The results may provide useful information for health agencies and policymakers in focusing efforts in epidemiological hotspots. Therefore, understanding the niche distribution dynamics of Aedes aegypti is an important step towards public health planning for vector control.
The knowledge about the richness and distribution of Brazilian dragonflies is still being unveiled. Over the years, inventories, reviews, and descriptions have been made. These contributions, apart from the taxonomic value, also provide valuable data on the occurrence of species and their distributions, which are rarely accompanied by notes about natural history and behavior. Keeping this legacy in mind, we collected dragonflies between 2011 and 2019 in Minas Gerais state, which resulted in the registration of 90 species, 41 genera and 11 families. Our results also increase distribution data, an important tool for conservation actions, and provide additional information about habitat and biology of species.
Specimens of Perlidae (Plecoptera) deposited in the Entomological Collection "Padre Jesus S. Moure" of the Universidade Federal do Paraná and additional material recently collected in Paraná and Santa Catarina states, Brazil were studied. Six previously described species were identified, Anacroneuria debilis (Pictet, 1841), A. cathia Froehlich, 2002, A. polita (Burmeister, 1839), A. trimacula Jewett, 1959, Kempnyia neotropica (Jacoson and Bianchi, 1905) and K. colossica (Navás, 1934). Additionally, a new species, Anacroneuria iguazu n. sp is described.
Specimens of the perlid stonefly Anacroneuria flintorum from different regions of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest along the Atlantic coast of Brazil were studied. In this paper, the nymph of A. flintorum is described based on reared specimens and molecular associations. Additionally, we provide new locality records and comments about variation of the species.
The Neotropical genus Anacroneuria (Perlidae) is represented by more than 300 species. Among the Brazilian Anacroneuria, only the nymphs of two species have been described. In this paper, we described the nymph of A. ofaye Froehlich and an apparatus for rearing this genus. This is the first record of A. ofaye from Paraná State, Brazil.
The Rensch's rule predicts that male-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD) increases with body size, while female-biased SSD (FBSSD) decreases. In insects, many groups follow this rule, but the evidence suggests that it is taxon dependent and that the inverse of the rule can occur in species with FBSSD. Therefore, we conducted this study with Gripopterygidae stoneflies (Plecoptera) to describe their pattern of SSD and determine if they follow the Rensch's rule. Our data suggest that stoneflies exhibit FBSSD and do not follow the rule, but a reverse pattern. Our results corroborate other studies that suggest that the Rensch's rule is taxon based and that groups with FBSSD usually fail to obey the rule.
Specimens of Gripopterygidae (Plecoptera) from Espírito Santo State and surrounding areas in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, were studied. A new species, Gripopteryx caparao n. sp. is described. The female of Paragripopteryx intervalensis Bispo & Lecci 2011 is described and recorded for a new site. Comments on G. garbei Navás 1936 are presented. New state records are provided for G. cancellata (Pictet 1841), G. reticulata (Brauer 1866), G. juetah Froehlich 1990, G. pilosa Froehlich 1990, P. egena Froehlich 1994, P. intervalensis Bispo & Lecci 2011, P. klapaleki Enderlein 1909, and Tupiperla gracilis (Burmeister 1839).
The effects of habitat complexity have been considered important factors for the evolution of morphological complexity in organisms. We assessed the possible relationship between hydraulic niche conditions and the morphological complexity of algal filaments by sampling four species of macroalgae inhabiting different hydraulic niches in two freshwater streams. These algal species exhibit different fractal dimensions, which were measured by applying a grid method. The results showed that morphological differences are a function of hydraulic niche for stream macroalgae. Algae with complex shape (Nitella wrightii and Batrachosperum puiggarianum) were established in slower flows, while algae with simpler filament shape (Vaucheria sp. and Oedogonium sp.) were more likely to occur in faster water currents. The sites where the species occurred are a reflection of their ability to hold position, which is ultimately driven by their morphology. The influence of flow in stream habitats is an important factor for lotic macroalgae settlement and its effects can be related to evolutionary adjustment of body shape in these environments. We suggest that the morphological structure (here as fractal dimension) of freshwater macroalgae can be considered an adaptation to the costs and benefits exhibited by different hydraulic niches.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.