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INTRODUCTION: This short communication presents a novel report on the occurrence of Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus in the Brazilian state of Rondônia. METHODS: Two specimens were collected inside dwellings and identified using dichotomous keys. RESULTS: The present study showed the extensive geographic distribution of P. rufotuberculatus and the increased number of species in the state of Rondônia. CONCLUSIONS: This new record of P. rufotuberculatus is important for understanding the epidemiology of Chagas disease because this species is found naturally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Studies on the ecology, biology, and vector-host-parasite interactions of this species are essential for surveillance programs.

Panstrongylus geniculatus (Latreille, 1811) is the most widely distributed species in Brazil. This study presents the first report of this species collected inside a building in the “Centro de Estudos Ambientais e Desenvolvimento Sustentável”, at the Vila Dois Rios, Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The new record is important to understand the risk of Chagas disease transmission, mainly because this species is commonly found infected with Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909).&nbsp

Xenarthra is a superorder of placental mammals constituted by extant armadillos, sloths, anteaters and their fossil relatives. Considering the biogeographic abundance, the two species included in the Tamandua genus are the most expressive among the anteaters, being found of the north of Central America to the south of South America. Tamandua tetradactyla stand out as the most expressive species of anteater, with often records in Brazilian biological collections. However, the absence of sexual dimorphism in the external morphology of T. tetradactyla and other anteaters contributes to that sexing mistakes are frequently observed in museum specimens. Thus, evolutionary, anatomical, ecological and pathological issues related to the sex of T. tetradactyla remain mostly unknown. Here, we investigate the use of PCR amplification of the SRY gene obtained from muscular tissues of T. tetradactyla in the sexual identification of museum specimens. In addition, we used the molecular data to reveal possible intraspecific sexual variations in the skeleton of the analyzed samples. The results indicate that the anatomical data are concordant with the molecular analysis in this study, with the appendicular bones of the specimens of T. tetradactyla presented marked patterns of sexual distinctions. The molecular-morphological integration is probably a useful tool in the recognition of intraspecific variation still unknown in museum specimens of Xenarthra.

The Blue Shark (Prionace glauca, Linnaeus, 1758) is one of the most abundant sharks in the epipelagic zone (0–200 m) and its population is distributed in oceans of tropical and temperate climate. Currently, these animals have been considered predatory fishing target and are classified as low-risk or near-endangered, according to the Red List of International Union for the Conservation Nature (IUCN). Aiming study conservation aspects of the specie, the purpose of this study is verifying the occurrence of population under-structuring in Prionace glauca. This study was started by analysis of control region of mitochondrial DNA sequences of 254 Prionace glauca individuals, obtained from the Genbank database, as well as new sequences obtained from laboratory. The second step, sequencing of another 16 individuals of the same specie was made and added to the database for a new comparison. From the current results, we can verify that there are haplotypic difference in individuals of the same species, indicating that they belong to distinct lineages. The difference observed between haplotypes indicates that there is a great migratory potential of this specie. This study will be extended with a larger number of samples and the inclusion of nuclear markers, aiming at a better understanding of the processes that act at the population level.

The oil from the seed of Tontelea micrantha is utilized in traditional medicine as a topical antiseptic and as an anti-inflammatory for the treatment of respiratory diseases. The dynamic of the oil secretion in seed tissues was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, classes of secondary compounds were identified by histochemical and phytochemical tests, the quality of the oil was determined by physical and chemical analysis, the fatty acid profile was obtained, and the volatile compounds were extracted by headspace method and identified by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer. The oil production takes place during the final stages of seed maturation, and large vacuoles are involved in its secretion and accumulation. Flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids, linoleic and oleic acids, α-pinene and junipene are present in the oil. Several of these compounds are known to have biological activity and may support the traditional medicinal use of the species.

Summary This study evaluated the quality of oil extracted from yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) by enzymatic hydrolysis (EHO) compared with oil extracted by traditional methods, such as the physical method of cooking and pressing after fishmeal production and the chemical solvent method. The oil extracted by EHO presented the lowest acidity (1.96% oleic acid) and peroxide indexes (5.14 mEq O2 kg−1 of oil) and the highest levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (6.05g 100 g−1) and docosahexaenoic acid (27.15 g 100 g−1), two omega-3 fatty acids with high nutritional value. Importantly, oil extraction from yellowfin tuna heads using EHO produced oil rich in omega-3s with no oxidation. This study shows that this extraction method greatly increases the value of fish by-products and increases the competitiveness of the fishing industry.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the occurrence of triatomines in the rural area of Caruaru City, Pernambuco State, Brazil, from 2011 to 2012, indicating areas of risk for Chagas disease, based on the records of the main triatomine species. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data about triatomines obtained from Caruaru Vector Control Department database were: number of residences, houses with annexes, number of inhabitants, type of house, occurrence of triatomines, identified species, and location of houses. RESULTS: Of the total of 888 houses analyzed, 85.4% (758) were plastered masonry constructions all covered with roof tiles, most of them (34.1%, 303) with only one annex and inhabited by 2,236 people. In the 75 (8.4%) houses where triatomines were found (41 with annexes and 34 without annexes), distributed in 32 localities of the rural area of Caruaru, there were 211 (9.4%) inhabitants. The most common species found in the residences were Triatoma brasiliensis (26.8%), Panstrongylus lutzi (26.8%), and Triatoma pseudomaculata (12.2%). CONCLUSION: The alteration in the distribution of the species, in the study area, demonstrated the adaptability of these vectors to anthropic action, reinforcing the necessity of educational policies and constant monitoring of the affected areas, aiming to interrupt the transmission cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Objective: To identify the vulnerabilities of women with human immunodeficiency virus to cervical cancer. Methods: Cross-sectional study carried out in a clinic with 152 adult women with HIV, by means of the application of a structured form comprising several types of vulnerability. Results: Related to individual vulnerability, were prevalent the age above 29 years (87.5%), education higher than eight years of study (53.3%) and family income lower than two minimum wages (94.1%). The majority reported active sexual life (81.6%) and non-use of condoms (57.2%). Regarding the social vulnerability, 56.6% were unemployed. About programmatic vulnerability, 44.0% of women underwent a prevention exam in a period of more than one year. Women with more schooling (p = 0.007), employed (p = 0.000) and that did not use illicit drugs (p = 0.000) underwent the preventive exam in proper frequency. Conclusion: In this study, were identified individual, social and programmatic vulnerabilities for cervical cancer in women with HIV. Resumen Objetivo: Identificar las vulnerabilidades de mujeres con virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana para el cáncer de cérvix. Método: Estudio transversal desarrollado en centro de salud con 152 mujeres con HIV a partir de formulario estructurado envolviendo los tipos de vulnerabilidad. Resultados: Para la vulnerabilidad individual, eran predominantes mujeres con edad superior a 29 años (87,5%), escolaridad superior a ocho años (53,3%) y renta de la unidad familiar menor que dos salarios mínimos (94,1%). La mayoría informó vida sexual activa (81,6%) y no uso del preservativo (57,2%). Sobre la vulnerabilidad social, 56,6% estaban desempleadas. Para vulnerabilidad programática, 44,0% realizaron exámenes preventivos en periodo superior a un año. Mujeres con más escolaridad (p = 0,007), empleadas (p = 0,000) y que no usaban drogas ilícitas (p = 0,000) realizaban exámenes preventivos en la frecuencia adecuada. Conclusión: Se identificaron situaciones de vulnerabilidades individual, social y programática para el cáncer de cérvix en las mujeres con VIH de ese estudio. Resumo Objetivo: Identificar as vulnerabilidades das mulheres com vírus da imunodeficiência humana ao câncer de colo do útero. Método: Estudo transversal desenvolvido em ambulatório com 152 mulheres adultas com HIV, a partir de formulário estruturado envolvendo os tipos de vulnerabilidades. Resultados: Para a vulnerabilidade individual, foram predominantes a faixa etária maior que 29 anos (87,5%), com escolaridade maior que oito anos de estudo (53,3%) e renda familiar menor que dois salários mínimos (94,1%). A maioria informou vida sexual ativa (81,6%) e não utilização de preservativo (57,2%). Para vulnerabilidade social, 56,6% estavam desempregadas. Na vulnerabilidade programática, 44,0% das mulheres realizaram exame de prevenção em período superior a um ano. Mulheres com maior escolaridade (p = 0,007), empregadas (p = 0,000) e que não usavam drogas ilícitas (p = 0,000) realizavam exames preventivos na frequência adequada. Conclusão: Neste estudo, foram identificadas situações de vulnerabilidades individual, social e programática para câncer de colo do útero nas mulheres com HIV.

