A new species of Jurasai Rosa et al., 2020 and the first record of the family Jurasaidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) in the northern Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

A new species, Jurasai parahybanum sp. nov., from the recently discovered elateroid family Jurasaidae is described. This is the first record of the family to Paraba state and the Northern Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Photographs and drawings of the important morphological characters of the new species are provided. An updated key and distribution map to the known species of the family are provided.

Treehoppers (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha: Aetalionidae and Membracidae) from western Acre, Brazil, with emphasis on the fauna of Serra do Divisor National Park / Soldadinhos (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha: Aetalionidae e Membracidae) do extremo oeste do Acre, Brasil, com ênfase na fauna do Parque Nacional Serra do Divisor

Abstract The first list of Aetalionidae and Membracidae species for western Acre is presented, including the Alto do Juruá regions of Serra do Divisor National Park and the Campus Floresta of the Federal University of Acre. In total, 94 species of treehoppers were collected, of which Centrotinae (Membracidae) is recorded for the first time for Brazil (Abelus maculatus Schimidt), another 16 species are new Brazilian records, and 69 species (Aetalionidae and Membracidae) are new records for Acre. Data on type locality, geographic distribution and images of all species are presented. The males of Lophyraspis fenestrata Sakakibara & Creão-Duarte and Erechtia sanguinolenta (Fairmaire) are known for the first time. The species diversity was compared to four other treehopper surveys in the Amazon region, with similarity indices of about 43.6% for Colombian Amazon (at least 650 km away), 27.6% for Panguana Biological Research Station, Peru (250 km), 20.2% for Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, Brazil (1,600 km) and 8.5% for Villa Carmen Biological Station/Los Amigos Biological Station, Peru (600/700 km). The estimated richness of Serra do Divisor National Park was just over 70%, suggesting that local diversity could be significantly higher than that presented in this study.

Resumo A primeira lista de espécies de Aetalionidae e Membracidae para o extremo oeste do Acre é apresentada, incluindo as regiões do Alto do Juruá do Parque Nacional da Serra do Divisor e o Campus Floresta da Universidade Federal do Acre. No total, foram coletadas 94 espécies de soldadinhos, das quais Centrotinae (Membracidae) é registrada pela primeira vez para o Brasil (Abelus maculatus Schimidt), 16 outras espécies de membracídeos são novos registros para o Brasil e 69 espécies (Aetalionidae e Membracidae) são novos registros para o Acre. Dados sobre localidade-tipo, distribuição geográfica e imagens de todas as espécies são apresentados. Os machos de Lophyraspis fenestrata Sakakibara & Creão-Duarte e Erechtia sanguinolenta (Fairmaire) são conhecidos pela primeira vez. A diversidade de espécies foi comparada a outros quatro levantamentos de soldadinhos na região amazônica, com índices de similaridade de cerca de 43,6% para a Amazônia colombiana (pelo menos 650 km de distância), 27,6% para a Estação de Pesquisa Biológica de Panguana, Peru (250 km), 20,2% para Adolpho Reserva Florestal Ducke, Brasil (1.600 km) e 8,5% para Estação Biológica Villa Carmen/Estação Biológica Los Amigos, Peru (600/700 km). A riqueza estimada do Parque Nacional da Serra do Divisor foi de pouco mais de 70%, sugerindo que a diversidade local pode ser significativamente maior do que a apresentada neste estudo.

Ecological Aspects of the Phlebotominae Fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) among Forest Fragments and Built Areas in an Endemic Area of American Visceral Leishmaniasis in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.

Sand flies are dipterans of medical importance, as some species are vectors of American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL). The municipality of João Pessoa (Paraíba, northeastern Brazil), is an endemic region for AVL, having high rates of human and canine cases. The main objective was to evaluate the sand fly fauna among forest fragments and built areas, and its relationship with environmental conditions. HP light traps were placed in the studied areas from March 2019 to July 2021. A total of 2141 specimens of phlebotomines were captured, comprising nine genera and ten species. Temperature and humidity were significant and positive only in built areas. The diversity composition among forest fragments and built areas was different and the AVL vector, Lutzomyia longipalpis, was the most prevalent species in built areas. The study showed that the built areas present differences in their richness and diversity of sand flies in relation to forest fragments, concluding that the conservation of forest areas, even if urban fragments, favors the diversity of phlebotomine species.

