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Trophic relationships shape ecosystem structure by regulating energy flow and nutrient cycling, impacting prey consumption and prompting behavioral adaptations in prey species to mitigate risks. While much is known about fish antipredator behavior in marine environments, less is understood about these dynamics in freshwater environments. We investigated the antipredator behavior of an Amazonian floodplain fish, Crenuchus spilurus, across different habitat structural complexities. Through experiments, we examined how the number of individuals (1 and 4 individuals) and habitat structural complexity (low, medium, high, and very high) influence the fish response to predator presence. Small groups showed longer flight initiation distance (FID) than solitary individuals, suggesting a possible collective defense strategy against approaching predators. The structural complexity of the habitat did not have a direct effect on FID. Additionally, we noted variations in refuge usage by the fish across different habitat structural complexities. These findings underscore the interplay between behavioral and environmental factors in prey adaptation to predation risk in aquatic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arquivos de Ciências Veterinárias e Zoologia da Unipar is the property of Associacao Paranaense de Ensino e Cultura and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Historia: Questoes & Debates is the property of Universidade Federal do Parana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The breeding success of birds can be influenced by habitat characteristics (e.g., vegetation cover and weather), species interactions (e.g., predation and parasitism), and species' intrinsic factors (e.g., behavior and nest structure and location). Information about breeding traits is crucial to better understand population dynamics. Here, we performed probabilistic modeling of Dark-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus melacoryphus) nests to assess the effect of habitat and nest parameters (e.g., time, season, nest site, clutch size, and brood size) on daily survival. We carried out this study in northeastern Brazil during the rainy seasons (Jan–Jun) of 2017 and 2018. To assess daily nest survival and the effects of habitat and nest covariates, we located and monitored 61 nests every 2–3 d following the Mayfield protocol and analyzed these data using information-theoretic model-selection program MARK. We found a higher daily survival during incubation than during the nestling period, with a positive effect of clutch and brood size. Models constrained by the covariates year, breeding season time, species of plant supporting the nest, nest height, and nest concealment were not supported. Success for the incubation and nestling periods were 19% and 11% by Mayfield, and 33% and 4% by MARK model averaging, corresponding to a total nest-period success of 2.1% and 1.5% for each method, respectively. The positive relationship found between survival and clutch size for the Dark-billed Cuckoo seldom occurs in birds from tropical regions. As expected for tropical birds, we recorded high predation and low breeding success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel O som do rugido da onça (2021), written by Micheliny Verunschk, reclaims the expropriating fatalism of our historical past through the journey made by a zoologist named Spix and a botanist named Martius to Brazil to "conduct scientific research for the sake of science and humanity". However, the novel essentially refers to the two indigenous children who, having survived the sea voyage, docked with the scientists in Munich. In poetic prose, the narrative responds to the need to recreate the inner world of its characters, the Miranha girl Iñe-e and the boy Juri, who have been condemned to muteness by exile. Thus, the narrative presents itself as a creative bricolage or, according to its author, as a "transcreation" of "myths" which are mainly marked by an imaginary whose characteristics may be defined by the notion of "Amerindian perspectivism". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ladybird (Hippodamia convergens) is one of the most studied predators for its effectiveness as a biological controller of important agricultural pests, while the “green citrus aphid” (Aphis spiraecola) is a frequent pest in fruit trees, with high population densities and high levels of of persistence. The objective of this work is to determine the biology, predatory capacity and behavior of H. convergens against the aphid A. spiraecola under laboratory conditions. There were three treatments to evaluate the predatory capacity, where individuals of A. spiraecola, stage II, were consumed in each larval stage of H. convergens, totaling 130, 150 and 170 aphids for treatments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The observed life cycle was 65.5 days (treatment 1), 60.32 days (treatment 2) and 55 days (treatment 3). Consuming a total of 4726 aphids in their larval stage, with a consumption rate of 278 aphids/day. The period of pre-mating, copulation and post-mating varied from one to two days, giving rise to early laying after mating. The oviposition period was 27 days on average, with fertility and viability percentages close to 100% at 25.12°C and 63.78% RH. In this phase, a total of 485 eggs were laid, at a rate of 18 eggs/day. In addition, mortality was recorded in adults with very low values (close to 7%). Thus, it is concluded that factors such as temperature, relative humidity and consumption of aphids are determinant for the biology, predatory capacity and behavior of H. convergens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Silva Lusitana is the property of Unidade de Investigacao de Silvicultura e Productos Florestais and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Innotec is the property of Laboratorio Tecnologico del Uruguay and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Os gatos convivem com os seres humanos há tempos e essa relação vem se estreitando a cada dia mais, no entanto muitos problemas com¬portamentais são resultados de falhas ao avaliar as reais necessidades de um gato e suas condições ambientais. Esses problemas são a principal causa de abandono, levando os animais desde as ruas até a eutanásia. Nos ambientes urbanos, a presença de animais ferais vem se tornando uma grande preocupação de saúde pública, pois dos gatos ferais, somente uma reduzida parcela é vacinada ou possui um tutor responsável. O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar as publicações científicas e traçar um perfil dos estudos feitos no Brasil sobre o tema “gatos ferais”. Os dados foram coletados a partir de levantamento de estudos científicos (artigos, livros, monografias, dissertações e teses) disponibilizados digitalmente em sites de busca e de pesquisa, sendo eles Google acadêmico, Scielo, PubVet, PubMed. Foram encontrados 58 estudos científicos publicados, entre 2002 a 2019, e desses, 28 estão relacionados à temática de doenças e zoonoses, 20 relacionados a predação e impacto ambiental e, 10 a comportamento animal. O início das publicações sobre o tema foi em 2002, tendo um pico em 2015, e a região sudeste do país foi onde se concentra o maior número de estudos. Conclui-se que estudos sobre o tema são carentes, sendo necessárias pesquisas que se aprofundem mais na avaliação do comportamento dos gatos ferais.

