Type material and new occurrences of marine mites (Halacaridae) from São Paulo State, Brazil, housed at “Centro de Coleções Taxonômicas da UFMG”, and notes on its taxonomy.

Over the last 20 years, our group has collected different species of marine organisms occurring in the Brazilian coastline. The pharmacological approach is the evaluation of effects of organic extracts, or purified and isolated compounds in laboratory animals, organs, tissues, and cells to define the profile of biological activity and the mechanisms of action. Different bioassays are currently used including hemolytic cytotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and neuromuscular junction preparations. Furthermore, biologically active substances are being isolated from dinoflagellates, sponges, sea anemones, and puffer fish collected in the Sa ¨ o Sebastia ¨ o Channel (Sa ¨ o Paulo State, Brazil) and from the mollusk Conus regius collected in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Pernambuco State, Brazil. These results suggest it may be very worthwhile to extend our studies for new bioactive compounds along the Brazilian coastline.

Ballast water (BW) is a major transport vector of exotic aquatic species and pathogenic microorganisms. The wide-ranging spread of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 from harbor areas has been frequently ascribed to discharge of contaminated BW into eutrophic coastal environments, such as during the onset of the seventh cholera pandemic in South America in the early 1990s. To determine the microbiological hazards of BWs transported to Brazilian ports, we evaluated water and plankton samples taken from (i) BW tanks of recently arrived ships, (ii) port areas along the Brazilian coastline from ∼1 to 32°S and (iii) three coastal areas in São Paulo State. Vibrio concentration and toxigenic V. cholerae O1 occurrence were analyzed. Plankton-associated vibrios were more abundant than free-living vibrios in all studied environments. V. cholerae was found in 9.5% of ballast tanks and 24.2% of port samples, both as free-living and attached forms and, apart from the Santos harbor, was absent off São Paulo State. Toxigenic V. cholerae O1 isolates (ctxA+, tcpA+), involved in cholera disease, were found in BW (2%) and harbor (2%) samples. These results confirm that BW is an important carrier of pathogenic organisms, and that monitoring of vibrios and other plankton-attached bacteria is of paramount importance in BW management programs.

BackgroundNematodes of the genus Trichinella are foodborne zoonotic pathogens that are widespread globally. These parasites have two epidemiological cycles, domestic and sylvatic, with the latter having wild carnivores as the main reservoirs of the parasite. Trichinella spp. have been increasingly detected in wild carnivores in Argentina and Chile. Although the disease is absent in domestic animals in Brazil, there is serological evidence that the agent is circulating in wild boars in some areas. This study aimed to diagnose Trichinella spp. infection through artificial tissue digestion and histopathology of selected tissues of wild carnivores from São Paulo state, southeastern Brazil.MethodsTissue samples (forearm muscles, diaphragm, and tongue) from 53 wild carnivores (21 Canidae, 25 Felidae, 04 Mustelidae, 03 Procyonidae) were used, along with a retrospective study of the slide bank, considering samples from the period 2010 to 2021, totaling 89 free-living carnivores (42 Canidae, 42 Felidae, 03 Mustelidae, 02 Procyonidae).ResultsEither artificial digestion or histopathological analyses did not reveal any larvae suggestive of Trichinella spp., indicating that the nematode was not circulating within the target population.ConclusionTo date, there is no direct evidence of nematode circulation in wild carnivores in the study area.

Isolation and genetic characterisation of Toxoplasma gondii from a red-handed howler monkey (Alouatta belzebul), a jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi), and a black-eared opossum (Didelphis aurita) from Brazil

The presence of two specimens of Omobranchus punctatus (Blenniidae), on the center coast of São Paulo state, was reported for the first time inside the Bay of Santos. It is another important record related to the distribution of this alien species along the Brazilian coastline.