Checklist and contribution to the knowledge of the odonatofauna of Paraíba state, Brazil / Checklist e contribuição para o conhecimento da odonatofauna do Estado da Paraíba, Brasil

Abstract: We present the first listing of odonatan species (Insecta: Odonata) that occur in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. There are 49 species and 29 genera registered, making Paraíba the third in number of species among the Brazilian states of northeastern region. The families with the largest number of species were Libellulidae, with 31 species and 15 genera, followed by Coenagrionidae with 11 species and 7 genera. Interior regions of the state are under-sampled, which should still lead to an underestimated number of species. In addition, we present taxonomic notes of two species collected during our expeditions: males of Progomphus dorsopallidus Byers, 1934 and females of Macrothemis griseofrons Calvert, 1909. Here, we detail important characteristics and present figures to aid their morphological identifications.

Resumo: Apresentamos a primeira lista de espécies de libélulas (Insecta: Odonata) que ocorrem no estado da Paraíba, Brasil. Há 49 espécies e 29 gêneros registrados, tornando a Paraíba a terceira em número de espécies entre os estados brasileiros da região Nordeste. As famílias com maior número de espécies foram Libellulidae, com 31 espécies e 15 gêneros, seguido por Coenagrionidae com 11 espécies e 7 gêneros. As regiões do interior do estado estão sub amostradas, o que deve levar a um número subestimado de espécies. Além disso, apresentamos notas taxonômicas de duas espécies coletadas durante nossas expedições: machos de Progomphus dorsopallidus Byers, 1934 e fêmeas de Macrothemis griseofrons Calvert, 1909. Aqui, detalhamos características importantes e apresentamos figuras para auxiliar em suas identificações morfológicas.

Protocol for Membracidae inventory (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Membracoidea): what are the ideal collection methods for the Atlantic Forest? / Protocolo para inventário de Membracidae (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Membracoidea): quais os métodos de coleta ideais para Floresta Atlântica?

Abstract: Membracidae are phytophagous insects that present different types of behavior, requiring a specific protocol for fast and efficient collection. This article evaluates the best methods for sampling these insects in Atlantic Forest areas. The protocol was applied in four areas of the Atlantic Forest in Paraíba state, Brazil, and involved a team of four people at a cost of US$180 per area. Each area contained 100 sampling units subdivided into 30 yellow sticky cards in the canopy and 30 yellow sticky cards in the lower stratum, 30 active collections and 10 light traps. In total, 2,678 specimens belonging to 91 species were sampled. The highest abundance and richness values were obtained using active collection (N = 1,517; S = 42) and cards in the canopy (N = 345; S = 53). All methods exhibited high complementarity, with more than half of the species (S = 50; 54.35%) recorded exclusively by only one of the methods applied. Similarity analysis revealed that active collection differs significantly from all other methods (R = 0.10, p = 0.0001) and that the sticky cards in the canopy differ from the collection in the lower stratum (p = 0.0001), whereas the other method pairs did not exhibit significant differences. In all areas, the active collection, the sticky cards in the canopy and the lower stratum had the best sample sufficiency, with at least 60% of the estimated values. To inventory Membracidae specimens in areas of the Atlantic Forest, a protocol that combines different collection methods is required, which in principle requires more time and expense. However, it is worth noting that it is possible to adjust this protocol according to the researcher's need. For a faster survey that includes the largest number of species, we suggest a combination of active collection and a light trap.

