Flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) from a white-sand habitat in the Brazilian Amazon, with the description of four new species.

The white-sand enclaves in the Amazon Basin are small areas scattered through the tropical forest, with sandy and nutrient-poor soils and an unusual vegetation type. The insect fauna of this ecosystem is poorly known, especially in the eastern Amazon. The flesh fly fauna of an area of open herbaceous white-sand vegetation known as "Campo Redondo" in the municipality of Cametá, state of Pará, was surveyed, resulting in the discovery of 43 species in 11 genera representing the subfamilies Sarcophaginae and Miltogramminae. Four new species are described: Dexosarcophaga (Dexosarcophaga) campina sp. nov., Helicobia cametaensis sp. nov., Helicobia domquixote sp. nov., and Metopia fofo sp. nov. Lepidodexia (Lepidodexia) grisea Lopes and Lepidodexia (Notochaeta) setifrons (Lopes) are newly recorded from Brazil. Dexosarcophaga (Bezzisca) ampullula (Engel), D. (Dexosarcophaga) transita Townsend and Titanogrypa (Cucullomyia) larvicida (Lopes) are newly recorded from the Brazilian Amazon.

Key to Plecoptera nymphs from the Brazilian Amazon (Insecta).

Nymphs of 22 species of Plecoptera from the Brazilian Amazon are keyed and illustrated to enhance their usefulness as water quality indicator taxa. Four described species of Anacroneuria, two species of Macrogynoplax, and two species of Enderleina have been associated with adults: Anacroneuria marlieri, A. manauensis, A. minuta, A. singularis, M. delicata, M. pulchra, E. froehlichi, and E. flinti. Nymphs of 14 additional morphospecies not yet associated with adults are included. Characters of the head, pronotum, mesonotum, and metanotum are used to distinguish late instar nymphs.

Peckia veropeso sp. nov., a flesh fly (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) from the Brazilian Amazon associated with riparian habitats.

A new species of Sarcophagidae, Peckia (Peckia) veropeso sp. nov., is described based on adult male specimens collected on organic residues in an urban open air market located on the riverside in Belém, Pará state, Brazil, and in a nearby inundated forest. This species seems to be restricted to periodically inundated riparian habitats locally known as "várzea". The distiphallus of this species is similar to that of members of the monophyletic hilifera (Aldrich)-group in the subgenus Peckia Robineau-Desvoidy. It is distinguished from the other species in the subgenus by characteristics of the male terminalia, mainly in the shape of cercus and vesica. A modified key to species of the subgenus Peckia is included.

Description of the nymph of Anacroneuria singularis Righi-Cavallaro & Lecci (Plecoptera: Perlidae) and a new locality record for northern Brazil.

The last instar nymph of Anacroneuria singularis Righi-Cavallaro & Lecci is described and figured from reared specimens collected in Pará State, Brazil, a new locality record for Brazil. The nymphs of this species differ from other known species by the uniformly dark brown anterior of the head and the ochraceous spots of the pronotum.

Description of immatures associated with adults of two species of Macrogynoplax Enderlein and one species of Enderleina Jewett (Plecoptera: Perlidae) of the Brazilian Amazon.

Nymphs of Macrogynoplax delicata Ribeiro-Ferreira & Froehlich, 1999, M. pulchra Ribeiro-Ferreira & Froehlich, 1999, and E. froehlichi Ribeiro-Ferreira, 1996 were associated with adults by rearing and described for the first time. The known distribution of each species has been increased.

Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical genus Pityocera Giglio-Tos, 1896 (Diptera: Tabanidae: Scionini).

The genus Pityocera Giglio-Tos is revised based on examination of external morphology and genitalia of type material and specimens from Brazilian and foreign institutions. Five currently valid species in three subgenera are recognized: P. (Elaphella) cervus (Wiedemann, 1828); P. (Pityocera) festai Giglio-Tos, 1896; P. (Pseudelaphella) nana (Walker, 1850); P. (Pseudelaphella) nigribasis Fairchild, 1964; P. (Pseudelaphella) patellicornis (Kröber, 1930). Five new species are described: P. (Pseudelaphella) barrosi Gorayeb & Krolow sp. nov. (Brazil: Mato Grosso do Sul); P. (Pseudelaphella) gorayebi Limeira-de-Oliveira & Krolow sp. nov. (Brazil: Maranhão, Tocantins and Bahia); P. (Pseudelaphella) pernaquila Gorayeb & Krolow sp. nov. (Brazil: Pará and Rondônia); P. (Pseudelaphella) rhinolissa Krolow & Henriques sp. nov. (Brazil: Pará, Maranhão, Tocantins, Rondônia, Mato Grosso, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul; Bolivia: Santa Cruz); P. (Pseudelaphella) ecuadorensis Buestán & Krolow sp. nov. (Ecuador: Manabí, Guayas, Santa Elena and Loja). We provide diagnosis, descriptions, redescriptions, distribution records, illustrations and discussion for all species, as well as a key for identification of species. 

