Aspergillus Gracilis Bainier var. Sartoryi (Biourge) Batista,Lima e Vital n. var. — Sua importáncia filogenética

Summary We deal with a new variety ofAspergillus which we callAspergillus gracilis Bainiervar. sartoryi (Biourge) Batista, Lima and Vital.This variety appears to be very important under the phylogenetic point of view, apparently being an intermediate form betweenAspergillus andPenicillium.Its morphology resemblesA. gracilis but the conidia characteristics are distinct; we took the epithetsartoryi fromA. sartoryi Biourge which was not described by the respective author.We suggest, too, the transfer of the seriesA. restrictus, where we put our new variety, from the groupA. glaucus, to become independant, as a connective series in the phylogenetic development betweenAspergillus andPenicillium, since the type of the series and the other elements that it embraces does not produce sclerotia or cleistothecia and the conidial apparatus offers curious similarity toPenicillium. Besides, some fungi of the series grow well in certain culture media, in complete discordance with the members of the groupA. glaucus.

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Publiçacão no 4

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Chefe do Instituto de Micologia;

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Diretor do Instituto de Antibióticos e Prof. de Microbiologia da Escola de Química;

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Assistente micologista do Instituto de Micologia — (Todos da Universidade do Recife).

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Os autores declinam o seu agradecimento ao Dr.Heraldo da Silva maia, Assistente micologista eD. Marilene Maranhão Moreira, Auxiliar-Técnico, do Instituto de Micologia, pela colaboração que lhes prestaram, durante a realização do presente trabalho.     

Perianal and/or rectal lesions in South American blastomycosis

Summary The authors review and comment on Brazilian literature on the observations of South American Blastomycotic lesion in perineal, anal and/or rectal localization.They relate a case of a patient presenting a perineal lesion two years after the excision of a tumor caused byP. brasiliensis in the brain.They comment onMackinnon's pathogenic theory of South American Blastomycosis that presumes that lungs are the portal of entry ofP. brasiliensis by inhalation of its spores. Thus, mucocutaneous lesions are secondary to a primary pulmonary localization by hematogenous route.

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Sumário Os autores revisam e comentam a literatura brasileira sôbre as observacões de Blastomicose Sul-americana com localização peineoano-retal.Relatam a observação de um paciente no qual a lesão perineal surgiu dois anos após a ablação de um tumor do cérebro porP. brasiliensis.Discutem a casuística à luz da teoria patogênica deMackinnon, admitindo que a porta de entrada do fungo seja pelas vias aéreas, por inhalação dos espórios do fungo. As lesões mucocutãneas são pois secundárias à localização pulmonar primária, (às vêzes inaparantes) da qual resultam por disseminaçåo hematógena.

     

Lipolytic activity of dermatophytes

Lipolytic activity of dermatophytes was tested by the method generally used forCandida lipolytica. Most of the freshly isolated strains ofMicrosporum canis, M. gypseum, Epidermophyton floccosum andTrichophyton mentagrophytes gave positive reactions, whereas, only few strains ofT. schoenleini, T. violaceum, T. megnini, T. rubrum andT. tonsurans yielded such reactions. Among subcultured strains, it was found a decreased lipolytic activity inMicrosporum species and an increased lipolytic activity inEpidermophyton and someTrichophyton species.Part of this work was performed at Serviço de Doenças Infecto-Contagiosas (Secção de Dermatologia), Hospital de Curry Cabral - Lisboa.     

Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection in laboratory white mice

Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection was studied in a breeding colony of 42 white mice. Symptoms were observed in only 3 out of the 12 animals shown to carry dermatophyte on their coats.Literature on Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection in mice is reviewed. The use of the technique developed by Mariat & Tapia (16) to isolate dermatophytes on cultures, specially for epidemiological surveys, is postulated.Attention is called to the importance of healthy animals, directly or indirectly, as carriers of fungi and sources of infection to other animals and human beings.