Resumo: Membracídeos são insetos fitófagos que apresentam diferentes tipos de comportamento, o que requer um protocolo específico para uma coleta rápida e eficiente. Este artigo avalia quais os melhores métodos para amostragem desses insetos em áreas de Floresta Atlântica. O protocolo foi aplicado em quatro áreas de Floresta Atlântica na Paraíba e envolveu uma equipe de quatro pessoas, ao custo de U$180 por área. Contém 100 unidades amostrais subdividas em 30 cartões adesivos amarelos no dossel, e 30 no estrato inferior, 30 coletas ativas e 10 armadilhas luminosas. No total foram amostrados 2.678 espécimes pertencentes a 91 espécies. As maiores abundâncias e valores de riqueza foram obtidos usando a coleta ativa (N = 1.517; S = 42) e os cartões do dossel (N = 345; S = 53). Todos os métodos apresentaram alta complementaridade, com mais da metade das espécies (S = 50; 54,35%) registradas exclusivamente por apenas um dos métodos aplicados. A análise de similaridade mostrou que a coleta ativa difere significativamente de todos os outros métodos (R = 0,10; p = 0,0001), e que os cartões adesivos no dossel diferem da coleta no estrato inferior (p = 0,0001), enquanto os outros pares de métodos não apresentaram diferenças significativas. Em todas as áreas, a coleta ativa, os cartões adesivos no dossel e no estrato inferior, respectivamente, foram os que apresentaram melhor suficiência amostral, com valores de no mínimo 60% do estimado. Foi demonstrado que, para inventariar membracídeos em áreas de Floresta Atlântica, é necessário um protocolo que combine diferentes métodos de coleta, o que à priori, demanda mais tempo e custo. Contudo, vale ressaltar que é possível ajustar este protocolo de acordo com a necessidade do pesquisador. Indicamos que para um levantamento mais rápido e que contemple o maior número de espécies, o ideal é utilizar uma combinação de coleta ativa e armadilha luminosa.

Comprehensive inventory of true flies (Diptera) at a tropical site.

Estimations of tropical insect diversity generally suffer from lack of known groups or faunas against which extrapolations can be made, and have seriously underestimated the diversity of some taxa. Here we report the intensive inventory of a four-hectare tropical cloud forest in Costa Rica for one year, which yielded 4332 species of Diptera, providing the first verifiable basis for diversity of a major group of insects at a single site in the tropics. In total 73 families were present, all of which were studied to the species level, providing potentially complete coverage of all families of the order likely to be present at the site. Even so, extrapolations based on our data indicate that with further sampling, the actual total for the site could be closer to 8000 species. Efforts to completely sample a site, although resource-intensive and time-consuming, are needed to better ground estimations of world biodiversity based on limited sampling.

Remarkable fly (Diptera) diversity in a patch of Costa Rican cloud forest: Why inventory is a vital science.

Study of all flies (Diptera) collected for one year from a four-hectare (150 x 266 meter) patch of cloud forest at 1,600 meters above sea level at Zurquí de Moravia, San José Province, Costa Rica (hereafter referred to as Zurquí), revealed an astounding 4,332 species. This amounts to more than half the number of named species of flies for all of Central America. Specimens were collected with two Malaise traps running continuously and with a wide array of supplementary collecting methods for three days of each month. All morphospecies from all 73 families recorded were fully curated by technicians before submission to an international team of 59 taxonomic experts for identification.        Overall, a Malaise trap on the forest edge captured 1,988 species or 51% of all collected dipteran taxa (other than of Phoridae, subsampled only from this and one other Malaise trap). A Malaise trap in the forest sampled 906 species. Of other sampling methods, the combination of four other Malaise traps and an intercept trap, aerial/hand collecting, 10 emergence traps, and four CDC light traps added the greatest number of species to our inventory. This complement of sampling methods was an effective combination for retrieving substantial numbers of species of Diptera. Comparison of select sampling methods (considering 3,487 species of non-phorid Diptera) provided further details regarding how many species were sampled by various methods.        Comparison of species numbers from each of two permanent Malaise traps from Zurquí with those of single Malaise traps at each of Tapantí and Las Alturas, 40 and 180 km distant from Zurquí respectively, suggested significant species turnover. Comparison of the greater number of species collected in all traps from Zurquí did not markedly change the degree of similarity between the three sites, although the actual number of species shared did increase.        Comparisons of the total number of named and unnamed species of Diptera from four hectares at Zurquí is equivalent to 51% of all flies named from Central America, greater than all the named fly fauna of Colombia, equivalent to 14% of named Neotropical species and equal to about 2.7% of all named Diptera worldwide. Clearly the number of species of Diptera in tropical regions has been severely underestimated and the actual number may surpass the number of species of Coleoptera.        Various published extrapolations from limited data to estimate total numbers of species of larger taxonomic categories (e.g., Hexapoda, Arthropoda, Eukaryota, etc.) are highly questionable, and certainly will remain uncertain until we have more exhaustive surveys of all and diverse taxa (like Diptera) from multiple tropical sites.        Morphological characterization of species in inventories provides identifications placed in the context of taxonomy, phylogeny, form, and ecology. DNA barcoding species is a valuable tool to estimate species numbers but used alone fails to provide a broader context for the species identified.

