Description of the female of Sciopemyia servulolimai (Damasceno & Causey) (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The female of Sciopemyia servulolimai (Damasceno & Causey), based on three specimens captured during an epidemiological research project in the state of Cear , Brazil, is described and illustrated for the first time.     

Efficacy of 1,4-diaminobutane (putrescine) in a food-based synthetic attractant for capture of Mediterranean and Mexican fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Field trials were conducted in Guatemala to evaluate the importance of 1,4 diaminobutane (putrescine) in traps baited with ammonium acetate, trimethylamine, and putrescine. For the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), there were no differences in percentage of females captured in coffee and citrus or in percentage of males captured in citrus in traps with ammonium acetate and trimethylamine lures (females in coffee, 26.4 +/- 6.27%; females in citrus, 35.7 +/- 5.35%; males in citrus, 37.7 +/- 7.48%) versus ammonium acetate, trimethylamine, and putrescine lures (females in coffee, 36.6 +/- 9.64%; females in citrus, 41.1 +/- 5.18%; males in citrus, 37.1 +/- 6.09%). Percentage of males captured in coffee was reduced significantly when putrescine was not used with the ammonium acetate and trimethylamine (39.9 +/- 4.34 versus 31.6 +/- 5.29%). Lower percentages were captured in traps baited with ammonium acetate and putrescine, and the lowest percentages were captured in traps baited with putrescine and trimethylamine. When population level as indicated by capture in traps baited with ammonium acetate, trimethylamine, and putrescine was considered, a higher percentage of C. capitata males were captured in traps baited with all three components when one or more flies per trap per day were captured in coffee, and a higher percentage of females were captured when less than one fly per trap per day was captured in citrus. Percentage of the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew), captured was significantly higher in traps baited with ammonium acetate and putrescine and significantly lower in traps baited putrescine and trimethylamine than in all other treatments. Results indicate that putrescine may be deleted when monitoring established populations of C. capitata but should be used in traps used to monitor A. ludens or to detect new infestations of C. capitata.     

Dionchus postoncomiracidia (Monogenea: Dionchidae) from the skin of blacktip sharks, Carcharhinus limbatus (Carcharhinidae)

Postoncomiracidia of Dionchus sp. are described from specimens collected from the skin of 2 blacktip sharks Carcharhinus limbatus, captured in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The parasites resemble nonciliated oncomiracidia hatched from eggs laid by Dionchus sp. on gills of a cobia Rachycentron canadum and adults of Dionchus remorae that were collected from gills of a common sharksucker Echeneis naucrates, captured in association with a third blacktip shark. The hamuli of the postoncomiracidia were morphologically similar to those of adult D. remorae. This is the first report of dionchids from an elasmobranch and from a location other than the gills. These findings support the idea that some dionchid oncomiracidia colonize the skin of sharks or other aquatic vertebrates that sponsor remoras, prior to transferring to other remoras and maturing.     

Borrelia burgdorferi infection in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) in hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) habitat in western Pennsylvania.

White-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) were captured and their tissues sampled from 27 sites in seven counties of western Pennsylvania in 1990 for isolation and identification of Borrelia burgdorferi. Two hundred sixty mice were captured from which there were 27 isolations. Significantly more mice were captured and significantly more isolations made from hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) habitat than from deciduous species forest. Hemlock habitat is sparse and focal but evidently increases winter survival of mice, and thus possibly results in increased infection rates in mice.     

Thyroid hormone levels in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) during the return migration from the ocean to spawn

Serum thyroid hormone levels were determined in adult Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) of both sexes caught in the ocean and at a sequence of locations on their return migration to spawn. Tri-iodothyronine (T₃) levels were greatest in fish caught in coastal or estuarine waters or in a river near head-of-tide. T₃ levels were lower in fish caught in rivers throughout the angling season and lowest in those captured entering a tributary near spawning. Thyroxine (T₄) levels were lowest in immature fish captured in the ocean in winter but raised in fish captured in spring; many of the latter group showed endocrine evidence of their becoming sexually mature. T₄ levels were greatest in fish captured in coastal waters and progressively lower in fish captured in an estuary, near head-of-tide and in rivers. T₄ levels in fish captured at tributary entry near spawning exceeded those in fish caught in rivers earlier in the year. In general, these data support the hypothesis that motor activity level in migrant fish is a determinant of thyroid status.     

