Natural history of an ant–plant–butterfly interaction in a Neotropical savanna

A new species of Vehilius Godman, 1900 (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae) endemic to the Caatinga, northeastern Brazil: taxonomy, biology and behavior

A new species belonging to the genus Vehilius Godman, 1900, Vehilius jabre Medeiros, Souza & Kerpel sp. nov., endemic to the Caatinga biome, northeastern Brazil, is here described based on data from adult and immature stages. Information about the biology, hostplant, distribution, and adult and larval behavior of the new species is provided. The new species is morphologically similar to Vehilius warreni (Weeks, 1901), but can be distinguished by a set of characters on wings and male and female genitalia. Adults and genitalia for both sexes of V. jabre sp. nov. and V. warreni are illustrated and compared.

Foraging and Spatial Ecology of a Polydomous Carpenter Ant, Camponotus leydigi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Tropical Cerrado Savanna: A Natural History Account

Carpenter ants (genus Camponotus) are considered to be predominantly omnivorous, mixing several feeding habits that include predation, scavenging of animal matter, and plant-derived resources. Nitrogen acquisition is crucial for the nutritional ecology of ant colonies because growing larvae require sustainable protein provisioning. Here, we investigate the foraging ecology and the spatial nesting structure of the carpenter ant, Camponotus leydigi Forel, in Brazilian cerrado savanna. By marking workers from different nests with distinct colors, we revealed that C. leydigi occupies physically separated but socially connected nests (up to 30 m apart), a phenomenon known as polydomy. Observational data on aboveground internest movements in C. leydigi corroborate cooperative exchanges between nest units and confirm several types of social connections, including internest transfer of liquid and solid food, transport of colony members (brood, workers), movement of solitary workers, and internest recruitment. Polydomous C. leydigi allocate foragers throughout 1,700 m2, feeding mostly on termites and plant-derived exudates. Influx of exudates is threefold higher compared with solid food. Uric acid pellets excreted by lizards comprise 20% of the solid diet in C. leydigi, a rare quantitative assessment of this peculiar type of nitrogen complementation in ants. Based on video recordings, we hypothesize that nest decentralization in C. leydigi may reduce foraging constraints caused by overt interference by the aggressive ant, Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), which regularly blocks nest entrances. Our field study enhances the importance of natural history data to clarify selective pressures underlying the evolution of particular behavioral patterns (nutritional and nesting habits) in ants.

Immature stages of Nisoniades macarius (Hesperiidae: Pyrginae: Carcharodini): biology, morphology and behavior

ABSTRACT The biology, morphology and behavior of the immature stages of Nisoniades macarius (Herrich-Schäffer, 1870) are herein described from specimens collected in an anthropized area of Caatinga biome. The larva of N. macarius passes through six larval instars with the development time from egg to adult lasted between 31 and 35 days. Except for the first instar larva, which is easily recognized by the presence of evident primary setae on the head, there are few distinctive morphological characters among the larvae of different instars. The head capsule width proved to be the most effective character to differentiate them. Two different types of shelters are built by larvae: center-cut shelters (type 3) built by larvae from the first to the third instars and two-cut shelters (type 5) built by larvae from the fourth to the sixth instars. Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) Roem. & Schult. (Convolvulaceae) is recorded as larval host plant of N. macarius for the first time. A Eulophidae wasp was found as parasitoid of the earlier larval instars of N. macarius, this being the second record of the family as parasitoid in the genus Nisoniades.

Environmental variables drive phenological events of anemocoric plants and enhance diaspore dispersal potential: A new wind-based approach

Phenological studies of Brazilian savanna vegetation have described a generalized phenological pattern for all species, mainly based on rainfall and temperature. Few studies have considered wind as an explanatory factor; abiotic factors may impact differently on phenophases, and one phenophase may influence the performance of another. Thus, we aim to describe the phenological patterns of five anemocoric plant species (Aspidosperma tomentosum, Dalbergia miscolobium, Kielmeyera coriacea, Peixotoa tomentosa and Qualea multiflora) in the face of different climatic conditions, mainly evaluating the effects of wind on the ripe diaspore. We addressed three main questions: (1) What is the phenological behavior of each of these five anemocoric species in a seasonal environment? (2) Which climatic variables best explain each phenophase? (3) Does the dispersal of ripe diaspores peak shortly after deciduousness? We found that (i) our focal species showed similar phenological patterns, except for the floral bud and flower phenophases of two species (A. tomentosum and P. tomentosa), and the young fruit phase; (ii) each abiotic variable has a specific level of influence for each phenophase, but the most important variables were rainfall and wind speed; and (iii) the dispersal peak of ripe diaspores occurred shortly after deciduousness, and when plants had fewer leaves. We conclude that the phenological patterns of these five anemocoric plants are similar, but that the patterns observed are not necessarily those described for Cerrado species. Additionally, we found that wind is an important factor in the expression of specific phenophases, and that the performance of some phenological events can be influenced by others, especially diaspore dispersal.