Adolpho Ducke Research Articles

Three new species of Leptohyphidae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) from Central Amazon, Brazil

Three new species of Leptohyphidae are described based on adults and/or nymphs collected in Manaus (Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke) and Presidente Figueiredo municipality: Tricorythodes faeculopsis sp. nov., Tricorythopsis acara sp. nov. and T. intercalatus sp. nov. With this work, the number of Leptohyphidae in Brazil increases from 35 to 38 species.

Influence of a topographic gradient on the occurrence, abundance and composition of nine species of palms (Arecaceae) in the Central Amazon

The study was conducted at the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve. The occurrence and abundance of the adult palms Attalea attaleoides (Barb. Rodr.) W Boer, A. microcarpa Mart., Euterpe precatoria Mart., Geonoma aspidiifolia Spruce, Iriartella setigera (Mart.) H. Wendl, Oenocarpus bacaba Mart., O. bataua Mart., O. minor Mart., Socratea exorrhiza (Mart.) H. Wendl were observed in 40 50 x 50 m plots and the seedlings in two 50 x 2 m plots located inside the 40 plots demarcated to register the adults. The topographical gradient was divided into swamp valley, slope and plateau based on the altitudes and characteristics of these environments. Occurrence and abundance data were used as dependent variables in the models of Analysis of Variance to verify differences in the topographical gradient. Changes in species composition were evaluated using multivariate analysis of ordination. The distribution and abundance of the seedling and adult phases varied with the topographical gradient. The variation in species composition in different topographic levels probably occurs due to the different responses of the species to the variation in forest heterogeneity, produced by the spatial variation of the structural components of the forest. Key words: palms, Central Amazon, topography, distribution, “Terra Firme” forest.

Elliptic Fourier Analysis of leaf outlines in five species of Heteropsis (Araceae) from the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

A pilot study of leaf outline morphometrics was carried out on populations of five species of Heteropsis located in the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke near Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil: H. flexuosa (Kunth) G. S. Bunting, H. macrophylla A. C. Sm., H. spruceana Schott, H. steyermarkii G. S. Bunting and H. tenuispadix G. S. Bunting. The aim of the study was to investigate quantitative methods for discriminating species within a local area based on vegetative morphology in a genus where fertile parts are often difficult to find in the field; this study focussed on leaf outline shape. Using digital images of 347 leaves, outlines were captured as coordinates using the TpsDig software and analysed using Elliptic Fourier Analysis (EFA). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to reduce the 160 elliptic Fourier coefficient descriptors to a smaller number of independent shape variables corresponding to the principal component axes. The first nineteen shape variables (constrained by the smallest species sample, N = 20) were then subjected to Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) to find new axes that would discriminate the five species to the maximum extent. The first six shape variables were visualised by a reification procedure in order to illustrate their characteristic contribution to the total shape variation within all five species. The results showed that the mean shapes of all five species were significantly different, but shape variation within each species overlapped with the others. Percentage assignment of individuals to their correct species was encouragingly high given that only outline shape was used, but was not high enough overall to provide reliable identification. Elimination of one species (H. steyermarkii) using easily observed qualitative vegetative characters improved discrimination of the remaining four. The investigation of new approaches to identification is potentially valuable for conservation of natural populations — the root fibre of Heteropsis is extracted from primary forest and is a valuable non-timber forest product that forms the basis for an important local industry in Amazonia.

Densidade e tamanho populacional de primatas em uma área de terra firme na Amazônia Central

O Brasil apresenta 1/3 das florestas tropicais remanescentes do mundo e é reconhecidamente um dos mais importantes repositórios da diversidade biológica mundial. Quanto à riqueza de espécies de primatas, ocorrem em seu território 133 espécies e subespécies, sendo que 80 ocorrem em território amazônico e 11 estão ameaçadas de extinção. Apesar dos números expressivos, boa parte das espécies, principalmente as que ocorrem na região amazônica, apresenta carência de informações ecológicas e populacionais. Diante disto, os objetivos deste estudo foram (1) registrar as espécies de primatas, (2) estimar suas densidades e (3) caracterizar suas distribuições na Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, uma área de floresta primária de 10.000 hectares situada na região de crescimento urbano norte da cidade de Manaus-AM. Os dados foram coletados por meio do método de transecção linear, cobrindo todo o sistema de trilhas da reserva. Foram percorridos 720 km e registrados 58 avistamentos de Saguinus bicolor, 29 de Cebus apella, 20 de Alouatta seniculus, 13 de Pithecia pithecia e 10 de Chiropotes sagulatus, distribuídos em todos os tipos de ambientes (platô, vertente e baixio). A maior densidade registrada foi de S. bicolor (1.00 Gr/Km2), seguida por C. apella (0.67), A. seniculus (0.66), P. pithecia (0.64) e C. sagulatus (0.30). Assim, a estimativa de grupos presentes na área total da reserva, desconsiderando-se a possível presença de lacunas, as variações naturais do habitat ou a disponibilidade dos recursos, é de 100 grupos de S. bicolor, 67 de C. apella, 66 de A. seniculus, 64 de P. pithecia e 30 de C. sagulatus. Esses resultados demonstram a importância da Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke na manutenção da biodiversidade e impõem a necessidade de políticas conservacionistas para sua área.

