinização indica uma infecção por Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Uma forte associação existe para ambas as espécies, uma da América do Sul (Brasil: São Paulo) e uma da América do Norte (USA: Maine). Acredita-se ser prudente este uso, para evitar a morte de anfíbios adultos; dessa forma, obter tecidos para isolar o Bd de girinos é razoável, porque espécimes infectados podem ser coletados seletivamente com base na despigmentação do aparelho bucal.195199Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

学生のアイデンティティとTATの関連－ステイタス分類とTAT反応から－

学内学術研究発表会発表要

The Amazonian toad Rhaebo guttatus is able to voluntarily squirt poison from the paratoid macroglands

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Amphibian defence mechanisms commonly rely on cutaneous toxins produced in either isolated or clustered glands, such as toad parotoid macroglands. In contrast to the passive mechanism of poison liberation in other amphibians, we discovered that the Amazonian toad Rhaebo guttatus is unique because it can voluntarily squirt jets of poison from its parotoids.324546549Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Advertisement call of Scinax littoralis and S. angrensis (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae), with notes on the reproductive activity of S. littoralis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Scinax littoralis and S. angrensis are poorly known Atlantic forest endemic species from the Scinax catharinae group, which is known from southern and southeastern Brazil. Herein, we describe the advertisement calls of these two species and compare them to other species within the S. catharinae group. Additionally, we provide information on breeding sites, and calling activity in S. littoralis. Advertisement calls of S. angrensis and S. littoralis are composed of multi-pulsed notes with multiple frequency bands and frequency modulation. Scinax littoralis has a higher minimum and maximum frequency, and lower dominant frequency than S. angrensis, while Scinax littoralis has a longer call. Scinax littoralis appears to be a habitat generalist, occurring from secondary to mature forests, and breeding both in temporary and in permanent ponds. Male S. littoralis were usually observed calling perched on shrub stems, and displayed satellite behavior when the male density was high.72297308Fundacao Grupo O Boticario de Protecao a Natureza [FBPN-UFPR 623]Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao Grupo O Boticario de Protecao a Natureza [FBPN-UFPR 623]FAPESP [2008/50575-1, UNESP/PROPe (edital 05/2012)

An Unprecedented Role Reversal: Ground Beetle Larvae (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Lure Amphibians and Prey upon Them

Amphibians often feed on beetle larvae, including those of ground beetles (Carabidae). Preliminary reports have detailed an unusual trophic interaction in which, in contrast, larvae of the ground beetle Epomis prey upon juvenile and adult amphibians. While it is known that these larvae feed exclusively on amphibians, how the predator-prey encounter occurs to the advantage of the beetle larvae had been unknown to date. Using laboratory observations and controlled experiments, we recorded the feeding behavior of Epomis larvae, as well as the behavior of their amphibian prey. Here we reveal that larvae of two species of Epomis (E. circumscriptus and E. dejeani) lure their potential predator, taking advantage of the amphibian's predation behavior. The Epomis larva combines a sit-and-wait strategy with unique movements of its antennae and mandibles to draw the attention of the amphibian to the presence of a potential prey. The intensity of this enticement increases with decreasing distance between the larva and the amphibian. When the amphibian attacks, the larva almost always manages to avoid the predator's protracted tongue, exploiting the opportunity to attach itself to the amphibian's body and initiate feeding. Our findings suggest that the trophic interaction between Epomis larvae and amphibians is one of the only natural cases of obligatory predator-prey role reversal. Moreover, this interaction involves a small insect larva that successfully lures and preys on a larger vertebrate. Such role reversal is exceptional in the animal world, extending our perspective of co-evolution in the arms race between predator and prey, and suggesting that counterattack defense behavior has evolved into predator-prey role reversal

Soil-induced impacts on forest structure drive coarse woody debris stocks across central Amazonia

PublishedJournal Article© 2014, © 2014 Botanical Society of Scotland and Taylor & Francis. Background: Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an essential component in tropical forest ecosystems and its quantity varies widely with forest types. Aims: Relationships among CWD, soil, forest structure and other environmental factors were analysed to understand the drivers of variation in CWD in forests on different soil types across central Amazonia. Methods: To estimate CWD stocks and density of dead wood debris, 75 permanent forest plots of 0.5 ha in size were assessed along a transect that spanned ca. 700 km in undisturbed forests from north of the Rio Negro to south of the Rio Amazonas. Soil physical properties were evaluated by digging 2-m-deep pits and by taking auger samples. Results: Soil physical properties were the best predictors of CWD stocks; 37% of its variation was explained by effective soil depth. CWD stocks had a two-fold variation across a gradient of physical soil constraints (i.e. effective soil depth, anoxia and soil structure). Average biomass per tree was related to physical soil constraints, which, in turn, had a strong relationship with local CWD stocks. Conclusions: Soil physical properties appear to control average biomass per tree (and through this affect forest structure and dynamics), which, in turn, is correlated with CWD production and stocks

Turnover of Sex Chromosomes in the Stickleback Fishes (Gasterosteidae)

Diverse sex-chromosome systems are found in vertebrates, particularly in teleost fishes, where different systems can be found in closely related species. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the rapid turnover of sex chromosomes, including the transposition of an existing sex-determination gene, the appearance of a new sex-determination gene on an autosome, and fusions between sex chromosomes and autosomes. To better understand these evolutionary transitions, a detailed comparison of sex chromosomes between closely related species is essential. Here, we used genetic mapping and molecular cytogenetics to characterize the sex-chromosome systems of multiple stickleback species (Gasterosteidae). Previously, we demonstrated that male threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) have a heteromorphic XY pair corresponding to linkage group (LG) 19. In this study, we found that the ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) has a heteromorphic XY pair corresponding to LG12. In black-spotted stickleback (G. wheatlandi) males, one copy of LG12 has fused to the LG19-derived Y chromosome, giving rise to an X1X2Y sex-determination system. In contrast, neither LG12 nor LG19 is linked to sex in two other species: the brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) and the fourspine stickleback (Apeltes quadracus). However, we confirmed the existence of a previously reported heteromorphic ZW sex-chromosome pair in the fourspine stickleback. The sex-chromosome diversity that we have uncovered in sticklebacks provides a rich comparative resource for understanding the mechanisms that underlie the rapid turnover of sex-chromosome systems