Forensic Entomogenetics deals with the application of entomology allied to molecular biology techniques, being a tool for obtaining evidence that can assist in the solution of crimes. An application of forensic entomogenetics is the identification of the genetic profile of an individual by DNA analysis of the digestive tract of a mosquito that has stung it and can be used in cases of kidnapping and captivity. The main objective of this work was to expose a group of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes to the human blood (donor) and to observe if after 24h it is possible to detect traces of the human DNA that serves to identify the individual. For this, a group of 20 specimens was separated at two times, 1h and 24h after the blood supply, for DNA extraction using the QiAmp DNA Investigator kit (Qiagen). Human DNA concentration analysis was determined by Nanodrop 2000/2000c spectrophotometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific), and the PCR amplification of this human mitochondrial marker material was positive. The feasibility of the tested process for obtaining DNA and human-specific marker amplification from mosquitoes has been confirmed and it is hoped to contribute to research actions within the forensic sciences.

One of the taxa suffering from intense poaching activities along its entire occurrence area, Dasypus represents a genus of armadillos that comprises seven living species: D. hybridus , D. kappleri , D. novemcinctus , D. pilosus , D. sabanicola , D. septemcinctus , and D. yepesi . The aim of this study is to analyze the genetic diversity of D. novemcinctus in order to build a haplotype database for molecular identification purposes. Molecular analyses were performed using the database that includes 99 sequences with 762bp of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome b of D. novemcinctus from several localities including North, Central and South America. We performed a maximum likelihood analysis and constructed a median-joining network using the Geneious and PopART softwares respectively. Sequences of the remaining Dasypus species and other armadillos were also included for the molecular analyses. The obtained results suggest four distinct lineages (groups I, II, III and IV) among D. novemcinctus haplotypes. Group I was the largest, with 53 haplotypes and spread over Brazil, Paraguay and Peru. The results reinforced the use of the genetic marker Cytochrome b as an effective tool in the identification of D. novemcinctus .

Included in one of the most commercially valuable fishes traded all around the world, the genus Thunnus is a Scombridae which comprises eight nominal species commonly known as tunas. The most widely traded in the international fish market are the species known as Atlantic bluefin tuna ( Thunnus thynnus ), bigeye tuna, ( Thunnus obesus) , Southern bluefin tuna ( Thunnus maccoyii ), yellowfin tuna ( Thunnus albacares ), albacore ( Thunnus alalunga ), and Pacific bluefin tuna ( Thunnus orientalis ). As expected for congeneric species, they are morphologically very similar and the species identification, especially in its traded forms is difficult. Several protocols have been described for species identification of marine products; however, the low genetic distance between several tuna species commonly confound the obtained results depending on the molecular marker used. Additionally, several authors pointed that the use of the DNA barcoding methodology is not effective and cannot recognize all the species due to lack of resolution of this mitochondrial marker. Here we identified a potential region for species delimitation within the genus Thunnus . The mtDNA region between sites 8092 and 8847 which comprises the mtDNA genes ATP8, ATP6, and COX3 presented polymorphic sites which allow precise species delimitation. Moreover, it keeps the advantages of the DNA barcoding region in relation to fragment size (∼750bp) and conserved flanking regions for primer annealing. Flanking primers were developed and are now being tested with samples obtained from the local fish markets.

Triatoma ryckmani Zeledón & Ponce, 1972 is a species found in sylvatic habitat at Central America. Considered rare in the past and poorly studied, nowadays can be found inside houses with potential of dispersal and colonization. All five instars of T. ryckmani are described based on optical and scanning electron microscopy. The postembryonic development of the head analyzed by ontogenetic morphometry showed the largest changes occur in the first three instars. Information about morphology of the immature stages of disease vectors can be helpful in the identification process increasing speed and efficiency of control strategies.

