The identification of factors responsible for the population dynamics is fundamental for pest management, since losses can reach 18% of annual production. Besides regular seasonal environmental factors and crop managements, additional supra-annual meteorological phenomena can also affect population dynamics, although its relevance has been rarely investigated. Among crop pests, Spodoptera stands out due to its worldwide distribution, high degree of polyphagy, thus causing damages in several crops in the world. Aiming to distinguish the relevance of different factors shaping population dynamics of Spodoptera in an ecosystem constituted of dry and rainy seasons, the current study used circular statistics to identify phenological patterns and test if its population fluctuation is driven by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) effect, seasonal meteorological parameters, and/or host plant availability. Samplings were done in an intercropping system, in the Brazilian Savanna, during the new moon cycles between July/2013 and June/2016. Species were recorded all year round, but demonstrated differently non-uniform distribution, being concentrated in different seasons of the year. Population fluctuations were mostly affected by the ENSO intensity, despite the contrasting seasonal meteorological variation or host plant availability in a 400-m radius. Studies involving the observation of supra-annual phenomena, although rare, reach similar conclusions in relation to Neotropical insect fauna. Therefore, it is paramount to have long-term sampling studies to obtain a more precise response of the pest populations towards the agroecosystem conditions.

Crepuscular period is one of the factors that may influence the biting activity of mosquitoes. Many of these insects have a peak activity in this period. The purpose of this study was to investigate the afternoon crepuscular activity of Culicidae in a remaining area of Atlantic Forest in western Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Moreover, the possible influence of abiotic factors, the abundance and species richness were verified. In order to better analyze the influence of crepuscular period in specific composition and abundance of mosquitoes, the dusk was divided into three periods: pre-sunset, sunset and post-sunset. At the end of the study, nine hundred and eight four specimens distributed in 12 genera and 23 species were collected. Trichoprosopon pallidiventer (Lutz, 1905) (59.76%), Aedes crinifer (Theobald, 1903) (8.13%), Ae. scapularis (Rondani, 1848) (5.89%) were the most abundant species. Spring time presented the greatest abundance and species richness. During the study, among the three periods evaluated, pre-sunset had the greatest abundance and post-sunset the lowest. Pre-sunset and sunset had the greatest similarity between species. Regarding to the abiotic factors evaluated seven and 15 days before sampling, they did not present significant correlation for the three most abundant species. However, temperature had a positive correlation to these species. Moreover, the correlation between collected species and its possible role as vectors of etiological agents of diseases was discussed.Keywords: abiotic factors, Culicidae, Diptera, Hematophagy, Santa Catarina state. Mosquitos (Diptera

RESUMO: O presente estudo teve como objetivo identificar as espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte mortos por atropelamento em trechos de cinco rodovias, totalizando 110 km de extensão, na região oeste de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Foi analisada a sazonalidade, as diferenças na quantidade de atropelamentos nas diferentes rodovias e nas diferentes fitofisionomias ao longo destas. Foram realizadas expedições mensais, de junho de 2013 a maio de 2014, sendo encontrados 66 mamíferos atropelados, pertencentes a nove espécies, com uma taxa de atropelamento 0,05 ind./km/dia. As espécies com maior quantidade de indivíduos atropelados foram Didelphis albiventris com 25,75% dos atropelamentos, seguido de Cerdocyon thous com 16,66%, Nasua nasua com 9,10%, Dasypus novemcinctus com 7,57%. Não houve variação significativa de animais atropelados sazonalmente e nem relação entre a vegetação e o local de atropelamento, porém, locais considerados antropizados tiveram maior quantidade de atropelamentos. A diferença na variância de mamíferos atropelados entre as rodovias foi significativa (H = 13,78, p < 0,01). A Análise de Agrupamento demonstrou que a composição da mastofauna atropelada em campo sujo, capoeira e floresta foram similares entre si. Também o foram as áreas de floresta e áreas de Pinus sp. e agrícolas.

