Aegla buenoi n. sp. (Decapoda: Anomura): first record of aeglid crab from Cinzas River basin, Brazil.

A new species of freshwater anomuran crab, Aegla buenoi n. sp., is described. The new taxon was collected from two streams within the Cinzas River basin, Paran state, Brazil. We used morphological and molecular data (COI mtDNA) to distinguish the new species from its congeners. Aegla buenoi n. sp. is differentiated by morphological diagnostic features of the cephalothorax, chelipeds, second abdominal epimeron, and uropods. Molecular results confirm the separation of A. buenoi n. sp. from closely related species (A. castro Schmitt, 1942, A. lata Bond-Buckup Buckup, 1994, and A. jacutinga Marl Teixeira, 2020). Hence, our study increases the known diversity of aeglids and reports the first species of Aegla from the Cinzas River basin.

Is glyphosate toxic to bees? A meta-analytical review.

Glyphosate (GLY) is an herbicide widely used in agriculture. First considered as non-toxic or slightly toxic to bees, GLY and its different formulations have shown, more recently, to affect negatively the survival, development and behavior of these insects, even when used in doses and concentrations recommended by the manufacturer. Thus, the results of research on the toxicity of GLY to bees are often conflicting, which makes a meta-analysis interesting for data integration, generating a statistically reliable result. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the GLY effects on mortality of bees through a meta-analysis. For this, a search was carried out in the databases Web of Science, CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel - Brazil), Scopus, and PubMed. Papers that evaluated the effect of GLY on bee mortality published between 1945 and October 2020, were considered. After obtaining the data, R software was used to perform the meta-analytical tests. Sixteen papers on mortality were selected with 34 data sets. Most of the sets demonstrated differences between the control and experimental groups, showing that the treatments with GLY caused higher mortality of bees. The results considering the methodology used (ingestion or contact), the phase of the biological cycle (adults or larvae), and the dose (ecologically relevant dose and recommended by the manufacturer) were different when compared with their respective control groups. Therefore, GLY can be considered toxic to bees. It is important to emphasize that this meta-analysis identified that papers assessing the toxicity of GLY to bees are still scarce, for both lethal and sublethal effects, mainly for stingless and solitary bee species.

Inventory of the fish fauna from Laranjinha River, Paranapanema River system, Brazil / Inventário da ictiofauna do rio Laranjinha, sistema do rio Paranapanema, Brasil

Abstract: This work is the most comprehensive survey of the Laranjinha River´s fishes, a tributary of the Cinzas River, Paranapanema River basin. Throughout its course, there is only a low-height dam, including a transposition system located 98 km from its mouth. The sampling was carried out in nine locations, from the source to the mouth, with six field incursions in each location, using different fishing gear. A total of 11,924 fish were collected, distributed in seven orders, 27 families, and 100 species. The most representative order in the number of species was Siluriformes, followed by Characiformes. As for the families, Loricariidae comprised 21% and Characidae 14% of species richness. Phalloceros harpagos was the species with the highest absolute abundance, representing 11.3% of the total, followed by Hypostomus ancistroides with 9.8%. However, considering the average abundance and frequency of occurrence, Hypostomus ancistroides was the most abundant species, followed by Hypostomus cf. paulinus, Psalidodon aff. paranae and Phalloceros harpagos. Among the collected species, the Apteronotus acidops, Brycon orbygnianus, Brycon nattereri, Crenicichla jupiaensis, and Rhinelepis aspera were classified as endangered on the most recent IUCN Red List. Also, from the total sampled fish, 9.8% are considered non-native species. Among the native species recorded, 10 species are large migratory species, which indicates that the Laranjinha River is a route for spawning and maintenance of species diversity in the middle Paranapanema River. Therefore, the Laranjinha River is a heritage of fish diversity and deserves special attention in its preservation.

