Insect galls from Amazon rainforest areas in Rondônia (Brazil).

This study aimed at survey insect galls of an Amazon rainforest area in Rondônia, Brazil. We found 152 gall morphotypes in 103 plant species. Fabaceae were the host with the greatest gall richness. Leaves were the most galled organ. Globose and glabrous galls were the most frequent. Cecidomyiidae were responsible for most of the galls. This is the first record of 110 galls morphotypes and 23 host plants species in this biome. Ten gallers are endemic in Brazil. Five genera of Cecidomyiidae were first recorded in Rondônia as well as Schismatodiplosis lantanae Rübsaamen, 1908.

Intrapuparial development of Chrysomya putoria (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

The intrapuparial development of 150 pupae of Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann, 1830) was analyzed. The material was kept in a climate chamber at 27 degrees C (day) and 25 degrees C (night), 60 +/- 10% relative humidity (RH), and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h, which started at 06:00 a.m. Daily, 30 pupae were frozen at - 15 degrees C, for the sacrifice of the insects, and the immatures obtained were photomicrographed until the emergence of the adults. The following stages were observed: pupariation process: during this process, reduction of the larvae's first three body segments and the darkening of the cuticle occur; cryptocephalic phase after 18 h; phanerocephalic phase after 24 h; body division after 48 h. Between the third and the fourth days of the development, the stage ofpharate adult was reached, characterized by the following changes in the color of the compounds eyes: 1) orange eyes, after 66 h; 2) red eyes, after 72 h; 3) dark red eyes, after 90 h; 4) brown eyes, after 96 h. The time of intrapuparial development of C. putoria at 2 degrees C (day) and 25 degrees C (night), 60 +/- 10% RH, and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h was 5 d.

Effects of the antibiotics Gentamicin on the postembryonic development of Chrysomya putoria (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

We evaluate the effects the antibiotic Gentamicin on the development of Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann, 1818). Third-generation, first-instar larvae were reared in a climatic chamber on 60 g of homogenate + agar 65% and were treated with three concentrations of Gentamicin: 4.44 mg/ml, 13.33 mg/ml, and 66.66 mg/ml. The control consisted of distilled water. The relationships between mean body mass of mature larvae (measured after diet abandonment, in batches of five individuals), duration of larval and pupal stages, and overall duration of development were analyzed. The actual sex ratio was compared against the expected using the chi square. None of the parameters measured differed significantly among the four treatments, with one exception: when Gentamicin concentration was 13.33 mg/ml, larval viability differed significantly from the control. All larvae from all treatments were considered normal. We conclude that the antibiotic did not significantly alter the development of C. putoria (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

Development time and morphological characterization of immature stages of Nasonia vitripennis (Walker, 1836) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) in host pupae of Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

ABSTRACT Nasonia vitripennis (Walker, 1836) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) is a parasitoid involved in the biological control of several insects, including blow flies (Diptera, Calliphoridae) of economic importance. The aim of this study was to describe the morphological aspects of the immature stages of N. vitripennis and to record the postembryonic development time, using pupae of Chrysomya putoria (Wiedeman, 1830) as host. The experiment was conducted in a climatic chamber at 27°C/ day and 25°C/ night, with 60 ± 10% relative humidity and 14h photophase. Three experiment were conducted, each one with different host-parasitoid exposure times, of 12 hours, 16 hours and 24 hours respectively. In each experiment, the host:parasitoid relation applied was three host pupae of C. putoria to one parasitoid female. The experiment lasted 17 days, and it was used nine pupae per day totalizing 153 host pupae. The parasitoidism rate was 16.3% (12h), 40.5% (16h) and 94.1% (24h), respectively. The immature development duration of N. vitripennis with 16 and 24 hours of exposure, was as follows: egg stage (1st day), larvae (2nd to 6th day), prepupae (7th day), pupae (from 8th to 13th day) and pharate adult (14th day). The emergence of the adult parasitoids occurred on the 16th and 15th day with the exposure times of 16 and 24 hours, respectively. The exposure period of 24 hours was the ideal to observe the development time and to characterize the immature of N. vitripennis when compared to the 16 and 12 hours.

The SISBIOTA-Diptera Brazilian Network: A long-term survey of Diptera from unexplored Brazilian Western Arc of Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal

ABSTRACT The SISBIOTA-BRASIL was a three-year multimillion-dollar research program of the Brazilian government to document plants and animals in endangered/understudied areas and biomes in Brazil. Distributional patterns and the historical events that generated them are extensively unknown regarding Brazilian fauna and flora. This deficiency hinders the development of conservation policies and the understanding of evolutionary processes. Conservation decisions depend on precise knowledge of the taxonomy and geographic distribution of species. Given such a premise, we proposed to research the diversity of Diptera of the Brazilian western arc of Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal in the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Rondônia. Three important biomes of the South American continent characterize these Brazilian states: Amazon forest, Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah), and Pantanal. Besides their ecological relevance, these biomes historically lack intensive entomological surveys. Therefore, they are much underrepresented in the Brazilian natural history collections and in the scientific literature, which is further aggravated by the fact that these areas are being exponentially and rapidly converted to commercial lands. Our project involved over 90 collaborators from 24 different Brazilian institutions and one from Colombia among researchers, postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students, and technicians. We processed and analyzed nearly 300,000 specimens from ~60 families of Diptera collected with a large variety of methods in the sampled areas. Here, we provide a detailed overview of the genera and species diversity of 41 families treated. Our results point to a total of 2,130 species and 514 genera compiled and identified for the three states altogether, with an increase of 41% and 29% in the numbers of species and genera known for the three states combined, respectively. Overall, the 10 most species-rich families were Tachinidae, Cecidomyiidae, Tabanidae, Psychodidae, Sarcophagidae, Stratiomyidae, Bombyliidae, Syrphidae, Tephritidae, and Asilidae. The 10 most diverse in the number of genera were Tachinidae, Stratiomyidae, Asilidae, Mycetophilidae, Syrphidae, Tabanidae, Muscidae, Dolichopodidae, Sarcophagidae, and Chloropidae. So far, 111 scientific papers were published regarding taxonomic, phylogenetic, and biogeographical aspects of the studied families, with the description of 101 new species and three new genera. We expect that additional publications will result from this investigation because several specimens are now curated and being researched by specialists.

