Resumo Os parasitoides controlam os insetos pragas, mas o seu número por hospedeiro afeta a sua eficiência. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a melhor densidade de Tetrastichus howardi (Olliff, 1893) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) parasitando o quarto instar de larvas de Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) em condições de estufa. Estas lagartas foram expostas ao parasitismo por fêmeas T. howardi com densidades 1:1, 3:1, 6:1, 9:1, 12:1, 15:1 e 18:1 de parasitoide/hospedeiro com 10 repetições durante 96 horas. Após este período, as lagartas foram mantidas em plantas hospedeiras (Brassica oleracea) até à formação de pupas. Tetrastichus howardi parasitaram e reproduziram em lagartas P. xylostella em todas as suas densidades testadas, mas com valores mais elevados de 84% e 10 ± 2.4 indivíduos, respectivamente, com 9:1 parasitoides/hospedeiro. Nove fêmeas de T. howardi por lagarta de P. xylostella são o número adequado para controlar está praga de inseto.

Abstract Parasitoids control insect pests, but their number per host affects their efficiency. The objective of this work was to evaluate the best density of Tetrastichus howardi (Olliff, 1893) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) individuals parasitizing fourth instar Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) larvae in greenhouse conditions. These larvae were exposed to parasitism by T. howardi females with 1:1, 3:1, 6:1, 9:1, 12:1, 15:1 and 18:1 parasitoid/host ratios with 10 replications during 96 hours. After this period the larvae were kept on host plants (Brassica oleracea) until pupa formation. Tetrastichus howardi parasitized and reproduced in P. xylostella larvae at all its densities tested, but with higher values, 84% and 10 ± 2.4 individuals, respectively, with 9:1 parasitoids/host. Nine T. howardi females per P. xylostella larvae are the adequate number to manage this insect pest.

Members of the subfamily Crotalinae are considered to be essentially nocturnal and most of the data about these snakes have been collected from the field. Information on how nutritional status affects the movement rate and activity patterns is a key point to elucidating the ecophysiology of snakes. In this study, we distributed 28 lancehead Bothrops moojeni into three groups under distinct feeding regimens after a month of fasting. Groups were divided as follows: ingestion of meals weighing (A) 40%, (B) 20%, or (C) 10% of the snake body mass. Groups were monitored for five days before and after food intake and the activity periods and movement rates were recorded. Our results show that B. moojeni is prevalently nocturnal, and the activity peak occurs in the first three hours of the scotophase. After feeding, a significant decrease in activity levels in groups A and B was detected. The current results corroborate previous field data that describe B. moojeni as a nocturnal species with low movement rates. The relationship between motion and the amount of food consumed by the snake may be associated with its hunting strategy.

Snakes that can ingest prey that are proportionally large have high metabolic rates during digestion. This great increase in metabolic rate (specific dynamic action - SDA) may create a significant augment in the animal's body temperature. The present study investigated postprandial thermogenesis in Bothrops moojeni. Briefly, two groups of snakes were fed meals equivalent to 17 ± 3% and 32 ± 5% of their body weight and were observed for 72 hours, in which thermal images of each snake were taken with an infrared camera in a thermostable environment with a constant air temperature of 30°C. The results showed a significant increase in snake surface temperature, with a thermal peak between 33 and 36 hours after feeding. The meal size had a great impact on the intensity and duration of the thermogenic response. Such increase in temperature appears to be connected with the huge increase in metabolic rates during digestion of relatively large prey by snakes that feed infrequently. The ecologic implication of the thermogenic response is still not well understood; however, it is possible that its presence could affect behaviors associated with the snake digestion, such as postprandial thermophily.