Odonate biodiversity in terra-firme forest streamlets in Central Amazonia: on the relative effects of neutral and niche drivers at small geographical extents

The Amazon region is formed primarily by a dense network of acid and nutrient-poor streamlets. The stability of environmental conditions coupled with spatial constraints to dispersal turns these streamlets into an interesting arena to compare neutral and niche drivers for community organisation. Here, we evaluated the relative importance of local environmental conditions and regional dispersal limi- tation to determine beta-diversity and distributional patterns of species richness of the adult Odonata assemblage present in the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve (Man- aus, Amazon) river basins. 2. Samples were taken in 24 streamlets distributed in four river sub-basins (pair- wise distances up to 10 km) during the rainy season. The samples consisted of visual surveys for adult individuals of Odonata present in 100 m transects along each streamlet; each transect was divided into 20 segments of 5 m. 3. A total of 17 species were observed and 23 (� 4.8) were estimated using a jack- knife procedure. Four sub-basins were statistically similar based on species richness and beta-diversity. Distance among the streamlets had a low predictive power for species richness, while beta-diversity patterns were mainly explained by local envi- ronmental variables (channel width and depth). The low values of the beta-diversity index may be attributed to the high similarity of the environment, which presented little variation in abiotic conditions. 4. Low dispersal constraints and environmental stability are the primary explana- tions for low beta-diversity at this spatial extension. Nevertheless, the importance of local environmental variables to determine beta-diversity suggests its inclusion as cri- teria for setting conservation priorities for this group.

Passiflora fissurosa, uma nova espécie de Passifloraceae para o Amazonas, Brasil

Passiflora fissurosa M.A.D.Souza sp. nov., até o momento conhecida apenas da Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, no Amazonas, Brasil, é descrita e ilustrada. Foi inserida no Subgênero Passiflora, Superseção Passiflora, Seção Laurifoliae e Série Laurifoliae, por apresentar folhas simples e inteiras, pecíolo biglandular, brácteas foliáceas, livres, maiores que 1 cm, pertencendo ao grupo de espécies com as duas séries externas da corona subiguais. Morfologicamente é semelhante a P. nitida, que difere pelo opérculo horizontal-encurvado com margem ereto-divergente, anel nectarífero presente, límen vertical e ovário glabro. A designação do epíteto deve-se à característica do ritidoma, suberoso e profundamente fissurado, característica somente encontrada em P. phellos, também pertencente à Série Laurifoliae, mas do grupo de espécies com a primeira série da corona menor que a segunda.

Do natural differences in acoustic signals really interfere in conspecific recognition in the pan-Amazonian frog Allobates femoralis ?

The call of the pan-Amazonian frog Allobates femoralis shows wide geographical variation, and males show a stereotyped and conspicuous phonotactic response to playback of conspecific calls. We evaluated the capacity of males of A. femoralis and a closely related species A. hodli to respond aggressively to natural conspecific and heterospecific calls varying in number of notes, by means of field playback experiments performed at two sites in the Brazilian Amazon. The first site, Cachoeira do Jirau (Porto Velho, Rondonia), is a parapatric contact zone between A. femoralis that use 4-note calls, and A. hodli with 2-note calls, where we performed cross-playbacks in both focal populations. The second site, the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke (Manaus, Amazonas), contained only A. femoralis with 4-note calls. There, we broadcast natural stimuli of 2-note A. hodli, 3-note and 4-note A. femoralis, and 6-note A. myersi. We found that the phonotactic behaviour of A. femoralis and A. hodli males did not differ toward conspecific and heterospecific stimuli, even in parapatry. Our results indicated that the evolutionary rates of call design and call perception are different, because the geographical variation in calls was not accompanied by variation in the males' aggressive behaviour.

