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A swampy nest site of the sweat beeAugochloropsis caerulans(Vachal, 1903) in southern Brazil is reported. The bees colonized small earth mounds scattered throughout a water-covered area. Although the substrate of these mounds has high organic matter content, the risk of microbial infestation seems not to be enhanced owing to permanent water saturation. The nests are shallow and can be found 3 cm above the water table. Each nest consists of a cluster of vertically oriented cells on pillars in an oval shaped cavity. The specific nest architecture is thought to mitigate microbial infestation of the brood and to prevent water excess. Nests ofA. caerulansare not restricted to water-saturated substrates, but the specific nest architecture presumably enables the bee to propagate in such habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We analysed the diet of Ischnocnema henselii from a subtropical Araucaria forest through stomach flushing. The identified prey items comprised arthropods such as spiders, ants, orthopterans, collembolans and homopterans. We consider I. henselii to be a nocturnal and opportunistic sit-and-wait predator. Small animals are preferred. Because this species lives permanently on the forest floor, we also determined the composition of the habitat's leaf-litter mesofauna. By using Winkler sieve extraction, we obtained a spectrum of small invertebrates that reflected the prey in the stomach contents well. The only exceptions were mites, the most abundant leaf-litter inhabitants, which frogs either avoided or ignored. Our results represent the first information on the diet of I. henselii and are discussed in comparison with data on related species and in relation to the relevance of this predator within the food web of subtropical montane rain forests in southern Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species Mycetophylax conformis, M. simplex and Cyphomyrmex morschi, all belonging to the basal Attini, occur exclusively on beaches along the Atlantic shores of South America. In Brazil C. morschi colonies were found sympatrically with the two Mycetophylax species which, however, had no overlap in their geographic distribution. We recorded species-specific nesting site preferences resulting in a zonal colonization of dune and restinga areas, with distinct preferences in microhabitat choice. After excavating subterraneous nests, we were able to describe details of nest architecture, especially with regard to the number and position of the fungus chambers. The nest structure is similar in all species, but the colony size differed with the highest number of workers in M. simplex. All nests were headed by a single mated queen. First attempts were undertaken to maintain colonies under laboratory conditions. Resumo As espécies Mycetophylax conformis, M. simplex e Cyphomyrmex morschi fazem parte do grupo dos Attini basais e ocorrem exclusivamente em praias do Atlântico na América do Sul. No Brasil C. morschi ocorre simpatricamente com as espécies de Mycetophylax, mas as duas espécies de Mycetophylax não tem uma sobreposição na sua distribuição geográfica. Também detectamos preferências específicas na escolha da área da nidificação o que resulta em uma colonização zonal das dunas e restingas com preferências distintas na escolha do microhabitat. Com escavações cuidadosas de um número representativo de ninhos obtivemos detalhes sobre a arquitetura, em especial o número e posição das câmaras de fungo. A estrutura subterrânea dos ninhos é similar nas espécies estudadas mas o tamanho da população difere entre as espécies com o maior número de operárias em M. simplex. Todas as colônias tem uma rainha que copulou apenas uma única vez. Primeiras tentativas de manutenção de colônias no laboratório foram feitas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stomach-flushing is a gentle treatment in analysing the diet of vertebrates. We applied this method in the study of seasonal nutrition of anurans of 15 species at an Araucaria forest habitat on the Serra Geral of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Over 500 frogs and toads of different body size were handled in order to evaluate an improved protocol without narcosis using soft infusion tubes in order to avoid negative effects of the flushing procedure. The specimens were treated soon after capture and then returned to the sampling sites. Our results are discussed with reference to the few studies on stomach flushing in amphibians. The improved technique is recommended to avoid killing of numerous animals for nutritional studies, in particular because of the worldwide threatening of amphibian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The community of ants inhabiting Araucaria angustifolia trees or foraging on this conifer was studied in the rain forest reserve Pro-Mata on the Serra Geral of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Ants of 44 species were recorded of which 23 were nesting on Araucaria trees. Data on their abundance and relationships to trophobionts are presented. Amongst the latter, Planococcus citri was by far the most common species. It was associated with ants of the genera Crematogaster, Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum), Linepithema, Myrmelachista and Camponotus. The results are discussed under ecological and biogeographical aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the recently initiated programs of sustainable forestry with the Brazilian pine, Araucaria angustifolia, knowledge of the insects associated with this tree is of paramount importance. In a forest reserve on the Serra Geral of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, a three year monitoring was conducted. Forty coleopteran and 5 hymenopteran species totaling about 6200 specimens were recorded, of which 19 and 4 taxa respectively were previously unknown to live on this conifer. They are the coleopterans Lobopoda dallieri (Alleculidae), Taphroderes sahlbergi (Brentidae), Tithonus virescens (Cerambycidae), Plocamocera sp., Enoclerus sp., sp. indet. (Cleridae), Micromimus sp. (Curculionidae: Cossoninae), Corthylus papulans, Xyleborus catharinensis, Xylechinosomus sp. (Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Dilobitarsus quadrituberculatus, Semiotus intermedius, Ptesimopsia sp. (Elateridae), Eudircaea laticornis, Megapsilaphus sexnotatus (Melandryidae), cf. Copidita sp. (Oedemeridae), Ahasverus sp. (Silvanidae), Temnochila sp., sp. indet. (Trogositidae) and the hymenopterans Eubazus sp. (Braconidae), Ephialtes sp., Epirhyssa cf. celaena, (Ichneumonidae) and Ophrynopus depressatus (Orussidae). Data on their life histories are provided, and also for the coleopterans Taurorcus chabrillacii (Cerambycidae), Araucarius brasiliensis, Eurycorynophorus scabriculus (Curculionidae: Cossoninae), Corthylus praealtus and C. rufopilosus (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) which were already known to occur on Araucaria trees. The results of our survey provide the first records for many insects, especially beetles, as belonging to the araucariofauna. Some of them can be considered potential pest species. Perspectives of applied forest entomology as well as biogeographic aspects are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the flower visiting insects in Araucaria forest in Brazil. Diversity of tree species comprised by the tropical forests. Discussion on the local apifauna and the stingless bee community; Description of Araucaria forest; Impact of guild composition on pollination of trees.