How species interact with each other and how the environment affects species are subjects that ecologists still need to better understand. Our objectives were to evaluate the effect of (i) the abundance of Gerromorpha adults, (ii) habitat integrity, and (iii) morphological conditions (width, depth and slope) of streams on the abundance of nymphs of semiaquatic Heteroptera (Gerromorpha). Sampling was carried in 21 streams in the region of Barro Alto and Niquelândia, in the state of Goiás. The abundance of Gerromorpha adults has a positive effect on the abundance of nymphs. The morphological conditions (width, depth and slope) and habitat integrity had no effect on the abundance of Gerromorpha nymphs and adults. In tropical environments, adults and nymphs of Gerromorpha coexist without harming each other and environmental variables have no effect on the abundance of the nymphs. The protection of nymphs is important from a population point of view, since it ensures the maintenance and growth of populations in a community and, consequently, prevents local extinctions of species.

Invasive exotic species impact native fauna adversely and are one of the leading causes of global biodiversity change. The domestic dog can be classified as an invasive species after its access to natural areas followed by their ability to survive independently of human intervention. In Brazil, the effects of dog predation and hunting on wildlife remains unclear. In this study, we report five wild-mammal predation events involving domestic dogs in fragments of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (northern Paraná State, Brazil). Between June and September 2018, we found that specimens of Didelphis albiventris (white-eared opossum), Dasypus novemcinctus (nine-banded armadillo), Sapajus nigritus (black capuchin), and Eira barbara (tayra) were killed by domestic dogs in both urban and rural areas. Invasive domestic dogs can pose a risk to wildlife, especially to threatened species. We suggest that diversified measures be taken to impede and reduce the access of these animals to forest fragments. Furthermore, our findings indicate that control, containment, and eradication measures can reduce the negative effects of domestic dogs on wildlife.

Abstract. This study aimed to evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively the Hypsipyla grandella (Zeller) damage in fruits of mahogany in Brasilia, Brazil. For this, fruits were collected and the analysis of each fruit was carried out by assessing the following parameters: fruit weight, fruit length and height, number of holes in fruits characteristic of H. grandella attack, size of the holes, number of larvae and pupae of H. grandella, number of seeds damaged and presence of other insects within the fruit. As a result, 190 (95%) had holes made by the larvae, used primarily for their entry and for exit later as an adult. Most of the fruits showed only a single hole (81%), but up to 5 holes were found in a single fruit. A single caterpillar can feed on various seeds, causing major damage when they attack together. Seventy-two (36%) fruits had all the seeds damaged by H. grandella, especially those containing pupae. 183 larvae in different instars and 45 pupae were found. Only five caterpillars were found dead inside of fruit, representing 2.78% of the caterpillars. Danos em frutos de mogno causados pela Hypsipyla grandella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) em Brasília, Brasil Resumo. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar qualitativamente e quantitativamente os danos provocados por Hypsipyla grandella (Zeller) em frutos de mogno em Brasília, Brasil. Para isso, frutos foram coletados e os seguintes parâmetros foram analisados: peso, comprimento, número de orifícios causados pela H. grandella, número de sementes danificadas e presença de outros insetos no interior dos frutos. Como resultado, 190 (95%) frutos apresentaram orifícios feitos pela lagarta, usados primordialmente para sua entrada e posteriormente para a saída, quando adulto. A maioria dos frutos apresentou apenas um orifício (81%), mas até cinco furos foram encontrados em um único fruto. Uma única lagarta pode se alimentar de várias sementes, causando grandes danos. Setenta e dois frutos (36%) tinham todas as sementes danificadas por H. grandella, especialmente aqueles que apresentaram pupas. 183 lagartas em diferentes estádios e 45 pupas foram encontradas. Apenas cinco lagartas foram encontradas mortas dentro dos frutos, representando 2,78% do total.

