In this study we analyzed the diet of the gymnophthalmid lizard Ecpleopus gaudichaudii Duméril & Bibron, 1839, a typical inhabitant of the forest-floor leaf litter, in an Atlantic Forest area in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. The 26 individuals sampled during the study had a mean snout-vent length (SVL) of 36.2 ± 4.2 mm and a mean jaw width (JW) of 4.1 ± 0.5 mm. We did not find differences in SVL between males and females, though the sexes differed in JW when the effect of body size was factored out, with females presenting higher values. The diet of the lizards was composed exclusively of arthropods, especially isopods and orthopterans. The similarity in trophic niches among seasons (volumetric and numerical proportions of prey categories consumed) were 0.096 and to 0.43, respectively. There were also no detectable seasonal differences in mean number and mean volume of prey ingested, as well as no significant influence of lizard SVL on prey number and of lizard JW on mean prey volume, which may reflect the tendency of E. gaudichaudii to feed on few, relatively large prey

Nosemosis is an important disease that affects honey bees (Apis mellifera Lineu), caused by obligate intracellular parasites, Nosema  apis  and/or  Nosema  ceranae. Since the initial detection of N. ceranae in A. mellifera coincided with recent large-scale losses of bee colonies worldwide, the impacts of this parasite under field conditions are of great interest. Here we test two hypotheses, the first one, whether the climatic variables (temperature, air humidity and precipitation) influence the intensity of infection of the microsporidium Nosema spp. in Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera), and the second, whether the local of hive installation (outdoor or roofed) influences the intensity of infection of these spores in Africanized honey bees. Between August 2013 and August 2016, samples of Africanized bees were collected weekly from 20 colonies, of which ten were located in an open area (outdoor apiary) and ten under a roof on a concrete floor (roofed apiary). N.  ceranae was the only species present. The type of apiary did not influence (p > 0.05) the number of spores of N. ceranae in Africanized bees. However, the infection intensities of the roofed apiary colonies were lower in the autumn. Regarding the meteorological parameters, there was a negative correlation between the winter infection intensities and the minimum temperature in the roofed apiary and the humidity in the outdoor apiary. The highest infection intensities occurred in both apiaries in the spring and summer, which may be related to higher pollen production. On average, the infection intensity was 16.19 ± 15.81 x 105, ranging from zero to 100.5 x105, and there were no records of collapse during the three years.

ResumoSibynomorphus neuwiedi (Ihering, 1911) (Serpentes; Dipsadidae) e Potamojanuarius lamellatus (Semper, 1885) (Gastropoda; Veronicellidae): uma relação trófica revelada. Serpentes Dispsadidae do gênero Sibynomorphus são restritas à América do Sul e englobam doze espécies atualmente reconhecidas, que ocorrem no Brasil, Argentina, Peru e Equador. Sibynomorphus neuwiedi é uma espécie endêmica de áreas florestais do bioma Mata Atlântica, sendo especializada em comer gastrópodes. Oito indivíduos adultos de S. neuwiedi foram coletados entre abril de 1998 e junho de 2003 no entorno de Vila dos Dois Rios (23º11'S, 44º12'W), no Parque Estadual da Ilha Grande, município de Angra dos Reis, estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. No laboratório, nós dissecamos seus estômagos para análise do conteúdo. Quatro indivíduos (50%) continham presas em seus estômagos, todas representadas pela lesma Potamojanuarius lamellatus (Veronicellidae), e quatro indivíduos estavam com o estômago vazio. O consumo de lesmas da Família Veronicellidae por serpentes da tribo Dipsadini tem sido relatado, entretanto, a ocorrência de P. lamellatus na dieta de S. neuwiedi é aqui relatada pela primeira vez. Palavras-chave:Gastrópodes, Lesma, Malacofagia, Predação, Serpentes AbstractThe Dispsadidae serpents from the genus Sibynomorphus are restricted to South America and include twelve species currently known, which occur in Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador. Sibynomorphus neuwiedi is a species endemic to forested areas of the Atlantic Rainforest biome, and it is specialized in eating gastropods. Eight