Lectotypification of the taxa of Adolpho Ducke from the Brazilian Amazon

Adolpho Ducke was one of the most important Brazilian botanists during the first half of the 20th Century, dedicating more than 50 years to collecting, cataloguing and identifying of the Amazonian flora. The majority of his collections are deposited at the herbaria of the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MG) and Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden (RB). The latter contains about 1,500 types collected by Ducke and amongst them, around 900 taxa are described by him. In many of his publications he did not clearly indicate a holotype. The present work discusses the lectotypification of 23 names published by Ducke.

Mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) inhabiting foliar tanks of Guzmania brasiliensis Ule (Bromeliaceae) in central Amazonia, Brazil

Mosquitoes in the family Culicidae develop their immature forms in different environments depending on various circumstances. This study represents the first contribution to the ecological knowledge of culicids living in the bromeliad G. brasiliensis. The objectives of the study were to compare the Culicidae fauna of bromeliads in two seasonal periods, analyzing their abundance, richness and the influence of pH, conductivity and water volume, on the populations. Sampling was done at Reserva Adolpho Ducke, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil between 2003 and 2005. Six samplings were done in the rainy season and six in the dry season. On each sampling day, six terrestrial and six epiphytic bromeliads, totaling 144 sampling units, were retrieved. A total of 444 immature mosquitoes were collected, distributed in the following species: Culex (Microculex) stonei Lane & Whitman, Culex (Microculex) chryselatus Dyar & Knab, Culex (Microculex) sp., Wyeomyia (Hystatomyia) autocratica Dyar & Knab and Wyeomyia (Hystatomyia) splendida Bonne-Wepster & Bonne. The relationship between abundance of Culicidae and sampling period was not significant, although abundance was higher in the dry period. There were significant correlations between water volume and the abundance (p = 0.003) and richness (p = 0.001) of culicids. The pH was positively related to the occurrence of the species Wy. autocratica (p= 0.010) and Wy. splendida (p= 0.006), demonstrating the influence of this factor in the structuring of bromeliad-inhabiting communities.

Redescription of the species of Anacroneuria Klapálek known from the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, Amazonas, Brazil with a neotype designation, and a key to adults males, Amazonas, Brazil. (Plecoptera, Perlidae)

Redescription of the species of Anacroneuria Klapálek known from the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, Amazonas, Brazil with a neotype designation, and a key to adults males, Amazonas, Brazil. (Plecoptera, Perlidae)

Influence of soil, topography and substrates on differences in wood decomposition between one-hectare plots in lowland tropical moist forest in Central Amazonia

Abstract:Understanding how wood decomposition varies spatially at the mesoscale (between 1-ha plots) may improve carbon flux estimates in Amazonian forests. An experiment was carried out to test the influence of soil, slope, above-ground tree live biomass (biomass), fine-litter mass and characteristics of neighbouring trees on the variation of wood decomposition between 1-ha plots in four species of tropical trees that vary in wood density (Manilkara huberi – 0.86 g cm−3, Couratari guianensis – 0.54 g cm−3, Hura crepitans – 0.32 g cm−3 and Parkia pendula – 0.29 g cm−3). A wood sample from each species (30 × 5 × 2.5 cm) was placed in each of 71 plots within 64 km2 of terra firme tropical moist forest in Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke. One year later, samples were collected and weighed. The effects of specificity of decomposers was measured by the association of decomposition with the wood density and with the taxonomic group of the nearest tree with dbh ≥30 cm. Wood decomposition was independent of soil (texture and nutrients), slope, biomass and fine-litter mass at the mesoscale, except for C. guianensis, which showed greater decomposition in locations with greater biomass. Decomposition was also independent of wood density and taxonomic group of nearby large trees. In general, none of the variables was useful as a predictor of wood decomposition at the scale larger than 1 ha. Thus, the use of models that include soil and topography to improve estimates of carbon flux are limited because wood decomposition does not follow similar mesoscale patterns to that of biomass and fine-litter decomposition. Also, the results indicate that wood decomposition is more likely to be associated with generalist decomposers than with specialists associated with neighbouring trees.