Spawning of Basilichthys microlepidotus (Jenyns)

Characteristics of the reproductive cycle of Basilichthys microlepidotus (Jenyns), an atherinid fish living in a South American Mediterranean arid zone, are analysed. Specimens 9-170 mm in total length were captured from August 1982 to April 1984 in the Rio Choapa, in northern Chile (31%%45' S, 71°15' W). Analysis of gonadosomatic index fluctuations, and determination of the proportion of mature males and females captured during the study period, allowed the estimation of the duration of the reproductive cycle.
Females 70–170 mm in total length contained 2000–9000 intraovarian oocytes, of which approximately 80% were vitellogenic (100–1300 μm in diameter) and exhibited a polymodal distribution. A further 4 to 15% of the total oocytes, measured 1700–2000 μm in diameter and appeared ready to be spawned. In 30% of the examined ovaries some of the largest oocytes exhibited signs of degeneration, or atresia. Juveniles approximately 30 mm in total length were captured over most of the study period. Results strongly suggest that B. microlepidotus has multiple spawnings.     

Biology of the first generation of a laboratory colony of Nyssomyia intermedia (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) and Nyssomyia neivai (Pinto, 1926) (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The phlebotomine sand flies Nyssomyia intermedia (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) and Nyssomyia neivai (Pinto, 1926) are very close and may be involved in the transmission of Leishmania spp. Ross, 1903 in Brazil. The biology of the first laboratory-reared generations of these species, descended from insects captured in Além Paraíba (N. intermedia) and Corinto (N. neivai) in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, is described here. The captured females were fed on hamsters and maintained individually in rearing pots. Laboratory temperature and relative humidity were maintained at 25-26 masculineC and 80% respectively. The productivity of the first generation of N. intermedia was greater than that of N. neivai, and its development time clearly shorter, particularly for the second and third larval instars.     

Enterobacteriaceae and Aeromonas hydrophila in Minnesota frogs and tadpoles (Rana pipiens)

In 222 Rana pipiens frogs and 34 tadpoles captured in and near Minnesota, Aeromonas hydrophila and 29 species of Enterobacteriaceae, including yersinia enterocolitica and Salmonella arizonae, were isolated from intestines. The prevalence of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae was lowest in frogs captured in early spring and highest in frogs captured in late summer.     

A comparison of trap type and height for capturing cerambycid beetles (Coleoptera)

Wood-boring beetles in the family Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) play important roles in many forest ecosystems. However, increasing numbers of invasive cerambycid species are transported to new countries by global commerce and threaten forest health in the United States and worldwide. Our goal was to identify effective detection tools for a broad array of cerambycid species by testing some known cerambycid attractants and a pheromone in different trap designs placed across a range of habitats. We compared numbers and species richness of cerambycid beetles captured with cross-vane panel traps and 12-unit Lindgren multiple-funnel traps, placed either at ground level (1.5 m high) or canopy level (approximately 3-10 m high), at eight sites classified as either residential, industrial, deciduous forest, or conifer forest. We captured 3,723 beetles representing 72 cerambycid species from 10 June to 15 July 2010. Species richness was highest for the subfamilies Cerambycinae and Lamiinae, which accounted for 33 and 46% of all species captured, respectively. Overall, the cross-vane panel traps captured approximately 1.5 times more beetles than funnel traps. Twenty-one species were captured exclusively in traps at one height, either in the canopy or at ground level. More species were captured in hardwood sites (59 species) where a greater diversity of host material was available than in conifer (34 species), residential (41 species), or industrial (49) sites. Low numbers of beetles (n < 5) were recorded for 28 of the beetle species. The number of species captured per week ranged from 49 species on 21 June to 37 species on 12 July. Cross-vane panel traps installed across a vertical gradient should maximize the number of cerambycid species captured.     

Register of Aphaereta laeviuscula (Spinola) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) as parasitoids of Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The captures occurred between January and December of 2004 in urban area in the city of Nova Igua?u, the rural area of the city of Seropédica and in a forest area in the Biological Reserve of the Tinguá, Nova Igua?u State of Rio de Janeiro. The total of 1,528 larvae of Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) were used as bait, 505 in the urban area, 556 in rural and the 467 in the forest one. The indices of Synantropic, Coefficient of Constancy, the risk (Odds Ratio) of parasitism between the areas was calculated, prevalence and parasitic intensity. The percentage of emergence was of 46.6%. Aphaereta laeviuscula (Spinola) was captured only in rural environment; its indices were: Synantropic I. = +50, c. constancy = 25%, prevalence = 0.72% and I. parasitic = 44.5; already Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) was captured in the areas rural and urban and the indices had been: synanthropy = +98, constancy = 58.3%, Odds Ratio = IC95% = 0,025 < micro > 0.27, P < 0,05, prevalence = 3.2% and parasitic intensity = 7.35. The risk of parasitism for N. vitripennis in urban areas is high. The occurrence of A. laeviuscula as parasitic of C. hominivorax is registered in the State of Rio de Janeiro.     