Description of immatures and association with adults of three species of Anacroneuria Klapálek (Plecoptera: Perlidae) of the Brazilian Amazon.

Nymphs of three species of the genus Anacroneuria Klapálek, 1909, A. marlieri Froehlich, 2001; A. minuta Klapálek, 1922, and A. manauensis Ribeiro-Ferreira, 2001 are described. The associations of nymphs with adults were made by rearing. The known geographical distribution in Brazil of these three species was expanded.

Tabanidae (Diptera) of Amazônia XXI. Descriptions of Elephantotus gen. n. and E. tracuateuensis sp. n. (Diachlorini) from the Brazilian coast.

Elephantotus, a new genus of Tabanidae from the Amazon coast, Brazil, is described based on a new species E. tracuateuensis. Five females were collected in Pará State, and a male in Maranhão State. Arguments are presented for separating the new genus from Dasybasis, as well as the possibility of its occurrence being related to the nesting sites of coastal birds. The new species is characterized by its large size (x = 2.15 cm, n = 5 females), glabrous eyes, reddish-brown tegument, light brown frontal callus not touching the edges of the eyes, extending up to the vertex that has traces of ocelli, basal plate of the antennal flagellum with obtuse angle, without a tooth or spine, wings hyaline, with brown basal cells, without appendix in the fork of vein R4+5, and genital furca wide with extended flaps.

Bactérias isoladas de culicídeos (Diptera: Nematocera) hematófagos em Belém, Pará, Brasil / Isolated bacteria from hematophagous Culicidae (Diptera: Nematocera) in Belém, Pará State, Brazil

As bactérias estão abundantemente distribuídas na natureza, participam da microbiota humana e animal, e algumas causam doenças. Têm a sua distribuição ampliada quando são veiculadas por algum vetor. Os dípteros da família Culicidae são vetores em epidemias de grande interesse para a saúde pública; no entanto, a associação entre bactérias e culicídeos foi pouco abordada. Para avançar conhecimento sobre esta temática, foi proposto isolar e identificar bactérias que estão sendo transportadas em culicídeos hematófagos em Belém, Pará. As coletas dos culicídeos foram realizadas com armadilha luminosa do tipo CDC, em oito pontos de coleta da área metropolitana de Belém, que apresentam características ambientais distintas. Foram coletados 296 exemplares de culicídeos, sendo que nove foram identificados até o nível de espécie e quatro até o subgênero. Destas amostras foi possível identificar 17 espécies de bactérias, outras sete somente foram identificadas até o gênero. Culex quinquefasciatus e Anopholes aquasalis foram os mais abundantes entre os culicídeos. As espécies de bactérias Gemella haemolysans e Enterobacter cloacae foram as mais abundantes nas amostras. Os pontos de coleta localizados nos bairros da Terra Firme e Curió Utinga foram os que apresentaram maior diversidade de espécies de culicídeos.

Bacteria are largely distributed in nature, especially when carried by a vector. They comprise large portions of the human and animal microbiota, and some cause diseases. The diptera of the family Culicidae are directly involved in the vectoring of epidemics of great interest for public health. However, the association between bacteria and Culicidae has been scarcely studied. In order to deepen the knowledge on this subject, we isolated and identified bacteria which have been transported in hematophagous Culicidae in the City of Belém, Pará State. The collection of 296 mosquitoes was carried out using a CDC light trap in eight collection localities, which presented different environmental characteristics within the metropolitan area of Belém. Some were identified to the species level (9) and others to the subgenus (4). It was possible to identify 17 species of bacteria; seven bacteria could only be identified up to their genus. Culex quinquefasciatus and Anopheles aquasalis were the most frequent Culicidae. The most frequent species of bacteria found in the samples were Gemella haemolysans and Enterobacter cloacae. The collection localities in the Terra-firme and Curió-utinga districts presented the largest diversity of species of Culicidae.

Maruins (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides), após a estação chuvosa, na Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Itatupã-Baquiá, Gurupá, Pará, Brasil / Biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) after the rainy season in the Itatupã-Baquiá Sustainable Development Reserve, Gurupá, Pará State, Brazil

As espécies hematófagas de Ceratopogonidae são conhecidas vulgarmente no Brasil como maruins, mosquitinhos pólvora e mosquitinhos de mangue. Algumas destas espécies podem causar sérios problemas ao homem e seus animais domésticos, devido à voracidade de suas picadas em busca de repasto sanguíneo, podendo causar grande irritação e problemas cutâneos, principalmente nos indivíduos mais sensíveis, além de serem também vetores potenciais de agentes infecciosos. Este trabalho objetiva ampliar o conhecimento sobre os Ceratopogonidae hematófagos da Amazônia brasileira, enfocando as espécies ocorrentes na Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Itatupã-Baquiá, Município de Gurupá, Estado do Pará, Brasil, por meio de observações e do estudo das atividades horárias de ataque das espécies à procura do repasto sanguíneo no ser humano. Utilizaram-se atrativo humano e armadilha luminosa do tipo CDC como métodos de amostragens. Foram coletados 1.718 exemplares de maruins, distribuídos em nove espécies, sendo todas do gênero Culicoides. São elas: C. acotylus Lutz, C. batesi Wirth & Blanton, C. foxi Ortíz, C. insinuatus Ortíz & León, C. iriartei Fox, C. leopoldoi Ortíz, C. limai Barretto, C. paramaruim Wirth & Blanton e Culicoides sp. C. insinuatus foi considerada a espécie mais importante para o homem na Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Itatupã-Baquiá, por buscar o repasto sanguíneo nos horários de maior atividade humana, tanto no peridomicílio como no intradomicílio, causando grande incômodo às pessoas afetadas e aos seus animais domésticos...

The hematophagous Ceratopogonidae species (biting midges or sand flies) are vulgarly known as maruins, mosquitinhos pólvora and mosquitinhos de mangue. Some of these species may cause severe problems to humans and their pets due to the voracity of their bites during blood sucking. They are potential vectors of infectious agents and may cause severe skin irritation and lesions, especially in more sensitive individuals. This article aims to broaden the knowledge on hematophagous Ceratopogonidae in the Brazilian Amazon through observations and study of the host-seeking behavior of the species in search of blood feeding on humans. It focuses on the species that occur in the Itatupã-Baquiá Sustainable Development Reserve, located in the municipality of Gurupá, Pará State. We used human baits and CDC light traps as sampling methods. A total of 1,71 8 specimens of midges were collected. All of them belonged to the genus Culicoides and were distributed into nine species, as follows: C. acotylus Lutz, C. batesi Wirth & Blanton, C. foxi Ortíz, C. insinuatus Ortíz & León, C. iriartei Fox, C. leopoldoi Ortíz, C. limai Barretto, C. paramaruim Wirth & Blanton and Culicoides sp. C. insinuatus was considered the most important species for individuals from the Itatupã-Baquiá Reserve because it searches for blood feedings in periods humans are more active, both in peridomestic and intradomestic areas, which causes great inconvenience to the individuals affected and their pets...

Tabanidae (Diptera) do estado do Maranhão, Brasil: III. Descrição de Philipotabanus (Mimotabanus) henriquesi sp. nov. / Tabanidae (Diptera) from the state of Maranhão, Brazil: III. Description of Philipotabanus (Mimotabanus) henriquesi sp. nov.

Philipotabanus (Mimotabanus) henriquesi sp. nov. é descrita e ilustrada baseada em 30 fêmeas e dois machos coletados em vegetação de Cerrado, nos municípios de Carolina, Alto Parnaíba e Mirador, região sul do estado do Maranhão, Brasil. Este é o primeiro registro de uma espécie do subgênero no Brasil.

Philipotabanus (Mimotabanus) henriquesi, sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on 30 females and two males specimens collected in open vegetation of "Cerrado", in Carolina, Alto Parnaíba and Mirador municipalities, in southern Maranhão state, Brazil. This is the first record of species of the subgenus in Brazil.

Fauna anofélica da cidade de Belém, Pará, Brasil: dados atuais e retrospectivos / Anophelines in Belém, Pará, Brazil: current and retrospective data

Relato de coletas de anofelinos realizadas em Belém, Pará, Brasil, de 1995 a 2004, comparando os dados obtidos com os de levantamentos anteriores, feitos a partir da década de 1930. Nesses, vinte espécies haviam sido identificadas: Anopheles albitarsis s.l., An. aquasalis, An. argyritarsis, An. braziliensis, An. darlingi, An. eiseni, An. evansae, An. galvaoi, An. intermedius, An. kompi, An. mediopunctatus, An. nimbus, An. nuneztovari, An. oswaldoi, An. peryassui, An. punctimacula, An. shannoni, An. strodei, An. thomasi e An. triannulatus. Sete (An. argyritarsis, An. eiseni, An. galvaoi, An. kompi, An. nimbus, An. punctimacula e An. thomasi) não são agora registradas. A permanência de tantas outras espécies provavelmente decorre da preservação de áreas de mata no âmbito urbano. Duas delas são consideradas de importância vetorial (An. darlingi e An. aquasalis). Esta última continua sendo a de maior densidade nas coletas (46,26 por cento dos adultos e 99,21 por cento das larvas) e é a única registrada em todos os distritos administrativos. Existe, portanto, risco potencial de transmissão de malária em todo o município.

