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Abstract The American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) lives in urban, periurban and wild environments and feeds mainly on small rodents, meaning it has great importance in the biological control of pests. The aim of this work was to describe the reproductive, parental and eating habits of a pair of American barn owls naturally living outside a residence in the urban area of the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. A wood box was installed on an outside wall of the home, monitored by a video camera. A spreadsheet was created to keep track of the observations recorded. The female laid four eggs, and after an incubation period of 30-32 days all the eggs hatched, but only two chicks survived after cannibalism among the chicks. Initially, the male provided the food to the chicks and the female remained in the nest caring for the brood. After approximately a month, the female also began to leave the nest and return with prey, which was offered to the chicks, with the male also continuing this behavior. The chicks left the nest in September, 2017. The data obtained show the existence of cooperation and division of tasks between male and female owls during the reproductive period.

A OXFORD fez, em seus minérios, 244 determinações de resistência a flexão, 1601 determinações da retração do minério a 110 ºC, 1508 determinações da retração após queima a 1220 ºC, 877 determinações de perda ao fogo, 1544 de absorção de água, 2288 determinações da dilatação linear a após secagem a 110 ºC e 1128 da dilatação linear após queima a 1220 ºC. Os valores médios, máximos, mínimos e as distribuições dos resultados dessas análises estão mostrados em tabelas e gráficos. Essas determinações e as observações de campo mostram que os depósitos estudados são de dois tipos, denominados Modelo Trigolândia, derivado de pegmatitos, e Modelo Floresta, derivado de rochas vulcânicas ácidas. Com exceção do minério da Mina do Turvo, as médias dos valores das propriedades físicas analisadas estão sempre dentro do intervalo de valores suportado pelo processo industrial da OXFORD. O minério verde, quase todo da Mina Turvo, e o minério marron são os que têm propriedades mais discordantes dos padrões desejados. Nas correlações entre os valores médios das propriedades físicas analisadas foi constatado que as correlações ruins são sempre devidas ao minério de Trigolândia. Considerando todos os valores analisados e não mais as suas médias, nota-se que, com exceção da correlação entre a % de retração após secagem a 110 ºC e a % de retração total, com r = 0,78, todos os outros coeficientes de correlação são muito baixos, menores que 0,60.OXFORD has made 244 determinations of modulus of rupture, 1601 determinations of dry contraction 110 ºC, 1508 determinations of fired contraction 1220 ºC, 877 determinations of ignition loss, 1544 determinations of apparent porosity, 2288 determinations of dry linear dilation (dried at 110 ºC) and 1128 determinations of fired linear dilation (fired at 1220 ºC) on their kaolin ores. The averages, maximum, minimum and the statistical distribution of these values are shown on tables and graphics. Those determinations and field observations allow to the conclusion that kaolin deposits are of two different types, named Trigolândia model, originated from pegmatites, and Floresta model, derived from acid volcanic rocks. With the exception of the ore from Turvo Mine, the average values of the analyzed physical properties are always into the intervals accepted by Oxford industrial processes, that runs to produce tableware. From Turvo Mine, the green and the brown ores have the more discordant characteristics. For the other ores, from Turvo and the other mines, the average values of their physical characteristics almost always equal the central values of intervals that characterize good ores. If correlations between average values of different physical properties of ores are made, only Trigolândia shows some bad correlations. Taking into account all the analyzed values, and no more the averages, all the correlations are bad. The exception is the correlation between dry retraction and fired retraction, with r = 0,78. All other correlation coefficients are lower than 0,60.

A espirocercose é uma parasitose causada pelo nematódeo Spirocerca lupi. Os parasitos localizam-se em nódulos na parede de artérias, comumente na aorta, onde dão início a uma resposta inflamatória do tipo granulomatosa, culminando com a formação do aneurisma. Os 11 cães errantes, cedidos pelo Centro de Controle de Zoonoses (CCZ) de Brasília-DF, foram destinados às aulas de Anatomia Veterinária das Faculdades Integradas do Planalto Central - FIPLAC. A macroscopia revelou múltiplos aneurismas ao longo da artéria torácica que, ao corte, se mostraram como nódulos firmes envolvidos por material esbranquiçado. No esôfago, havia também a lesão nodular com estas características. As amostras das lesões foram fixadas em solução salina saturada de formalina a 2,5% para processamento histotécnico e coloração pela Hematoxilina e Eosina (HxE), Tricromico de Gomori e Van-Gieson. Secções microscópicas da parede aórtica aneurismática revelaram substituição da íntima por proliferação fibrocelular densamente colagenizada. Nas secções dos nódulos da artéria e do esôfago havia numerosos S. lupi imersos em exsudato leucocitário, centralizando uma resposta granulomatosa epitelóide, não gigantocitária. Os achados concordam com os descritos na literatura, contudo não se refere à resposta epitelióide. O diagnóstico anatomopatológico acidental da espirocercose canina revelou -se de difícil suspeita clínica, mesmo quando associada ao comprometimento vascular. Palavras-chave: Canino, Espirocercose, Aneurisma aórtico.

Abstract There are few studies in tropical regions exploring the use of leaf breakdown process as a functional tool to assess anthropic disturbance on aquatic ecosystems. We assessed the effects of water pollution due to human activities on the leaf breakdown rate of Picramnia sellowii in streams of the southeastern Brazil. The experiment was carried out for 60 days in three reference streams and three streams impaired by organic pollution and absence of riparian vegetation. Three litter bags were incubated in each stream containing 3 ± 0.05 g of P. sellowii leaves. The reference streams presented higher values of dissolved oxygen and lower values of nutrients, turbidity, electrical conductivity, total impermeable area and water temperature. The leaf breakdown rate (k) differed significantly between the reference (k = 0.014 ± 0.003 d–1) and impaired streams (k = 0.005 ± 0.001 d–1). The leaves incubated in the reference streams contained greater fungal biomass (measured as ergosterol concentration) and abundance of invertebrates, as well as greater presence of shredders, with k values being related to the biomass of these organisms. Overall, there were clear differences between the leaf mass loss in the reference and impaired streams. These results reinforce the negative effect of urbanization on leaf breakdown and fungal and shredder biomass.

Abstract Variations of age and total length of Sotalia guianensis from the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, were evaluated. Specimens were found stranded. Age and total length of 44 Guiana dolphins were assessed based on tooth analysis. Age varied between 0.5 year and 33 years (mean = 8.23 years). Most specimens were between zero and 6 years old (47%). Total length varied from 119 cm to 198 cm, with mean of 172.52 cm. Asymptotic length was reached at 185 cm and approximately 5-6 years of age. Mean total length and age were higher than in other regions of the distribution range of the species. Nevertheless, more studies have to be carried out to evaluate the morphological variations in S. guianensis populations in the study area and Brazil.