Particle capture by Favella sp. (Ciliata, Tintinnina)

Particle capture by the tintinnid ciliate, Favella sp., wasinvestigated with high-speed video microscopy. Experiments withmicrospheres and algal cells indicate that within the size range1–19 p.m. behavioral responses are partly responsiblefor the differential capture of large over small particles.For example, 4 µm microspheres or Isochrysis [spheiicaldiameter (ESD) - 4.5 µ are only captured if they are encounteredin the inner zones of the encounter area. Ten micrometer microspheresor Heterocapsa(14–19 – are captured with a greaterefficiency than smaller particles from the inner zones, butcan also be captured from the outer zone of the encounter area.Capture of particles from the outer zone is associated withcilialy reversal. Microsp1ieres and algal cells of similar sizeare captured in a similar manner.     

Three new species of Myxosporidia (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) parasites of Citharinus citharus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809) (Citharinidae) in Chad (Central Africa)

The study of Citharinus citharus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809) (Teleost, Citharinidae) captured in the Chari river in Chad revealed the presence of three new myxosporidian which are described in the present paper: Thelohanellus taguii sp. nov., a systematic parasite; Myxobolus mbailaoi sp. nov., which affects operculum, skin and intestine, Myxobolus charii sp. nov., a parasite of the skin.     

Effects of phenylacetaldehyde and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate on male response to synthetic sex pheromone in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract  The influence of two synthetic plant volatiles on the number of male Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner 1808) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) caught in sex pheromone-baited traps was studied in field plots in Australia. Phenylacetaldehyde and ( Z )-3-hexenyl acetate were combined with synthetic sex pheromone in traps. Generally, most males were captured in traps baited with pheromone alone and more males were captured by the mixture containing ( Z )-3 hexenyl acetate than that containing phenylacetaldehyde. At the three concentrations studied, neither volatile synergised the activity of the pheromone. Traps baited with the plant volatiles alone caught very few moths of either sex.     

Diversity of insects captured by weaver spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in the cocoa agroecosystem in Tabasco, Mexico

The aim of this work was to know the diversity of insects captured by weaver spiders in a plantation of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) of 6 ha in the State of Tabasco, Mexico. The study was carried out from July 2004 to June 2005 by means biweekly samples of the insects captured on the spiders webs. The total of 3,041 webs of 54 species of spiders belonging to seven families (Araneidae, Theridiidae, Tetragnathidae, Uloboridae, Pholcidae, Dyctinidae and Linyphiidae) were revised. We found 1,749 specimens belonging to 10 orders of insects, represented by 93 families, the majority of Coleoptera, Diptera and Hemiptera that constituted 74% of the identified families. The biggest number of specimens of all orders was captured by Araneidae, except of Isoptera, whose specimens were captured mainly by the family Theridiidae. The index of diversity (H'), evenness (J') and similarity (Is), applied to know the diversity of families of insects captured among families of spiders, varied from 0.00 to 3.24, 0.00 to 0.81, and 0.04 to 0.522, respectively. We conclude that there is a wide diversity of insects predated by the weaver spiders in the cocoa agroecosystem, and that there are species that can be promising for the biological control of pests.     

Capture and medetomidine-ketamine anesthesia of free-ranging wolverines (Gulo gulo)

Capture and anesthesia with medetomidine-ketamine were evaluated in free-ranging wolverines (Gulo gulo) immobilized for marking with radiocollars or intraperitoneal radiotransmitters in Norrbotten, Sweden, during early June 2004 and 2005. Twelve juvenile wolverines were captured by hand and injected with 0.14 +/- 0.03 mg/kg (mean +/- SD) medetomidine and 7.5 +/- 2.0 mg/kg ketamine. Twelve adult wolverines were darted from a helicopter or the ground, or captured by hand. Adults received 0.37 +/- 0.06 mg/kg medetomidine and 9.4 +/- 1.4 mg/kg ketamine. Arterial blood samples were collected between 15 min and 30 min and between 45 min and 60 min after drug administration and immediately analyzed for selected hematologic and plasma variables. Hyperthermia was recorded initially in one juvenile wolverine and 11 adults. Rectal temperature, heart rate, and lactate decreased significantly during anesthesia, whereas hemoglobin oxygen saturation, pH, partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide, and base excess increased. Adult wolverines darted from a helicopter had a significantly higher rectal temperature, higher glucose and hematocrit values, and a lower heart rate than juveniles captured by hand. Impaired arterial oxygenation was evident in all wolverines. This study provides baseline data on physiologic variables in adult and juvenile wolverines captured with different methods and anesthetized with medetomidine-ketamine.     