Parasitoid diversity (Hymenoptera: Braconidae and Figitidae) on frugivorous larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae) at Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, Central Amazon Region, Manaus, Brazil

This study aimed to identify parasitoid species of frugivorous larvae and to describe the tritrophic interactions involving wild fruits, frugivorous insects and their natural enemies at Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve (RFAD) (Manaus, AM, Brazil). Collections were performed in four 1 km2 quadrants in the corners of the RFAD. The wild fruits were collected inside the forest in access trails leading to each collection area and in trails that surrounded the quadrants, up to five metres from the trail on each side. The fruits were placed in plastic containers covered with thin fabric, with a vermiculite layer on the base to allow the emergence of flies or parasitoids. Seven Braconidae species were collected, distributed among Opiinae: Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti, 1911), Utetes anastrephae (Viereck, 1913), and Opius sp., and Alysiinae: Asobara anastrephae (Muesebeck, 1958), Phaenocarpa pericarpa Wharton and Carrejo, 1999, Idiasta delicata Papp, 1969, and Asobara sp. Parasitism rates by braconids and figitids are presented. Doryctobracon areolatus was the most frequent, parasitizing the highest number of fly species, and showing the highest parasitism percentage in larvae feeding on Micropholis williamii fruits. The collected figitids belong to Aganaspis nordlanderi Wharton, 1998 and A. pelleranoi (Brethes, 1924). All 15 tritrophic associations are new records for the Brazilian Amazon region. The RFAD is an important natural reservoir of frugivorous larvae parasitoids.

Redescription of the species of Anacroneuria Klapálek known from the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, Amazonas, Brazil with a neotype designation, and a key to adults males, Amazonas, Brazil. (Plecoptera, Perlidae)

Three known species of Anacroneuria Klapálek,1909 from Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke (RFAD), Amazonas, Brazil are redescribed: A. minuta Klapálek, 1922 from the male; A. manauensis Ribeiro-Ferreira, 2001 from the Holotype male; A. marlieri Froehlich, 2001 from a Neotype male, herein designated. A fourth species is herein designated as putatively occurring in the RFAD, A. amazonica Froehlich, 2003, and is redescribed from a female paratype. A key to adults known to occur in RFAD is also presented.

Modelo de escoamento superficial em bacia experimental da Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke

Neste estudo, a experimentação e a modelagem hidrológica de eventos de precipitação transformada em escoamento superficial em sistemas naturais de floresta são investigadas, contemplando os seguintes tratamentos: construção de algoritmo computacional iterativo de otimização para a identificação do hidrograma unitário médio (função de transferência chuva-descarga) da bacia e para o cálculo das precipitações efetivas adequadas à cada evento chuva-escoamento; aplicação da metodologia à bacia hidrográfica do igarapé Bolívia, situada no interior da Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke; análise e interpretação do algoritmo criado, enfocando a sua convergência e o significado dos resultados desse processo de otimização; e comparação com outros estudos em pequenas bacias da Amazônia Central. O período de medidas de chuva e de vazões estende-se de julho de 2004 a setembro de 2006, incluindo a fase de preparação da curva-chave do igarapé Bolívia e a formação de um conjunto amplo e diversificado de eventos de chuva e de escoamento no curso d'água.

Estudo anatômico do xilema secundário da raiz e do caule de Maytenus guyanensis Klotzsch ex Reissek (Celastraceae)

Maytenus guyanensis é uma planta medicinal, conhecida popularmente por chichuá, possuindo ação analgésica, antiinflamatória, afrodisíaca e antireumática. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar as características estruturais, da raiz e caule desta espécie como contribuição aos trabalhos anatômicos já realizados para o gênero. O material botânico foi coletado na Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, Manaus/AM onde foram selecionados três indivíduos e de cada um deles retirados fragmentos de 1cm³ do caule e raiz. Amostras foram seccionadas em micrótomo de deslize e coradas com safranina e azul de astra. A análise estrutural revelou-se de acordo com o registrado pela literatura para o gênero. O xilema secundário da raiz e do caule apresentam parênquima axial apotraqueal, raios multisseriados, heterogêneos, vasos solitários, de distribuição difusa, uniforme, seção circular, com parede delgada, pontoações intervasculares alternas e areoladas.

