Fernando W. T. Leivas

Diet and trophic niche of Lithobates catesbeianus (Amphibia: Anura)

Lithobates catesbeianus (Shaw, 1802) is an invasive anuran introduced in Brazil that is associated with the displacement and the decline of populations of native species worldwide. There is evidence that biological invasions are facilitated by certain attributes of the invading species, for instance niche breath, and that invasive species have a broader ecological niche with respect to native ones. We designed a study to ascertain the temporal, ontogenetic, and sex differences in the niche dynamics of the American bullfrog. We sampled monthly from June 2008 to May 2009 in the state of Parana, southern Brazil. For each individual, we gathered biometric and stomach content data. We then estimated the niche breath of the juveniles and adults, and compared it between the sexes. A total of 104 females and 77 males were sampled. Lithobates catesbeianus has a generalist diet, preying upon invertebrates and vertebrates. Even though the diet of the studied population varied seasonally, it did not differ between the sexes nor did it respond to biometric variables. Niche breadth was more restricted in the winter than in the autumn. The trophic niche of juveniles and adults did not overlap much when compared with the trophic niche overlap between males and females. Adult males and females had a considerable niche overlap, but females had a broader trophic niche than males in the winter and in the spring. These niche characteristics point to an opportunistic predation strategy that may have facilitated the process of invasion and establishment of this species in the study area.

Cladistic analysis of Omalodini Kryzhanovskij (Coleoptera: Histeridae: Histerinae)

According to the current Histeridae classification, Omalodini is composed of 100 species described in 12 genera distributed in the Neotropical, Afrotropical, Afrotemperate and Oriental regions: Asolenus Lewis; Atribalus Bickhardt; Blypotehus Vienna, Ebonius Lewis; Lewisister Bickhardt; Notolister Lewis; Omalodes Erichson, divided in Omalodes (Omalodes), O. (Diplogrammicus) Lewis and O. (Cornillus) Lewis; Perfidolenus Vienna; Rhypochares Marseul; Scapomegas Lacordaire; Sphyracus Marseul; Theropatina Mazur. Our aims were to test the monophyly of Omalodini, using cladistic analysis, and propose a hypothesis of the phylogeny of the tribe. The matrix was composed of 49 terminal taxa (34 from the ingroup and 15 from the outgroup) and 131 characters of the adult morphology. The data were analysed under equal weights and implied weights. In both analyses, Omalodini represents a polyphyletic group and the trees obtained from equal weights analysis (two most parsimonious trees) were chosen in order to recover the tribes monophyly. We recognize three lineages in Omalodini: Ebonius, undescribed genus and Omalodes, being supported by six transformations (Ebonius + (undescribed genus + Omalodes)). The sister group of Omalodini was defined as a clade composed of Histerini, Platysomatini and Hololeptini. The subgenera of Omalodes were not resolved consistently under different implied weight analyses. It is necessary to emphasize that Omalodes (Omalodes) comprises the largest group of Omalodini and requires an analysis with better sampling for more precise resolution of the internal phylogeny of the genus. The groups excluded a posteriori from Omalodini, Theropatina, Asolenus, Atribalus, Blypotehus, Lewisister, Notolister, Perfidolenus, Rhypochares, Sphyracus and Scapomegas, could not be allocated to any of the existing tribes of Histerinae.

Histerídeos (Staphyliniformia: Coleoptera: Histeridae) dos Campos Gerais, Paraná, Brasil

Histeridae is a group of beetles with diverse morphology known as generalist predators and which occurs in a wide variety of habitats. The objective of this paper was to present the first list of Histeridae from the Campos Gerais region (Parques Estaduais de Vila Velha, do Cerrado, e do Cânion Guartela) and provide information about species from protected areas in the state of Parana. Also were provided appropriate collecting methods for the group. The Histeridae from Campos Gerais are represented by 29 species belonging to eight genera: Haeteriinae sp. (1 sp.), Coelister Bickhardt, 1917 (1 sp.), Epierus Erichson, 1834 (1 sp.), Euspilotus Lewis, 1907 (6 spp.), Hister Linnaeus, 1758 (2 spp.), Omalodes Dejean, 1833 (3 spp.), OperclipygusMarseul, 1870 (6 spp.) and Phelister Marseul, 1854 (9 spp.). Two genera (Coelister and Epierus) and four species (Coelister sp., Phelister brevistrius Marseul, 1854, Phelister panamensisLeConte, 1859 and Phelister pumilus (Erichson, 1834)) were recorded for the first time for the state of Parana. Five genera (Coelister, Epierus, Euspilotus, Hister and Phelister) and five species (Coelister sp., Omalodes laceratus Marseul, 1853, Phelister brevistrius, Phelister panamensisLeConte, 1859 and Phelister pumilus (Erichson, 1834)) were recorded for the first time for Campos Gerais. The fauna of Histeridae is diverse when compared with surveys conducted in other floristic conditions. However, the majority of species do not demonstrate a selection for open grass field areas. Considering the habitats loss of Campos Gerais it is important to increase the faunistic surveys with appropriate methodology and regional lists of Coleoptera in order to know the biodiversity.