Here we present a mitogenomic perspective on the evolution of sharks and rays, being a first glance on the complete mitochondrial history of such an old and diversified group of vertebrates. The Elasmobranchii is a diverse subclass of Chondrichthyes, or cartilaginous fish, with about 1200 species of ocean- and freshwater-dwelling fishes spread all over the world’s seas, including some of the ocean’s largest fishes. The group dates back about 400 million years near the Devonian–Silurian boundary, being nowadays represented by several derivative lineages, mainly related to Mesozoic forms. Although considered of ecological, commercial and conservation importance, the phylogeny of this old group is poorly studied and still under debate. Here we apply a molecular systematic approach on 82 complete mitochondrial genomes to investigate the phylogeny of the Elasmobranchii. By using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian analyses, we found a clear separation within the shark clade between the Galeomorphii and the Squalomorphii, as well as sister taxa relationships between the Carcharhiniformes and the Lamniformes. Moreover, we found that Pristoidei clusters within the Rhinobatoidei, having been recovered as the sister taxon of the Rhinobatos genus in a clade which also includes the basal Zapteryx. Our results also reject the Hypnosqualea hypothesis, which proposes that the Batoidea should be placed within the Selachii. © 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This study was supported by Coordenac¸ão de Aperfeic¸oamento de Pessoal de Ńıvel Superior (CAPES), Fundac¸ão Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo àPesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, FEDER-Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020-Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT-Fundac¸ão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovac¸ão in the framework of the project “Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274). FP was supported by Investigator FCT (IF/01356/2012) and MARINFO (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000031).

The Tetraodontidae is the most speciose family within the order Tetraodontiformes, being characterized by beak-like jaws and the presence of powerful neurotoxins Tetrodotoxin/Saxitoxin associated with soft tissues, inflation behavior under stress, a condition shared with its accepted sister-family Diodontidae. Although several studies, including both morphological and molecular analyses have been conducted in the last decade the phylogeny and biogeography of Tetraodontidae and its species remain under debate. Several fatal intoxication cases had been observed in the last years related with the ingestion of Tetraodontidae species all around the world. Although recent technological advances have facilitated the sequencing of an entire mitogenome (∼16Kb), increasing the use of mtDNA as a phylogenetic marker, several studies primarily focusing on small mtDNA regions are continuously conducted. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular identification and the cross-atlantic genetic divergence patterns observed from the mitochondrial COI gene of the poisonous genus Sphoeroides based on newly determined and previously published sequences from both North and South Atlantic Oceans.

Tuna by-products were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis with Alcalase (enzyme to substrate ratio 1 : 200 w/w; 60 °C; pH 6.5, 120 min) rendering a tuna protein hydrolysate (TPH) with 9.24 % degree of hydrolysis (DH). The antioxidant capacity of TPH determined by the methods of ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) were similar and 10 times lower than the result obtained by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The total amino acid profile indicated that 42.15 % are composed of hydrophobic amino acids and 7.7 % of aromatics, with leucine being found in the highest quantity (17.85 %). The fatty acid profile of the oil recovered by centrifugation of the TPH – as determined by a gas chromatograph – was characterized by a high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (39.06 %), mainly represented by the fatty acids ω3, docosahexaenoic acid (27.15 %) and eicosapentaenoic acid (6.05 %). The simultaneous recovery of unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant peptides can add value to tuna by-products, assisting in the efficient management of fishing industry waste.

Anacardium humile Saint Hilaire is a tropical shrub native to the Cerrado biome. It is a fruiting species with biological, medicinal, and socioeconomic significance. Thus, knowing how the genetic variability of natural populations is organized allows for the establishment of strategies for conservation and the sustainable use of the species and its biome. Six microsatellite loci previously developed from Anacardium occidentale were used to investigate the spatial genetic structure and genetic diversity of eight natural A. humile populations based on analyses of 242 adult plants. The results obtained indicate that these populations show a high level of genetic diversity (expected heterozygosity = 0.710). The endogamy coefficient was positive and significant for most populations, with a mean of 0.142 (P = 0.001). The genetic differentiation between populations was low (θ = 0.075 and GST = 0.066) but significant (P = 0.0001). The genotypes of five of the eight populations were non-randomly distributed with clusters of related plants for which the coancestry values were positive and significant. These populations exhibited high and significant endogamy indices. The results obtained for A. humile populations show that genetic conservation programs should be implemented to maintain this species.

The Elasmobranchii comprises the diverse and important group of sharks and rays. The group includes some of the ocean's largest predatory fishes, suffering unsustainable fishing activities and is commercially overexploited for their meat and fins. Overfishing has resulted in significant population declines and several species are now considered under high threat and facing extinction, with about 93% of its nominal species included in the IUCN Red List. Molecular data have provided important information about these species, allowing the management of natural stocks and preventing their decline. Population genetics and connectivity data knowledge are now available and play an important role on establishing conservation policies. However, despite the ecological, commercial and conservation importance, no molecular method is available to identify sharks and rays in a forensic context. Following the development of the Shark Panel v1.0 which includes uniquely sharks, now we tested the effectiveness of the v2.0 multiplex on batoid elasmobranchs. We carried out a systematic molecular analysis using 85 previously published mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from the NCBI database and found that indels in the 16S rRNA gene can be used to distinguish several analyzed species, including some of the most threatened according to IUCN Red List. The regions selected in this study can be used for the construction of molecular identification assays. © 2017 Elsevier This study was supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, FEDER-Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020-Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação in the framework of the project “Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274). FP was supported by Investigator FCT (IF/01356/2012) and MARINFO (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000031).

The Elasmobranchii comprises the diverse and important group of sharks and rays. The Selachii or sharks clade includes some of the ocean's largest predatory fishes, being commercially overexploited due to unsustainable fishing activities for their meat and fins. Overfishing has resulted in significant population declines and several Selachii species are now considered under high threat and facing extinction, with about 93% of its nominal species included in the IUCN Red List. Molecular data has provided important information about these species, allowing the management of natural stocks and their decline. Population genetics, connectivity data, and their population genetics knowledge are now available and play an important role on establishing conservation policies. However, despite the ecological, commercial and conservation importance, no molecular method is available to identify sharks in a forensic analytic context. As a first step in the construction of a reliable method for shark identification, we carried out a molecular systematic analysis using 85 previously published mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from the NCBI database. We found that indels in the 16S rRNA gene can be used to distinguish almost all the analyzed shark species, including some of the most threatened according to IUCN Red List. The regions selected in this study can be used for the construction of molecular assays for shark identification in a forensic context.

