Three New Reports of Subsocial Tortoise Beetles from South America (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae)

Subsociality is known in 35 species in 10 genera of the chrysomelid subfamilies Cassidinae and Chrysomelinae. In Cassidinae, the behavior is clustered in two tribes, Eugenysini and Mesomphaliini, but unknown biologies of many of these species limit fine-scaled resolution of the origins and diversity of this interesting behavior. We report three new records of subsocial Cassidinae, Eugenysa martae Borowiec in Colombia, Omaspides (Omaspides) clathrata L. in French Guiana, and Paraselenis (S.) aulica in Brazil. Females guard larvae and pupae; larvae retain exuvio-fecal shields in some stages. Longer-term study of P. (S.) aulica on the host Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) revealed that eggs, larvae, and pupae are gregarious and guarded by the female. Larvae lose the defensive exuvio-fecal shields in older instars. Females will mate despite being occupied with brood care. A wasp, Emersonella sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and a tachinid fly (Diptera) were observed associated with and reared from juveniles. Our report increases the dataset of documented subsocial cassidines to 26 species, with 23 in Mesomphaliini and three in Eugenysini. Em Chrysomelidae a subsocialidade é conhecida para 35 espécies em 10 gêneros nas subfamílias Cassidinae e Chrysomelinae. Em Cassidinae o comportamento é restrito a duas tribos, Eugenysini e Mesomphaliini, mas o desconhecimento da biologia de muitas destas espécies limita uma definição precisa da origem e da diversidade deste comportamento. Neste trabalho apresentamos três novos registros de Cassidinae subsociais, Eugenysa martae Borowiec na Colômbia, Omaspides (Omaspides) clathrata L. na Guiana Francesa, e Paraselenis (S.) aulica no Brasil. As fêmeas cuidam das larvas e das pupas, e as larvas mantêm o escudo exúvio-fecal por alguns estádios. Observações mais prolongadas de P. (S.) aulica em sua planta hospedeira Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) revelaram que ovos, larvas e pupas são gregários e defendidos pela mãe, que as larvas perdem seu escudo exúvio-fecal em estádios mais adiantados e que as fêmeas podem copular durante o cuidado com a prole. Os parasitoides Emersonella sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) e uma espécie de Tachinidae (Diptera) foram obtidos de imaturos de P. (S.) aulica. Nossos registros aumentam para 26 o número de espécies de cassidíneos subsociais, sendo 23 de Mesomphaliini e três de Eugenysini

Variation in a Darwin Wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) Community along an Elevation Gradient in a Tropical Biodiversity Hotspot: Implications for Ecology and Conservation

Understanding how biodiversity varies from place to place is a fundamental goal of ecology and an important tool for halting biodiversity loss. Parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera) are a diverse and functionally important animal group, but spatial variation in their diversity is poorly understood. We survey a community of parasitic wasps (Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) using Malaise traps up a mountain in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, and relate the catch to biotic and abiotic habitat characteristics. We find high species richness compared with previous similar studies, with abundance, richness, and diversity peaking at low to intermediate elevation. There is a marked change in community composition with elevation. Habitat factors strongly correlated with elevation also strongly predict changes in the pimpline community, including temperature as well as the density of bamboo, lianas, epiphytes, small trees, and herbs. These results identify several possible surrogates of pimpline communities in tropical forests, which could be used as a tool in conservation. They also contribute to the growing evidence for a typical latitudinal gradient in ichneumonid species richness, and suggest that low to medium elevations in tropical regions will sometimes conserve the greatest number of species locally, but to conserve maximal biodiversity, a wider range of elevations should also be targeted

Fig. 2 in Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae)

Fig. 2. Life cycle of F. monstrosa. A) Adults on host plant B. sericea; B) mating; C) female ovipositing; D) egg; E) newly hatched larva; F, G) immature larvae; H) mature larva; I) pupa. Scale ¼ 5 mm.Published as part of <i>Flinte, Vivian & de Macêdo, Margarete Valverde, 2004, Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae), pp. 457-465 in The Coleopterists Bulletin 58 (4)</i> on page 460, DOI: 10.1649/629, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10104471">http://zenodo.org/record/10104471</a&gt

Fig. 3 in Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae)

Fig. 3. Frequency distribution of the larval instars of F. monstrosa showing four instars.Published as part of <i>Flinte, Vivian & de Macêdo, Margarete Valverde, 2004, Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae), pp. 457-465 in The Coleopterists Bulletin 58 (4)</i> on page 461, DOI: 10.1649/629, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10104471">http://zenodo.org/record/10104471</a&gt

Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae)

Flinte, Vivian, de Macêdo, Margarete Valverde (2004): Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 58 (4): 457-465, DOI: 10.1649/629, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/62

Fig. 4 in Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae)

Fig. 4. Climatic diagram for the study area (data from Estação Evaporimétrica Agropecuária Carapebus) showing annual variation of temperature and precipitation. The dotted areas represent dry periods and the black ones very moist periods.Published as part of <i>Flinte, Vivian & de Macêdo, Margarete Valverde, 2004, Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae), pp. 457-465 in The Coleopterists Bulletin 58 (4)</i> on page 463, DOI: 10.1649/629, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10104471">http://zenodo.org/record/10104471</a&gt

Fig. 1 in Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae)

Fig. 1. Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park with the study area marked.Published as part of <i>Flinte, Vivian & de Macêdo, Margarete Valverde, 2004, Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae), pp. 457-465 in The Coleopterists Bulletin 58 (4)</i> on page 459, DOI: 10.1649/629, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10104471">http://zenodo.org/record/10104471</a&gt

Elevation and temporal distributions of Chrysomelidae in southeast Brazil with emphasis on the Galerucinae

In this study we present an ecological pattern of elevation and temporal variations found in the Chrysomelidae in one of the highest mountains in southeastern Brazil. Monthly surveys using an entomological sweep-net were conducted between April 2011 and June 2012, at five different elevations (800 m, 1000 m, 1750 m, 2200 m and 2450 m). A total of 2318 individuals were collected, belonging to 91 species. The elevation and temporal patterns of distribution of Chrysomelidae were heavily dominated by the Galerucinae. This subfamily had the highest richness and abundance at intermediate altitudes and during the rainy season. Probably the food availability as well as abiotic factors this time of the year favor the development of Galerucinae. Also, most of the more abundant Galerucinae species showed broad elevation ranges but approximately 20% of these species were only collected on the mountaintop sites. We would expect these species to be ones most prone to extinction in a scenario of climate warming or even after local disturbances

Altitudinal and temporal distribution of Plagiometriona Spaeth, 1899 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae) in a tropical forest in southeast Brazil

Species richness and abundance of seven Plagiometriona species on their host plants were studied along a single trail in the mountainous Serra dos Órgãos National Park in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Six sites were chosen along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 1300 m to 2050 m, where all Solanaceae host plants were inspected in search of adults every two months from June 2006 to June 2007. Species richness did not vary clearly with altitude, but abundance increased up to 1800 m, where the highest mean host plant density was found, and abruptly decreased at the last elevational site. Most species showed a restricted distribution and just one occurred across the entire gradient. For at least four species, altitudinal distribution seems to be strongly related to host plant availability, while for the others it is difficult to access which factors are decisive, due to their low numbers. Only in October all species were found in the field, although February was the month with the highest total abundance. Over the course of the study, the greatest abundances were recorded from October to February, comprehending the hottest and rainiest months, and the lowest abundances were found from June to August, which include the coldest and driest months. Thus, species seasonal distribution, supported by other studies in the same area, seems to be related to the local climate