Resumo: Este é o levantamento mais abrangente de peixes do rio Laranjinha, um afluente do rio das Cinzas, bacia do rio Paranapanema. Ao longo de sua rota, existe apenas uma pequena barragem com um sistema de transposição localizado 98 km de sua nascente. A amostragem foi realizada em nove locais, desde a nascente até a foz, com seis incursões de campo em cada local, com o auxílio de diferentes artes de pesca. Foram coletados 11.924 indivíduos, distribuídos em sete ordens, 27 famílias e 100 espécies. A ordem mais representativa foi Siluriformes, seguida por Characiformes. Quanto às famílias, Loricariidae compôs 21% e Characidae 14% da riqueza de espécies. Phalloceros harpagos foi a espécie com maior abundância absoluta, representando 11,3% do total, seguida por Hypostomus ancistroides, com 9,8%. No entanto, considerando a abundância média e a frequência de ocorrência, Hypostomus ancistroides foi a espécie mais abundante, seguida por Hypostomus cf. paulinus, Psalidodon aff. paranae e Phalloceros harpagos. Entre as espécies coletadas, Apteronotus acidops, Brycon orbygnianus, Brycon nattereri, Crenicichla jupiaensis e Rhinelepis aspera estão listadas em categorias de ameaça na Lista Vermelha da IUCN mais recente. Além disso, do total de indivíduos amostrados, 9,8% são considerados espécies não nativas. Entre as espécies nativas registradas, 10 espécies são migratórias de grande porte, o que indica que o rio Laranjinha é uma rota de desova e manutenção da diversidade de espécies no médio rio Paranapanema. Portanto, o rio Laranjinha é um patrimônio da diversidade de peixes e merece atenção especial em sua preservação.

Expression of cyp1a induced by benzo(A)pyrene and related biochemical and genotoxic biomarkers in the neotropical freshwater fish Prochilodus lineatus.

The goal of this work was to design specific cyp1a primers for the fish Prochilodus lineatus to study the expression of this gene and its relation to the activity of biotransformation phase I enzyme (ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase - EROD) and genotoxic damage after 6 and 24 h of benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) intraperitoneal injection. In comparison to fish injected only with canola oil (vehicle), the expression of cyp1a and EROD activity both in the liver and gills were significantly higher after 6 and 24 h of B(a)P injection. A significant increase in DNA damage was detected in liver and blood cells after 6 h of B(a)P injection and in the gill cells after both times, probably caused by intermediate metabolites of B(a)P. Thus, the expression of cyp1a and its relationship with the corresponding enzyme activity is a potential biomarker for evaluation P. lineatus exposure to organic compounds.

A new species of Aegla Leach, 1820 (Crustacea, Anomura) from the Iguaçu River basin, Brazil.

A new species of aeglid crab, Aegla okora n. sp., is described. This species was found in the Iguaçu River basin in Paraná state, southern Brazil. Aegla okora n. sp. was discriminated based on morphological and molecular data (mitochondrial COI). Morphologically, the new species differs from congeners of the same river basin by the presence of a trapezoidal areola and the ventromesial border of the ischium having three tubercles, besides other exclusive additional morphological characteristics. Molecular results demonstrated that there is no overlap between the intraspecific distances of Aegla okora n. sp. and the interspecific distance of other species of Aegla added to the analysis, confirming the separation of species and increasing the known diversity of the Iguaçu River basin.

Genotoxic effects of the herbicide Roundup Transorb and its active ingredient glyphosate on the fish Prochilodus lineatus.

Roundup Transorb (RT) is a glyphosate-based herbicide and despite its wide use around the world there are few studies comparing the effects of the active ingredient with the formulated product. In this context the purpose of this study was to compare the genotoxicity of the active ingredient glyphosate with the formulated product RT in order to clarify whether the active ingredient and the surfactant of the RT formula may exert toxic effects on the DNA molecule in juveniles of fish Prochilodus lineatus. Erythrocytes and gill cells of fish exposed to glyphosate and to RT showed DNA damage scores significantly higher than control animals. These results revealed that both glyphosate itself and RT were genotoxic to gill cells and erythrocytes of P. lineatus, suggesting that their use should be carefully monitored considering their potential impact on tropical aquatic biota.

