Species Diversity of Anastrepha Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Environments with Different Levels of Anthropogenic Changes.

Studies on the diversity of Anastrepha species have been conducted mainly in agricultural orchards due to the economic importance of this insect group, consequently, research on fruit flies in undisturbed environments is scarce. Moreover, very few studies have investigated the diversity of fruit flies in urban areas, where fruit flies survive under native or exotic hosts. Thus, to understand the diversity of Anastrepha species in an environment with different anthropization degrees, surveys were carried out in four areas of the "Luiz de Queiroz" campus, in Piracicaba, São Paulo State (Brazil), using Multilure traps with putrescine and ammonium acetate for 12 months.

From molecules to ecosystems: Insights into a network of interactions for a Chagas disease outbreak using Triatoma brasiliensis as natural samplers.

Exploring the dynamics of disease transmission involves an understanding of complex interactions within the eco-epidemiologic framework. In the context of Chagas disease (CD), elements are mainly represented by the interactions among the pathogen, insect vector, host, humans and the environment. We performed quantitative and qualitative analyses on a dataset derived from 98 Triatoma brasiliensis infected by trypanosomatids, which were linked to a CD outbreak in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil.

Beached seabirds as plastic biomonitors in Brazil from the Beach Monitoring Project of the Santos Basin (PMP-BS).

Bioindicator species are useful to monitor wildlife exposure to plastic pollution, and responses to plastic leakage and policy interventions. Here we explore the biomonitoring potential of different seabird and shorebirds species across six years of monitoring in Brazil. Using the necropsy stranding database of the Beach Monitoring Project of the Santos Basin (PMP-BS), we evaluated i) the frequency of birds-plastic interactions in Brazil; ii) whether plastic interactions have changed through time and in different coastal regions; and iii) potential bioindicators for monitoring the exposure of seabirds to plastic in the nearshore South Atlantic Ocean.

Experimental Hybrids of the Species Complex Show Higher Susceptibility to the Infection Than Their Parentals.

The species complex is a monophyletic group encompassing two subspecies and six species. Recently, a hybrid zone of members of this complex was recorded in the state of Pernambuco. Questions concerning the capability of the hybrids to become infected with have been raised.