[Anophelines in Belém, Pará, Brazil: current and retrospective data]. / Fauna anofélica da cidade de Belém, Pará, Brasil: dados atuais e retrospectivos.

We present the results of anopheline captures in Belém, Pará, Brazil, from 1995-2004, and a comparison with captures from 1930-1999. In the earlier period, 20 species were identified: Anopheles albitarsis s.l., An. aquasalis, An. argyritarsis, An. braziliensis, An. darlingi, An. eiseni, An. evansae, An. galvaoi, An. intermedius, An. kompi, An. mediopunctatus, An. nimbus, An. nuneztovari, An. oswaldoi, An. peryassui, An. punctimacula, An. shannoni, An. strodei, An. thomasi, and An. triannulatus. Seven of these species were not found in 1995-2004 (An. argyritarsis, An. eiseni, An. galvaoi, An. kompi, An. nimbus, An. punctimacula, and An. thomasi). The persistence of so many species is probably due to the local preservation of forest areas. Two species are of vectorial importance (An. darlingi and An. aquasalis). An. aquasalis is still the most abundant species (46.26% of adults, 99.21% of larvae) and the only one detected in all capture sites. There is thus a potential risk of malaria transmission in the entire municipality of Belém.

Tabanidae (Diptera) of Amazônia XX. description of Tabanus pseudonebulosus n.sp.

Tabanus pseudonebulosus, new species, is described based on 217 female specimens and 5 males collected in Venezuela (Guarico, Aguaio, Santa Elena, and Palmarito) and in Brazil (Parcí: Santana do Araguaia, Serra das Andorinhas in São Geraldo do Araguaia, Serra Norte Carajás and Gorotire; Amazonas: Canutama; Mato Grosso do Sul: Corumbá), mostly in open vegetation, scrub forest and in rocky environments. Observed intraspecific variation in the specimens is presented and related to collection localities, and morphological differences are diagnosed in relation to the similar species Tabanus nebulosus DeGeer 1776 and T. importunus Wiedemann 1828. Morphometrical data and indices for specimens in different localities are provided. Drawings and photo of the new species are presented.

Tabanidae (Diptera) of Amazônia XX: description of Tabanus pseudonebulosus n. sp

Tabanus pseudonebulosus, new species, is described based on 217 female specimens and 5 males collected in Venezuela (Guarico, Aguaio, Santa Elena, and Palmarito) and in Brazil (Pará: Santana do Araguaia, Serra das Andorinhas in São Geraldo do Araguaia, Serra Norte Carajás and Gorotire; Amazonas: Canutama; Mato Grosso do Sul: Corumbá), mostly in open vegetation, scrub forest and in rocky environments. Observed intraspecific variation in the specimens is presented and related to collection localities, and morphological differences are diagnosed in relation to the similar species Tabanus nebulosus DeGeer 1776 and T. importunus Wiedemann 1828. Morphometrical data and indices for specimens in different localities are provided. Drawings and photo of the new species are presented.

Maruins (Ceratopogonidae: Diptera) do estuário do Rio Pará e do litoral do Estado do Pará, Brasil / Biting Midges (Ceratopogonidae: Diptera) of the Para River Estuary and litoral of Para State, Brazil

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo fazer o levantamento das espécies de ceratopogonídeos hematófagos (maruins) em áreas costeiras do Estado do Pará. Foram amostrados dois pontos, um no litoral (Praia do Crispim/Marapanim) e outro no estuário do rio Pará (Outeiro/Belém). As coletas foram feitas mensalmente em 2003 de abril a outubro em Outeiro e nos meses de junho, julho, setembro e outubro em Marapanim. Foram utilizados os métodos de isca humana e armadilha tipo CDC. Foram coletados 4003 exemplares de maruins distribuídos em 18 espécies de Culicoides Latreille e uma de Leptoconops Skuse, sendo L. brasiliensis (Lutz) a única espécie comum aos dois pontos de coleta. As duas espécies mais abundantes coletadas em Outeiro foram C. batesi Wirth & Blanton e C. denisae Clastrier, enquanto em Marapanim foram C. maruim Lutz e C. phlebotomus (Williston).