Simone Policena Rosa

Evolutionary chromosomal differentiation among four species of Conoderus Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae, Conoderini) detected by standard staining, C-banding, silver nitrate impregnation, and CMA3/DA/DAPI staining

The speciose Brazilian Elateridae fauna is characterized by high karyotypic diversity, including one species (Chalcolepidius zonatus Eschscholtz, 1829) with the lowest diploid number within any Coleoptera order. Cytogenetic analysis of Conoderus dimidiatus Germar, 1839, C. scalaris (Germar, 1824,) C. ternarius Germar, 1839, and C. stigmosus Germar, 1839 by standard and differential staining was performed with the aim of establishing mechanisms of karyotypic differentiation in these species. Conoderus dimidiatus, C. scalaris, and C. ternarius have diploid numbers of 2n(♂) = 17 and 2n(♀) = 18, and a X0/XX sex determination system, similar to that encountered in the majority of Conoderini species. The karyotype of C. stigmosus was characterized by a diploid number of 2n=16 and a neoXY/neoXX sex determination system that was highly differentiated from other species of the genus. Some features of the mitotic and meiotic chromosomes suggest an autosome/ancestral X chromosome fusion as the cause of the neoXY system origin in C. stigmosus. C-banding and silver impregnation techniques showed that the four Conoderus species possess similar chromosomal characteristics to those registered in most Polyphaga species, including pericentromeric C band and autosomal NORs. Triple staining techniques including CMA3/DA/DAPI also provided useful information for differentiating these Conoderus species. These techniques revealed unique GC-rich heterochromatin associated with NORs in C. scalaris and C. stigmosus and CMA3-heteromorphism in C. scalaris and C. ternarius.

Description of Photuris fulvipes (Blanchard) immatures (Coleoptera, Lampyridae, Photurinae) and bionomic aspects under laboratory conditions

Larvae and pupae of the cryptic firefly Photuris fulvipes (Blanchard,1837) are described. They were reared to adult stage from eggs laid by a female collected in Sao Luiz do Paraitinga, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Additionally, adult diagnosis and some bionomic data observed in the laboratory are presented. The bionomical and morphological characteristics of P. fulvipes were compared to other unidentified species of the genus and to Bycellonycha sp. from literature. At moment, the data are insufficient to propose a diagnosis for the species, but some characteristics appear to define species group or, at least, they may have generic value.

Second record of bioluminescence in larvae of Xantholinus Dejean (Staphylinidae, Xantholinini) from Brazil

Second record of bioluminescence in larvae of Xantholinus Dejean, (Staphylinidae, Xantholinini) from Brazil. Bioluminescent Xantholinus larvae (Xantholinini, Staphylinidae) were collected in the Cerrado biome of Mato Grosso state, Brazil. These larvae are morphologically similar to the first bioluminescent larvae of this genus collected in the Atlantic Forest in Sao Paulo state; however they differ by their bioluminescent emission.

New data on the natural history and description of the immatures of Fulgeochlizus bruchi, a bioluminescent beetle from Central Brazil (Elateridae, Pyrophorini)

Larva madura e pupa de Fulgeochlizus bruchi (Candeze, 1896) sao descritas e ilustradas. Padroes de bioluminescencia observados em laboratorio sao descritos. Comentarios e novos dados sobre a larva de primeiro instar e de historia natural sao apresentados. As larvas de primeiro instar diferem das larvas maduras principalmente por sua quetotaxia, que e mais esparsa e mais simetricamente distribuida.

Revisão do gênero Opselater Costa (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae)

Revision of the genus Opselater Costa (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae). The genus Opselater Costa, 1975 is composed by bioluminescent elaterids, with small and lateral luminous spots on the base of pronotum, and slender body with elytra tapering to apices. They are distributed from Panama to Argentina. Seven species are redescribed, Opselater hebes (Germar, 1841), O. helvolus (Germar, 1841), O. lucens (Illiger, 1807), O. melanurus (Candeze, 1863), O. pyrophanus (Illiger, 1807), O. quadraticollis (Blanchard, 1843), and O. succinus Costa, 1980. O. costae sp. nov. is described, from Linhares - Espirito Santo, Brazil. A key to species and illustrations of most characters are also provided, including prothorax, pterothorax, wings and metendosternitum.

Metapyrophorus pharolim a new genus and species of Pyrophorini (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae)

Metapyrophorus, a new monotypic genus, is erected based on M. pharolim, new species from Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. The genus is characterized mainly by its pair of convex pronotal bioluminescent organs, equidistant between the median line and the lateral margin.

Description of Coctilelater minimus sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae)

Coctilelater minimus from Brazil (Para) is described and illustrated. This new species is mainly characterized by small size and coloration pattern.

Présence insolite de larves et de nymphes de Tetralobus (Coleoptera : Elateridae), dans des termitières mortes de Macrotermes (Isoptera): données sur la morphologie et la bionomie de larves et de nymphes de trois espèces

Résumé Des larves et des nymphes de Tetralobus arbonnieri Girard 2003, de T. gigas (Fabricius 1801) et de T. shuckhardi (Hope 1842), espèces répandues en Côte d’Ivoire et en Guinée, ont été récoltées dans des termitières mortes de Macrotermes. Les principaux caractères de leur morphologie sont décrits et illustrés. Les particularités morphologiques des larves ont probablement une valeur générique, ou permettent, au moins, de constituer des groupes ďespèces. La biologie larvaire de ces espèces reste énigmatique, mais il semble que la tête phragmotique de ces larves ainsi que leurs mandibules falciformes suggèrent qu’elles peuvent être prédatrices ďautres petits insectes et même, à I’occasion, des termites. II semble que leur présence dans la carapace de ces nids de termites est habituelle, et que ceux-ci constituent un milieu très favorable à I’accomplissement de leur cycle post- embryonnaire.

Description of the larva of Alampoides alychnus (Kirsch, 1873), the first known species with bioluminescent immatures in Euplinthini (Elateridae, Agrypninae)

Mature larva of Alampoides alychnus (Kirsch) is described and compared to known Pyrophorini immatures. Larvae were collected live in the soil of a region dominated by sugarcane plantation and gallery forest in Campo Novo dos Parecis, Mato Grosso, Brazil. They were maintained in laboratory and the pupal period lasted 14 days. This larva differs from other Pyrophorini larvae mainly by bioluminescent pattern: one pair of luminous spots on the mesonotum, and a longitudinal series of median spots on the metanotum and all abdominal segments. The morphology of larva and the bioluminescent pattern of larva and pupa are described for the first time to the genus and the tribe. The fact that adults show no trace of luminescence is emphasized.

New species of Ignelater Costa (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Pyrophorini)

Ignelater inaguensis sp. nov. de Bahamas, Ilha Great Inagua, e descrita, ilustrada e comparada as outras especies de Ignelater. Essa especie e caracterizada principalmente pelos elitros levemente alargados do umero ate aproximadamente a metade ou o terco posterior e pela proporcao entre os comprimentos do elitro e do pronoto entre 2,51-2,71.