Fernando Navarro

First Record of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Argentina

Summary n Because of the recent presence of Helicoverpa armigera in Brazil and Paraguay in 2013, pheromone traps were deployed in chickpea crops at 2 localities in Tucumán province to determine if this noctuid was present in Argentina. This pest was detected at both locations, confirming the presence of H. armigera in Argentina for first time.

Detecting areas of endemism with a taxonomically diverse data set: plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and insects from Argentina

The idea of an area of endemism implies that different groups of plants and animals should have largely coincident distributions. This paper analyses an area of 1152u2003000u2003km2, between parallels 21 and 32°S and meridians 70 and 53°W to examine whether a large and taxonomically diverse data set actually displays areas supported by different groups. The data set includes the distribution of 805 species of plants (45 families), mammals (25 families), reptiles (six families), amphibians (five families), birds (18 families), and insects (30 families), and is analysed with the optimality criterion (based on the notion of endemism) implemented in the program NDM/VNDM. Almost 50% of the areas obtained are supported by three or more major groups; areas supported by fewer major groups generally contain species from different genera, families, or orders.

Can insect data be used to infer areas of endemism?: An example from the Yungas of Argentina

El objetivo principal de este trabajo es analizar si las areas de endemismo pueden ser caracterizadas cuantitativamente utilizando insectos, los cuales generalmente se encuentran mucho mas pobremente muestreados que vertebrados y plantas. La busqueda de areas de endemismo fue realizada utilizando un criterio de optimalidad sobre aproximadamente 1,100 georreferencias de 288 especies de insectos holometabolos presentes en la region de estudio. Esta corresponde al noroeste de la Argentina, especificamente en las Yungas (un bosque lluvioso montano muy humedo). El software NDM/VNDM, que aplica dicho criterio de optimalidad, fue usado para buscar areas de endemismo (i.e. conjuntos de celdas definidos por dos o mas especies). Se utilizaron cinco tamanos de grilla: tres cuadrados (Io, 0.5° y 0.25°) y dos rectangulares (0.25° x 0.5° y 0.5° x 0.25°). Los resultados de este estudio indican que las Yungas pueden ser caracterizadas como una unidad biogeografica con identidad propia y estos resultados concuerdan con propuestas biogeograficas previas. Se obtuvieron 26 areas de endemismo con 23 especies endemicas de insectos (en 14 familias) restringidas a Yungas y 46 especies (en 10 familias) endemicas, presentes en Yungas y habitats adyacentes. Nuestro analisis sugiere que el uso de insectos puede ser una herramienta poderosa para identificar areas de endemismo, aun considerando lo fragmentario del conocimiento actual de estos grupos en America del Sur. El uso de diferentes tamanos de grilla fue crucial. Tamanos pequenos y medianos son altamente recomendados para identificar patrones diferentes. El metodo cuantitativo utilizado permitio identificar areas de endemismo dificiles de reconocer con metodos biogeograficos tradicionales, tales como areas disyuntas o parcialmente superpuestas.

Life Table Studies of Rachiplusia nu (Guenée) and Chrysodeixis (= Pseudoplusia) Includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Artificial Diet

ABSTRACT Rachiplusia nu (Guenée) and Chrysodeixis (= Pseudoplusia) includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are 2 economically important species in soybean in northern Argentina. Life cycle, reproductive and population parameters of R. nu and C. includens reared on artificial diet were determined under controlled environmental conditions. Fecundity increased from d 2 to 3 with values of 67.6 eggs per female for R. nu and 75.7 eggs for C. includens. An average of 79.9% (R. nu) and 74.4% (C. includens) of individuals reached the larval stage and 71.1% (R. nu) and 71.4% (C. includens) of individuals reached the adult stage. The life expectancy (ex) curve showed 4 and 3 periods of mortality. The survivorship curves of the 2 species resembled the theoretical type I. Life table analysis determined that R. nu and C. includens have the potential to quickly increase their populations under controlled rearing conditions. These results provide important information that will be used to improve artificial rearing procedures contributing with biological studies towards to develop management programs of both species.

Field Host Range of Apanteles opuntiarum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Argentina, a Potential Biocontrol Agent of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in North America

Summary Field exploration in Argentina for cactophagous lepidopteran hosts parasitized by the recently described braconid parasitoid Apanteles opuntiarum Martínez & Berta (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) revealed a host range restricted to Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and C. doddi. Field collections of cactophagous larvae parasitized by the congeneric and sympatric parasitoid A. alexanderi included the host species C. bucyrus, Sigelgaita nr. chilensis, Tucumania sp., Tucumania tapiacola and Salambona sp. If a narrow host range for A. opuntiarum is confirmed in quarantine with North American cactus-feeding species, then this parasitoid could be released as a biological control agent for C. cactorum with little or no risk to non-target species.

The type-material of Arctiinae (Lepidoptera, Erebidae) described by Burmeister and Berg in the collection of the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Abstract Carlos G. Burmeister and Carlos Berg were among the most important and influential naturalists and zoologists in Argentina and South America and described 241 species and 34 genera of Lepidoptera. The Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia (MACN) housed some of the Lepidoptera type specimens of these authors. In this study we present a catalogue with complete information and photographs of 11 Burmeister type specimens and 10 Berg type specimens of Phaegopterina, Arctiina and Pericopina (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Arctiini) housed in the MACN. Lectotypes or holotypes were designated where primary type specimens could be recognized; in some cases we were not able to recognize types. The catalogue also proposes nomenclatural changes and new synonymies: Opharus picturata (Burmeister, 1878), comb. n.; Opharus brunnea Gaede, 1923: 7, syn. n.; Hypocrisias jonesi (Schaus, 1894), syn. n.; Leucanopsis infucata (Berg, 1882), stat. rev.; Paracles argentina (Berg, 1877), sp. rev.; Paracles uruguayensis (Berg, 1886), sp. rev.