In the present work we aimed to register the occurrence of galls, inductors, inquilines, and parasitoids in plants of three natural vegetation areas in Delfinopolis, MG, Brazil Results obtained showed 22 types of galls collected from leaf, vein leaf, petioles, stem, and inflorescence of nineteen species belonging to fifteen distinct families Concerning gall morphology, the following were collected: globoid, conicle, discoidal, fusiform, shell-shape, indefinite, and one substituition of an ovary by an immature As principal inducers were found insects of the families Cecidomyiidae (Diptera), Psyllidae, and Diaspididae (Sternorrhyncha/Hemiptera) As parasitoids the most common are of the Chalcidoidea superfamily (Hymenoptera) and, as occasional inquilines, Polyxenidae (Diplopoda) and Psocodea (Psocoptera) The results of this study contribute to existing of knowledge host-plant diversity and gall-associated insects in rocky fields, cerrado, and gallery forests

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Occurrence and characterization of entomogen galls in plants from natural vegetation areas in Delfinópolis, MG, Brazil.

Highly diverse forms of galling arthropods can be identified in much of southeastern Brazil's vegetation. Three fragments of a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest (SDTF) located in the southern range of the Espinhaco Mountains were selected for study in the first survey of galling organisms in such tropical vegetation. Investigators found 92 distinct gall morphotypes on several organs of 51 host plant species of 19 families. Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) was the most prolific gall-inducing species, responsible for the largest proportion of galls (77%) observed. Leaves were the most frequently galled plant organ (63%), while the most common gall morphotype was of a spherical shape (30%). The two plant species, Baccharis dracunculifolia (Asteraceae) and Celtis brasiliensis (Cannabaceae), presented the highest number of gall morphtypes, displaying an average of 5 gall morphotypes each. This is the first study of gall-inducing arthropods and their host plant species ever undertaken in a Brazilian SDTF ecosystem. Given the intense human pressure on SDTFs, the high richness of galling arthropods, and implied floral host diversity found in this study indicates the need for an increased effort to catalogue the corresponding flora and fauna, observe their intricate associations and further understand the implications of such rich diversity in these stressed and vulnerable ecosystems.

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbent/v53n3/15.pdf

Gall inducing arthropods from a seasonally dry tropical forest in Serra do Cipó, Brazil

Diversity of gall-inducing insects in the tropical dry forest (caatinga) of Pernambuco. We report on the richness of galling insects in the vegetation of caatinga of Pernambuco state, Brazil. We recorded 64 different types of galls collected primarily from leaves and stems of 48 species of host plants belonging to 17 families and 31 genera. The most common gall morphological types were spheroid and discoid, glabrous, predominantly green and with one chamber. The main gall inducing taxon was the Cecidomyiidae (Diptera). The results of this study contribute to existing knowledge of galling insect and host-plant diversity in caatinga.

https://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbent/v55n1/a09v55n1.pdf

Richness of gall-inducing insects in the tropical dry forest (caatinga) of Pernambuco

In an area of seasonal semideciduous forest situated on Campus Samambaia of the Universidade Federal de Goias in Goiânia, Goias 34 types of insect galls were collected during the period 2005-2007. The galls occurred in 20 species of plants from 12 families, with Leguminosae (9), Styracaceae (6) and Ulmaceae (4) having the greatest number of gall morphotypes. Leaf and stem galls were the most widespread. Concerning gall morphology, the following were collected: globoid, discoidal, ellipsoidal, cylindrical and conical. The colour varied from green to yellow, brown and red. The galls were isolated or grouped and glabrous or pilose. The principal inducers were Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) and the parasitoids found were of the families Eulophidae, Torymidae, Pteromalidae, Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera). This is the first report of galls in four species of host plants for the Neotropical region.

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/abb/v24n1/26.pdf

Ocorrência e caracterização de galhas entomógenas em uma área de floresta estacional semidecídua em Goiânia, Goiás, Brasil

A relatively large number of studies reassert the strong relationship between galling insect diversity and extreme hydric and thermal status in some habitats, and an overall pattern of a greater number of galling species in the understory of scleromorphic vegetation. We compared galling insect diversity in the forest canopy and its relationship with tree richness among upland terra firme, varzea, and igapo floodplains in Amazonia, Brazil. The soils of these forest types have highly different hydric and nutritional status. Overall, we examined the upper layer of 1,091 tree crowns. Galling species richness and abundance were higher in terra firme forests compared to varzea and igapo forests. GLM-ANCOVA models revealed that the number of tree species sampled in each forest type was determinant in the gall-forming insect diversity. The ratio between galling insect richness and number of tree species sampled (GIR/TSS ratio) was higher in the terra firme forest and in seasonally flooded igapo, while the varzea presented the lowest GIR/TSS ratio. In this study, we recorded unprecedented values of galling species diversity and abundance per sampling point. The GIR/TSS ratio from varzea was approximately 2.5 times higher than the highest value of this ratio ever reported in the literature. Based on this fact, we ascertained that varzea and igapo floodplain forests (with lower GIA and GIR), together with the speciose terra firme galling community emerge as the gall diversity apex landscape among all biogeographic regions already investigated. Contrary to expectation, our results also support the “harsh environment hypothesis”, and unveil the Amazonian upper canopy as similar to Mediterranean vegetation habitats, hygrothermically stressed environments with leaf temperature at lethal limits and high levels of leaf sclerophylly.

/pdf/unexpected-high-diversity-of-galling-insects-in-the-376hfrbkee.pdf

Unexpected high diversity of galling insects in the Amazonian upper canopy: the savanna out there.

.ABSTRACT. The dtstribution of galls formed by insects on several host plants in xeric and mesic habitats was studied rn severallocalities of the Jequitinhonha Valley (Espinhaço Mountains) .northeast of Minas Gerais State; 236 morphologically distinct insect galls were obtained. Galls were found on several organs of 134 plant species of 127 families. Most insect galls (82.6%) were caused by the Cecidomyiidae (Diptera). Leaves were th'e most frequently galled plant organs (51.7%). Gall externa1 morphology was highly variable. but th~ most common shape was. elliptical, of single occurrence and

Raimundo Loyola Junior

Papers

Insect galls from savanna and rocky fields of the Jequitinhonha valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil