RESUMEN
Four new species in the genus Phyllophaga Harris 1827, subgenus Cnemarachis Saylor 1942 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from Cuba are described: Phyllophaga barroi new species, Phyllophaga guanahacabibensis new species, Phyllophaga pauli new species, and Phyllophaga sabanalamarensis new species. Each species is illustrated using photographs of the habitus, diagnostic features, and male aedeagi. A map is provided showing the geographical distributions of the new species.
Asunto(s)
Escarabajos , Animales , Cuba , MasculinoRESUMEN
ResumenEl archipiélago cubano cuenta con 79 especies de Phyllophaga (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae), con un 98.6 % de endemismo, lo cual le confiere al grupo importancia desde el punto de vista de biodiversidad y económica, al ser algunas especies plagas de cultivos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la relación entre la composición y estructura de los ensambles de Phyllophaga y el tipo de hábitat (en cuanto a formación vegetal y grado de alteración humana). Durante la estación de lluvia fueron muestreadas 17 localidades del occidente de Cuba, las que difieren en cuanto al tipo de hábitat y grado de alteración. Las recolectas fueron realizadas con una trampa de luz tipo pantalla (McFarland, 1966). Se recolectaron 1 153 ejemplares de 24 especies de Phyllophaga. La abundancia total de individuos recolectados varió entre 10 y 306 y la riqueza de especies entre dos y nueve especies. Phyllophaga dissimilis (Chevrolat) fue la especie más abundante y la de mayor frecuencia de ocurrencia. De manera general, las localidades menos antropizadas reflejaron comunidades más ricas y equitativas, aunque estas características también la tuvieron dos sitios que tienen grado de alteración intermedia. El escalado multidimensional no métrico, reflejó que las muestras más semejantes entre sí fueron las pertenecientes a lugares muy antropizados, esta semejanza estuvo dada principalmente por la abundancia de Phyllophaga dissimilis, P. insulaepinorum y P. puberula. La distancia geográfica no se relacionó con la similitud de los ensambles.
Abstract:The Cuban archipelago has 79 Phyllophaga species with a 98.6 % of endemism, which makes the group ecologically and economically important, as some species are classified as crop pests. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the composition and structure of the Phyllophaga assemblages with their habitat type, considering both plant structure and level of human habitat disturbance. A total of 17 locations were sampled in Western Cuba during the rainy seasons of the period from 2011 to 2015; these differed in habitat types (forests and agroecosystems). Samplings followed standard methods and were made once with a light trap screen in each locality. A total of 1 153 individuals of 24 Phyllophaga species were collected. The total abundance of collected individuals varied between 10 and 306, and species richness between two and nine species. The most abundant species was Phyllophaga dissimilis (Chevrolat) which also had the highest frequency of occurrence. Generally, less anthropized sites reflected richer and equitative communities; although these characteristics appeared in two sites that showed intermediate degree of disturbance. The non-metric multidimensional scaling showed that the most similar samples were those of the very anthropized sites; this similarity was given mainly by the abundance of Phyllophaga dissimilis, P. insualepinorum and P. puberula. Besides, the geographical distance was not related to the similarity of these assemblages. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (1): 351-363. Epub 2017 March 01.
Asunto(s)
Animales , Escarabajos/fisiología , Ecosistema , Lluvia , Estaciones del Año , Especificidad de la Especie , Escarabajos/clasificación , Dinámica Poblacional , Análisis de Varianza , Densidad de Población , Estadísticas no Paramétricas , CubaRESUMEN
The Cuban archipelago has 79 Phyllophaga species with a 98.6 % of endemism, which makes the group ecologically and economically important, as some species are classified as crop pests. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the composition and structure of the Phyllophaga assemblages with their habitat type, considering both plant structure and level of human habitat disturbance. A total of 17 locations were sampled in Western Cuba during the rainy seasons of the period from 2011 to 2015; these differed in habitat types (forests and agroecosystems). Samplings followed standard methods and were made once with a light trap screen in each locality. A total of 1153 individuals of 24 Phyllophaga species were collected. The total abundance of collected individuals varied between 10 and 306, and species richness between two and nine species. The most abundant species was Phyllophaga dissimilis (Chevrolat) which also had the highest frequency of occurrence. Generally, less anthropized sites reflected richer and equitative communities; although these characteristics appeared in two sites that showed intermediate degree of disturbance. The non-metric multidimensional scaling showed that the most similar samples were those of the very anthropized sites; this similarity was given mainly by the abundance of Phyllophaga dissimilis, P. insualepinorum and P. puberula. Besides, the geographical distance was not related to the similarity of these assemblages.