Anurans are predator and prey, playing an important role in ecosystem functioning. The diet composition is closely related to feeding strategy, and the information about prey items is useful to understand intra and interspecific interactions in trophic webs. Here we determined diet composition, feeding strategy, and relation between prey ingestion and body measures of Crossodactylus timbuhy, a recently described anuran species. We found 466 prey items from 20 prey categories in the stomach of 66 specimens (15 males and 51 females) of C. timbuhy. The diet consists mostly of Formicidae and Coleoptera, the items with the highest number, frequency of occurrence and prey importance. The diet composition was relatively similar to other species of Crossodactylus. Prey volume was positively related to frog size and weight, suggesting frogs may feed upon any prey they can swallow. Diet showed some variation between sexes. Despite females were larger and heavier than males, females had higher consumption of smaller prey, and ingested a larger number of prey categories. We suggest C. timbuhy has an invertebrate-opportunistic feeding habit. It is likely C. timbuhy uses a combination of 'sit-and-wait' and 'active search' strategies due to high consumption of both highly mobile and sedentary prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text explores the cosmopolitical dimension of capitalism in Northwest Argentina. During the sugarcane harvest, the devil (the non-human owner of the whites) must feed on human workers to start up the agro-industrial production of the Ledesma Company. This more-than-human extractivism will accelerate the intervention of demonic entities (demon bats or a blue jaguar) that will devour the human species at the dawn of the end of this world. The article is part of a long term ethnographic study conducted with Guaranis -and local non-Guarani people- from Jujuy, between 2015 and 2019. It follows the thread of the conversations held with Jacinto Pïkïtü Aceri, a Guarani thinker, who led me from extractivism to the rebellion of objects and the end of this humanity. The predation of the devil contains profound reflections about otherness and the destiny of humanity; in the indigenous worlds, inhabited by multiple people, the non-humanity of some of them - like the devil, dehumanized businessmen, and mythical demons - does not place them outside the cosmopolitical negotiations. Beyond metaphorical evocations or symbolic appropriation of capitalist exploitation, the predation of the devil and the socio-cosmological consequences of extractivism are as real, evident and verifiable in native terms, as the material dimension of capitalism. In keeping with contemporary Amerindian anthropology, to take seriously the non-human dimension of extractivism indicates the pluralization of politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presumption of identity prescribes a naturalistic mode of identification to culture as if every social group defines itself solely by opposition to another. Based on a case of young Mbyá Guaraní (Nação Guarani do Rap) who perform rap music, I will analyze, on the one hand, the place occupied by the Juruá (non-indigenous people) in Mbyá stories and, on the other, the potential affinity between rap and the Guaraní issue. Here, music constitutes a knowledge that synthesizes the socio-territorial conflicts currently faced by various indigenous communities in Brazil and elsewhere in the world. From the ethnological literature on Tupi-Guarani groups, music (songs or dances) is a means by which to deal with others and their potential threats. The Mbyá notion of personhood employs difference as an enclave of its identification: the other (enemy, dead, deities, animals) can be constitutive of itself through a process of domestication. Based on the observations made during my transit between the village and the musical presentations, as well as through the collaborative work I conducted as the audiovisual facilitator of the group between 2017 and 2019, I will highlight the role of music as a way of prey on the other. I conclude that the presence of rap music among the Mbyá is based on a lyrical-expressive encounter, that is legible in the place that each of the cultural schemes grants to the spoken word or to the fluency with which it is pronounced. All this comprises an attempt to problematize contact, not from the plane of identity, but as a continuum between expressive forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumo. O estudo da atividade de forrageio diurno de Odontomachus bauri Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em um plantio de Eucalyptus sp. foi realizado na Fazenda Volta Redonda localizada no município de Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro. Para as observações foram demarcados três ninhos distantes no mínimo 50 m entre si. Estes foram monitorados alternadamente a cada 20 min., ao longo do dia no período de 6:00 h às 18:00 h totalizando 108 horas em nove dias no período de abril a agosto de 2015. As saídas dos ninhos foram mais frequentes no período da tarde (35%), e a chegada com recurso alimentar acontecia ao longo do dia com maior frequência no período da manhã. Dentre a diversidade dos itens coletadosestão insetos de várias ordens, sementes, folhas, flores e aranhas, demonstrando um ecletismo alimentar peculiar do gênero. Os itens mais coletados foram pupas de insetos e sementes. A espécie O. bauri apresentou um padrão de atividade similar ao já descrito na literatura, entretanto, demonstrou maior atividade ao final da manhã, acompanhando o aumento de temperatura. Daytime foraging of Odontomachus bauri Emery in eucalyptus plantation in the municipality of Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil Abstract. The study of Odontomachus bauri Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) daytime foraging activity in a plantation of Eucalyptus sp. was conducted in the Farm Volta Redonda, located in the city of Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Three nests were marked for observations. The nests were distant more than 50 m apart. These were monitored alternately every 20 min. throughout the day in the period of 6:00 h to 18:00 h. In total, the nests were monitored by 108 hours. The outputs of the ants of the nests were higher in the afternoon (35%), but the arrival with some kind of food resources was happening throughout the day more often in the morning. Amongst the diversity of items collected by O. bauri are insects of various orders, seeds, leaves, flowers and spiders. The most collected items were pupae of insects and seeds. The activity of this species was positively affected by air temperature. Thus, O. bauri shown a generalist species with foraging activity at the end of the morning, accompanying the increase in temperature.