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Resumo E feita uma revisão da literatura sobre infecção, em camundongos, por T. mentagrophytes e descrita uma epizootia em camundongos do biotério da Escola Paulista de Medicina.Dos 42 animais usados para experimentação, 3 apresentavam lesões descamativas na cabeça e dorso. T. mentagrophytes foi isolado, em cultivo, de 2 dos camundongos com lesão e de 10 animais, clinicamente sadios. A tecnica desenvolvida por Mariat & Tapia para isolamento de fungos do tegumento de animais e de pacientes, com ou sem lesões visiveis, em áreas extensas do corpo, parece ser a mais indicada, pela praticabilidade e facilidade de seu uso, principalmente em amplos inquéritos epidemiológicos. Chama-se atenção para a importância dos animais sadios, como vetores de esporos de fungos e fontes de infecção, diretamente ou indirectamente, para o homem e outros animais.

     

Da ocorrência de Hanseniaspora valbyensis Kloecker em apêndice cecal humano e lesões epidérmicas

Summary This paper deals with the study of two strains ofHanseniaspora valbyensis Kloecker respectively isolated from human cecal appendix contents and from epidermal lesions in one case of dermatomycosis.

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Publicação no 183     

Observations on Savanna vegetation-types in the Guianas

Summary The vegetation was studied of a number of savannas in northern and southern Surinam, and in French Guiana. The results are compared in particular with the vegetation classification proposed earlier for northern Surinam, and with some records from the northern Rupununi Savanna, Guyana (Van Donselaar 1965).The savannas studied near Brownsweg (northern Surinam) have vegetation types that correspond completely with those of some other savannas of the same geological-pedological type more to the North, as described before. New is the finding of a type of scrub bordering the savanna, being the scrub equivalent of a type of bushes described earlier as theMarlierea type.On the top and the slopes of the Blauwe Berg near Berg en Dal (northern Surinam) an anthropogenic savanna has developed. Two new vegetation types are recorded here that belong to the alliance Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion. At the foot of the hill a flat savanna supports a vegetation that gives the impression of being of recent origin and unbalanced.It appears possible to apply the existing classification to the communities found on savannas near Cayenne (French Guiana). In this area the conspicuousByrsonima verbascifolia (var.villosa fo.spathulata) occurs in several undescribed vegetation types that belong to various entities. A xerophilous and a hygrophilous community ofByrsonima verbascifolia are distinguished, belonging to the Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion and the Bulbostylidion lanatae, respectively.On the Sipaliwini Savanna in southern Surinam most vegetation types do not fit into one of the existing alliances. However, if new alliances would be described, it should be possible to include them into the existing orders. There probably is an alliance, called here communities ofTrachypogon plumosus andBulbostylis spadicea, that might be regarded as the southern counterpart of the Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion in the order Trachypogonetalia plumosi, and a supposed alliance with muchRhynchospora graminea andR. globosa might have the same position with regard to the Imperato-Mesosetion in the order Paspaletalia pulchelli. Among the communities that might be included in the alliance Axonopodion chrysitidis there is one occurring on sandy soil without a hog-wallow structure at the surface. Floristically it has connections with the Paspaletalia pulchelli but it also has many characteristic species of its own. Whether this community has to be placed in a distinct alliance will have to depend on the results of further investigations in this area. Anyhow, more data are needed for the drafting of a complete picture of the rich and interesting Sipaliwini Savanna.On a savanna south-west of the airstrip Sipaliwini (southern Surinam) the vegetation consists mainly of communities belonging to the Bulbostylidion lanatae.Summarizing the above-mentioned results, one may say that a number of communities not studied before are added to the picture of the savanna vegetation of the Guianas. It proved possible to integrate these communities without much difficulty in the classification presented earlier that so far has functioned as a practical framework.

