Abstract:The Neotropics house two guilds of large arboreal vertebrate seed predators: parrots and the pitheciin primates. Both have diets dominated by immature fruits. The possibility of members of the Pitheciinae (genera Cacajao, Chiropotes and Pithecia) acting as occasional seed dispersers has been mooted, but not experimentally shown. We combined primate behavioural data and seed germination data from three separate field studies in the Brazilian states of Amazonas and Pará to analyse patterns of post-consumption seed survivorship for seeds discarded by three pitheciin species (Cacajao melanocephalus ouakary, Chiropotes chiropotes and Chiropotes albinasus). We then calculated the frequency of dispersal events for four species eaten by C. m. ouakary. All three primate species dropped intact seeds while feeding, and 30.7% of 674 dropped seeds germinated ex situ. Undamaged seeds from unripe and ripe samples germinated (29.3% and 42.7%, respectively), and all three primate species carried some fruits up to 20 m from the parent tree before consuming them. Potential seed-dispersal events varied from 1 (Macrolobium acaciifolium) per fruiting cycle to more than 6500 (Duroia velutina), suggesting that there are differences in dispersal potential. In summary, although they are highly specialized seed predators, these primates may also act as important dispersers for some plant species, and effective dispersal is not restricted to ripe fruits, as immature fruits removed from a tree may continue to mature and the seeds later germinate, a much-neglected aspect of dispersal ecology. The possibility that similar events occur in parrots should be experimentally investigated.

-The population fluctuation of (não identificada).Foi demonstrado que o fator mais importante na determinação da ocorrência e da flutuação populacional de moscas-das-frutas é a disponibilidade de frutos hospedeiros e não fatores abióticos. Registrou-se uma baixa correlação (r = 0,0748, P > 0,05) entre o número de moscas/armadilha.dia (MAD) e a precipitação. A época de maior precipitação coincide com o período de maior frutificação. Provavelmente, fatores não avaliados como a disponibilidade de hospedeiros alternativos, de inimigos naturais e sucessão hospedeira exerceram influência na população de moscas nesses locais. Este é, provavelmente, o primeiro registro de A. zernyi para a Região Norte do Brasil. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Insecta, mosca-das-frutas, ecologia, Amazônia O conhecimento da flutuação populacional e a época de maior ocorrência de uma determinada espécie de inseto de importância econômica é um requisito indispensável para o estabelecimento de um controle eficiente e racional, pois permite viabilizar o planejamento de estratégias de manejo mais eficazes.A flutuação populacional das moscas-das-frutas varia, dependendo da época do ano, do local e da disponibilidade de frutos hospedeiros não obedecendo, portanto, a um padrão pré-estabelecido. Dois fatores são básicos para tais variações:

Molecular identification of fruit flies in the genus Anastrepha (Diptera; Tephritidae) is important to support plant pest exclusion, suppression, and outbreak eradication. Morphological methods of identification of this economically important genus are often not sufficient to identify species when detected as immature life stages. DNA barcoding a segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene has been proposed as a method to identify pests in the genus. The identification process for these fruit flies, however, has not been explained in prior DNA barcode studies. DNA barcode methods assume that available DNA sequence records are biologically meaningful. These records, however, can be limited to the most common species or lack population-level measurements of diversity for pests. In such cases, the available data used as a reference are insufficient for completing an accurate identification. Using 539 DNA sequence records from 74 species of Anastrepha, we demonstrate that our barcoding data can distinguish four plant pests: Anastrepha grandis (Macquart) (Diptera; Tephritidae), Anastrepha ludens (Loew), Anastrepha serpentina (Wiedemann), and Anastrepha striata Schiner. This is based on genetic distances of barcode records for the pests and expert evaluation of species and population representation in the data set. DNA barcoding of the cytochrome oxidase I gene alone cannot reliably diagnose the pests Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), and Anastrepha suspensa (Loew).

The guava fruit (Psidium guajava) is among the most strongly affected by fruit flies in Brazil. In the Brazilian Amazon, 11 species of Anastrepha have been reported in guava orchards to date. This work aimed to identify the species of Anastrepha present in a guava orchard in the municipality of Boa Vista, determine the species infesting the fruits, and identify any parasitoids present. Two McPhail traps with food bait were installed and weekly collections were made between January and December 2008. Fruits were also collected systematically during this period, with a view to determining the association between host plant and tephritid species. Nine species of Anastrepha were identified, in addition to one specimen belonging to a probable new species. Anastrepha striata Schiner, Anastrepha sororcula Zucchi, Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) were the dominant species in the orchard, accounting for 84.8% of all captured individuals. All females collected directly from fruits were A. striata. Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) was the only parasitoid species obtained. In this work, Anastrepha ethalea (Walker) is reported for the first time in the state of Roraima.

