Most Neotropical species of Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) have been described from Brazil, but a list of species with occurrence in the country has never been published. Little is known about their distribution and richness in the Brazilian phytogeographic domains. Additionally, a list of host plant species has never been gathered. The present study aims to fill these knowledge gaps and provides an overview of this family in Brazil. For this, data were obtained mainly from the literature, but also from the Cecidomyiidae collection of Museu Nacional and two herbaria (RB and R). Based on the site "Flora do Brasil 2020", botanical names were updated and plant species origin and distribution were verified. A total of 265 gall midge species have been recorded in Brazil, most from the Atlantic Forest (183), followed by Cerrado (60), and Amazon Forest (29). The other phytogeographic domains shelter from five to ten species. Phytophagous gall midges occur on 128 plant species of 52 families, almost all native, being 43 endemic to Brazil (21 endemic to Atlantic Forest, five to Cerrado, and one to Amazon). Although, the taxonomical knowledge is focused on the Atlantic Forest, each domain has its own fauna composition and these informations can be useful for environmental conservational purposes. About 58% of the Brazilian fauna are known only from the type-locality. In order to fill these gaps, it is necessary and important to collect in uninvestigated areas.

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Cecidomyiidae (Diptera, Insecta): richness of species and distribution in Brazil

Galls on Bauhinia cupulata (Fabaceae) were investigated in two physiognomies of the Cerrado, riparian and dry forest, in the municipality of Barreiras (Western Bahia, Brazil) from October 2012 to July 2014. Four insect gall morphotypes were found. They were characterized based on shape, color, indumentum, plant organ of occurrence and galling taxon. A new galling species, Schizomyia barreirensis, is described, illustrated (larva, pupa, male, female and gall) and compared to other Neotropical congeneric species.

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbent/v63n4/0085-5626-rbent-63-04-0356.pdf

Insect galls on Bauhinia cupulata (Fabaceae): morphotypes characterization and description of a new species of Schizomyia (Cecidomyiidae, Diptera)

The hitherto unknown larva of Lopesia spinosa Maia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is described and the geographical distribution of the species is extended in Brazil to Delfinopolis in Minas Gerais; Altinopolis and Jundiai in Sao Paulo. Diagnostic characters of the species and illustration of the larva are presented.

Description of the larva of Lopesia spinosa Maia (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) and new occurrences of the species

Several plant-related factors can influence the diversity of gall-inducing species communities. In the present study we performed an inventory of gall-inducing arthropods and we tested if the plant species richness and the abundance of super-host plants (Copaifera oblongifolia) influenced positively in the diversity of gall-inducing arthropod species. The study was realized in an area of Neotropical savanna (cerrado sensu stricto) in the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) of Rio Pandeiros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Host-plant species and gall-inducing arthropods were sampled in 18 10 × 10 m plots distributed in the vegetation. In total we found 40 arthropod gall morphotypes, distributed on 17 botanical families and 29 plant species. Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) induced the most arthropod galls (85%), and the plant family Fabaceae had the greatest richness of gall morphotypes (16). The plant species Copaifera oblongifolia and Andira humilis (Fabaceae) were the most important host species with five and three morphotypes, respectively. Galling species richness was not affected by none of explanatory variables (plant species richness and abundance of super-host plants). On the other hand, galling species per plant species was negatively affected by plant species richness and positively affected by abundance of super-host plants. This is the first study of arthropod-induced galls conducted in EPA of Rio Pandeiros, Brazil. Our results corroborate previous studies that highlight the importance of super-host plants for galling arthropod diversity on a local scale.

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Gall-inducing arthropods in a Neotropical savanna area in the EPA of Rio Pandeiros (Bonito de Minas, MG, Brazil): effects of plant species richness and super-host abundance

RESEARCH ARTICLE Insights into Super-host Plant Species of Galling Insects in the Neotropical Region Julio M. Grandez-Rios, Carlos G. H. Pizango and Walter S. de Araújo Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonia Peruana (IIAP), Av. José A. Quiñones, Iquitos, Peru School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK Department of General Biology, Center of Biological Sciences and Health, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, 39401-089, Montes Claros, Brazil

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Insights into Super-host Plant Species of Galling Insects in the Neotropical Region

Herein, we studied the occurrence of insect galls from natural vegetation around the Itambe Cave, Altinopolis, SP, Brazil. A sampling effort of 7.5 hours resulted in 41 gall morphotypes on 21 host plant species from 14 families. The richest families of host plants in morphotypes were Fabaceae (N = 11), Euphorbiaceae (N = 7), and Malpighiaceae (N = 5). Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (N = 8), Croton floribundus Spreng. (N = 7), Diplopterys pubipetala (A. Juss.) W.R. Anderson & C.C. Davis (N = 5), and Bauhinia holophylla (Bong.) Steud. (N = 4) were the super host plant species. Among the gall makers obtained, cecidomyiids were reared in 81% of cases and Hemiptera (Diaspididae), Hymenoptera (Eurytomidae), Coleoptera (Apion sp./Apionidae), and Lepidoptera in 4.5% of cases, each. The parasitoids belong to the Chalcidoidea superfamily (Hymenoptera). One new species of Camptoneuromyiia (Cecidomyiidae) was found in Smilax oblongifolia Pohl ex Griseb. (Smilacaceae) as inquiline and a new species of Lestodiplosis in Diplopterys pubipetala (Malpighiaceae) was a predator. We also present the first register of Bauhinia holophylla as host plants of Cecidomyiidae, and we expand the occurrence of Rochadiplosis tibouchinae Tavares and Couridiplosis vena to Sao Paulo State. The results of this paper are a continuation of the description of gall morphotypes from the vegetation in Northeastern Sao Paulo State, and they also increase knowledge about the diversity of host plant and gall-maker associations in the Neotropical region.

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Amanda das Neves Ribeiro

Papers

Characterization of insect galls from a vegetation area in Altinópolis, São Paulo State, Brazil