Diversity of Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera) in riparian forests of southern Brazil: taller forests, more bugs

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Diversity of Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera) in riparian forests of southern Brazil: taller forests, more bugs. Riparian forests are important features of any ecosystem, especially on grassland and savannah vegetation types. However, riparian forests in southernmost Brazil have received much less attention than elsewhere. This is the first quantitative study of pentatomoid (Hemiptera) diversity in the Pampa biome, surveying riparian forests of brooks and rivers in the environs of the municipality of Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil. The aim was two-fold: taxonomic characterization of the fauna and a primary ecological study of bug diversity. Sweeping net and beating tray were used to sample trees and shrubs on the border of sampling sites; sampling was carried out during three consecutive days, from March 28 th to 30 th 2006. Overall 154 individuals of 32 species of Pentatomoidea were captured, almost all species are new records for the local fauna. Taller forest canopy sites had higher abundance overall and higher species richness than shorter forest canopy sites. Of the 32 species, 11 were singletons and four were doubletons. There were no differences for pentatomoid species composition between the two environments differing in vegetation structure. Association to the Pampa biome of the most abundant species found are discussed. Although based on a rapid assessment protocol of faunal inventories, our results add important bioecological information to the pentatomoid fauna of the Pampa biome, especially associated to riparian forests.

Pentatomidade (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of the Pampa biome: Serra do Sudeste and Parque de Espinilho da Barra do Quaraí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

“…The specimens were deposited in the collection of the Laboratório de Entomologia Sistemática, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (LES-UFRGS). The specimens which were not identified to species level, due to the present taxonomic knowledge of the taxon, were identified to genus level (Alveostethus Ruckes and Edessa Fabricius), and numbered according to the code adopted in the collection of LES-UFRGS for future comparisons and identification (see also Mendonça et al 2009). …”

“…On the other hand, the predator habit evolved secondarily at least once within Pentatomidae, in the Asopinae subfamily (Schuh & Slater 1995). Beside the great diversity and the relation of this family with agroecosystems, recent surveys of pentatomids in natural environments highlighted the potential of the group as indicators of human impact on the environment (Schmidt & Barcellos 2007, Mendonça et al 2009, Campos et al 2009). Buckup (1961) was the first to organize and list pentatomid species for Rio Grande do Sul State.…”

“…Lopes et al 1974, Gastal 1981, Link & Grazia 1983, 1987, Schmidt & Barcellos 2007. For the Pampa biome the papers of Bonatto (1984), Lago & Kaercher (1984), Barcellos (2006) and Mendonça et al (2009) are fundamental references.…”

Morphology of immatures of Euschistus (Mitripus) grandis (Insecta: Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

“…Characters of immatures, both eggs and nymphs, can be useful to identifying families, genera and species (SCHWERTNER et al 2002). In ecological studies the use of immatures to evaluate the local diversity allows a better description and understanding of the ecological dynamics (MENDONÇA et al 2009), although nymphs are commonly excluded from such studies because of the difficulty or even impossibility of identification. Also, early identification of crop pests in agroecosystems enables a faster adoption of control strategies (BRAILOVSKY et al 1992).…”

Mating behavior of the predator Podisus nigrispinus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) under exposure to neem: Comportamiento de apareamiento del depredador Podisus nigrispinus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) expuesto al neem

“…he suborder Heteroptera is renowned by its faunal diversity (Mendonça et al, 2009) with predators of agricultural and forest pest (Neves et al, 2009). Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), a neotropical species, has been found preying different pests in several crops, showing high potential for biological control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelekiidae), Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Spodoptera spp.…”