ESR dating of a subfossil shell from Couve Island, Ubatuba, Brazil

A consensus-based approach for the development of Site-specific Sediment Quality Values in an SW Atlantic region (São Paulo State, Brazil)

Myrcia (Myrciinae, Myrteae, Myrtaceae) is one of the most diverse genera of Neotropical angiosperms, with ca. 790 species. In the Brazilian state of São Paulo, 11 species of Myrcia sect. Myrcia have been identified, being characterized by a hypanthium not or only slightly extended longitudinally above the ovary apex, non-gomidesioid anthers, and a calyx divided into five sepals. During taxonomic studies in the montane dense ombrophilous forest of Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar-Núcleo Cunha (PESM-NC), in São Paulo state, a population that does not correspond to any previously known species of Myrcia sect. Myrcia was found. After detailed morphological analyses and comparisons with type specimens and original descriptions, we describe it as a new species. Myrcia barbata sp. nov. is morphologically similar to M. bracteata in the presence of golden hirsute indumentum on the branches and leaves measuring 3–10 cm in length, as well as bracteoles subtending the floral buds, but differs by having elliptic leaves (vs. lanceolate), inflorescences arranged in three-flowered dichasia (vs. panicles with 8–20 flowers), sessile leaves (vs. shortly petiolate, 1–3 mm), a densely pubescent hypanthium (vs. pubescent to sericeous), obtuse-triangular sepals (vs. lanceolate), and ovate bracteoles (vs. elliptic). Myrcia barbata also resembles M. eriopus, sharing hirsute young branches and leaves 3–10 cm long, in addition to bracteoles subtending the floral bud. Myrcia barbata differs from M. eriopus by its elliptic (vs. lanceolate) leaves, inflorescences reduced to three-flowered dichasia (vs. panicles with 10–25 flowers), discolorous (vs. concolorous) leaves, sessile leaves (vs. shortly petiolate, 1.8–3 mm), revolute (vs. flat) leaf blade margins, a densely pubescent (vs. hirsute) hypanthium, and conspicuous (vs. inconspicuous) bracteoles. We provide a list of Myrcia sect. Myrcia species recorded in São Paulo State (including Myrcia bracteata, which is not found in São Paulo), as well as a dichotomous identification key and comparative data table including morphological characters such as branch and leaf morphology (shape, size, color, indumentum), leaf blade margin, petiole length, inflorescence type, bracteole and sepal features, hypanthium indumentum, and fruit characteristics. Known only from the type locality, the new species occurs 1,100 m above sea level and flowers between September and January. Myrcia barbata exhibits an extremely restricted distribution inside a conservation site but the low number of known individuals led to the classification of its conservation status as Data Deficient.

A parasitological survey of fishes from two tributaries (Veados and Paranapananema Rivers) of the Jurumirim Reservoir, Upper Paranapanema River, São Paulo State, Brazil, was carried out a during a sampling survey in 2011 and 2012. Several ectoparasitic copepods were found inside the nostrils of the freshwater anostomid fish, Schizodon intermedius Garavello Britski, 1990. The morphological analysis of the copepod specimens indicated that they represent two species of the ergasilid genus Gamispatulus Thatcher Boeger, 1984: Gamispatulus schizodontis Thatcher Boeger, 1984 (type species) and an undescribed species, Gamispatulus ferrilongus n. sp., which are described herein. The present specimens of G. schizodontis agree in several respects with its original description; however, some differences were found regarding the morphology of mouthparts and the ornamentation of legs and antennules. These differences were not sufficient to propose a new species for this genus. However, it could indicate the need for reassessment of the type material to have a more complete representation of this species. Gamispatulus ferrilongus n. sp. shares several similarities with its congener G. schizodontis but the new species can be readily distinguished from its congener in having a unique combination of diagnostic features including: a long rostral spine with tip extending up to half of cephalothorax, simple retrostylets (lacking adjacent spatulate processes), and dorsal surface of genital double-somite with 2 rounded processes (anterior and posterior) on both lateral margins. A host-parasite list for all vaigamid genera and species is included.

How reliable are your data? Verifying species identification of road-killed mammals recorded by road maintenance personnel in São Paulo State, Brazil

The Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP) houses an important Megalopodidae collection representing 144 species, especially from Brazil and the Neotropical fauna. The type specimens of some species have never been accessed since their original descriptions, and are thus unknown to a major part of the Megalopodidae researchers. Presented here is an illustrated catalogue of the megalopodid type specimens of 32 species deposited at MZUSP, featuring photos of habitus and labels, and complete label data of all the specimens, which originally belonged to Jacintho Guérin’s personal collection. Conflicting and inconsistent data provided in the literature and in the specimens’ labels are addressed. Taxa originally proposed as species varieties are here reaffirmed as valid, with subspecific rank. Agathomerus varians Monrós, 1945 and Plesioagathomerus vittatus Monrós, 1945, originally described as junior synonyms, are considered unavailable names. The subspecific epithet ngriapex is emended into Agathomerus bifasciatus nigrapex Guérin, 1949. An overview of the MZUSP Megalopodidae collection is presented with a history of the arrival of Guérin’s specimens.

