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A polymorphic microsatellite locus was isolated and characterized fromPolybia paulista, one of the most common polygynic, swarm-founding social wasps in Brazil. Three other microsatellite loci for which the primer sets were originally developed in independent-founding paper wasps also showed polymorphism in the size of amplification products inP. paulista. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe the phalangopsid cricket Endecous alejomesai n. sp. collected from the cave “Lapa do Fuzil”, Vila Propício, State of Goiás, Brazil. Diagnosis has been acquired by the combination of the following characteristics: phallic sclerite features; calling song with dominant frequency of 4.8 kHz and 52.9 ± 5.8 (42–60, n = 22) cycles of sound per pulse; pars stridens with 90 ± 6.84 (78–99, n = 12) teeth; mirror with one or two cross-veins; harp with two, three or four cross-veins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants, insect herbivores and parasitoids can form tritrophic networks that are species rich and complex in interactions. In the present study, we describe the network structure of an assemblage composed of host plants, cecidomyiid gall midges and hymenopteran parasitoids in a restinga in Brazil. We used data collected between 1992 and 2011 to build plant‐galling and galling‐parasitoid networks. In total we recorded 44 species of host plants, 79 species of gall midges and 70 taxa of parasitoids. The network of host plants and gall midges was very specialized, being characterized by 79 distinct interactions, low connectance, low linkage density and high modularity. This specialized pattern is because all species of gall midges have been monophages. In contrast, galling‐parasitoid interactions were more numerous (203 distinct interactions) and were more connected, and less modular than expected based on the null model. The occurrence of generalist parasitoids (i.e. 35.7% of parasitoid species occurring on two or more hosts) is the main factor that explains this lower specialization in the galling‐parasitoid network when compared to the plant‐galling network. Our findings corroborate previous studies indicating high specialization for the interactions of gall midges with their plants but indicate a slightly smaller specialization of the parasitoids in relation to the gall midge species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) perform essential ecological functions in pastures, such as dung removal, nutrient recycling and parasite control. However, the patterns of alimentary use by dung beetles in introduced Brazilian pastures are poorly known. Here, we compared dung beetle species richness, abundance and species composition in cattle and sheep dung, and identified the dung beetle species preference by each dung type. In January 2019, dung beetles were sampled with pitfall traps baited with cattle and sheep dung in 12 introduced pastures (Urochloa spp.), in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. A total of 592 individuals belonging to 14 species of dung beetles were collected. Of the 14 species sampled, nine were recorded in both dung types, five were found exclusively in sheep dung and no species was exclusive to cattle dung. Species richness and abundance were higher in sheep dung. Species composition was different between the dung types. Dichotomius bos (Blanchard), Genieridium bidens (Balthasar), Onthophagus aeneus Blanchard and Trichillum externepunctatum Preudhomme de Borre were associated with sheep dung. Our results provide evidence that sheep dung is more attractive to dung beetles with a distinct community species between the two dung types, although the studied pastures have never been used before for sheep breeding. Thus, our data shows that the introduction of a new alimentary resource (e.g. sheep dung) can be an important strategy to help to obtain a more diverse dung beetle assemblage in introduced Brazilian pastures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The giant grasshopper Tropidacris collaris (Stoll, 1813) (Orthoptera: Romaleidae) is a Neotropical species that causes economic damage to diverse and unrelated crops. We report herein the occurrence of this grasshopper in orchards of dwarf cashew Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae) located in the state of Ceará, one of the main cashew-producing areas of Brazil. Nymphs and adults were observed feeding on cashew leaves during June and July 2016, causing partial or total defoliation of some plants. This report updates the feeding plants of T. collaris and its distribution in Brazil and serves as an early warning of possible future attacks by the pest on cashew orchards in the northeastern region of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]