Raul Azevedo

Arachnids from Araripe Plateau, Ceará, Brazil

The Araripe Plateau is situated in the states of Ceara, Piaui and Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil, in the Caatinga biome, semiarid domain. This region of Brazil is characterized by high temperatures and low rainfall. Nevertheless, due to its high elevation and large amount of orographic rainfall, the Araripe Plateau is an exception as a seasonal semi-deciduous forest with high humidity in the semiarid domain and the Caatinga biome. Herein a species list of Araripe Plateau arachnids is presented from the compilation of data from in situ sampling from January to May 2013, from the literature, and from Brazilian arachnid collections data. A total of 68 species were recorded for the area, of which 53 were spiders, eight harvestmen and seven scorpions. The species richness recorded here is considered significant regarding the known diversity of Arachnida in the semiarid region and contributes to expanding our knowledge of the area.

Attractive activity of plant extracts for the oviposition of Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae)

espanolRESUMEN Aedes aegypti es una de las especies de culicidos mas importantes para la salud publica, pues es transmisor de los virus de la fiebre amarilla, dengue, chikungunya y zika. Intentando analizar el efecto de extractos vegetales sobre la ovoposicion de ese vector en trampas de ovoposicion, fueron instaladas 100 trampas conteniendo en su interior sustrato atrayente de un vegetal y una paleta de madera prensada insertada en la posicion vertical de la pared del vaso para que la hembra realice la postura. Las trampas fueron distribuidas, al azar, en 10 barrios de Crato-CE. Para determinar el mejor extracto fueron utilizadas agua de la red de suministro, agua destilada, desague y extractos acuosos de las hojas del guayabo (Psidium guajava L.), papayo (Carica papaya L.), mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz), anacardo (Anacardium occidentale L.), sorgo (Sorghum bicolor L., Moench) y heno de la graminea (Cynodon nlemfluemsis Vanderyst). Los sustratos fueron preparados en el Laboratorio de Entomologia Agricola, en el Centro de Ciencias Agrarias y de Biodiversidad (CCAB), de la Universidad Federal de Cariri (UFCA). Las hojas fueron extraidas de la planta y enseguida, trituradas en una licuadora y mezcladas con agua en concentracion de 50 g de cada sustrato por litro de agua. El material paso siete dias en ambiente oscuro para facilitar las reacciones y evitar la foto inactivacion de los ingredientes activos. Para determinar la mejor concentracion fueron utilizadas hojas del guayabo sometidas a las mismas etapas del primer experimento, aplicadas en las concentraciones de 0,5; 1; 5; 10; 25; 50 y 75 g del sustrato por litro de agua. Trampas cebadas con agua de desague manifiestan mayor atractividad para la ovoposicion del A. aegypti y el extracto de la hoja del guayabo presenta mayor porcentaje de atractividad de huevos del mosquito vector. Estos resultados pueden ser utiles para orientar la adopcion de metodos de vigilancia entomologica con ovotrampas y control del A. aegypti. EnglishABSTRACT Aedes aegypti is one of the most important culicidae species for public health, since it transmits the viruses for yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya and zika. With the purpose of analyzing the effect of plant extracts on the oviposition of this vector in ovitraps, 100 ovitraps were set containing an attractive plant substrate and a pressed wooden palette vertically installed on the pot for female oviposition. The traps were randomly distributed in 10 neighborhoods of Crato, Ceara, Brazil. To determine the best extract, water from the supply network, distilled water, sewage and aqueous extracts of plant leaves from guava (Psidium guajava L.), papaya (Carica papaya L), cassava (Manihot esculenta Grantz), cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L., Moench) and grass hay (Cynodon nlemfluensis Vanderyst) were used. The substrates were prepared at the Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology at the Center of Agricultural Sciences and Biodiversity of the Federal University of Cariri (UFCA). Leaves were collected from the plants and crushed using a blender and then mixed with water at a concentration of 50 g of each substrate per liter of water. The material was stored for seven days in a dark room to facilitate the reactions and avoid the photoinactivation of active compounds. To determinate the best concentration, guava leaves were used subject to the same treatment of the first experiment, at concentrations of 0.5, 1; 5, 10, 25, 50, and 75 g of substrate per liter of water. Traps with sewage water showed the highest attractiveness for the oviposition of A. aegypti and the extract of guava leaves showed the highest percentage of egg attractiveness for the vector mosquito. These results can be useful to guide the adoption of new entomological surveillance and control methods of A. aegypti.

