Gall-inducing insects of an Araucaria Forest in southern Brazil. Diversity of galling insects is reported for the first time in an Araucaria Forest site. We address gall characteristics, host plant identification and the inducer identification and provide additional information about sites of gall occurrence in a mosaic of continuous forest and natural forest patches. After 40h of sampling we found 57 species of five insect orders, the majority of them Diptera (Cecidomyiidae), galling 43 host plant species, which in turn belonged to 18 host plant families. Stem and buds together, compared to leaves, harbored more galls, which were mostly glabrous, isolated, fusiform and green. Myrtaceae, Asteraceae and Melastomataceae were the most representative host families. Similarities in gall characteristics to what has been reported in the literature probably result from spatial correlation in a larger scale driven by ecological and evolutionary processes.

Mecanismos anti-predação em serpentes são diversos e complexos, incluindo comportamentos miméticos. Algumas serpentes triangulam a cabeça, possivelmente mimetizando outras serpentes mais perigosas. No entanto, são escassos os estudos demonstrando a eficiência deste comportamento frente a predadores naturais. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar, utilizando serpentes artificiais, se os indivíduos com cabeça triangular são menos suscetíveis ao ataque de predadores e, se o ataque predatório é direcionado à cabeça das serpentes. Serpentes artificiais foram dispostas sistematicamente na margem de uma estrada. A taxa de modelos atacados foi 48,71%. O número de ataques em modelos de cabeça arredondada foi significativamente maior do que nos modelos com cabeça triangular. Houve diferença significativa entre as partes atacadas nas serpentes quando comparados aos diferentes formatos de cabeça. Portanto, as serpentes que possuem triangulação da cabeça podem ser um alvo menos frequente de ataques por predadores do que as que não possuem esse tipo de comportamento.

Anti-predator mechanisms in snakes are diverse and complex, including mimetic behavior. Some snakes triangulate their head, probably mimicking other more dangerous snakes. However, there is a lack of studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of this behavior with natural predators. The aim of this study was to verify, using artificial snakes, if snakes with triangular heads are less susceptible to attack by predators, and if predatory attack is targeted to the head of serpents. Artificial snakes were systematically arranged on a road border. The rate of attacked models was 48.71%. Number of attacks on models with rounded head was significantly higher than in models with triangular head. There was a significant difference between the places of attack on the snakes in relation to different head shapes. Therefore, snakes that have head triangulation may be a less frequent target of attacks by predators than those without such behavior.

Clinodiplosis Kieffer, 1895 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) é gênero cosmopolita conhecido por 103 espécies, a maioria micófaga. Com base na literatura e dados da coleção de Cecidomyiidae do Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, a diversidade deste gênero no Brasil é avaliada, e informações sobre as espécies, seus hábitos e galhas são apresentadas. O gênero está representado, no Brasil, por 57 espécies (17 descritas e 40 não determinadas), o que corresponde a cerca de 16% do total de espécies descritas e 74% da fauna Neotropical. A maioria das espécies encontradas no Brasil é indutora de galhas (81%) e, destas, a metade induz galhas foliares. Gema, flor e caule foram outros órgãos vegetais galhados. As espécies estão associadas a trinta famílias botânicas, sendo mais comuns em Asteraceae, Myrtaceae e Verbenaceae. A maior parte foi coletada em Mata Atlântica, principalmente em restinga, e São Paulo suporta o maior número de espécies registradas. Oito registros novos de planta hospedeira são apresentados.

Clinodiplosis Kieffer, 1895 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) is a cosmopolitan genus known from 103 species, the majority mycophagous. Based on literature and data from the Cecidomyiidae collection of Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, the diversity of Clinodiplosis in Brazil is surveyed and information about the species, their habits and galls are shown. The genus is represented in Brazil by 57 species (17 described and 40 not determined), which means about 16% of the described species total and 74% of the Neotropical fauna. The majority of species found in Brazil are gall inducers (81%) and the half of these induces leaf galls. Bud, flower and stem were other galled plant organs. The species are associated to thirty plant families, being more common on Asteraceae, Myrtaceae and Verbenaceae. Most of them were collected in Atlantic forest, mainly in "restinga", and São Paulo supports the greatest number of recorded species. Eight new records of host plant are presented.