Hexapod decomposers of Serra de Santa Catarina, Paraíba, Brazil: an area with high potential for conservation of Caatinga biodiversity / Hexápodes decompositores da Serra de Santa Catarina, Paraíba, Brasil: uma área com elevado potencial para a conservação da biodiversidade da caatinga

Abstract: In detritus-based trophic systems, springtails, dung beetles, saprophagous calyptrate flies and termites consume and fragment organic matter and control populations of decomposer microorganisms, exerting a strong influence on energy and nutrient fluxes. A faunal inventory of these four groups of hexapods was performed in Serra de Santa Catarina (SSC), an area of arboreal-shrub caatinga located in the state of Paraíba, with the purpose of characterizing the assemblages of these taxa, and highlighting their unique links to the local ecosystem. Samplings were performed in May, 2014, and April, 2015, both during the rainy season. Standard sampling protocols for biodiversity inventory of the various taxa were used, including both active and passive sampling methods. In general, 114 species of hexapods were captured, with 26 species of springtails, 20 dung beetles, 30 saprophagous calyptrate flies and 38 termites, with sampling sufficiency varying from 69.5 to 96.8% of total estimated richness. Species richness of the groups are among the highest recorded for a single area of Caatinga, with some taxa being recorded for the first time for the domain. Several morphospecies had indeterminate taxonomic status, especially springtails and termites, and are quite likely new species to science. The structure of the assemblages of springtails, dung beetles, saprophagous calyptrate flies and termites recorded in SSC, suggest that this conserved area is unique within the highly impacted landscape of Caatinga, and has great potential for the conservation of biodiversity of this domain in the Northeast Region of Brazil.

Resumo: No sistema trófico baseado em detritos, os colêmbolos, besouros escarabeíneos, moscas saprófagas e térmitas atuam no consumo e fragmentação da matéria orgânica e no controle das populações de microrganismos decompositores, exercendo forte influência nos fluxos de energia e nutrientes. Um inventário faunístico desses quatro grupos de hexápodes foi realizado na Serra de Santa Catarina (SSC), uma área de Caatinga arbóreo-arbustiva localizada no Estado da Paraiba, com intuito de caracterizar as taxocenoses desses táxons, salientando as suas peculiaridades ligadas ao ecossistema local. As coletas foram realizadas em maio/2014 e abril/2015, durante o período chuvoso na região. De acordo com o táxon, foram utilizados protocolos amostrais padronizados para inventários de biodiversidade, com métodos passivos e ativos de coleta. No geral, 114 espécies de hexápodes foram capturadas, sendo 26 de colêmbolos, 20 de besouros escarabeíneos, 30 de dípteros e 38 de térmitas, com suficiência amostral variando de 69,5 a 96.8% da total estimada. A riqueza de espécies por grupo está entre as maiores para uma única área de Caatinga, com alguns táxons sendo registrados pela primeira vez para o domínio. Especialmente para os colêmbolos e térmitas, várias morfoespécies tiveram seus status taxonômicos indeterminados, havendo elevada possibilidade de serem nova para a ciência. As estruturas e funcionalidades das taxocenoses de colêmbolos, besouros escarabeíneos, moscas saprófagas e térmitas registradas na SSC, sugerem que esse ecossistema é singular, dentro de um cenário generalizado de impacto antrópico presente na Caatinga, e possui um elevado potencial para a conservação da biodiversidade desse domínio no nordeste brasileiro.