The present study reports a collection of Amblyomma spp. ticks in birds from several areas of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 568 tick specimens (404 larvae, 164 nymphs) were collected from 261 bird specimens. From these ticks, 204 (36%) specimens (94 larvae, 110 nymphs) were reared to the adult stage, being identified as Amblyomma longirostre (94 larvae, 90 nymphs), Amblyomma calcaratum (13 nymphs), Amblyomma nodosum (2 nymphs), and Amblyomma cajennense (5 nymphs). Additionally, 39 larvae reared to the nymphal stage and 8 nymphs that died before reaching the adult stage were identified as A. longirostre according to peculiar characters inherent to the nymphal stage of this species: scutum elongate, and hypostome pointed. The remaining 271 larvae and 46 nymphs were identified as Amblyomma sp. Ticks were collected from 51 species of birds distributed in 22 bird families and 6 orders. The order Passeriformes constituted the vast majority of the records, comprising 253 (97%) out of the 261 infested birds. Subadults of A. longirostre were identified from 35 species of Passeriformes, comprising 11 families (Cardinalidae, Dendrocolaptidae, Fringillidae, Furnariidae, Parulidae, Pipridae, Thamnophilidae, Thraupidae, Turdidae, Tyrannidae, and Vireonidae), and from 1 species of a non-passerine bird, a puffbird (Bucconidae). Subadults of A. calcaratum were identified from 5 species of Passeriformes, comprising 5 families (Cardinalinae, Conopophagidae, Pipridae, Thamnophilidae and Turdidae). Subadults of A. nodosum were identified from 2 species of Passeriformes, comprising two bird families (Thamnophilidae and Pipridae). Subadults of A. cajennense were identified from 2 species of non-passerine birds, belonging to 2 different orders (Ciconiiformes: Threskiornithidae, and Gruiformes: Cariamidae). Birds were usually infested by few ticks (mean infestation of 2.2 ticks per bird; range: 1-16). Currently, 82 bird species are known to be infested by immature stages of A. longirostre, with the vast majority [74 (90%)] being Passeriformes. Our results showed that Passeriformes seems to be primary hosts for subadult stages of A. longirostre, A. calcaratum, and A. nodosum. However, arboreal passerine birds seem to be the most important hosts for A. longirostre whereas ground-feeding passerine birds seem to be the most important for both A. calcaratum and A. nodosum. In contrast, the parasitism of birds by subadults of A. cajennense has been restricted to non-passerine birds.

Biological data of three generations of Amblyomma tigrinum in the laboratory are reported and the suitability of different host species for immature ticks are compared. Grouping the three generations, infestations by both the larval and nymphal stages were performed on chickens (Gallus gallus), wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus), rabbits (Orytolagus cuniculus), wild mice (Calomys callosus), dogs (Canis familiaris) and opossums (Didelphis albiventris). Only dogs were used for infestations by adult ticks. Tick developmental periods were observed in an incubator at 27 degrees C and RH 90%. The proportion of engorged larvae recovered from chickens (21.7% of the exposed larvae) was significantly larger (p<0.001) than those from the five mammal species used in the infestations (maximum of 3.1%). A significant larger (p<0.01) proportion of engorged larvae successfully molted after being fed on chickens than on mammal hosts. The proportion of engorged nymphs recovered from chickens (28.8% of the exposed nymphs) was significantly larger (p0.001) than those from mammal hosts (range: 0-2.1%). Larvae showed similar feeding periods on exposure to different host species, except for those larvae fed on C. callosus, which showed significantly longer (p<0.001) feeding periods. Engorged larvae detachment peaked on the 5th feeding day, followed by the 6th day, on all hosts except for C. callosus. Larval premolt periods were similar for engorged ticks exposed to different host species, except for larvae fed on dogs, which showed significantly longer (p<0.001) premolt periods. Host detachment of engorged nymphs peaked on the 6th feeding day on chickens. Although nymphal detachment on rats peaked on the 8th day, only 15 nymphs were recovered from this host species. In a sample of 144 F3 nymphs fed on chickens no significant difference (p>0.10) was found between the feeding or premolt periods of 82 males and 62 females, but female nymphs were significantly heavier (p<0.005) than male nymphs. Sixteen engorged females (61.5% of the exposed ticks) were recovered after being fed on dogs. and all these females laid viable eggs. Chickens, the only avian host, were the most suitable host when compared with the five mammal species. Dogs were demonstrated to be a suitable host for adults of A. tigrinum, which is consistent with, several reports of adult A. tigrinum ticks parasitizing dogs in different areas of South America. Our results reinforce that in these same areas avian species are the major hosts for immature stages of this tick species.

Os fungos vêm acompanhando a humanidade desde a antiguidade, são organismos diferenciados, podendo viver no solo e na água e participam da ciclagem de nutrientes no ambiente. O objetivo desse trabalho é a produção de spawns, também conhecido como matriz ou sementes de cogumelos a partir de compostos residuais da agroindústria local ao Sul do Tocantins tais como, sorgo (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) e milho (Zea mays) utilizados como substrato para a produção de cogumelos visando a a garantia da uniformidade da colonização e uma boa frutificação. Neste estudo foram usados micélios de Cogumelo Houbitake ou Ostra Cinza (Pleurotus sajor-caju FR. Singer). Os cereais não apresentaram diferença significativa no tempo de colonização, durante 13 dias de observações e cultivo, já na eficiência biológica, não houveram diferenças significativas entre os tratamentos, sendo que o sorgo mostrou um ganho de apenas 2% em relação ao milho, demonstrando a viabilidade para o cultivo. Palavras-chave: Sorgo, Milho, Cogumelo houbitake

Os recursos florestais são de grande importância na busca por produtos com viés ambiental no caminho do desenvolvimento sustentável com a extração de recursos nativos disponíveis principalmente no cerrado Tocantinense sendo que também possuem metabólicos secundários com fotoquímicos promissores contra mosquitos transmissores de doenças. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram de analisar as concentrações letais CL50 e CL90 em larvas de terceiro estágio de insetos Culex quinquefasciatus, com a inoculação de óleo extrato bruto de Copaifera reticulata, Pterodon emarginatus. A extração do óleo bruto de Copaifera reticulata foi por perfuração no cerne, e da Pterodon emarginatus por prensagem a frito. Os bioensaio das concentrações letais foram diluídos em DMSO (dimetilsufóxido) e inoculado nas larvas em concentrações diferentes e analisado a letalidade após 24horas. Os resultados para CL50 Copaifera reticulata foram de 190,79 ppm e 392,84 ppm. Pterodon emarginatus apresentou valores de CL50 e CL90 de 84,80 ppm e 198,09 ppm. A ecotoxidade CL50 e CL90 demostraram potencial larvicida contra larvas de Culex quinquefasciatus sendo que o óleo de Pterodon emarginatus teve a menor concentração letal.