The Parque Nacional do Itatiaia (PNI) (Brazilian Southeast Region) was surveyed monthly for insect galls from February/2014 to December/ 2015. A total of 432 gall morphotypes were found. This number places the PNI as the richest Atlantic forest area in number of gall morphotypes. The galls were found on 47 plant families. Among them, Asteraceae were pointed out as the superhost. The gall richness in the lower part of the PNI is higher than that of the plateau. The insect galls were found in 154 native, 56 endemic and only one exotic plant species. Concerning the conservational status, the host plants include two vulnerable species with three morphotypes together. Several new botanical records were reported. Leaves were the most galled plant organ, followed by stems. Globoid, green, glabrous and one-chambered galls were the most frequent. Cecidomyiidae were the most common gallers. Parasitoids, successors and inquilines composed the associated fauna.

ABSTRACT. Description of the larva of Idiataphe longipes (Odonata, Libellulidae, Trameini). The larva of Idiataphe longipes (Hagen, 1861) is described from five exuviae with associated teneral adults collected in Concórdia Pond, Valença, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. KEYWORDS.Idiataphe, larva, Odonata, Libellulidae. (Hagen, 1861). MATERIAL E MÉTODOSA larva de I. longipes é descrita com base em exúvias de último instar de quatro machos e uma fêmea, obtidas a partir de larvas coletadas entre 1998 e 2000, no Açude da Concórdia, Valença, Rio de Janeiro. O Parque Municipal do Açude da Concórdia é uma área de proteção ambiental permanente, apresenta remanescente de Mata Atlântica nativa e está situado a uma altitude de 945 metros (BAFFA, 1994).Nas coletas foram utilizadas peneiras do tipo "handnet" com malha de 0,5 mm. As larvas foram criadas e os adultos emergiram em laboratório, utilizando-se caixas de isopor com tampas teladas, alimentadas com larvas de Diptera (quironomídeos).O lábio e as mandíbulas foram descritos segundo CORBET (1953) e WATSON (1956), respectivamente.Os adultos foram identificados e juntamente com as exúvias, incorporados à coleção de Insetos Aquáticos, Departamento de Entomologia do Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ).Idiataphe longipes (Hagen, 1861) Larva castanho-clara, pequena com pernas longas, delgadas e com longos espinhos abdominais (Fig. 1).Cabeça mais larga que o tórax. Margem occipital e pós-ocular com uma fileira de pequenos espinhos; antenas com 7 antenômeros (Fig. 2), 1, 2 e 7 menores que os outros, que possuem aproximadamente o mesmo tamanho (0,59; 0,59; 0,85; 0,85; 0,85; 0,7; 0,59); olhos arredondados, projetados lateralmente; lábio dobrado, alcança a base das pernas medianas; palpo labial (Fig. 3) com 5 setas, margem distal com 9 crenulações armadas com dois espinhos, um longo e um curto em cada crenulação; parte basal com 10 espinhos e margem externa lisa; premento (Fig. 4) com 8 setas, margem distal lisa, com uma elevação pronunciada na região mediana; dois espinhos na junção do premento com o palpo labial; mandíbulas com dentes incisivos obtusos (Figs. 5-6), fórmula mandibular L 1234 0 ab/ R 1234 y abd.Tórax. Protórax arqueado, com uma fileira de espinhos; processo supracoxal muito pequeno, com tufo de pêlos; pernas longas e pálidas, providas de espinhos, a posterior maior que o comprimento do corpo; fêmur claro com espinhos diminutos; tarso com três artículos (Fig. 7); garras tarsais longas e divergentes; teca alar atingindo a metade do sexto segmento abdominal.Abdome. Cilíndrico, espinhos laterais nos segmentos 8-9; espinhos dorsais nos segmentos 3-9 ( Fig. 8): nos segmentos 3-4 pequenos, eretos e truncados, nos 5-6 robustos, pontudos, direcionados para trás, 7-9 grandes, achatados lateralmente, dirigidos para trás; apêndices ( Fig. 9): epiprocto e paraprocto longos, retos e cobertos de longos pêlos; epiprocto largo na base e fortemente afilado na extremidade, ligeiramente maior que o paraprocto; cercos muito pequenos, menor que um terço do epiprocto.M...

Serra Negra do Funil Natural Heritage Private Reserve (NHPR), located in MG, was surveyed for insect galls monthly from October, 2015 to May, 2020. The local vegetation was examined. Dried branches of the host plants were prepared and identified by a botanical taxonomist. Galls were photographed, removed from the plants and taken to the laboratory. By rearing and gall dissection, inducing-insects and other dwellers were obtained. A total of 63 gall morphotypes were found on 48 plant species of 22 families. Fabaceae and Asteraceae harbored the greatest gall richness. Twelve host plants are endemic to Brazil, one in vulnerable and one near threatened. Most galls were induced on leaves, brown and green were the most frequent gall colors, and globoid was the most common gall shape. The majority were glabrous, one-chambered and induced by Cecidomyiidae. These results reinforce Brazilian patterns of gall morphology. The highest richness of galls on Fabaceae and Asteraceae, and on trees and shrubs adds evidence in favor of the plant richness and architectural complexity hypotheses. New plant-gall inducer associations were provided. The role of gall-inducers as ecosystem engineer was reinforced. The high number of endemism shows the importance of this NHPR for the biodiversity conservation.

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Two new species of Asphondylia inducing galls on Asteraceae are described, A. gaucha from the state of Rio Grande do Sul and A. mineira from the state of Minas Gerais. Their host plants are Vernonanthura discolor (Sprengel) H. Rob., and V. polyanthes (Sprengel) Vega & Dematteis, respectively, both native to Brazil. Illustrations of relevant morphological characters are provided. The new species are compared with congeneric Neotropical species. The types are deposited in the Entomological Collection of the Museu Nacional/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.