The Atlantic Rainforest is one of the global conservation hotspots, representing a highly threatened area with elevated levels of endemism and species richness. Fish species from this area are one of the most exploited vertebrate groups by the international aquarium trade, an industry with an annual trade volume of about U$15–25 billions. The native South American genus Phalloceros includes species commonly known as "guppies", being found not only in South America, but also New Zeeland, Australia and Malawi, where they have been secondarily introduced with several ecological effects. We used SNPs and indels in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to investigate the molecular diversity of the species Phalloceros anisophallos from coastal Atlantic drainage areas in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Our aim is to develop a panel of mitochondrial markers to be used for the identification of guppy fish species. The molecular analyses were carried out using novel ( n =28) sequences from the mitochondrial COI gene (for DNA Barcoding) and the 16S rDNA gene (for SPInDel). We were able to determine the molecular variability of the distinct populations of P. anisophallos , which showed distinct patterns of shared polymorphism.

Uma nova especie criptica de Triatoma e descrita dentro do subcomplexo T. rubrovaria. As diferencas entre T. pintodiasi sp. nov. e T. circummaculata incluem, entre outras, o padrao cromatico e diferencas morfologicas nas estruturas falicas, como nos parâmeros, suporte do falosoma, processo do endosoma e vesica. Analises bioquimicas realizadas na hemolinfa e a comparacao morfometrica da cabeca tambem registraram diferencas entre as duas especies e outras do subcomplexo T. rubrovaria.

INTRODUCTION: The present study shows a descriptive analysis of triatomine occurrence and its natural Trypanosoma infection rates in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, between 2006 and 2007. METHODS: Entomological data for the species, such as specimens captured in both intra and peridomiciles and natural infection index, were obtained via domiciliary capture in 147 municipalities from 11 Regional Managements of Health. The database was obtained from a sample of insects (100% infected and 20% non-infected) sent to the Central Laboratory of Pernambuco. RESULTS: A total of 18,029 triatomines were analyzed from 138 municipalities of the state. Triatoma pseudomaculata (35%), Triatoma brasiliensis (34%), and Panstrongylus lutzi (25%) were the most captured species. These species also showed a widespread geographical distribution in the state. Panstrongylus megistus, Triatoma petrocchiae, Triatoma melanocephala, Triatoma sordida, Rhodnius nasutus, Rhodnius neglectus, and Triatoma infestans showed more limited geographical distribution and lower relative abundance. The parasitological research showed that 8.8% of the triatomines were naturally infected with flagellates morphologically similar to Trypanosoma cruzi and 91.3% of them were captured inside houses in 113 municipalities. P. lutzi showed the highest rates of natural infection. CONCLUSIONS: After the control of T. infestans, synanthropic species, such as T. brasiliensis, T. pseudomaculata, and P. lutzi, maintain the risk of T. cruzi transmission to humans in the state of Pernambuco. These species are widely distributed, and infected specimens have been found inside houses. Thus, an enhanced surveillance and vector control of Chagas disease is recommended in Pernambuco. INTRODUÇÃO: O presente estudo apresenta uma análise descritiva da ocorrência de triatomíneos e seus índices de infecção natural por Trypanosoma no Estado de Pernambuco, entre 2006 e 2007. MÉTODOS: Dados entomológicos para as espécies de triatomíneos, tais como espécimes capturados no intra e peridomicílio, e índice de infecção natural foram obtidos por meio da captura domiciliar em 147 municípios das 11 Gerências Regionais de Saúde. A pequisa foi baseada em uma amostra de insetos (100% dos infectados e 20% dos não infectados) enviados para o Laboratório Central de Pernambuco. RESULTADOS: No total, 18.029 triatomíneos foram analisados provenientes de 138 municípios. Triatoma pseudomaculata (35%), Triatoma brasiliensis (34%) e Panstrongylus lutzi (25%) foram as espécies mais capturadas. Estas espécies também apresentaram ampla distribuição geográfica no estado. Panstrongylus megistus, Triatoma petrocchiae, Triatoma melanocephala, Triatoma sordida, Rhodnius nasutus, Rhodnius neglectus e Triatoma infestans apresentaram distribuição geográfica mais restrita e menores valores de abundância relativa. A pesquisa parasitológica mostrou que 8,8% dos triatomíneos estavam infectados por flagelados morfologicamente similares a Trypanosoma cruzi e 91,3% deles foram capturados no interior das habitações em 113 municípios. P. lutzi apresentou as maiores taxas de infecção natural. CONCLUSÕES: Após o controle do T. infestans, as espécies sinantrópicas T. brasiliensis, T. pseudomaculata e P. lutzi mantêm o risco de transmissão do T. cruzi ao homem no Estado de Pernambuco. Estas espécies são amplamente distribuídas e espécimes infectados foram encontrados dentro das casas. Assim, nossos resultados recomendam reforçar a vigilância e controle vetorial da doença de Chagas em Pernambuco.

Callithrix aurita is a native small primate species from the Brazilian Southeastern Atlantic mountains. Considered as vulnerable and figuring the IUCN Red List, the species currently struggles with a reduced population size and faces several obstacles such as congeneric competition and the obvious anthropic pressure. Here we describe our amplification strategy to obtain high quality DNA of the endangered marmoset species Callithrix aurita from the South American Atlantic Rainforest, for use on massive parallel sequencing with the HiSeq 2500 platform. Two fragments of about 9Kb were successfully amplified comprising the fragments F1 165-9229 and F2 8531-639 of the mitochondrial genome of the Callithrix aurita. The quantification of the DNA was made using the Qubit fluorimeter and the fragments are now under sample preparation and sequencing using the Nextera DNA Kit within the HiSeq 2500 platform.

The Atlantic Rainforest is one of the global conservation hotspots, representing a seriously threatened area with high levels of endemism and species richness. The fishes from the Atlantic Rainforest are one of the most exploited vertebrate groups by the international aquarium commerce, with an annual trade volume of about U$15-25 billions, now aggravated by the Internet e-Commerce and playing a crucial role on the sales and distribution of these species. The Cichlidae is one of the most exploited groups with several species being commonly sold in several online sites and aquarium stores all around the world. In this sense, our aim is to study the genetic diversity of the native cichlid Geophagus brasiliensis from the South American Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil. We constructed a database including 75 sequences from Geophagus brasiliensis from the Ubatiba river with 540bp of the mtDNA D-loop region using primers H16498 and L15774M and conducted molecular analyses with Geneious v4.82, DnaSP v5, Arlequin v3.5 and PopART. Our results point show that although G. brasiliensis is considered as a territorialist species, which exhibits parental care and small movement rates, population genetic structure could not be observed along the sample area, suggesting the existence of considerable gene flow at least among the sampled populations.