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Beobachtungen an Savannen vegetationstypen in den Guayanas

Zusammenfassung Die Vegetation einiger Savannen in Nordsurinam, Südsurinam und Französisch-Guayana wurde untersucht. Die Ergebnisse werden besonders verglichen mit einer schon früher vorgeschlagenen Vegetationsklassifikation und mit einigen Aufnahmen der nördlichen Rupununisavanne in Guayana, dem ehemahligen Britisch-Guayana (Van Donselaar 1965).Die bei Brownsweg (Nordsurinam) untersuchten Savannen haben Vegetationstypen, die denjenigen anderer, schon früher bearbeiteter, mehr nördlich gelegener Savannen desselben geologisch-pädologischen Typs ganz ähnlich sind. Es wurde ein neuer, die offenen Savannen begrenzender Typ von Gestrüpp gefunden. Er ist als Gestrüppäquivalent eines Buschtyps, der früher alsMarlierea-typ beschrieben worden ist, zu betrachten.Auf dem Gipfel und den Hängen des Blauen Berges bei Berg en Dal (Nordsurinam) hat sich eine anthropogene Savanne entwickelt. Zwei neue Vegetationstypen wurden hier angetroffen, beide dem Verband Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion angehörend. Eine flache Savanne am Fuß des Berges trägt eine Vegetation, die rezent entstanden und noch nicht ausgeglichen zu sein scheint.Es ergibt sich, daß die vorhandene Klassifikation auch auf die Pflanzengesellschaften einiger Savannen bei Cayenne (Französisch-Guayana) zutrifft. In dieser Gegend findet sich die auffälligeByrsonima verbascifolia (var.villosa fo.spathulata) in mehreren unbeschriebenen Vegetationstypen, die verschiedenen Einheiten angehören. Es wurde eine xerophile und eine hygrophile Gesellschaft vonByrsonima verbascifolia unterschieden, die den Verbänden Rhynchospora-Trachypogonion bezw. Bulbostylidion lanatae zugeteilt werden können.Die meisten Vegetationstypen der Sipaliwinisavanne (Südsurinam) passen nicht in einen der beschriebenen Verbände. Wenn aber neue Verbände dafür beschrieben würden, so könnten diese in den bestehenden Ordnungen untergebracht werden. Es ist wohl ein Verband zu unterscheiden, hier Gesellschaften vonTrachypogon plumosus undBulbostylis spadicea genannt, der als ein südliches Gegenstück des nördlichen Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion-Verbandes in der Ordnung Trachypogonetalia plumosi zu betrachten wäre, und vermutlich steht ein Verband mit vielRhynchospora graminea undR. globosa in demselben Verhältnis zum Imperato-Mesosetion-Verband in der Ordnung Paspaletalia pulchelli. Unter den Gesellschaften, die dem Verband Axonopodion chrysitidis zuzurechnen sind, gibt es eine auf sandigem Boden ohne Hügel-und-Schlenken-Struktur. Sie hat floristische Beziehungen zu den Paspaletalia pulchelli, aber hat auch manche eigene Kennarten. Die Entscheidung, ob diese Gesellschaft in einem neuen Verband unterzubringen ist, muß von weiteren Untersuchungsergebnissen abhängig gemacht werden. Überhaupt ist noch viel weitere Arbeit erforderlich, bevor das Bild der Vegetation der reichen und interessanten Sipaliwinisavanne vollständig ist.Die Vegetation einer Savanne südwestlich des Flugplatzes Sipaliwini (Südsurinam) besteht hauptsächlich aus Gesellschaften des Verbandes Bulbostylidion lanatae.Als Zusammenfassung der obenerwähnten Ergebnisse kann man sagen, daß eine Anzahl von bisher nicht bekannten Gesellschaften dem Gesammtbild der Savannenvegetation der Guayanas hinzugefügt worden ist. Es hat sich gezeigt, daß diese Gesellschaften ohne viel Mühe in die früher veröffentlichte Klassifikation eingefügt werden können, so daß diese als ein praktisches Ramenwerk brauchbar bleibt.