Development and characterization of microsatellite loci of Microglanis cottoides (siluriformes: pseudopimelodidae) and cross-species amplification

Thirteen microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized in Microglanis cottoides. Of these, two were monomorphic and 11 were polymorphic. These polymorphic loci tested on 24 individuals from a wild population produced a total of 108 different alleles, with levels of variability high, ranging from 2 to 20, with an average of 8.3 alleles per locus. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.125 to 0.958 and from 0.119 to 0.931, respectively. A high combined probability of paternity exclusion value and a low probability combined genetic identity value obtained show that the set of loci described herein displays good suitability for paternity studies and differentiation of M. cottoides. Additionally, all thirteen microsatellite primers developed for M. cottoides were tested in four other Pseudopimelodidae species and successful cross-species amplification was achieved for the majority of loci.

Treze loci microssatélites foram isolados e caracterizados em Microglanis cottoides. Destes, dois foram monomórficos e 11 foram polimórficos. Estes loci polimórficos foram testados em 24 indivíduos de uma população selvagem e produziram um total de 108 alelos diferentes, com níveis de variabilidade alta, variando de 2 a 20, com uma média de 8,3 alelos por locus. A heterozigosidade observada e esperada variou de 0,125 a 0,958 e 0,119 a 0,931, respectivamente. Um elevado valor de exclusão de paternidade e um baixo valor de identidade genética foram obtidos, demostrando que o conjunto de loci descritos no presente trabalho exibe boa aplicabilidade no estudo de parentesco e diferenciação populacional em M. cottoides. Adicionalmente, os treze primers de microssatélites desenvolvidos para M. cottoides foram testados em outras quatro espécies de Pseudopimelodidae e a transferabilidade foi obtida para a maioria dos loci.

Cryptic species of the genus Pimelodella (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) from the Miranda River, Paraguay River basin, Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, Central Brazil

Specimens of Pimelodella captured in the Miranda River, Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul State, present morphological features that could indicate at least four species. Therefore, karyotype analysis and molecular biology provided evidence that they were only two species, one showing 2n = 46, and the other, 2n = 52 chromosomes, with only 18% genetic similarity. The morphological analysis evidenced that the dorsal filament is a male characteristic and that the upper lobe of the caudal fin was variable and might or might not be elongated in both species. With respect to morphometric characters, the formation of two groups was evident, but with a small overlap of specimens between them. Among the species with filaments on the dorsal fin observed in the Pantanal, the one with the lesser length of adipose fin base is P. griffini, which corresponds to that with 2n = 46 chromosomes, whereas the species P. taenioptera has 2n = 52 chromosomes. Thus, the accurate detection of these cryptic taxonomic units was only possible with the use of various analysis techniques. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the identification of cryptic species is important for obtaining correct estimates of fish diversity in the Pantanal.

Exemplares de Pimelodella capturados no rio Miranda, Pantanal do Mato Grosso do Sul, apresentavam características morfológicas que poderiam indicar, pelo menos, quatro espécies. Entretanto, com a análise cariotípica e da biologia molecular ficou evidente que se tratava de apenas duas espécies, uma apresentando 2n = 46 e a outra, 2n = 52 cromossomos, e com apenas 18% de similaridade genética. Pela análise morfológica foi observado que o filamento dorsal é uma característica de machos, e o lobo superior da nadadeira caudal se mostrou variável, podendo, ou não, ser alongado em ambas espécies. Com relação aos caracteres morfométricos, também houve a formação de dois grupos, mas com uma pequena sobreposição de exemplares entre eles. Das espécies com filamento na nadadeira dorsal apontadas para o Pantanal, a que possui menor comprimento da base da nadadeira adiposa é P. griffini, o que corresponde àquela com 2n = 46 cromossomos e, ao contrário, a espécie com 2n = 52 cromossomos, é P. taenioptera. Assim, apenas com o emprego de diversas técnicas de análise foi possível o reconhecimento seguro dessas unidades taxonômicas que se mostravam crípticas. Ressalta-se, ainda, que a identificação de espécies crípticas é importante para que estimativas da diversidade de peixes do Pantanal sejam feitas corretamente.

