José Augusto Teston

Diversidade de Arctiinae (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) capturados com armadilha luminosa, em seis comunidades no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

The Arctiinae fauna of Camaqua, Irai, Lagoa Vermelha, Mostardas, Piratini, and Sao Pedro da Serra, were studied. The moths were caught by using light traps, once a month in the new moon phase, from January 1998 to December 1999. The species richness, abundance, constancy, as well as, the diversity and evenness indexes of Shannon and Brillouin, were used to evaluate the communities. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the variation of individuals among months and localities. In order to estimate the species richness for each locality the nonparametrics statistics procedures Bootstrap, Chao 1, Chao 2, Jackknife 1, Jackknife 2 and Michaelis-Mentem have been used. A total of 9,800 specimens of Arctiinae belonging to 192 species, into 6 tribes were collected. The abundance and species richness were greater in 1998 than in 1999. The highest values of diversity indices in 1998 were found in Camaqua, Irai and Sao Pedro da Serra; however in 1999 Irai, Piratini and Sao Pedro da Serra were the districts with highest diversity. According to species richness estimators could be found more 34% of species in Camaqua, 18% in Irai, 75% in Lagoa Vermelha, 47% in Mostardas, 66% in Piratini and 43% in Sao Pedro da Serra.

Noctuidae moths occurring in grape orchards in Serra Gaúcha, Brazil and their relation to fruit-piercing

There is no study aiming to investigate if Noctuidae moths are responsible for piercing cultivated fruits in South America. This research aims to survey noctuid moths and list the species with mouth-parts (proboscis) morphology that suggest the capacity to cause damages to grape orchards in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Catches were carried out weekly from late November 2007 to late March 2008 (fructification period) using light traps and McPhail traps in three grape orchards in the region of Serra Gaucha. The catches resulted in 187 taxa, with 149 identified at the specific level and 38 at genus level. The proboscises of representative taxa were removed and analyzed under stereomicroscope and scan electron microscope. It was verified that only Oraesia argyrosema (Hampson, 1926) and Gonodonta biarmata Guenee, 1852 show proboscis with suitable morphology for piercing rind and pulp of a grape berry. Achaea ablunaris (Guenee, 1852); Ascalapha odorata (Linnaeus, 1758); Letis mineis Geyer, 1827; Mocis latipes Hubner, 1823; Ophisma tropicalis Guenee, 1852, and Zale exhausta (Guenee, 1852) show proboscis only adapted to lacerate the pulp. The proboscis morphology of the remaining noctuid moths suggests lack of capacity to cause damage. Despite the presence of species capable of piercing grape berries, the populations of such species are very reduced and unable to cause damage of economic level.

Arctiinae (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) coletados em unidades de conservação estaduais do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Arctiinae (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) coletados em unidades de conservacao estaduais do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. O presente estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de analisar a composicao das comunidades de Arctiinae no Parque Estadual do Espigao Alto (Barracao), Parque Estadual de Rondinha (Sarandi), Parque Estadual do Turvo (Derrubadas) e na Reserva Biologica de Ibirapuita (Alegrete). Dez armadilhas luminosas foram utilizadas para coletar os lepidopteros, de novembro de 2000 a fevereiro de 2001, amostrando-se uma noite em cada local. Os lepidopteros foram identificados aos niveis de subfamilia, tribo e, quando possivel genero e especie. Obteve-se um total de 5.969 arctiineos pertencentes a 137 morfo especies, distribuidos em seis tribos.

Fast Census of Moth Diversity in the Neotropics: A Comparison of Field-Assigned Morphospecies and DNA Barcoding in Tiger Moths

The morphological species delimitations (i.e. morphospecies) have long been the best way to avoid the taxonomic impediment and compare insect taxa biodiversity in highly diverse tropical and subtropical regions. The development of DNA barcoding, however, has shown great potential to replace (or at least complement) the morphospecies approach, with the advantage of relying on automated methods implemented in computer programs or even online rather than in often subjective morphological features. We sampled moths extensively for two years using light traps in a patch of the highly endangered Atlantic Forest of Brazil to produce a nearly complete census of arctiines (Noctuoidea: Erebidae), whose species richness was compared using different morphological and molecular approaches (DNA barcoding). A total of 1,075 barcode sequences of 286 morphospecies were analyzed. Based on the clustering method Barcode Index Number (BIN) we found a taxonomic bias of approximately 30% in our initial morphological assessment. However, a morphological reassessment revealed that the correspondence between morphospecies and molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) can be up to 94% if differences in genitalia morphology are evaluated in individuals of different MOTUs originated from the same morphospecies (putative cases of cryptic species), and by recording if individuals of different genders in different morphospecies merge together in the same MOTU (putative cases of sexual dimorphism). The results of two other clustering methods (i.e. Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery and 2% threshold) were very similar to those of the BIN approach. Using empirical data we have shown that DNA barcoding performed substantially better than the morphospecies approach, based on superficial morphology, to delimit species of a highly diverse moth taxon, and thus should be used in species inventories.

Biology of Anicla infecta (Ochsenheimer, 1816) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae), under laboratory conditions

Larvae of Anicla infecta (Ochsenheimer, 1816) (Noctuidae) feed upon many grasses and may be harmful to cereals and fodder of economic importance. This study was developed aiming to contribute to knowledge of the biology of this species. The rearing was done in an environmental chamber with the following settings: temperature of 25 +/- 1 degrees C; relative humidity of 70% +/- 10%, and photoperiod of L14:D10. The larvae fed on ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum Lam. The results express the mean and standard error for the length of every stage in days. For each stage we observed the following time of development: egg 3.2 +/- 0.09; larvae 18.7 +/- 0.07; pre-pupae 3.3 +/- 0.04; pupae 12.6 +/- 0.14; and adult longevity was 12.1 +/- 1.03. Also the pre-egg-laying period was 4.4 +/- 0.59; the egg-laying period was 8.1 +/- 0.84; and the post-egg-laying period was 0.3 +/- 0.14. The mean number of egg-laying cycles per female was 6.7 +/- 0.73; that of eggs per cycle was 77.5 +/- 4.37; and total eggs per female was 521.4 +/- 47.36.

Espécies de Adelpha Hübner, [1819] (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Limenitidinae) ocorrentes no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Species of Adelpha Hubner, [1819] (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Limenitidinae) occurring in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Based on literature, collections and sampled butterflies, a list of twelve species of Adelpha Hubner occurring in Rio Grande do Sul State is presented, including host plants. Adelpha epizygis Fruhstorfer, [1916], Adelpha falcipennis Fruhstorfer, [1916], Adelpha goyama Schaus, 1902 and Adelpha isis (Drury, 1782) are new reports to Rio Grande do Sul. The species are illustrated and keyed.