Amides have been recognized as potent insecticidal natural products but, despite their variety of targets and mechanisms of action, their metabolic fate in insects is virtually unknown. The currently accepted hypothesis is that specialist herbivores are capable of biotransforming xenobiotics rendering them more polar and excretable while generalist insects do not have comparable capacity. The leaves from Piper tuberculatum, rich in insecticide amides, were offered to two insect species found on Piper leaves under natural conditions and also to four generalist grasshoppers in order to compare their capacity of biotransforming xenobiotics. The amides 1-7 were identified in the P. tuberculatum leaves and their corresponding carboxylic acids 8-13 were detected in frass samples of two host insects suggesting that these species promote the amides hydrolysis. The four generalist grasshoppers when offered P. tuberculatum leaves, starved to death after 72 h, indicating a strong antifeedant activity of P. tuberculatum leaves.

A new species of Homalocerus Schoenherr from the Atlantic coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil (Coleoptera, Belidae, Belinae), with notes on color pattern and on the sclerites of the internal sac. Homalocerus bimaculatus sp. nov. (type locality: Brazil, São Paulo) is described and illustrated, and comments on the sclerites of the internal sac of aedeagus and on color pattern are provided. The new species is compared to other similar species of the genus, being distinguished by having three clusters of carmine pubescence on pronotum and two lateral whitish oval spots located slightly before the middle of each elytron. Six species of Homalocerus, including the new one, are known from the State of São Paulo. The previously published identification key for species of Homalocerus is updated to include H. bimaculatus.

Description of the immature stages of the weevil Anthonomus vis Clark (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), inquiline into the gall of Leandra aurea (Melastomataceae). The third instar larva and the pupa of Anthonomus vis Clark, 1992 are described and illustrated, based upon specimens collected in the Serra de São José, Tiradentes, in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The species was previously known from the type series collected in the states of Amapá and Pará. Comparisons with the larva and pupa of A. grandis Boheman, 1843 and A. monostigma Champion, 1903 are included. The larvae of A. vis live as inquilines in the galls induced by a species of momphid moths (Lepidoptera, Momphidae) in the stems of Leandra aurea (Cham.) Cogn. (Melastomataceae).

Pimelerodius punctiventris sp. nov. (localidade-tipo, Brasil, Amazonas, Itacoatiara) é descrita e ilustrada. O táxon novo é comparado com espécies semelhantes, diferindo das outras 12 espécies conhecidas do gênero pela presença de pontuações no ventrito I. A chave disponível para a identificação das espécies de Pimelerodius é adaptada para incluir a nova espécie. A descrição do edeago do gênero Pimelerodius precisou ser alterada, conseqüência das diferenças observadas no edeago da nova espécie. A ocorrência de P. motacilla (Boheman, 1843) na Região Amazônica, registrada em simpatria com P. punctiventris em Itacoatiara, AM, é discutida e confirmada, com base em 41 exemplares examinados.

Pimelerodius punctiventris sp. nov. (type locality Brazil, Amazonas, Itacoatiara) is described and illustrated. The new taxon is compared with similar species, being distinguished from the other 12 known species of the genus by the presence of punctures in ventrite I. The available published key for identification of species of Pimelerodius is adapted to include the new species. A modification of the generic description of the aedeagus of Pimelerodius is provided, a necessity due to the differences observed in the aedeagus of the new species. The occurrence of P. motacilla (Boheman, 1843) in the Amazon Region, recorded in sympatry with P. punctiventris in Itacoatiara, AM, is discussed and confirmed, based on the study of 41 available specimens.

As espécies de Piperaceae têm sido posicionadas entre as angiospermas basais e são frequentemente encontradas em habitats diversificados que incluem matas ciliares, vegetação secundária e campos rupestres. As espécies de Piper possuem hábitos de plantas herbáceas, arboretos e trepadeiras enquanto que, no caso de Peperomia, é freqüente o hábito de epífitas e suculentas. As classes de metabólitos secundários que caracterizam espécies de Piperaceae são amidas, fenilpropanóides/lignóides e cromenos, além de diversos outros de origem biossintética mista de menor representatividade. Apesar de muitos desses possuírem atividades inseticidas, diversos insetos fitófagos, alguns considerados pragas de importância econômica, foram observados alimentando-se de espécies de Piperaceae. Neste trabalho são relatadas as preferências alimentares de quatorze espécies fitófagas de Coleoptera, Lepidoptera e Hemiptera sobre aproximadamente cinqüenta espécies de Piperaceae observadas em São Paulo, SP, Brasil, durante um período de quatro anos.

Piperaceae species have been placed among the basal angiosperm and are adapted to a variety of habitats including moist forests, secondary vegetation and dry high lands. The major anatomical/morphology features are of small trees, vines, and shrubs for Piper species, while the epiphytic and succulent characteristics are predominant forms among Peperomia species. Their secondary chemistry can be mostly represented by amides, phenylpropanoids/lignoids, and chromenes in addition to a phletoria of biosynthetically mixed-origin secondary compounds. Although several amides and lignans are known as insecticides, several phytophagous insects, among which some considered pests of economic importance, have been observed feeding vigorously on Piperaceae species. Herein we describe the feeding preferences of fourteen phytophagous species of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera over approximately fifty Piperaceae species observed in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, in a long-term basis.

Heilipus odoratus sp. nov., (localidade tipo: Brasil,Amazonas, Manaus) é descrita com base em adultos criados em sementes de Aniba rosaedora Ducke (Lauraceae), conhecida como "pau-rosa". A espécie é espermatófaga e o ciclo de ovo a adulto transcorre no interior da semente. O táxon novo é comparado com Heilipus draco (Fabricius, 1801), espécie semelhante. Ilustrações da larva, pupa, adulto e estruturas importantes para a identificação da espécie são fornecidas, incluindo figuras das genitálias do macho e da fêmea, apresentadas pela primeira vez para uma espécie de Heilipus.

Heilipus odoratus sp. nov. (type locality: Brazil, Amazonas, Manaus) is described based on adults reared from seeds of Aniba rosaeodora Ducke (Lauraceae), popularly called "pau-rosa". The species is spermophagous and develops from egg to adult inside the seeds. The new taxon is compared with the similar Heilipus draco (Fabricius, 1801). Illustrations of larva, pupa, adult and of important structures for species identification are given, including the male and female genitalia, figured for the first time for a species of Heilipus.

Larvae of Callirhipis goryi Castelnau, 1834 and C. scapularis Castelnau, 1834 were collected inside hard logs at the Estação Biológica de Boracéia and in Peruíbe, São Paulo, Brazil; reared adults were identified. Descriptions of the larva and pupa are provided with illustrations.

Three main concepts of "pre-pupa" are recognized here in the Holometabola: i) pre-pupa without a distinct moult but with a short quiescent period followed or not by slight modifications of the last larval instar form of body - this type corresponds to the pharate pupa; ii) pre-pupa with a distinct moult, and a quiescent resting period followed by slight form modifications (mainly in the mandibles and color pattern) with a variable period of diapause (ex. Hymenoptera-Symphyta); iii) pre-pupa with a distinct moult, a quiescent period not related to the diapause phenomenon, and distinct morphological modifications (Coleoptera-Mycteridae).

Larvae of Stilpnonotus postsignatus Fairmaire, 1889 were collected inside a hard log in Peruíbe, São Paulo, Brazil; reared adults were identified. A description of the larva, pre-pupa and pupa are provided with ilustrations.