Contagious Ecthyma (ORF) In The Musk Ox (Ovibos Moschatus)

In 1969 25 musk ox calves were captured in Greenland and brought to Norway. The animals were kept on a farm at Bardu in the northern part of the country. In this herd a serious outbreak of contagious ecthyma occurred. This disease has quite recently been observed in musk ox also in Alaska (White, personal communication 1978).     

Pitfall trap design affects the capture efficiency of harvestmen (Opiliones) and millipedes (Diplopoda)

Pitfall trapping is one of the standard methods used for the capture of ground‐active arthropod groups. Despite being frequently used, the standardization of this method is problematic due to the large range of combinations of the individual parameters of pitfall traps with varying efficacy under different environmental conditions. We evaluated the effects of the trap diameter, the fixing fluid, and their combination on the capture efficacy for harvestmen (Opiliones) and millipedes (Diplopoda). We used pitfall traps with three different diameters: 3 cm, 5 cm, and 12 cm, filled with three types of fixing fluids (saturated fluid of NaCl, 10:1 mixture of 70% ethanol and glycerol and 4% formaldehyde). Altogether, 90 traps representing nine combinations of trap diameters and fixing fluid were placed on a mown meadow in spring and autumn intervals for a total of 45 days. We sampled 1,488 individuals representing 11 harvestmen species and 881 individuals representing 11 millipede species. Large (d = 12 cm) and medium (5 cm) traps captured significantly more millipede species and individuals than the small‐sized traps (3 cm). The same effect was observed for harvestmen species richness, whereas the medium traps (d = 5 cm) captured the highest mean activity of harvestmen. By analyzing the differences in the body sizes of the studied arthropods in relation to the trap diameter and fluid, we found that larger traps, as well as traps filled with NaCl solution, captured larger harvestmen more frequently than the other trap types. Our results revealed that the combination of larger traps (d = 5 and 12 cm) and formaldehyde was most effective in the capture of both studied groups. However, the disadvantage of formaldehyde is its toxicity.     

Collpas: Activity Hotspots for Frugivorous Bats (Phyllostomidae) in the Peruvian Amazon

In the SE Peruvian Amazon, large numbers of frugivorous bats regularly visit natural forest clearings known locally as collpas (which are also referred to as clay licks or mineral licks). Bats arrive at collpas to drink water that has accumulated in depressions created by larger geophagous mammals that consume exposed soil. Although collpa visitation is common, little is known about its causes and its ecological implications for the bat community. We compared patterns of use of collpas and non- collpa forest sites by bats in SE Peru. We mist netted bats at collpas and non- collpa sites during the dry season and compared abundance, species richness, species composition, sex ratio, and reproductive condition. More species were captured at collpas than at non- collpa sites, and collpas were visited almost exclusively by frugivores. Overall, bat-capture frequency and combined frugivorous bat-capture frequency were higher at collpas than at non- collpa sites, although some species of frugivorous bats were captured more frequently at non- collpa sites than at collpas ( e.g ., Carollia spp.). Irrespective of capture site, more female bats were pregnant or lactating than not, but there was a distinct female sex bias in bats that visited collpas : 70 percent of bats captured at collpas were female, whereas 44 percent of bats captured away from collpas were female. These patterns suggest that collpas may provide important resources for frugivorous bats in SE Peru, just as they are thought to provide important resources to the vertebrates that consume collpa soils. Accordingly, collpas are important conservation targets in the region.     

Prey captured and used in Polistes versicolor (Olivier) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) nourishment

The social wasps are predators of many insect species and the study of their preys can reveal the potential of these natural enemies in biological control programs. A total of 240h of collections of preys in 32 nests of Polistes versicolor (Olivier) was carried on in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, from March 2000 to February 2001. The preys captured by P. versicolor were mainly those from the orders Lepidoptera (95.4%) and Coleoptera (1.1%) while 3.4% of them were not identified. Chlosyne lacinia saundersii Doubleday & Hewitson (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) was the most collected prey (13.5%). The total of 4,015 preys was estimated to be captured per colony of P. versicolor during one year. The species can be used in integrated pest management of herbivorous insects, especially defoliating caterpillars.