Insect galls of the xeric vegetation of Ilha do Cabo Frio (Arraial do Cabo, RJ, Brazil)

Abstract

The xeric vegetation of Ilha do Cabo Frio (Arraial do Cabo, RJ) was investigated for insect galls, in May, June and August of 2012, totalizing 24 hours of field work. Forty-five morphotypes of insect galls were found on 29 species of host plant (25 genera and 18 families). Asteraceae and Myrtaceae were the most galled plant families. Leaves were the most galled plant organ, with ca. 62% of the total, followed by stems (ca. 22%). Globoid and fusiform galls were the most frequent with about 29% and 24%, respectively. The majority was glabrous (ca. 91%), and one-chambered (ca. 84%). Gallers of 30 morphotypes were determined. They belong to Diptera (Cecidomyiidae), and Lepidoptera. The former was the most frequent. Larvae of Muscomorpha (Diptera) (probably inquilines) were found in a single gall morphotype; parasitoids (Hymenoptera) in seven (ca. 15% of the total), and predators (pseudoscorpion) in a single one. As there is no previous data of insect galls of Ilha do Cabo Frio, all records presented here are new. The geographic distribution of nine species of gall midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) is widened. For the first time, eleven plant species are recorded as host of galling insects, and 24 gall morphotypes are described. Resumo: A vegetação xérica da Ilha do Cabo Frio (Arraial do Cabo, RJ) foi investigada à procura de galhas de insetos em maio, junho e agosto de 2012, totalizando 24 horas de trabalho de campo. Quarenta e cinco morfotipos de galhas foram encontrados em 29 espécies de plantas hospedeiras (25 gêneros e 18 famílias). Asteraceae e Myrtaceae foram as famílias de planta com maior riqueza de galhas. Os órgãos vegetais mais galhados foram folha (cerca de 62% do total) e caule (cerca de 22%). Galhas globóides e fusiformes foram mais frequentes com cerca de 29% e 24%, respectivamente. A maioria era glabra (cerca de 91%) e unilocular (cerca de 84%). Os galhadores de 30 morfotipos foram determinados. Eles pertencem a Diptera (Cecidomyiidae) e Lepidoptera. Os primeiros foram mais frequentes. Larvas de Muscomorpha (Diptera) (provavelmente inquilinas) foram encontradas em um único morfotipo, parasitóides (Hymenoptera) em sete (cerca de 15% do total) e predadores (pseudoscorpiões) em um. Como não havia informação prévia de galhas de insetos na Ilha do Cabo Frio, todos os registros apresentados aqui são novos. A distribuição geográfica de nove espécies de Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) é ampliada. Pela primeira vez, onze espécies de plantas são assinaladas como hospedeiras de galhas e 24 morfotipos de galhas são descritos. Palavras-chave: insetos galhadores, interação inseto-planta, plantas hospedeiras, ilha. (Table 2). Otherwise, galls on fruits and aerial roots were not found. All morphotypes occurred in a single plant organ, excepting by the fusiform galls on Tournefortia membranacea DC. (Boraginaceae), which were induced on stems and leaf petioles. The gall morphotypes were classified according to their shape in globoid (Figures 10, 14, 15, 18, 21, 25, 27, 31, 37, 39, 40, 43, and 45), fusiform (Figures 1...

Questioning the environmental stress hypothesis for gall diversity of restinga vegetation on dunes

“…The predominance of the globoid and fusiform galls is similar to the inventories in other Brazilian ecosystems, such as the restingas (Maia & Oliveira, 2010;Maia & Souza, 2013;Rodrigues, Maia, & Couri, 2014), the Cerrado strictu sensu, and the rupestrian fields (Maia & Fernandes, 2004;Carneiro et al, 2009;Malves & Frieiro-Costa, 2012), the Amazon forest (Maia, 2011), the rain forest (Santos, Almeida-Cortez, & Fernandes, 2011a;Santos, Almeida-Cortez, & Fernandes, 2012), and the caatinga (Santos, Almeida-Cortez, & Fernandes, 2011b), which demonstrates an adaptive convergence induced by the galling herbivores over the morphogenetic potential of distinct host plants. This first inventory on the vegetation of dunes indicates the neutral influence of this environment either on host species or generated morphotypes basis.…”

Insect galls from Serra Geral, Caetité, BA, Brazil

“…The predominance of these morphotypes has been also pointed in other inventories (e.g., Costa et al 2014b, Maia 2013, Coelho et al 2013, Urso-Guimarã es et al 2003. This diversity of forms is related to the high specificity of gall-inducing insects and their host plants (Carneiro et al 2009b), but also with the high phenotypic plasticity to which the tissues of these plants have to be subjected, resulting in injuries during gall formation.…”

“…-Myrtaceae (Maia 2001), stem galls of Combretum leprosum Mart & EicherCombretaceae (Maia 2002), Handroanthus sp. -Bignoniaceae (Maia 2013b), Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess -Calophyllaceae (Maia & Souza 2013) and Myrcia tomentosa (Aubl.) DC.…”

Representativity of the genus Asphondylia Loew, 1850 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) in Brazil

“…Among them, 20 are known and 38 are still undetermined. The last ones comprise 15 species found in the MNRJ and 23 retrieved from the literature (Maia, 2013a;Maia & Fernandes, 2004;Maia & Souza, 2013 Santos, 2006.) The described species represent 8% of the known species of Asphondylia in the world and 21% of Neotropical species.…”

“…Literature data were compiled from six papers retrieved from the Web of Science (Carneiro et al, 2009a;Maia, 2013a;Maia et al, 2008b;Maia & Fernandes, 2005;Gagné et al, 2001), 51 Brazilian gall inventories (Almada & Fernandes, 2011;Araújo et al, 2011;Araújo et al, 2014;Bregonci et al, 2010;Carneiro et al, 2009b;Coelho et al, 2009;Coelho et al, 2013a;Coelho et al, 2013b;Costa et al, 2014;Dreger-Jauffret & Shorthouse, 1992;Fernandes & Negreiros, 2006;Fernandes et al, 1988;Fernandes et al, 1997;Fernandes et al, 2001;Gagné et al, 2001;Gagné, 1994;Gagné, 2004;Gonçalves-Alvim & Fernandes, 2001;Julião et al, 2002;Maia & Carvalho, 2016;Maia & Fernandes, 2004;Maia & Fernandes, 2005;Maia & Oliveira, 2010;Maia & Souza, 2013;Maia et al, 1992;Maia et al, 2008a;Maia et al, 2014;Maia, 2001;Maia, 2004;Maia, 2011;Maia, 2013b;Maia, 2014;Mendonça et al, 2014;Oliveira & Maia, 2005;<...>…”