mo Dentes de mastodonte mordidos, inéditos, demonstram que a predação pelos enormes Tomistoma lusitanica, que existiram na região de Lisboa e Península de Setúbal do Miocénico inferior ao início do superior, incluía os maiores mamíferos terrestres de então: os mastodontes Gomphotherium angustidens, mesmo adultos e senis, um dos quais teria, em estimativa não rigorosa, uns 50 anos à morte. São discutidos efeitos de dentadas, bem como os caracteres de impressões devidas ao impacte, intenso atrito e eventual esmagamento. A dentição de indivíduos de porte muito grande desempenharia papel de preensão e, também, de verdadeiros moinhos de dentes para triturar peças duras. Efeitos de esmagamento, não derivado de causas tectónicas, foram também observados num suídeo. Os resultados podem significar que a razão básica da ictiofagia prevalecente nos “falsos-gaviais” actuais, Tomistoma schlegelii, pode estar relacionada com a pressão humana que os inibe de atingirem o máximo tamanho possível e, por conseguinte, de capturarem presas maiores. É realçada a importância da imigração a partir da Ásia e das afinidades biogeográficas, a qual parece óbvia dada a presença simultânea de Tomistoma e Gavialis no extremo ocidental da Eurásia. Dados muito diferentes acerca da África do Norte não contradizem este ponto de vista. Extrapolações baseadas nos falsos-gaviais miocénicos contribuem para melhor conhecimento da espécie actual. As semelhanças são ainda maiores tendo em conta os caracteres cranianos de T. lusitanica comparativamente ao maior crânio conhecido dentre todas as espécies actuais, o de um T. schlegelii. A estimativa do comprimento total de Tomistoma lusitanica, que algo excedia os 8 metros, confirma que se trata de animais gigantescos, predadores de topo capazes de atacar presas de porte muito grande. Também aproveitavam cadáveres. O porte máximo parece ter atingido o de Ramphosuchus crassidens dos Siwaliks, há muito considerado como o nec plus ultra, em tamanho, dentre todos os crocodilos do Neogénico. Tomistoma lusitanica foi um dos maiores crocodilos de sempre, e mesmo o maior réptil do ocidente europeu após a Era dos dinossauros.

Abstract We evaluated the nesting by Crocodylus moreletii in Lago de Catemaco, Veracruz, southeastern, Mexico. During the nesting and hatching seasons, we searched for nests along the northern margins of the lake and small associated streams. We investigated egg mortality by weekly monitoring each of the nests found, recording sign of predation (tracks and holes dug into the nest) and the effect of water level fluctuations. We not found differences to nest between inland or flooded zones. However, we found that egg size varied among nests. In nests built inland, predation was the major cause of egg mortality whereas flooding resulted in more deaths of eggs in the flooding zone. Flooding killed 25% of eggs monitored in this study. We suggest that to increase nest success in the Morelet’s crocodile it is necessary to promote conservation of nesting areas around the lake, recently occupied by urban or tourist developments.

