Unknown diversity: survey of Neuroptera (Insecta) in Paraná, southern Brazil, reveals 14 species newly recorded from the state and country

Abstract

The PROFAUPAR project (1986–1987) studied insect diversity in the Atlantic rainforest through collections made at eight different sites in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Here, we review and identify the collected neuropterans, carry out a bibliographic review, and compose a list of the Neuroptera species that occur in the state. This study includes 14 new records in Paraná, including the first records of Ascalaphinae (Myrmeleontidae) and a new record of Dilaridae for Brazil. It increases by 29.2% the number of species of Neuroptera known from Paraná. Forty-seven Neuroptera species are now known to occur in the state.

The extant fauna of Neuroptera (Insecta) from Brazil: diversity, distribution and history

“…However, Brazilian states and biomes that currently display relatively high diversity and endemicity should not be excluded from research efforts, given local fauna is unlikely to be fully catalogued even in these areas. This principle was recently demonstrated by Schuster and Machado (2021), who presented a 46% increase in the neuropterofauna known from the state of Paraná, which is almost entirely located in the Mata Atlântica biome, the most diverse biome for lacewings in Brazil (Fig. 6).…”

“…Underrepresentation of state biodiversity is undoubtedly a major issue for Brazilian Neuroptera. As indicated by a recent survey in Paraná state which registered an increase of 46% in local neuropterofauna, including the first official records for diverse and commonly collected groups like the owlflies (Myrmeleontidae: Ascalaphinae) (Schuster and Machado, 2021). Amazonas and São Paulo are also the states with the highest number of endemic species, 25 and 18 respectively.…”

“…The Brazilian species can be identified using the morphological key provided by Machado and Rafael (2010a). All species recorded from Brazil are endemic, except Nallachius reductus Carpenter which was previously known from Paraguay and only recently recorded from Brazil (Schuster and Machado, 2021).…”

Diversity and temporal variation of brown lacewings (Neuroptera, Hemerobiidae) from Atlantic rainforest areas in southeastern Brazil

“…In Brazil, Nusalala and Hemerobius were reported in several studies carried out in agricultural Freitas, 2002, 2003;Lara et al, 2008Lara et al, , 2010Lara et al, , 2020Melo et al, 2020) and wild environments (Oliveira et al, 2013;Lara and Perioto, 2021;Schuster and Machado, 2021), and in most of them, Nusalala was the most abundant genus. However, in all these studies, Megalomus, Notiobiella and Sympherobius are genera, so far, poorly represented in population surveys conducted by the authors in agroecosystems and wild environments.…”

“…This is the second long-term study on the Hemerobiidae fauna in Atlantic rainforest areas in Brazil. Consequently, the results of this study can only be compared with Schuster and Machado (2021), and by similar studies conducted in other Brazilian biomes, such as the Brazilian savanna and some of its phytophysiognomies. Schuster and Machado (2021) studied the Neuroptera in Atlantic rainforest areas in the state of Paraná, Brazil and found that Hemerobiidae was the third most abundant family, represented by three genera and seven species, with higher frequencies in summer; among them, Hemerobius was the most frequent genus.…”