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Observaçoes sôbre vegetaçoes de savana nas Guianas

Resumo A vegetação foi estudada em várias savanas ao norte e sul de Suriname, e na Guiana Francêsa. Os resultados foram comparados, em particular, com a classificação de tipos de vegetação obtida antes no norte de Suriname e com alguns dados da parte norte da Savana Rupununi, Guiana Inglesa, agora Guyana (Van Donselaar 1965).As savanas estudadas perto de Brownsweg (norte do Suriname) possuem tipos de vegetação que correspondem completamente com aqueles de outras savanas do mesmo tipo geológico-pedológico mais ao norte, já descritos antes. Foi encontrada aí uma faixa arbustiva bordejando a savana que é nova e, equivalente ao tipo de capões descrito anteriormente como o tipo deMalierea.No topo e nas vertentes do Blauwe Berg perto de Berg en Dal (norte do Suriname) uma savana antropogênica encontra-se desenvolvida aí. Dois tipos novos de vegetação são aí apontados que pertencem a aliança Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion. No sopé de colina encontra-se uma savana plana que apresenta uma vegetação dando a impressão se sêr de origem recente e em desequilíbrio.Parece sêr possível aplicar a classificação existente das comunidades encontradas nas savanas próximas à Cayenne (Guiana Francêsa). Nessa área a conspícuaByrsonima verbascifolia (var.villosa fo.spathulata) ocorre em vários tipos vegetais não descritos que pertencem a entidades diversas. Uma comunidade xerófila e uma higrófila deByrsonima verbascifolia são definidas, pertencendo a primeira ao Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonione, a segunda ao Bulbostylidon lanatae.Na Savana Sipaliwini ao sul de Suriname a maioria dos tipos de vegetação não se acomodam a nenhuma das alianças existentes. Entretanto, se novas alianças fossem criadas, seria possível incluilas nas ordens existentes. É provàvelmente uma aliança chamada aquí comunidades deTrachypogon plumosus eBulbostylis spadicea que pudesse sêr considerada como correspondente sulino do Rhynchosporo-Trachypogonion na ordem Trachypogonetalia plumosi, e uma aliança com muitaRhynchospora graminea eR. globosa que pudesse estar na mesma situação em relação ao Imperato-Mesosetion da ordem Paspaletalia pulchelli. Entre as comunidades possíveis de sêr incluidas na aliança Axonopodion chrysitidis, é uma que se encontra em solo arenoso, mas sem a superfície com caneluras reticuladas que é chamada hogwallowed em inglês e kaw-foetoe no Suriname. Além das conecções florísticas com a Paspaletalia pulchelli tem muitas espécies características próprias. Se esta comunidade tem que sêr localizada numa aliança separada, dependerá dos resultados de investigações futuras nesta área. Em tôdo caso mais dados são necessários para a delineação dum desenho completo da rica e interessante Savana Sipaliwini.Na savana SW do compo d'aterrisagem Sipaliwini (sul do Suriname) a vegetação consiste, a maioria, de comunidades de Bulbostylidion lanatae.Reunindo os resultados acima mencionados, podemos dizer que um número de comunidades não estudados antes são acrescentados à pintura da vegetação das savanas das Guianas. Também evidenciou-se sêr possível integrar estas comunidades sem muitas dificuldades não classificação apresentada antes, que até agora funciona como moldura prática.

     

Trichosporon figueirae n. sp. assinalado como fungo intestinal

Summary Trichosporon figueirae Bat. Silv. n. sp. is described as a fungus of intestinal anormal mycoflore.

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Publicação no 171     

Isaria cretacea van Beyma

Riassunto E' una breve nota descrittiva diIsaria cretacea van Beyma isolata da terreno di bosco ad Eucalipto.Trattasi di un Ifomicete non ancora segnalato presente in Italia e forse non ancora rinvenuto nel terreno.E' specie auxo-eterotrofa e presenta attività antagonista verso altre specie di funghi.