Predation avoidance is a primary factor influencing survival. Therefore, any trait that affects the risk of predation, such as camouflage, is expected to be under selection pressure. Background matching (homochromy) limits habitat use, especially if the habitat is heterogeneous. Another camouflage mechanism is disruptive coloration, which reduces the probability of detection by masking the prey's body contours. Here we evaluated if disruptive coloration in the longsnout seahorse, Hippocampus reidi, allows habitat use diversification. We analyzed 82 photographs of animals, comparing animal and background color, and registering anchorage substrate (holdfast). We tested whether the presence (disruptive coloration) or absence of bands (plain coloration) predicted occupation of backgrounds of different colors. We also calculated the connectance between seahorse morph and background color or holdfast, as well as whether color morph differed in their preferences for holdfast. Animals with disruptive coloration were more likely to be found in environments with colors different from their own. Furthermore, animals with disruptive coloration occupied more diversified habitats, but as many holdfasts as plain colored animals. Therefore, animals with disruptive coloration were less selective in habitat use than those lacking disruptive color patterns, which agrees with the disruptive coloration hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of urban areas is leading people to adopt cats as pets as they are better adapted to the modern lifestyle, require smaller spaces and could stand alone for longer periods compared to other animals such as dogs. However, environmental groups are concerned about the increasing population of felines in urban areas, as they believe that cats threaten the lives of wild birds and small mammals that may be extinct. This research note presents pros and cons of cats' presence in cities as how to handle them. Correct management of these animals is necessary, since the greatest environmental risk related to their presence is their uncontrolled reproduction, and consequent abandoning of undesirable pups by their tutors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although raptors are known to be among the predators of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri spp.), there is little specific information concerning this interaction. In this short communication, we report the use of a common squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) as a food resource by a Great Black Hawk (Urubitinga urubitinga). Beyond aggregating useful information on the natural history and ecology of both the squirrel monkey and the Great Black Hawk, we also highlight that squirrel monkeys are, on average, heavier than the mammals most commonly consumed by Great Black Hawks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amazonian floodplain lakes host a high diversity of predatory fish which coexist and exploit the high diversity of available prey. Morphology could be the characteristic most closely associated with their preferred feeding sources (prey). However, it is unclear whether this association is direct or indirect. If it is indirect, swimming performance or preferential position in the water column could be the most evident characteristic. To examine the degree to which fish morphology of predator fish species is correlated to their dietary inputs, we compared the existence of morphological and feeding dissimilarity among eight predator species with the association between predator morphologies and preferred prey. We collected, measured, and sampled the stomach contents of fish from two lowland floodplain lakes associated with the Solimões River, Brazil, in May, August, and November of 2014. Of 187 collected fish across eight species, five species showed fish to be the most important item in their diets and three preferentially ate shrimp. Principal components analyses of ecomorphological attributes divided the species according to their ability to find the prey, swimming performance of the predator, and prey size. While there was significant distinction between the varying morphologies of predators, we were unable to distinguish between the specific diet of these species and did not find a correlation between morphology and feeding. These results are likely due to the fact that there is great abundance and diversity of available prey in the Amazonian floodplain lakes, so opportunistic feeding may be the primary foraging strategy of predator fish species living in these environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The predator-prey relationships between juvenile Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and native fish species of the Paraná River basin, Brazil, were experimentally examined. Juveniles of O. niloticus were offered to three native predator species (Salminus brasiliensis, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, and Brycon orbignyanus) in 2,000-L tanks with four levels of habitat complexity (0%, 50%, 100% and RD (rocks and driftwood)). Predator efficiency was more variable among species (S. brasiliensis consumed 86.6% of the prey, P. corruscans 22.5% and B. orbignyanus 18.3%) than among levels of habitat complexity, and S. brasiliensis was faster than the others in detecting and consuming the prey. The higher predatory efficiency observed for S. brasiliensis can be partially explained by its more aggressive behavior (it fed earlier and for longer) and its presence in the surface layer. Here, the presence of predators led to O. niloticus juveniles spending more time at the surface or remaining in schools to coexist at the bottom with the predators, as expected for cichlids under predatory pressure in natural environments. Our results suggest that preserving and restoring populations of S. brasiliensis (and also to some extent P. corruscans and B. orbignyanus) might help to control O. niloticus in the Paraná River basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethnographic ground of this work is the Wayo 'at Kanã, a women's party held by the Karo-Arara. I offer a description and an analysis of the ritual because I believe that in this spacetime the female agency is shown on another face, one that is averse to any characterization of domesticity, interiority or consanguinity, ordinary attributions to the female universe in southern American ethnology. What this party makes appear, when read from the point of view of another party with which it has a somewhat specular relationship, is the immanent alterity to the female position and the predatory capacity of women. The reflection presented here is also an initial formulation of the relationship between perspective and gender. From the interpretation of the ritual, I assume there is a variation between one (or two) gender-determined viewpoint(s) and a human viewpoint that eclipses gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects pests such as Mastigimas anjosi Burckhardt (Hemiptera: Calophyidae), native to Brazil, limit the establishment of commercial plantations of the tropical cedar Cedrela fissilis Vell. (Meliaceae), reducing growth and affecting tree shape. Insecticides have been used to suppress M. anjosi outbreaks, but sustainable alternatives should be developed to manage this pest. The objective of this work was to report, for the first time, the predator Atopozelus opsimus Elkins (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) preying on M. anjosi attacking C. fissilis trees in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Trees of this plant were observed between Apr and May 2018 in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Atopozelus opsimus adults preyed on M. anjosi nymphs and adults, and fed on their honeydew. This predator did not eliminate the damage to C. fissilis, which may be related to the temperatures of the region, and which may have affected reproduction and increased its development period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Most studies on mechanisms regulating fish larvae processes have focused on assessing the isolated effects of food distribution and feeding behavior. However, in natural ecosystems, fish larvae may strongly interact with zooplankton organisms in an array of complex, direct and indirect interdependencies. This study analyzed the spatial distribution, diet and feeding behavior of early stages of Hypophthalmus edentatus and Plagioscion squamosissimus, two fish species co-occurring in an isolated floodplain lake, during the light-dark cycle. Larvae fed more actively during dark periods (dusk and night) when they migrated toward the surface of the lake, and remained on the bottom and fed less during light periods (day and dawn). Cladocerans represented the most frequent prey in the diet of H. edentatus larvae. In turn, P. squamosissimus larvae initially preferred cladocerans and, as they developed, included calanoid copepods in the diet. Significant differences were detected in the frequencies of food items consumed during larval development, which could be related to a better ability of the most developed stages to explore the environment in search of other prey.

