ABSTRACT Haemagogus leucocelaenus, which is considered a major vector of wild yellow fever, exhibits acrodendrophilic habits and mainly deposits its eggs in treeholes and bamboo internodes. The selection of nursery sites is essential in the life history and reproductive success of mosquitoes. The present work investigated the preferred oviposition height and period of Hg. leucocelaenus in an Atlantic forest area in Rio de Janeiro. Sampling was performed using oviposition traps that were placed on plant material at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 m above the ground, from August 2015 to July 2016. Eggs were more abundant during October and May, and the height of traps placement had no significant effect on the eggs number indicating that Hg. leucocelaenus explores different levels of forest habitats, a behavior that may favor the transmission of pathogens among arboreal animals including primates and humans. The findings of the present study are discussed from an ecological and epidemiological point of view.

Cryptococcus neoformans is the most common causative agent of cryptococcosis worldwide. Although this fungus has been isolated from a variety of organic substrates, several studies suggest that hollow trees constitute an important natural niche for C. neoformans. A previously surveyed hollow of a living pink shower tree (Cassia grandis) positive for C. neoformans in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was chosen for further investigation. Odontomachus bauri ants (trap-jaw ants) found inside the hollow were collected for evaluation as possible carriers of Cryptococcus spp. Two out of 10 ants were found to carry phenoloxidase-positive colonies identified as C. neoformans molecular types VNI and VNII. The ants may have acted as a mechanical vector of C. neoformans and possibly contributed to the dispersal of the fungi from one substrate to another. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the association of C. neoformans with ants of the genus Odontomachus.

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar as espécies de Tephritidae e Lonchaeidae (Diptera: Tephritoidea) de ocorrência em pomares de laranja doce (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) e tangerina (Citrus reticulata Blanco), no município de Araruama, RJ, durante o período de dezembro de 2002 a novembro de 2003. Os espécimes foram coletados em armadilhas McPhail contendo solução aquosa de proteína hidrolisada a 5% e em amostras de frutos de seis variedades de citros. Nas armadilhas, o total de 2.543 adultos de Tephritoidea (1.430 fêmeas e 1.023 machos) foi capturado, sendo dez espécies de Tephritidae, quatro espécies e dois morfotipos de Lonchaeidae. Dos Tephritidae e capturados nas McPhail, quatro espécies (Anastrepha fraterculus, A. obliqua, A. sororcula e Ceratitis capitata) infestaram frutos cítricos, enquanto que, dos Lonchaeidae, somente os morfotipos não infestaram as amostras de citros. Os resultados demonstram que a densidade populacional das moscas-das-frutas pode ser superestimada, quando baseada no número de moscas por armadilha, devido à captura de espécies que não infestam os frutos de interesse comercial.

This study was aimed at determining the species of Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae (Diptera: Tephritoidea) that occur on groves of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck ) and tangerine (Citrus reticulata Blanco) in the municipality of Araruama, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from December, 2002 to November, 2003. The specimens were collected by McPhail traps with aqueous solution of hydrolyzed protein to 5% and in fruits samples of six varieties of citrus. In the traps the total of 2,543 adults of Tephritoidea (1,430 females and 1,023 males) was captured, being ten species of Tephritidae, four species and two morphotypes of Lonchaeidae. From the Tephritidae caught by the McPhail, four species (Anastrepha fraterculus, A. obliqua, A. sororcula and Ceratitis capitata) infested citric fruits while the Lonchaeidae, the morphotypes did not infest the citrus. The results showed that the population density of fruit flies may be overestimated when based on the number of flies per trap due to the capture of species that not infest the fruits of commercial interest.

As avaliações foram realizadas, semanalmente, durante os estádios vegetativo e de floração/frutificação em quatro quadrantes (N, S, L, O) da planta. Foram coletadas 2.230 espécimes de S. articulatus, sendo 1.224 no estágio vegetativo e 1.006 no florescimento/frutificação, sendo 59,8% adultos. De um total de 965 P. egena, 416 foram imaturos e 549 adultos. As principais conclusões deste trabalho são: (1) M. communis pode ser indicada como planta isca; (2) esta planta pode ser cultivada ou não próxima às culturas de importância econômica, pois funciona como um repositório da praga ou de seu inimigo natural; (3) a relação predador/presa/quadrante da planta/estágio fenológico foi, respectivamente, 1,14:1,0 e 1,0:1,08 nos quadrantes norte e leste; enquanto, à sul e oeste da planta M. communis foi de 1,0:2,26 e 1,0:2,80; (4) a predação de S. articulatus por P. egena ocorreu, em média, de 1,0 a 2,8 ninfas e 1,66 a 4,44 adultos (no estágio vegetativo) e de 1,0-3,76 a 1,0-3,98 (no estágio de florescimento/frutificação), com diferenças significativas em P< 0,0l.

The evaluations were conducted weekly in the vegetative and blooming/fructification phases in four quadrants (N, S, E, W) of the plant. It was collected 2,230 specimens of S. articulatus, 1,224 in the vegetative phase and 1,006 in the blooming/fructification, being 59,8% adults. From the total of 965 of P. egena, 416 were immatures and 549 adults. The main conclusions are: (1) M. communis may be indicated as plant bait; (2) this plant, may be cultivated or not around the crops of economic importance, because it may function as a reservoir of the pest or of its natural enemies; (3) the relation predator/prey/plant quadrant/phenology phases was, respectivelly, 1.14:1.0 and 1.0:1,08 in north and east quadrant; while in south and west quadrant was 1.0:2.26 and 1.0:2.80; and, (4) the predaction of S. articulatus by P. egena was, in average, 1.02.8 nymphs and 1.664.44 adults (in vegetative phases) and 1.03.76 and 1.0-3.98 (in blooming/fructification), with significant differences at P< 0.01.