RESUMO
Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 is an african snail that is invasive in different parts of the world, being characterized mainly by its high adaptability. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of abiotic factors, such as temperature and substrate, on the egg eclosion, adult and juvenile reaction to different abiotics factors, and the resistance of A. fulica to popular methods of control. Three studies were made, including 19 laboratory experiments and observations of free animals in the municipal district of Guaraqueçaba, southern Brazil. Eggs were characterized as the most fragile phase, whereas the juveniles and adults were resistant to the immersion in fresh and salt water and little resistant to temperature variation and salt, using burying, aestivation, and muscular force as defense strategies. Those strategies should be considered in management actions and in orientating popular methods of control.
RESUMO
The giant African snail Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 was introduced into Paraná, Brazil, in the 1980s. Since then, it has spread across the country, despite its known invasive status on a global scale. The main objective of this study was to assess the problems faced in the management of the giant African snail. To accomplish that, we gathered and analyzed information available on the internet, scientific databases, field studies, as well as interviews and consultations with official agencies, NGOs, museums, the scientific community and people that coexist with the species. Despite the fact that extensive information has been generated regarding A. fulica (1,340 articles, 65 summaries in national annals, 40,700 pages on the internet), essential to promote control measures to hinder the propagation of this species, the majority of the available information remains inaccessible to the world at large. Moreover, the environmental, economic and health impacts of this species remain unclear, which may contribute to discouraging the initiation of management actions. Finally, control measures are still inefficient due to the generalist profile of this species and the lack of knowledge concerning its biology and ecology. Thus, in conclusion, even though A. fulica has been an invasive species for over a century in many other countries, it is difficult to find evidence supporting the need to subsidize its management. This may be an indication that many other, poorly known exotic species will have time and the proper conditions to become established and cause problems before they come to be recognized as invasive.
RESUMO
Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 is an african snail that is invasive in different parts of the world, being characterized mainly by its high adaptability. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of abiotic factors, such as temperature and substrate, on the egg eclosion, adult and juvenile reaction to different abiotics factors, and the resistance of A. fulica to popular methods of control. Three studies were made, including 19 laboratory experiments and observations of free animals in the municipal district of Guaraqueçaba, southern Brazil. Eggs were characterized as the most fragile phase, whereas the juveniles and adults were resistant to the immersion in fresh and salt water and little resistant to temperature variation and salt, using burying, aestivation, and muscular force as defense strategies. Those strategies should be considered in management actions and in orientating popular methods of control.
RESUMO
As aranhas do gênero Loxosceles não apresentam comportamento de limpeza dos restos de presa presentes na teia, fato que leva à expectativa que as propriedades antimicrobianas dos fios de seda impeçam o desenvolvimento de fungos e bactérias que poderiam contaminar as presas e causar mortalidade nas aranhas. Assim, objetivou-se caracterizar o descarte de presas por L. intermedia e L. laeta e verificar a atividade antimicrobiana nos constituintes da teia. O padrão de descarte de presas foi avaliado em teias presentes em laboratório, árvores, peri- e intradomicílio e a análise da ação antimicrobiana dos componentes da teia foi realizada utilizando as técnicas de difusão de poços e difusão de disco. Os resultados evidenciaram que o padrão de descarte varioude acordo com a espécie e o ambiente. A inibição do crescimento de fungos foi mais efetiva para L. laeta, provavelmente por secretar maior quantidade de teia, devido ao seu hábito mais sedentário. Enquanto que ambientes fechados, como os de laboratório provavelmente similar ao encontrado em forros e porões, foram mais favoráveis à contaminação por fungos. Os componentes extraídos da teia não inibiram o crescimento de bactérias e fungos em experimentos laboratoriais elucidando que a barreira físicaparece ter maior importância contra o crescimento de microrganismos do que a química.
RESUMO
Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 is an african snail that is invasive in different parts of the world, being characterized mainly by its high adaptability. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of abiotic factors, such as temperature and substrate, on the egg eclosion, adult and juvenile reaction to different abiotics factors, and the resistance of A. fulica to popular methods of control. Three studies were made, including 19 laboratory experiments and observations of free animals in the municipal district of Guaraqueçaba, southern Brazil. Eggs were characterized as the most fragile phase, whereas the juveniles and adults were resistant to the immersion in fresh and salt water and little resistant to temperature variation and salt, using burying, aestivation, and muscular force as defense strategies. Those strategies should be considered in management actions and in orientating popular methods of control.
RESUMO
The giant African snail Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 was introduced into Paraná, Brazil, in the 1980s. Since then, it has spread across the country, despite its known invasive status on a global scale. The main objective of this study was to assess the problems faced in the management of the giant African snail. To accomplish that, we gathered and analyzed information available on the internet, scientific databases, field studies, as well as interviews and consultations with official agencies, NGOs, museums, the scientific community and people that coexist with the species. Despite the fact that extensive information has been generated regarding A. fulica (1,340 articles, 65 summaries in national annals, 40,700 pages on the internet), essential to promote control measures to hinder the propagation of this species, the majority of the available information remains inaccessible to the world at large. Moreover, the environmental, economic and health impacts of this species remain unclear, which may contribute to discouraging the initiation of management actions. Finally, control measures are still inefficient due to the generalist profile of this species and the lack of knowledge concerning its biology and ecology. Thus, in conclusion, even though A. fulica has been an invasive species for over a century in many other countries, it is difficult to find evidence supporting the need to subsidize its management. This may be an indication that many other, poorly known exotic species will have time and the proper conditions to become established and cause problems before they come to be recognized as invasive.
RESUMO
As aranhas do gênero Loxosceles não apresentam comportamento de limpeza dos restos de presa presentes na teia, fato que leva à expectativa que as propriedades antimicrobianas dos fios de seda impeçam o desenvolvimento de fungos e bactérias que poderiam contaminar as presas e causar mortalidade nas aranhas. Assim, objetivou-se caracterizar o descarte de presas por L. intermedia e L. laeta e verificar a atividade antimicrobiana nos constituintes da teia. O padrão de descarte de presas foi avaliado em teias presentes em laboratório, árvores, peri- e intradomicílio e a análise da ação antimicrobiana dos componentes da teia foi realizada utilizando as técnicas de difusão de poços e difusão de disco. Os resultados evidenciaram que o padrão de descarte varioude acordo com a espécie e o ambiente. A inibição do crescimento de fungos foi mais efetiva para L. laeta, provavelmente por secretar maior quantidade de teia, devido ao seu hábito mais sedentário. Enquanto que ambientes fechados, como os de laboratório provavelmente similar ao encontrado em forros e porões, foram mais favoráveis à contaminação por fungos. Os componentes extraídos da teia não inibiram o crescimento de bactérias e fungos em experimentos laboratoriais elucidando que a barreira físicaparece ter maior importância contra o crescimento de microrganismos do que a química.
RESUMO
Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 is an african snail that is invasive in different parts of the world, being characterized mainly by its high adaptability. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of abiotic factors, such as temperature and substrate, on the egg eclosion, adult and juvenile reaction to different abiotics factors, and the resistance of A. fulica to popular methods of control. Three studies were made, including 19 laboratory experiments and observations of free animals in the municipal district of Guaraqueçaba, southern Brazil. Eggs were characterized as the most fragile phase, whereas the juveniles and adults were resistant to the immersion in fresh and salt water and little resistant to temperature variation and salt, using burying, aestivation, and muscular force as defense strategies. Those strategies should be considered in management actions and in orientating popular methods of control.
RESUMO
The giant African snail Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 was introduced into Paraná, Brazil, in the 1980s. Since then, it has spread across the country, despite its known invasive status on a global scale. The main objective of this study was to assess the problems faced in the management of the giant African snail. To accomplish that, we gathered and analyzed information available on the internet, scientific databases, field studies, as well as interviews and consultations with official agencies, NGOs, museums, the scientific community and people that coexist with the species. Despite the fact that extensive information has been generated regarding A. fulica (1,340 articles, 65 summaries in national annals, 40,700 pages on the internet), essential to promote control measures to hinder the propagation of this species, the majority of the available information remains inaccessible to the world at large. Moreover, the environmental, economic and health impacts of this species remain unclear, which may contribute to discouraging the initiation of management actions. Finally, control measures are still inefficient due to the generalist profile of this species and the lack of knowledge concerning its biology and ecology. Thus, in conclusion, even though A. fulica has been an invasive species for over a century in many other countries, it is difficult to find evidence supporting the need to subsidize its management. This may be an indication that many other, poorly known exotic species will have time and the proper conditions to become established and cause problems before they come to be recognized as invasive.
RESUMO
Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 is an african snail that is invasive in different parts of the world, being characterized mainly by its high adaptability. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of abiotic factors, such as temperature and substrate, on the egg eclosion, adult and juvenile reaction to different abiotics factors, and the resistance of A. fulica to popular methods of control. Three studies were made, including 19 laboratory experiments and observations of free animals in the municipal district of Guaraqueçaba, southern Brazil. Eggs were characterized as the most fragile phase, whereas the juveniles and adults were resistant to the immersion in fresh and salt water and little resistant to temperature variation and salt, using burying, aestivation, and muscular force as defense strategies. Those strategies should be considered in management actions and in orientating popular methods of control.
RESUMO
O caramujo invasor Achatina fulica ocorre em abundância na área urbana de inúmeros municípios brasileiros. Partindo da premissa que a presença de resíduos sólidos orgânicos e inorgânicos fornece substratos para refúgio e recursos alimentares para os caramujos contribuindo para a sua proliferação, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o consumo e a preferência de A. fulica por esses recursos. O estudo foi desenvolvido no Núcleo de Estudos do Comportamento Animal da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná de 2002 a 2005 e constou da realização de seis experimentos para avaliar o consumo em diferentes classes de tamanho de caramujo, o consumo de hortaliças, plantas ornamentais e resíduos sólidos, expansão do horário de forrageamento e preferência alimentar. Foi constatada diferença de consumo nos diferentes tamanhos do animal e variação no consumo qualitativo e quantitativo dos itens oferecidos. A expansão do horário de forrageamento ocorreu apenas diante de alguns itens alimentares. O presente estudo evidenciou a utilização dos resíduos sólidos pelo caramujo-africano. Os dados servem como subsídio para ações de controle dessa espécie invasora.Palavras-chave: Dieta. Espécie invasora. Forrageamento. Paraná, Brasil.
RESUMO
O caramujo invasor Achatina fulica ocorre em abundância na área urbana de inúmeros municípios brasileiros. Partindo da premissa que a presença de resíduos sólidos orgânicos e inorgânicos fornece substratos para refúgio e recursos alimentares para os caramujos contribuindo para a sua proliferação, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o consumo e a preferência de A. fulica por esses recursos. O estudo foi desenvolvido no Núcleo de Estudos do Comportamento Animal da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná de 2002 a 2005 e constou da realização de seis experimentos para avaliar o consumo em diferentes classes de tamanho de caramujo, o consumo de hortaliças, plantas ornamentais e resíduos sólidos, expansão do horário de forrageamento e preferência alimentar. Foi constatada diferença de consumo nos diferentes tamanhos do animal e variação no consumo qualitativo e quantitativo dos itens oferecidos. A expansão do horário de forrageamento ocorreu apenas diante de alguns itens alimentares. O presente estudo evidenciou a utilização dos resíduos sólidos pelo caramujo-africano. Os dados servem como subsídio para ações de controle dessa espécie invasora.Palavras-chave: Dieta. Espécie invasora. Forrageamento. Paraná, Brasil.
RESUMO
The Tenebrio molitor L., 1785 species has been studied as model for understanding of the polyandry mechanisms and spermatic competition. In this context it is fundamental the study of the movements patterns shown in the behaviors exhibited during the sexual interactions. The present work was carried out in the NEC/PUCPR, during May 2003 toMarch 2004. We made six experiments using different combinations of male and female reproductive status, always with thirty replicas. In the 180 interactions, totalizing 40 hours of observation, we registered 5210acts grouped in 43 movements patterns, which had characterized 12 behaviors. In the present study, were recorded differences between males and females behaviors agree with reproductive status. So, the behaviors shown during sexual interactions can be used as subsidies to understanding of the evolutional mechanisms as polyandry, spermatic competition and multiple mating.
RESUMO
The Tenebrio molitor L., 1785 species has been studied as model for understanding of the polyandry mechanisms and spermatic competition. In this context it is fundamental the study of the movements patterns shown in the behaviors exhibited during the sexual interactions. The present work was carried out in the NEC/PUCPR, during May 2003 toMarch 2004. We made six experiments using different combinations of male and female reproductive status, always with thirty replicas. In the 180 interactions, totalizing 40 hours of observation, we registered 5210acts grouped in 43 movements patterns, which had characterized 12 behaviors. In the present study, were recorded differences between males and females behaviors agree with reproductive status. So, the behaviors shown during sexual interactions can be used as subsidies to understanding of the evolutional mechanisms as polyandry, spermatic competition and multiple mating.