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Summary The present note deals briefly withIsaria cretacea van Beyma, isolated from Eucaliptus soil. The fungus is a Hyphomycete whose presence in Italy was never noticed before and perhaps it is the first time the it is found in soil. ThisIsaria is an auxo-heterotrophic species and shows a certain antagonistic activity against some fungi.

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Resumo O presente trabalho é uma nota breve descritiva deIsaria cretacea van Beyma, isolada de terreno de um bosque de Eucaliptos. Tratase de um Ifomicete cuja presença na Italia não foi ainda assinalada e talvez seja a primeira vez que é isolada de terreno.E' uma especie auxo-heterotrofica e apresenta uma certa atividade antagonista sobre outros fungos.

     

Elytrosporangium: A new genus of the actinomycetales

Summary Elytrosporangium (Greek Elytron, pod), a new genus of Actinomycetales from soil, placed in the family ActinoplanaceaeCouch, and its type species,E. brasiliense, are described. The main characteristic of the new genus is the production, in the substratal mycelium, of pod-shaped sporangia (merosporangia) with non-motile, globose, subglobose, to more or less cylindrical sporangiospores in chains. In addition, aerial mycelium with spores in chains, as inStreptomyces, is produced.

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Zusammenfassung Elytrosporangium (griechisch: Elytron, Schote) eine neue Gattung von Actinomycetels des Bodens wird hier zusammen mit der ArttypeE. brasiliense beschrieben. Das Hauptmerkmal der genannten Gattung ist die Erzeugung von Sporangien in Schotenform (Merosporangien) im vegetativen Myzel. Die Sporangien bilden sich sowohl am Ende von Haupthyphen als auch in kleinen seitlichen Zweigen, einzeln oder als Trauben, von zwei bis fünf. Die Sporangiosporen bilden eine Kette, die Basale mehr oder weniger zylindrisch und die übrigen fast kugelförmig. Luftmyzel mit Ketten von Konidien können erzeugt werden wie inStreptomyces. Wir betrachten die beschriebene Gattung als zur Familie Actinoplanaceae gehörend.Die Arttype wurde isoliert von Bodenproben welche gesammelt wurden in einen Bodenprofil von 45 cm Tiefe in Verfolg des Programms einer Mikrobiologischen Prospektion des Bodens im Nordosten von Brasilien welches IMUR gemeinsam mit anderen brasilianischen wissenschaftlichen Körperschaften ausführt.

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Sumário Elytrosporangium (grego Elytron, vágem), um novo gênero de Actinomycetales do solo é descrito, juntamente com sua espécie tipo,E. brasiliense, A principal característica do gênero em foco é a produção de esporângios em forma de vágem (merosporângios), no micélio vegetativo. Os esporângios formam-se tanto na extremidade de hifas principais como na de pequenos ramos laterais, isoladamente ou em cachos de dois a cinco.Os esporangiosporos constituem uma cadeia, os basais sendo mais ou menos cilíndricos e os demais globosos ou subglobosos.Um micélio aéreo exibindo cadeias de conídios pode ser produzido, como emStreptomyces.Consideramos o gênero em causa como integrante da familia Actinoplanaceae. A espécie tipo foi isolada de amostra de solo coletada num perfil, a 45 cm de profundidade, como decorrência de programa de prospecção microbiológica dos solos do Nordeste do Brasil que o IMUR vem desenvolvendo em colaboração com entidades científicas brasileiras.

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IMUR, Publ. no. 467.     

Estudo taxonômico de um novo Aspergillaceae

Summary Aspergillus fasciculatum n. sp. has been found as contaminant of Lab. cultures, on 30.10.1952 and again on 29.9.1954. It grows well in Czapek neutral agar, as well as in Malt agar and Potato-dextroseagar, less intensively in Corn steep agar.Other media have not been tried so far.It presents conidiophores smooth or rough, yellowish, septated or not, undivided or branching at the apex, supporting then 2 vesicles or yet with the apex trifurcated or turning into branches, each swelling to form vesicles, side by side, with single head conidiophores.Abnormal structures in which the sterigma becomes a second conidiophore with a vesicle, were found very common. Normal structures present vesicles with two and one series of sterigmata.Having its connections within the Flavus-oryzae group, by these outstanding characteristics not reported before, it was considered a new species.

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(Publicação No 5)

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Os autores agradecem aD. Marilene Maranhão Moreira, a colaboração prestada no curso dêste trabalho.     

Paracoccidioidomycosis with palpebral and conjunctival involvement

A case of paracoccidioidomycosis with ocular involvement is studied. Brazilian literature is reviewed. The scarcity of human ocular mycosis is commented on. The most frequent clinic aspects of ocular lesions in natural mycosis are described.

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Resumo Um caso de paracoccidioidomicose pulmonar e linfática seguido de comprometimento conjuntivo-palpebral é estudado, em São Paulo.A literatura nacional é revista. As lesões oculares, mais frequentemente verificadas, na paracoccidioidomicose natural são descritas, minuciosamente. O pequeno número de casos humanos com comprometimento ocular é discutido.A severidade e a frequencia das lesões oculares em animais inoculados intracardiacamente, com cultivos de P. brasiliensis sugerem disseminação hematogênica ocular da paracoccidioidomicose humana.

     

Trichophyton verrucosum in Brazil

Summary The authors review Brazilian literature on human and cattle ringworm infection withT. verrucosum.They report the first time on human and bovine autochtonous infections in Rio Grande do Sul. They try to explain the origin of this epizootic focus verified in Bajé (Rio Granje do Sul, Brazil).

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Sumário Os autores revisam a literatura nacional sôbre infecção humana e animal porTrichophyton verrucosum no Brasil.Relatam a verificação de casos autoctones em 3 pessoas e uma epizootia em animais; tentam explicar a origem dêsse foco epizoótico em Bajé (R. Grande do Sul).

     

Reproductive isolation in the saltans group of Drosophila. I. The saltans subgroup

In order to study isolation within the salians subgroup, pair mating crosses involving its 7 species were performed. The results of testing different interspecific combinations varied from complete isolation at the insemination level to the production of fertile hybrids. Some isolation indices are proposed: Ii (isolation index at the insemination level), Fi (isolation index at the fertilization level), Ti (total isolation index), and Ai (average isolation index). A schema of the biological relationships on the basis of the isolation degree is also presented for the 7 species of the subgroup.Part of this study was included in the thesis submitted for the PH.D. degree at the University of São Paulo and was performed during the tenure of a fellowship supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo.     

Effect of carbon source on the β-glucosidase system of the thermophilic fungus Humicola grisea

H. grisea produced an extracellular -glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) at high activity in media supplemented with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) or cellobiose. Cellobiose-induced -glucosidase was insensitive to glucose repression whereas that of CMC-supplemented cultures was partially repressed. Molecular sieving revealed three main active components (M_r 50, 128 and 240 kDa). Glucose competitively inhibited -glucosidase activities with K_i values of 0.9mM and 3.3mM (extracellular) and 10.2mM and 22.6mM (cytosolic), induced in the presence of CMC or cellobiose respectively.The authors are with the Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia. Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo-14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brasil;     

Parasitic deuteromycetes from South Brazil

Summary This paper deals with four new fungi from the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.Phaeseptoria stenocalycis Batista, Upadhyay &Da Costa Netto, collected on leaves ofStenocalyx dasyblastus Bert. from Grammado,Phoma jasmino-macrospora Batista, Upadhyay &Da Costa Netto, collected on leaves ofJasminum flexicaule Vahl. from Pôrto Alegre,Melanconium argutidentis Batista, Upadhyay &Da Costa Netto, collected on leaves ofSebastiana argutidens Pex &K. Hoff from Grammado andCercospora caleifoleii Batista, Upadhyay &Da Costa Netto, collected on leaves ofCalea pinnatifida Banks from Pôrto Alegre are described here.Symptoms on the hosts and morphological characters of the fruitings and spores are described and illustrated.Publicação no 456 of IMUFP.     

Fine structural observations on the protonephridium of the terrestrial triclad Geoplana pasipha

Summary The protonephridial system of the terrestrial triclad Geoplana pasipha was studied by electron microscopy. In general construction it conforms to that of the freshwater planarian Dugesia tigrina (McKanna, 1968, 1968 a).Ultrastructural details permit the identification of proximal, collecting, osmoregulatory and nephridiopore regions. Intralumenal material is frequently observed within the tubules, whose cells are always joined by septate junctions. Cilia are numerous and possibly contribute to the flow of water and solutes along the system. Proximal tubules have a peculiar, particulate membrane coat, while a continuous coat, densely stainable with ruthenium red lines the more distal, unciliated tubules.Supported in part by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo and Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico     

Ringworm by Microsporon gypseum in a dog

Summary The authors make a review ofM. gypseum infection in animals in Brazil. They relate a case of ringworm in a dog by this dermatophyte. They predict that the finding of animal ringworm by this fungus may be commoner in Brazil.

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Sumário Os autores fazem uma revisão das Tinhas em animais, determinadas peloM. gypseum no Brasil. Relatam um caso de Tinha por êsse fungo em um cão. Comentam que as infecções um animais porM. gypseum devam ser mais frequentes em nosso país.

     

Paternal or maternal origin of human i(Xq) isochromosomes

Summary We present a method to test if the proportion of 45,X cases resulting from loss of the maternal chromosome or of cases of 46,X,i(Xq) with the isochromosome of maternal origin is different from 1/2. The available data are consistent with the hypothesis that the normal X present in i(Xq) patients originates with equal probabilities in the fathers and mothers of the patientsThis paper was supported in part by grants from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)     

Population Variation in Patch and Party Size in Muriquis (Brachyteles arachnoides)

We examined the relationship between food patch size and feeding party size with comparative data from two populations of muriquis (Brachyteles arachnoides) in the 37,797-ha forest at the Parque Estadual de Carlos Botelho (PECB), São Paulo, and the 800-ha forest at the Estação Biológica de Caratinga (EBC), Minas Gerais. Precipitation was more abundant and less seasonal at PECB than EBC, and the density of large trees (>25.0 cm) was higher at PECB (206 ha ^–1 ) than at EBC (132 ha ^–1 ). At both sites, the size of feeding parties is positively related to the size of food patches. As predicted, food patches at PECB are significantly larger than those at EBC for both fruit and leaf sources. Contrary to expectations, feeding parties were larger at EBC than PECB. The higher population density of muriquis and sympatric primates at EBC may make large associations more advantageous to these muriquis than to muriquis living at lower population densities in PECB.     

Sensitivity facilitation in the insect eye

Summary ERG amplitude facilitation, observed in the eye ofAtta sexdens after light adaptation, was studied as a function of duration and intensity of adaptation, of dark interval between adapting and test stimuli, and of level of steady background illumination. Results show that sensitivity facilitation in this eye cannot be regarded as a minor effect since it covers a 2 log unit range, the same as that obtained for conditions that produce sensitivity reduction. Maximum facilitation occurs with short and intense light adaptation. The time span of the effect is close to 2 min, and its maximum amplitude may be attained up to 20 s after light adaptation. Increase in background illumination gradually erases facilitation. However, the facilitated response is less sensitive to background illumination than the dark adapted response. Long durations of light adaptation cause ERG decrease, or inhibition. A comparison of these two end results of light adaptation suggests that they arise from different processes, perhaps with distinct origins.Supported by a grant from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, to the senior author (Contract n 71/1141)With a Fellowship from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (N 74/388)We wish to express our appreciation to Henrique Fix for his editorial assistance, and to Celia Jablonka for laboratory help.