Host utilization of the Brazil nut family (Lecythidaceae) by sympatric wood-boring species of Palame (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, Acanthocinini)

Abstract

Estimates of the total number of arthropod species in existence are based, in part, upon assumptions about both the host specificity of tropical insects and their restriction to the forest canopy. It has been difficult to evaluate these estimates because of the paucity of available data. A newly discovered association between wood-boring beetles (Cerambycidae) and their host plants in the Brazil nut family (Lecythidaceae) inspired a year-long rearing project in the Neotropical rain forest of French Guiana. Branches severed from five species of Lecythidaceae yielded 1813 cerambycids belonging to 37 species. Three cerambycid species-Palame anceps (Bates), II crassimana Bates, and P mimetica Monne-accounted for almost half of the individuals reared. Each demonstrated a different pattern of host fidelity.Palame crassimana emerged from four of the five potential hosts, II anceps emerged exclusively from a single host, and P mimetica made a seasonal change in host affiliation. Although Palame spp. emerged from both ground level and canopy branches, they made a seasonal shift in stratum: they reproduced at both levels during the dry season, but exclusively at canopy level during the rainy season. Even specialized tropical insects may show greater flexibility in host utilization than some current hypotheses suggest. 0 1999 The Linnean Society of London ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS:-host specificity -canopy arthropods -forest stratuminsect seasonality -insect-plant interactions -Couratari stellata -Eschweilera coriacea -Gustavia hexapetala -LqthW. poiteaui.

Patterns of Tree Species Usage by Long-Horned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Fiji

“…We know of no previous work examining host use by Fijian Cerambycidae. Rearing success was low in comparison with similar studies performed in temperate woodland in Europe (Vodka et al 2009) and in the Neotropics (Berkov and Tavakilian 1999), and the emergence of adult cerambycids was inconsistent across tree species, individual baits, and sampling periods.…”

Anchored hybrid enrichment provides new insights into the phylogeny and evolution of longhorned beetles (Cerambycidae)

“…occur worldwide but attain maximum species richness in the tropics, where Lamiinae, Cerambycinae, and Prioninae typically dominate, although Dorcasominae is the second largest subfamily in Madagascar (Berkov & Tavakilian, 1999;Svacha & Lawrence, 2014). Cerambycidae s.l.…”

Predicting tropical insect herbivore abundance from host plant traits and phylogeny

“…Evidence that evolved defenses play a role in mediating plant-herbivore interactions (Agrawal 2005) has supported the view that a phylogenetic context is needed to test predictions about trophic relationships (Lamarre et al 2012). The distribution of herbivore dietary preferences with respect to plant community phylogeny has further suggested that many tropical insect species are clade specialists (Tavakilian et al 1997, Berkov and Tavakilian 1999, Novotny et al 2002, 2004, 2010, Novotny and Basset 2005, Odegaard et al 2005, Weiblen et al 2006, Dyer et al 2007, Hulcr et al 2007). However, it is unclear what effect the phylogenetic distribution of plant traits might have on overall patterns of herbivore abundance at the community level.…”