Abstract The shape of the galls can be adjusted by factors such as natural enemies and climatic conditions to which the galls are subjected. Studies that evaluate the climatic regime as a possible driver of the morphology of galls are scarce and do not consider Neotropical systems. To fill this knowledge gap, this study evaluated the influence of seasonality on the morphology of Cecidomyiidae galls induced on Myrcia neoobscura (Myrtaceae) growing in the Cerrado of Bahia. A total of 270 galls were sampled during the dry and rainy seasons. The average monthly precipitation was obtained. The galls were refrigerated, weighed, and measured within 72 h of collection. The average weight of the galls ranged from 0.106 g to 0.780 g; while, the volume ranged from 35.07 mm3 to 726.70 mm3 and the surface area from 20.03 mm2 to 719.57 mm2. The average weight, volume, and surface area of galls were approximately 50% higher during the rainy season than during the dry season. These three variables were also positively related to average precipitation. These results support the hypothesis that seasonality may contribute to the observed variation in the final shape of galls on a local scale.

Resumo: Os sistemas remanescentes de água doce estão historicamente ameaçados, principalmente devido às atividades humanas, como agricultura e urbanização. As consequências de tais atividades são inúmeras, e entre elas há a diminuição de habitats adequados para a fauna ameaçada. No cerrado brasileiro, a odonatofauna de veredas e matas ripárias ainda são pouco exploradas, fato que dificulta os esforços de conservação do grupo. Assim, realizamos um inventário em diversos pontos urbanos e rurais com essas fitofisionomias em Uberlândia, na região do Triângulo Mineiro, oeste de Minas Gerais. No total, foram encontradas 101 espécies de Odonata, sete famílias e 46 gêneros no município, com 76 e 66 espécies, respectivamente, pertencentes a pontos de veredas e de matas. Dessa diversidade, oito espécies foram os primeiros registros no estado de Minas Gerais: Neuraeschna claviforcipata Martin, 1909, Phyllocycla cf. medusa Belle, 1988, Diastatops intensa Montgomery, 1940, Oligoclada pachystigma Karsch, 1890, O. xanthopleura Borror, 1931, Angelagrion nathaliaeLencioni, 2008, Telebasis sanguinalis Calvert, 1909 e Telebasis simulacrum (Calvert, 1909). Nós também coletamos Erythrodiplax anaGuillermo-Ferreira & Vilela 2016, uma espécie listada como em perigo (EN) pela lista vermelha da IUCN. Além disso, incluímos algumas notas taxonômicas de fêmeas de Forcepsioneura machadorum, uma espécie recém-descoberta na região. Nossos resultados contribuem para o banco de dados Odonata no Brasil e destacam a importância dos inventários em ecossistemas aquáticos pouco explorados.

Abstract: Remaining freshwater systems are historically under threat mainly due to human activities such as agriculture and urbanization. The consequences of such activities are innumerous, and among them there is a decrease of suitable habitats for threatened fauna. In the Brazilian Cerrado, the odonatofauna of palm swamps and riparian forests are still poorly explored, a fact that difficult conservation efforts of the group. Thus, we performed an inventory in several urban and rural sites containing these phytophysiognomies in Uberlândia, Triângulo Mineiro region, western Minas Gerais state. In total, we found 101 Odonata species, seven families and 46 genera in the municipality, with 76 and 66 species, respectively, belonging to palm swamp and forest sites. From this diversity, eight species were first records in the state of Minas Gerais: Neuraeschna claviforcipata Martin, 1909, Phyllocycla cf. medusaBelle, 1988, Diastatops intensa Montgomery, 1940, Oligoclada pachystigma Karsch, 1890, O. xanthopleura Borror, 1931, Angelagrion nathaliaeLencioni, 2008, Telebasis sanguinalis Calvert, 1909 and Telebasis simulacrum (Calvert, 1909). We also sampled Erythrodiplax anaGuillermo-Ferreira & Vilela 2016, a species listed as endangered (EN) by the IUCN red list. Additionally, we include some taxonomic notes of Forcepsioneura machadorum females, a newly discovered species in the region. Our results contribute to the Odonata database in Brazil and highlights the importance inventories in poorly explored aquatic ecosystems.