The phenological patterns exhibited by different organisms are known as adaptive responses to the cyclical environmental conditions. However, only a limited number of researches explore which factors are responsible for these phenological patterns in pest species. In the current study, abundance patterns were studied in the phenology of three Spodoptera Guenée, 1852 species, along the 29° latitudinal gradient in South America. The goal was to test whether widely distributed and abundant crop pest species would exhibit different phenological responses to seasonal meteorological variables and host plant availability. To test this, 13 light traps were set up in Brazil to collect adult Spodoptera samples at the time of the new moon, every month, from June 2015 to May 2016. The time of occurrence and intensity of the phenology were determined for each species, employing circular statistics. Both metrics revealed significant variations among the different species, as well as the factors associated with them. Latitude was found to affect the period of occurrence in Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker, 1858) and Spodoptera albula (Walker, 1857), whereas in Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) its effect was evident only in the intensity of its phenology. Further, both meteorological variables and host plant availability in the sampling sites produced predictive models to account for the phenological patterns expressed. These findings suggest that different species of Spodoptera exhibit different adaptive strategies in their life cycles in response to environmental conditions, thus necessitating specific management practices regarding their seasonal population fluctuation.

Opsiphanes Doubleday, [1849] (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Brassolini) is an exclusively Neotropical genus, occurring from Argentina to Mexico. Until the present study, Opsiphanes was considered to contain 14 species, 60 subspecies, and 38 synonyms. The considerable phenotypic variation of species and subspecies of the genus has affected the taxonomy of the group by causing the proliferation of several names that have been proposed to represent their diversity, taxa that have often not been adequately described and/or delimited. The present study analyzed information on the immature stages and morphology, with molecular data and distribution data, in order to provide revised taxonomic hypotheses for Opsiphanes species and subspecies. These analyses of approximately 5,500 specimens and all species known for the genus made it possible to define two groups: “cassiae” and “quiteria”. The “quiteria” group was subdivided into seven subgroups: “boisduvallii”, “camena”, “zelotes”, “sallei”, “quiteria”, “fabricii”, and “invirae”. The statuses of three species and two subespecies are reinstated: Opsiphanes badius Stichel, 1902 stat. rest., Opsiphanes quirinus Godman & Salvin, 1881 stat. rest., Opsiphanes merianae Stichel, 1902 stat. rest., Opsiphanes bogotanus castaneus Stichel, 1904 stat. rest. and Opsiphanes badius cauca Röber, 1906 stat. rest. Six subspecies are here treated as species: Opsiphanes mexicana Bristow, 1991 stat. nov., Opsiphanes zelus Stichel, 1908 stat. nov., Opsiphanes farrago Stichel, 1904 stat. nov., Opsiphanes barkeri Bristow, 1991 stat. nov., Opsiphanes caliensis Bristow, 1991 stat. nov., and Opsiphanes cuspidatus Stichel, 1904 stat. nov. One subjective synonym is treated as a valid subspecies: Opsiphanes invirae pernambucoensis Bristow, 1991 stat. rev. One species is treated as a subspecies: Opsiphanes cassiae tamarindi C. Felder & R. Felder, 1861 stat. nov. Eight new statuses are proposed: Opsiphanes cassiae incolumis Stichel, 1904 stat. nov., Opsiphanes cassiae tamarindi C. Felder & R. Felder, 1861 stat. nov., Opsiphanes badius angostura Bristow, 1979 stat. nov., Opsiphanes fabricii camposi Bristow, 1991 stat. nov., Opsiphanes fabricii numatius Fruhstorfer, 1912 stat. nov., Opsiphanes merianae notanda Stichel, 1904 stat. nov., Opsiphanes periphetes Fruhstorfer, 1912 stat. nov., and Opsiphanes cuspidatus relucens Fruhstorfer, 1907 stat. nov. Seven subjective synonyms are reinstated: Opsiphanes crameri C. Felder & R. Felder, 1862 syn. rest. of Opsiphanes cassiae cassiae (Linnaeus, 1758); Opsiphanes tamarindi latifascia Rothschild, 1916 syn. rest. of Opsiphanes cassiae incolumis Stichel, 1904 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes erebus Röber, 1927 syn. rest. of Opsiphanes quiteria quirinalis Staudinger, 1887; Opsiphanes cassina aequatorialis Stichel, 1902 syn. rest., Opsiphanes invirae pseudophilon Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. rest., Opsiphanes invirae remoliatus Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. rest., and Opsiphanes invirae agasthenes Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. rest. of Opsiphanes invirae invirae (Hübner, [1808]). Twenty-five new synonyms are proposed: Pavonia Godart [1824] syn. nov. of Bia Hübner, [1819]; Opsiphanes bogotanus phrataphernes Fruhstorfer, 1912 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes bogotanus blandini Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes bogotanus bogotanus Distant, 1875; Opsiphanes cassiae alajuela Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes bogotanus castaneus Stichel, 1904 stat. rest.; Opsiphanes cassiae rubigatus Stichel, 1904 syn. nov., Opsiphanes cassiae strophios Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes tamarindi xiphos Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes cassiae cassiae (Linnaeus, 1758); Opsiphanes tamarindi corrosus Stichel, 1904 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes tamarindi kleisthenes Fruhstorfer, 1912 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes cassiae tamarindi C. Felder & R. Felder, 1861 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes mutatus parodizi Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes farrago Stichel, 1904 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes sallei kennerleyi Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes sallei colombiana Bristow, 1991; Opsiphanes quiteria talamancensis Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes quirinus Godman & Salvin, 1881 stat. rest.; Opsiphanes quiteria quaestor Stichel, 1902 syn. nov., Opsiphanes quiteria bolivianus Stichel, 1902 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes quiteria cardenasi Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes quiteria quiteria (Stoll, 1780); Opsiphanes quiteria phylas Fruhstorfer, 1912 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes quiteria quirinalis Staudinger, 1887; Opsiphanes cassina chiriquensis Stichel, 1902 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes fabricii fabricii (Boisduval, 1870); Opsiphanes cassina milesi Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes merianae notanda Stichel, 1904 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes cassina aucotti Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes periphetes Fruhstorfer, 1912 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes cassina C. Felder & R. Felder, 1862 syn. nov., Opsiphanes invirae intermedius Stichel, 1902 syn. nov., Opsiphanes invirae amplificatus Stichel, 1904 syn. nov., Opsiphanes sticheli Röber, 1906 syn. nov., Opsiphanes invirae roraimaensis Bristow, 1991 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes invirae sieberti Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes invirae invirae (Hübner, [1808]). To ensure unambiguous identification of names, nine neotypes were designated for: Opsiphanes bogotanus Distant, 1875, Opsiphanes aurivillii Röber, 1906, Papilio glycerie Fabricius, 1787, Opsiphanes zelotes zelus Stichel, 1908, Opsiphanes badius var. cauca Röber, 1906, Opsiphanes erebus Röber, 1927, Potamis invirae Hübner, [1808], Opsiphanes sticheli Röber, 1906, and Opsiphanes invirae ledon Fruhstorfer, 1912; and nine lectotypes for: Opsiphanes bogotanus phrataphernes Fruhstorfer, 1912, Opsiphanes tamarindi cherocles Fruhstorfer, 1912, Caligo tamarindi Boisduval, 1870, Opsiphanes sallei nicandrus Fruhstorfer, 1912, Opsiphanes quiteria augeias Fruhstorfer, 1912, Opsiphanes quirinus Godman & Salvin, 1881, Opsiphanes quiteria var. meridionalis Staudinger, 1887, Opsiphanes quiteria oresbios Fruhstorfer, 1912, and Opsiphanes quiteria phylas Fruhstorfer, 1912, . The present taxonomic scheme proposed for Opsiphanes includes 23 species, 23 subspecies, and 69 synonyms.