Predispersal infestation of Vochysia haenkeana seeds by Lius conicus

Abstract

The deficient development of fertile seeds of native forest plant species in Brazil limits the reproduction of these plants in various conditions. Among the limiting biotic factors in quality and quantity of the forest seeds, borer insects are quite prominent, before and after their dispersion. This study reports for the first time a host of the buprestid beetle Lius conicus (Gory & Laporte, 1840). The larval development of L. conicus takes place in the seed capsules of Vochysia haenkeana Mart. (Vochysiaceae), a typical tree species in the Brazilian cerrado biome. In two regions of the cerrado in Goiás State, Brazil, almost ripe fruits of V. haenkeana were collected directly from the plants. After natural drying, and fruit and seed processing in laboratory, damage caused by the L. conicus larvae was quantified and qualified. Bigger fruits were preferred as hosts. Fruits developing on the eastern side of the plant were most frequently occupied by L. conicus. Seed lots of bigger fruits showed damage up to 37.5% from the infestation by L. conicus larvae. There was only one larva per fruit, which damaged all the seeds of the capsule (three or four) and generally consumed around 26% of the seed dry mass.

Morphology of the adult and immatures of a striking new species of leaf-mining Brachys Dejean from Brazil (Buprestidae, Agrilinae)

“…The tribe Tracheini comprises four subtribes with 12 genera and represents one of the most specialized groups within Buprestidae. Within Tracheini, the subtribe Brachyina Cobos, 1979 currently includes three genera (c.f., Migliore et al, 2020): Brachys Dejean, 1833, a considerably speciose genus (140 species; Nearctic and Neotropical regions) with species adapted to live in dicotyledon plants (Waddell & Mousseau, 1996), Taphrocerus Solier, 1833 (173 species; Afrotropical, Nearctic, Neotropical and Patagonian regions) adapted to live in monocotyledons (Story et al, 1979;MacRae, 2004), and Lius Deyrolle, 1864 (126 species; Neotropical region), probably adapted to live in dicotyledons (Lourenço et al, 2017).…”

Análise cladística da tribo Tracheini Gory & Laporte, 1835 (Coleoptera, Buprestidae, Agrilinae)

“…Essas mudanças podem ser observadas por transparência. Pré-pupas de alguns buprestídeos minadores constroem um verdadeiro casulo sedoso perceptível externamente devido a uma leve intumescência no final da mina (Kogan, 1964;Migliore et al, 2020b) Apesar do hábito larval ter sido muito utilizado para separação dos grupos dentro de Tracheini, ao longo dos anos estudos demonstraram que diversos gêneros apresentam diferentes tipos de alimentação de acordo com as espécies (dentro do mesmo gênero), muitas vezes minando caules, nervuras principais de folhas e até mesmo cápsulas de dispersão de sementes (Lourenço et al, 2017), todavia, nunca estendendo-se além das partes verdes das plantas. Os adultos geralmente são encontrados sobre a folhagem da planta hospedeira, onde costumam alimentar-se e acasalar.…”