Este trabalho parte da ideia de que as práticas sonoras dos Tikmũ’ũn-Maxakali estão implicadas em uma complexa cosmologia. Refletimos, então, sobre o estatuto ontológico desse sistema musical, tendo em vista a modalidade relacional de predação que ele enseja. A guerra é aqui observada enquanto uma positividade agentiva contra o Estado e as forças unificadoras, nos termos de Pierre Clastres. Nesse sentido, analisamos algumas das diferentes modalidades de predação, tais como aquelas presentes nas guerras e vinganças canibais, situadas em um tempo mítico, bem como outras, cuja eclosão se deu no encontro com os brancos e outros tiranos. O texto é permeado por exemplos etnográficos relativos ao contato dos Tikmũ’ũn, com as alteridades, no que tange principalmente à música, sejam elas os espíritos ou os brancos.

As pragas da lima ácida Tahiti (Citrus latifolia Tanaka) representam um perigo para a manutenção sustentável da cultura. Enquanto a maioria das vezes usa-se produtos químicos no seu combate, alguns métodos alternativos têm sido empregados, e o objetivo deste trabalho foi monitorar os insetos-praga em um cultivo agroecológico, a fim de entender a sua dinâmica populacional. O estudo foi conduzido entre março de 2012 e janeiro de 2013 em um pomar no município de Vassouras, RJ, a metodologia utilizada consiste na verificação aleatoriamente das folhas das plantas, observando a presença de insetos-praga e inimigos naturais. A presença de insetos predadores mostrou ser proporcional a diversidade de insetos-praga, levando em consideração a maior oferta de alimento. Já a diversidade de espécies não mostrou relação positiva com a abundância, mas sim com a riqueza de espécies. Este método se mostrou eficaz para o entendimento da dinâmica populacional de insetos praga, podendo auxiliar no melhor manejo agroecológico na citricultura.

Em todo o mundo morcegos são vítimas principalmente de vertebrados, mas também são atacados por invertebrados. Relatamos aqui dois casos de morcegos enredados em teias da aranha-gigante Nephilingis cruentata, no sudeste do Brasil. No primeiro, ocorrido em dezembro de 2012, uma fêmea de Eptesicus diminutus foi encontrada morta, e no segundo, ocorrido em março de 2013, um macho de Tadarida brasiliensis foi retirado vivo da teia e liberado. Os animais não apresentavam marcas de predação e ambos os eventos foram registrados após fortes chuvas. Suspeita-se que os morcegos podem ter se emaranharado nas teias quando buscavam abrigo da chuva ou caçavam insetos. Mesmo que esses morcegos não tenham sido predados, esta espécie de aranha não deve ser descartada como um predador oportunista de pequenos morcegos, como observado em outras regiões fora do Brasil.

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Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ABSTRACT The phytotelm-dwelling frogs from the genus Phyllodytes Wagler, 1830 have been characterized as specialist frogs regarding their diet strategy which is mainly composed by colonial insects. Herein, we used two species of ants (Camponotus sp. and Gnamptogenys sp.) with distinct defensive mechanisms to test the predatory behavior of Phyllodytes luteolus Wied, 1824. The experiment was conducted with frogs inhabiting a patch of 20 bromeliads (Aechmea cf. blanchetiana). Ants were offered randomly to the frogs until we obtained ten observations of predation of each ant species. We observed and recorded the time that P. luteolus needed to keep each ant species inside its mouth before it could ingest it. Predatory behavior was highly distinct. While Camponotus were caught and swallowed within six seconds and without apparent discomfort, individuals of P. luteolus had more difficulty in swallowing Gnamptogenys individuals, the time of manipulation ranging from 57 to 177 seconds. The mean values of time of predation observed in each treatment was highly significant (p

ABSTRACT Food webs are not static entities; consumer resource interactions vary in both time and space, which complicates depiction and comparisons of food web structures. We estimated fish assemblage structure and diets in two clear-water streams in the Venezuelan Llanos region (Charcote and Charcotico) and constructed trophic networks (sub-webs defined by fishes as the principal consumers) during four periods of the annual flood pulse. As stream conditions changed from high-water to low-water, we hypothesized that: 1) the piscivore-non-piscivore ratio would increase; 2) dietary diversity would decrease; 3) interspecific dietary overlap would decline; 4) fewer allochthonous food items would be consumed; and 5) food-web connectance would increase. The piscivore-non-piscivore abundance ratio was higher in both streams during the low-water period. Dietary diversity declined as water levels dropped and availability of aquatic habitats and resources declined, but interspecific dietary overlap was not lower. Contrary to our hypothesis, average interspecific dietary overlap increased at Charcote as the dry season progressed, even though dietary overlap among species was significantly lower than expected by chance. We did not find strong support for our hypotheses regarding seasonal patterns of consumption of allochthonous resources and food web connectance, both of which revealed little seasonal variation.

