Problem statement:The arthropods have a very important role in the arid zones due to their interactions with many organism and because they constituted an important element in the structure of the plant community. Nevertheless their importance there are few knowledge about the community of arthropods associated to vegetation in arid zones in the North of Mexico. The present study had the objective of determining the abundance, richness and diversity of arthropods in three localities where there are natural populations of mescal agave in the State of Durango, Mexico. Approach: In order to know the structure community of the arthropods associated to the mescal agave, we perform a sampling schedule during March 2008 to November 2010 by direct collection, using transects in three different localities with the presence of mescal agave. The relative abundance, species richness, Shannon's diversity index, Pielou's Index of evenness, Jaccard's similitude and Simpson's dominance indexes were determined. Results: A total of 4665 individual arthropods associated to mescal agave corresponding to 39 species were found. El Mezquital had the highest abundance and relative abundance (44.1%) with 29 species. The mean species abundance was not significantly different between localities using Turkey's test. The highest density per unit of area was found in El Mezquital (La Breña had the highest species diversity (1.89), evenness (0.61) and dominance (0.78). At the taxon level, Hymenoptera had the highest number of species represented (14), followed by Coleoptera (9) and hemiptera (5), with the remaining taxons with four, two and one species each. Conclusion: The greatest similitude was observed between La Breña and El Mezquital (46%) which shared seven taxons, while the least similitude was observed between El Venado and La Breña (29%). Dominance/diversity curves are presented for each locality. The species Caulotops sp., Acutaspis agavis, Chilorus sp., Scyphophorus acupunctatus and Peltophorus polymitus were the ones with highest relative abundance. Although the diversity values are above the minimum, previously unreported arthropod species associated to mescal agave were recorded. The results can be useful to know the dynamic in the community associated to agave, in order to development best conservation and exploit management of that important plant.

In order to assess the species richness and diversity of ants in a xerophitic scrubland, a total of three areas were monitored in the Southeast of Durango within the municipalities of Nombre de Dios and Durango. Specific richness, relative abundance as well as Shannon's, Simpson's and Pielou's indices of the ant community were obtained. A total of 19 species from 15 genera within four subfamilies were collected: Myrmicinae, Formicinae, Pseudomyrmicinae and Dolichoderinae. The subfamily with the greatest species richness was Myrmicinae (seven species), while Pseudomyrmicinae had the lowest richness with only two species. Dolichoderinae showed the highest relative abundance (76.5% of the total sample). Four new records of two genera were obtained for the State: Carebara and Linepithema and two species: Atta texana and Myrmecocystus mendax. Shannon's diversity index reached H' = 1.36, Pielou's evenness index was J' = 0.46 and Simpson's index was λ = 0.38. Further targeted studies are required with different sampling techniques in order to obtain a more detailed listing of ants and increase our knowledge on this group of insects in the study region, which shows high diversity potential.

Damage caused by weevils or bruchids in mesquite plants (Prosopis laevigata), in the municipality of Durango was established by infestation index. Immature and mature pods were obtained from 22 bushes during the months of June to September 2013. The pods were placed in emergence chambers, maintained at a temperature of 35±2°C and 70±10% RH, until adults were obtained. In June, 1,761 immature pods were obtained of which 76% were damaged (perforations); in August 713 mature pods were obtained with 90% damage. Observed bruchids species feeding on the pods and seed of mesquite were Algarobius prosopis and Mimosestes amicus (Bruchinae) with relative abundance of 76 and 19% respectively and an average infestation index of 83,2% on pods. Natural enemies that were present were the parasitoids Urosigalphus sp. (Braconidae) and Horismenus missouriensis (Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae) with 2% relative abundance. From the total 105 pods damaged by insects, 1, 188 seeds had 69, 2% bruchid damage. Bruchids control is necessary in order to be able to obtain benefits from the mesquite pods and this can be done mainly through parasitoids that are associated with them. This electronic document is a "live" template. The various components of your paper [title, text, tables, figures and references] are already defined on the style sheet, as illustrated by the portions given in this document.

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