The reef fish community is one of the most explored fish stock by local and medium scale fishing activities as well as by the international ornamental fish trade. Despite these intense commercial activities, several reef species are poorly known. The reef fish community limited knowledge makes difficult the commercial regulation and also the adoption of conservation policies and general law enforcement. The present study deals with the molecular identification of a reef fish community from the Baia de Todos os Santos, Bahia, Brazil in order to construct a reference database for molecular identification of these species. We evaluated the molecular identification of 51 species included in 28 distinct families. The specimens were caught using freediving techniques and tissue samples were obtained from the epaxial musculature. The DNA barcoding methodology was used for the amplification of a 650bp fragment from the mitochondrial COI gene. Among the 51 obtained COI sequences, 16 of them represent new record for the species in the Brazilian coastal region including two species ( Gramma brasiliensis and Scarus trispinosus ) without any sequencing data available until now.

Os autores descreveram as características morfológicas de Triatoma klugi Carcavallo, Jurberg, Lent & Galvão, 2001 pertencente ao grupo de espécies que compõem o "complexo T. oliveirai". Até o presente tem sido difícil separar essas espécies com base nas características ninfais, o que justifica o desenvolvimento deste trabalho. Os espécimes foram coletados em frestas de rochas no morro Malavok na localidade de Linha Brasil, município de Nova Petrópolis, no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. O local de captura dos triatomíneos situa-se entre 700 e 800 m de altitude (29º18'38''S, 51º04'57''W). Juntamente com T. oliveirai (Neiva, Pinto & Lent, 1939), espécie morfologicamente mais próxima, são as únicas do complexo que não foram encontradas, até o momento, no Estado do Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul e Goiás, Brasil. Em condições experimentais, já foi testada e comprovada a sua susceptibilidade à infecção pelo Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909) e Trypanosoma rangeli (Tejera, 1920). A análise comparativa das ornamentações do exocório dos ovos e de três estádios ninfais de T. klugi por microscopia óptica e microscopia eletrônica de varredura mostrou algumas particularidades morfológicas, com destaque para: a face ventral da cabeça, o sulco estridulatório e os últimos segmentos abdominais (IX, X - futura genitália e XI - tubo anal). Esses dados contribuem para a ampliação dos parâmetros diferenciais visando à diagnose de T. klugi durante o seu desenvolvimento ninfal. The authors had described the morphologic characteristics of Triatoma klugi Carcavallo, Jurberg, Lent & Galvão, 2001 to the group of species belonging to "T. oliveirai complex". Until the moment it has been difficult to separate on the nymphs characteristics basis these species, what it justifies the development of this work. The specimens had been collected in openings of rocks in the Malavok mount in the locality of Linha Brazil, city of Nova Petrópolis, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The local of capture of the Triatominae is placed enters 700 and 800 m of altitud (29º18'38''S, 51º04'57''W). Together with T. oliveirai (Neiva, Pinto & Lent, 1939), its morphologically related species, is the only ones of the complex that had not been found, until the moment, in the State of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Goiás, Brazil. In experimental conditions, already it was tested and proven its susceptibilities to the infection for Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909) and Trypanosoma rangeli (Tejera, 1920). The comparative analysis of the ornaments of the exocorium of eggs and of three nymphs of T. klugi by optic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed some morphologic particularities, with prominence for: the ventral face of the head, the stridulatory sulcus and the last abdominal segments (IX, X - future genitalia and XI - anal duct). These data contribute for the magnifying of the distinguishing parameters aiming at diagnosis of T. klugi during its nymphal development.

Triatoma baratai Carcavallo & Jurberg, is a wild ( i.e., nonperidomestic) species found in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul (Bodoquena region, county of Bonito), Brazil. Its eggs and nymphs are described here based on optical and scanning electron microscopy. The operculum and exochorion have pentagonal, hexagonal, and heptagonal cells, with small cracks and small random pits. Differences in the eggs and five nymphal instars of T. baratai allow them to be distinguished from the sympatric species Triatoma williami Galvão, Souza & Lima, and from six of the nine members of the Triatoma oliveirai complex. The most useful differentiating characters are in the color, shape of the abdomen, head, and total body length. Keys are provided to separate the eggs and nymphal instars of six of the nine members of the Triatoma oliveirai species complex.

In this study, the effects of chemical refining and deodorization on fatty acid profiles and physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the tuna by-product oil obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis were evaluated. Enzymatic extraction was conducted for 120 min at 60 °C and pH 6.5 using Alcalase at an enzyme-substrate ratio of 1:200 w/w. The chemical refining of crude oil consisted of degumming, neutralization, washing, drying, bleaching, and deodorization; deodorization was conducted at different temperatures and processing times. Although chemical refining was successful, temperature and chemical reagents favored the removal of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from the oil. Aroma attributes of fishy odor, frying odor, and rancid odor predominantly contributed to the sensory evaluation of the product. Deodorization conditions of 160 °C for 1h and 200 °C for 1h were recommended for the tuna by-product oil, which is rich in PUFA.

For the first time, the eggs and all instars of a species of the Indian genus Linshcosteus are described using morphometrics and optical and scanning electron microscopy. Linshcosteus karupus Galvao, Patterson, Rocha & Jurberg, 2002 was recently described from near Kalakkadu, Tamil Nadu State, southern India. In addition, current knowledge and the importance of morphological studies of immature Triatominae are discussed.

R. brethesi is a sylvatic species from the Amazon region; it has been incriminated as responsible for the transmission of Chagas disease in collectors of piacaba in this region. The aim of present study was to investigate the efficiency of these insects as potential vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi. Aspects related with feeding and defecation patterns, life time, and mortality had been observed in each instar of R. brethesi. We use 5th instar nymphs to get adults virgins, after the moulting 3 groups with 6 females and 2 males each were created to obtain eggs. After hatching, 1st instar nymphs had been weighed and kept in bottles until the next moult. Insects were fed once a week in mice. Results showed that the average period of incubation was 17 days, the number of blood meal was increasing from the 1st to the 5th instar nymph with 7 (average) to become adult, a significative numbers of the defecations occurring immediately after the bloodmeals. The total percentual of mortality was 16%. This results suggests that this species presents a good exploitation of blood meals and a brief nymphal development in laboratory conditions reflecting its behavior in sylvatic environments.

