Iris Cristiane Magistrali

First Report of Heilipodus dorsosulcatus (Boheman, 1843) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in a Plantation of Eucalyptus L'Héritier in Brazil

Plantations of Eucalyptus L’Héritier constitute the largest area of planted forests in Brazil. These plantations currently occupy 4.156 million hectares. The plantations contribute significantly to the forestry sector of the Brazilian economy and account for 3.4% of the gross national product (ABRAF 2009). However, plantations of Eucalyptus are susceptible to damaging attacks from leaf-eating beetles. Such attacks can reduce the productivity of the forest. In this group, beetles of the family Curculionidae are prominent. Two noteworthy examples are the non-native species Gonipterus scutellatus Gyllenhal (Anjos and Majer 2003) and the native species belonging to the genus Naupactus Dejean (Silva et al. 1968). According to recent reports, curculionid population outbreaks have damaged Eucalyptus buds in Brazil. In particular, Heilipodus naevulus (Mannerheim, 1836) and Chalcodermus bicolor Fielder, 1936 (Matrangolo et al. 2008; Souza et al. 2011) have been involved in these outbreaks. The reports of native curculionids on Eucalyptus may reflect the fact that this plant genus belongs to the family Myrtaceae, whose members commonly serve as hosts for weevils (Oglobin 1935). The objective of our study was to record the occurrence of a native curculionid on Eucalyptus and to characterize its damage to buds in young plants. An insect attack was observed in November 2010 on three-month-old buds in stands of Eucalyptus salignaSmith (7.1 ha) and hybrid clones ofEucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake × Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden (6.5 ha). These stands were located in the Horto Florestal Barba Negra (30°21′7′′S 51°14′52′′W), municipality of Barra do Ribeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The insect was identified as Heilipodus dorsosulcatus (Boheman, 1843) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae: Hylobiini) by Prof. Dr. Germano H. Rosado Neto of the Federal University of Paraná. Heilipodus dorsosulcatus is approximately 12 mm long and is almost uniformly black. Voucher specimens were deposited in the Padre Jesus S. Moure Entomology Collection, in the Zoology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba (one male and one female under the registration number 0055/2011-RN). The rate of attack on the plants was 5% in the two stands. The damage included the buds falling off the tree and subsequently drying; additionally, the leaves remained attached to the bud. This damage was caused by the adult perforating the branch and consuming the internal tissue, which led to the bud falling (Fig. 1). Both the side buds and the main bud of a single plant can be cut. Therefore, in the event of a large population outbreak of H. dorsosulcatus, the cutting of the main bud may significantly affect growth and production and lead to the development of poor-quality trees. This outcome has been reported by Mendes (2004) and De Nadai (2008), who studied the consequences of bud loss in eucalyptus trees and investigated bud loss caused by the damaging action of leaf-eating Chrysomelidae and Buprestidae, respectively. According to Wibmer and O’Brien (1986), 85 species ofHeilipodus Kuschel, 1955 occur in South America, with most species occurring in Brazil. Species of Heilipodus in Brazil have been reported damaging buds and young branches of Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae), Anacardium occidentale

Registro de Nystalea nyseus (CRAMER, 1775) em Eucalyptus saligna Smith no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul

This research aimed to record the damage caused by Eucalyptus-defoliating caterpillars located in Rio Grande do Sul States, Brazil. The specie was determined as Nystalea nyseus (CRAMER, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae). The caterpillars of this species cause defoliation in Eucalyptus trees. This is the first record of Nystalea nyseus from Eucalyptus plantation in the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil.