Porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2) infection is currently considered an important disease of swine. The pathogenic agent was first described in Brazil in 2000. This study detected the PCV-2 DNA in four Brazilian pig tissues collected between 1978 and 1979. This observation is the oldest description of this virus in Brazil.

As formigas, quando atraídas por um apêndice nutritivo, produzido na semente de certas plantas, podem exercer o papel de agente predador ou dispersor das sementes. No processo de dispersão, grande número desses insetos pode interagir com sementes de determinada planta. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar as espécies de formigas em contato com sementes de Mabea fistulifera Mart. - uma espécie arbórea e colonizadora em áreas antrópicas no Brasil - e o tipo de interação desses insetos com as sementes, bem como determinar as espécies dispersoras. Foram realizadas coletas manuais de formigas em fragmentos de vegetação com alta densidade de M. fistulifera, no município de Viçosa, MG, no momento de sua visitação às sementes. As formigas capturadas foram triadas e identificadas por espécie. Além disso, durante as coletas foram feitas observações quanto ao tipo de comportamento das formigas que se associaram às sementes e ao cálculo da taxa de remoção destas, verificando-se que 16 espécies tiveram contato com estas. Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus, Atta sexdens rubropilosa, Ectatomma edentatum, Pachycondyla sp.1 e Pheidole sp. 2 foram, de fato, dispersoras, já que transportaram efetivamente as sementes. Ac. subterraneus subterraneus, Camponotus rufipes, Ectatomma permagnum, Megalomyrmex sp.1, Pachycondyla sp. 1, Pachycondyla sp. 2, Pheidole sp. 4, Pheidole sp. 5 e Pogonomyrmex sp. são, pela primeira vez, relatadas interagindo com sementes. A taxa de remoção das sementes de M. fistulifera pelas formigas foi de 85 a 97%.

Ants, when attracted by nutritious corpuscles produced by seeds of certain plant species, can act as predators or dispersing agents. During seed dispersal, a great number of ant species can interact with seeds of a particular plant species. The purpose of this study was to identify the ant species that interact with seeds of Mabea fistulifera Mart., a pioneer tree species in anthropic disturbed areas in Brazil. Another objective of this work was to determine the type of ant-seed interaction and the possible ant species dispersing this Euphorbiaceae. Insect hand collecting was performed in four sites where M. fistulifera is abundant in the region of Viçosa, MG, at the moment of seed visiting. The ants were taken to the laboratory and species identified. During collection, observations on ant behavior when interacting with seeds were recorded. Seed removal rate was also obtained. Sixteen species of ants interacted with the seeds; Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus, Atta sexdens rubropilosa, Ectatomma edentatum, Pachycondyla sp.1 and Pheidole sp.2 were in fact dispersing agents as they effectively transported the seeds. Ac. subterraneus subterraneus, Camponotus rufipes, Ectatomma permagnum, Megalomyrmex sp.1, Pachycondyla sp.1, Pachycondyla sp.2, Pheidole sp.4, Pheidole sp. 5 and Pogonomyrmex sp. are reported for the first time as interacting with seeds. Seed removal rate ranged from 85 to 97%.