Insect galls on Asteraceae in Brazil: richness, geographic distribution, associated fauna, endemism and economic importance / Galhas de insetos em Asteraceae no Brasil: riqueza, distribuição geográfica, fauna associada, endemismo e importância econômica

Abstract: An overview of insect galls on Asteraceae in Brazil is presented. We used the Web of Science database to find publications about insect galls from 1988 to 2020. We analyzed 88 publications and collected data from 51 of those. A total of 487 gall morphotypes were counted on 157 plant species of 42 genera. This value singled out Asteraceae as the richest plant family in number of gall morphotypes in Brazil. Most morphotypes were recorded in the Atlantic Forest (41%) and Cerrado (30.5%), the most surveyed biomes in Brazil. Baccharis L. supported the greatest gall richness (43.9%), which could be explained by the hypotheses of geographic area and taxon size. Baccharis concinna G.M. Barroso, B. dracunculifolia DC. and B. platypoda DC. were indicated as superhost species. Most galls were induced on stems (52.2%), a pattern known in Asteraceae for gall-inducing Tephritidae and Chloropidae, and extended in the present study to Cecidomyiidae. Most galls were fusiform (42.5%), which can be related to the highest number of gall on stems. Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) were the most frequent inducers, as observed worldwide. The presence of other dwellers - parasitoids, cecidophages, kleptoparasites, and successors - were reported in 8.8% of the gall morphotypes, being parasitoids the most frequent, as found in other Brazilian publications. Most host plants (58%) are endemic to Brazil, 14% are useful and few are vulnerable or endangered (six and four species, respectively). Due to the high host specificity, the gall-inducers associated with these plants can also be considered either endemic, important, vulnerable and/or endangered, respectively.

Resumo: Um panorama geral das galhas de insetos em Asteraceae no Brasil é apresentado. Usamos a base de dados "Web of Science" para encontrar publicações sobre galhas de insetos de 1988 a 2020. Analisamos 88 publicações no total, porém obtivemos dados de apenas 51. Um total de 487 morfotipos de galhas foi contabilizado em 157 espécies de plantas de 42 gêneros. Este valor indica as Asteraceae como a família botânica mais rica em número de morfotipos de galhas no Brasil. A maioria dos morfotipos foi registrada na Mata Atlântica (41%) e no Cerrado (30.5%), biomas mais investigados no Brasil. Baccharis L. suportou a maior riqueza de galhas (43.9%), o que poderia ser explicado pelas hipóteses de área geográfica e tamanho do táxon. Baccharis concinna G.M. Barroso, B. dracunculifolia DC. E B. platypoda DC. foram indicadas como as espécies super hospedeiras. A maioria das galhas foi induzida em caules (52.2%), um padrão conhecido em Asteraceae para Tephritidae e Chloropidae indutores de galhas, e estendido no presente estudo para Cecidomyiidae. A maioria das galhas foi fusiforme (42.5%), o que pode estar relacionado ao maior número de galhas em caule. Os Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) foram os indutores mais frequentes, como no mundo inteiro. A presença de outros ocupantes - parasitoides, cecidófagos, cleptoparasitas e sucessores - foi assinalada em 8.8% dos morfotipos de galhas, sendo os parasitoides os mais frequentes, como em outras publicações no país. A maioria das plantas hospedeiras são endêmicas do Brasil (58%), 14 são úteis e algumas são vulneráveis ou ameaçadas (seis e quatro, respectivamente). Devido à alta especificidade de plantas hospedeiras, os indutores de galhas associados a estas plantas podem ser considerados endêmicos, de importância econômica, vulneráveis e/ou ameaçados, respectivamente.

A new species of Youngomyia Felt from Brazil and new morphological data on Youngomyia pouteriae Maia (Insecta, Diptera, Cecidomyiidae)

Abstract Youngomyia matogrossensis Proença & Maia a new species of Cecidomyiidae (Insecta: Diptera) that induces cylindrical hairy galls on leaves of Pouteria torta (Mart.) Radlk. (Sapotaceae) is herein described and illustrated (larvae, pupal exuviae, male and female). The galler, gall and host plant were collected at Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Guimarães, in the state of Mato Grosso (Brazil). New morphological data and photographs of pupal exuviae, male and female of Youngomyia pouteriae Maia, 2001 are also provided.