Purpose-The authors aim to present a structural guide for data collection in a participant-oriented, B2B context. Design/methodology/approach-A three-stage interview process following the work of Seidman is presented, along with key issues on how to plan, structure, and execute a B2B interview-based hermenuetic ethnographic study. Research limitations/implications-The framework presented in this paper provides strong theoretical foundation for further theory development in global industrial marketing research and managerial cognition research. However, given the conceptual nature of the research, empirical scrutiny and further conceptual and empirical research are required. Originality/value-There is a serious gap in the literature when addressing the issue of B2B contextual studies, focusing on managers, manufacturers, and various other professional personnel.

Characterized by distinctive evolutionary adaptations, spiders provide a comprehensive system for evolutionary and developmental studies of anatomical organs, including silk and venom production. Here we performed cDNA sequencing using massively parallel sequencers (454 GS-FLX Titanium) to generate ∼80,000 reads from the spinning gland of Actinopus spp. (infraorder: Mygalomorphae) and Gasteracantha cancriformis (infraorder: Araneomorphae, Orbiculariae clade). Actinopus spp. retains primitive characteristics on web usage and presents a single undifferentiated spinning gland while the orbiculariae spiders have seven differentiated spinning glands and complex patterns of web usage. MIRA, Celera Assembler and CAP3 software were used to cluster NGS reads for each spider. CAP3 unigenes passed through a pipeline for automatic annotation, classification by biological function, and comparative transcriptomics. Genes related to spider silks were manually curated and analyzed. Although a single spidroin gene family was found in Actinopus spp., a vast repertoire of specialized spider silk proteins was encountered in orbiculariae. Astacin-like metalloproteases (meprin subfamily) were shown to be some of the most sampled unigenes and duplicated gene families in G. cancriformis since its evolutionary split from mygalomorphs. Our results confirm that the evolution of the molecular repertoire of silk proteins was accompanied by the (i) anatomical differentiation of spinning glands and (ii) behavioral complexification in the web usage. Finally, a phylogenetic tree was constructed to cluster most of the known spidroins in gene clades. This is the first large-scale, multi-organism transcriptome for spider spinning glands and a first step into a broad understanding of spider web systems biology and evolution.

The presence of conspicuous colouration in predators is puzzling because natural selection is expected to favour cryptic or disruptive colouration, making predators less detectable by prey. However, the prey attraction hypothesis proposes that conspicuous colour patterns in spiders increase their foraging success by luring prey. Using manipulative experiments we tested the prey attraction hypothesis for the three most common colour morphs of the orb-weaver Gasteracantha cancriformis (yellow, white, and black and white), as well as individuals painted black and individuals painted yellow. Contrary to our predictions, the black painted spiders had the highest number of damaged areas in webs (an indirect measure of foraging success). Black painted spiders were also observed more often consuming prey and with prey remains in the web, although the trend was not significant. Furthermore, there was no difference in the number of prey intercepted by webs of each spider colour and, in the laboratory, Drosophila melanogaster did not choose any of the spider colours preferentially. Our results suggest that colouration in G. cancriformis is costly or neutral in terms of foraging success. Alternatively, we propose that colouration in Gasteracantha could be an aposematic signal.

A total of 251 butterfly species were recorded in Uberlândia region, with collecting concentrated mainly in forest areas. Aspects of geographic distribution of some Ithomiinae, as well as interactions of both adults and immatures with plants, and reproduction periods for the more abundant species are discussed. Collections in open, riverside, and wetland areas, as well as the use of bait, should substantially increase the number of species.

Animals have been used as treatment for various illnesses by many human cultures. This paper explores the phenomenon of zootherapy in the Federal District, Central West region of Brazil. Fieldwork was carried out from September to October 2006 by visiting one permanent free market in each of three cities within Brazilian Federal District. Data were obtained by open-ended interviews of six traders (four women and two men), who were questioned about zootherapeutic species, modes of use and administration of the folk remedies, as well as the diseases for which they are prescribed. A total of 30 animals belonging to nine taxonomic groups were recorded. Fats are the body parts most cited as sources of medicines (n= 21; 57%), but other raw materials including leather, feather, gizzard, cartilage, liver (bile), milk, and spines are used to prepare both traditional medicines and charms. Zootherapy should be viewed from the multidimensional perspective of sustainable development. The exploration of animals for medicinal purposes should be a major subject in discussions on conservation biology, public health policies, sustainable management of natural resources, bioprospection and patents.