O Brasil tem o maior número de espécies de primatas do mundo, e a Amazônia é uma das mais ricas florestas, com 15 (cerca de 90%) dos gêneros de primatas neotropicais. Embora considerados elementos essenciais nas estratégias atuais de conservação, de modo geral há grande escassez de informação sobre os primatas das áreas protegidas na região. Apresentamos aqui novos dados sobre a composição da comunidade de primatas na Floresta Nacional Saracá-Taquera (429.600 ha), Pará, uma área rica em bauxita e explorada por uma empresa mineradora nacional. Usamos informações da literatura, relatórios técnicos, dados de museus e entrevistas com agentes do IBAMA e membros da comunidade quilombola local. Além disso, realizamos 19 excursões de 10 a 15 dias de duração cada, no período de julho de 2003 a junho de 2007, em um esforço total de 1.230 horas e 1.420 km de censos, resultando em 1.034 registros de oito espécies de primatas (Saguinus martinsi, Saguinus midas, Saimiri sciureus, Cebus apella, Pithecia pithecia, Chiropotes sagulatus, Ateles paniscus e Alouatta macconelli). Outras duas espécies (Aotus trivirgatus e Cebus olivaceus) foram somente registradas de forma indireta (literatura e museus). Alouatta macconelli foi a espécie mais frequentemente registrada (43% de todos os registros); Saguinus midas e P. pithecia foram as espécies menos frequentes (ca. 0,4 e 0,6% dos registros). Discutimos os tamanhos de grupo registrados, bem como os problemas taxonômicos existentes, principalmente relativos aos gêneros Pithecia e Chiropotes, para os quais registramos variação geográfica e duas formas diferentes, respectivamente. Apesar do desmatamento causado pela mineração de bauxita, a Floresta Nacional Saracá-Taquera ainda possui notável riqueza de espécies de primatas. Nossos resultados colocam a área de estudo entre as mais ricas reservas em primatas na Região Amazônica.

Brazil is the richest country in the world in terms of primate species and the Amazonian rain forest is one of the richest biomes containing 15 (ca. 90%) of the Neotropical primate genera. Although considered key elements in conservation strategies, there is only anecdotal information on primates for several protected areas within the region. Here we present new data on the community composition of the primates in the Saracá-Taqüera National Forest (429,600 ha), an actively mined, bauxite rich area, in Pará, Brazil. We used information from the literature, technical reports, museum data, and interviews conducted with agents from the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Natural Renewable Resources (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis - IBAMA) and members of the local "Quilombo" community. In addition, from July 2003 to June 2007, we carried out 19 field trips ranging from 10 to15 days each, amounting to a total effort of 1,230 hours and 1,420 km of censuses, resulting in 1,034 records of eight primate species (Saguinus martinsi, Saguinus midas, Saimiri sciureus, Cebus apella, Pithecia pithecia, Chiropotes sagulatus, Ateles paniscus, and Alouatta macconelli). Two other species (Cebus olivaceus and Aotus trivirgatus) were recorded only indirectly, through interviews and literature data. In all, Alouatta macconelli was the most frequently recorded species (43% of all records); while Saguinus midas and P. pithecia were the least (ca. 0.4 and 0.6% of all records). Based on our results, we discuss group sizes as well as taxonomic problems concerning the genera Pithecia and Chiropotes, for which we registered individuals displaying phenotypic geographical variation and two different forms, respectively. Despite the deforestation inherent in bauxite mining, the Saracá-Taqüera National Forest still has a remarkable richness of primate species. Our study results place this National Forest amongst the richest reserves, in terms of primate species, in the Amazon region.

The hematological values for the specie Bothrops leucurus, recently captured from nature, were determined from blood samples of 29 snakes (11 males and 18 females). The performed hematological tests were: total red blood cell count (TRBCC), total white blood cell count (TWBCC), total trombocyte blood cell count (TTBCC); packed cell volume (PCV); hemoglobin content; and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). The mean values for TRBCC was 4.23cellsx10(5)/mm³, for TWRCC was 8.92cellsx10³/mm³ and for TTBCC was 8.60cellsx10³/mm³. The mean for packed cell volume was 22.3%. The intraerythrocytic hemoparasite Hepatozoon sp was found on 58.6% of the studied animals.