RESUMO -(Produção e predação de frutos em Aniba rosaeodora Ducke var. amazonica Ducke (Lauraceae) em sistema de plantio sob floresta de terra firme na Amazônia Central). O pau-rosa (Aniba rosaeodora) vem sendo usado desde o século passado para extração de linalol, produto usado como fixador de perfumes. Por causa do extrativismo houve redução drástica em suas populações naturais. Somando a este fato, esta espécie possui padrão irregular de frutificação e, quando frutifica, os seus frutos são consumidos por animais. Estes aspectos foram estudados utilizando uma população de plantio sob sombra parcial de floresta primária. A produtividade das árvores variou de 40 a 1.600 frutos (n = 21 árvores). No geral, cerca de 42,5% foram removidos por frugívoros (6.770 frutos, n = 10 árvores). Dos frutos não removidos, 0,5% foram predados por vertebrados, 81,5% continham larvas de insetos, variando de 36-96% entre indivíduos. Uma espécie de Coleoptera ataca os frutos em estádio imaturo, enquanto outra (Heilipus sp.) e uma espécie de Lepidoptera atacam os frutos em estádio final de desenvolvimento. Os resultados projetam perda de 59,5% dos frutos (54,5% por insetos) passíveis de coleta. Considerando a importância econômica do pau-rosa faz-se necessário aumentar a disponibilidade de sementes para planos de manejo da espécie. Para se atingir tais objetivos são necessárias algumas medidas: 1) coleta prematura de frutos para maturação em laboratório; 2) utilização de métodos de controle de insetos adultos (em plantios) e larvas (em frutos atacados); e 3) estudos de seleção genética para identificar plantas com maior resistência natural a pragas e doenças. Palavras-chave: pau-rosa, produtividade, frugivoria, insetos, manejoABSTRACT -(Harvesting and fruit predation of a Aniba rosaeodora Ducke var. amazonica Ducke (Lauraceae) ex situ tree population in a central Amazonian upland forest). The rosewood tree (Aniba rosaeodora) has been exploited for linalol, a product used as a fixative by the perfume industry. As a result, its population has decreased to the point that it is at risk of extinction in some Amazonian areas. In addition, the species has an irregular phenological pattern and its fruits are a food source for animals. This study focused on the use an ex situ population planted under partial forest shade. The fruit set varied from 40-1600 fruits (n = 21 trees). Overall, 42.5% of fruits (6,770, n = 10 trees) were removed by frugivores. Of the remaining fruits, 0.5% were predated by vertebrates, 81.5% were attacked by insect larvae. Of fruit attacked by insects, 38% were still capable of germination. One Coleoptera (Curculionidae) attacks the fruits during this intermediate phase of development, and another one (Heilipus sp.) and one Lepidoptera attack during the final phase of maturation. This results in a loss of 59.5% (54.5% by insects) of the fruit set not removed. Therefore, it is necessary to increase fruit/seed availability as part of species management. To achieve this, three considerations need to be taken into account:...

No abstract

No abstract

We describe detailed scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations of eggs of six Anastrepha species in the fraterculus group: Anastrepha antunesi Lima, Anastrepha bahiensis Lima, Anastrepha coronilli Carrejo & González, Anastrepha distincta Greene, Anastrepha turpiniae Stone, and Anastrepha zenildae Zucchi, for the first time. Eggs were dissected from females captured in McPhail traps in Cariri in the state of Tocantins; Itacoatiara, Manaus, and Presidente Figueiredo in the state of Amazonas; and Porto Velho in the state of Rondônia, in the Brazilian Amazon. Eggs were examined using both scanning electron and optical microscopes. At least 10 eggs were examined for each species by using SEM, and 20–35 eggs per female of at least three females of each species were prepared for light microscopy. The eggs of all six species are similar in gross morphology. They are tapered at both ends, have a papilla at the anterior pole, and the micropyle is located on the dorsal side near the anterior pole. Diagnostic characters to differentiate among these six species include the chorion ornamentation, location of aeropyles, and a pronounced rim of the chorion with a woolly appearance surrounding the micropyle. None of the eggs of the studied species had a conspicuous respiratory appendage.