Permanent and well-supported museum or natural history collections provide a solid foundation for the process of systematics research through creation of an empirical record which validates our understanding of the biosphere. We explore the role of museums in ongoing studies of the complex helminth fauna characteristic of pikas (Ochotona spp.) in the American west. These studies address the taxonomy for pinworms of the Labiostomatinae and the problems associated with the absence of adequate type series and vouchers and with misidentifications in original descriptions. We demonstrate that the types for Labiostomum (Labiostomum) coloradensis are identical to some specimens in the syntype series representing L. (Eugenuris) utahensis, although the published descriptions are in disagreement. Both are identical to L. (Eugenuris) talkeetnaeuris and, as a consequence, are reduced as junior synonyms. Only 2 species of large pinworms, namely L. (Labiostomum) rauschi and L. (Eugenuris) talkeetnaeuris, are widely distributed in Ochotona collaris and O. princeps. Although this serves to clarify the taxonomy for species in these genera, prior records remain confused, as representative voucher specimens from all major surveys in North America were never submitted to museum collections. We strongly suggest that type and voucher series should not be held in private or personal collections, where such are eventually lost, discarded, or destroyed through neglect due to inattention and the absence of curation. The potential to accumulate meaningful baselines for assessment of environmental change is jeopardized if materials from survey and inventory are not routinely submitted to museum collections. The capacity of museum repositories, as a focus for systematics, ecology, and evolutionary studies and for the development of resources for biodiversity informatics, continues to be undervalued and poorly utilized by a cadre of scientists who are dependant on accurate and definitive information that transcends specific disciplines.

Five new species and a new genus of terrestrial ostracods from Brazil are described: Callistocypris mckenziei sp. nov., Callistocypris rossettii sp. nov., Terrestricypris wurdigae sp. nov., Caaporacandona shornikovi gen. et sp. nov. and Caaporacandona iguassuensis gen. et sp. nov. This is the first time that Callistocypris Shornikov, 1980 and Terrestricypris Shornikov, 1980 have been found since their original description from the Solomon Islands. The family Terrestricyprididae Shornikov is here lowered to the rank of tribe within the Candoninae; this tribe comprises Terrestricypris, Terrestricandona Danielopol & Betsch, 1980 (from Madagascar) and Caaporacandona gen. nov. Putative heterochronic character evolution within this tribe (in valves A1 and A2) is compared to a parallel evolutionary pathway in another group of terrestrial ostracods, the Mesocypridini. The similarity between the terrestrial ostracod faunas of Brazil and the Western Pacific Islands (including New Zealand) and the dissimilarity between those of Africa and South America is indicated. The putative causality of the prevalence of asexual reproduction in terrestrial ostracods is briefly discussed. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 145, 145–173.

Eugenia subamplexicaulis belongs to Eugenia sect. Pilothecium and was described based on a collection made in São Paulo state by C.F.P. von Martius in 1817. After that, no other collection of this species was made until May 2018, over 200 years later, when this species was rediscovered in the rocky formation Monumento Natural da Pedra de Itaocaia, a protected area located in Rio de Janeiro state. This study provides an enhanced morphological description of the species, notes on its morphological affinities, geographic distribution and conservation status. The species can be recognized by its subsessile leaves, dichasial inflorescences and oblate fruits with up to three seeds. The fruits are described for the first time, since the original description was based only on a single flowering specimen. Additionally, the first photographic documentation of the live plant in its habitat is presented.

The type material described by Edward Meyrick (1854–1938) in the subfamilies Scopariinae, Nymphulinae, Schoenobiinae and Pyraustinae in the collections of the Museum of Central Africa, Tervuren, is compared with the original descriptions and the specimens Meyrick retained for his personal collection now deposited in the BMNH. Where necessary lectotypes and paralectotypes are designated.