In vitro screening of Amazonian plants for hemolytic activity and inhibition of platelet aggregation in human blood

In the present study, different aerial parts from twelve Amazonian plant species found in the National Institute for Amazon Research's (INPA's) Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve (in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil) were collected. Separate portions of dried, ground plant materials were extracted with water (by infusion), methanol and chloroform (by continuous liquid-solid extraction) and solvents were removed first by rotary evaporation, and finally by freeze-drying which yielded a total of seventy-one freeze-dried extracts for evaluation. These extracts were evaluated initially at concentrations of 500 and 100 µg/mL for in vitro hemolytic activity and in vitro inhibition of platelet aggregation in human blood, respectively. Sixteen extracts (23 % of all extracts tested, 42 % of all plant species), representing the following plants: Chaunochiton kappleri (Olacaceae), Diclinanona calycina (Annonaceae), Paypayrola grandiflora (Violaceae), Pleurisanthes parviflora (Icacinaceae), Sarcaulus brasiliensis (Sapotaceae), exhibited significant inhibitory activity towards human platelet aggregation. A group of extracts with antiplatelet aggregation activity having no in vitro hemolytic activity has therefore been identified. Three extracts (4 %), all derived from Elaeoluma nuda (Sapotaceae), exhibited hemolytic activity. None of the plant species in this study has known use in traditional medicine. So, these data serve as a baseline or minimum of antiplatelet and hemolytic activities (and potential usefulness) of non-medicinal plants from the Amazon forest. Finally, in general, these are the first data on hemolytic and inhibitory activity on platelet aggregation for the genera which these plant species represent.

First record of the bushy-tailed opossum, Glironia venusta, Thomas, 1912, (Didelphimorphia) from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

A new record of a very rarely observed mammal, the bushy-tailed opossum, Glironia venusta (Didelphimorphia), was obtained for the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil. Only 17 other records existed of this species, most from the 1980s. There were only three previous records of the species from Brazil (in the states of Pará, Amazonas and Rondônia). This new record supports the notion that G. venusta is a locally rare species throughout its range, but widely distributed in Brazilian Amazonia.

Coprophanaeus lancifer (Linnaeus, 1767) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) activity moves a man-size pig carcass: Relevant data for forensic taphonomy

Taphonomy is the study of many variables involving decomposition, preservation, dispersal, erosion, burial or exposition of dead organisms. Forensic Taphonomy examines how biotic or abiotic variables can change evidences in legal investigations. Many insects are closely associated with decomposition processes. The scavenger dung-beetle, Coprophanaeus lancifer (Linnaeus, 1767), may be important biotaphonomically in the decomposition process of carcasses. Man-size pig carcasses were used as models to examine the decomposition process in the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve in central Amazonia. The scavenger dung-beetle has great potential in decomposition and production of post-mortem injuries, including dismemberment and the removal of soil beneath the carcass thereby causing a change in its position.

Description of the larva of Bromeliagrion rehni (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) with bionomic notes concerning its phytotelmic habitat in central Amazonas, Brazil

The last-stage larva of Bromeliagrion rehni Garrison in De Marmels & Garrison, 2005 is described and illustrated and bionomics and habitat information on this species are provided. The study was conducted in the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, located near Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil.Twelve samplings were done between April, 2003 and April, 2005: six in the rainy season and six in the dry season. In each sampling month, 12 bromeliads (Guzmania brasiliensis Ule, 1907, Bromeliaceae) were collected, six of which were terrestrial and six epiphytic, yielding144 samples. A total of 75 specimens of B. rehni were collected. The relationship between larval B. rehni abundance and the measured environmental parameters (volume (ml), pH, season and stratum) was significant (ANCOVA, F = 5.296, d.f. = 130, p < 0.001). Larvae were most abundant in the rainy season (p < 0.01) and water volume was positively related to the abundance of B. rehni. Larvae of B. rehni can be distinguished from those of B. fernandezianum (the only species in the genus with described larvae) by the number of setae in the prementum and by the color of the apical region of the femur. The association of this species with phytotelmata of G. brasiliensis is reported here for the first time.

Sustainability of extraction and production of copaiba ( Copaifera multijuga Hayne) oleoresin in Manaus, AM, Brazil

We evaluate the ecological sustainability of extracting the oleoresin of Copaifera multijuga Hayne and some factors influential in its production. We monitored oleoresin production after initial extraction in 43 mother trees in the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, near Manaus, Brazil (2°57′43″ S, 59°55′38″ W). We evaluated production relative to tree diameter (DBH), collection interval, soil clay content, competition intensity, and termite infestation. 57% of productive trees had DBH ≥ 41 cm and were responsible for 95% of total production. Although these trees had the highest initial production, after one year only 28% of initial oleoresin production was recuperated, much slower than in trees with DBH < 41 cm. Production was positively correlated with DBH and dominance within mother tree. Oleoresin production varied slightly with season. Trees that never produced oleoresin did not have termite infestations.