Larvicide activity of essential oils on Aedes aegypti L. (Díptera: Culicidae)

espanolAedes aegypti L. es el mosquito de salud publica mas importante del mundo. Esto es debido a que es un transmisor del virus que causa muchas enfermedades, especificamente el dengue. Tradicionalmente, el uso intensivo de insecticidas ha sido la estrategia principal para eliminar los mosquitos adultos o sus larvas; Sin embargo el uso intensivo de insecticidas puede estimular una resistencia en los mosquitos y danos a la salud o al medio ambiente. Los aceites esenciales de plantas medicinales se habian mostrado de alta eficiencia como larvicidas alternativos. Por lo tanto, evaluamos la eficiencia de los aceites esenciales de Vanillosmopsis arborea y Hyptis suaveolens en larvas de Aedes aegypti. Los aceites esenciales se extrajeron mediante el metodo de hidrodestila-cion utilizando un equipo Clevenger. Se utilizo un diseno completamente al azar (CRD) utilizando un factorial 2x5 que el aceite esencial de V. arborea y H. suaveolens a concentraciones de cinco concentraciones (200, 150, 100, 50 y 0 ppm) respectivamente. Cada uno de los diez tratamientos se replico cuatro veces utilizando diez larvas cada uno, totalizando 40 muestras. CL W CL50, CL(9)0, ensayo promedio, analisis de regresion y eficiencia. El aceite de V. arborea mostro valores de CL W = 39,69 ppm, CL50 = 48,98ppm y CL90 = 60,45 ppm, mientras que el aceite de H. suaveolens mostro valores de CL W = 78,46ppm, CL50 = 139,7 ppm y CL90 246,48 ppm. El principal componente quimico de V. arborea fue a-bisabolol (94,17%), mientras que para H. suaveolens fue 1,8-cineol (72,23%). Ambos aceites esenciales probados mostraron efecto larvicida sobre las larvas de A. aegypti EnglishAedes aegypti L. is the most important mosquito in terms of public health in the world. It transmits a virus that causes several diseases, among them, dengue fever. Traditionally, the intensive use of insecticides has been the main strategy to control A. aegypti and to eliminate adult mosquitos or their larvae; however, this may lead to resistance by the mosquitos and damages to human health and the environment. Essential oils from medicinal plants have shown high efficiency as alternative larvicides. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the larvicide potential of Vanillosmopsis arborea and Hyptis suaveolens on Aedes aegypti larvae. The essential oils were extracted by the hydrodistillation method using a Clevenger equipment. The completely randomized design (CRD) was used with a 2x5 factorial, with two essential oils and five concentration levels (200; 150; 100; 50; and 0 ppm). Each one of the ten treatments was replicated four times with ten larvae each, totaling 40 plots. Analyses were made regarding LC10, LC50, LC90, test of means, and regression and efficiency analysss. The V. arborea oil showed values of LC W = 39.69 ppm, LC50 = 48.98 ppm, and LC90 = 60.45 ppm, while the H. suaveolens oil showed values of LC W = 78.46 ppm, LC50 = 139.7 ppm and LC90 = 246.48 ppm. The main chemical component of V. arborea was a-bisabolol (94.17%), while for H. suaveolens, it was 1,8-cineol (72.23%). The essential oils showed a larvicide effect on A. aegypti larvae

Efeito do ensacamento sobre a incidência de moscas-das-frutas e na qualidade das goiabas

This research aimed to determine the optimal size of guava fruits to be bagged, and to evaluate the efficiency of different bagging at the control of fruits flies, as well as their correlation with the fruit quality. The work was conducted in a commercial guava orchard of Paluma variety at the municipality of Crato, in Cariri region, Ceara, Brazil, from October 2011 until April 2012. Popcorn bags, parchment paper bags, newspaper bags, micropierced plastic bags, TNT and the control were tested in four groups of fruits diameters: first group (2.0 to 3.0 cm), second group (3.1 to 4.0 cm), third group (4.1 to 5.0 cm) and fourth group (5.1 to 6.0 cm). Fruits were collected when they became mature and after each collect they were transferred to the Laboratory of Entomology of the Federal University of Cariri in order to evaluate the fruit flies attacks and the physicochemical parameters of the fruits. Bagging the guava is effective to avoid attacks from fruit flies, regardless of the type of bag used. Moreover, one can recommend bagging the guava with diameter less than 2 cm. Fruits were heavier, larger in length and with better Brix degrees when bagged in newspaper bags, with diameters ranging from 4.1 to 5.0 cm. On the other hand, to obtain fruits with larger diameters, one can recommend bagging the fruits with 5.1 to 6.0 cm in diameter.