First record of culex (Culex) brethesi (Dyar) (Diptera: Culicidae) in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

This is the first record of Culex (Culex) brethesi (Dyar) in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. The species was identified from specimens collected in a sand bar vegetation with the aid of a Nasci's trap, during an expedition for surveillance of the West Nile Virus in July of 2006, in the city of Mostardas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.     

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.     

Occurrence of Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) on aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in wheat plantation in Medianeira, Parana State, Brazil

This paper records the occurrence of Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) attacking aphids in wheat plantation in Medianeira, in the west region of Paraná State, Brazil. This microhymenoptera was introduced and released by Embrapa Trigo, from 1978 to 1992 in the wheat production region at the state of Rio Grande do Sul, what suggests that individuals of this species may show high dispersal ability.     

Occurrence of Panstrongylus guentheri Berg (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

The first occurrence of Panstrongylus guentheri Berg in Brazil is presented. This species had been reported only in the territories of Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay. We have extended the geographic distribution of this Triatominae, with two specimens captured in Bodoquena and Itapor? cities, both in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. These specimens were found in the intradomestic environment.     

A new species of Dendrocerus (Hymenoptera,Megaspilidae) from southern Brazil

A new species of the megaspiline genus Dendrocerus Ratzeburg is described and figured. Dendrocerus riograndensis sp. n., is known from a series of males from the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and were captured with Malaise traps from an agricultural tobacco field.     

Three new species,four new records and an updated checklist of Habenaria (Orchidaceae) from Rio Grande do Sul,Brazil

Three new species of Habenaria (Orchidaceae) section Nudae from Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, are described and illustrated: Habenaria australis, H. kleinii and H. sobraliana. These are the first records of H. sect. Nudae for the state. Based on the examination of living and dried specimens, a total of 33 species and 400 collections of Habenaria were recorded for Rio Grande do Sul. Based on this survey, an updated checklist of the genus Habenaria for Rio Grande do Sul has been compiled. Four species are known only from this state, while seven other species are restricted to southern Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Habenaria hieronymi, previously known only from Argentina, is recorded for the first time from Brazil, and H. brachyphyton, H. ekmaniana and H. melanopoda are new records for Rio Grande do Sul.     

Sociogenetic structure of Polistes (Aphanilopterus) versicolor Olivier, 1791 colonies (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistini)

The observation of two distinct, well-defined oviposition areas in nests of the primitively eusocial wasp Polistes versicolor suggests the presence of multiple egg-layers and territorial behaviors. Electrophoretic analysis of enzyme loci in pupae from 35 colonies revealed an average observed heterozygosity of 0.10 and the existence of private polymorphisms, thereby indicating a low dispersion in this species. No evidence of diploid males was found. Phenotypic segregation analysis revealed the presence of more than one egg-laying female in 15 out of 35 colonies, as well as spatially preferential oviposition in 2 out of 13 nests, with distinct oviposition areas. Genetic relatedness estimates for brood were lower than expected for haplodiploid species under monogynous conditions (r = 0.75 for female broods and r = 0.5 for male) in 4 of those 13 nests, thereby inferring complex sociogenetic structuring in Polistes versicolor colonies.     

Trap-nest occupation by solitary wasps and bees (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) in a forest urban remanent

Temporal variation of solitary wasps and bees, nesting frequency, mortality, and parasitism were recorded from a remanent forest in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Wasps and bees were collected in trap-nests placed in areas with 25, 100, and 400 m2, from February to November 2004. The 137 trap-nests collected contained 11 species of wasps and bees. Wasps occupied most nests (75%). Occupation peaks occurred in March (25%) and September (26%); in June, the lowest occupation (2%) was observed. Except for Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) lactitarse Saussure, no significant correlation was found between number of occupied nests, and temperature and rainfall means. In the nests, 48% of the immature specimens died; 13% of the nests were parasitized. Total death and parasitism rates of wasps and bees differed significantly.     

Diet of the lizard Mabuya agilis (Sauria; Scincidae) in an insular habitat (Ilha Grande, RJ, Brazil).

We examined the stomach contents of 21 specimens of Mabuya agilis (Sauria; Scincidae) collected during February 2001 at the restinga habitat of Praia do Sul, in Ilha Grande, RJ, Brazil. Diet was composed of various types of small arthropods, with no plant material being eaten. Spiders were the most important items in the diet, followed by orthopterans. Apart from the absence of isopterans, the diet of Mabuya agilis from this insular area was similar to those of other conspecific mainland populations. This suggests that factors such as insularity and the absence of other small sympatric lizards may not have a significant effect on the feeding habits of the Praia do Sul population.     

Triatoma rubrovaria (Blanchard, 1843) (Hemiptera,Reduviidae, Triatominae) II: trophic resources and ecological observations of five populations collected in the State of Rio Grande do Sul,Brazil

Triatoma rubrovaria has become the most frequently captured triatomine species after the control of T. infestans in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. Isoenzymatic and chromatic studies indicate the existence of, at least, two distinct phenotypic patterns of T. rubrovaria in RS. The geographic variation noted through molecular tools may also result in distinct profiles of vectorial potentiality. In order to enhance our understanding of the bionomic knowledge of T. rubrovaria separate batches of the species were collected from different municipalities of RS distant from 72 to 332 km: Santana do Livramento (natural ecotope), Santana do Livramento (artificial ecotope), Santiago (natural ecotope), Cangu u (peridomicile) and Encruzilhada do Sul (natural ecotope). A total of 285 specimens were collected, 85 specimens kept sufficient fecal material in their guts for the precipitin analysis. The results indicated the food eclecticism for this species and the anti-rodent serum showed the highest positivity in most localities. From the total of analyzed samples, only 1.3% of unique positivity for human blood was registered, all of them for Santiago population. This reactivity to human blood may be associated to pastures activities in the field.     

Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in Brazil: possible origins inferred by mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II gene sequences

The Asian subterranean termite, Coptotermes gestroi, originally from northeast India through Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Indonesian archipelago, is a major termite pest introduced in several countries around the world, including Brazil. We sequenced the mitochondrial COII gene from individuals representing 23 populations. Phylogenetic analysis of COII gene sequences from this and other studies resulted in two main groups: (1) populations of Cleveland (USA) and four populations of Malaysia and (2) populations of Brazil, four populations of Malaysia, and one population from each of Thailand, Puerto Rico, and Key West (USA). Three new localities are reported here, considerably enlarging the distribution of C.?gestroi in Brazil: Campo Grande (state of Mato Grosso do Sul), Itajaí (state of Santa Catarina), and Porto Alegre (state of Rio Grande do Sul).     

Deviation from the Groundplan: a unique new species of freshwater planarian from South Brazil (Platyhelminthes, Tridadida, Paludicola)

The species Girardia biapertura Sluys, sp. nov. is described from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A unique derived character distinguishes this species from its congeners and all other planarians known to date, namely separate openings of the vasa deferentia at the tip of the penial papilla. Present knowledge on the distribution of Girardia species in Rio Grande do Sul is summarized.     

Nasal mites (Gamasida: Rhinonyssidae) of Paroaria coronata (Miller) (Passeriformes: Emberezidae)

With the aim of identifying the species of nasal mites of Paroaria coronata (red-crested cardinal), the nasal cavity of 40 birds were examined. The nasal mites were identified as Ptilonyssus sairae de Castro and Sternostoma pirangae Pence, with 50% and 7.5% of prevalence, respectively. This is the first record of these mite species parasitizing P. coronata. This report also amplifies the area of occurrence of S. pirangae for Brazil and that of P. sairae for Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.     

The biology of the primitively eusocial Augochloropsis iris (Schrottky, 1902) (Hymenoptera, Halictidae)

Summary: This work investigated Augochloropsis iris, its annual colony cycle, brood size and survival rate, caste differentiation, and sex ratio, and is the first detailed account of a clearly eusocial species of this genus. The population studied is located in the Campos do Jordão State Park, São Paulo, Brazil. The annual colony cycle extends from August to March and consists of three phases of cell provisioning separated by two phases of inactivity, and followed by an emergence of future queens and males. Provisioning during the first phase is carried primarily out by solitary females. The daughters, after emerging from the cells, remain in the natal nests, carrying out foraging activities, while the mother engages in reproduction. New nests are initiated during each of the provisioning phases by solitary females, principally by females from the second-phase brood which, soon after emerging from the cells, leave their natal nests to found their own nests, which they provision during the third phase. The females resulting from the third-phase brood in general mate and excavate their own nests, in which they diapause, with provisioning delayed until the following August. On average, the queens are significantly larger (5%) than the workers. In general, the workers do not have developed ovaries, but all are mated. Kin selection can be accepted as the selective force responsible for worker behavior of A. iris in eusocial colonies when the queen has mated once and semisocial colonies if the queen mated only once. The percentage of males produced in the first, second and third broods and in the brood of new nests founded by solitary females active in the second and third phases was: 20.7%, 22.2%, 13.3% and 0.0% respectively. The resultant sex ratio of the third brood suggests that the third-phase workers of eusocial nests are at least in partial control of their colony's sex ratios, in cases where the queens mated only once.     

Nesting behavior of Podium denticulatum Smith (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

The nesting behavior of Podium denticulatum Smith was studied on the campus of Ribeir?o Preto of the Universidade de S?o Paulo, SP, Brazil, from September 2003 to August 2005. The wasps established their nests in bamboo canes ranging from 11.4 cm to 26.2 cm in length and from 0.7 cm to 1.8 cm in internal diameter. Podium denticulatum nested almost exclusively in the hot and wet season (September-April), producing at least five generations per year. The cell provisioning was made with adult and nymphal cockroaches (Blattellidae) which were arranged venter-up and with the head inward toward the inner end of the cell. The construction of a temporary closure occurred in cells that took more than one day to be provisioned. The cells provisioned with a greater number of prey were more likely to produce females than males. The nests included 1-6 brood cells separated by mud partitions and arranged in a linear series. The innermost cells of the nests produced females, and the outermost cells produced males. Nests were parasitized by Eulophidae (Melittobia sp.), Chrysididae and Tachinidae.     

A new species of Lupinus (Fabaceae: Lupininae) from southeastern Brazil

Lupinus rubriflorus Planchuelo, from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, is described and illustrated. This species is related toL. bracteolaris s.l. differing in pubescence, stipules, and floral characters.     

Two new species of Petunia (Solanaceae) from southern Brazil

Two new species of Petunia Jussieu from Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states in Brazil are described and compared with the other seven specieS. A key and synopsis of all the species of Petunia are provided