ABSTRACT The hunting tactics of lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris, are described from underwater and cliff-top observations in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, western equatorial Atlantic, Brazil. Two main tactics were observed in the shallow waters of sandy beaches and reefs environments: (i) “substrate inspection” of crevices and holes over rocky and reef bottoms, and (ii) “sardine blitz”, which refer to striking schools of fishes (mainly sardines) in the surf zone. The first tactic was restricted to juveniles up to 2 m of total length, whereas subadult and adult sharks with total length larger than 2 m displayed the second. As lemon sharks use waters less than 5 m depth to hunt, perform social behaviours and predator avoidance, results highlight the importance of properly managing these habitats for their conservation, especially in areas where tourism has increased substantially.

A análise da dieta de espécies introduzidas permite entender a posição trófica destas na comunidade de peixes, seu grau de ação predatória, e até em que níveis agem como competidores e/ou predadores de outras espécies. Este trabalho visa descrever a dieta do tucunaré, Cichla pinima, e do apanhari, Astronotus ocellatus, espécies oriundas da bacia amazônica e introduzidas no rio Paraguaçu. Noventa e dois espécimes foram analisados e ambas as espécies apresentaram uma dieta diversificada composta por 20 tipos diferentes de itens. Para C. pinima, peixes (IAi=35,2%) insetos Ephemeroptera (IAi=23,69%) e Moluscos (IAi=21,2%) foram os mais importantes. Astronotus ocellatus, por sua vez, apresentaram insetos Ephemeroptera como altamente predominantes na dieta correspondendo a mais de 98% do IAi. A alta predominância de insetos na dieta pode estar relacionada ao alto número de juvenis entre os exemplares analisados. A presença de exemplares de peixes nativos nos conteúdos estomacais dos tucunarés merece atenção, pois, a voracidade deste tipo de peixe pode levar a extinção de espécies nativas.

Os girinos de anuros são elementos importantes das redes tróficas de ambientes aquáticos, sendo recurso alimentar de diversos tipos de predadores. Desta maneira, os girinos apresentam uma grande variedade de mecanismos de defesa que podem ser morfológicos, comportamentais e/ou fisiológicos. A impalatabilidade, produzida pelo acúmulo de substâncias tóxicas na pele, é um mecanismo comum em muitas linhagens de anfíbios. No entanto, alguns predadores não são afetados por estas substâncias tóxicas, o que pode favorecer o desenvolvimento de mecanismos alternativos de defesa contra predação. Neste contexto, nosso objetivo foi avaliar se girinos impalatáveis de Rhinella ornata (Spix, 1824), podem apresentar mecanismos comportamentais de defesa contra predação na presença de predadores que não são afetados pelas substâncias tóxicas em sua pele. Para testar nossa hipótese, utilizamos dois tipos de predadores aquáticos: um heteróptero aquático do gênero Belostoma e uma larva de libélula do gênero Aeshna. Os girinos foram colocados em aquários com pistas visuais e químicas dos predadores (experimento de risco direto), somente pistas químicas (experimento de risco indireto) e ausência completa de sinais de predadores (controle). Em ambos os casos, o comportamento de natação foi observado durante 5 minutos. Durante os experimentos não houve alteração no comportamento de natação dos girinos.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2014v27n2p117 As aves aquáticas costumam reproduzir de modo agregado, formando grandes colônias reprodutivas com diferentes espécies. Este estudo descreve aspectos biológicos das aves aquáticas de uma colônia na ilha do Maracujá, no estuário da baía da Babitonga, litoral norte de Santa Catarina. Foram coletados dados sobre riqueza de espécies, abundância, cronologia reprodutiva, predação e distribuição dos ninhos na ilha. No período de setembro de 2010 a fevereiro de 2011, foram identificadas 15 espécies de aves aquáticas utilizando o local para alimentação e descanso, sendo que destas, cinco espécies se reproduziam na ilha (Nycticorax nycticorax, Nyctanassa violacea, Egretta caerulea, Phimosus infuscatus e Aramides cajanea). Foram registrados 154 ninhos ativos, sendo 79 ninhos de N. nycticorax, 14 ninhos de N. violacea, seis ninhos de P. infuscatus, cinco ninhos de E. caerulea e apenas um ninho de A. cajanea. A população estimada para o local foi de 308 indivíduos reprodutores, sendo que N. nycticorax foi a espécie mais abundante, correspondendo a 51% dos ninhos. Os meses com maior concentração de ninhos foram setembro, outubro e novembro. Além das aves aquáticas, também foram registradas quatro espécies de aves de rapina e carniceiras, as quais foram responsáveis por perdas de ovos e/ou filhotes, junto com Larus dominicanus. A ilha do Maracujá vem sendo utilizada para reprodução por pelo menos cinco espécies e sua proteção merece atenção, a fim de garantir a manutenção e possibilidade de ampliação desse sítio reprodutivo.