Diversity of the euglossine bee community (Hymenoptera, Apidae) of an Atlantic Forest remnant in southeastern Brazil

Diversity of the euglossine bee community (Hymenoptera, Apidae) of an Atlantic Forest remnant in southeastern Brazil. Euglossine bees, attracted to scent baits of cineole, eugenol and vanillin, were collected with entomological nets, from December 1998 to November 1999. Samplings were carried out once a month simultaneously by two collectors positioned in two different sites in an Atlantic Forest remnant in northeastern São Paulo state, Brazil. A total of 859 male euglossine bees, belonging to 13 species and four Euglossini genera were collected. Of the total sample, 506 (12 species) males were captured at site A and 353 (10 species) were collected at site B.In both sites, Euglossa pleosticta Dressler, 1982 was the most abundant species (45.79 percent), followed by Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, 1841 (20.79 percent). The results of this study supply new information about the diversity of orchid bee fauna in Atlantic Forest remnants as well as show that more than one site is needed to sample these bees in a fragmented landascape.

Diversidade de abelhas Euglossini (Hymenoptera, Apidae) em um remanescente de Floresta Atlântica no sudeste do Brasil. Abelhas Euglossini, atraídas às iscas odoríferas de cineol, eugenol e vanilina foram coletadas com rede entomológica durante os meses de dezembro de 1998 a novembro de 1999, em um remanescente de Floresta Atlântica localizado no nordeste do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. As amostragens foram realizadas, uma vez ao mês, simultaneamente por dois coletores posicionados em dois pontos distintos na área de estudo. No total, 859 machos pertencentes a 13 espécies e quatro gêneros foram coletados em ambos os sítios. Do total de abelhas amostradas, 506 (12 espécies) foram capturadas no sítio A e 353 (10 espécies) no sítio B. Em ambos os sítios, Euglossa pleosticta Dressler, 1982 foi a espécie mais abundante (45,79 por cento), seguida por Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, 1841 (20,79 por cento). Os resultados deste estudo fornecem informações adicionais sobre a diversidade das abelhas das orquídeas em remanescentes de Floresta Atlântica, bem como mostram que mais de um ponto de amostragem se faz necessário para se obter informações mais precisas sobre as comunidades de Euglossini em paisagens fragmentadas.

Fusarium verticillioides strains isolated from corn feed: characterization by fumonisin production and RAPD fingerprinting

In this study a total of 16 Fusarium verticillioides strains isolated from corn feed samples were characterized by fumonisin (FB) production and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). All the strains produced FB1 and FB2 with levels ranging from 2.41 to 3996.36 µg/g, and from 1.18 to 1209.91 µg/g, respectively. From the 16 F. verticillioides strains, four were identified as low (3.59 to 1289.84 µg/g), eight as intermediate (>1289.84 to 3772.44 µg/g) and four strains as high (>3772.44 µg/g) fumonisin producers. From the total of 105 loci amplified, 60 (57.14 percent) were polymorphic. RAPD analysis showed very similar patterns among low, moderate and high fumonisin-producing strains. Although RAPD markers were capable of discriminating the different F. verticillioides strains, there was no clear association between these makers and fumonisin production.

