We provide the first inventory of butterfly species (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in Serra de São José, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Serra de São José has elevations ranging from 800 m to 1,400 m above sea level; the butterflies were sampled using traps and entomological nets in seven plots along the altitudinal gradient. We recorded 647 butterflies belonging to 112 species and six families. We also recorded one threatened species and three endemic species for the Cerrado domain, which suggests that Serra de São José is an important refuge for butterfly conservation.

We present a novel analysis of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) for butterfly wings at the community-level, along an altitudinal gradient. FA is an important biomonitoring tool that detects deviations of perfect symmetry in bilateral characters, assuming that genetic and/or environmental factors can be a source of stress. This study evaluated the effects of increased altitude on the symmetry of butterfly wings, testing the hypothesis that FA should increase with increased elevation in a tropical mountain. Butterflies were sampled along an altitudinal gradient of 800 to 1.400 m and forewings were detached, scanned and evaluated for symmetry. Length, width and area of the right and left forewings were measured as surrogates for FA and then combined into an index taking into account the variability of wing sizes of the whole butterfly community. We observed true patterns of FA in the length, width and area of the wings, and wing FA area increased with increased altitude. This study pioneered the analysis of FA for a community of butterflies and FA was efficient to detect developmental instability indicated by imperfections in butterfly wings.

No abstract

Environmental filters select species that tolerate and respond to habitat conditions similarly. By combining taxonomy, functional traits and phylogeny, we aimed to understand the spatial distribution of a tropical butterfly community, evaluating whether elevation acts as an environmental filter strong enough to select flight‐related traits. Frugivorous and nectarivorous butterflies were sampled with nets at seven altitudinal bands (800–1400 m) in four sampling periods. We tested seven flight‐related traits (wing length, width, and area; thorax volume; wing:thorax ratio [WTR]length, WTRwidth and WTRarea) and incorporated the effects of phylogeny in the relationships among these traits and with elevation. Butterfly diversity decreased with increased elevation, and four traits exhibited larger values at higher elevations: wing length, width, area and WTRarea. This suggests that butterflies tended to have smaller wings and robust bodies at lower elevations, and larger wings with slender bodies at higher elevations, possibly related to flight speed or wind conditions. Although the phylogenetic relatedness did not exert significant weight in the traits and elevation, we found indication of phylogenetic conservatism of wing area and WTR. Butterflies in mountains experience a strong selection by several environmental filters related to flight performance, and our study demonstrated a robust relationship between elevation, flight‐related traits and species distribution. These relationships occurred regardless of phylogenetic relatedness, but most traits are conserved and exhibit resemblance in the phylogenetic lineages of these species. These findings suggest an influence of a widespread filter promoted by the elevational gradient with convergent trait evolution.

Despite the important role of the order Odonata in ecosystems, there is a lack of information about dragonfly communities in several regions, high elevation sites, and environmentally protected areas in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Our objective was to assess the abundance and richness of dragonfly and damselfly communities along an elevational gradient in the Atlantic Forest,southeastern Brazil. This study was conducted in the Fernão Dias Environmental Protection Area,Mantiqueira Mountain region, Gonçalves, Minas Gerais State, in sites covered by Seasonal Semideciduous and mixed forests. This is the first study of Odonata communities in the region. Samplings were carried out on 17 days from October 2019 to March 2020 at three elevation ranges (low,mid, and high). A total of 293 specimens, distributed in 39 species and 9 families, were sampled. Elevation did not influence the richness or abundance of dragonflies but altered community composition. Some species were found to be exclusive to high-elevation sites, such as Heteragrion mantiqueirae Machado, 2006, which was recorded for the first time in Minas Gerais and we provide a description and diagnosis of the single female collected in tandem. A novel species of the genus Brechmorhoga was found to occur at mid and high elevations. The composition of dragonfly communities depends on the degree of preservation and extension of forest areas. Therefore, conservation of forests in Gonçalves is crucial for preserving Odonata diversity in Minas Gerais State.

1. Gall-inducers can be considered ecosystem engineers when they modify leaf morphology and create shelters for secondary users, altering properties of ecological communities. 2. In this study, we evaluated whether shelter structures created by leaf-galling contribute to changes in the diversity and composition of the community at plant and leaf scales, the effects of leaf roll occupation on the choice of secondary colonisers and the influence of leaf shelters on herbivory levels on host plants. 3. The arthropod abundance, richness, and biomass were higher in leaf shelters compared to intact leaves. These effects were observed at similar magnitudes at both plant and leaf scales. The composition of arthropods differed between plants with leaf-rolled galls and plants with galls removed and between unoccupied leaf rolls and intact leaves. Artificial leaf rolls increased arthropod abundance, richness, and biomass by almost 100.0% compared to intact leaves. However, occupied artificial leaf rolls had a decrease in abundance, richness, and biomass of arthropods by almost 60.0% compared to unoccupied leaf rolls. Finally, plants with galls removed exhibited higher levels of leaf herbivory than plants with leaf-rolled galls. 4. Our findings demonstrated the strong and positive indirect effects of gall induction facilitating shelter creation and the indirect effects of shelters on the diversity, species composition, and on leaf herbivory, and should be replicated in other systems involving plants and their respective gallers.

The flora of the Rupestrian Savannah (Cerrado Rupestre) is composed of widely distributed species and endemic species from high altitude rocky outcrops. The aim of this study was to characterise the floristic composition, structure and diversity of fragments of Rupestrian Savannah in south-eastern Brazil and to examine the similarity with other rupestrian cerrado vegetations and with cerrado sensu stricto on profound soils. For this, phytosociological parameters, evenness and diversity were calculated and compared with other studies. The survey exhibited 72 species, 45 genera, 30 families and high floristic similarity with cerrado on profound soils. There were no indicator species of the Rupestrian Savannah, but there were typical species of rocky environments. The basal area was significantly larger in the profound soil cerrado in relationship to the Rupestrian Savannah and evenness was lower in the Rupestrian Savannah of this study compared to others. These variables reflect the lower exploration capacity of the root of rocky environments. The highest similarity between the Rupestrian Savannah and cerrado on profound soils refers to the canga ferruginous nature, which represents the limit of the tableland of cerrado on the edge of the plateaus, allowing greater sharing of flora.

The diversity and composition of Lepidoptera communities vary along an elevational gradient, with richness and abundance generally decreasing as elevation increases. In Brazil, however, there is a lack of data on the topic and many elevation zones remain unexplored. This study aimed to examine the effect of elevation variation on the richness, frequency, abundance, and composition of Lepidoptera in an Atlantic Forest region in southern Minas Gerais State, Brazil, and we also present the first species list of Lepidoptera of the Fernão Dias Environmental Protection Area. The study was conducted between October 2019 and March 2020, and sampling was performed with the same sampling effort at three elevation levels by active (nets) and passive (bait trap) methods. A total of 622 Lepidoptera individuals, belonging to 154 species, were sampled. The family Nymphalidae exhibited thehighest richness and abundance. The highest elevation zone showed the greatest number of exclusive species. Richness and abundance were highest at middle elevation, but differences between elevation zones were not statistically significant. Richness estimators indicated a mean sampling efficiency of 64.97%. In contrast to the expected pattern, species richness was highest in middle and high elevation zones, which might reflect the greater degree of conservation of these areas. The findings reported here contribute to a better understanding of the diversity of Lepidoptera in higher elevation zones of Atlantic Forest regions in Brazil.