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Mimicry is an excellent example of how natural selection can act on color, morphology, and behavior of species. Herein we assess predation rates on coral snake mimics in Central Brazil, a region with many mimics but only a single model, to answer the following questions: (i) Do predators avoid attacking coral snake mimics? (ii) Does the degree to which mimics resemble their venomous model affect the frequency of predator attacks? (iii) Do predators attack different body regions in mimics with different color patterns? Our experiment was conducted in the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, in the municipality of Alto Paraíso de Goiás, state of Goiás, Brazil. To evaluate predation rates on the different mimic patterns, we made 2,400 clay snake replicas using pre-colored nontoxic plasticine and distributed them in open savanna landscapes within the park. A total of 164 (6.83%) replicas were attacked by predators of snakes. Among these attacks, 121 were attacks by birds, and 43 were attacks by carnivorous mammals. Logistic regression and Fisher's exact test indicated that replicas with red, white, and black coloration are less likely to be attacked than were grey replicas, and coral snake replicas were attacked more often at the "head" end. Also, the greater the similarity to the pattern of venomous coral snakes, the rarer the attack on the replica. Our study underscores the strong selective force that protects coral snake mimics from predators. Our findings reinforce resemblance to the model as an extremely effective strategy in a complex natural system with only one model and numerous mimics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The limiting similarity theory predicts that divergence in the functional traits of native and introduced species is an essential component in species establishment, as introduced species must occupy a niche that is unoccupied by resident species. On the other hand, the environmental filtering hypothesis predicts convergence between introduced and native species, as both possess traits that make them adapted to the local abiotic environment. Morphology, spatial co-occurrence, diet, feeding selectivity, and niche breadth and overlap of Erythrinidae were evaluated to detect possible mechanisms acting in the coexistence between non-native and native species. Native (Hoplias sp. B and Hoplias cf. malabaricus) and non-native (Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus and Hoplias mbigua) species presented differences in morphological traits, spatial co-occurrence, diet, selectivity, and niche breadth and overlap. The mechanisms mediating species coexistence seem to vary according to species. The absence of spatial and feeding overlap suggests that non-native species H. unitaeniatus occupy a different niche than native species, supporting its successful establishment without eliminating the native species. However, low feeding overlap and similar morphologies between non-native and native species of Hoplias point to environmental filters; in this case, the non-native H. mbigua is able to establish due to similarities in functional traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food webs are not static entities; consumer resource interactions vary in both time and space, which complicates depiction and comparisons of food web structures. We estimated fish assemblage structure and diets in two clear-water streams in the Venezuelan Llanos region (Charcote and Charcotico) and constructed trophic networks (sub-webs defined by fishes as the principal consumers) during four periods of the annual flood pulse. As stream conditions changed from high-water to low-water, we hypothesized that: 1) the piscivore-non-piscivore ratio would increase; 2) dietary diversity would decrease; 3) interspecific dietary overlap would decline; 4) fewer allochthonous food items would be consumed; and 5) food-web connectance would increase. The piscivore-non-piscivore abundance ratio was higher in both streams during the low-water period. Dietary diversity declined as water levels dropped and availability of aquatic habitats and resources declined, but interspecific dietary overlap was not lower. Contrary to our hypothesis, average interspecific dietary overlap increased at Charcote as the dry season progressed, even though dietary overlap among species was significantly lower than expected by chance. We did not find strong support for our hypotheses regarding seasonal patterns of consumption of allochthonous resources and food web connectance, both of which revealed little seasonal variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

AIM: In order to understand the factors which influence the predatory activity of the Hoplias aff. malabaricus, the present study evaluated feeding habits of this species and its relation to prey availability, in addition to environmental variables. METHODS: Six samplings were conducted in the Taperoá II reservoir, semi-arid of Paraíba state, Brazil, between October 2005 and October 2006. Measures were taken: rainfall, the reservoir volume, transparency, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and phosphate. The activity, diet and feeding habits of H. aff. Malabaricus, from the method of frequency of occurrence of food items and point methods, conjugates in IAI (Alimentary Index). Spearman correlation analysis, a glm and CCA were performed between biotic and abiotic variables, and we used the CPUE as a measure of fish abundance. RESULTS: Eleven taxa of fish were recorded, four of which were predated by adult "trahira". Insects and other items were also common in the stomachs of juveniles. According to statistical analysis, it was observed that the highest consumption of cichlids was correlated with its increase in CPUE in the environment, while no relationship was observed for A. bimaculatus, C. bimaculatum and S. notonota abundances. The environmental factors as nutrients, transparency and water volumn were related to selection of species by trahira. CONCLUSIONS: Intrinsic characteristics of preys as swimming speed, food habit and the food preference of the predator possibly be the main factors to selection of species. Other mechanisms as heterogeneity of habitat and environmental factors can also influence the consumption of prey by trahira