The subfamily Triatominae is actually represented by 137 species distributed among 6 tribes and 19 genera. Within this subfamily, the genus Panstrongylus, Berg 1879, is composed by 13 species widespread in sylvatic, peridomestic, and domestic habitats of Neotropical regions. These species are vectors of Chagas disease and consequently are found associated with its main hosts, such as birds and mammals. Interest in species of this genus has been increasing in the last few years. Reports of several authors indicate these Triatominae to invade and colonize houses, increasing their epidemiological significance. Morphometry was used in this study to investigate correlations among possible closely related species. We measured 224 specimens among 13 species through a set of metric variables of the head. The results indicated that the genus Panstrongylus seems to be homogeneous since 10 of the 14 species were shown to be closely related.

Eggs and nymphs of Triatoma jurbergi were described using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. T. jurbergi is a wild species, found in State of Mato Grosso (15oS and 300 m.a.s.l), Brazil. Eggs showed the operculum and surface with pentagonal and hexagonal cells, with small fractures and punctuations randomly distributed. Differences were found in the five nymphal stages of T. jurbergi, that allow their to be distinguished from the similar species T. guazu. The diagnostic characters most useful for differentiation were the general color of the insect, abdomen shape and its length.

Rhodnius robustus Larrousse, é uma espécie silvestre encontrada na região Norte do Brasil (Acre, Amazonas e Pará), Guiana Francesa, Bolívia, Colômbia, Equador, Peru e Venezuela. Essa espécie tem sido encontrada em domicílios e peridomicílios e já foi observada naturalmente infectada por Trypanossoma cruzi Chagas, Trypanossoma rangeli Tejera e com infecção mista. A partir de observações realizadas em laboratório, foi avaliada a capacidade de voo, correlacionando essa atividade com a quantidade de sangue ingerido, sexo e período de jejum. Apesar da temperatura elevada (33º C), 26% dos insetos não voaram sugerindo a influência de fatores intrínsecos na capacidade de voo de R. robustus. Flight Activity of Rhodnius robustus Larrousse in Laboratory (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae Abstract. Rhodnius robustus Larrousse, is a sylvatic species found in northern Brazil (Acre, Amazonas and Pará), Guyana, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. This species has been found in and around the dwellings, have been data collection of this species naturally infected with Trypanossoma cruzi Chagas, Trypanossoma rangeli Tejera and mixed infections. From observations made in the laboratory, we evaluated the ability of flight, correlating this activity with the amount of ingested blood, sex and fasting period. Despite the high temperature (33º C), 26% of the insects flew suggesting the influence of intrinsic factors in flight capacity of R. robustus. &nbsp

OBJETIVO: Avaliar as diferenças significativas de desenvolvimento ninfal da espécie Rhodnius robustus Larrousse, 1927, submetida a diferentes condições de temperatura e umidade, que se encontra distribuída na região Norte do Brasil (Acre, Amazonas e Pará) e na Colômbia, no Equador, no Peru e na Venezuela. MÉTODOS: Formaram-se três grupos de Rhodnius robustus, mantidos em diferentes condições de laboratório: 33/40 (33+/-1°C e 40+/-5% UR -- umidade relativa), 33/70 (33+/-1°C e 70+/-5% UR) e 28/70 (28+/-1°C e 70+/-5% UR), para observar o período de incubação dos ovos, o desenvolvimento de cada estádio, os percentuais de mortalidade e os número de repastos realizados. RESULTADOS: O menor período médio de desenvolvimento ninfal foi observado no grupo 28/70 com as médias: 14,4; 17,3; 20,3; 22,8 e 40. O desenvolvimento embrionário apresentou diferenças significativas entre os tratamentos utilizados (p

OBJETIVO: O estudo do hábito alimentar dos triatomíneos tem contribuído para o conhecimento da sua biologia no habitat natural. Triatoma vitticeps, espécie que vem invadindo freqüentemente o domicílio apresentando-se infectado por T. cruzi, foi analisado sob esse aspecto, possibilitando conhecer a situação epidemiológica da área. MÉTODOS: De fevereiro de 1989 a abril de 1993, 122 espécimes de T. vitticeps foram capturados em duas áreas da localidade de Triunfo, 2° Distrito do Município de Santa Maria Madalena (RJ). Os insetos foram dissecados para a retirada do conteúdo estomacal. Os anti-soros utilizados foram: homem, vaca, cavalo, cão, porco, tatu, gambá, roedor e ave. RESULTADOS: Do total analisado, 79 estavam positivos e 43 negativos para os anti-soros testados: tatu (30,3%) > homem e porco (13,1%) > ave e cão (11,5%) > cavalo (5,7%) > gambá (4,9%) > roedor (4,1%) > boi (3,3%). As fontes alimentares identificadas variaram de 1 a 4 e 6: 0 - 25,41%; 1 - 45,08%; 2 - 10,66%; 3 - 6,56%; 4 - 1,64% e 6 - 0,82%. Quanto à infecção por T. cruzi, 74 espécimes (65,54%) estavam positivos, 39 (34,51%) negativos e 9 não foram examinados. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados caracterizam o hábito silvestre de T. vitticeps e a tripanosomíase como uma enzootia. A vigilância epidemiológica se faz necessária para o acompanhamento do comportamento dessa espécie. OBJECTIVE: Feeding patterns of triatomines have contributed to elucidate its biology. Triatoma vitticeps, naturally infected with T. cruzi, has been found in domiciles. Its behavior and epidemiological patterns were investigated. METHODS: One-hundred and twenty two specimens of T. vitticeps were captured from February 1989 to April 1993 in two areas of Triunfo municipality, a subdistrict of Santa Maria Madalena municipal district, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The insects were dissected and their intestinal contents were removed and tested. It was used antisera from: man, cow, horse, dog, pig, armadillo, opossum, rodent, and bird. RESULTS: From the total analyzed, 79 were positive and 43 were negative to the nine antisera tested: armadillo (30.3%) > human and pig (13.1%) > bird and dog (11.5%) > horse (5.7%) > opossum (4.9%) > rodent (4.1%) > cow (3.3%). Blood meals ranged from 0 to 4 and 6 in the following distribution: 0 = 25.41%; 1 = 45.08%; 2 = 10.66%; 3 = 6.56%; 4 = 1.64%, and 6 = 0.82%. Nine of the 122 insects captured were not examined, 74 (65.54%) were positive for T. cruzi infection and 39 (34.51%) were negative. CONCLUSIONS: These results identified the T. vitticeps as being a sylvatic species and trypanosomiasis as being an enzootic disease. Epidemiological vigilance will be important to provide more information regarding the behavior of the species

The present paper summarizes new approaches regarding the progress done to the understanding of the interaction of Trypanosoma cruzi-cardiomyocytes. Mannose receptors localized at the surface of heart muscle cell are involved in binding and uptake of the parasite. One of the most striking events in the parasite-heart muscle cells interaction is the disruption of the actin cytoskeleton. We have investigated the regulation of the actin mRNA during the cytopathology induced in myocardial cells by the parasite. T. cruzi invasion increases calcium resting levels in cardiomyocytes. We have previously shown that Ca2+ ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SERCA) is involved in the invasion of T. cruzi in cardiomyocytes. Treating the cells with thapsigargin, a drug that binds to all SERCA ATPases and causes depletion of intracellular calcium stores, we found a 75% inhibition in the T. cruzi-cardiomyocytes invasion.

Rhodnius pictipes (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) from Serra Norte, State of Pará, Brazil, aclimatized in an insectary at the Laboratório Nacional e Internacional de Referência em Taxonomia de Triatomíneos, Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, were fed through a silicone membrane. In order to know the viability and the efficiency of this membrane compared with insects fed on mice, the number of bloodmeals taken, period of development of the five nymphal instars, longevity of adults, average amount of blood intake in each meal and percent of mortality were observed. A total of 310 insects, were used, comprising 50 nymphs of each instar, as well as 30 male and 30 female adults. Insects fed artificially had reduced minimal and maximal periods of development than the group fed on mice. The largest relative increase of body weight was observed in the 2nd instar followed by the 1st, and the amount of blood ingested increased during the development, to the 5th instar for both groups. There were no significant differences between the groups fed artificially and in vivo according to Tukey's test for p>0.05. The percent of mortality in the 1st instar was 18% for artificially fed and 16% for the group fed on mice; these percentages decreased as insects developed until the 4th instar, without mortality, returning to increase in the 5th instar. R. pictipes was shown to be easily adaptable to artificial feeding, and could be considered as an important and viable experimental model.

The Tetraodontidae are an Acantomorpha fish family with circumglobal distribution composed of 189 species grouped in 19 genera, occurring in seas, estuaries, and rivers between the tropical and temperate regions. Of these, the genus Colomesus is confined to South America, with what have been up to now considered only two species. C. asellus is spread over the entire Amazon, Tocantins-Araguaia drainages, and coastal environments from the Amazon mouth to Venezuela, and is the only freshwater puffers on that continent. C. psittacus is found in coastal marine and brackish water environments from Cuba to the northern coast of South America as far south as to Sergipe in Brazil. In the present contribution we used morphological data along with molecular systematics techniques to investigate the phylogeny and phylogeography of the freshwater pufferfishes of the genus Colomesus. The molecular part is based on a cytochrome C oxidase subunit I dataset constructed from both previously published and newly determined sequences, obtained from specimens collected from three distinct localities in South America. Our results from both molecular and morphological approaches enable us to identify and describe a new Colomesus species from the Tocantins River. We also discuss aspects of the historical biogeography and phylogeography of the South American freshwater pufferfishes, suggesting that it could be more recent than previously expected.

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, exhibits multiple strategies to ensure its establishment and persistence in the host. Although this parasite has the ability to infect different organs, heart impairment is the most frequent clinical manifestation of the disease. Advances in knowledge of T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte interactions have contributed to a better understanding of the biological events involved in the pathogenesis of Chagas disease. This brief review focuses on the current understanding of molecules involved in T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte recognition, the mechanism of invasion, and on the effect of intracellular development of T. cruzi on the structural organization and molecular response of the target cell.

Rhodnius pictipes Stal, 1872 is a silvatic species with a widespread distribution in South America, found in nine Brazilian states, naturally infected by Trypanosoma cruzi and T. rangeli. The individual rearing of this species under laboratory conditions, allowed the following biological aspects to be observed: incubation time, search for first meal after eclosion or moult, time - lapse between presentation of the blood meal and the beginning of feeding, duration of blood meal, time and place of defecation, number of blood meals, duration of each instar and adult longevity, and time required from egg to adult.

Genetic diversity analyses of tropical tree species are relevant to landscape management, plant genetic resource inventory, and biological conservation of threatened species. Annona crassiflora is an endangered fruit tree native to the Cerrado biome that is threatened by reduction of natural populations and fruit extraction. We examined the intra- and interpopulational genetic diversity of this species in the northern region of Minas Gerais State. Seventy-two individuals from four natural populations were genotyped using RAPD markers. We found moderate genetic diversity among populations, with Shannon's I index varying between 0.31 and 0.44, and Nei's genetic diversity (H(E)) for the population set equal to 0.31. AMOVA indicated a greater genetic variation within (77.38%) rather than among populations (22.62%), tending towards isolation by distance (Mantel's r = 0.914; P = 0.089). Nei's genetic identity estimates among populations revealed a hierarchical pattern of genetic similarity of form [(CA1, CA2), MC], [(GM)], corroborating the high genetic differentiation between spatially isolated populations.

Uma nova espécie de Rhodnius é descrita e ilustrada baseada em um exemplar macho do nordeste brasileiro. O espécime foi encontrado morto e ressecado. Esta espécie pode ser separada da espécie afim, R. paraensis Sherlock, Guitton & Miles, pelo seu maior tamanho, pelo aspecto geral de coloração do corpo, pela cor uniforme das pernas, pelas diferentes proporções entre as estruturas morfológicas da cabeça e dos segmentos do rostro; ainda, na genitália masculina, pelo aspecto do processo mediano do pigóforo, do falosoma e de seu processo. A new species of Rhodnius is described and illustrated from a male specimen from northeastern Brazil. The specimen was found died and dried. This species can be distinguished from its similar congener R. paraensis Sherlock, Guitton & Miles by the greater size, the general aspect of the color of the body, by the uniform color of the legs, different proportions between the morphological structures of the head and the segments of the rostrum; also, in the male genitalia by the aspect of median process of pygophore, dorsal phallotheca plate and phallotheca process.

We have previously shown that Trypanosoma cruzi-infected cardiomyocytes present alterations in cytoskeletal organisation in vitro. The remarkable change in the host cell cytoskeleton opened up the question of whether treatment of infected cells with antitrypanosomal compounds, such as ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors (EBIs), allows the reconstruction of myofibrils and the microtubule network, restoring the cell biological function. Therefore, 48-h-old T. cruzi-infected cardiomyocyte cultures were treated with 10 nM ketoconazole or posaconazole and cytoskeletal remodelling of the host cells was analysed by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Both compounds displayed a potent antiparasitic effect and dramatically reduced the infection ratio. After 120 h of treatment, actin polygonal configuration was frequently visualised in the host cell cytoplasm, suggesting the initial stage of actin framework restoration. Rearrangement of myofibrils and the microtubule network was achieved 168 h after the start of drug treatment. Our data demonstrate that the trypanocidal effect of EBIs lead to reconstruction of the cytoskeleton of T. cruzi-infected cardiomyocytes in vitro.

For the first time all instars of a species of the genus Belminus are described based on laboratory F1 generation specimens from adults caught in department of Cesar, Colombia. Ontogenetic morphometrics of postembryonic head development was made, suggesting that the greatest changes occur between the 1st and 2nd instars. Pela primeira vez todos estádios ninfais de uma espécie do gênero Belminus são descritos, baseados em espécimes da primeira geração obtida em laboratório a partir de adultos capturados em domicílios do Departamento de Cesar, Colômbia. A morfometria geométrica das cabeças sugere que as maiores mudanças no desenvolvimento pós-embrionário ocorrem entre o 1º e o 2º ínstares.

For years, illegal pet trade resulted in the introduction of marmosets from the species Callithrix jacchus and C. penicillata in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Among other problems these primates are able to produce fertile hybrids in crosses between themselves and also with its counterpart, the endangered Buffy-tufted-ear marmoset ( C. aurita ) natural of this region. Molecular genetic data has increasingly been used as support for issues related to biodiversity with great contribution to conservation programs, because of its power to elucidate gene flow, introgression, levels of kinship and hybridization. In forensics, this information has the potential to be used for the control of exotic species and curb trafficking of native species. By sequencing using mitochondrial markers Cyt b and CO II, this work shows the molecular characterization of a mixed group of marmosets found between the forest and a urbanized area close to the Serra dos Orgaos National Park in Rio de Janeiro state. The results showed that the group of marmosets here studied is formed by a male individual with phenotype and genotype matching that of the endangered species C. aurita , among others which belong to the invasive species C. penicillata and C. jacchus . This reinforces the importance of studies aimed at elucidating the dynamics of gene flow and the viability of possible hybrids facing the conservation of native species. From the forensics standpoint, the characterization based on molecular markers, ensures a more comprehensive tool for identifying those species fighting illegal trade and preserving the endangered C. aurita .

There are several specific complexes belonging to the genus Triatoma Laporte, 1832, which are generally associated to specific geographic areas. Recent publications have linked the oliveirai complex to ecosystems of Mato Grosso, which are also present in other Brazilian states and even in other bordering countries as eastern Paraguay. The study of the abundant material collected during the last years allowed the description of several new species of the oliveirai complex: T. jurbergi Carcavallo, Galvão & Lent, 1998; T. baratai Carcavallo & Jurberg, 2000 and T. klugi Carcavallo, Jurberg, Lent & Galvão, 2001. Another new species belonging to the same complex is described here as T. vandae sp.n. It originates from the state of Mato Grosso, and has been reared in the insectary of the Laboratório Nacional e Internacional de Referência em Taxonomia de Triatomíneos, Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro.

Paternity testing is being increasingly requested with the aim of challenging presumptive fatherhood. The ability to establish the biological father or mother is usually based on the genotyping of autosomal short tandem repeats (STR). However, in the last few years the use of X chromosomal STR (chr-XSTRs) markers gained strong interest in paternity involving females and specially in kinship analysis where the alleged father is absent since true daughters share the single X-chromosome from their biological father. In this work, we present an approach that combines data from fifteen autosomal and six chr-X STRs in order to know the DNA profiles of presumed relatives by genotyping human remains and/or investigate female as putative half sister or unrelated. As a result, the LR over all available loci for two cases were 1,432,331,424 and 9,357 corresponding to probabilities of 99.9999999% and 99.989%, respectively. The LR values associated to the high probabilities confirm the usefulness of the X-hexaplex STR markers in resolving relationships even thought genotyping human remains.

The X-chromosome short tandem repeat (STR) markers have been described as very adequate tools for solving deficiency paternity cases and kinship tests when women are involved. In the absence of the alleged father, presumed paternal relationship can be more efficiently investigated by using a set of six to ten X-STR markers compared to fifteen autosomal STR. For this study, we compared the usefulness of a X-STR hexaplex developed in our laboratory (DXS7133, DXS7424, DXS8378, DXS6807, DXS7423 and DXS8377) and the commercial kit Identifiler in solving deficiency paternities. We have worked on distinct groups of caseworks involving daughters, their mothers and presumed paternal grandmothers or putative half sisters and their respective mothers. The PCR products were separated by capillary electrophoresis and detected in an ABI Prism 3100. In the majority of the caseworks (>90%), the likelihood ratio (LR) obtained by using the X-STR hexaplex was higher than the LR value observed when the Identifiler kit was used for genotyping. The combination of the two STR typing systems was able to solve all the cases.

International audience; DNA sequence comparison of 412 base-pairs fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome B gene was used to infer the genetic structure of nine geographical #Triatoma infestans$ populations and their phylogenetic relationship with #T. melanosoma$ and #T. brasiliensis$. #T. infestans$ and #T. melanosoma$ were compared by morphometry, allozyme and cytogenetic analyses, as well as subjected to reciprocal crosses, in order to clarify the taxonomic status of the latter. No differences were found to distinguish the two species and the crosses between them yielded progeny. #T. infestans$ populations presented four haplotypes that could be separated in two clusters : one formed by the samples from Bolivia (Andes and Chaco) and the other formed by samples from Argentina and Brazil. Silvatic and domestic #T. infestans$ populations from Bolivia (Andes) were genetically identical. (Résumé d'auteur)