Small pollen grain volumes and sizes dominate the diet composition of three South American subtropical stingless bees

Nannotrigona Cockerell is one of the few stingless bee genera widely distributed and commonly encountered throughout the Neotropical region. Some species are abundant and managed in meliponiculture. However, the identity and number of species occurring in some countries or areas is almost entirely unknown. Herein we reviewed the species of Nannotrigona in Colombia, a South American country with literature records indicating the presence of either one or five species of this genus. Appraisal of museum specimens revealed the existence of the following eight species, three of which we describe as new: N. camargoi Rasmussen & Gonzalez, N. gaboi n. sp., N. melanocera (Schwarz), N. mellaria (Smith), N. occidentalis n. sp., N. pilosa n. sp., N. schultzei (Friese), and N. tristella (Cockerell).We describe and figure the male of N. camargoi, N. gaboi, N. melanocera, and N. pilosa. In addition, we provide comparative diagnoses, a key to species, and new geographical records.

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Gut content analysis confirms the feeding plasticity of a generalist fish species in a tropical river

Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia ◽

10.1590/s2179-975x7819 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

Author(s):

Igor David Costa ◽

Ronaldo Angelini

Keyword(s):

Trophic Level ◽

Diet Composition ◽

Trophic Position ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

South American ◽

Tropical River ◽

Small Pelagic Fish ◽

Generalist Species ◽

Food Items ◽

Feeding Plasticity

Abstract Aim In this paper, we compared the diet composition of the South American silver croaker, Plasgioscion squamosissimus in preserved and impacted areas (agrarian land use) of an Amazonian river. Our objective was to quantify the plasticity in diet across different habitats and evaluate the importance of a carnivorous generalist species as an environmental indicator based on its feeding variation. Methods We analysed the stomach contents of 135 individuals and compared the trophic level of P. squamosissimus and the source of ingested food items in the impacted and non-impacted habitats. Results The trophic level values in both areas were similar. In both areas, P. squamosissimus used a wide variety of food items, consuming mainly fish and invertebrates of autochthonous origin. However, in terms of composition of food items, small pelagic fish and autochthonous items were more frequently consumed in the preserved area, while in the impacted area fish and benthic invertebrates were predominant in the diet. Conclusions Our gut analysis suggests plasticity in P. squamosissimus diet across varying areas, which point to the ability of P. squamosissimus to modify their diet in the impacted situation, utilizing more benthic material on impacted area in order to maintain a similar trophic position.

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CYTOTAXONOMIC STUDIES ON NEW WORLD SPECIES OF ANEMONE (SECTION ERIOCEPHALUS) WITH TUBEROUS ROOTSTOCKS

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b66-105 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 44 (7) ◽

pp. 899-928 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Cecily Joseph ◽

Margaret Heimburger

Keyword(s):

North American ◽

New World ◽

Diploid Species ◽

Pollen Grain ◽

South American ◽

New Taxon ◽

South American Species ◽

The North ◽

Additional Support ◽

North And South

The American species of Anemone L. (section Eriocephalus Hook. f. & Thoms.) with tuberous rootstocks were studied by biosystematic methods. Anemone caroliniana Walt., A. heterophylla Nutt. ex Torr. & Gray, A. tuberosa Rydb., and A. edwardsiana Tharp (tentatively) are recognized from North America and A. decapetala Ard., A. triternata Vahl, and A. cicutifolia Johnst. from South America. Karyotypes of the diploid species (2n = 16), A. heterophylla, A. tuberosa, A. decapetala, and A. triternata are described. They resemble the karyotype of A. caroliniana published earlier. Anemone edwardsiana and A. cicutifolia are also presumed diploid from stomatal and pollen grain studies. A new taxon (2n = 32), of undecided status, was obtained from Chile. North American plants included by authors in A. decapetala are here referred to A. heterophylla. The North and South American species appear to form two separate groups, the species of each continent being more closely related among themselves than to those of the other continent. Fewer stomata, larger chromosome size, and higher DNA content are characteristic of the North American species. Additional support for the separation of the two groups derives from limited meiotic studies which indicate a larger number of inversion differences in inter- than in intra-continental hybrids.

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Estimating diet composition from scat analysis in otariid seals (Otariidae): is it reliable?

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z88-269 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 66 (8) ◽

pp. 1865-1870 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

T. Dellinger ◽

F. Trillmich

Keyword(s):

Diet Composition ◽

Clupea Harengus ◽

Fish Length ◽

South American ◽

California Sea Lions ◽

Scat Analysis ◽

Sprattus Sprattus ◽

Sea Lions ◽

Fur Seals ◽

Partial Digestion

Analysis of teleost sagittal otoliths contained in scats has been widely used to determine the diet of seals. This method is based on the assumption that relative frequencies of otoliths in scats faithfully reflect those offish in the diet. This assumption has rarely been tested experimentally. We compared the ratios of herring (Clupea harengus) to sprat (Sprattus sprattus) otoliths in faeces (output) of captive California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis) with the ratios at feeding (input). Sea lions and fur seals showed no consistent differences in recovery rates and partial digestion of otoliths. Output ratios deviated only slightly from input ratios, the smaller sprat otoliths being underrepresented in the output by 8%. Only about 40% of the otoliths fed to the seals were found in the scats. For both species partial digestion of otoliths led to a 16% underestimation of fish length and a 35% underestimation of fish mass.

