Insect galls of São Tomé das Letras (MG, Brazil)

Abstract

Six localities of São Tomé das Letras (MG, Brazil) were investigated from September, 2011 to June, 2012. The local vegetation was examined in search of insect galls. A total of 152 morphotypes of insect galls were found on 94 plant species (74 genera and 37 families). Fabaceae, Melastomataceae, Myrtaceae, and Asteraceae were the plant families with the greatest richness of galls, with 20, 18, 17, and 12 gall morphotypes, respectively. The super host genera were Copaifera L. (Fabaceae), Myrcia DC. ex. Guill. (Myrtaceae), and Miconia Ruiz & Pav. (Melastomataceae), with 10, 10 and 09 gall morphotypes, respectively. The super host species was Copaifera cf.langsdorfii Desf. (Fabaceae), with 10 gall morphotypes. Galls were found on leaves, stems, buds, and aerial roots. Leaves were the most galled plant organ, followed by stems, and buds. The inducers belong to Diptera, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Thysanoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera, being Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) the most frequent and diversified gallers. The associated fauna included parasitoids (Hymenoptera), inquilines (Lepidoptera and Thysanoptera), successors (Formicidae, Hymenoptera), and predators (pseudoscorpion), obtained from 18, 02, 02, and 01 gall morphotype, respectively. Ten galling species are recorded for the first time in São Tomé das Letras (MG). The present study indicates São Tomé das Letras (MG) as an area of great richness of insect galls.

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;<...>…”

Where host plant goes, galls go too: new records of the Neotropical galling Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) associated with Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess. (Calophyllaceae)

“…The exsiccates for these eight sites where C. brasiliense occurs are not available in digital format, which end up in some difficulties in documenting the geographic distribution of the galling Diptera associated with C. brasiliense over the whole of the Neotropics. fusiform gall induced by L. linearis Maia, 2003(Madeira et al 2002; and a rolling gall induced by an undescribed species of Cecidomyiidae (Maia 2013;Proença and Maia 2015).…”

“…The secondary sources were a review of literature data in which C. brasiliense and its cecidomyiid-induced galls are reported (Madeira et al 2003;Maia et al 2008;Luz et al 2012;Maia 2013;Julião et al 2014aJulião et al , 2014bProença and Maia 2015), and direct observation of herbaria…”

“…The knowledge on distribution of the cecidomyiids associated with C. brasiliense up to 2015 was restricted to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Goiás states, in Brazil, with six gall morphotypes recorded (Maia 2013;Proença and Maia 2015). A seventh morphotype (clavate leaf gall), also induced by a Cecidomyiidae, was reported for Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso do Sul states (Luz et al 2012;Julião et al 2014a).…”