Trophic networks can have architectonic configurations influenced by historical and ecological factors. The objective of this study was to analyze the architecture of networks between lizards, their endoparasites, diet, and micro-habitat, aiming to understand which factors exert an influence on the composition of the species of parasites. All networks showed a compartmentalized pattern. There was a positive relation between diet and the diversity of endoparasites. Our analyses also demonstrated that phylogeny and the use of micro-habitat influenced the composition of species of endoparasites and diet pattern of lizards. The principal factor that explained the modularity of the network was the foraging strategy, with segregation between the "active foragers" and "sit-and-wait" lizards. Our analyses also demonstrated that historical (phylogeny) and ecological factors (use of micro-habitat by the lizards) influenced the composition of parasite communities. These results corroborate other studies with ectoparasites, which indicate phylogeny and micro-habitat as determinants in the composition of parasitic fauna. The influence of phylogeny can be the result of coevolution between parasites and lizards in the Caatinga, and the influence of micro-habitat should be a result of adaptations of species of parasites to occupy the same categories of micro-habitats as hosts, thus favoring contagion.

In this study we review the records regarding occurrence of Hemidactylus mabouia Moreau De Jonnès, 1818 in Brazil, looking for records of the species in natural habitats, in order to assess the present status of this gecko as an exotic or invasive alien species in the country. We surveyed the available records of H. mabouia living in natural conditions, considering secondary data obtained from the literature, supplemented with original field records obtained by the authors during fieldwork. We found a total of 36 records in the literature and/or field records reporting the occurrence of H. mabouia in natural habitats in 36 different localities in 13 Brazilian states. The states presenting a higher number of records were Rio de Janeiro (seven), Bahia, São Paulo (six), and Espírito Santo (five different areas). We show that the invasion of Brazilian natural habitats by H. mabouia has taken place for some decades. Presently we have consistent records that it has invaded natural habitats in 13 Brazilian states. This suggests thatit is important to start monitoring H. mabouia in order to measure the rate and effectiveness of its establishment in natural habitats in Brazil and also to evaluate the potential negative effects of this invasion on sympatric species

Eight "cerrado" (savanna) fragments in the State of São Paulo (Brazil) were surveyed from 2000 to 2002 to produce an inventory of Asteraceae species. This family is one of the most important in the herbaceous and shrubby components at cerrados. Each fragment was sampled on average once a year during the plants' peak flowering period, using a fixed number of randomly placed transects. We obtained 399 samples and recognized 89 morphospecies (of which 74 were identified to species). Forty percent of the species were encountered only once (unicates). Only ten percent of the species that occurred in more than a sample were recorded again in the same fragment or in the same year. Species richness was estimated from frequencies and abundances within transects, and then compared to the observed total richness in the area, which was most of the times higher than the estimates based on transects. Our species list was then compared to other 24 cerrado species lists in the literature. Although most of our commoner species were recorded in published lists, eight species were not found in any. We conclude that the studied cerrado fragments in São Paulo State are isolated and fragile areas composed of many rare and exclusive herbaceous and shrubby species. We suggest that the maintenance of current diversity of Asteraceae species depends on maintaining and preserving all cerrado fragments in the State. Asteraceae, "cerrado", savanna, biodiversity, São Paulo, Brazil. Key words: ResumoDe abril a maio de 2000 a 2002 oito localidades com remanescentes de cerrados sensu stricto no estado de São Paulo foram amostradas para o levantamento das espécies de asteráceas, uma das famílias mais representativas da flora herbáceo-arbustiva nestas formações. Foram feitas 23 amostragens e cada área de estudo foi amostrada em média uma vez por ano durante o pico de floração das plantas. Ao todo foram obtidas 399 amostras, nas quais foram reconhecidas 89 morfoespécies (74 foram identificadas como espécies conhecidas). Quarenta por cento das espécies foram registradas uma única vez (unicatas), indicando um grande número de espécies raras. Apenas 10% das espécies que ocorreram em mais de uma amostra foram obtidas de uma mesma área (sobreposição espacial) ou de um mesmo ano de estudo (sobreposição temporal). A riqueza de espécies em cada área foi estimada por meio de transeções e depois comparada à riqueza total observada em cada área de estudo, sendo esta na maioria das vezes mais alta que a estimada com base nas transeções. A lista de espécies obtida para os cerrados amostrados foi comparada a outras 24 listas publicadas para cerrados no Brasil. Embora a maioria das espécies mais comuns tenha coincidido, oito espécies (11% das espécies identificadas) não constam das listas publicadas. Concluímos que as áreas de cerrado sensu stricto estudadas no estado de São Paulo encontram-se isoladas, com uma grande parte da flora herbáceo-arbustiva composta por várias espécies raras e exclusivas. Diante deste quadro, sugerimos que a manutenção da b...