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Morphological study of pollen-grains for the wild species of the genus Erysimum L. (Crucifereae) in Iraq

Baghdad Science Journal ◽

10.21123/bsj.9.4.569-574 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 569-574

Author(s):

Baghdad Science Journal

Keyword(s):

Outer Layer ◽

Wild Species ◽

Light Microscope ◽

Morphological Study ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Pollen Grain ◽

The Other ◽

Oblate Spheroidal ◽

Small Pollen ◽

Thickened Wall

Pollen grains morphology have been studied for the wild species of the genus Erysimum L. which belong to Crucifereae family in Iraq. These species are E. filifolium Boiss. et Hausskn., E. oleifolium J. Gay, E. repandum L., E. eginense Hausskn. ex Bornm., E. aucheranum J. Gay, E. cheiranthoides L., E. alpestre Ky. ex Boiss., E. kurdicum Boiss. et Hausskn., E. tenellum DC., E. strophades Boiss., E. gladiiferum Boiss. et Hausskn., E. nasturtioides Boiss. et Hausskn. The study was performe by using light microscope . The study reveal that there was only one type of pollen grain named Tricoplate in all studied species . The study also demonstrated that there were differences among pollen grains morphology . The species E. kurdicum , E. alpestre , and E. strophades have shown Oblate form , while the species E. oleifolium , E. repandum , E. filifolium , E. aucheranum , and E. tenellum have Oblate-spheroidal form . On the other hand the species E. eginense , E. gladiiferum , E. cheiranthoides , and E. nasturtioides have Sub-oblate pollen . It was also noticed that the outer layer of pollen grains has more thickened wall than the inner layer . The data also shown that there were differences in pollen grains sizes . The species E. oleifolium , E. strophades , E. filifolium , E. gladiiferum , E. E. kurdicum , E. aucheranum , E. tenellum , E. repandum , and E. nasturtioides have very small pollen grains , while they were small to middle in the other species .The data getting from this study showed important taxonomical characters to classifying the studied species

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Pollen morphology and its systematic value to southern South American species of Lepidaploa (Vernonieae: Asteraceae)

Rodriguésia ◽

10.1590/2175-7860202172017 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 72 ◽

Author(s):

Danilo Marques ◽

Gisela Mariel Via do Pico ◽

Jimi Naoki Nakajima ◽

Massimiliano Dematteis

Keyword(s):

Pollen Morphology ◽

Pollen Grain ◽

South American ◽

Prolate Spheroidal ◽

South American Species ◽

Pollen Type ◽

Oblate Spheroidal ◽

Pollen Types ◽

Type C ◽

Morphological Differences

Abstract Palynological data have been used in Vernonieae for generic and specific delimitations, particularly in the Lepidaploinae subtribe. For this reason, pollen studies in the genus Lepidaploa are important to solve taxonomic conflicts. We characterized 23 species of Lepidaploa searching for morphological differences among themselves. We then compared the data obtained with other genera of the Lepidaploinae. The results show that the species have pollen type “C” (with polar lacuna) or “G” (without polar lacuna), oblate-spheroidal, subprolate or prolate-spheroidal, 3-colporate and equinolophate. The pollen types and shape of pollen grain are taxonomically useful. Pollen morphology is useful to distinguish species and genera of Lepidaploinae. Together with macromorphological data it is possible to delimit Lepidaploa and the species studied here.

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The South-American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus: feeding ecology in the central region of Brazil

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2014-0027 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

María Adelaida Hoyos ◽

Selma Maria Almeida-Santos

Keyword(s):

Central Region ◽

Feeding Ecology ◽

Diet Composition ◽

Sexual Differences ◽

South American ◽

The South ◽

Central Brazil ◽

Feeding Biology ◽

Food Patterns ◽

Crotalus Durissus

Abstract We investigated food patterns in the diet composition of 452 specimens of Crotalus durissus from Central Brazil. Thirty-three items were recorded corresponding to four categories: rodents (75.76%), marsupials (6.06%), unidentified mammals (9.09%) and reptiles (9.09%). Adults of both sexes and some juveniles feed mostly on mammals, specifically rodents, it is the most active and abundant prey throughout the year mainly in areas from Cerrado. In addition, we observed that in C. durissus there is a trend in the diet of females could be more diverse, maybe this can be associated to sexual differences involving different strategies of the feeding biology of this rattlesnake.

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