Neste estudo, 16 cepas de F. verticillioides isoladas de amostras de ração de milho foram caracterizadas com base na produção de fumonisinas (FB) e em marcadores de polimorfismos de DNA amplificado ao acaso (RAPD). Todas as cepas produziram FB1 e FB2, com níveis variando, respectivamente, de 2,41 a 3996,36 µg/g e 1,18 a 1209,91 µg/g. De acordo com a produção de fumonisinas totais (FB1 + FB2) e a distribuição por análise de quartis, do total de 16 cepas de F. verticillioides, quatro foram identificadas como baixas produtoras de fumonisinas (3,59 a 1289,84 µg/g), oito como intermediárias (>1289,84 a 3772,44 µg/g) e quatro como altas produtoras de fumonisinas (>3772,44 µg/g). Os 10 primers utilizados amplificaram 105 locos, 60 (57,14 por cento) dos quais foram polimórficos. As análises de RAPD mostraram padrões muito similares entre as cepas baixas, médias e altas produtoras de fumonisinas. Embora os marcadores RAPD tenham se mostrado capazes de discriminar as diferentes cepas de F. verticillioides, não foi detectada nenhuma associação entre estes marcadores e a produção de fumonisinas.

Trends of fumonisin contamination and animal intoxication through monitoring 1991 to 1997 corn crop in the State of Paraná, Brazil.

Eleven feed samples associated with six animal (horse and poultry) intoxication outbreaks (1991) in the state of Paraná, Brazil, were evaluated for fungal and fumonisin contamination. In order to estimate the trend of livestock intoxication, fumonisin contamination was monitored in corn produced both at the commercial level (1991, 1995 crop), and in an experimental field at a local Agronomy Institute (1997 crop). The total mould count in the feed samples ranged from 2.9 x 10(3) to 1.9 x 10(7) CFU/g, with Fusarium verticillioides as the predominant species, at a high count of 2.4 x 10(4)-6.5 x 10(5) CFU/g. Fumonisins (FB1 + FB2) were detected in all corn-based feed samples at levels ranging from 2.89 to 14.54 microg/g. All 27 Northern corn samples (1991 crop) were contaminated with fumonisins at levels ranging from 2.32 to 16.64 microg/g. Twenty-six (96.3%) out of 27 corn samples from the Central-Southern region (1995 crop) were positive for fumonisins (FB1+FB2), with the range of 0.07-3.66 microg/g, while all 37 Northern samples (1995 crop) were contaminated with fumonisins ranging from 0.57 to 9.97 microg/g. Twenty-one out of 37 corn samples from the Northern region (1997 crop) were positive for fumonisins, but at low level (range of 0.05-2.67 microg/g). The results showed a decreasing trend in fumonisin contamination over the years. Nowadays animal intoxication outbreaks rarely occur in this State, as both animal producers and feed industries have become conscious about monitoring of corn and other raw materials at the quality control level.

Plants and pollinating bees in Maringá, State of Paraná, Brazil

The present study was carried out to survey the bees as visitors to melliferous flora in the region of Maringá, state of Paraná, Brazil. A total of 331 insects were captured, and the fauna comprised 39.88 percent Trigona spinipes, 38.37 percent Apis mellifera, 8.16 percent Tetragonisca angustula, 3.93 percent Halictidae, 1.21 percent Megachilidae, 2.42 percent Anthophoridae, and 3.32 percent other Hymenoptera. Eleven plant species from nine families were observed. The four families most frequently visited by A. mellifera were Pontederiaceae (93.53 percent), Sterculiaceae and Polygoniaceae (47.22 percent), Apocynaceae and Apiaceae (42.86 percent). The families most visited by T. spinipes were Lamiaceae (64.70 percent), Apocynaceae (57.14 percent), Sterculiaceae (51.85 percent) and Anacardiaceae (48.39 percent), and the families most visited by T. angustula were (28.57 percent), Asteraceae (22.22 percent) and Labiatae (16.47 percent). Three species predominated in number of bee visits Dombeya wallichii (32.63 percent), Ocimum americanum (15.5 percent) and Antigonon leptopus (15.2 percent). T. angustula was the most frequent visitor of O. gratissimum flowers (60.87 percent)