Resumo: A Caatinga é uma floresta tropical sazonalmente seca, uma das mais ricas em espécies vegetais. Infelizmente, muitos grupos de insetos herbívoros associados a essas plantas são pouco conhecidos. Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar a diversidade de insetos galhadores (IG) e plantas hospedeiras (PH) na Caatinga. Para isso, nós compilamos as informações disponíveis na literatura de inventários sobre a comunidade de IG e suas PH, e as espécies descritas de cecidomiídeos. Nós encontramos 100 espécies, 72 gêneros e 32 famílias de PH abrigando um total de 156 morfoespécies de IG e 12 espécies descritas de cecidomiídeos. Espécies de plantas com apenas uma espécie de IG representaram 74% das hospedeiras, mas para as super PH (ou seja, PH com alto número de IG), apesar do pequeno número de espécies de PH, havia muitas espécies de IG. Fabaceae foi a família mais rica, com 30% das espécies de PH e 40% dos IG. Além disso, nossos resultados mostraram um baixo número de espécies de PH e IG para a Caatinga brasileira, e discutimos esse padrão com os seguintes argumentos, primeiro, é provável que o número de inventários de insetos galhadores para a Caatinga seja subamostrado, segundo a Caatinga possui um número relativamente menor de espécies vegetais quando comparada a outros biomas e, por fim, argumentamos que a Caatinga é uma floresta tropical sazonalmente seca onde a deciduidade representa um fator relevante para as taxas de colonização e desempenho dos IG.

Abstract: Caatinga is a seasonally dry tropical forest, one of the richest in plant species. Unfortunately, many groups of herbivorous insects associated with these plants are poorly known. This study aimed to investigate the diversity of gall-inducing insects (GII) and host plants (HP) in the Caatinga. For this, we compiled the information available in the literature of inventories on GII and their HP communities, and the described gall midge species. We found 100 species, 72 genera, and 32 families of HP hosting a total of 156 morphospecies of GII and 12 species of described cecidomyiids. Plant species with only one GII species represented 74% of hosts, but in super HP (i.e., HP with a high number of GII), despite the small number of HP species, there were many GII species. Fabaceae was also the most specious family, with 30% of HP species and 40% of GII. Furthermore, our results showed a low number of species of HP and GII for the Brazilian Caatinga, that we discussed this pattern with the following arguments, first, it is likely that the number of galling insect inventories for the Caatinga is under-sampled, second the Caatinga has a relatively smaller number of plant species when compared to other biomes, and finally, we argue that the Caatinga is a seasonally dry tropical forest where the deciduousness represents a relevant factor in the colonization and performance rates of GII.

Abstract Dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) are widely distributed among freshwater ecosystems of tropical and temperate environments. They are also particularly sensitive to anthropogenic changes. The objective of this study was to inventory the odonate fauna of a section of the Sucupira Reservoir on Rio Uberabinha, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to document the species composition of the odonate fauna during the dry and rainy seasons. The study also aimed to describe the distribution of the sampled species in Brazilian states. Sampling took place in August and September of 2017 (dry season) and in February and March of 2018 (rainy season), and recorded 860 individuals of 43 species belonging to 26 genera and six families. Six new records representing the families Gomphidae, Libellulidae and Coenagrionidae were recorded for the state of Minas Gerais. Seventeen species were collected only during the rainy season and eight only during the dry season, while 18 species were found in both seasons. The rainy season had greater abundance, with four times as many individuals as the dry season. This study increases the number of records for Odonata in the Minas Gerais state, and reinforces the trend for greater predominance of this group during the rainy season in this biome.

ABSTRACT For pioneer plants, shaded habitats represent a stressful condition, where sunlight exposure is below the optimum level and so leaves expand in order to intercept a greater amount of light. We investigated changes in both phenotypic variation and stress of Bauhinia brevipes in sunny and shaded microhabitats. Leaf area was used as a measure of phenotypic variation, whereas leaf asymmetry (difference between right and left sides of leaves), was used as a measure of stress. We hypothesized an increase in leaf area and stress in shaded locations, which might indicate that B. brevipes was compensating for low light absorption, and elevated levels of stress, respectively. Plants in the sun fitted a fluctuating asymmetry pattern (normal distribution of right minus left sides), while shaded plants were clearly antisymmetric (bimodal distribution of leaf side differences). Leaf asymmetry and area were 5% and 26.8% higher in plants in the shade compared to plants in the sun, respectively. These results were expected since B. brevipes is found predominantly in open areas; so sunlight exposure is important for its development. The presence of antisymmetry is rare in studies of developmental instability, and here it might indicate higher stress compared to plants with fluctuating asymmetry.