Parasites are natural regulators of their host populations. Despite this, little is known about variations in parasite composition (spatially or temporally) in environments subjected to water-related periodic stress such as the arid and semiarid regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial-temporal variation in endoparasite species' abundance and richness in populations of Neotropical Cnemidophorus ocellifer, Tropidurus hispidus, and Tropidurus semitaeniatus lizards in the semiarid northeast of Brazil. The location influenced the abundance of parasites in all analyzed lizard species, while season (dry and rainy) only influenced the total abundance for T. hispidus. In all seasons, males significantly showed more endoparasites than females in all lizard species, although for T. hispidus, this difference was only found in the dry season. Seasonal variations affect the abundance patterns of parasites. Likely, variables include environmental variations such as humidity and temperature, which influence the development of endoparasite eggs when outside of the host. Further, the activity of the intermediate hosts and the parasites of heteroxenous life cycles could be affected by an environmental condition. The variation in the abundance of parasites between the sampling areas could be a reflection of variations in climate and physiochemical conditions. Also, it could be due to differences in the quality of the environment in which each host population lives.

No abstract

The helminth fauna of 291 Hemidactylus mabouia (Lacertilia: Gekkonidae) from a rock outcrop area in the state of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, was studied. Five species were recovered, namely one unidentified species of centrorhynchid acanthocephalan (present only as cystacanths) and the nematodes Parapharyngodon sceleratus, P. largitor (Oxyuroidea: Pharingodonidae), Physaloptera sp. (Spiruroidea: Physalopteridae) and one indeterminate species of Acuariidae (Acuaroidea), with the latter two forms present only as larvae. Infection rates tended to increase with host size, but appeared to be unaffected by season. Hemidactylus mabouia shared most of its helminth fauna with two other sympatric lizard hosts, Mabuya frenata and Tropidurus itambere. The helminth assemblage of the H. mabouia population appears to have been entirely acquired by this exotic gecko from the local helminth species pool, rather than possessing any species from the parasite faunas of the original African populations.

From January to April 2006, 37 specimens of Hemidactylus mabouia were collected in houses, in the municipality of Barbalha (7° 20' S and 39° 18' W), Ceará State, Northeast Brazil. Among the individuals captured, 17 were infected with pentastomids, totalling a prevalence of 45.9%, which did not differ between sexes. Host size did not influence the infection intensity. Two species of pentastomids were found: Raillietiella frenatus and R. mottae. The prevalence of R. frenatus (43.2%) was higher than R. mottae (2.7%), whereas the infection intensity of R. frenatus was comparatively lower (1.8 1.4) than R. mottae (36 parasites in a single host). Overall mean intensity of infection was 3.8 8.4 pentastomids. We found no pentastomid infecting juvenile geckos. The parameters of infection in this host population are in accordance to the findings of other studies, in which the high parasitism rate was associated to the feeding habits of geckos living in houses and buildings. Hemidactylus mabouia is a new host to R. mottae and the infection by R. frenatus is the first record of the occurrence this pentastomid species in Brazil.Keywords: Raillietiella, Pentastomida, house geckos, neotropical region. Pentastomídeos infectando um lagarto invasor, Hemidactylus mabouia (Gekkonidae), na região nordeste do Brasil ResumoDe janeiro a abril de 2006 foram coletados 37 espécimes de Hemidactylus mabouia em domicílios no município de Barbalha (7° 20' S e 39° 18' W), Estado do Ceará, Nordeste do Brasil. Entre os indivíduos capturados, 17 estavam infectados com pentastomídeos, totalizando uma prevalência de 45,9%, sem diferenças significantes entre os sexos. O tamanho dos hospedeiros também não influenciou na intensidade de infecção. Duas espécies de pentastomídeos foram encontradas: Raillietiella frenatus e R. mottae. A prevalência de R. frenatus (43,2%) foi mais alta do que a de R. mottae (2,7%), enquanto que a intensidade média de infecção de R. frenatus foi comparativamente mais baixa (1.8 1.4) do que a de R. mottae (36 parasitas em um único indivíduo). A intensidade geral de infecção foi de 3.8 8.4 pentastomídeos. Não foi encontrado nenhum gecko juvenil infectado por pentastomídeo. Os parâmetros de infecção nesta população de hospedeiros estão de acordo com outros estudos, que indicam altas taxas de parasitismo associadas com os hábitos alimentares de geckos vivendo em domicílios e edificações. Hemidactylus mabouia representa um novo hospedeiro para R. mottae e a infecção por R. frenatus constitui o primeiro registro de ocorrência desta espécie de pentastomídeo no Brasil.

A survey of the endophagous insects fauna associated to Asteraceae capitula was carried out from 2000 to 2002 in eight cerrado sensu stricto sites located in the Brazilian state of Sdo Paulo. Sixty-four endophagous species of Diptera and Lepidoptera were recorded from 49 asteracean host plants. Approximately half of the species were obtained from a single locality, with a large proportion emerging from a single sample (unicates). Thirty percent of the species were singletons (i.e. only one individual was recorded). The large proportion of rare species suggests a high species turnover among localities. Lepidopteran species were recorded on more host species than dipterans, confirming their more polyphagous food habit, also observed in other Brazilian biomes and in Europe. We conclude that the studied cerrado localities, all within São Paulo State, are isolated with its invertebrate fauna composed of many rare and exclusive species. We suggest that the maintenance of Asteraceae biodiversity and their endophagous insects depend on the conservation of all cerrado remnants in the state.