Scientific note: the histerid beetle Omalodes foveola (Coleoptera: Histeridae) found as a Melittophile, co-inhabiting Africanized honeybee hives in Brazil

Social bee symbionts (Melittophiles) are considered scarce in nature (Kistner 1979). Even so, some arthro-pods have been observed to co-inhabit beehives (Neumann and Ritter 2004). These arthropods may be parasites, commensals, or mutualists, and range from mere invaders occasionally using a nest as shelter to invaders forming more intricate and evolutionarily significant relationships with their hosts (Atkinson 2011). Many of these Melittophile arthropods are found to be beetles (Ellis et al. 2008, Haddad et al. 2008, Marini et al. 2013, Audisio et al. 2014). One of the best known coleopteran beehive symbionts is Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae), which in their native sub-Saharan Africa are largely benign hive scavengers many parts of the world (Neumann et al. 2016) are invasive pests, causing severe damage to apiaries. More recently, A. tumida has been found in Brazil (OIE 2016), raising awareness of beekeepers and researchers to previously unknown or unrecognized hive symbionts. In this note, we describe a close association between a histerid beetle species and beehives. The predator Omalodes (Omalodes) foveola Erichson, 1834 has never been mentioned as a beehive symbi-ont, though its wide geographical distribution suggests that it may be a Melittophile species also in other regions. These findings suggest that the interactions between O. foveola and honey bees, and stingless native social bees (Meliponinae), need to be evaluated in order to determine whether there is a negative impact. Beetles were reported inside Apis mellifera L. colonies in a commercial apiary located inside an orange farm in the state of São Paulo (Piracicaba city: 22° 42′ 53.0″ O; 47° 36′ 51.0″ S), Brazil. The apiarists first reported their observations to governmental animal health agencies as a case of A. tumida Murray (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae) infestation. On the basis of this report, we collected adult specimens of the beetle directly from the hives. Specimens were immediately labeled and stored in ethanol (70°GL). Some of the specimens were pinned in dry mount and the vouchers were stored in the Coleção Entomológica Pe. Jesus Santiago Moure-DZUP (Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil) and in the Coleção Entomológica Embrapa Florestas (Colombo, Paraná, Brazil). The purpose was to investigate the Aethina notification: the floor and honeycombs of hives were visually inspected and the area immediately outside was inspected in search of adults and pupae. Histerid beetle samples were first identified based on

Two new species of Omalodes from Dominican Republic (Coleoptera: Histeridae)

Omalodes Dejean, 1833 is the largest genus of Omalodini, with approximately 63 species described in three subgenera with an exclusively Neotropical distribution. Currently there are only two described species for the Caribbean, both of the subgenus Omalodes, and among other species they are the only ones with complete apical stria on the elytra. Two new species of this subgenus: Omalodes angelo sp. nov. (Holotype male deposited in FSCA: Dominican Republic, Monte Cristi Prov.) and Omalodes kovariki sp. nov. (Holotype male deposited in USNM: Dominican Republic, Monte Cristi Prov.) are described. Both species present a complete apical stria on the elytra and a superficial sulcus or impression on the frons. The lateral pronotal punctures are more evident in O. angelo sp. nov. while in O. kovariki sp. nov. they are weaker, only slightly more evident than the ground punctures. Both species have the punctures of the propygidium somewhat sparse. However, in O. angelo sp. nov. the punctures are limited to the sides and slightly in the middle anteriorly. Omalodes kovariki sp. nov. have a wide glandular opening posterad to metacoxae, a character not registered before for the genus.

Chave de identificação e diagnose dos Histeridae (Insecta: Coleoptera) de interesse forense do Brasil

As especies de Histeridae sao quase que exclusivamente predadoras e podem ser encontradas em uma grande diversidade de ambientes. Dentre os grupos associados a carcacas, alguns sao citados como relevantes na entomologia forense medico-legal. Entretanto, ha pouca informacao taxonomica para a familia, principalmente na Regiao Neotropical. Desta forma, os objetivos do trabalho foram elaborar uma chave de identificacao e caracterizar as especies de Histeridae de interesse medico-legal no Brasil. Alem disso, sao apresentadas informacoes de distribuicao geografica e aspectos biologicos das especies. As seguintes especies sao registradas como relevantes na entomologia forense no Brasil: Aeletes nicolasi Leivas, 2012; Euspilotus azureus (Sahlberg, 1823); Hister cavifronsMarseul, 1854; Omalodes bifoveolatus Marseul, 1853;Omalodes foveola Erichson, 1834; Omalodes lucidus Erichson, 1834, Operclipygus subterraneusCaterino & Tishechkin, 2013; Phelister sanguinipennisMarseul, 1853; e Scapomegas auritus Marseul, 1855. Esta contribuicao representa a primeira ferramenta para uma melhor identificacao dos Histeridae associados a carcacas no Brasil e pode servir como referencia e aplicacao na entomologia medico-legal.